Introduction
According to Lao Tzu, human life is the practice of laws of naturalism or the Way, as opposed to rules that culture detects. In other words, Lao Tzu states that language is an artificial belief that ought to be fake bearing in mind that it does not embody the naturalistic aim towards Tao. In addition, he suggests that Tao Te Ching concentrates more on philosophy than religion given that Tao reveals the essence of nature, and has little to do with God and rituals. One of his theoretical explanations in regards to Tao is the concept of Yin and Yang. He uses Yin as females to mean passive and patient whereas, Yang as males to mean action and stubbornness. Both are opposites of one another, as well as, interdependent (Kuo 2004, 31). Lao Tzu considers females as the mothers of all things. Moreover, he proposes that males are characterized as superior and dominant and as a result, society does not value female teachings in regards to humanism (Kuo, 2004, p.35). With this in mind, Tao Te Ching gives rise to the virtue of female principles. This view on Tao teaches the principles of philosophy; in addition, it regulates the natural balance in the universe (Le Guin 2009, 126). The purpose of this essay is to justify the reasoning of feminist philosophy of science based on the view that Tao extols the practices of feminine superiority in preference to the masculine.
Explication
One of his passages, The Mysterious Female, emphasizes on the view of feminine virtues. In this passage, he proclaims that the Tao as the female. He uses the valley to express the female and the gate to express the woman’s womb (Legge, 1994). The passage indicates that inside the womb of a woman is an embryo. To put in another way, the female is the ...
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...ssay provides the understanding of the feminist principles of science, namely, focusing on the Yin symbol, as well as, concentrating on the symbolism and the articulation of the philosophical content of the Tao. The passages provide significant indication that feminism is ultimately an essential, key component of the Way. He also indicates that feminine are the supreme, creation of Tao. Even though, Yang is necessary in the involvement of nature and balance; it does not hold the creation of nature, and balance. Also, Tao focuses on the idea that a weakness represents a strong force. In other words, water, even though weak, is ultimately strong considering that it can triumph over rocks. This symbolic explanation advocates an understanding to the representation of female force. As a result, Tao practices on the principles of feminine enlightenment of philosophy.
Freedom for a Chinese woman was about being independent and to be considered equally important as a man in the Chinese society. The women in traditional China were seen as child-bearers and that was basically considered their main role in their marriages. The women must give birth to a male in order for the family name and traditions can be carried on. If the child was a female, then she’d be of no use to the family and would be married off to another family. It was very difficult for the women since they weren’t able to live life their way due to the old Chinese traditions that were established long ago.
Some of the more fascinating documents of the Han period in ancient China were arguably those written by women. The writings were at once contradictory due to the fact that they appeared to destroy the common perceptions of women as uneducated and subservient creatures while simultaneously delivering messages through the texts that demonstrated a strict adherence to traditional values. Those are the paradoxical characteristics of prominent female scholar Ban Zhou’s work called Lesson for a Woman. Because modern opinions on the roles of women in society likely cloud the clear analysis of Zhou’s work, it is necessary to closely examine the Han’s societal norms and popular beliefs that contributed to establishing the author’s perspective and intent.
"Main Concepts of Taoism: Yin and Yang." Taoism and the Taoist Arts. April 2002. http://www.taoistarts.net/main.html#yin LeGuin, Ursula K. The Lathe of Heaven. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers Inc., 2000.
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