What Is Taoism? and Other Studies in Chinese Cultural History HERRLEE G. CREEL The University of Chicago PressRinnsaerkaensy (© 1970 Here 6. Cet ce le [brary 0 Congr Cataig Cord Namber: FSS Contents Preface vit 1 What Is Taoism? 1 2 The Great Clod 25 3 On Two Aspects in Early Taoism 37 4 On the Origin of Wawel 48 5 The Meaning of Hsing-ming 79 6 The Favchia: “Legalists" oF “Administrators”? 92 7 ‘The Beginnings of Bureaucracy in China: ‘The Origin of the Hse 121 8 The Role of the Horse in Chinese History 160 Index 187Preface "The papers in thi volume have appeared, at dats rang Goes 1954 to 1968, ia variety of places in Ana and Europe as well ain he United States of America. Because they arent ll ily accesible a numberof people have suggested to me tha they should fe brought together i a Single volume. One of them made this sggeson tothe University of (Chtcago Pres and this bok the resus The subject mater ofthese papers varies greatly and it may vem that there is 90 thread tha could ink Tasiem, bore and bureaucracy, ‘The thread may be tenuous, but all of these papers are prods of the study in which T have been engaged fr the past sven year, ofthe ‘tiginsand the iaence of Chine tera. That inlunce fe aneationed inthe seventh ofthe paper. It was considerable, ad wed oth by sea and by land. Ia studying the land communications across Asia va stack by the face thatthe cavalry hone Bas played tajr rele ‘ot only inthis connection tut a in deeply inlaenng Chinas hiory (over thowtands of years. That tle hs never think, been adequately The relation hereeen Tao and government is more obvious, Ite wll recognized thatthe re of Taoses seprsente, in pat, «teacton ain the autortarian government of the Chan-Auo pind, Fortier more, what T have called “perposive Taoien’™ has deeply inenced Chinese admiisrative thought and practice ever since he tid cetury 3.6. number ofthe paper are concered, in one way or Anater With (he rlatonsips between Tan and tater have made no atempe t0 reve tee papers Unless ane rewrites completly, piecemeal change nay do moe arma than gon. evita my psi of view has changed somewhat over the year, bt Ido nt think tha dere is anything ia these paper with which I should acesteongly dings. The order in which they appear in thin vole i topical rather than chronological, but anyone who wishes ead thers inthe order in which they were writen may realy do 0! My ndebtednet to many colleagues and reads hasbeen knowledge’ in connection with individual paper. My wife has ctribited valuable Critic ofall of them, and important ideas some. Mim June Work, sy rocarchauistant, has bee of the wtotbepfnes with them al 1. The apie fe api 3,3, 56,3, 4 82 1 What Is Taoism? 1 anyone & apprehemive that Tam going to ge an answer to the ‘queton posed by the ideo this paper, let me ras him at ence. I Sal not bes els as oy to propound a single, sovereign dein fof what Taos. In act, the more ope sties Taoism, the clearer ‘come that this erm doce not denote waco but a whole congerie of doctrines NNeveriielen, i oe isto dau Tact, he mmst at last have = restnably clear conception of what tis, This made extremely diticule by the nature of the Tastes. For every early Tait hook ncaing the Chung Te je and the Lao Tat &, in Gat an anthology of work by many writer. That the Chang Ta sa compilation ha lng teen generally agro, bit dey that the La Tait homogeneous sl widely deevied as heresy. Neverteles a growing body of shalaship Suppor, with cael and impresive documentation, the statement of Fang Yalan pea that oth the Chang at and the Las Tet “are ‘ya Regd wih rane lf ae Taran it mn rl ey wet pe "Spin oe ore ier Oe ore ‘Steed wt seg mtr Soe Fang Youn BKM, Set tay ‘Patna 8 reprint 198) 65,108 Mae Gan ta Ps a hom is, Torin nC Par, 190), 290. Son Tecan HEA, eK Sh Pon'T0 aT Pg Lan Cat {Tau re ve sae ZA in Lo Ren HMC, fk ‘Ae Smi8 0 (Shay 190, 1, Tae abn BNR Rs Ca 87, ‘tne in Chang Chan 88, Hn Ch Chg Co Km RE {Sha 05) sb Artur Waly, Thien ar (4; ried anon,2 What Is Tasin? reilly olson of Taoist writings and saying, made by difrng erions in ifering times, rather than the singe work f any oe penn” In sch composte and romesimercontradictry material? commonly crypt at est it has ben posible ond evidence forthe nt verge ‘eva, Thi hasbeen ging on for = good two thousand years. I 0 ‘pages in the Chung Ted sport particular view, i ae not alaye been considered necewary to mention the fact hat twenty pswages ty repudiate it, perhape with denn, Tr the kaleidscopie fimament of Taoism there is one relavely Sued stars the tet Za Buti all dat is Taoist has the term a, sot every Chinese poopy that tes the tris Taoist for i fet hey alld. Tava frst meant “road” or “pth.” From this it developed the sense ofa method, and ofa course of conduct As a plilewphicl term it appears tin the Confucian Anal For the Confucian at fs the way, the method, of right conduct fr the individual and fr the state, And the Confucian tn was also an elit, since an individual or 2 tate might “pene the fn” or “lack the fn But this Confucian tay was tl only principles was never regarded ata saetane, ke Like » numberof other scholars T blive thatthe Chuang Ted ws series in lege par at leat, not far om 300 and that cota ‘ur finest exposition of Tai thinking. As the Ohang To detcribes the tan eis not merely a substance and a thing, Tithe ony subwance and the only thing, for ithe tuality ofall things whatsoever. Includes, 8-2 persistent questioner was tld wo-hisembarasment,ordure and twine While ie always seems to bein Bus the baler f ts Fores i 4. ang Yon 4S Hi of Ces Ply Tet ni ‘Than Hii Ts Cn So MCS, 1 Somghl os), 2927, Re Cohan ‘BA, ga Sd Chase a7 Ye Ca gS Nem Ta BE IBemne Fate ot Rito AS PTV ln, 0, He “ake Yi, Gn omni! Chane Chan os Om ag Goan a he Cay ate pn he i vw ta chap, shits never ofr lok) pin, on tue Toews Higham (Te nL 8) cones at toe Chay Tar nts cnn pn of Tae dre” Cards Soa nd th ae lbh as sod eter ne wie aco Fee gy. Stan rei 2h 1a pec, 5 Che Tat a Pr a Roe the Oleg Ta wi wy eon bt i th tal ame Le, ia, Te ig of Raye Wat Is Tas? — 5 forever the sme, 19 that in 8 lnger sexs it Is unchanging? And its absolutly indvisle® Sine ii inde, i fllows that i cannot bbe decried in words or even comprehended by thought. Talo flows ‘that apparent leer objoy ke you and mic, exit ony a separable parse the gest whole, and we area oly and a young, asthe heavens fnd the esth® There is poin, then, in feversh attempts to move parts of thet from one place t another ‘The enlightened ma hows {hat all hinge are safe "inthe ome teary”; he levees gold in the fasoes ofthe smounti, his prvi the depths of the sex! Nor is there any cate fr concern at #0 ones own fe "In the universe,” the Chuong Tat el ws “all Ung are one For him who ean but realize his indisluble unity withthe whl, che pare of his body mean 20 roce than 30 mich is and di, and death anil, end and begining, fre no more to him than the succesion of ay and night. They are Powel co dir his tangle" ‘Suns schlas wil have been reminded ofthe fous statement of the Upanishads, Tat te as That art Thou." Such resemblances (they were by te means identi) were wo play an important role when addin entered Chins, around the binning ofthe Christian Era Tn the Chung Te, ae forthe Confcians, lo denoted method as well as einy. Bat a method of ding wit? There no, his philosophy, {bass for any very pov ation. The ai unknowable, in its exence, fd the mot ealightened sige ignorant Moral, Taoist philosophy 5s completely inifres.Al hings are elave. “Right” and “rong” fre jst words which we may apply to the same thing, depending upon Which partial viewpoint we soe fom, "For each tidal theres 1 erent anda diferent ‘le’ rom the eascendent standpoint ff the fo all sch thing are ierelevant. To advorate uch Coin ‘irtus at benevlence and rgheoues nt merely fo, bat ely {HE te wrt ed ae Ones Toon T eee Uae any Ta Tc PF fi 1 10-772 Lege, Cae To 18, Sa 3 7, Tree Map tt cps Bing Ta fan 80. suon Pong ot, ws Came “ea hgh 0, 37 Rchrd Wa a Daag Sm 129, 7 gC #20 ers Mape ac ge 0 Sa Ta aie Fg Wes Gg F503 Ta Cy Te BL, hg os TE See Char in in en (ein Land, 18,18, 18 hg Ta iy 727 a eC Ta 334 What te Taoism? {oda harm, forthe advocate Kerays an unwarranted and dangerous ‘What, the, should one do? Wa we 6%, the Chang Tei say, “Do nothing, and everyting willbe done." And i is very neato really ‘meting jot that, “The small man sacices imac? in the poet of fain, the superior man devotes his whole exitence to the struggle for fame. Their reason for relingubing che ocmal flings of men and vearping ther nature are quite diferent, bt in that they abandon the Proper human coune and give over their whale lve to strange and natural endenor hey are exactly the same, Therlre i ei, ‘Do ot bea mal man, thar to detzoy the very exence of your being. Aid tho not try 10 be a superior maa, either Follow the natal coune, No mater whether croked or rag, lok at al things nthe ight of the {eat power af mature that resides within you. Look around you! tune Source rhythm ofthe seatons, What irene wheter i call ie 7? Hold ft othe unfeered wholeness thats yous cary eat your own ide, Bend ony with thet." "Buc what, ane may ask, dor thi come to in practic? Very i, i snust be adited. The Chang Te syerepeately that one should be tells Bata lving being cannot be wally elem, AC the lent one rust eat, and his ears competion. The Chang Ti iuelf tl ye fat sme erie aid that ony a dead man could be a good Tavis inthe see we have Been desing “Thi mot the place to expainte upon the meri ofthis parce spect of Tans. It may be noted, however, tht while equi lcking in'any practical program, it hat provided a haven of inner scent 4 refuge fom vesitude, for reat numbers of Chinese fom aniigaty to the present day. Four yeats ago I tead belore this Society « paper 2 G5 ek it TE ca Tb Loge, hg To, 8 The npn ae ely ‘mien he Choy 8 Teh a9 myo i pe nt atcly dite sug ny at ly in Hah Gy ny Chang Tob Tenn 2510 Caine pane este My ove aan > ed (apo Ya Young SRR, Oy Ts CO EPR Sega, 1 hang 657. 10; Lge, hg Te 16, 317-818 1 81 1 hy ia F Ti Fi 9 aps eg Tt hw ei ar amy pt he ot Pn 51 Lag, aga 8-185, What fsTasiom? 5 in which 1 propesed calling this aspect of Toi “oontemplative ‘Taois" “Ther is another aspect of philosophical Taoism, which 1 proposed o call “purposive.” For reasons T suggested i the cartier paper, I believe ‘hat “contemplative” Taam represents the phieophy in se orginal parity, wle “purposive” Taam as a secondary development. Ie ‘ar enough, for esance, thatthe poe and ier calm tha may be Served from the atieade of contemplative Taoism elevates hin who holst above the staging mac of hared men, ard may even give 1 prehologel advantage in dealing with them. Very well, say the ‘purponve” Tact; culvate this atte as a means to power! Be vlthout desire im order to gun the ching that you derive Tes by ‘ot ventarng to put inet forward tha one abe to gin the fine ‘lace Thus a tage able, by means ofthe t,t Become chief of all ‘he miners "He who wishes toe above the poople must speak at hough he were teow them...» Tes just because he doesnot contend that no ane in he wold able wo contend with isn" “This tendency to teat the fo an a method of cour, of sequin power, our sporadically inthe Chang Ts, bu iti fa more prominent fn the eet that = known both asthe Lap Tet and asthe Tao 7? Ching [BIH Tradiionally the Lay Te war held to have been writen by older contemporary of Contac. Ment criti! share now believe ‘Tam one, bie thatthe Lar Tal was probably pt together somewhat Inter than the cari parts of the Guang Ta were eriten "There was a great tendene, from a east the third century 8. 6 ony bse gt ee ee ee incre some a SipeeWag ihre Maa w eT women ce Hevavets Migr hanes aheubnrs nomen Relea sain ahaa nanan ie a ieeeanee Wadecytamay wana fareievaee Te hea aia nes ahs BRP |b Genetica mi DIES Pa Ree ns A Re Se Gece toeeneto6 Whac Is Taoiom? to atibute many sayings 10 the vague character know at Lao Tao, “the Old Master" We ven find good Confucian saying that occ in the Analects repeated almost vecbatin, prefaced by the word "Lao Tei {sid At some point someone brought together many of the Best of| ‘he sayings, and may have collected and writen ater material tog ‘vith them, and made the book calle the Lav Ts? The fc that i ‘anthology accounts forthe lange nme of reptitons in the ext The editing wat exelent and gives on the whole, a rorarable pe pearance of bomagensiy. hiss ary beats he material selected ate sivaye tere and sphornic, commonly cy, and afte Pyne. The {Lay Tet includes some of our Ent expresions of Tat piowphy, as swell arse trivia I has much of the “oonterplative," but mor of the “parponve” apet. Thur whereas the Chine Tei i in the main polly inifeent or even anarchic, he La Te gives a great deal tf advice ting and fda! lords and minister how to ge and Hak ‘ower Ii er concerted withthe vison ofthe fav atthe reat whole, td more withthe an a8 tehniqhe of control ‘The tre and exyptie nature of the saying inthe Lv Tei had con sequences not forse by ther autho. They could be, and wer, Interpreted in various and even opposite way. The recently published a eee en TP am natal Sheers Reavcincmnry sit el SEpo TUT iad ae attic inne cn Hl eomienae the Wit Tet 2 the tn ee tye seeinieag ote ane teat eae Saito Tore Pano ages Peoseeeiateagi tate Sinead POPury ia Snap ure y Binh oa Ts BNF (Sa Pr Pe Trey hen Whe Te eh a yt mie ch i oe Erp emcee A ans hae Way and te Power, 28, 149, 91 PORES nn amm SEER TAR, «us vce nia Tishirealcne What Task? clan by the ate Profasor J.J. L- Duywendal aroued wide ntret by ite ending af the fit six characters othe Lv Tk, which gave them 2 meaning quite oppoed to the nual interpretation and new 0 far {Tam avare, among tanlatina Yer Duyrendal’s interpretation ie {te old in Chinese Irate; it was evenly made bya wing of Traci thought that leaned hes toward Lega. The convenient ambiguity of the Lar Tea (hich Grane sid ith some erth i imposible to tant) wae exploited othe fl a what i sometime called Neo-Taokin and sometimes called religions Tack, “This movement—one beats t call whoo wari el complex and various, induding both ignorant religious fanace and highly ‘ulead scholar. Ie appear to have aren cloe tothe Beginning of the Christian Tra, and taken fom during the fint several centres A itinctve name for this kind of Taoism is badly needed, Both "Neo Tao and “religious Tans” are somewhat ambiguous This {ind of Tai, varying manifestations, i marked by one constant sim: the achiesement of immorality, The goal 1 become a hi iy {Taoist immoral In Chinese works writen as erly athe int centiy 1 ewe find ite practices called Ain tab ti "the way’ ofthe hin 1 prope to call thi doctrine “sien Taian,” to ditnguih om philosophical Taoism ‘The immorality in question was a perpetuation of the physical body 1 might be pose, by special means, for one already ithe tomb to Sin ana Sef ne ter pag oh Wi Te ag ‘ines secon copy Powe pao n pt do or whore Scie ia ac FF adn ear P18 PT, od bet and fi teu slet ply & ane ote page Stemi eho th he inept make by Dra as ead {iy by doancy mseriy since nmsne ry Tosi Ihe wen bt et phe emp mca ee hon Eo a fis Galfer ran ay a Se ret rts "ao dt Te Par SI (hyd 10, “NeTiobn ve dnt » ce Toa pny; Fee Ym St My (foe Py a 3g Recs IR, Ch ce a ty ER (ae, 10-19 ed ei Sh 8) Pes nah ‘Sir te my be dd rao rgb i) PsP To, Sie Wh ea (Tang Wh 6 3.8 What Ie Tact? be resurrected but es ofall wat daring if to become Ae, never ‘eathes and ageles. Many ways, ts, were believed to cinduc to that happy state. One ofthe most important wart take dru, smeties herbal but mote fequenly, i seems, the products of alcericl mani- ulation. Complestchnigue involving breath control and gymnasts, tbc have been compired te the Hinds yoga are prominent? One hold not eat any of the five rai" He mast repent hi sm, practice Virtue (including such Confcian virtues a fal piety and yi, benevolence”), and give to the poor A single bad ation wil wipe out an accumulation of 1,10 good ones Varying emphasis was given 1o sexal practices which curiuly combined lien with mater Feat of magic and chara played prominent pat in Hien Tacs? rzron were potent tama, and many of the bronse mirrors that have come down tour were no doubecomidered magical Tn mses of heavenly palaces deities (n many caer Met with tar) fantion 2 Tim taon X3t, "Heavenly olor” in a graded hierarchy. A ‘Rin wh pesto heaven mit take alower plc, snc be has noseniaiy; 8. Wane Gung an Hg BB (PP Tse), 78a, Po ie Sn a ig 3h Re Mang, Po Ta a 2 2 Si hg Chg ae ng, Ke Mang. Ps Pu Tok Ne 3 ny 52 6.2, itn sg ae oT NE gong reo Ho Sata 25,02 i, Fa Sy Er Cn Ting Sag Ce EEE et igen Poveda SeNes I pp i" te Janel espe, CcxIx fey 1 Hh We, Mh il Poy 16 Swan Che a 79h 24 Fs Re Hague Pe Toh, SS Suton eats 1s tee. Ho My" Se Pam Fipaar ing bs Ban PEt Si fo res (an 110, BRE he ra Ae Sh Fig Yang 34 BT ay ng tae ng ar Lang To hg BS hg LL ‘FawCRIE! PHO, 6 Me, Le Too, Bo. 1 The tr dept hae gration Aw in Maer,“ a de ae pcp tal 49 al Maer Le Yt 16 Tyo 2rd tha cry ean ing, 2 Oe Ke Hong Po Pe Tas neh 5829018 sei re ig a, PP Ta 8 4 {Re Hg, PsP Ta i Many Han ay iors tion he a hie ‘erp nse Pk BUR, Hy Ce Chg 8 Cr he Tt GE RF oss. 1 1 15-20 ‘eang ong, Ln ig ia ey 22 A SNS Stet 2 atin ah What Ie Tasiom? 9 (his & why some prefer to sexy on earth Furthermore, this whole spiital hierarchy hae is exact counterpart in pia ving inde the body of every human beng There were peri callestve ceremonies designed to achieve various enh” One important bjetve, in Hien ‘Tao, wart avoid or abbreviate the tortures of ll! “The difrence between Hsien Tasim and philosophic Taoism are striking to ay the least, The mere idea ofall hi aig or morality fs repugnant to that of wei, not striving. The Confian moral tone, and concer for rank ina heavenly hierarchy, confit withthe snoral inference and robust anareham of Tavis phileopy. As for the iden thal is doubt tha the author ofthe Chany Te ever herd of, Dut if they ha it would undoxbiediy have struck them sz exceedingly fanny, Yet both doctrine are called Tair, andthe dtncsion between them is sometines made posy fatal. How did his stuaton come abou? "There are many views, But most explanations are variations on a Single theme. Tei generally believed that inwome tanner Taoist pil sophy gradually took into uf pdigenous peatice and apesiton," lzorbed mich fiom Buddhism, and was traaformed nto Hsien Tacs, Maspero calls thi vw “auperiial"} certain i Faves avast amount ‘anexpline, The brillant scholar Kuo Moyo PLAS propounded a slation ten yeas ago which ha bee influential in both Cina ad Japan In Han 1 times Taoism was sometimes own atthe doctrine af Huang-Lao HE, a combination of the names of Huang Ti HS, the “Yalow Emperor.” and Lao Tea. "Huang-Lao” i confising term. By the second century 4-0 it wat being wed wo ean Helen Ti, but a ate 1 the second century 3, appears to have sil denoted powophical 6 Chg Tn Ta Tag, 7 Yee 4 Ling Ta J San Fi Mi eg (Ge Chk SALERRLEDALE, coy beh Pe Coca RSE, Cd {Ro Tu Ci sah PRE Sapa Wa) 110 Mage Ee Foe 998 hag tae rn To, Fs Ws Lago Sang Pi Mi Cg a Get zabaie Eom, 1 tet Nap Das 50. Kon Modo, CM Pa ang Lan Hh Pat Pi Pan REFER, in ‘hn ae Sebi (005,10 a ons A, He On CP Pen SAGER Shanghai 198) 10 Ala Kaw RABI, sve bg ERS Tin HO, 15), 08to What I Tacs? “Taoion Kap sae thatthe Huang-Lao doctrine arose at the capital cof the sate of Gif around 300 n,<: Other scholars have aserted, however that the term “Huang-Lan” appear fit in the Misc Res, writen around 100. ©?" know ao evidence to the contrary, land Kis offers none, Certainly the Mistrial Rand docs sy that the Hiuang-Lan doctrines were studied in Cv around $00 mbt this docs not even prove thatthe term “Huang-Laa” was actually employed that tine. And its certainly not evidence thatthe practcs of Hien “Tai, later aca with the erm “Hung Lao,” were then in se, In fat, the reverse seems to be trac. Kuo, however, nts that Ch i lb said to be the place of origin of magical practi ater ied in the {earch fr immorality, ad concider that they were somehow aie trith Tacit phlowphy. ‘This bothers him, for he ses clearly thatthe Plioophy of the Chane Tat would regard the pursuit of inunorality ‘vith ly contempt. Neverthe, he ay, that Pilnophy appears to ave degenerated mo much 0 tat he geet, the very magilan who hoodwinked Chin Shih Huang Ti aseHG,shorly before 200 » cy Ito underaking the search for immorality, may have bem dips in {he direct ine of tension fom Chua Tat "This concaion i, in my opinion, untenable, Yet Kuo Mojo is a ‘most able scholar, and his understanding of the huang Ts exclnt, 1 only bis allure to seruiize his sures rigorously that mised him sen fom the eth “ears Maperosaye that we err in shinking that Lao Tea, Chuang "Tea, and Lich Tea iF pict ll of ce Taos of their tes. They represent, he says only a branch, "an pet etl &tendancs mystiqus philosopher; caine des lees neu qui tranormaent en Plowphie lr emcignements souvent gre dela sete." Bat in fac, he say, even ftom tei ica techerche de Vinal tent tne place captle dan religion tite." Tospeak of a “corruption” ff Taoist philosophy is therefore, he hol, uite eroneout Maaper sys thatthe quest for immortality held only secondary pace for huang Ta, but he ques, hom chapter 12 ofthe Chamg Tei, a pamage rating that after a thowand years on earth the Tao sage rounts to heaven a a 51 Non be sc ta Reniisms 5 Keo So Sh an 1 What Is Taoben? ‘hie Pease bear that panage in mind, We sal conser it again ensi Maspero spent several decades inthe tay of what ell Ten ‘Tacs, His aris on the subjr, ad hie posthumous works edited by Paul Denil form a ndipesable introduction to ths orale study which wil log command the gratitude of all who undertake In fl reogaition of thi fact, 1 alto believe that his preoeeupaton with Hien Taoism case hin fo oveemiphasze ts apparem resemblance to philosophical Taoism, and to ignore the gulf tha separates the two ‘My own solution ofthis robe one ha asa eet ben hinted a by many shears. Fung Vuela, fr instance, hat pine out the great “ierence between “Taoism as philowophy and the Tans religion ‘The teaching," he says, “are not only diferent; they are even contradict”! Fang seks to explain the tie of what he eal the “Toot religion, in terms of in aence fromthe “Yin-Yang school" and fom Buddhism "This eerily an importa part of te ory, but not the whale. Inmyopinion, phizoophic Tai inciting both the contemplative” and the “pupmive”aspees) and Hilen Taoim aot only were never denseal; their asociation, eve, have Deen minimal. Ata undetera date, perhaps around 800, there are wat we might ell «eat of Smmortaliy, Abo around 300 9. and perhapr in the same ates, “Tao philsophy aoe. The cl andthe pilwophy sccm to ave been alow ene ditinee until pepe a ne asthe mil of Former Han Sime, During the Han dynasty thse nekng immortality gradually took lover the name of Taoism (pechape forthe respectability afforded) and seh of the jargon of "purpoive” Taoism, ut they di not tae over “Tait Philosophy. In Later Han tines Hen Tacit took over Buddhist practices to develop popular Taoist religion, Although there wa some Imscegnaton, Tacs philosophers have commonly considered the quest for immorality to be ftsou or wots, and sone Helen Tacs have reciproeaed the lack of crdiality, The evidence fr this hypothe is ‘voluminous, Here team oly be nie, rom the Shang oracle bons we know tha already in the second sillensiam nc it was believed that spirits of the dead might aren the 5 The te tron oa if ch Ee es he ond ae gery Mange pcs meg oie Re ee ay Ce Pa 28, Ft Wl Tt en Plny tm. Hah Land, 19),ta What fe Taso? living aed apparently influence ter ash From an early day there were individuals Raown as ae, fen called “shamans,” who held frances with spit and were beeved able 10 heal the sick! The Invention of medicine satu wo 2 certain From healing the fick and frsalling death temporary, only 4 jump tothe idea of foretaling death permanently. IW are sad 10 have been pecially ‘numerous in the southern state of Cha 32, and alo in Chit which ‘ecupied roughly the aes ofthe modern Shantang Province We are ionportant in the background of Hsien Tani, and 20 are agit, who ao Hours in Chi. The Hite! Rare mye that Inapcians of the vite of Chi aad Yen claiming command of the tr of immortal, “teansmited but cold no understand” the methods {tibeplilowopher Taou Ven BR, whe nn ie sacatd with there (hihedectine of ex hing 24 ive fen” and (perhape eroncous) vith the in yg BRB theory ese alo to be in Chia again Tot far Hom 900 me, that the fr mention cecurs of the Yellow Emperor ARhough he appeared 20 late, hit fame spread with great rapidity. His mame ao, inked with medicine. He was eae, though by no means universally, aacated wit longeity and imsrorality, He came tobe regarded the earat ruler of Chia, nd patirch of Hien Tact ‘Since Chuang Tal it belived to Rave lived in the latter hal f the Jour century 8:0, ad at leat wo important pilsopical Tack are sid to have ted ad writen at the capital of Ci at thie, thi been pointed out asa skin asiation between the orgie of what eal Hien Ti, and phileopical Tai. Bu sould not be Forgotten vege rnc ga Penh nears ore man ieeaateae bast eae SEs tae Scie ceaa ares Senate attire atone 2. La Shh Glen Cow SEI (Set PP Ta a), 1. Bu. See alos Tid, 3. Sa kent iameuknnatee sin met ee (Para, 105-1905; reer to havent at Man. Hit) II, 435-896, See alo See EE aw manta ua ane (rah ch 28 by, 1, 5A a Na Ta WH (SPP aorta Ce EES enero What te Pasion? 4g thatthe great Confan Mencus 2, and tron Han Ted 2 sho ‘pent tne at ths same capital. Cs ener fr many Ke af ills activity, and wot en by accident King ida wh ‘ge om 32314, pent arg sus to atc eee lng to his ep, and give then very comfrabe ingy This sho tweed ute nel, en do Scholar ke oat ‘scaly a he furth century ne. tee nes lead in embry a test we might allan ory at Ther as i oe lived ir cote, fence whe red hgh the Rene distant jum and of ne tech tang a ‘ba were ltr peel by Hen Taam, Sack ching are mend thsi Tao bas tnt tere lowe bya) mec, We fe them refed inthe hty called the Cn iw 77 Bn the Lalit work Han Fi Tet, and event the oe bear te ate ofthat wuphs minded Conia rata, Hsin Tei Such rene ‘reo mare phat the auton thee ook epnted tenor Cul than he mention f Mehl iw Gen prove hat Joana ‘gon deed ogo Aes pine prof tha hr ws akeady » Tait lon deed the are fimo inthe furth enary ne, Mapes the pect Chi Yo Bi. He ay, “Sur ese memes yy du Sega {Ee Hat, et aed Para de orc de Toone modes, ‘ous sommes rewegns par deux pater aysique de Ki Youn, fran signer du pay de Tein au TV" tac deen tate {hn te Toes Jane R Hightower bs cei ple preliminary report of his exes sos on porn atl to ‘an Tam entra oro ht tee de evden to to shat any pout in he Che Te bt he 1S RE ms wen by Ce Yean Tab agree wih Hphower a he Pua Ye and the 1 Sv are nt by the sue haan ean fr nina eee Mupeo and sme oer slain tha he 1 Tas werk Yer cue tone of uncompromising ssighcounen, meting ctfameasa ga, dt paseo Cofino and Conlon vie, ial tereveneafhe tne be Cun Te cerning pete cannes BER asa woastinm ze Beiccans en tine 7 ae a SSE ire ne wa tine ee Raga Rhye, 182-225, .14 What I Tass? “icine nego cc a plomia en Seegcot sie ne conc mar owt SDSS TINS pg arm Ci sss te ein cal Ts ean wht wn mu he cn ppt he orem) mene eSNG Mish ss oy Sel ng gle Oey To th «wt sina bet tpi aoa SEPT ceo mpl a he to nt nny ye ni dey STs iS ieee en re ee san ny Te sme on Tieng Ya ey sen iin weit tet ne nee Chie es ett ae Tex oa prec Sh ta foe by sr thee Cg Ft ment ng se dora an Png TB fp ae Bets ai a an ena oe "Se tin St gine ee Te ae ie seater ean mate ‘Files! name png dn nat ee PEP is otc ne Cg ee be ng chute tern be aac oer ew Sachs oa Pha doe on Yr, Kon Ss SNe ep te ei ten serge enn cuanto 18341 1H Sr et erage Bay Fa gee 29,2, 82,34 8,86 3.701 828 SEs Sno hse Babs iehScantagr nahn What Is Pasian? 15 ee ee ‘mmorality cal that was 0 prevalent when it was writen. There i Secreta eet Soon aoe et aoe tare mgt Toners ort ay anor ee Sek eee ee gicswely a Gane Tae rahe ae i gh a ee Set [Almay inthe Choy Tet wee he eit en he ses ‘cult and Taoist philosophy. = 2 Uae a tae ce oo wy ew enon tn ge arco Se ela tna Cae Fa rae ee Sey es ge ree oe ipa cetetan Due aerate Tab tmp lee enh hate net dy aerate Tam cree pilot nt gress Spcee se ‘mystics hardly differ from Christian and Musi . ‘explanations which they give of identical experiences," “he daa will eee ee ane werent smatw te Shs tg oe nog Sm ndintie tities Sgn wentteneea acres ae te Satwee ab eenay ne es Sans teacioy etn chgtree es Teeth pang ng Tat ape oa hl he 3 Gey ne coe tan ern mason SSo GUL a uc mn ig wg 8 to SELIG pete i Gh Tot.) nt aan he a, ed ce Cra LP i S9316 What Is Taian? asi Te played a. wumpcard by all tho wh would ad he Storey alin the Gna 72. tthe paragraph in wich toc {Pov cut of army withthe wrk ve, bt peal Cider pro tern which so Sina Legg, ile, Kav Most te chars hve pte ot Me tia ater 1 at nly coe wih he ploy of he Chae Tos ut meal ea cnn xy ther Hen ‘Pls eots"Toee woul sc oe mdb ha the paogean ‘ee urng, in view of wegen Mtr, hatin the Lao Tt cite ace Een fever unmitable restos the eraity cl Man nike Chang Ta Bt fw hig the La Tot te mated 0 ay at ene no oom fr varying treatin Tat wht hat ven wart aati we dae bo hae wie 9 eat ew in Te imma cl at dar histor phonon seme appar sata the seve of Chin Sih Huang who rege 21.20 he {The Matra! Ror ell of tefl to etc tht, “tm thd hs roa of cevain alc ho wed at er anced Tinie Tess ot ano ach magne wre oreo © Senet emperc’ ele fea fhe dor of iueralty fled ‘Sie dnt Dept he facta Chih Sh Hoag as een exerted ihe rtndor Rice waitin secon ofthe bir of Hen actin Se tn importa plc ad» Take sire witen around Tso ne him ang the heen tes Ais ti fachgund hier fo tove hata appar wo be the een SS acvies Cin Shih Hang i he Ail Rew onc none him wth Talo. He erly doce a eher Scr inmray ear nar in having something fcrosctin of he hah atthe nein the Lu Sin Gs Ce eH. an lew compe ene a .——rt—~" Sch panage are not comton Jn Tat Kteratre, bower. The oninant ot eq diferen. Marper ised tha he Bee ina the serch fr immorality were central fon the very begonng” The preven ea tha ths earch wa a rpm of the degeneration of rina pioapic party, wa dime hy Map asim, rom i asap." From the four and third centuries 0 the Taoist were sckers imme; rom orp, Tact har ben decrine of nvidia Salvation which chimed to conduct the adept immorality.» The methods must have varied: each master hed his own, which he kept secret and tana ony o certain choten dcp; fom hi time fon we see practiced mot of thote which wore toe corre a the ‘ime of he Six Dynasties and Tang. [Maspero argues his cae eloquently, and with a great eal of cation of evidence. Bat he diealy i chat even f what x din these stages 1, Fe Yorn eof es Py 1).go What Ie Tasion? he quotes from the Chiog Tes andthe Lao Tot properly understood (Gand dhs not always ext), one ail has no way of beng certain when, ‘eve particular statements were made, o by whom ‘Derite his insistence upon the importance ofthe earch frizmortaliy, ‘Marpero himself points the way to another icerptetation. Basically, he demonstrates, the ery Tacs were mystics, intent ike all mystics pon tnion with the Abmlue, which in their cate wat called the Tax, And for them, Masper says, “basically, immortality was only a secondary consequence ofthe mys union. For the Tait forthe rysticn of Illeclgins, the mystic experience, breaue oie acute and vivid character ‘nd the inpreion of transcendent reality which ¢ prods, ial that Counts; the ret is only interpretation, They imply interpreted this faperience in Taist terms, that i to ay, in the terms of 9 religion ‘devoted to the search for immoral.” "To ty tht io aume, however, that before there was the mystic experience there was 8 Tacs eligon devoted 10 the search for ine Imovaliy.” ax a vl of which the former was oterpreted. fn terme cf the Inter. This laves ws, a8 Maspero would apparently wish, with the impresion tht Tact originated at, and sprang fom, the quest {or immorality. This see mort inrobable shard tose how the simple quest for peronal—and even bodily survival which led to an inzeming welter of magical and alchemical [procedures oem practiced by charatans could have beer the eicent ‘aie of the magnificent commie phcrophy ve know at Tai. On the ‘ter haod, i quite ey to understand how the mystical imagery of the greatest Taoist phloopher, dimly comprebended by leer nds and combined with current sypersttins, might eventuate ia practices ‘designed to bathe far of death—a fear of which the great Tai ‘were uterycontemptoas "There ae two celebrated passages in he Cuong Tet which make light of deth, At the end ofthe third ok we real When Lao Tan died Chin Shi having gone to conde, ured thee eres and then went out. A dicipe asked, "Were you not the Master's end?” was;" Cin Shi replied. “Then is fing that you should do oo move than this in condaling?” “Ie” Chin Shih fold the disiple “At ne I thought he was the ma of men, bt now 1 sow diferenly. When I went i jst now to condole, there were cde walling wf or thi own sons, and young men weeping a (On Two Aspects in arly Taso 48 for thee mother. That he must have, in gaining dei adherence to Wimsef done that which eau them vomtaiy to speak and wa as tey were ding This wa to le fr nate, o exaggerate human ‘modon, and to forget that which wasn accord wih hi ivamstancee ‘Ancient thi was ale the punishment of flesing from rare The Master came int the word when it was time for him to be bor ‘When he die it was the natural sequence af event. He who acecps ith ranquilty all hings that happen in the falls of thie tine, And abides in peace withthe natural equence af eventy beyond he reach of either sorrow a joy." Air his wife had died, Chuang Te was eproached for beating on 1 bowel and singing. But he replied ‘When she had just did, even I could ot remain unaffected, Bat then Trefeted that i the beginning she had beet without ie. Tn fact, she ad not only lacked i, she had no farm. Iden, she had not only lacked form but alo lacked breath In the mingling of the ate and chaos, with one change there came breath, with another Ferm, and with yt ancter fe, Now with sll another change the goes in death, This like the movement of the four seasons om sping to autumn, fom winter to summer. Now, when she Fs seeping the great dling, if 1 were to sr bawling and bewaling her T ‘would merely how that Idk not understand etn. ‘These do not sound in the least tke pronouncements of "lg devoted tothe search for immorality.” Thee authors would, one fel ture, have fet ony pity for deluded mortals who busied themselves with ‘the manifold pet procedures fr msing the huss rae into edi, 8 few-or a thowsand—more year, which Maspero quote fom the (Chong Tet. This is not to aay that Maepero ie mistaken in nding these procedures there (though thee are problems of interpretation in connection with some passages), Dut only thatthe Ching Tei by no ‘means homogeneous works And the search fr immortality was ot ‘7 opinion, the central theme oe even any theme at all of the great piosophers who were the ater of Taoism What was their ental theme? 1 was a malt intoxication with the wonder and the power of Nature, "Do the heavens revolve?" the Glamag Teal “Dos the earth stand i iasnes42 What fe Pasian? sll? Do the sn and the moon contend fr their pstons? Who dtc these things?» Do the clouds make rain? Or doe the rain make the dowd?» Who si hat has the lee to devote hme with ach shandoned gle, to making thee things happen? The winds sn in the north. One blows east, another wer othe whi upwards erally ‘Who doe this night pulling? Who it hat has the lear ot things tut inthis way ‘These great Tavists were thrilled bythe fact that they wercialienably ‘part ofthis might cosmer thatthe incident of personal death seemed ‘ite insignificant. As the Chang Te sys "Phe universes the wnt of all things Fone once recogsies hi identity with this ity then the pars af hi body mean mo more to hi than so much dir, and death And lie, end and beginning, dtu his tranquility no more than the succesion of day and night ™ Eewhere the Chup Tei ates: "When ie comes, it because it is ie for tt do sos When ie ges, thi the natural sequence of events. To accept with anguilla tings hat happen in the flinan of then, and bie in peace with the ata sequence of evens, is tbe beyond the reach of ctr sorow oy ‘This the state of those whom the ancient called ‘lensed om bondage’2! The Lao Tea ell us that tue longevity const in the realization that “when one die, he ent ln” roe the anivese or the great Taoit phloopher then, the death of the individual vat simply of mo importance at all Te was a integral pare of the vst onic proce, which they delighted t contemplate. The Chang Ta ‘The Great Mas the Ta} give me the support my bodily frm ny to in, my ease nod age, may reat neath Ths wha abe ‘7 life good alo makes my death ood You may ide aay abst im the ravine of ill and hide the bln hemi fa take and ell ‘kaa; nevertheless, in the middle of he night «strong eoan may eaery ic away without your knowledge. No mater how suitable place ‘hing whether small orlarge, may be concealed, theres the danger ‘Flos, But ifyou hide the whole universe in the whe universe here 5 place let fori to go. The the great truth o the Enduring Thing 2s Ta. On Two Aspects in Baty Tassn 43 ‘We rejoice at merely attaining the human form, but there are ten ‘howsnd other wansrmatins that ar equally god, and thes sl ‘do not exhaust the posites How can ae aaa the joy ich this promises]? Therefre the age ma soars with light cart throug ‘he univers in which nothing can ever be lost becae all pened, ‘Ant he find aly death god, old age ood, hs beginning oot, und his end good ‘This i Maspero has so well demnatated, « mystical doctrine ‘ina pantheistic mysticism, Like other mystic, the great Tass found their meitacon in the mystical expercoce ily they ft no need of the activites, andthe rewards, sought by erdinary ea. Thos we ave Informed that when Chuang Tea wat iia to bene prime miter of Chu he decined with a smile Tn the Chung Tei we read that alter Lich Tau was enlightened he “went home an fo thoes yoo did ot go 00... He tok no interest in what went on. He soo like 2 lod, eled up within himself despite all itracony, and continued that 0 the end tis i" ‘The order of nar, in this Taoist view, is 40 beautify regulated that there i 99 need for man to do anything, and indeed ithe does do snyting bei iely only o itv ith. Thu the Chang‘ states ‘The pevict man does nothing, and the gret sage originates nothings ‘hat etsy, they merely contemplate the univene = “This i the fist aspect of early Tass that T wish to dings 1 ave proposed calling ithe “contemplative” aypece. ‘The contemplative Tasom impel, adit ina mystic of rareed| philoophica ode. True mystic are seldom very numerous, a woe Iaaly to be expected that there would be Bund, in Ite Chom China, «very lange umber of men capable of understanding ne pacing "are philosophieal mytican ‘et whl few could aporeiae the exence of Tacit philenphy, there ‘was mach about Taoism that could no il o atraet men of the Cha, Kuo period, The Taoist mys inescated with the vase of the os and identfng hime wih iy lt himself to be ined with all the power of the universe fuel: And while others might not be Prepared 0 accept this opinion at face value, ther eno dub that the nah ae