《道教靈驗記》Vol. 2

Zhou Taixuan, a disciple of the renowned Daoist master Tao Hongjing (also known as the Hermit Master of the Southern Dynasties), achieved Dao at the young age of twenty-one, attaining immortality even earlier than his teacher. His dwelling place was located at what is now the site of Ziyang Temple, situated on an auspicious geomantic plot of open, level land before Mount Mao.

Beside his scripture hall stood a slightly elevated empty plot resembling old foundation ruins, though no traces of tiles or bricks remained. Master Zhou had planted flowers and trees there. Frequently, figures dressed in wide-sleeved robes would appear—sometimes two or three together, occasionally even armored warriors—standing silently beneath the bright moonlight. His household had a five- or six-year-old child named Xiaodou who, while playing on that ground, would often be gently carried back to the courtyard by unseen hands. This happened multiple times, yet the child was never harmed.

When Master Zhou reported these strange occurrences to Tao Hongjing, the master explained: "This is the former site of the 'Upper Scripture Hall' where Celestial Master Xu Xun (one of Daoism's Four Great Celestial Masters) stored his scriptures during the Jin dynasty. You must quickly establish a quiet chamber here for incense offerings—this sacred ground must not be profaned." When Zhou asked why deities still guarded the empty site after the scriptures' removal, Tao replied: "Places that once housed the Three Caverns Scriptures (Daoism's supreme canon) remain protected by ten thousand spirits and worshipped by a hundred deities. Even after scriptures are moved, the earth deities guard the site for seven hundred years—their ordained term. For ruined temples, the protection lasts a millennium; for Zhengyi Celestial Master sacred sites, three centuries."

Thus Master Zhou built a quiet chamber, maintaining daily incense and lamps at dawn and dusk. Yet he dared not practice cultivation or worship there personally—fearing his modest spiritual attainment might offend the divine presence.

Before the central peak of Mount Heng in the Southern Marchmount lies a massive square boulder, ten feet across, flat atop and rounded below as if balanced upon other stones. Legend identifies this as the immortal altar of Lady Wei (a Western Jin dynasty female immortal). Remarkably, the boulder seems to sway when pushed by one person, yet remains immobile when many try. Immortals often rest here, their presence marked by auspicious clouds and luminous qi hovering above the altar.

One night, a group of a dozen Buddhist monks brandishing torches and staves suddenly arrived, attempting to harm Lady Wei's incarnated form—the immortal Hou Xiangu—while she was upon the altar.

The Story of Immortal Lady Chu tells of a celestial maiden lying on a bed, yet a Buddhist monk could not see her. When the monk rushed to topple the altar, it emitted a thunderous noise as if collapsing, but candlelight revealed it remained completely undisturbed. Realizing he had encountered divine intervention, the monk fled in terror. At dawn, people discovered that among ten companions, nine had been killed by tigers—only the one who refrained from attacking the altar survived. News of this event spread, astonishing villagers near and far.

Records of the Miraculous Iron Pillar in Hongzhou: This iron pillar was forged by Perfected Lord Xu (a renowned Daoist immortal). During the Jin dynasty, giant flood dragons and serpents wreaked havoc in Yuzhang. Perfected Lord Xu and his master Perfected Lord Wu subdued these creatures using the "Zhengyi Three-Five Flying Steps Demon-Subduing" method (a Daoist exorcism technique). After chasing a dragon from a well in Tanzhou, Perfected Lord Xu declared the well to be the creature's lair, requiring suppression—otherwise, it would emerge every three centuries to harm people. They commanded spirits to transport millions of pounds of iron, casting a pillar extending several feet above the well. Eight massive chains were set below to secure the earth veins, ending aquatic monster disturbances in Zhongling. Perfected Lord Xu vowed: "Whoever damages this pillar shall drown their city in floods." Later, fishermen striking the pillar to sink nets caused damage; an official, misled by slander, attempted to dismantle it—only to be halted by sudden thunderstorms, surging rivers, and earthquakes after digging barely three feet, forcing him to burn incense in apology. The adjacent Daoist temple, once ruined, has recently been restored.

Miracles of Guangzhou's Calamus Temple: This was the cultivation site of Master Anqi (an ancient immortal), featuring an alchemical furnace, immortal's well, spirit stream, and ancient pines—a local landmark. Originally a Daoist temple, it was seized by Buddhists and converted into a Chan monastery. Yet occupants experienced constant supernatural phenomena: unexplained terrors, violent quarrels, even murders.

These are two accounts of miraculous Daoist manifestations.

The first story takes place at a sacred site where Daoist immortals once dwelled. A Buddhist monk insisted on residing there despite warnings from local elders: "This is a spiritual site where celestial officials (Xian'guan) reside. Though you are a cultivator, your path differs from ours. If you do not leave, tigers and wolves will bring calamity upon you." The monk paid no heed, and within a month, tigers repeatedly attacked, injuring over a dozen people. The terrified monks fled in silence. At that time, a scholar named Xu Sanwei inscribed a poem on the wall, noting that this place was originally where the Daoist immortal An Qisheng refined the Golden Elixir (Jindan), yet it had become a Buddhist temple for Bodhidharma’s meditation. Moved by the poem, the military governor Zheng Yu petitioned the court to restore it as a Daoist temple, naming it Changpu Guan.

The second story unfolds at Qingyang Market in Chengdu, the site where Laozi (the Supreme Venerable Sovereign, Taishang Laojun) once agreed to meet Yin Xi. This was where Laozi, after parting with Yin Xi at Mount Zhongnan, promised to reunite before journeying to the Western Desert. Later, when Laozi ascended to heaven, Yin Xi cultivated for a thousand days and found him here. Yet the place had long been neglected. Though Daoists knew its significance, they lacked the means to restore it. A local man named Yang Wen bought the land to live there, but neighbors warned him not to profane the area beneath the great pine and bamboo grove. One night, Yang encountered an old man in the bamboo forest who said, "This is a sacred site. Within ten years, someone will revive it. Build a temple here for me." Yang pleaded poverty, but the old man tapped the ground with his staff and revealed, "Gold lies beneath. Use it to construct a grand palace with towers and railings—keep the rest as your reward." Yang followed the instructions and later moved away.

This account documents several miraculous events at Longxing Temple in Chengdu (originally known as Zhizhen Temple during the Later Zhou dynasty). The story begins with a mysterious figure guiding someone to unearth gold: a stranger claiming to be the "Dragon Spirit" informed a man about buried gold and silver at a specific location. Following these instructions, the man indeed discovered a porcelain jar containing over thirty taels of gold buried two feet underground. With this fortune, he constructed a sixteen-pillared "Celestial Palace" (a Daoist structure) beside a giant pine tree, meticulously designed but intentionally left without deity statues—only an incense altar for offerings. Later, he sold the property to an official named Chen Pingshi and moved to Pengzhou, where he prospered as a wine merchant.

In the Bing Shen year (referring to the reign era of Emperor Xizong of Tang), when the author visited Chen Pingshi, the site had already been developed into Qingyang Temple. The text particularly records an auspicious omen during the Ren Yin year: the Daoist priest Li Wuwei (Non-Action) observed a crimson light resembling a bouncing pellet at night. Digging at the luminous spot, he unearthed a brick inscribed with ancient seal characters reading "Taishang (the Supreme Elderly Lord) Pacifies Calamities and Harmonizes Disasters." Military Governor Chen Jingxuan reported this divine sign to the court, and the emperor not only generously rewarded those involved but also allocated funds to repurchase the land and expand the temple. Subsequent events confirmed the omen's validity: the recapture of Chang'an the following year, the eventual suppression of Huang Chao's rebellion, and the emperor's safe return to the capital by the Yi Si year. The author interprets these as clear evidence of Taishang Laojun (the Supreme Deity of Daoism) manifesting his divine protection.

The passage concludes with historical context about Longxing Temple: this expansive Daoist temple, accessible from all directions, preserves important Tang dynasty artifacts like the stele from Yuhua Palace. The mention of the character "Wang" (possibly referring to a royal surname or inscription content) hints at a special connection to the imperial family. Through concrete examples, the text exemplifies the Daoist concept of "divine efficacy" (lingyan), particularly the paradigm of "heaven-human resonance" (tianren ganying) in which celestial signs correspond to earthly events.

This scripture recounts several stories of retribution for encroaching upon Daoist temple lands:

The first tale concerns an official serving under Prince Yingchuan. While constructing a private residence in Xiaoman Lane, he found the foundation low-lying and damp. He ordered the demolition of an earth wall from a Daoist temple and extensively excavated the temple grounds, removing thousands of cartloads of soil. Before the project could be completed, several family members died in succession. One day upon returning home from his office, he encountered two yellow-robed figures at his gate who declared they had come to confront him about the stolen temple earth. Immediately after this encounter, he fell from his horse and died suddenly.

The temple originally housed a miraculously resonant bell tower with an imposing gate structure. Later, Military Governor Wu Xinglu relocated the gate to Tianwang Temple and demolished the bell tower. Years afterward, Master Yin Sixuan recounted how one of Wu's subordinates had returned from death, describing how he'd seen Wu in the underworld being forced by ghostly officials to endlessly transport timber from Longxing Temple—each pile he built would fly away, condemning him to ceaseless labor with no hope of release. Wu wished for his descendants to rebuild the temple gate as atonement, but they remained too impoverished to fulfill this.

The second incident occurred at Jingfu Mountain in Lianzhou, where the immortal Liao Chong attained the Dao (the Way). His descendant Liao Shenjiong devoutly protected the temple, earning local reverence. A Buddhist monk building a monastery nearby encroached on temple land to construct warehouses and latrines. During official mediation, the monk attempted further encroachment when suddenly violent storms arose—lightning shattered stone pillars, carving clear boundaries that returned the stolen land to the temple. That night, a roaring tiger marked the monastery's perimeter with claw and fang. Magistrate Jiang Fang erected a stele recording these events.

The third narrative involves General Liu of the Right Shence Army who lived near Dongming Temple. During major renovations of his estate, he removed thousands of cartloads of earth from the temple. After completion, he suddenly fell ill with intermittent symptoms before screaming madly: "The earth god of Dongming Temple has come to seize me!" He soon died, followed by his wife and children in succession, leaving the estate abandoned.

In the courtyard, a man named Liu was frantically digging at the ground with his bare hands like a madman, continuing even as his nails bled. He would calm down slightly when family members supported him, but soon returned to clawing at the earth as if compelled by some unseen force. Those around him often heard his pained groans as if being beaten, yet he never answered when questioned about the cause.

After over a month, his condition worsened to the brink of death, and no shaman or doctor could help. By chance, a blind spirit medium was summoned, who declared that only Daoist methods could cure him. The Liu family had never believed in Daoism and had never hosted Daoist priests. In desperation, his wife went to the Golden Immortal Temple (Jinxian Guan) to obtain ritual talismans (fulu). Placing some talismans before his bed and burning others to mix with water for him to drink, the man finally spoke: "In my ignorance, I offended Daoist law by stealing earth from the Dongming Temple to build my house. The underworld deities have reported this to the celestial court, sentencing me to transport soil as repayment—an amount so vast it would take centuries to complete. The slightest slack brings whipping from the officials, with no hope of reprieve." His tearful lament plunged the whole family into grief.

His wife immediately went to Dongming Temple's main hall to burn incense and pray, purchasing five thousand cartloads of pure soil to refill the excavated pits while holding purification rituals (zhaijiao) for repentance. As his condition slightly improved, he revealed the next day: "The celestial court has decreed that although the soil is repaid, my crime of stealing temple earth for private construction still costs me twelve years of lifespan. Yet my descendants will be spared from bearing the consequences." He died that very night.

According to Daoist precepts, those who deliberately damage temples or defile sacred lands bring calamity upon three generations. That Liu escaped with personal retribution alone—due to timely repentance—should serve as a stern warning.

Another account concerns the Three Primes Temple (Sanyuan Guan) in Lewen County. Built during the Liang-Song period of the Southern Dynasties, this mountain-top temple facing a dragon pool by the river spanned seventy to eighty acres, with exquisitely crafted stone statues, iron steles, and lion sculptures still preserved. An official named Li Yun forcibly annexed temple land to expand his private garden, planting onions and garlic for profit. Soon his entire family fell ill, with over ten members dying. Though advised by wiser men to repent, he remained utterly indifferent.

This passage records two miraculous accounts related to Daoist temples.

The first story takes place in Jiangling Prefecture. The local authorities forcibly seized land belonging to a Daoist temple to build a military camp, cutting down ancient cypress and pine trees of great value near the temple. The officer in charge of construction, Ma Shu, was particularly ruthless in felling the trees. Later, while living there, he often felt uneasy and resorted to sacrificing pigs and chickens to appease the spirits. Someone advised him to protect the sacred statues and accumulate virtue (De) through good deeds, but he turned a deaf ear. Eventually, he drowned while boating on the river, and three other officials involved in the construction also met with misfortune. Today, the military camp lies abandoned, and the temple is overgrown with weeds, its statues damaged. The author urges the locals to restore the temple and await a virtuous person to revive this sacred site. Inside the temple stands a statue of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, the highest deity in Daoism), along with an iron stele inscribed in both seal and clerical script. The stele, three feet wide and six to seven feet long, was composed by Yu Zishan, a vice-minister of the Central Secretariat.

The second story recounts how Chancellor Li Fu miraculously restored Xuanyuan Temple. In the first year of the Xiantong era (860 CE) of the Tang dynasty, while Li Fu was stationed in the eastern capital Luoyang, he had intended to fulfill his mother’s wish to renovate a Daoist temple but later forgot. Three days after taking office, he dreamed of seven or eight blue-robed youths holding incense and flowers, leading him to a temple in the mountains. The temple was lush with pines and cypresses, its halls towering, and the statue of the Celestial Worthy inside was lifelike yet silent, merely pointing toward the bell tower outside the hall. The next day, he inspected Xuanyuan Temple and found the bell tower, just as in his dream, leaning and decayed. During renovations, they discovered a hollow beam containing a wooden block inscribed with the words: "Mountains and rivers speak not—in the first year, Fu shall restore." Li Fu realized that "mountains and rivers speak not" alluded to the emperor’s taboo name (Li Cui, Emperor Yizong of Tang), while "Fu shall restore" foretold that he was destined to rebuild the temple.

Both stories reflect the Daoist belief in karmic retribution: those who desecrate sacred sites suffer misfortune, while those who restore temples receive divine signs. The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning mentioned here is the supreme deity in Daoism, while Xuanyuan Temple enshrines Lord Lao (Laozi). Such miracle tales are common in Daoist literature, serving to encourage reverence for the divine and the cultivation of virtue (De).

This account tells of the miraculous connection between General Wei Gao of the Tang Dynasty and the Ge Gui Temple (a Daoist monastery). In his youth, Wei Gao was overlooked in his father-in-law Zhang Yi's household. One day, he dreamed of two deities who told him: "All sacred sites of Daoist cultivation maintain registers of mortal names. Your name is linked to Ge Gui Temple, and you are destined to govern the wealth and honor of all Shu (Sichuan). Why linger here in obscurity?" Upon awakening, Wei Gao resolved to pursue official rank.

His wife sold her dowry to fund his journey to Fengxiang. Later, for his merits in quelling the Zhu Ci rebellion, Emperor Dezong appointed him as Prefect of Longzhou. Several years afterward, he rose to become Military Commissioner of Xichuan. During his governance of Shu, the land enjoyed bumper harvests, and the Nanzhao Kingdom voluntarily submitted to Tang authority. At the height of his success, however, Wei Gao forgot the deities' warning: "Do not neglect Ge Gui!" Only when the deities reappeared in a dream to rebuke him—"How shameful to forget your roots in prosperity!"—did he realize his broken vow.

Wei Gao immediately traveled to Mount Yunlin (site of Ge Gui Temple) to offer incense and prayers. Using tax revenues from Jiulong County, he launched large-scale construction projects at the temple complex. These included forty southern palace towers with soaring eaves, grand halls, long corridors, and multiple gateways—all crafted with cast metal and carved stonework of exquisite artistry. This story embodies the Daoist principle of "karmic retribution" (因果承负), where deities enlighten mortals through dreams, and beneficiaries must fulfill their vows to sustain divine blessings.

At the mountain's foot, granaries were built to store provisions piled high like hills, while craftsmen gathered in great numbers like clouds. They erected a commemorative stele at the cave entrance and constructed multi-storied pavilions, assigning seventy young attendants to maintain cleanliness. Additionally, five hundred acres of fertile farmland were acquired to supply the temple's ritual provisions. This Daoist temple safeguarded the region for over twenty years before being officially recognized by the imperial court as a royal-grade temple. The site was originally where Ge Gui (a Daoist immortal) manifested his divine presence, corresponding to the Mao position in the twelve earthly branches.

Miraculous Events at Guozhou Kaiyuan Temple: Situated near the prefectural city on elevated, expansive terrain, this temple was chosen for its exceptional feng shui. Though the prefecture quickly approved its construction, the complex remained incomplete without a main hall. Craftsmen and Daoist priests were dispatched upstream along the Jialing River to procure timber from Lizhou. Before departure, both groups simultaneously dreamed three times of a voice saying: "Zhu Feng Pond contains sufficient timber." After discussion, they concluded: "Since this omen has appeared repeatedly, merchants will likely float timber downstream. Waiting three to five days would spare us the arduous journey." One craftsman suggested searching the river below Zhu Feng Mountain, where they discovered submerged timber in a crystal-clear pool. Expert divers retrieved thousands of catalpa logs—enough to build the Sanqing (Three Pure Ones) Hall, bell tower, scripture pavilion, and corridors. Later, when purchasing bricks for altar construction, some yellowish-red bricks deemed underfired and discarded miraculously turned to gold within days, abundantly funding the project. For casting sacred statues, tens of thousands of jin of iron were excavated from Baihe Mountain Temple, forged into three two-zhang-tall iron deities now revered as "Sacred Statues" for their efficacy in answering prayers. The He family of Daoist overseers flourished thereafter, becoming local gentry. To this day, merchants regularly offer incense every few days before these statues—neglecting proper devotion inevitably brings business losses and unsold goods.

Auspicious Signs at Hualin Temple in Xinpu County, Kaizhou: Originally a wealthy family's riverside residence during the Kaiyuan era, the household awoke one morning hearing...

The courtyard was suddenly filled with an extraordinary fragrance, bathed in radiant light as auspicious purple clouds stretched continuously for several miles. The garden steps and riverbanks blossomed with rare flowers and trees, while red and white lotuses—each nearly a foot wide—unfurled across the water's surface. Their numbers were beyond counting. Celestial beings traversed the skies as azure phoenixes and immortal cranes soared on outstretched wings. This wondrous spectacle lingered for some time before gradually fading away.

Local villagers could only detect the peculiar fragrance, unable to witness the flowers, trees, or divine cranes. When the incident was reported to the imperial court, officials converted the estate into a Daoist temple (Daoist sanctuary), naming it "Floral Grove." During the construction of the Hall of the Celestial Worthy (the supreme deity in Daoism), the same marvels—the mystical fragrance and luminous radiance—reappeared just as they had at the beginning.