At a Glance

Taoism is a philosophical and religious tradition that focuses on living in harmony with the Tao (meaning "way," "path" or "principle"). The tao denotes something that is both the source and driving force behind all existence. The key work of Taoism is the Daodejing, a compilation of teachings attributed to Laozi. Coupled with the writings of Zhuangzi, this comprises the philosophical foundation of Taoism. Taoism is not inherently institutionalized, although institutionalized forms sprung up over time. Taoist schools traditionally feature a reverence for Laozi, immortals or ancestors, along with a variety of divination and exorcism rituals for achieving longevity or immortality.

Taoism tends to emphasize various themes from the Daodejing and Zhuangzi such as naturalness, spontaneity, simplicity, detachment from desires and, most importantly, wu wei (action without action). Though concepts of the key texts these still cannot be equated with Taoism as a whole, for Taoist beliefs include teaching based on various sources. Different branches have differing beliefs, deities and pantheons. For example, popular Taoism typically presents the Jade Emperor as the head deity whereas Intellectual Taoists present Laozi and the Three Pure Ones at the top. The pantheon tends to mirror Imperial China's bureaucracy as deities may be promoted or demoted for their actions.

This vague definition reflects the fact that Taoism has never been a single practice since its organization, practices and history were constantly being reformulated. Furthermore, it did not require, excepting its early stages, strict adherence to a creed. Because of its unstructured development, Taoism incorporated a wide range of beliefs and attitudes, all finding their source in the Tao. The endurance of the religion in Chinese society came from its permeable belief system and lack of organizational structure. These features allowed for flexibility which assured the religion's spread. Thus, Taoism has had a marked influence on Chinese culture as much as it has been influenced by Chinese culture. For example, some elements of the religion/philosophy may be traced back to prehistoric Chinese folk religions that later transformed into Taoist traditions (Seidel).