《歷世真仙體道通鑑》Vol. 2

The Tongxuan Celestial Master, also known as the Great Master of the Mysterious Center, is said to have been born in the era of the Celestial Sovereign. He passed down twelve works of the Scripture of the Great Dao of the Infinite, using the Great Dao of the Infinite to teach humanity.

The Ancient Great Master is said to have been born in the era of the Terrestrial Sovereign. He passed down twelve works of the Dongxuan Scripture, using the supreme, perfectly true Great Dao to teach the people.

The Master Pangu is said to have been born in the era of the Human Sovereign. He passed down twelve works of the Dongshen Scripture, using the Dao of peace and Wuwei (non-action) to teach the people.

Yuhuazi is said to have descended into the fields in the time of Fuxi, where he taught the Inner Writing of the Celestial Sovereign. He also passed down the teachings of the Yellow River Chart and the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), teaching people to follow their nature. He was also known as Wanhua and called the Master of the Fields. He wrote the thirty-four-volume Scripture of Original Yang.

Guangshouzi is said to have descended on Mount Heng in the time of Zhurong, where he taught the Inner Writing of the Human Sovereign and showed people how to calm their spirits. He also taught people to make pottery and vessels, using them to improve the hardships of a life without cooked food or useful tools. He was also known as Chuanyuzi and wrote the ninety-volume Scripture on Massage and the Circulation of Jing.

Dachengzi was also known as Chuanyuzi. He is said to have descended in Jiyin in the time of Shennong, where he taught the Inner Writing of the Terrestrial Sovereign and showed people how to cherish life. He taught them to grow grain and fruit trees in place of slaughtering livestock. He also prepared medicines to treat illness and help people care for body and mind. Another account says that he wrote the thirty-six-volume Scripture of Supreme Unity and Original Essence.

Guangchengzi lived in a stone chamber on Mount Kongtong. Hearing of him, the Yellow Emperor went to visit and asked, “May I ask what is essential to the highest Dao?”

Guangchengzi said, “You govern the world, yet you hope for rain before the clouds have gathered and for leaves to fall before they have turned yellow. How could someone like that be fit to discuss the highest Dao?”

The Yellow Emperor withdrew and spent three months quietly cultivating himself. Then he went back to pay his respects. He advanced on his knees, bowed again, and asked how to cultivate himself.

Guangchengzi replied, “The subtlety of the highest Dao is deep and obscure; its utmost reaches are undivided and still. Do not look, do not listen. Keep your spirit quietly within, and your body will naturally become upright. Be still and clear; do not wear out your body or disturb your vital energy. In this way, you may live a long life. Guard what is within you with care, and draw back from pursuing the world outside. Too much knowledge brings harm. I hold fast to the one root and abide within it…”

He harmonized his breath and remained steadfast in the Middle Way, and so did not age for twelve hundred years. Whoever obtains my Dao may ascend and become a person of the heavenly realm; whoever loses my Dao will return to dust. I am about to leave you and enter the boundless, roaming through realms without limit, shining with the sun and moon and enduring as long as Heaven and Earth. The people of the world will all eventually die; I alone will endure forever.” Having finished speaking, he bestowed the Jing of the Emperor’s Yin and Yang (listed in the Chronicle of the Yellow Emperor as the Jing of Nature) upon the Yellow Emperor. Guangchengzi was also known as Limuozi and wrote the seventy-volume Jing of the Way’s Fulfillment.

The Shendao says: Guangchengzi told the Yellow Emperor, “I hold fast to the foundation of the Great Dao and abide in harmony, and so I have not aged for twelve hundred years.” The Dao De Jing says: “In ancient times, those who attained the One: Heaven attained the One and became clear; Earth attained the One and became still; spirits attained the One and became numinous; valleys attained the One and became full; the myriad things attained the One and grew; and lords and kings attained the One and became the models of the world.” Guangchengzi’s meaning was probably that the Yellow Emperor should hold fast to the foundation of the Great Dao and make it the standard for all under Heaven. Later, the Yellow Emperor attained the Dao and ascended to Heaven in broad daylight. It is truly wondrous that later emperors never managed to reach Guangchengzi’s profound and mysterious state.

Suiyingzi

Suiyingzi, also known as Master Taiji, descended upon Mount Kongtong in the time of Shaohao. He taught the Jing of Solemn Composure, instructing people to follow the seasons and govern through timely ordinances.

Chijingzi

In the time of Zhuanxu, Chijingzi taught subtle doctrines and instructed people in loyalty and obedience. The Collected Records of the Sages of Mount Heng says that a platform for transmitting scriptures still stands on Furong Peak. During the Xianhe era of the Jin dynasty, someone on the southern slope of the mountain saw several children and a flock of white cranes flying about and playing on the platform.

Lutuzi

In the time of Emperor Ku, Lutuzi descended by a river and taught the Jing of the Yellow Court, instructing people to be tranquil and composed. He also ordered the True King of the Nine Heavens and the True Emperor of the Three Heavens to take the Eight Radiant Scepters and the Talisman of Auspicious Clouds down to the Terrace of Nurturing Virtue. There they bestowed upon Emperor Ku the Nine-Heavens True Spirit and the Three-Heavens Treasure Talisman: above, these were to serve the heavenly realm and ensure that nothing was omitted from Heaven and Earth; below, they were to govern the people and keep human lifespans from declining. Emperor Ku then went to the Northern River to perform a sacrifice to Heaven and hid the talismans at the summit of Mount Zhong. Later, he ascended to Heaven and became a True Person of the Dark Palace.

At that time, Lutuzi also transmitted the Dao to Chisongzi, Beiyizi, Wangni, and Nieque. Another account says that he wrote the fifty-volume Jing of the Yellow Court.

Wuchengzi

In the time of Tang Yao, Wuchengzi descended upon Mount Gushe and taught the Jing of Mysterious De, instructing…

He taught people through the way of humility. One account says that he once governed state affairs, promoted moral instruction, and wrote the forty-volume Xuan Yi Hua Jing.

Yin Shouzi

Yin Shouzi descended to Heyang in the time of Emperor Shun of Yu. He expounded the Dao De Jing and taught people to cultivate the way of Wuwei (non-action, following nature and refraining from contrived action). He also transmitted Daoist methods to Peng Zu. One account says that he wrote the seventy-volume Tong Xuan Zhen Yi Jing and a twelve-hundred-volume Dao De Jing.

Zhen Xingzi

Zhen Xingzi, also known as Ning Zhenzi, descended to Shangshan in the time of Yu the Great. He taught people to work diligently and live frugally, and transmitted the Jiu Chou Shu. He also ordered the spirit of Wanyuan and the emissary Xuanyi to transmit to Yu the Yu Shu, the Lingbao Wu Fu, the Zhi Shui Zhen Wen, the art of Gangbu (a ritual practice of walking according to the positions of the stars), and methods for summoning and commanding spirits and ghosts.

Tai Xiu Fa Le Grotto-Heaven on Mount Yusi is said to be where Yu received the Lingbao Zhen Wen, and traces of the place remain to this day. Linwu Grotto-Heaven on Dongting Mountain in Lake Tai is also said to be where Yu stored the Zhen Wen.

In the first month of the twelfth year of King Helü of Wu, the king climbed Mount Bao and ordered a man called Elder Longwei to enter a cave there and explore its depths. Elder Longwei saw a golden-walled city and a jade chamber, inscribed with words such as “Separate Palace of the Heavenly Queen” and “Hall of Great Yin.” On a desk in a jade room, he found a scroll of plain silk bearing 174 characters, which he then brought out. Helü could not understand the text, so he sent someone to ask Confucius.

Confucius said, “When I once traveled by the Western Sea, I heard this children’s song: ‘The King of Wu goes out to view Zhen Lake; Elder Longwei, whose name is Yinju. Northward to Mount Bao, into the numinous void; there he enters Dongting and steals Yu’s writing. The great text of the Heavenly Emperor cannot be disclosed; this writing will endure through the first 106-year cycle. If forcibly taken out now, it will bring ruin to the state and the house of Luqiu.’ According to the song, Elder Longwei found this scroll in the cave. As for the story of a red crow carrying a text, I know nothing of it.” On hearing this, the King of Wu was frightened and returned the scroll.

Another account says that Zhen Xingzi served as Yu the Great’s tutor in the Xia period under the name Ji Ziken. He wrote the forty-six-volume Yuan Shi Jing, the seventy-volume Miao Le Jing, and the thirty-volume De Jie Jing.

Liao Xizezi

Xizezi descended to Qianshan in the time of Tang of Shang. He expounded the way to longevity and taught people reverence and benevolence. The ruins of Long Hall in front of Tianzuo Palace on Qianshan are said to mark the place where he once taught the Dao. He was also known as Xishouzi, and some called him Jieziken. He wrote the seventy-volume Dao Yuan Jing.

Xie Yizi

Xieyi Zi, also called Chijing Zi (Red Essence Master), a Daoist immortal, descended to the south of Mount Qi. There he expounded the Chijing (Scripture of the Red Essence) and taught the people through the Way of benevolence and sincerity. When Xi Bo (Earl of the West) heard of him, he summoned Xieyi Zi to serve as Shou Cang Shi (Keeper of the Archives), an official in charge of classical texts and records.

Yucheng Zi

After King Wu of Zhou defeated the Shang and ascended the throne, Yucheng Zi was promoted from Keeper of the Archives to Zhu Xia Shi (Keeper of the Pillar Archives), an official who managed court documents. He composed the Xuanji Jing (Scripture of the Jade Pivot). Another account holds that during King Wu's reign he held a teaching office, was styled Guo Shuzi, was also known as Xucheng Zi, and was called Tianlao Gong (Lord Heaven's Elder). He was later known as Laojun (Lord Lao). At times he appeared as an ordinary person, and at other times he served as Zhu Xia Shi. He composed the Changsheng Jing (Scripture of Long Life) in thirty volumes and transmitted it to the Zhou king.

Jingcheng Zi

During the reign of King Cheng of Zhou, Jingcheng Zi served as Zhu Xia Shi. He expounded the Guanghua Jing (Scripture of Broad Transformation) and also transmitted the Dao to the Duke of Zhou, Dan. Afterward he withdrew into seclusion and traveled to distant lands, including the Far West, Daqin (the Roman Empire), and Zhuqian (ancient name for India). He was known as Gu Xiansheng (Ancient Gentleman).

Guo Shuzi

During the reign of King Kang of Zhou, Guo Shuzi served as Zhu Xia Shi.

Lishi Zhenxian Tidao Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror of Immortals and Perfected Who Attained the Dao Through the Ages), Volume 2