![]() Hoff argues that this knowledge is completely different from true wisdom, which is about understanding the inner nature of the world. He’s like all the Western scholars who try to study Taoism without really practicing it. Similarly, Owl cares so much about unimportant abstract knowledge (like how to spell “Tuesday”) that he distracts himself from the actual world. For instance, Rabbit always hatches clever, complicated, ill-fated plans, while Eeyore is so busy complaining that he can’t stop to enjoy himself. Pooh embodies this principle: he’s as calm, authentic, and uncomplicated as can be. The first is P’u, or the Uncarved Block, which means that things are the most powerful in their simple, natural form. In the following chapters, Hoff explains several key Taoist ideas. Only Lao-tse manages to enjoy the vinegar, because only Taoists truly understand and appreciate life. Hoff starts by telling Pooh about The Vinegar Tasters, a famous Chinese scroll that shows Confucius, Buddha, and Lao-tse (the founder of Taoism) tasting a vinegar that represents life. He demonstrates how people can live in accord with Tao, or “the Way of the Universe.” Hoff uses excerpts from the Winnie-the-Pooh books and imagined conversations with Pooh and his animal companions in order to illustrate how Taoist beliefs and practices can lead people down the path to wisdom, happiness, and self-improvement. He appreciates the world around him, lives in harmony with nature, and knows how to enjoy himself. While ancient Chinese religious traditions might seem totally unrelated to British children’s stories, Hoff argues that Pooh Bear is actually a modern Western Taoist. In The Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff uses Winnie the Pooh and his familiar cast of friends from the Hundred Acre Wood to illustrate the basic principles of Taoism.
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