What are the beliefs of the afterlife in Taoism?

In one sense: afterlife doesn't exist regarding a Taoist belief system. It's in life that we are eternal in Taoism. The afterlife is within life itself. We are of the Tao when living and upon death are the Tao again. We are always, eternally, within our essence. read more

In Taoism, life and death are merely two aspects of reality, the unchanging Tao. Death is simply a transformation from being to non-being; from yang to yin. Taoism teaches that humans ought to accept life and death as complementary aspects of the Tao. Death should be neither feared nor desired. read more

In no area is the lack of a single unified Taoist belief system more evident than in the case of concepts about the afterlife and salvation. read more

Taoism contains beliefs about what happens after death, but the religion itself is focused almost exclusively on life and how to lead a good one -- or just as importantly, a long one. Taoist beliefs about the afterlife reflect the religion’s approach to life, rather than death. read more