The Tenfold Daoist Code 道门十规

Composed by Zhang Yuchu, the Celestial Master of the Zhengyi Dao in the Ming dynasties, between the 4th and 8th years of the Yongle reign period (1406–1410). In one volume, it is included in the Zhengyi Section of the Daozang.

This treatise gives a comprehensive overview of the doctrines and disciplinary rules of the Zhengyi Dao.

The whole book is divided into ten chapters in sequence: Origin and Schools of Taoism briefly narrates the origins and sects of Taoism, emphasizing that emptiness, non-being, purity and tranquility are the foundation of establishing the religion, and the cultivation of nature, life, spirit and vital qi is the essence of inner practice. Scriptures and Talismans of the Daoist School enumerates the essential scriptures and talismanic texts that must be studied by Daoists, as well as the methods of reading scriptures. Meditating in Seclusion and Upholding Tranquility expounds the philosophical principles and methods of guarding stillness in Taoism, advocating the dual cultivation of nature and life—a core concept closely related to What is Internal Alchemy—and the principle of cultivating oneself to benefit others.

The two chapters Practice of Fasting Rituals and Lineage of Daoist Methods elaborate on the origins, sects and cultivation principles of Taoist fasting rituals and esoteric methods. It advocates that embracing emptiness and guarding tranquility is the orthodox way of practice; practices such as invoking spirits to possess the human body, spirit writing with a phoenix planchette and water scrying are all regarded as heresies.

Chapters including Abbots and Spiritual Leaders, Wandering and Seeking Daoist Instruction, Establishing Temples and Ordaining Followers, Financial Provisions and Grain Supplies, and Renovation of Daoist Temples separately stipulate the clerical duties of Daoist temples, the rules of wandering to seek teachings, monastic cultivation in temples, as well as the regulations for temple construction and the disbursement of financial and grain supplies. The treatise is rigorous in its arguments and coherent in its structure.

Though the author was a patriarch of the Zhengyi school, he also absorbed certain doctrines and disciplinary rules of the Chan school and the Quanzhen Daoist school, reflecting the syncretic characteristics of Taoist development in the Ming Dynasty.