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The Modern Reception and Interpretation of Daoism in East Asia...
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The Modern Reception and Interpretation of Daoism in East Asia and the West: A Comparative Perspective (19th–21st Centuries)

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Humanities/Philosophies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 October 2025) | Viewed by 5728

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Kaspars Klavins

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. School of Marxism, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
2. Department of Asian Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Latvia, LV-1586 Rīga, Latvia
Interests: philosophy of religion; philosophy of science; East Asian cultures; East–West intercultural studies; history
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lihua Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Marxism, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Interests: European history; history of the Eastward spread of Western learning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which addresses a topic of growing contemporary relevance: the comparative significance, role, and interpretations of Daoism in both East Asian and Western modern thought. Despite its profound philosophical and religious heritage, Daoism continues to be misunderstood in the West, often being conflated into a singular framework that merges its philosophy, religious traditions, and longevity- or immortality-seeking practices. A critical gap remains in evaluating how Daoist philosophy—rooted in ancient China—has been understood in Western existentialist thought, such as in the works of Martin Heidegger. The level of awareness and comprehension of Daoist nuances among Western thinkers has often been taken at face value, without sufficient scrutiny. Similarly, in East–West intercultural studies, the challenges of Daoism for East Asian intellectuals attempting to synthesize Eastern and Western spiritual traditions into new societal models, as seen in the work of scholars like Kang Youwei, are often not sufficiently taken into account. Modern interpretations of Daoism are often examined in isolation, without a comprehensive dialogue between Western and East Asian perspectives. Yet, Daoism has continued to play a significant role in modern intellectual discourse, from Sun Yat-sen to 20th- and 21st-century philosophers, politicians, and scientists in China, Korea, and Japan. Another concern is the oversimplification of Daoism, where it is frequently reduced to an esoteric "health philosophy" or associated with supernatural martial arts techniques, as popularized in Western and Asian pop culture and cinema since the countercultural movements of the 20th century. These representations often bear little connection to the original Daoist teachings. Furthermore, the true influence of Daoism on Western modern science—including its potential intersections with quantum mechanics—remains largely unexplored. Likewise, its impact on 20th- and 21st-century East Asian philosophy, including its role in Chinese Marxist dialectical studies, has not yet received sufficient scholarly attention. This Special Issue seeks to address these gaps by fostering a deeper, interdisciplinary exploration of Daoism’s evolving role in global intellectual history. We welcome contributions that engage with these themes from historical, philosophical, religious, and cultural perspectives.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: 

  • Esoteric interpretations of Daoist alchemy in the West and the East;
  • The integration of Daoism in the works of modernization theorists of East Asian societies;
  • Interpretations of Daoism in Western philosophy and popular culture;
  • The connection of Daoism with East Asian dialectical philosophy and its reception in East Asian Marxist works;
  • Evaluations of the role of Daoism in Western exact sciences.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor, Prof. Dr. Kaspars Klavins (kaspars.klavins@lu.lv), and CC the Assistant Editor, Margaret Liu (margaret.liu@mdpi.com) of Religions. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

A tentative timeline:
Deadline for abstract submission: 1 May 2025
Deadline for full manuscript submission: 1 October 2025

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Kaspars Klavins
Dr. Lihua Li
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • daoism
  • philosophy
  • existentialism
  • dialectics
  • alchemy
  • modernization
  • science
  • spirituality

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

34 pages, 574 KB  
Article
Across Eurasia’s Middle Ages: “Women’s Weaving” Motif in Daoism and Christianity
by Jing Wei and Lifang Zhu
Religions 2026, 17(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17010030 - 27 Dec 2025
Viewed by 231
Abstract
This article undertakes a cross-cultural comparative inquiry into the motif of “women’s weaving” in medieval Daoism and Christianity. Although the two traditions developed with minimal historical contact, both elevate women’s textile labor into a central metaphor for cosmogenesis, sacred order, and individual salvation. [...] Read more.
This article undertakes a cross-cultural comparative inquiry into the motif of “women’s weaving” in medieval Daoism and Christianity. Although the two traditions developed with minimal historical contact, both elevate women’s textile labor into a central metaphor for cosmogenesis, sacred order, and individual salvation. Nevertheless, their hermeneutic trajectories diverge in essential ways. Working within a tripartite analytical framework (intellectual roots, artistic images, ritual practices) to argue that Daoism interprets “women’s weaving” as a proactive technique of transformation and nurture, based on a cosmology of immanent huasheng lun. In this reading, the image is affiliated with the cosmic creativity of nüxian, the inner transformation of their body, and the autonomous pursuit of transcendence. By contrast, within Christianity’s transcendent theological horizon of creatio ex nihilo, “women’s weaving” is configured primarily as an ethical discipline of responsive obedience, closely tied to the mystery of the Incarnation, the imitatio Dei, and communal spiritual exercises and charity under monasticism. The cross-cultural resonance of this motif, I contend, is grounded in the “men’s ploughing and women’s weaving” economic formation, patriarchal gender order, and shared symbolic cognition; its decisive bifurcation arises from contrasting deep cultural structures—namely, cosmology, conceptions of the body, soteriology, and church–state arrangements. Through this micro-case, the article further argues that the sacralization of secular gender roles constitutes an agentic cultural choice, one that indexes distinct civilizational pathways in understanding creation, nature, the body, and freedom. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Modern Reception and Interpretation of Daoism in East Asia and the West: A Comparative Perspective (19th–21st Centuries))
14 pages, 275 KB  
Article
From Technological Alienation to Spiritual Homecoming: Zhuangzi’s Affective Philosophy in Conversation with Western Emotion Theories
by Leishu Wang
Religions 2025, 16(12), 1570; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16121570 - 14 Dec 2025
Viewed by 402
Abstract
As emotion becomes increasingly digitized, there is a growing risk that computational systems may overreach, shaping or managing affect in ways that undermine human autonomy. This study builds a cross-cultural dialog between Daoist affective philosophy and Western theories of emotion to address this [...] Read more.
As emotion becomes increasingly digitized, there is a growing risk that computational systems may overreach, shaping or managing affect in ways that undermine human autonomy. This study builds a cross-cultural dialog between Daoist affective philosophy and Western theories of emotion to address this problem. By comparing their assumptions about emotional life—what emotions are, how they should be guided, and what counts as appropriate intervention—the paper develops a set of ethical principles for the design of affective technologies. Through textual analysis and a historical–conceptual review, the study identifies three safeguards drawn from Daoist thought—minimality, autonomy, and reversibility—and translates them into practical guidance for data use, system behavior, and user interaction. A brief case from Finland’s well-being initiatives illustrates how these principles can redirect technological design toward supporting inner balance and self-directed regulation rather than external control. The paper’s contribution lies in offering a clear boundary ethics for affective computing, showing how Daoist ideas of moderation and self-cultivation can help prevent emotional alienation while still allowing technological systems to enhance human well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Modern Reception and Interpretation of Daoism in East Asia and the West: A Comparative Perspective (19th–21st Centuries))
19 pages, 302 KB  
Article
The Making of “Taoïsme” in 18th–19th Century French Scholarship
by Yu Zhang, Xiaolan Zhou and Jingyi Liu
Religions 2025, 16(12), 1546; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16121546 - 9 Dec 2025
Viewed by 385
Abstract
This study examines how eighteenth- and nineteenth-century French scholarship constructed the concept of “Taoïsme” and shaped the modern understanding of Daoism. Early European representations, influenced by missionaries and Enlightenment thinkers, emphasized Confucian rationalism while portraying Taoist thought as mystical or superstitious. In the [...] Read more.
This study examines how eighteenth- and nineteenth-century French scholarship constructed the concept of “Taoïsme” and shaped the modern understanding of Daoism. Early European representations, influenced by missionaries and Enlightenment thinkers, emphasized Confucian rationalism while portraying Taoist thought as mystical or superstitious. In the nineteenth century, the rise in philological methods and historical contextualization allowed Taoist texts to be studied systematically, leading to clearer distinctions between philosophical Daojia and religious Daojiao. By the early twentieth century, ethnographic and textual approaches further grounded the study of Taoism in historical and cultural reality. The shift from Taoism to Daoism reflects both a terminological refinement and a broader epistemological transformation toward more rigorous, context-sensitive, and historically informed scholarship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Modern Reception and Interpretation of Daoism in East Asia and the West: A Comparative Perspective (19th–21st Centuries))
23 pages, 482 KB  
Article
The Reception and Reconstruction of Daoism in the Chinese Diaspora of Singapore (1880s–1930s)
by Qi Zhu and Minzhi Zhu
Religions 2025, 16(12), 1541; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16121541 - 8 Dec 2025
Viewed by 560
Abstract
This article investigates how Daoism evolved into a source of moral order and cultural continuity in Singapore from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century. Drawing on inscriptions, canonical texts, and Chinese-language newspapers, it traces the transformation of Daoism from an official [...] Read more.
This article investigates how Daoism evolved into a source of moral order and cultural continuity in Singapore from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century. Drawing on inscriptions, canonical texts, and Chinese-language newspapers, it traces the transformation of Daoism from an official cult into a social ethic amid the decline of the imperial ritual system and the emergence of new communal spaces among overseas Chinese. Confronted with the modern distinction between “civilization” and “superstition,” Chinese residents in Singapore reinterpreted Daoist teachings and reshaped ritual practices to meet changing social conditions. These reinterpretations found expression in education, philanthropy, and public ceremonies, linking religious practice with civic responsibility. Rather than fading under modern influences, Daoism acquired new forms of vitality through everyday practice and local cooperation. The Singapore case demonstrates that Southeast Asian Chinese communities were not peripheral to Daoism’s modern transformation but decisive arenas in which its discourse and ritual were recast into civic institutions of education, moral regulation, and communal order, thereby shaping one of the key trajectories through which Daoism entered modern public life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Modern Reception and Interpretation of Daoism in East Asia and the West: A Comparative Perspective (19th–21st Centuries))
15 pages, 563 KB  
Article
Representation of Daoist Knowledge Based on Philological Readings: An Analysis of Robert Henricks’ English Translation of Guodian Laozi
by Xiaoxiao Xin, Pan Xie and Qinling Wang
Religions 2025, 16(12), 1519; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16121519 - 2 Dec 2025
Viewed by 538
Abstract
Robert Henricks’ Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching: A Translation of the Startling New Documents Found at Guodian marks a milestone in Daoist studies and translation history as the first complete English translation of the Guodian Laozi. However, systematic research on Henricks’ version [...] Read more.
Robert Henricks’ Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching: A Translation of the Startling New Documents Found at Guodian marks a milestone in Daoist studies and translation history as the first complete English translation of the Guodian Laozi. However, systematic research on Henricks’ version remains limited, particularly regarding its philological foundation and translation strategies. Drawing on the concept of representation, this paper addresses the gap through a descriptive case study of Henricks’ work. By examining Henricks’ philological readings of dating, authorship, chapter divisions, textual variants, and philosophical thoughts, the study shows how he reconstructs and represents Daoist knowledge embedded in the Guodian Laozi. The findings suggest that Henricks, as both a translator and researcher, integrates rigorous philological studies with extensive paratexts, producing a version that both faithfully represents the text and offers new insights into its formation and philosophy. His translation has demonstrated the necessity of philological approaches for rendering Daoist and other ancient Chinese classics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Modern Reception and Interpretation of Daoism in East Asia and the West: A Comparative Perspective (19th–21st Centuries))
17 pages, 297 KB  
Article
A Daoist-Inspired Critique of AI’s Promises: Patterns, Predictions, Control
by Paul D’Ambrosio
Religions 2025, 16(10), 1247; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16101247 - 29 Sep 2025
Viewed by 984
Abstract
Contemporary discussions of AI are often framed according to generally held assumptions which have largely escaped serious critical analysis. For instance, those who promote AI tout its predictive prowess: powerful algorithms fed massive amounts of data are able to discover knowable patterns that [...] Read more.
Contemporary discussions of AI are often framed according to generally held assumptions which have largely escaped serious critical analysis. For instance, those who promote AI tout its predictive prowess: powerful algorithms fed massive amounts of data are able to discover knowable patterns that can accurately forecast the behaviors in anything from individual movie preferences to financial markets. Armed with this type of knowledge we can then use AI, the hope goes, to be more objective in our ethical practices. And most seriously, we must extend this to the way we develop AI, not only do we want AI to function ethically, but we caution ourselves that if Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), superintelligence, or anything like the “singularity” is ever developed, it should be positively aligned with human values. Reflecting on these positions from the perspective of classical Daoism gives us reason to pause. While Daoist texts also assume there are patterns in the world which one can successfully go along with, they are not enthusiastic about the rational or knowable nature of these patterns—rather, they encourage us to appreciate them as fundamentally complex and mysterious. In this article, some Daoist attitudes are also concretely applied to ethical considerations, which cannot easily be controlled or known, much less put into code. Inspired by Daoist texts, we might cultivate an attitude less filled with hubris than humility, where we are allowed more space from which we can reflect on how we think about AI. Many of the most pressing issues associated with AI could, in fact, be significantly alleviated simply by shifting the way we think about, use, and develop these technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Modern Reception and Interpretation of Daoism in East Asia and the West: A Comparative Perspective (19th–21st Centuries))
16 pages, 347 KB  
Article
Dao in Transition: Comparative Reflections on Laozi’s Italian Translations in the Interwar Period
by Filippo Costantini
Religions 2025, 16(8), 983; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16080983 - 29 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1435
Abstract
The development of Daoism in Italy is deeply connected to how its classical texts were received and circulated. Although Italian Christian missionaries were among the earliest Western commentators on Daoism, significant Italian engagement with Daoist works only emerged in the 20th century. During [...] Read more.
The development of Daoism in Italy is deeply connected to how its classical texts were received and circulated. Although Italian Christian missionaries were among the earliest Western commentators on Daoism, significant Italian engagement with Daoist works only emerged in the 20th century. During the first half of that century, Italian publishers released six translations of the Laozi, three partial translations of the Zhuangzi, and several general works on Daoism. This surge of interest was influenced by two major 19th-century developments: the rise of sinology as an academic field in France, which spurred European scholarly interest in Chinese culture, and the spread of international esoteric and occult movements, which drew heavily from Eastern philosophies. This paper focuses on two important Italian translations of the Laozi from the interwar period—Julius Evola’s 1923 translation and Attilio Castellani’s 1927 version. These translations exemplify the dual influences of academic sinology and esoteric movements on the Italian reception of Daoism. By comparing these works, this paper highlights how Daoist ideas were introduced and interpreted in Italy, shaped both by the translators’ personal backgrounds and their distinct intellectual aims, thus revealing the varied contexts in which Daoism was received in early 20th-century Italy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Modern Reception and Interpretation of Daoism in East Asia and the West: A Comparative Perspective (19th–21st Centuries))
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