Monday, September 22, 2008

Fulu

Fulu is a term for Taoist practitioners in the past who could draw and write supernatural talismans, ''Fu'' , ''Shenfu'' which they believed functioned as summons or instructions to deities, spirits, or as tools of exorcism, as for ailments. It is believed by Taoists that in the past the ability to write Shenfu had been once decreed by their deities to authorized priests or ''daoshi''. Lu is a register and compilation of the membership of the daoshi as well as the skills they were able to use. These practitioners are also called ''Fulu Pai'' or the ''Fulu Sect'' made up of daoshi from different schools or offshoots of Taojia.

One of the earliest classical scripture referring to Fu was the Huangdi Yinfujing although it does not contain specific instructions to write any talisman. In a Taoist guidance book called ''Tiantang Yiuji'' it was described by ''Lingbao Tianjun'' in chapter six how mortals were once able to perform special feats such as the Disha 72 ways, in which the ability to write and draw Shenfu was skill No.67.

The second chapter of each of the three grottoes in the Daozang is a record of the history and feats of the Fulu Sect.

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