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register
In Taoism the term "register" refers to records that identify an individual
either in this world or in the otherworld, and to lists of deities and super-
natural beings over which an initiate has command. Texts listing demon
names have been found in a Shuihudi 9lE m ~ (Hubei) tomb dated to 217
BCE (Harper 1985). Their symbolism and meaning anticipates their usage in
both Taoist religion and in Chinese tales of the otherworld; in particular,
these documents are related to the belief that one can control demons and
spirits simply by knowing their names. Later Han dynasty tomb texts also
mention registers of life and death (Seidel 1987e), foreshadowing another Taoist
topos.
During the Han dynasty, registers were also one of many items be-
stowed by Heaven signaling the mandate to rule. Begun in the Zhou period,
religious legitimation was granted with the appearance of special objects and
was gradually replaced with written documents and diagrams (see *lingbao,
and *TAOISM AND THE APOCRYPHA). Wang Mang (r. 9-23) tapped into this
tradition, using texts to validate the establishment of his own dynasty and
to legitimize his control of the throne. In his Dongjingfu * g i!Jit (Rhapsody
on the Eastern Capital), Zhang Heng ~~ (78- 139; IC 2II-I2) describes the
bestowal of registers and charts on Gaozu (r. 202- 195 BCE), the founder of
the Han dynasty, at his investiture (Knechtges 1982-96, I: 245). Both registers
and charts were later bestowed on Taoist masters during their ordination
rituals.
Registers in Taoist traditions. Registers were the earliest documents of the Celes-
tial Masters (*Tianshi dao). Their maintenance was crucial for the religious and
social organization of the church. The Celestial Masters, heading a theocracy
in the second century Sichuan area, kept records of all births, deaths, and mar-
riages, using them to determine taxes and corvee lab or requirements. As copies
of these records were also kept in the otherworld, it behooved the populace
to update them periodically. Any mistake might lead to the ineffectiveness of
deities to aid the living in healing rituals, or to being summoned to the world
of the dead prematurely: during the Six Dynasties, many tales circulated con-
cerning mistaken summons to the otherworld due to errors in the registers
of life and death. To update the registers, the Celestial Masters held three