《歷世真仙體道通鑑》Vol. 16

Dong Feng, courtesy name Junyi, was a native of Fuzhou's Houguan County.

During the reign of the Wu ruler Sun Quan, a young man served as magistrate of this county. Seeing that Dong Junyi appeared to be in his thirties, he had no idea that Dong possessed any Daoist arts (daoshu). Later, the magistrate left his post. More than fifty years afterward, he took up another appointment, and as he passed through Houguan County he went to visit his former colleagues there. Dong Junyi also came, and his appearance was just as it had been, without the slightest change. The former magistrate recognized him and asked, "Do you possess Daoist arts? When you were in the county, you were about my age. Now my hair has turned white, yet you still look so young."

Dong Junyi replied, "It is only by chance." He then recounted an episode. Du Xie, while serving as Governor of Jiaozhou, contracted a poisonous illness and died for three days. At the time, Dong Junyi happened to be in the south, so he hurried over to treat him. He placed three pills into Du Xie's mouth and had attendants lift the dead man's head and shake it so that the medicine would dissolve. After about the time it takes to eat a meal, Du Xie opened his eyes, his hands and feet began to move, and his complexion gradually returned. Within half a day he could sit up, and he had come back to life. Four days later, he was able to speak.

Du Xie said that at the moment of his death, as if in a dream, several dozen men in black clothing came to seize him. They placed him on a cart without a carriage body and took him through a great red gate, straight into a prison. The prison consisted of rows of small cells, each able to hold only one person. Once Du Xie was locked in one of them, the outside was sealed off with earth, and he could see nothing beyond. In a hazy state, he heard someone say, "Taiyi (a Daoist deity) has dispatched an envoy to summon Du Xie; quickly release him." He then heard people digging at the cell with spades. After a long while, he was pulled out and saw carriages and horses waiting outside, with red canopies. Three men sat together in one carriage, and one of them, holding a tally of office, ordered Du Xie to board. Just as the carriage was about to return to the gate, Du Xie woke up.

Because of this, Du Xie built a tall pavilion for Dong Junyi in his courtyard. Dong did not eat ordinary meals; he ate only dried meat and jujubes, and he was quite fond of wine. Du Xie prepared wine and food for him three times a day, and Dong always came to the feast. When he came down from the upper floor, he would suddenly appear before the banquet seat like a flying bird, and no one could see how he had descended. His ascent was the same.

Three years later, Dong Junyi bade Du Xie farewell. Du Xie wept and tried to keep him, but Dong would not agree. Du Xie asked, "Where are you going? I can have a large boat prepared for you." Dong replied, "No boat is needed. Just prepare a coffin." Du Xie then had a coffin made ready for him. On the following day at noon, Dong Junyi……

Dong Junyi died, and Xie had him laid in a coffin and buried. Seven days later, someone arriving from Tangchang saw Junyi, who thanked him and said: "Please give my regards to Marquis Du and ask him to take good care of himself." Xie then opened the coffin to look inside and found a piece of silk and a talisman (fu, the talismans used in Daoist practice for supplication and healing) written in cinnabar. Afterward, Junyi returned to live at the foot of Mount Lu.

There was a man who had suffered from lazhai (an old term for severe skin disease) since childhood and was close to death. He personally went to see Junyi and kowtowed, begging for his compassion. Junyi had the sick man sit in a room, covered his eyes with five layers of cloth, told him not to move, and instructed his family not to approach. Junyi said that he had heard of a creature that comes to lick the sick, causing pain that is unbearable, with no part of the body left untouched. He estimated the creature's tongue to be more than a foot long and its breathing as coarse as an ox's, though no one knew what it actually was. After a long while, the creature departed.

Junyi then went over, removed the cloth from the man's eyes, gave him water to drink, and sent him home, saying: "You will recover soon, as long as you do not face the wind." For more than ten days, the man's whole body turned red and the skin peeled off in pain; after bathing in water, the pain no longer recurred. Some twenty-odd days later, new skin grew and the sores healed, leaving his body smooth as congealed fat.

Later, one year, a great drought came and the crops were nearly withered. The county magistrate, Ding Shiyan, said to his subordinates: "Dong Jun is skilled in the Dao and will surely be able to summon rain." He then took wine and meat to visit Junyi and described the hardship caused by the drought. Junyi said: "Bringing rain is easy." He then looked up at his own roof and said: "A poor man's house leaks from every side—how could one summon rain under such conditions?" The magistrate understood his meaning and said: "Master, just pray for rain, and I will build you a proper house."

The next day, Ding Shiyan personally led his officials in transporting bamboo and timber and erected a house. Once the house was finished and they were about to apply mud, he sent people to dig up earth to mix with water for the plaster. Junyi said: "There is no need to trouble yourselves hauling water; it will rain naturally by evening." That very night, a heavy rain fell, and both high and low ground received abundant water.

While Junyi still lived in the mountains, he often used talisman water to treat people's illnesses and accepted no payment. Those whose serious illnesses were cured planted five apricot trees; those whose minor illnesses were cured planted one. Over several years, the apricot trees numbered more than seventy thousand, forming a dense grove. Insects and beasts of the mountain played beneath the apricot trees, and no weeds grew beneath them, as though someone had been regularly clearing and tending the ground.

When the apricots ripened, Junyi set up a granary woven of bamboo mats in the apricot grove and told the local people: "Those who wish to buy apricots need not inform me; simply take them yourselves. For every vessel of apricots you take, place a vessel of grain into the granary."

If someone took many apricots in exchange for a small amount of grain, three or four tigers would fix their eyes on him and chase him. Frightened, the man fled, and the apricots spilled out behind him, whereupon the tigers withdrew. When he returned home and weighed them, the apricots matched the grain in weight. Another man went to steal apricots empty-handed, and when he got home, his family died. He returned the apricots, kowtowed in apology, and the dead were restored to life. From then on, people weighed their apricots themselves in the grove and dared not cheat.

Dong Junyi (that is, Dong Feng) used the grain he received to relieve the poor and provide for travelers. Each year he spent three thousand hu (a unit of volume), and still a great deal remained. The county magistrate had a relative whose daughter was possessed by a spirit, and no treatment had been effective. The magistrate told Junyi that if he could cure the girl, he would have her serve him. Junyi promptly summoned the spirit. A large white tuo (tuo: a large reptile resembling a crocodile) more than sixteen chi tall came walking to the family's doorstep, and Junyi had it killed. The girl's illness healed at once, and the magistrate gave her in marriage to Junyi.

For a long time the couple had no children. Junyi often traveled far from home, and his wife could not live alone, so they adopted a girl. When the girl was ten, Junyi suddenly received a decree from the Supreme Emperor, was granted rank as the Zhenren (True Man) of the Upper Supervisor of the Azure Void, Taiyi (Supreme Unity), and ascended to heaven in broad daylight. His wife and adopted daughter remained at his dwelling and made a living by selling apricots. Whenever anyone tried to cheat them, the tigers still chased the offender as they had before.

When the adopted daughter grew up, she took in a husband who came to live with her. Her husband was a vicious man who often stole the divine robes and objects from the shrine. The spirit of the temple then spoke through a medium, saying: "A certain man, relying on being the son-in-law of an immortal, has seized my garments. I am not here, and this only brings me shame. Out of regard for his being a member of an immortal's household, I will let the matter go."

Junyi lived among people for a hundred years, yet his appearance always remained that of a man of about thirty. After his ascension, people built a shrine on the site of the old apricot grove and named it the Taiyi Palace. Emperor Zhenzong of the Song bestowed a plaque reading "Dazhong Xiangfu Guan (Abbey of Great Central Auspicious Tokens)," and during the Xuanhe era of Emperor Huizong, he was further enfeoffed as Shengyuan Zhenren (True Man of Ascending Origin). Another account holds that south of Zhongli County in Haozhou there is Xing Mountain, where Dong Feng planted his apricot trees.

Yao Guang

Yao Guang was a man of unknown origin. He obtained the path of the divine elixir (shendan zhi dao) and could divide his body and conceal his form. When seated, he could vanish at once; fire did not scorch him, and blades did not wound him. The ruler of Wu personally tested him, having several thousand bundles of reeds piled up, seating Yao Guang within them, and then setting fire to them from all four sides. The smoke and flames darkened the sky, and the crowds that came to watch filled the capital. Everyone believed that Yao Guang had been reduced to ashes.

The fire died down, and a beam of light rose from the ashes. The man shook out his robes, rose to his feet, and stood with a calm, unhurried composure.

He held a scroll in his hand. The Lord of Wu read it but could not understand it. Afterward, no one knew where he had gone.

Xu Wan

Xu Wan was a native of Haiyan in Wu Commandery. In his youth he already possessed daoshu (arts of the Way) and could subdue malevolent spirits.

A woman surnamed Du in Qiantang was plagued by an evil spirit, so Xu Wan performed a rite to summon the demon. A man in a white unlined gown of fine hemp cloth walked through the door. Xu Wan gave a sharp command, and the man at once transformed into a white tortoise.

One day Xu Wan and several cousins climbed Mount Shiqi to cut firewood. When evening came, Xu Wan did not return. The next morning the others went up the mountain to search and found him leaning motionless against a tree, a sickle tucked under his arm. When they lifted him up, they discovered that only an empty shell remained.

Mao Ying

The Perfected (Zhenren) was surnamed Mao, personal name Ying, courtesy name Shushen, and was a native of Nanguan in Xianyang. He descended from the Mao lineage, a branch of the Ji clan of the Zhou royal house. The Mao family had accumulated virtue for generations, and its blessings extended across a hundred generations, with capable and outstanding members appearing one after another.

Mao Ying's great-great-grandfather was named Meng, courtesy name Chucheng. He possessed profound insight and could perceive the rise and fall of worldly affairs. Foreseeing the decline of the Zhou dynasty, he refused to serve the feudal lords and instead became a disciple of Master Guiguzi of Beiguo and Bei'e. Later he withdrew to Mount Hua and lived in the secluded valleys around the West Spirit Peak, where he cultivated the Dao in quiet devotion, seeking the path of immortality and keeping far from the world.

Mao Ying's great-grandfather was named Yan, courtesy name Tai, the fourth son of Mao Meng. In the reign of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, he entered service as a retainer, was later promoted to Commander of the Chariot and Cavalry, and was enfeoffed as Marquis Gongxin of Changping. He distinguished himself in assisting the government and restoring order.

Mao Ying's grandfather was named Jia, courtesy name Zhenglun. He entered service in the reign of King Zhuangxiang of Qin and was enfeoffed as Marquis Guangxin. At that time Qin had annexed Ba, Shu, Hanzhong, and the regions of Wan and Ying, and had established Nan Commandery. To the north it seized Shang Commandery, and to the east it held Hedong, Taiyuan, and Shangdang, reaching as far as Xingyang. After Qin destroyed the Eastern and Western Zhou, it established Sanchuan Commandery. Lü Buwei served as chancellor, was enfeoffed as Marquis Wenxin, and gathered guests and wandering scholars, intending to unify the world.

After Qin Shi Huang came to the throne, Mao Jia assisted the court and was accordingly enfeoffed as Marquis Dexin. In the sixth year of Shi Huang's reign, Han, Wei, Zhao, Wei, and Chu jointly attacked Qin (the Zizhi Tongjian records the attack as made by five states: Chu, Zhao, Wei, Han, and Yan), and they captured Shouling. Shi Huang sent Mao Jia to lead troops in counterattack, and Mao Jia won a military victory. When the state of Wei threatened Qin's eastern capital, Mao Jia again led troops to campaign against it and restored order. Shi Huang valued Mao Jia's ambitions……

Qin Shi Huang bestowed five thousand jin of gold upon him. In the twenty-fifth year of Qin Shi Huang, a major military campaign was launched; Jia was dispatched to attack Liaodong in the state of Yan, where he captured the King of Yan and then returned in victory. He was also sent to pacify Jingzhou and the regions of Jiangnan, all of which submitted to Qin. In the same year, Kuaiji Commandery was established, and Jia died while leading troops at Kuaiji. The First Emperor, grieving over his loyalty, buried him with the ceremonies accorded to a Chancellor, southwest of Longshou Mountain in Chang'an.

Jia had six sons, all of whom were quite renowned in their time. The First Emperor granted each of them an official rank and noble title, and they inherited their ancestors' fiefs; each was also bestowed a surname. The sixth son, named Zuo, with the courtesy name Yanying, did not take office nor study, preferring instead to live in the fields. He was the father of Ying. Zuo had three sons: the eldest, named Ying, with the courtesy name Shushen; the second, named Gu, with the courtesy name Jiwei; and the youngest, named Zhong, with the courtesy name Sihe.

Ying was born in the fifth year of the Zhongyuan era of Emperor Jing of the Han, the year Bingshen (145 BCE). From his youth he showed an extraordinary aspiration, possessing keen intelligence and lofty ambitions. His bearing was transcendent; he sought no fame or distinction, did not associate with those who were not of like mind, and cherished only stillness and emptiness, with a tranquil and detached heart. At the age of eighteen, Ying left home and entered Mount Heng, where he studied the Daodejing of Laozi and the Book of Changes, gathered herbs from the mountains to take as medicine, and lived in seclusion among the steep cliffs. His temperament was outstanding; he admired the profound Dao and wished to withdraw from the mundane world.

On the day Gengzi in the ninth month of the thirtieth year of the First Emperor, Ying's great-grandfather Meng, having studied under Master Guiguzi on Mount Hua, ascended into the sky on a cloud drawn by a dragon, flying off in broad daylight.

Earlier, a ballad had circulated among the local people: "The one who attained the way of the immortals is named Mao Chucheng; he rode a dragon to ascend to the sky, entering Taiqing (the pure, void heavens spoken of in Daoism), at times descending to Xuanzhou and roaming Chicheng. Those who come after will also follow after him; and if it is I, Ying, O Heavenly Emperor, may he too learn this Way." The ballad further said that when the twelfth month and the Jiaping festival arrived, the immortal Way would manifest.

When the First Emperor heard the ballad, he asked about its meaning, and the village elders explained in detail: "This is a song about immortals, urging the sovereign to seek longevity." The First Emperor was delighted by this, and thereupon conceived the desire to seek out immortals and pursue long life, and he renamed the year-end sacrifice of la as Jiaping.

Ying lived and cultivated the Way on Mount Heng for six years, concentrating his thoughts on the ultimate Dao. Through sincere responsiveness, both in sleep and waking, he often had profound insights, and in dreams he faintly saw Lady Taixuan Jade Maiden (a female immortal of Daoist legend). She held a jade tablet and said to Ying: "There is a Lord Wang in the Western City who has already attained the Way and can be your teacher. Why do you not seek him out and ask him for instruction?"

Ying, inspired, climbed high and crossed dangerous terrain to make his way to the Western City. He fasted for three months, bathed and purified himself, offered prayers toward the realm of the immortals, and then pressed onward through thorns and perils, bowing before the sacred domain, until at last he met Lord Wang. Twenty years later, he followed Lord Wang westward.

Upon reaching Turtle Mountain, Ying paid respects to Xiwangmu (the legendary foremost of the female immortals), kowtowed twice, and addressed her:

"I, Ying, am only a humble person. I am old and frail, my body as withered as dry bones, and yet I dare, with an unworthy body, to admire the long life of the dragon and phoenix. It is like the morning fungus that lives only a single day, which nevertheless hopes to attain a life measured in years and seasons. Although I look up to the Dao of long life, I do not know how to get through its hardships and dangers. I have no path to seek it, and I constantly fear that I will die on the difficult road of seeking the Dao and become a laughingstock among ordinary people.

"Long ago, I carried my book chest deep into remote mountain forests to seek a teacher. Later I met Lord Wang. Pitying me for the hardships I had endured in seeking the Dao, he transmitted to me the essentials of nourishing the body and the method of fuqi (regulating the breath and circulating qi to nourish life). I then closed my door and practiced in quiet cultivation, following the methods he had taught.

"Afterward, my teacher warned me again: your body is not jade or stone, and it cannot be sustained by ordinary breath alone. Nor will the inner body grow and renew itself on its own, as the four seasons do. You must regulate the inflow and outflow of your breath so that it becomes calm and your jinye (fluids) become balanced, and only then can you nourish the physical form and the shen (spirit) so that they do not go astray. The power of response must be built up over a long time, so that the hun and po (the ethereal and corporeal souls) will not become stagnant. One should follow proper principles and harmonize the breath, so that the physical form and the jing (essence) do not become exhausted and the dwelling of the body is not ruined.

"If the spirit is weary from constant movement, and the jinye is depleted by the flow of breath in and out, then the body will decline day by day, and the spirit will dry up. Life will shorten year by year and wane month by month. Therefore, one should diligently seek methods that can prolong life and increase longevity."

Xiwangmu said: "Your resolve is firm. My former teachers, Yuanshi Tianzun (the Heavenly Venerable of Primordial Beginning) and the Great Lord Fusang of Huangtian (the August Heaven), once passed on to me a few essential instructions. Do you wish to hear them?"

Thereupon, Xiwangmu orally transmitted to Ying the "Dao of the Jade Pendant and Golden Tassel" and the Taiji Xuanzhen Jing (Scripture of the Mysterious Truth of the Supreme Ultimate). Ying bowed to receive the teaching, knocked the head, and then rose.

Xiwangmu further told Ying: "The 'Golden Tassel' is the essence of Shangqing (the Highest Clarity, the upper heavens in Daoist cosmology), and it is the true key within the yin light. The 'Jade Pendant' is the hidden and profound precious text of Taishang (the Most High). Those who obtain this Dao can ascend among the clouds and mists, roam to the farthest reaches of the eight directions, rest securely in the high sky, and move freely through Zixu (the Purple Void, a Daoist heaven).

"The words that Yuanshi Tianzun and the Great Lord transmitted, which I have just described, are the chapters on the Jade Pendant and Golden Tassel found in the Taixiao Erjing Yinshu (Hidden Writings of the Two Lights of Taixiao). In addition, there is the inner true text of the Yin and Yang Two Lights, which will be transmitted to you together with this text. The methods established by Taishang may be passed only to those whose destiny records grant them eligibility to receive the Dao. Their jade tablets and mysterious register records must contain corresponding writing, their names must be inscribed on the golden register, and there must be a white document that shines with light. Such a person should seemingly be appointed to the office of Shangqing (Chief Minister) or Siming (Director of Destiny). This Dao will be transmitted to you again later. Before that, however, you must first listen to the Mingtang Xuanzhen..."

Ying could not obtain the Taixiao Yinshu (Hidden Book of the Great Void, a secret Daoist text), so he took leave of his master and returned home.

Zisuo lived among ordinary people and did not deliberately set himself apart. He told others that he had once entered the Northern Valley of Mount Heng to study Confucian and other secular learning, and that he had been forty-nine years old at the time. Ying's parents were still alive. When his father saw him return, he flew into a rage and scolded him: "You unfilial son! You would not personally serve and support your parents, but chased after deluded teachings and wandered the four corners of the land. I ought to drive you away and disown you as my son!" With that, he raised his staff to beat him.

Ying knelt and apologized: "I came in response to Heaven's mandate, destined to attain the Dao. Cultivating the Dao and attending to worldly affairs are hard to reconcile. Although I am far from home and cannot serve my parents morning and evening, I can keep our household safe and see my parents live long. I have received the fulu (talismans and registers, tokens and charms conferred by a Daoist master). Heavenly soldiers guard me, and immortal youths and jade maidens attend me. Now that my Dao-work is complete, you may not strike me at will, or you may bring down the strict scrutiny of the Three Officials (Sanguan, the Celestial, Earthly, and Aquatic Officials in Daoist belief)."

Ying's father had long upheld ritual propriety, but had not yet grasped the inner De (Virtue) and the profound principles behind it. He still harbored doubts, so he decided to test Ying's condition and put the others' doubts to rest. He picked up the staff and walked toward Ying, but as he raised it, the staff snapped into several dozen pieces that flew outward like arrows, punching through the wall and splintering a pillar. Only then did the father realize that Ying was no ordinary person, and his anger subsided. Ying said, "What I said just now was meant to prevent exactly this. If the staff had struck someone by chance, that person would have been hurt."

By the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Han, Ying's two younger brothers had both risen to prominence: Zhong became Grand Master of the Five Offices and Governor of Xihe, and Gu became Commandant of the Capital Guard. When the two departed for their posts, several hundred villagers came to see them off. Ying was also present at the banquet, and he told the guests: "Although I do not hold a post with a salary of two thousand piculs, I have a duty assigned by the immortal spirits. On the third day of the fourth month next year, you will know whether all of you can gather again as you do today." Everyone agreed. That was the fourth year of the Chuyuan era of Emperor Yuan of the Han.

The following year, the guests did indeed gather again, just as before. On the appointed day, several qing of land in front of Ying's house suddenly became level, without even a pebble. Blue silk canopies were raised over it, with several layers of white felt spread beneath, enough to seat several hundred people. People near and far talked of nothing else, the roads were clogged with arrivals, and the number of guests was several times greater than at the farewell for the two brothers.

When all the guests had arrived, Ying laid out a lavish feast. The guests could not see their host, but golden plates and jade cups came of their own accord before them, bearing rare dishes and exotic fruits whose names no one could name. The wine was also exceptionally fragrant, and there was singing, dancing, and the sound of strings and winds, as well as gold...

The stone rang out and shook heaven and earth, and a fragrance like musk drifted for several li. After everyone had eaten and drunk, all felt their spirits strengthened. More than six hundred people ate their fill and were carried away by the feast. The next day the escort of officials arrived. The civil officials wore red robes and plain sashes, with several hundred attendants. The military officers brought armored soldiers, yaqi (ivory banners), and all manner of weapons and ceremonial guards, and under the sunlight the scene was magnificent.

Mao Ying took leave of his family and kinsmen and said to the young men of the clan: "True xian (immortals) leave their traces in secret. What matters is not displaying marvels or deliberately adorning one's reputation to startle the eyes and ears of the crowd. I did not quietly withdraw, hide my form, and ascend silently to Mount Kongtong because I wish, through this, to guide and encourage disciples, so that each of them will arise with the aspiration to pursue the Dao of the xian. Is this merely clinging to my own views and sending people back into delusion? Everyone in the world who has the heart for the Dao should turn their mind toward the wish to seek xian and strive to attain it." Having said this, he went to Juqu (Mount Juqu). The local people therefore renamed Juqu the Mountain of Lord Mao (Maojun zhi shan).

At that time, Mao Ying's two younger brothers were both serving as officials. When they heard that their elder brother's traces of xian-hood were lofty and unfathomable, that he had attained xian in broad daylight, riding a flying carriage, treading the void, crossing waters and rivers through the air, and attended by lingguan (numinous officials, divine attendants in Daoist legend who serve the immortals), they were astonished. These accounts spread by word of mouth, and his banners, insignia, and radiance illuminated the world. The two brothers then came to believe that xian-transformation could indeed be reached through cultivation, and that spirits could be moved to respond. They also came to see that the ancient immortals Chisongzi (Red Pine Master) and Wangzi Qiao (Prince Qiao) were not fabrications, and that the Yellow Emperor's ascension at Dinghu (Lake of the Tripod) was a real event.

The two brothers each abandoned their offices and returned home. In their old age they began to practice the rudimentary methods their elder brother had left behind. Lacking the oral instructions, however, they gained no benefit. Together they sighed and said: "Our elder brother has already attained the Dao, and the opportunity to seek it lies with him. If we do not now go to him and personally ask for the secret instructions, must we remain here and spend our lives following the rules of those manuals? Even if we go and fail, our brother will never let us die in vain." They then left home together, traveled by carriage, and set out to find Mao Ying.

On the sixth day of the third month in the second year of the Yongguang era of Emperor Yuan of the Han, the brothers crossed the river to Dong Shan (East Mountain) to seek their elder brother. At last they met him, and their words came through mingled joy and sorrow, tears flowing as they spoke. Mao Ying said to his younger brothers: "You have awakened too late." The two knelt and said: "We are dull and stubborn and do not understand the principles of Dao and De (Virtue). We beg our elder brother to bestow the methods of long life and rescue his younger brothers." Mao Ying said: "You are already old, and it will be hard to make up for what has been lost. Even if you receive the true secret instructions, the most you can achieve is to become a dixian (earthly immortal). As for the great method of ascending to the heavenly realms, I have not learned it myself. For now, let us first practice, step by step, the methods that are easier to carry out, so that the body may be settled."

Thereupon, Mao Ying taught his two younger brothers to ingest Qingya (Azure Fangs, a cultivation material in the Daoist practice of dietary self-nourishment), and to practice the methods of drawing in the qi of initial birth and swallowing the jinye (fluids). According to Daoist teachings on nourishing life, these methods can stabilize the blood and qi, replenish what is weak and depleted, gather the strength of the sinews and bones, and also slow the process of aging.

They dealt with death in this way. For three consecutive years they undertook long periods of fasting, keeping pure precepts and restraining their diet, and only then were they admitted to the Way. This was meant to let them preserve and bring forth the Mysterious True Qi (xuanzhen zhi qi) of the Mingtang (the "Bright Hall," the bodily locus associated with the spirits and with jing and qi), which they used to regulate and direct the vital essence of life and bring the hun and shen into harmony. Over those three years they gave their utmost sincerity and concentrated wholeheartedly on cultivation and contemplation, until at last they beheld divine light. Then the Six Dings (liuding, the six guardian deities of Daoist belief) came to attend them, and heavenly soldiers came to guard them. Ying and the others each received a dose of the Nine-Turn Returning Elixir (jiuzhuan huandan, an elixir in Daoist refinement practice) together with a divine prescription (shenfang). They bowed to receive these, swallowed them, and thereby attained the immortal Way.

Later, they were given the Book of Purple Essence (Zisu zhi shu), a hundred characters each, and the text was entrusted to Gu Zhong, who received it with a bow. At the time some held doubts, so they requested instruction and verification of the matter. The Zisu Text says:

"The Most High has issued a decree, and a true scripture has descended from heaven. The scripture says: Mao Gu, a man of Xianyang who lives south of the pass, courtesy name Jiwei, has received the mandate to take a place among the immortals, to serve in the office of Registrar of Fates, and to govern the Earthly Perfected. You are to recommend those of the Way who are responsible for matters concerning the years and lifespans of others, and to fulfill your duties with reverence and diligence. The laws, palaces, and terraces of the four quarters all fall under your authority, and you shall administer affairs at Mount Jurong in Danyang. Mao Gu, you must exert yourself in this, and be careful in observing your conduct, whether in motion or in stillness."

The text continues:

"Mao Ying's younger brother Gu Zhong is of outstanding natural talent and clear character. Though he has already understood the principle of returning to origin and to rectitude, he still contemplates the subtle Way. His sincerity is single-minded, he has cut away the evils of the Six Heavens, and his talent is remarkable and his reputation distinguished. Now you are ordered to take a lower post among the Three Officials, to preserve people's lives, establish their registers, and oversee the affairs of Mount Tai (Daizong), keeping the ledgers that record birth and death. You will rank among the Earthly Immortals and become a worthy one among the Nine Palaces. You will instruct and guide young novices so that they succeed in cultivation, teach the female officials, and transmit various wondrous methods. You will govern the hundred spirits and control their calamities, examine the essences and qi, and survey the sources of waters and the courses of rivers and seas. You will seal and keep the stores of gold and grain, record the jade elixir, and supervise the cultivation of the dragon-fungus and herbs of the Longzhi Cavern. You will administer affairs at Mount Liangchang, which lies near the entrance of the Northern Cavern and guards the gate of the Yin Palace."

Once the envoys had delivered the scripture, they departed. On the day jiyou of the eighth month of the second year of the Yuanshou era under Emperor Ai of the Han, the Five Emperors each rode the chariots corresponding to their directions and descended with their attending officials. By the command of the Great Emperor, they conferred upon Mao Ying the office of "Lord of Fates, Supreme Minister of the Eastern Peak." The edict was carved on a tablet of purple jade and inscribed in gold:

"Mao Ying was by nature empty and tranquil, outstanding and unique, clear regarding the hidden and the manifest, and absorbed in the mysterious Way. From his youth he wore his hair loose and lived in seclusion on the Northern Mountain. He quieted his mind in forests and marshes, and single-mindedly pursued the Way and sought the spirits. He climbed high peaks and traversed deep valleys, laboriously searching for a master; he threw himself from precipices and into the myriad waters. With utter sincerity he walked the Way, following his nature, and at last he met a wise teacher and received the secret methods of the numinous writings nine times over. He cut his hair as a vow and endured wounds and injuries, even mutilating his body. He bound himself with cords and found joy in it, and he did not regard hunger or cold as shameful. What he sought was only the Way, and what he guarded was only the Way. Moved by his true and sincere heart, he stirred the August Emperor, and was answered..."

Xuan, the one who bestows the mandate, now solemnly confers upon Ying the title "Great Origin Perfected" (Dayuan Zhenren) and appoints him Lord of Destiny (Simingshenjun), a divine ruler who commands the Supreme Minister of the Eastern Peak (Dongyue) and oversees its affairs and the span of life.

The Lord of Destiny is upright of heart and firm in conduct, as unyielding as metal and stone. Out of sincere devotion he corrects the multitudes and devotes himself single-mindedly to cultivating the Dao (the Way), his spirit reaching far and high. In recognition, Xuan rewards him with a jade battle-axe, green banners, and the Staff of Eight Powers (a ritual implement and set of divine commands that symbolize spiritual authority), enabling him to campaign against Yuanze and subdue the gods.

The Lord of Destiny endured the bitter cold of mountain forests and secluded valleys, seeking the Dao in quiet devotion and admiring the Perfected Xuan. Striving amid hardship, he climbed deep into steep peaks, opening his mind and exhausting his sincerity. Therefore Xuan bestows upon him a purple banner-staff and an elegant crown woven from lotus fiber, enabling him to summon and command myriad spirits, seal off mountains, and call forth clouds and mist.

The Lord of Destiny abandoned home and family to travel alone, leaving his kin behind and delighting in the pursuit of immortality. Even on treacherous roads, and even bare-bodied through the mountains and rivers in winter, he did not turn back. Therefore Xuan bestows upon him a purple cape embroidered with feathers and a flowing skirt painted with vermilion and azure designs, enabling him to ascend freely the stairs of the clouds and carry commands between the Jade Perfected Lords.

The Lord of Destiny waded through dense thickets and stepped onto perilous heights, his mind fixed on the Dao and never daunted by hardship. Therefore Xuan bestows upon him a dragon-spotted chariot drawn by a white tiger, enabling him to ride the glow of dawn clouds through the vast heavens and drive to the courts of the Heavenly Emperor.

The Lord of Destiny pushed through brambles, braving frost and wind and snow, single-mindedly seeking the Way of clear illumination without contention or fear. Therefore Xuan bestows upon him a curved canopy of precious jade, jeweled curtains, and a green immortal chamber, enabling him to tour the Nine Palaces and cultivate his mind and spirit in stillness and focus.

The Lord of Destiny turned away from worldly splendor and retreated to practice in seclusion, his heart never growing weary. Hiding in deep mountains, he quietly contemplated amid the myriad forests. Therefore Xuan bestows upon him a flowing golden bell and a pair of bright, moon-like pearls, enabling him to ascend to the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji) and relay messages to Shangqing, the high heaven of Daoist cosmology.

The Lord of Destiny's aspirations are lofty and pure, untouched by depravity or distraction. His nature is genuine and his heart bright, open and sincere within and without. Therefore Xuan bestows upon him brocade banners, embroidered pennants, and a black-shafted staff with white feathers, enabling him to summon the Six Yin Jade Maidens (Daoist divinities) to attend his carriage.

The Lord of Destiny is compassionate, and whenever he encounters affairs he dispenses hidden virtue (good deeds performed without seeking fame). Toward all beings, even the smallest creatures, he extends care and protection. Therefore Xuan bestows upon him a phoenix-and-simurgh flute, a golden bell, and a jade chime, enabling him to harmonize his mind in the empty and tranquil immortal hall, playing music to welcome the Perfected and dancing to summon the spirits.

The Lord of Destiny endures hunger and thirst to nourish his spirit, and passes through great hardship in pursuit of truth. No worldly thing can confuse him, and no multitude of malign spirits can harm his purity. Therefore Xuan bestows upon him purple jade-essence, jade elixir, and golden jars (vessels for holding immortal medicines or elixirs), enabling him to share the lifespan of the sun, moon, and stars, and to inscribe his merits on jade-and-cinnabar registers.

Ying's character embodies the clear, mysterious Qi, and purple radiance shines upon him from all eight directions. Layers of brilliance fill his heart, and his spirit-light blazes like the sun and moon together, filling the Great Dawn Mist. He is truly the eldest among the Perfected, and so he is granted the title "Great Origin." The Lord of Destiny possesses nine virtues and gathers the Qi of the Supreme Subtlety; heaven, humanity, and the realm of pure emptiness and non-action (wuwei) were never bound by agreement, yet they will ultimately converge. Now these nine categories of reward repay his past aspirations and sincere devotion.

Fang Lang dwelt in the land where the Four Spirits make their home. His divine spirits of inner alchemy (neidan) shone brightly, his nature remained upright and steadfast, and it never changed. He was appointed to an office of inspection, where he could discern even the most subtle matters. He was then made Grand Minister, charged with overseeing the Eastern Peak, and concurrently given the office of Director of Destinies, in charge of the registers and ledgers of names. He was also granted forty jade youths and forty jade maidens to attend him as he came and went through Taiwei (the Supreme Tenuity) and carried out affairs at Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). His seat of office was set at the Palace of the Jade Cavern in Red City, where Ying performed his duties, and every movement and stillness of his was to be reported.

Thereupon, Mao Ying took leave of his two younger brothers and departed together with Lord Wang for the Palace of the Jade Cavern in Red City. Along the way, the spirits and officials who governed the mountains and rivers came out to greet them and lead the way, and their retinue numbered in the thousands and tens of thousands.

Before setting out, Mao Ying said to his two brothers: "I am now leaving. Since I have taken up an official post, I can no longer come and go as I did before, meeting you morning and evening. Let us agree that a thousand years from now I will return to this mountain. Each year, on the eighteenth day of the third month and the first day of the twelfth month, I will invite my teacher, together with the Perfected of Chicheng of the Southern Peak Great Void, to visit you here. You must remember this. If there are men who love the Dao and wait for me here, I will make arrangements for them and instruct them myself."

Afterward, Ji Wei and Si He remained behind to cultivate themselves in the caves of this mountain and built palaces and halls outside them. They transmitted the Dao to all things, so that the common people were nourished; their virtue reached birds and beasts, so that each found a secure dwelling. The spirits manifested their signs, and the consequences of good and evil, of fortune and misfortune, became clear. Since the methods of inner cultivation had been brought into harmony, outer teaching also became smooth, so that wind and rain arrived in their season, the five grains ripened, pestilence did not arise, and violent harm did not occur.

The Zhen'gao (Declarations of the Perfected), a Daoist classic, records that Gu, the elder brother, became the Perfected of Jurong and fixed his register as Right Prohibitory Gentleman, while Zhong was made the Office of the Three Officials for the Preservation of Life.

The local elders sang this song: "Mao Mountain adjoins Jinling, and the rivers and lakes hold the lower reaches. Three immortals ride white cranes, each governing a single peak. Sweet rain nourishes the dry fields, and the seedlings on the land grow tender. My wife and children are all at peace, so I have no hundred worries. The white cranes soar up into the blue clouds; when will they come again to visit?"

Your servant Daoyi remarks: Mao Ying descended from a line of true immortals, and songs of immortals had long foretold his destiny. He looked lightly upon the glory and riches that the houses of bells and tripods represent, and he admired the teaching of Xuanyuan (Laozi). For this reason he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Dao, and through his utmost sincerity he moved the spirits, finally accomplishing a lofty achievement whose honor surpassed that of the wealthy and powerful. Even though his two younger brothers held high rank and conspicuous office, Mao Ying was not moved in the slightest. He likely regarded his brothers' splendor as no more than a dream or a bubble; yet they had still not come to understand this……

He moved his two younger brothers to the Dao by revealing marvelous transformations, and in the end both of them turned toward the Way.

The Daodejing says: "Music and dainties make the passing traveler stop; but the Dao, when uttered from the mouth, is bland and without flavor. Looked at, it cannot be seen; listened to, it cannot be heard; used, it cannot be exhausted." Mao Ying's intention was probably this very idea.

Han Chong

Han Chong, courtesy name Changji, was a native of Piling in Wu Commandery (in the area of present-day Changzhou, Jiangsu). He was fond of Daoist arts (daoshu) from a young age. The Immortal of the Linwu Grotto, Wang Weixuan (a figure of Daoist legend), taught him a method of cultivation called the "Flowing Pearl Elixir" (liuzhu dan). Han Chong practiced it with reverence and achieved considerable results.

Wang Weixuan told him, "If you cultivate this art, you may also take office and serve in government without obstructing your attainment of immortality." Han Chong therefore entered public service and rose to be Magistrate of Wanling. He governed with benevolence and soothed the people through reason, so tigers and wolves kept far from his district, and locusts did not gather within its borders. Later he was promoted to Grand Administrator of Runan and recommended the clerk Yuan An, who later rose to the rank of Minister of Works (situ). People widely regarded Han Chong as a man with a discerning eye for talent.

Han Chong lived alone in clean poverty and simple frugality. The emperor, considering his conduct exalted, increased his salary so that his rank reached the grade of zhong erqianshi (one of the salary grades of Han officials). Later, when Emperor Ming toured Runan, he stayed temporarily at Han Chong's residence. Han Chong had his wife move out and live with a lonely old woman. When the emperor heard of this, he sighed, "Han Chong may truly be called one who has been tested by hardship yet has not changed his true nature." He then bestowed upon him fifty bolts of silk.

Han Chong served in the commandery for fourteen years, and both his administrative achievements and his moral instruction were notable; he was recommended as the foremost official in the realm for good governance. At the age of seventy-four, Wang Weixuan again transmitted to him the "Method of Concealment and Deliverance" (yinjie fa), a Daoist practice of hiding one's traces and liberating the mortal body. Han Chong was thereby able to depart, entered the Great Huo Mountain, and received from Wang Weixuan the "Purple Gate of Mud Pellet Technique of Escape and Transformation" (dunhua niwan zihu shu), a Daoist cultivation method concerned with escape-transformation and the refinement of the spirit-body, in order to transcend the mundane world. He now serves in the grotto as "Left Supervisor of the Central Regulation."

(The deeds recorded in the Book of Han are largely the same, though the wording differs slightly. Yuan An's courtesy name was Shaoping. He first served as a county Chief Secretary, and through Han Chong's recommendation he held successive offices, finally reaching the rank of Three Excellencies. He died during the reign of Emperor He of Han. He was the great-great-grandfather of Yuan Shao. In the Jin dynasty there was also a Feng Xi, who rose to Grand Master of Ceremonies (taichang), a position of comparable standing. Since Han Chong practiced the "Method of Concealment and Deliverance," he must have departed by leaving behind a corpse-substitute. Today there is a large tomb in Jinling known as the "Han Tomb," traditionally called by that name. Some doubt that it is a false tomb like that of Lord Tao, while others hold that people now call it the tomb of Han Dang, a general of Sun Ce, and that this may be the empty tomb.)