The Bao Taikai 鲍太开

Bao Taikai was a native of Daxing (now part of Beijing Municipality) during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. His original name was He, and his literary name was Sanyang.

His father, Dingsheng, served as an official in Taicang Prefecture, Jiangnan. As recorded in Jingai Xindeng (The Lamp of the Heart at Golden Canopy): At the age of 18, Taikai traveled to Guanshan Mountain, where he met Taoist Precept Master Huang Xutang. They were delighted by their conversation, so Taikai bid farewell to his father and elder brothers and took up residence in Huguan. Later, when Taoist Precept Master Lü Yunyin established a Yanbotang (Hall for Expounding Precepts) at Guanshan Mountain, attracting a large following, Taikai and Weng Chaoyang both went there to receive the Chuzhen Precepts (Initial Truth Precepts) and Zhongji Precepts (Middle Ultimate Precepts).

In the 25th year of the Kangxi reign (1686), he went to Jingai Mountain, sought out Tao Shian, and through studying and discussing Taoist teachings with him, made significant progress in his spiritual practice.

Later, he returned to Guanshan Mountain, received the Tianxian Dajie (Great Precepts of Heavenly Immortals), and began to inherit the spiritual legacy (of the lineage) and lead the Taoist community. At the age of 38, he returned north to Yanjing (Beijing), where princes, dukes, and high officials appointed him as the abbot of Baiyun Guan (White Cloud Taoist Temple). He revitalized the Longmen Vinaya Sect in northern China. Soon after, upon hearing that Precept Master Lü Yunyin was seriously ill, he traveled south to reside at Guanshan Mountain.

In the 49th year of the Kangxi reign (1710), after Lü Yunyin passed away, Bao Taikai bid farewell to his followers and set out on a journey. His final whereabouts remain unknown. He was 43 years old at the time. He was the 9th-generation Taoist Precept Master of the Longmen School.