Chapter 23 Section 4: The Rough Road of Taishang Laojun

In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ban Gu wrote "Han Shu", which divided the ancient characters into three classes and nine classes.Confucius is a sage at the upper level, and Lao Tzu is only at the upper level, and his status is not as high as Confucius' disciples. He is only at the same level as Mao Sui in "Mao Sui's self-recommendation".Ban Gu also criticized Sima Qian, saying that when Sima Qian commented on people and events, he always put Taoism at the top and Confucianism at the back, and his conclusions always contradicted Confucius' ideas.So Ban Gu was very dissatisfied with Sima Qian.

During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the book "Laozi" was popular all over the world, and Laozi's status.Has been greatly improved, at least second only to Kong Shengren.Later, some people claimed that Lao Tzu was also a saint, so some controversy arose.Someone wrote an article saying that Lao Tzu is not a saint.However, it can be seen from this that Lao Tzu's status is constantly improving. On the other hand, the movement to deify Lao Tzu continued to develop.At least at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Laojun was called Taishang Laojun.Some Taoist believers say, "Lao Tzu separates and reunites with the Qi of Chaos, and ends with the Three Lights."He "preserves the dantian", and finally "the Tao becomes the body, and the cicada sloughs off the world".Since Fuxi Shennong, "teacher for the saints".That is to say, Laozi is also a god of cultivation, and not only did he adopt his theory in the early Han Dynasty, but he has often been the teacher of emperors since ancient times.So he was worshiped by the people.

After the Han Dynasty, the movement to deify Lao Tzu continued to develop.In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Ge Hong wrote "Baopuzi Nei Pian", saying that those who practice Taoism should always miss the "true form" of Laojun.The real shape of Laojun is: nine feet tall, golden all over, pointed mouth, high nose bridge, five-inch eyebrows, seven-inch ears, eight trigrams on his feet, sitting on a turtle; the building is gold, the house is jade, and the steps It is made of silver, the clothes are made of colorful clouds, tall hats are layered one after another, and a sharp sword is worn on the body; more than 100 boys followed him, dozens of each kind of Qinglong, Baihu, Suzaku, and Xuanwu surrounded him. His head is thunderbolt and lightning; his heart is like the sun and the moon, omniscient.

At the end of the Eastern Jin Dynasty or the beginning of the Southern Dynasties, some people sorted out the Taoist scriptures and divided them into "three caves and four auxiliary". The "three holes" are the most important, and the "four assistants" are only the assistants of the "three holes". The book "Laozi" is compiled into one of the "Four Supplements" and cannot be entered into the "hole".Such a status is very low.Later, someone arranged a seat for the Taoist gods.The highest is Yuanshi Tianzun, Taishang Laojun is only one of the disciples of Yuanshi Tianzun.

In the Northern Dynasties, some Taoist priests only talked about Laojun and nothing else.They say that Taoism (actually referring to Taoism) originated from Lao Tzu.He existed before the creation of heaven and earth. He lived in the highest heaven and was the leader of all gods.There are many officials under him, who are in charge of all the gods in the world.He can change in ever-changing ways and constantly educate the world.The famous Taoist Kou Qianzhi said that the Taishang Laojun ordered him to reform Taoism, saying that what Zhang Jiao and others did was wrong, and that they could not become immortals by eating golden pills or practicing fetal breath, and that to become immortals one must accumulate virtue and do good deeds. .

In the Tang Dynasty, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty was surnamed Li.At that time, some people would definitely ask, at least in their hearts: Why should you be the emperor if your surname is Li, Li Yuan and Li Shimin?Why shouldn't I do it?We read novels and theaters, and it said that Cheng Yaojin had been emperor for a few days.Therefore, the founding emperor in ancient times could not only rely on force, but also found a theological basis, showing that he was an emperor out of the will of heaven, the will of God.When Liu Bang became emperor, he made up a myth, saying that he was the son of "Red Emperor" (one of the gods).Li Yuan and Li Shimin did the same, saying that they were descendants of the Supreme Lord.Their descendants have all become emperors, and their ancestors should naturally be honored.Therefore, Tang Gaozong named Lao Tzu "Emperor Xuanyuan".When Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty arrived, he asked someone to make a portrait of himself, and stood under the head of Emperor Xuanyuan.Later people discovered that in some temples, under Emperor Xuanyuan, there stood six or seven famous emperors of the Tang Dynasty.You know, at this time, Confucius' highest official title was "King Wenxuan".Lao Tzu surpassed Confucius in status.

Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty ordered that every state and county in the country must build Emperor Xuanyuan temples. Later, the specifications were raised and the temples were called palaces. Appellations such as "Shangqing Palace" began around this time. The status of the book "Laozi" has also been greatly improved.The state stipulates that officials above a certain level must read "Lao Tzu", which was called "Lao Tzu" at the time.It is a compulsory subject for scholars who take part in the national examination.Later, Tang Xuanzong ordered that in the national examination, a single subject of "Chongxuanxue" should be set up, and those who are proficient in it can be selected as state officials like scholars who are proficient in Confucian classics.It was also ordered that every family in the country must have one.Tang Xuanzong personally wrote an annotation, saying that this is the principle of self-cultivation and governing the country taught by the Taishang Laojun.

Following Laozi, the status of a group of Taoist figures such as Zhuangzi, Liezi, Guan Yin, and Wenzi also rose.Zhuangzi's works are called "Nanhua Zhenjing", "Liezi" is called "Chongxu Zhenjing" and so on. In short, together, they officially become the classics of Taoism. The status of "Huainanzi" remains the same, I think, probably because Liu An is suspected of treason. The reverence for Laozi has led to an in-depth study of the book "Laozi".In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, He Shanggong's Notes on Laozi became popular.This situation shows that Taoist believers at that time still regarded "Laozi" as a book about knocking teeth and pharyngeal fluid and immortality.It was during this period that Cheng Xuanying wrote "Lao Zi Shu".He believes that Tao is a thing that "exists without existence" and "existence without nothing".The understanding of Dao should not be attached to being, nor should it be attached to nothing, and should not even be attached to such "non-attachment".Tao cannot be separated from things, and things cannot be separated from Tao. This is the correct understanding of Tao, the relationship between Tao and things.Cheng Xuanying is not opposed to seeking longevity, but he believes that the reason why people cannot live forever is mainly because of desire and competition. If there is no desire and greed, you will not compete with others for strength, but you will have peace of mind, humility and weakness , you can live forever.

After Cheng Xuanying, Taoist Li Rong wrote "Notes on Laozi".He said that the usual way is "the principle of virtual extremes"; the uncommon way is "the way of common customs".In Li Rong's view, governing the country is the same as seeking longevity, they are common principles, and they are the principles of imaginary extremes, so they have the same value.Li Rong described the Taishang Laojun as a god who cared about the suffering of the people, and described the book "Laozi" as a program for governing the country.Wherever possible, Li Rong interpreted the passages of Laozi as the way of governing the country.For example, "harmony of sound and voice", Li Rong said, is to educate the common people; "The superior and the inferior", Li Rong said, is to talk about the relationship between the monarch and the people. If the monarch behaves mischievously, the common people will overthrow him.

It was Tang Xuanzong Li Longji (reigned from 712 to 755) who thoroughly annotated Laozi from the standpoint of self-cultivation and state governance.Li Longji wrote "Lao Zi Zhu" and "Lao Zi Shu".He believes that the purpose of "Laozi" is to cultivate oneself and govern the country.Self-cultivation is to get rid of selfishness and desire; to govern the country is to implement the rule of inaction.He said that when everyone is born, he is endowed with a nature of nothingness and silence.People should maintain their own nature and not be too greedy.Laozi's way is to let people know their own nature and cultivate their own souls.

Tang Xuanzong's "Laozi" notes and commentaries do not talk about immortality at all, as long as people keep their duties.He believes that the ultimate result of people's cultivation is that they can die. From Li Rong to Tang Xuanzong Li Longji's "Laozi" commentary and commentary, it shows that people try to use "Laozi" as the guiding ideology of governing the country again.However, the situation has changed. Confucianism has firmly become the guide of governing the country, Confucius has become the first sage and teacher, and Laozi and the "Laozi" can no longer restore their glorious status in the early years of the Han Dynasty. Since at least the Tang Dynasty, the book "Laozi" has in fact become the highest classic of Taoism.Laozi and Taishang Laojun have also become concepts with the same name but different names. "Old" has also become a synonym and synonym for Taoism.Confucians in the Tang Dynasty opposed "Buddha and Lao", and "Lao" refers to Taoism; Confucians in the Song Dynasty criticized "Lao Shi", and "Lao Shi" refers to Taoism.Laozi, Zhuangzi, etc., are indistinguishable from Taoism.