Daoism (Taoism)

Daoism emerged in China around the 4th–3rd centuries BCE and is associated with texts like the Daodejing (often linked to Laozi) and the Zhuangzi. Philosophical Daoism emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao (“Way”), a fundamental, ineffable principle underlying reality. Religious Daoism includes temples, rituals, clergy, and practices aimed at health, longevity, and spiritual transformation.

Daoism does not focus on a personal creator God, a Trinity, or sin and salvation as in Catholicism. It instead values naturalness, simplicity, and balance, and has no centralized authority like the papacy. Many practices seek alignment with the rhythms of nature and cultivation of inner harmony.