The 86th George E. Morrison Lecture in Ethnology

Daoism/Taoism is claimed by a wide variety of people today as a personal philosophy, a lifestyle, a mystical practice, or a physical therapy. Looking at Chinese history, however, the only people to ever claim the title of Daoist, the only real representatives of the term, have been members of an organized religion founded just about a century after Christianity. In this lecture, I will introduce this religion, the revelation upon which it was founded, and the Daoist communities that formed then in order to separate themselves from the profane followers of traditional Chinese religion. In these early communities, men and women shared equal rank, slaves and menials could rise to the highest levels of the priesthood, and all could directly address the Heavens to request aid from the Dao and the mighty armies of ghost soldiers under its command. We shall then see how a continuing series of divine revelations transformed the religion until it became not the opponent but the protector and caretaker of the popular gods of China.

About the Speaker

Terry Kleeman is Professor Emeritus of Chinese at University of Colorado Boulder. His research focuses on Chinese religion and thought, especially medieval religious Daoism and popular religion, as well as Chinese ethnic history, the local history of Southwest China, East Asian new religions, and Chinese archaeology. His publications include A God’s Own Tale (SUNY Press, 1994), Great Perfection: Religion and Ethnicity in a Chinese Millennial Kingdom (Hawaii, 1998), and Celestial Masters: History and Ritual in Early Daoist Communities (Harvard, 2015).

Refreshments will be provided from 5 pm, lecture starts at 5.30 pm.

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