《雲笈七籤》Vol. 5

The transmission of scriptures and Fulu (talismans and registers) has a long history. In the Yichou year of the Xingning era of the Jin dynasty (365), a host of perfected immortals descended and passed the scriptures and teachings to Lord Yang. Lord Yang passed them on to Lord Xu, who passed them to his son Xuanwen. Xuanwen entrusted the scriptures to Ma Lang. In the Yisi year of the Jinghe era (465), the court ordered that the scriptures be placed in Hualin Garden. After Emperor Ming took the throne, Shu Jizhen requested that the scriptures be returned to his official residence. Lu Jianji traveled south and established Chongxu Abbey there, and all the authentic scriptures came to be kept within it.

According to the Huangsu Formula, anyone who obtains the scriptures through a fortuitous encounter should follow the prescribed rules in practicing them; this is equivalent to receiving instruction from a teacher. The teachings passed down by Lord Lu came through the lineage of Lord Yang and Lord Xu. Lord Lu passed them to Lord Sun, who passed them to Lord Tao. Lord Tao collected and organized the scriptures left behind by Xu Ling, gathering nearly all of them. Lord Tao passed them to Lord Wang, who also received many essential oral instructions from Master Zongdao. By the time they reached Lord Wang, the teachings and secret texts were already very complete.

Lord Wang passed them to Lord Pan, who passed them to Lord Sima, who passed them to Lord Li. After Lord Li, they were transmitted to Lord Yang, making thirteen generations in all. Both Lord Yang and Lord Xu lived beyond the Han dynasty and ascended to become perfected immortals; Xu Ling, too, ultimately transcended the ordinary world and attained immortality. Although Lord Ma and Lord Shu were fortunate enough to encounter the teachings, they did not undertake their practice. From the time of Lord Lu onward, every generation of emperors has been devoted to this tradition.

These events are clearly recorded in the histories, and some of their traces can still be sought out. Those who have practiced this Way through the generations have also left descendants to carry on the lineage. Someone who understands only its principles, but not the transformations of the spirits, is no practitioner seeking the Way of long life. To go beyond ordinary understanding and enter the wondrous realm, to unite with Qi (vital energy), and to attain Wuwei (non-action), in which nothing is left undone—this is the Way of our authentic tradition.

The Dao itself undergoes no change between obstruction and free passage, but the teachings may at times flourish and at times be blocked. Whether they can flourish again after being blocked depends on those who carry on the Way. I have therefore composed this account of the authentic lineage, recording the transmitters who branch out from the same source and entering them in the register of immortals, without compiling the remaining material one item at a time.

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month in the Yiyou year of the Zhenyuan era, I composed this text in the Qizhen Hall at White Deer Cave on Mount Lu.

The perfected immortal Lord Yang of Mount Mao in the Jin dynasty

The perfected immortal’s surname was Yang, and his given name was Xi. He was born in the ninth month of the fifth year of the Xianhe era of the Jin dynasty (330), in Jurong, and seems to have been from the Wu region. He was refined and fair in appearance, with a handsome bearing, and was skilled at conversation and laughter. He was proficient in calligraphy, loved learning, and was widely knowledgeable…

He was well versed in the classics and histories, and had a deep, steady temperament. Even as a child, he understood the mysteries of the Dao. He formed an almost divine bond early on with the two men surnamed Xu, Xu Ying and Xu Mu. Si Xuan recommended him to Prince Xiang, who appointed him as a secretary in the prince’s office. In the early Yonghe era, he received the Zhonghuang method for subduing tigers and leopards. Six years later, he followed Liu Pu in learning the numinous talismans. Liu Pu was the eldest son of Lady Wei.

He was quiet and profound, attuned to the mysteries of the Dao, and inwardly still and empty, reaching insight on his own. Just as dryness and dampness can summon water and fire, in the silent depths of the unseen, all kinds of resonance respond to one another, with scarcely a trace to be found.

When he was thirty-six, in the yiyou year of the Xingning era, the assembled Perfected—immortals as Daoism calls them—descended and transmitted Daoist methods to him. Among them were Lord Qing Tong, the Upper Minister; the Perfected of Great Emptiness; Lord Chi; Wang Jun of Xicheng, the Upper Steward; the Perfected Mao of Great Origin; the Perfected Pei of Clear Numinousness; the Perfected Wang of Tongbai; the Perfected Zhou of Ziyang; Lord Mao of Middle Mao; Lord Mao of Lesser Mao; the Marquis Fan of the Middle; the Marquis Xun of the Middle; Lady Ziyuan; the Lady of Southern Peak; Lady Youying; Lady Ziwei; Consort An of Jiuhua; Lady Zhaoling; and Lady Zhonghou. They rode rainbow banners and divine carriages, arriving quietly and then vanishing one after another, their traces disappearing beyond the roads of the common world. The music and the metallic chime of their banquets echoed between the lords and the moon; not a day passed empty, nor a year without its due.

This lord was a disciple of Lady Wei, ranked alongside Consort An of Jiuhua, and was on friendly terms with the assembled Perfected. Consort An therefore said, “The enlightened lord is endowed with an inward stillness and keeps the mysteries of the Dao deep within. He is as clear as jade, as deep as an orchid-filled abyss, and renowned for his refined elegance. When he reaches the Golden Palace, he will hold high office, assist the Four Ministers, receive the command of the Sage Lord, and oversee the examination of Yin-Yang and the harmony of Qi. He will become lord of the ghosts and spirits of Haoyue. Twenty-two years from now, he will ride a dragon and drive the clouds, ascending to Heaven in broad daylight. If he cannot endure the smoke of wind and fire, he may seek release by the sword as a means of bringing his life to its close.” Release by the sword is a Daoist legendary method of leaving the body and ascending to immortality.

The Zhengao records that he died in the bingxu year of the twelfth year of the Taiyuan era. Xu Hui’s former teacher once told Xu Hui’s father, Xu Mu, that Xu Mu, too, had formed ties with the Perfected through this lord. Although the nine members of the Xu family had long accumulated Daoist merit, their generations of practice had gathered like dust from the time of Shenfa onward; yet the achievements of clear discernment, focused illumination, and the radiance that streams forth all belonged to this lord.

The Perfected Lord Xu of Leiping Mountain

The Perfected Xu Hui, courtesy name Daoxiang and childhood name Yufu, was the son of Xu Mu, who served as Chief Clerk of the Palace Guard under the Jin dynasty and held the rank of Left Minister of Shangqing among the Perfected. His mother, Lady Tao, was named Kedou and later entered Yiqian Palace. From childhood, Xu Hui stood out from others. Endowed with a true nature, he was deep and steady, and his father valued him greatly. The commandery recommended him for the posts of Auxiliary Officer for the Annual Tribute and Registrar, but he declined both appointments. Refined and pure, he regarded worldly affairs as chaff.

Quan (a personal name) left Mengying and later went to live at the foot of Mount Leiping, where he became Yang Jun’s disciple. Yang Jun taught him scriptures such as the Three Heavens Orthodox Methods, Qu Su, and Phoenix Writing. Later, the Perfected Person of the Register of Destiny (a Daoist immortal title) bestowed the Supreme Way upon him and admonished him: “Learning the Dao should be like digging a well: the deeper you dig, the harder it is to remove the soil. If you cannot hold firm to your resolve and keep your conduct upright, how will you ever reach the spring?”

The Perfected Person often longed to dwell in a grotto heaven as soon as possible and did not wish to remain in the human world for long. He therefore went to the Northern Grotto, where he died. Afterward, he often came and went from the Fangyuan Lodge in the grotto of Mount Fangyu. Four years later, he went to Fang Terrace. The Declarations of the Perfected (Zhengao, a Daoist text) says: “While the Recluse was alive, he liked living there.” In a letter Yang Jun wrote to the Chief Secretary, he also said: “I wonder whether the Recluse of Fangyu ever set up a seat among the households of Yiqian.”

Sixteen years after Perfected Zhu died, he was promised that he would ascend to Donghua, receive the celestial scriptures, become an Immortal Lord of Shangqing, and be entered in the two registers of the High Ministers and the Imperial Dawn. In the second year of Taihe, the year Dingmao, he was twenty-seven. He was born in the seventh year of Xiankang, the year Xinchou. After the third year of Taihe, the year Jisi, he no longer appeared in public. The Genealogies of the Generations says he died at thirty; by that reckoning, it would have been the year Gengwu. The Biographies of the Elders says that he burned incense and paid his respects at a stone altar in the grotto, after which he never rose again. The next morning, people saw that his body still looked lifelike. The stone altar remains there to this day. The Declarations of the Perfected says he received the “Method of Casting Off the Garment” (a Daoist method for shedding the body and ascending to immortality) from Zhang Zhennan, and probably departed from the altar at night. He married the daughter of Huang Yan, magistrate of Jiankang, and had a son, Huang Min. He later returned to his family home.

The Immortal, Xu Jun, Magistrate of Linju

The Immortal Xu, magistrate of Linju, was named Huang Min and styled Xuanwen. He was the son of Hui, an Immortal Lord of Shangqing, and the grandson of Mu, a Left Minister of Shangqing. He was born in the fifth year of Shengping, the year Xinyou. At twenty-one, he served as a clerical aide and chief clerk in the commandery. After being recommended as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate, he later served as assistant steward of the Stone City granary, staff officer in the Southern Man army, and magistrate of Linju.

In the third year of Yongxing, unrest broke out in the capital region. He took scriptures with him to Shan County, where Ma Lang held him in high regard and Ma Lang’s cousin Ma Lao also helped support him. People at the time all knew that Master Xu had attained the Dao. His father and grandfather were also widely renowned, which earned him even greater respect.

In the sixth year of Yuanjia, he planned to move to Qiantang. He sealed away a kitchen’s worth of scriptures and entrusted them to Ma Lang, then instructed him in a quiet room: “These are traces left by the immortals; they do not belong to me. Even if someone comes asking for the books, do not hand them over.” Later, he went to Du Daoju’s home and died there after a short stay, at the age of sixty-nine. The Declarations of the Perfected records that Huang Min, his granduncle Xu Mai, and his aunt…

Po E, Huang Bo Lian, Huang Minzi Rong, and Sun Lü Qionghui, among others, all received the Way of transcending the world. Ma Lang honored the scriptures as he would his parents. Whenever divine light and numinous energy appeared in his home, strange phenomena became visible in the main hall. Ma Lang’s wife also saw blue-robed jade maidens moving back and forth through the air on many occasions. As a result, the whole family enjoyed wealth and long life.

Angered that He Daojing had secretly copied the scriptures and disclosed their hidden teachings, Ma Lang melted copper and poured it into the keyhole of the book chest, ordering his family never to open it again. Ma Lang’s sons, Hong Shu and Ji Zhen, nevertheless continued to revere and treasure the scriptures together. In the first year of the Jinghe era, Lou Huilang persuaded Shu Jizhen to retrieve the books. Ji Zhen was well versed in Daoist arts and was quite renowned at the time. He presented the scriptures to the emperor, who saw their original traces in Hualin Garden. Their unusual characters and vivid, gleaming red and yellow colors gave him pause, and he did not dare to read further. Only after Emperor Ming ascended the throne did Ji Zhen ask to have the scriptures returned to his official residence.

After Lu Jianji traveled south, he established Chongxu Abbey, and the scriptures came to be kept there. The subtle workings of the immortals’ true Dao had been sealed away by Ma Lang, then brought forth again by Shu Jizhen, and ultimately passed on to Master Lu. Shu and Ma were fortunate enough to wrap the scriptures in cloth and preserve them on a table, but they never had the chance to enter into their mysteries.

Master Lu of Jianji Abbey on Mount Lu in the Song Dynasty

Master Lu’s name was Xiujing, and he came from the distinguished Lu clan of Wuxing. Born with the Dao’s Qi, he had an extraordinary nature, a calm bearing, and luminous virtue. He thought clearly and was skilled at explaining principles; inwardly still and empty, he could penetrate the hidden and subtle Dao.

From a young age, he studied the Confucian classics and books of prophecy and portent, and became broadly learned in them all. He believed that the principles by which the primordial powers of creation bring forth the myriad things, unify their vital essences and Qi, and accompany the True Sovereign had already been recorded in books of gold and jade characters, and so were not revealed to the world. He therefore withdrew from public life and secretly sought and explored the Daoist teachings. He traveled through the regions of Xiang, Mount Jiuyi, and Mount Luofu, then went west to Wu Gorge and Mount Emei. Clouds among the mountains mingled with the wind in the pines, and the scenery was lovely, with mountains and waters set against one another. When his practice had reached completion, he sought answers to the mysteries, communed with the spirits, and received wondrous formulas. He came naturally to understand the Daoist teachings and to associate with the immortals.

Toward the end of the Yuanjia era under the Song, he came to Jiankang to buy medicine. Emperor Wen admired his bearing and invited him to court, but he declined. Later, amid the upheaval of the Taichu era, people were in a state of panic. He traveled south along the river and, captivated by Mount Lu’s beautiful scenery, built a retreat for cultivation. There he washed away worldly entanglements, bathed in the vastness of primordial Qi, and drew in and nurtured the original essence.

Emperor Ming of the Song inherited the ancient simplicity of the Yellow Emperor, Xuanyuan, and wished to examine the ancient Dao as a way to teach the people. He approached Master Lu sincerely and treated him with courtesy, inviting him to court repeatedly. The Master maintained that he suffered from a deep melancholy and would not accept the summons. The emperor then withdrew to fast, built a residence for him, and waited respectfully for his arrival. The Master could find no way to refuse…

After taking office, he used the circumstances of the time to explain the wonders of the Dao to the emperor. The emperor greatly admired him, and everyone at court knew that he was truly a man of the Dao.

The Master’s attainment in the Dao was like water rushing toward a valley, or a tiger responding when the wind rises. Who could hold him back? He parted the mists as if making the sun appear, and washed away the gravel to reveal pure gold. He showed people the way and guided them to reform themselves. Those of at least middling ability could each cultivate their De and remain true to their proper place. People like Situ Yuan Can were examples of this. When the Chongxu Hall was completed, the scriptures and secret teachings treasured by the Shu family all came into my keeping.

When the Master first left the mountains, bears, tigers, monkeys, birds, and other animals cried out mournfully and crowded onto the road. They stopped only after he had gone out through the valley. Later, when the emperor fell ill, the Master was invited to preside over the “Ritual of Coating with Mud and Ashes,” a Zhaijiao purification rite performed to pray for blessings and avert calamity. That very night, dense banks of colored clouds gathered, and the emperor’s illness was finally cured.

At that time, genuine and spurious scriptures were mixed together in the Dongzhen section, one of the classifications of Daoist scriptures. The Master organized and corrected them, and from then on the authentic and the false could be distinguished. The standards for purification rituals have therefore remained in use to this day. When Prince of Guiyang rose in rebellion, corpses lay everywhere. The Master prepared coffins and gathered and buried the remains. The good he did in secret and the De he cultivated are too numerous to recount in full.

In the first month of the spring of the fifth year of Yuanhui (477 CE), the Master said to his disciples, “I can return to the mountains now. You may pack your things.” They were astonished, since no imperial decree had yet granted him leave to depart. On the second day of the third month, the Master lay on his back and died. His robe and belt came undone, his skin was radiant, and his eyes remained clear and bright. They could only smell a fragrant scent filling the room. Three days later, the disciples at Mount Lu all saw the Master return to his former dwelling, riding amid a retinue of colorful banners wreathed in clouds. A short while later, he was nowhere to be found. Everyone was astonished.

Before his death, the Master had instructed them to place his body in a cloth sack and throw it into a deep ravine somewhere among the mountain cliffs. His disciples could not bear to do this, so they carried his body back to Mount Lu. The Master was seventy-two years old. This is what is meant by “refining the body in a hidden place and ascending in radiance to the celestial realm of Taiwei”—a Daoist expression for attaining immortality through cultivation and ascending after death.

The emperor issued an edict granting him the posthumous title “Master Jianshu,” and renamed his former dwelling Jiansi Hall, in recognition of his De as a man of the Dao. He wrote more than a hundred records, essays, and discourses, all of which circulated at the time. Among his disciples, the most renowned for attaining the Dao were Sun Youyue and Li Guozhi.

Later, Kong Dezhang wrote to Li Guozhi about the Master: “The Master’s De was unmatched in the central capital, and his teachings spread throughout the eastern lands. Emperors received his instruction, while the people and the spirits honored his principles. He left the world and quietly transformed, leaving behind only his shadow, still wandering in the heavens above. Now his subtle teachings have fallen silent, and the Great Dao is about to decline. The Ritual Master is endowed with intelligence and composure, ranks among the Master’s close disciples, and stands out for learning and insight. He is the one to whom the disciples look. You should gather and organize the deeds the Master left behind, draw out their main points and set them in order, extend the remaining teachings of our former teacher, and continue to pass on their subtle essence.”

The legacy of Daoism can be used to guide people in ordinary life and inspire those who will pursue the Dao in later generations.

Master Sun, Director of the Qixing Worldly Affairs Hall

Master Sun was descended from the House of Hao. His name was Youyue, his courtesy name Yingda, and he was from Dongyang. He was respectful and cautious from childhood; as an adult, he treated people with warmth. His mind was calm and far-reaching, and his nature was as gentle as a spring breeze. He examined and distinguished the teachings of various schools, devoting himself to the study of hidden and mysterious principles. He once traveled to Chisong Ravine and Jinyun Hall, and later chose that place as his final home.

In the early years of the Song Taichu era, Master Jianji traveled from Mount Lu to the area around the imperial residence. Master Sun straightened his robes and hurried to pay his respects, then received the profound essentials of the Daoist teachings. Master Jianji transmitted to him the Three Caverns scriptures and methods, the Daoist system of classifying scriptures, as well as the secret writings of the Perfected Yang and Xu Yuan. After that, Master Sun took medicinal preparations used in cultivation, stopped eating the five grains, and consumed the Grain Immortal Pills. For sixty-seven years, his complexion remained lustrous, his spirit clear, and his bearing refined and pure.

Only after Master Jianji’s death did Master Sun return to his former residence. He gathered and organized the essential teachings of the Daoist tradition, carefully distinguishing the genuine from the false, and became close friends with Chu Zhang and Zhu Sijun. In the second year of Yongming under the Qi, the court issued an edict appointing him to succeed his teacher and serve as director of the Xing Shi Hall. From then on, those seeking unusual learning knew that Daoist transmission had found a master, and they came in great numbers, like phoenixes gathering in a parasol tree and birds flocking to it. Kong Dezhang, Liu Xiaobiao, and others also eagerly sought his friendship, meeting with him beyond the world of ordinary concerns.

Later, Master Sun repeatedly asked to return to the mountains, citing illness, but at first the court refused. In the fifth month of the seventh year of Yongming, he entrusted his spirit to the divine and departed the world like an immortal. After bathing, he declared himself ill and died with a peaceful expression. He had several hundred disciples, but only Tao Hongjing was admitted to his inner chamber for instruction. Tao Hongjing served him respectfully for six years and believed that his understanding of the Dao reached across the ages. Master Sun especially valued those who truly understood the Daoist teachings. He therefore took particular notice of Tao Hongjing and transmitted to him the scriptures and methods, sacred instructions, and secrets of cultivation. The two had planned to prepare an elixir together, and had already assembled the ingredients, but an unforeseen circumstance prevented them from beginning the preparation.

Master Tao of Maoshan, the Pure and White, of the Liang

Master Tao’s name was Hongjing, his courtesy name Tongming, and he was from Moling in Danyang. He was the seventh-generation descendant of Tao Jun, governor of Jingzhou in the Wu state. When his mother first became pregnant, she dreamed that the essence of the sun fell into her arms and that two heavenly beings descended, carrying a golden incense burner. When she awoke, she told those around her, “The child I am carrying must be a boy, and no ordinary person. I fear, however, that he will have no descendants.”

From birth, Tao Hongjing seemed exceptional. He was intelligent and perceptive as a child, and grew into a learned man with a broad command of affairs. After reading the Biographies of Immortals, he resolved to ride the clouds and harness dragons in pursuit of immortality. At seventeen, he was known together with Jiang Xie, Chu Xuan, and Liu Si as the “Four Friends of the Shengming era of the Song.” In official life, he served under several princes of the Qi dynasty as a reader and as a supervisor of secretarial documents. The official papers and letters he drafted were exceptionally elegant and won the admiration of his contemporaries.

When Qingxi Palace was completed, Tao Hongjing presented an encomium. The emperor issued an edict praising it and planned to have the text engraved on a stone stele, but Wang Jian objected.

In his twenties, he resigned from office to study Daoist arts. Later, he went to the Hall of Flourishing Generations to seek instruction from Master Sun, studying the classics and Daoist methods. He devoted himself to practice and came to understand the Dao’s profound and subtle principles. He subsequently took up another post, a nominal court position granted by the emperor, but submitted a memorial resigning from it. The emperor praised his earnestness and diligence in an edict and bestowed generous gifts upon him.

When high-ranking officials summoned him to serve, the ceremonial arrangements in the pavilion were exceptionally lavish. People said nothing like it had been seen since the Qi dynasty. Later, he entered Mount Mao and obtained the authentic scriptures passed down by Yang Xi and Xu Mi. He then climbed among the mountain crags, declaring his intention to practice in seclusion, and called himself “the Recluse of Huayang.” He signed his letters and documents with this name as well. People of the time especially cherished pine trees, and his courtyard was filled with them. Whenever he heard the sound of wind through the pines, he was delighted and content.

During Emperor Ming’s reign, the emperor wanted to summon him to Jiang Mountain. He refused earnestly, and the matter was dropped. The emperor, however, often ordered gifts to be sent to him, and he found the resulting social obligations burdensome. He therefore built a three-story tower: he lived on the top floor, his disciples occupied the middle floor, and guests were received below. He allowed only one young disciple to relay messages. He concealed his reputation and whereabouts, cultivating himself inwardly in secret. His aspirations were lofty, as if he were in communion with the immortals; one might say that whatever stirred within him could reach into the hidden realm.

He stood seven feet and eight inches tall. His temperament was open and accommodating, yet modest and cautious. His mind was like a clear mirror, able to respond to whatever arose. He was rarely troubled and had little desire to outdo others. His feelings of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure were all restrained, and he seldom revealed them in speech or conduct. Widely learned, he admired Zhang Liang’s character. His manner was light and unrestrained, as if touched by the immortal air of clouds and rosy mists. Most of what he studied and devised came from his own inward understanding, beyond what others could match. He was particularly skilled at distinguishing truth from falsehood and correcting errors. He was also well versed in geography, calendrics, and mathematics. His writings were substantive, and his ideas could be put to practical use.

He made an armillary sphere, an instrument for observing and demonstrating the movements of the celestial bodies. When he turned it, its motions corresponded with theirs. He compiled the Declarations of the Perfected and the Hidden Instructions, and wrote commentaries on books such as the Lord Lao, producing more than two hundred volumes in all.

In the second year of the Yongyuan era, he knew that the political situation was about to change and claimed that he wished to return to seclusion. When Emperor Wu of Liang had taken power but had not yet settled on a dynastic title, he cited various prophetic records to show that “Liang” was an auspicious sign that accorded with Heaven’s mandate. He also chose the dates for the imperial sacrifices to Heaven and the feng and shan rites; the auspicious signs revealed by his divinations were unmistakable. The emperor sent a messenger into the mountains to convey his wishes and offer thanks. The emperor had known him since his early years, and from then on he informed him of every undertaking and matter of state.

After receiving secret formulas and instructions, he believed that the divine elixir could be refined, but often lamented that he lacked the necessary ingredients. The emperor supplied them all. He also wrote to him in his own hand to ask questions. The man painted two oxen: one grazing freely among water and grass; the other wearing a golden halter, with someone holding its reins and whipping it onward. The emperor laughed and said, “This man seeks nothing. He wants to imitate the turtle that drags its tail through the mud. How could anyone possibly summon him?” Later, at times… (The original text ends here.)

Whenever major matters arose, he always stated his views in advance. People of the time called him the “Prime Minister in the Mountains.” In the early Datong era, he presented two swords, one named “Victory in Joy” and the other “Victory Accomplished.” Both were regarded as treasures.

The Golden Tower Records of Emperor Wu of Liang says, “Among the recluses, Emperor Wu of Liang revered Tao Zhenbai (Tao Hongjing); among the scholar-officials, he revered Zhou Hongzheng.” Tao Hongjing’s reflections on principle and his interests were profound and boundless; he was indeed a celebrated figure of his time. The Master often wrote in verse: “Wang Yan indulged his nature and lived without restraint; He Yan sat and talked idly. Who could have imagined that Zhaoyang Hall would become the Xiongnu chanyu’s palace?” People of the time competed to discuss abstruse principles but did not study military affairs. The disaster of the Hou Jing Rebellion came to pass just as the poem foretold.

In the second year of Datong, the Master “transformed and departed”—the Daoist term for the death of someone who has attained the Dao—at the age of eighty-five. His complexion did not change, and his body could still bend and stretch as usual. Fragrance lingered in his room for many days. The court posthumously awarded him the title of Grand Master of the Palace and gave him the posthumous name “Master Zhenbai.” It also sent a palace attendant to oversee the funeral. According to legend, he attained the Dao and became an immortal; another biography says that he once taught a disciple the method of “Penglai Immortal Firmness.” He had several dozen disciples, of whom only Wang Yuanzhi and Lu Yichong were regarded as the most outstanding.

Master Wang of Maoshan, Ascended to Perfection, in the Tang Dynasty

Wang Yuanzhi of Langya was the son of Wang Tanshou, Inspector of Yangzhou under the Chen dynasty. His maternal grandfather, Ding Chao, had served as a Gentleman of the Imperial Stables under the Liang dynasty. His mother became pregnant after dreaming of a numinous phoenix, and she also heard a baby crying from within her womb. Baozhi, a Buddhist monk of the Southern Dynasties, said, “This child will become a master of the immortals.” At the age of seven, Wang Yuanzhi could read more than ten thousand characters a day. He mastered a wide range of classical texts and grasped the Dao intuitively. At fifteen, he entered Huayang Abbey and took Master Zhenbai as his teacher, receiving instruction in the Three Caverns traditions—the Daoist methods associated with the Shangqing, Lingbao, and Three Sovereigns traditions. Later, he followed Master Zongdao, Zang Jin, and studied various secret teachings.

The ruler of Chen summoned him to Chongyang Hall, treated him with special honor, bestowed gifts upon him, and arranged for someone to escort him back to Maoshan. Wang Yuanzhi then built a quiet retreat on a ridge northwest of the cavern, where he devoted himself to studying the mysterious methods.

Toward the end of the Dajian era, a spirit being suddenly appeared in his retreat, lying drunk on the ground and vomiting repeatedly. Wang Yuanzhi lit incense, bowed in greeting, and cared for him. The spirit being said, “You have attained the Dao, and Zhang Faben, too, has a heart devoted to the Dao. I would like to take you both on a journey to Mount Tiantai. The stone bridge on the mountain is broad enough to cross, and many scattered immortals live there. I also often send down sweet dew. If you collect it in a vessel and drink one sheng, you will extend your life by five hundred years. Would you like to go?”

Wang Yuanzhi set out with him and climbed the eastern ridge. Halfway up, he suddenly remembered that he had not said farewell to two or three disciples or entrusted his scriptures to them. He walked backward for thirty paces and looked back.

The immortal took the form of a crane and flew away. When Yang Guang, later Emperor Yang of Sui, was stationed in Yangzhou, Wang Zixiang and Liu Guyan invited the Master in succession. Not long after he arrived, the Master’s beard and hair turned completely white. Yang Guang was frightened and sent him back. Some time later, Yang Guang regained his composure. After ascending the throne, he sent Cui Fengju to invite the Master, received him personally with the rites due a disciple, and ordered the construction of the Jade Purity Mysterious Altar in Chengdu, a place for enshrining Daoist deities and holding Zhaijiao purification rituals. He asked the Master to live there and also to tutor Wang Yue.

Before Gaozu, the founding emperor of Tang, had taken the throne, the Master privately foretold that Heaven’s mandate would pass to the Li family. The Prince of Qin, Li Shimin, and Fang Xuanling disguised themselves in commoners’ clothes and went to visit him. The Master came out to meet them and said, “There is a sage among you.” Li Shimin then revealed his identity. The Master said, “You will one day become an emperor who ushers in an age of peace. I hope you will take good care of yourself.” Li Shimin visited the Master and received the teachings of the Three Caverns. After ascending the throne, Li Shimin wanted to grant the Master a high-ranking official post, but the Master firmly asked to retire to the mountains and forests.

In the ninth year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered the construction of the Temple of Great Peace on Mount Mao in Runzhou and authorized seven people to enter the Daoist order. He also issued an edict that read: “When I was still a prince, I was fortunate enough to ask the Master about the Dao. I have never forgotten his bearing, day or night. I recently read the memorial in which he asked to retire to his former mountain home. I have already issued another edict so as not to go against his wishes. The temple is being built to express my long-held regard for him.”

The Master was broad-minded and inwardly calm; his words and silences were always consistent. He saw things with the clarity of a mirror and treated people and affairs without bias. At the time, Dou Dexuan had encountered a messenger of fate in Yangzhou, a divine official who governed people’s lifespans. The messenger said that Dou enjoyed great official emoluments, but that his allotted years were counted in “nine times nine” and were nearly exhausted. Dou pleaded with the messenger, saying that the Perfected One Wang Fazhu was an immortal lord of Mount Shaoshi who oversaw the registration of the living and the dead, and that nothing he reported to the Celestial Bureau went unfulfilled. Dou then earnestly asked the Master for help. Reluctantly, the Master interceded on his behalf for an extension of life. The messenger reported back that his life could be extended by thirteen years. Dou later rose to the post of Left Chancellor under Emperor Gaozong of Tang, and his death came at the time foretold. For this reason, people of the time called the Master “Fazhu,” or “Ritual Master.”

The Master knew that he had been given an immortal office. He later told Pan Shizheng, “Yesterday I saw the register of immortals and learned that as a child I once accidentally injured a boy’s lip. For this reason, I cannot ascend in broad daylight; I was appointed only as an immortal lord of Mount Shaoshi.” When his departure from this world was near, the Master bathed, changed clothes, put on his cap, and burned incense. Then he lay down peacefully and passed away at the age of 126. Pan Shizheng and Xu Daomiao received his secret teachings and became his inner-chamber disciples; Chen Yu and Wang Gui came next. His other disciples lived in caves throughout the mountains, each devoting himself to practice for the rest of his life. In the second year of Tiaolu under Emperor Gaozong, the court posthumously bestowed upon the Master the title of Grand…

He was posthumously bestowed the title Grand Master of the Central Service, with the posthumous name “Master Shengxuan.” The court also ordered that forty-nine men be initiated as Daoist priests at Qing Taiping Temple. In the early years of the Tianshou reign, he was posthumously granted the title Grand Master of the Golden and Purple Radiance, and his posthumous name was changed to “Master Shengzhen.” During the Tianbao era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, the court ordered Li Hanguang to build a memorial hall at Taiping Temple and paint his portrait, in recognition of his deeds as an immortal.

Master Pan Tixuan of Mount Zhongyue

The Daoist of Mount Zhongyue was first called the Celestial Master, and later Master Pan. The Master’s personal name was Shizheng, and he was from Zanhuang, Zhaozhou. His mother died when he was young, and he built a hut beside her tomb to observe mourning. He became known for his filial devotion.

The Master’s inner True Qi was abundant, and its brilliance shone outward. Like the Marquis of Sui’s pearl and the jade of Mount Jing, he was naturally precious without adornment. During the Daye era of the Sui dynasty, he entered the Dao and devoted himself to cultivation. Wang Xianbo taught him the secrets of secluded cultivation and gave him Fulu (talismans and registers). He lived in Xiaoyao Valley on Mount Taishi, subsisting for twenty years on pine needles and mountain spring water.

Emperor Gaozong of Tang often traveled by imperial carriage to visit his retreat. The Master did not leave the hall, but welcomed him with a handshake. When the emperor asked what he needed, he replied, “Pine trees and clear springs are plentiful in the mountains.” Gaozong and Empress Wu both held him in great respect, and sometimes stayed a night or two before returning to the palace. Later, the court ordered Chongtang Temple to be built at his residence, and another retreat, the Jingsi Institute, to be built for him on the mountain ridge. It also established Feng天 Palace, opened a gate especially for him at the entrance to Xiaoyao Valley and named it “Gate of the Immortal’s Journey,” and set up the “Gate in Search of the True” on the northern side of the imperial gardens. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices performed immortal music and composed pieces titled “Praying for the Immortal,” “Gazing toward the Immortal,” and “Longing for the Immortal,” all associated with the Master.

The Master received five hundred poems bestowed by the emperor over the years. He often sighed, saying, “If a man cultivates the Dao but cannot withdraw to the mountains, free of worldly entanglements, and instead makes his sovereign concern himself on my behalf, that is my fault.” He therefore wished to travel east in search of Penglai and sail out to sea in a small boat. But the emperor had deep faith in the Dao and earnestly urged him to stay. The Master hesitated and lingered by the mountain, and in the end did not set out. In the first year of the Yongchun era, the Master “manifested his transformation,” as Daoists say of an immortal’s passing. He was eighty-nine years old. The emperor gazed for a long time in the direction he had departed, then posthumously bestowed on him the title Grand Master of Great Central Service, with the posthumous name “Master Tixuan.”

The Master had an extraordinary bearing and an immortal’s bone structure, with an elegant manner. He seemed much like someone who withdrew from the world to cultivate the True, conceal his brilliance and keep his traces hidden, refine and nourish body and spirit, and travel through the world in transformation. His eighteen disciples were all outstanding. Among those with the bearing of phoenixes and luan birds, whose figures seemed to appear among cloud-wreathed pines, were Wei Fazhao, Sima Ziwei, and Guo Chongzhen. They all received instruction in an otherworldly courtyard and were taught secret methods in a hidden immortal’s chamber. Devoting themselves to the Way of Jade Clarity, they carried on the work of becoming immortals… (The original text continues beyond this point.)

At that time, Chen Ziang also composed a panegyric; its contents are omitted here.

Master Sima, the Perfected One of Zhenyi at Mount Wangwu

Sima Chengzhen, courtesy name Ziwei, was from Hanoi. He was a great-great-grandson of Sima Yi, Duke of Langya under the Later Zhou. In his youth, he studied under Master Tixuan and received Fulu (Daoist talismans and registers used in rites to pray for blessings, summon spirits, and the like), along with methods of fasting, daoyin exercises, and taking medicinal preparations. Master Tixuan greatly admired him and said, “The orthodox teachings passed down from Jian Shu have now reached you, the sixth generation.”

Later, Sima Chengzhen traveled widely, going as far as Mount Tiantai. When Empress Wu Zetian heard of his reputation, she summoned him to the capital and personally issued an edict praising him. As he was about to return to the mountains, she also ordered Li Qiao to give him a farewell banquet east of Luoqiao.

In the second year of Jingyun, Emperor Ruizong sent his nephew, Sima Chengyi, into the mountains to invite Sima Chengzhen to the capital. The emperor received him and asked about Yin-Yang and the arts of calculation. Sima Chengzhen replied, “The scriptures say that cultivating the Dao means diminishing day by day, diminishing again and again, until one reaches Wuwei (non-action). We cannot even reduce the things visible to our eyes, so why should we delve into heterodox arts and increase our own cleverness and deliberation?”

The emperor asked, “If cultivating oneself through Wuwei brings clarity and stillness, can a state also be governed through Wuwei?” Sima Chengzhen replied, “A state is like a person’s body. The Lord Lao said, ‘Keep the mind calm and untroubled, let the breath return to stillness, follow the natural course of things, and harbor no selfish intent; then the world can be governed.’ The Book of Changes says, ‘The virtue of the great person accords with Heaven and Earth.’ From this we can see that trust can be won without words and things can be accomplished without deliberate action. The principle of Wuwei is precisely the way to govern a state.”

The emperor exclaimed, “Even Guang Chengzi said no more than this!” Sima Chengzhen firmly declined further honors and returned to the mountains. The emperor bestowed on him a precious zither and a cloud-patterned cloak. More than a hundred scholars at court wrote poems to present to him.

In the ninth year of Kaiyuan, Emperor Xuanzong again sent an envoy to invite Sima Chengzhen to the capital. The emperor personally received the ritual registers he transmitted, and bestowed generous gifts on him on several occasions. In the tenth year of Kaiyuan, when the imperial carriage entered the capital, Sima Chengzhen again requested permission to return to the mountains. The emperor wrote him a poem and personally chose a scenic spot on Mount Wangwu, where he had an altar and residence built for him.

Sima Chengzhen then advised the emperor: “The shrines on the Five Great Mountains now enshrine only the spirits of the mountains and forests; they are not the true divinities. Each of the Five Great Mountains has its own grotto, and each has a Perfected One of Highest Clarity appointed to serve as its deity. I ask that separate purification shrines be established.” The emperor accepted his advice, and shrines to the Perfected Lords were established. Sima Chengzhen was asked to consult the Daoist scriptures and determine the forms of the images and the rules for making them.

Sima Chengzhen excelled at seal script and clerical script. He collated and corrected the text of the Dao De Jing in three scripts, producing an authoritative edition of 5,308 characters.

He also wrote the Secret Essentials for Cultivating Perfection. Those who read the book could find a path into Daoist cultivation. The emperor issued an edict ordering the construction of Yangtai Abbey, a Daoist temple, where the master lived. He personally inscribed its plaque and repeatedly bestowed many gifts upon him.

In the twenty-third year, the master passed away, having attained the Dao. He was eighty-nine years old. The court posthumously awarded him the title of Grand Master of the Silver and Azure Radiance, and gave him the posthumous title “Master Zhenyi.” The emperor also composed his epitaph. The master had many disciples, but only Li Hanguang and Jiao Jingzhen truly received his Dao teachings.

Although Jiao Jingzhen was a woman, she was naturally gifted with spiritual insight. While devoting herself to cultivation, she was once guided to Mount Fangzhang, where she met two celestial maidens. They told her, “If you wish to become a true celestial official, you may pay your respects to Lord Donghua Qingtong, receive the Three Emperors’ teachings, and ask him to grant you a name.” “Zhenyi” was the Daoist name she later received. When she returned and paid her respects to the master, he gladly taught her the Dao.

Master Li, the Mysterious and Tranquil One of Maoshan

Li Hongxiao, whose courtesy name was Wei, was from Jinling. His family had revered Confucian learning for generations, and people in his home district called him “Master Zhenyin.” To avoid the personal name of Emperor Jingzong, he changed his surname to Li. His son was named Hanguang. At the age of thirteen, Hanguang left home to follow the Dao. He had a dignified appearance and looked up toward the vast, distant sky. Compassionate at heart, he would not harm even insects or ants. Even in a dark room, he remained as cautious and composed as if standing before the ruler or his parents. People who saw him would often compose themselves and dare not behave carelessly. As a child, he excelled at seal script and clerical script. When someone praised him as better than his father, he heard the remark and never wrote again for the rest of his life.

Later, Master Zhenyi passed on to him all the treasured cloud-script books, precious Daoist texts and talismanic writings, that he had kept in his collection. He said of him, “You are truly a visitor from the Jade Clarity realm. You embrace emptiness and practice the Dao, and your path will have no end. But if you hide away in remote mountains and forests, leaving no trace, your De will remain shallow. Since you have inherited the Dao teachings passed down from antiquity, you should help the people of the world and guide later students into the Way, receiving its mysterious instruction.

“The master’s primordial Qi has not dispersed, and the jade charts—images and registers of Daoist realms—shine with an ethereal light. He has long been attuned to the numinous and subtle. He often conceals his radiance: in action he does not appear to strive, and in stillness he is neither silent nor withdrawn. When responding to the transformations of all things, he seems to return to the beginning of attaining the One, the state of unity with the Dao. His outward conduct can be described, but the constant Dao cannot be put into words. With an open, all-embracing heart, he nurtures all things. Human thoughts keep changing, and learning changes with them, until through learning one enters the Dao. A harmonious Qi comes naturally; those who receive it are unaware of it. Those who come to him as disciples admire his primordial harmony, like autumn flowers and grasses resting against a high mountain, or summer waters flowing into a great river.

“The master forgets himself and cherishes others. Auspicious signs appear time and again, yet he regards them as ordinary things. When scholars and common folk come to seek his counsel, he always responds to their needs. When conducting Zhaijiao purification rituals, he often has the ritual compound closed off, selects suitable firewood, and burns incense as he performs the rites. He is sincere and reverent, and takes care to make every detail thorough…”

This passage recounts similar events.

Toward the end of the Kaiyuan era, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, the emperor invited the Master into the palace and asked him about the principles of governing the state. The Master replied, “Dao and De are the ruler’s teachers. In the past, Emperor Wen of Han governed by following these principles, bringing benevolence and peace to the realm.”

Xuanzong then asked about the golden cauldron used for alchemical refining. The Master replied, “Dao and De are impartial and free of self-interest. To treat them as a means of seeking personal gain is to invoke the public good in name while pursuing private aims in practice. When sages occasionally speak of the art of long life, they do so only to preserve their teachings. To seek longevity single-mindedly and indulge one’s desires is like trying to grasp the wind: in the end, it is futile.”

Xuanzong bestowed on the Master the honorific title “Mysterious Stillness” to show his esteem. Before long, the Master firmly took illness as his reason for departing and returned east to Mount Gouqu. Xuanzong issued an edict ordering the construction of Ziyang Abbey where the Master lived, for him to reside in. Thereafter, imperial edicts arrived one after another, and offerings continued without interruption. High ministers and officials came to pray and pay visits every month. After the Master’s death, people within the Daoist tradition came to value sincere conduct even more, uphold the virtues of compassion and frugality, and return to the simple, honest ways of the age of Fuxi and Shennong. This was the fruit of the Master’s teaching.

The Master compiled Records of the Study of Immortality and On the Similarities and Differences among the Three Mysteries. He also wrote the True Scripture and Notes on the Pronunciation and Meaning of the Materia Medica. These works record the relevant matters in detail, fill in what was missing, and elucidate subtle principles in depth.

In the winter of the fourth year of the Dali era, in the eleventh month, the Master said to his close disciples Wei Jingzhao and Meng Zhanran, “I am about to follow the course of transformation and depart.” His spirit and energy were calm. He passed away as if seated in meditation, at the age of eighty-seven. Auspicious clouds descended into the room, and lingzhi mushrooms grew in clusters. He still held a book in his hands, his expression peaceful; he never moved from his place. According to the True Scripture, this is how one who follows the natural course of transformation and attains the profound ranks of the immortals departs.

Wei Jingzhao transmitted the teaching to Gao Dongxu, and Gao Dongxu in turn transmitted it to Li Fanglai. They all carried on the Master’s virtue and let it pass on without loss. At the time, Liu Shi also composed an ode for the Master, praising him:

“People of old could only speak of it by forcing the name ‘Dao’ upon it. It is the subtlety of the primal beginning, deep and beyond sight or hearing. The Yellow Emperor transmitted it; the Master understood it, letting his spirit roam freely and following the One. The realm embraced by his true nature accords with the Great Origin. He walked the path to immortality and arrived there silently, without a sound. People say he lived ten thousand years; what I saw was simply his constant way. Xuanzong admired the Master and summoned him to the capital, but the nobles of the palace could never understand the lofty realm of the white clouds. Disciples from distant places came and went, meeting one another in harmony. Though schools are many, true vital essence is kept through one’s own cultivation. The Master followed transformation and departed; how could others hope to fathom him? The Daoist liturgies and secret instructions have always been bound by an unseen covenant.”

The Seven Slips from a Cloudy Satchel, juan five.