Taoism

Taoism refers to a philosophy or religious tradition in China, which emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao. The keystone work of literature in Taoism is the Tao Te Ching, which was written around the 6th century BC by the sage Laozi. Tao Te Ching has 81 short poems, and the poems are ambiguous, and topics range from political advice for ruler to practical wisdom for people. However, whatever the topics are, they all present the idea of Tao.

Literally, Tao means " Way", but was extended to mean "the way", where it implies the essential, unnameable process of universe. As a Chinese student, I am especially fond of the idea of "Emptiness" or "Nothing". It is not only because that idea strongly distincts from the Western Countries', but also because it enlightens me to see the world from a different perspective. In Tao Te Ching, Laozi indicates the importance of nothingness. As the book says, "We put thirty spokes together and call it a wheel; But it is on the space where there is nothing that the usefulness of the wheel depends. We turn clay to make a vessel; But it is on the space where there is nothing that the usefulness of the vessel depends." Obviously, we achieve something from nothing, and nothingness is the original power of everything. Therefore, as we take advantage of what is, we have to understand the usefulness of what is not.