Reproducing the Taoist Internal Map with VR: Moving Taoist Philosophy from Abstraction to Sensory Experience
摘要
Taoist philosophy, with its profound insights into the origin of life and the universe, has received increasing academic interest. However, the intricate metaphors used to describe human life energy cycles poses challenges for public understanding (Wang 2012). This poster explores how virtual reality (VR) can serve as a visualization tool to make Taoist concepts more accessible. The interior diagram of Taoism is a figurative representation of the cycle of human life energy. The interior diagram of Taoism is a figurative representation of the cycle of human life energy. Taoism teaches that there are three fundamental forms of human energy: essence (jing), Qi, and spirit (shen). The normal circulation and balance of these three forms are crucial for maintaining human life and health. While these metaphors encapsulate deep philosophical meaning, they remain elusive to most audiences. By leveraging the immersive and dynamic visualization capabilities of VR (Ajinkya 2024), this research reconstructs the Taoist interior diagram in an interactive, panoramic 360-degree environment (Young 2018). Participants embody an energy form within this virtual world, experiencing the transformative processes of “refining qi,” “refining qi into spirit,” and “refining spirit into emptiness.” This experiential journey allows audiences to intuitively grasp the flow and transformation of life energy, bridging the gap between abstract Taoist theory and tangible understanding.