The Fan Chai 范豺

The Fan Chai 范豺

Paul Peng

Fan Chai

Also known as Fan Chai (alternative character for "Chai").
A native of Langzhong in Baxi Commandery (present-day Langzhong County, Sichuan Province) during the Taiyuan era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (376–396). From birth, he had fair skin, delicate features with clear eyebrows and eyes, and lush black hair and beard.
His movements and demeanor were elegant and proper. He never made reckless claims about foreseeing the future, nor did he fabricate talk of auspicious or inauspicious omens.
He remained silent throughout the day and favored a life of poverty and simplicity. He used a bed made of mulberry firewood, a hollow earthen vase as a pillow, and inserted bundles of straw between them—this setup remained unchanged for years.
At that time, he would tie together tattered cloth scraps to make a net-like garment, and drape straw mats over his body to cover himself. When people approached him, a peculiar fragrance emanated from his person, so everyone in his time respected and revered him.
In the 14th year of the Taiyuan era (389), he resided in the thatch thickets at the end of Fucheng Islet in Zhijiang County of Nanjun Commandery. Sometimes he would beg for food along the streets for over ten days, subsisting only on coarse grains, vegetables, and fruits. Once he ate about a sheng (an ancient Chinese unit of volume, approximately 1 liter) of food, he could go for more than ten days without eating again.
He disliked conversing with prominent and noble officials, nor did he change his attitude based on the high or low social status of others. (Sources: Daoxue Zhuan (Biographies of Taoist Scholars), Sandong Zhunang (Precious Sack of the Three Caverns))
Paul Peng — Zhengyi Taoist Priest, Longhu Mountain

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.

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