The Sun Deyu 孙德彧

Sun Deyu (1243-1321) was a native of Sichuan during the Yuan Dynasty, with the courtesy name Yongzhang.

His ancestors originally came from the Wu region (a historical area covering parts of present-day Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces). Having held official positions in Sichuan, the family later registered their permanent residence there.

At the age of six, Sun Deyu went to the ancestral Taoist temple on Zhongnan Mountain and became a disciple of Zhenren Mu (Immortal Mu). When he was eleven, he was formally initiated as a Taoist priest and studied under Zhenren Li Tianle (Immortal Li Tianle). Li taught him the profound meanings of The Book of Changes and Tao Te Ching (also known as Laozi), as well as the Taoist doctrines passed down by Ma Danyang and Yu Dongzhen. Later, during the tenures of Taoist leaders such as Zhenren Zhang Chengming (Immortal Zhang Chengming), Zhenren Wang Chunhe (Immortal Wang Chunhe), and Zhenren Qi Dongming (Immortal Qi Dongming), all of them treated Sun Deyu with great respect and valued his expertise.

During the reign of Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty (Kublai Khan), Sun Deyu was ordered to accompany Prince Kuangxi on his military campaigns in the west. In the reign of Emperor Chengzong, he propagated Taoist teachings in the regions of Qin (roughly present-day Shaanxi Province) and Shu (roughly present-day Sichuan Province), serving as a scripture lecturer in Jingzhao Circuit. He was also awarded the title of "Zhenren" (Immortal) during this period. In the 11th year of the Zhiyuan reign period (1274), he was appointed to attend to the Prince of Anxi and take charge of ritual affairs. Concurrently, he held the positions of Taoist Registrar of Jingzhao Circuit and Tiju (an official in charge of supervision) overseeing all Taoist temples under the lineage of Yu Dongzhen.

The Prince of Qin held Sun Deyu in high regard and appointed him to supervise Taoist affairs in Jingzhao Circuit. Later, Sun was promoted to the position of Tongyi Official (a mid-ranking advisory official). In the 29th year of the Zhiyuan reign period (1292), he was appointed Tiju of the Grand Chongyang Wanshou Palace (Palace of Great Double Yang and Eternal Longevity) and was promoted from Tongyi Official to Deputy Tidian (Deputy Manager) of the palace. In the 6th year of the Dade reign period (1299), he was granted the title of Taoist Tidian of the Five Circuits in Shaanxi and Western Sichuan, and took charge of affairs at Chongyang Palace. In the 8th year of the Dade reign period (1304), he was ordered to preside over rituals honoring mountain and river deities at Linggong Temple; soon after, he was appointed Chief Tidian of Taoist Affairs for All Circuits (the top national official overseeing Taoist affairs). In the 2nd year of the Zhida reign period (1309), he was bestowed the additional title of "Zhenren Tiren Wencui Kaixuan" (Immortal of Embracing Benevolence, Literary Refinement, and Revealing Mystery) and continued to manage Taoist affairs in Shaanxi.

When Emperor Renzong of the Yuan Dynasty ascended the throne, Sun Deyu was summoned to the imperial capital to take charge of national Taoist affairs. He was specially awarded the titles of "Great Master of Immortal Dao Propagation" and "Zhenren Xuemen Zhangjiao Fudao Tiren Wencui Kaixuan" (Immortal of Managing the Mysterious Gate, Assisting the Dao, Embracing Benevolence, Literary Refinement, and Revealing Mystery). He was also appointed to oversee the Taoist Affairs Office of All Circuits and manage Taoist affairs at the Jixian Yuan (Academy of Scholarly Worthies, a central government institution responsible for academic, cultural, and religious affairs).

Sun Deyu also petitioned the emperor to bestow honors on his teachers: Yu Dongzhen was posthumously granted the title of "Zhenjun" (True Lord, a higher honor than Zhenren), while Gao Yuanming and Li Tianle were posthumously awarded the title of "Zhenren".

In the 2nd year of the Yanyou reign period (1315), Sun Deyu held a ritual to pray for rain, which was immediately answered. A Hall of the Dharma Master was built to the west of the palace, and the emperor ordered renowned imperial craftsmen to sculpt a statue of Sun Deyu for worship there. Later, due to old age, Sun submitted a memorial to the emperor requesting permission to return to the west (his residence in the Shaanxi-Sichuan region).

In the 1st year of the Zhizhi reign period (1321), Sun Deyu passed away from illness at Lingquan Guan (Lingquan Taoist Temple) at the age of 79.

Sun Deyu was fond of composing poems and essays; his works were compiled into Xisheng Ji (Collection of Silent Sounds), which has been handed down to subsequent generations. His well-known disciples included Ren Daoming, Zhang Ruona, Yan Ruotui, Jing Ruochong, and Zhao Daozhi.