Taoism originated in China in 550 B.C. Today it has approximately twenty million followers, most of them being from Chinese descent. It is based on the teachings of Tao Te Ching. Taoists follow the views of Pantheism, saying that nature is identical to god.
They also believe in yin-yang, meaning that opposites depend on each other in the natural world, and how they set each other in balance. They try to establish harmony with the Tao which is the mechanism of everything that exists. Their purpose in life is to achieve inner harmony, peace, and longevity. They achieve this living according to the Tao. Taoists are generally happy, peaceful people. After they die they believe they go into a state of non-being. Their general attitude is detached. They aim to not stress. They tend to "go with the flow" of the Tao. Tai-chi, acupuncture, and alchemy is practiced to help longevity. They have two texts they use: the
Tao Te Ching and the
Chuang-Tzu.
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| The Chinese character for Tao |
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