White Lotus Symbol

Mental purity, spiritual perfection, and disobedience are all represented by this symbol.

A monk named Master Huiyuan and a group of like-minded monks created the White Lotus Club in China in AD 402 as a secret society. Master Huiyan erected a large lotus pond, which the group was named for. They followed the Buddhist five precepts of discipline, revered the Amitabha Buddha, and used pictures and paintings to express the teachings. In addition, the White Lotus Society encouraged men and women to mix, which was not common at the time. Later, when members began to believe that the Buddha would return to Earth and bring mankind salvation, the community took on a millenarian element. They were responsible for the Yuan Dynasty’s demise. The Yuan government then exiled the society. Secret societies were made illegal and then legal again during the next few decades. The White Lotus Society was responsible for the White Lotus Rebellion, which lasted from 1796 until 1804. The uprising was put down by the Qing government, but not before the members depleted the Qing government’s money and undermined its power. People linked with the White Lotus Society could be served and processed up to 1912.

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