On: “Morning & Evening…”

“Morning and Evening Services of the Quanzhen Order”, by Sung-Hai Kim

Read: 7/2022
Topics: Daoism, Daoist history, Daoist Services (Gongke)
Recommend? Yes!
For: Those studying/exploring Daoist history

“In the preface of the Baingan text it is clearly stated that the Gongke is the door through which one enters the world of the Dao; the direct path to become an immortal, and the very steps by which one ascends to the world of the immortals” (Sung-Hae Kim)

Though this work was a brief analysis, I picked up some very simple and informative concepts from this writing, including the fact that the focuses of the morning and evening Gongke are different. The morning focuses on self-cultivation, and the evening focuses on petitions for mercy and the relief of the sufferings of others. I was also interested to note the beginnings of both are by “walking the void”.

“…the recitation of morning and evening services themselves is conceived as an effective way of deliverance. There is an intriguing combination of self-power and other-power in this area of deliverance.” (Sung-Hae Kim)

The practice of observing the Gongke is, in itself, a path to immortality. I also read with interest the influence of Buddhism and to a lesser degree, Confucianism, on the content of the Gongke. I appreciated the author’s excellent breakdown of the formats of morning and evening prayers. This kind of organizational structure really helps me to understand the deeper intentions behind every part of the service.

As a result of reading this informative analysis, I decided to begin introducing a more compassionate/external focus to my evening sessions, such as using prayer beads and specific prayers for the well-being of others.