This process started in China decades before the ‘Nationalist’ Revolution of 1911, whilst China was still under the dominance of the then ‘foreign’ Manchu (‘Jurchen’) Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Qing were tribal people from what is today northeast China, who are not genetically or culturally ‘Han’, and who suppressed the ingenuity of Chinese thought and kept it within certain tight bounds of creativity. This was to protect the Qing ethnic dominance from the very well-known ingenuity of Chinese intellectuals, engineers, doctors and military leaders, etc. From around 1644 onwards, Chinese culture became frozen in time and this is why China fell behind the West, primarily England, Spain, Portugal and other Western European countries. As Daoism was ‘elitist’ at these times, it was not uncommon for one teacher to take-on just ‘one’ disciple per generation, and for Daoist knowledge and culture to be locked away deep in the inaccessible countryside, or above in the rarefied peaks of the great mountain ranges.
If the master died due to old age, calamity or disaster, or if the disciple ‘disappeared’ for whatever reason, the Daoist lineage in question would invariably come to an end with hardly anyone ever knowing it existed, but the core of these teachings were highly ‘scientific’ in nature and preserved through a strict Confucian notion of generation to generation transmission which – when it worked properly – ensured high-standards, but achieved this by preventing wide dissemination. This is what might be called ‘Old Daoism’ (古道 - Gu Dao) and it performed its allotted tasks quite well for the times within which it operated. In modern times, however, with widespread literacy, healthcare, education and reasonably good work conditions, this ‘secrecy’ is now out of date and needs rethinking.
In the last 400 years or so, China has changed radically and beyond any reasonable expectations. The method of ‘Old Daoism’ transmission worked very well when people lived in abject poverty, were illiterate, had short lives or fell victim to natural disasters or man-made calamities and warfare. With the development of modernity in China, a process that has developed over the last 400 years, the cultural climate is now entirely different (as it is throughout the world). Today, everyone and anyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, creed or geographical origination can directly benefit from the Daoist teachings that have been preserved in the past by many individuals who often suffered terribly for their dedication. This is why we must remember with respect the days of the ‘Old Daoism’ and never consider our current days of ‘New Daoism’ as being ‘superior’. In many ways, we as modern humans often lack the strength of character of those Old Daoists who sat in the snow-capped hills with no regular food supply, warm clothing medicines or central-heating. Within the ‘New Daoism’ we must strive to emulate those old masters and disciples of the past.
‘New Daoism’ offers ‘open’ instruction to ALL human-beings (and animals) without exception. In the UK we follow a strict adherence to the spiritual rule of no money changing hands (due to instructions from the Great Buddhist Master Xu Yun 1840-1959 – and Great Daoist Master Zhao Bichen 1860-1942) - and offer everything we know in written format for all to see and use. As with ‘Old Daoism’ - teachers must be worthy and students must be virtuous. As Confucius taught – when he lefts a single corner of a four-cornered cloth – he expects the disciple to lift-up and bring him the other three comers. This dedication need not be despotic, but it should be good-natured and full of vigour and virtue.
ACW - 釋大道 (1.9.2019) UK Qianfeng Sub-Branch of the 千峰先天派 (Qian Feng Xian Tian Pai) - Thousand Peaks Prenatal School (Beijing)