Conferment is an important ritual in Taoist rituals, the main content of which is to confer the immortal seal on the sheng, that is, to confer the degree to the new entrant. From the conferral ceremony, it symbolizes that the recipient has officially become an orthodox Taoist priest after the ritual ceremony, and has the function of communicating with people and gods. For the people of the Daomen, the conferral is of great significance, because the recipient must not only purify his heart and body, but also comprehend all kinds of methods, mantras, and rituals, etc., in order to obtain the approval of the Heavenly Venerable, and then obtain the Dharma Urn.
In Taoist magic, the word "箓" contains the meaning of "record", "tell", and "count". The Sutra is a book that records the events of the heavenly gods, gods, gods, and ghosts. In the Taoist gate, the role of the "urn" is very large, because only the cultivator who has obtained the "sutra" can be called a person of the Tao. If you want to attain the Dharma, pray for the sake of fasting, exorcise evil spirits, pray for blessings and auspiciousness, etc., you must first obtain the Dharma Jar, that is, the Sutra Precept Dharma Urn, etc., to clearly indicate the path that the practitioner is cultivating, doing, and holding.
The origin of the ceremony can be traced back to the Eastern Han Dynasty, when Master Zhang Daoling had already taught the scriptures and precepts in Shudi, creating a precedent for the conferral of Taoism. With the passage of time, the ceremony of conferring the urn was gradually perfected and standardized, and became an important ritual in the Daomen. In the Tang and Song dynasties, the ceremony of conferring the urn in the Daomen was quite complete and standardized, and gradually formed different factions and systems.
In Taoism, the ordination ceremonies vary from sect to sect, but they are generally presided over by highly trained Taoist priests, and there are certain procedures and norms. First of all, the Taoist priest who presides over the ceremony will make an announcement to the gods of the heavens, immortals, and real people, and then confer on the new initiates the Dharma urn, sutra precepts, etc. In the process of conferring the ordination, new entrants need to swear to abide by the precepts of the Dao, practice the Dao Dharma, save people and ghosts, and serve the people. After receiving the Dharma Jar, new entrants still need to go through a period of study and practice before they can truly grasp the essence of the Dao and the way to use it.
In addition to the ordination ceremonies held in Taoist temples, there are also some folk beliefs and local customs that exist in similar ceremonies. Although these folk ordination ceremonies are different from the Taoist conferments, their core meanings are the same: inheriting and promoting the Taoism, praying for the blessings of the gods, and driving away evil spirits.
In modern society, although Taoism is not the dominant religion, the ordination ceremony is still regarded by some as a sacred traditional ritual. For some Taoist believers, obtaining the Dharma Urn is not only a symbol of honor and status, but also a responsibility and mission. They believe that by practicing the Tao, doing good deeds and accumulating virtues, and helping the world, they can obtain the blessings and blessings of the Heavenly Venerable, and make their lives more fulfilling and meaningful.
In short, the conferral is an important ritual in Taoism, which means that the monk has officially become an orthodox Taoist priest and has the ability to communicate with people and gods. Through the ordination ceremony, the practitioner can gain a deeper understanding of the essence of the Tao and the way to apply it, so as to better serve human society and the natural world. At the same time, the ceremony is also a way to promote traditional Chinese culture, which has positive significance for inheriting and promoting Chinese culture.