Folk memory of Baosheng Dadi

Abstract

In Fujian and Taiwan, there are a lot of temples dedicated to Baosheng Dadi (Life Blessing Emperor), who was named WU Ben (courtesy name as Huaji and pseudonym as Xuedong). He was born in the fourth year of the Taipingxingguo Period (979) and died in the third year of the Jingyou Period (1036) in the Northern Song Dynasty. He was clever and rich in knowledge when he was a child. He decided to be a doctor after his father and mother's death at early ages. WU Ben passed the imperial examinations at the provincial level when he was 24 years old and was appointed as supervising censor. Several years later, he resigned and began to cultivate himself according to doctrine of Taoism in Mount Dayan, Baijiao Village, Quanzhou District. Meanwhile, he studied Traditional Chinese Medicine in his spare time and helped patients. After his death, people called him Medical Sage out of respect and memory and built temples dedicated to him. After that, emperors in many dynasties had conferred him. The Emperor Song-ren-zong conferred him as Baosheng Dadi and rewarded him with the dragon robe. Local officials are requested to sacrifice to him in spring and autumn every year. From then on, Baosheng Dadi became a highly skilled doctor in folk belief.