《三洞群仙錄》Vol. 17

When Tian Xuan lived in seclusion at Heming Mountain, he encountered a deity dressed in white who gave him a stone, saying: "Eating this will free you from hunger." After swallowing the stone, Tian attained the Dao (the Way) and never left the mountain again.

Yang Yin, after passing the imperial examinations, was appointed magistrate of Le'an County in Taizhou. Yet he abandoned his official post to cultivate himself in the mountains. There he met the immortal Lingying, clad in red robes, who led him into a cave. After consuming divine mushrooms, Lingying declared Yang possessed celestial affinity and introduced him to Lord Mao (patriarch of the Shangqing lineage). Lord Mao remarked that while Yang had the bone structure for immortality, he still needed worldly cultivation. From then on, Yang ceased eating ordinary food—his body grew light and agile, his joints producing bamboo-like clicking sounds. He could drink three liters of wine daily and traverse three hundred li in a single journey.

Wang Gang, who called himself Tianmenzi, mastered longevity techniques. In his writings, he explained: "Yang Qi (vital energy) arises during the Yin hour (3-5 AM), embodying pure Wood essence; Yin Qi emerges during the Shen hour (3-5 PM), containing pure Metal essence. When Wood encounters Metal, it inevitably suffers damage—thus women who use white face powder (Metal element) deplete their Yang energy." He taught that true adepts must balance Yin-Yang dynamics: "Cultivate the Azure Dragon (Wood Qi of the East) within yourself while others manifest the White Tiger (Metal Qi of the West). When others lead like the Vermilion Bird (Fire of the South), follow like the Dark Warrior (Water of the North)—this is the path to longevity." Practicing these methods, Tianmenzi lived 180 years with a childlike countenance before ascending to the immortal isle of Xuanzhou.

Wang Chan studied the Dao under Laozi, gathering medicinal herbs at Shiliang Mountain to maintain eternal youth. Later he secluded himself at Guigu Mountain, calling himself Master Guiguzi. When Su Qin and Zhang Yi came to study, he warned: "Hearing the Dao is easy; practicing it is hard." After three years, as they prepared to leave, the master admonished: "Your pursuit of fame resembles riverside trees—carriages break their branches, waves erode their roots. Why not emulate the pines of Songshan or osmanthus trees of Huayin? They touch the clouds yet avoid the lumberman's axe, guarded by divine beasts and celestial birds. You scorn the pine's enduring vitality for fleeting glamour." Their subsequent misfortunes fulfilled his prophecy.

Lord of Nanchang (a Daoist immortal official) Xi Mou originally held the position of Guardian Marquis of the Southern Vermilion Yang Heavenly Gate under the Northern Emperor's jurisdiction, and was later transferred to serve as Rectifier of the Luminous Heights Bureau. He was once dismissed from office due to involvement in Liu Qingsun's case, and is only now about to be reinstated.

Guo Yu, styled Yuan Yu, was a Jin Dynasty recluse who exhibited transcendent aspirations from youth. He withdrew to live in the secluded Lin Song Xie Valley, carving cave dwellings into the cliffs and sustaining himself on juniper berries to cultivate lightness of body. Zhang Tianxi, ruler of the Former Liang state, sent envoy Meng Gongming with lavish gifts to summon him to court. When Meng arrived in the mountains, Guo pointed to wild geese in flight and remarked, "How could such birds be confined in cages?" He then vanished completely into seclusion. Later, when Meng arrested Guo's disciples, the recluse sighed: "I withdrew to escape officialdom, not to evade responsibility—how can my seclusion bring harm to my followers?" He ultimately emerged to accept the summons.

Legend tells of Gao Yu mooring his boat overnight at Zhaotan Lake, where he witnessed three giant lotus blossoms floating on the water, each bearing a beautiful maiden. Conversing among themselves, they confirmed the truth of local lore—"Zhaotan has no bottom, and Orange Isle floats." Each declared her spiritual path: the first practiced Buddhism, the second Daoism, and the third Confucianism. They then predicted what they would feast upon the next day, each according to her preference. At dawn, a Buddhist monk, a Daoist priest, and a Confucian scholar successively drowned while crossing the river. Soon after, an old man appeared, introducing himself as the Elder of Mount Qiyang. Upon hearing Gao's account, the elder thundered, "How dare they!" Producing cinnabar ink, he inscribed a sacred Fulu (talisman) and ordered his disciple to tread the lakebed as if on solid ground. Within a stone cavern they discovered three white boars that transformed into white-robed women begging for mercy when confronted with the talisman. The elder commanded them to vacate within three days—by the next morning, black storm clouds brought wind and rain as three giant fish swam downstream.

The In Search of the Supernatural records how Xu Mao of Wu, an alchemy enthusiast, once encountered a Daoist who hung a painted scroll of a folding fan on his wall. The artwork depicted a medicine furnace attended by a youth. When the Daoist summoned the boy, the painted figure knelt before the furnace while the fan swayed continuously, flames roaring within the vessel. After the Golden Elixir was perfected, the Daoist declared: "The art of alchemy concerns Heaven and Earth's creative transformations—none may obtain it without accumulated De (virtue)." With these words, he departed.

Mao (the Daoist adept's name) left a prophecy that they would reunite at Mount Mao (a sacred Daoist mountain) fifty years later, then vanished without a trace.

The legend of the Moon Palace immortal: Wu Gang, having erred in his Daoist cultivation, was punished by being made to cut the cassia tree in the Moon Palace—yet the tree's wounds would heal instantly. The Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang records a cassia tree hundreds of feet tall in the moon. Some speculate that the moon's shadows are actually projections of the earth, with its dark patches being reflections of water—a theory closer to the truth.

The story of Cai Dan: Originally devoted to Daoist practice, he left home for the mountains but could not endure the ascetic life. Returning, he deceived his family, claiming he had become an Earth Immortal (a lower celestial rank). He said he had been demoted to Mount Kunlun to tend spirit mushrooms after losing one of the Five-Colored Dragons he herded for Lord Lao (Laozi) in a gambling match with other immortals.

The life of Yan Junping: This recluse of Chengdu mastered Huang-Lao philosophy and made a living through divination. He exhorted people to uphold filial piety, fraternal duty, and loyalty to rulers. His ten-thousand-word Laozi's Pointing the Way blended Laozi and Zhuangzi's teachings. Legend says his entire family later ascended to immortality, their house and pavilions rising with them.

The anecdote of Anqiu Wangzhi: This scholar of Changling studied the Laozi from youth, indifferent to fame. Revered as "Anqiu the Elder," he refused an audience with Emperor Cheng of Han but later traveled among commoners, healing the sick.

The legend of Jieyu: This Chu Kingdom hermit sustained himself on wild herbs and fruits, wandering Mount Emei for centuries. Liu Xiang praised him as "delighting in the Dao and nurturing his nature." He once admonished Confucius using phoenix symbolism and ultimately attained the Dao by chanting atop Spirit Mountain.

The marvel of Qiusheng: A carpenter from the Shang Dynasty era, he grew younger at three hundred years old. People discovered his longevity secret—regularly consuming pine resin.

Kuai Can's karmic reward: He tenderly nursed an arrow-wounded crane and released it upon recovery. Later, the crane returned by night bearing a luminous moon-pearl in gratitude. As for Ling Hui, records tell of his transcendent travels astride a celestial turtle.

Yu Linghuang secluded himself on Mount Heng for over a decade pursuing spiritual cultivation when he encountered an immortal who taught him the "Wind-Returning Technique" (a Daoist method for foreseeing events). After mastering this art, he could perceive all worldly affairs while seated, as if witnessing them firsthand. Yet he deliberately concealed this ability, never displaying supernatural powers to astonish ordinary people, so few knew of his gifts. He kept an enormous turtle called the "Primal Turtle," measuring four to five feet wide, which frightened all who saw it. One day, he rode this turtle into the Jiuyi Mountains and never returned, though woodcutters occasionally reported sightings of him thereafter.

Liu Congshan, whose Daoist name was Shuntian, became a disciple of Master Wang Taihe at Jianlong Temple during the Xiangfu era. In the first month of the Zhihe era's third year (1056 CE), when Emperor Renzong of Song fell ill, Liu was summoned to conduct rituals at the Great Celebration Hall. After the prime minister knelt in proxy worship on the emperor's behalf, he asked whether the ceremony had reached the celestial realms. Liu confirmed its success. At that moment, though the emperor had been unconscious for hours, his condition suddenly improved, and he issued an edict inquiring about the identity of "General Ge." Liu explained this was the divine general guarding the Three Heavenly Gates. The emperor immediately ordered an altar prepared for worship. The next day after recovering, Renzong told his attendants: "Last night my soul arrived at the Heavenly Gate, where General Ge said my earthly lifespan remained unfulfilled. He hastily lent me a horse to return—that's when I awoke."

The Jin dynasty recluse Zhu Chong (courtesy name Jurong) displayed noble virtue from youth, possessing a serene disposition. Despite poverty, he persisted in scholarly pursuits while sustaining himself through farming. Once when a neighbor mistakenly accused him of stealing a lost calf, Zhu offered his own ox without protest. Later when the neighbor found the missing calf in the woods and returned shamefacedly, Zhu refused to take back his ox. Whenever imperial summons arrived, he would retreat deep into the mountains. Contemporaries compared him to ancient recluses like Liang Hong and Guan Ning.

Daoist Immortal Dong was an eccentric wanderer often seen in Hezhong Prefecture markets during the Dazhong era (847-860 CE). When he drunkenly slept at a shop's entrance, that business would suddenly prosper—a phenomenon locals considered miraculous. He frequently sang madcap verses like "Lotus fibers weave ten thousand silken layers." During heavy snowfall once, he drew a bed in the snow with his staff and slept upon it. Asked if he felt cold, he replied: "Have you seen pines in deep mountains fear the blizzard?" Such profound insights flowed naturally from his speech.

Wang Yao of Poyang (courtesy name Boliu), according to the Biographies of the Wang Clan Immortals, mastered medical arts with unfailing curative results. Yet he employed neither altars, talisman water, nor acupuncture, relying instead on unique methods. Legends mention his "creating prisons" (possibly referencing certain magical techniques), though detailed accounts regrettably remain unclear.

This scripture recounts legendary tales of several Daoist immortals:

Regarding healing and exorcism techniques: There was an adept who could cure illnesses by spreading an eight-foot cloth on the ground and sitting in meditation without eating or drinking. When encountering malicious spirits, he would draw an invisible prison in the air, compelling the haunting entities to manifest (often appearing as foxes, crocodiles, or snakes), then slay or burn them, whereupon the afflicted would immediately recover.

Wang Guo (recorded in the Biographies of Divine Immortals) was a virtuous man from Chu who, disgusted with worldly fame and fortune, retreated to mountain forests and eventually ascended to immortality riding clouds.

The Tang dynasty Daoist Bai Yuanjian (courtesy name unknown), a native of Chengdu, took monastic vows when Emperor Xuanzong entered Shu, residing at Shanghuang Temple in pursuit of transcendence. Later he cultivated at Tianzhu Temple in Yuhang until achieving immortality during the Yuanhe reign period.

The 16th Celestial Master (Tianshi) Zhang Ci (courtesy name Ziming) inherited the Zhengyi Daoist lineage and could transmit secret methods during the Three Primes festivals. He possessed the art of transforming tiles into gold and could conjure fire from water, ultimately achieving feathery ascent amid celestial music.

During the Western Zhou period, the perfected Li Tuo cultivated at Changli Mountain for over 800 years, refining the elixirs "Water Jade" and "Nine Radiance Dan" capable of turning stone into jade and sand into pearls. In the Jianwu era of Eastern Han, he ingested his elixir and ascended astride a dragon. The stones at his alchemical site transformed into golden-jade hues. Later generations mistakenly identified his footprints as sacred traces of the Buddhist Kasyapa.

The Daoist Zhang Yuanhua (biography unknown) maintained strict precepts by abstaining from alcohol and meat, exemplifying monastic discipline.

The New Records of the Alchemical Terrace recounts: Immortal Ge Yuan (styled Xianweng) once passed through Wukang County and lodged with a family whose master was gravely ill. They had invited a spirit medium to summon a deity. The spirit demanded that Ge Yuan drink wine, but when he refused, the deity became insolent. Ge Yuan rebuked it angrily: "How dare you be so disrespectful!" He then summoned the Five Directional Divine Warriors (Taoist guardian deities) to drag the spirit outside for flogging. Though no figures were visible, an invisible force seemed to pull the deity into the courtyard, where it clung to a pillar, stripped of its garments to receive punishment. The sound of whipping echoed until the spirit was left bleeding profusely. Strangely, the host's illness was subsequently cured.

The Records of the Strange documents: Emperor Qin Shi Huang once built a stone bridge at sea to observe the sunrise. Divine beings drove the stones into place, and those that moved too slowly were whipped until they bled—the bridge still bears reddish stains to this day. The Records of the True Realm supplements this account: On a cliff beside Lin'an's Dongxiao Palace, an inscription states that Qin Shi Huang once commanded ghost soldiers to move mountains and fill the sea. Just as the mountain was about to be shifted, an immortal suddenly appeared, halting the ghost soldiers by pressing his body against the mountain to prevent its movement. To this day, the deep imprint of the immortal's robe remains on the cliff face.

The Biographies of Exemplary Immortals records: The Eastern King (Dongwang Fu, also known as the Lord of Eastern Florescence and head of male immortals in Taoism) played a game of "pitch-pot" with the Jade Maiden. Each successful toss summoned 1,200 celestial birds, while a missed throw provoked laughter from the heavens.

The Chronicles of King Mu of Zhou describes how King Mu, obsessed with attaining immortality, rode eight divine steeds to the Kunlun Mountains. There, he partook of the fruits from the immortal trees and received the secrets of ascension from the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu), eventually achieving liberation from the corpse (a Taoist method of transcendence where the physical body dies while the spirit soars).

The Biographies of Immortals: The Wang Clan tells of Wang Qiao, who served as magistrate of Ye County during Emperor Ming of Han's reign and possessed extraordinary powers. On the first and fifteenth days of each month, he would appear at the imperial court. Puzzled by his frequent arrivals without visible means of transport, the emperor ordered the Grand Astrologer to investigate. It was discovered that two wild ducks always flew in from the southeast whenever Wang Qiao arrived. When captured with a net, they transformed into the pair of court shoes bestowed upon him by the emperor four years prior.

Cheng Taixu was a native of Xichong in Guozhou who devoted himself to Daoist cultivation. He resided in Nanmin Mountain, abstaining from grains and practicing deep meditation that transcended self-awareness. One night during a violent storm that uprooted trees, with thunder and torrential rain, the depression in front of his courtyard began boiling with accumulated water. Stirring it with his staff, he retrieved two jade-green seals. These seals proved extraordinarily efficacious—each year people from near and far would come seeking Fulu (Daoist talismanic registers), which he would stamp with these seals. Those who obtained them invariably grew more prosperous. He used all such offerings to aid the poor, earning universal admiration.

Yin Daoquan practiced the Dongzhen method of refining spirit and achieving penetrating vision at Mount Heng while wearing the protective talismans of the Five Emperors, Six Jia, and Left-Right Lingfei. An immortal descended and told him: "Those who ascend in broad daylight must possess innate capacity to achieve the Dao. Emperor Wu of Han once summoned immortals who bestowed upon him the True Form Charts of the Five Sacred Mountains and the Twelve Lingfei Methods, yet he only attained Shijie (corpse liberation—where the soul transcends while the body perishes), failing to achieve complete ascension of both form and spirit. Mastering even one of these methods could grant you flight—this results from your diligent practice and accumulated merit from past lives." When Yin inquired about the Twelve Lingfei Methods, the immortal replied: "These were originally transmitted by the Queen Mother of the West to Emperor Wu, intending for him to stabilize the Five Sacred Mountains and benefit the people. But his warmongering and excessive slaughter destroyed his own blessings, preventing him from ascending like the Yellow Emperor or Yu the Great who rode dragons skyward. This was his failing."

Zhou Fu served as Tingzhang (gatekeeper of celestial precincts) while Ding Du was Guanzhu (abbot of an immortal lodge). The Zhen'gao records that Zhou Fu succeeded Xi Jian as Southern Gate Tingzhang—a single family produced two Tingzhang and four Xiumenlang (celestial gatekeepers), with eight such guardians in total at the Heavenly Gate.

The Kuoyi Zhi records: During the Qingli era, an official at dawn saw thirty lavishly dressed women riding in procession like an honor guard, followed by Ding Du (posthumously titled "Guanwen") riding with attendants. Astonished, the official remarked: "The Duke was always frugal—how could he have so many consorts?" The last woman replied: "Not household members—these are immortals welcoming the Abbot of Hibiscus Lodge." Ding had already retired; news of his death followed shortly.

A Zhen'gao commentary notes: In the Era of Seven Sage Sovereigns, the Red Lord (Chijun) once incarnated as a Buddhist monk to teach. The Southern Pole Elder and the Maiden of Xihe both feature in Daoist immortal lore.

This scripture recounts the miraculous deeds of several Daoist immortals.

The first account describes the "Primordial Lord" (Yuanjun), who bears different titles across various realms: in the realm of Primordial Qi (Yuanqi), he is called the Primordial Lord; in the Primordial Palace (Yuangong), he is known as the Supreme Marshal; in the Southern Star (Nanchen), he appears as the Elder of the South Pole; in the Great Void (Taixu), he manifests as the Great Void Perfected Being (Taixu Zhenren); and on Mount Heng, the Southern Sacred Peak, he is revered as Red Pine Master (Chisongzi). He serves as the teacher to the Four Perfected Beings under the Celestial Emperor and is a close companion of the Great One Perfected Being (Taiyi Zhenren).

Next is the tale of the Maiden of Xihe, a female immortal and niece of the transcendent Boshangfu. Through cultivation and consuming elixirs for over two hundred years, she grew increasingly youthful in appearance. At seventy, she administered medicine to her ailing nephew, restoring his youth. Later, a Han dynasty envoy passing through Xihe witnessed a young woman scolding a white-haired old man—only to learn this was her son. She explained she was already 230 years old and chastised him for refusing elixirs, which had caused his premature aging.

The story of Yao Tan (courtesy name Yuantai), tutor to Duke Xiang of Jin, tells of his lifelong cultivation. One day, his disciples witnessed silver blossoms descending from heaven—a sign that the Primordial Lady of Great Simplicity (Taisu Yuanjun) had dispatched immortals to escort him to transcendence. He was enfeoffed as the Perfected Being of Mysterious Isle (Xuanzhou Zhenren), overseeing the White Water Palace.

Qiong Shu, a Zhou dynasty historian, excelled in breath cultivation (tuna) and body refinement techniques. He often ingested boiled stalactites and lived for centuries, frequently resting on a stone bed in the Grand Chamber Mountain (Taishi Shan).

Finally, the account of Xia Tong (courtesy name Zhongyu) portrays a man from Kuaiji who, during the Shangsi Festival, remained unmoved by the clamor of nobles and carriages in Luoyang. Secluded in his boat, he responded with serene detachment when questioned by Grand Marshal Jia Chong—exemplifying the transcendent demeanor of an immortal.

These stories illustrate how Daoist adepts, through elixir consumption and internal cultivation (neigong), attained miraculous abilities like longevity, rejuvenation, and an otherworldly spiritual state beyond mundane concerns.

This recounts several miraculous deeds of Daoist cultivators:

There was a man named Mu Ge who would beat the boat's planks with his feet while singing, his voice clear and impassioned. When he grew angry, great winds would answer his call; when he scolded, lightning would gather; when he roared, sandstorms would arise. Onlookers marveled, saying, "Had we not come to Luoyang, how could we have witnessed such an extraordinary man?" Later he returned to Kuaiji and ultimately disappeared without trace.

Celestial Master Wu (Tianshi) discussed in Mystical Outline of the Dao (Xuangang Lun): When asked why ancient times had immortals but none are seen today, he replied that purity and turbidity follow different paths, and true immortals dwell in realms separate from the mundane—how could they casually appear? He cited examples like Lingwei (Ding Lingwei) briefly returning after a thousand years, and Hunyuan Zhenren (Primordial Perfected Being) still manifesting multiple times to this day—how then can one claim immortals no longer appear? When asked who current immortals might be, he listed several since the Tang dynasty: Liu Qingyun ascended in Shu territory, Wei Jun transformed into a dragon on Mount Song, Daohe Zhenren (Perfected of Dao Harmony) achieved feathered ascension in the Taiyi Grotto, and Dongyuan Zhenren (Perfected of Cavern Mystery) had his bones fly to distant lands.

The Master Who Embraces Simplicity (Baopuzi) records: Huang Hua (Lingzi) mastered the secret art of reversing aging—a method that could ward off weapons and protect households. He lived over five hundred years among mortals, growing increasingly youthful in appearance. Common people rejoiced at his presence and longed for him in his absence.

Biographies of Eminent Daoists (Gaodao Zhuan) recounts the deeds of Daoist Zhang Qizhen (courtesy name Qiyi): A native of Qiantang, during Qian Hongchu's reign as Prince of Wuyue who revered the Dao, Zhang often presided over purification rituals (zhaijiao) held on the 3rd, 8th, 13th, 18th, 23rd, and 28th days each month. When Emperor Taizong of Song established the Taiyi Temple, Zhang was selected to serve there. Later, while collating Daoist scriptures, he dreamed one night of crimson-robed officials bearing a summons for his return to the celestial ranks. At dawn, he told disciples "My time has come," then peacefully departed.

Declarations of the Perfected (Zhengao) records: Shan Shiyuan practiced methods transmitted by Master Meng, reciting the Scripture of the Yellow Court (Huangting Jing) once each night before sleep—a practice enabling control over one's ethereal and corporeal souls (hun and po). Twenty-one years of steadfast cultivation could lead to immortality, with ten thousand recitations being optimal, though even three or four recitations brought benefits. Lady Jiang of Northern Peak attained similar results through this scripture, preventing all ailments.

(Note: The mentioned Scripture of the Yellow Court is a crucial Daoist classic on Neidan (internal alchemy) practice; terms like "returning to authenticity" and "cicada molting" honorific Daoist euphemisms for a realized master's passing.)

The story of Immortal Elder Wang reveals that illness can be a pathway to eternal life. This mysterious Master Wang, whose origins remain unknown, was traveling with his Daoist companion Feng Junda through sacred mountains when they encountered an immortal who imparted this revelation: "Your sincere devotion has moved Heaven. The Supreme Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) sent me to teach you the secret of transcending the mundane world. The way to immortality lies within yourself—simply cease restless thoughts, refrain from forced breath regulation, and let your innate Qi (vital energy) flow naturally to fill your body. True longevity and ascension come effortlessly. Those exhausting cultivation methods actually deplete your Jing (essence) and Qi. Authentic Daoist practice should be as natural and continuous as breathing." Having delivered this message, the immortal ascended and vanished.

The tale of Mu Jiangfu demonstrates the miraculous power of Daoist methods. This unassuming cultivator from Chang'an often visited his friend Yao Sheng's home to discuss the Dao over wine. One day when Yao suddenly died, his panic-stricken family summoned Mu Jiangfu. Arriving late at night, Mu smiled and declared "He can still be revived." He removed his outer robe and lay beside the corpse, instructing everyone to maintain silence. By midnight, Yao Sheng had miraculously sat up, explaining: "I was taken by yellow-robed underworld officers when suddenly the Celestial Venerable of Great Unity (Taiyi Tianzun) decreed my return." Yao recovered completely while Mu Jiangfu quietly departed, leaving no trace.

Huang Fengxian's experience proves even more extraordinary. After learning transformation arts at Gelu Mountain, this practitioner from Mengyang married a local Song family daughter. When relatives jokingly asked when he'd host a banquet to formally introduce himself, he casually promised to arrange it the next day. Miraculously, the previously empty courtyard spontaneously filled with exquisite delicacies and rare treasures unseen even in Shu region. Eighty guests were so terrified by two giant snakes coiled around pillars that none dared leave. After this incident spread, Huang retreated into seclusion at Dongchuan's Taihua Mountain.

These stories collectively illustrate that authentic Daoist cultivation requires no forced striving, but rather harmonious alignment with nature. The phrase "subtle essence merges with Qi" refers to the innate primordial energy naturally integrating with body and mind, while "the Dao's truth rides clouds" describes how enlightened beings harness cosmic energies. The essential teaching points to returning to original simplicity—allowing the true unified Qi within to operate spontaneously.

Zhang Qing's daughter Weizi resided in the Yiqiān Palace (a Daoist celestial abode), where she regularly practiced by ingesting mist vapors. She explained that these mists were the concentrated essences (Jing) of mountain lakes, fire-water energies, and the overflowing Qi of metal and stone. Prolonged consumption, she claimed, could dissolve one's physical form into cloud-Qi.

Wang Daozhen, a Han Dynasty adept who attained the Dao, dwelled at the Ancient Cypress Platform east of Ghost Valley Mountain. White clouds frequently rose from the platform, appearing from afar like hundred-foot towers. He often rode these clouds to roam mountain peaks, returning at dusk as the clouds withdrew back into the platform. This site, located north of Jingzhou at Qingxi Ghost Valley Mountain, was sometimes mistakenly called the Sunlit Terrace.

Daoist priest Yin Tong (courtesy name Lingjian), well-versed in classics and history, often lamented life's illusory nature. Gazing skyward, he told his parents: "I've heard of Zhang Zhen's daylight ascension and how Lord Mao attained the Dao. Our ancestral lineage carries the legacy of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Perfected Being - I wish to follow this path." With their blessing, he departed serenely. After fulfilling filial duties upon his parents' passing, his cultivation resolve intensified, earning even Emperor Taiwu of Wei's profound respect.

Wu Renbi studied Lao-Zhuang philosophy under Master Zhang at Luofu Mountain. Upon completing his studies, he prepared for imperial examinations. Master Zhang, observing his Daoist temperament, offered to teach longevity methods. Wu declined courteously, citing maternal obligations and claiming he could learn the Dao after achieving worldly success. After attaining the jinshi degree, he rejected lavish invitations from Qian Wusu, Prince of Zhejiang, and ultimately drowned for refusing to compose the "Luocheng Chronicles." During the Jianlong era, Ning Yu and others encountered an elder clad in vines sitting before Luofu's stone gate after performing a Zhaijiao (purification ritual). Inquiry revealed this was the reclusive Master Wu from legend.

This passage records the miraculous experiences of several cultivators who attained immortality through Daoist practice:

The story of Wang Kuo occurred during the Xiantong era of the Tang Dynasty. While visiting Junshan Island in Dongting Lake, he accidentally discovered a cave exuding the fragrance of wine. After drinking the immortal wine found within, he gradually ceased needing ordinary food and later entered the mountains to cultivate the Dao. According to immortal scriptures, Junshan possesses a celestial wine called "tianjiu" - those who drink it can attain immortality, and Wang Kuo had encountered precisely this elixir.

Chen Yunsheng practiced Daoism at Longhu Mountain (Dragon-Tiger Mountain) for seventy years without any change in his youthful appearance. One evening he casually mentioned craving oranges from Fengcheng - moments later he returned with hundreds of them, demonstrating extraordinary Daoist powers.

Deng Yu secluded himself at Mount Heng for thirty years, reciting the Great Cavern Scripture (Dadong Jing) day and night. When three green immortal birds (qingniao, divine birds in Daoist tradition) appeared to him, he knew his moment of ascension had arrived and immediately transformed into a feathered immortal.

Shangqiu Zixu excelled at pig-rearing and often played an iron flute. At seventy years old he maintained youthful features, having lived over three centuries sustained solely by calamus roots and water - a striking demonstration of bigu (grain avoidance), the Daoist fasting technique for nurturing life.

Fu Lü encountered three immortals gambling with melons at a seaside shrine. When they instructed him to close his eyes, he awakened bearing dozens of golden melons at Mount Fangzhang - the legendary Penglai paradise of immortals.

Finally, the text mentions the ancient immortal Zhan Shanggong from Emperor Gaoxin's era, who planted plum trees across Maoshan. Now serving as Right Guardian of the Nine Palaces celestial administration, he often recounts his days consuming white plums in Huayang Grotto-Heaven.

These narratives collectively illustrate core Daoist cultivation concepts - how practitioners through extraordinary encounters, grain avoidance, scripture recitation and other methods attain supernatural abilities like agelessness and instantaneous travel.

This passage describes a wondrous experience: a flavor so exquisitely delightful that its aftertaste lingers endlessly, yet what feels like mere moments has in fact spanned three thousand years. The Comprehensive Records of Immortals from the Three Caverns (Sanqun Qunxian Lu) documents the deeds of Daoist immortals (the "Three Caverns" refer to the Dongzhen, Dongxuan and Dongshen scriptures). Through this temporal dislocation, it hints at the vast difference between how time flows in the celestial realm versus the mundane world. In its seventeenth scroll, this fragment likely recounts an immortal's transcendent experience during spiritual cultivation or while savoring celestial delicacies, illustrating how perfected adepts perceive time completely differently from ordinary people once attaining certain spiritual heights.