《庐山太平兴国官采访真君事实》Vol. 3

Yang Taiming had served as magistrate of Chang’an County and was originally a Confucian scholar. He served his parents with great devotion, and people of his time called him “Yang the Filial Son.” He once worked in Guo Ziyi’s headquarters. Calm and quiet by nature, he did not seek advancement in official life. He often advised Guo Ziyi, saying, “Although strict discipline is essential in the army, human life matters most. Do not kill people lightly.” Guo Ziyi commanded troops for more than twenty years and treated his subordinates generously, never killing without cause. His soldiers loved him as they would an elder brother or father; Yang Taiming’s counsel, given quietly over the years, helped make this possible.

In the first year of the Yongtai era, Yang Taiming resigned from office and went to the summit of Mount Lu, where he built a hut and made his home. He prepared green-essence rice, a Daoist ritual food, and used it to abstain from ordinary food. He also burned incense and prayed to the True King, envoy of the Nine Heavens, seeking the Way of long life. He practiced in this manner for fourteen years.

One clear autumn night, Yang Taiming suddenly saw a divine being at the place where he usually paid homage in the morning. The figure wore a golden crown and a deep red robe, its seams adorned with white pearls. At one side stood an attendant holding a jade axe; at the other, one carrying a jade casket. The divine being said, “I am an envoy of the Nine Heavens, charged with examining good and evil among humanity. For generations, you have served the people well. Your resolve is upright and steadfast, and you have devoted yourself to cultivating the Dao; your sincerity has reached the Nine Heavens. The Threefold Primordial Lord of Jade Clarity and Great Simplicity has commanded me to bestow upon you the Scripture of the Great Truth of the Nine Heavens.”

Yang Taiming bowed twice, prostrated himself, and knocked his head to the ground in thanks. He opened the jade casket and received the precious book within. The divine being then admonished him: “Be diligent and never slacken, from beginning to end. When your cultivation of the Dao is complete, I will come to summon you.” As soon as these words were spoken, wind and clouds surged up, and the divine being vanished.

Yang Taiming opened the scripture and found it contained thirty-nine chapters of the Supreme Great Cavern Scripture of Perfect Truth. From then on, he followed its instructions, withdrawing from worldly life and cultivating the Dao for thirty-six years. At noon on the first day of the first month of the eighth year of the Yuanhe era under Emperor Xianzong of Tang, auspicious clouds came to receive him, and Yang Taiming rode them up to heaven. This account comes from Records of Encounters with Perfected Immortals.

Li Yunqing was a reclusive scholar of the Tang dynasty. He believed that anyone aspiring to become a perfected immortal of the highest rank had to accumulate De (Virtue) in secret, aid all living beings, and observe the precepts strictly. He therefore devoted himself to the study of medicine. When preparing medicines, he took care not to kill living creatures, using only minerals, metals, plants, and trees. He preserved for later generations the prescriptions handed down by ancient immortals. Some prescriptions called for using insects or fish as ingredients; believing these should not be used lightly, he took this as a warning and went to live on Mount Lu.

People seeking treatment came in an unending stream from every prefecture. He refused gifts of money, abstained from sensual desires, and avoided meat. His dwelling stood near the temple of the Nine Heavens Envoy. Each morning he burned incense and prayed: “I, Li Yunqing, use medicine to relieve the people’s suffering. I seek neither money nor profit, and I pray that until ages to come I will never waver in this resolve. May the spirits know of it and grant me their protection.” He lived in the mountains for more than sixty years, his complexion ruddy and his eyes bright. Those who knew him said this was the result of accumulating hidden De.

One day, while following herb gatherers deep into the mountains, he suddenly saw a man wearing a round cap and a purple robe. The man bowed to him and said, “I am the spirit of this mountain. The True King, the Nine Heavens Envoy, has sent word: because you have rendered meritorious service by aiding all living beings, and because this comes from your accumulated hidden De, he has ordered me to bestow upon you the Divine Elixir of Nine Blossoms of Great Clarity, along with a set of golden slips and jade characters recording the Heavenly Emperor Lord of Great Subtlety’s method of ascending through the air and stepping across the terrestrial registers.” Here, “golden slips and jade characters” refers to talismanic formulas or ritual texts imparted by immortals. The divine being added, “From now on, you should withdraw from the secular world and devote yourself wholly to cultivation.” After bowing in thanks, Li Yunqing asked, “Can I meet the Nine Heavens Envoy?” The divine being replied, “The impure energy on your body has not yet been removed, so you cannot meet him.” After transmitting the cultivation formula for the divine elixir and jade characters, the divine being vanished.

Li Yunqing then took up residence in an earthen cave on Shengzhi Peak and devoted himself to cultivating the Dao. On the first day of the eighth month in the second year of the Tongguang era of the Later Tang, he ascended to immortality in broad daylight. This account appears in the Comprehensive Record of Divine Medicines.

Ziwen was a native of Changsha. In the second year of the Baoli era of the Tang dynasty, he was serving in Hengzhou. Because he was poor, he could not return to his hometown, and he loved the scenery of mountains and streams. One day, in the height of summer, he went to pay his respects at the Temple of Mount Yue and stayed there for more than ten days.

Suddenly, a man appeared. He wore a blue cloth robe and a purple fur coat. His face seemed carved from fine jade, his bearing was grave and dignified, and his features were as finely drawn as a painting. Ziwen thought his appearance extraordinary, so the next day he went to visit and ask about him. The man said, “My name is Gong Qingchang. My family has lived in Luoyang for generations. When I was young, I met Sima Yinyuan at the foot of Mount Minggao.”

Sima Yinyuan described himself as a spirit official of the Grotto-Heaven of Weiyu, one of the sacred grotto-heavens and blessed lands in Daoism. The Five Sacred Mountains, the Four Great Rivers, and the grotto-heavens and blessed lands each have spirit officials in charge of them. These officials examine people’s merits and faults, investigate good and evil, and report their findings to the Office of the Messengers of the Nine Heavens.

Sima Yinyuan once told Gong Qingchang, “In a former life, you often held important posts. You spoke up for people who had suffered injustice and cleared others of death sentences. At the time, scholars and common people secretly benefited from your kindness. Later, when Zhu Pi rebelled, you died upholding your loyalty and integrity. Your righteous indignation remained steadfast and undiminished, so you were able to be reborn as a human being. When you come to understand the affairs of the world, you will surely remember your past life. The Messengers of the Nine Heavens have recorded your merits and ordered me to teach you the method of the Stone Essence, Golden Light, Concealing the Form and Manifesting the Spirit Sword, as well as the Way of Silent Audience with the Central Yellow Great One, so that you may transcend the mundane world.”

Gong Qingchang also said that recently he had climbed Purple Cloud Peak to observe the patterns of Qi. Beyond the mountain ridges, he saw an uncanny aura and wanted to go there to dispel it through ritual supplication. On the way, he passed Mount Yue…

This account says that Li Ziwen came to pay his respects at the shrine. Qingchang had an attendant bring a qin and played pieces such as “Golden Whale Leaping from the Sea,” “Raindrops on Autumn Lotus,” “Drunkenly Sifting the Moon,” and “White Snow Prelude.” The qin’s sound was clear and resonant, unlike ordinary music. Li Ziwen stayed with Qingchang for several days. When they parted, he asked to accompany him on a journey south. Qingchang said, “Not yet. You still have an official career ahead of you. In eighteen years, we will meet on Zhongtiao Mountain.”

Li Ziwen again asked for guidance. Qingchang said, “The first step in learning the Dao is to accumulate merit and practice good deeds. When the right opportunity comes and you can put your aspirations into practice, you should do your utmost. As for breath regulation and Qi circulation, and taking elixirs or nourishing medicines, these are only secondary matters.” Li Ziwen pleaded repeatedly, but Qingchang continued, “We can speak of it when the opportunity comes.” Li Ziwen then asked him to leave some words of admonition, saying he would certainly follow them. After a long silence, Qingchang said, “Your father and grandfather were temporarily buried in a place where monks live, and they have suffered greatly from the service of ghosts. You should choose an auspicious burial site as soon as possible and see this important matter through.” With tears in his eyes, Li Ziwen bowed in gratitude and then departed. This account comes from The Record of Li Wenzheng’s Journey South.

Xu, Remonstrance Official, Donates Money to Build a New Temple

The title means that Xu, a remonstrance official, donated money to build a new temple.

Si Jian was appointed military commissioner of Jiangxi, an official in charge of a region’s military and civil administration, in the second year of the Dahe era of Emperor Wenzong of the Tang (828). He set aside thirty thousand strings of his own money to repair the Temple of the Envoy on Mount Lu, and ordered craftsmen to repaint it. The magistrate of Xunyang County assigned a clerk to oversee the work.

The clerk went into town, summoned a painter, and set off back with him. The painter carried his pigments and tools behind the clerk. Just after they had left Min, the clerk suddenly removed his belt and dropped it on the ground. Thinking he was drunk, the painter picked it up and continued after him. Before long, the clerk took off his clothes and threw down his hat. After they had walked thirty li, only the garment covering his body remained.

As they neared the temple, a figure like a sturdy soldier suddenly emerged from a ravine. He wore blue clothes and a white leather apron tied around his waist. He blocked the clerk and would not let him go on. The painter pleaded on the clerk’s behalf: “He is drunk. Please spare him.” The figure only glared at them and kept the clerk from moving, making him sit in the water. Only then did the painter realize it was a ghost. He ran in panic to tell the people at the temple. When they all hurried over, the man in blue had vanished, while the clerk was still sitting in the same place. They looked at him and saw that he was dead.

They then checked the temple’s income and expenditure records and discovered that the clerk had embezzled more than half the money. This account comes from Tai ping yi shi.

Liu Deben donated money to provide relief to the starving.

De Ben, whose courtesy name was Xiaoshu, was from Ezhou. He loved the ancient classics and was widely skilled, yet had no desire to become an official. He often traveled up and down the great river to conduct business. In the tenth month of the sixth year of the Qianfu era of the Tang dynasty, Huang Chao captured Ezhou, and the region along the river fell into turmoil. Knowing he could not return home, De Ben gave away ten thousand dan of rice to the hungry and poor, then withdrew to Mount Lu.

One day, a Daoist with unkempt hair and dressed in deerskin came to visit, but did not give his name. De Ben traveled through the mountains with him for a year. One day, they happened to reach the area below Five Elders Peak to admire the scenery. Before they knew it, evening had fallen, so they walked hand in hand deep into a mountain ravine. There they saw an old man standing at a stone gate, leaning on a staff. De Ben bowed to him and gave a detailed account of his life and travels. The old man said happily, “You may come with me to the rear courtyard.”

After walking about four or five li, they saw a gate brightly decorated in red and green. Above it, gold seal script read, “Gate of Purple Origin and Radiant Brilliance.” Beyond the gate, tier upon tier of towers stood in orderly rows, with palace halls connected to one another. Guards maintained strict watch, repeatedly calling out commands and prohibitions. In awe and fear, De Ben did not dare raise his head to look. The old man said, “This is Yongzhen Grotto Heaven, an immortal realm of Daoist legend. When the True King, Envoy of the Nine Heavens, made his rounds among the human world, he inscribed this gate with the name ‘Gate of Purple Origin and Radiant Brilliance.’ He saw that you had given away a great deal of your wealth to help the starving and judged this a deed worthy of praise. So he permitted you to visit the divine palace. Your name will be entered in the Register of Immortals of the Nine Heavens, and from now on you will transcend the mortal world and never die.”

De Ben bowed again and asked, “Where does the True King, Envoy of the Nine Heavens, live now?” The old man replied, “You have been reborn as a human only four times, and the obstacles accumulated in your previous lives remain deep. The signs of an immortal’s destiny have not yet appeared in you, so you cannot ask about such things now. You should strictly observe the precepts, purify your mind and spirit, help all living beings and bring benefit to others, and cultivate diligently without slackening. The True King can perceive what is hidden and subtle; in time, he will surely save you.”

De Ben bowed once more in thanks. The old man led him out through the gate. In an instant, the scene before his eyes suddenly vanished, and he found himself back at his original lodging. De Ben asked the Daoist, “Who was that immortal just now?” The Daoist replied, “He is the divine official who oversees this Grotto Heaven, a subordinate of the True King, Envoy of the Nine Heavens. Since you have personally visited the divine palace and received its solemn instruction, I shall take my leave of you now.” With that, he bowed and departed.

This account comes from Records of Marvels in the Grotto Heavens.

In the early Tianyou era of the Tang dynasty, Zhong, the Prince of Nanping and commander of Jiangxi, sent the Daoist priest Shen Taixu to perform a Zhaijiao ritual at the Temple of the Nine Heavens’ Envoy. After the ritual, Shen saw, as if in a trance, someone before the divine statue bowing to him. The man said, “I am Zhang Huaiwu. I once served as a military officer and secretly did some good for all living beings. For this reason, the Inspector, a Daoist deity charged with touring the world and recording people’s merits and faults, appointed me a Lingguan, a Daoist protector deity.”

When Shen Taixu awoke, he asked around about Zhang Huaiwu, but no one knew the name. After returning, he told the story to Shen Bin, a jinshi degree holder. Twenty years later, Shen Bin traveled to Liling. The local magistrate, Lu Junzheng, was dining with guests when a military clerk surnamed Xu arrived late. At the table, they began talking about Zhang Huaiwu, and Shen Bin asked the clerk about him.

The clerk Xu said, “Zhang Huaiwu was a deputy commander in Caizhou. During the famine in the Jiachen year, he heard that the harvest in Yuzhang, around present-day Nanchang in Jiangxi, was good, so he set out there with his men. Once on the road, the two armies gradually fell into conflict. By the time they reached Wuchang, their differences had grown worse, and they agreed on a day to fight. No matter how much anyone tried to stop them, they would not listen. Zhang Huaiwu drew his sword and said to his men, ‘We set out today with no other aim than to preserve our lives. Why can’t you put aside your anger for a moment instead of attacking one another? If we fight, the strong will be wounded and the weak will die. If that is how it will be, why leave our parents and our homeland only to die on the road? The armies are fighting because I am here. Now I am willing to die for you, and afterward there will be no more trouble between them.’ With that, he cut his own throat. Everyone wept in grief, then made peace with one another. By the time they reached Yuzhang, not one person had been killed or wounded.”

Wang Lin set the prisoners free and buried the dead.

Lin was from Jingzhao. In the second year of the Dashun era of the Tang dynasty, he served as a county deputy in Yaoshan, Xingzhou. Warfare had broken out, and many people were dying in battle. Lin lamented, “It is truly heartbreaking to see innocent people cruelly killed.” He then used his family’s wealth to buy coffins and bury the dead. Over the next several years, the number of people he buried became too great to count.

Gao Yingcheng, who had served alongside Lin in Jinling, died in office, leaving behind his elderly mother. The family was poor, and she could not afford to return to her hometown. Lin did all he could to help, and sent his son Gangyin to escort her home. The scholars all praised him. Jinling lay close to the river, and whenever Lin passed through the market, he would buy fish and turtles and release them.

One day, a fisherman cast his net and caught a fish with red scales and golden eyes, more than a zhang long. Lin said, “This is a marvelous creature.” He bought it and released it into the river. The water immediately churned with wind and waves. That night, Lin dreamed of a solemnly dressed warrior who said to him, “You have released living creatures and buried the dead many times. The Envoy of the Nine Heavens—a deity who carries out the Heavenly Emperor’s command to oversee good and evil in the human world—has recorded your good deeds. You will be granted the blessing of a long life.” Lin asked, “What kind of deity is the Envoy of the Nine Heavens?” The warrior replied, “He is a high-ranking deity of Heaven, who carries out the command of the Lord on High to inspect good and evil among humankind and mete out punishment or reward accordingly. He resides north of Mount Lu. Surely you know of him?” When Lin awoke, he felt the matter was extraordinary, and from then on offered incense every day. He lived to be over a hundred before he died. His two sons and six grandsons also lived long lives. People in the capital called the family the “Long-Lived Wangs.” The chancellor Xue Juzheng wrote in a poem, “The cinnabar fish repaid his kindness with blessings lasting three generations; the white bones, grateful for his grace, reached the Nine Heavens.” His family had the story carved in stone. This account comes from the Record of Reliable Accounts, Gathered from the Scribes’ Collars.

The Prohibition Against Entering a Daoist Temple After Eating Beef

In the first year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era, in spring, a butcher followed some visitors into a Daoist temple. Suddenly, it was as if something seized him and threw him into the courtyard. He fled in terror, then hid in an empty room, where he fell to the ground and bellowed like an ox. A few days later he died, his eyes bulging out. From then on, people who had eaten beef did not dare enter a palace or Daoist temple. This account comes from the Record of Clear Warnings.

The Consequences of Polluting the Fasting Oil Used in Zhaijiao Rituals

At the foot of Mount Lu lived a man who supplied oil for Zhaijiao purification rites. When he later died, his eyes bulged out. From then on, and continuing to this day, people who have eaten beef have not dared to enter the temple gate. This account appears in the Record of Ming Admonitions.

The Retribution for Supplying Impure, Adulterated Oil for Zhaijiao Rites

At the foot of Mount Lu lived a man who supplied oil for Zhaijiao rites. He was usually a dutiful son who cared well for his mother. One day, he was killed by a thunderbolt. His mother believed her son had done no wrong, so she went every day to the shrine of the Divine Messenger, weeping and crying out, pleading to learn the reason.

One night, she dreamed of a red-robed deity who told her, “Your son mixed fish oil into the oil used for offerings, passing off the inferior as genuine and cheating people for profit. The oil he supplied was used in Zhaijiao rites at my shrine. Its foul, fishy odor filled the place and disturbed the spirits and Immortals. For him, being killed by a thunderbolt was already a delayed punishment.” This account appears in the Record of Unusual Events of the Grand Tai.

He Jixu’s Devotion to the Divine Messenger Restores His Sight

He Jixu, whose courtesy name was Daofu, came from Huangzhou. In the second year of the Tianxi era, he served as registrar of Yanshi County in Henan Prefecture. Later, he resigned from office after losing his sight in both eyes. A Daoist from Mount Lu told him, “Our monastery enshrines the Nine Heavens Divine Messenger. If you pray with utter sincerity, you may receive a miraculous response.”

He Jixu then sent his son Zhonghe to Mount Lu to perform a Zhaijiao rite and pray, and to bring back an image of the deity. From then on, he abstained from desire, ate a vegetarian diet, burned incense, and prayed. Every day, he washed his eyes with water offered to the deity. After more than two years, one eye suddenly began to see, though everything looked blurred, as if viewed through gauze. He then went to Mount Lu to perform a Zhaijiao rite and give thanks to the deity, repaying its kindness. A few months later, sight returned to both eyes.

Inspired by this miraculous response, He Jixu became even more diligent in observing the precepts and cultivating the Dao. He lived to the age of ninety-seven. He wrote the Prayer and Vow for Ascent to the Perfect and the Rhapsody on Washing the Eyes with Divine Water. Shu Shu recorded in detail the portrait and encomium of the True Lord, the Nine Heavens Divine Messenger. This account appears in the Verified Accounts of Gentlemen.

Zhang Xin Establishes an Image for Worship and Escapes the Perils of Storm and Waves

Xin Li, courtesy name Chengzhi, was from Heyang. In the second year of the Tiansheng era, he was appointed judicial officer of Nanxiong Prefecture, responsible for hearing criminal cases. Once, while passing Mount Lu, he visited the Taiping Abbey and took part in a Zhaijiao purification ritual. He then had an image of the Nine Heavens Messenger painted and set it up for worship. When his term ended, he boarded a boat back to the capital. As the boat reached Little Orphan Mountain, a fierce storm suddenly rose, and the vessel seemed on the verge of capsizing. His whole family cried out in grief. As he burned incense and prayed, a gust of wind burst through the window and swept away the image they had been worshipping. A moment later, the wind died and the rain stopped, and the image was found hanging from the boat’s mast. Everyone aboard looked up in astonishment. This account appears in the Record of Rivers and Lakes.

Hu Yuanbi receives a warning in a dream against killing and later has a son

In the first year of the Jingyou era, Hu Yuanbi served as a wine official in Jiangzhou. Both his parents were seventy-seven, and he himself was often ill. Several children had been born to him, but none survived; children he adopted from other families also died soon afterward. The whole family therefore observed a vegetarian diet and held a Zhaijiao purification ritual at the ancestral shrine. That night, while staying at a Daoist monastery, he dreamed that a young boy in embroidered robes told him, “You have killed many living creatures to satisfy your appetite, so you have no descendants. If you can refrain from killing, you will receive a good reward.” When Yuanbi awoke, he was covered in a cold sweat. He held another purification ritual to thank the spirits for their warning, and vowed to stop killing to make amends for his past wrongs. The following year, he had a son, and his family’s fortunes gradually prospered. This account appears in the Record of Bright Admonitions.

The retribution for Ma Zijian’s unrestrained conduct in office

Ma Zijian was from the capital. In the first year of the Zhiping era, he left his post as a registrar in Hongzhou and set out for home. On the way, his father, Cun Cheng, contracted an epidemic disease and fell unconscious at Xilin Temple on Mount Lu. His condition was critical. Ma Zijian sent someone to Jiangzhou to fetch a doctor. Before the doctor arrived, he heard that the Nine Heavens Messenger worshipped at Taiping Abbey was highly efficacious, so he went there to perform a Zhaijiao purification ritual. Just as he was about to ascend the altar, he suddenly became dizzy and disoriented and could not continue the rites, so he had to return.

Cun Cheng developed a high fever and raved as though he could see something. He said, “While Zijian was in office, he gave free rein to his temper, whipping people at will and killing many. The wronged spirits are bringing their complaints one after another.” Several days later, Cun Cheng began to sweat and his condition improved. Zijian remained distressed and uneasy. After reaching the capital, he died. This account appears in the Record of Bright Admonitions.

The filial son Wen cuts out his liver to save his father

Wen Biao, whose courtesy name was Zhongbing, was the son of a farming family in Dehua County, Jiangzhou. He was diligent in his studies and deeply filial. At sixteen, he went to study at the Imperial Academy. In the seventh year of the Yuanfeng era, his father fell gravely ill and seemed close to death. Wen Biao went to the Hall of the Inspecting Perfected One, where the Inspecting Perfected One was enshrined, and prayed. He then hurried home, cut open his abdomen, removed his liver, divided it into twenty-four pieces, mixed them with other medicines, and gave them to his father. His father soon recovered. Officials in the commandery and county investigated what had happened and wanted to report it to the court. Wen Biao wept and said, “This is only what any child would naturally do. How could I use it to seek fame?” People respected him all the more. His father died twenty-four years later, exactly matching the number of pills.

When removing his liver, Wen Biao mistakenly cut in from the right. Suddenly, he heard someone in the air say, “On the left.” He immediately closed the wound, then cut in from the left and obtained his liver. Blood covered the ground, and Wen Biao became dazed and barely conscious. In a trance, he saw a Daoist holding a bird and feeding it to him; then he came to.

Later, Wen Biao returned to the capital to study, and eventually died there. His family established a shrine for him beside a Daoist temple. Cai Houxixi Song once wrote a poem praising the deed: “I have heard that long ago Wen Biao cut out his liver to save his father, while the spirits in the Ninth Heaven watched. It seems the blade still bears traces of the blood shed in saving his father; after taking the medicine, his father was out of danger. His exceptional filial conduct reached the Heavenly Emperor, yet he did not seek high office or fame. Where has such a rare and noble man gone? Surely he now rides a colored luan bird, roaming among the Three Mountains.”

In the fifth year of the Qiandao era, Wen Jie, the son of Wen Biao’s elder brother, also cut flesh from his thigh, prepared it as medicine, and gave it to his mother to cure her illness. At the time, Sima Zhibai wrote a “Lives of Filial Sons” about the two men. This account comes from the “Lives of Filial Conduct” in the Gazetteer of This Prefecture.

Gao Yunju recites the Great Cavern Scripture.

Yunju was a recluse from Qiantang. He was sincere and steadfast by nature, devoted to the Dao, and fond of reciting the Great Cavern Scripture. His conduct in daily life also conformed to its precepts. One day, he suddenly saw clouds billowing and a celestial being riding a carriage down from the sky, alighting before him. The celestial wore a crown and robes, their colors gleaming with the iridescence of clouds, and had a face like jade. Yunju bowed twice and touched his head to the ground.

The celestial asked, “You recite this scripture, but do you also understand its central teaching?” Yunju replied, “I have heard that it is a revered scripture of thirty-nine chapters. I recite it privately, but have not yet grasped its deeper meaning.” The celestial smiled and said, “I am the Envoy of Inquiry from the Nine Heavens. I heard that you recite the Great Cavern Scripture without tiring, so I came to see you. If you can persevere without slackening, in time you will naturally understand its wondrous meaning. You should keep at it.” Before he had finished speaking, the celestial suddenly rose into the sky and vanished. This account appears in Record of the Southern Journey of Duke Li Wenzheng.

Zhou Ju Receives the Ten-Character Scripture from a Spirit

Zhou Ju was a native of Hao. In the first year of the Jianyan era (1127), during the Southern Song, he returned from the capital to his home. At the time, bandits were rising everywhere and the situation was unsettled. One day, he suddenly encountered a celestial wearing a starry crown and feathered robes. The celestial said, “Tomorrow you will die amid the violence of war. If you recite the Ten-Character Scripture, you can escape death, resolve grievances, and prolong your life.”

Zhou Ju knelt and asked the celestial to teach it to him. The celestial said, “The Celestial Worthy of Universal Transformation through Thunder’s Sound, Responding to the Origin in the Nine Heavens—that is the Ten-Character Scripture.” Zhou Ju bowed in thanks and received the teaching; the celestial then disappeared. Believing this to be a revelation from a spirit, Zhou Ju committed it firmly to memory. The next day, he indeed encountered bandits, who chased him into a wood. In his terror and peril, he hurriedly recited the honorific title he had just been taught. Before the words had left his mouth, thunder boomed loudly, startling the bandits into flight. Zhou Ju thereby escaped danger. This account appears in Zhao Xuelao.

Driving Off Zhang Yu’s Bandits in Jianyan

In the winter of 1127, the first year of the Jianyan era, the bandit leader Zhang Yu gathered tens of thousands of men, crossed the Yangtze from the Huai River, and captured Chizhou. On the tenth day of the twelfth month, Zhang Yu’s forces attacked Jiangzhou. The governor of Jiangzhou, Chen Yanwen, a Palace Attendant of the Dragon-Chart Pavilion, put on his armor, led the people up onto the city walls to defend them, and swore to live or die with the city.

The bandits besieged the city for three days, and the situation grew extremely perilous. The people of Jiangzhou cried out for help and, facing Wang Mountain, bowed and prayed. Suddenly, they saw banners and ceremonial guards appear among the clouds, while a circle of light spread across the fields. Within the clouds, a Perfected Lord seemed to ride a lion—or perhaps a dragon-horse—with many mounted attendants escorting him. Everyone in the city saw this with their own eyes.

Before long, heavy snow fell from the sky. The bandits could not operate in the open, and many were killed or captured. More than a thousand cavalrymen entered a Daoist temple and set fires everywhere, but the bamboo huts and paper screens simply would not burn. When they peered through the main hall’s doors, they seemed to see something and fled in panic.

After the bandits withdrew, the governor and the people of the prefecture held Zhaijiao (purification rituals) for more than a month to give thanks. To this day, on the seventh day of the fourth month, the people of Jiangzhou gather each year to establish an altar and perform Zhaijiao. It is said that this custom began with this event. The account appears in The Old Records of This Temple.

In his thanksgiving prayer, Governor Chen Yanwen said: “The Vermilion Emperor of Jade Void revealed his divine might and has long guarded this famous mountain…”

In his prayer of thanksgiving, Prefect Chen Yanwen said: “The Jade Void Vermilion Emperor, a revered Daoist deity, shines with divine radiance and has long guarded this famous mountain. The True King of the Golden Palace, another revered Daoist deity, bestows blessings and founded his sacred estate in this blessed land. These deeds were recorded in ancient times, and our dynasty, too, attaches great importance to sacrificial rites.

“Recently, enemy troops from the Huai region have run rampant, and violent bandits have laid waste to the land. Advancing by both river and road, they sought to seize the river city. They bombarded its walls with arrows and stones, and the people were on the brink of slaughter. We looked up to the celestial palace for deliverance, praying with all our hearts and deepest sincerity. The divine might appeared: banners fluttered, and clouds took the form of dragon-horses. Auspicious clouds gathered from every direction, and all knew that the gods had come riding their celestial steeds to protect us. Days of heavy snow also seemed to blunt the enemy’s advance in secret. Revering the True Lord’s vast Daoist power, we dare not neglect our observance of ritual purification. We therefore hold this grand purification ritual (Zhaijiao) to repay the gods for their immense grace. May the gods’ banners and feathered canopies descend for a while from the clouds; may wind-horses and cloud-chariots come to the grotto sanctuary, bestow blessings anew, and protect the people forever.

“On the seventh day of the fourth month each year, the people of the river city hold a purification ritual. During the Jianyan era, rebel troops invaded Jiujiang, and the city’s people stood on the verge of slaughter. At that time, the True Lord of the Nine Heavens Who Inspects the Human Realm—a divine being who, by command of the Heavenly Emperor, patrols the world and observes good and evil—graciously sent protection from the clouds. Only then did the people of the whole prefecture escape death. From that time onward, they have respectfully gone to the sacred estate to hold a purification ritual in thanksgiving.

“During the Jiading era, enemy troops invaded Echeng. The ravages of war spread through the outskirts of several prefectures, and the army’s advance neared Jiujiang. The people were consumed with worry, as though standing at the brink of death, and could only weep as they pleaded with the divine officials for help. Later, once again, the True Lord’s protection preserved the people, and the evil forces’ savage momentum quickly subsided. How could we ever repay the kindness shown to us in the past? The people therefore formed a benevolent association and established one hundred and twenty ritual positions for a thanksgiving purification rite, with offerings arranged for the divine presences. We earnestly beseech the True Lord to bring the fighting to an end forever and keep the whole region at peace. May every household receive blessings in abundance.”

The Zhou family sank in a raft.

A man surnamed Zhou in Ruichang was among the wealthiest people in the district. He regularly transported goods to different places to sell. In the third year of Shaoxing (1133), he bought fir timber upstream and lashed it into a large raft worth more than one hundred thousand min (a unit of currency). Planning to take the raft to Jiankang (modern Nanjing) for sale, he appointed a fellow clansman from Jiujiang to oversee its transport. The departure date had already been set.

The man in charge went to the Shrine of the Perfected One Who Inspects (an Daoist temple dedicated to the Perfected One Who Inspects) on Mount Lu to draw a fortune stick. Its verse read: “Looking all around, there is nothing to rely on; harboring doubts, the heart has two intentions. Since you still refuse to change, how can you escape sinking?” It meant that he had looked in every direction but found no sure course, and that he was already of two minds. Since he remained unwilling to change despite this, how could he avoid disaster?

The head of the Zhou household believed the preparations were complete and refused to stop. The raft had only just reached the Mi River Gate when it sank, just as foretold. This account appears in Yijian bing zhi.

The Killing of the Rebellious Xi in the Kaixi Era

In the twelfth month of the second year of the Kaixi era, Wu Xi, deputy commissioner of pacification in Sichuan and military commander of Xingzhou, rose in rebellion. On the eighteenth day of the first month of the third year of Kaixi, he proclaimed himself King of Shu without authorization and sent the false general Lu Xi to guard the Kuimen Pass. Jiang Jie, the commander in chief in Sichuan, surrendered his official seal and left his post. Lu Xi reached Kuimen on the nineteenth day of the second month. Jiang Jie traveled downriver and, on the twenty-fourth, anchored at Wanzhou.

Jiang Jie had a retainer named Zhao Tan, who was skilled at summoning spirits. That evening, Jiang asked Zhao to summon a spirit and divine his own prospects and fortunes. The divining pen held by Zhao moved swiftly and gave remarkably accurate answers. Suddenly, it wrote: “Wu Xi’s family has for generations received the state’s favor, yet he dares plot to usurp the throne and rebel, seeking to bring the people of Sichuan under foreign rule. The Nine Heavens Inspector and Envoy—an office of spirits who, by the Jade Emperor’s command, patrol the human world and investigate good and evil—has already reported this matter. The Supreme Emperor is enraged and has ordered the extermination of Wu Xi’s entire clan. This will come to pass within three months. These words must not be divulged.”

Jiang Jie feared that revealing the spirit’s pronouncement would bring disaster, so he sealed the record away securely. On the tenth day of the third month, he reached Zhongzhou and received an official dispatch from the court announcing victory. He learned that Wu Xi had indeed been executed on the twenty-ninth day of the second month. Jiang summoned more than ten retainers and opened the sealed document. They were all astonished. Wanzhou lay more than two thousand li from Xingzhou, yet the spirit had delivered its message in advance. Wu Xi had been killed exactly five days before the three-month deadline given in the pronouncement. Truly extraordinary! This account was carefully recorded on the fourth day of summer that year by Xue Fu, a gentleman for instruction, administrative aide in the Sichuan Pacification Commission, and native of Jiading. The original text says that this writing is preserved in a stone inscription at this shrine.

Qian Fangping’s Chapter on the Divinely Bestowed Art of Sustaining Life

Fang Ping was from Huaihai. On the Shangyuan Festival in the fourth year of the Chunyou era, as the sun gradually climbed toward noon, his mind grew hazy and he fell asleep, slumped over his desk. In his dream, a Daoist with a high topknot said to him, “I am Lord Yingyuan.” Before Fang Ping could ask anything, the Daoist took a sheet bearing written admonitions from his robe and told him to read it.

Fang Ping read a passage:

“The traces of the Dao aid the wondrous workings of transformation. The clouds rise high and solemn, and the spirits are especially pure and clear. The numinous cliffs of Qinghua Cave: all realms revolve in their wake. Reverently, the perfected beings among the rosy clouds gather; their radiant brilliance shines across the four quarters. They bow to invite the household of the imperial son, turning forms and revealing flying chariots. Such transformations and movements are profound beyond inquiry. The Qian grove leaves its lingering shade; the phoenix-like nature is hard to fathom. Jade herbs and immortal medicines release their subtle fragrance; within the forbidden palace, wondrous plans are set in motion. Secret registers extend their care and reach hidden places; amid the six cycles, they pay audience to the Origin Beginning. The freshness of feathered transcendence surpasses the turning of the kalpas, and at the appointed time it rescues what is frail and yielding. It carries one through the calamity of decline, making clear the six forms of stagnation. Gathered islands rest upon the mountains; the leaves of jade trees hold fast to precious luan birds. Inquiry and recommendation at last lead to a realm of empty stillness and remoteness. Rainbow-hued ceremonial guards reveal those who offer assistance; attendants and ministers select worthy companions. Vast indeed: within chaos, the breath of all beings gathers into a magnificent Qi. In the Yellow Chamber, honored guests are feasted; nine tiers of splendid canopies dazzle the eye, and the ruler’s companions attend. Descending in turn, you will receive the most wondrous Dao and open the teaching at the Three Towers. You should turn away from your former fate and accept a new mandate; the king’s scrutiny will keep you here for a thousand autumns.”

Here, “perfected beings among the rosy clouds,” “feathered transcendence,” and “Yellow Chamber” are Daoist terms associated respectively with immortals, transcendence beyond the ordinary world, and the dwellings of Daoist immortals. The poem uses images of the immortal realm to depict the gathering of divine beings, the workings of transformation, and the transmission of teachings.

After Fang Ping had finished reading, the Daoist said, “This is the ‘Chapter on the Operation of Life in the Nine Heavens.’ You must keep it secret and commit it to memory. In the future, come visit me at Taiping Palace.” Fang Ping hastened to recite it and memorized the whole passage. Just as he was about to ask what “the Three Towers” meant, his family suddenly woke him. For a time, he could not tell whether the dream had been real.

Five years later, Fang Ping traveled west along the river and passed through Mipu. Only then did he learn that Mount Lu’s Taiping Palace was a Daoist sanctuary founded by the Perfected Lord of Inspection. He understood that Lord Yingyuan from his dream had been the Perfected Lord of Inspection. He burned incense and paid his respects, then reverently copied the passage he had received in the dream and hung it above the hall doorway to show that it had been transmitted by a spirit. Afterward, he departed.

Zhao Jiage Shisui, a Gentleman for Proclaiming Instruction, suddenly fell ill with a disorder of the Qi while overseeing government affairs in Jiangxi in the second year of Jingding. That night, he dreamed of an immortal dressed in robes of rosy clouds, who personally taught him the prescription for a Pinellia decoction. At dawn the next day, he prepared the medicine according to the prescription and took it, whereupon he recovered at once. Later, when ordered to recruit soldiers, he again had a strange dream while burning incense in the mountains. After the sixty-day recruitment period ended, he returned to his office and went into the mountains to perform a purification ritual and make offerings to the spirits.

In his ritual address, he said: “Last year, when the Grand Duke of the Year was in office, my disorder of the Qi suddenly broke out, and all the government’s affairs were consequently delayed. At night I dreamed of an immortal dressed in sacred robes, who personally taught me the prescription for a Pinellia decoction. Early the next morning I consulted a physician and took the medicine as prescribed. As soon as I drank it, I felt dazed and unwell for a time, but soon my body felt clear and calm. Considering that I am no more than a humble mortal official, how could I have moved Heaven to manifest its spirit and help me? Later, occupied with the affairs of the king, I hurried about and navigated many dangers, and nearly escaped from the jaws of a tiger.” The text goes on to pray that the emperor’s benevolent De cherish life, that the Way of Heaven bless the good, and that Heaven examine his life and find him free of reproach, so that his long-standing prayers may reach the celestial court. He also prays for the good fortune to tend the incense offerings, to become an immortal official of the Jade Emperor in every life, to serve diligently without slackening, and to remain always in the verdant realm of Taiyi.

The Strange Deathlike Fainting of the Liu Woman During a Pilgrimage to the Perfected

A woman of the Liu family, a resident of Guanpaijia in Jiangzhou, joined a group in paying homage to the Perfected Lord of Inspection on the seventh day of the first month in the fifth year of Jingding. The servant she had brought was carrying paper money and was just about to burn it beneath the hall…

On the seventh day of the first month in the fifth year of the Jingding era, a resident of Guanpaijia in Jiangzhou, a man surnamed Liu, joined the crowd in paying homage to the Investigating Perfected Lord, a Daoist deity. He told his servant to take paper money and burn it below the hall. The person responsible for the fire feared the flames might damage the hall’s inscribed stone, so he hurried to stop him. Liu went up into the hall, shouted loudly, and even tried to punch someone.

Suddenly, the lamps and candles in the hall dimmed. A moment later, it seemed that a divine being had taken Liu down from the hall and turned him around three times. He then collapsed, unconscious, his face covered in blood. Everyone bowed before the Perfected Lord and prayed, asking that Liu’s offense be specially pardoned. After a while, Liu regained consciousness, and the crowd helped him home. When they reached Xinqiao, he fainted again and said, “I am the Investigating Six Ding Spirit. Why have you punished me so severely?” He returned home as if drunk, then died when he was one li from home.

It is said that his family mentioned Liu had eaten food considered impure three days earlier, and that he had therefore been punished by the spirits. From then on, those who came to pay homage revered the Perfected Lord even more.

End of fascicle seven of Accounts of the Investigating Perfected Lord at the Tai Ping Xing Guo Palace on Mount Lu.