Way of the Celestial Masters

{{Main|Way of the Five Pecks of Rice}}

{{Taoism}}

In 142 CE, Zhang Daoling announced that Laozi had appeared to him, and commanded him to rid the world of decadence and establish a new state consisting only of the "chosen people". Zhang became the first Celestial Master, and began to spread his newly founded movement throughout the province of Sichuan. The movement was initially called the "Way of the Five Pecks of Rice", because each person wishing to join was required to donate five pecks of rice.{{sfnp|Hendrischke|2000|p=139}} The movement spread rapidly, particularly under his son {{Interlanguage link|Zhang Heng (Taoist)|zh|3=张衡 (道教)|lt=Zhang Heng}} and grandson Zhang Lu.{{sfnp|Hendrischke|2000|p=140}} Their rebellion against the Han dynasty is known as the Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion. After the success of the rebellion in 194, they founded the theocratic state of Zhang Han in the Hanzhong Valley of Sichuan, enjoying full independence.{{sfnp|Hendrischke|2000|p=140}}

正一 Zhengyi included in their religious liturgy, the Daoist writings of the Han, Laozi, the 3 caves and 7 parts.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA23 23]}} 方士 Fangshi originated in southern China. Sin was punished by ailments in the view of the Heavenly Masters.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA39 39]}} The Shangqing syncretized the Heavenly Masters with fangshi.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA40 40]}} Buddhism, Fangshi, and Heavenly Masters were synchronized in Lingbao.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA41 41]}}

The 180 precepts of the Celestial Masters were rules on morality.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA379 379]}} Stocking up riches was banned by Daoism.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA380 380]}}

A 173 AD Sichuan stele provides physical proof for the Celestial Masters existence at its oldest.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA395 395]}} China's southeastern area may have seen the spread of Celestial Masters in the Six Dynasties.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA399 399]}} At the start of their existence a large amount of religious text canon was already written by the Celestial Masters.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA400 400]}} Celestial Masters used an 精室 "essential chamber" for ceremonies.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA404 404]}} Specific attire was worn by Daoists.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA407 407]}} Celestial Master collectives had secretaries assigned to them on the basis of their population.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA412 412]}} Clerics of the Celestial Masters were referred to as 黃赤祭酒 "libationers of the yellow and red" in the era of the Six dynasties.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA413 413]}} There were stationery clerics and roving clerics.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA416 416]}} Distinctions between different social groups in civilization were recognized and utilized accordingly by the Celestial Masters. The Celestial Masters did not find monastic lifestyle attractive and rather passed down their teachings to their biological heirs.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA420 420]}} Children and widows were part of the Celestial Master groups.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA427 427]}} Tablets were clutched and prostrations were conducted by clerics.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA466 466]}} The Dadaojia Lingjie denounced the Yellow Turbans who were enemies of the Celestial Masters.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA422 422]}} A ritual master of the Celestial Masters may have been a 齋官 fast officer.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA502 502]}} Daoist Lingbao and Celestial Masters may have overlapped in customs with the Daoist Louguan ceremonies.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA518 518]}}

Building temples, effigies and fasting was practiced by Daoists to gain blessings.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA519 519]}}

寇謙之 Kou Qianzhi was the leader of the Celestial Masters north branch.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA524 524]}}

Celestial Masters north branch under Kou Qianzhi worshipped divinities described in the 魏書 Book of Wei.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA526 526]}} Yin Xi and the Elder Lord are absent from the Celestial Masters of Kou Qianzhi.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA527 527]}}

Shandong, Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi were where the Celestial Masters northern branch operated, while Louguan and Guanzhong Daoism developed around Henan, Shanxi and Shaanxi.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA531 531]}} Celestial Masters are not believed to be connected with stele founded in Shaanxi.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA532 532]}}

An anti-Buddhist plan was concocted by the Celestial Masters under Kou Qianzhi along with Cui Hao under the Taiwu Emperor.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA533 533]}} The Celestial Masters of the north urged the persecution of Buddhists under the Taiwu Emperor in the Northern Wei, attacking Buddhism and the Buddha as wicked, and as anti-stability and anti-family.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA534 534]}} Anti-Buddhism was the position of Kou Qianzhi.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA535 535]}} There was no ban on the Celestial Masters despite the non-fulfillment of Cui Hao and Kou Qianzhi's agenda in their anti-Buddhist campaign.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA539 539]}}

太上老君 Taishang Laojun was the Celestial Masters' main deity.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA793 793]}}

In the Southern dynasties 正一經 Zhengyi Jing was part of the religious canon of the Celestial Masters.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA805 805]}} In the Tang and Sui Daoists reconciled the Zhengyi jing with the religious texts of the Lingbao.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA806 806]}}

Celestial Masters and the nobility of northern China subdued the nobility of southern China during the Eastern Jin and Western Jin in Jiangnan in particular.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA831 831]}}

The Celestial Master canon was not found among the religious texts in the Lingbao caves.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA833 833]}}

The ceremonies of the Celestial Masters, Sanhuang, Lingbao, and Shangqing were categorized and grouped by Lu Xiujing.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA837 837]}}

In the Eastern Han the Celestial Masters spread to the northwest.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1072 1072]}} Celestial Masters believed in communication with spirits.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1073 1073]}}

Religious canon was divided into 七部 7 sections during the Southern dynasties by the Celestial Masters.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA838 838]}} Non specific designations were used for the divinities of the most sublime station by the Celestial Masters.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1190 1190]}} 道門定制 Daomen dingzhi was a religious texts composed in the Song dynasty.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1254 1254]}} Buddhism, Celestial Masters and fangshi all contributed to the religious canon of Lingbao.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1280 1280]}} Celestial Master petitions to divinities were copied by the canon of the Lingbao and fangshi rites were also copied by them.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1283 1283]}} Sichuan was the origin of the Celestial Masters.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1401 1401]}} Different beliefs were held by the different groups of Daoists.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1441 1441]}} 天師治儀 Tianshi zhiyi.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1316 1316], [https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1428 1428]}}

In 215, Zhang Lu submitted to Cao Cao, the ruler of the Wei Kingdom, surrendering his state in exchange for gaining state religion status for Tianshi Daoism. Zhang was given a title and land, as were several other family members and generals. His daughter was married to Cao Cao's son, Cao Yu. His followers were forced to resettle in other parts of China, with one group being sent to the Chang'an area, and another being sent to Luoyang. Zhang relocated to the Han court until the Han dynasty changed to the Wei. He then used his own popularity as a religious leader to lend legitimacy to the Wei, proclaiming that the Wei court had inherited divine authority from the Tao church, as well as from Confucian laws.{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}

The collapse of the Wei Kingdom in 260 CE, along with the fall of Northern China to the Huns in 317, further scattered adherents to the Celestial Masterhood.{{sfnp|Bokenkamp|1997|p=150}} The Celestial Masters later reemerged in the 4th and 5th centuries as two distinct offshoots, the Northern and Southern Celestial Masters.

Celestial Masters had prophecy rituals banned since what happens in the future it was supposed to be just known already by the member without rituals.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Pengzhi Lü|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA370 370]}}

For the water, earth, and heaven officials, Celestial Masters wrote the 三官手書 sanguan shoushu.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Marsone|2014|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=y2DiBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA986 986]}}

After the fall of Luoyang to non-Chinese invaders in 311, the remnants of the court fled to Jiankang (modern-day Nanjing) and established a new state known as the Eastern Jin dynasty. Among the court members who fled were members of the Celestial Masters. There is also evidence that after Zhang Lu's submission to Cao Cao, numerous adherents fled south from Sichuan. These various followers of The Way of the Celestial Master coalesced to form a distinct form of Celestial Master Daoism known as the Southern Celestial Masters. The Southern Celestial Masters lasted as a distinct movement into the fifth century.

{{Main|The Northern Celestial Masters}}

Kou Qianzhi, who was raised in a Celestial Master family, received two visions of Laozi in 415 and in 423. In 424, he brought the work that resulted from these visions to the court of the Northern Wei dynasty. The rulers put his works into practice, and Kou became the Celestial Master of the Daoist theocracy of the Northern Wei. After Kou died in 448, the prime minister, Cui Hao, became power hungry and began to insult the Wei rulers. Unhappy with his insubordination, the rulers had Cui executed in 450, and ended the Daoist theocracy.

{{Main|Zhengyi Dao}}

During the Yuan dynasty, the Zhengyi Dao School of Daoism claimed lineage to the Celestial Masters. They became one of the two leading schools of Daoism in China, along with Quanzhen Dao. Zhengyi Daoists became common in the Jiangxi, Jiangsu, and Fujian provinces of China, as well as in Taiwan.

Zhang Yucai, the Celestial Master (38th) drew a handscroll of a dragon. Zhang Sicheng was the 39th and succeeded him.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Marsone|2014|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=y2DiBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1035 1035]}}

Celestial Master teachings and Daoxue were mixed together by Yu Ji, whose teacher was 吳澄 Wu Cheng.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Marsone|2014|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=y2DiBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA61 61]}}

Daoism's biggest known conceptions are folk religion, the Celestial Masters, and Quanzhen Daoism in the modern era since Wang Changyue launched a renaissance of the Quanzhen.{{sfnp|Lagerwey|Marsone|2014|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=y2DiBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1158 1158]}}

The Celestial Masters have survived into the 20th century. In 1949, after the communists dominated mainland China, the 63rd Celestial Master, Zhang Enpu (張恩溥), migrated to Taiwan with the Kuomintang government.{{cite web |author=Joe Hung |date=December 15, 2008 |title=Who's going to be the 65th Taoist pope? |url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/arts---leisure/2008/12/15/187654/Who%E2%80%99s-going.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304204101/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/arts---leisure/2008/12/15/187654/Who%E2%80%99s-going.htm |archive-date=2016-03-04 |work=The China Post}} After his death, a succession dispute arose between different branches of the family in Taiwan and mainland China.

The Celestial Masters Order in mainland China suffered badly during the Cultural Revolution but managed to survive. They were finally allowed to ordain priests into Zhengyi Order at the Celestial Master's Mansion in 1982.

Image:Zhang Daoling.jpg

Each of the three different eras of the Celestial Masters had distinct beliefs. However, because the Southern and Northern Celestial Masters both descended directly from the initial movement founded by Zhang Daoling, there are many beliefs that are shared. A number of texts exist that give insight into early Celestial Master practice, in particular the Taiping Jing and the Xiang'er commentary to the Laozi.

The foundation of Daoist belief is that there is an energy source known as qi that pervades all things. The human body also contains qi, but it only has a limited amount of qi. Qi could be lost from the body through things such as sweating and ejaculation. The Celestial Masters shared these foundational Daoist beliefs, but modified them slightly.

One such change was that illness was caused by sin. This was because sin caused qi to leave the body. In order to cure any illness, repentance was a crucial factor in ensuring that the loss of qi could be staunched. Repentance could be accomplished by spending time in a 'Chamber of Silence,' and reflecting on one's sins, or by beating one's breasts and kowtowing to heaven. Illness could also be cured in other ways as well, among them using medicinal herbs and by listening to ritual music. Eating very little was also of extreme importance, and an ideal diet would consist of no food at all, but only noncorporeal things such as air, which the person could absorb through meditation.

Sexual practices (known as heqi, or 'The Union of the Breaths') were not part of Celestial Master Daoism. While the School of the Naturalists (and offshoot schools) advocated Huanjing bunao ("returning the semen/essence to replenish the brain"), which the Celestial Masters frowned upon, and simply advocated celibacy as a way to avoid losing qi. In addition, the Celestial Masters thought that the macrobiotic method of stealing a woman's qi to replenish the man's own qi was completely wrong, and should not be practiced.{{sfnp|Bokenkamp|1997|p=83}}

The Celestial Masters were the first group of organized Daoists. Before their foundation, Daoism did not exist as an organized religion. Being the first organized religious Daoists, the Celestial Masters are the ancestors of subsequent Daoist movements such as the Shangqing and Lingbao movements.

• Zhang Daoling
• Zhang Lu
• List of Celestial Masters
• Zhengyi Dao
• Xiang'er
• Mount Longhu

{{reflist|20em}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |last=Bokenkamp |first=Stephen |title=Early Daoist Scriptures |place=Berkeley |publisher=University of California |year=1999}}
• {{cite book |last=Hendrischke |first=Barbara |chapter=Early Daoist Movements |title=Daoism Handbook |editor=Livia Kohn |pages=134–164 |place=Leiden |publisher=Brill |year=2000}}
• {{cite book |last1=Lagerwey |first1=John |author2=Pengzhi Lü |title=Early Chinese Religion, Part Two: The Period of Division (220-589 AD) (2 vols) |date=2010 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-474-2929-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RSawCQAAQBAJ}}
• {{cite book |editor-last1=Lagerwey |editor-first1=John |editor-last2=Marsone |editor-first2=Pierre |title=Modern Chinese Religion I (2 vol. set): Song-Liao-Jin-Yuan (960-1368 AD) |date=2014 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-27164-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y2DiBQAAQBAJ}}
• {{cite book |last=Robinet |first=Isabelle |title=Daoism: Growth of a Religion |place=Stanford |publisher=Stanford University |year=1997}}

{{refend}}

• [http://www.goldenelixir.com/publications/eot_tianshi_dao.html Tianshi dao] (Terry Kleeman), entry from The Encyclopedia of Taoism
• [http://www.cts65.com/index.php Official Website] Website of the (disputed) 65th Celestial Master based in Taiwan

Category:142 establishments

Category:Taoist schools

de:Himmelsmeister

fr:École des cinq boisseaux de riz