《三洞群仙錄》Vol. 19

The nineteenth volume of the Records of the Multitude of Immortals from the Three Caverns documents the deeds of several Daoist transcendents:

Cao Dexiu was a Daoist practitioner of profound attainment who often told villagers: "When illness befalls your household, simply prepare a platter of fresh kuai (sliced raw fish) and a pot of fine wine as offerings to me—no monetary payment needed—and the sickness shall naturally heal." Later, he announced his intention to enter Tianbao Cave for cultivation. Before departing, he left behind inscribed talismans (fulu) bearing his name, instructing that during the next year's cattle plague, people should offer fish kuai to him and affix these talismans to ox horns to avert disaster. When the cattle plague indeed erupted the following year, households that followed his instructions found their livestock miraculously spared.

A legend from Mount Wuyi recounts how the Venerable Lord Xuanling (a Daoist deity) dispatched his disciple Zhan Shuren to travel the mountain astride a crane, earning him the epithet "Crane-Riding Transcendent." When Prince Wei Ziqian, along with cultivators Zhang Zhan and Sun Chuo, encountered severe drought during their spiritual practice on the mountain, they conducted a ritual offering of wine and meat to pray for rain. Suddenly, the Crane-Riding Transcendent descended astride a white steed, followed by abundant rainfall. Zhang Zhan and his companions spontaneously composed poems in tribute, greatly pleasing the celestial visitor.

Regarding essential cultivation methods: When Su Lin encountered the transcendent Master Juan, he learned that aspiring immortals must first eliminate the "Three Corpse Worms" (according to Daoist physiology, three malevolent parasites inhabiting the human body). Attempting grain abstention (bigu) without removing these worms would starve the body but not kill the parasites. Likewise, practicing only breathing techniques without eliminating the worms would ultimately prevent achieving transcendence. Master Juan therefore transmitted to him the secret "Three Primes and True Unity" method, emphasizing this teaching was reserved only for those with predestined immortal connections.

Yang Xianxian traveled extensively through sacred mountains seeking the Dao, eventually becoming a disciple of Ge Yonggui. One night, his chamber suddenly filled with radiant light as a host of immortals descended to inquire about his cultivation insights. With reverence, Yang responded: "This mortal frame of mine deeply feels the swift passage of time..."

The Comprehensive Records of Immortals from the Three Caverns documents miraculous accounts of several Daoist adepts who attained the Dao:

Wu Tongwei was an enigmatic Daoist priest whose refined and transcendent bearing set him apart. He frequently wandered among famous mountains, appearing and disappearing unpredictably, leaving observers unable to fathom his movements. After successfully refining and ingesting the elixir of immortality, he ascended to immortality in broad daylight from a tavern rooftop.

Li Gen from Xuchang possessed the abilities of invisibility and walking through water without drowning. When a female disciple secretly examined his cultivation notes, she discovered records spanning seven hundred years of practice. Legend states his pupils had become square-shaped (Daoist tradition holds that adepts who cultivate for eight centuries develop this extraordinary ocular feature). Li Gen often told disciples: "Though I've not yet attained unity with heaven and earth's longevity, I am no longer of the mundane world."

During Zhong Ruoweng's tenure as military commander of Pingliang, a fangshi (esoteric practitioner) arrived accompanied by a cowherd leading a yellow ox. The cowherd spontaneously composed pastoral poetry, after which the fangshi—carrying two large jars (the character "Lü" decomposes into "two mouths," hinting at Lü Dongbin)—sang while exiting the city gates before vanishing. Many believed this to be an encounter with Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals.

Zhao Ziran, a Daoist from Phoenix Mountain in Chizhou, dreamed that Yin Zhenjun (Perfected Lord Yin) fed him cypress leaves, after which he began sustaining himself through grain avoidance (bigu). His poetry mentions "Brother Dan" (a metaphor for the celestial crane) frequently guiding him on cloud-soaring journeys astride phoenixes.

Xie Yong encountered a starving tiger trapped in a pit and, moved by compassion, risked opening the cage to free it. The beast prostrated itself at length before departing. At Goose-Sheep Mountain (originally named Eastern Flowery Mountain) in Changsha—a site with immortal relics—the Miscellaneous Records of Hunan documents how fifteen-year-old Cheng Junping attained the Dao after meeting an immortal while herding geese there. These narratives exemplify the legendary paths—elixir refinement, virtue accumulation, and celestial encounters—through which Daoist practitioners transcend ordinary existence.

The Goose-Tending Boy encountered an immortal elder in the mountains and was led deep into the wilderness. Later, his elder brother searched the mountains and met the renowned Han dynasty recluse Yan Junping, asking about his younger brother’s whereabouts. The immortal pointed at a white stone and said, "This is your brother." The stone then transformed back into the boy, who returned home with his brother. Ten days later, the boy went back to the mountain and turned into stone again, where he remains to this day. The poet Bi Tian composed verses about this site left behind by an elixir-refining immortal: "The celestial hound has long departed the clouds, yet the stone geese and sheep remain at the mountain’s foot. Seas have turned to fields through countless ages—who knows when the immortal shall return?"

The Tale of Wang Silang’s Golden Gift: During the Tang dynasty, Wang Ju, a county official from Luoyang, met his plainly dressed nephew Silang while traveling to the capital at Tianjin Bridge. Silang gifted him five taels of golden-red rooster-comb gold, instructing him to exchange it for 200,000 coins with a man named Zhang Pengzi in the gold market, and mentioned he would soon relocate to Mount Emei. Later, Wang Ju found Zhang Pengzi, who recognized it as transcendent gold transformed by the Daoist practitioner Wang Silang and paid the full sum.

Xu Qiyan’s Marvelous Encounter: After falling from a cliff on the Shu plank road, he met the Great Unity Primordial Lord (a Daoist goddess). She revealed that his horse was actually a dragon being punished in a cave, and their meeting occurred because Xu had transcendent destiny. She instructed him to release the horse into the Wei River and had a jade maiden relay a message to retrieve needles from Granny Tian in Guoxian. Riding the horse, Xu arrived instantly in Guoxian, tied a hundred needles to its mane, and upon releasing it into the Wei, the horse transformed into a dragon and vanished. Granny Tian herself turned out to be a hidden immortal.

Two Other Extraordinary Figures: The recluse Xiahou wandered between Mount Mao and Mount Tiantai carrying only a cloth sack and bamboo staff, often sleeping outdoors enveloped in clouds; Li He was famed for his singing. These accounts all illustrate the wondrous deeds of Tang dynasty Daoist practitioners.

This passage records the marvelous deeds of several cultivators who attained immortality, showcasing two distinct approaches to enlightenment in Daoist practice: "diligence" and "laziness."

The Sleeping Immortal Chen Tuan (a renowned Daoist hermit) of Mount Hua possessed an extraordinary ability: he could traverse rivers and climb mountains while fast asleep with his eyes closed. Fellow travelers could hear his snoring, yet his footsteps never faltered, and he never stumbled. He would naturally awaken upon reaching his destination, earning him the title "Sleeping Immortal."

The Zhengao scriptures document how Immortal Li He attained the Dao through cultivating the Qi (vital energy) of the Five Stars (representing the Five Phases of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth). He was skilled in singing, and his melodies could attract birds and beasts to gather and listen—an exemplar of the "diligent cultivation" approach.

The Tang Dynasty female immortal Yang Qinzhen was originally a peasant girl who married a poor farmer named Wang Wei and toiled diligently. One day she suddenly bathed, changed clothes, and ascended to immortality. That night, neighbors heard celestial music and smelled wondrous fragrances. When County Magistrate Li Han came to investigate, he found she had returned. She recounted being welcomed by immortal envoys to Cloud Terrace Peak of Mount Hua, where she met four female immortals composing poetry and enjoying music. Her surviving verse—"The mortal world's bustle is vain, this life like morning glory"—reveals the emptiness of worldly affairs. Later she ascended again, demonstrating how ordinary people may attain the Dao through diligent practice.

The Southern Peak Daoist Wu Heling represented the "lazy cultivation" school, nicknamed "Wu the Sloth" for often sleeping ten-plus days without eating. He proposed the cultivation principle that "to attain leisure, one must be lazy," believing forced diligence obstructs true tranquility. One day he suddenly experienced literary inspiration and composed the "Song of Ascension," depicting the Jade Emperor summoning him to immortality amid dancing dragons and phoenixes, yet concluding with "had I not busied myself with ascending"—subtly resonating with the Daoist principle of Wuwei (non-action).

The passage concludes with mention of Duke Jinguo's immortal grotto garden, where Daoist Liu Dun composed "Poem of the Wandering Immortal Pavilion." The imagery of "the immortal grotto lies empty of people" echoes the preceding accounts, suggesting cultivation ultimately transcends worldly attachments. Together, these stories vividly illustrate the Daoist truth that "whether diligent or lazy, all may attain perfection."

Shang Chungong (a Daoist immortal) initially did not comprehend the meaning of that poem until he was exiled to the south and encountered a recluse. This recluse was pondering the very same poem, and only then did Shang realize the man was no ordinary person. The two sailed out to sea together to drink, and the recluse said: "Your fate of exile today was already hidden within the poem you wrote."

The Xu Yuan Guai Lu records: Li Shen, Military Governor of Huaihai, once met an old man who asked, "Young man, do you recognize me? I am the Tang dynasty immortal Ruoshan. Are you not Li Shen?" Li replied that while his surname was Li, his given name was not Shen. The old man said, "Your destiny decrees you shall be called 'Shen,' with the courtesy name 'Gongchui'—your name is already recorded in the immortal registers. Tonight, the immortals of Mount Luofu (a sacred Daoist mountain) are gathering. Will you join me?" With that, he drew from his sleeve an object resembling an official tablet, which with a gentle pull transformed into a celestial boat several feet long. After boarding, the old man instructed Li to close his eyes. Li felt turbulent waves as if crossing the sea, yet in moments they arrived at an immortal mountain adorned with tiered pavilions and ethereal music. Over a dozen beings of transcendent bearing came to greet them, saying, "Gongchui has indeed arrived. The mortal world's sea of suffering runs deep—only those named in the immortal registers may come here." When asked if he wished to stay, Li declined, citing unfinished family obligations. The immortal replied, "Though your immortal destiny is set, earthly ties remain. Yet fame and achievement shall all be yours." Later, Li Shen did change his name, passed the imperial exams, and rose to the highest offices of general and chancellor.

The Du Yang Bian records: During the Yongzhen era of the Tang dynasty, the southern regions presented a fourteen-year-old girl named Lu Meiniang, so called for her delicate, emerald-like eyebrows. Her skill was extraordinary—she could embroider all eight scrolls of the Lingbao Jing (Scripture of Numinous Treasure) on a single foot of silk, with characters small as millet grains yet perfectly formed. She could also split a single strand of silk into three, dye it in five colors, and weave it into a floating cloud canopy adorned with the Ten Continents and Three Isles, pavilions and towers, qilins and phoenixes, along with over a thousand banner-holding child attendants. Emperor Shunzong marveled at her craft, declaring her a "divine being," ordained her as a Daoist priestess, and sent her to practice at Mount Heng in the south under the Daoist name "Xiaoyao" (Carefree Wanderer).

Ruan Ji (courtesy name Sizong) of the Jin dynasty served as Commandant of Infantry. Unconstrained by convention, he was known for his "green-and-white eyes"—rolling his eyes at vulgar men while showing the whites, but greeting kindred spirits with the dark pupils. Once at Mount Sumen, he met the recluse Sun Deng and discussed profound mysteries with him.

In ancient times, there was a practitioner of Daoyin (a Daoist health-preserving exercise) named Deng Bu. Failing to grasp the essential techniques of cultivation, he sighed deeply and left. Halfway down the mountain, he suddenly heard a sound resembling the cry of a phoenix echoing through the valley—it turned out to be the reverberation of his own sigh.

A drunkard from Yuhang named Feng Zhaowu was caught in a storm while sailing and drifted to an island. Suddenly, he detected an extraordinary fragrance and spotted a Daoist priest seated on the western shore in the distance. Feng hurried over to pay his respects and noticed a silver cauldron beneath the stone where the priest sat, with a large pearl floating on its surface. When the priest inquired about his background, Feng explained that poverty had driven him to seek fortune in Silla. After studying his physiognomy, the priest said, "Your destiny holds no overseas opportunities," advising him to sail back and promising favorable winds to return to Mingzhou. Feng pleaded, "Years of heavy drinking have left me physically weak." The priest smiled, scooped half a ladle of sweet dew from the silver cauldron for him to drink, and then suggested he pursue a livelihood in the horse trade. Before parting, the priest revealed himself as Yin Zhenren (a Daoist immortal). In the blink of an eye, the wind rose, and Feng sailed back to Mingzhou overnight.

During the Yuanhe era of the Tang dynasty, a fugitive named Ma Shiliang from Wannian County fled to the Charcoal Valley Pool of Mount Taibai and hid under a large willow tree. At dawn, he witnessed multicolored auspicious clouds descending, where a celestial maiden stood by the water's edge striking jade tablets with a golden mallet, causing blue lotuses to emerge from the water. After plucking and consuming three or four petals, the maiden ascended on the clouds and vanished. Ma picked up the golden mallet and jade tablets, imitating her actions, and likewise obtained blue lotuses. After eating seven or eight petals, he felt his body become as light as a swallow.

In the seventh year of Wude, while serving as the Minister of Imperial Entertainments, Guo Xian accompanied the emperor to a southern suburban sacrifice. Suddenly, he spat wine three times toward the northeast, explaining that Qi was suffering a fire and he was performing a ritual to extinguish it. Later, it was confirmed that a fire had indeed broken out in Qi. The Sandong Zhunang records a certain Ban Meng (possibly a female Daoist) who could fly all day, sit suspended in midair to converse with others, and even disappear into the ground.

This passage recounts several miraculous deeds of Daoist immortals:

The first story tells of Youwu Daorong, a Daoist priest during the Northern Qi dynasty, who in his youth encountered an immortal from Mount Heng (Nanyue). From this immortal, he learned the arts of Fulu (talismanic water for exorcism and healing), incantations, Yin-Yang calendrics, astronomy, and herbal medicine. Once in Liaoyang when encountering a tiger that frightened others away, he calmly drew a large pit on the ground with his staff, causing the tiger to immediately flee.

The second story recounts the legend of Longwei Zhangren, a recluse immortal dwelling in Mount Bao. In the twelfth year of King Helü of Wu's reign, while passing Mount Bao with his troops, the king discovered a mountain cavern and invited Longwei Zhangren to investigate. Holding a torch, the immortal walked for 174 days until finding a city constructed of gold and jade, its gate inscribed with "Separate Palace of the Heavenly Queen." Within, he obtained a scripture written in ancient bird-track seal script. When King Wu consulted Confucius about it, the sage identified it as the Supreme Numinous Treasure True Scripture (Taishang Lingbao Zhenjing) that Yu the Great had concealed in sacred mountains after controlling the floods.

The third story describes how Daoist priest Wu Chongyue could practice grain avoidance (Bigu) and effortlessly climb eighty or ninety feet up pine trees, kneeling on slender branches as if on solid ground. Another named Yao Guang could divine using burning reeds.

These accounts demonstrate the supernatural abilities attained by cultivators through Daoist practice, as well as the mysterious origins of Daoist scriptures. The mentioned "talismanic water and incantations" and "grain avoidance" represent distinctive Daoist cultivation methods, while the "Supreme Numinous Treasure True Scripture" stands as an important Daoist classic.

This scripture records several accounts of Daoist immortals and miraculous phenomena:

The first narrative describes a wondrous interaction between a Daoist practitioner and a pine tree. The pine branches sway gently with the cultivator's movements without breaking, suggesting the adept has achieved perfect harmony with nature. The verse portrays this cultivator wearing a paper mulberry bark hat and coarse cloth robes, capable of "ingesting crimson mists" (a Neidan term for absorbing celestial essences) and enjoying extraordinary longevity. Though moving among worldly affairs, his heart remains devoted to the Dao, having already attained the state of "abstaining from grains" (xiuliang). Mastering the secrets of the Pillow Scripture and the medical arts of Emergency Prescriptions, he walks effortlessly atop hundred-foot pines, perching like a crane on branches to pay homage to the Empyreal Sovereign (a Daoist deity).

The second account tells of Yao Guang from Wu Kingdom, skilled in fire arts. When the King of Wu surrounded him with thousands of reed bundles and set them ablaze, Yao Guang remained seated unscathed amid the ashes, rising afterward to adjust his robes without injury.

The third episode recounts how Shi Deyi discovered a mysterious object floating on a river after autumn rains. Retrieving it, he found it to be Laozi's (Lord Lao's) three talismanic registers (fulu used in Daoist rituals) that floated without becoming wet. That night, a talismanic youth appeared, revealing these to be authentic registers transmitted by the Supreme Elder Lord. As worldly copies contained errors, this original version was bestowed upon worthy individuals to alleviate human suffering. Following the youth's guidance, Shi later paid homage at Mount Taibai and attained immortality.

The fourth record describes Zhao Bowei who studied Daoism under Master Zhang of Handan in his youth. In later years at Mount Song, the Central Peak, he received the authentic transmission of the Jade Pendant and Golden Pendant Scripture from Master Yuanqiulin, eventually attaining the Dao and entering Huayang Grotto-Heaven (a Daoist paradise), where he oversees immortal registers and records practitioners' names.

The final two accounts are allegorical: During the Han dynasty, children playing on a road drew diagrams on the ground, with one chanting "Pass through azure skirts to enter the celestial gate, bow to the Metal Mother and salute the Wood Lord." Only Zhang Liang (Master Zifang) recognized this as describing rituals for paying respects to the Queen Mother of the West and the Lord King of the East (major Daoist deities). This illustrates how seemingly ordinary scenes may conceal celestial mysteries discernible only to those with profound spiritual attainment.

During the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, the military governor of Daizhou became concerned about the excessive number of wandering monks at Mount Wutai, fearing they might harbor malevolent influences. He ordered all non-resident monks to leave. A monk named Faming fled deep into the Yanmen Mountains, where he discovered a stone cave in a secluded ravine. Wading through water for two li, he came upon a thatched hut inhabited by a dignified and beautiful woman dressed in grass garments. Startled at seeing the monk, she asked, "What manner of being are you?" The monk replied, "I am human." The woman laughed and said, "How could humans look like this?" He explained, "I am a disciple of the Buddha—shaving my head is part of spiritual practice." When the monk inquired about the place, she said, "I am from the Qin Dynasty. Back then, I fled here to escape the suffering of building the Great Wall under Meng Tian. I've survived by eating roots and herbs." After bidding farewell, the monk later returned with provisions but could never find the place again.

The Song Dynasty text Huangchao Leiyuan records: When Grand Councilor Wang Boyong was gravely ill, a flock of a dozen cranes cried out in the sky one night. On the twentieth of the eighth month, under a bright moon, even the officials sent by his younger brother, Wang Chuchen, from Bozhou found it strange. Soon after, Wang Boyong passed away, and the cranes dispersed. People at the time believed he had ascended to become an immortal official.

The Biographies of Eminent Daoists recounts the story of Daoist Ye Cangzhi (styled Hanxiang), a master of talismanic arts (Fulu). When the prefect of Wuzhou was plagued by evil spirits, he sent someone to request a talisman. However, the talisman mysteriously vanished on the way after encountering something impure. The prefect then visited Ye in person and found a tightly sealed bamboo tube on his desk—the very lost talisman. After burning incense to retrieve it, the malevolent disturbances ceased. Emperor Yizong of Tang later decreed that Ye’s hermitage at Stone Gate Mountain be converted into the Jade Firmament Temple (Yuxiao Guan). One day, Ye prepared wine and invited friends, sharing stories of his life before announcing the exact time of his departure. On the appointed day, he wrote on his door: "I leave at the cock’s crow." His disciples indeed heard the sound of jade pendants and flutes in the air. When the rooster crowed, they found he had achieved feathered ascension (Yu Hua Deng Xian) at the age of seventy-four.