DOCSLIB.ORG

Doumu: the Mother of the Dipper

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Livia Kohn DOUMU: THE MOTHER OF THE DIPPER Introduction The goddess Doumu 4- f.J:, the Mother of the Dipper, is a Daoist stellar deity of high popularity. Shrines to her are found today in many major Daoist sanctuaries, from the Qingyang gong. jf.i;inChengduA lllthrough Louguan tttfL plearXi'an iN~)to Mount Tai * t1Jin Shandong. She represents the genninal, creative power behind one of the most central Daoist constellations, the Northern Dipper, roler offates and central orderer of the universe, which is said to consist of seven or nine stars, called the Seven Primes or the Nine Perfected. 1 The Mother of the Dipper appears in Daoist literature from Yuan times onward, there is no trace of any scripture or material associated with her in Song sources or libraries. 2 Her major scripture, the Doumu jing4- f.J: ~I (translated below), survives in both the Daoist canon of 1445 and in a Ming­ dynasty manuscript dated to 1439. The goddess can be seen as part of a general tendency among Daoists of the Ming to include more popular and female deities into their pantheon, which in turn is related to the greater emphasis on goddesses in popular religion and Buddhism at the time. 3 In I Edward Schafer calls them the Nine Quintessences (1977, p. 233). 2 Van der Loon (1984) has no entry on any te;-.."t regarding her worship. 3 A prominent example of a popular goddess at the time is Mazu ~ 111 or Tianfei f:. 9(.. who was also adopted into the Daoist pantheon. On her development, see Wädow 1992: on her Daoist adoption, see Bohz 1986. Another popular goddess with Daoist overtones of the same period is Bixia yuanjun ~ i1 j(; ;g-, the daughter of the god of Mount Tai. On her legend and Downloaded from Brill.com10/07/2021 07:33:35AM via free access Livia Kahn Fig. 1 - Weituo, the protector of scriptures 150 Downloaded from Brill.com10/07/2021 07:33:35AM via free access Doumu: the Mother of the Dipper addition, her elevation is also linked with the increased influence of Tantric Buddhism on later Daoism, because she is a Daoist counterpart of the Indian goddess and Tantrie bodhisattva Mariei, an offspring of Brahma and personification of light, who serves as the roler of fates and plays a role in various dhärani sutras in the Buddhist eanon.4 In addition to this Buddhist origin of the goddess, she also has forerunners among Daoist female deities or eonsorts ofthe Dipper, who appear in texts from the middle ages, making her a faseinating and potent eonglomerate of powers and religious traditions. The following is a first study of the nature and evolution of the Daoist goddess Doumu as she is represented in her key seripture, the Doumu jingo The goddess will be examined in relation to the tradition al veneration of the Dipper, the Tantrie goddess Mariei and her myths, various divine Dipper consorts, and in regard to forms ofworship that evolved around her. Before all that, however, let us take a closer look at the manuscript of the Doumu jingo The Doumu jing The manuscript was found in the late 1960's as one of eleven Ming­ dynasty texts contained in the interior of a wooden Buddha statue. The statue, whieh had made its way to an art dealer in Hamburg, Germany, was subjected to unexpected moisture due to a flood of the river EIbe and began to dissolve in its parts. It was then obtained by Mr. Wemer Burger, who in turn passed it on to Professor Herbert Franke (Münich) for eritical scholarly examinatioll. Franke describes its various manuscripts in a short article. 5 worship, see Naquin 1992. Among Buddhist goddesses, the outstanding examp1e is Miaoshan ~. ~. Her legend and development is studied in Dudbridge 1978. 4 The dhärani sutras are nos. 1254-59 in vol. 21 ofthe Taishö canon. See Franke 1972, p. 63. Tantric influence on Daoism since the Tang is also evident in the increase in the number of deities and in the more martial gods occupying a central position (see Davis 1994). A special Maricf dhärani sütra or Molizhi tian pusa toluoni jing '* flJ J( 'J:..:g: Pi pt Il Jt, *.~ ( T. 125. 21.259-60) is ascribed to Amoghavajra (Bukong 1- ~) and thus presumably dates from the eighth century (see Nakamura 1981, 1280). 5 See Franke 1972. The manuscripts are now collected in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Munich) and are available in microfilm. The Doumu jing manuscript has the acquisition number 4L.sin.C229. I am indebted to Dr. Ute Engelhardt for obaining and sending me a microfilm copy of the manuscript. 151 Downloaded from Brill.com10/07/2021 07:33:35AM via free access Livia Kahn All texts found in the statue date from the reign of the Ming emperor Yingzong ~ *, i.e., around the middle of the fifteenth century. The Doumu jing is among the earliest (1439), others go back to the 1450's. Franke divides the texts into three groups: Buddhist prints, Buddhist handwritten scroIIs, and Daoist texts. Six texts belong to the first category. There is first an illustrated copy the Lotus sutra, followed by three Guanyin -U -f dhärani sutras that claim to be efficacious in difficulties and the healing of diseases. A work with thirty-two poems encouraging Buddhist devotion and a woodblock print of a standing Buddha complete the first group. The second group, handwritten Buddhist materials, has three works: an apocryphal dhärani text that promises aid in all situations of life, an abbreviated Nirväna Sutra, and a copy of the Heart Sutra with introduction and commentary. All these are said to be efficacious in the management of daily life, providing protection and support in difficuIt situations. Many begin with a dedication that wishes the emperor many ten thousand years of life, contain relevant woodblock illustrations, and often conclude with a picture of Weituo ~ rt:, the protector of holy scriptures (see Fig. 1).6 The two last texts found in the statue are Daoist works. First, the Sanyuan jiewei yansheng jing .::. Je M- ~ ~ ::i ~~ (Scripture of the Three Primes to Dissolve Dangers and Extend Life) focuses on the three rulers of the Daoist other world who dissolve sins, grant good fortune, and aid in the prolongation of life. The text consists of fifteen pages and can be divided into eight sections. It begins with a woodblock illustration of the judges of hell, then presents incantations for purification, followed by four prayers for protection to the mIers ofthe other world. Next come apreface to the main text, the text proper (also in DZ 1442), a concluding poem, and a colophon which specifies the date (1450) and informs us that the sponsor ordered the text's printing to ensure the salvation ofhis ancestors. It concludes with an illustration ofWeituo. The Doumu jing is listed last in Franke's description. It, too, matches the overall intellt of the other ten texts in that it is an invocation-based text that serves to grant protection and support to the faithfuI. Like the majority of texts in the statue, it begins with good wishes for the emperor and ends with an image ofWeituo for the scripture's protection. It also has, before the scriptural part, a detailed illustration ofthe key elements ofthe text (see Fig. 2). 6 See Don: 1914, vol. 7, p. 206. 152 Downloaded from Brill.com10/07/2021 07:33:35AM via free access Doumu: the Mother of the Dipper Shown here, from right to left, is the Dipper Mother, her head surroWlded by a glowing halo, seated on the jeweled throne and attended by three ladies­ in-waiting, two at her back, one closer to her side. She faces the nine stars of the Dipper, beginning with the two senior stars, clearly marked with name plates as the Great Emperor Celestial Sovereign Ä .i :Je '* and the Great Emperor of Purple Tenuity 'ffi ~ *- *. They wear formal, embroidered court robes and elaborate headdresses and hold audience scepters in their hands. Behind them follow the seven lords of the Dipper, so marked in a sm all name plate at the top of the page. They, too, are dressed in formal garb and hold audience scepters, hut their headdresses are merely small crowns. Slightly behind them, above in the picture, are the two additional stars Fu and Bi, secondary emanations of the two Great Emperors. They are seen only in their upper bodies and wear helmet-like headgear. One final figure, above the first three of the seven lords, holds a sacred scripture in a gesture similar to that of Weituo. He is dressed in martial garb and has a more barbarian and violent expression. Not named in a matching plate, we can surmise that he is a guardian figure in the service of the Dipper lords. The manuscript then presents the text of the Doumu jingo This can be divided into three major parts: apreface on the technicalities of reciting the scripture and venerating the goddess; the scripture's text; and a concluding encomium and mantra for the goddess. The first part or preface has three seetions, a technical set of instructions on recitation (p. 1), a laudatio for the goddess which clearly refers to her Indian origins (p. 2), and an incantation in her honor ( p. 2-3). It is Wlique to this manuscript, with the exception of the laudatio, which is also fOWld in a Doumu ritual as documented in the Xiantian doumu zougao xuanke 7t Ä -+ f.J: -* % -t H (Mysterious Rites of Petitioning the Dipper Mother of Former Heaven, DZ 1452, The second part is the scripture proper.
Recommended publications
  • Mother of the Nation: Femininity, Modernity, and Class in the Image of Empress Teimei

    Mother of the Nation: Femininity, Modernity, and Class in the Image of Empress Teimei

    Mother of the Nation: Femininity, Modernity, and Class in the Image of Empress Teimei By ©2016 Alison Miller Submitted to the graduate degree program in the History of Art and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ________________________________ Chairperson Dr. Maki Kaneko ________________________________ Dr. Sherry Fowler ________________________________ Dr. David Cateforis ________________________________ Dr. John Pultz ________________________________ Dr. Akiko Takeyama Date Defended: April 15, 2016 The Dissertation Committee for Alison Miller certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Mother of the Nation: Femininity, Modernity, and Class in the Image of Empress Teimei ________________________________ Chairperson Dr. Maki Kaneko Date approved: April 15, 2016 ii Abstract This dissertation examines the political significance of the image of the Japanese Empress Teimei (1884-1951) with a focus on issues of gender and class. During the first three decades of the twentieth century, Japanese society underwent significant changes in a short amount of time. After the intense modernizations of the late nineteenth century, the start of the twentieth century witnessed an increase in overseas militarism, turbulent domestic politics, an evolving middle class, and the expansion of roles for women to play outside the home. As such, the early decades of the twentieth century in Japan were a crucial period for the formation of modern ideas about femininity and womanhood. Before, during, and after the rule of her husband Emperor Taishō (1879-1926; r. 1912-1926), Empress Teimei held a highly public role, and was frequently seen in a variety of visual media.
  • Healing and Self-Healing Through White Tara

    Healing and Self-Healing Through White Tara

    HEALING AND SELF-HEALING THROUGH WHITE TARA Kyabje Gehlek Rimpoche Spring retreat teachings, The Netherlands 1995 Winter retreat vajrayana teachings, US 1996-7 A Jewel Heart Transcript ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Part I of this edition is the transcription of the teachings on White Tara, Healing and selfhealing, that Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche gave during the spring retreat 1995 in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Part II are the vajrayana teachings on the practice of White Tara, taught by Rinpoche during the spring of 1995 in Nijmegen, a vajrayana weekend in Ann Arbor 1995, and the winterretreats 1996/97 en 1997/98 in the US. Part II is restricted; what is taught can only be practiced by those who’ve received full initiation in either Avalokiteshvara or in any maha annuttara yoga tantra. (A Tara long-life initiation – which actually is a blessing – is not what is meant here). Because of this restriction, part I has been published separately. The transcript is updated since the 4th edition. In particular it got a number of features that facilitate studying this worthwhile practice. A glossary, a list of literature and an index are provided. Images related to the teachings have been added. References to other literature have been made. Cross-references between the sutrayana- and the vajrayana part may help clarify difficulties. For easy study additional small headings have been made. The teachings of Part I were transcribed by several Jewel Heart friends in the Netherlands. The vajrayana teachings have been transcribed by Hartmut Sagolla. The drawing of Buddha Shakyamuni and those of the mudras were made by Marian van der Horst, those of the life-chakras by Piet Soeters.
  • Rebuilding the Ancestral Temple and Hosting Daluo Heaven and Earth Prayer and Enlightenment Ceremony

    Rebuilding the Ancestral Temple and Hosting Daluo Heaven and Earth Prayer and Enlightenment Ceremony

    Cultural and Religious Studies, July 2020, Vol. 8, No. 7, 386-402 doi: 10.17265/2328-2177/2020.07.002 D DAVID PUBLISHING Rebuilding the Ancestral Temple and Hosting Daluo Heaven and Earth Prayer and Enlightenment Ceremony Wu Hui-Chiao Ming Chuan University, Taiwan Kuo, Yeh-Tzu founded Taiwan’s Sung Shan Tsu Huei Temple in 1970. She organized more than 200 worshipers as a group named “Taiwan Tsu Huei Temple Queen Mother of the West Delegation to China to Worship at the Ancestral Temples” in 1990. At that time, the temple building of the Queen Mother Palace in Huishan of Gansu Province was in disrepair, and Temple Master Kuo, Yeh-Tzu made a vow to rebuild it. Rebuilding the ancestral temple began in 1992 and was completed in 1994. It was the first case of a Taiwan temple financing the rebuilding of a far-away Queen Mother Palace with its own donations. In addition, Sung Shan Tsu Huei Temple celebrated its 45th anniversary and hosted Yiwei Yuanheng Lizhen Daluo Tiandi Qingjiao (Momentous and Fortuitous Heaven and Earth Prayer Ceremony) in 2015. This is the most important and the grandest blessing ceremony of Taoism, a rare event for Taoism locally and abroad during this century. Those sacred rituals were replete with unprecedented grand wishes to propagate the belief in Queen Mother of the West. Stopping at nothing, Queen Mother’s love never ceases. Keywords: Sung Shan Tsu Huei Temple, Temple Master Kuo, Yeh-Tzu, Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, Daluo Tiandi Qingjiao (Daluo Heaven and Earth Prayer Ceremony) Introduction The main god, Golden Mother of the Jade Pond (Golden Mother), enshrined in Sung Shan Tsu Huei Temple, is the same as the Queen Mother of the West, the highest goddess of Taoism.
  • Low-THC Cannabis Products in Europe

    Low-THC Cannabis Products in Europe

    Low-THC cannabis products in Europe December 2020 Legal notice This publication of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is protected by copyright. The EMCDDA accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of the data contained in this document. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of the EMCDDA’s partners, any EU Member State or any agency or institution of the European Union. Manuscript completed in December 2020 Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2020 © European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2020 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Credits for cover photos: Envato (first and third photos, left to right), Brendan Hughes (other photos). For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not under the EMCDDA copyright, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. Print ISBN 978-92-9497-555-3 doi:10.2810/593551 TD-03-20-749-EN-C PDF ISBN 978-92-9497-554-6 doi:10.2810/69625 TD-03-20-749-EN-N Recommended citation: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (2020), Low-THC cannabis products in Europe, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. YEARS OF MONITORING 1995–2020 Praça Europa 1, Cais do Sodré, 1249-289 Lisbon, Portugal Tel. +351 211210200 [email protected] I www.emcdda.europa.eu twitter.com/emcdda I facebook.com/emcdda I Contents 4 Introduction and rationale 4 I What are low-THC cannabis products?
  • Religion in China BKGA 85 Religion Inchina and Bernhard Scheid Edited by Max Deeg Major Concepts and Minority Positions MAX DEEG, BERNHARD SCHEID (EDS.)

    Religion in China BKGA 85 Religion Inchina and Bernhard Scheid Edited by Max Deeg Major Concepts and Minority Positions MAX DEEG, BERNHARD SCHEID (EDS.)

    Religions of foreign origin have shaped Chinese cultural history much stronger than generally assumed and continue to have impact on Chinese society in varying regional degrees. The essays collected in the present volume put a special emphasis on these “foreign” and less familiar aspects of Chinese religion. Apart from an introductory article on Daoism (the BKGA 85 BKGA Religion in China proto­typical autochthonous religion of China), the volume reflects China’s encounter with religions of the so-called Western Regions, starting from the adoption of Indian Buddhism to early settlements of religious minorities from the Near East (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) and the early modern debates between Confucians and Christian missionaries. Contemporary Major Concepts and religious minorities, their specific social problems, and their regional diversities are discussed in the cases of Abrahamitic traditions in China. The volume therefore contributes to our understanding of most recent and Minority Positions potentially violent religio-political phenomena such as, for instance, Islamist movements in the People’s Republic of China. Religion in China Religion ∙ Max DEEG is Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Cardiff. His research interests include in particular Buddhist narratives and their roles for the construction of identity in premodern Buddhist communities. Bernhard SCHEID is a senior research fellow at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on the history of Japanese religions and the interaction of Buddhism with local religions, in particular with Japanese Shintō. Max Deeg, Bernhard Scheid (eds.) Deeg, Max Bernhard ISBN 978-3-7001-7759-3 Edited by Max Deeg and Bernhard Scheid Printed and bound in the EU SBph 862 MAX DEEG, BERNHARD SCHEID (EDS.) RELIGION IN CHINA: MAJOR CONCEPTS AND MINORITY POSITIONS ÖSTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN PHILOSOPHISCH-HISTORISCHE KLASSE SITZUNGSBERICHTE, 862.
  • Proquest Dissertations

    Proquest Dissertations

    Daoxuan's vision of Jetavana: Imagining a utopian monastery in early Tang Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Tan, Ai-Choo Zhi-Hui Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 25/09/2021 09:09:41 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/280212 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are In typewriter face, while others may be from any type of connputer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overiaps. ProQuest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 DAOXUAN'S VISION OF JETAVANA: IMAGINING A UTOPIAN MONASTERY IN EARLY TANG by Zhihui Tan Copyright © Zhihui Tan 2002 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF EAST ASIAN STUDIES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2002 UMI Number: 3073263 Copyright 2002 by Tan, Zhihui Ai-Choo All rights reserved.
  • January-February 2005, Volume 32(PDF)

    January-February 2005, Volume 32(PDF)

    .c>­ Jan./Feb. 2005 Vol. 32· 00e' 0 15 .c DHARMA WORLD '"'::. 0 "" For Living Buddhism and Interfaith Dialogue ~... 8 N @ .g CONTENTS ~ g Cover photo: "Bear and Boy Silhouette," ~ Special Feature: Emerging Forms of Spirituality Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.A. Photo by Emerging Forms of Spirituality by Mark R. Mullins 2 Ken Ross. The Roots ofJapanese Spirituality: A Linguistic Exploration by Toji Kamata 5 Drifting Faith: Civil Society and Public Philosophy in Japan by Tomoya Kaji 9 DHARMA WORLD presents Buddhism as a A Vision of the Religion of the Future by Soho Machida 13 Emerging Forms of Spirituality 2 practical living religion and promotes in­ A Reflection: Religion and Science in Global Society terreligious dialogue for world peace. It · by Kuniko Miyanaga 15 espouses views that emphasize the dignity War, Environmental Destruction, and Religion: of life, seeks to rediscover our inner na­ The Spiritual World ofHayao Miyazaki's ture and bring our lives more in accord Nausicaii of the Valley of the Wind by Martin Repp 18 with it, and investigates causes of human suffering. It tries to show how religious principles help solve problems in daily life Reflections and how the least application of such Learning throughout Life by Nichiko Niwano 21 principles has wholesome effects on the Achieving Peace in a Globalized World by Nikkyo Niwano 40 world around us. It seeks to demonstrate truths that are fundamental to all reli­ The Stories of the Lotus Sutra gions, truths on which all people can act. The Stories of the Lotus Sutra 23 The Jewel in
  • The Mongolian Big Dipper Sūtra

    The Mongolian Big Dipper Sūtra

    JIABS Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies Volume 29 Number 1 2006 (2008) The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies (ISSN 0193-600XX) is the organ of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Inc. It welcomes scholarly contributions pertaining to all facets of Buddhist Studies. EDITORIAL BOARD JIABS is published twice yearly, in the summer and winter. KELLNER Birgit Manuscripts should preferably be sub- KRASSER Helmut mitted as e-mail attachments to: Joint Editors [email protected] as one single file, complete with footnotes and references, BUSWELL Robert in two different formats: in PDF-format, and in Rich-Text-Format (RTF) or Open- CHEN Jinhua Document-Format (created e.g. by Open COLLINS Steven Office). COX Collet GÓMEZ Luis O. Address books for review to: HARRISON Paul JIABS Editors, Institut für Kultur - und Geistesgeschichte Asiens, Prinz-Eugen- VON HINÜBER Oskar Strasse 8-10, AT-1040 Wien, AUSTRIA JACKSON Roger JAINI Padmanabh S. Address subscription orders and dues, KATSURA Shōryū changes of address, and UO business correspondence K Li-ying (including advertising orders) to: LOPEZ, Jr. Donald S. Dr Jérôme Ducor, IABS Treasurer MACDONALD Alexander Dept of Oriental Languages and Cultures SCHERRER-SCHAUB Cristina Anthropole SEYFORT RUEGG David University of Lausanne CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland SHARF Robert email: [email protected] STEINKELLNER Ernst Web: www.iabsinfo.net TILLEMANS Tom Fax: +41 21 692 30 45 ZÜRCHER Erik Subscriptions to JIABS are USD 40 per year for individuals and USD 70 per year for libraries and other institutions. For informations on membership in IABS, see back cover.
  • The Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods in Malaysia: Myth，Ritual，And Symbol

    The Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods in Malaysia: Myth，Ritual，And Symbol

    C heu H ock T ong National University of Singapore The Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods in Malaysia: Myth，Ritual，and Symbol Abstract The present paper describes and analyzes the Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods, a popular celebration among the Chinese in Malaysia. The origins of the myth of the Nine Emperor Gods may be traced back to the Nine Human Sovereigns of Chinese tradition, to the historical events of the Han and Ming dynasties, and to the circumstances of the Chinese immigration into Malaysia. The myth of the Nine Emperor Gods is enacted in a body of rituals, the significance of which is reflected in the symbolic representations of the gods. Myth, ritual, and symbol are thus ideologically interrelated to form a structural framework for the interaction of the yin-yang forces at different levels of the cosmic representations featured in the festival. The festival provides a venue for the yearly renewal of cosmic power, so that human life may be rejuvenated and human conflicts resolved. Key words: Nine Emperor Gods — festival— myth ——ritual— macrocosm 一 micro­ cosm — infracosm Asian Folklore Studies, Volume 55，1996: 49-72 1 H E Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods (Jiuhuangye 九皇爺）in 1 Malaysia is a form of temple fair celebrated only at temples dedicated to these gods. In a 1984 survey I found tmrty-nine such temples in Peninsular Malaysia and none in the states of Sabah and Sarawak. In 1990 the number in Peninsular Malaysia had increased to fifty. My latest surveys, in 1991 and 1992，revealed a further three temples in the West しoast Residency of Sabah (two in Kota Kinabalu and one in Labuan).1 The organization of the festival can be represented in the form of two large concentric circles.
  • A Historical and Comparative Analysis of Incense and Moxibustion As Similar Agents of Edification and Self-Cultivation Hannah E

    A Historical and Comparative Analysis of Incense and Moxibustion As Similar Agents of Edification and Self-Cultivation Hannah E

    Black & Gold Volume 3 Black & Gold Article 2 2017 Succor in Smoke: A Historical and Comparative Analysis of Incense and Moxibustion as Similar Agents of Edification and Self-Cultivation Hannah E. Matulek The College of Wooster Follow this and additional works at: https://openworks.wooster.edu/blackandgold Part of the Asian History Commons, Chinese Studies Commons, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons, and the Other Religion Commons Recommended Citation Matulek, Hannah E. (2017) "Succor in Smoke: A Historical and Comparative Analysis of Incense and Moxibustion as Similar Agents of Edification and Self-Cultivation," Black & Gold: Vol. 3. Available at: https://openworks.wooster.edu/blackandgold/vol3/iss1/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Open Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Black & Gold by an authorized administrator of Open Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. Matulek: Succor in Smoke: A Historical and Comparative Analysis of Incense Introduction Medicine in traditional China was a dynamic, widespread, and all-encompassing aspect of society that drew from other facets of civilization to gain information, define etiology, diagnose illness, and offer treatment options to the sick. In the earlier periods of Chinese history, disease was explained and treated through the concepts of dissatisfied ancestors and malicious demonic possession. Expressed in the oracle bones of the Shang and Early Zhou Dynasties, mortal ailments were attributed to and thought to be controlled by volatile external forces. The Chinese medical tradition would shift from these approaches in subsequent dynasties, however, largely due to the introduction of China’s three major religions—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism.
  • The Daoist Tradition Also Available from Bloomsbury

    The Daoist Tradition Also Available from Bloomsbury

    The Daoist Tradition Also available from Bloomsbury Chinese Religion, Xinzhong Yao and Yanxia Zhao Confucius: A Guide for the Perplexed, Yong Huang The Daoist Tradition An Introduction LOUIS KOMJATHY Bloomsbury Academic An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square 175 Fifth Avenue London New York WC1B 3DP NY 10010 UK USA www.bloomsbury.com First published 2013 © Louis Komjathy, 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Louis Komjathy has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work. No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by Bloomsbury Academic or the author. Permissions Cover: Kate Townsend Ch. 10: Chart 10: Livia Kohn Ch. 11: Chart 11: Harold Roth Ch. 13: Fig. 20: Michael Saso Ch. 15: Fig. 22: Wu’s Healing Art Ch. 16: Fig. 25: British Taoist Association British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 9781472508942 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Komjathy, Louis, 1971- The Daoist tradition : an introduction / Louis Komjathy. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4411-1669-7 (hardback) -- ISBN 978-1-4411-6873-3 (pbk.) -- ISBN 978-1-4411-9645-3 (epub) 1.
  • Early Daoist Meditation and the Origins of Inner Alchemy

    Early Daoist Meditation and the Origins of Inner Alchemy

    EARLY DAOIST MEDITATION 7 EARLY DAOIST MEDITATION AND THE ORIGINS OF INNER ALCHEMY Fabrizio Pregadio According to one of the scriptures belonging to the Taiqing, or Great Clar- ity, tradition, after an adept receives alchemical texts and relevant oral instructions from his master, he withdraws to a mountain or a secluded place to perform purification practices. He establishes the ritual area, demar- cates it with talismans for protection against demons and wild animals, and builds a Chamber of the Elixirs (danshi) at the centre of this protected space. To start compounding the elixir, he chooses a favourable day based on traditional methods of calendrical computation. When all ritual, spatial and temporal conditions are fulfilled, he may finally kindle the fire. Now he offers food and drink to three deities, and asks that they grant the successful compounding of the elixir: This petty man, (name of the adept), truly and entirely devotes his thoughts to the Great Lord of the Dao, Lord Lao and the Lord of Great Harmony. Alas! This petty man, (name of the adept), covets the Medicine of Life! Lead him so that the Medicine will not volat- ilise and be lost, but rather be fixed by the fire! Let the Medicine be good and efficacious, let the transmutations take place without hesitation, and let the Yellow and the White be entirely fixed! When he ingests the Medicine, let him fly as an immortal, have audience at the Purple Palace (Zigong), live an unending life and become an accomplished man (zhiren)!1 The Great Lord of the Dao (Da Daojun), Lord Lao (Laojun, or Laozi in his divine aspect) and the Lord of Great Harmony (Taihe jun) are not mentioned together in other alchemical texts.