The thought and culture of Taoism include many aspects such as Taoist history, classics, cultivation methods, temple architecture, writings of figures, magic formulas of gods and immortals, teachings and rituals. However, as a religion, Taoism is not only a culture, but also has its own unique thought system, a comprehensive and complete philosophical doctrine, and has established its own faith on this rich thought system, so that the vast number of people who worship Taoism have the goal of faith and practice. In other words, the thought and culture have a certain degree of broadness, covering all aspects of Taoism, and in this broad thought and culture, there is a consistent core doctrine, that is, the essence or consistent spirit contained in the thought and culture of Taoism, which has considerable stability and continuity in the belief of Taoism, which is the doctrine of Taoism. Just like a towering tree with a well-developed root system and luxuriant branches and leaves, the roots and trunk are the main body that strengthens the tree and makes it prosper. The doctrine of Taoism is the main body of the continuation and development of the lifeline of Taoism. In the belief and practice of Taoism, all methods and rituals cannot deviate from the fundamental doctrine of doctrine. If our faith and practice deviate from this sect's principle, we will be accused by knowledgeable people of abandoning the true for the false, forgetting the basics and pursuing the trivial, thus leading our faith and practice astray.

道教的思想文化，含括了道教历史、经典、修持方法、宫观建筑、人物著述、神仙法诀、教戒科仪等诸多方面。然而，道教作为一种宗教，既是一种文化，并有其独特的思想体系，有通达而完备的哲理学说，并在这丰富的思想体系上建立了自己的信仰，从而使广大奉道务道之士有了信仰和修行的目标。也就是说，思想文化带有一定的广义性，含括着道教的方方面面，而在这广义的思想文化中，有其始终一贯的核心宗义，也就是道教思想文化中内含的本质或一贯的精神，在道教的信仰中有相当的稳定性和承续性，这就是道教的教理。犹如一棵根系发达、枝繁叶茂的参天大树，树根和树干是牢固大树、并使之生命延续和繁荣的主体。道教的教理，是道教命脉延续和发展的主体。在道教的信仰修行中，一切的方法和仪式都不能偏离教理这一根本宗义。若我们的信仰和修行偏离了这个宗义，就会被有识之士诉之为舍真而竞伪、忘本而逐末，使自己的信仰和修行误入歧途。