Taoist Sanqing

The highest gods of Taoism [1] "Sanqing" are Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun and Moral Tianzun respectively.

Among them, Yuanshi Tianzun, also known as "Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun". Among the "Sanqing", it is the most respected, also known as the primitive king, and the first god among the immortals. He is the god of Taoism, the god of heaven and earth. He is the name of the ancient Pangu family, known as the first heavenly master of the Yuqing Yuan Dynasty, also known as the primitive king of heaven. Yuanshi Tianzun was born before chaos. It was too first, the beginning of vitality, so it was named "Yuanshi". Located in Sanqing. One of the highest gods of Lingbao Tianzun Taoism, "Sanqing" is the god, also known as the Lord of Tongtian. Originally known as Shangqing Gaosheng Taishang Yuchen Yuanhuang Avenue. The True Spirit Karma compiled by Qiliang Gaodao Tao Hongjing lists its position in the second divine level, second only to the first heavenly god in the middle of the first divine level. In the Tang Dynasty, it was called Taishang Dadaojun, and in the Song Dynasty, it was called Lingbao Tianzun or Lingbaojun. Moral Tianzun, that is, Taishang Laojun, Taoist god and leader. It is the third place of Sanqing. Also known as "Mo moral Tianzun", "Hunyuan Laojun", "Birth Tianzun", "Taiqing Emperor" and so on. In the "Sanqing Hall" of the Taoist palace, its statue is on the right, holding a fan in its hand. It is said that its original form is Laozi.

The image of Sanqing Zun God has a historical process. During the reign of Emperor Shun of the Han Dynasty (126-144), Zhang Daoling Heming Mountain (now in Dayi County, Sichuan) founded the Wudou Rice Road, respecting the "Taishang Laojun" as the supreme god. Later, Kou Qianzhi reformed the heavenly master, and also took "Taishang Laojun" as the earliest supreme god, but the name "moral Tianzun" has appeared. As seen today, the name "Sanqing" was first seen in the "True Spiritual Karma Map" written by Tao Hongjing in Nanliang. The book arranges the preface of the immortals and is divided into seven levels, each with a middle position. The first middle position, Shanghe Xuhuangdaojun, should be called Yuanshi Tianzun. The second middle position, Shangqing Gaosheng Taishang Yuchen Yuanhuang Dadaojun (the Lord of Wandao). The third middle position, Taiji Golden Valve Emperor, surnamed Li, (Renchen taught Taiping Lord). The fourth middle position, Taiqing Taishang Laojun (for Taiqing Taoist Lord, next to thousands of people). The emperor is the supreme king. Among them, the name of Shangqing Taiqing was obviously put forward, but the ranking order of "Sanqing" has not yet been determined, and the third place is the "Golden Valve Emperor", while Taishang Laojun is in the fourth middle position. In the future, the divine name of "Sanqing" gradually developed, and it was not until the Tang Dynasty that it became the final theory. Daozang · Taiping Department · Three-hole Pearl Bag Volume 7 quoted the "Old King's Sacred Trace": "This is the Yuqing Realm, the Yuanshi Heavenly Lord, above the thirty-five days. This is the Qing Dynasty, the throne of Taishang Avenue (Lingbao Tianzun), which is also above thirty-four days. Taiqing Taijimu, that is, the throne of Taishang, is also above the thirty-three. So "Sanqing" became the highest god of Taoism.

Yuanshi Tianzun

Yuanshi Tianzun is one of the highest gods of Taoism, "Sanqing" and the god of Taoism. It is the god of the ancient Pangu family. It is called Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun, also known as the primitive king of heaven. It is the most respected among the "Three Qings" and the first respected god among Taoist immortals. The Book of Immortals of All Dynasties called him "the ancestor of the heavenly world". Although his status is high, he appeared later than Taishang Laojun. In the early days of the formation of Taoism, there was no such thing as "Yuanshi Tianzun". There is no record of "Taipingjing" and "Wan Er Zhu" and so on. In Chinese myths and legends, there is no origin. According to the records of Taoist books, the earliest name "Yuanshi" appeared in Jin Gehong's "Pillow in the Book" that before the chaos opened, there was the essence of heaven and earth, known as the "Yuanshi Heavenly King" and swam in it. In the latter two rites, the Yuanshi Heavenly King lived in the center of the sky, sucking the weather and drinking the earth's spring. After several disasters, he ventilated with the Taiyuan jade girl and formed an essence. He gave birth to the emperor's western queen, the emperor's birthplace emperor, and the earth emperor gave birth to the emperor. After that, Shennong was a Miao descendant. And said, "Xuandu Yujing Qibao Mountain, on top of Daluo, there are three palaces: upper, middle and lower. The upper palace is the temple of Pangu Zhenren, the Yuanshi Heavenly King, and the Lady of the Lady. At this time, there is only the name of the Yuanshi King. It was not until the Southern Dynasties that Liang Taohongjing's "True Spirit Location Karma" began to have the title of "Yuanshi Tianzun". The middle god of the first level of the book is "Shangtai Xuhuang Taoist King", which should be called "Yuanshi Tianzun" and is called "Yuqingjing Yuanshi Tianzun". However, there is another "Yuanshi Heavenly King" in the book, which is listed as the fourth god on the left of the fourth median. Sui Shu. Jingji Zhisi began to call out to Yuanshi Tianzun with the characteristics of the gods, saying that he was "be born before Taiyuan". It is believed that "the body of the Heavenly Lord always exists and is immortal. Every time the heaven and the earth are opened, the secret way is taught, which is called the opening of the disaster. However, the disaster is not once. Therefore, there are Yankang, Chiming, Longhan and Kaihuang, which are its years. Its questions are four billion years apart, and they are all the best of all immortals. There are Taishang Laojun, Taishang's father-in-law, the emperor's real people, the five emperors and the immortal officials. The Taoist priest of the Sui Dynasty named Tianzun "Le Jingxin". During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Pangu's true status in ancient myths and legends was brought up. It shows the faith of Taoist believers in Yuanshi Tianzun. Regarding the name of Yuanshi Tianzun, Volume 2 and 3 of "Initial Learning" quoted "Taixuanzhen Yijijing" and explained: "No sect is supreme, and it can only be the beginning of all things, so it is called Yuanshi. Everything is extremely respectable, and it is often in the Erqing, out of the heavens, so it is called Tianzun." The Book of Immortals of the Past Dynasties said: "The Yuan, I am also. The beginning, the beginning, the innate spirit. It is believed that Yuanshi is the original source, above all immortals, so it is called "Tianzun". According to the description of the Taoist scriptures, the natural spirit of Yuanshi Tianzun existed before everything in the universe. His noumenon is immortal, and even if heaven and earth are completely destroyed, it will not affect his existence at all. Whenever a new world is formed, Tianzun will come to the world to teach the secret way and save people. Those who are taken are all immortals, including Taishang Laojun, naive emperor, Wufang Tiandi and other immortals. Whenever a new world is opened, it has its year number, such as Yankang, Chiming, Longhan, Kaihuang, etc. The distance between the years is as long as 4.1 billion years. Moreover, Yuanshi Tianzun is located in the top "Daluotian" for 36 days, and the Xianfu where he lives is called "Xuandu Yujing". In the jade capital, gold is paved with jade as a step. There are seven treasures and precious jade in the palace. The immortal king, the immortal prince, the immortal emperor, the immortal uncle, the immortal doctor, etc. live in the central and the fairy hall on both sides. This style is obviously imitated by the emperors of the earth. Throughout the evolution of Yuanshi Tianzun, it can be found that the word "Yuanshi" was originally a philosophical term for Taoists to describe the origin of the world. Later, it was deified by Taoism and gradually evolved into the highest god of Taoism, ranking first in the Three Qing Dynasty. From a historical perspective, this is completely consistent with the history of Taoism's evolution into Taoism. According to the "General Book of Immortals of All Dynasties", Yuanshi Tianzun "ends round light and wears seventy-two colors". Therefore, Yuanshi Tianzun, who is worshipped in the Sanqing Hall of Taoism, generally covers the divine light, holds red pills in his hand, or holds the left hand, and holds it in his right hand, symbolizing the "unpolar state" when "heaven and earth are not shaped, chaos is not opened, and all things are not born". And the first century of "in times of chaos, yin and yang have not been judged", so the winter solstice day of yang is the Christmas of Yuanshi Tianzun. For a long time, Yuanshi Tianzun has been worshipped by emperors and sages from people to people.

Lingbao Tianzun

Lingbao Tianzun was originally known as Shangqing Gaosheng Taishang Yuchen Yuanhuang Dadaojun. The True Spirit Karma compiled by Qiliang Gaodao Tao Hongjing lists its position in the second divine level, second only to the first heavenly god in the middle of the first divine level. In the Tang Dynasty, it was called Taishang Dadaojun, and in the Song Dynasty, it was called Lingbao Tianzun or Lingbaojun. The Taoist scriptures say that he was born from the vitality generated by the chaotic state before the universe formed. It was originally "the essence of the second morning, the purple smoke of the nine celebrations". Later, the fetus was born for 3,700 years. He lived in the Yujing Fairy Mansion in Xuandu, Shangqingjing. There were 300,000 guards of golden children and jade girls. Thousands of gods worshipped, and there were countless people. There are thirty-six changes and seventy-two changes, and people can see him anytime and anywhere. According to the "Seven Signs of Clouds" quoted from the "Dongzhen Big Cave True Sutra", Lingbao Tianzun is "the essence of Yuchen, the purple smoke of Jiuqing, the brilliance of Yuhui, Jin Ying Liuzhen, Jiehua Hanxiu, Bao Ning Yuan Shen, the mother of the birth, and the shape of a person." Lingbao Briefing" said that "Taishang Dadaojun entrusted the fetus in the western Lvnayu Kingdom in the first year of the opening of the emperor, and was conceive in the son of the Hong family. He condensed the house of Qiong fetus for 3,700 years, and was born on the side of Yue Danxuan of Yuchashan Fuluo in his country. It is called Qidu, and the word Kaiyuan. Its long, it is the enlightenment of the truth of the Tao, the high heart of the Tao, sitting under the withered mulberry, thinking for a hundred days, and the beginning of the decline of the heavenly master, and teaches the ten wonderful scriptures of the spiritual treasure Mahayana. Shangqing Gaosheng Taishang Yuchen Avenue Jun, since the Yuanshi Tianzun received the scriptures, he has assisted the Yuanshi Tianzun, ranking second highest position in the thirty-six days of Shangqingjing. Above the thirty-four days, he ruled the Ruizhu Rique, Guan Qiying Zifang, and the golden boy and jade girl 300,000 bodyguards each. All the gods worship, the five virtues, the real minister Chen, and the emperor holds the picture. According to the Dongxuan Benxingjing, Lingbao Tianzun uses the method of Lingbao to save people with the world. Since the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, as for the first year of the Red Ming Dynasty, after 99 billions of disasters, people are like dust and sand, which is invincible. If you meet someone who is predestined and want to learn, please ask questions. Lingbao Tianzun is not stingy in teaching. Tianzun has three-six changes and seventy-two changes. If people want to see it, they can respond with their feelings, and tens of thousands of places can be separated immediately. In the Sanqing Hall in the Taoist Palace, Lingbao Tianzun often holds the statue of Ruyi in his hand on the left side of Yuanshi Tianzun, holding Taiji Tu or Yu Ruyi. In the large-scale fasting ceremony of Taoism, there are also many three Qing gods, with Lingbao Tianzun in the left position of Yuanshi Tianzun. The birthday of the god of Lingbao Tianzun is the summer solstice, about the middle of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. People often worship Lingbao Tianzun as the main god on the summer solstice.

Moral Heaven

The moral god is the emperor, the third highest god of the "Three Qings", and is the supreme god worshipped in the early days of Taoism. He was originally a thinker in the Spring and Autumn Period and the founder of the Taoist School. On the occasion of Emperor Ming and Emperor Zhang of the Eastern Han Dynasty (58-88), Wang Fu, the governor of Yizhou, wrote the "Stele of Our Lady of Laozi": "I am the Taoist. Born before the invisible, starting from the beginning of Taichu, in the yuan of Taisu, floating in the six virtual, entering and out of the underworld, watching the mixture is not different, and peeping at the turbidity and clear. Turn Laozi into a god of heaven and earth, which is equivalent to Taoism. At the time of Emperor Shun (126-144), Zhang Ling founded the Wudou Rice Road in Bashu Heming Mountain, that is, Laozi was the leader. It is said that Zhang Ling's "Lao Zi Thinks" during his sermons and said: "One is the way. ... It is outside the world, entering the world, but it comes and goes in the middle of the person. ... A scattered form is Qi, a cluster form is the elder king, often governs Kunlun, or words are nothing, or words are natural, or words are nameless, all in the same ear. For the first time, the name of Taishang Laojun appeared in the Taoist book. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties of the Wei, Jin Dynasty, the name of the Taishang Laojun was obvious. In May of the third year of Jiande, Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, "the two sects of Buddhism and Taoism were broken for the first time, and the scriptures were destroyed. Shamen and Taoist priests were dismissed, and the people were ordered to return." According to the Taoist book, at that time, the old emperor sent an envoy to Xianling. After a month, Emperor Wu immediately edicted: "To the depth of the Tao, the mixture is endless, the body is empty, and the reason is extremely mysterious. ...Now you can set up a channel to view the capital... and it is appropriate to explain it, consistent." It shows that he had begun to use Taishang Laojun to intervene in the government at that time. In the Tang Dynasty, the power of the old king was even more powerful. He was not only regarded as the ancestor of the Li Tang Dynasty, but also helped Li Yuan, the ancestor of the Tang Dynasty, to calm down the world. It is said that after Wu Zetian usurped the Li Tang Dynasty, he appeared in the world, saying that "the Empress Wu is not revolutionary" and "it is not allowed to have different surnames. ... Empress Wu was finally afraid of this saying and did not dare to think twice." Therefore, during the Tianbao period, Emperor Xuanzong finally gave him the title of "Great Holy Ancestor, Emperor Xuanyuan". In August of the sixth year of Song Dazhong Xiangfu (1013), the name was added as "Taishang Laojun Hunyuan Shangde Emperor".

Sanqing is a symbol of the "three-one" doctrine of Taoist philosophy. Chapter 42 of the Tao Te Ching says: "Tao gives birth to one, two lives two, two gives birth to three, three gives birth to all things, all things bear the yin and embrace the yang, and think of harmony." The chaotic vitality is born from the nameless road, and the yin and yang qi are transformed from the vitality. The harmony of yin and yang gives birth to everything in the world. Chapter 14 also said: "If you don't see it, it's called Yi. If you don't hear it, it's not famous. If you don't know it, it's called Wei. These three cannot be called into a case, so they are mixed into one," thinking that one is turned into three, and the three are combined into one, "the use is divided into three, and the original is often one." Later, Taoism derived from the three gods who lived in the Sanqing Shengjing. Therefore, the "Sanqing" god is the most respected in the Taoist immortal system. The seventh volume of the Taoist doctrine center quoted "Taizhenke" said: "Da Luo gave birth to the three qi of Xuanyuan, and turned into the three Qingtian: the first is the clear sky, the jade realm, the first qi is formed; on the second day, the Yu Yutian Qingjing, the vitality is formed; the third is the Taiqing realm, and the Xuanqi is formed. Since then, the three qi have been born," according to Taoist books such as "Yunqiqi" and "Taofa Huiyuan", the Qingwei Tianyu Qingjing, the mixed cave Tai Wuyuan, its qi begins to be green, the true Tao ascends to the holy realm, and the Tianbao Zun (Yuanshi Tianzun) governs it; the Yuyutian clear realm, its Qi Yuanhuang, the immortals rise to the true realm, and the spiritual treasure is governed it; the great Chitian Taiqing realm, its Qi Xuanbai; Humanity ascends to the fairyland, and Taoism is respected. The article said: "These four kinds of people's heavens, that is, above the three realms, the disaster is not as good as the four kinds of people's heavens. Above the Sanqing Dynasty is Daluotian, and Yuanshi Tianzun lives in it and teaches. Tianbao Junzhi is in the Yuqingjing, and the sky is also clear. Lingbao Junzhi is in the Shangqing realm, that is, Yu Yutian, and Shenbao Zun (Moral Tianzun) governs in the Taiqing realm, that is, the Great Red Sky." ( The third volume of "The Beginning of Taoism" and according to the "Collection and Interpretation of the Truth" quoted the "Reading Chronicle" and said: "The three Qing people live in the holy land of the Yuqing Dynasty, the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty; the holy land of the Shangqing Dynasty, the Taoist king lives in it; the fairyland of the Taiqing Dynasty, the old king lives in it." At the same time, the three Qing gods of Taoism also reflect the deification of the "Three Caves True Sutra" of Taoism. The sixth volume of "Three Caves and the Ministry of Education" said: "The Theory of Taoist Gate" is the three caves, and the caves are also. It is mysterious and wonderful, and there are three in all, so it is 'three holes'. The first hole is true, the second hole is Xuan, and the third hole is God. It is the mystery of the three scenes and the spiritual chapter of the eight meetings. According to the record of the Qingwei God position in the first volume of Daofa Huiyuan, the Qingwei Daofa Hub; the Qingwei holy ancestor Yuqingyuan Shimiao Taoist God represents the Dongzhen Jingbu, which is supplemented by Taixuan, and teaches the Qingwei School; the Qingwei Xuanzu Shangqing Lingfuyu hires Dadaojun, representing the Dongxuanjing Department, Taiping Fuzhi, and the Lingbao School; the first ancestor of Qingwei Taiqing Moral Five Spirits Xuan Laojun represents the nerve department of the cave, which is supplemented by Taixuan. The way of alliance and power runs through the three holes, and spreads the moral school and the righteous school. [ This belief was developed in the 4th century A.D. It is actually the embodiment of a philosophical thought and a systematic reflection of the cosmology advocated by Taoists. They believe that Sanqing lives in an extremely distant and wonderful fairy world, and manages countless other gods and supervises the social life of human beings. Among them, the status of the primitive Tianzun is the highest. He is the creator of the whole universe, which is equivalent to the Chinese God. As for Lingbao Tianzun, in order to meet the requirements of the lower people, the Taoists granted him the Jade Emperor in folk beliefs; and most of the moral Tianzun think that he is the ancestor of Taoism. In the usual Taoist palace, their statues are to be worshipped, and special places for sacrifices are built for them, which are called Sanqing Hall or Sanqing Palace. Their arrangement is as follows: in the middle is the primitive Tianzun, with his left hand and his right hand, symbolizing the primitive state of the world; on his left is Lingbao Tianzun, holding a yin and yang mirror in his hand, symbolizing the state when the world has just come out of chaos; on the right is the moral Tianzun, holding a fan painted with a yin and yang mirror in his hand. It symbolizes the original state in which the world was created. In Taoist art, the sculpture and portraits of Sanqing are very rich, and many fine works are still preserved.

"Tao gives birth to one, two in one, two gives birth to three, three gives birth to all things, all things bear yin and embrace yang, and think harmony." The chaotic vitality is born from the nameless road, and the yin and yang qi are transformed from the vitality. The harmony of yin and yang gives birth to everything in the world. Chapter 14 also said: "If you don't see it, it's called Yi. If you don't hear it, it's not famous. If you don't see it, it's called Wei. These three cannot be called into a case, so they are mixed into one," thinking that one is turned into three, and the three are combined into one, "the use is divided into three, and the original is often one." Later, Taoism derived from the three gods who lived in the Sanqing Shengjing. Therefore, the "Sanqing" god is the most respected in the Taoist immortal system. The seventh volume of the Taoist doctrine center quoted "Taizhenke" said: "Da Luo gave birth to the three qi of Xuanyuan, and turned into the three Qingtian: the first is the clear sky, the jade realm, the first qi is formed; on the second day, the Yu Yutian Qingjing, the vitality is formed; the third is the Taiqing realm, and the Xuanqi is formed. From now on, the three gases are different,"

According to the record of the Qingwei Taoist God's position in Volume 1 "Qingwei Daofa Hub"; Qingwei Shengzu Yu Qingyuan Shimiao Taoist God represents the Dongzhen Jing Department, Taixuan Fuzhi, preaching Qingwei School; Qingwei Xuanzu Shangqing Lingfu Yu hired Da Daojun, representing the Dongxuan Department, Taiping Fuzhi, and passed on the Lingbao School; Qingwei's ancestor Taiqing Dao Dewuling Xuanlaojun represents the nerve department of the cave, which is supplemented by Taiqing. The way of one alliance and power runs through the three holes, passing on the moral school and the decent school. Sanqing is the collective name of the three highest gods worshipped by Taoism. These three highest gods pointed to: "Yuqingjing Qingwei Tianyuan Shitianzun, Shangqingjing Yuyu Tianlingbao Tianzun, Taiqingjing Dachitian Moral Tianzun. Among them, the so-called Yuqingjing, Shangqingjing and Taiqingjing are the differences between the fairyland where they live. Qingweitian, Yuyutian and Dachitian are the division of the unified heavens, and Tianzun means that the supreme of the extreme, the supreme, so it is called Tianzun.