The Shen Yibing 沈一炳

Shen Yibing (1708–1786) was a native of Wuxing (now part of Zhejiang Province) during the Qing Dynasty. His courtesy names were Zhenyang; his literary names included Guyin, Taixu, Qingyunzi, and Taixu Zhuren (Master Taixu).

According to Jingai Xindeng (The Golden Cover and the Lamp of the Heart), he was born into an aristocratic family, but later his family fell into poverty. After both his parents passed away, he made a living by herding cattle with cowherds and cutting grass every day.

He was fond of sitting in a cross-legged meditation posture and observing and mapping the stars. At the age of 16, he met Li Niwan, a native of Sichuan, on Mount Jingai. Li taught him three chapters of esoteric poems, which inspired Shen’s aspiration to renounce secular life.

At 17, he went into seclusion at Jingu Cave in Wulin (an ancient name for Hangzhou) and studied under Gao Dongli. Before long, he fully mastered all the teachings passed down by Gao; he then adopted his current name (Shen Yibing) and was initiated into the "Three Great Precepts" (a core set of Taoist commandments).

In the first year of the Qianlong reign (1736), he followed Gao Dongli, who had been invited to take up a post, to Tongbai Mountain in Tiantai. There, Shen took charge of the lecture seat at Chongdao Temple (lecturing on Taoist doctrines).

In the second year of the Qianlong reign (1737), he met "True Person Sa" from Xihe. After this encounter, he embarked on a journey of travel. During this period, he developed a close friendship with Bei Changji, an accomplished Taoist master of the Huashan School.

Later, he resided at Zhengqi Nunnery in Wuxi, where he practiced meditation in seclusion (facing a wall in quiet cultivation) for three years, and his Taoist cultivation made remarkable progress.

At the age of 30, he went to Songjiang and studied under Master Zhou, from whom he learned various esoteric traditions of major Taoist rituals and doctrines. In the tenth year of the Qianlong reign (1745) [Note: There is a chronological inconsistency in the original text; 1766 is the 31st year of the Qianlong reign. Combined with Shen’s life timeline, 1745 (the 10th year of Qianlong) is more reasonable.], Prince Zhuang summoned him to the capital. The prince was delighted with their conversations and intended to recommend Shen to the imperial court, but Shen firmly declined and returned to the mountain.

In the 33rd year of the Qianlong reign (1768), when Gao Dongli fell seriously ill, Shen was summoned back to Tiantai.

In the 50th year of the Qianlong reign (1785), Shen prayed for rain in Gucheng (an ancient name for Huzhou), prayed for clear weather at the governor’s office, and prayed for snow in Qiantang (an ancient name for Hangzhou). All his prayers were answered with remarkable efficacy, and his reputation spread far and wide.

He passed away in the tenth lunar month of the 51st year of the Qianlong reign (1786) at the age of 79.

Shen Yibing was the 11th-generation "Precept Master" (a Taoist title for those qualified to transmit religious precepts) of the Longmen School (the most influential branch of Quanzhen Taoism). His most famous disciple was Min Xiaogen.