Page 700 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

658 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TAOISM A- L

Huizong (see below) mean that Buddhist histories like the Fozu tongji 1~f.El.Mtl.lC
(Comprehensive Chronicle of the Buddhas and Patriarchs) present unfavorable
portrayals of Lin and Huizong. Even many Taoists, including members of the
*Quanzhen order, attempted to distance themselves from Lin's controversial
legacy. In order to balance this picture, one must rely on Taoist hagiographies
such as the *Lishi zhen.xian tidao tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror of Perfected
Immortals and Those Who Embodied the Dao through the Ages) by Zhao
Daoyi Jl1i ill - (£1. 1294-1307). It is also essential to consult texts written by or
attributed to Lin and other members of the Shenxiao movement (Boltz J. M.
1987a, 262 n. 47; Strickmann 1978b, 336 n. 16).
One example of this phenomenon has to do with Lin Lingsu's literary
abilities. The Chinese historian Qing Xitai, whose account of Lin is mainly
based on the Bintui lu and the Songs hi, describes Lin as "having a rough ability
to compose poetry" (cu neng zuo shi *.EI.~~1f~~ ; Qing Xitai 1988- 95, 2: 607).
However, Judith M. Boltz presents a far more positive assessment in her de-
scription of one piece attributed to Lin, the "Jinhuo tianding shenxiao sanqi
huoling ge" ~j(7CT;f$l!f = j(itliIJ,: (Song of the Celestial Stalwart of
the Golden Flames and the Fire-Bell of the Three Pneumas of the Divine
Empyrean), which she describes as approaching "the caliber of the visionary
verse ascribed to his *Shangqing predecessors" (Boltz J. M. 1987a, 30). Lin was
also a prolific author, and composed a commentary to the Daode jing (now
lost) entitled Laozi zhu *rtl: (Commentary to the Laozi; BoltzJ. M. 1987a,
215-16). He also played an important role in the editing of the Song-dynasty
edition of the Taoist Canon (see below).
The "facts" of Lin's life are confusing at best. Even his original name remains
a mystery, with some sources giving the Chinese characters as Lin Ling' e ** ii
~ and others as Lin Ling'e **i1Iff. Texts like the Songs hi and the Fozu tongji
claim that Lin had originally attempted to become a Buddhist monk but quit
after being beaten by his master. This may be simple calumny however, and
at any rate we know almost nothing about the early years of his life. It is clear
that he exerted a major influence on Taoism's fortunes at the court of Huizong
after being presented to the emperor in II16. Huizong had long been devoted
to Taoism, and as early as nos had summoned the thirtieth Celestial Master,
*ZhangJixian (I092-II26), to the imperial court at Kaifeng, where he bestowed
upon Zhang the honorific title Xujing m~ (Empty Quiescence). Lin Lingsu
appears to have won favor with Huizong for a number of reasons: his appar-
ent literary prowess, his ritual techniques, and the vision he propagated of
the emperor as a Taoist divinity. The emperor seems to have been impressed
with Lin's skill at composing couplets (duilian f.tIl9F) and songs (ge ~), and
also believed in the efficacy of the Offering rites (*jiao) and prayers for rain
(qiyu ffff:fTI) that Lin performed. Lin is even said to have summoned the soul