Warm Up:

1. Warm Up: Who united the Israelite tribes, and established Jerusalem? How & Why? Describe Diaspora and its importance. What were the Phoenicians known for?

2. Daoism (Taoism) • “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” • Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu

3. Origin & Diffusion to 600 C.E. • Began during the “Warring States Period” of the Zhou Dynasty • Laoziwas the originator • Lived during the sixth century B.C.E. • Many think that he is a mythical person that didn’t exist, though some considered him a deity • Daoism has diffused mostly throughout/within Southeast Asia

4. Basic Beliefs • Dao ( the Way) • Beyond literal description • the origin of the universe, the basis of all existing things, the law governing their development and change… • Virtue (De) • has different connotations • the manifestation of Dao in specific things • Advocates a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events • “The primal world of the distant past was happy and blessed before civilization and ‘knowledge’ corrupted it.”

5. Gods • No real “Gods” • Though sometimes, Laozi (the religion’s founder) is worshipped as a god • And… the Jade emperor is sometimes worshipped as a God of Heaven • And… some sects worship the ancient polytheistic gods of China • Clearly, this has never been a unified religion

6. The Tao of Pooh "While Eeyore frets ... ... and Piglet hesitates... and Rabbit calculates ... and Owl pontificates...Pooh just is.” -- Benjamin Hoff* *Hoff, Benjamin. Tao of Pooh. New York: Penguin, 1983.

7. The Tao of Pooh "When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast? said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?" "I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.

8. Practices • No formal prayers • Individualistic rituals • Nurture the Ch'i • Being kind to others • FengShui • Major influence on Chinese architecture • Exercise • T’ai chi: balance energy flow in body • Meditation • Harmonizing with Tao

9. Rituals & Holidays • Solstices & Deity Holidays • Laozi’s Birthday • Chinese New Year • Lantern Festival • Tomb Sweeping Day • Dragon Boat Festival

10. Dragon Boat Racing

11. Role of Women • Yin-Moon • Equal importance as men • But viewed as more energetic • Shamans: perform rituals • Many Taoist goddesses • Queen Mother of the West

12. Major texts • Dao de Jing (Tao TeChing) - "The Way of Power," or "The Book of the Way") • Written by Laozi (Lao Tzu) • About how a ruler should lead his life through peace with nature • "Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river.” • How to avoid warfare

13. Missionary/Outreach Work • No central missionary program • Mainly spread by travelers • Schools eventually formed based on the teachings

14. Contacts with other Religions • Confucianism • Served as an alternative • Does not share the Confucian belief in civilization for better society • Buddhism • Consisted of same terms and ideas • Forced Daoism to renew and restructure itself

15. Similarities & Differences to other Religions • Confucianism: polar opposites of thinking, more about social aspects • Christianity: There is sin, Taoism has no sin, just loss of balance • Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism were the three greatest religions in China • Buddhism also supports powerful women