The Du Guangting 杜光庭

Du Guangting (850–933) lived during the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties period. He was a native of Jinyun in Chuzhou (now part of Zhejiang Province); there is another claim that he was from Chang'an. His courtesy name was Binsheng, and his literary name was Dongyingzi.

In his youth, he studied Confucianism. During the Xiantong era of the Tang Dynasty, he failed the imperial examination and later went to Mount Tiantai to practice Taoism.

During the reign of Emperor Xizong, he was summoned to the capital repeatedly and appointed as a scholar in charge of composing imperial responsive writings at Lindede Hall. In the first year of the Zhonghe era (881), he fled to Shu (the Sichuan Basin) to avoid chaos, settled in Chengdu, and served the father-son rulers of the Former Shu state, Wang Jian and his son. He held official positions including Imperial Censor-in-Chief, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and was conferred the title of Duke of Caiguo with the rank of Shangzhuguo (a high-ranking military honor). He was also bestowed the title "Mr. Guangcheng".

When Wang Yan succeeded to the throne (of Former Shu), he personally conferred Taoist talismans on Du Guangting and honored him as "True Heavenly Master of Transmission". Du also concurrently held the post of Grand Scholar of Chongzhen Guan (Chongzhen Taoist Institute). Later, he declined official appointments and lived in seclusion by Baiyun Stream on Mount Qingcheng. He passed away during the reign of Meng Zhixiang of the Later Shu state and was buried on Mount Qingcheng. He was 84 years old at the time of his death.

Du Guangting conducted in-depth research on various aspects of Taoism, including its doctrines, scriptures, religious history, and rituals. He systematically summarized Taoist liturgical norms and rituals, and made remarkable contributions to the rules governing major Taoist fasting ceremonies (such as the Golden Register, Yellow Register, and Jade Register ceremonies) as well as the establishment of altars and ritual protocols.

He was gifted in literary creation, particularly excelling in poetry and prose. He devoted his life to annotating and organizing Taoist scriptures, and stood as the preeminent scholar of Taoism in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties period. Today, more than 20 kinds of his works survive, scattered in the Taoist Canon (Daozang). Among them, the most famous include Collected Works of Mr. Guangcheng (Guangcheng Ji), Complete Collection of Taoist Liturgical Norms (Daomen Kefan Daquan Ji), Extensive Sage Meaning of the Dao De Jing (Daode Jing Guangshengyi), Scripture of the Divine Mantra from the Cavern Abyss of the Supreme Ultimate (Taishang Dongyuan Shenzhou Jing), Rituals for Golden Register Fasting and Repentance (Jinlu Zhai Chan Fangyi), Records of Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands (Dongtian Fudi Ji), Annotations on the Supreme Lord Lao's Scripture of Constant Purity and Tranquility (Taishang Laojun Shuo Chang Qingjing Jing Zhu), Records of Taoist Miracles (Daojiao Lingyan Ji), Records of Taoist Worship Through the Ages (Lidai Chongdao Ji), Records of Immortal Maidens Gathered in the Walled City (Yongcheng Jixian Lu), and Records of Strange Phenomena (Luyi Ji). (Sources: Old History of the Five Dynasties, "Biographies of Usurpers", Volume 3; New History of the Five Dynasties, "Genealogy of the Former Shu State", Volume 3; Zizhi Tongjian [Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government], "Annals of the Later Liang Dynasty", Volume 3; Tiantai County Chronicle; Comprehensive Mirror of True Immortals Who Embodied the Dao Through the Ages (Lishi Zhenxian Tidao Tongjian), Volume 40)