"Tao Te Ching": Written by Laozi during the Spring and Autumn Period, it is also known as "The True Classic of Virtue and Tao" or "Laozi". It is an important source of Taoist philosophical thought. The whole book is divided into two parts with a total of 81 chapters. With the philosophical concepts of virtue and Tao as the main theme, its meaning is profound. It elaborates that "Tao" is the origin of all things in the world and emphasizes ideas such as conforming to nature and governing by non-interference. It is regarded as the top Taoist scripture.
"Zhuangzi": Written by Zhuangzi and his followers in the middle of the Warring States Period, it is also named "The Southern Hua Scripture". Its content is rich and profound, covering many aspects such as philosophy, life, politics, society, art, and the theory of the origin of the universe. Through a large number of fables like "A Happy Excursion" and "Zhuangzi Dreamed of a Butterfly", it reflects Taoism's in-depth thinking on freedom, relativity and other issues and has a profound influence on later Taoist thought.
"The Scripture of the Hidden Talisman": It is a model in traditional Chinese culture and an important classic in Taoism, which has been valued by scholars of all dynasties. The number of its annotations is second only to that of "Tao Te Ching" and "The Southern Hua Scripture". The two characters "yin fu" mean "coinciding secretly", referring to the mystery that the secrets of heaven are hidden in actions. The book contains profound philosophical thoughts and the ways of self-cultivation and governing the country.
"The Yellow Court Scripture": It is a monograph on health preservation and immortality in Taoism, also known as "The Yellow Court Scripture of Laozi". It mainly describes the methods and theories of Taoist health preservation and cultivation, emphasizing achieving the goals of prolonging life and attaining immortality through cultivating essence, qi, and spirit. It has had an important impact on the cultivation of internal alchemy in later Taoism.
"The Scripture of Wen Shi Zhen Gong": Written by Guan Yinzi, the True Man of Wen Shi, its language is magnificent and its artistic conception is profound. It elaborates on the fundamental laws of all things in the universe, reveals the truth, and emphasizes recognizing the intangible Tao body in its essence and pursuing the realm of unity with the great Tao.
"Liezi": Also known as "The Scripture of Chong Xu", it is an important Taoist classic. It was compiled by Zhang Zhan in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It contains a large number of philosophical fables, such as "The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains", "Kua Fu Chased the Sun", and "The Man Who Worried That the Sky Would Fall", which convey Taoism's thoughts on life, self-cultivation, and governing the country in vivid images and profound meanings.
"Huainanzi": Jointly compiled by Liu An, the King of Huainan in the early Western Han Dynasty, and his followers, it is also known as "The Great Brilliance of Huainan". Although it was classified as a miscellaneous school in "The Record of Arts and Literature in the Book of Han", it was formed by integrating the theories of various schools of thought under the guidance of Taoist thought. Its content involves discussions on nature, life, military affairs and many other aspects and is a representative work of the Huang-Lao Taoism in the early Han Dynasty.
"The Scripture of Purity and Tranquility": Its full name is "The Scripture of Purity and Tranquility Spoken by the Supreme Lord Laozi". It mainly expounds the Taoist thought of purity and non-interference, emphasizing achieving the realm of unity with Tao through inner peace. It is an important classic for Taoist believers to read and practice daily.
"The Scripture of Saving People": Its full name is "The Supreme Numinous Treasure Scripture of Saving People of the Highest Quality". It is one of the core classics of the Lingbao School. It mainly describes the Taoist ideas and methods of saving people, emphasizing achieving one's own liberation and sublimation by chanting scriptures, observing precepts, and practicing cultivation to help the dead cross over and accumulate merits.
"The Scripture of the Jade Emperor": Its full name is "The Scripture of the Deeds of the High Jade Emperor". It mainly describes the origin, merits, and supernatural powers of the Jade Emperor, as well as the Taoist cosmology and belief in immortals. It is an important classic for Taoist believers to worship and read and is regarded as one of the important classics in Taoism.