Yiguandao (一貫道), often rendered as “The Way of Pervading Unity” or “The Way of Unity,” is a modern Chinese syncretic religious movement that arose in northern China and became institutionalized in the early twentieth century. It brings together Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Chinese folk religion into a single, overarching vision sometimes described as “One Truth.” Within this framework, the movement affirms that the great teachings of China share a common origin and can be harmonized into a coherent path of self-cultivation and salvation. Its founders and early leaders are revered as central spiritual figures who gave organizational shape to this vision and transmitted it to later generations. Over time, Yiguandao developed a structured network of temples and lay communities, guided by recognized teachers and ritual specialists.

At the heart of Yiguandao’s theology stands the veneration of the Unborn or Heavenly Mother (Wusheng/Wuji Laomu), understood as the ultimate, formless source of all beings and the ground of all religious truth. From this perspective, Confucian ethics, Taoist cosmology, Buddhist ideas of karma and rebirth, and popular devotional practices are not competing systems but complementary expressions of a single reality. The human condition is seen as one of distance from this primordial source, and spiritual life is framed as a journey of “returning to the Origin” or “returning to the Primordial Heaven.” This return is not merely metaphysical; it is inseparable from repaying the grace of Heaven, honoring saints and sages, and embodying filial piety toward parents and ancestors.

Yiguandao places strong emphasis on moral purification and personal cultivation as the concrete expression of its syncretic vision. Ethical discipline—especially filial piety, honesty, and often vegetarianism—functions as both a spiritual practice and a sign of commitment to the Dao it teaches. Ritual life centers on an initiation known as “receiving the Dao,” in which a master symbolically opens a “heavenly portal,” imparts a sacred mantra, and instructs the initiate in moral precepts. Alongside this, practitioners engage in group prayer, scripture recitation drawn from multiple traditions, spirit-writing revelations, and veneration of a pantheon that includes Confucius, Laozi, the Buddha, Guanyin, and other revered figures. Through meditation, ritual, and ethical living, adherents seek spiritual enlightenment and liberation, understood as awakening to the unity underlying all authentic religious paths.

Historically, Yiguandao emerged in a period of social and cultural upheaval and developed into a Chinese salvational religion with a strong sense of urgency about the present age. It teaches that humanity lives in a degenerate era in which the need for salvation and moral renewal is especially acute. This conviction has fueled an active missionary spirit and a dense network of lay communities. Although it faced suppression and persecution in some regions, the movement took root in other Chinese cultural centers and in overseas Chinese communities, where it continued to grow. In this way, Yiguandao stands as a notable attempt to weave the major strands of Chinese religious life into a single path oriented toward moral reform, spiritual return, and the realization of an underlying, unifying truth.