The Wu Yun 吴筠

The Wu Yun 吴筠

Paul Peng
Wu Yun (? - 778), whose courtesy name was Zhenjie (also recorded as Zhengjie), was a native of Huayin in Huazhou during the Tang Dynasty (present-day Huayin County, Shaanxi Province).
He was upright and unyielding by nature. In his youth, he pursued Confucian studies and prepared for the imperial civil service examinations. After failing to pass the Jinshi (a top-ranking title in the imperial exams) examination, he retreated to live in seclusion on Mount Yidi in Nanyang.
In the early years of the Tianbao era (742-756), he was summoned to the imperial capital and requested to be inducted into the Taoist order. Later, he went to Mount Song, where he studied under Pan Shizheng, the leader of the Shangqing School of Taoism, and received the scriptures and teachings of the Shangqing tradition.
He had a close friendship with literati of his time, such as Li Bai.
Emperor Xuanzong summoned him on multiple occasions. In his responses to the emperor, Wu Yun always focused on Confucian ethical principles and state affairs, and subtly admonished the emperor through implied remarks—for which he was greatly rewarded.
Later, he was harmed by the slander of Gao Lishi (a powerful eunuch of the Tang Dynasty). He firmly declined further official service and returned to the mountains.


He traveled east to Mount Mao, and in the 13th year of the Dali era (778), he passed away in Shanyin (a historical region in present-day Zhejiang Province). His disciples privately conferred on him the posthumous title "Mr. Zongxuan".


Wu Yun compiled and authored several works, including Collected Works of Mr. Zongxuan (20 volumes), Treatise on the Mysterious Principle (3 parts), and Treatise on the Mind and Eyes, Treatise on the Attainability of Immortality, Treatise on the Preservation of Body and Spirit (1 volume each). (Source: The Old Book of Tang·Biographies of Hermits, The New Book of Tang·Biographies of Occult Practitioners)
Paul Peng — Zhengyi Taoist Priest, Longhu Mountain

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 the curator of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.

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