《七真年譜》

This passage records the chronological biographies of Wang Chongyang, the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, and his disciples. The main contents are as follows:

This is a reprinted version of the Seven Perfected Chronologies (Qizhen Nianpu) from the Collected Essentials of the Daoist Canon (Daozang Jiyao), compiled by Li Daoqian of Yishan (modern Kaifeng, Henan).

Patriarch Wang Chongyang was born on the 22nd day of the 12th lunar month in the Renchen year of Emperor Huizong's Zhenghe era (1112 CE). According to the biography by Wang Cui of Beiping:

• His original name was Wang Zhe (嚞), courtesy name Zhiming, with the Daoist name Chongyangzi, from Xianyang, Shaanxi
• His family was originally wealthy local landowners before moving to Liujiang Village in Zhongnan County
• His mother became pregnant after having a miraculous dream and carried him for 24 months before birth
• Initially named Zhongfu with the courtesy name Yunqing, he displayed extraordinary qualities from childhood
• As an adult, he was handsome and powerfully built, with an unrestrained personality that disregarded trivial conventions
• In youth he studied for the imperial examinations, excelling in literature with quick wit and talent
• Later he turned to martial arts, changing his name to Shixiong with the courtesy name Dewei
• Only after entering the Daoist path did he adopt the name Zhe, calling himself "Haifeng" (meaning "the mad one")

The text then records Wang's life year by year from ages 2 to 12. Notable mentions include:

• On the 5th day of the 1st lunar month in 1119 (Xuanhe 1), Immortal Maiden Sun (Sun Buer) of the Qingjing (Pure Quietude) lineage was born in Ninghai Prefecture
• In 1123 (Xuanhe 5):
• On the 1st day of the 3rd month, Perfected Tan (Tan Chuduan) was born in Ninghai Prefecture, originally named Tan Yu with courtesy name Boyu
• On the 20th day of the 5th month, Perfected Ma (Ma Yu) was born in Jiangxian Ward of Ninghai (modern Mouping, Shandong), originally named Ma Congyi with courtesy name Yifu, whose ancestors came from Fufeng, Shaanxi before migrating to Shandong during the Five Dynasties turmoil

This chronology primarily documents the birth years and early lives of several key figures in the Quanzhen tradition.

This passage documents the early life events of Wang Chongyang, the founder of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, and his principal disciples in chronological order:

At age 14 (1125 CE, the 7th year of Xuanhe reign in Northern Song), Wang Chongyang witnessed the dynastic transition. When he turned 15 (1126), the reign title changed to Jingkang. At 16 (1127), the Jin dynasty adopted the Tianhui era name.

When Wang was 17 (1128), his disciple Tan Chuduan (later known as Perfected Lord Tan) was 6 years old. According to the stele inscription by Duke Mi, young Tan once fell into a well while playing. As rescuers rushed to help, they miraculously found him sitting serenely atop the water's surface before being pulled to safety.

At 26 (1137), another disciple Liu Chuxuan (Perfected Lord Changzhen) turned 15. Duke Mi's records note Liu's scholarly aspirations at this young age, with his poetic composition "Ode to Grapes" already circulating widely among contemporaries.

The following year (1138), aged 27, Wang Chongyang participated in the Jin dynasty's military examinations, adopting the new name Shi Xiong with the courtesy name Dewei.

On the third day of the first lunar month in 1140 (age 29), disciple Hao Datong (Perfected Lord Guangning Hao) was born in Ninghai Prefecture, originally named Hao Sheng.

Two years later (1142), on the 18th day of the third lunar month (age 31), another disciple Wang Chuyi (Perfected Lord Yuyang Wang) also entered the world in Ninghai.

This chronicle primarily records significant events between Wang Chongyang's 14th and 34th years (1125-1145), including the births and early exploits of his key disciples. Notable highlights include Tan Chuduan's miraculous childhood experience and Liu Chuxuan's precocious literary talents.

This passage records key events in the lives of Wang Chongyang (Master Chongyang), founder of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition, and his principal disciples Liu Chuxuan (Immortal Liu the Longevity) and Qiu Chuji (Immortal Qiu the Eternal Spring):

In 1146 (6th year of Huangtong era), Wang Chongyang turned 35 years old.

On the 12th day of the 7th month in 1147 (7th year of Huangtong), Liu Chuxuan was born in Wuguan Village, Donglai, Shandong.

On the 19th day of the 1st month in 1148 (8th year of Huangtong), Qiu Chuji was born in Bindu, Qixia County, Dengzhou. That same year, Wang Chuyi (Immortal Yuyang) was seven years old. According to his autobiographical account in the Yunguang Ji (Cloud Radiance Anthology), he encountered the Divine Lord Donghua (a Daoist immortal) in the sky during this year and received awakening instructions to maintain spiritual clarity.

From 1149 to 1156 (ages 38 to 44), no significant events were recorded in Wang Chongyang's life.

Between 1156 (1st year of Zhenglong era) and 1159 (4th year of Zhenglong), Wang Chongyang was 45 to 48 years old. On the 15th day of the 6th month in 1159, while drinking at Ganhe Town in the Zhongnan Mountains, he met two immortals with identical appearances—both wearing felt garments with unbound hair. One declared, "This man can be taught," and transmitted oral cultivation formulas to him. Wang later referenced this encounter in poetry as "receiving true transmission at forty-eight," confirming these were manifestations of Lü Dongbin (Immortal Lü the Pure Yang).

During the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1160 (5th year of Zhenglong), Wang Chongyang encountered the immortals again at Liquan County, receiving five secret oral formulas along with the instruction: "Go quickly to the Eastern Sea to find Tan and Ma" (referring to his future disciples Tan Chuduan and Ma Yu). The immortals then vanished.

In 1161 (1st year of Dading era), the fifty-year-old Wang Chongyang dug a ten-foot-deep tomb at Nanshi Village in the Zhongnan Mountains. Sealing it with several feet of earth, he named it the "Tomb of the Living Dead" and practiced meditation inside, planting four crabapple trees around the site.

(Note: This chronicle documents foundational events in early Quanzhen history—including the patriarch's celestial encounters and births of key disciples—constituting essential material for studying the tradition's origins.)

This passage records several significant events in the life of Wang Chongyang (Master Chongyang), the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition:

When questioned about his unconventional actions, he replied: "In time, I shall unite all religious teachings under one banner."

In 1162 (the second year of the Dading era), the 51-year-old Wang Chongyang entered seclusion in the "Tomb of the Living Dead" for cultivation. The following autumn, he filled in the tomb and moved to Liujiang Village, where he dwelled in a thatched hut with three companions: Yu Chan, He Gong Lingyang, and Li Gong. This humble site would later become the ancestral temple of Quanzhen Daoism—the Chongyang Palace of Ten Thousand Longevities.

At age 53 (1164), Wang recorded a remarkable encounter in his autobiography: While returning to his hermitage with a jug of wine from Ganhe, he met a mysterious gentleman who begged for a drink. After draining the vessel, the stranger instructed Wang to fill his gourd with river water—which miraculously transformed into celestial wine. When asked whether he recognized Liu Haichan (a Daoist immortal), Wang replied he only knew the deity's portrait, prompting the stranger to depart with laughter.

The following year (1165), the 54-year-old master inscribed verses on the walls of Shangqing Taiping Temple on Zhongnan Mountain, signing as "Harmful Wind"—his self-mocking sobriquet meaning "madman." These writings contained a prophecy of his death before 58 and mentioned "two gentlemen" (likely immortal mentors) who would later enlighten him.

By 1166 (age 55), he composed poetry on the walls of Lü Daoren's hermitage in Chang'an's Luan Village, identifying himself as "Chongyangzi of Earth's Lungs" and again as "Wang Harmful Wind." These verses expressed his transcendent detachment from worldly concerns. That same year, the 19-year-old Qiu Chuji (later known as the Eternal Spring Master) took monastic vows and resided in Kunlun Mountains.

In 1167 (age 56), on the 26th day of the fourth month, Wang dramatically burned down his thatched hut in Liujiang Village while dancing amid the flames. To puzzled observers he declared: "Though the hut burns to conclude matters, those of true virtue (De) shall rebuild it." That evening in Ganhe Town, he bid farewell to the crowd with cryptic words: "I go eastward to catch horses"—likely an esoteric metaphor for his spiritual journey.

This passage documents the early activities of Wang Chongyang (styled Chongyangzi), founder of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, and his seven principal disciples (known as the "Seven Masters of Quanzhen"):

At the Shangqing Temple on Mount Beimang, Qiu Chuji (the Eternal Spring Perfected), Tan Chuduan (the Eternal Truth Perfected), Wang Chuyi (the Jade Yang Perfected) and others inscribed poems on the temple walls—stone carvings of which survive to this day.

In the seventh month of 1167 (Dading era), Wang Chongyang arrived in Ninghai Prefecture (modern Muping, Shandong). At Fan Mingshu's Pavilion for Cherishing Old Age, he met Ma Yu (the Cinnabar Yang Perfected) and Gao Jucai. In the ninth month, Qiu Chuji came from Kunlun Mountain to the Quanzhen Hermitage to become Wang's disciple. Wang bestowed upon him the religious name "Chuji", courtesy name "Tongmi", and sobriquet "Changchunzi", presenting him with a poem.

During the tenth month, Wang Chongyang sat with his back turned to Liu Chuxuan's (the Vast Serenity Perfected) divination stall, profoundly moving him before transmitting cultivation instructions. Later, Wang undertook a hundred-day retreat (for Neidan/internal alchemy practice) at Ma Yu's home in Ninghai, eating only once every five days, ultimately converting both Ma Yu and his wife. Tan Chuduan also took monastic vows at this time, receiving the religious name "Chuduan", courtesy name "Tongzheng", and sobriquet "Changzhenzi" at age 45.

In the first month of 1168, the 57-year-old Wang Chongyang concluded his retreat. On the eighth day of the second month, 46-year-old Ma Yu formally renounced secular life, receiving the religious name "Yu", courtesy name "Xuanbao", and sobriquet "Danyangzi". That same day, Wang Chuyi came from Niuxian Mountain to become a disciple, receiving the religious name "Chuyi" at age 27.

At the end of the second month, Wang led four disciples to Stone Gate Pass on Kunlun Mountain, opening the Misty Radiance Cave for cultivation. In the third month, 29-year-old Liu Chuxuan came to Kunyu Mountain to take vows, receiving the religious name "Lin" and sobriquet "Tianranzi". By the eighth month, master and disciples relocated to Jiang Shi's hermitage in Wendeng County, establishing the "Seven Treasures Assembly" (an early Quanzhen organization).

In 1169, the 58-year-old Wang Chongyang led his disciples to the Golden Lotus Hall in Ninghai Prefecture. While passing through Longquan, Wang demonstrated spiritual powers by making the words "Yangzi" appear on his umbrella handle, which then flew with the wind to Zha Mountain.

These records illustrate the early missionary journey of Quanzhen Daoism, including pivotal events like master-disciple encounters, bestowal of religious names, cultivation practices, and establishment of religious communities. The text mentions "locked-door retreats" (suomen juhuan) for intensive practice, "instruction in names" (xunming) where masters conferred religious titles, and the "Seven Treasures Assembly" (qibao hui) as an early Quanzhen cultivation group.

This passage records the significant events surrounding Wang Chongyang, the founding patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, and his principal disciples (later known as the "Seven Perfected"):

Regarding Perfected Jade Yang (Wang Chuyi):

• Wang Chuyi was bestowed the title "Duke of Jade Yang"
• During the Dragon Boat Festival, Immortal Maiden Sun (Sun Bu'er) took monastic vows at the Golden Lotus Hall, where the Patriarch conferred upon her the Daoist name "Serene Detachment Wanderer" at age 51

9th year of the Dading era (1169 CE):

• Sixth month: Perfected Guangning (Hao Datong) bid farewell to the Patriarch and took residence at Mount Zha
• Eighth month: Patriarch Wang Chongyang established the Golden Lotus Assembly
• Ninth month: He founded the Three Radiances Assembly in Fushan County, Dengzhou, and the Jade Splendor Assembly in Penglai
• Same month: The Patriarch led Dan-yang (Ma Yu), Changzhen (Tan Chuduan), and Changchun (Qiu Chuji) westward to Laizhou, where he initiated Perfected Longlife (Liu Chuxuan) into monastic life. Liu received the religious name "Chuxuan", courtesy name "Tongmiao", and sobriquet "Longlife Master" at age 23
• Tenth month: Establishment of the Equal Assembly in Yexian County
• Same month: The Patriarch journeyed to Bianliang (modern Kaifeng) with four disciples, lodging at the Wang Family Porcelain Shop

10th year of Dading (1170 CE):

• First month, fourth day: Patriarch Chongyang summoned Ma Yu, Tan Chuduan, and Qiu Chuji to his bedside (Liu Chuxuan being absent), declaring: "Ma Yu has attained the Dao, Tan Chuduan comprehends the teachings—I have no concerns for them. Qiu Chuji shall follow Ma Yu's guidance in practice, while Liu Chuxuan shall be led by Tan Chuduan. Now I must depart to fulfill my master's summons."
• When Ma Yu requested final instructions, the Patriarch revealed they were already inscribed at Lü Dongbin's Hermitage in Luan Village, Chang'an. After orally transmitting his testament, the Patriarch passed away at age 58
• The four disciples conducted provisional burial rites in Meng Zongxian's flower garden
• Later, Ma Yu led his three companions through Tong Pass (west of Tongguan), paying respects to Perfected He and Li at Taiping Temple on Mount Zhongnan. In Chang'an they met Shi Chuhou, and on Mount Zhongnan encountered Liu Tongwei and Yan Chuchang (all five being the Patriarch's former associates or disciples)

11th year of Dading (1171 CE):

• At age 49, Ma Yu resided with three companions at the ancestral hermitage in Liujiang Village, constructing a mausoleum
• Tenth month: Hao Datong entered Tong Pass, practicing mendicancy in Chang'an

12th year of Dading (1172 CE):

• Ma Yu turned 50
• In spring, he initiated the lay follower Qian Ziran in Chang'an, then led his three companions back to Bianliang to relocate the Patriarch's remains for formal burial at the Liujiang ancestral hermitage
• Ninth month: Records concerning Hao Datong (details unspecified in original text)

This passage from The Chronological Records of the Seven Perfected documents the activities of the seven Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) patriarchs during the Dading era (1173-1189) of the Jin Dynasty:

Dading 13 (1173 CE):

• Guangningzi (Hao Datong) received his Daoist name "Datong" while traveling through Qishan Mountain, later returning east via Daqing Pass
• Ma Yu (Perfected Dan-yang) at age 50, along with three other patriarchs, observed mourning at Liu-Jiang (the founding site of Quanzhen)

Dading 14 (1174 CE):

• In February, Hao Datong arrived at Zhending Prefecture, practicing seated meditation outside the Chaotian Gate
• In August, Ma Yu, Tan Chuduan (Perfected Changzhen), Liu Chuxuan (Perfected Changsheng), and Qiu Chuji (Perfected Changchun) held a moonlit discourse on the Dao at the Zhenwu Temple in Qindu Town, Huxian County. Each declared their spiritual aspirations: Ma Yu vowed ascetic practice, Tan Chuduan sought ultimate truth, Liu Chuxuan resolved to strengthen his Daoist heart-mind, while Qiu Chuji revered tranquility. The next day they parted ways:
• Ma Yu returned to Liu-Jiang to build a thatched hermitage
• Tan Chuduan resided at Luoyang's Chaoyuan Palace
• Liu Chuxuan dwelled in Luoyang's Tudimiao (Earth God Temple)
• Qiu Chuji traveled west to seclude himself at Panxi

Dading 15 (1175 CE):

• While begging for alms at Erzu Town in Cizhou, Tan Chuduan was assaulted by ruffians who knocked out two teeth. When bystanders sought official justice, he instead forgave the offenders
• In February, Hao Datong practiced seated meditation beneath the stone bridge in Wozhou
• Sun Bu'er (Serene Mistress of Clear Tranquility) settled at Phoenix Immortal Cave in Luoyang after ancestral rites in Guanzhong

Dading 16 (1176 CE):

• Tan Chuduan traveled through Mingzhou, lodging at Baijiatan
• In June, Hao Datong dreamed of deities revealing esoteric meanings of the Yijing (Book of Changes), upon awakening he painted 33 hexagram diagrams

Dading 17 (1177 CE):

• Tan Chuduan inscribed "Tortoise-Serpent" characters at a Gaotang County teahouse to suppress fire. When the county later suffered a great blaze, only this establishment remained unharmed

Dading 18 (1178 CE):

• In August, Ma Yu departed Liu-Jiang to propagate the Dao westward at Longshan's Huating
• Liu Chuxuan relocated to Cloud Stream Cave northeast of Luoyang. As disciples multiplied, he excavated three wells

(Note: The term "huan" refers to circular thatched huts used by Quanzhen adepts for cultivation; "xinghua" denotes itinerant teaching of the Dao)

This passage records the activities of the Seven Masters of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition during the Dading era (1161–1189) of the Jin dynasty, focusing primarily on Master Ma Yu, the Danyang Zhenren (Perfected of Cinnabar Yang):

Year 1179 (19th year of Dading):

• On the 15th day of the second month, the 57-year-old Danyang Zhenren entered a 100-day retreat in Huating County with his disciple Li Dacheng.
• In the eighth month, he moved to Youde Temple in Longzhou to continue his retreat.
• On the 18th day of the eleventh month, he emerged from seclusion and ordained Li Zihe as a monastic disciple at Goudou Fort.
• Meanwhile, Tan Chuduan, the Changzhen Zhenren (Perfected of Eternal Truth), practiced cultivation at the Fujun Temple in Huojia County, Weizhou.

Year 1180 (20th year of Dading):

• In spring, Zhao Penglai of Chang’an donated his residence to establish a hermitage for Danyang Zhenren.
• On the 24th day of the eighth month, the people of Chang’an requested the master to pray for rain. He composed a poem predicting rain the following day, which indeed came to pass.
• Qiu Chuji, the Changchun Zhenren (Perfected of Eternal Spring), relocated from Panxi to Longmen Mountain in Longzhou for cultivation.
• Changzhen Zhenren practiced at the Xili Hermitage in Tongzhou.

Year 1181 (21st year of Dading):

• In the fourth month, the 59-year-old Danyang Zhenren entered retreat at the Zhuyuan Hermitage in Liu-Jiang Village, Huxian County.
• On the 15th day of the seventh month (Zhongyuan Festival), he presided over a Huanglu Zhaijiao (a Daoist purification ritual for the salvation of souls) before returning to the Ancestral Hermitage.
• Changzhen Zhenren cultivated at the Chunyang Cave in Huayin County.
• Liu Chuxuan, the Changsheng Zhenren (Perfected of Eternal Life), returned to Laizhou.

Year 1182 (22nd year of Dading):

• In the fourth month, the 60-year-old Danyang Zhenren returned to Ninghai.
• In the twelfth month, he preached to fishermen in Wendeng, inspiring many to burn their nets and abandon the trade.
• On the eighth day of the twelfth month, a mirage appeared over the southern sea, prompting locals to compose celebratory verses.
• Changsheng Zhenren established a hermitage in Wuguan to annotate the Daode Jing and Huangting Jing.
• In autumn, Wang Chuyi, the Yuyang Zhenren (Perfected of Jade Yang), visited Danyang Zhenren in Ninghai.
• Hao Datong, the Guangning Zhenren (Perfected of Vast Serenity), lectured on the Dao in Zhending Prefecture, often attracting hundreds of listeners.
• On the 29th day of the twelfth month, Sun Bu’er, the Qingjing Sanren (Unfettered Dame of Clarity and Stillness), achieved yuhua (ascension, the Daoist term for passing) in Luoyang at the age of 64.

Year 1183 (23rd year of Dading):

• In the fourth month, the 61-year-old Danyang Zhenren spread teachings in Zhiyang.
• During the Xiayuan Festival (15th day of the tenth month), while conducting a ritual in Wendeng, the founding patriarch Wang Chongyang manifested in divine form.

This chronicle illustrates the early Quanzhen masters’ diverse activities—preaching, solitary cultivation, and ritual ceremonies—demonstrating the widespread influence of Daoism among the populace at the time.

This passage from the Chronicle of the Seven Perfected records the deeds of several important Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) Daoist masters during the Dading era (1161-1189) of the Jin dynasty:

On the 22nd day of the 12th month in the 23rd year of Dading (1183), Danyang Zhenren (Ma Yu) achieved ascension at Youxian Palace in Laiyang County. Changsheng Zhenren (Liu Chuxuan) and Yuyang Zhenren (Wang Chuyi) jointly presided over the funeral rites and kept vigil at the tomb for one hundred days before returning to their respective hermitages.

On the 18th day of the 1st month in the 24th year of Dading (1184), Changsheng Zhenren conducted a zhaijiao (purification ritual) at Jiang Shoujing's residence in Changyang County. At noon, the deceased founding patriarch Chongyang (Wang Chongyang) appeared amidst colorful clouds wearing a cloud-patterned crown and crimson robes, accompanied by Danyang Zhenren with his distinctive triple-chignon hairstyle. During a severe drought in May, the prefect of Dengzhou requested Changsheng Zhenren to pray for rain. Miraculously, a fata morgana appeared at Zhudao Island. The next day, Danyang Zhenren manifested again northwest of Yingxian Bridge, and abundant rain fell that very day.

On the 1st day of the 4th month in the 25th year of Dading (1185), Changzhen Zhenren (Tan Chuduan) achieved ascension at Chaoyuan Palace in Luoyang. His surviving collection of poetry is titled Shuiyun Ji (Anthology of Water and Clouds).

In winter of the 26th year of Dading (1186), Changchun Zhenren (Qiu Chuji) left Longmen Mountain to reside at the ancestral temple on Zhongnan Mountain.

On the 13th day of the 11th month in the 27th year of Dading (1187), Yuyang Zhenren was summoned to Yanjing by imperial decree of Emperor Shizong of Jin. When the emperor inquired about the Dao of longevity, the master replied: "Cherishing Jing (essence) and preserving Shen (spirit) are essential for self-cultivation, while clarity and Wuwei (non-action) form the foundation for governing a state." The emperor treated him with exceptional courtesy appropriate for a transcendent being.

In the 2nd month of the 28th year of Dading (1188), Changchun Zhenren was summoned to the capital. On the 11th day, the emperor commanded him to preside over the zhaijiao rituals for the imperial birthday celebration (Wanchun Festival) and bestowed upon him ceremonial robes. By the 4th month he was ordered to reside at an official temple, received an audience at Changsong Island on the 18th day of the 5th month, presented five poetic compositions in response to the imperial command in the 7th month, and was granted permission to return to Zhongnan Mountain during the Mid-Autumn Festival. That same month, Yuyang Zhenren also received permission to return to his mountain retreat. In the 12th month when the emperor fell ill, envoys were again dispatched to summon Yuyang Zhenren, who sensed this might be their final meeting.

This passage records the activities of several important figures from the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition during the Jin Dynasty:

In 1189 (the 29th year of the Dading era), the 43-year-old Changsheng Zhenren (Perfected Immortal Liu Chuxuan) was in the capital on the third day of the first lunar month when Yuyang Zhenren (Perfected Immortal Wang Chuyi) arrived. The emperor instructed Changsheng Zhenren to preside over a zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) for the deceased former emperor before returning.

In 1190 (the first year of the Mingchang era), the 44-year-old Changsheng Zhenren observed the Dragon Boat Festival. A wealthy man named Liu Zhi from Laiyang County invited Yuyang Zhenren to a vegetarian feast and confided his distress about lacking an heir. The master said, "Your household is prosperous and observes proper rites—your lineage should not end here," then wrote the four characters "si si ying zhen" (four-four responding truth). The following year on the fourteenth day of the fourth month, Liu indeed had a son and returned to request a name. The master said, "I've already named him Yingzhen. Today marks the descent of Chunyang Zhenjun (Perfected Lord Lü Dongbin)."

In 1191 (the second year of Mingchang), the 45-year-old Changsheng Zhenren witnessed Changchun Zhenren (Perfected Immortal Qiu Chuji) returning east in the tenth month to reside at the Taixu Temple in Qixia.

In 1192 (the third year of Mingchang), the 46-year-old Changsheng Zhenren observed Changchun Zhenren conducting a zhaijiao ritual at Zhiyang Cave in the tenth month.

In 1194 (the fifth year of Mingchang), the 48-year-old Changsheng Zhenren recorded that during Changchun Zhenren's zhaijiao at Fushan County in the ninth month, the celestial gates opened revealing auspicious cranes—poems commemorating this were later included in the Panxi Collection.

In 1197 (the second year of the Cheng'an era), the 51-year-old Changsheng Zhenren noted that in the sixth month, Yuyang Zhenren was summoned by the emperor. On the third day of the seventh month, they conversed seated in a side palace. When the emperor inquired about longevity practices, their discussion lasted until dusk. The next day, the master was honored with the title "Master Who Embodies the Mysterious" (Ti Xuan Da Shi), purple Daoist robes, and custodianship of two temples in Yanjing (modern Beijing)—Xiuzhen and Chongfu—with freedom to reside there and a monthly stipend of 200 strings of coins for rituals. That winter, Changsheng Zhenren himself received an imperial summons. When asked about profound truths, he replied: "The essence of self-cultivation lies in reducing desires; the way to govern lies in lightening taxes." The emperor praised this, saying, "Your words echo those of Guangchengzi (the legendary immortal from Huangdi's era)!" He then arranged for the master to reside at Tianchang Temple through his attendants.

The Chronicle of the Seven Perfected records the significant activities of several Daoist masters during the Jin Dynasty's Cheng'an to Taihe era (1198-1208):

In the third year of Cheng'an (1198), Perfected Changsheng (Liu Chuxuan) was 52 years old. His responses to the emperor's inquiries earned great favor, and in the third month, he was granted permission to return to Mount Lao. The emperor bestowed plaques for five Daoist temples: Lingxu Guan (Numinous Void Temple), Taiwei Guan (Grand Subtlety Temple), Longxiang Guan (Soaring Dragon Temple), Jixian Guan (Assembly of Immortals Temple), and Miaozhen Guan (Marvelous Perfection Temple), tasking him with establishing these temples and guiding disciples. At that time, Perfected Yuyang (Wang Chuyi) was still in the capital. In spring, the abbot of Lü Hermitage from Zhongnan Mountain arrived in the capital to petition on behalf of his master to convert the ancestral hermitage into Lingxu Guan. The court approved and entrusted the official documents to the abbot for temple affairs, composing poems to see him off. In summer, Perfected Changsheng returned east by imperial decree to care for his parents.

In the fourth year of Cheng'an (1199), Perfected Changsheng was 53 years old. That year, Perfected Changchun (Qiu Chuji) conducted a zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) in Zhiyang.

In the first year of Taihe (1201), Perfected Changsheng, now 55, composed Treatise on the Dao's Rewards and Punishments while traveling in Guangling. The same year, Perfected Yuyang was summoned to preside over a Grand Universal Ritual (Putian Dajiao) at the Taiqing Gong (Grand Clarity Temple) in Bozhou. His poems on this occasion were recorded in the Collection of Cloud Radiance.

In the second year of Taihe (1202), auspicious signs of jade flowers and trees appeared during Perfected Changsheng's ritual in Binzhou, with related poems preserved in the Panyang Collection. Perfected Changchun also conducted rituals in Zhiyang that year.

On the sixth day of the second month in the third year of Taihe (1203), the 57-year-old Perfected Changsheng achieved ascension (passed away) at Lingxu Guan in Wuguan. That same year, Perfected Yuyang was again summoned to lead the Grand Universal Ritual at Taiqing Gong in Bozhou, initiating over a thousand Daoist disciples during the ceremony.

In the fifth year of Taihe (1205), the 58-year-old Perfected Changchun presided over rituals in Laizhou during the fifth month, where auspicious cranes and colorful clouds appeared. His verses on this event were included in the Panxi Collection.

In the seventh year of Taihe (1207), the imperial consort donated two sets of the Daoist Canon (Daozang), sending one to Taixu Guan (Grand Void Temple) in Qixia and the other to Yuxu Guan (Jade Void Temple) in Shengshui.

This passage records significant events from the later years of Quanzhen Patriarch Eternal Spring (Qiu Chuji) and several other eminent Daoist figures:

In the first year of the Da'an era (1209), the 62-year-old Eternal Spring Patriarch composed twenty poems while visiting Mount Ao. On the fourteenth day of the seventh lunar month that same year, Jade Yang Patriarch (Wang Chuyi) accepted an invitation from Beijing official Bolumulu to reside at Huayang Temple. During a severe drought, officials sought the patriarch's guidance about rainfall, to which he predicted heavy rain would come on the seventeenth—a prophecy that later proved accurate.

In 1210 (Gengwu year of the Dayuan era), when Eternal Spring was 63 years old, Jade Yang Patriarch conducted rituals in Yutian County of Jizhou. After completing the ceremonies, he told the assembly: "The Dao's Qi in the north shall soon return." At that moment, celestial sounds of divine beings moving and clashing swords echoed through the skies, prompting the patriarch to lament that this portended coming suffering for the people.

In 1211, the 64-year-old Eternal Spring Patriarch was summoned to Yanjing (modern Beijing) and visited Langshan in Dexing, composing poems later included in the Mingdao Collection. On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month in 1212, Vast Serenity Patriarch (Hao Datong) achieved feathered transformation (death of an immortal) at Xiantian Temple in Ninghai Prefecture at age 73.

By 1214, the 67-year-old Eternal Spring Patriarch visited Misty Dawn Cave on Mount Kunlun, composing more poetry. In 1216 while residing in Dengzhou at age 69, he declined an imperial summons from Jin Dynasty military inspector Wang Tingyu to Bianjing, citing the need to "follow heavenly principles."

On the twenty-third day of the fourth lunar month in 1217, Jade Yang Patriarch achieved feathered transformation at Jade Void Temple of Sacred Waters, aged 76. In 1218, when the 72-year-old Eternal Spring Patriarch resided at Haotian Temple in Laizhou (with Shandong already under Southern Song control), he again declined a summons from the Southern Song emperor in August. To local officials urging him to stay, he explained his movements transcended ordinary understanding and hinted at his impending departure. That same year in May, Genghis Khan dispatched envoy Liu Zhonglu from the Naiman territory with an imperial summons, reaching Laizhou by December.

(Note: Terms like "ascending to immortality" and "feathered transformation" honor deceased Daoist adepts; "jiao" refers to Daoist sacrificial rites; "the Dao's Qi shall return" prophesies the revival of Daoist fortunes.)

This passage documents the later years of the Eternal Spring Master (Qiu Chuji), chronicling his westward journey to spread the Dao and his significant activities after returning to the Central Plains:

1220 (Gengchen Year), age 73:

In the first lunar month, he departed from Laizhou heading north, arriving in Yanjing (modern Beijing) by the second month. In the fourth month, at the invitation of officials, he conducted a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) at the Supreme Ultimate Palace (Taiji Gong). By the fifth month, he reached Dexing Prefecture, residing at the Dragon Sun Temple (Longyang Guan), and by the eighth month, he stayed at the Court of Celestial Origin Temple (Chaoyuan Guan) in Xuande Prefecture.

1221 (Xinsi Year), age 74:

On the first day of the fifth lunar month, he arrived at the Luju River. By the seventh month, at Mount Abuhan, he left nine disciples including Song Dao'an to establish the Mountain Sunset Temple (Qixia Guan). On the Mid-Autumn Festival (eighth month), he passed through Golden Mountain and encountered the White Bone Desert. By the eleventh month, he reached the city of Yamisigan (Samarkand), composing poetry during this period later compiled in the Collected Echoes of the Dao (Ming Dao Ji).

1222 (Renwu Year), age 75:

In the third month, he traversed the Iron Gate Pass to reach the imperial camp of Genghis Khan. The emperor arranged two tents east of the royal quarters for his residence, frequently consulting him on matters of life cultivation and state governance. Qiu Chuji primarily advised temperance of desires, reverence for life, and the principles of Qingjing (clarity and stillness) and Wuwei (non-action), greatly pleasing the emperor who ordered court historians to record these teachings (detailed in Records of Celebrated Gatherings and Journey to the West).

1223 (Guiwei Year), age 76:

On the seventh day of the third lunar month, he received permission to return east, honored with the title "Divine Immortal" and granted authority over all Daoist affairs nationwide. His temples were exempted from corvée labor, with local officials instructed to provide protection. By the sixth month, he reached Fengzhou, arriving in Xuande Prefecture by the eighth month.

1224 (Jiashen Year), age 77:

In the second month, he resided at the Autumn Sun Temple (Qiuyang Guan) in Jinshan. By the third month, responding to Yanjing officials' invitation, he took residence at the Supreme Ultimate Palace, entering the capital with full ceremonial honors that same month.

1225 (Yiyou Year), age 78:

In the ninth month, when the planet Mars (Yinghuo) aligned with the Tail constellation (a celestial omen foretelling regional disaster), Commissioner Wang Ji requested the Master to perform disaster-averting rituals. After the ceremony, Mars indeed retreated from its ominous position.

1226 (Bingxu Year), age 79:

During a severe drought in Yanjing's fifth month, officials and citizens implored him to conduct rain-summoning rites. Torrential rains followed immediately, prompting capital literati to compose celebratory verses.

(Note: "Zhaijiao" refers to Daoist purification rituals; "Yinghuo" is the classical Chinese name for Mars; "Tail constellation" belongs to the twenty-eight lunar mansions system.)

This passage records the later years of Quanzhen Patriarch Qiu Chuji (known as the Eternal Spring Master) and his disciples' praise for the virtues of the Seven Perfected Ones (Qizhen).

In the year 1227 (Dinghai year), the eighty-year-old Eternal Spring Master was in Beijing during a severe drought, and the people came to him seeking rain. The master said, "I was just planning to hold a ritual (jiao: Daoist sacrificial ceremony), and now you come to request it—truly, good things happen in unison." He arranged for a rain-praying ceremony on the first day of the fifth lunar month and a rain-thanking ceremony on the third day, which later proved effective. That same month, the emperor issued a decree renaming the Supreme Ultimate Palace (Taiji Gong) as the Eternal Spring Palace (Changchun Gong). In the sixth month, when the Taiye Pond dried up and the Beikou Mountain collapsed, someone reported this to the master. He smiled and said, "With the mountain crumbling and the waters drying, I suppose it is time for me to follow them."

On the fourth day of the seventh month, the master told his disciples, "Ma Danyang (the foremost of the Seven Perfected Ones) once prophesied that after my passing, the Quanzhen tradition would flourish greatly, with every land becoming a land of the Dao, temples receiving imperial names, and officials holding court credentials overseeing the teachings. Now that all these prophecies have come true, I can depart in peace." On the ninth day, after leaving a eulogy in the Bao Xuan Hall, the master achieved transcendence.

The postscript explains: The ancients compiled chronological biographies to faithfully record the deeds of a lifetime. Though the Seven Perfected Ones transcended worldly concerns, their Daoist teachings profoundly benefited humanity. During the chaotic transition between the Jin and Yuan dynasties, their merits in saving and aiding people were immense. Li Jingzhai of Mount Fenglong remarked, "The Seven Perfected Ones' acts of salvation aligned with Heaven's virtue of nurturing life, and Heaven's love for the people was manifested through their teachings." While reciting scriptures, the author extensively researched the collected works of these patriarchs and various historical records to compile this chronological biography.

The Chronicle of the Seven Perfected records the life events of the seven patriarchs of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition over a span of 116 years, from the birth of founding patriarch Wang Chongyang to the ascension of Changchun Zhenren (Perfected of Eternal Spring) Qiu Chuji. This work meticulously organizes their words and deeds, compiling various biographical sources into a comprehensive chronological account. Where discrepancies exist between different biographical records and the collected writings of these perfected beings, priority is given to their personal writings as more authentic sources.

Alas! While this chronicle presents the broad outlines of the Seven Perfected's lives, their profound states of realization—where stillness resembled withered wood yet concealed dragon-elephant majesty, where voices thundered yet held abyssal silence, where a single spiritual impulse moved in harmony with celestial intent—such mysteries of effortless Wuwei (non-action) transcend the capacity of written words. This compilation merely documents their cultivation and teaching activities to inspire beginning Daoist practitioners, allowing later disciples to understand the fundamental teachings of these patriarchs. Never would we dare show the slightest irreverence toward these fellow travelers of the Dao.

Completed on the Zhongyuan Festival (15th day of the 7th lunar month) in the Xinyou year of the Zhiyuan era (1271 CE), this chronicle was composed by Daoist Li Daoqian, styled Tianle (Celestial Joy), at the Junxi Daoist Temple in the ancestral complex of Zhongnan Mountain.