Lou Jinyuan娄近垣

Style & Daoist names

courtesy name Langzhai, sobriquets Sanchen and Shangqing Waishi (Unofficial Historian of Shangqing), Perfected Miaozheng (Wondrous Rectitude)

Period

Qing

Dates

1689 — 1776

School

Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Daoism

Role

Zhengyi Daoist priestcourt Daoist leaderRitual Master

Birthplace

Loujian, Songjiang (present-day Songjiang, Shanghai)

Places of activity

Mount Longhu (Dragon and Tiger Mountain), Dagaoxuan Hall (Hall of Imperial Longevity, Great High Mystery)

Life

Lou Jinyuan, a native of Songjiang in Shanghai, was the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) priest of highest standing in the Qing dynasty. He entered Longhushan young and became ritual master to Zhang Xilin, the fifty-fifth-generation Celestial Master. In the fifth year of the Yongzheng reign (1727) he accompanied the Celestial Master to the capital and, having effectively performed a jiao rite to "expel a baleful influence" for the Yongzheng Emperor, won his deep confidence: he was granted the title "Perfected Miaozheng" and appointed fourth-rank Superintendent of Longhushan, presiding over Daoist affairs at the Qin'an Hall and the Daguangming Hall and concurrently overseeing the Zhengyi priests of the capital. The Yongzheng Emperor praised him for having "investigated Chan and awakened to the Dao," and had his recorded sayings included in the Yuxuan yulu (Imperially Selected Recorded Sayings). He continued to be employed under the Qianlong reign, managing the Dagaoxuan Hall. He compiled the Gazetteer of Mount Longhu in sixteen juan (in the fifth year of Qianlong) and edited the Huanglu keyi (Ritual Protocols of the Yellow Register), and also wrote a Commentary on the Nanhua jing; he was thus an important editor of Zhengyi ritual and historical materials in the Qing. He died in 1776. Lou Jinyuan was the only Zhengyi priest of the Qing to win an emperor's deep esteem, and represents the highest standing attained by Zhengyi Daoism at the Qing court.

Contributions & Influence

• Leader of court Daoism under the Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns, granted the title of Perfected
• Compiled the Gazetteer of Mount Longhu and the Huanglu keyi, ordering Zhengyi historical materials and ritual protocols
• Presided in the capital over court Daoist affairs at the Dagaoxuan Hall and elsewhere

Works

• Gazetteer of Mount Longhu
• Yellow Register liturgy
• Commentary on the Zhuangzi (Nanhua jing)
• Recorded Sayings of the Perfected Miaozheng (included in the Imperially Selected Recorded Sayings)