Traditions
Religious Practices
Taoism emphasizes the importance of physical practices, because Taoism considers body and spirit as one unity and recognizes that physical actions have a spiritual effect. To achieve one of the important ideas of Taoism, purity, it teaches the importance of keeping the body pure in order to ensure spiritual health. In order to stay pure, Taoism restricts certain activities, greed, lust pride, dishonesty, and also foods such as alcohol, meat, beans and grains.
Taoism also recommends practices such as meditation, breathing and controlling energy flow. There are many complex meditation rituals in various temples, and the purpose of meditation is to create mental stillness and enhance mindfulness. Through meditation, a person can achieve the mental space to know the Tao directly. Breathing is one form of meditation that can easily perceive the form of chi. This breathing exercise is called Qui Gong and there are many forms of breathing exercises. These meditations and breathing exercises are practices that enable to control life energy flow, the flow of chi. Taoism takes the idea of enhancing, regulating, and harmonizing body or chi important, because the stableness of the body is directly related to the stableness of the spirit.
To achieve healthy sprit, Taoists also practice martial arts, called Tai Chi. It was created by Chang San-Feng, and it is performed for its defense training, meditation and health benefits. Tai Chi is often performed by non-Taoists, because its theory and practice evolved in agreement with many Chinese philosophical principles, including those of Confucianism.
Besides physical practices, Taoists carry or store talisman to maintain spiritual health. Talismans are objects thought to have the power to bring good luck and to keep away evil spirits. Only highly qualified people with long training and in a state of purity can write a talisman. In Taoist tradition, talismans are strips of paper on which are written words of power and religious symbols which focus benevolent spiritual energies to purify, heal the sick, and banish demons. Lastly, the most important form of worship or practice is the recitation. Over 2000 years, reciting passages from the Tao Te Ching has been the core spiritual practice. It was a vital expression of devotion and a way of spiritual growth. Also, it was good way to escape from illiteracy. Taoists believed that the recitation is for more than just spiritual growth. They thought that the words of the Tao Te Ching has the power to cure sickness, drive away evil spirits, and bring good luck. Furthermore, The Celestial Master group of Taoism believed the recitation as a source of philosophical wisdom. There are many different interpretation of Tao Te Ching among different sectors of Taoism, but the idea that reciting Tao Te Ching brings human beings closer to complete unity with the Tao was common.
Taoism also recommends practices such as meditation, breathing and controlling energy flow. There are many complex meditation rituals in various temples, and the purpose of meditation is to create mental stillness and enhance mindfulness. Through meditation, a person can achieve the mental space to know the Tao directly. Breathing is one form of meditation that can easily perceive the form of chi. This breathing exercise is called Qui Gong and there are many forms of breathing exercises. These meditations and breathing exercises are practices that enable to control life energy flow, the flow of chi. Taoism takes the idea of enhancing, regulating, and harmonizing body or chi important, because the stableness of the body is directly related to the stableness of the spirit.
To achieve healthy sprit, Taoists also practice martial arts, called Tai Chi. It was created by Chang San-Feng, and it is performed for its defense training, meditation and health benefits. Tai Chi is often performed by non-Taoists, because its theory and practice evolved in agreement with many Chinese philosophical principles, including those of Confucianism.
Besides physical practices, Taoists carry or store talisman to maintain spiritual health. Talismans are objects thought to have the power to bring good luck and to keep away evil spirits. Only highly qualified people with long training and in a state of purity can write a talisman. In Taoist tradition, talismans are strips of paper on which are written words of power and religious symbols which focus benevolent spiritual energies to purify, heal the sick, and banish demons. Lastly, the most important form of worship or practice is the recitation. Over 2000 years, reciting passages from the Tao Te Ching has been the core spiritual practice. It was a vital expression of devotion and a way of spiritual growth. Also, it was good way to escape from illiteracy. Taoists believed that the recitation is for more than just spiritual growth. They thought that the words of the Tao Te Ching has the power to cure sickness, drive away evil spirits, and bring good luck. Furthermore, The Celestial Master group of Taoism believed the recitation as a source of philosophical wisdom. There are many different interpretation of Tao Te Ching among different sectors of Taoism, but the idea that reciting Tao Te Ching brings human beings closer to complete unity with the Tao was common.
Celebrations/Holidays
There are many Daoism holidays and festivals. In general, during the holidays and festivals, street
parades take place. These are lively affairs which invariably involve firecrackers and flower-covered
floats broadcasting traditional music. They also variously include lion dances and dragon dances;
human-occupied puppet, tongji who cut their skin with knives, Bajiajiang which are Kungfu-practicing
honor guards in demonic makeup, and palanquins carrying god-images. Besides these customs,
there are unique traditions for each festival. Here, we introduce some most important festivals of
Daoism: Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Double Nine Festival.
parades take place. These are lively affairs which invariably involve firecrackers and flower-covered
floats broadcasting traditional music. They also variously include lion dances and dragon dances;
human-occupied puppet, tongji who cut their skin with knives, Bajiajiang which are Kungfu-practicing
honor guards in demonic makeup, and palanquins carrying god-images. Besides these customs,
there are unique traditions for each festival. Here, we introduce some most important festivals of
Daoism: Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Double Nine Festival.
Qingming Festival
The Qingming, meaning pure brightness, Festival is on April 4th to 6th each year, which is one of the 24 seasonal division points in China. During the Qingming Festival, both sadness and happiness exist. The Qingming is a festival of commemoration. On each Qingming Festival, people visit cemeteries of their ancestors to sweep tombs and offer sacrifices. The custom has been greatly simplified today. After slightly sweeping the tombs, people offer food, flowers and favorites of the dead, then burn incense and paper money and bow before the memorial tablet. Although, it is a festival and Chinese think a food is important culture of festival, on the Qingming Festival day, they will not cook but only serve cold food.
After the custom visit to cemeteries, people enjoy the warm weather of spring. The days of the Qingming Festival is the high time for spring plowing and sowing. The trees and grass become green and nature is again lively. Since ancient times, people have followed the custom of spring outings. One of the unique customs of the Qingming Festival is kite flying. Although kite flying is done on many other festivals, but during the Qingming Festival, people fly kites at night. A string of little lanterns are tied onto the kite or the thread, which makes kites look like shining stars. Therefore, these lights are called god’s lanterns. Another unique custom is planting trees.
After the custom visit to cemeteries, people enjoy the warm weather of spring. The days of the Qingming Festival is the high time for spring plowing and sowing. The trees and grass become green and nature is again lively. Since ancient times, people have followed the custom of spring outings. One of the unique customs of the Qingming Festival is kite flying. Although kite flying is done on many other festivals, but during the Qingming Festival, people fly kites at night. A string of little lanterns are tied onto the kite or the thread, which makes kites look like shining stars. Therefore, these lights are called god’s lanterns. Another unique custom is planting trees.
Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Jie, is on fifth day of the fifth lunar month, so it is also called Double Fifth Day. The Dragon Boat Festival has a long history of more than 2,000 years, originating during the Warring States period. There are many legends that explain its origin, but the most reliable story is that of legend of Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan was a poet and statesman of Chu kingdom (340 B.C. – 278 B.C.), during the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty. Qu Yuan served in high offices gave advices for government issues to the king. When the king decided to ally with increasingly powerful state of Qin, Qu Yuan opposed the idea. Qu Yuan failed to persuade the king and was banished for opposing the alliance. He was also accused of treason and exiled. Twenty-eight years later, Qin state conquered the Chu kingdom, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry and committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the fifthday of the fifth lunar month.
Many customs of the Dragon Boat Festival are also related to the death of Qu Yuan. When people heard the Qu Yuan’s story, all came to the river bank to give their respect to the patriot. Some of them threw lumps of rice into the river to feed the fish so they would not eat Qu Yuan’s body, which was the origin of zongzi. Some locals paddled out on boats to scare the fish away from his body, which was the origin of dragon boat racing. Lastly, the tradition of driking Realgar wine came from that an old Chinese doctor poured Realgar wine into the river to poison the monsters and to protect Qu Yuan. Since then, on every fifth day of the fifth lunar month people race
Since then, people have celebrated the festival to commemorate the death of poet Qu Yuan on every fifth day of the fifth lunar month. And during the festival, people would race dragon boats, eat zongzi, and drink Realgar wine.
Besides commemorating the death of Qu Yuan, there are other customs, such as painting and/or hanging pictures of Zhong Kui on ones front door. Zhong Kui is a Chinese mythological guardian spirit who is believed to protect the household from ghosts and evil beings. Also, people create charms, amulets or medicine bags which are believed to drive away disease. So the Dragon Boat Festival is not only the day to remember Qu Yuan, but also the day to wish for happiness and good health, and to protect people from disease and evil spirits.
Many customs of the Dragon Boat Festival are also related to the death of Qu Yuan. When people heard the Qu Yuan’s story, all came to the river bank to give their respect to the patriot. Some of them threw lumps of rice into the river to feed the fish so they would not eat Qu Yuan’s body, which was the origin of zongzi. Some locals paddled out on boats to scare the fish away from his body, which was the origin of dragon boat racing. Lastly, the tradition of driking Realgar wine came from that an old Chinese doctor poured Realgar wine into the river to poison the monsters and to protect Qu Yuan. Since then, on every fifth day of the fifth lunar month people race
Since then, people have celebrated the festival to commemorate the death of poet Qu Yuan on every fifth day of the fifth lunar month. And during the festival, people would race dragon boats, eat zongzi, and drink Realgar wine.
Besides commemorating the death of Qu Yuan, there are other customs, such as painting and/or hanging pictures of Zhong Kui on ones front door. Zhong Kui is a Chinese mythological guardian spirit who is believed to protect the household from ghosts and evil beings. Also, people create charms, amulets or medicine bags which are believed to drive away disease. So the Dragon Boat Festival is not only the day to remember Qu Yuan, but also the day to wish for happiness and good health, and to protect people from disease and evil spirits.
Double Ninth Day
The Double Nine Festival, also known as Chong Yang, is on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. This festival is based on the theory of Yin and Yang. Yin has feminine and negative principle and Yang has masculine and positive principle. In ancient times, people believed the numbers were related to Ying and Yang: even numbers belong to Yin and odd numbers to Yang. Chong means double in Chinese, so Chong Yang means a day when two Yang numbers meet. People have put meaning of longevity to the number nine because it is the highest odd digit.
The exact origin of the Double Nine Festival is not known, but according to the record in a historical book of the sixth century, it has to do with a story of Huan Jing. He was learning the magic arts from Fei Changfang, who had become an immortal after many years of practicing Daoism. One day, Fei Changfang warned Huang Jing that on the ninth day of the ninth month, disaster will come to his hometown. Fei Changfang told Huan Jing to go back home immediately and follow his orders. The orders were to make a red bag for each one of his family members and put a spray of dogwood on every one. Then told him to tie the bags to your arms and leave home quickly and climb to the top of
a mountain. Lastly, told him to drink some chrysanthemum wine. If his family follows these orders, they will be able to avoid the disaster. Huan Jing did what Fei Changfang told him to do, and when he came back from the mountain, he saw all the animals were dead.
Since then, people would climb a mountain, carrying a spray of dogwood, and drinking chrysanthemum wine to avoid evil spirits and misfortunes and wish for longevity.
The exact origin of the Double Nine Festival is not known, but according to the record in a historical book of the sixth century, it has to do with a story of Huan Jing. He was learning the magic arts from Fei Changfang, who had become an immortal after many years of practicing Daoism. One day, Fei Changfang warned Huang Jing that on the ninth day of the ninth month, disaster will come to his hometown. Fei Changfang told Huan Jing to go back home immediately and follow his orders. The orders were to make a red bag for each one of his family members and put a spray of dogwood on every one. Then told him to tie the bags to your arms and leave home quickly and climb to the top of
a mountain. Lastly, told him to drink some chrysanthemum wine. If his family follows these orders, they will be able to avoid the disaster. Huan Jing did what Fei Changfang told him to do, and when he came back from the mountain, he saw all the animals were dead.
Since then, people would climb a mountain, carrying a spray of dogwood, and drinking chrysanthemum wine to avoid evil spirits and misfortunes and wish for longevity.