《茅山志》Vol. 1

The Records of Mount Mao (Maoshan Zhi) is a local gazetteer devoted to Mount Mao—the famous Daoist mountain in the Jurong area of present-day Jiangsu. It belongs to the “Gazetteers of Immortal Realms and Sacred Mountains” category within the Daoist Canon of China (Zhonghua Daozang). The book opens with a preface, followed by a table of contents. The listed sections run as follows: Volumes 1 and 2, and Volumes 3 and 4 as well, fall under “Copies of Edicts and Documents” (gao fumo); Volume 5, “Record of the Three Deities”; Volumes 6 and 7, “Survey of the Realm of Spirits”; Volume 8, “Examination of Antiquity”; Volume 9, “Register of the Daoist Mountain”; Volumes 10 through 12, “Shangqing Ranks”; Volumes 13 and 14, “Offices of the Immortal Bureau”; Volumes 15 and 16, “Gathering the True and Wandering in Transcendence”; Volumes 17 and 18, “Tower and Abbey Section”; Volume 19, “Spiritual Flora”; Volumes 20 through 27, “Record of Metal and Stone” (inscriptions); and Volumes 28 through 33 include compilations such as the Golden Lotus, Golden Delights, and Golden Summaries. Taken as a whole, the work organizes material by topic: divine and immortal narratives connected to the mountain, Daoist figures, palaces and observatories, immortal bureaucratic offices, stone and bronze inscriptions, and collected poetry and prose.

The main text of Volume 1 is headed “Records of Mount Mao, Volume One,” with the attribution “Compiled by Liu Dabin, Successor Master of the Shangqing Lineage”—meaning it was compiled by Liu Dabin, the designated successor master of the Shangqing (Supreme Clarity) tradition. Volume 1 belongs to the “Copies of Edicts and Documents” section, which gathers duplicate texts of imperial decrees, investiture documents, and similar materials; it begins with “Han Dynasty Edicts and Decrees.” One piece is the Jade Book Text of the Nine Bestowals Conferred by the Celestial Emperor of Primordial Heaven upon Lord Mao: the Celestial Emperor of Primordial Heaven is a high Daoist deity, and “Lord Mao” refers to the patriarch of Mao-shan Daoism, Ma Ying; the “nine bestowals” (jiu xi) were the highest grade of honors the court could grant a meritorious minister in classical state ritual, and a “jade book text” is the wording of an investiture inscribed on a jade tablet. This document is the jade-book investiture granting the nine bestowals to Lord Mao. Its date line reads “the eighteenth day of the eighth month in the second year of Yuanshou of Emperor Ai of Han, year of gengshen in the sexagenary cycle, day jiyou”—that is, the eighteenth day of the eighth month of 1 BCE (Yuanshou 2 of Han Emperor Ai), on the jiyou day.

Mao Ying (the Senior Mao Lord among the Three Mao True Lords of Daoism) was by nature serene and upright, with lofty, clear aspirations and a deep love of the Dao. From childhood he let his temperament unfold freely and yearned for the subtle and mysterious. He stilled his mind in the northern mountains and gathered insight among forests, lakes, and marshes; he climbed steep peaks in search of the divine and entered valleys with hardship to seek them out. After entering a master’s tutelage, he set aside bodily concerns, renounced marriage, and devoted himself wholly to the Dao. With utmost sincere devotion he followed his nature and yielded to what is natural. He then sought out eminent teachers and received scriptures of numinous writing. With unkempt hair he knelt in prayer and cultivated so severely that he did not shrink from mutilating head or body; he used rope for a belt yet found contentment, and did not count hunger and cold as shame. In action he held only to the Dao; in what he guarded, only the true. Sincere devotion was proclaimed to Shangdi (the Supreme Lord), and he was moved in communion with Tai Xuan (the Great Mystery—the Great Dao and the celestial realm). For this he was reverently granted the title True Person of the Great Origin (Taiyuan Zhenren) and appointed Superior Minister and Lord of Fate of the Eastern Peak (Dongyue Shangqing Siming Shenjun)—the Eastern Peak being Mount Tai, where the Lord of Fate (Siming) keeps the registers of life.

Because your mind was level and correct and your conduct firm as metal and stone, your cinnabar heart transcended the mundane and your spirit dwelt in purity and loftiness, you were given green banners of jade and iron and the eight-power registry (bawei zhi ce), so that you might campaign against evil at its root and check and balance the myriad spirits—this was the first gift. Because you had tasted the profound Dao in freezing forests and valleys, admired the true Dao, and stirred your thoughts in deep mountains until your heart of sincere devotion opened, you were given purple ceremonial rods and a lotus-draped flowery crown (ou fu huaguan), so that you might summon and drive a thousand spirits, seal mountains, and call clouds—this was the second. Because you left home alone, parted from kin to rejoice in the immortals, long endured trials, and in winter bared yourself to mountains and rivers, you were given an embroidered-feather purple robe and cinnabar-blue flying skirt, so that you might move at ease on stairways in the clouds and escort jade immortals (yuzhen)—this was the third. Because you walked mountains and forests, trod perilous heights, and kept your will focused and noble without faltering in fear, you were given a spotted dragon carriage and a white tiger carriage, so that you might feast floating in the vast void and wheel through the imperial court of heaven.

This is the proclamation (gaowen) within the Purple Plain Book and Register (Zisu Shuce)—a celestial mandate of the Daoist upper realm—granted by the Supreme Lord (Taishang) to the Middle Lord (Zhongjun), commending his cultivation merit item by item and granting corresponding rewards.

Fourth: You dwell in the void of space and in the flying-wheel court of the imperial palace of heaven (feilun di ting, a Daoist celestial abode), cutting through brambles and traveling with the light of day, enduring cold dew and frost and snow; with single-minded devotion you sought the path of luminous truth, neither fearing nor trembling. Therefore you are granted the Qu Chen precious canopy and jade-green chambers in the emerald halls (qu chen bao gai, qiong wei lü shi—a ceremonial canopy and jade palace rooms), so that you may roam and behold the Nine Palaces (jiugong, the ninefold divine realm), and quietly nourish spirit and mind in warm, sheltered places.

Fifth: You turned away from worldly glory and splendor, never wearying your spirit and mind; you hid your traces in deep mountains and remote peaks, and among myriad forests you devoted yourself in sincerity to contemplating the Dao. Therefore you are granted the wielding of divine flowing fire and the luminous pearl of spirit under the bright moon (fabao of radiance), so that you may ascend to hear the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate, one of the highest celestial realms in Daoism) and communicate with the voice of Shangqing (the upper clarity heaven).

Sixth: Your will was steadfast, pure, and lofty, untouched by lust, dust, and worldly entanglements; from of old you stood upright like bright jade (haoying), correct within and without. Therefore you are granted brocade banners and embroidered flags, white plumes and dark poles (ceremonial regalia), so that you may summon the Six Yin (liuyin, yin spirits) and have jade maidens attend your carriage and canopy.

Seventh: With a compassionate heart toward others, every thought you raised was for benefiting others; hidden virtue spread widely over the myriad beings; even the smallest stirring creatures and the finest hairs were remembered in your care. Therefore you are granted the cries of phoenix and luan birds and golden bells with jade chimes, so that in the empty hall you may harmonize with the spirits and bring peace and joy to the true numina.

Eighth: You nourished spirit with a heart hungry and thirsty for truth, enduring hardship in the search for reality; the ten thousand things could not delude you, and a thousand evils could not destroy your pure simplicity. Therefore you are granted the richness of purple jade and jade nectar in golden vessels (immortal food and drink), so that your lifespan may match the Three Luminaries (sanguang—sun, moon, and stars) and your name be inscribed on cinnabar writings and jade slips.

Ninth: You took the lead in pure mystery; your body bore the purple weft and eight jades of auspicious light (ziwei baying); your heart reflected double radiance (chongli, brightness); your spirit leaped in the great rosy clouds—you are truly an elder among the perfected (zhenren). Hence you are given the title “Great Primordial” (Taiyuan). The nine virtues being complete, accumulated merit moved the Grand Subtlety Heaven (Taiwei, a celestial palace); heaven and human beings responded in accord, and all turned to you as one. Now the nine deeds repay the vows of your former heart.

Your spirit and mind are upright and luminous, a dwelling for the Four Numina (siling, spirits of the four directions); cinnabar truth shines forth; you hold straight and unbending office, firm in rectitude, with clear insight into the hidden and subtle. You are now appointed Grand Minister on High (zaishangqing), overseeing the Eastern Peak (Dongyue), and additionally made Master of Fate (siming zhizhu, the divine office governing lifespan), directing the registers of records and charts; forty jade lads and forty jade maidens are granted you, to enter and leave Taiwei and receive affairs at Taiji. Your seat of governance is the Red City Jade Cave Prefecture (chicheng yudong zhi fu). After you take office, all movement and stillness must be reported and made known on high.

The above is the mandate text by which the Supreme Lord sent and bestowed the Purple Plain Book and Register upon the Middle Lord.

In the third year of Yongshi, in the cyclical year dingwei, the Most High Divine Sovereign issued a command, and the Zhenren of Celestial Truth transmitted a document stating: Mao Gu of Xianyang, who lived in the South Gate ward and was styled Jiwei, received an immortal name and was destined to become an immortal. His immortal office was Dinglu (Fixed Register), with concurrent oversight of terrestrial truth (earthly immortal officials), charged with recommending those who had achieved success in cultivation and with managing matters connected to registers of lifespan and destiny; he handled his duties with diligence and reverence, and the regulations were complete even in the remotest regions of the four directions. His palace administration oversaw cave platforms, with its seat at Gouru Mountain in Danyang (present-day Maoshan). Mao Gu, exert yourself: in every movement and stillness, observe and report upward.

The sealed writ of the Lesser Lord of the Purple Simplicity Register stated: Mao Zhong, brother of Mao Ying, was endowed with a nature pure, plain, and empty. Though he came to orthodoxy relatively late, his insight was subtle and his sincerity penetrating; with sincerity he severed the Six Heavens (liutian, the six demonic qi), and his talent and brilliance were conspicuous. You are now appointed—though in a humble post—to administer the Three Officials (Heaven, Earth, and Water), to preserve registers of life and establish names and ranks, to take overall charge of Dai Zong (Mount Tai), to manage registers of the dead and record the names of the living. His rank was earthly immortal, a distinguished figure among the nine officials. He admonished beginners, opened the way so they might achieve the Dao; instructed female officials and transmitted myriad subtle methods. He governed the hundred ghosts, supervised calamities and portents, and examined spirits and prodigies; oversaw water sources and the flow of rivers; managed gold and grain, kept and recorded jade nectar; supervised the cultivation of dragon lingzhi, cave herbs, night-shining herbs, and other immortal plants. He governed Mount Liangchang, connected to the northern cave mouth, and guarded the gate of the yin palace. Mao Zhong, exert yourself: in every movement and stillness, report upward.

The text above was carved in stone in the third year of Putong of Liang (522) on the Jiuxi Stele in Huayang South Cave, as recorded in treatises on metal and stone inscriptions.

Appended: edicts, proclamations, memorials, and petitions from the Qi and Liang periods. Emperor Wu of Qi’s reply to the Hermit Tao (Tao Hongjing) upon his withdrawal to the mountains reads: You have cast off worldly burdens and practice bigu (abstention from grain), yet still yearn for the clear emptiness of the mountains; in stillness you find your nature—what you delight in is fitting, and therefore your resolve is commendable. If you need anything, you may submit a memorial. He thereupon granted ten bolts of silk and twenty candles. A separate edict added: Each month I supply five jin of superior fuling (poria; the text reads “shang xia ling,” taken as top-grade fuling) and two dou of white honey, for preparing medicinal elixirs to be ingested.

Memorial on Resigning from Office by the Hermit is the memorial that Tao Hongjing (style name Hermit) submitted to Emperor Wu of Liang when he resigned his post and withdrew to seclusion. In essence it reads: I have heard that the virtue of Yao ascended to heaven, and at Yingyang the talk of “drinking from the river yet not filling the belly” spread the lesson of knowing when one has enough; the Han dynasty’s grace spread far, and on Mount Shang the air of cultivating lingzhi in deep mountains rose steep and high. I took to seclusion early and served in office for many years; going out to serve was not from craving glory, and pursuing learning was not to await salary. I only ever wished to hang up my cap and leave the palace halls, to plow alone in the fields, to sit by the stream gate companion to the moon, and to pluck the zither at the cloud’s edge. Before this I received the court’s favor and was able to fulfill my wish for the mountains and forests; now I shall hide my form in the cassia court and make my spirit friend to pines. Once I pass the barrier and gaze toward home, turning back in thought, I weep beside the water. My boat has lost its way and I cannot come in person to attend audience; unable to bear my attachment, I respectfully submit this memorial.

Emperor Wu of Liang’s reply to the Hermit on calligraphy, in essence: I would like to keep the recent two scrolls a little longer; the paper is not especially different. This scroll is a mounted work; since you wish to see it, I send it first. There is no original here to keep on hand; if you still want finer small regular script, like Lun or Zhen pieces, Wang Xizhi (courtesy name Yishao) did not write anything particularly fine in that vein. Essay on General Yue seems somewhat vigorous and firm—I fear it is not authentic; Admonition for the Grand Preceptor seems somewhat square, regular, and soft—its brush strength is too tender and the character forms do not harmonize. You have already graciously judged these two with your keen eye. Beyond that there is nothing I can send.

Tao Hongjing’s discussion of calligraphy with Emperor Wu of Liang, in essence: As instructed, among those in the Secretariat with some talent, only Zhou Xizan stands out. The inner intent of calligraphy should regulate breath as the bell pitch jiazhong releases qi in music. Now that Your Majesty personally savors the subtle principle, your subject should naturally apply effort to completion. I have often wished to proclaim to the realm Zhong You’s and Wang Xizhi’s treatises on writing, so that the art might flourish. What I regret is my decay—I cannot study and look up to what is lofty; I am ashamed yet full of admiration. Earlier I received three sheets in the imperial hand; with today’s gift there are five in all. Not only does every character hold the gaze—each stroke is tasted with the heart. Day by day I find them strong, elegant, and hard to put into words. Compared with years past, they no longer resemble what they were. That is precisely the point.

As for regular script, why should one go on imitating Zhong You and Wang Xizhi so excessively (Zhong and Wang being the celebrated Wei–Jin calligraphers Zhong You and Wang Xizhi)? In my heart I had always respected them, and now I am even fonder of them and admire them more. The divine brushwork in three sheets, together with the present ones, makes five sheets in all. Not only does every character catch the eye, but every stroke moves the heart. The longer the days pass, the more vigorous and charming they seem—almost impossible to put into words. To repay the former years with this is already no longer the same; that is precisely where it lies.

In my heart I had always respected them, and now I am even fonder of them and admire them more. In a moment I feel joy, and I cannot but take this occasion to report it. I have been favored with two scrolls; I respectfully examined the labeled models, and all accord with Your Majesty’s intention. Since there was no explicit permission to keep them for a while, I cannot retain them long. Of the portions I have already copied and requested, one section is not yet finished and cannot catch this messenger; I had paper scrolls before, and they are mixed with other things, so I will not take more. Please also wait until all are finished, and I will present them on a chosen day. These writings belong to the format of chapters and sections. At present I cannot distinguish them one by one, but I can still practice them. I only wish to write in fine regular script, imitating the style of the Yueyi Lun and Taishi Zhen (famous small-regular-script models by Wang Xizhi), so that the classics and their traditions may be preserved for long, and I may quietly mark out their essentials—that is all.

The later letter of reply says: I have also seen another memorial saying that originally one should reveal a little and appreciate it, and that this is indeed a fine matter; what is called oral admonition is not aversion, and so on. But this is not what I am practiced in; I will only try to speak of it briefly. If the brush is moved at a slant, there will be no sharp edges or corners; if the brush is held too loosely, the characters will be slack and weak; if dots and strokes are too short, the rule and structure appear bloated; if dots and left-falling strokes are too long, the rule and structure disperse; if strokes are cramped, the characters look horizontally squeezed; if strokes are sparse, the character form is loose. Too much restraint makes them cramped; too much freedom leaves them insufficient. Seeking only bone leaves no charm; seeking only flesh leaves no bone strength. Little ink makes them superficial and rough; much ink makes them clumsy and dull. These situations, set side by side, are all like this; to follow wherever the brush tendency leads is the natural principle. If rise and fall are proper, and choice and rejection do not go against it; if the brush tendency’s continuity and break, the momentum of contact rising densely like peaks and ridges, and the raised waves and turned joints all accord with rule; if spacing and placing, thick and fine, have method; if fat and thin harmonize and bone strength is proportionate; then they are graceful and soft, reserved and richly contained.

At first glance, calligraphy may not seem striking enough, but the brush-force is angular and awe-inspiring, and it often has a certain vitality; so long as it is pleasing to the eye and accords with the mind, it may be counted as top grade (the first class). One must be able to recognize the calligraphy of the various masters and should also integrate and comprehend it thoroughly. The Six Scripts (liushu, or the six calligraphic scripts) must be finely mastered, and this too depends on practice. Some grasp it as soon as they hear it and remember it as soon as they see it; such people have not been lacking in ancient or modern times. But generally speaking, in the end it all comes down to the word “practice.” The reason Cheng Miao (the man who systematized clerical script in the Qin dynasty) could alter the script was that he had the old methods as a foundation; the reason Zhang Zhi (an Eastern Han calligrapher) excelled in calligraphic skill was the result of accumulated study. Only with both the foundation of old methods and the effort of accumulation may one presume to speak freely about calligraphy. In my youth I did not even calculate the sexagenary cycle mentally, let alone practice writing on sheets of paper; to speak of these things now that I am old—what is the point? It only suffices to be sneered at by people today and laughed at by later generations. And so when I uttered words like “solely foremost,” even I felt my back grow hot when I looked at them. Yinzhen (concealing the true meaning?) here instead becomes Leizhen. This is merely the refinement of one craft, not what I call a surpassing matter; it is dust on the mind of the Dao (the Way), not what I call desirelessness.

As for the Yue Yi Lun (Wang Xizhi’s famous small regular script work), recently I have greatly suspected in my heart that it is a copy, but I did not dare say so lightly. Now that the purport is that it is not an authentic trace, I privately feel rather confident that I have gained some understanding. The Zhen and Zan appear too soft and weak; Xu Jing and Su Duan thereby received perpetual bestowal; looking up to receive your inscription-like commendation, I am even less able to express myself. Although this work is not among the regulations for model calligraphy, its principle of practical use is equal, and the fine regular script for recitation and inquiry may also be repeatedly appreciated. Previously in the capital I came across a scroll of feibai (a script in which the strokes show white), said to be an excellent work by Yishao (Wang Xizhi’s courtesy name). I had not seen another example and could not verify it; I only felt that its brush-force was astonishingly marvelous, and I respectfully present it for your sage inspection. It is of no use to me; if it can be included in the pavilion collection, I am willing to offer it as before.

These model calligraphies are of no use to Your servant; if they may serve as holdings for the palace library, I wish still to present them upward. Previously, at the place of Ma Cheng (a Southern Dynasties calligrapher and connoisseur), Your servant saw one scroll of Wang Xizhi’s (style name Yishao; he rose to the post of General of the Right Army, hence called the “Right Army”) Catalogue of Regular Script. Ma Cheng said: The more than ten calligraphic works written by the Right Army, such as the Petition for Advancing the Throne and the Rhapsody on the Goddess of the Luo, all use the modern script popular at the time; only the two pieces of Jijiu zhang (The Emergency Chapters) are compact and fine in the ancient method, and in recent times they have come close to being scattered and lost. Recalling these words, these calligraphic traces must have dwindled away and no longer survive. Ma Cheng also said: Those model calligraphies marked as mounted were all prepared to be assigned to the various princes and court officials. Recently Your servant saw three scrolls; the first model also says that the age is long past, and as for the separate copies, I dare not identify them. This is truly rarely seen; if one or two items could be obtained among the three scrolls, it would further allow an understanding of the mounting format of that time. The Son of Heaven’s decree has again come down, granting all the previously mentioned scrolls at once; Your servant’s feelings are all the more apprehensive. Recently, when I first saw the scroll title, it wrote merely “twenty-three or twenty-four,” and I was still delighted that it was so many; now the bestowed writings are numbered up to two hundred seventy, and I am astonished without end. The imperial treasury’s collection is like the sea; it cannot be exhausted by taking a little at a time. Truly it makes one quiet the heart. Before and after, I have been favored to see five scrolls large and small; by Your servant’s rustic and inept lot, this is truly excessive fortune. Were it not for a special grace, how would I dare to hope for it? Your servant originally ranged widely but could not be expert; formerly I thought my own calligraphy was unfit to be looked at, and so wished to become a scribe in charge of documents; in late years I have loved the clerical script method, and also envied those who oversee canonical records. I once said: Within a few decades of human life, one’s knowledge and vision cannot be all-encompassing; this petty world is only enough to indulge the five desires, which is truly shameful; I have always thought that to be a talented ghost would surpass being a stubborn immortal, and even now I still think so. At first I wanted to reverse this intention; since the Wuyi period (one of the twelve pitches, used here for the season) and afterward, state affairs have been busy, and my heart for mountain dwelling has been regretful and silent; I dare not again offend [Your Majesty] with empty and idle matters. I respectfully write this inscription on this occasion, and thus become troublesome and importunate; prostrating myself, I hope Your sage compassion will examine and record Your servant’s sincere heart. In Your Majesty’s examination and differentiation of the various writings, there is indeed refined connoisseurship; as for their differences and similarities, I cannot fully know them; I request that you decide whether they are acceptable. The two sheets [labeled] “Attendant of the Yellow Gate” (an official title) were written by Ren Jing. Looking at the various characters in the Ren Jing calligraphy that was sent, and comparing them with the two similar sheets, Ren Jing’s calligraphic style is lax and mixed; they ought not to have been written by Ren Jing.

One should also begin with brush methods such as dots and strokes, wave and slant (the na and pie strokes), and discuss thoroughly the excellences of the various calligraphic schools. This cannot be done hastily with brush and paper (haochu); better to remain plain and unadorned and keep to the middle way. The ink traces and copies by Xu and Ren are all returned together.

In Scroll 17 there are some miscellaneous model letters; I have respectfully noted them item by item on a separate sheet. Fearing they may not suit your intention, I also submit the copies I made privately. For the past ten-odd days my spirit has been startled and uneasy, and I have been unable to calm myself to attend to matters; hence the delay until the supplementary writing is finished. The other items are not adopted; only the two pieces Shuye and Weibi are in the format of a classical text. I regret that only single pieces remain. Checking the numbering on the scroll, the quantity is really considerable; the earlier instruction said there were only four scrolls, and this seems to have been compiled during the Yuanjia era of the Liu Song (the reign era of Emperor Wen of the Southern Dynasties). Later it was probably much scattered and lost; Wang Xizhi’s (Yishao’s) famous traces are no more than a few pieces. As for Huangting, Quanjin, Xiangzan, Luoshen, and others, I do not know whether they can still be preserved today.

In Scroll 23 I now see twelve items on another sheet. According to this scroll, it was written by Youjun (Wang Xizhi), and contains only eight items; the earlier Yueyi lun is written with great vigor and sharpness, but not with much care, so there are quite a few faulty characters. Taishi zhen and Daya yin have extremely profound intention, but instead appear constrained; they are good formats for writing on fans and screens, while the remaining five sheets are not worth praising. The one sheet mentioned by your servant Tao has poor brushwork; it is not by Youjun, nor do I know whom it came from—it also looks like a copy. The two sheets of the Gentleman Attendant at the Yellow Gate (Jishihuangmen).

This is an authentication record for a group of model calligraphies, mostly involving famous Jin-dynasty calligraphers.

Zhi Kang Li, one sheet, was written by Wang Xianzhi (courtesy name Zijing), and it also appears to be a copy. Following it there is another sheet, Zhi Li Li Gu Fang, written by Wang Xianzhi and likewise a copy. The above four items were not written by Wang Xizhi (courtesy name Yishao; he served as General of the Right Army, hence was called “the Right Army”).

Volume 24 now shows twenty-one pieces; on examination, only eleven in this volume are marked as Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy. These do not correspond well, and many are blurred and effaced. From the character “Hua” onward there are smudges and overwriting, so it is difficult to investigate the matter further in detail. The sheet preceding it, dated “the second year of Huangchu” (the era name of Emperor Wen of Wei), was written by a later person studying Wang Xizhi. The sheet Miu Xi Gao Mu Wen was written by Mr. Xu; the sheet Bao Huai You Tong was written by Zhang Cheng; the sheet dated the eleventh day of the fifth month is a copy of Wang Min’s writing; the oil-stained sheets Shang Xiang Huang Qi and Sui Jie Zhi, combined as one piece, are both practice copies, with very clumsy brushwork. The sheet Bu Fu Zhan was written by Wang Xianzhi; the sheet Bian Fu Gai Yue was written by Zhang Yi; the sheet by Sun Bai dated the fifteenth day of the fifth month was also written by Wang Min; the sheet Zhi Qin Fang was written by Xie An. The above ten items were not written by Wang Xizhi.

I fear I have not yet received your permission to distinguish them; I now respectfully submit the calligraphy of Mr. Xu and Ren Jing for separate comparison. In this way it can be known that works by Wang Min, Zhang Cheng, Zhang Yi, and Xie An ought to be preserved in the public collections. There is one scroll of Zhong You (courtesy name Yuanchang) and Wang Xizhi, traditionally said to be authentic. I consider them all to be copy-study works, mostly not worth discussing; among them, about two or three lines seem to be a copy that has somewhat captured Zhong You’s style and momentum. Wang Xizhi’s effort in learning from Zhong You can be known from this; recently there are more than twenty pieces. In addition, the characters are fine and the strokes short, mostly following Zhong You’s rules and method. Now I wish to have someone mount them into albums; it is not convenient to deliver them immediately. If any are completed next month, I will send someone to deliver them.

I have read your letter: although the meaning of the earlier letter only touched on “two-six,” its rules are complete; the later letter, less than two hundred characters, also fully contains praise and blame, and in a single sentence exhausts the condition of calligraphy. It immediately makes Zhong You’s old bones receive greater glory, and Wang Xianzhi’s soft and weak brush strength need not sink into the night of the springs. Only Wang Xizhi (courtesy name Yishao).

This passage discusses calligraphy criticism and the transmission of ink traces; its general meaning is as follows:

In calligraphy, advance and retreat, acceptance and rejection, praise and blame, superior and inferior should all have complete criteria; summed up in one phrase, they must hit the writer’s disposition. Such criticism is enough to add glory to the vigorous bone strength of Zhong Yuanchang (Zhong You, style name Yuanchang, a calligrapher of Wei in the Three Kingdoms) and to keep the tender, weak brush flesh of Wang Xianzhi (style name Zijing) from sinking beneath the springs. As for Wang Yishao (Wang Xizhi, style name Yishao) alone, if one can grasp the measure of advance and retreat, then the precious standard of judgment—the “jade rule,” here meaning a criterion of calligraphy—becomes clearly visible. If not for a sagely enlightened person to verify and appraise it, I fear the tendency to love what is near and habitual and to follow vulgar admiration would forever make people sink into confusion. Zhang Boying (Zhang Zhi, style name Boying, an Eastern Han calligrapher of cursive script) was called the “Sage of Cursive Script,” and Zhong Yuanchang was judged peerless in clerical script; their aims almost issue from the same mechanism, and their wondrous treasure is rarely inherited in any age.

Since this principle is clear, those imitators who “fail to paint a tiger” should immediately stop their brushes; only by returning to ancient methods and reverting to true simplicity can the calligraphic style of a flourishing age be promoted. With my shallow views I have been permitted to hear of this matter, and my joy and admiration are endless. Everyone in the world admires Wang Xianzhi; after Zhong Yuanchang, down to the Qi dynasty, their name and substance were instead neglected within the realm. Not only was Zhong Yuanchang no longer known; the same was true of Wang Xizhi. This is not something that can be eliminated merely by rejection and denigration; those who can truly be dyed without turning black and remain unpolluted by vulgar custom are only a few families. Now that I respectfully read this discussion, I am so delighted that I dance and stamp my feet, and still this is not enough to vent my feelings. I wish to privately show the copy I made to Hongyuan and Sikuang. These two are people who think about this matter with the same mind; they will certainly praise it enthusiastically and gain more than half the benefit. Although Hongyuan and I do not know each other, my nephew Zixu is studying, and through comings and goings there may be a chance to meet; but since he is in the pavilion, I fear he may already have heard of it. I know that the copied and mounted characters do not match in size; after adjustment, when inspected by others, they are passable, but I fear the brush intention is already greatly different. This piece is meant to be transmitted for a thousand years, so the ink traces should be transmitted along with it. As for the three sheets I present, on close inspection of the writing I find them very vigorous and dense. I privately think that since words give rise to meaning, meaning should correspond to words; the mind runs with the meaning, and hand and brush meet, so it is all the more harmonious. My humble feelings rejoice; I respectfully present it as a treasure and find it ever more precious. Discussions in the world all say that Jiangdong no longer has any traces of Zhong You, and people often sigh over this, hoping that after the Central Plains are cleared, the Taiqiu stele can be copied and sought nearby. Now the purport of the discussion says that although authentic traces are few, they can still be inferred and sought; this is...

Some traces have also survived, though I do not know how many characters can still be made out. Since they have not been shown to me, I venture, by reasonable inference, to hope that the artisans might be allowed to trace-fill a few lines; if I were graciously granted this, it would be an extraordinary good fortune. Wang Xizhi (Yishao; his courtesy name was Yishao) studied the calligraphy of Zhong Yao (Zhong, that is, Zhong Yao); his brush momentum was ingenious and his character forms compact, surpassing his own writing. I wonder how many more sheets of this kind there are.

The imperial edict asked whether the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture), portrait eulogies, and other texts could be supplied again. I no longer seek ink traces written by my own hand; I only seek to study Zhong Yao’s wondrous traces, looking up to your special grace. Submitting once again: Wang Xizhi’s writings from before Wuxing were not yet much praised; whatever texts were originally favored, might they be supplied again? I no longer seek traces of my own writing; I only ask to study Zhong Yao’s wondrous traces, looking up to your extraordinary grace.

Submitting once again: before Wuxing, Wang Xizhi’s various writings were not yet considered good. All those that were formerly liked and presented were works from the more than ten years of the Yonghe era when he went to Kuaiji. After he lost the commandery and made his declaration before the spirits not to take office, by and large he no longer wrote himself; all were written on his behalf by one and the same person, and the world could not tell them apart. Was this due to a slower and different brush momentum? They were called writings of his final years. After Wang Xizhi died, Wang Xianzhi (Zijing; his courtesy name was Zijing) was seventeen or eighteen and imitated this man’s calligraphy entirely, and so it then resembled it. Now Your Majesty’s edict has made this clear, enough to make everyone suddenly realize that Wang Xizhi did not deserve the ridicule attached to his final years. As for Ruan Yan (calligrapher), I have recently heard that someone has studied Ruan Yan’s calligraphy, and thereafter it can no longer be distinguished.

Recently, when I compared what Guo’s tracing has yielded, although it roughly sets out the character forms, it no longer has the traces or momentum of his brushwork. I do not know whether one or two carefully wrought and dense items among the preceding and following scrolls may be included in the category of those to be mounted and issued. I have also been graciously favored with an inquiry at the end of the year as to whether this is feasible. This grace descends from Heaven; I can only submit it for your review, and dare not presumptuously seek it on my own.

Hand edict of Emperor Wu of Liang in reply to the submission of the Xuantong Ji: I have read the memorial and seen the true words in the surviving traces of the Zhou family. They clearly agree in two or three places with the earlier proclamation, confirming one another; when understood, they seem all the more extraordinary. The four scrolls are now retained here; seeing the profound text and finding one or two points complete, I can only add my admiration. The twentieth day of the twelfth month.

Tao Hongjing (sobriquet Yinju) submits a memorial presenting the Zhou family’s Xuantong Ji.

I, the humble servant (referred to as “Mou”), report: at the end of October last year, the Zhou family matter suddenly arose. Because I was in a period of fasting and prohibitions (zhaijin), I could not report it immediately. Now I have respectfully compiled the related deeds into four fascicles and am submitting them in a separate document. Yet, caught in a net of doubt, I failed to record and report them early or to arrive at faith and understanding; I regret and reproach myself, and I deserve severe censure. This matter was set out in detail orally by Yuanwen (a personal name). I humbly hope you will pardon my indolence, and I respectfully submit this report. Here ends fascicle one of the Maoshan Zhi (Record of Mount Mao).

The textual collation notes indicate variant readings in the Da edition and other editions—for example, “raise” (ju) written as “low” (bei), “record” (ji) written as “send” (ji), “text” (wen) written as “meaning” (yi), and “praise” (zan) written as “descend” (jiang). These are differences in character usage among different editions.

Preface to the Maoshan Zhi: At the beginning of the Huangqing era (1312, the first year of the Huangqing reign of Yuan Renzong), the emperor issued an edict conferring on Liu Dabin, the forty-fifth patriarch of Mount Mao, the title “Zhenren of Cavernous Observation, Subtlety, and Mysterious Response” (Dongguan Weimiao Xuanying Zhenren). Five years later, he bestowed honorific titles on the Three Mao Zhenjun (Perfected Lords) worshipped at Mount Mao—Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong—adding two-character epithets to each: Zhenying (True Response), Miaoying (Wondrous Response), and Shenying (Divine Response). He also decreed that the Three Peaks be a Daoist temple and be styled “Sheng.”

Maoshan has three Daoist temples, named Shengyou Temple, Deyou Temple, and Renyou Temple. In the second year, the jade seal used at the transmission altar, long buried and lost, reappeared at this time. The relevant authorities reported the matter, and the imperial court issued an edict commending it and elevating the status of this mountain. Thereupon blessings spread widely, lingzhi mushrooms appeared as auspicious omens, and gods and humans were in harmony. In all the scripture-and-register altar grounds, halls, towers, and temples, wherever many neglected works awaited undertaking and needed to be repaired and brought to completion, the Grand Master (Zongshi, the leader of Maoshan Daoism) did his utmost to see them handled. The Grand Master also worried that the mountain gazetteer was detailed in its earlier parts but deficient in its later parts, so he entrusted his inner-chamber disciples to collect and compile the material into a book, and they came to ask me to write a preface. I read what it records: the grandeur of imperial edicts and proclamations, the numinous marvels of immortals and perfected beings, the profundity of the grotto-heavens, the transmission of altar records—the transmission of scriptures and registers at the altar grounds—the greatness of its figures, the prosperity of its towers and temples, the serene seclusion of its landscapes, the beauty of its vegetation, the records on steles, and the refinement of its poems and inscriptions. All are classified and analyzed, assembled, and made complete.

Maoshan was originally named Juqu Mountain. It is the Eighth Huayang Dongtian (grotto-heaven) and the First Difei Fudi (blessed land). In the Han dynasty, the Mao brothers—Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong—lived here in seclusion and ascended to immortality, and the mountain therefore took Mao as its name. By the Jin and Wei periods, Yuanjun (Lady Wei Huacun) vigorously propagated its Dao lineage, and the true teachings and numinous traces continued unbroken, making it a famous mountain under heaven and a mysterious spiritual precinct. The imperial Yuan honored purity and quietude in governing the realm. After its territory was incorporated into the jurisdiction of the Zhifang (Office of Territorial Administration), those who presided over the altar seats were summoned to the palace gates, and the court generously issued sealed edicts to protect its teaching. This teaching first became prominent in the time of the Grand Master, and the favors and ceremonial honors it received surpassed those of earlier generations. How admirable! The Qi (vital energy) of the mountains and rivers expands after long periods of rest and nurture, and the Grand Master’s Dao practice was also heard above; the wonder of silent communion perhaps lies precisely here. Therefore the mountain gazetteer cannot but be compiled, and these great achievements cannot be left unrecorded. Formerly, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang asked Li Xuanjing (the Tang Daoist Li Hanguang) about the way of governing and transforming the people; Li Xuanjing answered with the precedent of the Daodejing.

The Daodejing is the teacher of kings. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang once asked Li Xuanjing (a Tang-dynasty Daoist, posthumously titled Master Xuanjing) about the principles of governance and edification. Li Xuanjing replied: “The Daodejing is the teacher of kings.” When Emperor Wen of Han put its words into practice, he made the world humane and long-lived; the penetrating wonder therein probably lies exactly here. Later, Xuanzong also consulted him about the golden cauldron (referring to the arts of alchemy and ascent). Li Xuanjing said: “The Dao (the Way) and De (Virtue/Power) are public; light ascent (feathered ascent) is merely the private within the public.” If later people can appreciate Li Xuanjing’s maxim and follow the sincere resonance of the Patriarchs, perhaps they may obtain an auspicious efficacious response; thus the mountain gazetteer can also be continued and revised, making it as inexhaustible as this mountain. On the winter solstice of the jiazi year of Taiding, Zhao Shiyan of Western Qin, Grand Academician of the Jixian Academy and Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, wrote this preface.

Our Imperial Yuan, possessing all under Heaven, first exalted the Dao of purity and quiescence in order to establish the foundation for inaugurating great peace. Therefore the shrine officials beyond the mundane world have been specially selected and favored with attention; their grace shines brilliantly and brings honor to the mountains and forests. If these matters are not written into books, by what means will later generations investigate them? The famous mountains have indeed heard these words of mine. In the gengxu year of the Zhida era, on account of sacrificial affairs I came to Mount Mao and read the mountain’s old gazetteer; finding many omissions, I once told the forty-fourth Patriarch, Perfected Wang Muzhai. Before long the Perfected transmitted his true intention, but I still heard nothing concerning the gazetteer. Five years later I again sacrificed at this mountain and again told the succeeding Patriarch, Perfected Liu. Another thirteen years later, in the bingyin year of Taiding, the Son of Heaven, following precedent, held a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) at Mount Mao; I performed the rites on his behalf, and only then did I see this completed book. The entire book comprises fifteen scrolls; writings from the Han and Jin down through the Qi, Liang, Tang, and Song are gathered without omission. How detailed and complete it is! Its first section is titled “Gao Fumo” (Edicts and Supplementary Records); it contains this dynasty’s conferral edicts for the Three Perfected Lords (the Three Mao Perfected Lords venerated at Mount Mao) and the imperial edicts granting a plaque to Sanfeng Abbey—all are included, and all were requested by me in memorials. The final section is titled “Miscellaneous Writings”; it records Emperor Renzong’s appointment and employment of the late Kaifu…

The full account of Lord Zhang’s memorial requesting the return of the bestowed jade seal (a jade seal, a talismanic seal). Alas, this book took about twenty years before and after to be compiled—could the divine spirits truly have been waiting for something? Otherwise, special imperial graces such as this dynasty’s conferring of honors and bestowal of plaques, and the return of the jade seal, if they could only be appended as belated records after the book’s completion, the author could hardly avoid feeling regret. Lord Zhao, the Pingzhang, has already written a preface for this book; I commend that its circulation benefits the Daoist gate, and my words urging and helping to bring this book to completion were not in vain. Therefore I write this preface. In the first month of spring in the Dingmao year of Taiding (1327), preface by Wu Quanjie (the original text writes “Hao Quanjie”), Specially Advanced Upper Minister and Great Master of the Mystic Teaching.

Narrative Record of the Maoshan Zhi: Juqu (the ancient name of Maoshan) has long had gazetteers. In the twentieth year of Shaoxing of the Song (1150), Zeng Xun (courtesy name Fuzhong) of Nanfeng and the Zhaotai Daoist Fu Xiao (courtesy name Zi’ang) compiled the Mountain Record in four fascicles; what it records of mountains, waters, shrines, and buildings merely gives rough names, and its examination and verification of ancient affairs remains very brief. After Liu Dabin had ascended the altar for twelve years, he was finally able to cultivate and verify Daoist methods and transmit the lineage’s scriptures and registers; another five years passed before the book was completed. The book comprises twelve sections in fifteen fascicles and is titled Maoshan Zhi. It records that the divine spirits of this mountain are manifest and extraordinary; from the very beginning of the opening of heaven and earth they have been unlike others, responding to emperors from the realm of emptiness and mysterious subtlety. Yu of Xia once made an imperial tour of this mountain; Qin Shi Huang once ascended it and venerated it. In the second year of Yuanshou of the Han, the Great Emperor bestowed the Nine Bestowals (the highest imperial honors) upon Lord Mao (the Three Mao Perfected Lords venerated at Maoshan); Lord Mao ascended to immortality in broad daylight, and his reputation became even more renowned throughout the world. When Daoist scriptures flourished in the Jin and Song, and veneration was profound in the Liang and Tang, Perfected Persons and Daoist masters served as teachers of emperors for generations, and court edicts and documents piled up like clouds and rosy vapors. Lamenting that the years are distant, imperial edicts rarely survive; in tracing and recording what was seen and heard, only one or two percent remains. When our Great Yuan unified the realm, Emperor Shizu, the Sage-Virtue, Divine-Merit, Civil and Martial Emperor (Kublai), was the first to issue a clear edict summoning Lord Jiang Yunxia, who inherited the position of Great Master.

Reflecting with emotion on the great antiquity of the years, imperial edicts rarely survive; tracing and recording what I have seen and heard amounts to no more than one or two percent. When the Great Yuan unified the realm, Emperor Shizu, the Sage-Virtue, Divine-Merit, Civil-and-Martial Emperor (Kublai Khan), was the first to issue a clear edict summoning the inheriting patriarch Jiang Zongying (hereditary patriarch of the Maoshan tradition) to court; from then on successive courts vigorously protected Daoism. In the third year of Yanyou (1316), additional titles were conferred on the Three Lords Mao, and the temple plaque was changed to Sanfeng (Three Peaks), a glory surpassing former ages. The sages’ establishment of teaching through the divine Dao has a long origin. Hence I compose Gao Fumo (Edicts: Supplementary Ink), Part One.

The clear edict of conferment says: The holiness of this mountain takes its surname as its title; Lord Mao is a true descendant of the Dao lineage—why not first make a record? According to the format of Dengzhen Yinjue Zhenzhuan (True Biographies from the Concealed Instructions on Ascending to Perfection), the various sage Dao-lords are called ji (annals), while other Perfected are called zhuan (biographies). The Three Lords Mao are Dao-lords of the Qin and Han; how can today’s later students, reverently narrating their sacred traces, call it a zhuan? Hence I compose Sanshen Ji (Annals of the Three Spirits), Part Two.

Jintan Huayang Cave-Heaven and Jinling Difei Blessed Land are what the Perfected Tongxiang called a blessed realm for nurturing Perfection and a numinous site for completing spirit; even after a hundred generations they may be imagined. Therefore I gather their mountains, waters, and caves and compose Kuoshen Qu (Survey of the Divine Region), Part Three.

Seeing Wang Fangping’s words about dust rising from the sea and Ding Lingwei’s words about the huabiao pillar and leaving home, one knows that immortals and sages roam through the human world and often sigh over the transformations of past and present; there are few mysterious traces that do not change with shifting hills and valleys. Hence I compose Jiguji (Investigation of Ancient Traces), Part Four.

The Shangqing scriptures and methods were transmitted down to the human realm beginning in the second year of Xingning of the Eastern Jin (364), when Lady Wei Yuanjun of Purple Void (Wei Huacun) descended and bestowed them on Lord Yang (Yang Xi), retainer in the household of the Prince of Langya, writing them in clerical script and transmitting them to Lord Xu, Chief Clerk of the Army Protector, and his son (Xu Mi and Xu Hui). Their charts and registers were kept secret and were not transmitted except by covenant oath and kneeling reception. Now I list the chapter titles so that students of Perfection may know them roughly. Written Discussion.

These chapter titles are appended on the left. Mr. Yang of Daoshan transcribed them in clerical script and transmitted them to the Protector-Army Chief Secretary, Mr. Xu, and his son. The illustrated registers are secret and are not transmitted unless through covenant and kneeling reception (menggui: the transmission ritual of establishing a covenant and receiving while kneeling). Now, listing the titles item by item, I let students of the Real know a rough outline. This is the Shu lun (Discourse on Writings).

The Daoshan Ce (Register of Daoshan), Fifth: Yuanshi (Yuanshi Tianzun, the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning) passed through seven transmissions to Zixu (Zixu Yuanjun, the Primal Lady of Purple Emptiness), and from Zixu the line has accumulated down to the present for forty-five generations. If the person is not suitable, the Dao is not transmitted in vain. This is why Liu Shi of Hedong said that Huayang of the Daoist tradition (the Huayang Cave-Heaven of Maoshan) is like the Zhu and Si of the Confucian tradition (the place where Confucius taught). Hence the Daoshan Ce, Fifth.

The Shangqing Pin (Shangqing Categories), Sixth: Liu Xiang said that Heaven has divine bureaus, staffed by immortals. The bureaucracy of the Cave Palaces comes from the Zhengao (Declarations of the Perfected) and the Xuantong ji (Record of Mysterious Penetration); as times and cycles change, there should be promotions and appointments, just as the Rites of Zhou and the ceremonies of Han are no longer the same. The ways of the spirits are dark and distant, not fully known to people of the world; hence the Xiancao shu (Offices of the Immortal Bureaus), Seventh.

The mountain sources wind and are capacious; men of lofty character who seek their aspiration live in seclusion there, and they cannot all be recorded. What is collected and recorded are those ancient and modern figures whose outstanding conduct is manifest. As for those deeply hidden in Wuwei, cultivating in secret and ascending to immortality, they are difficult to name individually; hence the Caizhen you (Gathering the Perfected in Wandering), Eighth.

In the Wei, Jin, and Six Dynasties, halls and buildings were scattered in mountains and forests; after the Tang and Song, palaces and temples flourished, and sacrifices and prayers for blessings (zhuli) were held in these places; hence the Louguan bu (Louguan Section), Ninth.

The precious qi of cinnabar and the essence of gold and jade, when ingested by people, can prolong life and transform the constitution; after long steeping and infusion, they emerge in numinous mushrooms and plants—extraordinary, wondrous, and long-enduring. This is inherent in the nature of things; hence the Lingzhi jian (Inspection of Numinous Plants), Tenth.

Steles, inscriptions, writings, and engravings are the boats and carriages that carry the Dao; the handwriting of the Perfected Ones can still be seen.

These materials may serve as models. Those who can establish virtue, establish merit, and establish words—are their writings not also here? I have therefore compiled the “Record of Metal and Stone” (Lu Jinshi) as the eleventh. The ancients’ collection of poetry was originally connected with moral instruction and edification; the inscriptions and verses in the mountains have largely been scattered and lost, but these exquisite phrases are enough to be appended after the songs and chants of the flying immortals. I have therefore compiled the “Jinpeng Compendium” (Jinpeng Bian) as the twelfth, and the ordering of the whole book ends here. In this gazetteer, whether ancient or modern, every line and every word records the utmost good. If there are errors in recording events or coarse and inferior wording (such as “pointing to Huan” and the like), they are all excluded—not because they were omitted. Alas! The Grand Historian (Sima Qian) spoke of the famous mountains of the world, and Nanhua (Zhuangzi) spoke of the vast and great True Person (zhenren). Mt. Juqu (the ancient name of Maoshan) combines both; for more than a thousand years it has accumulated goodness and spread radiance, and there has never been such flourishing. Later scholars should not belittle the place where they dwell, nor despise the place where they were born; whether great or small, all should take purity and stillness as the foundation—this can also be verified from these writings. Preface by Liu Dabin, the forty-fifth-generation successor master of the Shangqing scripture-registers and Zhenren of Penetrating Observation, Subtle Mystery, and Mysterious Response, on the second day of the twelfth month of the wuchen year, the first year of Tianli of the Great Yuan (1328).

Maoshan Zhi, Volume Two, compiled by Liu Dabin, successor master of Shangqing. Duplicate copies of edicts (gao). Tang Shaogao edicts (a category of Tang dynasty edicts). Edict bestowed by Emperor Taizong of Tang on Wang Fazhu (Wang Yuanzhi, a Maoshan adept): The Master’s conduct is plain and simple, his virtue and achievements are harmonious and pure; he casts aside dusty worldly chores and lodges his mind in the Dao of emptiness and mystery; he practices the method of expelling the stale and taking in the fresh (breathing and daoyin), and consumes lingzhi mushrooms and other substances; he gathers all wonders above the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the highest Three Pure realms, causing white hair to return to bloom beyond a hundred years. His Daoist practice surpasses that of former worthies, and his reputation has been lofty since ancient times. If he were not one who obtained secret formulas at the golden altar and received hidden texts in the jade casket (yuji, a container for treasured Daoist writings), who else could be like this?

Who could compare with you, who obtained secret instructions at the Golden Altar (the Daoist platform for transmitting scriptures and conferring methods) and received hidden, secret scriptures in the jade casket (the jade box in which Daoist scriptures are treasured)? When I formerly held the position of feudal prince, I had already heard of the Dao; mindful of your customary demeanor, I have not forgotten it day or night. Recently I saw that you submitted a memorial requesting to return to your former mountain; a separate edict has already been issued, not contravening your lofty aspiration, and permitting you to establish an abbey and submit memorials. I do not yet fully know your longstanding wishes. When will you arrive, sir? When will the buildings constructed beyond the Yangtze be completed? I earnestly await a detailed reply to comfort my hopes. Recently I have ordered the Grand Astrologer Yinyi to go and convey my intentions. This matter is recorded in the ninth year of the Zhenguan era, in the biography of Wang Yuanzhi in the Old Book of Tang.

Proclamation by Gaozong posthumously conferring [a title] on Wang Fazhu (Leader of the Daoist Community): The late Daoist of Yuqing Abbey, Wang Yuanzhi, by nature contained the subtle and incipient; his conduct followed the dark and mysterious. He embodied and awakened to “suspension and release” (transcending worldly burdens) and was called one who was first to awaken. From the initial founding of the state to the glorious flourishing era, he received earnest gracious treatment, clearly recorded in edicts. After his immortal transformation he cannot be recalled; his numinous spirit grows ever more distant. Considering that he left immortal traces (the text’s “liuwu” should be “liuxi,” referring to the shoes left behind as a trace of immortal departure), he should be praised and exalted. He may be posthumously conferred the rank of Taizhong Dafu (an official rank), with the posthumous title “Shengzhen Xiansheng” (Master of Ascending Perfection). Let the responsible departments carry this out. Seventh day of the second month, second year of Diaolu.

Imperial edict: The Daoists of Taiping Abbey in Runzhou should, according to the precedent of seven monasteries, ordain a full forty-nine persons; thereafter, if vacancies occur, promptly select and ordain replacements, and report when the matter is completed. Fifteenth day of the second month, second year of Diaolu.

Proclamation by Empress Wu (Wu Zetian) adding a posthumous conferral on Wang Fazhu: After the immortal Wang Ziqiao underwent feathered transformation, people still lingered at his old shrine; the Daoist style of Zheng Kangcheng (Zheng Xuan) long endured, and people still crane their necks in remembrance in his old town. How much more so with Wang Yuanzhi, whose traces are listed in the immortal registers and whose fame accords with the sage court; recalling his transmitted style further increases our distant longing. The late Daoist of Yuqing Abbey, posthumously Taizhong Dafu and Shengzhen Xiansheng, Wang Yuanzhi, had a nature united with the Dao, and his spirit roamed with creation. In the beginning he exhausted the profundity of “Dijie” and naturally attained the principle of tianni (the natural boundary). He passed through three generations, harboring secret arts and concealing his light; his years exceeded ten ji (about one hundred twenty years), just when the sage’s bright charts and registers opened the state’s destiny. He could store the past and know the future, perceive the hidden and mirror the distant. Our feelings of remembrance are earnest.

The court’s edict bears a profound and far-reaching grace. Recalling his virtue of compassionate succor and reaffirming the subsequent appointments, the rites of commendation and veneration should be increased. He may be posthumously conferred “Jinzi Guanglu Dafu” (an honorary civil official title) and “Shengxuan Xiansheng” (a Daoist master title). The rest is to follow the original precedent and be carried out by the officials in charge. Dated the twenty-eighth day of the first month of the first year of Sisheng (684).

Tang Xuanzong bestowed a total of twenty-four edicts on Mr. Li Xuanjing, an eminent Maoshan Daoist of the Tang.

An edict to Lin Yang, governor of Danyang Commandery, and to the Daoist and lay elders and common people: We far follow the mysterious and wondrous Dao and constantly think of the spiritual immortals. We look with favor on Maoshan, which is a heavenly cavern. The traces of the old abbey at the Jade Altar still remain, but the essential true scriptures of the Dao are scattered and nearly exhausted. We often think of the Dharma-treasure and feel a sense of melancholy. Now, so that the common people may revere the root of the Dao, We order pure-cultivating practitioners to establish true ceremonies, to visit nearby numinous mountains, and to renovate the temple buildings, so that the tradition of the mysterious school may be proclaimed again, those who look up and revere it may know where to turn, blessings may descend upon the world, and the people may return to humaneness and longevity. Moreover, in recent years We have constantly followed the governance of purity and quietude; officials have the beauty of good cultivation; farming and sericulture have met with bountiful seasons; and among the common people there is almost no want or exhaustion. The weather is slightly cold. Are you, together with the Daoist and lay people, elders, and common folk, all peaceful and well? This dispatch does not convey much more.

An edict to Dong Gui, Commissioner of Investigation and Disposition of Jiangshu Circuit (presumably Jiangdong Circuit) and Governor of Jinling Commandery: Mountains above correspond to the celestial field-allocation, below they pacify a region, send down blessings and protection upon people, and bestow the grace of clouds and rain. Moreover, Maoshan is numinously elegant; Huayang Dongtian (the famous grotto-heaven of Maoshan) is the source of the Dharma-teaching and the place where the spiritual traces of immortals and true beings are found.

This text comprises an imperial edict, a poem presented to Li Hanguang, and an imperial reply; its gist is as follows:

Maoshan is a place where spirits and numina dwell. The wangzhi ritual of ranked sacrifices to mountains and rivers has its established statutes, but the heart of reverence should be all the more sincere and pure. From now on, within Maoshan, gathering, trapping, fishing, and hunting are prohibited; people from all directions who eat meat and blood (meat foods) need not be allowed to enter. If there are prayer rituals, only incense, medicines, precious treasures, and the like may be used; animal victims (cattle, sheep, pigs, and other livestock offerings) must not be used. You and the officials in charge must keep careful watch and supervise. The weather is turning cold; may you be well. The emperor issued an edict to Master Li of Guangling (around present-day Yangzhou): he is an eminent Daoist of the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) Daoist school, whose aspirations are set on clouds and mist, who harmonizes his light and blends with the dust, who in the worldly realm cultivates blessings on my behalf, and who is about to proceed to Jintan (the Golden Altar at Maoshan). Therefore I compose a poem to send him off and praise his resolve.

The poem says: You are a man of mist and clouds in the Purple Mansion (immortal abode), a teacher of the Dao (the Way) and De (Virtue/Power) to Xuanzong (Tang Xuanzong). Your heart is at one with the ten thousand sounds; your will is aligned with the Nine Immortals (the assembled immortals). Transcending the dusty world, you delight with fellow Daoists in aiding the world. You seek out scriptures and roam the Jade Caverns; you spread teachings and enter the jade steps (palace stairs). You arrive at Mao Ridge to trace the remnants and proceed to the Golden Altar to fulfill your far-reaching thoughts. In the Yin Palace you inspect old records; in the Yang Observatory you repair the new shrine. You think afar of the matter of burying the twin jades and constantly harbor the resolve to gather the five zhi (five numinous lingzhi mushrooms). If the true numen may be met, a startled crane will stand waiting and come here.

The honored master embraces the One and guards the Center, probes the subtle and illuminates the distant, can restore purity and integrity, and promotes the Daoist gate. Thus, together with Mr. Taihe (a senior Daoist), he opened the immortal lineage, causing me to reverently uphold it, adorn the numinous site, and widely seek true scriptures. Therefore I present a poem to send him off and use gifts to express deep regard, forever comforting the road of distant travel and manifesting the intention of honoring the worthy. Acknowledged with thanks (indicating that it has been noted and appreciated).

He also encouraged Master Li Hanguang: Your Dao is lofty in the Purple Mansion; your learning comprehends the Huangting (Yellow Court, i.e., the Huangting Jing / the Way of the Yellow Court). You came as an honored and precious guest and expounded the utmost subtlety. Afterward, with your thoughts fixed on Mao Ridge, I present a poem to send you off and use gifts to express deep regard, forever comforting the road of distant travel and manifesting the intention of honoring the worthy. Acknowledged with thanks.

The Emperor encouraged the Refining Master (an honorific for Daoist priests) Li Hanguang: Your Daoist practice is profound and reaches upward to the Zifu (immortal palace); your learning encompasses the Huangting (Yellow Court, a classic of Daoist inner cultivation). You came with solemn respect to set forth the supremely wondrous Dao (the Way). Afterward you set your thoughts on Maoling (Maoshan) and said you would seek the true scriptures; recently you left Xianqin (the region of the capital Chang’an) to wander far beyond the world. I, the Emperor, hold the immortal realm in my heart and earnestly look forward to your diligent cultivation, so that the people of the world (Jiuyou: the Nine Provinces, meaning all under Heaven) may together return to the Xuanjiao (the Daoist teaching), and the assembled deities of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest deities of Daoism) will also look down and accord with it. How could it be merely that in dreams I long for Huaxu (the legendary ideal realm) and send my sincerity racing toward Biluo (the sky-bound immortal realm)? Thinking of how the Venerable Master has established the true rites and is building altars and halls, from your first arrival the planning and construction have been a great labor of heart. The weather is cold; having learned that you are safe and well, I write no more.

The Emperor issued a decree to Refining Master Li Hanguang: Yesterday Cheng Yuanxian (personal name) arrived, and I received the diagram you submitted; its regulations are already complete. However, in adorning the immortal abbey and praying for the descent of the true immortals, if the setting is not deep, secluded, and pure, how would the rainbow garments and feather canopies (the processional regalia of immortals) descend? Moreover, according to Keyi (liturgy, the norms of Daoist ritual), there are still distinctions of rank. As for the true immortals and the Daoist community, they fundamentally cannot dwell together. In the large courtyard of the Ziyang Abbey (the name of a Daoist temple) that has been built, there is even less need to arrange for people to live; simply build empty galleries on four sides, keep the halls clean, and maintain incense and offerings, so as to await the cloud chariot (the carriage of the true immortals). The Daoist community and others are to be settled in separate courtyards. Now that the diagram is complete, what should be added has also been entered into the allocated materials (supplies issued). The Venerable Master comprehends the true Dao and has profound insight; containing harmony and blending inwardly, you will surely accord above with the hearts of the numinous immortals and below fulfill the intent of reverent worship. The weather is cold; having learned that you are safe, I write no more.

The Emperor issued a decree to Refining Master Li Hanguang: The Venerable Master has traveled far to famous mountains, earnestly seeking the highest teaching, establishing altars and buildings, and copying the true scriptures. You have applied your heart to every matter and are exceedingly weary. I am determined to seek the essentials of the Dao and think from afar of the true immortals; I will rely on pure and clean sincerity to cultivate the mysterious and wondrous. Now…

It is set for the eighteenth day to maintain purity and observe the fast, cleanse the ritual altar, and receive the Jing scriptures and divine decrees (jinggao, referring to Daoist scriptures and injunctions), praying that the spiritual immortals may descend with blessings and bear witness. I am now sending the prayer text, incense, and tokens (xiangxin, incense and accompanying tokens), and I trouble the venerable master with this. I (Zhen, the imperial “We”) aspire to the essential purport of Dao (the Way) and its methods, think from afar of the true immortals, and wish to cultivate the mysterious and wondrous through pure sincerity. The letter further says: On the eighteenth day I shall observe a pure fast and cleanse the altar; I am now sending the petition text and incense-tokens. Please, venerable master, promulgate the Keyi (liturgy, i.e., Daoist ritual procedures), present the petition, and express thanks, so that it may reach the immortal palace above and manifest clear response below. The weather is very hot; I wish the venerable master peace. I will not say more in this letter.

Exhortation to Master Li the Refiner (an honorific for a cultivator surnamed Li): Dao is the source of all myriad beings; the method is the covenant of the Nine Perfected (the method of accord transmitted by the Nine Perfected). The Great Sage handed down teachings to later learners, enabling disciples to cultivate and advance. I originally wished reverently to receive the Jing scriptures and methods, but had not yet fully known their strict secret essentials; moreover, the true scriptures had been scattered and lost, with many errors. Recently I sought out the traces of the Heavenly Perfected; their Keyi are all orderly and complete, and transcriptions are made wholly according to the precepts. I rejoice that my long-cherished vow is fulfilled and that I receive the grace bestowed by the true spirits. On the eighteenth of this month I shall reverently invoke the honored lords of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Great Master, the Mysterious Master, and the True Master; after the pure fast and reception are completed, I shall hold the true texts, reverently open the phoenix seal-script (the Daoist cloud-seal script of scriptures), and direct my mind into the realm of the Great Void to nourish the longevity of the valley spirit (a phrase from the Laozi, referring to nurturing inner Shen [spirit] and Qi [vital energy]). The accompanying cuixin tokens (tokens prepared with the document) have all been fully prepared according to the scriptures and traditions; they are now sealed together with the submitted petition and attached. The venerable master embodies the essentials of Dao, contains the harmony of concealed light, is pure, simple, and Wuwei (non-action), and shares my aspiration. Please, for the disciple, deposit the above-mentioned petition text and cuixin tokens in the Golden Altar Spirit Mansion of the Huayang Grotto-Heaven on Mount Mao, as a clear pledge to attest my diligent devotion. Those of virtue are honored with beautiful titles, as Ge Hong had the title Baopu (Embracing Simplicity) and Master Tao had the name Zhenbai (Chaste and White). I constantly recall the exemplary style of former worthies.

The actual practices and merits of honoring the master and cultivating the Dao lie close before our eyes. Now the bestowal of the title “Master Xuanjing” (Xuanjing Xiansheng, the Daoist name bestowed by the emperor on the eminent Maoshan Daoist Li Hanguang) is intended to make bright his fine virtue and manifest his lofty conduct; therefore an envoy has been sent. The weather is very hot; may the Revered Master be safe and well. I will not write further.

The Revered Master upholds the De of centrality and harmony, has fathomed the essentials of the Dao, and for the disciple personally guards and sustains the faith of sincerity and reverence so as to open the numinous and true. The additional bestowal of a Daoist title is to mark his diligent and earnest cultivation; the clothes bestowed are meant to express sincere reverence, to make clear the meaning of esteem, and to praise the beauty of the immortal ranks. The matter of gratitude you submitted is known.

The lingzhi presented by the Revered Master is indeed a special auspicious omen. It is like colored clouds spreading densely and like fragrant orchids giving forth scent; it grew in the blessed ground of Ziyang. This is an auspicious sign that his sincere devotion has reached above, echoing afar the Datong jade lingzhi (the lingzhi omen that appeared at court at that time). The immortals and Perfected above protect the Revered Master’s purity and sincerity, and so sent down this auspicious omen, causing deep joy and comfort. Now I order that, according to ritual, the petition text and incense be cast into the Heavenly Grotto in thanksgiving, relying on the Revered Master’s high De to convey the devout heart.

Lingzhi is born of harmonious Qi and is planted under the supervision of true immortals. In former days, when Xuanyuan attained the ultimate Dao, the Three Blossoms (another name for lingzhi) repeatedly gave forth fragrance and were forever auspicious signs and responses. The present ones that have appeared, with yellow radiance and vermilion brilliance, eighty-one stems, their colors shining together, correspond to the image of the Metal direction, and their number accords with the auspicious yang number. Some have calyxes joined and growing together; some have two plants on a single branch. They send forth abundance from the Heavenly Grotto and form beautiful clusters at the medicine altar. This is truly a rare bestowal of the age and an extraordinary omen of deepest response. Since the Revered Master has already set forth the petition to convey sincerity and has sent from afar what the true immortals bestowed, the disciple reverently receives it. It is greatly auspicious and should be consumed. The weather is very hot; may you be safe and well.

The edict says: We are mindful that the ancient immortal residence adjoins the Grotto Palace; the old dwelling of the Green Altar, in its secluded distance, connects to numinous realms; the new buildings of the Purple Terrace brightly open the true tradition. To make manifest the sincerity of reverence, We have therefore established household corvée duties responsible for repairs. The Revered Master and the others should respond in accord with Our intention and treasure and maintain it with a pure and still mind.

The edict says: The Revered Master’s Dao and De are deep and weighty, and he is revered by immortals and Perfected. Therefore, when he practices zhai (Zhaijiao, purification ritual), there is surely a response to his sincere devotion. Moreover, Maoshan is originally called the Lung of the Earth (another name for Maoshan), a blessed court where the Perfected Lord Siming (the Daoist deity of destinies) gathers; the altar site is close to the heavenly palace. The Perfected One should all the more realize this intention and treasure and maintain it in purity and stillness.

The emperor’s edict says: The revered master is lofty in Dao and De, admired by immortals and perfected ones. Therefore, observing purification rites (Zhaijiao) must bring sincere resonance; moreover, Maoshan is the “Lung of the Earth” (a name for a Grotto-Heaven blessed land), gathering the blessings of Siming (the deity governing lifespan), its altar courtyard adjacent to the heavenly palace, the former dwelling of perfected ones. The revered master’s diligent intention to teach disciples can enable the common people to ascend together to the realm of longevity. I gaze afar to the east, my heart inclined day and night; by early spring, I hope you will ride the wind and return, to satisfy my longing for the worthy and to expound the mysterious teachings. Early autumn is still hot; may the revered master be at peace. A letter cannot express all.

The edict further says: The elixir furnace has refined immortal medicine, the Nine Perfected (nine true deities) indicated its transmission; in the courtyard, auspicious lingzhi mushrooms have grown together, overseen by the Three Mao Perfected Lords (Mao Ying, Mao Gu, Mao Zhong). Examining the mysterious records, I have never heard of this; only Wei Boyang (Eastern Han alchemist) foretold a sign, and now Li Yuecheng has verified it here. I will fast in heart and wait, sending a special envoy to welcome you, so that together with the revered master I may receive the Dao’s gift; the matter for congratulations is known. I value this unheard-of event, therefore I fast in heart and await the envoy’s departure to welcome you, to receive the Dao’s gift together with the revered master.

The edict says: I always value purity and truth, and draw close to those who have the Dao to observe their way. This earnest request is hard to refuse on principle; I allow you to follow your heart and go for medical treatment and medicine; if you have recovered, you should return early.

Poem Presented to Master Xuanjing on His Temporary Return to Guangling, with Preface: Master Xuanjing (the Tang dynasty Maoshan high Daoist Li Hanguang) received the Qi of central harmony and pure truth, and delighted in the Dao of absolute emptiness. Recently he entered the capital and benefited the people with goodness; he longs afar for mountain forests, springs, and rocks, to wash his heart and transcend the mundane. I commend and respect him, and follow his intention; thinking of his long journey, I compose a poem to present for his departure. The poem says: Yang Xi and Xu Mi opened the Shangqing true registers, and the master secretly formed a pact and inherited them; the nine stars connect to the purple canopy, the sun and moon twin luminaries merge in the Dantian (a Neidan term). Jade tablets record his immortal office at the Tortoise Terrace, golden altars list the immortals of the grotto palaces; still I hope for the convenience of riding the wind, and morning and evening await his cool, detached return.

Respectfully inquiring of Master Xuanjing: The master maintains a pure and white integrity, and has attained the yellow center’s penetrating principle (inner harmony and understanding). He has studied all the Nine Schools (various doctrines), and further keeps to profound silence; his heart roams the Eight Scenes (Daoist immortal realms and inner landscapes), and further blends his light with the dust. His secret practice is lofty and far-reaching, truly admirable. He can also restrain his solitary-mindedness and broadly promote the Dao’s teachings.

Regarding the way of deliverance, having long received the protection of the True Dao and deeply opened the original source of simplicity, I know that the merits cultivated before and after all bring responses. Gazing far toward the southeast, I am devoted day and night. Now I enclose items and fragrant dates, and ask the Venerable Teacher to perform nine more merit rituals, so that all living beings may receive daily blessings and the remote lands under civilizing influence may give rise to hearts of allegiance. Peace under heaven depends solely on the protection of the Dao and its teachings. After the merits are completed, I hope you will briefly ride the immortal wind (immortal carriage) to the capital; the weather is very cold. The Venerable Teacher has been clear and well lately. When Master Tang returned, he brought a letter, in which not much was said.

The Zhaijiao (purification ritual) liturgy has its own norms; to express sincerity, one must rely on earnest and refined cultivation. Therefore I trouble the Venerable Teacher to respectfully set forth the wondrous intention; knowing that your affairs are concluded, I am ashamed. The matter for thanks is already known.

The Venerable Teacher’s thoughts are meticulous, your heart devout and pure, and your merits in creating benefit and benefiting living beings are truly many. Moreover, selecting high-minded fellow Daoists to diligently cultivate the ultimate Dao, with ceaseless refined practice, makes me admire you even more. Incense offerings (incense, candles, and other gifts) are used to express sincerity.

The Venerable Teacher, through the wondrous function of the ultimate Dao and sincere devotion that moves the truth, prays for blessings for my (the emperor’s) own person and brings peace to the world. As the winter solstice (Changzhi) approaches, auspicious celebrations come; at the beginning of the year (Lüduan), I also wish to share the auspicious joy with you. When spring comes, I shall meet the Venerable Teacher.

Respectfully inquiring of Master Xuanjing (an honorific for an eminent Daoist): yesterday the disciple Tang Ruoqian arrived, and I learned in detail that on the eleventh of last month the merit affairs were completed. With the utmost sincere heart and the feeling of refined cultivation, the altar was set in an immortal realm and should be conducted according to Chongke (Daoist liturgy), below sheltering the living beings and above assisting the ancestral state. Forever praying…

The group of texts recorded in the Maoshan Zhi consists of correspondence and farewell poems exchanged between the Tang emperor and the Maoshan adept Master Xuanjing (Li Hanguang, a Tang-dynasty patriarch of the Shangqing school). Their meaning is as follows:

Auspicious blessings respond, mysterious yet manifest. I have learned that Heaven and Earth have attained supreme harmony, that humans and spirits all rejoice, and so sweet dew has descended as a beautiful auspicious sign. This is just as the Yi says: “Look at the conduct and examine the omens; if one returns, there is great auspiciousness” (reviewing what has been done and examining auspicious signs, if one returns and acts, there is great good fortune). The season this year has already reached the year’s end; the celestial motions have not erred, and once again you are troubled to labor for the myriad people. I now send incense and a letter along. At year’s end, for the time being, please, honored Master, perform meritorious practice at your dwelling to assist the new year’s renewal; when spring grows mild next year, I ask the honored Master once more to conduct on Mount Mao the “Great River Chart Zhaijiao” (a major Daoist purification ritual), for the state and dynasty above and for the common people below. All items needed for the meritorious rite have been newly prepared; you need not overexert yourself, yet the benefit will be vast. Moreover, because we are close in Dao and De and our temperaments mysteriously accord. The sacred traces in the various mountains often harbor extraordinary people; if any are to be sought out, the honored Master should invite them on behalf of your disciple. The weather is very cold; may the Master’s Dao-body be peaceful and harmonious. Tang Ruoqian is returning, and this letter cannot set forth everything in detail.

The letter further reiterates: The honored Master truly cultivates the Shangqing tradition above and broadly promotes the immortal teachings below, bringing blessings to Us and sheltering the common people. The secret writings of the Three Sovereigns have already received a fine response, and the inner records of the River Chart pray for the extension of blessings and auspiciousness. My devout heart is fixed afar on the Mao ridges. How could the few items I send repay your diligent labors? As the spring scene gradually grows mild, may the Master’s daily life be agreeable.

The preface to the poem “Seeing Master Xuanjing Return to Guangling” says: The Refiner Master’s bearing far surpasses rivers and mountains, and his spirit is clear and luminously empty; his Dao is lofty as the Eight Scenes (the Shangqing realm of immortals), and his learning embraces the Nine Schools. He constantly unfolds the mysterious teaching and opens the immortal registers, extending our Jade Emperor’s fortune and safeguarding our appointed time for the Golden Elixir. Out of respect for you and deep regret at parting, I have composed a poem for your farewell banquet. The poem says: “Silently you received the Dao of Wang Ni, an ancient Daoist figure, and your lineage is deeper than that of Yin Xi, Laozi’s disciple. I rejoice that we share the assembly of the Eight Scenes and look further to the time of the Nine Elixirs (the Golden Elixir). Phoenixes and cranes dwell in the realm of distant mist; rivers and mountains, vast and far, stir parting thoughts. On the day you move to your grotto-heaven, please still remember the time of our meeting in the capital.”

Revered Master, through the essential pivot of Dao (the Way) methods you broadly benefit all beings, and through the tradition of Zhenyi (True Unity) you inspire later students. When you came, you manifested the mysterious and wondrous teaching; when you departed, you returned to the clouded mountains. I lodge my feelings in a poem to express my reluctance at parting. Your memorial expressing thanks has been duly noted.

The exhortatory letter bestowed by Emperor Suzong of Tang on Master Xuanjing (Li Hanguang) says: An edict is issued to Master Li Hanguang. You have long been in accord with the essential purport of the true Dao and deeply penetrate the mysterious and subtle; you roam in the realm of freedom and have attained the way of “chaoche” (sudden thorough enlightenment). The Retired Emperor (Emperor Xuanzong of Tang) formerly heard of you and recognized your worth; now, as you refine your form and cultivate the truth in the famous mountains, I feel the deepest admiration. Moreover, the cave abodes of the Mao Lords (the Three Mao Lords of Mount Mao) are praised in the immortal scriptures; divine spirits come and go in transformation, and divine medicines are hidden there. You should peruse the secret instructions of the Golden Register (Jinlu, the secret Golden Register instructions used in Daoist Zhaijiao [purification ritual]), cultivate purity and offer prayers in the Xuan Palace (Mysterious Palace), verify the methods for averting calamity, and practice the arts of long life. In particular, you should be diligent and self-exhorting, so as to manifest the merit of Zhaijiao. The weather is hot; may the Master be at peace. There is not much to say in this letter.

A further edict is issued to Master Li Hanguang: You deeply penetrate the wondrous Dao and have long enjoyed great fame. The mountain of the Mao Lords of former times is now the profound seat of Dongzhen (the Dongzhen scriptures of the Shangqing school). Because of your virtue, I greatly admire you. I have lately commanded the armies, swept away the rebellious forces, preserved the myriad people, pacified the two capitals, and welcomed the Retired Emperor’s sacred carriage back to the palace. To be able to inquire after his health and fulfill the rites, my joy and comfort are as if sent down from Heaven. Relying on the protection of Xuanyuan (Lord Lao, honored by the Tang as Emperor Xuanyuan), the great enterprise of the state has been accomplished again, and it has also been aided by the Master’s refined cultivation and power of vows. You must give special attention to the altar, keep the incense pure, increase the Retired Emperor’s blessings and longevity, and bring peace and tranquility to the Six Directions (heaven, earth, and the four quarters). The correction of the Daoist community’s style depends precisely on the Master. Your memorial expressing thanks has been duly noted.

“The Edict Memorandum on the Repair and Construction of Ziyang Abbey” is an official edict memorandum concerning the construction of Ziyang Abbey.

Lin Yang, governor of Danyang Commandery, submits a memorial: The construction of Ziyang Abbey, a Daoist abbey on Maoshan, was carried out under imperial edict, with me supervising jointly with Li Hanguang—Master Xuanjing, Commissioner for Meritorious Works (Xiugongdeshi)—Cheng Yuanxian, Inner Reception Supervisor (Neiyezhejian), and others. The abbey is now complete, and a fast (zhai) has been held to give thanks. On the twenty-second day of the ninth month last year, the matter was recorded and memorialized; by edict it was to be referred to the competent department for the construction of this abbey. After construction, 104 guan and 285 wen remained. Since the abbey has been completed, I appended a request that this money be granted to the abbey as its permanent endowment (changzhu); the commandery has already delivered it in full to the abbey’s three principal officers (sangang). I also consulted with the abbey’s abbot, the Daoist Liu Xingju, and others, and request that a treasury be established nearby in the county to hold pledges and lend at interest, with monthly interest collected and the principal serving as permanent endowment. I hope the abbey’s official quota and name (guan’e) may be retained forever. The land previously received by the Daoist community is already sufficient in acreage; the crop grain collected this year for support and next year’s grain should also be assigned to the abbey. The abbey originally had four bondservants, six small □ oxen, and one cart, which are still there. I have now joined with the county officials under my jurisdiction and the abbey’s three principal officers to inspect the above original properties and their numbers, and the recheck agrees. Grain already has an annual allocation; next spring I request permission to take special care in cultivation and planting and to add daily utensils and various miscellaneous articles for the abbey.

The abbey was formerly poor and had few utensils; earlier Cheng Yuanxian, Commissioner for Meritorious Works, besides supplying the Huanglu Fast (Yellow Register Fast, a Daoist purification ritual) by edict, left one hundred taels of silver and ordered me to deliver it to the abbey’s clergy to buy missing utensils and so on, so that they may be adequately supplied. As for the abbey’s pines, bamboo, and fruit trees: I consider that this abbey is on Maoshan, a place where immortals and perfected beings gather. Though the halls and buildings are splendid and magnificent, pines and bamboo were formerly scarce and could not be planted because the season was unsuitable. I request that at the beginning of spring special orders be given to plant them until they form shade, and to plant lotus in the southern pond, hoping they will spread throughout the abbey. Respectfully submitted in detail. The above is the memorial of Lin Yang, governor of Danyang Commandery.

The dispatch from the Secretariat-Chancellery states: The dispatch from Danyang Commandery, having received the imperial edict, should be approved; when the dispatch arrives, act in accordance with the edict; therefore this dispatch is issued. On the eighth day of the first month of the eighth year of Tianbao (749), Left Chancellor and Minister of War Chen Xilie, and Left Vice Director and concurrently Right Chancellor (name not given in the original), signed.

The attached memorials of Master Xuanjing (that is, the Maoshan Daoist priest Li Hanguang) and others state:

Daoist priest and subject Li Hanguang reports: On the eighteenth day of this month, the ranked official Wang Youxian orally conveyed an imperial edict, granting your subject six ritual garments. Today, General Gao Lishi further proclaimed the imperial decree, granting your subject one poem composed by the emperor, two hundred bolts of fine silk, and a censer and other items. Although I am within the Daoist community and ordinarily possess no profound understanding, because I have encountered a sage and enlightened age, I have repeatedly received the state’s grace; rainbow robes and feathered garments come from the palace, and the imperial brush’s poem has suddenly been bestowed upon this humble person. In receiving these gifts, I have truly exceeded my proper station. I have suffered from a wind ailment for more than ten years; my body is weak and my vitality insufficient, and in many matters I am unable to act. I wish only to use the censer to pray for blessings, to repay the emperor’s kindness, and to pass the remainder of my life, not daring to harbor any divided loyalty. I am overwhelmed with fear and trembling. Twenty-fifth day of the ninth month of the sixth year of Tianbao (747).

Daoist priest and subject Li Hanguang reports: On the twenty-fourth day of this month, the palace eunuch envoy Dan Tingyao and Daoist Tang Ruoqian examined and brought the cui objects (ritual tokens and offerings) and the memorial text to the mountain. On the twenty-fifth day I, together with Tingyao and Ruoqian, burned incense at the gate of Huayang Cave and read aloud the memorial text, and buried the cui tokens; by evening the ritual was completed. I also received an imperial letter granting me a title and bestowing ritual garments. Suddenly receiving the imperial decree, I am frightened in advancing and retreating. I have fortunately and repeatedly received the state’s grace, though my merits are slight and my virtue thin; I have nowhere to place my feelings, and am overwhelmed with fear and gratitude. Since the burial of the cui tokens is now complete, I respectfully dispatch…

Yang Shenshe submitted a memorial describing this matter and expressing gratitude, so that the emperor might be informed. This was the twenty-sixth day of the third month of the seventh year of Tianbao (748).

Your servant Li Hanguang (a Tang-dynasty Maoshan Daoist) says: I saw that at the eastern side of Ziyang Guan (a Maoshan Daoist temple), at the place where Mr. Yinju (Tao Hongjing, a patriarch of the Shangqing school of Daoism in the Southern Dynasties, styled Mr. Yinju) refined elixirs, eighty-one stalks of lingzhi mushrooms had suddenly grown. Their forms were extraordinary, their colors and radiance beautiful, their roots resting on pines and rocks, and their fragrance rich like orchids and fragrant herbs. Truly they are rarely seen in past ages and seldom encountered today. I respectfully reflect that Your Majesty extends sincere reverence to the grotto-heavens and has not failed in ritual respect; You have shown gracious favor to Ziyang Guan and restored it anew. Therefore numinous and extraordinary things have proliferated to display auspiciousness. All who learned of this said that it was a response to sage virtue, and none were other than delighted. I am overjoyed and leaping with delight beyond measure, and have respectfully sent Yang Shenshe first to present this memorial and report. I have now depicted the lingzhi’s forms and details; on the day when detailed verification is completed, I will send another envoy to report. The twentieth day of the fifth month of the seventh year of Tianbao.

Your servant Li Hanguang says: On the eighteenth day of this month, the palace envoy (an envoy dispatched from the palace) Dan Tingyao came to the mountain with imperial words and incense. On the nineteenth day, I, together with Tingyao and my fellow Daoist (co-religionist) Liu Xingju and others, went to the right side of Daheng Mountain east of Ziyang Guan, burned incense, made secret report to the true spirits, and read aloud the purport of the imperial words. In this month, according to ritual procedure, we harvested the lingzhi: large and small, altogether eighty-one stalks, flourishing and arrayed in rows. I am joyful and awestruck beyond measure, and have entrusted Tingyao respectfully to present this memorial and report. The twentieth day of the sixth month of the seventh year of Tianbao. The Daoist priest Your servant Li Su and others say: We have received the gracious edict of the thirteenth day of the fifth month: for Ziyang Guan, two hundred households of nearby commoners are to be assigned; for Taiping Guan and Chongyuan Guan, one hundred households each; and they are all exempted from taxes and corvée levies, to serve permanently as households for repair and sweeping. This truly brings glory to the grotto-heavens and forever establishes the Mysterious Gate, sweeping and adorning them, opening pure and quiet places, and by their labor adding to their solemnity.

This is a blessing for the common people. We humbly consider that His Majesty the Emperor Kaiyuan Tianbao Shengwen Shenwu Yingdao (the honorific title of Tang Xuanzong) broadly exalts Daoist teaching and moral transformation, is able to make manifest the purpose of the true Dao, renews the exposition of virtue, and regulates the essentials of ethics and law. Thus the shrines and temples of the numinous mountains have been repaired and the decayed order restored, and the immortal dwellings of the Three Mao Perfected Lords and the Xu family on Mount Mao (Daoist remains at Mount Mao) have all received support for construction and advancement. We are ignorant and undeservedly ranked among the Daoist clergy; we have presumptuously received extraordinary grace and have been bent low by Your Majesty’s favor. Therefore we have come from afar to the palace precincts and stand constrained before the heavenly court, grateful and joyful to the utmost. Respectfully approaching the palace gate, we submit this memorial to express our thanks. On the eleventh day of the eighth month of the seventh year of Tianbao, the Daoists Yang Lisu, Ge Chongxu, Xu Yuanzhao, and others of the Ziyang and Taiping observatories (both names of Daoist observatories) in Danyang Commandery (in present-day Nanjing area, Jiangsu) submitted this memorial.

Your servant Li Hanguang (a master of the Shangqing school at Mount Mao) speaks: My disciple Tang Ruoqian and the former Jurong county magistrate Li Yuecheng presented lingzhi mushrooms and submitted a report; it was delivered today. According to the report, several thousand stalks of lingzhi have grown in the medicine courtyard, and the elixir is being transmuted in the divine furnace, its radiance surpassing that of the nine-cycle Golden Elixir. Were it not for profound saintly virtue, rare in this world, these divine objects would not have suddenly arrived. I respectfully note that the Cantong qi (Zhouyi Cantong qi) discusses this elixir, saying that if emperors take it for long, they may endure for a thousand autumns; this was not heard in former days, yet it is truly verified in this sage era. I am unable to contain my rejoicing and exultation; respectfully I submit this memorial to offer congratulations. On the twenty-seventh day of the eighth month of the tenth year of Tianbao.

Your servant Li Hanguang speaks: Although I believe in and practice the Daoist teachings, I am not good at regulating and nourishing myself. Long afflicted by a wind ailment, I have no strength in my feet and knees, and since autumn began I have gradually felt myself growing weaker. People’s constitutions and habits differ between north and south, and the south suits me better. I humbly hope for heavenly grace to permit me to return to my native region, so that I may gradually treat myself with medicine and slightly prolong my life. Such is my tiny sincerity, which is beyond earnest. On the tenth day of the ninth month of the tenth year of Tianbao.

These are memorials submitted by the Tang-dynasty Maoshan Daoist Li Hanguang, a Shangqing (Highest Clarity) patriarch, to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.

Li Hanguang memorialized: Yesterday, the fourteenth, the eunuch Yuan Siyi conveyed an oral edict from the emperor, granting me a poem composed by Your Majesty yourself to send me back to Guangling (present-day Yangzhou). I respectfully reflect that Your Majesty, with a humble mind, responds to all affairs, great and small without omission, entrusts the sagely intention therein, and condescends to set down the imperial brush; the calligraphy combines the marvel of cloud-seal script (Daoist talismanic writing), and the wording gives forth the tones of Yuchen (Jade Dawn). I am ashamed to receive such generous grace and never tire of holding it and reading it. My travel gear is already prepared, and I shall set out the same day; departing far from the court, I feel only deep shame and attachment. The tenth year of Tianbao, ninth month, tenth day.

Li Hanguang memorialized: Yesterday, the fourteenth, the eunuch Yuan Siyi conveyed an oral edict, granting me a poem composed by the emperor to send me back to Guangling. I respectfully reflect that Your Majesty empties himself to respond to things, without omitting anything, great or small, entrusts the sagely intention to the imperial brush; the calligraphy combines the marvel of cloud-seal script, and the wording gives forth the tones of Yuchen. I am ashamed of the generous grace and never tire of reading it. My travel gear is prepared, and I shall set out the same day; far from the palace gates and court, I feel only deep shame and attachment. The tenth year of Tianbao, ninth month, fifteenth day.

Li Hanguang memorialized: In the severe heat of midsummer, I respectfully wish Your Majesty ten thousand blessings in daily life. On the eighth of last month, the palace envoy Dan Tingyao arrived at Maoshan and conveyed an oral edict, handing over to me two hundred bolts of fine silk and three boxes of incense bestowed by Your Majesty, ordering me to use them at Maoshan to arrange Zhaijiao (purification ritual), and also bestowed two sets of clothes on me. I respectfully obeyed the sagely decree and set up a separate quiet compound east of Ziyang Abbey and to the right of Yugang Mountain. I have fixed the opening of the fast for the ren-ding hour (around 9–11 p.m.) on the twenty-seventh of this month, with the yin hour (around 3–5 a.m.) on the twenty-eighth as the beginning of the main fast. Thereafter I will carry it out step by step; it is expected that the ritual services will be completed only in the leisure of winter. I will certainly do my utmost, seeking spiritual resonance. Only, I have no merit yet have repeatedly received bestowals, and I am fearful and uneasy; now that the offerings have been arranged and prepared, I respectfully send my disciple Tang Ruoqian, accompanying the palace envoy Qi Lingshuo, to submit this memorial and report. The eleventh year of Tianbao, sixth month, nineteenth day.

Li Hanguang memorialized: The seasons revolve in cycle, and we have reached the period around the winter solstice (when the sun reaches its southernmost point and the daylight gradually lengthens). I respectfully wish Your Majesty to receive blessings from Heaven, with every auspicious blessing fitting. At Maoshan we now burn incense, cultivate the Dao, and conduct Zhaijiao for the state, and are incomparably joyful. I respectfully take the occasion of the palace envoy Dan Tingyao’s return to court to inquire after Your Majesty’s health and submit this memorial to report. The eleventh year of Tianbao, tenth month, twenty-fifth day.

Your servant Li Hanguang (a Tang-dynasty Maoshan Daoist) memorializes: Previously I memorialized requesting that an altar be established east of Ziyang Abbey and on the right side of Yugang Mountain for performing Zhaijiao (purification ritual, Daoist rites for blessing and averting disaster). From the twenty-seventh day of the sixth month, when the rite began, until sunrise on the winter solstice, the seventh day of this month, all those participating in the Zhaijiao and the palace envoy (a eunuch envoy sent by the emperor) Qi Lingshuo and others saw that the pine trees around the ritual altar were entirely covered with sweet dew. The sweet dew was white in color, fragrant in scent, and sweet in taste; the farther the pine trees were from the altar, the less dew they had. In total, the pine trees on which sweet dew descended numbered two hundred thirty. Your servant respectfully notes that the Daodejing says, “Heaven and Earth unite and send down sweet dew; people do not command it, yet it naturally equalizes.” The Mysterious Sage (Laozi), in composing the scripture, took this as an excellent omen; that the Zhaijiao encountered such a sight is moreover auspicious. Your servant dares not fail to report it, and respectfully dispatches his disciple Tang Ruoqian, together with palace envoy Qi Lingshuo, to present this memorial and offer two ge of sweet dew.

Your servant Hanguang memorializes: Early spring is still cold; I respectfully wish Your Majesty ten thousand blessings in daily life. On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month last year, palace envoy Dan Tingyao and your servant’s disciple Tang Ruoqian and others arrived, bearing a gracious imperial edict of consolation and inquiry. Your servant was granted one hundred bolts of silk; the Daoists performing the rite were granted two hundred bolts of silk. Also, by imperial decree, I was granted seventy bolts of purple-patterned silk for my natal destiny, twenty bolts each of patterned silk for the Five Directions, and five hundred taels of silver, ordering your servant to follow the Inner Chapters of the River Chart (Hetu Neipian) in cultivating fasting and thanksgiving (Zhaijiao for confessing faults and seeking blessings) and other meritorious practices. Your servant was engaged in this from the end of the twelfth month last year to the beginning of this year.

I, your servant, on an auspicious day in the first month, first reverently observed the auspicious New Year fast at the Great Tang Guangye Great Longxing Abbey in Guangling Commandery (present-day Yangzhou area, Jiangsu), to support the celebrations of renewal at the New Year. Now, at Ziyang Abbey on Maoshan, I am again selecting fellow Daoists who observe the precepts and cultivate practice, so that together we may prepare the offerings and implements for the Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and study and practice the Keyi (liturgy), ensuring that everything conforms to the rules before it is carried out. When the summer fast assembly is completed, I will report according to the facts. I know myself to be without talent and to have mistakenly entered the Daoist path; though mediocre and shallow, I have repeatedly received the state’s grace. Even if I exhaust my foolish sincerity, how could I repay one ten-thousandth of it? I am overcome with trepidation. The twenty-fifth day of the first month, thirteenth year of Tianbao.

Your servant Hanguang (that is, Li Hanguang, a Tang-dynasty Maoshan Daoist) submits: In the heat of midsummer, I respectfully wish Your Majesty every blessing in daily life. I previously received the imperial decree ordering me to perform at Maoshan the Hetu zhai xie (a type of Daoist Zhaijiao for acknowledging faults and praying for blessings), but repeated continuous heavy rains prevented its performance. Only on the night of the eighth day of this month did we begin the nocturnal invocation (suqi), in which the deities are invited on the eve of the Zhaijiao; on the ninth and tenth days we conducted the main fast according to the rules and carried out the rites and offerings; on the twelfth day we cast a jade bi into the river (a Daoist ritual of casting dragons and jade bi into water); and on the fifteenth day we provided a vegetarian feast to make offerings to the worthy. From beginning to end it was quite complete and well ordered. But our learning has not been transmitted by a master, and we are ashamed that our capacities fall short of wisdom. Although we carefully follow the established rules, doubts remain unresolved, and I am overcome with trepidation. I respectfully send Tang Ruoqian to present this memorial and report. The twenty-fifth day of the fifth month, thirteenth year of Tianbao.

Your servant Hanguang submits: Yesterday, the tenth day, the palace envoy (an emissary sent from the palace) Meng Youxian brought an imperial edict to the place at Maoshan for cultivating merit. Looking up in gratitude for imperial grace, I am filled with even greater trepidation. Previously on this mountain, together with the various Daoists who are able to observe the precepts, I jointly carried out the matter of incense and lamp offerings, hoping to assist the state, support the teaching, eliminate disasters, and bring blessings. But although we are counted among those charged with Daoist practice, we are ashamed to lack the ability to move and communicate with the spirits. This small and sincere heart dares not harbor duplicity. As the envoy Meng Youxian returns, I respectfully present this memorial to offer thanks and report. The sixth month of the second year of Zhide.

To make disasters turn into blessings. Although we are ranked among those holding Daoist offices, we are ashamed to lack the ability to move and communicate with the spirits; yet our humble sincerity dares not harbor a second intent. Taking advantage of the return of the envoy Meng Youxian, we respectfully submit a memorial to express our thanks and to report the matter to the court. On the twelfth day of the sixth month in the second year of Zhide (757), You Bo wrote it out and submitted it together with the memorial; it was engraved in stone in the fourteenth year of Zhenyuan of the Tang (798).

The Dahe Mountain-Prohibition Edict Document (an edict document from the Tang Dahe era prohibiting disturbance of the forests of Mount Mao): Mount Sanmao in Runzhou. Great Mao Mountain: on the west, within three li of the level road, is Taiping Abbey; on the south, within three li of the level road, are the South Gate of Huayang Cave and the Chongguan Daozu Cloister; on the east, it extends four li to the level road, and on the northeast it joins without break the foothills of Changling and Luling, with the level road as the boundary; on the north it connects with Jijin Ridge, within which are the West Gate of Huayang Cave and temple halls. Middle Mao Mountain: on the west, within three li of the level road, are the Sanmao Temple and shrine halls; on the east, it reaches the level road at three li; on the south it connects with Jijin Ridge; on the north it connects with Lesser Mao Mountain. Lesser Mao Mountain: on the west it reaches the level road at three li; on the northwest it reaches Leiping Huanlong Pool, the Pond of Perfected Guo, and Ziyang Abbey; on the south it connects with Middle Mao Mountain; on the east it reaches the level ground at three li; on the north it connects with Daheng Mountain, within which are Yankou Cave and shrine halls; northward it reaches the elixir-refining cloister of Daheng Mountain at three li.

The above is the petition of Sun Zhiqing and others, Weiyi Daoist priests (priests charged with the ritual norms and liturgical forms of the Daoist community) from the three abbeys of Mount Mao: Huayang Grotto-Heaven is a numinous dwelling where the assembled immortals reside. Previously, by gracious imperial decree, hunting, woodcutting, and the setting of fires in autumn and winter were prohibited, and in the sacrifices of the four seasons livestock offerings were all banned. Since passing through the hardships of war, the original edict has been lost; the common people do not observe the old prohibition, encroachment has grown daily, they fell trees in the mountain forests, and falsely claim them as their own long-standing property. We humbly request that a prohibition be bestowed anew, that encroachment and felling be forbidden according to law, and that responsible personnel be dispatched to carry out inspection in earnest. We hope that the sacred site may be strictly protected and the abbeys tranquil, and that the boundaries stipulated in the original prohibition be set forth in full as above.

The Secretariat-Chancellery (Zhongshu Menxia), the highest administrative body of the Tang, issued an official document: The three abbeys of Maoshan and other establishments, in accordance with an imperial edict, [state that] Mt. Juqu, the numinous mountain (the ancient name of Maoshan), is the site of grotto palaces and immortal abodes and was also revered by sage kings of successive ages; firewood gathering and grass cutting should therefore be prohibited as an expression of solemn reverence. Within the boundaries of Maoshan, the common people must not be allowed to hunt, fell trees, or burn the mountain forests, and the prefectures and counties are charged with enforcing this prohibition effectively. Upon receipt of this document, act in accordance with the imperial edict; this official document is therefore issued. Dated the fourth day of the tenth month of the seventh year of Taihe (reign era of Emperor Wenzong of Tang, 833): Li Deyu, Secretariat Vice Director and Chancellor; Niu Shi, Acting Right Vice Director and Chancellor.

The Song-dynasty edict titled “Prohibition of the Mountain” says: It is heard that within the boundaries of Maoshan, the trees beside shrines and abbeys are often cut for firewood without authorization by various people who disregard the rules of Daoist cultivation, and some even set uncontrolled fires to burn the mountain. This matter requires a special order to stop it. The state is now drawing in auspicious blessings and protecting the people, and it considers that this famous mountain is recorded in local gazetteers; it is either a place governed by benevolent virtue or a place where immortals and perfected beings dwell, a site from which blessings descend and where spirits reside. It should therefore be treated with ritual reverence, thereby repaying [divine favor] and accumulating blessings. How can we allow axes to arrive in throngs and firewood cutting to be without limit, so that fine vegetation cannot grow, and how could its numinous traces then be viewed? A prohibition is therefore issued to express solemn reverence. Now Runzhou (modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu) and Shengzhou (modern Nanjing, Jiangsu) are ordered: once the proclamation arrives, mark out boundaries on all four sides of Maoshan and strictly order an end to all felling. All categories of people, as well as the heads of the mountain’s abbeys, shrines, and temples and those below them, from now on (shall obey this prohibition).

This decree stipulated that from then on no one was to gather firewood, cut down trees, or set uncontrolled fires for burning. Local inspectors (officials responsible for local patrol and inspection), officials, elders (senior local gentry), and able-bodied men were to keep constant watch and inspection; anyone who violated the order was to be arrested immediately and sent under escort to the responsible prefecture or county, where, after trial and sentencing, the offender was to be publicly displayed for half a month and released when the term was over. If the number of trees cut was large and the circumstances could not be forgiven, the offender was to be detained in close confinement, reported to higher authority, and, after instructions were received, sentenced according to law to banishment. If outside the various Daoist abbeys and shrine halls there was no firewood available for burning, and if the trees did not belong to those preserved long-term within historic sites, then the county officials together with the heads (those in charge) of the abbeys and so forth were to designate the boundaries and erect markers; only then could cutting be permitted. If felling had already occurred or fire had spread into sparsely wooded areas, the local prefecture or county was likewise to verify the number and locations and plant replacements in season, ensuring that no gaps were left; nor were they to use this as a pretext for arbitrary harassment. This imperial order was also to be inscribed in stone and made public at the gates of the abbeys and along important roads, so that everyone would know it. In the second year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era (1009), this was ordered by imperial decree.

Empress Dowager Liu Mingsu (née Liu, empress of Emperor Zhenzong of Song) bestowed an imperial letter on Master Zhu: she granted one set of a gold ewer (a gold water vessel) and water basin, total weight thirty taels, which the emperor had used in childhood, and entrusted it to the Daoist to be used for purchasing land, to support the Daoist community with vegetarian grain provisions, and for daily recitation liturgy, praying for the emperor’s holy longevity, long life, peace, and happiness, and that he be forever free from calamities and obstacles. You may consult with the local prefect to purchase land and good estates; order Ren Wenqing to purchase them together with the prefect, and when he returns, have him bring drawings of the property.

Patent Conferring Additional Titles on the Three Mao Lords in the Chongning Era: the patent issued during the Chongning era of Emperor Huizong of Song conferring additional titles on the Three Mao Lords (the Three Mao Perfected Lords venerated at Maoshan).

Emperor Huizong of Song issued an edict to the Chancellery: In the Gouqu Grotto-Heaven (present-day Maoshan) there are Zhenren (Perfected), whose transformations are infinite and whose spiritual workings are unfathomable. For more than a thousand years since the Qin and Han, they have manifested their numinous power in accordance with the fortunes of the age and bestowed grace upon the common people, yet the honorific titles by which they are revered are still incomplete and insufficient to express the sincerity of the highest veneration. The Great Lord Mao (Mao Ying) of Maoshan currently bears the title Taiyuan Zhenren, Chief Minister of the Eastern Peak and Divine Lord of Destinies; he may be advanced to the title Taiyuan Miaodao Zhenren, Chief Minister of the Eastern Peak and Divine Lord of Destinies. The Middle Lord Mao (Mao Gu) currently bears the title Dinglu Youjin Zhenren; he may be advanced to the title Dinglu Youjin Chongjing Zhenren. The Little Lord Mao (Mao Zhong) currently bears the title Sanguan Baoming Zhenren; he may be advanced to the title Sanguan Baoming Chonghui Zhenren. It is hoped that thereby harmonious Qi may be drawn forth, auspicious responses obtained, and the boundless blessing of peace in the realm assisted. This edict is hereby issued to make this known. The twenty-seventh day of the fourth month of the first year of Chongning (1102).

Emperor Huizong’s edicts and poems bestowed upon Master Liu Hunkang: forty-one pieces during the Chongning era and thirty-one during the Daguan era.

The edict says: Liu Hunkang, since we parted, you must have been able to maintain quietude. You nourish Qi by the way of harmonious equilibrium and have attained its wondrous Dao; your learning is profound, and you penetrate abstruse meanings; you accumulate goodness and rescue those in danger, cultivating De and conduct to achieve lofty virtue; in matters great and small, I have often consulted you; you have done your utmost in admonition and exhausted your thoughts, showing considerable diligence and loyalty; your merit in aiding people and benefiting beings is great. Recently I have seen your memorials, and all are appropriate. I have sent Hao Sui to take exclusive charge of this matter, and the remaining land and other provisions are also being supplied and handled one by one. If there is anything further needed, memorialize as before. Issued on the sixth day of the seventh month of the first year of Chongning.

The edict further says: Cultivating the true Dao and devoting effort to the root is what is valued by persons of lofty character who possess the Dao and maintain constancy; the related matters have already been assigned to Hao Sui to take exclusive charge, and the remaining land and other items are also being supplied and handled one by one. If there is anything further needed, memorialize as before. Issued on the sixth day of the seventh month of the first year of Chongning.

The Emperor issues an edict to Liu Hunkang, an eminent Daoist of Maoshan: In cultivating the Dao, one must devote effort to the fundamentals. You are a Daoist of high attainment who upholds the constant Dao, with your mind set on learning and possessing the virtue of letting go of attachment and forgetting greed; in particular, you uphold the arts of healing disease and broadly establish methods for relieving others. You left the capital (beneath the palace gates) nearly a year ago. Recently I saw your memorial and was very glad to learn that you are peaceful and well. As for your request to undertake timber construction, I have ordered that what this temple requires be built; select a date as soon as possible to begin work. If deficiencies or omissions arise one after another, memorialize them one by one. The spring Qi is gradually becoming mild; you should take extra care in regulating and nourishing yourself, reverently accord with the heavenly seasons, and thereby nourish the wondrous Dao. Ninth day of the first month, second year of Chongning.

The Emperor issues an edict to Liu Hunkang: Since you left the capital, another year has quickly passed. Your repair of the shrine hall has been attended by the utmost diligence, and I know it fully. Recently I read your memorial and learned that you are well. As for the name of the hall you mentioned, “Tianning Wanfu” will suffice. Regarding the Qingjing Jing, everything is according to your memorial. You reverently perform sacrifices and communicate with the higher realms; when you see calamitous or auspicious portents, why do you not memorialize them in detail? Recently, as barley and wheat are growing, they rely solely on the power of rain. But since the beginning of spring, timely rains have often failed to come on schedule and have not been able to aid the agricultural work of the surrounding regions, greatly harming hopes for a bountiful harvest. My heart is anxious and fearful, and day and night I have no peace. You should wholeheartedly perceive my profound intention, and with this earnest sincerity carefully strengthen your prayerful intent. If you were not a Daoist of high attainment, how could you reach upward to Qingdu (the abode of the Heavenly Emperor)? For the rest, you should take good care of yourself and probe still more deeply into wondrous principles. In the quiet seclusion of the mountains and forests, you should all the more preserve the Dao of true constancy. Twenty-first day of the third month, second year of Chongning.

The Emperor exhorts Liu Hunkang: Since you left the capital, many years have passed. My intention to comfort and inquire after you has frequently been conveyed through repeated envoys. It is now midsummer, when the summer sun is fierce and the days are long. I think of you in your mountain dwelling, cool, high, and clear; apart from cultivating the Dao, do your daily life and rest all accord with the constant Dao? You are repairing and making dignified the palace and temple halls, undertaking construction and restoration.

Edict of the twenty-third day of the fifth month, the second year of Chongning: The matters to be handled in the capital should already have been completed, having gone on for several years. The emperor has often sent envoys to inquire after you and proclaim his instructions. It is now midsummer, and the days are hot. Thinking of your clear, secluded, and elevated mountain, apart from cultivating the Dao, are your daily activities as usual and well? The construction of the solemn Daoist observatory halls should be complete; the task of revering the Perfected Truth has been entrusted to people of De. If the ceremonial rites and regulations still have omissions, you may memorialize in detail; when you see disasters, anomalies, or auspicious omens, report each one. In this heat, you should take care to nourish and cultivate yourself, diligently practice the Dao, and appreciate my profound intentions.

Edict to Liu Hunkang: In the past you sojourned in the capital and its palaces, were received at court for audience and reply, and often expressed sincere loyalty to the Dao, broadening my resolve for self-cultivation. I accepted your words with an open mind—how could I bury your good advice? I specially bestow the title “Yuechang” (Transcending the Ordinary) to make manifest my praise; a scroll of patent is now delivered to you by post; receive it when it arrives. The autumn Qi is clear, crisp, and solemn; in the intervals of quiet residence and cultivation, you should take extra care. I also bestow the patent entitled “Baozhen Guanmiao xiansheng” (Master of Preserving the True and Contemplating the Wondrous).

Edict to Liu Hunkang, Daoist priest of Maoshan in Jurong County, Jiangning Prefecture, and Dongyuan Tongmiao dashi (Great Master of Penetrating the Origin and Comprehending the Wondrous): I govern present affairs by the ancient Dao and commend those who practice emptiness, stillness, and guarding the One (Xiyi guarding the One: the Daoist cultivation of emptiness, stillness, and guarding the One), in order to correct frivolous customs. You concentrate your Qi to attain suppleness (focusing the spirit-Qi and achieving gentleness), and you are sincere, generous, and simple. Although your Dao is honored and your De is noble, no noble rank can be added to you; but how can there be no title matching your name and reality? The bestowal should be reiterated in a decree to encourage later students; and I hope you will extend your constant plain De to assist good people. You may be specially granted the title “Baozhen Guanmiao xiansheng.” On the twenty-fifth day of the seventh month, the second year of Chongning, drafted and issued by Bai Shizhong, Secretariat Drafter (the official responsible for drafting edicts).

The emperor says: Because your Dao is complete and your De is flourishing, and you have shown sincerity in assisting the state, I specially confer an extraordinary title to manifest your lofty benevolence. Even if you feel that your compassion for creatures and your meritorious service do not yet deserve this fine title, you should respectfully accept the appointment and not firmly decline again; I trust you understand.

The emperor issues an edict to Liu Hunkang (a Maoshan Daoist): Since the establishment of the court, the years have repeatedly changed. What I cherish in thought is your commendable virtue of pure oneness, which I have never forgotten over many years. Recently I received your memorial and was very glad to know that you are peaceful and calm. Your memorials carry on the standards of former worthies and glorify the teaching; the halls of the secret precinct (the Daoist temple buildings) have already been completed, and the celebration of the Baolu (precious Daoist registers) has been held. The solemn high pavilion rises aloft, making one gaze upward for the descent of Shangzhen (high immortals). You have always upheld the Dao of emptiness and nonbeing, transcendent and lofty; in the secret precinct you observe fasts and maintain your practice, able to accord with cold and heat and dwell peacefully in quiet joy; on Maofeng (Maoshan) you find ease among springs and rocks. I fully understand your memorial. I have issued a decree dispatching the Imperial Medicine Office official Su Gui to supervise and manage the relevant affairs; for needed materials, report them one by one, and you may memorialize for my decision, so that supplies will not be lacking. The frosty autumn season has arrived, and the weather is just turning cold; may you advance further in the wondrous Dao. I will say no more. If you see any calamities or anomalies, memorialize them one by one. The matter prayed for earlier has not yet met with response; how is it this time? The fifteenth day of the ninth month of the third year of Chongning.

Exhorting Liu Hunkang: Since you left the capital, the years have repeatedly changed. You dwell at Sanmao (the Three Mao Perfected Ones of Maoshan/Maoshan) with grand aspirations; you purify yourself and keep guard to preserve the true Dao, lodging among the mountains and devoting your mind to what lies beyond the dusty world. From afar I imagine your Dao method as harmonious and tranquil; you cultivate your nature and temperament in purity and peace, accord with heaven and earth to nurture loftiness and purity, and transcend the dusty world to awaken to principle. Now, reading your memorial, I can well understand your heart. Since the beginning of winter, have your daily life and health been well? I have learned that in mid-spring you will come to the capital for an audience; I have dispatched the envoy Zhang Xu to arrange your journey and instructed the relevant offices to supply everything. If anything is still lacking, memorialize in detail; I look forward to seeing you, and my heart is filled with joy in advance. As you are about to arrive in the capital, I have dispatched the envoy Zhang Xu to arrange your journey and instructed the relevant offices to supply everything; if anything is still lacking, memorialize in detail; I look forward to seeing you.

At the very end of deep winter, as the order of the year turns, the imperial court wishes to spread the True Teaching widely, succor all living beings, and encourage people to devote greater care to preserving and refining themselves, thereby manifesting its gracious and generous concern. This is specially communicated by letter; nothing further need be said. The twenty-third day of the eleventh month of the third year of Chongning.

The Emperor issues an edict to Liu Hunkang (a Northern Song Maoshan Daoist and patriarch of the Shangqing school): Having seen your memorials, I know well your sincerity. In the severe cold at the year’s end, I am pleased that you are safe and as usual. For the construction of the Baozhen Daoist Temple, costs for polychrome painting and the like are still lacking; I have ordered the officials concerned to complete them jointly within a set deadline. Matters such as raising the ridge beam each have their responsible offices; why wait until completion to report? Your departure from the quiet chamber, along with the planning of waterborne grain transport and other matters, have all been arranged and handled one by one. As early spring weather warms, you should come to the capital as soon as possible and not delay, lest you worry overmuch; you may come by boat to the palace. Officials from the various bureaus have been sent to attend to you along the route. In principle, this matter is naturally not something that can be set aside; you should appreciate my gracious favor and preferential treatment and deeply understand my intention. The twelfth day of the first month of the fourth year of Chongning.

The Emperor issues an edict to Liu Hunkang: Having repeatedly seen your memorials, I know well your earnest feelings. In the severe cold of early spring, I am pleased that you are peaceful. Your mind is clear and penetrating; you have cut off worldly concerns to preserve true constancy, your insight is subtle and refined, and you cultivate the Lingtai (spiritual terrace) so as to reach the wondrous Dao. Since the construction of the Sanmao (the sacred site of the Three Mao Perfected Lords at Maoshan), your heart has been single-mindedly set upon it. Now the construction has reached the stage of polychrome decoration; having been assigned to the relevant offices, it will surely be completed soon. You should keep to profound stillness and not tax your spirit. My gracious regard for you deepens daily, and I wished to express my intention to summon you for a meeting; your own resolve is also firm, so I should grant your request to report the completion. You may act according to your memorial: when the work is finished, come quickly to the capital. Zhang Lan has been ordered specifically to supervise and expedite the matter. The benming deity image (the image of the deity corresponding to your natal destiny) has been moved into the Dharma Hall and temporarily installed. If there are still deficiencies, memorialize them one by one. In the cold of spring, you should take extra care.

What is recorded in the Maoshan Zhi (Record of Mount Mao) consists of imperial edicts issued to the Maoshan Daoist priest Liu Hunkang—a famous Daoist of the Northern Song who was treated with honor by Emperor Huizong—during the Chongning reign of Emperor Huizong of Song. The gist of the first edict is: The emperor’s abundant grace is made manifest to you; I hope you perceive my utmost sincere intention. The twenty-fourth day of the first month of the fourth year of Chongning. Having seen your memorial, I fully understand your earnest frame of mind; I am glad that spring has passed, and I further hear that you are well and blessed. Previously there was a letter concerning your response to the summons, and then there was an agreement to come after the matter was accomplished. I believe that a noble man cannot be forced, nor can a master of techniques be constrained; having closely examined your intentions, I ought to comply with your request, letting you roam freely like a person of broad understanding, in accord with what a lofty person seeks. This is by no means a slight rejection; please do not harbor deep doubts. Moreover, you penetrate and discern true primal Qi, silently spreading the shade of the Dao; your nature is empty and profoundly deep, and your endowment is rich in upright and cautious benevolence. Your divine talismans can aid beings, complying with the generation of Heaven and Earth; your Dharma-power is inexhaustible, assisting Yin-Yang in transformation and nurture. Your purity and loftiness are admirable, and dust and vulgarity can hardly fetter you; with noble resolve you keep your purpose in the forests and springs, pure and simple, peacefully enjoying long life. When the palace buildings are repaired, the affairs that should be handled can then be brought together. I have already ordered men to urge the work forward; it will certainly not be delayed. As soon as a report of completion arrives, quickly make the journey to court. Since I cannot immediately inquire after you face to face, I further hope you will take extra care. This is specially announced; I trust you will understand. The third day of the intercalary second month of the fourth year of Chongning.

A further admonition to Liu Hunkang: You set your mind on the wonders of the Dao and manifest divine efficacy; you accord with the four seasons to coalesce harmony, lodging it in your person for everlasting blessing. Your numinous talismans and ritual water have long been praised as the benevolence that aids beings; preserving Qi and retaining Shen, you naturally obtain the master of nourishing life. Having passed through this hot season, I presume you can peacefully gather blessings.

These several edicts were issued by Emperor Huizong of Song in the fourth year of the Chongning era to the Maoshan Daoist Liu Hunkang; their general meaning is as follows.

The edict of the twenty-ninth day of the fifth month says: I send you a special auspicious greeting. Recently I inquired about the date of your audience at court, and you earnestly requested to come only after the construction work was completed. Now completion is imminent; since you have already made a solemn promise, it should not be changed. You should promptly prepare your luggage, take advantage of favorable winds for boat travel, and board early the painted magpie boat—a vessel with a magpie painted on its prow, referring to an official boat—just when the river waters are favorable for navigation. With the summer heat at hand, take even greater care of your health and nurture yourself. I write specially to inform you, and will say no more.

On the seventeenth day of the sixth month, an edict to Liu Hunkang, a Maoshan Daoist of the Northern Song: Having seen your memorial, I fully understand your intentions. Since the beginning of summer, I know that you have cultivated yourself and examined your conduct, and that your blessings have increased. I have learned that the construction is nearing completion, and I will await your coming by boat to the outskirts of the capital. You are diligent in your duties and skilled at accomplishing affairs; in my care and encouragement, I ought to grant your sincere request. Let us set a date for a proper meeting, and I urge you to choose a day to set out. Broadly bestow beneficial goodness upon all beings and enjoy a good name within the Great Dao; thus conform to this supreme courtesy and appreciate my care and concern. Summer is hot; are you well lately? I write no more.

On the eighteenth day of the seventh month, an edict to Liu Hunkang: You model yourself on the spontaneity of the Great Dao and investigate the norms of the true meaning—the authentic principles—of Daoist scriptures; you accord with the seasons, find peace and joy in your original nature, and rectify your firm and steadfast will; you propagate Daoism and save the world, preserving a long life of a thousand years. We have been apart for a long time, and I miss you very much. I have summoned you many times, and now more than a year has passed. You still have memorials pleading difficulties of means, and I have set aside your firm words of refusal. Moreover, I have repeatedly ordered the responsible offices that they should require completion, supervise and assemble the craftsmen; you need not worry. The remaining repairs have all been assigned according to plan and may gradually be expected to reach full completion; why need you be excessively modest and decline? You should quickly prepare to board the boat; I await the sound of your swift oars. With the immortal sail in quiet wind and the autumn waters smooth, take advantage of this clear and bright scenery; do not decline to come and meet me. I issue this edict again to inform you, showing the depth of my care, so as to bring to fulfillment your stated intention to come and see me. I write no more.

The emperor issued an edict to Liu Hunkang, a Daoist of Maoshan: You have been far from the capital for several years. Dwelling on a famous mountain and revering the secret halls, you have declined summons to enter court for audience. The court has repeatedly issued edicts expressing its profound affection for you and will also fulfill the wish to meet you. Now a messenger is sent with this letter; I will not set out matters in detail. Chongning fourth year, seventh month, eighteenth day.

The emperor issued an edict to Liu Hunkang: You have been far from the capital for several years. You dwell on a famous mountain and revere the secret halls, exhausting your sincere devotion in serving the High Perfected (Gaozhen); you expound the source of the great Dao, manifestly repaying Heaven’s bestowal; you repair and build Daoist temple halls, broadly gathering auspicious blessings and omens; you strengthen the grand order of one region and extend ten thousand years of blessed fortune; whatever you state arises from public-minded loyalty. It is now expressly required that you enter court for audience; you may travel by boat as convenient. Other related matters have already been arranged. The construction has just been completed, and we celebrate the success of all undertakings. It is precisely the autumn scene; you should urge the boat to come downstream. The sky is high and the clouds quiet; clear light reflects across a thousand li of flat waves; the water is emerald green, mist and smoke blur, and a light wind stirs a single plain-colored sail. You should also assess your physical strength and cultivate your lofty purity yourself. This edict is therefore issued, and you should perceive my solicitude. We shall meet before long; this letter is brief. Chongning fourth year, eighth month, twentieth day.

The emperor issued an edict to Liu Hunkang: Having reviewed your memorial, the construction is already in order, and you wish to travel by boat to the capital in the ninth month to offer thanks at court. I am very glad to hear that the painted yi boat moves unhurriedly on the Qinhuai River, as if awaiting the immortal carriage to fly to the court; I stand listening for the wondrous instruction of Xiyi (the subtle and imperceptible Dao), and I revere your dissemination of the honest custom of compassion and frugality. The thought of governance is like cooking a small fish (i.e., not disturbing the people), and conduct tends toward the upright Dao. In the frosty autumn season, the journey will be arduous. I specially command an imperial envoy (shihua) to go to comfort and reward you. Perceive this special solicitude, and you should all the more firmly hold to chonghe (harmonious equanimity). You should speed your boat to satisfy my hopes. Autumn is cool; are you peaceful and well lately? I send this letter to inform you and will not enumerate further. Chongning fourth year, ninth month, twelfth day.

The emperor issued an edict to Liu Hunkang: Your mind preserves the essentials of the Dao and has always been in accord with zhenyuan (true primal); dwelling long in the realm of free wandering, you naturally comprehend the purport of chonghe. Yesterday, the twelfth day of the ninth month of the fourth year of Chongning...

The Emperor’s edict to Liu Hunkang (a Maoshan Daoist): In your heart you preserve the essentials of the Dao, and you have long been in accord with the true primordial source. Dwelling for so long in a realm of freedom and ease, you naturally embody the principle of harmonious balance. Some days ago you came from afar by carriage to have an audience at the imperial palace (Fengchen), and there you inquired into the subtleties and secrets; you also asked to return to your former retreat on Maoshan (Maofeng). Your resolve was firm and your feelings earnest, so I could only reluctantly grant your request. Since we parted, a month has passed in the blink of an eye; each time I think of you, I do not forget you even upon waking. You returned in a small boat, reclining at ease, and I suppose you have already reached the Huai and Chu regions (the Huai River and Chu lands); there, in a numinous and beautiful place, you nurture your true nature, transcending the dusty world. Your lofty conduct and far-reaching detachment are truly admirable. It is now the height of summer; have you been well lately? I write to convey my regards and will say no more.

Since you, Master, left the palace gates, a month has passed in the blink of an eye. I imagine you order your movements and stillness by the wonders of the Dao, so that body and mind are in harmonious balance; each time I gaze southward, my longing and admiration only increase. As for the matter of the memorials you were previously entrusted with, if you are waiting for the outcome according to Heaven’s will, you may report it quickly. I also request several dozen talismans for curing colds, to be sealed and sent by courier. It is now intensely hot; I hope you will cherish yourself in purity and emptiness. I suppose you have already arrived at the abbey; how are the works you are undertaking? Has the Qianshen Hermitage (the retreat where you cultivate) been completed? Please report on each matter one by one. The thirteenth day of the fifth month, the fifth year of Chongning (1106).

Again, an exhortation to Liu Hunkang: I have fully understood the matter of the bowing and submitting of memorials (the Daoist ritual of presenting petitions) that you reported. Utmost sincerity can surely penetrate to the divine, and refined cultivation naturally brings a response. These matters are all recorded in the true scriptures, and the ritual procedures are clearly set forth in the true liturgical codes. You have prayed with a devout heart, pure in fasting and cleansing, concentrating your spirit; in secret you have come into accord with the High Perfected and thereby been able to understand the hidden purport. If uprightness, justice, loyalty, and faithfulness did not fill your heart, how could your refined sincerity reach on high? A courier letter suddenly arrived, and I deeply commend you. Some days ago you earnestly took leave from the capital and asked to return to your old dwelling. The famous site of the Three Mao (the Three Mao Perfected Lords of Maoshan) is just right for a person of high principle to dwell in; it is where the assembled saints reside, and it can also fulfill your vow to conceal your spirit and cultivate the Dao. You should further maintain and cultivate yourself, so as to match my expectant openness. It is now the time to be wary of the heat; have you been well lately? I write to convey my regards and will say no more. The twentieth day of the sixth month, the fifth year of Chongning (1106).

The emperor’s written edict to Liu Hunkang, the eminent Maoshan Daoist (a Northern Song patriarch of the Maoshan Shangqing, or Highest Clarity, school, residing at Yuanfu Wanning Palace), says in substance: It has been several months since you, Master, left the court. The weather has recently been hot, and I imagine that through the subtlety of your Daoist methods you are pure and peaceful beyond the ordinary. The auspicious memorials you have submitted are greatly to be admired; had your Daoist practice not been profound and your penetration of the profound principles not been thorough, how could this be so? If you have other observations, you may entrust them to Huang Xisou (the bearer of memorials) for submission, and there is no need to conceal them. Matters lacking in this palace-temple may also be stated in detail, item by item. As for the work of quieting the spirit and cultivating, no report of accomplishment has yet been seen; I do not know whether your practice is satisfactory.

He further encouraged Liu Hunkang: When your disciple Fu Xilie brought the memorial, I learned that you devote your mind to emptiness and nothingness, keep your heart in purity and quiet, have attained the wondrous principle of Wuwei (non-action), and have penetrated the source of the Great Dao. Since arriving at Wanning Palace, you should be quite leisurely and at ease. The Purple Mansion of the Three Mao (the Three Mao Perfected Lords Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong) is a blessed court of the assembled sages and a dwelling place of true immortals; spiritual responses come like echoes. You cherish and uphold the Golden Register, cultivate Qi methods, and secretly hold the Jade Slips in pure cultivation; I imagine you roam freely and are self-content, and surely, with the support of incense offerings, you pray above for the peace of the ancestral temples and state and below aid the people in benevolence and longevity. The emperor expresses his earnest regard and hopes that you and your disciples will understand it. When your sealed memorial suddenly arrived, I deeply commended your distant sincerity and saw even more your diligence and sincerity. After this long separation, I only thirst after your renowned principles. Midsummer heat is at its height; you should take good care of yourself, and I wish you peace. This edict cannot fully express my meaning.

When Fu Xilie and the others brought the memorial, I learned that you had arrived at Yuanfu Wanning Palace and that the Baizhang ritual (the Daoist rite of presenting petitions to Heaven) had been held; by Heaven’s compassionate mercy, auspicious blessings were bestowed. In the Dao you revere the Three Mao; in conduct you follow the Two Xu (Xu Mi and Xu Hui of the Shangqing school). You came briefly to court and then again dwelt at your former mountain; the immortal carriage is hard to detain. The emperor always deeply yearns for you; recently he has troubled your compassionate remembrance to transmit and present the precious memorial, respectfully receiving Heaven above, may it look down and examine us. The heavenly instructions are earnest; I do not forget the warning and awakening, and day and night I reverently honor them to repay the manifest response. The heat is at its height; you should cherish and protect your health. For the rest, see the detailed intent of the edict. The matters you memorialized will be handled item by item.

This is the edict issued by Emperor Huizong of Song in the fifth year of Chongning (1106) to the Maoshan Daoist priest Liu Hunkang, together with a record of gifts. Its gist is as follows:

A court directive has now been fully issued. If anything is still missing or omitted, please inform Us one by one. The Custodian official (tiju guan, the official in charge of palaces and temples) has already dispatched Yang Lu; the plaque has already been inscribed, and Cai Bian (a Northern Song official) has been informed, and he has also already composed the text. Master [Liu Hunkang], you have always been upright and frank; whatever auspicious or inauspicious, fortunate or calamitous matters you see or hear, simply submit them in detail and in secret. Among the flowers and trees, the ruixiang has already been received; it is especially good. Fu Xilie is returning to court to deliver the edict and other items, and We also bestow a Cibu document (the Ministry of Sacrifices oversaw sacrifices, ordination certificates, and related affairs); to the others We bestow purple robes and master titles (purple Daoist robes and Daoist names bestowed by the court), as well as fans with the emperor’s own calligraphy and painting, which may be used to summon a breeze in the heat. Please obtain several sheets of the heart-calming talisman (a talisman to settle the spirit). When Fu Xilie and the others return, the additional gifts are listed as follows: aloeswood, sandalwood, and jian incense, twenty jin of each; raw and processed borneol (bingpian), five jin; jiangzhen incense, ten jin; four kinds of fruit in twenty an packages; ten fan heads bearing imperial calligraphy and painting; and two portions of aromatic medicine. Fourth day of the seventh month, fifth year of Chongning.

Another edict instructed Liu Hunkang: You have long attained a realm of subtle refinement and wondrous essentials, and your aspiration is pure and empty. We think from afar of your lofty character, never forgetting it morning or evening; repeatedly reading the earnest heart in the documents you submit, We see more clearly your public-spirited loyalty to the imperial house. Thinking of this, We deeply praise and admire you. All the matters you have stated have already been immediately put into effect. At the ancestral graves at Yongsheng (the site of Liu Hunkang’s forebears’ tombs), the Daoist community who burn incense and cultivate the Dao are permitted to remain there; the Qianshen officials and their subordinates are to be promoted and rewarded in order according to rank and qualifications. The decree has been issued; We hope you fully understand it. We revere the Great Dao and hold in admiration the numinous traces; this is to declare Our aspiration and make manifest merit, and so We open the mountain and build halls. When the works are completed and reported, Our joy will accord with Our expectations. We hope you vigorously expound the true teaching and bestow abundant blessings and happiness on the people; refine your study of Daoist methods and Fulu (talismans and registers), and forever assist in supporting and protecting the foundation of the state. These earnest exhortations come from afar; may you carefully guard your harmonious and balanced heart. As autumn cools, are you well of late? We send someone with a letter and will not set everything out in detail. Twentieth day of the seventh month, fifth year of Chongning.

The Emperor issues an edict to Liu Hunkang (Maoshan Daoist and Shangqing patriarch): Having seen your memorial requesting that an official be sent to compose a record of the abbey, I have learned the details. Maoling is a secluded place for dwelling in truth, the old foundation of Jijin Peak. Bearing in mind that this place is close to spiritual sanctity and adjoins cave palaces, the new palace complex, open and spacious like the Jade Terrace, greatly manifests the ethos of the true Dao. The halls have already been completed; the great stele may await erection. I have ordered a scholar of great learning and an eminent Confucian to compose the text, and I myself will inscribe the stele head. This is not only a splendid event of the time but can also display the fine reputation of predecessors. You should carefully select eminent Daoists to together diligently cultivate the ultimate Dao, advancing without slackening. This is what I expect; I constantly ponder the essentials of cultivating the Dao-mind and often recall your demeanor. It is only that the mountains and rivers and roads are distant and obstructed, so I suppose meeting face to face is even more indefinitely delayed. The stele head written in my own hand and the record composed by Cai Bian (a Northern Song official) are now being sent under envoy escort; receive them when they arrive. In the autumn cold, have you been well recently? The letter will not say more.

The Master cultivates plain simplicity at Jintan (Maoshan’s Jintan), and his name is registered in the Purple Mansion (a Daoist immortal bureau). Since your immortal boat sailed east downstream, I have inquired after and remembered you daily. Recently the autumn air has suddenly cleared; thinking from afar of the autumn cold, have you been well recently? The letter will not say more.

The Master cultivates plain simplicity at Jintan, and his name is registered in the Purple Mansion. Since your immortal boat sailed east downstream, I have inquired after and remembered you daily. Recently the autumn air is clear and crisp; from afar I imagine your Dao-body is peaceful and harmonious. I still have no affinity to visit the Dao; I have only deep longing. I hope you preserve and refine, concealing your spirit, to match my earnest concern. The stele head and the rest have been written and are sent down by messenger as a gift. As for the remaining matters stated, they are all set out in the memorial. The twentieth day of the eighth month of the fifth year of Chongning (1106).

The Emperor issues an edict to Liu Hunkang: You have long settled your mind in the true Dao, kept to the Dao without change, and your merit and practice have grown ever more flourishing; your reputation has long been prominent. Dwelling peacefully in Wanning Palace, you uphold the Great Register (Daoist register) with diligence; broadly relieving sentient beings, you cause the multitude to turn toward good and transformation. Expand your wondrous function of Wuwei (non-action), and help me obtain the auspicious omens that may be brought about. A name is manifest because of substance, and ritual accords with virtue; you should be granted commendation and favor, so as to prolong far-reaching beautiful blessings. Your religious title is to be increased in honor; public deliberation all considers it appropriate. You are to go and receive it reverently; do not decline. All the patents of appointment are now sent down with the attached dispatch as a bestowal; receive them when they arrive. It is now plain autumn; have you been well recently? The letter will not say more.

The emperor said: Because Master lives in seclusion at Juqu Mountain (the ancient name of Maoshan), cultivating Perfection, nurturing plain simplicity, and quietly cultivating Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy), using talisman water to perform meritorious deeds and relieve others, and with compassion succoring the people near and far, I once summoned Master to discuss the Dao (the Way), spread harmonious Qi, and elucidate the way of Wuwei (non-action), thereby aiding the peaceful governance of the people. I respectfully receive this subtle and wondrous Dao and do not forget it day or night. Recently, because the palace buildings have been completed, I have specially added the two characters “Chonghe” to Master’s title. The edict has been sent by post relay as a gift; I hope Master will appreciate my favor. I also hope that Master will often present words of the highest principle. Since Master’s visit to court for an audience is still far off and without a fixed date, I especially hope that you will take good care of yourself.

Regarding the matters reported by a certain master concerning the palace gates, walls, and buildings, and the request that they be repaired, I have ordered the relevant offices to handle them urgently; the required materials, timber, and so forth are to be gathered quickly within a set deadline, and there must be no delay or procrastination. If Master lacks anything else, simply report it truthfully; there is no need to conceal it. As for talismans for wind-cold and wearable talismans for calming the heart and suppressing fright, I ask for several dozen of each; that would be excellent.

Edict on Adding the Title Chonghe Xiansheng:

By edict, to Liu Hunkang, Master Baozhen Guanmiao of Yuanfu Wanning Palace on Maoshan in Jiangning Prefecture: The numinous precincts of the Three Mao—the Three Mao Perfected Lords venerated at Maoshan—are a dwelling place of immortals and sages. Recently new palaces and temples have been built to express reverence. Because your mind roams in plainness, emptiness, and stillness, and your Dao accords with the primordial and subtle, so that you dwell in this place and proclaim the ultimate Dao and its transforming teachings, it is fitting to add a beautiful title to show my regard. You may be specially conferred the title “Baozhen Guanmiao Chonghe Xiansheng.” On the twenty-third day of the eighth month in the fifth year of the Chongning era, Zhongshu Sheren Li Tunan drafted and issued the document.

The Emperor’s edict to Liu Hunkang: You practice the teaching of Xuanyuan (the Supreme Laozi, referring to Daoism), keep your mind pure and still, and penetrate deeply into the profound meaning of Dongzhen (one of the Three Caverns). You dwell in seclusion on the summit of Maoshan. The court has looked with favor on your former dwelling and felt that this place is deeply numinous; therefore it has built a tall new hall, greatly reviving the style of the Daoist order. The elixir terrace is fresh and beautiful, expounding the essentials of the Dao of Kongtong (the allusion to Guangchengzi’s cultivation, referring to Daoist methods); the Purple Mansion (an immortal abode, here the temple) is completely renewed, emulating the lofty traces of Hanman (immortals and a high, far-reaching realm). Built spacious and bright according to the plans, the emperor has praised it as a place where true immortals wander. This further reveals the diligent sincerity of veneration and also serves to celebrate the beauty of its completion. We are all the more gratified and ought to express it in song. The imperially composed “Ode on the Completion of the Celebration,” in one scroll, is now sent down by courier as a gift; you may receive it. Late autumn, the air is clear; recently all is peaceful and well. Sending a messenger, words cannot fully express our meaning.

Imperially composed “Ode on the Completion of the Yuanfu Wanning Palace”: At the foot of Maoshan, during the Yuanfu era, a temple was built at the dwelling of the recluse Liu Hunkang and named Yuanfu Temple. Construction began in the autumn of the first year of Yuanfu and was completed in the autumn of the fifth year of Chongning. A plaque was written in large characters, and the name was changed to Yuanfu Wanning Palace. This was to fulfill Emperor Zhezong’s wish, to settle the divine spirits, to reverently honor the wondrous Dao, and to make it known to later generations; thereupon he composed an ode, saying:

On Mount Juqu (the old name of Maoshan), there is a person dwelling at the summit; whose family is this person? His Dao precedes the Heavenly Emperor. He enlightens those who come after and cultivates himself well.