《三洞群仙錄》Vol. 2

This scripture records the biographies and cultivation experiences of several Daoist immortals:

Yang Xi (courtesy name Jun Siming), a native of Jurong, demonstrated spiritual sensitivity from childhood and formed a Daoist fellowship with the Xu brothers. After achieving immortality through cultivation, celestial beings frequently descended to impart Daoist teachings. The Ninefold Flower True Consort once admonished him: "Those indulging in worldly pleasures are actually accumulating karmic offenses—wealth and honor are but bone-cutting saws and sin-laden carriages." Thereafter, celestial visitations increased, and twenty years later Yang Xi ascended to heaven in broad daylight riding clouds and cranes, being enfeoffed as the True Lord of Huayang Siming.

Wang Ziqin, crown prince of King Ling of Zhou, displayed innate wisdom and devoted himself to Daoism from youth, mastering the sheng flute to summon phoenixes and white cranes. After receiving teachings from Master Fuqiu, he cultivated on Mount Song. Folk ballads foretold his "ascension on the seventh day of the seventh month." He first served as Nanyue Siming Shichen before becoming the True Lord of Tongbai.

When Kou Qianzhi practiced asceticism at Songyang, he received a revelation from the Supreme Dao Lord. Immortal Elder Wang Chuping recommended him, saying: "Since Celestial Master Zhang's ascension, virtuous people lack guidance. Kou Qianzhi's cultivation accords with the natural Dao (Dao), so he should serve as teacher."

Xu Daoxiang, third son of Chief Scribe Xu, renounced worldly affairs for dedicated cultivation, earning his father's esteem. He now serves as an Eastern Florescence Immortal, responsible for transmitting celestial texts and attending the Celestial Emperor.

The text concludes with a Tang Dynasty account: When Wang Qian served as Jingnan military commissioner, an impoverished scholar surnamed Lü sought patronage but was coldly received. Market gatekeeper Yu Sou inquired and learned the scholar was Wang's distant relative, ignored despite his poverty when seeking help.

This passage recounts several stories of extraordinary Daoist adepts:

In the first tale, an elderly man notices a scholar's famished appearance and offers him lodging. The elder performs magical arts, conjuring from a small jar a five-inch-tall figure in purple robes bearing a golden seal, explaining this was the soul of a high official (Wang Gong). Chastising the official for neglecting his impoverished relative, the elder commands him to treat the scholar generously. The next day, Wang Gong indeed hosts the scholar lavishly for months, presenting him with servants, horses, and fine silks upon departure. The scholar dared not speak of this encounter until many years later.

The Zhengao (a Daoist scripture) records how Xia Fu in his youth traveled to Wu territory to study the "Method of Refining the Hun-Soul" with Master Red Beard, later encountering the Tongbai Zhenren (Perfected Person of Paulownia and Cypress) to attain the Dao. He has now become an immortal dwelling in mountain caverns.

The latter two stories describe miraculous feats of Daoist masters: Gou Daorong foretells his death date, instructing friends to cremate his coffin with firewood. During the burning, witnesses see him ascend skyward through the flames. Zhao Huizong during the Tianbao era immolates himself while chanting scriptures, transforming into auspicious clouds and cranes—the grass beneath his body remains unburned, leaving behind two mystical poems expressing the Daoist realization: "Coming from emptiness, returning to emptiness."

These narratives demonstrate the extraordinary abilities achieved by Daoist practitioners through specialized cultivation, embodying the ideal of "simultaneous perfection of form and spirit" (xingshen jumiao). The described magical arts and fiery ascensions reflect Daoism's unique understanding of transcending life and death.

This scripture recounts stories of several Daoist practitioners and essential cultivation methods.

The first passage explains the core principles of cultivation: Human essence (Jing) and vital energy (Qi) form the foundation of spiritual consciousness (Shen), though they remain formless and intangible. When Yang energy disperses, it manifests as radiance, while its union with Yin energy creates talismanic seals. The physical body ultimately returns to dust, but the primordial spirit (Yuanshen) may wander with immortals. When all worldly attachments are dissolved, one may ride the steed of time with the sun and moon as guardians, ascending through the nine heavens to pay homage to the Celestial Emperor. This emphasizes that true Dao lies in nurturing the spirit rather than merely maintaining physical form.

Next is the tale of Xu the Angler: This man who claimed to hail from Penglai often fished from a small boat in Lake Taihu. He traded his catch for wine and carried healing pills in his gourd. These sesame-sized pellets, when applied to the chest with wine, cured ailments. Those who swallowed them naturally ceased craving grain. He suddenly vanished without trace.

The story of Qian Lang: Originally an official, he abandoned his post to cultivate the Dao at Mount Lu, mastering the "Returning to Origin and Nourishing the Brain" longevity technique. At 150 years old, his face remained youthful. Eventually he bid farewell to his family, saying he'd been summoned to the Shangqing celestial realm, then transformed and ascended.

Long Bogao's account: Nephew of a famous Han dynasty general, he studied embryonic respiration (a breathing technique) with immortal Diao Daolin. Later feigning drunken death, he secluded himself at Mount Fangtai.

Qi Xuanjie's legend: This elder maintained ageless features by consuming lingzhi mushrooms from the sea. Before the emperor, he crafted a wooden model of three immortal islands, then suddenly vanished into it, his form diminishing until disappearance. The emperor consequently named that mountain "True Isle."

Finally, the cases of Yinsheng and Hanyan: Yinsheng was a beggar in Chang'an, while Hanyan lived as an impoverished hermit devoted to cultivation. These examples demonstrate that Daoist practice transcends wealth or status, resting instead on mental and spiritual refinement.

This passage recounts stories of several Daoist immortals:

Yin Sheng was a beggar whom people despised, even going so far as to douse him with filthy water, yet his clothes remained unstained. Suspecting he was a demon, they imprisoned him. A ballad in Chang'an said: "Give fine wine to the beggar, and you'll avoid calamities of collapsing houses." Liu Xiang commented: People despise beggars yet rarely recognize true immortals, subjecting them instead to imprisonment and humiliation. In truth, immortals cannot be defiled by filth—those who insult them will bring misfortune upon themselves.

Han Yanzi lived in seclusion on Mount Tiantai, fond of composing poetry that mostly depicted mountain hermit life. Tongbai Zhenren (a Daoist immortal) wrote the preface for his poetry collection and had it published. During the Xiantong era of the Tang dynasty, Han Yanzi visited Li He. Seeing his tattered clothes, Li treated him disrespectfully. The next day, when Han Yanzi returned wearing fine robes and riding a white horse, Li received him warmly. The old man asked, "Do you know Han Yanzi?" When Li affirmed, the immortal said, "I am he. I thought you might be teachable, but now I see otherwise. You haven't even begun to understand the Dao." He then instructed Li that one must cultivate inner nature while examining outward conduct to avoid faults, understand softness and humility to find peace, and attribute mistakes to oneself to accumulate De (Virtue). With that, he rode away.

The Liexian Zhuan records: Xifu lived in the mountains where an immortal often came selling melons and lodging at his home. Later, the immortal taught him a method for preparing melon seeds to ingest during the Spring Equinox. After twenty years, Xifu could climb mountains and enter waters freely, living over a century before being taken by immortals from a mountain peak.

The Western Han Anecdotal History records: Meng Jie of the Western Han dynasty possessed Daoist arts—he could hold a jujube pit in his mouth for ten years without hunger and suspend his breath for a year without moving. People revered him as an immortal before he retreated into mountain seclusion.

The Biography of the True Lord of Western Mountains states: Shi Zhenjun, named He, was from Julu. In his youth at Mount Siming, an immortal taught him alchemy (Neidan), enabling him to aid the poor through transmutation. He later could exorcise evil and command ghosts, renowned for filial piety. Skilled in embryonic respiration (a Daoist breathing technique) and sitting-in-forgetfulness (meditative absorption), he sometimes ate once every hundred days or slept biannually. Emperor Ming of Jin held him in high esteem before he ascended with Xu Zhenjun.

The Biographies of Immortals records: The Azure Essence Master had lived a thousand years with the appearance of a child, moving swiftly as if flying.

Zhang Daoling (Celestial Master Zhang Tianshi, founder of Daoism) was the sixth-generation descendant of Zhang Liang, Marquis of Liu from the Western Han dynasty. Though recommended as an upright scholar and appointed to office, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to spiritual cultivation, eventually retreating to seclusion in Mount Beimang. When Emperor Zhang of Han summoned him with an offer of high-ranking official position, he declined and instead pursued ascetic practices at Mount Song. There he encountered divine beings who revealed that a stone chamber contained the Golden Elixir scriptures and precious texts left by the Yellow Emperor. After discovering these texts, Zhang Daoling erected an altar to worship the deities and successfully refined the Nine-Cycle Immortal Elixir. Upon completing the elixir, he told his disciple Wang Chang: "Consuming this could make one ascend as an immortal, but I haven't yet performed sufficient meritorious deeds to partake without qualms. First we must eliminate harm for the nation and bring benefit to the people—only then may we consume the elixir and serve the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, highest Daoist deities) with clear conscience."

During the Jianlong era of the Song dynasty, the Protecting Sage True Lord (a Daoist guardian deity) descended and informed Zhang Shouzhen that Daoist altars were classified into nine grades: the upper three for state ceremonies, the middle three for officials, and the lower three for commoners, each with specific liturgical rites (Keyi).

The immortal Wang Xuanfu practiced the method of "swallowing sunlight." After thirty-four years, he attained the ability of "inner vision" (a Daoist term referring to perceiving internal organs through cultivation) and could transcribe Daoist scriptures in darkness. Upon achieving perfection, Lord Lao (the deified Laozi) sent a celestial chariot to escort him—he ascended riding clouds astride dragons in broad daylight, and now serves as Perfected Being of the Central Peak at the Mystic Garden Terrace. Another cultivator, Zhao Shuqi, encountered a diviner at Mount Wangwu and received this oral formula: "The mouth is Heaven's Pass, the feet Earth's Pass, the hands Humanity's Pass" (the Three Passes denote crucial bodily points). Regulating these Three Passes pacifies the Five Viscera, thereby ensuring physical wellness and facilitating immortal attainment.

When Celestial Master Zhang's virtue (De) reached fulfillment, Lord Dao (a Daoist divinity) descended and bestowed upon him paired swords engraved with sun, moon and stars, declaring: "I grieve for mortal beings haunted by ghosts—now I charge you to demarcate the boundaries between humans and spirits." Later, when Zhang visited Renshou County, twelve Jade Maidens from the celestial realm came bearing tribute.

Here are several remarkable accounts of Daoist immortals and their extraordinary deeds:

The miraculous story of Zhang Daoling (founder of the Celestial Master/Tianshi tradition): When a disciple offered a jade ring seeking initiation, Zhang merged two rings into one and cast it into the ground, where it transformed into a salt well that brought prosperity to the local people. This event marked the beginning of the Celestial Master lineage.

The legend of Our Lady of Hailing: A woman surnamed Du possessed shape-shifting abilities, but when her skeptical husband accused her of being a demon, she escaped through a window while imprisoned, leaving only her shoes behind. The people later built the "Shrine of the Holy Mother" in her honor.

Zhou Sheng's moon-catching marvel: During the Mid-Autumn Festival, this Daoist constructed a ladder from chopsticks and literally plucked the moon from the sky, illuminating his room with daylight brightness for the duration of a meal before it returned to its place.

Shang Qiqi's singing screen maiden: This extraordinary practitioner could make painted women on a folding screen sing melodiously, their voices clearly resonating as if emerging from the artwork itself, performing over ten renditions of the "Spring Sunshine Melody."

Finally, the alchemical poetry from Zhang Boduan (known as Purple Yang Perfected Person/Ziyang Zhenren) in his Awakening to Reality (Wuzhen Pian): The verses emphasize that refining the Golden Elixir (Jindan) requires profound Virtue (De) and mastery of Five Phases (Wuxing) and Eight Trigrams (Bagua) principles. Successful cultivation enables physical transcendence, though true transmission rarely finds worthy recipients. Terms like "yellow sprouts and white snow" denote alchemical ingredients, while "four images and five phases" refer to the natural laws governing internal alchemy (Neidan).

These narratives showcase both the supernatural manifestations of Daoist adepts and the essential principles of cultivation, blending wondrous folklore with profound insights into internal alchemical practice.

Zhang Jianzhang, a Tang dynasty official, was devoted to studying classical texts and often harbored thoughts of pure Daoist cultivation. During a stormy voyage across the Bohai Sea, a blue-robed youth guided him to an island where he beheld towering celestial palaces guarded by immortal maidens. The maiden hosting the banquet remarked: "Your unwavering integrity in private conduct makes you a true gentleman of ancient virtue," before having the youth escort him home.

A maiden who had abstained from earthly food since childhood once witnessed immortals crossing the heavens on clouds from south to north, while a golden city with jade towers emerged atop a mountain. Summoned by an immortal to these palaces amidst celestial retinues, she was told: "Your destiny holds immortal ascension—Taishang Laojun (Lord Lao the Most High) commands me to transmit the Lingbao Zhenwen (Authentic Texts of Numinous Treasure). Cultivation according to these teachings will grant you flight to transcendence." She indeed ascended at the prophesied time.

After attaining the jinshi degree, Xu Qiyan devoted himself to Daoist practice. When his horse plunged off Sichuan's treacherous plank roads into a ravine, he followed it into a cavern and encountered a host of immortals. Recognizing him as "the grandson of Chief Secretary Xu," they gifted him stone marrow (a legendary elixir) and warned against licentiousness. Upon parting, they bestowed a dragon-horse from the cave—which transformed into a soaring dragon during his return journey.

Xu Xiangu (daughter of Northern Qi chancellor Xu Zhicai), though centuries old, retained the appearance of a twenty-year-old while roaming sacred mountains and dwelling in caves. Residents of Wu Province witnessed her unchanged visage and swift movements over thirty to forty years. In Shaan County, she revealed her longevity stemmed from her father's accumulation of hidden virtue (yinde) during his ministerial service—a testament to her illustrious lineage.

(Note: The closing phrase "Virtue (De) profound as the Five Sacred Peaks, achievements majestic like Mount Jiuyi" serves as a eulogy praising cultivators' sublime merits—retained here without elaboration.)

Song Dexuan lived during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou. By ingesting the Lingfei Liujia talismans (a type of Daoist fu script), he attained the Dao and became an immortal. He could travel three thousand li in a single day and transform his appearance at will. Nowadays, he often cultivates at Mount Song and roams among the Five Sacred Mountains.

Han Weidao followed Song Dexuan in spiritual practice, serving him with the reverence due a master. Song Dexuan transmitted Daoist methods to him, and now Han Weidao has also achieved immortal status, frequently appearing around the Jiuyi Mountains.

Regarding Xu Fu's records: Emperor Qin Shi Huang dispatched Xu Fu with three thousand virgin boys and girls to seek the elixir of immortality in the Eastern Sea, but they never returned. Later, when Shen Xi attained the Dao, the divine Lord Huanglao (a revered Daoist deity) sent Xu Fu riding a white deer-drawn carriage to welcome him. Only then did people realize Xu Fu had actually attained immortality.

Yuan Zangji called himself "Hermit Yuan." During the Daye era of the Sui dynasty, while on an official mission overseas, he encountered immortals who kept him in a foreign land to tour celestial realms. One day when he wished to return home, he was immediately transported back, reaching Donglai in less than ten days. Only then did he discover the mortal world had changed dynasties to the Tang. Searching for his descendants, he found none remained alive, with only two oriole-like birds accompanying him. These birds understood human speech, descending from the sky whenever called.

The story of Pei Chen: In his youth, he entered the mountains with Wang Jingbo and Liang Fang to cultivate the Dao. Later, Liang Fang passed away, while Wang Jingbo left the mountains to become an official. During the Zhenyuan era, Wang Jingbo unexpectedly met Pei Chen in Huainan. Pei Chen invited him to his residence west of Guangling. During the banquet, Pei Chen told the attendants, "This is my old companion from mountain cultivation days. Regrettably, his Daoist resolve wasn't firm enough, so he remains trapped in the cycle of life and death." After the feast concluded, he simply let Wang Jingbo depart.

Another account tells of a fisherman by the Xiang River who heard a child crying and found a three-year-old girl. He took her home and raised her. When the girl reached her teens, a blue-robed youth suddenly descended from heaven to retrieve her, telling her foster father: "I am the immortal maiden Du Lanxiang, who was banished to the mortal world for transgressions. Now my term is complete and I must return."

During the Yongming era of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, there lived a hermit named Cai Sheng in Zhongshan who kept several dozen mice. These rodents could understand his summons, coming when called and obeying his commands. Cai spoke in strange ways, leading people to call him a "banished immortal" (zhexian) - a celestial being exiled to the mortal realm.

The Liexian Zhuan records that Zhu Gong of Luoyang dwelled in the northern mountains and was particularly fond of raising chickens. For over a hundred years he kept a flock exceeding a thousand birds, each with its own name. The chickens roamed freely by day but returned to perch in trees at night. When Zhu called a name, the corresponding chicken would come. He amassed considerable wealth, later traveling to Wu territory where he dug ponds to raise fish. While ascending Mount Wu, hundreds of white cranes and peacocks would often alight around him.

The Xu Xian Zhuan tells of Li Jue, who lived for generations in Guangling City working as a grain merchant. Inheriting the family business at fifteen, he maintained fair trade practices regardless of market fluctuations, prospering through honest dealings. Even at eighty, he never changed occupations. When a chancellor sharing his name took office in Huainan, the merchant changed his name to Li Kuan. One night, the chancellor dreamed of entering an immortal realm where he saw "Li Jue" written on a golden plaque. Upon waking, he sent men to investigate, discovering it referred to the renamed merchant. Li Kuan claimed no knowledge of Daoist arts, having simply practiced integrity in business. The chancellor marveled: "This is precisely the hidden virtue (yinde) ordinary people find difficult to cultivate!" Later, Li Kuan achieved feathered ascension.

The Liexian Zhuan describes blacksmith Tao Angong who worked constantly at his forge. One day his flames suddenly turned violet and shot skyward, terrifying him into kneeling and begging mercy. Then the Vermilion Bird (Zhuque), a divine avian, descended saying: "Your smithing has penetrated the heavenly Dao (Tiandao). On the seventh day of the seventh month, a crimson dragon will come for you." When the day arrived, a scarlet dragon indeed appeared, and Tao rode it to heaven.

The Xu Xian Zhuan recounts how Ma Xiang (courtesy name Ziran) of Qiantang mastered magical arts. Once denied radishes at a vegetable garden, he cut paper into a puppy and an egret. The paper egret flew about the garden while the paper dog chased it, trampling the crops into complete disarray.

An elderly man named Ju Suiyuan once encountered an extraordinary being (a person with supernatural abilities) and offered him gratitude. The man took paper, fox fur, and egret feathers and placed them in a box. When Ju looked inside, the vegetables remained untouched—not a single one was missing.

The Baopuzi (by Ge Hong) records: During the reign of King You of Zhou, Zhang Zhen was summoned to court multiple times but refused to leave his reclusive life. He studied under Master Changsang and mastered esoteric arts, enabling him to split his body into shadows, transform broken grass into dragons and tigers, and spit water that turned into pearls and jade. One day, while traveling with his disciples, he molded clay into horses and rode them a thousand miles in a single day. Later, he entered Mount Kongtong to cultivate the Dao and eventually ascended to immortality in broad daylight.

The Biographies of the Divine Immortals (Shenxian Zhuan) recounts: The wife of Cheng Wei, a palace guard, possessed the power of supernatural transformation. Once, when Cheng Wei was accompanying the emperor on a journey and realized he had forgotten to prepare proper attire, he grew anxious. His wife said, "Why worry about lacking clothes for the trip?" and instantly produced two bolts of fine silk. Cheng Wei repeatedly attempted to learn alchemy (the art of turning base metals into gold) but failed. His wife then took a pinch of medicinal powder from her pouch, sprinkled it into mercury, and it immediately transformed into silver. When Cheng Wei pressed her to teach him the method, she replied that his innate constitution was unsuitable. After he persisted too forcefully, she departed through shijie (a Daoist method of ascension by feigning death).

The Biography of Su Dan (Su Xian Zhuan) tells of Su Dan, a native of Chen County in Guiyang Commandery, who lived during the Western Han Dynasty. Orphaned at a young age, he served his mother, Lady Pan, with renowned filial piety, never neglecting his morning and evening greetings. One day, an immortal bestowed upon him Daoist arts, granting him the ability to vanish and transform. Once, while dining with his mother, she mentioned craving pickled fish. He set down his chopsticks, stepped out, and quickly returned with the dish. Surprised, his mother questioned how he could have fetched it so swiftly from the distant market. He explained he had bought it in Bian County. Skeptical—since Bian County was 120 mountainous li away—she remained unconvinced until he mentioned meeting her brother there and suggested she verify the story when he visited. The next day, her brother arrived and confirmed the encounter, proving Su Dan’s supernatural powers. Later, people noticed Su Dan often carried a green bamboo staff and suspected it was an immortal’s treasure.

The Records of Wang’s Observations (Wangshi Jianwen Lu) notes: When Liang Kuangzhi resided in Ezhou, a Daoist priest suddenly visited. This priest was unusual—he had "two mouths" (possibly meaning he was exceptionally eloquent) and wore double-ankle shoes (a distinctive type of footwear).

Here are two remarkable tales of wonder. The first recounts the encounter between an official named Kuang Zhi and a mysterious Daoist adept:

The Daoist asked Kuang Zhi for a pair of cotton trousers. After receiving them, he rolled up the garment and attempted to stuff it into his sleeve over a dozen times without success. Sighing, the adept remarked, "It seems I cannot avoid becoming Kou Laigong (referring to the famous statesman Kou Zhun)." Later, the Daoist visited Kuang Zhi again. After drinking an entire dou-measure of wine, he asked if Kuang remembered meeting him in Ezhou. Though his voice remained the same, his appearance had completely transformed. The adept requested twenty-seven copper coins before departing, then threaded a bamboo pole through a hole in his abdomen. Standing on a fishing boat playing an iron flute, he rode the wind across the river. Twenty-seven days later, Kuang Zhi passed away.

The second story chronicles the legendary life of Lu Xiujing (courtesy name Yuande):

Born in Dongqian, Wuxing, Lu descended from Lu Kai, the prime minister of Wu Kingdom. During her pregnancy, his mother was visited by an old woman who prophesied the child would become "Celestial Master (Tianshi) of both humans and heavens." Lu was born with double bones at his ankles and large characters imprinted on his palms. After serving as an official in his youth, he eventually saw through worldly illusions, abandoning his wife and children to devote himself wholly to Daoist cultivation. His final years were spent practicing on Mount Lushan, where he informed disciples of his intention to return to his old hermitage before peacefully passing away. At death, his complexion remained rosy while extraordinary fragrance filled the air. Disciples later reported visions of him returning to the mountain adorned in magnificent robes.

The text further records the exploits of two other eminent adepts:

Fan Ying of Jinan mastered astronomy and geography. Once foreseeing a great fire in Chengdu, he extinguished the flames by spraying water westward. Travelers from Shu later confirmed that black clouds and sudden rain had indeed quenched a major conflagration that day. Fan claimed to have once roamed the Celestial Altar with the immortal Fuqiu Gong.

Zhu Lun (courtesy name Deyuan) dedicated himself to Daoist practice, maintaining inner purity undisturbed by external phenomena.

The Supreme Venerable Lord (Taishang Laojun) descended to the mortal realm, opened a jade casket, and bestowed upon a Daoist practitioner immortal elixirs and fulu (talismanic registers). With solemn admonition, he declared: "If you devote yourself wholeheartedly to cultivating the supreme Daoist arts and maintain unwavering practice, you shall attain celestial ascension—soaring upon clouds and mists. Those who follow the Dao receive boundless blessings, while those who treat it lightly invite calamity. When you master this path, remember it must never be casually revealed to others."

During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Liu Song dynasty, the Supreme Venerable Lord again conferred immortal scriptures upon the practitioner, appointing him as an immortal official of Mount Song (the Central Sacred Peak). He was granted a dragon-engraved staff and a serpent-hide whip—symbols of his celestial office.

The Biographies of Eminent Daoists records that at age twelve, while tending cattle, Zhao Baoyi encountered a mysterious elder. When asked if he was hungry, the boy simply nodded. The elder produced from his pouch a radish-like fruit of extraordinary sweetness, then presented him with a staff and a gourd containing pea-sized immortal medicine, saying: "This remedy can cure intractable illnesses." True to his word, all who consumed it—whether suffering new ailments or chronic diseases—were healed. After eating the miraculous fruit, Zhao lost all desire for ordinary food.

One day, wandering near Balou Temple west of the capital, he heard groans from the Nirvana Hall. Learning that monks were stricken by pestilence, he administered the pea-sized medicine with clear water. Patients immediately broke into healing sweats as if purified in a bath, recovering fully by dawn. As news spread, seekers of the remedy came in endless streams.

During Emperor Zhenzong's imperial fengshan ceremony (heaven-worship ritual) at Mount Tai, Prime Minister Xiang Minzhong discreetly verified these events and urgently reported to the emperor. Upon returning to the capital, Zhenzong summoned Zhao and joyfully exclaimed: "We share the imperial surname!" He conferred upon Zhao Daoist ordination, gifting a gold-plated dragon-head staff, bronze seal, burlwood cup, rare incenses, and other treasures. Officials and Daoist priests escorted him back to Stone Gate Mountain, where the Zhenji Monastery was specially constructed for his practice.

The Gleaned Records of Immortal Biographies recounts how Liao Chong (courtesy name Qingxu) of Lianshan District served as district registrar before resigning to seek authentic Daoist teachings at Mount Heng. There, the Zhenren (Perfected Being) of Great Peace transmitted esoteric methods to him. Returning home, he often rode tigers and wielded snakes as whips. In 713 CE (the second year of Emperor Xuanzong's reign), he ascended to heaven amid swirling clouds during broad daylight.

The Declarations of the Perfected mentions Liu Bang's rise from commoner status in Pei County to overthrow the Qin dynasty, defeat Xiang Yu, and establish the Han Empire—illustrating how ordinary Daoist practitioners may achieve extraordinary spiritual accomplishments.

During the Han dynasty, a Daoist cultivator who accumulated virtue and performed meritorious deeds was appointed by the Celestial Emperor (Tianshi) as an honored guest and advisor to the Duke of Southern Radiance (a Daoist immortal official). Immortal Mao Ying once said: Those whose ancestors accumulated hidden virtue (Yin De) could directly receive appointments as celestial officials or enter the Southern Palace (the abode of southern immortals in Daoism) to receive transformation. Regardless of their worldly status in life, they could swiftly reach the Southern Palace and attain liberation.

In the Huayin Mountains, there was a cultivator named Yin Qianzi, who lived during Emperor Wu of Han's reign. He encountered an extraordinary being who taught him the method of "ingesting rosy mists" (fushi danxia). After practicing diligently for fifty years, his appearance remained youthful. Now, the Supreme Unity Lord (Taiyi Jun, a revered Daoist deity) has dispatched envoirs to guide him in ascending to heaven on clouds, where he became a high-ranking immortal in the realm of Yuanzhou (a celestial paradise).

Regarding the records of Pengzu: Peng Keng, the legendary Pengzu, lived for eight hundred years yet achieved immortality without relying on "corpse liberation" (shijie, the Daoist method of shedding the physical body to ascend). The Lady of Southern Peak (Nanyue Furen, the female immortal Wei Huacun) explained: These perfected immortals voluntarily chose between manifesting or withdrawing—some secluded themselves in mountain forests to enjoy the pleasures of wandering immortality, while others soared into the void to return to stillness. It was not that they lacked the ability to ascend directly to heaven; they simply did not wish to force it.

The Biographies of Immortal Wang records: When Wang Zhonglun secluded himself in Crane-Cry Mountain, the rocks would spontaneously produce sounds. When Tian Xuan witnessed this and asked the reason, the rock replied: "I am the immortal Wang Zhonglun. Because I delight in the wondrous tones of these extraordinary stones, I linger here to listen."