Daoism stands alongside Confucianism as one of the two great religious/philosophical systems of China. Traditionally traced to the mythical Laozi who stands as the forefather of this school of thought. Daoism is an umbrella that covers a range of similarly motivated doctrines. The term “Daoism” is also associated with assorted naturalistic or mystical religions. In simpler terms, it’s the indigenous religio-philosophical tradition that has shaped Chinese life for more than 2,000 years.
In the broadest sense, a Daoist attitude toward life can be seen in the accepting and yielding, joyful, and carefree sides of the Chinese character, an attitude that offsets and complements the moral and duty-conscious, austere and purposeful character ascribed to Confucianism. Laozi believed that the world is made of complementary states – light and dark, good and evil – that are beyond human understanding and form the process of change dao ‘the way’. He also reinstated that by living in harmony with the Dao, a life of inaction is the only way to maintain the cosmic balance and lead a good life.
