Knowra Daoism Daoism A Chinese philosophical and religious tradition centered on the Dao, naturalness, and non-forcing action. Its diverse texts and practices explore harmony with the cosmos and ways of cultivating life.
Dao : The underlying way or source through which the world arises and unfolds in Daoist thought. Daoism takes this elusive reality as its central concern.
Laozi : A legendary Chinese sage traditionally regarded as the author of the Daodejing. Daoist origins are often narrated through his teachings and attributed authorship.
Daoist meditation : Contemplative practices in Daoist traditions that cultivate stillness, awareness, and alignment with the Dao. Meditation offers a direct method for reshaping attention and conduct.
Confucianism : A Chinese ethical and political tradition emphasizing moral cultivation, social roles, and ritual propriety. Its focus on cultivated social order is often contrasted with Daoist spontaneity and non-forcing.
Daoist influence on Chinese painting : The impact of Daoist ideas about nature and cosmic process on Chinese painting traditions. Landscape painting often gives visual form to human smallness within a vast natural world.
Wu wei : A mode of action that avoids coercion and follows the tendencies of a situation. It expresses Daoism’s ideal of effective, non-forcing conduct.
Daodejing : An influential early Chinese text of brief poetic passages on the Dao, governance, and non-forcing action. It is the foundational text most closely associated with philosophical Daoism.
Neidan : Daoist internal alchemy, a practice of refining body, breath, and spirit toward spiritual transformation. It develops inner cultivation through alchemical language and disciplined practice.
Legalism : A Chinese political tradition that stresses clear laws, administrative control, and ruler-centered statecraft. Its reliance on coercive institutions sharply contrasts with Daoist political suspicion of force.
Chinese medicine : A diverse family of healing traditions developed in China, including herbal, manual, and acupuncture therapies. Shared ideas about qi and bodily balance connect some Daoist practices with Chinese medicine.
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