道教神霄派南宗祖師白玉蟾 Introduction on The South Taoist Sect Master Immortal Bai Yu Chan

道教神霄派南宗祖師白玉蟾 Introduction on The South Taoist Sect Master Immortal Bai Yu Chan

白玉蟾為道教金丹派南五祖之一，是內丹理論家。本姓葛名長庚。後來母親改嫁，繼為白氏子，遂易姓白，又名白玉蟾。字如晦、紫清，號海瓊子、武夷散人。

南宋時人，祖籍福建閩清，生於瓊州瓊山。白玉蟾年少聰明，7歲賦詩，9歲時能背誦《周易》、《尚書》、《詩經》、《春秋》等儒家9經。21歲那年在信中稱自己「三教之書，靡所不究」，後來又說，「世間有字之書，無不經目」。然而白玉蟾初試科舉卻落選。據說是因為考官認為他太過驕狂。據說白玉蟾後到儋耳山修道，並遇見道教金丹派南宗四祖陳楠，陳楠授之以丹法、雷法。後宋寧宗詔征赴闕，召對稱旨，封為「紫清明道真人」。嘉定十年（1217），白玉蟾收彭鶴林與留元長為弟子。後白玉蟾立「建宗傳法」之所 ，「四方學者，來如牛毛」。改變了張伯端至陳楠以來南宗一般單傳的歷史。

白玉蟾主張性命雙修。他在《無極圖說》中謂：「道也，性與命而已。性無生也，命有生也。無者萬物之始也，有者萬物之母也。一陰一陽之謂道，生生不窮之謂易。易即道也。」

道教神霄派也奉他為本派祖師之一。白玉蟾撰有多種雷法著作。《道法會元》收錄有陳楠、白玉蟾所傳神霄派譜系。白玉蟾主張以內煉為基礎，實行雷法與內丹術相結合。認為雷法、符咒的靈驗與否，主要以行法者之內煉工夫高下而定。

白玉蟾很有多方面才華，能詩善賦，工書擅畫。常乘酒興即席揮毫，所作篆書、隸書、草書，所畫人物、梅竹，技法高超，對後代書畫（特別是草書）頗有影響。《天朗氣清詩帖》是白玉蟾的傳世之作，現收藏於台北國立故宮博物院。

據說白玉蟾後回歸故鄉海南瓊州，在文筆峰頂羽化升仙。文筆峰上至今留有白玉蟾遺迹。

一般認為，白玉蟾組織了道教金丹派南宗的教團組織，為南宗的實際建立者。

白玉蟾著作甚多，有《玉隆集》、《上清集》、《武夷集》、《道德經章句注》行世。 後由彭耜（彭鶴林）纂輯白玉蟾著作為《海瓊玉蟾先生文集》。又有謝顯道等編《海瓊白真人語錄》、彭耜編《海瓊問道集》等。《道法會元》收錄有白玉蟾多篇雷法著作。

而在新加坡，唯一一間兩百年老廟供奉著《白玉蟾祖師》的就是《萬壽山天公廟》。

Immortal Bai Yu Chan (白玉蟾) - translated as the Jade Toad, initially known as Ge Chang Geng (原名葛長庚) or Ge Ru Hui (或葛如晦), at the age of 12, after his Mother remarried to a Scholar, Bai Yu Chan was advised to change his surname to Bai (his Mother's surname) and so, Bai Yu Chan got his final name from then.

Bai Yu Chan, born in AD1194 (Southern Song Dynasty Period 南宋光宗绍熙五年), on the 15th Day of Lunar 3 Month (生于農曆三月十五日). Ancestral Hometown in Hokkien Province, Min Qing Area (祖上祖籍福建閩清). Born place in Hainan Province Hainan Shan Area (生於瓊州瓊山).

At the age of 3, Bai Yu Chan was able to memorize most of the Chinese Articles that being taught by his Mother. At 7, he was able to recite & compose Poems & Songs. And by the age of 9, Bai Yu Chan had started to study Yi Jing aka Book of Change (周易) & other Taoist Scriptures.

In AD1206, at the age of 12, Bai Yu Chan's Biological Father pass-on. Without a Bread-winner at home, Bai Yu Chan's Mother had to remarry to a Scholar in-order to up-bring the Son. Just before Bai Yu Chan's Mother - Madam Bai, married to her new husband, she changed her Son's surname to Bai (in-order not to let the others mocked at Bai Yu Chan) and changed his name to Yu Chan (due to the Dream that she had when she was pregnant - dreaming of a Big Jade Toad entering into her room when she gave birth to Yu Chan).

After his Biological Father's passing-on, the young Bai Yu Chan suddenly realised that One's Mortal Life was extremely short & many unpredictable issues could happened to oneself if oneself was not able to escape from the "Distorting" of the Natural (Five Elements). And so, at the age of 13, Bai Yu Chan started to do his researches & asked around for a Cultivated/Skillful Taoist Master for learning Taoist Skills & Cultivation.

With his Sincerity & Determination, Bai Yu Chan finally got a Master and from then, he started his Training under him. Due to Bai Yu Chan was a brilliant child, within months, he was able to memorise all the Teaching that his Master imparted to him and within years, he was able to leave the Taoist School to perform his Taoist Tasks.

At the age of 21, Bai Yu Chan had travelled to quite a number of Places to perform his Taoist Tasks & Preaching and during this Period, he composed/wrote quite a number of Poems, Songs & Articles and till today, most of them were still being kept by his Descendants/Disciples.

At late 20s, Bai Yu Chan was fortunate to meet up with Chen Nan (陳楠), another famous Taoist Priest, who performed his Taoist Cultivation by study & made Elixirs, besides that, Chen Nan also shared with him on the Taoist Spiritual Skill - Thunder Skill (雷法). With the coaching of Chen Nan, Bai Yu Chan succeeded in the making of Elixirs and also mastered the important ways of releasing the Thunder Skill. This assist him later in the re-organizing of the Taoist School known as Shen Xiao Sect (神霄派). If we will to go thru the Taoist Records Dao Fa Hui Yuan (道法會元), we will be able to see the Records of Chen Nan & Bai Yu Chan.

At the age of about 30, Bai Yu Chan was being summoned by the Song Emperor. During the meet-up, Bai Yu Chan was bestowed with an Official Title of Zi Qing Ming Dao Zhen Ren (紫清明道真人) and was appointed to take charge of the operation of the Imperial Taoist Temple known as Tai Yi Gong (太乙宮) located in the Capital City. From then, Bai Yu Chan became more popular and known by the Taoist Society.

During the Period of staying in Tai Yi Gong, Bai Yu Chan took in a few Disciples which later assisted him in promoting the Teaching of his Taoist Sect. Two famous Disciples of him were Peng He Lin (彭鶴林) & Liu Yuan Chang (留元長)

At the age of 35, Bai Yu Chan returned back to Hainan Province.

AD1229, age 36, Bai Yu Chan got his Immortal-hood at Peak Wen Bi (文筆峰) in Hainan Province. According to some records, his Immortal-hood Anniversary was on 25th Day of Lunar 7 Month (農曆七月廿五日).

Now in Hainan Island, you are still able to visit the spot where Bai Yu Chan ascended to the Heaven and also the Main Taoist Temple that built to honour him - Yu Chan Gong (玉蟾宮).

In Singapore, you will able to honour him in Telok Blangah Height Tian Gong Temple (萬壽山天公廟 located besides Block 45).