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What are the three main currents of Chinese thought and religiosity mentioned in the text?
Answer: Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism (sam chiao).
From which regions of China did Taoism and Confucianism emerge, respectively?
Answer: Taoism from southern China (Yangtze River region), Confucianism from northern China (Yellow River region).
What symbolic animal is associated with Lao Tse’s departure from China?
Answer: A blue buffalo.
How does the text describe the origin of Taoism compared to Buddhism?
Answer: Taoism is indigenous to China, while Buddhism originated elsewhere and penetrated China later.
Answer: Taoism from southern China (Yangtze River region), Confucianism from northern China (Yellow River region).
Answer: Confucianism is extroverted, repressive, and moderate; Taoism is introverted, unconscious-driven, and extremist.
What is the core teaching of Taoist wisdom?
Answer: "Obrar sin obrar" (acting without acting or non-action).
According to Albert Schweitzer, how does Taoism differ from Buddhism in its view of life?
Answer: Taoism affirms cosmic and vital reality, while Buddhism negates the world and life.
What aesthetic categories are used to describe Taoism and Confucianism?
Answer: Taoism is "baroque," Confucianism is "classical."
How does the text explain "wei wu wei"?
Answer: Acting spontaneously, without forcing nature, and avoiding artificiality.
What contrasting attitudes do Taoism and Buddhism hold toward sexuality?
Answer: Taoists believed continence was unnatural and celebrated communal living, while Buddhists preached asceticism and prohibited marriage for priests.
What legendary encounter is described between Lao Tse and Confucio?
Answer: Confucio visited Lao Tse to study ancient rituals, but Lao Tse criticized his pride and ambition, comparing himself to an elusive dragon.
How does the Taoist view of opposites differ from conventional morality?
Answer: Taoism sees opposites (e.g., good/evil) as interdependent and relative, rejecting rigid Confucian moral distinctions.