《呂帝聖蹟紀要》

The Wuji Baochan (Precious Repentance Scripture), an important Daoist classic, states that this holy being can freely traverse beyond the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm), soaring through the Ten Directions (the entire cosmos) to respond to cries of suffering. How profoundly true this is! Our Imperial Preceptor (referring to Ancestor Lü Dongbin) embodies a vast vow to universally deliver sentient beings, as boundless as Guanyin Bodhisattva's ocean of compassionate vows. He manifests unpredictably—his sacred traces appear everywhere, his miraculous deeds echo through all time. How could mere words ever fully record this?

Yet abstract claims may fail to convince, so let us clearly document his tangible manifestations. Thus, whether wise or simple, virtuous or flawed, all may know with certainty: Fuyou Shangdi (the exalted title of Lü Dongbin) still walks among humanity. The virtuous will kindle devotion to follow him, while the wicked shall tremble before these evident marvels. Though recording merely dozens of significant manifestations cannot capture our Preceptor's complete spiritual stature, it sufficiently reveals the wondrous workings of his compassionate heart.

When later generations read these accounts and verify them through personal experience, they will understand: this sage who navigates the great ship of salvation across life's bitter sea, responding to pleas from all directions, is truly the great beneficent teacher of beings in all Three Realms. Recorded reverently by Liu Shouyuan, disciple of the Vast Teaching, after purifying himself with incense and ablutions.

This passage recounts the compassionate deeds of Daoist immortal Lü Dongbin (Sovereign Lord Fu You) working alongside Buddhist bodhisattvas to aid humanity, while exploring the deeper reasons why mortals often fail to recognize divine manifestations.

Immortal Ancestor Lü (Lü Dongbin) and Sovereign Lord Wenchang (Literary Emperor), like all celestial sages, share the same boundless compassion as Buddhist bodhisattvas in delivering sentient beings. Just as bodhisattvas vow to universally liberate all beings, these Daoist immortals have manifested across generations to perform acts of salvation. Notably, Sovereign Lord Guan (Guan Yu), after taking refuge in the bodhisattva path and attaining true realization, pledged to eternally protect the Dharma. Wherever a bodhisattva manifests, he leads divine generals in safeguarding the sacred presence.

The text mentions the "Great Awakening Altar" as a sacred site where Lü Dongbin propagated his teachings, with Lord Guan often descending alongside him. Together, they manifested at the Inner Garden of Auspicious Clouds to subdue demons—miracles that have been recounted for generations. Lü Dongbin’s vows are as vast as those of bodhisattvas, and over millennia, his verified miracles have been so numerous that even cartloads of bamboo slips could not record them all.

However, the author notes that many folk accounts of immortal deeds contain distortions and embellishments, leading to later disputes. In truth, these events are historically verifiable, though their antiquity makes thorough verification difficult. The immortals’ acts of salvation arise from their own sacred vows, while those they aid each have their own karmic conditions—only those with genuine affinity develop true devotion. Those who witness miracles yet remain unawakened often regret it later, a recurring pattern where divine encounters are missed in the moment.

The passage concludes by clarifying that if Lü Dongbin must conceal himself to test devotees rather than directly guiding them, this is not his original intent. The root cause lies in the incompleteness of human sincerity, preventing favorable conditions from ripening immediately. This exposition reveals the core Daoist principle that "faith is the source of the Dao," emphasizing how the reception of divine revelation depends entirely on the seeker’s state of mind.

Patriarch Lü (Lü Dongbin, one of the Daoist Eight Immortals) manifested in the human realm with a heart of compassionate salvation, as if personally appearing to urgently admonish and transform mortals. Now, as the scripture Records of Sacred Traces is being engraved at the Jue Altar (a Daoist site for scriptural lectures), I happen to be involved in this endeavor. In truth, the sacred accounts recorded in this scripture have long been predestined, and it is not for an insignificant person like me to bear witness to them.

The sequence of these sacred events need not be deliberately arranged—just as the four seasons follow their natural course to nurture all things, and as the sun and moon shine to illuminate heaven and earth, the teachings of sages likewise manifest spontaneously, unbound by specific temporal constraints. Han Shouting Marquis Guan Yu (the renowned Three Kingdoms general revered in Daoism as Lord Guan the Sage Emperor) respectfully composed this preface.

"Records of Lüzu's Sacred Traces": The Story of Selling a Comb in Wuchang

Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism) concealed his identity at Tianxin Bridge in Wuchang, selling an old wooden comb at an exorbitant price—a thousand coins—for several months without attracting any buyers. Later, an elderly woman in her eighties, hunched and frail with sparse white hair, came begging along the street. Lü Dongbin said to her, "People are always deceived by appearances. They find it strange that I set such a high price for a worn-out comb. Among thousands, not a single one possesses extraordinary insight—it seems only you can comprehend the Dao." With that, he took the comb and began to groom her hair. Miraculously, as he combed, her hair grew longer and thicker, turning jet-black and cascading to the ground, while her entire body rejuvenated to youthful vitality. Only then did the crowd realize they were in the presence of an immortal and clamored to buy the comb. Lü Dongbin laughed and said, "When you saw it, you did not recognize it; now that you recognize it, you can no longer see it." He then tossed the comb into the river below the bridge, where it transformed into a blue dragon and flew away, while Lü Dongbin and the old woman vanished without a trace.

The Story of "Three Mouths in One Room"

Ma Shan, a native of the Eastern Capital, began studying the Dao after failing the imperial examinations during Emperor Shenzong’s Xining era (Song Dynasty). One day, while by the Bian River with the Daoist Hou Jiu, they encountered a transcendent figure (later revealed to be Lü Dongbin). The Daoist wore a blue headscarf and plain robes, his bearing ethereal and his gaze clear as a mirror. Ma Shan invited him for tea and food, but the hot-tempered Hou Jiu scolded him instead. The Daoist retorted, "What abilities do you possess?" Hou Jiu boasted of his skills in "flying talismans to summon ghosts and turning stones into gold." The Daoist dismissed these as mere heterodox arts and then demonstrated true Daoist power: focusing his Qi (vital energy), he extinguished a tavern’s candle from dozens of paces away; then, with a single breath toward Hou Jiu, the latter felt an icy wind pierce his bones, leaving him unsteady on his feet. Both men quickly apologized, and the Daoist instructed them: "Cultivating immortality requires both 'merit' and 'practice'—'merit' comes from diligent cultivation, and 'practice' from aiding the world." At dawn, as they parted, the Daoist invited them to drink beneath a willow tree by the Xiang River. He filled an empty bottle with water from the Bian River, dropped in a single pill, and instantly transformed it into fine wine. After the three became thoroughly intoxicated, the Daoist left behind a poem:

"Three mouths share one room,

Beside the room, the water runs clear.

Born to roam the world,

My name and nature appear."

Only later did they realize the Daoist was Lü Dongbin—the character "Lü" (吕) consists of three "mouths" (口), while "Dongbin" (洞宾) alludes to his wandering existence.

The Story of "The Flute Painting"

Mr. Cheng Ziyuan of Jingzhao, in his youth, stayed at a relative’s home while preparing for the imperial examinations. One night, he dreamed of someone selling a painting... (The original text is incomplete, but it likely recounts how Lü Dongbin manifested in dreams to awaken mortals.)

The Records of Lüzu's Sacred Traces documents several accounts of miraculous manifestations by Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism):

The first account tells of a skilled painter who dreamed of an old man descending from a painting to play the flute, awakening to find the melody still lingering in his ears. At dawn, he discovered the painting in his hall was precisely Wu Xiaoxian's Portrait of the Emperor Lü Playing the Flute, which he then reverently enshrined in his home. Here, the phrase "qiao cuan cun shen" (resonating with the divine through apertures) refers to achieving spiritual communion through artistic representation.

The second narrative describes Zhao Yingdao suffering from severe scrofula (lymphatic tuberculosis). As he worried about his elderly mother's care, a Daoist priest suddenly knocked on his door. The priest cut square apertures in two pieces of silk (which together formed the character "Lü"), instructing Zhao to burn one piece that night to prepare a medicinal poultice while preserving the other for posterity. Following these instructions, Zhao recovered and realized he had encountered an apparition of Lüzu.

The third story is more remarkable: Lou Daoming, a wealthy man from Zitong County, mastered bedroom arts (fangzhong shu), maintaining youthful vigor past ninety while boasting of being an immortal. When Lü Dongbin visited disguised as a beggar, Lou scorned him. Lüzu then stamped two square holes in a stone slab (again revealing the "Lü" character miracle), prompting Lou's respectful reception. During the banquet, Lüzu spontaneously chanted Gazing South of the River, describing celestial realms, then demonstrated his miraculous "reverse writing" technique on Shu paper. When Lou sought Daoist secrets, Lüzu twice uttered "kou kou xiang chuan" (oral transmission only) before vanishing atop an ancient cypress. Days later, Lou died vomiting silvery liquid—a clear warning against cultivating heterodox practices.

These stories employ divine signs like "square apertures revealing the Lü character" and "miraculous reverse writing" to illustrate Lüzu's characteristic methods of awakening mortals, while cautioning against reliance on unorthodox techniques. Terms like "Great Canopy Heaven" (Daluo tian) and "Jade Capital Mountain" (Yujing shan) reference Daoism's highest celestial realms, while "pacing the void" (buxu) denotes the ritual walking patterns priests use when chanting scriptures to emulate immortal movements.

During the Song Dynasty, Chancellor Chen Zhizhong built a lavish mansion in Luoyang where he hosted banquets. One day, a disheveled Daoist priest suddenly appeared. When Chen asked what skills he possessed, the priest replied, "I possess celestial music to enliven your gathering." From his waist, he produced a painted scroll depicting twelve celestial maidens holding musical instruments. As the priest called out, the maidens stepped down from the painting and formed a procession. Two led with ceremonial banners while the others played music—their jade-like skin and flower-like beauty adorned with seven-jeweled crowns and six-zhu garments (ethereal immortal robes), their golden pendants tinkling. Remarkably, each had a millet-sized yellow jade embedded in their nose-tip, their bodies so light they seemed unreal. After three celestial melodies echoed through the clouds, Chen inquired about their origin. The priest explained, "These are the Jade Maidens of Liujia and Liuding (Daoist guardian deities), transformed from the Three Hun and Seven Po souls and the Five Viscera and Six Bowels of accomplished adepts. Do you wish to learn the Dao?" Seeing Chen's skepticism, the priest recalled the maidens into the scroll, swallowed it whole, then inscribed a poem: "Having weathered three thousand kalpas in celestial realms, and cultivated five hundred years in the mortal world..." Signed "Valley Wanderer," he departed like drifting mist.

During the Shaoxing era of Southern Song, Magistrate Guan Zhao of Xinchang hosted a Zhaijiao ritual (Daoist purification ceremony) at Baolu Palace, attracting mystics from afar. Lü Dongbin (one of the Daoist Eight Immortals) infiltrated disguised. Before the crowd, he demonstrated divine powers: placing medicinal powder on his palm, he blew upon it, transforming it into crimson light that formed a treasure-wheel revealing the characters "Dongbin." As the audience gasped, he vanished. This awakened Guan to the folly of mere occult tricks, and when Lü Zu (the Venerable Lü) later returned, he transmitted orthodox Daoist methods to him.

In the Jingkang era of Northern Song, a fishmonger surnamed Sun in Chuzhou encountered Lü Zu during midsummer. Lü remarked, "Your fish are dying—my wine can revive them." True to his word, the dead fish returned to life after drinking the wine. After conversing with Sun throughout the day, the fishmonger gained profound insight into the mysteries of past and present.

This passage recounts several stories of Lü Dongbin (one of the Daoist Eight Immortals, revered as Patriarch Lü or Emperor Lü) manifesting his divine presence in the human realm.

The first story occurred on the 19th day of the eighth lunar month during the Xining era (1068-1077) of the Song dynasty. In Gui'an County, Huzhou, there lived a hermit named Shen Si (courtesy name Yinzheng) who resided in East Grove and was renowned for brewing "Ten Immortals White Wine." One day, a visitor calling himself "Daoist Hui" came seeking wine. He drank several dou (ancient measurement) from noon till dusk without showing the slightest intoxication. This Daoist had piercing jade-green eyes and extraordinary conversation. Before leaving, he used pomegranate peel to inscribe a poem on the wall: "The wealthy western neighbor still frets with care/While East Elder, though poor, lives light as air./He brews fine wine to welcome noble guests/And spends his gold to collect texts rare." Later, Su Dongpo composed three matching poems about this incident. The "Daoist Hui" was in fact Lü Dongbin in disguise.

The second legend, "Yellow Crane Selling Peaches," took place in Wuchang. Patriarch Lü transformed into a peach vendor to test people's filial piety. He noticed all buyers said "I'll take these home for my children," but none mentioned offering peaches to their parents. Indignant, Lü threw the peaches at Yellow Crane Rock, where their imprints remain visible on the stone to this day.

The third tale, "Divine Manifestation at Crane Rock," tells how three devotees from Wuchang's Hansan Temple entreated to see Patriarch Lü, who promised to appear at Yellow Crane Tower. After waiting all day, they finally noticed an elderly man with snow-white hair and beard strolling before Taibai Pavilion, but failed to recognize him as Lü's incarnation until dusk, when they realized their missed opportunity. These stories collectively demonstrate how Patriarch Lü tests human virtue and enlightens ordinary beings through miraculous manifestations.

Note: The term "shijie" (corpse liberation) refers to the Daoist practice whereby adepts shed their physical form to attain immortality. "Huangting danzhuan" denotes the talismanic scripts found in the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture), a foundational text of Daoist cultivation.

The Records of Lüdi's Sacred Traces documents several miraculous manifestations of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, revered as Patriarch Lü or Emperor Lü):

The tale by the Sansheng Stone recounts how a man lingering near Taibai Pavilion encountered a white-haired elder wandering alone while murmuring poetic sentiments. Only later did he realize this was Lüzu (Patriarch Lü) in disguise.

The story of Gu Xingshu proves more remarkable. Rushing from Han San Gong (a Daoist temple) to his academy one day, he briefly met a Daoist priest seeking conversation but hurried on without engagement. Upon arrival, his students noticed an extraordinary fragrance emanating from his robes. Then they discovered freshly inked, dancing characters on his desk reading: "No trifling matter—Daoist Hui passed here." All then understood the roadside priest had been Lüzu's manifestation, deliberately leaving this calligraphic treasure. When friends learned of this the next day, they marveled and preserved the writing as a sacred relic.

The Yueyang Tower episode carries particular charm. Teng Zongliang (courtesy name Zijing), then exiled to Baling (modern Yueyang), encountered an extraordinary man calling himself "Daoist Hui"—graceful in bearing and profound in speech. When Zijing composed impromptu poetry for him, the Daoist laughed heartily before vanishing instantly, revealing himself as Lüzu. Zijing later commissioned a portrait for veneration in Yueyang Tower.

A magical mirror story involves Prefect Jia Shixiong's treasured antique mirror. One day appeared a Daoist (actually Lüzu in disguise) claiming mirror-polishing expertise. After sprinkling medicinal powder on its surface, he departed. Chasing after him, Jia found only temple gate inscriptions declaring the writer an immortal transcending worldly dust—no mere mirror-polisher. The powder had vanished, leaving the mirror brilliantly luminous. This "Daoist Hui" further prophesied five centuries of peace for Wugang's mountains and rivers.

Most instructive is the Changsha anecdote. Disguised as a beggar holding a small earthen jar, Lüzu demonstrated how coins thrown into it never filled the vessel—symbolizing how worldly desires, like this bottomless jar, can never be satisfied.

This passage recounts stories of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism) incarnating as a Daoist priest to enlighten mortals. In the marketplace, a priest placed a jar and declared: "Whoever can fill my jar with coins shall receive Daoist teachings." People threw in money continuously, yet the jar never filled. A Buddhist monk pushed a cartload of coins to test it, only to see the entire cart swallowed by the small jar. The priest then chanted a verse revealing the profound truth: All worldly things eventually vanish—why cling to wealth? As the monk lamented his lost money, the priest leaped into the jar and disappeared, leaving only poetic directions to East Peace Road. Later, the monk indeed encountered the priest again there, realizing this was Ancestor Lü (Lü Dongbin) himself—but his attachment to wealth had made him miss the opportunity.

Another tale tells of courtesan Cao Sanxiang who fell gravely ill. Lü Dongbin disguised himself as a poor scholar seeking lodging. Though the servants scorned him, Cao received him with courtesy. When she suffered agonizing pain, Lü awakened her with the phrase "turn your heart," then revived a dead soapberry tree outside with immortal elixir. Upon realizing the truth, Cao immediately abandoned her brothel life, removed her ornaments, and became a monastic. Years later, she returned home radiant—only then did people understand she had attained the Dao.

The final account mentions a wealthy youth near Hengpu's Dayu Ridge who built a Daoist temple to host practitioners after years of admiring Daoism. These stories collectively illustrate that genuine cultivation requires relinquishing attachments—wealth and beauty are but fleeting clouds, while sincere devotion alone leads to encounters with true immortals. Ancestor Lü often enlightens destined individuals through unexpected means, yet clinging to material things inevitably causes missed opportunities.

Here are several accounts of miraculous manifestations by Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, known by his Daoist name Chunyangzi):

After completing a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) at the Dayu Mountain Daoist temple, a disheveled Daoist came begging for alms. Instead of offering charity, the temple attendants mocked him. The Daoist then inscribed a poem titled "Magnolia Flowers in Shortened Form" on the wall, expressing transcendent detachment from worldly affairs. His signature read "Old Man Wuxin Chang" written in three distinct calligraphic styles before he vanished. Only upon closer inspection did people realize that combining "Wu" (无) and "Chang" (昌) formed the character "Lü" (吕, the traditional form has a "heart" radical in the middle), revealing this was an incarnation of Patriarch Lü. The crowd was filled with remorse.

During Emperor Huizong's reign in the Song Dynasty, an extraordinary man calling himself "Chang Xuzhong" (whose name concealed the character "Lü") frequented major Daoist temples. He could consume dozens of pounds of raw fish, drink barrels of cold water, survive ten days buried in snow during blizzards, and walk on water. His cursive calligraphy resembled twisting vines, though he rarely wrote for others. When the emperor sent envoys to find him, they only discovered verses at his resting place hinting at his celestial identity as an immortal roaming the mortal world.

In Quanzhou, the virtuous Daoist Jiang Hui once missed Lü's visit while away from his temple. Lü left an inscribed poem on the wall: "Drunkenly dancing and singing on celestial mountains by the sea..." signed as "Master of the Supreme Palace" (the "Supreme Palace" alluding to Lü's immortal rank). Upon returning, Jiang immediately recognized the hidden "Lü" character in the phrase "palace without the upper stroke" (宫字无上), but when he rushed outside, the immortal had already disappeared.

At the Zhangren Temple on Mount Qingcheng, the Daoist Huang Ruogu (renowned for practicing the Tianxin school's Fulu (talismans and registers) techniques)... (incomplete subsequent content)

This passage records several miraculous accounts of Lü Dongbin (one of the Daoist Eight Immortals, revered as Patriarch Lü or Emperor Lü) manifesting his divine powers to aid the world.

The first account tells how Lü Zu, disguised as "Master Bin," practiced medicine among mortals. When curing illnesses, he would draw talismans (fulu) that transformed into dragons, snakes, clouds or mist before flying away. He could summon spirits to visible form to converse with ordinary people—his footsteps could summon thunder, his blinking produced lightning, his exhalations formed clouds, and his spittle became rain. More remarkably, he painted without brushes; merely spraying ink onto silk would spontaneously form landscapes, flowers, and birds. All money earned went to relieving the poor. He often drank with a man named Ruogu, who inquired about his origins. Lü Zu hinted at his celestial nature by writing the characters for "ninety-four" (九十四) in reverse, forming two circles on the wall before departing. Ruogu indeed passed away at forty-nine (as ninety-four is its double), fulfilling Lü's prophecy.

The second account describes a Northern Song Dynasty figure from Jiangnan known as "Fellow Traveler" Li, who wore a bamboo hat and carried a fishing rod while singing melancholic fisherman's tunes. His lyrics contained the line "The jade dragon returns to heaven bearing its armor." He refused money but loved wine. When he died in the jiachen year (甲辰) during the second month, his corpse disappeared during burial—people then realized "Fellow Traveler" (同客) was Lü Dongbin in disguise (as combining these characters forms "Lü" 吕).

The third narrative recounts how scholar Cui Zhong, while singing the poem "Qinyuan Spring" at a Ba陵 inn, encountered a cobbler (actually Lü Zu transformed). The cobbler asked Cui to transcribe a poem about neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation. Its contents revealed Daoist practices of the "Seven-Return Reverted Elixir" method: awaiting the initial yang energy's emergence at midnight (zi hour), nurturing lead and mercury in the cauldron furnace, and facilitating the intercourse of dragon and tiger (representing yin and yang qi within the body). These verses secretly transmitted the essential teachings of Daoist internal alchemy.

This passage recounts two stories about the miraculous manifestations of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals in Daoism).

The first story occurred when Cui Zhong, a successful imperial examination candidate, was traveling through Yueyang. He encountered a Zhenren (Perfected Being) who had recorded the lyrics of "Qinyuanchun." Upon inquiring the man's name and recommending him to the local prefect, officials sent to visit found only an empty dwelling with inscribed wall poetry. The verses read: "The inner elixir (infant) cultivated within my abdomen is fully formed, yet I content myself mingling unnoticed in the marketplace. Who would have thought a talkative scholar would expose me, forcing my return to the white clouds' depths." Cui and the prefect could only lament their missed opportunity to encounter an immortal.

The second story describes Zhong Jiangzhi (courtesy name Zhongshan) of Changsha during the Jiading era of Southern Song Dynasty. After leaving his official post in Jinling, he witnessed something extraordinary at Nanjin Harbor of Baling. At dusk, he noticed an unusual boat carrying an elderly man in a yellow robe of remarkable bearing, with ten black jars on deck and two blue-clad attendants. The old man gazed intently at Zhong while the vessel mysteriously circled the river before vanishing. The next day, when Zhong worshipped at Lü the Emperor's Temple, he recognized the two attendant statues as identical to yesterday's vision, realizing he had encountered Lü Dongbin. Later, his poem "Shuidiaogetou" contained the lines: "Just like at Nanjin Harbor, meeting Lü Gong's boat again." Zhong passed away the following year, and his grandson would show people his grandfather's portrait of the yellow-robed elder.

Both stories embody the Daoist concept that "great recluses hide in cities," illustrating how immortals often appear in ordinary forms unrecognizable to those lacking spiritual discernment. The "inner infant" refers to achievements in Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation, while the "blue-clad attendants" represent common immortal retinues in Daoist lore.

On Wuchang's Rouge Mountain, there once lived a Daoist priest named Chen who presided over the Flying Sword Pavilion. One day as he descended the mountain, he encountered a Daoist ascending with a sword strapped to his back. After passing each other, Priest Chen suddenly realized: "What modern Daoist still carries swords while traveling? Could this be an apparition of Lüzu (Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals)?" He turned back in haste to search, but the mysterious figure had vanished without a trace.

Ding Wei, who later became a Northern Song dynasty prime minister, received a peculiar visitor in his youth—a scholar claiming to be "grandson of Tang dynasty's Lü Wei." This erudite man, well-versed in classics and philosophy, told Ding: "Your features remarkably resemble those of the famous Tang chancellor Li Deyu, and your official career will mirror his trajectory." The prophecy proved accurate when Ding Wei rose to become prime minister only to later suffer demotion, matching Li Deyu's historical fate precisely.

Shi Jie, a lecturer at the Imperial Academy, encountered an occultist calling himself "Old Man Hui." The elder produced from his sleeve a poetic warning: "Why cling to hollow official honors? Retreating to mountain springs brings truer blessings." Though Shi Jie initially disregarded the message, he understood its divine origin when exiled a year later for alleged rebellion involvement. The old man's parting words—"I roam like solitary clouds and wild cranes, never to be detained"—embodied the carefree spirit of transcendence.

Yuezhou governor Wang Lun met a plainly dressed "Daoist Hui" whose crystalline voice belied his humble appearance. This stranger only sought chess matches, yet repeatedly defeated Wang, a nationally renowned player. At dusk, while drinking and composing poetry, the visitor identified himself as "Weary Traveler Lü from Penglai" before vanishing amid lingering courtyard mists. The Chronicles of Immortals records that Wang Lun had been a prominent Jingzhou monk in his previous life who, having failed to attain the Golden Elixir (Jindan), reincarnated to eventually achieve immortality through Lüzu's guidance.

(Note: In this context, "Golden Elixir" refers to the supreme attainment of Daoist internal alchemy (Neidan), while "liberation through corpse" describes one method of transcendence where immortals shed their mortal forms. Various names like Lüdi, Lüzu, and Daoist Hui represent different manifestations of Lü Dongbin.)

During a summer retreat, Shi Yuxiu from Henan encountered a ragged-looking woodcutter who, though carrying an axe, had refined features and extraordinary speech. The woodcutter claimed ancestral roots in Henan but later moved to Zhongnan Mountain (a sacred Daoist site), identifying himself as a descendant of Lü Wei, a Tang dynasty official, and a devoted scholar of the Zhuangzi and Laozi classics. When Shi inquired about Zhongnan Mountain's virtues, the woodcutter quoted Tao Hongjing's verse: "On Zhongnan Mountain, only white clouds remain—they can be admired alone but never gifted to others." Sensing his extraordinary nature, Shi hosted him for three months. During this time, the woodcutter taught methods of transcending life and death through cultivation and, upon parting, gifted him an immortal elixir. After consuming it, Shi retained the rosy complexion of an infant even in his nineties.

Later, this woodcutter reappeared as Lü Dongbin (one of the Daoist Eight Immortals) in Baling City. Learning of the local prefect's harsh governance, he deliberately disrupted the official procession. After being imprisoned, Lü neither confessed nor wrote a statement, waiting until evening to claim he'd speak when sober. When guards rebuked his defiance, he vanished abruptly, leaving behind verses hinting at his divine identity. The chastened prefect burned incense in apology, and the next day, Lü miraculously manifested in a water basin. A painter was summoned to sketch the vision, which matched perfectly with Teng Zijing's treasured portrait of Lü.

Lü Dongbin later visited Teng Zijing, the Baling prefect, introducing himself as "Lü the Recluse." Discussing scenic sites, Lü cited the Daoist scripture's phrase "two fires and one knife allow escape," identifying the Shanzhong mountains (modern Shengzhou, Zhejiang) as a sanctuary for avoiding calamities—a haven for hermits since the Han and Jin dynasties. He particularly highlighted Tiantai Peak of Kuocang Mountain (a Daoist sacred site), linked to Huading Peak of Tiantai, and referenced the Laozi's Pillow Treatise: the celestial pond on Huashan in Wu grew thousand-petal lotuses, consuming which led to ascension. These exchanges revealed Lü's profound grasp of Daoist sacred geography.

The "Records of Lüdi's Sacred Traces" documents several anecdotes about Lü Dongbin (one of the Daoist Eight Immortals, revered as Patriarch Lü or Emperor Lü):

The first account describes Lüzu's interactions with the recluse Chen Lie. Chen was an elderly hermit of great virtue whom Emperor Shenzong of Song had summoned to court, only to be politely refused. Lüzu often engaged with him in discussions about the Dao (the Way) and profound mysteries. When imperial envoys arrived, Lüzu presented Chen with a poem hinting that worldly fame and wealth were as transient as floating clouds, far inferior to attaining immortality through Daoist cultivation. After Chen's passing, Lüzu composed another elegiac poem praising Chen's transcendent purity beyond worldly dust.

The second tale, "Molding Earth into Marvelous Incense," recounts how Chancellor Zhang Shangying encountered a hunchbacked Daoist (actually Lüzu in disguise) begging for alms. When Zhang arrogantly demanded proof of the Daoist's abilities, the latter kneaded clay into incense that emitted extraordinary fragrance upon burning. As the smoke dissipated, the Daoist vanished, leaving behind verses revealing his true identity and hinting at the profound truth that "when falsehood masquerades as truth, truth itself becomes doubtful." An annotation explains how Daoist alchemy (Waidan) values earth's generative properties (earth begets metal in the Five Phases theory), though Zhang failed to comprehend this esoteric wisdom.

The third episode, "The Wang Family's Locust Tree Covenant," tells how Wang You, father of Song dynasty Chancellor Wang Dan, devoutly enshrined Lüzu's image. Lüzu manifested to announce that due to the family's accumulated virtue (De), their descendants would attain the highest ministerial positions (the Three Dukes). He advised planting three locust trees as verification. Wang Dan indeed rose to become chancellor, fulfilling the prophecy.

The final narrative describes Lüzu's visit to Taiping Temple. When encountering the noble-minded Daoist Xue Kongzhao at Jiangzhou's Taiping Temple, Lüzu visited incognito as "Daoist Yan," presenting poems praising Xue's transcendent lifestyle. Verses like "leisurely reclining on cloud-wrapped stones, searching for ancient steles in mountain chill" vividly depict the carefree existence of Daoist practitioners, akin to wild cranes roaming among drifting clouds.

The Records of Lüzu's Sacred Traces documents several miraculous manifestations of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, known as Master Pure Yang):

At Tianqing Temple in Fuling County, Suzhou, there was a young Daoist named Ning Wei who was well-versed in Lao-Zhuang philosophy. One morning, an extraordinary medicine peddler (some say he called himself Baopuzi) visited—actually Lü Dongbin in disguise. He stayed for over a month, imparting the essence of Lao-Zhuang thought to Ning Wei: "I observe that Chan Buddhist doctrines all stem from Lao-Zhuang. Though there may be thousands of scriptures, ultimately they merely establish new schools based on Lao-Zhuang foundations." Kneeling, Ning Wei begged for initiation. Before departing, Lü Dongbin gifted him a poem hinting that cultivation requires distancing from worldly dust. When Lü later returned to find Ning absent, he inscribed two quatrains on the door plank—the ink penetrating deep into the wood—describing immortal wanderings and Neidan (internal alchemy) practice.

Another account occurred at Tianqing Temple in Qinzhou. While all the Daoists were performing rituals in a neighboring courtyard, only a young attendant guarded the gate. Denied permission to write on the walls, Lü Dongbin pretended to need incense for worshipping the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, Daoism's highest deities). When the boy left, he inscribed poetry high on the wall by the rear pool, using a "⬤" symbol to indicate finger-drawn characters. The verses likened clear water to the Daoist mind, suggesting worldly attachments are like peach blossom reflections disturbing purity. Signed "Hui Houyang"—a clue to his identity—the writing's impossible height revealed his celestial nature.

A charming episode took place at Zhuming Temple on Mount Luofu. Finding the priests absent, a young attendant secretly served his master's wine to Lü Dongbin. After drinking heartily, the immortal urged the boy to finish the rest—a vivid glimpse of an immortal's unconstrained spontaneity. These stories, through miraculous events in ordinary settings, demonstrate Lü Dongbin's compassionate guidance and Daoism's cultivation ideal of "harmonizing radiance with common dust" (blending spiritual attainment with mundane existence).

A child was born with a cataract in his left eye. Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism) sprayed leftover wine onto the boy's eye, and suddenly his vision became as clear as a normal person's. Lü then picked up a brush and painted a mountain on the wall with three pools at its base. He told the child, "If you drink this wine, you'll attain immortality. If not, it's your fate—but you'll still enjoy longevity." With those words, he flew into the stone wall and vanished. Later, when a Daoist priest returned and saw the painting penetrating through both sides of the wall, he exclaimed in astonishment: "Three mouths beneath a mountain form the character 'cliff' (岩)—this must be Master Lü!" The child indeed lived to 105 years old. Though he didn't become immortal, he still shared an affinity with the transcendent.

Another account tells of Lü Dongbin tempering his sword on Mount Lu. At Zhenji Temple (a Daoist monastery) in Jiangzhou, he sharpened his blade on the temple steps. A priest named Hou Yonghui asked him, "What purpose does this sword serve, sir?" Lü replied, "To cut down all injustice in this world." Recognizing his extraordinary nature, Priest Hou prepared wine and food to host him. Lü said, "Drink freely—ask no more." When intoxicated, he used his chopstick to inscribe four sword poems on the wall:

The first poem declares:

Grinding the sword's edge, undaunted by toil,

At dawn the scabbard rings like a dragon's cry.

Three feet of icy steel in hand—such resolve,

The blade's essence coils like a serpent's might.

Traitors' blood will wash away with flowing streams,

Villains shall perish along its gleaming trail.

With this sword I'll level the world's injustices,

And ride its hilt straight to the Ninth Heaven.

The second depicts the sword's power:

Tiger-generals and dragon-troops—such majesty!

Talismans (Fulu) in hand, armor donned, swift as wind.

Blades aligned quicker than lightning's flash,

Banners unfurling fierce as a tempest's wrath.

I'll capture the Three Corpses (the body's three malevolent spirits),

Burn demon lairs to ash,

Seize the Six Thieves (sensory desires) alive,

And storm the Devil's palace gates.

Until rivers run clear and seas lie calm,

Virtue (De) shall reign forever in this realm.

The third verse describes alchemical wonders:

Golden sparks burst from the elixir furnace,

The luminous pearl illuminates the cinnabar chamber.

Reversing heaven and earth reveals the Dao's power,

Transcending life and death shows true mastery.

Roaming the Four Seas, leaving traces behind,

At success's end, returning to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing).

The azure-clouded path ascends smooth and straight,

Where purple phoenixes and vermilion luan birds await.

The fourth transmits longevity's secret:

To learn eternal life, first grasp the pivot

Of Yin-Yang's turning through night and day.

Between existence and void, focus spirit (Shen),

In emptiness, guard the primal essence (Jing).

Dragon-tiger coupling completes in three cycles,

Sun-moon revolutions forge the ninefold elixir.

When the sacred pill coalesces in the crucible,

The path home through green clouds shines clear.

At first, the wall showed no trace of writing, but suddenly the ink penetrated the surface, revealing the verses. Priest Hou knelt in awe, begging to understand the sword's true meaning.

This recounts two stories of Lü Dongbin (Lü Yan) demonstrating spiritual powers and enlightening Buddhist monks.

In the first story, someone asks Lü Dongbin about the difference between the "Dao sword" and the "method sword." Lü explains: The Dao sword is formless and without appearance, while the method sword uses ritual techniques to subdue demons—something ordinary people can see. When asked whether using the Dao sword to execute wicked people in public would shock society, Lü responds that a person's Shen (original spirit) is the root; by extinguishing this Shen, the person naturally vanishes. Sometimes this is accomplished through another's hand. Having said this, he throws his sword which transforms into a blue dragon, then rides away upon it.

The second story describes Lü's visits to Jinge Temple and Lushan Temple. At Jinge Temple, he finds the abbot's quarters empty and silent. After conversing with a novice, he inscribes a poem containing hidden Daoist mysteries. At Lushan's Kaiyuan Temple, he enlightens the monk Fazhen who had been sitting in meditation for twenty years, pointing out that mere sitting cannot truly realize the Dao. To demonstrate, he has Fazhen observe a sleeping monk—whereupon they see a three-inch snake emerge from the monk's crown, lick phlegm from the floor, then drink from a chamber pot. This supernatural display reveals the undissipated poisons of greed and anger within the practitioner's heart, showing how meditation may appear tranquil, yet innate tendencies still emerge when encountering external stimuli.

(Note: The "Dao sword" refers to an intangible sword formed from primordial Qi, while the "method sword" denotes tangible ritual implements. "Shen" indicates one's original spirit, the foundation of life. The "crown-emerging snake" represents a Neidan practitioner's ability to perceive others' spiritual states through internal vision.)

This passage recounts two stories of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals in Daoism, revered as Ancestor Lü or Emperor Lü) enlightening ordinary people.

The first story takes place at Kaiyuan Temple. A monk had a strange dream while sleeping: first enjoying fine food and wine, then encountering beautiful women while crossing a small river, only to be blocked by water when attempting to cross another stream, followed by meeting knife-wielding bandits. At this moment, Lü Dongbin and his disciple Zhen happened to pass by, using a knife stuck in the ground to scare away a snake. Upon waking, the monk recounted his dream. Lü Dongbin smiled and explained: the bedpost became the dream's gate, his saliva and nasal mucus transformed into delicacies, his urine became fine wine, a small ditch turned into rivers, flowers and trees morphed into beauties, and the planted knife manifested as the dream's bandits. Ancestor Lü pointed out that due to the monk's venomous inner nature (hidden malice), he had already manifested snake-like characteristics (concealed wickedness tends to take serpentine forms, while overt evil manifests as tigers and leopards). Unless corrected, he would be reborn as a snake in his next life. Recognizing Zhen's sincere devotion to the Dao, Lü took him as a disciple and brought him to Qingniu Valley for cultivation (legend says he later transmitted alchemical secrets there).

The second story tells of Lü's stay at Yuanzhou's Kaiyuan Temple, where he particularly enjoyed the temple's sweet well water. He befriended a simple-minded old monk, and upon departure, gifted him two inksticks. The monk casually stored them away without much thought. Later, when official Li Dalin visited and inquired whether the immortal Lü had left gold, the monk retrieved the inksticks only to discover they had turned into real gold. This incident left behind the典故 "leaving ink that becomes gold," demonstrating Lü's divine powers while subtly suggesting how Buddhist and Daoist teachings can transform the mundane into something precious.

Both stories exemplify Lü Dongbin's characteristic methods of salvation: using dreams to shatter delusions, manifesting supernatural powers to demonstrate the Dao's workings, and directly accepting worthy individuals as disciples. The text particularly emphasizes the danger of "hidden malice" (concealed wicked thoughts), reminding practitioners that cultivation requires both inner and outer refinement.

This account relates several miraculous deeds of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, revered as Emperor Lü or Patriarch Lü):

The Story of Calligraphy Treasure: An official heard that Patriarch Lü had interacted with monks at Kaiyuan Temple in Yichun and went to verify. A monk presented him with calligraphy gifted by Lü, explaining the information came from Immortal Woman He Xiangu. When Lü later revisited the temple and learned of this, he laughed, saying "that woman talks too much," then departed hand-in-hand with the monk. Alternate versions claim Lü taught the monk meditation techniques, and this monk later achieved immortality.

The Almsgiving at Dayun Temple: Disguised as "Hermit Hui," Lü stayed at Dayun Temple for over a month, noticing their vegetarian meals lacked noodles. After leaving for ten days, he returned with a small quantity of flour that miraculously cooked into noodles feeding hundreds of monks. When invited for tea and poetry discussion, he not only critiqued Ding Wei's (Duke Ding of Jin) verses for failing to capture tea's essence, but left his own tea poem along with elixir pills saying "taking these prevents death." This monk also later attained immortality.

Gifting Verses at Zhidu Temple: During southern travels, Lü met Chan Master Huijue, praising his profound Zen cultivation. Lü emphasized true practice requires inner contemplation of one's nature beyond material attachments, lamenting Buddhism's declining transmission. His presented gatha (Buddhist verse) stressed: enlightened beings must aid the world with genuine mind, sages transmit the true essence, expressing hope the master would propagate Chan's authentic meaning. The conclusion notably referenced Bodhidharma transmitting the Dharma to Huike (Shenguang), underscoring the importance of lineage transmission.

(Note: "Gatha" refers to Buddhist poetic verses; "Bodhidharma-Shenguang"典故 alludes to Chan Buddhism's founding patriarch transmitting teachings to Second Patriarch Huike.)

This account recounts several miraculous deeds of Lü Dongbin (one of the Daoist Eight Immortals, revered as Emperor Lü).

Regarding Buddhist transmission, it mentions: When Bodhidharma (Venerable Jue), the First Patriarch of Chan Buddhism, came from the Western Regions to spread the Dharma in China, he left a prophecy stating, "One flower opens five petals," foretelling the division of Chan into five schools. In reality, the lineage continued beyond the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, though later generations particularly venerated Bodhidharma as the First Patriarch. The reference to a "vacant Seventh Patriarch" here signifies reverence for Bodhidharma rather than implying no successors after the Sixth Patriarch.

In the story "Planting a Camphor Tree at the Chan Temple," Lü Dongbin passed by Beichan Temple in Huating and planted a camphor tree behind the hall. When the tree later withered, he returned, buried an immortal elixir at its roots, and miraculously revived it. Each leaf bore gourd-shaped markings, revealing his divine presence, and people named it "Lü Gong's Camphor."

"Awakening at Huanglong" describes Lü Dongbin meeting Chan Master Huiji on Huanglong Mountain. Recognizing him, the master deliberately remarked, "Beside the seat sits one who secretly studies the Buddha-Dharma." Lü revealed himself to discuss Chan's profound meaning, asking about the significance of "a world concealed within a grain of millet." When the master pierced through his understanding with "ultimately, it is emptiness," Lü resisted, even hurling his sword at the master—yet failing to harm him. Finally, under the master's challenge of "the yellow dragon appears," Lü experienced great enlightenment and composed a verse on "letting go of attachments."

"The Wine Shop at Shaocheng" records Lü Dongbin's manifestation outside Shaozhou's city walls: An elderly woman running a wine shop once served a Daoist who requested wine when none remained, offering him the dregs instead. After inquiring the price, the Daoist wrote twenty characters with his finger on a purple stone outside—the strokes penetrated several feet deep, drawing crowds and bringing prosperity to her shop. Later, people built the Assembly of Immortals Temple (Jixian Guan) there.

Lastly, "Crimson Clouds Over the Sea" hints at Lü Dongbin's frequent miraculous manifestations, though this record is brief. These stories collectively reflect Lü Zu's compassionate guidance of humanity and his fusion of Buddhist and Daoist cultivation realms.

In Yongkang Commandery (modern-day Dujiangyan, Sichuan), a man named Ni Geng opened a new tavern. One day, a Daoist priest arrived and drank over a hundred catties of fine wine from morning till night, drawing astonished crowds. When Ni demanded payment, the inebriated priest collapsed without responding. At dawn, the priest suddenly rose and inscribed a poem on the wall: "Downed hundreds of cups in bold delight,/Who lifts the drunkard fallen outright?/Awake, my sleeves catch winds that sing,/While crimson clouds from seas take flight." Signed "Yang Chun of Three Mountains" (a reversal of Lü Dongbin's sobriquet "Chunyangzi"), he then flung a clod of earth at Ni's face and departed. The crowd discovered the ink had penetrated three-tenths into the wood grain, and the dirt clod had transformed into gold. Later, they realized "Yang Chun" was Lü Dongbin himself, after which the tavern prospered magnificently.

In Bianjing (modern Kaifeng), a tea shop run by the Shi family employed their daughter to serve guests. Lü Dongbin disguised himself as a beggar who daily ordered their most expensive tea—reeking, ragged, yet the girl served him respectfully despite her parents' beatings. One day, the beggar offered his leftover tea. Though reluctant, she sipped and was instantly filled with divine fragrance. Revealing his true form, he declared: "I am Lü Dongbin. Pity you couldn't finish it, but I'll grant one wish." She requested only wealth and longevity, later marrying into an official's household and living to 135.

Yangzhou courtesan Huang Ying entertained wealthy patrons. When Lü, disguised as a poor scholar, sought lodging and was refused, he inscribed two poems on her screen: "Beauty and ugliness share one frame,/Rosy cheeks all feed time's flame" and "Blossoms beg picking—none comply,/Fallen petals mourn where they lie"—vanishing instantly. These verses encapsulated the tragic transience of courtesans' youth.

This account recounts two stories of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, revered as Emperor Lü) enlightening courtesans.

The first took place in Luoyang, the eastern capital. There was an exceptionally beautiful courtesan named Yang Liu. Lü Dongbin transformed into a Daoist priest and frequently visited her home, often bringing gifts of gold, silver, and fine fabrics, yet he never engaged in intimacy with her. One day, Yang Liu pressed him under the influence of wine, to which the priest replied: "The Yin and Yang (Kan and Li, the trigrams representing water and fire, symbolizing the interplay of opposites) within me have already harmonized. Like a husband and wife united, they have formed the Sacred Embryo (a Neidan term referring to the life energy cultivated within the body through practice), and soon the Infant Spirit (an energy body formed at advanced stages of cultivation) will be born. How could I covet external beauty? The joy of inner refinement far surpasses the pleasures of the flesh." Later, when Chancellor Zhang Tianjue heard of this and came to investigate, the priest suddenly vanished, leaving only prophetic verses inscribed on the wall of Qiyun Temple. In time, the temple was destroyed by war, yet miraculously, the wall bearing the poem remained intact.

The second story occurred in Wuxing. A courtesan named Zhang Zhennu, though beautiful, had a serene and refined temperament. Every night, she bathed and burned incense, praying to escape her suffering. Lü Dongbin took the form of a scholar and spent over a month with her. When Zhennu asked why he never stayed the night, the scholar revealed that he knew of her prayers to heaven. Zhennu poured out her anguish—how she had to paint her face and feign smiles daily, ruining men who squandered their wealth and even lost their lives for her, leaving her burdened with sin. The scholar offered to take her as his disciple. At their parting, Zhennu composed a poem expressing her longing, and when they met again, the scholar imparted to her the true methods of Daoist practice ("a small prescription" referring to the cultivation techniques).

Both stories embody the Daoist principle of "refining the inner elixir within, while outwardly aiding the world." By enlightening women of the pleasure quarters, they demonstrate the teaching that "true practice is not a matter of outward appearances."

This passage recounts several miraculous deeds of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals in Daoism).

The first segment describes Lüzu's transmission of alchemical methods. While meditating at noon, he attained genuine Qi and practiced the "Form-Refining Elixir Method" with the Lunar Goddess. Before parting, he composed the poem "Striding the Toad Palace" to impart the true formula: one must distinguish the Zi-Wu hours corresponding to Kan-Li (water-fire trigrams) and Qian-Dui (heaven-lake trigrams), and recognize the fundamental basis of self-cultivation. Like spring thunder shaking mountain peaks to bring nourishing rain, washing the yellow sprouts (nascent elixir) as they break through earth, one must capture the golden essence (core of the Golden Elixir) and seal it securely. Practice requires observing the Jia-Geng celestial stems, awaiting the dragon-tiger (Yin-Yang energies) convergence. If asked who transmitted this, say it was Master Lü.

The second episode tells of courtesan Zhenniang. When Huang Jue, prefect of Huzhou, inquired which entertainer knew Daoist lyrical songs, Zhenniang performed this very poem taught by Lüzu. Astonished, Huang asked if she'd met the immortal Lü. After her truthful account secured her manumission, she feigned madness begging in markets while secretly cultivating for two years before achieving liberation from the corpse (a Daoist transcendence method).

The third anecdote occurs during Emperor Huizong's reign. When the emperor hosted a thousand-person vegetarian feast, a Daoist with leprosy was denied entry. As Huizong conversed with Daoist Lin Lingsu, the afflicted man suddenly appeared below the steps, using his sleeve to write prophetic powder characters on a palace pillar: "Though discoursing loftily, you've not met true immortals"—foretelling the Jingkang Incident (during Bing-Wu and Ding-Wei years) when Huizong and Qinzong would be captured by the Jin. Some claimed the emperor recognized Lüzu, but the Daoist gave his surname as Li before vanishing.

Finally, the Crane Gathering at Mount Qingcheng: near the end of Southern Song's Shaoxing era, Lüzu incarnated attended the event, resting at a pancake shop. With dense ink he inscribed on the door: "Fear only insincerity of heart, for true copper turns gold. No white hairs at the temples, yet the steed proves hard to track"—hinting at his identity through extraordinary calligraphy. Only then did the shopkeeper realize he'd encountered an immortal.

These accounts document several miraculous manifestations of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, revered as Patriarch Lü or Emperor Lü):

The first story tells of scholar Guan Yunzuo who witnessed a thin-faced Daoist carving characters into a wooden board with such force that the knife marks penetrated through to the reverse side. The Daoist then vanished instantly. Later, when people painted his likeness based on descriptions, they recognized it as Patriarch Lü. Thereafter, local pastry vendors suddenly experienced booming business.

The second event occurred in Tanzhou (modern Changsha). On the 14th day of the fourth month during the Chunxi era (1182), when military supervisor Zhao Buxian hosted a crane gathering, an unfamiliar Daoist entered unannounced before disappearing, leaving behind a poem containing lines like "A single sword soars through the void then flies away." Zhu Xi later confirmed this as Lü Dongbin's spiritual manifestation.

At Huiji Mountain's Daoist sanctuary, another story unfolded. A Daoist wearing a coolie hat left his headgear hanging miraculously on a wall without any hook to support it. The hat bore an enigmatic poem hinting at his true identity, which people later realized pointed to Patriarch Lü's incarnation.

The fourth account concerns White Cloud Hall in Jizhou. An eccentric Daoist demonstrated the ability to play an iron flute using a "second mouth" beneath his throat, afterward plugging it with paper. He scattered copper coins for children and inscribed a poem about the Cowherd and Weaver Maid on the wall. When bandits later caused turmoil, locals sealed the hall for three years. Upon reopening it precisely one day after the Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day), they deciphered the hidden meaning in the poem—the "two mouths" (二口) forming the character "Lü" (吕).

In Jiangzhou's Ruichang County, the fifth story describes a shabbily dressed Daoist seeking temporary lodging at a temple. Turned away by the guest-prefect for lacking baggage, the Daoist remarked that though destitute in appearance, he had his own methods. These narratives collectively illustrate Patriarch Lü's playful interventions in the human realm to awaken and enlighten ordinary people.

The Records of Emperor Lü's Sacred Traces documents several accounts of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, revered as "Ancestor Lü" or "Emperor Lü") manifesting his divine power to aid humanity:

The first story recounts Lüzu disguising himself as a Daoist priest to test temple discipline. A priest who disregarded propriety sat in the abbot's seat without bowing and deliberately left behind his bamboo hat when departing. The assembly later found the hat impossibly heavy to lift—only after collective scripture recitation and repentance could it be moved. Beneath the hat, the ground revealed the character "Lü" (吕). When patients boiled earth from this spot as medicine, they were instantly cured. The site later became a well where the "Lü" character perpetually floated on the water's surface.

The second tale, "Medicine Wrapped in Crimson Gauze," occurred in Dongjing (the Northern Song capital, modern Kaifeng). An elderly woman's household suffered from malaria until Lüzu appeared as a Daoist priest, presenting a red-silk-wrapped pill with the instruction: "This medicine can heal one hundred people." Following his directions, the woman had patients hold the pill, curing her entire family and nearly a hundred others. Beyond the hundredth person, the medicine lost potency. Unwrapping the gauze revealed only the three characters "Lü Dongbin."

In Tonglu, the third episode tells of an official's mother with an incurable back abscess. Lüzu appeared in a dream, prescribing a remedy: five trichosanthes fruits, five date-sized pieces of frankincense ground finely, mixed with honey into a paste, and taken with warm wine. The official prepared the medicine accordingly, completely healing his mother. This prescription later cured numerous others.

The final account takes place in Zhaozhou, where a man named Liu, lame for twenty years, prayed nightly with incense. Lüzu led him to unearth a five-colored stone, instructing him to grind it into powder taken with tree-bark decoction. After nine days, Liu was healed. Returning to the designated spot, he found only Lüzu's poem inscribed on a wall—realizing he had encountered an immortal.

These narratives exemplify Lüzu's characteristic "manifesting traces to deliver humanity," using healing as spiritual instruction. The prescriptions often combine common herbs, embodying the Daoist principle that "the art of medicine and the Dao of immortality are interconnected."

In Ziyang, Echeng (modern-day Ezhou, Hubei), there lived a destitute woman who had been paralyzed for years, crawling daily to the bridge to beg. One day, a Daoist priest passing by noticed her and inquired about her situation. The woman explained that after her husband's death, she had to care for her octogenarian mother-in-law and could only survive by begging. Moved by her story, the priest took out his palm-fiber whisk (a ritual Daoist implement) and had her try pulling herself up with it. Miraculously, the woman stood upright upon grasping it. When the priest then had her take a few steps, her paralysis vanished completely within moments. Asking where she might visit to express gratitude, the priest simply mentioned residing upstairs in a certain house. Upon returning home, her astonished mother-in-law heard the tale. The next day, when the two women sought out the house, they discovered an altar upstairs enshrining an image of Sovereign Fu You (the deified title of Lü Dongbin). They subsequently tended the shrine there for the rest of their lives. This incident not only demonstrated how filial piety moved divine beings to heal illness, but also provided them with lifelong sustenance.

In Jiangling (modern Jingzhou, Hubei), a Daoist named Fu Sheng devoutly worshipped an image of Patriarch Lü. During the Qiandao era (Southern Song dynasty), on New Year's Day, a visitor wearing a square scarf and long robe arrived for extended conversation, sharing wine with him and returning every ten days thereafter. At the time, Fu Sheng suffered from blurred vision and chronic tearing. The visitor prescribed a remedy: slicing and roasting both raw and prepared rehmannia root, combining it with Sichuan pepper (stones and unopened pods removed), lightly frying the three equal portions together, then forming honeyed pills. Taking fifty pills on an empty stomach with salted rice water restored Fu Sheng's vision to the point of discerning fine details. Later realizing the visitor bore striking resemblance to his enshrined Patriarch Lü image, his devotion deepened further.

Patriarch Lü once manifested in Yueyang as a medicine peddler, claiming each pill worth a thousand gold pieces. After three days without buyers, he ascended Yueyang Tower, swallowed a pill himself, and suddenly levitated midair. Only then did the astonished crowd clamor to purchase them. With a laugh, the immortal remarked: "The great Dao stands plainly before you; Penglai's immortal shores lie within reach. Yet missing this opportunity means losing it even as it stares you in the face." He then recited: "Dawn finds me north in Yue, dusk at Cangwu's edge / My sleeves conceal green serpent swords, my spirit bold. Thrice to Yueyang unrecognized I came / Chanting aloud, I soar o'er Dongting's waves."

During Chengdu's herb market festivities, a disheveled Daoist with unkempt hair and tattered robes once brandished an elixir pill, proclaiming: "I am Lü Dongbin!" while hawking this longevity medicine. When the mocking crowd dismissed him, the Daoist popped the pill into his mouth—whereupon five-colored auspicious clouds blossomed beneath his feet, carrying him skyward. Only then did the marketgoers kneel in awestruck regret, but the chance had vanished beyond retrieval.

This passage recounts several stories of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism) enlightening mortals through various incarnations.

In the first story, Lü Dongbin appears as a Daoist priest to test people. He claims he will give immortal elixir to anyone willing to kneel before him, but the crowd merely laughs at him. After passing by multiple times with no one kneeling, he finally sits by the fire pond in front of the Wuxian Temple, where children throw tiles at him. The Daoist laments how people long to see immortals yet fail to recognize a true one, then swallows his golden elixir (Jindan) and vanishes amid five-colored clouds, leaving the crowd in regret.

Next comes a tale of a merchant who devoutly worshipped Patriarch Lü (an honorific title for Lü Dongbin). Lü tests him by appearing as a poor Daoist. When the merchant pawns a ragged robe, he secretly keeps a golden hairpin found in the sleeve. Upon retrieving it, he discovers an attached slip with a warning verse—Patriarch Lü's way of enlightening him about "eagerly seeking immortality yet failing to recognize it when face-to-face." The merchant is filled with remorse.

The story of Huang Jueneng tells how he meets a Daoist (actually Lü) while seeing off guests. The Daoist writes the character "Lü" in water within a cup, prophesying they would meet south of the Yangtze the following year. True to prediction, Huang is transferred there and meets Lü again, receiving seven large coins, ten medium ones, and three small ones—symbolizing his lifespan of seventy-three years. Lü gives him medicine to take with wine for a year's health, which Huang does, passing away precisely at seventy-three when the medicine runs out.

Li Ji (styled Decheng) encounters a thinly-clad yet unwintered Daoist (Lü) during bitter cold. In a tavern, the Daoist performs magic making empty wine bottles spontaneously produce coins, then shares three liters of wine with Li. After drinking, he reveals his identity and teaches minor arts to this skilled physician. These stories collectively illustrate Lü's teaching method of "transforming appearances to enlighten people," warning that the true path requires sincere discernment.

The Records of Lüzu's Sacred Traces documents several accounts of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, known as Master Chunyang) manifesting his divine presence to deliver people.

One story tells of a Daoist priest surnamed Li who received a poem inscribed by Lü Dongbin: "Though earthly emperors hold noble might, / How can they match a drunk immortal's delight? / Free from life-death cycles I roam at ease, / My fate not bound by cosmic tides or breeze." He was also gifted an elixir pill. After consuming it, Priest Li retained black hair and strong teeth, living to 107 years.

In the second account from Jinling, a man named Wan Yushi suffered from hemiplegia for years. He encountered a Daoist calling himself "Qian Situn" (where "Qian" symbolizes Yang, "Si" homophonically implies "binding," and "Tun" signifies "Chun"—all covertly referencing Lü Dongbin's title Chunyangzi). The Daoist pressed his afflicted areas while expounding the profound principles of Qian (Heaven), Kun (Earth), and Tun (Difficulty) from the Zhouyi. The patient recovered instantly. Later, people found only Lüzu's enshrined statue where the Daoist had vanished.

The third narrative describes Minister Shi, who long endured a tumor between his eyebrows. He dreamt of an immortal wiping his face, after which the tumor fell off. Upon waking, he paid homage at Lüzu Pavilion and recognized the statue there as identical to his dream savior.

In the fourth episode, when Zhong Chuan (courtesy name Ruoweng) served as an official in Pingliang, Lü Dongbin visited disguised as a white-robed, turbaned Daoist accompanied by a cowherd boy. The boy spontaneously composed pastoral verses: "Green grass carpets six, seven miles wide, / Evening breeze carries three, four flute sighs. / Belly full, I return as dusk glows, / Straw cloak on, moonlight lulls my repose." Later, the crowd noticed the boy carrying two large urns (the character "urn" [瓮] decomposes into "Lü Gong" [吕公]). When pursued, both had vanished without trace.

These stories exemplify Lüzu's diverse manifestations to awaken mortals, emphasizing how Daoist cultivation transcends worldly shackles to attain physical-spiritual liberation. The recurring motifs—elixirs, therapeutic massage, dream revelations—reflect standard Daoist methods of deliverance.

Magistrate Wu Chang was playing chess one day when an anonymous Daoist priest suddenly appeared, claiming to be a master of the game. The magistrate challenged him, but after only eight moves, the priest declared: "My lord, you are about to lose." The magistrate protested: "The board isn't even half full—how can you tell?" The priest explained: "My pieces already control the vital positions." True to his word, the magistrate lost several consecutive games before the priest abruptly vanished in a swirl of sleeves.

When the magistrate sent servants to search, they heard flute music before the government office—chasing east only for the sound to shift west, pursuing it southward to find it coming from Yellow Crane Tower. The priest's silhouette flickered into Stone Mirror Pavilion and disappeared, leaving only an inscribed poem: "Playing flute at Yellow Crane Tower, / Riverbanks adorned with white duckweed and red knotgrass. / A heart full of matters no mortal understands— / Only the clear breeze and bright moon know." The signature bore but a single character: "Lü" (later prompting the pavilion's renaming as Immortal Lü's Pavilion).

In the summer of the tenth year of the Kangxi reign, Patriarch Lü (Lü Dongbin) manifested at the borrowed garden of Elder Tong Shoumin. While Elder Tong handled official duties, the literatus Li Yu (styled Liweng) unexpectedly arrived. Patriarch Lü observed: "Li Yu is no mere scholar—his spiritual roots run deep," and immediately proposed composing linked verses. He initiated: "All talents of past and present return to celestial realms; / Undying poetic souls become immortals. / Should we meet at Penglai's gathering in years to come, / I'd gladly hold your horses' reins." Patriarch Lü responded in verse: "The realms of Yin and Yang were never truly separate; / Slay the demon of poetry to attain transcendence. / If you wish to join our immortal grotto, / I'll grant you jade whip in golden hall." He further praised Li Yu's literary grace: "Unfettered writing flows from heaven's loom, / Rainbow hues bloom from your wondrous brush. / Lifting your pen reveals autumn-river vastness— / A lone boat bears Liweng's straw-hatted shadow."

Yangzhou native Shi Tianji regularly chanted Buddhist invocations. While visiting Tiger Hill, he discovered a quiet chamber dedicated to Patriarch Lü atop the rear peak. Burning incense, he silently questioned whether Buddhist chanting truly generated merit. That night he received a dream revelation: "Sincere chanting is itself elixir refinement; / One hundred eight prayer beads turn without end. / When merit reaches perfection, / Bodhi manifests spontaneously." This vision hinted at the shared essence between Buddhist recitation and Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) practice.

The Records of Lüdi's Sacred Traces documents several stories about Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, revered as Patriarch Lü or Lüdi) enlightening ordinary people:

In Guangling's streets, Lü Dongbin deliberately scattered ten thousand coins on the road. By evening, he found that except for three coins lost in mud, grass, and a well's brick crevice, all had been picked up by passersby. Finally, two men quarreled over a coin in the well, prompting Lü to sigh: "How can people transcend worldly attachments when they remain so greedy for wealth?"

At age thirteen, while picking tea in the mountains, He Xiangu lost her way and encountered a long-bearded, blue-eyed Daoist wearing a tall crown and celestial robes (six-zhu garments)—none other than Lü Dongbin. He gave her a celestial peach, saying: "Eating this whole will make you ascend as an immortal; otherwise, you'll remain earthly." She ate only half. After Lü showed her the way home, she discovered one mountain day equaled a mortal month. From then on, she abstained from worldly food, gained divination powers, and later achieved liberation as a shijie immortal (a Daoist method where the spirit leaves the body to ascend). Lü once told her: "When I sold medicine in Huayin, I hid one immortal elixir among ten thousand ordinary pills. Yet seekers grabbing randomly always dropped the true elixir—proof how few mortals possess immortal destiny."

Liu Haichan, originally a high-ranking Liao official, renounced his post during turbulent times, writing: "Abandoning worldly splendor, fleeing power's strife." After taking the name Haichanzi, he received Lü's teachings on the Golden Liquid Returned Elixir (the supreme secret of Daoist alchemy), eventually attaining immortality and wandering the land.

After achieving the Dao, Lü visited his hometown to sweep ancestral graves. Near Puyin Village's southern outskirts, he met an impoverished old woman tirelessly feeding travelers at her hearth. Through subtle guidance, she later achieved ascension while sitting by her stove—the origin of the "Enlightenment at the Hearth" parable. These stories embody the Daoist principle: "Immortal fate is rare; cultivation begins with the heart."

The Summary of Emperor Lü's Sacred Traces records several stories of Lü Dongbin (Sovereign of Fuyou) enlightening worldly beings:

The first recounts the story of Cao Jingxiu (Immortal Cao). A descendant of Cao Bin (brother of Empress Cao during the Northern Song dynasty), he felt profound shame when his younger brother Cao Jingzhi abused power and faced punishment, prompting his retreat to mountain forests for cultivation. One day, Lü Dongbin and Zhongli Quan (Sovereign of Zhengyang) came to test him, asking what he cultivated. Cao replied, "I nurture the Dao," explaining that "the Dao resides in Heaven, and Heaven resides in the heart." Recognizing his exceptional insight, the two immortals transmitted esoteric cultivation methods, ultimately guiding him to attain Daoist realization.

The second tale, "Filial Piety Moves Immortals," describes a date tree near Lü's pavilion south of Ezhou city that had borne no fruit since the Tang dynasty. When Lü Dongbin rested beneath it, enormous dates suddenly appeared. The local governor ordered a minor clerk to pick them—a filial son who had lost both parents and lived in poverty. Lü secretly instructed him to eat the dates, after which the clerk ascended to immortality. The pavilion was subsequently renamed "Immortal Date Pavilion."

The third narrative involves Lü Dongbin's discourse on the Yijing (Book of Changes) with Shao Yong (Shao Kangjie). Skilled in divination, Shao had foreseen Lü's visit through hexagrams. After their philosophical exchange, Lü imparted cultivation formulas, leading to Shao's later spiritual attainment (Shao's scholarship derived from Patriarch Chen Tuan, which qualified him for the rank of Zhenren [Perfected Being] among immortals).

The final account tells of Liu Fazhen seeking the Dao. While traveling through Huayin, Lü Dongbin appeared amid yellow clouds—reminiscent of Guan Ling Yixi observing purple qi from the east. Liu recounted how during the Tianbao era, he had followed an elderly monk for over twenty years after encountering him. Moved by this, Lü bestowed enlightenment upon him.

One day, Manjusri Bodhisattva warned the assembly: "A great demon shall appear who will certainly bring you trouble." He then instructed everyone to disperse. Later, a cultivator dwelling at Huayin Temple on Mount Yuntai became the Dharma master's successor. When he encountered the immortal Zhang Gongbi and was invited to practice in a stone cavern, he soon departed again. This man often regretted his wavering resolve when encountering Buddhas and immortals, and consequently developed a back ailment, praying for the sages' compassionate deliverance. Lü Dongbin (the Imperial Lord) told him: "Your cultivation is already half-complete, but your mind remains unsettled. Now go pay homage to Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and you shall achieve great cultivation." As Lü Dongbin himself was journeying to Shu region, this Dharma master followed him to Mount Qingcheng before they parted. (Though this master didn't attain the Dao immediately, he lived from the Tang through Song dynasties for several centuries, manifesting numerous miraculous deeds as a Dharma master.)

Wang Chongyang (founder of the Quanzhen tradition), originally named Zhongfu with the courtesy name Yunqing, was born in Dawei Village, Xianyang, Shaanxi during the second year of Emperor Huizong's Zhenghe era (1112 CE). Excelling in martial examinations in youth, he resigned his official post at forty-seven, abandoning family life to pursue spiritual cultivation. In the Jimao year (1159), he encountered Han Zhongli (Zhengyang Imperial Lord) and Lü Dongbin (Fuyou Imperial Lord) on Zhongnan Mountain, prostrating himself to receive secret oral instructions. His verse records: "At forty-eight I finally met my master." The following year at Liquan Temple, he obtained the essential Golden Elixir (Jindan) techniques and was bestowed the Daoist name "Wang Jia," courtesy name Zhiming, and religious name Chongyang. After the two patriarchs departed, Wang practiced in mountain caverns until achieving success, then traveled east to enlighten his seven renowned disciples: Ma Danyang and Sun Bu'er (a married couple), along with Qiu Chuji, Liu Chuxuan, Tan Chuduan, Wang Chuyi, and Hao Datong—collectively known as the "Seven Quanzhen Masters."

At Hangzhou's Xuanyao Temple during the Yuan Dynasty (originally Tang's Purple Pole Palace, later renamed True Sage Temple by King Qian Liu of Wuyue during Five Dynasties, then Heavenly Celebration Temple in Song era), the Daoist Zhao Xiaoxian dug a pool below Qingxia Cavern, channeling spring water to plant banana trees—thus naming it Banana Pond. Once when Lü Dongbin visited and found Zhao away, he inscribed on a banana leaf: "Returning from Junshan's midnight moon, I see western garden's blue lotuses bloom. Celestial winds carry floral mists sweet, banana leaves shimmer cool and neat. Should you ask why I came this way, read these verses whereon they stay." Five years later when missing Zhao again, he wrote: "White snow and red lead forge the Sacred Embryo (Shengtai), golden lotus must bloom without delay. Better we sail to Penglai's isles to watch azure clouds dance celestial miles." (Here "white snow and red lead" symbolize the Yin-Yang energies in Neidan alchemy, while "Sacred Embryo" metaphorically represents the perfected Golden Elixir.)

This passage records several legendary accounts of apparitions by Lü Dongbin (one of the Daoist Eight Immortals, revered as Emperor Fu You):

The first story recounts Master Zhao's encounter with Lüzu's divine manifestation. Over five years, Lü Dongbin descended three times to the cave where Master Zhao practiced cultivation, finally transmitting essential teachings during the last visit. Lüzu instructed that Dao cultivation must not remain in empty stillness alone, but must follow the natural Dao. He imparted oral formulas for practice, including Neidan (internal alchemy) methods like "emptying the heart and filling the abdomen," explaining how to regulate breathing and concentrate the Shen (spirit) into unified focus. Like a hen patiently incubating eggs, persistent practice would eventually achieve the state of "Kan-Water and Li-Fire mutually generating," ultimately realizing the immortal path. Following these instructions, Master Zhao attained accomplishment in cultivation and ascended as an immortal at age 164.

The second account describes a miraculous manifestation through Lü's statue. At Wushan in Guangxi, locals had built Lüxian Pavilion to venerate Lüzu. During a plague in the Yuan Dynasty's Dali era, a man named Zhang Yancai dreamed of a Daoist requesting the camphor tree in his yard to carve a divine image. The next day, the tree indeed toppled in a windstorm, and the plague subsided. Later, lingzhi mushrooms resembling lotus flowers grew between the statue's fingers, emitting fragrant aroma.

The third is the famous "Ink Seller of Wuchang" anecdote. Lüzu manifested as an ink peddler in Wuchang streets, pricing inch-long inksticks at three thousand coins with no buyers. Only blacksmith Wang found it peculiar and purchased one. That night, the seller returned to refund the money. At dawn, Wang discovered the inkstick had transformed into purple gold engraved with the character "Lü," with the peddler nowhere to be found.

These stories collectively demonstrate Lüzu's characteristic way of manifesting divinity to deliver people and enlighten destined individuals, using miraculous events to illustrate the Daoist teaching that "the immortal path values life." The included Neidan cultivation methods and "transforming stone into gold" motif represent common cultivation themes and manifestation methods in Daoist culture.

In his later years, Han Qi encountered an unkempt Daoist practitioner named Lü Dongbin dressed in tattered clothes. When Han Qi asked about his abilities, Lü claimed expertise in ink-making. At Han Qi's request for a demonstration, Lü dug a pit and urinated in it. Displeased by this vulgar display, Han Qi watched as Lü stirred the muddy mixture and declared, "The ink is ready," before departing. Upon later examination, Han Qi discovered the "ink" had transformed into premium gold ingots bearing the character "Lü" - even the interior was pure gold, leaving him filled with regret.

A brush-maker named Zhai who enjoyed befriending spiritual practitioners frequently hosted Lü Dongbin. After a year of generous hospitality, Lü led Zhai to a riverside, where he bit a brush tube in half to create two floating platforms. Stepping onto one, he crossed the river and urged Zhai to follow. When Zhai hesitated in fear, Lü smiled and vanished upon reaching the opposite bank. Ten days later, Lü returned with foul-smelling food that Zhai refused to eat. Sighing, Lü said, "If you cannot partake of this, accept these two jars of meat paste instead." The jars later revealed themselves filled with gold fragments.

At a Mount Lu tavern, Lü witnessed fish being sliced for sashimi and claimed he could revive them. When the skeptical chef challenged him, Lü placed a pill in a fish's belly, restoring it to lively movement. The astonished chef released the resurrected fish into the river, only to find Lü had disappeared.

During the Yuanfeng era, a Daoist calling himself "Valley Guest" befriended commoner Teng Zhong in the Eastern Capital, gifting him a medicinal pill that instantly cured Teng's rheumatism. Two years later at Yangzhou's Kaiming Bridge, Teng recognized the same figure seated by the water - but the man vanished as Teng approached, revealing his true identity as Lü Dongbin.

While in Jiangxia under the alias Lü Yuangui, Lü accurately predicted fortunes while lodging with the Yang family. One day he abruptly warned of impending danger from evil men - that very evening, an official named Yu came searching, finding only a Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation manual.

When Zhang Ji was young, Lü Dongbin visited his home to expound upon the self-cultivation principles found in the Zhouyi (Book of Changes) and Mengzi (Mencius), blending Daoist and Confucian wisdom.

These passages from The Record of Lüzu's Sacred Traces document several miraculous manifestations of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism) after achieving immortality:

Regarding Zhang Guolao's prophecy, it describes how the Lüzu wrote a poem in the "eight-part" calligraphic style hinting at his future ascension to the immortal ranks. The final line stated, "My achievement shall be complete after the 'broken melon' years," later fulfilled when Zhang Guolao indeed attained high immortal status (in Daoist terminology, the position of "Canzhi Zhengshi" refers to senior celestial office).

The tale of the Shenguang Temple portrait recounts Lüzu's visit to Shanyang's Shenguang Temple, where he personally painted his likeness on the northern wall of the Sanqing (Three Pure Ones) Hall. The portrait depicted him with refined features yet extraordinary countenance, differing from common depictions, flanked by the Seven Star Lords of the Northern Dipper, wearing jade tablets with hair unbound. Beside it appeared a ten-foot talismanic inscription (Fulu) dated to the Yuanyou era (1087 CE), declaring: "Those who understand where my brush touched may discuss the Dao." Later, ill persons scraped powdered ink from the talisman for healing, while others reported encounters with a majestic deity calling himself "Shenguang Talisman Emissary." To preserve the artwork, later generations enshrined it behind silk curtains.

The Changxi Inn marvel occurred in Fuzhou's Changxi County. An elderly woman operated an inn when, during the Qiandao reign (1165-1173), a Daoist patron wrote "Lü Dongbin" with charred firewood on the wall after dining. The characters shone brilliantly. When the governor arrived on horseback to investigate, the writing gradually faded until vanishing completely—convincing witnesses of its divine origin.

The most extraordinary account involves a courtesan's house in Yanzhou. A madam named Hou hosted Lüzu in disguise, who lodged there for a month without payment, returning drunk each night. When Hou served tea one day, Lüzu revealed: "Master Zhongli Quan (leader of the Eight Immortals) says you're fit for Dao cultivation." Puzzled, she offered wine instead. As Lüzu drank excessively, Hou grew displeased until he produced golden bracelets, offering one for more wine. Coveting the jewelry, she asked: "Will you stay after drinking?" Agreeing, Lüzu immediately snored upon lying down. At midnight when Hou approached, he pushed her away. By dawn he'd disappeared, leaving the character "Lü" deeply imprinted where touched. Realizing this divine encounter, Hou lamented: "Was my fall into this life due to past delusions? The Imperial Lord came to deliver me!" She then took monastic vows to seek immortality, though never found Lüzu again.

The Qixi Festival poem records that during the Yuanfeng era (1078-1085), when Lü Huiqing oversaw Danzhou's Tianqing Temple, an extraordinary visitor inscribed on a banner during the Double Seventh Festival: "A lone wanderer under heaven's dome, / Two gourds of frost-fire sustain my soul. / When Kan and Li you truly hold, / Dragon-Tiger union makes elixir gold." (Kan-Li symbolizes Yin-Yang; Dragon-Tiger represents Water-Fire—essential Neidan alchemical principles.)

The "Records of Lüzu's Sacred Traces" documents several accounts of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals in Daoism) manifesting his divine presence to guide seekers:

The enigmatic poem about "tiger elixir circulating mercury" conceals profound wordplay. The first line, "A wild man was originally a visitor from Tiantai," hints at the character "宾" (guest). The second line, "South of the stone bridge lies an old dwelling," refers to "洞" (cave, symbolized by the stone bridge). The third line, "Father and son naturally bear two mouths," points to "吕" (two "口" characters combined). The fourth line, "Fond of flute songs but not of clapping," suggests "吟" (to chant). Only Lüzu himself could compose such verses.

In Changsha, a lame immortal named Liu met Lü Dongbin at Junshan Mountain and learned the spiritual turtle breathing technique (a Qi-regulating practice). After mastering it, he retreated to Yuelu Mountain, calling himself Xiaoxiangzi, often accompanying Lüzu around Baohuang Temple. Lüzu once wrote: "Among Yuelu's seventy-two peaks, I cherish Dongzhen's ruins most." Later, a man named Zheng Si encountered the lame immortal outside Qingtai Gate, and they ascended together.

Though wealthy merchant Chen Danran ardently pursued the Dao and supported wandering Daoists for years, he never received true transmission. Lüzu appeared as a gardener tending his vegetable patch, displaying extraordinary strength. Once, when Chen and fellow practitioners discussed the "Classic of the Hidden Talisman" line "When heaven unleashes destructive forces, heaven and earth reverse," the gardener suddenly interjected: "The living don't cling to life, the dead don't cling to death. Seeing through life while alive, penetrating death before dying—this leads to longevity." Stunned, Chen pressed for explanation, but the gardener evaded. The next Dragon Boat Festival, Chen died suddenly—the gardener had been Lüzu in disguise, departing when recognizing Chen's unsuitability.

During the Qingyuan era, virtuous Shen Weixin of Huzhou encountered a Daoist in blue robes (Lüzu's manifestation) who frequently appeared in his garden, illustrating how Lüzu often adopts humble forms to awaken destined individuals. These stories collectively reveal Lüzu's spontaneous guidance and unpredictable manifestations—hallmarks of his sacred traces.

The first passage recounts an apparition of Patriarch Lü (Lü Dongbin). A strange man wearing an unusual headscarf and robe suddenly appeared in a garden. The guards immediately reported to the owner, but after searching the entire garden, no trace of the man could be found. Later, they discovered a poem inscribed on the rear pavilion wall, which roughly said: "I've come from afar to roam the lands of Shu, leaning on my wooden staff to admire this flower-filled estate. Within ordinary streets hides an immortal's grotto, where spring swallows fly freely and falling petals drift over faintly shimmering waters. If the master wishes to understand this mystery, he should restore this Green Wild Hall anew." It was signed "Daoist Xiang," though some claimed the character "Xiang" was actually a variant of "Hui," hinting this was Patriarch Lü's divine manifestation.

The second passage records an anecdote of Patriarch Lü enlightening Lü Huiqing. In Hailing, there lived an immortal named Xu Shenweng who could foresee fortunes and often hosted many guests. When Lü Huiqing visited, he saw a Daoist priest sitting boldly in the seat of honor and speaking disrespectfully. Angered, Lü Huiqing demanded to know the man's identity. The Daoist replied, "We share the same ancestral name," then wrote verses on the ground with incense ashes: "Within the alchemical furnace hides Yin-Yang, the cosmos dwells in a tiny gourd. Though filled with profound learning, none recognize it; when I speak, I question heaven and earth's mysteries. Playing my flute beyond Yueyang Tower, laughing, I ride a yellow crane past Hailing." With that, he clapped his hands, laughed, and vanished. Xu Shenweng told Lü Huiqing this was Patriarch Lü's divine manifestation—the "same ancestral name" referring to their shared surname Lü. Lü Huiqing was filled with regret.

The third passage tells how Tianqing Temple in Zhenzhou sought to create a statue of Patriarch Lü. The temple master had long wished to commission one, but artisans never arrived. One day, a handsome scholar came to lodge there and, hearing of this, claimed to be skilled in sculpture. The next morning, the scholar had disappeared, but in the corridor shrine, there suddenly appeared a statue of Patriarch Lü seated with one leg folded—its extraordinary bearing far beyond any mortal craftsman's skill. Later, this statue repeatedly manifested miracles, surviving three temple fires completely unscathed. These events were recorded on a stone tablet within the temple.

Fifteen miles outside Changmen Gate in Suzhou stands the Cold Mountain Temple. Lüzu (Lü Dongbin) once manifested there as a scholar surnamed Lü. One night, a sudden gale stirred the bronze bells on the pagoda, continuing until dawn. While drinking tea with the temple monks, Lü casually mentioned how the bells had disturbed his sleep. A monk jokingly said, "Since you're Master Lü (hinting at Lü Dongbin), why not use your powers to silence them?" Lü smiled without reply, then blew gently toward the distance—the bells instantly stilled. When the startled monk looked up again, Lü had vanished, revealing his true immortal nature. Later, when new bells were installed, they never rang again.

On Mount Heng, a monk named Zhixuan (his lay surname) once met Lüzu at the Xiuzhen Retreat on Purple Canopy Peak. Their dialogue on Buddhist teachings flowed with remarkable harmony. Lü asked him: "When the Lotus Sutra speaks of Sakyamuni and Prabhutaratna sharing a golden lotus throne without distinction of left or right—what does this signify?" When the monk couldn't answer, Lü explained: "This embodies the supreme Dharma—the unity of emptiness and form, transcending scripture. The shared throne represents dual cultivation of nature and life (xingming shuangxiu), while 'no left or right' signifies returning to the cosmic origin. You focus solely on seeing Buddha-nature, neglecting half the truth." The monk bowed gratefully for these secret teachings, exclaiming, "Without meeting a true master, my life would have been wasted." Lü then gifted him a poem: "Seven centuries a perfected immortal roams lakes and seas freely / Beyond the Three Realms' dust, touring ten provinces daily / Drunk beneath clear winds and bright moon, trampling reedy shores / Don't laugh, Chan masters—my home is atop the Hua严 Pavilion." Chanting this, he departed on clouds.

At Jingde Temple's Emei Cloister in the Eastern Capital lived a Sichuanese monk known as "Emei Daoist," who maintained strict precepts without leaving the monastery for twenty years. One day arrived an extraordinary man—blue headscarf, white robe, radiant demeanor. Received warmly, he entered the abbot's quarters directly. Their midnight conversation ended with a promise to meet again exactly one year later—witnessed by attendants. When that day came at noon, the monk bathed and sat in perfect stillness, passing into nirvana. At dusk, the stranger reappeared, sighing deeply. As people pressed for answers, he vanished, leaving only a poem on the cloister's high wall.

Here are several stories from the Summary of Lüzu's Sacred Traces recounted in modern language:

The "Setting Sun Slants West" Inscription: A man waited beneath a wutong tree for his friend until the tree's shadow disappeared, yet the expected person never arrived. This was actually Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism) writing in simplified characters, concealing the strokes of his name "Dongbin" within the text. His calligraphy resembled phoenixes dancing and luan birds soaring, with brushwork so divinely animated that no one could imitate it.

The Tale of Monk Mu-Jiang's Escape: During the Yuan dynasty, Monk Mu-Jiang was captured by Chen Youliang and forced into military service. After multiple failed escape attempts, he finally found his chance when Chen's entire army was annihilated in the Poyang Lake battle against Zhu Yuanzhang. As Zhu's forces scoured the land for survivors, the monk attempted to flee via Ningbo's seaport. Passing Xishan at night, he prayed to heaven and earth. Lü Dongbin, knowing his circumstances, took pity and sprinkled willow-branch water on his face—instantly turning his pale complexion dark, enabling his escape. Later ordained at Yanqing Temple, he mastered feng shui geography. Always speaking behind a curtain, he became known as "Master Screen" and authored Secrets of Flatland Geomancy.

The Marvel at Suzhou Bridge: One day at Suzhou's Chuihong Bridge, a Daoist in tattered blue robes appeared. Drinking and reciting poetry alone in the bridge pavilion all day, his transcendent demeanor captivated onlookers. Calculating his impossible alcohol consumption from dawn till dusk without intoxication, bystanders asked his name. Using incense ashes, he inscribed verses on a bridge pillar: describing the bridge's shadow pressing the water's surface, morning mist veiling orange groves and fishing villages, lamenting how all things change yet rivers and mountains remain. He spoke of traveling the world in rain-hat and wind-cloak, his sword accompanying multiple descents to the mortal realm, now returning beneath cold moonlight over chill river waters. Signing "I am Dongbin," he vanished before the astonished crowd. Locals later built a temple there with flourishing incense, and to this day Suzhou residents revere him as an immortal.

Saving the Pine at Yueyang: Below Yueyang's Baihe Mountain lay two ponds harboring giant pythons, beside which stood a dead old pine tree completely shrouded in vines. As Lü Dongbin passed by, suddenly a figure descended from the treetops, kneeling and addressing him: "Disciple..." (The story breaks off here, suggesting the pine tree spirit sought his aid).

The Records of Lüzu's Sacred Traces documents several stories of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism) delivering sentient beings:

The first recounts how a pine tree spirit sought help from Lüzu. The spirit explained that although it was a demonic entity, it often took human form by the water's edge to warn travelers away from a deadly serpent lurking in the pool, having already saved hundreds. As they spoke, the giant serpent attacked. Lüzu immediately drew his sword and slew it, then bestowed upon the pine spirit an immortal elixir (Xiandan). Later, only a withered ancient pine and a small sprout remained at the site—tradition holds this "tender pine" survived through the power of Lüzu's elixir.

The second story describes the enlightenment of Immortal Guan. Born into poverty, she fled into the mountains at sixteen to escape an arranged marriage. Starving, she encountered an old man with floor-length beard and luminous green eyes (actually Lüzu in disguise). Drawing his hand across her abdomen, he declared he had "severed the Crimson Dragon" (Zhan Chilong—a Daoist term meaning cessation of menstruation for spiritual practice) and gave her a glowing acorn. After eating it, she no longer desired cooked food. Later summoned to court, she became a royal female Daoist and authored Biographies of Female Immortals.

The third briefly notes Immortal Cao's encounter with Lüzu. While night-wandering through an ancient temple, Lüzu met a Buddhist monk in parinirvana (the Buddhist term for a monk's death)—hinting at Lüzu's transcendence of religious boundaries in his deliverance work.

These tales portray Lüzu as a savior figure who delivers not only humans but also spirits, even crossing sectarian lines. Elements like "severing the Crimson Dragon" and "abstaining from cooked food" typify advanced stages of Daoist cultivation (Xiulian), marking the practitioners' elevated spiritual attainment.

This account relates the story of how Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, revered as Emperor Lü or Imperial Lord) enlightened two spiritual seekers.

The first part describes Lü Dongbin encountering an abbot from a Buddhist temple. Though the monk displayed sharp debating skills, Lü sighed and said: "What a pity you're merely a yin-specter." When the monk pressed for explanation, Lü revealed himself as Chunyang Zhenren (Lü's Daoist title meaning "True Man of Pure Yang"), capable of adapting to circumstances. To prove his claim, they attended a vegetarian feast hosted by a local family. Initially, the host prepared only one meal portion, but when Lü stated "there are two of us," an additional serving appeared. After dining, Lü expressed gratitude while the monk could only inhale the meal's essence (proving his lack of physical form). The puzzled host found this strange, prompting Lü to make excuses for their departure. The monk then realized the truth and knelt for guidance. Lü explained that to achieve the dual cultivation of nature and life (xingming shuangxiu) and perfect both form and spirit, one must be reborn through parental primordial qi to truly attain the Dao. When the monk worried about losing his original nature, Lü promised to remind him.

Later, the monk reincarnated as a fetus in Empress Cao's womb. Though destined for aristocratic luxury, he deliberately altered his appearance with primordial qi to become ugly, fearing worldly attachments might hinder liberation. Three days after birth, he was sent to his maternal grandparents and eventually became a Daoist nun (nüguan). When Lü came to enlighten her, the immortal maiden immediately remembered her past connection and earnestly sought instruction. Lü transmitted the secret method of the Mysterious Pass (xuanguan, a crucial neidan technique), enabling her ultimate spiritual achievement. She gained literary brilliance, leaving behind numerous recorded sayings and poems.

The second part recounts Lü's awakening of Liu Gaoshang. Endowed with simple wisdom, Liu had previously met an extraordinary man who used "repairing broken jars" as a metaphor for Daoist cultivation. Renouncing wealth, he retreated to mountain forests until encountering Lü. When Liu asked whether the Daoist mind could be seen, Lü replied it must be spiritually realized; questioned about the "Middle Way" (zhong, from Confucian doctrine), Lü described it as the state before emotions arise; and when seeking specific practices, Lü silently traced a mystical symbol in the air (likely transmitting an esoteric cultivation formula).

This passage recounts stories of Lü Dongbin (Emperor Lü) enlightening several disciples.

Regarding the disciple surnamed Liu: Liu asked Patriarch Lü about the principle of "all truths returning to the origin." Lü first taught him the profound meaning of "the void of wisdom-life," but seeing Liu couldn't comprehend it, he secretly transmitted oral instructions. Liu retreated to Anding Town in Bohai County for over twenty years of secluded cultivation, ultimately realizing the Great Dao. Later, Emperor Huizong of Song summoned him to court three times, to which Liu only responded with the principles of "clarity and naturalness" and "governing through wuwei (non-action)." When the emperor inquired about alchemical secrets, Liu politely declined, saying these were matters beyond worldly concerns. The emperor bestowed upon him the title "Recluse of Subtle Wonder." Liu later established a Daoist center on Mount Luofu and left behind the Returning to Origin Treatise, teaching disciples to focus their shen (spirit) and harmonize qi (vital energy), without seeking external methods.

The story of enlightening Qiao Er: Qiao Er, a wealthy Beijing philanthropist, frequently aided the poor. Lü Dongbin transformed into a drunken, eccentric man who constantly pestered Qiao for wine and money, even speaking rudely, yet Qiao never complained. After a year of such tests, Lü, moved by his virtue, transmitted cultivation methods and left a parting poem. Qiao later attained the Dao through this.

The story of enlightening Chen Qizi: Barber Chen Qizi encountered a strange Daoist who offered silver for a shave, but whose beard regrew instantly after each stroke - from dawn till dusk, the task remained unfinished. Realizing he'd met an extraordinary being, Chen begged for instruction. The Daoist promised to return next day but never reappeared. Chen abandoned his livelihood to wander for decades seeking the Dao unsuccessfully. Just as he prepared to return home in defeat, five miles from his village he suddenly experienced enlightenment.

A Daoist priest emerged from the mountain path and said: "I am Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism). Seeing your sincere devotion to spiritual practice, how could you fear not attaining the Dao?" He then transmitted alchemical secrets to him and presented a poem: "Hand in hand we'll roam the Three Pure Realms (the highest celestial abode in Daoism) and the Jade Emperor's palace—our karmic bond from past lives is extraordinary. Let me wield the golden blade's marvelous skill to shave away your hoary locks." Later, this disciple cultivated diligently for seven years, attained the Dao, and followed Patriarch Lü to deliver Yang Taiming.

Yang Taiming of Nankang, Jiangxi, served his parents with utmost filial piety. During mourning, he built a thatched hut by their graves and dwelled there for three years. That year on the Double Seventh Festival, Patriarch Lü came to his hut and said: "You'll face calamity in August—take my medicine and you'll be safe." Producing a small flask from his waist, he poured medicine for Yang to drink. Pointing at a cloth robe drying on a rack, he asked if he could have it. Yang readily agreed. When Lü stored the robe in his flask, Yang grew suspicious. Lü laughed: "Would I covet such things? I was merely testing you," returning the robe.

Moments later, Lü took a cup of water, added medicine, and kneaded it into a radiant pill. When asked if he'd consume it, Yang hesitated. Lü swallowed it himself, saying: "Hesitation betrays false cultivation. You endure grave-side austerity—have you considered sustenance? Let me give you wealth." He blew on earth clods, transmuting them to purple gold, but Yang refused. Lü kicked the gold back to dirt.

Yang requested a poem. Lü immediately dipped a bald brush in water and inscribed on the wall: "Yang Jun, truly virtuous man, your piety moves heaven and earth. The celestial realm pities your hardship, sending me this Seventh Night. I wished to grant gold-making art, yet you spurned all wealth. The dusty world's no lasting stay—hold fast to your pure heart. When merit ripens in time to come, ascension comes as turning palms." The characters, initially faint, later turned vermilion and seeped into the wall. Next January, Lü returned to escort him to immortality.

Scholar Huang Yizhong abandoned Confucianism for Daoist cultivation, building a temple on Tongbai Mountain to host wandering adepts, unwavering for years. One day, Lü came disguised as an ordinary Daoist seeking lodging. Master Huang recognized his extraordinary bearing.

This scripture recounts stories of Lü Dongbin (Emperor Lü) enlightening several disciples and how later generations commemorated his sacred traces.

The first part tells of Lü testing his disciple Huang. Huang served Lü with unwavering reverence day after day. Lü deliberately subjected him to various vexations to test his resolve. Huang remained composed throughout, showing no resentment, only deepening his devotion. Convinced of his sincerity, Lü transmitted to him the secret seal methods (esoteric Daoist mudras), enabling Huang to penetrate the true meaning of the Dao. At their parting, Lü gifted him a long poetic verse, signed with the words "left by Chang Xuzhong," exhorting him to maintain his original aspiration and cultivate diligently. Three years later, Huang attained immortality while living in seclusion with Lü.

The second section describes Lü's enlightenment of Shi Jianwu. In his youth, Shi studied Buddhism, mastered classics and histories, and excelled in poetry before retreating to Western Mountain in Yuzhang to cultivate the Dao. Lü taught him the "inversion of the Five Phases" cultivation method and the mysteries of "three Dantian circulations" (referring to essential techniques for cultivating the upper, middle, and lower energy centers), ultimately guiding him to immortality. Upon achieving transcendence, Shi composed poetry describing how his Dao-Qi condensed into an immortal form, with the jade palaces and golden halls (referring to celestial realms) renewing daily, mentioning himself among thirteen Dao-seekers at Western Mountain. Tradition attributes to him the compilation of Daoist texts like Zhong-Lü Cultivation and Transmission of the Dao and Records of Gathering the Authentic.

The third part recounts the story of Perfected Liu (Liu Qi), Lü's eminent disciple. Originally a high-ranking Northern Song official who encountered calamity during the Southern Song, Lü admired his loyalty and compassionately guided him to immortality. Later, Perfected Liu assisted Lü in widespread teaching, manifesting great compassionate vows, frequently appearing miraculously to protect the orthodox Dao, and widely distributing medicinal prescriptions to heal common people, accumulating vast merit. He assisted Lü in completing various immortal scriptures and was eventually enfeoffed as "Perfected Lord of Vast Teaching, Right Minister of the Jade Pivot."

The final passage describes Lü's sacred traces at the Yuan Family Mountain in Xiangyi, Henan. This was the garden estate of Ming Dynasty Minister of War Yuan Keli, featuring serene surroundings with a Pure Yang Treasure Hall bearing the inscribed plaque "Awakening from the Dream of Delusion." Inside sits a statue of Lü in meditative repose with closed eyes, before which stands an alchemical furnace. A tall pavilion at the rear enshrines images of the Great Emperor of Longevity and the Eight Immortals' patriarchs, while the hall walls bear numerous inscriptions commemorating Lü's miraculous manifestations.

This passage documents the legendary tales surrounding the Yuan Kelin family during the Ming Dynasty. The Yuan family had accumulated virtue (De) through generations of good deeds, with particular devotion to Lü Dongbin (one of the Daoist Eight Immortals, revered as Emperor Lü). Before Yuan Kelin's birth, his father Yuan Huai dreamed of Emperor Lü bringing a young disciple and saying: "Your family has practiced goodness and worshipped me for generations. Now I shall send my young disciple to be reborn in your household. In time to come, an immortal will emerge from this place." True to the prophecy, Yuan Kelin achieved extraordinary accomplishments after birth, and in his later years became deeply devoted to Daoist cultivation. When constructing a Daoist temple at Luyuan Garden, he arranged the halls precisely according to Emperor Lü's instructions in the dream, secretly embedding the esoteric principles of alchemical practice (Neidan).

Outside the northern gate of Yongji County in Shanxi stands the Chunyang Palace built during the early Ming Dynasty. When initially preparing to erect a commemorative stele upon its completion, a Daoist priest suddenly appeared pacing before the stone tablet. After his departure, verses spontaneously emerged on the stele: "Returning from immortal realms to visit my homeland, yet mortals comprehend not the true essence of cultivation..." The characters penetrated three-tenths into the stone, and to this day, whenever it rains, ink-colored vapors (Qi) seep from the inscriptions, creating a local wonder.

As Lü Dongbin's hometown, Yongji County preserves numerous sacred traces. Most miraculous is the "Hundred-Character Stele" that emerged floating from the Yellow River, engraved with cultivation secrets: maintaining inner purity, tempering wine and desires, distancing from fame and wealth, self-reflection... Remarkably, this stele can reflect human shadows and is treasured by locals. At Jiufeng Mountain in Puzhou Prefecture, Shanxi, another inscription of Emperor Lü's poetry remains. These records collectively demonstrate the profound influence of Lü Dongbin's veneration among the populace.

This passage documents several sacred sites and inscribed poems associated with Lü Dongbin (Emperor Lü), the immortal Daoist deity. Regarding the Pure Yang Upper Palace, it mentions that this temple complex was constructed by Yuan Dynasty Prime Minister Toghto under imperial decree, with the ancestral tomb of Lü's lineage located behind the palace. Here stands the "Nine Peaks and Two Artifacts" poetic stele left by Patriarch Lü, preserved through the engraving work of lecturer Zhu Xiangxian and Daoist priest Li Zhiquan's stone carving.

The poems depict Patriarch Lü's transcendent celestial lifestyle: wielding golden hammers on heavenly stairways, riding divine dragons alone between heaven and earth, reclining to watch white clouds at sunrise, or splitting the firmament beneath autumn moons. The imagery of "Li flowers" (symbolizing Yang) and "Kan buds" (symbolizing Yin) reveals the profound mysteries of Daoist Yin-Yang cosmology, concluding with the metaphor of drunkenly reclining on mountain cliffs while gazing back at the white bones piling beneath Beimang Hill - a poignant reminder of worldly impermanence.

Another poem celebrates the joy of springtime cultivation: wandering carefree upon rocks during the first blossoming of flowers, holding the secret Jade Statutes and Golden Formulas (essential cultivation techniques), strolling across moss-covered paths. It recounts sleeping nineteen years in ancient caverns, drinking thousands of cups of flowing rainbow immortal wine, and when encountering worldly people, discussing no trivial matters but merely smiling while pointing to the freely wandering white clouds.

Regarding Mount Tai's Queen Mother Pool records, the original Penglai Pavilion stood here until chaotic horned dragons caused disturbances below. After Patriarch Lü subdued them with divine arts, the stone cliff spontaneously split open to reveal a grotto containing his sacred image, where the tamed dragons now pay nightly homage. Inside, Lü's inscribed verse reads: "Ninety years past I walked this ground/Now countless worldly travelers surround/Does anyone still recognize me around?" Additional inscriptions from the Zhenghe era mention leaving calligraphic proof of traversing all nine provinces of China, making flood dragons recognize his brushstrokes to endure eternally. Twin-ring Taiji talismans (Daoist symbols for exorcism) are carved here alongside texts extolling Lü's virtues, noting his dragon-subduing, people-benefiting merits far exceed ordinary immortals.

At Luoyang's Brocade Screen Mountain, a renowned Daoist retreat, Patriarch Lü often composed poetry with True Lord Xu Xun (one of Daoism's Four Great Celestial Masters). One poem describes him riding a white deer down emerald peaks during peaceful times, using grass stems as brushes to inscribe verses. These sacred sites and poems collectively manifest Patriarch Lü's authentic realized state - embodying the unfettered celestial manner beyond worldly forms while emphasizing his compassionate works of saving beings and aiding the world.

This passage records two miraculous manifestations of Lü Dongbin (one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism, revered as Patriarch Lü or Emperor Lü).

The first account occurred at Western Divine Mountain (modern Huishan) in Wuxi. Legend tells of a fierce black tiger that once roamed the mountain until Patriarch Lü subdued it, transforming the creature into a white cave—the present-day White Cloud Cave. Within this cavern remains an cultivation formula transmitted by Patriarch Lü to a local named Feng Zidan. The essence of the teaching states: "Heaven and earth are vast, the world is pure, yet only the eternal Dao endures. When yin energies exhaust themselves, pure yang essence emerges. Hold the North Star in your left hand and grasp the South Star in your right—the Penglai paradise lies within reach, yet worldly people fail to treasure it. In the cloud cavern of Western Divine Mountain, I've inscribed the true elixir formula: within the alchemical furnace, tigers roar and dragons chant; between ancient cypresses, sun and moon exchange radiance. Observe the worldly turmoil—mere cycles of kalpic change. Why not turn back to cultivation and return to the Shangqing paradise?" Local chronicler Du Ne recorded that the White Cloud Cave at Huishan's Stone Gate represents the most marvelous scenic wonder of Western Divine Mountain. During the Kangxi reign, Feng Shouyue (a Daoist practitioner versed in Huang-Lao techniques) and Ma Dachi discovered a damaged stone statue of Patriarch Lü there. After restoration, they reinstalled it in the cave and consequently received the authentic transmission of the elixir formula.

The second narrative recounts the extraordinary encounter of General Chen Hongfan of Dongming. In his youth, Chen met a Daoist (actually Patriarch Lü in disguise) whose piercing gaze foretold his future command of a million troops defending the nation. Years later during the Liaodong campaign, the severely wounded general fell from his horse. While unconscious, he again saw the same Daoist who assured him reinforcements would arrive. True to the vision, hoofbeats sounded, saving the general—confirming his childhood encounter had been a true manifestation of Patriarch Lü.

The text mentions several key Daoist concepts: "elixir formula" (丹诀) refers to secret Neidan (internal alchemy) practices; "Shangqing" (上清) denotes the highest heavenly realm among the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) in Daoist cosmology; "Huang-Lao" (黄老) represents the philosophical system attributed to the Yellow Emperor and Laozi. Both stories exemplify Patriarch Lü's characteristic role as a Daoist immortal who aids worthy individuals through spiritual guidance and miraculous intervention.

In the regions of Shicheng and Zhaobao Mountain in Gansu, local military commanders who had karmic connections from past lives with Patriarch Lü (Lü Dongbin) would invariably establish ancestral shrines to him within their jurisdictions. When one such commander resided at home, he built a shrine at the foot of Hongluo Mountain. Later, while garrisoning Changping, after triumphantly suppressing a rebellion, he constructed a three-hall temple complex on open land to the right of his official residence. The innermost chamber served as a space for alchemical refinement (Neidan) and meditation. This shrine stood out among others with its towering gates and serene, deep courtyards, surpassing them in grandeur.

The renowned calligrapher Dong Qichang (a celebrated Ming Dynasty painter and calligrapher) personally recorded accounts of Patriarch Lü’s miraculous manifestations and had them inscribed on a stone stele. This stele remains perfectly preserved to this day.