Shi Jing

Shi Jing has been following the path of Daoism since mid-1970s. In 1995 he was ordained as 31st generation Daoist priest (daoshi) in the Longmen (Dragon Gate) branch of Quanzhen (Complete Reality) School. In 1996 he co-founded the British Taoist Association and became its chairman shortly after its inception. As the BTA’s main teacher, he leads retreats and teaches Daoist cultivation in UK, Europe and USA.

In 1978 he was introduced to Daoist cultivation by Gia Fu Feng, well known for his translations of Dao de jing and Zhuang zi. At that time Gia Fu Feng was one of the very few teachers whose cultivation was rooted in sitting meditation, which is the integral practice of the Quanzhen tradition. He also taught Shi Jing the practices of daoyin and tai chi as a way to become sensitive to the circulation of qi. Shi Jing remained a student of Gia Fu Feng’s until his death in 1985. Gia Fu Feng instilled in Shi Jing a deep trust in his own intuitive expression of the Dao. He has remained a major influence on Shi Jing’s life.

By the early 1990s China was opening up and through his correspondence with the Eight Immortals Temple in Xi’an he was invited to visit China in 1994 where he was introduced to the Daoist community by Longmen priest Huang Shi Zhen.

Shi Jing (left) with his shi fu Feng Xingzhao

In 1995 he was invited to the Leigutai Temple where he met shifu Feng Xing Zhao who accepted him to be initiated as a daoshi, and from whom he received his Daoist name, Shi Jing (meaning True Tranquillity).

Since then, he has travelled to China regularly and over the years has been very fortunate to receive teachings from many respected masters within the Quanzhen tradition, especially the personal guidance and encouragement given to him by his Daoist uncle, late Liu Xing Di.

In 1996, during his visit to UK, shifu Feng Xing Zhao encouraged Shi Jing to pass on the Daoist teachings in a way that would be most appropriate to Westerners. Shi Jing feels this is best achieved through retreats, following in the footsteps of the early Quanzhen practitioners who were hermits and wanderers and came together periodically to share cultivation.