On Quanzhen Daoism and the Longmen Lineage: An Institutional History of Monasteries, Lineages, and Ordinations

Abstract

This thesis examines Quanzhen Daoism, and the Longmen lineage in particular, during the Qing dynasty in China from an institutional perspective. By critically analyzing monasteries, lineages, and texts, this study sheds light on why the notion of lineage is crucial for understanding Qing Daoism. Furthermore, this study challenges the existing understanding of Quanzhen Daoism as a fixed entity that was disconnected from the Chinese society by demonstrating that Quanzhen Daoism was a hybrid tradition that actively interacted with other traditions as well as the imperial state, reinventing itself, and constantly in search of prosperity and posterity.