Research on the Ascetic Thought of the Upper Clear Sect -- A Series of Doctoral Dissertations on Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism

Author: Zhang Chongfu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: The Shangqing sect is renowned for its reputation as "the Huayang of the Daoist school, also the Zisi of Confucianism," and "the Mount Mao as the ancestral seat of Daoist learning in the world," and is celebrated as a representative of Daoism. Its system of magical practices and cultivation philosophies nearly encompasses all periods of Daoist history, making it highly typical. This paper argues that the cultivation philosophy of the Shangqing sect serves as a significant milestone in the long evolutionary journey of Daoism from external alchemy to internal alchemy, with the contemplative practices of mental and spiritual cultivation already emerging.
Secondly, the absorption of the Lingbao fasting methods and the thunder magic (lei fa) philosophy by the Shangqing sect led to a dramatic transformation in its sect ethos. Consequently, its cultivation philosophy underwent a shift from the self-focused, Hinayana-like pursuit of personal perfection to the Mahayana spirit of benefiting others and the world.
Furthermore, the integration of the Zhongxuan philosophical thought and the theory of mind and nature (xinxing lun) elevated the Shangqing sect's philosophy from a focus on physical cultivation to a balanced emphasis on both body and mind (xinying shuangxiu), achieving unprecedented theoretical advancement.
Additionally, through an analysis of the magical system, this paper posits that the various practices of the Shangqing sect are, in fact, different forms of Daoism's exploration of the principles of cosmic creation and the profound theoretical issues of reconstructing and reconstituting human body and mind.
Finally, this paper points out that the cosmology, human physiology, eschatology, and theory of Daoist practices not only serve as the foundation of the Shangqing sect's cultivation philosophy and magical system but also ensure its high level of cultivation theory. It is through these that the diverse and often chaotic practices of the Shangqing sect are brought into a unified framework.