Title

The Date of  Publication of the Zhengtong Daozang Version of the Yuhuang Benxing Jijing  

Author

Hsieh, Tsung-hui  

Genre

Article  

Pages

193-220   

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

Daoism, Zitong, Zhang Liang, spirit-writing, Yuhuang Jijing  

Abstract

    There are two different versions of the Yuhuang Benxing Jijing with three volumes and five chapters. Daoist scholars have different opinions concerning their dates of publication. In this paper, I first apply the methods of comparison and textual criticism to corroborate the ideas that Zhang Liang' s text (CTll) is earlier than the basic text (CT10) and that the seven stories of miracles in response to reciting scriptures are adapted from those in response to reciting the Diamond Sutra collected in the Taiping Guangji. Next, I refute the possibility that the two versions were published before the Southern Song Dynasty. Finally, by making use of the relevant records of the Yung-Lo version of the Yuhuang Benxing ]ijing, I assert that CTll collected in the Zhengtong Daozang may be close to a simpler version, without the reciting rituals, which was corrected by Zhang Liang through spirit-writing in 1221 at the Zhen-Yi a1tar in Peng-Yi County, Sichuan. The seven stories of miracles in response to scripture recitation might have been added at this time, i.e., 1221-1225. CT10 came out later than CTll and was corrected according to the version modified by Zitong through spirit-writing in 1225, so it could not have appeared before 1225.