《太上老君年谱要略》

In the age of the Celestial Sovereign (Tianhuang), Taishang Laojun descended into the human world under the title Tongxuan Tianshi, the Celestial Master (Tianshi) of Penetrating Mystery, also known as Xuanzhong Dafashi, the Great Master of the Mystery Within. According to Xu Zheng's Sanwu li (Calendar of the Three and Five), the planet Jupiter had just begun its course from the position of Shexti, primordial Qi (气) was only beginning to stir, and a divine being called the Celestial Sovereign appeared.

In the age of the Earthly Sovereign (Dihuang), Taishang Laojun came down once more as a teacher to humankind, taking the title Master Yougu. The Chunqiu wei (Apocrypha of the Spring and Autumn Annals) calls this era the Nine-Headed Epoch.

In the age of the Human Sovereign (Renhuang), Taishang Laojun again descended as a teacher to humankind, with the title Master Pangu. The Sanwu li says that in the beginning heaven and earth were an undifferentiated chaos, like an egg, and Pangu was born within it. Later, when heaven and earth were opened apart, Pangu remained between them. Only after this did the Three Sovereigns appear, marking the beginning of the Three Powers of heaven, earth, and humankind.

In the age of Fuxi, Taishang Laojun came down to the open fields and took the title Yuhuazi.

In the age of Zhurong, Taishang Laojun came down to Mount Dan and took the title Guangshouzi.

In the age of Shennong, Taishang Laojun came down to Jiyin and took the title Dachengzi.

In the age of the Yellow Emperor, Taishang Laojun came down to Mount Kongtong and took the title Guangchengzi.

In the age of Shaohao, Taishang Laojun came down to Mount Kongtong once more and took the title Suiyingzi.

In the age of Emperor Zhuanxu, Taishang Laojun came down to Mount Heng and took the title Chijingzi.

In the age of Emperor Ku, Taishang Laojun came down to the riverside and took the title Lutuzi.

Yue Penggui, Hanlin Chengzhi (Imperial Academician) of the Tang dynasty, states in his Qingyang Gong bei (Stele of the Green Ram Temple) that when Fuxi ruled the world, Taishang Laojun descended to Mount Heng and took the title Chijingzi.

In the age of Emperor Ku, Taishang Laojun came down to the riverside and took the title Lutuzi.

Le Penggui (Yue Pengguei), Hanlin Academician-in-Waiting of the Tang dynasty, states in his Inscription for the Green Ram Temple that when Fuxi (a legendary sovereign of high antiquity) ruled the world, Lord Lao (Laojun) used the great Dao (the Way) to teach and rescue humankind, descending to become Fuxi's teacher. Looking up, Fuxi observed the patterns of the heavens, and looking down, those of the earth. Lord Lao taught him to draw the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and pointed out the distinction among the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. He also helped Fuxi create written characters to replace the practice of governing and keeping records with knotted cords.

When Shennong (also a legendary sovereign of high antiquity) ruled the world, Lord Lao set aside his exalted station and came into the world as a teacher, in order to relieve the people of that age. He passed on to Shennong the Five Phases cycles (the laws by which the Five Phases of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water revolve) and explained the division of the four seasons, helping him to manage the affairs of government and to identify the hundred grains. He led people to give up the life of eating raw flesh and drinking blood, and to abandon the old customs of marking events with yellow earth and beating earthen drums. People tore down their cave dwellings and tree nests and began to build houses with roofs and beams.

When Xuanyuan (that is, the Yellow Emperor) ruled the world, Lord Lao lived in seclusion on Mount Kongtong, his spirit roaming freely beyond the realm of the remote and profound. The Yellow Emperor therefore went to pay him a visit in person and sought instruction with the courtesy due to a teacher: he straightened his robes and cap, hurried to one side to make his bow, and then knelt to ask his questions. On Mount Wangwu, the Yellow Emperor received the Elixir Classic (Danjing, a scripture on the refinement of body and spirit and the practice of the Dao), and later he ascended to Heaven at Dinghu.

When Shaohao ruled the world, Lord Lao taught him the canon of solemn reverence, showing him how to follow the seasons and welcome the turning of the solar terms, so that government was matched with the divine and birds appeared as auspicious omens. Shaohao appointed bird-named officials to manage affairs and established officers with distinct responsibilities to oversee the various departments. The sun, moon, and stars displayed auspicious signs, and phoenixes arrived bearing charts and writings as portents. All of this returned to the Dao and manifested the model by which an emperor governs the world.

When Emperor Zhuanxu ruled the world, Lord Lao taught him to eliminate disorder and shut out perversity, so as to govern the state and bring peace to the people. Zhuanxu put down the rebellion of the Nine Li, employed the Eight Benevolent Ones (legendary worthy ministers), summoned the Six Jia (spirits in Daoist and ancient belief), and commanded the hundred numinous powers. Lord Lao also instructed the emperor through a scripture (Jing) of subtle words, teaching him to follow the Way of Great Accord.

When Gaoxin (that is, Emperor Ku) ruled the world, Lord Lao proclaimed the Dao and carried out his teaching as a savior-teacher of the age. He expounded the wondrous words of the Yellow Court (Huangting), enabling people to conceal the light of the sun and moon. He also took "Record of Charts" as an honored title and practiced the arts of returning to towns and relocating cities. He fixed the names of the Nine Provinces and composed the music of the Six Blossoms.

During the reign of Emperor Yao, Laojun (the Lord Lao) once descended to Mount Guye under the name Wuchengzi. In the time of Emperor Shun, he descended to Heyang as Yinshouzi. In the time of Yu of the Xia, he descended to Mount Shang as Zhenxingzi. In the time of Tang of the Shang, he descended to Mount Qian as Xizezi.

These accounts appear in a number of works, including the Diji pu (Genealogy of Emperors), the Diwang shiji (Chronicle of Emperors and Kings), the Dongshen Dayou Jing (Scripture of the Great Existence of the Cavern of Spirit), the Yuli Jing (Jade Calendar Scripture), the Chusai ji (Record of Passing the Frontier), the Yinshi xuanzhong ji (Master Yin's Record of the Mysterious Center), Cui Xuanshan's Dili zhi (Treatise on Geography), Qiao Zhou's Gushi kao (Investigation of Ancient History), the Shenxian zhuanji (Biographies of Immortals), and the Junguo tujing (Illustrated Guide to the Commanderies and States). Although Laojun could divide his body and manifest himself in different forms, establishing teachings suited to each age, he withdrew once his work was done. For this reason, no record of his birth exists from before this time.

In the gengshen year of the reign of Yangjia, the eighteenth ruler of the Shang dynasty, Laojun separated a numinous light from the realm of Taiqing (the Great Purity, the immortal realm of Daoist teaching) and transformed it into qi (vital energy). Riding the light of the sun and driving nine dragons, he became a pearl of five colors, flowing down to enter the womb of the Mysterious and Wondrous Jade Maiden, of the Yin family of Tianshui. After eighty-one years of gestation, in the gengchen year of the reign of Wuding, the twenty-second ruler of the Shang, on the fifteenth day of the second month, Laojun was born in Qürenli of Lai Township, Kuxian County, Bozhou, in the area of today's Taiqing Palace. The Shang dynasty took the chou month as the first month of the year, so the fifteenth day of the second month in that calendar corresponds to what is now called the Shangyuan Festival.

The Qingyang Gong Bei (Stele of the Green Ram Temple) records that in the reign of Gaozong of the Shang, at the time when King Wen of Zhou was elaborating the Yijing (Classic of Changes), a divine light flowed into the jade womb, and the auspicious radiance condensed into immortal bones of gold. The child did not tear the womb membrane at birth, and was born only after more than eighty years of gestation. His birth was accompanied by auspicious signs, and came more than twenty thousand days later than the usual term. In the jiayin year, after thirty-five years had passed, Laojun one day suddenly mounted a white deer, stepped over the cypress tree in the courtyard, and ascended to heaven.

Today, the Ascension Juniper still stands in the Taiqing Palace (Palace of Supreme Purity). A poem by Duke Ouyang Wenzhong (Ouyang Xiu) reads: "Laozi rode his black ox west out of the pass, and began by writing the five thousand characters of the Dao De Jing. The white deer departed and rose into the heavens; from then until now, three thousand years are suddenly remembered. The traces left behind still remain, and the aged juniper, faintly visible, stands just as it did."

In the year Dingmao of the reign of King Zhou of Shang, Laojun (the Lord Lao) was born south of Mount Qi and was styled "Master Xieyi." At that time King Wen of Zhou, then serving as Earl of the West, summoned him to court to serve as Keeper of the Archives (an office in charge of books and records). After King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang, he appointed him Archivist Beneath the Pillar (a historian in charge of documents kept beneath the pillar).

Xue Daoheng, Secretary of the Inner Court under the Sui dynasty, wrote in his Hymn to the Shrine: "From the age of Fuxi down to the Zhou..."

In the year Dingmao of the reign of King Zhou of Shang, Laojun was born south of Mount Qi and was styled "Master Xieyi." At that time King Wen of Zhou, then serving as Earl of the West, summoned him to serve as Keeper of the Archives. After King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang, he appointed him Archivist Beneath the Pillar.

Xue Daoheng, Secretary of the Inner Court under the Sui dynasty, wrote in his Hymn to the Shrine: "From the age of Fuxi down to the Zhou, through many generations, his titles and names changed again and again. In the times of King Wen and King Wu, he held the post of the Repository Chamber and the post of the Pillar Archivist. Regimes and dynasties in the world replaced one another repeatedly, yet his countenance never changed."

During the reign of King Cheng of Zhou, Laojun's title was "Master Jingcheng."

During the reign of King Kang of Zhou, Laojun's title was "Master Guo Shu," and he continued to serve as Archivist Beneath the Pillar.

During the reign of King Zhao of Zhou, Laojun resigned his office and returned to Bo. On the renwu day of the fifth month in the guichou year, the twenty-fifth year of King Zhao's reign, he traveled west through the Hangu Pass, crossed the pass, and met Yin Xi, the Pass Warden (the official guarding the Hangu Pass). In the following year, the jiayin year, he transmitted the five thousand words of the Dao De Jing to Yin Xi. In the fourth month of that year, he ascended to heaven on the small hill south of Yin Xi's residence. At that moment, five-colored light shone straight through Ziwei (the Purple Tenuity, a region of the heavens), and the water in all the wells welled up and overflowed.

In the yimao year, the twenty-seventh year of King Zhao's reign, Laojun was born again, transformed into light, in the household of Senior Official Li in the state of Shu. In the twenty-ninth year, the dingsi year, he met Yin Xi at the Green Ram Market (Qingyang Si, a market or shop district). A Tang dynasty record states that the Green Ram Market was the place of the second birth of the Supreme Mysterious Primordial Celestial Sovereign Great Emperor.

In the fourth year of King Mu of Zhou, the jiashen year, Laojun returned to the Central Plains and traveled east to Fusang (the legendary sacred tree of the east, also referring to the lands of the east). In the nineteenth year of King Mu, the dingsi year, he met Yin Xi at the Green Ram Market. A Tang dynasty record states that the Green Ram Market was the place of the second birth of the Supreme Mysterious Primordial Celestial Sovereign Great Emperor.

In the fourth year of King Mu of Zhou (the jiashen year), Laojun (Lord Lao) returned to the Central Plains and traveled east to Fusang (the legendary divine tree of the east, or an eastern realm of immortals). There he met the Great Emperor, and he surveyed and registered the "grass immortals" (immortals or aspirants who had not yet fully attained the Dao). The Inner Biography of King Mu records that King Mu, hearing that the Realized One Yin had attained the Dao and ascended to heaven, built a tower-temple at Louguan and appointed seven Daoists to oversee the sacrifices.

In the first year of King Yi of Zhou (the yichou year), Lao Yin (Yin Xi) and the Three Masters of Profound Antiquity (three ancient immortal masters of Daoist legend) descended to Mount Sanxue in Mianzhu, in the land of Shu, and transmitted the teachings of the Dao to Li Zhenduo.

In the twenty-first year of King Li of Zhou (the gengzi year), Laojun descended to Louguan and transmitted to the Daoist Song Lun the Dao of the Middle Vista, the Scripture (Jing) of Penetrating Perfection, and the Cinnabar Talisman of Plain Memorial of the Six Jia of Numinous Flight (texts of Daoist cultivation and Fulu, or talismans and registers). Such transmissions reflect the Daoist tradition of passing on teachings from master to disciple.

In the forty-third year of King Xuan of Zhou (the bingchen year), Laojun descended to the Wei River valley and told King Xuan that Jupiter, the Year Star, would shift northward, an omen that the Zhou would decline. Two years later, King You came to the throne.

The Chart of Manifestations Through the Ages records that during the reign of King Xuan, a man was singing as he gathered firewood, and the people could not understand the meaning of his song, so they went to ask Laojun. Laojun said that the people of Huo (a people of ancient legend) were practicing the Supreme and Perfect Dao.

In the second year of King You of Zhou (the xinyou year), an earthquake shook the basins of the Jing, Wei, and Luo Rivers. Laojun said that the Zhou was about to fall and had fewer than ten years remaining. Later, the Zhou was indeed destroyed by the Quanrong (an ancient tribe of the northwest).

In the twelfth month of the twenty-third year of King Ping of Zhou (the guimao year), Laojun passed through the Pass once more to teach the various states, and then went to Xiliu Island, Lin Island, and other islands (legendary immortal isles beyond the sea) to inspect and assess the grass immortals. When this task was finished, he returned to the Central Plains. This is recorded in the Record of the Western Ascent.

In the seventeenth year of King Jing of Zhou (the wuxu year), Confucius said to Nangong Jingshu: "I have heard that Lao Dan has mastered both past and present, understands the origins of ritual and music, and knows the destination of Dao and De (Virtue). Such a man may be my teacher." Confucius then went together with Nangong Jingshu to consult Lao Dan about ritual.

In the second year of King Weilie of Zhou (the dingwei year), Laojun (Lord Lao) passed through the state of Qin. Duke Xian of Qin asked him about the calendar and the timing of the heavens. Laojun answered by "conferring a knot" (shouwan), and the duke received him with full ceremony.

In the eighth year of King Xian of Zhou (the gengshen year), Laojun traveled east to Chicheng and Mount Meng. Passing through Fusang, he gathered and collated the affairs of the herbal immortals. Soon afterward he went into seclusion in the area of Mount Jing, around Mount Taishi and Mount Shaoshi.

In the ninth year of King Nan of Zhou (the yimao year), King Zhao of Qin took the throne. Laojun, together with Yin Xi and other immortals, journeyed west to Mount Nüji, Mount Jitou, and Mount Tianzhu. He then left through the San Pass, ascended Mount Kunlun, and returned to the Upper Palace of Ziwei (a celestial palace in the heavens). When King Zhao of Qin heard of this, he established towns at the places Laojun had passed, to mark the traces of the sage. This is how the "Laojun Relay Station" and "Yin Xi City" came to be. These events are recorded in the Biography of the Celestial Master (Tianshi) and the Illustrated Gazetteer of Shu.

Laojun responds to all things and has no fixed abode. His transformations are beyond measure: at times he ascends to heaven, at times he descends into the world, and people cannot fully trace his movements. The compiler, having examined the biographies and calendrical records, calculates that from the gengchen year of King Wuding of the Yin to the yimao year of King Nan of Zhou, Laojun's appearances, retreats, and manifestations in the world spanned 996 years: 174 years in the Yin dynasty and 822 in the Zhou. This agrees with the accounts in the historical records, the biographies, and the various scriptures (Jing).

Emperor Ming of Wei wrote in a eulogy: "Laojun once served as Archivist Beneath the Pillar (zhuxia shi, an official in charge of the canonical records) of the Zhou, and lived through nine hundred years." The Erudite of the Imperial Academy, Hao Yanghao, likewise said that Laojun's transformations and efficacy are beyond measure: he was born in the Shang period and also served in office under the Zhou, and counted from beginning to end, he lived through more than a thousand years. These statements all give round figures.

The Records of the Grand Historian says that, according to some accounts, Laojun lived to be one hundred sixty years old, and according to others two hundred. These figures were estimated by people of Confucius's time on the basis of conjecture. They cannot tell us his true lifespan, which is why the account so often uses phrases such as "perhaps." Liu Xiang praised Laojun, saying: "His virtue (De) accords with primal Qi, and his lifespan equals that of heaven and earth." Although the various biographies differ in their details, they all praise Laojun's longevity. The Confucians do not believe in the doctrines of immortality and ascension to heaven, and so say only that they do not know where Laojun finally went.

In the twenty-eighth year of his reign (the renwu year), the First Emperor of Qin performed the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai. He also built a shrine to Laojun (Lord Lao) south of Louguan and presided over the sacrifices there in person.

In the early years of Emperor Wen of the Former Han, Laojun first descended to the banks of the Shaan River, where local people called him Heshang Gong (the Master on the River), also known as the Elder of the River. Emperor Wen visited him in person, and Laojun transmitted to him the two scriptures of the Dao and De (the Daodejing). To this day, north of Shan Prefecture, there remain a Temple of Heshang Gong and a Terrace for Gazing at Immortals. The above is recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian.

In the second year of the Heping era under Emperor Cheng (the jiawu year), Laojun descended to the Quyang Abyss in Langya Commandery and transmitted the Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great Peace) to Gan Ji. This is recorded in the Book of Han.

In the third year of the Yongchu era under Emperor An (the jiyou year), Laojun descended to Mount Tai and summoned Liu Tu, an official of Jiangxia Commandery. He ordered Liu Tu to collate the registers of the realm and showed him matters of retribution for sin and merit. This is recorded in the Tang-dynasty Ode on Recording the Sage and the Illustrations of Manifestations.

In the first year of the Han'an era under Emperor Shun (the renwu year), Laojun descended to Mount Heming in Shu and transmitted the Zhengyi Mengwei Milu (Secret Record of the Covenant of Orthodox Unity and Awesome Power) to the Celestial Master (Tianshi) Zhang Daoling. In the fifth month, Laojun descended again and bestowed on him the Taiqing Zhongjing (Central Scripture of Great Clarity). In the first year of the Jian'kang era (the jiashen year), Laojun descended once more, to Mount Yuntai in Banzhou, and transmitted to the Celestial Master the scriptures of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), along with the Zhaijiao (purification ritual) methods for delivering the souls of ancestors. A Zhaijiao is a Daoist rite in which an altar is set up and ceremonies are performed, with scriptures chanted to seek blessings or to deliver the dead. This is recorded in the Biography of the Celestial Master and the Illustrated Gazetteer of Shu.

In the first year of the Yongshou era under Emperor Huan (the yiwei year), Laojun descended to Chengdu and taught the Celestial Master a method, based on the Northern Dipper, for erasing names from the registers of the dead and adding them to the registers of the living. Tradition holds that the Yuju Transformation Site in present-day Chengdu Prefecture is the place where this method was transmitted. Laojun also descended to Mount Ludang and transmitted talismanic writs (Fulu) for subduing the Six Heavens and cutting down evil influences. This is recorded in the Biography of the Celestial Master and the Illustrated Gazetteer of Shu.

In the eighth year of the Yanxi era (the yisi year), Emperor Huan sent the Palace Attendant Zuo Guan to Kuxian to offer sacrifices to Laojun, and ordered Bian Shao to compose the stele inscription. In the ninth year of Yanxi, Emperor Huan personally offered sacrifices to Laojun at the Zhuolong Palace, using the same music as in the sacrifices to Heaven. This is recorded in the Chronicle of the Later Han.

In the second year of the Guanghe era under Emperor Ling of Han (the jiwei year), Laojun (the Daoist honorific for Laozi) descended to Mount Tiantai and transmitted to the immortal Ge Xuan the scriptures of the Shangqing, Lingbao, and Dadong traditions, together with the Three Registers and Seven Grades method of Zhaijiao (a set of Daoist purification rituals). This account appears in the Record of Mount Tiantai and the Biography of the Transcendent Lord of Taiji.

In the fourth year of the Huangchu era under Emperor Wen of Wei (the guimao year), the emperor personally traveled to the Laozi temple in Kuxian to make offerings, and ordered the relevant officials to restore the temple. This is recorded in Cui Xuanshan's Record of Laixiang.

In the first year of the Xianxi era under the Prince of Chenliu (the jiashen year), Laojun descended to Linzhao Commandery in Longyou and told Wang Shi, "The world will soon be at peace." This appears in the Book of Jin.

In the first year of the Yuanxing era under Emperor An of Jin (the renyin year), Laojun descended to inspect the sacred mountains. When he reached Mount Hua, he instructed the immortal Chenggong Xing to move to Mount Song, and bestowed on him an elixir of immortality. This is recorded in the Book of the Later Wei.

In the second year of the Shenrui era under Emperor Mingyuan of the Later Wei (the yimao year), Laojun descended to Mount Song and transmitted to the Daoist Kou Qianzhi the Precepts of the New Code, Chanted in the Clouds (a new method concerning scripture recitation and precepts).

In the first year of the Taiyan era under Emperor Taiwu (the yiyou year), Laojun descended to Mount Song and commanded Kou Qianzhi to confer the title "Perfected Lord of Supreme Peace" (Taiping Zhenjun) on the emperor, whereupon the emperor changed the name of his reign era to Taiping Zhenjun. This appears in the Book of Wei and the Treatise on Buddhism and Daoism.

In the first year of the Taichang era under Emperor Wu (the renzi year), the court dispatched the Mounted Attendant-in-Ordinary Rao Jie and the Censor-in-Attendance Na Dengliang to restore the Laojun temple in Bozhou. This is recorded in the Record of Jixiang.

In the sixth year of the Minghuang era under Emperor Wen of Sui (the bingwu year), the emperor issued an edict ordering Yang Yuanzhou, Prefect of Bozhou, to rebuild the Laojun temple, and commissioned the Palace Attendant Xue Daoheng to compose the stele inscription and the Hymn for the Temple Courtyard. This appears in the Record of Jixiang and the Book of Sui.

The original text contains several repetitions and apparent textual errors; the above has been translated according to the meaning that can be made out.

In the thirteenth year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang of Sui (the dingchou year), Laojun (Lord Lao) descended to Mount Zhongnan and told the recluse Li Chunfeng of the omens that the Duke of Tang would receive the Mandate of Heaven. This account appears in the Jinsuo liuzhu (Golden Lock and Flowing Pearls).

In the second year of the Wude era under Gaozu of Tang (the jimao year), Laojun descended to Mount Yangjiao and spoke to Ji Shanxing, instructing him to memorialize the court: "The Tang dynasty will govern the realm with sage and enlightened rule, and the state will enjoy lasting peace." This is recorded in the Tang shu (Book of Tang). In the fifth year of Wude (the renwu year), Laojun descended once more, this time to a temple, and revealed when the rebels would be pacified. This too is recorded in the Tang shu.

On the bingwu day of the seventh month in the first year of the Zhenguan era under Taizong of Tang (the dinghai year), the court ordered the restoration of the Laojun temple in Bozhou and assigned twenty households to provide for its offerings and upkeep. This appears in the Tongzhi (Comprehensive Treatises).

In the second year of the Longshuo era under Gaozong of Tang (the renxu year), the emperor traveled to the Luoyang Palace and built a Qing Temple on Mount Beiyu to honor Laojun, where a jiao ritual (a Daoist rite of prayer and offering) was held. Laojun descended onto the hall, attended on his left and right by two Perfected Ones (Zhenren). Radiance lit up the steps and the altar, and all present saw it and gazed up in reverence. The palace attendant Quan Dali and others wrote down what they had witnessed and submitted it as a memorial. The emperor then issued an edict ordering that an auspicious image be painted according to their description. This is recorded in the Luozhou lushi (Records of the Luozhou Clerk) and in the memorial of Yang Huoshi.

In the first year of the Qianfeng era (the bingyin year), after performing sacrifices at Mount Tai, the emperor proceeded to Bozhou to pay homage to Laojun. He composed the prayer text in person, honoring Laojun as "Supreme Emperor of Mysterious Origin" (Taishang Xuanyuan Huangdi) and his holy mother as "Empress Dowager of Prior Heaven" (Xiantian Taihou). This appears in the Tang shu.

In the second year of the Yifeng era (the wuyin year), the emperor held a jiao ritual at the Qing Temple in Luoyang. Laojun descended onto the altar, and auspicious light shone all around. Riding a white horse, he stepped onto the altar, and hoofprints were left in the stone. Everyone saw this with their own eyes and promptly reported it to the court. The memorial of Sun Rui, Grand Master of Court Service, states: "Laojun's golden countenance and jade-colored radiance outshone even the glow of a moonlit night. The white horse with its red mane left its hoofprints in the courtyard where the heavenly horses dwell."

In the third year of the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (the yimao year), after performing the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai, the emperor returned to Bozhou to pay homage at the Temple of Laojun (Lord Lao). He personally wrote out both parts of the Daodejing (Dao De Jing, the Classic of the Way and Its Virtue) and ordered that they be carved in stone. Xuanzong fixed the birthday of Laojun as the "Xuanyuan Festival" and composed a eulogy himself, which he inscribed on the plaque of the treasure canopy. These events are recorded in the Veritable Records.

In the intercalary fourth month of the twenty-ninth year of Kaiyuan (the xinsi year), Xuanzong dreamed that Laojun told him: "My statue lies southwest of the capital." The emperor sent envoys to search for it, and they did indeed find a jade statue of Laojun, which was welcomed into the Xingqing Palace. He also had portraits of Laojun painted and distributed to the Kaiyuan Daoist temples in each prefecture for worship. This is recorded in the Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government).

In the first year of Tianbao (the renwu year), Laojun is said to have appeared outside the Danfeng Gate and told Tian Tongxiu: "Long ago, when I was about to enter the Flowing Sands, I hid a talisman of spiritual power in a golden casket at the old residence of Yin Xi. You may report this to the emperor and have him send someone to retrieve it." Xuanzong dispatched envoys to search, and at last they found the talisman at the old site of the Hangu Pass. This is recorded in the Zizhi Tongjian and the Tang Shu (Book of Tang).

In the first month of the second year of Tianbao (the guiwei year), Xuanzong conferred on Laojun the honorific title "Supreme Sage Ancestor, Emperor Xuanyuan." In the ninth month, he ordered that the Ziji Palace in Qiao Commandery be renamed the Taiqing Palace (Palace of Great Purity); the name Taiqing Palace dates from this time. The above is recorded in the Tang Shu. In the twelfth month, when Xuanzong went to the Huaqing Palace, Laojun is said to have appeared atop the Chaoyuan Pavilion, and the pavilion was therefore renamed the Pavilion of the Descent of the Sage. This is recorded in the Tang History.

In the seventh year of Tianbao (the wuzi year), Xuanzong once again conferred an honorific title on Laojun: "Sage Ancestor, Emperor of the Great Dao, Xuanyuan."

In the ninth year of Tianbao (the gengyin year), Laojun is said to have appeared on Mount Taibai and told Zhu Xuanyi, a mountain recluse, that precious talismans of spiritual power lay in the Baoxian Cave. Xuanzong therefore commanded Wang Chui, the Minister of Justice, and others to go and search, and they found them as described.

On the guiyou day of the second month of the thirteenth year of Tianbao (the jiawu year), Xuanzong went to the Taiqing Palace to perform the court-offering ceremony and added to Laojun's title, naming him "Supreme Sage Ancestor, Most High Emperor of the Great Dao, Golden Gate Xuanyuan, Celestial Sovereign and Great Emperor."

In the fifteenth year of Tianbao (the bingshen year), Laojun is said to have appeared beside the Black Water in Hanzhong Commandery. Xuanzong ordered that a stone statue of Laojun be carved at the site of the appearance. Tradition also holds that Laojun descended on a white deer to Yichang Ridge in Lizhou, revealing an omen that An Lushan would be put down. Xuanzong issued an edict to build a Ziran Temple (Ziran Guan, a Daoist temple dedicated to the worship of Daoist deities) at the places where Laojun had appeared. The above is recorded in the Tang Shu.

In the second year of the Zhide era under Emperor Suzong of Tang (757), Laojun (Lord Lao) descended upon Yunlong Rock in Tonghua Commandery. The rock face seemed to run straight from the ground up to the sky, and the countenance and bearing of Laojun appeared clear and radiant. The emperor ordered that the scene be painted. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang personally composed a eulogy, which said: "In broad daylight an extraordinary image appeared, and auspicious radiance floated in the air. People of the Daoist and Buddhist communities, and of the human and heavenly realms alike, all bowed in reverence and received it with respect. Thus an order was given to paint it with great care and to distribute it to every commandery and state." This account appears in the Preface to the Eulogy on the Auspicious Image of the Supreme and Exalted Emperor of Tang.

In the second year of the Baoli era under Emperor Jingzong of Tang (826), Laojun descended upon the imperial avenue in front of the Taiqing Palace (Palace of Supreme Purity). This account appears in the stele inscription written by Wei Chuhou and calligraphed by Liu Gongquan.

In the ninth month of the tenth year of the Xiantong era under Emperor Yizong of Tang (869), Pang Xun, leader of the rebel army at Xuzhou, led more than three thousand followers to attack Bozhou, intending to seize the Taiqing Palace and use it as a fortified camp. At that time several hundred households of commoners had taken refuge inside the palace, and all of them saw Laojun traveling through the air. In a moment, black mist spread everywhere, so thick that it caused dizziness and suffocation. The rebels lost their way and trampled one another. Pang Xun himself fell into the water and drowned. This account appears in the memorial of Li Wei, Military Governor of Bianzhou.

In the seventh month of the second year of the Guangming era under Emperor Xizong of Tang (881), Huang Chao attacked and plundered commanderies and counties. Several hundred households of commoners took refuge in the Taiqing Palace, and all of them saw Laojun traveling through the air. In a moment, black mist spread everywhere, so thick that it caused dizziness and suffocation. The rebels lost their way and trampled one another, and Pang Xun, too, fell into the water and drowned. This account appears in the memorial of Li Wei, Military Governor of Bianzhou.

In that same seventh month of the second year of Guangming (881), as Huang Chao attacked and plundered commanderies and counties, he prepared to burn the Taiqing Palace at Bozhou. Suddenly a cold wind rose on all sides, and the weather turned from sweltering heat to bitter cold. The rebels scattered in alarm and in the end departed without taking the Taiqing Palace. This account appears in the Tang Shu (Book of Tang).

In the first year of the Jianlong era under Emperor Taizu of Song (960), the court sent an envoy to the Taiqing Palace at Bozhou to perform sacrificial offerings.

In the fourth year of the Chunhua era under Emperor Taizong of Song (993), the court dispatched the eunuch Li Shoulun and others to Liangzhe to select fine timber for the rebuilding of the Taiqing Palace at Bozhou, and ordered He Meng, Vice Director of the Bureau of Waterways, to compose the stele inscription.

In the fifth year of the Xianping era under Emperor Zhenzong of Song (1002), the court sent the eunuch Chen Yanqing to expand and repair the Taiqing Palace at Bozhou, and assigned soldiers to guard it. In the fifth year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era (1012), the court again repaired the Taiqing Palace at Bozhou and once more ordered He Meng, Vice Director of the Bureau of Waterways, to compose the stele inscription.

In the fifth year of the Xianping era under Emperor Zhenzong (1022), the court sent the palace attendant Chen Yanqing to expand and renovate the Taiqing Palace (Palace of Great Purity) in Bozhou, a Daoist temple dedicated to Taishang Laojun (the Supreme Lord Lao), and assigned guards to protect it. In the fifth year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era (1012), the court dispatched Ding Wei, the Commissioner of the Three Finance Bureaus, to make offerings at the Taiqing Palace on its behalf. In the seventh year (1014), the emperor traveled to Bozhou in person, paid homage at the Taiqing Palace, presented a precious scroll with his own hands, and honored Taishang Laojun with the title "Taishang Laojun, the Primordial Emperor of Supreme Virtue." All of these accounts appear in the Songchao shishi (Facts of the Song Dynasty).

In the fifth year of the Shaosheng era under Emperor Zhezong (1098), Yu Lu, the Prefect of Bozhou, reported that auspicious omens had appeared repeatedly at the Taiqing Palace. The court therefore sent the palace attendant Su Gui to hold a "Universal Great Jiao" there, a large-scale Daoist purification ritual (Zhaijiao) performed to invoke blessings for all under heaven, with three thousand six hundred offering stations. The court also issued an edict to the regional Transport Commission, the office responsible for the finances and administration of the circuit, ordering that any damaged part of the temple buildings be repaired without delay.

In the first year of the Chongning era under Emperor Huizong (1102), the court commissioned the Hanlin Academician Zhang Shangying to compose the Bozhou Taiqing gong beiji (Stele Inscription of the Taiqing Palace in Bozhou). Huizong personally wrote the title for the top of the stele, and it was carved there. This is recorded in the Song shilu (Veritable Records of the Song).

In the second year of the Zhenghe era (1112), it is said that Taishang Laojun descended to the Yuchen Temple on Mount Mao, riding a white horse upon auspicious clouds, and transmitted the Jiaju tongtong huming jing (Scripture of the Added Verses on Protecting Life, Spoken by the Celestial Child) to a Master Liang. This is recorded in the Juqu zhi (Gazetteer of Juqu). Other traditions of descents are not included in this chronicle when their sources give no dates. As for miraculous events such as the emission of light or the appearance of auspicious signs, they are likewise no longer recorded unless they involve a transformation-body (incarnation) of Taishang Laojun descending to the world.

Here ends the Taishang Laojun nianpu yaolüe (Concise Chronicle of Taishang Laojun).