Most modern Chinese scholars believe that Taoism and Taoism are two concepts that are both interrelated and distinct. Traditionally, Taoism is sometimes referred to as Taoism or Huang Lao. Strictly speaking, the two are not exactly the same thing. The term “Taoism” first appeared in Sima Tan’s “On the Essentials of the Six Schools of Thought” during the Western Han Dynasty. It refers to the school of thought represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi among the hundred schools of thought of pre Qin scholars, or to the Huang Lao school that prevailed during the Warring States, Qin and Han dynasties. They all regard “Dao” as the highest category in their ideological theory, advocate respecting Dao and guiding virtue, imitating nature, governing the country and cultivating oneself according to the law of purity and non action, handling the beliefs of ghosts and gods, and dealing with the relationship between humans and nature, hence they are called Daoists. As for “Taoism”, it is a religious entity. As the name suggests, “Taoism” means the education or preaching of “Dao”, or in other words, a religion that believes in “Dao” and achieves “immortality and enlightenment” through spiritual and physical cultivation. As a religious entity, Taoism not only has its unique classic doctrines, immortal beliefs, and ritual activities, but also its religious inheritance, religious organization, disciplinary system, and religious activity venues. This kind of religious community is obviously different from the early Taoist school, but Taoism is the upstream of “Taoism”, and the fundamental belief of Taoism and Taoism is “Taoism”. We must not arbitrarily divide it.

The emergence, formation, and development of Taoism

The period from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties was the formation and establishment of Taoism. In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Huang Laodao formed a solid entity, and primitive folk religious groups such as Taiping Dao and Tianshi Dao were successively established. After hundreds of years of transformation and development during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the classic teachings, practices, and rituals of Taoism gradually became more complete. Emerging Taoist schools flourished and were recognized by rulers, evolving into mature orthodox religions.

During the Sui, Tang, and Northern Song dynasties, due to the reverence of the ruling class, Taoism flourished greatly and had a great social impact. The philosophy, health preservation techniques, talismans, and ceremonial regulations of Taoism were also more perfect. After the late Tang and Northern Song dynasties, there were some new changes within Taoism, mainly manifested in the emergence of the integration of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, as well as the rise of the Golden Elixir School, which focused on practicing inner alchemy. During the Southern Song, Jin, and Yuan dynasties, Taoism underwent a transformation. In North China, new Taoist schools such as Quanzhen Dao, Taiyi Dao, and Zhendao Dao emerged, while in the South, new Taoist schools such as Jindan School Nanzong, Tianxin School, Shenxiao School, Qingwei School, and Jingming School emerged. Early Tianshi Dao, Shangqing School, and Lingbao School also underwent reforms in their doctrines and Taoist methods. Promoting the unity of the three religions and emphasizing the cultivation of inner alchemy were the main characteristics of Taoism during this period.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, as China’s feudal society entered the late period, the development of Taoism stagnated and became rigid. In modern China, Taoism was inherited from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and except for a few periods, it has always been in a low valley.