ABSTRACT
In the Mongol world, Daoism encompassed a set of practices, beliefs, and institutions centered on the manipulation of natural forces. In speaking of Daoism as a ‘religion’, we refer to the fact that in addition to the circulation of these ideas and practices, Chinese society contained professional Daoist clergy who practiced rites in dedicated ritual buildings. While Daoist priests were expected to be accomplished in self-cultivation, they provided a broader range of religious services, such as aiding the transmigration of the souls of the deceased, healing the living, and protecting communities from natural disaster, with exorcism rites in particular often employed to resolve worldly difficulties. In the centuries preceding the Mongol conquests, the creators and leaders of Daoist sects were concentrated in southern China, although Daoist priests, temples, and adherents could be found in the north as well.
