Lives and Images of the Quanzhen Patriarchs 金莲正宗记仙源像传

Also known as Illustrated Biography of the Immortal Origins of the Quanzhen Orthodox Tradition. Compiled by Xie Xichan and Liu Zhixuan, Taoist Priest of the Quanzhen School in the Yuan Dynasty.

Lives and Images of the Quanzhen Patriarchs

Completed in the 4th year of the Taiding reign (1327). The original work had two volumes; the current edition in the Daozang is combined into one volume, included in the Genealogy and Records category of the Dongzhen Section.

The first volume of the original book collects several “Imperial Edicts of the Sage Emperors”, including the edict from Genghis Khan, Emperor Taizu of the Yuan, summoning the Immortal Qiu (Qiu Chuji); the edicts honoring and enfeoffing the Five Patriarchs and Seven True Masters of Quanzhen Taoism issued in the 6th year of the Zhiyuan reign (1269) by Emperor Shizu of the Yuan; the edicts granting additional titles to the Five Patriarchs and Seven True Masters in the 3rd year of the Zhida reign (1310) by Emperor Wuzong of the Yuan; as well as edicts conferring titles upon the eighteen disciples of Qiu Chuji.

The second volume contains biographies of Laozi of Hunyuan and the Five Patriarchs and Seven True Masters of Quanzhen Taoism. The Five Patriarchs are Wang Xuanfu (Lord Donghua), Zhongli Quan (Master Zhengyang), Lü Yan (Master Chunyang), Liu Cao (Master Haichan), and Wang Zhe (Master Chongyang). The Seven True Masters are the seven major disciples of Wang Chongyang: Ma Yu, Tan Chuduan, Liu Chuxuan, Qiu Chuji, Wang Chuyi, Hao Datong, Sun Buer. Each figure has one biography, briefly recounting their life stories and the titles conferred by emperors through the ages. Each biography is preceded by an illustrated portrait and followed by a eulogy.