What exactly is the specific meaning of the Taoist doctrine of "Returning to Simplicity and Authenticity"?
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Return to Simplicity and Authenticity
The purpose of learning and cultivating the Tao in Taoism is to make life return to its original state through one's own practice and cultivation. Taoism calls this "Return to Simplicity and Authenticity".
Taoism holds that the original nature of human beings is simple and pure, close to the nature of the "Tao". That's why people often say that children are innocent. However, as people grow older, thoughts and desires constantly emerge. Coupled with the different influences of the social environment and the temptations of lust, wealth, and goods, the original life essence of human beings is constantly depleted, and the original simple and pure nature is also obscured. If one's desires are insatiable further, it will seriously damage one's mental state and life health, and one will go in the opposite direction of the Tao. Learning and cultivating the Tao is to make one's mental state and life return to a simple and pure state. Here, "simplicity" refers to authenticity, extended to the simple and unadorned state of the "Tao", referring to the original nature of the True and Constant Tao. However, to return to simplicity, one must embrace simplicity. The "Tao Te Ching" says: "See simplicity and embrace plainness; have few selfish desires." That is to say, one should embrace the Tao and preserve authenticity, nourish the true essence of life so that it is not tempted by material desires and not troubled by selfish thoughts and distractions. The most important thing here is to minimize selfishness and desires as much as possible. One should be honest and kind in dealing with others, abide by public morality in actions, and live a simple life, so that one's nature gradually returns to a simple and pure state and conforms to the Tao. In the process of life cultivation, on the basis of a good mental state, the dissipated life vitality should be restored through cultivation to make the body healthy. Then, through internal cultivation practices such as refining essence into qi, refining qi into spirit, and refining spirit back to emptiness, life can return to the state of the True Tao and achieve immortality and enlightenment.
On the path of cultivation to return to simplicity and authenticity, the practices of many lofty and virtuous individuals have set examples for those who learn and cultivate the Tao in later generations. During the late Han Dynasty and the Wei Kingdom period, the True Man Wei Boyang was "imbued with simplicity and had no interest in power and glory" and concentrated on cultivation. The True Man Ge Hong did not follow the changes of the world, was always honest in speech, refrained from ridicule and jesting, and was silent all day long. He was widely regarded by his fellow countrymen as a man who embraced simplicity. He also proposed that one should "preserve the great simplicity and guard the true source". During the Jin Dynasty, Ji Kang was fond of the Tao and also took "valuing the self over worldly things, aiming to preserve simplicity, and nourishing simplicity to achieve full authenticity" as the purpose of his cultivation. Today, why can't those who learn and cultivate the Tao further carry forward the doctrine of preserving simplicity and achieving full authenticity and leave a simple and pure authenticity for later generations?
The purpose of learning and cultivating the Tao in Taoism is to make life return to its original state through one's own practice and cultivation. Taoism calls this "Return to Simplicity and Authenticity".
Taoism holds that the original nature of human beings is simple and pure, close to the nature of the "Tao". That's why people often say that children are innocent. However, as people grow older, thoughts and desires constantly emerge. Coupled with the different influences of the social environment and the temptations of lust, wealth, and goods, the original life essence of human beings is constantly depleted, and the original simple and pure nature is also obscured. If one's desires are insatiable further, it will seriously damage one's mental state and life health, and one will go in the opposite direction of the Tao. Learning and cultivating the Tao is to make one's mental state and life return to a simple and pure state. Here, "simplicity" refers to authenticity, extended to the simple and unadorned state of the "Tao", referring to the original nature of the True and Constant Tao. However, to return to simplicity, one must embrace simplicity. The "Tao Te Ching" says: "See simplicity and embrace plainness; have few selfish desires." That is to say, one should embrace the Tao and preserve authenticity, nourish the true essence of life so that it is not tempted by material desires and not troubled by selfish thoughts and distractions. The most important thing here is to minimize selfishness and desires as much as possible. One should be honest and kind in dealing with others, abide by public morality in actions, and live a simple life, so that one's nature gradually returns to a simple and pure state and conforms to the Tao. In the process of life cultivation, on the basis of a good mental state, the dissipated life vitality should be restored through cultivation to make the body healthy. Then, through internal cultivation practices such as refining essence into qi, refining qi into spirit, and refining spirit back to emptiness, life can return to the state of the True Tao and achieve immortality and enlightenment.
On the path of cultivation to return to simplicity and authenticity, the practices of many lofty and virtuous individuals have set examples for those who learn and cultivate the Tao in later generations. During the late Han Dynasty and the Wei Kingdom period, the True Man Wei Boyang was "imbued with simplicity and had no interest in power and glory" and concentrated on cultivation. The True Man Ge Hong did not follow the changes of the world, was always honest in speech, refrained from ridicule and jesting, and was silent all day long. He was widely regarded by his fellow countrymen as a man who embraced simplicity. He also proposed that one should "preserve the great simplicity and guard the true source". During the Jin Dynasty, Ji Kang was fond of the Tao and also took "valuing the self over worldly things, aiming to preserve simplicity, and nourishing simplicity to achieve full authenticity" as the purpose of his cultivation. Today, why can't those who learn and cultivate the Tao further carry forward the doctrine of preserving simplicity and achieving full authenticity and leave a simple and pure authenticity for later generations?
