Figures of Taoism: Yu Wenyong 宇文邕

Yu Wenyong (543–578), Emperor of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, namely Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou, was one of the main figures opposing Buddhism.

Styled Miluotu, he was the fourth son of Yuwentai, Emperor Wen of the Northern Zhou. At the age of 12, he was enfeoffed as Duke of Fucheng County. Later, he served as the Provincial Governor of Pu Prefecture, then entered the court as Grand Minister of Works, and was further enfeoffed as Duke of Lu. In the second year of Wucheng (560 AD), he ascended to the throne.

Philosophically, he leaned toward Laozi and Zhuangzi, and developed Zhuangzi's relativist view that all things are equal. He said, "If I identify myself with things, there is no thing that is not me; if I regard things as related to me, there is no part of me that is not a thing. Since I am not different from things, how can things be different from me? When both self and things are forgotten, self and others become unified. The open-minded see no difference in all things; those who discard utility can accomplish anything without effort" (Preface to Ren Daolin's Debate on Emperor Wu of Zhou's Edict on Buddhism).

From the perspective of "Dao", he denied the qualitative determination of things, believing that there is no distinction between good and evil, beauty and ugliness. He stated, "A great scholar who cherishes Dao must attain it through wonderful understanding; a wise man of lofty attainments values not clinging to fixed ideas. Merge the mind to be as broad as the nature of Dharma; let the will be as vast as the void. All things are nothing but good; what beauty and ugliness are not part of Dao" (ibid.). He banned Buddhism twice in succession, pointing out that Buddhism was the root cause of all disturbances since the Eastern Han Dynasty.

His biography is recorded in Book of Zhou (Volume 5). Some of his works are compiled in Complete Writings of the Later Zhou (Volume 213).