The Dai Yongjian 戴永坚
Paul PengShare
Dai Yongjian lived during the Yuan Dynasty.
He became a Taoist monk at Shangqing Zhengyi Wanshou Palace. By nature, he was upright, principled, and steadfast in his beliefs. He once studied the Taiyi Feizhang Method (a specialized Taoist ritual technique for presenting petitions to celestial deities) under the Heavenly Master Zhang (spiritual leader of the Zhengyi School of Taoism).
According to Annals of Longhu Mountain, in the first year of the Huangqing reign (1312), Dai Yongjian accompanied the 38th Generation Celestial Master of the Successor Han Lineage to the imperial capital for an audience with the emperor. He was granted an imperial edict (sealed with the imperial seal) and appointed as the abbot of Qingxia Temple in Chaling Prefecture. Additionally, the Taoist monk Liu Kezhong was placed under Dai Yongjian’s leadership.
Dai Yongjian was bestowed the honorific title of "Dharma Master of Promoting the Profoundness of Dao and De." In the fourth year of the Yanyou reign (1317), an imperial decree renamed Qingxia Temple to Qingxia Wanshou Palace. Dai Yongjian was appointed as the Zhuchi Tidian (Abbot-Superintendent) of the new palace, while Liu Kezhong was appointed as Tiju (Administrative Supervisor). Dai Yongjian was further conferred the title of "Dharma Master of Advancing the Dao, Venerating the Origin, and Promoting Profoundness," and Liu Kezhong received the title of "Dharma Master of Bright Purity, Harmonious Concentration, and Quiet Unity." Later, Dai Yongjian again went to the imperial capital for an audience and was additionally entrusted with overseeing affairs at Qixing Temple in Chaling Prefecture.
In the second year of the Zhishun reign (1331), Qingxia Wanshou Palace was destroyed by fire. Dai Yongjian returned to and resided at Shangqing Zhengyi Palace on Mount Longhu.
In the second year of the Zhiyuan reign (1336), he accompanied the 39th Generation Heavenly Master to the imperial capital for an audience with the emperor.
In total, Dai Yongjian went to the imperial capital for imperial audiences on four occasions.
About the Author
Paul Peng
Paul Peng is a Zhengyi Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, Jiangxi — the ancestral home of the Celestial Masters' tradition. Ordained at 25 after a dream from the Celestial Master, he has practiced for 25 years under Master Zeng Guangliang. He is one of the curators of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.
Read his full story →
