Biography and Historical Context
Yang Yunsong (楊筠松, 834–900 CE), courtesy name Yang Jiupin (楊救貧, meaning Yang Who Saves the Poor), stands as the most revered figure in classical Feng Shui history. Born during the Tang Dynasty, he held the court position of Jin Zi Guang Lu Da Fu (金紫光祿大夫) and served as Keeper of the Imperial Library. When the Huang Chao Rebellion (878–884 CE) sacked Chang'an and the Tang imperial court collapsed, Yang fled south to the Gannan (贛南) region of Jiangxi, carrying the palace's hidden metaphysical texts. For the remainder of his life he traveled widely, applying Feng Shui for ordinary people, hence the epithet Saves the Poor.
Classical Texts Attributed to Yang Yunsong
Four major classics are attributed to Yang Yunsong's authorship or oral transmission: Qing Nang Jing (青囊經) — the Green Satchel Classic, foundational principles of Qi and its relationship to landform; Tian Yu Jing (天玉經) — the Heavenly Jade Classic, directional formulae linking Dragon, Sitting, Facing, and Water; Han Long Jing (撼龍經) — Shaking the Dragon Classic, the most comprehensive classical text on Dragon vein (龍脈) identification, mountain classification, and the Nine Stars of mountain form; and Yi Long Jing (疑龍經) — Questioning the Dragon Classic, a practical companion addressing ambiguous Dragon situations. Additionally, Qing Nang Ao Yu (青囊奧語) is attributed to his transmission through disciple Zeng Wenchang, and Tian Yuan Ge (天元歌) preserved principles in the later Jiang Dahong lineage.
The San Liao (三僚) Lineage
Yang Yunsong's core transmission passed through three principal disciples who settled in Sanliao Village (三僚, in modern Jiangxi Xinguo county):
- Zeng Wenchang (曾文辿, 854–916 CE) — First seat disciple, co-founding ancestor of the Sanliao Zeng clan (三僚曾氏). Author of the Qing Nang Xu (青囊序) and the Yin Yang Wen Da. He identified the auspicious basin of Sanliao and settled the lineage there.
- Liu Jiangdong (劉江東, 884–972 CE) — Second principal disciple. Unlike Zeng and the Liao clan who kept teachings within their families, Liu transmitted openly to qualified students regardless of surname. He was the primary recorder of Yang Gong's oral formulae, authoring the San Bao Jing (三寶經) and the Nang Jin (囊金). His transmission became the wider-spreading Jiangxi Sect (江西派) lineage that eventually reached Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and beyond.
- Liao Jinjing (廖金精, also Liao Yu 廖縷) — Third major disciple, founding ancestor of the Sanliao Liao clan. Author of the Huai Yu Jing (懷玉經) and Yi Zhan Deng (一盞燈).
Legacy and Influence
Yang Yunsong systematized the relationship between the 24 Mountains (二十四山), the Eight Trigrams in both Early Heaven (先天八卦) and Later Heaven (後天八卦) arrangements, and the Twelve Growth Stages (十二長生) that form the backbone of San He water methods. His famous formula from Qing Nang Ao Yu encodes the mapping of mountain directions to the Nine Stars — 坤壬乙，文曲從頭出；艮丙辛，位位是廉貞 — a cornerstone of San He directional practice. The village of Sanliao continues to produce Feng Shui masters today, preserving a 1,200-year unbroken lineage from Yang Yunsong through his disciples.