key terms.

key terms that will be in frequent usage

Dao （道）- Called ‘Tao’ in Wade-Giles pinyin. Means ‘the way’ or ‘the path’. Sometimes loosely translated as ‘road’, though this isn’t seen so much in classical Chinese translations. For Confucians, Dao was a rather clear and known concept, especially in the context of moral understanding (i.e. social and ritual behaviour). Daoists, however, argue that Dao is a very different, almost abstract and mysterious. True Dao cannot be really defined, or its meaning will cheapen. For the sake of the reader, let’s call Dao the simple, natural way of things in the eyes of the Daoists. Often referred to as the way of order in the world.

Yin and Yang - Basically the poles of the universe, or the natural pairing of things. Yin is passive, dark, cool, feminine, soft, fall and winter. Yang is active, light, warm, masculine, hard, spring and summer. Nothing is ever completely yin or yang; everything is always ever changing, and yin and yang are no exception. Like how the seasons always change and cannot exist without the others. They are in complete harmony.

Ren - called 'jen' in Wade-Giles pinyin. The inner essence of a human being in Confucian concepts. Translated at times as the foundation of all virtues (goodness, love, benevolence, humanity, love, fellowship to fellow human beings).

Li - proper conduct, the rites and rituals of society. To Confucians, it is the way we ought to live our lives and how to conduct ourselves in society or to others.

Tian Ming - the Way of Heaven to Confucians. Not the same Heaven as in the Christian concept; heaven is more like a force that oversees the people, and responds to good virtue and responds badly when things go very badly against both ren and li.

Yi (righteousness) - Has two parts, what we “ought” to do and how we apply our ren to a situation. To Confucians, it is important to cultivate good yi in all concepts. It enables us to recognize which action is the right to do and then to go forth with it.

Wu Wei - action by non-action. In other words, letting life take its natural course with as little interference as possible and responding with equally natural reactions. One of the primary Daoist concepts. (Yuna herself is particularily fond of wu wei)

Ziran “of-itself-so”; spontaneousness, naturalness.