《元始上真众仙记》

Ge Hong had thoroughly examined the precious scriptures hidden throughout heaven and earth, the palaces of the ancient sages, and the illustrated registers of the supreme immortals, yet he still could not fathom the root of the most marvelous Dao (the Way).

Last month, on the yichou day at midnight, I was quietly fasting and purifying myself on Mount Luofu. Suddenly a fierce wind arose, fragrance scattered in all directions, and the sounds of dragons roaring and tigers roaring echoed as if circling through the air. Soon purple clouds enveloped the mountain forest, and a Zhenren (True Person) suddenly appeared: his pupils were square, a circular halo shone behind his neck, and his countenance was extremely handsome. He rode in a carriage drawn by a white qilin, holding a staff of nine yak-tail banners, a brocade sash embroidered with phoenix and jade patterns at his waist, wearing a Liutong crown, and appearing about twenty years of age. Attendants held night-shining lamps and wore garments like jade feathers, while some thousand guards accompanied him.

The Zhenren called himself “Xuandu Taizhen Wang” and asked me, “Are you Ge Hong? Why do you wish for immortality and never to die?”

I kowtowed in respect and knelt to reply. The divine being told me: “You have received the auspicious blessings granted by the Nine Heavens, born in accordance with the times as an outstanding figure who will arise a thousand years hence, and in the future you shall enjoy the title of ‘Xianbo’ in Taiqing (Supreme Clarity, a Daoist heaven). Now I am about to travel far, leaving the human world and choosing the West as my dwelling; we shall meet at the Elixir Palace on Mount Taihua. When I temporarily return to the human realm I shall use the Longyuan sword to stand in place of my body and quietly vanish, so that people will not know who the present Zhenren truly is.

“You have devoted yourself to the ancient classics, your intelligence is outstanding, and you can resolve difficulties and comprehend what is obscure; you may indeed be called a remarkable talent. Yet you still do not know the palaces in which the true immortals reside, nor the path by which the supreme sages cultivate to attain the Dao. I am about to depart and will now tell you these matters, forming with you a karmic bond of joint cultivation. We shall not be separated for long.”

Ge Hong then bowed low and kowtowed. The true spirit ordered an attendant to bring brush and paper and orally dictated the mysterious teachings. When he had finished he handed the writings to Ge Hong with his left hand, saying, “I am going to Fangzhang (a legendary immortal island in the sea) to select immortal officials and shall come to see you again later. Strive diligently in your practice; I am leaving.”

Ge Hong watched him ride the carriage slowly upward until he disappeared from view.

The Zhen Shu states: Long ago, heaven and earth had not yet separated. All around was a dim and chaotic obscurity with no formed things; heaven, earth, sun, and moon likewise did not yet exist. The entire world resembled an egg, in a mixed state of mysterious yellow. At that time there already existed the Perfected Pangu—he was the transformation of the Jing (essence) of heaven and earth, styled himself the Primordial Heavenly King (Yuanshi Tianwang), and roamed within the chaos.

After another four kalpas (the lengthy cosmic cycles referred to in Daoism), heaven and earth still had not taken form. The shape of heaven resembled a vast umbrella canopy, unsupported above and without foundation below. Beyond heaven and earth lay boundless expanse; the great void was profound, silent, and soundless. The vast primordial Qi (vital energy) flowed like water; there were no mountains, nor any stars. The primordial Qi gradually gathered, becoming solid and strong; a yielding Qi then condensed within it, and heaven and earth floated amid the primordial Qi, revolving continually without a fixed orientation. Were it not for this primordial Qi, heaven and earth would never have been generated. Heaven, like a dragon, coiled amid the cloudy Qi.

After yet another four kalpas, heaven and earth began to part, separated by 36,000 li. Blood-water issued from cliff stones; the blood-water gave birth to the primordial insect, the primordial insect gave birth to Binqian, Binqian gave birth to Gangxu, and Gangxu in turn gave birth to the dragon.

The Primordial Heavenly King dwelt in the upper center of heaven, a place named Jade Capital Mountain (Yujing Shan). Palaces within the mountain were ornamented with gold and jade. He customarily inhaled the Qi of heaven above and drank the spring waters of earth below.

After two further kalpas, the Jade Maiden of the Great Primordial (Taiyuan Yunü) was suddenly born from the pooled blood-water of a stone gorge. She spoke from the moment of birth; her human form was already complete, her features fair. She frequently traveled across the great earth, inhaling the primordial Qi of heaven above, and was therefore titled the Holy Mother of the Great Primordial (Taiyuan Shengmu). When the Primordial Lord (Yuanshi Jun) journeyed below and beheld her, he united with her; their breaths communicated and their Jing and Qi merged, after which he conveyed her back to the heavenly palace.

At that time the two Qi of Yin-Yang intermingled, their breath enveloping heaven and earth. Yin and Yang were attuned, neither scorching nor freezing. Heaven, having received the One, was clear and luminous; earth, having received the One, was tranquil and secure. Heaven and earth no longer required respiration, nor did they inhale and exhale Qi, but naturally conjoined and became replete. The Great Dao (the Way) prospered; no era was more excellent. Heaven and earth solidified and grew firm, and therefore endured without perish. Gold, jade, and pearls constitute the refined essence of heaven and earth; those who ingest them may equal the lifespan of heaven and earth.

The Primordial Lord passed through one kalpa before uniting a single time with the Holy Mother of the Great Primordial, thereby generating the Heavenly Sovereign (Tianhuang). The Heavenly Sovereign possessed thirteen heads and reigned 36,000 years. Subsequently, Daoist writings venerated him as the Fusang Great Emperor, the Eastern King Father (Dongwanggong), also known as the Father of Primordial Yang (Yuanyang Fu). The Primordial Lord and the Holy Mother of the Great Primordial further generated the Mysterious Maiden of Nine Lights (Jiuguang Xuannü), titled the Supreme Perfected Queen Mother of the West (Taizhen Xiwangmu), that is, the Lady of the Western Han (Xihan Furen).

Following the Heavenly Sovereign was born the Earthly Sovereign (Dihuang), possessing eleven heads; following the Earthly Sovereign was born the Human Sovereign (Renhuang), possessing nine heads. Each reigned 36,000 years.

Sages and Perfected Ones manifested in the world, transmitting the way of the heavenly writings. In accordance with the principle of Wuwei (non-action) they inaugurated the order of heaven and earth, enabling the myriad things to generate of their own accord. The Heavenly Writings of the Three Sovereigns (Sanhuang Tianwen) that circulate at present are those they proclaimed. Consequently, by means of these heavenly writings one may summon the great sages of heaven and the spirits of the netherworld; nothing cannot be brought to submission. The descent of the Celestial Perfected Sovereign Person (Tianzhen Huangren) and the Three Celestial Perfected Kings (Santian Zhenwang) in nine-dragon carriages refers precisely to such spirits.

Thereafter arose the Eight Emperors, among them Dating Shi, Paoxi, Shennong, Zhurong, Wulong Shi, and others, all descendants of this lineage, who at present govern the Five Sacred Mountains (Wuyue). Thus it is evident that in remote antiquity the Great Dao flourished; by the era of the Three Kings the ethos of Dao and De (Virtue/Power) had declined. The Three Kings designate Yu of Xia, Tang of Yin, and Wu of Zhou. The customs of simplicity and honesty gradually attenuated; after transformations in society, ritual institutions arose in consequence; ritual institutions were described as the inception of calamity.

At the close of the Zhou dynasty, Yang Qi waned and Yin Qi waxed strong; widows abounded within the realm. The Western Rong rose, metal troops fomented disorder, and heterodox methods likewise prospered. Subsequently the Nine Provinces foundered, and the imperial enterprise fell into neglect. The scriptures declare that these statements were later entirely fulfilled. In the age of the Great Dao’s flourishing, people were simple, sincere, and substantial; when heterodox methods prevailed, the populace grew cunning and deceitful.

Hong said: This matter is profound and distant, not something ordinary seekers of learning can know. My aptitude is mediocre, yet I was fortunate to receive the regard of the Supreme Sage, who expounded the hidden mysteries of heaven and earth and clarified the root of the most subtle Dao (the Way). I therefore recorded the teachings I received, item by item, upon paper, judging that these contents ought not to be discussed at random any further. Those without the corresponding aspiration and capacity of vessel must never be informed of these affairs of the Primordial Origin. Hence these writings have been left behind only so that the worthy and enlightened of the world may behold them.

The Zhenji says: Xuandu Yujing (the Jade Capital of the Mysterious Metropolis, the celestial capital) is located upon the Mountain of Seven Treasures, with a circumference of ninety thousand li, situated above the Great Luo Heaven. Within the city stands the Palace of Seven Treasures, and inside the palace the Terrace of Seven Treasures, divided into Upper, Middle and Lower Palaces, laid out in the manner of a palace-city, each of whose faces has two hundred and forty gates. In each of the four quarters of the city there are eight rows of groves of precious trees, the trees bearing green leaves and red fruit, and growing five-colored lingzhi; upon the trees are twelve thousand varieties of lingzhi, while the lotuses in the pools measure ten zhang in diameter.

The Upper Palace is the Pan City, each face having two hundred and forty gates, with eight rows of precious tree groves in each of the four directions, green leaves and red fruits growing five-colored lingzhi; the trees have twelve thousand kinds of lingzhi, and the lotuses in the ponds are ten zhang in diameter. The Upper Palace is presided over by Pangu Zhenren Yuanshi Tianwang (the Primordial Heavenly King) and Taiyuan Shengmu (the Holy Mother of the Great Origin); the Middle Palace is presided over by Taishang Zhenren Jinque Laojun; the Lower Palace is presided over by the Jiutian Zhenhuang (True Sovereign of the Nine Heavens) and the Santian Zhenwang (True King of the Three Heavens).

Yujing possesses eight hundred and ten thousand celestial roads that lead to eight hundred and ten thousand grotto-heavens among the mountain peaks. The great sages and multitude of immortals who have attained the Dao are all granted palaces and mansions in which to reside, their dwellings being palaces and towers of the Seven Treasures; some are located in the Five Sacred Peaks, others in famous mountains. The mountain grotto-heavens inhabited by true immortals total eight hundred and ten thousand. The ancients often said “nine nines are eighty-one”; what is spoken of here is precisely the number of the celestial roads that lead to Yujing Mountain.

The superior immortals who have received the mandate of Heaven pay court three times each day to the Taishang Zhenren of Xuandu. Even if the journey amounts to hundreds of millions of li, the going and returning is as easy as taking a single step; how could people of the mundane world comprehend this? Among the immortals, some pay court three times daily to the Lord of Fusang, some three times daily to Xiwangmu (the Queen Mother of the West). The Taishang Zhenren in the Golden Portal of Yujing pays court three times each month to Yuanshi Tianwang.

The disciples of Yuanshi likewise, in the manner of an imperial court, are provided with official ranks such as Situ and Chancellor. Jinque Laozi is a disciple of the Taishang. The Great Emperor of Fusang is a transformation of the Yang Qi (vital energy) of Yuanshi and has charge of the East. Therefore the sons of worldly emperors correspond to the Eastern Palace (the residence of the crown prince).

In the Western Han dynasty, the Lady of the Nine Lights (a goddess venerated in Daoism) represented the primal Yin Qi (vital energy) and guarded the West. Therefore she and Mugong were jointly known as Mugong and Jinmu (the male and female deities of high status in Daoism), spirits of honored rank between heaven and earth. They refined Jing (essence) from primordial Qi, generated the myriad things, harmonized Yin-Yang, and made the sun and moon bright; all this they presided over. If Jing-Shen (essence-spirit) can last long, life will not end. If a person holds to the “One” (the fundamental Dao Qi spoken of in Daoism) without dispersing it, they can endure. When heaven and earth lose Yin-Yang harmony, water and drought become irregular; when a person loses Yin-Yang harmony, the root of Jing-Shen is damaged and life withers. Worldly people cannot hold the “One” or keep the “Three” (referring here to the fundamental Dao to be held in cultivation), so that cultivating life leads instead to death; this is only natural, and there is nothing to complain of. After another thousand years I will summon you to mount the Supreme Golden Palace (celestial palaces of the heavenly realm) to have audience and attend the feast at the Jade Capital (the immortal realm of the Heavenly Emperor). This thousand years is like a flash of lightning and is not long; at present you may first roam the Five Sacred Mountains, pick lingzhi, seek reclusive immortal friends, and wander at ease in accord with Wuwei (non-action). What I have said can indeed be expected.

The Great Emperor of Fusang resides in the Azure Sea. His dwelling place is thirty thousand li square on every side, with the Palace of Great Perfection above; the palace city is built of green jade and ten thousand li square. Many trees grow there whose leaves are like mulberry leaves. There is also a mulberry tree several thousand zhang high with a trunk twenty spans in circumference; two trees grow from the same root and support each other, named Fusang. The layout of palaces and residences follows that of the Jade Capital.

The immortals are numberless. The host of immortals of Xuanzhou, Fangzhang and elsewhere, together with immortals not yet ascended to heaven, all dwell there. The place lies sixty thousand li from the Kuaiji coast and is governed by the Taiqing Immortal Elder, the Supreme Elder (a Daoist immortal official). Penglai Mountain stands on the northeastern shore of the East Sea, five thousand li in circuit, with dark seawater on all sides and giant waves reaching the sky, governed by the Nine Qi Elder (a Daoist immortal official).

The Mysterious Garden of Kunlun (Xuanpu), the immortal realm upon Mount Kunlun, has ponds and city walls fashioned of gold and measures a thousand li in circumference. Five golden terraces and twelve jade towers stand upon the walls; the buildings are ornamented with fine jade, and the chambers appear in purple, kingfisher-green, cinnabar, and other colors. Gold, jade, and the rest of the Seven Treasures pile so high they seem to join the heavens; there are giant beasts of exceedingly great stature, as well as countless numinous fragrances. This is the dwelling and domain of the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu), foremost among female immortals; hosts of immortals gather here in inexhaustible numbers.

The Elder Guangcheng is now the Perfected One of Mount Zhong (Zhongshan Zhenren), also known as the Immortal King of the Nine Heavens. The Four Hoary Immortals of the Han dynasty, together with Anqi and Pengzu, now all assist him here.

Wuchengzi and Limozi are the Perfected Ones of Mount Min. At present Xuanzi and Yuzi serve as Marquises of Mount Min.

Taihao is the Azure Emperor and governs Mount Daizong; Zhuanxu is the Black Emperor and governs Mount Taiheng; Zhurong is the Red Emperor and governs Mount Henghuo; Xuanyuan is the Yellow Emperor and governs Mount Songgao; Jintian is the White Emperor and governs Mount Huayin.

These five are called the Five Emperors.

Yao governs Mount Xiong’er, Shun governs Mount Jishi, Yu governs Mount Gaizhu, Tang governs Mount Xuanji, Qingwu governs Mount Chang, and Feng Xiu serves as Mountain Chief.

The above five are those who assist the Five Emperors and oversee their affairs. Whenever a kalpa cycle ends and the Five Emperors rotate, the assistants succeed them and become the Five Emperors.

Xu You and Chao Fu now serve as Attendants of the Nine Heavens (an official post attending upon the celestial realm) and have been enfeoffed as Dukes of Mount Ji. Xia Qi and Zhou Fa received immortal scriptures and became the Luminous Dukes of the Four Poles. Some immortals dwell at Mount Luofeng (the legendary immortal mountain of the netherworld), while others reside in the grotto-heavens (the abodes of immortals according to Daoism). The one of most flourishing De (Virtue) among the Three Zhous was honored as the Perfected of Crimson Mound; both live at Mount Jinhua.

Emperor Gaozu of Han and Emperor Guangwu both became guest-friends of the Four Luminaries. King Ling of Zhou now holds the office of Attendant Gentleman of the Great Void and governs Mount Bolong. The entire family of Le Zichang attained the Dao and became immortals; they have not yet ascended to heavenly office and all dwell in the chambers of Fangzhang. They received the registers of Supreme Mystery life (the immortal registers conferred in Daoism) in the Divine Continent and take the Five Mushrooms (five kinds of numinous fungi) as their food.

Guo Jingchun serves as Director of Destiny Records and governs the Terrace of Emptiness. Zuo Yuanfang is now the Perfected of the Heavenly Pillar and Marquis Overseeing Immortals. Ge Xuan, by command of the Lord of the Golden Palace, became the Left Immortal Duke of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), governing Mount Gaizhu while also residing at Mount Nüji and often riding forth on a tiger. Xu Ying was originally the Immortal of Huolin. Xu Mu established a residence in the Huayang grotto-heaven and became a Perfected. Xu Yufu lives north of Tongchu, ranks among the Perfected, and currently has no administrative duties.

Bao Jing serves as Master of the Underworld, concurrently as the Perfected of Mount Qian; after another five hundred years he will take office as Attendant Gentleman of Kunbing. Zheng Siyuan resides at Nanhuo, often riding tigers, leopards, and white deer, and presently holds no post.

Cai Yulei is the Ghost Emperor of the East and governs Mount Taoqiu. Zhang Heng and Yang Yun are the Ghost Emperors of the North and govern Mount Luofeng. Du Ziren is the Ghost Emperor of the South, governing Mount Luofu and commanding the ghosts of the Qiang and Man. Zhou Qi and Ji Kang are the Ghost Emperors of the Center and govern Mount Baodu. Zhao Wenhe and the Perfected Wang are the Ghost Emperors of the West and govern Mount Bozhong.

The latter half of the original text repeats the enumeration of the offices held by the Ghost Emperors of the North, South, Center, and West.

Earth immortals roam the Five Sacred Mountains (Wuyue). Each morning they pay homage to the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu), the foremost female immortal of Daoism, and in the evening they rest in the region of Mount Zhong. Although they have not yet ascended into the heavenly realm, such joy is beyond words. The Mansion of Tongchu and the Palace of Yiqian likewise offer these same delights.

Among the famous mountains, immortals depart and ascend to immortality every year. It is only that ordinary people cannot see them and so do not believe in immortals—truly a cause for lament. Those who, in seeking the Dao, disregard their own safety and whose minds are pure and upright: I have never seen them cultivate in vain. Some do not cultivate with sufficient diligence; others, though diligent, refuse to abandon the pleasures that greed brings, and they have not reformed the ten evils created by the three karmas of body, speech, and mind (actions, speech, and thoughts). Cultivating in this way is like clutching a stone and leaping into a great river—one is destined to find it hard to get free.

The customs of the Wu-Yue and Liang-Yi regions are pure and upright, and therefore immortals there are many. Thus the areas around Chengdu, around Danyang, and southeast of Kuaiji are all places through which the roads to the heavenly realm pass, and they are well suited for cultivating the Dao and making progress.

These immortals, as well as those who receive immortal scriptures after their lifespan has ended, are extremely numerous and cannot be recorded one by one; below I shall merely mention in brief those figures among the lesser mountains.

Master Guigu serves as Grand Mystery Master and oversees Mount Qingcheng. Wangzi Qiao serves as Palace Attendant of the Golden Towers and oversees Mount Tong□; Chisong serves as Immortal Earl of Kunlin and oversees Mount Nanyue; Wang Zideng serves as King of Xiaoyou Heaven and oversees Mount Wangwu.

Guzhu, Boyi, Shuqi, and others together serve as Vice Directors of the Nine Heavens and oversee Mount Tiantai. Kong Qiu is honored as Grand Perfected Duke of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) and oversees Mount Jiuyi. Yan Hui was granted immortal scriptures; he first served as Attendant Gentleman of the Bright Springs and later became Director of the Perfected of the Three Heavens. Seventy-two persons were enfeoffed on Xuanzhou; the three thousand disciples of Confucius do not pass through the Gate of Beifeng (a checkpoint associated with the netherworld).

Xiang Yishan serves as Sima of Penglai. Dan, the Duke of Zhou, serves as Preceptor of the Northern Emperor and oversees Mount Jingge. Zhuang Zhou serves as Erudite of the Grand Mystery and resides on Mount Jing; Sun Quan received an appointment to office and also resides on Mount Jing.

Zhang Daoling serves as Ritual Master of the Three Heavens, commanding the Six Voids (all directions of heaven and earth). He has repeatedly attended upon the Golden Towers and is a capable assistant to the Most High. He oversees Mount Lu and resides together with two other revered masters. Wang Fangping now serves as Supreme Chancellor and oversees Renwu Mountain of the Yuezhi people.

Mo Di is honored as Immortal Minister of Taiji and oversees Mount Maji. Xu Laile serves as Perfected of Taiji and oversees Mount Kuocang, with an additional lesser palace on Mount Tiantai. Chen Anshi oversees Mount Xiaotai. Yan Junping now resides on Mount Emei. Qu Yuan serves as Earl of the Seas, commanding the Eight Seas. Wang Bi serves as Supervisor of the Northern Sea. Guo Shengzi serves as Perfected of Langfeng. Lady Wei oversees Mount Nanyue. Pei Qingling oversees Mount Siming. Ma Mingsheng is now on Mount Zhong. Yin Changsheng serves as Perfected of Difei.

(Several personal names, titles, and mountain names in the original belong to the Daoist genealogy of immortals; “Mount Tong□” is retained as-is due to a lacuna in the source text.)

Sun Deng serves as the Wenqiu Zhenren. The Jiuhua True Consort (the title of a female immortal) cultivates and maintains an immortal mansion on Xiagai Mountain and at times also resides on Long Mountain. Wang Chang and Zhao Sheng have been appointed as the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Three Heavens Protectors of Mount Lu (a divine office charged with safeguarding Daoist affairs on Mount Lu). Han Zhong is now the Huolin Zhenren. Yu Ji of Langya serves as Left Assistant Attendant-Scribe of the Great Void (a subordinate official in the Taixu immortal mansion).

The Three Maos (the three immortals Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong) serve as Inspectors of the Bureau for Preserving Life, Determining Registers, and Supervising Faults, dwelling on the northern side of the Huayang Grotto-Heaven. In the Bao Mountain region where they reside there are several thousand mountains, and even the smaller hills number no fewer than a hundred; all are peaks inhabited by immortals.

I have here briefly cited the deeds of these immortals, which should suffice to firm your resolve and inspire your longing. These records must be kept secret and not proclaimed. If there is a person of lofty De (Virtue/Power) whose heart turns toward distant mountains, then at the time of your passing you may seal this writing and entrust it to him. If cultivation has not been achieved and De is neither humane nor generous, he must in the end never be allowed to see it.

Where verdant mountains rise in overlapping layers and a thousand ridges connect, immortals are too numerous to count; they walk side by side with ordinary people, yet the worldly do not know it. Some mortals whose karmic affinity is complete lose their way while exploring the mountains, stray into the dwellings of immortals, and are retained by the jade maidens (female attendants of the immortal grottoes); this is because they accumulated profound good deeds in previous lives.

Those beginning to study the Dao (the Way) need not necessarily enter the mountains to cultivate. By diligently practicing behind closed doors at home, avoiding chaotic contacts with the outside world, long maintaining zhai observances and concentrating on their aspiration, or by burning incense and sweeping, they can likewise summon the descent of true immortals. Lady Wei, the Xu lineage, and others all belong to this type of practitioner. The key lies in persistently seeking techniques and authentic Jing (scriptures/classics); if cultivation gradually yields responses and first results appear, one should then withdraw into seclusion.

If for reasons of clothing and food one temporarily leaves the valleys and goes in and out among humans, there is still no need to associate too closely with the secular; one will naturally appear distinct. Outwardly agreeable and conforming to worldly conditions, inwardly one holds fast to the True One (the pure, unmixed Dao of which Daoism speaks). The subtlety of this statement lies precisely here.