Taoist diet
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While there are many different historical and modern schools of Taoism, with different teachings on the subject, it is safe to say that many Taoists regard their diet as extremely important to their physical, mental and spiritual health in one way or another, especially where the amount of qi in the food is concerned.
History
Early Taoist diets were very different from present-day ones. While present-day Taoist diets call for eating lots of grains, ancient diets called for the eating of no grains at all. This was because early Taoists believed the rotting of the grains in the intestines attracted demonic creatures known as the 'three worms.' These demons loved eating decaying matter in the intestines in the hope that they could kill the person and devour his corpse.[1] In fact, early Taoists advocated eliminating most foods from their diet. An early Taoist text, the Taipingjing, suggests that people "live on air", and that is best to be satiated without eating solid food. In effect, it suggests that people eat non-corporeal food such as qi.[2]
Present Day
Basic Guidelines
A Taoist diet could focus on:
Increase intake of the following:
- Whole grains and products made with them
- Vegetables (ideally organic and seasonal)
- Fruit (not tropical; dried fruit is very good, and only what is in season)
- Seeds and nuts
- Tofu and soy
- Herbs (although herbal usage is normally carefully prescribed)
- Tea
Decrease intake of the following:
- Red meat (which can be difficult to digest)
- Refined products (such as white sugar, flour, and bread)
- Artificial additives/preservatives of any kind
- Dairy products (such as cheese, yogurt and cream, with the exception of the milk of running animals, in the winter)
- Cold drinks and foods (outside consumption in the summer months)
Everyday Meals
For regular eating Taoists believe in eating a frugal diet that is based primarily on cereals. Meals are served in order of seniority, with the elders being served first, and the youngest last. Every three, five, ten or fifteen days, some families will also observe a periodic vegetarian feast.[3]
Festivals
The regular diet is enhanced by the frequency of festivals which take place at least every ten to fifteen days. Each festival was associated with a certain kind of food. For example, the New Year’s festival’s special food is rice cake. During the Dragon Boat festival, it is steamed dumplings and glutinous rice packed in bamboo leaves, and during the Mid-Autumn Festival the special food is mooncakes. These festivals also give Taoists the opportunity to eat far more than their diet usually proscribes. Rich food such as meat and wine is also a part of these festivals.[4]
Herbs
Some Taoists practice herbalism in their diets. Taoists believe that using different herbs in their food can help increase the positive energy in their bodies, and that by mixing two herbs with opposite effects they can decrease the negative energy and increase the positive energy (see Yin and Yang).
References
- Chang Ming Diet Sheet can be found here: [1]Chang Ming Diet
- Discussion forum including basic principles and recipes on Taoist Diet here: [2]Taoist Diet discussion forum.
- Kohn, Livia. The Taoist Experience: An Anthology. Albany: SUNY, 1993.
- Saso, Michael R., A Taoist Cookbook: With Meditations Taken from the Laozi Daode Jing, Tuttle, 1994. (ISBN 0-8048-3037-1)
- Schipper, Kristofer. The Taoist Body. Berkeley: University of California, 1993.
- The Tao of Long Life by Chee Soo published by [3]Seahorse Books 2006.
- http://www.ncahf.org/articles/o-r/pcrm.html
- Welch, Holmes and Anna Seidel, eds.Facets of Taoism: Essays in Chinese Religion. New Haven: Yale University, 1979.