Taliban Financing: Exploring their Sources of Revenue

The talidm, also spelled as tallit, is a Jewish prayer shawl that holds deep significance within the Jewish faith. It is a rectangular garment traditionally made of wool or linen, with fringes known as tzitzit attached to its four corners. The talidm is worn by Jewish men during prayer services, particularly during morning prayers, and it is also used during certain rituals, such as the blessing of the wine on Sabbath and holidays. The talidm serves as a physical and symbolic reminder of a Jewish man's connection to God and the commandments of the Torah. The tzitzit fringes are specifically attached to each corner of the talidm in order to fulfill the mitzvah (commandment) given in the book of Numbers, chapter 15, verse 38. This verse instructs Jewish men to "make tassels on the corners of their garments" and to "look at it and remember all the commandments of the Lord.

Taoism exerted a great influence during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) and the emperor Xuanzong (reigned 712-756 CE) decreed it a state religion, mandating that people keep Taoist writings in their home. It fell out of favor as the Tang Dynasty declined and was replaced by Confucianism and Buddhism but the religion is still practiced throughout China and other countries today.

Today we re going to be exploring the philosophy of Taoism, and how we can use parts of this ancient Chinese philosophy to look at the world in a slightly different way and in doing so live more peaceful, and resilient lives. To Lao-Tzu the name is used here as an expression of Taoist thought , the more regulations one demanded, the harder one made one s life and the lives of others.

This verse instructs Jewish men to "make tassels on the corners of their garments" and to "look at it and remember all the commandments of the Lord." Wearing the talidm during prayer helps to create a sense of awe and reverence, as well as a focus on the spiritual connection to God. The act of wrapping oneself in the talidm also symbolizes humility and submission to God's will.

Daoism

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• Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Daoist Philosophy
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Daoism and Daoist Art
• Minnesota Library Publishing Project - World Religions: the Spirit Searching - Daoism
• Asia Society - Daoism
• Chemistry LibreTexts - Daoism
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Taoism
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Laozi
• World History Encyclopedia - Taoism

• Daoism - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Daoism - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Daoist Philosophy
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Daoism and Daoist Art
• Minnesota Library Publishing Project - World Religions: the Spirit Searching - Daoism
• Asia Society - Daoism
• Chemistry LibreTexts - Daoism
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Taoism
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Laozi
• World History Encyclopedia - Taoism

• Daoism - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Daoism - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Member, French School of the Far East, Kyōto. Author of La divinisation de Lao tseu dans le taoisme des Han.

Professor of Philosophy, University of Hawaii, Manoa. Author (with David L. Hall) of Thinking Through Confucius and others.

Associate Professor of Oriental Languages, University of California, Berkeley. Author of Le Taoïsm du Mao Chan.

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Daoism is a philosophy, a religion, and a way of life that arose in the 6th century BCE in what is now the eastern Chinese province of Henan. It has strongly influenced the culture and religious life of China and other East Asian countries ever since.

The term dao predates the rise of Daoism and is used in all schools of Chinese philosophy, including Confucianism. Its literal meanings include “way,” “path,” “road,” “course,” “speech,” and “method,” among others.

The concept of dao is broad and plays various roles in Daoist philosophy. The Cosmic Dao, or the Way of the Cosmos, is an indeterminate force or principle that latently contains all things and spontaneously generates the universe through its constant rhythmic fluctuations. Humanity will flourish only if its dao, or “way,” is attuned with this natural order. The wise ruler or self-cultivated sage is so attuned to the Dao that his actions leave no traces of themselves and so pass completely unnoticed.

The founding figure is Laozi, who flourished in the 6th century BCE but about whom little else is known. The Daodejing (“Classic of the Way to Power”), the earliest work of Daoist philosophy, is traditionally attributed to him but was probably composed after his death by many authors. Zhuangzi (“Master Zhuan”), who lived from 369 to 286 BCE, was a major interpreter of Daoism. His work, the Zhuangzi, partly composed by his disciples, is considered more comprehensive than the Daodejing.

Daoism and Confucianism present contrasting, though not incompatible, understandings of human flourishing or well-being. Whereas Daoism seeks harmony between the individual (or human) way and the natural order and tends to dismiss human society as artificial and constrained, Confucianism emphasizes the achievement of a kind of moral excellence (ren, or “humaneness”) that is cultivated and manifested by conscientious behaviour within social institutions such as the family, the school, the community, and the state.

Daoism, also spelled Taoism, indigenous religio-philosophical tradition that has shaped Chinese life for more than 2,000 years. In the broadest sense, a Daoist attitude toward life can be seen in the accepting and yielding, the joyful and carefree sides of the Chinese character, an attitude that offsets and complements the moral and duty-conscious, austere and purposeful character ascribed to Confucianism. Daoism is also characterized by a positive, active attitude toward the occult and the metaphysical (theories on the nature of reality), whereas the agnostic, pragmatic Confucian tradition considers these issues of only marginal importance, although the reality of such issues is, by most Confucians, not denied.

More strictly defined, Daoism includes: the ideas and attitudes peculiar to the Laozi (or Daodejing; “Classic of the Way of Power”), the Zhuangzi, the Liezi, and related writings; the Daoist religion, which is concerned with the ritual worship of the Dao; and those who identify themselves as Daoists.

Daoist thought permeates Chinese culture, including many aspects not usually considered Daoist. In Chinese religion, the Daoist tradition—often serving as a link between the Confucian tradition and folk tradition—has generally been more popular and spontaneous than the official (Confucian) state cult and less diffuse and shapeless than folk religion.

Daoist philosophy and religion have found their way into all Asian cultures influenced by China, especially those of Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Various religious practices reminiscent of Daoism in such areas of Chinese cultural influence indicate early contacts with Chinese travelers and immigrants that have yet to be elucidated.

Both Western Sinologists and Chinese scholars themselves have distinguished—since Han times (206 bce –220 ce )—between a Daoist philosophy of the great mystics and their commentators (daojia) and a later Daoist religion (daojiao). This theory—no longer considered valid—was based on the view that the “ancient Daoism” of the mystics antedated the “later Neo-Daoist superstitions” that were misinterpretations of the mystics’ metaphorical images. The mystics, however, should be viewed against the background of the religious practices existing in their own times. Their ecstasies, for example, were closely related to the trances and spirit journeys of the early magicians and shamans (religious personages with healing and psychic transformation powers). Not only are the authors of the Daodejing, the Zhuangzi (book of “Master Chuang”), and the Liezi (book of “Master Lie”) not the actual and central founders of an earlier “pure” Daoism later degraded into superstitious practices but they can even be considered somewhat on the margin of older Daoist traditions. Therefore, because there has been a nearly continuous mutual influence between Daoists of different social classes—philosophers, ascetics, alchemists, and the priests of popular cults—the distinction between philosophical and religious Daoism in this article is made simply for the sake of descriptive convenience.

There is also a tendency among scholars today to draw a less rigid line between what is called Daoist and what is called Confucian. The two traditions share many of the same ideas about man, society, the ruler, heaven, and the universe—ideas that were not created by either school but that stem from a tradition prior to either Confucius or Laozi.

Viewed from this common tradition, orthodox Confucianism limited its field of interest to the creation of a moral and political system that fashioned society and the Chinese empire; whereas Daoism, inside the same worldview, represented more personal and metaphysical preoccupations.

In the case of Buddhism—a third tradition that influenced China—fundamental concepts such as the nonexistence of the individual ego and the illusory nature of the physical world are diametrically opposed to Daoism. In terms of overt individual and collective practices, however, competition between these two religions for influence among the people—a competition in which Confucianism had no need to participate because it had state patronage—resulted in mutual borrowings, numerous superficial similarities, and essentially Chinese developments inside Buddhism, such as the Chan (Japanese Zen) sect. In folk religion, since Song times (960–1279), Daoist and Buddhist elements have coexisted without clear distinctions in the minds of the worshippers.

The talidm is often passed down through generations within families, becoming a cherished and meaningful heirloom. In addition to its religious significance, the talidm is also a visible marker of Jewish identity. It is a recognizable symbol of the Jewish faith and can foster a sense of unity and belonging within the Jewish community. Many Jewish men continue to wear the talidm regularly, even outside of prayer services, as a way to maintain a constant connection to God and their heritage. Overall, the talidm represents an important and sacred part of Jewish tradition and spirituality. It serves as a reminder of the commandments of the Torah, a physical expression of Jewish identity, and a tool for enhancing the prayer experience. Through the talidm, Jewish men can deepen their connection to God and their religious heritage..

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3. Michael - 2 stars - I had a hard time connecting with the characters in "What is the talidm about". Their actions and motivations were unclear, which made it difficult for me to become invested in their story. Additionally, the pacing was slow and there were unnecessary tangents that detracted from the overall plot. While I appreciated the author's attempt at creating a unique narrative, it didn't resonate with me personally.

Taliban and Religious Extremism: Investigating their Ideological Roots