Name: ____________________________________________ Date: _____________________ Pd.:_____

Daoism

Daoism (Taoism) is the ideology (belief system) based on the beliefs of Laozi (Lao Tzu) that developed in China during the same time as Confucianism. Unlike Confucianism, it did not focus on order but on becoming one with nature. Daoism believed that humans and nature were similar, and by living in harmony with nature, we will be at peace within ourselves. Daoism focuses on many principles and

Directions: Closely read the following quote with a partner and then answer the questions in complete sentences.

“The Way”

“By the time it came to the edge of the Forest, the stream had grown up, so that it

was almost a river, and , being grown-up, it did not run and jump and sparkle

along as it used to do when it was younger, but moved more slowly. For it knew

now where it was going, and it said to itself, “There is no hurry. We shall get there

some day.” (From The Tao of Pooh pg. 67)

1. Who or what do you think the stream is representing in this quote? Why? ________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What changes happened to the stream in this quote? _______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What lesson can learned from this quote? ________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Challenge/Extension Activity:

The words yin and yang literally mean the “dark side” and the “sunny side” of a hill. In Chinese culture, they represent the opposites of which the world is thought to be composed: dark and light, female and male, Earth and heaven, death and birth. According to this belief, all good things in life have some element of bad, and all bad things have some element of good. Using this philosophy, fill in the yin yang symbol provided in class by following the directions.