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March 8, 2014 |
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I-Kuan Tao, also Yi Guan Dao, or usually initialized as IKT (一貫道, translated as the Unity Sect) is a new religious movement that originated in twentieth-century China. At the same time it incorporates much older elements from Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese Buddhism, and recognizes the validity of non-Chinese religious traditions such as Christianity and Islam as well. For this reason it is often classified as a syncretistic or syncretic sect, along with other similar religions in the Hsien Tien Dao (Way of Former Heaven family (see link below). I-Kuan Tao flourished in Taiwan starting in the 1970s. Currently, it is the third most popular faith in Taiwan (after Buddhism and Taoism). It claims two million members (this may be exaggerated), and in overseas Chinese communities around the world. In a survey in 2002, it showed that there were 845,000 followers with over 3,100 temples. In the People's Republic of China it remains banned as an illegal secret society, as was the case in Taiwan until 1987. The World I-Kuan Tao Headquarters is situated in the United States, in El Monte, California. I-kuan (Yiguan, ?????? ) means something like "one unity." The implication is that the sect harmonizes or integrates otherwise disparate teachings. Tao (Dao, ??? ) has many meanings. When used next to the name of some Chinese religions, it means "religion." For example, Tai Ping Tao (Tai Ping Dao,?????????), a renegade religious group in ancient China which had directly led to the decline of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The same word Tao has been used by the Taoist and Confucian traditions to describe the broad patterns of the universe, life, and humanity as well as ritual or religious requirements. The word is often used as a part of the names of religious sects. Because of the name, I-Kuan Tao is often assumed to be Taoist, and its members do not reject this identification. However its history, teachings, practices, and leadership are different from those of either the "elite" forms of Taoist religion (the Celestial Masters or Complete Purity schools) or the Chinese folk religion of the masses. In the same way I-kuan Tao differs from, and yet also resembles, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism. Because the group was banned in Taiwan in the 70s and 80s, it manifested in different names such as The Confucius Mencius Society, The Morality Society etc. They also called themselves "Zhen Li Tian Dao" (The True Celestial Tao). Image:Shrine-I-Kuan-Tao.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A typical I Kuan-Tao shrine. In the center is a statue of the Maitreya Buddha, and behind the statue is a tablet honoring Ming Ming Shang Ti. On the left is Ji Gong, and on the right is Guan Yin.
Image:ZhangGuangBi.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Zhang Tian Ran, the Father of I Kuan Tao Within the broad category of Chinese religion we may distinguish between folk practices which neither expect clear membership commitments nor make clear demands; and on the other hand, various sectarian movements which enjoy a clearer identity, and at the same time a weaker influence over the wider society. The folk religious practices are absorbed almost unconsciously, from childhood. Sectarian religious identity must be voluntarily chosen. Such sectarian identity might be Buddhist, Christian, or any of the religious movements that originated within the Chinese cultural sphere. Some sectarian religious movements, such as Chan Buddhism (Chinese Zen) may endure for centuries, and become regulated by the state. Others are more ephemeral, such as the family of Buddhist movements lumped together under the name of White Lotus. These were loosely inspired by the vegetarian, millennarian, syncretistic religion of Manichaeism, which survived in China — and assimilated to Chinese culture — a full thousand years after it had disappeared in the West. The White Lotus sects tended to be suppressed by the state, but passed on certain influences to later groups such as the Hsien Tien sects. Philip Clart (link below) gave this following summary of I-Kuan Tao's history: "Also called T'ien-tao ("Way of Heaven"). Founded in 1930 by the "eighteenth patriarch" Chang T'ien-jan (1889-1947) in the city of Chi-nan, the capital of Shantung province, the sect in 1934 moved its centre of activity to T'ien-chin and from there spread rapidly all over mainland China. After Chang T'ien-jan's death in 1947, the sect's nominal leadership passed into the hands of Chang's second wife Madame Sun Hui-ming. Effectively, however, the sect split up into a number of separate branches (usually said to be eighteen) that continued to develop more or less independently. There thus exists today no independent leadership for the sect, which has become a family of closely related yet autonomous branch associations." Official history The official history from I-Kuan Tao stated that I-Kuan Tao or Tao can be divided into 3 periods. The first is the The early 18 Eastern line, originated from the mythical figure Fu Xi, the creator of the Bagua, this is followed by other mythical and historical figures such as Shen Nong, Huang Di (Yellow Emperor), Confucius and the last is Lao Tzu the author of the Tao Te Ching. Then it is said because of the turmoil period in China, Lao Tzu brought Tao to India and initiated Sakyamuni Buddha. The second lineage called the 28 Western line begins. This followed the Zen lineage from Sakyamuni to Mahakasyapa, and finally Bodhidharma. It is said that Bodhidharma brought the Tao back to China to begin the Later 18 Eastern line. Following the Zen lineage from Bodhidharma to the sixth patriarch of Chinese Chan, Huineng. The lineage then continues with sectarian figures. The sectarian is believed stems from Xian Tian Dao or Way of Former Heaven. The founder of Xian Tian Dao is Huang De Hui (1624-1690). Both I Kuan Tao and Xian Tian Tao considered him as the 9th patriarch. Recent findings from the Ching dynasty documents mentioned Wang Jue Yi, the 15th patriarch, propagated Yi Guan Jiao (Unity Religion) in the 1850s. However I Kuan Tao started to flourish in China during the leadership of the 18th patriarch Zhang Tian Ran. During the leadership of Zhang Tian Ran, I-Kuan Tao spread from Shan Dong to He Bei, and also many cities in central and Southern China. Zhang Tian Ran died shortly after the war in 1947. After Zhang???s death, Sun attempted take over the leadership of I-Kuan Tao. When communism took over in China, many of I-Kuan Tao followers and leaders depart to Hong Kong and Taiwan. Sun was said to first arrive in Hong Kong, then went to Kuala Lumpur. After she came back from Malaysia, it is said that Sun left a "celestial mandate" in Hong Kong. Shen then moved to Taiwan under the care of Wang Hao De until her death in 1975. The present Chang Pei-Cheng, the current leader of I-Kuan Tao, brought the sect's teachings to Taiwan in 1947. Today, the sect claims 50,000 worship groups (30,000 in Taiwan) and supports several schools including Sung Nien University (Taiwan). Its members operate many of Taiwan's vegetarian restaurants. One of its high profile member is the president of the Evergreen Marine Corporation or Evergreen Group who provides great support for the group. I-Kuan Tao says they are a moralistic society, with objective to save all human from the last calamity. The members are obliged to follow morality practices such as:
Followers of I Kuan Tao are encouraged to convert and initiate new members, practice vegetarianism and open Temples at their homes. To become a follower, one has to go through the Initiation ceremony. A new follower is initiated by a master (Dian Chuan Shi) which is believed to hold a Heavenly Mandate to save the soul. A new initiate is then given the secret "Three Treasures" (San Bao) which cannot be told to others. The Three Treasures are:
As a follower, the promise is that with the three treasures he/she is able to directly ascend to heaven. The proof being: For all those who received Tien-Tao through the Enlightened teacher, regardless of their virtues and merits, they all go with a smile on their face. The corpses do not stiffen in winter or decay with foul smell in summer, for the souls left the body through the Right portal. This "proof" usually is shown and convinced by many followers, most followers will testify from their observations that the body of the dead who has been initiated stays soft. The scientific explanation can be found in an anatomy and physiology book. When a person takes the last breath, the muscle will contract and become stiffen. However, the corpse does not remain stiff forever, as the tissues are destroyed due to autolysis of cells caused by the release of acids and digestive enzymes from lysosomes. Unlike other faiths, I-Kuan Tao does not have a single organization. This is because after the death of Zhang Tian Ran and escaping communism in China, many of the followers found their own way to Hong Kong and Taiwan. They established their own "group", mainly following their ancestral temple's name from China, spreading the teachings of I-Kuan Tao. There is a consensus from the followers of Zhang Tian Ran and Sun to form the I Kuan Tao headquarters, recognizing the so called "18 groups". There are also faction from the first wife of Zhang Tian Ran Madame Liu which does not have much follower. Another big spin-offs also recognized by the government of Taiwan is Wang Hao De former aide to Sun who established his own sect called the http://www.maitreya.org.tw/ Great Tao of Maitreya. There are many western studies on this movement the first comprehensive study is by David K. Jordan and described in his book "The Flying Phoenix". Recent studies include Philip Clart. And a thesis by Jo Swinnen (in Dutch) from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. A book by Meir Shahar on Ji Gong titled "Crazy Ji" also has a section on I-Kuan Tao. I Kuan Tao borrowed teachings and texts from different sources: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, as well as the Bible. Spirit writing also a characteristic of I Kuan Tao, recently more contemporary writings by I-Kuan Tao leaders or followers are widely available. With their uniforms of blue slacks / skirts and white shirts, coupled with their eagerness to share their faith, followers of I-Kuan Tao may give the impression of being China's answer to Mormonism. Those who would prefer not to be converted may agonize over the involvement of an enthusiastic family member. (Vegetarianism is a typical source of conflict.) The fact that I-kuan Tao is a secret society has exposed it to charges that its leaders exploit their followers financially or even sexually. In addition, governments such as the People's Republic of China fear secret societies and unrecognized religions in general, for their potential to organize people independently of state oversight.
Category:Religion in China Category:New religious movements Category:Taiwan fr:Ikuan Tao id:I Kuan Tao it:I-Kuan Tao zh:一貫道 This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "I-Kuan Tao".
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