History of Taoism in Chinese Tradition and Culture
Taoist Religion is a religion originating from China.
From the data available, the Religion of Religion is one of the oldest religions in the world, generally stated to have existed since 7000 years ago, and even the religion adopted by the majority of Chinese people. This is illustrated by the famous LU XUN article, where he noted that the Taoist Religion was the religion and main root of Chinese culture. Generally, Taoism is believed: Originating from the Yellow Emperor (Wang Di), developed by Lao Zi and organized into a comprehensive religious institution (Taoist Religion) by Zhang Tao Ling.
Taoism has contributed to guarding harmony in living in China for thousands of years. It has also provided no small contribution to the civilization of literature, culture, astronomy, medicine, philosophy, and ways of assuming the Chinese community wherever they are.
In the time of FU XI during 5000 BC, FU XI had used the theory and calculation of BA-KUA (Eight Quarters) to declare about the Astronomical system, assessing urgent matters related to the predictions of one’s life, and assessing ritual ways of worshiping Gods. /Goddess. Until the time of WANG DI (Yellow Emperor) 2698 BC, theories began to be proposed about fundamental rules and theories about the problems of life and death. WANG DI is the first person who runs his government according to the TAO doctrine.
Since WANG DI until the next 1500 years, each leader who replaced other leaders not infrequently ruled his community with the theory of WANG DI doctrine, between differences: Respect THIAN and uphold courtesy in society (WANG IN ZHI TAO / Philosophy of doctrine WANG IN )
At the time of the Chow Kingdom Dynasty, there was a wise man who had a big name, LAO ZI. He once served as an official who guarded and cared for a library of books belonging to the Chow kingdom. Because of this, he has the opportunity to listen to all the books and master the theories taught by WANG DI.
This created him the most flattering of the glory of nature who had lived all living things, classified as humans, but he also taught that behind all that there must be someone who created it who had the supreme nature; Maha Mulia and Maha Esa, it is only confusing for him to submit the proper designation or name for this great Creator of the Universe. Finally, LAO ZI borrows the word “TAO,” to give the name to “SOURCE” of everything made in this universe. Based on information from LAO ZI; TAO is the source of the creation of everything in the world.
The way he thought he was far ahead of his time, multiplied his teachings which upheld goodness and rebellious barbarity, then finally the LAO ZI doctrine together with WANG DI doctrine was known to people as the Teachings of WANG-LAO (WANG-LAO TAO / Doctrine of Wang Di and Lao Zi) until now. The teachings of Wang-Lao (Wang-Lao Tao) are increasingly developing and rooted in the hearts of the people, the end of which is practiced by almost every learned person and scholar of that era, one of whom is CHUANG ZI.
The worship of LAO ZI has been opened since the JIN HAN Dynasty when religious activities and religious rituals have developed in such a way. In the days of the Western Han, people lived prosperous and sentimental thanks to all the royal leaders adhering to and carrying out the WANG-LAO TAO doctrine.
When I arrived in the Eastern Han era (Tong Han), there was a person named Zhang Tao Ling who thoroughly studied all the doctrines of TAO and the knowledge of Deity, he also succeeded in making sortings and arranging the rules for ceremonial ways to TAO Agamaan, teaches how to draw HU and mentions it in standard books for teaching purposes for followers. So that a TAO-based religious organization was formed which was united ever since. Furthermore, all of his spiritual work is not often officially used the name AGO TAO. His followers are named as TAO SHI people.
Zhang Tao Ling also used another name, besides Taoist Religion, namely Thian Zhi TAO and especially active in the Si Chuan region, his successors also spread TAO religion in Jiang Si region in the Long Hu San / Naga Harimau area, next to the southern part of the Zhang river Jiang. Since then TAO Religion does not often teach people to cultivate and possess qualities that are honest, sincere and compassionate, and do not hurt others.
People if they are sick or guilty, if they want to recover and ask for help in TAO Religion, then they are obliged to admit one time or wrong actions, then they will be given healing or advice and even invited. Semedi and introspection for healing him. TAO religion teaches explicitly the nature of Qing Jing Wu Wei, a trait in which people are advised not to try often to do something for the common good, but still guard a sincere mental attitude with no strings attached.
Besides that, it is also not uncommon for people to be introspective in their efforts to order the community to be able to maintain the harmony of their lives. Such characteristics are the difference between contributing to the building of temples that can be used to stay for people who are traveling far away, and to spend free food for those who stay there, all of which aim to serve and facilitate the people of their time, so that the most get support from all walks of life.
In the era of the TANG Dynasty, TAO Religion grew rapidly, to the point that the king decided to have exclusive officials at the level of the Minister to take care of all the problems associated with Tao Kuan and Klenteng that were present at the time. Besides, each year there is also a kind of exam to bring people who are experienced in Taoist knowledge (The term XIAN SIEK POK SHI = Professor of Religion in Taoist Religion), as a legitimate advisor to the kingdom. This situation continued until the Song Dynasty, the kings and families of the monarchs generally all followed the Taoist religion, to the point that it could be said that it was the golden age for TAO religion at that time.
History writes that in the era of the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, not a few produced the Tao Shi (TAO Priest / Expert Religion) who was very wise and capable, where their stories could not be found in books that record TAO Religion.
In the CIN Dynasty, there were three new TAO religious schools in northern China, namely: QUAN ZHEN stream; ZHEN DA Flow; DAI YI flow. Among the three streams, QUAN ZHEN TAO JIAO (TAO Religion of QUAN ZHEN stream) developed very rapidly and had the most influence. It was from QUAN ZHEN TAO JIAO that there was a figure who had the name JIU JU CIE, he was the one who in the YUAN Dynasty successfully influenced and instructed Raja YUAN, JENGIS KHAN, to accept and believe in the TAO Religious doctrine.
At the end of the YUAN Dynasty, the popularity of TAO Religion began to decline in the royal family, to the extent that there were incidents of burning of TAO Religion books, this affair was undoubtedly the most detrimental to the image and raised the anger of the TAO Religion in the future. This situation was exploited by CU YUAN CHANG to immediately gain community support to overthrow the Yuan Dynasty and uphold the Ming Dynasty.
After CU YUAN CHANG succeeded in utilizing the TAO Religion community in upholding the MING kingdom, he deeply understood that TAO Religion most confirmed the virtues and virtues and most Anti-Dictatorship (because dictatorships are very contrary to nature), this matter was most feared by CU YUAN CHANG, because he actually preferred to exercise his power in Tyranny.
So in public Cu Yuan Chang seemed very supportive of the development of TAO Religion, but secretly he struggled to do all the techniques to reduce TAO Religion, this was proven because Cu Yuan Chang finally only allowed TAO Religion to spread the doctrine of worship methods/ceremonies Gods and Goddesses as well as stories about the Science of Deity, but it is absolutely forbidden to teach philosophy and science from a deeper TAO Religion.
This certainly hit the TAO religion growth the most and stimulated the development of negative consequences for the image of TAO Religion in the future. When the kingdom of MAN QING colonized China and upheld the Kingdom of QING, as colonizers, they were most afraid of the doctrine of the Religion of TAO which was very populist and supported the Policy and Freedom and anti-dictatorship.
So they also forbid the effort to spread the true TAO philosophy and religious science doctrine, but intentionally ignored those on behalf of TAO Religion to accentuate Superstition, wandering around to cover the heresy among members of the community with TAO slanderous religion destinations, such people are often called Wu Bo (Female Shaman) or Shen Han (Male Shaman).
Therefore since then, the image of the TAO Religion has become the ugliest and outdated, the impact is felt for an extended period of time, now there are still some educated people, who have not understood what TAO Religion really is, quickly underestimating TAO Religion as a Religion have superstitious and outdated nature, because basically, they have not been able to distinguish between Tao Shi and shaman.
Thankfully it fits with civilization, lately the whole has begun to change in a positive direction, all followers of the Religion of TAO have started to realize the mistake of their silence around it, to the extent that TAO people began to improve themselves and diligently spread the TAO Religious doctrine the truth is, even though it still has to face not a few obstacles in the field.
Usually, Tao is divided into two parts, namely north and south elements. Tao in the North is like what is in Hu Bei Province, namely Wu Dang San. This group includes a group of QUAN ZHEN which is not married. The southern Taoist element is between Long Hu San, which consists of the IE PAI CEN group and may have a family.
Outside of China and Taiwan, there are some countries where the people of TAO Religion are the most active and developing, among others: Singapore, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. Tao’s religion entered Indonesia was opened by Chinese people who came to Indonesia. When they arrived, they brought the beliefs and traditions of the Taoist Religion and upheld the temples where the gods were worshiped. Many temples that are hundreds of years old, even those that are more than three hundred years old and until now still not a few people who pray there.