Taoist studies have progressed beyond any expectation during the past decades. A number of important studies in different languages have investigated topics virtually unknown only a few years earlier, while others have surveyed for the first time textual, doctrinal and ritual corpora. These works have greatly increased our knowledge of Taoism, and have opened new paths to research. This volume builds on these works.Both the content and format of this reference make it an extremely useful tool for scholars and students, who will be able easily to access historical, terminological and bibliographical information on a great number of subjects related to Taoism. The book reflects the current state of Taoist scholarship and contributes to further progress in this and related fields. It provides an accurate overview of Taoist history, thought, and religion through a wide selection of topics. Entries are cross-referenced and provided with bibliographical data. No work of this kind is available in a western language. 1750 entries arranged in alphabetical order will cover schools, texts, historical characters, divinities, practices, techniques, places, temples and important terms. The entries and the bibliography include Chinese and Japanese characters. The book includes a chronology of Taoism. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.