 Laozi,
the founder of Daoism, lived at a time of crises and upheavals. It is said
Laozi was the son of a distinguished family in a village in the province
of Henan in 604 B.C. For a time, he held the office of archivist in Luoyang,
which was then the capital. But he retreated into solitude and died in his
village in 517 B.C. Many legends have been told about the figure of Laozi.
One story told is that he left China on a black ox when he foresaw the decline
of the empire. And the other says that he was born from his mother's left
armpit with his hair all white after finally being born after 72 years of
pregnancy.
The Daoists and Buddhists both believed that the great paradise was in the
far west of China, hence the name, Western Paradise. It was believed to
be governed by the Queen, Mother of the West, Xiwangmu, and her husband,
the Royal Count of the East, Dongwanggong. And without making any changes
to it, the Daoists also took over the idea of hell from Buddhism. Religious
Daoism developed in various directions and schools. The ascetics carried
out exorcisms and funeral rites, and read mass for the dead or for sacrificial
offerings.
Historical and legendary figures were added to the Daoist pantheon. The
highest of the three deities, the heavenly god, Is identical to the Jade
Emperor, worshiped by the common people. There is hardly a temple without
Shouxinggong, (the god of longevity), a friendly-looking old man with a
long white beard and an extremely elongated bald head. There are also the
god of wealth (Caishen), the god of fire (Huoshen), the kitchen god (Zaoshen),
the god of literature (Wendi), the god of medicine (Huatuo) and others.
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