Wei Huacun - The First Female to Found a Major Religion

Females that have founded religions are a rare breed, and Wei Huacun (252 - 334 AD) did it first. Thanks to her efforts in the late 3rd century, the founding tenets of Shangqing Taoism were given life. Though the Taoist sect didn't technically start until Huacun's successor organized the religion, he gave full credit to her as the founder.

Barely anybody practices Shangqing Taoism anymore, but it was the dominant force of the Tang dynasty in the 8th and 9th century. Perhaps not surprisingly, its beginnings with a female led to an unprecedented number of women playing important roles in the faith. A full third of Shangqing's religious leaders were women during the Tang dynasty, something none of today's major religions come close to. 

But before any of that could happen, Wei Huacun had to build the foundation necessary to grasp the realizations that led to her faith. Follow along as I cover her deeply religious father, her unparalleled education (compared to other women at least), and the mystical elements she purported in order to gain the attention of others.

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Credits
Host: C.J. Weiss
Music: Bobby Hall