Sun Bu'er

Sun Bu'er (Sun Pu-erh, Chinese: 孫不二), one of the Taoist Seven Masters of Quanzhen, lived c. 1119–1182 C.E. in the Shandong province of China. She was a beautiful, intelligent, wealthy woman, married with three children. Her family name was Sun and her first name was Fuchun (富春), Bu'er being her name in religion. Her husband Ma Yu was a student of Wang Chongyang. At the age of 51 she took up the study of the Dao and herself became a disciple of Wang Chongyang, serving as a Taoist priestess. She eventually left her home and traveled to the city of Luoyang where after twelve years of practice, at Fengxiangu cave, she attained the Dao and, it is said, became an immortal. Sun was a teacher with several disciples, founding the Purity and Tranquility School, and wrote many poems.

Sun Bu'er was born (as Sun Fuchun) in 1119, in a small town located within the Ninghai district of Shandong. Her birth was thought to be the result of a dream her mother had near the time of conception. In the dream her mother saw seven cranes near her courtyard; six of them flew away, and the seventh magically entered her mother's body through her breast. The crane is a symbol of immortality and is seen as the bird of long life. After this dream her mother intuitively knew that she would give birth to a divine being.

At a young age, Sun Bu'er was already exhibiting saintly characteristics. She was very intelligent, lived out the Dao through chants, poems, and practicing calligraphy, and she was devoted to the rites and rules of propriety. Sun Bu'er received literary education from her father (Sun Zhongjing), who was a literary scholar. In her teens she married Ma Yu (Ma Danyang), and the couple had three sons together. Their lives would remain quiet until 1167, when Wang Chongyang's arrival disrupted their lives.

Wang Chongyang (1112–1170) began a career as a religious leader soon after hermetizing himself on a 100-day retreat. He began a new movement named "Complete Perfection". Sun Bu'er's husband, Ma Yu, became an eager follower of Wang. This relationship caused disruption in Sun Bu'er's family life. Sun became so angry with Wang's interference in her social role that she hoped he would starve to death during his retreat. He was still alive after 100 days, during which he had perfected his sainthood. This caused Sun Bu'er to recognize her religious calling. In order for her husband to pursue his divine path she had to let him be free. She then decided to leave her family, which contradicted what was seen as her wifely duty. She then began her role in becoming one of the few women in the "Seven Perfected". This became a major statement in the conflict women undergo between their social role and their religious calling.

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