Ren Farong

Ren Farong (June 1936 – 26 May 2021) was a Chinese Taoist priest, religious leader, calligrapher, philanthropist, and politician. He was Venerable Master of the Chinese Taoist Association between 2005 and 2015. He was president of the World Religious Peace Association, vice president of the China Religious Peace Committee, president of the Chinese Taoist College, president of Shaanxi Taoist Association, honorary president of Shanxi Taoist Association, vice minister of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, and abbot of Louguantai. He was a member of the 8th, 9th, 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He was a member of the 11th and 12th Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Biography
Ren was born Ren Zhigang in the town of Xinyang, Tianshui, Tianshui County (now Tianshui), Gansu, in June 1936. At age 19, he paid a religious homage to the Temple of King of Medicine, from then on, he yearned for Taoism. Soon, he received complete ordination under Taoist priest Wang Silin, a 28th generation disciple of Quanzhen School. In 1984, he was proposed as the new abbot of Louguantai, one of the 72 blessed places of Taoism. In 1986, he became president of Shaanxi Taoist Association. On June 24, 2005, he was elected Venerable Master of the Chinese Taoist Association. On 26 May 2021, he died of illness in Xi'an, Shaanxi, aged 84.

Works