Founding of the Way of the Celestial Masters (Tianshi dao)
- Date
- 142 CE
- Category
- Religion & ideology
- Region
- Sichuan, China (East Asia)
- Era
- Classical Antiquity
- Significance
In 142 CE, the Daoist adept Zhang Daoling proclaimed that the deified Laozi (Taishang Laojun) had descended to him atop Mount Heming in present-day Sichuan, establishing a new covenant between the true gods of the Dao and humanity and conferring on him the title of Celestial Master (Tianshi).
From this revelation Zhang organised the movement known as the Way of the Celestial Masters, initially called the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice (Wudoumi dao) because adherents contributed five pecks of grain. Unlike earlier philosophical Daoism, it created a formal religious institution with an ordained priesthood, twenty-four parishes (zhi) headed by libationers, communal rituals, talismanic healing, moral codes, and esoteric scriptures conferred upon initiates. It is widely regarded by scholars as the first organised Daoist religion, transforming a body of philosophical and longevity traditions into a structured church. The lineage endured through Zhang's descendants and survives today as Zhengyi Daoism, making this one of the foundational events in the history of Chinese religion.
One piece of history in your inbox, weekly
New empires, events and features as they land — one good email a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Empires active in 142 CE
- Roman Empire27 BCE – 476 CE
- Han Dynasty202 BCE – 220 CE
- Kingdom of Funan50 CE – 550 CE
- Zapotec State of Monte Albán500 BCE – 800 CE
- Kushan Empire30 CE – 375 CE
- Parthian Empire247 BCE – 224 CE
Related religion & ideology events
- Nagarjuna Founds the Madhyamaka School and Systematises Mahayana Philosophyc. 150 CE
- Codification of the Caste System in the Manusmriti (Laws of Manu)c. 100 CE
- Judah ha-Nasi Codifies the Mishnahc. 200 CE
- Roman destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem70 CE
- Crucifixion of Jesus and the origins of Christianityc. 30 CE
- Indianisation of Southeast Asia: Spread of Hindu-Buddhist Culturec. 1st century CE
Further reading
The wider story
A Little History of Religion
Accessible sweep of humanity's faiths and belief systems from prehistory to the present.
Get it on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, Human Saga earns from qualifying purchases.