​The Jingming Dao of Chinese Taoism

One of the Taoist sects, also known as Jingming Zhongxiao Taoism, was founded in the early Southern Song Dynasty in China. It is said that during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Xu Xun, a Taoist priest from the Xishan Mountains in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, had efficacious results in practicing Taoism, and his family uprooted their homes and became prosperous. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the belief in deifying Xu Xun appeared locally. In the second year of Zhenghe (1112) of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, Xu Xun was named the True Monarch of Divine Power and Miaoji. Xu Xun's belief became more popular in the Xishan area of Nanchang. In the early Yuan Dynasty, Liu Yu (1257-1308), a hermit from Xishan, also claimed to have met Xu Xun and other immortals several times, and taught him the essentials of Jingming Taoism. He then founded the Jingming Taoist sect, with Xishan in Nanchang as the center of activity. At that time, there were many scholars. The Jingming Tao created by Liu Yu regards Xu Xun as its ancestor and calls himself the second generation patriarch.
The teachings of Jomyeido are characterized by the integration of Confucianism and Taoism. This sect calls itself Pure Brightness, Loyalty and Filial Piety, "It simply states that the purity of mind is the most important thing, and the discipline and conduct must be based on loyalty and filial piety." The so-called pure brightness means to be sincere and sincere, to teach people to be pure in mind and have few desires, so that the original mind is not moved by material desires, does not stain things, does not touch things, is pure and empty, and reaches the state of supreme purity and emptiness. This is called pure brightness. This theory originates from the Taoist theory that the nature of Tao is pure and empty and is not stagnant in things. The purpose of advocating purity and clarity is to make the thoughts and behaviors of Taoists comply with feudal ethical norms, consciously abide by the principles of loyalty, filial piety, honesty, prudence, tolerance, and be loyal ministers, filial sons, and good citizens. Jingmingdao strongly emphasized the principle of loyalty, filial piety and upholding ethical principles, and was praised by many important officials and Confucian scholars in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. Later, the sect gradually merged into the Zhengyi sect.

The most upright person in the immortal family

Jingming Dao regards Xu Xun as its ancestor. "The Preface of Taishang Lingbao Jingming Dharma" states that Xu Xun "takes his filial brother as his standard and practices his method." Since the Sui Dynasty, some people have worshiped it. Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty conferred the title of Shengong Miaoji Zhenjun. After the Jingkang Incident, wars continued frequently, and "loyalty and filial piety" became even more respected. Jingming Dao conforms to the current situation, inherits the Taoist theory of "Tao" and the theory of "purging away metaphysics", absorbs Confucian ethical concepts and the Taoist saying that "the immortal way cherishes life and immeasurable people", advocates the integration of Confucianism and Taoism, and believes that "it is based on Purity and clarity of the original mind are the most important, and loyalty and filial piety are the most precious things to control and conduct." Only then can we conform to the "Zhonghuang Eight Extremes of Heavenly Mind" and reach the "supreme state of purity and emptiness." Its Taoism focuses on cultivating immortals and saving people. After Yuan Dynasty, it was classified into Zhengdao. Because Jingming Tao emphasizes loyalty and filial piety and harmonizes Confucianism and Taoism, this school was very influential among the scholar-bureaucrats in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, and was known as the "most righteous one" among the immortals.