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One of the details that led to my current interest in things broadly Daoist is my infatuation with the classic Chinese novel, Journey To the West. The historical journey of the historical Buddhist scholar Xuanxuang is the touchstone for the tale of the Monk Sanzang Tang and his guardians. Film and TV versions abound - there's even a weak adaptation on Netflix in "The New Adventures of Monkey" (And a ghost of the tale is cast across "Into the Badlands" as well). A compendium of characters and situations from Chinese myth and legend, each of which is brought in line with the rising tide of Buddhist ideals in what I am assured (By Scott Park Phillips, repeatedly, in both of his books) is a process that mirrors village ritual, it's also a rip-snortin' tale of derring do, rescues and magic abound, and how did I get this far without mentioning Sun Wukong, the Handsome Monkey King, ego drenched avatar of the active mind and hero of the story? (The Monk may be protagonist, but we're here for the Monkey King) Only with great effort, I assure you. A book for readers, the four volumes took me a couple of year to get through the first time, but well worth the investment. Many philosophical points about the junction of Daoism and Chinese Buddhism raised (frequently, inconclusively) on this forum are answered in the context of the story. The stories spark so much room for side study, and here's someone who puts some effort into just that; https://journeytothewestresearch.com/ Wonderful books in a wonderful modern translation by Anthony C. Yu.