Federation of Taoist Associations Malaysia马来西亚道教总会

Type

Overseas Daoist Temples

Location

Malaysia · Kuala Lumpur · Kuala Lumpur · No exact address is documented in public sources

First built

August 1997 · The national umbrella organization for Taoism; a member of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST)

Overview

The Federation of Taoist Associations Malaysia (commonly known as Dao Zong) was established in August 1997 as the national umbrella organization for Taoism in Malaysia, with the aims of promoting Daoist philosophy, standardizing religious affairs, and safeguarding the legal status of Daoism in Malaysia. The Federation is the body representing Taoism within the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST), and it speaks out on national religious affairs and interethnic issues. The Federation holds "Taoist lectures" in Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Penang, and elsewhere to promote orthodox Daoist culture, and works to bring the religious practices of local dialect-group temples within a Daoist doctrinal framework — since Malaysian Chinese temples have long been organized chiefly around popular religion and dialect-group affiliation, the Federation's work consists in building a cross-group Daoist identity. The founding dates and addresses of local Taoist organizations such as the Selangor and Federal Territory Taoist Association are not reliably documented in public sources.

Highlights

• The national umbrella organization for Taoism
• A member of the Consultative Council of the Five Major Religions
• Promotes Daoist culture through "Taoist lectures"
• Constructs a cross-group Daoist identity