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emists and the later nature…poets of the Yangste…Kiang。 We should not even ignore those speculators on Reality who doubted whether a white horse was real because he was white； or because he was solid； nor the Conversationalists of the Six dynasties who； like the Zen philosophers； revelled in discussions concerning the Pure and the Abstract。 Above all we should pay homage to Taoism for what it has done toward the formation of the Celestial character； giving to it a certain capacity for reserve and refinement as 〃warm as jade。〃 Chinese history is full of instances in which the votaries of Taoism； princes and hermits alike； followed with varied and interesting results the teachings of their creed。 The tale will not be without its quota of instruction and amusement。 It will be rich in anecdotes； allegories； and aphorisms。 We would fain be on speaking terms with the delightful emperor who never died because he had never lived。 We may ride the wind with Liehtse and find it absolutely quiet because we ourselves are the wind； or dwell in mid…air with the Aged one of the Hoang…Ho； who lived betwixt Heaven and Earth because he was subject to neither the one nor the other。 Even in that grotesque apology for Taoism which we find in China at the present day； we can revel in a wealth of imagery impossible to find in any other cult。
But the chief contribution of Taoism to Asiatic life has been in the realm of aesthetics。 Chinese historians have always spoken of Taoism as the 〃art of being in the world；〃 for it deals with the presentourselves。 It is in us that God meets with Nature； and yesterday parts from to…morrow。 The Present is the moving Infinity； the legitimate sphere of the Relative。 Relativity seeks Adjustment； Adjustment is Art。 The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings。 Taoism accepts the mundane as it is and； unlike the Confucians or the Buddhists； tries to find beauty in our world of woe and worry。 The Sung allegory of the Three Vinegar Tasters explains admirably the trend of the three doctrines。 Sakyamuni； Confucius； and Laotse once stood before a jar of vinegarthe emblem of lifeand each dipped in his finger to taste the brew。 The matter…of…fact Confucius found it sour； the Buddha called it bitter； and Laotse pronounced it sweet。
The Taoists claimed that the comedy of life could be made more interesting if everyone would preserve the unities。 To keep the proportion of things and give place to others without losing one's own position was the secret of success in the mundane drama。 We must know the whole play in order to properly act our parts； the conception of totality must never be lost in that of the individual。 This Laotse illustrates by his favourite metaphor of the Vacuum。 He claimed that only in vacuum lay the truly essential。 The reality of a room； for instance； was to be found in the vacant space enclosed by the roof and the walls； not in the roof and walls themselves。 The usefulness of a water pitcher dwelt in the emptiness where water might be put； not in the form of the pitcher or the material of which it was made。 Vacuum is all potent because all containing。 In vacuum alone motion becomes possible。 One who could make of himself a vacuum into which others might freely enter would become master of all situations。 The whole can always dominate the part。
These Taoists' ideas have greatly influenced all our theories of action； even to those of fencing and wrestling。 Jiu…jitsu； the Japanese art of self…defence； owes its name to a passage in the Tao…teking。 In jiu…jitsu one seeks to draw out and exhaust the enemy's strength by non…resistance； vacuum； while conserving one's own strength for victory in the final struggle。 In art the importance of the same principle is illustrated by the value of suggestion。 In leaving something unsaid the beholder is given a chance to complete the idea and thus a great masterpiece irresistably rivets your attention until you seem to become actually a part of it。 A vacuum is there for you to enter and fill up the full measure of your aesthetic emotion。
He whohad made himself master of the art of living was the Real man of the Taoist。 At birth he enters the realm of dreams only to awaken to reality at death。 He tempers his own brightness in order to merge himself into the obscurity of others。 He is 〃reluctant； as one who crosses a stream in winter； hesitating as one who fears the neighbourhood； respectful； like a guest； trembling； like ice that is about to melt； unassuming； like a piece of wood not yet carved； vacant； like a valley； formless； like troubled waters。〃 To him the three jewls of life were Pity； Economy； and Modesty。
If now we turn our attention to Zennism we shall find that it emphasises the teachings of Taoism。 Zen is a name derived from the Sanscrit word Dhyana； which signifies meditation。 It claims that through consecrated meditation may be attained supreme self…realisation。 Meditation is one of the six ways through which Buddhahood may be reached； and the Zen sectarians affirm that Sakyamuni laid special stress on this method in his later teachings； handing down the rules to his chief disciple Kashiapa。 According to their tradition Kashiapa； the first Zen patriarch； imparted the secret to Ananda； who in turn passed it on to successive patriarchs until it reached Bodhi…Dharma； the twenty…eighth。 Bodhi…Dharma came to Northern China in the early half of the sixth century and was the first patriarch of Chinese Zen。 There is much uncertainty about the history of these patriarchs and their doctrines。 In its philosophical aspect early Zennism seems to have affinity on one hand to the Indian Negativism of Nagarjuna and on the other to the Gnan philosophy formulated by Sancharacharya。 The first teaching of Zen as we know it at the present day must be attributed to the sixth Chinese patriarch Yeno（637…713）； founder of Southern Zen； so…called from the fact of its predominance in Southern China。 He is closely followed by the great Baso（died 788） who made of Zen a living influence in Celestial life。 Hiakujo（719…814） the pupil of Baso； first instituted the Zen monastery and established a ritual and regulations for its government。 In the discussions of the Zen school after the time of Baso we find the play of the Yangtse…Kiang mind causing an accession of native modes of thought in contrast to the former Indian idealism。 Whatever sectarian pride may assert to the contrary one cannot help being impressed by the similarity of Southern Zen to the teachings of Laotse and the Taoist Conversationalists。 In the Tao…teking we already find allusions to the importance of self…concentration and the need of properly regulating the breathessential points in the practice of Zen meditation。 Some of the best commentaries on the Book of Laotse have been written by Zen scholars。
Zennism； like Taoism； is the worship of Relativity。 One master defines Zen as the art of feeling the polar star in the southern sky。 Truth can be reached only through the comprehension of opposites。 Again； Zennism； like Taoism； is a strong advocate of individualism。 Nothing is real except that which concerns the working of our own minds。 Y