Zhenren

Zhenren (Chinese真人, Pinyin Zhenren, True Man ' ) denotes an ideal of Taoism and Buddhism.

In Buddhism, the term refers to a Arhat.

In Daoism a Zhenren has attained the truth, exists in oneness with the universe and realized the Dao. This condition was equated with the concept of enlightenment, as the true man is entirely free of concepts, ideas and limitations and so has the absolute freedom and the emptiness of the Dao.

For the first time in the history of Chinese philosophy, the concept of Taoist saints (圣人, shengren ) appeared in the Tao Te Ching, where he refers to the enlightened ruler. In the Zhuangzi, this concept is taken up and referred to as Zhenren, the term is in the 6th book, chapter 1 of the Zhuangzi. Thus, a Zhenren is free of any individual perspective, free from likes and dislikes, integrated into the natural processes of life ( see Wu wei) and exempt from any fear of death. In other terms, the Zhenren is in Zhuangzi also Zhiren ( "Perfectly actualized person" ) called or Shenren ( " Spiritual Man ").

Also the Huainanzi uses the term Zhenren, it says, the true man is not born and does not die, be empty and yet fulfilled. In later Daoist scriptures of Zhenren about the immortals ( Xian) and below a deity. Since the Tang Dynasty, the term for significant historical figures and Daoist master is used. However, already Zhuangzi Nanhua Zhenren was called, the true man of Nanhua why Zhuangzi's work is also called Nanhua Zhenjing, "The true book of Nanhua ".