廣弘明集 12.14

12.14

The discourse states: Examining from the Han and Wei onwards, the times have traversed nine dynasties. Among them, regarding Daoist priests who disrupted the court with heterodox ways and violated the state with monstrous talk, when perusing the charts and histories, what generation was without them? Under Emperor Xian of the Later Han, Zhang Ling and Zhang Lu deceitfully spoke words of ghosts and falsely made apocryphal texts, saying: 'After the Han mandate is extinguished, the yellow-robed will gain the realm.' Thereupon, together with Zhang Jue of Julu, they acted as external collaborators from afar. They fashioned yellow cloth headbands, wore yellow capes, gathered assemblies and followers, and deceived and enticed the foolish populace, plotting danger to the altars of the soil and grain; soon they were executed and destroyed. Thus the Book of Rites says: 'Those who throw the multitude into confusion through heterodox ways shall be put to death.' At present, the Daoist priests do not wear the attire of Old Lao paying court, but rather don the robes of Zhang Lu which threw the state into turmoil. Master and disciple transmit it from one to another, not altering their bandit ways. As their numbers are already numerous, they band together into bandit factions; perhaps giving rise to illicit ambitions, how could one not take precautions? Calculating their number, there are fifty thousand; if one screens them out to make them able-bodied commoners paying annual taxes and levies, and bearing sons and daughters each year, it will benefit the state, profit the populace, strengthen the army, and encourage farming. According to my humble view: let those who accord with the law be honored and revered, and let those who violate the prohibitions be dismissed and put to work. Thus once the weeds and tares are removed, the farm seedlings will grow luxuriant; once the treacherous and depraved are expelled, the disciples will be pure and orderly. Would that not be good?