Stele of the Three Mao Lords, Maoshan茅山九锡真人三茅君碑

Type

Steles and Inscriptions

Location

China · Jiangsu · Jurong, Zhenjiang / Jintan, Changzhou · Maoshan; the stele's present condition and location remain unresolved

School

Shangqing (Highest Clarity) School, Maoshan Lineage

First built

Stele text originates from the 3rd year of the Putong era, Liang of the Southern Dynasties (522) · Juan 20 of the Gazetteer of Mount Mao records a Stele of the Three Mao Lords, Perfected Ones Granted the Nine Bestowals erected by the Shangqing Daoist priest Zhang Yi in the third year of the Putong era of the Liang; whether the physical stele survives today, whether there is a Yuan-dynasty recutting, the attribution of authorship, and its dimensions and protection status all remain unresolved

Overview

The Stele of the Three Mao Lords, Perfected Ones Granted the Nine Bestowals records how the Three Mao Lords (Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong) received the title "Perfected Ones Granted the Nine Bestowals," and is one of the core hagiographical texts of the Shangqing School on Maoshan. What can be verified is this: juan 20 of the Gazetteer of Mount Mao records a Stele of the Three Mao Lords, Perfected Ones Granted the Nine Bestowals erected by the Shangqing Daoist priest Zhang Yi in the third year of the Putong era of the Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties (522) — that is, the stele's text originates from the Liang of the Southern Dynasties, not from the Tang or Yuan. Whether the physical stele survives today, whether there are later recuttings, the attribution of authorship, its dimensions and form, and its heritage-protection status are none of them reliably documented in public sources; this entry is therefore treated as unresolved, and no date or form is given. Maoshan lies on the border between Jurong, Jiangsu, and Jintan, Changzhou; its main peak, Damao Peak, rises to 372.5 meters, and its principal temples are Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace, Yuanfu Wanning Palace, and Qianyuan Temple; the scenic area also contains the Maoshan Daoist Culture Museum. See also the entry for the mother temple complex, "Mount Mao (Maoshan)."

Highlights

• Text originates from a stele erected by Zhang Yi in the third year of the Putong era of the Liang (522)
• Records the Three Mao Lords receiving the title "Perfected Ones Granted the Nine Bestowals"
• A core hagiographical text of the Shangqing School
• Whether the physical stele survives remains unresolved