Lu Zhongyi

Lu Zhongyi (路中一) (1849–1925) was the 17th Patriarch of I-Kuan Tao and the first Great Teacher of Shangqing Tianguo, a Chinese religion. He is believed to be the incarnation of Maitreya. His religious titles was Tung Li Zu and Jin Gong Zu Shi (Golden Elder) 金公祖師. He was born on the 24th day of 4th Lunar month in 1849, in Jining, Shandong province, Qing Empire.

He was said to be illiterate, his father died when he was young, left with his mother and sister Lu ZhongJie. He joined the army at age 22 and became an officer in the Manzhou DongBei (Manchuria) government. In 1895, at the age of 46 he was said to have a dream from God instructing him to become the student of Master Liu the 16th patriarch.

He became the 17th patriarch of I-Kuan Tao in 1905 in Qingzhou. I-Kuan Tao followers believe that he is the first leader of the "White Sun" Era, the era of apocalpyse, thus he is the incarnation of savior Maitreya or Hotei. In 1918, Lu brought I-Kuan Tao to his hometown Jining, within a few years, Lu managed to attract some 25 disciples, among them Zhang Tianran and Sun Suzhen.

Lu died on the 2nd day of the 2nd lunar month in 1925. After him Zhang Tianran took over the leadership of I-Kuan Tao and Shanqging Tianguo.