The Dong Shouzhi 董守志

Dong Shouzhi (1160-1227) was of the Jurchen ethnicity during the Jin Dynasty.

His original surname was Shuhu (a prominent Jurchen clan name), and he later changed it to Dong; his Taoist monastic name was Yuzhen. His courtesy name was Kuanpu (also recorded as Kuanfu in some sources), and his Taoist titles were Ningyangzi (Master of Condensed Yang) and Heguang Laoren (Elder of Harmonizing Light).

As recorded in Lu Zhaowen’s Record of Immortal Ningyang Dong Yuzhen’s Encounter with Immortals, Dong Shouzhi admired Taoist metaphysical teachings from a young age. In the 20th year of the Dading era of Emperor Shizong of the Jin Dynasty (1180), he joined the military.

In the 6th year of the Mingchang era of Emperor Zhangzong of the Jin Dynasty (1195), he became paralyzed due to an illness while serving in the military, so he returned to Qianyang (a place in present-day Shaanxi Province) for medical treatment. A person who claimed to be Zhong Liquan (one of the Eight Immortals in Taoist legend) gave him alchemical elixirs, and his illness was cured immediately afterward. Later, Taoist priests visited him several times, bestowing upon him sacred water, talismans, medicinal remedies, and incantation techniques, instructing him to use these to relieve suffering and help others. The following year, two more Taoists, claiming to be Lü Dongbin and Liu Haichan (both renowned immortals in Taoist tradition), enlightened and guided Shouzhi. Thus, in the 5th year of the Cheng’an era (1200), he went to Qianyang, resided in a Taoist hut, and dedicated himself to Taoist practice.

In the 2nd year of the Taihe era (1202), Dong Shouzhi encountered the immortals Zhong (Liquan) and Lü (Dongbin) again. They transmitted to him the "Iron Horse" (a Taoist ritual tool or symbolic artifact), the "Seven-Star Precious Seal" (a sacred seal in Taoist rituals), the "Method of Reversing Water and Fire to Refine the Golden Elixir of Return" (a core Inner Alchemy practice), the "Secret Formula for Stabilizing Mercury in the ‘Completed Intercourse Yellow Sprout’ Alchemy to Prevent Evaporation", and the "Way of Consolidating Mercury and Lead to Preserve Vital Spirit and Qi" (key doctrines in Taoist Inner Alchemy). After this, Dong Shouzhi thoroughly mastered Inner Alchemy; he persisted in his cultivation and propagated Taoist teachings in the Qin and Long regions (ancient areas roughly covering present-day Shaanxi and Gansu provinces). Within a few years, his influence in the Taoist community grew rapidly, and his Taoist lineage expanded significantly.

In the 2nd year of the Yuanguang era of Emperor Xuanzong of the Jin Dynasty (1223), he built more than a dozen Taoist huts and halls in Longzhou (a place in present-day Shaanxi Province). He promoted moral education across the prefecture and county, greatly improving local social customs, and initiated hundreds of disciples and followers into Taoism.

Dong Shouzhi passed away due to illness in the 4th year of the Zhengda era of Emperor Aizong of the Jin Dynasty (1227) at the age of 68.

His disciples compiled his poems and essays into a collection titled Zhongguang Ji (Collection of Middle Light), which was printed and circulated for subsequent generations.