Page 703 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

LINGBAO 66r

(Cheng Hao f~ lllf!, I032-85, and Cheng Yi f~ Ilit:(, I033-II07; SB 169-79) and Zhu
Xi7\;: ~ (II30-I200; SB 282-90). Most influential may have been a Taoistically
inclined eccentric, Zhuo Wanchun !j[st~ (Qing Xitai 1994, I: 388-89), who
in 1548 visited Lin and recommended the "ninefold refined elixir" (jiuhuan dan
JL.lEft). At some point before 1551, Lin claims to have met an enlightened
master who gave him oral instruction, "directly pointing" to secrets of the
mind, including healing powers. From that experience, Lin derived a mission
to teach and to heal. He soon established a school, patterned after that of
Confucius. In the 1560s, when Japanese pirates invaded Putian, Lin became a
community leader in relief efforts and began to play a priestly role. For the
next twenty-five years, he worked to propagate an accurate understanding
of the Three Teachings. Numerous writings, and collections of his sayings,
survive (Berling 1980).
Following his death, Lin became widely honored as a divine being, and
his cult survives, not only in Fujian, but also among Chinese communities in
Singapore and Malaysia.
Russell KIRKLAND

m Berling 1979, 134-39; Berling 1980; Berling 1998, 984-86; Dean 1998; Franke
W 1973; Liu Ts'un-yan 1967; Tu Fang 1976c
* neidan; TAOISM AND NEO-CONFUCIANISM

lingbao

Numinous Treasure; Numinous Gem; Spiritual Treasure

The term baG denotes a sacred object into which a divinity, or ling, descends,
thereby granting power to its owner. During the Zhou dynasty, these objects
were royal treasures received from Heaven that confirmed the mandate to rule
(tianming 5IC1l"ff). Rather than being valuable in monetary terms, the baG were
precious for their mystical value and were typically kept hidden. Also called
foying 1l fflt (coincident responses) or ruiying Jffij J$. (prodigious responses),
they represented celestial resonance with the virtue of the receiver, signaling
divine protection and guarantee of rulership. In the chaotic period of the
Warring States, this legitimizing power generated an increased interest in
their appearance.
The royal baG included a variety of objects such as bronzes, jades, and
swords. Bao later also came to include magical diagrams such as the *Hetu