Taoism

=== Cosmology ===
{{Further|School of Naturalists|Qi|Taoism and death}}
[[File:ZhoushiTaijitu.png|thumb|[[Zhou Dunyi]]'s (1017–1073 CE) cosmological ''[[Taijitu]]'' diagram. The red circle is the formless [[Wuji (philosophy)|Wuji]] which gives birth to "the two" – yin and yang (i.e. [[Taiji (philosophy)|taiji]]).]]

Taoist cosmology is [[Cyclic model|cyclic]]—the universe is seen as being in constant change, with various forces and energies (qi) affecting each other in different complex patterns.{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=80}}<ref name="harvp|Robinet|1997|p=7">{{harvp|Robinet|1997|p=7}}</ref><ref name="Zai 2015">Dr Zai, J. [https://books.google.com/books?id=-WzMCQAAQBAJ ''Taoism and Science: Cosmology, Evolution, Morality, Health and more''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417051124/https://books.google.com/books?id=-WzMCQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover1 |date=17 April 2016 }}. Ultravisum, 2015.</ref> Taoist cosmology shares similar views with the [[School of Naturalists]].<ref name="Robinet 1997, p. 62"/> Taoist cosmology focuses on the impersonal transformations (zaohua) of the universe, which are spontaneous and unguided.{{sfnp|Komjathy|2014|p=87}}

[[Livia Kohn]] explains the basic Taoist cosmological theory as:{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=22}}

<blockquote>the root of creation Tao rested in deep chaos (ch. 42). Next, it evolved into the One, a concentrated state cosmic unity that is full of creative potential and often described in ''[[I Ching]]'' terms as the [[Taiji (philosophy)|taiji]]. The One then brought forth "the Two", the two energies yin and yang, which in turn merged in harmony to create the next level of existence, "the Three" (yin-yang combined), from which the myriad beings came forth. From original oneness, the world thus continued to move into ever greater states of distinction and differentiation.</blockquote>

The main distinction in Taoist cosmology is that between ''[[yin and yang]]'', which applies to various sets of complementary ideas: bright – dark, light – heavy, soft – hard, strong – weak, above – below, ruler – minister, male – female, and so on.{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=81}} Cosmically, these two forces exist in mutual harmony and interdependence.{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=82}} Yin and yang are further divided into five phases ([[Wuxing (Chinese philosophy)|Wu Xing]], or five materials): minor yang, major yang, yin/yang, minor yin, major yin. Each of these correlates with a specific substance: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water respectively.{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=83}} This schema is used in many different ways in Taoist thought and practice, from nourishing life ([[Yangsheng (Daoism)|yangsheng]]) and medicine to astrology and divination.{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=85}}

Taoists also generally see all things as being animated and constituted by ''[[qi]]'' (vital air, subtle breath), which is seen as a force that circulates throughout the universe and throughout human bodies (as both air in the lungs and as a subtle breath throughout the body's [[Meridian (Chinese medicine)|meridians]] and organs).{{sfnp|Komjathy|2014|p=94}} Qi is in constant transformation between its condensed state (life) and diluted state (potential).<ref name="Robinet 1997, pp. 7-8">{{harvp|Robinet|1997|p=8}}</ref> These two different states of qi are embodiments of yin and yang,<ref name="Robinet 1997, pp. 7-8" /> two complementary forces that constantly play against and with each other and where one cannot exist without the other.{{sfnp|Robinet|1997|p=9}}

Taoist texts present various creation stories and [[Cosmogony|cosmogonies]]. Classic cosmogonies are [[Nontheism|nontheistic]], presenting a natural undirected process in which an apophatic undifferentiated potentiality (called wuwuji, "without non-differentiation") naturally unfolds into [[Wuji (philosophy)|wuji]] (primordial oneness, "non-differentiation"), which then evolves into yin-yang ([[Taijitu|taiji]]) and then into the myriad beings, as in the ''Tao Te Ching''.{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=115}}{{sfnp|Komjathy|2014|p=88}} Later medieval models included the idea of a [[Creator deity|creator God]] (mainly seen as Lord Lao), representing order and creativity.{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=115}} Taoist cosmology influences Taoist soteriology, which holds that one can "return to the root" (guigen) of the universe (and of ourselves), which is also the Tao—the impersonal source (yuan) of all things.{{sfnp|Komjathy|2014|p=90}}

In Taoism, human beings are seen as a [[Macrocosm and microcosm|microcosm]] of the universe,<ref name="Robinet 1997, p. 103"/> and thus the cosmological forces, like the five phases, are also present in the form of the [[zang-fu]] organs.<ref>{{harvp|Kohn|2000|p=825}}</ref> Another common belief is that there are various gods that reside in human bodies.{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=128}} As a consequence, it is believed that a deeper understanding of the universe can be achieved by understanding oneself.{{sfnp|Occhiogrosso|1994|p=171}}

Another important element of Taoist cosmology is the use of [[Chinese astrology]].{{sfnp|Kohn|2008|p=80}}
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