What is Louguan Sect 楼观派?

The Louguan Sect was founded during the Wei and Jin dynasties and flourished in the Northern Dynasties, Sui, and Tang dynasties. Centered on Louguan, it was a Taoist school mainly spreading in the Guanlong region in northern China. Louguan is located at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain in present-day Shaanxi, close to Xi'an, with beautiful scenery. After the Sui and Tang dynasties, it became a famous Taoist sacred site in the north.

The Louguan Sect revered Laozi and Yin Xi as its ancestors and mainly taught and studied the "Three Grottoes" classics. Its Taoist methods were influenced by the Southern Shangqing and Lingbao sects, absorbing the strengths of various schools. It practiced various techniques such as reciting scriptures and contemplating deities, regulating qi and swallowing saliva, refining elixirs and taking medicines, as well as using talismans and performing ritual ceremonies. The sect also strongly advocated the theory of "Laozi converting the barbarians" and often had debates with Buddhism.

After rising in the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Louguan Sect received support from Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei, who ordered the engraving of scriptures and the construction of Taoist temples. At the end of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the preaching area of the Louguan Sect almost covered a vast region centered on the place where Liang Chen practiced Taoism, extending to Chang'an (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi).

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Louguan Taoists supported Li Yuan's uprising with grain and grass from Louguantai and fabricated many prophecies favorable to him. After Li Yuan proclaimed himself emperor, in recognition of their merits, he specially granted land and allocated funds to rebuild the Taoist temple, named it "Zongsheng Palace", and strongly supported it. The Louguan Sect became the national center of Taoism and reached its peak. In the Yuan Dynasty, the Louguan Sect was merged into the Quanzhen Sect.