The Wang Chongyang 王重阳

Wang Chongyang (1112–1170) had his ancestral home in Dawei Village, Xianyang, Shaanxi. His original name was Wang Zhongfu, with the courtesy name Yunqing. Later, he changed his name to Wang Shixiong, with the courtesy name Weide. After embracing Taoism, he renamed himself Wang Zhe, with the courtesy name Zhiming, and adopted the literary name Chongyangzi. He also called himself Wang San ("Wang the Third"), Wang Fengzi ("Wang the Eccentric"), and Wang Haifeng ("Wang the Unconventional"), but he was widely known to the world as Wang Chongyang.

He was born into a family of minor landlord class. Later, his family moved to Liujiang Village, Zhongnan County. From childhood, he loved reading; when he grew up, he was skilled in writing prose and verse, with quick wit and sharp intellect. He also enjoyed archery, and had a bold, unconstrained ambition, caring little about trivial social conventions. At the age of 20 (the "ruoguan" coming-of-age stage in ancient China), he enrolled in the prefectural school. In the early years of the Tianjuan era of the Jin Dynasty (1138), he took the military examination, passed the top tier (Zhongjiake), and thus changed his name to Wang Shixiong. Later, he served as a low-ranking official, but deeply felt that "Heaven has made me fail in both literary and military pursuits." Filled with emotion, he turned to Taoism and lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests.

In the fourth year of the Zhenglong era of the Jin Dynasty (1159), he abandoned his family and went on a journey. He claimed that in Ganhe Town, he encountered an extraordinary person who taught him the true secrets of internal Taoist cultivation. After realizing the Dao, he formally became a Taoist hermit. In the first year of the Dading era of the Jin Dynasty (1161), he dug a cave-tomb in Nanshi Village, named it the "Tomb of the Living Dead," and resided there to focus on Taoist practice. In the third year of the Dading era (1163), he successfully completed his internal alchemy cultivation, and moved to Liujiang Village. In the seventh year of the Dading era (1167), he set out as a mendicant, passed through Tongguan, and went to Shandong to propagate Taoist teachings, formally establishing the banner of "Quanzhen" (Complete Perfection).

He was adept at teaching in accordance with the needs of different people, and particularly excelled in using poetry, ci (lyric poetry), and songs to persuade and guide scholars, while also employing miraculous and extraordinary deeds to astound the world. During his missionary work in Ninghai and other places in Shandong, he successively accepted Ma Danyang, Sun Buer, Tan Chuduan, Qiu Chuji, Hao Datong, and Wang Chuyi as his disciples. In Ninghai, he founded the "Golden Lotus Society"; in Wendeng, the "Seven Treasures Society"; in Fushan, the "Three Lights Society"; in Dengzhou, the "Jade Flower Society"; and in Laizhou, the "Equality Society." Later, when he arrived in Yecheng, he accepted Liu Chuxuan as a disciple. These seven disciples came to be known in later generations as the "Seven True Persons of Quanzhen."

In the tenth year of the Dading era (1170), he took four of his disciples—Ma Danyang, Tan Chuduan, Liu Chuxuan, and Qiu Chuji—and returned to Guanzhong. On the way, he passed away in Kaifeng. He was buried at his former hermitage in Liujiang Village, Zhongnan Mountain (now Zu'an Town, Huxian County, Shaanxi).

Wang Chongyang advocated the equality and unification of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and put forward the syncretic theory that "Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism have always shared the same ancestral tradition." Within the Quanzhen Sect, Tao Te Ching (of Taoism), Classic of Filial Piety (of Confucianism), and Heart Sutra (of Buddhism) were designated as compulsory scriptures. He held that cultivating the Dao meant cultivating the mind, and that a pure and tranquil mind was the true shortcut to spiritual practice.

Emperor Zhangzong of the Jin Dynasty bestowed the name "Lingxu Guan" (Numinous Void Taoist Temple) on his former hermitage. Emperor Taizong of the Yuan Dynasty further upgraded it to "Chongyang Wanshou Gong" (Chongyang Palace of Longevity). The Quanzhen Sect reveres this site as "Zu'an" (Ancestral Hermitage) or "Zuting" (Ancestral Court). In the sixth year of the Zhiyuan era of Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty (1269), Wang Chongyang was posthumously granted the title "Zhenjun of Quanzhen, Enlightening and Transforming the World" (Chongyang Quanzhen Kaihua Zhenjun). In the third year of the Zhida era of Emperor Wuzong of the Yuan Dynasty (1310), he was further honored with the title "Dijun of Quanzhen, Enlightening and Transforming the World, and Assisting the Ultimate Principle" (Chongyang Quanzhen Kaihua Fuji Dijun). The Quanzhen Sect reveres him as its founding ancestor.