Personal Tao Final Project
Students will select a variety of ways to respond to the Tao Te Ching and produce
a “Personal Tao” Portfolio Writing Project. This is a final project, and should
reflect your strongest writing, critical, and creative thinking skills.
Type or NEATLY handwrite in INK.
Portfolios need to have the following items to be considered complete at the
proficient level (max score 85%) 85/100 points:
 An attractive cover
 A table of contents
 An introduction page
o Explain what the Tao Te Ching is and its impact on Chinese culture
and history.
o Explain what kind of writings you chose, and what you hope the
reader will learn, experience, and/or appreciate from your project.
 4 writings of choice
 3 illustrations or images to complement your writing and reflect themes
o Original artwork (drawings or photography)
o If using historical artwork, you must cite it. How to cite artwork is
here: http://citesource.trincoll.edu/mla/mlaartwork_003.pdf
 1 Tao quote response (select a quote or paradox from the Tao, and explain
its significance and meaning, the questions it raises, important theme, or
image it presents)
To be considered exemplary (max score 100%) 100/100 points, include 3
additional pieces of writing or artwork that reflect your understanding of
the Tao. This can be in creative, explanatory, or persuasive writing form.
You can select additional choices, or develop your own prompts.
CHOICES:
A: (Creative) Write an original poem inspired by the Tao. You can use the template inspired by Chapter
15 to get your creative mind started, but feel free to expand upon the format or create your own.
Poems must have a balance between concrete and abstract nouns. Poems should be at least 7 lines
long.

Start your first line similar to #15:
The [subject of your poem] are [adjective] and [adjective].

Following lines can take this form:
[Abstract Noun] , as if (action) a [concrete noun].
[Abstract Noun] , like a [concreate noun].
B: (Social Studies-Politics) “He who values the world as much as he values himself, can be
entrusted with the ruling of the world” (Chapter 13). Relate this quote to now. What does the
statement mean? Why (or why not) is this an important idea? Can you relate this to a leader,
government official, or ruler, either past or present? Write a well-developed persuasive
paragraph. You can also bring in other quotes from the Tao that relate to leadership to discuss.
C: (Science-Environment) Being in harmony with nature is a major theme in the Tao. Do a bit of
research into China’s environmental challenges, and connect what you find to lines from the
Tao. Here is one article to get you started: http://www.livescience.com/27862-chinaenvironmental-problems.html What advice does Lao Tzu give in regards to living in harmony
with nature? How does this contradict with what is currently happening in China? Write a welldeveloped explanatory paragraph.
D: (Narrative Option) A theme of the Tao is cultivating inner “peace”. Write a short narrative
that richly describes a time and place where you felt completely at peace or describe the
essential conditions you need to be at peace, or when you were so absorbed with what you
were doing, you hardly noticed the time.
E: (Analysis) Consider common American values, and write a well-developed persuasive
paragraph that shows how Americans could benefit from considering and adapting some of the
principles of the Tao Te Ching. Choose an American value to explain how it is either in harmony
or conflict with the message in the Tao.
F: (Analysis) The character of the “saint” appears frequently in the Tao. Who is he/she? What
are the qualities and goals of the saint? How are they achieved? How is the saint like a wise
person or “sage”? Use at least 3 direct quotes from the Tao to explain your analysis.
G: (Creative Writing) There is little known about the author of the Tao Te Ching (Lau Tzu or
Laozi), although he is an important figure in China. Write a descriptive, creative short story that
expands upon a legend associated with him. Find information to get you started here.
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Laozi
H: (Persuasive) Two important symbols of the Tao are water and the willow tree.
Water is the softest of all things, yet is able to cut deeply into rock hard surfaces.
Water, thus, illustrates the paradoxical nature and the power of the Tao. Willow trees
are large and imposing trees whose strength lies not in their brittleness but in their
yielding nature. Because they are flexible, they are not destroyed by high winds.
Thus, both water and the willow tree symbolize the strength to be found in softness
and pliability, a central theme in Taoism.
Explain how someone could benefit from following the message behind the symbols
of water and the willow tree. Quote direct lines that illustrate the message, and try
to connect to a specific situation that you or someone you know has experienced.
I: (Creative Analysis) Connect a theme of the Tao with another song or poem. Type the
lyrics or lines of the poem side by side with a chapter from the Tao. Highlight key words
and phrases. Explain the thematic or stylistic connection between the two.
J: Create a mandala design that represents your personal values. Include at least one
quote from the Tao as a caption, or embedded into the mandala design.
K: Create your own prompt! Write the question, topic, or task that your writing
accomplishes as the title or heading.