The Five Patriarchs and the Seven Perfected
of
the Quanzhen School of Daoism
The Five Patriarchs are the immortal founders of Daoism, according
to the Quanzhen School. Wang Zhe (later known as Wang Chongyang)
was a hermit in the Zhongnan mountains, and he was said to
have met some of these immortals, who began to guide and teach
him secretly. With imperial patronage, Wang Zhe founded the
Daoist Quanzhen sect, and in 1167, he began to convert his
disciples. Seven of these were chosen by tradition as the
first Quanzhen masters, known as the Seven Perfected, the
Seven Real Men, or the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, amongst
other names. They protected and helped transmit Wang Zhe's
teachings and were said to have achieved immortality, after
having initiated their own separate movements. Although they
are often depicted together, some scholars believe the seven
masters were real people who lived during different periods
of Chinese history.
|
| |
| The
Five Patriarchs (wuzu)¹ |
# |
Name |
|
Life
Dates |
Other
Names |
1 |
Laozi |
Philosopher,
writer of Dao text |
fl.
400 BC? |
Lao-Tzu,
Li, Erh, Li-Tan |
2
|
Donghua dijun |
Modified
version of the Shangqing deity |
from
Han Dynasty period |
Wang
Xuanfu; Donghua dijun (Imperial Lord of Eastern Florescence);
Zifu Shaoyang jun (Minor Yang Lord of the Purple Bureau [Grotto-Heaven]);
Huayang zhenren (Perfected of Flourishing Yang) |
3 |
Zhongli Quan |
Military
commander; alchemist; heavenly messenger |
fl.
3rd c. |
Chung
Lu Chuan; Han Chung Li, Han Zhongli; Yunfang; Zhengyang (Master
of Correct Yang) |
4 |
Lü Dongbin |
Sage |
b.
755 or fl 10th c. |
Lü
Tung Pin; Lü Yen/Yan; Chunyang (Master of Pure Yang);
Chunyang zhenjun (Perfected Lord of Pure Yang); Fuyou dijun
(Imperial Lord, Savior of the Needy) |
5 |
Liu Haichan |
Yen
prime minister |
fl.
907–960 |
Cao;
Xuanying; Zongcheng; Zhaoyuan; Haichan (Master Sea-Toad) |
| The
Seven Perfected (qizhen)² |
# |
Name |
|
Life
Dates |
Other
Names |
1 |
Ma Yu |
A
rich landowner, converted by Wang Zhe 1168; writer of Canon
poetry |
1123–84 |
Congyi;
Yifu; Xuanbao; Danyang (Master of Cinnabar Yang) |
2 |
Tan Chuduan |
Sought
Wang Zhe to cure him of a sickness; converted c. 1167; a miracle
worker, and writer of Canon poetry |
1123–85 |
Yu;
Boyu; Zhengtong; Changzhen (Perpetual Reality) |
3 |
Liu Chuxuan |
Converted
c. 1169 after Wang Zhe predicted his immortality; writer of
four Canon texts |
1147–1203 |
Tongmiao;
Changsheng (Long-living) |
4 |
Qiu Chuji |
An
orphan directed to Wang Zhe by an old ascetic; as patriarch,
summoned by Genghis Khan 1219; writer of Canon poetry |
1148–1227 |
Tongmi;
Changchun (Perpetual Spring) |
5 |
Wang Chuyi |
A
hermit, converted by Wang Zhe 1168; writer of Canon poetry;
a hagiographic work written in tribute to him |
1142–1217 |
Yuyang;
Yuyang (Master of Jade Yang); Tixuan zhenren (Real Man Who
Embodies the Mystery) |
6 |
Hao Datong |
A
professional diviner and expert on cosmology; writer of Canon
text |
1140–1213 |
Sheng;
Lin; Taigu; Tianran (Tranquil Master); Guangning (Broad and
Peaceful Master) |
7 |
Sun Bu'er |
Wife
of Ma Yu; converted by Wang Zhe 1168; possibly a writer of
Canon text |
1119–83 |
Fuchun;
Qingjing sanren (Vagabond of Clarity and Quiescence); Xiangu
(Transcendent Maiden) |
 |
|
Notes
1. In a previous version of the list, Laozi is omitted, and
Wang Zhe appears instead.
2. In a second version of the list, Ma Yu is omitted and Wang
Zhe appears instead.
Sources
Julian F. Pas. Historical Dictionary of Taoism. Lanham,
Md; London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1998.
Fabrizio Pregadio. The Encyclopedia of Taoism, vols.
I–II. London; New York: Routledge, 2008.
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