Is Taoism some kind of Buddhism?

Advantour; Dhr. Seven, Sheldon S., Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Wisdom Quarterly

Ooh, Taoism is so complex, like astrology!

Taoism (pronounced \dow-is-em\) is one of the oldest native Chinese religions, where Buddhism and Confucianism are practiced alongside it.

Presumably it was formed at the beginning of the 6th century BCE by the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu. There are incredible legends of Lao Tzu, who was perhaps not an earthling.

Celestials gather on earth to talk on the Tao.

It is believed that he had a magical gift; his birth is associated with incredible rumors, the most common of which is that he was born from a ray of light.

Historical documents indicate that Lao Tzu was born in Luoyang to a family of wealthy citizens. Almost all his life he worked as an archivist, and he died in the year 517 BCE.

"The Way" is the Tao and the Tao is "The Way."

Taoism is a religion based on the Tao doctrine -- the “Way” to achieve harmony. Tao is the beginning of everything, and its main rule is to follow fate (“the flow of life”) without resistance.

Sometimes one just drifts or goes with the flow. The main Taoism postulate is the principle of balance and  the relationship of the masculine “yang” and the feminine “yin.” More

What about the Buddha's Buddhism?

What's the Way to awaken, the practice for liberation? - I make it known in brief and in detail.

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On account of all this people have very confused ideas about how to practice Buddhism, which is also known as The Middle Way and is based on Dharma, a difficult term to translate into English because it means so many things at once.

It's not a matter of whether one can be a Chinese Buddhist practicing Taoism. It's more a question of whether one can do it without.

What is “Buddhism" if the Chinese interpretation of it is shot through in all directions with Taoist and Confucian cultural influences? Perhaps the best definition of Buddhism is “what the historical Buddha taught.”

China, however, like Brahmanical (Hindu) India, has moved far from that, changing who “the Buddha”  to take as a guide (sarana) is. The worship of Amitabha and Vairocana and Kwan Yin (Guanyin) is rampant.

First human representation of the Buddha

Just as no one in the West has time for God because they are being diverted to Jesus, and no one has time for the Teachings of Jesus because they are too busy worshipping Jesus or repeating his name so, too, in China. People would far rather repeat "Amitabha" and just go to heaven by magic.

Who needs all that mucking about on earth developing the Ennobling Eightfold Path, pursuing the Four Ennobling Truths, or becoming "noble" ("enlightened")? If there's an easier way, and the historical Buddha the Scythia Shakyamuni, people would far rather pursue that. Just ask Alan Watts.

Taoism is not Buddhism and should not be confused with it. And most "Buddhism" is not Buddhism (as defined above).

So good look finding and getting the chance to hear the Dharma to know what to practice for the realization of enlightenment in this very life, which is not the goal of Chinese (Mahayana) Buddhism, which puts off that goal of awakening for eternity, until everyone else is enlightened first and I (you) have been their savior...a lot like that newfangled Christian thinking: Who needs a Teaching when we can just worship a guy?

• Silk Road Tour: China, Kyrgyzstan (advantour.com)