Zhunti Daoren

Zhunti Daoren (Chinese: 准提道人) is a character from the Chinese classic novel Fengshen Yanyi. He is a heavenly saint come from the Western Heaven, the land of Buddha. His rank is high and equal with Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun from the East.^[1]

Zhunti Daoren is the brother of Jieyin Daoren. He carried the wisdom from the West and teachings of the Buddha's laws together with his brother and enlightened the people of the Shang dynasty. He once rushed from the West to the East to help Jiang Ziya conquer the peacock spirit Kong Xuan as a mount and later transformed him into Mahamayuri.^[2] He also once subdued Ma Yuan, who had eaten human hearts, brought him back to the Western Heaven, and transformed him into Ma Yuan Zunwang Buddha (马元尊王佛).^[3][4]

Zhunti Daoren inherited the image of Cundi Bodhisattva from Chinese translations of Buddhist scriptures. The Western religion emerged from Buddhist Pure land beliefs and was widely practiced during that period. Cundi is regarded as the second leader of the Western religion within the Pure Land tradition.^[4][5]

Zhunti Daoren's identity in Fengshen Yanyi has been the subject of scholarly debate. According to a research paper by Tianyu Lei, scholars variously interpret him as a Buddhist deity, a Daoist figure, or even the Panchen Lama, illustrating the hybrid religious imagery found in Ming–Qing mythological prose. Lei's study employs literary image analysis and a socio-historical framework to examine these interpretations, as well as the integration of Zhunti's cult with Pure Land Buddhism, particularly through his association with Jieyin Daoren (接引道人).^[6]

The incorporation of texts such as the Heart Sutra of Zhunti into Daoist practice has been described as a strategy to attract new adherents and as an example of Daoism's adaptability during the period known as the "Unity of the Three Religions". Hsieh Shu-wei, a historian, notes that the appearance of this text indicates that the Zhunti cult extended beyond Buddhism and was adopted by other traditions, including Daoism. The figure of Zhunti Daoren, associated with these developments, became established in both literature and the broader sociocultural life of local communities.^[6]

Zhunti Daoren also appears in later works related to Fengshen Yanyi, such as The Comprehensive Mirror of Successive Divine Immortals (歷代神仙通鑑), which records:^[6]

"亢如來命藥師、接引、准提、勢至諸道侶相陪，踅過西方殿，恭邀入園筵宴。"
(Translation): "Rulai (Tathāgata) requested that Yaoshi (Bhaiṣajyaguru), Jieyin, Zhunti, Shizhi (Mahāsthāmaprāpta), and other companions of the Way accompany him, leading them through the Western Hall and respectfully inviting them to a banquet in the garden."

Zhunti Daoren first appears in Chapter 61 of Fengshen Yanyi, where he identifies himself as a member of Xifang jiao (the Western Pure Land). The contrast between the Western Pure Land and the Eastern traditions presents Xifang jiao as a foreign force within the narrative. In this chapter, Zhunti Daoren arrives as a guest from the West to intervene on behalf of Ma Yuan, a man-eating demon who was about to be executed by the Chan sect. He stated that Ma Yuan was not included in the List of Gods, but had a karmic connection with the Buddhist land and therefore requested permission to take him to the West to attain enlightenment. Wenshu Guangfa Tianzun agreed to the request and showed respect to Zhunti Daoren, while Ma Yuan himself consented and accompanied him to the West. Zhunti Daoren reappears in Chapter 71, Jiang Ziya Divides His Troops into Three Routes (姜子牙三路分兵), and Chapter 78, Three Religions Meet to Defeat the Immortal-Slaying Deployment (三教會破誅仙陣).^[7]

In the novel, Zhunti Daoren occasionally appears to assist the Chan sect and rescue figures who, though not named in the List of Gods, have a connection with the West. After Ma Yuan, he also saved Fa Jie, the general of Sishui Pass, who was about to be beheaded for public display. Zhunti Daoren brought him back to the Western teachings, where he ultimately converted to Buddhism, attained enlightenment, and became known as Prince Jeta.^[7]

In Chapter 71, Kong Xuan, the Grand Marshal of the Shang dynasty, halted the Zhou army at Jinji Ridge, repeatedly defeating numerous immortals and generals of the Chan Sect with his unique technique, the Five-Colored Divine Light. Zhunti Daoren then appeared and engaged Kong Xuan in battle. Kong Xuan's conventional weapons, including his saber and whip, proved ineffective against Zhunti, who effortlessly deflected them using his artifact, the Seven-Treasure Tree (七寶妙樹). In a final attempt, Kong Xuan unleashed his signature Five-Colored Divine Light and briefly captured Zhunti.^[8]

Zhunti, however, emerged from the light unharmed, revealing his true holy form with twenty-four heads and eighteen arms. This manifestation shattered Kong Xuan's armor and incapacitated him. Zhunti formally subdued Kong Xuan, forcing him to revert to his original form as a massive peacock. After securing the release of the generals previously captured by Kong Xuan, Zhunti Daoren took the peacock as his mount and departed for the Western Paradise.^[8]

During the battle of the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation (萬仙陣), Jieyin Daoren and Zhunti Daoren arrive to assist the Chan sect in their battle against Tongtian Jiaozhu and his Jie sect. Their arrival enrages Tongtian Jiaozhu, who holds a grudge against Jieyin for breaking the earlier Immortal Slaughtering Formation (誅仙陣). Despite Tongtian's aggressive attacks, Jieyin remains perfectly still, defending himself by manifesting three divine Śarīra relics from his head, which emit a golden light that prevents Tongtian's sword from reaching him.^[9]

Zhunti Daoren actively subdues Tongtian's key disciples using his magical artifact, the Six-Root Pure Bamboo (六根清靜竹), capturing the powerful immortal Wuyun Xian. Under the bamboo's power, Wuyun Xian reverts to his original form, a massive golden-bearded Ao (a mythological turtle-fish), and is taken to the Western Paradise. In a combined assault alongside Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun, Zhunti reveals his multi-headed and multi-armed Dharma body. While Laozi and Yuanshi attack Tongtian Jiaozhu, Zhunti delivers the decisive blow with his Demon-Subduing Pestle (加持神杵), knocking Tongtian from his steed. In a subsequent confrontation, Zhunti, accompanied by his new disciple Kong Xuan, again faces Tongtian Jiaozhu. Using his Seven-Treasure Tree, Zhunti parries Tongtian's attack, shatters his sword, and forces the humiliated Tongtian to flee the battlefield.^[9]

Zhunti Daoren is enshrined as the principal deity in the Zhunti Pavilion (準提閣), while Taishang Laojun serves as an attendant in the Qingxia Monastery (青霞觀) in Dali. In the village of Quyang Qiao (曲陽橋) in Hebei, there is a temple dedicated to Zhunti Daoren. According to local history, the villagers, in gratitude to Zhunti Daoren, established the shrine and instituted festivals commemorating his arrival on 25 February and his defeat of the malevolent peacock spirit, Kong Xuan, on 15 November. A sculpture of Zhunti Daoren riding a peacock, believed to have been erected around the late Ming or early Qing period.^[6]