White Lotus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White Lotus |
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| 白蓮教 | |
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| Classification | Chinese salvationist |
| Orientation | Maitreya teachings |
| Language | Chinese |
| Founder | Mao Ziyuan (茅子元) |
| Origin | c. 12th century China |
| Branched from | Pure Land Buddhism, Chinese folk religion |
| Absorbed | Chinese Manichaeism |
The White Lotus (simplified Chinese: 白莲教; traditional Chinese: 白蓮教; pinyin: Báiliánjiào; Wade–Giles: Pai-lien chiao; literally "White Lotus Religion") was a special kind of group in China. It mixed different religious ideas and also had political goals. This group believed that a "King of Light" would soon appear. This "King of Light" was thought to be the future Buddha named Maitreya. As the White Lotus groups grew, many Han Chinese people joined them. They found comfort in worshipping a goddess called Wusheng Laomu.
The History of the White Lotus
How the White Lotus Began
The ideas behind the White Lotus group started a long time ago. The very first White Lotus Society was formed around 334–416 CE. It was created by a Buddhist monk named Huiyuan at the Donglin Temple.
Later, during the Northern Song period (960–1126), White Lotus Societies spread across southern China. They taught about Pure Land Buddhism and different ways to meditate. Between the 9th and 14th centuries, followers of Chinese Manichaeism also joined these groups. They worked so closely with Buddhists that their traditions became very similar.
Founding the White Lotus School
In the 12th century, a Buddhist monk named Mao Ziyuan (c. 1096–1166) brought these scattered groups together. He founded the White Lotus School. He built a special temple where he taught the ideas of the White Lotus. These teachings became the basis for the White Lotus religion.
This new religion was a mix of Buddhism and Manichaeism. It focused on the teachings of Maitreya and encouraged people to be strict vegetarians. It also allowed men and women to interact freely, which was seen as unusual at the time.
Becoming a Secret Group
In the late 1200s, the Mongol Yuan dynasty ruled China. Many people were unhappy with their rule. Small protests grew into bigger ones. Members of the White Lotus joined these protests. Because of this, the Yuan government banned the White Lotus religion. They called it a "heterodox religious sect," meaning it went against official beliefs.
This ban forced the White Lotus members to meet in secret. It became a secret society. The group then became a way for people to resist the government and organize themselves. Even later, the Great Qing Legal Code, which was used until 1912, had laws against groups like the White Lotus. It said that groups meeting in secret, burning incense, and misleading people would be punished. Like other secret societies, they often used "incense burning ceremonies" to hide their activities.
The White Lotus and Rebellions
The White Lotus group was a good place for planning rebellions. Their beliefs and ceremonies helped unite rebel groups. This gave them a common goal and helped them build armies.
A Buddhist monk named Peng Yingyu started a rebellion in the 1330s. Even though it was stopped, he survived and led another rebellion later. This second rebellion used red flags and its soldiers were called the "Red Turbans."
Another big rebellion inspired by the White Lotus started in 1352. A Buddhist monk and former beggar named Zhu Yuanzhang joined this rebellion. He was very smart and became a leader of the rebel army. He gained support by making sure his soldiers did not steal from people. By 1355, the rebellion had spread across much of China.
In 1356, Zhu Yuanzhang captured the important city of Nanjing. He made it his capital. He then started to move away from some of the White Lotus's more unusual beliefs. This helped him get support from Confucian scholars. They helped him claim that he had the "Mandate of Heaven," which meant he had the right to rule. This was the first step to starting a new dynasty.
Meanwhile, the Mongols were fighting among themselves, which made it hard for them to stop the rebellion. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang took control of Guangzhou. That same year, the Mongol ruler fled. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang's army entered Beijing, the former capital. By 1387, after over thirty years of war, Zhu Yuanzhang had freed all of China. He became the Hongwu Emperor and started the Ming dynasty. The name "Ming" (meaning "bright") was chosen because it connected to the White Lotus's idea of the "King of Light."
The Unborn Old Mother
Even though the White Lotus helped overthrow the Yuan dynasty and start the Ming dynasty, it was still banned. Because they couldn't have a central leader, their teachings became very diverse. While Maitreya remained important, a new goddess became popular during the Zhengde Emperor's rule (1506–1521). This was Wusheng Laomu (the Ultimate Old Mother).
She came from Daoist folk religion. People believed she was a special Buddha who never took human form. They thought she would come to Earth to gather all her "children" (people) into one family. She would then guide them safely back to Heaven, which they called the "home of true emptiness."
The Wang Lun Uprising
The White Lotus groups appeared again in the late 1700s. They took many different forms. In 1774, a herbalist and martial artist named Wang Lun started a new group related to the White Lotus. He taught meditation in Shandong province, near Beijing.
His group led an uprising that captured three small cities. They also tried to take the larger city of Linqing, which was important for transportation. Wang Lun had some early success, but he was outnumbered and defeated by government troops.
Wang Lun likely failed because he didn't get much public support. He didn't share captured wealth or food, nor did he promise to lower taxes. His army never grew very large, and many soldiers were forced to join.
The White Lotus Rebellion
Starting in 1794, about twenty years after Wang Lun's uprising, another movement began. This one was in the mountains between Sichuan, Hubei, and Shaanxi. It started as protests against high taxes. The White Lotus led poor settlers in this rebellion. They promised personal salvation if people were loyal. The rebellion grew in size and power, becoming a serious problem for the government.
The government responded by moving people into fortified villages and organizing militias. They hunted down rebel groups but also offered forgiveness to those who left the rebellion. The rebellion ended in 1804. The Daoguang Emperor later admitted that local officials had been extorting money from people. This unfair treatment had pushed people to rebel.
The Eight Trigrams Uprising
In the early 1800s, several White Lotus groups were active near Beijing. Lin Qing, a member of the Eight Trigrams sect (part of the White Lotus), united some of these groups. He then led them in the Eight Trigrams uprising in 1813.
Officials also seized and destroyed religious writings used by these groups. One official, Huang Yupian, wrote a book in 1838 called A Detailed Refutation of Heresy. In it, he argued against the ideas in these writings using traditional Confucian and Buddhist views. This book has become very important for understanding what these groups believed.
How the Term "White Lotus" Was Used Later
Historians have often linked many rebellions during the Ming and Qing dynasties to the White Lotus. However, some experts, like B. J. Ter Haar, believe that "White Lotus" became a general label. Government officials used it to describe many different uprisings, secret societies, or "magical" practices. So, if this is true, the increase in "White Lotus" rebellions in historical records doesn't mean the group itself was getting stronger. Instead, it shows that officials were becoming more worried about any form of Buddhism practiced outside of official temples.
Popular Culture
- In the martial-arts movie Once Upon a Time in China II, members of the White Lotus are shown as bad guys.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender, a cartoon TV show, features a secret group called the Order of the White Lotus.
See also
In Spanish: Loto Blanco para niños
