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The Tang was the height of Taoist influence, during which Taoism, led by the Patriarch of Supreme Clarity, was the dominant religion in China. [ 78 ] [ 79 ] [ 77 ] According to Russell Kirkland, this new Taoist synthesis had its main foundation in the Lingbao school's teachings, which was appealing to all classes of society and drew on Mahayana ...
Within the context of traditional Chinese philosophy and religion, Dao is a metaphysical concept originating with Laozi that gave rise to a religion (in Wade–Giles: Tao Chiao; in Pinyin: Daojiao) and philosophy (in Wade–Giles: Tao chia; in Pinyin: Daojia) referred to in English with the single term Daoism (aka Taoism).
This was the height of Taoist influence in Chinese history. Sima Chengzhen (647—735 CE) is an important intellectual figure of this period. He is especially known for blending Taoist, and Buddhist theories and forms of mental cultivation in the Taoist meditation text called the Zuowanglun. He served as an adviser to the Tang government. [33]
"Tao religion" is often used for Taoism itself, [12] as well as being used for many Tao-based new religious movements. [13] "Far Eastern religion" or "Taoic religion" may refer only to faiths incorporating the concept of Tao, may include Chan and Japanese Buddhism, or may inclusively refer to all Asian religions. [14] [15] [16]
Over time certain aspects of folk religion and belief coalesced and were refined into a group of formal religious beliefs, practices, and philosophy known as Daoism. One of the founders of Daoism was Old Man Laozi, who himself entered into legend or mythology. There is much overlap between religion and mythology, and between Chinese folk ...
Its society was governed by an emperor who shared power with an official bureaucracy and semi-feudal nobility. Its laws , customs , literature , and education were largely guided by the philosophy and ethical system of Confucianism , yet the influence of Legalism and Daoism (from the previous Zhou dynasty ) could still be seen.
Laozi (Lao Tzu) is traditionally regarded as the founder of the Taoist religion and is closely associated in this context with "original", or "primordial", Taoism. [1] Whether he actually existed is disputed, [2] and the work attributed to him – the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) – is dated between the 8th and 3rd century BC.
Daoism assumes any extreme action can initiate a counter-action of equal extremity, and so excessive government can become tyrannical and unjust, even when initiated with good intentions. [ 9 ] The following is a quote from the Daodejing , one of the main texts in Daoist teachings: