I read a book about Taoism, seemed more of an owner's manual for rulers. Am I mistaken?
Very much the opposite. But Tao philosophy is very old, and underpins many variations of eastern culture and religion. So if you're looking to avoid paradox and contradiction, it' not going to resonate for you.
The term "Tao" basically means "way". As in the way existence, exists. Or more poetically; the flow of being. The philosophical premise is the we humans are a kind of hybrid between the physical and the metaphysical realms of being. The physical being a material reflection of the metaphysical. We humans are aware of both realms, but are not sufficiently capable of mastering, either. So we are caught in a predicament of not knowing what to do, or how to be.
The solution to this predicament, according to Taoist philosophy, is to align ourselves with the "flow of being": with the way existence, exists. As in doing this, we will automatically fulfill our purpose and place within the whole.
To achieve this alignment, we need to humble ourselves, and stop trying to gain control through knowledge and action. And instead, gain authenticity through humility and spontinaity.