《茅山誌》Vol. 21

The inscription on the Zhuyang Temple stele commissioned by Emperor Yuan of Liang for Tao Hongjing (the Recluse Tao) records: In the Taihe era of old, there lived an eminent adept named Xu Yuanyou, a paragon of Daoist cultivation who achieved immortality. Master Tao (Tao Hongjing) shared his aspirations and followed in the footsteps of these ancient sages. This temple stands atop precipitous peaks, its towers rising a thousand chi high—from its windows one can witness shooting stars, while leaning on its balustrades reveals the first light of dawn. Mountain waterfalls cascade like the Silver River spanning the heavens, and mist brushing against stone cliffs rises like miraculous peaks. The inscription praises how Master Tao, though serving as a court official, cherished the recluse's path in his heart, valuing the cultivation of Dao (the Way) and De (Virtue). The magnificent Zhuyang Temple features moon-reaching quiet terraces and wind-swept pavilions, offering distant views of rolling mountains and the imperial capital's panorama.

The Changsha Temple stele composed by Tao Hongjing states: All phenomena in creation are encompassed within the two modes of Yin-Yang, while all cultivation methods remain within the three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. Refined scholars practice ritual at court, while hermits cultivate in deep mountains. The inscription extols heaven's Dao in its greatness, how sovereigns follow celestial mandate to govern the world. Sages resonate with divine spirits, who in turn bestow blessings. Moral teachings are set to music, while achievements are recorded in history. Brothers dwell in harmony, reverently receiving ancient wisdom. Preserving antiquity while innovating, these stone inscriptions shall transmit their legacy to posterity.

Tao's inscription for Qulin Temple describes: The temple is encircled by layered mountain ranges externally, while internally it harmonizes with secluded palace chambers. Secret grottoes connect laterally, with distant mountain springs winding their way here. This place venerates the Dao, De, benevolence and righteousness, seeking longevity and protection of life. Whether celestial deities or mortal sages, practitioners of various schools all claim attainment of the Dao here—yet Qulin Temple stands preeminent, enabling reclusion and self-cultivation, where one may withdraw brilliance to nurture virtue and peacefully complete one's years.

The authentic stele rubbings of Huayang Recluse (Tao Hongjing): When Emperor Yuan of Liang was still a feudal lord, he sent people to deliver these inscribed steles to Mount Mao. These steles remain preserved to this day east of Zhuyang Temple.

The Qingyuan Lodge built by Prince Xiao Wei of Nanping was the residence of Huan Qingyuan, a disciple of Tao Hongjing (the renowned Daoist master of the Southern Dynasties). Huan Qingyuan's master was named Fakai (with two missing characters), who was a disciple of a certain eminent Daoist. When Huan Qingyuan first entered Maoshan to cultivate the Dao, he composed a poem:

"In the cold valley as night fades,

I forsake worldly pleasures to seek the true Dao.

By the square altar, leaves hang low,

While crimson carp swim in the clear stream.

Though fierce beasts lurk in the apricot grove,

Who needs mortals to guard the fields of divine mushrooms?

When the elixir is complete, the furnace stones turn on their own,

And the alchemical cauldron transforms, refining silver.

Know that this sacred place of cultivation

Is far purer and freer than the dusty world."

Later, Prince Shaoling visited Maoshan to seek Huan Qingyuan and inscribed a poem on the wall:

"Ranges of peaks stretch near Jingmen,

Humble windows embrace wind and clouds.

Only those truly devoted to reclusion

Could endure the frost and dew."

To the west of the Zhuyang Lodge lie the ruins of the Changsha Lodge, built by the heir of Prince Changsha. The Marquis of Liangchang once erected a stele here, with an inscription composed by Tao Hongjing, which still remains today.

Two li north of the Zhuyang Lodge was the dwelling of the recluse Zhou Hongrang. The Leiping Mountain has a stream called Liuguqian, also known as Tian’s Spring. According to the Maoshan Records, this spring lies to the left of the mountain, west of the hills, in a place called Yang Valley. In ancient times, a man named Tian Shu lived here and drew water from it, hence the name. The spring contains jade-like minerals, and drinking its water benefits health; even washing clothes requires no additional ash. Tao Hongjing wrote in his stele eulogy:

"To the left flows Liugu’s water,

To the right runs Yang Valley’s spring.

The soil bears the hues of Beimang,

The well surges forth, clear as the Wind Gate."

There is also a place called Guo’s Pool, where it is said that Guo Chao, a man from Yan, and his three brothers all attained the Dao here and were appointed as immortals in the grotto-heavens. When Guo Chao, the eldest brother, first came to Maoshan, he cultivated the land here, and thus the pool was named after him.

Originally, there was a small portrait of Tao Hongjing carved in stone. The authentic original was kept in the home of Xu Hongzhong of Jian’an. In the twelfth month of the third year of Emperor Huizong’s Xuanhe reign (1121), the Daoist priest Rui Nanhua copied and engraved it for posterity.

Tao Hongjing (styled the Recluse of Huayang) once conferred the Ten Bestowals (Shi Lai Wen) upon his disciple Lu Jingyou. The Recluse Master instructed his disciple Dai Tan, who oversaw affairs, to hold the bamboo slips and proclaim the edict to Lu Jingyou of Wu Commandery, conferring upon him the title "Gentleman of Serene Dwelling" at Lianshi. The edict read:

"Jingyou, in my days serving at court,

Though burdened with worldly duties,

My heart never ceased longing for reclusion.

My yearning for the immortal realms never waned,

Like Zhuangzi’s delight in the Hao River’s joy..."

This text records the arduous journey of the founding patriarch of Mount Mao (a renowned Daoist mountain) in establishing a sacred site deep in the wilderness and the honors he received:

The first section describes how the patriarch, after years of spiritual cultivation, finally encountered like-minded companions. Renouncing his official position, he led his followers to Mount Mao, personally clearing the land and constructing the temple. For seven full years, he split rocks to forge paths and carried building materials, his body worn by sun and rain, yet he never complained. After completing the temple, the imperial court granted him a seventy-pace radius of forested land at Chang'a North Slope as a place for spiritual practice.

The second section praises the patriarch for his sincerity, detachment, integrity, and steadfastness, noting his indifference to worldly fame and wealth. For this, he was honored with the title "Recluse of Serene Dwelling" (Qijing Chushi), signifying a virtuous hermit devoted to cultivation.

The third section depicts the temple's grand architecture—spacious halls, pavilions, and corridors—all built through the patriarch's personal labor. In recognition, he was granted a wing with upturned eaves for quiet meditation.

The fourth section commends the patriarch for his diligent religious work and compassion for the common people, as he personally participated in farming. He was given a servant named "Duoyi" (Much Benefit) to assist with daily chores.

The fifth section honors his family's prestige and his own virtue by bestowing upon him a steel ruyi (a Daoist ritual object), to be used when receiving guests as a symbol of dignity.

The sixth section acknowledges his devout practice by presenting him with a qiongzhu xizhang (a bamboo staff used by ascetics), a sacred implement said to resonate through the Three Realms, commanding reverence even from deities.

Through six instances of "now therefore we bestow upon you," the text traces the patriarch's journey from founding the mountain temple to receiving official recognition, embodying the Daoist ideal of "establishing oneself through virtue" (yi de li shen).

This records the stele inscription composed by Shao Lingwang Xiao Lun of the Liang Dynasty for Tao Hongjing (Master Zhenbai), primarily describing the ten ceremonial objects bestowed upon the recluse Tao by the imperial court and their purposes:

The court granted you an incense burner and xunluxiang (a type of aromatic resin) for burning incense to produce fragrant smoke. You were also appointed to the high-ranking Daoist office of Zige Zhaogan Shangsi (Purple Pavilion’s Luminous Resonance with the Upper Divinity), requiring you to maintain bodily and spiritual purity, abstain from meat, and make offerings to the deities with pine resin (songshu) and fine wine (fangxu).

A set of cups and dishes was bestowed for you to hold osmanthus wine and chrysanthemum dew at dawn and dusk. In recognition of your reverent study of scriptures and adherence to ritual norms, you were granted a large inkstone, paper, and brushes to facilitate the transcription of sacred texts and recording of divine incantations.

For your unwavering integrity and noble character, you received a brass (toushi) ablution vessel and hand towel for cleansing your hands and mouth during fasting and worship. These ten gifts were all historically justified, and it was hoped you would uphold humility while grasping their profound significance.

The inscription then recounts Tao Hongjing’s (courtesy name Tongming) lineage: his ancestral home was in Pingyang, Jizhou, and he was a descendant of Emperor Yao’s Tang of Tao. His forebear Tao She served as Right Marshal under Emperor Gaozu of Han, while his seventh-generation ancestor Tao Jun held the title of General Who Guards the South under the Wu Kingdom. Both his grandfather Tao Long and father Tao Zhenbao held official posts, reflecting the family’s deep scholarly heritage. Tao Hongjing himself possessed extraordinary gifts—"embodying the harmonious Qi (yuanjing zhi heqi) of primordial essence" and "nurturing the lofty resolve (lingbiao zhi yuancao) that surpasses worldly winds."

(Note: The original text is in parallel prose, rich in allusions and antithetical phrasing. Cultural terms like Yingyang xi’er (alluding to the hermit Xu You) and Hanyin mieji (referring to reclusive traditions) have been simplified for clarity, prioritizing the conveyance of biographical details and the practical functions of the bestowed items.)

This passage recounts the life and spiritual transformation of the renowned Southern Dynasties Daoist master Tao Hongjing (456-536 CE). From childhood, he displayed extraordinary intelligence—composing essays at age six and mastering Confucian classics like the Classic of Filial Piety and Analects by seven. In his twenties, upon reading Ge Hong's Biographies of Divine Immortals, he became deeply captivated by its tales of transcendents like the Eight Lords of Huainan, reciting them day and night until the aspiration for Daoist cultivation took root in his heart.

At twenty-seven, while serving as study companion to Prince Yidu, his exceptional talents became evident when the court sought capable officials and all recommended him. When the Qi dynasty undertook grand palace constructions, his commissioned eulogies surpassed all previous literary works in brilliance. Though rising to the prestigious position of Fengchaoqing (senior court scholar), his heart yearned for reclusion. At thirty-six, quoting Confucius' saying "one retires to fulfill one's aspirations," he wrote to relatives declaring his resolve to withdraw to mountain forests before forty.

The following year (492 CE), he dramatically resigned, emulating ancient hermits like Ji Qiuzi and Zhang Liang (Marquis of Liu). At the eastern suburbs, he removed his official robes and sailed eastward. The court dispatched envoys with parting gifts, while dignitaries hosted farewell banquets rivaling the legendary departure of the Han dynasty's Shu Guang and Shu Shou. Eventually arriving at Maoshan in Jurong (a sacred Daoist site), he recognized its numinous "immortal palaces" and settled there for spiritual practice. Concluding with his reflection: "Confucius said reclusion fulfills aspirations while righteous action manifests the Dao (the Way). Now I can finally embody this truth," the passage marks his pivotal transition from court official to mountain recluse.

This passage records the life of the renowned Southern Dynasties Daoist master Tao Hongjing (known as the Recluse Gentleman). Tao Hongjing retreated to Mount Mao to cultivate the Dao, living in seclusion from worldly affairs. On the mountain, he built thatched huts and carved out small pathways, harmonizing with nature and distancing himself from mundane disturbances. He often gathered medicinal herbs in the mountains, keeping company with birds and beasts while living in carefree spontaneity.

During the turbulent final years of the Qi dynasty, Tao Hongjing foresaw the coming upheavals through his meditation practice and consequently severed all correspondence with the outside world. It wasn't until the establishment of the Liang dynasty and the restoration of peace that he resumed contact. Emperor Wu of Liang held him in high esteem, frequently sending envoys with medicinal supplies and generous provisions.

Tao Hongjing once briefly traveled to the sacred Mount Heng in the south, where the sublime scenery and numinous qi (vital energy) so captivated him that he lingered forgetful of time. Later, Emperor Wu dispatched Minister Huiming to recall him to Mount Mao and built him new quarters. After years of devoted cultivation there, his spiritual attainment became so profound that neither fierce beasts nor demonic entities dared disturb him. His residence became a frequent gathering place for immortals, with auspicious signs regularly appearing.

On the twelfth day of the third lunar month in the second year of the Datong era (536 CE), Tao Hongjing achieved transcendence at the venerable age of eighty-one. The imperial court posthumously honored him as "Palace Attendant" with the posthumous title "Chaste and Pure Gentleman." On the fourteenth day of that same month, he was interred at Leiping Mountain in Jurong County, Danyang Commandery, with funeral rites comparable to those of the legendary Yellow Emperor and the immortal Prince Qiao.

This stele inscription records the life and virtuous cultivation of the renowned Southern Dynasties Daoist master Tao Hongjing. Tao Hongjing (courtesy name Tongming), a pivotal figure of the Maoshan lineage, was commemorated in this epitaph composed by Crown Prince Zhaoming of Liang.

From childhood, he displayed extraordinary intelligence—not only possessing dignified features ("clear-cut eyebrows and bright eyes, fresh and pure countenance") but also mastering an encyclopedic range of knowledge. The text enumerates his expertise: the immortality techniques of Prince Huainan Liu An (Huainan Hongbao's esoteric formulas), Longxi earthquake prediction methods, Daoist arcana like Taiyi and Dunjia divination systems, along with astronomy and calendrics (Jiuzhang celestial phenomena), calligraphy (You'an's "silver hook" style), prognostication (Yunnan's wind-angle divination), medical arts (Taicang's foundational inquiries), and qin zither mastery (Zhongsan's qin compositions). His polymathic brilliance rivaled historical sages like Zhang Hua and Ma Jun.

In later years, he retreated to Maoshan (Huayang Grotto) for Daoist cultivation, where disciples like Huan Fakai erected this stele honoring his exemplary character. The poetic epitaph section depicts: his transcendence like an immortal leaving behind sandals ("left footwear marking transformation"), his eternal spirit ("discarded sword, concentrated Shen"), with auspicious purple Qi enveloping his cinnabar grove (practice site). His virtue shone like a suspended mirror, stood tall as green bamboo, ever upholding benevolent De.

The inscription concludes: Tao Hongjing achieved his feathery ascent (Daoist term for death, "cicada's molt") at the Si hour (9-11 AM) on March 12th, 536 CE (2nd year of Liang Datong era) in Maoshan's Zhuyang Abbey, aged eighty-one. At passing, his body remained supple and complexion unchanged, posthumously honored as Palace Attendant. His hermitage featured white waters encircling courtyards and precipitous peaks overlooking caves—the epitaph sealing with "monument eternally steadfast, fragrance flowing ten-thousand years," embodying perpetual remembrance.

This passage records the funeral and life story of Tao Hongjing (Master Zhenbai), a patriarch of the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) Daoist tradition. After Tao's passing, the imperial court dispatched palace attendants (sheren) and secretarial officials (zhushu) to oversee the funeral arrangements. On the fourteenth day, he was interred at Leiping Mountain in the Mao Mountains.

The text expounds the Daoist view of life and death: True beauty lies in returning to emptiness, while the essence of the Dao (the Way) resides in boundlessness. Those who attain the Dao neither cling to life—understanding that "great De (Virtue)" (the laws of nature) constitutes life's true substance—nor fear death, knowing the "valley spirit" (guchen, the Daoist concept of primordial spirit) is inherently indestructible. This state of transformation between concealment and manifestation, transcending life and death, remains beyond ordinary comprehension.

Auspicious omens appeared during the funeral: mountain rocks spontaneously split open, a jade coffin (symbolizing celestial ascension) descended from heaven, the circulation of silver ritual tablets ceased, and the alchemical pearl furnace extinguished. A nine-section staff (ritual implement) gleamed in the air while thousand-harmony incense burned below. Celestial officials rejoiced at a fellow adept's ascension, while disciples mourned their teacher's departure.

The author recalls encountering the Daoist arts transmitted by Huang Shigong (the Old Man of the Bridge) in youth, and later receiving repeated teachings from Fuqiu Gong (a legendary immortal). Now holding the inherited fulu (Daoist talismans) brings sorrow, while memories of the master's staff transforming into a dragon during his ascension deepen the grief.

The concluding inscription praises: The nameless great Dao achieves true immortality through deathlessness. Masters like Zuo Ci (Yuanfang) and Ge Hong (Zhichuan) attained the Dao through "escaping form and liberation" (shijie xian, the practice of corpse-liberation immortality). Tao Hongjing received the talismans and returned to the mysterious gate—his deeds celebrated among common folk, recorded even by scribes on merchant ships. During the funeral, the tiger-drawn hearse bathed in sunlight while rainbows brushed against clouds; mountain blossoms glowed brilliantly as spring streams murmured. Amid the lush Mao Mountains and deep grotto-heavens, three immortals ride white cranes—who knows when they might return to the mortal realm?

The colophon notes this stele inscription was composed by Xiao Lun, Prince Shaoling of Liang Dynasty, originally appearing in Volume 21 of Records of the Mao Mountains. The "three immortals" likely refer to Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong—the three Mao Mountain patriarchs—implying Tao Hongjing's equal standing among the celestial hierarchy.