Wu-tsung

views updated

Wu-tsung (814–46). Chinese emperor (841–6) of the T'ang dynasty, who espoused the claims of religious Taoism (tao-chiao) for the attainment of immortality. The Taoist hierarchy (tao-shih) urged the suppression of their rivals, the Buddhists, and edicts were issued which led to the virtual destruction of institutional Buddhism.

The principle from this was established that a religion in China will only be allowed if the state permits it; and that ‘foreign’ religions are suspect. This principle (and often specific appeal to Wu-tsung) remains to the present day.

More From encyclopedia.com