Wushang Miyao: First Imperial Daoist Encyclopedia

The original text of The Supreme Secret Essentials (Wushang Miyao) does not record its author.

In Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks (Xu Gaoseng Zhuan), Volume 2, "Biography of Monk Yancong," it is stated: After Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty (Yuwen Yong) conquered the Northern Qi Dynasty, he compiled Taoist texts himself, naming the collection The Supreme Secret Essentials.

The original work consisted of 100 volumes, divided into 288 sections (pin). A Dunhuang manuscript copy dating to the 6th year of the Kaiyuan reign of the Tang Dynasty (718) survives, containing the remaining table of contents and 8 volumes of the main text; for detailed information, see Ōfuchi Ninji’s A Catalogue of Dunhuang Daoist Scriptures (Dunhuang Daojing Mulu Bian). Additionally, a version preserved in the Daozang (Taoist Canon) exists, with 67 surviving volumes included in the "Taiping" category of the canon. Excluding overlapping content between the two versions, approximately 69 volumes and 137 sections remain extant.

This work is the first large-scale Taoist encyclopedia compiled under official auspices in the history of Taoism. It systematically compiles key excerpts from around 300 Taoist texts, providing a comprehensive overview of Taoist theology, doctrines, rituals, and esoteric techniques. An overview of the entire work reveals its structure: it begins with expounding the origin and evolution of heaven, earth, and all things; next, it discusses ethical governance, the ranks of immortals and divine officials, and the origins of Taoist scriptures and teachings; then, it covers methods of fasting and ritual etiquette, as well as techniques of ingestion (for nourishment) and cultivation; finally, it concludes with the path to becoming an immortal, verifying the true Dao, and uniting one’s essence with the "Ultimate Void" (Wu) to align with the Dao.

The classification of its sections exhibits inherent logical connections, encompassing both broad concepts and minute details. It embodies the theological worldview and outlook on life of Taoism during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

The work preserves numerous early Taoist classics that have since been lost, making it a valuable reference for scholars researching the history of Taoism.