I am really interested in doing my final project about the deities in Daoism. I think Daoism is a really interesting religion because it doesn’t worship gods in the same way that other religions do. Daoist deities are lesser known among most people, and I would like to do research on who the deities are and what kind of powers they hold and why. I want to know if there are any special rituals or worship practices that go with them.
The journey of Mulian really made me start thinking about the importance of Chinese myth. I know that Mulian is a Buddhist story and not a Daoist story. I am particularly interested in Daoism because it originated in China, unlike Buddhism. I want to know what relationship the important Daoist figures have to the ancient Chinese burial practices and the five phases and the yin yang. It is important to understand Daoism because it wasn’t there at the beginning and it isn’t widely practiced now, but it has made a major influence on Chinese culture.
The reading we did about oracle bones and I want to know if the rankings of the spirits translate to the Daoist Deities. What are the differences, if any, between major and minor deities. I want to know exactly how much control deities have over the lives of people.
