一、序一

劉公全祥字德化，別號春輝，河北省寧河縣人。兄弟二人，長兄務農爲業，傳家孝友，手足情深。公壯年時曾赴東北黑龍江經商多年，信用卓著，生財有道，凡情事業，一帆風順，家道小康。後來共匪猖亂，家鄉淪陷，列爲地主富農，亦被共匪鬥爭清算。

公自求道後，始悟人生空虛，財產事業，如同鏡花水月，於是立下洪愿，發心渡衆。承蒙前賢慈悲保擧領命，由此道心益堅，進行愈猛。當台灣光復之初，大陸各地，道已傳遍，台灣寶島尚未得沾。

上天之洪恩，乃於卅六年春，奉前賢之命，抛家捨業，毅然來台，開荒下種，期使本省之善信，同脫苦海，共登道岸。但初臨此地，人地生疏，語言不通，歷遍諸般困難，受盡千辛萬苦，卒以大家同心，感動上天垂憐，仙佛暗助，在極困難之中，終能奠定道場。

在二十餘年之中，有緣原人上岸不少，環境亦因而改善，方幸道務宏展，能償宿願。奈以道高一尺，魔高一丈，此伏彼起，始終未停。人非鐵石，焉能經此長期折磨？終致積憂勞而成疾，醫藥罔效，群醫束手，竟於六十一年九月廿九日功圓果滿，奉詔返天，蒙皇Φ特慈勅封爲大德眞君。除自己到壇三次外，結緣兩次，親友等數十人在場。

劉公如久別重逢，曾逐一慈悲鼓勵，不遺一人，言詞委婉，恰如其分，聽者無不動容。足證超生了死，天道之尊貴，亦不負劉公生前對道數十年之苦心也。

公之爲人：寬厚仁慈，謙恭和藹，從無疾言厲色之表現。成全後學，苦口婆心，循循善誘，學識淵博，誨人不倦，令人有坐春風之感。對橫逆之來，更是寬宏大度，處之泰然，感之以誠，向不計較。平日修養潛德幽光，卑以自牧，承上啟下，以身示範，尊師重道，可作典型。除與一劉公相知多年，親領教誨，獲益良多。

公生平好學，手不釋卷，經史子集，無不閱覽。並工詩文，若干年來所作講題詩、歌、聯句，以及蒐集之格言、訓詞、雜文等，琳琅滿目，美不勝收，無非藉此闡發天道之奧蘊耳。片言隻字，彌足珍貴。今經整理就緒，分門別類，付印成帙，以資紀念，定名爲《大德眞君紀念集》。在出書之前，索序於余，余焉敢固辭，因不揣鄙陋，將余對劉公生平所知之始末，作一簡序。文欠雅順，尚屬小事，然掛一漏萬之處，自所難免，尙祈諸位不吝賜教。並望讀是集者，宜知所惕勵，發見賢思齊之心，由是執德益弘，信道益篤，不但劉公在天之靈有所安慰，亦可增加是集之紀念價值與意義，是爲序。

丁巳年九月二十九日
祁裕脩 謹識

⸻

Preface One

Elder Liu Quanxiang, styled Dehua, with the sobriquet Chunhui, was a native of Ninghe County, Hebei Province. He was one of two brothers; his elder brother was engaged in farming. The family tradition was one of filial piety and brotherly harmony, and the brothers were deeply affectionate toward each other. In his prime, Elder Liu went to Heilongjiang in the Northeast for business for many years. His credit was impeccable, his methods of generating wealth sound, and in all affairs and undertakings, he enjoyed smooth success. The family lived in modest prosperity. Later, when the Communists ran rampant, his hometown fell to them. Labeled a landlord and rich farmer, he was subjected to their struggle sessions and liquidation.

After Elder Liu sought the Dao for himself, he came to realize the emptiness of human life—that wealth and business were but flowers in a mirror and the moon in water. He therefore made a great vow and set his heart on delivering all beings. Through the compassionate recommendation and appointment of the senior worthies, his resolve in the Dao became ever firmer, and his progress ever swifter. At the dawn of Taiwan’s restoration, the Dao had already spread throughout the mainland, but the treasured island of Taiwan had not yet been touched by it.

By Heaven’s great grace, in the spring of 1947, following the command of the senior worthies, he abandoned his home and business and resolutely came to Taiwan, opening up new ground and sowing the seeds of the Dao, hoping that the faithful in the province might together escape the sea of suffering and ascend to the shore of the Dao. Upon first arriving, he was unfamiliar with the people and the place, unable to speak the language, and went through all manner of hardships, enduring countless trials and sufferings. Yet through the unity of everyone’s hearts, moving Heaven to pity, and aided secretly by the immortals and buddhas, he was able, in the midst of extreme difficulty, to firmly establish the temple.

Over the course of more than twenty years, many destined original souls came ashore, and circumstances improved accordingly. Fortunately, the Dao work expanded greatly, and he was able to fulfill his long-cherished vow. Yet as the saying goes, “When the Dao rises one foot, the demons rise ten,” and obstacles appeared one after another without cease. How could a human of flesh and blood endure such long-term trials? In the end, accumulated worries and labors brought on illness. Medicine proved useless, and all the physicians were helpless. Finally, on September 29, 1972, he completed his merits and fulfilled his destiny, receiving the imperial summons to return to Heaven, where, by the special merciful decree of Heavenly Mother, he was conferred the title Great Virtue True Lord.

Apart from his own three appearances at the temple, he formed connections on two other occasions, with several dozen relatives and friends present. Elder Liu, as if reunited after a long separation, compassionately encouraged each one without leaving anyone out. His words were gentle and fitting, moving all who heard them. This fully attested to his transcendence over life and death, to the noble dignity of the Heavenly Dao, and to the fact that he had not failed the decades of painstaking devotion he had shown toward the Dao in life.

As a person, Elder Liu was broad-minded and benevolent, humble and amiable, never showing harsh words or stern countenance. In guiding later learners, he was patient and earnest, instructing step by step. Learned and erudite, he never tired of teaching, making others feel as if they were sitting in a spring breeze. When faced with adversity, he was magnanimous and composed, moving others with sincerity and never keeping accounts of wrongs. In daily self-cultivation, he nurtured hidden virtue and subtle light, lowering himself to nourish his character, linking past and future generations, setting an example by his own conduct, respecting teachers and honoring the Dao—truly a model to follow. I myself had known Elder Liu for many years, personally receiving his instruction and benefiting greatly.

Throughout his life, Elder Liu loved learning, never letting a book leave his hands. He read through the classics of history, philosophy, and literature without omission. He was also skilled in poetry and prose. Over the years, the lecture poems, songs, linked verses he composed, as well as the maxims, admonitions, essays, and miscellanies he collected, were numerous and splendid, each one beautiful beyond description—all serving to expound the profound truths of the Heavenly Dao. Every single word was of great value.

Now, having been organized and classified, these works are printed in this volume as a memorial, titled Collected Memorials to the Great Virtue True Lord. Before publication, I was asked to write the preface. How could I dare to decline? Without regard for my own limitations, I have set down a brief account of what I know of Elder Liu’s life from beginning to end. That the wording may lack elegance is a small matter; that omissions and oversights are unavoidable is to be expected. I earnestly ask all readers not to withhold their corrections. I also hope that those who read this collection will take it as a call to vigilance, be inspired to emulate the worthy, thereby strengthening their own virtue and deepening their faith in the Dao. In this way, not only will Elder Liu’s spirit in Heaven be comforted, but the commemorative value and significance of this collection will be all the greater.

Thus the preface is written.

September 29, 1977
Respectfully inscribed by Qi Yuxiu