Basic Concepts E3 | Foundations of Eastern Philosophy: Dao, Yin-Yang, and the Elements

Foundations of Eastern Philosophy: Dao, Yin-Yang, and the Elements

Explore the fundamental concepts of Chinese philosophy that underpin all xianxia stories - from the primordial Dao to the intricate relationships between the Five Elements

🎙️ Listen to the full episode on Xianxia Podcast for detailed explanations and visual references

Key Cultural Concepts

Dao (道) [dow]

The Way, the source of all being. Similar to the concept of Logos in Greek philosophy.

Wu Xing (五行) [woo-shing]

The Five Elements system: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth. More complex than Western classical elements.

Ba Gua (八卦) [bah-gwah]

Eight Trigrams representing fundamental principles of reality. Like binary code, but for the universe itself.

Tian Gan Di Zhi (天干地支) [tyen-gan dee-jr]

Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches, used for calendrical and divinatory purposes. Similar to a combination of zodiac signs and celestial coordinates.

Discussion Questions

• • Which element would you choose for cultivation and why?
• • How do you see yin-yang balance reflected in modern life?
• • What parallels do you see between these concepts and other philosophical systems?
• • How might understanding these concepts change your reading of xianxia stories?