Immortals are the visual embodiment of the basic Taoist belief in "Tao". Achieve Taoism and becoming an immortal are the goal and final destination of Taoist priests' practice.
Therefore, Taoism has always attached great importance to the structure of gods and immortals. With the development and spread of the times, more and more gods have been absorbed and constructed, some have been eliminated, some have been preserved, and finally formed a complex and huge system. Research and analysis of this genealogy of gods is an important aspect of understanding Taoism.
Taoism is a polytheistic religion. The highest god is the Sanqing Guan Shen derived from Tao, namely Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun and Daode Tianzun. Among them, Daode Tianzun is Taishang Laojun . In addition, Taoism created the Tianting and its emperor Jade Emperor and a series of officials in accordance with the order of the world on earth, absorbing the concepts of Buddhist hell and the world in the sea. As an affiliation to the Heavenly Court, it also created a series of gods and officials in the Hall of Yama and the Crystal Palace, plus the local gods and immortals series such as the Four-value Gongcao, the Mountain God, the City God, the Land, the Kitchen King, etc. It also absorbed many , Queen Mother of the West, , Eight Immortals, etc. in ancient Chinese mythology as "scattered immortals" outside the order of the heavenly court. Therefore, there are many gods and immortals in Taoism, and they can absorb any gods and celebrities created by local people and worshipped by them at any time, such as Mazu and Guandi, which can be included in the Taoist god system. However, the general palaces only worship the statues of the Three Pure Ones, and other gods can build their own temples. In addition, Taoism believes that the human body is also a small world, so various organs on the human body, such as hair, facial features, etc., are also guarded by gods. And there are corresponding methods of practice. Taoism is actually a consequence of Lao Tzu's thought.
Taoism is rooted in the soil of Chinese culture. It worships a large number of gods, but without exception, it can find its source from this soil.
There are rich myths and legends in ancient China. During the circulating, some mythological characters eventually became gods worshipped by people. Taoism inherited a small part of it, some of which were basically inherited and very little processing; some were transformed on the basis of inheritance, making it a Taoist god. For example, most of the folk gods belong to the former; Huangdi , East Prince, West Queen Mother, Nine Heavens Xuannv and other immortals belong to the latter.
Later, during the Warring States Period, Qin and Han Dynasties, people began to load the mythical characters into books, including Guangchengzi recorded in " Zhuangzi ", Pengzu , Chi Songzi recorded in "Huainanzi", as well as gods and alchemists recorded in " Records of the Grand Historian ", " Biography of Immortals ", "Biography of Gods and Immortals".
Among them, the most classic one is weishu . While focusing on deifying Confucian sages and Confucian classics, Weishu also creates many immortal words. In addition to the descriptions of immortal mountains and fairy eating white jade paste, some ancient mythological figures have also been immortalized, including Huangdi, Queen Mother of the West, and the Nine Heavens Xuannv. He also named the gods of the Sun, Moon, Five Stars, Beidou, Five Mountains, and Hedu. He also gave names, appearances and clothing. This latter point was the pioneering move of Weishu and became the object of wide inheritance of Taoism in later generations.
It should be pointed out that although most of the gods in the Taoist immortal genealogy inherit the model of ancient Chinese gods, some of them are newly created by Taoism. In addition to the many names of immortals and truths contained in Taoism, such as Sanqing, Sanguan, Fengdu Emperor , etc., are their most outstanding ones; the Jade Emperor can be regarded as a semi-inherited and semi-innovated god.
Despite this, when Taoism created these gods, it still cannot escape the influence of traditional culture and still needs to absorb the existing cultural nourishment of China. The creation of Yuanshi Tianzun, one of the Three Pure Gods, is a concrete example. The earliest prototype of Yuanshi Tianzun was Yuanshi Tianwang , first seen in "The Legend of Yuanshi Shangzhen Immortals" published by Southern and Northern Dynasties. The book says: "In the past, the two rituals have not been divided,... the heaven, earth, sun and moon have not been formed, they are like chickens, chaotic and mysterious yellow, and there is already Pangu Zhenren, the essence of heaven and earth, called himself Yuanshi Heavenly King and wandering in it. ... After four kalpas, the heavenly figure is like a giant cover,... After four kalpas, the two rituals have begun to separate, and they are 36,000 miles apart. ... Yuanshi Heavenly King is above the center of the heaven and is called Yujing Mountain." After two kalpas, he suddenly gave birth to Taiyuan Jade Girl.The Yuanshi Heavenly King communicated with him and formed essence, and gave birth to Emperor Fusang, the East Prince and Queen Mother of the West, and the Emperor reborn the Emperor, the Emperor of Heaven gave birth to the Earth Emperor, the Earth Emperor gave birth to the Human Emperor, Fuxi, Shennong and other , the Five Emperors, , are their descendants. It is obvious that Yuanshi Tianwang is the ancestor god of all things and humans in heaven, earth, and is born from Pangu myth .
Pangu's myth was first seen in Xu Zhengzhi, a native of Wu of the Three Kingdoms. This book has been lost. Volume 2 of " Taiping Yulan " quoted one of the words: "The heaven and earth are as chaotic as chickens, Pangu are born in it. For ten thousand years, the heaven and earth are opened up, the yang is clear and the yin is turbid. Pangu is in it, and nine changes a day, the gods are in the sky, and the holy is in the earth. The sky is one zhang high, the earth is one zhang thick, and the Pangu is one zhang long. For ten thousand years, the number of heavens is extremely high, the number of earth is extremely deep, and Pangu is extremely long. Later there are three emperors."
Comparison of the two, the imitation traces are obviously visible. Other shapings of the Three Officials, Fengdu, and Jade Emperors all rely on the myths and legends that have existed in ancient times.
The huge lineup of the immortals is also another interpretation of the historical process of China. Like Chinese history, the structure and editing of the immortal genealogy has also gone through a process of evolution from less to more and from complex and disorder to more systematic.
Han, Wei and Jin
Han, Wei and Jin
Han, Wei and Jin were the early days of the Taoist genealogy of immortals.
Its early classic " Taiping Jing " not only determines gods and real people as the objects of worship, but also includes Confucian saints and sages into the genealogy of gods and immortals, and divides them into six categories: "One is a god, two is a real person, three is an immortal, four is a Taoist, five is a saint, and six is a wise man." It means "this is all to help the heaven govern. Gods and people rule the heaven, real people rule the earth, immortals rule the wind and rain, Taoists rule the sages transform good and bad luck, sages rule the people, sages assist the saints, and reasoning the record of the people, and helping the six-members." The genealogy of gods and immortals is relatively rough and sparse, presenting the original state of the early stage. The main Taoist sect that was active during this period, five dou of rice Taoism, not only called Lao Tzu the Supreme Laojun, but also constructed the three officials of heaven, earth and water, but also did not construct other gods. This is related to the fact that Wu Dou Mi Dao did not attach importance to idol worship at that time. For example, "Laozi Xianger Notes" written by Zhang Lu (or Zhang Ling) emphasizes the view that "Laozi" is "nameless" and "imageless" and opposes the name and appearance of "Tao". Therefore, there are very few gods created during this period.
Southern and Northern Dynasties
Southern and Northern Dynasties were a period of a large number of Taoism constructed gods and carried out preliminary sorting.
Lu Xiujing When transforming the Nantian Shidao (formerly the Five Doks of Rice Road), he still adhered to the three traditions, believing that "the great way is empty and silent, and it is absolutely in appearance." The main place for Taoist priests to worship gods should pay attention to "clear and empty", "sweeping out the essence, always like a god's residence, only a incense burner, incense lamp, and a knife."
But when transforming the Beitian Shidao, Kou Qianzhi was completely opposite to this view. On the one hand, he adopted the name of Taishang Laojun and established himself as the "Tianshi Master", indicating that he still respected Taishang Laojun as the leader of the sect. On the other hand, he created a new god to gain his power for his divine power. In addition to the myth of "Record the True Sutra" by Li Puwen, the grandson of the Taishang Laojun, "It also says that there are thirty-six days between the two rites, and there are thirty-six palaces in them, and there are one master in the palace.
Tao Hong, a Taoist priest from Liang of the Southern Dynasty, wrote the "True Spirit Position and Karma", intending to clear out the many chaotic gods into a more orderly genealogy. According to the secular "order of the court class" and "high and low" principles, he organized and arranged more than 500 gods, earth god , immortal trumpet, and human ghosts in seven levels. The first middle position (i.e. the first god level, the same below) is the main god Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun as the main god, the second middle position is the main god Yuchen Xuanhuang Dadaojun as the main god, the third middle position is the main god Taiji Jinque Emperor as the main god, the fourth middle position is the main god Taishang Laojun as the main god, the last seventh middle position is the main god Beiyin Emperor of Fengdu. Under each middle position, the left position, the right position, the Jurchen position, the scattered position, and the earth immortal scattered position respectively, which accommodates several heavenly gods, earth god, immortal trumpet, and human ghosts, and compiled the first divine spectrum in the history of Taoism.
Although this divine spectrum is not completely systematic, it incorporates a very complex group of gods into seven series, which undoubtedly takes a big step forward from the original absurd order and lays the foundation for the later compilation of the divine spectrum.
There is also a problem in the compilation of the divine spectrum of the Northern and Southern Dynasties that various sects worship the highest gods and need to be coordinated.The Five Doks of Rice Dao ( Tianshi Dao ) and the Louguan Dao have always regarded Taishang Laojun as the highest god, while the Shangqing Sect and Lingbao Sect have regarded Yuanshi Tianzun and Taishang Dadaojun (or Lingbao Tianzun) as the highest gods. This situation is also unfavorable to the spread of Taoism. Some Taoists imitated the Buddhist "Three Bodies" theory and combined the highest gods worshipped by various sects to form the highest god that can be accepted together. This is the later Trinity's highest god "Three Pure Ones". Tao Hongjing's "True Spirit Position and Karma Picture" expresses this tendency. The first middle position of Yuanshi Tianzun is all listed as "Heaven Emperor", "Daojun", and "Yuanjun", without earth gods or human ghosts; the second middle position of Yuchen Dadaojun is included in the founders of Shangqing sect such as Wei Huacun , Xu Mu, and Xu Hui; the third middle position of Jinque emperor is included in the founders of the Lingbao sect such as Xu Lailer and Ge Xuan; the fourth middle position of Taishang Laojun is included in the founders of Tianshi Dao represented by Zhang Ling. The four medians can be combined into one supreme god to resolve the original contradictions of each faction. In fact, the names and prominent positions of these four main gods have already possessed the characteristics of the subsequent "Three Pure Ones", which is actually the prototype of the "Three Pure Ones". Therefore, the "True Spirit Position and Karma Picture" has important historical significance in the process of forming the Taoist divine spectrum.
Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties
Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties were the last period of the establishment of the highest god status of the Three Qing Dynasties and the continuous compilation of the genealogy of the gods and immortals.
In the Tang Dynasty, Taoism was worshipped and ancestor Laozi respected Laozi, and named Laozi " Xuanyuan Emperor ", "Sacred Ancestor Dao Xuanyuan Emperor", "Great Saint Ancestor Gaoshang Dao Jinque Xuanyuan Emperor". The Holy Ancestor Temple (Laozi Temple) is all over the world. Therefore, among the Taoist palaces and temples in the early and mid-Tang Dynasty, there were still only the Yuanshi Tianzun Hall or the Laojun Hall, but there were no Sanqing Hall. After the middle of the year, the names of the Sanqing Palace and the Sanqing Temple were first recorded. Xu Xuan's "Records of the Three Qings Contemporary Views of the Three Qings" records that the view was originally written to commemorate the two true kings of Wu (Meng) and Xu (Xun), and was originally a Caotang Taoist Courtyard. "The years are farther and the cultivation is more and more prosperous. For example, Du Guangting "The Complete Collection of Taoist Science Fans" Volumes 1 to 3, Volumes 1 to 3, the gods listed after the Three Qings are: Jade Emperor, Ziwei Datian Emperor, Beidou Jiu Star Lord , Sanguan, Five Emperors, and the Four Secretaries of the Nine Palaces , Sixty Jiazi's natal star king, Xuanzhong Great Master, Santian Great Master, etc.; Volume 4 to Volume 6 list: Gaoshang Jade Emperor, Thirty-Six Heavenly Emperor, Donghua, Nanji, Xiling, Beizhen, Xuanzhong Great Master, Santian Great Master, Sun and Moon Nine Stars, Nanchen Beidou, Sanguan, Five Emperors, Natal Star Lord, Dongyue Siming, Mingshan Cave's Taoist Gods, Three Realms Responsible to All True Spirits, etc.
Two Song
The Song Dynasty was the last period of compilation of Taoist immortal genealogy.
The Northern Song Dynasty Zhenzong and Huizong were famous emperors of worship. They had done many farces of the gods and gods. In order to the needs of the gods, ministers and Taoists ordered to organize Taoist rituals. "History of Song Dynasty· Biography of Wang Qinruo " records that Wang Qinruo wrote "The True Picture of All Spirits in the Dynasty" and "The Great Cheering of Luotian". "The Legend of the Cheering of True Immortals in the World of Heaven" records that "The Legend of the Teachings of the Taoist Immortals in the World of Heaven" records that "The Legend of the Teachings of the Taoist Immortals in the World of Heaven" records that "The Legend of the Teachings of the Taoist Immortals in the World of Heaven" records that "The Legend of the Teachings of the Taoist Immortals in the World of Heaven" records that "The Legend of the Immortals in the World of Heaven" was written by Lin Lingsu " and "The Book of the Yellow Talismans and Green Cheerings" were ordered to correct the rituals of the Yellow Talismans, arrange the sacred positions of the Three Realms, and correct the alchemy books. "Lin Lingsu's work of "arranged the three realms of holy positions" played an important role in the finalization of the Taoist immortal genealogy. The list of Huanglu Dazhao God compiled by the "Shangqing Lingbao Dafa" of Jin Yunzhong of the Southern Song Dynasty was changed to the list of 360 gods listed in Volume 39. According to its nature and grade, it can be divided into the following eleven levels:
(1) Three Pure and Four Emperors;
(2) The Immortal Weng of the South Pole, the Ku Tianzun of the East Ji, the Daojun of the Mu Gong, the Yuanjun of the Jin Mother and the Thirty-Two Heavenly Emperors;
(3) The Ten Taiyi, the Sun and Moon Five Stars, the Beidou, the Twenty-Eight Constellations Star Lord;
(4) Five Emperors, the Three Officials, and the Four Saints;
(5) The famous wizards passed down from generation to generation;
(6) Demon King, God King, and Immortal Official;
(7) The gods of the Five Mountains and Fengdu Underworld;
(8) The Emperor of Fusang and the Gods of the Water Palace;
(9) The rulers and gods of the Tianshu Courtyard, the Thunder Courtyard, the Exorcist Academy and the Thunder Court;
(10) Various Gongcao, messengers, golden boys, jade girls, incense officials, officials and servants;
(11) The city god, the land and the gods to whom they belong.Of course, the system of gods and immortals contained in various Taoist rituals is not completely unified, but the Southern Song Dynasty retained the system of gods and immortals recorded in "The Supreme Yellow Talisman Lichengyi" and "The Golden Book of Lingbao" taught by Ning Quanzhen, and the main divine talismans and their grades are not very different. Therefore, the "Shangqing Lingbao Dafa" in Jin Yunzhong is a representative of the genealogy of gods and immortals, and is the last symbol of the Taoist divine genealogy.
