Analysis of Isabella Robinet's Taoism. Growth of a Religion.
by Stephen Marsh

Taoism, Growth of a Religion by Isabella Robinet argues two major points relating to the continuity of Taoism. First she seeks to trace the historical progression of religious Taoism and thereby reveal a continuity of its many forms. Robinet argues against the traditionally held view that Taoism, as a religion, is a random collection of practices that have only the name in common. Her book traces the development of the different movements, and using this history tries to show how Taoism has evolved and changed itself along a continual thread. Second, she argues that there is no separation of religious and philosophical Taoism. She tries to show a relationship between the mystical practices and philosophical beliefs, arguing that any separation is only an apparent one that occurs in most religious systems. She believes that Taoism can and should be regarded as a single entity.

The book at its most basic is a chronological history of Taoism starting in the 4th Century through the 14th century. The first three chapters discuss several of the major concepts in Taoism: the yin yang, the five agents, the primordial breath, constant transformation, wu wei, the Ultimate Truth, immortality, the Sage, and the genesis and end of the world are a few that Robinet points out in her introduction. She argues that these are critical concepts important to religious Toaism and they reoccur throughout its history in many forms.

Along with establishing the major concepts that tie Taoism together, Robinet gives a history of Taoism through the Warring States period, Han period, Celestial Masters, Ge Hong, the Shangquing and Lingbaothe schools, Tang, Song, and Yuan periods. The author tells us in the introduction, that the purpose of giving this history is to show the development of Taoist thinking and to “trace the major lines” of beliefs rather than just to retell major events.  Robinet uses this history to argue against the traditional view that there is a separation of Daojiao (religious Taoism) and Daojia (philosophical Taoism). She argues that this is only an apparent difference and is one that is present in all religions. It is the difference between the techniques and rituals of a religion, and the purpose that those practices aim for. Taoism has many practices, techniques, and meditations that have sometimes been thought of as, other than by name, unrelated to philosophical Taoism. She blames this mistaken belief on the fact that most people in western culture are not “actively familiar” with the rituals. Therefore they do not know the purpose of these techniques or their connection to the philosophical side of Taoism. Robinet tries to show that these rituals exist as an application of the philosophy; they are a way of reaching the enlightenment usually categorized as philosophical.

Robinet uses mediation and longevity techniques as examples of this vital connection. These are concepts that concern philosophical Taoism in the texts of Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Guanzi among others. Robinet explains that allusions to the “spirit of the valley,” and the “obscure female” in the Dao De Jing are thought to be references to longevity practices. The rhythm of the work shows that it could have been recited or incanted during rituals. She believes that it is important to consider the religious side of the Dao De Jing.

Robinet also points out similar passages in Zhuangzi. She explains that the phrase “preserve the one” was important in many mediation techniques. This is how the yellow emperor lived to the age of 1200 years. According to Zhuangzi, the “correct body” is healthily and in the meditative position, so that the spirits can enter your dwelling.

The philosophy of Guanzi is very similar to Laozi and Zhuangzi. The sage is flexible, and unchanging; his heart is free of emotion and close to the Tao. Also like Laozi and Zhuangzi, Guanzi says the path to this philosophical enlightenment is through “correcting the body” with various meditative practices. Specifically he refers to concentration and control of the breath. Guanzi shows the crucial connection of philosophy and religious practices when he says, “regularity of breath is tied to peacefulness of the heart.”

Robinet explains that philosophical theories have specific rituals and practices to achieve them. The philosophical ideals of concentration, shutting out the external world, and identifying with the self share the same fundamentals of Taoist meditative practices. To view Taoist works as only philosophical is to miss an important dimension of this belief system.

Another major element that can help illustrate the continuity of Taoism is its cosmology. She explains “we must look for the fundamental structure, the unity, and the continuity of Taoism in its cosmological discourse and not in its pantheon.”

Although I find problems with some of Robinet’s argument, on the whole I agree with her view that religious Taoism is not a separate entity from philosophical Taoism. I believe the strongest point that she makes is that this division is one made by outsiders. People who have studied philosophical Taoism from an academic perspective may not see the connection of religious Taoism because they are not familiar with its personal religious following.

Taoism is characteristically a personal religion and behind these practices are the philosophical ideals. Robinet does a very good job of not only explaining many of the religious rituals but also putting them into the historical and philosophical context in which they exist. The history she gives convincingly shows the connection that religious practices have to the Taoist philosophy. I believe that Robinet successfully refutes the idea that religious Taoism is a separate phenomenon from that of the philosophical.

Robinet is successful in what I believe to be her second major argument: Taoism has evolved through time along a continual thread. Taoism is a personal and informal religion. In fact Robinet says this is what characterizes it more than any other feature. Because of this Taoism has traditionally not been thought of as a unified religion.

I think Robinet successfully shows that this is too narrow a standard for Taoism. The word religion can have many different interpretations. If we push our western understanding of this word on Taoism then we might find that it does not qualify as a religion for many reasons. There is no system of unified texts and there is no orthodoxy. Taoism has an enormous body of works representing a wide array of views.

In China people spend time at many different temples. The practice of religion is very different from western culture and we cannot push this term, religion, on an alien culture. I believe that Robinet successfully shows that Taoism has had continuity throughout its history and can be thought of as a single entity.

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