Taoism is a native religion in China. It has risen and fallen several times and has a long history, which is different from other foreign religions.
The teachings of Taoism are closely related to the local Chinese culture, have distinct Chinese characteristics, and have had a profound impact on all aspects of Chinese culture. How much do you know about Taoist culture? Do you know what the purpose of Taoism is?
Taoism, which originated in ancient China’s Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, is a multi-native religious form that worships many gods. Its main purpose is to become immortals, help the world and save people. It occupies an important position in ancient Chinese traditional culture and is also actively developing in the modern world.
Although Taoism has been one of the hundreds of schools of thought since the Warring States Period, it was not until the late Han Dynasty that an order came into being. Taoism deified Taoism, which was originally a moral philosopher. At that time, the Heavenly Teacher of Yizhou (now Sichuan) regarded Lao Tzu as the Supreme Old Monarch.
In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the religious form of Taoism was gradually perfected. Lao Tzu Li Er (Taishang Laojun) was the ancestor of the Tang Dynasty, and in the Tang Dynasty, Lao Tzu was honored as Emperor Taishang Xuanyuan, the ancestor of the Great Dao Yuan Que.
Taoism regards Lao Tzu as the supreme ruler of Taoism. Tao is the source of all things in the universe, and everything in the universe is transformed into Tao. The Tao Te Ching （《道德经》）says:
“Tao begets one, begets two, begets three, and begets all things.”
「道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物」。
“Xuangang”（《玄纲论》） also says:
“Dao, the system of nothingness, the root of creation, the foundation of gods, the essence of heaven and earth”.
「道者，虚无之系，造化之根，神明之本，天地之元」。
Dao is quiet and simple, inaction and selflessness, dominates all things without self-reliance, and is the natural nature of everything. Tao is the most perfect and noble virtue. People in society call people with high moral character “people with Tao” to admire Tao.
Taoism takes the “Tao Te Ching” as its ancestral sutra and takes Tao as the core of its belief. Taoist doctrinal thoughts, practice theories, and the study of health preservation, as well as important concepts such as advocating nature, quietness and inaction, lack of desire, kindness and frugality, deep-rooted, longevity and long-term vision, and returning to simplicity and truth, are all derived from the “Tao Te Ching”.
Therefore, Taoism takes Taoism as the core of its belief, and practices Taoism to improve oneself and others. Taoism takes “Tao” as its highest belief and believes that “Tao” is the origin of all things. In traditional Chinese culture, Taoism is a dominant theoretical doctrine along with Confucianism and Buddhism and seeks to practice the methods of becoming immortals.
