Page 115 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

VIEWS OF THE HUMAN BEING

'Taoist views of the human body

Three main terms define the traditional Chinese views of the human body.
The first, ti m or "body," designates the physical frame as an ordered whole
made of interdependent parts. The second, *xing % or "form," mainly refers
to the body as the counterpart and residence of spirit (*shen; see *lianxing).
The third, shen 5r or "person," denotes the whole human being, including
its non-material aspects ranging from thinking and feeling to personality and
social role. These terms show that the Western notion of "body" as physical
structure is inadequate to convey the complexity of the Chinese views. The
specifically Taoist views are further enriched by significant varieties among
different traditions. In the absence of a single way of seeing the body shared
by all Taoist traditions, this entry outlines some of the main themes that
emerge from different contexts.

Body and state. The human body and the state are two microcosms related not
only to the macrocosm but also to each other (see *MACROCOSM AND MI CRO -
COSM ) . The body is often described with bureaucratic metaphors, and govern-
ing the state is often likened to self-cultivation. This analogy runs throughout
Heshang gong's ~ ~ 0 commentary to the Daode jing and is restated in later
texts. One of Heshang gong's relevant passages reads: "If in governing the
body one cherishes one's breath, the body will be complete. If in governing the
country one cherishes the people, the country will be peaceful. Governing the
body means to inhale and exhale essence and pneuma (*jing and *qi) without
letting one's ears hear them. Governing the country means to distribute virtue
(*de) and bestow grace (hui ~ ) without letting the lower ones know it" (*Laozi
Heshang gong zhangju IQ; see Erkes 1950, 27). At the center of the bureaucratic
metaphor are the five viscera (*wuzang), described as "offices" (or "officers,"
guan '§) in both Taoist and medical texts including the * Huangdi neijing (Inner
Scripture of the Yellow Emperor; Suwen :* F",~ , sec. 3.8).
Body and cosmos. Taoism adds much to the theory of the correspondence
between cosmos and human body, beginning with descriptions that focus
on *Laojun, the divine aspect of Laozi. According to the *Laozi bianhua jing
( cripture of the Transformations of Laozi), the *Kaitian jing (Scripture of the
Opening of Heaven), and other texts, Laozi exists at the beginning of the for-
mation of the cosmos and reappears throughout human history, transforming