Growing increasingly popular in the West, Taoism is one of the foundational currents of thought in Chinese civilization. Deeply embedded in East Asian arts and techniques, particularly martial arts, Taoism is often misunderstood due to its dual nature: both philosophical and religious.

One of the "Three Teachings" of China

Taoism is an indigenous religion in China, originating from the spirit of the sage Lao Zi, the Huang Lao tradition, and the amalgamation of many ancient Chinese spiritualities. It is one of three major beliefs in China (or the "Three Teachings") alongside Confucianism and Buddhism, and is said to be practiced by approximately 20 million followers.

Unlike the two other major currents, it is nearly impossible to pinpoint with certainty a singular founding figure or precise emergence date for Taoism. It appears to be the fruit of a slow gestation born from a blend of ancient Chinese currents, making it the most popular of the Three Teachings in China.

Lao Zi and the Dao De Jing as references

Yet it is indeed Lao Zi who is regarded as the father of this philosophy (which would later also become a religion), having put forth the concept of the Way (Dao) through his celebrated work "The Book of the Way and Virtue" (Dao De Jing), compiled in the 3rd century before Christ. This work remains today the foundation of Taoist thought and practice.

Lao Zi is said to have lived in the 6th century B.C. according to the royal archives of the period. However, these accounts may be based solely on legend, and the "Old Master" may be nothing more than an imaginary figure. Thus, while the Dao De Jing is commonly attributed to him, it may well be the work of another sage lost to posterity... Originally perceived as a human sage, Lao Zi was later deified during the Han Dynasty (2nd century A.D.).

Between philosophy and religion

According to official definition, Taoism is a blend of the worship of nature spirits and ancestors, the ideas of Lao Zi, and numerous other ancient Chinese beliefs. Time has evolved it considerably, and today it is common to divide it into philosophy on one hand (Daojia) and religion on the other (Daojiao).

In its original form, particularly what was purportedly left by Lao Zi, it was indeed a mode of thought, a knowledge system, and an absolute ideal: the pursuit of the Way. It was only afterward that a religious form emerged under the impetus of Zhang Dao Ling, likely in an effort to counter the rising influence of the religion from India: Buddhism.

The era of Huang Di, or the Yellow Emperor, is sometimes described as a golden age for Taoist philosophy. The sovereign is said to have transmitted knowledge to his people, who thus lived in harmony with nature, respecting its rhythm and needs.

According to the Yellow Emperor, the keepers of Taoism were none other than Lao Zi, Tie Zi, and Zhuang Zi, whose writings contained the most authentic messages of the knowledge of the Way.

Religious Taoism today

Emerging in the form of sects, the religious version of Taoism differs from its original philosophical form. According to this belief, gods govern and control everything in the universe, and considerable importance is placed on the quest for immortality. To achieve this state, many monks of Taoist faith practice austerities. Temples are predominantly constructed in mountains (like the Wudang Mountains), as it is believed that celestial beings dwell there...

Today, religious Taoism in China is in decline and far less widespread than its philosophical form, which is deeply rooted in the customs of the population. Nonetheless, there are over 1,600 temples and more than 25,000 priests and nuns in China, although Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution particularly weakened the movement.

The indefinable way, universal and infinite

The Dao (or Tao), means the Way. How can one define what the Tao is? The very attempt to define the Tao would be an error, as it would limit what it truly is. The Way is by nature indefinable because it is infinite; it is universal and exists within each of us.

The Tao, or the Way, is an ideal that human beings would do well to pursue for their personal fulfillment. It is the essence and origin of all things, the source before the creative act. It expresses itself in the simplest manner: being. It represents the key principles of the universe and implies the absence of judgment, emptiness of mind, and even the absence of action (wu wei)...

The ultimate goal, if one were to extract one, would be to achieve harmony: both personal and with one's surroundings, and more universally, with nature. To accomplish this, humankind must learn to perceive the true nature of things, transcending the illusions of judgment, civilization, and culture that influence our view of the world.

The Tao is indefinable. It falls to each individual to seek it by their own means, with the aid of writings left by ancient masters, and also through lived experiences and past mistakes... But attempting to express it through words would be a waste of time, as it is impossible.

The great principles of the Tao

Beyond the notion of Tao (or Way), numerous ideas born through Taoism continue to hold great influence over Eastern modes of thought (and an increasingly resonant echo in the West).

Beyond the concept of non-action (wu wei), Taoism places great emphasis on the notion of return to the origin of all things (Fu), the balance between the two polarities of the world—Yin and Yang—as well as the existence of vital energy and universal cosmic breath, the Qi.

The influence of Taoism on Chinese culture

Before all else a philosophy and body of knowledge, Taoism has greatly influenced Chinese civilization and, by extension, all of East Asia. Taoist ideas are today widely present in traditional Chinese medicine (zhongyi), as well as in acupuncture, both of which employ the concepts of Yin and Yang, meridians, and the circulation of vital energy Qi (or Ki in Japanese, prana in Sanskrit).

Taoism has also extensively inspired numerous martial arts, not only Chinese ones, oriented toward the development and strengthening of Qi rather than muscular mass. Taiji Quan is the most striking example, and according to the most widely accepted historical account, it was created in the Taoist Wudang Mountains by a monk named Zhang Sanfeng.

One could also add to this non-exhaustive list the techniques of feng shui and meditation, the former being the means of allowing Qi to circulate freely within a dwelling, and the latter being the means of advancing along the Way through physical and mental relaxation as well as visualization.

Ultimately, Taoism is part of the shared cultural heritage of China and expresses itself equally in the arts (music, poetry...) as in the most diverse techniques (alchemy, medicine, strategy...).

The sage governs by non-doing He teaches by not speaking He refuses nothing to the multitude of beings But he nourishes each without possessing them He accomplishes his task without taking credit He completes his work without clinging to it And because he does not cling He endures. Lao Zi