Dao
looking at the Chinese calligraphy
by Wang Ning
The sign Dao is comprised of two parts. The old sign shows two feet close together which symbolises: ‘walking’. - “Walking creates the way” is a popular saying in China. There is no particular way as such, rather, wherever you walk becomes the 'Way'.
The right part of the sign shows a head. The ‘head’ is depicted by hair blowing in the wind and a face with one eye which is wide open. This means that wherever you look there is a goal that will be achieved. (from Shuo Jie Zi,’Word and Sign Explanations’ an important dictionary of the Chinese language from the eastern Han-Dynasty) Thus the sign Dao contains two variations of the same meaning:
“The way and the goal”.
The phrase Daoism is philosophical as well as religious. Around 500 BCE the term was introduced by the legendary Laozi in the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) the “Classic of the Way and the Virtue”. Here Dao stood as a synonym for ‘Taij’.
There was a something formless and perfect
before the universe was born.
It is serene. Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite. Eternally present.
It is the mother of the universe.
For the lack of a better name,
I call it the Dao.
( 25th chapter of the Daodejing )
Daojia, literally Dao-Family, denominates the philosophical Daoistic school.
Daojiao, literally the lore of Dao, is the term for the Daoistic religion.
Taiji as a depicted representation of the cosmic.
Both Daojia and Daojiao are considered to be aspects of Daoism. The Daoist as well as the Daoist monk are termed ‘Dao Ren’ (Dao-human). And there are more examples. Because of that it’s not surprising Laozi was praised as a great philosopher and as a deity. The Chinese term for preaching consists of the two signs ‘Chuan Dao’ which simply means to spread Daoism.
The word Dao can be found in all areas of life. Kindred spirits or people doing similar things are referred to as ‘Tong Dao,’ which means they are walking the same way. If somebody is very clever and has lots of connections the Chinese say he is ‘Dao Chen’ - that is - his way reaches very deeply. Someone who is half as clever with half as many connections would be ‘Men Dao’, - he has doors and ways. ‘Dao’ is not only applied in human terms but it may also be applied to the animal world.
Dao develops into a fundamental principle:
Shu Dao – the way of writing for calligraphy
Cha Dao – The way of the tea for the tea ceremony
Yi Dao – the way of healing for medicine
Wu Dao (Budo) the way of fighting for the art of fighting
Xia Dao – the way of the knight
Yangsheng Zhi Dao- The way to keep healthy
Wang Ning has studied Yang Style Taijiquan & Calligraphy since childhood and is dedicated to preserving ancient Chinese script and the traditional art of seal carving. He has studied German literature and linguistics in Beijing and has lived in Frankfurt, Germany since 1989.
Wang now works as translator, calligraphy and seal engraver and teaches Taijiquan and calligraphy emphasising the philosophical aspects of these arts. www.wang-ning.de