Another claimant emerges for China’s Taoist papacy

TAIPEI, Taiwan—Zhang Daoling, the first Taoist pope, won’t be able to sleep in peace at Dragon-Tiger Mountain in China’s Jiangxi.

China’s first Celestial Master, so deified in the first century, would be irate, if he were really immortal, if he were to see that he has a couple or more of heirs to his papacy.

Almost as soon as Zhang Daochen had ascended the Taoist papal throne with fanfare less than two months ago, there appeared a contender claiming to be the real Celestial Master.

Both of them live in Taiwan. Four more claimants reside in China.

The latest claimant in Taiwan, Zhang Yijiang, is endorsed by Hung Wen-chang, secretary-general at the Office of the Celestial Master.

Hung said Zhang Yijiang is the rightful 65th Celestial Master. Zhang Daochen is the 64th Taoist pope.

What Hung meant is that the 64th Celestial Master is now dethroned.

The new pope, not yet crowned like his predecessor, claims his grandfather is the fourth son of Zhang Yuanxu, the 62nd Celestial Master at Dragon-Tiger Mountain.  Read Article