Five Dynasties · Celestial Master at the Min court

Chen Shouyuan 陳守元

Chén Shǒuyuán

Attested AD 937 - AD 938

Passages: 2
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Chen Shouyuan was a Celestial Master at the Min court.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 937 to AD 938 拜天師
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 114

Career and standing

Celestial Master 天師
Granted
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 114

References in the histories

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 68Volume 68: Hereditary House of Min · 2 passages

昶亦好巫，拜道士譚紫霄為正一先生，又拜陳守元為天師，而妖人林興以巫見幸，事無大小，興輒以寶皇語命之而後行。 Chang also dabbled in sorcery, naming the Daoist Tan Zixiao Lord of Orthodox Unity and Chen Shouyuan Celestial Master. The sorcerer Lin Xing won his favor, and no matter great or small was undertaken until Xing pronounced the Precious Emperor's command.

守元教昶起三清臺三層，以黃金數千斤鑄寶皇及元始天尊、太上老君像，日焚龍腦、薰陸諸香數斤，作樂於臺下，晝夜聲不輟，雲如此可求大還丹。 Shouyuan persuaded Chang to erect a three-tiered Terrace of the Three Pure Ones and cast statues of the Precious Emperor, the Primordial Heavenly Worthy, and the Supreme Lord Lao from thousands of jin of gold. Each day several jin of dragon-brain, spikenard, and other incense were burned while music played below the terrace without cease, day and night, on the promise that the Great Reverted Elixir could be obtained this way.