V. S. KUZNETSOV

Doctor of Historical Sciences Institute of the Far East of the Russian Academy of Sciences

China Keywords: Taoism, Lao Tzu and philosophy of modern management

Daojiao, Taoism ¹... Behind this concept, which goes back to the treatise of the ancient thinker Lao-tzu "Tao te ching" (VII century BC), there is a whole world of original ideas of the spiritual and everyday life of the Han people, ethnic Chinese. A very significant example is that in Taiwan, the first day of the Lunar New Year is considered the Day of Taoism.

Taoism is many-sided and ubiquitous, it is diverse in its manifestations, both clearly visible to the outside eye, and not coming to the surface, lurking in the depths of human consciousness.

In the mountains of Qingyuanpan (Sichuan Province), a majestic statue appears from afar on one of the rocks. This is the image of Lao Tzu carved in stone. The traveler sees an impressive head size. Not like J. Rodin, where his famous "Thinker" is represented in the tense thought process of the flesh. "The body has nothing to do with this," the unknown sculptor seems to suggest. "Just the head. It is the essence of this personality, designed to understand and explain to others the laws of a perfect world order."

The Chinese keep numerous legends and legends about the unusual behavior of Lao Tzu in everyday life and his quirks. One of them was captured by the famous Chinese artist Xu Beihong (1895-1953). Following a well-established tradition, he depicted the thinker riding on a cow, facing the tail. The painter imagined Lao Tzu not just sitting on an animal, but preoccupied, judging by the expression on his face, with some important thought. The organizers of the exhibition at the Xu Beihong Museum (Beijing), accidentally or not, next to the picture where Lao Tzu sits on a cow, hung a canvas with the image of a tiger frozen in tension, as if it smelled prey. And one gets the impression that Lao Tzu does not care about the beast guarding the prey, he is all in his thoughts.

Long before the appearance of Xu Beihong's painting, the statue of Lao Tzu, the creation of an unknown sculptor, was located in the Bei Yun Guan Temple in Beijing, where it was delivered by the will of the Tang sovereign Xuanzong (713-756). By his order, the tomb of Lao Tzu was also built here.

DAOSHI AND DEITIES OF THE TAOIST PANTHEON

Taoist monasteries and chapels can be found today both in cities and far from populated areas. A small temple in the mountains of Jingipan (Liaoning Province) had to travel a long way from the city of Anshan. The road led higher and higher, narrowing and winding between the mountain steeps. Stupas remain behind-monuments of the Buddhist cult. The very location of them-below the Taoist chapels, as if retrospectively reminds that Buddhism came to China after Taoism. Passing the stupas, we go up a narrow path to the Taoist monastery. At the entrance, something like a banner or poster. The inscription says that this is a "vanguard". In the sense of carrying out socially useful activities in accordance with the criteria of the country's leadership. This is also a reflection of the realities of modern socio-political life in the PRC: Taoism, like other religions, is designed to serve society in our time.

In a small room, we are kindly greeted by a young Daoshi (priest) with a knot of hair on the back of his head. He's wearing a white robe. I've seen Daoshi in black robes before. I ask the owner what's the matter. - "We wear dark clothes when there is a service. I'm free now."

In honor of the guests, the friendly host performed a Taoist melody. He placed a musical instrument like our psaltery on his lap and plucked the strings lightly. Sounds poured out, evoking feelings of something hitherto unknown.

The situation was different in Lanzhou, in the Taoist temple of Bai Yun Guan (also called the temple in Beijing). We pass through a flowery archway. There is a slight tart aroma of incense burners. A pile of ash grows inaudibly in the vat. And this room is somewhat like a shop: the figure of Daoshi darkens in a large opening. He has the manner of a crafty clerk. Briskly sells pieces of paper with predictions. Several young men were gathered to receive them. They unfold notes and read them. Judging by the expressions on their faces and the rap-

likes, satisfied. "It will certainly be so!" - says the seller of predictions. After reading the note, some smile contentedly, others are confused: What should I do? To encourage at least for a while - this is the meaning of the deeds of a daoshi fortune teller. It is more accessible and familiar in China than a doctor-psychologist.

Taoism goes far beyond ordinary utilitarian significance.

With its spiritual authority, Taoism promoted the deification of real people who had certain merits, and the memory of them enriched the ordinary consciousness of the Chinese. On one of the streets of Anshan stands a temple revered by Taoists. As I entered the side area, I noticed a lot of signs with good wishes to the god of war. During his lifetime, it turns out, he was a successful military leader and therefore included in the Taoist pantheon.

Since we are talking about the god of war, we will mention this circumstance. In Taoist temples, small and large statues of saints are armed. Thus, it seemed to me, the sculptors convey one of the features of the Taoist attitude - he is ready to stand up for himself and for his followers. Daoshi explained: "The weapons of the Taoist saints are not meant to show the martial nature of Taoism. It only symbolizes strength, valor, the ability to fight and win."

Female deities are no exception. The main goddess is the guardian of the gates of life, opening or closing them for people, by virtue of her merits, sitting in a separate room of the Dongyue temple, armed with a bow and arrow. With the toes of her elegant feet, she draws a tight bowstring.

Through the efforts of Daoshi, one of the popular Han Chinese goddesses is still the patroness of the sea workers. When she was alive, she was a simple girl. On a whim, she appeared where her father was dying from the sea element, and saved him, for which she was deified as the goddess Ma-tzu.

Taoism was originally a response to the spiritual needs of the ancient Han Chinese. Mental attitude, features of the mental warehouse-a very conservative and irrational phenomenon.

The birth of a child is, according to the average Han Chinese, not only the fruit of the coitus of two principles, yang and yin (male and female), but also the benevolence and ultimately the work of the goddesses of the Taoist pantheon, the "Givers of children". In one of the villages in the vicinity of Fuzhou, I happened to see their statues in a local temple. Unpretentiously sculpted clay figurines of women, painted in different colors. They embody their mission-to promote the continuation of the human race: some with rounded bellies, others with babies in their arms.

PLACES OF WORSHIP AND CEREMONIES

Daoshi invariably cover the activities of the laity. According to the beliefs of the Han Chinese, with the end of a person's earthly existence, his soul goes to another world. Daoshi, as the Han believe, are able to communicate with the souls of the deceased and pacify them. Qing Ming-Memorial Day-is celebrated everywhere.

For example, on the pages of the Taiwanese edition of Free China review², a photo was published where Daoshi in colorful clothes performs a pacification ceremony for the souls of people who died from a fire in one of the houses in Taipei.

If today the Taoists act as intermediaries between those who live on earth and souls who live in another world, then some of the Taoist brethren seriously thought about achieving eternal life for people. This opportunity was supposedly provided by the Taoist elixir of life, which was based on cinnabar.

One of the directions of Taoist pharmacology put forward the postulate of "internal mercury" as the core of the human body's vital activity. This teaching about the "inner mercury" was secret, and its precepts were passed down by word of mouth. Therefore, the level of our knowledge does not allow us to reveal its meaning in the fullness of this teaching. According to Taoist authorities, "inner mercury" behaves differently in the body of men and women. The passion for mercury in order to gain immortality has cost the life of more than one person.

The Taoist places of worship visited vary in size and significance. You find only one Daoshi somewhere - you remember our skits. Some don't even call it a temple. And there are, I was told, real hermits. You can't reach them.

Another thing is to get to the Bai Yun Guang Temple, already in Beijing. Once outside the fence, it's like

you find yourself in a different world. You can't hear the intense pulse of life in the metropolis: the noise of cars, people's discord. The sight of young men in short trousers pulled tight at the knees and white stockings is like taking a fleeting trip to the past.

On the territory of the monastery is the "Taoist Society of China" - the governing body of the denomination, one of the five officially recognized in the PRC, as well as a higher educational institution, the Taoist spiritual academy. What is taught within its walls, what is the program-it was not possible to find out, as well as what they feed the flesh of the Taoists. In front of the entrance to the dining room, which is located in the courtyard of the monastery, there is a warning sign: "No trespassing allowed."

If Bai Yun Guan gives off the decorous style inherent in the seat of the confessional hierarchy, then another Taoist temple in Beijing, Dongyue Chao, leaves a different impression. It is designed for mass visits of people and has become a place of crowded gatherings. Traditional holidays were celebrated here: the Spring festival or the lantern festival, the harvest festival, and fairs were organized (for example, smoking).

In Taoist ceremonies, the deities are offered five items: incense, lamps, flowers, water, and fruit. By burning incense, people believed that the smoke rises up and can reach the heavens. The Taoist principle of burning incense and lighting lamps is intended to symbolize that light will overcome darkness, and good will overcome evil.

Among the online recommendations that are very popular in the Dongyue Chao Temple, we can mention the following:

"Hit the golden eye." "There is a large copper coin hanging in front of the statue of the god Dongyue. They say you will have a son if you throw a coin in hole ³.

"Wash your eyes in the basin." "There are two large basins in front of the east and west wash basins. They are said to have been used by the god Dongyue and his consort. If your eyes hurt, you need to wash in these basins - and the disease will not happen.

"Touch the bronze mule." "It's not really a mule, but a supernatural animal called a Te. He has the head of a horse, the body of a mule, the tail of a donkey, and the legs of a cow. If you have something that hurts, you need to touch this place to the mule, and it will heal.

"Take the child hanging in the Guang qi shen Hall." "In ancient times, if wives were barren for a long time, they would come here and ask for a child. There were many clay figurines of children hanging in this hall. After the incense was burned, a Taoist cleric packed the baby figure. After that, you could take it with you. When leaving the temple, they say, you had to go straight ahead and not turn around. At home, the clay child brought from the temple was to sing songs and play with him. And then you will have a child of your own.

- "Tie the rope in Yuelao Hall" (the full name of this supernatural being is Yuelaozhen). - It was considered the organizer of marriages. If someone was having trouble establishing a personal life, they should have burned their incense in front of them and tied a colored rope around their body. And your wish will come true.

The interior of the monastery courtyard in question reflects the complex spiritual world of those who honored the precepts of Taoism and contributed to its attractive power.

Here the stone turtles stood motionless in place. They only seemed to have the strength to stretch their necks. The weight of the stone stelae mounted on their backs seems to be so heavy that it seems to have pinned them to the ground. In this position, they are unable to move, have been motionless for centuries, and their bodies have turned gray from time to time.

These man-made creatures witnessed many of the events that took place in the courtyard of the temple, and will become eyewitnesses of the future ones.

THE PATH OF SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL SELF-DEVELOPMENT

Taoism, as a native Han religion, has had a comprehensive impact on the spiritual culture of China in all its manifestations, including in various areas of creative activity. One example of this is the theater. The extraordinary fates and deeds of Taoist saints and celestials provided rich material for stories. It should be added that playwrights themselves were often fervent followers of the precepts of Taoism and in their work tried to reflect the complex world of experiences of those who believed in the Tao, the highest absolute law of existence.

Taoism provided not only plot material, but also spiritual guidance. The leitmotif of traditional Chinese drama is the Taoist dogma of self-improvement. Theatrical performances reflect the commandment about maintaining the vital activity of the human body through a set of physical exercises of qigong.

In Beijing, at a fork in the road not far from the hotel where I was staying, as the evening approached, I found myself on the edge of the city.

in a small patch, a gaggle of smart-looking women diligently perform intricate exercises to the accompaniment of a simple musical instrument and the voice of a manager who beats the beat. The Daoshi mindset of strengthening the body lives and works.

And in the halls and courtyard of the Dongyue Temple, the activity subsides with the end of the day. I happened to be there when people gathered to honor the memory of Qu Yuan, a virtuous man of ancient times. It was crowded and noisy. On this memorable day, it is customary for Han Chinese to prepare chunzi, a kind of glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves. Loud cheers rang out at the venue where the rapid chunzi crafting competition was taking place. As the evening approaches, the guests leave. Only permanent residents remain: statues of deities and stone turtles calmly wait for people to come here again to pray and burn incense, asking for favors from those who, as they believe, are able to give them. Those in power cannot satisfy all requests.

It remains to rely on divine providence.

TAOISM AS A MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY

Taoism is sensitive to the burning problems of human existence.

The realities of modern life, in particular, the problem of environmental pollution, encourage Taoist authorities to take them into account. So, in Taiwan, local residents burn so-called paper money during the month of spirits. This is an old tradition of the Chinese, and it lives to this day. Burning a huge amount of paper money pollutes the atmosphere. Refusal of this custom, as believers believe, will offend the spirits. A compromise solution in some areas of Taiwan was seen in burning paper money that is less polluting to the environment. Taoist priests insist that such money will be pleasant to the gods.

Lao Tzu's philosophical judgments go beyond religious practice. And recently, Lao Tzu's ideas have attracted the attention of Chinese scientists and politicians as a practical guide for management. Recently, a government-sponsored management conference was held in China. A key item on the forum's agenda was the application of Taoism to management and entrepreneurship in the 21st century.

When the Jiangsu provincial authorities launched an offensive campaign to recruit new high-level administrators at the beginning of this century, examinees were asked to explain the relationship between Lao Tzu's judgment and the philosophy of modern management as a key question.

"Taoism as a management philosophy fits well with modern economic reforms in China. It offers Chinese businesses a way to better utilize the country's greatest advantage - human resources,"^the China Daily wrote. This is how an ancient tradition finds new life in modern China.

Anshan-Hangzhou-Moscow

¹ Taoism is one of the main areas of ancient Chinese philosophy and the national religion of China. According to tradition, the founder of Taoism is considered to be Lao Tzu (Li Er, Lao Dan, Li Boyan, Lao Lai-tzu, born in 604 BC), but its most important thinker was Chuang Tzu (369-286 BC).The teachings of Taoism are set forth in treatises named after these thinkers (the treatise "Lao Tzu" is better known as "Tao te Ching"). At present, most scholars come to the conclusion that the treatise "Chuang Tzu" appeared around the III century BC, approximately at the same time as "Lao Tzu", and therefore the dating of the emergence of Taoism moves from the VI-V centuries BC (as previously thought) to IV-III centuries BC The initial idea of Taoist philosophy is the doctrine of the Tao ("The Way") - the primary basis and regularity of the existence of all things. Tao is both the substance-basis and the eternal, natural and universal law of the spontaneous emergence and development of the universe, man and society. As the mysterious totality of the Universe, the Tao is present in everything, but it is not limited to anything individual, is not known by the mind, and is not expressed in words. Tao is also considered as the generative principle of all things - the "mother" of the Celestial Empire, and acts as a synonym for a single world whole-Da kuai ("Great Lump"). In Taoism, man is perceived as a microcosm and is an eternal substance. With the death of the physical body, the spirit dissolves into the universal "pneuma". Immortality is achieved by merging with the Tao (the foundation of all things on Earth and in the universe) as a source of life through religious contemplation, breathing and physical exercises, sexual hygiene, alchemy and other points of the developed Taoist system of self-development. Man is considered by Taoists as the abode of numerous spirits, an accumulation of divine forces. The hierarchy of heavenly spirits corresponded to the system of corporeal spirits. Spirits in the sky keep track of a person's good and bad deeds and determine the length of their life -http://relig.info

^{Free China review,} 2 November 1992, p. 78.

³ Traditionally in China, coins were made with holes. It was in a huge coin hanging in front of the statue of the god Dongyue.

⁴ "Doing Nothing" to Win. Taoist Philosophy Can Improve Corporate Management // China Daily. March 6, 2002.

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