《雲阜山申仙翁傳》

Biography of Immortal Elder Shen of Mount Yunfu: A Modern Interpretation

Immortal Elder Shen, named Taizhi with the courtesy name Guangxiang, traced his ancestry to Luoyang as a descendant of Shen Bo from the Zhou Dynasty. The verse in the Book of Songs that states, "The sacred mountain sent forth a spirit, giving birth to Fu and Shen," refers to his illustrious lineage. Shen Bo was renowned for his gentle benevolence and upright candor, so much so that King Xuan of Zhou bestowed upon him chariots and horses, entrusting him to guard the southern regions. The family's prominence endured through generations, and by the Han Dynasty, an ancestor in his eighties was escorted to the capital in a grand carriage by Emperor Wu of Han, who honored him as Grand Master of the Palace. Over time, the family branched out across the land, with one lineage settling in Shaoling County, Shao Prefecture (present-day Liutang Village, Renfeng Township, Baoqing Prefecture, Shaoyang, Hunan).

Immortal Elder Shen's parents were compassionate and generous. One night, his mother, Lady Yang, dreamed of a celestial being descending from the heavens, who crushed a purple lingzhi (a legendary immortal herb) into a pill and had her swallow it. Upon waking, she was both awed and unsettled. This auspicious omen manifested on the fifth day of the eighth month in the third year of the Chuigong era (687 CE) during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, at the hour of Chen (7–9 AM). At his birth, the room was filled with divine light and auspicious Qi (vital energy), astonishing all the neighbors.

From childhood, he displayed extraordinary intelligence, mastering Confucian classics with ease and excelling in literary arts. In his youth, he abstained from sensual desires and meat, and though his family was not wealthy, he often aided the poor, treating others with kindness. When his father passed away, a divine being guided him to select an auspicious burial site at Hongya Mountain, where he fulfilled his filial duties with reverence. Gradually, he withdrew from worldly connections, devoting himself entirely to the pursuit of immortality and the Dao (the Way).

One day, purifying his mind and heart, he journeyed to the sacred Mount Heng (the Southern Peak), wandering through the Zhu Ling Grotto-Heaven (one of the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens of Daoism). He once climbed the perilous Zhurong Peak, meditating beneath ancient trees and rugged cliffs.

Immortal Elder Shen stood upon the stone and sighed: "The scenery here is truly magnificent, yet I lack the karmic affinity to dwell here long." Suddenly there appeared an old man with white hair and beard, wearing a yellow Daoist crown and coarse cloth garments, who approached the resting place with effortless ease. The Immortal Elder rose to greet him, and the old man inquired: "Who are you, and why do you sigh here?" The Immortal replied: "I am from Shaoling, traveling through these parts. I admire this secluded landscape, but regret my shallow blessings prevent me from staying longer—hence my sigh."

The elder said: "Sacred mountains and numinous sites exist everywhere—why seek distant places while neglecting what's near? North of your dwelling lie Mount Yun, the summit of Yuhu Peak, Lotus Mountain and other places with excellent sites for cultivation. I fear only that you lack the determination." The Immortal Elder earnestly sought instruction, whereupon the elder revealed his identity: "I am a Zhenren (Perfected Being) of the Nine Heavens, and today I shall impart to you the essentials of cultivation." Drawing a scroll from his pouch, he continued: "This contains the secret method of the Golden Elixir (Jindan) and Fire Dragon's Great Completion—the key to transcending the mundane and entering sainthood. Diligent practice will lead you to the Dao. When your merit is fulfilled, we shall meet again in the Great Brahma Heaven (Daluo Tian, the highest Daoist paradise)." He sternly warned against negligence in practice.

With reverent bows, the Immortal Elder received the scripture. When he lifted his head, sudden winds and clouds arose as the Zhenren ascended skyward and vanished. Upon returning home, the Immortal Elder's speech and demeanor became markedly different. Half a year later, he told his clansmen: "I am resolved to leave the dusty world to seek pure lands for cultivation." He built a thatched hut on Lotus Mountain, established a Danlu (elixir furnace), and gathered medicinal herbs to practice according to the method. To this day, the mountain retains traces of his elixir furnace and refining pool.

After completing the elixir, the Immortal Elder addressed the assembly: "Though the elixir is prepared, my virtuous merit remains incomplete—I dare not ingest it lightly. I should carry it to aid the world, and only when my merit is perfected shall I consume it to ascend as an immortal, thus standing blameless before heaven and earth." Thereafter, his spirit grew ever more radiant—he could predict weather changes, perceive hidden mysteries, and comprehend worldly transformations with perfect clarity. Until the twentieth year of Emperor Xuanzong's Kaiyuan era in the Tang dynasty...

During the morning court assembly on the 16th day of the 8th lunar month in the 6th year of Emperor Xuanzong's Tianbao era (Year of Wuyin, 747 CE), the emperor addressed his ministers: "Last night, I dreamt of a divine being who informed me that north of the Snow Mountain in Hunan, in the Shaoling region, resides a Daoist surnamed Shen, known by the Daoist name Baiyun Jushi (White Cloud Recluse). Having attained the Dao through alchemical practice, if we respectfully invite him to serve as National Preceptor, he could surely bring blessings and longevity to our empire." The ministers all offered congratulations, likening this auspicious sign to the legendary dream of King Gaozong of Shang encountering his virtuous minister Fu Yue.

The emperor immediately ordered the Hanlin Academy to draft an imperial summons, dispatching envoys to search Shaoling. When the edict arrived, the local governor sent officials to accompany the envoys to Yu Hu Lianhe's cultivation site, where they indeed found this Daoist master Shen. By this time, Baiyun Jushi had already attained profound spiritual realization with impeccable virtue (De). He gladly accepted the summons and accompanied the envoys to Chang'an. During his audience, Master Shen's extraordinary wisdom—grasping ten implications from hearing one—so impressed Emperor Xuanzong that he honored him as "Immortal Elder" and bestowed the title "Great National Preceptor." The emperor decreed that he preside over Yuanzhen Temple, gifting him a thousand-catty golden bell and a hundred-times-tempered sword, granting special permission to practice and perform blessings within the palace while overseeing all Daoist affairs nationwide.

On the following year's Mid-Autumn night, Emperor Xuanzong asked the Immortal Elder: "Could you escort me to the Moon Palace?" After obtaining consent, the elder—accompanied by Celestial Master (Tianshi) Ye Jing (the renowned Tang dynasty Daoist)—took the emperor cloud-riding to the lunar realm. There they saw a plaque inscribed "Palace of Vast Cold and Clear Emptiness." Passing through jade-lit gates where chilling air moistened their sleeves with dew, they paused briefly at the heavily guarded entrance before the Immortal Elder guided the emperor to witness over a dozen white-robed moon maidens (su'e) riding white luan birds, singing and dancing beneath the osmanthus trees. The musically gifted emperor swiftly memorized the celestial melodies (later preserved in gongche notation). After a brief sojourn, the trio returned via cloud, as if awakening from an enchanted dream. When the emperor later sought to revisit the moon, the Immortal Elder merely smiled without reply.

(Note: The "gong-liu-gong-che" notation refers to traditional Chinese musical notation comparable to modern numbered notation; "su'e" denotes lunar maidens; "Celestial Master Ye Jing" refers to the eminent Tang dynasty Daoist Ye Fashan.)

This passage recounts the story between Immortal Shen and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang during the Tianbao era (742-756 CE):

In 744 CE, Lady Yang Guifei earnestly requested Immortal Shen to transmit esoteric talismanic methods (fulu, the mystical diagrams used in Daoist practice) within the palace. On the second day of the second lunar month the following year, Emperor Xuanzong devised a test: he prepared a paper mat as a feigned seating arrangement, yet when the immortal sat upon it, the paper mat remained completely undisturbed. The astonished emperor exclaimed he was truly a man of the immortals.

On that occasion, the immortal deliberately left portions of the ritual offerings (zhaijiao). When questioned by the emperor, he explained these were for his mother back home. Skeptical that such distant travel could be completed within a day, the emperor was astounded when the offerings arrived that very night at the Shaoling commandery—still warm. Verification confirmed the timing matched exactly when the offerings had been bestowed, convincing both emperor and court officials of the immortal's authenticity.

Immortal Shen frequently lectured on the Dao in the palace, admonishing Xuanzong to restrain carnal desires and beware treacherous ministers manipulating power—advice the emperor ignored. Later, when a golden bell in the capital's Daoist temple rang without cause, the immortal interpreted this as a warning from the Divine Person of Western Peak (Huashan's mountain deity) of impending chaos. Foreseeing An Lushan's rebellion, he petitioned to return home and conduct state-protection rituals. Before departing, he gifted a transcendent elixir named "Crimson Snow Pill" (jiangxue dan) to palace attendant Chenshi—who had long served him—instructing her to consume it at death's approach and leave her tomb partially open. He prophesied she would revive after a century as an earthly immortal (dixian, a lower-ranking immortal official).

(Note: The text preserves Daoist technical terms like "esoteric registers" (milu) and "earthly immortal" (dixian). "Crimson Snow Pill" references legendary Daoist elixirs, while "Divine Person of Western Peak" denotes the sacred mountain deity of Huashan.)

This passage recounts a miraculous story of Immortal Master Shen from the Tang Dynasty, rendered here in modern vernacular:

A female cultivator surnamed Chen, nearing her deathbed, expressed gratitude to Immortal Master Shen, saying: "If I may be spared from the sufferings of samsara after death, I shall never forget your kindness." When Chen was critically ill, she reported this matter to the emperor, who granted her request. Her coffin was interred three li outside the palace walls, with the epitaph "Orchid Palace" inscribed on her tombstone.

On the second day of the second lunar month in the seventh year of the Tianbao era (748 CE), Emperor Xuanzong dispatched two officials—Cui Shi and Li Zhonggui—to escort Immortal Master Shen back to Shaoling (modern Shaoyang, Hunan). Imperial Consort Yang specially crafted a purple Daoist robe adorned with golden pearls as a gift, while the emperor personally inscribed the plaque "Yitang Abbey," commissioning the immortal to oversee the temple and conduct rituals for national prosperity and public welfare.

Upon returning to his hometown Liutang (present site of Zuji Abbey), Immortal Master Shen told the two escorts: "This mountain retreat offers poor hospitality, so I present you each with an elixir pill (xian dan). Consume these only after reuniting with your families in the capital—they will liberate you from worldly attachments." The envoys accepted the golden elixir (jindan) and departed.

Unexpectedly, while passing by the Great Yu Temple during their return journey, they succumbed to temptation and ingested the pills prematurely. Soon they felt bodily lightness and inner heat, prompting them to bathe in the temple's stream. Miraculously, their bodies became as light as swallows, nearly capable of flight. Entrusting their belongings to attendants with instructions to report back to the capital, they vanished into the mountains. Locals thereafter frequently spotted them roaming the hills, though their exact whereabouts remained unknown, leading to the establishment of a shrine in their honor. To this day, fishermen along the Shao River venerate them as "Great Kings of the Fisherfolk."

Legend holds that since their elixir consumption and ritual bathing, fish became uncatchable in that river stretch, hence their deification as fishing deities who befriended Yu the Great. Later, at Yunlin below Yuhu Mountain, the imperial plaque was used to establish a Daoist temple where the trio (the fishermen, Yu the Great, and Immortal Master Shen) were worshipped as numinous officials (lingguan), propagating Daoist teachings and conducting state-protection rituals.

(Note: The "elixir" refers to Daoist alchemical preparations (neidan/waidan) believed to possess miraculous properties; "samsara" denotes the cyclical rebirth through six realms, a concept shared by Daoism and Buddhism.)

This passage recounts the miraculous deeds of Tang Dynasty Daoist priest Shen Taizhi, known as Immortal Elder Shen:

At that time, the imperial court issued an edict ordering local authorities to provide funds and provisions for spiritual practitioners. Immortal Elder Shen constructed an altar upon the waters of Jizi Pool along the Shao River, where he performed the petition ritual (a Daoist ceremony submitting memorials to celestial realms) that successfully repelled invasions from southern tribes. To this day, when the pool's water rises and recedes, one can still see the woven-mat patterns left by the ritual platform. Later, when Emperor Xuanzong fled to Shu during the An Lushan Rebellion and the crown prince restored Tang authority from Lingwu, people attributed this imperial restoration to the efficacy of Immortal Elder Shen's ritual petitions.

The immortal elder frequently healed the sick with talismans (fulu) and incantations, and could instantly travel between the imperial court in Chang'an and religious assemblies in Luoyang. Though he dwelled in a stone grotto east of Shaoling City, he would suddenly appear in Luoyang—hence locals named the area "Luoyang Bay," with these wondrous tales still circulating today.

On the thirteenth day of the eighth month in the fourteenth year of the Tianbao era (755 CE), the Yang clan invited Immortal Elder Shen to a religious assembly near Yitang Abbey. En route, he encountered a celestial being who presented him with divine peaches, which he shared with the assembly. Suddenly celestial music resounded from the skies as auspicious clouds gathered above Yuhu Peak, where a vermilion-robed immortal official appeared holding a jade banner inscribed: "Shen Taizhi of Shaozhou, having completed nine cycles of elixir refinement (neidan) and perfected his cultivation, shall ascend in broad daylight this very day."

Before his ascension, the immortal elder instructed devotees: though transcending the mortal realm, he would remain responsive to the people's petitions. He particularly emphasized protecting Yitang Abbey, mandating rituals during the Three Primes (Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, Xiayuan festivals), Eight Solar Terms (beginning of spring, etc.), Five La fast days, and Ten Zhai purification days to pray for the nation's welfare. With these words, he soared skyward at age sixty-nine. To this day, Yuhu Mountain preserves stone pillars and flat rocks said to mark the site of his celestial ascent.

The Vernacular Interpretation of "Biography of Immortal Elder Shen of Yunfu Mountain":

Immortal Elder Shen (a Daoist practitioner) was at that time a Daoist priest at Matai Mountain who submitted an official petition to the magistrate of Shenzhou. The magistrate reported this matter to the imperial court. On the thirteenth day of the eighth lunar month that year, Emperor Minghuang of Tang (Emperor Xuanzong) witnessed during court assembly a celestial being riding a crane in the distant sky, escorted by a ceremonial procession bearing banners and tally insignia. Both the emperor and all assembled officials saw this with their own eyes.

Later when the memorial from the Shaozhou magistrate arrived, it was presented to the emperor by Chancellors Chen Xilie and Li Linfu. Finding the report's description matched exactly the celestial procession he had personally witnessed, the emperor immediately issued an edict: the Shaozhou magistrate must conduct seasonal sacrifices without negligence. Since the original Daoist temple stood over a hundred li from the prefectural seat, making official worship inconvenient, the emperor further decreed the construction of a new Kaiyuan Temple on the northern bank of the Shao River near the city walls, complete with painted images of the Immortal Elder for convenient worship.

The court additionally decreed special privileges: all Shen clan relatives within the five degrees of mourning were exempted from taxation. On the day of the Immortal Elder's ascension, commoners in Qiyang County of Yongzhou witnessed a celestial being descending on a white crane, leaving behind immortal robes at the temple, which was consequently renamed "White Crane Temple."

(Note: The "five degrees of mourning" refers to the five traditional grades of kinship relationships, here indicating blood relatives with close ties to Immortal Elder Shen.)

Historical records confirm these miraculous events were all connected to Shen Taizhi of Shaozhou (Immortal Elder Shen), who legend says ascended to heaven riding a crane in broad daylight. During Daoist rituals (Zhaijiao), the temple would invite participants to ceremonially carry these immortal robes around the altar - a tradition passed down through generations.

The Immortal Elder's alchemical (Neidan) relics remain preserved at Yunfu Mountain, where precipitous cliffs and deep caverns make access difficult for ordinary people. Celestial footprints still exist on the summit, visible only through arduous climbing. Ancient spirit-responsive cedars flourish luxuriantly, while sacred springs in the cliffs answer all prayers. Today the mountain bustles with devotional activity as officials and commoners alike pray for disaster relief and drought mitigation, bringing blessings to the people. Perpetual clouds wreathe the rocky peaks as the Immortal Elder's grace continues protecting the nation.

[Historical Verification]

During the Yuanhe era of Emperor Xianzong of Tang, when Xue Zhao served as capital constable (law enforcement official) handling civil disputes...

This scripture recounts the story of an official named Xue Zhao:

Having been reported for corruption and bribery, Xue Zhao—as a law enforcement officer under the Tang Dynasty's strict legal system—faced certain corporal punishment for knowingly violating the law. Fearing humiliation, he secretly fled the capital. As night fell and he lost his way, he encountered an elderly man who called himself "Old Man Tian Shan." The old man told him that a bamboo grove lay not far ahead and advised him to seek refuge in the nearby Lianchang Palace.

Following these directions, Xue Zhao arrived at Lianchang Palace. At midnight, he met a beautiful woman who introduced herself as Lady Chen, a former palace attendant in charge of tea service during Emperor Xuanzong's reign. She mentioned that a Daoist priest from Shaoling, Hunan—revered by the emperor as "Immortal Elder Shen"—had once given her a "Crimson Snow Elixir" (Jiangxue Dan), saying that a century later, upon encountering a living person, she could return to the human world and achieve immortality.

When Xue Zhao mentioned that "Old Man Tian Shan" had guided him there, Lady Chen laughed heartily and exclaimed, "Old Man Tian Shan is none other than Immortal Elder Shen!" It turned out the immortal had foreseen a century earlier that she would meet Xue Zhao at this very place.

(Note: The "Crimson Snow Elixir" mentioned here is a legendary Daoist elixir of immortality, while "earthbound immortal" (Dixian) refers to an immortal who attains the Dao while remaining in the human world. This story illustrates the Daoist concept of "predestined connections" (qian ding yinyuan), demonstrating an immortal's ability to foresee future events.)

This passage recounts the miraculous experiences and spiritual attainment of Immortal Shen (a Daoist transcendent being):

Scholar Zhao Meng recalled his youth when reading Tang dynasty records, he encountered a woman of the Chen family. She led him to an open ancient tomb containing a vermilion lacquered coffin. At Chen's urging, Zhao lifted the lid to discover her own radiant, warm-skinned form within, though her robes had decayed while gold ornaments remained intact. At dawn, they sold these treasures to procure new garments. Thereafter, they dwelt together in seclusion at Baling Mountain, ultimately achieving the state of terrestrial immortals (earth-wandering transcendents who move freely in the human realm).

Later, Immortal Shen accomplished the ultimate Daoist feat of daytime ascension (bairi feisheng). Through prolonged ingestion of numinous herbs and ganoderma mushrooms, he ascended to heaven astride a crimson transcendent banner. This celestial encounter paralleled the legendary Tang Emperor Minghuang's moon-palace sojourn where he received peaches of immortality. Receiving celestial edicts, Shen mastered the mechanisms of creation, commanded thunder's authority, and answered popular petitions for rain and disaster relief.

His spiritual attainments transcended ordinary comprehension: having perfected the ninefold cycled golden elixir (jiuzhuan jindan, the supreme Daoist alchemical achievement) and completed his cultivation; his virtue (De) shone like sun and moon, bestowing blessings throughout the mortal realm. His numinous power manifested everywhere while his Daoist methods remained profoundly mysterious. The Song dynasty conferred upon him three successive immortal titles, and Yuan dynasty rulers repeatedly conducted sacrificial honors. The immortal's Dao-Qi endures like eternal mountains and rivers; his transcendent essence persists coeval with heaven and earth.

The text employs Confucius' praise of Yan Hui—"The more I look up, the higher it appears; the more I penetrate, the harder it becomes"—to illustrate the profundity of his methods. The description "It seems to stand before me, then suddenly appears behind" conveys their elusive nature. The conclusion emphasizes the mysterious state of perfected beings (zhenren, realized adepts), simultaneously encompassing all phenomena while transcending physical traces.

This text records the imperial edict issued by Emperor Gaozong of Song conferring honors upon the "Great Immortal of White Clouds" at Yunfu Mountain in Hengyang. The main content reads:

The emperor decreed: The Great Immortal of White Clouds enshrined in the Benevolent Grace Temple at Yunfu Mountain, Hengyang County, Hengzhou, resembles the ancient Cloud God (Yunzhong Jun) worshipped by the people of Chu. This immortal sage could ride clouds and summon timely rains, dispelling droughts and plagues, earning profound reverence among the local populace who built temples in his honor. The emperor marveled: Is this not the very kind of cloud-riding immortal recorded in ancient texts? To commend his efficacious virtue (De), he is specially bestowed the title "Marvelous Serenity Perfected Being" (Miaojizhenren).

This edict was issued on the 26th day of the first lunar month in the 27th year of the Shaoxing era (1157 CE) of Southern Song. The "Great Immortal of White Clouds" mentioned refers to the legendary Immortal Shen of local folklore, believed to command wind and rain while protecting the people. Through this official title, the emperor both acknowledged the status of this folk deity and demonstrated imperial endorsement of regional religious practices.