《金華赤松山志》

From my childhood, I have admired the transcendent demeanor of Patriarch Chen Tuan (Master Xiyi) and yearned for the simple life of the ancient Getian era. My home lay to the east of Pine Mountain, where I grew up hearing tales of the immortal Chisongzi and the two Huang brothers (Chuping and Chuqi), revered Daoist transcendents. Though I couldn’t fully grasp the details, these legends became deeply etched in my heart.

Thus, I left my family and parents to seek a master and devote myself to the Dao. Since formally receiving ordination as a Daoist priest, over forty years have passed, during which I’ve never neglected the daily rituals of morning and evening incense and lamp offerings. Whenever I sit in meditation in the alchemical chamber, my greatest concern has been that these immortal traditions might fade with time. The mountain’s original records have long eroded, and I thought: As a disciple of the two Huang transcendents and a lineage holder of Master Chonghe (a Tang-dynasty Daoist master), how could I stand by and watch our ancestors’ teachings be forgotten?

So I began gathering and organizing the sources, extracting their essential teachings, and compiling this Record of Chisong Mountain, so future generations may have a reliable reference. As for the accounts of immortals, the contents of scriptures and steles, the oral traditions of local elders, and the verses composed by scholars—this book suffices; there is no need to search elsewhere. Of course, some omissions are inevitable, for which I beg your understanding.

—Preface by Pine Mountain Daoist Ni Shouyue (Bamboo Spring)

(According to tradition: A local man named Xu encountered an immortal here and attained the Dao, now known as the Zhenren (Perfected Being) of the Gourd Heaven. The place where he played chess is called Chessboard Mountain, and his cultivation site is called Gourd Screen Mountain, also known as Xu’s Gourd. The Zhenren secluded himself here in practice, eventually ascending to the heavens on clouds. Though his exact era remains unclear, the local people still receive his blessings. Shrines stand at the palace site, Chessboard Mountain, and Gourd Screen Mountain, where officials and commoners gather yearly to offer incense and seek sacred water in ritual ceremonies.)

This passage recounts the legendary story of two Jin Dynasty hermits from Mount Jinhua—Huang Chuqi (the Elder Huang Lord) and Huang Chuping (the Younger Huang Lord), who were brothers.

The Huang family were recluses in Wuzhou (modern-day Jinhua, Zhejiang) during the Eastern Jin period. On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month in 325 CE (the third year of Emperor Ming’s Taining era), the eldest son Huang Chuqi was born. His younger brother Huang Chuping was born on the thirteenth day of the eighth lunar month in 328 CE (the third year of Emperor Cheng’s Xianhe era). Both brothers displayed exceptional intelligence and extraordinary appearances from childhood.

At fifteen, while tending sheep, the younger brother Chuping encountered a Daoist priest (actually an incarnation of Chisongzi, the legendary immortal) who took him to a stone chamber on Mount Jinhua for cultivation. There, he devoted himself to spiritual practice, severed worldly ties, and immersed in Daoist methods for over forty years. The elder brother Chuqi, longing for his sibling, searched everywhere without success. Later, guided by another Daoist (also Chisongzi’s incarnation) he met in the marketplace, he finally found his brother in the mountain’s stone chamber.

Upon their reunion, the elder brother asked about the sheep. Chuping pointed eastward, but when Chuqi looked, he saw only white stones. With a shout, Chuping transformed the stones into tens of thousands of sheep—an episode now immortalized as the famous "commanding stones into sheep" miracle (Mount Jinhua still bears the name "Recumbent Sheep Mountain"). Witnessing his brother’s divine powers, Chuqi abandoned his secular life to join him in reclusion. They cultivated by ingesting pine resin and poria cocos (fuling), attaining after five thousand days such abilities as "casting no shadow" and "reversing aging."

Returning to their hometown after achieving Dao, they found all their acquaintances gone. The brothers then opened a hidden grotto beneath their stone chamber, transmitting their pine resin cultivation method to disciples like Nan Bofeng. Eventually, dozens received this teaching. Upon enlightenment, the elder brother became known as "Lu Ban," while the younger inherited the title "Chisongzi."

This narrative exemplifies how Daoist adepts acquire supernatural transformation powers through prolonged cultivation, showcasing the transcendent state of realized beings. The "commanding stones into sheep" miracle remains one of Daoism’s most celebrated displays of spiritual attainment.

This passage recounts the story of two immortals (referred to respectfully as Great Lord and Lesser Lord) who achieved Daoist transcendence through cultivation at Red Pine Mountain in Jinhua.

To avoid drawing attention, the two sages deliberately concealed their identities, emulating the ancient practices of immortals like Chisongzi (Red Pine Master) and Huangshigong (Yellow Stone Elder). They refined the Golden Elixir (Jindan) atop Pine Mountain's summit. Upon completing the elixir, Great Lord ascended to the heavens riding a deer, while Lesser Lord soared on a crane amidst clouds. The present-day Dafu Mountain marks the very site of their celestial ascent.

Local devotees later constructed the Red Pine Temple (Chisong Gong) in their honor, enshrining both immortals alongside their master Chisongzi. From the Jin Dynasty onward, the temple has thrived with continuous incense offerings, often hosting over a hundred Daoist practitioners. During the Song Dynasty, the imperial court posthumously honored Great Lord as "Perfected Being of Penetrating Response" (Chongying Zhenren) and Lesser Lord as "Perfected Being of Nurturing Simplicity" (Yangsu Zhenren).

Traces of their alchemical practice remain:

• The mountain still preserves their alchemical furnaces and wells
• Legends speak of "lingering elixirs" (Yidan) manifesting unpredictably—sometimes large, sometimes small, appearing near or distant—with numerous eyewitness accounts
• During nights or overcast weather, the mountain often emits dawn-like radiance, likely emanating from these residual elixirs

The text also records two remarkable encounters involving Daoist priests:

1. Priest Wu Fengshi kept a white rooster that one morning alerted him with unusual cries. He discovered the bird pecking at a spherical object emitting five-colored light, but the luminous artifact vanished the moment he attempted to retrieve it.

2. Priest Shen Yingfu observed glowing light outside his window at night. Upon opening the door, he found an egg-sized luminous orb that disappeared upon approach—perhaps indicating mountain deities safeguard such sacred objects, permitting reverence but prohibiting direct contact.

(Note: "Lingering elixirs" refer to immortal relics or alchemical remnants left by transcendents; "Great Lord" and "Lesser Lord" are honorific titles for the two sages.)

At the left side of the Taiqing Hall on Danshan (Alchemy Mountain) lies a site called "Danji" (Alchemy Foundation), where yang qi (vital energy) converges so intensely that snow never accumulates, and vegetation remains evergreen throughout the seasons. Nearby is a cluster of caves belonging to the "Jinhua Grotto-Heaven" (also called Dongyuan Grotto-Heaven), one of Daoism's Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens, connected to Chisong Mountain (Red Pine Mountain).

This grotto-heaven is divided into three levels:

• The upper cave, named "Chaozhen Cave" (Facing Truth Cave), contains naturally formed stone figures with solemn, enigmatic expressions.
• The middle cave, called "Binghu Cave" (Ice Kettle Cave), features a cascading water curtain resembling flying jade shards, alongside wondrous stalactites and stone pillars. Daoist texts record these formations as numinous sites guarded by mountain deities, inaccessible to ordinary people.
• The lower cave, "Shuanglong Cave" (Twin Dragons Cave), displays natural rock formations resembling dragons, tigers, lions, elephants, qilin, phoenixes, and countless bell- and drum-shaped stones. The low entrance requires boat access, with candlelight needed for illumination inside.

According to the Records of Marvels, this was where the Yellow Emperor's brothers resided after attaining the Dao. The Gazetteer of Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands states that the legendary Sovereign Renhuang cultivated the Dao here. During the Jiāxī era (1237-1240) of Emperor Lizong's reign, the Southern Song court conducted fertility rituals at this site, with inscribed qingci (Daoist memorial tablets) still preserved as evidence.

Another site, the "Youyou Cave" (Leisurely Roaming Cave), lies ten li from the Daoist temple, facing Huping Mountain. Its five-foot-high entrance opens into a cavern with ceilings reaching twenty to thirty feet. A ladder on the left leads to an upper chamber vast as a great hall—said to equal dozens of rooms in size. Though not among the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens, local elders claim this was the abode of Hutian Zhenren (Kettle-Heaven Perfected Being) and where the Two August Sovereigns (possibly the Yellow Emperor's brothers) edited immortal registers. Song official Wang Ye composed poems describing its mist-wrapped, alabaster stalactites. Nearby stands a shrine to Xu Zhenren (Perfected Being Xu).

(Note: The "dragon tablets" mentioned refer to Daoist memorials submitted to the celestial court; "imperial jiao" denotes royal Daoist rituals; "qingci" are memorial documents presented to deities during zhaijiao ceremonies.)

Beside the Snail Rock lies the very spot where the immortal Chisongzi (a Daoist deity) once led the two Huangjun sovereigns into the mountains for spiritual cultivation. Above stands a stone chamber over ten feet high with equal length and width, featuring a cave entrance on its left side. After the two Huangjun attained the Dao and achieved immortality, this cave door became permanently sealed, inaccessible to mortals.

This mountain belongs to the Jinhua range, spanning dozens of miles—the legendary Chisong Mountain. Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty mentioned in Baopuzi that this was an abode of immortals, capable of avoiding the flood disasters that plagued the Five Sacred Mountains. The 30th-generation Celestial Master (Tianshi) of the Han Dynasty, Master Xujing Zhang (a leader of the Celestial Master Daoist tradition), who loved traveling to famous mountains, once came here to admire Chisongzi's transcendent demeanor and trace the legacy of the two Huangjun. He left behind a poem: "My home lies among white clouds, where I once met Chisongzi. Coming to wander this mountain, I find dragons and tigers guarding alike. Seek not Jinhua elsewhere—the Yellow Sprout (Neidan terminology referring to primordial Qi cultivated in internal alchemy) is already here."

The Alchemy Mountain towers thousands of feet high, located five miles from the Daoist temple. From the left side of the temple, a flat path leads to the mountain's base, crossing a small bridge before ascending steep ridges. At the summit, the view suddenly opens up, offering a panorama stretching hundreds of miles. This was where the two Huangjun refined their elixirs. A thatched hermitage stands atop the peak, with Daoists stationed there annually. Legend says that during their alchemical practices, radiant light illuminated the surroundings, imbuing even plants with spiritual energy. The mountain hosts over 300 medicinal herbs, recorded in a poem by Shen Yue, a governor during the Liang Dynasty: "Friends come holding stone marrow, guests arrive riding light swans. All human paths end here—only the cloud road remains open." During the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty, the imperial court even sent envoys here to offer incense and prayers.

At the mountain's base lies a mile-long stretch of "Immortal Fields"—small, fragmented plots resembling terraced steps from afar. Tradition holds that these were where the two Huangjun cultivated the mystical herb sesame. After the Five Dynasties period, fragrant millet was grown here instead, offered annually as tribute to the court. The Tang Dynasty Daoist Shu Daoji wrote: "To this day, the elixir well's water perfumes these mountain fields." Later, when crops like grains replaced the herbs, the tribute offerings ceased.

The Sleeping Sheep Mountain spans several miles, rising dozens of feet directly opposite the Chisong Temple. This is where the younger Huangjun famously transformed stones into sheep. The stone sheep on the mountain appear and vanish mysteriously, guarded by mountain spirits who prevent ordinary people from approaching. The dense, shadowy forests make access difficult. Su Dongpo once marveled in verse: "The master nurtures life like herding sheep—releasing them into the realm of boundless nothingness."

This passage describes several sacred Daoist sites and miraculous legends around Chisong Mountain in Jinhua:

The Legend of the Shepherd's Stones: A Daoist cultivator once herded sheep here, allowing them to roam freely while he sat reading scriptures. Remarkably, the sheep never strayed and eventually transformed into stone. When tigers or wolves appeared, a single command from him would make the sheep obedient again. Zheng Shiyi, a Song Dynasty academician, composed a poem about this wonder: "Seeing stones as sheep, scolding stones yet doubting them sheep—so hard to discern reality from illusion."

Mount Daji lies one li east of the Daoist temple, where two Imperial Lords (Daoist deities) ascended to immortality. Locals call it "Falling Mountain" because its dragon-like ridges descend precipitously from Huping Peak before coiling dramatically at this spot.

Sacred Stone Mountain stands to the left of Recumbent Sheep Mountain. Legend tells of a dozen massive boulders obstructing farmland until villagers prayed to the two Imperial Lords. Miraculously, the stones flew to the mountainside overnight, earning them the name "Sacred Stones" now governed by the Lords' celestial officials.

The Snail Shell Cliff, left of the Stone Chamber, connects internally to the cavern while externally resembling a spiraling snail shell. Nearby Liu's Cliff marks where the ancient adept Liu achieved immortality through cultivation.

Huping ("Pot Screen") to the left of Youyou Cave served as the cultivation site of Master Pot Heaven (Hutian Zhenren). The ground here behaves mysteriously—solid areas produce hollow echoes when stepped on, while seemingly empty spots swallow one's feet.

Little Peach Blossom Spring adjoins the temple complex, accessible via the left corridor. Following the stream reveals windless waves where springwater strikes rocks. A hundred paces brings you to the Transcendence Pavilion; another hundred to Three Gorges Bridge spanning a roaring torrent that seems to sever worldly ties. Ascending further past the Stone Pool Pavilion with its endless water music, practitioners finally meditate beneath withered wutong trees, refining the Golden Elixir.

"Annotated Records of Chisong Mountain in Jinhua" Modern Interpretation:

This mountain serves as the sacred site where the Two August Sovereigns (referring to the Yellow Emperor and the Flame Emperor) convened celestial officials during major Daoist festivals (the Three Origins and Eight Nodes) to examine immortal registers. Local residents often reported hearing sounds resembling official court proceedings at dawn, though investigations at daybreak revealed no trace. The mountain once housed immortal traces like "Perching Azure" and "Riding the Wind's Chill," now lost, though Master Lü Dongbin of Donglai previously documented these wonders in his writings.

[Alchemical Well] Located on the left side of Dan Mountain, before their ascension, the Two August Sovereigns concealed this site with a stone screen. The well features a lotus-leaf shaped stone cover housing a sacred niche with a carved statue of Laozi. Later they buried this sacred image in the well to obscure their immortal traces, creating a decoy well nearby whose waters—perennially flowing with healing properties—dried when irreverent individuals disturbed it. When temple guardians grew concerned, the Two August Sovereigns manifested to guide them in unearthing the perfectly preserved Laozi statue, now enshrined in the Great Clarity Hall. The current Alchemical Well is the original site, with Ge Hong's descendant Ge Weixiao composing poetry documenting its alchemical history.

[Sacred Stone Bay] Situated below the guest farewell pavilion before the temple, to the left of Sacred Stone Mountain, contains an immovable sacred boulder. Legends tell of the Grotto Heaven Perfected One nurturing dragons here.

[Clear Water Pool] Before the Pure Pavilion on the temple's right once held a stone goat placed by immortals, later concealed within the depths to prevent mortal acquisition. During the Huangyou era (1049-1054 CE) of Northern Song, floods destroyed the bell tower, submerging its bronze bell in the pool. To this day, during moonlit nights, metallic resonances emerge from the depths, harmonizing with Daoist ritual pacing (the measured steps of scripture recitation).

[Treasure Accumulation Temple] Also called Chisong Temple. Stele records indicate that after the Two August Sovereigns received Daoist teachings from Master Chisong and achieved immortality, locals marveled: "In antiquity, the Yellow Emperor sought the Dao at Mount Kongtong..." (text breaks off, suggesting subsequent temple construction details). The temple complex originally included...

This passage documents the Daoist temples and shrines in the Chisong Mountain area of Jinhua:

Responding to popular sentiment, a certain Mr. Wang established ancestral halls at Laixiang and set up sacred spaces for deity worship in his hometown. The scenic beauty of the area led to the construction of Chisong Palace, which received its current official name in 1008 AD (the first year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era under Emperor Zhenzong of Song). The palace faces Woyang Mountain, with two converging streams before its gates—one descending from Shangxiao Peak, the other flowing through the Little Peach Blossom Spring from Qipan Mountain.

The palace layout reflects profound design: ascending through the left corridor leads to the Peach Blossom Paradise, while entering from the right reveals ancient sites where scholars once washed their caps and reclined on stones to listen to spring waters. A few steps further brings visitors to Guoqing Pavilion's "Jade-Rinsing" scenery, while lingering in the Official Hall evokes the refined sentiments of literati. Imperial calligraphy, stone inscriptions, and edicts bestowed by the court are preserved in the Chenhan Hall.

Since Master Chongzhen Dong gained renown at Zhongtaiyi Palace in the Eastern Capital (Kaifeng), this site has perpetuated Daoist transmission through generations. After Master Zixu Huang revitalized the temple's affairs, all its systems were renewed.

Other significant sites include:

1. Jinhua Temple: Located beside Shuanglong Cave, it oversees incense offerings for the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) and was originally subordinate to Chisong Palace.

2. Yunchao Hermitage: Built on Dan Mountain with dozens of rooms, it hosts rotating resident priests from the palace annually. Serving both as a scenic checkpoint and a waystation for scholar-officials seeking Daoist guidance.

3. Taiqing Hall: Adjacent to Yunchao Hermitage on Dan Mountain, enshrining a stone-carved statue of Laozi.

4. Shrine of the Two August Lords: At the foot of Dahui Mountain, a mandatory stop for local officials' sacrifices. Poet Fan Jun described its ancient pines and immortal relics.

5. Four shrines to the Grotto-Heaven Perfected Being: Located before Youyou Cave, at Huping, Qipan Mountain, and within the palace, all maintaining continuous incense offerings.

6. Shrine of the Sacred Stone Immortal Official: On the left side of Sacred Stone Bay. According to prophetic texts (chenji), these sacred stones transformed from golden treasures that emit radiance, guarded by immortal officials appointed by the Two August Lords.

7. Shrine of the Dan Mountain Immortal Official: Beside Yunchao Hermitage on Dan Mountain. During alchemical practices, mysterious lights reportedly appear, with many answered prayers. Legends warn that disrespect toward Dan Mountain brings immediate retribution, emphasizing the necessity of pious reverence.

(Note: The "Two August Lords" refer to the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) and Laozi venerated in Daoism; "prophetic texts" denote cryptic diagrams and omens predicting fortune.)

Yuntai Abbey

Located ten li west of the city in a place called Baohou, this site was originally a thatched hermitage where the siblings Luo Xiangu cultivated the Dao. They once received guidance from the Immortal of White Water and thereafter abstained from cooked food. Later, the siblings He Xiangu inherited the hermitage, obtained official ordination certificates, and became registered female Daoist priests (nüguan), both achieving ascension (yuhua) in their eighties. Subsequently, the abbot of Chisong Mountain relocated a plaque from an abandoned Daoist temple in Lanxi and designated this site as a subordinate temple of Chisong Mountain.

Ningshen Hermitage

Situated ten li west of the city and one li from Xipo Pond, this was the retreat of Master Zhu. After resigning as temple abbot, he built a thatched hermitage here to honor his ancestors with incense, vowing to withdraw from worldly affairs. Yet visitors from the village still came in an endless stream. Scholar Wang Ye of Qianzhai composed a poem describing the scene: "Forsaking the refined pleasures of forest and spring, by the village edge he raised a thatched hut. Two small windows inhale and exhale the sun and moon, a humble chamber embraces heaven and earth. Autumn chrysanthemums grow weightier with dew, pine breezes warm his midday nap." Master Zhu practiced seated meditation (zuowang) and embryonic respiration (taixi) year-round, adhering to orthodox cultivation while avoiding heterodox methods. Years later, he met Emperor Lizong, who honored him as "Eminent Scholar of the Ningshen Hermitage" and later personally inscribed the characters "Ningshen" (凝神, Concentrated Spirit), which became the hermitage's name.

Biographies

Master Shu

Master Shu, named Daoji, lived during the Tang Dynasty and grew up in Wuzhou as a Daoist priest (huangguan shi) of Chisong Mountain. Beyond self-cultivation, he amused himself with poetry, earning admiration from renowned scholars. While wandering the rivers and lakes, he left inscribed verses wherever he traveled. Though recommended for official posts, he always brushed off summons as if fearing contamination. Deliberately concealing his brilliance and avoiding fame, he called himself "Huayinzi" and was a close friend of Chan Master Guanxiu (Master Chanyue). Morning and evening, he paid respects at the shrine of the Two Imperial Lords, seeming to commune with the divine. People could never discern whether he had attained the Dao. One of his poems reads: "Ancient pines still stand at Chisong's source, the temple amid pines clear to see. All men have brothers, but who can refine into immortals? Only a pair of cranes soaring skyward, a flock of sheep petrified in eternal slumber. To this day, the waters of the cinnabar well perfume the mountain fields." Later, he practiced grain avoidance (bigu) and passed away without illness. Years after, he was reportedly seen again on Mount Chicheng.

Master Chongzhen Dong

Master Dong, named Weizi, was diligent in study but indifferent to livelihood, dwelling in seclusion at Chisong Mountain. Well-versed in scriptures (jingpin), he often had spiritual insights. Contemporary dignitaries repeatedly recommended him to the court based on his reputation...

The Records of Chisong Mountain in Jinhua documents the deeds of three eminent Daoist masters:

The first was Huang Guanshi (a term for Daoist priests), who gained imperial favor through his profound expositions of scripture at a temple ceremony. Awarded an official ordination certificate, he became a priest at Chisong Mountain and was later granted the title "Commander of Penetrating Truth" along with purple robes denoting high rank. After overseeing affairs at the Central Taiyi Temple in the Eastern Capital, he petitioned for mountain reclusion during Emperor Zhezong's Yuanyou era (1086-1094). The court exceptionally permitted him to retain governance of Baoji Abbey.

The second master was Perfected Huang of Purple Void Cavern-Numen, originally named Huang Yanda (courtesy name Xingke), a local adept. A polymath versed in Tang-Song poetry, he received secret arts from a master and mastered diverse Daoist methods. Renowned for healing and efficacious prayers, he was venerated as "Perfected Huang." During Southern Song's Shaoxing period (1131-1162), he administered an abbey for thirty years—revising regulations, expanding temple lands, and constructing a "Hall of Numinous Mechanism" for Neidan (internal alchemy) practice. In leisure, he cultivated refinement through qin zither and chess.

The third was Master Supreme Joy, born Sheng Kuang (courtesy name Yuanfang) of Hangzhou. Beginning Daoist training at ten in Jinhua's Three Caverns, he moved to Chisong Mountain by fifteen. A gifted poet who authored Huasong Verses, he excelled in Neidan cultivation. Summoned during Shaoxing era for mastering the "Severing the Crimson Dragon" method (a women's alchemical practice to cease menstruation), he discoursed on the Dao before the emperor. After collating Daoist scriptures and receiving travel funds, he built "Sunward Hermitage" for secluded practice. Particularly adept in Yijing studies, he frequently debated scholar Liu Dabian, naming his cultivation site "Nest of Supreme Joy."

(Note: "Silent meditation and internal refinement" refers to quiet Neidan practice, while "registering names on purple tablets to subdue demons" denotes the Daoist belief that enrollment in celestial registers confers power over malevolent forces.)

This passage records the biographies of several renowned Daoist masters during the Southern Song Dynasty:

The Lady Wei (Nanyue Lady Wei) peacefully passed away in meditation at the age of over seventy.

Master Chonghe Zhou Dachuan:

• Style name Juji, sobriquet Chengzhai, he began cultivating the Dao from childhood
• Summoned by Emperor Ningzong due to his eminent virtue, he resided in the Hall of Eminent Scholars
• Successfully petitioned for tax exemptions for Daoist temples
• In his later years after returning home, he still managed temple affairs and personally repaid temple debts
• Maintained a profound friendship with Master Tongmiao Yi Rugang
• During the Jiading reign period (1208-1224), both received ivory tablets and the honorary title "Master" (Xiansheng) from the emperor
• Imperial calligraphy was preserved in the Royal Script Pavilion of Chonghe Abbey

Daoist Registrar Wu Yanghao:

• Possessed encyclopedic knowledge with photographic memory
• Befriended the recluse Yang Xiuwen
• Gained great renown during the Shaoding era (1228-1233) and was summoned to oversee Taiyi Palace
• Rose to become Left Capital Daoist Registrar (a senior Daoist official position)
• Passed away in his seventies

Master Zhu Zhichang:

• Style name Jiudao, sobriquet Cishan
• Mastered Confucian classics while integrating Buddhist and Daoist teachings, maintaining lifelong vegetarianism
• Followed the cultivation methods of the legendary immortal Chisongzi
• Served twice as abbot of major temples
• In the Bingchen year of Baoyou era (1256), summoned to preside over Yuchen Abbey on Maoshan
• Later transferred to Chongxi Abbey by Emperor Lizong upon recommendation from Minister Gao Shi

(Note: "Harmonized Purchase" refers to a Song Dynasty taxation practice; "ivory tablets" were ceremonial objects used by officials at court; "Daoist Registrar" was an official position overseeing religious affairs)

This passage documents several significant historical events and imperial edicts related to the sacred Daoist site of Chisong Mountain in Jinhua:

Regarding the Taoist priest of Yousheng Temple:

A certain priest gained imperial favor through his consistently efficacious prayers for rain and clear weather, leading to his promotion to Left Street Jianyi (a Daoist official position). During the Kaqing era when Mongol troops invaded southward, the emperor ordered him to summon ghostly soldiers through ritual altars—an effort that proved successful. Consequently, he was awarded the higher-ranking position of Left Street Daolu along with precious gifts including an ivory tablet and incense boxes. By 1263 (the fourth year of Jingding), when the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) lineage of Maoshan lacked a patriarch, the emperor personally issued an edict appointing this I Ching-expert priest as the 41st-generation lineage master.

Concerning the title of Chisong Zhenjun (Perfected Lord):

The 1099 imperial edict (second year of Yuanfu) states that Chisong Zhenjun—legendary rain master and teacher of Shennong—could simultaneously govern both rain and sunshine, responding faithfully to all petitions. To honor his spiritual efficacy, he was specially granted the title "Perfected Lord of Soaring Emptiness at Chisong."

Regarding the titles of brothers Huang Chuqi and Huang Chuping (collectively known as Immortal Huang):

The 1189 edict (16th year of Chunxi) recounts how these Jin-dynasty brothers cultivated the Dao in seclusion at Jinhua Mountain, performing miracles including "commanding stones to become sheep" and curing diseases with well water. In response to petitions from local citizens, the elder brother Huang Chuqi was titled "Perfected Being of Purity Response," while the younger Huang Chuping received "Perfected Being of Nourishing Simplicity."

The mentioned "commanding stones into sheep" refers to the famous Daoist legend of Huang Chuping transforming rocks into livestock, while "Shangqing scriptures and registers" denotes the crucial talismanic transmission system of the Maoshan lineage. These imperial honors reflect both the Song court's veneration of Daoism and Jinhua Mountain's status as a paramount Daoist sacred site.

This passage primarily documents the stone inscriptions and canonical texts at Jinhua Chisong Mountain (a sacred Daoist site), along with the honorific titles bestowed upon two Perfected Persons (Zhenren). Here's an accessible explanation:

Regarding the honorific titles of the two Perfected Persons:

The deeds of you brothers have been recorded in historical texts, like stones transforming into living beings and elixirs preserving the true fire (referring to cultivation achievements). Capable of riding clouds and summoning rain or sunshine, your legacy continues to be venerated at Baoji Temple (a Daoist monastery). Therefore, special titles are conferred:

• The original title "Perfected of Chongying" is elevated to "Perfected of Chongying with Pure Perception"
• The original title "Perfected of Yangsu" is elevated to "Perfected of Yangsu with Pure Rectitude"

This imperial decree was issued on the 10th day of the 12th month in the 3rd year of the Jingding era (1262 CE).

Catalog of Stone Inscriptions (with locations noted in parentheses):

1. Stele of Laojun's Sacred Image

2. Stele of Imperial Honors for the Two August Lords (at the Two August Lords Shrine)

3. Stele of Zhenwu's Admonitions to the World (at Zhenwu Hall)

4. Stele of Imperial Calligraphy of the Orchid Pavilion

5. Stele of Imperial Ritual Offerings (documenting royal sacrifices)

6. Stele of Imperial Incense (at Chenhan Hall)

7. Baoji Temple Stele (composed by Master Zhang Xujing)

8. Sanqing Hall Stele (composed by Lu Shuo)

9. Stele Recording the Transmitted Elixir

10. Stele Praising the Transmitted Elixir (composed by Li Ye)

11. Stele of the Gathering Immortals Pavilion Record

12. Chisong Mountain Stele (calligraphy by Li Yangbing)

13. Stele of Longevity (erected in the 4th year of Xiancheng, Tang Dynasty)

14. Stele of the Yellow Emperor's Yin Convergence Scripture

15. Stele of Lesser Peach Blossom Spring

16. Stele of Transcending the Mundane

17. Stele of Ear-Washing (calligraphy by Yu Siliang)

18. Stele of the Supreme Lord's Tract on Action and Response

19. Stele of the Azure Cloud Pavilion Record (below Azure Cloud Pavilion)

20. Steles of Notable Figures' Mountain Travel Poems (numerous, scattered throughout)

21. Stele of Devotees' Longevity Retreat

22. Stele of Devotees' Distant Sun Retreat (both in the western corridor)

23. Stele of Imperial Bestowal to the Ancestral Master (at this mountain's Daoist cloister)

Catalog of Canonical Texts (with locations noted in parentheses):

1. Scripture of Master Chisong's Middle Precepts (at Chonghe Daoist Cloister)

2. Huo Ru'an's Commentary on the Kinship of the Three (at Zhancui Pavilion)

3. Commentary on the Supreme Lord's Tract on Action and Response (at Azure Cloud Pavilion)

4. Presented Commentary on the Book of Changes (at this mountain's Daoist cloister)

5. Records of Jinhua's Chisong Mountain

This text essentially serves as an inventory of cultural artifacts at a sacred Daoist site, documenting important steles and texts at Southern Song Dynasty Jinhua Chisong Mountain, reflecting the flourishing Daoist culture of that period. The mentioned "Perfected Persons" are Daoist honorifics for accomplished adepts, "imperial honor steles" record royal commendations, and "jiao" refers to Daoist sacrificial rituals.