The Chen Daoyi 陈道益

Chen Daoyi (1151-1232) was a native of Qintai in Shanzhou (now part of Shandong Province) during the Jin Dynasty, and he styled himself "Chongxianzi" (Master of Reappearing Manifestation).

During the Dading era of the Jin Dynasty, when the Quanzhen School of Taoism was just rising, Chen Daoyi studied under Lingzhenzi of Xueshan (a disciple of Ma Danyang, one of the founding masters of Quanzhen Taoism) for several years. He devoted himself to studying Taoist classics, with a particular focus on spiritual practice. Later, he bid farewell to his teacher and settled elsewhere—he built a simple earthen-walled hut by a quiet riverside to live in. For many years, he fetched water from a clay pot through the window of his hut and ate only one meal a day. He adhered to ascetic practices and strict moral conduct; as a result, more and more people were drawn to him, his reputation spread far and wide, and the shoes left outside his hut (by visitors) were so many that they filled the space.

Subsequently, he went to Puwan in Shanghe County, where he finally fulfilled his great aspiration by building another earthen-walled hut (for further practice). After attaining enlightenment and mastering Taoist doctrines through practice, he traveled to various places to propagate Taoism. When he was in Wuchuan, he met Qiu Chuji (a renowned Quanzhen Taoist master). Following Qiu’s guidance, he went to Mount Daheng and later settled on Mount Gegong.

He lived in seclusion on the mountain for six years, during which he built more than a hundred Taoist nunneries and temples. He resided in Qingxu Palace (Palace of Clear Vacuity) himself. The number of his disciples grew increasingly large, and the total number of disciples he initiated exceeded a thousand. Among them, Gao Zhiquan, Shi Zhiquan, and Zhao Zhiwan were the most well-known.

Chen Daoyi passed away in the first year of the Tianxing era (of the Jin Dynasty) at the age of 81. Posthumously, he was bestowed the Taoist title "Dongxu Zhenren" (Immortal of Cavernous Vacuity).