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Religions profiles
History/Founder/important persons/saints:
Taoism (or, Daoism) was adopted as the state religion of China in the
fifth century. Taoism is based on the work, The Tao-te-Ching, believed
to have been written around 600 BCE (Scholars place the book at no earlier
than 300 BCE) and attributed to the philosopher Lao Tse. The true beginning
of the Taoist religion is placed in the first century with the adoption
of Lao Tse's philosophy by the teacher Zhang Dao Ling. Another important
figure is Chuang-tse, but the important Taoist work of the same name
attributed to him was most likely authored by his disciples.
Current
leader/governing body: None.
Taoism is a widespread and largely autonomous faith.
Number
of Adherents: About
two hundred million worldwide. Clergy:
Varies. There are Taoist ritual masters, teachers, etc., but most Taoists
practice privately.
Churches/Temples:
Taoists
worship in temples, and at home altars.
Requirements
to join: None.
Scripture: In the fifth century, a Taoist teacher named Lu Xiu Jing attempted
to compile a Taoist canon. Works he included totaled nearly fifteen
hundred! The most important of these remains the Tao
Te Ching,
or, "The Way and its power."
Required
observances, dietary restrictions:
In Taoism, practice is considered
more important than creed, although different sects do have established
doctrines, none is universal. Meditation is an important practice for
many believers.
Holidays
and observances: important
days include birthdays of the gods, the remembrance of Kwan Yin, and
regular fast days throughout the month.
Basic
teachings and Beliefs of Taoism: Taoism,
or "The Way," is the natural order, or the force that flows
through all living things. Tao is less a Deity than transcendent reality;
however, as Taoism in China is inextricably bound up with folk traditions,
there are also a variety of minor deities, which are generally considered
aspects of the Tao. Taoists seek equilibrium above all else, and many
traditional practices, such as acupuncture or other forms of 'Chinese
medicine' are founded on this principal.
Code
of Conduct: Taoists
generally follow a sort of Golden Rule, but the principal Taoist ethic
is called Wu-wei, or no-action, meaning to seek equalibrium and follow
the natural order. Symbols
of Taoism: The Yin/Yang symbol, a circle divided into equal areas of light and
darkness, symbolizing equalibrium and the harmony of opposites, is the
most well known. Click below for explanations of other Taoist symbols:
 
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