CHENG-I TAO Chin., lit. “Way of Right Uni­ty”; collective term for all Taoist schools that use talismans, amulets, etc. as part of their religious practice (fu-lu p’ai). Next to the ch’uan-chen tao (Way of the Realization of Truth) the cheng-i tao was the most important branch of religious Taoism (tao-chiao) since the time of the Yuan Dynasty.

The beginnings of the cheng-i tao go back to the Five-Pecks-of-Rice Taoism (wu-tou-mi tao) founded by Chang Tao-ling during the Eastern Han Dynasty. During the T’ang and Sung dynasties the cheng-i tao school combined with the ling-pao p’ai (School of the Magic Jewel) and several other schools. In 1304 C.E. one of Chang Tao-ling’s descendants in the thirty-eighth generation was accorded the title leader of right unity, because he led several religious schools that made use of talismans. Since then all schools using talismans are con­sidered to be part of the Way of Right Unity, in whose practices exorcisms, talismans, spells, and other magical elements play an important role. The priests of the cheng-i tao, unlike those of the ch’uan-chen tao, may marry. The cheng-i tao still has active followers in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Cheng-i tao priests pass on their magical skills through inheritance. The believers visit the priests to obtain talismans, which protect the wearer against evil spirits, sorcery, sickness, fire, and other disasters. The tao-shih of this school also officiate at various ceremo­nies, e.g. , to cause the soul of a dead person to return into that person’s body or to guide a dead person through Hell. Some tao-shih practice as spiritualists and soothsayers, basing their prophecies on astrology, physiognomy, or the Book of Change(s) (i-ching).

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.

Books on Cheng-i tao

External links: Fu-lu p’ai / Taoism / Tao-chiao / wu-toumi-tao / Ling-pao p’ai / i-ching