《歷世真仙體道通鑑》Vol. 25

When Zheng Siyuan was young, he was a scholar skilled in calendrical calculations and predicting celestial phenomena. Later, he became a disciple of Ge Xiaoxian, studying Daoist methods and receiving Daoist texts and arts, including the Zhengyi ritual writings, the Inner Writings of the Three Sovereigns, the Diagrams of the True Forms of the Five Sacred Mountains, the Scripture of Great Clarity on the Golden Liquid, and the Five Talismans of the Dongxuan Cavern.

Zheng Siyuan cultivated the Dao while living on Ma’ji Mountain in Lujiang. One day, he found two tiger cubs whose mother had disappeared. He took them back to his mountain dwelling and raised them. Their mother later returned and, too, came to stay by Zheng Siyuan’s side. From then on, when he traveled, he rode on the mother tiger, while the two cubs carried his scriptures, clothes, and medicines.

Once, at Hengjiang Bridge in Yongkang, Zheng Siyuan met an acquaintance, Xu Yin. Xu had prepared warm medicinal wine and, because of a toothache, asked Zheng Siyuan for a tiger whisker. He wanted to heat it and place it between his teeth to relieve the pain. Zheng Siyuan plucked a whisker from the tiger, and the mother tiger lay on the ground without moving.

In a commentary, Dao Yi writes: The Dao De Jing says, “The highest good is like water.” Water nourishes all things but does not contend with them. Zheng Siyuan may be said to have embodied this highest goodness. He withdrew to the mountains and forests to cultivate the Dao, treating birds and beasts with kindness. Tigers are fierce animals that can harm people, and everyone fears them; yet Zheng Siyuan took pity on the cubs who had lost their mother and raised them. The ancients often said, “Raise a tiger, and you invite trouble upon yourself.” That is generally true, but Zheng Siyuan suffered no harm as a result. Later, the tigers carried his scriptures, clothes, and medicines, and even gathered firewood for him. This may be understood as the result of profound De and good deeds that moved and inspired all things.

Ge Hong, whose courtesy name was Zhichuan, was from Jurong in Danyang. He loved learning from an early age. Because his family was poor, he went up the mountains himself to gather firewood and exchanged it for money to buy paper and ink. At night, he copied and recited books, and later became renowned for his Confucian learning. He was calm and restrained, with few desires and no particular attachment to possessions. He did not know how to play board games and took no part in chupu, an ancient game of chance. He was quiet and unassuming, sought neither fame nor profit, and often closed his door to visitors and avoided socializing.

When seeking books, pursuing learning, or investigating principles, Ge Hong was undeterred by long distances and difficult mountain roads; he always found a way to obtain what he sought. In this way, he read widely and studied the classics in depth, with a particular interest in the methods of immortal cultivation, health preservation, and daoyin exercises. Ge Xuan, a grand-uncle of Ge Hong’s, studied the Dao in the state of Wu and attained immortality, earning the title Immortal Lord Ge. He passed the secret arts of alchemy to his disciple Zheng Yin. Ge Hong became Zheng Yin’s student and learned these methods. Emperor Cheng of Jin…

During the Xianhe era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (326-334 CE), Minister Wang Dao (the Jin chancellor) sought to appoint Ge Hong as a regional registrar and later recommended him for the prestigious positions of Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and Chief Editorial Director. However, Ge Hong firmly declined. Advanced in years, he wished to refine elixirs for longevity. Having heard that cinnabar for alchemical purposes could be obtained in Jiaozhi (modern northern Vietnam), he requested appointment as magistrate of Julou County (in present-day Guangxi). Emperor Cheng of Jin considered Ge Hong overqualified for a county post, to which Ge explained: "I seek no official rank, only the materials for alchemy." The emperor then granted his request.

Accompanied by his sons and nephews, Ge Hong journeyed southward. When passing through Guangzhou, he was detained by Regional Inspector Deng Yue. Eventually he settled on Mount Luofu (a famous mountain in Guangdong) to practice alchemy, spending years in leisurely seclusion while continuing his scholarly writings. In his autobiographical preface, he modestly stated: lacking ambition for worldly advancement, he took joy only in the pursuit of quietude and Wuwei (non-action). Even if endowed with the ability to soar through the nine heavens, he would rather fold his wings and move unnoticed among ordinary people. Since Heaven had granted him only average talents, he should act within his means—daring not to emulate flies attempting to touch the sky or lame turtles chasing swift hares in vain ambition. Thus he abandoned the path of fame and officialdom, content in humble circumstances where wild vegetables surpassed delicacies and thatched huts equaled grand halls.

Ge Hong criticized conventional Confucian scholars who revered only the Duke of Zhou and Confucius, not only mocking Daoist immortality teachings but slandering spiritual practitioners. Therefore he specifically composed the Inner Chapters on alchemical arts (Neidan) and the Outer Chapters addressing philosophical debates—116 treatises in total. Though not presumptuous enough to claim these works worthy of preservation in sacred mountains for posterity, he wished to seal them in golden caskets for destined readers. He styled himself "Baopuzi" (Embracer of Simplicity) and used this as his book's title.

Ge Hong's erudition surpassed all scholars east of the Yangtze, his writings exceeding even those of Sima Qian and Ban Gu in quantity, while demonstrating profound insight into metaphysical philosophy. Later, he suddenly wrote to Deng Yue about seeking a master beyond the mountains, setting a departure date. When Deng rushed to bid farewell, he found Ge Hong seated upright at noon as if asleep—having peacefully passed at eighty-one. His corpse retained lifelike coloration with supple limbs; when lifted into the coffin, it felt light as empty robes. Contemporaries believed he had achieved "release from the corpse" (shijie), the Daoist transcendence where adepts shed their mortal form.

The historian's commentary notes: From youth seeking masters to old age maintaining diligent study, Ge Hong devoted his life to investigating extraordinary texts and secret manuals (referring to Daoist scriptures).

The library brought together writings handed down through the ages, recording how immortals taught and transformed people; it also explored the secret arts of the Nine Elixirs, a Daoist term for various methods of alchemy.

He resigned from worldly honors and set aside miscellaneous studies. He regarded treasures worth a foot of jade as lightly as dust, yet treasured every inch of time. He took joy in virtuous conduct, dwelt in stillness and truth, and stood apart from the world’s conventions. This way of preserving life was perhaps the highest of all. (From the Book of Jin)

Tang Geng of Meishan, courtesy name Zixi, praised him:

“The people east of the Yangtze have grown increasingly base; no one’s virtue shines anymore. A bird flies in, but will not stay; it turns lightly and flies south. Are the likes of Deng Yue’s followers and the remnants of Wang Chuzhong (Wang Dun) truly so discerning that they deserve our admiration? I live on Mount Luofu only because fate brought me to practice Neidan (internal alchemy). Should I debate whether to leave just because of Deng Yue? Choose where you belong by considering what matters most; there is no need to fret over lesser things. I live with Mount Luofu as freely as an affectionate gull.” (From the Illustrated Gazetteer of Mount Luofu)

I, Daoyi, say: The Daodejing says, “Favor and disgrace are equally startling; regard great trouble as you would your own person.” This means that one should react to favor and disgrace alike as if startled, and regard great trouble as seriously as one regards oneself. Ge Hong was exceptionally talented, yet gave up the honors of office. Could he have done so without reason?

After the Jin court moved east, treacherous ministers stirred up turmoil and the Kingly Way fell into decline. Extraordinary men and unusual beings appeared one after another. When would the lands east of the Yangtze ever find peace again? Ge Hong’s insight was exceptional, beyond that of ordinary people. Thus he withdrew from the world without sorrow, took joy in the Dao, and preserved his natural integrity. By letting go of favor and honor, he could not be humiliated; by forgetting himself, he left trouble no way to intrude. In the end, he remained devoted to learning the way of the immortals and succeeded in attaining it. Later generations of Daoist practitioners should take him as their model.

The Wild Man Huang

The Wild Man Huang was a disciple of Immortal Ge (Ge Hong). (Some say he was Immortal Ge’s servant.) When Ge Hong lived in the mountains and practiced alchemy, the Wild Man Huang stayed by his side. After Ge Hong became an immortal and departed, he left pills among the stone pillars. The Wild Man Huang returned from outside, found one pill, and swallowed it. He became an earthbound immortal, able to walk on the ground. To this day he still lives in the human world in bodily form, and those with the right affinity may yet encounter him. (From the Illustrated Gazetteer of Mount Luofu)

Later, someone visiting Mount Luofu spent the night among the caves and cliffs of a valley. They saw a person wearing no clothes, his body covered in deep blue-green hair. Thinking he must be an immortal, the visitor bowed again and begged to be taught the Dao. The person paid no attention, but laughed aloud several times, his laughter shaking the woods, then sang:

“Clouds arrive, and all the peaks stir;

Clouds depart, and heaven and earth are one shade.

A long laugh, two or three times—

The autumn moon shines white over the empty mountains.”

This person was clearly the Wild Man Huang.

Then, during the Xianchun era of Emperor Duzong of the Song, a traveler wearing a square cap and boots wandered back and forth through Mount Luofu. Whenever he met anyone, he would laugh loudly, turn around, and run off. This went on for three years…

As for his name, one day he returned home drunk and suddenly picked up a piece of charcoal and wrote on the wall: “Clouds drift unaware as spring light over the blue-green peaks rises; fallen into the human world, though a thousand kalpas pass, I still love plum blossoms.” When he had finished, he crossed the sea and departed. Was he not a companion to those who lived in seclusion?

Yang Xi

The Perfected Lord Yang, whose name was Xi, was born in the ninth month of the fifth year of the Xianhe era under Emperor Cheng of Jin (around 330 CE). He seems to have been from the region of Wu. He later lived in Jurong, where he studied the Dao on Mount Mao. Fair-skinned and handsome, he was good at witty conversation and skilled in writing. He studied diligently and read widely in the classics and histories. His disposition was deep and gentle. Even as a child, he had the uncanny ability to understand the hidden world of spirits. He formed a bond of almost divine friendship early on with the two Xu: Xu Mai, who traveled widely, and Xu Mu, the Chief Clerk.

Xu Mu recommended Yang Xi to Prince Xiang, and Yang Xi was appointed a retainer in the prince’s administration. In the early years of the Yonghe era under Emperor Mu of Jin, he received the Method of the Yellow Central Court for Controlling Tigers and Leopards. In the sixth year of Yonghe, he also studied the Five Talismans of Lingbao with Liu Pu, the eldest son of Lady Wei.

Yang Xi was quiet and profound, able to commune with the spirits. His mind was empty and still, and he had attained understanding for himself. His communion with the spirits was like dry and damp things drawing together, or water and fire responding to one another. In the dark stillness, wondrous events followed one after another, with no clear trace of how they had come to pass.

In the third year of the Xingning era under Emperor Ai of Jin (365 CE), when Yang Xi was thirty-six, a host of Perfected Ones descended and taught him the essential methods of the Dao. Among them were the Lord of the Blue Lad, Grand Minister of the Upper Realm; the Perfected Lord Chi of the Great Void; Lord Wang of Western City, Grand Minister of the Upper Court; the Perfected Lord Mao of the Great Origin; the Perfected Lord Pei of Clear Transcendence; the Perfected Lord Wang of Tongbai; the Perfected Lord Zhou of Ziyang; the Lord of Central Mao; the Lord of Lesser Mao; the Marquis Fan of the Central Court; and the Marquis Xun of the Central Court. Also among them were Lady Ziguang, Lady of Southern Peak, Lady Youying, Lady Ziwei, Anfei of Jiuhua, Lady Zhaoling, and Lady of the Central Court. The deities rode in procession beneath banners like rainbow clouds, secretly drawing along their spirit carriages as they traveled through the skies. They concealed their traces and withdrew into the ordinary world. Their feast music, like the sound of gold and jade striking together, rang in Yang Xi’s presence without a day’s interruption; thus the passing years were never wasted.

Yang Xi took Lady Wei as his teacher, became the companion of Anfei of Jiuhua, and consorted with the Perfected Ones. Anfei of Jiuhua therefore praised him:

“Lord Yang was born with a luminous nature, empty and still, composed and refined; the foundations of his Dao practice are deeply rooted and well ordered. His heart is as clear as jade and as fragrant as an orchid marsh. His character is lofty and his reputation pure. He is destined to hold high office and assist the four directions, receive the commands of a sage ruler, govern life and death, reward and punish the spirits, and hold the registers of many deities. He will seal mountains and summon clouds, oversee the harmonizing of Yin-Yang and Qi, and become the sovereign of spirits and ghosts in the lands of Wu and Yue.”

Twenty-two years later, Yang Xi would ride a dragon and harness the clouds, ascending in broad daylight. For now, he suffers from being unable to endure the winds, fire, and smoke; perhaps he can seek the method of “sword release” to depart from the world of dust. (“Sword release” is a form of deliverance in Daoist legend, in which a sword takes the place of the physical body, symbolizing departure from the world after attaining the Dao.)

This is the method for completing this art. Perfected Person Xuanqing said to Xi, “Studying the Dao should be like shooting an arrow: once the arrow is released, it flies straight ahead without looking back. It should also be like building a target and practicing with full concentration: keep your resolve firm. When you enter the mountains to cultivate the Dao, simply press forward with a single-minded heart and do not waver. In this way, you can reach the realm of utmost truth.” Xi respectfully accepted his instruction and practiced diligently, eventually attaining the Dao and becoming an immortal. Emperor Jianwen of Jin later took Xi as his teacher and also attained the Dao. As it happened, Xi later concealed his form through the method of “sword liberation” and transformed himself into an immortal (sword liberation was a form of corpse liberation in Daoist legend). The Zhengao records that Xi died in the bingxu year, the twelfth year of the Taiyuan era under Emperor Xiaowu of Jin. Xu Mu, father of Xi’s disciple Xu Hui, also encountered a Perfected Person through his lord, Xi. Although the nine members of the Xu family each had a connection to the Dao from early on, their spiritual resonance, numinous responses that appeared like dust motes, and the merits of their insight and radiance all came through their lord, Xi.

In the thirteenth year of Taiyuan, the lord rode clouds and dragons west to pay a visit to Taisu, then traveled north to pay court to Yuqing. He assisted Donghua and governed the affairs of the people, ghosts, and spirits in the Wu and Yue regions. The Record of the Cinnabar Terrace calls him “Senior Assistant of Donghua.”

Xu Hui

The Perfected Person of Leiping Mountain, Xu Hui, had the courtesy name Daoxiang and the childhood name Yufu. His father, Xu Mu, once served as Chief Clerk of the Guard under the Jin dynasty; after cultivating the Dao, he attained the rank of Left Minister of Shangqing. His mother, Lady Tao, whose name was Kedou, entered a grotto to cultivate the Dao before Xu Mu and became the Lady of Yiqian Palace.

From childhood, the Perfected Person was exceptionally gifted and unusual, with his true nature inwardly present and a calm, profound disposition. Xu Mu held him in high regard. The commandery recommended him for the posts of provincial accounts officer and chief clerk, but he accepted neither appointment. Refined and pure, he remained untouched by worldly affairs. Like a spring that flows away without being filled with silt, he continually advanced through his own virtue. He lived beneath Leiping Mountain, took Lord Yang as his teacher, and received the Three Heavens’ Orthodox Methods and the Crooked Plain Phoenix Script. Later, he was also entrusted with the transmission of the Higher Way.

Lord Yang admonished him: “Studying the Dao should be like digging a well. The deeper you dig, the harder it is to climb out. If you cannot keep your resolve firm and your conduct upright, how will you ever see the spring?” The Perfected Person often longed to enter the Grotto-Heavens soon and did not wish to remain long in the human world. He therefore traveled north and announced that he was about to depart this life. Afterward, he lived at Fangyuan Lodge in a grotto on Fangyu Mountain. He often traveled to and from the Four-Sided Terrace, which is why the Zhengao says, “While still in the world, the recluse often delighted in living there.” In a letter to Xu Mu, Lord Yang also wrote, “I wonder whether the Perfected Person of Fangyu has already set up his seat within the gates of Yiqian Palace.”

Sixteen years later, the Perfected Person was to pass into Donghua, receive the immortal scriptures, and become an Immortal Lord and High Minister of Shangqing. The Genealogy of the Thearch of Dawn records that by the age of thirty, he no longer remembered the year of his departure from this life. According to two records, he was twenty-seven in the dingmao year, the second year of the Taihe era under Duke Haixi of Jin. From this, one may calculate that he was born in the xinsi year, the seventh year of the Xianhe era under Emperor Cheng of Jin…

From the third year of Taihe onward, Chousheng was no longer seen. According to the genealogical records, he died at the age of thirty, probably in the gengwu year. A commentary on the Zhengao says that he was born in the sixth year of Xianhe, but also points out that accounts claiming the Minister of State summoned him to serve as an assistant do not accord with the facts.

Elders passed down the story that Chousheng once burned incense and worshipped on the northern stone altar in the Northern Cavern. He then lay face down on the altar and never rose again. When people checked at dawn the next day, his body still looked alive. That stone altar remains there to this day. Another account says that he received clothing and instructions for resolving difficulties from Zhang Zhennan, and later departed from the altar at night. He married the daughter of Huang Yan, magistrate of Jiankang, and had a son, Huang Min; only afterward did he return home.

Xu Huangmin

The immortal Xu, magistrate of Linju, was named Huang Min and styled Xuanwen. He was the son of Hui, the Shangqing Immortal Lord, and grandson of Mu, the Shangqing Left Minister. He was born in the xinyou year, the fifth year of the Shengping era under Emperor Mu of Jin. His wife was the daughter of Ge Wanan, magistrate of Xiyang. Ge Wanan was the second grandson of Ge Hong, author of the Baopuzi.

At twenty-one, Huang Min served as a chief clerk in his commandery. He was later recommended as a Filial and Incorruptible candidate and held posts as assistant director of the Court of Agriculture, staff officer for the Southern Man, and magistrate of Linju. In the third year of the Yongxing era under Emperor Hui of Jin, turmoil broke out around the capital, and he took his scriptures with him to Shan County. Ma Lang greatly respected him, and Ma Lang’s cousin Ma Han often provided him with support. People of the time all knew that Master Xu had attained the Dao. His father and grandfather were also highly renowned, which earned him even greater respect.

In the sixth year of the Yuanjia era under Emperor Wen of Song, Huang Min planned to move to Qiantang. He sealed a chest of true scriptures and left a message in Ma Lang’s quiet room: “These are traces of the immortals and spirits. Even if someone comes carrying a book, do not hand them over to anyone.” Later, after staying for a short time at the home of Du Daoju, he died there at the age of sixty-nine.

The Zhengao also says that Huang Min, his great-uncle Xu Mai, his aunt Xu Ehuang, his uncle Xu Lian, and Huang Min’s son Xu Rong, younger brother, and granddaughter Xu Qionghui all attained transcendence. Ma Lang revered the scriptures as he would his father, and divine light and numinous energy often appeared in his home. His wife saw female immortals dressed in blue and adorned with jade passing through the air many times. The Ma family consequently enjoyed wealth and longevity for generations.

Later, outraged that He Dao of Shanyin had stolen books and disclosed the scriptures’ essential teachings, Ma Lang sealed the lock of the scripture chest with molten copper, so that his family could never open it again. After Ma Lang died, his son Ma Hong encountered Shu Jizhen in Jiaxing. Shu Jizhen later served these scriptures as well. In the first year of the Jinghe era under the Deposed Emperor, the lay practitioner Lou Huiming urged Shu Jizhen to submit a memorial requesting permission to open the chest and retrieve the books. Shu Jizhen…

He was skilled in Daoist arts, and his reputation was known to people of his time. Later, he presented the scriptures to Hualin Garden, the imperial garden. Seeing the original texts within, their vermilion and golden characters gleaming with extraordinary brilliance, he did not dare look at them any further. Toward the end of Emperor Ming’s reign, Jizhen requested permission to return to his residence. Lu Jianji traveled south and established the Chongxu Abbey there; the scriptures were entrusted to the abbey as well. How wondrously did the divine and true Dao work its transformations? First it was kept secret in the hands of the Ma family, then it appeared among the Shu family, and finally it was transmitted to Master Lu. Though the Ma and Shu families treasured the scriptures in cloth cases and on tables, honoring them as family heirlooms, they could not grasp their subtle meaning.

Lu Xiujing

Master Lu of Mount Lu came from the prominent Lu family of Wuxing. His personal name was Xiujing. Born with primordial Qi, he was unlike other people from childhood: his expression was calm and composed, his conduct gentle and upright; he was intelligent and perceptive, and inwardly quiet enough to penetrate hidden mysteries.

In his youth, he studied Confucian classics and read widely in ancient writings and books of prognostication that foretold good and ill through hidden signs. He understood them all. He believed he had received the innate Dao and was meant to assist in the transformation of society, bring Jing and Qi back into unity, and accompany the True Sovereign—the true Dao that governs all things. These deeds are recorded in books written on golden slips and jade tablets. Afterward, he withdrew from worldly life and secretly sought out famous mountains, traveling from the region of Xiong and Xiang to Mount Jiuyi and Mount Luofu, then westward to the Wu Gorge and Mount Emei. Clouds and mist hung over the mountain pines, and the scenery of peaks and streams was beautiful. His practice matured: he questioned the mysteries, communed with the spirits, received secret teachings from divine beings, and came to understanding naturally, gaining the company of immortals and perfected beings.

Late in the Yuanjia era of Emperor Wen of the Song, Lu Xiujing came to the capital to buy medicine. Emperor Wen had long admired his Daoist bearing. He ordered the “Precious Carriage that Halts among the Clouds” prepared and sent the Left Vice Director Xu Zhan to announce his wish that Lu remain. The master firmly declined, brushed off his robes, and departed. Later, when Emperor Wen faced the Taichu calamity, people felt that the master’s departure had been an extraordinary premonition.

Lu Xiujing then traveled south along the river and was especially fond of Mount Lu’s magnificent scenery. In the fifth year of the Daming era under Emperor Xiaowu, he built a retreat beneath White Cloud Peak. In the third year of the Taishi era, Emperor Ming issued another decree, ordering Governor Wang Jingwen to urge him to come to court. With no choice, he accepted the summons. On the day he set out, bears, tigers, apes, and birds cried mournfully along his route, and fell silent only after he had left the mountain.

When Lu Xiujing arrived at court, the emperor established Chongxu Abbey and the Terrace for Communing with Immortals to receive him. Following the master’s explanations, the emperor asked about the subtle principles of the Dao and was deeply moved. Those within and beyond the court who understood the true Dao came flocking to him, like streams flowing into a valley and the wind aiding a tiger’s strength; nothing could stop them. The master cleared away the haze and made the principles plain, sifted out the gravel to reveal the gold, and showed people the path of practice, turning them back from delusion and error. Those of middling ability or better each gained an understanding according to their capacity; Situ Yuan Can and others were among them.

After Chongxu Abbey was completed, the scriptures treasured by the Shu family were also brought there.

All the secret methods come down to “that.” From then on, the customs of the age and the atmosphere at court changed markedly, and the Master became a revered patriarch among both officials and common people.

The following year, the emperor fell ill and issued an edict asking the Master to perform a “Rite of Mud and Ashes,” a kind of Daoist purification ritual. That night, dense auspicious clouds swirled above the ritual altar. By the next day, the emperor had recovered. After Prince of Guiyang sent his troops into battle, the field was strewn with corpses and bones. The Master prepared coffins, gathered the dead, and buried them. Most of the hidden merit he accumulated was of this kind.

The Master repeatedly asked to return to the mountains, but the emperor refused each time. In the first month of spring in the fifth year of Yuanhui under Emperor Cangwu (477), the Master suddenly said to his disciples, “Bound by the emperor’s favor and commands, I have gone against the wish I have always held. Now I will return to my former mountain home. You may pack your belongings and prepare to leave.” His disciples all came to see him off. On the second day of the third month, the Master suddenly passed away peacefully. His body shone brilliantly and gave off a rich, unusual fragrance. Three days later, the disciples on Mount Lu all saw him return to his former hermitage in a procession wreathed in rosy clouds. A moment later, he had vanished without a trace. Everyone was astonished and marveled at this strange event.

The Master left instructions that his body be placed in a cloth sack and abandoned in a nearby ravine among the mountain cliffs. His disciples could not bear to follow them, so they carried his body back to Mount Lu. He was seventy-two years old. The saying “refining the body in a secluded place, then ascending to the celestial realm of Taiwei” refers to this kind of event. The emperor posthumously bestowed on him the title “Master of Simplicity and Quietude” and rebuilt his former residence as the Monastery of Simplicity and Quietude, in his memory as a man of the Dao.

Earlier, the Daoist scriptures of the Dongzhen Cavern had been mixed with both authentic and spurious texts. The Master organized and corrected them, distinguishing the genuine from the false. The ritual rules he established for purification and abstinence thus became a model for later generations. He wrote more than a hundred works, including records, treatises, and discussions, all of which have been handed down. Among his disciples, the most renowned for attaining the Dao were Sun Youyue and Li Guozhi.

Later, Kong Dezhang wrote to Li Guozhi about the Master: “The Master’s practice of the Dao surpassed that of the central realm, and his teaching spread eastward. Emperors followed his precepts, while humans and spirits alike honored his teachings. Now his subtle words have fallen silent, and the Great Dao is on the decline. The Ritual Master is endowed with innate wisdom and composure, and ranks among the Master’s close disciples. His learning is broad and his understanding profound; the disciples look up to him and gather around him. He ought to put the Master’s surviving works in order and restore them, grasping their essential principles and renewing their framework; to carry forward the teaching our former Master left unfinished, and continue the legacy of the wondrous Dao, thereby guiding the common people and enlightening those who come after.”

When the Master first went to the capital at the emperor’s summons, he carried a cloth sack. After his death, when he returned to the mountains, a cloth sack suddenly appeared hanging from a tree on a rocky slope. Today, a peak by the western stream near his residence is called “Cloth-Sack Crag.” There is also a stone used for offering rites there, six or seven feet high and more than a zhang around, facing northwest; it is also called “the Stone for Paying Respects to the Dipper.” Outside the monastery gate there is also a place for alchemical cultivation…

Beside a well stood a paired-trunk tree, its trunk so thick that two people could barely encircle it with their arms, its roots spreading and intertwining over the ground. There was also a stone chime whose clear, far-reaching tone rang out when struck. Medicinal herbs and bitter bamboo grew among the valleys. These were all ancient sites that had been handed down from earlier times.

In the first year of the Taiji era under Empress Wu of the Tang dynasty (712), the court ordered a Zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) to be held at the monastery. At the time, unusual signs appeared, including a black dragon and a flock of cranes. The court issued an edict praising the event and ordered the Historiography Bureau to record it. On the first day of the seventh month in the first year of the Xuanhe era under Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty (1119), Lu Xiujing was posthumously conferred the title “Perfected One of Cinnabar Origin.” The edict said:

“I believe that the names and deeds of the ancient recluses of noble purpose and conduct have been passed down without end, yet some have not received titles befitting them. After deliberation, the court has agreed that they should be posthumously honored and celebrated. Master of Simplicity Lu Xiujing was inwardly sincere and had grasped the true Dao. He collated and organized scriptures that had been lost, setting an example for his own age. He transcended the world and lived in seclusion on Mount Lu, where a shrine is still dedicated to him. Now, having examined his deeds and established a title for him, we confer upon him the rank of Perfected One in accordance with ritual precedent. This is not only to honor the conduct of those who came before, but also in the hope that later generations, on hearing of him, will know where the Dao lies and be encouraged to cultivate themselves. We hereby confer the title Perfected One of Cinnabar Origin.”

(It is said that Lu Xiujing died during the Yuanhui era of the Song. Yet the Comprehensive Mirror of Buddhism records that in the first year of the Shaotai era under Emperor Jing of Liang, the Daoist Lu Xiujing and others, after first being cast aside by Emperor Wu of Liang, later fled to Northern Wei. By then he already had many disciples. Emperor Qi revered Buddhism, and Lu Xiujing and the others resented this, so they went to the court and asked to contend with Buddhist monks, even violating the law. By chronology, Yuanhui was more than sixty years later than Shaotai. Could the account of these events in the book be mistaken?)

Sun Youyue

The Master’s surname was Sun, his given name Youyue, and his courtesy name Yingda. He was from Dongyang and descended from the state of Wu. As a child he was respectful and careful; as an adult, gentle. His mind was calm and deep, and his disposition warm as a spring breeze. He kept his distance from ordinary people and devoted himself to contemplating the subtle Dao. He once traveled to Chisong Ravine and Jinyun Hall, where he chose the place in which he would later live in seclusion.

During the Taichu era of Emperor Wen of Song, Master of Simplicity came to Mount Lu. Sun Youyue took his calling card and went to seek him as a teacher. He was then initiated into the scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), as well as the writings of the two Perfected Ones, Yang and Xu. Later, he ate lingzhi mushrooms, gave up ordinary food, and took only Grain Immortal Pills. After cultivating in this way for sixty-seven years, his appearance remained clear and youthful, his spirit vigorous; the older he grew, the younger he seemed.

After Master of Simplicity’s transcendence, Sun Youyue returned to his former place of seclusion and studied, seeking to experience the Dao’s true meaning. In the second year of the Yongming era under Emperor Wu of Qi, the court issued an edict appointing him to preside over the Xing Shi Monastery. Many exceptional people who stood apart from worldly convention came to associate with him. Kong Dezhang and Liu Xiaobiao, among others, formed friendships with him that transcended the ordinary world. Although Sun Youyue often cited illness as a reason to ask leave and return to seclusion, the court never granted his request. In the seventh year of the Yongming era…

In the fifth month, Yang Xi suddenly bathed, changed his clothes, and passed away peacefully while seated. Among his several hundred disciples, only Tao Hongjing was permitted to enter the inner chamber. Yang Xi entrusted him with an entire chest of the Three Caverns Scriptures (important Daoist classics) and the writings of Yang and Xu. Tao Hongjing later compiled the Declarations of the Perfected, bringing the book into circulation.

Tao Hongjing

The Master Who Lived in Seclusion was surnamed Tao, named Hongjing, and styled Tongming. He was from Danyang. His residence stood east of the southern ridge of Baiyang Lane. When the early Song dynasty redrew household registers and administrative boundaries, the area remained part of Tongxia Hamlet in the western district of Moling County. The Tao family still lives there today.

The Tao family originally came from Pingyang in Jizhou and claimed descent from Emperor Yao’s Tao-Tang clan. Since Yao governed Pingyang in Jizhou, the Tao family settled there. After the Han dynasty arose, Tao She served as Grand Ancestor Gaozu’s Sima. Tao She’s son, Tao Qing, was promoted and rose to the office of chancellor. Hongjing’s thirteenth-generation ancestor, Tao Chao, crossed the Yangtze at the end of the Han dynasty and settled in Danyang.

Hongjing’s seventh-generation ancestor, Tao Jun, was the younger brother of Tao Huang, governor of Jiaozhou. He served the Wu state as General Who Pacifies the South, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Jurong, and received a fief of two thousand households. Later, he surrendered to the Jin dynasty along with Sun Hao. He successively served as Gentleman for Deliberation, Palace Attendant at Leisure, and Minister.

Hongjing’s sixth-generation ancestor, Tao Mo, was Tao Jun’s third son. During the Yongjia era of Emperor Huai of Jin, he served as Sima Yue, Prince of Donghai’s Sima, commanding garrison troops, and accompanied Sima Yue to Xuchang. After their defeat, he crossed the Yangtze south and served as an aide to Wang Dun, General-in-Chief. When Wang Dun was promoted to chancellor, Tao Mo became Director of Military Consultations. Later, Tao Mo accompanied Wang Dun south. Fearing that he would be implicated in a disaster, he asked to be removed from his clan’s register and was consequently barred from office for many years. In his later years, he was reinstated and appointed an aide to the General of Chariots and Chancellor, but did not take up the post. Tao Mo died in the fourth year of the Shengping era of Emperor Mu of Jin (360). He was first buried at the southern foot of Mount Baishi, north of Zhan Lake.

Hongjing’s great-grandfather, Tao Pi, was skilled in debate and possessed talent and composure. Because his writing brought him disfavor, he was unwilling to enter official service. He declined appointments and summonses from the prefectures and commanderies. Although later selected as a deputy official in Nan’an, he did not take up the post. Tao Pi died in the third year of the Yuanxing era of Emperor An of Jin (404).

Hongjing’s great-grandfather, Tao Xinggong, was gifted in many fields and also managed the family’s affairs. He once served as a commandery administrative officer and, after being recommended as a Filial and Incorruptible candidate, was appointed magistrate of Guangjin County. Tao Xinggong died in the second year of the Yixi era (406).

Hongjing’s grandfather, Tao Long, stood seven feet five inches tall. He was handsome and exceptionally strong, skilled at riding and archery, fond of reading, accomplished in calligraphy, and knowledgeable about the properties of medicines. He made helping others his constant priority and once served as an aide to the General Who Pacifies the South. After distinguishing himself in the campaign to suppress a rebellion alongside Emperor Xiaowu of Song, he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Jin’an and offered an appointment as a deputy official, which he firmly declined. Yan Jun, relying on imperial favor, wanted to exchange his own residence for Tao Long’s so that it could be rebuilt as a Buddhist temple. Tao Long refused and resigned from office, but Yan Jun falsely accused him...

He was later stripped of his title and moved to Guangzhou. Thereafter, he received imperial favor and was appointed magistrate of Youping County in Nanhai Commandery; later, he served as an inspector [the original text does not give the full name of the office].

He died in Xinhui Commandery in the fifth year of the Ming era, during the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Song. His father was named Zhenbao, with the courtesy name Guozhong. He served as an attendant to Liu Tiren, Prince of Jian’an and Grand Commandant, and was later promoted to Censor of the Southern Terrace before being appointed administrator of Xiaochang in Jiangxia. He was also skilled in horseback riding and archery, and wrote well in clerical script. When his family was poor, he made a living by copying scriptures for others, earning forty for each sheet [the original does not specify the unit of payment]. His calligraphy followed the models of Yang Xin and Xiao Siming. He was well versed in medicine, widely read in the works of the various schools and in histories, fond of literature, and handsome in appearance.

He was close to Xiao Siming, Wang Zhao, Liu Bing, and others, and was often appreciated by powerful figures. In the winter of the fourth year of Yuanhui, during the reign of the King of Cangwu, he was ordered to travel as an envoy to the northern rival court to promote friendly relations between the two states, and was highly praised for this. In the first year of Shengming, during the reign of Emperor Shun, he returned to the capital and wrote several thousand words of travel notes and poems, along with other works. Liu Bing asked to read these writings, but they were later lost during the upheaval at Stone City. No copies remained, and they did not survive for later generations.

Earlier, Zhenbao had taken his family with him when he followed the Xiao household to Yingzhou. In the second year of the Xiaojian era, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Song, the Xiao household’s head died. That September, his mother realized she was pregnant and dreamed that a small blue-green dragon suddenly emerged from her body and rose straight up into the eastern sky. When she awoke and looked, she saw nothing. The Book of Southern Qi records that his mother, Lady Hao, dreamed of two celestial beings carrying a censer to her; she then became pregnant. A biography written by Li Bo of the Tang dynasty says that, just after his mother conceived, she dreamed the essence of the sun entered her womb, and that two celestial beings descended from the sky carrying a golden censer.

When she awoke, she quietly told those around her, “The child I am carrying must be a boy, and no ordinary person.” However, she worried that he might have no descendants in the future. She was then twenty-five years old. That winter, she returned to the capital with the Xiao household’s retinue and lived in the left lodging in front of the Eastern Residence’s archery hall. The Master was born at midnight on the night of the thirtieth day of the fourth month, in the bing-shen year, the third year of the Xiaojian era. That year had an intercalary third month, and the following day was the summer solstice.

At birth, the Master had a bright and handsome appearance, clear eyes, sparse eyebrows, a slender frame, a high forehead, and long ears. Dozens of black moles on his right knee were arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper. He was clever from childhood, and grew up to be widely learned. At four or five, he already loved reading. A sample of his handwriting from age six still survives; his characters were already square and well formed. By nine, he had gradually read through and memorized the Six Classics, and was quite accomplished at writing. At ten, he came across Ge Hong’s Biographies of the Immortals and studied it day and night.

He aspired to cultivate health and once said to someone, “When I look up at the blue clouds and gaze upon the sun, I suddenly feel, without knowing why, that I am far from them.” He had read more than ten thousand volumes. If there was something he did not understand, he felt deeply ashamed. He was skilled at playing the qin and at chess, and was also accomplished in cursive and clerical script.

At the age of eleven, he served as a tutor to Wu, the son of Wang Jian, Chief Clerk of the Left in the Department of State Affairs. At thirteen, when his father moved to Huainan Commandery, he packed his belongings and went along with Liu Bing, Minister of Personnel. At fifteen, he returned to the capital and stayed temporarily at the Central and Outer Guest Lodges. Later, he moved out and established a separate residence, never returning to his former home. After his capping ceremony at seventeen, the coming-of-age rite for men in ancient times, he often accompanied Liu Bing to Danyang Commandery. He was allowed to take meals under Liu Bing’s roof and to ride government horses when coming and going.

Liu Bing’s second son, Liu Yu, became famous while still young and at the time served as libationer to the Department of State Affairs. Fond of books and writings, he often searched for and studied them with his tutor, day and night. The two ate together and traveled in the same carriage. Liu Yu, Jiang Xiao, Chu Yuan, and Liu Si were known as Emperor Shun’s “Four Friends.” Liu Yu was renowned for his talent and learning. He composed “Ode to the Virtue of the Song” and “Seven Linked Pearls,” works praised by people of the time as outstanding. After Liu Yu’s death, his writings became scattered and were lost. The tutor wanted to compile a collection of his works, but in the end could not gather them all.

That year was the first year of Shengming (477). In winter, when the tutor was twenty-two, he accompanied Liu Bing into Stone City and took part in Yuan Can’s uprising. Together with Han Ben and Mi Tan, he was in charge of official documents and proclamations. After the uprising failed and the city fell, he managed to escape. Liu Yu and his younger brother Liu Kai became monks in an attempt to avoid disaster, but they were still captured and died in the Jiankang prison. At the time, no one dared visit them. The tutor personally took charge of their remains and buried them, then repaired the old tomb of Zha Xing, making sure everything was properly arranged.

After this, he left worldly life and sought a home in the mountains and forests. During the transition from the Song to the Qi dynasty, the political situation and public sentiment were unsettled. He associated with the Liu clan and was often apprehensive. His father therefore asked Ji Sengzhen to arrange for him to serve Emperor Gao of Qi at Xinting. Permission was granted for him to attend to duties inside the imperial tent. In the second month, after Shen Youzhi’s rebellion was put down, his father accompanied the emperor back to the Eastern Residence. Liu Bing then sent for the tutor to care for his fifth son, Liu Ye, and sixth son, Liu Hao, teach them, and help manage their daily affairs. At the time, the tutor was twenty-three and was appointed Attendant to the Prince of Baling. He said, “During the change of dynasties, I did at least make some contribution. Surely there is room to promote me another two or three ranks?” So he declined the appointment.

The following year, he accompanied the Prince of Ancheng to take up a post in Stone City. The summer after that, his father, Lord Xiaochang, died, and he observed mourning for him. (The History of the Southern Dynasties records: “Before he had come of age, Emperor Gao of Qi was prime minister and summoned him to serve as one of the …”)

(After Wang Shidu was appointed to serve at court, he lived in a household of the powerful, yet kept his doors closed to visitors and avoided contact with the outside world, making the reading of books his sole priority. His views often informed discussions of state affairs and were frequently cited as a basis for deliberation.) After Emperor Wu of the Shizu era ascended the throne, he summoned Wang to serve as General Who Inspires Martial Valor and appointed him reader to the Prince of Yidu.

Under the Southern Qi, the post of reader usually also included responsibility for the Records Office, where the holder drafted official documents. Only men of outstanding talent and learning were selected for the role. Wang excelled at composing documents for auspicious and inauspicious rites, ceremonies inside and outside the palace, and memorials, formal petitions, letters, reports, statements, and official dispatches. His literary style and talent far surpassed those of ordinary men. The clerks and document officers in the prince’s household all sought his guidance and took his writing as their model. The other readers often felt ashamed and wary of him, and some spoke ill of him out of jealousy. He paid them no mind.

At the age of twenty-eight, after his period of mourning ended, the emperor issued an edict appointing him Left Guard Palace Attendant General. People at the time found the appointment a great relief. Wang, however, was surprised and could not understand why it had been made. He therefore told Yu Daomin that his career had stalled and the post did not suit him. Yu Daomin reported this to Emperor Wu in person. The emperor said, “Do you not know that the late emperor personally appointed him to this post? What reason does he have to refuse?” Yu Daomin relayed these words to Wang. Wang sighed deeply and said, “I declined the post of attendant to the Prince of Yuzhang five years ago, and now I have instead been given this position. Even the relay horses are no longer fine steeds. I still wish to refuse it firmly.”

Yu Daomin urged him earnestly: “Since the Dayuan era, this position has always been held by talented men from distinguished families. Pei Songzhi was promoted from it to an extra gentleman. Selection depends only on ability. How does this office wrong you? I fear you have delayed my own affairs because of this.” At the time, Wang had been assigned to oversee the affairs of all the princely households, and in the end he had no choice but to accept the appointment.

At the age of twenty-nine, Qingxi Palace was newly completed, and Emperor Wu held a banquet there. Wang submitted an ode. Fu Manrong also presented a fu. The emperor then ordered the Secretariat scribe Liu Xi to convey his praise to Wang, and had musicians perform on bells and stone chimes for the newly built old palace. The emperor intended to have Wang’s ode engraved on a stone stele, but Wang Jian objected, and the plan was abandoned. Five men presented fu compositions on that occasion. The emperor judged Wang’s work the finest and was preparing to promote him, when Wang’s mother died, requiring him to leave office and observe mourning.

Not long afterward, Wang was appointed General Who Inspires Martial Valor. The court specially awarded him food and wine, and paid him a salary in accordance with his circumstances. He accompanied the Prince of Yidu to the capital. The emperor had originally planned to visit Wujin Palace, so Wang wrote another ode. By the time he had finished it, the emperor’s trip had been canceled, and he was unable to present it. Wang said, “The form of this ode is fresh and exceptional, far superior to the old conventions.”

Three years later, he returned to the capital and was appointed to serve at court. After accepting the appointment, he remained dispirited and wrote to his older cousin: “In the past, when I served in office, it should have been according to my physical condition…” The original text ends here.

He had firmly believed that by about the age of forty he would become a Gentleman of the Secretariat, then be posted to a beautiful county among the mountains and rivers of eastern Zhejiang. After taking in a little of the scenery there, he would resign and retire to seclusion, fulfilling the aspiration he had held since his youth. He once said that it all seemed almost within reach. But now he was already thirty-six and had only just been appointed to the post of Attendant at Court. His prospects, he could see, were plain. Better to leave early, rather than labor and suffer indignity for nothing.

In the fifth month of the following year, he submitted a memorial asking to be relieved of his post. Thus began his resolve to make his home among the mountains and forests. The year was the eleventh year of Yongming under Emperor Wu of Qi, the year ren-shen (492).

When the Master first withdrew into seclusion, he did not intend to report to the government offices before leaving. He took off his court robe, hung it at Shenhu Gate, put on a deer-head scarf, and walked straight out through the Eastern Pavilion. He had already instructed his attendants not to make an announcement. He then went to bid farewell to Wang Yan. Wang Yan said, “The emperor is severe by nature and does not allow people to act in ways that set them apart. If you should offend his wishes and incur punishment, I fear I could not support your resolve.”

The Master pondered for a long time, then replied, “I am simply following my own resolve; I am not seeking fame. If I still worry about such things, how can I fulfill my wish?” He therefore did not go to the government offices. Instead, he submitted a memorial directly, making clear the sincerity of his purpose. (The History of the Southern Dynasties records that in the tenth year of Yongming he took off his court robe, hung it at Shenwu Gate, and submitted a memorial resigning from office.)

The emperor gave him ten bolts of silk and twenty candles, and separately ordered that he receive five jin of poria and two sheng of white honey each month for nourishment and health. Once these arrangements were complete, the Master had a boat prepared and traveled east downstream. The high officials saw him off at Zhenlu Pavilion in great ceremony; carriages and horses filled the roads. People all said, “Nothing like this has happened in Jiangdong in recent times. Today, at last, we have seen it.”

He later lived on Mount Qujun at Jurong and said, “This mountain is the Golden Altar Grotto Palace. It extends for one hundred and fifty li, and is called the Heaven of Huayang. It is the residence of the Three Mao Lords, who oversee the destiny of humanity; hence it is called Mount Mao.” He established a residence on the mountain and called himself “the Recluse of Huayang.” This was like Shian calling himself “Xuanyan” and Zhichuan calling himself “Baopu.” From then on, whenever he wrote to people in the secular world, he used this title in place of his personal name.

The Master was skilled at examining ancient instructions and proclamations, and understood the essential meaning of the Seven Classics. Yet he disliked advancing new interpretations or arguing with Confucians of earlier generations. When he had an insight, he would write it on paper, but rarely discuss it in person. He was especially well versed in the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and Yin-Yang, wind divination and the observation of Qi, Taiyi, Dunjia, celestial patterns, calendrical methods, and mathematics. He was also familiar with the geography of mountains and rivers, local products, medical prescriptions and the preparation of medicines, as well as the identification and study of insects, birds, plants, and trees.

He understood almost every kind of writing and was especially skilled in clerical script. His calligraphy did not follow familiar conventions but formed a style of its own, with strokes that were strong and vigorous yet graceful. He was also proficient at playing the qin, playing chess, riding, and archery. In character, he was even-tempered and open-minded, humble and cautious.

He entered the subtle and hidden realm, his mind clear as a mirror. Whatever he encountered, he understood at once, and his speech was never tedious or confused. At times he acted on his own perceptions. He was rarely troubled by worry and did not envy or compete with others; sorrow and joy scarcely stirred him, and his happiness and anger remained calm.

In the three years of Jiazi, Yichou, and Bingyin, the Master went to the Xing Shi Lodge to study Daoist talisman diagrams and scriptural methods—Fulu, diagrams and texts, scriptures, and techniques for cultivation—from the lodge’s head, Sun Youyue of Dongyang. These texts had been passed down through generations and were genuine originals, but years of copying had left some passages unsatisfactory. The Master therefore searched widely for other versions, collated them, and corrected their errors.

In the year Wuchen, he first traveled to Maoshan, where he obtained the original handwritten works of Yang and Xu. He was delighted and deeply moved. In the year Gengwu, he again sought permission to travel east. He visited the regions of Zhejiang and Yue, searching for traces of the numinous and extraordinary. At Dahong Mountain in Kuaiji, he called on the lay practitioner Lou Huiming; at Taiping Mountain in Yuyao, he visited the lay practitioner Du Jingchan; at □ Mountain in Shining, he called on the Master Zhong Yishan; and at Tiantai Mountain in Shifeng, he visited Zhu Sengbiao. In each place he also sought out senior Daoists, gathering more than ten scrolls of traces left by perfected beings. He traveled among mountains and rivers for over two hundred days before returning.

After that, he visited the famous mountains of Changshan in Dongyang, Tianmu Mountain in Wuxing, Yugan, Linhai, Angu, and elsewhere. He was naturally light-footed, and climbing steep mountains posed no difficulty. The History of the Southern Dynasties records: “He traveled throughout the famous mountains, searching for elixirs of immortality. By nature he was light and agile, and he loved mountain forests. Whenever he came upon a stream or valley, he would sit and lie there, reciting poems and wandering about, reluctant to leave for a long time. He once said to his disciples, ‘When I see a grand residence behind vermilion gates, I know how beautiful and comfortable it must be inside, yet I have no desire to go there. When I see a high, steep place overlooking a great marsh, I know it is hard to stand there, yet I always want to go and see it for myself.’”

He cared for the poor and distressed, helped those in danger, and treated illness without tiring, day or night. He also performed acts of kindness in secret, beyond anyone’s knowledge. Even when a borrowed book contained errors, he would correct them as he read.

At the beginning of the Yongyuan era under the Marquis of Donghun, he rebuilt a three-story tower. The Master lived on the top floor, his disciples on the middle floor, and visitors were received on the ground floor. In this way he kept apart from the outside world, and only one servant was allowed to reach his quarters. He had once been skilled at riding and archery, but gave both up in his later years, listening only to people play the sheng. He was especially fond of the sound of wind in the pines, and planted pine trees throughout his courtyard. Whenever he heard the wind in the pines…

He was often content and at ease. At times he would wander alone among springs and rocks, and everyone who saw him took him for an immortal.

By nature, he loved writing, especially about unusual matters. He treasured his time, and the older he grew, the more diligently he studied. He was skilled in Yin-Yang, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), wind divination—which used the direction of the wind to forecast good and ill fortune—astronomy, and calendrical calculation. He was also well versed in geography, the products of different regions, medicine, herbal lore, and the reign-year systems of successive dynasties. Using calendrical calculations, he once determined that the winter solstice in the dingchou year, the second year of the Xiping era under the Han, fell at noon according to the Han calendar then in use. According to the Xiantian calendar, however, the solstice should actually have fallen at midnight in the yihai year. The two calculations differed by thirty-eight ke, meaning that the Han calendar lagged two days and twelve ke behind the actual celestial phenomena.

He also built an armillary sphere, an instrument for modeling the movements of the celestial bodies, more than three feet tall. The Earth lay at its center: the celestial bodies revolved, while the land remained still. The degrees of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions and the paths of the sun, moon, and five planets could all be seen clearly. By turning its mechanism, one could observe when the stars appeared and disappeared; these times matched the actual celestial phenomena. He said that such methods were needed for cultivating the Dao and were not useful only to court historians.

He also hoped to harness flowing water to make a clepsydra that operated on its own, cycling through the twelve double-hours without anyone needing to tend it. But water from mountain streams readily grew mossy and collected sediment, and its flow was unstable, so he never completed the device.

Even before reaching adulthood, he walked and moved with lightness and agility. His appearance was gentle and bright, without any air of sternness or force. Young and old alike were glad to draw near to him, yet they naturally felt respect and obeyed him. His disciples gathered around him in attendance, solemn and reverent, as though they were in a palace.

From childhood, he had little desire for other people’s company. A few years later, he stopped sharing bowls and chopsticks with anyone. As an adult, whether traveling or lodging away from home, he always stayed alone. He was quiet by nature: he did not tease people with worldly jokes or join in laughter and horseplay. He was full of energy and felt no fear when walking or lodging alone at night. He greatly admired Zhang Liang’s character, saying that no ancient worthy could surpass him. He was frank and nimble in spirit, as if drifting lightly on a breath of clouds and rosy mists. The Daoist methods he practiced were all insights he had reached on his own, beyond the grasp of others.

By the second year of the Yongyuan era, he had withdrawn from public life. When Emperor Wu of Liang was changing the dynasty and the state had not yet chosen its name, he cited various prophetic texts to explain that “Liang” was an omen showing the dynasty’s accord with Heaven’s mandate. He also selected the site and date for the suburban rites honoring Heaven and Earth, and his predictions proved strikingly accurate. The emperor sent a messenger into the mountains to convey his instructions and express his thanks. The emperor had known him from early in life and, after ascending the throne, treated him with even greater respect. They exchanged letters continually, while officials arrived to visit in an unending stream of carriages and horses.

After obtaining the secret formula, he believed that the divine elixir could be refined, but he was often troubled by a shortage of ingredients, so the emperor supplied them all. Whenever the emperor received one of his letters, he accepted it reverently after burning incense. The emperor also ordered him to compile a calendar. When he reached the jisi year…

Tao Hongjing added red dots after the dates; the calculations show that this was indeed the third year of the Taiqing era. The emperor personally issued an edict summoning him and bestowed on him a deerskin headcloth. Later, the emperor repeatedly invited him with due ceremony. Tao Hongjing then painted two oxen: one wandered freely among the water and grass, while the other wore a golden bridle as someone led it by a rope and drove it with a staff. The emperor laughed and said, “This man seeks nothing at all. He wants to be like the turtle that drags its tail through the mud. It seems there is no way to bring him here.”

Whenever the state faced a major matter, the emperor invariably sought his advice beforehand. People of the time called him “the chancellor in the mountains.” In the fourth year of Emperor Wu of Liang’s Tianjian era (505), Tao Hongjing moved to East Ravine of Accumulated Gold. At his place of seclusion, he practiced grain avoidance and daoyin methods: grain avoidance meant reducing or stopping food intake, while daoyin used breathing and bodily movements to cultivate body and mind. He lived in seclusion for more than forty years. Even after the age of eighty, he still looked strong and vigorous.

At the beginning of the Datong era, he presented two swords, one named “Good Victory” and the other “Complete Victory,” which were regarded as treasures. In the second year of the Datong era, he chose a date to take leave of the world. He was eighty-five. At his death, his complexion did not change, his body remained as flexible as usual, and the fragrance in his room lingered for many days. The emperor issued an edict posthumously appointing him Grand Master of the Palace, granting him the posthumous title “Master of Pure Loyalty,” and sending a palace attendant to oversee his funeral arrangements. Among his several dozen disciples, only Wang Yuanzhi was acclaimed as the most outstanding.

Tao Hongjing was well versed in divination and could foresee the fall of the Liang dynasty. He once wrote a poem in advance:

Yifu gave himself over to carefree abandon;
Ping Shu sat discussing emptiness.
Who could have expected the Zhaoyang Palace
To be transformed into the Xiongnu chieftain’s palace?

The poem was originally hidden in a box. After his death, members of his household gradually brought it out and circulated it. Toward the end of the Datong era, literati competed to discuss abstract principles but did not study military affairs. Later, Hou Jing usurped the throne, and the scene described in the poem indeed took place in the Zhaoyang Palace.

Tao Hongjing wrote such works as the one-hundred-volume Garden of Learning, collected commentaries on the Classic of Filial Piety and the Analects, Chronological Annals of the Emperors and Dynasties, Collected Commentaries on the Materia Medica, Proven Prescriptions, One Hundred and One Prescriptions Kept at the Elbow, Records of Prefectures and Commanderies, Ancient and Modern, Essentials of Diagrams and Images, Record of the Jade Casket, Memorial on the Old and New Methods of the Seven Luminaries, Divination Memorial, and Procedures for Compounding the Elixir. He also had some works that he kept secret and never transmitted, as well as ten books he had begun but not completed. Only his disciples were allowed to see them.

Emperor Wu of Liang wrote in his Golden Tower Master: “Among recluses, I esteem Tao Zhenbai; among scholar-officials, I esteem Zhou Hongzheng. Tao Zhenbai’s understanding of principle turns through endless subtleties of thought. He was truly a celebrated figure of his age.”

The Account of Ma Shu’s Attainment of the Dao says that Tao Hongjing was appointed to the post of “Immortal Inspector of Penglai.” Most of the accounts above accord with the History of the Southern Dynasties.

A ministerial commentary on the Dao says: “The Dao De Jing states: ‘Govern the state by the upright way, use surprise tactics in warfare, and gain the world through Wuwei (non-action).’ It also says: ‘Weapons are inauspicious instruments; they are not the ruler’s…’”

A person of virtue who bears responsibility for political affairs should resort to weapons only when there is no other choice, and should regard quiet restraint as the best course. Even victory in battle is nothing to boast about. To praise victory is to take pleasure in killing. Those who delight in killing cannot accomplish their aims in the world.

Laozi perhaps hoped to restore the customs of the ancient age of Fuxi, the Yellow Emperor, Tang Yao, and Yu Shun: to esteem simplicity rather than pursue empty splendor; to keep rulers and ministers far from indulgence in sights and sounds, to eliminate extravagance, and to establish a quiet political climate. In this way, the state would avoid waging war recklessly and undermining governance through Wuwei (non-action).

Later generations failed to grasp Laozi’s true intent and instead made unrestrained talk a fashionable eccentricity. In governing, some leaned toward excessive leniency and failed to make rewards and punishments clear; some were idle and negligent, unwilling to apply themselves to their duties; some were careless and superficial, unwilling to examine details closely; and some relied on their own talent, becoming arrogant and dismissive. These various failings ultimately brought the rulers and ministers of the Jin dynasty to a crushing defeat, with calamities that endured into later generations. Some even discussed the Laozi, or Daode Jing, on the eve of battle. As a result, Laozi’s teachings were also brought into disrepute. Would anyone who truly understood Laozi’s Way act like this?

Tao Hongjing, a Daoist priest and thinker of the Southern Dynasties, lived through a time of upheaval and withdrew to the mountains. Observing the failings of government, he wrote a poem: “Wang Yan gave himself over to reckless abandon; He Yan sat and talked idly. Who could have imagined that Zhaoyang Hall would become the Xiongnu Chanyu’s palace?” These lines invoke the old story of Jin dynasty idle talk bringing ruin to the state, and satirize the politics of Tao Hongjing’s own time. Emperor Wu of Liang governed the realm through Buddhist learning, while his officials vied with one another in discussing abstruse principles. State affairs were mishandled, and the military was left unprepared, so the country gradually moved toward collapse. Tao Hongjing therefore wrote this poem as a remonstrance.

Tao Hongjing studied Laozi’s teachings. In later generations, how could those who studied Laozi’s Way and served at court in public affairs fail to reflect deeply on its teachings?