The Yu Mingzhi 余明志

Yu Mingzhi (?—1874) was a native of Shunde County, Guangzhou during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty.

His original name was Cihe, and his Taoist title was Xiaochenzi (Laughing Dust Son).

Research on the Origin and Flow of Changchun Taoism Volume 7 records: Mingzhi was born into an aristocratic family. His father held an official post in Sichuan, and he followed his father to the official residence in his youth. He studied Confucian classics and mastered profound Taoist principles. In the third year of the Tongzhi reign (1864), he abandoned his family and became a Taoist priest at Sulao Guan (Su-Lao Temple) on Luofu Mountain.

Residing in the temple, he secluded himself behind closed doors, burning incense day and night in a small room.

He recited scriptures such as Tao Te Ching and Huangting Scripture. He once said to his Taoist companions: "The elixirs we cultivate for Taoism are essentially unreliable. It is better to recite scriptures to nurture the mind, keep the mind free from deceitful thoughts, restore our original nature, and naturally transcend the mortal world to become a sage, wandering freely in the great void." He lived in the mountain for more than ten years and passed away in the tenth year of the Tongzhi reign (1875).

His Taoist companions compiled his poems and essays written in daily life into a collection titled Collected Works of Xiaochenzi, which has been handed down to the present day.