《龙角山记》

Shen (神, spirit) is explained through marvelous existence; transformation manifests its forms in ways that have no fixed pattern. Words cannot master Shen, and images can hardly probe the source of transformation. If both words and images ceased to exist, the wondrous transformations of Shen would perhaps have no way to appear. Only a perfect sage, it seems, can exhaust the wondrous and fully comprehend transformation.

My distant ancestor, Emperor Xuanyuan, is the one the Daoists revere as Taishang Laojun, the Supreme Lord Lao. The Lord took "Constant Non-being" and "Constant Being" as the foundation of the teaching, acting without attachment and without confusion. Knowing firmness yet holding to softness, the Lord was like the streams of the world; understanding brilliance yet content to dwell in lowliness, like the valleys of the world. Thus the Lord passed through high antiquity and grew newer by the day, shaped the myriad things and returned customs to simplicity, sheltered all beings without harming them, and bestowed grace on ten thousand generations without claiming to be benevolent. So lofty that no summit can be seen, so profound that no end can be fathomed, the Lord finally returned to the formless. The Lord left behind a teaching and established doctrines that embrace the Supreme Purity (Taiqing), and, responding to the destiny of a sage age, appeared in order to bring blessing to the world.

In those days, my High Ancestor raised troops in Jin, and Taizong led his army into Qin, their momentum like the great peng bird striking wind and cloud, like the qilin vying with the sun and moon in splendor. The ministers of Xia departed because their ruler was vile, and the tripods of Shang, though light, had not yet been moved to a new dynasty. At this moment Laojun suddenly appeared, serene in bearing, riding a white horse with a red mane, on Longjiao Mountain, revealing the omen of the Tang's rise. The Lord said to Ji Shanxing of Datong Fort in Jiangzhou: "I am the ancestor of the Tang emperor. Tell my descendants that they will long possess the empire."

Thus the first omen opened, and the people turned their hearts toward the dynasty; the white banner was raised once, and the world was at peace. The old book says: "A sound that has voice travels no more than a hundred li; a sound without voice can reach all within the four seas." Is this not the very case of the divine proclaiming bright virtue and moving Heaven, Earth, humans, and spirits?

In the second month of the third year of Wude (620), Ji Shanxing, following the divine instruction but worried that he had no clear proof, dared not divulge it. In the fourth month, Laojun appeared again and said: "When a stone turtle appears, my words will be verified." At that time Taizong was still Prince of Qin, campaigning against Song Jin'gang, with his army encamped around Fenzhou and Jiangzhou. He Ruoxiaoyi, Chief Administrator of Jinzhou, reported the matter to the court. The High Ancestor immediately sent his trusted attendant Du Ang to the mountain to pay homage and investigate. Du Ang looked up and down, saw the divine form with his own eyes, and hurried back to report: "It is true!" The High Ancestor then sent Du Ang and Ji Shanxing by carriage to present a memorial. When the report reached Chang'an, Yuzhou happened to present an auspicious stone turtle inscribed with the words "The world will be at peace for ten million days." The High Ancestor examined these two extraordinary events, conferred on Ji Shanxing the post of Chaosan Daifu, and sent the secretary Liu Xian to perform sacrifices.

When the jade and silks for the sacrifice had been laid out, the venerable image of Laojun appeared once more. At its first appearance it was dazzling, as though red peaks and green ridges reflected the scenery of spring; as it faded, all became still and desolate, like the broad autumn sky after rain has stopped and clouds have scattered. No one knew where it came from, and its departure could not be traced; it appeared in stillness and vanished in obscurity, truly difficult to describe in full.

Longjiao Mountain in Fenyang is a place where Heaven and Earth sent down blessings, and the place where the High Ancestor received guidance during the campaigns. On its peaks lie the Flowery Pool and the Spirit Mansion; beneath it are stone caves and grotto palaces. Its mountain Qi joins that of Mount Guye, a gathering place of immortals, and its ridges connect with the Huo Mountain garrison, nourishing the neighboring lands that produce pearls and jade. The High Ancestor came here many times, riding cloud chariots and driving rainbows, and so temples were built wherever the High Ancestor had passed and altars raised where the mandate had been received, with sacred images carved and divine guardians painted in color. The divine light gathered and dispersed, and the halls seemed to whirl in midair; clouds lingered, and the music of pipes and chimes seemed to drift along the heavenly road. The court therefore renamed Fushan County as Shenshan County to record these miraculous responses.

In autumn of that year and again in the third month of the fifth year of Zhenguan (631), Jinzhou reported that Laojun had prophesied: "The withered wutong tree in my temple at Bozhou will grow again, and my descendants will become kings." The Lord also said: "My divine soldiers will help the army in its campaign against Liu Heita, and the fighting will be settled by the start of summer." Events later turned out exactly as foretold; all these were omens revealed in advance.

Afterwards, during Taizong's Zhenguan era, auspicious clouds halted above the temple; during Emperor Gaozong's Chuigong era, auspicious clouds welled up around the divine seat. Now, in the shrine, a grapevine has coiled around the wutong tree, which has taken root and grown anew; the withered branches of the old tree by the gate have flourished again, with thick trunks and dense foliage. Auspicious mist gathers and emerald clouds spread layer upon layer; fresh Qi bursts forth like overlapping scales in ten thousand tiers. Men of discernment hold that this is a sign that the Qi of Supreme Harmony flows freely and that what was old and decayed has revived, and it also foretells that the regions will come to court and distant peoples will submit.

I feared that these might be only illusory responses, and so I remained watchful day and night. Receiving the mandate of Heaven and revering the Celestial Emperor, I have studied the Daoist scriptures with care and often contemplated their ultimate principles. Hence I rely on ritual and music to carry out moral teaching, and entrust my aims to benevolence and righteousness; I trace the branches of things back to their root and clarify the mind to approach the subtle; within, I practice the Dao of Wuwei (non-action), and in governing the world's affairs I do not act recklessly. In this way the state may receive great blessing and the people of the world may gain a measure of peace. This is truly the blessing of my ancestor's boundless grace, and the result of the people's following natural transformation.

That the divine is hidden yet revealed is an extraordinary matter; that the spirits gave notice and the emperor received the talisman is an auspicious sign that came full circle; that Ji Shanxing was the first to receive the omen belongs to the category of good fortune; that auspicious clouds appeared in two successive reigns is a grand and splendid event; that the army was victorious with divine help shows different marvels coinciding; that withered trees flourished again with dense foliage is a sign of prosperity. These six matters are auspicious blessings of a flourishing dynasty, and rare events across the ages, worthy of being recorded.

Though my talent and wisdom are lacking, I have heard the teaching of the noble person: one who continues the work of predecessors should honor Heaven as ancestor, and one who studies the instructions of predecessors should honor the father as teacher. To praise virtue and cherish filial reverence is the tradition of the Song hymns of the Shang praising Cheng Tang, and the Ya odes of the Zhou honoring Houji. How could I abandon these old canons?

Among horned creatures, the dragon holds first place. The sheep has a fixed and unchanging form, but the dragon transforms marvelously and has no set shape. The dragon is the essence of Earth among the Five Phases (Wuxing); since the state flourishes through the De (Virtue) of Earth, this mountain has been renamed Longjiao, Dragon's Horn, and this inscription is carved in metal and stone to make these divine transformations manifest.

The inscription reads:

Recalling the Sage Ancestor: he kept the profound mystery hidden within and dwelt in stillness without speech, yet his renown spread afar like the glow of dawn clouds. Utterly nameless, he transcended all and reached the realm of Supreme Purity. The Qi (vital energy) of clarity and stillness entered this mountain, and so the mountain was called "Dragon Horn." Thus these words were carved in metal and stone to make manifest the transformations by which the divine appeared. The inscription reads:

Recalling the Sage Ancestor: he kept the profound mystery hidden within and dwelt in stillness without speech, yet his renown spread afar like the glow of dawn clouds. Utterly nameless, he transcended all and reached the realm of Supreme Purity. The Qi of clarity and stillness entered the abode of the spirits; his fame faded away, and the things of this world were but temporary lodgings. He honored Xuanyuan (the Mysterious Origin of the Dao, the Way), and later ruled over all under heaven. The High Ancestor raised his army at Fengxiang and marched east toward Jinyang; the Great Ancestor, seasoned by campaigns, advanced swiftly into the land of Qin. Mount Dragon Horn is an immortal capital, and the royal army set out in full array. The sage's form appeared in the world, and the words of the spirits issued from the formless. Clad in garments of jade and riding a chariot adorned with gems, he delivered to the emperor the auspicious signs of Heaven's mandate. The power of the divine protects us, and by it the people have found peace and renewal.

Thereupon a hall of purity and stillness was built, secluded and tranquil. The assembled immortals halted their processions, and auspicious clouds rose in their wake, swirling and gathering, once more revealing a propitious sign and blessing the wise sovereign. In the courtyard stand parasol trees, and fruit trees from distant lands have sent their graceful branches; before the gate are roots from which the boughs grow ever more luxuriant. Reflecting on my own slight virtue, I have yet received the protection of the spirits. I recite the Daoist scriptures and pray that the spirits will hear; may the radiance of the five Sage Ancestors be carried on, and may the Three Spirits (of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity) together govern the affairs of the world. I humbly beg to follow the teachings, that Heavenly De (Virtue) may be made manifest and the world be at peace.

The Great Dao profoundly shelters all things, and with deep compassion it draws in all beings. Where does the path of the heart toward the Great Dao begin? Words can hardly serve as a bridge to reach it. The transformations of the Dao leave responses and traces in the world, yet the divine shows no visible form.

In the seventeenth year of the Kaiyuan era (729 CE), the year jisi. The first day of the ninth month was a jichou day, and on the third day, a xinmao day, this stele was erected.

On the fifth day of the seventh month in the second year of Xiantian of the Great Tang (713 CE), the Daoist priest Yang Taixi, who had been commissioned by imperial edict to oversee the casting of dragon tablets (Tou Long) and the performance of meritorious rites, respectfully delivered to this temple the ritual vestments bestowed upon the Mysterious Primordial Emperor (Xuanyuan Huangdi, the Daoist honorific for Laozi).

There they held a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and practiced the Dao (the Way) for five days before returning. They set out offerings including the multicolored pledges of the five directions, texts of the devotees' destiny, silks, coins, and bolts of fine fabric. They also reverently fashioned a statue of the Celestial Worthy of the Golden Gate, dedicated to the Retired Emperor, and a statue of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, dedicated to the reigning Emperor. In addition, they made statues of two Perfected Ones to serve as attendants, along with likenesses of the two princesses, Jinxian and Yuzhen, depicted as disciples.

The statues glowed with a radiant bearing, as if lit by starlight; their colors were auspicious and solemn, as though greeting the arrival of purple qi (vital energy). The sculpting was exquisite and the forms lifelike, showing both the spirit of dragons and the demeanor of honored guests.

Through these works, they prayed to express their loyalty and to seek protection from the unseen realm. They hoped that immortals would descend, so that the one for whom the prayers were offered might be ranked above the four great honored positions, hold the celestial tallies of authority, and enjoy the highest favor the Three Palaces could bestow. They also wished that, after the passage of vast kalpas, all beings might depart forever from the root of sentient rebirth and dwell always in the free and unhindered state of Wuwei (non-action).

The edict of Emperor Minghuang of the Tang was issued at the Qingtang Temple.

Heaven and Earth nurture the myriad things with profound De (Virtue), and the sage protects the multitude of people with the most precious virtuous conduct. In ancient times, one who received the mandate to rule as sovereign was said to inherit the Mandate of Heaven and to continue the order of the Dao (the Way). Is it without reason that I understand how the Mandate of Heaven may pass from one house to another? If the great Dao is not revered, the Mandate cannot be preserved for long. Heaven truly watches over you; on what grounds, then, would the people support their ruler? I often reflect on whether the people accord with the way Heaven and Earth cover and sustain all things, precisely because I understand that the transfer of the Mandate has its causes.

Fuxi, Shennong, the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun: some punished people without abusing penalties, while others transformed the people through teaching without resorting to punishment. How were they able to reach such a state? I have held the realm for more than twenty years. Even now, though I cannot yet encourage obedience to the law merely by drawing designs on clothing, I have at least never executed a criminal in the marketplace. Yet governance still has its flaws, and customs grow more frivolous by the day. This is probably because those who govern have not yet returned in their hearts to the root.

Do people not wish to treat their parents and brothers well, or want food and clothing? Yet in the end, some bear the name of being unfilial and lacking in fraternal respect, and others fall into hardship over food and clothing. Why is this? Probably because they have never heard fitting instruction and do not understand what is good. Some rely on a little cleverness to mock the correct Way, and others, seeing a small profit, seek it by any means. Pursued far enough, such conduct leads to a dead end, then to the use of violence to settle matters, and finally to punishment and disgrace for oneself and the ruin of one's family. The foolish and reckless often end up in lawsuits and prisons because of this. It is truly lamentable, and the cause lies in teaching that has not been made clear enough.

Punishment is a measure to be used only when there is no alternative. All the people under Heaven are my children; if I can sincerely explain the principles to them, they may come to know where to turn, without being compelled by force. In governing the realm, benevolence and forgiveness should come first; will the people not then submit willingly? Do the principles of the Five Constants (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness) require deep learning to be followed? When relatives live in harmony, why should they need to be told again and again? Everyone should naturally strive to practice these things, in response to the court's hopes. To let punishments lie unused: the principle lies here.

Now the new year is auspicious, and the season of welcoming spring Qi (vital energy) has just begun. We should reverently follow the Mandate of Heaven and not go against the seasonal rhythms of each month. Local officials should act in accordance with established practice: all animals that are conceiving or breeding, and all plants that are growing, are to be treated with care and not cut down or harmed, lest they perish before their time. Soils differ from place to place, and farming has its own seasons in each; gathering the people for labor projects delays the farming season and damages agriculture, and this should be especially forbidden, in order to assist spring plowing. As for households with members stationed at frontier garrisons, or those who are orphaned, alone, or unruly, though all things have now met the warm and gentle Yang qi, they remain solitary and sorrowful, which is truly pitiable; the relevant offices should be ordered to offer care and relief as circumstances require.

Without benevolence, one cannot be a good official; without understanding the great Dao, one cannot govern with a devoted heart. Therefore the Dao is the gateway to many subtle principles, and the heart-mind is the root that governs all affairs. One who grasps the essentials can look after and assist the many; one who loses the root cannot even preserve oneself. Thus my ancestor, the Emperor of Primordial Origin (Xuanyuan Huangdi, that is, Laozi), composed the five-thousand-character Daodejing (Dao De Jing), which sets forth true principle and its subtle workings. Yet officeholders neither study nor learn it, nor devote themselves to governing through purity, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action). They hope instead that government and teaching will be pure and fine, and that the realm will attain the simplicity of high antiquity. How could that be possible?

All you officials and ministers should read this carefully, strive to keep a sincere desire to seek the Dao, and deliberate further on how to put it into practice. Calculating small profits, entangling oneself in trivial paperwork, and using the implementation of policy to win a reputation will all lead people farther from the great Dao; going against the harmony of Heaven will bring the people's resentment. I deeply detest such practices and cannot accept them. Let everyone devote their whole effort to promoting together the transforming influence of the profound Dao, so that the people may enjoy benevolence, virtue, and long life, and the realm may return to simplicity. This is not far beyond reach; it can be achieved simply by practicing it.

Scholars and common households alike should be ordered to keep a copy of the Laozi, and be encouraged to study and recite it so that they understand its main points. Each year, when officials are selected through the civil service examinations, one or two policy questions on the Laozi should be added, as appropriate, alongside the questions on the Shangshu (Book of Documents) and other classics, so that people will honor the root of the Dao and the wellspring of moral transformation will be enriched. I treat others with sincerity in issuing these instructions, and I will certainly test them in actual governance; they are by no means empty words. This edict, too, should be kept by every household, and people should reflect on it from time to time in order to understand my intention.

On the first day of the first month of the twenty-first year of the Kaiyuan era, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang once again issued an edict to the Temple of Taishang Laojun (a Daoist temple dedicated to the Supreme Venerable Lord Lao).

One who does not depart from the subtle principle, nor turn away from what is real, who takes Heaven as the root and the Dao (the Way) as the gateway, and who manifests within the transformations of all things, is called a sage. My ancestor, the Supreme Emperor of Mysterious Origin (the title by which the Tang dynasty honored Laozi), once followed such a principle.

When Heaven first took form, it was matched with the divine powers, receiving the sacrifices of Heaven and Earth and nourishing the myriad things. An emperor who receives the mandate to govern the realm should honor teachers and revere the Dao, and promote the "Great One" (the fundamental principle that governs all existence), extending his grace to the four seas. He does not proclaim the benefits he brings, yet his virtuous teaching reaches the myriad people; nor does he boast of his merit, but lets it remain hidden and unseen.

Laozi calmly kept the archives beneath the pillar, and later journeyed to the land of the Flowing Sands, leaving behind there the courtesy due to a guest. This shows precisely that the marvelous Dao has no fixed place, and the Dao has no fixed form, yet it can be manifested in the workings of emptiness, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action).

If one wishes a stream to flow long, one must carefully guard its source; if one wishes the foundation to be firm, one must sink the roots deep. How admirable! In this way a legacy can be established for later generations, the achievements of our ancestors made to flourish, and the vast Way of the Mean made to shine ever brighter. Is it that the Mysterious Heaven favors my great Tang? In truth, it is that the Emperor of Mysterious Origin accumulated broad virtue. Is it, then, because the Emperor of Mysterious Origin accepted the veneration of the Tang that this came about? The root lies in the fact that the Dao of Mysterious Origin can abide within the human heart.

For this reason, the sage rulers of successive generations have continued to spread its brilliance, making the fortunes of the state ever more prosperous. Their great teaching has gradually spread to every quarter, and their sincere virtue has flowed widely through the myriad states, so that the undertakings between Heaven and Earth have been able to flourish and be established. I, a latecomer who inherits the achievements of those before me, am reverent and cautious day and night: above, I receive the blessings left by my ancestors; below, I receive the support of the princes, lords, and common people. Though I dwell deep within the palace, I remain watchful and uneasy, as though driving a carriage with rotten reins.

I consider that the Daodejing (Jing, the classic of the Way and its Virtue) is the root of all the schools' writings, and that the Dao of purity and stillness is the source of the transformations of all things. To devote oneself to the root is the key to establishing the standards of a well-governed age; to govern through Wuwei is the path to reaching the realm of Supreme Harmony. Having reverently inherited the enterprise passed down by my ancestors, how dare I forget the teachings they left to their descendants? Therefore, I have long invited learned and accomplished men to discuss and recite the profound and subtle principles, to seek methods for governing the state and cultivating the self, and I have always hoped that what is practiced above would be followed below.

To have all the people of the realm nourished by sincere virtue, to enjoy Supreme Harmony in peace, and to turn their hearts universally toward the Dao: could this be accomplished by one person of meager virtue like myself? It depends on all of you, my ministers in office, working together so that the teaching may flourish. The Book of Documents says: "When the ruler is at peace, the ministers are worthy." It also says: "Ministers are the ruler's aides; when the ministers are worthy, the ruler can be sagely." This is precisely the meaning of ruler and ministers sharing one mind and one virtue in governing the realm together. How is it that, to this very day, order has still not been put right?

In former times, those who wore long hat-strings and purple robes still inclined their hearts toward the Dao, and those with broad brows and high topknots also spoke of changing their customs. Why is it that the great Dao is so difficult to make manifest, and the mysterious principle has so long been lost? The ancients said: "A sovereign governing the world is like one seated within a single hall." This means that so long as ruler and ministers share one mind and one virtue, the teaching can spread in every direction. This truly depends on whether ignorance and confusion can be dispelled and hearts that have turned away from the Dao can be changed. Therefore, in recent years I issued an order that every household should keep a copy of the Daodejing, hoping that once virtue is established, customs will change of themselves, and once the Dao is preserved, it may become daily practice. In this way, as I set forth my ancestor's enterprise and honor the classic of my family, and go out to associate with the people, I will not lose my footing in the world.

The Yijing (Book of Changes) says: "An image is that by which things are imitated." The classic says: "In the deep and obscure there is something subtle." This subtlety within the depths can be sought through images, but cannot be fully explained in words. Therefore, I have examined diagrams, records, and histories, and for every matter concerning the Sage Ancestor's birth, deeds, and whereabouts, I have carefully established images, so as to express their meaning as fully as possible. In doing so, I wish to extend teaching from the household to the state, and spread it from within outward. I hope that those who comprehend the Dao will turn to the right path with faith, and that those who have lost their way will turn back in time, so as not to stray too far from the Dao.

In the twenty-seventh year of the Kaiyuan era (739 CE), the year jimao, the records and histories were examined. Wherever the Sage Ancestor had descended into the world and left traces of his presence, images were boldly set up there to express reverence. The undertaking was to begin in the household and extend to the state, spreading from the center to the four directions. It is hoped that those who understand its principles will all return fully laden, and that those who have lost their way will turn back in time.

In the twenty-seventh year of Kaiyuan, jimao, the first day of the first month was a jiawu day, and the fifteenth was a wushen day.

Pearl Cavern (Zhenzhu Dong)

According to the Illustrated Gazetteer (Tujing), the Pearl Cavern lies beside the southeastern peak of Longjiao Mountain. Its mouth is eight chi wide and forty-eight chi deep, and inside it gradually grows wider and deeper, until its far reaches cannot be measured. Pearls often appeared from within the cavern, and hence it received its name.

In the first year of Xiantian and during the Dali era, envoys were dispatched to make offerings there and to hold a Zhaijiao (purification ritual, an altar ceremony of sacrifice and blessing in Daoism), and a dragon-adorned jade disk was cast into the cavern. In the Tianyou era of the Jin, someone was sent as an envoy to Silla. Upon arriving, the envoy saw that the two treasures once cast into the cavern had both surfaced on the water. After returning to Chang'an, the envoy submitted a memorial and presented the treasures to the court. The sounds of reed organs, flutes, pipes, and chime stones can often be heard within the cavern.

Eulogy for the Golden Cord Retreat at Qingtang Temple (Qingtang Guan Jinlian Zhai Song)

Composed by Cui Mingguang of Boling, Court Gentleman for Consultation, Reminder of the Left, and Attendant in the Inner Court.

In the silent depths, at the very beginning of heaven and earth, the numinous scripture already existed, and the Dao, still undivided in primordial chaos, had already become manifest. What is the "chaotic completion"? It existed before the Celestial Emperor appeared. What is the "numinous text"? It originated in the Longhan era (the remote age of cosmic cycles in Daoist tradition). Through the turning of the five kalpas, the venerable deities in succession presided over the transformations of heaven and earth; the nine kinds of dark Qi (vital energy) each found their proper place, and from this the myriad things arose naturally.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable (Yuanshi Tianzun, a Daoist supreme deity) dwelt in quiet Wuwei (non-action) in the Court of Flowing Fire and cultivated himself in the Hall of Yang Brilliance. Heaven and earth thereby took their positions, and the sun, moon, and stars thereby gave forth light. In the age of Chiming the scriptures and diagrams were opened; in Biluo (the azure heaven) salvation was extended to all; the Dao of Xuanyuan pervaded all existence, and the Great Way spread widely. The true masters established their teaching through Wuwei; even Ni Huang, gazing up at the Dao, could not reach it. Fuxi and Xuanyuan arose as the times required, and Yao and Shun followed the circumstances of their age; all hoped to attain the same transformative teaching, to take as their model the subtle manner of the Dao, and to strive toward the highest good. The Great Dao stands alone above the ages, profound and clear, seeming to exist yet hard to grasp; it dwells before all emperors of past generations, distant and without end.

The sage ancestors carried on the sacred lineage, accorded with the Dao that precedes Heaven, and passed it down to later generations; their descendants enjoyed lasting blessings, and the source and the stream were never cut off. The state inherited the work of earlier dynasties and honored the achievements of former worthies; through three generations its virtue (De) was in accord, and down to the sixth generation it still corresponded with the Dao. The Palace of Xuanyuan in Pingyang Commandery (a temple dedicated to Daoist deities) was an auspicious omen of the dynasty's rise. When the dynasty first received the mandate, propitious signs were recorded; marvels began here, and the palace-temple was built because of them. Its story is clearly set down in the national histories. Now that the realm is at peace, the temple is matched with enduring good fortune; the court has added to the solemn and tranquil ancestral temples, undertaken the large-scale construction of the sanctuary, and had the matter engraved on an imperial stele. Taking our Dao as the standard for all under heaven, and this place as the model for all under heaven: who, if not a supreme sage, could have accomplished such things in advance?

The Emperor governed the realm through the Dao of Wuwei, fasted in body and mind, and devoted himself to the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Dao (a Daoist method of practice). In a dream he received a response, and the true likeness of the deity, with topknot and flowing mane, appeared. This both showed the sincerity of a filial descendant and handed down the profound teaching to the ancestors of all generations. In the Kaiyuan years the sacred image was obtained, and in the Tianbao years the numinous talisman was received; great blessings descended once more, and the state flourished as a result. The Daoist teaching also prospered, and its ceremonial institutions became more complete. The court honored the deity with solemn investiture rites, and its dignity had no equal; the divine dragon's radiance shone upon the sacred image, and banners and ceremonial guards honored its imperial rank. Even if one compared it to the odes of the "Hymns of Shang" and the "Odes of Zhou" that praise sage kings, there had never before been anything so grand as now.

This mountain is lofty and beautiful, the place where the divine descend. To the west it faces Mount Guye, and to the north it lies close to Mount Tianzhu; it is the imperial secret repository on the way to the realm of immortals. The main hall is solemn and majestic, the broad courtyard deep and still; the peaks stand ranged left and right, pines interlace to form shade, and the whole setting is serene and far-reaching.

The stone altar rises in tiers of steps, and the ritual precinct is ringed with sacred chanting; secret oral instructions, together with the methods of the Three and Five and the texts of the Dongzhang scriptures, guard this place together. The Three Primes (the Daoist Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water) appear at their appointed times, and each year in the eighth month the deity's birthday is celebrated; on that day rites are performed here, the Golden Register Zhaijiao (purification ritual, held to seek blessings and avert calamity) is established, and the Jade Emperor's seal is invoked. Of the Daoist treasures and imperial ceremonies, those of this place are the most magnificent.

Thereupon the Gate of Qian was opened and the door of Kun unbarred, drawing in the Qi of the vast wilderness and harmonizing the winds of Buzhou, so that the movements of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) ran through all. Gazing up at the constellations, the officiant paces the Dipper's bowl in the Big Dipper; after sunset the Yin Qi grows strong, and by night the vapors of water spread; the Six Jia spirit generals (Daoist guardian deities) lend their aid at the side. Immortal music is played in order, and the feathered ones (Yuren, immortals) advance to the rhythm of the "Pacing the Void"; they pay homage to the Nine Heavens and make offerings to the Five Elders. When one visualizes Gouchen (a celestial star deity), it is as if yellow clouds hung down in cover; when one contemplates Taiyi (a Daoist deity), it is as if white cranes were soaring. The other incense-attending jade youths and message-bearing jade maidens likewise come and go in the wreathing mist across the lofty heavens. Though the traces of these spirits are subtle and hard to see, it seems one might yet respond to them.

The deity guards Huangji (the center of heaven and earth, symbol of the sovereign's seat), harmonizing the four seasons; outwardly it brings ten thousand miles of peace and brings the barbarian peoples to submission, and inwardly it governs through righteousness, so that the people are settled and the harvests abundant. Calamities recede, the fortunes of the state flourish, the myriad things grow and multiply, and the Qi of Yin-Yang is harmonious and vigorous. Wherever the army goes, weapons are put away and war ceases; wherever the numinous officials descend, plague and misfortune disperse. This is because sincerity reaches the upper realms and the divine sends down blessing, and the mandate of Heaven descends, so that the Son of Heaven may endure for ten thousand years.

The temple master Guo Chuji was reverent and diligent, never slackening morning or evening. He received the registers (Fulu) handed down by his teachers, wore the talismanic commissions granted by the spirits of the mountains, personally presided over the Keyi (liturgy), and planned the essentials of the rites. In the sixteenth year of Kaiyuan, the Emperor wrote the name plaque for the temple, and the Palace of Xuanyuan was thereby placed under its jurisdiction. In the twenty-fifth year of Kaiyuan, Guo Chuji submitted a memorial requesting that a Zhaijiao be held, and the Emperor granted it. Thereupon palace envoys and high perfected ones (Gaozhen, immortals who have attained the Dao) came from the royal capital, and imperial edicts and secret decrees were sent from the court. The feudal lords arrived with reverence, the officials of prefectures and counties took part in the rites, and the dilapidated walls and beams were repaired; the divine images and scriptures (Jing) were made new again, vermilion bright and gold gleaming. Everything that was built has been completed, to the benefit of long-lasting protection and transmission.

The Prefect Pei Tiao and his subordinates all took the Dao as their conviction and revered Daoism, and this devotion was reflected in their governance as well. They upheld the principle of rest and recuperation and of seeking blessings, and together with the people of the temple they followed the Dao of the Supreme Ultimate, embodying naturalness. All remained tranquil in the profound and harmonious Qi, and simple and joyful in the Way of great accord.

I once served as an assistant official in Fenyi and saw these sacred traces with my own eyes. I reluctantly call it the "source of the Dao," and use this to describe that True Sovereign (the true deity who governs all things). The deity's attendants are hidden in the shadows, yet can discern all things; through Xiangwang (an ancient allegorical figure who, without intention or form, attained the Dao), people come to understand the Great Dao. And so I have composed this poem:

The "Lineage of the Three Blacks" venerates Xuanyuanshi, the Daoist honorific for the Dao (the Way). In the bingwu year of Zhuling, the Chiming era began from this source. The Supreme Lord of the Dao was born into the line of the Hong clan, and it is precisely our Li clan that accords with the Heavenly Way and whose De (Virtue) matches Heaven and Earth. At the beginning of the Li clan's fortune, the mandate of Heaven and its auspicious omens passed to the Tang dynasty. All lands under heaven came under its rule, and when the throne passed to the sixth generation, the nation's fortunes flourished once more. The Tang receives the Heavenly Treasure (Tianbao), and its blessings and longevity are without end.

The sovereign calculates the cycles of the calendar and examines the calendar of the Primal Yang. Within the empty stillness and mystery, subtle principle naturally dwells. Countless beings flourish and gather, holding treasure in their mouths. Go to meet it, and you cannot see it ahead of you. Follow after it, and you cannot see it behind you. Though external things change, my Dao-method endures all the longer.

Mount Longjiao rises high, and miraculous events began to arise from this place. An immortal palace was then built, becoming a dwelling in the realm of the Pure Capital. The grotto-heavens stretch far and wide, set apart from the mortal world. The great Dao looks down upon the lower realm and reveals its majesty. The secret instructions of the Golden Registers and the profound words transmitted from the Jade Capital all gather here. Ascending the altar and performing the rites is the guiding principle of all the many methods. The Sage Ancestor left behind admonitions to instruct his filial descendants for all time. Now the mandate is conferred here, so that the people of the world may enjoy lasting peace, and so that future generations may prosper and great blessings endure.

These words are carved in stone and presented to the Most Honored One. The Heavenly Treasure shines forth: the secret instructions of the Golden Registers and the profound words of the Jade Capital, the rites of ascending the altar and the gateways of the many methods are all admonitions handed down by the Sage Ancestor, forever counseling his filial descendants. May the mandate be received here, may the people be kept in peace forever, may later generations prosper, and may blessings endure.

In the second year of Tianbao, the guiwei year, in the tenth month, with bingyin as the first day of the month, on the fifteenth day, gengchen, the Lower Origin Zhaijiao (the Daoist purification ritual held on the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month) was performed. Recorded in commemoration of auspicious omens.

In the third year of the Emperor's reign, on the eighteenth day of the third month of spring, Li Huan fasted, bathed, and purified himself with great reverence before coming to Qingtang Temple (Qingtang Guan) on Shenshan Mountain to offer sacrifice to the Sage Ancestor, Emperor Xuanyuan (the Daoist honorific for Laozi). Li Huan held the offices of Commissioner of Military Training and Surveillance Commissioner for Jin, Ci, and the neighboring prefectures, Acting Palace Attendant of the Left, and concurrently Censor-in-Chief, and had been awarded the purple robe and gold fish pouch.

When the sacrifice was complete, Li Huan went on to pay respects at the true temples (shrines housing the images of emperors) of the six sage emperors: Gaozu, Taizong, Gaozong, Zhongzong, Ruizong, and Xuanzong. Auspicious signs of divine response appeared during the rites, and a propitious radiance lit heaven and earth. Li Huan then climbed Dragon Horn Peak and came to Huachi and Linling. Gazing far across the green mountains, they saw an auspicious parasol tree (ruiwu, a tree of good omen) of striking form, and examined closely how the kudzu vines had spread and grown. The vines twisted and intertwined in the shape of dragons and phoenixes and hung down in the temple courtyard. Later they put forth new shoots, as if foretelling that the fortunes of the sacred dynasty could last a million years.

Heaven's will surely causes trees to grow lush and tall with firm roots, so that they flourish long and never wither. In the third month of the fourteenth year of the Dali era (779), a branch had grown here and was already entered in the registers. In the third month of this year, another branch appeared. From this we can know that the span of the realm's prosperity is too long to measure, and that the auspicious omens of the sovereign naturally accord with the Dao of Heaven and the scriptures (Jing).

Li Huan, a member of the imperial clan and now a regional inspecting official, heard of this miraculous event and could not rest easy. Li Huan first chose an auspicious day to bow and offer prayers before the sacred images. Afterward, together with the Army Supervisor Wu Zaihe, Zhang Lingwan, the Left Divine Strategy Army Supervisor of Iron Smelting, and others, Li Huan inspected the height of the planted trees and the length of the kudzu vines. Craftsmen were ordered to draw their forms, and a detailed report was submitted to the court. The matter was also carved on the back of the stele so that it might be handed down for ages.

"Inscription and Preface for the Qingtang Temple Stele"

Composed by Han Wang, Aspirant Gentleman and Acting Magistrate of Shenshan County.

Note: In the original text, the passage from "Huan's humble sense of duty" to "naturally accords with the profound scriptures" appears twice; the translation presents it only once, in merged form.

The Dao (the Way) is the root of all things, and the myriad things are like children born from it. They take form within the primordial Qi (vital energy); the Dao embraces this original Qi and causes the chaotic Qi to divide and separate. The Dao existed before Heaven and Earth, endowing all things with their pure nature and bringing Yin-Yang into harmony. Thus Heaven is clear through the Dao, Earth is at peace through the Dao, spirits (Shen) are efficacious through the Dao, valleys are full through the Dao, and kings are able to govern the world through the Dao.

If the true Dao were obscured, the forms of all things could not appear: Heaven would not display the sun, moon, and stars; Earth would not form its mountains, rivers, and hollows; the spirits would hide and vanish; and human beings would close off their nature and lose their feelings. The Dao penetrates everything and lacks nothing. It can enfold Heaven and Earth, yet its reality cannot be seen; it can hold the most minute things, yet does not seem small. It cannot be seen with the eyes, nor surmised by intellect alone. The Dao itself has no fixed form; the forms of all things are its form. It has no fixed name; the names of all things are its name. To call it "being" is wrong, for it is not a material object; to call it "non-being" is also wrong, for it has not wholly vanished but changes without rest.

Being arises from non-being, and non-being in turn takes being as its foundation. Being and non-being interpenetrate as one and dwell within all things. From this the subtlety of the Dao and the source of the myriad things can be seen. Hence it is said: "There was something formed from chaos, born before Heaven and Earth. Silent and empty, standing alone and unchanging, it revolves without ceasing." From this we know that humans model themselves on Earth, Earth on Heaven, Heaven on the Dao, and the Dao on what is natural; between Heaven and Earth, the Dao is most fundamental.

Laozi once held office under the Zhou, and his descendants continued into the Han and Wei periods. He met Confucius, who sighed that he was like a dragon, unfathomable in depth. Sima Qian later withdrew to live as a recluse. Their deeds are recorded in the histories and classics. After Confucius died, the Way of ritual and music gradually declined; after Laozi left riding his black ox, the teachings on the Dao and De (Virtue/Power) gradually faded. Afterward, various doctrines arose and contended for the world. The claims of the followers of Yang Zhu and Mozi blocked the true Way and turned away from benevolence and righteousness, while the allegorical teachings of Zhuangzi and Liezi for a time flourished. Yet people failed to understand that Confucius and Laozi revealed the essential meaning of the Six Classics and the profundity of the Daodejing (Dao De Jing), setting standards for the world that encompass Heaven and Earth.

The meaning of the Six Classics is upright and clear; the principle of the Dao and De is gentle and complete. Being upright, it makes fathers and sons close and rulers and ministers orderly, makes ritual and music manifest, and makes punishments and rewards fitting. Being gentle, it makes the human heart empty and still and the spirit clear, restraining evil thoughts and establishing good conduct. Therefore, to govern a state and bring peace to its people, one should embrace sincerity, remove falsehood, and establish standards of rule, so that the people may live in peace and long life. No one has ever achieved these aims while discarding Confucian learning and abandoning the Way of the Daoists.

In later ages, customs grew ever more corrupt, the sages and worthies receded far into the past, and people could not carry forward their teachings but merely spread their fame in empty fashion. Some then esteemed the abstruse and sought to ascend as immortals, donning the garb of Daoist priests and calling themselves Daoists. Believers grew more numerous day by day, temples and abbeys flourished, and statues and paintings were made; together with Buddhism, they spread and prospered in China, a state of affairs of long standing.

In former times, when the Sui dynasty took the realm, Emperor Yang of Sui could not secure its foundations. He campaigned in Liaodong, toured the Huai region, and conscripted the people at will. The world's people could not live, resentment sank into their very bones, and uprisings arose everywhere. Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, rose to rescue the suffering people and raised his banner at Taiyuan, and the call of righteousness spread in all directions. Although he won the people's hearts, rival regional powers remained, and to whom the realm would belong was not yet known.

In the third year of Wude (620 CE), Ji Shanxing of the Jin region saw an old man in white robes at Yangjiao Mountain. His beard and hair were entirely white, he rode a white horse with a red mane, and his bearing was most majestic; two youths in blue attended at his side. He said to Ji Shanxing: "Tell the Son of Heaven of the Tang for me: I am Laojun (Lord Lao), and I am your ancestor. After you pacify the rebellion, you will become emperor, the world will be at peace, and your dynasty's fortunes will be long." Emperor Taizong of Tang sent the envoy Du Ang to offer sacrifice. Soon afterward the divine being appeared again and said to Du Ang: "Go back and tell the Son of Heaven that I neither eat nor drink; why trouble yourselves with sacrifices?" Having spoken, he suddenly vanished. Taizong found this extraordinary and built a temple on the spot, and changed the county name, formerly called "Fushan" and "Yangjiao," to its present name.

In the first year of Qianfeng (666 CE), Emperor Gaozong of Tang posthumously honored Laojun as "Supreme Emperor of Mysterious Origin" (Taishang Xuanyuan Huangdi). Later, the virtue of Earth declined and the virtue of Wood arose; Zhu Liang of the Liang usurped the Tang throne, usurpation and regicide followed one upon another, and none of the dynasties' fortunes lasted long. Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang rose from Bingzhou and restored the old Tang enterprise. In the temples and abbeys of Bozhou, withered trees flourished again, and the Tang's miraculous traces appeared repeatedly; the auspicious omens of successive ages are all recorded in the national histories.

After the Shi Jin and Liu Han, the various powers were busy with warfare and claiming kingship, and had no leisure to attend to the temples and abbeys of Yangjiao Mountain. The site was remote and the mountains distant, and lay on the southern border of the Jin region; the authorities supplied no building materials, and the people lacked the strength to provide labor. The abbey thus gradually decayed on its old foundations. Earlier, from Emperor Gaozu Shenyao of the Li-Tang down to Xuanzong, portraits of six emperors had been painted and enshrined in the main hall of the Three Sovereigns, flanked by images of the Three Sovereigns. As the years passed, the colors of the paintings faded; although the Daoist community gathered there, they were unable to restore them.

At that time, the abbey's supervisor, the Daoist Liang Zhizhen, did not drift along with the customs of the age. He held grand aspirations, abandoned desires, and sought the deep and mysterious Dao. He believed that to correct the branches one must first set the root right, and that to honor the sages one must honor the sages' teachings. People of the time could neither embody the great Dao nor follow it, yet all gazed up at the divine images with reverence. If the abbey were not repaired, how could visitors from all quarters be convinced, and how could the profound and far-reaching spirit of Daoism be promoted?

In the spring of the first year of Jingde (1004 CE), Liang Zhizhen went to the capital and presented a memorial at court, explaining the origins of the founding of the Tang and the auspicious sign of Laojun's manifestation. He requested that the old abbey be restored and the sacrifices to the divine be revived, holding that this task should be accomplished in the present enlightened age. The emperor upheld the great Dao and governed the state according to it; he sought instruction on the Dao from Guangchengzi of Mount Kongtong, and admired the serene purity of the divine beings of Mount Guye. He reduced forced labor and journeys so that fields could be cultivated, and governed the state as one cooks a small fish, without stirring and disturbing it. He took the benefit of all things as his own benefit and the wishes of the people as his own wishes; living in an age that accorded with the Dao, it was fitting that he promote the teaching of governing through Wuwei (non-action). The emperor approved the request and ordered the Secretariat to issue an edict to Jinzhou to rebuild the old halls and restore the dignity of the shrines.

After the craftsmen had gathered and work had begun, the project was not yet complete. At dawn on the twenty-fifth day of the second month of the second year of Jingde, mist filled the air and clouds billowed; auspicious Qi filled all directions, the empty mountain was silent, as though something were descending. Soon the sky cleared and opened wide; on the Jiaotan (the altar ground where Daoist ritual is performed) a tall tree appeared, of elegant and ancient form, with luxuriant branches and leaves arranged in sixteen rows. On the tree hung medicinal fruits like fine jade and blossoms like pearls, with dew so clear it could be cupped in the hands, sweet in taste as malt syrup. This auspicious sign surpassed the miraculous scenes of Mount Sanwei, and its bright, clear radiance could not be dried even by sunlight. Everyone saw it with their own eyes and considered it most marvelous. The locality reported it to the prefecture, which sent officials to verify the matter. From first appearance to the end, the omen lasted eight days without dispersing. The prefecture made drawings and submitted them to the court.

I once heard it said: "The Dao that can be spoken is not the constant Dao; the name that can be named is not the constant name. The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of the myriad things." The ancients also said that the cosmos passed through the stages of Taiyi, Taichu, Taishi, and Taisu: in Taiyi, Qi is not yet visible; Taichu is the beginning of Qi; Taishi is the beginning of form; Taisu is the beginning of substance. Laozi used this to illuminate the principle of the origin of all things. If one can seek the great Dao, constantly observing its mystery in freedom from desire and its manifestations in the presence of desire, one can penetrate the profound and perceive the subtle, transcend outward appearances, and let the spirit (Shen) transform without limit, unconstrained by fixed forms.

Formerly Laojun foretold peace to the Tang; now he has sent down auspicious signs like sweet dew to the Song. Had the time not been right and the ruler not wise, who could have made the response of the spirits so manifest?

Wang, who in the spring of the second year of Jingde passed the examination at the Imperial Academy with a top-tier ranking, on first taking office was posted as magistrate of his home county. Receiving orders from the prefecture and following the imperial edict, he supervised the craftsmen and the people in building three halls: the Xuanyuan Hall, the Sanqing (Three Pure Ones) Hall, and the Sanhuang (Three Sovereigns) Hall. After the work was completed, he never had an opportunity to record the matter. In the first year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1008 CE), he left his post as magistrate and was about to go to the Ministry of Personnel to await reassignment. Liang Zhizhen erected a stele in the abbey and asked him to compose the inscription. Though he declined repeatedly, he could not excuse himself, and so he narrated the events as they happened and composed an inscription for them.

The Dao is the true root that truly exists between Heaven and Earth, yet it can only be reluctantly called by the name "Dao" (the Way). It was born before Heaven and Earth, vast and formless, still and soundless; neither bright nor dark, subtle and profound. Who has ever sought out the meaning of this mystery? Laozi, the Archivist Beneath the Pillar of the Zhou dynasty, was such a person. He perceived that the Dao existed before the Celestial Emperor, and understood that the Valley Spirit (the Dao, empty like a mountain valley yet able to nourish all things) never perishes. In putting the great Dao to use, one must let it be empty so that it can contain, and let it be non-acting (Wuwei) so that it can be of use, while casting aside the distractions of external things and taking the Dao as one's model.

When the Sui dynasty declined and the Tang flourished, Laozi's teaching of Dao and De (Virtue/Power) was thereby brought to prominence. Laozi never went beyond the Hangu Pass, yet he left behind the Daodejing (Jing, scripture), telling the world of the mandate he had received. The Tang's fortunes lasted long, and its descendants enjoyed blessings as well. People solemnly built a shrine on the mountaintop to make offerings to him; after the Tang fell, the sacrifices gradually lapsed into neglect. The teaching of Dao and De fell silent and unheard, and only the pines and parasol trees rustled desolately in the wind. Now, who will restore this shrine? It happens to be an age of sage rule. The wise ruler of the present dynasty has perceived the great Dao, and so the nation's fortunes prosper; he has ordered the dilapidated halls repaired, so that Daoism may flourish anew. How is this auspicious response made manifest? Sweet dew has descended, before which even precious jade seems inferior.

Zhizhen (a personal name), a disciple of the Daoist order, has always served the Dao with devotion and tireless diligence. Looking up toward the Cinnabar Terrace (a Daoist realm of immortals, or the dwelling place of divine beings), he presented a memorial to the Purple Court (the emperor's residence, here meaning the imperial court), resolving that the halls must be repaired within that very year, so that later generations would not let them fall into ruin.

The preceding passage appears again in the original text: "Zhizhen, a disciple of the Daoist order... so that later generations would not let them fall into ruin."

In the first year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era, the year wushen, on the second day of the fourth month, construction began.

Record of the Restoration of the Hall of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing)

Tianshengguan (a Daoist temple) is the place where the Sage Ancestor of the Tang dynasty descended and manifested his presence. Its site is majestic, foremost in all of Hedong. Within the temple stand three tall halls, arranged one behind the other: the first enshrines Laozi, the second the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), and the third the Three Sovereigns, with the Six Emperors attending at their sides.

From the Tang to the Song, a great deal of time passed. The halls were worn down by wind and rain, their roofs collapsed, their painted decoration flaked away, and they fell into severe disrepair, losing their dignified and orderly appearance. The surrounding walls were broken and open on every side, and the courtyards were overgrown with weeds, with cattle and sheep grazing nearby, so that nothing remained of a solemn and reverent atmosphere. The Daoist priests lived scattered apart, each going his own way and eating his own meals, which badly damaged the order of the community. The temple had received a good deal of land but paid very little in taxes, and over the years all manner of abuses had accumulated.

When the county magistrate, Lord Gongsun, came to Kexia to perform sacrifices, he saw that the temple lay abandoned and in ruins. Moved, he ordered work to begin, repairing what was damaged and correcting the long-standing abuses, until the temple was made new. After the restoration, the halls rose high, and their pillars were painted in red, blue, and other colors; where there had once been decay and disorder, there was now grandeur and neatness. Walls and moats were built around the temple, and the weeds and filth were cleared away; where there had been squalor and disarray, solemnity and purity were restored. The dining hall and kitchen were also repaired so that the priests could eat together, and a Dao hall was opened so that they could live together. The problems that had harmed the order of the Daoist community were thus resolved. The annual income increased, and returns multiplied several times over, so that the abuses accumulated over the years were eliminated.

The priests then said to one another: "Lord Gongsun is truly a wise and worthy man! He has restored our temple, set our fellowship in order, and brought benefit to all. He has also supported our religious community, so that passersby feel reverence, those who enter feel awe, and sincere admiration is stirred among people from every quarter. How could his merit be small? That our Daoism, after its decline, has flourished again truly began with Lord Gongsun. Now that this work is complete, it must not go unrecorded." And so they asked someone to write this text.

Recorded on the fifteenth day of the sixth month of the first year of the Zhenghe era.

"Record of the Restoration of the Hall of the Marquis of Jiaorun"

Composed by Wang Jianzhong, Jinshi (holder of the advanced scholar degree).

It is said that in recent times the titles of the divine spirits have been changed repeatedly, and their enfeoffed ranks have continued to rise. At first the spirit was enfeoffed as "Yi," later renamed "Huachi"; afterward it was changed again to "Xianshi"... (The original text is incomplete from this point, so the remainder cannot be fully translated.)

Record of the Restoration of the Hall of the Marquis Jiarun

It is said that in recent times the divine title of this deity has been changed several times, and that the deity was gradually raised to the rank of marquis. At first it was called "Huachi" (Flowering Pool), later renamed "Xianshi" (Manifest Bestowal), and then changed again to "Jiarun" (Excellent Moisture). These three names refer to one and the same deity; only the titles differ.

The spiritual Qi (vital energy) of the deity dwells at the mountain's summit, where the peaks rise steeply, a deep pool is nourished by a spring, and cloud-dragons lie hidden within. When the mountain shakes and its parts resound against one another, it is a sign that the sacred water is about to well up. In every year of drought, people from all around come to pray for water; so long as their hearts are sincere, sweet rain descends and gives them abundant rainfall. Those near and far who receive the blessing of this rain, then, are by no means limited to a single locality.

I saw that the foundations of the shrine were cramped, and that its beams and halls had fallen into ruin. Who would take charge of rebuilding it? Thereupon Li Yin of Nanli Village and Chen Sigong of Upper Dong Village together made a vow and sincerely solicited contributions for its construction. They deliberated and, since the pool lay right against the steps of the hall, moved the deity's seat back more than a zhang (about three meters), built an incense pavilion in front of the hall, and laid new foundations behind it. They summoned artisans and gathered timber, and before long the magnificent hall was complete.

At dawn on the Zhongyuan Festival (the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, an important day for Daoist Zhaijiao, or purification rituals) of that year, they held a ceremony in the hall to announce its completion. Afterward they went to the Daoist temple to invite the Daoist community, solemnly prepared an incense banquet, and gathered the villagers who had contributed their labor to celebrate together. I too went to watch that day, and having been entrusted beforehand with the task, I wrote this record to set down the events and have it engraved on a stone stele so that it may be handed down for a long time.

Erected on the Zhongyuan Festival of the eleventh year of Tianhui.

Record of the Restoration of the Hall of the Marquis Jiarun at Huachi

Composed by Tian Wei, Provincial Tribute Scholar (xiangong jinshi).

Since antiquity, the miraculous events in the famous mountains and grotto abodes of every region, and the manifestations by which the spirits of Heaven and Earth have appeared in the world and brought blessings to the people, have been recorded in the sacrificial canons. People make offerings at the proper seasons to honor these spirits.

Thirty li south of this county stands Longjiao Mountain (Dragon Horn Mountain), formerly called Yangjiao Mountain (Sheep Horn Mountain) and renamed in the Tang dynasty. It has two peaks: the eastern is called Huachi Peak (Flowery Pool Peak), and the western is called Jiangjun Peak (General Peak). Their names are recorded in the local gazetteers and have been handed down for a long time, though their origins can no longer be traced. The mountain spirit has shown its power on many occasions and has bestowed great kindness on the people, too many instances to recount in full.

In the early Wude era of Emperor Gaozu of the Tang, Taishang Laojun (the Supreme Elder Lord, one of the highest deities revered in Daoism) appeared beside a sweet pear tree in front of Longjiao Mountain. There he met Ji Shanxing, a native of Quwo, and told him to report the matter to the Tang emperor. After Ji Shanxing went to the capital and made his report, Emperor Gaozu was delighted and had a Daoist temple built in front of the mountain, naming it "Qingtang Guan" (Temple Celebrating the Tang).

At that time, Emperor Taizong of the Tang was commanding troops in Jiangzhou, and he sent Du Ang to make offerings at the place of the manifestation. Taishang Laojun appeared again and said to Du Ang, "I neither drink nor eat. Why sacrifice to me?" The local residents concluded that any place where Taishang Laojun had revealed his true form must be a grotto-heaven and blessed land, and so they revered the spirits of the mountain all the more.

The eastern peak is called Huachi because a pool lies on its summit, so deep and secluded that its depths cannot be fathomed. It is said that a dragon spirit dwells hidden within. In the pool there is a stone that is ordinarily dry and without water. When drought strikes, the villagers go to the edge of the pool to pray. Even when the pool has gone dry, the stone moistens of its own accord and brings forth water. People call this the "Sacred Water of Huachi" and respectfully draw it for their offerings. It is said that prayers were often answered, and that rain would fall after the water was drawn, so poets called it the "Spring That Relieves Drought."

The local residents, devout in their reverence for the spirit and their offerings of the pool's water, built a hall over the pool and called it "Huachi Hall." From the Tang through the Five Dynasties and down to the Song, prayers were often answered. The Song court bestowed upon the spirit the title "Xianshi Zhenren" (Perfected Being of Manifest Bestowal) and later added the enfeoffment "Marquis Jiarun" (Marquis of Gracious Moisture). These titles all refer to the spirit on whom the sacred water of Huachi depends.

After many years without repair, Huachi Hall fell into disrepair and was no longer fit for the enshrinement of the spirit. In the Guiyou year, the villager Li Yin took the initiative, and together with Li Ge and Chen Sigong he gathered the local people, enlarged the foundation, added an incense pavilion, and restored the hall. It was a worthy undertaking.

On the fourteenth day of the third month of the Wuchen year, the hall was suddenly destroyed by fire from Heaven and reduced entirely to ashes, and the residents were all grieved. Afterward, Li Yin, the former weina (a person who manages affairs at a temple and helps organize construction), again led Zheng Xi, Chen Jian, and Li Ge, together with the Daoist priests of this temple, Yan Zimei, Dong Maohua, Guo Maozhao, Chen Weifu, Chen Weisu, Qiu Weining, Cui Ziyuan, and Cui Jushi, in sincere deliberation. They agreed that the spirit of Huachi had shown its power in the world and brought blessings to the people, and that the images and the hall must be rebuilt without delay. They therefore gathered the villagers once more, raised the materials needed for construction, and hired craftsmen to rebuild. The work was soon completed and the hall was made splendidly new, truly a good deed.

The weina Li Yin led the people in building and repairing the hall many times, and his contribution was considerable; the other weina, too, all lent their efforts. Yet after the work was done, these merits were never recorded in detail. If they are not carved in stone, the story of the construction will not be handed down to later generations.

In the mid-spring of the Dingchou year, I passed by the temple on business and gave a lecture in front of it. The former weina asked me to write this record. I dared not compose empty praise, and have simply set down what actually happened, to be left for later generations to read, in the hope that these deeds will be long remembered. This record was written on the twentieth day of the mid-autumn month of the Dingchou year.

On the twenty-fourth day of the fourth month in the eleventh year of the Dading era (the xinmao year, 1171 CE), Hao Jing, Registrar of Linfen County and Gentleman for Court Service, reverently prepared incense, tea, wine, and fruit offerings and addressed the spirit of the Marquis of Huachi Jiaorun:

The people are the foundation of the state, and they are also what the spirits depend upon. Without the people, the state cannot protect its altars of soil and grain; without the people, the spirits have no one to make offerings to them. Thus the safety and fortune of the state and of the spirits are both closely bound to the people's wellbeing.

Now, from spring into summer, the rain has persistently failed to fall in its season, and the drought is severe. The wheat of both seasons can no longer be harvested, the autumn sowing has not yet been put into the ground, and the people lack food and clothing. They cry out in hunger, some are about to wander far from home, and some may even perish in the mountain gullies. How could those who govern the people and receive their offerings remain untroubled?

The spirit governs thunder and rain and commands wind and clouds. If your divine power is stirred, living beings in every direction will receive your bounty, the foundation of the state will be made secure, and the spirit will have a lasting support to rely upon. Would this not be of great benefit?

Now, by order of my superiors, I have come respectfully to this shrine to pay homage, serving the spirit with reverence. I humbly beg the spirit to send down sweet rain, so that within three days the rainfall may be abundant. This would be the spirit's grace, the people's hope, and a blessing for the local officials. I respectfully invite the spirit to partake of these offerings.

Sacrificial Text for Giving Thanks for Rain and Returning the Water

Hao Jing respectfully prepares incense and fruit as offerings, and reverently reports to the Perfected Lord of the Huachi (Huachi Zhenjun, a venerated Daoist deity) and the Marquis of Auspicious Moisture (Jiarun Hou, a spirit who governs rainfall): Of late the rains have failed to come in season, and the weather has long been dry. I reverently prayed before the shrine of the spirits, and was granted sweet rain. Within two nights the rain I sought was answered; the land in every direction was fully moistened, the hundred grains were able to grow, and the country was thereby set at peace. The favor bestowed by the spirits is truly abundant. I now once more present the numinous liquid before the shrine to express my gratitude. The rain sought earlier was answered within two nights, the land in all directions was moistened, the hundred grains grew, and the country is at peace; the spirits' grace is truly abundant. I respectfully present the numinous liquid again before the shrine, giving thanks for the divine favor and asking the spirits to look upon it. Please accept these offerings.

Prayer for Rain: Sacrificial Text

Guo Yinxiu and others respectfully prepare incense and fruit as offerings, and reverently report to the Marquis of Auspicious Moisture: The workings of the Great Dao (Dao, the Way) follow no fixed trace, yet sincere supplication can move the spirits. All prayer is meant to reach the hidden realms; surely the spirits know the sincerity of our hearts and will respond with efficacy. Now the heat is fierce and the drought severe, and sweet rain is slow to fall. The people's suffering deepens with each passing day, and we can only look up to the compassionate sages above, asking for their unseen protection. We humbly wish that dark clouds may gather and spread across the distant sky, and that sweet rain may fall far and wide, moistening all that the sun and moon illuminate. May the dust vanish at once and the seedlings revive; may years of famine turn into harvest, and may sickness and plague recede as good fortune arrives. May all living beings in every land receive the blessing of Heaven and the protection of the Dao.

Thanksgiving Liturgy for Rain: Text of Celebration and Gratitude

The divine dragon has sent down blessings, just as the sovereign's auspicious omen foretold; wind and rain have come in their proper season, showing that sincere prayer has been answered. Fortune has turned from hardship to prosperity, as clouds and thunder meet and rain soaks the parched crops, reviving them and washing away the drifting dust. The people's hearts are glad and at ease, the hundred grains grow lush, and the sign of a bountiful harvest is plain to see; with the old afflictions of plague and disaster receding, we know they will not return. The granaries promise to be full, and young and old alike may live in peace and free from worry. And so, in accordance with Daoist liturgy (Keyi, the ritual norms by which Daoists conduct purification and offering rites) and through sacred ceremony, we repay the grace bestowed by the High Perfected (Gaozhen, a respectful title for exalted Daoist deities and immortals). Together we receive this vast blessing, and together we are granted this generous gift.

Prayer for Rain

Why does Heaven send down no words, but only disasters and anomalies to show its warning and rebuke? If people can feel awe because of this and pray sincerely, perhaps calamity may yet be averted. I venture to pour out my sincerity and humbly beg the spirits to listen.

We who must earn a living depend, above all, on grain. If a year's farming is damaged, several mouths go hungry. In recent years droughts have struck one after another, the hundred grains have failed, and hopes for a harvest have been dashed again and again. On what can scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants live? All of us face the worry of poverty and emaciation. Is this not a punishment brought on by accumulated wrongdoing, so that the drought has lasted without rain? We still pray that we may repent and from now on change our hearts.

We have therefore invited the Daoist priests of the temple to try performing the Keyi (liturgy) and ritual codes found in the Daoist scriptures (Jing), in the hope that sweet rain will be granted from the clouds and that those of us who are as ignorant as straw offerings may be forgiven. We pray that gentle rain and favorable winds will nourish the crops across the broad fields, so that people may be joyful and harmonious and together sing the praises of a bountiful year.

Prayer for Snow

Wang Lianghan respectfully prepares clear wine and various offerings to report to the spirit of the General of Huachi (a local guardian deity):

The spirit has protected this region for hundreds and thousands of years. The people know they have someone to rely on, and so their hopes in the spirit run deep. Would the spirit possibly overlook the people?

From the eighth month of last autumn until now, more than one hundred and fifty days have passed without rain or snow. The heavens are parched and the earth is dry, with dust filling the sky. With rain and snow so long in coming, many of the people have fallen ill, and a great many wheat seedlings have withered. Thinking of next summer's harvest, the people are filled with anxiety. Might this be the result of my own poor governance, Wang Lianghan? Or are there unjust cases still awaiting redress? Even if state affairs have been poorly handled and officials have failed in their duties, what fault do the people have?

I earnestly beg the spirit to have compassion for the people and to send down auspicious, timely snow as soon as possible, so that the people may again have hope for a good harvest next year. Then labor service and taxes will be easily managed, and no one will flee; bandits can be quelled, and the people will each live in peace and attend to their work. I beg the spirit to look on this with discernment.

These offerings are respectfully presented.