《汉武帝内传》

Emperor Wu of Han, a Han dynasty ruler, delighted in arts of long life. He often visited famous mountains and great lakes to make offerings and seek immortals. On the Jiazi day of the first year of the Yuanfeng era, he made offerings at Mount Song and built a shrine for the worship of spirits. Emperor Wu observed purification for seven days and returned only after the rites were complete.

On the night of the Wuchen day in the fourth month, Emperor Wu sat alone in quiet meditation in Chenghua Hall, attended by Dongfang Shuo and Dong Zhongshu. Suddenly, a woman appeared, dressed in blue and strikingly beautiful. Astonished, Emperor Wu asked who she was. She replied, “I am Wang Zideng, a Jade Maiden of the Pond Palace. Just now, at the command of the Queen Mother of the West, I came from Kunshan—that is, Mount Kunlun.”

She said to Emperor Wu, “I have heard that you have set aside the supreme position you hold beneath Heaven and devoted yourself wholeheartedly to seeking the Dao and long life, going many times to mountains to make offerings and prayers. Your diligence shows that you are someone who can be instructed. From now on, please observe purification and keep yourself free of worldly affairs for one hundred consecutive days. On the seventh day of the seventh month, the Queen Mother of the West will descend for a short visit.” Emperor Wu rose from his seat, knelt, and agreed. When the woman had finished speaking, she vanished.

Emperor Wu asked Dongfang Shuo, “Who was she?” Dongfang Shuo replied, “She is a Jade Maiden of the Queen Mother of the West’s Purple Orchid Chamber. She often carries out the Queen Mother’s commands, traveling between Fusang, Lingzhou, and other places to convey news from the Mysterious Capital. In the past, the Queen Mother arranged for her to marry the immortal of North Candle Mountain. Recently she summoned her back and placed her in charge of the registers of fate. She is a true spirit official.”

Emperor Wu then ascended the Terrace of Guiding Spirits, observed an elaborate purification, and devoted himself to the Dao. He temporarily entrusted the affairs of state to the chief minister, the official who assisted the ruler in governing. When the seventh day of the seventh month arrived, he ordered the palace to be prepared. A seat was set in the hall, the floor was spread with purple silk, and a hundred-blend incense was burned. Cloud-pattern brocade curtains were hung, nine-rayed lamps were lit, jade-gate dates were laid out, and grape wine was poured. He personally inspected the dishes, preparing to welcome the Celestial Official.

The Martial Emperor, dressed in full ceremonial attire, stood at the foot of the steps and ordered that no one be allowed to peer in through the inner gate. The palace was quiet and solemn, inside and out, as everyone awaited the arrival of the Queen Mother’s cloud carriage. At the hour of the second watch, a vast white cloud suddenly rose in the southwest and floated straight toward the palace. In moments, it drew closer and closer. From within the cloud came the sound of flutes and drums, along with the noise of people and horses.

A little later, the Queen Mother arrived. Her carriage hovered before the hall, in a scene like a gathering of birds. Some Immortals rode dragons and tigers; others rode lions, white tigers, white qilin, or white cranes. Some traveled in celestial carriages. Tens of thousands of Immortals accompanied her, their radiance illuminating the palace courtyard. Once the carriage had arrived, the Martial Emperor’s attendants could no longer see where the other celestial officials were. They saw only the Queen Mother riding in a purple cloud carriage drawn by a mottled dragon with nine colors. Fifty celestial attendants stood beside her phoenix carriage. Each was a zhang tall, carried a brightly colored ceremonial pennant, wore a diamond-like numinous cocoon, and bore a celestial tally. They all stopped before the hall. The Queen Mother went inside with only two young women attendants.

The two attendants looked about sixteen or seventeen. They wore blue silk garments and had delicate features and a bright, lively air; they were truly beautiful. After entering the hall, the Queen Mother sat facing east. She wore a vivid, splendid yellow brocade robe and had a dignified, serene bearing. A numinous flying sash hung from her person, a divided-hilt sword at her waist, and an elaborate coiffure crowned with a Taizhen Morning-Infant cap. Her shoes were embroidered with phoenix designs. The Queen Mother appeared to be about thirty. She was neither tall nor short, and her graceful bearing and peerless beauty made clear that she was indeed an Immortal.

After the Queen Mother descended from her carriage and entered the hall, the Martial Emperor knelt and paid his respects. Once they had exchanged greetings, he stood reverently to one side. The Queen Mother invited him to sit with her. He faced south, seated opposite her.

The Queen Mother personally prepared the banquet. The food was exceptionally fine: rare delicacies, fruits like fresh flowers, and an abundant, splendid array of every kind of fruit. Purple mushrooms and assorted dishes were set out among them. Their fragrance was delicate, and the scene was as beautiful as rosy clouds. The Queen Mother was a true deity.

Emperor Wu of Han stepped down from his carriage and entered the grove. He knelt and bowed to the Queen Mother, then asked after her well-being. When the formalities were complete, he remained standing respectfully. The Queen Mother invited him to sit with her. Emperor Wu sat facing south, opposite her.

The wine on the table was fragrant and clear, unlike anything found in the human world. Its taste was sweet and extraordinary, and Emperor Wu could not name it. The Queen Mother then ordered her attendant to bring seven peaches on a jade platter. They were round, green, and as large as duck eggs. She presented them to the Queen Mother, who gave four to Emperor Wu and ate three herself. The peaches were exceptionally sweet, and their flavor lingered in the mouth after they were eaten. Emperor Wu kept the pits. When the Queen Mother asked why, he replied that he wanted to plant them. She said, “These peaches bear fruit only once every three thousand years. The soil of the human world is too poor; even if you planted them, they would not grow.” Emperor Wu then gave up the idea.

After several rounds of wine, the Queen Mother ordered her attendants to perform. Wang Zideng played the Eight-Lang Ao, Dong Shuangcheng played the Cloud-Su sheng, Shi Gongzi struck the Kunting bells, Xu Feiqiong played the Zhenling reed instrument, Ruan Linghua played the Five-Spirit stones, Fan Chengjun struck the Dongting chime stones, and Duan Anxiang played the Jiutian jun. The stone instruments were similar to sounding stones. The music rang clear and far, and its wondrous sounds filled the sky.

The Queen Mother then ordered her attendant An Faying to sing “The Song of Mysterious Spirit,” whose lyrics said:

“Though the vast Dao stretches far beyond, I hold the gates of Heaven and Earth in my grasp. Parting the clouds and riding a spirit chariot, I suddenly descend into the human world. In empty stillness, mysterious music resounds; the highest spirits brook no disorder. Taizhen sings deep within the heart, and only then do I know the suffering of worldly toil. Nurture the spirit and settle it in the upper, middle, and lower Dantians—the body’s sites of cultivation, where Daoists hold Jing, Qi, and Shen to be stored—and draw in vital energy through the six gateways.”

Then the Queen Mother rode the Myriad-Dragon Palanquin, an immortal’s conveyance, speeding across the Nine Wilds, the vast expanse between Heaven and Earth.

The second song went: “The Mysterious Garden joins the Northern Terrace, and five cities rise high into the clouds. Open the boundless ford and sail across the Weaver Maiden River. Look upward and ascend into the Vermilion Court; only then do you understand the hardships of the mortal world. Nurture the spirit in the Three Fields—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian within the body—and draw in Jing and Qi beneath the Six Gates, the bodily apertures described in Daoist inner cultivation. Then ride the Myriad-Dragon Palanquin, speeding through the Nine Wilds.”

The second song continued: “The Mysterious Garden joins the Northern Terrace, and five cities rise high into the clouds. Open the boundless ford and sail across the Weaver Maiden River. Ascend into the Vermilion Court, then descend to the region of the Moon Cavern, the moon palace in the immortal realm. Look back toward the farthest reaches in all eight directions, and beckon clouds from beyond the Nine Heavens with a gesture. Suddenly, you no longer feel weary; why count how much remains? Comfort the immortal maidens and command them with pride. Song rises from the heart, resonating with the harmonious Qi. Savor to the full the wondrous music of nature, and sing this ‘Song of the Mysterious Clouds.’ Though the music has ended, its lovely resonance lingers; the true music of the immortals has words that are pure and free of error.”

When the singing ended, Emperor Wu of Han descended to the ground and bowed, saying: “I, Liu Che, was born with mediocre abilities and became immersed in worldly concerns. I inherited the imperial rule from my ancestors, and from then on was burdened by affairs of state. My administration has often fallen short; the people are unsettled, the winds and rains out of season, and the grain harvests poor. Virtuous governance has not been put into practice; bandits run rampant throughout the realm, and the people suffer, toil, and perish. The population has been cut in half. Perhaps I am not fit to be a ruler; my crimes have piled up like mountains.

“Since childhood, I have loved the Daoist arts and yearned for the immortals, yet I could not give up my salary and honors to withdraw into the mountains. I wish to sever my ties to the world and take elixirs, but I do not know where to go. I wish to leave worldly life and seek the true Dao, but I have no teacher to guide me. As the years pass, I fear only that life will suddenly come to an end. I never imagined that Your Heavenly Countenance would appear today, and I am fortunate to have met the Most High. Surely this means that I am fated to have a chance to escape the mortal world. I beg you to show compassion and instruct me in what I have yet to understand, so that I may follow teachings suited to me.”

The Queen Mother said: “If you can regard honors lightly, be content with lowliness, and devote yourself to emptiness and stillness while realizing the Great Dao, that would indeed be good. But you indulge yourself, crave pleasure, give free rein to sexual desire, kill without regard for the Dao, and live extravagantly. Self-indulgence becomes the chariot that destroys the body; sexual desire becomes the axe that cuts short life. Taking life brings corresponding retribution; extravagance corrupts the heart; desire scatters the spirit; and accumulated impurity brings life to ruin. With a body as brief and fragile as yours, you dwell in a perilous place that can destroy your form. It is like a piece of timber scarcely a foot long being made to bear the calamity of a mountain a hundred fathoms high collapsing upon it. If you hope thereby to escape the Three Corpses, the spirits said to dwell within the body and harm cultivation and longevity, and to preserve your body and live long, it will be exceedingly difficult. It is like a heron without wings hoping to flap its way into the sky above the Celestial Lake, or a creature born at dawn and dead by dusk foolishly imagining it can enjoy the full span of spring and autumn.”

If you can still these inner disturbances, cleanse away impurity and change your ingrained habits, nurture the Original Spirit in the Crimson Palace (the abode of the spirits), close the gates of harmful desires and open the heart of awakening; if, in a quiet chamber, you restrain extravagant desires, cherish living beings and do them no harm, keep these Daoist precepts and grasp their profound meaning, strive to show kindness and do good, carefully preserve Jing and Qi, abandon worldly splendor, and put an end to all forms of rivalry and amusement—if a woman can do this, surely she can obtain at least some proof of its efficacy. If she cannot, she should not take a needless risk, like trying to cross a great river while carrying a stone.

Emperor Wu of Han knelt to receive the sacred precepts and asked to practice according to these instructions. He said, “I have already heard the essentials of nourishing the body. But the human body is not made of jade or stone; without a governor, it cannot endure for long. Original Qi does not cycle back around like the seasons, but constantly circulates within the body. The key is to regulate the coming and going of the breath, keeping it calm and measured, allowing the body’s fluids to flow freely, and preventing the body and spirit from falling into disorder. When Original Qi circulates properly, the hun and po souls will not become stagnant. If it is regulated in the right measure, so that Original Qi is abundant and at ease, the body need not decay, and its dwelling place need not be destroyed.

“I once obtained Daoist books and practiced as they instructed, yet I never gained any real results, and the benefits were slight. Instead, repeatedly circulating Qi left my spirit exhausted, while breathing in and out depleted my bodily fluids. As I grew older, my vitality gradually declined; my body withered, and my spirit weakened. This was because I had not understood the true essentials transmitted in the oral instructions. Instead, I had blocked the passages that should have remained clear in the Bright Hall (a Daoist conception associated with the body’s inner landscape and spiritual activity). I do not know how to take nourishment and cultivate myself so as to endure, or how to breathe in and out to prolong life. I beg you to grant me the art of long life, so that this corpse-like body of mine may briefly awaken. If I may receive your instruction today, I will listen with reverence.”

The Queen Mother said, “Long ago, when my former teacher, the Heavenly King Primordial Beginning, was dwelling at leisure, he once ascended the Terrace of Niexiao. Those attending him included the Celestial Emperor, the Great Emperor of Fusang, the kings of the Nine Realms of Truth, the immortals and officials of the gods from the ten directions, and disciples summoned to attend. In the Cinnabar Chamber, my teacher expounded the mysterious Dao. Then he asked me, ‘Why do you seek enduring life?’”

I then left my seat, bowed my head, and asked for the art of long life. The Heavenly King saw me and bestowed important teachings upon me. Their meaning was profound: they contained the mysterious principles linking Heaven and humanity, as well as the secret methods treasured by the Lord on High. Would you like to hear them today?

Emperor Wu of Han knelt and said, “I, Liu Che, am of humble station and meager abilities, no more than a withered bone. How could I dare hope that this unworthy body might live as long as dragons and phoenixes? And how could I expect a life as brief as the morning dew to endure as long as the sun and moon? Though I long for long life, I do not know how to attain it. The road ahead is difficult and obstructed, and I have no guiding principles to rely on. I am always afraid I will die in the course of this arduous search for the Dao, and be mocked by worldly people. How could I have imagined that today I would have this opportunity to behold the face of a sage? I am filled with joy, as if in a dream; it seems I have lived a thousand years and reached the moment of death and return. I beg you to take pity on me and instruct me, revealing the fundamental principles of the Great Dao.”

The Queen Mother said, “I will tell you the essentials. I once heard the Heavenly King say: if you wish to live long, you should begin by cultivating yourself. As long as you hold fast to the ‘Three Ones’—the three places within the body where essence and Qi, or spirit and Qi, are said to reside in Daoist cultivation—and preserve the Jing, Qi, and Shen within you.”

The golden blossoms of Jinying, the yellow wood of Guangshan, the jade medicine of Changcheng, and the fiery jade of Yeshan, together with the intoxicating-echo vinegar of Fenglin, the fine wine of Xiyao, the purple honey of Zhonghua, and the green terrace of Beiling, are all spirit medicines of the Upper Realm. There are also wind fruit, cloud seeds, jade fluids and golden nectar, the moon’s essence of ten thousand years, greens from the Azure Sea, patterned ugliness of Penglai, the Seven Glories of the Turbid River, and lofty willows of Dongshan. One must gather the splendid flowers of Xuandu in the north, then raise one’s head to drink the cinnabar honey of Yunshan.

The celestial bones of the Night River, the lacquer froth of Kunwu, and the numinous gourds of the Empty Cavern are also strange immortal medicines. It is said that they form only once in four kalpas; only then can one obtain true fluids and golden nectar. The qilin gall of Yiling, the sun’s essence formed in a single night on Yanshan, the cinnabar stalk gathered from Fusang in the east, and the patterned algae reached for by bending down into the Long River are likewise included.

There are also such rarities as the Pure Rainbow Youth, the Nine-Colored Phoenix Brain, the Greatly Authentic Rainbow Sprout, the enormous grass of the Celestial Desert, the fiery jade of the Southern Palace, the Elder-Nurturing of the Western Region, and the Dragon Blossoms of the Three Beams. Anyone able to obtain and consume these things can transcend the decline that comes with aging. These are the immortal medicines consumed by the Most High; they are beyond the keeping and enjoyment of lesser immortals.

The next tier of elixirs includes Eightfold Radiance of Great Harmony, Spotted Dragon’s Black Womb, and Patterned Tiger’s White Foam, all produced in the Western Mound. It also includes Sevenfold Mystery’s Flying Joints, Nine-Holed Linked Pearls, Cloud Nectar and Jade Wine, the Fine Essence of the Jade Garden, White Glue of Bell Mountain, Green Jade of the Jade House, Stone Marrow of the Encircling Wind, Coral of the Black River, the Essence of the White Phoenix of Meng Mountain, the Blood of the Blue Luan of Spirit Mound, Vermilion Greens of Eastern Glory, Ninefold Knotted Interlacing, Auspicious Grain of the Great Tenuity, Brain Fruit of Jade Blossoms, Whale’s Eyes of the Flowing Abyss, Crimson Jade of the Red River, the Milk of Great Mystery drawn from the North, the Pulse of the Two Principles held at the center, Mugwort of the Clouded Waters, the Divine Sparrow of Kun Mound, Stalk Grass of Vast Night, the Blue Di of the Flowing Abyss, Thunder Essence of True Mound, the Level Canopy of the Mysterious Capital, Divine Origin taken as food on the left, listening on the right to the Mysterious Rapids, the Golden Essence of the Round Orchid gathered above, Purple Nai of the Round Mound plucked below, Spirit Clams of Luan River, Red Yue of the Eight Passes, the One that appears once in ten thousand years, and the Nine Companies of Flowing Radiance, among others. Consuming these elixirs enables one to transcend the natural span of life and postpone death. They are the medicines consumed by the Celestial Emperor and by the twenty-two immortals of the celestial realm.

The next lower tier of elixirs includes Ninefold Golden Elixir and Liquid, Purple Splendor and Crimson Blossoms, the Nine Transformations of Great Clarity, Nectar of the Five Clouds, Mysterious Frost and Crimson Snow, the Leaping Three Yellows, White Fragrance of Eastern Ocean, Flying Life of Flame Isle, Eight Minerals and Ten Sprouts, Ninefold Radiance of Chengxi, Stone Gall of the Western Flow, Green Coins of the Eastern Sea, Surplus Grain of High Mound, Essence of Gold Liquid, Jade Fields of Essence Stone, Return Elixir of the Great Void, Golden Orchids of Shengci, Green Grass of Long Radiance, and Flying Stalks of the Cloud Children, among others. Consuming these medicines enables one to ascend to immortality by day. These are the medicines consumed by flying immortals, and the elixirs seen by earthbound immortals.

Inferior medicines include pine resin, the essence of wild ginger, alisma, goji berries, poria, calamus, ophiopogon, great sesame (sesame seeds), Solomon’s seal, red arrow (Gastrodia), peach gum, vermilion flower, pepper, hemp, and herbs such as teasel root, fragrant Solomon’s seal, and coptis. These are only a few examples. Herbs are exceedingly numerous, with thousands of names. Taking them can prolong life. Though they cannot make one immortal or raise one into the clear sky, they can moisten the body, darken the hair, restore a youthful appearance, and enable one to command the spirits of plants and trees, becoming an earthly immortal—one who dwells among humans. One may therefore begin with these methods and gradually seek deeper paths of cultivation.

The Way of the Celestial Officials is lofty and subtle, and numinous medicines come in different kinds. Extraordinary beings each have their own qualities, and the true realms of the immortals have their bounds. Some people today believe that the breath resides within the body and fills the three palaces—the three bodily sites associated with cultivation—near the Ating, a related site within the body. Yet they regard this kind of cultivation as shallow and abandon it without practice. This is a grave error. Regulating the breath to guide Jing and Qi, and to preserve Shen and Qi, is enough to keep Jing and Qi from leaking out and to retain them over time. When Shen and Qi endure, a person does not die. When Jing and Qi are harmonized, life can likewise be prolonged. This requires no money spent on medicines and no arduous searching far and wide. Because ordinary people can practice it in daily life, it is called the “natural” Way, the highest of the superior methods.

By practicing this method, one may not roam through the heavenly realms in the ten directions or fly beyond the eight reaches, but one can move freely within the four quarters and command the myriad spirits. At the beginning of cultivation, one must first nurture one’s own Qi. What the Scripture of the Most High calls “practicing the Way of Increasing and Changing” means “increasing Jing” and “changing the form”: replenishing Jing and Qi and transforming the body. Those who can increase Jing and change the form enter the registers of the high immortals; those who cannot remain bound by the hardship of death. “Practicing Increase and Change” means continually visualizing Lingbao: “Ling” means Shen, and “bao” means Jing.

You need only to guard your Jing and Qi, clench your hands, hold your breath, and swallow your saliva. Qi transforms into blood, blood into Jing, Jing into saliva, and saliva into bone. If you practice tirelessly in this way, your Shen and Qi, and your Jing and Qi, will become abundant. After one year of practice, your complexion will darken; after two years, your blood will change; after three, your meridians; after four, your voice and muscles; after five, your marrow; after six, your sinews; after seven, your bones; after eight, your hair; and after nine, your physical form will change. When your form has changed, you may be said to have attained the Dao. Once you have attained the Dao, you can take your place among the immortals.

By breathing in and out the Six Qi—the breaths exhaled and inhaled while regulating the breath—a sweet fragrance will fill your mouth. If you wish to eat numinous plants, the wondrous herbs and trees spoken of by the immortals, call their taste to mind, then breathe gently, hold the Qi in your mouth, and swallow it, following your own sensations. Qi belongs to Water. Utterly gentle, it can accomplish anything; it can reach and nourish Shen and Jing. These words are secret teachings from the alchemical chamber of the Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning. I have now instructed my attendant, the Jade Maiden Li Qingsun, to write them down and give them to you. Record them carefully and practice in accordance with them.

After the Queen Mother had finished speaking, she gave a long whistle to summon the numinous officials and ordered them to prepare her ornate dragon-drawn carriage for departure. Emperor Wu of Han kowtowed and earnestly begged her to stay, so the Queen Mother remained for a while. She then sent her attendant, Guo Mixiang, to convey her greetings to the Lady of Highest Origin, saying, “The Mother of the Nine Lights, Wang, respectfully sends her greetings. It has been more than four thousand years since we last met. I have been too occupied with affairs in Heaven to visit you. This time, I came to see Liu Che because he takes an interest in the Daoist arts. I find his mind clear, and he seems capable of further progress in practice. Yet his physical form is sluggish, his Shen and Qi are impure, the vital blood in his brain is depleted, his five viscera are unrefined, his stomach and intestines are distended, and his bones lack fluids. The Qi within and without his body is turbulent, his Jing and Qi are insufficient, his pupils are misaligned, the Three Corpses—the evil spirits said in Daoism to dwell in the human body and lead people to wrongdoing—are causing disturbance, and the dark and white Qi move out of season. If I were to explain the highest Dao to him, I fear he does not have the nature required to become an immortal.”

I have lingered in the human world for a long time. I find it truly foul and impure, though at times I can still come and go, wandering about to dispel my faint sorrows. The mortal ruler seated beside me weighs heavily on my spirits. Would the Lady care to come here for a short while? If you would honor me with your presence, I shall stay and wait.

Emperor Wu of Han did not know who the Lady of Highest Primordial (a Daoist goddess who oversees the register of the celestial maidens) was. He saw only a maid descend from the hall; in an instant, she had vanished. After a while, Maid Guo returned. The Lady of Highest Primordial sent her again with a message, asking whether the Lady of Xiang would come for a short while. If she would honor them with her presence, the Lady of Highest Primordial would stay and wait.

Maid Guo replied, “Ahuan bows twice and sends greetings to Your Majesty. We are far apart, divided by the Crimson River of Heaven, and burdened by affairs of the celestial court; thus, we have been unable to meet for nearly five thousand years. I have long admired your bearing, and my affection has never changed. I received your fragrant token and respectfully acknowledge your letter. Learning that you had sent an invitation through Liu Che (Emperor Wu of Han), I was so delighted to obey that I nearly lost my composure. But I have just received an assignment from the Great Sovereign, and must go to Mystic Isle to revise the celestial calendar. I am about to set out for a short while and will return afterward. On my return, I shall arrange my robes and headdress. Please wait a little.”

Emperor Wu then asked about the Lady of Highest Primordial’s origins. The Queen Mother of the West said, “She is an official of Highest Primordial, above the Three Heavens. She oversees and records the registers of the jade maidens in the ten directions.”

About two hours later, the Lady of Highest Primordial arrived. As she came, everyone heard the sound of flutes and drums from among the clouds. When she arrived, more than a thousand civil and military attendants accompanied her. They were all women, about eighteen or nineteen years old, with refined, radiant features. Most wore green robes and shone with brilliant light. They were indeed officials of the spirit realm.

The Lady appeared to be in her twenties, naturally graceful and lovely, with bright, captivating eyes. She wore a robe of red frost, its fabric brilliant with many colors. It was neither brocade nor embroidery, and its material was hard to describe. She had arranged her hair in a triangular knot, while the rest fell loose to her waist. On her head she wore the Nine-Spirit Night-Luminescent …

(Madam of the Upper Origin is a high-ranking goddess among the female immortals of the celestial realm.) She wore a Ninefold Spirit Night-Luminous Crown and ornaments of six-pointed fire-jade. A radiant silk sash embroidered with phoenixes was tied around her, and at her waist hung a Flowing-Yellow Essence-Wielding Sword. She entered the hall and bowed to the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother invited her to rise and sit with her facing south. The Madam arranged a banquet, with delicacies and fine dishes much like those the Queen Mother had prepared.

The Queen Mother urged Emperor Wu of Han, saying, “This is the mother of the original true Qi, a revered divine being. You should rise and pay your respects.” After asking whether she was well and comfortable, the emperor returned to his seat.

The Madam of the Upper Origin smiled and said, “Mortals live in an age of the Five Turbidities, immersed in glory and profit, and attached to fine food and beautiful women. This is only to be expected. And you, being Son of Heaven, face many more things than ordinary people that disturb the mind. You live amid splendor and riches, yet wish to uproot the source of desire. That truly shows resolve.”

The Queen Mother said, “He does indeed seem to have resolve.”

The Madam of the Upper Origin asked the emperor, “Do you take an interest in the Daoist arts? I hear that you have repeatedly summoned practitioners of esoteric arts, offered sacrifices to mountains and spirits, and made offerings to rivers. You have certainly been diligent. Yet you have not obtained what you seek, and there is a reason: by nature, you are irascible, extravagant, indulgent, harsh, and ungenerous. These five traits are lodged in your Qi of the nutritive and defensive systems and in your Five Viscera. Even with the finest needles, they would be difficult to cure.

“Irascibility makes Qi and blood surge into disorder and disturbs the spirit, leaving the mind unsettled and the breath obstructed. Indulgence drains Jing and Qi and exhausts the hun and spirits, leaving Jing and Qi depleted and the hun and spirits dispersed. Extravagance scatters true Qi and harms the hun and spirits, shaking the foundation and weakening the numinous Qi. Harshness makes one lose one’s sense of benevolence and, in turn, harms oneself; thus one loses benevolent virtue and falls into disorder. Ungenerousness throws the heart into turmoil and dries the mouth, setting the heart at war with itself and cutting off the breath outwardly.

“These five traits are like blades and saws that sever the body, like axes and halberds that carve up life. Even if you devote yourself to seeking long life, what is the point of harming your nature and exhausting yourself if you cannot rid yourself of these five afflictions?”

Although this practice may still bring a little benefit, it only helps you learn about what happened in the past. From now on, if you can set aside the five inborn dispositions and turn instead toward gentleness and kindness, then, when discerning affairs, strive to understand the circumstances of those below you; when bestowing kindness, show compassion to those burdened by resentment and hardship; when offering aid, provide for the poor; when giving relief, help those worn down by toil. Keep in mind the lonely and destitute. Cherish body and mind, and regularly perform good deeds in secret, rescuing those who face death or disaster. Persevere over the long term without letting up or draining your Jing and Qi. Then abstain from sexual desire and nourish your Shen; cast off luxury and return to the utmost frugality. Be diligent in purification and fasting, restrain your diet, give up the Five Grains, and avoid meat and pungent foods. Then beat the Heavenly Drum (tapping the teeth to cultivate body and mind), drink the Jade Elixir (a Daoist term for saliva), rinse the Flower Pool (using saliva to rinse the mouth), and strike the Golden Beam (tapping the upper and lower teeth together). If you practice in this way, you should achieve something.

Now the Mother (the Queen Mother of the West) has humbled herself to descend in the station of a Celestial Worthy, coming to the dwelling of Xigu and honoring the banquet of Gwu. If you strictly follow the Mother’s instructions, grasp their mystery, and practice with sincere care and diligence, observing the proper methods and continuing faithfully for a hundred years, the Mother will surely lead you to the realm of the Mysterious Capital, welcome you into the Kunlun Palace, grant you the rank of an immortal official, and let you roam through the ten directions. That is all I have to say. You must practice diligently. If you cannot do these things, there is nothing more to say.

Emperor Wu of Han rose from his seat and knelt to give thanks. He said, “I am by nature foolish and stubborn, born into a chaotic and polluted age. Like someone facing a wall, I understand nothing and cannot attain awakening or insight. Yet I cling to life and fear death, and I am willing to revere the numinous and honor the spirits. To receive these teachings today is truly a heaven-sent opportunity. I will surely keep this sacred instruction in mind and make it my guiding principle. Perhaps even I, so insignificant a person, may preserve my life. I beg you to take pity on me, protect me, and grant me long life.” The Lady asked Emperor Wu to return to his seat.

The Queen Mother of the West said to the Lady, “Your words of admonition were very urgent. They may frighten those who have not yet understood your intention.” The Lady replied, “If he is wholly devoted to the Dao, he would even throw himself before a hungry tiger without regard for his safety. He would pass through boiling water and flames with unwavering resolve. There is naturally no need to worry about such a person. If he lacks a steadfast and loyal commitment, if he is doubtful and only half believes in the true Dao, then there is no need to fear these urgent words. The sternness is meant to strengthen his resolve. Since the Mother cares for him, she will surely grant him the method of corpse liberation (a Daoist practice in which a cultivator sheds the physical body and becomes an immortal).”

The Queen Mother said, “This young man has devoted himself to diligent practice for a long time, but has never met a good teacher. He has nearly abandoned his proper aspirations and even begun to doubt that immortals exist anywhere in the world. That is why I was commanded to come to the human realm and temporarily leave my tranquil immortal abode: to strengthen his resolve to seek immortality and guide him toward the Dao, lest he lose his way in confusion. At last, today he has met a good teacher. Thinking of all this moves me deeply. As for his eventual departure from the human world by the method of corpse liberation and his entry into the realm of immortals, I do not begrudge him that. In three years, I will certainly grant him half a dose of the Elixir and a portion of Stone Image Powder. Then he will be able to leave the mortal world completely and need not remain here any longer. But the Xiongnu have not yet been subdued, and fighting continues along the frontier. Why should he hastily renounce the imperial throne and withdraw at once to the mountains and forests? We need only ask how firm his resolve to seek the Dao truly is. If he changes his mind, I will come again many times in the future.”

The Queen Mother then stroked Emperor Wu of Han on the back and said, “If you practice according to the method taught by the Lady of the Upper Prime (a female immortal of the heavens), you will attain long life. How could you not strive to do so?”

Emperor Wu of Han knelt and said, “I will have these words inscribed on a golden tablet and put them into practice myself.”

Emperor Wu of Han then noticed a small scroll concealed in the Queen Mother’s head wrap, inside a purple brocade pouch. He asked, “Is this a method of cultivation for divine beings? I wonder whether I might be allowed to see it.”

The Queen Mother took out the book and showed it to him. “This is the Diagram of the True Forms of the Five Sacred Peaks, a book depicting their forms and associated with Daoist belief and cultivation. Yesterday, the immortals of Mount Qingcheng came to ask me for it, and I should have given it to them. It comes from the Three Heavens’ Most High One, and its prohibitions and requirements of secrecy are exceptionally strict. How could it be suitable for someone as ordinary and mortal as you to carry? For now, I will give you the Scripture of the Arising of Numina from the Light. It can help you communicate with the divine and strengthen your resolve to seek the Dao.”

Emperor Wu of Han knelt on the ground, bowing his head and pleading without end. The Queen Mother of the West said, “Long ago, in the first year of the Shanghuang Qingxu era, the Supreme Lord of the Three Heavens toured Heaven and Earth. He surveyed the lengths of rivers and seas and the heights of mountains, fixed the positions of the pillars of Heaven, and arranged the features of the land. He raised the Five Sacred Peaks as barriers guarding the four directions; honored the numinous Kunlun mountain and settled the immortals there; honored Penglai, the mountain of immortals, as a dwelling place for perfected beings; placed the water spirits at the source of the Utterly Yin, and established the authority of the Great Thearch at the ruins of Fusang.

“Thus Mount Fangzhang became a place for administering the Mandate of Heaven, while the islands of the Canglang Sea became halls where the Nine Elders were provided for. Yingxuan, Yan, Changyuan, Liusheng, Fenglin, and Juku each became the name of an island, all situated in the mysterious waters of the vast Cangliu Sea. There, blue and black waters flow together, and surging waves churn and shake the essence of drought. Immortals and Jade Maidens gather there. Their names are too many to know in full, yet their forms and true nature can be clearly discerned.

“The Supreme Lord, following the patterns of mountains and rivers, observed the winding courses of waterways and peaks: ridges circling back, hills and mounds turning and bending, mountain ranges rising high and stretching far, twisting and coiling in shapes like written characters. He therefore named them according to the forms of mountains and rivers, determined their true names, and secretly stored their diagrams in the Mysterious Terrace. He then sent them forth as tokens of the numinous and perfected. The immortals wear them as though carrying documents that transmit the Mandate of Heaven. When Daoist practitioners carry these diagrams through mountains and rivers, the hundred spirits and the essences of plants and trees all respectfully greet them.

“Though you are not a practitioner of the Dao, you have repeatedly sought out mountains and marshes, and have never forgotten your desire to seek the Dao. I am pleased by your sincerity. Now I give these to you. You must cherish and uphold them with utmost care, as you would serve your ruler and parents. If you reveal them to ordinary people, disaster and punishment will surely follow.”

The Lady of the Upper Primordial said to Emperor Wu of Han, “The Mother has now brought out the wondrous methods treasured in the jade casket and opened the scriptures of the Purple Terrace, bestowing upon you the Book of the Eight Convergences and the True-Form Diagrams of the Five Sacred Peaks. These may be called the most precious and mysterious scriptures of the Celestial Thearch. Unless you had come here by command and were in accord with the spirits, you would never have seen these writings.”

Now, although you have obtained the True Form—the authentic appearance of the immortals—and seen its wondrous principles, without the talismans of the Five Emperors and Six Jia that summon the assisting spirits of flight; the registers of the Six Ding of Great Yin that open communication with the Real and let one evade the Void; the books of the Six Wu of Great Yang that summon spirits and harness celestial light to refine essence; the writings of Yi on the left that bind and veil primordial chaos; the laws of Geng on the right for purifying, restraining, and slaying ghosts; the Six Ren and Gui methods of concealment and the Eight Arts of hiding in the earth; the talismans of the Nine Reds for entering fire with Bing and Ding; the method of the Six Xin for entering metal and bringing forth yellow water and moonlight; the formula of the Six Si for hiding forms and transforming appearances with the essence of stone and golden radiance; the Eight Endowments, Ten Secrets, and Sixfold Spiritual Rites of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You; the Earthly Perfected’s Plain Formula and Long-Life Purple Writings of Chou, Chen, Wei, and Xu, which follow the Three and Five in their proper order; and the Purple Measure, Blazing Light, and Inner Vision of the Central Direction for Yin, Shen, Si, and Hai—in short, these twelve arts—how could you summon mountain spirits, pay court to the earth deities, command the myriad spirits, drive the ghosts, call forth tigers and leopards, or set dragons to work? You have understood only one part of the matter; you have yet to see the rest.

Emperor Wu rose from his seat and kowtowed, saying, “I am merely a muddied mortal of the human world, ignorant of the pure and tranquil True Dao. Today, to hear of the Great Dao is my good fortune in meeting the Holy Mother. I now ask you to bestow the True Form upon me, so that I may cultivate it and seek release from the world. A moment ago, Madam, you said I still need the arts for summoning spirits associated with the Five Emperors and Six Jia, the Six Ding, and the Six Wu. I am immeasurably grateful for your guidance and instruction. I beg you to continue teaching me, to satisfy my longing for the Dao—to moisten dead wood with numinous yang and let withered plants be blessed with the watering of sweet rain. I dare not say more; I ask only for your guidance and transmission.”

The Lady of the Upper Origin said, “I do not have these writings.”

Long ago, at Mount Fuguang, I saw the youthful attendant Qingzhen and obtained these secret characters written in gold. There are countless methods for seeking the Dao and extending life. All depend on the Five Emperors and Six Jia Spirit Flight method, together with the names of the Six Ding and Six Ren, to petition the spirits, lengthen one’s years, attain long life and lasting vision, and command the many spirits and deities. Without the Six Jia, this essential method, even if one practices the True Forms—the Daoist art of communicating with spirits and summoning deities—there is no way to put that art to use. Since you sincerely wish to study, I have told you the titles, in the hope that you will search more widely.

Emperor Wu of Han persisted in his request, bowing until his forehead bled. The Lady of Highest Origin said, “I do not have this scripture. I told you the twelve titles so that you would search widely and seek out various texts, enabling you to compare them with the methods for using the True Forms.”

The Queen Mother said to the Lady of Highest Origin, “The precious text of the True Forms is a scripture treasured by the spirit officials, the divine officers who oversee the affairs of the spirits. This young man has continued to seek it and has sworn that he must obtain it, so I have made an exception to the prohibition and deliberately bestowed it on him. The Five Emperors and Six Jia, however, are the method for practicing the True Forms, used to reach the true realm and summon the spirits. This art is profound and unfathomable; it requires one to purify body and mind and practice with utmost sincerity. I fear it is not suitable for those of impure character. I have now bestowed the True Forms on Che, and the Lady should also teach him the method for summoning the spirits.”

The Queen Mother continued, “I remember that long ago the Lady and I climbed Mount Xuanzhong in the northern wilderness and Mount Yaozhen together. Prince Zitong came to ask me for the Supreme Hidden Books, the Daoist scriptures passed down in secret. I thought the secret words of the Three Origins should not be transmitted to an Immortal of the Middle Rank. The Lady said then that, seeing his steadfast resolve, we ought to help him. Since I could hardly deny his wish, I no longer withheld the scriptures. What is happening today is much the same.”

“Later, we went to the Red Fire Elixir Mound and ate spirit melons, which tasted wonderful. In memory, it seems as though it happened only recently; in truth, seven thousand years have passed.”

The Lady had already explained the contents of the Lingfei Jing and its twelve instructions. She should therefore have assembled them into a complete scripture. Why, then, did she make the ruler Liu Che (Emperor Wu of Han) ask for it, even to the point of knocking his head until it bled?

The Lady of the Upper Primordial said, “I am not begrudging anyone this scripture. I simply did not bring it with me just now. It was composed by the Perfected One Red Child, the Writ of the Great Void. Its transmission has always been subject to restrictions concerning men and women, and it should be passed only to those who have attained the Dao. I feared that someone with such shallow foundations as Liu Che would not know how to use it, even if he obtained it.”

The Queen Mother of the West looked displeased and said, “If Heaven has imposed a prohibition, and revealing the scripture would violate an explicit precept, then it should be transmitted to a suitable person, someone who truly understands it. Why did the Lady just disclose the contents of the Lingfei Jing to someone with shallow foundations? Speaking recklessly is a form of disclosure, and teaching casually counts as revealing it. To speak of it without transmitting it is to slight the Way of Heaven. Can this prohibition be less weighty than transmitting the scripture? If the Three Offices of Heaven later investigate, they may well conclude that the Lady was careless in revealing it.

“My Wuyue Zhenxing Wen—a Daoist secret text depicting the true forms and positions of the Five Sacred Peaks—was composed by the Supreme Celestial Emperor. Its characters are precious and mysterious, and it serves as a token of recognition among Celestial Immortals. Should it, too, be withheld from Liu Che? It was only because he was diligent and tireless, repeatedly making offerings to mountains and rivers and carefully observing purification rites, that we passed some of these methods on to him. He aspired to transcend the world but had not encountered a worthy teacher. As for the methods of becoming an immortal, I have not begrudged him their transmission. Can the Lady truly claim to possess them all simply because she knows how to summon spiritual responses?

“I now transmit the Wuyue Zhenxing Wen to Liu Che not because I believe he will certainly attain the Dao, but to answer his devotion, keep him from confusion as he seeks immortality, and guide those who yearn for the Dao to pursue their practice further. I also want ordinary people in the world to know that such matters of immortals and perfected beings truly exist between Heaven and Earth, so that even those who do not believe may be moved. That is my purpose.

“Still, Liu Che is willful and violent by nature, and he is not single-minded in cultivating and consuming vital energies. How could he become a true immortal, traveling freely through the air in all ten directions? If he practices diligently, he may perhaps attain no more than the state of being imperishable.”

But this man is unrestrained and violent by temperament, and in his practice he cannot remain single-minded and pure. How could he possibly become a True Immortal and roam freely through the ten directions, soaring through the air? Even if he practiced diligently, at most he could attain no more than freedom from death.

The Daoist scriptures state plainly: what is difficult is not long life, but hearing the Dao; what is difficult is not hearing the Dao, but putting it into practice; what is difficult is not putting it into practice, but persevering to the end. A master craftsperson can teach people the rules and methods, but cannot guarantee that everyone will become a skilled artisan. A master teacher can transmit subtle arts, but cannot guarantee that every disciple will succeed in mastering them. Why, then, should these arts be kept hidden?

Do you not remember that, long ago, Master Changsang asked on my behalf for the “Medicine of the Eight Lights for Warding Off Illness” and the “Jade Tree Formula”? Lady of the Upper Origin briefly composed herself, knelt, and replied: “When I, Ahuan, first studied the Dao at the Mound of Guangdu, before I had completed the practice of the Sincere Elixir of Jianmu, Lord Daoying and Master Wuchang—who were probably spirit officials of the Great Clarity Mysterious Heaven—transmitted to me twelve arts called the ‘Six Jia Left-and-Right Spirit Flight Formulas.’

“When they first transmitted them, the two masters told me: ‘A beginner in the Dao may receive these teachings once every forty years; one who has attained the Dao, once every four hundred years; one who has attained immortality, once every four thousand years; one who has attained the True, once every forty thousand years; and one who has ascended to the realm of the Most High, once every four hundred thousand years. After receiving the teachings, a woman may pass them on only to women, and a man only to men. These are all prohibitions laid down by the Most High, already recorded in the Talisman of Radiant Life.’

“Since receiving these arts, I have transmitted them to sixty-eight women in all. The worthy Lady Baolan is one of my disciples. The arts I transmit may not, as a rule, be passed on to men.

“I saw the Youth of Azure Truth from Mount Fuguang transmit twelve arts to the Lord of the Central Origin in Taiwei, including the ‘Five Emperors’ Six Jia Spirit Flight and Escape into Emptiness of the Lord of the Central Origin in Taiwei’ and the ‘Heavenly Light Left-and-Right Essence Directives.’ These arts were exactly the same as those I received, without any difference. The Youth of Azure Truth was a male official, and I have not heard that he transmitted them to anyone else. This man was formerly Ahuan’s disciple in the practice of entering fire. Now, as it happens, these arts can be transmitted to him, so that he may master them completely.”

The purpose of telling Liu Che, Emperor Wu of Han, about the writings earlier was to take pity on his longing for the Dao and help him cultivate with firm and single-minded dedication. Now, first make a broad search; it can be transmitted to him later. It should also be passed according to proper custom, from man to man. If he studies diligently and gains something from it, he will understand how precious the natural purity of the Dao and the true methods of cultivation are, rather than taking them up carelessly and divulging the secrets of Heaven. This is how the matter should be handled. A Huan, a maid in the service of the Queen Mother of the West, is in charge of this task. May she not betray the trust placed in her.

The True Form of the Queen Mother of the West—the sacred image and secret methods of the Queen Mother—is wondrous beyond measure. It was transmitted by a numinous being and serves as proof of that transmission. It is a treasure cherished by the Celestial Immortals, sealed away on the Golden Terrace and carried into the Purple Tenuity, the abode of the Celestial Emperor. She then stepped forward at an unhurried pace. A Huan is in charge of this task; may she not betray the trust placed in her. The True Form of the Queen Mother of the West is wondrous beyond measure. Transmitted by a numinous being as proof of the transmission, it is a treasure cherished by the Celestial Immortals, sealed away on the Golden Terrace and carried into the Purple Tenuity. She then set out, while the great tiger at the gate crouched to guard the pass. Once she had left the Great Clarity, she stretched and shook herself in the Jade Chamber. She roamed the Cang Sea on her left, bowed deeply toward Mount Shuomeng, reached Mount Changyang on her right, and looked down upon Mount Bantong.

As she traveled across the Eight Seas, she rode a dragon and drove the clouds. When she visited famous mountains, all the True Immortals came out to greet her. On her journeys she had cloud chariots and feathered canopies; in quiet retreat she could endure forever in peace. Such a supreme method was not originally passed on even to the Earth Official, who oversees the realm of the dead. Yet now the Queen Mother of the West has bestowed it upon a corpse defiled by impurity, a body withered and wasted. This is truly inappropriate.

What is more, A Huan also possesses the lower arts of the Six Jia, by which she can command the myriad spirits, summon the essences of the sun and moon, conceal her form, bring forth all things, enter and leave water and fire, rebuke the underworld, see and hear across great distances, and gather in countless numinous beings. She can ride tigers and leopards at a gallop, gather the moon’s radiance in pursuit of long life, hide herself in the secluded realms of the eight directions, turn the courses of the stars, and make herself long-lived and light of body, matching Heaven and Earth. Yet how could these abilities compare with the numinous books of the Most High and the wondrous writings of the Eight Assemblies, the mysterious scriptures of the celestial realm? By using these profound texts, one can roam the Palace of Radiant Spirits, ascend the Hall of Flowing Rosy Clouds, bring the Lords of the Five Peaks to submission, hold a cup filled with immortal elixir, soar through the air in a chariot drawn by nine dragons, and ride a purple swan high above.

The Queen Mother smiled and said, “Can the earlier offense really be forgiven?”

Lady of the Primordial Beginning (Shangyuan Furen) then ordered her attendant Ji Lirong to go to Mount Fuguang and obtain from the Youth of Azure Truth twelve methods for working with the left and right spirit powers of the Six Jia and summoning divine beings, in preparation for transmitting them to Liu Che. A short while later, the attendant returned, carrying a scroll of secret writings made of eight-colored jade and adorned with phoenix designs. Mysterious radiance shimmered across it in brilliant colors. She also conveyed the Youth of Azure Truth’s greetings.

The disciple Achang reported, “I just went to the River of Crimson Light to help the Seven Primordial Lords of Southern Truth check the numbers of grass dragons and fierce beasts. Once the task was finished, I passed by here to pay my respects. Thanks to the Queen Mother’s invitation, I went to Liu Che’s residence. I never expected that the highest divinity of the celestial realm would once again descend to this dusty, turbid world. How have you been of late?”

When Ji Lirong arrived, she said, “Our superior wishes to obtain the twelve methods in the golden book of secret characters concerning the Six Jia’s spirit powers and the refinement of essence through the left and right strategies, and intends to transmit them to Liu Che.” The Youth of Azure Truth then sealed a copy and sent a message with it: “Although Liu Che has a desire to seek immortality and admire the Dao, he is truly unsuited to cultivating immortality. How could these methods be transmitted to someone who is like a walking corpse? I have recently been near the emperor and have seen many people submit memorials to advise him. They say that mountain spirits weep in the medicinal groves, while lonely ghosts wail in remote places. He raises armies and wages war, kills households whose members have rendered meritorious service, yet forgets to reward those who have labored and instead punishes the soldiers. He leaves white bones scattered across the land, indulges in extravagance that burdens the people, and gives free rein to cruelty. Heaven has learned of these offenses, and resentment has become manifest between Heaven and Earth. Such talk is spreading everywhere; he will surely be unable to transcend the mortal world. A Perfected One urged me to speak this way, and I dare not disobey.”

The Queen Mother smiled and said, “There are indeed many who speak against him, but the emperor may not be without redeeming qualities. Those who love the Great Dao and long to become immortals need only be single-minded, sincerely observe purification, and reflect on their faults; then their offenses can gradually be dispelled.”

Emperor Wu of Han should restrain his selfish desires, correct his faults, and turn toward goodness. He should revere the true gods and keep the true Dao and “the One” (the Daoist practice of single-mindedly guarding the heart) within his heart. A month of such cultivation could offset the wrongs of the previous year. For many years he had longed for the Great Dao; he had also diligently performed purification rites and accumulated merit, repeatedly praying to the true spirits of famous mountains in hope of attaining deliverance and liberation. Weighing his merits and faults, his good deeds and transgressions nearly canceled each other out.

From now on, he should cultivate diligently, remain utterly sincere, and follow the teachings of Lady of the Upper Origin (a legendary female immortal). He must no longer indulge in luxury or tyrannize the people, bringing hardship and injury upon them. Nor should he provoke complaints from the resentful ghosts of those who died unjustly or the destitute spirits of the dead by allowing graves to be dug up and destroyed. He must not let corpses litter the land or rivers of blood flow. Nor should he forget the deeds of merit he had performed or the rewards he had granted in the past.

At this point, the Lady of the Upper Origin rose from her seat. Holding a vessel adorned with eight-colored jade and phoenix designs, she gazed up at the sky, turned toward Emperor Wu of Han, and prayed:

The Nine Heavens are vast and profound. The Most High (the supreme Dao) sends forth light, whose wondrous radiance shines through the secluded, tranquil realm, making the pure, empty, and luminous Qi clearly manifest. Those who ascend into the void can experience its wonders; those who preserve their original Qi can attain long life. With a single-minded heart, one can reach the Great Dao. Only when the heart is still yet responsive is one truly sincere. To burden the spirit and damage the body is to let the hopes of settling Jing and Qi and flourishing in years of life come to nothing.

I transmit to you the secret methods, including the Lingfei, along with the formulas for summoning spirits through the six Ding powers on the left and right, and for directing Jing with the light of Heaven. By means of these, you can walk through the void and conceal your form; you can also live long and see far, restoring white to a face grown old and bringing back black hair. These formulas have been passed down for forty thousand years. They may be transmitted in full only when the recipient reaches forty. If you violate the prohibitions or divulge the secret methods, you will surely sink into the netherworld. You must be cautious, lest you bring disaster upon yourself.

I solemnly admonish you, Liu: your master is the Young Lord of the Green Lad, the honorific title of a green immortal youth. He is the master of the Most High Central Yellow Dao Lord and an inner-chamber disciple of the Heavenly King of Primordial Beginning. His surname is Yanling, his given name Yang, and his courtesy name Bihua. His appearance is that of an infant, so the immortal officials call him “Green True Young Lad.” His character is broad, balanced, and clear, and he sees through all things. His sacred wisdom reaches everywhere, and he understands the myriad transformations. Like a mysterious, wondrous mirror, he perceives what is hidden and distinguishes truth from falsehood. He travels through Fuguang, weighs matters of opening and destiny, dwells in the palaces of Xuanyuan, and oversees the offices of the immortal realm. You should remember and honor this master of yours; then your wishes can be fulfilled. If you fail to follow the methods he has transmitted, your life and destiny will be imperiled.

When the Lady of the Upper Origin, a female immortal of Heaven, had finished her invocation, she pointed out to the emperor, one by one, how to perform these methods and the steps involved.

The first is the talisman of the Five Emperors and Six Jia, the Left and Right Spirit Flight.

The second is the register of the Jade Maidens of the Six Ding, who reach the Real and escape into the void.

The third is the book of the Six Wu of the Sun, for summoning spirits and directing Jing with the light of Heaven.

The fourth is the text of the Left Yi, which binds and encloses primordial chaos.

The fifth is the precept of the Right Geng, for gathering, containing, and killing.

The sixth is the method of the Six Dun of Ren and Gui, the eight arts of hiding in the earth.

The seventh is the talisman of the Nine Red Bans, for entering fire through Bing and Ding.

The eighth is the ritual book of the Six Xin, for entering metal and summoning the Yellow Water and Moonlight.

The eighth section discusses “the method of the six Xin days entering Metal to bring forth yellow water and moonlight.” It concerns using the six days marked by “Xin” as the right occasions and cultivating through the symbolism of Metal, so that essence and Qi appear like yellow water and moonlight.

The ninth section discusses “the method of the six Si days, whereby the essence of stone and golden light conceal the shadow and transform the form.” It concerns using the six days marked by “Si” as the right occasions and drawing on the essence within stone and golden light to practice concealing one’s shadow and changing one’s appearance.

The tenth section is titled “The Eight Endowments, Ten Formulae, and Six Sacred Prescriptions of Demeanor for Zi, Wu, Mao, and You.” Zi, Wu, Mao, and You are four Earthly Branches. This section lists cultivation essentials and ritual standards, including the “Eight Endowments,” the “Ten Formulae,” and the “Six Sacred Prescriptions of Demeanor.”

The eleventh section discusses “the formula of the Earthly Perfected and Qu Su for Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei,” and also refers to the Purple Book of Long Life and the formula for “the Earth’s Three and Five proceeding in sequence.” Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei are four Earthly Branches. “Earthly Perfected” refers to perfected beings or methods associated with cultivating the Way of Earth.

The twelfth section is titled “The Purple Passage and Flaming Light: Inner Vision of the Central Direction for Yin, Shen, Ji, and Hai.” Yin, Shen, Ji, and Hai are the Earthly Branches listed here. The section concerns cultivation imagery such as the Purple Passage and Flaming Light, along with a method of using inner vision to contemplate the central direction.

After all twelve matters had been completed, the Immortal said to Emperor Wu of Han: “The Five Emperors are celestial spirits who govern the five directions; the Six Jia are spirits who link the six directions. Great Yin, the utmost Yin energy, has the subtle power to hide within the void. It can conceal spirits and respond to the right moment. It makes spring intent dwell within autumn energy and allows the spirits of a thousand perfected beings to come into being. When it moves, stillness answers and stirs into waves; when it rests, rivers, mountains, and hills appear vast and level. Thus, the tiniest thing can remain utterly unmoved, while towering mountains can be overturned.

“The might of the solar spirit shines with brilliant radiance. It can summon spirits and command the myriad beings, making them obey its orders. When the Six Wu, spirits and methods associated in Daoist magic with Wu days and Wu deities, take flight, the spirit energy flows freely; heavenly light shines through the shadow of the sun. In the west, lightning surges and roars; in the east, the land of Fusang trembles and becomes thunder. On this day of the yang spirit, Bing Fire, the yang aspect of Fire among the Five Phases, shines forth. It is truly the fundamental might of the Nine Heavens.

“The Qi of Left Yi, the primordial chaos, can summon spirits and command the myriad beings, making them obey its orders. When the Six Wu take flight, the spirit energy flows freely; heavenly light shines through the shadow of the sun. In the west, lightning surges and roars; in the east, the land of Fusang trembles and becomes thunder. On this day of the yang spirit, Bing Fire shines forth. It is truly the fundamental might of the Nine Heavens.

“Left Yi, the primordial chaos, sets all things on the path to unfolding. Yang energy rises faintly; amid a deep blue radiance, the form of a dragon appears. Light clouds spread their colors, and hidden winds stir the breath within the womb. Subtle spirits gather in embodied forms; when true Qi responds and joins with them, it condenses within. All things begin anew with the coming of spring. This is called ‘Binding the Obscure.’

“Right Geng governs the energy of pure autumn, gathering and concentrating what has dispersed and commanding the myriad spirits for my use. The energy of the White Tiger surges forth; the spirit of the Maiden rises, setting true Qi in motion. The road to the Nine Heavens is thereby revealed. The essence of Metal and the spirits of the earth come to guard the self. By facing evil things with sincerity, this method is called ‘the Law of Seizing and Slaying.’

“The Six Dun of Ren and Gui, techniques of concealment that employ the cyclical generals of Ren and Gui, can sink a person into formlessness and hide their traces, concealing every kind of weapon. They can carry one across hills and mountains, hide one underground and conceal one’s form and shadow; they can also make waters surge and collapse or block rivers. Master the eight arts and six wonders, and you can prevail continually while keeping yourself safe. Wear my Six Dun method, and you can preserve your form for a long time, prolonging your years and attaining long life.

“When Bing and Ding enter Fire, they can soar beyond smoke and clouds and roam through the empty expanse. The Nine Red Dragon Writings, texts of talismans associated with fire methods, shine in a profusion of bright colors. By using speckled talismans, you can summon a thousand spirits to appear before you. This is done by means of the Bing deity, who turns the elixir fire, sending it surging and spreading; its flaming radiance rises to protect you, in a wondrous and extraordinary display.

“When the Six Xin enter Metal, they can scatter and dispel calamities, summon the essence of the sun and obtain the pearl of sunlight; they can seek the moon’s soul and obtain the flower of yellow water. They can summon the numinous fungi of eight minerals and bring forth the Elixir of Fusang. Its flaming radiance rises to protect you, in a wondrous and extraordinary display.”

The Six Xin (six talismanic formulas corresponding to the Celestial Stem Xin) enter Metal. They can wear away calamities that fly in, make the essence of the sun appear, and bring forth the pearl of sunlight. By seeking the soul of the moon, one can obtain the flower of yellow water. They can also summon the numinous fungi of the Eight Stones, draw in the vermilion glow of Fusang, and drink cloud nectar in the Cinnabar Court, causing the jade-green river to rise in the Dark River. These arts cost little to use, yet bring great benefit. Whoever wears these Six Xin talismanic formulas will surely come to me.

The Six Si (six talismanic formulas corresponding to the Celestial Stem Si) are the essence of stone. They can make liquid gold flow with light and transform in countless ways; even after a thousand years, none can match them. Wear my Six Si talismanic formulas, and you can change your appearance and roam freely, living as long as the heavens endure, with no end. These supreme teachings have been recorded in books. They are of great importance, yet exceedingly profound and difficult to understand.

At the hours of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, the Great Gods guard the four directions, with spirits stationed in every quarter. The eight forms of invocation and ten methods are used to summon the spirits to descend, and must be carried out through purification and sacrifice. Whatever the undertaking, act with meticulous care. To gain access to the thousand spirits, you must also rely on these arts. Knowing my name enables you to summon the humans of Heaven and the spirits.

Chou, Chen, Wei, and Xu are talismans of the Earth Perfected. To roam among the Five Sacred Mountains, one should use the Purple Writ and the curved-su formulaic words. These allow one to travel through the air. Proceeding in sequence according to the numbers three and five, one can ride alongside the spirits. Yin, Shen, Si, and Hai can avert calamities that fly in. With the aid of Purple Transcendent Fiery Radiance, turn inward to observe yourself and listen within, so that the spirit’s intent may become clear. Use the method of the Six Jia to gather and command the spirits, enabling the Earth Officials to travel through Heaven. Tread upon the earth and meet the Perfected; have no doubt about this.

These twelve arts were sealed by the Lord on the Terrace of Dark Radiance, and you must guard them carefully. The Queen Mother said, “These are all secret texts written in the cursive script of the Great Numinous One. They were composed by the Highest One of the Three Heavens, or created and edited by the Celestial Perfected of the Three Sovereigns. Some also came from the hands of the Perfected Parents of the Nine Heavens and the Red Child. These immortals stored the talismanic writings in the Terrace of Purple Mound, concealed them in the chambers of the numinous altar, sealed them in splendid jade cases, wrapped them in silk and northern gauze, and stamped them with the seal of the Great Emperor. The eminent Perfected and honored spirits descend to travel through mountains and rivers, gaze from afar at forests and ridges, and observe those who are devoted to the Dao. At times they teach them about Dao and De; at other times, they transmit celestial talismans.”

Those who have not yet succeeded in practicing the Daoist arts should pass this document on to one person every forty years. If no suitable person can be found, they may pass it on to two people at once every eighty years. Those who have attained the Dao should pass it on to one person every four hundred years; if no suitable person can be found, they may pass it on to two people at once every eight hundred years. Those who have become immortals should pass it on to one person every four thousand years; if no suitable person can be found, they may pass it on to two people at once every eight thousand years. Those who have attained the true Dao should pass it on to one person every forty thousand years; if no suitable person can be found, they may pass it on to two people at once every eighty thousand years. Those who have ascended to the realm of the Highest Supreme should pass it on to one person every four hundred thousand years.

To pass the teaching to someone unsuitable is called disclosing the Way of Heaven. To withhold it when it should be taught is called sealing away Heaven’s treasure. To pass it on at will, outside the prescribed intervals, is called treating the Way of Heaven lightly. To receive it and then fail to treat it with reverence is called neglecting Heaven’s document. These four actions are like blades and axes that bring death, and carts that carry calamity. Those who disclose the Way of Heaven will die on the road, their bodies suffering the earth’s punishment and their bones breaking apart. Those who seal away the secret teachings will be born blind and deaf in their next life, their lifespans cut short. Those who treat the Way of Heaven lightly will bring calamity upon their parents and be examined and punished at Xuandu, the celestial realm said in Daoist tradition to be the dwelling place of the Heavenly Emperor. Those who neglect Heaven’s scripture will die suddenly and fall into evil paths, and their descendants in later generations will be born with illnesses. If their offenses are more serious, their lineage will be cut off and their family destroyed.

Those who practice the Daoist arts together should regard one another as kin of Heaven; those who share the same aspirations should regard one another as beloved of Earth. Practitioners of the Dao should treat one another with closeness, pass the teachings to one another, share honor and disgrace, devote themselves to guarding the True One—the Daoist practice of concentrating the spirit and holding to unity—cherish seminal fluids, which cultivation regards as vital essence, and carefully nurture harmonious Qi. Only when vital essence is abundant and the spirit and Qi return to unity can one meet the realm of the numinous and the true. Otherwise, Heaven will send down calamity and illness.

These are all precepts for cultivating the Dao, and so I have taken special care to warn you: you must be cautious. Yet this teaching was meant to be passed on; one need only observe the prescribed intervals. If a truly suitable person appears, there is no need to wait until the interval has elapsed. You wish to transmit the Five Sacred Peaks’ True Forms Diagram, a text and image depicting the shapes of the five mountains for use in Daoist transmission. Dong Zhongshu seems to be a suitable recipient.

Those who wish to practice the left and right talismans of the Six Jia, a Daoist method of talismans and magic arts, may pass the art on to Li Shaojun. Both men have attained the Dao.

The Queen Mother then instructed her attendant Song Lingbin to fetch another chart and present it to Emperor Wu of Han. Song Lingbin took a scroll from her bosom, enclosed in a bag of cloud brocade. Its text and illustrations were clear and exquisite, just like those placed earlier in the case wrapped in cloth. The Queen Mother rose and handed it to Emperor Wu herself, offering this prayer:

“Heaven is above; Earth is below. The Five Sacred Peaks guard the shape of the land. The primal source streams surge, and the Black River flows; seas, lakes, and marshes gather wondrous, mysterious essence. The heavenly bodies move, dividing into nine paths; the Six Directions—Heaven, Earth, and the four quarters—remain at peace for ages. The Eight Assemblies of the Highest One, sacred writings of Daoist legend, bring the way of flight to completion. With these true talismans and tokens, one may communicate with the spirits. If they are divulged or lost, they will be ruined; if carefully guarded and upheld, they can indeed lead to long life. Be utterly cautious. I solemnly charge you with this, Liu.”

When the prayer was finished, the Queen Mother bestowed the chart and scroll upon Emperor Wu. He bowed and prostrated himself.

The Queen Mother said, “Those just beginning to study Daoist talismans should make separate offerings to the immortals and spirits of the Five Sacred Peaks. They should fast and purify themselves before wearing the talismans and registers. The rites connected with the Six Jia must also be performed according to prescribed measures and rules; follow the chart and scroll carefully. If you can set yourself straight and turn from evil toward good, then, three years from now, in the seventh month, come to me again to seek the essential Dao.”

A short while later, someone suddenly peered in at the immortal officials through the Vermilion Bird window on the south side of the hall. Startled, Emperor Wu asked, “Who is that?” The Queen Mother said, “Don’t you recognize him? He is your attendant, Dongfang Shuo, the mischievous younger brother who lives next door to me. He has a playful nature and has stolen peaches from here three times. In the past, this child served as a messenger for the Most High Lord Lao. He was sent to Mount Fangzhang to assist the Three Heavens’ Director of Destinies in registering and managing the immortals. But when Dongfang Shuo arrived at Mount Fangzhang, he did nothing but wander and sightsee. He completely neglected the work of harmonizing primal Qi, and even recklessly meddled with thunder and lightning, stirring up waves and setting the winds in motion.”

When the seasons of wind and rain fell out of order and the energies of Yin and Yang became entangled, dragons and whales came to walk upon the land. Mountains collapsed and the realm was laid waste; the sea suddenly dried up, yellow birds roosted in the abyss, and farming was disrupted. Emperor Wu became enthralled with jade wine, losing the harmony needed to govern his subordinates and violating the principles for following Heaven’s mandate. So the Elder of Jiuyuan reported the matter to the Most High, a revered Daoist deity. The Most High therefore punished and banished Emperor Wu, making him dwell in the human world: he was removed from the court of Supreme Clarity in the heavens and sent to live in the turbid world.

Later, the two immortals of Mount Jinhua and Lord Jiuyi repeatedly pleaded with the Most High on Emperor Wu’s behalf. He was pardoned. Only then did Emperor Wu realize that Dongfang Shuo was no ordinary mortal.

As the wine banquet reached its height and conversation drew to a close, the Lady of Highest Primordiality, a revered female immortal, played “The Pride of the Cloud Forest.” At the first pluck of the strings, the notes rang out with astonishing clarity. The music was pure and far-reaching, and an air of mystery spread in every direction. She then sang the “Steps of the Mystery” melody:

Long ago I cultivated the way of dark truth, rising step by step until I reached the Great Rosy Clouds. With a book chest on my back, I came to Heaven’s Gate and asked the Most High where he dwelt. Suddenly I passed through the Purple Tenuity Enclosure, where the perfected ones stood in dense ranks. Pure, still numinous light rose together with the chanting of scriptures; the immortals’ canopies shone upon crimson flowers. The orchid palace stood open, and towers adorned with jade came into view; in the blue sky, strange clouds and sands unfurled. The Cinnabar Terrace, built high in the air, shimmered with interwoven patterns. Flying phoenixes stood beside the roof ridges, while candle dragons coiled and wound their way around them. From a jade womb grew crimson shoots of immortality, their nine-colored lights intermingling in brilliance. I embraced the essence of the sun and moon and cultivated an immortal body; through ten thousand kalpas, my face remained that of a child. Who says the span of life must come to an end? Even Fusang will never turn to rotten wood.

The Queen Mother, the Queen Mother of the West, then asked her attendant Tian Sifei to continue the song in response. The preceding lyrics read:

Flying phoenixes stood beside the roof ridges, while candle dragons coiled and wound their way around them. From a jade womb grew crimson shoots of immortality, their nine-colored lights intermingling in brilliance. I embraced the essence of the sun and moon and cultivated an immortal body; through ten thousand kalpas, my face remained that of a child. Who says the span of life must come to an end? Even Fusang will never turn to rotten wood.

The Queen Mother then asked her attendant Tian Sifei to reply in song:

In the morning, I climbed Taixia Palace, carrying these eight magnolia branches in my hands. At dusk, I entered Xuanyuan Gate, gathering immortal herbs and taking up beautiful jade like langgan. I immersed my feet in the Gourd River, while the Weaver Girl stood on the flat rock at the ferry crossing. I breathed in and out, regulating my breath, and held auspicious clouds close; tasting them was enough for a meal. The Purple Tenuity Palace was crowded with people, with strange chariots and cinnabar-red pills. In the morning, I set out from Hanhman Office; at night, I lodged at the Gouchen Enclosure. Each of us travels far along a different road, so let each be content with where they are. Since the two powers of Heaven and Earth still exist, why doubt the myriad things? Do not tell these words to the people of the world: ordinary folk are like walking corpses and cannot understand them.

After the song ended, the Queen Mother of the West told Emperor Wu of Han the names of the immortal officials accompanying her, along with the names of the crowns they wore, the clothes they dressed in, and the objects they carried, so that the emperor could identify and record them. At dawn the next day, the Queen Mother took her leave. The Lady of Highest Prime told the emperor, “Li Shaojun devotes himself to cultivating the Dao and diligently advances in his practice. The principles he investigates are subtle and profound, so he is certain to attain the Dao. It seems he does not yet have the Jing of the Six Jia’s Flying Numinous Power, a classic related to Daoist cultivation and talismans and registers. You may transmit it to him.” The emperor replied, “Good.” The Lady of Highest Prime then departed with the Queen Mother in their chariot. As they left, their chariots, horses, and retinue of dragons and tigers were as magnificent and solemn as when they had first arrived. Dense clouds rose up, transforming entirely into fragrance. The emperor gazed toward the southwest, and only after a long while did the immortals’ forms disappear.

After meeting the Queen Mother and the Lady of Highest Prime, Emperor Wu believed that immortals truly existed in the world. He even considered leaving the mortal realm to seek long life. Yet he continued to indulge his desires and act as he pleased, repeatedly launching wars. The people grew resentful under their burdens of labor, and innocents died with their grievances unredressed. That year, he built Ganquan Palace and the Tower Reaching Heaven, and constructed palaces and lodgings in Chang’an. When the king of Joseon attacked the commandant of Liaodong, Emperor Wu recruited condemned criminals from across the empire to attack Joseon.

In the eighth month, a plant with nine connected stalks grew in Ganquan Palace. The emperor issued an edict: “A plant with nine connected stalks and leaves has grown in Ganquan Palace. The Supreme God has bestowed abundant grace, descended upon the palace, and granted me immense good fortune.” He then granted a general amnesty, gave the people of Yunyang County cattle and wine, and composed “Song of the Seedling Hall.”

In the spring of the third year of Yuanfeng, Emperor Wu held a jiaodi performance, an ancient display of wrestling and athletic contests, with three hundred participants. In the fourth year of Yuanfeng, he again went to Yong to make offerings to the Five Emperors.

In the fifth year of the Yuanfeng era, Emperor Wu of Han toured his realm. He went to Shengtang to offer sacrifices to Emperor Shun, then visited Jiuyi Mountain and climbed Wan Mountain and Tianzhu Mountain. That spring, in the third month, he returned to Mount Tai and expanded the rites of sacrifice.

In the spring of the third year of Yuanfeng, Emperor Wu established the jiaodi performances, a form of entertainment centered on wrestling and acrobatics, with three hundred participants. In the fourth year of Yuanfeng, he again made a tour of Yong and offered sacrifices at the Five Altars, the five ritual sites established there during the Han dynasty. In the spring of the fifth year, in the third month, he returned to Mount Tai and held the ceremony to increase the sacrificial mound. At the Hall of Light, he sacrificed to Gaozu, founder of the Han dynasty, inviting him to join the offering to the Supreme Deity, and received the feudal lords. In the sixth year of Yuanfeng, he toured Huizhong and built the Shoushan Palace. In the third month, he also toured Hedong and sacrificed to Houtu, the Earth Deity.

Earlier, on the seventh day of the seventh month in the second year of Yuanfeng, the Queen Mother of the West, a female immortal in Daoist lore, and the Lady of the Upper Prime, also a female immortal, descended before Emperor Wu. The Queen Mother of the West transmitted to him the Scripture of the Num inous Forms of the Five Sacred Mountains and the Scripture of Radiant Life. The Lady of the Upper Prime transmitted the “Twelve Methods of the Spirit’s Flight of the Six Jia.” The two immortals also taught him many things, including methods for prolonging life, techniques for summoning spirits, arts of flying through the air, practices for walking through wondrous realms, and various profound and important teachings.

Emperor Wu personally compiled these teachings and transmissions into a single volume. He placed the numinous-form scriptures and the arts of the Six Jia’s spirit flight in a golden chest, which he then put inside a white jade casket. He used coral for the scroll rod, wrapped the casket in purple brocade, and stored it on the Wuliang Terrace. He often fasted and put his garments in order before going there to pay his respects in person. Only after burning incense, rinsing his mouth, and washing his hands would he take out the scriptures to read.

Six years after receiving these books, Emperor Wu came to believe that his understanding was clear and his abilities far-reaching. He said that since divine immortals and perfected beings had already descended, they must surely be able to help him transcend the mundane world. Yet he was forceful by nature and relied only on strength; he had not cultivated a heart of utmost sincerity.

Emperor Wu of Han built terraces, pavilions, and guest houses, exhausting the people. He also buried surrendered soldiers alive and launched expeditions to the borderlands. Wherever his forces went, people’s grievances rang out, and the land around Gaocheng ran with blood. He ignored the advice and instruction of the Queen Mother (the Queen Mother of the West) and the Lady of Shangyuan in every matter. As a result, the Queen Mother never came to see him again.

On the yiyou day of the eleventh month in the first year of the Taichu era, a heavenly fire destroyed Xiangliang Terrace. Four scrolls of the True-Form Diagrams (Daoist legendary charts of immortals and perfected beings), together with the cases that held them, were burned up. Because Emperor Wu had refused to follow her instruction, the Queen Mother believed that this was the cause of the fire.

Earlier, following the Queen Mother’s words, Emperor Wu had fasted in the seventh month of the third year of the Yuanfeng era and requested transmission of the Diagrams of the True Forms of the Five Sacred Peaks. He ordered Dong Zhongshu to ascend the altar to receive them. Then, following the Lady of Shangyuan’s words, he fasted in the seventh month of the fourth year of the Yuanfeng era and requested transmission of the Twelve Methods of the Numinous Flight of the Five Emperors and Six Jia. He ordered Li Shaojun to ascend the altar, copy the text, and receive it. These books were later able to circulate in the world because they had first been transmitted to these two men.

After losing the books, Emperor Wu regretted that he had failed to govern with De (Virtue/Power) and realized that the Great Dao had already been lost. One day, Dongfang Shuo later rode clouds and a dragon away. Everyone saw him rise into the sky from the northwest; when they looked up again, dense fog had hidden him, and no one knew where he had gone. Emperor Wu’s regret grew deeper.

That year, Emperor Wu held a feng sacrifice at Haoli, worshipping Houtu, the deity of the earth. He then traveled east to the Bohai Sea and gazed toward Penglai as he made offerings. He swore an oath to Heaven, hoping for an important numinous response, but no sign came. In spring, he returned to the capital and received the accounts from local officials at Ganquan Palace. In the second month, he began building Jianzhang Palace. In the fifth month of summer, he revised the calendar, making the first month the start of the year, honoring yellow, adopting the number five, establishing official titles, and adjusting the musical pitches. These measures, too, had originally been the Queen Mother’s intention.

In the third month of the second year of Taichu, Emperor Wu of Han went to Hedong to offer sacrifices to the spirit of Houtu. In the first month of the third year of Taichu, he went to Hedong and inspected the coast. He returned in the fourth month of summer and performed the Feng and Shan sacrifices on Mount Tai. In the fourth year of Taichu, he built Mingguang Palace and changed the era name to Tianhan.

In the first month of the first year of Tianhan, he went to Hedong to sacrifice to Houtu. The account then records again that, in the first month of the third year of Taichu, he went to Hedong and inspected the coast, returning in the fourth month of summer to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices on Mount Tai; that in the fourth year of Taichu he built Mingguang Palace and changed the era name to Tianhan; and that in the first month of the first year of Tianhan he once more went to Hedong to sacrifice to Houtu.

In the spring of the eleventh year of Tianhan, he went to the Eastern Sea and, on his return, visited Huizhong. In the third month, he went to Mount Tai to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices and made offerings at the Bright Hall. In the fifth month of the third year of Taishi, he went to the Eastern Sea, where voices from the mountains cried, “Ten thousand years!” In winter, he distributed more than five thousand coins to the people along his route. He gave each widower, widow, orphan, and elderly person without support one bolt of silk.

In the third month of the fourth year of Taishi, he went to Mount Tai to sacrifice to the Queen Mother of the West and pray for a divine response. In the spring of the fourth year of Zhenghe, he went to Donglai and reached the seashore. After purifying himself, he offered sacrifices to the Queen Mother and the Lady of the Upper Origin, praying for a response, but received no sign. On his return, he went to Mount Tai to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices. On the day of Gengyin, he made offerings at the Bright Hall and changed the era name to Houyuan.

In the first month of the first year of Houyuan, he went to Ganquan Palace and performed the suburban sacrifice at the Great Shrine. In the seventh month of autumn, an earthquake occurred and springs burst forth. In the spring of the second year of Houyuan, he received the feudal lords at Ganquan Palace and bestowed gifts on members of the imperial clan. In the second month, Emperor Wu of Han fell ill and went to Wuzuo Palace. On the day of Dingmao, he died, and his coffin was placed in the front hall of Weiyang Palace. In the third month, he was buried at Maoling.

On the night of the burial, Emperor Wu’s coffin moved of its own accord and made sounds that could be heard outside the palace. This happened several times, after which an unusually strong fragrance appeared. Once construction of the tomb was complete, a dense fog rose around it. The tomb gate was damaged, and the fog persisted for about a month.

Someone discovered that a jade box and a jade staff, once buried as grave goods in Emperor Wu of Han’s tomb, had suddenly appeared among the living, and reported the matter to the authorities. The authorities questioned the merchant who had acquired the two objects. He said that he had come from beyond the frontier to a market, where he had seen someone selling a jade box and a jade staff in North Cart Lane. He had bought them for thirty bolts of plain silk and ninety thousand coins, and did not know who the seller was. The merchant had arrived at the Luoyang market the day before; later, someone recognized the objects. The events had indeed happened as he described. After registering the jade box and staff, the authorities took them into their custody and let the merchant go without pursuing the matter.

Before Emperor Wu of Han died, he had issued an edict that more than forty volumes of miscellaneous books he often read be placed in his coffin. In the second year of the Yankang era, Li You, an administrative clerk in the Hezhou local government, went to Mount Baodu in Shangdang to gather medicinal herbs. In a secret chamber, he found these books, stored in a golden box. At the end of the scrolls were the name of Shu Guanchen and a date. Ran Deng, who had served as a court librarian during Emperor Wu’s lifetime, saw the books and the box. In tears, he said, “These are the things placed in Emperor Xiaowu’s coffin when his body was prepared for burial. I put them in with my own hands. I do not know why they have appeared here.”

When Emperor Xuan heard this, he was deeply grieved and astonished. He sent the books back to Emperor Wu’s temple. Maoling, Emperor Wu’s tomb, remained intact, yet the book box and jade staff had appeared above ground, still looking as new as ever and untouched by filth. Everyone who saw these things was perplexed and could not explain them.

The Scripture of the True Dragons of the Nine Capitals says that among those who attain the Dao and become immortals, those of a lower rank must first undergo death. They refine their corpses in Great Yin, the realm of the dead, then pass through the Earth Gate, the passage leading underground, before departing through corpse liberation. “Corpse liberation” is a Daoist account of one way to become immortal: the practitioner appears to die but in fact sheds the mortal body and becomes an immortal.

According to the records, Emperor Wu of Han’s chest, staff, and various books were initially placed with him in the tomb. Later, however, the staff suddenly appeared outside and was taken to the market for sale; the books, too, were discovered in a stone chamber in the mountains. How could such things have happened unless the spirits possessed unfathomable powers of transformation? This suggests that the cause of Emperor Wu’s death may not be certain: perhaps, in keeping with the times, he departed through a wondrous transformation.

After Wang Mang usurped the throne, in the second year of the Dihuang era (21 CE), he sent envoys to make offerings at the tombs of the Han emperors and proclaim auspicious signs. When the envoys reached Maoling, they heard four deep rebukes and sighs coming from beneath the earth. Terrified, they returned and reported this to Wang Mang. He said, “The Martial Emperor must resent how late I have been in making offerings.” He therefore ordered a second ceremony, this time with a grand taiping offering of all three sacrificial animals: ox, sheep, and pig.

Books Buried with the Emperor

Two scrolls of the Laozi Jing; thirteen scrolls of the Taishang Ziwen; six scrolls of the Lingjiao Jing; six scrolls of the Taisu Zhongtai Jing; nine scrolls of the Tianzhu Jing; seven scrolls of the Liulong Buxuan Wen; and four scrolls of the Mah Huang Shouzhen Shu.

This concludes the Inner Traditions of Emperor Wu of Han.

The Siku edition has an extra character, “see,” after “suddenly.”

The character “distant” is written as “directly” in both the Qian edition and the Siku edition.

The five characters after “hear” have been added based on the Qian edition.

The character “vehicle” is written as “carriage” in the Qian edition.

After “or ride in a carriage,” the Qian edition also has the sentence “or ride a heavenly horse.”

The character “know” has been added based on the Qian edition and the Siku edition.

The character “wear” has been added based on the Qian edition.

This sentence is written in the Qian edition as “wearing a crown of heavenly truth.”

This sentence is written in the Siku edition as “wearing at the waist a sword that divides the shadows.”

The character “hermitage” is written as “cover” in the Qian edition.

The character “cloud” is written as “countenance” in the Qian edition.

The character “sweet” is written as “fragrant” in the Qian edition.

The character “round” has been added based on the Qian edition and the Siku edition.

The character “stake” is written as “transport” in the Qian edition.

The Qian edition adds the character “not” before “below.”

This sentence is written in the Qian edition as: “After nine years, the form is changed; once the form is changed, transformation follows.”

“Spoken by subtle words” is written as “the subtle words spoken” in the Qian edition.

The character “follow” is written as “cultivate” in the Qian edition.

Below the character “Emperor,” the Qian edition adds the two characters “beneath the seat.”

The character “see” has been added based on the Qian edition.

The character “say” is written as “become” in the Qian edition.

The original text has “still” here; it has been changed to “suddenly” based on the Qian edition.

The Qian edition omits the character “mutually.”

The two characters “emotional attachment” are as they appear in the original text.

Note 29: The character “e” was originally written as “reng”; it has been corrected on the basis of the Qian edition.

Note 30: The Qian edition omits the character “xiang.”

Note 31: “Qingxi” was originally written as “xixi”; it has been corrected on the basis of the Qian edition and the Siku edition.

Note 32: The Qian edition omits the character “shi.”

Note 33: The Qian edition adds four characters after “Three Heavens”: “the mother of the True Sovereign.”

Note 34: The character “nian” has been added on the basis of the Qian edition.

Note 35: The Qian edition adds the character “bai” after “di.”

Note 36: The original text has only the two characters “zhen gen”; wording has been added on the basis of the Qian edition and the Siku edition.

Note 37: The Qian edition changes “hun” to “po.”

Note 38: The Qian edition changes “yuan” to “yuan” (written with a different character).

Note 39: “Yi” was originally written with a different character; it has been corrected on the basis of the Qian edition.

Note 40: The character “qu” has been added on the basis of the Qian edition.

Note 41: “Zhi” was originally written with the character “zhi” meaning “to arrive”; it has been corrected on the basis of the Qian edition and the Siku edition.

Note 42: The Qian edition adds the character “fou” after “gai.”

Note 43: The Qian edition adds the character “jin” before “dang.”

Note 44: The character “qi” has been added on the basis of the Qian edition.

Note 45: These two lines read in the Qian edition: “Establish the pillar of Heaven and rest it upon the principles of Earth.”

Note 46: In the Siku edition, “ling” is written as “ling” (with a different character).

Note 47: “Zun” was originally written as “zun” (with a different character); it has been corrected on the basis of the Qian edition.

Note 48: In the Qian edition, “kao” is written as “ji.”

Note 49: “She” was originally written as “cuo”; it has been corrected on the basis of the Qian edition.

Note 50: The Qian edition omits the character “dang.”

Note 51: The Qian edition omits the character “jin.”

Note 52: “Tong” was originally written as “li”; it has been corrected on the basis of the Qian edition.

53. The character ling through the character ci has been supplied based on the Qian edition.

54. The character xiang was originally written as wen; it has been changed to xiang based on the Qian edition.

55. In the Qian edition, five additional characters appear before A: “I respectfully accept the command, but…”

56. The character shou was written as shou in the Qian edition.

57. In feng yi, the character yi was written as peng in the Qian edition.

58. The Qian edition has additional text below yun: “so that the writings of the Six Jia may emerge,” and other words.

59. The Qian edition has the two characters bi lai below ju.

60. The four characters yu shou Liu Che have been supplied based on the Qian edition.

61. The two characters xin yue have been supplied based on the Qian edition.

62. The character she was written as fan in the Qian edition; the two characters bi lai.

60. The four characters yu shou Liu Che have been supplied based on the Qian edition.

61. The two characters xin yue have been supplied based on the Qian edition.

62. The character she was written as fan in the Qian edition.

63. The Qian edition reads these two sentences: “If you violate the rules and disclose this, disaster will bring ruin to your whole clan. If you turn away from this heavenly truth, you will surely sink into the netherworld.”

64. The Qian edition reads this sentence: “You must be careful to avoid calamity.”

65. The characters yi bu di are written as yi shi di yan in the Qian edition.

66. The character she was originally written as cuo; it has been changed to she based on the Qian edition.

67. The Qian edition has an additional character, zhe, below jia.

68. The Qian edition omits the character zhi.

69. The character fu was written as hou in the Qian edition.

70. The characters Taishang shi are written as Taishang Xiangong, Taishang in the Qian edition.

71. The two characters fangzhang are written as Fangzhang Shan in the Qian edition.

72. The two characters Wangmu are written as Erzhen in the Qian edition.

73. Yiyou was originally written as Yichou; it has been changed to Yiyou based on the Qian edition.

74. After Zhenxing tu, the Qian edition has additional text: “The Record of the Six Jia and Five Emperors’ Divine Flying Scripture, the Twelve Matters of the Record, the Scripture of the Arising of Spiritual Light, and what I myself composed and received,” and other words.

75. The character chang was written as dang in the Qian edition.

76. “Look upward toward the northwest, then raise your head and gaze into the sky.” The Qian edition reads, “Look upward toward the northwest; then, as the numinous light of the scripture you received and composed yourself gradually rises, gaze up at it.”

75. The Qian edition writes “dang” where the character “chang” appears.

76. “Look upward toward the northwest, then raise your head and gaze into the sky.” The Qian edition reads, “Look upward toward the northwest. It rose gradually; I gazed up at it for a long time.”

77. From “these two objects” to “report it to the official in charge,” the Qian edition reads: “These were presented by the King of Kangqu in the Western Regions. The emperor was very fond of them, so they were placed in the imperial coffin. Four years later, someone bought these two objects at a market in Fufeng. Among the poets who had been at the emperor’s side that year, one recognized them as treasured playthings of the late emperor and reported this to the official in charge.”

78. The Qian edition writes “Yuankang” where “Yankang” appears.

79. After this sentence, the Qian edition adds: “This happened during Emperor Wu’s reign. Zhang Chun, governor of Hedong, submitted the scripture case as an offering. The emperor asked…”

80. The Qian edition omits the character “liao.”