Research on the folk religion and cultural-social structure in Ming Qing period China

本研究厘清了明清时期中国北方地区的西大成派、东大成派和大成元敦派的历史。有一个尼姑庵被称为宝明寺这是建立在黄村郊区的皇帝在天顺时代（1457年至1464年）的明。成为民间宗教西大成教的中心。本文论述了这座寺庙以及西大乘派及其分支、东大乘派，特别是大乘圆敦派的形成、历史和教义。东大乘派（文象派）是明万历初年（1573- 1620）由王森创立的。1622年，东大成派信徒在北方发动了一场反明起义。此教起义被镇压后，一个叫龚昌的人继承了此教，龚昌于1624年建立了大成元敦教。龚昌是王森的追随者，1624年被称为“末节”（世界末日）。《大乘圆寂经》主张末世多灾多难，弥勒菩萨下凡，拯救世人，在人间建立“千年王国”式的理想世界。他的追随者崇拜龚昌作为弥勒的化身。本研究通过对龚昌及其继任者穆仁生平的考察，以厘清大成元敦派的创立与传承过程，并以此作为明清时期北方民间宗教形成研究的一部分。

This research clarified the history of West Dacheng sect, East Dacheng sect and Dacheng yuandun sect in Northern China during the Ming and Qing periods. There was a nunnery known as Baoming temple which was built in huangcun village on the outskirts of Beijing by order of the emperor in the Tianshun era (1457-1464) of the Ming. It became the center of West Dacheng sect, a folk religion. I deal with this temple and the formation, history and doctrines of the West Dacheng sect as well as its offshoots, the East Dacheng sect and especially Dacheng yuandun sect.East Dacheng sect (Wenxiang sect) was established by Wang Sen in early Wan-li era (1573- 1620) of Ming. In 1622, the believers of East Dacheng sect caused a revolt for the Ming dynasty in Northern China. After the revolt of this sect was subjugated, a man called Gong Chang succeeded the sect.Gong Chang established Dacheng yuandun sect in 1624. Gong Chang was the adherent of Wang Sen. The year 1624 was known as the time of "mo-jie" (The end of present world). The Scriptures of Da-cheng yuan-dun sect advocated that many disasters would occur at the end of present world, and that Maitreya would descend, save the people and establish "thousand-year kingdom" type of ideal world on earth. His adherents admired gong Chang as the incarnation of Maitreya. Da-cheng yuan-dun sect also succeeded to West Da-cheng sect. This research studied about the career of Gong Chang and his successor Muren to make clear the process of foundation and succession of Da-cheng yuan-dun sect. This research also forms part of a study aimed at elucidating the formation of folk religions in Northern China during the Ming and Qing periods.