Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei
Kou gained many adherents and, by making Taoism into a more orthodox doctrine, attracted the attention of Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei. In 423 Kou had the title of "tianshi" conferred upon himself by Imperial decree, thereby establishing the "Taoist papacy": the title was passed to the church's leader from generation to generation in an unbroken line. By conspiring with certain court officials, Kou's patron Cui Hao was able to have Buddhism, Taoism's chief competitor, proscribed from the realm and all its practitioners subjected to a bloody persecution. Taoism then became the official religion of the Northern Wei Dynasty.