Heaven is the world where immortals live, nature is the world where monsters live, and man is the world where natural creatures live. Although we are collectively called the three realms, it does not mean that there are three places.
According to the distinction of Taoist myth system, the universe has 36 days, and every day is a parallel universe, of which 28 days are within the three realms. There are six days on earth, eighteen days on earth and four days on heaven, but the twenty-eight days of the three worlds are not a straight distribution position. According to Taoism, every day is interlocking and spiraling.
If twenty-eight days are removed from thirty-six days, the remaining eight days are outside the three realms, and these eight days are also graded, including four sacred places and four Brahma. Four Brahma is a place where successful immortals can live. It is often said that after successful cultivation, you will jump out of the three realms.
The four days in the Holy Land are divided into two levels: Heaven and Sanqing Heaven, which refer to the three days of Jade Qing, Qingqing and Taiqing, which are dominated by Yuanzun, Lingbao Tianzun and Moral Tianzun respectively.
The day when immortals can go depends on their level. Sanqingtian has 12 fixed positions every day, which is a standard to divide the realm of immortal practice. Jade Qing is the highest realm, so in Taoist Puritanism, Yuan Shi Tian Zun is the highest immortal.
The formation and development of Taoism
From the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Taoism was formed and established. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the ecliptic became solid, and primitive folk religious groups such as Taiping Dao and Shitiandao were established one after another. After hundreds of years of transformation and development in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the classic teachings, practice methods and precepts of Taoism gradually became complete, and new Taoist schools bred and multiplied, which were recognized by the rulers and evolved into mature orthodox religions.
From the Sui and Tang Dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty, due to the respect of the ruling class, Taoism flourished and had a great social impact, and its philosophy, health care, spells and laws were also more perfect. After the end of the Tang Dynasty and the Northern Song Dynasty, there were some new changes in Taoism, which were mainly manifested in the emergence of the idea of the integration of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism and the rise of the Elixir Taoist School, which was dominated by Inner alchemy.
During the Southern Song Dynasty, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Taoism changed. New schools of Taoism, such as Quanzhen Taoism, Taiyi Taoism and Zhendao, have appeared in the north of China, while Nanzong, Tianxin Sect, Shen Xiao, Wei Qing and Jingming Sect have appeared in the south of China. Early Shi Tian, Puritanism and Lingbao also made innovations in doctrine and Taoism.
Propagandizing the unity of the three religions and paying attention to the cultivation of inner alchemy are the main characteristics of Taoism in this period. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with the late feudal society in China, the development of Taoism was stagnant and rigid. China's modern Taoism inherited the legacy of Ming and Qing Dynasties, except for a few periods, which has been at a low ebb.
The above contents should be combined with the actual situation for reference only.