The Lunar Tao

The lunar calendar is a main pillar of Chinese tradition and culture, encompassing many festivals and stories. Though most explorations of Taoism take place within the realm of scripture, exercises, formal lectures, and meditation, this book looks to the lunar calendar and highlights where these festivals and stories coincide with Taoism. Each day of the lunar year is represented with a reading meditation, illustrations, and interesting facts about festivals and traditions, providing readers with the context that gives Taoism depth and resonance.

Unlike any other book, The Lunar Tao gives readers a new way to explore Taoism and shows readers a way to include the tenets of Taoism into daily life.

The book is a wealth of information:

• Chinese festivals
• Observations of the lunar calendar, including the birthdays and memorial days to the major Taoist gods and Buddhist figures.
• Original translations of some of China’s most famous poems, and discussions showing how they relate to a spiritual path.
• Passages showing how Taoism is intertwined with Confucianism and Buddhism.
• A Taoist meditation for each day of the year.
• Incorporation of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, the traditional division of the lunar calendar, and the qigong (breath training) exercises created for each term.
• Many photographs and illustrations, including photographs of Taoist rituals and locations in China. More than 400 illustrations.