elemental philosophy vs popular religion...

Taoism was a philosophy of how to live your life. It attempted to put man in harmony with nature by practicing the attitude of Wu Wei, which means inaction. It was not until the second century A.D. that religious Taoism began - more than 100 years after Christ. At that time emperor Huan ordered a temple built in honor of Lao-tzu. Over a period of five hundred years after that Taoism developed as a religion until there was a priesthood, sacred scripture, temples, disciples and a belief that a new age would come about. Over time a belief in gods, heaven and hell were added. The religion of Taoism developed hundred's of years after Christianity, and thus it is more likely that Taoism copied some things from Christianity, not the other way around.