Sources

Taoism: Growth of a Religion

Citation Formats

General Reference

Divinity Atlas. "Taoism: Growth of a Religion." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://dev-divinity.interactiveatlas.org/sources/taoism-growth-of-a-religion.

APA Style

Divinity Atlas. (n.d.). Taoism: Growth of a Religion. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://dev-divinity.interactiveatlas.org/sources/taoism-growth-of-a-religion

BibTeX

@misc{divinityatlas-taoism-growth-of-a-religion,
  author = {Divinity Atlas},
  title = {Taoism: Growth of a Religion},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://dev-divinity.interactiveatlas.org/sources/taoism-growth-of-a-religion},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

Isabelle Robinet specialized in the history of Daoist religion and its textual canon, and this study works from direct engagement with that canon and its organized schools to trace Daoism's development from its philosophical roots into a formally organized religious tradition, a documented historical progression this record notes rather than treating Daoist philosophy and Daoist religion as one undifferentiated thing. Use it for established historical facts about how Daoism developed as an organized religion, including its schools and canon formation; a claim about the philosophical texts of early Daoism read as philosophy rather than religious history needs a source addressing that separate question.

Facts

Assessment

Reliability Tier

Tier one: a single-author scholarly monograph by Isabelle Robinet, a specialist in the history of Daoist religion and its textual canon, published by an academic university press.

Notes

Isabelle Robinet's standard scholarly history of Daoism as a religious tradition, tracing its development from its philosophical roots through its organized religious schools and canon formation. Use for established historical facts about Daoism's development as a religion.

Citation

Author

Isabelle Robinet (trans. Phyllis Brooks)

Publisher

Stanford University Press

Publication Year

1997

URL

https://archive.org/details/taoismgrowthofre0000robi

Source Type

academic monograph

Claims Backed By This Source (97 claims)

This source backs 97 claims across the atlas. As facts: 58 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate. As cited relationships: 11 holds, 1 connected. Plus 26 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.

Disposition By Topic

Articles, 14 claims: 11 well-attested, 3 general references.
Prayers, 13 claims: 10 well-attested, 3 general references.
Religious Roles & Titles, 11 claims: 6 well-attested, 4 holds, 1 general references.
Religions, 10 claims: 9 well-attested, 1 general references.
Practices, 9 claims: 7 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
Religious Events, 8 claims: 4 well-attested, 4 general references.
Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.
Historical Figures, 6 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 2 holds, 2 general references.
Cultures, 3 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
Denominations, 3 claims: 1 connected, 2 general references.
Figures, 3 claims: 1 holds, 2 general references.
Deities, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
Organizations, 2 claims: 1 holds, 1 general references.
Religious Organization & Structure, 2 claims: 1 holds, 1 general references.
Realms, 1 claims: 1 general references.
Scriptures & Texts, 1 claims: 1 general references.
Spread Events, 1 claims: 1 general references.