2006-11-09 11:06:00 · 8 answers · asked by Fishboy 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Taoism can mean many things to many different people.
At its simplest, Taoists don't "worship" anything but strive for the balance in the universe.
When Buddhism was introduced into China, certain Taoist sects borrowed many of the deities from Buddhism, while others did not.
This is a complex question much akin to asking What do Christians worship? Christians believe similarly but not all set the same precedence on Christ, the Trinity or the Lord.
2006-11-09 11:18:19 · answer #1 · answered by joseFFF 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The original Taoism is more like Buddhism, a philosophy. Proposed by Lao Zi, Zhuang Zi and Lie Zi, the doctrine is focused on harmony with the world and enlightenment through meditation.
Like the first verse from Lao Zi's Dao De Jing 'The way that can be taught, is not the true way. The names that can be named, is not the true name' Hence the real Tao cannot be explained by another person, rather, one has to experience it themselves.
Dao De Jing is like the Bible to the true Taoists, although it was also said to be edited by many authors.
This was a different approach as Taoist then believed that wise men should not meddle in the affairs of the public. This was drastically different from Confucianism, which was also developed along the same timeline. Legend also has it Lao Zi admonishing Confucius on his futility of spreading his teachings. The truly wise does not seek to impart his teachings onto others, for they would not be able to fully understand the meaning. But this is unlikely to have happened as Lao Zi lived a few hundred years earlier than Confucius.
However, during the later Han(?) Dynasty, people began mixing Taoism with ancestral worship and shamanism. That is why most Taoist nowadays even prayed to the Monkey King, even if it was just a fictional character from Journey to the West
2006-11-09 12:26:55 · answer #2 · answered by Dumbguy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are lots of Taoist gods to be worshipped. Some examples are in the story ''the romance of the three kingdom.'' The general like ''guan gong'' are worshipped as it represents loyal and brave in the Taoism beliefs. Therefore not to mix wrong with the Buddhism. However in the mythology, it was believe that there are relationships and connections between the two beliefs.
2006-11-09 11:15:49 · answer #3 · answered by SKyLaR 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A taoist believes in the sweet fluidity of nature and is free of gods...it is somewhat of a spiritual evolution....
2006-11-09 14:13:33 · answer #4 · answered by Mudcat 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i though "lao zi" and "zuan zi" belongs to confusionist.. not taoist... taoist believe in many different god and goddess.. like the hindu, taoists has many gods..
the god that control all the god is "Yu huang".. even monkey god, and guan yu.. and laughter god and "guan yin", and god that control the ghosts or the land and the kitchen and many more..
it is easily confused with buddhism because they might have many similarities...
they burn incense and paper money to ghost on the seventh months...and they carry amulet...
2006-11-09 14:02:18 · answer #5 · answered by cheesecake 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there beliefs are more like philosophy and doesn't exactly worship special certain gods
2006-11-09 11:18:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
what is a toe-ist ? toes ? thats weird toe worship
2006-11-09 11:08:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Here you go...
Yu-huang mostly...
2006-11-09 11:13:36 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋