(235) The Daoist Scriptures Are Huge

The Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NRSV)

  • Preferred translation for Hebrew Bible and New Testament.

  • Physical characteristics:

    • Weighs around 3.2 lbs.

    • Contains approximately 1,500 pages, varying by font size and edition.

  • Caution advised against dropping due to weight.

The Daoist Canon

  • Overview:

    • Also known as the Sacred Scriptures of Daoism.

    • Contains 1,000 to 1,500 texts, totaling over 100,000 pages.

  • Questions to ponder:

    • What constitutes a canonical text in Daoism?

    • Do Daoists view their scriptures as the literal word of the Dao or gods?

Key Texts in Daoism

  • Prominent texts include:

    • Dao De Jing (circa 400 BCE):

      • Short philosophical work attributed to Laozi.

      • Focuses on harmony with the Dao and implications for government and personal virtue.

    • Daoist Canon: A larger collection beyond the Dao De Jing, called Dao Zong (repository of the Way).

  • Definition of Canon:

    • A collection of texts viewed as authoritative by a religious community, derived from the Greek meaning of rule or standard.

    • In Daoism, defining canon is less clear, with multiple canons throughout history.

The Current Daoist Canon

  • Recent compilation gifted to Arizona State University by the Chinese Daoist Association.

    • Contains over 1,500 texts across 49 volumes.

  • English translations are scarce, with the closest being Steven Bokenkamp's "Early Daoist Scriptures."

  • Various genres in the canon:

    • Includes well-known texts like Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi,

    • Other significant works include:

      • Baopuzi: Covers philosophy, alchemy, and magic (Ge Hong).

      • Taiping Jing: Discusses immortality and utopian ideas.

  • Ongoing complications with compilation:

    • Difficulty in determining boundaries of texts leads to uncertainties in the total number.

Historical Development of the Daoist Canon

  • Initial compilation by Liu Xiu Jing (5th Century CE):

    • Organized texts into "Three Caverns":

      • Cavern of Perfection (Highest Clarity School).

      • Cavern of Mystery (Numinous Treasure School).

      • Cavern of Spirit (Rite of the Three Sovereigns).

    • Later versions added further classifications to accommodate new works.

Key Historical Episodes

  • Song Dynasty:

    • Emperor Hong expanded the canon and introduced woodblock printing despite skepticism from scholars.

  • Later attempts to maintain and expand the canon were complicated by invasions and censorship:

    • 1200s: Kublai Khan ordered the burning of canon materials, losing numerous texts.

    • Ming Dynasty (1444): New canon compiled, which lasted until 2003.

      • The original copy was destroyed in the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 but secondary copies survived.

    • By 1920s, only a few copies were left, prompting efforts to reprint using photolithography.

The Newest Edition of the Daoist Canon

  • Jiang Ha Dao (2003):

    • Released by the Chinese Daoist Association.

    • Notable for incorporating newly discovered texts, including earlier versions of culturally significant works.