论原始道教形成的两大源流

On Two Origins of the Original Taoism

原始道教的形成有两大源流:一部分为知识士人,属于思想信徒,主要参与对原始经典的创立,利用两汉的社会危机,提出一整套救世方案,即原始道教经典,他们首先试图利用这部经典投靠上层,劝说最高统治者进行政治改良;而另一部分即为下层民众,属于实践信徒,长期活跃在民间,传播神仙术,起着宗教组织者的作用。两大源流原本互不交接,但当知识道徒多次向最高统治者进献救世经典均遭拒绝之后便走向了民间,以民间的神仙教信徒为基本信众,进行传经布道,发动教徒掀起武力夺权的暴力革命,民间信徒即利用其教义进行广泛宣传,从而使信教队伍迅速扩大,原始道教正式形成。

There are two origins of the original Taoism. One originated from scholars, who can be called ideological believers. They used the social crisis in the Western and Eastern Han Dynasties and proposed a set of salvation program, that is, the original Taoist classics by which they tried to persuade the supreme ruler to carry out political reform; the other one originated from the lower classes, who can be called practical believers. They were long-term active at the grassroots level, spread witchcraft and played the role of religious organizers. These two kinds of believers never were in contact with each other until ideological believers knew that their salvation program was refused by the supreme ruler many times. They saw witchcraft followers as the basic believers and mobilized them to launch a violent revolution. At the same time, practical believers gave wide publicity and followers rapidly expanded. The original Taoism was finally formed.