Zheng Yi Dao = Way of Orthodox Unity
Quan Zhen Dao = All True Daoism
There were many other Daoist schools, but none lasted that long or had quite the same impression like these two. First of all, I want to add that our Wudang Academy focuses on Quan Zhen Dao, which can be said to be the ancestors of our today’s understanding of Daoism.
Zheng Yi Dao is way older and originated between Han and Tang Dynasty (25-907) in almost a thousand year’s Zheng Yi Dao developed as a religious cult with occult rituals. Zheng Yi Dao is the origin of the Daoist sexual practice, which Buddhist schools despised during this time. Zheng Yi Dao also inherited shamanistic exercises and included Indian deities.
Quan Zhen Dao developed during the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) and was more like a way of life instead of a religion. Immortality was seen in a much more philosophical way. Many Quan Zhen Priests were scholars with a high degree of education during that time. Quan Zhen Dao developed internal cultivation on a new level with the five element doctrine many other studies based on the Yin-Yang theory.
If you have more to add, please do so on this topic! I am aware that is a brief comparison, but that’s because the topic can be huge. Zheng Yi Daoism changed a lot over the centuries, and it can’t be said that all of it was not good. However, once you get to know a little bit about Daoism, you can immediately tell the differences between these schools and their names should ring a bell!
Research here on Wikipedia if you are interested in Daoist schools! Category: Daoism