Daoists
Chinese philosophy adherents
Daoists are followers of Daoism, the ancient Chinese philosophical and religious tradition rooted in the Dao De Jing and the concept of the Dao—the natural way or path underlying all existence.
Daoists emphasize living in harmony with nature, simplicity, and non-action (wu wei).
The tradition encompasses both philosophical contemplation and religious practices including meditation, ritual, and alchemy.
Chinese duality symbol
- qiVital life energy
- dualityTwofold nature
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- complementarityMutual enhancement through difference
transformation · cycles · heaven · earth · creation · primordial · unity · polarity
Taoism's legendary founder
- naturalnessUnaffected, uncontrived quality
- spontaneityActing without forethought
- simplicityLack of complexity
- nonactionDeliberate absence of response
emptiness · nonduality · metaphysics · cosmology · ontology · scriptures · immortality · alchemy
Focused attention practice
- breathworkTherapeutic breathing exercises
- qigongChinese health cultivation art
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- cultivationFostering growth through care
longevity · elixir · stillness · contemplation · retreats · visualization · exercises · rituals
Holy places or head sides
- priestsOrdained religious leaders
- monasteriesResidences for religious brothers
- ordinationClergy appointment ceremony
- liturgyFormal worship structure
deities · incense · offerings · festivals · pantheon · canon · lineage · robes
Steadiness or amount owed
- equilibriumState of balance
- flowUnbroken forward movement
- unityWholeness through cohesion
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
serenity · attunement · naturalness · effortlessness · accord · synchronicity · integration · coexistence
yin-yang
Chinese duality symbol
complementarity · transformation · cycles · heaven · earth · creation · primordial · unity · polarity · interdependence
Laozi
Taoism's legendary founder
- naturalnessUnaffected, uncontrived quality
- spontaneityActing without forethought
- simplicityLack of complexity
nonaction · emptiness · nonduality · metaphysics · cosmology · ontology · scriptures · immortality · alchemy · sages
meditation
Focused attention practice
- breathworkTherapeutic breathing exercises
- qigongChinese health cultivation art
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
cultivation · longevity · elixir · stillness · contemplation · retreats · visualization · exercises · rituals · talismans
temples
Holy places or head sides
- priestsOrdained religious leaders
- monasteriesResidences for religious brothers
- ordinationClergy appointment ceremony
liturgy · deities · incense · offerings · festivals · pantheon · canon · lineage · robes · ceremonies
balance
Steadiness or amount owed
- equilibriumState of balance
- flowUnbroken forward movement
- unityWholeness through cohesion
tranquility · serenity · attunement · naturalness · effortlessness · accord · synchronicity · integration · coexistence · alignment
Daoistsbureaucrats
Administrative government employees
technocrats · social engineers · institutionalists · statists · urbanists
Daoistsdogmatists
Believers in fixed principles
legalists · materialists · rationalists · systematizers · literalists