pense everything with kindness. To actualize faith, treat everything with faithfulness. Lao Tzu did not preach, organize, or promote. Buddha walked all over India for forty-five years to get his point across. Confucius pestered people forever to gain an administrative place so that he could speak his word. Lao Tzu however cared little about fame or fortune. He defined the Taoist way of thinking with his actions and his writings. He will always be a part of Taoist history.Chang Ling was the historical founder of Taoism. His followers called him the “Heavenly Teacher.”(b2) Two movements began to form after the founding of Taoism. One was named the Cult of Immortals. The “Cult of Immortals” attempted to achieve immortality through mediation, breathing, bathing, gymnastics, sexual arts, medicines, and chemistry, among other things. The “Way of the Heavenly Teacher” was the other movement. Ko Hung combined Taoist and Confucius ways to form a system where what you accomplished or did not accomplish (deeds) determined how long you lived. This is written in the book The Master who Embraces Simplicity. Ko Hung lived from 284 - 363 AD.Modern Taoism does not have very much in common with the teachings of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. Some Tao gods are men, many are animals (creatures), and some are “natural objects.”(e4) The Pearly Emperor was widely worshipped, and there was once even a Taoist pope! Modern Taoism also has many complicated heavens and hells. Taoist hells are more like purgatories, which means that the spirits are only there temporarily. The sphere of magic now contributes to Tao greatly. The “ignorant and superstitious”(f1) used Taoism only for its magic to prevent death and/or illness. Taoism and the number of Taoists in China are decreasing.“Tao,” like the Greek word “logos” means both evolution and chaos, but also spreads through...
