Daozang

Daozang ( Chinese  道 藏 , Pinyin Dào Zàng ) denotes the normative written material (canon) for Daoism .

The Daozang was compiled by imperial order in 1409, but the history of this compilation goes back to the 5th century, when the "Three Caves" (San dong, see also grotto sky ) of the text groups Lingbao , Shangqing and San Huangwen were created. This structure shapes the canon, even if other texts were added later and shifts and expansions took place.

The canon that has been handed down to this day dates from 1447 with an addition of 1607. It contains around 1500 works.

The mystical texts of the Lingbao and the Shangqing are said to have originated through revelation , while other texts, such as B. the Baopuzi relate to practical issues such as alchemy , the maintenance of life and the sublimation of the human physique.

In addition to the revelations, Fu-Lu , amulets and registers have a special meaning for the practice of Daoism. Registers contain the names of deities and are reserved for Daoshi , Taoist priests. The names of gods are called up using the registers and used in liturgies . The amulets often represent graphic drawings that are intended to induce religious forces, or are viewed as these themselves.

literature

• Udo Tworuschka (ed.): Holy Scriptures. An introduction. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2000, ISBN 3-534-13594-6 .
• Kristofer Schipper , Franciscus Verellen: The Taoist canon. A historical companion to the Daozang. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago IL 2004, ISBN 0-226-73817-5