Yuding Zhenren () is a Taoist immortal and a character in the Chinese novel Fengshen Yanyi. He is one of the Twelve Golden Immortals under Yuanshi Tianzun and the teacher of Yang Jian. In the novel, he resides at Jinxia Cave () on Yuquan Mountain ().
In Fengshen Yanyi Yuding Zhenren is one of the Twelve Golden Immortals who assist the forces of Western Zhou during the war against the Shang dynasty. His residence is Jinxia Cave on Yuquan Mountain. Yang Jian is Yuding's disciple. The novel repeatedly identifies Yang Jian as a disciple of Yuding at Jinxia Cave. When Yang Jian encounters difficulties during the war, he returns to the cave to seek his teacher's advice. Yuding later tells Yang Jian that he has cultivated the Eight-Nine Mystical Skill ().
During the conflict with Jiejiao, Yuding is among the immortals injured by Zhao Gongming's Dinghai Pearl. He subsequently orders Yang Jian to rescue Huanglong Zhenren, who has been captured and suspended from a banner in the Shang camp. Yuding also takes part in the fighting around Xiqi. In the battle against Lü Yue and his followers, he fights Zhu Tianlin and kills him with the Zhanxian Sword (), before joining Yang Jian and Nezha against Lü Yue.
When Jiang Ziya's forces are afflicted by a disease later identified in the novel as smallpox, Yuding sends Yang Jian to the Three Sovereigns at Fire Cloud Cave for help. Yang Jian returns with medicinal pills and the herb shengma (). Yuding treats Jiang Ziya, while Yang Jian and Nezha distribute the medicine among the troops, after which the disease disappears.
Yuding is also involved in the major formations near the end of the war. In the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, he uses the Juexian Sword (), one of the four swords associated with the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation. Earlier, during the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation, Yuding is paired with Daoxing Tianzun.
Near the end of the novel, Yang Jian returns to Jinxia Cave to consult Yuding about the supernatural disturbances at Qipanshan. Yuding identifies the trouble as being caused by a peach tree spirit and a willow tree spirit and gives Yang Jian instructions for dealing with them.
Later tradition In later traditions concerning Yang Jian, his mother is identified as Yunhua, the third daughter of the Jade Emperor. After Yunhua is imprisoned beneath Peach Mountain, Yang Jian studies under Yuding Zhenren at Jinxia Cave on Yuquan Mountain and later splits the mountain to rescue her. The association between Yuding Zhenren, Yang Jian, and Yuquan Mountain also appears in the Qing-dynasty Yuquan Zhi (, Records of Yuquan), which describes Jinxia Cave at the foot of Fuchuan Mountain.
Religious sites Jinxia Cave on Yuquan Mountain in Dangyang, Hubei, is traditionally associated with Yuding Zhenren. A surviving broken stele at the site bears the inscription “玉鼎真人修行处” (“place where Yuding Zhenren practiced”). The modern site is identified with the Jinxia Cave described in Fengshen Yanyi.
Yuding is also enshrined at Qingyang Palace in Chengdu. The Sanqing Hall contains statues of the Twelve Golden Immortals, including Yuding Zhenren, alongside the Three Pure Ones. The hall was originally built during the Tang dynasty and reconstructed during the Kangxi period of the Qing dynasty.
In media
Yuding Zhenren appears as the main antagonist in the 2022 animated film New Gods: Yang Jian, which is based on characters from Investiture of the Gods. He is voiced by Li Lihong in the Chinese version and Parry Shen in the English dub.
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