Daoism - Modern Apocalypse

In a highly secularized society like modern China, it is always interesting to see how religious ideas co-exist and interact with growing educated generation, especially the young people. To see religion as "a cultural system" captures one of its most significant feature: religious is more than a historically specific discourse of its constituent elements but that definition is itself the historical product of discursive processes (TALAL ASAD116). With religion being defined as a fluid up-to-date cultural system, I think It's important to look at religious ideas and its origins as a whole by tracing down their origins and changes. In this paper, I choose to analyze the modern version of one religious idea - apocalypse whose origin can be traced back to medieval buddhist version of apocalypse and the counterpart Daoist version.

In my essay, I want to introduce one popular TV series based on modern apocalypse: Chinese Paladin III. I'll try to show you how the old themes presented in the new version is a highly amalgamated vision. For the same theme, certain elements are omitted as to adapt to the current world. I'll use Prince Moonlight as a starting point. By comparing what is lost and what is added, we'll gain insight of how apocalypse endure its popularity. I will also mention some the non-apocalypse ideas from daoism and buddhism which also play very important part in the modern apocalypse. In the end, I'll talk about the buddhism and Daoism ideology behind this modern apocalypse.

The medieval Daoist and buddhist versions of apocalypse

According to Zurcher, six themes are presented in daoist tradition. Firstly, the crisis. It refers to both mechanical happening due to conjunctions of paralleled universes and a punitive reaction. Secondly, a messiah, LiHong. Then, the supernatural saints as the helper. In the apocalyptic battles, zhongmin pray, fast, hold holy texts, and talisman to wait for salvation after the final judgement. After that is a new world ruled by wuwei. For buddhist input, there are three similar themes: the crisis called kalpa which is periodic destruction, the saviour Maitrya, and the segregation of the pious believers by rebirth in heaven.

To summaries his comparison, the unique buddhist elements are the idea of world as empty shell after kalpa, the altruism as the saving power of bodhisattvas, and the prophecies of future buddhisattvas and three stages of decaying. The unique daoist elements are the final

judgement, the new world after destruction. The part overlap are mutually enhanced and interacted. Now let's look at the same themes in modern apocalypse. (Zurcher)

The Chinese Paladin III

Jing Tian, a mischievous pawnshop assistant, is told the world will be destructed in 300 days and he is the saviour. With the help of Xu Changqing, the eldest daoist disciple of Mt Shu Sect, they set off to accomplish their mission.

The crisis

For the modern apocalypse presented in Chinese Paladin, the reason of the coming eschatology is the decline of moral and growing of collective aversion and unharmonious, which is partially same as the old versions. The opening scene of the first episode Chinese Paladin III depicts a mysterious man telling Jingtian that he is to be the saviour in the coming turmoil and exposes a painting of world destruction in 300 days. The destructive power is the humanized evil thoughts of the 5 elders of Mt Shu Sect. What is interesting here is that this evil thoughts come to have its own spirit. It collects hatred, ignorance, and greed from all human to nurturing itself. These collection of aversion made this evil spirit so strong that it must be put into a purifying fountain immediately or it will break the chains, flee into the earth, and rule the earth in darkness. This crisis from humanization of collective aversion has a clearly connection to the medieval daoist version, which is also a crisis response to human depravity. It is also parallel to buddhist version of crisis which is caused by five corruption and three poison. In the final episode, the apocalyptic battle are accompanied by the evil monster using his evil power hide the sun and moon. This is exactly the discourse of the world destruction in Shenzhou jing. (Zurcher 3)

To look at this in a bigger picture, this Kalpa in modern apocalypse is no longer followed by a final judgment or a utopian new world ruled by sage which are two essential constituents in daoism apocalypse. The modern version crisis has its framework from buddhist version of decline as new world start from where it has stopped.

The messiah

In Chinese Paladin, Jing Tian is also the incarnation of a deity. It can be interpreted as a prophecy of future buddhissatva. Jingtian is the manifestation of the un-awakening saving power of the Buddhissatava. His altruism does not start from the beginning. Unlike the Maitraya or Lihong, he is afraid of the danger in front of him and run away wishing continue his normal life. But in the end he sacrifices himself by shortening his life span for the world. Meanwhile, Chonglou, ruler of the evil world, breaks into Mt Shu's Suo Yao Pagoda to retrieve a magical

sword. He passes the sword to Jing Tian, claiming that it belonged to latter when he was a deity in his past life and forces Jing Tian to battle with. We see here a clearly buddhist karmic destination. In terms of role of saviour, we see a strong buddhist influence on this theme and a further expansion on those buddhist influence. This also reflect on the theme of zhong min, the chosen people in daoism and the pious believer rebirth in higher sphere in buddhism. New messiah is more compassionate and he saved the whole mankind.

The helper

Speaking of the helper, this is when other buddhist, daoist, and even non-religion elements cut in. Unlike medieval versions, helpers have very magnificent roles. By adding elements like love, compassion, altruism, the helper might be one of the main reason for the popularity of modern apocalypse. The main backstory of Chinese Paladin III is Xu Changqing and Zixuan's romantic relationship which endured for three lifetime(approximately 200 years). Destined to become an immortal, Xu Changqing dedicated his life to studying Daoism and becoming a Daoist priest in all three lifetimes. However, in his first two lifetimes as Gu Liufang and Lin Yeping, he failed because of his choice to resume secular life and be together with Zixuan. He was mortal, a human, whereas Zixuan was the descendant of the goddess Nuwa. In Changqing's third and last incarnation, Zixuan let him go by drinking a bowl of water which can make people forget their pasts (wang qing shui), so that Changqing can attain enlightenment and be forever freed from mortal sufferings.

This tragic ending with the themes of apocalypse are truly fascinating. It is not only about salvation of reduce fear in turmoil by believing in a fetish. It is more about to strive for justice and great love and compassion for individual and all-being in eschatology.

To expand a little bit on the topic of how apocalypse maintain its growing popularity on a huge time scale, we need to look into the Chinese history. The idea of apocalypse are absorbed in many cults as well as its branches to motive peasant rebellion even extreme religion like falungong. We can see the changing emphasis from believer and salvation to compassion. It might be wrong to say that peasant are gullible for they are un-educated. But it is true that modern china has almost put religion into the category of superstitious. In terms of "uneducated", paradoxically, we may also see majority of the Chinese young generation as "uneducated". For both our young generation and peasants back then, the idea of apocalypse is mystery and unknown. Unknown induce fear. Not everyone will sit down to drilling theories of its origins. Here come the power of mysterious salvation. It an easy way to escape the reality and enter a mental utopian. We can see the idea of apocalypse are partially against the original doctrine from both buddhism and daoism.

conclusion

In conclusion, the most significant influence of buddhist apocalypse seems to be altruism and compassion while daoist apocalypse providing the fundamental structure and elements like qi. Both version aim to strive for justice. This is a common goal through out the history. Due to secularization, young people don't have access to the whole original doctrines. In order to attain justice, they absorb ideas from both religions and producing new popular ideologies. But as I said in the opening paragraph, religion is a cultural system. With different emphasis, religion tradition evolve and function as a way of entertainment and cultural heritage to adapt to modern Chinese society.