Taoism > Tao
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The word "tao" is translated as "way", "road", "method", "technique" or "principle". As a concept, Tao is the most important topic in the philosophical Taoism (tao-chia).
The Chinese character for tao is made of 2 signs: head and foot or walking. That is the conscious walking or the ancient (way of) walking |
In Tao-te ching, Tao is the name given by Lao-tzu
to the Great Pervader or the Mother of all Things. Tao is the creator and sustainer of everything in the Universe (the ten thousand things). It is described as follows:
There was something undefined and complete, coming into existence before Heaven and Earth... It may be regarded as the Mother of all things. I do not know its name, and I give it the designation of the Tao... (Tao-te ching, chap. 25, Legge version)
The Tao is the model of conduct to be followed by the Taoist disciples and it is linked with The word "tao" points further to the abilities of someone: a good archer, musician, painter or writer it was supposed to have his/her own tao. Chinese sovereigns
showed very much interest in the gifted people - they were invited at the court, put to the test, and rewarded properly when they proved their skill. Finally the tao, as a method or skill of doing something special, was also assigned to famous robbers, much like in the following abstract:
The followers of the robber Kih asked him, saying, "Has the robber also any method or principle [i.e. tao] (in his proceedings)?" He replied, "What profession is there which has not its principles? That the robber in his recklessness comes to the conclusion that there are valuable deposits in an apartment shows his sageness; that he is the first to enter it shows his bravery; that he is the last to quit it shows his
righteousness; that he knows whether (the robbery) may be attempted or not shows his wisdom; and that he makes an equal division of the plunder shows his benevolence. Without all these five qualities no one in the world has ever attained to become a great robber. (From Chuang-tzu, Chap. X, Cutting open Satchels, Legge version.)
The Taoist Tao is not linked with the social moral norms as with the Confucians. One may say that Tao is an impersonal power like the electricity or the thunder. It doesn't act guided by selfish motives. It doesn't act guided by altruistic motives either.
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