tianshi

The term "Tianshi" refers to the "Celestial Master," a title held by the founder and patriarch of the Tianshidao, or "Way of the Celestial Masters," movement within Daoism. This influential Daoist movement emerged in China near the end of the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE).123

Zhang Daoling, considered the founder, claimed a revelation from the sage Laozi and sought to usher in an era of Great Peace. His followers paid a yearly "Five Pecks of Rice" as dues, giving the movement its popular name. The Tianshidao emphasized religious organization and faith healing, believing illness stemmed from sinfulness that could be cured by confession. The patriarchate became hereditary, passing through Zhang Daoling's descendants, including his grandson Zhang Lu, who established a theocratic state in the Hanzhong region. This movement is considered the beginning of organized religious Daoism, with an unbroken lineage to the present day.312