Wú shàng bì yào 無上祕要
Supreme Secret Essentials
Anonymous; late 6th century (Běi Zhōu)
The earliest Daoist encyclopedia to survive, and one of the indispensable reference works of the entire field. Originally commissioned by Emperor Wǔ of the Běi Zhōu 北周武帝 (r. 560–578) c. 577 as part of his imperial consolidation of Daoism following his suppression of Buddhism. Compiled in 100 juàn (the received Dào zàng copy contains 68 surviving juàn); organized encyclopedically by topic. Preserves vast quantities of Six-Dynasties Daoist material otherwise lost, including whole sections of lost Shàng qīng and Líng bǎo scriptures. Preserved as DZ 1138 / CT 1138 (Tài píng bù 太平部).
Dating. Late 6th century. Dynasty: 北朝.
Translations and research
- Lagerwey, John. Wu-shang pi-yao: Somme taoïste du VIe siècle. Paris: École française d’Extrême-Orient, 1981. The definitive study of the Wú shàng bì yào.
- Schipper, Kristofer M., and Franciscus Verellen, eds. The Taoist Canon. Chicago UP, 2004.