The Three Teachings
unified philosophies of Classical China
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Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism are collectively known as the Three Teachings.
Most Chinese follow aspects of all three schools without any problem. This 16th century
rubbing represents the unity of those three traditions.
In this picture, one head is composed of three different faces, representing (reading
from the viewer’s left) Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The composite figure
holds a scroll and the robes form a circle, alluding to continuity, the cyclical nature of
life, and the yin-yang symbol.
The title might be translated loosely as “Songshan Shaolin Temple, Picture of the
Universal Original Three Teachings and Nine Schools.” The Nine Schools (as written
in the text) are Agriculture, Mohists, Names, Legalist, Diplomatist, Minor Talks,
Yin-yang, Medicine, and Eclectic. The inscription on the back states that the carving
was made in the Ming Dynasty, Jiajing forty-fourth year (1565).
We have so much to learn from the Three Teachings. It’s really a wonderful invitation.
We can enter from whichever aspect most appeals to us—and then we can find oneness.
-- Deng Ming-Dao, 2019
This viewpoint became standard among the well-educated
early in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
It was presaged in the late 900s by Korea's "Go-un" Choi Chi-won in the late 900s
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