Detailed Introduction
The Treatise on Response and Retribution (Taishang Ganying Pian) is the most famous moral tract in Taoism, hailed as "the world's foremost book of virtue." In roughly 1,700 characters it proclaims the principles of karmic cause and effect in the name of the Supreme Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun). Its opening is that very declaration -- "Calamity and fortune have no gate; they are summoned by people themselves. The retribution of good and evil follows like a shadow" -- two short sentences that have shaped, to their depths, the concept of moral causation in Taiwanese folk religion.
Core Philosophy
The Treatise's central claim is plain: a person's fortune and misfortune are not randomly bestowed by heaven but drawn to them by their own good and evil actions. Between heaven and earth there exist "officers who record transgressions," documenting every person's deeds -- good deeds increase blessings and extend life, while evil deeds diminish blessings and shorten life. The text lists out, one by one, kinds of virtuous conduct (such as loyalty, filial piety, friendship, compassion toward orphans and widows, and kindness without expectation of return) and kinds of evil (such as deceit in a dark room, exploiting subordinates for personal credit, and flattering superiors while deceiving those below) -- a practical ruler to measure daily conduct against.
The Merit and Demerit Ledger
Under the Treatise's influence, Taiwanese folk tradition grew its own practice of the "merit and demerit ledger" (gongguo ge) -- each night before sleep you take out a ledger and set down the day's good deeds (merits) and bad deeds (demerits), then look back over the balance from time to time. This practice of self-reflection was extremely popular during the Qing Dynasty, and many phoenix halls (temples that practice spirit-writing divination) continue to promote the merit and demerit ledger today.
Influence in Taiwan
The Treatise on Response and Retribution runs so deep in Taiwanese folk religion as to be nearly everywhere:
- Karmic retribution: the idea that "good is rewarded with good, evil with evil" is a cornerstone of Taiwanese folk belief.
- City God and officers of record: Taiwan's City God temples are known for their plaques reading "Good and evil will ultimately meet their just reward," a direct echo of the Treatise.
- Moral tract tradition: temples throughout Taiwan freely distribute moral tracts, and the Treatise is among the most common.
- Phoenix hall culture: many phoenix halls use the Treatise as their core text for educating and edifying devotees.
Methods of Reading and Practice
- Daily practice: read the Treatise once a day, reflecting on your own conduct against it.
- Vowing to distribute: printing copies of the Treatise for free distribution is one of the most common ways of "accumulating merit" in Taiwanese folk culture.
- Combined practice: keep a merit and demerit ledger of your daily deeds, examining yourself against the Treatise.
Though the Treatise on Response and Retribution is a Taoist text, its principles of karmic cause and effect and its spirit of moral exhortation long ago crossed the lines of religion to become a vital part of the moral fabric of Taiwanese society.