What are the four great graces of Taoism?

It refers to Taoism's four kinds of kindness to the world, one day kindness, two kings' kindness, three parents' kindness and four teachers' kindness.

1, "Heaven and Earth Grace"

Taoism believes that everything in the universe originates from "Tao", and there is a cloud in Neijing: "Avenue is invisible, giving birth to heaven and earth". Therefore, Taoism's kindness to heaven and earth is also a feeling for Tao. Outside the Sanqing Hall of the Taoist Temple of Tianshi Cave in Qingcheng Mountain, a famous Taoist mountain, there is a couplet. The first couplet is "Tao gives birth to one, life gives birth to two, life gives birth to two, life gives birth to three and life gives birth to everything".

The bottom line is "people everywhere, the ground follows the sky, the sky follows the Tao, and the Tao follows nature". This couplet reveals the formation of all things in the universe and the operation law of nature, and also reminds us to be grateful for nature.

2. The King's Land Grace

Jun means king and country. It is often heard that Taoist priests in troubled times went down the mountain to save the world, and Taoist priests in prosperous times retired to the mountains. Many people think that Taoism is mainly about practice, and they choose to live in seclusion in both prosperous and troubled times. In fact, this is not correct. As everyone knows, the belief in Taoism is based on the four principles of patriotism, protecting the people, respecting the ancestors and respecting the gods. Patriotism means appreciating your kindness. What's the use of training without a country?

3. "Parents' Grace"

"The old gentleman said that he would repay his parents' kindness" said that "the wife is alive, the parents are relatives, the father is not born, and the mother is not raised. "In this life, only the kindness of parents is more important than Mount Tai. We should always be filial to our parents. Taoism believes that the kindness of parents is hard to repay. "Filial piety is the first of all virtues", Taoism attaches great importance to the way of persuading goodness, and accumulating virtue is an important way for mortals to become immortals, while filial piety is the foundation of doing good.

4. "Teacher's kindness"

Teacher, preach and teach. Taoism is a religion that attaches importance to learning from teachers. Without a teacher, it is "water without a source, wood without a root". "Three Caves of Public Commandments" says: "Taoist scriptures should not be taught by teachers, but should not be done for things", which shows the importance of "teachers". Master teaches his disciples Taoism, and at the same time, he bears the karma of his disciples. Therefore, when reporting "teacher's kindness", Taoist disciples should not do evil things but accumulate good deeds in addition to diligent practice.

The emergence and development of Taoism

Most scholars in modern China believe that Tao and Tao are two interrelated and different concepts. Sometimes it is customary to call Taoism Taoism and Huang Lao. Strictly speaking, the two are not exactly the same thing. The word "Tao" first appeared in Sima Tan's Six Classics. Refers to the school represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi in pre-Qin hundred schools of thought, or refers to the school of Huanglao which prevailed in the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties.

They all regard "Tao" as the highest category in ideological theory, advocate respecting Tao and morality, learning from nature, governing the country by law with purity and inaction, dealing with the belief in ghosts and gods, and dealing with the relationship between man and nature, so they praise home. As for Taoism, it is a religious entity.

As the name implies, "Tao" is the enlightenment or preaching of "Tao", or a religion that believes in "Tao" and "becomes immortal and gains Tao" through spiritual cultivation.