Is Taishang Laojun Laozi?

No.

Taoism believes that "Tai Shang Lao Jun" has given birth to countless worlds. In different worlds, different periods, and different regions, different incarnations have different names, and they are all Tai Shang Laojun. The "incarnation" of Shang Laojun (such as Daode Tianzun, Laozi, Yuanshi Tianzun, Zhenwu Emperor, Pangu, Guangchengzi).

Tai Shang Laojun established his religion along with the world. He was a master of calamities, opened up the heaven and earth, divided Yin and Yang. Taoism believes that Lao Tzu is the eighteenth incarnation of Lao Junye. I am Taishang Laojun, but Taishang Laojun is not Laozi.

In Taoism, Taishang Laojun is the innate god who created all things. He existed forever when there was no universe. Laozi only existed as a human being when Taishang Laojun wanted to save all living beings. A doppelg?nger, just like Jesus is the spokesperson of God on earth.

Taishang Laojun is recognized as the founder of Taoism, that is, the Taishang Taoist who created the world, created the world, and taught salvation in Taoism. Taishang Laojun, the master of the great road and the origin of all religions, comes from the beginning of Taiwu, originates from the infinite source, has no end, and is infinite. "Tao" has no beginning and no end, is formless and nameless, boundless, and has no teacher or supreme master. "Tao" is a god of nothingness and nature, and it is difficult to name. He has a strong name and is called Tao, and he is respectfully called Taishang.

Laozi, whose surname is Li and whose given name is Dan, may also be called Boyang. He was born in the late Spring and Autumn Period, and his date of birth and death is unknown (Hu Shi once speculated that I was born in the early years of King Ling of Zhou Dynasty, which was 570 BC). He was born in Ku County (Kuxian, the ancient name of the county) in the state of Chen during the Spring and Autumn Period of the Zhou Dynasty. It is generally believed by historians that In present-day Luyi County, Henan Province). An ancient Chinese thinker, philosopher, writer and historian, the founder and main representative of the Taoist school.

Extended information:

The decree established the sect

The Supreme Lord issued a decree and granted Zhang Daoling of the Eastern Han Dynasty "three days of righteousness, destined to be a heavenly master" to succeed Huang of the Han Dynasty. Lao Tao founded the Tianshi Taoist sect and used Huang-Lao's techniques to teach the religion believed by the ethnic minorities in Xishu, so Laozi naturally became the leader of the new sect.

Since Buddhism entered the Central Plains, this religion that seemed familiar to China made the scholar-bureaucrats of the Han Dynasty generally believe that Lao Tzu went west to India and became the Buddha. However, the Buddhism that had just been introduced to China was insignificant at this time, and it was even more urgently attached to Taoism. As the world progressed, Buddhists who came to the West to preach also claimed that Lao Tzu was the teacher of the Buddha. As a result, the idea that Laozi transformed the barbarians into foreign countries and civilized the barbarians became common sense in society at that time.

Tao Hongjing compiled the "True Spirit Position and Industry Map" and regarded Xuhuang Daojun Yuanshi Tianzun, Taishang Daojun Lingbao Tianzun, Housheng Jinque Emperor, Taishang Laojun Daode Tianzun as the highest gods.

The Lingbao Sect regards the status of Lingbao Tianzun and Yuanshi Tianzun as the highest gods, while the Tianshi Tao respects Taishang Laojun as the highest god.

The three sects each went their own way and did not fully agree with each other on the issue of the Supreme God. With the development of Taoism and the blending of various sects, probably at the end of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, a unified supreme god "Three Pure Ones" emerged. That is, Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun. The emergence of the Three Pure Gods marks the final form of the lineage of Taoist immortals.

The establishment of the "Three Pure Ones" Zunshen has gone through a long development process. When Taoism was first founded, Laozi was its ancestor, who was called Taishang Laojun or Taishang Daojun, and was revered as the highest deity.

For example, the "Taiping Jing" compiled by Yu Ji and others and the Taoist books written by Zhang Ling and others were all attributed to Laojun, until "Yun Zhongyin" written by Kou Qianzhi of the Northern Wei Dynasty "Reciting the Commandments of Xinke" and "Lutu Zhenjing" as well as his title of "Heavenly Master" were all given by Laojun. This is a unique feature of early Taoism, including Taiping Dao and Wu Dou Mi Dao.

Even in the later Quanzhen Taoist tradition, it is still said that Taishang Laojun was passed down to Jin Mu, Jin Mu was passed down to Baiyun Shangzhen, Baiyun Shangzhen was passed down to Wang Xuanfu, and Wang Xuanfu was passed down to Zhongliquan. Zhongli conferred the right to Lu Dongbin and Liu Haichan, Lu Dongbin conferred the title to Wang Chongyang, and Chongyang conferred the title of Beiqizhen. He traced the lineage of Quanzhen Taoism back to Laozi and respected Wang Xuanfu as the founder of Quanzhen Taoism.

After the emergence of Taoist sects such as Shangqing and Lingbao in the middle and late Eastern Jin Dynasty, the concept of the highest deity in Taoism changed. These new Taoist sects no longer respect Taishang Laojun as the highest deity, but regard Yuanshi Tianwang or Yuanshi Tianzun and Taishang Daojun as the most respected ones.

Taishang Laojun is also mentioned in the scriptures of these two schools, but it is often placed in a secondary position. Some scriptures even refer to him as Yuanshi Tianzun or Yuanshi Tianwang and Taishang Daojun. disciples view.

This difference can be clearly seen in the introduction of Taoism in "Wei Shu·Shi Lao Zhi" and "Sui Shu·Jing Ji Zhi". "Shi Lao Zhi" in Volume 114 of "Book of Wei" says: "The origin of Taoism comes from Lao Tzu. He said that he was born in the heaven and the earth to support all kinds of things. The upper part is Yujing, which is the sect of the God King; the lower part is the sect of the God King. In Ziwei, he is the Lord of the Flying Immortals."

In fact, the founder of Taoism is Zhang Ling, who is known as Zhang Tianshi, and Laozi is revered as the ancestor of Taoism and is regarded as the "Laozi". The book was renamed the Tao Te Ching and became the main scripture of the religion. Starting from the "Biography of Immortals", Lao Tzu is listed as an immortal.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Wang Fu, a native of Chengdu, wrote "The Monument of the Holy Mother of Laozi", which combined Laozi and Tao into one, and regarded Laozi as a god who reincarnated into heaven and earth. It became the prototype of Taoist creation theory. During the reign of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty personally worshiped Lao Tzu and regarded him as the ancestor of immortality.

The emperor of the Tang Dynasty once honored Laozi as Emperor Taishang Xuanyuan, and in the Song Dynasty he was named Taishang Laojun Emperor Hunyuan Shangde. His Taoist honorific title is "Tai Shang Lao Jun", and he is also honored as "Emperor Hunyuan". He is also the moral deity among the Taoist ancestors of the Three Qing Dynasties.

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