Mary Alice Stanford, age 17, of Hsttesburg, Miss., for her question:

WHEN DID TAOISM ORIGINATE?

Taoism is a religion that originated in China in about 400 B.C. It was at first a philosophy of personal freedom and it was based on the lessons of a teacher named Lao Tzu, who probably lived at the same time as Confucius.

Lao Tzu suggested that the people return to a simple way of life, rejecting the influences of the past. He believed that all government be held to a minimum and wanted a practical approach to life that scorned anything likely to direct a person's beliefs. He didn't want to start a new religion.

Lao Tzu had ideas that were directly opposed to Confucius  ideas. Confucianism advocated an    ordered life in which    respect for the goodness of man and of ancient customs was more    important than the rights of individuals and    their freedom of thought.

From a philosophy, Lao Tzu's ideas gradually changed into the religion of Taoism. It picked up priests and sorcerers along with myths, superstitions, gods, goddesses and genies. A mystical church evolved.  One of Lao Tsu quotes is “those who know, do not speak; those who speak do not know”

There are only small remnants of the Taoist church in China today.