|
Nature Spirits Elementals
Ancient Cultures Chinese
The Dao De Jing, a book
regarding the Way and its virtue, served as a source of inspiration for Chinese
artists, calligraphers, gardeners, painters and poets. The Dao De Jing mainly
emphasized Yin (female) values like the fluidity of water, softness and seeking
knowledge of the unseen mystifying aspects of life.
Poetic Garden design blended the Chinese arts of landscaping,
painting and poetry to provide a peaceful haven for spiritual nourishment and
reconnection with the Natural World. Typically there was a soft water central
pond with carp, goldfish, and mandarin ducks that reflected the ever changing
sky.
Reminiscent of ancient ways of living, Poetic Gardens
like the one depicted in the picture below symbolized a return to virtuous
idealism and compassionate kindness. Daoists (Taoists) believed that people were by nature, good, and that one should be kind to others
simply because such treatment will probably be reciprocated.
The goal of
everyone was to become one with the Dao (Tao). Insights came from
living the Dao rather than book knowledge. The concept of Humility, for
instance, referred to the observable fact that the more you learned, the
more you realized how much you do not yet understand.
Return to Top
Daoist sages pursued a
long life and virtual immortality by seeking mystical union with the great
patterns of Nature and its Dao. Becoming nameless, formless and simple, they
gained virtuous power. They believed that one should plan any action in advance and achieve it
through minimal action.
Earlier Heaven was an ideal
state of existence where everything was in harmony, concurrence and accord and
united together in its connection to the Dao. Later Heaven was the nature of the
phenomenal world in which there was discord, conflicts, disputes, dissension and
where the Dao had been forgotten.
Wu Wei was non-active, non-volitional
living, where by doing less one accomplish more. Rather than thrashing around in
the frothy rapids, the intuitive sage stood like a rock in the river while the
eddies and currents flowed all around. They also believed that people should develop virtue and seek compassion, moderation, and humility.
Chinese virtues worthy of
emulation included Chung, Hsiao, Jen, Li, Xin and Yi. Chung was the virtue of loyalty, fidelity, dedication and commitment to the state. Hsiao
was the virtue of love within family matters that encompassed love of parents for their
children, of children for their parents and love among family members.
Next
Back
Return to Top
 Read
Nature Spirits Elementals Fairies Beliefs Traditions Articles
Aboriginal Nature Spirits,
Air Sylphs,
Air Sylphs Assist Aurora Depiction,
Alchemical Elements,
Alchemical Elements Depiction,
Alchemical Four Grades of Fire,
Alchemy Nature Spirits,
Älvorna Elves Depiction,
Bækhesten Brook Horse,
Batukamma Festival Flower Arrangement Depiction,
Brownies
Celtic Nature Spirits,
Children of the Moon Goddess,
Chinese Nature Spirits,
Chinese Poetic Garden,
Chinese Poetic Garden Depiction,
Chinese Tea Scholar Statue,
Dandelion Depiction,
Dandelion Flower Deva,
Daoism Nature Spirits,
Daoist Nature,
Deva Flora,
Deva Flora Depiction,
Devas Shining Ones,
Deva Wind God Aeolus Depiction,
Di Penates,
Divine Alchemy,
Divine Farmer,
Divine Forest,
Druidic Otherworld,
Druidry Nature Spirits,
Dwarfs
Earth Gnomes,
Elves,
Elves Circle Dance Depiction,
Fair Fairy Face Depiction,
Fairies,
Fairies Circle Dance Depiction,
Fairies Looking Through Gothic Arch Depiction,
Fairies Prepare Magical Gateway Depiction,
Fairies Spring Equinox Gathering Depiction,
Fairies Toadstools Circle Dance,
Fairy Dance Depiction,
Fairy Hosts Celebrate Midsummer's Eve Depiction,
Fairyland Depiction,
Fairy Wood Depiction,
Feriae Festivals,
Fire Salamanders,
Five Elements,
Flower Fairies,
Flower Fairies Pixies Wood Elves Banquet,
Four Kinds Elemental Beings,
Four Kinds Nature Spirit Tribes
Futarasan Jinja Depiction,
Futarasan Jinja Kami,
Garden Gnomes Statues,
Gate Pines New Year Kadomatsu Depiction,
Germanic Gnome Hall Depiction,
Germanic Gnomes,
Germanic Nature Spirits,
Germanic Treelore,
Goshintai Kami Body,
Grass Elves,
Hamadryad Wood Elf Depiction,
Heathen Hallowed Traditions,
Heathenry Nature Spirits,
Herb Root Classic,
Hibiscus Depiction,
Hibiscus Flower Deva,
Hinduism Nature Spirits,
Holly Depiction,
Holly Flower Deva,
Iwasaka Stones,
Japanese Divine Forest,
Japanese Garden Designs,
Japanese Nature Spirits,
Jinja Shrines Sacred Groves,
Kami,
Kami Kamidana,
Kami Kamidana Depiction,
Kami Way Guji Kannushi Depiction,
Kami Way Sacred Grove Depiction,
Kumano Shinto Shrine Depiction,
Kumano Shinto Shrine Mountains,
Landscape Ancestral Spirits,
Landvaettir,
Lararium Shrine,
Lares and Penates,
Lars,
Leprechauns,
Lily Fairy Depiction,
Mahadevas,
Magician's Winter Garden Depiction,
Matsuri Kami Festivals,
Metal Element,
Morning Glory Depiction,
Morning Glory Flower Deva,
Natural World,
Natural World Celtic Locket,
Natural World Eucalypti Forest Depiction,
Nature Reserve Giant Panda,
Nature Spirit Numen,
Nemeton,
Nisse Household Nature Spirit Depiction,
Nixe Rhinemaidens,
Nymphs,
Oread Oenone,
Paganism Nature Spirits,
Penate Patron Goddess Oenone Depiction,
Pixies,
Pongal Harvest Festival Depiction,
Roman Nature Spirits,
Roman Numina,
Sacred Grove Depiction,
Sacred Groves,
Scandinavian Tomte,
Seaside Elves,
Shichi-Go-San Kami Passage Rites,
Shintoism Nature Spirits,
Shinto Spirituality of the Forest,
Silver Birch Treelore Depiction,
Sól Sun Goddess,
Sunflower Depiction,
Sunflower Flower Deva,
Tomte Brownie Depiction,
Tomte Forest Children Depiction,
Tree Spirits,
Undine Mermaid Depiction,
Undine Nature Spirit Depiction,
Undine Water Nymphs Depiction,
Water Undines,
Way of the Dao,
Way of the Kami,
Wood Element,
Wood Elves,
Wood Nymphs Depiction,
Yellow River Mother Huang He Statue,
Yggdrasil World Tree,
Yorishiro Cedar Tree Depiction,
Yorishiro Hallowed Trees
Return to Top
|
