Taoism emerged from a rich shamanic tradition

that existed in China since the Ice Age.

These shamans were healers and diviners,

they had power over the elements,

could travel to the sky,

converse with animals and had knowledge of the use of plants.

One of these shamans, King Fu Hsi, who lived circa 2,800 BCE,

was the first to construct a system

by which the underlying structure of the universe could be

expressed and understood.

This system was the forerunner to the tri-grams of the I Ching -

the Classic of Change - and an enduring tool of divination.

Modern academics generally consider Fu Hsi to be mythical

due to the fanciful stories that surround him.

However, Taoist tradition has a robust lineage and

knowledge is passed down from generation to generation

in an unbroken link that spans centuries.

These Taoists know that Fu Hsi existed and

they recognize the role he played in the formation of Taoism.

They are also smart enough to distinguish between

historical fact and what is likely to be myth.