《茅山誌》Vol. 13

Mount Mao (a renowned Daoist mountain) contains significant celestial palaces and immortal residences. Within the Huayang Grotto-Heaven (a sacred Daoist paradise), there are primarily three grand palaces and five immortal mansions: the Yiqiān Palace, Hánzhēn Palace, and Xiāoxián Palace as the three major halls, along with the Tàiyuán Mansion, Dìnglù Mansion, Bǎomìng Mansion, Tóngchū Mansion, and Língxū Mansion as the five celestial residences. Among these, the Tàiyuán, Dìnglù, and Bǎomìng Mansions are governed by the Three Mao Lords (immortal brothers Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong); the Yiqiān and Hánzhēn Palaces house female immortals who have attained the Dao; the other palaces and mansions primarily accommodate male transcendents, though the Bǎomìng Mansion occasionally appoints female celestial officials. The Eastern Sea's Azure Lad (a Daoist deity) inspects these palaces twice annually to evaluate the performance of the immortal officials.

Perfected Lord Guo Sichao was originally from the Yan state. During the Qin dynasty, he and his three brothers all achieved immortality through cultivation at the Fúlóng sacred site, with Guo being the eldest. As the Three Offices' Guardian of Life Perfected Lord, he served flawlessly for six centuries before being promoted to Left Immortal Duke of the Nine Palaces, concurrently holding the position of Jade Terrace Canopy Bearer. This post remained vacant for many years until Lord Mao the Younger eventually succeeded him.

The Dìnglù Mansion maintains Left and Right Rectifiers of the Center, positions analogous to secular roles like Chief Clerk and Marshal. The Northern River Director of Fate oversees aquatic officials' evaluations. These three offices typically serve concurrently as Nine Palaces Guardian Marquises, responsible for selecting candidates worthy of becoming "Seed People" (those with immortal potential in Daoism). Within the grotto-heavens and immortal mansions, these three positions rank second only to the two ruling lords in importance.

The Left Rectifier of the Center functions similarly to a grand mansion's Chief Clerk, once held by Han Chong (courtesy name Changwei) of Piling in Wu Commandery. In his youth, Han ardently pursued Daoist cultivation. The Grotto-Dwelling Immortal Wang Weixuan transmitted to him the Flowing Pearl Elixir method, which yielded remarkable results through dedicated practice. Wang advised that spiritual cultivation need not conflict with official service, so Han rose through bureaucratic ranks from Magistrate of Wanling to Grand Administrator of Runan, attaining the high salary grade of two thousand bushels. During his fourteen-year administration, his exceptional governance earned him recognition as the empire's foremost official. At seventy-four, Wang Weixuan taught him the method of hidden liberation, enabling retreat to Mount Dahuò for cultivation. Later mastering the Muddy Pill Purple Portal metamorphosis technique, he ultimately achieved immortality and entered the grotto-heavens. His biography appears in the History of the Han Dynasty.

The Right Rectifier of the Center corresponds to the Marshal position, held by Liu Yi (courtesy name Zixiang)...

This passage records the biographies of three Daoist immortals, primarily drawn from the Maoshan Zhi (Records of Maoshan).

The first is Yu Zixiang (courtesy name Yi), originally from Yingchuan. In his youth, he revered the Dao and its Virtue (De), frequently aiding others without seeking reward, with numerous documented cases of helping the impoverished. When serving as Grand Administrator of Chenliu, he encountered the immortal Master Ma Huang, who told him: "Your benevolent Virtue has moved Heaven and Earth. The Supreme Lord of the Dao (the highest deity in Daoism) wishes to reward your good deeds and has sent me to transmit the Way of Longevity to you." Yu Zixiang thus became his disciple and was taken to Mount Tongbai, where he learned the "Eight Arts of Hidden Earth" and the practice of "Ingesting the Radiance of the Five Stars." He eventually achieved immortality and was appointed to a celestial post in the Eastern Florescence Palace (a Daoist paradise), overseeing the Northern River's administration of fate (a water-related divine office).

The second, Yao Jun (courtesy name Wengzhong), was from Qiantang. He studied at the Imperial Academy, mastering classical texts, and rose to become Grand Administrator of Jiaozhi. During the late Eastern Han dynasty, he abandoned his official position to cultivate the Dao in Mount Zengcheng, where he met Dongguo Youping, an immortal who had achieved the Dao since the Qin dynasty. Dongguo transmitted to him the methods of "Refining the Essence (Jing) and Qi (vital energy) Nine Times" and "Holding the Auxiliary Star in the Heart." After attaining the Dao, Yao Jun concurrently served as Administrator of the Northern River, responsible for evaluating water officials. Though his position belonged to the Dinglu Bureau, he was actually under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Florescence Palace. His tomb in Linping, Qiantang, remains intact to this day, revered by locals as the "Tomb of Administrator Yao."

The third, Zhang Jizi (personal name Feng, courtesy name Gongxian), hailed from Henei. In his youth, he entered Mount Shan to cultivate the Dao and encountered the immortal Prince Shan Tu, who transmitted to him the "Method of Jade Pillars." After achieving the Dao, he entered the Eastern Florescence Palace, serving as Marquis of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), sometimes concurrently holding the post of Minister of the Nine Palaces. Together with the Marquis of the Northern River, he managed water-related affairs. His administrative seat was located within a grotto-heaven.

Finally, mention is made of Chunyu Zhen (courtesy name Shuxian) from Shangyu, Kuaiji. During Emperor Huan's reign in the Eastern Han, he served as Magistrate of Xuzhou and was devoted to Daoist arts, consuming herbs like sesame and Solomon's seal. Later, he retreated to Mount Wumu in Wu, where he met the immortal Huizi, who transmitted to him the Scripture of Rainbow Light and Cinnabar. Through cultivation, he attained the Dao and served as Court Gentleman of Dawn in the Bureau of Life Preservation. These accounts reflect the typical paths to immortality during the Han-Jin period—through herbal ingestion, cultivation practices, and receiving scriptures from immortals.

This scripture records the biographies of several celestial officials from the Baoming Prefecture (a Daoist celestial institution) at Mount Mao.

First mentioned is Zhou Yuanzhi, daughter of Zhou Chang, the Governor of Henan during the Eastern Han dynasty. During the great drought in the second year of the Yongchu era, Zhou Chang voluntarily buried over ten thousand unclaimed corpses outside Luoyang and established a charitable burial ground with sacrificial rites. His compassion moved Heaven to send rain. Zhou Yuanzhi practiced Daoist cultivation from childhood, consuming poria cocos (fuling) for thirty years until meeting the immortal Shi Changsheng, who taught her the "Transformation and Escape" technique (a method of liberation through corpse-dematerialization). The annotation notes Zhou Chang was a cousin of Zhou Jia and served as Henan Governor.

Next is Zhang Taozhi, mother of Zhu Yu, the Colonel-Director of Retainers during the Eastern Han. Mother Zhu accumulated virtue through good deeds over many years, later serving as Attendant Gentleman in the Yi Qian Palace (a Daoist celestial realm). The annotation identifies Zhu Yu as a native of Pei State, listed among the "Eight Eminent Figures of the Huan-Ling Era."

Xia Fu (courtesy name Zizhi) of Chenliu practiced Daoist cultivation and ingested herbal elixirs in his youth. Later at Mount Wu, he studied the "Soul Refinement Method" under Master Red Beard, then received the "Yellow Water and Cloud Nectar Method" from the Tongbai Zhenren (Authentic Person), achieving immortality. In his youth, he declined official appointments, inscribing poems on mulberry trees before becoming a recluse. The annotation identifies him as a famous Eastern Han hermit.

Finally recorded is Zhang Xuanbin of Dingxiang. During Cao Cao's reign, he was nominated as an Outstanding Talent before becoming a disciple of Ji Gong of Xihe to study herbal elixirs and the "Chamber of the Cavern Primordial White" (a Neidan internal alchemy practice). At Mount Shaoshi, he learned the "Escape, Transformation and Concealment" technique (a method of invisibility and shape-shifting) from the Zhenren Fan Ziming. He cultivated at Mount Tianzhu before serving as "Supervisor of Prohibitions" in the Huayang Grotto-Heaven at Mount Mao - a rain-controlling celestial official equivalent to an inspector in Baoming Prefecture.

The scripture particularly notes that celestial attendants are selected based on upright character and purity of mind regardless of gender. Due to length constraints, other immortals' biographies aren't detailed here.

This passage records important figures and cultivation practices from Maoshan Daoism. Let me explain it section by section:

Practitioners who discuss "emptiness and non-being" often say that true "Wu" (non-being) is actually the source that contains all existence, and that concrete things emerge from this root. By accumulating concrete things, one comprehends the small "Wu"; through observing all existence, one returns to the great "Wu." Being and non-being depend on each other—when I cannot see concrete things, those things also cannot perceive "Wu." Only by lodging "being" within "non-being" can one achieve true "Wu," where "non-being" is no longer a fixed abode, and even emptiness becomes its dwelling place. Before my birth, the world was already in the state of "Wu." The author mentions discussing the profound meaning of "Wu" with Master Zuo of Penglai and Song Chensheng, claiming even the perfected beings of Tongbai Mountain couldn't refute their understanding.

The Baoming Office (a Daoist administrative institution) had four main officials: The first was Zhao Weibo from Dongjun, who studied under Master Zhang of Handan in his youth. He could absorb the essence of the sun and moon and ingested the refined energy of the Nine Luminaries Mirror. In his later years at Zhongyue, he received transmission of the Jade Pendant and Golden Pendant Scripture. His wife Fan Qiulin was the widow of Wei Xing, a Han dynasty general of the Tower Ships. The River Chart prophecy stated that someone from the Wu-Chu region would witness the Great Peace era, and Zhao often told people this prophecy would soon be fulfilled. His mirror was no ordinary object—after attaining the Dao, he served as Assistant Director of Baoming at Huayang Palace, overseeing immortal registers, rainstorms, and the Five Sacred Mushrooms with golden jade herbs. Those seeking rain could pray to him.

The second official was Yue Changzhi from Xianyang, a fellow townsman of the Eastern Lord Director of Fate, recommended by Lord Mao the Younger. He served as a Palace Secretary during Emperor Huan of Han's reign and in his later years studied the "Seven Primordial Steps Method" under Master Li of Zhongyue to attain immortality, overseeing disasters.

The third was Zheng Zhizheng, an inner-chamber disciple of Lord Meng, appointed to manage examinations and records.

The fourth was Tang Gongfang from Western Mountain, a Shu native who served Li Babo and oversaw life and death.

Additionally, Zhou's Records of Mysterious Communion mentions: Huang Yuanping from the Eastern Sea, about thirty years old, often wore plain white clothes with a flat headscarf, holding a black tablet while idling at Assistant Zhao's Baoming Office without specific duties.

Finally, Li Zheng from Henei attained the Dao through early practice of the "Guarding the One Method" and "Chamber of the Womb Technique."

Mount Yangluo later became part of the Huayang Grotto-Heaven, overseeing the evaluation of folk religious practices. Master Zheng (a Daoist practitioner's honorific) served as an official under the Duke of Changdao in his early years. At sixty, he retired to cultivate the Dao, secluding himself between Mount Siping and the eastern slopes of Mount Damao. After gathering and consuming numinous herbs from the mountain rocks, he attained immortality. Traces of his herb-gathering remain visible in the mountains to this day.

Zhou Ziliang, styled Yuanhe, with the Daoist name Taixuan and sobriquet Xuling, hailed from Yongjia. As a prominent disciple of Tao Hongjing (the Recluse), he ascended in broad daylight on the 27th day of the 10th month during the Tianjian era of the Liang Dynasty (515 CE), at merely twenty years old. Tao Hongjing compiled his pre-ascension communications with transcendents into the four-volume Zhou's Records of Mystical Communion, presented to Emperor Wu of Liang. The text records how Zhou and another transcendence lord were selected as "Guardian Registrars"—a newly established divine post assisting in celestial record-keeping. Though junior in rank, the position carried noble status, with prospects for promotion to "Guardian Dawn Office," overseeing methods of divine cultivation and teaching.

Regarding underworld appointments: The Life-Preserving Bureau had four ghost masters—Wang Yan, Huang Fan, Qiang Xu, and Wei—former Daoist libationers (high-ranking ritual masters) who became underworld instructors due to their expertise in exorcism.

In Huayang Grotto-Heaven dwelled a Dawn Attendant Jade Youth named Jing Shangqi. The Xiaoxian Palace housed transcendence lord Zhang Zi'an (original name Xiaorong) from Yangli Well, wearing lotus crowns and crimson embroidered robes, attended by three servants.

Liu Wenrao of Tongchu Bureau (the Eastern Han dignitary Liu Kuan) received the staff-liberation method at seventy-three when Master Qinggu appeared in his chamber. Later retreating to Mount Hua to practice breath cultivation, he obtained alchemical techniques and ultimately became an immortal guide for Daoist novices in the grotto-heavens. As Grand Commandant and Minister of Education in life, his philanthropy earned him parental reverence from commoners, recorded in the Book of Later Han.

Fellow Tongchu resident Fan Youchong from Liaoxi practiced the Great Simplicity Embryonic Transformation and Shape-Shifting technique. Each dawn, he visualized threads of azure, white, and crimson qi descending with sunlight, swallowing them ninety times. After ten years, he attained the Dao.

This passage describes several important immortals and the bureaucratic system within the Maoshan Daoist tradition. Fan Jian (Fan Shusheng) is one such immortal who previously served in the Tongchu Office (a celestial Daoist institution) and now cultivates in the Huayang Grotto-Heaven. The Tongchu Office features three notable immortals: Wang Shaodao, son of Wang Dun who served as Governor of Shanyang during the Han dynasty; Fan Shusheng from Beidi, who held the position of Imperial Attendant during Emperor Wen of Wei's reign; and Li Boshan, father of Li Chong. Li Chong accumulated hidden virtue while serving as Magistrate of Baima during the Han dynasty—it was through generations of practicing benevolent virtue that the family gained entry to this immortal bureau.

Regarding the judicial system of the Three Officials (Heavenly Official, Earthly Official, and Water Official), Commander Fan mentions they maintain institutions resembling the human world's Court of Judicial Review. Li Feng currently serves as Chief Justice (a celestial judicial position), with one vacancy reserved for Wang Fuzi (affectionate name for a Wang-family immortal) rather than Xu Hu (nicknamed "Tiger Fang"). Li Feng, styled Anguo (later Xuanguo), rose from humble origins to become Imperial Secretary during the Wei dynasty through exceptional talent. This celestial judicial position holds significant status among immortals.

The Underground Controller (a type of earthbound immortal) Bao Jing, styled Taixuan, hailed from Chenliu and served as Imperial Attendant and Governor of Nanhai during the Jin dynasty. Master of arcane mysteries, he studied the Central Method and the Three Sovereigns' Esoteric Texts (Daoist arts) under Zuo Ci (Zuo Yuanfang), gaining power to command spirits and subdue demons. At Mount Jiang, he met the immortal Yin Changsheng who transmitted to him the "knife liberation" technique (a form of corpse-liberation immortality). According to the Zhen'gao, Bao Jing and his sister attained earthbound immortality due to seven generations of ancestral virtue. Though cultivating in grotto-palaces, Bao Jing's achievements remained limited by his foundational training. His daughter Bao Gu married Ge Hong (styled Zhichuan), and both later achieved immortality. Bao Gu became renowned for her moxibustion skills—her legendary healing of a dragon maiden with mugwort is recorded in separate biographies.