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　spoke　of　it　thus：　〃There　is　a　thing　which　is　all…containing；　which　was　born　before　the　existence　of　Heaven　and　Earth。　　How　silent！　　How　solitary！　　It　stands　alone　and　changes　not。　　It　revolves　without　danger　to　itself　and　is　the　　mother　of　the　universe。　　I　do　not　know　its　name　and　so　call　it　the　Path。　　With　reluctance　I　call　it　the　Infinite。　　Infinity　is　the　Fleeting；　the　Fleeting　is　the　Vanishing；　the　Vanishing　is　the　Reverting。〃　　The　Tao　is　in　the　Passage　rather　than　the　Path。　　It　is　the　spirit　of　Cosmic　Change；the　eternal　growth　which　returns　upon　itself　to　produce　new　forms。　　It　recoils　upon　itself　like　the　dragon；　the　beloved　symbol　of　the　Taoists。　　It　folds　and　unfolds　as　do　the　clouds。　　The　Tao　might　be　spoken　of　as　the　Great　Transition。　　Subjectively　it　is　the　Mood　of　the　Universe。　Its　Absolute　is　the　Relative。

It　should　be　remembered　in　the　first　place　that　Taoism；　like　its　legitimate　successor　Zennism；　represents　the　individualistic　trend　of　the　Southern　Chinese　mind　in　contra…distinction　to　the　communism　of　Northern　China　which　expressed　itself　in　Confucianism。　　The　Middle　Kingdom　is　as　vast　as　Europe　and　has　a　differentiation　of　idiosyncrasies　marked　by　the　two　great　river　systems　which　traverse　it。　　The　Yangste…Kiang　and　Hoang…　Ho　are　respectively　the　Mediterranean　and　the　Baltic。　　Even　to…day；　in　spite　of　centuries　of　unification；　the　Southern　Celestial　differs　in　his　thoughts　and　beliefs　from　his　Northern　brother　as　a　member　of　the　Latin　race　differs　from　the　Teuton。　In　ancient　days；　when　communication　was　even　more　difficult　　than　at　present；　and　especially　during　the　feudal　period；　this　difference　in　thought　was　most　pronounced。　　The　art　and　poetry　of　the　one　breathes　an　atmosphere　entirely　distinct　from　that　of　the　other。　　In　Laotse　and　his　followers　and　in　Kutsugen；　the　　forerunner　of　the　Yangtse…Kiang　nature…poets；　we　find　an　　idealism　quite　inconsistent　with　the　prosaic　ethical　notions　of　their　contemporary　northern　writers。　　Laotse　lived　five　centuries　before　the　Christian　Era。

The　germ　of　Taoist　speculation　may　be　found　long　before　the　　advent　of　Laotse；　surnamed　the　Long…Eared。　　The　archaic　records　of　China；　especially　the　Book　of　Changes；　foreshadow　his　thought。　　But　the　great　respect　paid　to　the　laws　and　customs　of　that　classic　period　of　Chinese　civilisation　which　culminated　with　the　establishment　of　the　Chow　dynasty　in　the　sixteenth　century　B。C。；　kept　the　development　of　individualism　in　check　for　a　long　while；　so　that　it　was　not　until　after　the　disintegration　of　the　Chow　dynasty　and　the　establishment　of　innumerable　independent　kingdoms　that　it　was　able　to　blossom　forth　in　the　luxuriance　of　free…thought。　　Laotse　and　Soshi　（Chuangtse）　were　both　Southerners　and　the　greatest　exponents　of　the　New　School。　On　the　other　hand；　Confucius　with　his　numerous　disciples　aimed　at　retaining　ancestral　conventions。　　Taoism　cannot　be　understood　without　some　knowledge　of　Confucianism　and　vice　versa。

We　have　said　that　the　Taoist　Absolute　was　the　Relative。　　　In　ethics　the　Taoist　railed　at　the　laws　and　the　moral　codes　of　society；　for　to　them　right　and　wrong　were　but　relative　　terms。　　Definition　is　always　limitationthe　〃fixed〃　and　　〃unchangeless〃　are　but　terms　expressive　of　a　stoppage　of　　growth。　　Said　Kuzugen；〃The　Sages　move　the　world。〃　Our　standards　of　morality　are　begotten　of　the　past　needs　of　society；　but　is　society　to　remain　always　the　same？　The　observance　of　communal　traditions　involves　a　constant　sacrifice　of　the　　individual　to　the　state。　　Education；　in　order　to　keep　up　the　mighty　delusion；　encourages　a　species　of　ignorance。　　People　are　not　taught　to　be　really　virtuous；　but　to　behave　properly。　We　are　wicked　because　we　are　frightfully　self…conscious。　We　nurse　a　conscience　because　we　are　afraid　to　tell　the　truth　to　others；　we　take　refuge　in　pride　because　we　are　afraid　to　tell　the　truth　to　ourselves。　　How　can　one　be　serious　with　the　world　when　the　world　itself　is　so　ridiculous！　　The　spirit　of　barter　is　　everywhere。　　Honour　and　Chastity！　　Behold　the　complacent　salesman　retailing　the　Good　and　True。　　One　can　even　buy　a　so…called　Religion；　which　is　really　but　common　morality　sanctified　with　flowers　and　music。　　Rob　the　Church　of　her　accessories　and　what　remains　behind？　　Yet　the　trusts　thrive　marvelously；　for　the　prices　are　absurdly　cheap；　a　prayer　for　a　ticket　to　heaven；　a　diploma　for　an　honourable　citizenship。　Hide　yourself　under　a　bushel　quickly；　for　if　your　real　usefulness　were　known　to　the　world　you　would　soon　be　knocked　down　to　the　highest　bidder　by　the　public　auctioneer。　Why　do　men　and　women　like　to　advertise　themselves　so　much？　Is　it　not　but　an　instinct　derived　from　the　days　of　slavery？

The　virility　of　the　idea　lies　not　less　in　its　power　of　breaking　through　contemporary　thought　than　in　its　capacity　for　dominating　subsequent　movements。　　Taoism　was　an　active　power　during　　the　Shin　dynasty；　that　epoch　of　Chinese　unification　from　which　we　derive　the　name　China。　　It　would　be　interesting　had　we　time　to　note　its　influence　on　contemporary　thinkers；　the　mathemeticians；　writers　on　law　and　war；　the　mystics　and　alchemists　and　the　later　nature…poets　of　the　Yangste…Kiang。　　We　should　not　even　ignore　those　speculators　on　Reality　who　doubted　whether　a　white　horse　was　real　because　he　was　white；　or　because　he　was　solid；　nor　the　Conversationalists　of　the　Six　dynasties　who；　like　the　Zen　philosophers；　revelled　in　discussions　concerning　the　Pure　and　the　Abstract。　　Above　all　we　should　pay　homage　to　Taoism　for　what　it　has　done　toward　the　formation　of　the　Celestial　character；　giving　to　it　a　certain　capacity　for　reserve　and　refinement　as　〃warm　as　jade。〃　　Chinese　history　is　full　of　instances　in　which　the　votaries　of　Taoism；　princes　and　hermits　alike；　followed　with　varied　and　interesting　results　the　teachings　of　their　creed。　The　tale　will　not　be　without　its　quota　of　instruction　and　amusement。　It　will　be　rich　in　anecdotes；　allegories；　and　aphorisms。　　We　would　fain　be　on　speaking　terms　with　the　delightful　emperor　who　never　died　because　he　had　never　lived。　　We　may　ride　the　wind　with　Liehtse　and　find　it　absolutely　quiet　because　we　ourselves　are　the　wind；　or　dwell　in　mid…air　with　the　Aged　one　of　the　Hoang…Ho；　who　lived　betwixt　Heaven　and　Earth　because　he　was　subject　to　neither　the　one　nor　the　other。　　Even　in　that　grotesque　apology　for　Taoism　which　we　find　in　China　at　the　present　day；　we　can　revel　in　a　wealth　of　imagery　impossible　to　find　in　any　other　cult。

But　the　chief　contribution　of　Taoism　to　Asiatic　life　has　been　in　the　realm　of　aesthetics。　Chinese　historians　have　always　spoken　of　Taoism　as　the　〃art　of　being　in　the　world；〃　for　it　deals　with　the　presentourselves。　　It　is　in　us　that　God　meets　with　Nature；　and　yesterday　parts　from　to…morrow。　　The　Present　is　the　moving　Infinity；　the　legitimate　sphere　of　the　Relative。　　Relativity　seeks　　Adjustment；　Adjustment　is　Art。　　The　art　of　life　lies　in　a　constant　readjustment　to　our　surroundings。　　Taoism　accepts　the　mundane　as　it　is　and；　unlike　the　Confucians　or　the　Buddhists；　tries　to　find　beauty　in　our　world　of　woe　and　worry。　　The　Sung　allegory　of　the　Three　Vinegar　Tasters　explains　admirably　the　trend　of　the　three　doctrines。　　Sakyamuni；　Confucius；　and　Laotse　once　stood　before　a　jar　of　vinegarthe　emblem　of　lifeand　each　dipped　in　his　finger　to　taste　the　brew。　　The　matter…of…fact　Confucius　found　it　sour；　the　Buddha　called　it　bitter；　and　Laotse　pronounced　it　sweet。

The　Taoists　claimed　that　the　comedy　of　life　could　be　made　more　　interesting　if　everyone　would　preserve　the　unities。　　To　keep　the　proportion　of　things　and　give　place　to　others　without　losing　one's　own　position　was　the　secret　of　success　in　the　mundane　drama。　　We　must　know　the　whole　play　in　order　to　properly　act　　our　parts；　the　conception　of　totality　must　never　be　lost　in　that　of　the　individual。　　This　Laotse　illustrates　by　his　favourite　metaphor　of　the　Vacuum。　　He　claimed　that　only　in　vacuum　lay　the　truly　essential。　　The　reality　of　a　room；　for　instance；　was　to　be　found　in　the　vacant　space　enclosed　by　the　roof　and　the　walls；　not　in　the　roof　and　walls　themselves。　　The　usefulness　of　a　water　pitcher　dwelt　in　the　emptiness　where　water　might　be　put；　not　in　the　form　of　the　pitcher　or　the　material　of　which　it　was　made。　　　Vacuum　is　all　potent　because　all　containing。　　In　vacuum　alone　motion　becomes　possible。　　One　who　could　make　of　himself　a　vacuum　into　which　others　might　freely　enter　would　become　master　of　all　situations。　　The　whole　can　always　dominate　the　part。

These　Taoists'　ideas　have　greatly　influenced　all　our　theories　of　action；　even　to　those　of　fencing　and　wrestling。　　Jiu…jitsu；　the　Japanese　art　of　self…defence；　owes　its　name　to　a　passage　in　the　Tao…teking。　　In　jiu…jitsu　one　seeks　to　draw　out　and　exhaust　the　enemy's　strength　by　non…resistance；　vacuum；　while　conserving　one's　own　strength　for　victory　in　the　final　struggle。　　In　art　the　importance　of　the　same　principle　is　　illustrated　by　the　value　of　suggestion。　　In　leaving　something　unsaid　the　beholder　is　given　a　chance　to　complete　the　idea　and　thus　a　great　masterpiece　irresistably　rivets　your　attention　until　you　seem　to　become　actually　a　part　of　it。　　A　vacuum　is　there　for　you　to　enter　and　fill　up　the　full　measure　of　your　aesthetic　emotion。

He　whohad　made　himself　master　of　the　art　of　living　was　the　Real　man　of　the　Taoist。　　At　birth　he　enters　the　realm　of　dreams　only　to　awaken　to　reality　at　death。　　He　tempers　his　own　　brightness　in　order　to　merge　himself　into　the　obscurity　of　others。　　He　is　〃reluctant；　as　one　who　crosses　a　stream　in　winter；　hesitating　as　one　who　fears　the　neighbourhood；　respectful；　like　a　guest；　trembling；　like　ice　that　is　about　to　melt；　unassuming；　like　a　piece　of　wood　not　yet　carved；　vacant；　like　a　valley；　formless；　like　troubled　waters。〃　　To　him　the　three　jewls　of　life　were　Pity；　Economy；　and　Modesty。

If　now　we　turn　our　attention　to　Zennism　we　shall　find　that　it　emphasises　the　teachings　of　Taoism。　　Zen　is　a　name　derived　from　the　Sanscrit　word　Dhyana；　which　signifies　meditation。　　It　claims　that　through　consecrated　meditation　may　be　attained　supreme　self…realisation。　　Meditation　is　one　of　the　six　ways　through　which　Buddhahood　may　be　reached；　and　the　Zen　sectarians　affirm　that　Sakyamuni　laid　special　stress　on　this　method　in　his　later　teachings；　handing　down　the　rules　to　his　chief　disciple