Taoism

Also known as Daoism.

A religion of about 20 million followers founded by Lao-Tse (604-531 BC), a contemporary of Confucius, and author of Tao-te-Ching.

Taoism started as a combination of psychology and philosophy but evolved into a state religion in 440 AD At that time, Lao-Tse became popularly venerated as a deity.

Taoism, along with Buddhism and Confucianism, became the three great religions of China. Much of Taoism was destroyed since the Communist victory in 1949; it survives mainly in Taiwan.