The Wei Jingzhao 韦景昭

Wei Jingzhao (694-785), styled Huaibao, was a native of Yanling in Danyang (now Danyang County, Jiangsu Province) during the Tang Dynasty. He was a descendant of Wei Shen, the Sikong (a high-ranking official in ancient China, roughly equivalent to a minister of works) of the Wu State.

In his youth, Wei Jingzhao was well-versed in Confucian classics and historical records, and he admired the study of immortality, showing no interest in official careers or fame. When he grew up, he became a Taoist monk at Xunzhen Guan (Xunzhen Taoist Temple) in Yanling after receiving the ordination. He studied under Bao Shangrong, learning the doctrines and rituals of the Lingbao Scripture. Later, he resided at Sum Ming Guan (Sum Ming Taoist Temple) in Chang'an.

During the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty (742-756), he was ordered by the imperial court to serve Li Hanguang in constructing Ziyang Guan (Ziyang Taoist Temple) on Maoshan Mountain, and thus settled there. In the early years of the Dali era (766-779), Li Hanguang passed on to him the authentic transmission of Taoist scriptures and registers.

Wei Jingzhao was deeply devoted to Taoism. Even though he experienced the wars during the reigns of Emperors Suzong and Daizong, he never wavered in his pursuit of Taoist ideals. He passed away in the first year of the Zhenyuan era (785) at the age of 92. The imperial court conferred on him the posthumous titles of "Shangqing Immortal Earl" and "Dadong Zhenyuan Master", and he was recognized as the 14th patriarch of the Shangqing School of Taoism on Maoshan Mountain.

(Source: Records of Maoshan Mountain, Volume 12; Lu Changyuan’s Stele of Great Master Jingzhao of the Three Caves in Huayang)