Page 428 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

DUMAI AND RBNMAI

the troupe (yinban iJ I *), and the keeper of the incense (shixiang f'if~). The
chief cantor, who is an older and experienced priest, stands to the left of the
high priest and assists him, fulfilling the important function of coordinating
the entire ritual. The assistant cantor stands to the right of the high priest and
is in charge of written documents. The leader of the troupe stands to the left
of the chief cantor and leads the others when circumambulating the altar (tan
j!j). The keeper of the incense stands to the right of the assistant cantor and
is in charge of incense and candles. The priests' roles appear to derive from
the "six offices" (liuzhi /\.) of the Six Dynasties *Lingbao *zhai (Retreat) as
de cribed in the Lingbao zhaijie weiyi zhujing yaojue ~ tlf ~ ttX JJ!t fl ~ ~~ ~ Wc
(Essential Instructions on the Scriptures on the Dignified Liturgies for Lingbao
Retreats; CT 532) and in the Yaoxiu keyi jielii. chao ~ f~ HfI 1l't1t t) (Excerpts
from the Essential Liturgies and Observances; CT 463). .
From early times, the chief cantor was confused with the dugong :ti'Pb (in-
spector of merit), who was originally responsible for the administration of the
twenty-four parishes (*zhi) of the Way of the Celestial Masters (*Tianshi dao).
In the first and second centuries CB, dujiang denoted the person responsible for
supervising teaching in Confucian schools. In Buddhism, the instructor charged
with reciting the sutras was called *fashi 1! gm (master of the dharma), and the
instructor charged with explaining the sutras was called dujiang. According
to j. 8 of the *Hongmingji (Collection Spreading the Light of Buddhism; T.
2102), Taoism modeled the role of the dujiang on the corresponding function
in Buddhism. Later the duties changed, and the Taoist chief cantor became
what we see today in Taiwan.

ASANO Haruji
m Fukui Fumimasa 1973; 6fuchi Ninji 1983, 200-202; Schipper I975C, IS;
Schipper 1977b

* jiao

dumai and renmai

Control Channel and Function Channel

1. Medicine
In traditional Chinese medicine, the dumai and renmai are conduits that run
along the spine and ventral axis, respectively (see fig. 31). At present, the evidence