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Tao Te Ching: Yin Feminine

The document provides an overview of key concepts and themes in the Tao Te Ching. It discusses the Tao and yin and yang, contrasts and opposites. It summarizes passages focusing on water, politics, governing with humility, non-action, balance, flexibility, and content citizens when a country is governed wisely. Themes of simplicity, patience, compassion, non-striving and moderation are highlighted as Taoist virtues.

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Gabi Poisson
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60 views

Tao Te Ching: Yin Feminine

The document provides an overview of key concepts and themes in the Tao Te Ching. It discusses the Tao and yin and yang, contrasts and opposites. It summarizes passages focusing on water, politics, governing with humility, non-action, balance, flexibility, and content citizens when a country is governed wisely. Themes of simplicity, patience, compassion, non-striving and moderation are highlighted as Taoist virtues.

Uploaded by

Gabi Poisson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tao Te Ching

Chinese culture = Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism

Tao  Tai Chi (universal breath)  Yin and Yang

Yang = male,
aggressive
Yin =
feminine

- Description of seasons
- Life

Themes: opposites (contrasts)


- Definition
- 73-degree water is simultaneously warm and cold (relativity)
- Steer clear from absolutism

Water
- Always seeks the lowest, calmest point

Politics:
- Authority is order (Goddard) vs. do not try to control governing (Mitchell)
- Do your work and step back

1
60
- Tao
- If you center your power around the Tao, evil will have no power
o Evil continues to exist

61
- Great states have no higher purpose than to federate people and to feed the people
- Government’s job is to submit (Goddard)
o Vs. Humility (Mitchell)
- A great nation is like a great man
o Government is inherently human

63
- Practice non-doing
o Being aware of the opposites

65
- When people think they know the answers they are difficult to guide.
- If you want to learn how to govern, avoid being clever or rich. (the simplest path is the
clearest)
o They can show people the way back to their own true nature
 Implies wealthy ones are not in their own true nature
 Implies there is a true nature

66 (Lead from below)


- Rivers and seas rule the land by staying below it
o Humility
o Connection between humans and natural world
- Humility gives power
o If you want to lead people you have to learn how to follow them

67
- Simplicity, patience, compassion

68
- Best conqueror is not quarrelsome, leader knows how to follow, athletes want good
opponents
o Yin and yang
- People compete like play
o Like children

2
 Natural
 Humble
 Simple
o Spirit of the Tao

70
- Do not try to understand the practice of the Tao
- Just look inside your heart

75
- Act for the people’s benefit. Trust them. Leave them alone.

76
- Stiff and inflexible is basically death
o Ready to be broken
- Flexibility is key

77
- Balance
- The Tao adjusts excess and deficiency to create perfect balance

80
- If a country is governed wisely, the inhabitants will be entirely content
o Don’t need to self-improve (anti-Rousseau?)

March 1, 2017

Uncarved block = natural creature


- Winnie the Pooh
o Simplistic
- Labels spoil something

Best of all rulers is a shadowy presence to his subjects.

Taoist virtues:
- Patience
- Compassion
- Simplicity
- Non-striving
- Moderation

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