Page 660 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

618 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TAOISM A-L

from the first mythical ruler Fu Xi {X ~ down to the Zhou dynasty. At this
time, his birth to Mother Li and life as an archivist are integrated into the
transformations, just as are his emigration and transmission of the Daode jing
to *Yin Xi. However, Laozi here does not vanish but continues to reappear
in China under the Qin, Han, and barbarians (as the Buddha), including also
various manifestations in the Sichuan region toward the late second century.
For example:

In the second year of Vigorous Harmony (Jianhe, 148 CE)
following a serious landslide,
he appeared in Chengdu
near the Gate of the Left Quarter,
manifesting as a Perfected.
(66-67)

The third and final part is cast as a speech delivered by Laozi during one of
his later appearances. In it he describes himself as the Dao, a resident of Clar-
ity (Qing m), a ruler of the world, a master over life and death, a counselor
to all emperors, and a continuous presence in the world:

My body is clad in the Formless (wuxing ~%).
Ignorant I am and unknowing-
yet with every death, I am born anew
and take on a new body.
(Lines 73-74)

Next he bestows instructions to his followers, encouraging them to think of
him day and night and give up all lascivious and ecstatic cults. To approach
Laozi, adepts must visualize different colors in the body, then learn to "con-
centrate on the One, and [they] soon will see a yellow glow within." Also,
they should venerate his Text in Five Thousand Words (Wuqian wen Ji -T )(;
i.e., the Daode jing) and recite it vigorously. Then the deity will assist them
with all troubles. The text ends on a slightly apocalyptic note, admonishing
followers to "hurry and follow" the god "when Venus (Taibai ~ El) fails in
its course five or six times," thus to be saved from danger.
The Bianhua jing is a key document of the active Laozi cult practiced in the
Later Han, including both its devotional and apocalyptic elements. It is also
an important forerunner of the Laozi hagiographies of later times, which in
turn reflect the continuously growing veneration of the deity.

LiviaKOHN
m Kohn 1998g, 47-49; Kusuyama Haruki 1979, 325-32; Ofuchi Ninji 1978-79,
I: 324-25 (crit. notes on the Dunhuang ms.) and 2: 686-88 Creprod. of the Dun-