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部西大成派、东大成派、大成元墩派的历史沿革。在北京郊区的黄村，有一座名为保明寺的尼姑庙，是明朝天顺时代(1457年-1464年)皇帝下令修建的。它成为西大成教的中心，这是一个民间宗教。本文论述了这座寺庙和西大成派及其分支东大成派，特别是大成元墩派的形成、历史和教义。东大成派(文翔派)是王森在明朝万历初年(1573年-1620年)创立的。1622年，东大成教信徒在北中国为明朝起义。在该教派起义被征服后，一个叫宫长的人继承了该教派，公昌于1624年创立了大成元墩教派。公昌是王森的追随者。1624年被称为“末日”(今世末日)。大程元敦派的《圣经》主张在今世末日会发生许多灾难，弥勒下山救人，在人间建立“千年王国”式的理想世界。他的追随者们钦佩贡昌是弥勒的化身。大程元敦派也继承了西大成派。本研究以公昌及其继承人穆仁的生平为研究对象，旨在弄清大程元敦派的创立和传承过程。这项研究也是明清时期中国北部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.