Human Search for Meaning:
Chinese understanding of a heavenly emperor in a heavenly court had been aided by Taoism from 1000 CE. (Cambridge Studies of Religion. Second Edition. 2011.) This concept of reaching heaven wasn't, however, an ultimate goal for Taoists. Human life was explained as a quest to live forever and the focus of Taoism thus remained on immortality. This quest was initially pursued through crude chemical means, before being viewed with a metaphoric perspective of what immortality could encompass. Philosophical Taoism inspired Chinese fascinated by the paradox in life. Taoism, as a philosophy, illustrates the paradoxes inherent to attempting to create a definition of reality and the absurdities of life. In the human search for meaning, Taoism and following ‘The Way’ provided the Chinese with a vision of life, alternate to that of strict traditionalism of Confucianism.