The History of Taoism

Author: Xu Dishan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Among those who performed well and were admirable in China's New Culture Movement, apart from the Zhou brothers (Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren), Xu Dishan ranks as the third. — Hu Shi
With so many scholars gathered in one person, Xu Dishan is rare among modern writers. — Yu Dafu
We marvel at the meticulousness of his research and are impressed by the correctness of his conclusions; his research methods are entirely scientific! — Mao Dun
The concept of "Dao" is extremely complex, encompassing everything from the noble thoughts of Laozi and Zhuangzi to bedroom techniques, and can be divided into philosophical and religious aspects. The philosophical aspect is referred to as Taoism, while the religious aspect is called Taoism (Daoism). The religious aspect of Taoism includes alchemy and divination, whereas the philosophical aspect of Taoism revolves around the metaphysics of yin, yang, the Five Elements, and the I Ching. Taoist thought can be seen as a great product of the Chinese nation. After interacting with Buddhism, this thought evolved into alchemy and the religious aspect of Taoism.
This book is based on Xu Dishan's History of Taoism and introduces Taoism, as well as various practices and the development of its doctrines and theories. The appendix includes Xu Dishan's 1927 essay, Taoist Thought and Taoism.