The Gentry Taoism 士族道教

Gentry Taoism refers to the Taoism worshipped by the gentry class during the Wei and Jin Dynasties. In that period, the gentry occupied a dominant position in society. In order to permanently maintain their life of glory, wealth and luxury in the world, they all pursued the fairy realm of longevity and immortality, and thus Immortal Taoism came into being. In essence, Immortal Taoism was Gentry Taoism. Since then, any Taoism that served the upper gentry society and bore the attributes of the gentry class has been called Gentry Taoism. Gentry Taoism often tried its best to exclude folk Taoism, denouncing it as "heretical religion" or "evil Taoism" and seeking to ban and suppress it.