Zhengyi Dao - kuchewar

Zhengyi Dao (Chinese: 正一道; pinyin: Zheng Yi Dào), also known as the Way of Orthodox Unity, Teaching of the Orthodox Unity, and Branch of the Orthodox Unity is a Chinese Daoist movement that traditionally refers to the same Daoist lineage as the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice and Way of the Celestial Masters, but in the period of the Tang dynasty and its history thereafter. Like the Way of Celestial Masters (Tianshi Dao), the leader of Zhengyi Daoism was known as the Celestial Master.

Name
History
- Post-Han decline
- Mount Longhu
- Revival
- Post-Yuan decline
Beliefs
Practices
- Rituals
Texts
List of Celestial Masters
See also
Notes
References
External links

Name

The term Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) has been used since Daoism became an organized religion in 142 AD when Laozi bestowed the Covenant with the Powers of Orthodox Unity (zhengyi mengwei) on Zhang Daoling. Zhang’s followers called his teachings the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice while during the Six Dynastiesperiod, the southern Daoists called it the Way of the Celestial Masters. The Covenant, Five Pecks of Rice, and Celestial Masters all refer to the Zhengyibranch of Daoism but in different periods.

History

Longhu Shan, the headquarters of the Zhengyi Daoists, in Jiangxi, China

Post-Han decline

Celestial Master communities suffered from numerous migrations in the late Three Kingdoms and Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdomsperiods. Cao Cao resettled them in the north and then they joined mass migrations to the south after the loss of Northern China in 317 to the Uprising of the Five Barbarians. In the 5th century Abridged Codes for the Daoist Community, Lu Xiujinglaments that Daoist Assemblies no longer observed the proper rules and the position of libationer had become hereditary. By the Tang dynasty, the title of Celestial Master had been debased to the point where any prominent Daoist could claim the title. Celestial Master priests no longer figured prominently in Daoist texts.

Mount Longhu

Emperor Xuanzong (712-756) canonized the first Celestial Master Zhang Daolingduring his reign. This brought no benefit to the original base of the Celestial Masters in Sichuan, but rather benefited a temple in the Jiangnan area of Jiangxiprovince. This temple was located at Mount Longhu, claimed to be the spot where Zhang Daoling had obtained the Dao, and where his descendants still lived. Recognized by the emperor as the legitimate descendants of Zhang Daoling, these new Celestial Masters established a new patriarchy at their base of Longhu Shan.

Revival

The importance of the Zhengyi school grew during the Song dynasty, with the Celestial masters frequently receiving imperial appointments. In 1239, the Southern Song dynasty’s Emperor Lizong commanded the 35th Celestial MasterZhang Keda to unite the Lingbao School, the Shangqing School and Zhengyi Dao. The new school was to retain the Zhengyi name and remain based at Mount Longhu. Shortly after the schools were united, the Mongols under Kublai Khanconquered the Southern Song dynasty and established the Yuan dynasty in China. He accepted the claim that the Celestial Master of Mount Longhu was descended from Zhang Daoling and granted the school the right to control affairs relating to Daoism in the Jiangnan area. In 1304, as a result of Zhengyi Dao’s increased importance under the Mongols, all of the Daoist schools, with the exception of the Quanzhen School, were united under the banner of the Zhengyi School, with the 38th Celestial Master, Zhang Yucai, as leader.

Post-Yuan decline

The founding of the Ming dynasty in 1368 marked the beginning of a long decline in the power of the Zhengyi Daoism. The first Ming ruler, the Hongwu Emperor(1368–98), suppressed the use of the title of ‘Celestial Master’ among the Zhengyi School, and the 50th Celestial Master Zhang Guoxiang had his title stripped by the Longqing Emperor (1567–72). By the Daoguang period (1821–50) of the Qing dynasty, relations between the court and the Celestial Masters came to an end. The school’s activities became localized to regions in which the school was particularly important. Despite ending association with the court, the Celestial Master himself still retained a great deal of prestige and importance among Daoists throughout China. This prestige, which arose from the belief that he was descended from Zhang Daoling, was evident when the Celestial Master traveled and attracted crowds of people wherever he went.

Beliefs

Unlike prior incarnations of the Celestial Masters, like the school based at Louguan, the Zhengyi Daoists did not venerate Laozi as a god. Instead, he was viewed as the ancestor of the school’s teaching.

Practices

The main gate of the residence of the Celestial Master at Longhu Shan

During the Tang dynasty, the primary activity of Zhengyi Daoists was to sell protective talismans. Local cults developed around the sale of these talismans, and around guilds and associations patronized by members of the church.

One of the fundamental practices of the school was conferring registers (lu) upon people entering Daoism. A register was a way to allow that the Daoist tradition passed on to future generations by ensuring those who received them had an adequate knowledge of the school’s teachings. Registers also had the names of deities written on them who could be called upon by the bearer to assist in times of need.Once one received a register, they were considered to be part of the priesthood. There were different grades of registers for laypeople with differing levels of religious knowledge.

The Celestial Masters adopted the Thunder Rites during the last two decades of the Northern Song dynasty. The Five Thunders variety appeared earlier and was linked with the Celestial Masters.

Rituals

There are two main types of rituals performed by the Zhengyi Daoists the jiao(Offering) and zhai (Retreat) rituals. The zhai ritual is performed as a way to gain benefits through purification and abstinence, and usually takes place immediately before the jiao ritual. In performing a ritual, an adherent must first recite a litany of repentance, then notify the deities of the merits gained through repentance by submitting a document to heaven. Upon completion of the zhairitual, the jiao ritual begins in which deities are given offerings and thanked.The jiao ritual is usually performed over a three-day period. Much of the ritual is performed by priests in a temple, but can also involve religious processions through the city, musical performances and a mass offering in front of the temple.

Texts

The Zhengyi Daoists were particularly notable for their work in gathering Daoist texts and assembling them into collections. Zhang Yuchu (1361–1410) received an imperial commission in 1406 to gather texts, in particular those produced during the reign of the Hongwu Emperor (1368–98). With these texts, Zhang compiled a reference work known as the Zhengtong Daozang (Canon of the Zhengtong Reign), which was an overview of current Daoists texts and practices. Zhang Guoxiang (?-1611), compiled a similar reference work in 1607 known as the Wanli Xu Daozang (Supplementary Daoist Canon of the Wanli Reign Period).

List of Celestial Masters

Number	Name	Chinese	Dates
1	Zhang Daoling	张道陵	2nd century CE
2	Zhang Heng	张衡	?-179
3	Zhang Lu	张鲁	?-215
4	Zhang Sheng	张盛
5	Zhang Zhaocheng	张昭成
6	Zhang Jiao	张椒
7	Zhang Hui	张回
8	Zhang Jiong	张迥
9	Zhang Fu	张符
10	Zhang Zixiang	张子祥	ca. 600
11	Zhang Tongxuan	张通玄
12	Zhang Heng	张恒
13	Zhang Guang	张光
14	Zhang Cizheng	张慈正
15	Zhang Gao	张高	ca. 735
16	Zhang Yingshao	张应韶
17	Zhang Yi	张颐
18	Zhang Shiyuan	张士元
19	Zhang Xiu	张修
20	Zhang Chen	张谌
21	Zhang Bingyi	张秉一
22	Zhang Shan	张善
23	Zhang Jiwen	张季文
24	Zhang Zhengsui	张正随	fl. 1015
25	Zhang Qianyao	张干曜
26	Zhang Sizong	张嗣宗
27	Zhang Xiangzhong	张象中
28	Zhang Dunfu	张敦复	fl. 1077
29	Zhang Jingduan	张景瑞	1049?-1100?
30	Zhang Jixian	张继先	1092–1126
31	Zhang Shixiu	张时修
32	Zhang Shouzhen	张守真	?-1176
33	Zhang Jingyuan	张景渊
34	Zhang Qingxian	张庆先
35	Zhang Keda	张可大	1218-63
36	Zhang Zongyan	张宗演	1244-91
37	Zhang Yudi	张与棣	?-1294
38	Zhang Yucai	张与材	?-1316
39	Zhang Sicheng	张嗣成	?-1344?
40	Zhang Side	张嗣德	?-1353
41	Zhang Zhengyan	张正言	?-1359
42	Zhang Zhengchang (Awarded the title of 正一嗣教眞人)	张正常	1335-78
43	Zhang Yuchu	张宇初	1361–1410
44	Zhang Yuqing	张宇清	1364–1427
45	Zhang Maocheng	张懋丞
46	Zhang Yuanji	张元吉
47	Zhang Xuanqing	张原庆
48	Zhang Yanpian	张彦页	1480–1550
49	Zhang Yongxu	张永绪	?-1566
50	Zhang Guoxiang	张国祥	?-1611
51	Zhang Xianyong	张显庸
52	Zhang Yingjing	张应京
53	Zhang Hongren	张洪任
54	Zhang Jizong	张继宗	?-1716
55	Zhang Xilin	张锡麟	?-1727
56	Zhang Yulong	张遇隆	?-1752
57	Zhang Cunyi	张存义	?-1779
58	Zhang Qilong	张起隆	?-1798
59	Zhang Yu	张钰
60	Zhang Peiyuan	张培源	?-1859
61	Zhang Renzheng	张仁政	1841–1903
62	Zhang Yuanxu	张元旭	1862–1924
63	Zhang Enpu	张恩溥	1904–1969
64	Zhāng Yuanxian	張源先	1971 – 2008