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| The Way to Harmony: International Forum on the Daodejing |
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The Tao is the cultural code of ancient China. It is an ideal, an image of completeness, wisdom, power, and direction. In the West, the Tao represents a ray of light through the clouds. It is the logos, the truth, the life force, and a seed for the growth of culture. When West meets East, when all mankind pursues a harmonious world, the Tao, conveying common collective values, can serve as a bridge of passage, an exchange of spirit. Building a Harmonious World Through the Tao. 1. Rationale Traveling westwards, Laozi wrote his Taoism classic Daodejing. His five thousand words are concise but the connotations are most profound. Reviewing his teachings, one always gains new insights. His Tao is of the past, yet it is still a guide for today. The Daodejing is one of the most important carriers of traditional Chinese culture; it is a book that has more foreign-language versions than any other Chinese classic. Widely read throughout the world, it is acknowledged to rank among the great achievements of human civilization. For 2,000 years, philosophers, statesmen, strategists, writers, artists, scientists, and even average citizens have all learned from the Daodejing. Today, globalization is bringing unprecedented changes to the world. However, as mankind advances, he faces many grave challenges. Holding spontaneity as its core tenet, the Daodejing calls on us to embrace higher values, principles and attitudes: simplicity and truth in life; a spiritual sense of calmness; an indifference to fame and fortune; valuing frugality instead of extravagance; a commitment to lead a harmonious life; a reasonable ecology of harmony between man and nature; and an orientation to be contented with oneself more than the enjoyment of objects. In the Daodejing, Laozi said: Be content and there will be no disgrace. For people from every walk of life, the thoughts and wisdom incorporated in the Daodejing are useful to enable them to evaluate themselves properly, to understand the values of life, and to deal with their interpersonal relations and with their relations with society and nature. Since its very beginning, Taoism has respected Laozi as its founder, and his Daodejing as its fundamental classic. Ineluctably, Taoists are responsible for developing and spreading the founder's thoughts and serving contemporary society. During recent years, relations between the Taoists of Chinese mainland and the Taoists of Hong Kong have become increasingly close, and both sides have cooperated to carry out a series of large-scale activities. This year will mark the 10th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong to the motherland, and coincidently, at the ancient Louguantai Temple in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, an inauguration ceremony will be held for the expansion of Laozi's Preaching Platform. By synthesizing these great events, Taoists all hope to develop a vehicle that will research and spread the thoughts and wisdom in the Daodejing. And therefore it is with great pleasure that Taoists from the mainland and from Hong Kong announce that they have decided, together, to hold an International Forum on the Daodejing in Xi'an and Hong Kong in April 2007. From Xi'an, an ancient capital of China with a profound culture, to Hong Kong, a vibrant modern metropolis, there will be a spiritual pilgrimage and an intellectual and cultural banquet. 2. Dates April 22-27, 2007 3. Venues Xi'an, Shaanxi Province (April 22-24) 4. Purpose of the Forum The forum shall provide a unique opportunity for dialogue, for communication, among those who are interested in the Daodejing, who seek to study it, to explore it, or to apply its traditional wisdom, so that its rich insights and acumen can inspire human beings to solve their multiple and diverse problems. 5. Theme of the Forum The theme of the forum will be "Constructing a Harmonious World Through the Tao." Harmony gives expression to goodwill, fosters friendship, and engenders a common spirit of cooperation that the entire human race should embrace. A world of vast differences of creed, race, religion, economics, social development, and political structures can be safeguarded only by the spirit of such harmony. The Tao is the highest principle in the Daodejing. It is ever-present in time and space. "Harmony" is an important concept in the Daodejing. It is the nature of the Tao and the normal state of every thing. The Tao is a way to harmony. If one cultivates one's moral character with Taoism, one's soul will enjoy harmony. If everyone applies the principles of Taoism, society will become harmonious. If the world could be ruled by the Tao, all countries would live in harmony. In the Daodejing, the Tao is the highest principle. The Tao is ever-current in time and ever-present in space. 6. Topics of the Forum The forum will aim to expound the traditional wisdom of the Daodejing and thus foster a spirit of harmony. 7. Sponsoring, Organizing and Supporting Bodies China Religious Culture Communication Association The China Taoist Association The Shaanxi Organizing Committee for the International Forum on the Daodejing The Hong Kong Organizing Committee for the International Forum on the Daodejing Institute of World Religions, China Academy of Social Sciences
Xi'an: Hong Kong:
(China.org.cn April 19, 2007) |
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