Wang Chongyang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wang Chongyang |
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|---|---|
| 王重阳 | |
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| Religion | Taoism |
| School | Quanzhen School |
| Known for | Founder of Quanzhen School |
| Other names | Wang Zhe |
| Monastic name | Chongyang |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Born | Wang Zhongfu 11 January 1113 Jingzhao Xianyang, Song Empire |
| Died | 22 January 1170 (aged 57) Kaifeng, Jin Empire |
| Senior posting | |
| Successor | Ma Yu |
| Reason for exit | deceased |
| Wang Chongyang | |||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 王重陽 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 王重阳 | ||||||||
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Wang Chongyang (born January 11, 1113 – died January 22, 1170) was an important Chinese thinker and poet. He was a Taoist master and helped start the Quanzhen School of Taoism. This happened in the 12th century during the Jin dynasty. He is known as one of the Five Northern Patriarchs of Quanzhen Taoism. You might also see him as a character in popular Chinese adventure stories called wuxia fiction.
Contents
Understanding Wang Chongyang's Names
Wang Chongyang had many names throughout his life. People in ancient China often used different names for different parts of their lives.
Family and Given Names
- His family name was Wang (王).
- His birth name was Zhongfu (中孚).
- Later, he used the given names Dewei (德威) and Zhe (喆).
Courtesy and Art Names
- His courtesy names were Yunqing (允卿) and Shixiong (世雄), and Zhiming (知明). These were used by others to show respect.
- His special Taoist name, or pseudonym, was Chongyangzi (重陽子). This is where "Chongyang" comes from.
Wang Chongyang's Life Story
Wang Chongyang was born into a rich family in 1113. He studied classic Chinese texts and also learned martial arts.
Becoming a Taoist
Wang first wanted to lead a rebellion against the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty. This dynasty had taken over northern China. In 1159, when he was 48, he met three special Taoist immortals in a tavern. These immortals, Zhongli Quan, Lü Dongbin, and Liu Haichan, taught him secret Taoist practices. After this, he changed his name to "Zhe" and took the Taoist name "Chongyang."
The Tomb of the Living Dead
In 1160, Wang met one of the immortals again. He received written instructions that even named two future students. Wang then built a tomb for himself near Mount Zhongnan. He called it the "Tomb of the Living Dead" and lived inside it for three years.
The Complete Perfection Hut
After three years, Wang filled the tomb with earth. He built a small hut on top of it and named it the "Complete Perfection Hut." He spent the next four years there, deeply studying Taoism and sharing his knowledge. During this time, he met Tan Chuduan, who became his student after Wang helped him recover from an illness.
Wang, Tan Chuduan, and another student, Qiu Chuji, traveled to local towns. They started five Taoist groups. Wang's teachings became known as the "Teachings of the Complete Perfection." His branch of Taoism grew into the famous Quanzhen School.
Traveling East and His Seven Disciples
In 1167, Wang burned down his hut and traveled east to Shandong. There, he met Ma Yu and his wife, Sun Bu'er, who also became his students. Wang Chongyang eventually had seven main students. They are known as the "Seven Masters of Quanzhen" or "Seven Immortals."
Influence on Emperors
Later, in 1187, the Emperor Shizong of Jin asked Wang's student Wang Chuyi to teach in his palace. The emperor even asked for Wang Chuyi to be with him when he was dying. Emperor Shizong's grandson, Emperor Zhangzong, at first tried to stop Quanzhen Taoism. But he later changed his mind and even let Wang Chuyi stay in Beijing for a year. A later emperor, Wanyan Shou, even wrote a biography about Wang Chongyang. Wang Chongyang was also honored in the famous Longmen Grottoes.
Wang Chongyang's Writings
Wang Chongyang wrote many poems that shared Taoist lessons. It is said that one of his students, Liu Chuxuan, decided to follow Wang after reading one of his poems.
Some of Wang's important writings include:
- "An Anthology of Complete Perfection by Chongyang" (Chongyang Quanzhen Ji)
- "Chongyang's Anthology on Teaching Transformation" (Chongyang Jiaohua Ji)
- "Chongyang's Anthology of the Ten Transformations by Dividing Pears" (Chongyang fenli shihua ji). This last one used a clever wordplay to encourage Ma Yu and Sun Bu'er to live separately to focus more on their Taoist studies.
Wang Chongyang's Famous Students
Among Wang's seven students, Sun Bu'er and Qiu Chuji are very well-known. Sun Bu'er became an important role model for female Taoists. Her husband, Ma Yu, was also one of the seven. Ma Yu later became the leader of the Quanzhen School after Wang's death.
Qiu Chuji became a favorite of Genghis Khan, a powerful leader. Qiu Chuji founded the White Cloud Monastery in Beijing. Genghis Khan even made all Quanzhen schools tax-free and put Qiu Chuji in charge of all religions in China.
Each of Wang's seven students started their own branch of Quanzhen Taoism:
- Ma Yu (馬鈺) started the Yuxian lineage (Meeting the Immortals).
- Tan Chuduan (譚處端) started the Nanwu lineage (Southern Void).
- Liu Chuxuan (劉處玄) started the Suishan lineage (Mount Sui).
- Qiu Chuji (丘處機) started the Longmen lineage (Dragon Gate).
- Wang Chuyi (王處一) started the Yushan lineage (Mount Yu).
- Hao Datong (郝大通) started the Huashan lineage (Mount Hua).
- Sun Bu'er (孫不二) started the Qingjing lineage (Clarity and Stillness).
Wang Chongyang in Fiction
Wang Chongyang is a popular character in many stories.
The Condor Trilogy Novels
Wang Chongyang is mentioned in the famous wuxia novels The Legend of the Condor Heroes and The Return of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong. In these stories, he is already dead, but other characters talk about his life. He was known as "Central Divine" (Chinese: 中神通; pinyin: zhōng shéntōng) and was one of the top five martial artists of his time. He founded the Quanzhen School, which is a martial arts school in the books. After he dies, his seven students lead the Quanzhen School to become a major martial arts group.
In the second novel, the main characters, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü, find out more about Wang Chongyang's past. They learn he had a romantic connection with Lin Chaoying, who founded the Ancient Tomb School. Wang Chongyang lost a fight to Lin Chaoying. He had to keep his promise to give her the tomb and live as a Taoist monk for the rest of his life.
Other Appearances
In the manhua (comic book) series Oriental Heroes by Wong Yuk-long, Wang Chongyang is shown as the creator of a powerful martial art called the 'Nine Solar Art'.
