The Liu Hunkang 刘混康

Liu Hunkang (1037-1108) was a native of Jinling (present-day Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province) during the Northern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Zhitong, and he served as the 25th Patriarch of the Shangqing School of Maoshan Mountain.

At the age of thirteen, he studied under Tang Hanxiang at Taihe Guan (Taihe Taoist Temple) in Changzhou. In the 5th year of the Jiayou era (1060), he passed the scripture examination and officially became a Taoist priest. Later, he pursued further studies under Mao Fengrou of Maoshan Mountain.

In the 1st year of the Yuanyou era (1086), Empress Meng, the wife of Emperor Zhezong, accidentally swallowed a needle that got stuck in her throat. Liu Hunkang used a Taoist talisman to induce vomiting, helping her expel the needle. For this, he was bestowed the title "Master Dongyuan Tongmiao" and appointed as the abbot of Shangqing Chuxiang Palace.

In the 4th year of the Shaosheng era (1097), the imperial court issued an edict to convert Qianshen An (Qianshen Hermitage), Liu’s former residence in Jiangning Prefecture, into Yuanfu Guan (Yuanfu Taoist Temple). Later, another imperial edict designated the Scripture and Register Altar of Sanmao Mountain in Jurong County, Jiangning Prefecture, to stand in a tripartite balance with those of Longhu Mountain in Xinzhou and Zaoshan Mountain in Linjiang Jun (a military administrative region). These three altars were tasked with assisting and blessing the imperial family.

Emperor Huizong further conferred an additional title on Yuanfu Guan, renaming it Yuanfu Wanning Palace. He also granted Liu treasures including the Jade Seal of the Immortal Lord of the Nine Elders, the Jingzhen Sword (a sword symbolizing fortune and authority), as well as poems, odes, calligraphy, and paintings personally created by the emperor.

In the 2nd year of the Daguan era (1108), Liu was summoned to the imperial capital. He passed away at Yuanfu Guan (located within Chuxiang Palace) at the age of seventy-two. The imperial court posthumously awarded him the titles "Mr. Baozhen Guanchong He" and "Taizhong Dafu" (a high-ranking official title), along with the posthumous name "Jingyi". An imperial decree was issued to build Cangzhen Guan (Cangzhen Taoist Temple) as a memorial shrine for him.

(From Maoshan Zhi (Records of Maoshan Mountain), Volume 11; Xuanpin Lu (Records of Profound Worthies), Volume 5; and Xu Zizhi Tongjian·Song Ji: Emperor Huizong (Continuation of the Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government·Song Annals: Emperor Huizong))