Taoism during the Cao Wei Period in Its Decline

  During the Cao Wei period (220–265), the Taiping Dao (Way of Great Peace) had declined following the suppression of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Meanwhile, the Zhengyi Mengwei Dao (Way of the Orthodox Unity and Majestic Authority), led by Zhang Lu (the "Lineage Master") who submitted to Cao Cao and migrated northward with his followers, reached the core territories of Cao Wei—present-day Henan and Hebei provinces. Alerted by the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Cao Cao and his son Cao Pi feared that peasant revolutionaries might use religious organizations to incite uprisings. Thus, they adopted a dual policy toward early Taoism: restricting or suppressing it on one hand, while exploiting and reforming it on the other. Cao Cao summoned influential immortal alchemists and fangshi (masters of esoteric arts), such as Zuo Ci, Gan Shi, and Qie Jian, to his court. This served a dual purpose: seeking techniques for longevity and preventing these figures from inspiring popular rebellions. As a result, many noble families and scholar-officials joined Taoism, prompting a schism within the religion. From the Cao Wei period onward, Taoism gradually divided into two major tiers: the upper-class "Immortal Taoism" and the lower-class "Popular Taoism." As the Zhengyi Mengwei Dao spread among the noble scholar-gentry, its social status rose, and it was increasingly referred to as the Tienshi Dao (Celestial Master Way).

During the Wei and Jin dynasties (220–420), the Tienshi Dao retained some religious practices of the early Zhengyi Mengwei Dao but also underwent changes and fell into disarray. For example, the original organizational structure dissolved during the northward migration, leading to local jijiu (libationers) acting independently—each claiming authority, practicing different methods, and arbitrarily appointing religious officials, which chaotic the daoguan (Taoist official) system. Many jijiu and Taoist adherents also violated religious rules and hierarchical norms.