Laozi
He was the first philosopher of Chinese Taoism in 6th century BC. People say he is the author of the Daodejing, though some scholars say that the work had more than one author. there are many Legends about his life , but little information was found. The historical Laozi, if he existed, may have been a scholar and caretaker of sacred books at the royal court of the Zhou Dynasty. According to legend, he was carried 72 years in his mother's stomache, and he met Confucius as a young man. He is considered as the representative of the Tao by Taoists.
Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi (369–286 BC) was born in the state of Meng, on the border of Shandong , and is said to have lived as a hermit. The essays attributed to him, , is different by its brilliant and original style, . Zhuangzi emphasizes the relativity of all ideas and conventions that are the basis of judgments and distinctions; he puts forward as the solution to the problems of the human condition freedom in identification with the universal Tao, or principle of Nature. He is less political in his orientation than the earlier Taoist Laozi.
Liezi
Lie Yukou is considered the author of the Taoist classic Liezi, . Since there is little evidence of Lie Yukou as a Hundred Schools of Thought philosopher during the Warring States Period, some scholars believe that the Zhuangzi invented him as a Taoist exemplar.
Zhang Daoling
Zhang Daoling, (34 - 156 AD) was the founder and first patriarch of organized religious Taoism. Zhang composed a Taoist work that attracted many followers among Chinese and indigenous groups in Sichuan. Like contemporary Taoists, he promised physical immortality, but, unlike others, he focused on the importance of religious organization. He founded the Five Pecks of Rice movement. Zhang, his son, and his grandson are known as the Three Zhangs.
Zhang Jiao
Zhang Jiao (140 - 188 AD) was the leader of the Yellow Turbans during late Eastern Han Dynasty in China. He was said to be a sorcerer, and was a follower of Taoism. Called himself the "Great Teacher,” he led the Yellow Turban Rebellion with his younger brothers in a campaign called "The Way of Heaven" or "The Way of Peace." The Yellow Turbans claimed to be Taoists, and rebelled against the Han because of the high taxes placed against them.
Wang Bi
Wang Bi (226 - 249 AD) was a Chinese philosopher. His most important works are commentaries on Laozi's Daodejing and the Yijing.
Ge Hong
Ge Hong, (283 - 343 AD) was a Chinese alchemist and Taoist philosopher. He received a Confucian education but later became interested in the Taoist cult of physical immortality. His writings combined the occult doctrines of Taoism with the ethics of Confucius.
Zhang Sanfeng
Zhang Sanfeng, was a semi-mythical Chinese Taoist priest who is believed by some to have achieved immortality. His name is said to have been Zhang Junbao before he became a Taoist. As a legendary culture hero, modern practitioners say he orginiated the concepts of neijia; soft, internal martial arts,
Qiu Chuji
Qiu Chuji (1148 - 1227 AD) was a Taoist and alchemist. His disciple Li Zhichang chronicled Qiu's journey to meet Genghis Khan who wished to learn from Qiu in The Travels of an Alchemist, which describes the land and people between the Great Wall and Kabul and between the Yellow and Aral seas. Qiu Chuji was a member of a Quanzhen known for its extreme asceticism and for the doctrine of xingming, which held that humanity's lost natural state could be recovered through prescribed practices.
He was the first philosopher of Chinese Taoism in 6th century BC. People say he is the author of the Daodejing, though some scholars say that the work had more than one author. there are many Legends about his life , but little information was found. The historical Laozi, if he existed, may have been a scholar and caretaker of sacred books at the royal court of the Zhou Dynasty. According to legend, he was carried 72 years in his mother's stomache, and he met Confucius as a young man. He is considered as the representative of the Tao by Taoists.
Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi (369–286 BC) was born in the state of Meng, on the border of Shandong , and is said to have lived as a hermit. The essays attributed to him, , is different by its brilliant and original style, . Zhuangzi emphasizes the relativity of all ideas and conventions that are the basis of judgments and distinctions; he puts forward as the solution to the problems of the human condition freedom in identification with the universal Tao, or principle of Nature. He is less political in his orientation than the earlier Taoist Laozi.
Liezi
Lie Yukou is considered the author of the Taoist classic Liezi, . Since there is little evidence of Lie Yukou as a Hundred Schools of Thought philosopher during the Warring States Period, some scholars believe that the Zhuangzi invented him as a Taoist exemplar.
Zhang Daoling
Zhang Daoling, (34 - 156 AD) was the founder and first patriarch of organized religious Taoism. Zhang composed a Taoist work that attracted many followers among Chinese and indigenous groups in Sichuan. Like contemporary Taoists, he promised physical immortality, but, unlike others, he focused on the importance of religious organization. He founded the Five Pecks of Rice movement. Zhang, his son, and his grandson are known as the Three Zhangs.
Zhang Jiao
Zhang Jiao (140 - 188 AD) was the leader of the Yellow Turbans during late Eastern Han Dynasty in China. He was said to be a sorcerer, and was a follower of Taoism. Called himself the "Great Teacher,” he led the Yellow Turban Rebellion with his younger brothers in a campaign called "The Way of Heaven" or "The Way of Peace." The Yellow Turbans claimed to be Taoists, and rebelled against the Han because of the high taxes placed against them.
Wang Bi
Wang Bi (226 - 249 AD) was a Chinese philosopher. His most important works are commentaries on Laozi's Daodejing and the Yijing.
Ge Hong
Ge Hong, (283 - 343 AD) was a Chinese alchemist and Taoist philosopher. He received a Confucian education but later became interested in the Taoist cult of physical immortality. His writings combined the occult doctrines of Taoism with the ethics of Confucius.
Zhang Sanfeng
Zhang Sanfeng, was a semi-mythical Chinese Taoist priest who is believed by some to have achieved immortality. His name is said to have been Zhang Junbao before he became a Taoist. As a legendary culture hero, modern practitioners say he orginiated the concepts of neijia; soft, internal martial arts,
Qiu Chuji
Qiu Chuji (1148 - 1227 AD) was a Taoist and alchemist. His disciple Li Zhichang chronicled Qiu's journey to meet Genghis Khan who wished to learn from Qiu in The Travels of an Alchemist, which describes the land and people between the Great Wall and Kabul and between the Yellow and Aral seas. Qiu Chuji was a member of a Quanzhen known for its extreme asceticism and for the doctrine of xingming, which held that humanity's lost natural state could be recovered through prescribed practices.