Chronological Records of the Seven Perfected 七真年谱

Compiled by Li Daoqian, a Taoist priest of the Quanzhen School in the Yuan Dynasty.

One volume, included in the Daozang under the category of Genealogies and Records in the Dongzhen Section.

Chronological Records of the Seven Perfected

This book is a combined chronicle of Wang Chongyang, founder of Quanzhen Taoism, and his seven major disciples: Ma Yu, Tan Chuduan, Wang Chuyi, Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Hao Datong, and Sun Buer.

According to Li Daoqian’s postscript written in the Xinwei year of the Zhiyuan reign (1271) at the end of the volume: the author “thoroughly examined the collected works of the masters and true beings, as well as biographies written by various scholars. Starting from the year of the birth of Ancestor Chongyang and ending with the autumn of the immortality of True Man Changchun, he compiled in detail the activities and deeds during these 116 years into a single chronicle.”

Wang Chongyang was born in the 2nd year of the Zhenghe reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty (1112), the earliest born among the eight. Qiu Chuji died in the 22nd year of the reign of Emperor Taizu of the Yuan Dynasty (1227), the latest to pass away among the eight.

This book outlines the life stories, the founding and propagation of the Dao, and major works of Ancestor Chongyang and his seven major disciples over these 116 years. It serves as important material for researching the early history of Quanzhen Taoism.