Wu Shouyang (Wu Chungxu 伍冲虚)

Master Wu Shouyang

Wu Shouyang 伍守陽 (b. 1573 (concealment 1644)), whose given name was Zi Duanyang and alias Chunxiuzi, was a native of Bixieli in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. He was an 8th generation follower of the LongMenPai School and the founder of the WuLiuPai School .

He was originally a Confucian scholar but also knew Buddhism. He once received instruction from the Daoist master Qao Huangyan 曹还阳, also studied under Wang Kunyan 王昆阳 , Li Niwan 李泥丸 . At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Wu Shouyang was respected by the royal family for his extraordinary knowledge and outstanding behavior Emperor Wanli named him Master of the Qi Kingdom. In the first year of the Tianqi reign (from 1621 to 1627) of Emperor Xizong of the Ming dynasty, Wu Shouyang supervised the publication of the DaoZang in the Baiyunguan Temple (Temple of White Clouds) in Beijing.

Later he practiced in seclusion on Mount Wanushan, after which he spread the teachings of inner alchemy, and then disappeared. Even later he taught the techniques of internal alchemy to Liu Huayang (b.1736).

Wu Shouyang once studied the books of the immortal sages and was said to have “illuminated Daoism through Confucianism and achieved success through development in Dao.”

Wu Chunxiu wrote the treatises:

• 天仙正理直论 “True Principles of Heavenly Immortality”,

• 仙佛合宗语录 “Common Teachings of Immortals and Buddhas”,

• 金丹要诀 “ The Secret of the Golden Elixir”

Liu Huayang is the author of the treatises:

• 慧命经 "Book of Understanding Life" A Treatise on the Knowledge of Destiny

• 金仙证论 “Confirmatory Teachings of Golden Immortals”

Subsequent generations combined these four books and called them “ Wu Liu Xian Zong ” 伍柳仙宗.

Wu Shouyang argued that those practicing Daoism should first practice the “human way” before practicing the way of Immortality . You can learn more about the doctrine of the school and the theory of Daoist alchemy in our classes.

Abridged Genealogy WuLiuPai
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