Figures of Taoism: Li Longji 李隆基

Li Longji (685~762) was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty, known as Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. He was also called Emperor Minghuang of Tang and was the son of Emperor Ruizong.

In the Chuigong era (687 AD), he was enfeoffed as Prince of Chu. In the second year of Changshou (693 AD), he was demoted to Prince of Linzi. In the first year of Jingyun (710 AD), he collaborated with Princess Taiping to launch a coup, killed Empress Wei, supported his father Li Dan to ascend the throne, and was established as the crown prince.

In the first year of Yanhe (712 AD), he ascended to the imperial throne.

Following Li Yuan and others, he held Laozi (Lao Tzu) and his doctrines in high esteem.

In the third year of Wude (620 AD), Li Yuan posthumously honored Laozi as the imperial ancestor and built a temple for Laozi in Jinzhou.

In the eleventh year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin declared, "The origin of my clan traces back to the official under the pillar of the Zhou Dynasty", meaning he regarded Laozi, who once served as the official under the pillar of the Zhou Dynasty, as the imperial ancestor, and built a temple for Laozi in Bozhou (see Old Book of Tang·Biography of Emperor Taizong).

During the Qianfeng period, Li Zhi (Emperor Gaozong of Tang) posthumously honored Laozi as "Supreme Mysterious Primordial Emperor". Li Longji's reverence for Laozi went a big step further than that of his ancestors.

He called Laozi "my illustrious ancestor, the Mysterious Primordial Emperor" and stated that Laozi "possessed the virtue of a great sage and embodied the essence of the supreme way". He issued an edict ordering the establishment of "temples of the Mysterious Primordial Emperor" in the two capitals (Chang'an and Luoyang) and various prefectures. Every year, Taoist rituals and offerings were held there, and "Schools of Venerating the Mysterious" were set up, where the main content of study included Tao Te Ching, Zhuangzi, Wenzi, and Liezi. "After completing their studies, students would be recommended to the imperial examination authority every year according to the standards of the Mingjing examination" (from Edict Ordering the Establishment of Temples of the Mysterious Primordial Emperor in the Two Capitals and All Regions).

He said that while sleeping, he suddenly dreamed of the true appearance of Laozi, who "announced to me endless blessings, with virtuous words lingering in my ears; indicated to me extraordinary celebrations, with spiritual favors to come". so，he issued an edict ordering all regions to paint portraits of Laozi, which were then transmitted by prefectures and states to Kaiyuan Temples for placement. Taoist priests and priestesses there were required to welcome them grandly, and on the seventh night after the portraits arrived, rituals and practices were to be held (from Edict Ordering the Painting of the True Portrait of the Mysterious Primordial Emperor).

He personally presided over the formulation of rituals for sacrificing to Laozi, including the location of the sacrifice, the costumes of the ritual officials, the offerings, the musical pieces played, and so on (from Edict on Establishing Rituals for Sacrificing to the Mysterious Primordial Emperor).

He claimed that Laozi appeared twice in February and April of the third year of Wude, either personally delivering divine words or speaking through a stone turtle, and also manifesting sacredness through the withered cypress in the Laozi Temple in Bozhou, propagating that "the ancestors bestow endless blessings, and the common people also follow the natural transformation" (from Inscription Commemorating the Sage at Qingtang Temple).

By deifying Laozi, he sought to justify the legitimacy and inevitability of the Li clan's acquisition of the imperial throne.

He issued an edict posthumously honoring Laozi's mother as "Empress of the Primordial Heaven" and Laozi's father as "Emperor of the Primordial Heaven", and built temples in Qiaojun for regular sacrifices (from Edict Posthumously Honoring the Parents of the Mysterious Primordial Emperor and Adding Posthumous Titles to Distant Ancestors).

He ranked Laozi's Tao Te Ching "above all other classics" (from Edict Honoring the Taoist and Confucian Classics), attempting to popularize Laozi's thought among the entire people through administrative means. Meanwhile, he promoted Taoism and belittled Confucianism, reducing Confucian content in the imperial examinations and increasing Taoist content.

He said: "The Tao Te Ching by Laozi should be kept in every household, whether of scholars or commoners. In the annual imperial examinations, the number of questions on Shangshu (Book of Documents) and Analects of Confucius should be reduced by one or two, and the same number of questions on Laozi should be added. This is to venerate the foundation of the Tao and enhance the source of transformation. This imperial order should also be kept in every household, and all should reflect on it frequently to understand my intentions" (from Imperial Decree Ordering the Addition of Questions on Laozi in the Imperial Examinations). He also personally annotated Tao Te Ching and promulgated the annotated version to his officials and academic institutions (from Imperial Decree Promulgating the Annotated Tao Te Ching).

His biography can be found in Volume 8 of Old Book of Tang and Volume 5 of New Book of Tang. Twenty-two volumes of his works are compiled in Volumes 21 to 41 of Complete Prose of the Tang Dynasty. He also wrote Annotations on Tao Te Ching and other works.