The Liu Yongguang 留用光

Liu Yongguang (?–1206), courtesy name Daohui, was a native of Guixi, Jiangxi Province, during the Southern Song Dynasty.

When he traveled to the Nanyue Mountains (the Southern Great Mountain), he encountered an extraordinary person who traveled with him and thus transmitted to him the Tianshin Wulei Fashu (Scriptures of the Heavenly Heart Five-Thunder Method). In the 14th year of the Chunxi era (1187), a severe drought struck Quzhou; Liu prayed for rain, and his prayer proved effective.

Recommended to the imperial court thereafter, he prayed for rain along the way to the capital, and all his prayers were efficacious. Emperor Xiaozong then granted him official Taoist headgear and robes in an audience, formally ordaining him as a Taoist priest. The emperor also wrote eight characters—"Xingye Qinggao, Jingcheng Gange" (His conduct is pure and lofty; his sincere devotion moves heaven)—and bestowed them upon Liu. From then on, Liu received five imperial decrees successively: he was appointed Zuoyoujie Dudaolu (Chief Taoist Administrator of the Left and Right Streets) and Taiyi Palace Dujian (Supervisor of the Taiyi Palace), and was conferred the honorific title "Mr. Chongjing" (Master of Calm and Tranquility).

Emperor Ningzong granted him silver and silk from the imperial treasury to expand and renovate the Shangqing Palace. Liu established the Changsheng Bureau (Bureau of Longevity) and was permitted to acquire manor lands. In the 4th year of the Jiatai era (1204), he obtained imperial permission to return to Longhu Mountain, where he collated and finalized the ritual texts of the Huanglu Zhai (Yellow Register Ritual). In the winter of the 1st year of the Kaixi era (1205), the imperial court sent envoys to summon him again. However, he passed away on New Year’s Day of the following year. Liu Yongguang was the founding patriarch of the Ziwei Sect (Purple Weft Sect) of Taoism.

(From Longhu Shan Zhi [Records of Longhu Mountain])