What is The Taoism?

March 30, 2025 paulpeng

Taoism is an indigenous Chinese religion primarily practiced among the Han Chinese, though it has also spread to ethnic minority regions such as the Bai, Qiang, and Miao peoples, as well as to Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe.

Founded around the reign of Emperor Shun of the Eastern Han Dynasty (126–144 AD), Taoism has a history spanning over 1,800 years. It venerates Laozi (Lao Tzu) as its founder and regards the Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) as its central scripture. The core belief of Taoism is the "Tao" (Dao), understood as the origin of all things and the natural order governing the universe. The Tao is both a transcendent force and a personified entity—hence the saying, "Laozi is the Tao," elevating him as Taishang Laojun (The Supreme Lord Lao). Taoism also teaches that "De" (virtue) manifests the Tao in society, and only by cultivating virtue can one attain harmony with the Tao. Through moral living, good deeds, and spiritual practices, adherents seek longevity and even immortality as "xian" (transcendent beings).

Historical Development

Early Taoism split into two sects: the Taiping Dao (Way of Great Peace) and the Wudoumi Dao (Way of Five Pecks of Rice), both linked to peasant uprisings in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. The former was suppressed, while the latter was co-opted.

During the Tang and Song Dynasties, Taoism flourished after reforms. By the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Wang Chongyang and his disciple Qiu Chuji founded the Quanzhen School in northern China, emphasizing inner alchemy and monastic discipline. Meanwhile, the Zhengyi School, led by the Celestial Masters (Zhang Tian Shi) of Longhu Mountain, unified the Maoshan, Gezaoshan, and other ritual traditions. Both schools persist today with distinct lineages.

In the Ming Dynasty, the title "Celestial Master" was downgraded to "Zhenren (Perfected Being)." By the Qing Dynasty, imperial patronage ended, and Taoism declined.

Practices and Sects

Quanzhen Taoists: Monastic, vegetarian, and wear their hair in a topknot with a Hunyuan hat. They study the Tao Te Ching, Heart Sutra, and Classic of Filial Piety, blending Confucian and Buddhist ideas. They focus on meditative cultivation over rituals.
Zhengyi Taoists: Mostly lay practitioners who follow secular diets and attire but don Nine-Ridge Hats during ceremonies. They prioritize talismans (fu) and communal rites over ascetic training.