WU-TOU-MI TAO Chin., lit. “Five-Pecks-of­-Rice Taoism”; early Taoist school (tao­-chiao), founded by Chang Tao-ling between 126 and 144 C.E. in Szechwan in western China. It remained active up to the 15th century. The reason for the school’s name stems from the practice that anyone wishing to join it had to make a payment of five pecks of rice to the tao-shih. Wu-tou-mi tao is also known as the School of the Celestial Masters (t’ien-shih) because the heads of this school bore the title celestial master. Five-Pecks-of-Rice Taoism is based on the teachings of Lao-tzu, who is vener­ ated by his followers as T’ai-shang lao­ chün. The root text of the school is the Tao-te ching, which it interprets in a way specifically suited to its practices and requirements.

Like other Taoist movements of the period, Five-Pecks-of-Rice Taoism, in its religious ritu­als, placed articular emphasis on the healing of illnesses that it believed to be a consequence of evil deeds. In this context mass confessions at which believers recited a catalog of their transgressions to the three rulers (san­-kuan) Heaven, Earth, and Water were of particular significance. Other practices of Five­-Pecks-of-Rice Taoism were ritual fasts (chai), the use of talismans (fu-lu), orgiastic feasts (ho-ch’i), and ceremonies for the dead.

The followers of the wu-tou-mi tao were orga­nized on a strictly hierarchical pattern. The bulk of the congregation was made up of so-called demon soldiers, who were led by the presenters of liquid sacrifices (Chin., chi-chiu), each of whom was in charge of a particular district. The top position in the hierarchy was held by the celestial master (t’ien-shih).

After the death of its founder, the leadership of the school passed to Chang Heng and from him, in turn, to Chang Lu, who, toward the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, established in the northern part of the country a state structure in which there was no separa­tion between politics and religion. The religious hier­archy thus was at the same time a military one. This form of government continued until the year 215 C.E. During the subsequent centuries Five-Pecks-of-Rice Taoism spread among the peasantry and played an important part in several peasant uprisings at the time of the Chin Dynasty.

In the 5th century K’ou Chien-chih, under whose influence Taoism was proclaimed a state religion, assumed the ancient title of celestial master and en­deavored to liberate Taoism from the negative influences of Chang Chüeh by introducing various Confucian­ist ideas, as a result of which good deeds and hygiene exercises became an integral aspect of wu-tou-mi tao practice. This new form of Five-Pecks-of-Rice Taoism is also known as the Northern Branch of the Tao of the Celestial Masters.

In the south of the country the most influential representative of Five-Pecks-of-Rice Taoism was Lu Hsiu-ching, who incorporated Buddhist ideas and rites and thus founded the southern branch of the school. He also established strict rules on how to conduct the various ceremonies. During the T’ang and Sung dynas­ties, the wu-tou-mi tao merged with other Taoist move­ ments such as the School of the Magic Jewel (­ling-pao p’ai) and later became absorbed by the Way of Right Unity (cheng-i tao), a movement embrac­ing several schools.

Tao-Chiao Schools

Tao-chiao Chin. , religious Taoism; one of the two streams of Taoism, the other being philosophical Taoism (tao-chia). The tao-chiao embraces all Taoist schools and movements whose aim consists in the attainment of immortality (ch’ang-sheng pu-ssu).

The most important of these are:

A) The Inner Deity Hygiene School;

B) Five-Pecks-of-Rice Taoism (wu-tou-mi tao);

C) The Way of Supreme Peace (t’ai-p’ing tao);

D) The School of the Magic Jewel (ling-pao p’ai);

E) The Way of Right Unity (cheng-i tao), and

F) The Way of the Realization of Truth (ch’üan-chen tao).

The methods employed to attain immortality range from meditation to alchemical practices, physical exercises, breathing exercises, and sexual practices.

Source: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen. Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Documents on Wu-tou-mi tao

Books on Wu-tou-mi tao

External links: Tao-chiao / T’ien-shih / Lao-tse / Tao-te ching / Chai / Fu-lu / ho-ch’i / Taoism / Ling-pao p’ai / cheng-i tao