What is Taoism?

Taoism is a polytheistic religion formed and spread in China, and its influence in ancient China is second only to Buddhism. Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism are considered as the three pillars of traditional culture in China. Taoism is named after the pursuit of Tao. Taoism was formed on the basis of China's ancient Taoist thoughts and theories, absorbing fairy witchcraft, folk worship of ghosts and gods and witchcraft activities. It advocates the immortality and immortality of quietism.

origin

Although Taoism takes Laozi as its ancestor, its thought is not completely consistent with Laozi's thought, and it is more due to the fact that Huang used Laozi's famous words to cultivate health in the early Han Dynasty. Another source of Taoism is Fang Xiandao, which began in the Warring States and flourished in Qin and Han Dynasties. In addition, we can also pursue the worship of ghosts and gods in Shang Dynasty.

In the process of its gradual formation, the interaction between Taoism and Buddhism (the influence of Buddhism on Taoism and the influence of Taoism on Buddhist China) was also worthy of attention.

Development history

The development of Taoism can be roughly divided into four periods: the origin of Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties, the prosperity of Tang and Song Dynasties, the emergence of Quanzhen religion in Yuan and Ming Dynasties and the decline after Qing Dynasty.

The formation of Taoism is a slow development process. As two landmark events in the final formation of Taoism, one is the spread of Taiping Jing, and the other is Zhang Daoling's Five Mi Dou Roads. During the Shundi period of the Eastern Han Dynasty (126-144), Taiping Jing was published and widely circulated. When he arrived at the Lingdi of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Jiao preached in Taiping Qingling, nicknamed Taipingdao, calling himself the teacher of Dade, and his followers were all over Kyushu, which was already quite influential. Later, the Yellow turban insurrectionary failed, and Taiping Road gradually declined. It was also in the Eastern Han Dynasty, when Emperor Shun Di of the Eastern Han Dynasty, that Zhang Ling returned to Mingshan in Shu County to learn Taoism and recruit disciples to preach, so the believers gave him five measures of rice, so he called it five measures of rice. His grandson, Zhang Lu, stayed in Hanzhong for many years, and later cooperated with the supreme ruling authorities to spread the influence of Wudou Mi Dao from the southwest corner to the sea and become an authentic Taoism.

During the Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties, with the prevalence of alchemy and the deepening of related theories, Taoism gained great development. At the same time, Taoism also absorbed the popular metaphysics at that time and enriched its own theory. In the first year of Jianwu in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Ge Hong systematically expounded the theory of immortals since the Warring States Period and wrote Bao Puzi, which was the first systematization of Taoist theory and enriched the ideological content of Taoism. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, with the support of Taizu of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Kou established the "North" Road and Lu established the "South" Road.

During the Tang and Song Dynasties, Tang Gaozu Li Yuan recognized Laozi Li Er as his ancestor, and Song Zhenzong and Song Huizong also believed in Taoism, so Taoism was highly respected and became the state religion. At this time, Maoshan, Gezhi and other factions appeared, and Shi Tiandao also re-emerged. In theory, Chen Tuan and Zhang Boduan's "Inner Dan Theory" is very popular.

During the Jin Dynasty, Quanzhen Taoism advocated by Wang Zhongyang appeared in the north. Later, Wang Zhongyang's disciple Qiu Chuji preached for Genghis Khan in Mongolia, was trusted, and was granted the power to take charge of Taoism in the world by the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty. At the same time, in order to cope with the rapid rise of Quanzhen religion, the original Shi Tian Taoism in Longhushan, the Shangqing School in Maoshan and the Lingbao School in Gezaoshan were merged into one, and Zhang Tianshi was regarded as the founder of the orthodox school, thus formally forming the Taoist pattern of Quanzhen religion in the north and orthodox school or two schools in the south.

Judy, the Yongle Emperor of Ming Dynasty, claimed to be the embodiment of Zhenwu Emperor, and gave great support to Zhang Sanfeng and Wu Tang who sacrificed Zhenwu. At this time, Taoism is still dominant in various religions in China.

Since the Qing Dynasty, Manchu rulers believed in Tibetan Buddhism and suppressed Taoism, which was dominated by Han people. Taoism has since declined.