God of the Dao
Subtitle: Lord Lao in history and myth
By: Livia Kohn.
Series: Michigan monographs in Chinese studies ;; 84; Michigan monographs in Chinese studies ;; no. 84.
Publisher: Center for the Chinese Studies, University of Michigan
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Ann Arbor
Language: eng
Number of pages: 390
Subjects: Laozi.; Taoism -- Relations.
Description: Lord Lao, first known as the philosopher Laozi, the purported author of the "Daode jing," later became an immortal, a messiah, and high god of Daoism. Laozi, divinized during the Han dynasty and in early Daoist movements, reached his highest level of veneration under the Tang when the rulers honored him as a royal ancestor. In subsequent eras he remained prominent and is still a major deity in China today. Livia Kohn's two-part study first traces the historical development of Lord Lao and the roles he played at different times for different believers. Part Two is based on one of Lord Lao's major hagiographies, the twelfth-century "Youlong zhuan (Like Unto a Dragon)," and studies the complex myth surrounding him. Lord Lao appears in eight distinct mythical roles, each associated with a particular phase in his life: He is the creator of the universe, bringer of cosmic order, teacher of dynasties, and the divine made flesh on earth. He is also the converter of the barbarians, the source of major Daoist revelations, and the god of Great Peace and political harmony. Comparing his story with related Confucian, Buddhist, and Western mythic tropes, Kohn illuminates the dynamics of the Daoist tale and persuades us to appreciate Lord Lao as a key deity of traditional China. Includes illustrations and tables.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 335-365) and index.