Meditation - Our School of Taoism

Complete Reality School of Taoism
(Chinese: 全真派; pinyin: quán zhēn pài)

The Complete Reality School is a major sect of Taoism that originated in China. When the Mongols overran Northern China (Song) in 1254, the Complete Reality School Taoists were among those who exerted the most efforts in keeping the peace, thus saving hundreds of innocent lives, particularly those of Han Chinese descent.

The Complete Reality School specializes in the process of "alchemy within the body", or what is referred to as Qigong. Qi refers to the energy of the body that keeps it alive while gong means work or technique. Qigong as a branch of martial arts focuses on the internal rather than on the external. Therefore, Quanzhen is more on the internal cultivation of the person which is consistent with the prevailing Tao belief of Wu Wei or the Art of Wu Wei, which is essentially "action through inaction". The Complete Reality School is particularly concerned with longevity through alchemy and herbs combined with the wisdom of the Tao, the Five Elements, and the Yin-Yang balance.

Ch’uan Chen, Quanzhen, or Quan Zhen can be translated literally to "All True" and for this reason, it is often called the "All True Religion", "Way of Completeness and Truth", "Way of Complete Perfection", "Realization of Truth", or "School of True Reality".

Northern Complete Reality School of Taoism
Founded By Wang Chongyang

The Northern Complete Reality School was founded by a Taoist priest, Wang Chongyang (aka Wang Che or Wang Chung Yang, born Wang Zhongfu) in 1113-1171 AD of the Sect of Clear Serenity of the Singular Path.

According to traditional legend, Wang Chongyang met two of the Taoist Eight Immortals in the summer of 1159 AD. The immortals, Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin (aka Lu Yen or Ancestor Lu), taught Wang Taoist beliefs and trained him in secret rituals.

Wang met one of these immortals again a year later and was provided with a set of five written instructions, which led to his decision of living alone in a grave he created for himself in Zhongnan Mountain for three years and in a hut he later called "Complete Perfection Hut" for another four years.

After seven years of living in the Zhongnan Mountain, Wang met Tang Chuduan and Qiu Chuji who became two of his seven disciples. In 1167 AD Wang traveled to Shandong Province and met Ma Yu and wife Sun Bu'er who also became his disciples.

Wang Chongyang's seven disciples, Qiu Chuji (丘處機), Ma Yu (馬鈺), Tan Chuduan (譚處端), Liu Chuxuan (劉處玄), Wang Chuyi (王處一), Hao Datong (郝大通), and Sun Bu'er were later known as The Seven Masters of Quanzhen or the Seven Immortals.

After Wang's demise, Ma Yu succeeded Wang as head of Complete Reality School while Sun Bu'er went on to establish the Purity and Tranquility Sect, one of the foremost branches of the Complete Reality School of Taoism. Qiu Chuji founded the famous White Cloud Monastery in Beijing as well as the Dragon's Gate branch of the Complete Reality School of Taoism.

Dragon's Gate School
Founded by Qiu Chuji

Qiu Chuji (Chinese: 丘處機; Taoist name 長春 meaning "Perpetual Spring", aka Kiu Chang Chun or Ch’iu Ch’ang Chun, 1148 - 1227 AD) was a Complete Reality School Taoist and the most famous of Wang Chongyang's seven disciples, or Seven Immortals. He founded the Dragon's Gate (Lung Men) School of Taoism, one of the 7 branches of the Northern School of Complete Reality Taoism.

In 1180, Qiu Chuji came to the Dragon Gate Mountain (龍門山) in Longzhou (隴州). Seeing the beautiful scenery, quiet surroundings, natural caves, and springs and hearing that immortal Lou Jing of the Han dynasty once cultivated himself in this place, Qiu decided to settle here. After selecting a cave as his residence he went on with his Cultivation and Refinement (修煉) for 6 years, using the methods inherited from his master, Wang Chongyang.

Qiu Chuji read and studied Taoist scriptures carefully. He found a phrase in the Book of the Inner Landscape of the Yellow Court (黃庭內景經) that read "if staying awake day and night, one achieves perfection and can remain unperturbed even under lightning and thunders". Qiu forced himself not to sleep at night and finally succeeded. Henceforth Qiu never lay down at night and rested simply by Sitting in Meditation (打坐) and Entering Tranquility (入靜). He left Dragon Gate Mountain in 1186.

Golden Mountain System
(Jin Shan Pai)

The Meditation class at Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy is based on Jin Shan Pai, or Golden Mountain System. Jin Shan Pai is part of the Dragon's Gate School, a branch of the Complete Reality School of Taoism. The class is lead by Sifu Dr. Denise Richardson and Sifu Eric Richardson, who are 7th generation Jin Shan Pai practitioners. Click here for a detailed Jin Shan Pai Lineage.