《道教靈驗記》Vol. 11

He Dao-zhang was a Daoist priest from Tianmu Mountain in Fengguo County, Langzhou, known for his strict adherence to precepts and over fifty years of devoted cultivation. Beyond basic necessities like food and clothing, he dedicated all his resources to restoring ancient sites and renovating Daoist temples. Locally, he established four temples and repaired the structures on the eastern peak of Yuntai Mountain. The original temple on Tianmu Mountain had been destroyed by wildfire, leaving only ancient steles and ruins, but through his decades of effort, it was restored to its former grandeur: a towering gatehouse was erected, surrounding buildings were arranged, and pines and cypresses were planted, revitalizing the entire temple complex.

On three cliffs in the northeast corner of the temple, strange luminous phenomena once appeared. While planting pines there, He Dao-zhang cleared away dead wood, causing the rocks to suddenly split open and reveal a natural stone niche. Inside, over seventy scrolls of the Shangqing Dongzhen Baojing (Shangqing Cavern of Perfection Treasure Scripture) were discovered, their paper and ink appearing fresh, emitting an unusual fragrance. He intended to enshrine the scriptures in the main hall, but that very night, flashes of light and thunderous sounds arose as if divine beings were guarding them. Not daring to read them, He Dao-zhang stored the scriptures in a wooden box.

Later, a wandering Daoist requested to see the scriptures, seemingly with the intent to steal them. As He Dao-zhang hesitated, on a clear moonlit night, thunder suddenly roared, and a whirlwind swept through the temple. When the wind subsided, a lingering fragrance filled the air—upon inspection, all the scriptures had vanished. Just as He Dao-zhang lamented the loss, he dreamed of a divine being who told him: "The Supreme Venerable Sovereign (Taishang Laojun) bestowed these scriptures, containing the essential methods of Shangqing cultivation, due to your sincere practice. But when worldly men sought to pry into them, you failed to guard them strictly, and so they have been reclaimed by the heavens."

Another account tells of the Taiping Jing (Scripture of Great Peace) left behind by the Perfected Yin (Yin Zhenren) at the Xiandu Temple on Pingdu Mountain in Zhongzhou. During the Wude era of the Tang dynasty, Governor Dugu Sheng sought to take the scripture to present to the imperial court. But as the boat reached the middle of the river, a blue and a white dragon suddenly stirred massive waves, forcing the vessel to retreat. Dugu Sheng had no choice but to transport the scripture overland via Dianjiang instead.

(Note: The Shangqing tradition is a major Daoist school emphasizing meditative visualization; the Taiping Jing is an early Daoist classic; Perfected Yin refers to Yin Changsheng, a renowned Han-dynasty adept.)

For many years, no fierce beasts had been seen in the mountains, yet suddenly serpents and tigers blocked the path, terrifying the escorts transporting the scriptures, who considered turning back. Daoist priest Sheng immediately established a Huanglu ritual altar (a Daoist ceremony to liberate souls) and submitted a memorial to the deities. Afterwards, the scriptures were retrieved and enshrined in the inner ritual hall, where they remained for years. During the Kaiyuan era, the court-appointed Daoist priest Sima Xiu was ordered to perform sacrificial rites on a sacred mountain. When the scripture case was opened, it was found empty. Suspecting the temple had concealed them, the priests were struck with fear and could not speak. Incense was burned as they reported the matter in detail, explaining how the scriptures had been taken during the Wude era. Now, under imperial decree to retrieve them yet having none to present, just as they feared punishment, clear skies suddenly darkened over the ritual hall with thunderous roars. Moments later, the clouds dispersed—and the scriptures miraculously reappeared on the altar, filling the chamber with divine fragrance and auspicious mist, confirming them as the very texts taken years before. During the Huichang era, purple-robed priests Guo Chongguang and Yan Xuanshou again received orders to retrieve scriptures via mountain rituals—the stone case still held them intact. To this day, these remain the temple's guardian scriptures, though none know when they returned.

Record of the Iron Seal's True Script Miracles in Xiangzhou:

Xiangzhou's city walls back against the Han River. During their construction, iron immortals were cast at the corners, each holding a square plaque inscribed with Lingbao Zhenwen (a core Daoist scripture). The iron plaques, about a foot wide, bore exquisitely crafted seal script. The site often manifested wonders; passersby dared not profane it, with folklore speaking of serpent dens or city-god apparitions. When Duke Qizhang governed, Han River floods breached the embankments, eroding the walls to reveal the iron figures and their inscriptions. Below, clerical script noted: "By decree of the Primordial Five Elders, straight talisman officer Yin Feng enshrines Lingbao Zhenwen to quell floods." Though restored walls resealed them, the engraving date went unrecorded. Had these sacred texts not guarded the site, the deluge might have toppled the walls, leaving Xiangyang's fate uncertain.

Lu Hanzhen's Mercury-Talisman Water Miracle:

Daoist priest Lu Hanzhen, traveling from Tiantai Mountain to Shan County, encountered a torrential storm. Mountain streams swelled over ten feet, churning with mud and raging waves. Suddenly, his mercury-stone talisman (a Daoist flood-control artifact) emitted unearthly light, parting the waters within a three-zhang radius to form a dry passage, allowing safe crossing. Witnessing this, merchants crowded near him—over thirty souls escaped danger through the talisman's protection. Locals later built a "Flood-Avoiding Altar" by the stream to commemorate the event; travelers still offer incense there today.

This passage recounts two miraculous events related to Daoist talismans (Fulu).

The first story describes the mystical encounter of Master Han Zhen. While walking by a stream, he suddenly found a stone spanning the water, allowing him to cross. Upon reaching the opposite bank, the stone sank and disappeared. Later, when stirring the water with his staff, he discovered a smaller stone inscribed with a major talisman bearing the inscription "Water-Control Talisman of the True Lord's Second Year" - a powerful Daoist ritual diagram. This was later identified as the Northern Star Talisman recorded in the Dongxuan Wu Cheng Wen (Fivefold Numinous Scripture of the Cavern Mystery). When he returned years later to search for it, the talisman stone had vanished.

The second incident occurred during the Guangqi era of Emperor Xizong of Tang. During repairs to the Xuanwu Tower of the palace, workers observed a white glow at night. Upon digging, they uncovered a blue stone casket containing a striped snake that suddenly disappeared, replaced by a stone slab engraved with the "Numinous Treasure Northern True Script of the Black Emperor" (the Black Emperor being the northern deity, with Xuan Lao Jun referring to the Supreme Laozi). The slab bore seal-script characters reading "Talismanic Mandate of the Black Emperor Xuan Lao Jun for Guarding the Palace City" - a protective charm. For three consecutive nights, black-robed figures (likely divine manifestations) appeared at the site. According to Daoist tradition, the construction of imperial palaces required the burial of talismans with the Five Directions True Scripts to summon orthodox deities for protection. This talismanic stone was likely buried as a protective object when the capital was built during the Sui dynasty.

This passage records a miraculous account of the "Dugong Lu" (a Daoist ritual register conferred upon priests, equivalent to an ordination certificate) in Daoism. The story begins with the celestial ascent of Celestial Master Zhang (Zhang Daoling, founder of Daoism):

When the Celestial Master ascended to heaven at Yuntai Mountain, he proclaimed to all deities of heaven and earth: "After my ascension, I shall leave behind the sacred sword, the Dugong seal, and the ritual registers bestowed by Lord Lao (Laozi) to my descendants, to be used for delivering all living beings." Originally, these registers were carved on wooden boards and divided into three grades, each inscribed with distinct talismanic patterns, to be worn by the Guardian Spirits (Lingguan). Recipients had to undergo solemn ceremonies, kneeling in reverence to receive them within a quiet chamber (Jingshi, a Daoist meditation space).

By the time of the 13th Celestial Master generation, as wooden registers became too laborious to produce and demand far exceeded supply due to increasing seekers, paper and silk were adopted for writing the talismanic scripts. Thus began the widespread use of paper registers, yet their spiritual efficacy remained undiminished. The recorded miracles of the Dugong Lu fill three volumes with over seventy accounts.

The protagonist, a wealthy Jiangxi merchant named Liu Qian, sought the Dugong Lu in 868 CE (9th year of Emperor Yizong's Xiantong era) from the 19th Celestial Master with utmost sincerity. Two witnesses attended the ceremony: Yiyang County Magistrate Liu Gui and Tiantai Mountain Daoist Liu Xiuran. These three like-minded men pledged to diligently practice the Dao. After the ritual, they vowed to cultivate virtue, avoid sinful deeds, and thus repay the Celestial Master's grace while seeking blessings.

Later, Liu Xiuran and Liu Gui each forged divine swords at Gexi following methods described in the "Cangjing Shijing" scripture. The following March, Liu Qian suddenly fell gravely ill and died in Jinling—yet his heart retained residual warmth. Miraculously reviving two days later, he recounted his postmortem journey:

"My earthly lifespan had expired, my merits exhausted. Yin-world escorts took me across the river in a small boat, then mounted me on a headless, tailless horse that galloped swiftly into a great city. Its walls were guarded by tigers and leopards, encircled by coiling dragons and serpents, while banners and weapons rose spontaneously from the ground..." (Continued in the original "Daoist Miracles Record")

The Daoist Records of Miraculous Efficacy contains two accounts demonstrating the spiritual power of Daoism.

The first story recounts the experience of Liu Qian. He was taken to a gloomy underworld where countless prisoners suffered cruel punishments. Suddenly, a golden light descended from the heavens, illuminating the entire dark realm. A yellow-robed emissary descended and proclaimed from a celestial scroll: "Liu Qian bears the orthodox lineage of the Dao (Zhengfa), and his name is already recorded in the celestial register—he does not fall under the jurisdiction of the underworld. Though his allotted lifespan has ended, he shall be granted thirty additional years and abundant blessings." All who witnessed this divine light were also absolved of their sins. Liu Qian was thus restored to life and devoted himself to Daoist practice, later becoming a disciple of the Celestial Master (Tianshi) at Longhu Mountain, a sacred Daoist site.

The second story tells of the miraculous efficacy of the talismans (Fulu) of Master Ye of Yuxiao Palace on Tiantai Mountain. In Wuzhou, a wealthy man surnamed Ye suddenly fell into madness, suffering for years without recovery. His condition worsened until he ran naked through the streets and destroyed public property. The authorities hesitated to punish him due to his family’s status, and his relatives exhausted all methods—Buddhist prayers, sacrifices to spirits, and shamanic rituals—to no avail. Someone suggested seeking Master Ye’s talismans from Tiantai Mountain. When the family arrived bearing lavish gifts, Master Ye said, "The talisman will cure him instantly—there is no need for these offerings." Indeed, three days before the talisman arrived, the madman suddenly regained his senses, washing and dressing properly before waiting respectfully at the gate. His astonished family asked why, but he only smiled and said, "A celestial envoy is coming." He even neglected meals, gazing expectantly into the distance day and night.

A man named Ye prayed devoutly to the divine for two days and three nights, perspiring profusely yet never slackening in his devotion. On the third day, a celestial messenger arrived bearing a sacred talisman (fulu), which the entire Ye household received with great joy. After ingesting the talisman, Ye fell into a deep slumber lasting about the time needed for a meal, and upon awakening found his illness completely cured. From then on, the Ye family devoted themselves wholeheartedly to Daoist practice, establishing a dedicated "Hall of Numinous Dao" for perpetual worship. Of the two talismans initially received, one had been consumed, while the other was affixed to their door. When a maidservant secretly drank wine and vomited beneath the talisman, Ye witnessed a three-to-four-inch-tall golden-armored divine general (shenjiang) emerge sword-in-hand from the talisman. Days later, as a mentally disturbed servant girl from a relative's household stood before the talisman, she suddenly screamed in terror. Ye again saw the divine general swing his sword, severing a decapitated snake as thick as a finger that had been concealed in her collar—after which the girl's madness was miraculously cured.

In Chengdu, a three-year-old boy named Jia Qiong was brought by his mother to Longxing Temple during the March 3rd Silkworm Market festival to receive the "Child's Register" (tongzilu), an elementary Daoist initiation. Over a decade later, when Jia Qiong's elder sister fell ill, their parents summoned Daoist priest Wu Taixuan to investigate the cause by journeying into the underworld (yinsi). During his ritual, Taixuan would lock his doors and enter a deathlike trance, awakening with precise accounts of the netherworld. Initially, Jia Qiong's name could not be found in the underworld registers. Upon a second investigation, it was discovered that his name had been recorded in the celestial archives (tianfu xianji) of the heavenly bureaucracy ever since his childhood initiation, thus explaining its absence from the underworld records.

The Efficacy Record of Li Xuanli's Guardian Life Scripture

In Xiude Ward of Chang'an lived a man named Li Xuanli, who had studied the Guardian Life Scripture (Huming Jing) under Master Li Yunyi at Xingtang Abbey. After reciting this scripture devoutly over ten thousand times, he gradually gained the ability to foresee auspicious and inauspicious events. When Huang Chao's rebel army stormed Chang'an, Li Xuanli and dozens of commoners were captured and taken to Changhua. Astonishingly, the rebel leader descended the steps to greet him, respectfully inviting him to take the seat of honor. The leader explained that he saw four immortal youths and two great immortals surrounding Li Xuanli, with golden-armored celestial generals and vajra warriors forming a protective retinue behind him. Upon learning this was the spiritual response from reciting the Guardian Life Scripture, the rebel leader earnestly requested transmission of the text. Li Xuanli immediately burned incense, recited the scripture, and transcribed the three-hundred-character text as a gift. Ultimately, the rebels provided armed escort for his safe departure.

The Efficacy Record of Yin Yan's Yin Talisman Scripture

Yin Yan of Xiude Ward, a fellow disciple of Master Yin Sixuan, devoted himself to Daoist practice and received transmission of the Yin Talisman Scripture (Yinfu Jing). Though possessing poor memory, after persevering with over ten thousand recitations across several years, he suddenly attained enlightenment. During his birth-year purification day (benming ri), while burning incense and reciting the scripture thirty times, he vividly recalled his past life as Zhang Chuhou, a wealthy merchant from Yanshou Ward—remembering even his children's pet names and household details. Verification with the Zhang family confirmed his accounts of birth/death dates and personal characteristics matched perfectly, though his present incarnation showed gentler temperament. The two families thereafter became as close as blood relatives. Notably, both households remained unharmed during the Huang Chao rebellion due to their scripture recitation practices.

(Note: The Guardian Life Scripture is a Daoist text for dispelling calamities and seeking blessings, while the Yin Talisman Scripture expounds cosmological resonance principles. "Birth-year purification day" refers to the annual liturgical date corresponding to one's birth year in Daoist practice. These accounts exemplify the Daoist cultivation concept of "scriptural power efficacy" (jinggong haoli), where devoted scripture recitation brings divine protection and awakened wisdom.)

During his tenure as the military governor of Chengdu, Gao Pian (a Tang dynasty chancellor known as Duke Gao Yan) encountered a fox spirit wreaking havoc in his military camp. This mischievous entity threw tiles and stones while shapeshifting into bizarre forms. Enraged, Gao tried every talisman and ritual method available but to no avail. Daoist priest He Yifan advised, "I recall the Baopuzi records that when Ge Hong (styled Zhichuan) faced tiger infestations, he employed the secret methods from the Dihuang Neiwen scripture. This summoned divine beings wearing tall hats and silk robes, carrying ceremonial tablets (used by officials in court audiences), with live birds perched on their headgear. These deities appeared at night to inquire about the disturbance, and after Ge explained the tiger problem, two dead tigers were found in nearby woods the next day. Why not try the Sanhuang Neiwen method?" Since Gao Pian already had transmission of the Dongshen Jing (Scripture of the Cavern of Spirit), Priest He followed the text's instructions by inverting a new basin over incense ashes, placing talismans and aromatic herbs beneath it. That very night, a mangy old fox was found dead under the basin, ending the supernatural disturbances.

Another account tells of Zhang Qianyao, a Daoist priest from Chengdu's Zhizhen Temple. Known for his devout incense offerings and exemplary fasting practices, he was approached during an emergency when the son of Governor Li suddenly died—his body still warm. After dozens of physicians and occultists failed, Zhang was summoned. Though unskilled in esoteric arts, the priest excelled in Daoist liturgy. In desperation, he took up a ritual sword and water, sprinkling purified water while burning incense and reciting the Tianpeng Zhou (Heavenly Commander Spell) over a hundred times. The deceased abruptly stirred and eventually revived, recounting how four yellow-robed men had offered him a fine horse to ride, leading him down a misty dark path. Suddenly, he saw Priest Zhang (honored as "Venerable Master") wearing a crimson headband, brandishing a sharp sword at the helm of thousands of black-armored celestial soldiers. The yellow-clad figures instantly vanished in terror, causing him to fall unconscious before being carried back by Daoist acolytes. Governor Li had his son ordained under Zhang for several years. When the youth later returned to secular life as an official, he repaid the priest's life-saving grace with 300,000 coins and 500 bolts of silk.

Zhao Ye was a native of Dingzhou who served as the magistrate of Jin'an County during the Kaicheng era (836-840) of Emperor Wenzong of Tang. One day he suddenly fell gravely ill and died abruptly, yet his limbs remained supple with faint warmth at his chest. Three days later, he miraculously revived.

He recounted how underworld officials had initially seized him, dragging him swiftly along while accusing him of debt evasion. Puzzled, Zhao Ye reflected that he had never committed such offenses and suspected mistaken identity.

After traveling thirty to fifty li, they crossed a mountain ridge where a magnificent palace crowned the summit, bustling with activity. A youth in blue-green robes approached asking, "Are you not Daoist priest Zhao Taixuan?" Zhao Ye replied, "I am Zhao Ye, magistrate of Jin'an." The youth chuckled, "How could you forget even this?" Another youth arrived announcing, "The Great One (Taiyi, one of Daoism's supreme deities) has summoned Zhao Taixuan." Immediately, his captors dispersed.

Guided into the palace, Zhao Ye encountered not Taiyi but a Daoist priest who admonished him: "At age six, you received the Zhengyi Eight-Rank Fulu (introductory Daoist talismans) during illness, taking the religious name Taixuan. How could worldly office make you forget this? By Taiyi's decree, you're spared—but henceforth carry these talismans, practice earnestly, and accumulate merit through good deeds. Govern with integrity, shun greed, and never treat human life lightly." With these words, the priest vanished.

Upon awakening cured, Zhao Ye journeyed to Siyi Mountain to reinitiate his Fulu practice. He frequently established altar grounds (ritual spaces) for merit-making ceremonies and resumed using his Daoist name "Taixuan."