Developed most notable by the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu or Laozi around the beginning of 5th century BCE, Daoism, or Taoism, is a Chinese philosophy that focuses on living in tune with the “Tao” or the natural order of the universe. Inspired by the ideas of yin and yang and the five elements, Taoists believe that our decisions and actions should match and be logical in regard to the Tao. Daoism is still practiced in China to this day as one of the five official religions. Daoism focuses on three dogmas: ethics, cosmology, and theology. Each of these doctrines play a vital role in the proper practice of Daoism, and each of these dogmas emphasize their own important traits that a Taoist must possess for proper worship.
A main focus of Daoism was the need to be at spiritual peace with oneself and the Tao. Daoism stemmed from the concepts of yin and yang, the eternal balance of the universe, and the five elements (fire, water, earth, wood, and metal) which focused on attempting to explain an array of natural phenomenon. From these schools of thought, Taoists derived that
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Many wars at the end of the Han dynasty created great stress amongst the Chinese people. To escape the turmoil of the outside world, the Chinese turned to the newest religion: Daoism. Three reasons why Daoism took such a strong hold in Chinese society were: the superstitious beliefs of the Han rulers, the already prevalent fascination with immortality, and the grueling life for citizens during the warring period of the Han Dynasty.6 While Daoism would remain popular for hundreds of years, Chinese society would eventually shift to a more rational society rather than a spiritual one. This would lead to many citizens preferring Confucianism in the mid-17thth century. After the Chinese Revolution in 1949, Daoism would be greatly discouraged for a few decades until the CCP caved and recognized it as one of the five official religions of