When he was born in mid-Tang times in 768 AD, both Buddhism and Taoism were very much part of the social mainstream. Both Buddhist monks and Taoist priests were treated respectfully, and they not only shared the privileges of the emperor and nobility, but many also possessed huge tracts of land and were exempt from paying taxes.
韓愈出生於唐代宗大曆三年（西元七六八年）的中唐時代，當時佛、道信仰儼然社會主流，和尚與道士備受禮遇，不僅與帝王貴族一般，擁有許多特權，許多僧道甚至佔有大片田產，又不需納稅。