thecages

I first took an interest in Taoism after reading a slim volume entitled Introducing Taoism which I bought at a flea market second-hand book stand.
The book identifies three aspects to what is commonly termed Taoism: Taoist philosophy, Taoist practice and Taoist religion.
These aspects are roughly derivative, Taoist practice derives from the philosophy and the religion from the practice.
Several other traditions influenced Taoist practice and religion (notably the Shamanic traditions of various Northern tribes), but the name remains Taoism as this is its root.

Of the three aspects, what is of interest here is the philosophy.

Taoist philosophy formed from around 600BC as a result of the life of two Chinese philosophers: Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu.



Lao Tzu's ideas are collected in the Tao Te Ching. As in all such cases there is disagreement as to whether Lao Tzu was a single person and whether he actually wrote the book, but still the central ideas of Taoist philosophy are ascribed to him(or her or them).

Here are a few translations of the opening chapter of the book:

The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
That which has no name is the beginning of heaven and earth.
The named is the source of ten thousand things.
Without desires, one can see the mystery.
With desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two arise from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.

The way that can be spoken of
Is not the constant way;
The name that can be named
Is not the constant name.

The nameless was the beginning of heaven and earth;
The named was the mother of the myriad creatures.

Hence always rid yourself of desires in order to observes its secrets;
But always allow yourself to have desires in order to observe its manifestations.

These two are the same
But diverge in name as they issue forth.
Being the same they are called mysteries,
Mystery upon mystery -
The gateway of the manifold secrets.

The tao that can be described
is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be spoken
is not the eternal Name.

The nameless is the boundary of Heaven and Earth.
The named is the mother of creation.

Freed from desire, you can see the hidden mystery.
By having desire, you can only see what is visibly real.

Yet mystery and reality
emerge from the same source.
This source is called darkness.

Darkness born from darkness.
The beginning of all understanding.

The second major work that originated the Taoist philosophy is the book named after Chuang Tzu (its author).
This dates from around 300BC and its modern form is generally taken to be a compedium of writings attributed to Chuang Tzu rather than a single work.
The Chuang Tzu takes a more practical approach to the Tao and is often seen as a contextualisation of the extremely abstract content of the Tao Te Ching.
It is written in the form of several short stories that have a very similar feel to Christian parables.


Here's the opening portion of Deformities, or Evidence of a Full Character:

In the state of Lu there was a man, named Wang T'ai, who had had one of his legs cut off. His disciples were as numerous as those of Confucius. Ch'ang Chi asked Confucius, saying, "This Wang T'ai has been mutilated, yet he has as many followers in the Lu State as you. He neither stands up to preach nor sits down to give discourse; yet those who go to him empty, depart full. Is he the kind of person who can teach without words and influence people's minds without material means? What manner of man is this?"

"He is a sage," replied Confucius, "I wanted to go to him, but am merely behind the others. Even I will go and make him my teacher, -- why not those who are lesser than I? And I will lead, not only the State of Lu, but the whole world to follow him."

"The man has been mutilated," said Ch'ang Chi, "and yet people call him 'Master.' He must be very different from the ordinary men. If so, how does he train his mind?"

"Life and Death are indeed changes of great moment," answered Confucius, "but they cannot affect his mind. Heaven and earth may collapse, but his mind will remain. Being indeed without flaw, it will not share the fate of all things. It can control the transformation of things, while preserving its source intact."

The Tao Te Ching and Chuang Tzu have been interpreted, translated and rewritten over centuries but several basic ideas have remained intact.
They include the futility of trying to capture or teach the Tao(as concept), the unchanging nature of the Tao, the notion of Ch'i, the principle of Wu-Wei and an approach to harmonious life characterised by simplicity and striving for actions that are natural(unmodified/uncoerced).

Of these ideas it is the last two that are most relevant to Anarchism.