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On TaoismAuthor: Koda Rohan
| Original Title | 道教に就いて |
|---|---|
| Author | 幸田 露伴 |
| Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | Amid China’s ancient spiritual landscape, Taoism emerges as a river of mystery—its origins shrouded in myth, its currents blending philosophy, ritual, and cosmic wonder. Unlike Confucianism’s earthly pragmatism or Buddhism’s structured doctrines, Taoism defies simple definition. It whispers through poetry and pulses in art, coloring Li Bai’s verses with ethereal longing and saturating folklore with tales of ageless immortals. Yet its roots remain elusive: Was it born from Laozi’s wisdom, or did it rise as a mirror to foreign faiths? \nThe text unveils Taoism’s paradox—a faith both deeply Chinese and startlingly alien. Its pantheon of celestial lords and cloud-sealed scriptures rivals Brahmanic complexity, while its rituals echo primordial shamanic rites. Emperors sought its secrets; rebels wielded its symbols. Yet scholars dismiss it as mere syncretism, a patchwork of Daoist thought and alchemical dreams. Beneath this surface lies a tantalizing truth: Taoism is China’s shadow soul, shaping morality and imagination through veiled symbols. Why does its essence evade even encyclopedias? What alchemy transformed philosophers into gods? The answers linger like incense smoke—visible yet impossible to grasp—inviting readers to wander its labyrinthine paths. |
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