A Study Of The Rite Of Lantern In Taoism

The Rite of Lantern,as an important part of taoist rite——the foundation of taoism’s development, is of great significant in people’s faith.Therefore,this article, based on the collation, emendation and textual criticism of the sutras telate to The Rite of Lantern in Taoist sutra,Taoist sutra sequel and Out of Taoist sutra,will divide the sutras telate to The Rite of Lantern into two different categories:"keben"(the scenarios of the Rite of Lantern) and "other related sutras".Not only explain the origin and development of this rite,the layouts and processes of this ceremony,but also analyze its ideological. and cultural connotation and conclud the literary value and the corpus linguistics value of the sutras telate to The Rite of Lantern.This paper include four chapters as follows:Introduction:The significance of this study,previous studies about taoist rite and the Rite of Lantern.The first chapter:Divide the sutras telate to The Rite of Lantern into two different categories:"keben"(the scenarios of the Rite of Lantern) and "other related sutras".Make a list of50scenarios of the Rite of Lantern and give an outline of other related sutras.The second chapter:Explain the origin and development of the Rite of Lantern.Divide the rite to three types——Fendengjinlu,huanglu.Sketch their processes respectively. And introduce other related substances,such as the layouts of rite,cunsi,shideng, dengfu and zhandeng.The third chapter:Analyze the ideological and cultural connotation of the Rite of Lantern,including view of exorcism and salvation,view of time and space,view of number and view of ethic.The fourth chapter:Conclude the literary value and the corpus linguistics value of the sutras telate to The Rite of Lantern.Appendix:The collation, emendation and textual criticism of the sutras telate to The Rite of Lantern.