三清考

An Investigation of the Sanqing

唐前道教受到佛教的刺激和影響，在科儀、教理等方面都出現了各具特色的變化，同時也產生許多尚待解決的問題。像是各類道經所錄主神紛雜無章的情況，便屢成佛教攻擊道教的口實之一。時至今日，道教至尊神為「三清」雖已廣為人知，但唐前道教的至尊神信仰建構過程不僅事涉漢代以降各種信仰傳統的整合問題，也和道教是否得以和儒釋二教鼎足而立的基礎息息相關。三清信仰的形成在道教史上有巨大影響，但目前對此過程進行完整考察的研究尚寡，且多認為三清成立於南北朝，或不晚於初唐。本文在道經的基礎上，盡可能利用正史材料、文學作品、碑刻題記和造像等相關史料，希冀以更全面的角度追索三清信仰的形成過程，並嘗試還原其發展與變化的軌跡。

In early medieval China, Taoism was influenced by Buddhism in various respects, like their scriptures and rituals, and many other essential issues have been raised. For example, the complicated system of divinities in Taoist scriptures became one of the reasons that Buddhists used to criticize Taoism. The issue not only concerned how to reorganize the traditions of various faiths prevalent from the Han Dynasty, but concerned whether Taoism could confront Confucianism and Buddhism as a Teaching. Although the Sanqing concept is so well-known and has a vast influence in the history of Taoism, investigations into its formation and early usage are scarce so far. The scholarly consensus is that the Sanqing as a supreme god hierarchy was established in the Northern and Southern dynasties or by the early Tang Dynasty. For more clarification, this article utilizes Taoist scriptures and other materials, such as historical documents, literary works, stone inscriptions as well as images, in order to enhance the historical understanding of its formation and change.