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Ma Yu

Also known as: Ma Danyang, Danyangzi, Ma Congyi, Ma Xuanbao, Mǎ yù

Definition

Ma Yu, also known as Ma Danyang, was an early Quanzhen leader and a disciple of Wang Chongyang. His support for the first Quanzhen community and his leadership after Wang's death place him among the tradition's Seven Perfected.

Names and variants

Simplified
马钰
Traditional
馬鈺
Other names
Ma Danyang, Danyangzi, Ma Congyi, Ma Xuanbao
Pinyin
Mǎ yù
English
Ma Yu

Overview

Originally named Congyi, he came from a prosperous family in Ninghai, in present-day Shandong. He was married to Sun Bu'er, who also became a prominent Quanzhen practitioner. In 1167 he became Wang Chongyang's disciple and supported the establishment of a religious retreat. The names Yu, Xuanbao and Danyangzi belong to his religious career.

After Wang Chongyang's death, Ma Yu assumed leadership and joined fellow disciples in returning their teacher's remains to the Zhongnan region. The disciples subsequently worked in different places. Ma Yu remained associated with the ancestral retreat before teaching more widely in Guanzhong and eventually returning east to Shandong.

Poetry and song were important vehicles for his teaching. The Yuxian branch is associated with his transmission, while his place among the Seven Perfected expresses a broader Quanzhen ancestral identity. Later Yuan honors form part of his posthumous recognition, distinct from the work of organizing and teaching during his lifetime.

References

  1. [1]
    Dictionary of Daoism