ACKERMANAt a glance
History, context & interpretation
The text and its story
A vast collection of scriptures, rituals, alchemy, meditation and talismans. Earlier versions had been destroyed by imperial order in 1281.
Traditional attribution
The complete scriptures of the Daoist religion.
Historical scholarship
Compiled by imperial order under the Zhengtong Emperor of the Ming dynasty.
Context and curiosity
The complete canon fills over 5,000 scrolls.
Chronology and transmission
This text belongs to China (Ming China). The catalogue gives its approximate dating as 1445 CE (with supplement 1607) and original language or script as Classical Chinese. The dated manuscript witnesses and traditional claims may not refer to the same historical event.
Sources and further reading
Historical descriptions are educational summaries. Religious traditions, scholarly interpretations and unverified claims are distinguished where possible; imagery may be illustrative rather than an artifact photograph.
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