Title: The EIGHT IMMORTALS
Description: Han Zhongli, the Bun-haired Taoist
REBORN - September 27, 2006 02:58 PM (GMT)
Han Zhongli, the Bun-haired Daoist:

His surname was Zhongli and his personal name Quan, which, in later times, was changed to Jue. He came from Yantai, and styled himself Jidao. Known as Heguzi or Zhenyangzi, he was worshiped as Patriarch Zhenyang, and was counted among the Five Northern Patriarchs. It is said that he was born on the fifteenth of the fourth month, when brilliant rays rose just like flames. In the first days after his birth, he neither cried nor ate. On the seventh day, he suddenly jumped up and said: I am going to ascend to the heavenly world someday. As a grown-up, he was designated as Imperial Counselor. Receiving the emperor's order, he commanded troops to attack enemies in the North. However, he lost the war as well as his troops. He fled the battlefield alone and came to Gumi Path where he met Wang Xuanpu who taught him a formula for longevity, knowledge of divine elixirs and Green Dragon Swordsmanship. After that, he went to Mt. Hua, then to Mt. Kongtong where he met the Venerable Ruler of the Supreme Concourse and was granted the title Yunfang. In the Tang dynasty, after saving Lu Chunyang, he received an order from the Jade Emperor and ascended to heaven where he was designated as 'Perfect Man of the Left Chamber of the Supreme Ultimate'. On the basis of his discussions with Lu Dongbin on the Dao of the Divine Immortals, a Daoist book entitled The Transmission of Dao by Zhongli Quan and Lu Dongbin was edited. In the first Qinkang year of the Song dynasty emperor Qing, he was granted the title of 'Perfect Man Zhenyang', and also received the title of 'Perfect Man Zhenyang who Enlightens and Transmits Dao" in the sixth Zhiyuan year of the Tang dynasty (1269 AD). He used to call himself 'Zhongli, the Freest Tramp under Heaven', which, by mistake, was interpreted as Han Zhongli, which referred to a man named Zhong Li living in the Han dynasty. It is said that Zhongli Quan, when teaching Dao, normally wore his hair in two buns, with a big fan in his hand, and exposing a big belly. He was popularly known as the Free Perfect man.