Category

Daoism

Time Period

To be determined

Size

67.8 × 148.5 cm

Material

Paper

Mainly practiced in the southwestern region of China, it iscommon to find a large-scale diagram of deities called the "Zong Zhen Tu " (總真圖) prominently displayed at the center of Taoist altars and temples. They are considered a crucial ritual artifact in Daoist practice. The arrangement of the deities in the Illustration of the Daoist Pantheon (Zhu Shen Tu) hanging scroll follows a top-tobottom order. At the topmost position are the Three Pure Ones (San Qing), symbolizing the celestial manifestation of the Taoist cosmological principles and representing the highest spiritual essence of Taoism; the "Way" itself. Below them, the central figure takes prominence, followed by the Dong Wang Gong (Eastern Prince), Xi Wang Mu (Queen Mother of the West), and Dou Lao (Mother of the Great Wagon) who are arranged in a hierarchical manner on both sides. This composition creates a clear depiction of the divine hierarchy and showcases the relationship between different gods within the Taoist pantheon.

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