Daoism: An Introduction

Daoism has been generally recognized as “the oldest indigenous philosophic-spiritual tradition of China and one of the most ancient of the world’s spiritual structures,” as Littlejohn puts it (1). Yet the study of Daoism is a complicated field that challenges our conceptual interpretations and understanding. Historically, Jesuit missionaries who lived in China, such as Matteo Ricci (1552–1610), were committed to mutual understanding and cultural synthesis. Unfortunately, this synthesis did not extend to Daoism. Confucianism was treated seriously, while Daoism was viewed as a superstition unworthy of serious intellectual examination. James Legge (1815-1897), “the single most influential translator interpreter of China,” divided Daoism into “philosophical Daoism” (Daojia) and “religious Daoism” (Daojiao) for the purpose of scholarly study (175). This division was accepted in Western scholarship without question until the late 1960s. Since then, many new discoveries about ancient texts, practices, and artifacts in China have led scholars to appreciate the full dynamics of change and continuity in the Daoist tradition and to conclude that the division between philosophical and religious Daoism is false and without merit (2). This book opens up an innovative and constructive way to study Daoism and to lead the way for academic debate on “the problem of Daoist identity” (4).