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'The Heavenly Lord of Dao and its Virtue'), also known as Taishang Laojun (Chinese: 太上老君; lit. 'The Supreme Venerable Sovereign') is a high Taoist god. He is the Taiqing (太清, lit. the Grand Pure One) which is one of the Three Pure Ones , the highest immortals of Taoism.
Music has long played an integral part in religious ceremonies. In Taoist ceremonies, music has several different functions. Taoists believe that music is a way to speak to the gods, to inspire religious followers and to achieve inner harmony, bringing the listener or participant closer to Tao.
Inspired by the burgeoning Taoist movement in Southern China, Kou retreated to Mount Song in Henan to receive inspiration. On the mountain, as described by the text The History of the Wei Dynasty, he was visited twice by Laozi. In his first visit in 415, Laozi revealed to Kou a text known as the Laojun Yinsong Jiejing (New Code). [4]
The three highest Gods in the Taoist pantheon Yuanshi Tianzun or Yuánshǐ Tīanzūn, also known as the Jade Pure One; Lingbao Tianzun, also known as the Lord of Lingbao and Shangqing; Daode Tianzun or Tàiqīng, also known as Taishang Laojun and Daode Zhizun; Wenshu Guangfa Tianzun, a character in the classic Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods
Daode Tianzun (道德天尊), often referred to as Taishang Laojun (太上老君) in the novel, manages to subdue Sun Wukong when he is wreaking havoc in Heaven. Sun Wukong is then trapped in Taishang Laojun's bagua furnace for 49 days to be destroyed, but he survives and acquires the "Fiery Golden Eye" ability instead.
In some sects of Taoism, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, and Chinese folk religion, it is held that he then became an immortal hermit. [2] Certain Taoist devotees held that the Tao Te Ching was the avatar – embodied as a book – of the god Laojun, one of the Three Pure Ones of the Taoist pantheon, though few philosophers believe this. [3]
Schools of Taoist thought developed around each of these deities. Taoist Alchemy was a large part of these schools, as each of the Three Pure Ones represented one of the three essential fields of the body: jing, qi and shen. The congregation of all three Pure Ones resulted in the return to Tao. The first Pure One is universal or heavenly chi.
Hongjun Laozu makes his first major appearance in Chinese literature in the popular novel The Investiture of the Gods, under the name of Hongjun Daoren (鴻鈞道人). According to The Investiture of the Gods , he is the eldest of the four beings created by the Spirit of Creation (Chuangshi Yuanling; 創始元靈 ), the others being Hunkun ...