THE IMPACT OF THE TAOIST MORALITY BOOK TAIWEI XIANJUN GONGGUOGE 太微仙君功过格 [REGISTER OF MERITS AND DEMERITS OF THE DIVINE LORD OF GREAT TENUITY ]1

Chen Xia

From the Southern Song dynasty to the Mid-Ming dynasty, Taoist rituals gained in popularity. At the same time, Taoist morality books were circulated as an important means to improve people’s moral life. In the Qin and Han dynasties, there were already similar morality books such as the Yushu 语书 [Book of Speeches], Xiaojing 孝经 [Book of Filial Piety], and the Nüjie 女戒 [Rules for Women]. However, moral- ity books as such first made their appearance in the Song dynasty. Morality book was the general name given to the popular books from all schools that urged people to do good. People also called this type of book “Benevolent Book,” “Text of Advice for People,” or “Book on Retribution.” Those names referred not only to religious morality books and secular tracts on improving mores, but also to rules writ- ten by the government, such as “imperial decrees,” and to popular morality plays. High-level officials, literati, craftsmen, and ordinary people all added to their compilation, popularization, and interpreta- tion. Taoism had a pioneering role in their evolution. Compiled under the Song dynasty, the Taishang ganying pian was both the first morality book and the first Taoist book of this kind. Taishang ganying pian, the Wenchang dijun yinzhiwen 文昌帝君阴骘文 [Lord Wenchang’s Text of Hid- den Administration], and the Guansheng dijun jueshi zhenjing 关圣帝君觉世 真经 [The Book of Enlightenment of Lord Guan] were called the “Three Sacred Classics of Morality Books” because they were widely read, exerted great influence, and were often commented upon. Theism is the main characteristic of Taoist morality books. According to these books, deities supervise people’s behavior, mete out punishment or rewards, and urge people to do good in order to become immortal. “Avoid evil action, instead practice benevolent deeds”: this phrase is

1 Published originally in Daojiao quanshanshu yanjiu 道教劝善书研究. Chengdu: Bashu shushe, 1999, ch. 2, section 4. This chapter is a revised version. 254 chen xia the gist of Taoist morality books. From the Song and Yuan dynasties, numerous Taoist morality books were compiled; they culminated in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Taoist morality books were widespread, exerted great influence right into the Republican period, and had by then existed for almost a thousand years in China.

Definition of the Register of Merits and Demerits

Taoist morality books can be classified into four categories: Argument, Operation, Record, and Punishment. The books in the Argument cat- egory revealed rules and principles (of moral retribution) to the public. The Taishang ganying pian was the masterpiece in this category. Taoist morality books in the Record category told miracle stories of retribu- tion, as shown in the Zitong dijun huashu 梓潼帝君化书 [Transformation Book of Lord Zitong] and the Qinghe neizhuan 清河内传 [Inner Legend of Qinghe]. The books in the Punishment category described Hell, like the Yuli chaozhuan 玉历钞传 [Jade Register], which was dedicated to the subject of punishment after death. In the Operation category the books set forth and applied Taoist rules. The Taiwei xianjun gongguoge was the first Taoist morality book in the Operation category. Li Shan quoted the “Essay on Cangjie” saying: “ge 格 means mea- sure.” Gongguoge is a book that measures merits and demerits. “Gefa 格法,” “tianquan 天券,” and “biaoge 标格,” cited in Taoist scriptures before the Song and Yuan dynasties, were early forms of Taoist moral- ity books. The compilation of the chapter “Merits and Demerits” of the Zhiyan zong 至言总 [Collection of Perfect Speeches] represents a more complete form of the Taoist morality book.2 According to it: “the Mer- its and Demerits mean saving the living, saving the dead, and being benevolent to others.” In the Lieji jing 列纪经 (Scripture of the Chronicles) it says: “he who follows the Tao must practice its virtues, be com- passionate with everything and everyone, support who is in difficulty, help people in trouble, prefer the Tao to wealth, avoid meanness, give money where it is needed, and pray on his knees with a sincere heart.” In the Benyuan jing 本愿经 (Scripture of the Fundamental Vow):

2 Li Gang, “Daojiao gongguoge jiexi 道教功过格解析,” in Daojia wenhua yanjiu, no. 7, Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1995.