Legend of Lei Zu of Shangqing Taoist Temple Conquering Demons

Patriarch Wang Minli, whose common name is Fengdu Taoist and Taoist name Minli Taoist, was born in Futang Village, Guojiaqiao Township, Xiangtan County during the Wanli Period of the Ming Dynasty. He studied Dharma during the Bingzi period of the Ming Dynasty. Because his master ranked seventh in the family, later generations respectfully called him the "Ancestor of the Seventh Master". He belonged to the Zhengyi Shangqing Zongtan Dharma School of Taoism. It is said that 72 people went to study Dharma and 36 returned. Among them, four people from Xiangtan returned after studying, namely: Taoist Master Lin, Taoist Minli, Liu Faquan, and Patriarch Fengdu. After returning from their studies, they showed compassion for the sufferings of the people, exorcised evil spirits and cured diseases for the local people, prayed for disaster relief, and rescued the suffering. They enjoyed a high reputation, and later generations built temples to worship them.