The Celestial Master: A Reassessment

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The Celestial Master A Reassessment

• Zhang Daoling and Daoism
• Previously believed to have been the founder of
  form of Daoism, often called Religious Daoism,
  because it was viewed as revolutionary in many
  aspects of its religious practices, including its
  soteriology, as evidenced by its death ritual
• Now regarded as a Daoist leader who was capable
  of synthesizing and systemizing pre-Han religious
  thoughts and practices, including those
  associated with Laozi, Zhuangzi, and death ritual

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• Laozi, apotheosized in post-Han and assumed a new
  role in Daoismpersonification of Dao
• Daoist hagiography says that Zhang Daoling, after
  moving to Heming Mountain, entered a trance one
  day. In his trance, he had a vision of a deity
  who introduced himself as Lord Lao, the
  personified Dao
• The god appointed him as his representative on
  earth with the title celestial master and gave
  him healing powers

Laozi, by Zhao Mengfu, Yuan Dynasty
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The Way of Celestial Master

• Daoist theory of healing made Daoism appealing
• Zhang Daolings The Way of Celestial Master
  advocates that illness is due to the patients
  sins and immoral deeds.
• A patient is required to write down his sins and
  cast his written confession into a stream of
  water, vowing to the gods that he would sin no
  more, on penalty of death
• Followers are required to observe a set of three
  times nine precepts that convey austerity and
  moral discipline

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Daoist Theory of Healing Scriptural Basis

• The Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great peace),
  which was the scripture used by the Way of Great
  Peace under the leadership of Zhang Jue
• Sickness is the expression of displeasure at
  human misdeeds on the side of the spirits of
  Heaven and not the automatic effect of an
  imbalance or disharmony of energy (qi)
• Heaven and earth cause the person to fall ill
• The persons body becomes defiled and the qi
  leaves the body
• Patient should purify his body to recall the
  departed qi
• Requires confession

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Theoretical Basis of Confession

• The primordial qi (yuanqi) that existed in the
  time of creation divided the universe into three
  forms Heaven, Earth, and humanity
• The primordial qi is the spirit root (shengen),
  which manifests three psychosomatic factors
  called spirit (shen), essence (jing), vital
  energy (qi)
• Spiritassociated with Heaven
• Essenceassociated with Earth
• Energyassociated with humanity

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• Human body is a microcosm of the universe
• Right The World in the Body (Source Neijing tu)

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The Rite of Confession

• The sinner confesses his/her sins
• Beats his/her breast
• Throw himself/herself to the ground and knock
  his/her head
• Self-blame repenting his/her sins and accusing
  himself/herself of various misdeeds
• Show this inner shame to the entire community and
  thus be exonerated
• Sometimes, sinners also undergo self-punishments

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• Uphold Precepts The Middle nine precepts
• Do not study false texts.
• Dot not covet high glory or vigorously strive for
  it.
• Do not pursue fame and praise.
• Do not do things pleasurable to ears, eyes, or
  mouth.
• Always remain modest and humble.
• Do not engage in frivolous undertakings.
• Always be devout in religious services, of
  respectful mind and without confusion
• Do not indulge yourself with fancy garb or tasty
  food.
• Do not overextend yourself.

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• The highest nine precepts
• Do not delight in excess, since joy is as harmful
  as anger.
• Do not waste your essence or qi.
• Do not harm the dominant qi.
• Do not eat beings that contain blood to delight
  in their fancy taste.
• Do not hanker after merit and fame.
• Do not explain the teaching or name Dao to
  outsiders.
• Do not neglect the divine law of Dao.
• Do not try to set things in motion.
• Do not kill or speak about killing.

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Self-Cultivation Practices

• Three groups
• Literati DaoistsThe Seven Sages of the Bamboo
  Grove/
• Representatives Xi Kang, Ruan Ji
• Alchemists
• Representative Ge Hong
• Two organized schools of Daoism
• Maoshan/Shangqing (Highest Purity) School
• Representatives Xu family, Tao family
• Lingbao (Numinous Treasure) School
• Representative Ge Chaofu

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The Shangqing School

• Its emergence signifies a major expansion of
  Daoism
• New worldview and new cosmology
• New creator deity called Yuanshi tianwang
  (Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning)
• New Daoist celestial pantheon populated by divine
  beings in a hierarchical order modeled upon
  this-worldly bureaucracy
• gods of Dao, celestial immortals, demon kings,

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• New concept of and approach to immortality
• Previously, attained immortality through
  cultivating inner virtue
• Now, transferred ones registered file from the
  administration of death in Fengdu to that of life
  in the southern Palace
• New understanding of the human body
• Body is a storehouse of divine agencies
• Nomenclature of key parts are based on the Yellow
  Court Scripture (Huangting jing)

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Wang Xizhis Hand-copy Yellow Court Scripture
Yellow court
Cinnabar/elixir fields
Gate of Life
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Wang Xizhis Hand-copy Yellow Court Scripture
Numinous Terrace
Square Inch
Hall of Light
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Shangqings Meditation Practice

• Visualization of
• Colors associated with organs to strengthen qi
• Inner passways and palaces to learn the cosmic
  geography
• Gods and immortals residing there to acquire
  familiarity with the divine beings
• planets and stars to emerge with their power
• This practice could lead to
• a deep trance and go on a spiritual journey to
  otherworldly realm
• Ascend to the higher heavens and walk on the Big
  Dipper, known as Pacing the net (bugang)

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The Lord of the Dao or the Lord of the Old in
modern Daoist Temple
Stone Sculpture in Quanzhou, Fujian
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Ge Hong (287-347? or 284-364?)
Master who Embraces Simplicity
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The Lingbao School
Ge Hong concocting the elixirs

• Key concept
• Talismans creates and maintains the world
• Founder Ge Chaofu, a descendent of Ge Hong
• Lineage
• Ge Xuan?Ge Hong?Ge Chaofu
• Texts
• Scripture of the Five Lingbao Talismans
• Perfect Text in Five Tablets, Written in Red

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The Lingbao School

• Worldviewa mix of
• Shangqings and Han Daoist cosmology of the five
  phases
• fangshi ideas and practices
• Celestial Master ritual
• Doctrines
• emphasizes the notion of spells and talismans,
  cosmic sounds and signs as being key to both
  creation and empowerment

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• Use of talismans to
• Get access to the otherworld and immortality
• Gain peace and harmony for family, village,
  country and empire

Talisman composed of Cloud-shaped Seal Characters
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• Combined use of talismans, divine charts and
  diagrams can
• bring effect to herbs, eight minerals, numinous
  mushrooms, cinnabar liquid
• ward off or destroy demons, goblin, mountain
  spirit.

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Talisman of supreme heaven ruler of south pole
Talisman to establish contact with spirits of
earth and wind
Talisman for protection in the mountain