In the year 517 B.C, a man named Laozi (Lao Tzu), a contributor of Taoism (Daoism), was born. Not a lot was known about his life, but it was known that he worked at the royal court during the Zhou dynasty. Because of the growing corruption in the palace, Laozi decided to leave, but before he left, Laozi left behind his will, widely recognized today as the Tao Te Ching. Throughout history, there has been a battle for China’s most dominant religion. The two contenders were Taoism and Confucianism. Taoism blossomed during times when the government was weak and the land was in chaos, but when the tides turned, Confucianism would dominate. There are multiple historical documents which showed that Laozi and Confucius once met each other, in Luoyang.
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It was said that the spirit of Laozi appeared and gave him permission to establish the religion. He included countless of gods, goddesses, and ideas from other religions to compete with a religion that was rapidly diffusing throughout China, Buddhism. Later on in 346 C.E., another remodeling of Taoism was led by a man known as Yang Yi. He mixed elements of Buddhism and other local religions to achieve this transformation known as the “Highest Purity Movement.” During the Tang and the Song Dynasty, Taoism continued to flourish, but after the fall of the Song Dynasty, Taoism became oppressed. Soon, another disaster struck during the Yuan Dynasty. Kublai Khan order all Taoist books to be seized and burn, with the exception of the Tao Te Ching and other Taoist books relating to medicine, pharmacy, and science. In 1949, the communist party took over China and banned all religions. The Nationalist Chinese fled to Taiwan and other islands to practice their religion, and to avoid the wrath of the communists. In 1994, the ban over religion was finally lifted, which allowed Taoism to recur in their homeland once
It was said that the spirit of Laozi appeared and gave him permission to establish the religion. He included countless of gods, goddesses, and ideas from other religions to compete with a religion that was rapidly diffusing throughout China, Buddhism. Later on in 346 C.E., another remodeling of Taoism was led by a man known as Yang Yi. He mixed elements of Buddhism and other local religions to achieve this transformation known as the “Highest Purity Movement.” During the Tang and the Song Dynasty, Taoism continued to flourish, but after the fall of the Song Dynasty, Taoism became oppressed. Soon, another disaster struck during the Yuan Dynasty. Kublai Khan order all Taoist books to be seized and burn, with the exception of the Tao Te Ching and other Taoist books relating to medicine, pharmacy, and science. In 1949, the communist party took over China and banned all religions. The Nationalist Chinese fled to Taiwan and other islands to practice their religion, and to avoid the wrath of the communists. In 1994, the ban over religion was finally lifted, which allowed Taoism to recur in their homeland once