Taoism > Glossary

Taoism Glossary
[ Explains the main Taoism terms and concepts ]

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This is a short version of the Taoism glossary. The full version is offered free to students taking our Initiation into Taoism email course - click here to learn more...

Ch'ang - This word always appears as an attribute of Tao. It is translated by "constant, lasting, eternal. It designates the permanent as opposed to the changing.
In chapter 1 of Tao Te Ching it reads: "The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging [ch'ang] Tao." (Legge)

Ch'i - Major Taoist concept. Literally translated by: "air, vapors, ether, breathing, energy".
At the same time it means "temperament, power, atmosphere". Ch'i is one's vital force but also the universal spiritual energy pervading all beings.

Fu - "return", concept associated with Tao. In Tao-te ching it reads: "The movement of the Tao / By contraries proceeds..." (chap.XL, Legge's version).
Undoubtedly, this movement of returning back to the origins should be related with the Tao of Heaven or the Movement of Heaven described in I-ching.

I-ching - "Book of Changes". Philosophical and divination book dated from the period when Chou Dynasty replaced Yin Dynasty. Nowadays, the core philosophy of the book draws upon Confucianism and legalism. There are some Taoist elements in it - hard to identify, though.

Lao-tzu - "Old Master", also known as Lao Tan or Li Erh, is considered the author of the book Tao Te Ching , and the father of Taoism. He was contemporaneous with Confucius.

Pa-kua - eight trigrams. The eight symbols consisting of three strokes (combinations of continuous and broken lines) which form the basic structure of I Ching.

T'ai-chi - translated literally "the beam sustaining the roof". I-ching concept with reference to the fundamental reality. In I-ching it reads: "Therefore in (the system of) the Yi there is the Grand Terminus [ t'ai-chi], which produced the two elementary Forms. Those two Forms produced the Four emblematic Symbols, which again produced the eight Trigrams." (Legge)

Tao - literal translation: "way, method". Basic Taoist concept to be found in writings such as Tao-te ching and Chuang-tzu.

Wu-wei - lit. "nondoing", nonaction. Taoist core concept. It's used in association with wei, its complement, and reflects the Movement of Heaven or Tao.

Yin-yang - the opposite principles that create the universe through their interaction. Yin and yang are manifestations of t'ai-chi.

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