Taoism 'needs to connect with science'

Taoism must face up to challenges posed by different sciences and better connect with young people, said Xu Jialu, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

"If a religion tries to distance itself from science, it is trying to distance itself from the group of people that needs the religious dimension most," Xu said in a keynote speech at the Third International Taoist Forum in Yingtan, Jiangxi province, on Tuesday.

He said Taoism should be able to better connect with modern science and technology rather than being divorced from it and added that its practitioners should enhance overseas exchanges, especially in the Taoist philosophy of ecology and health preservation.

"One of the quintessential parts of Taoist learning is an ultimate concern for nature and the Earth. That could serve as the spiritual guidance for human beings to cope with the worsening environment and ecology," he said.

Ma Biao, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, echoed Xu's view, adding that the promotion of Taoist philosophy can help to solve mounting challenges across the world, especially environmental pollution.

An ancient Chinese tradition with roots stretching back thousands of years, Taoism grew out of various religious and philosophical traditions in ancient China, including shamanism.

Lao Tze (571-471 BC) is often identified as the founding father. According to his philosophical work Tao De Ching, everything in the universe is born from emptiness, and a balance must be achieved between human beings and nature.

The forum, the third China has hosted, welcomed nearly 400 Taoist practitioners and scholars from 27 countries and regions, according to the State Administration of Religious Affairs.

Zhang Jiyu, vice-president of the Chinese Taoist Association, said it will make more efforts to connect with Taoist followers overseas by going on cultural exchange tours and inviting more overseas followers to China.

Bernard Shannon, abbot of the Temple of Peace and Virtue in California, said Taoism is becoming increasingly popular in the United States.

"A lot of people practice tai chi. People are starting to understand yin-yang and five-element theory. People have found that the health benefits of practicing Taoism are very strong and want to learn more. That is what brings other people to study the philosophy and religion," Shannon said.

The temple he serves in has 50 practitioners and he decided to convert to Taoism from Christianity.

"I was raised as a Catholic, but I wasn't a practicing Catholic. At university, I discovered Taoism and felt that was appropriate for me," he said.