Taoism, during its time-honored history of development, has exerted far-reaching influences on China's philosophy, literature, arts, medicine and science. What merits special attention is its great contribution to ancient Chinese medicine and chemistry. A folk saying goes, “Nine out of 10 Taoists are doctors.” Taoists' pursuit of longevity and health resulted in many Taoists excelling in medicine. Some renowned senior Taoists, like Ge Hong of the Jin Dynasty, Dao Hongjing of the Southern and Northern Dynasties and Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty, were all well-known doctors and pharmacists. Taoists of early times attached great importance to minerals, mainly lead, mercury, sulfur, gold, and silver, from which they believed elixirs could be made. They had hoped that these elixirs could free them from the terrors of death. Of course, no immortality pills were ever achieved, but during this process they discovered certain chemical phenomena, which they recorded. Their records thus became the most valuable documents in ancient Chinese chemistry. Joseph Needham, historian of science, wrote in his Science and Civilization in China : “Many of the most attractive elements of the Chinese character derive from Taoism. China without Taoism would be a tree of which some of its deepest roots had perished.” What is worth mentioning here is that gunpowder, one of China's four great inventions, was actually invented by Taoists during their attempts to create elixirs.
Taoist culture has long permeated the everyday life of ordinary Chinese people since it exerted great influences on social customs in ancient China and on the shaping of national consciousness. The venerated Lu Xun, the great Chinese writer, once said, “China is rooted in Taoism.” Taoism has played an important role in the making of traditional Chinese culture. To know it is to possess a key to a better understanding of traditional Chinese culture.
