Taoism.
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Taoism, also romanized as Daoism, is an indigenous Chinese tradition encompassing philosophy and organized religion, both oriented toward aligning human life with the Dao, the ineffable cosmic process and underlying reality of the universe. Originating in the 6th century BCE, it traces its foundational ideas to Laozi (Lao Tzu), a semi-legendary figure credited with authoring the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching), a concise text of aphorisms emphasizing simplicity, spontaneity, and the principle of wu wei—effortless action in accordance with natural rhythms rather than coercive intervention. The tradition bifurcates into philosophical Taoism (Daojia), which prioritizes introspective self-cultivation, relativism, and critique of artificial social norms through texts like the Zhuangzi, and religious Taoism (Daojiao), which emerged later with ritual, alchemical, and longevity practices aimed at transcending mortality, incorporating deities, talismans, and communal worship. Central concepts include the dynamic interplay of opposites (yin and yang), the rejection of rigid dualism in favor of fluid unity, and the pursuit of harmony with nature's uncarved block (pu), influencing subsequent Chinese thought in ethics, aesthetics, medicine, and governance while adapting through millennia of syncretism with Confucianism and Buddhism.
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30 - History of Taoism.
History of Taoism. Yuan dynasty (1279–1367). Taoism suffered a significant setback in 1281 when many copies of the Daozang were ordered burned. This destruction gave Taoism a chance to renew…
29 - History of Taoism.
History of Taoism. Three Kingdoms period (220–265). During the Three Kingdoms period, the Xuanxue (Mysterious Wisdom) school, including Wang Bi, focused on the texts of Laozi and Zhuangzi. Many of…
28 - History of Taoism.
History of Taoism. The history of Taoism stretches throughout Chinese history. Originating in prehistoric China, it has exerted a powerful influence over Chinese culture throughout the ages. Taoism…
27 - Internal Alchemy.
Internal Alchemy. Internal Alchemy Taoism or Transformation Taoism focuses on internal transformation through the use of various self-cultivation techniques like qigong, neidan (internal alchemy),…
26 - Varieties.
Varieties. Throughout its history, many schools and branches of Taoism emerged, organized around particular lineages, texts, or sacred mountains and temples. In the modern era, religious Taoism in…
25 - Political views and influence.
Political views and influence. Taoist texts and traditions do not present a single unified political doctrine. However, both the Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi repeatedly express skepticism toward…
24 - Society.
Society. Taoist communities can include a wide variety of people and groups, including daoshi, hermits, monastics, teachers, householders, ascetics, family lineages, teacher-disciple lineages, urban…
23 - Symbols and images.
Symbols and images. The taijitu, commonly known as the "yin and yang" or "yin-yang" symbol, and bagua are important symbols in Taoism because they represent key elements of Taoist cosmology. Many…
22 - Additional Taoist texts.
Additional Taoist texts. In addition to the Tao Teo Ching and Zhuangzi, other influential texts in the Taoist tradition include: Warring States / early Han texts. - Liezi, a Taoist text attributed…
21 - Texts.
Texts. Some religious Taoist movements view traditional texts as scriptures that are considered sacred, authoritative, binding, and divinely inspired or revealed. However, the Tao Te Ching was…
20 - Alchemy.
Alchemy. A key element of many schools of Taoism are alchemical practices, which include rituals, meditations, exercises, and the creation of various alchemical substances. The goals of alchemy…
19 - Meditation.
Meditation. There are many methods of Taoist meditation (often referred to as "stillness practice", jinggong), some of which were strongly influenced by Buddhist methods. Some of the key forms of…
18 - Longevity practices.
Longevity practices. Taoist longevity methods are closely related to ancient Chinese medicine. Many of these methods date back to Tang dynasty figures like alchemist Sun Simiao (582–683) and the…
17 - Rituals.
Rituals. Taoist ritual practice includes a wide range of activities, such as making offerings; reciting and reading scriptures; chanting and incantations; purification, confession, and repentance…
16 - Practices.
Practices. Key elements of Taoist practice include a commitment to self-cultivation, wu wei, and attunement to the patterns of the Tao. The practice of Taoism seeks to develop the body back to its…
15 - Theology and Taoist Deities.
Theology and Taoist Deities. Taoist theology can be defined as apophatic, given its philosophical emphasis on the formlessness and unknowable nature of the Tao and the primacy of the "Way" rather…
14 - Cosmology.
Cosmology. Taoist cosmology is cyclic—the universe is seen as being in constant change, with various forces and energies (qi) affecting each other in different complex patterns. Taoist cosmology…
13 - Soteriology and religious goals.
Soteriology and religious goals. Taoists have different religious goals that include Taoist conceptions of sagehood (zhenren), spiritual self-cultivation, a happy afterlife or longevity and some…
12 - Ethics.
Ethics. Taoist ethics tends to emphasize various themes from the Taoist classics, such as naturalness (pu), spontaneity (ziran), simplicity, detachment from desires, and most important of all, wu…
11 - The Taoist body.
The Taoist body. Many Taoist practices work with ancient Chinese understandings of the body, its organs and parts, "elixir fields" (dantien), inner substances (such as "essence" or jing), animating…
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Taoism. has published 30 episodes since April 2026, covering topics in Philosophy, Religion.
Taoism. is currently dormant with new episodes hourly. Average episode length is 4m.
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