Zhengyi

Zhengyi is a pinyin transliteration that can refer to more than one subject in Chinese language and culture. The term most often appears in religious and naming contexts, and its exact meaning depends on the Chinese characters used to render it.

In Taoism, Zhengyi refers to a major lineage often called Zhengyi Dao or Orthodox Unity. The name commonly represents the Daoist tradition associated with the Celestial Masters and a long history of organized ritual practice, temple rites, and talismanic rites. The Zhengyi tradition emphasizes liturgy led by ordained clergy and has played a central role in Daoist institutions, education, and community rites. In modern China, Zhengyi remains one of the principal branches of Daoism, alongside Quanzhen, with organizational presence in temples and Taoist associations both domestically and in overseas communities.

As a personal name, Zhengyi can be a given name or part of a two-character name, and it can be rendered with different Chinese characters. For example, the same pinyin spelling may correspond to characters meaning “righteousness” or to other verbal or nominal forms. Because pinyin does not uniquely determine characters, the precise meaning of Zhengyi as a name depends on the chosen characters and context.

In sum, Zhengyi may denote a Daoist lineage known as Orthodox Unity or refer to people whose Chinese name is read as Zhengyi. Additional context is typically required to identify the intended reference.