Changes

Early Daoism was more active among the common masses, and taking part in their funerals was very natural. Relieving Rituals ( 解除 Jiechu ) (magic rituals conducted for the dead at the tomb gate, aimed at separating the living people and ghosts and guarding the tomb ( 鎮墓 Zhenmu )), which were conducted at the gate of tombs, were very popular. They relieved deadly contagions ( 復連 Fulian ) (by protecting the living against the adversity and misfortune which cause death). The theme of filial piety was stressed in the later development of funerals. It emphasized that Daoist priests' magic could make the dead ascend to heaven quickly and let them leave the sufferings of the nether world ( 幽冥 Youming ). Such activities have long been popular customs among the masses. In the Tang Dynasty, Tang emperor Xuan Zong did not allow the literati and commoners to keep contact with Buddhist and Daoist priests. If one family had good or ill fortune and needed rituals, it should first present a certificate to the prefecture or county government, which would inform the temple, and only then was permission given to go to the temple. This shows that inviting Buddhists and Daoists to deal with unlucky incidents had become a custom. In the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang recognized Daoism and Buddhism's position and influence in common people's funerals, and tried to make them into fixed forms. So he had the ''Efficient Ritual of Fasts and Offerings of the Doctrine of Mysteries of the Great Ming Dynasty'' ( 大明立成玄教齋醮儀 Daming Licheng Xuanjiao Zhaijiao Yi ) compiled and personally wrote a preface to it. It reads: " when the families of officials and of the masses have funeral arrangements, they have to invite Buddhists and Daoists. If they are not invited to take part in the funeral, parents will be regarded as not benevolent if it is the funeral of their child, and children will be thought of as unfilial if it is the funeral of their parent. They will feel ashamed to meet their neighbors." This emperor was once a monk; he knew that the custom of inviting Buddhists and Daoists for funerals was deeply rooted, so he made it into a fixed form for disseminating filial piety and benevolence. Confucian scholars in the Ming Dynasty complained about Buddhist and Daoist participation in funerals, but they couldn't stop it. Wang Langchuan once said: "Nowadays, when somebody dies in a family, people employ Buddhists and Daoists to conduct rituals, have Water and Land Rituals ( 水陸會 Shuiluhui ), copy scriptures, and print Buddhist and Daoist images, in order to reduce the dead's sins and demerits and allow them to ascend to heaven and enjoy happiness. If not, the dead will descend to hell. Even the national laws cannot prohibit it, nor reasoning can make them understand. The literati also follow this custom, saying that they cannot help being vulgar, etc. " ([Ming] Wang Langchuan, ''Collection of Words and Deeds'') ( 言行匯輯 Yanxing Huiji ). The literati he mentioned were the literate Confucian scholars. As followers of Confucius, they were supposed to guard the sage's teaching and not invite Buddhists and Daoists to attend their funerals. They failed to do so, for they wanted to follow the customs.