The robes of a Taoist priest

[poetguy]

I'm wondering if anyone here can help me with information regarding the ritual and magical elements of a Taoist priest's robes. So far I haven't found anything written in any book regarding the robes. The Art Institute of Chicago put on an exhibition called Taoism and the Arts of China, and their website has two pages that deal with the kinds of things that get depicted on Taoist robes:

 

AIC Robes 1

AIC Robes 2

 

Online research into magical Taoism just wouldn't be complete without the words of everyone's favorite self-promoting gun collector with excellent hair, Mak Tin Si. He offers a lot of intriguing information in a forum post at about.com, but his information is perhaps not the most reliable.

 

What is your understanding of the robes? Are the trigrams and star patterns and deities only for decoration, or are robes, in some way, a wearable talisman? Are robes given to students as part of ordination? If so, are the robes seen as a technique for the transmission of power through lineage?

 

Thanks in advance for your ideas, thoughts, suggestions, and experience.

Edited August 23, 2010 by poetguy

[Samuel]

I'm wondering if anyone here can help me with information regarding the ritual and magical elements of a Taoist priest's robes. So far I haven't found anything written in any book regarding the robes. The Art Institute of Chicago put on an exhibition called Taoism and the Arts of China, and their website has two pages that deal with the kinds of things that get depicted on Taoist robes:

 

AIC Robes 1

AIC Robes 2

 

Online research into magical Taoism just wouldn't be complete without the words of everyone's favorite self-promoting gun collector with excellent hair, Mak Tin Si. He offers a lot of intriguing information in a forum post at about.com, but his information is perhaps not the most reliable.

 

What is your understanding of the robes? Are the trigrams and star patterns and deities only for decoration, or are robes, in some way, a wearable talisman? Are robes given to students as part of ordination? If so, are the robes seen as a technique for the transmission of power through lineage?

 

Thanks in advance for your ideas, thoughts, suggestions, and experience.

 

----------------

 

Disclaimer: I'm here to gather information for a story I'm writing. I'm doing research on 19th-Century Chinese magical Taoism.

 

While I can't really help myself, I did come across a website that might help you, I don't know how reliable it is.

 

http://en.daoinfo.org/wiki/Daoist_Headdresses_and_Dress

 

I also suggest you have a look round the rest of the site, it's very interesting. =]

 

 

Oooh, you're writing a book? I have you read Journey to the west? Might be helpful bits and pieces in there!