Taoism: Virtues of the Way We do not see its form We do not hear its sound Yet we can perceive an order to its accomplishments We call it “the Way. Nei-Yeh. Studies of Taoism typically center around three fundamental texts: the Tao Te Ching , the Nan Hua Ching , and the Nei-¥eh. These three texts were assembled some time in the 3" or 4" centuries BCE, and they reflect a school of thought that features the idea that there is a fundamental unity to the universe (the “Tao” is the “Way” of the universe), and that the perfect person (chen-jen) lives in harmony with that order. Behavior in harmony with the Tao is characterized by wu wei , translated as “inaction” or “non-assertive action” that promotes, rather than disrupts, harmony with the Tao (“The way of the Tao is to yield.” Tao Te Ching, Verse 40). Harmony with the Tao is characterized by balance, illustrated by the “caiji,” the swirling yin-yang symbol familiar to almost all martial artists. By living in harmony with the universe, the person is able to transcend the mortal condition, facing life with selfless morality, and facing death with peace. Selflessness in Taoism is motivated by an understanding that we all exist as inseparable parts of the universe. Behavior in harmony with the Tao is also characterized by ziran, a virtue often translated as “spontaneity,” as the Tao has no origin other than itself. A life of ziran is stripped of artifice, characterized by authenticity, and relatively free of effort. Selfless, effortless, non-assertive action is seen in the Tao Te Ching’s description of a great ruler: The great ruler speaks little and his words are priceless He works without self-interest and leaves no trace When all is finished, the people say, “Tt happened by itself.” (Verse 17)Approaching Taoism from a virtue perspective, researchers associated with the positive psychology movement describe ziran to be the “master” virtue of Taoism, while other scholars give that place to harmony or balance. Herman Kauz, commenting on the connection between Taoism and the practice of the martial arts, identifies principles that could be interpreted along virtue lines, including respect for life and nature, non-action, moderation, filial piety, and enlightenment. Taoist concepts are ubiquitous in Asian martial arts, influencing styles that are widely divergent in method and approach. The Taoist principle of harmonious yielding, for example, is applied to combat in verse 31 of the Tao Te Ching: “Even the finest warrior is defeated when he goes against natural law”. In Aikido, this is translated into the foundational concept of muteiko (non-resistance). This principle is also found in the ninpo writings of Masaaki Hatsumi: “Do not search for victory or seek gain, allow it to happen naturally: just as flint and steel come together to make fire.” This ubiquity exists to such a degree that one scholar makes the claim that, if anyone is a practitioner of an Asian martial art (particularly one with the word “do” in the name, such as Judo or Hapkido), that person is, by default, a Taoist. 8. Order of Shaolin Ch’an, The Shaolin Grandmasters’ Text: History, Philosophy and Gung Fu of Shaolin Ch’an (Beaverton, OR: Tuttle Publishing, 2004). 9. Some scholars transliterate “ren” as “jen.”