Research On The Social Dissemination Of Daoism--Centering On The Ba Shu And Northern China Before The 6th Century

The research of the social dissemination of Daoism uses the methods of sociology, the science of communication to analyze the relationship between Daoism and other social elements in the process of Daoist dissemination. Viewing from the angle of the science of communication, all action of communication is affected and restricted by specified social environment. The dissemination of Daoism is not an exception of course. This paper emphasizes on the relationship between Daoism and other social elements, and analyses the situation of Daoist dissemination in Ba Shu and Northern China before the 6th century. Moreover a summing -up about the medium along with the distinguishing features of Daoist dissemination is also made.This dissertation has three sections: prolegomenon, text and conclusion. In the prolegomenon, what is Daoist social dissemination is explained, and the reason to select this topic of the dissertation is also expounded. After viewing the relevant research history and present situation, the prolegomenon exemplifies the research means which are adopted in this dissertation.The text is divided into four chapters. Centering on Ba Shu and Northern China before the 6th Century, the whole text makes a detailed research on the Daoist social dissemination according to the history of Daoist development in these two regions.First chapter: Formation of the Core Sense of Daoism and its Symbol System in Communication. This chapter traces the formation of the core sense of Daoism back to the time before Daoism coming into being in the regions of Ba Shu and northern China. According to the theory of the study of communication, this paper divides theextrinsic appearance of the idea about celestial being's into non-linguistic sign and linguistic sign, and makes an analysis for the typical examples of these two kinds of signs in Ba Shu and northern China one after another.Second chapter: the Daoist Social Dissemination in Ba Shu. The region of Ba Shu is the place where the Daoism rises. From the foundation of Daoism by Zhang Daolin to the moving of the dissemination centre, the turning from folk religion to Daoist Religion by Chen Rei, and the important role the Celestial Masters Tradition played in the government of Chen Han, we could see that Daoism has close relation with politic, military, and social custom during the process of its dissemination.Third chapter: the Daoist Social Dissemination in Northern China. There has long history of religious belief in northern China. When the Celestial Masters Tradition of Ba Shu spread to the northern China, it mixed with the local Daoist sects, and formed a kind of new Celestial Masters Tradition which was more suitable for the requirement of the era. In this period of time, Daoism passed the process of changing from a state of chaos to standardization. During this process, the communication between the Daoist sects distributed all over the country both north and south were not stopped but carried on with the communication of culture. In some degree, the communication of different sects of Daoism promoted the uniting of China.Fourth chapter: the Characters of Daoist Communication Medium and the Characters of Daoist Dissemination. The Daoist communication medium is the intermediary substance in the spreading process of Daoism. In the long-term development process in history, the way of Daoist dissemination form its own distinguishing features. The Daoist communication medium possesses two kinds of manifestations: oral linguistic form and the written language form. Oral formulas and incantations broadcast Daoism with voice, and the holy-scriptures and talismans propagate Daoism in written form. Of course , These two kinds of Daoist communication mediums can not completely take apart., the oral formulas and incantations may be kept in script, and the Taoist scriptures are frequently chanted out to impart to its disciples in voice.The analysis for the characters of Daoist dissemination is undergoing after comparing with that of the Buddhism. Being a exotic religion, the chief dis...