Study On The History Of Daoyin Gymnastics Of Daoism

In recent years, the research of religion and science are gradually becoming a new hotspot in academy. As for China, the research of Daoism and science is also worth paying much attention because the relationship of Daoism and science is much tighter than the other religions. As we all know, China is famous for its ancient civilization, especially, for its ancient science and technology. In this aspect, Daoism had offered much contribution. For example, Daoist had invented or ameliorated various gymnastics that can be used to keep human's health or prolong their lives. The Daoyin gymnastics is one of the most important technologies. This dissertation focuses on the history of the Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism. So far, it is the first dissertation in this research field.The whole dissertation includes five parts as below:In the introduction of this dissertation, the research significance of this dissertation and the main books and papers related to the Daoyin gymnastics are firstly introduced. Then the research methods and the innovation points of this dissertation are mentioned. Finally, the definition of the Daoyin gymnastics and the Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism is given out after a series of reasoning.In the first chapter, the Chinese ancient Daoyin gymnastics of which appeared before the Eastern Jin is discussed. First, we should be clear that it is not Daoism in which the Daoyin gymnastics originated. In remote antique times when it was long before Daoism came into being, the Daoyin gymnastics had budded. Latterly, it was about in the War-states Period when the Daoyin gymnastics had become very mature. In the first part of the chapter, the basic phenomenon of the Daoyin gymnastics is reviewed according to the archaeological documents and the documents, which were handed down from ancient times. In the second part of the chapter, it is discussed what the original forms of the Daoyin gymnastics was, and what the climate and the geographical conditions when the Daoyin gymnastics was invented was, and what the cultural headspring of making the Daoyin gymnastics develop was.In the second chapter, the Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism from the Eastern Jin to the end of Tang Dynasty is discussed. Although most Daoists focused on the Wai alchemy外丹in this period, many Daoists still did much work on the Daoyin gymnastics. For instance, Ge Hong葛洪, Tao Hongjing陶弘景, Sun Simiao孙思邈, Sima Chengzhen司马承祯and Hu Yin胡愔, they are all famous Daoists, and they all made some contribution on the Daoyin gymnastics. In the Tang dynasty, the Daoyin gymnastics stepped onto one of its fastigiums. In the front five parts of the chapter, much textual research was made on many Daoyin methods导引法of the Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism. In the sixth part of the chapter, much theory on the Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism in this period was discussed.In the third chapter, the Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism from the Wudai to the Ming and Qing dynasties is discussed. Since the end of Tang dynasty, two changes had happened. One was that the thoughts of supernatural being of Daoism changed from standing aloof from worldly affairs to taking care of worldly affairs. The other was elixir-making that changed from focusing on the Wai alchemy to the Nei alchemy内丹.The changes also influenced on the Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism, especially, made some new-style Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism to be born, just as the Baduanjin八段锦, the Taiji quan太极拳and etc. The chapter includes four sections, and the representative Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism in this period was studied.Except for the above the four parts, the value of the Daoyin gymnastics of Daoism in modern times is discussed and prospected in the epilogue of this dissertation.