Which Taoist movement was founded by Zhang Daoling in the second century CE?

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The Celestial Masters movement was founded by Zhang Daoling in the second century CE.

Tradition dates its beginning to 142 CE, when Zhang Daoling received a revelation from Laozi and established a religious community in what is now Sichuan. The movement was also known as the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice, referring to an early contribution required from members.

Celestial Masters Taoism developed organized clergy, community registers, ritual practices, and ethical rules. It is often described as the first organized Taoist religious movement, distinguishing it from earlier philosophical texts and scattered cults of immortality.

The movement survived in changing forms and later became associated with the Zhengyi, or Orthodox Unity, tradition. It should not be confused with Shangqing or Lingbao, later Taoist currents that developed different scriptures and ritual systems.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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