Sun-Jiran
Sun-Jiran was
a Wudang Taoist in the early
years of South Song Dynasty.
According to the history, he
left home to cultivate in Super-Clean
Temple on Mao Mountain in the
late years of North Song Dynasty,
taught by the Taoists there,
he had special skills in making
medicines. In 1141, he took
his students to Wudang Mountain
where the halls and temples
were destroyed by swords and
wars, nearly became a ruin,
and he decided to rebuild Wudang
Mountain. In order to collect
money for rebuilding the halls
and temples, he went around
to heal disease for the folk.
That time the country was under
a plague, so he went around
and put his medicine into the
well. After taking the well
water, the people recovered,
so many people believed him
and gave more money to him.
With several years' working,
he rebuilt all halls and temples
in the Five-dragon Palace area.
Then he led his students and
followers build roads to sacrifice
offerings, which made Wudang
Taoism famous again in China.
He lived over 100 years, and
died of no illness.
Ye-Yunlai
Ye-Yunlai,
a Wudang Taoist in Yuan Dynasty,
born on March 5, 1251, was in
the family of Ye-Fashan, the
national master of Taoism in
Tang Dynasty.
Taoists in the South believed
in Taoism, but not left home
to cultivate in mountains, just
stayed in their homes, was named
Home-living Taoists. Taught
Yin-Yang augury, nutrition-absorbing
skills, Ye-Yunlai was interested
in Taoism when young and learned
Qingwei Taoism. During the period
between the late years of Song
Dynasty and the early years
of Yuan Dynasty, for escaping
the wars, he came to Wudang
Mountain to learn Xiantian Taoism
from Huang-Dongyuan, the famous
Taoist in Wudang, with Zhang-Daogui
and Liu-Daoming, and then became
a famous Taoist in Five-dragon
Palace. In 1285, he was invited
to Beijing to demonstrate the
skills of stopping wind and
cloud, quieting thunder and
lightning, praying for rain
and snow, and healing illness,
was highly praised by the government,
so was ordered to manage all
the Taoists in Beijing and other
important temples. Then he returned
to Wudang Mountain and lived
as a hermit and died.
Li-Mingliang
Li-Mingliang,
a Wudang Taoist in Yuan Dynasty,
was born in 1286. He was born
in a rich and influential family,
and very clever as a child.
After grew up, he was not fond
of home fellow and business,
but of traveling and Taoism;
so in 1297, he went to Wudang
Mountain to learn Taoism from
Lin-Daofu. After learned Taoism,
he cultivated and studied Taoism
in a grass hut for 15 years.
When he was the leader of Five-dragon
Palace, he worked hard to collect
money and succeeded in building
the Hall of Five-dragon Palace,
Jade Statue Pavilion, Huayang
Cliff and other buildings. He
thought for Taoism and the public,
little for himself, so many
people respected him and learned
from him.
He was also good at writings
and paintings. There is a painting
statue of him made by himself
in 1345, vividly as living.
He also had written a self-praising
poem for the painting statue.
Zhang-Shouqing
Zhang-Shouqing,
a Taoist in the years of Yuan
and Ming Dynasties, but more
famous in Yuan Dynasty, was
born in 1266. He began cultivating
in Wudang mountain at the age
of 39, learned the methods to
make medicines and gist of Qingwei
Taoism. Then he continued studying
from Ye-Yunlai, Liu-Daoming,
and Zhang-Daogui. He worked
hard and wasted no effort in
building the roads and temples,
planting trees and emblements,
and worshiping gods.
He was the important man to
connect the proceeding and the
following in Taoist history.
He learned all schools of Taoism
in Wudang Taoism, started in
the real sense Wudang Taoist
style of absorbing and merging
all the schools of Taoism, and
formed a new Wudang Taoism.
He widely collect and teach
students to the effect that
made Wudang Taoism stronger
in Taoist organization; he also
ordered his students to compile
many Taoist books to the effect
that widened the influence of
Wudang Taoism in the whole society.
He, after doing these things,
went the back mountain of Qingwei
Palace, in the Heavenly Pillar
Peak of Wudang Mountain to study
Taoism and then died.
Zhang-Sanfeng
Zhang-Sanfeng,
a famous Taoist in Wudang Mountain,
was a mysterious character in
Taoist history and Wushu history.
He was born with a strange figure
and was not paying attention
to his appearance, always in
rags, so was nicknamed Sluttery
Zhang.
He was born clever, could remember
the book he read by just read
once, and was good at chronometer
and geography. His Gongfu was
very high and could move here
and there quickly and invisibly.
In Wudang Mountain, he finished
the making of medicines and
created Wudang Wushu- Taiji
Boxing inspired by the fight
between a pie and a snake, which
is famous for suppressing the
active by waiting still and
overcoming the tough by a tender
way; and then taught it to the
folk by himself and his students.
He was not interested in fame
and office, just traveling,
cultivating, and teaching Taoism,
having a great influence among
the folk. He lived 210 years,
and died in the late years of
Tianshun Emperor.
Li-Suxi
Li-Suxi was
one of the famous Taoists in
Ming Dynasty.
According to the history, he
left home for Taoism in Wudang
Mountain in the late years of
Yuan Dynasty. He learned Taoism
from Shan-Dao'an, who was the
student of Zhang-Shouqing. He
became the leader of Five-dragon
Palace in the early years of
Hongwu Emperor of Ming Dynasty,
then cultivated in his Nature
Hut to study Zhouyi, good at
Taoist sciences. Emperor Zhu-Li
was fond of him, so ordered
to build halls and temples in
Wudang Mountain.
In 1421, after advocated his
students that Taoism had been
prosperous and all of them should
work hard at Taoism, he died.
It was surprising that his bones
and teeth were all green after
being burned. His remains and
cap and sword were buried in
Black Tiger Stream.
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