The Plebian Features of Dunhuang Taoism in the Tang and Song Dynasties——A Study Based on Dunhuang Documents

The author has always considered that the predominant culture in the Dunhuang region is plebian,and that under such a cultural background what influences value systems and behavior patterns of the common people living at Dunhuang should therefore be plebian knowledge and thought. Taoism is an indigenous religion born and grown in China and for the common people of Dunhuang in the Tang and Song dynasties,the belief in and understanding of Taoism were also based on plebian thought. For these reasons, this paper discusses the different stages of Taoist popularization in the Dunhuang region during the Tang and Song dynasties, as wells as demonstrating the different features that emerged during each stage.