 At its height, the movement controlled a theocratic state in what is now Sichuan.In 142 CE Zhang Daoling announced that Laozi had appeared to him and commanded him to rid the world of decadence and establish a new state consisting only of the ‘chosen people.’ Zhang became the first Celestial Master, and began to spread his newly founded movement throughout the province of Sichuan.The movement was initially called the "Way of the Five Pecks of Rice", because each person wishing to join was required to donate five pecks of rice.