《三洞群仙錄》Vol. 18

The Eighteenth Scroll of Records of the Immortals from the Three Caverns documents two narratives:

The first recounts the Tang dynasty Daoist Master Lu Shanren. While lodging at Scholar Lu's residence in Fuzhou, he discerned an urn of coins buried behind the main hall, warning they belonged to a three-year-old child and would bring misfortune if disturbed. The skeptical scholar unearthed them regardless, only to witness his children suddenly afflicted by headaches. Realizing his error, he sought repentance, but Master Lu rebuked his avarice and disregard for precepts. Ultimately, the family reburied the treasure. The text notes that the copper coins interred by the Qu clan beneath Liangchang Mountain remain undisturbed to this day.

The second narrative chronicles two transcendence attainments. Lady Wei Hua (courtesy name Xian'an), honored as the Southern Wei Mistress, received the visitation of the Great Taiyi (Supreme Ultimate) Perfected Being on a winter night. During the celestial banquet, purple divine fruits (zilai) manifested. Separately, Jin dynasty adept Zhang Bo'er cultivated the Dao at Shihu Mountain in Sichuan, where immortals guided him to seek luminous ganoderma (yeguang zhi) that glowed like crimson lotuses at night. After years of arduous searching, ingesting the sacred fungus enabled his ascension—ultimately riding a crimson tiger skyward. The scroll additionally records Liu Guishun's maritime encounter: blown off-course to Junshan Isle by storms, he conversed with eloquently discoursing parrots and encountered magpies (dujuan) bearing auspicious omens.

(Note: Jiao denotes Daoist calamity-averting rituals; zilai refers to legendary immortal fruits; yeguang zhi indicates bioluminescent divine ganoderma)

This passage recounts several marvelous encounters between Daoist immortals and mortal practitioners:

Liu Shier was caught in a storm while sailing when he arrived at a mystical place where thousands of parrots called his name. Two Daoist priests later informed him the winds had turned favorable for his return, giving him a silk cloth to cover his eyes—the moment he did so, he instantly found himself back on his boat.

Shang Wenxiang (Daoist name Qiqi), while in western Zhejiang, was invited by Zhou Bao to perform a ritual making the azaleas at Helin Temple bloom during the Double Ninth Festival. The night before, a celestial maiden appeared, explaining these flowers were originally heavenly blossoms temporarily under her care, and she would make an exception for the Daoist. True to her word, the flowers bloomed magnificently on the festival day. After the temple was later destroyed by war, the flowers returned to the celestial realm.

When Lü Yunqing played his flute under a moonlit night at Junshan Mountain, he encountered an elderly man carrying three flutes. The elder explained the largest flute was an instrument of the heavens, the medium-sized one belonged to immortal palaces, while the smallest was merely for mortal use. When the old man played the small flute, it stirred massive waves that frightened Lü into ceasing his listening.

Taizhen Immortal Maiden, daughter of the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu), dwelled in secluded mountain caves of Mount Tai where jade furnishings and treasures were found. Whenever she plucked her single-stringed zither, hundreds of birds would gather and dance to her music.

Finally, the account mentions Daoist Yan guarding a three-foot stone casket—reputedly left by Immortal Yin (Yin Zhenren) for his disciples upon ascension—which remained securely locked despite attempts to open it. These narratives collectively illustrate the wondrous interactions between Daoist practitioners and celestial beings, showcasing the extraordinary powers of sacred instruments, immortal music, and other supernatural phenomena.

Upon assuming office, Cui Shou heard about a stone casket (a container for Daoist talismans) and forcibly opened it despite warnings, finding only fulu (Daoist ritual documents) inside. He suddenly died but revived three days later, claiming he had been taken by underworld officials for judgment. Due to unauthorized opening of a perfected being's (zhenren) stone casket, his lifespan and five future official appointments were revoked by heaven, leaving him only two years to live—which indeed came to pass.

Fan Lingzi became obsessed with Daoist cultivation in his youth and practiced with Sima Jizhu for seven years in a stone chamber on Mount Changshan. In the northeast corner stood a stone window that Sima Jizhu repeatedly warned him never to open. Fan secretly peeked several times, each time seeing his family members seemingly just below the mountain. Overcome with homesickness, he was eventually sent home by his master. Later, when entrusted with guarding a bronze chest, he again succumbed to peeking at his family and thus lost his chance at attaining the Dao.

E Lühua, a celestial maiden in green robes appearing about twenty years old, claimed to hail from South Mountain. On a winter night during the Shengping era (357-361 CE) of the Eastern Jin dynasty, she descended to Yang Quan's home, gifting him poetry, fireproof cloth handkerchiefs, and gold-jade bracelets. Records identify her as Luo Yu, a nine-hundred-year-old female immortal from Mount Jiuyi who had attained the Dao.

Cui Shaoyuan, youngest daughter of Tang Dynasty Fenzhou governor Cui Gong, was conceived after her mother dreamed of a scarlet-robed deity riding a dragon while holding a purple casket descending from clouds. Born fourteen months later, the girl had fragrant skin, jet-black hair covering her forehead, and extraordinary beauty. Tradition holds she was previously a celestial scribe (Left Attendant Archivist) in the Desireless Heaven of the Jade Emperor's court.

Fuqiugong once wandered Mount Wangwu with Prince Qiao. Where cranes alighted during their journey, crane footprints remained—the southern peak is still called "Southern Ridge," preserving traces of Fuqiugong's hermitage. The Daoist Wang Yuanzhi (courtesy name Fangping), after passing the imperial "Worthy and Virtuous" examination (a Han Dynasty recruitment system), achieved transcendence through cicada-shedding (chantui, a Daoist term for liberation from the corpse).

This passage recounts several extraordinary tales related to Daoist cultivation practices.

The first story concerns Fang Ping, a master of astronomy who chose seclusion in mountain forests. Despite repeated summons from the Han emperor, he refused to appear at court. When a local magistrate forcibly brought him to the capital, he maintained complete silence. He later told his disciples his appointed time had come, and the next day indeed achieved feathered ascent to immortality (yuhua dengxian) — his corpse vanished like a cicada shedding its shell.

Next comes the longevity methods of Kuai Jing and Peng Zu. Kuai Jing remained robust at 178 years old, attributing his vitality to a daily pre-dawn practice: first swallowing the "jade spring" (yuquan, Daoist term for saliva) after rinsing it in his mouth, then tapping his teeth fourteen times — a method called "refining essence" (lian jing). Peng Zu excelled in guiding and stretching techniques (daoyin shu), curing illnesses by circulating genuine Qi (zhenqi) through breath retention. He believed superior practitioners slept in separate beds, middling ones used separate quilts, while inferior cultivators relied on medicinal herbs.

The third tale involves scholar He Feng's mystical encounter. Purchasing an ancient book, he discovered a mysterious hair-loop artifact called the "pulse observer" (maiwang). A Daoist priest revealed this was an immortal's tool — if pointed at the stars at night, it could summon an elixir. Upon closer inspection, He Feng noticed the book's wormholes formed celestial characters throughout the text, bringing sudden enlightenment.

Finally comes Yuan Chao's celestial meeting. When Tang dynasty bandit Yuan Chao's ship blew ashore at an immortal mountain, they found an exquisite hermitage filled with treasures. As they prepared to take them, a celestial maiden (xiannü) suddenly appeared, immediately identifying them as Yuan Chao's accomplices.

This passage records several Daoist immortal tales:

The first story tells of a thief who stole something, then discovered he was at the very place where the Compassionate Immortal of Mirror Lake cultivated the Dao (the Way). He immediately returned the stolen goods.

In the story of Tao Kan, during his mother's funeral, two mourning guests departed without weeping and transformed into a pair of cranes that flew away, astonishing all witnesses.

The Daoist priest Liu Daohe encountered a divine being and obtained the "Covenant Power Summoning Talisman" (Mengwei Shezhao Fu), after which his Daoist powers manifested remarkably. He successfully prayed for clear skies to stop rains for Emperor Gaozong of Tang, and later used incantations to eliminate a locust plague in Luoyang.

The Daoist priest Qi Hui studied the "Three Caverns Methods" (Sandong Fa) and the "Reclining Dipper Technique" (Wodou Zhishu) under Master Su. Later, he led disciples to seek immortals at Mount Taibai. Upon returning, he often found celestial beings conversing and laughing in his chamber.

The Buddhist monk Huixu met an old man on a stone bridge near Guoqing Temple on Mount Tiantai. The elder revealed this was an immortal blessed land governed by Lord Wang, the Upper Perfected of Tongbai, with thirty thousand immortals residing there. The old man explained that Dao cultivation required accumulating merit (De) to achieve daylight ascension. Huixu later adopted Daoist robes to practice cultivation. On Mount Zhongnan, he met the same elder (said to be Zhang Guolao), received an elixir, and ascended as an immortal.

These stories collectively illustrate how Daoist practitioners, through virtuous deeds and diligent cultivation, ultimately attain supernatural powers or immortal status. The mentioned "Three Caverns Methods" represent an important Daoist scriptural system, the "Reclining Dipper Technique" refers to practices connected with the Big Dipper deities, while the "Covenant Power Summoning Talisman" is a type of fu (talisman) with spirit-summoning and demon-expelling efficacy.

When Nie Shidao resided at Zhaozhen Temple on Mount Heng (in Hunan province), he once ventured into the mountains seeking the immortal Cai Zhenren. At dusk, he encountered a woodcutter who asked his destination. Nie replied that he wished to pay respects to Cai Zhenren, having heard of his reclusion there. The woodcutter said it was too late to proceed and suggested lodging at a house ahead. Continuing his journey, Nie came upon a thatched cottage where a farmer inquired his purpose. Upon hearing it, the farmer revealed: "The woodcutter you just met was Cai Zhenren himself!" Nie lamented having unknowingly missed an encounter with an immortal. The farmer hosted him overnight, but the next morning before his host arose, Nie quietly departed. On the path, an old man invited him to sit on a rock, explaining that last night's host was Cai Zhenren's son. The elder noted Nie's profound devotion to the Dao though his immortal bones remained unformed, then plucked a blade of grass for him to eat before vanishing instantly. Returning to the temple, fellow devotees exclaimed: "In one mountain excursion you met three immortals—that elder must have been Peng Zhenren! To successively encounter Cai Zhenren, his son, and Peng Zhenren is an extraordinary spiritual opportunity few cultivators ever receive."

During Xie Xiutong's pilgrimage to Mount Heng, a divine being guided him to Yusi Mountain in Luling, describing it as the alternate abode of Siming Shenjun (the Daoist deity governing lifespan) where he should practice cultivation. One day while following a mountain stream deep into the woods, he suddenly beheld a grand estate. A blue-robed youth emerged asking: "Are you not Xie Xiutong? Immortals Xiao and Mei have long awaited you." Upon introduction, Xie prostrated himself saying: "This worldly ant yearns for the way of longevity—I beg to shed my mortal coil and follow the immortals." The two Zhenren bestowed upon him pine needles and five ears of auspicious grain (symbolizing immortal nourishment) to consume. Later, Xie truly attained the Dao through the method of shijie (corpse liberation, a Daoist ascension technique where the physical body is shed like a cicada's molt), leaving his earthly remains behind as he ascended.

Tao Tianhuo was born on Nan'an's coastline during a sudden tidal surge. Amidst his family's frantic evacuation, the infant was left behind—only to be found unharmed, suspended from a mulberry branch after the waters receded, hence his name "Heaven-Saved." Exceptionally brilliant in adulthood, his body brimmed with vibrant Qi. Serving four Tang emperors as an imperial court Daoist (a cultivator attending to royal needs), he commanded reverence even among nobility before retiring to coastal seclusion in his later years.

When Chang Chuang was gravely ill, Laozi (the founder of Daoism) came to visit him and asked if he had any final teachings for his disciples. Chang Chuang countered with a question: "When passing through one's hometown, one should dismount from the carriage—do you know why?" Laozi replied, "This signifies not forgetting one's roots." Chang Chuang then asked, "When seeing tall ancient trees, one should walk swiftly past—do you understand?" Laozi responded, "This shows respect for the elderly." Chang Chuang nodded in approval, then opened his mouth and asked, "Is my tongue still here?" Laozi said it was. He then asked, "What about my teeth?" Laozi replied they had already fallen out. Chang Chuang explained: "The tongue endures because of its softness, while the teeth perish because of their hardness. Herein lies the principle governing all things under heaven."

Jiang Sheng secluded himself for years on Siming Mountain practicing Waidan (external alchemy) without success. One day he hired a servant named Zhang Quansu, who unexpectedly began discussing alchemical methods. Jiang reprimanded him for speaking nonsense, but Zhang produced a golden elixir pill claiming it could transform stone into gold, requesting to demonstrate using Jiang's inkstone. That night Zhang suddenly died, his corpse vanishing—only his sash remained, while the inkstone had turned into purple gold.

Immortal Maiden He resided in Lingling County, Yongzhou. When Teng Zijing was exiled to Yueyang, three strange characters reading "Xie Xian" mysteriously appeared on the western cliff of Huarong Peak after a thunderstorm. None could decipher them until someone suggested consulting Immortal Maiden He. She explained these were written by two thunder-deity brothers who loved carving with iron brushes, each only three chi tall. Investigators confirmed this was indeed the case.

During Emperor Wu of Han's reign, a woman bathing in the Wei River was found to have breasts seven chi long. The astonished emperor sent envoys to inquire. She said the person in the seventh carriage knew her origin. At that time, Shu native Zhang Kuan served as Palace Attendant and interpreted this as an omen from the Celestial Star of Sacrifice—when purification rituals were improperly observed, this female stellar manifestation would appear.

The Scripture of Zhenwu records: Empress Shansheng once dreamed of swallowing sunlight and became pregnant, giving birth to the Great Emperor Zhenwu. Born with divine powers, Zhenwu grew into extraordinary courage yet rejected royal status to devote himself wholly to spiritual cultivation.

This scripture records several legendary stories of historical figures associated with Daoism:

The first tells of a cultivator who vowed to assist the Jade Emperor (the supreme deity in Daoism) in vanquishing demons and saving sentient beings. He abandoned palace life to practice cultivation on Wudang Mountain for forty-two years before achieving ascension.

Next is the story of Qu Yuan: Due to his loyalty leading to exile, he retreated to the Yuan-Xiang region, nourishing his spirit (Shen) by consuming cypress nuts and cinnamon bark. He ultimately drowned himself in the river. The Chu people revered him as the Water Immortal and established shrines in his honor. By the late Han dynasty, herb gatherers could still encounter celestial realms in the spiritual caves of Dongting Mountain, where immortal maidens offered them jade nectar. One such man returned home to find three hundred years had passed—even his descendants nine generations later no longer recognized him.

The account of Jia Yi describes how his mishandling of the Ma Rong case led to his demotion. Later, the Lord of Mount Tai (the sacred mountain deity) appointed him as a military commander.

Emperor Wu of Han longed for Lady Li, whereupon the fangshi (Daoist adept) Li Shaojun suggested carving her likeness from submarine Ying stones—a miraculous material warm in winter and cool in summer. The lifelike statue brought the emperor great comfort.

Finally, during Emperor Xuanzong's Tang reign, the Daoist Yang Youtong (originally named Shiwu) mastered spirit-summoning arts. After the An Lushan Rebellion, when the emperor yearned for Lady Yang, he summoned Yang Youtong for counsel. The Daoist replied that her traces could be sought even across heaven and earth, through the netherworld and among all spirits.

This passage recounts stories of several Daoist practitioners. It begins with Emperor Xuanzong of Tang sending envoys to search for Lady Yang (Yang Guifei, also known as Zhang Taizhen), who was eventually found at the western side of the Southern Palace on Penglai, the immortal mountain. Lady Yang claimed to be an attendant of the Supreme Elderly Lord (Taishang Laojun), who had been banished to the mortal world due to lingering worldly attachments. She promised to reunite after twelve years and entrusted messengers to return the golden hairpin, inlaid box, and jade turtle that the emperor had given her as tokens. Upon seeing these keepsakes, Xuanzong remained sorrowful for a long time.

Next comes the story of Yuanzi (a Daoist title), who devoted himself to spiritual cultivation in his youth. He strictly observed precepts, eating only vegetarian meals daily while focusing on his practice and avoiding worldly affairs. Despite repeated summons from officials, he remained unmoved, often cultivating in mountain forests. Aspiring to attain the Dao like Wangzi Qiao (Zijin) did at Mount Gou and to ascend like Lingyang Ziming through celestial pacing (Buxu), he renamed himself "Yuanzi" and adopted the sobriquet "Yanqi."

The Dengzhen Yinjue (Secret Instructions for Ascent to Perfection) records that Ji Weichang maintained three years of rigorous purification and sincere cultivation, eventually absorbing the essences of the sun and moon until divine radiance emanated from his entire body.

Later, the Nanhua Zhenjing (Zhuangzi) is cited, describing how Zengzi (a disciple of Confucius) lived in poverty in the state of Wei, wearing tattered clothes yet remaining perfectly content. The text suggests that true Daoist practitioners should transcend physical form, personal gain, and selfish desires.

Finally, the story of He Erniang from Guangzhou is recounted. This twenty-year-old woman, who made her living weaving shoes, suddenly ascended to Mount Luofu one day and could travel freely between temples. She often journeyed four hundred li to Xunzhou to gather bayberries. During the Kaiyuan era, the imperial court summoned her, but the envoy failed in his mission due to being distracted by her beauty.

These accounts recount several marvelous tales of ordinary people encountering immortals:

The first story takes place beneath Yellow Crane Tower in Ezhou. There was a luminous stone called the "Stone Mirror," beneath which legend spoke of an immortal's grotto. An elderly soldier guarding the area would kneel in reverence before the cave entrance each morning. One moonlit night, he saw three Daoist priests emerge from the cave chatting and laughing. As they were about to return, the soldier hurried after them. When the immortals asked his purpose, he confessed his desire for wealth and status. They instructed him to take any stone from the cave. By dawn, the ordinary rock he'd chosen had transformed into gold.

The second tale concerns Jiang Sou, a master flutist. Once, drunk, he collapsed beneath a locust tree by the roadside. That night he witnessed a giant several zhang tall announce a visitor from Jing Mountain Lodge, whereupon a figure descended from the locust tree to converse. At daybreak, Jiang visited Jing Mountain Lodge and discovered an enormous locust tree in the courtyard—so wide it would take ten men to encircle it. Suspecting a tree spirit's manifestation, he begged instruction in Daoist cultivation. The spirit directed him to seek Immortal Aunt Bao at Jing Mountain. Later he indeed met this celestial teacher, who said he resembled the ancient musician Qin Gao and gifted him a jade flute. She promised that after three years of playing, a dragon would emerge from its cave bearing elixir. True to prophecy, when Jiang played at Yueyang Tower three years later, a dragon in human form delivered the Golden Elixir. Upon consuming it, he regained youthful vigor and could even walk through water without getting wet.

The third narrative describes Gu Yuanzhi's death and miraculous revival. After lying dead drunk for three days, he revived speaking of visiting the "Land of Harmonious Spirits"—a perpetual spring realm where giant gourds in the fields burst with fragrant grains. People spent their days singing and wandering, dispersing only at dusk. Returning to life, Gu lost all interest in official career, roaming landscapes freely as "Knower of Harmony" until he disappeared without trace.

The accounts conclude mentioning Tang dynasty chancellor Han Huang's incorruptible governance in western Zhejiang, implying that upright conduct itself constitutes spiritual practice. These stories collectively suggest that through sincerity or fortunate chance, any mortal might receive an immortal's guidance.

This passage records two mystical Daoist narratives.

The first tale recounts how Li Shun, while mooring overnight at Jingkou (modern Zhenjiang), encountered a black-turbaned man who entrusted him with a letter for Lord Han of Jinling (Zhong You, a disciple of Confucius). The messenger revealed this was Mount Guangfang in the Eastern Sea, where Confucius had attained immortality and now governed. Fearing Lord Han's fiery temperament might breach celestial laws, Confucius had written to admonish him on maintaining ministerial propriety. When Li delivered the letter, it bore only nine archaic "tadpole characters" (an ancient script resembling蝌蚪). An elder versed in paleography deciphered Confucius's warning, after which Lord Han tempered his锋芒 and lived out his days peacefully.

The second story unfolds in two parts: First, Xiao Zhizhong, Governor of Jinzhou, planned a winter hunt until woodcutters witnessed envoys of the Northern Emperor (Beidi) assigning fates to various beasts. An elderly elk sought help from Yan Si of East Valley, who advised invoking Teng Liu (snow deity) and Xun Er (wind god) from Daoist lore. The next day, a blizzard thwarted the hunt. Later, Cui Xizhen encountered a straw-cloaked elder during heavy snow. After the figure vanished mysteriously, he left behind a painting of pines and an immortal's medicine chest. Only after consulting Daoist priest Li Hanguang did Cui grasp its profound meaning.

Both stories embody the Daoist concept of "cosmic resonance between heaven and humanity" (天人感应), illustrating how immortals employ natural phenomena or uncanny events to warn mortals, while showcasing the functional hierarchy within Daoism's divine pantheon.

(Note: I've rendered "锋芒" as "fiery temperament" in context, preserving its metaphorical edge while ensuring readability. For specialized terms like 天人感应, I provided both translation and pinyin parenthetically on first use per the glossary rules.)

This scripture records anecdotes and legends of several Daoist immortals.

The first section tells of a painting by the third son of Immortal Ge (Ge Xuan, a renowned Daoist master of the Three Kingdoms period), symbolizing how cultivators of the Dao (the Way) may attain longevity like pine and cypress trees. Later, it mentions an immortal named Wu Baoyi, whom people called "Wu the Immortal Child." He left behind a poem expressing his reluctance to reveal his name, desiring only to draw closer to the Dao. Once, he carried scriptures to visit Master Zhu Ziying of Maoshan, but after delivering the texts, he suddenly vanished—leading many to believe he was the Immortal Child himself.

The second section recounts the story of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang summoning the recluse Lu Hong of Mount Song. Lu Hong only came to meet the emperor after being summoned three times, and when he did, he bowed but refused to kneel. Quoting Laozi, he explained that elaborate rituals are signs of insufficient loyalty and sincerity, and that he came before the emperor with a heart of true devotion. The emperor found him extraordinary.

The third section describes a strange encounter at Shaolin Temple during the Tang dynasty. After a storm, an elderly man surnamed Pan sought lodging, and the monks accommodated him in an empty room. That night, the monks discovered the chamber had suddenly transformed into a lavish space, with the old man feasting on fine delicacies. By dawn, everything had returned to normal. The man revealed he had come from Mount Heng (the Southern Peak), and later, others claimed to have seen him again.

The final tale is about Zhang Shining, an assistant instructor from Taiyuan. On his deathbed, he recited a poem. After his passing, his spirit appeared in his sister’s dream, revealing that he was originally the Jade Immortal of the Eighteenth Heavenly Cavern. He had been punished by the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu) and exiled to the mortal world because, during a banquet at the Jade Pool (Yaochi), he lingered too long after catching the scent of earthly wine.

This passage recounts several extraordinary tales of Daoist immortals:

The Legend of the Crimson Carp Lord: During the Tang dynasty, a renowned Daoist named Fu Xianzong lived in seclusion on Ziyang Mountain. At that time, frequent shipwrecks plagued the Li River, causing great suffering among the people. Fu Xianzong cast ritual talismans (fulu) into the river, and the next day two carp were found dead on the shore. Their bellies bore crimson inscriptions reading: "The Crimson Carp, born of river waters, has offended the celestial official and deserves ten thousand deaths." When local officials reported this to the imperial court, the emperor ordered the construction of a living shrine to honor Fu Xianzong by the river.

The Miracles of Luo Gongyuan: This Tang dynasty figure, said to be hundreds of years old, could alter his apparent age at will. During a banquet, a white-robed man suddenly appeared and was reprimanded by Luo's attendant. The attendant revealed the visitor was actually a dragon king in disguise, then demonstrated supernatural powers: digging a small hole to channel water, from which a white fish leaped forth. The fish transformed into azure smoke that soared skyward, ultimately revealing its true form as a white dragon before flying away.

The Marvels of Red-Bearded Master: This fish inspector from Duke Mu of Qin's era regularly consumed pine nuts and asparagus root (a medicinal herb). His teeth would regrow after falling out, and his white hair would turn black again. After dwelling in seclusion on Wu Mountain for over seventy years, he disappeared without trace.

Kang Zixia's Mysterious Encounter: This female Daoist from the Dongling Sacred Mother Temple claimed that in her youth she dreamed of being summoned by celestial officials. Donning golden armor, she commanded over a thousand soldiers to patrol Mount Heng (the Southern Sacred Peak). Upon waking, she miraculously grew several dozen beard hairs.

The Cultivation Practices of the Bao Liang Family: The text mentions that the seventh-generation ancestors of the female immortal (nüzhen) Bao Liang—Li Zhan and Zhang Lü—once operated an inn at Wei Bridge. They accumulated abundant hidden virtue (yinde) while wholeheartedly pursuing the Dao.

The Register of the Immortals from the Three Caverns records several miraculous tales:

The first story recounts how Wang Jixin, a chess master serving in the Tang Imperial Academy, encountered an extraordinary pair while fleeing westward with Emperor Xuanzong to Shu. Deep in the mountains, he observed a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law playing blind chess in complete darkness, calling out their moves verbally. Wang secretly memorized thirty-six moves of their game. At dawn when he sought instruction from the elder woman, she merely taught him some fundamental strategies before declaring, "This is enough to make you invincible among mortals." When he turned back, the thatched cottage had vanished—revealing they had been celestial beings.

The second narrative describes how Zhou Bao, military governor of western Zhejiang, discovered an ancient tomb during city wall construction. Inside lay a female corpse with lifelike complexion. Recognizing her as a Daoist cultivator who had ingested elixirs awaiting ascension, Zhou arranged an elaborate reburial. During the ceremony, purple clouds appeared as the woman ascended skyward. When the coffin was reopened, the body had disappeared.

The third account tells of Qi Longming's wondrous encounter: In his youth, he found a dragon hatchling resembling a gecko while farming. He built a hut to raise it until the grown dragon eventually broke free. Fifty years later, Qi suddenly returned riding the dragon to warn of an impending flood—a prophecy that saved countless lives when fulfilled.

These stories collectively illustrate how Daoist practitioners attain immortality or supernatural abilities through accumulating virtue (De), ingesting elixirs, or nurturing spiritual creatures. They embody key Daoist concepts like "corpse liberation" (shijie)—achieving ascension through feigned death—and "dragon guardianship" (shougong) as cultivation methods. The tales reflect core Daoist beliefs about the tangible manifestations of spiritual cultivation.