Does Taoism advocate gender equality?

  Taoism has always advocated gender equality.

Mr. Liu Zhongyu, a director of the Shanghai Association for Religious Studies, has made detailed discussions on this: "The respect for women in Taoism is very unique in Chinese traditional culture. This may be related to their inheritance of Laozi's thought that 'All things bear yin and embrace yang, and through the blending of qi, harmony is achieved.' In their ideal of immortals, female immortals have the same or similar status as male immortals. Female Taoists (nuns) can directly become immortals just like male Taoists." "The concept of marriage in Taoism, to a certain extent, reflects the ideological concept of gender equality. Especially in early Taoism, the concept of gender equality is particularly typical."

"The Taiping Jing believes that 'A woman going to her husband's home is like a man going to his official position, and she should obtain food and clothing.' That is to say, being a wife is like being an official and should enjoy 'emoluments.' Therefore, once the marital relationship is established, husband and wife should work together in production and labor to create a better life. 'When a woman goes to her husband's home, they should stand side by side, share the same heart, manage their livelihood, and jointly pass on the lineage of heaven and earth. Even after death, their bones and flesh will still be together. They should work together and thus obtain food and clothing.'

Moreover, this joint and coordinated labor is also an important factor in consolidating the marital relationship: 'If everyone earns their own food and clothing through their own efforts, then women will not have divided loyalties, and their minds will be focused on doing things without hesitation.' It is truly astonishing that this concept of equality between husband and wife based on joint labor can be found in Taoist classics more than 1,900 years ago."