Trey Smith
One point Baroness Radon has broached from time to time is that she doesn't think westernized Taoism is true to the Chinese version. I've thought about this point a lot and I've surmised that she probably is correct. While I agree with her assertion, my overall reaction is: So what?
Just because an idea originated in one part of the world, it does not mean that others living in far flung places cannot embrace the general idea or philosophy as well. Much of the philosophical premises the American ideal is built upon came from...non-Americans. Machiavelli hailed from Italy. Rousseau came from France. Hobbes and Locke were Englishmen. And many of our ideas about democracy and the concept of a republic came from ancient Greek philosophers.
Add to this the various notions that originated from Palestine in the Judeo-Christian tradition and the vast majority of American foundational principles were born on continents other than this one. I don't recall anyone ever suggesting that Americans (or westerners) somehow can't really appreciate many of the important nuances of these philosophies because they were derived from different cultures at different times.
This is certainly not to suggest that many of the critical ideations of a primarily Chinese thought system might lose a bit in translation for western ears and eyes. I am sure that some of the ways that a westerner might understand a particular passage or concept might differ from that of a modern Chinese person. However, it is just as true to suggest that how a modern Chinese individual might understand a particular passage or concept might differ greatly from the way it was viewed by their ancient ancestors.
In my research, one point that has been made in several places is that modern Chinese linguists have a great deal of trouble in trying to decipher ancient Chinese script in the classic Taoist texts because the Chinese written language has changed so much since then. There are many instances today in which there is no general agreement on what some of the ancient Chinese characters mean and there are robust debates amongst scholars.
Is western Taoism of a different flavor than Chinese Taoism? Probably so. Does this make it any less authentic?
Why would it?
I owe you a post!
ReplyDeleteBut I would like to remark here that America is in a direct line of influence through the Greco-Roman, Judeo-Christian-Islamic (people of the book) tradition historically: this is what defines "Western" thought and culture. It is not simply a matter of geography (or time) but of "mind-set." The Western outlook is historically and culturally very different from the Asian (and there is certainly and yin and yang analysis that can be made). That we have in recent times had a "cross-pollination" of culture because of trade, war, and communications technology, has resulted in East-West transference of ideas and values. It is a constant questioning in my mind, to what extent one can have a foot authentically in both places at the same time. Perhaps this is acute to me because I live in one of those "interstitial" places where cultures have met and have sometimes collided, sometimes conflated.
I completely agree about the "direct line of influence" you mentioned and I agree that the western and eastern outlook is radically different. In fact, there is nothing you wrote above that I would question in the least.
ReplyDeleteMy point in the post is that, in some ways, it shouldn't matter where a belief framework originates. The core principles are the things that should matter and these principles can be embraced regardless of where a person calls home.
Of course, where a person calls home will impact the understanding of the belief framework and change it somewhat.
And my point is that the core principles may be very different. What the Chinese, both ancient and contemporary, understand as a core principle of Taoism, may be very different from what a westerner regards as a core principle of the philosophy/religion. And likewise, for example, for Chstianity in the east as opposed to the west.(We can even see this demonstrated in the distinctions in doctrine between Catholic and Orthodox theologies, though I'm not saying that is a Asian/Western thing, but similar.)
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