Taiji 

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This article is about a concept in Taoism. For other uses, see Taiji (disambiguation).
"Taichi" redirects here. For the form of martial art, see Tai Chi Chuan.
Taiji

A commonly used version of a symbol for Taiji, called Taijitu
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese: 太極
Simplified Chinese: 太极
Literal meaning: "Supreme Ultimate"
Japanese name
Kanji: 太極
Kana: たいきょく
Korean name
Hangul: 태극
Hanja: 太極
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese: thái cực
Taoism portal

Taiji (太極) is a state of being from Tao and Wuji. It is a state of absolute, and of infinite potentiality. In Tao Te Ching, Tao manifested as One, which is Taiji1. In a Taoist guidance book, the same verse was amplified as out of Tao came Taiji, which then split into yin and yang or Two Aspects, yin and yang slitting into the Four Realms, Wu xing the Five Elements, and from there the world was created2.

Taiji was a state in which the world became intelligible before creation. Taiji may be equated to the One, Oneness, Unity, as in attaining One or Unity (得一) 3 and as stated in the Tao Te Ching4.

Contents

Core concept

Translated as "the great ultimate,"5 the Taiji is understood to be the ideal of existence. Yin and yang represent the contrasting qualities within reality and experience. For example, light contrasts with darkness, providing them both with context and therefore meaning. Taiji is not perceived as a simple list of all things and potential things, but rather a complex interconnection of all things in all possible contexts. This concept is often used to illustrate the doctrine of cosmological unity. It is also used to explain the creation of the "myriad things" (i.e., everything in existence) through the dialectical process of alternating polarity between yin and yang. Western proponents of Taoism sometimes conflate Taiji and the "myriad things," but Taiji is not only representative of what exists, but also that which has existed, will exist, and could potentially exist.

The concept of Taiji is also used to explain the creation of the "myriad things" (i.e., everything in existence) through the dialectical process of alternating polarity between yin and yang. Western proponents of Taoism sometimes combine Taiji and the "myriad things," but Taiji is not only representative of what exists, but also that which has existed, will exist, and could potentially exist. Before the concept of taiji, the world as was known in Chinese culture, was unexplainable. The concept of Taiji, put a starting point to a vast, endless amount of unexplained Taoist traditions. Taiji is the concept that ties all traditions and practices together.

In a Taoist guidance book, the same verse was amplified as out of Tao came Taiji, which then split into yin and yang or Two Aspects, yin and yang splitting into the Four Realms, Wu xing the Five Elements, and from there the world. Taiji is a state of being from Tao and Wuji (philosophy). Wuji is the primordial state of non-being, a state of Nothingness and boundlessness or that which is without Bounds or Limits. Taiji is a state of absolute, and of infinite potentiality. In Tao Te Ching, Tao manifested as One, which is Taiji (Dao De Jing 42). In a Taoist guidance book, the same verse was amplified as out of Tao came Taiji, which then split into yin and yang or Two Aspects, yin and yang splitting into the Four Realms, Wu xing the Five Elements, and from there the world was created (Tiantang Yiuchi 4).

Taiji is understood to be the highest conceivable principle which existence flows.(Wu, 1986) This is very similar to the Daoist idea "reversal is the movement of the Dao" (Wu, 1986). The "supreme ultimate" creates yang and yin, movement generates yang, when its activity reaches its limit, it becomes tranquil.(Wu,1986) Through tranquility the supreme ultimate generates yin. When tranquility has reached its limit, there is a return to movement. Movement and tranquility, in alteration, become each the source of the other. The distinction between the yin and yang is determined and the two forms (that is, the yin and yang) stand revealed. By the transformations of the yang and the union of the yin, the 5 elements (Qi) of water, fire, wood, metal and earth are produced. These 5 Qi become diffused, which creates harmony. Once there is harmony the 4 seasons can occur. (Wu, 1986) Yin and yang produced all things, and these in their turn produce and reproduce, this makes these processes never ending. (Wu, 1986)

In order to understand the "Yizhuan theory of reality" as the fundamental Chinese theory of reality and creativity, we should in fact take note of the following characterization of the metaphysical way of thinking based on our experience and insights into change, which, at the same time, constitutes the substance of wisdom on reality and life of the human person. The understanding of this provides an insight into the nature of reality at any given moment and in any given situation.

Taiji in historical China

The concept of Taiji was introduced in the Zhuang Zi, showing its early place in Taoism. It also appears in the Xì Cí (Great Appendix) of the I Ching, a fundamental Taoist classic.

When Confucianism came to the fore again during the Song Dynasty as Neo-Confucianism, it synthesized aspects of Chinese Buddhism and Taoism, and drew them together using threads that traced back to the metaphysical discussions in the Book of Changes.

Zhou Dunyi (also known as Zhou Lian-zi) 1017-1073 made a big impact on Neo-Confucianism with his Taiji-tushuo (an explanation of the diagram of the supreme ultimate) and Tong-shu (penetrating The book of Changes) and incorporating the metaphysics into the Confucian ethics. Zhou also maintained that Taiji was prior to and the foundation to yin and yang. In Zhou's words Taiji was a state in which the world became intelligible before creation. Taiji may be equated to the One, Oneness, Unity, as in attaining One or Unity (得一) (Robinet (1981), p. 16) and as stated in the Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing 39).

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Tao te Ching Chapter 42 : 道生一。一生二。二生三。三生萬物
  2. ^ Tiantang Yiuchi Chapter 4 : 原由無極 (Wuji) 元始一動而生太極 (Taiji)，太極含兩儀 (two aspects) 陰陽 (yin and yang)，而化三才四象 (Four Realms) 五行(Wu xing)……。
  3. ^ Robinet (1981), p. 16.
  4. ^ Tao Te Ching Chapter 39 : 昔之得一者。天得一以清。地得一以寧。神得一以靈。谷得一以盈。萬物得一以生。
  5. ^ Chen, Ellen M. (1989). The Tao Te Ching: A New Translation and Commentary. St. Paul Minnesota: Paragon House.

References

External links

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