Divinity Atlas

Sacred Correspondences
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme

Switch Atlas

The Inner World

The Civil World

The Natural World

Spread Map

Taoism Spread Map

Where and when Taoism spread, arrived, was established, declined or was revived, in the places and years the historical record gives.

Map

Taoism Spread Map Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Federated States of Micronesia Fiji Finland France French Polynesia Gabon Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guam Guatemala Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Laos Latvia Lebanon Libya Lithuania Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Malta Mauritius Mexico Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nigeria North Macedonia Norway Oman Pakistan Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tanzania Thailand Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Zhang Daoling Founds the Way of the Celestial Masters, China, 142 to 215, EstablishedYang Xi Receives the Shangqing Revelations at Maoshan, China, 364 to 370, EstablishedEmperor Taiwu of Northern Wei Receives Taoist Investiture, China, 442, EstablishedThe Tang Dynasty Elevates Taoism as Its Ancestral Faith, China, 618 to 907, DominantThe Huichang Edict Suppresses Buddhism and Elevates Taoism in Tang China, China, 845, DominantEmperor Huizong Completes the First Printed Daoist Canon, China, 1119, EstablishedGenghis Khan and Qiu Chuji Meet Near the Hindu Kush, Afghanistan, 1222, DominantThe Ming Dynasty Completes the Zhengtong Daozang, China, 1445, EstablishedTaoism Arrives In Taiwan With Fujian Settlers, Taiwan, 1660, ArrivedThe Nationalist Retreat Brings Taoism's Leadership To Taiwan, Taiwan, 1949, DominantThe Cultural Revolution Suppresses Taoism in China, China, 1966 to 1976, SuppressedTaoism Is Revived in China After the Cultural Revolution, China, 1979, RevivedThe Wudang Mountains Join UNESCO's World Heritage List, China, 1994, EstablishedThe Chinese Daoist Association Adopts the Maoshan Declaration and Eight Year Plan, China, 2008 to 2017, EstablishedThe World Federation of Daoism Is Founded at Mount Maoshan, China, 2023, EstablishedThe World Federation of Daoism Holds Its First Council Meeting at Laozi's Birthplace, China, 2024, Established

Point at, tap, or move keyboard focus to a marker for its event, place, year and status.

Marker size and shape show how established the tradition was there: a small filled dot for an arrival, a larger one for an established or dominant presence, and a hollow, distinct marker where it was suppressed or nearly disappeared, never simply absent.

1 event has a recorded place with no map coordinate yet, so it is not marked on the map above: Tang Emperor Xuanzong Orders the Kaiyuan Daozang Copied Widely (Chang'an). It is complete in the list below.

Spoken Chronology

Zhang Daoling Founds the Way of the Celestial Masters. China, 142 to 215, Established. Source, History of Taoism (Wikipedia).

Yang Xi Receives the Shangqing Revelations at Maoshan. China, 364 to 370, Established. Source, The Encyclopedia of Taoism.

Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei Receives Taoist Investiture. China, 442, Established. Source, Richard B. Mather, "K'ou Ch'ien-chih and the Taoist Theocracy at the Northern Wei Court, 425-451" (Facets of Taoism, Yale University Press, 1979).

The Tang Dynasty Elevates Taoism as Its Ancestral Faith. China, 618 to 907, Dominant. Source, History of Taoism (Wikipedia).

Tang Emperor Xuanzong Orders the Kaiyuan Daozang Copied Widely. Chang'an, 748, Established. Source, Daozang (Encyclopedia of Taoism, Golden Elixir Press).

The Huichang Edict Suppresses Buddhism and Elevates Taoism in Tang China. China, 845, Dominant. Source, Emperor Wuzong's Edict on the Suppression of Buddhism (Asia for Educators, Columbia University).

Emperor Huizong Completes the First Printed Daoist Canon. China, 1119, Established. Source, Daozang (Encyclopedia of Taoism, Golden Elixir Press).

Genghis Khan and Qiu Chuji Meet Near the Hindu Kush. Afghanistan, 1222, Dominant. Source, Qiu Chuji: A Noted Figure in Taoist History (China Culture, China Daily).

The Ming Dynasty Completes the Zhengtong Daozang. China, 1445, Established. Source, The Daoist Canon (FYSK Daoist Culture Centre).

Taoism Arrives In Taiwan With Fujian Settlers. Taiwan, 1660, Arrived. Source, Taoism In Taiwan (Wikipedia).

The Nationalist Retreat Brings Taoism's Leadership To Taiwan. Taiwan, 1949, Dominant. Source, Taoism In Taiwan (Wikipedia).

The Cultural Revolution Suppresses Taoism in China. China, 1966 to 1976, Suppressed. Source, History of Taoism (Wikipedia).

Taoism Is Revived in China After the Cultural Revolution. China, 1979, Revived. Source, History of Taoism (Wikipedia).

The Wudang Mountains Join UNESCO's World Heritage List. China, 1994, Established. Source, Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (UNESCO World Heritage Centre).

The Chinese Daoist Association Adopts the Maoshan Declaration and Eight Year Plan. China, 2008 to 2017, Established. Source, Global Capital, Local Conservation, and Ecological Civilization (Lemche and Miller, Religions, 2019).

The World Federation of Daoism Is Founded at Mount Maoshan. China, 2023, Established. Source, World Federation of Daoism Established to Promote Unity of Daoists (Xinhua).

The World Federation of Daoism Holds Its First Council Meeting at Laozi's Birthplace. China, 2024, Established. Source, First Council Meeting of the World Daoist Federation (Dao World).

Full Chronology

Every recorded spread event for this tradition, in date order, complete: 17 events.

  1. Zhang Daoling Founds the Way of the Celestial MastersChina, 142 to 215, Established
    Source History of Taoism (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
  2. Yang Xi Receives the Shangqing Revelations at MaoshanChina, 364 to 370, Established
    Source The Encyclopedia of TaoismFabrizio Pregadio (ed.)
  3. Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei Receives Taoist InvestitureChina, 442, Established
    Source Richard B. Mather, "K'ou Ch'ien-chih and the Taoist Theocracy at the Northern Wei Court, 425-451" (Facets of Taoism, Yale University Press, 1979)Richard B. Mather
  4. The Tang Dynasty Elevates Taoism as Its Ancestral FaithChina, 618 to 907, Dominant
    Source History of Taoism (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
  5. Tang Emperor Xuanzong Orders the Kaiyuan Daozang Copied WidelyChang'an, 748, Established
    Source Daozang (Encyclopedia of Taoism, Golden Elixir Press)
  6. The Huichang Edict Suppresses Buddhism and Elevates Taoism in Tang ChinaChina, 845, Dominant
    Source Emperor Wuzong's Edict on the Suppression of Buddhism (Asia for Educators, Columbia University)Emperor Wuzong of Tang
  7. Emperor Huizong Completes the First Printed Daoist CanonChina, 1119, Established
    Source Daozang (Encyclopedia of Taoism, Golden Elixir Press)
  8. Genghis Khan and Qiu Chuji Meet Near the Hindu KushAfghanistan, 1222, Dominant
    Source Qiu Chuji: A Noted Figure in Taoist History (China Culture, China Daily)
  9. The Ming Dynasty Completes the Zhengtong DaozangChina, 1445, Established
    Source The Daoist Canon (FYSK Daoist Culture Centre)
  10. Taoism Arrives In Taiwan With Fujian SettlersTaiwan, 1660, Arrived
    Source Taoism In Taiwan (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
  11. The Nationalist Retreat Brings Taoism's Leadership To TaiwanTaiwan, 1949, Dominant
    Source Taoism In Taiwan (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
  12. The Cultural Revolution Suppresses Taoism in ChinaChina, 1966 to 1976, Suppressed
    Source History of Taoism (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
  13. Taoism Is Revived in China After the Cultural RevolutionChina, 1979, Revived
    Source History of Taoism (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
  14. The Wudang Mountains Join UNESCO's World Heritage ListChina, 1994, Established
    Source Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (UNESCO World Heritage Centre)
  15. The Chinese Daoist Association Adopts the Maoshan Declaration and Eight Year PlanChina, 2008 to 2017, Established
    Source Global Capital, Local Conservation, and Ecological Civilization (Lemche and Miller, Religions, 2019)Jennifer Lemche and James Miller
  16. The World Federation of Daoism Is Founded at Mount MaoshanChina, 2023, Established
    Source World Federation of Daoism Established to Promote Unity of Daoists (Xinhua)
  17. The World Federation of Daoism Holds Its First Council Meeting at Laozi's BirthplaceChina, 2024, Established
    Source First Council Meeting of the World Daoist Federation (Dao World)