Laozi’s transformation into the Three Pure Ones is a story in "The Romance of the Gods". The Three Pure Ones are the three Taoist gods: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Taishang Laojun. When it comes to the most famous and influential deity among Chinese people, the Taoist Taishang Laojun is definitely a figure that cannot be avoided. In Taoism, he is known as the "Moral Heavenly Lord" and holds the post of enlightenment. He is now a "Taoist"-level figure revered by the Quanzhen family. We may have all heard the story of Taishang Laojun, who transforms the three pure beings into one thing with one breath. Where do we start with this?
The so-called "Laozi transformed the Three Pure Ones" comes from my country's Ming Dynasty novel about gods and demons, "The Romance of the Gods". In "The Romance of the Gods", the author Xu Zhonglin used the Three Purities of Taoism as a prototype to fictionalize the "Three Friends of Xuanmen": the eldest brother Laozi, the second brother Yuanshi Tianzun, and the third disciple Tongtian leader. They all studied under Grandmaster Hongjun, and later founded three major sects called "Chanjieren". Lao Tzu has the highest level of cultivation and the deepest roots. He is the well-deserved "number one" among the three. Later, they were at war with each other, and I, Taishang Laojun, and Master Tongtian became enemies. The former unleashed a unique magic called "One Qi Transforms Three Purities", which was wonderful and wonderful.
In the orthodox system of Taoism, the Three Pure Ones are Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun, Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun, and Taiqing Taishang Laojun. Among them, Yuanshi is the first, Lingbao is the second, and Laojun is the last. At first, Zhang Daoling founded Tianshi Taoism, and the "Zhengyi Sect" only respected one god, Taishang Laojun. However, during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Taoism made up the "Lingbao Tianzun" in order to spread the word. Since then, the Taoist sect has had the "Lingbao Sect". In order to explain that their Lingbao Tianzun is better than Taishang Laojun of Tianshi Dao, the Lingbao sect made up "Yuanshi Tianzun". In the setting, Yuanshi Tianzun created all things, and Lingbao takes Yuanshi as his teacher; Laojun He also took Lingbao as his teacher.
For this point, we only need to turn to the Taoist classic "Laozi's Eighty-one Transformations", which has detailed records: Laojun Shi Yuchen Daojun Lingbao Tianzun Yan, Daojun is Yuanshi Tianzun His disciple? In the "Picture of True Spirit Position and Industry" written by Tao Hongjing, a famous Taoist in the Jin Dynasty, the rankings of the Taoist immortals are: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, Jinque Jade Emperor, Taishang Laojun.