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International Institute of Medical Qigong (Canada)
193 Nature Haven Crescent

 Pickering, Ontario

 L1X 0A5

(905) 509-3796

Daoist History

A brief look at The History of Daoist traditions

Taoism's origins may be traced to the prehistoric Chinese religion; to the composition of the Dao De Jing (third or fourth century BCE); or to the activity of Zhang Daoling.

Three Kingdoms Period (220- 265)

The Xuanxue ("Dark Learning") school, including Wang Bi, focuses on the texts

of Laozi and Zhuangzi (not the organized religion).

Chang Tao-ling, the first Heavenly Master who founded the Orthodox One, or

Heavenly Master, sect about A.D . 142,

Ko Hsiian, who is credited with forming the Ling-pao sect ;

and the founders of the third early order known as Mao Shan .

Warring States Period (403- 222 BCE)

The texts of the Dao De Jing and the Zhuangzi date back to this period.

Six Dynasties (316- 589)

Taoist alchemist Ge Hong, also known as Baopuzi (The "Master Embracing

Simplicity") was active in the third and fourth centuries CE.

Major scriptures were produced during this time period, including

The Shangqing ("Highest Purity") (365–370)

Lingbao ("Sacred Treasure") scriptures (397–402) received at Maoshan.

The Shangqing revelations were received by Yang Xi, a relative of Ge Hong's;

the revelations emphasized meditative visualization (neiguan).

They spoke of the Shangqing heaven, which stood above what had been

previously considered the highest heaven by Celestial Master Taoists.

Yang Xi's revelations consisted of visitations from the residents of this heaven

(the "Zhen Ren")

Tang Dynasty (618- 907)

Taoism gained official status in China during the Tang dynasty

Song Dynasty (960- 1279)

The Quanzhen (Complete Reality) school of Taoism that was founded during this period, which and together with the Zhengyi ( Celestial Masters)  is one of the two schools of Taoism that have survived to the present

The Quanzhen (Complete Reality school is a Northern Branch (religious Daoism)

Zhengyi ( Celestial Masters) or (Correct One / True Daoism)   is Southern Branch     and has three main branches. Each established on three mountains.  (Shamanistic Daoism) 

1.      Celestial Masters  (Tian Shi sect)  – Long  Hu Shan

2.      Highest Purity  ( Shang Quin ) – Mao Shan Mountain

3.      True Writs (Ling Boa) - Ge Zao Shan

Chang Tao-ling, the founder of the orthodox Heavenly Master sect ; Ko Hsiian, who is credited with forming the Ling-pao sect ;  and the founders of the third early order known as Mao Shan                                                                              

The Song Dynasty saw an increasingly complex interaction between the elite traditions of organized Taoism as practiced by ordained Taoist ministers (daoshi) and the local traditions of folk religion as practiced by spirit mediums (wu) and a new class of non-ordained ritual experts known as fashi.

This interaction manifested itself in the integration of 'converted' local deities into the bureaucratically organized Taoist pantheon and the emergence of new exorcistic rituals, including the Celestial Heart Rites and the Thunder Rites.

Yuan Dynasty (1279- 1367)

Neidan ("Interior Alchemy") became a major emphasis of the Quanzhen sect, whose practitioners followed a monastic model inspired by Buddhism.

One of its leaders, Qiu Chuji became a teacher of Genghis Khan (and uses his influence to save millions of lives). Originally from Shanxi and Shandong, the sect established its main center in Beijing's Baiyunguan ("White Cloud Monastery"). Before the end of the dynasty, the Celestial Masters sect (and Buddhism) again gained preeminence.

Nationalist Period (1912- 1949)

Guomindang (China Nationalist Party) leaders embrace science, modernity, and Western culture, including (to some extent) Christianity. Viewing the popular religion as reactionary and parasitic, they confiscated some temples for public buildings, and otherwise attempted to control traditional religious activity.

People's Republic of China (1949- present)

The Communist Party of China, officially atheistic, initially suppressed Taoism along with other religions. Much of the Taoist infrastructure was destroyed. Monks and priests were sent to labor camps. This practice intensified during the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, nearly eradicating most Taoist sites.
Deng Xiaoping eventually restored some religious tolerance beginning in 1982. Subsequently, communist leaders have recognized Taoism as an important traditional religion of China and also as a potential lucrative focus for tourism, so many of the more scenic temples and monasteries have been repaired and reopened.
Taoism is one of five religions recognized by the PRC, which insists on controlling its activities through a state bureaucracy (the China Taoist Association). Sensitive areas include the relationship of the Zhengyi Taoists with their sect's lineage-holder (he lives in Taiwan); and the status of various traditional temple activities (astrology, shamanism) which have been criticized as "superstitious" or "feudal".

Celestial Masters is patrilineal, with emphasis of a spiritual leader/master/pope  This type of leadership is something that Communist are more concerned about from a political perspective, because followers of TianShi are loyal to the lineage master

Religious Taoism (Daojiao)

Taoism is not a belief-centered religion, and there are no known Taoist creeds. At the same time, certain characteristic beliefs or assumptions can be identified.

One of these is the existence of several classes of supernatural beings, who may enter into relations with human beings. These include gods, ghosts, and ancestral spirits. Gods are--if not invariably benevolent, generally on the side of righteousness. Ghosts are dangerous spirits of the departed who must be appeased through offerings, especially during the Chinese Ghost Festival. Ancestors are also spirits of the departed, but are distinguished from ghosts in that they boast (male-line) descendents who commemorate them through home rituals.

Another fundamental assumption is the efficacy of ritual in maintaining a positive relationship with these beings. Folk Taoism focuses on rituals of sacrifice; elite Taoism emphasizes control over spirits through talismans or "spirit-registers" (fu), on the principle that possession of a spirit's name confers power over that spirit.
Beyond the Chinese folk religion, various rituals, exercises, or substances are said to positively affect one's physical health (even to the point of immortality); align oneself spiritually with cosmic forces; or enable ecstatic spiritual journeys. These concepts seem basic to Taoism in its elite forms

The Daozang ( Treasury of Tao) is sometimes referred to as the "Taoist canon." It was compiled during the Jin, Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties, and includes almost 1500 texts. it is divided into three dong  ("caves," often translated "grottoes"), arranged here from highest to lowest:

• The Zhen ("real") grotto. Includes the Shangching texts.
• The Yuan ("primordial") grotto. Includes the Lingbao scriptures.
• The Shen ("divine") grotto. Includes texts predating the Maoshan revelations.

The Dao De Jing constitutes an appendix (fu) to the first grotto. Other appendices include the Taipingjing ("Scripture of Great Peace") as well as various alchemical texts, and scriptures from the Celestial Masters tradition.

Taoism, however, is not a "Protestant" religion which regards the scripture as primary. Professional Taoists generally do not consult published versions of the Daozang, but use texts which have been passed down from teacher to student (who are often relatives). The receipt of permission to do the ritual is considered more important than knowledge of the texts' contents.

The Quanzhen school does have a tradition of approaching Taoism through scriptural study. In these circles, the Confucian text Yijing features more prominently than any other scripture, owing to its relevance for cosmology.

 

Quanzhen  (Ch’üan-chen; Complete Perfection) Daoism,

A Daoist religious movement and subsequent monastic order

The Quanzhen movement began in the twelfth century under the leadership of Wang Zhe  1113–1170).2

In its earliest historical phase, Quanzhen was a Daoist religious community

The Complete Reality school of Daoism / Complete Perfection

Meaning to complete reality or complete perfection

The only surviving Branch of Complete Reality is the Dragon Gate Lineage, the only Daoist that the PROC recognizes

 “What are the subtle principles for cultivating perfection?”

  “First,          you must remove ignorance and vexations.

 Second,       you must get rid of greed and craving, alcohol and sex,

                       wealth and anger.

Daoist training regimens

Daoist training regimens advocate and employ by the tradition,

of ascetic discipline, internal alchemy practice, and an emphasis on mystical experience. 

Daoist practitioners, sees it as representing a sacrificial or reaction vessel, an alchemical crucible.

 In this sense it may be related to a family of pictographic and ideogrammatic

characters utilized in both external alchemy (waidan ) and internal alchemy

(neidan), including qi  (“vessel”), ding  (“tripod”), dan  (“elixir”), and so forth.

what is zhen

Zhen is anything or any being that participates in or embodies a transformative process. In the human realm, this specifically refers to individuals and communities engaging in alchemical practice, in conscious and dedicated self-transformation.

For more information please call: (905) 509-3796

Robert Youngs R.M.T., DTCM, M.M.Q. 

OR

 E-mail us at: Hello@MedicalQigongCanada.org