《三洞群仙錄》Vol. 3

On Mount Heng there was a Daoist practitioner named Ye Mingqi, who entered the mountains for cultivation during the late Wei Dynasty of the Three Kingdoms period. He lived in a mountain cave with Zhang Lizheng, consuming elixirs and practicing the alchemical methods transmitted by the immortal Lord Wang of Xicheng. After forty-three years of practice, he achieved complete internal and external refinement, capable of walking five hundred li in a single day. He now resides in the Fangzhu Chamber, ranked among the highest immortals.

The immortal official Dinglujun once said that the Yiqian Palace and Tongchu Palace are the celestial halls where male and female cultivators dwell. Among the Earthly Overseers, those with profound cultivation attain the abodes of true immortals. There is a female immortal named Zhao Sutai who has resided in the Yiqian Palace for four hundred years, unwilling to leave. She claims there is no place in the world more joyful than this.

The Records of Immortals recounts how Lord Mao studied the Dao in the state of Qi and later cultivated on Mount Mao after attaining enlightenment. When the sick sought his healing, they were required to prepare ten eggs and place them in a tent. After a short while, Lord Mao would return the eggs. If the yolks were missing upon opening them, the patient would recover; if the eggs contained mud, the illness would persist. Remarkably, the eggs appeared completely intact, with no signs of having been opened.

The History of the Southern Dynasties records that when Xiao Ang served as governor of Pengcheng, there was a woman about twenty years old with disheveled hair, dressed in yellow robes, living in a stone chamber on Mount Wuku. She did not deliberately cultivate, ate very little, and occasionally visited the human world to drink wine and consume a single goose egg. People called her the Holy Maiden, and those who sought children from her often received miraculous results, drawing crowds that filled the valleys. When Xiao Ang summoned her for questioning, she remained silent. Suspecting her of being a demonic troublemaker, the governor had her whipped thirty times, but her wounds healed instantly. She later disappeared without a trace.

The Biographies of Eminent Daoists describes how the Daoist Wang Daoyi knew that Mount Zhongnan was the place where the perfected immortal Yin Xi (disciple of Laozi) attained the Dao and ascended. During the Yongping era of the Northern Wei Dynasty, he led six or seven disciples from Mount Guye to the Louguan Terrace to cultivate. At the time of Wang Daoyi’s ascension (a euphemism for a Daoist’s passing), white clouds filled his chamber, and a wondrous fragrance permeated the courtyard. A white deer appeared and vanished intermittently in the courtyard for over ten days. After his burial, villagers witnessed Wang Daoyi riding the white deer, soaring into the heavens.

The Notes from the Thatched Pavilion records that He Junyou, a villager from Shicheng Town in Suizhou’s Xiaoxi County, encountered a Daoist dressed in coarse cloth and wearing a deerskin hat on Mount Yunding Temple, leading a dog...

The friend of Immortal Lord Black Dog (a Daoist transcendent being) arrived at Mount Qingcheng carrying a wine gourd and walking staff. At first, they followed a secluded mountain path, passing strange rocks lining the way, with slender bamboos and peach blossoms framing a cascading spring. When they reached a Daoist temple, Lord Black Dog instructed his friend to leave his baggage and staff on the steps. Declaring that his friend had the affinity for transcendence, he took out a pill of elixir (dan) and had him swallow it, advising: "Return to this place on the eighth day of the ninth month." After returning home, the man no longer felt hunger or thirst. On the appointed night, the moon shone brightly over the valley, and a gentle breeze stirred. The friend seemed to be waiting for something. At dawn, as the clouds and mist shimmered with five-colored radiance, he looked up to see auspicious winds and rainbow-hued vapors rising. He then stepped into the air, traversing layer upon layer of mountain peaks before finally vanishing beyond sight.

The story of Gan Pu meeting Tao Hongjing (a renowned Southern Dynasties Daoist master): A man returning from the Jiangnan region suddenly encountered someone riding a small deer-headed boat, cutting straight through the waves toward him. The stranger called out his name, saying, "I'm heading to Jiankang (ancient name for Nanjing) and would like you to deliver a letter to Tao the Recluse (Tao Hongjing) of Mount Mao." Just as he was about to write the letter, he suddenly changed his mind: "Never mind—since you won’t be going into the mountains anyway, I’ll go myself." Later, when the man reached Jiankang, he indeed hurried off to Guangling. Lu Xiujing, a disciple of Tao Hongjing, consulted Master Hong (a Daoist adept), who explained that the stranger was the transcendent Gan Pu from Mount Zhongyue. Because of a past-life connection with Tao Hongjing, their encounter was not due to any present-life affinity.

The story of the eminent Daoist Xing Hepu, who lived in seclusion near the Yinghai region: At the time, Fang Guan served as magistrate of Lushi County and was close friends with Xing Hepu. Once, the two walked hand in hand without realizing they had traveled dozens of miles, arriving at an abandoned Buddhist hall in Xiagu Village, shaded by pines and bamboos. Xing struck the ground with his staff and had his attendants dig several feet down, unearthing an earthenware jar containing a letter from Lou Shide (a famous Tang Dynasty minister) addressed to a monk named Yong. Smiling, Xing asked Fang, "Do you remember?" Fang, in a daze, recalled that in a past life, he had been the monk Yong. Xing then added, "You will become a chancellor in the future—conduct yourself well."

The tale of Lady Mei’s manifestation: During the Qin Dynasty, there was a temple dedicated to Lady Mei by the lakeside in Danyang County. In life, Lady Mei had mastered Daoist arts and could walk on water wearing wooden clogs. Even now, on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, one can faintly glimpse the shape of her clogs in the mist over the water.

The deeds of the Daoist Hou Daohua: Wherever this Daoist resided, if he noticed any damage in the temple, he would immediately set about repairing it.

The Register of Immortals from the Three Caverns records several stories of cultivators attaining immortality:

While repairing a Daoist temple, Hou Daohua discovered an elixir (xian dan, the sacred medicine of Daoist practice) hidden in a roof beam. After consuming it, his behavior became extraordinary. He climbed a pine tree before the temple to prune its branches, explaining to the astonished crowd that he feared the branches might hinder his celestial ascent. At dawn seven days later, he indeed rose to the treetop, announcing his farewell: having received an imperial decree from the Jade Emperor, he was appointed as Immortal Court Attendant in charge of the Hall of Virtuous Faith within the Shangqing Palace. He left behind verses describing his secret consumption of the elixir and subsequent ascension, then departed riding clouds amid celestial music.

Ding Lingwei transformed into a crane and returned to his hometown in Liaodong, perching on an ornamental pillar at the city gate. When townspeople tried to shoot him, he soared skyward singing: "After a thousand years away I return/ The city walls remain but people have changed/ Why not learn immortality and escape the burial mound?" Later generations commemorated this by placing two stone cranes atop the pillar.

The Jin Dynasty recluse Song Xian (courtesy name Wenzao) resigned his official post to live in seclusion at Jiuquan, where three thousand students sought his teachings. The local governor hung Song's portrait in a pavilion with an inscription praising how "his form can be seen but his essence cannot be sought." After personally visiting, the governor marveled: "His reputation is heard yet his presence eludes, his virtue (De) is revered yet his true visage remains unseen—this master is truly a dragon among men."

Wang Ding (sobriquet Wuwai) devoted himself to the Way of Immortals, composing over a hundred poems circulated widely. His verses breathe with transcendent spirit, depicting reclusive scenes like "mountain birds sharing my drink, wild apes watching me dry herbs," and expressing longing through lines such as "When will Tao Yuanming ascend to immortality?"

As governor of Chengdu, Zhang Guaiya (posthumous title Loyal Determination) once dreamed of visiting the Perfected Lord of Purple Manor (a high-ranking Daoist immortal). Mid-conversation, an attendant suddenly announced the arrival of Huang Jianji from the western gate—an account hinting that mortals may gain immortal audiences through cultivation.

These stories embody the Daoist ideal of "physical body ascension," where through elixir consumption, reclusive practice, and other methods, ordinary humans transcend mortal boundaries to reach the immortal realms. The "stone cranes on ornamental pillars" and "dragon among men" became enduring literary allusions in later generations.

(The Register of the Immortals from the Three Caverns records several accounts of cultivators attaining immortality.)

A certain official once dreamed that he donned Daoist robes to visit the immortals, who personally descended the steps to welcome him, treating him with great courtesy. In the dream, he noticed a certain Huang Chengshi (an official title) seated in a place of honor above him. Upon waking, the official sent for Huang Chengshi to inquire about this. Huang Chengshi explained that every year during the harvest, he would purchase grain at fair prices and then resell it to the people at the same price during times of scarcity, neither seeking profit nor failing to aid the poor. The official sighed and said, "This is why you were seated above me!" and immediately bowed to Huang Chengshi in reverence.

Li Shunxing, a native of Jingzhao, once witnessed over a thousand flying immortals descending on the night of the autumn equinox. Two celestial envoys informed him, "The Heavenly Emperor commands you to await him in the stone chamber of Purple Pavilion Peak." Li Shunxing followed the envoys across mountains and valleys, moving as swiftly as the wind until he arrived in the celestial realm. There, he beheld three perfected beings (immortals who had attained the Dao) seated upon cloud-thrones, surrounded by radiant light and magnificent regalia. When he asked about the method of achieving immortality, they replied, "Due to your accumulated virtue in past lives, you were destined to join the ranks of the immortals. For you, the ascension of both body and spirit is no difficult feat."

The Biographies of the Immortal Wang records that Wang Shaodao attained immortality through secret acts of kindness and saving lives, thereby completing his merit. He often said, "When one performs three thousand good deeds, they may ascend in broad daylight. If one persists in cultivation without cease, they will naturally attain an undying body." The Declarations of the Perfected (a Daoist scripture) adds that this Wang Shaodao was a man of the Han dynasty who dwelled in the Palace of Primordial Youth (a celestial abode).

The Perfected Being Du Sheng, whose age was unknown, abstained from the Five Grains and drank only water, yet appeared as youthful as a man in his twenties. He possessed a wondrous ability: when he wrote the character for "dragon" in sand and cast it into water, the character would transform into a real dragon and fly away. Writing "horse" would summon a swift steed, and writing "rat" would tame wild mice.

This passage records the miraculous deeds of several Daoist immortals:

When Ma Xiang (a Tang dynasty Daoist) was in Changzhou, the local governor sought his help with a rat infestation. He drew a talisman (fulu) and pasted it on the wall, then let out a long whistle that summoned all the rats. Addressing their leader, Ma said: "You are but small creatures born of Heaven's will, granted sustenance by providence. Why disturb official quarters? I shall spare your lives—depart now." The large rat turned and led its offspring away in droves.

Han Xiang (prototype of the Eight Immortals' Han Xiangzi), nephew of the scholar Han Yu, was known for his unrestrained nature. Once while drunk, he composed poetry mentioning his ability to "make flowers bloom instantly." When challenged by his uncle, he planted two green lotuses in a pot of soil on the spot, their petals bearing golden characters that read: "Clouds bar the Qin peaks—where lies my home? Snow blocks the Blue Pass—my steed won't advance." Years later when Han Yu was exiled to Chaozhou for criticizing the emperor's Buddhist relic worship, he encountered Han Xiang amidst heavy snow at Blue Pass, realizing the earlier verse had been prophecy. Han Yu completed the poem with lines expressing his exile's sorrow, after which Han Xiang accompanied his uncle to the Yuan-Xiang region before mysteriously vanishing.

Yin Xi, the guardian of Hangu Pass, divined that a sage would pass through and prepared forty miles of road in anticipation. He indeed met Laozi (founder of Daoism) traveling west. Recognizing Yin Xi's destined attainment of the Dao, Laozi remained at Hangu Pass to impart the essence of the Daode Jing. The text's references include: "azure-jade portals" denoting immortal abodes, "black fields nurturing white crows" symbolizing neidan (internal alchemy) practice, and "brewing instant transcendent wine" describing the miraculous power to create celestial liquor in moments.

This scripture recounts stories of several Daoist immortals:

Regarding Huang Renlan (courtesy name Ziting) and his father Huang Fu (courtesy name Wanshi):

Huang Renlan displayed exceptional talent in his youth, and the Perfected Lord Xu gave his daughter to him in marriage. His father Huang Fu was renowned for his filial piety and had served as a Censor at court. Later, the entire family received an imperial decree from the Jade Emperor and ascended to heaven with Perfected Lord Xu. To this day, the Xiangfu Temple in Gao'an County, Jiangxi preserves the well they used for alchemical practices.

The story of Xiuyanggong:

Xiuyanggong lived as a recluse in a stone chamber on Mount Hua, regularly consuming Solomon's Seal (a medicinal herb). The stone bed where he slept became worn through from long use. When Emperor Jing of Han summoned him, he transformed into a white sheep, leaving a farewell message on the sheep's body. Later, this stone sheep was placed on a high platform, after which Xiuyanggong resumed human form and disappeared.

Regarding Yin Cheng (later renamed Yin Linzi):

He refused the summons of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and retreated to the mountains. Once encountering an injured deer, he healed its wounds with medicine. During a subsequent famine, the deer herds returned to aid him. Eventually, he received secret teachings from an immortal and ascended in broad daylight at the age of 340. By the late Eastern Han period, people revered him as the Perfected Lord of Mount Mao.

About Lü Zhizhen:

A disciple of the Elder Guangcheng, he practiced cultivation in a stone chamber for over a decade, becoming skilled in using medicines to heal people. When he entered the mountains, tigers and leopards would follow him, yet he never answered when asked about his cultivation methods. Once on the road to Mount Shang, his countenance suddenly changed (suggesting a manifestation of spiritual powers).

Here are recorded several miraculous accounts of Daoist immortals:

The story of Zhang Zhizhen: Once while traveling with his disciples, they encountered bandits blocking the road. Zhang told the bandits, "These are my disciples, do not harm them." Remarkably, the bandits respectfully stepped aside. Later at a mountain pass, he warned of dangerous creatures ahead and led his disciples into the woods, emerging with two tigers tied with ropes. People then realized he had truly received the authentic transmission from Guangchengzi (an immortal from the Yellow Emperor's era).

The legend of Ziying: A native of Shuxiang skilled in fishing, he once caught a red carp and, charmed by its color, kept it in a pond, regularly feeding it. After a year, the carp grew over ten feet long, sprouting horns and wings. When Ziying grew frightened and tried to apologize, the carp said: "I've come to escort you—climb upon my back." As torrential rain poured down, Ziying mounted the fish and soared into the heavens.

The account of Zixian: This Han Dynasty figure skilled in divination lived over a hundred years. An old woman often served him wine without payment. One day he suddenly instructed her to pack, and that very night, two immortal-summoned straw dogs carried them both flying to Mount Yin.

The marvels of Shen Jian: Possessing longevity arts, he once entrusted his donkey, dog, and sheep to a host during travels, giving each a single pill. Returning after three years, the animals remained alive. Moving thus between realms for over three centuries, he eventually disappeared without trace.

The record of Han Zhong: Meeting the immortal Han Zhong (a Daoist transcendence), he obtained the "Chrysanthemum Victory Red Cup Powder" elixir. At eighty, his countenance remained maiden-fair before ascending to become Xiumenlang (an immortal official).

The anecdote of Shen Tingrui: Son of a former dynasty official dwelling at Jade Basket Mountain cultivating the Dao, he often lingered in deep caves. One day at the Immortals' Gathering Pavilion, sighing over life's brevity, he composed a rhapsody (the account remains unfinished).

These narratives exemplify the supernatural abilities attained by Daoist practitioners—taming wild beasts, riding fish through skies, and achieving agelessness—embodying the very xian arts Daoism pursues.

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

A certain Daoist priest, two years after his death, was encountered by someone near Gezao Mountain (a sacred Daoist site). At the time, he was on his way to visit a friend at Mount Lu and even left behind a poem reflecting on the impermanence of human gatherings and partings. He mentioned having once cultivated the Dao (Xiulian) at Gezao Mountain and was now journeying to Yuandu (the celestial realm). Only later did people realize this priest had achieved "corpse liberation" (Shijie, a Daoist term for an adept discarding their physical body to ascend as an immortal).

Another eccentric figure named Sang Jufeng dressed in tattered clothes, wearing a straw sandal on one foot and a hemp shoe on the other. Though his behavior was bizarre, he seemed to possess supernatural abilities. When he paid respects to the Prince of Nanping, he was mockingly called a "wild man."

There was also a curious tale about drinking prowess: Li Jin, the Prince of Ruyang in the Tang dynasty, had an enormous capacity for alcohol. The Daoist priest Ye Faneng sent a dwarf priest named Chang Chimeng to challenge him. At first, the little priest spoke with extraordinary wisdom, but after his second cup, his true form was revealed—he was actually a massive wine vessel capable of holding five dou (an ancient unit of measure) of liquor.

The last two stories concern celestial delicacies: King Mu of Zhou, while feasting at the Jasper Pool (the dwelling place of the Queen Mother of the West), tasted immortal fruits such as white tangerines and black dates. During the Sui dynasty, Yuan Cangji drifted to the immortal isle of Cangzhou, where he saw melons with split stems two feet long, jade-green dates the size of pears, four-legged golden fish, and golden lotus flowers. The locals told him that without wearing a golden lotus, one could not attain immortality.

These stories reflect Daoist imaginings of the celestial realm, using extraordinary events and figures to illustrate cultivation attainments such as "corpse liberation into immortality" and "transformational supernatural powers."

This text records the miraculous deeds of several ancient Daoist practitioners:

Regarding the Lingfeng Boat: There was a person who rode a special Lingfeng Boat (a legendary Daoist flying vessel), speeding across water like an arrow, reaching Donglai (in present-day eastern Shandong Peninsula) within ten days. Upon inquiring about local affairs, they discovered it was already the Tang dynasty—two hundred years had passed since the Sui dynasty's Daye era to the Tang's Zhenyuan period.

Lady Youying (a Daoist immortaless) once chanted: "Though my heart wishes to aid mortals, the Five Sacred Mushrooms (five varieties of divine lingzhi) cannot be casually gathered, and those without destiny cannot reach the immortal realms."

The Guangji records the story of Feng Gang from Hanyang: He would gather various herbs, soak them in water, seal them with clay from the first month until the ninth month, then bury them for a hundred days before refining them into medicinal pellets. The dying would revive immediately upon taking them. After consuming this medicine for years without aging, Feng Gang eventually entered Difu Mountain (a sacred Daoist mountain) to cultivate.

The account of Zhao Gongcheng: Suffering from leg paralysis for thirty years, he devoutly worshipped Lord Lao (Laozi) daily until moved by his piety, the deities bestowed medicine that cured him instantly, after which he attained the Dao and now cultivates at Heming Mountain. This practice is called "inner refinement of the Supreme Origin, resting serenely in the Divine Mansion" (referring to transcendence through internal cultivation).

Song Laizi's extraordinary encounter: While serving as a market official in Chu, he regularly swept the streets. There he met an old beggar singing in the marketplace, his songs mentioning celestial courts and the Twin Hua Mountains. For thirty years no one recognized the beggar's true identity except Song Laizi, who discerned he was the Western Peak Immortal Feng Yanshou (a Hua Mountain deity), ultimately attaining the Middle Immortal Way (mid-level immortality).

The story of Gong Song: A literary genius who maintained youthful appearance for centuries. He received celestial scriptures from the immortal Gan Ji encompassing the Three Ways of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Rulers applying these texts could establish great peace, while cultivators could achieve longevity.

The marvels of Dongguo Yan: After consuming Lingfei Powder (a Daoist elixir), his body emitted light when writing in dark rooms, enabling him to see minute objects miles away and foretell imminent deaths across the land.

These accounts document the miraculous deeds of several ancient Daoist practitioners who cultivated immortality:

In Xiangyang, there lived a gifted young woman surnamed Cai who excelled at embroidery since childhood. One day after she finished embroidering a five-colored phoenix, an elderly man came to observe her work. When he added pupils to the phoenix's eyes, the creature astonishingly came to life. Both the old man and the maiden then mounted the phoenix and flew away, alighting in a forest south of Xiangyang Mountain. The locals subsequently renamed the mountain Fenglin (Phoenix Forest) Peak, erected the Fenglin Pass there, and converted the maiden's former residence into Fenglin Jingzhen Temple, where her statue was enshrined.

Another practitioner named Han Zhihe, a foreigner, could carve wooden phoenixes, cranes, and magpies capable of flight. By installing mechanical devices in their bellies, he made these wooden birds fly over a hundred paces. He also crafted animated dragon beds whose claws would dance when stepped upon. Emperor Xianzong of Tang greatly admired him and bestowed lavish gifts, but Han distributed all the wealth to others before mysteriously disappearing.

When Luan Ba served as an official in Chengdu, the governor sought to test his Daoist abilities. Luan immediately passed through a wall and vanished like dissipating mist. Later appointed as governor of Yuzhang, he encountered a powerful mountain temple there that could control river winds to aid boats. Upon Luan's arrival, the temple deity disappeared. Luan declared this was actually a temple ghost deceiving people and had the shrine demolished. The ghost then transformed into a scholar, fled to Qi territory, and married the governor's daughter. Pursuing him to Qi, Luan drew talismans (fulu) and recited incantations, forcing the scholar to reveal his true form—a wildcat—which Luan promptly executed.

During Emperor Cheng of Han's reign, court official Gu Qing died but his corpse remained warm, requiring no coffin nails for burial. Two years later, witnesses saw him wearing official headgear atop the city gate tower. When family members tried to retrieve him, they couldn't reach him. Opening his coffin revealed the corpse had vanished. Gu later entered Taibai Mountain, where people built him a shrine and frequently saw him coming and going.

Emperor Wu of Han dispatched envoy Liang Bo to search mountains for the legendary immortal Wei Shuqing, but unfortunately the extant text breaks off at this point.

This passage recounts several stories of individuals attaining immortality through Daoist cultivation.

The first story tells of Shuxing and his son Dushi. While searching for his father on Mount Taihua, Dushi saw Shuxing playing a board game (an ancient chess-like game) with several figures atop a stone, seated on a white jade bed. When Dushi asked who they were, Shuxing replied that they were Master Hongya (a legendary immortal), Xu You, Chao Fu, and Prince Jin—all renowned recluses or immortals of antiquity. Shuxing revealed to his son that an immortal elixir recipe (a secret formula for cultivation) was hidden beneath a pillar in their home. Upon returning, Dushi dug up a jade case sealed with the "Flying Immortal’s Seal," containing five-colored mica (a mineral believed in Daoism to aid ascension). After consuming it, Dushi achieved immortality.

The second story takes place during the reign of Emperor Hui of Han. A Daoist named Han Zhi could understand the languages of all nations. A delegation from the distant land of Nili arrived—people standing only four feet tall, with cocoon-like horns and protruding teeth, dwelling in deep caves and possessing unfathomably long lifespans. Emperor Hui tasked Han Zhi with asking them how many dynasties they had witnessed. They replied that they had lived through five eras, describing the cycle of life and death as fleeting as dust and drizzle—too elusive to articulate. Han Zhi also recorded events from the time of Nüwa and the Yellow Emperor as if he had witnessed them firsthand. Emperor Hui marveled, "This is profoundly mysterious! Only those who comprehend the principles of the divine can grasp it." Later, Han Zhi withdrew into seclusion, vanishing without a trace. The emperor ordered fangshi (Daoist adepts) to build an immortal shrine north of Chang’an called the "Shrine of Han" in his honor.

The third story recounts Tang Ruoshan, a military governor of Runzhou during the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. One day, while boating with colleagues near Jinshan Temple, a sudden fog engulfed the river, obscuring all sight—except for Ruoshan, who spotted an old fisherman rowing a small boat toward them. Ruoshan boarded the fisherman’s vessel and departed, transcending the mundane world. Later, his farewell letter and memorial were found on his desk, stating that he had long understood the principles of ascent and descent, obtained the true method (zhenjue), mastered the art of turning stone to gold, and extended his lifespan. Now, he bid farewell to the mortal realm to ascend as an immortal. Emperor Xuanzong was astonished upon reading it.

Lastly, the Daoist records mention Ren Dun, styled Zishang, who abandoned his official post during the chaos of the Yongjia era (early 4th century) to devote himself to Daoist practice.

During the Southern Migration period (referring to the Eastern Jin officials' relocation south), Guan Nandu retreated to live in mountain forests, where he encountered a figure over ten feet tall. When Guan inquired about his origins, the being claimed to be the Immortal Lord of Anaku Cave, sent by Laozi (Laojun) to convey greetings. Guan asked where Laozi usually resided, to which the immortal replied that the venerable sage often dwelled in celestial realms but also roamed the mortal world, occasionally staying at Great Forge (a Daoist cultivation site) and Immortal Charts (a paradisiacal realm). Later, foreseeing the Sun En Rebellion (a late Eastern Jin uprising), Guan achieved Dao through corpse-liberation (a Daoist transcendence method) at Wooden Marsh Mountain.

Ge Hong (styled Zhichuan) received a summons from the Jade Emperor. The imperial edict stated that through his long-term transmission of cultivation essentials, mastery of embryonic respiration (Daoist longevity techniques), compilation of medical formulas to heal the populace, promotion of Daoist scriptures, and accumulation of hidden virtue in the mortal realm, his merits had reached the level of a perfected immortal. Thus, he was commanded to ascend via immortal chariot during the yin hour (3-5 AM) on the third day of the third lunar month.

Perfected Lord Luo Gongyuan, renowned for subduing water demons, healing commoners, exorcising evils, summoning winds and rains, excelling in herbal medicine and talismanic healing, internally cultivating the Three Unities (unification of Jing, Qi and Shen), and externally nurturing the Four Sentients (compassion for all beings), received the Jade Emperor's decree to ascend astride a crimson dragon chariot at noon on the fifteenth of the first lunar month.

Shen Xi, a native of Wu region who studied Daoism in Shu, moved heaven with his beneficent deeds. One day while traveling, he suddenly encountered an immortal chariot drawn by azure dragons and white tigers, attended by crimson-robed retinues holding tally scepters. When celestial officials confirmed his identity as Daoist Shen, they announced that Huang-Lao Jun (the deified union of Yellow Emperor and Laozi), impressed by his outstanding virtue, had dispatched them to escort him as an Azure Void Vice-Minister (celestial official). Thereupon he ascended.

Zhongli Jia (styled Gongyang), nephew of Perfected Lord Xu Xun, cherished reclusive mountain life. Recognizing his nephew's aptitude for Daoist practice, Xu transmitted secret techniques for private cultivation. At his own ascension, Xu revealed that when purple clouds descended amid dancing azure phoenixes and white cranes, with immortal youths and jade maidens welcoming, Zhongli's daylight ascension would commence.

Yu Jun suffered from leprosy for decades until encountering medicine-seller Bo Gong (possibly referring to Bo He, an Eastern Han Daoist) at the marketplace. Bo provided a prescription that ultimately cured the intractable ailment. (The original text here is incomplete, but according to Biographies of Divine Immortals, the subsequent account describes Yu achieving transcendence after taking the medicine.)

Gan Zhenjun (courtesy name Bowu) was renowned in his village for his filial piety. Wielding a sword, he followed Xu Zhenjun to subdue demons and evil spirits, achieving great merit. After Xu Zhenjun transmitted to him the secret methods of cultivation, he concealed his form, becoming undetectable to ordinary people. One day, celestial music suddenly resounded from the heavens amidst auspicious clouds and radiant hues as Gan Zhenjun ascended in broad daylight to become an immortal.

Niu Yi (a Jinshi scholar from Qingsuo) once rested beneath a willow tree and dreamed of entering the immortal realm of "Qunyu Palace." There he encountered an old acquaintance, Lü Zhen, and learned that this place maintained the register of the Celestial Immortals of Zhongzhou. Though the roster listed thousands of immortals, Niu Yi recognized only a few names—Lü Zhen, Yi Jian, Li Di, and Yu Jing. Lü Zhen explained that the celestial hierarchy followed strict precedence and revealed that the current prime minister, Fu Bi, was in truth the "Perfected Lord of Kuntai," destined to return to the immortal court at age ninety-three. Three hundred years later, he would become the deity presiding over the Five Sacred Mountains and Four Great Rivers.

The Hengshan Daoist Shuai Zilian, nicknamed "Ox Caller," was known for his unrestrained nature and fondness for wine, often speaking brashly. When Vice Minister of Rites Wang You encountered him during a mountain sacrifice, he recognized something extraordinary in the man and invited him to his residence for wine. Later, Zilian abruptly announced his departure, saying he was embarking on a distant journey and had deliberately descended the mountain to bid Wang You farewell. This account subtly reveals that the seemingly disheveled Daoist was in fact a hidden master of profound cultivation.

Wang Gong (a Daoist practitioner) hosted guests for a two-day drinking gathering before bidding farewell. On the appointed day, he even sent a special letter of departure. Li Gong, the abbot of Hengshan Daoist Temple (a Daoist monastic leader), bathed, changed into ceremonial robes, and after solemnly holding his ritual tablet (hu, used in Daoist ceremonies) with burning incense, achieved feathered transformation (in Daoism, a practitioner's death is termed "molting" or "feathered transformation"). Those who heard of this were astonished—Li Gong had previously prepared a fine coffin for Zilian and arranged an elaborate burial.

About half a year later, a Buddhist monk returning to the capital from Hengshan encountered Zilian outside Anshang Gate. The monk mentioned having received much kindness from Abbot Li during his journey and produced a letter from his robe, claiming it was Li's posthumous message of gratitude for Zilian. When opened, the letter proved to be in Zilian's own handwriting. All marveled at Wang Gong's prescience—the Daoist practitioner had foreseen these events long before they occurred.

(Supplementary notes: The term "molting" refers to a Daoist adept's posthumous transcendence through "corpse liberation"; "holding the tablet" describes the ritual posture of conducting religious ceremonies with a ceremonial scepter. This story demonstrates the transcendent psychic connection between advanced Daoist practitioners that surpasses life and death.)