The Zhengyi School 正乙派
Paul PengShare
Zhengyi School
A branch of the Zhengyi Dao. It was founded by Lou Jinyuan, a Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain during the Qing Dynasty, with Jiangxi's Longhu Mountain as its center.
A branch of the Zhengyi Dao. It was founded by Lou Jinyuan, a Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain during the Qing Dynasty, with Jiangxi's Longhu Mountain as its center.
Lou Jinyuan recorded in Recompiled Annals of Longhu Mountain, Volume 2 Palaces and Offices: "Longhu Mountain has long been divided into three schools: Ziwei, Xujing, and Lingyang. Although their leaders share the same origin, there was no fixed generational naming system, making it difficult to distinguish seniority over time. Therefore, forty characters were established. From now on, the three schools shall unite, and names shall be conferred in sequence. Once these forty characters are used up, the generation with the character 'Chen' shall add another forty, and this cycle shall continue permanently."
The forty generational characters are: "Jin (近), Yuan (远), Zi (资), Yuan (元), Yun (运), Jiu (久), Chang (长), Bao (保), Ju (巨), Chun (淳), Dao (道), Wei (唯), Cheng (诚), Ke (可), Bao (宝), De (德), Yong (用), Xin (信), Wei (为), Zhen (珍), Bing (秉), Jing (敬), Hong (宏), Dan (丹), Lu (箓), Bao (葆), Zhen (真), Qi (启), Shi (世), Ren (人), Hong (鸿), Tu (图), Zan (赞), Jing (景), Zuo (祚), Sheng (圣), Ze (泽), Zhen (振), Chang (昌), Chen (辰)." Lou Jinyuan took "Jin" (the first character, which is also part of his own name) as the starting point, indicating that the school was founded by him.
The lineage of the school can be partially traced through Gu Yuan's Annals of Xuanmiao Temple (Qing Dynasty). Volume 3 of the annals records:
Hui Yuanmo (1697–1771), styled Xuzhong and known by the pseudonym Danfeng, could recite texts after one reading at the age of five or six. When he grew older, his family sent him to Xuanmiao Temple, where he studied under Pan Yuangui (styled Wu'an). At that time, the abbot Hu Yun'an invited teachers to lecture there, allowing Hui to extensively study Confucian classics and particularly focus on the Taoist Canon. At the age of thirty, he was appointed to the Daoist Registry. In the ninth year of the Yongzheng era (1731), he managed the Yuhua Courtyard at Longhu Mountain. Two years later (1733), when the Guangming Hall in the capital was completed, he was selected to conduct ritual ceremonies there. Lou Jinyuan was in charge of Guangming Hall at the time, and Hui Yuanmo studied under him, receiving his teachings. In the thirteenth year (1735), after Pan Yuangui's death, Hui returned south to take over his position as abbot. That autumn, Lou Jinyuan, noting a vacancy at Longhu Mountain, petitioned for Hui to be appointed as acting director there. In the ninth year of the Qianlong era (1744), as Lou grew elderly, he summoned Hui to the capital to assist him; the following year, Hui became a seasonal ritual master for the imperial court. When Lou suffered from illness, Hui's rituals always proved effective. Hui contributed significantly to Lou Jinyuan's compilation of Annals of Longhu Mountain through research and verification. He returned south in the winter of the fifteenth year of the Qianlong era (1750) and died in the thirty-sixth year (1771) at the age of seventy-five. He authored Collected Poems of Learning.
Hui Yuanmo (1697–1771), styled Xuzhong and known by the pseudonym Danfeng, could recite texts after one reading at the age of five or six. When he grew older, his family sent him to Xuanmiao Temple, where he studied under Pan Yuangui (styled Wu'an). At that time, the abbot Hu Yun'an invited teachers to lecture there, allowing Hui to extensively study Confucian classics and particularly focus on the Taoist Canon. At the age of thirty, he was appointed to the Daoist Registry. In the ninth year of the Yongzheng era (1731), he managed the Yuhua Courtyard at Longhu Mountain. Two years later (1733), when the Guangming Hall in the capital was completed, he was selected to conduct ritual ceremonies there. Lou Jinyuan was in charge of Guangming Hall at the time, and Hui Yuanmo studied under him, receiving his teachings. In the thirteenth year (1735), after Pan Yuangui's death, Hui returned south to take over his position as abbot. That autumn, Lou Jinyuan, noting a vacancy at Longhu Mountain, petitioned for Hui to be appointed as acting director there. In the ninth year of the Qianlong era (1744), as Lou grew elderly, he summoned Hui to the capital to assist him; the following year, Hui became a seasonal ritual master for the imperial court. When Lou suffered from illness, Hui's rituals always proved effective. Hui contributed significantly to Lou Jinyuan's compilation of Annals of Longhu Mountain through research and verification. He returned south in the winter of the fifteenth year of the Qianlong era (1750) and died in the thirty-sixth year (1771) at the age of seventy-five. He authored Collected Poems of Learning.
The Annals of Xuanmiao Temple also records:
Zhang Zili (1712–1786), styled Yizhi and known by the pseudonym Youtong, was from Cuancun Village. Born into a Confucian family, he entered Chaozhen Temple as a monk at the age of eleven, becoming a disciple of Shen Jian. He understood the essence of Dao De Jing through Confucian teachings and mastered all Taoist scriptures and secret rituals. In the twelfth year of the Yongzheng era (1734), he was selected to enter the capital, reside in Guangming Hall, and study under Hui Yuanmo, later becoming a seasonal ritual master for the imperial court. In the fourteenth year of the Qianlong era (1749), he returned south and, by Lou Jinyuan's order, managed the Yinghua Courtyard at Longhu Mountain. In the fortieth year of the Qianlong era (1776), he asked for leave to return to Suzhou, and the following year became abbot of Xuanmiao Temple. He was renowned for his effective rituals in praying for rain and exorcising evil spirits. He died in the fifty-first year of the Qianlong era (1786).
Zhang Zili (1712–1786), styled Yizhi and known by the pseudonym Youtong, was from Cuancun Village. Born into a Confucian family, he entered Chaozhen Temple as a monk at the age of eleven, becoming a disciple of Shen Jian. He understood the essence of Dao De Jing through Confucian teachings and mastered all Taoist scriptures and secret rituals. In the twelfth year of the Yongzheng era (1734), he was selected to enter the capital, reside in Guangming Hall, and study under Hui Yuanmo, later becoming a seasonal ritual master for the imperial court. In the fourteenth year of the Qianlong era (1749), he returned south and, by Lou Jinyuan's order, managed the Yinghua Courtyard at Longhu Mountain. In the fortieth year of the Qianlong era (1776), he asked for leave to return to Suzhou, and the following year became abbot of Xuanmiao Temple. He was renowned for his effective rituals in praying for rain and exorcising evil spirits. He died in the fifty-first year of the Qianlong era (1786).
The lineage after Zhang Zili is unclear. According to Compendium of All Taoist Schools, twenty additional characters were added after the original forty, suggesting that by the time the compendium was compiled, the school had passed down more than forty generations.
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 one of the curators of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.
Read his full story →
