Taoism 101

Lesson 4: Mythology of Taoism

Other Mythic Figures

Other mythic figures populate the Taoist imagination. Perhaps one of the most popular and obvious would be the great sage Laozi. Though originally thought to be nothing more than an enlightened human in touch with the Tao, he would later be called a divine being, and much legend would grow around him. There are several stories of his birth - the most interesting being that he stayed in his mother's womb for eighty-one years, each year composing a verse of the Dao de Jing and eventually being born an old man, complete with beard. This story has interesting numerological and etymological roots: eighty-one is an auspicious number (nine multiplied by nine), and though Laozi is often translated "Master Lao", it can also be translated "Old Baby". This name adds a dimension of paradox and mystery to the figure of Laozi. It is said that Laozi assumes incarnations through out history to help people continue to follow the Tao.

The man who stopped Laozi and asked that he record his wisdom for future generations has also become a figure of mythology. Wen Shi saw a purple mist high in the night sky heading West and knew that a great sage was about to leave China forever. He arranged a post for himself at the frontier town through which the sage would travel, and waited patiently to intercept the sage and ask for his teachings. He met Laozi and was able to record the Dao de Jing as the master dictated it to him. Laozi recognized the brilliance of Wen Shi, but told him to study more and that he would eventually call for him to join him in the enlightened land. Wen Shi studied the Tao and grew in his knowledge, and eventually traveled south, until he found a blue ox. The encounter with the ox lead him to another emanation of his teacher, who told him the time had come that he could join him in the enlightened land. Wen Shi is sometimes considered the first and primary pupil of Laozi.

Finally, there is Xi Wangmu, the Queen Mother of the West. While certainly not an exclusively Taoist figure - she belongs to the pantheons of all Chinese religion - she does figure into Taoist thought. She is thought to reside on a mountain in the West, and may be based on a real historical person - the first mention of her is in the middle of the third century BCE. She often rides a white crane (an auspicious animal) and cultivates the Peaches of Immortality. A great deal of literature surrounds this character, who is often the subject of devotion of older, married women.

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