Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definitions: Taoism |
TaoismNoun1. Chinese Taoist sect claiming to follow the teaching of Lao-tzu but also incorporating pantheism and sorcery. 2. Religion adhering to the teaching of Lao-tzu. 3. Popular Chinese philosophical system based in teachings of Lao-tzu but characterized by a pantheism of many gods and the practices of alchemy and divination and magic. 4. Philosophical system developed by of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu advocating a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Synonyms: TaoismSynonyms: Daoism (n), Hsuan Chiao (n). (additional references) |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
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| Yin Yang is often used to symbolize taoism. |
Taoism (from Chinese 道, in pinyin dao4, and thus sometimes spelled Daoism; see Daoism versus Taoism) is an Asian philosophy and religion, though it is also said to be neither but rather a way of life. Translated literally, it means "Way" or "Path". The Tao is the natural order of things. It is a force that flows through every living or sentient object, as well as through the entire universe.
Taoism is a tradition that has, with its traditional foil Confucianism, shaped Chinese life for more than 2,000 years. Taoism places emphasis upon individual freedom and spontaneity, non-interventionist government and social primitivism and ideas of self-transformation, and so represents in many ways the antithesis to Confucian concern with moral duties, social cohesion, and governmental responsibilities, even if Confucius' thought includes those Taoist values, as one can read in the Analects.
Traditionally, Taoism has been attributed to three sources:
The Dao De Jing, or Tao Te Ching as it is most commonly rendered in English, was written in a time of seemingly endless feudal warfare and constant conflict. The literal meaning of the title is approximately "Way Virtue Classic" (see Dao De Jing for a more in-depth discussion on translating the book's title into English.)
According to tradition, the book's author, Lao Zi, was a minor court official for an emperor of the Zhou dynasty. He became disgusted with the petty intrigues of court life, and set off alone to travel the vast western wastelands. As he was about to pass through the gate at the last western outpost, a guard, having heard of his wisdom, asked Lao Zi to write down his philosophy, and the Dao De Jing was the result. Lao Zi was reflecting on a way for humanity to follow which would put an end to conflicts and strife. He came up with a few pages of short verses, which became the Dao De Jing. This is the original book of Taoism.
Wu Wei works once we trust that our human "design" which is perfectly suited our place within nature. In other words, by trusting our nature rather than our mental contrivances, we can find contentment without a life of constant striving against forces real and imagined.
In addition, a Taoist church was formed, originally being established in the Eastern Han dynasty by Zhang Daoling. Many sects evolved over the years, but most trace their authority to Zhang Daoling, and most modern Taoist temples belong to one or another of these sects. The Taoist churches incorporated entire pantheons of deities, including Lao Zi, Zhang Daoling, the Yellow Emperor, the Jade Emperor, Lei Gong (The God of Thunder) and others. Introduction and historical context
The Dao De Jing
Main article: Dao De JingTaoist Philosophy
Wu Wei
Much of the essence of Tao is in the art of 'wu wei' (action through inaction). This does not mean, "sit doing nothing and wait for everything to fall into your lap." It describes a practice of accomplishing things through minimal action -- by studying the nature of life, you can affect it in the easiest and least disruptive way. It is the practice of working with the stream rather than against it; one progresses the most not by struggling against the stream and thrashing about, but by remaining still and letting the stream do all the work.The Taoist Religion
Though specific religious aspects are not mentioned in the Dao De Jing or Zhuang Zi, as Taoism spread through the population of China, it became mixed with other, pre-existing beliefs, such as Five Elements theory, alchemy, ancestor worship, and magic spells. Attempts to procure greater longevity were a frequent theme in Taoist alchemy and magic, with many extant spells and potions for that purpose. Many early versions of Chinese medicine were rooted in Taoist ways of thought, and modern Chinese medicine is still in many ways concerned with Taoist concepts such as qi and the balance of yin and yang.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Taoism."
Crosswords: Taoism |
| English words defined with "Taoism": Chang Kuo, Chang Kuo-lao, Chou, Chou dynasty, Chow, Chow dynasty, Chuang-tzu ♦ Lao-tse, Lao-tzu, Lao-zi ♦ Tao, Taoist, Taoist Trinity ♦ Zhou, Zhou dynasty. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "Taoism": hacker humor, hacker humour. (references) |
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Theater & Movies | |
Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Civil Liberties | China | There are five officially recognized religions--Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism. (references) |
Economic History | China | Traditional Taoism also is practiced. (references) |
Malaysia | Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Baha'i faith. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Taoism" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 66.67% of the time. "Taoism" is used about 3 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 66.67% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Noun (proper) | 33.33% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 3 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
taoism | 651 |
picture taoism | 18 |
confucianism and taoism | 12 |
symbol taoism | 12 |
history of taoism | 9 |
buddhism taoism | 8 |
taoism belief | 7 |
definition of taoism | 6 |
philosophical taoism | 6 |
taoism religion | 6 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "Taoism"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Chinese | "教 (Daoism). (various references) | |
German | taoismus. (various references) | |
Hungarian | taoizmus. (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 老荘思想 (philosophy of Lao-tse and Chuang-tse), "教 . (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | どうきょう (bronze mirror, same province, same town, same village), ろうそうしそう (philosophy of Lao-tse and Chuang-tse). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | aoismtay.(various references) | |
Russian | таоизм, даосизм. (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | taoizam. (various references) | |
Spanish | taoísmo. (various references) | |
Thai | เต๋า, ลัทธิเต๋า. (various references) | |
Vietnamese | đạo Lão. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Misspellings | |
"Taoism" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Tiousso. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| Words rhyming with "Taoism" (pronounced 'Ta"o*ism'): Abolitionism, Absenteeism, Absinthism, Absolutism, Academicism, Academism, Accidentalism, Achromatism, Acosmism, Acrobatism, Acrotism, Actinism, Adiaphorism, AEstheticism, Africanism, Agnosticism, Agonism, Agrarianism, Agriculturism, Albinism, Albinoism, Alcoholism, Alienism, Allodialism, Allomerism, Allomorphism, Allotheism, Alphabetism, Altruism, Amateurism, Americanism, Amorphism, Anabaptism, Anachorism, Anachronism, Anacrotism, Anagrammatism, Analogism, Anamorphism, Anarchism, Anathematism, Anatocism, Anatomism, Anchoretism, Andabatism, Aneurism, Anglicanism, Anglicism, Anglo-Catholicism, Anglo-Saxonism, Anilinism, Animalism, Animism, Anomalism, Antagonism, Antarchism, Anthorism, Anthropomorphism, Anthropomorphitism, Anthropophuism, Antichronism, Anticivism, Anti-imperialism, Antinomianism, Antiquarianism, Anti-Semitism, Antitheism, Apheliotropism, Aphetism, Aphorism, Aplanatism, Apogeotropism, Apophlegmatism, Apriorism, Arabism, Aramaism, Archaism, Arianism, Aristocratism, Aristotelianism, Arminianism, Arsenicism, Asceticism, Asiaticism, Associationism, Astaticism, Asteism, Asterism, astigmatism, Asystolism, Atavism, Atheism, Athleticism, Athletism, Atomicism, Atomism, Atropism, Atticism, Attorneyism, Authorism, Autochthonism, Autoecism, Autohypnotism, Automatism, Automobilism, Automorphism, Autotheism, Autotropism, Averroism, Baalism, Babyism, Bacchanalianism, Bachelorism, Bahaism, Bantingism, BAPTISM, Barbarism, Bardism, Bastardism, Bathmism, Baunscheidtism, Beggarism, Benthamism, Biblicism, Bibliophilism, Bibliopolism, Bicyclism, Bilingualism, Biliteralism, Bimastism, Bimetallism, Biomagnetism, Biprism, Bitheism, Blackguardism, Bletonism, Blockheadism, Bluestockingism, Bohemianism, Bonapartism, Boodhism, Bossism, Boswellism, Boulangism, Bourbonism, Boycottism, Boyism, Braggardism, Brahmoism, Branchiomerism, Brigandism, Briticism, Bromism, Bromoiodism, Brutalism, Brutism, Buddhism, Buffoonism, Burkism, Cabalism, Caesarism, Cahenslyism, Calvinism, Cannibalism, Carbonarism, Carnalism, Cartesianism, Casualism, Catadicrotism, Catasterism, Catastrophism, Catechism, Catholicism, Cauterism, Cavalierism, Celticism, Cenobitism, Centonism, Centralism, Cephalism, Cerebralism, Ceremonialism, Cesarism, Chaldaism, Characterism, Charism, Charlatanism, Chartism, Chattelism, Chauvinism, Chemism, Chloralism, Chrism, Christianism, Chromatism, Chromism, Churchism, Ciceronianism, Cicisbeism, Cinchonism, Citicism, Civicism, Civism, Classicalism, Classicism, Clericalism, Cliquism, Cocainism, Cockneyism, Collectivism, Colloquialism, Colonialism, Commatism, Commensalism, Commercialism, Communalism, Communism, Compatriotism, Comtism, Conceptualism, Concettism, Confessionalism, Confucianism, Congregationalism, Congruism, Conservatism, Constitutionalism, Consubstantialism, Contrabandism, Conventionalism, Conversationism, Convictism, Corporealism, Cosmopolitanism, Cosmopolitism, Cosmotheism, creationism, Creticism, Cretinism, Cretism, Criticism, Cubism, Cullyism, Curialism, Cynicism, Cyphonism, Daltonism, Dandyism, Darwinianism, Darwinism, Dashism, Deaf-mutism, Decimalism, Deism, Demagogism, Democratism, Demoniacism, Demonianism, Demonism, Denominationalism, Dentalism, Despotism, Determinism, Devilism, Diabolism, Diageotropism, Diaheliotropism, Dialogism, Diamagnetism, Diathermanism, Dichroism, Dichromatism, Dicrotism, Didacticism, Diglottism, Dilettanteism, Dilettantism, Dimorphism, Dioecism, Diorism, Diplomatism, Dissenterism, Ditheism, Docetism, Doctrinarianism, Dogmatism, Donatism, Donnism, Doricism, Dorism, Doughfaceism, Dowagerism, Druidism, Dualism, Dynamism, Dynamitism, Ebionitism, Ecclesiasticism, Eclecticism, Ectorganism, Egoism, Egomism, Egotheism, Egotism, Eleaticism, Electicism, Electro-magnetism, Electro-vitalism, Elementalism, Embolism, Emotionalism, Empiricism, Encyclopedism, Englishism, Entorganism, Epicureanism, Epicurism, Epilogism, Epipolism, Episcopalianism, Episyllogism, Equestrianism, Erastianism, Eremitism, Erethism, Eroticism, Erythrism, Erythrochroism, Esotericism, Essenism, Etacism, Etherealism, Ethnicism, Euhemerism, Eunuchism, Euphemism, Euphonism, Euphuism, Eutychianism, Evangelicalism, Evangelicism, Evangelism, Evolutionism, Exclusionism, Exclusivism, Exorcism, Exoticism, Experientialism, Externalism, Falsism, Familism, Fanaticism, Fanatism, Fantasticism, Fatalism, Favoritism, Federalism, Fenianism, feudalism, Filibusterism, Fissiparism, Flunlyism, Fogyism, Foreignism, formalism, Fossilism, Fourierism, Frenchism, Frivolism, futurism, Galenism, Gallicanism, Gallicism, Galvanotropism, Gamomorphism, Gargarism, Genevanism, Gentilism, Geomalism, Geophagism, Geotropism, Germanism, Geusdism, Gipsyism, Gladiatorism, Gnosticism, Gongorism, Gonochorism, Gormandism, Gothicism, Grammarianism, Grammaticism, Grangerism, Grecism, Grundyism, Gutturalism, Gynandromorphism, Gypsyism, heathenism, Hebraism. (additional references) |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-i-m-o-s-t" | |
-1 letter: atoms, iotas, maist, moats, moist, omits, ostia, stoai, stoma, tamis. | |
-2 letters: aims, aits, amis, atom, iota, mast, mats, miso, mist, moas, moat, most, mots, oast, oats, omit, sati, sima, smit, soma, stoa, tams, taos, toms. | |
-3 letters: aim, ais, ait, ami, ism, its, mas, mat, mis, moa, mos, mot, oat, oms, sat, sim, sit, som, sot, tam, tao, tas, tis, tom. | |
-4 letters: ai, am, as, at, is, it, ma, mi, mo, om, os, si, so, ta, ti, to. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-i-m-o-s-t" | |
+1 letter: amorist, amosite, atomics, atomies, atomise, atomism, atomist, diatoms, impasto, manitos, mastoid, osmatic, somatic, somital. | |
+2 letters: acrotism, amitoses, amitosis, amniotes, amorists, amortise, amosites, amotions, antismog, apomicts, atomised, atomiser, atomises, atomisms, atomists, atomizes, atropism, coadmits, comatiks, foamiest, impastos, iotacism, komatiks, loamiest, maillots, maintops, manihots, manitous, massicot, mastoids, mattoids, misatone, monastic, moralist, oghamist, pastromi, ptomains, ramosity, saintdom, solatium, stasimon, stomatic, tampions, tinamous, toadyism, totalism, toxemias, tritomas, voltaism. | |
+3 letters: aconitums, acrotisms, ambitions, ambitious, amitroles, ammonites, amoristic, amortised, amortises, amortizes, anatomies, anatomise, anatomist, animators, animosity, antiatoms, antismoke, aromatics, atomisers, atomising, atomistic, atomizers, atonalism, atropisms, autoecism, azotemias, bombastic, coinmates, diplomats, dogmatics, dogmatism, dogmatist, dominants, dominates, encomiast, estimator, formalist, hailstorm, himations, histogram, imitators, immolates, immortals, impactors, impastoed, iotacisms, isogamete, macintosh, mammonist, manifesto, mannitols, masochist, massicots, maxicoats, mediators, midrashot, migrators, misatoned, misatones, mislocate, monastics, monazites, moralists, mortmains, mosaicist, motivates, mountains, mustachio, mutations, myotonias, nominates, oghamists, onomastic, osmeteria, ostracism, pastromis, potassium, prostomia, protamins, ptomaines, rainstorm, rolamites, romantics, saintdoms, semitonal, simpatico, simulator, stomachic, subatomic, summation, toadyisms, totalisms, toxaemias, voltaisms. | |
+4 letters: abominates, absolutism, abstemious, actomyosin, aeronomist, agronomist, algorithms, amazonites, ametropias, ammoniates, amortising, amyotonias, anatomised, anatomises, anatomists, anatomizes, animations, antagonism, antimonies, antinomies, antismoker, antonymies, aposematic, aromatizes, assoilment, assumption, astronomic, asymptotic, atonalisms, autoecisms, autogamies, automatics, automatism, automatist, autonomies, autonomist, autotomies, badmintons, bombinates, brainstorm, brominates, cacomistle, calamitous, camorrista, camorristi, catabolism, chemotaxis, chromatics, chromatids, chromatins, collimates, committals, complaints, costmaries, cremations, damnations, demantoids, dermatosis, diatomites, dichromats, diplomates, dogmatisms, dogmatists, dogmatizes, dominators, emanations, emulations, encomiasts, estimation, estimators, favoritism, formalists, formations, formatives, fumatories, fumigators, gemmations, hailstorms, haustorium, hemostasis, hemostatic, histograms, imitations, immolators, immoralist, impactions, imperators, inamoratas, informants, ironmaster, isogametes, isogametic, isothermal, laminators, lipomatous, logarithms, mackintosh, maisonette, majorities, malathions, mammonists, manifestos, manticores, masochists, masticator, mastodonic, mediations, meditators, melatonins, meliorates, mentations, mesothelia, metabolism, metalloids, microstate, microwatts, midrashoth, migrations, misatoning, miscaption, miscatalog, mislocated, mislocates, misogamist, mitigators, modalities, molalities, molarities, monarchist, monetarism, monetarist, monogamist, moralistic, moralities, morganites, morticians, mortuaries, mosaicists, motivators, moustachio, mustachios, mutilators, myopathies, nominalist, nominators, onomastics, osmolality, osmolarity, ostracisms, outshaming, palmations, pantomimes, patriotism, pictograms, polygamist, postatomic, postimpact, postmating, potassiums, prismatoid, prostatism, prostomial, protamines, rainstorms, ramosities, ruminators, sanatorium, sanctimony, sanitorium, semipostal, simulation, simulators, squamation, staminodia, stimulator, stomachics, stomaching, stomatitis, stramonies, stramonium, stratiform, suboptimal, sudatorium, summations, symposiast, tamarillos, tamoxifens, taxonomies, taxonomist, thimerosal, tomatillos, trinomials, utopianism, vagotomies, vasotomies, womanliest. | |
+5 letters: abolishment, abominators, absolutisms, accompanist, accustoming, achromatism, actinomyces, actomyosins, admirations, admonitions, adoptianism, adoptionism, aeronomists, agnosticism, agronomists, allometries, ambitiously, ambulations, ameliorates, ammunitions, amoralities, amputations, anastomosis, anastomotic, anatomising, angiomatous, animosities, anointments, anonymities, antagonisms, antimoderns, antimonials, antimonides, antinomians, antismokers, antismoking, antonomasia, assimilator, assoilments, assumptions, astrometric, astronomies, atmospheric, audiometers, auditoriums, autoerotism, automations, automatisms, automatists, automatizes, automobiles, autonomists, autotomizes, axiomatizes, barometries, bichromates, brainstorms, cacomistles, cafetoriums, catabolisms, choirmaster, chrismation, cleistogamy, coatimundis, codominants, colemanites, collimators, commiserate, communalist, compactions, comparatist, compatibles, compatriots, complaisant, complicates, contumacies, corporatism, cosmetician, creationism, crematories, cumulations, customarily, cytoplasmic, decimations, defamations, denominates, dichromates, dimethoates, diplomatist, disaccustom, dogmatizers, domesticate, dominations, ectoplasmic, elastomeric, eliminators, emaciations, emendations, emigrations, enantiomers, encomiastic, ergotamines, estimations, eudaemonist, exhumations, favoritisms, fibromatous, filamentous, formalistic, formalities, fumigations, gastronomic, geminations, harmonicist, hematocrits, hemostatics, homeostasis, homeostatic, homoplastic, immolations, immoralists, immortalise, impersonate, importances, imputations, informatics, inhumations, inseminator, intimations, ironmasters, lacrimators, laminations, ligamentous, limitations, macerations, machinators, macintoshes, maculations, maisonettes, malapropist, malposition, mammalogist, mandatories, mandolinist, manifestoed, manifestoes, manometries, marinations, marionettes, masochistic, mastication, masticators, masticatory, mastoiditis, matrimonies, matronymics, maturations, mayoralties, medications, meditations, meliorators, memorialist, mensuration, meritocrats, meroblastic, mesothelial, metabolisms, metabolites, metabolizes, metasequoia, metasomatic, microstates, milquetoast, misallocate, misanthrope, misanthropy, miscaptions, miscatalogs, miscitation, miscreation, mislocating, mislocation, misogamists, mitigations, moderations, modulations, molestation, monarchists, monasteries, monasticism, monetarisms, monetarists, monogamists, monogastric, moratoriums, morphactins, mortalities, morulations, motivations, mountainous, moustachios, multiparous, mustachioed, mutilations, mycophagist, myocarditis, mystagogies, mythomanias, mythopoeias, myxomatosis, natatoriums, nationalism, nematocides, nimbostrati, nitrosamine, nominalists, nominations, nominatives, nonmigrants, nonmystical, normalities, numerations, obtainments, ophthalmias, ordainments, orientalism, osmotically, outsmarting, pantomimist, pastoralism, patrimonies, patriotisms, patronymics, peristomial, permeations, photomosaic, plasmolytic, polygamists, polymathies, postmarital, postmarking, postprimary, prismatoids, prognathism, prostatisms, provitamins, radiometers, rationalism, remotivates, renominates, rhizomatous, romanticise, romanticism, romanticist, ruminations, salinometer, saltimbocca, sanatoriums, sanitoriums, scyphistoma, semiotician, semipostals, semitonally, simulations, sodomitical, solmization, somatically, somatomedin, spasmolytic, squamations, staminodium, stimulation, stimulators, stimulatory, stramoniums, subdominant, sublimation, sudatoriums, summational, symposiasts, symptomatic, tambourines, taphonomies, taphonomist, tautomerism, tautonymies, taxonomists, teetotalism, temerarious, temporaries, temptations, terminators, testimonial, thermotaxis, thigmotaxes, thigmotaxis, thimerosals, timocracies, toolmakings, tourmalines, toxoplasmic, trampolines, trichromats, unambitious, utopianisms, variometers, vasectomies, vasectomize, voluntarism, wolframites. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)54 61 6F 69 73 6D |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references)- .- --- .. ... -- |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01010100 01100001 01101111 01101001 01110011 01101101 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)T a o i s m |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0054 0061 006F 0069 0073 006D |
| British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)
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Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)546781758579 |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Images: Slideshow 6. Quotations: Non-fiction 7. Usage Frequency 8. Expressions: Internet | 9. Translations: Modern 10. Derivations 11. Rhymes 12. Anagrams | 13. Orthography 14. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
