User:Jovanmrls120/sandbox

Taoism & Concepts
Taoism was founded around 500 BCE by Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu wrote the sacred text the Tao Te Ching. Under the Tang dynasty, Taoism was declared the faith of the land. Taoism expansion declined along with the fall of the dynasty. Currently Taoism is banned from China by theb Republic of China Communist party, who declared atheism as the faith of the land. There is speculation that Lao Tzu may have never existed but the Taoist teachings would argue it doesn't matter whether or not Lao Tzu existed. Taoist believe in liberation from the material world and liberation through Wu Wei  and following the Tao. It is my understand that anyone could practice Taoism by studying the Tao Te Ching and following at least one of its “powers” Original  Taoism did not have a God or deities to worship but eventually evolved into having  deities in their temples. Taoism at its foundation see the Tao as its holy or divine. The first chapter of the Tao Te Ching talks about the Tao’s eternal-ness as if it was a higher power.

Wu Wei
There is a concept in Taoism known as Wu Wei. Wu Wei is the philosophy of flow and action through inaction. Taoist believe in obtaining and retaining Chi. Chi is living energy that is surrounding us. Chi is flowing therefore in order to be aligned with the Tao you must let it flow and the best way to let it flow is to let everything be fluid and let it pass.

Yin-Yang
Another concept Taoist believe in is the concept of the Yin-Yang. The Yin-Yang is the idea that there are opposites in the world that are necessary for the other to exist. One over takes the other, as it is symbolized by the Yin and the Yang. The opposites are not opposites at all but that are part of a whole. In Smith, death wasn’t viewed as good or bad but rather natural and this could  be attributed to the concept the Yin-Yang.