The Last Taoist Grand Master at the T’ang Imperial Court: Li Han-kuang and T’ang Hsüan-tsung

Tang StudUs " (1986) The Last Taoist Grand Master at the TSang Imperial Court: Li Han-kuang and TSang Hsuan-tsung J. RUSSELL KIRKLAND UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER It is becoming increasingly apparent that the interest of the T'ang emperors in the Taoist religion was far more than a matter of casual curiosity. From the days ofLi Yuan's rise as T'ang Kaotsu , Taoists had actively promoted the ascendance of the T'ang, and had received official recognition for assisting the T'ang to demonstrate its legitimacy. A key element in the initial legitimation of T'ang rule had been an age-old prophecy that the coming Taoist messiah -- and perfect ruler -- would be surnamed Li.l While that prophecy had been circulated in various segments of pre-T'ang society, it had received particular prominence with the Shang-ch'ing J:. iN (or Mao-shan ~ L1J) order of Taoism.2 For that and other reasons, it was primarily the Taoist masters of the Shang-ch'ing order whom the T'ang emperors regularly patronized. The association of the T'ang court with Shang-ch'ing Taoism commenced in the days of Kao-tsu, when the Shang-ch'ing master Wang Yuan-chih 3: ~ tm (528-635) had confirmed the T'ang founder in his possession of Heaven's mandate.3 By confirming Li The author is grateful for the suggestions and comments made by Paul W. Kroll on an earlier draft ofthis paper. ISee Anna Seidel, "The Image of the Perfect Ruler in Early Taoist Messianism," History of Religions 9 (1969), 216-47. Cf. Howard J. Wechsler, Offerings of Jade and Silk: Ritual and Symbol in the Legitimation of the T'ang Dynasty (New Haven, 1985), 62-69; andWoodbridge Bingham, "The Rise of Li in a Ballad Prophecy," Journal of the American Oriental Society 57 (1937), 368-74. 2See Anna Seidel, "Taoist Messianism," Numen 31 (1984), 171-72; Poul Andersen, The Method of Holding the Three Ones: A Taoist Manual of Meditation of the Fourth Century A.D. (London, 1980), 14-15; Michel Strickmann, "On the Alchemy of T'ao Hung-ching," in Facets of Taoism: Essays in Chinese Religions, ed. Welch and Seidel (New Haven, 1979), 153-54. 3Among the numerous biographies of Wang, see Chiu T'ang shu 192.5125-26; Hsin T'ang shu 204.5803-4; Li Po *i1JJ,Chen-hsi chuan !It *'W, in Yiln-chi 43 Ta, 屯 Studus 4 (1986) The Last Taoist Grand Master at the T'ang Imperial Court: Li Han-kuang and T'ang Hsuan-tsung J. RUSSELLKIRKLAND UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER It is becoming increasingly apparent that the interest of the T'ang emperors in the Taoist religion was far more than a matter of casual curiosity. From the days of Li Yuan's rise as T'ang Kaotsu , Taoists had actively promoted the ascendance of the T'ang, and had received official recognition for assisting the T'ang to demonstrate its legitimacy. A key element in the initial legitimation of T'ang rule had been an age-old prophecy that the coming Taoist messiah -- and perfect ruler -- would be surnamed Li.1 While that prophecy had been circulated in various segments of pre-T'ang society, it had received particular prominence with the Shang-ch'ing 上清 (or Mao-shan 茅山） order of Taoism.2 For that and other reasons, it was primarily the Taoist masters of the Shang-ch'ing order whom the T'ang emperors regularly patronized. The association of the T'ang court with Shang-ch'ing Taoism commenced in the days ofKao-tsu, when the Shang-ch'ing master Wang Yuan-chih 王遠知 (528-635) had confirmed the T'ang founder in his possession of Heaven's mandate.3 By confirming Li Theauthor is gratefulforthe suggestionsand commentsmadebyPaul W. Krollonan earlier draftofthis paper. lSee Anna Seidel, "The Image of the Perfect Ruler in Early Taoist Messianism,"HistoryofReligions9 (1969),216-47.Cf.HowardJ. Wechsler, OfferingsofJade and Silk: Ritual and Symbolin theLegitimationoftheTang Dynasty(NewHaven,1985),62-69;andWoodbridge Bingham,"TheRiseofLi in a Ballad Prophecy,"Journal of the AmericanOrientalSociety57 (1937), 368-74. 2See Anna Seidel, "Taoist Messianism," Numen 31 (1984), 171-72;Poul Andersen, The Method of Holding the Three Ones: A...