HUMA 1400 Chapter Notes -Daozang, Palace Library, Taoism
Document Summary
Pre-han dynasty (i. e. before 206 bce 220ce) -> huang-lao . In daoist literature huang-lao continued to be used until tang dynasty. Han wudi (145-86 bce) -> daojia . Coincides with emergency of new syncretistic conficiansim as imperial orthodoxy. Tendency to distinguish between daoist school (daojia) & daoist religion (daojiao) Successive daozang never made sitinction -> terms synonymous & interchangeable. First repository of daoist books in the palace library f the later han. Evolution and expansion of canon until ming dynasty (1368-1644) Broadly, two categories: inner transmission to adepts, outer public consumption. 1477 printing of resitory of daoist scriptures of the great ming (da ming daozang jing) comprises 1500+ workds of various length. Texts on mysticism, scholasticism, philosophy (including those of laozi & zhungazi), alchemy etc. in the minority -> preeminence, in terms of ranking and volume, given to liturgy. The illusory world of human existence is like drifting clouds inevitably dispersed by the wind.
