The Geographical Origins of Li Daochun

There has been some controversy in academic circles as to the geographical origin of the Yuan-dynasty master Li Daochun, well known for his systematization of internal alchemy. The town he grew up in is called Duliang 都梁 in all sources, but some place it in Hunan while others locate it in Jiangsu. After examining previous arguments on the issue, the paper is based on three perspectives: Duliang as not so much a specific place than a generic term for hometown; as a particular geographical location; and in its distinctiveness as a cultural symbol. Evidence from the records of Duliang in the local chronicles, combined with the areas Li Daochun was active in, revels that when Duliang refers to a hometown, it is in fact another name for Xuyi in Jiangsu, which mainly appeared in the Song and Yuan Dynasties.