The name, meaning the "Great Immortal Wong (Huang)", is the divine form of Huang Chuping or Wong Cho Ping (黃初平; c. 328 – c. 386), a Taoist hermit from Jinhua during the Eastern Jin dynasty.

[2] According to the text Self-Description of Chisongzi (赤松子自述; "Master Red Pine"), Wong Tai Sin was born Huang Chuping (Wong Cho Ping in Cantonese) in 328 in Lanxi, Jinhua, Zhejiang province.

[4] He began practising Taoism at the age of fifteen after meeting an immortal or saintly person on Red Pine Mountain in his hometown.

[4] Wong Tai Sin later became known as the Red Pine Immortal (赤松仙子), after the mountain where he had his hermitage, and his birthday is celebrated on the 23rd of the eighth lunar month.

Many worshippers and tourists from all over the world visit Wong Tai Sin Temple everyday.