《續仙傳》

The Daoist adept Xuanzhenzi, originally named Zhang Zhihe, hailed from Shanyin in Kuaiji. A scholar of profound learning who attained the jinshi degree, he was renowned for his prodigious capacity for wine—remaining sober after three dou of liquor. This remarkable cultivator refined his True Primordial Qi to such perfection that he could lie in winter snow without feeling cold and enter water without his clothes becoming damp. He traveled extensively through the mountains and rivers of the realm, maintaining a close friendship with Duke Lu of that era, the great calligrapher Yan Zhenqing.

When Yan Zhenqing served as prefect of Huzhou, he frequently gathered with literary companions for wine and poetry. During one such gathering where they composed verses to the tune of "Fisherman's Song," Zhang Zhihe's opening stanza stood out magnificently: "By Western Mountains egrets take flight, / Peach blossoms flow, mandarin fish grow plump. / Blue bamboo hat and emerald straw cloak—/ Why return home when wind slants with drizzling rain?" Yan Zhenqing, Lu Hongjian, Xu Shiheng, Li Chengju and others composed over twenty poems in response, each praising the others' work. Zhang then took up his brush and spontaneously painted five exquisite landscapes illustrating these poetic scenes—his mastery of flowers, birds and waterscapes reaching such perfection that Yan and his guests passed the artworks around in awe, declaring them unparalleled in past or present.

Later, when Yan Zhenqing journeyed east to Pingwang Station, Zhang Zhihe—in a state of drunken exultation—displayed his spiritual powers upon the water. Spreading a mat across the surface, he sat alone drinking and chanting, the mat moving like a boat at will while celestial cranes circled overhead. As the astonished onlookers watched, Zhang eventually waved farewell from the water's surface before ascending to heaven. To this day, his paintings remain treasured among the people.

Among the Eight Immortals, Lan Caihe's origins remain obscure. Always dressed in tattered indigo robes with a three-inch black wooden belt, he wore one boot while leaving the other foot bare. In summer he stuffed cotton padding into his thin garments, while in winter he slept on snow exhaling steam-like breath. Roaming city streets singing for alms, he carried three-foot clappers and staggered drunkenly through his songs, drawing crowds of all ages. His razor-sharp wit and humorous banter could send listeners into fits of laughter. Seeming half-mad yet not entirely so, he would stomp his feet while singing: "Stomping songs—Lan Caihe! / How much can worldly life be? / Rosy cheeks like toon trees, / Flowing years like flying shuttles. / Ancient folk muddled away, never returning, / Modern crowds bustling in ever more. / At dawn I ride phoenixes to azure skies, / By dusk I see blue seas turn to mulberry fields. / Endless radiance illuminates the void..."

(Note: The original text appears incomplete after "endless radiance illuminates the void," hence not fully translated.)

This passage records the miraculous deeds of three Daoist practitioners, which I interpret as follows:

The first cultivator dwelled beneath towering golden and silver palaces that pierced the clouds. He often sang ethereal songs whose profound meaning ordinary people couldn't fathom. He had a peculiar habit: dragging copper coins tied to a long rope behind him as he walked, never looking back when they scattered. When encountering the poor, he would actively give alms, and frequently visited taverns. Traveling throughout the land, some witnessed him unchanged in appearance from their childhood to old age. Later, while drunkenly singing and stomping rhythms on a balcony in Haoliang, he suddenly ascended skyward amid the sound of cranes and celestial pipes from the clouds, leaving only his boots, robe, sash, and clappers drifting slowly downward.

Zhu Ruzi of Yongjia Angu, from childhood became a disciple of Daoist priest Wang Yuanzheng, practicing cultivation at Daruo Cliff (this very cliff was where Tao Hongjing compiled the Zhen'gao scriptures, also called Zhen'ai Cliff, with Tao Mountain to its west). Diligently serving his master and devoted to the immortal path, he often climbed mountains to gather and consume Solomon's Seal herbs, persisting for over a decade. One day while washing vegetables by a stream, he suddenly spotted two spotted dogs chasing each other on the bank. Following them curiously to a wolfberry thicket, his master later accompanied him to investigate, where they indeed saw the two dogs playfully burrowing into the plants. Digging revealed two wolfberry roots shaped like spotted dogs and hard as stone. During three days and nights of boiling while tending the fire, Zhu tasted the sweet liquid and couldn't resist eating the softened roots. Instantly he ascended to a mountain peak, bidding farewell to his master before riding clouds away—later generations named this peak "Youth Summit." After Wang Yuanzheng consumed the remaining roots, he lived an unknown number of years in seclusion on Tao Mountain's western slope, occasionally glimpsed by woodcutters.

Wang Lao of Yijun County in Fangzhou lived rurally while delighting in charity, his wife sharing this virtuous disposition. One day a shabbily dressed old Daoist came to their door and received their warm hospitality. After a month's stay, the Daoist suddenly developed body sores, yet the couple personally prepared medicine and cared for him without disgust. Upon recovery, the Daoist left behind a gourd whose fermented wine could be smelled for miles, drawing local crowds to buy it. Years later when the Daoist returned, the couple followed him into mountain cultivation. Later sightings reported them riding blue donkeys through the clouds.

The Continued Biographies of Immortals records two marvelous tales:

The first recounts Wang Lao's miraculous cure for ulcers. Suffering from severe sores covering his body, Wang sought medical treatment for over a year only to see his condition worsen. A Daoist priest informed him these ulcers required no ordinary medicine - immersion in several hu (an ancient measurement) of wine would bring complete healing. After Wang carefully brewed fine wine, the priest entered a large wine vat for three days. Emerging rejuvenated, his beard and hair had turned jet black, his skin as smooth as congealed cream. The priest declared this wine could make drinkers ascend to heaven, and indeed Wang's entire household floated skyward after drinking it - even their chickens and dogs ascended with them. Later, the "Village of Ascended Immortals" appeared thirty li west of Yijun County, said to be the site of their celestial departure.

The second story tells of Hou Daohua. Claiming to hail from Mount Emei, he behaved eccentrically at Yongle Temple where priests scorned him. Yet he displayed remarkable capability, voluntarily repairing all damaged temple structures and fearlessly working in dangerous areas. He performed menial tasks without complaint - drawing water to wash visitors' feet, laundering clothes, watering gardens. The more others despised him, the more cheerful he became. An avid reader never seen without a book, his declaration that "there are no ignorant immortals in heaven" provoked widespread laughter. Over a decade later, when mysterious radiance suddenly appeared on the temple's roof beams, people recalled the legend of Celestial Master (Tianshi) Liu's successful alchemical practices there during the Kaiyuan era.

This passage records the miraculous deeds of two Tang Dynasty Daoist adepts. First is the story of Hou Daohua:

Hou Daohua discovered a small golden box hidden in the temple beam of his Daoist monastery, containing an elixir which he swallowed. At first nothing happened, and everyone thought he was talking nonsense. One day after returning drunk, he suddenly took an axe and climbed an ancient pine tree in front of the monastery, cutting off all its branches. The other Daoists couldn't stop him as he kept muttering, "These branches will hinder my ascension." When the county magistrate visited and saw the mutilated tree, he became furious and severely reprimanded Hou Daohua.

Seven days later, Hou Daohua bathed and burned incense, announcing that celestial envoys would come to receive him. The crowd remained skeptical until suddenly, clouds and cranes began circling above the pine tree accompanied by heavenly music. Witnesses saw Hou Daohua fly to the treetop and ascend to heaven in full view of everyone. The magistrate who had scolded him prostrated himself in terror until his forehead bled. Hou Daohua waved farewell, saying: "By the decree of the Jade Emperor, I'm to serve as an immortal official in the Shangqing Palace." With these words, he disappeared into the celestial procession among the clouds.

Next are the wonders of Ma Ziran (original name Ma Xiang):

A native of Yanguan County in Hangzhou, he originally worked as a government clerk but preferred reading and traveling. Once in Huzhou, he fell drunk into the Zha Stream but emerged a full day later completely dry, claiming Xiang Yu had invited him for wine. The crowd that gathered could smell alcohol emanating from him.

He often displayed various supernatural abilities: inserting his fist completely into his nostril and withdrawing it unharmed; making stream waters flow backward; pointing at willow trees to make them move with the current; and causing broken bridges to reconnect themselves. Later, Ma Zhi, the governor of Changzhou who had long heard of his fame, specially invited him for an audience. These accounts illustrate the traditional Daoist belief in adepts manifesting supernatural powers upon attaining the Dao.

This passage records the miraculous deeds of Tang Dynasty Daoist Ma Xiang (courtesy name Ziran), showcasing the supernatural powers and transformative teachings of a cultivated Daoist practitioner.

While a guest at a governor's residence, Ma Xiang was asked by the company to demonstrate his abilities. He planted melon seeds in a porcelain bowl filled with soil, and in moments, vines sprouted, blossomed, and bore fruit. The melons the guests ate were exceptionally sweet. He then continuously drew copper coins from his sleeves and socks, and when he tossed them into a well, they flew back out at his command. Most astonishingly, by tapping a plate with chopsticks and letting out a long whistle, he summoned a swarm of rats. Ma Xiang admonished the lead rat, saying: "You insignificant creatures—Heaven provides you with sustenance, so why must you burrow and trouble humans? Though I am compassionate and reluctant to kill, you must depart at once." The rats kowtowed in repentance before migrating en masse, and from then on, the city suffered no more rat infestations.

Later, Ma Xiang traveled south to Yuezhou (modern-day Shaoxing) with his fellow Daoist Wang Zhiwei and disciple Wang Yansou, passing by the Dongyan Chan Monastery. Three hundred monks were dining but, upon seeing the Daoists arrive, offered no greeting—only serving them rice. Ma Xiang did not touch his meal and urged his companions to finish quickly and leave. Suddenly, the monks found themselves paralyzed, unable to rise from their beds. The monastery dispatched two senior monks to chase after them, traveling over seventy li overnight before finding them at an inn in Zhuji County. The monks kowtowed and pleaded, admitting their discourtesy and begging for the punishment to be lifted. Ma Xiang feigned sleep with closed eyes, while Wang Zhiwei and his disciple smiled without speaking—only relenting after repeated entreaties.

These stories embody the Daoist principle of "using supernatural means to enlighten others" (shentong duhua)—those who attain cultivation may employ extraordinary methods to guide people, yet always maintain a compassionate heart. The tale of the rats illustrates the doctrine that "the Dao of Heaven favors life" (tiandao haosheng), offering instruction even to pests before resorting to force. Meanwhile, the monastery episode demonstrates the Daoist emphasis on propriety (liyi), showing that disrespect toward practitioners invites karmic retribution.

This passage records the miraculous deeds of Xu Xiang (courtesy name Zhiwei), a Daoist priest of the Tang dynasty. The story begins with a monk behaving disrespectfully; Xu Xiang warned him against such conduct, and indeed the monk later fell from his bed as predicted.

The following spring, while traveling south, Xu Xiang came across a household cultivating fine cabbages. When his request for some was refused and met with insults, he had his attendant fetch paper and brush, painted an egret, and upon spritzing it with water, the bird flew into the cabbage patch and began pecking at the vegetables. As the owner chased it away, Xu Xiang painted a small dog that pursued the egret, trampling the garden into chaos. Only when the owner begged for mercy did Xu Xiang laugh and recall the painted creatures—whereupon the garden miraculously restored itself.

Later, while lodging at an inn, the host jokingly claimed there were no beds left unless the Daoist could sleep on the wall. Xu Xiang then hung upside-down from a beam to sleep, startling the host when he rose at night. He could also pass through walls at will, only revealing himself when the host respectfully invited him back.

Most astonishing was his feat at Tianbao Temple in Yongkang County. Pointing at an ancient pine tree said to be three thousand years old, he declared it would turn to stone—and so it did. The petrified pine was later split into four sections by the then-prefect of Wuzhou (formerly the military governor of Guangzhou), with two placed in the government office and two in the Nine Pines Courtyard of Longxing Temple. Each section stood six or seven feet tall and over three feet thick, its bark patterns still visible to this day. These marvels demonstrate the supernatural transformative powers cultivated by Daoist practitioners.

This recounts the miraculous deeds of two Tang dynasty Daoist masters.

The story of Ma Ziran (Daoist name Ma Xiang) healing the sick: He used no medicine, only tapping patients' afflicted areas with a bamboo staff. For internal organ or bodily ailments, he would point the staff at the affected area, blow on its tip with a thunderous sound, and the patient would recover. Those hunched over and leaning on canes who came seeking treatment would immediately stand upright after being struck by his staff. When people offered him money, he would refuse at first, but if they insisted, he accepted it—only to distribute it to the poor. The temples and caves he visited during his travels often bore his inscribed poems. One poem, written on Qinwang Mountain, mentioned: the primordial Dao (Taiyi) from the dawn of the universe is now hard to find, leaving only the fickle human heart; as heaven and earth turn and mountains and rivers shift, even Emperor Qin's delusion of commanding the mountains and filling the seas could not withstand the natural law of time's relentless change.

Later, he returned to his hometown to visit family. He told his sister-in-law he wanted to divide the ancestral property, keeping only the eastern garden. His family was puzzled—why would he bring up dividing the estate so soon after returning? For three days, Ma Ziran ate nothing but drank wine, then suddenly passed away that night. When his elder brother returned, he understood that his younger brother had achieved Daoist cultivation—this was his way of "transformation through entrustment" (a Daoist term for adepts feigning death to sever worldly attachments). During the burial, the coffin suddenly emitted a loud noise. The following year, officials reported that he had ascended to immortality (a Daoist term for achieving transcendence) in Jianzhou, while in Hangzhou, when his coffin was opened for inspection, only a bamboo staff remained inside.

The story of another Daoist, Wu Tongwei: No one knew his origins. He wandered the famous mountains of Hongzhou for years. In meditation, his spirit was clear and vibrant; sometimes he recited poetry, other times he drank himself into a stupor. Strangely, when people met him again after a decade or more, he appeared even younger than before—and this cycle repeated endlessly.

Xu Que claimed to be a native of Gaoyang. In his youth, he repeatedly failed the imperial civil service examinations. In his later years, he went to Mount Wangwu to study the Dao. He traveled extensively through the Five Sacred Mountains and major grotto-heavens (sacred Daoist cultivation sites), starting from Mount Emei, passing through the two capitals of Chang'an and Luoyang, then journeying through Jingxiang and Bian-Song regions before finally reaching the Jianghuai area. He visited all the famous Daoist mountains—Mount Mao, Mount Tiantai, Mount Siming, Mount Xiandu, Mount Weiyu, Mount Wuyi, Mount Huotong, and Mount Luofu.

Wherever he went, he loved inscribing cliffs in inaccessible locations with the words: "Xu Que, having sought Master Yanyue from Mount Emei, arrived here." Those who saw these inscriptions marveled, yet no one knew who "Master Yanyue" truly was. Later, he often stayed around Lujiang. Once, while drunk, he recited a poem:

"Drunk in the flowered groves of the Jasper Pool,

I overturned the Queen Mother's nine-glow wine cup.

The immortals deemed me far too wild and free,

And banished me to the mortal world as a drunken madman."

When curious onlookers questioned him, he replied, "I was originally a celestial immortal, exiled for misconduct at the Kunlun Immortal Banquet." People laughed at his apparent madness. Then, on a certain spring day, he adorned his head with flowers, drunkenly danced and sang atop a tavern, before finally ascending into the heavens on a cloud.

Jin Keji was a man from Silla (modern-day Korean Peninsula) who came as a foreign scholar and passed the imperial examinations. Reserved by nature, he revered Daoism, shunned extravagance, and often practiced fuqi (Daoist breath cultivation) and lianxing (body refinement techniques). He was also skilled in herbal medicine. Erudite, elegant in writing, and dignified in appearance, his speech and conduct bore the refined manners of the Central Plains.

After passing the exams, however, he retreated to Ziwu Valley in the Zhongnan Mountains, living as a hermit and personally cultivating rare flowers and fruits. He often burned incense in silent meditation, deep in thought, while continuously reciting the Daode Jing and other immortal scriptures. Three years later, he once considered returning to his homeland, but after crossing the sea, he donned Daoist robes and returned to Zhongnan. Secretly accumulating virtue and performing good deeds, he responded to every request with diligence beyond ordinary reach.

In the twelfth month of the eleventh year of the Dazhong era, he suddenly submitted a memorial stating:

"Your subject has received the edict of the Jade Emperor, appointing me as Vice Minister of the Yingwen Terrace. On the twenty-fifth day of the second month next year, I shall ascend to heaven."

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was astonished and sent eunuchs to summon him to the palace, but he firmly declined. When asked to produce the Jade Emperor's edict, he explained that it was held by other immortals and could not remain in the mortal world. True to his word, he ascended at the appointed time.

This passage records the miraculous deeds of two Daoist practitioners from the Tang Dynasty, presented in two parts:

The first part describes the wondrous phenomena accompanying an anonymous Daoist's celestial ascension. While dwelling alone in quiet meditation, palace maids and attendants would often hear laughter and conversation from his chamber. Peeking inside, they witnessed celestial officials and maidens seated within, surrounded by divine guards. On the morning of the fifteenth day of the second lunar month, amidst brilliant spring scenery, multicolored auspicious clouds suddenly filled the sky accompanied by immortal cranes and white swans. As celestial music wafted through the air, numerous immortal processions appeared across the heavens. Before a crowd that filled the mountain valley, the Daoist ascended to immortality in a magnificent carriage, leaving all witnesses awestruck and prostrating in reverence.

The second part recounts the legendary tales of Daoist Song Xuanbai. This exceptionally handsome practitioner stood over seven feet tall, wearing padded clothes in summer while lying bare-chested in snow during winter, his body emitting steam that prevented snow from touching him. He could extinguish lamps with his fingers and move grass and trees without physical contact. While traveling through famous mountains practicing grain avoidance (a fasting technique), he maintained an unusual fondness for alcohol, consuming five catties of pork with garlic paste and two dou of wine per meal. Strangely, those who ate garlic he offered claimed it transformed into an exquisite fragrance, and these individuals later lived to eighty or ninety years old without illness before passing peacefully.

Wherever Song Xuanbai traveled, he would purchase two or three beautiful concubines only to abandon them when departing, leading people to believe he possessed secret longevity techniques for "replenishing the brain and restoring primordial essence." During severe droughts in Yuezhou and Xinzhou, when local officials failed to summon rain through prayers, Song successfully invoked torrential rains through incense offerings and prayers, earning him divine veneration from the local populace.

This passage records the miraculous deeds of three Daoist practitioners.

The first was the adept Xuan Bai, who could use flying nails to pin the eyes of the City God (the deity guarding the city walls). When Inspector Wei Delin suspected him of hiding women, Xuan Bai again pinned the City God's eyes. The inspector deemed this sorcery and sought to punish him. But when officers tried to arrest Xuan Bai, their limbs became paralyzed, all collapsing to the ground while their instruments of torture broke spontaneously. Xuan Bai laughed and said to the inspector: "Does Your Excellency not recall how Liu Gen (a famous Han dynasty fangshi) once punished your ancestor?" The terrified inspector immediately prayed for mercy. Soon heavy rain fell, forcing the inspector to respectfully see Xuan Bai off. Later, Xuan Bai achieved daylight ascension to immortality in Nancheng County of Fuzhou.

The second was Daoist priest He Zizhen, whose origins remained unknown. Dwelling in Mount Song to cultivate the Dao, he possessed profound learning and impeccable conduct, diligently maintaining incense offerings year after year. Though appearing youthful, none knew his true age. Local monks and laypeople who'd seen him for decades found nothing unusual about his agelessness. One day, as auspicious clouds and cranes filled the sky accompanied by celestial music, He Zizhen suddenly ascended heavenward. Hermit Chen Tao in Luoyang witnessed the entire city gazing upward in reverent awe, composing poetry to commemorate the marvel.

The third was an unnamed old medicine peddler. When asked his name, he'd simply reply "Medicine Seller" was his true appellation. Those who'd seen him from childhood to old age noted his unchanging appearance. Carrying a large gourd of medicines, he gave remedies freely to rich and poor alike, all proving miraculously effective. But those who mockingly sought medicine without illness would invariably lose the doses they received, making people dare not approach him lightly and revere him as a divine being. Often drunk in the city, he distributed all earnings to the poor. When jokingly asked if he sold the Great Returning Elixir of immortality, he'd say: "Certainly - one pellet costs a thousand strings of cash," earning him laughter as a madman. Frequently he'd scold people in the streets: "Those with wealth who won't buy medicine end up as dirt dumplings!" None understood his meaning, laughing all the harder. Later while vending medicines in Chang'an, he shook his empty gourd and vanished.

Feng Qushe was a native of Longqiu in Quzhou who lived at the foot of Jiufeng Mountain. From childhood, he devoted himself to Daoist cultivation. He traveled extensively to study Daoist arts, pursuing his practice with single-minded dedication and tireless effort. In his thirties, he settled at the Anhe Temple in Songyang County, Chuzhou—a place where the renowned Daoist master Ye Jingneng had once practiced.

About five li north of the temple stood Mount Mao, rising over fifty zhang in height. Legend held that both the Han-dynasty Celestial Master (Tianshi) Zhang and Ye Jingneng had cultivated the Dao on this mountain. Inspired by these predecessors, Feng Qushe ascended Mount Mao and built a thatched hermitage to dwell in. Later, fellow Daoists from the temple and local villagers joined forces to construct proper halls for him, enshrining statues of Laozi, Celestial Master Zhang, and a true portrait of Ye Jingneng. There, he practiced devoutly each morning and evening.

Southeast of the mountain lay a massive rectangular boulder, naturally formed and over two zhang wide, its surface smooth as a whetstone. Feng often sat upon it in deep meditation. One day, he received a revelation from a divine being who told him: "Beneath this stone lie two demon-slaying swords and a vial of elixir left by Celestial Master Zhang. You may take them." Feng modestly declined, saying, "This stone was placed by heaven, not moved by human strength. I merely guard my innate truth here in practice, having long enjoyed divine protection—how could I presume to take the swords and elixir?" The deity responded, "Persist diligently in your cultivation, and the swords and elixir shall naturally come to you."

Three years later, the deity indeed presented Feng with the Seven-Star Sword and the elixir. The medicine was stored in a stone casket—when poured out, it filled over a dou measure, gleaming like crimson hemp seeds. Feng consumed some himself and used it to heal the sick, achieving remarkable results.

During that time, a man named Hua Zao from Lishui County took advantage of the chaos during the Tang dynasty's Zhonghe era to seize control of strategic terrain (the court, seeking to quell unrest, appointed him as prefect). This cruel individual, upon hearing of Feng's acquisition of the sword and elixir, imprisoned the Daoist in an empty room. It was midsummer, yet for an entire month, he denied Feng both food and drink.

This passage records the wondrous accounts of two Daoist practitioners attaining the Dao and ascending to immortality.

First, there was the Daoist Qu She. After his death, when people opened his chamber, they found his countenance solemn and his complexion even more radiant than in life. He later dwelled in the mountains for fifteen years, often speaking of seeing extraordinary creatures like dragons and tigers roaming his courtyard. When other Daoists burned incense and prayed atop the mountain, they too frequently witnessed traces of these mythical beasts. For years, Qu She abstained from ordinary food, and if anyone defiled his cultivation site, they would be attacked by fierce beasts or venomous snakes. During thunderstorms, he could perceive the Thunder God, Lightning Mother, dragon spirits, and ghostly retinues moving about the mountains—all of whom treated him with great courtesy.

Even more remarkably, some Daoists heard laughter and conversation emanating from Qu She's meditation chamber at night. Peering inside, they detected an extraordinary fragrance filling the mountain air and beheld four magnificently attired divine beings (wearing distant-wandering crowns, crimson official robes, spiral topknots with flowing hair, and azure gauze garments) sitting casually with him, surrounded by jade attendants radiating divine light. Fifteen years later, Qu She announced his impending departure, and sure enough, one day colorful clouds and phoenix cranes descended as a five-colored divine carriage escorted him in his celestial ascent. Though his dwelling later burned in a wildfire, spiritual traces remained, and to this day Daoists still establish altars there for rituals.

Then there was Xie Ziran, a woman from Huayang in Sichuan who began cultivating the Dao from childhood. When her teacher showed her the Huang-Lao Immortal Scriptures, she memorized them at a glance. As she matured, her qi became extraordinary—she excelled at qin zither playing, calligraphy, and composed elegant writings. Disdaining the character of Zhuo Wenjun (a famous historical beauty), she frequently made offerings to the Queen Mother of the West and Ma Gu (two prominent female immortals), admiring the noble character of Lady Wei of Southern Peak (a renowned female transcendent). At forty, she wandered freely across sacred sites like Mount Qingcheng, Mount Damian, and Mount Emei (all containing Jinglu and Zhi—Daoist cultivation centers).

This Daoist cultivator left the Shu region, passed through the capital Luoyang, and journeyed to the Jianghuai area. He diligently sought out every famous grotto-heaven, numinous cave, and spiritually potent ancient site along his path. Later, hearing that the eminent Tang dynasty Daoist master Sima Chengzhen resided at Jade Empyrean Peak on Mount Tiantai, renowned for his extraordinary mastery of the Daoist arts, he went to pay homage and request instruction.

For three years he served Sima Chengzhen, dwelling in mountain wilderness and daily gathering firewood to prepare his master's meals. Each return was accompanied by offerings of incense, candles, and fresh fruits as he earnestly sought Daoist teachings. Struck by such devotion, Sima Chengzhen marveled: "My virtue is shallow—how can I bear such piety? What is it you truly seek?" The cultivator replied: "I've come ten thousand li drawn by your reputation, seeking only transmission of the Daoist arts that transcend worldly dust—nothing more."

Considering that female practitioners (nüzhen) rarely inherit supreme teachings, and fearing potential violation of celestial secrets that might profane the Great Dao, Sima Chengzhen gave only ambiguous responses. After another year, the cultivator sighed: "The enlightened master refuses transmission—this must be karmic destiny." Gazing from Jade Empyrean Peak, the Penglai immortal isles seemed almost within reach across the azure sea, yet he feared he'd never encounter another true master in the human realm. He bid Sima Chengzhen farewell to seek the Dao at Penglai.

Renouncing all possessions, he donned coarse hemp clothes and began bigu (the Daoist practice of grain abstinence), taking only a reed mat as he cast himself into the ocean. Floating upon the waves, he was rescued by a Silla (ancient Korean) merchant vessel. For days aboard, he witnessed indigo seas where sunset transformed waves into liquid fire, the ship seemingly sailing through flames as phosphorescence lit the waters.

After over a year's voyage, winds drove them into inky black waters, then through seas colored powdered white, cinnabar red, and sulfur yellow. When winds shifted, they drifted into a bay where a mountain blazed golden in sunlight. The island's fragrant flora and all creatures—whether winged or four-legged—shone yellow. Crew members ashore discovered every stone, large or small, was pure sulfur. Merchants jettisoned other cargo to load this mineral treasure.

At each color boundary, the crew performed triple ritual prostrations. Five days and nights of sailing left them utterly disoriented. Another month brought terrifying crosswinds—until a mountain surged from the sea bristling with countless red banners. The navigator identified these as a whale's dorsal fins. In clear weather, they witnessed hundred-li water spouts with storm-like force—the whale's blowhole respiration. Thereafter, they encountered myriad marine spirits and bizarre oceanic deities in unimaginable forms.

The Continued Biographies of Immortals records the stories of two Daoist practitioners:

The first part recounts the immortal-seeking journey of a woman named Xie Ziran. Burning incense in prayer to visit the Penglai Immortal Isles, she suddenly found herself on a mountain where spring-like scenery unfolded—lush trees, blooming flowers, birds singing amidst swirling clouds and mist. A boatman suggested they rest on the mountain while waiting for favorable winds, and the group dispersed to explore. Alone, Xie wandered until she encountered several Daoist priests accompanied by attendants in blue robes. The trees there resonated with metallic chimes when stirred by the wind, while the fragrance of flowers and herbs refreshed the heart. In the courtyard, colorful luan birds, white cranes, azure pheasants, and multicolored dogs roamed freely. One dignified priest, wearing a floral crown and draped in rosy ceremonial robes, inquired about her purpose. Xie replied she sought to reach Penglai to study the Dao. Smiling, the priest explained that Penglai lay beyond 300,000 li of the Weak Waters, inaccessible to mortals, and advised her to seek out Sima Chengzhen (a master of the Shangqing lineage) on Mount Tiantai instead. When the wind suddenly rose, the boatman urged everyone aboard, but contrary winds blew them back to Taizhou after three days. Delighted, Xie journeyed to Mount Tiantai, where she recounted her extraordinary experience to Sima Chengzhen and apologized. She later received transmissions of Shangqing practices and ultimately achieved ascension in broad daylight during the Zhenyuan era.

The second part describes the spiritual cultivation of Pei Xuanjing, daughter of Pei Sheng, magistrate of Goushi County. Exceptionally bright from childhood with a photographic memory, she mastered needlework yet remained single-mindedly devoted to the Dao as an adult. In her quiet chamber, she enshrined a Daoist image, offering daily devotions. Her parents noticed she seemed to converse with unseen presences when alone, yet investigations revealed no one. At twenty, when her parents arranged her marriage to the county official Li Yan, she firmly refused, vowing to pursue liberation through Daoist practice. This account reveals the unwavering determination of Tang-dynasty female practitioners to transcend worldly constraints.

This passage records the immortalization accounts of two Tang dynasty female Daoist practitioners, which I will analyze in two parts:

The first part recounts the story of Li Xuanjing. Her parents opposed her pursuit of Daoist cultivation, believing women should marry to conform to social norms. However, Xuanjing cited the example of Lady Wei (Wei Huacun, founding patriarch of the Shangqing school) to demonstrate that women could also achieve immortality through cultivation. Forced into marriage with Li Yan, she revealed her prior Daoist commitment within a month and requested to leave worldly life. Li Yan, also drawn to the Dao, witnessed extraordinary phenomena at night: two seventeen- or eighteen-year-old celestial maidens (with phoenix hairstyles and rainbow garments) accompanied by attendants would visit, filling the chamber with divine fragrance and light. These were revealed to be immortal companions from Mount Kunlun, and when the superior immortal noticed Li Yan's peeping, he received a warning to desist. As Xuanjing and Li Yan shared only shallow karmic ties, celestial maidens later provided them a son to continue the family line. Ultimately, Xuanjing ascended to heaven amid five-colored clouds, riding a white phoenix accompanied by celestial music.

The second part documents Qi Xiaoyao's story. A native of Nangong in Jizhou, she exhibited serene temperament from childhood, preferring the immortal scriptures of Laozi to ordinary play. When matchmakers came at her hair-pinning ceremony (age fifteen), they considered her Daoist practice inauspicious. At twenty, she was compelled to marry local farmer Ji Xun, yet maintained morning and evening purification rituals despite harsh treatment from in-laws, completely disregarding domestic duties. Notably, she rejected the "Admonitions for Women" (the Han dynasty text by Ban Zhao outlining female propriety), dismissing it as worldly convention—demonstrating her transcendent identity as a female Daoist practitioner beyond her era.

Both narratives reflect Tang dynasty women's struggles to maintain Daoist practice amid Confucian social constraints, embodying the Daoist egalitarian principle that "women too can achieve immortality." The imagery of Kunlun immortals and five-colored cloud ascension represents characteristic features of the Shangqing school's celestial hierarchy.

Ji Xun repeatedly reprimanded Xiao Yao (a female Daoist cultivator), and her in-laws also pressured her to return to her parents' home. Yet when she went back, her own family forced her to return to her husband's household. Xiao Yao explained she couldn't adapt to worldly life and begged to live alone in quiet cultivation while still supporting her in-laws. Both Ji Xun and their parents suspected her behavior was abnormal, so they confined her to a single room.

Xiao Yao purified herself only with fragrant water and began fasting while sitting in meditation, singing this verse: "Laughing at seas transformed to mulberry fields / Before the Queen Mother's blossoms I bid gods farewell / In a thousand years I'll return to celestial heights / Leaving only this heart to remember the mortal realm." The entire Ji household and neighbors all thought her mad. At night they heard voices conversing in her room, yet at dawn found her sitting alone in stillness - still none found this strange.

Three days later at daybreak, the whole family heard thunderous cracking sounds from the house. They found only Xiao Yao's clothes and slippers remaining inside. Gazing skyward, they beheld radiant clouds and auroras with phoenixes, simurghs and cranes dancing and calling, accompanied by celestial music. Xiao Yao stood clearly visible among the immortals upon the clouds, speaking farewell words. When Ji Xun urgently summoned Xiao Yao's parents, they too witnessed this spectacle. The entire city's inhabitants came to watch, all marveling in awe.

(Historical context: This records a classic Daoist account of an ordinary person achieving ascension through steadfast cultivation. The "fragrant water fasting" reflects common neidan purification practices, while the "auroras and divine birds" represent standard imagery for immortal manifestations in Daoist texts.)

Sun Simiao was a native of Jingzhao Huayuan (present-day Tongchuan, Shaanxi). By age seven, he could recite a thousand words daily when beginning his studies. As an adult, he mastered the teachings of Zhuangzi, Laozi, and the Hundred Schools of Thought. During the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, he retreated to Mount Taibai to cultivate the Dao (the Way) amid political turmoil, practicing techniques of refining Qi (vital energy) and nourishing the body in pursuit of transcendence from the mundane world.

Well-versed in astronomy and calendrics, he excelled in medicine and could diagnose illnesses by observing a person's Qi complexion, always maintaining a compassionate heart. In daily life, he quietly accumulated De (Virtue/Power), making it his mission to aid the world. Once, while traveling, he encountered someone about to kill a small, injured green snake bleeding on the ground. Immediately removing his own robe, he ransomed the snake, treated its wounds with medicine, and released it into the grass.

Over a month later, Sun Simiao encountered a white-clad youth riding a fine horse, accompanied by numerous attendants. The youth dismounted, knelt, and expressed gratitude, revealing himself as the rescued green snake whose parents wished to thank him in person. Though Sun had healed countless people and thought little of the incident, the youth persistently entreated him, eventually mounting him on another horse and galloping away.

They arrived at a flourishing city in the bloom of spring, its splendid towers and bustling crowds resembling a royal palace. The youth led Sun Simiao inside to meet a dignified man in a white cap and crimson robe, surrounded by attendants. The man gratefully said, "Thanks to the Daoist master saving my son’s life, our entire clan is indebted to your grace." Sun was then ushered into the inner palace, where a middle-aged woman and a green-robed child bowed repeatedly—this was the very snake he had saved.

Only then did Sun Simiao realize this was none other than the Jingyang Water Palace (Dragon King’s abode), the white-capped man being the Dragon King and the woman his queen. Though the Dragon King prepared a lavish feast, Sun declined due to his practice of abstaining from grains and nourishing himself with Qi. This account illustrates Sun Simiao’s benevolent, life-saving virtue and reflects the Daoist principle of "good deeds begetting good rewards."

This account records several anecdotes about the renowned Tang dynasty Daoist master and physician Sun Simiao.

On one occasion, Sun Simiao spent three days drinking and conversing with a man in the mountains. When asked what he desired, Sun replied that he only wished to live in seclusion among the hills, cultivating the true Dao (the Way). Though his eyes could perceive worldly things, his heart harbored no greed. The man offered him fine silk and jewels as gifts, but Sun firmly declined, saying, "Those who cultivate the Dao care nothing for such external possessions." The man then instructed his son to present Sun with thirty treasured medical formulas from the Dragon Palace, explaining that these true Daoist prescriptions could save the world. Later, Sun tested these formulas and found each one extraordinarily effective. He incorporated some into his thirty-volume Essential Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces (Qianjinfang), and also compiled a single-volume Classic of the Pulse (Maijing) based on diagnosing illness through sound and complexion. These medical texts became widely circulated in the world.

During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, Sun was offered the position of Erudite of the National Academy, but he declined. He once predicted, "In fifty years, a sage ruler will emerge—then I shall come forth to aid the world." Later, when Emperor Taizong of Tang summoned him to the capital and saw his youthful appearance, he marveled, "Truly, those who attain the Dao are worthy of reverence! The ancient legends of immortals like Xianmen Zigao were not empty words." Taizong wished to bestow official titles upon him, but Sun steadfastly refused. During Emperor Gaozong's reign, he was again summoned to serve as Reminding Advisor, though by then he was already over ninety years old, yet still sharp of hearing and clear of sight.

At that time, the famous scholar Lu Zhaolin, suffering from a severe illness, sought Sun's advice on the principles of medicine. Sun replied: "To discuss the Dao of Heaven, one must first understand the Dao of humanity; to speak of the Dao of humanity, one must first comprehend the Dao of Heaven. Heaven has the four seasons and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), alternating between cold and heat—when harmonious, they transform into rain; when agitated, they become wind; condensing into frost and snow, expanding into rainbows. This is the natural order of Heaven and Earth. Humans have four limbs and five organs, alternating between waking and sleep, inhaling and exhaling—their vital energy (Qi) and blood circulation manifest in complexion, and their voices emerge as sound. This is the natural order of the human body. Yang energy transforms into spirit (Shen), while Yin energy forms the physical body—the principles of Heaven and humanity are interconnected. When this harmony is disrupted, excessive Yang causes fever, excessive Yin brings chills, stagnation forms tumors, decay becomes sores, rapid breath leads to panting, and exhaustion results in withering. These disorders are reflected in one's complexion and posture—the same principle applies when investigating the workings of all things between Heaven and Earth."

This passage recounts the deeds of two Daoist immortals, presented in two parts.

The first part describes Sun Simiao (though not explicitly named, the context clearly identifies him). It begins with celestial phenomena serving as metaphors for human ailments: disordered stars resemble heaven and earth suffering grave illness, abnormal weather patterns mirror obstructed energy channels in the cosmos, strange movements of mountains and rocks compare to growths upon the world's body, and natural disasters are like festering sores upon creation. Just as skilled physicians heal the body with medicine, sages harmonize the world through the transformative power of Dao and De (Virtue). Four essential principles for self-cultivation are then presented: one should possess bold vision yet meticulous attention, maintain flexible wisdom while upholding unwavering integrity. Quoting the Book of Songs, it evokes the image of "standing before a deep abyss" to illustrate prudence, and "valiant warriors" to symbolize courage. On the fifteenth day of the second lunar month in 653 CE, after ritual purification and changing into fresh robes, Sun Simiao peacefully entered seated meditation and passed away, instructing that his burial be simple. Remarkably, over a month after death, his complexion remained lifelike, and when placed in the coffin, his body felt as light as empty garments—classic signs of Daoist "liberation from the corpse" (shijie), a form of physical ascension to immortality.

The second part recounts the miraculous exploits of Zhang Guolao (Zhang Guo). Dwelling in reclusion at Mount Heng (referred to here as "Changzhou's Tiao Mountain"), he frequently appeared around the Fen and Jin regions. Elderly locals recalled seeing him since their childhood, while he claimed to be several centuries old. Both Emperor Taizong and Gaozong of Tang repeatedly summoned him without success. When Empress Wu Zetian summoned him, he feigned death before the Jealous Maiden Temple—his corpse rapidly decomposing and attracting insects during midsummer, convincing the empress of his demise. Yet later, people spotted him again at Mount Heng. In 735 CE during Emperor Xuanzong's reign, when official Pei Wu was dispatched to escort him, Zhang Guo dramatically expired on the spot. Only after Pei Wu burned incense to convey the emperor's sincere desire for Daoist teachings did the immortal gradually revive. These accounts showcase the characteristic "feigned death" technique often employed by Daoist transcendents to withdraw from worldly affairs.

This passage records the deeds of two renowned Daoist masters from the Tang Dynasty: Zhang Guo and Xu Xuanping.

First, let us speak of Zhang Guolao (also known as Zhang Guo). Emperor Xuanzong of Tang sent an envoy with an imperial decree to summon him. Zhang Guo followed the envoy to the eastern capital, Luoyang, where he was lodged at the Jixian Academy. When he entered the palace in a sedan chair, he was received with the highest honors, and high-ranking officials came to pay their respects. When asked about matters beyond the mortal world, he always responded in cryptic language, claiming to have been born in the Bingzi year during the reign of Emperor Yao. No one could discern his true origins. He also stated that he had served as a Palace Attendant (Shizhong) during Emperor Yao’s time, was skilled in Embryonic Breathing (a Daoist breath cultivation technique), and could go without food for many days, subsisting only on fine wine and the "Three-Yellow Elixir" (a type of alchemical pill).

Emperor Xuanzong invited him to the inner palace for a banquet, but Zhang Guo declined, saying that as a man of the mountains, he could drink no more than two liters of wine—though he had a disciple who could consume ten. When the emperor summoned this disciple, a handsome young Daoist of sixteen or seventeen descended from the eaves, graceful in demeanor and eloquent in speech. The youth insisted on standing rather than sitting and drank ten liters without showing signs of intoxication. When the emperor pressed him to drink more, the wine suddenly gushed from the top of his head, and his Daoist cap fell to the ground, transforming into a wine vessel—which turned out to be the very one from the Jixian Academy. Emperor Xuanzong, repeatedly witnessing such marvels, was deeply impressed and issued an edict praising Zhang Guo as a transcendent being beyond the mundane world, bestowing upon him the titles "Silver-Green Light Grand Master" and "Master of Penetrating the Mysteries" (Tongxuan Xiansheng). Later, Zhang Guo pleaded to return to Changzhou on account of old age and illness, and the emperor granted him lavish gifts and an escort. When summoned again during the Tianbao era, Zhang Guo suddenly passed away. After his disciples buried him, they opened the coffin only to find it empty.

The other Daoist, Xu Xuanping, was a native of She County in Xin’an. During the Jingyun era of Emperor Ruizong of Tang, he lived in seclusion on Mount Chengyang. Though the text does not detail his deeds, it reflects the flourishing tradition of reclusion at the time. These accounts vividly illustrate the Tang imperial court’s reverence for Daoist adepts and the wondrous phenomena displayed by practitioners of Daoist cultivation.

The recluse lived in a thatched hut on the southern mountainside. No one knew what elixirs he cultivated, but they observed he never ate yet maintained the appearance of a man around forty. He walked as swiftly as a galloping horse, sometimes carrying firewood to sell, always with a gourd and a crooked bamboo staff hanging from his person. Each time he returned drunk, swaying as he chanted to himself: "At dawn I sell firewood away, at dusk I buy wine homebound. Passersby, don't ask me why—I tread clouds into emerald peaks."

For over thirty years this continued. He often aided the destitute and healed the sick. Townsfolk sought him repeatedly but never found him, only discovering poems inscribed on his hut's walls:

"Thirty years in seclusion,

My hut crowns the southern peak.

Quiet nights admiring the bright moon,

Dawns sipping from clear springs.

Woodcutters sing in fields,

Mountain birds play on cliffs.

So joyous I forget the years—

Who knows what age I've reached?"

People eagerly circulated his verses, which appeared on post station walls from Chang'an to Luoyang.

During the Tianbao era, when Li Bai was exiled from the Hanlin Academy and journeyed east, he read these poems at a post station and exclaimed, "These are surely an immortal's works!" Inquiry revealed they were written by Elder Xuanping. Li Bai specially traveled to Xin'an to seek him out. After fording streams and climbing mountains repeatedly without success, he inscribed a poem on the hut's wall:

"I read post station poems,

Come seeking the immortal's abode.

Misty ridges hide transcendent traces,

Cloud-wrapped cliffs divide the Great Void.

The courtyard stands empty, silent—

Leaning on my staff, I pace alone.

Perhaps transformed into Liaodong's crane,

He'll return after a thousand years."

That winter, wildfire consumed the thatched hut, and Xuanping vanished.

Over a century later, in the seventh year of Xiantong, an elderly villager named Xu Mingnu entered the mountains with companions to gather firewood. Alone on the southern peak, she saw a man sitting on a rock eating peaches. He said, "You're from Xu Mingnu's family, yes? I'm her ancestor Xuanping." The old woman recalled legends of her immortal forebear. Xuanping gave her a peach, saying, "Eat it here—don't take it out. The mountains harbor fierce beasts, and the mountain gods treasure these peaches." The peach tasted extraordinarily sweet, and she finished it instantly. Xuanping instructed her to follow the woodcutters home with his message.

Thereafter, the old woman's appetite diminished while her complexion grew increasingly youthful, her body more vigorous than before. During the Zhonghe era's frequent upheavals, Xu Mingnu's family relocated from their original dwelling.

This passage records the miraculous deeds of two Daoist practitioners.

First is an unnamed elderly woman. Fleeing wartime chaos, she escaped deep into the mountains and never returned. Later, woodcutters spotted her wearing garments woven from vines, moving with such speed that when pursued, she simply leaped onto treetops and vanished.

The main account focuses on Liu Shang's experiences. A native of Pengcheng who lived in Chang'an, Liu was exceptionally bright and studious from childhood. His composition "Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute" gained widespread fame. After passing the imperial examinations, he held official positions but became deeply devoted to Daoism, seeking instruction from every Daoist master he encountered in the arts of alchemy (neidan) and breath cultivation (fuqi). Lamenting life's brevity and his declining health, he concluded that official titles were meaningless vanity—ancient sages had only taken positions to pursue the Dao—and thus resigned to devote himself fully to spiritual practice.

In Guangling City, he met a medicine-selling Daoist whose extraordinary speech revealed intimate knowledge of Qin and Han dynasty affairs as if personally witnessed. More remarkably, when they parted at dusk, the Daoist suddenly disappeared. Meeting again the next day, the Daoist gifted Liu a small pouch containing medicinal pellets, reciting a farewell poem. Following instructions, Liu consumed nine sesame-sized pellets and immediately felt spiritually invigorated—free from hunger or thirst, with a lightened, strengthened body.

Later, Liu crossed the Yangtze River to cultivate himself at Maoshan and Zhanggong Cave in Yixing. One spring, captivated by Yanhua Stream's beauty, he built a hermitage at Hufuzhu. Nearby woodcutters occasionally spotted him, addressing him as "Physician Liu," though none knew his ultimate whereabouts—presumably having become an earthbound immortal (dixian, one who achieves immortality while remaining in the human world).

The medicine-selling Daoist, appearing and vanishing unpredictably with prescient knowledge, was clearly an accomplished master. His parting verse—"With no worldly affairs in Yangzhou / We ascend the tavern together / This medicine pouch our farewell gift / What greater pursuit for a thousand years?"—reveals the transcendent aspirations of Daoist practice. Liu's miraculous experience after ingesting the medicine exemplifies the classical Daoist "elixir ingestion" (fushi) tradition's transformative effects.

Liu Qian (child name Yige) was the elder brother of Liu Zhan. Though living in poverty, Liu Qian was deeply devoted to Daoist cultivation and often received visiting Daoist priests. One day, a priest noticed Liu Qian's extraordinary demeanor and asked, "Do you understand the Dao?" Liu Qian replied, "Somewhat." The priest observed, "Your worldly attachments remain strong—forced cultivation would be unwise." Liu Qian immediately asked, "May I become your disciple?" The priest countered, "Would you dare?" Thus Liu Qian formally became his student.

The priest instructed Liu Qian to practice in the mountains without concern for appearances. Donning a child's topknot and coarse cloth, Liu Qian followed his master into Luofu Mountain (a sacred Daoist site). Both brothers had studied literature, but while Liu Qian maintained lofty spiritual aspirations, Liu Zhan pursued worldly success. Liu Qian once warned his brother: "I'll never pass the imperial exams and shall retreat to the mountains. You'll achieve high office but become entangled in mundane affairs. Beware wealth and status—my words will prove true in forty years." Liu Zhan dismissed this: "Immortality is illusory—even emperors like Qin Shihuang failed to attain it. Better to achieve glory like ministers Ma Zhou and Zhang Jiazhen."

Liu Qian devoted himself to Daoist practice in Luofu Mountain's seclusion, while Liu Zhan passed the imperial examinations in 847 CE, rising to become Prime Minister with notable achievements. After being exiled southward, during his boat journey to Guangzhou, a youth wearing a child's topknot and dry clothes approached through torrential rain. When servants announced "Yige has come," the white-haired exiled minister was astonished to see his brother's face unchanged from twenty years prior, overwhelmed by bittersweet emotions.

Liu Qian reminded him: "My forty-year prophecy has materialized. Governing the empire's Yin-Yang (court affairs) exhausted your spirit. Only brotherhood compelled my immortal self to visit—this is our farewell." They conversed all night until Liu Qian vanished at dawn. Later sightings placed him in Luofu Mountain, while Liu Zhan died in exile.

(Additional note) Luo Wanxiang, of unknown origin, mastered astronomy and calendrics...

This practitioner was named Yi Jie, a man of unique character who wandered the land year-round dressed in coarse hemp garments. He first lived in seclusion for many years at Mount Wangwu before traveling south to Mount Luofu (one of Daoism's Ten Great Grotto-Heavens), where he marveled: "This is the Grotto-Heaven of Crimson Brightness where Ge Hong (styled Zhichuan) once refined his elixirs. Though there's no Deng Yue today to persuade me to stay, I shall dwell here awhile." Particularly enamored with the Stone Tower area, he built a thatched hut at the mountain's base and settled there.

Yi Jie sustained himself by consuming Solomon's Seal rhizomes (a medicinal tonic) while practicing Qi-absorption techniques for decades. During his wandering journeys to places like Zengcheng, Quanshan, and Bushui to gather herbs, he would occasionally sell medicinal plants at markets in Fuzhou and Guangzhou to buy wine, his movements unpredictable. His appetite fluctuated remarkably—sometimes devouring enough food for a dozen people in one sitting, then fasting for extended periods. With a radiant complexion and body light as a swallow, he could cover three to four hundred li in a day when walking briskly, outpacing galloping horses. In later years, after returning to his Stone Tower hut, he never left the mountains again, eventually disappearing without trace.

Another practitioner, Li Jue, hailed from Jiangyang in Guangling, where his family had traded grain for generations. At fifteen, he assisted his father in their rice shop, treating customers with such sincerity that he let them measure rice themselves using the standard sheng and dou vessels. Regardless of market fluctuations, he took only two copper coins' profit per dou to support his parents. Years later, when the family suddenly prospered, his father learned the reason and sighed: "Other merchants use small measures for buying and large ones for selling—a trick even annual government inspections can't eradicate. I thought myself fair by using the same scale, but your method of letting customers measure surpasses mine. This abundance must be the deities' blessing!"

After his parents' passing, the octogenarian Li Jue continued running the rice shop. When the imperial chancellor Li Jue assumed office in Huainan, the old man—fearing repercussions for sharing the governor's name—changed his name to Li Kuan. Months after the chancellor's arrival, during a purification fast, the official dreamed of a celestial realm: spring blossoms like fireworks, phoenixes soaring through iridescent clouds that revealed golden-roofed towers. As he wandered alone through this splendor, he suddenly saw golden characters materialize on a polished stone wall...

This passage recounts the stories of two Daoist practitioners.

First is Li Jue, a Daoist cultivator who discovered his name carved on the stone wall of Huayang Grotto-Heaven (one of Daoism's major sacred cave paradises), measuring over two feet long. Overjoyed, he assumed this indicated his previous life as a high-ranking Tang dynasty official whose accumulated merit had led to immortality. Just as he was celebrating, two immortal youths emerged from the stone to inform him: "This name isn't yours—it belongs to a commoner from Jiangyang County who shared your name during your governance." Stunned, Li Jue dispatched messengers who eventually found an elderly man named Li Kuan.

Li Kuan lived simply. At sixty, a Daoist taught him embryonic respiration (a Daoist breathing technique), enabling prolonged fasting. Li Jue reverentially sought him as teacher, but Li Kuan claimed no special arts—he'd merely maintained fair grain trade practices without exploiting people throughout his life. Li Jue marveled: "Such seemingly ordinary yet lifelong virtuous conduct constitutes true hidden virtue (accumulated merit through unnoticed good deeds)." Li Kuan lived past 100 with remarkable vitality, eventually undergoing corpse-liberation (the Daoist concept of physical immortality) like a cicada shedding its shell.

The second story concerns Wang Kejiao of Kunshan, Suzhou, a farmer and fisherman living by Songjiang River. Simple by nature, he received sudden immortal initiation in his thirties, acquiring extraordinary abilities. Once while fishing, he accidentally entered an immortal realm. After eating celestial dates, his body became weightless, and he ceased consuming earthly food. Returning home, he discovered seven years had passed—his family presumed him dead. Later he frequently appeared in markets selling remarkably effective medicinal remedies. In old age, he retreated to Maoshan (a sacred Daoist mountain), where witnesses saw him ascend skyward in a boat.

Both stories embody the Daoist principle of "achieving immortality through hidden virtue." Li Kuan attained immortality through mundane yet sustained goodness, while Wang Kejiao achieved the Dao through innate simplicity—demonstrating that spiritual transcendence stems not from conspicuous merit but from daily cultivation of the heart-mind.

In Jiangnan's Zhaotun Village lived a man named Wang Kejiao, in his thirties, with no known spiritual practice. He often caught large fish, cheerfully clubbing them to death with a wooden mallet before boiling them, always pairing the meal with pounded garlic paste—a pleasure he considered life's greatest delight.

One day, while rowing his fishing boat on the river and singing loudly, he traveled several miles when suddenly he spotted a painted pleasure boat drifting midstream. Aboard were seven young Daoist priests wearing jade crowns and rainbow-hued ritual robes (high-ranking Daoist vestments), each in distinct colors, accompanied by a dozen attendants with cloud-coiled hairstyles. Four more followers in ordinary yellow Daoist caps were also present. Someone abruptly called Wang Kejiao by name, and to his astonishment, he found his fishing boat had drawn near the ornate vessel.

A priest instructed attendants to bring him aboard. Before the seven priests were arranged celadon jade trays, gleaming wine vessels, fruits, and over a dozen musician courtesans holding instruments. Wang Kejiao stood at the far end of the banquet, bowing deeply. One priest examined him and remarked, "Your bone structure shows promise—you were destined for immortality, but living in the mundane world has tainted you with worldly impurities." He ordered wine to be served to Wang. Strangely, no matter how the attendant poured, the wine refused to leave the vessel. The priest explained, "This immortal wine is a sacred substance. If destined, a single sip could refine your very bones. That it won’t pour means fate has decided otherwise."

Another priest said, "Then give him chestnuts." Someone retrieved two chestnuts from the feast—lustrous bluish-red, the size of dates, with pits inside. Their sweetness surpassed any earthly variety. Wang Kejiao took a long time to finish them. The priests then declared, "Wang Kejiao’s karmic connection ends here," and sent a yellow-robed attendant to escort him ashore.

Finding no trace of his fishing boat, Wang grew anxious, but the attendant said, "No boat is needed. Close your eyes, and you’ll arrive." As he shut his eyes, he heard the rush of wind and water. Upon opening them, he stood on a mountain path amid towering peaks and ancient pines, seated on a roadside rock. In the distance, figures moved near a gatehouse. Soon, a group of woodcutters and a dozen monks approached, astonished at his presence. When he claimed he’d left home just that morning, their surprise deepened—for the date was already the third day of the third month (Shangsi Festival, a major Daoist holiday), while Wang remembered setting out in early February.

Today is the ninth day of the ninth month, over half a year since the third day of the third month. Kejiao (name of a Daoist practitioner) asked a monk, "What place is this?" The monk replied, "This is in front of the Waterfall Temple on Mount Tiantai." Kejiao then asked, "How far is it from Huating?" The monk answered, "Combining both water and land routes, it's over a thousand miles away."

Kejiao himself was astonished. The monk invited him back to the temple for a vegetarian meal, but Kejiao declined, saying he was already full and couldn't even bear the smell of food, only willing to drink water. The monks found this extremely peculiar upon closer questioning and reported the matter to Tangxing County, which eventually reached Taizhou. Wang Feng, the Imperial Inspector of the region and a longtime Daoist believer, summoned Kejiao and recognized this as an extraordinary occurrence, acknowledging that the transformations of immortals are truly unfathomable.

Kejiao stood over seven feet tall with striking features and spoke with remarkable clarity. Wang Feng marveled, "This is truly a realized Daoist master!" Finding they shared the same surname, Wang treated him with even greater respect and gifted him Daoist robes. When officials were sent to Suzhou to verify his story, locals confirmed that Kejiao had boarded a fishing boat on the third day of the third month and never returned. His family had found the empty boat and assumed he drowned, with his wife already conducting funeral rites. Wang Feng reported this to the emperor, who also praised it as a wondrous event.

Later, Kejiao returned to his hometown and recounted his experiences in detail, even leading villagers to the riverbank to point out where he encountered the flower boat. After consuming the immortal's chestnuts, he ceased eating grains entirely, his movements appearing divinely assisted. Abandoning farming and fishing, he took his wife and children to live in Siming Mountain for over twenty years. Subsequently, he sold medicine in Mingzhou, using the proceeds to buy wine which he then gave away. He claimed the medicine formulas came from Hú Gōng (an Eastern Han immortal) and the wine recipes from the Elder Mother of Yuhang, explaining the medicine could cure illness while the wine easily intoxicated. Mingzhou residents called him "Immortal Wang," saying his medicinal wine was unmatched in the mortal world. Both Daoists and laypeople often painted his image, and those suffering from malaria or spiritual afflictions would hang his portrait nearby for healing. After thirty more years, Kejiao returned to Siming Mountain and disappeared, though some claim to have glimpsed him occasionally even now.

Li Sheng, styled Yunju, claimed descent from Jiangxia and was born in the Jiashen year of Emperor Dezong's reign (Tang Dynasty). Exceptionally bright from childhood, he became widely read as an adult, composing eloquent prose effortlessly. With a refined and austere temperament, he became a disciple of a Shaoshi Mountain Daoist, mastering breath cultivation (Qi) and bodily refinement techniques. Often clad in simple cloth garments, he wandered freely across the land. During this period, Yuan Zhen served as Observation Commissioner of Zhedong...

This account tells the legendary deeds of two Daoist practitioners.

First is the story of Zhang Sheng. When Bai Juyi served as governor of Hangzhou, he invited his old friend Zhang Sheng—a master of literature and Daoist arts—to a banquet due to their longstanding friendship. During the feast, Bai asked him: "Born in this peaceful golden age, why not pursue official honors instead of remaining a commoner?" Zhang calmly replied with a poem: "Though born in a Confucian era of peace, I cherish the Daoist path of purity. While others chase fame and fortune, I serve only the Jade Emperor." (The Jade Emperor refers to the supreme deity Yu Huang in Daoism.) After over a year of poetic exchanges and shared wine with Bai, Zhang resumed his wandering travels across the land.

After the Huang Chao Rebellion threw the empire into chaos, only the Jiangnan region remained relatively stable. Military commander Tian Yun of Wanling, an enthusiast of Daoist arts, discovered elderly locals who had met Zhang Sheng fifty years earlier—all marveled that his appearance hadn’t aged a day. Tian thus became his disciple. Though already over a century old, Zhang’s complexion remained ruddy, his hair and beard jet-black, and his teeth perfectly aligned like date pits. He could bite through a liter of stone lotus seeds in one breath, drink two pecks of wine without intoxication, and wore only a single layer in winter while glowing with heightened vigor. When asked about longevity techniques, he would only smile without answering. Later, when Zhu Wen usurped the Tang throne, Zhang attained feathered ascension (yuhua) the very next day at age 147. More remarkably, when Tian Yun suffered military defeat a month later, Zhang had already foreseen the disaster and departed beforehand. Subsequent sightings of him were reported in Shu territory.

Next is the miraculous encounter of Ye Qianshao. This native of Jianchang in Jiangxi studied in his youth under two perfected lords (zhenjun), Xu and Wu, at the Western Mountain Daoist temple, cultivating grain-abstinence and breath-energy techniques (bigu fuqi—Daoist practices harnessing celestial qi through regulated breathing). Once during a sudden mountain thunderstorm, a white-robed immortal appeared and declared: due to his profound cultivation, the celestial court would appoint him to oversee affairs between humans and spirits. This foretold his impending mastery of supernatural powers to command ghosts and deities.

This passage records the miraculous deeds of Daoist practitioner Qian Shao, who attained divine powers to aid the world. While quietly meditating with incense burning, Qian Shao suddenly saw a "Wandering True Official" (a high-ranking celestial immortal) dressed in red robes appear amidst the clouds, accompanied by over a dozen spirit generals bearing dragon-tiger talismans and numerous ghostly attendants. Among them, two officials in yellow and green robes held a register, while the spirit generals lined up to pay respects.

The True Official declared: "Heaven commands you to take charge of this register. These spirit generals and celestial soldiers shall obey your orders to assist humanity." Qian Shao reverently received the celestial text, discovering it resembled a mortal military registry. From then on, he possessed extraordinary abilities: his long whistle could summon fierce winds through mountain forests; his sprayed water brought nourishing rain to parched fields; his stomping feet produced rumbling thunder; and his casual gestures through empty space conjured flashes of lightning.

While wandering the land, Qian Shao often feigned madness or drunkenness, meandering through cities. When he suddenly issued stern warnings, people would inquire why, to which he'd explain: "I see fires breaking out in certain places or droughts plaguing other regions—I'm summoning wind and rain to help." Subsequent verification always proved his predictions accurate. During droughts, local officials requested his rain prayers—after setting up an incense altar, rain would immediately fall. When asked to summon thunder, his foot stomps would produce subterranean rumbles. For prolonged rains, his rituals brought instant clearing. During winter droughts, standing barefoot in thin robes under scorching sun while chanting would soon bring howling winds and nightlong snowfall.

He also healed diseases with talismanic spells, often assisting sufferers before being asked. Malevolent spirits retreated at mere mention of his name, and those receiving his talismans enjoyed lifelong protection. In 870 CE (11th year of Xiantong reign), when Qian Shao visited Haozhou, he learned of Governor Liu Fang's sudden stroke that left renowned physicians helpless. Entering the government office leaning on his staff, he announced: "Moved by my arrival, the Governor shall be reborn." He then drew three talismans placed on Liu's shoulder, ribs, and leg, explaining: "The wind pathogen will exit through the feet—recovery in three days." Indeed, chilly gusts emerged from the governor's soles, and complete recovery followed as predicted. This literary scholar and longtime Daoist devotee, known for benevolent governance, later told guests: "My lifelong Daoist devotion brought immediate saintly rescue during my stroke."

The account of Dong Feng rescuing Shi Xie's soul truly demonstrates the profound power of Daoist arts. The locals regarded Qian Shao as an immortal, and the governor Fang specially invited him to his official residence, wishing to become his disciple and presenting him with gold, silver, and fine silks as gifts. Unexpectedly, Qian Shao suddenly departed from Fang and vanished without a trace. Later, people in the Jingxiang region saw him reminiscing about past events in Haozhou, chatting and laughing with great ease. Over a decade later, he secluded himself in the Western Mountains, where people still occasionally encounter him to this day.

There was a man named Xu Diaoweng who claimed to hail from Penglai Village in the Eastern Sea. His speech was refined, quoting classics and composing poetry effortlessly. He often recited: "I once saw Emperor Qin's stone bridge across the sea, making the sea god hastily raise alarmed tides. Though Penglai lies beyond vast oceans, the path straight to the Three Pure Ones (the highest Daoist celestial realm) is never far." He always carried a gourd at his waist, drifting in a small boat among the Ezhou, Sanxiang, and Wuhu regions, trading his catches at riverside markets for wine while composing poetry and conversing with locals. Elderly residents said they'd known him for decades, yet his appearance never changed. When challenged to fishing wagers, he could instantly catch the agreed quantity, astonishing everyone. For the sick, he would produce sesame-sized pills from his gourd—not for swallowing but dissolving in wine to apply over the heart, effecting immediate cures without fail. When asked if the medicine could be ingested, he replied affirmatively but warned it would cause aversion to regular food. One cultivator who took a pill needed no sustenance for ten years beyond wine and water, his complexion growing ruddier with no signs of aging in teeth or hair. Many recipients lived to eighty or ninety. Qian Lang of Mount Lu, through prolonged use of this medicine, achieved exceptional longevity. Fishermen still occasionally spot him on lakes and rivers, but his boat darts away like a flying arrow when approached—revealing his status as a water immortal.

Qian Lang, styled Neiguang, was from Nanchang, Hongzhou. In his youth, he studied diligently at Western Mountains, mastering Confucian classics with impeccable conduct. Passing imperial examinations, he served with integrity, leaving trails of benevolent governance. Under Emperor Wenzong of Tang, he rose to Deputy Military Commissioner of Nan'an, eventually becoming Minister of the Imperial Banquets. In later years, he retreated to Mount Lu for Daoist cultivation, studying under a Dongyue Daoist priest the longevity techniques of "Replenishing the Brain and Returning to Origin" (a method for refining Jing, Qi, and Shen).

During the reign of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, Qian Liu, the Prince of Pengcheng in Qiantang (present-day Hangzhou, later founder of the Wuyue Kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period), deeply admired the spiritual attainment of Daoist master Lüqiu Fangyuan. This extraordinary adept, already over 150 years old, maintained the rosy complexion and nimble physique of a child. His great-great-grandchildren—four generations removed—had already passed imperial examinations to become officials, with some even rising to the position of chancellor. When these white-haired ministers came to pay respects, the ancient immortal still appeared as youthful as a swaddled infant.

Qian Liu repeatedly entreated him to reveal the secrets of longevity, and because of this, Lüqiu Fangyuan remained in Qiantang for over twenty years. One day, he suddenly bid farewell to the assembly, saying: "I have lingered in the mortal realm too long. Now the Shangqing celestial realm (one of the Three Pure Realms in Daoism) summons me back." Shortly after speaking these words, his breathing ceased. Remarkably, his visage remained flushed with life for several days, and an extraordinary fragrance filled the chamber. When attendants moved his body for encoffining, they discovered he had achieved "corpse liberation" (shijie, a Daoist method of ascension where the immortal's spirit departs while leaving an incorruptible body). His great-great-grandson later revealed to others: "Our ancestral patriarch was in fact 170 years old."

The second volume of Continued Biographies of Immortals records the deeds of eight reclusive Daoist practitioners. The section on Sima Chengzhen reads as follows:

Sima Chengzhen, styled Ziwei, was a man of profound learning and literary talent, particularly excelling in seal script calligraphy. He created a unique style known as "Golden Scissor Script." Dwelling in seclusion at Yuxiao Peak of Mount Tiantai, he called himself "Master of White Clouds" and mastered the longevity arts of ingesting elixirs. During Empress Wu Zetian's reign, he repeatedly declined imperial summons. It wasn't until Emperor Ruizong of Tang, who revered Daoism, showed him exceptional courtesy that he finally responded to the summons.

When Emperor Ruizong consulted him about Yin-Yang divination techniques, Sima Chengzhen replied: "Laozi's Dao De Jing states 'diminish it and diminish it again, until you reach the state of Wuwei (non-action).' The distracting thoughts and desires in human hearts must be continually reduced. If we haven't even perfected this, why bother studying peripheral techniques that only increase mental clutter?" The emperor further asked: "Personal cultivation through Wuwei may lead to purity, but how does this apply to governing a nation?" He responded: "Governing a state is like cultivating oneself. Laozi teaches maintaining mental serenity and Qi (vital energy) in harmony, following natural laws without selfish desires—then the world will naturally achieve peace. The Book of Changes says the sage's virtue matches that of heaven and earth. Thus true governance requires neither many words to gain people's trust, nor forced action to accomplish great deeds." Deeply impressed, Emperor Ruizong offered him high office, which he firmly declined. Upon his eventual return to the mountains, the emperor gifted him a precious qin zither and embroidered cape. Court officials composed farewell poems, from which Chamberlain Xu Yanbo selected over twenty finest pieces to compile into Records of White Clouds, adding a preface that circulated widely.

Lu Zangyong, who had previously lived in Mount Zhongnan before becoming a high official, pointed at the mountain when seeing Sima Chengzhen returning to Tiantai: "The scenery here is superb—why go to Tiantai?" Sima Chengzhen leisurely replied: "To my eyes, this merely represents the shortcut to officialdom." Lu was visibly ashamed. Later, Emperor Xuanzong ordered the construction of a Daoist altar at Mount Wangwu for Sima's residence. His distinctive "Golden Scissor Script" combined seal and clerical styles—the emperor once commanded him to collate the Dao De Jing using three calligraphic styles. He also crafted the "Image-Containing Mirror" and "Thunder-Light Sword" as imperial tributes. Emperor Xuanzong dispatched Court Steward Wei Tao to perform the Golden Register rituals at his residence. After the Mount Tai Fengshan sacrifices, the emperor inquired which deities governed the Five Sacred Mountains. Sima answered: "These peaks command clouds and rain as the nation's primary sacrificial sites—they are the sovereign mountains."

This passage recounts the miraculous deeds of several Tang Dynasty Daoist practitioners:

Regarding Sima Chengzhen (a renowned Tang Dynasty Daoist master), records state that a female cultivator named Jiao Jingzhen once crossed the sea to seek a master at Penglai, the Isle of Immortals. There she encountered a practitioner who told her: "Sima Chengzhen of Tiantai Mountain has already been inscribed in the immortal registry (Dantai refers to the celestial roster). He now resides at Chicheng Mountain and is a genuine master of the Dao." After returning, Jingzhen followed Sima Chengzhen in cultivation and soon achieved ascension to immortality. Later, she manifested to her disciple Xue Jichang, saying: "Your spiritual attainment has surpassed that of Tao Hongjing (Dushui was an official title), and you are destined to become the Donghua Shangqing Zhenren (a high-ranking immortal title in Daoism)."

During the Kaiyuan era, Celestial Master Wenjing (a Daoist leadership title) and Sima Chengzhen participated in the Zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) for the imperial birthday at the Changsheng Hall palace. After completing the midnight ceremony, the two retired to sleep behind cloud-patterned screens. Suddenly, Wenjing heard crystal-clear scripture recitation resembling the sound of jade and gold. Peeking quietly, he saw a coin-sized orb of light glowing on Sima Chengzhen's forehead, illuminating the entire seating area. Upon closer listening, he realized the recitation was actually emanating from within the master's brain. Wenjing later explained to his disciples: "This confirms what the Huangting Jing (Scripture of the Yellow Court) describes - 'within the Mud Ball Palace (upper Dantian) dwell nine true deities' and 'the Left Divine Prince (brain deity) can produce divine speech'." Sima Chengzhen had over seventy disciples. One day he suddenly announced: "From my Jade Firmament Peak, I gaze east toward Penglai and sense an immortal's descent. Now Donghua Qingtong Jun (an important Daoist immortal) summons me - I must go." With these words, he achieved cicada-shedding transcendence (a Daoist term for physical departure while attaining immortality), and his disciples buried his robe and cap. He lived eighty-nine years, posthumously honored by the emperor as "Silver-Green Light Grand Master" with the honorary title "Zhengyi Xiansheng" (Master of Orthodox Unity).

Regarding Cao Dexiu's account: He claimed to have traveled from Qingyu Mountain in the Eastern Sea to Jiangxi, maintaining unchanging appearance for over thirty years. He often healed villagers with Fulu (talismans) and elixirs, with unfailing efficacy. One family's daughter, about to marry at twenty, became possessed by evil entities that resisted all treatments. After inquiry, Cao diagnosed: "There's a deep pool in the mountain stream near your home, isn't there? Last spring this maiden walked by the stream and was seen by a flood dragon, which stole her soul." Later through ritual intervention, he indeed retrieved the girl's soul from the watery cavern.

When you cast my talisman (fulu) into the pool, the effect will soon manifest." After the talisman was cast, the pool waters suddenly churned with thunderous roars, and soon a monstrous creature over two zhang (about 6 meters) long surfaced. Resembling a black serpent with a ladle-shaped head, its skull had been split open with brains spilling out—already dead. When the girl's father returned home, he found his daughter fully lucid and completely cured. Though he brought gifts to thank Cao Dexiu, the Daoist refused: "My purpose was saving lives—how could I accept material rewards?" He steadfastly declined all offerings.

Cao Dexiu often told villagers: "If illness strikes your household, don't prepare gifts—just offer a plate of river fish slices and fine wine at my altar while describing the ailment, and recovery will follow naturally." Those who followed his instructions invariably witnessed miracles, and soon the community revered him as an immortal. Later, he abruptly announced: "I shall depart to cultivate at Tianbao Cave in the Western Mountains. Next spring, a severe cattle plague will come. I leave you my name—when the plague strikes, make fish offerings and inscribe my name on paper to affix to ox horns for protection." The following year, the plague indeed erupted: cattle bearing the inscriptions remained unharmed while others perished. When people sought him afterward, he had vanished without trace. (According to Wang Yuanzhi's records, Cao Dexiu served as Grand Astrologer during the Western Jin dynasty and later as Imperial Secretary under Later Liang, having attained the Dao of longevity.)

Lüqiu Fangyuan, styled Dafang, hailed from Susong in Shuzhou. Exceptionally bright from childhood, he mastered classics and histories by sixteen while studying the Book of Changes (Yijing) with Chen Yuanwu at Mount Lu. At twenty-nine, he sought alchemical instruction from Zuo Yuanze of Xianglin Forest. Recognizing his extraordinary potential, Zuo advised: "Have you not heard Laozi's saying, 'My great suffering comes from having a body'? The human form emerges from non-being (wuwei) into being (youwei)—to return to our origin means reverting to non-being. This non-being: calling it 'void' falls into emptiness, calling it 'existence' creates obstructions—both are attachments. Only by transcending such dualities with undivided mind can one approach the Great Dao (Da Dao). Buddhists call this Chan (Zen), Yan Hui termed it 'sitting in oblivion' (zuowang), while the Yijing states: 'No thought, no action—in stillness unmoving, yet responding to all under heaven.' The Daoist scriptures say: 'Meeting it, you see no head; following it, you see no back'—what does this signify? If your heart comprehends, why seek externally? Alas, most people..."

This eminent cultivator named Fang Yuan possessed extraordinary talent and could truly be considered a model for the Daoist tradition. He once journeyed to Hidden Truth Cliff on Xiandu Mountain, where he became a disciple of Liu Chujing to study the arts of refining truth and transcending worldly existence. At thirty-four, he received the sacred registers (Fulu, the Daoist credentials for transmission and ordination) from Ye Cangzhi at Jade Empyrean Palace on Tiantai Mountain, obtaining complete transmission of the genuine texts and secret formulas.

While practicing "Guarding the One" (a method focusing on preserving primordial Qi) and "Circulating Qi" (breath cultivation techniques), Fang Yuan particularly enjoyed studying the Hundred Schools of Thought and historical texts. With a photographic memory for anything he read, he often claimed Ge Hong (style name Zhichuan) and Tao Hongjing (style name Zhenbai) as his teachers and friends. He compiled and edited the Taiping Jing into thirty chapters, mastering its essential teachings so thoroughly that his reputation spread widely across the Jianghuai region.

In 893 CE (the second year of Jingfu era under Emperor Zhaozong of Tang), Qian Liu, Prince of Pengcheng in Qiantang, admired Fang Yuan's moral cultivation and personally visited him at Great Purification Cave in Yuhang, even constructing lodgings for him. Though repeatedly summoned by the emperor, Fang Yuan—through astrological calculations—predicted impending warfare in Qin territory and the imminent decline of Tang fortunes. Following the example of the Four Haos of Shang Mountain (reclusive sages like Dongyuan Gong and Qili Ji from early Han dynasty), he steadfastly refused official positions, remaining in mountain seclusion. The court could only issue an edict praising him, bestowing ceremonial robes and honoring him as "Master of Sublime Existence, Eminent Sage of Profound Unity" to promote Daoism.

Fang Yuan's deeds of propagating sacred teachings and enlightening the ignorant became legendary throughout Wu-Chu regions, attracting continuous streams of disciples until his followers numbered over two hundred. Among them, Xia Yinyan of Kuaiji, Dai Yinyu of Qiao State, Zheng Yinyao of Rongyang, Ling Yinzhuo of Wu Commandery, Sheng Yinlin of Guangling, and Zhang Yinzhi of Wudu all received genuine transmission. Others like Cheng Zixiao of Guangping who served in Qin palaces, Nie Shidao of Xin'an who spread teachings in Wu State, along with Hu Qiangguang of Anding, Kong Zonglu of Lu State and eight more, all grasped the mysteries of "Refining Spirit through Truth Contemplation." Countless other disciples who vanished into mountain reclusion remain unrecorded.

On the fourteenth day of the second lunar month in 902 CE, after ritual bathing and incense offerings, Fang Yuan sat upright and passed away peacefully. His complexion remained serene, limbs supple, with extraordinary fragrance lingering for three days. When disciples prepared burial according to worldly rites, they found only his robes and cap in the coffin—he had achieved "corpse liberation" (Daoist term for ascension by leaving the physical form). Buried beside White Deer Mountain near Great Purification Cave, he was later sighted by cultivators and commoners multiple times at Xiandu Mountain and Mount Lu, claiming to have left his cave to retire at Heavenly Pillar Source in Wan Mountain.

Nie Shidao, styled Tongwei, was a native of She County in Xin'an. Endowed with innate intelligence and simplicity, he was upright in character, humble in speech, and cautious in conduct. Renowned for his filial piety, he was deeply respected by the local community. In his youth, he became a disciple of the elder cousin of Lang Dehui, a Daoist practitioner outside conventional society. Later, when Lang Dehui was transferred from his post as a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat to become the governor of Xin'an, he selected a scenic spot east of the prefectural city to build a residence, naming it "Wenzheng Mountain Retreat." Here, Nie Shidao served his master with reverence and diligence.

At the age of thirteen, Nie Shidao formally donned Daoist robes and headgear. By fifteen, he had received from his master the transmission of Fulu (Daoist talismans and esoteric methods) and essential teachings for cultivating perfection. Later, he traveled to Jixi Mountain, where he claimed to have encountered in an inner transmission text a method of spiritual practice involving the ingestion of pine resin. Together with fellow Daoist practitioners, he ascended Baizhang Mountain to gather the resin. The mountain's cliffs towered into the clouds, hence its name "Baizhang" (Hundred Zhang). From the summit, one could gaze upon peaks rising thousands of ren. One night, as they camped beneath a pine tree on the cliff under a clear sky with a bright moon, they suddenly heard celestial music approaching from the southeast. Amidst swirling purple clouds, the music drifted slowly past Shijin Mountain (equal in height to Baizhang, with the two peaks separated by thirty li yet appearing close when viewed from each other). The celestial music paused briefly at Shijin Mountain, during which three rounds of small drums were played, accompanied by the harmonious blending of metal, stone, sheng pipes, xiao flutes, silk strings, and bamboo instruments. The sound was pure and resonant, the drumbeats distinct in rhythm, and the melody transcendent—unlike anything of the mortal world. The music lasted from the third watch until the crowing of the rooster at dawn. Later inquiries revealed that the villagers below had also heard it that night. His fellow practitioners marveled, saying, "As we gather spiritual herbs, we encounter celestial music—is this not a divine response? Surely this is an auspicious sign of your attainment of the Dao."

Later, Nie Shidao journeyed to the Southern Peak, Mount Heng, where he paid homage at the Jade Purity Altar and the Luminous Heaven Jasper Altar, then stayed temporarily at Zhaoxian Abbey. It was spring, and he heard that the former hermitage of the realized master Cai was not far away, where exotic flowers and trees grew, and woodcutters occasionally spotted Cai wandering the mountains. Filled with longing, Nie Shidao undertook a seven-day fast (a Daoist practice of abstaining from grains) and entered the mountain alone at dawn. Walking slowly, he caught the scent of extraordinary blossoms, and before he knew it, evening had fallen. Suddenly, he came upon a great stream, where a woodcutter sat on the sandy bank gazing at the water. Nie hastened to approach and speak, but the woodcutter, shouldering his bundle of firewood, prepared to cross the stream. Turning back to see Nie, he paused and leaned on his carrying pole, asking, "Why have you come here alone?" Nie replied, "I devote myself to learning the Dao and seeking immortals. Hearing that Master Cai dwells in seclusion here, I have come to pay my respects." The woodcutter said, "Master Cai's dwelling lies deep within."

This account recounts the miraculous encounter between a seeker of immortality (Shi Dao) and a transcendent being in the mountains. While wandering the hills, Shi Dao met a woodcutter who told him, "You must wait fifty years before crossing this stream," then walked across the water and disappeared. Continuing his journey, Shi Dao discovered a thatched farmhouse with three rooms on the mountain's eastern slope, where he met a solitary dweller about thirty years of age.

Though appearing to be an ordinary farmer, the host behaved peculiarly. He asked whether Shi Dao had seen the woodcutter, then revealed: "That was none other than Perfected Person Cai (a Daoist honorific for realized adepts) passing by." Only then did Shi Dao realize he had missed an encounter with celestial beings. When hosting his guest, the man produced unusual tea utensils—a yellow porcelain caddy that sealed permanently after one opening, containing tea of extraordinary flavor.

At night, the host retired alone to a separate chamber. The next morning, he excused himself by claiming the remote location made poor lodging and suggested Shi Dao proceed to the next village. But after walking several miles through sheer cliffs and precipices, Shi Dao found his return path vanished. Later meeting an old man, he truthfully recounted his search for Perfected Person Cai. Through these seemingly mundane yet subtly extraordinary details, the text suggests Shi Dao had indeed encountered reclusive Daoist practitioners, though his karmic conditions weren't yet ripe for full recognition.

This passage recounts the extraordinary experience of Daoist priest Nie Shidao encountering immortals in the mountains:

The place where Nie Shidao stayed overnight in the mountains turned out to be the dwelling of Cai Zhenren's (Celestial Master Cai) son. The immortal told him: "Though your Dao qi (vital energy) is abundant, your xian gu (immortal bones) have yet to fully form. How can you endure prolonged hunger and thirst in these mountains?" With these words, the immortal broke off a celestial herb resembling a ginger shoot, about a foot long, and gave it to him. As Nie chewed the sweet-tasting herb and drank from a mountain spring, the old man suddenly vanished when he looked up again. He discovered his body had become remarkably light and strong after consuming the herb.

When attempting to return by the original path, he found the mountain trail completely overgrown with brambles and vines. Back at Zhaoxian Temple, the assembled priests expressed astonishment: "Though our temple stands beside these sacred peaks, the mountains teem with venomous creatures and fierce beasts. We've been worried during your month-long solitary journey." Nie insisted only a single day had passed, recounting in detail his encounters with the woodcutter, the lodging place, and the immortals. The priests marveled: "After years of cultivation here, none of us have been blessed to meet Cai Zhenren. That elder you met was likely the legendary Peng Zhenren. To encounter three immortals in what you perceived as one day—while a full month passed in the mortal world—this is the celestial affinity accumulated through your past-life cultivation."

Nie subsequently practiced at Zhaoxian Temple for many years before returning to Wenzheng Mountain to care for his aging parents. Remarkably, whenever he gathered herbs in the mountains thereafter, tigers and leopards would approach him docilely, bowing their heads and wagging their tails—some even carried firewood for him. Like the legendary Guo Wenju who subdued tigers at Dadong Cave, the fierce beasts near Shezhou ceased harming people thereafter, all transformed by Nie's spiritual influence.

Upon returning home and sharing his experiences, his mother said contentedly: "Your filial devotion nourishes us, while Daoist practice sustains your being. What fortune to be your mother." Later, Nie journeyed to Jiuyi Mountain in the southern peaks seeking recluses Mei Zhenren (formerly Nanchang official Mei Fu) and Vice Minister Xiao (Xiao Ziyun)—both eminent adepts dwelling at Yusi Mountain, where mortals occasionally glimpsed them.

This passage recounts the extraordinary encounter of Tang Dynasty Daoist priest Shi Dao on Yusi Mountain, where he unexpectedly met terrestrial immortal Xie Tongxiu while searching for the immortalized figures Mei Fu and Xiao Ziyun.

Xiao Ziyun was originally a nobleman of the Liang Dynasty. While serving as the governor of Dongyang, he fled the chaos of Hou Jing’s rebellion and retreated into the deep mountains with his entire family, later attaining immortality alongside Mei Fu. Shi Dao had long resided at Qingxu Temple on Yusi Mountain and, inspired by these two immortals, made his third journey to Yumu Valley in search of them. As he ventured deep into the mountains, he suddenly encountered a man dressed in plain cloth and wearing a black gauze cap, appearing to be around fifty years old. The man introduced himself as a "wanderer" and, upon learning of Shi Dao’s quest for Mei and Xiao, revealed that he was Xie Tongxiu, a terrestrial immortal tasked by Lord Donghua (an important Daoist deity) with overseeing affairs on Yusi Mountain.

Xie Tongxiu informed Shi Dao: "Due to your diligent cultivation, your name has already been recorded in the immortal register. Though you cannot ascend immediately, you will surely transcend the mortal world in time." He explained that Mei Fu and Xiao Ziyun were currently summoned by the Lord of Xiaoyou Grotto (a ruler of one of the sacred grotto-heavens) and thus could not meet at that moment. Shi Dao knelt in reverence, lamenting his mortal limitations and the difficulty of grasping the Dao, yet feeling profoundly fortunate to have encountered an immortal.

Moved by his sincerity, Xie Tongxiu led him to a tidy thatched cottage in the mountains. Inside were a bed, a small stove with boiling water—resembling a scholar’s dwelling—yet no one was present. Xie Tongxiu had Shi Dao sit on a wooden horse while he himself sat upon a white stone deer, then instructed a young attendant to bring a bowl of medicinal broth. After drinking it, Shi Dao felt refreshed and clear-minded. He was also gifted a volume of the Su Shu (a Daoist scripture) and told that diligent study would reveal its profound truths. When Shi Dao expressed a desire to stay and learn, Xie Tongxiu, foreseeing his thoughts, reminded him that his elderly parents still needed care at home. Though his elder brother could support them, this was not yet the time for distant travels southward.

This passage recounts the story of Daoist priest Nie Shidao (referred to as "Shidao" in the text) seeking the immortal Zizhi and inheriting Daoist teachings:

Nie Shidao received instructions from his master Tongxiu, directing him to Mount Jiuyi to find a disciple named Zizhi. Tongxiu explained: If he found Zizhi, he should relay his message and present this plain scripture (a Daoist classic), ensuring complete comprehension of its essence; if unsuccessful, he should cast the scripture into the cave at Maoru Stream, inscribe his purpose on the stone wall, after which Zizhi would naturally transmit vital Daoist methods. With these words, Tongxiu vanished. Returning to Qingxu Temple outside Yumu Pit, Nie Shidao astonished fellow priests by his seven-day absence.

Two priests accompanied Nie Shidao back to Yumu Pit, only to find the former thatched hut had disappeared, leaving only familiar rocks and vegetation. The plain scripture Nie obtained contained the Queen Mother of Mount Gui's (Xi Wangmu) secret teachings for immortal cultivation—earthbound immortals practicing these methods could ascend to heaven, while mortals studying them could enter grotto-heavens and blessed lands. Yet some profound passages remained incomprehensible.

Later, Nie Shidao stayed at Xiangzhen Temple on Mount Jiuyi for over a month inquiring about Zizhi. Locals only knew of a recluse at Maoru Stream, nameless. After repeated failed searches, he followed Tongxiu's instructions—casting the scripture and inscribing the wall. That night he dreamed of Zizhi resolving his doubts, awakening with newfound clarity. For the next thirty years, Nie cultivated at Wenzheng Mountain, regularly burning incense before portraits of perfected beings like Cai, Peng, and Xie, while compiling records of Daoist marvels.

When Wu Taizu (ruler of the Wu state during the Five Dynasties period) heard of Nie's reputation, hoping to harness his moral authority to unite the people, he summoned Nie to Guangling, constructing Xuanyuan Palace for his residence. Whenever Nie conducted zhaijiao (purification rituals) and prayers, his sincerity moved heaven and earth—auspicious clouds and other marvels appeared, transforming local customs to resemble the idyllic Huaxu Kingdom of antiquity. The court honored him as "Master of Carefree Enlightenment, Sage of Governance Inquiry," with disciples like Zou Dekuang and Wang Chune inheriting his teachings.

(Note: "Earthbound immortals" refers to long-lived transcendents dwelling in sacred mountains and grottoes; "Huaxu" alludes to the Liezi's utopian realm.)

This passage records the legendary deeds of the Tang Dynasty Daoist master Miaoli Zhenren (also known as Master Xizhen), who spread the cultivation methods of the Shangqing school (an important Daoist lineage) across various regions, continuing the orthodox Daoist transmission. The imperial court honored him with purple ritual robes (a mark of high esteem for Daoist masters during the Tang), bringing prestige to his school and attracting seekers of the Dao from Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Shandong, Hubei, Hebei, Henan, Fujian, Sichuan, and other regions across the land.

These disciples followed him for years with devout service. Miaoli Zhenren often humbly remarked, "I possess no extraordinary arts of the Dao—why have you come from such distances?" His disciples replied, "When Celestial Master Zhang (Zhang Daoling, founder of Daoism) resided in Shu, people from across the realm journeyed to follow him. With sincere practice, all may attain corresponding methods of the Dao. We willingly serve like attendants, hoping to emulate the ancients who achieved immortality through long cultivation. Those ancients are now but dry bones—we yearn to transcend this fleeting life and pursue the path of longevity."

With benevolent compassion, Miaoli Zhenren accepted them all, imparting key cultivation teachings tailored to each disciple's aptitude. Just as clothes gradually dampen when walking long in mist and dew, or as one near fragrant herbs absorbs their scent, the disciples naturally attained cultivation through sustained immersion. For thirty years in Guangling (modern Yangzhou), he transmitted the Dao to over five hundred disciples. Through fetal breathing techniques (advanced Daoist breath cultivation) and alchemical practice, they ultimately achieved genuine realization.

One day, Miaoli Zhenren suddenly announced to his disciples: "A celestial official wearing a black headscarf and red robes has just informed me that I must depart immediately for the immortal realms." As his words faded, an extraordinary fragrance filled the chamber, while cranes descended from the clouds into the courtyard as if immortals had arrived. After calmly bidding farewell, he peacefully achieved feathery transformation (yuhua, a form of ascension). When preparing his remains, the disciples found only an empty cicada-shell husk in the coffin—evidence he had attained liberation from the corpse (shijie, the highest form of Daoist transcendence). Later, they buried a tomb containing his ceremonial garments.

More remarkably, over the following decades, people from Yuzhang (modern Nanchang), Changsha, Hengyang, and elsewhere reported encountering Miaoli Zhenren traveling with attendants among the clouds, even visiting his former cultivation sites. A woodcutter claimed meeting him by Donglingyuan Stream, fulfilling a prophecy made fifty years prior. These accounts confirmed his place among the immortal ranks, roaming with famed transcendents like Cai Jing, Peng Zu, and Xie An of antiquity.

About twenty years later, recurring auspicious signs of clouds and cranes appeared at Wenzheng Mountain (in modern She County, Anhui). Locals interpreted this as Miaoli Zhenren's spirit returning to his homeland, echoing the legend of the immortal Ding Lingwei transforming into a crane to revisit his village. Dozens of disciples including Fan Kebao relocated his ceremonial tomb to the southern slope of Wenzheng Mountain, constructing an imposing mausoleum. This account vividly illustrates the complete process and lasting impact of a Tang Dynasty Daoist's attainment of immortality.

Upon receiving reports from various regions, the emperor issued an edict stating: According to established regulations, Daoist practitioners of exceptional merit should be honored. The Daoist ceremonial master (威仪) of the Huai-Zhe-Xuan-She region, known as the Free and Unfettered Master (逍遥大师) and Master Wenzheng (问政先生), had long performed purification rituals (焚修) for the state. He was specially granted purple robes (紫衣) and the honorary title of Nie Shidao (聂师道).

This master had comprehended profound mysteries from his youth, his nature perfectly attuned to the authentic Daoist spirit—aloof as a wild crane and carefree as a lone cloud. When Emperor Taizu founded the dynasty, he was summoned to preside over purification rites; the founding statesmen also revered him when establishing governance. His Daoist cultivation truly ranked foremost among the Mystic Gate (玄门). Though he had departed this world years ago, his virtuous legacy shone ever brighter. Now, with petitions from the Daoist community and memorials from the chancellor, considering his imminent burial in his homeland, he was posthumously granted the high-ranking titles of Silver-Green Light Grand Master (银青光禄大夫), Court Minister of State Ceremonies (鸿胪卿), and the honorific Master Wenzheng (问政先生).

As his coffin journeyed from the capital back to Shezhou, auspicious clouds illuminated the thousand-mile route by day, while crane cries echoed through the skies at dusk, as if guiding his passage. These marvels persisted until three days after his arrival at Wenzheng Mountain, then gradually faded.

Regarding Yin Wenxiang’s account:

Yin Qiqi, also named Wenxiang or Daoquan, often called himself "Qiqi" (七七), and the common folk addressed him as such, though none knew his origins. Roaming the land, people frequently encountered him yet could never guess his age—his complexion smooth as a man of forty, changing his name wherever he went. While selling medicine in Jingzhou, both Han and Tibetan locals afflicted by plague were instantly cured upon taking his remedies, and the people revered him as divine. He distributed all earnings to the poor, often lying drunk in the streets.

Zhou Bao had known him in Chang’an years earlier. When Zhou later became military governor of Jingyuan, he treated Yin with great respect, admiring his Daoist arts and "rejuvenation" (还元) techniques. After Zhou transferred to western Zhejiang for several years, Yin Qiqi suddenly reappeared selling medicine. Overjoyed at the news, Zhou reverently sought him as a teacher. Yin often sang while intoxicated: "Strum the jasper lute, refine the white-jade elixir, brew wine in an instant, make flowers bloom in a blink." Zhou Bao verified each claim, finding every word true. Later, he witnessed Yin perform miracles like growing melons and fishing effortlessly, as if Immortal Ge Hong (葛仙翁) had returned to earth.

At Helin Temple stood a rhododendron over ten feet tall, blooming each late spring. Monks recounted how a Western Regions monk had brought it from Tiantai Mountain during the Zhenyuan era (785–805), nurturing its roots with medicinal water from his alms bowl before planting it there. A special courtyard was later built just for this flower.

This passage recounts the extraordinary tale of Tang Dynasty Daoist priest Yin Qiqi (Daoist name) performing miraculous feats at Helin Temple. In the area grew a rare flowering plant guarded by a crimson-robed flower deity, said to bring misfortune to those who plucked its branches wantonly, causing the blossoms to flourish with exceptional vigor. During each blooming season, officials and commoners alike would hold flower-viewing banquets, disrupting even daily labors.

Yin Qiqi informed local official Li Bao that this wondrous plant could bloom according to one's will. Two days before the Double Ninth Festival, while lodging overnight at Helin Temple, a crimson-clad maiden (the flower deity) appeared to him, revealing: "These flowers have graced the mortal realm for over a century and shall soon return to the immortal realm (Langyuan). I wish to hasten their bloom in concert with one who embodies the Dao." By dawn, the astonished monks witnessed buds gradually unfurling, and by the festival day, the blossoms burst forth with spring-like splendor.

During a subsequent banquet when some guests slighted Yin Qiqi, he produced two chestnuts for a drinking game. All who touched them perceived an extraordinary fragrance, except two mocking musicians whose noses suddenly grew stone pendants emitting unbearable stench. Compelled into frenzied dancing, their hair ornaments scattered as tear-streaked makeup ruined their faces, while other musicians involuntarily accompanied them in rhythm. Only when the assembly pleaded for mercy did the stone pendants revert to chestnuts.

Through these episodes of divine manifestation and mystical retribution, the text demonstrates a Daoist adept's capacity to commune with spirits and uphold cosmic justice. The term "Langyuan" denotes a Daoist celestial paradise, while "Shangxuan" (the Supreme Mystery) references heaven, reflecting the Daoist concept of "cosmic resonance between heaven and humanity." The chestnut-to-stone transformation exemplifies the Daoist cultivation principle of karmic retribution.

This passage records the legendary experiences of two Daoist practitioners. The first half tells of an extraordinary man named Qiqi, who mastered numerous miraculous arts: he could preserve exotic fragrances and jewelry as if new, transform water into wine and wood into dried meat, make people walk backward; halt boats with a pointed finger, summon birds that would fall at his call, and revive dead fish with his saliva. He could sketch mountains and rivers in clay and use straw to attract ants, forming miniature cityscapes. Wherever he traveled, he could recreate these marvels, albeit on a smaller scale.

During the rebellions of Xue Lang and Liu Hao, a man named Bao fled to Hangzhou. Having learned Qiqi’s arts, he remained robust in his eighties, keeping over a hundred singing girls. But due to his indiscriminate killings, vengeful spirits eventually claimed his life, and he died suddenly. As for Qiqi himself, he was pushed off a cliff by monks at Ganlu Temple and drowned in the river. Yet, for over a decade afterward, people reported seeing him selling medicine in Jiangxi and Sichuan. The flowers and trees he once enchanted at Helin Temple withered during wartime—legend has it they originally came from the immortal realm of Langyuan.

The latter half recounts the spiritual journey of Tan Qiao (courtesy name Jingsheng), son of Tan Zhu, an official in the Imperial Academy. Exceptionally bright from childhood, he devoured books but spurned civil examinations, obsessed instead with Huang-Lao teachings (Daoist philosophy) and tales of immortals. Later, he bid farewell to his father to cultivate the Dao on Zhongnan Mountain, then wandered through sacred peaks like Taibai and Wangwu. When his father reprimanded him by letter, Tan Qiao cited the Han-dynasty story of Mao Jun leaving home to seek immortality, leaving his father no choice but to relent. For over a decade on Songshan Mountain, he trained under Daoist masters, mastering breath cultivation and grain abstention (bigu). Drunk and roaming daily, he wore black fur in summer and green linen in winter, even lying motionless in snow for hours—onlookers presumed him frozen dead, only to find him breathing serenely. Though his father longed for him, he could do nothing but acquiesce.

Du Sheng, styled Keyun, claimed to be a native of Duling in Jingzhao, though no one knew his true age. He abstained from ordinary food but could drink three dou of wine without showing signs of intoxication, his complexion as ruddy as a man in his thirties. He always wore a tattered square scholar's cap and dressed in a green cloth robe in winter, speaking with refined and cultured elegance. When offered new robes as gifts, he would accept them but refuse to remove his old garments, instead giving the new clothes to passersby the moment he stepped outside. Roaming the city streets, he would, when drunk, write the character for "dragon" (龍) in sand atop bowls or basins of water—the characters would float on the surface, swirling left and right. At times, with a single shout, the sandy characters would leap over ten feet into the air, transforming into misty, dragon-like shapes before descending back into the water at his command. This skill earned him considerable sums daily, which he promptly distributed among the poor and wine merchants.

In winter, he could lie in the snow for two or three days straight. People would assume he had frozen to death, only for him to rise slowly when the snow was brushed aside, shaking it off and walking away, exhaling warm breath like a man yawning after sobering up. When Du Ruxiu (son of Duke Bin, Du Cong) served as governor of Suzhou and heard Keyun was in the city, he joyfully invited him to the prefecture, addressing him respectfully as "Daoist Elder" (道翁), much to the astonishment of his subordinates. Du Ruxiu explained: "When my late father governed Western Shu, he was close friends with this Daoist Elder. He often visited our study—I was barely ten years old then, and now I’m over fifty, yet the Elder’s appearance hasn’t changed in the slightest."

Another passage recounts the story of Tan Qiao, styled Jingsheng. He had a servant deliver winter clothes and money to him, but upon receiving them, he immediately took all the garments sent by his father and distributed them to the poor in the streets, even spending every last coin on wine. When asked why he did this, he replied: "If money is stolen, others suffer for it. Without clothes or food, I’m free from worry." He was always cheerful, though some dismissed him as a madman—he would sing: "A thread for the Yangtze, a fan for the sky, / My sandals tossed to the eastern sea. / Penglai’s immortal isles aren’t far— / They’re right before my walking staff." Later, he succeeded in refining the Golden Elixir (金丹) at Mount Heng (Nanyue), and upon consuming it, gained the ability to walk through water unsoaked, through fire unburned, and even vanish or transform at will. Eventually, he entered Qingcheng Mountain and never reemerged.

(Note: "Sand writing" refers to the esoteric art of divination using sand or powdered substances; Nanyue and Qingcheng Mountain are sacred Daoist cultivation sites; Penglai is the legendary immortal isle of the eastern sea.)

This passage records the extraordinary deeds of two Daoist practitioners. First is Master Keyun, whose youthful appearance never aged while residing in the prefectural office. When Prefect Li Ruxiu sought instruction in Daoist arts, Keyun replied: Governing people requires benevolent policies and compassion—in these turbulent times, self-preservation is paramount. Though not entirely detached from worldly affairs, he frequently entered the city to distribute money to the poor. During a banquet, Keyun spontaneously composed verses imbued with profound Daoist truths, unmatched by any present. Later, during military upheavals when Li Ruxiu was killed, Keyun appeared wounded, leaving only torn fabric fragments on the ground. Days later, witnesses saw him drunkenly chanting and inscribing poetry near the Songjiang and Zhejiang regions. A year afterward, someone encountered him in Hunan discussing Suzhou events as if personally witnessed. Keyun smiled, mentioning his past cultivation at Mount Heng (Southern Peak) and his imminent return there. Thereafter, he vanished completely—presumed to have mastered the arts of invisibility and transformation.

The second figure, Yang Yin, hailed from Mount Tai in Shandong before relocating to Jinyun for official duties. Naturally serene and fond of carefree wandering, he often studied Daoist techniques. When his wife died suddenly, he invoked Zhuangzi's "drumming on a tub while singing" parable, viewing life and death as natural transitions unworthy of grief. Later, while visiting Ruan Lang Pavilion (legendary site where Han-dynasty Ruan Zhao encountered immortals), he mistook stone inscriptions for Ruan's poetry—later identified as calligraphy by Tang-dynasty magistrate Li Yangbing. One spring day, during an outing where Yang Yin drank with several Daoists by the pavilion, he collapsed abruptly at noon (hinting at possible ascension). The "drumming on a tub" reference originates from Zhuangzi's "Perfect Happiness" chapter, embodying Daoist transcendence toward mortality, while "Ruan Zhao's immortal encounter" recalls the famous legend of Liu Chen and Ruan Zhao meeting celestial maidens in Mount Tiantai.

At that time, this man's breath ceased yet his body remained warm. After being carried home, he revived seven days later. When villagers and Daoist priests inquired about his experience, he recounted: Initially, he encountered a figure wearing a blue headscarf and crimson robes who introduced himself as Lingying (Numinous Radiance) and invited him into a grotto mansion. There stood magnificent towers and pavilions with phoenixes and cranes circling above, the sky crystalline and scenery pleasantly warm—utterly unlike the mortal realm.

Soon, a blue umbrella-like object with an exceptionally long handle flew out from a stone crevice. Lingying pointed at it, calling it the "Azure Cloud Fungus" (Qingyun Zhi), explaining that consuming it could confer immortality. Feeling intensely hungry, the man sat upon a rock and ate it all—the taste was remarkably sweet. Lingying revealed his past-life karmic connection with the Dao, saying today he'd been granted an audience with celestial officials, then introduced him to three immortals: the Celestial Prince of Xiaoyou wearing a distant-wandering crown and cloud-hued cape, the Great Maojun of Huayang, and the Heaven-Assisting Lord of Hidden Mysteries (Yinxuan Tianzuo Mingjun). All agreed he possessed the bone structure for immortality but hadn't yet attained the stage of ascension, requiring further cultivation in the human world.

Moments later, Lingying escorted him out—they emerged at the western gate of Kuocang Grotto. After awakening, he ceased eating grains, consuming only three liters of water and one cup of lily bulbs daily. His body became light, joints producing sounds like bamboo clappers when moving. He grew eloquent, chanting day and night as if conversing with unseen beings, swiftly writing hundreds of pages in an undecipherable script. Observers recorded these beautifully composed verses, mostly describing celestial realms.

After one year, his frame turned slender yet extraordinarily agile. Skeptics accused demonic influence. By the second year, he abandoned even lily bulbs, subsisting on water and wine. In the third year, his hair darkened to jet-black, his face became childlike, and he could walk swiftly as if flying while consuming three dou (≈6 liters) of wine without intoxication. When questioned about his self-taught abilities, he attributed them to divine instruction.

Later, he visited his elder brother in Le'an, making the round trip in one day; journeyed to Tiantai Mountain, arriving the same day—covering 150-200 kilometers daily. Finally returning to Xiandu Mountain, he ingested elixirs and cultivated qi for over twenty years before ultimately ascending southward from Weiyu Mountain.