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Taoism in Malaysian Chinese Society Taoism first arrived in Malaysia with Chinese settlers and is followed by many Malaysian Chinese. As the number of Chinese settlers increased, Taoist practice flourished. Taoism emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao, which literally means 'the Way‘. Its objective is to achieve Tao which means to attain the right path in life and by doing so; we will be able to become immortal. According to Percentage distribution of the population by religion, Malaysia, 2010 Taoism were categorized under Traditional Chinese religion which contributes to 1.3%.

Many Taoist followers also worship ancestors as well as Buddhism and bodhisattva as these beliefs have traditionally enjoyed a peaceful coexistence. Many Malaysian Chinese whose religion is recorded as Buddhist in his or her birth certificate or identity card may not necessarily be a Buddhist. Many of Chinese Malaysians actually practice more of Taoism instead of Buddhism. Nowadays, the rituals were more focused on, with little to no knowledge of Taoist scriptures and cultivation due to the decline in religious knowledge in the younger generations. This is because the parents or the elders did not teach much about the finer differences between Buddhism and Taoism.The younger generations just pray simply because of following the elders. Practices Ancestor Worship Taoist practise ancestral worship by nature. It was practised by large number of ethnic Chinese in Malaysia. Chinese families would place house altars in their living room. Ancestral tablets with the ancestors names inscribed on them are placed on ancestral altars with oil

lamps and urns meant for placing joss sticks, and food offerings such as fruits are usually placed in front of it. The top altar would be placed with the family god or deity, and the bottom altar would be place with a spiritual or ancestral tablet.

Other than that, a brazier or a small red altar can be seen hanging outside of the house with the words “Heaven Bestows Wealth" (天宮賜福). A small urn would be filled with ash where joss sticks can be placed. The smoke emitted from burning joss sticks is believed to transmit their devotion to the gods.

Deities 1. Jade Emperor 玉皇大帝 (known as Heavenly Grandfather 天公) 2. The Eight Immortals 八仙 3. Guan Yu 关羽(Known as Guān Dì or "Lord Guan“) Festival – Qing Ming Festival There are different types of Incense paper used for ancestor worship. Paper coloured yellow with a gold foil printed on it represents a gold tael while that with a silver foil represents a silver tael.

Hell notes of various sizes are also used to represent money Martial Arts – Taijiquan Taijiquan is a Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits.

Taijiquan is strictly based on the principles of Yin and Yang. It has different forms, and different artists incorporate different styles. Notable Taoist Temples in Malaysia 1. Thean Hou Temple 乐圣岭天后宫 2. Sin Sze Si Ya Temple 仙四师爷庙

References: 1. “Population Distributioan and Basic Demographic Characteristic Report 2010l” Department of Statistics Malaysia, Official Portal. 29 July 2011...