Daoism and Politics:
History and Resistance
"Daoism and Politics: History and Resistance" is suitable for upper-level undergraduates or graduate students in Religious Studies, Political Philosophy, or Asian Studies. This course explores the historical and philosophical interplay between Daoism and political structures, emphasizing moments of resistance and reclusion in Chinese history.
Course Title: Daoism and Politics: History and Resistance
- Course Level: Upper-level Undergraduate / Graduate
- Credits: 3
- Instructor: [To be determined]
- Prerequisites: Intro to Chinese Philosophy or consent of instructor
Course Description
This course investigates the dynamic relationship between Daoism (Taoism) and political life across Chinese history. While traditionally viewed as apolitical or escapist, Daoism has played complex roles in political theory, statecraft, and resistance. Through classical texts, historical case studies, and modern interpretations, students will examine how Daoism has shaped, subverted, and challenged political authority from ancient times to the present.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Understand the foundational principles of Daoist philosophy and their implications for political life.
- Analyze the historical role of Daoism in imperial China, including its entanglements with state power.
- Explore Daoism as a mode of political resistance and personal autonomy.
- Evaluate how Daoist themes manifest in contemporary political discourse and ecological thought.
- Develop critical perspectives through primary texts, secondary scholarship, and independent research.
Weekly Topics
Week 1: Introduction — Daoism and the Political Question
Overview of Daoism; key terms: Dao, wu wei, ziran, and their potential political implications.
Week 2: Laozi’s Dao De Jing — Philosophy of Withdrawal or Subversion?
Close reading and political interpretations of foundational Daoist text.
Week 3: Zhuangzi — Relativism, Freedom, and Anarchism
Exploring Zhuangzi's skepticism of authority, hierarchy, and conventional knowledge.
Week 4: Early Daoist Communities and Political Utopias
The ideal society in Daoist thought; comparisons with Confucian and Legalist visions.
Week 5: Daoism in Han Dynasty Statecraft
The co-optation and transformation of Daoist ideas in Han cosmology and governance.
Week 6: Rebellion and Daoism — The Yellow Turban Uprising
Religious Daoism as revolutionary force during late Han chaos.
Week 7: Daoism Under the Tang and Song Dynasties
State sponsorship vs. sectarian autonomy; institutional Daoism and court politics.
Week 8: Inner Alchemy and Political Quietism
The turn inward as resistance; metaphysical sovereignty and personal cultivation.
Week 9: Mongol and Ming Period — Daoist Strategies of Survival
Daoist adaptation, accommodation, and subtle resistance under foreign and native dynasties.
Week 10: Daoism and Ecology — Nature as Resistance
Modern environmentalist readings; critique of techno-political domination.
Week 11: Daoism in 20th-Century Chinese Revolutions
Suppression, survival, and reinterpretation during Republican, Communist, and Cultural Revolution eras.
Week 12: Contemporary Daoism and Political Thought
Modern Chinese identity, ecological activism, and new Daoist movements.
Week 13: Daoist Political Theory in Comparative Perspective
Daoism in dialogue with Western anarchism, liberalism, and postmodernism.
Week 14: Student Presentations and Research Projects
Individual or group presentations on selected topics.
Week 15: Conclusion and Reflections
Reassessing Daoism’s role in the political imagination; future research directions.
Texts and Readings
Primary Texts:
- Dao De Jing, trans. D.C. Lau or Roger Ames and David Hall
- Zhuangzi, selections from Burton Watson or Brook Ziporyn
- The Way and Its Power, Arthur Waley (supplemental)
Secondary Readings (excerpts and articles):
- Chad Hansen, A Daoist Theory of Chinese Thought
- Benjamin Elman, Classicism, Politics, and Kinship
- Russell Kirkland, Daoism: The Enduring Tradition
- James Miller, China’s Green Religion
- Harold Roth, “Daoist Inner Alchemy and the Rejection of the Political Realm”
Assignments and Evaluation
- Weekly Reading Responses (20%)
- Midterm Essay (5–7 pages) (20%)
- Seminar Participation and Discussion Leadership (15%)
- Research Paper (10–15 pages) (30%)
- Final Presentation (15%)