The Wang Shineng 王士能

Wang Shineng (1364-1491) was a native of Haizhou during the Ming Dynasty.

In his childhood, he admired the art of longevity. He traveled around the country and sought Taoist teachings in the Bashu region (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing). He encountered an extraordinary person in the Snow Mountain and became his disciple.

After three years of ascetic practice, he was taught the techniques of "shaping the body and refining qi" (a Taoist practice for physical and spiritual cultivation). Later, he returned to Jining and lived in a remote place. There was nothing but a couch in his residence; he did not cook with fire, and only sustained himself by "absorbing qi" (a Taoist breathing practice) and eating jujubes. Commander Zhu Xian recommended him to the imperial court, and the Chenghua Emperor summoned him in the side hall, bestowed a precious crown on him, and allowed him to return. At that time, Yang Nanfeng, a famous scholar, visited Wang Shineng in Jining and asked him about the technique to live a long life and maintain a youthful appearance. Wang Shineng replied, "It is simply that I have never eaten meat, never married a wife, never learned to count, and never strived for fame or fortune in my life."

He passed away in the fourth year of the Hongzhi reign of the Xiaozong Emperor (1491) at the age of 127.

Details of his life can be found in Xu Wenxian Tongkao (Continued Comprehensive Examination of Literature and History).