FACTOID # 122: If you're Dutch or Swedish, you're among the world's most likely to end up living in a retirement home. If you're Japanese, you'll probably end up living with your children.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RELATED ARTICLES
People who viewed "Taiji" also viewed:
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

SEARCH ALL

FACTS & STATISTICS    Advanced view

Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 

 

(* = Graphable)

 

 


Encyclopedia > Taiji
This article is about a concept in Taoism. For other uses, see Taiji (disambiguation).
“Taichi” redirects here. For the form of martial art, see Tai Chi Chuan.
A commonly used version of a symbol for Taiji, called Taijitu, 太極圖
A commonly used version of a symbol for Taiji, called Taijitu, 太極圖
Another Taijitu attributed to Zhou Dun-yi. The red-colored areas are colored (whereas the traditional version leaves them white) to show that both circles represent the Taiji. The Taiji "falls into immanence" first as the Yin and Yang, and then as further levels of differentiation culminating with the myriad creatures, which are represented by the bottom circle.
Another Taijitu attributed to Zhou Dun-yi. The red-colored areas are colored (whereas the traditional version leaves them white) to show that both circles represent the Taiji. The Taiji "falls into immanence" first as the Yin and Yang, and then as further levels of differentiation culminating with the myriad creatures, which are represented by the bottom circle.

The Taiji (Traditional Chinese: 太極, Simplified Chinese: 太极; Cantonese IPA: [tɑɪ3gɪk6], Jyutping: tai3gik6; Mandarin Pinyin: tàijí, Wade-Giles: T'ai Chi, literally "Supreme Ultimate"; Japanese: Taikyoku; Korean: Taeguk, Taegeuk or T'aegŭk) is the infinite, or the principle that embodies all potential things including all possible time and space. This is seen as the perpetual cycle of yin and yang, as reflected in the taijitu, which is simply referred to as the "yin-yang" in the West. Taiji is itself part of a progression similar to yin and yang. "Existence", the Taiji, arose from "non-existence", or Wuji, the "Great Emptiness". Taiji may mean: Taiji, a concept in Taoism Tai Chi Chuan, a martial art Hung Taiji, a Qing Dynasty Emperor Taiji, a town in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan Taiji (era), the era name for the rule of Emperor Ruizong of Tang Taiji Sawada, a Japanese musician Seo Taiji, a South Korean... Tai chi chuan (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: tàijíquán; Wade-Giles: tai4 chi2 chüan2) is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced with the aim of promoting health and longevity. ... Image File history File links Yin_yang. ... Image File history File links Yin_yang. ... A commonly used version of the Taijitu The Taijitu of Zhou Dun-yi. ... TaiJiTu scanned from an ancient Chinese text, not copyrighted, File links The following pages link to this file: Taiji Categories: Public domain images ... TaiJiTu scanned from an ancient Chinese text, not copyrighted, File links The following pages link to this file: Taiji Categories: Public domain images ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Standard Cantonese is a variant, and is generally considered the prestige dialect of Cantonese Chinese. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... Jyutping (sometimes spelled Jyutpin) is a romanization system for Standard Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK) in 1993. ... Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Chinese, Modern Standard Chinese or Standard spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used by the Peoples Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and Singapore. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Wade-Giles, sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration) system for the Chinese language based on Mandarin. ... Infinity is a word carrying a number of different meanings in mathematics, philosophy, theology and everyday life. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Taijitu. ... A commonly used version of the Taijitu The Taijitu of Zhou Dun-yi. ...


Core concept

The Taiji is understood to be the ideal of existence. Yin and yang are used to illustrate the contrasting qualities within reality and experience. For example, light contrasts with darkness, providing them both with context and therefore meaning. Taiji is not perceived as a simple list of all things and potential things, but rather a complex interconnection of all things in all possible contexts. This concept is often used to illustrate the doctrine of cosmological unity. It is also used to explain the creation of the "myriad things" (i.e. everything in existence) through the dialectical process of alternating polarity between yin and yang. Western proponents of Taoism sometimes conflate Taiji and the "myriad things", but Taiji is not only representative of what exists, but also that which has existed, will exist, and could potentially exist. There is no universally accepted theory of what the word existence means. ...


Taiji in historical China

The concept of Taiji was introduced in the Zhuang Zi, showing its early place in Taoism. It also appears in the Xì Cí (Great Appendix) of the I Ching, a fundamental Taoist classic. // The Person Zhuāng Zǐ (pinyin), Chuang Tzu (W-G), or Chuang Tse (Chinese 莊子, literally meaning Master Zhuang) was a famous philosopher in ancient China who lived around the 4th century BC during the Warring States Period, corresponding to the Hundred Schools of Thought philosophical summit of Chinese thought. ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ... Alternative meaning: I Ching (monk) The I Ching (Traditional Chinese: 易經, pinyin y jīng; Cantonese IPA: jɪk6gɪŋ1; Cantonese Jyutping: jik6ging1; alternative romanizations include I Jing, Yi Ching, Yi King) is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. ...


When Confucianism came to the fore again during the Song Dynasty as Neo-Confucianism, it synthesized aspects of Chinese Buddhism and Taoism, and drew them together using threads that traced back to the metaphysical discussions in the Book of Changes. Wenmiao Temple, a Confucian Temple in Wuwei, Gansu, China Confucian temple in Kaohsiung, Republic of China (Taiwan). ... Northern Song in 1111 AD Capital Kaifeng (960–1127) Linan (1127–1276) Language(s) Chinese Religion Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy Emperor  - 960-976 Emperor Taizu  - 1126–1127 Emperor Qinzong  - 1127–1162 Emperor Gaozong  - 1278–1279 Emperor Bing History  - Zhao Kuangyin taking over the throne of the Later Zhou... Neo-Confucianism (Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) is a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao in the Tang Dynasty. ... This article explores how Buddhism, a Indian origin, has affected and been affected by Chinese culture, politics, literature and philosophy. ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ...


See also


  Results from FactBites:
 
Seo Taiji - definition of Seo Taiji in Encyclopedia (604 words)
Blood type O. As a cultural comparison, Taiji's levels of popularity in Korea is analog to the popularity of Michael Jackson in the mid-1980s.
Taiji chose to drop out of school, a system that he felt did nothing but corrupt the minds of youth, and become a professional musician.
Taiji disappeared from the music scene for the next two years moving to New York City, living a low profile and working on his come-back.
Taiji - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (317 words)
The Taiji "falls into immanence" first as the Yin and Yang, and then as further levels of differentiation culminating with the myriad creatures, which are represented by the bottom circle.
The Taiji is understood to be the highest conceivable principle, that from which existence flows.
In contemporary terms, the Taiji is the infinite, essential, and fundamental principle of evolutionary change that actualizes all potential states of being through the self-organizing integration of complementary existential polarities.
  More results at FactBites »


 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:
 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.