The Liu Congshan 刘从善

Liu Congshan (990–1078), styled Shuntian and also known by the literary name Haoyanzi, was a native of Xihai (now part of Shanxi Province) during the Northern Song Dynasty.

From his childhood, he had a keen interest in Taoist arts. During the Dazhong Xiangfu period of Emperor Zhenzong’s reign, he studied under Taihe, the abbot of Jianlong Guan (Jianlong Taoist Temple), and later passed the assessment to become a Taoist priest.

In the first year of the Tiansheng period of Emperor Renzong’s reign (1023), he was bestowed a purple robe (a symbol of imperial recognition for distinguished religious figures).

In the second year of the Tiansheng period (1024), he was ordered by imperial decree to serve as the abbot of Jingling Palace (a major imperial Taoist temple).

In the third year of the Tiansheng period (1025), when Zhu Ziying conferred Taoist talismans (a key ritual object in Taoism) on the Empress Dowager, an imperial edict summoned scholars well-versed in Taoist scriptures to participate in the ritual transmission as fellow officiants—and Liu Congshan took part in this ceremony.

He was commissioned by imperial order to compile Sandong Jing Ousong (Ode to the Scriptures of the Three Grottoes, a collection of Taoist scriptural odes) and was thus conferred the title "Grand Master Quansu" (Grand Master of Complete Purity). Additionally, his odes were used to petition for the construction of Taoist temples. When Yanning Palace was completed, he was ordered to write inscriptions for the sacred statues there, and these texts were engraved on gold and jade steles.

In the second year of the Zhihe period (1055), he held a Taoist ritual (called "jiao" in Chinese, a formal ceremony for praying or expiating) in the imperial palace in accordance with a memorial he submitted. Through this ritual, he cured Emperor Renzong of a severe illness.

In the first year of the Jiayou period (1056), he was appointed to the position of Youjie Shouque Jianyi (a mid-ranking Taoist administrative official in the imperial Taoist hierarchy) and was later promoted to Youyu Daolu (a senior Taoist administrative position overseeing imperial Taoist affairs). He passed away in July of the third year of the Xining period of Emperor Shenzong’s reign (1078) at the age of 81.

(From Lishi Zhenxian Tidao Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror of Authentic Immortals and Practitioners Through the Ages), Volume 48)