Talk:Tao
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Romanization of Chinese word "Tao/Dao" Q: Why is this word romanized as "Tao" in this article when Wikipedia and the scholarly community both normally prefer the use of pinyin for Chinese loanwords, and "Dao" is a better phonetic transcription of the Chinese concept?
A: Because there is a very long tradition in English of writing the word as "Tao" (while still pronouncing it "dow"), and because the English Wikipedia prefers the longstanding historical form of this English word more than it prefers the use of pinyin Chinese for the Chinese word. Please visit the talk page archives for lengthy discussions of this issue. |
Originated in China due to adv civ early on, is a generic eastern origin/dominant, but no way generic to China or Chinese (racial/nationalist misrepresentation)
would be nice if it said 'history and origins' and then went all 'Chinovision' on the subject. That way modern additions get a natural place, and the subject content rather than worldy instantiation can take prime. 84.241.194.69 (talk) 14:56, 18 October 2021 (UTC)
Issue with lede
The grammar definitely needs some work. Wikiblame points to here where the confusing sentence was added in an IP edit. I think it should read:
"... natural order of the universe as discerned intuitively to realize one's potential and wisdom ..."
Since I'm not sure of the original intended meaning (see link), any help improving that sentence would be appreciated! — zmm ~talk~ 21:47, 5 August 2022 (UTC)
- We could just revert back. Text before that one was
- Within the context of traditional Chinese philosophy and religion, the Tao is the intuitive knowing of "life" that cannot be grasped full-heartedly as just a concept but is known nonetheless through actual living experience of one's everyday being.
- Replaced text is
- Within the context of traditional Chinese philosophy and religion, Tao is the natural order of the universe whose character human intuition must discern in order to realize the potential for individual wisdom. This intuitive knowing of "life" cannot be grasped as just a concept but is known through actual living experience of one's everyday being.
- To my mind this at the least requires a citation. The phrase "natural order of the universe" does not occur lower down the article.
- Things get worse with this edit where the "natural order" phrase becomes the first definition in the article. Chaging the first sentance from
- Tao or Dao is a Chinese word signifying the "way", "path", "route", "road" or sometimes more loosely "doctrine", "principle" or "holistic beliefs".
- to
- Tao or Dao is the natural order of the universe whose character one's human intuition must discern in order to realize the potential for individual wisdom, as conceived in the context of East Asian philosophy, East Asian religions, or any other human thought that accords with them on this principle.
- I'm no Taoist scholar, but I think the concept of way or path is the primary meaning. I think we might want to change back to an earlier version. --Salix alba (talk): 22:35, 5 August 2022 (UTC)
Additionally, there is a grammatical disagreement that needs attention. Tao is described as something to be understood not as a concept and then two sentences later, it is described as a concept:
- This seeing of life cannot be grasped as a concept. Rather, it is seen through actual living experience of one's everyday being. The concept is represented by ...
Italics?
I think Tao is a pretty borrowed-into-English word at this point, right? Thus, I don't think it should be italicized as a foreign-ism as per MOS:FOREIGN. Remsense聊 01:13, 11 October 2023 (UTC)
Lead section: "being of aliveness"
The lead section (bolding mine):
Tao is not a name for a thing, but the underlying natural order of the universe whose ultimate essence is difficult to circumscribe because it is non-conceptual yet evident in one's being of aliveness
I have no idea what's that supposed to mean or how is that different from "one's being" or "one's aliveness". If you do, please don't explain to me, but instead try to clarify the meaning in the article itself. Thanks so much. The fact that an intricate philosophical concept is explained doesn't mean the explanation should be incomprehensible and elusive. Jack who built the house (talk) 19:45, 21 February 2025 (UTC)
Tao and Te decoded
Tao: A Mathematical Representation of Tao
Te: The Paradigm of Tao-Based Approaches Exemplified in the Tao Te Ching
The decoding is based on Tao Te Ching (Mawangdui Silk Texts). LiweiZhang2050 (talk) 02:59, 9 May 2025 (UTC)
dating notes
As presented by Yuri Pines 2013:70 (Goldin 2012) and translated by Chen Qiyou, the concept of Dao had already emerged in the late Warring States period as a abstract cosmic force, even in more political texts like the Han Feizi.
The Way is great and formless; Virtue (De 德) embeds its pattern and is all-reaching. As it arrives at all the living, it makes use of them after deliberations: the myriad things all prosper, but they are not tranquil together with it. When the Way is involved in everyday mat- ters, it investigates them and then decrees their destiny, giving them time for life and death. 揚權 FourLights (talk) 08:14, 17 August 2025 (UTC)