There are certain dietary taboos.
In order to pursue immortality, Taoism regards vegetarianism as a precept. Taoism believes that all living beings, including those with energy to live, flying and squirming, are not allowed to be killed. The abstention from eating meat is an extension of the abstention from killing. In addition, the reason why Taoism requires "eliminating grains" is that it believes that grains are harmful to the human body. So, since even grains are harmful, not to mention meat, wine, meat and spicy food, therefore according to Taoist theory, whether you want to become an immortal or live forever , wine, meat, meat and spicy food also need to be fasted. Therefore, vegetarianism has naturally become one of the precepts in Taoist theoretical teachings.
In the Taoist precepts, the formation of the vegetarian diet may be partly influenced by the Buddhist precepts, but it also has its own origins. Before the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Taoism did not seem to have strict vegetarian precepts to cut off meat, or there was such a rule, so vegetarianism was not observed by ordinary Taoist priests. Therefore, many Taoist priests took the lead in drinking alcohol and eating meat. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, when Lu Xiujing and Kou Lianzhi began to rectify and reform Taoism, they particularly emphasized that Taoist priests must abide by the commandment not to eat meat. After the Tang Dynasty, it became a basic precept that Taoist priests must be vegetarians and must not be violated. Even in the national laws of the Tang Dynasty, it was stipulated that Taoist priests and monks were not allowed to eat meat, and violators would be punished.
Among the Taoist sects, the Quanzhen Sect, which takes asceticism as its mission, promotes vegetarianism the most thoroughly. The dietary customs of its Taoist priests are vegetarianism and eating less. The main reasons for this are: First, Quanzhen Religion believes that all living things must not be killed, and abstaining from eating meat means abstaining from killing. It is also the pursuit of natural ecological balance. These are also for the sake of keeping the precepts. The second is that it is beneficial to health and longevity, and the purpose is to pursue immortality. Third, it is important to eat less. Eating more not only affects health and body shape, but also affects the mind and emotions. They unanimously agree with the Taoist method of fasting and believe that it is beneficial to cleaning the intestines and stomach, cutting off filth, and reducing the function of digestion and transformation. load, thus allowing the organs in the body to rest and promoting enlightenment and immortality.
In Taoism, vegetarian food is called "Zhai". Taoist priests who eat vegetarian food in the Zhaitang are called Guozhaitang. There are three main types: Jietang, Guotang and Guotang. Fasting means going to the dining hall to eat at will, which is not a rule. When you go to the dining hall, you have to arrange your meals outside the entrance of the dining hall. You must be neatly dressed. After the Great Hall fast, that is, on the 24th night of the twelfth lunar month, I will pick up the Jade Queen and wait until the end of the noon fast on the fifth day of the first lunar month.
In addition, Taoist priests must make offerings before each meal, and offer food after the meal to make general offerings to gods, humans, and ghosts, in order to establish "three connections."
The above mentioned are intended to present a picture of the life of Taoist priests in actual practice for those who want to embark on the path of "unity of humanity and Taoism". Let them understand the path of Taoist practice from one or more aspects of the life of Taoist priests. For those who want to practice Taoism, this is the first and most basic way to embark on the path of spiritual practice.