《龍瑞觀禹穴陽明洞天圖經》

The text discusses the historical origins of Longrui Temple (龙瑞观) on Kuaiji Mountain in Zhejiang and its surrounding peaks. The main points can be understood as follows:

Longrui Temple is located fifteen li southeast of the county seat, at the very site where the legendary Emperor Yu received the Lingbao Five Talismans (灵宝五符) to control the floods. During the Tang Dynasty, in the first year of the Shenlong era (705 CE), the Huai Xian Pavilion (怀仙馆) was established here. Later, in the second year of the Kaiyuan era (714 CE), Emperor Xuanzong ordered Celestial Master Ye Fashan (叶法善) to conduct sacrificial rites at this altar, during which a divine dragon manifested. Consequently, the site was renamed "Longrui Temple" (Dragon Auspice Temple).

Kuaiji Mountain serves as the zhenshan (镇山, guardian peak) of the Yangzhou region. According to the Classic of Mountains and Seas (山海经), the mountain is rich in gold and jade, while its foothills abound with pearls and precious stones. It is also known as Mount Heng (衡山). Ancient texts describe a rock formation resembling an overturned cauldron on its summit, earning it the alternate name Mount Fuguo (覆釜山, "Inverted Cauldron Mountain"). Tradition holds that when Emperor Yu arrived in the Yue region to control the floods, he convened feudal lords on Miaoshan (苗山) to assess their merits, subsequently renaming it Kuaiji Mountain (会稽山, "Mountain of Meritorious Gatherings").

The text also records several key legends:

1. The Yellow Emperor once concealed important military texts deep within Kuaiji Mountain.

2. During Emperor Yu’s flood control efforts, while lodging overnight at Mount Heng, a deity presented him with a twelve-volume jade casket text. However, eight volumes vanished, leaving only four—the Dunjia Kaishan Tu (遁甲开山图, Chart for Opening Mountains Through Hidden Stems). After successfully taming the floods with these texts, Yu sealed them in a mountain cave.

3. The surrounding 350-li area of Kuaiji Mountain was designated the Yangming Cavern-Heaven (阳明洞天), one of Daoism’s Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens. During the Tang Dynasty, it was enfeigned as the "Eternal Prosperity Duke of the Southern Sacred Peak" (南镇永兴公).

Nearby Mount Wanwei (宛委山) also holds significant lore: Emperor Yu discovered red and white jade tablets here, along with a text inscribed in azure characters stored in a golden slip. The Annals of Wu and Yue (吴越春秋) records this peak as Tianzhu Mountain (天柱山, "Pillar of Heaven Mountain"), where a golden-slip book bound in silver and inscribed with turquoise characters was hidden. During Emperor Yu’s eastern inspection tour to Mount Heng, he sacrificed a white horse in ritual offering.

These accounts interweave Daoist sacred sites, Emperor Yu’s flood control legends, and ancient geographical records, highlighting Kuaiji Mountain’s sacred status as a Daoist grotto-heaven and blessed land.

This scripture records several sacred sites associated with immortal legends in the Kuaiji Mountain region (modern-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang):

1. The story of Yu the Great obtaining the flood-control celestial text: A man in crimson embroidered robes calling himself the "Envoy of Yuanyi Cangshui" instructed Yu to observe purification rituals (zhaijiao) at the Yellow Emperor's altar before ascending the mountain. At Stone Casket Mountain (also called Wanyu Mountain), Yu indeed discovered stone slabs inscribed with flood-control methods, thus mastering the Dao of river regulation. The cliff-faced mountain required ladders for ascent.

2. The miraculous phenomenon of Archery Mountain: Fifteen li south stands an immortal's archery stone chamber, with white target-like spots on the eastern cliff face. Locals divined rice prices by these spots—bright spots signaled cheap rice (100 coins per hu), while darkened spots meant expensive rice (1,000 coins per hu). The western side features a 2-zhang-deep stone chamber shaped like a lion's mouth.

3. The Arrowfeather Mountain legend: Named after immortal-hunting cranes that collected arrows there. Nearby Crane Mountain's cranes also helped immortals retrieve arrows.

4. Zheng Hong's immortal encounter: During the Eastern Han, woodcutter Zheng Hong found an immortal's arrow and returned it, asking only for favorable winds along Ruoye Stream to transport firewood. Thereafter, winds obeyed his needs—locals still call these "Zheng's Winds" or "Woodcutter's Winds."

5. Dragon Auspice Temple records: From Tang Kaiyuan to Northern Song Zhiping eras, annual spring ceremonies involved sending envoys to Yangming Grotto (Yu's scripture repository) to cast jade tablets (yujian) and golden dragons—key ritual objects in Daoist dragon-offering ceremonies (toulong keyi).

6. Emperor Xuanzong's immortal dream: Documented in Zhenning County records, describing how the Tang emperor dreamed of meeting immortals at Luohu Village.

(Note: "Yuanyi Cangshui Envoy" is a legendary water deity; "jade tablets and golden dragons" are essential ritual implements in Daoist ceremonies; "Yangming Grotto" ranks among Daoism's Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens.)

This passage records a marvelous tale from Daoist lore:

When imperial envoys were dispatched to seek immortal beings but repeatedly failed in their quest, one envoy encountered an elderly man during his distress. Upon learning the envoy's purpose, the old man instructed him to follow. As they walked, the elder suddenly transformed into a white rabbit and disappeared into a burrow. When the envoy excavated the hole, he astonishingly uncovered twenty-seven jade statues of divine immortals.

Before each jade effigy stood an inscribed tablet recording the immortal's name and place of attainment. For instance:

• Zheng Siyuan achieved the Dao (Dao) at Mount Tai
• Xun Anli attained enlightenment at Mount Hua

The envoy transported these sacred images back to the capital, where they were enshrined in the imperial Daoist sanctuary (a royal cultivation space). This account was documented in the second month of 1114 by Ye Shu, a specially recommended scholar from Yuezhou who served as assistant instructor in Weizhou.

The text derives from the "Illustrated Scripture of Yangming Grotto-Heaven at Yu Cave in Longrui Temple." Here, "Yu Cave" refers to legendary caverns left by Yu the Great during his flood control efforts, while "Yangming Grotto-Heaven" designates one of Daoism's Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens located at Mount Kuaiji (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang). This narrative primarily recounts the extraordinary discovery of these immortal jade statues.