Episode #007 - Daoism
Daoism
This episode introduces Daoism as a response to the political collapse of the Zhou dynasty, where thinkers like Laozi and Zhuangzi promoted living in harmony with nature through the Dao. Rejecting rigid control and tradition, they taught wu wei—nonaction—as a way to follow the natural flow of life. Their ideas emphasized simplicity, personal freedom, and balance, laying the foundation for a philosophy that evolved into a major world religion.
Further Reading:
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, translated by Stephen Mitchell (1988)
The Essential Tao: An Initiation into the Heart of Taoism Through the Authentic Tao Te Ching and the Inner Teachings of Chuang-Tzu by Thomas Cleary (1993)
Zhuangzi: A New Translation of the Sayings of Master Zhuang as Interpreted by Guo Xiang by Richard John Lynn (2022)
See the full transcript here.
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