Digital libraries and primary-text databases, academic institutions, journals, associations and official sites, museums, reference works, bibliographies and documentaries. Included if publicly accessible, reliably sourced and of real value for research or study.
An open, full-text repository of classical texts built by Donald Sturgeon. Its 'Daoist' section holds pre-Qin Daoist source texts such as the Daodejing, Zhuangzi, Liezi, Wenzi and Heguanzi, with accompanying English translations and dictionary lookup; a separate 'Daozang' section holds electronic texts and facsimile page scans for a large number of scriptures from the Zhengtong Daozang. It supports word searches, parallel-text comparison and API access, and is one of the first-choice entry points for searching Daoist source texts.
An open-source repository of Chinese-text editions maintained by Christian Wittern (Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University) and hosted on GitHub. It includes structured text for the entire Zhengtong Daozang (the KR5 Daozang section), which can be compared line by line against facsimile page images, and supports full-text search and offline download, making it one of the most complete open text sources for the digitized Daoist Canon.
A project of the Centre for the Study of Daoist Culture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in collaboration with the École française d'Extrême-Orient, devoted to editing and studying the Qing-dynasty Daozang jiyao (Essentials of the Daoist Canon), led by Lai Chi-tim, Monica Esposito and Vincent Goossaert, among others. The project compiles descriptive notes and research studies on the Daozang jiyao and builds digitized text resources, and is an important platform for the study of the Qing Daoist Canon and internal alchemy literature.
The Daozang category of Chinese Wikisource, containing texts of Daoist classics such as the Daodejing, the Scripture of Great Peace, the Zhouyi cantong qi, the Baopuzi and the Yunji qiqian entered by volunteers, freely copyable, correctable and reusable (public domain or CC-licensed). Text quality is uneven, and it should be used alongside facsimile editions of the Daoist Canon.
A large, privately maintained aggregator site for classical texts and reference works, holding facsimile editions and texts of the Zhengtong Daozang, the Daozang jiyao, the Zangwai daoshu and other collections, as well as dictionary, rhyme-book and encyclopedic search functions. Most of its material comes from scans made public by various libraries; it is convenient to search, but its bibliographic records are not rigorous, so academic citation should be checked against the original book; access from outside China is unstable.
The classical-text repository of the Zdic (Hanyu) website, holding electronic texts of Daoist philosophical and religious classics such as the Daodejing, Zhuangzi, Liezi, Huainanzi and Baopuzi, linked to the Zdic dictionary for word-by-word lookup. Suitable for introductory reading; academic research should be checked against standard critical editions.
A free, open online library of classical books that collects and shares high-resolution scans of classical texts made public by major libraries worldwide, including selections from the Ming Zhengtong Daozang, Daoist woodblock prints, the Xingming guizhi, and the illustrated Taishang ganying pian, among other Daoism-related rare editions. Materials are provided as downloadable PDFs, with the source library noted.
Searching 'Daozang' on the Internet Archive turns up the Hanfenlou facsimile edition of the Zhengtong Daozang, the Yiwen Yinshuguan edition, the Daozang jiyao, and scans of a large number of Daoist studies monographs, readable online or downloadable. Copyright status is mostly public domain, though some items are under a library lending model.
In collaboration with the National Library of China, the Harvard-Yenching Library has digitized its entire collection of Chinese rare books and made them openly browsable, including Ming- and Qing-dynasty printed Daoist scriptures, morality books, illustrated tracts on virtue, and Daoist encyclopedias. Images can be searched through the HOLLIS catalog and downloaded in high resolution.
The digital collection of Japan's National Diet Library holds Japanese woodblock editions of the Laozi and Zhuangzi, the Taishang ganying pian, Edo-period printed Daoist morality books, and Daoism-related research by modern Japanese scholars; some materials are restricted to on-site reading owing to copyright.
An image database of rare Chinese-text editions made public by the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo, including Ming- and Qing-dynasty printed editions held in the Sōkōdō and Ōki collections, among them materials on Daoist ritual, morality books, alchemical texts, Daoist fiction and woodblock prints, freely browsable online.
An image database of rare Chinese-text editions made public by the Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University, holding fragments of the Daozang, a Ming edition of the Yunji qiqian, and numerous Daoist stele rubbings and encyclopedic texts. The Institute has long been a major center of Japanese Daoist studies (with scholars such as Yoshioka Yoshitoyo and Fukunaga Mitsuji), and its database is an important source of primary material.
The rare-book image search system of the National Central Library, Taiwan, holds fragments of the Ming Daozang, Qing-dynasty Daoist morality books, the Daozang jiyao, and scans of a large number of popular-religion documents. Searching requires account registration, and most images can be viewed online.
A platform for digital classical-text resources launched by the National Library of China, offering over a hundred thousand images of rare books, Dunhuang manuscripts, oracle bones, steles and rubbings, open without login. It can be searched for the National Library's copy of the Ming Zhengtong Daozang, Dunhuang Daoist manuscript scrolls, and local Daoist documents, and is the most authoritative free source of classical-text images within China.
A database of Dunhuang and Silk Road manuscripts led by the British Library in collaboration with institutions in multiple countries, bringing together high-resolution images and catalog descriptions of the Stein, Pelliot and other collections. It includes several hundred Dunhuang Daoist manuscripts (such as the Xiang'er Commentary on the Laozi, S.6825, the Taiping jing, and the Benji jing), searchable by scripture title or shelfmark.
The Gallica digital platform of the Bibliothèque nationale de France makes public the complete high-resolution images of the Dunhuang manuscripts acquired by Paul Pelliot (Pelliot chinois shelfmarks), including important Tang-dynasty Daoist manuscript copies such as the Heshanggong Commentary on the Daodejing, the Benji jing, and the Shengxuan neijiao jing, freely zoomable and downloadable.
A collection guide to the British Library's holdings of Stein Dunhuang manuscripts (Or.8210/S. shelfmarks), with images provided mainly through IDP. The Daoist material in the collection includes fragments of the Xiang'er Commentary on the Laozi and Six Dynasties-to-Tang manuscripts of the Duren jing (Scripture of the Upper Chapters on Limitless Salvation), among others.
The largest academic paper database in mainland China, containing full texts of journals such as Studies in World Religions, Religious Studies, and China Taoism, along with degree theses related to Daoism; access requires an institutional subscription or per-article purchase, and it can be accessed from overseas at oversea.cnki.net.
A database containing the full texts of academic journals from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, in which one can search for Daoism-related papers in journals such as Studies in Chinese Religions, Taiwan Journal of Religious Studies, and Fu Jen Religious Studies; some content is openly accessible.
JSTOR contains back issues of journals such as the Journal of Chinese Religions, the Journal of Asian Studies, T'oung Pao, and Asia Major, and is a primary platform for searching English-language papers in Daoist studies; a free personal account allows a limited number of free readings each month.
The study of Daoist iconography is currently scattered across a number of projects and publications: Shih-shan Susan Huang's Picturing the True Form systematically surveys Daoist visual culture, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History includes an essay on 'Daoism and Daoist Art' with links to Daoist images in its collection — both good starting points for researching Daoist iconography.
A website on Daoism and internal/external alchemy maintained by the Italian scholar Fabrizio Pregadio, offering excerpted English translations of alchemical texts such as the Zhouyi cantong qi and the Wuzhen pian, a glossary of Daoist terms, a catalog of the Daoist Canon, bibliographies, and a large number of free PDF papers and e-books — the most systematic online resource for internal alchemy studies in the English-speaking world.
The Chinese-language Wikipedia entry on Daoism (道教) and its English (Taoism), Japanese (Dōkyō) and French (Taoïsme) versions, offering overviews of doctrine, history, schools, deities and scriptures along with extensive further links. Quality varies by language; the Chinese and English entries are relatively well developed and make a good entry point for verification.
An influential comprehensive Daoism portal site in mainland China, with sections on Daoist news, temples, scriptures, figures, nourishing life, and ritual; it carries a large amount of general Daoist knowledge and news reporting, mostly from a religious-practitioner perspective, so its content should be independently verified before academic citation.
An English-language portal for Daoist studies created by James Miller, gathering bibliographies of Daoist research, directories of scholars, conference information, course syllabi, and teaching resources; it is a commonly used entry point for the English-speaking academic world to keep abreast of the current state of Daoist studies.
Coursera and edX host a number of open courses touching on Daoist philosophy and religion, such as Harvard's "Religions of China" (part of the ChinaX series), and courses on Chinese philosophy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and National Taiwan University, which can be audited free of charge.
A number of temples and Taoist associations maintain official accounts on Bilibili that post ritual protocols, scripture chanting, lectures, and documentaries, such as the Chinese Taoist Association, the Shanghai City God Temple, and the Wudang Mountains Taoist Association; when searching, it is advisable to follow institutionally verified accounts.
On YouTube one can find recordings of academic lectures and symposia on Daoism uploaded by various universities and research institutions (such as the Centre for Studies of Daoist Culture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, UCSB, and the Daoist Foundation); it is advisable to rely on official institutional channels.
A publishing house dedicated to Daoist studies founded by Livia Kohn, publishing the Journal of Daoist Studies and dozens of monographs, translations, and textbooks in Daoist studies; print and electronic editions can be purchased through its website.
The English Wikipedia's article on Taoism and its associated series of articles on Daoist schools, scriptures, figures, and deities frequently cite the works of scholars such as Kohn, Robinet, and Pregadio, and can serve as a starting point for tracing English-language academic literature.
The Japanese Wikipedia's article on Daoism (Dōkyō) and its related series reflect the research findings and terminological conventions of Japanese Daoist studies, and are especially useful for understanding the reception and research history of Daoism in Japan.
The French Wikipedia's article on Taoism; France is a major center of Daoist studies in Europe, and the article frequently cites the works of French-language scholars such as Henri Maspero, Kristofer Schipper, and Isabelle Robinet.
The German Wikipedia's article on Daoism (Daoismus) and its related series reflect the research findings of German-language scholarship (such as the work of Florian Reiter and the early works of Livia Kohn).
An encyclopedia article introducing the successive compilations of the Daoist Canon (the Sandong Qionggang, the Kaiyuan Daoist Canon, the Zhenghe Wanshou Daoist Canon, the Zhengtong Daoist Canon, the Wanli Supplementary Canon, the Zhonghua Daozang, and others) and the classification system of the Three Caverns, Four Supplements, and Twelve Categories, with links to major editions and digitization projects.
A two-volume English-language encyclopedia of Daoism containing about 800 entries covering figures, scriptures, schools, deities, terms and temples, written by dozens of international scholars, with detailed bibliographies. It is the most authoritative reference work on Daoism in the English-speaking world; the Golden Elixir website also offers sample readings of some entries.
The general entry on Daoism in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, written by Chad Hansen, with separate entries on Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Neo-Daoism (Xuanxue). It discusses questions such as the Dao, wuwei, language and epistemology from a philosophical-analytic perspective, with a systematic bibliography; the entry is peer-reviewed and regularly updated.
An overview of Daoist philosophy in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, written by Ronnie Littlejohn, covering the origins of Daoist thought, the Laozi, Zhuangzi, Huainanzi and Huang-Lao thought, with a brief introduction to the process by which Daoism became a religion. Written in accessible language, suitable as an introduction for English-language readers.
The Great Dictionary of Daoism, compiled by the China Taoist Association and the Suzhou Taoist Association, published by Huaxia Publishing House in 1994, containing over ten thousand entries covering doctrine, scriptures, figures, temples, ritual, and terminology; it is one of the most widely used reference works in Chinese-language Daoist studies.
The Great Dictionary of Chinese Daoism, edited by Hu Fuchen, published by China Social Sciences Press in 1995, containing about 15,000 entries arranged by category — Daoist history, doctrine, deities and immortals, scriptures, temples, alchemy, and medicine — with extensive supplementary reference material; it is a representative reference work of Chinese-language Daoist studies.
The Dictionary of Daoist Culture, edited by Zhang Zhizhe, published by Jiangsu Ancient Books Publishing House in 1994, focusing on various aspects of Daoist culture (literature, art, medicine, folklore, temples, and so on); its entries are written in accessible language, suitable for general reference.
A large historical dictionary of the Chinese language, containing over 370,000 entries; many Daoist terms are included with citations of textual evidence, making it a basic tool for verifying the historical usage of Daoist vocabulary. Its online edition is accessed unreliably; a print edition or a licensed database is recommended.
A Chinese–English glossary of Daoist and Internal Alchemy terminology provided on Fabrizio Pregadio's website, covering several hundred entries such as the Cinnabar Field, the Mysterious Pass, Lead and Mercury, and the Dragon and Tiger, with Chinese characters and pinyin, drawn largely from The Encyclopedia of Taoism.
An electronic dictionary of Buddhist terminology maintained by Charles Muller, containing over 70,000 entries, many of which are terms shared or borrowed between Buddhism and Daoism (such as the Three Realms, the kalpa, karma, and zhai, the fasting rite) and can serve as a reference for Daoist studies; guest users have a daily query limit.
A mobile Chinese–English dictionary app that can load multiple dictionaries, including licensed editions of classical Chinese dictionaries (such as the Hanyu Da Cidian), and supports handwriting and OCR input; a practical tool for looking up characters while reading Daoist texts.
A modern edition of the Daoist Canon edited in chief by Zhang Jiyu and organized and collated by the Chinese Taoist Association, in 49 volumes, based on the Zhengtong Daozang and the Wanli Supplementary Daozang, reclassified, punctuated and collated, and incorporating some Dunhuang and extra-canonical Daoist texts. It is the standard working edition for contemporary Daoist textual research, and its electronic text circulates on a number of digital platforms.
A three-volume descriptive catalog of the Zhengtong Daozang edited by Kristofer Schipper and Franciscus Verellen and published by the University of Chicago Press, the product of nearly thirty years of collective work by European scholars, dating, attributing and describing the contents of over 1,500 texts in the Daoist Canon one by one. It is the foundational reference tool for Daozang studies; the Chinese translation, Daozang tongkao, was published by Zhonghua Book Company.
A title index to Daoist texts compiled by Louis Komjathy and published by Three Pines Press, covering the major Daoist collections — the Zhengtong Daozang, the Daozang jiyao, the Zangwai daoshu and the Daozang jinghua, among others — arranged by pinyin and stroke count, with cross-references to various numbering systems, a convenient tool for tracing the provenance of Daoist scriptures.
A bibliography of Western-language Daoist studies maintained on the Golden Elixir website, organized by topic (history, scriptures, Internal Alchemy, External Alchemy, schools, and so on), containing several thousand monographs and articles, and updated regularly.
A bibliography of Daoist studies compiled by daoiststudies.org, searchable by author, topic, and year, containing information on monographs, articles, and dissertations, predominantly in Western languages.
History of Chinese Daoism (ed. Qing Xitai), collectively compiled by the Institute for Religious Studies at Sichuan University, published by Sichuan People's Publishing House 1988–1995 and revised in 1996; it is the most systematic general history of Daoism produced in mainland China, covering the schools, figures, scriptures, and thought of Daoism from its origins to the modern era.
History of Chinese Daoism (ed. Ren Jiyu), compiled by the Institute of World Religions, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, first published by Shanghai People's Publishing House in 1990 and revised and expanded into two volumes in 2001; it surveys the history of Daoism from a Marxist perspective on religious studies, and is one of the representative general histories of Daoism produced in mainland China.
Originally titled Daoism during the Wei–Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties (1988) by Tang Yijie of Peking University, later revised as A History of Early Daoism; it examines, from the perspective of intellectual history, the formation of Daoism and the construction of its doctrine during the Han, Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, and also discusses the relationship among Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.
The Daoism Handbook, published by Brill, its 30 chapters written by specialists in various fields; it systematically introduces the findings of Daoist studies organized by historical period and by theme (cosmology, cultivation, ritual, local Daoism, and so on), and is a standard work of reference and introduction for English-language Daoist studies.
A textbook survey of Daoist history written by Livia Kohn, concisely introducing the development, doctrine, and practice of Daoism from the pre-Qin period to the present; it has gone through multiple editions and is a commonly used textbook in university Daoism courses taught in English.
A general history of Daoism by the French scholar Isabelle Robinet, originally published in French as Histoire du taoïsme des origines au XIVe siècle, translated into English by Phyllis Brooks (as Taoism: Growth of a Religion). Distinguished for its treatment of the Shangqing scriptural tradition, with in-depth analysis of Daoist doctrine, cultivation, and the scriptural system, it is widely recognized in the field as a classic introduction.
A general treatise on Daoism by Kristofer Schipper, drawing on his own experience of being ordained a Zhengyi priest and receiving registers in Tainan, combined with materials from the Daoist Canon, expounding Daoist conceptions of the body, ritual, and local society; the original French edition was published in 1982 and it is a classic work for Western understanding of Daoism (The Taoist Body). Its Chinese translation is titled Daoti Lun.
Stephen R. Bokenkamp selected, translated, and extensively annotated early Daoist scriptures including the Xiang'er Commentary on the Laozi, the Commands and Admonitions for the Families of the Great Dao, the Demon Statutes of Nüqing, the Inner Biography of the Perfected Ziyang, and the Scripture of Salvation (Duren Jing), with a lengthy introduction; it is the fundamental reader in the English-speaking world for the study of Daoist texts from the Han, Wei, and Six Dynasties.
Terry F. Kleeman systematically studies the history, institutional organization, parishes, ritual, and daily life of the early Celestial Masters (the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice), drawing extensively on materials from the Daoist Canon and archaeology; it is the most recent authoritative monograph on the study of the Celestial Masters.
Vincent Goossaert draws on steles, archives, and field materials to study the social history of the community of Daoist priests in Beijing during the late Qing and Republican era, covering White Cloud Temple, Dongyue Temple, and the relations between priests, the government, and civil society; it is a model work in the social history of modern Daoism.
Drawing on the recorded sayings and poetry of Wang Chongyang and the Seven Perfected, this work analyzes the ascetic practice, internal alchemy, and salvational thought of early Quanzhen Daoism; the same author, Stephen Eskildsen, has also written Asceticism in Early Taoist Religion and other works, making this an important English-language study of Quanzhen Daoism.
Russell Kirkland addresses the long-standing Western dichotomy between "philosophical Daoism" and "religious Taoism" and its Orientalist biases, reworking the history of Daoism as a continuous religious tradition; it is an important work for rethinking Western understanding of Daoism.
A systematic textbook on Daoism by Louis Komjathy, covering history, doctrine, cultivation, ritual protocol, conceptions of the body, sacred sites, and contemporary Daoism, with a glossary and further reading; suitable for university courses and self-study.
David A. Palmer studies the rise and fall of the qigong movement in China after 1949, touching on the modern transformation of the Daoist internal-alchemy tradition and the politics of the state and the body; it is an important work for understanding body practices related to Daoism in contemporary China.
Based on fieldwork in Fujian, Kenneth Dean studies the interaction between Daoist ritual and local cults of deities (Baosheng Dadi, Qingshui Zushi, Guangze Zunwang, and others) in their contemporary revival; it is a classic study of the relationship between Daoism and popular religion.
Based on field records of the jiao rites of the Tainan priest Chen Rongsheng, John Lagerwey analyzes one by one the structure, symbolism, and social function of Zhengyi zhai-jiao ritual protocols; it is a pioneering English-language monograph in the study of Daoist ritual.
A history of Chinese alchemy co-authored by Joseph Needham with Lu Gwei-djen, Nathan Sivin, and others, spanning multiple volumes that examine the history and chemical background of external alchemy, internal alchemy, and Daoist physiological alchemy; it is a foundational body of literature for the study of Daoist alchemy, and the website of the Needham Research Institute at Cambridge provides information on the series.
Chen Guofu's foundational work in the textual scholarship of the Daoist Canon, first published in 1949 and expanded in 1963, examining the origins and development of the successive compilations of the Daoist Canon and the emergence and transmission of Daoist scriptures, with appended Notes on the Daozang and A Study of the Methods of External Alchemy and Yellow-and-White Arts; essential reading for the study of Daoist textual scholarship.
The Dutch publisher Brill publishes a large number of works in Daoist studies, including the Daoism Handbook, the China section of the Handbook of Oriental Studies, works related to the journal Daoism: Religion, History and Society, and the journal T'oung Pao.
Founded in 1980 by Qing Xitai, the earliest institution dedicated to Daoist studies at a Chinese university, designated a Key Research Base in Humanities and Social Sciences by the Ministry of Education, and publisher of the journal Religious Studies (Zongjiaoxue Yanjiu). It has produced landmark works such as the four-volume History of Chinese Daoism and the History of Chinese Daoist Thought, and is the central hub of Daoist studies on the mainland.
A national-level institute for religious studies founded in 1964, with a research office for Daoism and popular religion, publisher of World Religious Studies and World Religious Cultures. Scholars such as Ren Jiyu and Wang Ka have led Daoist research there, producing important works such as the History of Chinese Daoism, the History of Daoism, and the critical edition of the Zhonghua Daozang.
Home to a doctoral program in religious studies with a track in Daoist studies; scholars such as Mou Zhongjian and Xie Lujun have long worked on the history of Daoism and on the relationship between Daoism and ethnic religions, publishing works such as A General Account of Daoism (Daojiao Tonglun) and hosting journals and academic conferences on ethnic religious studies.
The Department of Philosophy at Peking University has a Department of Religious Studies with a track in Daoist philosophy and religion; Tang Yijie founded the Institute of Chinese Philosophy and Culture there and promoted comparative studies of Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism, while scholars such as Chen Guying, Wang Zongyu and Zhang Guangbao teach courses on Daoist philosophy and religion and publish the Studies in Daoist Culture (Daojia Wenhua Yanjiu) series.
A research institute for Daoist philosophy and religion affiliated with the School of History and Culture and the School of Marxism at Central China Normal University, led by scholars such as Xiong Tiji and Liu Gusheng, which has published works such as A History of Chinese Studies on the Laozi (Zhongguo Laoxue Shi), A History of Chinese Studies on the Zhuangzi (Zhongguo Zhuangxue Shi), and Twelve Lectures on Daoist Culture, and hosts conferences on studies of the Laozi and Daoist culture.
The Department of Religious Studies at Shandong University has a track in Daoist studies; drawing on the resources of Qilu Daoism (the birthplace of Quanzhen Daoism), it carries out research on the history of Quanzhen Daoism, Daoism on Mount Lao, and the relationship between Daoism and popular religion, and cooperates with the Shandong Provincial Taoist Association on academic activities.
A platform for Daoist studies under the Department of Philosophy in the College of Humanities at Xiamen University, led by scholars such as Zhan Shichuang, which edits the journal Studies in Daoxue (Daoxue Yanjiu) and the Compendium of a Century of Daoxue Scholarship (Bainian Daoxue Jinghua Jicheng), with an emphasis on Daoist philosophy, studies of the Yijing, and Daoism in Fujian and Taiwan.
The Department of Philosophy at Nanjing University has a religious studies programme; scholars such as Hong Xiuping and Sun Yiping work on Daoist philosophy, the history of Daoist thought, and the relationship between Daoism and Buddhism, and have published works such as An Outline History of Chinese Daoist Thought and Daoism in Japan; the department maintains academic cooperation with the Maoshan Daoist Institute.
A Daoist college founded in 1986 under the Shanghai Taoist Association, training Zhengyi priests and administrative personnel; it offers courses in liturgical chanting, Daoist music, and doctrine, and cooperates with Fudan University, East China Normal University and others. The Shanghai Taoist Association website also publishes information about the college.
A national Daoist institution of higher learning founded in 1990 at the White Cloud Temple in Beijing, under the China Taoist Association; it trains advanced Daoist personnel of both the Quanzhen and Zhengyi traditions, offering undergraduate and graduate education with courses covering Daoist scriptures, ritual, the history of the teaching and temple administration. Information is published through the China Taoist Association's official website.
Founded in 2006 under the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and directed by Lai Chi-tim; it publishes the international academic journal Daoism: Religion, History and Society, and promotes the Daozang Jiyao project, research on the history of Hong Kong Daoism, and the digitization of Daoist texts, making it an important hub for Daoist studies in South China and internationally.
A Daoist research and education institution founded in 1991 by Ching Chung Koon; it publishes the journal Hong Dao, offers courses and lectures on Daoist culture, and funds Daoist academic publications and international conferences. The website is the information platform of Ching Chung Koon and the Hong Kong Taoist College.
A platform for the study of religion established at National Chengchi University, Taiwan, in 2012, directed by scholars such as Lee Fong-mao and Hsieh Shu-wei; it publishes the semi-annual journal Studies in Chinese Religions, focusing on Daoist ritual, local Daoist traditions, popular religion and the religions of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, and regularly holds international conferences.
One of the earliest departments of religious studies established in Taiwan (its graduate institute was founded in 1988); it offers courses in Daoist studies, with scholars such as Cheng Chih-ming researching Taiwanese Daoism and popular religion, and publishes the journal Fu Jen Religious Studies.
The Department of Chinese Literature at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan has a track in religion and cultural studies; its scholars have long worked on Tainan Daoist ritual, Wangye jiao (plague-god offerings), Daoist literature and local Daoist altars, and maintain fieldwork cooperation with Zhengyi altars in the Tainan region.
The École française d'Extrême-Orient, a French national institute of Asian studies founded in 1900, with several centres in Asia (including Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei). Daoist scholars such as Kristofer Schipper, Franciscus Verellen and John Lagerwey have served as researchers there; the institute edited The Taoist Canon: A Historical Companion to the Daozang, publishes the Bulletin de l'École française d'Extrême-Orient, and cooperates with the Chinese University of Hong Kong on the Daozang Jiyao project.
The academic cradle of French Daoist studies; Max Kaltenmark, Kristofer Schipper, Isabelle Robinet and Vincent Goossaert have successively held the chair in 'Daoism and the History of Chinese Religions,' training a large number of European scholars of Daoism.
A centre for East Asian studies jointly run by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the Collège de France, the EPHE and the University of Paris; its Chinese Religions group brings together numerous scholars of Daoism, directing projects on Daoist steles, local Daoist history and the Daozang Jiyao, and publishing Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie among other works.
The Department of Sinology under Heidelberg University's Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies has a research track in Chinese religion and intellectual history; it has hosted international conferences on Daoist ritual and local religion, and its library holds a complete photoreprint of the Zhengtong Daozang along with European scholarship on Daoism.
The Department of Sinology at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich is one of the leading centres for the study of Chinese religion in the German-speaking world; its faculty covers Daoist history, Daoist texts and medieval religion, and it has directed research projects on internal alchemy and Daoist conceptions of the body, and holds a collection of German-language Daoist studies.
The Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS) has a deep sinological tradition; Kristofer Schipper taught here in his later years, and scholars such as Barend ter Haar have studied Chinese religion and popular sectarian movements. The Leiden Sinological Library holds rich Daoist source materials and publishes the journal T'oung Pao.
SOAS has a track in Chinese religion and Daoist studies; scholars such as Antonello Palumbo work on medieval Daoism and the relationship between Buddhism and Daoism. The SOAS Library holds the Zhengtong Daozang and European scholarship on Daoism, and the school regularly holds lectures on Chinese religion.
East Asian studies at the University of Cambridge offers courses in the history of Chinese religion and thought; the Needham Research Institute also holds a large collection of materials on Daoist alchemy and the history of science (related to the alchemy volume of Science and Civilisation in China).
Oriental studies at the University of Oxford has a long tradition; Barend ter Haar has held a chair in sinology there and researched Daoism and popular religion, and the Bodleian Library holds Ming-dynasty Daoist scriptures and early European scholarship on Daoism.
Harvard's Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations and its Divinity School jointly offer study of Chinese religion; James Robson researches Daoist sacred sites and Mount Heng (South), while Michael Puett researches early Chinese religious thought. The Harvard-Yenching Library's Daoist holdings are among the richest in North America.
Yale's Department of Religious Studies has a track in East Asian religions; historically scholars such as Kang-i Sun Chang have taken an interest in Daoist literature, the library holds the Zhengtong Daozang, and the department offers courses on Daoism and the history of Chinese religion.
Princeton's Department of East Asian Studies cooperates with the Department of Religion; Stephen F. Teiser researches medieval Chinese religion and Dunhuang manuscripts, and the Gest East Asian Library holds a complete Daoist Canon and rich materials for Daoist studies.
The University of Chicago Divinity School and Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations offer a track in Chinese religion; Anna Seidel trained here, and scholars such as Paul Copp work on medieval Buddhism and Daoism. The University of Chicago Press published The Taoist Canon: A Historical Companion to the Daozang.
The Department of Religious Studies at UC Santa Barbara is a major North American centre for East Asian religious studies; Dominic Steavu researches medieval Daoism and alchemy, and former faculty members Fabrizio Pregadio and Ronald Egan also taught there; the department offers a doctoral track in East Asian religions.
Berkeley's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and its Buddhist Studies programme have a track in Chinese religion; Stephen Bokenkamp earned his doctorate here, and Michel Strickmann taught here and trained numerous scholars of Daoism; the C.V. Starr East Asian Library holds various editions of the Daoist Canon.
The Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Michigan has a track in Chinese religion and textual studies; scholars there work on early Daoism, Six Dynasties Daoist scriptures and excavated documents, and the library holds the Zhengtong Daozang and related research materials.
Stephen R. Bokenkamp is a professor at Arizona State University, directing a Daoist studies programme and publishing works such as Early Daoist Scriptures and Ancestors and Anxiety; the school is one of the North American centres for the study of Six Dynasties Daoism.
Boston University's Department of Religion has a track in Chinese religion; Livia Kohn taught here for many years, publishing works such as the Daoism Handbook and Daoism and Chinese Culture, and trained numerous scholars of Daoism.
The Chinese philosophy programme in the Graduate School of Arts and Letters at Tohoku University in Japan has historically included scholars such as Kanaya Osamu and Miura Kunio who researched Laozi, Zhuangzi and Daoism, with Asano Yūichi among others advancing the study of early Daoist philosophy; it is an important base of the Japanese Society for Daoist Studies.
The Oriental Philosophy programme in the Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences at Waseda University; scholars such as Fukui Fumimasa and Mori Yuria have researched Daoist texts and internal alchemy, publishing studies related to Daoist history and Daoist scriptures, and activities of the Japanese Society for Daoist Studies are often held here.
A research institute with a deep tradition of sinology and Daoist studies in Japan; scholars including Yoshioka Yoshitoyo, Fukunaga Mitsuji and Mugitani Kunio have directed research on Daoist texts there, the institute runs the Kanripo Chinese text database, and publishes results such as the Tōhō Gakuhō and Studies in Six Dynasties Daoism.
The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (Tōbunken) at the University of Tokyo holds rich collections of Chinese texts; its scholars research Daoism and Chinese popular religion, and it makes a database of rare Chinese-text editions publicly available; the Faculty of Letters at the University of Tokyo also has a tradition of Daoist studies (as with Kobayashi Masayoshi).
A Korean academic society for the study of Daoism and Daoist culture, publishing the journal Studies in Daoist Culture; its members research the history of Korean Daoism, internal alchemical practice, and the transmission of the Zhouyi cantong qi in Korea. If the website is inaccessible, materials can be searched through the Korean academic databases KISS/RISS.
A centre for Chinese studies at the Australian National University; Benjamin Penny has long researched the history of Daoism and contemporary religious movements such as Falun Gong, publishes the journal East Asian History, and has edited collected volumes on Daoist studies.
The Department of Chinese Studies at the University of Sydney offers courses in Chinese religion and intellectual history; scholars there research the history of Daoism and contemporary religious policy, and maintain academic ties with Daoist organizations in Australia.
The Department of Religion and Philosophy at Hong Kong Baptist University offers a track in Chinese religious studies, with scholars researching Hong Kong Daoism, spirit writing, and the tradition of morality books, maintaining cooperation with local Daoist lay altars.
The Division of Humanities at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has had several scholars engaged in Daoist studies (such as the South China religious history team led by David Faure), directing the "Historical Anthropology" project, which involves fieldwork on Daoism and popular religion in the Guangdong–Hong Kong region.
The Institute of History and Philology at Academia Sinica has scholars engaged in religious studies, publishing the Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology and Asia Major, with scholars researching the history of Daoism, Daoist steles, and medieval religious society; the Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy, with scholars such as Lee Fong-mao, has also long directed Daoist research.
The Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy at Academia Sinica is one of the major centers of Daoist studies in Taiwan; scholars such as Lee Fong-mao and Liao Chao-heng research Daoist literature, ritual protocol, and hagiography, publishing the Bulletin of the Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy and numerous edited volumes of Daoist studies.
An English-language annual founded by Livia Kohn and published by Three Pines Press (first issued in 2008), publishing research papers, field reports and book reviews on Daoist history, texts, practice and contemporary developments; it is the only journal in the English-speaking world dedicated to Daoist studies, and back issues are openly accessible on multiple platforms.
The journal of the Society for the Study of Chinese Religions in the United States, first published in 1975 and issued by Taylor & Francis; it covers Daoism, Buddhism, popular religion and related fields, and is a core North American journal for the study of Chinese religion.
An annual journal published by the Kyoto Centre of the École française d'Extrême-Orient (first issued in 1985), noted for its focus on Daoism and Chinese religion; it has published a memorial issue for Anna Seidel and special issues on Daoist studies, and back issues are openly available on the Persée platform.
An international academic annual co-published by the Daoist Culture Research Centre at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the École française d'Extrême-Orient, first issued in 2009; it publishes bilingual (Chinese and English) papers on Daoist history, texts and local Daoist traditions, and is the most internationally influential Daoist journal in the Chinese-language world.
A bimonthly published by the China Taoist Association (first issued in 1987), reporting on developments in the Daoist community, administrative affairs, and articles on Daoist culture and doctrine; it is the main publication for understanding the official positions of contemporary Chinese Daoism and temple activities, with some content also carried on the Association's official website.
A core journal of religious studies published by the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (first issued in 1979), with a Daoist studies column publishing papers on Daoist history, texts and philosophy; it is a CSSCI source journal, and full texts can be found on CNKI and Wanfang.
A quarterly published by the Institute of Daoist and Religious Culture at Sichuan University (first issued in 1982), featuring Daoist studies as a signature column; it is one of the mainland journals with the highest concentration of Daoist studies papers, and is a CSSCI source journal.
A bimonthly published by the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, combining scholarly and popularizing content, with a special column on Daoism focusing on contemporary Daoist practice, temple culture and transmission overseas.
A quarterly published by the Hong Kong Taoist College (Ching Chung Koon), founded in 1998. It carries Daoist studies articles, essays on Daoist culture, and news of Hong Kong Daoism, serving both academic and religious readers; many issues are available in full text on its website.
A Daoist studies series published by the Zhonghua Dadao Cultural and Educational Foundation in Taiwan, collecting papers on Daoist texts, ritual methods, and schools, mostly by scholars from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. As it has no stable official website, the Wikipedia entry on Daoism serves as an entry point here; readers can search individual volume contents through Taiwan's National Central Library periodical system.
An academic journal published by the Taiwan Association for Religious Studies (founded 2000), publishing papers across all fields of religious studies, with a substantial share devoted to Taiwanese Daoism, altar ritual, and folk belief.
A biannual journal published by the Center for the Study of Chinese Religions at National Chengchi University, Taiwan (founded 2013), publishing research on Daoism, Buddhism, and popular religion, including both fieldwork and textual studies; full text is open access.
The oldest journal of European Sinology, founded in 1890 and published by Brill; it has historically carried Daoist research by Henri Maspero, Kristofer Schipper, Anna Seidel, and others, and remains an important venue for publishing work on Daoist history and textual criticism.
An English-language Sinological journal published by the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (third series from 1988), publishing research on Chinese religion and medieval history, including numerous studies of Daoist texts and institutions; back issues are freely available in full text on the Institute's website and are also indexed on JSTOR.
The journal of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) in the United States, published by Cambridge University Press, covering all fields of the humanities and social sciences on Asia; it regularly publishes articles and book reviews related to Daoism and Chinese religion.
A Sinological journal founded in Beijing in 1935 by the Society of the Divine Word, now published by the Monumenta Serica Institute in Sankt Augustin, Germany; it has long carried research on the history of Chinese religion, including papers on the history of Daoism and on religious exchange between China and the West.
The journal of the Japanese Society of Taoist Studies (Tōhō Shūkyō), founded in 1951 and published twice yearly; it is the core journal of Daoist studies in Japan, publishing research on Daoist history, texts, folklore, and comparative East Asian Daoism. Its contents can be searched on CiNii, and some articles are open access.
The open-access journal Religions has in recent years published several special issues on Daoist studies (such as Daoism and ecology, contemporary Daoism, and Daoist texts), with articles freely downloadable. Quality varies, so readers should check the background of authors and peer reviewers.
A national Daoist organization founded in 1957, headquartered at the White Cloud Temple (Baiyun Guan) in Beijing. Its website publishes association announcements, religious affairs information, introductory knowledge of Daoism, a directory of temples, and content from the journal Chinese Daoism, and is the primary source for understanding contemporary Chinese Daoist institutions and official developments.
An umbrella organization of Hong Kong Daoist bodies, founded in 1961 and registered in 1967, with more than a hundred member Daoist halls; it organizes Taoism Day, the Daoist Culture Festival, and school education, and its website publishes association affairs, introductions to temples, and information on Daoist culture.
Founded in Taiwan in 1950 by Zhang Enpu, the 63rd-generation Celestial Master, it is one of Taiwan's principal Daoist organizations, responsible for the ordination and transmission of Daoist priests, liaison among temples, and Daoist education; its website provides association affairs and temple information.
A national Daoist organization in Singapore founded in 1990, uniting various temples and Daoist altars to promote Daoist education, Daoist festivals, and interfaith dialogue; its website provides an overview of Singaporean Daoism and information on activities.
A non-profit organization founded in 2007 by Louis Komjathy and Kate Townsend, dedicated to promoting Daoist practice and education in the West in a scholarly and accurate manner; it offers courses, publications, and retreats.
An international Daoist organization founded in Canada in 1970 by Daoist Master Moy Lin-shin; its religious body is the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism. It promotes Taoist Tai Chi and Daoist culture in more than twenty countries worldwide, and is one of the largest Daoism-related organizations overseas.
A British Daoist organization founded in 1996 whose founding members had received ordination and registers in China; it promotes Daoist practice, the study of scriptures, and retreats, and is one of the earlier indigenous Daoist organizations in Europe.
The Wudang Mountains Taoist Association is the organization responsible for managing the temples and religious affairs of the Wudang Mountains; the website of the Wudang Mountains Special Administrative Region government and the association's own platform publish information on Daoist activities, temple introductions, and Wudang culture.
A museum devoted to Daoism located in the Mount Longhu scenic area in Yingtan, Jiangxi (site of the Mansion of the Celestial Masters), displaying the lineage of the Zhengyi Celestial Masters, ritual implements, talismans and registers, Daoist artifacts, and the Daoist history of Mount Longhu; it is a window onto the culture of the Zhengyi ancestral court.
The ancestral court of the Longmen Lineage of Quanzhen, and the seat of the China Taoist Association and the China Taoist College; the Perfected Changchun, Qiu Chuji, once resided here in the Yuan dynasty. The temple preserves important artifacts such as a Ming-dynasty edition of the Daoist Canon of the Zhengtong Era, and is the most important Daoist temple and site for the display of Daoist culture in northern China.
The Palace Museum holds Ming and Qing court Daoist artifacts, including the image of Zhenwu in the Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin'an Dian), Daoist ritual implements, a Ming-dynasty edition of the Daoist Canon, and Daoist paintings (such as copies of the Chaoyuan Tu), among others; its official website's digital artifact database allows searching of images of some Daoist holdings.
The Shanghai Museum holds Daoist paintings, bronze mirrors, sculpture, and Ming–Qing Daoist texts, and has held exhibitions related to Daoist art; its official website provides a collections database.
The National Palace Museum, Taipei, holds a large number of Daoist-related paintings and calligraphy (such as Daoist Immortals, copies of the Procession of Immortals Paying Homage to the Origin, and paintings of the Eight Immortals) as well as rare editions of Daoist scriptures; it has held special exhibitions of Daoist painting, and its Open Data platform makes some high-resolution images publicly available.
The Musée national des arts asiatiques–Guimet in Paris holds Dunhuang silk paintings and Daoist artifacts brought back by Paul Pelliot, as well as Ming–Qing Daoist deity images and ritual implements; around 2010 it held the special exhibition of Daoist art "La Voie du Tao", whose catalogue is an important reference for the study of Daoist art.
The British Museum holds Dunhuang silk paintings brought back by Aurel Stein, Ming-dynasty Daoist deity images and ritual implements, and Daoist prints, among others; its collections database can be searched under the keyword "Daoism" and images downloaded.
An Asian art museum of the Smithsonian Institution, holding fragments of Yuan-dynasty Daoist murals, paintings of Daoist immortals, and Daoist artifacts; its collections database offers free high-resolution image downloads under CC0.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds numerous treasures of Daoist art, including a Yuan-dynasty mural in the style of Yongle Palace, the Chaoyuan Tu, Ming-dynasty Daoist deity images, and Daoist paintings; its Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History includes a dedicated essay on Daoist art, and collection images are available for free download.
A major exhibition of Daoist art held at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2000, curated by Stephen Little, bringing together more than 150 Daoist artifacts from collections around the world; its catalogue, Taoism and the Arts of China, is a milestone publication in the study of Daoist art.
The Hong Kong Heritage Museum has held exhibitions related to Daoist culture, and holds artifacts from Hong Kong Daoist halls, Daoist ritual implements, and folk religion collections; it is a source of material evidence for the study of Hong Kong Daoism and folklore.
A multi-episode documentary produced by China Central Television, recounting the Daoist history of the Wudang Mountains, the construction of its temple complex during the Yongle era of the Ming, the legend of Zhang Sanfeng and Wudang martial arts, and the life of contemporary priests; it can be found and viewed on the CCTV documentary channel website.
A series of Daoism-themed documentaries produced by CCTV and various provincial broadcasters, such as Questioning the Dao at Louguan, A Thousand Years of Daoism, and Chinese Daoism, introducing the history of Daoism, famous mountains and temples, and contemporary Daoist life; some episodes have been officially uploaded to the CCTV website and Bilibili.
BBC documentaries on China frequently include segments touching on Daoism, the philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi, and famous Daoist mountains (such as the series The Story of China); they can be found and viewed on the BBC website and iPlayer, though access is restricted in some regions.