《西嶽華山誌》

Preface to Records of the Western Sacred Mountain Huashan (attributed to "Emperor Ten") explains:

Ancient practitioners seeking to refine the elixir of immortality had to select renowned mountains of spiritual potency, never casually conducting their work in minor hills. Small mountains lack the protection of true deities, often being inhabited by spirits inhabiting ancient trees and rocks—millennia-old entities carrying corrupt Qi that cannot assist in accumulating blessings. According to the Classic of Mountains, sacred peaks suitable for tranquil cultivation and elixir refinement include Huashan, Taishan, Huoshan, Hengshan, and Songshan—mountains either located in the Central Plains or beyond feudal lords' domains. Though numerous famous peaks exist, only these are guarded by true deities, inhabited by terrestrial immortals, and nurture spiritual herbs like lingzhi. When Daoist adepts ascend these mountains to cultivate, the mountain deities assist them, ensuring successful elixir refinement.

My homeland Jincheng (modern Lanzhou region) spans a thousand li of fertile plains where three great rivers converge, its landscape radiant with spiritual energy—among which Huashan (also called Taihua Mountain) stands supreme. Majestic Huashan gazes upon the Three Dukes Mountains (Daoism’s triad of sacred peaks) and shares renown with the Four Sacred Peaks (Taishan, Hengshan, Huashan, and Hengshan). Even the Zhongnan and Taibai Mountains defer to its presence, while Shouyang and Wangwu dare not rival its grandeur. To the west, one witnesses the sunset’s resting place; eastward, the sunrise emerges—no peak rivals its height as it pierces the heavens. Gathering the essence of heaven and earth, nurturing all creation, Huashan embodies the Dui trigram’s western orientation and ranks among Daoism’s Ten Great Grotto-Heavens (the Grotto of Ultimate Truth). Here, the mountain breathes clouds and swallows sunrises, its pavilions floating like celestial realms.

Huashan also hosts the "Chariot Box Pool," one of eighteen subterranean water palaces whose hidden rivers connect to southeastern seas. Emperors throughout history conducted grand sacrifices here, casting golden dragon tablets and jade slats (Daoist ritual objects). The Immortal’s Palm Peak scrapes the clouds; sunlight gilds the Azure Dragon Ridge as mist-cloaked peaks dye travelers’ robes emerald. At dusk, Lotus Peak shimmers with golden-jade hues—a vision of transcendent beauty. Its pines exude luminous amber by night; sacred springs bubble forth as auspicious signs for the nation. Thus, the Five Directional Elder Immortals (Five Numinous Elders) descend here frequently, while perfected beings like Laozi retreat to its Hangu Pass for cultivation. Some don star-crowned feathered robes to ascend clouds and audience with the Celestial Emperor; others ride dragon chariots toward heavenly courts. Such is Huashan—a sacred convergence of divine beings.

This passage recounts the story of Wang Yuan (courtesy name Ziyuan) abandoning worldly life to cultivate the Dao on Mount Hua. Wang had long harbored aspirations for Daoist practice, and after settling his children's marriages, he relinquished his family estate to enter the sacred mountain and refine the Golden Elixir (Jindan, the Daoist method for creating longevity elixirs). He considered Mount Hua the most suitable place for such cultivation.

To fully understand Mount Hua, Wang undertook three tasks: First, he systematized his personal collection of records about the mountain. Then he consulted local gazetteers and classical texts like Liu Xiang's Biographies of Immortals (Liexian Zhuan), compiling and supplementing all available documentation about Mount Hua. These materials fell into three main categories:

1. Natural landscapes: Including mountain peaks, caves, forests, valleys, rock niches, ponds, streams, grottoes, and springs

2. Religious sites: Comprising palaces, temples, alchemical furnaces, altars, and other locations where divine manifestations occurred

3. Special products and immortals: Recording rare medicinal herbs like poria cocos and calamus, as well as sixteen perfected beings who attained the Dao on Mount Hua, including the celestial immortal Pei Jun of Clarity and Emptiness, Lord White Goat, and Huang Chuping

The author highly commends Wang's approach, praising him for exhaustively documenting the mountain's traces of immortality and sacred footprints. The complete work spans over seventy chapters and has been widely circulated through woodblock printing. Though modest about his own literary skills, the author expresses joy that Wang fulfilled their shared aspiration—entering the mountains to practice alchemy.

The final section discusses essential principles of elixir refinement: When making transcendent medicines in famous mountains, one must have proper spiritual support, just as shamans require spirit possession for rituals and religious statues need presiding deities. With sincere practice, the mountain deities will surely provide protection, enabling swift success in creating the elixir. The author vividly describes the glorious vision of attaining the Dao: meeting fellow immortals in the Mystic Isle paradise, paying homage to the Great Unity (Taiyi, one of Daoism's supreme deities) in the Purple Empyrean celestial court, listening to heavenly music, and feasting on divine mushrooms. The text concludes by noting its composition date: the tenth month of the Guimao year in the Dading era (1183) of the Jin dynasty.

This passage provides a general introduction to Mount Hua (Xiyue, the Western Sacred Peak) and its historical background.

The opening prefaces state: Heaven and Earth operate according to their inherent patterns—the heavens establish seasonal cycles and stellar positions, while the earth is anchored by five sacred mountains in cardinal directions. As one of the Five Sacred Peaks, Mount Hua stands in western China, corresponding to the western position among the seven celestial palaces. The mountain's majestic form features sheer cliffs resembling knife-cut stone faces, rising approximately five thousand ren (an ancient unit of measurement). Surrounding peaks all bow toward it in deference. In the Five Phases system, Mount Hua belongs to Metal and aligns with the you hour (5-7 PM). Before it lies Huayang Valley, behind it Huayin County, to its left Taolin Pass, and to its right the jade-producing fields of Lantian. The mountain is home to Daoist practitioners (fangshi) and Perfected Persons (zhenren, realized adepts), featuring golden cauldrons for alchemy (waidan) and stone chambers for cultivation. Its summit hosts the Jade Maiden of the Bright Star and vessels of immortal elixirs (xianyao).

The Illustrated Gazetteer of Huazhou records: The main Lotus Peak consists of three summits connecting with the three luminaries (sun, moon, stars). Twenty-eight stone pools mirror the twenty-eight lunar mansions. Lush pines and emerald bamboo thrive amidst swirling clouds, while hidden veins of gold and jade resonate with wind and thunder—making this a blessed grotto-heaven (dongtian) for celestial beings.

The historical section clarifies: Mount Hua lies within Huayin County, Huazhou. During King Xuan's Zhou dynasty, this was the Zheng feudal state. The Qin established Zheng County here, later incorporated into the Han capital region. The Western Wei founded Huazhou ("Flowery Prefecture"), renamed multiple times through Sui and Tang periods—alternately called Taizhou or restored as Huazhou. The Song redesignated it Zhentong Army, though Huayin County consistently retained its "Hua" designation.

(Note: Technical terms like "Western Sacred Peak," "Perfected Persons," and "practitioners" follow Daoist conventions, while ancient measurements like "five thousand ren" and "you hour" receive contextual explanations.)

This passage primarily describes the geographical features of Mount Hua (also known as Mount Taihua) in western China and its associated Daoist wonders. Here's the modern interpretation:

Mount Hua has been known by various names throughout different dynasties: Yin County, Taihua County, Jinyin County, Ningtai County, and Xianzhang County.

The Lotus Peak, one of Mount Hua's main summits at extreme altitude, hosts numerous mystical pools:

• The Heaven-Gazing Pool, Eight Trigrams (Bagua) Pool, Supreme Unity (Taiyi) Pool, White Lotus Pool, and twenty-eight other constellation-themed pools
• The ten-zhang-wide Jade Well grows thousand-petaled white lotuses said to confer ascension to immortality when consumed
• Ancient poetry describes lotus flowers here spanning ten zhang in diameter, with roots thick as boats, tasting sweet as honey and capable of curing severe illnesses

The southeastern summit area contains the Laozi Cave (legendary dwelling of Lord Lao the Supreme), nearby features include:

1. Supreme Purity Spring - a miraculous water source

2. Calamus Pool: Sword-ridged calamus leaves with nine segments per inch of root, believed to strengthen the body and prolong life when ingested

3. Laozi's Alchemical Furnace: Where the Supreme Elder supposedly practiced alchemy (Waidan)

4. Asarum Field: Three to four acres of wild ginger in the southwest summit area that imparts bodily fragrance when consumed

The northeastern peak hosts purple cypresses whose leaf-gathered dew on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month supposedly confers terrestrial immortality (earthbound transcendence) when drunk. This area also grows the miraculous Five-Seed Pine.

The text recounts how Laozi (founder of Daoism), witnessing the Zhou dynasty's decline, journeyed west to Hangu Pass where he met the border official Yin Xi. After composing the Dao De Jing (Classic of the Way and Virtue), he retired to Mount Hua.

(Note: "Ascension" refers to achieving Daoist immortality, "terrestrial immortals" denote long-lived earthly transcendents, and "alchemical furnace" indicates equipment for preparing elixirs of immortality in Daoist practice)

On the mountain peak southwest of Huashan's main summit grows a Five-Seed Pine, its canopy flat like an unfurled parasol, entwined with verdant vines stretching a hundred feet. Beneath it grows human-shaped poria cocos (a precious medicinal fungus), occasionally forming amber (fossilized resin). These amber pieces emit lotus-like fluorescence at night and resemble ox eyes by day. Legend claims consuming them enables ascension to immortality, with written characters glowing like starlight in darkness.

Atop the central peak's tortoise-shell-shaped rock stands the Shrine of the Luminous Star Jade Maiden (a Daoist temple for female transcendents), housing her stone chamber, sacred statue, and a spiritually responsive stone horse. Local hermits often hear the stone horse neighing at night. Before the shrine stand five stone mortars perpetually filled with jade-green water that never dries or overflows—called the "Jade Maiden's Hair-Washing Basins." According to the Scripture of Divine Mists, drinking the jade nectar governed by this celestial maiden bestows supernatural powers.

South of Yuntai Peak lies the "Jade Maiden Window," a natural stone aperture. Passing through a ten-foot-deep stone gate passage reveals a luminous cavern where one can glimpse the Jade Maiden's southern villa. Another shrine on a tortoise-shaped boulder proves more marvelous: this twenty-zhang-long rock formation with steep ends features a five-inch-wide bottomless crevice. Ancient Daoists would cast bamboo slips (ritual petitions to celestial deities) into the chasm, hearing echoes long after—a sacred site for delivering documents to Huashan's divine prefecture.

Beside Yangtian Pond on the southern peak lies the Black Dragon Pool, where drought-stricken communities always received rain after prayers. In 1103 CE (the second year of Chongning reign), the imperial court officially enshrined its spirit as "Marquis of Manifest Moisture." The most mystical site is the Cavernous Mystery Stone Chamber (a cultivation sanctuary) on the northwest peak: here, the Qingxu Perfected Lord Pei (a renowned Jin-dynasty Daoist) practiced asceticism for twenty-three years until summoning the Five Numinous Elder (a Daoist deity). The chamber has eastern and western gates—one opening to clouds, the other overlooking earth—housing a three-foot stone deity statue wearing the Three Radiance Crown (symbolizing sun, moon, and stars) and nine-colored silk robes.

Mount Hua is scattered with numerous ancient coins, most of which have peculiar shapes—some with multiple protrusions resembling legs, others with a single head and multiple holes. One side of these coins bears the two large seal-script characters "Da Bu" (Great Cloth).

[Reed Flower Pool at the Calculation Ground]

At the summit of Mount Hua lies a place called the Calculation Ground. During the Northern Wei dynasty, the Daoist priest Kou Qianzhi (a renowned Northern Wei Daoist) was highly skilled in astronomy and calendrics, particularly in celestial observation. He once calculated the "Tianyuan Wuji" calendar, but his results contained errors. Later, the Perfected Lord Cheng Gongxing (a Daoist immortal) visited him while feigning madness. A merchant accidentally disturbed the counting rods used in the calculations, yet this disruption somehow corrected the results. Regretting his solitary and secluded approach to calculation, Kou Qianzhi abandoned his work and followed the Perfected Lord, discarding the remaining counting rods at the site. Over time, these rods transformed into reeds, and the place became known as the Reed Flower Pool.

[Chessboard Stone]

On a solitary peak to the southeast, there is a stone as flat and square as a bed, resembling a chessboard when viewed from afar. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, a celestial being suddenly descended from the heavens, clad in feathered robes and wearing a star-studded crown, riding a cloud chariot drawn by a white deer. Startled, the emperor asked, "Who are you?" The immortal replied, "I am Wei Shuqing of the mountains." The emperor said, "If you are a man of the mountains, you ought to be my subject." No sooner had he spoken than the immortal vanished. Filled with regret, Emperor Wu immediately dispatched his envoy Liang Bo to search the mountains, where he found only Wei Shuqing’s son, Du Shi. Du Shi explained that his father had been devoted to the Dao since youth and had left home over forty years earlier to cultivate himself on Mount Hua. Emperor Wu then sent Liang Bo and Du Shi to the mountain’s highest peak, where they indeed saw Wei Shuqing playing chess with several other immortals on the stone, surrounded by an aura of purple mist and attended by young attendants holding ritual implements. When Du Shi conveyed the emperor’s message, Wei Shuqing said, "Last time, I came under the command of the Supreme Lord to admonish Emperor Wu against his warmongering, yet he presumed to demand my submission as a subject. There is nothing more to say." He then instructed his son not to serve the Han dynasty or relay any further messages to the emperor. With that, the two could only bow and depart (this account is detailed in the Liexian Zhuan).

[Other Scenic Sites]

On the northern side of Mount Hua, halfway up the mountain, stands a stone statue of an immortal. The Dengzhen Yinjue (Secret Instructions for Ascending to Perfection) records that the immortal caves of Mount Hua extend three hundred li deep, containing jade terraces and halls where celestial herbs such as fragrant somao grow. Other famous caves include the Waterfall Cave, Stone Immortal Cave, Zhaoyang Cave, Zhengyang Cave, Xixuan Cave, and Water Curtain Cave.

This passage describes the mystical landscapes and immortal legends of Mount Hua (Western Peak):

Regarding the Emerald Spring and Water Curtain Cave:

On Mount Hua there exists an Emerald Spring where water flows from stone crevices, with a cave entrance appearing about ten feet wide from a distance. The terrain here is perilously steep, impassable even to birds, and rarely visited by humans. Colorful clouds often emanate from the cave mouth. The rock face naturally forms immortal figures with complete attire, life-sized and called "Stone Immortals." Nearby, a waterfall cascades down over three thousand zhang (about 10,000 feet), giving this immortal cave its alternate name: Water Curtain Cave. Mount Hua boasts four major caves: the eastern Zhaoyang Cave, western Xixuan Cave, southern Zhengyang Cave, and northern Water Curtain Cave.

About the Feiyi Cave:

Northwest of Mount Hua's main peak lies the Feiyi Cave. The Classic of Mountains and Seas records a divine beast appearing here: winged, six-legged, with a serpent's body, whose emergence foretold great droughts.

Concerning the Giant Spirit Palm Immortal Trace:

On the northeastern peak stands a giant boulder resembling a left palm, with half-moon patterns between its "palm lines." Legend claims this is the palm imprint of the ancient Giant Spirit Deity (a Daoist venerated god), for whom Emperor Wu of Han built a shrine.

On Mount Hua's Supernatural Phenomena:

The mountain summit, frequented by immortals, often manifests wondrous phenomena: celestial fragrances preceding auspicious clouds; visions of armies or immortal maidens and boys; hundreds of children with twin topknots or thousands of Daoists in feathered robes; immortal processions with jeweled canopies, dragon chariots, and phoenix carriages; golden light flooding the ground or flames shooting skyward, with purple mists and auspicious clouds being commonplace. These manifestations occur at various locations: the highest peak, Immortal Palm Peak, Three Dukes Mountain, or Xixuan Cave.

Special Records:

During the Tang Dynasty, a Perfected Being (Daoist adept) named Pei lived in seclusion on the northwest peak, where he encountered high-ranking immortals like the "Five Numinous Ancient Ones." The Queen Mother of the West (supreme Daoist female immortal) also appeared multiple times: wearing yellow immortal robes and golden crown, riding a chariot drawn by nine five-colored divine dragons, accompanied by canopied processions and numerous immortal attendants. Later generations built shrines at these apparition sites.

An Interpretation of the Records of the Western Sacred Mountain Huashan

On the Wangmu Temple and Chengtian Temple:

During the Zhenguan era of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, the Wangmu Temple (a Daoist temple dedicated to the Queen Mother of the West) was built at the foot of Mount Hua. West of the mountain lies Luofu Mountain. In the fifth year of the Dali era (770 CE) of Emperor Daizong, the Three Officials (Tianshi, Diguan, Shuiguan)—celestial deities governing heaven, earth, and water—manifested their divine presence. After dreaming of them, Emperor Daizong ordered the construction of the Three Officials Temple. By the Xianping era (998–1003 CE) of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, it was renamed the Chengtian Temple.

On the Sacred Forest:

The naturally growing and withering trees across Mount Hua, in its valleys, and along temple paths are called the "Sacred Forest," where logging is strictly forbidden. It is said that violators would immediately incur calamities. In the southwestern corner of the mountain stands a towering grove of pines and cypresses, known as the Black Mountain Forest, where the mountain deities feast and roam. Once, woodcutters secretly felled trees here, only to be burned by fire or devoured by tigers—many perished as a result.

On the Imperial Path:

The Imperial Path lies north of the Immortal’s Palm Peak and is the ancient trail for ascending Mount Hua. It earned its name because both Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang once traversed it. Even today, stone mortars used to secure railings can still be seen along the path. This section was once adorned with embroidered silk for protection and is extremely treacherous. To reach the summit, one must pass through the Imperial Path, Canglong Ridge, and Yuntai Peak, descending a sheer hundred-foot cliff below the Tianjing Path. The distance from the summit to Qingke Flat is about twenty li, with another thirty li from the valley exit.

On Zhang Chao Valley:

This was the retreat of Zhang Kai (styled Gongchao) of the Eastern Han Dynasty. When he lectured here, his students gathered in such numbers that it resembled a bustling market. Legend says he could conjure a five-li radius of mist, earning the place the name "Zhang Chao’s Misty Market." He often rode a donkey to town and returned in the evening with a wine gourd.

On the Immortal Valley of the Stone Sheep City:

West of Zhang Chao Valley lies the place where the brothers Huang Chuping and Huang Chuqi attained immortality. Huang Chuping, a native of Danxi, vanished as a boy while herding sheep. His elder brother searched for nearly forty years before hearing of a Daoist priest in the city famed for his prophetic abilities. The priest told him, "In the mountains of Hua, there is a shepherd boy named Huang Chuping—your younger brother." When the brothers reunited, the elder asked about the sheep. Chuping pointed eastward, but his brother saw only stones. With a shout of "Sheep, rise!" tens of thousands of stones transformed into sheep.

(Note: Huang Chuping is the "Great Immortal Huang" of folk belief, and this tale of "commanding stones into sheep" is a famous Daoist parable.)

This passage recounts two immortal legends associated with Mount Hua:

The first story tells of the Han dynasty immortal Huang Chuping (also known as the Great Immortal Huang) and his elder brother Huang Chuqi. After witnessing his younger brother's ascension to immortality, the elder brother abandoned his family to become Huang Chuping's disciple, eventually achieving immortality himself. The site where they performed the famous "stone-to-sheep transformation" (commanding stones to become sheep) is now called "Stone Sheep City."

The second narrative describes Lü Dongbin (Immortal Master Lü)'s seclusion in Wenxian Valley on Mount Hua. Living incognito as Ji Dongming with the Daoist name Baozhenzi, he dwelled unnoticed for forty years beneath Lotus Peak. During the Southern Song Shaoxing era, he informed his disciple Liu Yuzhi of his impending celestial ascension shortly before the Mid-Autumn Festival, leaving behind an enigmatic gatha ("a mouth above, a mouth below"). Years after his death, his shen (spirit) manifested multiple times to inscribe poems, revealing his true identity as the Tang dynasty immortal Lü Dongbin. The text preserves several poems attributed to Immortal Lü, including one composed during the Yuanfeng era for his zither platform.

The passage also mentions Niuxin Valley, where the Eastern Han statesman Yang Zhen retreated in his youth to teach, later known as "Yang Zhen's Scholarly Grove" for its abundance of scholar trees.

(Note: The "stone-to-sheep transformation" refers to Huang Chuping's famous stone-transmuting magic in Daoist lore; "Immortal Master Lü" refers to Lü Dongbin of the Eight Immortals; "dragon-tiger elixir" denotes internal alchemy terminology where dragon represents mercury and tiger represents lead in neidan practice.)

Mount Hua is home to many vibrantly colored birds, and its summit bears the sacred traces of the Snow Heavenly King. When gazing from afar through snowfall, one can faintly discern the majestic figure of the Snow Heavenly King clad in silver armor astride a white steed.

Huang Shen Valley lies east of Mount Hua, where the perfected Huang Luzi once dwelled in seclusion. Originally from the state of Chu, this adept surnamed Ge and named Yue became known as the "Duke of Western Peak" due to his mountain residence. A master physician, patients traveled thousands of miles seeking his treatment—merely leaving their names with him would ensure complete recovery. He could immobilize tigers and wolves with his arts, grounding even birds in mid-flight. Having studied Daoist methods under Chisongzi, Huang Luzi could still lift thousand-pound weights and outrun horses in his eighties. During a great drought, he summoned a dragon from the deep pools, compelling it to ascend and bring rain. Eventually, he achieved ascension astride a yellow dragon.

The Hidden Horse Valley, east of Mount Hua, derives its name from an incident during Emperor Wu of Han's reign. When the emperor built the Spirit-Gathering Palace, Immortal-Housing Hall, and Celestial-Gazing Gate at the mountain's base seeking immortality, a divine steed emerged from Mount Hua. Though the emperor ordered it stabled, the celestial horse soon vanished. Trackers discovered it concealed beneath a stone niche in this valley—hence the names Hidden Horse Valley and Hidden Horse Niche. To this day, hoofprints remain visible on stones in the northeast mountain stream.

Mao Nü Peak stands west of Mount Hua. Its namesake, Yu Jiang, originally served as a palace maiden under Qin Shihuang. Foreseeing the Qin dynasty's collapse, she fled into the mountains carrying her zither, subsisting on pine and cypress leaves while drinking mountain springs until green hair grew over her body. Witnesses called her the "Hairy Maiden" (Mao Nü), naming both her and the cave where she dwelled—where zither music still echoes. Daoist adepts have reportedly seen this cave. Below the peak lies the long-abandoned White Stone Temple.

Cloud Terrace Peak rises precipitously in Mount Hua's northeast—twin summits piercing the heavens, their sheer cliffs dropping on all sides. Perpetually wreathed in mist, this solitary pinnacle connects to earthly veins below, standing like a celestial platform amidst clouds. Its base contains a cavern where, legend says, one traveler entered and journeyed east beneath the Yellow River while hearing flowing water overhead. During Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou's reign, Daoist Jiao Daoguang cultivated alone here, eschewing grains to subsist on cloud vapors. Three azure birds regularly foretold future events to him. The emperor personally consulted him on Daoist methods, constructing Cloud Terrace Abbey at the valley mouth. Later, disciples like Hongxian witnessed their master ascending astride a qilin-like mount, never to return.

North of Yunbai Peak lies a cave called the "Test Chisel Grotto," towering a hundred feet high with unfathomable depth. At its entrance stands an exceptionally hard stone shaped like a chisel, its dimensions appearing as if artificially carved. This was the place where Patriarch Chen Tuan (known as Master Xiyi) achieved feathered ascension and became an immortal.

Baiyun Peak (White Cloud Peak) is located northeast of Mount Hua, where Princess Jinxian, sister of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, cultivated the Dao. The Baiyun Palace was built here, along with remnants like the Eight Immortals Cave, Mountain Viewing Shed, upper and lower bamboo groves, jujube and chestnut forests, flower gardens, medicinal herb fields, and stone mills. Adjacent to Baiyun Peak lies the stone cave where the Perfected Person Jiao practiced cultivation.

Five li northwest of Mount Hua stands Baiyang Peak (White Ram Peak), with its layered cliffs and deep caverns. During the Three Primes Festivals (Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, Xiayuan) and fasting days, three to five divine lanterns would appear on its cliffs. Legend tells of an ancient recluse who often rode a white ram between the human world and immortal realms, later achieving transcendence with his disciple Jie Yan—hence the peak's name. This Perfected Person left behind mountain-sealing incantations and seventy talismans (fulu) for subduing tigers, leopards, wolves, and bears.

The four peaks of Songgui (Pine and Juniper), Chaolai (Morning Arrival), Yuzhu (Jade Pillar), and Yuxiu (Jade Excellence) are covered with verdant pines and cypresses, often shrouded in multicolored qi. These cloud-piercing summits remain largely untrodden by humans.

Jiaogong Cliff southeast of Mount Hua was home to the Perfected Person of Hedong named Jiao Xiaolong. He regularly consumed white stones (a Daoist alchemical substance) that tasted like taro when shared with guests. When wildfire destroyed his thatched hut, witnesses saw him sitting serenely in the flames with unscorched robes. Years later during heavy snow, he was found lying under a thin quilt with summer-ruddy complexion. Some claim to have seen him even now, appearing variously aged or youthful.

Shentu Cliff (Divine Earth Cliff), a hundred paces southeast of Yuntai Peak, miraculously produced endless divine soil when the cultivator Jiao Daoguang needed building materials—a phenomenon continuing to this day. The Xianyou Mill (Immortal Oil Mill) within Yuntai Peak's cliffs provided oil whenever Jiao Daoguang conducted zhaijiao (purification rituals).

This passage describes several mystical sites on Mount Hua associated with immortal recluses and their legends:

1. The "Heavenly Oil" Phenomenon

Legend tells of miraculous oil once descending from the heavens at this site, but the phenomenon ceased after the Daoist immortal Guang Chenglin passed through. Located southwest of Mount Hua, the "Imperial Summons Evasion Cliff" served as a hermitage where ancient recluses avoided imperial recruitment.

2. Legend of the White Deer Shrine

Situated along the right side of Mount Hua's climbing path, this was where the immortal Lu Nüsheng (a female transcendence attained on Mount Hua) tamed white deer. After cultivating the Dao here for two hundred years, she was seen ascending to heaven with ten jade maidens (Daoist celestial maidens), riding white deer past the mountain temple. A flying spring still flows at the site today.

3. Supreme Ultimate Immortal Grotto

Located on the western cliff face of Maonü Peak, this cave overlooks the Chariot-Box Pool below. It served as an important Daoist cultivation site.

4. Immortal Traces of the Three Wang-Diao Caves

Records tell of three immortals—Wang Yao, Diao Ziran, and Qian Ge:

• Wang Yao from Poyang specialized in unique healing methods (without talismans or medicine, but by drawing prison circles on the ground to expel evil)
• He carried a mysterious bamboo case that remained unopened for over a decade
• Later meeting Diao Ziran in the cave, the three played bamboo-reed instruments together
• All three ultimately attained immortality here

The three-tiered cave system includes habitable lower chambers for recluses.

5. Azure Cloud Cave and Four Hermits

This was the retreat of four eminent scholars: Zheng Yun sou (Zheng Ao), Luo Yinzhi, Zhai Shiduan, and Zheng Yin. Notably, Zheng Yunsou abandoned family life to seek longevity here, collecting thousand-year resin from Mount Hua's unique five-needle pines.

Notes:

• "Jade maidens" refers to Daoist celestial maidens
• "Five-needle pines" are unique to Mount Hua, their resin prized for life-extending properties
• "Drawing prison circles" was a Daoist exorcism technique to trap evil spirits within marked boundaries
• "Bamboo reeds" were ancient reed wind instruments

During the Tiancheng era (a reign period of Later Tang Dynasty), the court summoned Luo Yinzhi (a Daoist master) to serve as Reminder Official, but he declined the appointment and was instead granted the title "Carefree Gentleman" (Xiaoyao Xiansheng). Luo originally resided at Yuliang Temple on Mount Yusi in Xingan County, Linjiang Commandery, before moving to Mount Hua. There he lived in leisurely contentment—sometimes gazing at waterscapes, sometimes climbing peaks to admire distant views, composing poetry while drinking wine. In the Tianfu era (Later Jin Dynasty), he was further honored with the title "Master of the Void" (Xiyi Xiansheng).

Zhai Shiduan, styled Biaozheng, was a native of Qi who mastered Confucian classics. During the Xiangfu era (Emperor Zhenzong of Song), when the emperor toured Fenyin, Zhai declined the imperial summons. He later passed away without illness. Remarkably, his body remained warm seven days after death, and during cremation, thunderous sounds emerged with radiant five-colored lights.

Zheng Yin, styled Mingchu from Fengfu in Yanzhou, bore seven black moles on his left arm arranged like the Big Dipper. He dwelled year-round at the Three Caverns of Wangdiao, remaining indoors from winter through spring—a practice locals deemed miraculous. During Emperor Zhenzong's return from Earth God worship ceremonies in the Xiangfu period, the emperor bestowed upon him at a courier station the title "Master of Noble Seclusion" (Zhenhui Xiansheng) along with a "Mountain-Returning Song." The lyrics conveyed: "The recluse of Mount Hua seeks no fame,/ Nourishing spirit with zither and wine./ Days spent watching flowing streams,/ Evenings leaning on bench listening to pines./ Roaming myriad valleys fulfills his will,/ Emerging occasionally to behold peace./ Discussing the Dao of Void to probe mysteries,/ Moistening my heart called 'Boundless'./ Leaving city walls for wooded hills,/ How profound—joy in keeping vows./ Having seen through pomp to cherish simplicity,/ He delights in chanting to express his soul."

The Grotto of Pot Master (Hugong) stands on an isolated peak northwest of Mount Hua. This stone chamber accommodates over ten people, with a spring flowing northeast into Mist Market Valley. East Valley contains the calculation grounds of Northern Wei Daoist Kou Qianzhi, while West Valley preserves the stone couch of Cultivated Ram Master (Xiuyanggong). The true name of Pot Master remains unknown—he famously hung an empty pot beside his seat, leaping into it at sunset. Fei Changfang (Eastern Han mystic) studied under him and was lodged in this cavern. Inside hung a one-zhang-square boulder suspended by straw ropes above Fei's resting place, while Pot Master summoned snakes and insects to gnaw the cords. As the ropes neared snapping, Fei remained unperturbed, prompting Pot Master's approval: "You're ready for instruction." Later, he conferred upon Fei arts to command underworld spirits and sent him home riding a bamboo staff. When Fei cast the staff into Ge Pool, it transformed into a dragon and flew away.

The Three Dukes Mountain (Sangong Shan) lies southeast of Mount Hua, featuring three towering and elegant peaks resembling the Three Stars constellation (ancients believed this symbolized the Three Dukes of imperial court), hence its name. During Emperor Ming's reign of the Eastern Han Dynasty, a recluse named Yan Ji (courtesy name Ziwei) cultivated the Dao in a stone grotto on this mountain. He regularly consumed Solomon's Seal (a Daoist medicinal herb for longevity), wore his hair loose except on the first day of each lunar month when he bound it with a scarf. Often playing the qin and reciting poetry, his grotto was frequently enveloped in golden-white mist. Later, he bid farewell to companions and ascended to immortality riding clouds.

The Everlasting Spring Stone Grotto (Changchun Shishi) stands beside Mount Yuntai. During Tang Dynasty's Zhenguan era, Daoist Du Huaiqian practiced here, abstaining from grains while mastering the flute. He had people purchase numerous flutes—after playing each melody atop cliffs, he'd cast the instrument into the abyss, replenished by new deliveries when exhausted. Sitting motionless for months in the grotto, he called himself "Master Everlasting Spring." The grotto remains intact today, with legends claiming flute music still echoes.

The Stone Couch of Cultivated Ram Elder (Xiuyang Gong) lies in a northwestern Hua Mountain grotto within Immortal Valley. The couch bears impressions from the immortal's prolonged reclining. This transcendent needed no sustenance and once met Emperor Jing of Han. When questioned about his abilities, he remained silent before suddenly transforming into a stone ram inscribed: "Cultivated Ram Elder thanks the Son of Heaven." Later placed on the Numinous Altar, the ram mysteriously vanished.

The Reclining Immortal Platform (Woxian Ping) in Zhangchao Valley originally housed the stone chamber where Perfected Zhangchao (an immortalized adept) shed his mortal form. After frequent visits by woodcutters and shepherds playing there, flying stones suddenly sealed the entrance—now only the placename remains.

The Herb-Growing Platform (Zhongyao Ping) was where Perfected Wang Hui cultivated medicinal plants. Consuming Atractylodes and Solomon's Seal regularly, he commanded tigers and leopards—riding them like horses while planting herbs, directing them with bamboo staffs. He often chanted enigmatic nine-character verses over a hundred words long before ascending to immortality.

The Sweet Wine Spring (Liquan) below an ancient hermitage emits wine-scented water, considered an auspicious omen said to attract phoenixes. A Jade Maiden shrine stands nearby. The Jade Spring (Yuquan) at Zhangchao Valley's mouth flows with jade-like water, inspiring the Jade Spring Temple's construction. Both mineral-rich springs were famed for curing chronic ailments through prolonged consumption.

Huanglong Pond (Yellow Dragon Pond) is situated at the entrance to the Divine Valley of Mount Hua. Legend holds that prayers for rain made here were particularly efficacious, leading to its official designation as the "Marquis of Abundant Moisture."

Chexiang Pond (Cart Box Pond) lies ten li deep within the Immortal Valley, directly beneath the Supreme Cavern of the Taiji Immortals. During the Song Dynasty, Emperor Renzong would annually dispatch envoys to perform the ritual of casting golden dragon tablets and jade slips (a Daoist ceremony for worshipping water deities by immersing inscribed gold tablets into water). In 1103, Emperor Huizong issued an edict conferring upon it the title "Marquis of Bountiful Moisture." According to the Records of Water Palaces, there are eighteen major water palaces in the world, with Mount Hua's Chexiang Pond being the seventh—renowned alongside the East Sea, South Sea, and Wen River as a site for the golden tablet ritual.

Jiahe Pavilion (Crane-Riding Pavilion) is located midway up the Central Peak, where legend tells of Princess Jinxian attaining the Dao and ascending to immortality astride a crane.

The Divine Maiden Grove lies within Huang's Divine Valley, featuring a solitary Temple of the Seated Maiden to its east. This forest contains tens of thousands of ancient pines and junipers with trunks so large they require multiple people to encircle. Felling trees here is strictly forbidden.

The Ancient Cypress Path runs beside the ancient Western Peak Temple. In 288 CE, during the Jin Dynasty, Governor Wei Junshi planted thousands of cypresses along this road. Beacon towers flanked the path, each marked with characters from the Thousand Character Classic, with grazing and logging prohibited.

The Carefree Tree grew beside the thatched hermitage where Chen Tuan (styled Fuyaozi) dwelled in seclusion. A native of Zhenyuan in Bozhou, Chen abandoned worldly ambitions after failing the imperial examinations during the Later Tang's Changxing era (930-933), eventually settling at the abandoned Yuntai Temple site on Mount Hua. His prophecies of fortune and calamity proved remarkably accurate. Later, Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou summoned him to court for over a month, offering the position of Remonstrance Minister, which Chen steadfastly declined. He was instead honored as "Master White Cloud." By Emperor Taizong's Song Dynasty reign, he attended court in Daoist robes and received the title "Master Ineffable Mystery." His surviving works include Chapters Pointing to the Mysterious, Collected Writings from the Fishing Pool, Poems Crossing the Sea of Suffering, Inner Chamber Elixir Instructions, and Three Peaks Allegories.

Major Daoist temples on Mount Hua include: the Upper Region's White Cloud Palace, the Central Region's Great Clarity Palace, and the Lower Region's Yuntai Palace (the current main temple complex). Other sacred structures comprise the Western Peak True Lord Hall, Huayue Temple, Deer Enclosure Temple, Northern Pole Temple, Great Peace and Prosperity Temple, Queen Mother Temple, Immortal Palace Temple, and the Grain-Fasting Retreat.

This passage primarily documents the Taoist temple complexes on Mount Hua (Western Peak) and their historical development:

1. Lingshen Shrine and Lanshi Temple:

• The Upper, Middle, and Lower Palaces were constructed by Tang dynasty Taoist priest Jiao Daoguang
• During Emperor Xuanzong's reign, official Wei Bao was commissioned to compile the "Records of Three Palaces"
• The Western Peak True Lord Temple underwent multiple name changes in the Song dynasty: renamed Chongning Wanshou Temple during the Chongning era, changed to Bao'en Guangxiao Temple during the Shaoxing period, and later renamed Yingxiang Temple during the Fuchang era
• Sima Guang once petitioned to establish True Lord Temples at all Five Sacred Peaks nationwide, with golden plaques permanently consecrating these grotto-heavens and blessed lands

2. Other significant temples:

• Huayue Temple: Originally built by Emperor Wu of Han, revived during the Xiangfu period due to four eminent Taoists
• Lujuan Temple: Originally located west of Zhugu Ridge, relocated to Mount Hua's foothills during the Daguan period at priest Qiu Runzhi's request
• Gongji Temple: Constructed at the Yueqian Altar during the Xuanhe era
• Taiping Xingguo Temple: Originally in Guangu Valley, rebuilt at Mount Hua's base during Shaoxing period by priest Jiao Xu
• Wangmu Temple: Initially below Daluo Peak, relocated to Mount Hua's foothills during Tang Zhenguan era
• Xiangong Temple: Originally the residence of Princess Jinxian, later officially established as a temple
• Xiuliang Temple: Emperor Taizong of Song bestowed scriptures and poems to priests practicing here

3. Baiyue Altar:

• Emperor Wu of Han's worship site for Mount Hua
• Rebuilt by Emperor Taizong of Tang as Zhenyue Lingxian Temple, later renamed Shenghui Temple and Zhaoqing Temple

4. Xuanze Pavilion:

• Emperor Zhenzong of Song's worship site for Mount Hua in 1011 (Xiangfu 4th year)
• Contained imperial steles and was once a royal restricted area

5. Suling Palace:

• According to "Extensive Records of the Taiping Era," served as the celestial palace where immortal kings governed heavenly grottoes and the Ten Continents-Three Isles

6. Jizhen Grotto-Heaven:

• One of Mount Hua's renowned Taoist sacred grottoes and blessed lands

These records reflect Mount Hua's status as a sacred Taoist site that received continuous imperial patronage across dynasties. The frequent mention of "grotto-heavens and blessed lands" refers to Taoism's designated cultivation sanctuaries, with Mount Hua recognized as one of the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens.

The Records of Mount Hua in the Western Peak documents the sacred grotto-heavens and ritual traditions of this sacred mountain:

Regarding the Grotto-Heaven of Supreme Perfection (the highest celestial realm of Mount Hua):

This ranks as the fourth among Daoism's Ten Great Grotto-Heavens. Within its three-thousand-li expanse exists a self-contained cosmos where sun, moon, stars, wind, clouds, and vegetation mirror the outer world—yet here the celestial orbs stand eternally still, their radiance illuminating an everlasting spring. Golden palaces and jade towers rise amidst violet groves of immortal trees and miraculous flora, where jade marrow and golden nectar (elixirs and divine liquors) flow—distinctive features of this grotto-paradise. The Perfected Lord of Plain Numen once composed verses extolling this realm: "Marvelous blossoms and fruits defy description—why seek Penglai's fairy isles? Within these caverns lie jade-cloud heavens and white-jade towers, ten thousand valleys lush with numinous herbs, where amidst cloud-wreathed peaks, the Eight Lords (legendary immortals) once refined the Golden Elixir (Jindan), achieving ascension for their entire lineage."

Concerning the Grotto-Heaven of Collective Immortals (a lesser grotto of Mount Hua):

Ranked third among the Thirty-Six Minor Grotto-Heavens with a three-hundred-li expanse, the Perfected Lord described: "Fallen star-stones form the Seven-Star Peaks, five celestial gates align with solar and lunar courses, revealing wondrous landforms when clouds part."

On the worship of the Golden Celestial King of Mount Hua:

Enfeoffed in the Tang dynasty as "Golden Celestial King and Obedient Sacred Emperor," this mountain deity represents the supreme western divinity. Since the Yellow Emperor's era, legendary rulers like Emperor Shun performed sacrifices here. From the Xia to Sui dynasties—spanning three millennia—this ritual continuity remained unbroken. The Han dynasty established a temple at Yellow Deity Valley's mouth, later relocated north of the imperial road, where sacrifices followed the ceremonial protocols for the Three Dukes (highest ancient officials), offering livestock and ritual vessels to honor the deity's blessings for prosperity and calamity-averting powers.

(Note: "Grotto-heavens" refer to Daoist sacred spaces connecting heaven and earth where cultivation leads to immortality; "golden nectar and jade marrow" denote celestial elixirs; the "Eight Lords" were the eight immortals who attained the Dao under Prince Huainan in the Han dynasty)