Shengdao

圣道 Shèngdào
同善社 Tóngshànshè
ClassificationConfucian folk religious sect
FounderPeng Tairong the Ruzun
Originearly 20th century
Sichuan
Members1929: 30 million[1]
Official websitehttp://tongshanshe.com/
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Chinese folk religion
Stylisation of the 禄 lù or 子 zi grapheme, respectively meaning "prosperity", "furthering", "welfare" and "son", "offspring". 字 zì, meaning "word" and "symbol", is a cognate of 子 zi and represents a "son" enshrined under a "roof". The symbol is ultimately a representation of the north celestial pole (Běijí 北极) and its spinning constellations, and as such it is equivalent to the Eurasian symbol of the swastika, 卍 wàn.
Concepts
Theory

Model humanity:

Practices
Institutions and temples
Festivals
Internal traditions
Major cultural forms

Main philosophical traditions:

Ritual traditions:

Devotional traditions:

Zhenkong, "Void of Truth".
Zhenkong, "Void of Truth".

Salvation churches and sects:

Confucian churches and sects:

Related religions

Shengdao (圣道 "Holy Way" or "Way of the Hallows"), best known by its corporate name Tongshanshe (Chinese: 同善社; pinyin: Tóngshàn Shè; Wade–Giles: T'ung-shan She; lit. 'Society of the Goodness') is a Confucian[2] salvation sect part of the Xiantiandao ("Way of Former Heaven") lineage.[3]

Amongst the Way of Former Heaven sects, the Tongshanshe has been one of the most widespread and influential.[3] Yanshengdao (言圣道 "Way of the Holy Word") is a branch of Shengdao.

  1. ^ Ownby (2008). § 23: «[...] the Tongshanshe claimed thirty million members in 1929 [...]».
  2. ^ D. Palmer. Redemptive Societies as Confucian NRMs?. Journal of Chinese Theatre, Ritual and Folklore / Minsu Quyi, 172 (2011): 1-12. Line 172: «Tongshanshe emphasized that it was “primarily Confucian” 以儒家為主».
  3. ^ a b Goossaert (2011), p. 100.