Page 156 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

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u6 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TAOISM VOL. I

Magic

"Magic" is commonly designated by the word fashu 1* ffJ in Chinese and jujutsu
9Ef;fJ inJapanese (corresponding to Chin. zhoushu). In magic, supernormal
power is acquired by means of physical and mental techniques, symbolic
words and actions, or special implements, with the purpose of controlling
natural phenomena or supernatural entities such as spirits (*gui) and deities,
or one's own existence or vital force. Sometimes divination is also included
among these techniques.
Before the rise of the Taoist religion, such techniques were widely used in
China in the form of "shamanic arts" (or "arts of the spirit-mediums," wushu
~ 1fj) and also as "methods and arts" (jangshu if 1fJ or *fangji) acquired by the
*fangshi (masters of methods). Taoism, calling them fashu it f:tJ (methods and
arts) and daofa J1l1t~ (ways and methods), absorbed some of these techniques
as important ingredients in its own practices, and rejected others. For instance,
in the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice (*Wudoumi dao), one way to treat illness
was to have patients drink water containing the ashes of a burned talisman
ifushui t1;j(). According to *Baopu zi 17, which describes various types of magic
(jashu), practitioners can avoid harm from wild animals or malignant beings if
they wear "talismans for entering the mountains" (rushan fo A ill r-f) against
their bodies, or if they use mirrors to frighten off mountain spirits. Baopu zi 5
gives a detailed description of how spells and the use of the breath can bind an
object to do as one desires (see Harper 1998, 173-83). Nevertheless, Taoism also
drew a distinction between itself and some forms of magic and divination. For
instance, in the *Laojun shuo yibai bashijie (The Hundred and Eighty Precepts
Spoken by Lord Lao), Taoist masters are forbidden to associate themselves with
fengshui J!!R;j( ("wind and water," i.e., geomancy), astrology, and other popular
divination techniques. In addition, because of the importance it placed on
ethics, Taoism did not participate in the practice of so-called "evil" or "perverse
arts" (yaoshu ~J.:.1fJ, xieshu :;j'p ffj), or sorcery, to bring down sworn enemies.
In the traditional classification of the Taoist Canon into Three Caverns
(*SANDONG) and Four Supplements (sifu lJll~flj; see *DAOZANG AND SUBSID-
IARY COMPILATIONS) there is no indication of where works on magic are to
be found. In the *Zhengtong daozang of the Ming period, relevant texts are lo-
cated in the sections called Divine Talismans (shenfo ;f$ r-f), Numinous Charts
(lingtu 11: ~), and Techniques (zhongshu };p; ffj). In recent years, there have
been attempts to replace the traditional classification scheme of the Canon
with new ones. Examples are Zhu Yueli's DaozangJenleijieti (Zhu Yueli 1996)
and Zhong Zhaopeng's Xinbian Daozang mulu (Zhong Zhaopeng 1999). The
former scheme contains discrete versions titled Magic lfashu) and Arts of the