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[German Version] (or Dao de Ching), “The Book of the Tao and Its Virtue,” a key text of literary Taoism. The work is also known under the name of its putative author Lao Tsu; it was probably composed during the Period of the Warring States (481–221 bce). Two chapters with 81 aphorisms describe the concept of the Tao at length. An extensive commentary literature began to emerge in the 2nd century bce. The Heshang Gong commentary (2nd cent. bce) introduced the religious Taoist interpretation of the text, w…

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[German Version] Internal alchemy ( neidan) is seen as a further development of external alchemy (III; waidan) ¶ and forms an integral part of religious Taoism. In the periods preceding the common era, but also later, external alchemy was linked to costly experiments in search of the medicine of immortality. Emperors of the early and following periods (Qin Shihuangdi), as well as the upper echelons of society, were interested and involved. Preparation and consumption of the drugs not only required essences that w…

[German Version] I. History Philosophical Taoism (Daoism) is associated with names from the history of China’s traditional literature such as Lao Tsu (Tao te Ching) and Zhuangzi. Their influence can be seen in belles lettres and in philological and philosophical commentaries. The situation of religious Taoism (“Celestial Master” Taoism: Tianshidao or Cheng Yi Taoism), which first appeared as a religion in China in the 2nd century ce, is quite different. Its history falls into three periods: (1) the formative period, 2nd–6th centuries; (2) the period of consolidation, 7th–10th centuries; (3) the period of ritual diversification and expansion, 11th century to the present (monastic Taoism, Quanzhen-Taoism). …

[German Version] (Cheng-i). Cheng Yi, “orthodoxy and unity” (“Master of Heaven”/“Five Bushels of Rice” Taoism) is the generic term for religious Taoism. In the 2nd century ce, the deified Lao Tsu (Taishang Laojun) installed the former official Chang Tao Ling as “Master of Heaven,” who thus acquired, in addition to the “contractual authority over orthodoxy and unity,” the power to subjugate demons and the authority to guide humanity in religious matters. Priority was given to the healing of ill…

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[German Version] I. Religious Studies The English word temple derives from Latin templum. In the tech…

[German Version] I. Taoism Taiping signifies “Great Peace,” “General Prosperity,” and “Universal Harmony.” The Book of Universal Harmony ( Taiping Jing) reflects the ideology of the militarily organized Taiping movement (2nd cent. ce) under the leadership of the self-appointed “generals” Zhang ¶ Jue (or Zhang Jiao; d. 184) and his two brothers. The deified Lao Tsu (Taishang Laojun) is said to have revealed the original title Taiping qingling shu to a certain Gan (or Yu) Ji in Shandong (Langye). The wars of the late Han Dynasty, the hardships suffered…

[German Version] “Complete integrity” or “complete realization” ( quanzhen; Quanzhen-Taoism) is the name of a Taoist school (Taoism) that arose during the 12th century in Shandong Province. The school’s founder was Wang Zhe (1112–1170) from Shensi, who is also known as “Double Yang” (Chongyang). His disciples, the “Seven Perfected Beings,” formed the first generation of the Quanzhen patriarchs: Ma Danyang (1123–1183), Tan Chuduan (1123–1185), Qiu Changchun (1148–1227), Wang Chuyi (1142–1217), Liu Chuxua…

[English Version] (Cheng-i). Zhengyi,…

[English Version] I. Daoismus T. bedeutet »Großer Frieden«, »Allg. Wohlfahrt« und »Universalharmonie«. Das »Buch der Universalharmonie« (T. jing) zeigt die Ideologie der militärisch organisierten T.-Bewegung (2.Jh. n.Chr.) unter Führung der selbsternannten »Generäle« Zhang Jue (gest.184) und seiner beiden Brüder. Der vergöttlichte Lao Zi (Taishang Laojun) soll den urspr. Titel »T. qingling shu« einem Gan (oder Yü) Ji in Shandong (Langye) eröffnet haben. Kriege zum Ende der Han-Dynastie, Nöte der Be…

[English Version] . Die innere Alchemie (neidan) wird im Gefolge der äußeren Alchemie (: III.; waidan) gesehen und ist integraler Bestandteil des rel. Daoismus. …

[English Version] I. Religionswissenschaftlich Das dt. Wort »T.« geht über mhd. »tempel« (mask. und ntr.) zurück auf ahd. »tempal« (ntr.), eine Entlehnung aus dem lat. Wort »templum«. Als Begriff der religionswiss. Fachsprache steht das Wort neben den allgemeineren Benennungen »Heiligtum« und »Kultstätte«. Dabei hat sich die Verwendung der urspr. lat. Bez. über den Bereich der griech.-röm. Antike hinaus v.a. für solche Anlagen durchgesetzt, die im Hinblick auf ihre bauliche Gestalt (Monumentalität,…

[English Version] . »Vollkommene Integrität« oder »vollkommene Realisierung« (quanzhen; Q.) bez. eine daoistische Schule (Daoismus), die in der Provinz Shandong im 12.Jh. entstand. Schulgründer war Wang Zhe (1112–1170) aus Shensi, genannt »Doppeltes Yang« (Chongyang). Seine Schüler, die »Sieben Perfekten« bildeten die erste Generation der Q.-Patriarchen: Ma Danyang (1123–1183), Tan Chuduan (1123–1185), Qiu Changchun (1148–1227), Wang Chuyi (1142–1217), Liu Chuxuan (1147–1203), Hao Datong (1140–121…