《道教靈驗記》Vol. 7

The Jia Xiang family had been devout Daoist devotees for generations, particularly devoted to the Supreme Venerable Lord (Laojun, the highest deity in Daoism). Though wealthy, their veneration of Laojun surpassed all others—they carried a portrait of the deity wherever they went, setting up incense altars for worship. Such piety was rewarded with numerous spiritual responses.

When Huang Chao's rebel forces sacked Chang'an, the emperor fled westward. Jia Xiang gathered gold, silver, and family members to escape via the East Wei Bridge. Despite rampant banditry along the way, his entire household of over a hundred souls emerged unscathed. Later, they took refuge at the foot of Dragon Horn Mountain, where many Daoist priests and refugees sought shelter. Not only did Jia Xiang accommodate them, he also funded the transcription of over ten thousand scrolls of the Scripture on Salvation (Duren Jing, a pivotal Daoist classic).

Once, bandits suddenly surrounded his home. Jia Xiang entered his chamber to pray before Laojun's image before confronting them. To his astonishment, the outlaws threw down their blades and prostrated themselves repeatedly. When questioned, they refused to explain, only departing after Jia Xiang presented them with silk. Later, the bandits confessed they had seen towering divine warriors—each several zhang tall—flanking Jia Xiang, their gaping crimson mouths appearing ready to devour humans, terrifying them to the core.

When the imperial court prepared to return to Chang'an, Jia Xiang sought Laojun's guidance before the sacred image. Suddenly, two millet stalks sprouted beside the incense burner, their ears pointing westward. Taking this as an omen, he liquidated his assets and returned to Yongxing Ward in Chang'an. Though his former mansion lay in ruins, forcing temporary residence in twenty modest rooms, divine providence smiled upon him again. Three months after the emperor's return, while clearing weeds to rebuild, he unearthed six thousand taels of silver, restoring his family's prosperity.

Throughout five years of turmoil, the Jia household never faced financial hardship—all because their single-minded devotion to the Supreme Venerable Lord secured divine protection. This account is recorded among the miraculous manifestations of Laojun at Dragon Crane Mountain.

In Dangling County of Meizhou, Sichuan, atop Longhe Mountain, there once stood a Daoist temple enshrining a statue of Lao Jun (also known as the Supreme Venerable Sovereign, one of Daoism's highest deities). Whenever local villagers prayed for bountiful harvests, prosperous silkworm cultivation, or rain during droughts, their petitions were invariably answered. Once, when foreign invaders threatened the county, the desperate citizens burned incense toward Longhe Mountain seeking divine aid. Suddenly, clouds gathered around the mountain peak as two celestial cranes circled above and a mighty dragon soared over the county town. The terrified invaders immediately retreated. Thereafter, the temple was renovated, and for years the community regularly held Daoist rituals (Fashi) and purification ceremonies (Zhaijiao), with sacrificial rites occurring nearly every month.

Later, during wartime turmoil, the temple fell into ruin. During the Yiyin year (exact date unknown) of severe drought, when prayers at other shrines proved ineffective, local official Wang Zongtan personally went to the abandoned temple to burn incense for rain. His piety moved the deities—dark clouds gathered as he left the temple, and before he reached the county town, heavy rain poured continuously for two days and nights, ending the drought. The grateful villagers thus resolved to restore the ancient temple in gratitude for divine mercy.

Another account concerns the Lao Jun statue at Longrui Temple in Mimou Town. Built during Emperor Xuanzong's Kaiyuan era (713-741 CE) beside the Whirling Pool (Huiliu Tan), legend holds a dragon deity dwelled in its waters, with tales of Lao Jun's miracles widely circulated. One summer of extreme drought, as crops withered, Hanzhou Prefect Wang Zongkui led officials to pray at the temple. Abnormal cloud formations appeared immediately after their incense offering. By the time their procession had traveled ten li (Chinese miles), rain arrived, ensuring that year's harvest. Thereafter, whether facing plagues, floods or droughts, sincere prayers here always received responses.

A further story tells of a childless merchant from Mianzhou (modern Mianyang, Sichuan) who, hearing of Lao Jun's efficacy, brought incense to vow at the temple: "If granted a son, I shall dedicate him to monastic cultivation." Returning home, he met an old man resting under a tree. When discussing his wish, the elder remarked: "Rather than choosing between continuing your lineage and having a monastic son, why not ask for two sons—one to inherit your family, one to follow the Dao?" After walking together a few steps, the old man vanished, leaving only an extraordinary fragrance that passersby also noticed. The merchant then realized he had encountered a divine manifestation.

This passage recounts two miraculous stories of devotees who received divine responses from Lord Lao (the supreme deity of Daoism).

The first tells of Yang Zhi's extraordinary encounter. A native of Xinfan, Yang Zhi was already a Daoist practitioner when his family fell ill during an epidemic. After making reverent offerings at Longrui Temple, he met a mysterious elder on his way home. The elder taught him incantations and a water-spraying exorcism technique, explaining this method could heal both his family and others, but warned against greed while encouraging good deeds. The elder then vanished abruptly. Stunned yet mindful of these teachings, Yang Zhi applied the method upon returning home. By sprinkling consecrated water, he first cured his household, then helped neighbors, eventually delivering several counties from the plague. When questioned about his technique's origin, he simply credited Lord Lao, earning him the reverential title "Elder Yang."

The second narrative follows Xu Shu from Huzhou. Coming from generations of farmers struggling with consecutive flood years, he dreamed of a feathered immortal who revealed his celestial lineage and advised devotion to Lord Lao for blessings. Awakening, Xu Shu obtained an ancient portrait of Lord Lao from Ziji Palace, establishing a pure altar for daily veneration. His household gradually prospered with agricultural success and complete immunity from disasters. In gratitude, he annually hosted Lingbao rituals during winter. Remarkably, even during prolonged rains, skies would clear precisely when preparing these ceremonies, remaining starry throughout the rituals. Once crossing Lake Taihu during storms, while two companion vessels faced peril, his ship remained inexplicably steady—passengers unaware of any turbulence.

Both accounts exemplify Lord Lao's protection bestowed upon sincere devotees, demonstrating the core Daoist belief that "utmost sincerity invokes divine response" (精诚所至，神明感应). The stories illustrate the tangible spiritual efficacy arising from wholehearted religious practice.

At the foot of the mountain, two boats encountered each other, and the passengers exchanged greetings. People on both vessels noticed that the Xu family's boat was enveloped in purple misty Qi, with a white-robed immortal and attendants clad in five-colored garments aboard, radiating golden light. Only then did they realize the Xu family's boat was under the protection of the Supreme Elder Lord (Taishang Laojun, the highest deity in Daoism), hence remaining unharmed by wind and waves. From that moment, all aboard the two boats began sincere worship, requesting portraits of the Elder Lord's manifestation seen on the Xu family's vessel. They took vows to devote themselves to Daoism and later received miraculous protection in return.

Shen Ying, a devout follower of the Supreme Elder Lord from Wuxing, maintained a residence in the market town of Shanzhou Shany County (present-day Shengzhou, Zhejiang). During the peasant uprising led by rebel leader Qiu Fu, who captured the county seat, the imperial court dispatched eight armies to suppress the rebellion. In his haste to flee after locking his doors, Shen Ying accidentally left a young servant boy trapped inside. When he later attempted to return and open the door, he found military camps had already surrounded the area and dared not approach. The conflict persisted for over ten months, during which most of the marketplace was burned down. After peace was restored, Shen Ying discovered his six or seven houses remained completely intact, with fences and walls undamaged. Upon opening the door, he found the servant boy safe and sound. The boy recounted that after being locked in, a blue-clad youth of thirteen or fourteen appeared, claiming to be sent by the Elder Lord to keep him company. This youth took him to play in a grand mansion where they ate fruits and pastries. After half a day's amusement, the Elder Lord instructed the boy to return and replenish the incense. Just as he finished lighting the incense, the door opened. When Shen Ying entered, the incense was still burning, and the boy remained completely unaware of the ten months of warfare outside or the neighboring houses burning. While the entire street lay in ruins, Shen Ying's household alone stood untouched. If not for the Supreme Elder Lord's vast divine power, who could have accomplished this? Thereafter, Shen Ying's devotion to the Elder Lord grew even more profound.

A man who yearned to cultivate the Dao (Tao) sought the profound truths of the Mystic Gate (Daoism). With a steadfast resolve for long-term spiritual practice, he left his hometown accompanied only by a young servant, and none knew where he had gone.

Regarding the miraculous manifestation of the stone-carved Laozi (Taishang Laojun) at Xiaoshan’s White Crane Temple: The White Crane Temple in Xiaoshan County, Yuezhou, was established during the Southern Dynasties and had stood for ages. Its lecture hall had long since collapsed, leaving only the mountain gate, main hall, and bell tower intact—the rest had been converted into farmland. In the late Xiantong era of the Tang Dynasty, an empty plot behind the main hall emitted a glow eight or nine feet long every night, resembling sunlight shining through a window. Sometimes, when the weather shifted, white mist would rise like swirling clouds. People speculated that golden or jade divine statues were buried beneath the ground.

When the Daoist priest Lü Jiansu burned incense and prayed, the white mist suddenly turned crimson, and the radiance, sharp as a blade, illuminated several acres of woodland, casting a red hue on trees and walls. Within the light appeared the image of Taishang Laojun (Laozi). Digging down over ten feet, they unearthed a stone-carved statue of Laozi, four or five feet tall. After cleansing it with perfumed water, they enshrined it beside the main hall. Lü Jiansu made reverent offerings of incense and flowers, and that night, he dreamed of two blue-robed youths who said, "By the decree of Taishang Laojun, your merit in discovering the true image and sincerely venerating it has been recorded in the immortal register (Qingjian)." From then on, whenever local people faced illness, calamities, floods, or droughts, sincere prayers were invariably answered, and the county saw monthly visits from those seeking blessings.

The only missing parts of the statue were a six- or seven-inch-long front table and one foot—despite thorough digging, they could not be found. Later, an elderly man by Xianghu Lake saw something floating on the water, mistaking it for a snake. When he hooked it ashore with his cane, he found a stone shaped like an animal’s foot, with a flat stone slab lying across it. Amazed that the stone could float, he left it in his courtyard for days. By chance, Lü Jiansu passed by, heard of the discovery, and recognized it as the missing table and foot of Laozi’s statue. When pieced together, they fit perfectly. Xianghu Lake was over forty li from the White Crane Temple, yet the stone, buried underground for years, had surfaced by floating—such marvels further attested to the sacred statue’s divine efficacy.

Another account of Laozi’s manifestation at Tiantai Temple: When Yao Hu, the prefect of Taizhou, visited Mount Tiantai, he ordered workers to clear trees behind the lecture hall of Tiantai Temple to build a Laozi Hall. While leveling the ground, they discovered beneath a large rock a stone box three feet square. Opening it, they found a smaller stone box inside.

The Daoist Miracles Chronicle records several miraculous events associated with Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun, one of Daoism's supreme deities).

Concerning the Cinnabar Jade Tablet: A jade tablet measuring nine inches long, two inches wide, and about half an inch thick was inscribed with the words: "Though seas may dry and sacred mountains crumble, the imperial dynasty's fortune shall never cease." When the emperor learned of this, he declared it an auspicious sign manifest by Heaven and Earth. This white jade tablet originated from the Mysterious Origin Treasure Hall (Laojun's celestial abode), foretelling the nation's prosperity. This event occurred in the thirteenth year of the Xiantong era and was officially recorded in historical annals.

The Miraculous Statue account tells of artisans struggling to find suitable clay for molding Lord Lao's image until a blue-robed youth appeared in a dream, directing them to chalk-like earth east of the temple. Upon completion, the statue radiated such sacred dignity that it seemed to recreate Laojun's holy countenance from his legendary birth by the Wo River. During subsequent purification rituals, wondrous lights appeared in the sky accompanied by celestial music, echoing the five-colored auspicious clouds witnessed during the Celestial Lord Hall's construction at Tongbai Mountain - both being divine portents.

Yang Nao'er's story recounts how this Chengdu native's devout parents regularly worshipped Lord Lao. After being captured during military service, Yang prayed ceaselessly to Laojun. One night he dreamed of a celestial boy escorting him home on clouds, awakening to find himself miraculously freed. Returning home, he discovered his parents conducting the Hundred-Day Purification Rite (a Daoist ritual for dispelling misfortune), precisely timed with his deliverance.

Gou Daorong's Golden Statue narrative describes his wish to cast a golden Laojun image despite lacking twenty taels of gold. While burning incense one day, a wind-borne medicinal prescription arrived. Following its instructions brought substantial rewards, enabling him to complete the golden statue. This demonstrates how Laojun manifests diverse means to assist sincere devotees.

Yang Wenjian was a native of Mianzhu whose family had devoutly worshiped Lord Lao (the Supreme Venerable Sovereign, highest deity in Daoism) for generations. However, due to neglecting sericulture and farming, their household gradually fell into poverty. One day during a sudden rainstorm, an old woman took shelter at their doorstep and handed him a bundle, saying: "The white-robed elder from Bitter Plum Spring sent me to deliver this." When Yang received it, the package felt light at first but became inexplicably heavy in his hands. Upon opening it, he discovered a thousand taels of gold. By the time he turned to look for the old woman again, she had vanished without a trace—only then did he realize the "white-robed elder" was actually Lord Lao manifesting from Bitter Plum Spring.

Thereafter, the Yang family prospered for several generations, with descendants enjoying longevity and good health. To express their gratitude, they used twenty taels of the gold to cast an exquisitely crafted statue of Lord Lao (far surpassing ordinary divine images in craftsmanship and solemnity) and built a temple to enshrine it. This miraculous account was recorded in the seventh volume of Records of Daoist Miracles.

(Note: Bitter Plum Spring is a sacred site in Daoist legend; the "white-robed elder" is a common manifestation of Lord Lao; Records of Miracles is a classic text documenting divine manifestations in Daoism)