Research on Taoist Rituals and Ceremonies

Author: Zhang Zehong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-09-01
Features: This book is a significant work within the domestic and international system that studies Taoist Zhaijiao rituals. The author, with abundant materials and precise analysis, discusses the origins, altar ceremonies, rituals, talismanic incantations, and the philosophical concepts of Taoist Zhaijiao rituals. It is believed that the complete ritual format and rich ritual classics of Taoism are important markers of its development into a theological religion. The book focuses on exploring the commonly practiced Taoist Zhaijiao rituals, such as the Yellow Zhai ceremony, feeding the hungry ghosts, the Dragon Tablet ritual, and the Light Offering ceremony, to reveal the cultural significance embedded in these rituals. Through the elaboration of the Zhaijiao salvation philosophy and its apotropaic functions, it demonstrates that Zhaijiao rituals are the ritualized expression of Taoist thought, vividly embodying the "Dao" of Taoism.