From Local Tradition to Global Spirituality: the Modern Evolution of Taoism

Abstract

In the mid 20th century, Taoism was considered by most scholars and intellectuals to be a virtually dead tradition, a tangle of superstitions whose last remnants were destined to be soon swept into the dustbin of history by the triumphant forces of modernization. Fifty years later, such a verdict turns out to be premature: while Taoism remains institutionally weak, its ritual traditions have not only experienced a revival in rural China, but have been integrated within transnational circuits of practices and ideas linking Chinese and diasporic societies. Taoist-related body cultivation traditions have enjoyed new waves of popularity, not only in China, but also among growing numbers of Europeans and North Americans. This paper will present an overview of the evolution of Taoism since the 20th century, considered in light of sociological concepts of modernity and globalization. It will show how elements of Taoist tradition which focus on the nurturing of the body easily lend themselves to be recast in terms of a modern quest for individual selfhood and authenticity rooted in embodied experience. In the absence of strong orthodox institutions, these symbolic and technical elements of Taoist tradition have been freely exploited by a wide range of groups and spiritual entrepreneurs, both in China and abroad. Taoism is thus becoming a reservoir of cultural resources for the religious productions of global modernity.