Taiping Yulan Dao Section: Daoist Material Culture

Compiled by Li Fang and others in the Northern Song Dynasty under imperial order.

The original work is divided into 55 sections, totaling 1,000 volumes, and there exists a facsimile edition of the Song Dynasty print.

Today, the version included in the Daozang (Daoist Canon) only excerpts three volumes (i.e., Volumes 16 to 18 of the "Daoist Section" from the original work) and is incorporated into the Zhengyi Section (Orthodox Unity Section) of the Daozang.

As an encyclopedic compilation (leishu), this book collects and arranges terms, objects, and related content concerning Daoism.

The first excerpted volume is titled Lisuo (Principles and Jurisdictions). It extracts records from Six Dynasties (220–589 CE) and Sui-Tang (581–907 CE) Daoist texts regarding famous mountains, island groups, city gates and towers, Daoist temples, halls and chambers, as well as the titles of immortals and sacred beings in charge of governing these places.
The second excerpted volume is titled Guanfu (Headwear and Robes). It compiles records from ancient texts about the clothing, hats, shoes, accessories worn by immortals and Daoist priests, the tablets, bells, and scepters they held, and items such as canopies, curtains, and mats.
The third excerpted volume is titled Jianzhang (Documents and Seals). It gathers records from ancient texts about items used by Daoist priests, including documents, tallies, seals, Daoist talismans (fulu), and contracts.

This book cites a large number of Six Dynasties and Sui-Tang Daoist texts, making it a valuable reference for researchers. Additionally, the textual content of the Daozang version can be used to correct errors in the widely circulated facsimile edition of the Song Dynasty print.