The Shen Zhizhen 申志贞
Paul PengShare
Shen Zhizhen (1209-1284)
Shen Zhizhen was a native of Zezhou (now part of Shanxi Province) in the early Yuan Dynasty. His courtesy name was Zhengzhi, and he had two literary names: Yunsou and Dongyuanzi.
According to Volume 8 of Ganshui Xianyuan Lu (Records of the Immortal Origins by the Sweet Water), Shen Zhizhen studied Confucianism from a young age. Later, he sojourned in Taiyuan, where he became a Taoist monk and studied under Chaoranzi (Master Chaoran).
Subsequently, he went to Yanjing (the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, present-day Beijing), entered the Grand Changchun Palace, and paid homage to Master Li Zhenchang, who bestowed upon him the literary name "Dongyuanzi". At that time, Wang Shuzhai and Zhang Ne'an—both men of great talent and profound learning—were residing in the palace. In his spare time, Shen Zhizhen would listen to their lectures and discussions, which greatly advanced his Taoist studies.
- In the 12th year of the Yuan Taizong era (1240), Shen Zhizhen was appointed to oversee the affairs of the palace gates.
- In the 16th year (1244), he was ordered to offer incense at Taoist temples across various regions. After returning to the capital, he was promoted to the position of Chief Administrator of the Palace Gates.
- In the 3rd year of the Yuan Dingzong era (1248), he was granted a purple robe (a symbol of high status in Taoism) by imperial favor and was further promoted to Director of the Palace Gates.
- In the 1st year of the Yuan Xianzong era (1251), he was instructed by the imperial order to act on behalf of the Taoist Patriarch to hold a grand Taoist ritual at Mount Tai. In the 4th year (1254), he was promoted to Administrator of Taoist Affairs and accompanied the Patriarch on rituals worshipping famous mountains and rivers across the country.
- In the 5th year (1255), he accompanied the Patriarch to meet the emperor in the northern capital. In the 6th year (1256), after the Patriarch passed away, Chengming succeeded as the new Taoist leader and appointed Shen Zhizhen to take charge of the Ziwei Palace at the Heavenly Altar.
- In the 3rd year of the Zhongtong era (1262), the Prince of Yongning specially conferred upon him the title "Great Master of Dongyuan and Quiet Void".
- In the 4th year of the Zhiyuan era (1267), at the invitation of local authorities, he became the abbot of Tianqing Palace in Taiyuan Prefecture.
- In the 7th year (1270), he was promoted to the position of Chief Supervisor of Taoism.
- In the 19th year (1282), he traveled west to the ancestral court of Taoism on Zhongnan Mountain, where he renovated and expanded the Changchun Temple in Fucun Village on Zhongnan Mountain.
According to Epitaph of Supervisor Shen, the Great Master of Dongyuan and Quiet Void written by Zhang Haogu: "Shen Zhizhen had a handsome and neat appearance, and possessed broad vision and profound insight. He regarded assisting and promoting Taoism as his lifelong mission. Throughout his life, he remained steadfast in his beliefs, and neither gains nor losses could disturb his mind. He was skilled in interacting with people—whether high-ranking officials, nobles, the elderly, the young, men, or women—and all who knew him held him in high regard. During his leisure time, he enjoyed playing the guqin (a traditional Chinese zither) and reading ancient books, finding joy in his own company."
Shen Zhizhen passed away in the 21st year of the Zhiyuan era (1284) at the age of 75. His disciple Lu Zhixing compiled 16 volumes of his poems and essays written during his lifetime into a collection titled Huze Mengzhai Ji (The Mengzhai Collection from Huze), which has been passed down to later generations.
About the Author
Paul Peng
Paul Peng is a Zhengyi Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, Jiangxi — the ancestral home of the Celestial Masters' tradition. Ordained at 25 after a dream from the Celestial Master, he has practiced for 25 years under Master Zeng Guangliang. He is one of the curators of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.
Read his full story →
