The Tianxin School 天心派

The Tianxin School, a new talismanic school emerging in the Song Dynasty. In Volume 43 of Shangqing Lingfu Dafa (The Great Method of the Highest Clarity Numinous Talismans) by Jin Yunzhong of the Southern Song Dynasty, it is stated: "Since the Celestial Master of the Han Dynasty (Zhang Ling) promoted the Orthodox Unity sect, the Orthodox Law of Tianxin (Heavenly Heart) has flourished.

When he received the seal and sword at Yuju (Jade Bureau), he eradicated demons and anomalies in the world. The law's contribution to the times is magnificent." It claims that the Tianxin School was founded by Zhang Ling, which is undoubtedly a retrojection to ancient times, but it proves that the Tianxin School derived from the Zhengyi Longhu (Dragon and Tiger) Sect. Deng Yougong, in Preface to the Orthodox Law of Shangqing Tianxin, records: In the 5th year of the Chunhua period of Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty (994), Rao Dongtian, an old clerk from Linchuan County, was instructed by a divine being to dig the ground and obtain "a volume of the secret formulas of the Jade Seal Tianxin, named the Royal Law". "

However, he did not understand the reasons for using the formulas and jade registers. Then, a divine being instructed him to seek Master Tan Zixiao, from whom he received the Dao." Thus, Rao Dongtian was called the "Ancestor of Tianxin". The story of obtaining books by digging the ground is naturally a myth, indicating that Rao Dongtian wrote a book on the Orthodox Law of Tianxin. But whether he founded the Tianxin School remains uncertain. By the early Shaoxing period, Lu Zhengguan recompiled the Tianxin Law (Jin Yunzhong, Shangqing Lingbao Renfa, Volume 43), after which the Tianxin Daoist Law became prevalent. Lu Zhengguan, named Shizhong, wrote Wushang Santian Yutang Dafa (The Great Law of the Supreme Three Heavens Jade Hall) and Wushang Santian Yutang Zhengzong Gaoben Neijing Yushu (The Jade Book of the Inner Vision of High Ascent, Orthodox Tradition of the Supreme Three Heavens Jade Hall), which were widely circulated, making him the most famous Taoist priest practicing the Tianxin Daoist Law in the Southern Song Dynasty. Fang Shao, in BoZhai Bian (Notes from BoZhai), Volume 7, wrote: "Court Attendant Lu Shizhong practices the Orthodox Law of Tianxin and is particularly effective in exorcising evil spirits, so he is commonly called Lu Zhengguan."

The Orthodox Law of Tianxin originally emphasized talismans and seals. When it was passed down to Lu Shizhong, he also absorbed new theories, emphasizing that practitioners must focus on inner cultivation, with inner cultivation as the foundation. Wushang Santian Yutang Dafa, Volume 1, states: "The Dao is within me. Through long-term cultivation, one can become a true being. Once my true essence is achieved, I can use the surplus to supplement the deficiency, so everything is the law." Volume 30 of the book discusses that to salvation of souls, one must first achieve mystical skills oneself. When performing rituals, as long as "one unites inner qi with outer qi, and outer spirits with inner spirits, the response will be as immediate as an echo." During the Southern Song Dynasty, Liao Shouzhen also transmitted the Orthodox Law of Tianxin, forming a branch of Tianxin.

In Daofa Huiyuan (Compendium of Taoist Methods), Volume 246, Tianxin Disi Dafa (The Great Law of Tianxin and Earthly Ministry), Peng Yuantai's Preface to the Law records: "In the past, Master Liao Zhenren (Liao Shouzhen) practiced the Great Cavern Method and recited the Scripture of Salvation. The Northern Emperor sent Yin Jiao to assist the Zhenren in cultivating the great elixir, and wherever he went, plagues were eliminated." Volume 247 of Daofa Huiyuan records its transmission lineage: Liao Shouzhen passed it to Xiao Anguo, who passed it to Peng Yuantai, who passed it to Shi Baiyun, who passed it to Fei Wenheng, who passed it to Chen Yizhong. Chen Yizhong lived during the Yanyou period of the Yuan Dynasty, indicating that this lineage was passed down from the Southern Song to the Yuan Dynasty. In the Yuan Dynasty, Lei Shizhong transmitted the Orthodox Law of Tianxin.

According to Continuation of the Comprehensive Mirror of True Immortals Through the Ages Practicing Taoism, Volume 5, Biography of Lei Mo'an, Lei Shizhong (1221–1295), styled Kehan, also known as Mo'an, was originally from Yuzhang and later settled in Jinniu Town, Wuchang, Hubei. In his youth, he studied poetry and prose, mastered the Book of Songs, and was recommended by the local government three times. Later, he devoted himself to Taoism. It is said that on the third day of the third lunar month in the year of Gengwu (1270), while he was reciting the Scripture of Salvation at the Taoist altar, Lu Zhengguan descended and taught him the "Mixed Yuan Six Heavens Wish-Fulfilling Daoist Law", instructing him to "greatly promote our teaching". It was also said that this teaching was transmitted by the Supreme Lord Laozi and "focused on the Scripture of Salvation". (Both he and Liao Shouzhen's lineage emphasized reciting the Scripture of Salvation, which seems different from Jin Yunzhong's claim that Tianxin originated from the Zhengyi Celestial Master.) Afterwards, "people from all over heard of his extraordinary Daoist practice, and the number of those who came to his door increased daily. He had thousands of disciples, divided into two branches: the Southeast and Western Shu (Sichuan). The first to be initiated were Masters Lu and Li, and Zha Taiyu from Nankang. Thus, the Dao of Lu and Li spread in Western Shu, and the Dao of Taiyu spread in the Southeast. The Mixed Yuan teaching flourished in the world. His works, such as Xinyao Xuanyao (Outline of the Heart Method), Daofa Zhizhi (Direct Point of the Daoist Law), and Yuandao Ge (Song of the Origin of the Dao), all expound the wonders of Mixed Yuan penetration and transformation." According to this, the Tianxin School transmitted by Lei Shizhong can also be called the Mixed Yuan School, which was the most prosperous among all branches of the Tianxin School. There are no records of its activities in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Whether it merged into the Zhengyi School by the end of the Yuan Dynasty remains to be further studied.