Taoism: A Decolonized Introduction

We’re still having audio-video syncing issues. Be sure to turn on Closed Captioning for the subtitles. That’ll help clarify any confusion caused by audio hiccups. ... If a techie witnessed the wholly inefficient Luddite way I cobbled this video production together, they would probably die of a brain aneurysm … Timestamps: 00:00 Why another “Introduction to Taoism” video 00:19 Historical textual definition of and references to the Tao 道 01:29 Canonical statement defining the Tao “一陰一陽之謂道” 02:39 Cultural understanding and usage of the term 道 [Syncretic Taoism] 03:40 Formalizing Taoism 道教 during the Eastern Han 03:50 Scope of Taoism “道教” prior to the Eastern Han 04:42 Conflating Buddhist doctrine with the Tao 道 05:33 Institutionalizing Taoism in the Common Era 05:50 Taoist Beliefs – Four Cornerstones ---- Wu Wei 無為 and Zi Ran 自然 ---- True Name 真名 and True Form 真形 ---- Taoist Cosmology ---- Xuan De 玄德 (The Mysteries) 06:53 The Dàoshì 道士 07:15 Taoist Practice – Four Cornerstones ---- Invoking Spirits 崇拜鬼神 ---- Divination 占卜 ---- Ceremonial Rites 祭祀 ---- Shamanic Witchcraft 巫祝 07:59 The Fāngshì 方士 (Methods Master) 08:14 Taoism is the indigenous Chinese tradition premised on three fundamental assumptions 08:24 [1st] Working with spirit entities (and what that means) [鬼神崇拜] 09:39 Classifications of spirit entities in Taoism (and Chinese folk beliefs) 10:23 [2nd] Studying cultivation methods for transcendence [神仙信仰與方術] 10:32 Inner alchemy 內丹術 and outer alchemy 外丹術 11:43 Taoist occultism during the Warring States period (472 – 221 BC) 11:55 The five mystical arts 五術 13:02 [3rd] The Huang Lao 黃老道 doctrine [黃老學說中的神秘主義成份] 14:53 Two Key Concepts to Huang Lao Taoism (the highest priorities of the Taoist) --- Political doctrine of Lì Mín 利民 --- Philosophical doctrine of Wu Wei 無為 16:38 Historical uses of the term Huang Lao Tao 18:16 Mathematical Structure of the Tao 道 (mirroring the Yi 易, in I Ching 易經) 19:29 Taoism and the I Ching: the Tao referenced in the I Ching 20:23 Taoism from the Hundred Schools of Thought 20:48 Taoism as a school of philosophy 22:18 Western Thought: Taoist Philosophy vs. Taoist Religion 22:37 Eastern Thought: Taoist Beliefs & Taoist Practice 23:10 Evolving understanding of the Tao in Imperial China 23:58 First use of the term Taoism 道教 (Confucius) 24:14 Taoism is exemplified by the Six Ancestral Sage Kings [堯舜禹湯文武] 24:53 Dào Dé Jing 道德經 and Dào Dé Tiān Zūn 道德天尊 25:25 Religious personifications of the Tao Te Ching 26:08 Summary and closing remarks *** Related Past Videos: Wu Wei 無為 (Taoist Non-Action), https://youtu.be/TzAFobogs3Q?si=_BNWxmGDIXqw8jn6 Your Inner Palace and the Akashic Records, https://youtu.be/iGJdxTTywHc?si=r5bY9muFzSrhdYd1 Three Mysteries of Taoist Scriptural Tradition, https://youtu.be/gJcit-CTXnc?si=EJH3n3z3Pgd50e4u Tao Te Ching and Feminist Metaphysics, https://youtu.be/IqUlYQDtPrY?si=5w1Npbu-0QA6qxHf What Does It Mean To Be Taoist, https://youtu.be/FbpUm82U4dg?si=-Ctl9NNlDNwF6rlp The Lo Shu Magic Square (雒書, Luò Shū), https://youtu.be/zAME24d0rGw?si=h1ER0OrreB3V6gst *** Playlist: Introduction to Taoist & Buddhist Mysticism, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0x6BzLuplwZuQpc3ubW97MwPXb1mk9hE Learn more about I Ching, The Oracle: https://benebellwen.com/i-ching-the-oracle/