Xiantiandao
Xiantiandao was founded in Jiangxi in the 17th century Qing dynasty as an offshoot of the Venerable Officials' teaching of fasting (老官齋教; Lǎoguān zhāijiào), a branch of the Dacheng (大乘 "Great Vehicle") or Yuandun (圆顿 "Sudden Stillness") eastern proliferation of Luoism.
He Liao Ku's disciple Yuan Zhiqian (袁志謙, known as the 12th patriarch) spread the teachings from Guizhou to Yunnan, Sichuan, and Hubei, where it flourished.
[12] In 1823 he founded Xigang Tang (西港堂) in Chengdu and worked actively to spread the teachings in the Yangtze River valley.
At colloquy of seven deities (七聖) held in 1843 in Yuncheng (雲城), it was decided that the sect would henceforth be divided into five branches headed by patriarchs named after the Five Elements (water, fire, wood, metal and earth).
[19] Later, An Tianjue (安天爵) of the Wood, Chen Yijing (陈依精) of the Fire, Song Chaozhen (宋潮真) of the Earth were arrested by the Qing government and put to death.
[20] Meanwhile, Li Zhuguan founded the Hall of Western Heaven (西乾堂) as a shelter for members of the Green Lotus sect which was later renamed Dongzhentang (東震堂) by Wang Jueyi (the 15th patriarch of Yiguandao).
In 1860, the sub-sect headed by Peng Yifa was introduced to Guangdong from Hubei province by his follower Chen Fushi 陳復始.
While Huang took over the leadership of the Cangxia branch from Lin Fashan, Li in 1871 founded the Jinxiadong (錦霞洞) temple in Qingyuan.
"[2]Xiantiandao doctrine holds that the origin of the universe is Wusheng Laomu (無生老母; Wúshēng Lǎomǔ; 'Unborn Ancient Mother'), creatrix of all living beings.
The individual Xiantiandao sects all see themselves as carrying out the Mother's intentions by converting people and guiding them on a path of cultivation and reform that will ultimately lead them back to Heaven.
The cultivation urged on members is divided into "inner" and "outer" work (nèigōng, wàigōng), that is, meditation and good deeds, so as to accumulate merits and purify the mind.
As the focus is on a primordial deity superior to all other gods, Xiantiandao sects claim to represent a Way (Dào) that transcends, comes before, and thus overcomes all existing religions.
The Daoyuan diverges from the common maternal pattern by describing the supreme deity as male, naming him "Holiest Venerable Patriarch of the Primordial Heaven" (Zhisheng Xiantian Laozu).
Despite these and many other differences in liturgy, organization, and doctrine, ultimately each Xiantiandao sect represents a variation on a central theme.
