《周氏冥通记》

Volume One of Records of the Hidden Communications of Master Zhou

The Daoist adept Zhou Ziliang, whose courtesy name was Yuansu, was a disciple of the Maoshan recluse Tao Hongjing. He was originally from Jiqian Village, Duxiang Township, Runan County, Runan Commandery, Yuzhou. Later, he lived as a guest in Qinghua Ward, in the western part of Jiankang, Danyang. His family had been prominent for generations and was well known south of the Yangtze, but in recent generations its fortunes had declined and life had become difficult.

His grandfather, Zhou Wenlang, had been recommended as a scholar and served as Left Attendant in the Kingdom of Jiangxia under the Song dynasty. His biological father, Zhou Yaozong, whose childhood name was Jingang, was Wenlang’s fifth son. He served as a clerk in the commandery and lived separately in Yuyao. He died in the second year of Tianjian, aged thirty-four, and was temporarily buried. Zhou Ziliang was then taken in and raised by his uncle, Zhou Yaoxu. Yaoxu had served as a registrar in his home province and as a deliberations officer in Yangzhou. His mother was Xu Jingguang, a native of Yongjia.

When Xu Jingguang was five months pregnant, she dreamed that all the sacred perfected beings in an immortal realm rose and moved about, surrounding her on every side. Zhou Ziliang was born on the night of the second day of the first month in the fourth year of Jianwu, a dingchou year, at Mingxing Ward in Yuyao. When he was one, his maternal aunt Baoguang took him in and cared for him as if he were her own child. As a boy, Zhou Ziliang was dignified and bright, with a gentle, refined nature. His family had never seen him lose his temper.

At the age of ten, he returned to Yongjia with his adoptive mother. In the seventh year of Tianjian, Tao Hongjing traveled east toward the coastal mountains. On the way, the tide swept his boat along beyond his control, carrying it straight to Dingshan. He later reached Dongyang and had planned to stop in Yongkang. Just then, someone from Yongjia spoke of the beauty of the local mountains and waters. Tao Hongjing crossed Jiaoxi with him and went into the commandery, where he lodged with Lu Xiang, the magistrate of Yongning County. Lu Xiang personally escorted him to rest in the hall of the Celestial Master’s establishment. Zhou Ziliang was then living within the establishment, and the two met there. Looking back on how they came together, it seemed to him that spiritual powers had summoned Tao Hongjing to this mountain.

Zhou Ziliang was twelve at the time. He immediately asked to enter the mountain, resolved to take a master and cultivate the Dao. He studied, in succession, the Record of Immortal Spirits, the Five Thousand Words of Laozi, and the Lord of the Western Peak’s Talisman for Banning Tigers and Leopards. From then on, he devoted himself to duties such as tending incense and lamps in worship.

He loved reading and calligraphy and painting, and applied himself to the various skills others asked him to learn; as a result, he often mastered them as soon as he studied them. Later, he accompanied someone to Nanhuo. After returning to Muliu, he served his teacher from morning until night each day, always with respect and diligence. In the eleventh year, he accompanied his teacher back to Maoling. After that, he received further instruction in the Illustrations of the Five Sacred Peaks and the Inner Writings of the Three Sovereigns.

In the autumn of the twelfth year, his maternal cousins and other relatives came to seek refuge in the mountains. He therefore left his former quarters and moved to a separate lodge in a valley to the west. On the twenty-third day of the fifth month, the summer solstice in the Yiwei year, the fourteenth year, he suddenly fell asleep at midday in the lodge. A long while passed before he awoke and went outside. His aunt did not understand what had happened and pressed him sternly for an explanation. Only then did he give a general account of what he had seen; the full details are recorded elsewhere. For the next forty or fifty days, his behavior seemed very unusual. He often lowered the curtains and shut the door, refusing to let anyone enter. He lived alone, burning incense, and ate only one sheng of honeyed food each day.

The Zhou family had long worshipped popular folk deities. His aunt, uncle, and fellow Daoists feared that a folk deity was falsely claiming to be something else and causing trouble, or that he had been infected by an evil influence, so they questioned him repeatedly. He answered only, “Perhaps they were just absurd dreams. I don’t know what they really were, and that has left me worried, so I wanted to keep outsiders at a distance.” Unable to tell whether this was true, they let him be for the time being, allowing him to act as he wished while they watched to see how things would unfold.

In the seventh month, he secretly received a true directive from the unseen realm. In public, he was to continue mixing with the world as usual, so as not to arouse suspicion. From then on, he went about his duties with even greater diligence than before. In the tenth month of that year, he moved to Zhuyang with others. His teacher later took up residence elsewhere on Mount Shu, while he lived in the Western Lodge and handled external affairs, receiving both Daoists and laypeople. Everyone held him in affection and respect. He was upright by nature, spoke little, and acted swiftly. Whatever he said or did, he often managed to accomplish quietly. He was honest and fair, and never sought the slightest personal gain.

Last winter, he wished to act in secret accordance with the will of the unseen realm. He first needed to adopt another name, so he used the pretext of making renovations to ask permission to build a house. Although three rooms were put up, they remained unfinished even after some time had passed.

In the tenth month of that year, he quietly made all the preparations, noting the shape of the window and the position of the curtain. The work was not fully completed until the nineteenth. His relatives and fellow Daoists contributed to help. Some people tried to go and inspect the arrangements, but could make out only his indistinct figure standing sideways; they could not tell what was happening.

On the twenty-sixth, he sealed and marked the doors and windows throughout the West Hall, then cleaned and wiped down the loft and other spaces. He handed over the documents, implements, and supplies to He Wenxing. That evening, he carried his own pillow out of his room and left his quarters, saying that he would observe a temporary fast. Some said he was preparing to travel for a while.

On the morning of the twenty-seventh, he was alone in his quarters. When he later returned to the hall, his expression was calm and entirely as usual. He bathed with scented water and changed into clean clothes. In the evening, he played chess and read with Wenxing, though from time to time he looked up to check the sun’s position. When the sun slanted toward the west, he rose and said, “The time has come.” He then fastened his sash, burned incense, went to his master’s scripture hall, and paid his respects to the Daoist assembly one by one. After that, he left directly and returned to his quarters.

His quarters consisted of just three rooms: one to the east and two to the west. Two raised seats had also been set up inside, with incense burning before them. While those present were discussing where he ought to go to observe the fast, the sun had already moved toward the west. His younger brother Ziping went to visit him and happened to see him burning incense in the Immortal Hall. He then came out and returned to his quarters. He asked Ziping why he had come. Ziping replied, “Auntie’s illness has flared up. She told me to ask you to come home to prepare medicine and make soup.” He said, “I’m feeling a little unwell too, and was just about to take some medicine. I’ll come back afterward. If I don’t return soon, you can come again.”

Ziping also saw half a sheng of wine warming in a pot, so he hurried back to report what had happened. His aunt found this strange and quickly sent him back to look again. When Ziping arrived, he saw that the man was already lying outside the room. He did not dare approach at once. Before long, the man’s birth mother and aunt arrived one after the other. When they saw him, they cried out in grief, “What has happened? What has happened?” He kept his eyes closed, raised his hand, and flicked his fingers three times. “Don’t cry out,” he said. “Don’t cry out. It will disrupt the proceedings.” His mother tried to help him sit up.

He simply kept his eyes closed, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers three times. “Don’t make a sound. Don’t make a sound. It will interfere with things.” His mother tried to lift his head, but her foot shifted his headscarf out of place. He still raised his hand to set it straight. A little while later, he breathed his last.

At the time, a piece of frankincense, about the size of a bean, was burning in the incense burner, and its smoke had not yet dispersed. By estimation, no more than the time it takes to eat half a meal had passed. He was twenty years old.

He had already dressed himself neatly: over his underclothes he wore only his sleeping robe, with a ritual robe over that, and he had fastened his sash tightly. He had taken off his straw sandals, rolled them up, and set them aside. His appearance was clear and clean, no different from when he was alive. Everyone present was astonished and shaken. His funeral was held on the evening of the twenty-ninth, after which a tomb was built at Shugang. On the evening of the third day of the eleventh month, the tomb was ready. The assembled people then carried earth to build the mound.

From then on, his voice and whereabouts were heard of no more, and he did not appear to anyone in a dream. Were the human and divine realms now separated, so that they would have to await the right moment for a chance to meet again? The circumstances and rank of his attainment of the Dao are explained in detail in the Record he received. Here, for the time being, we have briefly set down his life among people and what others collectively heard and saw, and have therefore attached this account before the Record.

One day, four letters were found on the writing desk. Their seals and address labels were damp. One was written to his master, one to his maternal aunt Hou Xuan and the others, one to his uncle Xu Puming, and a longer letter, containing four sheets, to the Daoists at Shushan in the Southern Lodge. They were all farewells, and each mentioned the twenty-seventh day. It seems he wrote them after returning from Zhuyang; once he had finished, he burned incense.

People also examined the warming pot. It still had a smell like ordinary wine, while the earthen basin had been washed with water; it had no smell, and no trace of any medicine could be found. No one ever learned what he had relied on. When they examined the Record, they found a prescription, and some suspected that this might have been the medicine he had taken. His master deeply regretted not having examined the letters more carefully sooner. Later, people searched every basket and chest one by one, but still found no trace of medicine and could not determine what he had relied on.

The Master felt both moved and regretful about the matter. He regretted not searching for those letters earlier. People have now carefully examined the scriptures and documents held in various places, hoping to find the lost Record, but they have not found a single related document. Fortunately, he heard that on the sixteenth, two bundles of writings—about a hundred sheets in all—were burned, and no one was allowed to inspect them. The Master suspected that the records must all have been burned. This deepened his regret and sorrow, and for a long time he could not find peace of mind.

On the first day of the eleventh month, a Jiazi day, the Master decided to search in person at the cave on Yankou Mountain. There he found a large case that had been sealed away. He climbed the rugged mountain, retrieved the case, paid his respects, and brought it home. When he opened it, he found the records kept since he had received the mandate in the fifth month: the four matters that had occurred after the summer solstice, as well as the records for the sixth and seventh months, were all there. Nothing from the eighth month through the end of the seventh month of this year had been included. The case also contained a brief catalogue listing only the general outline of each matter.

The Master did not know whether unrecorded events had also occurred in the sixth and seventh months. Had detailed entries later been abandoned, leaving only these brief notes, or had there been no other records at the time? Judging from the circumstances, he thought detailed entries had probably been discontinued later on. Why did he think so? During the first few dozen days after the revelations began, the Master still had quiet moments to himself. Later, as various obligations piled up and friends and relatives, along with other distractions, came one after another, he could not keep others away. What he wrote on paper was therefore reduced to a rough outline. It seems that over these ten or more months there must have been countless admonitions and instructions. It was his own fault that he had not asked for more.

The papers in the case had originally been scattered and mixed together; they have now been sorted and joined in chronological order. In addition, the records contain nothing from the eighth through the tenth month of this year. The writings that were burned were probably not records of this kind, since there was no reason to take apart and burn a single case. It is also possible that what was burned contained material unsuitable for public view.

In the past, only a few matters were disclosed to the Master and his maternal aunt. First, on the day of the summer solstice in early summer, the Master slept during the day. People inside and outside the household found this strange and questioned him, so he had to explain. Second, he decided to stop eating cured pork, and people criticized him for that as well, so he had to give an explanation. Third, he and the Master jointly declined an instruction and asked for the true directive concerning rainmaking—that is, the formal instructions for praying for rain. The directive required them to replace red characters with black ones, and they had to tell the others about this too.

“The fourth matter was that the Venerable Master had received the true decree to ‘cease making invocations’ and ordered me to inform everyone. For that reason, I could not leave it unmentioned. These are the only four matters that can be stated clearly. When others came to ask about the rest, the answers were always vague and brief; no decree was ever plainly issued. Later, the Venerable Master came once more and, after taking leave, went to Zhuyang. As for matters that later arose and needed attention, everyone asked about them repeatedly. Though answers were given, we often heard that they ‘had not yet been reported,’ so the Venerable Master did not speak plainly. Looking back now, it seems there must already have been a reply. Perhaps he feared that if someone asked a question, he would have to answer, and everyone would then use the opportunity to submit questions on others’ behalf; yet if he did not answer, people would blame him. If he answered every matter, his words might be taken as decrees from the underworld. So he kept everything hidden and unspoken.

This Record contains many taboo names of True Immortals, as well as various admonitions. It should be read according to the rules for scriptures and sacred proclamations: first arrange the writing desk and headscarf, bathe, burn incense, and only then read. Anyone who wishes to copy it should first report the matter to the assembled perfected beings and the people of the Mystery. It must not be treated like an ordinary book from the outside world and copied casually.

At the place where the Zhou family lived, several mulberry trees stood beside the courtyard altar. One tree in front of the gate grew especially luxuriantly. On the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month in the jiawu year, we suddenly noticed that the tree, from top to bottom, looked as though it had been sprinkled with sugar water, especially in the middle. Around dusk, Ding Jingda, a Huayang lecturer responsible for teaching the scriptures at the Huayang Palace, came to visit Xu Puming and saw it with his own eyes. Astonished, he asked what had happened. We said that sweet dew had descended. The family did not want word of this to spread, so they joked that a child had just poured sugar water on it. Everyone tasted it together; it was indeed as sweet as honey. They quickly broke off two branches to show others and placed them in the doorway curtain. More than ten days later, they had still not withered.

According to the Records of Auspicious Signs, sweet dew falling on bamboo or parasol trees is an omen that auspicious Qi has descended. In light of this, the other trees beside the courtyard altar grew sparsely, while this one in front of the gate grew thick and lush. Presumably this was to make clear that divine beings had already descended and brought about this event.”

Bamboo grew on both sides of the covered walkway south of Zhou’s residence, with its roots extending beneath the walkway. On the eighteenth day of the fifth month in the Yiyou year, Zhou and his uncle Xu Puming held a three-day great fast for the Xie family in the central hall, a Daoist purification ritual (zhaijiao). When it ended, they concluded the fast. Shortly after noon that day, as Xu Puming was briefly returning home, he suddenly saw a bamboo shoot growing beside the bamboo roots near the walkway. When it had grown to more than three inches, it divided into two shoots, and both simultaneously formed joints. The two shoots grew to the same length, nine inches. The day before, there had been nothing there at all, yet now it had appeared suddenly. Knowing how extraordinary this was, Xu Puming worried that the younger boys might pull it up and play with it. He therefore broke off the shoot and brought it to the central hall to show the Daoist priests. Everyone was astonished; none had ever seen anything like it.

The recluse—Zhou himself—regretted not letting the bamboo shoot continue growing into a mature plant, and feared it might decay. He therefore dried it over a fire and kept it as a record; it was still there that day. It is said that bamboo is formed from the vital essence of the stars and can often manifest wondrous signs. In Xiangzhou, people make what they call “bamboo of joined hearts” by waiting for a shoot to emerge, then carving a hole into one side so that it grows, bearing the wound, into four branches. But in this case there was still only one stalk, with indentations on both sides at its middle. Never before had a single bamboo stalk divided into two shoots that shared the same root. The twenty-third day of that month was the summer solstice; soon afterward, an auspicious response descended. Perhaps this again made clear the union of the hidden and the visible, and the answering of joy with joy, like the auspicious virtue of the paulownia and bamboo responding to one another.

After Zhou moved to Zhuyang Abbey, he built a dwelling on its eastern side and piled thatch to the northeast of the house. One day, while gathering the thatch left behind the house, Zhou suddenly saw a white tortoise about six inches long. Its body and shell were white as snow, like smooth stone; only its carapace had four black markings shaped like characters, though they could not be made out. Zhou picked it up and examined it for a long while. He had meant to take it home, but felt that would be improper, so he released it. On returning, he immediately told his family what had happened. It is said that the tortoise is a numinous creature, long-lived and gifted with foresight. Its appearance beneath the piled thatch seemed to reveal the supernatural qualities of Maoling. Things that are white are for the most part regarded as numinous.

After hearing of this matter, the recluse wanted to report what had happened. He continued searching, but never saw the white turtle again. Most of the Daoist practitioners nearby said that a white turtle often appeared around Liugu Valley, vanishing whenever people tried to catch it. The recluse suspected it was the same turtle he had seen before. It had been only a few hundred paces from the houses, hiding in a pile of thatch, and he worried there might be some other reason for this.

The foregoing is a record added after the event. I remember that the scripture records these two unusual happenings.

Memorial

Your servant Hongjing reports: Near the end of the tenth month last year, the matter of the Zhou family suddenly occurred. At the time, I was observing a purification retreat and confined to my residence, so I could not report it at once. I have now respectfully compiled the relevant events into four scrolls and submit them separately. I was misled and harbored doubts in my heart; I failed to believe and awaken in time, and afterward regretted and reproached myself. For this I also received a severe reprimand from the Deep Text. I have personally recounted the course of events and respectfully ask forgiveness for my offense of negligence and delay. Respectfully reported on the sixteenth day of the twelfth month.

Reply from Bo

I have read the memorial and seen the account left by the Zhou family. These words are indeed clear and corroborate the earlier warnings. Two or three points, from beginning to end, are plainly laid out, making the events all the more extraordinary. The four scrolls have now been received. Everything described in the Deep Text is present, which only deepens one’s admiration. The twentieth day of the eleventh month. Written by the divine brush.

The account above says that when the Zhou family departed, the Master was in seclusion at Yugang, observing a purification retreat, and so could not report the matter immediately. Later, after completing the account of the Zhou family’s passing, he sent Pan Zhongzheng to submit the memorial to the Sage. The Sage opened and read the four scrolls in the inner palace, asked in detail about each event, and the Master answered each question in turn.

This concludes the account concerning the Zhou family.

Events of the Fifth Month

A copy was transcribed from the original. Where the text was obscure, Zhu was instructed to provide explanations and to handle the matter in accordance with the imperial decree.

On the day of the summer solstice, it was close to noon. This was the twenty-third day of the fifth month, an Yichou day in the fourteenth year of the Tianjian era (the Yiwei year). I was sleeping in a grove south of the house. As soon as I woke, I told Shansheng to lower the curtain. At the time, I was staying at my aunt’s house to the west. Shansheng was my maternal aunt’s son. His family name was Zhu. When he was seven, he fell ill in Yongjia and remained sick for more than ten days, close to death. A reclusive practitioner found a way to treat him and save his life. Later, my aunt sent him to serve as a Daoist novice.

I slept a little longer. Before I had fully fallen asleep, I suddenly saw a man about seven feet tall, with a small face, a broad, fierce-looking mouth and nose, thick eyebrows, little facial hair, and a pale bluish complexion. He looked about forty. He wore vermilion robes and a red cap adorned with a cicada-shaped ornament, with long ribbons hanging from it. A purple leather belt, about seven inches wide, was tied around his waist, with an incense pouch and a brush case hanging from it. The brush case was shaped like a dragon’s head. His shoes were dark purple, with both ends turned upward; they made a rustling sound as he walked.

Twelve people followed him. Two carried containers and wore their hair in double buns, styled like those of elderly women in Yongjia: broad at the base and drooping over the forehead. They wore purple jackets and blue-green lower garments, with blue-green cloth ties loosely wrapped around their shoes. Three others wore purple lower garments, pleated robes, and flat-topped headscarves. Each held a bamboo tablet bearing writing, though I could not make out what it said.

The remaining seven all wore white cloth lower garments, pleated robes, and white shoes, and each carried something. One tucked a sitting mat under his arm; another carried a ruyi scepter and a five-colored feather fan; another held a large scroll. One carried paper, a brush, and a large black inkstone; the brush looked like the kind commonly used in the world. Another held a document shaped like a feather and resembling patterned silk, mottled with colors and very beautiful. It was round and dark, with a long black handle. After entering the room, he leaned it against the eaves in front of the house. The last two each carried a large pouch, each about as big as a small pillar, apparently filled with documents.

The man carrying the sitting mat spread it over the writing table. It was white and lustrous, woven with grass fiber like the material used for straw sandals, but with much thicker strands. Six attendants entered the room and stood in a row beside the front of the writing table. As soon as the man came in, he furrowed his brow and said, “You live too close.”

Afterward, he sat back down in the same place, shielding the desk with his arm. At the time, the brush and measuring ruler were on the desk. He reached into the brush holder, took out the brush holder, and moved it north. His residence was in the west wing, which had two rooms. From there, one had to walk only three paces along a covered corridor to reach the main hall. Ziyun said, “It is too close.” He later guessed that this probably meant the house was too close to the main hall. But the hall had already burned down, so he could not understand what “close” meant.

The house faced east, with a door on the north side. A five-foot bed stood at the northern end. Lin Yue slept beside the west wall, in the place where he slept during the day, with his head toward the west, so he could see outside. Another five-foot bed stood against the north wall, where Ziping lived. A small square bed was under the window, and the desk faced east. The inkstone had originally been at the north end of the desk and the brush holder at the south end, so he moved the brush holder beside the inkstone, placing it on the desk.

Someone asked the people nearby, “Why didn’t you bring a small table?” They replied, “When officials travel, they do not bring one for short trips.” The person then said to Ziliang, “I am the assistant prefect of this mountain prefecture. I commend you for having committed no faults, and have come to visit you.” Ziliang rose to straighten his clothes, but did not reply. The recorder said that he felt at the time that he had risen and answered clearly. Yet those around him saw that his body remained where it had been, which puzzled him.

The visitor asked again, “Today is an auspicious day, and the sun is nearly at its highest. Have you observed the fast?” He replied, “As usual, I pay homage in the morning and eat at midday. I don’t know the rules for fasting.” The visitor said, “It is all right to eat a little at midday. But sleeping during the summer does people no good. Don’t indulge in sleep all the time.” He answered that he was frail, and after doing even a little work he felt tired, as though he were about to fall asleep, and could hardly control it. The visitor said, “A little care and recuperation will be enough. There is no need to worry.”

Just then, the wind rose. It blew so hard that he could barely remain standing, so he asked those nearby to look after him. Chidou was playing in the courtyard and ran toward the point where it was about to reach the rope. Someone nearby stretched out a hand to stop it.

Lang Shan came again to fetch a dike tool from the rack. He bumped into someone nearby and fell to the ground. The man caught him with his hands. Someone asked, “Where did this little boy come from?” Ziliang replied, “His family lives in Qiantang, and his surname is Yu. He is staying here for the time being.”

The man then said, “Don’t let him go about naked. The benevolent spirits will see him.” The little boy was named Chidou. He was five years old and the son of Yu Sengxia. Yu Sengxia said that the child had suffered many misfortunes, so he was staying for a while with a Daoist. In summer, he often played outside naked. The man then asked who Lang Shan was. Ziliang replied, “His family lives in Yongjia, and he follows Master Tao.” The man said, “Master Tao has noble aspirations, and many people are willing to follow him. Lang Shan’s surname is Xu. He comes from Yuecheng County and is about sixteen or seventeen. He previously followed the recluse Huanshan, but has now left.”

The man then said to Ziliang, “Your father did indeed commit a few minor faults in the past. They have been dispelled for three years now, and he is in a place of peace and safety. He says his tomb is in Yue. Although he remains attached to it, he does not wish to have it moved. There is a pit south of the tomb that should be filled in. He would like to come here too, but some official documents have not yet been completed, so he cannot come. Next spring he should be reborn into the Wang family. Since his past faults have not been fully settled, he must be born again as a human being.”

Ziliang had originally planned to move his father’s coffin west in the Jiawu year, but it had not been possible. The Zhou family fell within the celestial field of the Horn mansion. After the Wei, Shen, and You years had passed, they could discuss the matter again. Perhaps his father did not wish to have the tomb moved, and so had sent this message. When they went to look, there was indeed a pit, which was later filled in. The man also said, “You were blessed in a former life and had the chance to encounter the true Dharma. In this life, you have not lost the favor of humans and spirits either. According to the register, you have forty-six years of life remaining.”

While alive, people are deeply attached to the human world; after death, even as spirits, they remain attached to the realm of the dead. Strictly speaking, the realm of the dead is the better of the two.

There was a vacant position in the office, and I wanted you to take it. The duties and arrangements are nearly settled, so do not say anything more. I will come to summon you next October. You may prepare the necessary things in advance, which is why I have come to tell you. If you do not obey this order, the Three Officials—the divine administrators of Heaven, Earth, and Water—will send a talismanic summons. You should take care.

On hearing this, Ziliang looked frightened. The man said, “You are determined to remain in the human world and keep committing offenses. How could you take up a position in my grotto residence? There you will meet the Celestial Perfected, those who have attained the Dao, and come and go among the offices of the sacred. Think for yourself: is there anywhere better in the world?” Ziliang replied, “I can only accept whatever is arranged for me.”

The man continued, “From childhood until now, you have surely committed some minor offenses. You can reflect on them yourself, repent, and make amends. Otherwise, these faults will become a burden to you. Those who cultivate the Dao should neither go naked nor let their hair hang loose, and they should not wrong the innocent. They should observe the precepts in their daily conduct and eating. I will tell you these things for now; that is all. I must return to my post. There are still a few uncertainties, but I hope they will be resolved soon. Remember what I have said, and do not tell ignorant people in the human world. It is all right if fellow cultivators in the mountains who know about this hear of it.”

He then rose from his seat. Before he had even left the room, he saw the names Lingchun and Liu Bai, among others, written on the door. Lingchun was his maternal aunt’s maid, and Liu Bai was Bai’s nephew. He added, “Do not let the children go near the altar chamber, where the altar is set up for cultivation and scriptures are kept. There are authentic scriptures in the chamber. The fire previously destroyed the area around the foundation of the Che family’s large house, but officials and soldiers still guard it. Do not treat the place carelessly or damage it. Those people do not understand these rules, and the matter will implicate the head of the household.”

The entrance was at the front, with a pavilion between it and the inner rooms. The quiet chamber and altar chamber were both outside the pavilion. After the scripture hall burned down, the books were moved and placed in the quiet chamber. The main house had four rooms: the two eastern rooms served as the fasting hall, and his maternal aunt lived in the two western rooms. On the twenty-third day of the fourth month that year, a fire destroyed all four rooms. His aunt practiced the Huangting Sanyi method, a Daoist visualization practice, and kept such scriptures as the Wei Tradition, the Su Tradition, the Five Sacred Peaks, and the Three Sovereigns’ Five Talismans.

The so-called “true scripture” should be right here. Yet nothing has been said about what the “empty foundation” is. If so, why guard it?

Your maternal aunt’s illness has deep roots. It is not fatal, but it will be difficult to eradicate. Ziliang then asked, “I wonder how it should be treated. She also has a mass in her abdomen. When will it be removed?”

The reply was, “It cannot be removed right away, and I do not know how long it will take. The illness in her abdomen may suddenly heal. I will tell you more about that later.”

The earlier phrase “the matter concerns the head of the household” refers to your maternal aunt. The other party brought up the illness of their own accord; no one had asked. Your aunt is forty-seven this year. She has long suffered from wind-cold illness and often has difficulty breathing. On the left side of her abdomen is a mass of Qi about the size of a cup, which medicine has never been able to cure.

After having Lingchun and the others leave, the other party descended the steps and immediately vanished. Spirits (Shen) come and go without leaving fixed traces. They may be encountered even in the woods, though at times they also avoid people. Perhaps the unclean and lowly should not approach or offend the spirits.

The account above records an exchange that took place on the day of the summer solstice, written on four sheets of white paper. The term “Chengyiebie” here refers to Zhao Yubao Ming Si Chengju Huozhuo Minghuo Bo (the original title is unclear), a native of Hedong who was in charge of recording the registers of immortals, overseeing wind, rain, and water, and managing affairs concerning the Five Zhi and herbs of gold and jade. This passage comes from Zhenzhuo Ge.

That night, at the third watch, someone knocked at the door again and said, “Marshal Fan has arrived.” Before anyone could answer, he had already entered. He was tall and powerfully built, with dignified, regular features. He wore a tall cap and black clothes. He had only three attendants, all dressed in black, and they were hard to make out in the darkness. Outside the door was a light, as though someone were holding a candle, but its source could not be seen.

Leaning against the trees, Marshal Fan said, “My surname is Fan. I am an official in the Office of Fixed Registers, which keeps the rolls of spirits and deities. The Office of Fixed Registers and the Office of Life Protection occupy the same region, but each has its own boundaries, guarded separately by the Heavenly Perfected Ones, revered Daoist deities. The lords of both offices bear the surname Mao and are brothers: the elder oversees the registers, while the younger guards life. You have probably heard this already.

“Earlier, a Grand Commissioner traveled through the various realms, recording people’s wrongdoings and blessings. When he came to your home, he heard that the two lords and the supervising officials in their offices had chosen you for the post of Assistant Keeper of the Protected Registers, a position helping to manage the rolls of names and records. Though it is not a high-ranking post, it is a respectable and desirable one, and you would also receive the protection of your clan and the guardianship of perfected immortals. It was a good arrangement. The Grand Commissioner was very pleased with your earlier reply. Why, then, did you later discuss a different opinion with your maternal aunt, so that the Office of Daytime Inspection heard of it and reported it to the Grand Commissioner? He also suspected that this was a strange and heterodox custom, and was very displeased. He intends to have you arrested for breaking your word, so he sent me to warn you.

“Your worldly thoughts have not yet been dispelled, and you are easily troubled by mundane affairs. Why indulge the Seven Po souls, associated with the body and emotions, while restraining the Three Hun souls, another group of spirits described in Daoist teaching? This is because you have always followed the practices of the Bo family. These minor spirits and beings often boast of their achievements and bewilder people, making them think these are the deities who protect them. If you had settled the matter earlier and not changed your mind, your fault would not have been entered in the black register.

“The Zhou family originally served worldly gods, and the methods they practiced belonged to the way of the Bo family. When Master Xu was put to the test, he said the same thing.”

Ziliang’s paternal grandmother was surnamed Du and was a senior spirit medium who led sacrifices and communicated with the spirits, so her influence shaped the household. His maternal grandmother’s Xu family had once served as Daoist ritual officers, and his aunt brought the branch of the family descended from Ziliang’s father into the Daoist tradition. The family was therefore only concerned that Ziliang might be troubled by popular folk deities. Seeing him become more and more simple and sincere each day, they gave him a solemn warning. Since they had not yet grasped the true meaning of the Dao, they could hardly avoid feeling doubtful.

Ziliang said, “I did have doubts before. How could I dare raise objections now?”

The Marshal said, “The divine powers have already issued their decree. How could this be treated as a legal dispute to argue over? Besides, Assistant Director Xiang governs Haoyue and bears great responsibility. He came in person to deliver the pronouncement. How could we disobey?”

The Venerable Lord of the Household had also appealed to Assistant Director Xiang, saying that he had no descendants, but Xiang had already refused his request. Even a face-to-face notification in the underworld could not bring the matter to a halt. Now, a few words offered by this body, tainted by the impurity of death, could not be conveyed; even if they were conveyed, they would not be approved. It would only waste paper and ink.

At the time, Ziliang’s aunt wanted to submit a memorial in appeal and also had Ziliang write a statement explaining their case, so the Marshal settled the matter with these words. He added, “Morning and evening, you burn incense and pray to become an immortal who lives forever. Now that your wish has been granted, what more is there to say?”

“The Two Perfected Ones are now on their way to the Palace of Great Origin. They have not yet returned, and I fear they will ask about this when they do. Assistant Director Xiang has therefore sent us to verify the matter first. You may answer the decree as you see fit.”

“Your elder brother is the Great Director of Destiny, the Perfected One of Great Origin, who administers affairs at Red Citadel on Mount Huo. Presumably, he went there on the summer solstice to pay his respects and discuss matters. He has not returned yet.”

Ziliang replied, “I am a foolish and ignorant commoner, unable to tell truth from falsehood. Please forgive me. I truly dare not raise any further objection.” The Marshal said, “Good.”

The Marshal added, “Whenever you perform a prostration, first bow to the four directions according to the ritual. Afterward, you always bow again to the three Perfected Lords: the Director of Destiny, the Registrar of Destiny, and the Protector of Life. Since you live in the countryside, that is what you should do.”

At the time, Ziliang laid his wooden clogs crosswise in front of the Marshal, and he himself slept without wearing any clothes.

Shuai Yun said, “As a Daoist, you should not sleep out in the open, according to the rules, and you should not hold your wooden clogs sideways. If you hold them sideways, malevolent spirits will not fear people. Ziliang, just do as I have shown you. The precepts say that when you sleep, you should take off your shoes and set them facing the proper way. This is probably why. Daoists should ordinarily wear a sleeping garment, something like a short tunic; even when sleeping, they must not leave their hair in a bare topknot.”

Ziliang asked again, “Since the holy spirit has already delivered its command, I venture to hope that you will stay a little longer. Could you let me live a few more years?”

Shuai Yun said, “Lower your voice; people nearby may hear. When we discussed this together earlier, the Sun Office had already submitted a report, and they have been ordered to come and take my soul. I also asked for a postponement. I fear they might hear us and report this upward, so I told you to speak quietly. It is not that I am necessarily afraid of others hearing.” At the time, Zizao was also asleep in another part of the woods.

Shuai Yun added, “What I just mentioned cannot be done. Your lifespan already has a fixed limit, and this position cannot remain vacant for long. That is why I have hurried here again and again: this is precisely the matter I came for. I am telling you this privately now, so do not let it out. Since you have no art for extending your life, you should choose a burial place in advance. Only the area south of the Great Ridge, near the old home, is suitable. If there are too many rocks there, look to the left side of Mount Liangchang to the north; that should be a good place. Do not return to the ancestral graveyard. The ground there is filthy with dust and overgrown with weeds, and being buried there will do you no good.”

The author says that he never managed to find out exactly where “the land south of the Great Ridge, near the old home” was. Mount Liangchang lies about ten li northeast of Zhuyang, with the mountain range extending as far as that point; but he had never heard that Shuai Yun had come there to inspect a burial site.

Later, in his haste, the author built a burial chamber here at Shugang. After reading this account, he also discovered that on the eighth day of the eleventh month the previous year, Dinglu, a divine official in charge of registration and assessment, had told him that the place where he had built his house was unsuitable for a grave and that he needed to choose another site. When he first built the house, the author had wanted to settle near the large hollow to the east, but the recluse thought the terrain there was too broad and too far away, so they chose a place to the west instead. Now that the burial site has ended up here, this place may well accord with the earlier command. Though it is not exactly the same as the Mount Liangchang Shuai Yun mentioned, it should comply with Dinglu’s instruction about choosing a burial site.

Since there is no art that brings release after death, the body will remain where it is and will not return. The burial site chosen now already accords with what was said earlier. Although this does not entirely match what Shuai Liangchang said, it fits precisely with the notice about selecting an auspicious day through divination and arranging a burial place.

Since there is no method of release and the body will not return, one should find a suitable place to bury it as early as possible. The other coffin and funeral arrangements should continue to follow customary rites.

For any scriptures and talismans and registers that one has received and practices, if they can be carried on one’s person, then the person accompanied by guardian spirits should also remember clearly the names and formal names of the three masters who transmitted the teachings, as well as the date and year of receiving them. That way, if the Three Officials—the divine authorities who oversee the examination of the dead, including the Water Official—or the water spirits question them again, they can answer truthfully and leave nothing out. These details should be written in a document and left with the family, so they too can follow each instruction in turn. This is what it means to heed the master’s teaching.

When writing out the Diagram of the Five Sacred Peaks, the Traditions of the Three Sovereigns, and various scriptures, talismans, and registers, one should note that they are to be carried on one’s person. It is unclear, however, which three masters the phrase “three masters” refers to: the three kinds of transmitting masters—the master who registers one, the master who initiates one, and the scripture master—or three generations in the lineage passed down from master to disciple. In the end, no one asked for clarification. This is also what the scriptures mean when they say that after death, whether one becomes an immortal or a ghost, one must be examined by the Three Officials and must be able to explain one’s roots and lineage. This shows that the transmission between master and disciple is no trivial matter.

“I am leaving now. Do not forget what I have told you. Though you were born with a certain natural aptitude, you must still cultivate with care. If your resolve is upright and disciplined, corrupt influences cannot intrude, the spirits will protect you, and the responses you seek will be easier to attain. You are now caught up in worldly relationships, and it will be difficult for us to visit you often in the future.” As he spoke, he pointed to a Peach and Bamboo Decoction prescription written on the wall and said, “If you feel unwell, bathe according to this prescription.”

Ziliang asked, “Where did you get this prescription?” Shuai replied, “I copied it from the True Book of Perfected Ones.” Shuai added, “This is a prescription transmitted by the Southern Perfected Ones to Yang and Xu. It is good that you have obtained it.” He also praised the two gentlemen for their exceptional character. Before he had finished speaking, he heard the sound of Ziping waking and took his leave respectfully.

The account above describes a notice received on the night of the summer solstice. The writing was very fine and filled a large sheet of hemp paper. The Fan Marshal mentioned here is the same Fan Marshal among the four ghost marshals who protect life. His name is Jiangwu, and he holds the highest rank of the four. This episode appears in accounts of the Zhengao and related works. The text goes on to say that before the Fan Marshal had finished speaking, he heard Ziping wake and respectfully took his leave.

Another account above also describes a notice received on the night of the summer solstice, likewise filling a large sheet of hemp paper. It notes that the Fan Marshal refers to himself as “your servant” while addressing the other person as “you,” indicating that he speaks humbly of himself and respectfully to the other person. The text does not make clear what specific relationship these forms of address imply.

At the second watch on the night of the twenty-seventh day of the fifth month, Ziliang opened his eyes and saw a man standing before his bed. The man had regular features and a thick beard, with clear brows and eyes. He looked to be in his twenties and had a rather approachable face. He wore a hibiscus crown with long blue-green ties hanging down. His garment resembled a single-layer robe and was mottled with vermilion, blue-green, yellow, and white, like brocade, though it was not ordinary brocade clothing. The material of his belt was hard to make out, but it gleamed like the candlelight seen when the Fan Marshal appeared earlier, though no flame was visible.

The man said he was from Zhongshan and told him, “Lord Mao has appointed you as a deputy, an official who assists the immortals in their affairs. He has already sent the Deputy Marshal to notify you; the matter is settled. I have come now to teach you the methods of cultivating the Dao.” After hearing this, Ziliang got up as before, spread out paper, and prepared to write down what he said.

On the twenty-seventh day of the fifth month, the man saw Ziliang taking notes and said with a smile, “I know you like to record the months. I am going to teach you the methods of cultivating the Dao, so you may write them down as I speak.”

An entry for the twenty-seventh day of the fifth month. Seeing that Ziliang had made an inscription here, the man laughed and said, “Is it enough to record only the month and day? After many years, how will others know which year it was?” Ziliang replied, “The previous commander had already recorded the year when he came.” The man said, “It would still be better to record the year as well.” So Ziliang added four characters beneath it: “Year of the Wood Goat.”

According to what the man said, these contents were not forbidden from being preserved in the world. I simply still do not understand why Zhou Feng concealed them. Perhaps he meant to show that their circulation and disclosure had not resulted from his own carelessness. The writings left earlier by Yang and Xu (Yang Xi and Xu Mi) were also passed down through retelling.

Anyone who becomes a Daoist should understand the essentials of longevity. If one cannot yet “feed on rosy clouds and drink in the radiance”—a cultivation method of taking in the glow of the clouds and absorbing the vital essence of the sun and moon—and instead merely lives out one’s days in the world, without restraining private desires or pursuing the true Dao, it brings no benefit to body or mind. You have been summoned now for two reasons: first, to assist with current affairs and take on responsibilities; second, to receive the teachings and cultivate yourselves. I hope that, over time, you will gradually gain the strength needed for cultivation.

Only after the five organs are sound and the marrow has been replenished may one seek the Dao. Your limbs are now weak and your spirit closed off, so the time for becoming an immortal and attaining the Dao has not yet come. Even so, you can observe one or two stars each day to open yourself to their responsive influence. Ziliang asked, “I do not know where these stars are or what they look like.” The man replied, “The Northern Dipper has nine stars. Seven are visible now, while the other two remain hidden. They are usually observed on the twenty-seventh day and the third day of each month, when their light shines more brightly than that of the other stars. You can draw the shape of the seven stars and faintly mark the direction in which the Dipper’s handle points.”

Ziliang dipped his brush in ink and drew the seven-star pattern. The man said, “I cannot take up the brush myself. Just place the two stars at the head of the Dipper’s handle, and I will tell you.” Ziliang continued to ask, but the man did not answer at first, nor did he say it was wrong. When Ziliang pointed to the drawing and asked again, the man replied, “That is it.” Next, burn incense, compose your thoughts, and wait quietly for the stars to appear. Once you see them, you may make your request and pray according to your wishes. There are other matters that inspire reflection; I will tell you about them later. Tonight, between the third and fourth watches, you may try observing them, but do not let anyone else know. If anyone knows while you are keeping watch, you will not be able to see them.

The man added, “I am leaving now. Do not show these matters casually to others. There are also relevant scriptures in the world. Because of the ties you formed in past lives, I have personally transmitted them to you.” When he finished speaking, no sound of a door opening was heard. The man was seen lingering for a moment, then he vanished.

The passage above records a revelation received on the night of the twenty-seventh. It was written on a large register made by joining sheets of white hemp paper. According to the Bieji, the mountain recluse in the account was surnamed Hong and named Zijuan. He was originally from Mount Zhong, but had now come to Mount Huayang. The text does not say what position he held. Later, he received the Dongfang Jing from the Lord of the North and also taught students. This person is not mentioned in the Zhengao. The method for observing the second star of the Northern Dipper appears in the Fangzhu Dongjing. Zhou had never read the highest scriptures. He was cautious and upright by nature and had never spoken of seeking to obtain the scriptures. He regretted that he had been unable to see them with his own eyes through the various scriptures and the decrees of the Perfected Ones Yang and Xu. Although he no longer held this responsibility, he still felt that he had let down his teachers.

The three passages above were all seen in dreams and were not very clear.

There was also a dream of towering cliffs and steep precipices, with the mountain thickly colored, as if amid blue peaks. Someone looked up from below and saw two people on the mountain. One wore a travel crown and embroidered silk robes; the dreamer thought he was Lord Baoming. The other was Laozi, who had earlier been sitting on a high seat. The two faced each other and talked, but the dreamer could not understand what they were saying. After a while, the dreamer woke, never learning where the two had gone.

The passage above records a dream noted during a midday nap on the twenty-eighth. It was written on two narrow strips of white paper.

Looking back at the earlier entries, anything marked “dream” was seen during sleep. When an entry simply says “on a certain day, [someone] saw something,” the person was awake; it is just unclear whether they were indoors or outside at the time. After the eighth month of the Yǐwèi year, all the journeys described in the entries took place while the spirit-consciousness had left the body; the physical body had not actually moved.

In addition, the handwriting in various entries is often unclear, or words have been changed. These changes probably reflect hurried notes made while receiving instructions, then revised later from memory. The records of Lord Yang in the past often show the same pattern.

The above are four events first recorded from the twenty-third to the twenty-eighth day of the fifth month. They were written on eight small sheets of white paper and correspond to the contents list, with nothing missing.

End of Volume One of The Record of the Zhou Family’s Hidden Communion.

The character “di” is suspected to be unnecessary. The character “qi” is suspected to have been intended as “shen.” The character “hao” is suspected to have been intended as “zhuojiao.”

The Record of the Zhou Family’s Hidden Communion, Volume Two

Events of the Sixth Month

Everything is copied exactly from the original manuscript. Some events were left vague, and their records cannot yet be explained.

On the night of the first day of the sixth month, all the matters described above were written down on paper, each entry marked as belonging to the year Yǐwèi. I then saw the former administrator, who oversaw the affairs of subordinate officials. He wore an Xianxian cap, the ancient headgear of an official, and was like the seven men in white who had stood in attendance earlier. He carried nothing different in his hands. He spread out a mat and sat in the Southern Grove.

There were also two people, both about fifteen or sixteen years old. Their faces and clothes were vivid and splendid, and each wore two hair buns. Their garments looked like single-layer robes, yet also like chairs; they seemed embroidered, but were not. The former administrator arrived wearing an Xianxian cap, just like the seven men in white who had stood in attendance earlier, and carrying nothing different in his hands. He spread out a mat and sat in the Southern Grove.

The former administrator said, “The appointed day is within a day; there can be no mistake, so there is no need to doubt.” Then he pointed to the person on the east and said, “This is a Jade Lad of Huayang. The two lords Dinglu and Baoming, who govern registers of names and spans of life, sent him to deliver a message.” Pointing to the person on the west, he said, “This is an attendant lad of Ziyang. Yesterday, the two lords Dinglu and Baoming went to Ziyang and reported your affairs. Matters should be handled accordingly.”

Ziyang joked, “Among the great clans, surely there is more than one person of steadfast, upright, empty stillness, capable of rising above the clouds and transcending the ordinary.” Dinglu said, “Perhaps this is due to the workings of fate.” Ziyang laughed and said, “Are Donghua and Ziwei supposed to burn the registers of names?” The former administrator said, “I think those words are really praise for you.”

The Huayang lad said, “Those suited to ride dragons and soar through the heavens were never meant to deal with worldly affairs. How could thoughts of wealth and status leave room for seeking the Immortals and perfected beings? Your heart is free of obstruction, and your mind is clear and open; that is why matters could be settled so quickly. Without this kind of empty stillness and openness, how could one attain the Dao, if one’s resolve is single-minded yet never reaches its goal, or one presses forward without ever turning back?

“You have no learning worth praising, nor a great reputation for utmost De. You have only been entered in the register of immortals and sought a longer life; as it happened, you have few faults to burden you, and your heart holds no heavy attachments. That is why you have been able to come this far. Do not be anxiously preoccupied with worldly affairs, and do not cling to family and friends. Do not yearn for wealth and status or pursue the pleasures of desire. Compared with these things, accumulating sins is like piling up mountains and rivers, and tormenting yourself is like being placed in a cauldron—the ancient vessel used for boiling as punishment. Take these words to heart, and do not mistake worldly pleasures for happiness.”

If these words must be recorded, then the path to becoming an immortal can be fulfilled without difficulty. Someone then asked, “How great are Tao’s learning and insight?” The reply was, “His virtue and integrity are profound; no one in the world can compare with him.” The questioner continued, “I fear, though, that his karmic ties from past lives and his store of blessings may not be sufficient. What should be done?” The Purple Sun Youth replied, “What you have just said is precisely what Purple Sun means. Becoming an immortal is not difficult; what is difficult is cultivating a person’s virtue to completeness. Thus, although the Way of the Immortals and the human way belong to different realms, the boundary between them is not clearly defined.”

He continued, “The true Way may be heard of, but it cannot be seen with one’s own eyes. The human way can be seen, but it is difficult to put into practice. People in the world are mostly greedy, violent, and indulgent in desire. Driven by their passions, they cannot rid their minds of all kinds of evil thoughts, nor restrain their bodies from emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure. This is all because they have accumulated too much sin in previous lives. If someone is born in China, understands morality, possesses a complete human form, and is both intelligent and steadfast in practice, it is because they have accumulated blessings and virtue over many lifetimes.”

These words seem to end here. In a previous life, you were born into the Zhou family and were their descendant; in this life, you have again been born into the Zhou family. Though your origins are humble, the merit you accumulated in your previous life has not yet been exhausted. That is why you are able to study in the Immortal Palace and hold an office in the Divine Court. Yesterday you sighed, “We parted, and hundreds of years have already passed.” I have spoken these words to you sincerely, and have done all I can to urge you on. You must encourage yourself and persevere. We will meet again in the future; we will not be parted for long.

He added, “I have already changed your name, and had someone else convey it to you.” The two youths then went out. Cheng said, “Up to this point, both of them have been conveying the Perfect Lord’s instructions. Once they had finished speaking, they left. I cannot stay long; I will return soon.” With that, he rose from his seat and vanished.

The preceding entry records the instructions received over the course of a day and a night. They were written on two small sheets of paper, each with a little space left over. “Cheng” is still Zhao Cheng. In a later record, the “Boy of Huayang” says his surname is Jing and his given name is Benqi; the “Boy of Ziyang” says his surname is Feng and his given name is Lingzhi. According to this account, they had already changed their names, but someone else came to report the matter. Only eight days later did they come and explain the names they had adopted. The “name” mentioned here still refers to this boy; perhaps at the time he did not yet dare to reveal it.

On the night of the fourth day of the sixth month, the Boy of Huayang came to give instruction. He said: “Since you are concentrating your mind and spirit and wish to unite with the divine, you must not pursue profit single-mindedly, as worldly people do. If others cannot benefit you, you become displeased. Now that you serve someone, if a superior insults you, you should hold fast to the spirits within your body as you are being scolded. Your ears may hear the words, but do not accept them in your heart, and do not answer aloud.

“If the other person calls you an animal or a beast, you should bathe at once. This is considered serious defilement: it will keep the true spirits away and allow evil Qi to enter the body.

“Long ago, Liu Wenchang took Li Shaolian as his master. Li Shaolian was cruel and unrighteous; he often beat him with a whip and cursed him without restraint. Wenchang endured these insults, but answered back. After eleven years of this, the mountain spirits came to harass and test him. Later, he contracted an illness attributed to evil Qi. He now serves as a junior attendant under the Cheng who preserves life. Only because he had a loyal and honest heart in a former life was he able to serve the true spirits. Li Shaolian is still in Hejian, laboring day and night, and is difficult to visit. This shows how carefully such matters must be treated.” With that, the Boy of Huayang departed.

The item on the right records revelations received over four days and four nights, written on a sheet of white plank paper. Last year, I heard from his family that his aunt often practiced and used various talismans and registers, asking only him to write them out. When he first began to have spiritual perception—the ability to receive messages from the spirit realm—his aunt would scold him harshly if he made a mistake while writing a talisman or acted carelessly. She said, “When people keep a dog, they expect it to guard the house, bark, and chase away mice. You keep a sha”—possibly a novice monk or someone supported by the household—“but he cannot contribute to the family. He only writes talismans and copies books, and does even that carelessly. What use is it to keep you?” At the time, he looked deeply displeased. The reason for the notice he has now received probably lies here.

His aunt saw that he was young and had to serve others, and worried he might make mistakes, so she often urged and reprimanded him. From then on, whenever he was scolded, he would instead smile with delight, and afterward he would always bathe. The adults and children in the household all found this strange. As for his teachers and elders, when they questioned him, he truly never offended them in word or expression. Now Wenchang and Shaolian are also listed among the Zan—perhaps a status or title placing them alongside the teachers and elders—and should likewise be treated according to the meaning of “the Three.” This means that teachers and elders, like fathers and rulers, are among those who must be honored.

On the night of the sixth day of the sixth month, Zhou Ziliang saw a man come to visit. The man was impeccably dressed and groomed. He wore a cinnabar-colored robe beneath a blue outer garment and a lotus crown, the kind worn by Daoist priests. On top of the crown sat a small, flat-topped cap, blue with purple trim. Three blue bells hung at his back. He appeared to be in his twenties, with a very fair complexion and a sparse beard. Four attendants followed him, two men and two women. After some time, he spoke: “I am Deng Lingqi, an immortal of Tongwu. I have heard that you cultivate in accord with the Dao, so I have come especially to pay you a visit.”

Zhou Ziliang said, “I am merely an ordinary, lowly person, though I have loved the righteous path since childhood. By good fortune, I encountered the opportunity to live in the mountains and cultivate. I never imagined that a true sage would humble himself to visit me. I feel so impure that I hardly know where to hide. If my past affinities are still worthy of your regard, I hope you will grant me guidance and deliverance.”

The immortal replied, “Well said. You have accumulated much merit and virtue over a thousand lifetimes, so it is only natural that we should meet now. Why wait for someone else to teach you? The one who will deliver you will appear in due course. I value your affinity and virtue, and have come especially to befriend you; you need not be so self-effacing. Others will come from Tongwu, and you should welcome them well. I must leave now. We will meet again later this month, when we will travel together. Each of us will keep the other in mind.” With that, he took Zhou Ziliang by the hand and departed.

This account of an event on the night of the sixth day of the sixth month was written on a sheet of blue paper. According to a later note, Deng Lingqi initially served as the censor who held the canopy for the Tongxiang Emperor of Morning Radiance, governed Huayang, and studied the prohibitions and methods of the immortals. These details do not appear in the Zhen’gao (Declarations of the Perfected), a Daoist text. The remark that “others will come from Tongwu” is said to refer to Xu Xuanzhen, who visited later.

On the night of the eighth day of the sixth month, the Ziyang attendant spirit (a boy deity in the inner palace of Ziyang) appeared, dressed as before. He asked, “Would you like to know my surname and courtesy name?” Ziliang replied, “I would be glad to hear them.” The attendant said, “My original surname was Wang, and my courtesy name was Ziqian. I was from Taiyuan. In a former life, my father served as governor of Chenliu, then moved to Danyang. I died at the age of fifteen. Because I had accumulated blessings in that former life, I was able to be reborn as a human being. Later, I cultivated merit and virtue, and after death became a spirit. I was appointed as a Jade Boy in the inner palace of Ziyang, given the surname Feng and the courtesy name Yunzhi. Now I am changing your name to Taixuan, with the courtesy name Xuling. Whenever an attendant calls you ‘Lord,’ that means Ziyang. Your surname will not change; you will remain a Zhou.

“This name contains profound meaning. I will offer only a brief explanation for now. ‘Tai’ refers to the utmost origin: the forms and appearances of all things conceal their true nature. ‘Xuan’ refers to the deep and hidden realm that accords with emptiness. It is something one can attain through one’s inherent endowment, not something gained by self-cultivation and meritorious deeds. ‘Xu’ means that the body is like an illusory existence, while the mind remains unconfined; it is clear and still, and can accord with the true Dao. ‘Ling’ means that, while living in the human world, one can commune with the spirits, and after leaving that world, become a spirit oneself. This name signifies the fulfillment of inner and outer cultivation, and the passing of its blessings down to later generations. That is the general outline. There are further, deeper mysteries, but it is not appropriate to speak of them now.

“This name is not for worldly use, so do not reveal it publicly for the time being. Your courtesy name Ziliang, ‘Yuansu,’ is a fine name in the human world, but it does not surpass an ordinary worldly name and is suitable only in the underworld.” With that, he departed.

The foregoing records the revelation received on the night of the eighth day of the sixth month. It was written on a sheet of white rattan paper.

His male cousins all had names that included the character “Zi.” Ziliang was the name his biological father gave him when he was born; he had no other childhood name. The courtesy name “Yuanci” was given to him by the Master of the Cap Ceremony on the eastern ridge of Huayang when he was seventeen, in the Guisi year (corresponding to what year CE?). He burned incense and made his report before accepting the name. According to the postscript, the name he later adopted was Qinglu Yuwen; as for his original name with the surname Zhou, he continued to use it as before.

On the night of the ninth day of the sixth month, he dreamed that he heard someone speaking, though he could see no one. The voice was loud and stern. It said to Ziliang, “If you can wear purple clothes and sleep beneath a purple quilt, resting and roaming at ease in your room, this is a sign that you are gradually becoming an immortal.” When it had said this, the voice fell silent. He wondered whether the Lord of the Register of Destiny had secretly sent him this message. A little later, he awoke and saw the same attendant as before. The attendant asked, “Do you recognize the person who came just now?” He replied, “I do not.” The attendant said, “He is a Perfected One. Since you are not yet ready to meet him, he sent you a message from afar.”

It is said that, before this, only the attendant and the marshal had come to Huayang; the two divine lords had not yet descended. Receiving this secret message was the beginning. The attendant then asked, “Did you smell blood?” He replied, “No.” The attendant said, “Your body is bleeding. How can you not know?” He replied, “I always thought I was not bleeding, only sweating.” The attendant said, “What difference is there between sweat and blood? Sweat is the essence of blood. A person’s blood is like water: in cold weather it congeals, while in summer it becomes thin and clear, and when it thins, it flows out. Water that congeals easily turns to ice, then cracks and leaks; your body is like a weak, shallow embankment, unable to hold back the blood. A person’s blood is like water in a deep pool: what matters is not that it be full, but that it not run dry. I have methods for repairing embankments and protecting the body, and I will treat you. For now, simply wait for Jingbaohua to come; that should help somewhat. I will leave for the moment. Someone is already outside.”

The attendant stepped down from his seat and disappeared. Immediately afterward, he saw someone enter, followed by three attendants. The visitor came to his bedside and said, “I am Zhang Xiao, courtesy name Zi’an, from Lijing in Xingyang.” As soon as he had spoken, he disappeared. He appeared to be about thirty years old, wore a purple square cap, and was dressed in embroidered robes. He must have been a high-ranking immortal.

The passage above says that on the night of the ninth, Zhou Ziliang dreamed that he heard a revelation or prophecy imparted by an immortal. He wrote it down on a sheet of white wisteria paper. According to another record, Zhang Zi’an was the master of Xiaoxiantang in Huayang. The True Reports contains no account of him.

On the night of the eleventh day of the sixth month, a woman arrived. Wrapped in her clothes, she was beautiful, with her hair arranged in a high bun, and wore a blue robe. She said, “Tonight, four people from Yiqian want to come to your dwelling. Since you are here now, they cannot come. They will come on the nineteenth.”

Ziliang said, “After I returned from attending my master, I did not know anyone was coming to visit tonight. I thought I might go back to my dwelling and wait for them. Would that be all right?” The woman replied, “You are already here, and it is late. There is no need to go back, lest others become suspicious. Nor should you say why you came here tonight.”

Ziliang asked, “May I know your surname and name?” The woman said, “My surname is Li, and my courtesy name is Feihua. I am from Huaiyin and have been in Yiqian for ninety-four years. I have only just begun my studies and have not yet attained a higher state. I came this time at Lady Zhao’s command.” Then she took her leave, saying, “On the nineteenth, I will wait for you on the western hillside.” Ziliang clasped his hands and bade her farewell.

The woman appeared to be about twenty-three or twenty-four years old. She had come with two others, but only she spoke; the other person was likely an attendant.

The account above records the revelation heard on the night of the eleventh, written on a sheet of white wisteria paper. That day, the master left Bingwan and went up the mountain, returning to the eastern ridge after sunset. When Zhou Xun entered the dwelling, it was already dusk, so he stayed the night. At the time, Ziliang was in the room at Bingkou, looking for a quiet place within the ridge. The divine women had not gathered. When he went to look to the west, the scene was chaotic, and he instead felt drawn to join them. He had not yet understood what this meant and thought it had to do with sexual desire.

At the third watch on the twelfth day of the sixth month, five people arrived.

One appeared to be in his thirties. He wore a Yellow Radiance crown and a robe of cloud-pattern brocade and fur. Four attendants carried purple objects.

On the twelfth day of the sixth month, around the third watch, near midnight, five people arrived.

One appeared to be in his thirties. He wore a Yellow Flower Crown, a Daoist headdress, and a robe made of cloud-patterned brocade. Four attendants stood beside him, carrying purple ceremonial staffs and bells decorated with flowing gold. This was Perfected Feng, who is mentioned in the Zhengao.

Another wore a hibiscus crown and a crimson embroidered robe. Two attendants stood beside him, carrying nothing. He was Zhang Zi’an.

A third wore a dark crown patterned with hibiscus flowers and a green embroidered robe. Two attendants stood beside him. He was Master Hong from Zhongshan.

One wore a bright red official robe and a purple madder belt. Six attendants stood beside him, all dressed in official robes and each carrying ceremonial regalia. This was the Assistant Director of Music.

The last wore his hair in two topknots and was also dressed in an embroidered robe. He was the Youth of Huayang.

Of these five, the first three sat on seats to the south. The Assistant Director of Music and the Youth of Huayang sat beside a table covered with documents.

The Assistant Director of Music stepped forward and said, “A High Perfected has arrived tonight. You may rise now, you may rise.” Ziliang then stood and bowed to those before him.

The steward of the Immortal Palace stepped forward and reported, “A venerable perfected being is arriving tonight. You may rise to greet him.” Ziliang rose and bowed to the visitor, who said, “Ziliang, please sit down.”

The visitor then asked, “Through his cultivation of merit and virtue, has Zhou Sheng perhaps lived up to his aspirations?” Lord Zhang replied, “A bright mirror can see through all things; naturally, it should reflect the state of his heart.” The visitor agreed.

Lord Hong asked, “Did you see Zhou Sheng lose his composure along the way?” A note beside the word “composure” says it should be changed to “become dispirited.” The visitor replied, “He has not lost his composure. Even if it has changed somewhat, that cannot damage his Golden Register, the document that symbolizes his place among the immortals.” The steward said, “Zhou Sheng may be considered someone capable of preserving his place among the immortals.”

The visitor then asked Ziliang, “Are you pleased that these people have come to visit today?” Ziliang replied, “The Most High perfected beings have deigned to descend to this polluted place of mine. I am both delighted and apprehensive, and truly do not know how to comport myself.” The visitor smiled but said nothing.

The Huayang Youth said, “You may not recognize all these perfected beings, so let me identify them for you. First is the Perfected Lord Feng of Mount Song; second is the Immortal Minister Lord Zhang of Xiaoxian; third is Lord Hong, the Immortal of Central Mount Yue; fourth is the steward of the Life-Preservation Palace, the Daoist Le; and fifth is myself, the Jade Youth, Director of Agriculture in the Heaven of Huayang. Now you know each of their surnames and ranks. How could the offices of these immortal officials be compared with those of worldly attendants to the emperor or high ministers?” Ziliang replied, “The perfected beings are exalted spirits. How could they be compared with ordinary people of the mundane world?”

The steward said, “The one who can perceive hidden and obscure matters is Zhou Sheng. Since we have now troubled the perfected beings by asking them to descend, I hope each of you will compose a piece of writing.” A perfected being said, “You are the proof of this matter; you may compose first.” Ziliang replied, “How could I dare disobey? I only worry that it would be improper for someone of low status to go first.”

The steward then had Ziliang fold the paper, dip his brush in ink, and take up his pen, dictating these words to him: “Radiant splendor illuminates the Jade Grove; a clear breeze scatters the purple firmament. I look up at the forms of the exalted perfected beings as they ride through the air on blue-green clouds. They leave the palace halls of crimson clouds and come to meet me here in the mortal world. Affinity will naturally arise; there is no need to yearn for it anxiously in one’s heart.”

When the Perfected Feng gave his teaching, he said:

Splendid scenes shine upon the Jade Grove, while a clear breeze scatters the clouds between the purple heavens. I gaze up at the Perfected One above, soaring through the sky and riding the green dawn clouds. I leave that Vermilion Cloud Immortal Lodge and come to keep company with people in the dusty world. If fate brings us together, we will meet in due course; there is no need to yearn impatiently.

When the Perfected Feng gave his teaching, he said:

Purple clouds gather into a splendid canopy, and auspicious winds set the feathered wheels turning. I come straight to the ferry of the dusty world, my whole body stained with its grime. If I were not here to protect the immortals, how would I have met the people of today? In fewer than twelve years, I will ride the chariot of sunlight to pay court to the Great Perfected One. Though our fates have already joined in the unseen realm, you must still hold fast to De and practice diligently.

When Immortal Minister Zhang gave his teaching, he said:

I leave the quiet, leisurely immortal lodge and come to wander in the noisy, dusty world. Riding beneath a splendid canopy and steering through the clouds, I seek the person destined to form a bond with you. How extraordinary Zhou Sheng is, that he can respond to a mysterious immortal! May you not be like a tree reaching into the clouds, broken by severe frost along the way.

When Master Hong gave his teaching, he said:

A numinous wind stirs the purple clouds; auspicious clouds part, revealing a crimson glow. The Eightfold Purity, the Daoist realm of clear spirit, is not far away, and the Nine Heavens are not especially high. Though you have set your aims and plans in your heart, one word is still missing from your practice; even if you practice in this way, you will achieve only a little. Encourage yourself to do well in what lies before you today, so that in the future we may return together to the Golden Palace.

When the Boy of Huayang gave his teaching, he said:

A lofty terrace hangs above the distant Celestial River; climb its steep steps to reach the crimson clouds. Splendid scenes appear like luminous lamps, and the sun, moon, and stars each follow their own distinct courses. Leave this place, step into the grime of the dusty world, and go to that… One word is still missing from your practice; even if you practice in this way, you will make only slight progress. Encourage yourself to do well in what lies before you today, so that in the future we may return together to the Golden Palace.

When the Boy of Huayang gave his teaching, he said:

The high terrace rises straight into a purple river of heaven, its steep steps leading to crimson clouds. Splendid radiance darts like torches, while the sun, moon, and five planets each shine with their own distinct light. These verses were written to leave behind the world’s defilement and follow the transcendent Immortals. Strive hard: over these next two years, do not let yourself fall into the ways of a depraved age. We will meet again one day; why spend so many words on a few short verses?

When the poems were finished, Perfected Feng, an Immortal surnamed Feng, said, “The poems you have written are enough to encourage and caution one another. You should reflect on your own fortunes, devote yourselves to cultivation, and strive to bring it to completion. The words should be written as ‘li dan’—‘to sharpen the elixir.’ Others will come in time. If you can apply yourselves and enter deeply into the subtle realm, you will be able to ride a flying dragon along a road of rosy clouds, while music like the cries of phoenixes resounds through the sky, with divine youths leading the way and jade maidens attending the carriage. Why wait through countless ages before this can happen? Attaining the Dao depends entirely on the mind; there is no need to exhaust the body and deplete the spirit. People in the world know only to take elixirs and swallow talismans in pursuit of the Dao. If this path does not suit them, their efforts are in vain. Better to devote themselves to cultivating merit: once good deeds have accumulated to completion, they too may speak of attaining the Dao. They will simply have to wait until a future life to receive it; it cannot be achieved in this one. You may also tell your family these words.”

“I understand now,” Ziliang replied respectfully.

Zhang said, “These words of the Perfected Lord are truly the highest teaching. If you can go beyond the world of dust and reach this state, the Two Offices will value you as well.” He added, “Xiaoxian Hall—could it be destined to become Zhouzi’s place of repose?”

Lord Hong said, “When benevolence, goodness, and merit have accumulated to a certain degree, one will be selected for the Office of the Perfected and serve there as a junior assistant. What one receives need not stop there.”

The assistant said, “If one’s merit is already established, why must one keep striving so diligently?”

The youth said, “Each of you is simply following what you have undertaken; there is no need to press one another. If you continue to accumulate even greater merit, you can attain the cultivation of a Perfected One. Even if you stop, you will not lose what you have already gained.”

After the assistant had finished speaking, everyone took their leave together. They lingered for a moment inside the gate, then vanished.

The account above records a revelation received on the twelfth day, written on four sheets of white paper. It says that three Jade Immortals had arrived, and that Perfected Feng and Officer Le had descended on this occasion. The Declarations of the Perfected records a Perfected of the Western Marchmount named Feng Yanshou; I suspect that he is the Perfected Feng mentioned here. Le Cheng, courtesy name Changzhi, was from Chengyang. He oversaw calamities and was one of the four assistant officials.

The poems and writings chanted by the Immortals generally share a similar style. The Declarations of the Perfected contains many such works, with no clear differences among them. On careful reflection, the words conveyed during this descent seem to offer a brief indication concerning the matter of “Donghua Preserving the Dawn.”

On the night of the thirteenth day of the sixth month in the Yiyou year, the former marshal came to visit and said, “The Perfected Immortals have often descended on visits of late. That must be enough to make you glad and elated. I have been occupied with affairs recently, so I have not been able to see you.”

Ziliang replied, “The heavens and earth have been clear and bright of late, and the Seven Luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars—have appeared together. I have longed for the high spirits to descend, and recently have received several teachings. But the defilements of the mundane world have not yet left me, so I am unfit to receive them.”

The former marshal said, “This is a merit that will endure for thousands of generations. Do not use the defilements of the mundane world as an excuse. However, your sixth-generation ancestor, Zhou Mei, was fond of hunting when he served as governor of Qiao Commandery, and took the lives of many creatures. Fortunately, he also performed acts of merit at times, and his offenses have been pardoned. You should no longer eat meat. Eating it may harm your ancestors and affect you as well, so be sure to take care. Immortal medicines, plants, and trees are enough to nourish the body. Why be so eager to eat meat? I worry that you have not understood, so I came to tell you while I had a moment to spare.”

Ziliang respectfully accepted the teaching, and the former marshal then departed.

The account above records a revelation received on the thirteenth day, written on a small sheet of blue-green paper. The author says that he has not yet consulted the Zhou family genealogy of Runan, and therefore does not know during the reign of which Jin emperor Zhou Mei served as governor of Qiao Commandery. The offense of taking life is indeed grave. Yet even Zhou Mei himself was pardoned on account of the merit he had accumulated. What concerns the author more at present is whether he might suffer the consequences of this in the future.

The first record concerns a divine message received on the thirteenth, written on a small sheet of pale green paper. I have not yet examined the Zhou family genealogy from Runan, so I do not know under which Jin emperor Zhou Mei held office in Qiao Commandery. The crime of taking a life is indeed grave. Since Zhou Mei himself has now been shown leniency, it is hard to explain why he should still fear that disaster will later befall his descendants. Perhaps the principle is like accumulating good deeds and merit: once a person receives blessings, might those blessings also pass down to later generations? I also could not understand the meaning of the message’s words, “this marshal, one servant, one.”

On the night of the sixteenth, after the man from the mountains had left, I consulted the catalogue of another record. I found an entry for the fifteenth day of the sixth month stating that Master Hong of Mount Zhongyue had transmitted the Dongfang Jing and other teachings. But when I examined the records kept in the case, I could not find any account of this transmission. I suspect it concerned a method of cultivation kept secret, and so was not written in the margins of the main text; it may also have been stored separately. This must have been an outer Dipper method, connected with the two stars mentioned earlier, and so it should still belong to this category of techniques. I have heard that Master Hong was then at Xixian and later moved to Zhuyang. He slept in a grove, strictly forbade evildoers to approach, and rarely associated with outsiders; at night, he always stayed alone outside the grove. Judging from this, the method he practiced must have involved lying down in relation to the Dipper. “Lying with the Dipper” refers to a kind of method in which one lies on one’s back, lays out the positions of the Dipper stars, and cultivates according to the prescribed technique. The Dongfang Jing is a middle-grade scripture and method of the Shangqing tradition, not a grade practiced by lower immortals.

Another person came forward. He was young and striking in appearance, dressed in white, and conveyed Marshal Fan’s words: “I warned you before not to eat meat. Have you still been unable to give it up? Why did you go to someone else’s place this morning and eat dried meat? Do not do this again from now on. I hope you will remember my earlier warning and not disappoint the care I show you today.”

Ziliang replied, “I went to my master’s place early this morning, and he gave me some food. I thought it was sweet fruit; I had no intention of deceiving you. Now that I have received your warning once again, how could I dare go near meat?” After hearing this, the man departed.

The entry on the right was received on the fifteenth and is numbered one. It is written on white rattan paper, whose texture is almost identical to the paper used by Lord Yang.

On the morning of the fourteenth, he had already told his aunt that he could not eat meat. When he went into the mountains that evening, he saw Xiang and explained the matter to him as well. Xiang said the same thing as Fan Shuai, and he agreed at once. On the morning of the fifteenth, he went into the mountains again, then visited Pan Yuanwen. Pan Yuanwen performed a Zhaijiao rite with him, offering prayers and petitions to the gods, and urged him repeatedly to devote himself to cultivation. That evening, he received this entry. On the morning of the sixteenth, he saw Xiang again, and Xiang brought up the matter once more. From then on, he completely gave up wrongdoing.

His reply now is: “The master’s words were also an expedient means of persuasion, intended to spur me on and keep me from becoming slack.”

From October of last year through March of this year, he ate only vegetables. Later, worn down by hard work, he grew thin. His aunt urged him to return gradually to his former diet, allowing him only a small taste at first. Before long, he fell into error again. These errors were not merely the consequence of his earlier sins: to consume living beings is to go against the nature of nurturing all things with compassion. All those who cherish benevolence should give up eating meat and make compassion part of their nature. For this reason, immortals and sages have always taken abstaining from meat as a principle of cultivation.

On the nineteenth of June, five women came. They were the ones Li Feihua had mentioned in the mountains on the night of the eleventh, when they agreed to meet in the western valley on the nineteenth.

The first was Lady Zhao, titled the Immortal Consort and Chief Instructor of Yiqian, with the courtesy name Sutai. She was about thirty and wore embroidered, multicolored robes. This woman is recorded in the Zhen’gao.

The second was Lady Wang, Left Consort of Yiqian. She had changed her courtesy name to Taiying, was about twenty, and wore purple. The Zhen’gao records a Wang Jinxian; perhaps this was her name after she changed it.

The third was Lady Liu, Right Consort of Yiqian, with the courtesy name Xuanwei. She was about twenty and wore green. The Zhen’gao records a Liu Chunlong, but the details differ from those given here. If she later changed her name, they may be the same person; otherwise, they are probably different.

The fourth was Lady Tao, Director of the Yiqian School. She had changed her courtesy name to Zhi’an, was about forty, and wore a garment that was green above and purple below, patterned with tadpole motifs. She may have been the mother of Xu Yuan.

The fifth was Li Feihua, who had received instruction at Yiqian. She was about twenty and had come once before. She wore green above and pale blue below. She is not mentioned in the Zhen’gao. The earlier passage says she had entered the immortal realm of Yiqian ninety-four years before.

Above are recorded the names of five people and the words spoken by Li Feihua. When he had finished speaking, four of them sat down together, while Li Feihua remained leaning against something.

Eight more maids arrived. One carried a case for towels, with an inscription on its lid. Each of two others wore a large talisman at the waist, about a foot square, written in black on blue-green silk. The one at the head of the group held a document case. She first covered its opening with a lid, then carried the case and lid together. Inside the case was a bag bearing yellow writing, which seemed to contain scriptures. Four of the maids each held an ivory tablet, whose writing was so fine that it could not be made out. They all wore patterned silk robes and purple-red sashes.

The immortals spoke among themselves for a long while. They seemed to be discussing Ziliang, though they did not make their meaning entirely clear. Lady Zhao then told Ziliang, “For a long time you have been in accord with the realm of the unseen. That is why you were able to summon true immortals to come and help you.”

Ziliang replied, “I am only an ordinary, unremarkable person. Since childhood, I have followed the registers of the Dao and cultivated the Way. By good fortune, I have been able to dwell in the mountains and forests. How could I have expected true immortals to descend one day? My heart is filled with joy and apprehension, and I cannot find peace. If the causes and conditions of my past deserve to be fulfilled, I ask you to grant me the essential method for becoming an immortal and help me attain it.”

Lady Zhao said, “Your name has already been entered on the Purple Register, the celestial roster of immortals. Why worry that you will not become an immortal, or ask me to teach you? I am only an immortal myself.”

Lady Liu said to Master Zhou, “Do you know where the merit you have accumulated and the causes and conditions you have formed came from, that you have arrived at your present circumstances?” Ziliang replied, “I am so insignificant a mortal that I truly do not understand the reason.” Lady Liu said, “I will now give you a brief account. When you were born into the family of Zhou Kui, you were already destined to attain the Dao. But your desires and impurities were too great, and in the end you did not succeed. Later, when you were born into the family of Liu Wei, you accumulated the blessings of diligent study of the Dao, and these continued into your present life. You were entered on the roster of the higher immortals three times, but on some occasions you violated prohibitions and were consequently struck from the roster. You have now been listed for more than seventy years. That is why, after passing through life and death, you have finally arrived at this point. I once asked the Recorder Lord about this, and he told me the same thing. That is why I have told you, so you may understand your origins.”

Lady Wang said, “Lady Liu, the Right Consort, has already explained the causes and conditions linking the unseen realm with the human world, and your past lives with this one. You should reflect on them and understand for yourself.”

I once consulted Lord Shoulu, a title of a Daoist immortal, about this matter and wrote down what he said. I am recounting its origins so that you may understand. Lady Wang said, “Liu Youpin, an immortal’s title, has already described in great detail the realms of the dead and the living, and the circumstances of past lives and this life. It is enough for you to understand this in your heart. Do not tell ordinary people.”

Lady Tao said, “I, Zhou, was born in the nineteenth year, the year of Dingchou, and my fate belongs to Water.” Then she asked Zhao, “What do you make of this?” Zhao replied, “There is no fixed rule. Lord Wang of Total Perfection was also born in a Dingchou year and had a Water fate, yet he ranks among the highest perfected beings. Zhang Suan was born in a Dingchou year too, yet sank into the Three Offices—the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, and their underworld courts. So birth year and fate element alone cannot determine one’s standing; what matters is one’s deeds and accomplishments.”

Lady Tao said, “It is just as the visitor told Lady Liu. He also told Ziliang: ‘Although immortals can penetrate the mysteries and respond to all things, ordinary people’s feelings are too weak to summon a response from them. We have come today only to seek out people who follow the Dao; we are not wandering about without purpose. Please do not let others know. Even if they did know, they might not believe it. This matter could bring suspicion and ridicule, and unsettle you. I do not blame those people; I only worry that they may thereby bring guilt upon themselves.’”

Ziliang said, “Since I have already been blessed by the immortals’ arrival, how could I dare harbor doubts? I only wish to report it to my teacher’s wife from time to time. I would not dare tell ordinary people.” The visitor added, “Do not tell A, B, or the others, either.”

Lady Zhao then said, “The immortal way has a realm of profound depth and stillness. For now, I will tell you a little about it. Those who attain the state of true immortals dwell at ease in wondrous palaces and roam the purple heavens. When they move, the light of the sun and moon spreads bright and clear; when they are still, the winds and clouds cease, and their breath becomes calm. They wear flying robes made of kingfisher feathers and ride carts of maple wood and numinous pine. They cross the seas, climb mountains, and travel the roads in all eight directions. As they advance, water and fire cannot harm them; when they withdraw, trees and stones bring them no trouble. Is this not a state of honor?

“People see only the splendor of official rank, carriages, and fine clothes, and the pleasures of a palace filled with concubines, and think these are life’s highest attainments. That is why the true Dao does not accord with worldly ways, and why immortals rarely come and go among humankind. People see only the splendor of official rank, carriages, and fine clothes, and the pleasures of a palace filled with concubines, and think these are life’s highest attainments.”

For this reason, the true methods of the Dao are not readily passed on to people, and immortals seldom come in response to human requests. Even those who know the methods of cultivating the Dao may not be able to practice them to completion: some give up after a short time, while others persist for years without sufficient focus. Such cases are truly regrettable. Zhou Sheng, do not be like these ordinary people.

Lady Wang said, “Those who press forward with single-minded resolve and no longer hesitate, who act freely in accordance with the way things are and do not let their hearts become entangled, may hope to attain the Way of the worthy. One may also reach the Dao by probing deeply into its hidden mysteries, traveling far to seek teachers and companions, and laboring diligently day and night, building up one’s practice year after year. Or one may live alone in the mountains, cultivate according to the scriptures and methods, swallow talismans, absorb the essences of the sun and moon, and practice the method of the ‘Seven Primordials.’ Yet in the end, these methods are still less swift than accumulating merit and cultivating diligently. You may tell Lai Zi about these things and urge him to practice them earnestly. As long as his cultivation does not falter, he need not worry about what comes after death or waste his life in vain. Then there will be no need to fret over his questions.”

Lady Tao said, “If one can hold firmly to the methods of the Dao and remain steadfast in one’s resolve, nourishing the Five Viscera through breath cultivation and absorbing the essences of the sun and moon, one can become an earthbound immortal and live forever. But without the Golden Elixir, the Five Mushrooms, and other elixirs of immortality, one cannot ultimately soar through the Taiji, the Supreme Ultimate, or move and transform without limit. I am still only an immortal of middling rank; I have not yet reached the level of a high immortal or a perfected being of the lower heavens. I practiced breath cultivation and the other methods long ago, and that is how I attained my present state. Zhou Sheng, will you cultivate diligently?”

The conversation went on roughly to this point. It was already the fourth watch of the night. Lady Zhao said, “The stars are thinning, and dawn is near. We should leave now and go with the others.” She added, “We will come again before long; we will not be apart for long.” Lady Wang said, “Since Lady Zhao has come, of course I have every reason to come with her.” Liu said, “On the third day of next month, I must go to Donghua to submit the register of studies, so I will also visit Lady Tao on the way.” Zi Liang asked, “What is a register of studies?” Liu replied, “It is the register in which Yi Qian records the progress of the immortals’ studies and notes their advancement or decline in learning.”

In the second month, a report was usually submitted every other day to the Great Siming of Donghua, the divine official who governs the registers of immortals and the span of their lives. Three such reports were made during the month; this was the most important arrangement in the second month. In the ninth month, the reports began again. The cycle continued in this way.

Ziliang then asked, “What is recorded in the registers that immortals study?” The answer was, “They record the progress and setbacks in the instruction of immortals in Yiqian.” Tao said, “Then let us part for more than ten days for now.” Li said, “When he asks about our coming and going, Lady Zhao will naturally send someone to pass on a message. There is no need to take leave again.” Then everyone left the grove, and the attendants disappeared one by one.

The account above was heard on the night of the nineteenth and written on six sheets of small blue-green paper. On close examination, there is nothing especially profound in what these ladies said, nor was it necessarily directed only at Master Zhou. It also serves to admonish those who pursue cultivation, showing that wisdom and merit matter more than single-mindedly practicing cultivation. This can also be seen in what they revealed while discussing the principles.

On the night of the twenty-first day of the sixth month, Ziliang dreamed of a man about thirty years old. He wore white cloth robes with neat pleated trim and held a black court tablet, the long board carried by officials when attending court or conducting official business. His appearance was upright and refined, inspiring respect. He said he was a subordinate sent by Zhao Cheng to deliver a message:

“Yesterday, you and the Recluse Tao (Tao Hongjing) jointly submitted a petition asking for rain. You said that the ruler was concerned for the people and hoped rain would fall. As for what will happen now, that depends on the course of events. Recently, petitions and prayers have also been offered repeatedly elsewhere, but none have received a response. You have been cultivating merit here for some time, so I have come especially to tell you this and to let the virtue of both of you be confirmed. There is no need to be overly modest; I fear that might disappoint your hopes. I have therefore been ordered to bring you this message.”

Ziliang said, “The weather has been extremely hot lately. Ponds and lakes are nearly dry, the grains are withering, and plants and trees are fading. I am worried that famine may follow, so I took the liberty of submitting a petition with the Recluse Tao, hoping that generous rain would fall.”

The man said, “Do not worry that it will fail to rain; the concern is that the rain may be too heavy and cause floods. The wording of your earlier petition was good, but a petition for rain should be written in ink, while one praying for clear weather should be written in cinnabar. It should also be written on blue paper. Some people say that the spirits favor red and blue, but they do not understand that these colors are sometimes unsuitable. There are many such cases in the world, but no one explains the underlying principles to them. They fail to understand for themselves, then claim that the spirits are ineffective. I hope you will write a new petition for rain in ink and not follow the method used in the previous one.”

Ziliang replied, “I will act according to the points you have explained.”

Ziliang then asked, “May I know the honored spirit’s surname and given name?”

The man said, “Are you asking about me?” Ziliang replied, “Yes.” The man said, “My surname is Huang, and my courtesy name is Yuanping. I am from the Eastern Sea. I still serve under Zhao Cheng, the Protector of Life, though I hold no official rank or duties.”

After speaking, he said he could not stay long and might return another time. He then clasped his hands in farewell and took his leave.

This record contains a text received on the night of the twenty-first, copied onto a sheet of white hemp paper.

That summer, there had been no rain for more than ten days. The Daoist priests had repeatedly submitted petitions praying for rain, but no clouds appeared. Recluse—Tao Hongjing’s self-designation—and Zhou Ziliang composed a prayer for rain together, following custom by writing it in cinnabar on blue paper. After the sky cleared on the twentieth, the two presented the petition in a quiet chamber. Then, on the night of the twenty-first, Zhou Ziliang received this text in a dream.

On the night of the twenty-second, Zhou Ziliang wrote a prayer in ink based on what had been fulfilled, and presented it by himself at the altar in the courtyard. On the morning of the twenty-third, he told his family, “Last night someone brought word that it will rain around noon today.” Yet that morning the sky was clear and the weather scorching hot, with no sign of rain. Around midday, Zhou Ziliang went into the mountains. As soon as he reached the heights, he saw wind and clouds suddenly rise in the east. Before he had reached Recluse, rain began along the road, and water soon pooled on the ground. But as the rain clouds passed Zhou Ziliang, they seemed to skirt the mountain where he was.

Both men spoke openly about this event. The record says only that the text was received in a dream; it does not establish whether it was truly a dream or a vision experienced while awake.

The prayer of Zhou Ziliang, a Daoist priest of Huayang Recluse’s school, reads:

“I reflect in private that the people’s livelihood rests on grain, and farming in turn depends on the nourishment of rain. There has been no rain for more than ten days, and the crops are scorched and withered. People near and far are distressed, lifting their eyes to the sky and sighing. The people pray again and again, yet have received no response. I have heard that the office of bringing rain has its own divine officials. May you take pity on the people and send timely, abundant rain; summon wind and clouds, swiftly gather the clouds, and let floods course through the rivers, so that both land and water may be nourished. Then the songs praising the white crane may once more ring out. Together we offer our sincere hearts and respectfully set forth this prayer.”

On the twenty-first day of the sixth month of the yiyou year, the fourteenth year of Tianjian (515), the prayer was delivered to the Grotto Heaven of the Golden Altar at Huayang, Jurong—a Daoist sacred site—and presented before Zhang Li and the commissioner Zhao of the Prohibitions. This was the prayer previously written in cinnabar: Recluse drafted it, and Zhou Ziliang copied it out. It was found only during a later compilation. It was subsequently copied again, and efforts were made to locate the woodblock or wooden tablet that Zhou Ziliang had revised, but none could be found.

On the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, while I was outside Nanlin during the day, I dreamed of a man about sixty years old. He wore a windswept crown, a fur coat, and a purple skirt. He held a jade bell and wore a large talisman at his waist. The talisman was written in cinnabar on yellow material, but the characters did not look as though they had been written with a brush; they looked more like they had been woven. He had never visited before. Two attendants accompanied him, both dressed in the same way: windswept crowns, fur coats, purple skirts, jade bells in their hands, and large talismans at their waists. Two other attendants wore dark red clothes.

The man came in and sat down. He said, “The beauty of your De has moved the spirits of the netherworld. I have wanted to visit for a long time, but I was entangled in affairs and could not set out at once. Deng Sheng must have told you earlier that I was coming.”

Ziliang said, “The Immortal Deng has already explained in detail that the spirits intend to descend here. I often cleanse my thoughts and keep them tranquil as I await the true immortals.”

The man smiled and said, “Deng will be here soon, too.” After a long while, he sighed sadly and continued, “In the past, I lived in seclusion and cultivated the Dao alone. None of my peers was more virtuous or wise than I. I studied the Dao on Mount Songgao for more than eighty years. Later, I obtained a divine mushroom, said to enable one to attain the Dao and become an immortal. After taking it, I underwent a transformation. Though I was able to enter the ranks of the immortals, I had nowhere to lay my body to rest. My body still lies in a stone chamber on the southern side of Mount Songgao. When I think of it, I remain deeply attached and cannot let go. You need not worry about this. People all say that after attaining the Dao, one no longer cares about the body. But my attachment to mine runs so deep that it pierces my heart and liver. Can there truly be no coffin?”

“I am now a master at the Golden Court of the Jade Palace of Tongwu, commanding the immortals of Cangwu and guarding the interior of the Vermilion Terrace. My surname is Xu, and my courtesy name is Xuanzhen. I have come especially to let you know my immortal rank and name. Before long, I will come with Deng Sheng, and then we will meet again at length. We will not part for good.” With that, he disappeared.

A little later, I dreamed of two more people. They turned out to be Huang Yuanping, whom Zhao Cheng had sent earlier, and another man. They said, “It rained last night. It is a pity we could not come more often. We will come again around the middle of the month. Yesterday we went to Mount Tai and saw your revered father returning someone home in the evening. Only then were we able to remove your name from the register of the dead and enter it anew in the register of the living. There are six people like you. Your revered father said he is now returning to the Northern Palace. If you go to Ziliang’s place, tell me that I have come here as well. I came especially to pass this message on.” With that, they departed.

One record on the right says: During a daytime nap on the twenty-fourth, I dreamed that I was receiving a charge from the gods in the Northern Palace. Someone in the dream said, “If you go to Ziliang, tell him: I came here today especially to deliver this message.” Then the speaker left.

Another record on the right says: During a daytime nap on the twenty-fourth, I dreamed that I received a charge and wrote it on two sheets of blue paper. On checking the records, Deng Lingqi arrived on the sixth of that month. Xu Xuanzhen and Deng Lingqi were both in Tongwu at the time, so they mentioned one another. Later, on the twenty-ninth, they came together.

What Lord Xu said is indeed true: even after transforming away, one still feels attachment to one’s former body. How much more so must this be for other gods and spirits of the dead? Thus, arrangements for burial, such as coffins and outer coffins, are in the end unavoidable.

This is Lord Xu’s account. The book Zhenzhuo Ying does not mention this person, and it is not known where he came from or when he attained the Dao. The book says, “Father Zhou returned to the Northern Palace,” which indicates that he left on an errand from Dengdu. In the fifth month, Zhao Cheng said that he should be reborn into the Wang family the following spring. Now he has departed; once reborn, he will become entangled in one burden after another, and in the end his path to immortality will be cut off.

Looking again at what Lady Liu said earlier: she said, “Your name has been listed in the register of the High Immortals for more than seventy years,” but now she says, “Only just now has your name been removed from the register of Mount Tai.” She was about to be reborn into the Wang family, and now she has departed; once reborn, she will become entangled in one burden after another, and in the end her path to immortality will be cut off. This suggests that the registers of the immortal realm and the records of the realm of the dead are kept separately, with an entry corresponding to each person. Even if one is listed in the register of the immortal realm, one’s status remains unsettled if one’s name has not yet been removed from the records of the realm of the dead. Therefore, only those whose names appear in the register of the High Immortals and have been removed from the records of the realm of the dead—or whose status has been settled in both the immortal and spirit realms—will no longer be demoted back to the human world or assigned to serve as a spirit. If Zhou Sheng’s transformation away today is of this kind, he will be able to preserve his rank among the immortals for a long time.

At dusk on the twenty-ninth day of the sixth month of the Yuwei year, two immortals came to Tongwu. One was Xu Xuanzhen, the Celestial Master of Cangwu and Upper Master of the Golden Court Palace in Tongwu. He was dressed as before and held a jade bell; two attendants were with him. This event is not recorded in the Zhengao.

The other was the immortal Deng Lingqi of Tongwu. He, too, was dressed as before, but held a jade bell, and likewise had two attendants with him. This event is also not recorded in the Zhengao.

Deng Xian said, “I have wanted to visit you for a long time, but these duties kept me away. On the twenty-seventh, I was appointed Censor in Charge of the Canopy for the Imperial Dawn. I am stationed at the Green Central Lodge on the southern side of Tongwu Mountain, where I oversee the Huayang School’s cultivation of immortality and am responsible for supervising affairs in the four palaces. These duties are why I have not been able to come until now. Since Lord Xu has come to visit, we have the perfect opportunity to give him a proper welcome.”

Ziliang replied, “I am filled with joy and admiration that Lord Xu has honored me with a visit; words cannot express it. Now that you, too, have come in person, there could be no occasion more worthy of celebration.”

Lord Xu said, “I just passed by Mao Dinglu’s place and heard that he has begun teaching the Scripture of the True Mystery of the Master. This is truly cause for joy.”

Ziliang replied, “I have been fortunate enough to receive a spiritual revelation and accept the true teaching. But I am still a mortal, dull and limited in my capacities, and often lax in my practice.”

Lord Xu continued, “I have heard that your name has already been entered on the green register of the Bonded Palace’s immortal records, though I do not yet know whether this is true. Before long, I will go with Master Deng to verify it.”

Ziliang replied, “It is exactly what I have hoped for, that you would go and inquire on my behalf.”

Lord Xu pointed to Deng Xian and said, “This master has cultivated the Dao for several hundred years, and only today received his appointment. Yet you have gained this opportunity while seated here. It shows that your merit and accumulated practice must have been long in the making.”

Deng Xian laughed and said, “So Zhou Sheng’s affinity with immortality is indeed beginning to show itself, just as Marquis Han said. Is that a fair way to put it?”

Lord Xu said, “Though Master Zhou is endowed with an affinity for immortality, he does not yet know about his former lives.”

Ziliang then said, “With my shallow understanding and life in the dusty world, how could I know such things? Who is Marquis Han?”

Deng Xian said, “He is Han Huiqi, the Immortal Marquis of Donghua. He oversees the immortal records of the Eastern Palace and is stationed at the Eighth Mystery Palace on Fangzhang Mountain. The inquiry about you that we just mentioned is precisely a visit to him.”

Lord Xu said, “Time is short today, so I cannot stay long. Before long, I should be able to return with Master Deng. Do not think of this parting as a long one.” With that, he rose from his seat and went out with Deng Xian. Their attendants followed behind them, and then they all vanished together.

The account on the right records the biography of an Immortal who appeared during the night of the twenty-ninth. It was written on a large sheet of white hemp paper. According to Xu Xuanding’s transcription, the Catalogue for Checking and Distinguishing the Mysterious Scriptures records that on the twenty-seventh day of the sixth month, Huayang Tong, acting on the orders of Lord Dinglu, transmitted the Hidden Book of the Great Empyrean and the Mysterious True Person’s Inner Instructions, among other texts. But this matter is not in the present case. It was probably sealed away separately with the records from the same chamber.

As for the Immortals among the paulownia trees, they should, in principle, have no connection with this matter. Perhaps Deng Ling was in charge of the celestial prohibitions governing Huayang’s Four Palaces. The Immortals able to travel among the Four Palaces would therefore have been, among the men, Tongchu and Xiaoxian, and among the women, Yiqian and Hanzhen. The matter of checking these against the registers is recorded separately in the middle of the seventh month.

From the first to the twenty-ninth day of the sixth month, there are about thirteen entries in all, written on blue-white paper. Altogether, they occupy twenty-three sheets of various sizes. Two entries concerning Dongfang Xuanzhen are listed in the catalogue; apart from these, the remaining contents are all complete.

Records of Mysterious Communion by Master Zhou, Volume Two

Records of Mysterious Communion by Master Zhou, Volume Three

Records for the Seventh Month

In this transcription of the original, passages that were concealed are now explained in notes written in red ink.

On the night of the second day of the seventh month in the Yiwei year, seven people came.

One, surnamed Zhou, wore a Dark Radiance crown, a green-feathered shoulder cape, and a Crimson Empyrean flying robe. He wore a flowing-gold bell and appeared to be about fifty years old. The Declarations of the Perfected records that he had four attendants carrying yellow-feathered staffs.

One, surnamed Wang, was dressed much like Zhou. He wore a purple-feathered shoulder cape and a flowing-gold bell, and appeared to be about forty years old. The Declarations of the Perfected records that he had four attendants carrying green-feathered staffs.

One, surnamed Mao, wore a Far-Traveler crown and a dark-feathered cape, with purple brocade robes. He wore a flowing-gold bell and carried a yellow-feathered staff.

Another, surnamed Wang, was dressed much like Zhou. He wore a purple-feathered shoulder cape and a flowing-gold bell, and appeared to be about forty years old. The Declarations of the Perfected records that he had four attendants carrying green-feathered staffs.

One Perfected of the Mao family wore a distant-travel crown, a black wool robe, and a purple brocade garment, with a flowing-gold bell at his waist. He appeared to be about sixty. His story is recorded in the Zhen’gao. Three attendants stood beside him, holding black woolen staffs and a box made of white ivory.

Another Perfected of the Mao family wore a lotus crown, a red wool robe, and a black embroidered garment, with a jade bell at his waist. He, too, appeared to be about sixty. His story is recorded in the Zhen’gao. Two attendants stood beside him, carrying nothing.

A Perfected of the Zhou family wore a canopy crown and cloud-pattern brocade garments, with a jade bell at his waist. He was in his forties. The Zhen’gao gives his name as Taibin. Five attendants stood beside him, holding purple woolen staffs.

A Perfected of the Sima family wore a lotus crown and a plain feather robe beneath a purple brocade garment, with a jade bell at his waist. He was about forty. His story is recorded in the Zhen’gao. Two attendants stood beside him, holding green woolen staffs.

There was also another figure dressed like the previously mentioned Music Director, with five attendants beside him. His story is recorded in the Zhen’gao. The garments of the figures described earlier, as well as the identity of the Music Director, could later be recognized from the proclamations.

The Music Director said, “The Perfected Ones have arrived. Why don’t you pay your respects?” Ziliang immediately rose, bowed twice, and kowtowed in greeting, asking to be taught the secret methods of the immortals—the practices for attaining immortality.

Lord Ma Dinglu said, “Your achievements and reputation are already well established. You need not toil further for fame; simply keep a record of the affairs under my charge.”

Zhou Ziyang said, “Since we parted, hundreds of years have passed in the blink of an eye, yet to me it feels as though only a single day has gone by. To undergo the cycle of life and death—how bitter it truly is.”

Sima Kuocang said, “Perhaps Zhou Sheng is the one who can attain the Dao without studying it diligently or enduring hardship.”

Mao Baoming said, “How could the toil of diligent practice be fully described in a moment? This is what is meant by suffering first and enjoying the fruits later.”

Wang Ziyang said, “Years accumulate easily, but achievements are hard to bring to light. I had heard of Zhou Sheng’s reputation; now I have seen his virtue with my own eyes. The foundation of his past cultivation remains firm to this day—that is plain to see.” The name mentioned at the end should be the character Jia.

Master Zhou said, “Though young, Zhou Sheng has profound De (Virtue/Power). His understanding may seem shallow, yet his wisdom runs deep. This has been so for three lifetimes. In the past, I often traveled incognito among the people and went to visit him. He was openhearted and sincere, and willing to practice benevolence. I had meant to tell him what was essential, but at the time he was not yet ready to undertake the methods of cultivation, so I did not pass them on to him. Now that we can meet, it truly brings me joy.”

Master Zhou Ziyang said, “You know his origins. Is he not my grand-nephew? I heard that when he met you in the South Sea, he was openhearted and sincere, and willing to practice benevolence. I had meant to tell him what was essential, but at the time he was not yet ready to undertake the methods of cultivation, so I did not pass them on to him. Now that we can meet, it truly brings me joy.”

Ziyang Zhou said, “You already know your own origins. Surely you are one of my descendants? I once met you in the South Sea, and then we parted. More than two hundred years have passed since then.”

Cheng said, “I will now tell you the order of precedence among the perfected ones. The first is the Left Perfected One of Ziyang, who dwells on Mount Geyan. The second is Lord Zhou, also known as the ancient Perfected One of Ziyang, who dwells on Mount Panzhong. According to the teachings passed down by Lords Wang and Zhou, Ziyang has two perfected ones, Left and Right, but they do not clearly say whether Lord Wang is the Right Perfected One, and his name is unknown. The third is Lord Mao Zhong of the Register of Destiny; the fourth is Lord Mao Xiao, Protector of Life; the fifth is Lord Zhou, Right Grandee of Penglai; the sixth is the Perfected One of Mount Kuocang, Master Sima; and the seventh is me. The first six are all perfected ones who arrived at different times, and all are immortals. Only Lord Feng is a Perfected One of the Yellow Court, dwelling on Mount Zhong.”

Protector of Life asked, “Do you now have a general understanding of this order?”

Ziliang replied, “Thanks to your explanation, I understand.”

Lord Dinglu said, “Earlier, I sent Jing Shangqi to give you the Inner Instructions of Perfect Mystery. Why have you still not practiced them?”

Ziliang said, “After receiving the Scripture of Perfect Mystery, I should have practiced it. But Lord Hong had previously taught me the Grotto Chamber, and I wanted to master that first, so I have had no time.”

Lord Dinglu added, “Practicing the Grotto Chamber brings better results, but progress is slow. If you devote yourself to diligent practice of Perfect Mystery, within five years you will have the Jade Maiden of Great Mystery attend you. I still recommend that you practice the Grotto Chamber first; there is no conflict in practicing both methods together.” Ziliang agreed.

Lord Wang said, “You must work diligently. Even if your name is already entered in the registers of the immortals, things may still change along the way. If you do not continue practicing, you may not preserve what you have achieved. Do not casually tell others what we have discussed tonight.”

Grandee Zhou said, “People attain the Dao and become immortals every year and every month; it is only that ordinary people do not know it. In the Shen year, you should attain the Dao and then be received into the Taiji. If not in the Shen year, then in the You year. The appointed time is not far off, though you still have to wait. In the meantime, practice diligently.”

Lord Sima said, “Someone has already made a strong recommendation on your behalf, and your cultivation is also quite good. Your work on the Dao will surely come to fruition, so long as you keep practicing without interruption.”

Ziliang received these teachings and answered each in turn, “I will follow your instructions carefully.”

Cheng said, “Tao the Recluse (Tao Hongjing) has recently spoken of this matter and offered similar views. Your maternal aunt has repeatedly made a sincere appeal to the two perfected ones. They are of one mind, but they fear that others may not agree.”

Dinglu said, “Tao’s entry in the registers is full of omissions, and the related records are not reliable. Even if I handle the matter, I cannot decide it on my own. Around the middle of the month, I will discuss it with Sihe. Protector of Life is your courtesy name. Earlier, when you went to ask the various Lords of Destiny, the gods who govern people’s lifespans and registers of fate, and discuss this matter, there should have been no difficulty. You need not worry in haste.”

They added, “We must leave now, though perhaps we will come again. In the future, we can exchange notes and letters.” With that, they departed together.

First entry: On the night of the second day of the seventh month, Lady Zhou (Zhou Deng) received a revelation from the spirits and wrote down: “Document Four: This matter will certainly bring no hardship. Do not worry in haste, and do not grieve or weep.” They also said, “We are leaving now; perhaps we will come again in the future. If you have something to tell us, you may write a letter or a memorial and send it to us.” Having spoken, they departed together.

Second entry: On the night of the second day of the seventh month, Lady Zhou received a revelation and wrote down, “Document Four: Little Green Inn,” followed by another passage of writing.

Commentary: According to this record, the two Perfected Ones of Ziyang and the two lords of Juqu Mountain, who were immortals, first began to descend on this day. In the preceding month, the sixth, they had sent only attendant boys. The Daoist classic Declarations of the Perfected says that Zhou Taibin was skilled at playing the one-string zither. The woman who instructed Sun Deng was the Right Lady of Penglai, and she was probably the same person. Sima Kuocang is not mentioned in either secular or Daoist texts, and he cannot have been Jizhu. Perhaps he was Jizhu’s son, Fayu. This person appears only here; there are no further records about him.

In the fourth month of this year, the Recluse (Tao Hongjing) dreamed that he was summoned to appear. He learned that the authorities had made all the arrangements, with only the seal still unmade. Deeply moved, he immediately told Lady Zhou about the dream. Zhou Deng also told her aunt. The aunt then secretly prepared a letter, asking Pan Yuanwen to draft a memorial and prepare a formal petition to present to the spirits, and had Zhou Deng submit it with her. Later, the Recluse was in the Heavenly Window Grotto, and those around him knew nothing of the matter. Only afterward did someone ask whether it had happened, but did not ask again whether Zhou Deng had agreed. By the thirteenth day of the seventh month, the matter had been settled. On the morning of the fourteenth, Lady Zhou’s memorial was received and presented; it seems the related documents had only just been made ready. This event is mentioned only once. The details of the supposed repeated petitions and prayers remain unclear.

What exactly happened in the seventh month of the Yiyou year is not known. By the thirteenth day of the seventh month, the matter had been settled. On the morning of the fourteenth, Lady Zhou’s memorial was received and presented; it seems the related documents had only just been made ready. This event is mentioned only once. The details of the supposed repeated petitions and prayers remain unclear.

On the night of the third day of the seventh month in the Yǐwèi year, nine women arrived, all dressed alike. They wore blue-green and dark green garments on their upper bodies, with purple sashes around their waists and golden bells at their sides. Black talismans, like official documents, hung beneath the bells. Each held a white tablet that looked like jade. Woven patterns were embroidered along the seams of their clothes, and little bells hung from each join, chiming as they walked.

One was Lady Liu Xuanwei, another was Lady Tao Zhian. I did not know or recognize any of the others. I spoke with them. Lady Liu said, “Have you made any new progress in your recent practice? I went to Donghua, the name of an immortal realm, this morning and have only just returned. The matter of your documents has mostly been settled. Your name has been entered in the green register of Donghua’s immortal records. This is truly cause for celebration.”

Lady Tao said, “I hear that you have recently been fasting and waiting for the Northern Dipper, the star deity symbolized by the seven stars of the Dipper. This is no ordinary matter. I did not expect your resolve to be so firm, or that you would succeed in seeking out this constellation. But you will not see it soon; years of accumulation are needed. There is no need to say more about that.”

Lady Liu then called to the women, saying, “This Mr. Zhou has lofty ambitions. You may speak with him.” One woman replied, “We are low-ranking immortals and would not dare speak with a person of such distinction.” Lady Liu said, “It is not so easy to judge who is high or low. He is still mired in the turmoil of the mortal world. We only wish to offer him some guidance together. What is there to call exalted about us?” The woman smiled and said, “We will visit again another time. Tonight, it is not convenient to say much.”

Lady Tao said, “Among those mentioned here is Liu Miaojī. Her name should be written ‘Liu Miaojī’ with the character for ‘lady,’ but since I heard it spoken aloud, I cannot be certain how it is written. There are also Sun Fanghua and Ruan Huixiang. These three women are not mentioned in the Zhengao (Declarations of the Perfected), a Daoist classic. They succeeded in their practice and were admitted into the Eighth Vermilion Terrace of Fangzhu, an immortal realm, where they received registers in the immortal records and became immortal consorts. That is why we know of them now.”

Lady Liu asked, “Mr. Zhou, would you like to go there?” I replied, “How could an ordinary mortal dare hope for such a thing?” She said, “It is precisely because you have this aspiration that I am telling you.” Lady Tao said, “It is late. We should go.” As they were about to leave, the other women called, “Wait for us!” They followed the two ladies away, and then vanished.

This is a record of revelations received over three days and three nights, written on two small sheets of blue-green paper.

The accompanying note says: This is the matter of the “Student Dispatch Register” mentioned last month. The document was submitted to Donghua, a sacred realm in the Daoist celestial world, then diverted along the way to the lower realm to meet King Zhao. Afterward, others also presented their accounts and offered criticisms, seemingly hoping to express some expectation through these words.

All things must be nurtured by Heaven and Earth, the Two Principles; illuminated by the sun and moon; joined by the currents of mountains and marshes; and brought together through Yin-Yang. None of this is possible without things matching and joining, reflecting and harmonizing with one another. This principle applies just as much from the High Perfected, an honorific for high-ranking Daoist immortals, on down. Earlier records have long made this clear, and there seems no reason to doubt it now.

People differ in age and rank, and their lifespans vary; each has an appointed end, so there is no need for everyone to die on the same day. As for those whose Daoist cultivation surpasses the mundane world and whose minds and spirits remain settled beyond transformation, they may sometimes manifest in extraordinary ways, no longer through physical bodies joining one another. Such examples include responding through a spiritual connection with Mañjuśrī, who appeared in Vimalakīrti’s chamber; making contact under the name of a guest or friend; and answering from Fusang, the legendary land where the sun rises. Each of these has a deeper meaning.

On the night of the ninth day of the seventh month, Zhou Ziliang saw the two Perfected Ones, Ziyang and Zhou Wang, together with Lord Dinglu. The three immortals were dressed as they had been before, and about ten attendants stood beside them. The youth Ziyang was among them as well. Zhou Ziliang spoke with them for a long time.

Lord Dinglu said to Zhou Ziliang, “You have been troubled on our account lately. Our duties in Heaven have been frequent, and they have worn down my spirit. During these six days, I went to Donghua and saw that your name had already been entered on the Green Register, the register of immortals. Your post has been set as Guardian of the Dawn Office, and from now on you will be counted among us. Is that not a distinguished position? This is a sign from the unseen realm, and an agreement formed in a former life. Although you did not receive this post because of your recent inquiry, it should be granted first.”

Zhou Ziyang continued, “You were meant to receive this post all along. It is just that the various offices failed to make your virtue known and to report your achievements in cultivation directly, so there was some delay. Those who enter the realm of the Perfected often face many trials. Keep your resolve firm, and do not draw back because of them.”

Wang Ziyang said, “It would certainly be good if things went that way. I only fear that the trials may seem difficult.”

Zhou Ziliang then asked, “I do not know how many trials I will have to undergo, or how severe they will be. I worry that ordinary human nature is easily led astray, and that it may be hard not to feel afraid.”

Wang Ziyang said, “There will be two minor trials. At times they will take the form of tigers or wolves; at other times, they will appear as strange sounds and shapes, meant to frighten you. When you encounter them, simply steady your spirit and hold firm to your intention. Do not panic. If you fail to pass the trial, the apparitions will turn into signs of ruin. For ordinary people, the work of cultivation often comes down to a single moment.”

From childhood, Zhou Ziyang had been firm and upright in his resolve. As a boy, he had spent nights alone in an empty house and walked through woods and grassy fields after dark, never feeling afraid. He had never had a nightmare or been frightened. After coming to Maoshan, he moved to the Zhuyang area and often traveled alone on the way there and back, morning and evening. But recently he had heard people say that, from the eighth or ninth month of this autumn onward, he would need one or two companions when making his rounds. This left him somewhat worried.

So he picked up a knife and a staff. When someone asked why he had suddenly done so, he replied with the sounds “Yi-wu.” This was probably a sign that the time of his departure was near.

To guard carefully against every kind of trial, on the night of the twenty-sixth they moved him to the eastern room to sleep and arranged for a Daoist to stay with him beneath the window. The Daoist noticed that he could not fall asleep. He got up several times, sat down, and recited various incantations. The Daoist said, “This too is a sign that the moment is near. We were only afraid that something unlike what usually happens might frighten people. Now, at least, disaster has been averted. It must be because his cultivation is profound.”

Dinglu went on to say, “Yesterday, Donghua summoned the various Lords of Destiny, who govern human lifespans, along with the officials in charge of local earth spirits, to inspect and assess the registers. Among the people of the world, fewer than one in fifty who practice goodness were found. As for the immortals, there are only two or three among tens of millions. Quite a few who completed their cultivation and attained immortality have since lost their rank among the immortals. I fear there will soon be no one left in the registers of immortals. With the calamity cycle approaching and the age drawing near to disaster, becoming an immortal is all the more difficult.

“In Donghua’s inner register of the Purple Records, five people are listed among the highest-ranked Perfected. Two have already had their names struck off and been demoted to Earth-Deliverance, a class of earthly immortals; since then, no one has been promoted to fill their places. Of the twenty-eight middle-ranked Perfected, seven have had their names struck off: two were demoted to lower immortals, five were reborn as ordinary people, and only one was promoted. Of the three hundred lower-ranked Perfected, twenty-six have had their names struck off: eleven were demoted to Earth-Deliverance, fifteen became ordinary people, and eight others rose from middle to upper rank. Of the two hundred and eleven highest-ranked immortals, forty-two have had their names struck off: twelve were appointed to posts among the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water; six became immortals through corpse liberation, in which the body disappears or transforms; and twenty-four were demoted to ordinary people—fifty in all. Of the two hundred and ninety-three middle-ranked immortals, seventy have had their names struck off: ten were demoted to lower immortals, eight became immortals through corpse liberation, and fifty-one were reborn as ordinary people.”

Another eleven people have once again ascended to the realm of immortals. There are 403 immortals in the upper and lower ranks altogether. Of these, seventy-eight have fallen, twenty have been summoned by Dengdu, a place in the underworld, four have been interrogated by the Three Officials, the divine offices that govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, and fifty-four have returned to the human world. Only nineteen have ascended to immortality again. Since the beginning of this month, some people have already fallen. When the seasonal divisions arrive, they must submit a report to the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), a higher celestial realm in Daoist belief, and be entered into the register of the dead at Mount Tai, the place where the underworld is located. Seeing these people is truly heartbreaking. Most have fallen because they did not cultivate diligently enough: some were implicated by people who had died earlier, while others acted against the Daoist teachings. Some cultivated diligently at first, then grew lax and lost the fruits of their practice. What a pity.

There are also people who are close to ascending to the cloudy heavens. They practice without a break, day after day, and receive instruction from Perfected Beings, immortals who have attained the Dao. Some live deep in the mountains; others have studied the Dao for many years, unknown to the world. We often teach them, just as we teach you. Who else knows of these things now?

Lord Zhou said, “When Mao Dingluo spoke these words, he was earnestly warning you not to grow lax in your pursuit of the Dao. You are now only approaching the rank of a lower-grade immortal. In time, you should rise above the middle rank, roam the Supreme Ultimate, and ride a dragon chariot. Would that not be a great joy?”

Lord Wang said, “The words spoken by Mao Dingluo and Zhou Ziyang are indeed profound, and worthy of serving as…”

This is indeed your true record. Three or four people in Mount Juqu have also already been listed among the lower ranks of immortals. Would you like to know who they are?

Ziliang then asked, “How far has my master, Lord Tao, progressed in his cultivation?” He was told, “If you can attain his level, becoming an immortal will not be difficult. Lord Tao has cultivated for a long time and holds a high place among the lower ranks of immortals, probably on a par with Fan Youchong and the others.”

One book records Lord Tao’s rank as “middle among the middle immortals,” but someone later altered it to “upper among the lower immortals.” The reason for this change is unknown. Since it says that he has cultivated for a long time, could his rank now have fallen by two levels because his vital energy weakened later in life? When Fan Youchong was young, he was first entered into the Zhengao, a Daoist classic recording teachings transmitted by immortals. But it is still unclear which rank of true immortal he belongs to. How does he compare with the Director of Waterworks?

Earlier, it was said that four people from Mount Juqu had entered the lower rank of immortals, but unfortunately no one could establish who they were. Now, judging from what I have personally heard and seen, among the men there are two named Jiang and Xue, and among the women, two named Jiang and Song. They have all studied the Dao for a long time. Some are older, while others are young men and women; there are also several people from the north and south. Some are virtuous, and some are steadfast in their faith and understanding, but their cultivation is not yet deep enough. Although Xu Lingzhen is descended from the ancient sages, family obligations have kept her from pursuing cultivation. Yang Chao now lives on Mount Linwu, but he was formerly an old Daoist of Mount Juqu and is highly talented and learned. It is still unclear which of them are precisely those four people. Everyone should simply work harder at cultivation and hope to attain one of these places.

Ziliang asked again, “How far has my maternal aunt progressed in her cultivation?” He was told, “She has committed no serious faults. If she continues to cultivate diligently, she may perhaps become an immortal in a future life, but that cannot be said of this life.”

His maternal aunt was originally from Qiantang and had the surname Zhang. Her father died when she was three, and her mother remarried into the Xu family of Yongjia. She went with her mother and took the surname Xu. At ten, she left home and studied the Dao under a master, then established a retreat in Yuyao, a place for cultivation and residence. By nature, she was upright and pure, and she raised only Ziliang, the son of her younger sister. At thirty-five, under pressure from official regulations and worldly expectations, she reluctantly yielded to others’ persuasion and took an expedient course, marrying into the Zhu family of Shangyu. She was thereby drawn into worldly life, and felt deep shame and resentment. Her distress became an illness that lasted four years. After giving birth to a son, she contrived to return to Yongjia and broke off all contact with that family. Eleven years have now passed. She says that from childhood until now, she has never taken a life with her own hands.