《甘水仙源錄》Vol. 6

This Master Li (Li Zhongmei) was originally from Yueshan. His father Li Zhen had held an official position. As the second son, he was born in the Dading year of Jichou (1169) during the Jin dynasty and didn't learn to walk until age five. Growing up exceptionally intelligent, he developed a forthright and unyielding character, always upholding righteousness. When encountering cunning villagers, he would sternly rebuke them with moral conviction, earning both respect and fear from the community.

He once indulged freely in wine, finding nothing in the mundane world worth attachment. At thirty-seven, he suddenly awakened: "Rather than drowning in worldly dust, why not transcend ordinary life!" During this time when Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) Daoism flourished, he sought a master but didn't know whom to approach. By chance, Master Yang the Bixu Zi (Azure Void Master) was administering affairs at the Chongyang Ancestral Temple. When Li paid his respects, Bixu Zi—skilled in physiognomy—immediately recognized his potential for Daoist cultivation. However, considering his family obligations might hinder complete renunciation, the master initially sent him home, advising only to accumulate good deeds.

Returning home, Li resolutely bid farewell to relatives, abandoning wife and children to prepare for monastic life. When his wife mocked him, he remained unperturbed; when his father reprimanded him, he patiently explained Daoist principles until his father became converted. Eventually both father and son took refuge under Bixu Zi's guidance. Recognizing Li's extraordinary bearing, the master bestowed upon him the Daoist name "Shouning" (Guardian of Serenity) and the religious epithet "Wuyu Zi" (Master Without Desire).

After ordination, he wandered markets barefoot and disheveled, begging for alms—people called him "Wine-Drinking Li." Daily he took relieving suffering as his mission while deeply investigating profound mysteries. During the Daan year of Gengwu (1210) when Shaanxi suffered severe drought and famine with corpses littering roads, Li told disciples: "How can we bear to remain indifferent?" Knowing fellow villager Zhao Sanlang was the region's wealthiest man, Li persuaded him to organize famine relief.

This passage records several biographical accounts of the Yuan dynasty Daoist priest Zhao Wu (Daoist name "Elder Run Guo"). During a regional famine, Zhao opened granaries to relieve the starving populace. Together with Qi Zhidao and others, he prepared congee day and night for the impoverished and sick, providing daily sustenance to over a hundred people. When local wells dried up and people despaired, he secretly prayed to the divine, resulting in the successful excavation of a new spring. His relief efforts continued until the autumn harvest. Zhao consistently maintained humility, never seeking recognition for his good deeds, quietly departing after completing his charitable work.

Later, local officials reported his deeds to the imperial court, which honored him with the title "Elder Run Guo." While residing in Xingping, he made a thousand-day pact with local villagers. During this period, his remarkable demonstrations of Daoist practice attracted numerous visitors from Chang'an. When the agreed period concluded, local official Jiagu Gong and several village elders entreated him to oversee Longxiang Temple south of the county, where he remained for five years. In the Gengchen year of Xingding (1220), he moved to Louguan Terrace on Zhongnan Mountain, then relocated five years later to Danxia Temple in Jingzhao Prefecture. During this time, following his master's instructions, he supervised the construction of Bixu Temple in Sanyuan, establishing proper regulations wherever he went.

In spring of the Wuzi year of Zhengda (1228), the abbot of Bixu Temple's ancestral hall, recognizing Zhao Wu's virtue and prestige, voluntarily yielded his position to him. During the subsequent Guanzhong unrest, Zhao led soldiers and civilians to seek refuge in the southern mountains. When food supplies were exhausted and cannibalism erupted, someone exclaimed, "This is the virtuous Master Li (Zhao Wu)!" The crowd followed him out of the mountains to safety. By spring of the Gengyin year (1230) in Nanyang, he had attracted numerous followers. At that time, Chongxu Zhenren Li Gong and Dongzhen Ren Yu Gong in Bianliang petitioned for Zhao to oversee Danyang Temple.

After Bianliang submitted to Mongol rule in the Guisi year (1233), political turmoil erupted suddenly, resulting in many innocent people being implicated and executed. Trapped in watery marshes with an elder priest facing mortal danger, Zhao calmly declared, "Our daily spiritual practice has prepared us precisely for this moment. Life and death are natural occurrences—what is there to fear?" They ultimately survived. Later, when the city's food supplies were exhausted and desperate citizens rushed northward, ferry guards blocked the crossing, causing tens of thousands to starve or drown. Zhao first arranged for Dongzhen Ren to cross, then discreetly persuaded the guards, ultimately enabling the remaining populace to escape. After reaching Xinwei, disciples flocked to him, marking the beginnings of what would become renowned temples like Lingxu Temple and Tianqing Temple.

The following year when leading disciples to Yanjing (modern Beijing), he encountered Yin Zhiping (Qinghe Zhenren) overseeing the Quanzhen order. During discussions about Chongyang Temple's ancestral affairs, though everyone recommended Zhao to lead, he modestly declined while continuing to offer advice for Daoism's development.

This passage records several significant deeds of Master Zhiyuan, the abbot of Chongyang Temple. Upon his return from the east through Shandong and Henan, people from nobles to commoners lined the roads to welcome him. Some offered Daoist temples and hermitages, others volunteered to become his disciples, and still others donated money and goods. Yet he accepted nothing, instead transferring all offerings to Chongyang Ancestral Temple (the founding temple of the Quanzhen [Complete Perfection] tradition).

At that time, the Guanzhong region had just emerged from war and social unrest. Master Zhiyuan used benevolent words to guide the people, gradually pacifying the violent atmosphere. Later, as prisoners from southern battles were continuously transported north, he carefully inquired about their circumstances. For those with virtuous inclinations, he provided extensive guidance to convert them to Daoism. Those truly unwilling to submit were ransomed through his arrangements and issued documents granting freedom to leave—though many, deeply moved, chose to stay voluntarily.

Though frequently traveling between Chongyang Ancestral Temple and Yuqing Palace, Master Zhiyuan remained devoted to the ancestral temple's development. In autumn 1236, he received a letter from Master Yin Zhiping (Qinghe Zhenren) authorizing him to oversee the burial arrangements for founding patriarch Wang Chongyang, while simultaneously being appointed by Patriarch Li Zhenchang to manage ancestral temple affairs. That October, he was further summoned to supervise Chongyang Temple. The following year, when local scholars planning to build a Confucian temple lacked roof tiles, he immediately supplied all materials, earning widespread admiration.

In spring 1240, Master Zhiyuan was honored by the emperor with the title "Wuyu Guanmiao Zhenren" (Perfected Being of Desireless Wonder-Contemplation). That autumn, when over a hundred servants of Chief Steward Hao in Hebei were discovered plotting to flee south—a capital offense—he rushed overnight to intercede, ultimately securing their pardon. The next year, when hundreds in the city secretly organized another escape attempt and authorities prepared public executions as deterrence, his counsel limited punishment to ringleaders. When Grand Tutor Yila Baojian sought to bury two maids with his deceased mother, Master Zhiyuan cited ancient rites to dissuade him, thereby abolishing the Khitan tradition of human sacrifice.

In spring 1246, Master Zhiyuan participated in the imperial Putian Dajiao (Great Universal Ritual) held in Yanjing. Returning from Bianjing that April, he was invited by local officials to preside over Danyang Temple. Master Wang Zhijin (Qiyun Zhenren) led a grand welcoming party outside the city, though Master Zhiyuan appeared preoccupied at the time.

This passage records the life of the eminent Daoist master Wuyu Zhenren (True Man Without Desire) during the Yuan dynasty. At the time, the Southern Song army was advancing toward the capital, creating a perilous situation. The following autumn, Wuyu Zhenren returned to the imperial palace, and in the eighth lunar month, he was granted the honorary title "Xuanwei Zhenren" (True Man of Mysterious Subtlety) by the emperor, along with ceremonial robes and other honors.

In the spring of the Jiashen year, the Daoist Patriarch (referring to the leading Daoist authority of the time) summoned Wuyu Zhenren to assist with state rituals. Though already eighty-six years old, Wuyu did not refuse. By the time he arrived at the temple, he had fallen seriously ill. He entrusted his affairs to his junior disciple, Yan Zhen Dashi (Great Master of Extending Truth) Zhang Zhiyue, and instructed his disciples to acknowledge the Patriarch as their grand initiation master (a senior transmission master). On the twenty-sixth day of the sixth lunar month, Wuyu Zhenren left behind a eulogy at Changchun Fanghu (a Daoist cultivation site) before achieving "feathered transformation" (the Daoist term for passing away). His disciples escorted his coffin westward for burial in the ancestral graves at Zhongnan Mountain.

The following year, Zhang Zhiyue dispatched his disciples Li Zhi'an and Chen Zhiyuan to compile a biographical account (xingzhuang) of Wuyu Zhenren’s life and requested the Patriarch’s permission to carve a commemorative stele. At the time, Daoning happened to be present, and the Patriarch assigned him the task of composing the inscription, saying: "Wuyu presided over the Ancestral Temple (the central Daoist shrine) for many years. Now that you are succeeding him, you know his deeds best—it is only fitting that you write this." Daoning accepted without further refusal.

The text offers this assessment of Wuyu Zhenren: As a leading figure in Daoism, he was upright and independent, inheriting an authentic lineage and cultivating profound attainment. He governed others with benevolence and virtue, always stepping forward in times of hardship and aiding those in distress without hesitation. When asked about the secrets of spiritual cultivation, he consistently encouraged earnest accumulation of practice. For those capable of discussing profound Daoist principles, he would converse late into the night without tiring, and even when instructing novices, he taught with patience and care. He particularly enjoyed engaging with renowned scholars and officials, setting aside status to interact as equals. In conversation, he could swiftly discern his interlocutor’s level and respond with precision. Though strict with himself, he balanced dignity with warmth in his dealings with others.

This passage records the memorial text composed by Master Ziyang (an honorific title for accomplished Daoist practitioners) in honor of Master Wuyu (No-Desire), consisting of two main sections:

The first part describes a cultivator named Li Gong. For four or five years, this practitioner cultivated in humble surroundings while demonstrating miraculous transformations, though the author expresses concern that direct accounts might be dismissed as fanciful. This cultivator's daily words and deeds transcended worldly norms, with the inscription praising him thus: wholly devoted to cultivation, resolute in will, impeccable in conduct; adept at handling complex affairs without deliberate scheming, steadfast in aspiration while leading by example. Such a person likely wearied of worldly turmoil, seeking instead the carefree existence of the immortal realms.

The latter section meticulously records the memorial text by Master Ziyang (Yang Huan), a retired official. Composed on the twenty-third day of the first lunar month in the Yimao year of the Mongol era at a capital city inn, it reminisces about his friendship with Master Wuyu. He recounts how Master Wuyu (also called Venerable Wu) maintained noble character, often chanting poetry amid mountain breezes and moonlight around Songshan's Shaoshi Peak, keeping company with luminaries like Li Bai and Kong Chaofu, living with the same untrammeled freedom as Tang dynasty recluse Zhang Zhihe. Yang humbly claims inferiority to these famous scholars, having been close only with two true practitioners—Dongzhen and Wuyu. The text recalls their life-and-death pledges during wartime upheavals, and describes the master's piercing gaze and all-night discourse before his passing. It concludes with poignant descriptions of grief upon hearing of the master's ascension, and the solemn simplicity of traveling afar with plain white funeral carriages to pay respects, expressing inconsolable sorrow at this eternal parting.

Note: The phrase "concentrating Qi to attain pliancy" derives from the Dao De Jing, referring to focused essence cultivation achieving a state of harmonious suppleness; "Land of Immortals" denotes the celestial abodes of perfected beings; while "feathery transformation" serves as the Daoist elegant expression for the passing of realized adepts.

This stele inscription records the life of the eminent Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) Daoist master Feng Zhiheng. Known by his courtesy name Botong and Daoist name Jizhao, Feng descended from the prestigious Feng clan of Tongzhou's Fengyi district in Shaanxi, tracing his lineage to the Prince of Ying from the Five Dynasties period. Endowed with exceptional intelligence, he attained the jinshi degree in his youth and was recommended to study at the Imperial Academy in the capital around age twenty, though he twice failed the palace examinations. When warfare erupted during the Chongqing era, he returned home to find solace in poetry and literature, abandoning official ambitions.

Though local military governor Ao Tunsu sought to appoint him as an instructor, Feng gracefully declined. Later, as Mongol armies advanced westward, he crossed the Yellow River northward to live in reclusion at Dexing. In 1223 (Guiwei year), when Changchun Zhenren (Eternal Spring Perfected Person) Qiu Chuji returned from Central Asia, Feng—having long studied Daoist scriptures with deepening insight—experienced immediate awakening upon meeting the master. Through an introduction by Li Zhichang (Zhenchang Zhenren), Qiu recognized Feng's extraordinary potential, prophesying: "This man shall surely shoulder the responsibility of revitalizing our Daoist tradition."

Before his ascension, when disciples inquired about succession, Qiu publicly designated Feng as inheritor of the Daoist lineage. Feng later assisted Yin Zhiping (Qinghe Zhenren) in assuming leadership. During the succession ceremony, when Yin modestly declined, Feng boldly breached protocol to complete the enthronement rites, ensuring Quanzhen's continued flourishing. In 1235 (Yiwei year), as Yin embarked on western missionary journeys, he sent Feng a letter using seasonal metaphors to emphasize timely cultivation—warning against both elderly complacency and youthful laxity. These accounts reveal Feng's pivotal role in safeguarding Daoist transmission.

Those who had achieved cultivation had departed, while those yet to attain the Dao continued to arrive in succession. You must act decisively, for the opportune moment must not be opposed. Upon receiving the letter, this Perfected One (referring to the subject) pondered silently: Perfected Zhenchang (a Daoist master) had presided over religious affairs for ten years. This matter was known not only among Daoist followers but also understood from the celestial immortals above to the common folk in the mountains below—this was truly the arrangement of Heaven's will, how could mere mortal intentions alter it?

In the year Dingyou (1237), Perfected Qinghe was summoned to return to the temple. Following the Qinghe rituals established in the early Yuan dynasty (1215), the subject restored and maintained them according to traditional rites, establishing the Zhidiao (a Daoist purification ritual, Zhaijiao) and completing it flawlessly. Thereafter, Perfected Qinghe was able to retreat into seclusion for self-cultivation, wandering freely in the realm of absolute ease, while Perfected Zhenchang took on the heavy responsibility of religious affairs with unobstructed wisdom. These two eminent Daoists, whether advancing or retreating, were able to uphold the true Dao—this was truly due to the subject's indispensable assistance.

Earlier, when summoned to instruct eighteen noble youths, the subject selected gentle and virtuous companions from distinguished families to study alongside them, guiding them through classics such as the Classic of Filial Piety, Analects, Mencius, Doctrine of the Mean, and Great Learning. Through oral instruction and heart-to-heart teaching, the innate goodness of these students gradually manifested, and they came to understand that governing the world begins with rectifying the heart and cultivating sincerity. Later, these students indeed achieved success, not only gaining imperial appointments but also earning the admiration of scholars for their combined talent and virtue.

The subject also persuaded Lord Wang, the Pacification Commissioner, to convert the Bureau of Military Affairs into a Temple of Confucius (Xuan Sheng Miao), and dispatched his disciple Xue Deju to restore the Martial Temple and oversee sacrifices. He further established the Five Peaks Temple (Wuyue Guan) and over ten Daoist hermitages as places for monastic cultivation. In the tenth month of the Gengzi year (1240), the Grand Tutor of Jingzhao and Field Marshal Tian, among others, invited Perfected Qinghe to preside over the reburial ceremony for Patriarch Chongyang (Wang Chongyang, founder of the Quanzhen tradition). The subject accompanied and assisted him. Along the three-thousand-li journey from Yanjing to Shaanxi, whenever they encountered dilapidated Daoist temples, they restored them—over a hundred in total, with inscriptions composed by the subject for twelve or thirteen of them.

In the Wushen year (1248), Grand Master Zhenchang, following precedent, was bestowed the golden-hemmed purple robe (a high-ranking Daoist garment), promoted to Chief Daoist Registrar (Du Dao Lu) of the religious order, entrusted with overseeing all religious affairs, and granted a new honorific title in recognition. When preparations were made to establish the School of Mysteries (Xuan Xue, a Daoist academy), the subject once again devoted himself wholeheartedly to nurturing future generations.

This passage records the profound Daoist friendship between the Yuan dynasty master Li Zhichang (Daoist name Jizhao) and his companions. Li attained his "feathered transformation" (the Daoist term for a practitioner's passing) on the twenty-third day of the eighth month in the Jiayin year at age seventy-five, and was buried southwest of Wuhua Mountain on the twenty-sixth. The day after the funeral, his friends Xue Deju and Yao Zhixuan brought records of his life to request an epitaph.

The text recounts their thirty-five years of deep camaraderie: they became immediate kindred spirits upon first meeting, with Li introducing his friend to study under the Vast and Great Perfected (referring to Qiu Chuji), practicing the Dao together. Later, Li even built a dwelling for his companion beside the Daoist temple. During their association, eminent scholars like Liang Dounan, Chen Xiuyu, and Wu Deming frequently visited, all praising Li's statesman-like talents.

Notably, in the ten days surrounding Li's passing, his friend repeatedly encountered him in dreamlike visions, suggesting the interconnected spiritual realms of advanced practitioners that transcend physical limitations. Some attributed this to their shared Confucian background, but the author considers such interpretation too narrow. Li's memorial text states: "For thirty-five years we walked together—not drawn by power, nor gathered by wealth. Though no words were spoken at our first meeting, our hearts already resonated. Now you reveal the traces of life and death—how could ordinary minds fathom such mystery?"

The concluding inscription extols Li Zhichang: "Majestic and upright, he assisted the Mysterious Gate (Daoism), embracing all without partiality. His heart, still as water, reflected all things yet remained unchanged. He wore ritual as his robe, wisdom as his lamp, benevolence as his dwelling, and righteousness as his path. Though gifted with both talent and virtue, he lived in untimely days. Dwelling in humble quarters, he appeared foolish all day long. Though circumstances varied, the Sage's Way knows no distinction. Only upon meeting the Perfected of Eternal Spring (Qiu Chuji) did his life's true meaning shine forth."

This stele inscription records the life of Meng Zhiyuan (courtesy name Deqing, Daoist name Chongxuanzi), an eminent Daoist master during the Jin dynasty. His ancestors were originally from the Shan family of Shangjing (present-day Acheng, Heilongjiang). In the late Dading era of Emperor Shizong, they relocated to Jiaoshui in Laizhou (modern Pingdu, Shandong). As they resided in the Meng family estate, locals began using "Meng" as their surname—a common practice in ancient times when families adopted toponymic surnames.

Meng came from illustrious lineage: his great-grandfather Shan Kuang served as military commissioner of Fenyang, while his great-grandmother was the younger sister of Prince Xiyin of the imperial Wanyan clan. His great-great-grandfather Shan Kening married a county princess, served four successive Jin emperors (Xizong, Hailingwang, Shizong, and Zhangzong), rose to Grand Preceptor, and was posthumously enfeoffed as Prince of Zi with the honorific "Zhonglie" (Loyal and Ardent). His grandfather Shan Xiege declined hereditary command of a thousand households, eventually serving as vice-commander of Nanjing (Kaifeng). His father Shan Jidama inherited the thousand-household position, while his mother came from the prestigious Wulinda clan. Amid the prosperous Dading, Mingchang, and Taihe eras, when most nobles indulged in luxury, young Meng naturally gravitated toward tranquility—a temperament blending innate disposition with cultivated refinement.

The text highlights a defining act of Meng family benevolence: during the Mingchang famine, when Gao Xiang led starving masses to plunder in Jimo (Shandong), authorities ordered Meng's father to suppress them. He instead declared: "Grain means life to commoners. Starvation drives them to desperation—this is human nature. As their guardian, how can I slaughter the hungry?" By opening granaries without bloodshed, he quelled the unrest. As the ancient saying goes: "He who saves a thousand lives begets noble descendants"—perhaps Meng's later eminence as a Daoist patriarch reflected this ancestral merit.

The inscription employs celestial imagery—"spring stars encircling the North Star"—to depict Meng's moral authority. It praises his dual legacy: preserving Confucian temple traditions while establishing martial shrines, thus harmonizing civil and military virtues. Allusions to "Jing Mountain jade" and "Zhao's precious disc" symbolize his inner radiance, while references to Jiang Ziya's fishing (anticipating wise rulership) and Confucius visiting Laozi illustrate his profound Daoist mastery. The final emphasis on engraving these deeds in metal and stone underscores their enduring significance.

Composed by Li Ding (Daoist name Xuzhou) of Taiyuan, the full title—Stele Inscription for the Expansively Virtuous and Dao-Propagating Perfected Lord Meng of Chongxuan—commemorates this Confucian-Daoist synthesizer. "Chongxuan" (Twofold Mystery) denotes the supreme Daoist truth transcending binary oppositions, while "Dao-Propagating Perfected" (Hongdao Zhenren) was a Jin-Yuan era honorific for accomplished Daoist adepts.

This passage recounts the spiritual journey of a young nobleman who embraced the Daoist path. Born into an illustrious family where three of his elder brothers held high-ranking positions like Cavalry General and State-Supporting General, with other siblings all inheriting the family's prestige, he made an unconventional choice during the Taihe Guihai year (1203). When his parents arranged a marriage for him, he fled directly to Yuqing Temple in Weizhou, becoming a disciple of Quanzhen School's Eternal Spring Master (Qiu Chuji).

Recognizing the young noble's extraordinary disposition and foreseeing his future as a pillar of Daoism, the Eternal Spring Master accepted him as a disciple and bestowed upon him a Daoist name. Initially, his family suspected the local Quanzhen temple master of hiding him, but when he voluntarily returned home to declare his resolve, his parents, seeing his unwavering determination, arranged for him to practice at Lezhen Temple (later renamed Yuqing Temple).

His spiritual education extended beyond the Eternal Spring Master—he also sought teachings from Jade Yang Master (Wang Chuyi) and Great Antiquity Master (Hao Datong). The Jade Yang Master conferred upon him the Daoist name "Kaizhenzi" (Opener of Truth). During the Da'an Jisi year (1209), when the Eternal Spring Master returned from the capital and witnessed his progress in cultivation, he granted him the honorific name "Chongxuanzi" (Doubly Profound) in recognition.

Amid the chaos of the Zhenyou Guiyou year (1213) wars, his brothers became scattered, leaving their parents unattended. For three years, he cared for both parents at his residence with utmost filial devotion, maintaining these duties even after two elder brothers eventually returned. In the Jimao year (1219), when imperial envoy Liu Zhonglu summoned the Eternal Spring Master, he was among the eighteen disciples selected for the journey. During the desert crossing, while others shared responsibility for carts in pairs, he single-handedly managed his own. Pitying his hardship, Serene Harmony Master (Yin Zhiping) sought to arrange assistance, but the Eternal Spring Master observed: "I know his diligence well. Precisely by enduring these hardships first shall he achieve great accomplishments later."

Their westward journey took them to Mount Abuhan (in present-day Mongolia), where they established Qixia Temple among the local Han Chinese community. During the Guiwei year (1223), he resided at Longyang Temple in Dexing Prefecture. The following year, the Eternal Spring Master was appointed by imperial decree to preside over Yanjing's Supreme Ultimate Temple (later renamed Eternal Spring Temple). This narrative illustrates the practitioner's transformation from noble scion to Quanzhen adept, demonstrating both his unwavering filial piety during turbulent times and his tireless devotion throughout the arduous western expedition.

Wang Chongyang's disciple (founder of the Quanzhen tradition) arrived from Longyang in the Dinghai year, by which time his master had already returned to the True Dao at the age of forty-one. One day while meditating in stillness, he suddenly saw Patriarch Chongyang appear alongside Changzhen and Changchun—the Three Perfected Ones. After paying reverent homage, he stood in attendance as the Patriarch declared: "Your destined lifespan shall be seventy-five years." Changchun Zhenren added: "After fifty, you must shoulder the responsibilities of our tradition. Though duties may weigh heavily, fear them not—they shall be the whetstone that sharpens your virtue and the crucible that tempers your spirit." With these words, the Three Perfected vanished.

Suddenly he felt all his meridians open as Qi (vital energy) surged from the coccyx up to the Niwan (crown point). From that moment, his cultivation advanced daily. Within him circulated the Golden Nectar and Jade Liquor (alchemical terms for refined essences), moving between the Yellow Court (middle Dantian) and Crimson Palace (heart center)—a mystical experience beyond description. Consulting records of enlightened adepts through the ages, he found his experience perfectly mirrored theirs. Thereafter, regardless of circumstance, he maintained this state of cultivation, its joy immeasurable.

When Qinghe Zhenren led the tradition, he served as deputy administrator of Changchun Temple, advancing to chief administrator in the Wuxu year. During the Bingwu year he became temple supervisor, and in the Wushen year temporarily oversaw tradition affairs. The Jiyou year brought imperial honors—a golden crown, purple robes (emblems of high attainment), and the exalted title "Master of Ultimate Virtue, Mysterious Emptiness, and Awakening to Truth." In the Guichou year, when Great Master Zhenchang conducted imperial-commissioned ordination ceremonies, he was appointed ceremonial overseer.

After Zhenchang's ascension (Daoist term for passing) in the Bingchen year, Zhang Gong—the Virtuous and Illuminated Zhenren—succeeded as leader. Recognizing his virtue, Zhang entrusted him with the tradition's seal of authority as provisional administrator. The Wuwu autumn saw him presiding at Prime Minister Hu's grand Yellow Register Luotian Purification Ritual in Pingyang, after which he received the Zhenren title. By the Xinyou year of Zhongtong 2 (1261 CE), aged seventy-five, he had guided over five hundred disciples and established numerous temples. On the second day of the second lunar month, he peacefully departed.

Days before, knowing his time approached, he instructed disciples on final matters. Visitors found his hearing, vision and voice robust as ever, scarcely believing his end near—until his serene sitting-transformation revealed cultivation far beyond ordinary. Following his wishes, disciples interred him at Wuhua Mountain's Immortal Burial Ground three days later.

This passage records the life of Liu Daoning (Daoist name Zhenchangzi), a Daoist master of the Jin Dynasty. Born in Baideng, Yunzhong (near present-day Datong, Shanxi), he showed early spiritual inclination—disdaining childish play in favor of imitating Daoist meditation postures. As an adult, he renounced his family inheritance and in 1202 (the Renxu year of the Taihe era) became a disciple of the renowned hermit Liu Chaitou in Hunyuan County.

During his cultivation at Jinquan Temple on Mount Pingfeng, Liu Daoning endured rigorous spiritual trials. Remarkably vigorous at eighty, he maintained perfect clarity until his final moments—a testament to profound practice. Officials and commoners alike attended his grand funeral procession. His disciples compiled his biography and commissioned Wang E to compose this commemorative stele.

The inscription praises Liu's virtue through metaphors: like pliant wood that binds silk unbroken, like Mount Dizhu standing firm in torrents. For forty years he upheld the Middle Way (中正之道), attaining transcendental realization. True cultivation, the text notes, manifests not in external signs but in spiritual refinement—mastering Yin-Yang transformations (阴升阳降) until "Heaven-and-Earth become one finger, the myriad things one horse" (天地一指，万物一马), echoing Zhuangzi's mystical unity.

The stele records Liu's burial at Mount Wuhua north of Yancheng. Wang E—a Jin Dynasty jinshi scholar—particularly emphasizes how Liu, though serving as a county clerk famed for integrity, ultimately chose the Daoist path. Notes clarify terminology: "Zhenchangzi" (真常子) denotes Liu's Daoist appellation; "Hunyuan" (浑源) refers to his Shanxi homeland; while "Xuanmen" (玄门, Mysterious Gate) is a classical name for Daoism.

This passage records the life story of a Daoist Zhenren (Perfected Person who achieved spiritual cultivation). In his youth, he endured poverty without abandoning his aspirations. He practiced cultivation at Huashan's White Cloud Temple, remaining steadfast even during famines. Later, while at Taiyuan's Shenxiao Temple, a Buddhist monk donated money to him. After posting notices to locate the original owner without success, he used all the funds to aid the poor.

During the Jin Dynasty's Zhenyou era (1214 AD), he retreated to a cave in Zhang Village to avoid wartime chaos. Subsequently, official Feng Lu invited him back to Yunnei (near present-day Datong, Shanxi). Though living in humble circumstances, increasing numbers of seekers came to learn from him. In the spring of Gengchen year (1220), Gaoding, the magistrate of Hunyuan, invited him to oversee renowned Daoist temples including Longquan Temple and Jinquan Temple, where he spearheaded major restoration projects.

In autumn of Guiwei year (1223), when Quanzhen patriarch Qiu Chuji (known as Perfected Changchun) returned from the Western Regions, he greeted him as a disciple. Upon hearing about his early cultivation experiences—particularly how he sustained himself by gathering firewood—Patriarch Qiu praised him as "the Hidden Immortal among Celestials," transmitted esoteric cultivation methods, bestowed the Daoist name "Zhenchang" (True Constancy), and tasked him with establishing a monastery in Xijing (modern Xi'an). Later elected as a Daoist official (religious administrator), he handled ecclesiastical affairs with impartiality for ten years.

Spring of Bingshen year (1236) saw Quanzhen's succeeding patriarch Yin Zhiping (Perfected Qinghe) appoint him to oversee Huashan's Yuntai Temple, considering this sacred cave heaven suitable only for his leadership. Despite repeated declinations, he eventually directed disciples in extensive temple renovations. Summer of Guimao year (1243) brought another invitation from official Tian Decan and Chancellor Hu Tianlu to supervise Huayue Temple's reconstruction, which he joyfully accepted, completing the project within three to four years. Wherever he went, local people fervently sought his blessings and teachings.

In the spring of the Bingwu year (1186), the imperial court issued an edict to hold a Grand Universal Purification Ceremony (Putiandajiao, the highest-grade Daoist ritual) at the Changchun Palace in Yanjing (modern Beijing), inviting eminent Daoist masters from across the land. Master Li was among those summoned. Another Master Li presided over the ceremony and was overjoyed upon meeting him. On the Gengshen day of the fifth lunar month that summer, Master Li returned to Guhengyue (a place name). On the twenty-second day, Renwu, he summoned the local governor Gao Zhongjian and his disciple Xu Zhi'an to settle his final affairs. At noon the following day, he passed away peacefully in his sleep with arms folded, aged seventy-five.

Master Li lived during the Dading and Mingchang eras (1161–1196) of the Jin dynasty, never ensnared by worldly pleasures and transcending earthly attachments. Wherever he traveled, people were deeply moved by his presence. Though he often participated in the construction of Daoist temples, he acted only in accordance with circumstance. He composed the Song of the Ba People to edify the masses and authored three treatises—Assembly of Immortals, Responsive Manifestations, and Pantheon of Immortals—expounding on the possibility of mortals attaining immortality. Before his passing, he instructed his disciples: "Simply bury my body in the Abbot’s Chamber (Fangzhangshi), and inscribe the stele with the words 'Xiaoran' (Untrammeled)." This phrase, drawn from the Nanhua Jing (Zhuangzi), evokes the ideal of "coming and going freely," reflecting his lifelong cultivation.

While in Hunyuan (modern Shanxi), Master Li frequently associated with the scholar Wei Bangyan. After his death, his disciple Shi Zhijing recorded his life and deeds, traveling to Yanjing to request Wei to compose an epitaph. Wei, arriving with a draft, said: "Master Li Zhenchang (Master Li’s Daoist name) was a true cultivator of the Dao. Though I knew him well, I am aged and long unaccustomed to writing. Please complete this for me." The author initially declined but, moved by Shi Zhijing’s reverence for his teacher, named the memorial hall "Xiaoran" in accordance with Master Li’s final wish and recorded the events. As for the names of Master Li’s distinguished disciples, they were to be engraved on the reverse side of the stele.

(Postscript: The Stele Inscription for the Return to Truth of Master Li, the Profoundly Mysterious was composed by Gao Ming, Minister of Rites during the Jin dynasty. It records the old practice of dispatching imperial princes to oversee regions upon a new emperor’s accession. During the Da’an and Chongqing eras (1209–1213), Emperor Xuanzong of Jin assigned Prince Feng to govern Zhangde. At the time, Master Li, hailing from a wealthy family, was elected as a minor official (Gongcaoyuan), renowned for his integrity and fairness, particularly skilled in mathematics, which granted him access to the prince’s court. His composed and humble nature earned him the prince’s deep trust.)

Note: The text retains Daoist terms such as Putiandajiao, Fangzhangshi, and Nanhua Jing, supplemented with historical context from the Jin dynasty. Through Master Li’s final instructions and his disciples’ efforts to honor him, the passage illustrates his Daoist transcendence of life and death, embodying the ideal of carefree wandering.

Emperor Xuanzong of Jin ascended the throne in the first year of Zhining (1213). The following year, he personally visited Bianjing (modern Kaifeng). As an accompanying official, Master Liang was appointed as a clerk in the Ministry of Revenue. At the time, the political situation was precarious. The powerful minister Gao Qi looked down on civil officials and treated subordinates with oppressive severity, as if binding wet objects. His colleagues lived in constant fear, and many resigned one after another. Yet Master Liang remained steadfast in upholding the upright Dao (the Way), never compromising his moral integrity.

Later, he was tasked with transporting military provisions to the troops in Yanjing (modern Beijing). When he reached Bazhou, he encountered the advancing northern army and narrowly escaped disaster. Throughout the ordeal, his deep concern for the nation and its people was evident on his face. People at the time remarked that official rank mattered little—what truly counted was one’s actions. A man of his caliber could have achieved great success in his career. Yet one day, to everyone’s surprise, he suddenly resigned, citing illness, and retreated to Mount Longlu (in modern Linzhou, Henan).

There, he met Master Lu, a senior disciple of Ma Yu (Danyangzi) of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition, and became his disciple, formally entering Daoist practice. Soon after receiving the true transmission, he secluded himself in the Carefree Cave of Louxia Valley, a sacred site for cultivation. He sustained himself on wild fruits and mountain streams, devoting himself to rigorous meditation. His ascetic practice surpassed even that of other cultivators.

Prominent figures of the time, such as the Yuan dynasty’s military commander Weiliang and pacification commissioner Du Xian—both influential leaders—gradually came to hold him in high esteem. While stationed for defense, they often visited him with their entourage. In the year Jiashen (1224), hearing that the Perfected Changchun (Qiu Chuji) had returned from his imperial summons, Master Liang accompanied Master Lu to greet him and was bestowed the Daoist name "Zhifang" and the sobriquet "Chongxuanzi."

Later, when Master Lu was ordered to travel to Beijing (modern Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia), he recognized Master Liang’s connection with Zhangde (modern Anyang, Henan) and arranged for him to journey south. The local administrator Zhao Deyong invited him to preside over Yingxiang Abbey. Though the temple had long been abandoned due to war, Master Liang restored it step by step, gradually reviving the prosperity of peaceful times.

In the year Dinghai (1227), after the Perfected Changchun’s ascension, Master Liang led his disciples to pay their respects and then remained in mourning in Tanzhou and Shunzhou (modern Miyun and Shunyi, near Beijing). Upon his return in the year Gengyin (1230), local residents lined the streets in joyful welcome, exclaiming, "Our master has returned!" The regional commander Xiao Zhongtong and others jointly petitioned for him to take charge of Tianqing Palace. Like Yingxiang Abbey before it, this temple had fallen into ruin. Yet under Master Liang’s management over several years, not only were its halls, courtyards, altars, scripture repositories, kitchens, storerooms, stables, and bathhouses rebuilt, but its scale and design surpassed all other Daoist temples in the region.

In the year Dingsi (1257), the imperial prince Muge, admiring his lofty virtue, specially dispatched envoys to present him with dazzling ritual objects—a golden crown and feathered robes of cloud-patterned brocade—and conferred upon him an honorary title.

Master Wang Chongyang peacefully departed on the ninth day of the second lunar month in the Gengshen year at the age of seventy-six. Before his passing, he left behind a gatha verse, and his disciples buried him on elevated ground near Wangyu Village according to his final instructions. Several volumes of his authored work "The Scripture of Earthly Origins" (Diyuan Jing) were transmitted to later generations.

In the spring of the Jiazhi year, the temple superintendent (tidian) Zhao Zhipu arrived with fellow disciples bearing biographical accounts, earnestly requesting an epitaph for the Master. They said, "The trees at our late Master’s grave have grown thick enough to encircle with arms, yet there remains no proper memorial. If you would honor us by composing an inscription, we would die without regret." Indeed, the Master’s life was full of deeds worthy of commemoration: even in youth, he was extraordinary. Though he entered officialdom through the imperial examinations, all recognized his destined greatness. Moreover, he had once served in the imperial household before the emperor’s ascension—a position that could have secured wealth and prestige. Yet he resolutely abandoned worldly success, embracing instead the quietude of Daoist cultivation, ultimately attaining the Great Dao (Da Dao). Such resolve could only belong to a man of profound character.

As for his miraculous deeds—the myriad cranes circling the altar, locusts perishing while clinging to ritual vessels, fierce tigers submitting to talismanic edicts to eliminate calamities, or the south-pointing compass (sinan) that moved of its own accord in heavy snow—though numerous, these were matters the Master himself seldom spoke of in daily life, and thus they are not recorded in detail. The Master’s courtesy name was Youzhi, and he was born in Anyang, Xiangzhou, originally named Yi. After entering the Daoist path, he used only his religious name.

The essence of the epitaph reads: Ordinary people are often ensnared by greed, yet those who transcend it have been rare since ancient times. The Master, like a hidden dragon, already embodied the virtue (De) of yang vigor before his emergence. Though he achieved fame and success, he chose to withdraw. Such a choice might draw mockery from the vulgar, but his inner radiance remained unshaken. Whether riding a white cloud to immortality or returning to the vast wilderness in burial, he abided in harmony with the moment. Now, a grand stele stands beside his grave, bearing witness to the enduring legacy of this Perfected One (Zhenren) who attained the Dao.

(Note: The term "imperial household" (qiandi) refers to the residence of an emperor before ascending the throne; "tidian" was a Song Dynasty official title overseeing Daoist temples; "sinan" was an ancient compass.)

This stele inscription records the life of Quanzhen Daoist priest Li Zhiming (Daoist name Xizhenzi):

Li Zhiming was born to a farming family in Huguan, Shanxi. At age nine, he left home to pursue Daoist cultivation with the Quanzhen school, initially studying scriptures under Master Pan Fanshan. Later, he encountered the eminent adept Wang Zhenren who taught him the "Fire Times and Cosmic Cycle" method (a Neidan/internal alchemy technique involving breath regulation and guided energy circulation through intentional focus). After prolonged practice with verifiable results, his faith in the Daoist methods grew stronger.

Changchun Zhenren (likely Qiu Chuji) held him in high regard, bestowing upon him the name "Zhiming" (Wisdom Illumined) and the courtesy name "Yonghui" (Using Obscurity). His master had him begin with basic chores—chopping wood, cooking meals, cleaning stables—using physical labor to temper his will before gradually transmitting deeper Daoist teachings. Li practiced with exceptional diligence, often meditating late into the night with unwavering discipline for a decade, ultimately attaining the state of "wisdom born from stillness" (referring to awakened insight through quiet cultivation), evident even in his philosophical poetry.

Later, he returned to Taiyuan to restore and reside at Baozhen Temple. Sometimes collecting alms in markets, sometimes begging in villages, he observed worldly affairs unrecognized as an enlightened master. During the Mongol southern campaigns when Shanxi suffered warfare and banditry, Li led disciples to meet Emperor Taizong in 1230 (Gengyin year), offering imperial blessings. Pleased, the emperor issued orders prohibiting soldier harassment of civilians—a decree that brought local stability, with Li playing a key role. The following year when the emperor campaigned south again... (text fragmentary)

After receiving the esteem of Master Qinghe (the patriarch of the Quanzhen [Complete Perfection] tradition), Nan Fumeng's reputation grew increasingly prominent. Master Qinghe entrusted him with overseeing Daoist affairs across an entire administrative circuit while simultaneously appointing him as the regional Daolu (Daoist administrative official), bestowing upon him the honorary title "Great Master of the Dao's Embodiment in Serene Emptiness."

Not long after, the prefect Shimo Gong and Daolu Zhi Gong, considering Baozhen Temple too small, petitioned for Nan Fumeng to take charge of Tianqing Palace. At that time, the palace lay in ruins following wartime devastation. Accepting the appointment, Nan Fumeng resolutely shouldered the responsibility of rebuilding the temple complex.

He once instructed his disciples: "Though the system of having Daoists maintain temples is a recent institution, precedents trace back to Emperor Wu of Han's reign. Back then, altars were erected in the Ganquan Palace with depictions of the Supreme Unity (Taiji) and other celestial deities, along with ritual implements—a tradition that continues to this day. While we Daoists emphasize stillness and wuwei (non-action), we must not neglect the foundational practices of ritual and blessing that establish our tradition."

When some doubted the feasibility of such an ambitious project, Nan Fumeng responded: "The ancients said, 'If you debate building by the roadside for three years, the house will never rise.' What matters is decisive action." Taking up tools himself, he led by example, inspiring widespread participation: officials supervised, the wealthy donated, the wise offered counsel, and the able-bodied contributed labor. Through his meticulous organization, Tianqing Palace was swiftly reconstructed into a magnificent complex, becoming the region's foremost Daoist sanctuary.

During the summer drought of the Wuzi year, authorities invited Nan Fumeng to conduct rain-prayer rituals—whereupon timely rains arrived, ensuring a bountiful harvest. On another occasion, when official Wan Yan Hushila fell gravely ill, his family sought help. Nan Fumeng personally visited, healing the patient with talisman-charged water, resulting in swift recovery. Such efficacious accounts became too numerous to count.

In the Jiyou year, recognizing Nan Fumeng's virtue that resonated far and wide, Master Zhenchang (a Quanzhen luminary) appointed him as Deputy Superintendent of Daoist Affairs for both northern and southern Hedong circuits.

This Daoist cultivator could handle all affairs with serene composure in his quiet chamber, earning the deep appreciation of Master Chengming. In the second year of the Zhongtong era (1261), he was promoted from deputy to chief position. The following year, Immortal Elder Zuo recommended him to the Prince of Yongning's court, whereupon the imperial court bestowed upon him the revered title "Perfected Being of Sublime Mystery Who Dwells in Truth" (Qizhen Hongmiao Zhenren). Just as he was receiving widespread veneration, he suddenly departed this world one morning in the eleventh month of the Bingyin year of the Zhiyuan era (1266), at the age of sixty-seven.

The following year, his senior disciples Zhang Zhixi, Hou Zhizheng and others invited Shen Yunshou (Master Dongyuan), the Daoist Chief Superintendent, to take charge of Tianqing Temple affairs. Shen Yunshou was this Perfected Being's junior fellow disciple. In the Guiyou year of the Zhiyuan era (1273), while I was serving in Taiyuan, Shen Yunshou happened to return from Yanjing, preparing to fulfill the Perfected Being's final wish by interring him southeast of Taiyuan Prefecture's city walls on the Jiyou day of the fourth month. Shen brought the biographical account compiled by the Perfected Being's disciples including Guo Zhixiu and requested that I compose the memorial inscription.

Having maintained a twenty-year friendship with Shen Yunshou, I could not refuse. This Perfected Being was originally a recluse cultivating purity beyond worldly affairs—possessing neither the wealth of ancient magnate Yi Dun nor the power of mighty states like Jin or Chu. Yet through daily accumulated practice, he transformed desolate wilderness into a celestial Daoist sanctuary. Had he not possessed virtue sufficient to command respect and sincerity profound enough to move all creation, how could he have achieved such heights? As Zhuangzi said: Shallow waters cannot bear great vessels, and insufficient winds cannot support giant rocs. Judging by the Perfected Being's accomplishments, we may say his accumulation was profound and his power abundant.

The inscription eulogizes: Preserving his innate nature without diminishment, upholding the true Dao without falsehood. The great Dao shines with its own principles—when the right person meets the right time, it flows like rivers and illuminates like celestial radiance. All say this man was richly blessed, yet truly it was his clear and steadfast resolve. With inner virtue overflowing, his Daoist reputation grew daily. Followers gathered like stars surrounding the moon, seekers reverently came to his gate. He stood like a pillar midstream arresting turbulent waters, as one who obtained the Mystic Pearl (symbolizing the great Dao) from the Crimson River, befriending Zhuangzi's Zisang. Seeing through life and death in this world, he embraced them as naturally as the alternation of yin and yang between night and day.

This passage speaks of the transcendent attitude toward life and death held by immortals. Those who have attained the Dao and achieved immortality ultimately return to the celestial realms of the immortals (the "White Cloud Emperor's Domain" refers to the heavenly abodes where divine beings dwell). Although their mortal bones and physical forms remain in the human world, this does not truly harm their eternally existing immortal bodies. Since this is the case, why should one feel distress over the demise of the mundane physical form?

"Molting bones" (tuigu) is a Daoist cultivation term, likening an immortal's ascension to how a cicada sheds its shell—leaving behind the physical body while the true spirit transcends. The emphasis here is that practitioners should see through the illusion of life and death, understanding that the physical form is merely a temporary vessel, while the true immortal body remains indestructible.