Research On The Ancient Taoism Figures In Gansu Province

The northwest region has always been the place of strategic importance for each school of Taoism to missionizing and preaching, it plays an important role in the development of Taoism that cannot be neglected.Specific to the Gansu Province, not only the Emperor Huang consult Guang Chengzi to the Taoist theurgy which invoked as the origin of Taoism by historians of the later ages was betided in Gansu,but also every large school of Taoism like as Louguan Taoism、 Quanzhen Taoism and Wudang taoism all paid great attention to spread in Gansu Province,master taoists of each school also had been to here,so both of them have a strong mass foundation in Gansu. So lead to each large sects of Taoism both have the representative of master taoists whose native place is Gansu,it is obviously that they have made enormous contribution to their respective sects of Taoism and even to the the development of Taoism.In addition, there are still some master taoists of Gansu which is rarely known by people,they have profound magic arts of Taoism and seclusion to practice magic arts of Taoism.They also use their respective gnosis which came from practice and experience promoted the theory of taoism becoming mature,or gave full play to their religious feelings for relieving and rescuing.It has made a great contribution to the development of Taoism,even to Chinese society,so should be paid more attention to them.So this paper aims at enumerating ancient Taoist figures whose native place is Gansu or had activities in Gansu Province which recorded by Taoist Scriptures in detail,classify and collate to make a deeper explore, in order to seek the contribution to Taoism in Gansu、Taoism in China and Chinese society which came from them.On the selection of historical materials,in view of the Taoist Scriptures is the basic literature material for Taoist studies,so this paper use the Taoist Scriptures as the primary material of all historical materials,the figures which have discussed in this paper all can seen in the Taoist Scriptures.Furthermore,there also have the recordation of these master taoists which come from the other history materials such as the official history、local chronicles、inscriptions、encyclopedia and so on,in order to explore these figures as completely as possible.