Chen Tuan (?-989) was a Taoist priest in the early Northern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Tunan and his sobriquet was Fuyao Zi. According to the Song Dynasty History, he was from Zhenyuan County (now Luyi County, Henan Province). In his early years, he studied the Confucian classics of poetry, history, the Book of Changes, and rites, and was well-versed in the teachings of the Hundred Sects of Thought. He had great ambitions to help the world and become a politician. During the Changxing period of the Later Tang Dynasty (930–933), he took the imperial examination but failed. He then gave up his career in politics and traveled to famous mountains, seeking immortality and the Tao. He lived in seclusion for a long time in the Jiushiliyan area of Wudang Mountain, practicing qi and fasting for more than 20 years. Later, he moved to the Yuntai Temple on Mount Huashan and the Shishi area of Shaohua Mountain, where he became friends with hermits such as Li Qi and Lü Dongbin. Later, in the third year of Emperor Xian De's reign (956), Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty summoned Chen Tuan to the palace and asked him about the art of alchemy and ascension. Chen Tuan replied, “Your Majesty is the ruler of the four seas, and should be concerned with governing the country. He was given the title of ‘Mr. Baiyun’ (Mr. White Cloud). It is said that he often practiced alchemy and slept for a long time, not getting up for more than a hundred days. During the Taiping Xingguo period of the Northern Song Dynasty (976-984), he went to the capital and advised Song Taizong to “recruit talented people from afar, dismiss flatterers from close by, lighten the tax burden on the people, and reward the military.” Taizong was so impressed that he bestowed the title “Mr. Xiyi” on him. Chen Tuan was fond of studying the Book of Changes and often held it in his hands. He once made the “Infinity Diagram,” which was carved into the stone walls of Mount Hua. He also made the “Pre-existing Diagram.” Shao Bowen said that Chen Tuan's study of the “Book of Changes” “does not require a lot of explanation in words, but only diagrams to illustrate the number of the rise and fall of yin and yang, and the birth and change of hexagrams.” His thoughts had a great influence on Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism. It is said that Zhou Dunyi's “Illustrated Book of the Taiji” was derived from Chen Tuan's “Book of the Infinite.” He wrote many works, but most of them have been lost. The Zhengtong Taozang (Orthodox Taoist Canon) contains the “Song of the Immortal Lord Returning to the Elixir,” which is attributed to Chen Tuan. He was a master of calligraphy, and his works were four feet high and heavily inked. His calligraphy was mostly in running script, and it was powerful and vigorous. It is said that the stone inscription “Opening the sky and the shore; a strange person among the dragons” was written by him.

    Zhang Wumeng was a Taoist priest in the early Song Dynasty. His style name was Lingyin and his sobriquet was Hongmengzi. He was from Fengxiang (now in Shaanxi). He liked to be alone and study the Tao Te Ching and the Book of Changes. He once went to Mount Hua and became friends with Liu Haichan and Zhong Fang. He studied under Chen Tuan and learned a lot from him. Later, he built a house in Qiongtai Temple and practiced health preservation spells such as the Red Pine Taoyin and the Anqi Dan. He also lived in seclusion in places such as Tiantai Mountain and Zhongnan Mountain, and died of old age without illness. He wrote a hundred poems in the “Return to the Original” series, expounding his thoughts and methods of cultivation.

    Zhu Ziying (976-1029) was a Taoist priest in the Song Dynasty, whose courtesy name was Yinzhi. He was from Zhu Yang Village in Juqu (now in the southeast of Jurong County, Jiangsu Province). He began practicing Taoism at a young age, and was a disciple of the Taoist priest Zhu Wenji of Yuchen Temple. At the age of 11, he was ordained as a Taoist priest and lived in seclusion with Zhang Shaoying on Jijin Peak, practicing breathing exercises and swallowing herbal medicine until he went without food. Later, he crossed the Yangtze River and traveled around, visiting his master and asking questions. He once worshipped the Emperor of the Universe in Hao Prefecture, and the Grand Master of the Celestial Taoist Sect in Qingcheng Mountain. He also received the “Nine Revolutions of the Golden Cauldron” and the “Flying Sword Technique” from Chen Tiejiao. He also thought that the “Taoist Canon” of Sanmao was incomplete, so he traveled to Yuxian Township to edit the ancient version of Taiching. After returning to his hometown, he obtained the “Nine-Old-Immortal-Master Seal” and tirelessly helped people and benefited others. In the first year of the reign of Emperor Zhen Zong (1004), Zhu Ziying succeeded to the teaching of the Sect and became the 23rd Patriarch of the Shangqing Sect on Mount Mao. Zhu Ziying had prayed for the Emperor Zhen Zong to have an heir, and the Emperor Zhen Zong had a son, the Emperor Ren Zong. In the early years of the Tiancheng reign (1023), he was summoned to the capital and housed in the Zhaoying Palace. He personally taught the Shangqing Jingjiao Faluo to the Empress Dowager Liu, the mother of Emperor Renzong, and wrote the “Zhangxian Mingsu Empress Receives the Shangqing Faluo Seal” to describe the incident in detail, and was given the title “Mr. Guanmiao”. Later, he repeatedly requested to return, and was summoned to return to the mountains, and since then he has been ill.

    Zhang Boduan (984-1082) was a Taoist priest in the Northern Song Dynasty. He was the founder of the Southern Sect of the Neidan (inner alchemy) sect of Taoism. His courtesy name was Pingshu, and he later changed it to Yongcheng. He was also known as the “Purple Mountain Man” and later as Zhang Ziyang. He was from Tiantai (now in Zhejiang Province). He was a diligent student from an early age, and studied the scriptures of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, as well as criminal law, mathematics, medicine, divination, military tactics, astronomy, geography, fortune-telling, and other esoteric arts. He worked as a government clerk for decades, and then suddenly realized that “a warm home is the cause of a thousand grievances, and half a lifetime of fame is a hundred generations of guilt.” He saw through fame, fortune and power, and his heart turned to the immortal road of Penglai. He was sentenced to exile to Lingnan for the crime of “burning documents.” During the reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Song Dynasty (1064-1067), Lu was stationed in Guilin and was summoned to serve under him, in charge of important matters. In the second year of Xining (1069), he followed Lu to Chengdu and met a real person who gave him the secret of the fire of the golden pill. He died in the fifth year of Yuanfeng (1082), leaving behind the “Ode to the Dissolution of the Body,” which reads: “The four great desires are scattered, the floating clouds are empty, one spirit is wondrous and there is the Dharma Realm.” His book “Wuzhen” promotes the theory of Taoist internal alchemy, “first enticing them to practice with the lifeblood of immortals, then expanding their supernatural powers with the wonderful uses of the Buddhas, and finally leaving them with the illusion of falsehood and returning to the ultimate source of emptiness and stillness.” He introduced the Confucian concept of “studying the principles and exploring the nature” and the Buddhist concept of “sudden enlightenment and perfect penetration” into the cultivation of internal alchemy in Taoism, believing that “although the teachings are divided into three, the Tao is unified,” and advocating the integration of the three teachings to understand the profound meaning of the Great Alchemy. He criticized “the later generations of the Yellow and White sects, each specializing in their own, mutually disagreeing with each other, causing the three sects to be lost in the wrong path and unable to be mixed together and return to the same place,” which was quite insightful. He advocated “dual cultivation of life and nature,” first cultivating life and then cultivating nature, which is different from the “cultivating nature first and then life” advocated by Wang Chongyang of the Northern Sect. This book has been annotated by many later commentators and is an important alchemy work following Wei Boyang's “Zhouyi San Tong Qi.” His thoughts had a great influence on later Taoism and he was revered as the first of the Five Ancestors of the Southern Sect, known as “Ziyang Zhenren.” The Taozang also includes three volumes of the “Jade-Pure Golden-Basket Qinghua Secret Text: The Secret of Internal Alchemy” and one volume of “The 400-Character Golden Pill,” both of which are attributed to Zhang Boduan.

    Lin Mouniang (960-987) was respectfully known as Mazu. She was born on Meizhou Island in Putian County, Fujian Province. Her father's name was Yuan, courtesy name Weiyi, and he was a government official. He was kind and charitable, and was known as a good person in the village. Her mother's name was Wang, and she had one son and six daughters, with Mouniang being the youngest. When she was born, the room was filled with red light and a strange fragrance. Because she did not cry for the first month of her life, she was named Mo Niang. She was a child prodigy who could recite what she had read. At the age of 16, she was able to understand changes and use mysterious methods. She could drive away evil spirits, cure diseases, save people, and summon rain. She often rescued boats in the raging sea. At the request of the county magistrate, she went up to the altar to pray for rain and received sweet rain. She repeatedly performed miracles to save people, and people thought she was a god. In the fourth year of the Yongxi reign (987), Mulan was 28 years old and still unmarried, but she was already saving the world. In the early summer of that year, her father and brother set out on a voyage together, but they were suddenly caught in a storm and their boat capsized. Mulan went into the sea to save her brother, but her father was killed. She searched the sea for three days to find her father's body, but she returned home with his body on her back. The people of the time were moved by her filial piety and called her the filial daughter. On September 9 of the same year, she sat on a mountain and turned into a fairy. The locals were moved by her kindness and built a temple to worship her body. To this day, the Mazu Temple in Putian still has her body statue intact. After her transformation, she often showed her power and her temple was always full of worshippers. She also repeatedly appeared on the sea to save people in distress, and was revered as a saint by seafarers everywhere and was respectfully called Mazu. Successive emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties also bestowed titles on her. Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty bestowed the title “Lady of the Divine Grace and the Manifestation of the Divine Response.” The Yuan Emperor was known as the “Protector of the Nation, the Heavenly Empress of Great Brilliance,” the Ming Emperor as the “Empress of Benevolence and Universal Salvation,” and the Qing Emperor as the “Heavenly Mother.” During the Qianlong reign, she was included in the sacrificial rites. Today, there are temples dedicated to the Heavenly Empress in every region. She is worshipped by people all over the world.

    Liu Hongkang (1035-1108) was a Taoist priest of the Song Dynasty and the 25th generation master of the Shangqing Sect. His courtesy name was Zhitong. He was born in Jinling (now Changzhou, Jiangsu Province). It is said that his mother had a dream of a Taoist priest entering the house and giving birth to Hongkang. At the age of 13, he entered Taihe Temple to study Taoism. In the fifth year of the Jiahe reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty (1060), he was admitted as a Taoist priest after passing the examination. He heard that the Taoist priest Mao Fengrou of Sanmao was a man of virtue, so he went to Mount Mao to become his disciple and was taught the “Great Cave Scripture” and other Shangqing scriptures. Liu Hunkang was very diligent and devoted himself to Taoism. He was very knowledgeable and was able to use talismans to pray, summon ghosts and gods, cure diseases and ward off disasters, all of which were effective. In the first year of the Yuanyou reign (1086) of the Song Dynasty, Empress Dowager Meng accidentally swallowed a needle and could not be saved by any doctor. Liu was summoned to the palace in the name of Taoism and cast a spell, which made the empress vomit the needle. The emperor was so impressed that he granted Liu the title of Dongyuan Tongmiao and made him the abbot of the Shangqing Chuxiang Temple. In the fourth year of Shaosheng (1097), he was ordered to change the name of his residence, Qianshen Temple, to Yuanfu Temple. Liu Hunkang was in charge of the talismans of Maoshan, Longhushan and Gezhaoshan, “the three mountains supporting the imperial plan.” When Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty ascended the throne, he had no son at first. Liu Hunkang taught him the “method of having many descendants,” and he finally had a son. Therefore, Emperor Huizong was very fond of Liu Hunkang. He was given the title of “Mr. Baozhen Guan Miao Chonghe” and was granted more than 70 imperial edicts and poems. He was also highly regarded for his many requests for “elixirs,” “immortal bait,” “wind-catching charms,” and “charm to calm the mind and suppress fear.” Liu Hunkang once recommended Wuxi County's Canshan Chaoyang Temple to the imperial court and was rewarded for his recommendation. After his death, he was given the posthumous title of Taizhong Daifu and the epithet Jingyi.

    Chen Jingyuan (?-1094) was a Taoist priest of the Northern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Taichu and his pseudonym was Bixu Zi. He was from Jianchang Nancheng (now Jiangxi Province). In his early years, he studied diligently and had aspirations outside the Taoist community. In the second year of the Qingli reign (1024), he studied under Han Zhizhi, a Taoist priest at the Tianqing Temple in Gaoyou, and the following year he took the Taoist priest examination and was ordained as a Taoist priest. Later, he traveled to Mount Tiantai and met Mr. Zhang Wumeng, who taught him the profound meaning of Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi. He lived in seclusion in the Jianghuai region for a long time, entertaining himself with books and the zither. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, he was recommended by Wang Qi, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, to lecture on the Tao Te Ching and the Nanhua Jing in the capital. Emperor Shenzong heard of his reputation and summoned him to the Tian Zhang Ge, where he was given the title “Zhen Jing.” In the fifth year of Xining (1072), he submitted his annotated version of the Tao Te Ching. The emperor praised it, saying, “It is a detailed and thorough analysis of the subtle and profound, and it is thorough and detailed. It is truly worthy of being taken.” He was appointed as the right-hand street supervisor and co-signatory of the teaching affairs, and later moved to the right-hand street deputy road recorder. His home contained thousands of volumes of Taoist, Confucian and medical books. All of them were carefully corrected, and scholars from all over the country came to study with him. Later, he returned to Mount Lu, and when he left, his luggage consisted of hundreds of volumes of history and philosophy. At that time, there were 12 Taoist officials in the capital, and Chen Jingyuan said, “For any missing positions, I beg to try the three classics of Taoism, ‘Tao Te Ching,’ ‘Nanhua,’ and ‘Lingbao Duren,’ and the ten principles of Taoism.” Emperor Shenzong approved his request. Chen Jingyuan died in the first year of the Shaosheng reign (1094) of Emperor Zhezong. Chen Jingyuan inherited the philosophy of Taoism from the Tang Dynasty, based on the philosophy of Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, and combined it with the popular alchemy ideas and practices of the Song Dynasty to establish a set of Taoist teachings with “natural and constant ways,” “refining the body to live forever,” and “governing the country by doing nothing” as the main content. He believed that He believed that when one is in a state of emptiness and quietness, one is in harmony with all things, and that this is the “harmony of the Tao.” When one cultivates the Tao through alchemy, one's appearance is like that of a virgin, and one can live for thousands of years. He wrote many books, including the Six-Volume Collection of Annotations to the Xisheng Jing, the Ten-Volume Collection of Annotations to the Zangshi Zhanwei Bian of the Taode Zhenjing, the Four-Volume Collection of Annotations to the Yuan Shi Wu Liang Du Ren Shang Pin Miao Jing, and the Two-Volume Collection of Annotations to the Chongxu Zhide Zhenjing.

    Zhang Jixian (1092-1128) was the 30th generation of the Tianshi in Taoism. His courtesy name was Jiawen, his style name was Zunzheng, and his sobriquet was Xiaoran Zi. He was intelligent from a young age and inherited the Tianshi teachings at the age of nine. During the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, he was summoned to the imperial court four times to answer questions, and was given the title “Xu Jing Xiansheng,” the rank of Zhongsan Daifu, and the “Yangping Zhidu Gongyin” (Yangping Capital Governance Merit Seal). He was further honored as “Zhengyi Jingying Xianyou Zhenjun” and ordered the government to build a temple in the east of the country for him to live in, and the name was “ChongTao”. He also donated money to renovate the Shangqing Palace on Longhu Mountain. The favor was so great that it even included his ancestors and father, and his brother was also honored. However, Zhang Jixian was determined to live a simple and pure life, so he declined the honor and returned home. He once built the Jing'an Pavilion in the Shangqing Palace, which later became a place for meditation. He also cultivated the dragon and tiger pill stove, and “the auspicious light shone in the valley,” leaving behind the Xiangxiang Hall, Zhuoding Pool and other relics. In the second year of the Jing'an reign of Emperor Qinzong of the Song Dynasty (1127), he was summoned to the capital and died in Sizhou at the age of 36. Emperor Wuzong of the Yuan Dynasty posthumously honored him as “Xu Jing Xuan Tong Hong Wu Zhen Jun.” Zhang Jixian was an expert in the Shensiao, Thunder and Internal Alchemy, and wrote a volume entitled “Mingzhen Puwang Zhangsong” (also known as “DaTaoge”), which is a four-line poem in seven-character rhyming verse. The content emphasizes the importance of controlling the spirit and breathing in the cultivation of the Tao. Jixian believed that the human body has three treasures: the essence, the vital energy, and the primordial spirit, all of which are formed from the same breath. He believed that the human body and the celestial beings are of the same breath, and that by uniting the mind with the spirit, one can activate the “thunder machine,” summon the god of thunder, and summon millions of thunder soldiers to control the rain. rain, and also believes that the method is the heart, and there is no method outside the heart. He says that “false thoughts are numerous and distorted, and the spirit is wasted on talismans and spells,” and opposes sitting in the lower abdomen, the mud ball, and talismans and spells. He claims that as long as you grasp your own primordial spirit, you can reach the heavens, abandoning other methods, which is called “breaking falsehood.” All things return to the Tao. If the primordial spirit is calm and settled, the sword of wisdom can cut through the demons, and one can then experience the Tao. Ming dynasty scholar Zhang Yuchu compiled more than 200 essays, poems and songs into the Seven Volumes of the Sayings of the Thirty-Generation Celestial Master Xu Jing Zhenjun, which discuss the theory and methods of cultivation. Among them, “The Heart Theory” says that the heart and the spirit are different names for the same thing. If a person can calm his heart and guard against vanity, he can leave the world and become detached from the mundane. He was also good at calligraphy and in the second year of the Zhenghe reign (1112) he wrote the “Xuanhe Imperial Taoist Monument Inscription.”

    Sa Shoujian was from Xihe (now Fenyang County, Shanxi Province) or Nanhua (now Heze County, Shandong Province) during the Northern Song Dynasty. He was a disciple of Zhang Shixiu, the 31st generation of the Celestial Master, and was taught the secrets of Taoism, which made him a great Taoist. He later traveled to Fujian and died there (Lishi Zhenxian TiTao Tongjian Xupian, vol. 3)

    Wang Wenqing (1093-1153) was a Taoist priest in the Song Dynasty. His given name was Jun, his style name was ShuTao, and his sobriquet was Chonghezi. He was born in Jianchang Nanfeng (now Nanfeng County, Jiangxi Province). He was born with supernatural powers and was intelligent from a young age. He was content with a simple life and did not crave fame or fortune. He became a Taoist priest and liked to travel to spiritual places. In the early years of the Xuanhe reign (1119) of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, he crossed the Yangtze River and met an unusual person, Wang Jun, who taught him the “method of flying to the emperor” and the “book of the wind and thunder.” Since then, he has been good at the thunder ritual, and all the ghosts and gods he has summoned to pray for rain have been effective. In the fourth year of the Xuanhe reign (1114), he was recommended by Lin Lingsu to enter the court, and Emperor Huizong ordered him to stay at the Jiuyang Zongzhen Palace. He was successively awarded the titles of Ta Su Da Fu, Ning Shen Dian Xiao Li, Liang Fu Shi Chen, Chong Xu Tong Miao Xian Sheng, and Te Jin Hui You Ge Dai Zhi. He was in charge of the affairs of the Taoist sect and was also favored by his parents, wife and younger brother, enjoying the highest honor of his time. On the 23rd day of the 8th month of the 23rd year of the Shaoxing reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty (1153), he got up early in the morning and wrote an inscription on the coffin, saying, “My body is fake, the pine boards are not real, they trap the eyes of the common people, and they jump out of the red dust.” After composing the eulogy, he died peacefully at the age of 61 in the hall where Xu Jingyang made his elixir in Qingdu Temple in Nanfeng County. Wang Wenqing was an expert in the Shenshao Thunder Method and wrote a volume of “Chongxu Tongmiao Shichen Wang Wang's Family Talk.” The book is in the form of questions and answers, with the disciple Yuan Tingzhi asking questions and Wang Wenqing answering them, focusing on the issues of the Thunder Method. He expounds the theory of summoning gods and using thunder, emphasizing the importance of inner cultivation. He believes that if one meditates and worships in silence for a long time, “the spirit and essence will naturally condense. One can then leave the shell and worship the source, or live a long life and see clearly, or even cause clouds and rain, use thunder and lightning, and help people and benefit others. As for the use of documents and talismans, in Wang Wenqing's view, they are only the end of the art of using thunder.

    Xie Shouhao (1134-1212) was a Taoist priest of the Southern Song Dynasty. He was born in Rui'an, Yongjia (now Rui'an City, Zhejiang Province), and his courtesy name was Huaiying. He was bright and intelligent as a young man, knowledgeable and eloquent, and able to compose essays at the age of 14. He studied diligently and read extensively, “studying all the classics and the works of the Hundred Sects of Thought, and delving deeply into them.” He studied at the Imperial Academy, and gradually began to think about leaving the world of mortals. He eventually abandoned Confucianism and entered the Taoist sect. He traveled around for thirty years, visiting many famous mountains. He said that he met Taoist Shen Ruoshui, who taught him the “Secret Text in the Stone Box of Xu Zhenjun.” He entered Tiantai Mountain and studied under Huangfu Tan for more than ten years. He accompanied Huangfu Tan to the capital many times to meet with Emperor Xiaozong of the Song Dynasty, answer questions about the government, and provide advice. In the 13th year of the Chunxi reign (1186), the Jiangxi governor requested Xie Shouhao to preside over the Yulong Wanshou Palace in Xishan. In the first year of the Shaoxi reign (1190) of the Song Guangzong, the imperial court bestowed the title of “Master Guangfu” and appointed him to be the high priest of the Shouning Temple. In the fourth year (1193), he was reappointed as the presiding priest of the Yulong Wanshou Palace. In the first year of the Jiatai reign (1201) of the Song Ningzong, he resumed his duties as the presiding priest of the temple. Xie Shouhao served three emperors, namely, Emperor Xiaozong, Emperor Guangzong and Emperor Ningzong, and was well received by the imperial family. His friends were all great sages of the time, and they were all superior and extraordinary in discussing the Tao and learning, as well as in discussing current affairs. In his later years, Shouhao had a pale complexion and white hair, and people called him “the living old master.” He returned to Rui'an County, Yongjia County, and lived in the Jiuxing Palace on Zihua Peak until he died. Xie Shouhao was an expert in Taoism, and he was able to understand the essence of the classics. He was especially good at the theory of the Golden Elixir, which “cultivates the true within and mingles with the mundane outside.” He was also well versed in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and his discussions often “attracted the three religions.” Occasionally, he would give lectures at Buddhist temples, which “made the Zen masters and the lay people alike admire him.” He once commented on the “Laozi,” and he also thought that The biographies of Lao Zi in previous dynasties are often sketchy and difficult to understand. Although some are quite detailed, they are often rambling and lack proper judgment, resulting in confusion and inconsistency. They often confuse readers, so he “compiled and examined the biographies of the classics of the three religions, investigated their origins, and still sequenced the worship of previous dynasties,” and wrote the “Taishang Laojun Hun Yuan Sheng Ji” in nine volumes. The first volume of the book is the “Chronicle of Laojun,” which briefly records the events of Laojun from the beginning of the compilation to the Song Dynasty, as well as the worship of Laojun by emperors of past dynasties. Volumes 2 to 9 detail the miraculous events of Laojun's teachings and his influence on the world. The book is rich in historical materials and is the most detailed biography of Laojun. Shouhao also compiled “A Brief History of Laozi” and “A Brief History of Laozi,” which are similar to the “Chronicle of Laozi” in the first volume of “The Holy Records of Laozi.” In the second and third volumes of “A Brief History of Laozi,” Shouhao also described Laozi's teachings in the Three Emperors period and the Zhou Dynasty, as well as his travels to the West and his teachings in the Western Regions. Laozi's History of the Great Ultimate's Volume 1 and Volume 2 also describe the Great Ultimate's teachings from the Three Emperors to the Zhou Dynasty, his travels as a teacher through the ages, his crossing of the Yumen Pass and the Yang Pass in the west, his passing on the teachings and the Tao, and his transformation of the Western Regions.

    Chen Nan (?-1213) was a Taoist priest in the Song Dynasty. He was one of the five patriarchs of the Southern Sect of the Neidan Sect of Taoism. His style name was Nanmu and his sobriquet was Cui Xu. He was from Baishuiyan, Boluo County, Huizhou (now Donghuizhou, Huizhou, Guangdong). He made a living by making hoops for barrels. He had an extraordinary understanding of the Tao. It is said that he met a divine being on Mount Liwushan and received the Jingxiao Dailangshu (a secret manual of thunder magic in which Taoist priests set up altars to invite the god of thunder to drive away evil spirits and kill demons). Later, he studied under Xue Taoguang and received the Taiyi Taogui Jindan Fajue, a secret manual of the Taoist practice of refining the body. He often mixed soil with water and kneaded it into small pills to cure diseases and save people. He was usually ragged and dirty, drunk all day long, and unpredictable. Later, he settled in Changsha and composed poems at random, which were all well-written, but most people did not understand their meaning. Later, he passed on his alchemy to the White Jade Toad of Qiongshan. He wrote the “Cui Xu Chapter,” which inherited the tradition of the Southern Sect, opposed the art of female pleasure in the bedroom, and advocated celibacy and self-cultivation.

    Bai Yuchen (1194—?) was a Taoist priest of the Southern Song Dynasty. He was the fifth patriarch of the Southern Sect of the Neidan sect of Taoism. His original surname was Ge, his given name was Changgeng, his style name was Ruhui, his courtesy name was Baishou, his sobriquet was Haiqiongzi, and his other names were Qiongshan Taoren, Hainan Weng, and Wuyi Sanren. His ancestral home was Minqing, Fujian, and he was born in Qiongzhou (now Qiongshan, Hainan). He was intelligent from a young age and different from ordinary people. At the age of twelve, he passed the boy's exam and was well versed in the classics, as well as being good at poetry, calligraphy and Sectnting. Later, he killed a man for his bravery and changed into a Taoist monk, fleeing to Wuyi. After that, he wandered around the rivers and lakes, experiencing hardships, and his footsteps spread throughout Jiangdong, Hunan, Sichuan, Fujian and Guangdong. In the fifth year of the Jiading period (1212), he studied under Chen Nan and received the secret of the golden pill. After Chen Nan's death, he often went around Luofu, Wuyi, Longhu, Tiantai, and Jinhua mountains with his hair unkempt, barefoot, and wearing a tattered robe, looking like a madman. In the tenth year of the Jiading period (1217), he took Peng Shi and Liu Yuanchang as his disciples. Later, he presided over the national sacrifice at the Yulong Palace in Hongzhou and the Ruiqing Palace in Jiugong Mountain. In the 15th year of the Jiading period (1222), he went to the capital city of Lin'an to “report on world affairs to the emperor,” but was obstructed. Since then, he has devoted himself to spreading the Taoist practice of internal alchemy, recruiting many disciples, establishing a parish organization called “Jing,” and obtaining official recognition, forming a formal religious organization and becoming the actual founder of the Southern Sect of the Taoist Internal Alchemy Sect. After his death, he was posthumously awarded the title of “Ziqing Zhenren” and was known as “Ziqing Xiansheng” in the world. The theory of internal alchemy of the White Jade Toad follows the tradition of the Southern Sect, advocating celibacy and practicing it himself, never marrying. He took the cultivation of essence, qi and spirit as the core, mixed with Confucianism and Zen, “the heart is connected to the three religions, and the learning is connected to the nine streams.” His thoughts had a great influence on Taoism after the Song and Yuan dynasties. In addition, he also “received the Great Cave Dharma seal, practiced the great Dharma of various Sects, and was especially effective in the Thunder Dharma,” often using Thunder Dharma spells to drive away evil spirits, cure diseases, and eliminate demons. He wrote many books, including the Yulong Collection, Shangqing Collection, and Wuyi Collection, which were published during his lifetime. After his death, his disciples compiled the Haiqiong WenTaoji and Haiqiong Bai Zhenren Yulu, which were stored in the Taozang.

    Peng Shi, a Taoist priest at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Ji Yi and his sobriquet was “He Lin.” He was from Changle (now Fujian Province) or, according to another theory, from Sanshan (now part of Fuzhou City, Fujian Province). He studied under Bai Yuchi and received the teachings of the Taiyi Tao Gui Huo Fu, the Jiuding Jinlian Shawei book, and the Zixiao Xiaoming Fengting text. He wrote the “He Lin Fu” (He Lin's Ode) and then shut himself away from society and family affairs. He and his wife, Pan Rui-zhu, were comrades-in-arms, and they spent their days and nights cultivating themselves. At his residence, he set up a crane forest, and every day he entertained his mind with the teachings of Confucius and Lao Zi, and used talismans to cure diseases. He was deeply versed in Taoist practices, and he was admired by people for his ability to summon wind and thunder. Later, he was dismembered and dissected in Fuzhou. The ruins of the Crane Forest Academy are located in Fengqiu Mountain in the east of the city. He compiled the Annotations on the Taode Zhenjing, a collection of annotations by various Song dynasty scholars, into 18 volumes, which still exist today.

    Xia Yuanding was a Taoist priest in the Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Zongyu, his sobriquet Yunfeng Sanren, and his other sobriquet Xicheng Zhenren. He was from Yongjia (now Yongjia County, Zhejiang Province). He once entered the civil service and traveled between Yan and Qi. When he was fifty years old, he abandoned his official position to study the Tao. He was proficient in the three books “Cui Gong's Mirror of Medicine,” “Yellow Emperor's Yin Fu Jing,” and “Wuzhen,” and wrote “Ziyang Zhenren Wuzhen Pian Jieyi” (7 volumes), “Yellow Emperor's Yin Fu Jing Jieyi” (4 volumes), and “Cui Gong's Mirror of Medicine” (excerpts), all of which are insightful. The Southern Song scholar Zhen Dexiu was friendly with him and wrote an introduction for him, saying that Yuan Ding's writings “are so clear that they leave no doubt.” The alchemy described in his works emphasizes self-cultivation and belongs to the Southern Sect of alchemy. The “Lecture Notes on the Chapter on Realizing the Truth” takes 81 poems from the “Chapter on Realizing the Truth” and 12 poems from the “Moon over the West River,” and, in accordance with Zhang Ziyang's “unification of the three teachings,” cites the “Tao Te Ching,” “Yin Fu Jing,” “San Tong Qi,” “Yin Yao Jing,” “Long Hu Shang Jing,” “Zhong Lu Chuan Tao Ji,” “Xi Shan Hui Zhen Ji,” “Zhi Xuan Pian,” and other books on the Tao that are closely related to alchemy, interpreting them one by one to explain the essentials of cultivating the internal alchemy. The “Yin Fu Jing Lecture Notes” are based on the more than 400-character text of the scripture, with each sentence and paragraph interpreted to explain the purpose of internal alchemy. Volume 4 is a “diagram,” which contains diagrams of the sun and moon, the wonders of the world, the unity of the three religions, and the five elements. Each diagram is followed by a description to explain the meaning of the image, which is based on the Southern Sect and discusses the transformation of heaven and earth, the five elements, and the way of the golden pill.

    Jiang Zongying (?-1281) was a Taoist priest in the Song Dynasty and the 38th generation master of the Shangqing Sect on Mount Mao. His courtesy name was Dayu and his sobriquet was Mr. Chongmiao. He was from Piling (now Changzhou, Jiangsu). As a child, he studied Confucianism and hoped to enter the civil service through the imperial examinations. Later, he traveled around the country, enjoying the beauty of the landscape. He once lived in Jinting Mountain in Wuyue for two years and found the “Secret of Ascending to the True” in the stone walls. He then went to Mount Mao with his books and practiced Taoism under Tang ZhiTao. He was good at divination and his prayers were always answered. During the reign of Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty, he was summoned to the imperial court to perform divination and pray for fine weather. When the Yuan army marched south, the Song court was in danger. Jiang Zongying then pretended to be ill and traveled to Lushan, passed through Tianmu Mountain, and traveled back and forth between the scenic spots of Yongjia. In the 18th year of the Yuan dynasty (1281), he was summoned to the capital, but died soon after. Zongying was particularly adept at the Shangqing method of meditation and had a profound understanding of it. He had annotated the 16-volume Da Dong Yu Jing (The Great Cave Jade Scripture) and had also edited the Shangqing Da Dong Zhen Jing (The Great Cave True Scripture of the Shangqing Sect). He had also passed on the Da Dong method of meditation to Du Tao Jian.

    Huang Shunshen (1224-?) was also known as Lei Yuan, a Taoist priest of the Qingwei sect between the Song and Yuan dynasties. He was from Jianing (now Jian'ou) in Fujian Province. At the age of 14, he traveled with his father to Guangxi, where he fell ill. He was cured by Nanbi Tao, the ninth patriarch of the Qingwei sect, who saw that he was a Taoist vessel and passed on all the Qingwei Lei Tao teachings to him. From then on, he practiced the Tao in the southeast, and the Qingwei Tao teachings became widely known. During the Baoyu reign of the Southern Song Dynasty (1253-1258), Huang Shunshen became an official and practiced his Taoist teachings in the capital. His brother Zhao Mengduan had been his student, and when Huang Shunshen was summoned by Emperor Lizong, the emperor bestowed upon him the title of “Master of the True Person of Thunder.” In the third year of the Zhiyuan reign of the Yuan Dynasty (1286), Huang Shunshen was summoned to the imperial court by Emperor Shizu, who bestowed upon him many gifts. The emperor bestowed upon him the title of “Lei Yuan Guang Fu Pu Hua Zhen Ren.” At that time, there were many scholars, and each of his disciples learned a method. There were 30 disciples who learned a method, and five of them learned all of them. The most famous were Xishan Xiong Zhenxi and Wudang Zhang Taogui. The Qingwei Lei method reached Huang Shunshen, who “thought deeply and wrote extensively, expounding the principles, and his books became complete.” According to Zhang Yuchu's “Ten Rules of Taoism,” in the Qingwei method, “most of the texts on talismans, Taoist rituals, and thunder magic were derived from Master Huang (Shunshen).” The Qingwei Taoist books in the Taoist Canon, such as “Qingwei Zhai Fa” and “Qingwei Shenlie Mi Fa,” were written by Huang Shunshen.

    Lei Siqi (1231-1303) was a Taoist priest and scholar of the late Song and early Yuan dynasties. His courtesy name was Qixian. He was from Linchuan (now Jiangxi Province). He became a monk at a young age and lived in Wushi Temple. He was a voracious reader and had a strong memory, “reading everything in the books.” After the fall of the Song Dynasty, he lived alone in the mountains, writing books and establishing theories for a long time, and was known as “Mr. Kongshan.” After the Yuan Dynasty conquered the south of the Yangtze River, Zhang Zongyan, the 36th generation of the Celestial Master, was appointed to be in charge of Taoism. In his later years, he lived in Guangxin Mountain, lectured and taught, and died at Wushiguan. Lei Siqi was good at the study of the Book of Changes, and he wrote five volumes of “Yi Tu Tong Bian” and three volumes of “Yi Zi Tong Bian”. He believed that the Taoist “study of books and charts” (the He Tu and Luo Shu) originated with the Taoist Chen Tuan in the early Song Dynasty, but Chen Tuan's “Fifty-Five” number in the “Great Commentary on the Book of Changes” was “labeled as a separate chart, which is the beginning of his doubts”; later, Liu Mu inherited his studies and deduced the fifty-five numbers of the Luo Shu into fifty-five charts, which “ignored the basics and pursued the end, which only increased his errors,” and he strongly opposed this. In addition, he studied Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi in depth and wrote books such as “The Original Meaning of Lao Zi” and “The Meaning of Zhuang Zi.” Qing Rong Ju Shi Yuan Jue once commented that “his arguments are convincing and inspiring, and he combines the spirit to explore change and uses change to support the Tao.” His famous disciples include Wu Quanjie, Fu Xingzhen, Zhou Wei and others.

    Liu Yu (1257-1308) was a Taoist priest in the Yuan Dynasty. His courtesy name was Yizhen and his sobriquet was Yuzhenzi. He was from Jianchang (now Fengxin, Jiangxi). His parents died early and he worked hard to support his family. He regarded the world as dust and was devoted to the Tao of immortals. It is said that he met the Taoist priest Hu Huichao and received the teachings of the Jingming Tao. Later, he met the Water Fairy Master Guo Pu, who taught him the art of weaving through mountains and rivers. From then on, his Taoist teachings became more refined and he became famous far and wide, with more and more followers. In the second year of the Yuan Zhen period (1296), he claimed that the leader of the Jingming Sect, Xu Xun, had descended to him and bestowed upon him the true teachings. He took loyalty and filial piety as the main teachings. He used cultivation of essence, qi, and spirit and the use of talismans and rituals as secondary methods, and focused on self-examination and doing good. His works include the “Inner and Outer Collections of the Sayings of Master Yuzhen,” which are now preserved in the “Zhengtong Taozang.”

    Chen Weixu was a Taoist priest in the Song Dynasty. His style name was ZongTao and his sobriquet was Baoyizi. He was from Huaiyang (now in Henan Province). He lived in the Yousheng Temple in Lin'an and was fond of the internal alchemy technique. In the 12th year of the Jiading reign of Emperor Ningzong of the Song Dynasty (1223), he met a master in the capital of Huaiyang (now the county of Xuyi in Anhui Province), and learned the true meaning of the Golden Elixir. In the early years of the Baoqing reign of Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty (1125), he also obtained the “Zhouyi San Tong Qi,” which he read and understood immediately. He then thanked his friends and disciples, closed the door and practiced for more than a year, and thus “wrote a commentary on the book with his own practical experience,” and thus wrote the “Commentary on the Book of Changes and the Book of Changes.” Chen Weixin's commentary on the Book of Changes and the Book of Changes is based on the inner alchemy, and he often quotes the works of Chen Tuan, Liu Haichan, Zhang Boduan and others. His commentary describes the way of the golden pill. The universe is the body, the sun and the moon are the function, the universe is the body of the universe, the sun and the moon are the body of the sun and the moon, the universe rises and falls as the weather, the sun and the moon cooperate as the opportunity. He also annotated the nine volumes of the “Wenshi Zhenjing Yanwai Zhi” (The Essence of the Wenshi Zhenjing), in which he integrated the ideas of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, with Taoism as the main focus. He quoted extensively from the “Laozi,” “Yin Fu Jing,” “San Tong Qi,” and the words of Zhang Bo-Duan, and occasionally from the “Leng Yan Jing,” and extensively retold the ideas of Laozi and the theory of internal alchemy. In addition, Chen Weixu also wrote “Xuan Sheng Pian,” “Wei Wei Xiu Yan,” “Bao Yi Zi Shu,” and corrected “Shen Xian Yang Sheng Mi Shu.”

    Chu Boxiu was a native of Qiantang (now in Zhejiang Province) during the Xianchun reign of the Southern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Xueyuan. He was a Taoist priest at the Tianqing Temple in Hangzhou. He studied under Fan Yingyuan and, out of gratitude for his teacher, compiled the 106-volume “Compendium of the Meaning of the South Sea Classic,” which was published during the Xianchun reign.

    Li Jianyi, also known as Yuxi Zi, was from Nanning, Yuanzhou (Yichun, Jiangxi). He studied Confucianism as a young man, but his ambitions were thwarted. He studied Taoism and Buddhism, astrology, and divination, and he was especially fond of the Golden Elixir. He traveled around the country, met two Pure Yang Immortals, and later met Liu Hai and Lan Yangsu. He wrote the three-volume Yuxi Zi Dan Jing Zhi Yao (Essentials of the Yuxi Zi Dan Jing).

    Jin Yunzhong was a native of the Southern Song Dynasty. He wrote the 45-volume “Shangqing Lingbao Dafa,” clarifying the origins and refuting the false teachings and rituals of various Taoist sects in the Southern Song Dynasty. It is of great reference value for the study of the history of the development of Taoist rituals.

    Li Taochun was a Quanzhen Taoist priest at the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. His style name was Yanyuan, his sobriquet was Yingchan, and his other name was Yingchanzi. He was from Duliang, and was originally a disciple of Wang Jinchan, a disciple of Baiyuchan, and was a direct descendant of the Southern Sect. Little is known about his life and activities. The Yangzhou Prefecture Annals record that he lived in the Yizhen Longevity Temple, and the Fengyang Prefecture Annals list him as a Taoist priest from Xuyi. The Ming Dynasty scholar Peng Yixiu's Huizhou Prefecture Annals record that he had a military career, and that he was already quite old when he served in the military, so he was called “an old soldier.” Li Taochun was a famous Taoist theorist in the Yuan Dynasty. He was well versed in the Tao Te Ching and the Book of Changes, and also understood Zen. His studies were based on the Quanzhen Southern Sect, and he also had an understanding of the Quanzhen Northern Sect. Li Taochun wrote a lot, including “Tao Fa Hui Yuan,” “Zhonghe Ji,” “Three Days Yi Sui,” “Zhouyi Shangzhan,” “Quan Zhen Ji Xuan Mi Yao,” “Tai Shang Da Tong Jing Zhu,” “Tai Shang Lao Jun Shuo Chang Qing Jing Jing Zhu,” “Shang Wu Chi Wen Dong Zhen Jing Zhu,” and his disciples compiled his sayings as “Qing An Ying Chan Zi Yu Lu.” The characteristics of his ideological theory are that he believes that “Laozi” and “Zhouyi” are the “ancestors of all the classics,” and he proposes the “way of truth and constancy.” That is, “the way of Laozi.” He says, “Human relationships are often gathered and scattered, and the world has its ups and downs. This ‘way of truth and constancy’ has no name or words, is eternal and unchanging, is empty and quiet, does nothing, and has five characteristics: change, conformity, and harmony. Li Taochun used the “Way of the Eternal” as the basis for his theory of internal alchemy, and also used the ideas of “Laozi” and “Zhouyi” to expound the theory of internal alchemy. His basic view is to advocate the cultivation of both life and soul, and in the process of cultivation, he advocates the cultivation of the soul before the cultivation of the life. He particularly emphasized that “keeping the center” is the core of cultivating the inner alchemy. The so-called “one key to the secret gate” is the word “center.” Li Taochun also advocated the unification of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, saying, “Tao has a mixed substance, Confucianism cultivates things in a harmonious way, and Buddhism refers to the heart and seeing the nature. Li Taochun's disciples, those who knew his name, included Chai Yuango, Zhao Taoke, Miao Shanshi, Deng Facheng, Zhang Yingtan, Cai Zhiyi, etc.

    Xiao Baozhen (?-1166) was a Taoist priest of the Jin Dynasty. He was also the founder of the Tàiyí Sect of Taoism. Also known as Yuansheng, he was from Weizhou (present-day Jixian County, Henan Province). He received the secret scriptures from a real man, which evolved into the “Tàiyí Sānyuán Fǎlǜ” (Tàiyí Three-Yuan Scripture) and was used to save the world and help people. Many people believed in it. He then built an an in Weizhou to teach the religion, which was called “Tàiyí Jiao” (Tàiyí Religion). The teachings of the religion were based on the Tao Te Ching, and the main practice was “the use of the weak way.” It was also common to use talismans to cure people. During the Jin Tianjuan (1138-1140) years, the religion was prevalent in Hebei. In the eighth year of the Huangtong period of the Jin Xizong (1148), Xiao Baozhen entered the palace to ask questions, and was treated with great respect. The Taoist temple where he lived was given the name “Taiyi Wanshou Temple.” After his death, Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty bestowed the title of “Taichi Yiwu Zhuanjiao Zhenren” on him. The original “Yiwu Zhenren Zhuan” written by Jin man Wang Ruoxu was lost. The leaders of the Taichi sect all took the surname Xiao, and after seven generations gradually merged with the Zhengyi sect.

    Wang Chongyang (1112-1170) was a Taoist priest in the Jin Dynasty. He was the founder of Quanzhen Taoism. His original name was Zhongfu, and his courtesy name was Yunqing. Later, he changed his name to Shixiong, his courtesy name to Dewei. After entering the Taoist priesthood, he changed his name to Wang San (third in the family) or Wang Haifeng. His ancestral home was Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, and his family had been a local clan for generations. Later, he lived in Liujiang Village, Zhongnan County. He loved reading since childhood, was quick-witted, and was good at archery. In the 1130s, he took the civil service exam, but failed. In the early years of the reign of Emperor Huizong (1138–1140), he took the military exam and passed. He then had the ambition to rule the world. Later, he was appointed as a minor official in charge of wine, and he resigned in anger and hid in the mountains. In the fourth year of the Jin Zhenglong period (1159), he abandoned his family and traveled abroad. In Ganhe Town, he met a strange person who taught him the truth and he realized the truth and became a monk. He built a tomb in Nanshi Village and lived in the tomb for more than two years, calling himself the “tomb of the living dead.” In the seventh year of the Jin Dading period (1167), he left Shaanxi and went to Shandong to preach and save people. He successively took Ma Danyang, Tan Chuduan, Liu Chuxuan, Qiu Chuji, Wang Chuyi, Hao Datong, and Sun Buer as his disciples, and established the Three Teachings and Seven Treasures Society, the Golden Lotus Society, the Three Light Society, and the Yuhua Society in Wendeng, Ninghai, Fushan, Dengzhou (now Penglai), and Laizhou (now Yexian). Because Wang Chongyang named his hermitage “Quan Zhen Tang” in Ninghai, Shandong, all those who entered the Tao were called Quan Zhen Taoist. In the ninth year of the Jinda period (1169), he took his disciples Ma, Tan, Liu, and Qiu to return to the West, and in the following January, he was transformed in Daliang (now Kaifeng, Henan). He was buried in his former residence in Liu Jiang Village, Zhongnan (now Zuan Town, Hu County, Shaanxi), and later Quan Zhen Tao enshrined this place as the ancestral temple. In the sixth year of the Zhizong reign (1209), he was given the title of “Chongyang Quanzhen Kaihua Zhenjun” (Chongyang Quanzhen Enlightened Lord). In the third year of the Zhida reign (1310), he was given the title of “Chongyang Quanzhen Kaihua Fujidi Jun” (Chongyang Quanzhen Enlightened Lord). Quanzhen Taoism is regarded as one of the “Five Northern Patriarchs.” He combined the ideas of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, advocating the equality and unity of the three religions. He regarded cultivating the mind and eliminating desires as the foundation of Taoism, and advocated cultivating the nature before cultivating the life. He believed that cultivating the mind and eliminating desires was the foundation of cultivation, and advocated that one should cultivate one's nature before cultivating one's life. Cultivators must cut off their desires for wine, sex, wealth, and power, as well as their attachment to love, lust, and worries, so that although they are in the mortal world, their hearts are already in the realm of the saints. His works include the “Chongyang Quanzhen Collection,” “Chongyang Jiao Hua Collection,” and “Chongyang Li Jiao Shiwu Lun,” all of which are now preserved in the “Zheng Tong Tao Zang.”

    Liu De Ren (1122-1180) was a Taoist priest in the Jin Dynasty. He was the founder of the Taoist religion. His style name was Wuyouzi. He was from Cangzhou (now part of Shandong Province). It is said that when he was 21 years old, he met an old man who taught him the “mysterious Taoist teachings.” He then expounded the main points of the “Tao Te Ching” and absorbed some Confucian and Buddhist ideas. He set up nine rules to advise the world, and used the technique of summoning gods and accusing ghosts to treat people. The main tenets of his teachings were “simplicity, modesty, little thinking, few desires, an open mind, a full stomach, guarding the qi and nourishing the spirit.” He did not advocate alchemy or ascension, and advocated “a life of hardship and danger.” He preached in Hebei for decades. At the beginning of the Jin Dynasty (1161-1189), Emperor Shizong ordered him to live in Tianchang Temple in the capital and bestowed the title “Dongyue Zhenren.” In the Yuan Dynasty, he was further honored as “Wuyou Puji Kaiwei Dongming Zhenjun.” His teachings were passed down to Li Xicheng, who renamed them “True Great Taoism,” which gradually declined after the end of the Yuan Dynasty.

    Ma Danyang (1123-1183) was a Taoist priest of the Jin Dynasty and one of the “Seven Northern True Ones” of the Quanzhen Tao. His original name was Congyi, his courtesy name was Yifu, and later he changed his name to Yu, his courtesy name was Xuambo, and his sobriquet was Danyangzi. He was from Ninghai, Shandong (now Muping, Shandong). His family was a local clan. In the seventh year of the Jindading period (1167), Wang Chongyang went to Ninghai to spread Quanzhen Taoism. He abandoned his family fortune and converted to the religion. Since then, he has practiced asceticism and concentrated on cultivation. Before Wang Chongyang died, he passed on the secrets of Quanzhen to Danyang, entrusting him as the direct successor of the Quanzhen missionary cause. Later, after enduring hardships, he was determined to promote the Tao, and later generations praised him as “the one who enlightened Quanzhen and brought the teachings of the Tao to fruition.” It is said that the Quanzhen Tao sect met the Xian sect. In the sixth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1269), he was given the title of “Danyang Baoyi Wuyi Zhenren”. He wrote “Dongxuan Jinyu Ji”, “Shenguang Can”, “Jianwu Ji” and so on, all of which are included in the “Zhengtong Taozang” Taiping section. In addition, the “Tao Zang” Taiyuan section includes a volume of “Danyang Zhenren Yulu”, entitled Ma Yu Shu, compiled by the Jin person Wang Yizhong.

    Sun Buer (1119-1182) was a female Taoist priestess of the Jin Dynasty. Her Dharma name was Buer, and her sobriquets were Qingjing Sanren or Sun Xiangu. She was from Ninghai (now Muping, Shandong). She was the wife of Ma Danyang. In the ninth year of the Dading reign (1169), Wang Chongyang converted to Buddhism and taught her the secrets of Taoism. She lived alone in a quiet room, facing the wall and refining her mind, and her efforts bore fruit after seven years. She later traveled to Yichang and Luoyang, preaching the Tao and saving people. In the 22nd year of Dading, she was transformed into a bird and flew to Luoyang. She is said to have founded the Quanzhen Sect of the Quanzhen Sect. Later, she was revered as one of the “Seven Northern True Ones.” In the 6th year of Zhizong (1269), she was posthumously honored as “the True One of the Pure and Tranquil Abyss.” The Essence of the Taoist Canon contains a volume of Sun Buer's Yuanjun's Teachings and Sun Buer's Yuanjun's Biography of the Secret of the Alchemy.

    Tan Chuduan (1123-1185) was a Taoist priest of the Jin Dynasty. His original name was Yu, and his courtesy name was Boyu. Later, he changed his name to Chuduan, his courtesy name to Tongzheng, and his sobriquet to Changzizi. He was from Ninghai (now Muping, Shandong). He was well-versed in the classics and history, especially skilled in cursive script, and was generous and filial. He suffered from wind paralysis, which could not be cured by medicine or stone. In the seventh year of the Jindading period (1167), Wang Chongyang came to Shandong to preach, and Tan Chuduan sought his help and was cured overnight. Since then, he sincerely converted to Quanzhen Taoism, followed Wang Chongyang, and attended his lectures day and night. After Wang Chongyang's death, he disappeared between Yiyang and Luoyang. He died in the Chaoyuan Palace in Luoyang in the twenty-fifth year of the Jindading period. He is said to have founded the Quanzhen Taoist Nanwu sect. Later, he was regarded as one of the “Seven Northern True Ones.” In the sixth year of the Zhizong reign (1269), he was posthumously honored as “Changzhen Yunshui Yunde Zhenren.” His work Shuiyun ji (Collection of water and clouds) is still extant and is now preserved in the Taiping section of the Taozang (Taoist Canon).

    Hao Datong (1140-1212) was a Taoist priest of the Jin Dynasty. His name was Lin, his style name was Taigu, his sobriquet was Tianranzi, and his other sobriquet was Guangningzi. He called himself Taigu Taoren and his Dharma name was Datong. He was from Ninghai (now Muping, Shandong) and liked to read the books of Huang Laozhuang and Lie Fangwai. He was good at divination and especially good at the “Great Yi.” In the eighth year of the Jindading period (1168), he was inspired by the teachings of Wang Chongyang and converted to the Quanzhen Sect. In the fifteenth year of the Jindading period (1175), he went begging in Wuzhou, and suddenly had an epiphany. He then sat in meditation under the Wuzhou Bridge for six years, never speaking, and was known as “Mr. No-Speech.” It is said that after nine rounds of cultivation, he traveled north with his staff and shoes, preaching and saving people in Zhending. He died in the first year of the Chongqing period at the Yuhua Temple in Ninghai. He founded the Huashan sect of Quanzhen. In the sixth year of the Zhizhuan reign (1269), he was posthumously honored as “Guangning Tongxuan Taigu Zhenren.” He wrote the four-volume “Taigu Ji,” which is preserved in the “Zhengtong Taozang.”