《雲笈七籤》Vol. 97

The Yunji Qiqian (Seven Slips from the Cloud Satchel), Volume 97

A Song by the Left Lady of Taiwei Xuanqing (with preface)

The Left Lady of Taiwei Xuanqing was a Zhenren (Perfected) in the heavens of Taiwei. On the seventeenth day of the twelfth month in the third year of Xingning of the Jin (a yichou year), she descended together with the Zhenren Taiyuan and a multitude of Zhenren to the dwelling of Yang Yi, the Zhenren of the Golden Altar on Mount Juqu, and sang in the Beichun Palace. The lyrics are as follows:

That lush and verdant place, with its deeply secluded atmosphere, is not a true realm of the human world; Taiyuan is my dwelling. How could the mysterious immortal realm ever be destroyed? It is only deep and indistinct, difficult to seek out alone.

I ride a phoenix carriage and rein in the purple clouds; raising my whip, I climb the morning peaks. All around is silent and boundless, and the sky-scape is bright. Numinous mushrooms grow on Phoenix Mound; I linger beside the Jade Forest. The dragon fetus gestates your form; the Eight Jades reflect the pure white dawn. The langhua blossoms flourish; flowers in the jade palace open upon the cliffs, radiant with brilliant light.

The giant Peng bird spreads its wings, crosses millions upon millions of mountain ridges, and beating its wings, soars straight upward on the rising whirlwind. In the western court I order a long song to be sung; the yun’ao (an instrument used in immortal music) ceases its vain strumming. The winds of the eight directions encircle the emerald sky, and layer upon layer of mist suddenly clears.

Spirit youths cast down flowing golden fire and gently open the documents on their desks. The Three Primes (Sanyuan—the divine Zhenren represented by the upper, middle, and lower primes) bow and dance; the Purple Emperor waves his sleeves in praise. The light is bright and clear; the scenery shines; the Changgeng star is brilliant and radiant. The immortal carriage rises high; bright blades look down from above, moving me to sigh.

Looking back at those sorrowful earth immortals, why must they still dwell among mountain forests and streams?

A Song of the Numinous Phoenix (with preface)

The Benxing Jing says that the king of the western kingdom of Weilu had a daughter named Chouying, who once lived together with a phoenix. The numinous phoenix often fanned her with its wings, and so twelve years passed. Later Chouying suddenly became pregnant. The king found this strange, so he cut off the phoenix’s head and buried it in Changlin Mound.

Chouying later gave birth to a daughter named Huangfei. Sighing, she sang:

O numinous phoenix, remote and far, you have been gone so long;

my longing runs on without end, and my wish has always come to nothing.

Through ten thousand kalpas there is no time of reunion—

when will you be able to fly back?

Thereupon the phoenix killed by the king suddenly came back to life, took up the daughter, and flew away with her through the clouds.

A Song of the Stone Drum by the Female Immortal Zhang Liying (with preface)

The Jinjing Shan Ji says that in the Han dynasty there was a woman named Zhang Liying, the daughter of Zhang Mang. Her face had a wondrous radiance; she did not need a mirror—if she simply faced a white silk fan, she could see her own countenance on its surface.

The King of Changsha, Hao Rui, heard that she had an extraordinary heavenly constitution and personally led troops to seek her hand in marriage. She was fifteen at the time. When she heard that Hao Rui had come, she then…

After climbing this mountain, she lay down on her back, her hair unbound and spread over her beneath the stone drum; everyone thought she was dead.

Mang’s wife and Rui sent people to investigate, when suddenly they saw dense purple clouds rising, and then the woman vanished from sight. People found a song she had left, written on the stone drum:

“Stone drum, O stone drum! How sad is this lower world of dust! Since I came here, I have seen that life among humans is truly hard and grievous. Worldly affairs are long-drawn and chaotic; my heart cannot be humiliated, nor can a king’s power take away my resolve. There are luan birds and phoenix birds; then I sing freely and dance lightly, soar through the clouds across the Heavenly River, and leave far behind the snares of the dusty world. What can mortals do to me? The pact of a brief meeting was in a blink missed because of adverse fate. Father, Mother, do not grieve for me.”

To this day, there is still a black mark on the stone drum, shaped like a woman’s hanging hair, so people of that time called it “Zhang Nü’s Hair.”

A Children’s Rhyme from the Early Han (with Preface)

In the early years of the Han dynasty, four or five children were playing on the road. One of them sang:

“Wearing a blue skirt, I enter the Heavenly Gate; I bow to the Golden Mother and pay respects to the Wood Lord.”

At the time, no one understood the meaning of the song; only Zhang Zifang (Zhang Liang) knew. He bowed and said, “This is a jade youth of the Eastern King Lord (Dongwang Gong). The song says that after immortals attain the Dao and ascend to Heaven, they should bow to the Golden Mother and pay respects to the Wood Lord. Unless one is a Dao-attainer whose mind is empty and still and who has ascended to the true realm, one cannot understand its meaning.”

Three Poems Bestowed on Yang Quan by E Lü Hua (with Preface)

E Lü Hua was an immortal maiden, about twenty years old, dressed in blue-green garments and extremely beautiful. On the night of the tenth day of the eleventh month in the third year of Shengping under Emperor Mu of Jin (359 CE), she descended into Yang Quan’s home, calling herself a person of the Southern Mountains, but she did not say which mountain. From then on, she always came to Yang Quan’s house six times each month.

Yang Quan, courtesy name Daoyu, was the grandfather of Yang Xin, a Huangmen lang under Emperor Jianwen of Jin. Both Yang Quan and Yang Xin secretly practiced Daoist methods and delighted in the pure and quiet life of cultivating truth. E Lü Hua said that her original surname was Yang, and she also said that she was Luo Yu, a woman who had attained the Dao in the Jiuyi Mountains. In a former life she had been a master’s wife and had poisoned her nurse Xuanzhou; because the sins of her former life were not yet erased, she was temporarily banished to the dusty world to repay her fault.

She bestowed a poem on Yang Quan and also gave him a fire-washed cloth hand towel—cloth said to remain undamaged after being burned and washed—as well as one gold tiaotuo and one jade tiaotuo. A tiaotuo resembles a ring but is larger, and the workmanship was exceptionally fine. She said to Yang Quan, “By no means reveal that I have descended to the mortal world; if you do, both of us will incur guilt.”

Thereupon he said: “Those who cultivate the Dao regard brocade and embroidery as worn-out cloth, titles and rank as passing travelers, and gold and jade as broken tiles and stones. They have no desires or anxieties, no attachments, and do not act deliberately; they do what ordinary people cannot do, learn principles ordinary people cannot learn, diligently practice the work ordinary people cannot sustain, and attain what ordinary people cannot obtain.

“Why is this? Worldly people chase desires, while I keep purity and stillness and stand alone to guard myself; worldly people study worldly affairs, while I cultivate tranquility and silence; worldly people diligently seek fame and profit, while I concentrate on inner cultivation; worldly people move toward aging and death, while I have attained long life. Thus I am now nine hundred years old.”

He transmitted to the other the shijie elixir (a Daoist legendary medicine that helps one leave the body through a discarded corpse and ascend in transformation), then concealed his form, changed his appearance, and departed. Today he is in the mountains of eastern Xiang.

When Lü Hua (a Daoist immortal) first descended, she presented a poem, saying:

The divine mountains tower high, piercing the clouds;

the peaks seem to fly up, tier upon tier for a thousand xun.

The deep numinous valley is empty, bright, and still;

jade trees flourish, and the woods are dark and secluded.

Scholar Yang (Yang Quan) was outstanding in talent and refinement;

though young, he had a pure and elegant reputation.

He gave his heart to the teachings of Zhuangzi and Huizi,

transcending outward traces and far from the dusty world.

He shone with brilliance within the vermilion gates,

and both within and without he harbored a mind beyond the mundane.

First

You and I share the same ancestry and source;

our ancestors came from one deep origin.

The clan flourished, each inheriting former endeavors,

but now we have divided into different branches.

Orchid and gold, because their tastes accord, enter into fellowship;

forming beneficial friends, only then do they gradually gain understanding.

Second

Calming the mind and recalling, I rejoice that we have this meeting;

a refined friendship is enough to last many years.

Who says subtle illumination is hard to obtain?

It lies right within the square-inch heart.

We both aspire beyond the cage of the dusty world,

and both wish to be hermits in the mountains.

Do not let the wings that soar into the sky

go far away with the sudden wind.

Though transformation and movement arise from people,

they are not easily compared to lambs and the like.

Is what I hope for merely glory that blooms in the morning and falls by evening?

As the years draw to an end, I still look forward to meeting you.

Third

Two Poems Presented by Consort An of Jiuhua to Director of Destinies Yang, with Preface

On the night of the twenty-fifth day of the sixth month in the third year of Xingning of the Jin (a yichou year), Consort An of Jiuhua descended together with Lady Wang of Ziwei (Purple Subtlety) into the home of Yang Xi at Jintan (Golden Altar).

The Consort wore a cloud-brocade skirt, red above and blue-green below, with vivid patterns and dazzling radiance. At her waist was tied an embroidered green sash, from which hung more than ten small bells, their colors alternating blue-green and yellow; on her left side she wore a jade pendant, similar in style to worldly jade pendants but much smaller. Her clothing glittered with light, illuminating the sleeping chamber as if it were daytime and making it look like mica.

Her hair and temples were arranged with utmost neatness, coiled in a topknot on the crown, with the remaining long hair hanging to her waist; she wore gold rings on her fingers and white pearls tied on her arms. She appeared to be about thirteen or fourteen years old. Beside her were two maidservants; one wore blue-green clothing, was tied with a blue-green seal bag, and held in her hand a brocade pouch one chi and two cun long, containing....

The scrolls numbered about ten volumes. They were sealed with a sealing label made of white jade and kept in a bag; engraved on the label were the words “Jade Clarity Divine Tiger Inner Perfection Purple Prime Elixir Chapter.” A maidservant dressed in blue-green held a white box bound with red silk ribbons. The white box was shaped like an elephant tusk. The maidservant was about seventeen or eighteen, and her attire was exceptionally neat and splendid. The Consort and her attendants had bright, clear countenances, smooth as jade; a thick fragrance rose from them, like burning incense, and they also carried an infant-like breath.

When they first entered the room, they walked behind Lady Ziwei. Lady Ziwei introduced them to Lord Yang, saying, “Today we have a distinguished guest.” Lord Yang then rose. Lady Ziwei said, “There is no need to rise; let us simply sit together and exchange greetings.” So everyone took their seats, and the greetings were completed.

Lady Ziwei said, “This is the youngest child of Lady Li of the Golden Terrace, the Supreme Perfected Primordial Lord. The Primordial Lord of Great Emptiness formerly sent this child to Turtle Mountain to study the Way of Highest Clarity (Shangqing Dao). After the Way was perfected, this child received a written charge bestowed by the Supreme Lord and was enfeoffed as the Nine Flower True Consort of the Upper Palace of Purple Clarity. She was granted the surname An, the given name Yupin, and the courtesy name Xuxiao.”

Lady Ziwei asked Lord Yang, “Have you ever seen anyone like this before?” Lord Yang replied, “Her numinous elegance is difficult to describe in words.”

Yupin had been holding three jujubes in her hand; their color was like dried jujubes, but their shape was long and large, and when eaten they did not taste like jujubes. She ate one, and Lady Ziwei and Lord Yang each ate one. Yupin asked Lord Yang how old he was, and Lord Yang answered, “Thirty-six, born in the ninth month of the Gengyin year.”

Yupin said, “Your teacher, Lady Nanzhen, holds the authority of the Director of Destinies; her Dao is lofty and complete, and she is the sovereign of De (Virtue/Power). I have long heard of your virtuous name, and never expected that today, in the unseen, we would have the affinity to meet.”

Lord Yang replied, “I am sunk in the worldly dust; defilement has stained my original nature. Between me and the immortals and perfected there is a high and distant gulf, and I have no way to reverently receive their teaching. That you condescend to descend is a joy beyond measure. I only hope you will instruct and enlighten me, dispel my darkness, and help me free myself from confusion; this has been my wish day and night.”

Yupin said, “In what you say now, there is no need for modest, polite phrases; excessive humility is not fitting.” After a long while, she told Lord Yang to moisten his brush and compose a poem. When the poem was finished, Yupin took it and read it, saying, “Now I give this poem to you, using it to express my heart. If there is anything you do not understand, you may ask me privately.”

The poem says:

The clouded gates (palace towers in the clouds) soar above the firm void;

the Qiongtai (a high terrace built of jade) stands steep and towering;

the Purple Palace rides on blue-green cloud-light,

and the numinous observatories rise tier upon tier.

Amid the langxuan (ornate pavilions) and vermilion chambers

is a person of highest De, radiant as crimson clouds.

Bending down, she rinses and drinks the immortal water in a numinous vase…

Among the emerald lotuses I gather flowers; in the Jade Heavenly Pool I wash both feet; on the River of the Herd Boy I row my boat. Riding auspicious clouds, driving dragon horses, I come to hidden and deep places; at the edge of the dusty world I shake the dust from my garments, lift my robe, and tread through turbid waves. I wish to make companions of mountains and marshes, to let the hard and the soft follow and harmonize with each other; hand in hand we reach the realm of purity and enter the Way of the Supreme Perfected, not taking crooked paths. We meet in the Ziwei Palace, deliberate good plans together, chant to welcome blessings, and enjoy abundant fortune.

First

Driving my carriage, I suddenly set out from Xihua, coming and going between having something to await and having nothing to await; sometimes I look back at the summits of the Five Peaks, sometimes I wash at the edge of the Heavenly River. I set down the wheels and seek the empty boat—as though all things were mutually connected: within a mustard seed suddenly appears a vast expanse of heaven and earth, and within it Mount Kunlun. Great and small are originally without difference; far and near also arise from the same condition.

Others come with the mentality of “having something to await”; I meet them with a heart of “having nothing to await.”

Second

Four Poems by Lady Wang of Zhonghou, with Preface

The consort in the Ziqing Inner Biography of Lady Donghua governs the Eastern Palace; she is the Perfected Lady of Zhonghou and the elder sister of Lady Ziwei, dwelling in the Canglang Yunlin Palace. In the third year of Xingning of the Jin (the yichou year), she descended to Yang Xi’s house at the Golden Altar.

She said: “King Ling had thirty-eight sons. The Jin crown prince Zijin once took Fuqiu Gong of Mount Song as his teacher and later ascended to heaven in broad daylight. Zhonghou was named Guanxiang, with the courtesy name Zhong’ai; she was a child of Song Ji and a younger half-sister of Zijin. Zijin and his five brothers and two sisters—seven people in all—attained the Dao. Her younger brother Meishou was Guanxiang’s elder brother by the same mother.”

That night, the Perfected Pei Qingling, the Perfected Wang Tongbai, Lady Li Zhaoling, Lady Wang Ziwei, Lady Wang Youying, and Lady Wei of the Southern Peak descended together. They transmitted the methods of cultivating Perfection to Zhonghou, and these contents were also transmitted to Dinglu.

They said: “Like a phoenix perched on a high tree, wear plain garments, act along the upright way, and hold fast to chastity and correctness; settle the mind and spirit and return to empty stillness and mysterious subtlety. The stone fat of the Five Lords suits your constitution; you should take it promptly, for it can make your countenance somewhat younger. When the period of three-eight arrives (the original does not specify whether this means months or a stage of cultivation), your spirit and thought will become clearer.

Next, cultivate the Way of Mysterious Perfection: unhitch the carriage and lie down quietly to rest; you may recite the Dongpian (Cavern Chapters). Use the jade blade the prescribed number of times, concentrate on cultivation, dwell in a high place, remain silent and still, and keep the upright Qi stable and undiminished. The wood powder can dispel illness; this is a method suited to you.

Afterward, take the rice preparation known as xunfan and also eat grains; do not go against these arrangements. This can replenish the bone marrow, eliminate illness, and make the skin and flesh full and moist. After that, climb the mountains, chant the Dongpian, and discuss the subtle and hidden principles. The white teeth of the Yin beast can also enable one to perceive the workings of affairs. In this way you may attain deathlessness and pass beyond the limit of Renchen.

Lie quietly and rest, plant flourishing trees, enjoy and hold fast to the Zhou Shu; set up the bamboo slip registers at the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), and register the golden name in Xihua…”

Whether the practice of fushi—taking elixirs or numinous substances—is feasible will naturally receive a response; the principle of numinous talismans accords with the gods, and by investigating its source one can resonate with them in the hidden depths. (Explanation: Xu Changshi was named Mu, courtesy name Sixuan; Yufu and Huya are personal names. Here the reader is urged to practice the method of fushi.)

The assembled Perfected (all the immortals who had attained the Dao) composed poems, and Zhonghou intoned:

I

Dragon banners dance in the Great Void; flying wheels patrol the Five Peaks.

Wherever one may be, one can roam free and at ease; when there is resonance, songs of the hidden realm arise.

Those who depend on nothing need no analogy; those who depend on something connect through encounter.

Thus, how could one think the waters of Canglang are far away?

The Mysterious Well is not far; in the dense, hidden depths, it can be found within a few steps.

All within the Four Seas may meet—how can that compare to going beyond the light?

The long ages of three kalpas have only just passed once.

II

The roads of the eight directions converge, yet there is no fixed sovereign;

Following the momentum of destiny, I observe the troubled world.

The body transforms amid floating dust; opening my robes, I meet those who possess the Dao.

My gaze turns to mist and clouds, not pausing for a moment; bearing the Perfected, I journey and arrive at the numinous realm.

I walk upon the void, riding a jade-adorned carriage;

With the mysterious hook-bell I make a song of the phoenix.

The path is agreeable, with no tracks to obstruct it;

Wondrous music dances with the cloud vapor.

When virtue equals the Jade Effulgence, why covet the world’s many things?

III

(When the intonation reached this point, there was a long pause, and then it was said:)

One need only contemplate the peaceful way of heavenly truth, cast off entanglements, and let the various feelings unfold.

Let the mind-body return to stillness and discard cleverness.

If one makes a principle of prizing things with form, how can one nourish and nurture life?

What Zhuangzi called Qiwu, “Equalizing Things,” is simply following transformation and moving with whatever one encounters.

IV

I mount the immortal carriage and set out from Donghua;

Waving the wind-fan, I dance in the realm of Taixuan (Great Mystery).

Driving swiftly, I soar ninety thousand li, and the lands of the eight directions are all leveled alike.

For a while I look down upon mountains and waters; the numinous peaks are deep and serene.

Sharing the clear wind, our natural breaths accord;

The principle connects us, and it is just so.

I wish to enjoy long life like the dragon ganoderma;

Inwardly observing, I nurture the heavenly truth.

The eastern ridge can remain forever clear and still—why be entangled by external things?

Three Poems by Lady Li, Zhaoling of the Eastern Palace of Fangzhang Terrace (with preface)

Lady Li, Zhaoling of the Eastern Palace of Fangzhang Terrace, was the daughter of Li Qingbin, Daoist Lord of the Central Mystery of the Northern Origin, and the younger sister of Li Lingfei, Grand Guardian and Jade Gentleman. She attained the Dao in the era of King Tang of Shang, ascended to heaven in broad daylight, and was appointed Lady Zhaoling of the Eastern Palace, governing the Thirteenth Cinnabar Lodge of Fangzhang Terrace.

On the night of the twenty-second day of the eighth month in the yichou year, the third year of Xingning of Emperor Ai of the Eastern Jin, Lady Li descended to the home of the Perfected Yang Xi. She wore purple brocade garments, carried a Numinous Tiger Talisman, held a flowing-gold bell, and appeared to be about thirteen or fourteen years old. Beside her were two maidservants, about twenty-one or twenty-two, named Yinhui, both dressed in blue silk and holding two white jade boxes tied with blue ribbons. On the boxes was inscribed “Tai…”

Lady of the Supreme Jade Text, one of the titles of female immortals, wore a blue-green ribbon like the seal pouches worn by people in the world; her secret talismanic registers were about five zhang or more in length. She descended together with Lady Shangyuan, Lady Ziwei, Lady Youying, and other immortals, and composed a poem:

The city wall in the clouds is built according to Heaven; the seven forms of Qi glow with divine light. The Jade Gate opens, and at dawn ninefold music sounds; within the crimson pivot gate purple clouds coil, and among vermilion doors incense smoke rises. At the green windows four-horse carriages dance and tiger banners flutter; azure carriages soar into the mysterious void, canopies ranged with the clouds, phoenixes drawing the carriage and six dragons driving it.

The Five Peaks spread out behind, and the San Su—the three female immortals of the celestial realm—look toward me. Xu Junfang, I have just heard the clamor of turbid Qi: ten thousand foul vapors stain my breast, stinking things fumigate my Shen, and the noisy dust of the world clashes against itself. Bright pure jade is radiant enough; why make yourself bear such a grand display? I should long ago have raised both hands and taken my leave; I regret that I did not depart earlier. Sitting on the ground, one will soon grow worms.

On the third day of the ninth month of that year, she descended again and sang:

Drinking freely, I watch the many numinous and wise beings; in an instant they scatter to the four directions. I do not know the reason, and in truth there is nothing one must wait for. When we meet, all are joyful; when we do not meet, there is no sorrow either. Let the form roam in the mysterious void; when two meet, it is naturally due to affinity.

On the night of the first day of the twelfth month, Lady Nanyue again chanted a poem and sent it to Xu Yufu:

Riding a flying carriage, I ascend the high morning terrace; reins in hand, I arrive beside the Xuanlong ridge. I grasp the Purple Emperor’s sleeve, and in a blink ride the wind. The jade-flower winged carriage is enclosed by green curtains; azure garments flutter, emerald skirts spread like fans. The carriage is tall and luminous, jade pendants and moon pearls reflecting one another. When I enter the dusty world even slightly, foul breath stuffs my nose; I ought to withdraw from it. The stench weakens my Qi, and a hundred harassments carry my Shen far away. Why not at once rise on the wind and stroll freely in the Great Void?

Three Poems Bestowed on Yang Xi by Lady Wang of the South Pole, with Preface

Lady Wang of the South Pole was the fourth daughter of the Queen Mother of the West. Her name was Lin, her courtesy name Rongzhen; she was also called Lady Ziyuan of the South Pole, and sometimes Lady Yuanjun of the South Pole. She presided over the Palace of Great Cinnabar and was appointed by the Holy Lord of the Golden Portal as Superior Protector and Director of Destinies. During the reign of Emperor Ping of the Han, she descended to the stone chamber on Yangluo Mountain and transmitted to the Perfected Qingxu, the Lesser Heaven King Wang Bao (courtesy name Zideng), and others thirty-one scrolls of Jing, including the Supreme Treasure Writ. The Lady appeared about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a brocade cape and azure feather skirt, with the Tiger Writ at her left and Huiling at her right; her features were proper and her celestial bearing serene and elegant. She rode a feather-treasure carriage, attended by nine thousand female immortals on horseback and drawn by nine dragons, and dwelled in Changwan Mountain in the Cinnabar Sea of Boyang, where she presided over teaching and transformation.

Those who truly have hope of cultivating into Zhenren (Perfected Persons), in the third year of Xianning of the Jin, the yichou year, when a gathering was held at the home of the Zhenren Yang Xi, the assembled Zhenren chanted poems together and bestowed them upon Yang Xi:

Driving the rushing wind and waving a fan within the Great Void; riding the Eight Scenes (the eight visionary realms of the immortal world), ascending to the high and distant. Looking up, I float beyond Purple Dawn; looking down, there is the deep and dark Luo Ming. The mind is empty and bright, dwelling between Kongtong; moving up and down, never halting. Between the realm of no waiting and the realm of waiting, why must there be contention? Within the two, there is both dependence and non-dependence. When the body returns to emptiness, one can transcend death; while the body still exists, one can nurture life. The Eastern Guest (Grand Lord Mao, Upper Minister of Mount Dongyue) sang aloud in the high assembly: waiting and non-waiting—why argue?

The First Poem

Driving the jade-brocade wheels, I dance the reins and gaze upward, lingering. In the morning I travel to the Palace of Vermilion Fire; at evening I feast at the Pool of Night Light. Floating radiance illumines the ends of clear clouds; eight dragons are arrayed in uneven order.

I make a journey of non-dependence, yet am always followed by the realm of dependence. In the high assembly, the fair ones sleep peacefully; dependence and non-dependence argue over right and wrong. Being and nonbeing have no fixed conclusion; the things each depends on will in the end return.

The Second Poem

On the night of the twenty-third day of the sixth month of that year, the Lady of the South Pole again chanted a poem and bestowed it upon Lord Yang:

When the forest stirs, it must resonate with its own kind; when clouds gather, they wait for the dragon’s roar. The mysterious pattern naturally responds to itself; touching the rhythm, all things have sound. The flying carriage rises from Xihua; suddenly it drives forth to seek me.

The distant realms of the eight directions are not without joy; together we chant a song, comprehend its principle, and naturally it commands respect. Alas, within these four quarters of heaven and earth, sorrow is always in the heart. Let us roam together to the Northern Cold Terrace and let the divine wind open your heart.

Seventeen Poems of Lady Wang of Purple Tenuity, with Preface

Lady Ziwei was named Qing’e, styled Yuyin, and was the twentieth daughter of the Queen Mother of the West. In former times she descended and transmitted the Taishang Bao Shen Jing (Supreme Treasure Spirit Scripture) to Pei Xuanren. After Pei Xuanren attained the Dao, he was conferred the title Qingling Zhenren (Perfected of Pure Spirit).

In the sixth month of the yichou year, the third year of Xianning of the Jin, Lady Ziwei descended to Yang Xi’s house. At that time she descended together with Taiyuan Zhenren, Tongbai Zhenren, Lady Youying, and the Lady of the Southern Marchmount. Lady Ziwei’s divine rank is Left Lady of the Purple Tenuity Palace; she guards Xuanlong Mountain in Yuye and in the upper palace presides over the teaching and transformation of those who are about to become Zhenren.

That night, when the Zhenren gathered, Lady Youying chanted of cultivating the truth, and Lady Ziwei responded:

Riding the rushing wind straight up to the nine heavens, I halt my carriage at Sanxiu Ridge. In the realm of waiting, I linger and gaze; the realm of non-waiting is originally still. Why labor to cross the waters of Canglang? How does it compare with crossing the Mysterious Well?

She chanted again:

The Tortoise Watchtower rises high, grand and magnificent; from the palace terrace hang moon pearls. We sit in rows in the Chamber of Nine Spirits, strike the ao (a Daoist ritual instrument), and chant of Taiwu (the Daoist realm of Great Nonbeing). The sound of jade flutes harmonizes with my spirit; golden nectar (the wine of the immortals) dispels my sorrow.

Again he intoned:

Within Donghua (the Eastern Flower) we feasted and gathered in joy, while in the hall arose hundreds and thousands of strains of Chen’gou music. Qingjun (a Daoist immortal) called me to rise, and I bowed in salute. In the Xilin court, immortals wore feather capes and held kingfisher-feather fans; jade pendants clashed and gave off clear, resonant sounds. Together everyone pointed toward Gaochen Hall and agreed to meet in the unseen immortal realm.

He also recounted, intoning on his travels through Xuanlong:

Soaring aloft, I stepped into the Crimson Empyrean (the red clouds) and flew past the mountain courts to the north. Divine light illumined the immortal terrace; radiance like a full moon slanted with the wind and spread its brightness. From the Gate of Danyuan (the gate of the immortal realm) I drew in Jing and Qi, and amid the scenery I absorbed the lunar radiance; linking sleeves with the immortals of Yunlin (Cloud Forest), I walked on. Heaven and earth are vast, and body and mind seemed to return to childhood. In purity and Wuwei (non-action), one need not lodge in the dusty world; where are the rights and wrongs of the world worth troubling the mind? The strifes of the dusty world disturb the human heart—how then can one speak of cultivating the Dao and nourishing life?

On the evening of the sixth day of the ninth month, Yunlin Zhenren (the Perfected of Cloud Forest) again issued a command, having Lord Yang take up the brush, and transmitted this intoned poem:

I unyoked the chariot wheels and reined in above Taixia (Great Rosy Clouds), arriving at the Purple Mound. Holding in hand the Jing and Qi of the heavenly realms in the eight directions, I let my body float in the air. One glance around, and I saw the order governing the movements of heaven and earth; another glance, and I found the lofty realm. Having grasped the essential meaning of the Great Dao, I could dissolve a thousand cares. To seek the true Dao and make worthy friends—what other pursuit is there in this life?

After intoning it, he again ordered that this poem be shown to Chief Secretary Xu Mu and Xi Fanghui. Then he intoned further:

The purple sky was clear, and wondrous scenes appeared; beside the Xuangong (the immortal palace) flowed the Crimson River. The Shangqing (Highest Clarity) immortal palace—the lofty, pure realm spoken of in Daoism—was solemn and majestic, and the Spirit Terrace rose high and shone. Immortal carriages from the eight directions came to the Vermilion Pool; feathered canopies leaned toward the clouds. A swift wind swirled, and the Three Luminaries (the sun, moon, and stars of the Daoist heavens) appeared. Golden bells rang out and scattered; jade blossoms fluttered, and the seven reins descended to the nine-tiered heavens. In the feasting and viewing of the immortal realm, one need not cling to a home in the human world. I ask the Dao-seeker: why are you still trapped sitting amid the waves of the dusty world? Could you perch securely in Dongxiu, cultivate your true nature, and gather in the Qi of Great Harmony?

He again ordered it shown to Chief Secretary Xu and Xi Fanghui. On the eighteenth day of the tenth month, the Zhenren once more issued a command to the assembly, having Lord Yang record it:

In my left hand I held the precious canopy of jade blossoms, and riding the flying light I trod upon the Seven Primes (Qiyuan, the celestial realm symbolized by the Big Dipper). The Three Luminaries shone with purple light; raising my eyes to gaze afar, I examined Mingzhen (the clear, pure realm of the Dao). In the blink of an eye, deities appeared on all four sides, their transformations without limit. You should diligently ponder and practice the Shangqing scriptures—why sit at a crossroads? This will make your mind unsteady, let Yin Qi intrude and cause you to lose the wondrous opportunity, until unknowingly your years are exhausted.

Xu Zhenren (Perfected Xu) said to Lord Yang: “What is called diligence means being diligent in the affairs of cultivating the Dao and concentrating the mind to realize the wondrous principle; what is called caution means also extending one’s understanding by analogy and reflecting on things as they arise. The difficulties of learning the Dao are truly hard to describe fully. If one can have the self-awareness to feel ashamed of one’s shallowness, then the mind that seeks the Dao will not stray too far from it. Only after purification and holding fast is it worthy of being treasured; the actions of the worthy should begin from the beginning. At present, you need only bring your mind to forget external things.” Then he intoned:

The mysterious, pure, and still realm of the Dao is profound and unfathomable, as if the setting sun were rising in the east. I wish to find a kindred spirit who has transcended the dusty world—such a person is rare in this world.

After chanting it three times, he chanted again:

The numinous person dwells hidden among mysterious peaks; the Perfected (Zhenren) conceals his form among the clouds. He sings a wondrous song, and not without reason: wondrous responses have their own time—why wait for empty silence? The highest resonance is always present. Hand in hand, they ascend to the immortal palace and feast together in Guanghan Palace (the Moon Palace). May I ask who the companions are? Only the Jade Maiden.

After chanting, he said: “A noble steed that stands tall and soars above the clouds, spreading its wings over Mount Kongtong—should such a one not long admire the life of facing south as sovereign, and decline the wealth of a state of a thousand chariots?”

On the thirtieth day of the second month, he chanted one stanza:

Lifting my robes, I cross the Green River and then meet Lord Fusang (the mythical eastern immortal). A great gathering is held at Tailin Xu; a feast and music are set in Xuanhua Palace. If one truly believes in the Great Dao (the Way), why not dwell on the Eastern Peak? (This passage also describes the scenic wonders of Fangzhu Mountain and the Donghua Immortal Realm.)

On the fourteenth day of the fourth month, he composed seven stanzas of song:

Harnessing the radiance of sun and moon, I set out in flight and ride the swift wind up to the pure realm. The Cloud Terrace rises high and majestic; the Heavenly Gate is elegant; the Jade City appears in the morning wind. Cinnabar clouds surge, and vermilion mist scatters in the golden court; green leaves are bright, and purple zhi mushrooms grow beneath the cliffs of the mysterious peak. Auspicious clouds coil around the elixir furnace, refining immortal jade; I soar to feast in the wonderlands of the eight directions and gaze afar at Guanghan Palace. Ten thousand years of long life make one return from old age to youth.

Dragon banners unfurl, and banners like numinous lightning flash; amid the sound of the banners, the Golden Tiger banner issues a summons, and vermilion divine troops follow. The High Perfected (a Zhenren of deep cultivation) patrols the nine luminaries, perceives the hidden and subtle, and illumines concealed light. Who can tread the profound immortal path and come seek my endless lifespan?

The First

The Purple Micro Immortal Lodge (a celestial palace) appears faintly; among its towers, divine light and swift winds disperse. Luan birds sing amid the canopy; phoenix-shaped regalia guide the dragon chariot. Eight wolves hold crimson banners; the White Tiger plays horn and flute. Clouds surge and reflect the immortal palace; I come into the clamor of the dusty world and loosen the reins.

The lovely companion and I are in harmony; like naturally attracts like. Seeking the source takes only a moment; ten thousand years are no more than a single morning. Longevity like that of the chun tree will eventually pass; how far apart are kalpa cycles and a game of chess? The Perfected gaze at one another; do not let the spirit-mind scatter in haste. Wield the knife of emptiness to cut away attachment within the void; if one remains bound, even the Five Spirits will grieve.

The Second

At dawn I open the gate and greet the eastern morning light; riding a flying carriage, I cross the blue sea. Mountain and sea waves shake the green shores; winds from the eight directions stir dark mist. In a backward glance, time has already changed; cherishing the Perfected in my heart, I am moved. The Three Golds allow one to roam and linger; the Eastern Peak is fit for a long stay. Worldly affairs are tangled and block the road; who can set foot on this path to the immortal realm?

The Third

Drifting among the Eight Clouds Ridge, I linger beneath the Flying Dawn Canopy (the canopy ridden by immortals). The purple flying carriage ascends into the Great Void; my gaze reaches beyond the nine heavens. Jade flutes stir the auspicious clouds; wondrous mist disperses the gloom. High immortals feast in the realm of Great Truth; clear, refined songs have no bound. Coming and going between mountains and immortal courts, what is there to wait for or delay?

The Fourth

The wondrous jade light shines upon the numinous liquid; the Seven Primes (Qiyuan) radiate spirited brilliance and illumine the sacred portals. Spirit-thought seems to shift lightly within the square inch of the heart, and in a single leap one ascends to Taiwei Heaven (Taiweitian). Wondrous music rises with harmonious song, and a grand gathering is held here. Heavenly beings gaze toward the dawn light and together drive their carriages beyond the Six Directions (Liuhe)—heaven, earth, and the four quarters; there all is peaceful and calm—how could overturning and peril still exist?

The Fifth

The brief banquet disperses, and the dust and wind of the mortal world fade with it; the ten thousand things change in turn, and the verdant green will in the end return. Who can know when the numinous and wondrous kalpa will come? A single backward glance brings sorrow.

The Sixth

Cloud grasses screen the secluded depths; looking upward, one senses the essence of the revolving stars. The myriad living beings flourish and grow, sending forth new shoots; by accumulating deep virtue, one will surely prosper.

The Seventh

Yunji Qiqian, Volume 97.