The Taoists believed that there should be harmony between opposites and balance in the universe. Tao is the first cause of the universe and each person must nurture their (air, breath) that has been given to them. In Taoism, everything has it own course of nature: those who follow their own courses of nature or Tao will become good; those who do not will become evil. For example, to lengthen what is supposed to be short or to shorten what is supposed to be long, as in the following passage, will bring only discomfort.

They were governed by the belief that opposites are harmonious and all human beings are equal. Let nature take its course and do not alter it. The Tao Te Jing says: ‘Humanity follows the Earth, the Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows what is natural.’For Taoism, a good government should not be noticed by the people who simply follow nature. At certain dates, food may be set out as a sacrifice to the spirits of the deceased and/or the gods, such as during the Qingming Festival. This may include slaughtered animals, such as pigs and ducks, or fruit.A Taoist is kind to all other individuals. They believed that all people are equal and must be treated as such. Nature is to be loved and respected, not destroyed or contaminated. The Taoists might be the worlds’ first environmentalists. Another belief is that opposites are all equal and could not exist without each other. The Three Jewels, or Three Treasures, are basic virtues in Taoism. The Three Jewels are kindness, simplicity, and modesty.

Yin and Yang are the signs of Taoism and I think they explain many things that I believe. Yin and Yang stand for harmony between opposites. This means opposites should respect each other and live harmoniously. This also means that opposites could not exist without each other and all opposites have a piece of each other. The world was created with many opposites and similarities that coexist with each other. Many natural dualities — e.g. dark and light, female and male, low and high, cold and hot — are viewed in Chinese thought as manifestations of yin and yang. It is commonly believed (especially in the West) that yin and yang correspond to good and evil, however this was not an aspect included in ancient forms of the philosophy. Life without opposites and differences would be boring and nonexciting.I believe that the Taoists had the right idea about the way you should live your life. You can believe in different religions but still believe the Taoists’ philosophy to be a good person, respect others, and respect nature.