An inherent problem with the arcane Wade – Giles use of apostrophes to differentiate aspiration is that many English readers do not understand it, which has resulted in the frequent mispronunciation of Taoism as instead of.

Intellectual historian Peter Watson has summarized this period as the foundation of many of humanity's most influential philosophical traditions, including monotheism in Persia and Canaan, Platonism in Greece, Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism in India, and Confucianism and Taoism in China.

* Taoism has some sects with monks and nuns.

Taoism has a presence in Shanghai in the form of several temples, including the City God Temple, at the heart of the old city, and a temple dedicated to the Three Kingdoms general Guan Yu.

Sinologists Isabelle Robinet and Livia Kohn agree that " Taoism has never been a unified religion, and has constantly consisted of a combination of teachings based on a variety of original revelations.

The earliest texts of the Tao Te Ching that have been excavated-the Guodian bamboo slips-date back to the late 4th century BC .< ref name = stanford > Throughout the history of religious Taoism, the Tao Te Ching has been used as a ritual text.

The Shangqing school has a tradition of approaching Taoism through scriptural study.

It has also been claimed that a number of elements within Heidegger's thought bear a close parallel to Eastern philosophical ideas, particularly Zen Buddhism and Taoism.

His association with the Tào Té Chīng has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of philosophical Taoism ( pronounced as " Daoism ").

It has been regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, pre-dates Taoism.

Furthermore, it has been claimed that a number of elements within phenomenology ( mainly Heidegger's thought ) have some resonance with Eastern philosophical ideas, particularly with Zen Buddhism and Taoism.

Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese Buddhism, and Confucianism.

The influx of Asian-Americans has brought in an increase of people in eastern religions: Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Sikhism ( see Sikhs ) and Taoism.

There has been extensive interaction between Chinese mythology and Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.

He has a personality mixed with Confucianism and Taoism that make him very endearing to most of the Chinese people.

Taoism has suffered a similar fate, and in practice, both religions " on the ground " can resemble crude superstition.

Near the city of Yingtan is the resort area Longhushan ( 龙虎山 ; Lónghǔ Shān ) which purports to be the birthplace of Taoism ( 道教 ) and hence has great symbolic value to Taoists.

Taoism has also been an influence in the development of the tea ceremony.

Taoism also has a long history of ascetic and eremetical figures.

He has described himself as " a secular humanist with an active interest in religions, particularly Taoism and Hinduism, and keeping a close watch on the variegated Pagan revival in Europe.

Japanese interior design has a unique aesthetic derived from Taoism, Zen Buddhism, specific religious figures and the west.

In recent times, the government has expressed support for Buddhism and Taoism, organizing the World Buddhist Forum in 2006 and the International Forum on the Daodejing in 2007.

The major philosophies during the period, Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, Agrarianism and Taoism, each had a political aspect to their philosophical schools.

Beyond China, Taoism also had influence on surrounding societies in Asia.

The first organized form of Taoism, the Tianshi ( Celestial Masters ') school ( later known as Zhengyi school ), developed from the Five Pecks of Rice movement at the end of the 2nd century AD ; the latter had been founded by Zhang Daoling, who claimed that Laozi appeared to him in the year 142.

By the beginning of the 20th century, Taoism had fallen much from favor ( for example, only one complete copy of the Daozang still remained, at the White Cloud Monastery in Beijing ).

The book, Training the Samurai Mind: A Bushido Sourcebook, gives an insider's view of the samurai world: " the moral and psychological development of the warrior, the ethical standards they were meant to uphold, their training in both martial arts and strategy, and the enormous role that the traditions of Shintoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism had in influencing samurai ideals.

Historically, Confucianism and Taoism had gained prominence, and socialism would now stand to its test.

Taoism and Ch ' an Buddhism for centuries had a mutual influence on each other in China, Korea and Vietnam.

Wei Yang was introduced to Duke Xiao by Jing Jian and had two audiences with the duke, during which he proposed ideas on governance based on principles of Confucianism, Taoism and other schools of thought, but the duke was not impressed.

Sichuan is a stronghold of Taoism, covering the area where Tianshi Taoism developed and the Celestial Masters had their main seat.

Raised in a non-religious family, Eichenberg had been attracted to Taoism as a child.

The movement also had political and religious aspects, as Confucian scholars tried to combat the influence of Taoism and Buddhism on the emperors.

In 700, Wu Zetian, in order to give her lovers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong legitimacy in their entries into the palace, had Li Jiao head a project to create a work known as the Essence of Pearls from the Three Religions ( 三教珠英, Sanjiao Zhuying ) -- a compilation of various poetry about Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism -- and had Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong involved in the project as well.

Suzuki's contrasting view was that, in its centuries of development in China, Zen ( or Chan ) had absorbed much from indigenous Chinese Taoism.

Other Chinese thought such as Confucianism and particularly Taoism and the teachings of Laozi had a strong influence on Wong's personal philosophy throughout her life.

His father did not approve of Buddhism and had him instructed in Taoism instead.

When Hsu Yun was seventeen, he had already undergone the hardship of practicing Taoism for three years and was indeed disappointed.

For example, at Yeon's instigation he supported Taoism and issued edicts repressing Buddhism in the country, which had formerly been officially Buddhist.

Although the People's Republic of China extends official recognition to some religious communities ( Protestantism, Islam, Taoism and Buddhism ), Orthodox Christianity and Roman Catholicism are not among them ( though with the latter, the Chinese government had formed a " Patriotic Catholic Church " or " Patriotic Catholic Association " which is not in communion with Rome ).

In a biography, Lu wrote that his epiphany came in 1969 when he had a mystical experience, leading him to seek out a total of twenty-one human gurus in Taoism, Sutra, and Tantra.

Taoism had a strong influence on the classical garden.

Traditions such as Confucianism, animism, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, have had a similar impact on their cultures.