What do Taoists believe? What is Taoism / Daoism?

"Tao" means "way" or "path" in Chinese. Taoism has been around since the 3rd or 4th century BC. Generally, someone who follows Taoism believes in a force or flow in the universe that keeps balance known by some as the "yin and yang," or equal forces of "good" and "evil."

Taoism, also spelled Daoism, is centered in China, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore and is followed by several hundred million people. Its main scripture is known as the "Tao." The full Taoist canon is known as the Daozang.

There is a wide spectrum of belief in Taoism. Some believe in polytheism, others ancestor worship. Religious holidays find Taoists placing food out as a sacrifice to gods or to the spirits of departed ancestors. Another practice is burning money meant to rematerialize in the spirit world for the use of a dead ancestor. Some Taoists practice Tai Chi Chuan and Bagua Zang as part of their belief system.

Scholars sometimes identify Taoism as philosophical, religionist, and/or a Chinese folk religion. Taoism is not the same as Zen.

Taoism is not the way to God. Jesus Christ said He is the only way to God (John 14:6) and then backed up His claim by rising from the dead. Taoism does not believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Return to:
Truth about Religion

Subscribe to the CompellingTruth.org Newsletter:

Preferred Bible Version:

CompellingTruth.org is part of Got Questions Ministries

For answers to your Bible questions, please visit