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TAOISM*
Huston Smith
Nocivilizationismonochrome.InChinatheclassicaltonesofConfucianismhavebeenbalancednotonlybythespiritualshadesofBuddhismbutalsobytheromantichuesofTaoism.
The Old Master
AccordingtotraditionTaoism(pronouncedDowism)originatedwith
amannamedLaoTzu,saidtohavebeenbornabout604B.C.Heisa
shadowyfigure.Weknownothingforcertainabouthimandscholars
wonder if there ever was such a man. We do not even know his
name,forLaoTzuwhichcanbetranslatedtheOldBoy,theOld
Fellow,ortheGrandOldMasterisobviouslyatitleofendearmentandrespect.Allwereallyhaveisamosaicoflegends.Someof
thesearefantastic;thathewasconceivedbyashootingstar,carriedin
hismotherswombforeighty-twoyears,andbornalreadyawiseold
manwithwhitehair.Otherpartsofthestorydonottaxourcredulity:
thathekeptthearchivesinhisnativewesternstate,andthataround
this occupation he wove a simple and unassertive life. Inferences
concerning his personality derive almost entirely from a single slim
volumethatisattributedtohim.Fromthissomeconcludethathewas
probably a solitary recluse who was absorbed in occult meditations;
otherspicturehimasdowntoearthagenialneighborwithalively
senseofhumor.
Theonlypurportedlycontemporaryportrait,reportedbyChinas
rsthistorian,Ssu-maChien,speaksonlyoftheenigmaticimpression

heleftthesensethathepossesseddepthsofunderstandingthatdeed
readycomprehension.AccordingtothisaccountConfucius,intrigued
bywhathehadheardofLaoTzu,oncevisitedhim.Hisdescription
suggeststhatthestrangemanbafedhimwhileleavinghimrespectful.

Iknowabirdcany;Iknowashcanswim;Iknowanimalscan

run.Creaturesthatruncanbecaughtinnets;thosethatswimcanbe

EditorsNote:Chapter5ofThe Worlds Religions.

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Huston Smith
caught in wicker traps; those that y
can be hit by arrows. But the
dragonisbeyondmyknowledge;itascendsintoheavenontheclouds
andthewind.TodayIhaveseenLaoTzu,andheislikethedragon!
ThetraditionalportraitconcludeswiththereportthatLaoTzu,
saddenedbyhispeoplesdisinclinationtocultivatethenaturalgoodness
headvocatedandseekinggreaterpersonalsolitudeforhisclosingyears,
climbedonawaterbuffaloandrodewestwardtowardwhatisnow
Tibet.AttheHankaoPassagatekeeper,sensingtheunusualcharacter
ofthetruant,triedtopersuadehimtoturnback.Failingthis,heasked
if the Old Boy would not at least leave a record of his beliefs to
thecivilizationhewasabandoning.ThisLaoTzuconsentedtodo.He
retiredforthreedaysandreturnedwithaslimvolumeofvethousand
characterstitledTao Te Ching,orThe Way and Its Power.Atestament
tohumanitysat-home-nessintheuniverse,itcanbereadinhalfan
hour or a lifetime, and remains to this day the basic text of Taoist
thought.
What a curious portrait this is for the supposed founder of a
religion.TheOldBoydidntpreach.Hedidntorganizeorpromote.
He wrote a few pages on request, rode off on a water buffalo, and
thatwasitasfarashewasconcerned.HowunliketheBuddha,who
trudgedthedustyroadsofIndiaforforty-veyearstomakehispoint.

HowunlikeConfucius,whopestereddukesandprinces,tryingtogain
an administrative foothold (or at least a hearing) for his ideas. Here
wasamansolittleconcernedwiththesuccessofhissurmises,tosay
nothingoffameandfortune,thathedidntevenstayaroundtoanswer
questions.Andyet,whetherthestoryofhislifeisfactorction,itis

sotruetoTaoistattitudesthatitwillremainapartofTaoismforever.
Emperorswouldclaimthisshadowygureastheirancestor,andeven

scholarsthough they do not see the Tao Te Ching as having been

writtenbyasinglehandanddonotthinkitattainedtheforminwhich
wehaveituntilthesecondhalfofthethirdcenturyB.C.concede
thatitsideascoheretothepointwherewemustposittheexistence
ofsomeone underwhoseinuencethebooktookshape,andhaveno

objectiontoourcallinghimLaoTzu.
The Three Meanings of Tao
OnopeningTaoismsbible,theTao Te Ching,wesenseatoncethat
everythingrevolvesaroundthepivotalconceptofTao itself.Literally,
this word means path, or way. There are three senses, however, in
whichthiswaycanbeunderstood.
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First,Tao istheway of ultimate reality.ThisTao cannotbeperceived
orevenclearlyconceived,foritistoovastforhumanrationalityto
fathom. The Tao Te Ching announces in its opening line that words
arenotequaltoit:TheTao thatcanbespokenisnotthetrueTao.
Nevertheless, this ineffable and transcendent Tao is the ground of
allthatfollows.Aboveall,behindall,beneathallistheWombfrom
whichalllifespringsandtowhichitreturns.Awedbythethoughtof
it,theauthor/editoroftheTao Te Ching burstsrecurrentlyintopraise,
forthisprimalTao confrontshimwithlifesbasicmystery,themystery
ofallmysteries.Howclearitis!Howquietitis!Itmustbesomething
eternallyexisting!Ofallgreatthings,surelyTao isthegreatest.But
itsineffabilitycannotbedenied,sowearetaunted,timeandagain,by
Taoismsteasingepigram:Thosewhoknowdontsay.Thosewhosay
dontknow.1
ThoughTao isultimatelytranscendent,itisalsoimmanent.Inthis
secondarysenseitistheway of the universe,thenorm,therhythm,
thedrivingpowerinallnature,theorderingprinciplebehindalllife.
Behind,butalsointhemidstofalllife,forwhenTao entersthissecond

mode it assumes esh

and informs all things. It adapts its vivid

essence,clariesitsmanifoldfullness,subduesitsresplendentluster,
andassumesthelikenessofdust.Basicallyspiritratherthanmatter,
itcannotbeexhausted;themoreitisdrawnupon,themoreitows,
foritisthatfountaineveron,asPlotinussaidofhiscounterpartto
theTao,hisOne.Thereareaboutitmarksofinevitability,forwhen
autumn comes no leaf is spared because of its beauty, no ower
becauseofitsfragrance.Yet,ultimately,itisbenign.Gracefulinstead
ofabrupt,owingratherthanhesitant,itisinnitelygenerous.Giving
life to all things, it may be called the Mother of the World. As
naturesagentTao inthissecondformresemblesBergsonselan vital,
asnaturesorderer,itresemblesthelex aeterna oftheClassicalWest,
theeternallawthatstructurestheworld.CharlesDarwinscolleague,
GeorgeRomanes,couldhavebeenspeakingofitwhenhereferredto
theintegratingprincipleofthewholetheSpirit,asitwere,ofthe
universeinstinctwithoutcontrivance,whichowswithpurpose.
InitsthirdsenseTao referstothe way of human life whenitmeshes
withtheTao oftheuniverseasjustdescribed.Mostofwhatfollowsin
thischapterwilldetailwhattheTaoistsproposethatthiswayoflife

1Tao

Te Ching,chapter56.

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Huston Smith
shouldbe.First,however,itisnecessarytopointoutthattherehave
beeninChinanotonebutthreeTaoisms.
Three Approaches to Power and the Taoisms That Follow
Tao Te Ching,thetitleofTaoismsbasictext,hasbeentranslatedThe
Way and Its Power. We have seen that the first of these substantive
terms,theWay,canbetakeninthreesenses.Nowwemustaddthat
thisisalsotrueofthesecondsubstantiveterm,power.Corresponding
tothethreewayste orpowercanbeapproached,therehavearisen
inChinathreespeciesofTaoismsodissimilarthatinitiallytheyseem
tohavenomoreincommonthanhomonyms,likeblew/blueorsun/
son,thatsoundalikebuthavedifferentmeanings.Weshallfindthat
thisisnotthecase,butfirstthethreespeciesmustbedistinguished.
Two have standard designations, Philosophical Taoism and Religious
Taoism respectively; and because many more people were involved
withReligiousTaoismitisoftencalledPopularTaoismaswell.The
thirdschool(whichwillcomesecondinourorderofpresentation)is
tooheterogeneoustohaveacquiredasingletitle.Itspopulationconstitutesanidentifiablecluster,however,byvirtueofsharingacommon
objective.Allwereengagedinvitalizingprogramsthatwereintended
tofacilitateTaos power,itste,asitflowsthroughhumanbeings.
Efficient Power: Philosophical Taoism
UnlikeReligiousTaoism,whichbecameafull-fledgedchurch,Philosophical Taoism and the vitalizing Taoisms, as we shall clumsily
refertothesecondgroup,remainrelativelyunorganized.Philosophical
Taoismisreflectiveandthevitalizingprogramsactive,butnomore
thantheTranscendentalistmovementinNewEnglandorcontemporaryphysicalfitnessprogramsaretheyformallyinstitutionalized.
Theyshareasecondsimilarityinthatbothareself-helpprograms.
Teachersareinvolved,buttheyarebetterthoughtofascoacheswho
traintheirstudentsguidingtheminwhattheyshouldunderstand,in
thecaseofPhilosophicalTaoism,andinwhattheyshoulddointhe
vitalizingregimens.IndecidedcontrasttoReligiousTaoists,thosein
thesersttwocampsworkprimarilyonthemselves.
The differences between them have to do with their respective
stancestowardthepoweroftheTao onwhichlifefeeds.Toputthe
differencepointedly,PhilosophicalTaoiststrytoconservetheirte by
expendingitefciently,whereasvitalityTaoistsworktoincreaseits
availablesupply.
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BecausePhilosophicalTaoismisessentiallyanattitudetowardlife,
itisthemostexportableTaoismofthethree,theonethathasthe
mosttosaytotheworldatlarge,andassuchwillreceivethelongest
treatmentnotuntilthesecondhalfofthischapter,however.Herewe
shallonlyidentifyittoplaceitinitslogicalpositionbeforeproceeding
withitstwosisterTaoisms.
CalledSchoolTaoisminChina,PhilosophicalTaoismisassociated
withthenamesofLaoTzu,ChuangTzu,andtheTao Te Ching.We
can connect it with power by remembering that philosophy seeks
knowledge and, as Bacon told the world pointedly, knowledge
is power; to know how to repair a car is to have power over it.
Obviously, the Taoists eyes were not on machines; it was life that
theywantedtorepair.Knowledgethatempowerslifewecallwisdom;
andtolivewisely,theTaoistphilosophersargued,istoliveinaway
that conserves lifes vitality by not expending it in useless, draining
ways,thechiefofwhicharefrictionandconict.Weshallexamine

LaoTzuandChuangTzusprescriptionsforavoidingsuchdissipations
inthesecondhalfofthischapter,butwecananticipateasinglepoint
here. Their recommendations revolve around the concept of wu
wei,aphrasethattranslatesliterallyasinactionbutinTaoismmeans
pureeffectiveness.Actioninthemodeofwu wei isactioninwhich
frictionininterpersonalrelationships,inintra-psychicconict,and
inrelationtonatureisreducedtotheminimum.Weturnnowtothe
vitalitycultsasoursecondspeciesofTaoism.
Augmented Power: Taoist Hygiene and Yoga
Taoistadeptsasweshallcallthepractitionersofthissecondkind
of Taoism because all were engaged in training programs of some
sort, many of them demandingwere not willing to settle for the
philosophersgoalofmanagingtheirallotmentsoftheTao efficiently.
Theywantedtogobeyondconservingtoincreasingthequotaofthe
Tao they had to work with. In accounting terms we can say that if
PhilosophicalTaoistsworkedatincreasingnetprofitsbycuttingcosts
(reducing needless energy expenditures), Taoist adepts wanted to
increasegrossincome.
Thewordchi criesouttoberecognizedastherightfulentrytothis
secondschool,forthoughitliterallymeansbreath,itactuallymeans
vitalenergy.TheTaoistsusedittorefertothepoweroftheTao that
they experienced coursing through themor not coursing because
it was blockedand their main object was to further its ow. Chi
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fascinatedtheseTaoists.Blakeregisteredtheirfeelingspreciselywhen
heexclaimed,Energyisdelight,forenergyisthelifeforceandthe
Taoistslovedlife.Tobealiveisgood;tobemorealiveisbetter;tobe
alwaysaliveisbest,hencetheTaoistimmortalitycults.Toaccomplish
theirendofmaximizingchi,theseTaoistsworkedwiththreethings:
matter,movement,andtheirminds.
Respectingmatter,theytriedeatingthingsvirtuallyeverything,
it would seemto see if chi could be augmented nutritionally. In
the course of this experimentation, they developed a remarkable
pharmacopia of medicinal herbs,2 but in a way this was incidental.
What they really wanted was not cure but increaseincrease and
extensionofthelifeforce,theultimateguarantorofwhichwouldbe
themuch-soughtelixiroflifethatwouldinsurephysicalimmortality.3
Sexualexperimentswerealsoperformed.Inonesuchexperimentmen
hypothesizedthatiftheyretainedtheirsemenduringintercourseby
pressing the ball of the thumb against the base of the penis at the
moment of ejaculation, thereby diverting the semen into their own
bodies,4theywouldabsorbtheyin oftheirfemalepartnerswithout
dissipating their own yang energy. Breathing exercises were also
developed.Workingwithair,thesubtlestformofmatter,theysought
todrawchi fromtheatmosphere.
Theseeffortstoextractchi frommatterinitssolid,liquid,and
gaseous forms were supplemented by programs of bodily movement
suchastai chi chuan, whichgatherscalisthenics,dance,meditation,
yin/yang philosophy,andmartialartintoasynthesisthatinthiscase
wasdesignedtodrawchi fromthecosmosanddislodgeblockstoits
internalow.Thislastwastheobjectofacupunctureaswell.
2AnylistofthedrugsusedbytheancientChinesedoctors,formanyofwhichthere

is ample historical if not laboratory evidence of efcacy,

leaves the entire Western

worldofmedicineopentoaccusationsofnegligenceandhaughtiness(RichardSelzer,
Mortal Lessons: Notes on the Art of Surgery [NewYork:Simon&Schuster,1987],p.
116).
3ImmortalityhadbothcrudeandsubtlereadingsinTaoism.MichaelSasowritesthat

aTaoistisbydenitionamanwhoseeksimmortalityinthepresentlife,buthe

goesontoaddthatformanythisimmortalityisnotsomuchalongevitywhereby
man does not die but a state wherein he does not descend to the punishments of
a ery
underworld after death (Taoism and the Rite of Cosmic Renewal [Pullman:

WashingtonStateUniversityPress,1989],p.3).
4 In actuality the semen then entered the bladder, where it was expelled with the

urine,buttheChinesedidnotknowthis.

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Taoism
Finally,turningtothemind itself,contemplatives,manyofthem
hermits,developedTaoistmeditation.Thispracticeinvolvedshutting
outdistractionsandemptyingthemindtothepointwherethepower
oftheTao mightbypassbodilyltersandentertheselfdirectly.
Thisthirdwayofincreasingchi ismoreabstractthantheothers,so
moreneedstobesaidaboutit.Thequickestgatewaytounderstanding
meditationalTaoismisviaHinduraja yoga,thewaytoGodthrough
psychophysicalexercises.WhetherornotChinaborrowedfromIndia
on this score, the physical postures and concentration techniques
of Taoist meditation are so reminiscent of raja yoga that sinologists
importtheSanskrittermandcallitTaoistyoga.Still,theChinesegave
theiryoga adistinctivetwist.Theirubiquitoussocialconcernledthem
to press the possibility that the chi that yogis accumulated through
meditation could be transmitted psychically to the community to
enhance its vitality and harmonize its affairs. Side by side with the
Confucianists, who were working on the socializing te of moral
exampleandritualizedetiquette,TaoistyogissoughttoharnesstheTao
directly,drawingitrstintotheirownheart-mindsandthenbeaming

ittoothers.Yogiswhomanagedthisfeatwouldforthemostpartbe
unnoticed,buttheirlife-givingenterprisedidmoreforthecommunity
thantheworksofotherbenefactors.
WeborderonPhilosophicalTaoismherebecauseanimatingthis
yogic Taoism was a dawning fascination in China with the inner as
opposedtotheouterself.Childrendonotseparatethesetwosidesof
theirbeing,andneitherdidearlypeoples.YogicormeditationalTaoism
arose as the advancing self-consciousness of the Chinese brought
subjectiveexperiencetofullview.Novel,momentous,exciting,this
worldoftheinnerselfinvitedexploration.Soenthrallingdiditappear
toitsearlyexplorersthatmattersufferedbycomparison;itwasmere
shellandaccretion.Still,theinnerworldhousedaproblem.Successive
depositsofworryanddistractionsosiltedthesoulthattheirdeposits
hadtoberemoveduntiltheselfasitwasmeanttobecouldsurface.
Pureconsciousnesswouldthenappear,andtheindividualwouldsee
notmerelythingsperceivedbutthatbywhichweperceive.
To arrive at this inwardness it was necessary to reverse all selfseeking and cultivate perfect cleanliness of thought and body. Pure
spirit can be known only in a life that is garnished and swept.
Onlywherealliscleanwillitrevealitself;thereforeputselfaside.
Perturbingemotionsmustlikewisebequelled.Rufingthesurfaceof

the mind, they prevent introspection from seeing past them to the
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springs of consciousness beneath. (The proximity to Philosophical
Taoismisbecomingstrong.)Desireandrevulsion,griefandjoy,delight
and annoyanceeach must subside if the mind is to return to its
original purity, for in the end only peace and stillness are good for
it. Let anxiety be dispelled and harmony between the mind and its
cosmicsourcewillcomeunsought.
Itiscloseathand,standsindeedatourveryside;yetisintangible,
athingthatbyreachingforcannotbegot.Remoteitseemsasthe
furthestlimitoftheInnite.Yetitisnotfaroff,everydayweuse

itspower.FortheWayoftheVitalSpiritllsourwholeframes,yet
mancannotkeeptrackofit.Itgoes,yethasnotdeparted.Itcomes,
yetisnothere.Itismuted,makesnonotethatcanbeheard,yet
ofasuddenwendthatitisthereinthemind.Itisdimanddark,

showingnooutwardform,yetinagreatstreamitowedintousat

ourbirth.5

Selessness,cleanliness,andemotionalcalmarethepreliminaries

toarrivingatfullself-knowledge,buttheymustbeclimaxedbydeep
meditation.Bideinsilence,andtheradianceofthespiritshallcomein
andmakeitshome.Forthistohappenalloutwardimpressionsmust
bestilledandthesenseswithdrawntoacompletelyinteriorpointof
focus.PosturesparallelingtheIndianasanaswererecommended,and
thebreathmustbesimilarlycontrolled;itmustbeassoftandlightas
thatofaninfant,orevenanembryointhewomb.Theresultwillbea
conditionofalertwaitingknownassittingwithablankmind.
Andwhentherealizationarrives,whatthen?Withitcometruth,
joy, and power. The climactic insight of meditational Taoism came
withtheimpactofnality,everythingatlasthavingfallenintoplace.

Theconditioncouldnotbedescribedasmerelypleasurable.Thedirect
perceptionofthesourceofonesawarenessassereneandimmovable,
likeamonarchonathrone,broughtjoyunlikeanyhithertoknown.
Thesocialutilityofthecondition,however,layintheextraordinary
poweritprovidedoverpeopleandthings,apowerinfactwhichcould
shiftHeavenandEarth.Tothemindthatisstill,thewholeuniverse
surrenders.WehavespokenofIndiainconnectionwiththispsychic
power,butSt.JohnoftheCrossoffersanidenticalpromise:Without
laboryoushallsubjectthepeoples,andthingsshallbesubjecttoyou.
5QuotedbyArthurWaley,The Way and Its Power,1934,reprint(London:Allen&
Unwin,1958),pp.48-49.

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Withoutliftingangerovertly,arulerwhowasadeptinstillness
couldorderawholepeoplewithhismystical-moralpower.Arulerwho
is desireless himself and has this much psychic power automatically
turns his subjects from their unruly desires. He rules without even
beingknowntorule.
Thesagereliesonactionlessactivity;
Putshimselfinthebackground;butisalwaystothefore.
Remainsoutside;butisalwaysthere.
Isitnotjustbecausehedoesnotstriveforanypersonalend
Thatallhispersonalendsarefullled?6

The Taoist yogis recognized that they could not hope for much
understandingfromthemasses,andtheymadenoattempttopublicize
theirposition.Whentheydidwritetheirwordstendedtobeveiled
and cryptic, open to one interpretation by initiates and another by
thegeneralpublic.Partofthereasontheywrotethiswaydoubtless
stemmed from their sensitivity to the lampooning that mysticism
attractsfromtheuncongenial.WendevenChuangTzuburlesquing

theirbreathingexercises,reportingthatthesepeopleexpeltheused
airwithgreatenergyandinhalethefreshair.Likebears,theyclimb
treesinordertobreathewithgreaterease.Menciusjoinedinthefun.
Helikenedthosewhosoughtpsychicshort-cutstosocialharmonyto
impatientfarmerswhotuggentlyontheircropseachnighttospeed
theirgrowth.DespitesuchsatireTaoistyoga hadanappreciablecore
ofpractitioners.Somesinologistsconsideritthebasicperspectivefrom
whichtheTao Te Ching waswritten.Ifthisistrueitisatestamentto
theveiledlanguageofthebook,foritisusuallyreadinthephilosophical
wayweshallcometo.Beforeweturntothatway,however,wemust
introducethethirdmajorbranchofTaoism,whichisreligious.
Vicarious Power: Religious Taoism
PhilosophicalTaoismsoughttomanagelifesnormalquotientofthe
Tao efficiently,andenergizingTaoismsoughttoboostitsbasesupply,
but something was lacking. Reflection and health programs take
time,andtheaverageChineselackedthatcommodity.Yettheytoo
neededhelp;therewereepidemicstobechecked,maraudingghosts

6Tao

Te Ching,chapters2and7,ArthurWaleystranslation.

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Huston Smith
tobereckonedwith,andrainstobeinducedorstoppedasoccasions
demanded. Taoists responded to such problems. The measures they
devised paralleled many of the doings of freelance soothsayers, psychics,shamans,andfaithhealerswhocamebytheirpowersnaturally
and constituted the unchanging landscape of Chinese folk religion.
ReligiousTaoisminstitutionalizedsuchactivities.InfluencedbyBuddhism, which entered China around the time of Christ, the Taoist
churchin Chinese the Tao Chiao, Church Taoism or Taoist
TeachingstookshapeinthesecondcenturyA.D.Itwasanchoredin
a pantheon whose three originating deities included Lao Tzu. From
thesedivinitiessacredtextsderived,which(byvirtueoftheirdivinely
revealedorigin)wereacceptedastruewithoutreservation.Thelineof
papalsuccessionintheTaoistchurchcontinuesdowntothepresent
inTaiwan.
Popular, Religious Taoism is a murky affair. Much of it looks
fromtheoutside,wemustalwayskeepinmindlikecrudesuperstition; but we must remember that we have little idea what energy
is, how it proceeds, or the means by which (and extent to which)
it can be augmented. We do know that faith healing can import or
releaseenergies,asdoesfaithitself,includingfaithinoneself.Placebos
likewisehaveeffects.Whenweaddtothesetheenergiesthatmagnetic
personalities,rabble-rousers,andevenpepralliescangenerate,tosay
nothing of mysterious reserves that hypnotists tap into, concerning
whichwehaventanexplanatoryclueifallthisisborneinmind,it
maytemperoursuperciliousnessandallowustogiveReligiousTaoism
a fair hearing. In any case its intent is clear. The Taoist priesthood
madecosmiclife-poweravailableforordinaryvillagers.7
Thetextsofthisschoolarecrammedwithdescriptionsofrituals
that,ifexactlyperformed,havemagicaleffects,andthewordmagic
here holds the key to sacerdotal, specically
religious, Taoism. The

word must be freed, however, from the conventional meaning that

hasencrustedit.Initsmodernmeaning,magicistrickery;itrefersto
performerswhodeceiveaudiencesinwaysthatcreatetheillusionthat
preternaturalpowersareatwork.Traditionally,bycontrast,magicwas
highly regarded. Jacob Boehme went so far as to assert that magic
isthebesttheology,forinittruefaithisgrounded.Heisafoolthat
revilesit,forheknowsitnotandismoreajugglerthanatheologian

7DanielOvermyer,Religions

of China (NewYork:Harper&Row,1986),p.39.

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ofunderstanding.Traditionally,magicwasunderstoodasthemeans
bywhichhigher,occultpowersaretappedforuseinthevisibleworld.
Proceeding on the assumption that higher powers existthe subtle
rulesthedense;energyrulesmatter,consciousnessrulesenergy,and
superconsciousness rules consciousnessmagic made these powers
available.Whenahypnotisttellsasubjectthatwhenhisshoulderis
touchedhisbodywillbecomerigid,andthathappensassistantscan
then place the subjects feet on one chair and his head on another
withouthisbodyslumpingwecomeclosetomagicinthetraditional
sense, for the hypnotist calls into play powers that are not only
astonishingbutmysterious.Still,hypnotismfallsshortofmagicinthat
the hypnotist is neither in an exceptional state of consciousness nor
belongstoasacerdotalorderthatisbelievedtobedivinelyempowered.
Foragenuineinstanceofmagicinitstraditionalsense,wemustturnto
somethinglikePetershealingofAeneasasreportedinActs9:32-34.
Now as Peter went here and there among all the believers, he
camedownalsotothesaintslivinginLydia.Therehefoundaman
namedAeneas,whohadbeenbedriddenforeightyears,forhewas
paralyzed.Petersaidtohim,Aeneas,JesusChristhealsyou;getup
andmakeyourbed!Andimmediatelyhegotup.

Note that this was not a miracle. It would have been a miracle
if Christ had empowered the paralyticAeneas to climb out of bed
withoutPetershelp,effectingtherebyaninstanceofwhatclinicians
refertoasspontaneousremission.Asitwas,Peterhadaroleinthe
cure, a necessary role we may assume, and we are confronted with
magic;sacredmagic,asithappens,forifademonhadbeeninvokedfor
malevolentpurposes,sorcerywouldhavebeenatwork.
It was under the rubric of magic as thus traditionally conceived
thattheTaoistchurchdividingtheterritorywithfreelancewizards,
exorcists, and shamansdevised ways to harness higher powers for
humaneends.
The Mingling of the Powers
Philosophical Taoism, vitalizing programs for increasing ones individual chi, and the Taoist church: the three branches of Taoism,
whichatfirstseemedtohavelittleincommon,nowshowtheirfamily
resemblances.AllhavethesameconcernhowtomaximizetheTaos
animatingteandthespecificsoftheirconcernsfallonacontinuum.
Thecontinuumbeginswithinterestinhowlifesnormalallotmentof
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chi canbedeployedtobesteffect(PhilosophicalTaoism).Fromthere
it moves on to ask if that normal quotient can be increased (Taoist
vitalizingprograms).Finally,itasksifcosmicenergiescanbegathered,
asifbyaburningglass,tobedeployedvicariouslyforthewelfareof
peoplewhoneedhelp(popularorReligiousTaoism).
The danger in this arrangement is that in the interest of clarity
the lines between the three divisions have been drawn too sharply.
Nosolidwallsseparatethem;thethreearebetterregardedascurrents
inacommonriver.Throughouthistoryeachhasinteractedwiththe
other two, right down to Taoism in Hong Kong and Taiwan today.
JohnBlofeld,wholivedinChinaforthetwentyyearsprecedingthe
Communistrevolution,reportedthathehadnevermetaTaoistwho
wasnotinvolvedtosomedegreewithallthreeschools.
Wecansummarize.Tobe
something,toknow something,andto be
capable of somethingistoriseabovethesupercial.Alifehassubstance

tothedegreethatitincorporatestheprofundityofmysticism(Taoist
yoga), the direct wisdom of gnosis (Philosophical Taoism), and the
productive power of magic (Religious Taoism). Where these three
thingscometogetherthereisaschool,andinChinatheschoolthis
chapterdescribesisTaoism.ItisnowtimetoreturntoPhilosophical
Taoismandgiveititsduehearing.
Creative Quietude
TheobjectofPhilosophicalTaoismistoalignonesdailylifetothe
Tao,torideitsboundlesstideanddelightinitsflow.Thebasicwayto
dothis,weearliernoted,istoperfectalifeofwu wei.Wehaveseen
thatwu wei shouldnotbetranslatedasdo-nothingnessorinaction,for
thosewordssuggestavacantattitudeofidlenessorabstention.Better
renderingsarepureeffectivenessandcreativequietude.
Creative quietude combines within a single individual two
seemingly incompatible conditionssupreme activity and supreme
relaxation.Theseseemingincompatiblescancoexistbecausehuman
beingsarenotself-enclosedentities.Theyride an unbounded sea of
Tao that sustains them, as we would say, through their subliminal
minds.Onewaytocreateisthroughfollowingthecalculateddirectives
oftheconsciousmind.Theresultsofthismodeofaction,however,are
seldomimpressive;theytendtosmackmoreofsortingandarranging
than of inspiration. Genuine creation, as every artist knows, comes
whenthemoreabundantresourcesofthesubliminalselfaresomehow
tapped.Butforthistohappenacertaindissociationfromthesurface
106

Taoism
selfisneeded.Theconsciousmindmustrelax,stopstandinginitsown
light,letgo.Onlysoisitpossibletobreakthroughthelawofreversed
effortinwhichthemorewetrythemoreoureffortsboomerang.
Wu wei isthesupremeaction,theprecioussuppleness,simplicity,

andfreedomthatowsfromus,orratherthroughus,whenourprivate
egosandconsciouseffortsyieldtoapowernottheirown.Inawayit
is virtue approached from a direction diametrically opposite to that
ofConfucius.Confuciusturnedeveryefforttobuildingapatternof
idealresponsesthatmightbeconsciouslyimitated.Taoismsapproach
istheoppositetogetthefoundationsoftheselfintunewithTao

andletbehaviorowspontaneously.Actionfollowsbeing;newaction
willfollownewbeing,wiserbeing,strongerbeing.TheTao Te Ching
putsthispointwithoutwastingaword.Thewaytodo,itsays,is
tobe.

Howarewetodescribetheactionthatowsfromalifethatis
groundeddirectlyinTao?Nurturedbyaforcethatisinnitelysubtle,

innitely
intricate, it is a consummate gracefulness born from an
abundant vitality that has no need for abruptness or violence. One

simplyletstheTao owinandowoutagainuntilalllifebecomesa
danceinwhichthereisneitherfeverishnessnorimbalance.Wu wei is
lifelivedabovetension:
Keepstretchingabow
Yourepentofthepull,
Awhettedsaw
Growsthinanddull.(ch.9)8

Farfrominaction,however,itistheembodimentofsuppleness,
simplicity, and freedoma kind of pure effectiveness in which no
motioniswastedonbickeringoroutwardshow.
Onemaymovesowellthatafootprintnevershows,
Speaksowellthatthetongueneverslips,
Reckonsowellthatnocounterisneeded.(ch.27)

8 Unless otherwise specied,

quotations in this section and the next are from the

Tao Te Ching.Thosefromchapters8,15,24,31,and78arefromStephenMitchells
renderingsinhisTao Te Ching (NewYork:Harper&Row,1988);thosefromchapters
9,12,17,23,27,29,and30arefromWitterBynnersThe

Way of Life According to

Laotzu,1944,reprint(NewYork:Putnam,1986).

107

Huston Smith
Effectiveness of this order obviously requires an extraordinary

skill,apointconveyedintheTaoiststoryoftheshermanwhowas

abletolandenormousshwithathreadbecauseitwassodelicately
madethatithadnoweakestpointatwhichtobreak.ButTaoistskill
isseldomnoticed,forviewedexternallywu weineverforcing,never
understrainseemsquiteeffortless.Thesecrethereliesinthewayit
seeksouttheemptyspacesinlifeandnatureandmovesthroughthese.
ChuangTzu,thegreatestpopularizerofPhilosophicalTaoism,makes
this point with his story of Prince Wen Huis cook whose cleaver
seemednevertoloseitsedge.Whenhecutupanox,outwentahand,
down went a shoulder. He planted a foot, he pressed with a knee,
and the ox fell apart with a whisper. The bright cleaver murmured
likeagentlewind.Rhythm!Timing!Likeasacreddance.LikeThe
MulberryGrove,likeancientharmonies!Pressedforhissecret,the
cookreplied:Therearespacesinthejoints;thebladeisthinandkeen.
Whenthisthinnessndsthatspace,thereisalltheroomyouneed!It

goeslikeabreeze!HenceIhavethiscleavernineteenyearsasifnewly
sharpened!9
ThenaturalphenomenonthattheTaoistssawasbearingtheclosest
resemblancetoTao waswater.Theywerestruckbythewayitwould
support objects and carry them effortlessly on its tide. The Chinese
charactersforswimmer,deciphered,meanliterallyonewhoknows
the nature of water. Similarly, one who understands the basic life
forceknowsthatitwillsustainoneifonestopsthrashingandailing
andtrustsoneselftoitssupport.
Doyouhavethepatiencetowait
tillyourmudsettlesandthewaterisclear?
Canyouremainunmoving
tilltherightactionarisesbyitself?(ch.15)

Water, then, was the closest parallel to the Tao in the natural
world.Butitwasalsotheprototypeofwu wei.Theynoticedtheway
wateradaptsitselftoitssurroundingsandseeksoutthelowestplaces.
Sotoo,
Thesupremegoodislikewater,
whichnourishesallthingswithouttryingto.
9 AdaptedfromThomasMertonstranslationinhisThe

York:NewDirections,1965),pp.45-47.

108

Way of Chuang Tzu (New

Taoism
Itiscontentwiththelowplacesthatpeopledisdain.
ThusitisliketheTao.(ch.8)

Yetdespiteitsaccommodation,waterholdsapowerunknownto
hardandbrittlethings.Inastreamitfollowsthestonessharpedges,
onlytoturnthemintopebbles,roundedtoconformtoitsstreamlined
ow.Itworksitswaypastfrontiersandunderdividingwalls.Itsgentle

currentmeltsrocksandcarriesawaytheproudhillswecalleternal.
Nothingintheworld
isassoftandyieldingaswater.
Yetfordissolvingthehardandinexible,
nothingcansurpassit.
Thesoftovercomesthehard;
thegentleovercomestherigid.
Everyoneknowsthisistrue,
butfewcanputitintopractice.(ch.78)

Innitely
supple, yet incomparably strongthese virtues of water
arepreciselythoseofwu wei aswell.Thepersonwhoembodiesthis
condition,saystheTao Te Ching,workswithoutworking.Suchaone
actswithoutstrain,persuadeswithoutargument,iseloquentwithout
ourish,andachievesresultswithoutviolence,coercion,orpressure.

Thoughtheagentmaybescarcelynoticed,hisorherinuenceisin

factdecisive.
Aleaderisbest
Whenpeoplebarelyknowthatheexists.
Ofagoodleader,whotalkslittle,
Whenhisworkisdone,hisaimfullled,
Theywillsay,Wedidthisourselves.(ch.17)

A nal
characteristic of water that makes it an appropriate
analoguetowu wei istheclarityitattainsthroughbeingstill.Muddy
waterletstand,saystheTao Te Ching,willclear.Ifyouwantto
studythestarsafterbeinginabrightlylitroom,youmustwaittwenty
minutesforyoureyestodilatefortheirnewassignment.Theremust
be similar periods of waiting if the focal length of the mind is to
readjust,withdrawingfromtheworldsglaretotheinternalrecesses
ofthesoul.
Thevecolorscanblind,
Thevetonesdeafen,

109

Huston Smith
Thevetastescloy.
Therace,thehunt,candrivemenmad
Andtheirbootyleavethemnopeace.
Thereforeasensibleman
Preferstheinnertotheoutereye.(ch.12)

Clarity can come to the inner eye, however, only insofar as life
attainsaquietthatequalsthatofadeepandsilentpool.
Other Taoist Values
Stillfollowingtheanalogyofwater,theTaoistsrejectedallformsof
self-assertivenessandcompetition.Theworldisfullofpeoplewhoare
determinedtobesomebodyorgivetrouble.Theywanttogetahead,
to stand out. Taoism has little use for such ambitions. The ax falls
firstonthetallesttree.
Hewhostandsontiptoe
Doesntstandrm.
Hewhorushesahead
Doesntgofar.
Hewhotriestoshine
dimshisownlight.(ch.24)

TheiralmostreverentialattitudetowardhumilityledtheTaoists
to honor hunchbacks and cripples because of the way they typied
meekness and self-effacement. They were fond of pointing out that
thevalueofcups,windows,anddoorwaysliesinthepartsofthem
thatarenotthere.Selessasmeltingiceisoneoftheirdescriptive

gures.
The Taoists refusal to clamber for position sprang from a

profounddisinterestinthethingstheworldprizes.Thepointcomes
outinthestoryofChuangTzusvisittotheministerofaneighboring
state.SomeonetoldtheministerthatChuangTzuwascominginthe
hopeofreplacinghim.Theministerwasalarmed.ButwhenChuang
Tzuheardoftherumorhesaidtotheminister:
IntheSouththereisabird.Itiscalledyuan-chu.Haveyouheard

ofit?Thisyuan-chustartsfromthesouthernoceanandiestothe
northernocean.Duringitswholejourneyitperchesonnotreesave
thesacredWo-tung,eatsnofruitsavethatofthePersianLilac,drinks
onlyattheMagicWell.Ithappenedthatanowlthathadgotholdof

therottingcarcassofaratlookedupasthisbirdewby,andterried
lesttheyuan-chushouldstopandsnatchatthesucculentmorsel,it

110

Taoism
screamed,Shoo!Shoo!AndnowIamtoldthatyouaretryingto
shoomeofffromthispreciousMinistryofyours.10

So it is with most of the worlds prides. They are not the true
values they are thought to be. What is the point of competition or
assertiveness?TheTao seemstogetalongverywellwithoutthem.
Naturedoesnothavetoinsist,
Canblowforonlyhalfamorning,
Rainforonlyhalfaday.(ch.23)

Peopleshouldavoidbeingstridentandaggressivenotonlytoward
other people but also toward nature. On the whole, the modern
Westernattitudehasbeentoregardnatureasanantagonist,anobject
tobesquaredoffagainst,dominated,controlled,conquered.Taoisms
attitude is the opposite of this. There is a profound naturalism in
Taoistthought,butitisthenaturalismofaRousseau,aWordsworth,
aThoreau,notthatofaGalileoorBacon.
Thosewhowouldtakeovertheearth
Andshapeittotheirwill
Never,Inotice,succeed.
Theearthislikeavesselsosacred
Thatatthemereapproachoftheprofane
Itismarred
Andwhentheyreachouttheirngersitisgone.(ch.29)

Nature is to be befriended. When the British scaled earths

highest peak, the exploit was widely hailed as the conquest of
Everest. D. T. Suzuki remarked: We orientals would have spoken
ofbefriendingEverest.TheJapaneseteamthatscaledAnapurna,the
secondhighestpeak,climbedtowithinftyfeetofthesummitand

deliberatelystopped,provokingaWesternmountaineertoexclaimin
disbelief, Thats class! Taoism seeks attunement with nature, not
dominance.Itsapproachisecological,acharacteristicthatledJoseph
NeedhamtopointoutthatdespiteChinasbackwardnessinscientic
theory she early developed an organic philosophy of nature closely
resemblingthatwhichmodernsciencehasbeenforcedtoadoptafter

10

Burton Watson (tr.), Chuang Tzu: The Basic Writings (New York: Columbia
UniversityPress,1964),pp.109-10.

111

Huston Smith
threecenturiesofmechanicalmaterialism.Theecologicalapproach
ofTaoismhasinspiredmanyWesternarchitects,mostnotablyFrank
LloydWright.Taoisttemplesdonotstandoutfromtheirsurroundings.
They nestle against the hills, back under the trees, blending in with
the environment. At best, human beings do likewise. Their highest
achievementistoidentifythemselveswiththeTao andletitworkits
magicthroughthem.
ThisTaoistapproachtonaturedeeplyaffectedChineseart.Itis
no accident that the greatest periods of Chinese art have coincided

with upsurges of Taoist inuence.

Before assuming brush and silk,
painterswouldgoouttonatureandlosethemselvesinit,tobecome,
say,thebamboothattheywouldpaint.Theywouldsitforhalfadayor
fourteenyearsbeforemakingastroke.TheChinesewordforlandscape
paintingiscomposedoftheradicalsformountainandwater,oneof
whichsuggestsvastnessandsolitude,theotherpliability,endurance,
andcontinuousmovement.Thehumanpartinthevastnessissmall,
so we have to look closely for human beings in the paintings if we

ndthematall.Usually,theyareclimbingwiththeirbundles,ridinga
buffalo,orpolingaboattheselfwithitsjourneytomake,itsburden
to carry, its hill to climb, but surrounded by beauty on every side.
Peoplearenotasformidableasmountains;theydonotliveaslongas
thepines.Yettheytoobelongintheschemeofthingsassurelyasdo
thebirdsandtheclouds.Andthroughthem,asthroughtherestofthe
world,owstheeverlastingTao.
Taoistnaturalismcombinedwithapropensityfornaturalnessas
well. Pomp and extravagance were regarded as silly. When Chuang
Tzus followers asked permission to give him a grand funeral, he

replied:Heavenandeartharemyinnerandoutercofns.Thesun,
moon,andstarsaremydrapery,andthewholecreationmyfuneral
procession.WhatmoredoIwant?Civilizationwasridiculedandthe
primitiveidealized.Letushaveasmallcountrywithfewinhabitants,
LaoTzuproposed.Letthepeoplereturntotheuseofknottedcords
[forkeepingrecords].Letthemobtaintheirfoodsweet,theirclothing
beautiful, their homes comfortable, their rustic tasks pleasurable.
Travel was discouraged as pointless and conducive to idle curiosity.
Theneighboringstatemightbesonearathandthatonecouldhear
thecockscrowinginitanddogsbarking.Butthepeoplewouldgrow
oldanddiewithouteverhavingbeenthere.11
11FungYu-lanstranslationoftheTao

Te Ching,chapter80,inhisAShort History of

112

Taoism
It was this preference for naturalness and simplicity that most
separatedtheTaoistfromtheConfucian.Thebasicobjectivesofthe
twoschoolsdidnotdifferwidely,buttheTaoistshadsmallpatience
with the Confucian approach to them. All formalism, show, and
ceremonyleftthemcold.Whatcouldbehopedforfrompunctiliousness
orthemeticulousobservanceofpropriety?Thewholeapproachwas

articial,
a lacquered surface that was bound to prove brittle and
repressive. Confucianism here was but one instance of the human
tendencytoapproachlifeinregulatedmode.Allcalculatedsystems,
the very attempt to arrange life in shipshape order, is pointless. As
different ways of slicing the same reality, none of them amounts to
morethanThreeintheMorning.AndwhatisThreeintheMorning?
Once,inthestateofSung,hardtimesforcedakeeperofmonkeysto
reducetheirrations.Fromnowon,heannounced,itwillbethree
inthemorningandfourintheevening.Facedwithhowlsofrebellion,
thekeeperagreedtonegotiate,andeventuallyacceptedhismonkeys
demandthatitbefourinthemorningandthreeintheevening.The
monkeysgloriedintheirtriumph.
AnotherfeatureofTaoismisitsnotionoftherelativityofallvalues
and,asitscorrelative,theidentityofopposites.HereTaoismtiedin
withthetraditionalChineseyin/yang symbol,whichispicturedthus:

Thispolaritysumsupalloflifesbasicoppositions:good/evil,active/
passive,positive/negative,light/dark,summer/winter,male/female.
Butthoughthehalvesareintension,theyarenotflatlyopposed;they
complementandbalanceeachother.Eachinvadestheothershemisphere and takes up its abode in the deepest recess of its partners
domain.Andintheendbothfindthemselvesresolvedbythecircle
thatsurroundsthem,theTao initseternalwholeness.Inthecontext
ofthatwholeness,theoppositesappearasnomorethanphasesinan
endless cycling process, for each turns incessantly into its opposite,
exchanging places with it. Life does not move onward and upward

Chinese Philosophy (Princeton,NJ:PrincetonUniversityPress,1953),p.20.

113

114

towardafixedpinnacleorpole.Itbendsbackuponitselftocome,full
circle,totherealizationthatallisoneandalliswell.
Thosewhomeditateonthisprofoundsymbol,Taoistsmaintain,

willndthatitaffordsbetteraccesstotheworldssecretsthanany
lengthofwordsanddiscussion.Faithfultoitsimport,Taoismeschews
all sharp dichotomies. No perspective in this relative world can be
consideredasabsolute.Whoknowswhenthelongestwayroundmight
notprovetobetheshortestwayhome?Orconsidertherelativityof
dreamandwakefulness.ChuangTzudreamedthathewasabuttery,
andduringthedreamhadnonotionthathehadeverbeenanything

else.Whenheawoke,however,hewasastonishedtondthathewas
ChuangTzu.Butthislefthimwithaquestion.WashereallyChuang

Tzuwhohaddreamedthathewasabuttery,orwasheabuttery
thatwasnowdreamingthatitwasChuangTzu?
Allvaluesandconcepts,then,areultimatelyrelativetothemind
thatentertainsthem.Whenitwassuggestedtothewrenandthecicada

thattherearebirdsthatyhundredsofmileswithoutalighting,both
quicklyagreedthatsuchathingwasimpossible.YouandIknowvery
well,theynodded,thatthefurthestonecaneverget,evenbythe
mosttremendouseffort,istothatelmtreeoverthere,andeventhis
one cannot be sure of reaching every time. Often one nds oneself
draggedbacktoearthlongbeforeonegetsthere.Allthesestoriesabout
yinghundredsofmilesatastretcharesheernonsense.
In the Taoist perspective even good and evil are not head-on
opposites.TheWesthastendedtodichotomizethetwo,butTaoists
are less categorical. They buttress their reserve with the story of a
farmer whose horse ran away. His neighbor commiserated, only to
betold,Whoknowswhatsgoodorbad?Itwastrue,forthenext
daythehorsereturned,bringingwithitadroveofwildhorsesithad
befriended.Theneighborreappeared,thistimewithcongratulations
forthewindfall.Hereceivedthesameresponse:Whoknowswhatis
goodorbad?Againthisprovedtrue,forthenextdaythefarmersson
triedtomountoneofthewildhorsesandfell,breakinghisleg.More
commiserationsfromtheneighbor,whichelicitedthequestion:Who
knowswhatisgoodorbad?Andforafourthtimethefarmerspoint
prevailed,forthefollowingdaysoldierscamebycommandeeringfor
thearmy,andthesonwasexemptedbecauseofhisinjury.Ifthisall
soundsverymuchlikeZen,itshould;forBuddhismprocessedthrough
TaoismbecameZen.

Huston Smith

Taoism
Taoism follows its principle of relativity to its logical limit by
positioning life and death as complementing cycles in the Taos
rhythm.WhenChuangTzuswifedied,hisfriendHui-tzuvisitedhim
to express his condolences, only to nd
Chuang Tzu sitting on the
groundwithhislegsspreadwideapart,singingawayandwhackingout
atuneonthebackofawoodenbowl.Afterall,saidhisfriend,she
livedwithyoudevotedlyalltheseyears,watchedyoureldestsongrow
tomanhood,andgrewoldalongwithyou.Foryounottohaveshed
atearoverherremainswouldhavebeenbadenough,butsingingand
drummingawayonabowlthisisjusttoomuch!Youmisjudge,
saidChuangTzu.WhenshediedIwasindespair,asanymanwell
mightbe.ButthenIrealizedthatbeforeshewasbornshehadnobody,
anditbecamecleartomethatthesameprocessofchangethatbrought
hertobirtheventuallybroughthertodeath.Ifsomeoneistiredand
hasgonetoliedown,wedonotpursueherwithhootingandbawling.
ShewhomIhavelosthaslaindowntosleepforawhileinthechamber
betweenheavenandearth.Towailandgroanwhilemywifeissleeping
wouldbetodenynaturessovereignlaw.SoIrefrain.
Elsewhere Chuang Tzu expressed his condence
in the face of

deathdirectly:
Thereistheglobe,
Thefoundationofmybodilyexistence.
Itwearsmeoutwithworkandduties,
Itgivesmerestinoldage,
Itgivesmepeaceindeath.
FortheonewhosuppliedmewithwhatIneededinlife
Willalsogivemewhat1needindeath.12

ItisnosurprisetondanoutlookasaversetoviolenceasTaoism

vergingonpacism.TherearepassagesintheTao
Te Ching thatread

almostliketheSermonontheMount.
Onewhowouldguidealeaderofmenintheusesoflife
Willwarnhimagainsttheuseofarmsforconquest.
Eventhenestarmsareaninstrumentofevil.
Anarmysharvestisawasteofthorns.(ch.30)

12 Quoted in K. L. Reichelts translation of the twenty-fth

chapter of the Tao

Te
Ching inhisMeditation and Piety in the Far East (NewYork:HarperandBrothers,
1954),p.102.

115

Huston Smith
Weaponsarethetoolsofviolence;
alldecentmendetestthem.
Weaponsarethetoolsoffear;
adecentmanwillavoidthem
exceptinthedirestnecessity
and,ifcompelled,willusethem
onlywiththeutmostrestraint.
Peaceisthehighestvalue....
Heentersabattlegravely,
withsorrowandwithgreatcompassion,
asifhewereattendingafuneral.(ch.31)

That in China the scholar ranked at the top of the social scale
may have been Confucius doing, but Taoism is fully as responsible
forplacingthesoldieratthebottom.Thewayforavitalpersonto
goisnotthewayofasoldier.Onlyonewhorecognizesallpeopleas

membersofhisorherownbodyisqualiedtoguardthem....Heaven
armswithcompassionthosewhomshewouldnotseedestroyed.
Warisasombermatter,andTaoismspoketolifessolemn,somber
issues.Yetitalwaysretainedaqualityoflightnessvergingongaiety.
Thereisasophistication,anurbanity,acharmabouttheperspective
thatisinfectious.Hewhofeelspunctured,notestheTao Te Ching,
mustoncehavebeenabubble.Theeconomy,directness,andgood
humorinsuchastatementistypicalofitsentireoutlook.Initsfreedom
fromaheavy-bootedapproachtolife,Taoismisatonewiththerestof
China;butitisalso,aswehaveseen,freeoftheConfuciantendency
towardrigidityandformalism.Taoistliteratureisfullofdialogueswith
Confucianists in which the latter come off as stuffy and pompous.
AninstanceisthestoryoftheTaoistChuangTzuandtheConfucian
HuiTzu,whoonanafternoonsstrollcametoabridgeovertheHao
River.Lookhowtheminnowsdarthitherandthitheratwill.Suchis

thepleasureshenjoy,ChuangTzuremarked.Youarenotash,
respondedHuiTzu.Howdoyouknowwhatgivespleasuretosh?
YouarenotI,saidChuangTzu.HowdoyouknowIdontknow
whatgivespleasuretosh?
Conclusion
Circlingaroundeachotherlikeyin andyang themselves,Taoismand
Confucianism represent the two indigenous poles of the Chinese
character. Confucius represents the classical, Lao Tzu the romantic.
Confucius stresses social responsibility, Lao Tzu praises spontaneity
andnaturalness.Confuciusfocusisonthehuman,LaoTzusonwhat
116

Taoism
transcends the human. As the Chinese themselves say, Confucius
roams within society, Lao Tzu wanders beyond. Something in life
reachesoutineachofthesedirections,andChinesecivilizationwould
certainlyhavebeenpoorerifeitherhadnotappeared.

Therearebookswhoserstreadingcastsaspellthatisneverquite
undone,thereasonbeingthattheyspeaktothedeepestmeinthe
reader. For all who quicken at the thought that anywhere, at every
time,theTao iswithinus,theTao Te Ching issuchabook.Mostly
it has been so for the Chinese, but an American poet can equally
it the straightest, most logical explanation as yet advanced for
nd
thecontinuanceoflife,themostlogicaluseyetadvisedforenjoying
it.13 Though obviously never practiced to perfection, its lessons of
simplicity,openness,andwisdomhavebeenformillionsofChinesea
joyfulguide.
Thereisabeing,wonderful,perfect;
Itexistedbeforeheavenandearth.
Howquietitis!
Howspiritualitis!
Itstandsaloneanditdoesnotchange.
Itmovesaroundandaround,butdoesnotonthisaccountsuffer.
Alllifecomesfromit.
Itwrapseverythingwithitsloveasinagarment,and
yetitclaimsnohonor,itdoesnotdemandtobeLord.
Idonotknowitsname,andsoIcallitTao,theWay,
andIrejoiceinitspower.14

TaoismbyHustonSmith

Featuresin
Light from the East: Eastern Wisdom for the Modern West
2007WorldWisdom,Inc.
EditedbyHarryOldmeadow
AllRightsReserved.ForPersonalUsageOnly
www.worldwisdom.com

13Bynner,The

Way of Life,pp.12-13.

14AdaptedfromK.L.Reicheltstranslationofthetwenty-fthchapteroftheTao

Ching inhisMeditation and Piety,41.

117

Te