What is Taoism?

A Journey Through Time and Spirit

TL;DR – What Is Taoism?

Taoism is a path made of many human methods for living in harmony with the Tao — the natural flow of life.  It is a collection of human methods by humans for humans. It began with early Chinese wisdom and grew across dynasties like the Zhou, Han, and Tang. Taoism includes meditation, rituals, inner alchemy, a deep respect for nature, the quest for truth, the refinement of humanity, and the acquisition of spiritual power. It is not based on one book or prophet but is a living tradition that changes with time.  Please note that this is a very broad, introductory talk about what makes up Taoism.  Arguably, the entire website’s function is to answer this one question.

1. Introduction: What Is Taoism?

Taoism is one of the world’s oldest spiritual traditions, but it doesn’t always look like a religion. It doesn’t ask you to worship a god or believe in a fixed story. Instead, Taoism offers ways — or methods — for living in balance with the world around you. These methods were discovered, tested, and passed on by people walking a spiritual path. They form a living tradition.

Taoism is not one single thing. It has quiet thinkers and powerful rituals. It has ancient texts and secret oral teachings. It has monks, farmers, warriors, artists, and healers — all finding different ways to follow the Tao, the great Way of the universe.

2. From Ancient Roots to Living Tradition

To understand Taoism, we have to go back. Way back — to long before the word “Taoism” existed.

Xia Era (Legendary)

The Xia is often called the first Chinese dynasty, though its records are mostly myth. In this time, people lived close to nature. They watched the stars, studied the seasons, and respected rivers, mountains, and spirits. Early shamans and tribal leaders often acted as bridges between the natural and spiritual worlds. These were the roots of Taoist thought — honoring the cycles of life and the power of the unseen.

Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE)

During the Shang, people used oracle bones to speak with ancestors and spirits. They believed in Tian — Heaven — as a powerful force that affected life on Earth. Rituals were used to keep balance between Heaven, Earth, and human beings. This sense of connection — between the visible and invisible — is a major part of later Taoism.

Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BCE)

The Zhou era gave us the idea of the Mandate of Heaven. This meant rulers had to govern in harmony with the Way of Heaven or risk losing power. The Zhou also saw the rise of many schools of thought. Among them were two great Taoist writers: Laozi and Zhuangzi.

• Laozi wrote the Dao De Jing, a short book about the Way (Tao) and how to live gently, wisely, and without force.

• Zhuangzi used stories, dreams, and jokes to show that truth is always changing — and that freedom comes from flowing with life.

These early Taoists weren’t building a church. They were offering deep insights about nature, power, ego, and stillness.

Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE)

In the Han Dynasty, Taoism began to look more like a religion. People started building temples and honoring Laozi as a kind of divine figure. The first Taoist priests appeared. They performed rituals, gave blessings, and created registers to connect people with heavenly powers.

Taoism also absorbed health practices — breathing, herbs, meditation — and developed ways to live long and stay spiritually clean. These were practical methods, not just beliefs.

Six Dynasties and the Rise of Alchemy

As China split into smaller kingdoms, Taoism continued to grow. One major development was internal alchemy (neidan). This was the idea that you could transform your body and spirit through special breathing, movement, and focused intention.

These teachings were often secret. A student would study with a master, sometimes for years, learning step by step. Taoism became a path of transformation — not just of the world, but of the self.

Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE)

The Tang was a golden age for Taoism. The emperors supported it, and some even claimed to be descendants of Laozi. Taoist priests held official roles. Monasteries were built across China. Scholars wrote commentaries, compiled texts, and spread Taoist medicine.

During this time, Taoism included:

• Philosophical study

• Meditation and visualization

• Magic and ritual

• Healing and health

• Sacred art and poetry

It was not one tradition, but many — tied together by the desire to live in harmony with the Tao.

3. The Tao Zang and the Oral Tradition

Taoist teachings are stored in a massive library called the Tao Zang (or Daozang) — the Taoist Canon. It holds over 1,400 texts written across centuries. These writings include:

• Quiet guides for meditation

• Complex rituals for protecting a village

• Recipes for healing and extending life

• Maps of the spirit world

• Songs, prayers, and stories

But not all Taoist knowledge is written down.

Much of it is passed by oral tradition — teacher to student, through posture, breath, silence, and presence. A master might give a student one practice to work on for years before saying another word. This is how Taoism stays alive: not by memorizing, but by living it.

These human methods — gathered through effort, refined through experience — make Taoism a changing but connected stream. It grows through what works, not through what must be believed.

4. Unity in Diversity: What Taoists Tend to Share

With all its paths, you might wonder: what do Taoists actually have in common?

Here are a few things you’ll find in almost every Taoist tradition:

• Wu wei – acting without forcing. Letting things unfold naturally.

• Qi – life energy. Taoist practice often includes breathing, movement, and awareness of energy.

• Harmony with nature – Taoists see mountains, rivers, trees, and seasons as teachers.

• Simplicity – less clutter, fewer words, more space.

• Meditation and stillness – sitting quietly to sense the Tao.

• Non-dogma – Taoism doesn’t insist you believe anything. It invites you to observe, try, and grow.

There’s no one way to be a Taoist. Some chant. Some meditate. Some cook in silence. Some practice martial arts. Some serve the community. Some walk alone in the woods. The Way is wide enough for all of them.

5. Conclusion: A Living Way

Taoism didn’t start with a prophet, and it won’t end with a rulebook. It came from watching the moon, feeling the wind, noticing the way water moves. It came from silence, from laughter, from mistakes and insight.

It continues through temples and teachers, through farmers and families, through those who stop to breathe in a noisy world.

The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. But we can still walk it — step by step, breath by breath — into something honest, alive, and deeply human.