The Pivotal Meaning of the Daoist Doctrine

Pivotal Meaning of the Daoist Doctrine ( 道教義樞 Daojiao Yishu ) is a ten-volume book on Daoist doctrines, compiled by Meng Anpai of the Tang dynasty. It includes 37 doctrines, which are taken from the Guideline of Daoism ( 玄門大義 Xuanmen ) and 103 scriptures. The book was probably completed during the era of Wu Zetian in the Tang dynasty. Each doctrine begins with "the doctrine says" and is explained with "the explanation says". The major doctrines of Daoism at that time are collected in the book. They are the doctrines of Dao and its virtue, body of law, the three jewels, ranks and merits, two halves, the meaning of Dao, cause and effect, three and one, two speculations, original chaos, principles and teachings, the objective and the subjective, spontaneity, Dao and its nature, motion and motionlessness, being and nonbeing, etc. Each doctrine is expounded systematically so that readers roughly grasp the historical evolution and different Daoist interpretations of these doctrines. The book provides valuable materials for the study of Daoist doctrines from the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Sui and Tang dynasties, among which materials of Daoist philosophy are not lacking. It is collected in the Supreme Peace Section ( 太平部 Taiping Bu ) of The Daoist Canon of the Zhengtong Era ( 正統道藏 Zhengtong Daozang )