Taoism takes life science as the center and health and longevity as its own responsibility. Laozi said: "The sage is not sick because he is sick, and the husband is only sick, so he is not sick." He believes that the sage is not sick because he understands the source of the disease and takes it seriously. Improving the quality of life and prolonging life span are the primary concerns of Taoism.

Taoist body-building theory originated from Laozi and Zhuangzi, which advocates nourishing qi to improve living ability, puts forward "guidance" and "cultivation", and emphasizes the viewpoint of practicing qi for health preservation.

Representative Taoist calisthenics, such as Hua Tuo's Five Birds Play, Mawangdui's Guide Map, the Fetal Breathing Sutra, Baduanjin and Tai Ji Chuan, all belong to this category.