Taoism is an East Asian religion founded in ancient China with many schools or denominations, of which none occupies a position of orthodoxy and co-existed peacefully.[Qing Xitai, 1994.] Taoist branches usually build their identity around a set of scriptures, that are manuals of ritual practices.[Andersen, Reiter. 2005.] Scriptures are considered "breathwork", that is "configurations of energy" ( qi), embodiments of "celestial patterns" ( tianwen),[Andersen, Reiter. 2005. p. 77] or "revelations of structures" ( li).[Andersen, Reiter. 2005. p. 78]
The earliest Taoist schools emerged during the late Han dynasty (25–220 CE).
Chronology of major schools
Source:
Han dynasty (25–220) to Tang dynasty (618-907): development of the Taiping, Celestial Masters and Zhengyi schools.
Eastern Jin period (317–420) and Southern dynasties period (420-589): development of the Shangqing and Lingbao branches.
-
Shangqing Taoism (上清派 Shàngqīng pài, "School of the Highest Clarity")
-
Maoshan Taoism (茅山宗 Máoshān zōng, "Maoshan Lineage" or "Maoshan Church")
-
Lingbao Taoism (靈寳派 Língbǎo pài, "School of the Numinous Treasure")
-
Louguan Taoism (樓觀派 Lóuguān pài or 樓觀道 Lóuguān dào, "School or of the Contemplation Place")
Jurchen Jin period (1115–1234): development of the Quanzhen branch.
-
Quanzhen Taoism (全真道 Quánzhēn dào, "Way of the Fulfilled Virtue")
-
Zhenda Taoism (真大道 Zhēndà dào, "True Wide Way")
-
Taiyi Taoism (太一道 Tàiyī dào, "Way of the Great Oneness")
Song dynasty (1127–1279): Tianxin, Shenxiao, Qingwei, Donghua and Jingming branches.
-
Tianxin Taoism (天心派 Tiānxīn pài, "School of the Heavenly Heart")
-
Shenxiao Taoism (神霄派 Shénxiāo pài, "School of the Divine Empyrean")
-
Qingwei Taoism (清微派 Qīngwēi pài, "School of the Pristine Simplicity")
-
Donghua Taoism (東華派 Dōnghuá pài, "School of the Eastern Flower")
-
Jingming Dao (淨明道 Jìngmíng dào, "Way of the Pure Light")
16th and 17th centuries: Wuliu.
Other schools
Source:
-
Bojia Taoism (帛家道 Bójiā dào)
-
Chongxuan School (重玄 Chóngxuán)
-
Lijia Taoism (李家道 Lǐjiā dào, "Way of the Li Family")
-
Longhu Church or Lineage (龍虎宗 Lónghǔ zōng)
-
Gezao Church or Lineage (閣皂宗 Gézào zōng)
-
Jindan Taoism (金丹派 Jīndān pài) or Southern Church (南宗 Nán zōng)
-
Beidi Taoism (北帝派 Běidì pài)
-
Laoshan or Lao Huashan Taoism (老華山派 Lǎo huàshān pài)
-
Jiu Gongshan Taoism (九宮山派 Jiǔ gōngshān pài)
-
Xuan Taoism (玄教 Xuán jiào)
-
Longmen Taoism (龍門派 Lóngmén pài)
-
Namo Taoism (南無派 Námó pài)
-
Suishan Taoism (隨山派 Suíshān pài)
-
Yuxian Taoism (遇仙派 Yùxian pài)
-
Yushan Taoism (嵛山派 Yúshān pài)
-
Qingjing Taoism (清靜派 Qīngjìng pài)
-
Sanfeng Taoism (三豐派 Sānfēng pài)
-
Wudang Taoism (武當道 Wǔdāng dào) or Wudang Benshan Taoism (武當本山派 Wǔdāng běnshān pài)
-
Jinshan Taoism (金山派 Jīnshān pài) or Laoshan Taoism (嶗山派 Láoshān pài)
-
ChunYang Taoism (纯阳派 chunyang pài)
Newest schools:
-
Dong Taoism or Eastern Taoism (東派 Dōng pài), Neidan Dong Taoism (内丹東派 Nèidān dōng pài)
-
Hsien-t'ien Tao
[Wong (2011), p. 194.]
-
Kunlun Taoism
[Wong (2011), p. 115-117.]
-
Western Taoism
-
Emei Taoism (峨眉白猿派 Emei Bai Yuan Pai)
-
Xi Taoism or Western Taoism (西派 Xi pài), Neidan Xi Taoism (内丹西派 Nèidān xi pài)
-
Zangmigong
[Kohn (2008), p. 185.]
See also
Sources
-
Poul Andersen, Florian C. Reiter. Scriptures, Schools and Forms of Practice in Daoism: A Berlin Symposium. Harrassowitz Verlag, 2005.
-
Qing Xitai (1994) 卿希泰. Zhongguo daojiao 中國道教, vol. 1, pp. 77–83. Shanghai: Zhishi chubanshe. Online.
-
-
