There are two major sects in Taoism: Zhengyi and Quanzhen. In terms of diet, Quanzhen Taoists are vegetarian; Zhengyi Taoists can drink alcohol and eat meat on non-fasting days. It is said that historically, the Tianshi Dao (Celestial Master Taoism) also had a rule of "four forbidden foods", namely not eating beef, mullet, wild goose, and dog meat. This is because the ox is regarded as loyal, the mullet as filial, the wild goose as faithful, and the dog as righteous.
Si Bu Chi (四不吃): The Four Forbidden Foods
Sacred Dietary Restrictions in Ancient Daoist Tradition
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Understanding Daoist Dietary Traditions
Daoism encompasses two major schools with distinct dietary practices: Quanzhen (全真) practitioners maintain strict vegetarian diets, while Zhengyi (正一) practitioners may consume alcohol and meat on non-fasting days.
However, historical records reveal that the ancient Tianshi Dao (Celestial Masters school) observed a unique dietary restriction known as Si Bu Chi (四不吃) - "Four Forbidden Foods" - based on profound spiritual and moral principles.
The Two Great Daoist Schools
🏔️ Quanzhen Dao (全真道) - Complete Perfection School
Founded in the 12th century, Quanzhen practitioners embrace celibacy and strict vegetarianism as fundamental to spiritual cultivation. They believe that consuming meat creates karmic obstacles and clouds spiritual clarity, making plant-based nutrition essential for achieving immortality.
🏠 Zhengyi Dao (正一道) - Orthodox Unity School
The older of the two schools, Zhengyi practitioners may marry and maintain more flexible dietary practices. They can consume alcohol and meat on non-ritual days, recognizing that spiritual cultivation can occur within worldly engagement while maintaining ceremonial purity when required.
The Four Forbidden Foods (四不吃)
The ancient Tianshi Dao established four specific dietary prohibitions, each representing a sacred virtue that practitioners must honor through their dietary choices:
Beef (牛肉) - Honoring Loyalty
Niu Zhong (牛忠) - "The ox represents loyalty." Cattle serve humanity faithfully throughout their lives, working tirelessly in fields and providing sustenance. Consuming their flesh would dishonor their selfless service and loyalty to humankind.
Black Fish (乌鱼) - Honoring Filial Piety
Wu Yu Xiao (乌鱼孝) - "The black fish represents filial piety." Black fish (snakehead fish) are known for their extraordinary parental care, with mothers sacrificing their own flesh to feed their young when food is scarce, exemplifying the ultimate parental devotion.
Wild Geese (鸿雁) - Honoring Fidelity
Yan Zhen (雁贞) - "The wild goose represents chastity and fidelity." Wild geese mate for life, and when one partner dies, the survivor often refuses to seek another mate, symbolizing unwavering loyalty and marital fidelity.
Dog Meat (狗肉) - Honoring Righteousness
Gou Yi (狗义) - "The dog represents righteousness." Dogs embody unwavering loyalty, courage in protecting their families, and selfless devotion. Their righteous nature and faithful companionship make them sacred companions unworthy of consumption.
The Philosophy Behind the Prohibitions
These dietary restrictions reflect fundamental Daoist values that extend far beyond mere food choices. Each prohibition teaches practitioners to recognize and honor the noble qualities exemplified by these creatures in the natural world.
The Four Cardinal Virtues
Loyalty (忠), Filial Piety (孝), Chastity/Fidelity (贞), and Righteousness (义) represent the foundation of Confucian moral philosophy, adopted and honored within Daoist practice. By refusing to consume animals that embody these virtues, practitioners align themselves with cosmic moral order.
This approach demonstrates the Daoist understanding that spiritual cultivation must encompass compassionate recognition of virtue wherever it appears in nature, fostering harmony between human consciousness and the natural world's inherent wisdom.
Historical and Cultural Context
The Tianshi Dao (天师道), or Celestial Masters school, founded by Zhang Daoling in the 2nd century CE, represents one of the earliest organized Daoist movements. These dietary prohibitions likely emerged from the school's integration of Daoist natural philosophy with Confucian moral teachings.
Unlike the later strict vegetarianism of Quanzhen Daoism, the "Four Forbidden Foods" represented a nuanced approach to ethical eating that recognized spiritual significance in specific animals while allowing flexibility in other dietary choices.
This practice illustrates the sophisticated moral reasoning of ancient Daoist practitioners, who saw dietary choices as opportunities to cultivate virtue and demonstrate respect for the natural world's inherent wisdom and teaching.
Relevance for Modern Practitioners
While few contemporary Daoists strictly observe the "Four Forbidden Foods," the underlying principles remain profoundly relevant. The practice encourages mindful consideration of our relationship with animals and recognition of virtue in all forms of life.
Modern ethical eating movements often echo these ancient insights: recognizing animal intelligence, emotional capacity, and social bonds as factors worthy of moral consideration in our dietary choices.
Whether pursuing traditional Daoist practice or contemporary mindful living, these teachings invite us to see our food choices as expressions of our deepest values and opportunities to cultivate compassion, wisdom, and harmony with the natural world.
"In honoring the virtues we observe in nature's creatures, we cultivate those same qualities within ourselves, transforming simple dietary choices into profound practices of spiritual development and moral refinement."
