The Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties were a period of stable development of Taoism after Zhang Daoling. During this period, many scholars
loved the learning of Lao and Zhuang, which enriched the connotation of Taoist thought. At that time, Buddhist classics were also introduced to China from India.
When translating Buddhist scriptures, Buddhist monks borrowed a lot of Taoist vocabulary, so the thinking mode of Buddhism in China was mixed with traditional Taoist ideas. Habits of thought. However, during this period, Taoism also drew inspiration from Buddhism, and several Taoist classics were born under the influence of Buddhism. This was an era when Buddhism and Taoism influenced each other.
During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, many great scholars and spiritual masters in Chinese history appeared one after another
and consolidated the foundation of Taoism. After these four hundred years, from the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, Taoism has enjoyed a glorious and glorious history, thanks to the efforts of these sages.
Taoism, regardless of its Taoist sects, practice theories, classics, and scientific rituals, is worth mentioning. Taoism appeared earlier in the Jin Dynasty
The Taoist sect is the Shangqing sect, and its founder is Wei Huacun. They were Xu Mi and others, who worshiped the First Heavenly King of the Yuan Dynasty as the highest deity.
The main classics are "Dadong Zhenjing" and "Huangting Jing". The Shangqing Sect advocates contemplating and nourishing the mind, chanting sutras and practicing kung fu.
Virtue. By contemplating and nourishing the spirit, one can ascend to heaven, and by chanting sutras, one can ward off disasters and gain blessings. Their belief was later inherited by various sects to varying degrees, and we still adhere to it today.
There is also the Lingbao sect that teaches the Dongxuan Lingbao Sutra. It was founded by Ge Xianweng (Xuan) and passed it on to Zheng Yin and then passed it on.
Ge Hong, "The best in immeasurable people" The Miao Sutra is an important classic (this sutra is regarded as the "King of Sutras" by later generations). They believe that reciting sutras and meditating on them is very important, and the rituals of talismans and fasting are equally important. Ge Hong has written many works, the most famous of which is "Baopuzi", and other books such as "The Legend of Immortals". He emphasized that everyone can achieve immortality, and he made great contributions to encouraging future generations to practice.
There are many characters worth introducing during this period, but two should be known first.
The first is Lu Xiujing, a great Taoist sage. He collected the earlier "Shangqing Jing", "Lingbao Jing"
, and "Three Emperors Sutra" and compiled it into "Catalog of Three Cave Sutras" is the first catalog of Taoist scriptures. In fact, this catalog is the source of today's "Taoist Canon", helping future generations to understand Taoism in a systematic way. Lu Xiujing also sorted out the religious rules and regulations. The fasting method he formulated made the Taoist rituals more complete and was also the greater development of Zhang Tianshi in the future.
The second is Tao Hongjing, who lived during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties. He lived in seclusion in Maoshan. The emperor regarded him highly, and people at the time called him
"The Prime Minister of the Mountains". He also wrote many books, the most famous of which is The
. He promoted the "Shangqing Jing" and founded the Maoshan Sect. He was the master of the reform and development of Taoism in the Southern Dynasties.
He can see the achievements of the Southern Dynasties from him. In fact, there were many masters of cultivation during this period, who were very insightful and creative. Today's Taoism is indeed the fruit of the hard work of these many sages, and it is truly worthy of our remembrance.
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