Historical development of Taoism in Weibaoshan
Estern Han dynasty
It is said that the development of Taoism on this mountain started during the Eastern Han dynasty when zhang Daoling after having founded the five pecks of rice tradition in Sichuan came to the mountain to spread his teachings. One of his traces, includes the “zhang daoling well”.
The three kingdoms
During the period of the three kingdoms, a famous daoist Meng You (meng Huo’s brother) settled on Weibaoshan after an extraordinary person had given him books on immortality; there he helped the people with magical arts.
Tang dynasty
It is said that, The Supreme Venerable Sovereign Taishang Laojun enlightened Xinuluo who then founded the Nanzhao kingdom who then lasted during for 13 generations. Therefore, the imperial descendants of Nanzhao built the hall of the Venerable Sovereign during the tang dynasty.
During the Ming Dynasty, Du Guangting, an eminent Tang daoist settled on Weibao to spread Taoism.
Legend has it that the famous immortal Lu Dongbin once came to the mountain to teach Taoism.
Ming dynasty
During the Ming and Qing dynasty, many daoist from Mount Wudang of Hubei and the Qingcheng Mountain of Sichuan came to mount Weibao to live as hermit and practice inner alchemy; they took disciples and 20 more temples were built on the mountain.
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty attracted the largest number of worshippers in history, and hundreds of Daoists came to cultivate the dao on the mountain, which therefore became a Daoist sacred site and was granted the title of shifangconglin 十方丛林．.
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