Kou Qianzhi

Kou Qianzhi (died 448 ce, China) was a Daoist religious leader who organized many of the ceremonies and rites of the Tianshidao (“Way of the Celestial Masters”) movement and reformulated its theology. His influence was such that he had Daoism established as the official state religion of the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534/535); this act, however, embroiled Daoism in long and often bloody factional political struggles. Kou apparently began his career as a Daoist physician and...