Daoist Ritual, State Religion, and Popular Practices by Shin-Yi Chao

Author:Shin-Yi Chao [Chao, Shin-Yi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Ethnic Studies, General, Regional Studies
ISBN: 9781136731921
Google: VmirAgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2013-03-01T05:46:12+00:00

The Southern Song: Daoist monasticism on Mt Wudang

It was the Southern Song that witnessed the growth of Daoist monasticism on Mt Wudang as Daoist clerics migrated to the mountain and colonized it. As soon as the Song–Jin warfare ceased in 1140, Daoists returned to Mt Wudang and built monasteries dedicated to the worship of Zhenwu. Among the best-known Daoists was Sun Jiran 孫寂然 from Mt Mao, the headquarters of the Supreme Clarity school and the birthplace of the Youth Incipience school (see Chapter Three). Sun Jiran “mastered the various methods of the Five Thunders [ritual] of the Supreme Clarity tradition and many other techniques” (Zongzhen ji, xia, ZHDZ 48.577c). He settled down in the Five Dragons Monastery and began to “carry out exorcism by talisman-water to heal people’s tormenting diseases. The crowd flocked to him.” Within several years, Sun revitalized the Five Dragons Monastery, and his fame reached the court of Emperor Song Gaozong (r. 1127–1162). Sun went to the court, satisfied the emperor’s ritual needs, and returned to Mt Wudang with ten licenses to ordain Daoists priests (state-issued licenses were required for clerical ordination and they were expensive to acquire). After his death, his disciples were confirmed as successors by the local magistrate and continued to expand the monastery. In 1182, the Five Dragons Monastery received imperial recognition (chidie 敕牒), thanks to a petition by the magistrate of Junzhou (Zongzhen ji, middle; ZHDZ 48.566c). This recognition was an evidence of the monastery’s growth in size and popularity.

In the second half of the twelfth century, we find records indicating Daoist priests on Mt Wudang receiving Zhenwu worshippers in the temples. The first known to us was Wang Yan 王炎(1112–1178, courtesy name Gongming 公明).7 In 1170, upon leaving Hangzhou for Sichuan to assume his new position (Yijianzhi, kui, 2.1231), he learned that Sichuan had suffered from a long drought. Even though Hangzhou boasted the most magnificent Daoist monastery dedicated to Zhenwu, Wang “desired to make a detour (yulu 迂路) to visit Mt Wudang to pray at the hall of the Zhenwu shrine (cidian 祠殿) in person.” He said a prayer in a temple on the mountain and a golden snake suddenly appeared on the altar. A Daoist priest (daoshi) told Wang, “Ordinary people desire to see it but cannot.” The priest’s words suggested that he was accustomed receiving common pilgrims and Zhenwu worshippers on Mt Wudang.

Another example of pilgrimage to Mt Wudang concerns the military commissioner (zhizhi shi 制置使) of Jinghu 荊湖 stationed in Xiangyang, Zhao Fang 趙方 (jinshi 1181),8 who wished to “present incense” on Mt Wudang around 1217. Before taking the trip, Zhao made an inquiry about his prospects via spirit writing. The message was far from favorable: “The High Perfected One descended via a brush pen, saying: ‘Zhao Fang from Xiangyang desires to ascend Mt Wudang; [however, as a] lesser soldier of Fengdu [of the underworld, he] is not invited to burn incense” (Qiantang yishi 3.8b). Although Zhao’s request was denied, the point of the story should not

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