| Summary: | Chinese Buddhists in the Eastern Han initially employed the term <i>libai</i> to denote a supreme ritual performed by believers and disciples when meeting the Buddha. Deeply rooted in an Indian ritual greeting tradition, <i>libai</i> consisted of the action of touching the ground with the forehead. Buddhist <i>vinayas</i> regulated the performance of <i>libai</i> for senior or sick saṃgha members. In accordance with the ritual rationale of <i>pūjā</i>, <i>libai</i> was frequently used, along with other ritualized actions, for worshiping Buddhist statues and <i>sūtras</i>. The Daoists appropriated <i>libai</i> as a ritual technique in complicated ways. Several pre-5th century texts appeared to apply the term to describe a solemn greeting ritual for high-ranked deities. Since the 5th century, Numinous Treasure and Celestial Master Daoists have provided divergent understandings and usages of <i>libai</i> in their rituals. Specifically, Lu Xiujing considered <i>libai</i> to be a major part of the retreat that functioned to cultivate the body. The end of the 6th century witnessed the continuation of employing <i>libai</i> in the rituals worshiping the Daoist Three Treasures. Its diversity and significance were acknowledged by the early Tang Daoist monastic codes. The lawful performance of <i>libai</i>, interpreted by Zhang Wanfu, associated the body with the mind, and manifested the utmost sincerity.
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