Taoism was a philosophy that started in 500 B.C. as an act against Confucianism. The philosophy of Confucianism states that you can live a good life if you live in a well-disciplined society that implies attention to ceremony, duty, morality, and public service.

The religion of Taoism was influenced by a Chinese folk religion. In the folk religion there were really no gods but people who were considered gods because of their powers. One example is Guan Di who protected business people and was a general during the A.D. 200s. Many Taoists have tried to get immortality through magic, meditation, special diets, breath control, or the recitation of scriptures. Five organs of the body are related to the five parts of the sky: water, fire, wood, metal and earth. Taoists see the gods as manifestations of the one Dao, which is not really an image. The idea of a personal deity doesn't even cross their mind. Taoists don't pray to a god because they have no god to answer their prayers or act upon them. Meditation and outer observation is a means for answering a Taoist's worries, questions, or life's problems. The Chi (air or breath) must be controlled and taken care of by everything that has been given it. Another thing that Taoists like is the art of "wu wei." This art states that nature should take its own course.