Taoist doctrine was originally developed from the thinking of the Taoist masters. These masters actually preached passive inaction and following nature, but Taoist doctrine turned this basic naturalism into a different kind of reasoning which affirmed that various "natural" methods, such as alchemy and controlled breathing, could actually resist the limitations of nature and extend life without limitation.
道教原由道家思想發展而來，道家講清靜無為、順應自然，但是道教卻一本自然天理運轉生生不息的道理，認為透過一些「自然」的方式，像煉丹、修氣等手段，便可以抗拒天命限制，無限延長在人世間的生命。