Zhang Daoling

Zhāng Daoling (Chinese张道陵/张道陵, Pinyin Zhang Daoling ); (* 34 in a circle Feng, today Jiangsu Province; † about 156); also called the celestial master Zhang (张 天师/张 天师, Zhang Tianshi ), regarded as the founder of the sky Master Daoism. About his biography little is known, the survival data are considered unsafe, and the legends about him are from later times and works.

Zhang came from the circle Feng in today's Jiangsu province from a family of small landowners. In this region, the legends about immortality Islands Penglai and the teachings of Fangshi, immortality seekers, were very active, and Zhang should have been familiar at the age of seven years with the Tao Te Ching. In the capital of the Later Han Luoyang he should have received a Confucian education and knowledge in geography, astronomy, and oracle client. In the year 59 he was awarded the post of district superintendent, but decided against a civil service career and retired to a mountain to study longevity. He gathered disciples around him and went later in the Sichuan province, where he lived in hiding and was devoted to self-cultivation. In the year 142 he Laozi said to have appeared, who declared him the legitimate law of the three heavens ( Zhengyi ), whereupon Zhang was appointed as Sky Master ( Tianshi ) tackle the chaos on earth to establish the rule of the three pure sky and the six to throw another tainted sky and their followers to hell. Zhang reformed the popular spirits religion that prevailed in Sichuan, the victims customs regulated re- created a new ideology and possibly even written works magic content. He performed healings, set up administrative districts and missionary work among the people. The movement of Zhang Daoling was Wudoumi Dao ( Five - bushel rice - movement ), because the converts had to pay tax as five bushels of rice. In the year 156 he is his son Zhang Heng have his insignia, a Jadesiegel, two swords and holy writings handed, and have ascended to the region of the immortals. The movement of the celestial master was continued by his son Zhang Heng and his grandson Zhang Lu.

Zhang Daolings legend was still further embellished over the centuries by Daoists. In the early chronicles his influence appears to be not so great, he could have simply been an immortality seekers, who came from a lower layer with treated water by magic symbols healed the sick, Daoist Magical writings authored, missionary and occupied as a reward rice. His influence extended only to Sichuan. The movement of the heavenly Master will precisely palpable only with Zhang Lu, the grandson of Zhang and Zhang Daolings Daolings legend possibly comes from the fact that Zhang Lu took a lineage to its legitimacy.

By Ge Hong ( 283-343 or Baopu Zi ), a later Taoist and alchemist, who wrote the biographies of immortals, Zhang Daoling then rose on the Holy and immortal master who is still revered in Taoism and whose legend still further elaborated later been.