Taoism (or Daoism) is a term for various philosophies and religious systems that emphasize harmony with the "Tao" (Chinese: 道; pinyin: "Dào"; literally: "the Way") which is seen as the principle which is the source, pattern, and substance of everything that exists. Taoism tends to emphasize virtues such as "wu wei" (effortless action), "ziran" (naturalness), "pu" (simplicity), and spontaneity while placing less emphasis on norms and ritual (as opposed to Confucianism). The attainment of immortality through external alchemy (waidan) and internal alchemy (neidan) was an important goal for many Taoists historically.