The Meng Jingyi 孟景翼

Meng Jingyi, styled Fuming, lived during the Qi and Liang dynasties of the Southern Dynasties. He was a native of Anqiu in Pingchang Commandery (now part of Shandong Province, China).

He was traditionally said to be a descendant of Mencius (Meng Ke), the renowned Confucian philosopher.

He was extremely filial to his parents.

Prince Jingling of the Qi Dynasty was an enthusiast of Buddhism; he vigorously promoted Buddhist scriptures and gathered a large number of monks. The prince engaged Meng Jingyi in a debate over the orthodoxy and heresy of Taoism and Buddhism. Meng Jingyi analyzed the issues with precise reasoning, and his arguments were clear, coherent, and unsurpassable. For this, he received high praise from the prince.

As recorded in San Dong Zhu Nang (Precious Bag of the Three Grottoes) and San Dong Qun Xian Lu (Records of Immortals in the Three Grottoes): In the second year of the Tianjian era of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty (503 AD), the positions of "Great Taoist Administrator" and "Minor Taoist Administrator" were established to oversee Taoist affairs. Meng Jingyi was appointed as the Great Taoist Administrator by imperial edict, and he delivered lectures on Taoist doctrines in official halls on multiple occasions.

In the fourth year of the Tianjian era (505 AD), Prince Jian’an (Xiao Wei) asked Meng Jingyi: "Taoism has very strict disciplinary rules and taboos. The two chapters of the Laozi (Tao Te Ching) are only transmitted after taking an oath of alliance. Is this the teaching of the ancient sages, and not something spoken by ordinary people?" Meng Jingyi replied: "Exalting esoteric teachings and strict rules, and upholding the orthodox and wonderful transformation (of Taoism), these principles complement each other; such practices are not contradictory or excessive." His answer won high praise from Prince Jian’an.