Wang Chongyang (11 January 1113 – 22 January 1170; Chinese calendar: 22nd day, 12th month, 2nd year, Zhenghe era in the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song - 4th day, 1st month, 10th year, Dading era in the reign of Emperor Shizong of Jin) is the founder of the Quanzhen school of Taoism. In his life he had many devotees and followers, but formally accepted seven major disciples which are known as the Seven Perfected or the Seven Masters of Quanzhen: Ma Danyang, Qiu Chuji, Tan Chuduan, Liu Chuxuan, Hao Datong, Wang Chuyi, and Sun Bu’er. Wang Chongyang is one of the Five Northern Patriarchs of Quanzhen, which in order they are: Wang Xuanfu 王玄甫, Zhongli Quan 钟离权, Lü Dongbin 吕洞宾, Liu Haichan 刘海蟾, Wang Chongyang 王重阳. He is also one of the Eight Immortals of Taoism.
Given names: Zhongfu (中孚); Dewei (德威); Zhe (喆)
Courtesy names: Yunqing (允卿); Shixiong (世雄); Zhiming (知明)
Wang was born with his birth name as "Zhongfu" in a wealthy family in 1113. He was educated in Chinese classics and martial arts.
His family had been a prominent local clan for generations. He loved reading from a young age, later entered the prefectural school, and passed the imperial examination. In the early years of Emperor Xizong of Jin's Tianjuan era (1138-1140), he took the military examination, passed the first-class examination category, and became the top scholar in the military examinations. He then changed his name to Dewei, with the courtesy name Shixiong.
Later, despite having achieved top honours in both civil and military examinations, he served as a minor official in charge of collecting wine for a long time. Then he resigned and withdrew to his home, spending his days numbing himself with alcohol.
According to tradition, in the summer of 1159 when he was 48, he met two Taoist immortals in a tavern in Ganhe Town, Zhongnan, Shaanxi, Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin. They taught him the true secrets of Taoist cultivation. He changed his name to "Zhe" and adopted the Taoist name "Chongyang".
Wang Chongyang need a place to conduct his coltivation so he dug up a tomb at the eastern edge of his village near Mount Zhongnan, and called it the “Tomb of the Living Dead”. This tomb "was a mound of dirt several feet high, with a ten-foot-high ceiling dug under it. Near the entrance to this underground enclosure Wang placed a plaque that read, "Wang Haifeng" (Lunatic Wang)." He stayed here for three years during which he became an immortal and attained the Tao.
After three years, the two immortals came again and instructed him to spread the Tao and save the people. In particular they ordered him to go to Shandong and find Qiu, Liu, Tan and Ma.
Therefore, in the seventh year of the Dading era of Jin dynasty (1167), Wang Chongyang burnt down his thatched hut and left Shaanxi to journey east to Shandong to carry out his mission.
When arrived in Ninghai, Shandong, he first found Ma Danyang, which was married with Sun Bu'er. Ma recognized immediately Wang Chongyang as an immortal and became his disciple. Ma Danyang ordered the construction of an hut in the garden of his mansion where his master went to reside and conduct his practice. This hut was called by Wang Chongyang "Quanzhen Hut" (全真庵 Quanzhen an)—this is where the name of the Quanzhen school comes from. Soon after, Sun Bu'er also recognized him as her master; so she departed to carry on her cultivation in seclusion, following the instructions of the female internal alchemy handed by Wang Chongyang.
In the ninth month of 1167 Qiu Chuji arrived at the Quanzhen Hut. Nineteen years old at the time, he had heard that an immortal was residing in the Ma family's mansion so he hurried to meet him and became his disciple. Later Tan Chuduan, Liu Chuxuan, Wang Chuyi and Hao Datong also became his disciples.
During this years, Wang Chongyang established five congregations in Shandong:
Three Teachings Seven Treasures Congregation (三教七宝会Sanjiao qibao hui). Established in August of 1168 at Jiang Bao'an Temple in Wendeng.
Three Teachings Golden Lotus Congregation (三教金莲会 Sanjiao jinlian hui). Established in April 1169 at the "Golden Lotus Hall" in Ninghai.
Three Teachings Three Lights Congregation (三教三光会 Sanjiao sanguang hui). Established in September 1169 in Fushan County.
Three Teachings Equality Congregation (三教平等会 Sanjiao pingdeng hui). Established in 1169 in Dengzhou (present-day Penglai).
Three Teachings Jade Flower Congregation (三教玉华会 Sanjiao yuhua hui). The last one, established in Laizhou.