Tao Magic 002

"The present selection of Taoist magic diagrams, talismans and charms has been taken from the most esoteric of the 1.464 works preserved in the Tao-tsang, the 1436 (early Ming dynasty) edition of the Taoist canon, and other Ming and Ch'ing dynasty manuals. The Tao-tsang, first published about AD 1190, was originally an even larger collection before its burning was ordered by Kublai Khan of the Mongol (Yüan) dynasty in 1281." pág 8


"(...) once the talismanic calligraphy had been completed by the Taoist priest, who would usually reproduce a canonical prototype, all this spiritual power was immediately transferred to the talisman. It was then used by the individual as a kind of ritual object to retain his direct contact with the spirit.

(...) the Chinese civilization has always shown reluctance to adopt an alphabetic script.

(...) These notes of 'paper-money' were reproduced many thousands of times in the course of a single genaration, only to be used for a single day in a given hour of the magic rite. The highly perishabel material of which they were made was itself a constant reminder of the the cardinal Taoist teaching: the principle of Eternal Change which governs the whole universe. (...)" pág 9