Editing Three teachings (section)

== Taoism ==
{{Main|Taoism}}
[[Daoism]] (or [[Daoism–Taoism romanization issue|Taoism]]) is a philosophy centered on living in harmony with the [[Dao]] (Tao) ({{zh|c={{linktext|道}}|p=Dào|l=Way}}), which is believed to be the source, pattern and substance of all matter.<ref name=Chiu>{{cite web|last1=Chiu|first1=Lisa|title=Daoism in China|url=http://chineseculture.about.com/od/religioninchina/a/Daoism.htm|access-date=13 February 2015}}</ref> Its origin can be traced back to the late 4th century BCE and the main thinkers representative of this teaching are [[Laozi]] and [[Zhuang Zhou]].<ref name=Craig /> Key components of Daoism are Dao (the Way) and immortality, along with a stress on balance found throughout nature. There is less emphasis on extremes and instead focuses on the interdependence between things. For example, [[yin and yang]] ({{lit|dark and bright}}) do not exemplify the opposition of good against evil, but instead represents the interpenetration of mutually-dependent opposites present in everything; "within the Yang there exists the Yin and vice versa".<ref name=Chiu />

The basis of [[Daoist philosophy]] is the idea of "[[wu wei]]", often translated as "non-action". In practice, it refers to an in-between state of "being, but not acting". This concept also overlaps with an idea in Confucianism as Confucius similarly believed that a perfect sage could rule without taking action. Daoism assumes any extreme action can initiate a counter-action of equal extremity, and so excessive government can become tyrannical and unjust, even when initiated with good intentions.<ref name=Chiu />

The following is a quote from the [[Daodejing]], one of the main texts in Daoist teachings:
{{quote|"The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth."|Laozi, Daodejing<ref>{{cite web|title=Tao Te Ching Quotes|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/100074|access-date=13 February 2015}}</ref>}}