concept
Chinese
The Tao
lit. “the way”
The fundamental, ungraspable principle underlying the universe — and the way of living in accord with it.
Origin
Central to Taoism, articulated in the Tao Te Ching attributed to Laozi (~6th–4th century BCE). The first line declares the paradox: 'The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.' Taoist practice emphasizes wu wei — effortless action that flows with rather than against the grain of things.
Modern usage
Used in self-help, design, and management to mean 'the underlying way' of any domain — 'the Tao of Pooh', 'the Tao of programming'. Often watered down.
Tags
taoism
way
philosophy