全真道北五祖之一。金代道士，全真道的创立者。原名中孚，字允卿，后应武举，易名德威，字世雄，入道后改名喆，字知明，号重阳子。咸阳（今属陕西）大魏村人。政和壬辰年十二月二十二日生，出身豪门，伪齐阜昌（西元1130～1137年）时曾应礼部试未第，金熙宗天眷时应武举，中甲科。年四十七，顿猛省，解绶归。弃妻儿，拂衣尘外。游终南山，遇正阳、纯阳二师，因再拜求道，密授金丹口诀。次年复遇二师于醴泉观，更授金丹真旨。大定八年和九年间创立“三教七宝会”、“三教金莲会”、“三教三光会”、“三教玉华会”、“三教平等会”，主张儒、道、释三教的合流，提倡“全神炼气”，“出家修真”，不炼外丹，并制定道士出家的制度。元世祖至元六年追封为“全真开化真君”。元武宗至大三年加封为“重阳全真开化辅极帝君”。著有《重阳全真集》、《重阳教化集》、《立教十五论》等。度化弟子有马丹阳、谭处端、刘处玄、邱处机、王处一、郝大通、孙不二（女）等，后世称“北七真”，又分别创立遇仙、南无、随山、龙门、嵛山、华山、清静七派，极大地弘扬了全真教，在道教史上产生了极其深远的影响。

(Also known as : Zhong Fu （中孚）， Yun Qing （允卿）， De Wei （德威）, Shi Xiong （世雄）, Zhe （喆）, Zhi Ming （知明）， Chong Yang Zi （重阳子））
Being the fifth of the Northern Five Masters, Wang Chong Yang founded he Quan Zhen Order of Taoism. He was born in a rich family in Shan Xi Province during the reign of Emperor Hui Zong of the Song Dynasty (宋徽宗) on December 22, 1112. He used to sit for the Imperial Examinations during the Qi Period (伪齐) but failed. Later, during the reign of Jin Xi Zong (金熙宗), he sit in the examination again and his results came out top on martial arts. When he was forty-seven, he suddenly realized that he no longer wanted to work for the government. He resigned, left his family and started his exploration journey. In Zhong Nan Mountain (终南山), he met his two masters Zhong Li Quan and Lu Zu and came to learn about the formula for practicing internal alchemy. Next year, when he met these masters again, he learnt about the subject in depth. He also started to integrate Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism into one mingled stream. Since then, he advocated the practice of Qi (气), neglected the practice of external alchemy, and set up formal systems for Taoists to become priests in the temple. During the reign of Emperor Jin Shi Zong (金世宗), he founded several associations between 1169 AD – 1170 AD such as “San Jiao Qi Bao Hui” (三教七宝会), “San Jiao Jin Lian Hui” (三教金莲会), “San Jiao San Guang Hui” (三教三光会), “San Jiao Yu Hua Hui” (三教玉华会), and “San Jiao Ping Deng Hui” (三教平等会), all for the purpose of unifying the above three schools of thought.
He was being honoured by Emperor Yuan Shi Zu (元世宗) as “Quan Zhen Kai Hua Zhen Jun” (全真开化真君). Later, Emperor Yuan Wu Zong further conferred him with the title as “Chong Yang Quan Zhen Kai Hua Fu Ji Di Jun” (重阳全真开化辅极帝君). His important writings included Chong Yang Quan Zhen Ji (重阳全真集), Chong Yang Jiao Hua Ji (重阳教化集) and Li Jiao Shi Wu Lun (立教十五论). His famous disciples were Ma Dan Yang (马丹阳), Tan Chu Duan (潭处端), Liu Chu Xuan (刘处玄), Qiu Chu Ji (丘处机), Wang Chu Yi (王处一), Hao Da Tong (郝大通) and Sun Bu Er (孙不二), they were later named as the Seven Disciples of Quan Zhen, the Bei Qi Zhen (北七真). These followers later came to found their own sects, respectively named as Yu Xian (遇仙), Nan Wu (南无), Sui Shan (随山), Long Men (龙门), Yu Shan (嵛山), Hua Shan (华山)and Qing Jing (清静). They all had significant contributions to the development of Quan Zhen and also laid some important milestones to the history of Taoism in China.

大道开先，玄元阐化。教垂今古，谥号东华。接汉室之将军，隐终南而仙契。过化每超于劫运，示现长在于尘寰。启唐朝之英贤，悟神仙之秘诀。飞剑货药，警化无方。金廷丞相之高标，宝印力辞之勇决。霞裾上陟，南北统宗。天复挺于人豪，道遍通于四海。发金莲之七朵，演仙派于十方。长生理被于古今，玄妙天垂于率土。恢弘至道，广度愚迷。慈悲济苦，全真祖师。东华紫府辅元立极大道帝君。正阳开悟传道垂教帝君。纯阳演正警化孚佑帝君。海蟾明悟弘道纯佑帝君。重阳全真开化极辅帝君。五祖阐道天尊。