Wu Wei: the act of non-action (Poster and Handbook)
wu wei
Wu Wei or “non-action” is a central concept in Taoism, that communicates how the universe works and how as individuals we should act accordingly, in order to achieve total harmony with the universe.
Wu Wei or “non-action” is a central concept in Taoism, that communicates how the universe works and how as individuals we should act accordingly, in order to achieve total harmony with the universe.
It is said that once an action or practise becomes second nature to us, it means that we have attainedWu Wei , where action of it becomes non-action, or simply, applying effort till it becomes effortless.
In ancient Taoist texts, Wu Wei is associated with water through its yielding nature. Water is soft and weak, but it can move earth and carve stone.
I feel that I wanted to bring light to the philosophy of Taoism, as over the years it has often been misinterpreted as a religion and has lost its true meaning. The Chinese population in Singapore at large has been losing sight of history and culture, especially one that concerns their own race and origin.
back to basics.
One of the simplest and most basic form of capturing the concept of Wu Wei in Taoism, is the act of Calligraphy. This simple and common practice to most Chinese individuals (especially as young children), is at the same time a form of art in its highest form.
Practice makes perfect is the phrase that is usually associated with it and at the same time, perfection when attained is truly effortless to the individual.
Hence, using a public performance of Calligraphy as a lead point, we can draw in people to this simple yet complex form of art, which still astounds us today.
communication
By creating a contemporary look and feel for publicity efforts to bring awareness to such a performance will help dispel the myth of Calligraphy being “old-fashioned” and irrelevant to the society.
Aside from that, an important component will be the handbook handout that is to be given out during the performance. Inside the handbook, the sense of balance and harmony is explored in the layout of the content. Selected verses that depicts Wu Wei and the nature of water are extracted and translated.
The interesting thing about the verses, is how they can be interpreted differently by individuals depending on their experiences. Ultimately, it teaches everyone of us ways to align ourselves in harmony with the universe and with oneself.
Watch the following Wu Wei Trailer:
