Page 212 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

172 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TAOISM VOL. I

of Tang Ruizong Cr. 684-90, 710-12) and sisters of Tang Xuanzong Cr. 712-56)
became Taoist nuns in Chang' an monasteries; their ordination rite was de-
scribed by *Zhang Wanfu (Despeux 1986; Benn 1991).
Women also played an important role in the *Quanzhen school, which
was founded at the end of the twelfth century. The list of its seven founders
(qizhenL tt see table I7) includes a woman, *Sun Bu'er CIII9-83), whose cult
became increasingly important during the Yuan, Ming and Qing periods. This
prestige did not last long, however, as references to Taoist women become
less frequent in the late Yuan and early Ming periods. The image of women is
more complex in Qing sectarianism, which witnessed a revival of the tendency
to honor women as matriarchs.
Female divinities and immortals. Cults of female deities developed mainly in the
southern and coastal regions of Anhui, Hunan,Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangxi, and
Guangdong. Cult sites in these provinces were centers of intense religious
activity and pilgrimage sites that attracted both male and female devotees. The
growth and reputation of the cults depended on their recognition by official
Taoist institutions, learned circles, and the imperial court, which occurred
from the eighth century onward.
The most famous female divinity in Taoism is the Queen Mother of the West
(*Xiwang mu). Despite her unrivalled beauty, she was originally described as
a demon. Her worship peaked during the Tang period, and was later replaced
by cults radiated through sectarian movements and small congregations that
often practiced spirit writing (see *fuji). In the Ming and Qing periods, the
Queen Mother descended to the altar and took the name of Unborn Vener-
able Mother (Wusheng laomu Jw; 1: i{; ilJ:). In this form she is still venerated
by women, especially in popular milieux.
Apart from the Queen Mother, Taoism includes several other female divini-
ties. The most famous is Immortal Maiden He (He xiangu {liT {Ill P6), whose name
appears in the list of the Eight Immortals C*baxian); her cult was established
between the Tang and Song dynasties. The cult of *Mazu, the fishermen's
goddess, appeared in Fujian at the end of the tenth century. ChenJinggu ~
YFr ~6, known as the Lady of the Water's Edge (*Linshui furen) , protected
women, children, and mediums in Fujian. Zu Shu 111;1ff (fl. 889-904), who
came from Guangxi, was the matriarch of the *Qingwei school, a tradition
that emphasized therapy and exorcism. Finally, Cao Wenyi ',Ilr}( ~, who was
invited to the capital by Song Huizong (r. IIOO-II2S), wrote a commentary to
the Daode jing and a long poem on *neidan entitled Lingyuan dadao ge ~ if,if, k
illllIX (Song of the Great Dao, the Numinous Source; trans. Despeux I990,
83--93).
Hagiographic collections generally include biographies of both men and
women, but two works dealing exclusively with the lives of women were