The Qin Ruda 秦汝达

Qin Ruda (?–1195), courtesy name Tongyuan, was a native of Jiangyin (now part of Jiangsu Province) during the Southern Song Dynasty.

Born into a poor family in his early years, Qin traveled to famous mountains in the southeast to seek Taoist teachings when he grew up. At that time, Xu Shoujing had set up a retreat in Xidong (Western Grotto). When Qin Ruda arrived at Maoshan Mountain, he had a long conversation with Xu Shoujing that lasted the whole night. Xu highly valued Qin and thus passed down the Yin (Taoist Seal) and Jian (Magic Sword) to him—a symbolic transmission of Taoist orthodoxy. In the Shaoxi era (1191), the imperial court sent envoys to Maoshan Mountain to present incense and gold, sponsoring the grand Jinlu Zhai (Golden Register Ritual). The court also bestowed upon Qin Ruda the honorific title "Mr. Mingjiao" (Master of Illuminating Teaching). He passed away in October of the first year of the Qingyuan era (1195).

Qin Ruda was the 30th Patriarch of the Shangqing School of Maoshan (Maoshan Shangqing Sect).

(From Mao Shan Zhi [Records of Maoshan Mountain], Volume 12)