Taoism or Daoism refers to either a school of philosophical thought or to a religion,both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the Tao;the Tao is generally defined as the source of everything and the ultimate principle underlying reality. The Tao Te Ching,a book containing teachings attributed to Laozi (老子),together with the later writings of Zhuangzi,are both widely considered the keystone works of Taoism.
Mount Lao,or Laoshan,is a mountain located near the East China Sea on the southeastern coastline of the Shandong Peninsula in China. The mountain is culturally significant due to its long affiliation with Taoism and is often regarded as one of the "cradles of Taoism". It is the highest coastal mountain in China and the second highest mountain in Shandong,with the highest peak (Jufeng) reaching 1,132.7 metres (3,716 ft). The mountain lies about 30 kilometres (19 mi) to the northeast of the downtown area of the City of Qingdao and is protected by the Qingdao Laoshan National Park that covers an area of 446 square kilometers.
Wang Chongyang was a Chinese philosopher and poet. He was a Taoist master and one of the founders of the Quanzhen School in the 12th century during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). He was one of the Five Northern Patriarchs of Quanzhen. He also appears as a character in works of wuxia fiction.
Mount Qingcheng is a sacred Taoist mountain in Dujiangyan,Chengdu,Sichuan,China.
A daoshi,translated as Taoist priest,Taoist monk,Taoist master or Professional Taoist,is a priest in Taoism. Along with Han Chinese priests,there are also many practicing ethnic minority priests in China. Some orders are monastic,while the majority are not.
Qiu Chuji,courtesy name Tongmi (通密),also known by his Taoist name Master Changchun,was the disciple of Wang Chongyang and a renowned Taoist master. He is known for meeting Genghis Khan near the Hindu Kush.
Yuanshi Tianzun,the Celestial Venerable of the Primordial Beginning or the Primeval Lord of Heaven,is one of the highest deities of Taoism. He is one of the Three Pure Ones and is also known as the Jade Pure One. He resides in the Heaven of Jade Purity. It is believed that he came into being at the beginning of the universe as a result of the merging of pure breaths. He then created Heaven and Earth.
The history ofTaoism stretches throughout Chinese history. Originating in prehistoric China,it has exerted a powerful influence over Chinese culture throughout the ages. Taoism evolved in response to changing times,with its doctrine and associated practices being revised and refined. The acceptance of Taoism by the ruling class has waxed and waned,alternately enjoying periods of favor and rejection. Most recently,Taoism has emerged from a period of suppression and is undergoing a revival in China.
Zhengyi Dao,also known as the Way of Orthodox Unity,Teaching of the Orthodox Unity,and Branch of the Orthodox Unity is a Chinese Taoist movement that traditionally refers to the same Taoist lineage as the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice and Way of the Celestial Masters,but in the period of the Tang dynasty and its history thereafter. Like the Way of Celestial Masters,the leader of Zhengyi Taoism was known as the Celestial Master.
The Dragon Gate sect of the Complete Reality School of Taoism incorporates elements of Buddhism and Confucianism into a comprehensive form of Taoism.
The Temple of the Eastern Peak in Beijing is a Taoist temple in the Chaowai area,Chaoyang District,Beijing,China. The temple is dedicated to the Great Deity of the Eastern Peak. "Eastern Peak" is the cosmological name of Mount Tai,the easternmost and holiest of the Five Sacred Mountains of China. Founded during the Yuan dynasty,the Eastern Peak Temple is the largest temple of Zhengyi Taoism in Beijing and protected as a national cultural spot. The temple also hosts the Beijing Folk Customs Museum.
The Western Mountains or Western Hills are a scenic mountain area located 12 km to the west of Kunming,Yunnan,China. They are formed by the Huating,Taihua and Luohan mountain ranges rising above the eastern and northern banks of Dianchi Lake.
Beiyue Temple is a Taoist temple located in Quyang,Hebei Province,China. The temple was used to make sacrifices to Mount Heng by the emperors of the Song dynasty while the mountain was occupied by the Liao dynasty. The Dening Hall of the temple is the largest,earliest and one of the most important extant wooden buildings built in the Yuan dynasty. The temple also contains three gates,an octagonal pavilion and many ancient stelae.
The Quanzhen School,also known as Completion of Authenticity,Complete Reality,and Complete Perfection is currently one of the two dominant denominations of Taoism in mainland China. It originated in Northern China in 1170 under the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). One of its founders was the Taoist Wang Chongyang,who lived in the early Jin. When the Mongols invaded the Song dynasty (960–1279) in 1254,the Quanzhen Taoists exerted great effort in keeping the peace,thus saving thousands of lives,particularly among those of Han Chinese descent.
A Taoist temple (traditional Chinese:觀;simplified Chinese:观;pinyin:guàn,also called 道观dàoguàn and 宫观,is a place where the Tao is observed and cultivated it is a place of worship in Taoism.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Taoism:
Fung Ying Seen Koon was founded in 1929 as an affiliate of the Quanzhen Longmen Lineage (全真龍門派) of Taoism. FYSK is a superb example of Taoist design and craftsmanship. It was named after the two fairy islands of Fung Lai and Ying Chau of the Bohai Sea. It Dominates the skyline from its commanding site on a hillside overlooking the New Territories town of Fanling in Hong Kong. Its massive orange-tiled double roof,built to traditional design and supported by stout red pillars of stone,catches the eyes immediately,inviting the visitor to step up to its entrance and inspect the many examples of artistic craftsmanship to be found within its grounds.
Taoist philosophy also known as Taology refers to the various philosophical currents of Taoism,a tradition of Chinese origin which emphasizes living in harmony with the Dào. The Dào is a mysterious and deep principle that is the source,pattern and substance of the entire universe.
Bixia Yuanjun,also known as Taishan Niangniang,is the goddess of Mount Tai,childbirth and destiny in Chinese traditional religion (Taoism).
Daojiao fushi,also known as Taoist clothing,are religious clothing and adornment worn by devotees and practitioners of Taoism,an indigenous religion and life philosophy in China. Chinese culture attaches great importance to "cap and gown" are seen as important signs of levels of etiquettes;it is also a visible marker of the Taoist identity. Taoist ritual garments (sometimes referred as daoyi are forms of ritual clothing. These clothing worn by the Taoist priests are inherited from the Han Chinese traditional clothing and holds clear Taoist cultural meaning. When performing rituals and important rituals,Taoist priests wear ceremonial attires which appear to be aligned with elements of Chinese cosmology;these ceremonial attires are therefore strong spiritual intermediaries acting on the part of the Taoist devotees community. Different forms of clothing will be worn by Taoist priests in accordance to ritual types and obvious distinctions are found in the attire of Taoist priests based on their different positions to the altar. There were also codes which would stipulate the appropriate Taoist attire to be worn during both ritual performance and when being off duty.
