The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Taoism:
Taoism – philosophical, ethical, and religious tradition of Chinese origin that emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao (also romanized as Dao). The term Tao means "way", "path" or "principle", and can also be found in Chinese philosophies and religions other than Taoism. In Taoism, however, Tao denotes something that is both the source and the driving force behind everything that exists. It is ultimately ineffable: "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao." Also called Daoism.
Texts
Laozi (Tao Te Ching)
Zhuangzi
Liezi
Daozang
Taoist beliefs and doctrines
Basic concepts
Non-duality (Wuji) ― the holistic unity of contradictory opposites.
Polarity (Taiji) ― the basic concept of interdependent, interpenetrating opposites coexisting and complementing one another as expressed in the ‘bright and dark’ (yin and yang) symbol. Yin, the negative, passive, (traditionally) feminine side, must interact with yang, the positive, active, (traditionally) masculine side. Without one the other cannot exist.
Five Phases (Wu Xing) ― according to the Taoist tradition there are five basic phases or states of matter in the universe: metal, wood, fire, water, and earth. These are not literally metal, wood, fire, water, and earth but are rather metaphors for lesser-yin (shaoyin), greater-yin (taiyin), lesser-yang (shaoyang), greater-yang (taiyang), and dynamic equilibrium. Understanding how each contributes and influences one another is essential to traditional Taoist metaphysics and natural philosophy.
Perpetual change (Bianhua) ― the concept that everything flows in a perpetual cycle of change and transformation.
Reversal (Fan) ― the cyclical transformation of things into their opposites and back again comprising an eternal return.
Non-action (Wu wei) ― flexibility and spontaneity of one's actions.
Dao (aka Tao) ― Chinese concept signifying way, path, route, or sometimes more loosely, doctrine or principle, or as a verb, speak. 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). The concept of Dao was shared with Confucianism, with Chán and Zen Buddhism, and more broadly throughout East Asian philosophy and religion in general.
Emanation from Dao:
Wuji
Taiji
Yin-Yang (Liangyi)
Sixiang
Bagua
The three Hun and seven Po ― the parts of the human soul which may depart causing illness and death.
The Three Treasures ― the vital essence (jing), spirit (qi), and soul (shen) which must be refined to achieve longevity.
Xian (Taoist immortals)
Taoism and death
Virtues
Three Treasures ― basic virtues in Taoism, including variations of "compassion", "frugality", and "humility". Arthur Waley described these Three Treasures as, "The three rules that formed the practical, political side of the author's teaching (1) abstention from aggressive war and capital punishment, (2) absolute simplicity of living, (3) refusal to assert active authority."
First of the Three Treasures: ci (Chinese: 慈; pinyin: cí; Wade–Giles: tz'u) – compassion, tenderness, love, mercy, kindness, gentleness, benevolence.
Second of the Three Treasures: jian (Chinese: 儉; pinyin: jiǎn; Wade–Giles: chien) – frugality, moderation, economy, restraint, be sparing.
Third of the Three Treasures: Bugan wei tianxia xian – "not dare to be first/ahead in the world", humility.
Ethics
De (Te) ― virtue arising from the Way (Dao).
Zhenren ― a "true man" or "true person"; someone who has cultivated perfection in De and attained the Dao.
Precepts ― commandments, instructions, or orders intended as authoritative rules of action. Religious precepts are usually commands respecting moral conduct.
Five Precepts – constitute the basic code of ethics undertaken mainly by Taoist lay-cultivators. According to The Ultra Supreme Elder Lord's Scripture of Precepts, the five basic precepts are:
The first precept: No murdering
The second precept: No stealing
The third precept: No sexual misconduct
The fourth precept: No false speech
The fifth precept: No taking of intoxicants
Ten Precepts – classical rules of medieval Taoism as applied to practitioners attaining the rank of Disciple of Pure Faith. They first appeared in the Scripture on Setting the Will on Wisdom (DZ325). They were outlined in a short text that appears in Dunhuang manuscripts (DH31, 32). They are:
The first precept: Do not kill but always be mindful of the host of living beings
The second precept: Do not be lascivious or think depraved thoughts
The third precept: Do not steal or receive unrighteous wealth
The fourth precept: Do not cheat or misrepresent good and evil
The fifth precept: Do not get intoxicated but always think of pure conduct
The sixth precept: I will maintain harmony with my ancestors and family and never disregard my kin
The seventh precept: When I see someone do a good deed, I will support him with joy and delight
The eighth precept: When I see someone unfortunate, I will support him with dignity to recover good fortune
The ninth precept: When someone comes to do me harm, I will not harbor thoughts of revenge
The tenth precept: As long as all beings have not attained the Tao, I will not expect to do so myself
Deities in Taoism
Principle deities
Hongjun Laozu
Three Pure Ones
Yuanshi Tianzun
Lingbao Tianzun
Daode Tianzun
Four Sovereigns
Yuhuang Dadi (Great Jade Emperor)
Zhongtian Ziwei Beiji Dadi (Great Emperor of the North Star in the Purple Forbidden enclosure at the center of Heaven)
Gouchen Dadi (Great Emperor of the Curved Array/Little Dipper)
Houtu Huang Diqi (Empress of the Earth)
Three Great Emperor-Officials
Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West)
Dongwanggong (King Father of the East)
Eight Immortals
Other deities
Chang'e
Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
Yellow Emperor
Guan Shengdi
Li Hong
Taoist practices
Taoist meditation
Zuowang
Taoist alchemy
Neidan (internal alchemy)
Jing-Qi-Shen
Dantian
Waidan (external alchemy)
Five Minerals Powder
Bugang
Taoist diet
Taoist sexual practices
Taoist culture
Taoist priest
Taoist music
Taoist art
Ink wash painting
Taoist martial arts and physical exercise
Taijiquan
Taoist Tai Chi
Daoyin ― Note: the "dao" (導) and "yin" (引) here are not the same Chinese words as ‘the Dao’ (道) and ‘Yin’ (阴) as in yin-yang.
Qigong
Sacred places
Grotto-heavens
Sacred Mountains of China
Wudang Mountains
Mount Penglai
Mount Kunlun
Taoist temple
White Cloud Temple (Baiyun Monastery)
Louguantai Temple
Cebu Taoist Temple
Taoist Temple (Hanford, California)
History of Taoism
History of Taoism
The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism
Variations of Taoism
Taoist schools
Taoist schools
Wudoumi Taoism
Tianshi Taoism
Shangqing Taoism
Lingbao Taoism
Quanzhen Taoism (Longmen Taoism)
Dragon Gate Taoism
Zhengyi Taoism
Wuliu Taoism
Yao Taoism
Taoism by region
Taoism in Hong Kong
Taoism in Japan
Taoism in Korea
Taoism in Malaysia
Taoism in Singapore
Taoism in Vietnam
Taoist organizations
Chinese Taoist Association
Celestial Master
Hong Kong Taoist Association
Hong Kong Taoist Association Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School
Hong Kong Taoist Association The Yuen Yuen Institute No.2 Secondary School
Research Association of Laozi Taoist Culture
Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism