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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Non-Christian religions > Religions of Indic & Oriental origin > Oriental religions > Taoism
Daoism is the oldest indigenous philosophic-spiritual tradition of
China and one of the most ancient of the world's spiritual
structures. The name Daoism comes from the term dao, which meansa
"way" or a "road" through the field or woods to one's village. It
is also means the "way" to do something, such as how a master
craftsman carves wood, makes a bell, or even butchers an ox. But
dao is also a nominative in the history of Daoism, referring to the
energizing process that permeates and animates all of reality and
moves it along. However, both text and practice in this tradition
insist that dao itself cannot be described in words; itis not God
in the sense of Western philosophy or religion. Daoism has no
supreme being, even if there is an extensive grammar about
nominally self-conscious entities and powers for which the Chinese
use the word "spirit" (shen). For example, the highest powers of
Daoism are variously called Taishang Laojun (the deified Laozi),
the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi tianzun), the
Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi), or the Perfected Warrior (Zhenwu).
But these are expressions of dao in specific shen; they are not
identical to Dao, except in the most unique case-when Laozi, the
putative founder of Daoism and author of its major work, Daodejing,
is said to be one with the dao. Historical Dictionary of Daoism
contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, an extensive
bibliography, and more than 400 cross-referenced entries related to
the Chinese belief and worldview known as Daoism, including dozens
of Daoist terms, names, and practices. This book is an excellent
resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more
about Daoism.
David Romtvedt's No Way: An American ""Tao Te Ching"" explores the
art of living in the fast-paced, dangerous, unpredictable
contemporary world. Lucid and wise in the spirit of its ancient
Chinese predecessor, No Way functions as a kind of
offbeat-yet-deadly-serious manual on the conduct of life. This
slightly tongue-in-cheek take on the Tao's advice acknowledges that
nobody likes being told how to live, least of all the author
himself. With an openness to complexity and mystery, in tones that
range from cool to passionate, No Way brings the Tao into the
social turmoil of a twenty-first-century United States beset by
political strife, mass shootings, and financial greed. Romtvedt
combats cynicism and malaise with wry verse that positions itself
in the role of the trickster. The voice of these poems can be
serious and contradictory yet also humorous and welcoming. By
suggesting that the days of the ancient Tao are gone for good, No
Way offers readers an invitation to guide themselves forward, free
of sages and rulers.
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