Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 45: What was the original plan for the Yellow Turban Rebellion?
Night fell, and all was silent. Only a wisp of smoke rose from the temple, disappearing into the vast starry sky. The warmth and aroma of cooked food permeated the cold night, bringing peace to the year's end.

Inside the temple, the iron cauldron hummed softly before the stove. The millet inside was cooked, and the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao and the Heavenly Physician Zhang Bao personally distributed it to the leaders and their disciples.

"Peace and prosperity reign!"

"May there be peace!..."

As a gathering of the leaders of the Taiping Dao (Way of Peace), the food was better than what they had eaten at the Daoist temple in Jizhou. The earthenware pots contained coarse, heavy millet. On the ceramic dishes were pickled mustard greens, pickled mustard greens, and yellow garlic. There was also salted fish brought by the leaders, stewed with snow water until tender, which was poured over the millet rice and tasted very delicious!
"Ah! It smells so good!..."

Gao Daonu ate three bowls in one go, completely satisfied, and leaned against the wall to exhale. Zhang Chengfu sat cross-legged, slowly chewing the fragrant millet rice, while also carefully observing the others eating.

Such food was naturally incomparable to that of the wealthy and powerful families who enjoyed sumptuous meals, and even less so to the lavish feasts of the rich and powerful. At best, it was at the level of a wealthy peasant in the village.

However, in these years of drought and plague, for ordinary people, a mouthful of millet and a sip of salted sauce are the most abundant gifts in the cold weather! And if they can eat their fill, that is an even greater blessing!

"The 'peace' in my Taiping Dao means being able to eat your fill! ~~"

One of the disciples sighed with emotion, and the leaders nodded in agreement. Under the constraints of the two leaders of the Taiping Dao, the Yellow Turbans at this time still maintained the simplicity of farmers and remained close to the lives of ordinary villagers.

At least, within the sight of the Great Teacher and the Heavenly Physician, everyone was doing the same. Even the generous chieftains of the leading side ate their millet rice completely clean. Not a single grain of millet was left in the bowl, so it hardly needed washing.

"Heaven bears witness! These leaders and their followers all believe in the Way of Great Peace. They come from humble backgrounds, pursue the Way of Heaven, and believe that one day the world will be at peace! Under the blessing of this religious faith, the discipline of the Way of Great Peace followers is stronger than that of ordinary county soldiers, not to mention those outlaw bandits..."

Zhang Chengfu smiled in agreement, but soon fell into deep thought and remained silent.

"However, maintaining this belief in the Way of Peace is by no means easy! Currently, only three great physicians can restrain these tribal leaders and give them hope for the future... But once these great physicians are gone, can these tribal leaders inherit the Way of Peace's tradition and restrain themselves and their subordinates? I'm afraid..."

"Slurp! So much wine from Qi?!"

Gao Daonu, having finished his meal, felt a bit thirsty. His bear-like eyes quickly drifted to the corner of the wall, where the leaders of Qingzhou had brought a large jar of Qi wine. Unfortunately, the Great Teacher and the Heavenly Physician were eating simply and hadn't spoken, so no one dared to drink.

"Drinking soup after a meal is refreshing and invigorating!"

A disciple went and boiled several pots of soup, adding malt, dates, and hawthorn. When Zhang Chengfu drank the very sour and slightly sweet soup, he immediately gritted his teeth from the sourness, and his whole body perked up.

"Drink the soup and rinse your mouth. Sit upright in a kneeling position... and recite the Taiping Jing!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cheng sat up straight and looked at the head of the table. His second uncle, Zhang Bao, had already taken out a bamboo scroll of the *Taiping Qingling Jing* (Scripture of Great Peace and Clear Leadership). This set of scriptures consisted of 170 volumes, most of which were kept at the Jizhou Taoist temple, with a small portion carried by three great physicians. Zhang Bao then led the chieftains in reciting three sections of the scripture, each with its own specific meaning.

"Human beings are born with the energy of heaven and earth, are nourished by the kindness of their parents, eat the fruits of the five grains, and drink the clear water of rivers. If one can purify one's heart and reduce desires, speak and act righteously, do good deeds and accumulate virtue, not bully the weak and small, and not disrespect heaven and earth, then one is a superior person..."

This was the original tenet of the Way of Peace: "to encourage good deeds and practice the Way," which already had its rudiments in the Western Han Dynasty.

"Most illnesses arise from the loss of Qi; the source of this loss of Qi often stems from a disturbed mind. A kind heart leads to harmonious Qi, and harmonious Qi ensures the smooth flow of all Qi. Those who practice medicine must possess a compassionate heart, refrain from reckless speech and indiscriminate actions, and always keep the well-being of the people in mind..."

This is the method of spreading the Way of Great Peace, "practicing medicine and helping the world," which gradually became a system in the early Eastern Han Dynasty.

"The Yellow Heaven shall rise, and peace shall come. Heaven and earth shall be transformed, and the world shall be restored to order. The people shall cultivate virtue, and all shall unite as one. The Great Way is not far, it lies in a single thought; peace is not difficult, it lies in a single action… Abandon strife, quell greed, men and women shall respect each other, fathers and sons shall be affectionate, superiors and inferiors shall be in harmony, and villages shall be free of litigation—this is the law of the Yellow Heaven. May all beings cherish compassion and follow the path of righteousness, together creating a peaceful and tranquil world!"

This was the goal pursued by the Way of Great Peace: "to establish the Yellow Heaven," a concept proposed by the three Zhang brothers during the propagation of their doctrines at the end of the Han Dynasty. From its initial Daoist beliefs, to medical techniques, and then to political ideals…

The Taoist sect has been developing and rising for four hundred years, absorbing the ideas introduced by Buddhism, but it is more pragmatic than Buddhism and has taken deep root in the countryside and among the common people. This is how the Taiping Dao (Way of Peace) came to be at the end of the Han Dynasty!

Zhang Chengfu listened attentively and recited the text, recalling many things from the meaning of the "Taiping Dao" and wanting to do even more!

At this moment, these peace and tranquility principles, which were in line with the times, washed away the murderous intent in his heart, and were like an iron hammer, forging him into more steadfast steel... until the leaders and disciples finished reciting them, and with sincere hearts, they prayed together.

"May Heaven above bring peace!"

Zhang Chengfu then bent down, feeling the warmth of the brazier, and bowed to the two physicians at the head of the table.

"May there be peace!..."

A community with shared faith is always unforgettable. It's as if everyone can open their hearts, radiating light and warmth. This light can overlap, like countless torches illuminating a field, and like the breath of countless people melting away millennia-old ice and snow!

Then, it's like a drunken stupor without a headache, allowing you to lean on someone's shoulder and drift into a peaceful, relaxed sleep. This is what it means to be kindred spirits! A fleeting experience, unforgettable for a lifetime. Even if, in the end, we part ways…

"Second brother, who are my fellow practitioners of the Way of Peace?"

“Brother, those who uphold the principles of peace and seek to save the people are our kindred spirits!” The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao nodded slightly, remaining silent. He sat beneath the statue of the Eastern Peak Emperor, facing the brazier. The flickering firelight illuminated the statue's serene face and its deep eyes.

He gazed at the empty main hall, the night as deep as ink, the firelight flickering like torches. The voices in the main hall had dispersed, and the leaders had all gone to the side halls of the temple, where they and their disciples slept on the floor to rest.

Only Zhang Bao was in the hall, his eyes gleaming. He stared at his elder brother Zhang Jiao, his expression solemn, and asked in a deep voice.

“Brother! Today, we met with the leader in the palace and decided on the strategy to start the uprising in the year of Jiazi, with the area from Onozawa to Mount Tai as the center of our operations… Why do you want to change our original plan?”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jiao remained silent for a long time before calmly asking.

"Second brother, what was our original plan?"

Zhang Bao stood ramrod straight, took a deep breath, and spoke in a deep, powerful voice, like a thunderclap held back!

"The original plan was naturally: 'To form alliances with the gentry and the eunuchs, and assassinate the emperor!' Then, whether it succeeded or not, 'The Yellow Turbans of Jingzhou would march north from Nanyang, the Yellow Turbans of Yuzhou would cross Yingchuan to the west, and the Yellow Turbans of Jizhou would march south from Hedong, and the three Yellow Turban routes would converge on Luoyang!'..."

"And once Luoyang falls, this corrupt court and emperor will be completely overthrown! The Way of Heaven that we seek will descend upon the world, ushering in an era of peace!..."

This awe-inspiring plan, this unparalleled ambition, this religious-like aspiration, when spoken in the hall at this moment, seemed to cause the flames in the brazier to dim for a moment, and then startle and throb!
Yet, beneath the statue of the Eastern Peak God, Zhang Jiao remained calm. He looked into Zhang Bao's eyes and nodded.

"That's right, this was our plan beforehand. So, will this plan succeed?"

"Brother, whether we succeed or not, this is our only path!"

"Yes! The only path, if only it could be achieved!..."

Zhang Jiao's voice was somewhat ethereal, filled with emotion and longing. After a few breaths, he smiled and asked.

"So, Zhongdi, what happens after we succeed? What will we do after we capture Luoyang?"

"The natural course is to establish a peaceful and prosperous world, allowing the imperial court to govern by doing nothing, and to find a way for the common people to survive!"

"Yes, governing by non-interference, establishing the Yellow Heaven!..."

Zhang Jiao nodded very seriously, the wrinkles on his forehead smoothing out, like an old man seeing the bright morning sun. Then, he asked with a smile.

"Then, with whom shall we establish the Yellow Emperor? The aristocratic families or the eunuch families? Or shall we become emperors ourselves?"

Hearing this question, Zhang Bao was taken aback. He looked at Zhang Jiao in surprise; this didn't sound like something his elder brother would say!

“Brother! What do you mean by that? The three of us brothers are devoted to the pursuit of the Dao, and we have neither wives nor children. We are all past the age of knowing our destiny, how many more years can we live? And which one of us would become this short-lived emperor?”

"Therefore, those who want to become emperor are nothing more than members of the aristocratic families, eunuch families, or relatives of the Liu family whom they themselves have nominated. We, the Way of Peace, will simply watch and prevent the new emperor from having the ability to act recklessly..."

"And the very reason why those aristocratic or eunuch families can cooperate with our Way of Peace is precisely because we only want to overthrow this sinful world and this incompetent emperor, and we don't covet this position. Since they all want this position, let them fight for it among themselves!..."

"Yes! This is the way to save the world that we three brothers have painstakingly found after preaching for more than ten years!"

Hearing his younger brother's reply, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao stroked his short beard, a rare sigh appearing on his face. He gazed at the dark night sky for a long time, letting the firelight outline his face, forming a shadow as ethereal as a cloud. After a long while, he finally sighed and said solemnly.

“Brother Zhong, the reason I changed my plans… is because during the Heavenly Fiend Omen, I found a child possessed by a spirit. I learned two things from him. And I'm willing to believe what he said!”

"Soul possession? The interaction between heaven and man, spirit possession?! Two things? Two prophecies?!"

"Not bad!"

Seeing Zhang Bao's pupils suddenly contract, Zhang Jiao nodded affirmatively and held up two fingers.

"The first thing is, all my previous plans won't work; they'll all fail..."

"Secondly, we are not necessarily required to stand with the eunuchs or gentry. We have another option... to stand with the common people!..."

“?!…”

(End of this chapter)