#daoism — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #daoism, aggregated by home.social.
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𝗪𝗜𝗞𝗜𝗣𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗔'𝗦 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗟𝗘
✧ Gu Yanwu ✧
Gu Yanwu (1613–1682) was a Chinese historian, philologist, and poet. Born in Qiandun, he pursued advancement in the imperial examination system but failed to achieve the rank of juren. He was a Ming loyalist after the Qing conquest and declined political positions to travel across China. His work, Rizhilu, is an edited collecti...
#china #rizhilu #daoism #beijing #chinesehistorian #wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu_Yanwu -
𝗪𝗜𝗞𝗜𝗣𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗔'𝗦 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗟𝗘
✧ Gu Yanwu ✧
Gu Yanwu (1613–1682) was a Chinese historian, philologist, and poet. Born in Qiandun, he pursued advancement in the imperial examination system but failed to achieve the rank of juren. He was a Ming loyalist after the Qing conquest and declined political positions to travel across China. His work, Rizhilu, is an edited collecti...
#china #rizhilu #daoism #beijing #chinesehistorian #wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu_Yanwu -
A powerful new resource for understanding the diverse, contested history of religion in the United States
#religion #judaism #christianity #buddhism #hinduism #daoism #islam #usa #confucianism #history
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A powerful new resource for understanding the diverse, contested history of religion in the United States
#religion #judaism #christianity #buddhism #hinduism #daoism #islam #usa #confucianism #history
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Wanna start learning about Daoism, should I start with Tao Te Ching / Daodejing?
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Wanna start learning about Daoism, should I start with Tao Te Ching / Daodejing?
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What does an ancient Daoist sage, computers, and a show about a Navaho police officer have to say the patriarchy we all suffer under?
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𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆: 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒘, 𝑺𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒆: 𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒁𝒉𝒖𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒛𝒊
Can Stoicism answer our dilemma?
Compare Seneca’s On the Shortness of Life with the Zhuangzi in this reflection on Stoicism vs. Daoism. Learn how Cincinnatus’s Roman Plow creates a utilitarian trap. Oh, and how The Expendables does, too.
https://waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/waywords_podcast/roman-plow-sovereign-tree-seneca-zhuangzi/#podcast #literature #books #seneca #zhuangzi #daoism #taoism #stoicism #cincinnatus #cicero
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𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆: 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒘, 𝑺𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒆: 𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒁𝒉𝒖𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒛𝒊
Can Stoicism answer our dilemma?
Compare Seneca’s On the Shortness of Life with the Zhuangzi in this reflection on Stoicism vs. Daoism. Learn how Cincinnatus’s Roman Plow creates a utilitarian trap. Oh, and how The Expendables does, too.
https://waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/waywords_podcast/roman-plow-sovereign-tree-seneca-zhuangzi/#podcast #literature #books #seneca #zhuangzi #daoism #taoism #stoicism #cincinnatus #cicero
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Discover the special origin of my Little Fox Wenzhi and his unique wisdom: While I was deep in the study of Taoism, this little fox appeared to help me translate ancient wisdom into the language of the heart. He sits beside us to explain the mysteries of the soul with a wise, gentle mind and a loving spirit.
Link in my profile to see more of my little fox Wenzhi’s videos
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#wuwei #tao #meditation #innerpeace #daoism #stillness #mentalhealth #quotes #motivation(video made with ai tools)
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My dad just published a book!
📕 Zhuangzi Notes and Reflections (2026) https://works.hcommons.org/records/89045-bcp64
“What I have written here is an English-language commentary on the classic Chinese Daoist text, the Zhuangzi. The book is named after the late fourth-century BCE philosopher Zhuang Zhou. I have posted it on an open access platform called Knowledge Commons. The link is to a free download”
#Daoist #Daoism #Taoism #ChinesePhilosophy #ChineseLiterature #Zhuangzi #ZhuangZhou #philosophy #KnowledgeCommons #FreeBook #eBook #CreativeCommons
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My dad just published a book!
📕 Zhuangzi Notes and Reflections (2026) https://works.hcommons.org/records/89045-bcp64
“What I have written here is an English-language commentary on the classic Chinese Daoist text, the Zhuangzi. The book is named after the late fourth-century BCE philosopher Zhuang Zhou. I have posted it on an open access platform called Knowledge Commons. The link is to a free download”
#Daoist #Daoism #Taoism #ChinesePhilosophy #ChineseLiterature #Zhuangzi #ZhuangZhou #philosophy #KnowledgeCommons #FreeBook #eBook #CreativeCommons
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Today's new #HoPWaG episode: an interview with Hans-Georg Moeller on humor and amoral ethics in a Daoist classic, the Zhuangzi - and its relation to Confucianism and Legalism. www.historyofphilosophy.net/zhuangzi-moe... #philsky #philosophy #zhuangzi #daoism #podcast
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Today's new #HoPWaG episode: an interview with Hans-Georg Moeller on humor and amoral ethics in a Daoist classic, the Zhuangzi - and its relation to Confucianism and Legalism. www.historyofphilosophy.net/zhuangzi-moe... #philsky #philosophy #zhuangzi #daoism #podcast
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Coming up a lot on my path these days, the old Zen koan or saying:
"Riding an ox, looking for an ox."
Publications and projects as a Professor in Japan: https://japanned.hcommons.org
#Japan #zen #Buddhism #Taoism #Daoism #religion #philosophy #mysticism #psychology
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Coming up a lot on my path these days, the old Zen koan or saying:
"Riding an ox, looking for an ox."
Publications and projects as a Professor in Japan: https://japanned.hcommons.org
#Japan #zen #Buddhism #Taoism #Daoism #religion #philosophy #mysticism #psychology
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It's #HoPWaG time again! Today we look at the theme of "wandering" in the Zhuangzi, comparing this to Thomas Nagel's idea of "philosophical absurdity." www.historyofphilosophy.net/zhuangzi-wan... #philsky #philosophy #podcasts #daoism #zhuangzi
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It's #HoPWaG time again! Today we look at the theme of "wandering" in the Zhuangzi, comparing this to Thomas Nagel's idea of "philosophical absurdity." www.historyofphilosophy.net/zhuangzi-wan... #philsky #philosophy #podcasts #daoism #zhuangzi
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www.historyofphilosophy.net/zhuangzi-death Time for a new #HoPWaG episode! Today we tackle the many passages in the Daoist classic, the Zhuangzi, that deal with death - including the famous "dreaming you are a butterfly" passage. #daoism #zhuangzi #philsky #philosophy #podcasts
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www.historyofphilosophy.net/zhuangzi-death Time for a new #HoPWaG episode! Today we tackle the many passages in the Daoist classic, the Zhuangzi, that deal with death - including the famous "dreaming you are a butterfly" passage. #daoism #zhuangzi #philsky #philosophy #podcasts
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So gehe ich mittlerweile mein Leben an. War es immer so? Nein. Schaffe ich es immer? Nein. Allerdings bin ich dabei, den Samen zu legen für ein Leben ohne Widerstand gegen das Leben selbst #spirituell #glauben #yinandyang #dao #daoismus #daoism #flow
https://invidious.nerdvpn.de/watch?v=l30vS6le_yM -
So gehe ich mittlerweile mein Leben an. War es immer so? Nein. Schaffe ich es immer? Nein. Allerdings bin ich dabei, den Samen zu legen für ein Leben ohne Widerstand gegen das Leben selbst #spirituell #glauben #yinandyang #dao #daoismus #daoism #flow
https://invidious.nerdvpn.de/watch?v=l30vS6le_yM -
The first translation the Tao Te Ching I ever read said: "The usefulness of the jar is where it is not."
It's the part of the jar that is not the jar... that is what gives the jar its ability to contain things. That is what makes it a jar.
Do you wonder what is the Dao?
That space within the jar that is not the jar.
THAT is the Dao. -
The first translation the Tao Te Ching I ever read said: "The usefulness of the jar is where it is not."
It's the part of the jar that is not the jar... that is what gives the jar its ability to contain things. That is what makes it a jar.
Do you wonder what is the Dao?
That space within the jar that is not the jar.
THAT is the Dao. -
Today on #HoPWaG, we look at the variety of presentations (and names) of Confucius in the "Zhuangzi." What do these portrayal's tell us about Daoist attitudes towards Confucianism? www.historyofphilosophy.net/zhuangzi-con... #podcast #philosophy #philsky #confucisus #daoism #zhuangzi
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Today on #HoPWaG, we look at the variety of presentations (and names) of Confucius in the "Zhuangzi." What do these portrayal's tell us about Daoist attitudes towards Confucianism? www.historyofphilosophy.net/zhuangzi-con... #podcast #philosophy #philsky #confucisus #daoism #zhuangzi
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Coming up on Sunday on #HoPWaG, we have a look at the various mentions of Confucius/Kongzi in the Zhuangzi. Did Daoists think this great sage was all that great? #podcast #philosophy #daoism #zhuangzi
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Coming up on Sunday on #HoPWaG, we have a look at the various mentions of Confucius/Kongzi in the Zhuangzi. Did Daoists think this great sage was all that great? #podcast #philosophy #daoism #zhuangzi
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Coming up on Sunday on #HoPWaG, we have a look at the various mentions of Confucius/Kongzi in the Zhuangzi. Did Daoists this this great sage was all that great? #podcast #philosophy #daoism #zhuangzi
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Coming up on Sunday on #HoPWaG, we have a look at the various mentions of Confucius/Kongzi in the Zhuangzi. Did Daoists this this great sage was all that great? #podcast #philosophy #daoism #zhuangzi
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"When wise students hear about the Dao,
they follow it with care.
When ordinary students hear about the Dao,
they sometimes believe in it, and sometimes doubt.
When foolish students hear about the Dao,
they laugh at it out loud.
If they did not laugh at it, it would not be the Dao..." - Chapter 41,
Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing), Lao Tzu -
🌿 Xieyi Painting · The Rootless Tree —Chapter 24, Verse 89: Stillness in Bloom
From the luminous stillness at the center of the water,a single flower rises straight upward.It does not waver,it does not resist—it simply stands as it is,and from its presence, gentle ripples spread.
🌿Xieyi Image｜details of the Tao Code and poetry.↓
https://www.mugoku.com/en/100-089513/#art #xieyipainting #daoism #taoism #meditation #interiorart #contemporaryart
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🌿 Xieyi Painting · The Rootless Tree —Chapter 24, Verse 89: Stillness in Bloom
From the luminous stillness at the center of the water,a single flower rises straight upward.It does not waver,it does not resist—it simply stands as it is,and from its presence, gentle ripples spread.
🌿Xieyi Image｜details of the Tao Code and poetry.↓
https://www.mugoku.com/en/100-089513/#art #xieyipainting #daoism #taoism #meditation #interiorart #contemporaryart
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🌿 Xieyi Painting · The Rootless Tree —Verse 50: Rootless Bloom
Within a softly glowing sky,a single tree stands in silence.Rootless, its branches twist and bend,and yet one white flower quietly bloomsbetween heaven and earth.🌿Xieyi Image｜details of the Tao Code and poetry.↓
https://www.mugoku.com/en/100-050304/#art #xieyipainting #daoism #taoism #meditation #interiorart #contemporaryart
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🌿 Xieyi Painting · The Rootless Tree —Verse 50: Rootless Bloom
Within a softly glowing sky,a single tree stands in silence.Rootless, its branches twist and bend,and yet one white flower quietly bloomsbetween heaven and earth.🌿Xieyi Image｜details of the Tao Code and poetry.↓
https://www.mugoku.com/en/100-050304/#art #xieyipainting #daoism #taoism #meditation #interiorart #contemporaryart
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My latest blog post is a review of Elizabeth Reninger's book "Taoism for Beginners."
The book really is for total beginners, so feel free to skip over if you already know a thing or two about Taoism! 😊
https://grammaticus.blog/2026/01/23/taoism-for-beginners/
#taoism #daoism #china #religion #philosophy #qigong #taichi #spirituality#books #bookreviews
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My latest blog post is a review of Elizabeth Reninger's book "Taoism for Beginners."
The book really is for total beginners, so feel free to skip over if you already know a thing or two about Taoism! 😊
https://grammaticus.blog/2026/01/23/taoism-for-beginners/
#taoism #daoism #china #religion #philosophy #qigong #taichi #spirituality#books #bookreviews
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Book review: “Taoism for Beginners” by Elizabeth Reninger
“The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.”
It’s almost a cliché to start any discussion of Taoism with a reference to the iconic first sentence of Tao Te Ching. Written by the legendary Chinese sage Lao Tzu (or by a diverse group of later followers around the 4th century BCE, as scholars now generally believe), this text remains one of the key sources on Taoism — an ancient Chinese synthesis of philosophy and religion based on the notion of living in harmony with the Tao, the ultimate principle behind all existence.
If you’ve heard of yin and yang, wu wei, qi gong or tai chi — these are all originally Taoist principles and practices. During the subsequent centuries, schools of Taoism merged and blended with Buddhism and Confucianism, adding to the cultural melting pot that was mediaeval China. Yet, there has always remained a distinctly Taoist element, recognisable in various — sometimes very subtle — differences from the other two religions / philosophies.
As with any ancient tradition with thousands of years of history and countless schools and sects, Taoism too can seem difficult to understand. Which is where introductory-level books come in handy! In this post I’ll present one that I’ve just finished reading, namely Elizabeth Reninger’s “Taoism for Beginners.”
Elizabeth Reninger is a freelance writer, poet and Taoist practitioner currently based in Boulder, Colorado. Her book “Taoism for Beginners,” subtitled Understanding and Applying Taoist History, Concepts, and Practices, is a slim volume consisting of the following seven chapters:
- What is Taoism?
- Core Concepts
- Core Teachings
- Approaches to Taoist Practice
- Common Myths and Misconceptions
- Taoist Schools and Lineages
- Taoism Today
There’s also a useful reading list for further study, as well as the appendix at the back of the book.
It‘s written in a casual, almost informal, style that may be helpful to those who are otherwised intimidated by the typically rigid strictures of academic writing. The author doesn’t ignore or skip over difficult or complicated topics, but she will simply point out that it takes years of consistent practice to full understand certain things. Fair enough, although I suspect some readers would have preferred a more thorough and slightly more detailed approach.
Is the brevity and lack of in-depth treatment of Taoism a weakness of this book? I think not, as it’s clearly aimed at total beginners who probably wouldn’t have benefitted from too much attention to detail and nuance. Reninger provides a clear and concise overview, with some practical advice for those who choose to spend more time exploring Taoism, ancient and/or modern. Having finished the book, I was definitely eager for more, which is a good sign!
I feel an important point here is that Taoism isn’t simply a school of thought and a matter of intellectual learning. It’s also an actual practice grounded in the body; the physical aspect of harmonizing with the Tao cannot be overestimated. No book can teach you qi gong, and no amount of theory can be a substitute for personal practice. (Needless to say, the same goes for other religions and their practices.)
This little book is something you’ll be able to finish in one or two sittings. It will provide you with the basics and offer a kind of roadmap for further exploration. It’s written in an unassuming and inviting way, that will at least spark some curiosity.
Four stars out of five.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Elizabeth Reninger (official website)
Taoism (entry in Encyclopaedia Britannica)
COVER IMAGE CREDIT
Front gate of the Yuanxuan Taoist Temple in Guangzhou, China. Fei Wang via Pexels.
NOTES
I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.
If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.
To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!
#bookReview #books #China #Daoism #philosophy #qiGong #religion #spirituality #taiChi #Tao #Taoism
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Book review: “Taoism for Beginners” by Elizabeth Reninger
“The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.”
It’s almost a cliché to start any discussion of Taoism with a reference to the iconic first sentence of Tao Te Ching. Written by the legendary Chinese sage Lao Tzu (or by a diverse group of later followers around the 4th century BCE, as scholars now generally believe), this text remains one of the key sources on Taoism — an ancient Chinese synthesis of philosophy and religion based on the notion of living in harmony with the Tao, the ultimate principle behind all existence.
If you’ve heard of yin and yang, wu wei, qi gong or tai chi — these are all originally Taoist principles and practices. During the subsequent centuries, schools of Taoism merged and blended with Buddhism and Confucianism, adding to the cultural melting pot that was mediaeval China. Yet, there has always remained a distinctly Taoist element, recognisable in various — sometimes very subtle — differences from the other two religions / philosophies.
As with any ancient tradition with thousands of years of history and countless schools and sects, Taoism too can seem difficult to understand. Which is where introductory-level books come in handy! In this post I’ll present one that I’ve just finished reading, namely Elizabeth Reninger’s “Taoism for Beginners.”
Elizabeth Reninger is a freelance writer, poet and Taoist practitioner currently based in Boulder, Colorado. Her book “Taoism for Beginners,” subtitled Understanding and Applying Taoist History, Concepts, and Practices, is a slim volume consisting of the following seven chapters:
- What is Taoism?
- Core Concepts
- Core Teachings
- Approaches to Taoist Practice
- Common Myths and Misconceptions
- Taoist Schools and Lineages
- Taoism Today
There’s also a useful reading list for further study, as well as the appendix at the back of the book.
It‘s written in a casual, almost informal, style that may be helpful to those who are otherwised intimidated by the typically rigid strictures of academic writing. The author doesn’t ignore or skip over difficult or complicated topics, but she will simply point out that it takes years of consistent practice to full understand certain things. Fair enough, although I suspect some readers would have preferred a more thorough and slightly more detailed approach.
Is the brevity and lack of in-depth treatment of Taoism a weakness of this book? I think not, as it’s clearly aimed at total beginners who probably wouldn’t have benefitted from too much attention to detail and nuance. Reninger provides a clear and concise overview, with some practical advice for those who choose to spend more time exploring Taoism, ancient and/or modern. Having finished the book, I was definitely eager for more, which is a good sign!
I feel an important point here is that Taoism isn’t simply a school of thought and a matter of intellectual learning. It’s also an actual practice grounded in the body; the physical aspect of harmonizing with the Tao cannot be overestimated. No book can teach you qi gong, and no amount of theory can be a substitute for personal practice. (Needless to say, the same goes for other religions and their practices.)
This little book is something you’ll be able to finish in one or two sittings. It will provide you with the basics and offer a kind of roadmap for further exploration. It’s written in an unassuming and inviting way, that will at least spark some curiosity.
Four stars out of five.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Elizabeth Reninger (official website)
Taoism (entry in Encyclopaedia Britannica)
COVER IMAGE CREDIT
Front gate of the Yuanxuan Taoist Temple in Guangzhou, China. Fei Wang via Pexels.
NOTES
I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.
If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.
To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!
#bookReview #books #China #Daoism #philosophy #qiGong #religion #spirituality #taiChi #Tao #Taoism
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As it turns out, the European Cucuteni-Trypillia culture invented the #Taiji (or 'Yin/Yang) symbol a thousand years before its earliest appearance in China.
https://voloshin.md/en/cucuteni-trypillia/
#Taijitu #Daoism -
As it turns out, the European Cucuteni-Trypillia culture invented the #Taiji (or 'Yin/Yang) symbol a thousand years before its earliest appearance in China.
https://voloshin.md/en/cucuteni-trypillia/
#Taijitu #Daoism -
🌿 Xieyi Painting · The Rootless Tree —Verse 11: Stillness in Bloom
In the deep ocean of blue qi,a single lotus softly glows from within.A quiet talismanic image,this work gently calms the breathand attunes the inner flow of qi.
🌿Xieyi Image｜details of the Tao Code and poetry.↓
https://www.mugoku.com/en/100-011587/#art #xieyipainting #daoism #taoism #meditation #interiorart #contemporaryart
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Ego Tourism: How the Tao Made Me (a bit) Less Weird
https://www.palindromefight.com
This week - 4 free shows in conjunction with the Ursula Le Guin exhibit at the Oregon Center for Contemporary Arts (OCCA), sponsored by taoish.org
Vergennes, Vermont - Bixby Library Thursday Jan 22, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Portland - Kenton branch library (around the corner from OCCA)
Saturday Jan 24 11am, and Sunday Jan 25 3pmBeaverton City Library, Cathy Stanton Room, Sat. Jan 24th 5:00 pm
Thanks to the Le Guin estate for their support, and for permission to quote the poem "Meditation in the Desert"
#dao #tao #daoism #taoism #scifi #leguin #ursulaleguin #sciencefiction
