The Ching Dynasty (1644-1911 CE)
The abuses of the Ming Dynasty gave rise to a kind of “critical reflection” associated with the Ching Dynasty. This included a revival, within Taoism, of more contemplative practices, whose aim was to cultivate quietude and mental harmony – instead of personal power and occult capacities. Out of this new orientation arose a form of Inner Alchemy associated with the Taoist adept Liu I-Ming, which understood the process of Inner Alchemy to be primarily a psychological one. While Chuang Po-tuan placed an equal emphasis on physical and mental practice, Liu I-Ming believed that physical benefits were always simply a byproduct of mental cultivation.
Read more: Inner Smile Practice
Read more: Mindfulness Training & Qigong Practice
The Nationalist Period (1911-1949 CE) & The People’s Republic of China (1949-present)
During the period of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, many Taoist temples were destroyed, and Taoist monks, nuns and priests imprisoned or sent to labor camps. To the extent that the Communist government considered Taoist practices to be a form of “superstition,” these practices were prohibited. As a result, Taoist practice – in its public forms – was practically eliminated, on mainland China. At this same time, Chinese Medicine – whose roots lie in Taoist practice – underwent a state-sponsored systematization, the result of which was TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), a form of the medicine divorced in large part from its spiritual roots. Since 1980, Taoist practice is once again a part of the Chinese cultural landscape, and has spread widely to countries well beyond China’s borders.
Read more: Chinese Medicine: TCM & Five Element Styles
Read more: What Is Acupuncture?
References & Suggested Reading
Maspero, Henri. Taoism and Chinese Religion. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1981.
Miller, James. Daoism: A Short Introduction. Oxford: One World Publications, 2003.
Needham, Joseph. Science and Civilization in China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976 & 1983.
Wong, Eva. The Shambhala Guide to Taoism. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1997.
