Though Taoism gradually lost its dominant status in the society and government during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Ming Dynasty is the most important period in terms of the revision and arrangement of Taoist canons. The largest-scale and most complete version ofDao Zang(Taoist Canon) we see today was finished during that period.
Dao Zanghad been revised and compiled several times during the previous dynasties, but they were lost due to historical reasons. So Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty ordered to compile Dao Zang again in the early 15thcentury. The firstDao Zangof the Ming Dynasty,Orthodox Dao Zang, was finally finished with several decades of efforts. This version ofDao Zanghas 5,305 volumes.
Some 150 years later, Emperor Wanli, a famous Taoist emperor of the Ming Dynasty, ordered again to recompileDao Zang. Many contents were therefore added into the original version andWanli Continued Dao Zangwas finally formed.
The two versions ofDao Zangof the Ming Dynasty have total 5,485 volumes.Dao Zangcan be divided intoSandong(three grottos) andSifu(four supplements).Sandongrefers toDongzhen(Pervasive Perfection),Dongxuan(Pervasive Mystery) andDongshen(Pervasive Divinity); they are used to explain the methods cultivating oneself according to Taoism.SifuincludesTaixuan(Great Mystery),Taiping(Great Peace),Taiqing(Great Purity) andZhengyi(Orthodox Oneness), and are used to explain theSandong.
Dao Zangrevised in the Ming Dynasty has very complex contents, covering knowledge in various fields. It includes the Taoist thoughts, history, and doctrine, commandments and magic arts, as well as many famous writings in China's history. Especially, the recordation on the medicine and the alchemy has considerable value for the research on subsequent science, technology, culture and history.
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