《金蓮正宗記》

The Imperial Lord of Eastern Florescence (a revered Daoist deity) was surnamed Wang, with the given name Xuanfu and the Daoist name Donghua Zi. Born with extraordinary features, he admired the immortal path from childhood. When the Perfected Immortal of White Clouds encountered him, he was deeply impressed, calling him "a celestial being banished to the mortal realm." Thus, he took Donghua Zi into the mountains for cultivation, transmitting to him secret methods including the Green Talismans and Jade Registers (Fulu), Golden Canons and Numinous Texts (cultivation classics), the Great Elixir Secrets (alchemical techniques), and the Azure Dragon Sword Arts. Donghua Zi devoted himself wholeheartedly to these practices, mastering their profundity within just three years.

Later, he secluded himself in the Misty Radiance Grotto of Mount Kunlun, refining his body and nurturing his nature over long years. There, he built a thatched hermitage, inscribing the words "Eastern Florescence Abbey" above its gate. For over a century, he concealed his brilliance, remaining unknown to the world. Eventually, he relocated to the southern foothills of Mount Wutai in Daizhou, where the Purple Mansion Grotto-Heaven (a sacred Daoist site) still exists today. This Daoist lived in the human realm for centuries, yet his appearance never showed signs of aging.

The Imperial Lord of Eastern Florescence elucidated the profound principles of Daoism, propagating its subtle and arcane teachings. Through hidden virtue (Yinde, benevolent deeds performed in secret), he aided the world, his mysterious virtue moving Heaven itself. As a result, the celestial realm bestowed upon him the honorific title "Imperial Lord of Eastern Florescence," also known as "Sovereign of the Purple Mansion and Lesser Yang." He transmitted the Daoist methods to his disciple, the True Yang Perfected One Zhongli Yunfang (later known as Han Zhongli, one of the Eight Immortals), ensuring the lineage’s continuation. The teachings of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition, a major Daoist school, originated from this transmission, and thus the Imperial Lord of Eastern Florescence is revered as its first patriarch.

A eulogy remarks: Though the Imperial Lord’s immortal name is so illustrious and his Daoist attainments so profound, why do Han Dynasty historical records lack any mention of him? Why are his origins, lineage, and life events so obscure? This is because the immortal path often involves reclusion, which was not a priority for historians. Moreover, Confucian scholars showed little interest in such matters, and with the passage of time, inscriptions eroded, making verification difficult. Besides, during the four centuries of the Han Dynasty, countless recluses existed—how could historical texts record them all? The Daoist lineage of Quanzhen traces back through the ages, transmitted from the Supreme Elder Lord (Laozi) to the Queen Mother of the West, and then onward...

This passage recounts the legendary experiences of Zhongli Quan (Daoist name Zhengyangzi), the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism. Born into an aristocratic family of officials spanning generations, Zhongli displayed exceptional literary talent in his youth, particularly excelling in cursive calligraphy. He stood at an imposing height of eight chi and seven cun (approx. 2 meters), with a beard extending below his navel and piercingly bright eyes. During the late Eastern Han dynasty, he rose to the position of Left Remonstrance Counselor, but was demoted to magistrate of Nankang due to improper advice given to the emperor. After the fall of the Han, he served under the Jin dynasty, leading military campaigns alongside the famous general Zhou Chu until a disastrous defeat forced him to flee into remote mountains.

Deep in the wilderness, he encountered a silent Daoist recluse who merely pointed southeast without speaking. Following this direction for six or seven li, Zhongli discovered a magnificent golden pavilion nestled among towering cliffs, partially concealed by pine and cypress trees. Two blue-robed attendants greeted him at the gate, revealing this to be the residence of the Purple Mansion's Shaoyang Lord (an epithet for Donghua Dijun, the Emperor of Eastern Florescence), a revered Daoist deity regarded by the Quanzhen tradition as their primordial patriarch, who had been awaiting Zhongli's arrival.

As Zhongli paid homage to Donghua Dijun in the hall, their conversation was interrupted by an attendant announcing, "The guest immortal has arrived"—a clear sign of Zhongli's destined connection with the Daoist path. The text notably mentions how "the first blossom of Quanzhen began to unfold," foreshadowing his pivotal role in establishing the Complete Perfection tradition. Through classic narrative elements like a hermit's guidance and celestial encounters, this account exemplifies the Daoist theme of "immortal affinity" (xian yuan jihui), emphasizing how spiritual cultivation requires both extraordinary机缘 (opportunity) and innate资质 (endowment).

Zhongli Quan (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism) was gazing out his window when suddenly three immortals arrived. The first stood tall at eight chi (approximately 8 feet), dressed in a cyan robe with a white silk sash around his waist, straw sandals on his feet, and a cloud-patterned crown upon his head. His piercing eyes radiated extraordinary presence. The second wore plain white robes with wide sleeves tied behind his neck, holding a transverse iron flute. The third had a majestic bearing, draped in deep crimson Daoist robes with a Huayang headscarf (Daoist headgear), riding a gray-furred tiger while leaning on a bamboo staff.

Hastily inviting them to a side courtyard, Zhongli Quan served wine and fruits as their laughter echoed beyond the walls. The cyan-robed immortal sighed, "How many worldly mortals could have the karmic affinity to reach this place? The grotto-heaven's gate is never locked—for whom does it open today?" The immortals all laughed, "Once an armored general, now meeting one who has attained the Dao." They teased further, "How did this mighty warrior come barging into our immortal manor?" The iron flute-holding immortal continued, "In the Purple Mansion's House of Lesser Yang, dragon towers wreathe in auspicious clouds. We drink thousand-day wine, forever admiring seasonal blossoms." The tiger-riding immortal added, "Since the Penglai path is already revealed, why ask again where the crossing lies? Meeting true immortals is karmic affinity; we're blessed to pay homage to the exalted perfected ones."

Zhongli Quan responded, "Truly your transcendent demeanor and bone structure bring joy at first sight. In truth, the immortal registers long recorded this encounter—I've merely been temporarily exiled to the mortal realm." After drinking their fill, as the immortals prepared to depart, Zhongli Quan saw them mount phoenixes and slowly ascend into the clouds.

Thereafter, Zhongli Quan and Iron-Crutch Li (the aforementioned "Zhongli") discoursed daily on the Dao, their bond deepening. Iron-Crutch Li transmitted to him the Red Talismans and Jade Scripts (Daoist fu incantations), Golden Codes and Numinous Texts (cultivation scriptures), Great Elixir Secrets (alchemical techniques), Celestial Cycle Fire Phases (Neidan cultivation methods), and Azure Dragon Sword Arts. Zhongli Quan received these teachings with humility, comprehending immediately, swiftly mastering all essentials. After completing his studies, he tied up his hair and descended the mountain. Dressed in coarse cloth, he saved the world and aided people, regulating his Shen (spirit) and cultivating Qi (vital energy), manifesting various supernatural transformations.

During the Kaicheng era (836-840 CE) of Emperor Wenzong of Tang, while traveling at Mount Lu, Zhongli Quan met Lü Dongbin and further transmitted to him the "Heavenly Evasion Sword Technique," thereafter calling himself "Heavenly Perfected Lord."

This passage records the legendary deeds of Lü Dongbin (also known as Chunyangzi), the patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition in Daoism. Originally a Tang dynasty military officer (an armored warrior), Lü later retreated to Yangjiao Mountain in Shanxi for spiritual cultivation, where he was bestowed the revered title "Perfected Guardian of Life from the Left Palace of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji)."

At the rear of the Guanyin Hall in Xingzhou's Kaiyuan Temple, Lü once inscribed two ethereal poems resembling soaring dragons. Their essence conveyed: encountering genuine immortals who have attained the Dao is rare, expressing his aspiration to follow their path of cultivation. He also mentioned dwelling near Penglai, the immortal mountain by the eastern sea. The verses lamented how worldly people indulge in fleeting pleasures, unaware of how few peaceful days exist during turbulent times.

During the Double Ninth Festival in the fourth year of the Huangyou era (1052 CE), Liu Congguang had these poems engraved on stone tablets, adding a eulogy that revealed essential cultivation principles: one must guard against wealth and sensual temptations as if facing enemies, practice breath regulation (nourishing Qi) with the slow deliberation of a tortoise, and refine the physical form until it becomes light as a crane. The gateway between life and death hinges on a single thought, yet truly awakened individuals remain few.

Later, Lü compiled Biographies of True Immortals Transmitting the Dao and Complete Methods of the Numinous Treasure to instruct future generations. These works recorded the mysteries of cosmic Yin-Yang transformations and the secrets of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice—methods for achieving immortality through refining Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) within the body. Preserved in the Mystic Metropolis Treasury, these texts became foundational for later practitioners.

Remarkably, during the five centuries spanning the Han to Tang dynasties, Lü only initiated one disciple—the immortal Chunyang Laoxian—demonstrating the profound difficulty of Daoist cultivation. Ultimately, on the twentieth day of the fifth lunar month, he ascended to immortality in broad daylight from the three-tiered red tower on Mount Lu. This event marked the beginning of Quanzhen teachings spreading widely, earning him recognition as the second patriarch of the tradition (second ancestor of the Golden Lotus lineage).

The account concludes with poetic summation: This immortal—who once rode tigers playing iron flutes—received the Great Dao of the Golden Elixir (Jindan) from the Emperor of Eastern Florescence before transmitting the lineage to Lü Dongbin, finally ascending from the scarlet tower. His journey proves that spiritual attainment cannot rely on false pretenses but demands genuine practice and realization, as evidenced by Lü's transformation from warrior to true immortal.

According to the stone inscriptions at Qingyang Temple in Yuezhou: Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism) had a great-grandfather named Lü Jing, who served as a Hanlin Academician and Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon; his grandfather Lü Xian held the position of Governor of Henan Prefecture; and his father Lü Wei was appointed Minister of Rites. Originally named Lü Yan with the courtesy name Dongbin, he was born in Yongle County, Puban, Puzhou during the 14th year of the Xingyuan era (798 CE) under Emperor Dezong of Tang, on the fourteenth day of the fourth lunar month. His birth occurred beneath a tree frequented by birds in a forest.

By the first year of the Kaicheng era (836 CE) under Emperor Wenzong of Tang, he passed the imperial examination at age twenty-two. His appearance bore noble features—dragon-like bearing with phoenix eyes, refined sideburns and eyebrows, and an elegant beard that manifested the auspicious "Metal-Water mutual generation" pattern among the Five Phases. He typically wore a Huayang headscarf (Daoist headgear) and flowing robes, his demeanor blending the strategic brilliance of Han dynasty advisor Zhang Liang with the scholarly grace of historian Sima Qian. Later serving as magistrate of Lushan County in Wufeng, he encountered Zhongli Quan (leader of the Eight Immortals, known as Zhengyang Zhenren) during a visit to Mount Lu's scenic sites. Recognizing their profound connection, Zhongli transmitted to him the secret arts of "Heavenly Evasion Swordplay" and "Dragon-Tiger Golden Elixir," bestowing the Daoist name "Chunyangzi." Thereupon, Lü abandoned his official post to pursue cultivation, becoming inseparable from his master.

When multiple immortals later summoned Zhongli to the Penglai celestial gathering, Lü tearfully bid farewell, composing poetry to request the elixir of immortality. Zhongli responded in verse, explaining that forging the Golden Elixir required extracting the essence of southern fire-phoenixes and northern mysterious turtles, harmonized with the seasonal cycles of Yin-Yang and Bagua's revolutions to complete the ninefold-refined transcendent pill. After their parting, Lü retreated among common folk—sometimes compounding medicines to heal the sick, sometimes selling ink to aid the poor—accumulating merit until achieving true immortality. He frequently manifested in transformed appearances, alternately revealing and concealing his presence to guide awakening beings.

This passage records several miraculous deeds and poetic works of Lü Dongbin (styled Chunyangzi), an immortal of Daoism. Often wandering through the southern regions of Cangwu and Nanyue, Lü once composed a poem depicting his carefree life—traveling to Nanyue at dawn and arriving in Cangwu by dusk. With the Green Snake Sword (a Daoist ritual implement) tucked in his sleeve and an indomitable spirit, he passed through Yueyang three times without anyone recognizing him as an immortal, finally soaring over Dongting Lake while singing his verses aloud.

During the Zhenghe era of Emperor Huizong of Song, he inscribed two quatrains at the Shangqing Temple (a Daoist monastery) in Luoyang. The first poem spoke of his two pilgrimages to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities), lamenting how the mundane world remained blind to true immortals. Now, he declared his return beyond the dust of the mortal realm, pointing toward the divine abode deep within the five-colored clouds. The second poem described that realm of five clouds as his true homeland, asserting all worldly things as illusory and transient. Though briefly a sojourner in the human world, he would one day return to his immortal dwelling.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival of the Wuzi year, a Daoist suddenly appeared at the residence of the Judicial Commissioner in the Western Capital. By the time the gatekeeper tried to stop him, the figure was already seated in the main hall. The Daoist requested a dou of wine, drank it all, and then asked for three chi of white silk. Sprinkling wine as part of his ritual, he rolled the silk into a bottle and departed. When the Commissioner unrolled the silk, he found a portrait matching the Daoist’s appearance—serene in spirit, with extraordinary bone structure and three long hairs growing from his ears (a mark of an immortal). Accompanying the image were two prophetic verses mentioning themes like "nourishing longevity with wine" and "comprehending the supreme Dao," signed "Chunyangzi."

During the Xuanhe era of Emperor Huizong, a couplet inscribed by Lü Dongbin ninety years prior was discovered on a stone wall at Mount Tai’s Daiyue Temple, miraculously preserved despite thunderstorms and landslides. Nine decades later, Lü revisited the site, adding a new couplet explaining how flood dragons had deliberately protected his calligraphy. He also composed a poem lamenting how none in the mortal world recognized immortals. These accounts conclude by noting they are but fragments of the manifestations of "Huigong" (another name for Lü Dongbin), who left behind hundreds of unrecorded poems and writings in his lifetime.

(Note: "Chunyangzi" and "Huigong" both refer to Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism; "Three Pure Ones" (Sanqing) denotes the highest Daoist deities: Yuqing, Shangqing, and Taiqing; "Green Snake" refers to Lü’s ritual sword; "realm of five clouds" signifies the dwelling place of immortals.)

This passage recounts the miraculous deeds and spiritual attainments of two accomplished Daoist adepts.

Regarding Zhongli Quan (also known as Zhong-Lü): He transmitted sword techniques, rode clouds and mists, and delivered countless beings to liberation. Later, at the Yellow Crane Tower in Ezhou, at high noon on the twentieth day of the fifth lunar month, he ascended to immortality before a public gathering. The townspeople gazed upward as he gradually disappeared into the clouds. Throughout history, many have attained the Dao, yet Zhong-Lü's fame shines particularly bright—known even to woodcutters, shepherd boys, women, and children—because they embodied compassion and universal salvation. Even a thousand-year-old pine tree spirit, originally devoid of emotion, could achieve immortality through their guidance, let alone humans who possess the spiritual essence of all creation.

The text further describes the adept's numerous supernatural abilities: During three visits to Yueyang, he carried secret alchemical texts and talismans (Fulu); while revisiting Mount Tai, he recited the Huangting Jing (an essential Daoist scripture). He gathered the quintessence of the southern fire phoenix and the northern dark turtle to refine immortal elixirs. A single pellet could transcend material existence, while the ninefold cycled golden elixir (a supreme alchemical product) was generously bestowed upon humanity. He could transform stones into gold and willow branches into bones—those who ingested his elixirs regained youth, and the dying were restored to life. Always carrying the Azure Serpent Sword in his sleeve, he ultimately received the celestial decree to ascend at the Yellow Crane Tower.

A concluding verse summarizes: "Three feet of the Azure Serpent Sword gleam coldly, / Holding heaven and earth within its grasp. / Since ascending from the Yellow Crane Tower, / He left behind for mortals the Bone-Transforming Elixir."

As for Liu Cao (the Adept Haichan): At sixteen, he passed the imperial examinations and rose to the position of prime minister. Though he frequently discussed the dual cultivation of nature and life (Xingming Shuangxiu), he had yet to grasp its true meaning. One day, a Daoist master visited his home. Liu received him with full ceremonial courtesy, but the visitor persistently refused to reveal his name... (the original text abruptly ends here)

This passage recounts the story of how Zhongli Quan (Daoist name Zhengyangzi), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition, enlightened Liu Cao (courtesy name Haichanzi). At the time, Liu was still serving as chancellor of the Yan state. Zhongli Quan deliberately stacked ten eggs precariously on a table—they teetered dangerously yet never fell. When Liu Cao remarked on their instability, Zhongli Quan responded, "Your Excellency's life and fortune are far more precarious than these eggs." These words struck Liu like a thunderbolt of realization.

That evening, Liu hosted a banquet where he feigned drunkenness and shattered all his precious vessels. Facing his family's reproach, he composed a poem of self-reflection: he recalled passing the imperial examinations at sixteen, attaining high office and indulging in luxury, only now realizing these were all illusions. The next day, he resolutely resigned his position, abandoned wealth and status, donned coarse hemp robes, and began spiritual cultivation. Later, he retreated to Zhongnan Mountain to practice neidan (internal alchemy, the Daoist method of refining jing-essence and qi-energy), ultimately attaining the Dao and achieving immortality.

After his enlightenment, Liu manifested supernatural abilities: on the same day, across three locations thousands of miles apart—Shouning Temple in Daizhou, Qingyang Palace in Chengdu, and Laiyi Temple on Phoenix Mountain in Daizhou—he splashed ink to form auspicious phrases like "Tortoise and Crane Share Longevity," "Tranquil Peace and Blessed Longevity," and "Longevity Mountain, Fortune Sea," while leaving his portrait on temple walls. These miracles demonstrated he had perfected the zhenxian body (the highest state of attainment in Daoist cultivation). Through contrasting Liu's dramatic life transformation, the story emphasizes the themes of transcending worldly illusions and attaining spiritual realization through Daoist practice.

This passage depicts the transcendent state and miraculous deeds of a Daoist cultivator. The immortal, drunk and riding backwards on a white donkey, holds a copper-tailed whisk in his hand, accompanied by a blue-eyed servant carrying a gourd-shaped growth, completely detached from worldly affairs. He dwells in the very place where Ge Hong (the renowned Eastern Jin dynasty alchemist) once lived, yet neither studies the Huangting Jing (Scripture of the Yellow Court, an important Daoist classic) nor tends the Dragon-Tiger Cauldron (referring to the alchemical furnace).

Standing apart in bustling cities, he declines invitations from ordinary people, wishing only to carry his thunderous lute and ascend the summit of Kunlun Mountain. He purchases ten oxen from Wu (modern Jiangsu-Zhejiang region), tills half a hectare of land by the stream, planting millet to brew white liquor—this is his vision of immortal life. Often drunk beneath ancient pines, he sometimes stands atop cloud-wreathed peaks, going wherever he pleases, even entering spaces as minute as the shadow of an autumn hair.

This immortal manifests miraculous deeds in every era, too numerous to recount in full—here we record only the essence. The author concludes with a lament: Wealth and status are indeed hard to relinquish; family and attachments truly difficult to sever. Yet those capable of abandoning these can surely ascend to the Great Luo Heaven (the highest Daoist celestial realm) and wander the Jade Capital Mountain (a Daoist paradise). From ancient times to the present, the author has witnessed this attainment only in Master Liu Haichan (one of the Northern Five Patriarchs of Daoism).

Originally a jinshi (metropolitan graduate) who rose to become Prime Minister of Yan, Liu Haichan bore the golden seal that brought honor to nine generations, his purple sash marking renown throughout the land. Yet upon meeting Zhengyangzi (Zhongli Quan, one of the Eight Immortals), he suddenly awakened to the illusory nature of wealth, lamenting how riches and rank are as precarious as stacked eggs, until he resolutely abandoned glory and followed the Great Dao. Through vivid imagery, this text reveals the cultivator's transcendent, carefree spiritual realm beyond worldly concerns.

This Master Chongyang Wang (Wang Zhe, founder of the Quanzhen [Complete Perfection] school of Daoism) was originally named Wang Zhongfu, with the courtesy name Jiuqing, born into an eminent family in Xianyang, Shaanxi. At Liujiang Village beneath the Zhongnan Mountains, he selected a serene spot with pristine waters and lush mountains to build his retreat, intending to live there in seclusion for the remainder of his days.

Master Wang possessed extraordinary features: a towering frame with majestic bearing, eyes larger than his mouth, a beard extending past his abdomen, a voice resonant as a temple bell, and a countenance luminous as jade. In his youth, he excelled in both civil and martial arts—mastering classical texts and history while being skilled in horsemanship and archery. During the Fuchang era of the Jin dynasty, he attempted the imperial examinations but failed when his essays displeased the examiners, though he later earned the military jinshi degree. At forty-seven, he experienced sudden enlightenment: Confucius became free of confusion at forty, Mencius attained steadfastness of heart at forty, yet here he was nearing fifty still chasing fame and profit in officialdom—what folly! Thereupon he resigned his post, abandoned his official seal, left his wife and children, and withdrew from the world with the carefree spirit of the Madman of Chu.

In his forty-eighth year (the fourth year of the Jin dynasty's Zhenglong era), while passing by a butcher shop near Ganhe Bridge eating pickled vegetables, he suddenly encountered two Daoist adepts draped in white felt, their demeanor radiating celestial grace. These men, with an otherworldly aura between their brows, spoke only of truths transcending the mundane world—their words struck Master Wang like a drunkard sobering or a deaf man suddenly hearing. The two masters secretly transmitted to him essential techniques for cultivating perfection, renamed him "Zhe" (pronounced like "philosopher"), gave him the new courtesy name "Zhiming" (Knowing Brightness), and the Daoist name "Chongyangzi" (Double Yang Master).

From then on, Master Wang manifested numerous miracles: he could tread fire and water unharmed, pass through metal and stone unobstructed; sometimes riding a purple phoenix while plucking the thunder lute, other times drunkenly ascending Mount Kunlun on a white donkey; his ink splashes transformed into calligraphy, his body could traverse a thousand mountains. As described in poetry: he shattered the coral tree symbolizing wealth and status, reclined loftily among white clouds, carried his lute straight to Kunlun's summit, laughing at mortals squandering their days. These deeds all testify to the truth that "the Dao of Heaven never fails those who cultivate it."

(Note: "Burning house" metaphorically represents the mundane world; "purple phoenix" and "white donkey" are mounts of Daoist immortals; "thunder lute" and "Kunlun's summit" symbolize the transcendent realm of Daoist practitioners.)

Wang Chongyang (Chongyangzi) pointed eastward and said, "Why don't you look over there?" When the gentleman turned to look, the Daoist asked, "What do you see?" The gentleman replied, "I see seven golden lotuses bearing fruit." The Daoist laughed and said, "Far more than that—in time, ten thousand jade lotuses shall bloom!" With these words, he suddenly vanished.

From then on, Wang Chongyang abandoned all restraint, living as a beggar in the marketplace. Clad in tattered straw raincoat and carrying a broken gourd ladle, he slept exposed to ice and snow. He composed a poem:

At forty-eight I met the true Dao,

The secret formula brought instant effect.

The Golden Elixir (Jindan) refined shines brighter still,

On Mount Jade Capital (Yujingshan), crimson hues appear.

The following year, during the Gengchen cycle, a Daoist stayed with him. One moonlit night, the Daoist said, "I dwell in the great mountains of the northwest, where someone has mastered the Scripture of the Hidden Talisman (Yinfu Jing) and the Classic of the Way and Virtue (Daode Jing). I hear you revere these texts—why not come with me to listen?" As Wang hesitated, the Daoist suddenly rose, leaned on his staff, and rode the wind away, disappearing without a trace.

By the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang Chongyang met the Daoist again in Liquan County and hurried to bow in greeting. Delighted, they entered a tavern to drink together. When asked his origins, the Daoist said he was from Yongle, Puzhou; asked his age, he replied twenty-two; but when questioned about his family, he fell silent. Then the Daoist requested paper and brush, writing five cryptic passages for Wang to study closely. Only after repeated contemplation did Wang grasp their profound meaning. The Daoist warned, "Heaven's secrets must not be lightly revealed," and promptly cast the writings into the fire.

At parting, the Daoist instructed: "Go swiftly to the eastern sea. Among Qiu, Liu, and Tan, there is one fine steed (meaning a disciple ripe for conversion)—you may tame him." One passage read:

Suddenly arriving in the land of Qin,

Roaming freely through Chang'an's streets,

Perhaps peddling elixirs in the market...

(The text breaks off here, hinting at Wang Chongyang's future mission to spread the Dao.)

This practitioner (referring to Wang Chongyang) once lived in seclusion for many years between bustling markets and misty mountains, witnessing how people remained trapped in violence and ignorance. Now encountering destined disciples, he admonished them: Why not relinquish worldly desires and see through the illusions of mortal life? Better to feast on morning mists and drink dew amid emerald peaks, cultivating true Qi (vital energy) beneath ancient pines. By harmonizing Yin-Yang and circulating the celestial cycles (a Daoist cultivation term referring to internal energy circulation), one could condense the principles of stellar motion within the alchemical cauldron, containing the creative transformations of heaven and earth in a single vessel. A thousand days of such practice would secure immortality; three years of diligent cultivation could transcend the wheel of life and death. Should one hesitate, eternal damnation in the Yellow Springs might follow.

The second poem warns: Do not cling to wine or sensual pleasures. When navigating worldly affairs, fasten your resolve like tightening a sash. When the Dragon and Tiger (symbolizing Yin and Yang energies) intertwine within, discard distractions like casting aside ocean spray—a mind clear as water remains unstained by dust. Since awakening to the Dao, worldly gains and losses hold no meaning. Once the Ninefold Golden Elixir (the supreme alchemical achievement) is perfected, fellow adepts may journey together to Penglai, the Isle of Immortals.

The third poem reveals essential techniques: The flood dragon (representing Yang energy) must be tempered in fire, while the fierce tiger (symbolizing Yin energy) must be subdued through crystal-pure mental clarity. Never engage in idle debates about the Dao—true enlightenment transcends verbal contention.

The fourth poem elucidates alchemical principles: Lead (representing kidney essence) and mercury (symbolizing heart-mind) serve as mutual catalysts. Only by understanding their intrinsic nature can one stabilize the foundation of life and spiritual destiny.

The fifth poem foretells the fruits of practice: After completing the Ninefold Transformation, one shall meet celestial companions in the "Southern Capital" (a veiled reference to the heavenly court) and ascend Penglai together.

Later, Wang Chongyang returned to Liujiang Village, building a thatched hut he called the "Tomb of the Living Dead." Erecting a spirit tablet inscribed "Here Lies Wang Haifeng" (his self-mocking alias), he composed a self-deprecating verse: This living dead man Wang Zhe (his birth name) stands at odds with the vulgar world. Though bearing the Daoist name Chongyangzi, I jest about having "no grave to bury me." Should passersby remember me, let them carry this tablet when traveling. One day, while standing roadside with a wine gourd, he encountered a Daoist who demanded a drink. After draining the vessel, the stranger told him to refill it with river water—which miraculously tasted exquisite. The Daoist then revealed himself as Liu Haichan (a legendary immortal) before vanishing without a trace.

This practitioner had ceased drinking wine, consuming only pure water, yet often appeared intoxicated. Calling himself "Harmful Wind" (a term denoting a state of divine madness), he contemplated the profound Dao through water. Clad in white hemp robes with a blue headscarf, his extraordinary appearance and transcendent spirit needed no mirror—his heart already illuminated all things. In dreams, he saw through the illusion of the physical form, attaining the realm of carefree wandering.

One day, he suddenly set fire to his thatched hermitage. As neighbors rushed to extinguish the flames, he danced wildly. When questioned, he replied: "In three years, someone will rebuild it," leaving behind this verse: "The thatched hut burns—my affairs conclude, / Surely another will reconstruct. / Pretentious displays of fervor / Cannot match our true liberation."

On the twenty-sixth day of the fourth month in the seventh year of the Dading era, he journeyed eastward to Xianyang, where he painted a self-portrait: the figure wore his hair in three topknots (symbolizing the Three-Topknot Adept), encircled by verdant pines, curling clouds, and dancing cranes—an image of utter transcendence. Meeting fellow Daoist Shi Fengxian, he joyfully presented the painting, saying: "When I later capture the 'Horse,' we shall verify our Daoist practice together."

Later at Luoyang's Shangqing Temple, he inscribed a poem: "Qiu, Tan, Wang, Feng seize the Horse, Liu, / Playing jade orbs atop Kunlun's peak. / You remain trapped in dusty realms, / While I've won three thousand victories." Encountering Perfected One Xiao at Weizhou by the Eastern Sea—though recognizing his immortal bones—their conversation proved discordant. At parting, he gifted the lyric poem "Suddenly Crossing the Mountain Stream": "Though a Perfected One has awakened to Dao, / His fame resounds across the four seas. / Yet valuing empty reputation / Builds walls against the Mysterious Gate."

(Note: The metaphors "capturing the Horse" and "playing jade orbs" refer to Neidan (internal alchemy) terminology; "three topknots" symbolize either the unity of Three Teachings or the Three Dantian (energy centers); "Harmful Wind" was Wang Chongyang's self-styled sobriquet, indicating his seemingly mad yet enlightened cultivation state.)

This passage recounts how Wang Chongyang (the Patriarch) of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition awakened his disciples and established the school. The essence is this:

Cultivators who fail to comprehend the profound mysteries are like the blind and deaf unable to recognize the alchemical furnace, wasting their innate immortal potential. In truth, one need only refine the two substances of Yin-Yang (referring to Jing-essence and Qi within the body) within the cauldron (the Dantian) to forge the Golden Elixir (Jindan). Upon ingesting it, they attain longevity and ascend hand-in-hand to the Penglai immortal isles. Yet ordinary readers merely nod at these principles without grasping their true meaning.

Wang Chongyang wandered the Shandong coastline for years, successively awakening seven disciples: Qiu Chuji (Qiu), Liu Chuxuan (Liu), Tan Chuduan (Tan), Ma Yu (Ma), Hao Datong (Hao), Sun Bu'er (Sun), and Wang Chuyi (Wang)—fulfilling the prophecy of seven golden lotuses. He established five teaching organizations: the Society of Equality, Golden Lotus Society, Jade Flower Society, Three Lights Society, and Seven Treasures Society. The Society of Equality represented the fundamental source of Dao and De (Virtue/Power); the Golden Lotus and Jade Flower symbolized Shen-spirit and Qi cultivation; while the Three Lights and Seven Treasures aimed to universally deliver all beings. These networks spread the light of cultivation everywhere, enabling all to refine the pure Yang Qi (Yellow Sprout) and avoid falling into dark paths.

Later, Wang took four disciples—Qiu, Liu, Tan, and Ma—south to Bianjing (modern Kaifeng), lodging over a year at the Porcelain King Inn. There he composed the "Bamboo Staff Song" to awaken them: this ordinary-seeming staff actually contained divine medicine (symbolizing Daoist methods), responding flexibly to circumstances. The poem described the staff transforming into a flood dragon in a dream, breaking chains to spit forth a luminous pearl (symbolizing liberation through enlightenment). After writing, he revealed: "Years ago, the Felt-Cloaked Adept (Zhongli Quan) prophesied I'd meet fellow Daoists in Nanjing (Bianjing) after completing the Ninefold Elixir—now is the time."

When disciples anxiously begged for final teachings, Wang replied: "Three years ago I already exhausted what needed saying"—implying the Great Dao's simplicity lies in personal realization. Through founding narratives and poetic metaphors, this text reveals Quanzhen's core philosophy of "dual cultivation of Shen-spirit and Qi."

This passage records the final moments, last words, and miraculous manifestations of Wang Chongyang (styled Chongyangzi), the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism.

Wang inscribed a poem on the wall, signing himself as "Chongyangzi of Difei" and humorously calling himself "Wang the Harmful Wind"—a self-deprecating nickname used by eccentric Daoist adepts. The poem expressed his transcendence of life and death and union with nature: his comings and goings followed the sun and moon, his wanderings were free in all directions, he kept company with drifting clouds and flowing water, and dwelt beside the vast emptiness—only his true spiritual nature stood apart. He foresaw the recurrence of his old illness and the approaching end of his life (not exceeding fifty-eight years).

On his deathbed, he told his disciples, "Do not mourn when I am gone." With these words, he achieved feathered ascension (yuhua dengzhen). His senior disciple Ma Danyang (Danyangzi) could not restrain his weeping, but others urged him not to disobey their master’s final instruction. Suddenly, Wang Chongyang opened his eyes and said, "Why must you grieve so?" He then transmitted to Ma Danyang five secret oral teachings he had previously received, and specifically entrusted Tan Chuduan (Tan Gong) and others, saying, "Your cultivation of nature (xing) and life (ming) is now entrusted to Danyang."

Wang Chongyang used poetry to arrange his final affairs, mentioning the five core disciples (Ma Danyang, Tan Chuduan, Liu Chuxuan, Qiu Chuji, and Wang Chuyi) who would inherit the Daoist lineage, calling them "true kindred beyond the mundane world." The poem brimmed with Daoist cultivation imagery: the realm of purity and stillness, branches of purple numinosity, and the Penglai immortal paradise. After completing the poem, he passed away peacefully. At that moment, an extraordinary fragrance filled the air, white cranes and azure phoenixes appeared, and immortal radiance ascended into the clouds. Officials and commoners alike knelt in reverence and mourning.

He was buried on the fourth day of the first lunar month in the Gengyin year of the Jin Dynasty’s Dading era (1170). After his death, he manifested multiple times: he enlightened an old man named Zang beneath the Junyi Bridge in Bianliang, healed an illness for a certain Zhang by a stream in Liujiang Village, and was seen reciting poetry and dancing at Kunming Pond and Mount Zhongnan—all signs confirming he had attained the Dao and become a perfected being (zhende).

This account exemplifies the Daoist concept of "physical dissolution and transformation" (xingjie huaqu) characteristic of realized adepts, emphasizing the indestructibility of true nature and the eternal existence of the yang-spirit. Terms like "kindred beyond the mundane world" and "branches of purple numinosity" reflect the Quanzhen tradition’s emphasis on master-disciple transmission and the dual cultivation of nature and life (xingming shuangxiu).

The four Daoist masters Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu journeyed westward together to Chang'an. When paying respects to Master Shi Feng, they presented him with a painting of pines and cranes. After examining it, Master Shi smiled and said: "This matches perfectly with the verification painting left by Patriarch Chongyang in former days—the two are identical down to the smallest detail."

Later, while traveling through the Zhongnan Mountains, they stayed at the ancestral temple (the Quanzhen School's sacred headquarters) in Liujiang Village. Shortly after completing restoration work, they returned to Liang Garden. The four jointly relocated the Patriarch's remains, and upon opening the coffin, found his complexion as lifelike as in life. Taking turns carrying the bones westward, they discovered at each inn that lodging fees had already been paid by an unknown Daoist. Though they tried to thank this person, they could never find him. When describing the mysterious benefactor's appearance, innkeepers revealed it matched Patriarch Chongyang's form—clearly his miraculous manifestation.

After reaching Zhongnan, they selected a burial site. Decades earlier during his travels in Dengzhou, the Patriarch had stood outside Wangxian Gate gazing at the perilous painted bridge and prophesied: "When this bridge encounters the character 'He' in future years, it shall be destroyed." None understood this at the time. Twelve years later, Prefect He indeed ordered the dangerous bridge demolished and rebuilt—now renamed "Immortal Encounter Bridge."

During a Zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) in Wendeng County, five-colored auspicious clouds appeared as a giant white turtle emerged bearing a lotus blossom, upon which the Patriarch sat serenely before reclining and departing. Magistrate Pang Ku witnessed this personally, immediately burning incense in reverence and commissioning artists to depict the sacred vision, drawing crowds from three prefectures. Ma Yu (Daoist name Danyangzi) composed a lyric poem to commemorate this:

"Beyond ancient Dengzhou's walls,

Before Wangxian Gate's painted bridge—

Once impassable to carriage and steed.

Chongyang's sacred traces manifest,

Prophecy fulfilled when 'He' brought destruction.

Twelve years hence, Prefect He deemed it perilous,

Commanding its demolition and renewal.

Wendeng again reveals divine wonders—

White turtle bearing lotus in midair,

The magistrate beholds true form.

Suddenly the Patriarch turns reclining,

Riding clouds back to immortal courts.

This clearly shows celestial manifestation,

How could mortals not revere?"

The Patriarch exemplified "physical death while the Dao endures," truly worthy as ancestor of the Seven Quanzhen Masters. His miraculous manifestations were countless—while teaching across Shaanxi and Shandong, he composed nearly a thousand poetic works compiled as the Complete Perfection Anthologies and Cloud Records, elucidating essential Neidan (internal alchemy) practices of lead-mercury and kan-li symbolism for widespread transmission. Additional surviving works include correspondence with Dengzhou practitioners and the Nineteen Branch Diagrams.

This passage recounts the cultivation practices and Daoist philosophy of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) patriarch Wang Chongyang and his disciples.

The opening section presents essential cultivation principles: The cyclical changes of the four seasons can preserve eternal youth, while the truths of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism (the Three Teachings) all offer salvation from life's sufferings. Practitioners should devote themselves to realization, for through the refinement of the Ninefold Golden Elixir (the highest achievement in Neidan internal alchemy), one may swiftly attain the Dao and achieve immortality. When the Eight Gates (referring to the directional portals in Qimen Dunjia divination) open, one may cultivate alongside the Eternal Spring Master (Qiu Chuji).

The poetic verses elucidate the true meaning of cultivation: Understanding that the Dao is ever-present, one who comprehends its profound mysteries draws closer to it. Practitioners must keep the essential teachings of the Three Teachings in mind, maintaining body and mind vibrant like eternal spring. When cultivated Qi fills the entire body and coalesces into unspilled spiritual essence, and when the nineteen luminous paths (possibly referring to key acupoints or cultivation stages) reach completion, one may share in the joy of celestial truth with fellow cultivators.

Later passages praise Patriarch Wang Chongyang: Four times he received enlightenment from true immortals, and at Ganhe (legendary site of his celestial encounter) was bestowed five secret transmissions. His Daoist lineage flourished like an osmanthus tree through nineteen generations, with golden lotuses (symbolizing Daoist methods) blooming on countless branches. Like a clear mirror, he illuminated the cultivation states of disciples like Tan Chuduan and Ma Yu; like a luminous pearl, he revealed the immortal destinies of Qiu Chuji and Liu Chuxuan. Through simple means he secretly transmitted the Great Dao, with special praise for Jade Yang Master Wang Chuyi (his signature umbrella-bamboo staff symbolizing his ritual implement).

Finally, the text mentions poems by the child prodigy Zhang: Occupying the blessed Zhongnan Mountains (birthplace of Quanzhen), he once journeyed to the Eastern Sea to meet immortal assemblies. Through transcendent cultivation, he nurtured seven golden lotuses (symbolizing the Seven Quanzhen Masters).

The conclusion briefly introduces Jade Toad and the True Man (possibly referring to Bai Yuchan): Secular name Dejin, from Ganquan, Gansu, exceptionally talented with an aura like radiant clouds. In his prime, he excelled in literature, initially serving as a minor clerk, yet maintained serene detachment, unwavering in his commitment to Daoist cultivation.

There was once a man named He Gong who never took ill-gotten gains. He enjoyed seeking out reclusive sages and immortals. During a leisurely outing, he encountered a Daoist priest. The two drank and discoursed on the Dao (the Way) throughout the night until dawn, becoming close friends. Later, this priest visited with an owl perched on his arm, remarking, "This bird is truly strange—with such large eyes yet it fails to recognize people." At the time, He Gong didn’t grasp the hidden meaning in these words.

Not long after, the priest fell gravely ill and passed away. He Gong arranged a generous burial for him. Several dozen days later, an elderly woman came to his door weeping, saying, "The deceased priest was my son. I am old and helpless, with no means to support myself." Moved by compassion, He Gong gave her money. The old woman insisted on opening the coffin to see her son one last time. When the coffin was opened, they found only the valuables He Gong had donated inside, and the old woman vanished without a trace. Only then did He Gong realize: "Such divine transformations must be the work of an immortal!"

From that moment, he saw through the illusions of the mundane world and retreated to the mountains to devote himself to spiritual practice. Hearing that Chongyang Patriarch (Wang Chongyang) of Zhongnan Mountain was skilled in the arts of Golden Elixir (Neidan, internal alchemy) cultivation, he went to seek him as a teacher. During his training at Chongyang Temple, his mastery of the Dao deepened, and he gained the ability to foresee the future. Once, while at a pastry shop with Li Lingyang, he left four coins and told the shopkeeper, "Today, four immortal elders—Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu—will arrive." Sure enough, these four of the Quanzhen Seven Masters soon appeared.

The four men exchanged knowing smiles and asked, "How did you know?" The reply came: "Elder Li has already left money for the meal here." The four sighed in admiration: "Truly an extraordinary man!" After dining, their reunion brought greater joy than meeting old friends. Three years before his ascension to immortality, Wang Chongyang (重陽真人) had a portrait painted showing him serenely resting with his forehead against a tiger-head pillow—a profound gesture none understood at the time.

On the nineteenth day of the second lunar month in the Gengyin year (1170), he summoned his patron Ma Gong and said: "I cannot repay your profound kindness. Should calamity befall you, simply burn incense and silently invoke my name—I will surely come to aid." That day, radiant clouds illuminated the sky as neighbors detected an extraordinary fragrance. They found him reclining peacefully in his thatched hall, having transcended earthly existence. He had foreknown this Gengyin year as his time of return.

After his ascension, an ailing elder Zhang of Lintong dreamed of Wang Chongyang prescribing a remedy. Upon awakening and taking the medicine, he recovered completely—revealing the master's divine powers.

An ode observes: How stubborn the human heart! How profound the Dao's mystery! Take Yu Chanzi (玉蟾子), who revered Chen Tuan (希夷先生) yet remained unawakened despite seekers' visits, repeated guidance, even symbolic warnings through owl's eyes and afflictions. Not until the coffin proved empty and the visiting crone vanished did he grasp the sages' mystical resonance, finally abandoning family to don Daoist robes and devote himself to the dual cultivation of nature and life (性命双修). Receiving alchemical secrets from Wang Chongyang, his ninefold refinement (九转炼丹) achieved the supreme Dao.

Foreseeing his four visitors, he prepaid their meal; anticipating his departure three years prior, he commissioned his portrait; ultimately attaining flight and dream-wandering—proof the Dao never forsakes the sincere. Chongyang's golden elixir (金丹) teachings pierced through delusion; the crone's appearance resolved karmic ties. Laughing as he leaned on the tiger-head pillow, his graceful transcendence joined the golden lotus throne of immortality.

Master Lingyang Li (Daoist name Lingyangzi) was a native of Zhongnan in Jingzhao, a man of few words yet extraordinary innate gifts. With vast erudition and magnanimous spirit, he devoted himself wholly to Daoist cultivation without seeking fame or profit. Due to karmic connections from past cultivation, he encountered Patriarch Chongyang (Wang Chongyang) and, upon receiving the authentic transmission, completely relinquished worldly attachments to practice day and night the methods of harmonizing Yin-Yang. He often cultivated alongside fellow practitioners Yu Chanzi and Master He, upholding the ideal of benefiting humanity while secretly accumulating hidden virtue (good deeds unknown to others), actions that silently resonated with the Dao of Heaven.

Patriarch Chongyang once composed poetry mentioning transmitting the Daoist methods to Master He and Master Li, with the three cultivating in shared purpose. By the spring of the Wushen year in the Dading era (1188 CE), Emperor Shizong of Jin summoned Qiu Chuji (known as Changchunzi, one of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen) to the capital. At their parting, Qiu cautioned Lingyangzi: "The Liu-Jiang Hermitage (the ancestral temple of Quanzhen Daoism) was established by our Patriarch—you must guard it diligently." Lingyangzi replied: "When spring returns in its radiance next year, celestial cranes shall guide me back to the mountains." None present grasped his meaning. The following year, in the second month of Jiyou (1189), the previously healthy master suddenly began fasting. When disciples worried for his health and urged him to eat, he responded: "Fear not—I await the one who will oversee funeral rites."

At this time, Qiu Chuji was returning to Zhongnan Mountains by imperial decree. Pausing inexplicably at Qindu Town, he was met by Lingyangzi's disciples. Upon Qiu's arrival at the hermitage, Lingyangzi passed away in perfect serenity like Zhuangzi's butterfly dream (Daoist term for the death of an enlightened master). Auspicious clouds carpeted the earth as numinous qi filled the skies, with azure luan birds and white cranes circling overhead—a spectacle that awed officials and commoners alike. Qiu led the disciples in conducting the coffin burial rites on the first day of the third lunar month.

The eulogy states: The universal truth is singular, yet sages' minds commune across ages. Wang Chongyang, Master He, and Lingyangzi—these three equally received the secret transmission of the Golden Elixir (referring to Neidan internal alchemy), like simultaneous blossoming of Zhongnan's golden osmanthus and lotuses, revered by Quanzhen as three founding patriarchs. The poetry subtly reveals their mastery of cosmic principles governing sun and moon, entrusting the Daoist lineage before departure—Lingyangzi deliberately awaited Qiu Chuji's return for his final transcendence.

(Note: Master Ma Danyang mentioned here pertains to later chapters and isn't elaborated herein)

Ma Danyang (styled Master Danyang) was a native of Ninghai in Shandong, descended from an ancestor named Ma Jue, also known as Hua Sou. He was thoroughly versed in the Confucian Five Classics and embodied trustworthiness and righteousness, always keeping his promises without delay. Once while selling silk in a neighboring county, he rested at an inn at dusk and witnessed a poor woman beating her chest in anguish. Learning she was a chaste widow who had refused remarriage after her husband's early death, dutifully serving her in-laws only to face their successive deaths without burial funds—now contemplating selling herself for funeral expenses—Ma Danyang solemnly declared: "When neighbors fall ill we aid them; how much more when death demands our help? This violates the Dao of filial duty." Immediately he gifted her two bolts of silk, departing hastily without leaving his name. That very night robbers plundered his belongings, yet he remained silent and returned home peacefully. When his wife inquired, he simply claimed it was a credit transaction. Half a year later, when the thieves confessed due to squabbling over spoils and officials investigated, Ma reasoned: "The stolen goods passed through many hands—prosecution may implicate the innocent. By law, stealing a hundred silk bolts warrants execution, which no virtuous man would desire." Instead, he gave the thieves two taels of silver as compensation, sending them away in gratitude.

During a famine that year, Ma Danyang sunned rice in his courtyard. Spotting a neighbor stealing it, he deliberately withdrew to let her take it. His father, Ma Shiyang (styled Xi Xian), was imposing in stature and steady in temperament, having named his five sons Ren (Benevolence), Yi (Righteousness), Li (Propriety), Zhi (Wisdom), and Xin (Trust)—collectively called "The Five Constants of the Ma Clan." Their substantial wealth earned them the nickname "Ma of Half the Prefecture." Three younger brothers and nephews passed the imperial examinations, and their ancestral hall "Hall of Abundant Blessings" was later renamed "Archway of Descending Immortals."

In the xinhai year (likely during the Dading era of the Jin dynasty), amidst consecutive famines, a flustered visitor suddenly tossed a bundle onto Ma's table at dawn and vanished. Upon opening it, Ma found two gold ingots weighing two yi (about 30 taels). When the visitor returned ten days later, Ma promptly returned them. The guest confessed: "I am Lü Dongbin (Immortal Lü), an earthenware maker from Yougu Village. These ingots were meant for sale, but tax collectors drove me to desperation."

This account narrates the legendary origins and early life of Wang Chongyang (originally named Wang Zhe, courtesy name Yifu), the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism.

Wang Chongyang's father, Wang Congyi (courtesy name Yifu), was born in the year of Guimao on the twentieth day of the fifth lunar month at midnight. During her pregnancy, his mother Lady Tang dreamed of paying homage to the immortal maiden Magu (a renowned female Daoist immortal), who gifted her a celestial elixir. After swallowing it, her entire body glowed red for seven days. At birth, Wang Chongyang kept his fists clenched for a hundred days before opening them. As a child, he often chanted phrases like "riding clouds and mounting cranes" – typical of immortal speech – and repeatedly dreamed of ascending to heaven with Daoist priests.

Though the Wang family was wealthy, they maintained simple customs, with over forty members sharing dining utensils and wearing old clothes. A Daoist priest named Li Wumeng had been refining elixirs on Mount Kunlun for three years without success, claiming only a celestial being's arrival could complete the process. One day, the young Wang Chongyang and his playmates wandered near the alchemical furnace when the elixir suddenly perfected itself. Observing Wang's extraordinary features (three mountain-like creases on his forehead, arms extending past his knees), Li Wumeng declared him "material of a great immortal," composing verses praising his majestic bearing and radiant aura.

In adulthood, Wang became renowned for filial piety, mastering classics and history while valuing righteousness over wealth. During a famine, when tenant farmer Liu Jin stole and slaughtered an ox out of hunger, Wang not only forgave him but burned the loan contracts to cancel the debt. Such virtuous deeds spread his reputation for De (Virtue/Power). Later, Sun Zhongxian, impressed by Li Wumeng's prophecy, married his daughter to Wang, who fathered three sons. These events planted the seeds for Wang Chongyang's future establishment of the Quanzhen tradition.

This passage recounts several edifying stories about Wang Chongyang (originally named Wang Zhe, courtesy name Yifu), the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism.

Regarding the ox-killing incident, Wang encountered a destitute family about to slaughter their plow ox due to food shortages. He immediately intervened, saying: "The ox is the foundation of farming—how can you kill an innocent creature?" He instructed the owner Liu Jin to handle only the hide and horns. When local villagers wept that this would violate harsh laws and bring ruin, Wang went to the Scripture Pavilion Monastery to donate five animal pelts and had Liu confess the killing before the Buddha to resolve the karmic debt. The people praised him in song, comparing him to the ancient sage Chen Shi.

When an ignorant youth forcibly bought a silk robe for three hundred coins, Wang actually gave him five hundred extra coins. The youth, dissatisfied with the charity, spat in Wang's face. As others moved to wipe the spittle, Wang said: "Wiping it would only increase his anger—better let it dry naturally." This demonstrated his cultivation of forbearance.

Wang once told fellow Daoists about an omen dream: two brown-clad figures (later revealed as incarnated pigs) pleaded that "a hundred thousand lives depend on you." The next day, he indeed encountered a butcher preparing to slaughter two pigs, one with white shoulder markings matching his dream. Though he inscribed admonitory verses on the wall, the butcher remained unmoved. That night, dreaming of two descending cranes, Wang established a Daoist temple (precursor to Quanzhen's "Palace of Immortal Encounters") and invited Master Lu to oversee it.

The final account describes an autumn day in the Dinghai year when Wang and his friend Gao Jucai drank and composed poetry at Fan Mingshu's Pavilion of Immortal Encounters. The line "drunk yet supported by that person" concealed profound meaning. The following year after the Zhongyuan Festival (Ghost Festival on the 15th of the seventh lunar month), the Zhenren (Perfected One) Chongyang arrived in Muping, Shandong from Zhongnan Mountain (Quanzhen's birthplace) and directly entered the pavilion. When questioned about his origins, the narrative abruptly ends, foreshadowing subsequent missionary work.

These episodes showcase Wang Chongyang's extraordinary virtues—compassionate aid, patient endurance of humiliation, and prophetic dreams—along with the origins of early Quanzhen teachings. The text mentions Buddhist "Three Jewels" (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and Daoist Zhongyuan rituals, while "Zhongnan" refers to the sacred mountain where Quanzhen originated.

This passage records the story of Wang Chongyang (known as the True Man of Chongyang), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition, enlightening his disciple Ma Yu (also called Danyangzi). When Wang traveled from Mount Zhongnan to Shandong to spread the Dao, he deliberately acted like a drunkard to test people. Observing his peculiar behavior, the crowd asked him about the meaning of "Dao." He replied: "The Dao exists beyond the reach of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), in your original state before your parents conceived you." As they discussed profound mysteries, a pure breeze seemed to arise in the room, prompting Ma Yu to respectfully invite the True Man to stay at his home.

Ma's wife, Lady Fuchun, observed through the curtain and remarked: "I see Master Wang's face glowing like lotus blossoms, his eyes clearer than crystal, his voice resonant as a temple bell, and his speech flowing like mountain springs—truly bearing the demeanor of an enlightened Daoist master." The couple then treated him with the reverence due a teacher. When Wang proposed a hundred-day fasting retreat, Ma specially built a thatched hermitage for him. Though winter storms blew snow inside, the inkstone's water never froze. Visitors seeking poetry came in endless streams, with Wang composing verses effortlessly and repeatedly demonstrating the supernatural ability of yangshen projection (spirit leaving the body).

During the retreat, Wang gave Ma and his wife six taro nuts and chestnuts every five days, and two pears to share every eleven days. Gradually increasing the portions, he distributed fifty-five food items over the hundred days—a number corresponding to Heaven's odd number (25) and Earth's even number (30) in Yinyang cosmology. Through this, Ma gradually awakened to the Dao, eventually abandoning his household to become a monastic.

The text also humorously recounts Wang knowing when Ma secretly drank wine: the True Man declared "Brother Ma broke precepts" after dreaming of drinking the previous night. When Ma later suffered splitting headaches, Wang healed him with incantation water. In autumn 1169 (the 9th year of the Dading era), Wang journeyed westward with Ma and three other disciples. The magistrate of Dengzhou, He Shilie, received them with ceremonial honors. At parting, the True Man prophesied "We shall meet again in Liang Garden," which later proved true when he attained feathered immortality at Kaifeng (anciently called Yimen), fulfilling the prediction.

This account narrates the deeds of Wang Chongyang (known as Chongyang Zhenren), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, and his disciple Ma Yu (called Danyang Zhenren). After Wang Chongyang's ascension (Daoists term death as "feathered ascension"), Ma Yu led his fellow disciples to Jingzhao (modern Xi'an) to raise funds before deciding to relocate their master's remains to Mount Zhongnan. During the mourning period, Ma Yu wore his hair in three knots, symbolizing the characters "three auspiciousness" (a cryptic reference to Wang Chongyang's original name Zhongfu, style name Yunqing, with "three auspiciousness" being an esoteric wordplay on his name). He maintained three years of silent mourning.

Ma Yu's ascetic practices were exceptionally rigorous—for thirteen years he wore no silk, touched no money, and slept outdoors in winter without feeling cold, claiming that "a spark of true fire remained in his Dantian (the body's vital energy center)." To his disciple Lai Lingyu, he explained that the Daoist traditions of the east had deteriorated over time and needed to be "unstitched and cleansed" like mending old garments.

When authorities later ordered Daoists to return to their hometowns, Ma Yu departed the Guanzhong region while Qiu Chuji (called Changchunzi) was cultivating himself at Mount Long. Qiu told his disciple Li Dacheng: "Though official documents command our departure, if I leave, the Daoist transmission in Guanzhong will be severed." Eventually, local officials and citizens petitioned jointly, allowing Qiu to remain and continue teaching.

Upon returning to his hometown, Ma Yu encountered butcher Liu Qing and admonished him: "Twenty years ago I wrote exhortatory verses on your wall—by my count you've slaughtered a hundred thousand pigs since. Now at eighty-three with thriving household fortunes, you should cease killing." Awakened by this, Liu Qing observed purification rituals, then took his butchering tools beyond the city walls and burned them. Later, when Ma Yu visited the Golden Lotus Hall (an important Quanzhen sanctuary) and found its well water bitter, he recited incantations over the well, transforming the water to taste sweet as fine wine. These accounts demonstrate the Quanzhen practitioners' spirit of austere cultivation, their wisdom in awakening others, and the extraordinary abilities attributed to them.

The locals of Quanzhou called this spring water "numinous elixir," even building a pavilion and erecting a stone stele in its honor, spreading its fame far and wide. In the fifth month of the Renyin year, when severe drought struck Dongmu region withering all crops, desperate prayers to mountain and river deities proved futile. The local magistrate then reverently invited Wang Chongyang (founder of the Quanzhen school of Daoism) to perform rain rituals. No sooner had the incense been lit than torrential rains poured down.

By the seventh month, when the community organized a grand zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) at Chaoyuan Temple, continuous rains made both priests and laypeople fear the ceremony would be ruined. Yet Wang calmly assured them: "Worry not—today will clear," and indeed the skies cleared as predicted. During the Zhongyuan Festival's paper-burning ceremony, auspicious clouds swirled overhead as celestial luan birds and cranes circled, the rapid divine response astonishing all.

Traveling through Dengzhou in midwinter, disciple Han Gong burned incense pleading about his family's bitter well water. After Wang recited incantations, the water turned sweet as honey. That evening when rain forced them to lodge at Han's home, Wang playfully inscribed a verse on the wall: "Beyond the gate, rains whisper and sigh/Heaven detains what men deny/For the host this may suffice/But the Daoist's head pays the price." None grasped its meaning until later, when visiting Chan Master Kang suddenly had roof tiles crash onto his head—fulfilling the poetic prophecy.

After the Chongyang Festival rituals, the southeastern sky split open with auspicious clouds encircling the moon, prompting mass prostration. On the eighth day of the second lunar month the following year, when Wang persuaded Langya fishermen to burn their boats and nets, the snowstorm abruptly ceased. A breathtaking mirage of emerald mountain ranges appeared over the sea. During the Guimao year's fourth month at Zhiyang, when storms threatened another ceremony, Wang's teeth-chattering (a Daoist ritual technique) and silent prayers parted the clouds instantly. On the fifteenth afternoon, dragon-tail clouds emerged southeastward, followed by moon-piercing iridescent clouds at night. The twenty-eighth saw another sea mirage lasting from dawn till noon. Later, when Ma Congshi voluntarily burned loan contracts for thousands of hu of grain and Ju Bin gathered fishing nets for burning, the marine vision reappeared.

Here are several accounts of miraculous manifestations by Wang Chongyang (the Pure Yang Perfected One), patriarch of Quanzhen Daoism:

First, there were sightings of celestial phenomena—dragon chariots and crane carriages appearing in the sky. Then, when two men named Guo Heng and Luan Zhou were burning fishing nets, they suddenly witnessed mist swirling between mulberry groves, revealing faint formations of celestial soldiers and divine generals. At that time, Wang Chongyang was dwelling in the simple hermitage at Huating known as the "Encircled Hut." There stood a withered crabapple tree there. On the ninth day of the fourth lunar month, after watering it, his disciple Yao Xuan happened to bring the genealogy of Lü Dongbin (the Pure Yang Perfected One), revealing that the fourteenth day marked Lü's birth anniversary. Smiling, Wang Chongyang predicted that on his own birthday—the twentieth day of the fifth month—the dead tree would surely sprout, composing this enigmatic verse:

"Thirty-six in heaven above,

Thirty-six in earth below,

When heaven and earth enter the precious vessel,

Seventy-two seasonal nodes complete their flow."

When disciple Li Gong sought its meaning, Wang Chongyang called it esoteric language. On the seventeenth day of the fifth month, Li dreamed the crabapple tree grew two leaves each on its northern and southern branches—a vision confirmed upon waking. By Wang's birthday, lush foliage covered the tree. Only then was the verse understood: thirty-six days from the ninth of the fourth month to the fourteenth of the fifth month, plus another thirty-six days symbolizing heaven-earth union, completed seventy-two seasonal nodes—a withered tree revived by spring's return.

Later, when two bamboo clumps and a pine sapling transplanted at the Quanzhen Hermitage withered by the fourth month, fellow Daoist Cui asked if they might revive. Wang Chongyang composed two poems, explaining that Daoist practice values eternal life—even dead wood could regain vitality. Sprinkling them with his face-washing water, the bamboo sent forth new shoots within ten days. On the third day of the sixth month at the Golden Jade Hermitage, when six young pines appeared sickly, Wang divided his Qi into three transmissions to nourish them, composing verses acknowledging the untimeliness of planting pines in summer. Yet through "threefold Qi bestowal" (his alternate name "Horse Wind" appearing in the poem), all six pines revived—demonstrating how his vital breath could defy seasonal constraints.

(Note: "Horse Wind" was Wang's sobriquet; "threefold Qi bestowal" refers to his tripartite infusion of vital energy to sustain the pines.)

This account records the miraculous deeds of Wang Chongyang (known as Chongyangzi), the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, and his disciple Ma Yu (called Danyangzi). The events took place in Fufeng County, Shaanxi, where Ma Yu planted six pine trees under Chongyang Zhenren's guidance.

On the third day of the sixth lunar month, Ma Yu's six young pines suddenly changed color. Through invoking Chongyang Zhenren's Daoist power, not only did the trees survive but they grew verdant and straight. Local people commemorated this by inscribing poems on a stone stele. The text mentions how Lü Dongbin (called Chunyangzi) had once revived a withered locust tree at Longxing Temple in Laizhou using elixirs and poetry, while Wang Chongyang similarly restored six pines in Zhiyang with three poems—demonstrating the unbroken transmission of Daoist practice between master and disciple.

Subsequent passages describe Ma Yu's miraculous healings: he cured a impoverished scholar in Zhiyang who had paralyzed legs using consecrated water, enabling the man to walk swiftly again. He also healed Luan Wugong's chronic wind-paralysis with blessed fruit. During these miracles, Ma Yu suddenly began singing and dancing joyfully—he had foreseen that his disciple Sun Bu'er (Immortal Maiden Sun) had achieved ascension in Henan at sixty-four years of age. Ma Yu claimed to have witnessed Sun Bu'er riding colored clouds amid celestial music as she returned to the immortal realms.

That same year in September, while Ma Yu presided over a salvation ritual at Qiyu Hermitage on Kunlun Mountain, auspicious clouds filled the sky with phoenixes and cranes circling overhead. Later, during the construction of Seven Treasures Hermitage on Wen Mountain, workers digging a well encountered a large rock after nine feet with no water. Ma Yu inscribed a poem hinting they should dig to eighteen feet (the double-nine measurement), and sure enough, sweet springs gushed forth at precisely that depth. The account concludes with a cart driver's miraculous escape from danger on treacherous mountain roads while transporting timber for the hermitage—he was saved by silently invoking "Danyang's" name during the crisis.

In the third month of the Renyin year, as Wang Chongyang (founder of the Quanzhen school of Daoism) rested at Shun Temple in Jinan Prefecture, local people of all ages flocked to pay homage, with thousands crowding through the temple gates until they burst open. Miraculously, the gate panels detached themselves yet remained perfectly intact standing upright. Come winter, he transplanted two towering cypress trees several zhang high to Qibao Hermitage. Though the trees were nearly dead, Wang Chongyang practiced breath regulation (a Daoist cultivation method) toward them and watered them with pure spring water. Within ten days, the cypresses regained their verdant vitality.

During the Zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) held on the Xiayuan Festival (a Daoist holiday on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month), continuous rain had everyone worried. Suddenly a voice echoed from the sky: "Master Chongyang approaches!" Yao Lai and others present all heard it clearly. On the evening of the 16th, County Magistrate Ni Panggu Wujie looked up to see an immortal wearing a blue headscarf and white robe, floating on a green lotus leaf with a turtle-shaped jade pendant swaying beneath. Steward Bai Shou recognized this as the very image of Master Wang Chongyang from portraits. As the crowd hurriedly lit incense and bowed, they watched the master turn southeastward and recline sideways as he flew away. Wang composed a lyric poem to the tune of "Man Ting Fang" to commemorate this event, which locals later carved onto a stone stele.

Later when invited to preside over rituals at Laiyang's Youxian Temple, Wang Chongyang predicted in mid-December that "we shall meet again thrice hereafter." On the 22nd day—the anniversary of Patriarch Chongyang's birth—he instructed disciple Yu Zhiyi to perform the "Returning to Court Joy" dance. Looking up, they saw the Patriarch and Elder He standing together on cloud banks. Wang remarked: "To depart upright and honorable, becoming an untrammeled immortal—what joy!" He then taught disciple Liu Zhenyi: "Immortality comes not easily! When demonic obstacles arise, never retreat. Greater difficulty demands greater caution—remember these words."

In his final hours, he lay facing east and said: "With eyes open I see, with eyes closed I see. True vision lies not in the eyes—when the heart becomes luminous, nothing remains unseen." Conversing cheerfully with disciples until the second watch, suddenly violent winds, torrential rain and thunderclaps erupted. Pillowing his head on his arm, Wang Chongyang achieved feathered ascension. Tax official Guo Fuzhong heard urgent knocking at his door, and upon opening it found Wang Chongyang visiting. Guiding him inside, the master requested paper—this was clearly the manifested saint making his presence known.

This passage records the extraordinary accounts of Daoist Quanzhen patriarch Wang Chongyang (known as Master Chongyang) and his disciple Ma Yu (known as Master Danyang) achieving celestial ascension.

At sixty years old in Shaanxi, Wang Chongyang experienced sudden enlightenment like a thunderclap from clear skies, astonishing the local community. That night, a villager named Liu Xi witnessed torch-like light streaming through his roof cracks. By dawn, he discovered a paper inscribed with prophetic verses hinting that cultivators who subdue their inner demons (symbolized by the dragon and tiger representing lust and anger) could ascend as immortals. After being signed, the paper spontaneously combusted with sandalwood fragrance, coinciding with news of Wang’s physical departure—revealing the villager had glimpsed his liberated yang-spirit (a perfected Shen cultivated through practice). Seven days later during burial, his complexion remained lifelike.

More remarkably, all pine trees at Donghua Hermitage—Wang’s former dwelling—turned white overnight as if mourning him. The following lunar January, scholar Liu Shaozu and others observed celestial phoenixes and cranes in the sky, where Wang appeared amid rosy clouds wearing a feathered crown and crimson robe alongside Ma Yu in white robes with triple-haired buns. That May, twenty-one witnesses saw Wang accompanied by immortal youths materialize at Yingxian Bridge before vanishing into mist.

Post-burial, locals suspected Shaanxi devotees had stolen his relics. Upon reopening the coffin, officials found his body preserved with supple joints—the magistrate personally combed his hair and changed his robes, sparking pilgrimages from devotees. He was ultimately reinterred in a stone sarcophagus. His works like Dividing Pears in Ten Transformations and Gradual Awakening to Subtle Truths synthesize Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist thought, using Five Phases theory to elucidate self-cultivation. He equated Penglai’s immortal realm with present awareness and advocated using the "sword of wisdom" to sever the Three Corpses (Daoist malevolent spirits harming health). These teachings transcend ordinary moral exhortations, guiding practitioners toward sagehood through profound reformation.

This passage extols the deeds of Wang Chongyang (styled Chongyangzi), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism. It begins by noting how he first comprehended the "Ninefold Elixir Method" (the nine stages of Neidan internal alchemy practice), secretly transmitting essential cultivation techniques through his symbolic act of dividing pears ten times, while his six offerings of taro concealed profound mysteries. He penetrated the primordial Qi of chaos before Heaven and Earth were formed, pointing toward the supreme state that transcends the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

The text describes how during cultivation, Wang could condense the essence of sun and moon within his body and gather the qi of clouds and rainbows in his alchemical cauldron. He abandoned half a province's worth of family wealth, cut his hair in the triple-knotted style of Daoist priests, and for decades braved bitter cold while traversing ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers. As leader of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen (symbolized as seven golden lotuses), he was first to fully awaken to the true meaning of the Dao, uniquely inheriting five secret scriptures. His ultimate enlightenment came like thunderclap illumination, fulfilling his celestial vow with the Crimson Mist Immortal (symbolizing Dao-realization), before returning to the heavenly realms (the azure vault) after ten thousand kalpas.

The concluding verses by Child Prodigy Zhang praise Wang Chongyang as the foremost Confucian scholar of his age who attained the Dao in a state of drunken ecstasy. Countless cultivators throughout history pale before this peerless master who perfectly synthesized Confucian self-cultivation with Daoist practice, establishing the distinctive Quanzhen teachings. The poem emphasizes how Wang uniquely blended literary refinement with spiritual realization, creating an unprecedented path that united inner cultivation with worldly virtue.

Tan Yu, styled Boyu, hailed from Ninghai. Known for his magnanimity and extraordinary insight, he earned deep respect in his hometown for upholding family values of filial piety and righteousness. In the winter of the Dinghai year during the Dading era (1167 CE), he suffered from wind-induced vertigo and paralysis. After exhausting all treatments—acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine—without success, he heard that Chongyang Zhenren (Wang Chongyang, founder of the Quanzhen tradition) had arrived at Ma Yu's (styled Yifu) home from Mount Zhongnan. Leaning on his cane, Tan went to seek healing.

Master Chongyang initially refused to see him, shutting his door. Tan Yu persisted, knocking relentlessly through the night until the gate suddenly swung open of its own accord. Delighted by this celestial synchronicity, Chongyang invited him to share his bed. They conversed deeply all night like old friends. By dawn, Tan's chronic illness had miraculously vanished—his body felt light, his steps nimble. Realizing Chongyang was a true Daoist adept, he renounced his wealth as if it were dirt, vowing lifelong discipleship. Chongyang bestowed upon him the Daoist name "Chuduan," the courtesy name "Tongzheng," and the sobriquet "Changzhenzi" (Eternal Perfection). He also gifted him a poem illuminating the path of transcending Yin-Yang through serene cultivation.

In the Wuzi year of Dading (1168), Tan bid farewell to family and friends to accompany Chongyang on a southern journey to Bianliang (modern Kaifeng). Through daily teachings, he grasped profound mysteries. Three years later, when Chongyang achieved ascension (yuhua), Tan escorted his master's immortal remains back to Liujiang Village for burial. Thereafter, he secluded himself in the Yiluo region to cultivate. Though moving through worldly venues like taverns, his heart remained as still as deadwood—unmoved even by mountains of gold. Later settling at the Chaoyuan Palace in Shuinan (legendary site where Langranzi refined the elixir), his followers grew, yet he persisted in mendicant practice. Once, while begging for leftover food at a Buddhist temple, a Chan monk struck out two of his teeth. Swallowing blood without resentment, he dissuaded those seeking retribution: "My karmic debt to him is now repaid." Such forbearance epitomized Quanzhen's ideal of "authentic practice through real merit" (zhen gong shi xing).

This gentleman (referring to Wang Chongyang) would merely smile and bow when faced with disputes, his inner composure remaining utterly unshaken, earning widespread renown throughout the capital region of Luoyang. His greatest delight was writing the characters "turtle-snake," which he practiced with such devotion that his brushwork attained a transcendent quality—the strokes seemed to pulse with life, as if capable of flight and transformation. Many Daoist practitioners eagerly collected his calligraphy.

When a great fire later engulfed the city, destroying hundreds of households, every home that possessed his "turtle-snake" inscriptions miraculously escaped unharmed. One day, he admonished his disciples: "Patriarch Chongyang (Wang Chongyang) did indeed make an appointment with me to meet at the Penglai Immortal Isles. Now I must keep that engagement." As the words left his lips, five-colored auspicious clouds gathered in the courtyard while azure phoenixes and white cranes circled overhead. Resting his head upon his arm, facing east with his gaze toward the south, he peacefully departed this world on the first day of the fourth lunar month. His several hundred extant poems were compiled into the Water-Cloud Anthology (Shuiyun Ji), wherein his methods of refining lead and mercury (alchemical symbolism) and practicing counterflow cultivation became widely transmitted.

Eulogy states: This Elder Immortal Changzhen (Tan Chuduan) was originally a heroic scholar from Ninghai who studied alongside the Three-Topknot Daoist (Ma Yu) before taking Wang Chongyang as his master. One night, during an unfinished discourse on purity, his chronic illness vanished without medicine. He regarded wealth as dung, content to wear patched robes in joyful poverty. For years he refined Qi (vital energy) and harmonized Shen (spirit), wandering long through Luoyang; half a lifetime returning to his roots and fulfilling destiny, until his immortal ascension in Shandong. His "turtle-snake" calligraphy could subdue a hundred specters, mastering the transformations of Yin-Yang; his cultivated Dragon-Tiger Ninefold Elixir method coincided with the fragrance of osmanthus and blooming golden lotuses. He recorded lead-mercury principles in the Water-Cloud Anthology, roaming Penglai amidst mist and radiance—who but one who attained the wondrous unity of form and spirit could achieve this? As the child prodigy Zhang's verse extolled: Within his breast burned wind-fire passion and iron resolve, yet at its zenith turned inward in reflection. Even at Luoyang's springtime abode of divine wandering, the turtle-snake characters still guarded the northern quarter.

(The subsequent section regarding Immortal Liu Changsheng remains incomplete, the original text breaks off here)

This immortal master's family had resided for generations in Wuguan (present-day Shandong province), with ancestors renowned for their virtuous character. They delighted in charitable deeds, frequently aiding the impoverished, and once donated over eighty qing (approximately 1,300 acres) of fertile land to Longxing Temple (a renowned Buddhist monastery) as perpetual endowment. During the Taiping Xingguo era of the Song dynasty, the imperial court commended their filial piety and righteousness by exempting them from taxes, bringing honor to the entire prefecture.

The immortal exhibited extraordinary qualities from birth, with records mentioning auspicious crimson clouds appearing during his delivery. He served his widowed mother with utmost filial devotion, vowing never to marry or pursue official career, disdaining worldly glory and wealth while maintaining pure tranquility. Though he repeatedly contemplated seeking enlightened masters, his mother's attachment prevented these journeys.

In the spring of the Dading Jichou year (1169 CE), he discovered two freshly inked poems inscribed high on a neighbor's wall, concluding with the lines: "Wuguan nurtures true immortality's ground / Where deathless beings surely may be found." Marveling at the divinely vigorous calligraphy whose author remained unknown, he pondered its meaning. That September, Patriarch Chongyang (Wang Chongyang, founder of Quanzhen Daoism) arrived westward with his three eminent disciples—Qiu Chuji, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu.

Hearing of their approach, the immortal rushed to greet them. Patriarch Chongyang smiled at him and asked, "Do you still remember the poems on the wall?" The three disciples exchanged knowing smiles. Only then did he realize the verses had been miraculously manifested by the Patriarch's spiritual power. With sincere heart, he prostrated himself as disciple and served with complete devotion. Recognizing his exceptional focus and transcendent bearing, the Patriarch praised him as "a pine tree beneath moonlight, emerald bamboo amid snow," composing for him an ode that began: "Returning from fishing, again I behold...".

This passage documents the cultivation practices of Wang Chongyang, patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, and his four disciples (Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu). In his youth, Wang Chongyang practiced incognito near Yimen in Bianliang (modern Kaifeng), refining his physical form through begging and contemplating the profound mysteries of the Dao day and night. Each disciple pursued distinct aspirations—Liu Chuxuan notably cultivated his spiritual nature amidst the bustling markets of Luoyang, maintaining inner purity despite worldly temptations, where neither music nor beauty could disturb his practice.

Later, they returned to practice at their old dwelling in Liujiang Village on Mount Zhongnan. Liu Chuxuan particularly built a thatched hut by Cloud Creek, where disciples excavated a cave dwelling for him. Before the cave, three ancient wells were discovered which Liu recognized from his past-life cultivation. In the bingshen year (1176), he returned home to visit his mother and established a Daoist temple on Mount Taiji, personally planting cypress trees. Unexpectedly accused of murder by villagers, he endured nearly a hundred days in prison. Legend recounts that Lü Dongbin (Patriarch of Pure Yang) manifested miraculously in the prison, transforming into a celestial qilin that descended from heaven, leaving inscribed words upon his shackles to enlighten him. These accounts exemplify the Quanzhen Daoists' perseverance in worldly cultivation and their extraordinary spiritual communion.

This passage documents the miraculous deeds of Wang Chongyang (Daoist name Chongyangzi), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school during the Jin Dynasty, and his disciple Qiu Chuji (Daoist name Changchunzi). The account unfolds in three main episodes.

The first describes wondrous phenomena during Wang's presiding of a zhaijiao (purification ritual) in Changyang. During severe drought, he ascended the altar to pray for rain, accurately predicting "a downpour by noon tomorrow" which materialized precisely as foretold. Later, while conducting rituals across Shandong, paper spirit money was often seen ascending skyward spontaneously—events commemorated in stone inscriptions that survive to this day.

The second episode recounts Emperor Zhangzong's summons in 1198 (3rd year of Cheng'an reign). The emperor dispatched envoys with an ornate crane-adorned carriage to escort Wang Chongyang to court, honoring him as distinguished guest and establishing a "Xiuzhen Hall" for his practice. When Wang departed the following March, the emperor—refusing to treat him as mere subject—bestowed the plaque "Lingxu" in recognition of his spiritual attainment.

The final section depicts Qiu Chuji's (Changchun Zhenren) ascension in February 1223 (Guihai year). After gathering disciples to announce his impending journey to the immortal realms (Langyuan), he reclined with bent arms and peacefully transcended, amid auspicious radiance and celestial music. Qiu's lifetime of annotating the Daode Jing (Classic of the Dao and Virtue) and elucidating the profound meanings of the Yinfu Jing (Scripture of Hidden Correspondences) and Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) established textual foundations for later Daoist practice.

The concluding eulogy extols how they "inhaled the primordial Qi of heaven and earth, riding clouds to roam the four seas," cultivating in Luoyang's bustling streets yet opening the Cloud Brook grotto-heaven (referring to Quanzhen's sacred sites). It particularly highlights Qiu's achievement of "flesh and bones dissolving into the Dao's realm," quoting Child Prodigy Zhang's verse to portray his spiritual state—like a single point of numinous light transcending worldly dust, with spring hues eternally gracing his abbey, symbolizing the enduring presence of his spirit.

This passage records the life story of Qiu Chuji (styled Changchunzi), the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism. Born into an eminent family in Qixia, Shandong, Qiu displayed extraordinary intelligence and remarkable appearance from childhood. A physiognomist once predicted he "bore tortoise patterns on his soles and would surely become a teacher to emperors." Before turning twenty, he became utterly devoted to Daoism, speaking only of immortality and celestial ascension.

In the spring of 1167, upon hearing that Wang Chongyang (founder of Quanzhen) was practicing in Yanzia Cave of Kunyu Mountain, Qiu immediately undertook the long journey to become his disciple. After an all-night conversation, Wang recognized his exceptional qualities, composing a poem comparing him to a golden-scaled fish taking the hook—a metaphor foretelling his future Daoist attainment. Qiu reverently accepted instruction, serving his master day and night, willingly performing menial tasks. He later accompanied his teacher on extensive travels from Shandong to Bianliang in Henan, his cultivation resolve growing ever stronger. Their master-disciple bond surpassed the adhesion of glue and lacquer, with Qiu receiving crucial teachings at pivotal moments.

After Wang Chongyang's ascension to immortality, Qiu journeyed westward to Panxi in Fengxiang, Shaanxi—where legendary Jiang Ziya once fished—enduring seven years of austere practice. Wearing straw raincoats as robes and eschewing beds, he conquered sleep demons and distracting thoughts, earning the epithet "Master Straw-Cloak." Later returning to his master's former residence in Liujiang Village, he devoted himself to deep cultivation. In 1188, Emperor Shizong of the Jin dynasty summoned him, bestowing lavish gifts and appointing him abbot of Tianchang Temple to oversee the Wanchun Jiao (purification ritual). The emperor also ordered construction of a Quanzhen Hall. During multiple audiences where the sovereign inquired about celestial principles, Qiu's profound explanations of Dao (the Way) and De (Virtue) earned great admiration. He spontaneously composed the lyrical poem "First Level of Jade Terrace," depicting an immortal realm where celestial beings descend upon golden palaces and jade towers.

This passage records several significant events in the life of Wang Chongyang (styled Chongyangzi), the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism. While residing at Longyang Temple near Yanjing (modern Beijing), he received a celestial peach bestowed by imperial envoys. Having abstained from tea and fruits for over a decade, he reluctantly accepted one peach out of deference to the emperor's grace.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the emperor permitted his return to Zhongnan Mountain for cultivation and offered him a hundred thousand coins, which he gracefully declined. In the second month of the Jiyou year (1189), as he departed Yanjing for the Guanzhong region, news of the emperor's sudden demise reached him. He sighed, "Though exalted as the Son of Heaven and possessing the wealth of four seas, none can escape the great limit of life and death." This profound realization strengthened his resolve to journey westward to propagate the Dao.

Traveling through strategic passes like Hangu and sacred mountains including Zhongnan, he widely disseminated the teachings of the Mysterious Gate (Daoism). During the Mingchang era (1190-1196 under Emperor Zhangzong of Jin), he returned to seclusion at Qixia Mountain in Shandong, where he established a Daoist temple. By the Wuchen year (1208), his reputation as a master of Daoist arts had spread across the land, earning imperial recognition with the temple's designation as "Taixu Guan" (Temple of Supreme Void) and the gift of six thousand scrolls from the "Xuandu Treasure Canon."

When warfare erupted between the Southern Song, Jin, and Mongol regimes, all three courts sent envoys seeking his counsel. Many urged him to head south where reverence for Daoism flourished, warning of the rampant bloodshed in the north. Wang remained noncommittal but selected eighteen disciples to accompany him westward. Traveling with Liu Zhonglu, his journey through Jizhou and Dexing Prefecture inspired poignant verses lamenting a decade of war's devastation: "Among ten thousand souls, scarcely one survives; Last year honored by imperial summons, this spring I brave bitter cold afar." These lines reveal his deep compassion for the suffering masses during turbulent times.

This passage records the arduous journey of Qiu Chuji (Daoist name: Changchun Zhenren), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, traveling westward to meet Genghis Khan. Departing from Shandong, he traversed three thousand li of treacherous mountain ranges, passing through perilous territories like the Yin Mountains and Altai Mountains, enduring bone-chilling blizzards and navigating rugged, nearly impassable trails. Along the way, deep ravines blocked his path and scattered boulders obstructed the route where armies had once built bridges and cleared roads. During his westward journey, he witnessed silver-peaked iron-walled summits piercing the clouds, with straight pine forests reaching skyward in complete solitude.

The text particularly describes the extraordinary landscapes of the Western Regions: a celestial pool suspended atop a mountain like a bright mirror, forty-eight perilous bridges hanging over deep valleys—scenery utterly distinct from China's central plains. When Qiu Chuji crossed snow-capped mountains between August and September, he discovered spring-like warmth on the southern slopes but piercing cold on the northern side, marveling at nature's miraculous creations.

Later, while Genghis Khan was still campaigning against the Khwarazmian Empire, he dispatched envoy Liu Zhonglu to seek out Qiu Chuji. When they met, the Khan asked whether the Daoist master had brought elixirs of immortality. Qiu Chuji replied candidly: "I possess methods for nurturing life, but no drugs for eternal life." Impressed by his honesty, the Khan frequently summoned him for counsel. Seizing these opportunities, Qiu repeatedly advised against excessive slaughter and advocated temperance—his accumulated admonitions totaling thousands of characters. This historical episode demonstrates how a Daoist Zhenren (Perfected Person) embodies the ethos of aiding the world and saving humanity, while displaying wisdom and courage when confronting power.

This passage records the revered status attained by Quanzhen Patriarch Qiu Chuji (known as the Eternal Spring Master) in his later years under imperial patronage. At that time, Lu Jinqing, serving as Vice Minister, compiled Qiu's teachings into the Record of Celebrated Encounters with the Mysterious Wind, which the emperor deeply revered. When Minister Zhenhai sought guidance on how to honor Qiu, the emperor ultimately decreed him the title of "Divine Immortal" (Shenxian).

In early spring of the Guiwei year (1223), the emperor dispatched thousands of cavalry to escort Qiu Chuji back to Yanjing (modern Beijing). He ordered the Tianchang Temple to be renamed Changchun Temple (Eternal Spring Palace) and merged with the reconstructed Baiyun Temple (White Cloud Temple). The emperor also bestowed upon Qiu the Longevity Mountain and Taiye Pond from the northern palace, renaming them Wan'an Palace (Palace of Myriad Peace). An imperial decree granted Qiu jurisdiction over all virtuous monastics across the realm, presenting him with a golden tiger tally—a symbol of authority—to act with discretionary power.

After Qiu Chuji assumed leadership of Changchun Temple, the Quanzhen tradition flourished rapidly. Presiding over Zhaijiao (purification rituals), his prayers for rain and wind proved unfailingly efficacious, drawing multitudes of common devotees. Each afternoon following the midday vegetarian meal, Qiu would often ride to Wan'an Palace, delighting in the harmony of mountains, waters, fish, and birds.

On the 23rd day of the sixth month in the Dinghai year (1227), Qiu remained indoors due to illness. That day, the southern bank of Taiye Pond suddenly collapsed, its waters draining into the eastern lake until fish and turtles vanished and the pond dried completely. Simultaneously, the northern cliff face crumbled without cause. Hearing this, Qiu smiled and remarked, "With the mountain fallen and pond dried, my time to depart must be near." On the fourth day of the seventh month, he told his disciples: "Ma Danyang (another Quanzhen patriarch) once prophesied that after his passing, our tradition would flourish greatly—now the entire land has become a realm of Dao, fulfilling his words. Today, all major temples bear names conferred by the emperor, and messengers deliver commands with talismanic authority."

This was the period when Ma Danyang (one of the patriarchs of the Quanzhen [Complete Perfection] tradition) had achieved fame and retired to cultivate himself. All his prophecies during his lifetime came true, and before passing he declared: "I have no regrets in this life." After nine days of illness, at the stroke of noon, he came to Baoxuan Hall (a Daoist cultivation site) and left this gatha:

"Birth and death are as ordinary as dawn and dusk, as natural as bubbles forming and vanishing in water. Where faint light flickers, sun and moon revolve (the crow symbolizes the sun, the hare the moon), and the mysterious realm can contain mountains and seas. With a wave of the hand, heaven and earth draw near; the movement of all things seems governed by hidden mechanisms. Bold words ultimately return to dust, left for the world to judge as it pleases."

He then returned to Baoguang Hall and passed away peacefully, like a butterfly shedding its cocoon.

At that moment, blue luan birds and white cranes circled above, auspicious clouds swirled, and celestial music filled the air as the crowd witnessed him ascend skyward. Officials and commoners alike knelt in reverence, and he was buried at Chushun Hall in Baiyun Temple. Three years later, when his coffin was opened for a change of robes, his body was found supple as cotton, his complexion lifelike. His legacy of poetry, essays, letters, discourses, and recorded sayings—including the Panxi Collection, Mingdao Collection, Journey to the West, and nearly a thousand other works—continues to circulate today.

Master Xuefeng (a Quanzhen adept) praised him thus:

"He took heaven and earth as his roof, the sun and moon as his lamps. This old immortal of Qixia Mountain spoke and moved with hidden profundity. His words were clear as ice and jade, piercing the mysteries of the Dao. After attaining the Dao through cultivation, his eyes shone with divine light, his steps swift as the wind. Whether the great Dao flourished or not, all revered him wherever he went; whether the Golden Elixir was forged or not, white clouds already filled the mountains."

Another account states:

"I once met three men in Yanjing (modern Beijing) discussing the merits of Qiu Chuji (Immortal Elder Qiu). One said: 'He endured seven years of austere practice by the Panxi River and devoted years to deep cultivation in Baoxuan Hall. In refining the Golden Elixir...'"

This scripture records a debate among Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) patriarchs concerning the "greatest merit." The first patriarch maintained that the highest achievement lay in cultivating Neidan (internal alchemy) to the transcendent state of "spirit roaming beyond form," where one could influence the movements of heaven and earth. The second patriarch argued that constructing temples, disseminating teachings, and converting multitudes—until most people wore the Daoist cap (symbolizing ordination) and all comprehended Chongxuan (the supreme Daoist truth transcending dualities)—constituted the greatest merit.

Then the third patriarch countered that both predecessors spoke only of minor merits. He recounted how when Genghis Khan's Mongol cavalry swept southward, leaving battle flames across the sky and corpses strewn across the land, it was Changchun Zhenren Qiu Chuji (a pivotal Quanzhen patriarch) who answered the imperial summons. By persuading the Great Khan, he softened the ruler's wrath, ultimately securing decrees to spare surrendering cities, pardon conscripted laborers, and grant clemency to those who submitted. This, he declared, was true great merit.

Through this tripartite dialogue, the text reveals Quanzhen's tiered understanding of merit: from personal cultivation and missionary work to saving lives and quelling wars—embodying the Daoist ideal of "supreme goodness resembling water" in relieving worldly suffering. The mentioned "Chongxuan" represents a core philosophical concept denoting the ultimate truth beyond all dualities, while "spirit roaming beyond form" describes the pinnacle Neidan achievement where consciousness transcends physical form.

This passage recounts the legendary life of Wang Chuyi (Daoist name Yuyangzi), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism. Born in Dongmu, Ninghai, Shandong, he lost his father in childhood yet showed extraordinary filial piety toward his mother. From youth, his imposing physique set him apart—while other children played, he delighted in reciting verses about mist-wreathed immortal realms.

At seven, he received teachings on longevity from the Donghua Patriarch. At fourteen, a mysterious elder appeared to him in the mountains. Stroking the boy's head, the old man prophesied: "You shall achieve fame in imperial courts and become a master of Daoist lineage." Identifying himself as the Lord of Xuanting Palace, the elder vanished instantly. Thereafter, Wang's speech and demeanor became transcendent, his behavior seemingly eccentric.

In spring of 1162 (the second year of the Dading era), Wang Chuyi encountered Patriarch Wang Chongyang at Fan Mingshu's "Immortal-Meeting Pavilion." Recognizing his extraordinary bone structure (a Daoist physiognomic sign of spiritual potential), the Patriarch asked if he wished to pursue cultivation. Wang joyfully consented, joining Wang Chongyang's discipleship alongside Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu—later collectively known as the "Seven Masters of Quanzhen."

The Patriarch directed him to practice at Yunguang Cave on Tiecha Mountain in Wendeng County, promising to bestow his formal Daoist name in due time. This narrative exemplifies the classic Daoist motif of encountering an enlightened teacher and receiving authentic transmission. References to "ninefold refined cinnabar" and "seven-returned jade liquor" employ Neidan (internal alchemy) terminology denoting advanced stages of elixir refinement.

The text cites prophetic verses by Child Prodigy Zhang, foretelling Wang's ultimate ascension to immortality in crane company. These elements embody the Quanzhen ideal of "dual cultivation of nature and life" (xingming shuangxiu), where ethical conduct and alchemical practice culminate in daylight ascension—the ultimate Daoist transcendence.

At that time, Patriarch Wang Chongyang bid farewell to the assembly and returned to seclusion in his mountain cave. When the fourth lunar month arrived, the Patriarch prepared to travel to Longquan (Dragon Spring), borrowing a parasol from Fan Mingshu for shade. His four disciples—Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu—walked ahead while the Patriarch followed about half a li behind. Suddenly, the Patriarch tossed the parasol into the air, where it drifted and swayed northwestward, disappearing to an unknown destination. The four disciples were astonished and rushed back to inquire about this marvel. The Patriarch said, "The parasol rode a whirlwind upward—I too know not why this occurred." From dawn till dusk, the parasol finally descended before the entrance of Yunguang Cave (Cloud Light Cave). When its handle shattered, a Daoist name was revealed inside, inscribed with "Congyangzi," with the given name "Chuyi." (The character "Cong" did not originally exist in dictionaries of that era—it was created by the Patriarch himself, its form composed of seven human figures, symbolizing seven golden lotuses.)

The spot where the parasol was thrown lay approximately two hundred li from Yunguang Cave. Later, Ma Yu obtained this parasol and came specially to thank the Patriarch, who gifted him a poem:

"To cultivate the Dao (the Way), understand principles clearly,

Hold these admonitions close—the key lies in a pure and luminous heart.

When eyes covet not external sights, the inner 'dragon' (shen, spirit) finds stillness;

When nostrils crave no fragrances, the inner 'tiger' (kidney qi, vital energy) abides steadfast.

With tongue detached from flavors, the spirit remains fresh;

With ears shut to clamor, the kidney-water stays clear.

North and south qi (energies) merge as one,

East and west Yin-Yang unite to vanquish the Three Corpses (three malevolent energies in the body).

Wood-nature and metal-emotion harmonized,

The infant (yang qi) and maiden (yin qi) move freely.

The Golden Elixir (Jindan) forms and pierces through the crown,

Five-colored radiance penetrates rainbow clouds."

Ma Yu received this poem with reverence.

From then on, Ma Yu frequently traveled between Dengzhou and Ninghai for cultivation. Each night, he returned to the mouth of Yunguang Cave, standing on one leg continuously for nine years. He often practiced by the shores of the Eastern Sea, never succumbing to drowsiness, earning him the epithet "Iron-Footed Master." The perfected Qiu Chuji praised him: "In midsummer, he stood beneath scorching sun; in bitter winter, he slept embracing ice and snow." After nine years of such austere practice, Ma Yu attained the mysterious state—maintaining equanimity through all circumstances, now singing, now dancing, capable of spiritual transcendence (shenhua) and guiding beings even in dreams.

This account records the miraculous deeds of Wang Chongyang (Daoist name Yuyangzi), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition during the Jin Dynasty, who received imperial honors and demonstrated extraordinary powers.

In the eighth year of the Dading era (1168 CE, Wushen year), Emperor Shizong of Jin, having heard of Wang Chongyang’s profound Daoist mastery, sent envoys with lavish gifts to invite him to the capital. Some Buddhist monks, envious of his reputation, secretly bribed palace eunuchs to claim Wang was no true immortal and suggested testing him with poisoned wine. The emperor presented three cups of the lethal brew, which Wang drank without any change in complexion. Convinced of his authenticity, the emperor bestowed upon him a golden crown and ceremonial robes, a four-horse-drawn carriage, and ordered the construction of a Quanzhen Hall for his residence, personally inscribing its plaque. The following year, after the Qingming Festival, Wang was permitted to return to Mount Kunyu in Shandong. Though offered vast sums of gold and silver, he declined all rewards.

In autumn of the third year of the Cheng’an era (1198 CE), Emperor Zhangzong summoned recluses to court, and Wang Chongyang answered the call once more. His eloquent responses in the imperial chambers delighted the emperor, who honored him with the title "Master Who Embodies the Mysteries" (Ti Xuan Dashi) and built a Xiuzhen Abbey for his stay. During the second year of the Taihe era (1202 CE, Renxu year), the emperor dispatched him to preside over the Grand Universal Ritual (Pu Tian Dajiao) at the Taiqing Palace in Bozhou. During the ceremony, ten thousand cranes soared overhead, and Laozi (the supreme Daoist deity) manifested his radiant, sun-like visage amid the clouds. Wang composed poetry commemorating the event, noting in his verses that this marked his fourth imperial summons to spread the Dao.

Upon returning to Yunguang Cave, he initiated over a thousand disciples. In Mouping, Shandong, a wealthy merchant named Chi Jin lay gravely ill, with physicians powerless to help. Wang instructed him to eat fifty rolls stuffed with herring, after which the man recovered instantly and walked with vigorous strides, prompting locals to convert in droves. In Fushan County, Dengzhou, he encountered the funeral procession of a hermit named Pan. Seizing the corpse’s ears, Wang shouted, "The underworld shall not claim him!"—whereupon the dead man revived. When the family offered riches in gratitude, Wang refused.

In Ninghai, two ruffians plotting to harm him feigned hospitality with wine, intending to beat him once drunk. Yet before three rounds of drinks had passed, the pair turned on each other in a brawl. These episodes exemplify Wang Chongyang’s divine powers and noble character.

There was a man suffering such excruciating pain that onlookers panicked, certain he would die. Suddenly, Wang Chongyang (founder of the Quanzhen school of Daoism) shouted, "The Sacred Mountain of the East (the deity of Mount Tai) shall not claim this man!" The man immediately regained consciousness, much to everyone's relief.

Later, when they reached Jiyang County, many sought Daoist names from him. Near midnight, Wang took up his brush and wrote the characters for "thief" on paper. Abruptly raising his voice, he warned of robbers. As people rushed outside, they indeed saw armed men lurking about, who fled in terror when discovered.

Before the Sacred Water Cave stood a massive slanting boulder several zhang high that frightened visitors. After days of chiseling made little progress (less than one percent removed), Wang Chongyang approached with a smile. Swinging his hammer three times with thunderous force, the giant rock split and fell. Purple mist then enveloped the valley for three days before dispersing.

On the Double Ninth Festival during the Dading era's Bingwu year (1166 CE, under Emperor Shizong of Jin), coinciding with the ascension day of Ma Danyang (Wang's chief disciple), Wang traveled to Langya Village to convert fishermen. When they burned their nets, a miraculous mirage of golden pavilions appeared in the southeast, astonishing multiple prefectures. His other wonders included summoning rain on demand, reviving cooked chickens, endless wine pouring from empty vessels, and withered branches sprouting anew.

On the 23rd day of the fourth month in the Zhenyou era's Dingchou year (1217 CE), five-colored auspicious clouds drifted from the southeast as two azure-robed youths descended bearing celestial scrolls, their banners obscuring the sky. Wang told disciples: "All immortals assembled three days prior." After offering incense to the ten directions, he inscribed:

"Transcending Heaven-Earth's creative power,

Divine radiance floods all celestial spheres.

Cranes bear me past triple world's border,

Joyous to receive the Jade Emperor's decree."

He then peacefully attained immortality. Sacred light bathed the valley and auspicious qi permeated the plains for days.

Having composed nearly a thousand poems compiled as the Anthology of Pure Truth and Cloud Radiance Collection, his eulogy praises:

"Cultivating true Jing (essence) at Jade Yang Mountain,

Honing brilliance in Sacred Water Cave;

Mysteries concealed within bamboo umbrella's shaft,

Austerities practiced beneath Iron Mountain's weight;

Sleeping embraced by snow in deepest winter,

Standing facing sun at summer's peak—

Thus unifying north-south as one,

Harmonizing east-west to slay the Three Corpses (Daoist term for malevolent spirits within the body);

Repeatedly receiving immortals' transmissions,

Four times..." (original text fragmentary).

This scripture records the miraculous deeds of two Daoist perfected beings (zhenren), focusing on their process of attaining the Dao and achieving immortality, along with their extraordinary powers.

The first part recounts the wondrous stories of Master Pan (Pan Shizheng): He drank poisoned wine yet his complexion remained unchanged, and when he burned fishing nets, a mirage appeared over the sea. After his death, he revived three times when called. A paralyzed elder was healed after eating food he blessed, a boy emerged from an alchemical furnace, and Lord Lao (the supreme Daoist deity) manifested in the clouds. When he raised an iron hammer, boulders tumbled down mountain streams; when he transmitted secret oral teachings, the mountains trembled. Withered wood sprouted anew in his hands, and fine wine poured endlessly from an empty vessel. Cranes danced before the altar, and cooked chickens miraculously resumed crowing. Armed robbers fled in terror, while violent men found their own staffs striking themselves instead. He transcended the transformations of heaven and earth, reversing the courses of sun and moon. With several thousand disciples, he transmitted thirty-six Daoist methods, ultimately receiving the Jade Emperor's summons to attend the Golden Lotus Assembly.

The second part tells of Perfected Hao of Guangning (Hao Datong), whose Daoist name was Tianranzi and who called himself the Ancient Daoist. Born into an official's family as the cousin of a court minister, he showed exceptional filial piety toward his mother. Though handsome and dignified, he spurned worldly glory, mastering divination while devoting years to studying Daoist classics like the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Liezi. Whenever encountering secluded mountain forests or springs, he would linger forgetful of time. In the autumn of the Dinghai year during the Dading era (1167 CE), while practicing divination in the marketplace surrounded by scholars and officials, Wang Chongyang (founder of the Quanzhen tradition) arrived last yet sat with his back turned. When Perfected Hao asked why he wouldn't turn around, this exchange initiated their master-disciple relationship.

Note: The "Golden Lotus Assembly" refers to a celestial gathering of Daoist immortals in mythology. "Huang-Lao-Zhuang-Lie" denotes the four foundational Daoist texts: Huangdi Neijing, Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Liezi. "Dading" was the reign era of Emperor Shizong of the Jin dynasty.

Wang Chongyang (founder of the Quanzhen school of Daoism) once said to a man: "I only fear the gentleman is unwilling to turn back." Startled by these words, the man immediately rose to bow and invited Wang to a private conversation. Their discussion flowed as naturally as a stone sinking into water. The man presented a poem: "All at this table yearn for the ancient Dao, yet fail to discern right from wrong, missing the path to Xiyi (the Daoist ideal of emptiness and tranquility). Today I'm blessed to hear your enlightened verses—I humbly request your guidance."

Wang Chongyang responded with his own verse: "I admire how Master Hao comprehends the ancient Way, his words revealing the path of divine cultivation. Treading emerald mists he comes—precisely to seek your methods of pure practice." The man departed thoroughly satisfied. The following year, in mid-March of the Wuzi year, he specifically traveled to the Misty Radiance Cave on Mount Kunlun to offer incense and pay respects to Wang Chongyang, willingly performing menial sweeping duties. Wang bestowed upon him the religious name "Datong" and the Daoist title "Guangningzi," joining Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu as one of Wang's core disciples.

By July, Wang had sent all other disciples back to Ninghai, keeping only Qiu Chuji by his side. Days later, he dispatched Qiu to summon Hao Datong. Wang told Hao: "I have a patched robe with its sleeves removed—this sleeveless garment shall be your winter clothing." As he spoke, Wang began sewing sleeves back onto the robe. Hao reverently accepted this gift, which symbolized the ancient tradition of transmitting both garments and teachings. Subsequently, Wang returned south to Bianliang (modern Kaifeng) while Hao wandered through Hebei province.

In the Yiwu year, while begging for food in Wozhou, Hao suddenly comprehended Wang Chongyang's earlier esoteric words and experienced profound awakening. He began practicing seated meditation on a bridge, neither seeking food despite hunger nor altering his resolve through seasonal extremes. He ate when offered alms but never begged. Even when mocked or insulted, he remained undisturbed, single-mindedly pursuing selfless enlightenment. After three years of this practice, locals called him "the Silent Master."

One twilight, as darkness fell, a drunkard kicked Hao off the bridge. For seven full days he remained silently beneath it, unnoticed by anyone. Then an official's horse suddenly reared in fright, throwing its rider. "There must be something extraordinary under this bridge," the official told his attendants, "or why would my horse panic?" Their investigation revealed a Daoist master sitting in perfect composure—none other than Hao Datong.

This passage records the cultivation practices of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) patriarch Wang Chongyang (styled Chongyangzi) and his disciple Hao Datong (styled Guangning Daoren).

Wang Chongyang sat in meditation beneath a bridge for seven years, abstaining from worldly sustenance during this period. Though local villagers competed to offer him food and incense, he merely waved them away. Through the cultivation methods of "inverting water and fire" (regulating the Yin-Yang within the body) and harmonizing the interaction of Yin and Yang, he ultimately achieved the "nine-cycle reverted elixir" (the highest state of Daoist Neidan/internal alchemy). After this accomplishment, he joyfully journeyed north, spreading the Dao in the Zhending region, attracting numerous seekers and widely disseminating Quanzhen teachings.

The text mentions that Wang Chongyang had a prior agreement with another immortal (Taigu Xian) to descend together and guide predestined individuals. During the Mingchang era (under Emperor Zhangzong of Jin), Wang returned to Shandong, established Daoist temples, and gathered many disciples. Three years in advance, he instructed followers to construct an underground chamber where he meditated daily, prophesying that he would "ascend as a feather" (Daoist term for an immortal's departure, called "returning to truth") on the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month three years later. True to his prediction, he passed away at the age of eighty-four.

Hao Datong (Guangning Daoren) was deeply versed in the Yin-Yang transformations of the I Ching and renounced worldly life to devote himself to Daoist cultivation. He secluded himself in Yanzia Cave, became Wang Chongyang's disciple, and diligently studied Quanzhen doctrine. By regulating the "turtle and snake" (symbolizing water and fire) and "dragon and tiger" (symbolizing Yin and Yang) within his body, he persistently refined his Qi, ultimately attaining the state of "three blossoms gathering at the crown" (the perfected state of internal alchemy), fulfilling his destined appointment to the Penglai immortal realm.

Terms like "inverting water and fire" and "dragon-tiger copulation" are Neidan terminology, referring to methods of refining the Golden Elixir by harmonizing the body's Yin and Yang energies. "Nine-cycle perfected elixir" signifies the completion of the elixir after multiple cycles of refinement, while "three blossoms bearing fruit" symbolizes the perfect union of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit). These cultivation methods embody the Quanzhen School's core principle of "dual cultivation of nature and life" (Xingming Shuangxiu).

The Divine Child Zhang once wrote in verse: "Whether in bustling markets or remote mountains, one must follow the natural course, contemplating the profound mysteries of the Book of Changes (Yijing) through quiet cultivation. Now I lie drunk in the Penglai paradise, where tales of the ancient immortals endure through eternity."

Qingjing Sanren (the Taoist name given to Sun Bu'er by Wang Chongyang) was the youngest daughter of Sun Zhongyi of Ninghai. Before her birth, her mother dreamed of seven celestial cranes dancing in the courtyard—six flew away while the last descended into her embrace. Upon waking, she found herself pregnant. Sun Bu'er displayed remarkable intelligence from childhood, strictly adhering to propriety in her chamber life while excelling in calligraphy and poetry. Upon reaching adulthood, she married Ma Yu (courtesy name Yifu) and bore three sons, all of whom she raised with upright moral guidance.

In the winter of 1167 (Dading Dinghai year), Wang Chongyang (known as Chongyangzi) traveled from Zhongnan Mountain to Ninghai. Though Ma Yu warmly received him, Sun Bu'er initially remained skeptical. She even confined Wang in a hermitage for a hundred days without food or drink. When she finally opened the door, she was astonished to find his complexion glowing with heightened vitality, which began to sway her belief. Through dream manifestations and other methods—alternately revealing the terrors of hell and the splendors of paradise—Wang Chongyang employed symbolic gestures: ten times dividing pears (implying "separation" from worldly ties) and six times offering taro (symbolizing "encountering" the Dao). Ultimately, Ma Yu followed his master into spiritual cultivation.

Sun Bu'er, still bound by maternal affection, hesitated for a full year before abandoning her three children. Donning a bamboo crown and coarse robe, she went to the Golden Lotus Hall in Ninghai to seek initiation from Wang Chongyang. He gifted her an awakening poem: "A predestined bond was sown ten years past; / Heaven's appointed hour should unfold naturally. / Why then did enlightenment elude you then? / You were awaiting the golden lotus bloom." Bestowing upon her the religious name "Bu'er" (No-Duality) and the Taoist title "Qingjing Sanren" (Serene Wanderer of Purity and Stillness), he transmitted esoteric methods including celestial talismans (Tianfu Yunzhuan) and sacred registers (Fulu).

Later, when Wang Chongyang traveled to Bianliang (modern Kaifeng) and achieved physical dissolution (Yuhua), disciples like Qiu Chuji carried his coffin back to Zhongnan for burial. Upon hearing the news, Sun Bu'er—defying wind and snow—disguised herself with a marred appearance and journeyed westward. By spring 1172 (Renchen year), she reached Jingzhao (modern Xi'an), where she reunited with Ma Yu (now renamed Danyangzi) at Zhao Penglai's residence. Ma Yu presented her with the lyric "Refining Cinnabar Sand" (Liandan Sha) as encouragement: "Lady of Fuchun, cease following my path— / Our former bond as spouses now transcends. / Each must cultivate their original face, / Rising beyond the Three Wretched Realms. / Regulate breath with tender subtlety, / In the liminal space between being and non-being. / The numinous child (Lingtong) within shall guide you / To the immortal capital at journey's end." Sun Bu'er bowed in gratitude and received his teachings.

This passage records the cultivation deeds and enlightenment process of Wang Chongyang (Daoist name Chongyangzi), the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, and his disciple Ma Danyang (Danyangzi).

While traveling around Luoyang, Wang Chongyang gathered many disciples and guided numerous people toward awakening. One day he composed a poem titled "Song of Divination" describing his spiritual state: "Maintaining bodily and mental stillness, awaiting the union of water and fire (referring to the Yin-Yang Qi within the body), as myriad auroras emerge from the ocean depths (the lower Dantian), penetrating the three passes (key energy points in cultivation)." After writing, he told his disciples: "We had an appointment at the Jade Pool, and now the celestial timing has arrived." After ritual bathing and changing clothes, he sat in full lotus posture (a Buddhist meditation position) and peacefully departed, filling the room with extraordinary fragrance as auspicious clouds gathered.

Simultaneously, Ma Danyang—who was cultivating in Ninghai—saw an immortal maiden (likely referring to Sun Bu'er, Wang Chongyang's Daoist partner) riding five-colored auspicious clouds in the sky, announcing: "I shall return first to the Penglai paradise." Upon hearing this, Ma Danyang rose and danced spontaneously, composing "The Drunken Immortal's Command" in celebration.

The eulogistic section recounts Wang Chongyang's spiritual journey: Born into wealth (the affluent Fuchun clan), he abandoned family possessions to follow the Daoist path. After seven years of secluded cultivation (the "walled enclosure" referring to his retreat space), he perfected the ninefold-transmuted Golden Elixir (the supreme alchemical attainment in Daoism), enduring six trials (symbolized by "bestowing taro" and "dividing pears ten times" representing cultivation tests), ultimately shedding his mortal husk (discarding the cocoon) to reach Penglai. The text particularly notes how he "uniquely received one golden lotus blossom," becoming one of the Seven Perfected (the seven patriarchs of Quanzhen).

The conclusion quotes Zhang Shentong's poem summarizing their achievements: Having washed away worldly adornments ("the rouge of two cheeks"), through ten years of arduous cultivation ("planting yellow sprouts" symbolizing Neidan practice), they finally ascended on azure phoenixes, taking their places among the Seven Perfected ("the seventh golden lotus"). This passage exemplifies core Daoist Neidan philosophy: through prolonged cultivation transforming body and mind to ultimately transcend ordinary existence and attain sagehood.