The Phenomenon of Daoism in Chinese Civilization

• Authors: Agnieška Juzefovič

Title variants

LT

Daoizmo fenomenas kinų civilizacijoje

Abstracts

EN

In this article Daoism is analyzed in the context of Chinese culture. It is demonstrated how the ideas of Daoism were shaped and matured in the Chinese civilization and how they reflect the peculiarities of the civilization of Eastern Asia and China. The author revives the genealogy and authorship of the main works of the Daoists (Daodejing, Zhuangzi) and analyzes their influence on the development of Daoism tradition during later periods. It is argued that Daoism was formed as the reaction towards the crisis of old Zhou culture and feeding degradation of Confucian rituals followed by the ruling circles. Different correlations are emphasized between the development of Chinese civilization and the maturation and transformation of Daoists' ideas. It is demonstrated that Daoism is a natural product of its epoch and society; thus, it could not be dissociated from common Chinese cultural, religious and philosophical context, but rather analyzed together with it. Finally, the discussion is held on the anti-rationality, sceptical view towards mind and logical argumentation.

LT

Santrauka Daoizmo fenomenas straipsnyje nagrinėjamas platesniame kinų kultūros kontekste. Parodoma, kaip kinų civilizacijoje susiformavo ir subrendo daoizmo idėjos ir kaip jos atspindi kinų kultūros ir viso Rytų Azijos regiono savitumus. Apžvelgiama pagrindinių daoistų veikalų (Daodejing, Zhuangzi) genealogija ir autorystė, išryškinama šių traktatų įtaka tolesnei daoizmo raidai. Argumentuojama, kad daoizmas susiformavo kaip reakcija į senosios Zhou kultūros krizę ir stiprėjantį valdančiųjų sluoksnių išpažįstamų konfucianistinių ritualų išsigimimą. Išryškinamos įvairios sąsajos tarp kinų civilizacijos raidos ir daoistinių idėjų brendimo bei transformacijos, grindžiama mintis, kad daoizmas yra organiškas savo epochos ir visuomenės produktas, tad netikslinga būtų jį tyrinėti atsietai nuo kinų kultūrinio, religinio ir filosofinio konteksto. Parodoma, kaip daoizmas absorbavo idėjas, būdingas kitoms kinų mąstymo tradicijoms, ir kaip kinų kultūroje susiformavo skirtingos daoizmo mokyklos. Galiausiai aptariamas antiracionalumas, skeptiškas požiūris į protą bei loginį argumentavimą, parodoma, kaip daoistai siekia įveikti subjekto ir objekto dichotomiją, kaip skverbiasi į pirminį neapibrėžtumą.

Keywords

EN

Antirationalism; Chinese culture; <i>Daodejing</i>; Daoism; transformations; <i>Zhuangzi</i>

LT

antiracionalumas; kinų kultūra; <i>Daodejing</i>; daoizmas; transformacijos; <i>Zhuangzi</i>

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Limes. Cultural Regionalistics
• Year: 2009
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 172-182

Contributors

author

Agnieška Juzefovič

• Department of Philosophy and Political Theory, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Saulėtekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania

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Identifiers

DOI

10.3846/2029-0187.2009.2.172-182