《甘水仙源錄》Vol. 2

This stele inscription records the cultivation deeds of the immortal master Liu (a Daoist honorific title for realized adepts). It begins with grand cosmic imagery describing the realm of Dao cultivation: To grasp the primordial Qi (qimu, the mother of energy) of heaven and earth, absorb the primal essence (yuanjing), and explore the mysteries of the primordial chaos requires attaining a transcendent, sage-like state beyond ordinary human capability.

Master Liu came from an eminent family in Donglai, Shandong, whose ancestors were commended by the Song court during the Taiping Xingguo era for their philanthropic deeds. Born with a celestial affinity, he displayed exceptional virtue from childhood. His filial devotion to his widowed mother became legendary, and he resolved to neither marry nor pursue official career, detesting worldly splendor while maintaining purity like the undifferentiated state before creation (xiyi). No mundane temptations could shake his devotion to the Dao.

In spring 1169 (the 9th year of Dading era under Emperor Shizong of Jin), Master Liu inscribed two gatha verses high on a neighbor's wall with fresh ink yet left no signature. The closing lines—"Wuguan nurtures true nature in immortal lands / There must dwell deathless beings of eternal life"—contained profound mysteries. That year on the Double Ninth Festival, Wang Chongyang (the founding patriarch of Quanzhen tradition) arrived with his three senior disciples—Qiu Chuji, Tan Chuduan and Ma Yu. Master Liu hurriedly lit incense to greet them. Patriarch Wang smiled at him saying: "Do you understand the ink traces on the wall?" The three disciples exchanged knowing smiles. Only then did Master Liu realize the verses he'd written earlier manifested the patriarch's spiritual power (shentong).

The term "Wuguan" refers to the Liu ancestral homeland, while "maojin" cryptically indicates the Liu surname, and "remnant eminence of fiery Han" hints at his descent from Han dynasty royalty. This encounter became a celebrated Quanzhen episode of spiritual awakening (dianhua), exemplifying the Daoist pedagogical method of "miraculous manifestation" (shentong bianxian).

The people of that time were deeply moved by his sincerity. This disciple (referring to Ma Yu) harbored incomparable devotion, making vows as if carved into his bones, reverently holding the ritual table, staff, and washing utensils to serve at the side of Patriarch Wang Chongyang, following him through life and death. The Patriarch admired his diligence, praised his focused cultivation, and was particularly struck by his transcendent aura, exclaiming: "Like the moon amidst pines or snow upon bamboo—such purity should never be tainted by worldly turbidity."

The Patriarch gifted him a poem:

"Returning from fishing, I see the turtle again,

Knowing our bond aligns with immortal ranks.

The sounding oars call—they understand my heart,

Leaping from vast waves ten thousand feet high."

Inspired by the poem’s meaning, he bestowed upon Ma Yu the Daoist name "Changshengzi" (Everlasting Life Master), with the taboo name "Chuxuan" (Dwelling in Mystery) and the courtesy name "Tongmiao" (Penetrating Wonder). At the time, Ma Yu had just turned twenty.

Later, the four disciples—Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu (four of the Quanzhen Seven Masters)—became renowned across the land. They traveled to Bianliang (modern Kaifeng), lodging near Yimen (a city gate), living as ascetic beggars while concealing their identities. Morning and evening, they paid homage to the Patriarch, meditating to unravel profound mysteries and studying Danjing (internal alchemy texts) to dispel doubts, like clouds scattering or ice melting.

After the Patriarch fully transmitted the secrets of the Four Symbols and Five Phases (Daoist cultivation theory), he transcended material attachments and returned to the Dao. This was the so-called "realm of joining heart-companions on Penglai’s immortal isle." The four disciples carried the Patriarch’s immortal remains and, to repay his profound kindness, kowtowed their way through Xianyang and Huayin, finally burying him beside the old thatched hut in Liujiang Village (where Wang Chongyang once cultivated). There, each quietly kept vigil.

Among them, Ma Yu secluded himself in Luoyang, refining his nature amid worldly bustle. The clamor of markets could not disturb his inner peace; the temptations of pleasure quarters could not sway his Daoist resolve. His heart was like dead ashes in stillness, his form like withered wood untouched by spring. He ate when offered food, unperturbed if none came; he answered when questioned, silent all day if unaddressed. When his meditative power reached perfection, his body naturally radiated light.

Later, he moved near Cloud Creek, where disciples carved a cave for him into the cliff. By chance, they unearthed a well of cold spring water, astonishing all. Smiling, he said, "Dig a few feet deeper—two more wells remain, dug by me in a past life." Further digging proved him right, and the site is still called "Three Springs."

In the Bingchen year (1176), Ma Yu returned to Wuguan Village to visit his mother, their reunion joyous. At the northern foot of Taiji Mountain, he built the Lingxu Temple’s ancestral hall, planting rows of cypresses that flourished lushly. Soon, a villager falsely accused him of murder. Without protest, he calmly submitted to arrest, sitting serenely in prison.

This account records the miraculous deeds of Wang Chongyang (Daoist name Chunyangzi), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism. Once, when a prisoner had been incarcerated for nearly a hundred days, Wang Chongyang descended from heaven astride a celestial qilin beast upon hearing the chime of the jade water clock (an ancient timekeeping device), entering the prison to teach the prisoner calligraphy. Later, the true murderer confessed, and the prisoner was exonerated. After his release, the man's calligraphy miraculously transformed into fluid, dragon-and-snake-like strokes.

In the Wushen year of the Dading era (1188), while Wang Chongyang presided over a zhaijiao (Daoist purification ritual) in Changyang, colorful clouds enveloped the altar while white cranes danced in the courtyard. That autumn during a severe drought, he sincerely prayed for rain. After ascending the altar and surveying the surroundings, he declared: "Tomorrow before noon, torrential rain will surely come." The prediction proved divinely accurate. From then on, he became the presiding master of all zhaijiao ceremonies in Shandong, with each ritual featuring the wondrous spectacle of auspicious winds lifting paper money offerings skyward. These events were later carved on stone steles across the region.

By the third year of Cheng'an (1198), Emperor Zhangzong of Jin, having heard of his profound spiritual attainment, dispatched envoys with crane-emblazoned carriages and cattail-wheeled chariots (a high honor) to invite him to court. Received as a distinguished guest in the Purple Aurora Hall, Wang was granted the Daoist temple name "Xiuzhen" (Cultivating Truth). The following March, when he requested to return to his native mountains, the emperor exceptionally exempted him from court protocols, bestowing the honorific title "Lingxu" (Numinous Void) to glorify his ancestral temple.

At an auspicious hour on the sixth day of the second lunar month in the Guihai year (1203), he gathered disciples to announce his imminent journey to Langyuan (the immortal realm), then peacefully transcended with arms folded in serenity. At that moment, radiant lights swirled while auspicious qi (energy) manifested vividly. His literary legacy includes works like Celestial Music of the Great Void, Pan Yang: Dwelling in the Mundane, and Cultivating Truth in Serenity, along with commentaries elucidating the Dao De Jing and expositions on the profound mysteries of the Yin Fu Jing and Huang Ting Jing. These texts systematically capture the essence of Daoist sages, serving as exemplary models for later generations.

His disciple, Master Song Defang (styled Piyun Zhenren), inherited the transmission and engraved his master's deeds on an emerald stele at Cang Mountain. The inscription extols Wang Chongyang as the "Eternal Immortal presiding over transformative powers," documenting his celestial journeys on purple clouds, his karmic connection with Patriarch Chongyang during the celestial cycle of Jiazi, his mastery over the body's hundred passes and nine springs (esoteric energy pathways), his neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation ("plowing the three fields" refers to refining the dantian energy centers), his spiritual practice at Luoyang's Cloudy Stream Grotto-Heaven, and his profound arts of "melting white snow into powder, refining mysterious frost without smoke."

The Ganshui Xianyuan Lu (Record of Immortal Origins at Sweetwater) contains this stele inscription documenting the life of Master Changchun (Qiu Chuji), a renowned Daoist of the Jin Dynasty and one of the "Seven Northern Perfected" of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition.

Qiu Chuji, styled Tongmi, was born in Qixia, Shandong. From childhood, he displayed extraordinary intelligence, memorizing thousands of characters daily with perfect retention. Before turning twenty, he encountered Patriarch Wang Chongyang (founder of Quanzhen Daoism) at Yanzhao Cave on Mount Kunyu. Recognizing his exceptional potential, Wang bestowed upon him the poem Jinlin Song (Ode to Golden Scales), marking the beginning of his discipleship. Alongside Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, and Ma Yu, he became known as one of the "Four Perfected: Qiu, Liu, Tan, Ma."

In the ninth year of the Dading era (1169), he accompanied Wang Chongyang on a journey to Bianliang. Three years later, after Wang's ascension, Qiu Chuji and Ma Yu escorted his coffin back to Zhongnan Mountain for burial. Thereafter, Qiu retreated to seclusion in Panxi, embracing an austere ascetic life: begging for a single meal each day, wearing nothing but a straw rain cape when traveling, and abstaining from sleeping on a bed for six years—earning him the epithet "Master Straw Cape." Later, he spent seven more years in reclusion at Longmen Mountain in Longzhou, steadfastly adhering to his original vow of cultivation.

As his spiritual attainment deepened, seekers from all directions flocked to follow him. The military governor of Jingzhao, Jiagu Qingchen, personally restored Wang Chongyang's former residence, the "Ancestral Hermitage," and invited Qiu Chuji to preside there, further elevating Quanzhen's prestige. In spring of the 28th year of Dading (1188), Emperor Shizong of Jin, admiring his virtue (De), summoned him to the capital for teachings and specially built a temple west of Wanning Palace for his residence.

The text particularly describes miraculous manifestations after Qiu's attainment of the Dao (Dao): while in Fengzhou, his body emitted radiant light like golden lotuses blooming. The Lingxu Palace he established received an imperial plaque. Ultimately, transcending worldly ties, he reached the supreme state where "flesh and bones dissolved completely," attaining the freedom to wander effortlessly among the celestial realms of the eight directions.

This account chronicles the later years of Qiu Chuji (known as the Eternal Spring Master), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism, and his significant interactions with rulers of the Jin dynasty and Mongol Empire.

In 1191 (the second year of Emperor Zhangzong's Mingchang era in Jin), Qiu Chuji returned from Zhongnan Mountain to his hometown in Qixia, where he constructed the magnificent "Taixu Temple," which became the most splendid Daoist monastery in eastern China. During the Taihe period (1201-1208), the Jin Emperor's consort honored Qiu as her remote master and presented him with a complete set of Daoist scriptures. Numerous high-ranking officials vied to pay him respects, including prominent statesmen like Liu Shilu, military governor of Dinghai, and Zou Yingzhong.

When Shandong faced rebellion in 1214 (the Jiayin year of the Zhenyou era), General Pusan, the imperial son-in-law, specifically invited Qiu to assist in pacification efforts. Wherever Qiu traveled, rebels laid down their weapons and surrendered, leading to the peaceful resolution of conflicts in Dengzhou and Ninghai prefectures.

In winter 1219, Genghis Khan dispatched official Liu Zhonglu with an imperial summons inviting Qiu to court. Departing the following spring, Qiu's party passed through Juyong Pass in April, where they encountered bandits at night. Recognizing the Daoist master, the outlaws immediately kowtowed and withdrew, exclaiming, "We must not disturb the Master!" By October in Wuchuan, after submitting a memorial, Genghis Khan issued another edict urging Qiu westward, addressing him reverently as "Master" and "Perfected Person."

In April 1222, Qiu finally met Genghis Khan at the southern foothills of the Great Snow Mountains (modern Hindu Kush in Afghanistan). When questioned about elixirs of immortality, Qiu truthfully responded that only methods for nurturing life (yangsheng) existed. Their subsequent discussions on benevolence and filial piety greatly impressed the Mongol ruler. By March 1223, granted permission to return east, Qiu declined all lavish gifts, requesting only travel provisions from post stations.

Throughout his journey, thousands welcomed Qiu at each stop—so many visitors that shoes piled outside his quarters—with some weeping and clutching his horse's bridle at departures. Upon reentering Han territory, Daoist communities across the region...

This account chronicles the later years of Qiu Chuji (styled Changchunzi), the patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) lineage of Daoism. In his advanced age, he journeyed thousands of miles to Yanjing (modern Beijing), where Marshal Xuande invited him to reside at Chaoyuan Temple in Zhenzhou. The following spring, at the request of the provincial administration, he relocated to the grand Tianchang Temple in Yanjing.

The emperor held Qiu Chuji in profound reverence, inquiring about the "transcendent immortal" (referring to Qiu) through imperial envoys and decreeing: "Within all lands under our dominion, he may dwell wherever he chooses." Later, the provincial administration granted him Qionghua Island (near present-day Beihai Park) to establish a Daoist temple. Due to wartime devastation, both Tianchang Temple and Qionghua Island lay in ruins. Qiu personally oversaw restoration efforts, with all materials voluntarily donated by devotees. Within three years, the sites were completely renewed.

During Qiu's residence at Tianchang Temple, cultivators from across the land came seeking Daoist teachings, including practitioners from other lineages. During his presiding over zhaijiao (purification rituals), cranes—symbolic of transcendence—frequently appeared. When Mars displayed abnormal celestial movements, his ritual interventions restored harmony; during severe droughts, his rain prayers never failed. The capital's citizens revered him profoundly, establishing eight devotional societies including the "Changchun Assembly," spreading Quanzhen teachings far and wide.

In May 1227, an imperial decree renamed Qionghua Island as Wan'an Palace and Tianchang Temple as Changchun Palace, granting the golden tiger tally (symbolizing religious privileges) for Daoism's protection. On the twenty-third day of the sixth month, extraordinary omens occurred: the southern bank of Taiye Pond collapsed, sending waters rushing into East Lake with thunderous echoes heard for miles, while fish and turtles vanished. Simultaneously, landslides occurred at Beikou Mountain. When informed, Qiu smiled and remarked: "With mountains crumbling and ponds drying, shall I not depart with them?"

On the fourth day of the seventh month, he told disciples: "Ma Danyang [a Quanzhen founder] once prophesied our school's flourishing after my passing—all has come to pass. I harbor no regrets." As illness set in, he declined attendants' care. On the seventh day, when disciples requested a final discourse, he postponed until the ninth. That day, after composing verses of realization, he peacefully transcended at age eighty.

During burial preparations on the eve of the next year's Qixi Festival, disciples opening his coffin discovered his complexion unchanged in death. Tens of thousands of Daoist and lay devotees paid respects over three consecutive days, all marveling at this wonder. The formal interment occurred on the ninth day. These records illuminate Qiu Chuji's imperial veneration and widespread spiritual influence during his final years, alongside his prescient awareness of death and the miraculous preservation of his physical form post-death.

This passage records the life of Master Chengming, an eminent Daoist master of the Yuan dynasty. The master resided in Shuntang Hall of Baiyun Monastery (White Cloud Temple), embodying sincerity, wisdom, compassion, and frugality. Whenever military generals visited, he invariably admonished them against indiscriminate killing. He devoted himself fully to aiding those in dire straits and would always strive to rescue captives. Wherever he went, countless people were spared the ravages of war through his counsel.

His method of teaching disciples was exemplary: to those of superior capacity, he transmitted the profound truths of the Dao (the Way); to those of middling aptitude, he taught cultivation methods; and to those of lesser endowment, he imparted teachings on karmic retribution—never abandoning anyone. Thus, even during his lifetime, disciples from all directions revered him so deeply that they enshrined his portrait. At his passing, nearby disciples wept in profound grief, while those from afar rushed to mourn, grieving as if they had lost a parent. Over ten thousand attended his funeral. Among recent cultivators, such a master who perfectly embodied both De (Virtue) and blessings is exceedingly rare.

Master Chengming was not only deeply versed in Daoist scriptures but also thoroughly familiar with Confucian classics and Buddhist texts. He excelled in literary composition and poetry, yet never pursued ornate language—his writings consistently elucidated the essential principles of the Daoist tradition. Though unadorned, his works naturally attained literary excellence, with his Panxi Mingdao Ji (Collection of Panxi’s Clarification of the Dao) circulating widely.

The text also contrasts Master Chengming with Kou Qianzhi of the Northern Wei dynasty: Kou claimed to have encountered Laozi, who transmitted techniques for abstaining from grains and lightening the body, and later received authentic scriptures and talismans (Fulu) from Laozi’s descendant. Through the recommendation of the powerful minister Cui Hao, he gained imperial reverence. In contrast, Master Chengming lived in serene seclusion, free from worldly contention, until his summons to the capital—a result solely of the natural resonance of his De (Virtue).

Finally, the passage extols the master’s lifelong purity and detachment: in life, he was without desire or pursuit; in death, his Shen (spirit) remained indestructible—truly a transcendent figure rarely seen in a hundred generations. Though an ordinary Daoist by status, he moved rulers above and stirred commoners below. Without the utmost sincerity and De (Virtue) in cultivation, how could one attain such a state?

This passage contains two parts: a eulogistic inscription honoring Quanzhen Patriarch Qiu Chuji (Daoist name Changchunzi), and a memorial essay written by Confucian scholar Wu Zhang.

The inscription traces the lineage of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition, establishing the Dao as its foundation with Laozi (Xuan Yuan) as its primordial ancestor. It recounts how Wang Zhe (Daoist name Chongyang) founded the Quanzhen school, with Qiu Chuji (Changchunzi) becoming his foremost successor. The text vividly depicts Qiu's six years of austere practice at Panxi—wearing straw raincoats, using crude eating utensils—while earning widespread admiration for his virtuous character (De). Later at Longmen Mountain, he pursued the Dao with the fervor of one starving and thirsting for truth, returning in full Daoist robes.

The inscription records Qiu's audiences with Emperor Shizong of Jin who sought his wisdom, followed by constructing coastal temples for Emperor Zhangzong. During wartime upheavals, he led disciples through cloud-wrapped mountains spreading the teachings. In later years summoned to the northern court (by Genghis Khan), his return eastward saw the Dao's influence expand further. After Qiu's passing, disciple Yin Zhiping inherited the transmission.

The memorial essay, composed in the voice of Confucian scholars like Sun Zhou, laments Qiu's transcendence. It praises his early monastic achievements, his encyclopedic learning resembling a "library of the Nine Classics" (mastering Confucian texts) and wisdom like the "all-knowing turtle" (comprehending all phenomena). Though now immortalized as a "Teacher of Emperors" (having instructed Genghis Khan), he remained compassionately engaged with worldly affairs. The conclusion mourns his ascension as a celestial immortal (feixian), recalling his power to protect nations, enlighten people, and avert calamities—leaving eternal reverence.

Key references include "Chongyang" (Quanzhen founder Wang Zhe), "Changchunzi" (Qiu Chuji's Daoist name), and "Yin Gong" (disciple Yin Zhiping). The metaphors "Ninety-Eight Immortal" and "Five-Four Sage" illustrate Qiu's dual embodiment of Daoist transcendence and Confucian virtue.

This stele inscription documents the erection of a monument in 1287 (the 24th year of the Zhiyuan era during the Yuan Dynasty) in honor of Wang Chuyi (Daoist name: Yuyangzi), a patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Daoism. At the time, Li Daoqian (titled Celestial Master Tianle), who oversaw Daoist affairs across nine regions including Shaanxi and Sichuan, arrived with two Daoist masters—He Zhichong and Li Zhizhen—from the Shangqing Taiping Temple on Mount Zhongnan. They cited an imperial edict issued six years prior that instructed Zhang Zhijing, the presiding Daoist patriarch, to compile relevant historical records.

Emperor Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty issued decrees posthumously honoring key figures in Daoism: from the earliest founder, the Sovereign Lord of Eastern Florescence (Donghua Dijun), to Wang Chongyang, founder of the Quanzhen school, and his seven principal disciples, all of whom received honorary titles. Wang Chongyang was conferred the title "Perfected Lord of Chongyang, Complete Perfection, and Enlightenment," while his seven disciples received distinct titles—for instance, Ma Yu (Danyangzi) as "Perfected Being of Danyang Embracing Unity and Non-Action (Wuwei)," and Qiu Chuji (Changchunzi) as "Perfected Being of Changchun Expounding the Dao and Leading the Teachings." The subject of this stele, Wang Chuyi, was honored as "Perfected Being of Yuyang Embodying the Mysterious and Universally Liberating."

The inscription's author, Yao Sui (then a senior scholar of the Hanlin Academy), noted that among Wang Chongyang's seven main disciples—excluding the sole female disciple, Sun Buer—six already had biographies or steles dedicated to them, leaving only Yuyangzi Wang Chuyi without such commemoration. As a historian, Yao Sui emphasized the duty to record facts impartially, regardless of whether the deceased were aware or the living approved, ensuring that achievements and words were truthfully preserved for posterity to judge. Thus, he accepted the commission to compose this stele inscription, using enduring metal-and-stone script to immortalize Wang Chuyi's legacy.

This text reflects the Yuan imperial court's reverence for the Quanzhen school, leveraging the veneration of patriarchs to align with Daoist influence. It also illustrates the lineage of the "Seven Perfected Ones" in Quanzhen Daoism and exemplifies the rigorous historical scholarship of Yuan-era chroniclers.

This account chronicles the life of Daoist master Wang Chuyi. Born in Ninghai, Shandong on the 18th day of the third lunar month in 1142 (during Emperor Xizong's reign of the Jin dynasty), his mother dreamt of being enveloped in crimson clouds before his birth. At seven, he experienced clinical death followed by revival, awakening profound insights into life and death. Later, he encountered a mysterious figure (referred to as a "man of unusual abilities") seated on a boulder who conversed with him, followed by hearing a celestial voice from the sky proclaiming itself the "Lord of Mysterious Court Palace." Returning home, he exhibited extraordinary behavior—roaming barefoot with disheveled hair through markets while singing wildly—leading townsfolk to deem him mad. Though some suggested marriage, both he and his mother chose the Daoist path instead.

In 1168 (the 8th year of Emperor Shizong's reign), the 27-year-old Wang formally became a disciple of Perfected Lord Kaihua (Wang Chongyang), joining the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition. Wang Chongyang bestowed upon him the name "Chuyi" and assigned him to practice in the Misty Radiance Cave of Kunyu Mountain. His mother also embraced Daoism, taking the religious name "Mysterious Serenity Wanderer." The following year during his relocation to Mount Zha for cultivation, an extraordinary event occurred: as Wang Chongyang and four senior disciples (Ma Yu, Tan Chuduan, Qiu Chuji, and Hao Datong) passed Dragon Spring in sweltering heat, the master's parasol miraculously flew 200 li (approx. 100km) to Mount Zha. Three characters—possibly Wang Chuyi's Daoist epithet—appeared on its handle, including a unique glyph seemingly invented by Wang Chongyang himself.

Wang Chuyi subsequently undertook nine years of rigorous cultivation in Cloud Light Cave, refining both form and spirit (Xing-Shen). His fellow disciple Qiu Chuji praised his asceticism in verse: "Standing beneath scorching summer suns, sleeping embraced by winter snows"—a discipline so profound it nearly achieved the legendary states of being "unscathed by fire, undampened by water." During his travels across Shandong, he demonstrated numerous spiritual powers (Shen Tong): liberating wandering souls, exorcising demons, splitting boulders, astral projection, controlling wind and rain, summoning cranes by cooking chickens, and even reviving the dead. These records vividly portray the intense cultivation practices and miraculous deeds characteristic of early Quanzhen practitioners.

This account records several miraculous deeds of the Jin Dynasty Daoist master Wang Chuyi, known as the Jade Yang Perfected Being (Yuyang Zhenren). In one episode, white-haired elders and young children alike flocked to visit his thatched hermitage, prompting accusations that he used illusions to bewitch the people. When officials summoned him and tested him with poisoned wine, the Perfected Being instructed his disciples beforehand to dig a pool and fill it with turbid water. At the banquet, he drained the poisoned cup in one gulp, then remarked: "As a poor man, I never beg from others. Today I'm honored by your hospitality—might I request another cup to celebrate?" Returning home, he disrobed and bathed in the prepared pool. Soon the water boiled away completely, having drawn out the poison. He survived unharmed, though his hair fell out, leaving him unable to wear a cap.

Emperor Shizong of Jin summoned him to the capital Yanjing, lodging him at the Temple of Celestial Perpetuity (Tianchang Guan). When questioned about nourishing life and governing the state, the master replied: "Condense your Jing (essence) to nurture Shen (spirit), govern with reverent Wuwei (non-action). Even if Guangchengzi [the legendary teacher of the Yellow Emperor] were reborn, his advice would not surpass this." The emperor greatly admired him. Asked about the poisoned wine incident, the master said: "I bear no grudges—that was merely illness manifesting." When courtiers accused him of sorcery, Shizong personally tested him with poison and found him unkillable. Regretful, the emperor banished the slanderers.

Later, the Perfected Being requested to return to his mountain retreat. Shizong granted lavish gifts and permission. The following year when the dying emperor summoned him again, the master foresaw his impending death and declined. Arriving on the third day of the first lunar month, he found Shizong had passed a day earlier. Emperor Zhangzong retained him to conduct Zhaijiao (purification rituals) for the deceased. Back in the mountains, a wealthy man named Liu Zhi from Laiyang—childless despite his riches—hosted the master in the sixth month but served inferior wine. The Perfected Being instructed him to fetch his household's hidden vintage. Liu discovered his wife's secret stash matched the master's description perfectly. After drinking, the master wrote four characters: "Four-Four Responding Truth," predicting a son would be born on the fourteenth day of the fourth month (the Perfected Being's birthday) the following year. When this proved true, the overjoyed family received the infant's name "Yingzhen" (Responding Truth) from the master.

In 1197 (the second year of Cheng'an), Emperor Zhangzong summoned him again. The master's health advice mirrored his earlier counsel to Shizong, earning him purple robes and the honorific title "Master Who Embodies the Mysteries" (Ti Xuan Dashi), with permanent residence at Chongfu Temple and a monthly stipend. When Lü Dao'an sought to rebuild the ancestral temple of Chongyang Zhenren (Wang Chongyang) but lacked imperial authorization, the Perfected Being successfully petitioned to establish Lingxu Temple.

When Master An Chongxu initiated large-scale construction at the Ancestral Temple (an important Daoist sacred site), his mother Xuanjing, already ninety years of age, requested to return to mountain seclusion. The community honored her with generous gifts as she departed. Between the first and third years of the Taihe era, the emperor issued two decrees to conduct the Universal Heaven Zhaijiao (grand Daoist purification ritual) at the Taiqing Palace in Bozhou, ordaining over a thousand new Daoist priests. That year, Xuanjing passed away. Seven years later, while the master resided at the Jade Void Abbey of Sacred Waters, a royal consort presented him with a copy of the Daoist Canon (Daozang).

In the first year of the Da'an era, he was invited to Beijing to preside over Huayang Abbey. During a ritual ceremony (Keyi) in Yutian County, Jizhou in the Gengwu year, he told his disciples: "Do you hear the clashing of swords and shields in the air? The Qi (vital energy) of the north is about to shift, and the people may suffer calamity." That very year, armies indeed marched south. In the Bingzi year, he was invited to preside over Tianbao Abbey in Wendeng. On the twenty-third day of the fourth month the following year (Dingchou), after bathing, changing clothes, and bowing to the four directions of heaven and earth, he passed away at seventy-six. His surviving works include the Cloud Radiance Collection (Yunguang Ji).

His teachings branched extensively, far surpassing the traditional Six Schools, with tens of thousands of disciples. Among them, Perfected Yin Qinghe became a great patriarch of the Daoist tradition, regarded as an elder figure. In the Yiwei year, his grandson Liu Zhiyuan (styled Qinglingzi) was chosen to establish the Supreme Clarity Temple of Great Peace at Zhouzhi. A local named Zhang Shouzhen could recite prophecies of the Guardian Virtuous True Lord (Yisheng Baode Zhenjun), who transmitted to him the Nine Altars and Three Swords method for exorcism. Emperor Taizong of Song had previously ordered the construction of a thousand-pillared palace to enshrine the Divine Image of Numinous Radiance, destroyed during the Jin dynasty's collapse.

Qinglingzi cleared brambles and thatch to dwell there under harsh conditions, initially completing only the Fuyou Hall. His disciples, including Chen Zhixuan and nine others, successively presided over the temple. Over forty-five years, they gradually built the Halls of Universal Radiance (Tongming), Purple Tenuity (Ziwei), and Seven Primes (Qiyuan), along with the Altar of Empty Emptiness (Xuhuang Tan), Gate of Soaring Heaven (Lingxiao Men), Hall of Numinous Officers (Lingguan Tang), plus nearly two hundred additional structures including the Dharma Practice Hall (Yanfa Tang), Serene Shrine (Zhanran Ci), and Master's Hall (Fashi Dian). Though smaller than the Ancestral Temple, it became the most magnificent Daoist complex west of Tong Pass.

The original Supreme Clarity Palace (Shangqing Gong) was built during the Taiping Xingguo era of Song using imperial funds, later destroyed in warfare. Now rebuilt through Daoist efforts, it stands renewed.

This passage records the missionary activities of Wang Chongyang (known as Master Chongyang), the founder of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition, and his disciples. It describes how Wang cultivated and spread the Dao in Shandong province, after which his disciples selected geomantically auspicious sites in Guanxi (modern Shaanxi region) to establish ancestral shrines—a perfectly reasonable arrangement.

Special mention is made of seven principal disciples (though six are actually named, including one female disciple), among whom Yuyangzi (Wang Chuyi) achieved particularly remarkable cultivation. Practicing on Kunyu Mountain, he endured extreme asceticism—sleeping embraced by snow in bitter cold and standing exposed to the blazing sun in summer heat. After nine years, he attained the Dao-fruit (realization), causing even ghosts and spirits to flee his presence. Later summoned to Yanjing (modern Beijing), he expounded health preservation methods to the imperial family, often answering the emperor's questions late into the night.

Another significant figure mentioned is Haichanzi (Liu Haichan), whose name derives from the cultivation principle of "gathering the moon's essence following the solar cycle," integrating the movements of sun and moon into vital health techniques. The author laments how few in their time could truly comprehend the profound cultivation secrets of these exalted adepts.

The concluding section traces Quanzhen's spread from the eastern seaboard to the ancient western capital Haojing (modern Xi'an), establishing practice centers at sacred sites like Taiping Palace. Though Wang himself never traveled west, within a century of his passing his teachings had flourished across western regions—an unprecedented achievement among Daoist lineages. The stele inscription preserves the master's complete biography, urging future disciples to eternally honor his teachings.

(Notes: "Jin" refers to the Jin dynasty; "Imperial Yuan" denotes the Yuan dynasty; "ying" means soul or ethereal consciousness; "Zha Mountain" is an alternate name for Kunyu Mountain; "chenyi" refers to the imperial throne, representing the royal court)

After unifying the empire, the Yuan dynasty held particular reverence for virtuous scholars, bestowing honors upon accomplished Daoists whether living or deceased. In the second year of the Zhongtong era (1261), the court granted the Daoist master Wang Zhijin of Qiyun Temple on Mount Pan the title "Perfected Being of Profound Virtue Who Benefits All with Compassionate Wisdom." By the sixth year of the Zhiyuan era (1269), they posthumously honored Wang's teacher Hao Datong as "Ancient Perfected Being of Vast Serenity Who Penetrates the Mysteries."

In the third month of 1286 (23rd year of Zhiyuan), as I (Xu Yan) was about to assume my post as Judicial Commissioner of Hunan Circuit, Daoist Xu Zhigen (Daoist name Dongyang) — a second-generation disciple of Hao Datong — led a delegation from Chaoyuan Temple to visit me in Bianliang. Master Dongyang earnestly said: "We monastics possess no extraordinary qualities. That the court granted me the title 'Perfected Being Dongyang of Sincere Virtue Who Reveres the Mysteries' is entirely due to the teachings of my late master Wang Zhijin. And my master's reputation itself stems wholly from the legacy of our patriarchal teacher Hao Datong."

He continued: "The virtue of these two masters is widely known, yet requires scholarly documentation to endure. The stele inscription for my master Wang Zhijin was already composed by Academician Wang of the Hanlin Academy and carved in stone. Only the memorial for Patriarch Hao remains unwritten — a failing we disciples must rectify. I implore you to compose it."

Though I felt unworthy, fearing my superficial understanding of Daoist mysteries might produce an inadequate record that would invite ridicule, I could not refuse after repeated entreaties. Moreover, Master Dongyang shared my clan name and our longstanding friendship ultimately moved me to compile this account based on the biographical materials he provided, appending commemorative verses for the monastic community to chant.

Hao Datong, styled Taigu and bearing the Daoist name Guangningzi, came from a prosperous family in Ninghai (present-day Muping, Shandong) that ranked among the region's most prominent lineages.

This passage records the spiritual journey of Zhao Baozhen (later renamed Zhao Zhiyuan), a disciple of the Jin Dynasty Daoist master Ma Yu (Daoist name Danyangzi).

In his youth, Zhao Baozhen passed the imperial examinations and rose to the rank of Chaolie Dafu (Court Official) and magistrate of Changyi County. Exceptionally intelligent from childhood, he possessed a serene and indifferent disposition, mastering the Book of Changes (Yijing) and the arts of Yin-Yang calendrics. Admiring ancient hermits like Sima Jizhu and Yan Junping, he often made a living through divination. In the seventh year of the Dading era (1167), when Patriarch Wang Chongyang traveled from Shaanxi to Ninghai in Shandong to spread the Dao, he encountered Zhao Baozhen in the marketplace and recognized his potential for spiritual cultivation. After an exchange of profound dialogue, Zhao Baozhen was awakened and began following Wang Chongyang as his teacher.

Due to his mother still being alive, Zhao could not immediately renounce secular life. Only after her passing the following year did he formally become Wang Chongyang’s disciple, practicing at the Yanxia Cave on Mount Kunyu. He was granted the Daoist name "Lin" and the religious title "Tianranzi" (Master of Serenity). Wang Chongyang bestowed upon him a sleeveless monastic robe, hinting that he must cultivate self-realization. Later, while practicing at the Jinlian Hall in Ninghai, Zhao shattered his begging bowl, prompting Wang to gift him a new one inscribed with an enlightening poem.

In the ninth year of Dading (1169), Zhao Baozhen and Wang Yuyang went to Mount Zha to cultivate together, while Wang Chongyang took his four senior disciples—Ma Danyang, Tan Chuduan, Liu Chuxuan, and Qiu Chuji—to Bianjing (Kaifeng). Two years later, after Wang Chongyang’s ascension, Zhao journeyed west to seek out his senior brothers and attended the patriarch’s funeral on Mount Zhongnan. Tan Chuduan used a provocation tactic to awaken him against blind imitation, so Zhao set off wandering alone. On Mount Qi, he encountered a divine being who bestowed upon him the new name "Zhiyuan" and the Daoist title "Xujingzi" (Master of Emptiness and Stillness). He later practiced in Hebei before finally entering secluded meditation beneath the stone bridge of Wozhou.

This passage records the spiritual practice of Hao Taigu (Hao Datong), a renowned master of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition. For six years, he cultivated himself by the riverbank, remaining utterly still whether facing floods or enduring extreme cold and heat—his body like withered wood, his mind as calm as dead ashes. When the youngest daughter of Lord Changyi, married to Guo Changqian of Zhending, passed through Wozhou with her husband, they specially visited Hao to offer him clothing. Yet he remained indifferent, refusing the gifts, which moved Lady Guo to tears.

Later, in Luancheng, he encountered a divine being who transmitted to him the Dayi Miyi ("Secret Meanings of the Great Yi"), after which he gained the ability to predict future events with uncanny accuracy. When he lectured on scriptures at the Zhenyang Daoist temple, hundreds would gather to listen. Traveling widely to teach and transform people, he took the salvation of all beings as his mission, making the name "Hao Taigu" renowned throughout the land.

During the Mingchang era, upon returning to Ninghai, he was suddenly struck by inspiration to paint diagrams of the Yi (Book of Changes). When his disciples brought him porridge, he said, "How can I eat when inspiration is upon me?" Wielding his brush like wind and rain, he completed thirty-three profound diagrams in less than a morning, each revealing the hidden workings of heaven. Even Wang Xianzuo, a master diviner from Xianping, was so awed that he abandoned his own studies to follow Hao.

Many miraculous deeds are attributed to him—predicting the fire that would strike Hou Zizhen’s household, appearing in a dream to Wang Zhenguo of Enzhou, and more. At seventy-three, three years before his passing, he instructed his disciples to prepare his burial site. True to his foresight, he ascended as an immortal at the Xiantian Temple in the last month of the Chongqing era. His works, including Sanjiao Ruyi Lun ("On the Three Teachings Entering the Yi") and Shijiao Zhiyan ("Direct Words to Teach the World"), were compiled into fifteen volumes known as the Taigu Ji, which have been passed down through the ages.

The text concludes by noting that while Daoism originates from Laozi and Zhuangzi, later generations lost its fundamental essence, leading to fragmented schools. This account vividly portrays the life of a Quanzhen adept—his austere cultivation, supernatural foresight, and lasting literary legacy—while also reflecting certain characteristics of Daoist development during the Jin and Yuan dynasties.

During the evolution of Daoism, various sects gradually emerged—some specializing in occult techniques (fangshu), others delving into talismanic registers (fulu), some focusing on alchemical refinement (lian dan), while others emphasized purification rituals (zhaijiao). As these branches became increasingly specialized, they drifted further from the original essence of the Dao (the Way), a situation that has persisted for ages.

Then, at the end of the Jin dynasty, the True Lord Chongyang (Wang Chongyang) appeared as if from nowhere. Without formal training under any master, he suddenly attained profound enlightenment—a realization so extraordinary it seemed heaven-sent. Beginning his teachings at Mount Zhongnan, his influence spread all the way to Mount Kunyu. Gathering like-minded individuals, he guided and refined them, establishing an entirely new school—the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition.

The core principles of Quanzhen cultivation lie in: recognizing one’s original mind and illuminating one’s true nature; eliminating the seven emotions and six desires; enduring hardship with forbearance; maintaining strict self-discipline while benefiting others. This aligns perfectly with Laozi’s teaching: "Knowing strength yet abiding in gentleness, understanding brightness yet dwelling in obscurity, recognizing glory yet remaining humble." Cultivating the Dao (the Way) means continuously reducing—reducing until one attains the state of Wuwei (non-action). As Zhuangzi also said: "Let the spirit wander in serenity, harmonize the Qi (vital energy) with emptiness, preserve simplicity and ordinary mind—appearing unrestrained yet untethered. Transcend all things between heaven and earth, deeply conceal the root, and in utmost stillness, achieve perfection without display." Quanzhen embodies these very teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi.

Chongyang Zhenren first advocated this path, followed by his six disciples—Ma Yu, Tan Chuduan, Liu Chuxuan, Qiu Chuji, Wang Chuyi, and Hao Datong—whom Daoist practitioners across the land revered as the famed "Seven Masters of Quanzhen." If not by divine will, who could have accomplished such greatness? After Chongyang’s passing, his disciples spread his teachings far and wide, with many inheriting his legacy—among them, the eminent followers Fan Xuantong and Master Qiyun Wang standing out as particularly distinguished.

During the upheaval of dynastic transition, one taught in Dongping while the other traveled between Yanjing and Bianliang. They established temples, opened altars for rituals, gathered disciples to expound scriptures, and inspired reverence from nobles and commoners alike, elevating Quanzhen’s prestige to unprecedented heights. Today, Elder Dongyang (likely referring to a certain eminent master), virtuous and steadfast, inherits his master’s De (Virtue). Amidst the strife between Buddhism and Daoism and the decline of Daoist institutions, he maintains a serene and detached mind, navigating the world with humility and composure, steadfast in cultivation with unyielding diligence. Thus, he earned special imperial commendation through an edict of praise—his achievements no less remarkable than those of Qiyun Zhenren.

To trace the roots of these accomplishments—do they not stem from Chongyang Zhenren’s teachings? For those today seeking to understand his philosophy, observe his disciples; to gauge the disciples’ cultivation, study their successors. In closing, an inscription: "The eastern sea of clouds stretches boundless, where immortals flicker in and out of luminous emptiness." When Su Shi wrote these words, he deemed transcendence illusory—yet the true realm of sages surpasses time and space.

This passage depicts the Quanzhen Patriarch Wang Chongyang (styled Chongyangzi) and his six eminent disciples (Ma Yu, Tan Chuduan, Liu Chuxuan, Qiu Chuji, Wang Chuyi, and Hao Datong) practicing Daoist cultivation in the Kunyu Mountains. The opening describes the towering peaks piercing the clouds, where a mist-shrouded cave served as Chongyang's monastic center, with auspicious purple Qi (a Daoist sign of holiness) extending to the mortal realm. Each disciple possessed extraordinary qualities, as if descended from the Penglai Immortal Isles.

Particular focus falls on Hao Datong (Lord Hao), whose transcendent grace resembled the mythical luan phoenix. Having purified his heart to attain a state of void-like clarity, his inner being became luminous and transparent. Concealing his cultivation achievements with humility, he regarded wealth and status as worthless chaff, his unyielding resolve unmatched. Later receiving transmission from Wang Yuanrong, he harmonized their Daoist methods. The metaphor "sleeves or sleeveless—tailor as needed" illustrates cultivation's adaptive nature, while comparing fellow disciples to diverse rice varieties emphasizes embracing one's unique path without blind imitation.

The description of the Rainbow Bridge at Wozhou (associated with Zhang Guolao of the Eight Immortals) spanning the sky like a rainbow demonstrates the Dao's immediate presence—why seek afar? Practitioners should emulate mountains in stillness (symbolized by the Gen hexagram), sitting cross-legged for Neidan (internal alchemy) practice: at dawn swallowing auroral light to ignite the Dantian (energy center), at dusk contemplating flowing water to comprehend the Dao. When shallow questions probe profound truths, it resembles striking a great bell with a grass stalk—utterly inadequate.

Later verses praise these perfected beings who transcended fame and gain, viewing worldly people as ants while maintaining simplicity like unworked wood, yet soaring with swan-like aspirations. Through six years of rigorous cultivation, they refined the inner elixir (represented by the Yin-Yang energies of the "Charming Maiden" and "Infant"), achieving ultimate fulfillment. The conclusion laments how after the patriarch's ascension, only Xu Shenweng (possibly another master) remained to transmit the teachings, expressing melancholy over the immortals' elusive traces.

Rich with Daoist terminology and imagery—including the "River Chariot" (celestial cycles), "Mystic Frost" (elixir states), and "Yellow Sprout" (primordial elixir material)—the text embodies Quanzhen's ethos of austere cultivation and worldly transcendence.

This passage records the biographical accounts of seven important perfected beings (Zhenren) from the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition. Master Wang Chongyang, the founder of Quanzhen, attained sudden enlightenment after encountering a transcendent being at Ganhe River, subsequently establishing the Quanzhen teachings that spread across both the eastern seas and western Qin regions.

In his later years, Master Ma Danyang encountered a miraculous opportunity, relinquishing all family wealth to pursue Daoist cultivation. After a thousand days of practice, he achieved the Dao and inherited the three-knot lineage tradition. Capable of summoning wind and rain, he left behind precious teachings whose profound states remain unsurpassed by later generations.

Master Tan Changzhi was instantly cured of chronic illness upon meeting his master, thereafter dedicating himself to the Dao as a wandering ascetic. He cultivated at Mount Zhongnan and gathered numerous disciples in Luoyang before achieving feathered ascent after spreading the teachings.

Master Liu Changsheng demonstrated innate Daoist talents since childhood, receiving protection from sages. Though facing hardships while practicing on Luoyang's streets, this striking-looking adept maintained unwavering devotion until his reputation reached imperial courts, earning him a royal summons.

Master Qiu Changchun enjoyed high prestige across three dynasties. Moved by wartime suffering, he journeyed northwest to propagate the Dao before transcending at eighty-one—his spiritual attainments beyond ordinary comprehension.

Master Wang Yuyang encountered celestial affinity in childhood before becoming Wang Chongyang's disciple. His miraculous abilities reached imperial ears, while his De (Virtue) commanded mountain-like reverence.

Though born into nobility, Master Hao Guangning preferred reclusion while strictly following his master's guidance. Receiving secret I Ching transmissions from immortals, he cultivated at Woqiao for six years, harmonizing with nature's way through all circumstances.