Celestial Masters

Way of the Celestial Masters - Wikipedia

The Way of the Celestial Masters or the Heavenly Masters Sect^[1] is a Chinese Taoist movement that was founded by Zhang Daoling in 142 AD.^[2]

Its followers rebelled against the Han Dynasty, and won their independence in 194. At its height, the movement controlled a theocratic state in what is now Sichuan.

The Celestial Masters were the first group of organized Daoists.^[1]

Before their foundation, Daoism did not exist as an organized religion.^[1]

Being the first organized religious Daoists, the Celestial Masters are the ancestors of subsequent Daoist movements such as the Shangqing and Lingbao movements.