Page 616 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

574 THE ENCYCLOPED IA OF TAOISM A- L

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fil
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t. L:1 ! ~ \ ~ ~ ....., (oratory or "quiet chamber").
Fig. 50. Floor plan for ajillgshi
«Ill:.
i r f;;;" '\ .• ~." \~ ~1!Jj Wuliallg duren shangpin miaojing
i 1 t; ~ ~} ~1: pangtollg tu $.1!i q JJt A J: JI~ Jr)
\ \ ....... _._ ........ _._._ ... l~ ........ ' ~ t rtJ ~~~iffi ~ (Supplementary Il-

.. ~ ................. _ .............. _ ............. ~~, ....... , ..... ~~_ ._ .. , ... .i \t.<t. lustrations to the Wondrous
Scripture of the Upper Chap-
ters on Limitless Salvation; CT
148), pb.

tion stand, and calligraphy blade. It was a place where followers of Celestial
Master teachings were known to have sought divine intervention not only
through the submission of written petitions but also by oral supplications as
well. The story is told, for example, of how Wang Ningzhi I ~Z (?-399), son
of the renowned calligrapher Wang Xizhi I~ Z (32I?-3797), sought refuge
from the troops of *Sun En (?-402) by vOicing prayerful entreaties within an
oratory.
Adherents of the *Shangqing revelations also viewed the oratory as a shelter
from threatening forces. An account of the protective rituals undertaken in an
oratory by one family on behalf of an infant son whose welfare lie in ques-
tion is recorded in the *Zhengao (Declarations of the Perfected) compiled by
*Tao Hongjing (456- 536). This anthology of Shangqing lore also provides the
earliest known specifications for erecting an oratory. Tao copied the instruc-
tions from a manuscript in the hand of XU Mi ~q:~ (303-76), patron of the
visionary *Yang Xi (330-86). The uninhabited areas of mountains or moors
were considered suitable sites. A substantial quantity of lumber clearly had
to be available to build a rectangular structure measuring nineteen by twelve
feet, with a ridge pole rising approximately ten feet high. The only source of
light permitted was a small paper-covered window on the south wall. It was
to be positioned so that it would be at the eye-level of the devotee seated on
a large platform in the center of the room. Additional writings transmitted by
Tao indicate that the oratory served as a shrine for family devotions at sunrise
and sunset. Many adepts also withdrew to an oratory for solitary communion
with the spirit realm.