SINGAPORE'S first public library devoted to Taoist texts opened its doors yesterday, offering 3,000 volumes ranging from metaphysical musings to scholarly reviews.

The library, part of the San Qing Gong Temple in Bedok North, aims to raise the profile of Taoism, which has fallen in popularity during the last three decades.

Taoist Federation chairman Chen Tianlai said the library is 'only the first step in the long journey of Tao'.

'Taoism must follow in the footsteps of modernity to find new talent among the next generation,' he said at the opening ceremony.

The library is part of the new Taoist College, which will begin a free diploma programme in Taoist studies in 2011.

The 3,000-volume collection, though modest by college standards, includes rare books, histories of the religion and texts on Taoist rituals and prayers.

About half of them were donated by private collectors and schools, including the National University of Singapore, Sichuan University and Xiamen University. The rest were purchased.

Taoist College academic director Xu Liying hopes to collect more than 10,000 texts by the time classes begin.

Most of the books are in Chinese but some will include English translations.

Well-known Taoist scholars from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand were at the opening.

Among them was Professor Chen Guying, a senior research fellow at Taiwan University and professor of philosophy at Beijing University.

He was invited by the San Qing Gong Taoist Cultural Centre to give a lecture on Tao philosophy and is expected to be a visiting faculty member of the college.

Taoists made up 8.5 per cent of the population in 2000, down from 30 per cent in 1980.

The college, estimated to cost at least $6 million, is funded by the San Qing Gong Taoist Cultural Centre and jointly managed by the centre and the Taoist Federation.