Li Hanguang (李含光): The Thirteenth Patriarch of Maoshan Daoism

Li Hanguang (682-769), originally surnamed Hong and later changed his surname to avoid the taboo of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, was a native of Jiangdu in Guangling (now part of Jiangsu Province). He was a renowned Taoist priest in the Tang Dynasty and the 13th patriarch of the Maoshan School.

Li Hanguang began to learn seal script and clerical script in his childhood, and his clerical script was particularly praised, with people all saying that Li Hanguang was "more virtuous than his father". Later, considering that herbal medicine was closely related to human life, he devoted himself to the study of herbal medicine and compiled Pronunciation and Meaning of Herbal Medicine in two volumes.

According to records, Li Hanguang aspired to practice Taoism in his youth and read extensively such books as Laozi, Zhuangzi, and I Ching. In the 10th year of Kaiyuan in the Tang Dynasty (722), he studied under Sima Chengzhen in Wangwu Mountain, and later lived in Gaoyang for more than 20 years. After Sima Chengzhen passed away, Emperor Xuanzong summoned Li Hanguang to the court and ordered him to live in Yangtai Temple. More than a year later, Li Hanguang asked to resign on the grounds of illness and then lived in Maoshan.

In the 4th year of Dali in the Tang Dynasty (769), Li Hanguang passed away, and Emperor Daizong posthumously awarded him the title of "Zhengyi Dafu".

Key Life Events & Contributions

1. Early Years: From Calligraphy Prodigy to Medical Scholar

• Born into a scholarly family, he studied seal script and clerical script (隶书, lìshū) from childhood. His clerical script was praised as "stronger than his father’s virtue" (贤于其父).
• At 15, he realized:

  "A brush may shape characters,
  But herbs shape lives."
  He then devoted himself to herbal medicine, later compiling Ben Cao Yin Yi (Annotations on the Sounds and meanings of Herbal Classics), a two-volume guide to plant names and properties.

2. Spiritual Awakening: The Path of the Dao

• As a youth, he read Laozi (Daodejing), Zhuangzi, and I Ching daily, saying:

  "The Tao is not in books—
  But books are maps to the Tao."

• In 722 CE (Kaiyuan Era, Year 10), he became a disciple of Sima Chengzhen (the subject of my previous tale) at Wangwu Mountain, learning:
  • Neidan (internal alchemy)
  • Yin-Yang balance in medicine
  • The art of "sitting in forgetfulness" (zuowang)

3. 20 Years in Solitude: The Aoyang Years

After Sima Chengzhen’s passing, Master Li retreated to Aoyang (a secluded valley) for two decades, where he:

• Grew medicinal herbs
• Taught a handful of disciples
• Wrote "The Aoyang Dialogues," a collection of Daoist parables (now lost)

Table: Daily Life in Aoyang

Time	Practice	Philosophy
Dawn	Qigong under the pine trees	"Breath is the bridge between heaven and earth."
Midday	Tending herbs & annotating texts	"A leaf’s shadow holds as much truth as the sun."
Dusk	Copying scriptures in clerical script	"Writing is meditation in motion."
Night	Stargazing with a bronze telescope	"The stars are the Tao’s punctuation."

4. Imperial Summons & Return to Maoshan

• In 743 CE, Emperor Xuanzong (the same ruler who revered Sima Chengzhen) summoned him to Yangtai Observatory in Chang’an, saying:

  "Your teacher spoke of the Tao;
  Now, teach it to the court."

• Master Li declined power but accepted the role of royal physician and Daoist advisor. After 18 months, he resigned, citing "old bones and young mountains" as his reason.
• He returned to Maoshan, the sacred Daoist mountain, where he became the 13th Patriarch, reviving its teachings after decades of decline.

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III. Intellectual Legacy: Medicine, Calligraphy, and Daoism

1. Major Works

Title	Theme	Key Idea
Ben Cao Yin Yi (本草音义)	Herbal nomenclature & phonetics	"A name mispronounced is a life misled."
Aoyang Dialogues (蒿阳对话录)	Daoist philosophy (lost, quoted by later scholars)	"The wise man speaks least; the fool, loudest."
Clerical Script Copy of Laozi	Calligraphy & philosophy	"Let each stroke carry the weight of eternity."

2. Medicine & the Tao: A Holistic Approach

Master Li believed:

"To heal the body, first heal the mind;
To heal the mind, first heal the spirit."

His Ben Cao Yin Yi was unique for:

• Phonetic annotations: Helping scholars pronounce rare herb names correctly (critical for avoiding poisonous look-alikes).
• Daoist symbolism: Linking each herb to Yin-Yang or Five Elements theory.
  • Example: Ginseng (人参) was called "the root of heaven" for its balancing properties.

3. Calligraphy as Spiritual Practice

• His clerical script was praised by Emperor Xuanzong as "a dance of immortals."
• He taught:

  "Write slowly, like a river carving stone;
  Write quickly, like wind through bamboo.
  But always write with the heart."

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IV. Circle of Influence: Disciples & Peers

1. Notable Disciples

Name	Role	Famous Quote
Wei Zhen (韦皋)	Herbalist & Physician	"Master Li’s medicines cure; his words save."
Zhao Zhen (赵真)	Calligrapher	"I copy his scripts, but he copies the Tao."

2. Connection to Sima Chengzhen

Master Li often said:

"My teacher gave me three gifts:
A pine seed (for endurance),
A mirror (for self-reflection),
And a silent smile (for when words fail)."

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V. Final Years & Passing

In 769 CE (Dali Era, Year 4), at age 87, Master Li gathered his disciples and said:

"I leave you four things:
A herb pouch (for healing),
A brush (for truth),
A copy of Laozi (for wisdom),
And a pine cone (for hope).
The Tao is not far—
It is the space between your breaths."

He then closed his eyes and departed peacefully. Emperor Daizong posthumously honored him as "Zhengyi Daifu" (Righteous Counselor).

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VI. Legacy: Why He Matters Today

• For healers: His Ben Cao Yin Yi reminds us that precision in language saves lives.
• For artists: His calligraphy shows that beauty and function can be one.
• For seekers: His life proves that true wisdom lies in simplicity.