《張三丰先生全集》Vol. 6

Vernacular Commentary on Relevant Pieces from The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng

Publication and Compilation Note

This book is a newly reprinted edition of the Daozang Jiyao (Essentials of the Daoist Canon), under the full title The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng. It was recompiled by Li Xiyue, the Changyi mountain man of Hanjia; respectfully transcribed by Zhang Daoyuan (courtesy name Zishen); and respectfully published by Zhu Daosheng (courtesy name Wancheng) of Langzhong. Those who took part in collation included his nephews Zhu Ying (courtesy name Chuncheng) and Zhu Zan (courtesy name Suyuan), as well as Zhu Daosheng’s son Zhu Huang (courtesy name Panxi).

Biography of Chen Leigu

The immortal elder Leigu, Chen Kefu, was a native of Dinghai (around present-day Zhoushan, Zhejiang). By nature he was open and heroic, and his physique and bearing were extraordinary. From childhood he delighted in the methods of cultivating immortality and had no interest in fame or official career.

He met a Daoist named Lin from Pingjiang, who transmitted to him the thunder-summoning method, a Daoist ritual for calling forth thunder and rain. At that time there was a severe drought, and prayers for rain everywhere had failed. Someone joked, “The Daoist Chen can summon thunder and rain.” The authorities brought him to the government office, intending to humiliate him publicly when his ritual failed. Chen Kefu immediately performed the method and raised clouds; in a short while thunder crashed and rain poured down, until the water was more than a foot deep.

He often stayed at Tianqing Abbey in Yin County (present-day Ningbo, Zhejiang). One Mid-Autumn, some adepts were admiring the moon at the abbey, but Chen Kefu did not join the gathering. They deliberately sprayed ink into the sky to tease him. In an instant dark clouds hid the moon and black rain suddenly fell; the guests fled in alarm, and their clothes were all stained black. Realizing that this was his response, they invited him to join them; the clouds cleared and the moonlight returned. His wonder-working was generally of this kind.

During the Zhiyuan era, Yuan Shizu (Kublai Khan) summoned him and ordered him to preside over Changchun Palace, a famous Daoist temple in Beijing. In his leisure he closed the door and sat in quietude, receiving no guests.

Biography of Chen Zhongxing

Mr. Chen Yu, courtesy name Zhongxing, was a native of Jinling (present-day Nanjing). He served in the Yuan dynasty as mountain chief of the Mingdao Academy in Jiangdong and as instructor at Wenzhou. Outwardly mild and inwardly upright, he deeply understood the great principles of righteousness.

After Ming Taizu crossed the Yangtze, Censor Qin Yuan recommended him. The emperor sent a letter summoning him. When he was brought to the capital, the emperor was greatly impressed after speaking with him, put him in charge of military affairs, and consulted him on confidential matters. He was offered the post of Court Attendant, but declined. Later he was offered such offices as Academician, Left Assistant Director of the Secretariat, Grand Secretary of Hongwen, Chief Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Minister of Rites; he declined them all. Gifts of gold, silk, and other goods he also refused.

The Gaomiao Emperor (Ming Taizu) visited his residence three times in person, summoned him into the palace, and granted him a seat. When Chen was ill, the emperor again sent medicine. At the age of seventy-two he died without illness. The emperor repeatedly grieved over him and granted a coffin and silk cloth. At the time, the nobles and ministers at court all believed that such favor had never before been shown.

When Mr. Chen first met Taizu, he only urged the emperor to refrain from killing, so as to comfort the hopes of the people. When Taizu pressed him about how the Yuan dynasty had governed, he only wept and said nothing. Apart from answering imperial edicts, he burned incense and sat upright, like an old monk in the mountains.

Note: The above two pieces are biographies collected in the Complete Works, not writings by Zhang Sanfeng himself. The vernacular rendering aims to stay close to the original narrative; proper official titles and place names have been retained according to convention, with brief explanations.

Vernacular Commentary on Selected Passages from The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng

(Previous passage) He repeatedly sent people to observe the other man in secret. That man single-mindedly recited the Diamond Sutra, using the sutra’s words “thus should one subdue one’s mind” to subdue his own thoughts, so from beginning to end neither of them harbored suspicion of the other. Yet he also would not accept an official post under the Yuan dynasty, so he may be called a man loyal to the Yuan. The History of the Yuan does not record this matter, so I have deliberately written it out to preserve a record.

Biography of Wanpuzi

Wanpuzi’s surname was Cheng, his given name Yao, and his courtesy name Guangbiao. He was a native of Xin’an and the son of the recluse Cheng Boxiao. He was tall in stature and bold by nature. His mother, Lady Ni, dreamed that a divine being handed her a piece of red jade, and so she gave birth to Guangbiao. As a child he possessed extraordinary understanding; when reading the classics and histories, it was as if he had already read them thoroughly. After Lady Ni died, he grieved and became emaciated like an adult. From then on he studied diligently every day, and he was able to master thoroughly what are called the heart-to-heart transmission of Confucius and Mencius and the doctrines of the River Chart and Luo Writing. When he grew up he married a woman of the Zhou family, given name Yang, courtesy name Yuanji, who was well read and sensible. She read through the Gangmu and other historical and biographical works and could compare their similarities and differences; people called her “a scholar of the inner chambers.” Yuanji was the same age as her husband: he was born on the winter solstice, Yuanji on the summer solstice; one belonged to Lesser Yang, the other to Lesser Yin. She was filial to her father and respectful to her husband; whenever she had leisure she listened to Guangbiao recite, and she often questioned him about the principles of righteousness. After Boxiao died, Guangbiao observed mourning with full ritual propriety. When the mourning period was over, he traveled north. Song Lian saw him once and marveled, saying, “A being beyond the dust—Boxiao does not die!” Soon afterward he took his leave and studied swordsmanship with Wu Zhen; in only one month he had completely mastered his technique, and so he wore a sword and set out traveling. At Jurong he met Wang Zhongdu, who transmitted the Great Dao to him and ordered him to choose a place for cultivation. He therefore returned to the Northern Peak and cultivated in seclusion for twelve years; when his Dao was accomplished he was thirty-six. When he first returned home, he saw Yuanji supervising the children at their reading, and so he slept alone in the central hall. Yuanji secretly peeped at him and saw him sitting cross-legged on the couch, with golden light above his head illuminating the whole room. The next day she asked, “Master, why do you not transmit the Dao to me?” Guangbiao said, “I do wish to save all people under heaven; how could I be stingy with my wife? But I have not yet repaid my teacher’s kindness, and therefore I dare not transmit it privately.” He then went to Mount Dahe to visit Perfected Lord Wang, who bestowed on him the title Wanpuzi. He bowed in thanks and departed; carrying his sword, he traveled to Jinyang and then turned toward Jing and Chu.

At that time Yao Guangxiao had become a monk at Miaozhi Hermitage, with the dharma name Daoyan. Although he followed Buddhism, he delighted in discussing military affairs. He once traveled to Xinye in Nanyang, visited the traces of the Crouching Dragon, and wrote a poem in the shrine, feeling smugly pleased with himself. Suddenly a man was sitting at…

A Daoist priest suddenly shouted loudly: "What kind of monk dares to mock Marquis Wu (Zhuge Liang)?" Dao Yan (the monastic name of Yao Guangxiao) was startled. Seeing this man dressed in Daoist robes with a sword at his side, his appearance refined and extraordinary, he quickly bowed and said, "I was merely reciting poetry in passing, sighing with emotion. Why must the Daoist master rebuke me so sternly? May I ask where the master has come from?"

The Daoist introduced himself with the Daoist name "Wan Pu" and said, "I most love to roam among mountains and rivers—verdant forests and emerald peaks are all my home." With that, he laughed heartily and departed. Later, when Dao Yan assisted Prince Yan (Zhu Di) in usurping the throne, the Wan Pu Daoist deeply despised him for it.

In the early years of the Jianwen era, after Prince Yan attended the imperial funeral in the capital and was returning, he reached Huaiyin when his second son, Zhu Gaoxu, arrived with troops to escort him. Suddenly, a fierce wind arose, whipping up sand and stones, and the army lost its way. Then, a loud shout was heard: "For now, I spare you!" The sky immediately cleared, revealing a Daoist standing with his hand on his sword, sneering. Just as Zhu Gaoxu was about to question him, a gust of wind passed, and the Daoist vanished. Upon their return, Dao Yan divined and said, "This was merely an immortal’s jest." It turned out that the Wan Pu Daoist, ashamed to associate with Dao Yan, had deliberately used the art of Dunjia (esoteric Daoist techniques) to warn them.

That April, during the anniversary rites for Emperor Taizu, Prince Yan sent his heir, Zhu Gaoxu, and others to the capital. The Duke of Wei, Xu Huizu, secretly petitioned to have them detained. Zhu Gaoxu stole fine horses from Xu Huizu’s stables and fled. At the time, the Wan Pu Daoist was visiting friends at Wudang Mountain when he spotted Zhu Gaoxu riding toward him from afar. He drew his sword and pointed it at him. The horse panicked and bolted uncontrollably, carrying Zhu Gaoxu all the way to the riverbank before he tumbled down through a misty haze.

Later, when the Yan army besieged Jinan, Tie Xuan had the soldiers and civilians feign surrender, leading to a crushing defeat for the Yan forces beneath the city walls. Dao Yan was also in the army at the time. While inspecting the camp, he encountered a man who handed him a secret letter that read: "You advise on military strategy yet failed to see through the ruse of false surrender. When the army reaches Jinan, disaster is certain—how far you’ve fallen compared to Liu Bowen (Liu Chengyi)!" After reading it, Dao Yan was both ashamed and frightened. Upon reflection, he realized the man resembled the Wan Pu Daoist he had met years before in front of the Marquis Wu Temple.

The Wan Pu Daoist later traveled upstream along the Huai River, coinciding with the Yan army’s attack on Cangzhou. Zhu Gaoxu, bringing up the rear, was suddenly struck by a hailstorm. The northern troops scattered in chaos, and Zhu Gaoxu was severely wounded. The Daoist master Zhou Yinyao happened upon the scene and asked in puzzlement, "Prince Yan is the true Son of Heaven, born in accordance with destiny—why obstruct him?" The Wan Pu Daoist replied, "You are mistaken, master. Prince Yan Zhu Di is like the ancient feudal lords Guan Shu and Cai Shu (rebellious dukes of the Zhou Dynasty). Now, without a sage like the Duke of Zhou to restrain him, he acts unchecked. Yet you claim he follows the Mandate of Heaven."

Vernacular Interpretation

If one followed that account, any powerful vassal who rebelled against the state could claim to be “following Heaven’s mandate,” and the ethical order would be swept away. Reflecting on this, I, a junior, dare not echo vulgar opinion; therefore I have often felt ashamed of Guangxiao and humiliated by Gaoxu. My original intent is to rectify human relations and uphold the moral order of names, so that people a thousand ages hence may know that the Prince of Yan’s army could not tolerate even an immortal guest in the mountains and forests—such a man was certainly not a true ruler “responding to the mandate.”

Since ancient times, when True Men (Zhenren) arise, they must eliminate cruelty and remove violence; comparable above to Tang and Wu, and below to Han Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu, only then can they be called responders to the mandate. In recent times, Taizu founded the dynasty, pacified rebels, and inherited the position of the Great Yuan—this too may be called responding to the mandate. But when Heaven entrusted the empire to the Ming house, the successor ruler transmitted by the ancestors should be honored as the one in whom the Heavenly mandate rested. Had the Prince of Yan not seized the throne, how could anyone know that after Jianwen there would be no heir? Moreover, from the time Jianwen ascended the throne, he devoted himself to benevolence and filial piety; Heaven originally had no intention of changing him. The Prince of Yan, using strength to oppress the weak, was merely like a village strongman seizing a kinsman’s property—what did that have to do with the Heavenly mandate? Gaoxu was violent and ferocious and assisted his father in raising troops; Daoyan was a treacherous slave who helped him indulge his will. Even the shallow-minded are indignant at this, let alone heroes.

I have heard that you, sir, are the worthy grandson of Lord Jiaoli. Consider: when the Four White-Haired Sages of Mount Shang gave their support, why did they not favor the younger son but rather the legitimate son? If on that day the son of Empress Qi had also occupied Emperor Hui’s position, would you have approved? Yinyao was speechless, and so they parted and went their separate ways. Wanpu still returned to his mountain dwelling.

Yuanji came to pay her respects and said: “As for the matter of marriage, I have already completed it on your behalf; why not now transmit the Dao to me?” Thereupon he transmitted to her the formula for returning to the root and restoring the origin, and she cultivated day and night. Wanpu’s son also warmly nourished the embryonic infant; after nine years the embryonic grandchild was conceived again, so that he could divide his body to respond to things and send his spirit traveling a thousand li. At that time Yuanji’s face grew younger day by day; she thoroughly awakened to former causes, and together with Wanpu’s son ascended to the Jade Isle.

Praise: Cheng Wanpu was a loyal and righteous immortal. Yet his shaming of Guangxiao, thwarting of Gaoxu, and persuasion of Yinyao—heroic as these were—were they not perhaps signs that his dragon nature was not yet tamed? But when we hear that he warmly nourished the embryonic grandchild, entered the Fulou Tower of Baoshan, and with Lord Xu jointly cultivated the immortal records, then he was indeed most refined.

Biography of Huitongzi (Opening)

Huitongzi’s surname was Xu, given name Rui, courtesy name Jiwu. He was the son of Xu Jingfu Ying, Marquis of Dianchi, and his mother was of the Hong clan.

Vernacular Interpretation

First a sister was born, named Dagu; later Huitong was born, on the eighth day of the fourth month in the first year of Hongwu (1368).

When Huitong was a child, he once died and came back to life; from then on his mind opened greatly and his understanding became extraordinary. Before this, his father, the Marquis of Dianchi, was of a bold and heroic nature and resolved to join the army. He wandered abroad for a long time and in the end never returned home. At that time Huitong was still young. He often studied with Professor Han, mastered the classics and histories, and the people of his village called him a child prodigy. Yet by nature he was detached and had always yearned to cultivate the Dao. One day, on his way home from the school, he met a red-bearded Daoist. The Daoist beckoned him over and said, “Child, you have the heart to study the Dao—do you know that ‘the Dao is not far from man’? Loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness are the foundation of cultivating the Dao.” He then transmitted a wondrous formula to him and immediately drifted into the deep forest, disappearing from sight.

After Huitong returned home, he was single-mindedly devoted to repaying his roots and resolved to fulfill his loyalty. Thinking of his aged father away in the army with no news for many years, he wanted to search for him everywhere; but his mother was lonely, bitter, and poor, with no one to attend to her, so he dared not set out on a distant journey hastily. His sister had already married into the Zhu family of Loujiang; her husband, Zhu Yunzhang, was devoted to the knight-errant’s ways and declared that he would exert himself for the court and win fame and merit. When Huitong heard this, he sighed, “Brother Zhu has this ambition too.” In his heart he secretly worried, but he never mentioned it to his mother.

He married a woman of the Tao family, whose childhood name was Zhonggu and who later changed her name to Fuxin; she was intelligent and clever and could read ancient scriptures. Zhonggu was one year younger than Huitong, but her month, day, and hour of birth were the same as her husband’s. The two were also able to serve their mother-in-law with all their hearts, and people called them “the doubly filial.” With a virtuous and compliant helpmate, Huitong gathered disciples and set up a school to teach, supporting his parents with the income from the school. Later, as his children gradually increased, making a living became harder, so he turned to studying the medical art of Qihuang; he became expert in smallpox and also skilled at treating pestilence, and the people who survived thanks to him were too many to count.

He heard indirectly that Zhu Yunzhang had died in battle while defending the throne, so he prepared a boat and went to comfort his sister. From this he again thought of his father, also away in the army, his life or death unknown, and his desire to find his kin grew even more urgent; he thought that even if he had to search to the ends of heaven and earth, he would go. At that time he was already thirty-five. He wore his long beard tied up, had a mouth like a river, eyebrows like swords, and a high, elegant nose; he liked to wear a sky-blue robe and a pale yellow skirt, and had an ethereal, immortal bearing. He took two boy attendants with him. Traveling by boat to Jiangxi, many children suffering from illness came to seek medical treatment; apart from daily necessities, he gave all the gifts he received to the poor. He then drifted through Chu and Shu and reached the Three Gorges of Qutang. Hearing that Marquis Xu was in southern Yunnan, he went to visit him. Only after inquiring at the Mu residence did he learn the circumstances of the garrison command in those years (to be continued below).

Dali (an elder of the family) had been dead for two years. Huitong was overcome with grief and that same day, weeping, hurried to Dali. After searching for a long time, he found him outside the north gate in Hepingli. Entering the courtyard with a heart full of sorrow, he suddenly saw two youths run out. They stared at each other, startled and doubtful. It turned out that in earlier years Marquis Xu, hearing that Lady Hong had died after giving birth, had taken the two concubines Yan and Tang to continue the family line, and later had these two sons. As they looked at and questioned one another, they realized they were brothers born of wife and concubine; they then asked the two aunts to come out and pay their respects. He also ordered his two younger brothers to lead the way to the grave, where he built a hut beside the tomb and kept mourning for seven days, grieving and observing the rites to the full.

At this point he conceived the thought of returning home to visit his kin. He had originally wanted to ask the two aunts to bring the two younger brothers and return east together with him; but because their relatives by marriage were all here, they were unwilling to move again, so he bade them farewell and set out on the road home. As soon as he arrived home, he went straight into the central hall to pay respects to his mother. Suddenly he saw a curtain hanging in the mourning hall; lifting it, he saw the coffin standing solemnly. He cried out, “What is this?” The family all gathered around weeping and bowing as they told him. Zhonggu said, “Since you left, the old mother-in-law’s worries and grief accumulated; she suddenly fainted and departed this life.” Hearing this, Huitong was overcome with grief. He then performed the rites of sacrifice and burial, and again lived in seclusion by the grave to observe mourning.

One day he met the red-bearded man from before. The man said, “I am a hidden immortal of the Western Mountains. I have heard that your filial virtue moved Heaven; it is fitting that you attain long life and transcend the world.” He then summoned the couple before him and transmitted the essential instructions of the Great Elixir (Neidan cultivation). Huitong and Zhonggu took the hidden immortal as their teacher. After the immortal departed, the two each cleaned their elixir chambers and cultivated with diligent hearts. In less than a year the Golden Elixir was completed. Later, when traveling in the Western Mountains, they met the immortal master again, who transmitted the divine elixir; thereupon, at Linwu Cave-Heaven (a cave-heaven blessed land in Daoist lore), they set up a furnace and refined it. White clouds filled the sky and red clouds covered the ground; from then on the entire household ascended as immortals.

When Huitong first entered the Western Mountains, he saw a stone gate deep within a steep crag. Stooping to enter, he crawled for a long time (all these are images of “entering the chamber” during cultivation), and seemed to see a light. Going further from there, when the jade bell was struck once, all phenomena became clear. Within that cavernous opening was another world: forests and springs broad and open, clouds and waters flying; among the streams and mountains, apes and cranes called to one another beyond the mist and clouds; tiled houses and towers were no different from the human world. Looking all around, the courtyard hall was named “Tangtang,” the pavilion “Tingting,” and the belvedere “Xuanxuan.”

A Vernacular Reading of The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng

The Pavilion Called Gege—When Huitong arrived here, he could hardly tell where he was. Suddenly two runners came to welcome him, saying that by command of the Mysterious Sage they had been waiting especially for an immortal talent. They then led Huitong to a stone tower whose plaque read “Fulou Huazang.” The two runners left him inside, turned, shut the door, and went away.

Huitong sat quietly in meditation. A servant brought meals; lute and books were set on the desk, and fragrant tea was placed before him. He looked at the tower wall and saw that an edict of Taishang (Taishang Laojun, Lord Lao) had already been issued, ordering him to carefully examine the Langhan (jade-casket scriptures) and compile a history of immortal cultivation. When the work was completed, he was promised a meeting with his whole family. So he took up the immortal writing brush and spread out cloud-brocade silk, studying diligently day after day, his work meticulous and reverent. All the traces of immortals ancient and modern, and the transmission of the Great Dao (the Way), were arranged in detailed order, bright as stars and sun. Thus an unknown number of mornings and evenings passed.

At last he saw an elder unlock the lock and open the gate and enter. Huitong bowed to him. The elder said, “I am Lingweizi, master of this grotto. You have accomplished rare and great merit; immortals and mortals are greatly fortunate.” Huitong thanked him and asked permission for a leisurely stroll. The elder said, “You may now go out and look around. Your family has already moved to the former residence; please go and see them.”

Huitong then descended from Fulou Tower. An Azure Youth led the way, first passing through the Wu-Ji Gate and turning toward the East Hall. He caught sight of Lady Zhong, who had changed into official attire; gathering her robe, she saluted and said, “You may go to see your parents.” He then entered further into the inner courtyard and saw his mother sitting together with an imposing, bearded old man on a carefree couch. Huitong wept and bowed before his mother, asking how she had come. His mother said, “After I passed away recently, I saw a red-bearded Daoist directing a Vajra spirit to guard me day and night, saying that we must wait until you, my son, had perfected the Dao, and then we would all ascend to the immortal realm together. The one sitting beside me is your father.”

In that moment parents, wife, and children all gathered together in the Linwu Grotto-Heaven. Alas! Such was the honor of Huitong’s immortal rank, extending to his whole family! To carry the art of saving others while seeking relatives ten thousand li away may indeed be called both benevolence and filial piety. Yet when he left, his father died and he could not see him; when he returned, his mother had died and he could not attend her funeral—no suffering of a child is greater than this. Only after compiling the history at Fulou Tower and leading his whole family to transcend the world did he know that Heaven’s recompense for benevolence and filial piety is never mistaken. He was later enfeoffed as Zhengshi Grand Historian and Supreme Succor of the World.

Marginal annotations: “The infant and the maiden join in perfect union” is a term from alchemical classics, referring to the union of Yin-Yang in cultivation and the sign of the Golden Elixir (Jindan) being accomplished. “The holy father and spiritual mother give birth to true immortals” is a metaphor for the Dao-body parents transforming and giving birth to true immortals, and for the whole family attaining the Dao. “This biography wondrously accords with the alchemical scriptures and is written with an immortal’s brush” comments that this narrative matches the Neidan (internal alchemy) classics and that its style is like that of an immortal author.

This passage recounts the stories of three Daoist practitioners. The first is Xu Huitong, a renowned immortal celebrated for his benevolence and filial piety. Despite his vast learning and talents, he left home to search for his deceased father, which prevented him from caring for his living mother—a regret that ultimately led him to renounce worldly life and seek the Dao.

Next is the tale of Shen Xianyang, eldest daughter of the eminent Daoist master Wan Shan. At just three years old, she mysteriously disappeared from home. When father and daughter reunited in Yunnan over thirty years later, they no longer recognized each other. It was revealed that Shen Xianyang had been raised by the Mysterious Maiden of Zhongtiao (also known as Xue Zhenyang), who imparted to her secret methods like the Spiritual Way of Communion and the Divine Sword Jade Casket. Later, she and her father jointly refined the Great Medicine of Celestial Origin (Tianyuan dayao, a supreme elixir in Neidan practice), and the entire family attained ascension (chongju, celestial flight through Daoist realization) after consuming it. Shen Xianyang, embodying compassion, vowed to universally deliver sentient beings. Believing forbearance aids spiritual cultivation while bloodshed dissipates vital Qi, she traveled extensively with her father to enlighten others, earning recognition as an extraordinary female transcendent.

The final account concerns the Yu family. The southeastern region produced many Daoist adepts, with the Shen family being particularly prominent. Yu Shishe, Wan Shan's son-in-law, was known for his philanthropy in youth. Wan Shan betrothed his youngest daughter to Yu and transmitted alchemical teachings (Dandao) to him. When Wan Shan relocated to Yunnan, Yu followed and received honorable treatment from Mu Chun, Marquis of Xiping (a Ming dynasty general guarding Yunnan). Yu's daughter possessed exceptional grace and the transcendent bearing of an immortal.

Note: "Great Medicine of Celestial Origin" refers to advanced elixirs in Daoist internal alchemy (Neidan); "ascension" denotes achieving celestial flight through Daoist realization; "Mysterious Maiden of Zhongtiao" is a legendary female immortal in Daoist tradition; "Marquis of Xiping Mu Chun" was a Ming dynasty military commander stationed in Yunnan.

A Vernacular Reading of The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng

First Passage (Marriage Arrangement and Miraculous Display of Instruction)

Someone was willing to marry into the family, and after inquiries were made at several households in succession, ten families all gave their consent. Later, upon entering Xiping Prefecture, the bride's family felt that the dowry was not generous enough and that the etiquette had been somewhat lacking, and they were displeased. My daughter said to him: "What you value is nothing more than wealth—this is not difficult for me to manage." She had molten mercury prepared, removed a gold ring and cast it into the mercury, whereupon a sound like the chirping of cicadas emerged from within; the true mercury quickly evaporated, yet the gold ring remained intact as before. She then rubbed mercury onto copper and iron, and the copper and iron all turned into countless quantities of gold and treasure. The marquis was overjoyed.

This Marquis of Xiping garrisoned Yunnan for seven years in all, vigorously reforming military and agricultural colony affairs, and in this he was greatly assisted by "Lady Yu." Later he sought a Daoist name from the author, became an initiated disciple, and was granted the name Huigang, with the courtesy name Jianyang. Huigang and his parents together took the great medicine (in internal alchemy, the "great elixir" used for consummation) transmitted by Old Master Wanshan, and ultimately ascended to heaven at Kunming Lake (what Daoism calls attaining the Dao and rising to heaven).

"Night Talks by the Reedy Shore"

The moon was white over the Yangtze River, frost and dew covered the banks. Old Master Wanshan's son wished to hear of the author's origins, so the author related: At his birth, a crane flew in from the sea and sky, and people all said it was the immortal Ding Lingwei (who, legend holds, returned transformed into a white crane after attaining immortality) reborn; only later did he learn that Master Ding (immortals of Ding Lingwei's kind) still resided at Lingxu. The author thought: He is a man, and I too am a man—why should I not be able to learn from him? Thus he often sighed that time flies past in an instant, and that life and death, wealth and honor are like wind before a lamp or dust on grass. Day and night he aspired to the Great Dao, set aside fame and gain, cast off power and profit, and wandered the lakes and seas as a cloud, seeking out renowned masters. Though much was transmitted to him, it was mostly side-gate and minor methods, not in accord with the true Dao, and his efforts were spent in vain.

In the early years of the Yanyou era, the author was already sixty-seven years old, and his heart and life were in anxious turmoil. Fortunately Heaven took pity on him: upon first entering Mount Zhongnan he encountered Master Huolong—a senior disciple of the venerable Chen Tuan (style name Tunan), with a bearing transcending the mundane. The author knelt and asked about the Dao, and the master, recognizing his sincerity, first pointed out the work of refining the self (in cultivation, first refining one's heart-nature and spirit-qi), then transmitted the oral instructions for obtaining the medicine (the essential formulas in internal alchemy for gathering and compounding the elixir), and further revealed the subtleties of fire-timing, warm nurturing, escape from the womb, final completion, and the purport of "emptiness"—all in full detail. Thereupon he knew: one who wishes to advance in the Dao must make use of both "method and wealth"—one must have the true method, and also the resources to provide for and accomplish the great work. The author had always loved wandering as a cloud and was fond of doing good, so his purse and trunks were nearly exhausted—how could he fulfill this long-cherished vow? Unconsciously his worry showed on his face. The master asked in surprise, and the author, wiping away tears, clasped his knees and told him all. The master then again transmitted the medicine of cinnabar transmutation and bade him go forth from the mountains to cultivate. The author immediately took his leave, and the master instructed him to blend his light with the dust (not revealing his sharpness, merging with the mundane world), to seek eight ounces of true lead and half a catty of true mercury, and together place them in the furnace of creation to be forged and transformed, distributing and receiving the "nine returns" (an internal alchemy term referring to the process of the nine cycles of returning the elixir in alchemical work) until complete, thereby using this wealth to accomplish the great work. From this he began building the elixir chamber (the place for cultivating the Dao of the elixir), and his whole person was proper...

(Should the scripture contain further passages, the translation may continue accordingly.)

Essentials of Cultivation (Self-Account)

Sit and keep the heart empty; use emptiness to nourish Qi, then use this empty Qi to nourish Shen, so that the Qi becomes bright and wise and the Shen clear and luminous. Seek medicinal ingredients far and wide; at times drink Peach of Immortality wine, and in the morning eat the Jade Pool liquid (saliva in the mouth), as if drunk and entranced, to replenish Qi and blood. Once mercury has been gathered to half a catty, you need only wait for lead to fill eight ounces (Neidan terms: mercury symbolizes original Shen; lead symbolizes Jing and Qi). When the months are about to come full, the Golden Flower appears of itself; as if employing ten hands at once, seize the tiger and capture the dragon, and gather the prenatal One Qi. Slowly practice the fire timing, withdrawing and adding appropriately, and one naturally accords with the degrees of the celestial circuit. Know the advancing and retreating fire tally at Fu and Gou; recognize Mao and You so as to guard against danger and avoid peril. When the ten months of practice are complete, the sacred embryo manifests its form; after nine years of wall-gazing, one unites with the Dao in truth—what is called riding a crane up to the blue empyrean, as though walking a great road, letting the blue sea turn into mulberry fields. The general outline of my life’s coming and going was like this. Let me beat the oars and sing with you, and enjoy this night to the full.

Examination of the Four Hoary Recluses

The Four Hoary Recluses of Mount Shang were all lofty scholars who fled the turmoil of Qin:

• Dongyuan Gong: surname Tang, given name Bing, courtesy name Xuanming, a native of Xiangyi. Pure and lofty, he guarded himself and withdrew to the hills and gardens, and thus took this as his title.
• Xiahuang Gong: surname Cui, given name Kuo (or Guang), courtesy name Shaotong. He lived in seclusion in Xia Village cultivating the Dao and called himself Xiahuang Gong.
• Luli Xiansheng: a man of Wu, a descendant of Taibo, surname Zhou, given name Shu, courtesy name Yuandao. Free and self-content, he once resided in Henei and changed his sobriquet to Mr. Bashang.

The above is based on the Record of Chenliu. Only Qili Ji was not recorded. Reading Huangfu Mi’s Biographies of High-minded Scholars, I learned: Qili Weng’s surname was Zhu, given name Hui, courtesy name Wenli; he planted ganoderma to nourish life and dwelt in truth among springs and rocks—so such was the pure wind of the Four Hoary Recluses.

Preface to the Eight Retreats

Because the imperial court repeatedly summoned him, Master Sanfeng used retreat to hide himself deeply, and then declared with noble resolve: The function of retreat is wondrous indeed! The Son of Heaven cannot make him a subject, nor can the feudal lords make him a friend. He does not call upon rulers and dukes, nor meet the powerful and noble; he does not use the arts of long life to divert the ruler’s mind from vigorous governance. He seeks for himself, employs himself, attains for himself, and delights himself. Seen from afar, he is like white clouds in the sky, unfurling and rolling without fixed form; approached, he is like the bright moon imprinted on water, shifting and difficult to hold. Sometimes he hides in the marketplace, sometimes dwells in mountains and forests, sometimes mingles among companions, and people do not recognize him. Since the Great Ming, Taizu summoned him but could not obtain him; Chengzu sought him but could not find him—is he an extraordinary man? A high-minded man? One who has attained and become a true person?

The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng: A Plain-Language Interpretation

The Flying Immortal and Eight Revered Teachers

The Flying Immortal revered eight people throughout his life and regarded them as teachers. He once painted their portraits on a hanging scroll and bowed before them:

• Han dynasty: Yan Guang and Fa Zhen
• Jin dynasty: Tao Qian (Tao Yuanming) and Dai Kui
• Tang dynasty: Lu Hong and Xuanyuan Ji
• Song dynasty: Chen Xiyi (Chen Tuan) and Lin Hejing (Lin Bu)

The “Nine at the Top” line of the Book of Changes, in the hexagram “Withdrawal,” says, “A worthy withdrawal; nothing is unfavorable.” Perhaps it refers to these eight men.

The Deeds of the Eight Worthies

Yan Ziling (Yan Guang) said to Emperor Guangwu: “Tang Yao was renowned for his virtue, while Chao Fu washed his ears rather than listen to worldly affairs. Scholars each have their own aspirations. Please do not compel them.”

When Emperor Shun summoned Fa Gaoqing, he refused to appear. Guo Tai (Guo Zheng) said: “His reputation may be heard, but the man is hard to meet. He fled from fame, yet fame followed him; he avoided fame, yet fame pursued him. He could be a teacher for generations to come.”

Dai Anda (Dai Kui) declined an official summons and fled, taking refuge in seclusion in Wu.

Tao Yuanming was tranquil by nature. He gave up his office and returned to the countryside.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang summoned Lu Hong, hoping to win him over with rank and title. Lu Hong refused and remained in seclusion on Mount Song.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang brought Xuanyuan Ji from Mount Luofu and asked him about the Way of the immortals. Xuanyuan Ji replied: “If a ruler restrains his desires and honors virtue, he will naturally enjoy blessings and long life. Why seek immortality as well?”

Emperor Taizong of Song said to his ministers: “Chen Tuan of Mount Hua cultivates himself alone and does not meddle in power or profit. He may be called a man beyond the world.” When Song Qi and others asked about the Way of cultivating the Real, the master replied: “A man of the mountains and wilds is of no use in public affairs. You, my lords, should unite in purpose and virtue, promote good customs, and bring order to the realm. Diligently carrying out these duties is the best cultivation.”

Lin Bu built a hut on Solitary Hill and never left it for the rest of his life. He was given the title Hejing.

Historians praised these eight worthies, and the official historical accounts honored them. Their way was no shortcut. Those who grasp the meaning of “withdrawal” in the northern foothills of Mount Zhongnan can attain lofty seclusion; such a person is already a realized immortal.

Impetuous Adepts and Warnings to Emperors

So many ritual specialists and Daoist practitioners rushed to advance themselves, showing off their Golden Elixir and deceiving rulers with lies. In the end, their brief moment of delusion could not escape swift judgment from Heaven.

Emperor Wu of Han was fond of immortals, and Li Shaojun gained entry to court. But once Shaoweng’s tricks were exposed, he was beheaded; when Luan Da (Fang Dafang) was exposed, he was executed by being cut in two at the waist.

Emperor Xianzong of Tang was fond of immortals, and Huangfu Bo rose to power. Yet before long, Zong and Li were both executed, and soon after that Liu Mi was put to death.

Lin Lingsu and Wei Hanjin spun tales about yellow and white substances and came and went within the palace. How could they have lived out their lives during the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song?

How dreadful: petty men were eager to advance themselves, and mediocre rulers were often foolish.

Li Fan spoke well when he said: “When the Way flourishes and virtue is full, the people are secure and the state is well governed. Why worry that we lack the longevity of Yao and Shun?”

Zhang Gao also spoke well, making much the same point: govern the country through virtue; there is no need to chase immortality recklessly.

Explanatory Notes

“A worthy withdrawal” refers to the top line of the hexagram “Withdrawal,” where retreating to a fitting place is highly auspicious.

A man beyond the world is someone outside the sphere of worldly rank and power, who cultivates himself alone.

Golden Elixir refers to practices of Neidan (internal alchemy) and Waidan (external alchemy), as well as techniques for seeking long life. Here it chiefly means the “immortal medicine” that ritual specialists marketed to emperors.

Li Shaojun, Shaoweng, Luan Da, Liu Mi, Lin Lingsu, and the others mentioned here all met their downfall after becoming involved with emperors through occult arts or claims about immortals. Zhang Sanfeng cites them as warnings to later generations against using deceit to gain access to the ruler.

Zhang Sanfeng said to Emperor Muzong: When a person's spirit (Shen) is pure and detached, their Qi and blood will harmonize; but excessive greed will lead to illness. Medicine is for treating disease—one shouldn't take it needlessly. He praised Wang Zhaosu's advice to Emperor Taizu of Song: "Governing the world requires loving the people, while cultivating one's nature demands reducing desires." He also commended Pei Ji's memorial to Emperor Xianzong of Tang, pointing out that those occultists (self-proclaimed masters of esoteric arts) shouldn't be trusted lightly—true immortals invariably dwell deep in mountain forests, shunning public recognition. Anyone currying favor with the powerful or flaunting strange techniques is simply an opportunist with ulterior motives.

Zhang Sanfeng himself embodied the true hermit ideal, modeling his life after ancient recluses like Yan Guang, Fazhen, Dai Kui, Lu Hong, Tao Yuanming, and Lin Bu. His life principles followed the examples of the Yellow Emperor and Chen Tuan (Master Xiyi), whose noble character he particularly revered. He wished that those seeking him would forget about him, and those summoning him would rescind their summons—only then could he stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Eight Eminent Recluses of antiquity as the dynasty's most extraordinary anchorite.

In a postscript about receiving the title "Perfected Who Penetrates Subtleties and Manifests Transformations" (Tongwei Xianhua Zhenren), Zhang Sanfeng wrote: Since ancient times, those worthy of being called "Perfected" (Zhenren) must cultivate true Qi externally, preserve true heart internally, maintain true integrity in worldly affairs, and attain true transcendence beyond them. Genuine Dao attainers distance themselves from worldly dust without clinging to solitude, avoid crowds without deliberate concealment, remain unshackled by power or profit, and would never deceive rulers with alchemical promises. How different from those occultists shamelessly angling for titles and rewards!

From Han to Song dynasties, those who truly comprehended the Mysterious Dao—like the eight recluses he revered—all possessed unsullied virtue. Whether hiding their identities, declining imperial summons, retiring after achievements, or withdrawing in turbulent times, they carried the true Dao without display—would they ever flatter courts with elixirs of immortality? Zhang confessed his youthful obsession with mystical studies and late-life realization of truth, admitting his eccentric nature and utter disdain for worldly conventions. He maintained that titles like "Perfected" or "True Lord" (Zhenjun) only held value when bestowed by Heaven—imperial decrees meant little. Though he accepted the Hongzhi Emperor's edict, he scorned those like Tibetan lamas (Zhaba, demon-monk Jixiao) and charlatans (Deng Chang'en, Li Zisheng, Shao Yuanjie, Tao Zhongwen) who, during Chenghua and Jiajing reigns, obtained titles like State Preceptor or Chan Master through flattery and fraud. Hundreds of such "Daoists" masqueraded as masters and Perfected Ones—their corruption staining historical records like flawed stones masquerading as jade.

How could fish eyes be mixed with pearls? I will absolutely not accept such an imperial patent. Hereafter, whether I am executed or dismissed, the titles and stipends previously conferred will be recovered entirely, leaving almost nothing concealed.

How exhilarating, how joyful! Is this not Heaven solemnly guarding the scriptures, unwilling to bestow them indiscriminately upon scoundrels in the human realm, and silently stripping away their empty reputations?

Written by Sanfeng, Daoist of the Three Abundances, a Yuan loyalist.

A Petition on the Joint Assembly of Dao and Dharma, Respectfully Presented to Mr. Binghu of the Ming

I respectfully hold that the Great Dao is supremely great, relying on the Supreme Lord (Taishang) to transmit down its essential secrets; the refined and subtle is supremely refined, and I look to the Quanzhen school to expound and demonstrate its teachings. Without the Dao, there is no way to establish the root and source; without Dharma, there is no way to manifest its wondrous function. When Dao and Dharma are both complete, essence and function are perfectly integrated.

I humbly reflect: Dongchun—when lodging in Mingyu’s house, he falsely called himself Pang Dongchun—has wandered cloudlike from Tianshui, free and unrestrained among rivers and lakes. I grieve that sun and moon have hurried me into old age; looking at my own conduct and whereabouts, I am fortunate to have met the evening scene of mulberry and elm. Sometimes I linger in forested ravines, sometimes in secluded cliffside streams. The books of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius I began only as a child; Lao Dan’s Daode I found somewhat suited to my hoary brows. When friends of rosy clouds and cloud companions stir a single thought, I wander beyond the world. Perfected persons and extraordinary scholars took pity on me and pointed me away from my cramped existence in the world. They revealed the primordial subtlety, and I obtained the bellows (tuoyue) of regeneration for what was decayed and rotten. Treading this path, I saw the curved hill where the blade of the kalpa does not fall. Red lead and black lead are refined before completion; echoing golden liquid and jade liquid, in sitting and lying I brought about a little circulation. Though I have not yet reached the shore of completed Dao, I have certainly galloped along the ruts that lead to the primordial. Dragging my pigweed staff behind me, I entered the grotto-heaven of Zhongyang; on inquiring, this Huafeng is the fine district of Neijiang.

Yesterday I was honored that Mr. Binghu condescended to ask about the Dao and sent me a letter in a jade casket. He concentrated his will and conveyed his sincerity, setting it forth on paper and silk. Though I first saw your noble face, I had long heard your pure and elegant voice. The wind and thunder of the Six Jia can suddenly be stored in talismans and registers; the generals and officers of the Three Heavens are all already subject to command. To rescue distress, support danger, benefit people, and help beings, you wish to transmit this wondrous method to me; how could I fail to offer the primordial mechanism to you? Another edition has: “I fortunately met a crane-necked, fish-gilled one; you too met a calf-nosed, mouse-eared one.” Drawn together like glue and lacquer, there should be no principle of separation; Dao and Dharma meet in one assembly, binding together an extraordinary affinity. Turning over and pressing through the jade gourd, why choose east, west, south, or north? Casually picking up the golden lotus, one ever preserves spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Since your immortal assent has been granted, I am grateful for your gracious regard.

Postscript after the Petition on the Joint Assembly of Dao and Dharma

Note: In the petition, “Dongchun” is one of Zhang Sanfeng’s aliases; “bellows” (tuoyue) is a metaphor for the firing times and breathing in internal alchemy; “red lead and black lead” and “golden liquid and jade liquid” are metaphors for the transformation of Jing and Qi in Neidan cultivation; “wind and thunder of the Six Jia,” “talismans and registers,” and “generals and officers of the Three Heavens” belong to the language of Daoist Fulu and the ritual of summoning generals; “Mr. Binghu” is a Daoist invited by the Ming family; and the “joint assembly petition” is a submission for joint cultivation and participation in a Dharma assembly.

I traveled through the mountains and rivers around Neijiang and heard of places called “Heavenly Pass” and “Earthly Axis.” I thought that within them there must be secret scriptures and numinous texts that could serve as fundamental essentials for nourishing nature and establishing life. When I climbed what was called the Heavenly Pass, it was merely Sandui Mountain; when I sought the Earthly Axis, it was only Shisun Mountain. I sighed: so this is how things in the world fail to match their names. Later I heard that Mr. Ming spoke quite favorably of cultivating the Dao (the Way); but when I met him, he was utterly ordinary and unremarkable, and instead wanted to transmit talismans and incantations to me, without knowing of the Golden Elixir—could this be the Dao? The Dao is originally present in one’s own person; it is not a heterodox side path. First learn stillness, then learn awakening, then learn refinement, then learn nourishment; only in the end can one move in and out of Qian and Kun, come and go to save others, and diligently establish merit and practice conduct to await the heavenly tally. Therefore the Dao can encompass methods, but methods cannot encompass the Dao. Even when using wondrous techniques to aid others, one should take the mind as the method, spirit (shen) as the talisman, and qi (vital energy) as water; in this way no application will fail to be efficacious. If one merely drives talismans and dispatches incantations, restless without end, sometimes effective and sometimes not, deluding people’s minds, those with understanding will surely regard one as a fangshi. When day and night press on and life hangs on impermanence, at that time talismans will not work and incantations will not be efficacious; though one has long been called a Daoist, where indeed is the Dao? Therefore one who wishes to learn the Dao need only seek the Dao within the Dao and not take methods as the Dao; preserve the spirit and pass through transformation, and then no Dao is without its method.

Colophon to Immortals Playing Chess at Penglai

Immortals Playing Chess at Penglai is by Longyangzi, Leng Qian of Huxiang. Qian was a native of Wuling, with courtesy name Qijing and sobriquet Longyang. In the early Zhongtong era he once traveled with Liu Bingzhong (Zhonghui) of Xingtai and the Buddhist monk Haiyun. He read every book and was especially deeply versed in the Yi and Shao Yong’s Huangji Jingshi Shu; he was thoroughly conversant with astronomy, geography, pitch-tubes and calendar, and even the various arts. During the Zhiyuan era, when Bingzhong was appointed Grand Guardian and took part in the affairs of the Central Secretariat, Qian abandoned the monastic life and became a Confucian, traveling with him to Zha Stream. At the princely residence of Shi Miyuan of Siming, he saw a painting by General Li Sixun of the Tang; his mind was suddenly opened, and he imitated it. In less than a month his landscapes, figures, rocks, and boulders were no different from the General’s, while his brushwork and coloring were even more delicate than the General’s. Divine works appeared as if by magic, and from this he became famous for painting.

The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng: Postscript and Commentary on the Immortals Playing Chess Painting (Vernacular Interpretation)

Part One: Postscript on the Immortals Playing Chess Painting (Zhang Sanfeng’s Own Preface)

In the Huaiyang region in those years, I encountered an extraordinary person who transmitted to me the Zhonghuang Great Elixir (Zhonghuang Dadan), a Neidan (internal alchemy) method of cultivation, and showed me the essential meaning of the Wuzhen pian (Awakening to Reality; usually referring to Zhang Boduan’s Wuzhen pian, a classic of Neidan). I suddenly understood, as if those principles had originally been my own awakening.

By the Zhizheng era (late Yuan), Master Leng had already lived several hundred years, yet still had green hair and a child’s face, as if in the prime of life. At that time the Red Turban Army rose in rebellion, and Master Leng took refuge in Jinling, where his daily concern was to help people and benefit beings; his prescriptions and medicines worked wondrously, as though divine.

After the Ming dynasty was founded, Master Leng was falsely accused in the matter of painting cranes, and so he hid himself in a wall and departed as an immortal (legend says he became an immortal or concealed himself); from then on his painting models disappeared from the world.

This scroll was made for me by Master Leng on the fifth day of the fifth month in the sixth year of Zhiyuan. I treasured it like a jade disc worth many cities and never lightly showed it to others.

Now I am about to go to the Ten Continents and Three Isles (the overseas immortal mountains where, according to Daoist legend, immortals dwell) to seek Master Leng, but I fear that later people will not know the depths of Master Leng’s mind and the wonder of his samadhi, will not recognize this as the brushwork of a true immortal and extraordinary talent, and will confuse it with ordinary works. Therefore I write this inscription here to explain.

I respectfully present this scroll to the Venerable Grand Preceptor surviving from the Yuan, Duke Qiu of Qi (an eminent Daoist of the Qiu Chuji lineage; Qi was his title), for his viewing. Looking at this scroll clears the spirit and refreshes the Qi, and its mood carries one aloft as if in Penglai. Please treasure and keep it, and take it as a token for our meeting again.

Written by the Recluse Elder Sanfeng on the third day of the first month of the renchen year of Yongle (below there is a “Sanfeng” seal, as seen in the Huang Ming Yiren Lu).

Part Two: Commentary (Refuting the Five Claims That It Is a Forgery)

The Postscript on the Immortals Playing Chess Painting was written at Caoqiao. The Qixiu leigao argues forcefully that it is a forgery; its five points of argument are as follows, and I respond to each.

Their first argument is this: In the second year of Yongle it was sent to Qi, and Qi was a trusted meritorious official of Emperor Chengzu. If Sanfeng had arrived, would he dare conceal him and not report it?

Changyi replies: Not so. Sending it to Qi was only to leave behind Master Leng’s painting; it does not mean that Sanfeng came to the capital and the court concealed him and did not report it.

Their second argument is this: The postscript says Leng was a man of Wuling, without knowing his origin; Liu Bowen of Qiantang once met Qijing in Hangzhou and recorded it, also saying he was a man of Qiantang.

Changyi replies: Differences in regional records are not enough to prove the postscript false. The biography of Master Leng and the local gazetteers differ from one another; this is common.

Their third argument is this: The postscript says that after viewing Li Sixun’s paintings he thereby obtained his method, produced extraordinary works as if by illusion, and became famous in his time for painting; why do Liu Bowen’s poems never speak of his painting, but only say he was good at music and numerology?

Changyi replies: Master Leng was versatile and talented; his painting fame was great, and the poems did not exhaustively describe him. One cannot reject the painting postscript merely because the poems did not mention painting.

Their fourth argument is this: Since Sanfeng traveled far alone, how could he again carry paintings? Was it sent to someone during the Yongle era?

Changyi replies: In distant travel one can carry precious paintings; sending it to Qi during the Yongle era is not contradictory to “traveling far alone.”

Their fifth argument is this: The postscript says that Leng was already several hundred years old during the Zhizheng era; if he was in the Hongwu era, he would have been more than a hundred and several tens of years old. Would such an old man still be a subject? Even if he were, like Taigong and Fusheng, people would certainly speak of him; why is he not seen in books?

Changyi replies: Master Leng was an extraordinary person outside the ordinary world, not an official subject; being long-lived and hidden from the world, he need not be recorded in official histories. The examples of Taigong and Fusheng precisely show that extraordinary people may not be written into ordinary records.

Overall commentary: Lang Ying’s five arguments are all wrong. Looking at this painting’s postscript, its wording is clear and vigorous and stands apart from the crowd, absolutely resembling the brush of the immortal Sanfeng. His sending it to Qi was simply to leave behind Leng’s painting. At the time he must have seen it once and understood it spiritually, and therefore solemnly wrote this postscript to transmit it to the world.

Note (for reference while reading the original text)

The Zhonghuang Great Elixir is a key elixir method in Neidan cultivation corresponding to “Zhonghuang.” The essential meaning of Wuzhen usually refers to the core of Neidan cultivation in the Wuzhen pian. Master Leng is the painter and adept in the postscript, traditionally regarded as a long-lived extraordinary man. Duke Qiu of Qi is an eminent Daoist of the lineage of the famous Yuan dynasty Daoist Qiu Chuji, with Qi as his title. The Qixiu leigao is a notebook by Lang Ying of the Ming dynasty, which questions the authenticity of the Postscript on the Immortals Playing Chess Painting.

The following is a modern plain-language interpretation of this passage from The Complete Works of Mr. Zhang Sanfeng.

A Few Explanatory Notes on Commenting on Zhang Sanfeng’s Deeds

First, once an immortal has gone, the traces of cloud and crane are difficult to keep for long. The Duke of Qi (or a related figure) need not conceal that he once came as a visitor; Emperor Chengzu also understood that people of this kind cannot be pursued and held.

Second, immortals wander abroad and fundamentally have no fixed dwelling—when in Qiantang, the people of Qiantang see them; when in Wuling, the people of Wuling see them. Why insist on a fixed location?

Third, although Liu Bowen met the “Cold Immortal” (referring to immortals of Zhang Sanfeng’s kind), he did not accompany him morning and evening or remain long in one place. Even if there were poems, it would have been impossible to inscribe and present one on every occasion. Painting is merely a minor skill; there is no need to make a great fuss every time one is seen.

Fourth, paintings are easy to carry, and giving one to another expresses solemn regard. The house of Qi was of high standing, so treasuring this painting is also reasonable.

Fifth, for an immortal to live more than a hundred years is quite ordinary. That he was advanced in years and still served as a minister, like the Pillar Historian (ancient court historian) holding office in old age—what is doubtful about that?

Letter to Wanpu

The other day I was honored by your crane-borne visit to Wudang. Sitting on the couch talking heart to heart, I truly did not know that beyond the door there was still the dusty world.

My nature is unsettled; with the salvation of the world in mind, I drift like clouds and water, like an unmoored boat. You have long left Baiyue; wearing your sword, you return. Yesterday I met your honored teacher, Mr. Wang Zhongdu. He praised you highly for your lofty talent and quick understanding, saying you are foremost among his disciples, and instructed me that when I met you I should present you with the true exposition.

How would I dare be your teacher? Yet when a great vessel is about to emerge, there must be a host of immortals to guide and assist it, so that it may become one of the Pengshan ranks. You have a heroic spirit that transcends the ordinary and a lofty resolve that presses upon others; with the green snake in hand, you come and go throughout the Nine Provinces. I only fear this may impair your quiet practice. Baiyue is lofty and deep, precisely suited to embryonic nurture. If you can have the child generate the embryo and the grandchild again produce children, dividing your body for practical use, then you will also establish no small merit in the human world. Your aspirations are broad and great; I trust you will not take offense at this irreverent advice. In my humble way I cannot let this go, and would consider it sufficient to offer it as counsel to an old friend.

The Cloud-Water Daoist Zhang Sanfeng bows his head.

Notes on the Yongle Dadian

Former Confucian scholars said: in reading, broad acquisition is not as good as refined acquisition. From the Son of Heaven down to scholars and commoners, the way of learning is one and the same.

In the early years of Yongle, the court ordered Hu Guang, Wang Hong, and other imperial lecturers to compile a book titled the Yongle Dadian, totaling 22,877 juan and 11,095 volumes, with a table of contents in sixty juan. Its memorial presentation was once seen in the Chanjingjuan. Imperial surveys such as the Cefu Yuangui also amount to no more than a thousand juan; those who merely seek quantity often possess only the outward scale.

Note: Terms in the text such as “Qiguo,” “Wanpu,” “Wang Zhongdu,” “Baiyue,” and “Green Snake” are mostly personal names, place names, or cultivation terms; they have been retained according to common readings and briefly explained.

One can only gaze at the ocean and sigh—there are tens of thousands of great scriptures; how could they ever be spread throughout the world?

Explaining the Characters “Awakening” and “The Real”

Alas, whence does one awaken to the Real? Everyone in the world wishes to awaken to the Real, but if what they awaken to is not Real, then it is not awakening; if the Real is not awakened to, then it is not the Real either. Now I will make this clear through the meaning of the characters.

Wu: to perceive, to seek. Zhen: real, upright. People all know their common meanings; how would they know that the written meanings of the two characters “wu” and “zhen” are deeper?

Wu is formed from “I” and “heart/mind”; one should first take cultivating the mind as the foundation. The Supreme Lord (Taishang) said: “From countless kalpas past, I have observed the mind and attained the Dao.” What is zhen? The Six Scripts says: When a person receives Qi and is born, the eyes come first; wherever Shen gathers, there is nothing but the real. Therefore it is formed from “eye” and “bi”; bi means transformation. It is also formed from “wu” (pronounced hao); wu is the form of Qi. From this one may know that those who wish to refine the Dao must first refine the eyes. Only by refining the eyes can one gather Qi; by refining the eyes one can also gather in the mind. This is what is meant by “the mechanism lies in the eyes.” Recognize this mechanism, and you will see the true mechanism; recognize this mechanism, and you will know the mechanism of breath; recognize this mechanism, and you will enter the wondrous mechanism. Such is wu; such is zhen. Let this be told to all under heaven who awaken to the Real.

Rhapsody on the Knife and Ruler

Master Sanfeng often carried a knife and ruler as he roamed. Empty within the Two Great [Heaven and Earth], vast across the Ten Continents, a guest who found it strange did not know the reason, and so the master made this fu for him, saying:

This knife can open the primordial chaos; this ruler can measure Penglai. Thus they follow him without being lost, knowing the cutting and tailoring of creation. They have a hundred glints like bright stars and double prongs like white snow; the plumb line and ink marker follow them, and their sharp edges gleam. They divide the long and the short fittingly; they cut water and clouds with surpassing speed. Their wondrous use is without fixed method—how could petty skills suffice to describe them?

As for cutting the wondrous principle and shaving away dust and clamor, measuring degrees and numbers and distinguishing dusk from dawn, the fire practice advances inch by inch, the wind messages whistle; the embryo is nurtured moment by moment, feathered robes flutter. They cross the Dragon Gate of ten thousand fathoms, like the two blades of a tiger sword. Dreaming of Yizhou without desire, one transcends together with Fangzhang.

O knife, O knife, wondrous and again wondrous; O ruler, O ruler, essential indeed essential. Not something Ou Ye could smelt and forge, not something Gongshu could craft—let them travel with me, and let others laugh and mock as they please.

Vernacular Interpretation

The song says: “With a knife and a foot-rule I roam the ends of the earth; the four seas hold no home, yet everywhere is home. My torn robe is patched into scraps of cloud; in my sleeve I cage the great cinnabar of the elixir.”

Author’s Preface to Xuan Yao Pian

Xuan Su sighed: the years of human life are limited, and wealth and honor are impermanent, like wind before a lamp or dew on grass; existence and death come in an instant. This has been so from ancient times to the present, and it is deeply alarming and awakening. Therefore day and night I longed for the Great Dao, cast aside fame and gain, rejected power and profit, and wandered the lakes and seas like a cloud, seeking famous teachers everywhere. Though much was transmitted to me, it was all side-gate minor methods, of no benefit to body or mind. When I checked them against the alchemical scriptures, they did not accord; they diverged from the Dao. I labored in vain and lived in anxious uncertainty over nature and life, never meeting a perfected person who could fulfill my life’s wish.

During the Yanyou era I was fortunate that Heaven took pity on me. When I first entered Zhongnan, I encountered Master Huolong. On inquiry, he was a high disciple of Tunan [Chen Tuan], with dark temples and a ruddy face, solemn like a transcendent beyond the world; no one knew how many years he had lived. Xuan Su regarded him as extraordinary, bowed and served him as teacher, and knelt to ask about the Great Dao. The master, in his compassion, saw my sincerity and first pointed out the work of refining the self; next he transmitted the oral formula for obtaining the medicine; then he revealed the subtleties of fire timing, together with the regulations of warming and nourishing, casting off the embryo and spirit transformation, and the purport of completing the void. Nothing was not fully explained. Truly it may be called mouth-to-mouth transmission and mind-to-mind conferral; how fortunate I was to hear this Dao.

He also said: one who would create this Dao must use both method and wealth, and only then can there be accomplishment. But Xuan Su, being diligent in wandering and visiting teachers and also rather fond of doing good, had emptied his purse and chest almost completely—how could he create this Dao? Unawares, my face showed worry every day. The master found it strange and asked; Xuan Su again wiped away tears and knelt to tell him. Once more I received his compassion: he taught me the art of transmuting cinnabar and gave me the medicine by which mercury, when encountered, instantly dries. Xuan Su then left the mountains to cultivate nature and life dually, and took leave of his gracious teacher.

Thereupon I harmonized my light and mixed with the common world. I sought eight liang of true lead and half a jin of true mercury and, together, put them into the furnace of creation to be forged. Sun soul and moon spirit were gathered; the Five Phases were harmonized; the Four Images, water and fire, were paired; metal and wood were balanced; true earth coagulated. With union, warming, and nourishing, I turned and transformed, separating the embryo three times, and transcended through nine revolutions to completion. I saw for myself the yellow sprout and white snow, the wondrous transmutation of clear Qian—words cannot describe it. At this point, why worry that I lack wealth to complete the Dao?

Notes

Xuan Su is the author’s self-designation, a Daoist sobriquet. Master Huolong was the teacher encountered by Zhang Sanfeng, who transmitted Neidan. Tunan is Chen Tuan, Master Huolong’s teacher. Refining the self, obtaining the medicine, fire timing, warming and nourishing, and casting off the embryo are stages of Neidan cultivation. “Using both method and wealth” means that cultivating the Dao requires both a method and financial resources. True lead, true mercury, the furnace of creation, and yellow sprout and white snow are Neidan terms symbolizing Jing, Qi, and Shen and the alchemical process.

A Vernacular Interpretation of The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng

For a Great Undertaking, One Must Especially Choose a Good Site and Build a Thatched Hut... (Essential Instructions on Cultivation)

To undertake a great matter, one must first select a good site, build a thatched hut, and sit upright in a quiet room, emptying the mind to nourish Shen (spirit), settling the Shen and nourishing Qi (vital energy). When the Qi is clear and bright and the Shen is fresh and lucid, one then seeks the “cauldron vessel” (dingqi)—the place within the body where Jing (essence) and Qi are refined, comparable to an alchemical furnace. At dusk one drinks peach of immortality wine; at dawn one dines on jade liquid. As if drunk and entranced, like a newborn infant, one replenishes Qi and blood; the Dantian (energy center) grows warm, and one feels oneself returning to youth. At this point mercury already amounts to half a catty, and one need only wait for lead to make up the eight ounces. In this kind of fire phase (huohou), one must wait for the full moon, when the lead flower naturally appears. Then one sets to work seizing the dragon and catching the tiger, gathering that one speck of prenatal true lead and swallowing it into the belly; it can refine and transform the mercury within my own body. Slowly cooking and refining with the fire phase, there are naturally measures of weight and rules to follow. Once it accords with the number of the celestial circuit (zhoutian), the yao-line counts must not be off in the slightest. In advancing fire and withdrawing the tally, one knows Fu and Gou; in considering danger and guarding against peril, one recognizes Mao and You. When the ten months’ work is complete, the sacred embryo manifests; after nine years facing the wall, one unites in truth with the Dao and rides a crane into the blue sky. It is like a broad, level highway: let the seas turn into mulberry fields—this is the time when a great man’s work is accomplished and his name fulfilled. Only then does one believe that such a method of transcending the world truly exists: even with a great jade disc placed before one, how could it compare to sitting and advancing in this Dao? It is all because one broadly accumulates hidden merit and repeatedly practices expedient means that one can meet a perfected person (zhiren) and succeed.

I, Xuanxu, have fortunately received Heaven’s protection and been able to achieve something. Although I dare not recklessly divulge the true transmission, I also dare not remain silent and close off the Dao. Therefore I have composed songs, discourses, poems, and lyrics on cultivating the internal and external Golden Elixir, arranged them into a record to awaken later students, and titled it Xuan Yao Pian (also called Jie Yao Pian). Among these, the practices for walking the Dao, the oral formulas for attaining the Dao, and the essential purpose of completing the Dao are truly nowhere more pertinent than here. If a person of aspiration encounters this book, even without receiving Xuanxu’s personal transmission, how is that different from being taught face to face by Xuanxu?

Written on the day after the full moon in the first month of autumn of the guisi year, the eleventh year of Yongle, by the Yuan-era Unkempt Daoist Zhang Xuanxu Sanfeng as a self-preface.

A Night Conversation with Hu the Supervising Secretary in the Mountains of Hunan

Wang Yuantong said: Hu Ying searched for nine years. Traveling into Hunan, he rested in the mountains. One night at the third watch, when people were quiet and the tea had grown cold and clear, he suddenly heard a knock at the door. In a moment the door opened by itself, and he saw a Daoist whose appearance resembled Elder Feng. Hu was about to cry out in alarm; the master quickly covered his mouth, brushed the table, spoke with him in detail, and then left. No one in the Ming dynasty knew of this. Yesterday the master descended into my office and mentioned it.

Note: In the text, terms such as “mercury,” “lead,” “seizing the dragon and catching the tiger,” “advancing fire and withdrawing the tally,” “sacred embryo,” and “facing the wall for nine years” are all metaphorical expressions in Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation and should not be understood in a literal chemical sense. Hu Ying and Wang Yuantong were figures of the Ming dynasty; Hu Ying was once ordered by imperial decree to search for Zhang Sanfeng for many years.

Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng · Yinjian (Mirror of Reclusion) and Related Records (A Vernacular Interpretation)

Someone took up the brush and, according to the circumstances of the time, recorded a passage that ran roughly as follows:

The old gentleman has wandered the world for a very long time. Since the divine dragon over Ding Lake can no longer be seen, and the fine steed in the empty valley is hard to find again, must he still spend this life in vain, roaming from place to place? Now, mindful of the bond of old friendship, I have come for the time being to seek you out on a snowy night; arriving so suddenly, please do not be startled.

At that time the moon filled the lakes and mountains, the wind was clear about the lodge, the bell of the southern temple was about to cease, and the smoke at the western window had grown cold—did you, sir, at this moment ever think of the old monk of Tianchi? Can it be that you are his former incarnation? Please rest; go back. At court, kindly conceal my traces for me: if you see me, treat it as not seeing; if you know, treat it as not knowing, so that after the fatigue of carriages and horses I need not again be burdened by a journey of ten thousand li.

Returning north to report on my mission, I plan next year to observe the people’s conditions along the way and make them known to His Majesty—is this not, after all, your merit, sir?

Master Zhang Sanfeng’s “Yinjian”: Four Rules for Inscription

The first: one who hides in letters and Dao-learning, makes an auspicious withdrawal and does not come forth—in the record, title him “Chushi” (recluse scholar), with emphasis on the manner of the pure Confucian.

The second: one who hides among springs and rocks with elegant style, delighting in his purpose without changing—title him “Yishi” (untrammeled scholar), with emphasis on secluded and steadfast conduct.

The third: one who hides amid worldly governance and the changes of the times, resigns office and does not serve—title him “Dashi” (enlightened scholar), with emphasis on clear-sighted wisdom.

The fourth: one who hides in the Xuanmen (Mysterious Gate) and the Pure Land, and is not greedy for fame or profit—title him “Jushi” (lay cultivator), with emphasis on the virtue of pure cultivation.

In the four rules of Yinjian listed above, the evaluations are subtle: a single word can serve as praise. Someone may ask: “These four are all recluses, so why divide them further?” The answer is: their bearing, their literary and Daoist elegance, the early or late timing of their withdrawal, and the workings of constancy and change are inherently different. Without such detailed analysis, it would be difficult to convey their spirit and manner. Other labels, such as lofty scholar, summoned scholar, chaste scholar, and righteous scholar, can all be subsumed within these four categories.

Overall Assessment

The brushwork of Yinjian is pure and classical in every piece, concise and plain in every phrase; it can be read as brief biographies of recluses, and there is really no need to add arbitrary discussion item by item.

Edition Information (Publication Note)

This book is the Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng from the reprinted edition of the Daozang Jiyao (Essentials of the Daoist Canon). It was recompiled by Li Xiyue, the Mountain Man of Changyi in Hanjia; the blocks were calligraphed by Zhang Daoyuan (courtesy name Zishen) and carved and published by Zhu Daosheng (courtesy name Wancheng) of Langzhong. His nephew Ying (Chuncheng) and Zhu Zan (Suyuan) jointly collated the text, and his son Huang (Panxi) took part. The “Yinjian” entry is annotated as content related to the Yuan dynasty.

Vernacular Interpretation of Related Passages from The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng

About Master Zhang Sanfeng

Master Zhang Sanfeng was a recluse of the Great Yuan era. His whereabouts were difficult to fathom: at times he appeared, at times he vanished, and from this came his title. He was born in the Yuan dynasty, wandered during the Ming, and his miraculous traces were also transmitted into the Qing. Over six hundred years he did not pass away with the mundane world; having been in the world so long, he had also seen many people. When he met people of lofty aspiration, he often took pleasure in telling them what he had seen and heard. This was not an effort to write Biographies of Recluses; rather, together with scholars who roamed freely among springs and rocks, he weighed whether advancing or withdrawing was fitting.

The Master once said: the so-called “reclusion” has two measures. Those who choose to withdraw in an age of decline should not later come out to serve in a rising dynasty; those who choose reclusion in a rising dynasty should not use “reclusion” to fish for fame, treating retirement as a shortcut to office. Only thus is leaving or entering public life fitting, and their lofty purity can be sufficient for later generations to record. A compiler in the mountains and wilds collected such cases into one volume, titled Yinjian (Mirror of Reclusion).

Liu Mengji

Retired scholar Master Liu Mengji was a native of Rongcheng in Baoding. By nature intelligent, he could read a book once and never forget it. At first he devoted himself to classical studies; whenever he read the commentaries and subcommentaries, he would sigh and say, “The principles of the sages surely do not stop here.” Later, having received the transmission of the line of Zhou, Shao, Cheng, and Zhu, he said with delight, “I long expected there must be such learning.” In daily life he admired Zhuge Liang’s saying, “Cultivate the self through quietude,” and named his dwelling Jingxiu (Quiet Cultivation). In the nineteenth year of the Zhiyuan era, the court summoned him to enter court and promoted him to Left Grandee of Good Counsel; pleading that his mother was old, he firmly declined and did not accept a single coin of salary. When he was summoned again later, he remained in reclusion and never came out.

Xiao Yizun

Retired scholar Master Xiao Yizun was a native of Fenghua (in the Yuan dynasty, in the Yin County area). At first he served as a prefectural clerk; because his words did not agree with those in power, he immediately withdrew. He studied hard for thirty years and did not seek official advancement. Once a fellow villager, traveling at night, met bandits and falsely claimed, “I am Master Xiao.” The bandits were startled and released him. In the time of Emperor Shizu he was summoned as Shaanxi Superintendent of Confucian Schools, but he did not go. Later he was repeatedly appointed Bachelor of the Jixian Academy and then Reader-in-Waiting of the Jixian Academy, but he went to neither. Soon afterward he was appointed Right Mentor to the Crown Prince. Despite illness he went to the capital and had an audience at the Eastern Palace. Because the court at that time favored wine, he wrote out the Announcement on Wine and presented it. Shortly afterward he again claimed illness and asked to be relieved of office, but this was not permitted. Before long he was promoted to Academician of the Jixian Academy and Libationer of the Imperial College, while still concurrently serving as Right Mentor to the Crown Prince; he declined them all on grounds of illness and returned home.

His friend Zhang Silian heard of this and sighed: “Pure and lofty, he kept to himself; fame and office were not enough to move his heart. Master Xiao may indeed be called a scholar who honors his aspiration.”

Qiu Shancun

The recluse Mr. Qiu Shancun was a native of Qiantang (present-day Hangzhou). He lived in seclusion among the rivers and lakes and had broad mastery of the classics and histories. In the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan dynasty, someone recommended him for the post of Yangyi Jiaoyu (local academic official of Liyang), and later he was recommended for the post of Jiaoshou (instructor) of Baoqing Circuit. He declined both. He was then reassigned as Jiangshilang (Gentleman Attendant) and Zhishi (Affairs Officer) of the Hangzhou Circuit General Administration Office, and he again refused. At his home in the western part of Qiantang, he shut his door to write books and strained his mind composing poems. At times he would speak to the flowers alone and drink alone. I have heard that during his retirement he wrote the Ten Chants, which truly reveal a refined, self-admiring talent. Two of them are selected here to show the gentleman's taste for seclusion. One reads: "Gazing up at the roof as I write, my brush lacks strength; / Shutting the door to hunt for lines, I waste my mind's cunning. / Better to sit quietly, lost in thought, beneath the flowers, / And watch the dragonflies and butterflies flutter by." Another reads: "My tea bowl and gauze cap are used to greeting guests; / Those who come are either poets or Daoists. / In fine rain and slanting wind, do not go out, my friend, / For beyond the green shade of the gate lies the red dust of the world."

Qiu Yuanliang

The man of broad understanding (Dashi) Mr. Qiu Yuanliang was a native of Wanqing, in the Huaihai region. In his youth he aspired to thoroughly grasp the Dao, and he intended first to achieve merit in public service and then withdraw. In the early Yuanzhen era, the high officials recommended him for the post of Sizhi (Judicial Officer). After some time, he encountered the frustrations of an official career and the misfortunes of an unlucky age. He then gave up the idea of holding office and returned to Weiyang (Yangzhou), where he lived in a few thatched rooms, planted pines and bamboo, and lived at ease, with much of the flavor of a recluse. One day he entered a deep ravine to gather medicinal herbs and obtained a thousand-year-old huangjing (Polygonatum, a tonic herb prized in Daoist practice). After steaming and eating it, he felt his spirit and vigor restored, and he could climb high mountains as though walking on level ground.

Wu Boqing

The man of broad understanding Mr. Wu Boqing, whose given name was Cheng, was a native of Chongren. From childhood he devoted himself wholeheartedly to learning, and he wrote books to advance "our Dao" (referring to the Confucian Way). He was truly a great Confucian scholar of his age. He served as a Hanlin Academician under the Yuan dynasty, and in the early Taiding era he resigned and returned home due to illness. He closed his door to lecture on learning, and though the court repeatedly summoned him, he would not come out to take office. His calm and unassuming character is worthy of praise. It is regrettable, however, that he took office as a local recommended candidate (xiangong) of the Song dynasty, a status that drew considerable criticism. His sobriquet was Mr. Caolu.

Chen Maoshu

The man of broad understanding Mr. Chen Maoshu, whose given name was Li, was a native of Xiuning. He was upright by nature, filial and fraternal, and devoted himself to the learning of the sages and worthies. In the early Yanyou era, his local community recommended him, but he immediately declined the appointment as instructor in the Board of Rites and did not leave his home for several decades. This is perhaps a man who valued virtue and held fame and office in contempt.

Du Boyuan

The scholar in retirement (Chushi, a learned man who chose not to serve) Mr. Du Boyuan was originally a native of Qingjiang. He was erudite and skilled in writing. During the reign of Emperor Wuzong, he was summoned to the capital, but he promptly asked to return to seclusion and lived in hiding in the Wuyi Mountains of Jianning. When Emperor Wenzong heard of his reputation and sought to summon him again, he likewise refused to answer the call. In the Zhizheng era, the court continued to issue summonses, but he never took office. His indifference to fame and profit is thus plainly evident.

The following is a plain-language interpretation of this scriptural passage, explained item by item according to the persons involved.

(Continued from the preceding text, discussing Zhang Sanfeng.)

Chancellor Toqto'a once recommended him for the post of Compiler in the Hanlin Academy. When the court sent an envoy hurrying to Hangzhou to urge him to take up the appointment, he again pleaded illness and firmly declined. He was ordinarily quiet and sparing of words, with few desires; he never berated others in a harsh voice or suddenly changed expression. In his dealings with people he was utterly sincere in matters of moral principle. Scholars called him Mr. Qingbi.

Dai Ruyi

The recluse Dai Ruyi, courtesy name Yu, was a native of De'an in Jiujiang. He lived in seclusion at home, accumulated learning, and did not take office; whenever the court summoned him, he never accepted. He once said: “To be indifferent to worldly gain in order to clarify one’s aspiration, to be tranquil and still in order to reach far—this is precisely where Zhuge Liang’s lifelong learning lay.” He therefore composed the Wuhou Tongzhuan in three scrolls.

Wu Bowei

The recluse Wu Bowei, courtesy name Ke, was a native of Dezhou. He loved reading the Zhouyi and every day sat upright with his lapels formally straightened. Someone asked him, “What should learning take as its foundation?” He answered, “It should take stillness as its foundation.” He authored the Shuiyun Ji, which circulated in the world.

Zhang Guangbi

The man of broad understanding Zhang Guangbi, courtesy name Yu, was a native of Luling. At the end of the Yuan he served as Judge of the Privy Council and Vice Director of the Zhejiang Provincial Administration; when a separatist leader summoned him, he refused to go. He amused himself daily with poetry and wine and styled himself the Layman of One Smile. In his poem “Spring Day” he wrote: “One gust of east wind, one spell of cold; the banana plants have grown past the stone railing. It takes only a few bouts of hazy drunkenness to see the spring light reach the peonies.” In these lines he had already secretly anticipated that Zhang Shicheng was bound to fail. He once said, “After I die, bury my bones by West Lake; it will be enough for the grave to be inscribed ‘The Grave of the Poet Zhang Guangbi.’” In the end it was indeed so.

Wu Yuanying

The recluse Wu Yuanying, courtesy name Lai, was a native of Jinhua. He lived in seclusion and did not serve in office. He built a hut in Shenniao Mountain—the rare character niao being pronounced like the common niao—and delved into the classics and histories, contented and at ease. He was skilled at discussing prose and once said: “Writing an essay is like deploying troops: there is the regular and the extraordinary. The regular has clear rules and measures, like orderly marching; the extraordinary is not bound by rules and measures, changing in a thousand ways, like sitting, rising, striking, and thrusting all launched at once. When it comes time to withdraw the troops, each unit returns to its own ranks, and originally there was no disorder.” All who heard him were convinced. His fellow townsmen Huang Jinqing, Liu Daochuan, and others were also renowned in their time for their writings, and they all esteemed him highly.

Xu Baiyun

The recluse Xu Baiyun, courtesy name Qian, was a native of Jinhua. From childhood he studied with diligence and took as his teacher Jin Renshan—the scholar Jin Lüxiang—of the late Song. He remained under his tutelage for several years and fully mastered the profound meaning of what he had learned. He then hid his traces and entered Mount Hua, where he devoted his mind to nurturing his aspirations and did not seek fame or advancement. Court and countryside recommended him in turn, but he firmly declined and did not accept. This was a true recluse, at peace with Heaven’s mandate and keeping to moral principle, not one who borrowed the name of reclusion to fish for officialdom.

This passage records the life stories of several recluses from the late Yuan to early Ming period.

When Master Zhang Sanfeng taught his disciples, he emphasized awakening their minds and transforming their temperament, yet never instructed them in imperial examination essays, considering this the crucial distinction between Daoist principles and worldly gain.

Wang Yuanji (styled "Hermit of the Bamboo Hat Mountain") hailed from Jiangyin. During the Zhizheng era of the Yuan dynasty, he repeatedly declined imperial summons and took refuge in Wujing, Shanghai, where he built a thatched cottage and lived in seclusion, calling himself "the Most Idle Gardener."

Tao Zongyi, a native of Tiantai, fled to the southern suburbs of Songjiang during the Yuantong period. While farming, he continued his scholarly work. He kept an earthen jar beneath a tree where he would jot down thoughts as they came, later compiling these notes into The Farming Interrupted Records of Nancun. Though recommended for office in the sixth year of Hongwu during the Ming dynasty, he steadfastly refused and returned to seclusion.

Cai Qingzhen (from Qiongshan, Hainan) mastered the classics and histories while cherishing landscapes. At the Yuan dynasty's end, he retreated to remote mountains. Scholars from all regions brought wine and meat to seek his teachings, and his profound explanations earned him recognition as Hainan's most erudite Confucian scholar.

Gu Zhongying of Kunshan possessed extraordinary literary talent. West of Qianjing, he constructed the "Jade Mountain Retreat" garden complex with thirty-six pavilions and towers, frequently hosting literati for wine and poetry. After his mother's death, he observed mourning rites and refused Zhang Shicheng's summons, shaving his head to become a monk (adopting the name "Golden Millet Daoist"). In early Ming times, to evade imperial investigations of wealthy Jiangnan families, he feigned monkhood and fled. His works include Unpolished Jade from Jade Mountain, and he edited Elegant Collection from the Thatched Hall, an anthology of forty-odd friends' poetry.

Li Mingfeng (styled "High Ridge"), a Suzhou native like Gu Zhongying, shared his generous hospitality. He once donated twenty thousand hu of grain to Zhu Yuanzhang's army without seeking reward. After the Ming dynasty's establishment, repelled by its harsh laws, he sailed overseas with wealthy Jiading merchant Fang Erlang, taking their families and fortunes abroad.

These recluses all chose to distance themselves from politics—some through scholarly seclusion, others by fleeing to distant lands—demonstrating how literati navigated turbulent times.

A Vernacular Interpretation of The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng

This section records four notable scholars associated with Daoism and literary and artistic circles around the Yuan–Ming transition, most of them figures of the “dashi” (enlightened scholar) and “yishi” (untrammeled recluse) type.

Yang Weizhen (Mr. Tieya)

Yang Weizhen, whose sobriquet was Lianfu, was a native of Kuaiji (around present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang). He passed the jinshi examination during the Taiding reign and once served as magistrate of Tiantai County; later he moved to Songjiang and built Yuanpu and Pengtai in the Shanghai area. Many officials and gentry of Jiangnan and talented men of the southeast came to visit him. He often played an iron flute, performing “Meihua Nong” (Plum Blossom Tune), and others regarded him as a man among the immortals; he was known to the world as Mr. Tieya. His work Zhengtong Bian (Disquisition on Legitimate Succession) was regarded by many readers as a fair and impartial judgment.

Wang Mian (Shannong)

Wang Mian was a native of Kuaiji in the late Yuan. He was tall and had a very long beard. Having once sat for the provincial examination without success, he burned his books and read ancient military manuals; he wore a tall hat, a green straw rain cape, and toothed wooden clogs, carried a wooden sword, and sang as he walked through the market. People took him for a mad scholar, but those with talent vied to associate with him. Throughout his life he loved painting plum blossoms, and whenever he finished a painting he would admire it himself. When Ming Taizu heard of his reputation, he summoned him and had coarse rice and vegetable broth served to him. Shannong talked as he ate, and Taizu was pleased, saying that he could share great undertakings with him; he offered him the post of Ziyi Canjun (Advisory Counselor), which Wang declined. One night he dreamed that an immortal of Luofu summoned him; after waking he seized a brush, cried out wildly, painted a large plum branch, and inscribed a poem: “The tree by my inkstone-washing pool— / each blossom opens with a pale-ink trace. / It asks no one to praise its fine colors; / it only leaves pure Qi to fill heaven and earth.” The next day he died. The monk Pu’an Fuxin of the same era praised him, saying: “Wang Mian of Kuaiji was an immortal of the plum blossom.”

Ming Tianyuan

Ming Tianyuan was a northerner and a descendant of Ming’an of the court of Shizu (Yuan Shizu). His beard grew past his abdomen, and his bearing was elegant. He served the Yuan as an academician; after the dynasty fell, he shaved his head and became a monk, but kept his beard. In the early Hongwu era, Taizu heard of his fame and summoned him. He asked: “You do not serve me, and I let you be; but shaving your head while keeping your beard—is there an explanation for that too?” He replied: “Shaving the head removes afflictions; keeping the beard shows one is a man.” The emperor laughed and sent him away. He wrote the Pu’an Ji (Collected Works of Pu’an), which circulated in the world. Commentators considered him loyal to the Yuan and also a man of the Dao.

Zhang Yu (Zhang Boyu)

Zhang Yu, courtesy name Tianyu, was a native of Hangzhou and a descendant of Zhang Jiucheng of the Song. His demeanor was grave and austere, and he excelled in poetry, prose, and calligraphy; he was a literary friend of Yang Zai and Yu Ji. Later he entered Maoshan to study the Dao. He met Chen Shangyang, who transmitted to him the method of pure cultivation and harmonious balance; he attained something therein and called himself Juqu Waishi (Outer Historian of Juqu).

Note: In the text, “dashi” and “yishi” mostly refer to men who transcended official advancement and found contentment through the Dao and the arts; “Juqu” is another name for Maoshan. Proper names are retained as in the original, and the historical facts and titles have not been altered.

Biographical Sketches of Related Figures in The Complete Works of Mr. Zhang Sanfeng (Vernacular Chinese)

Yu Bosheng

Mr. Yu Bosheng, whose given name was Ji, was a native of Linchuan and a man of broad understanding. Intelligent from birth, he could read at the age of three; in adulthood he was known for his literary talent. He once served as an academician of the Kuizhang Pavilion, but soon resigned on grounds of illness and returned home. Admiring Tao Yuanming and Shao Yong, he built two study rooms: on the wall of the left room he wrote Tao’s poems and named it “Tao’an”; on the wall of the right room he wrote Shao’s poems and named it “Shao’an.” He lived simply and peacefully, with a tranquil mind, reciting poetry for his own amusement. Contemporaries called him “Mr. Two Cottages,” and also “Shao’an.”

Zhao Zichang

Mr. Zhao Zichang, given name Fang, was a native of Xiuning and a man of broad understanding. In the late Yuan he assisted the marshal Wang Tong in raising troops to defend their home region, and he served as an assistant in the Jiangnan Branch Privy Council. In the second year of the Hongwu reign (early Ming), he was summoned by imperial order to participate in compiling the History of the Yuan. After the work was completed, he declined office and lived in seclusion at East Mountain. Together with several recluses, he chose a site by the Clear Stream and built a dwelling there; his boat was tied to a sandbar, and he was free and detached, with no trace of worldly dust. His classical scholarship was widely transmitted, and people called him “the Recluse of East Mountain.”

Wang Defu

Mr. Wang Defu, given name Kekuan, was a native of Qimen and a man of broad understanding. In the late Yuan he lived in seclusion at Huan Valley. In the early Hongwu years he was once summoned to participate in compiling the History of the Yuan; after the work was completed, he firmly declined office and lived in seclusion at Daoren Cliff, devoting himself to classical studies. In teaching students, he always took quieting the mind as the foundation.

Xie Zilan

Mr. Xie Zilan, given name Yingfang, was a native of Wujin and a lofty recluse. He called himself “Old Man of the Turtle’s Nest.” There were two “Turtle’s Nests”: one on Ge Lake and one at Hengshan, each recorded in turn. The gist was this: an old turtle of a thousand years builds its nest on a lotus leaf, making the leaf its nest with almost no effort of construction. In leisure he wandered with farmers and old rustics through mulberry-and-hemp gardens and past paths of peach and plum; with earthen basins of cloudy wine, singing and dancing and toasting one another, he was as free as a turtle dragging its tail through the mud. He also said that wherever he went in life, he named his room “Turtle’s Nest”—not making buildings his nest, but making Heaven and Earth his nest. In a lofty hall or splendid house, he did not perceive its splendor; in a brushwood gate and humble cottage, he did not perceive its shabbiness. Reading his writings, one can know his broad understanding. The old man once wrote to Shiyuan (Zhang Yunmen), saying: “A catfish climbing a bamboo pole—the fame and office of former days are laughable; a turtle nesting on a lotus leaf—my circumstances in recent years are as drifting.” Compared with “my little garden in the hills,” this is far more transcendent.

Shen Yuanji

Mr. Shen Yuanji, given name Zhen, was a native of Changxing and a lofty recluse. In the late Yuan he lived in seclusion on Hengyu Mountain and called himself “Old Man of Tea Mountain.” (The original text continues below.)

Note: In the text, dashi (“man of understanding”) and yishi (“lofty recluse”) are honorific terms for recluses and people of broad understanding; the Kuizhang Pavilion was the Yuan court’s place for storing books and compiling history; the Branch Privy Council was a Yuan-dynasty regional institution for military and confidential affairs. Xie Zilan’s “Turtle’s Nest” metaphor is close to the Daoist reclusive ideal of “taking Heaven and Earth as one’s hut,” and so he is included in the documentary tradition related to Zhang Sanfeng.

This passage comes from The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng. It mainly records several reclusive masters from the late Yuan and early Ming and compares them with Zhang Sanfeng’s character of “not taking office—summoned, he comes; waved off, he goes.” The following explains the general meaning in plain language.

Opening Comparison

Someone in the early Ming did not take office. He took Huangshi (the legendary immortal Huangshi Gong) as his teacher and white clouds as his companions, and never concerned himself with worldly affairs. Compared with people of the sort who “come as soon as summoned and leave at a wave of the hand,” how great is the difference in character and spiritual attainment—readers may judge for themselves.

Xu Zhongyou

The accomplished scholar Xu Zhongyou was from Chun’an (present-day Chun’an area in Zhejiang). In the late Yuan he passed the xiucai examination; in the early Ming he did not serve as an official and styled himself “Recluse of the Pine Nest.” He wrote ci and composed songs no less accomplished than the ancients. I once saw lines in his “Man Ting Fang”: “Clear frost on the hedge, red leaves; in the woods and hills, Yuanming of Pengze, after resigning office, did not serve kings and lords.” His lofty, reclusive integrity seems as if blown out through the holes of a flute.

Huang Ziyun

The recluse Huang Ziyun was from Xiuning (present-day Xiuning in Anhui). In the early Hongwu era he was summoned to office but excused because of difficulty with his legs; villagers jokingly called him “Mr. Wondrous Crutch.” In the same period there was Lü Buyong, courtesy name Zegeng, from Xinchang. In the second year of Hongwu he was recommended as instructor of the local school but declined on grounds of deafness and styled himself “Deaf Man of Stone Drum Mountain.” Both men were proud and unrestrained toward the world, carrying the clear, austere air of mountains and forests.

Zhang Weizhong

The recluse Zhang Weizhong was from Cixi. During the turmoil of the late Yuan, the usurping ruler wanted him to serve as academy head (shanzhang) of Shangyu, but he did not take the post. In the early Ming he was repeatedly invited but still did not leave the mountains; he lived in seclusion among streams and mountains, singing loudly to the white stones, and often exchanged poems and wine with the scholar-officials of his day. When someone urged him to enter officialdom, he politely declined. His contemporaries regarded him as steadfast and upright yet not cut off from the world, reclusive yet not violating obligations to kin, comparable to someone like Guo Linzong (a famous Eastern Han scholar known for judging character and valuing righteousness).

Wang Zhongguang

The lofty recluse Wang Zhongguang was from Changzhou (present-day Wu County area of Suzhou). Along with Han Yi of Wu County and Wang Lü of Kunshan, he was known as one of the “Three Lofty Men of Wu.” With a deeply remote heart, he set his boat adrift on the Wu River. He once composed linked verses with Gongwang, including the lines “I know too that my nature is eccentric and hard to bend to custom, yet I delight that my body is idle and belongs to no one.” From this one can imagine how he shared aspirations with kindred spirits and stood apart from common customs.

Chen Kechang

The lofty recluse Chen Kechang was from Min County (present-day Fuzhou area in Fujian). In the late Yuan he was a commoner and lived in seclusion at Shitan. He once leaned against bamboo and sang a song to express his aspirations: “Tall bamboo, green and fresh, hollow within and straight without, pure joints and steadfast form, one color through cold and heat, cool and clear morning and evening; if I forsake this bamboo, where else shall I go?…” (He used bamboo as his self-image, keeping his integrity unchanging.)

Liang Buyi

The lofty recluse Liang Buyi was from Taihe (present-day Taihe in Jiangxi) and styled himself “Mr. Garden-Plot Joy.” Zou Zhongxi once said that he lived in seclusion and was happy. The original text appears unfinished here; the continuation is probably on another page or in another entry.

Note: This piece belongs to the category of biographical records and lives of lofty recluses. It chiefly honors scholars who did not serve in office and lived in mountains and forests, whose spirit was close to Zhang Sanfeng’s. Here “Huangshi” and “white clouds” mostly symbolize the immortal Dao or companions in reclusion, and do not necessarily refer to specific persons.

Vernacular Explanation

Wang Xifan, who dwells in the joy of the Dao, praised him for nurturing his aspirations amid hills and gardens. I have seen him taking delight in the western fields, with the leisurely sensibility of Tao Yuanming (the famous Eastern Jin pastoral poet) and the open-hearted breadth of Wei Ye (a famous Northern Song recluse).

Cheng Boxiao

The retired scholar Mr. Cheng Boxiao, whose given name was Xiang, was a native of Xin'an in the late Yuan and a descendant of Cheng Yi (the great Northern Song Neo-Confucian). His family transmitted Neo-Confucian learning from generation to generation. In the early Hongwu era, the court ordered a broad search for recluses, and someone recommended him, but he did not take office. In the spring of the second year, there was another search for surviving elders of the mountains and forests to compile the Yuan History, and someone recommended him once more; he still would not go. Later an edict ordered Confucian ministers to compile ritual texts, and Song Lian said, “No one but Boxiao can do this.” When this was reported to the emperor, the emperor did not wish to compel him, so he sent men to his home to consult and inquire. Someone urged him to become an official; he smiled and did not answer, saying only, “Human rank is not as noble as heavenly rank; how can official fame compare with the name of the Dao?” After this he hid himself deeply and did not emerge, and the court compared him to the Four White-Haired Elders of Mount Shang (four famous early Han recluses).

Xu Fangzhou

The untrammeled scholar Mr. Xu Fangzhou, whose given name was Fang, was a native of Tonglu in the late Yuan. By nature he loved poetry and song, and he built a house by the river, where water, bamboo, clouds, and mist helped him chant and whistle. At that time Liu Bowen (a founding minister of the early Ming) had been summoned to the capital and invited him to go along. Fang met him wearing a straw rain cape and bamboo hat, drank wine and composed poems, and then parted.

Han Gongwang

The retired scholar Mr. Han Gongwang, whose given name was Yi, was a native of Wu and was born in the Zhishun era of the Yuan. When he grew up he was addicted to reading poetry and books and read everything. In his youth he suffered from an eye disease and divined, obtaining the Meng hexagram; he knew the illness could not be cured, and so named his dwelling “Meng Studio.” During the Hongwu era he cut off any intention of advancing in office. The prefect Yao Shan forcibly demanded to see him, so Yi took a boat into Lake Tai and roamed the misty waves, finding joy in himself. Yao sighed, “Mr. Han is what is called one whose name can be heard but whose person cannot be seen.”

Jiao Shimo

The enlightened scholar Jiao Shimo was a native of Jiangyin and an old acquaintance of Ming Taizu. When Taizu established the capital at Nanjing, he said he missed him and summoned him repeatedly, but he did not go. Just as an envoy was about to be sent to seek him out, Mou suddenly carried chicken, pork, and village wine along the imperial road into the capital. The emperor was delighted at his coming and gave the items to the Guanglu Temple to prepare wine and food; they drank and feasted joyfully. Before the banquet, three belts of gold, silver, and horn were brought out, and he was told to take one himself and be given office. Mou took one horn belt, and was thereupon granted the post of chiliarch. Soon afterward he went straight out through Gaoqiao Gate, hung his official cap and belt on a tree, and left.

Sun Taichu

The untrammeled scholar Mr. Sun Taichu, whose given name was Yiyuan, was a man of the early Ming. His bearing was elegant and his traces were wondrous and strange. He wore a Yuan-style headcloth and a white...

Related Passages from The Complete Works of Mr. Zhang Sanfeng

He carried with him an iron flute and a crane-shaped gourd—symbols commonly used by Daoist recluses—and wherever he went, scholar-officials were captivated by him. He once dwelt on the summit of Mount Taibai, calling himself “Master of Mount Taibai”; he also went west to Mount Hua, south to Mount Heng, east up Mount Tai, north up Mount Yiwulü, and south to the Wu-Kuaiji region, often staying for long periods without returning. Together with Liu Lin, Long Kuan, Lu Kun, and Wu Xuan, he was known as one of the “Five Recluses of Tiaoxi.”

Wang Tinggui

The recluse Mr. Wang Tinggui, whose personal name was Gong, was a native of Changshu in the early Ming. On the northern slope of Mount Yu, above Xiaoxi, he chose a place to live and planted ten thousand stalks of bamboo, among which he wandered leisurely. His reclusive spirit was cool and pure, his poetic sensibility ethereal and distant; his contemporaries compared him to the autumn moon and spring clouds, and he inspired admiration.

Mr. Wang

The free-spirited scholar Mr. Wang concealed himself out of loyalty and integrity, not revealing his true name. In the early Yongle era he sojourned at East Mountain in Dongyang County, Jinhua Prefecture, and called himself “Great Idiot.” He had a handsome and imposing appearance and outstanding insight. He wore only hemp cloth and a bamboo hat, not ordinary robes and caps, and all day wandered among the villages south of the mountain, singing wildly to please himself. Those who feasted and traveled with him did not know his surname or given name; they knew only that his surname was Wang, so they addressed him as clan elder brother, and thus everyone called him “Mr. Wang.” He once said to the villagers: “Some day when I leave this world, I ask only that you collect my corpse and hang it from the treetops; that will be enough.” At that time he also called himself “Woodcutter of Yuhua Mountain.” When Zhang Sanfeng heard of this, he sighed and said: “This is a surviving minister of the Jianwen Emperor—the early Ming emperor who was usurped by Zhu Di and disappeared.”

Xu Yanzhi

The recluse Mr. Xu Yanzhi, named Boling, called himself “Luguanzi,” or “Master of the Register Cap,” and was a native of Qiantang. He was naturally keen and brilliant and never forgot a book after one glance, but his temperament was free and unconventional, and he did not bother with small formalities. When receiving guests he was often barefoot and bareheaded, and he did not tie the sash of his undergarment, so when he walked it slipped downward; many people laughed at him. Scholar-officials came out of admiration, but after a single meeting he could not be bothered to associate with them further. Yet his great talent and lofty character could not ultimately be obscured. By nature he delighted in “fat retreat”—contentment in deep reclusion—and was especially skilled at playing the qin. He wrote such works as Correct Notation of the Great Sound, Choice Delights of the Drunken Peach, Collection of the Incense Terrace, Elegant Essence of the Bookworm, and Drafts from the Hall of Old Rain. Was he not a man outwardly rustic but inwardly refined?

Wang Yuanfu

The retired scholar Mr. Wang Yuanfu, named Feng, was a native of Leping in Raozhou. He was thoroughly versed in the classics and histories and deeply studied Neo-Confucian philosophy. The court summoned him repeatedly, but he would not go. He lived deep in the mountains and valleys, harmonious and tranquil. In the early Xuande era he was again summoned through the Mingjing examination category, but he firmly declined and returned home. He wrote such works as Yanxing Zhi, and scholars called him “Mr. Pine Hollow.”

Biographies of Related Figures in The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng (Vernacular Retelling)

Yu Guzhang

The recluse Mr. Yu Guzhang was a native of Fuyang in Hangzhou. He lived in seclusion among mountains and forests, and his reputation spread throughout the lakes and seas. Officials serving in Zhejiang all considered it an honor to meet him. During the Zhengtong reign, the provincial military and civil authorities repeatedly submitted memorials recommending him, but he refused to leave his mountain retreat. When relatives and friends urged him, he pretended to be deaf or ill and declined. He often wandered among mountains and marshes, sometimes talking to himself to trees and rocks like a madman, so ordinary people did not believe he truly possessed ability.

One day Wu Hezhou again wanted to recommend him, and the gentleman wrote a poem firmly declining. The gist of the poem was: the road of blue clouds makes one remember the old robe; distant Hezhou again troubles itself to recommend him; an inferior mount can hardly follow a thousand-li horse; empty fame may mislead the eye of Jiufang Gao, the ancient master of judging horses. Ji Kang was confident that he could be lazy and follow his own custom; who says Shaoshi Mountain asks too high a price? Even if Zou Yan’s pitch pipes stir the warm yang, in the autumn wind both temples are already sparse and desolate.

Xu Mianren

The recluse scholar Mr. Xu Mianren, whose given name was Shu, was a native of Ningbo. During the Zhengtong reign he was known for ancient-style prose, and literary enthusiasts of Yongdong studied under him. The gentleman lived among mountains and marshes; all who came seeking fame or official success, even old friends, he did not keep long. Among young people who admired reclusion, he praised them, saying: “Green temples and blue mountains are just fit to reflect each other.” Yan Yuan and Min Ziqian, Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou each simply followed his own path. Later, when the court repeatedly summoned him, he did not respond. He moved to Hangzhou and in the end spent his life writing books.

Xu Danchu

The layman Mr. Xu Danchu had the sobriquet Weixi Sou. During the Zhengtong reign, when the old man was ninety, he suddenly abandoned his family to study the Dao, and no one knew where he went. A man born in the same year was Shi Neihan, a native of Tongcheng who lived north of the city at Shitang; he reached the age of one hundred and three and had many descendants. Shi Neihan once wrote a poem recalling Danchu: “Where is the one who shared the Gengshen vigil with me? Of those born in the same Jiawu year, I alone chant poems.” He was probably also a long-lived worthy of the Ming dynasty, like Jian Keng, the legendary figure famed for nourishing life and extreme longevity.

Shen Qinan

The recluse Mr. Shen Qinan, whose given name was Zhou, was a native of Changzhou. During the Jingtai reign he was summoned as a worthy and good man, but he firmly declined and did not go; his sobriquet was Shitian Weng. Besides poetry and prose, he was especially skilled at painting; his mountains and rocks were lofty, antique, clear, and strange, and his brush and ink matched his character.

Fang Yuansu

The recluse Mr. Fang Yuansu, whose given name was Taigu, was a native of Lanxi and styled himself Hanxi Zi. He was pure and lofty, broad-minded and open, and outstanding among others. Someone asked the gentleman what he did, and he answered: “Ten thousand scrolls of books dissolve sun and moon; a bay of gulls and egrets share dawn and dusk.”

Note: The main text consists of short biographies of Ming recluses and literati, placed alongside Zhang Sanfeng’s writings in the complete works. Most record refusal of office, reclusion, Daoist study, longevity, and similar matters. The tone leans toward historical biography and notebook writing; these are not cultivation formulas or specialized treatises on Neidan.

The following is a plain-language interpretation of the biographies of various worthies recorded in this section of The Complete Works of Mr. Zhang Sanfeng.

Cheng Shupeng

Master Cheng Shupeng, courtesy name Xuanfu, was from Shexian. He sang and whistled among mountains, forests, springs, and rocks, seeking no fame or recognition in the ordinary world. Some in his county knew Li Xianji (the Ming poet Li Mengyang) but did not know Shupeng; his cheerful contentment with obscurity was of this sort. He called himself Longgu Daoren (Daoist of the Dragon Valley).

Qin Zhongfu

Master Qin Zhongfu, named Shi, was from Wuxi and was extremely filial by nature. When his father, Master Xiujing, once suffered pain in the heart and chest, Zhongfu pierced his own breast, took blood, mixed it with wine, and drank it as a prayer for his father. His mother, Lady Yin, had a wound on her knee; he sucked the wound, and it healed at once. The commandery and county reported the matter, and the court issued an edict honoring his gate as “Filial Son”; after Tailing ascended the throne, he was further granted cap and belt. He once built the Xishan Qingxing Hall and the Qingyuan Pavilion, and in the rear garden erected a pavilion named “Difen” (Cleansing Trouble). The poems he wrote while strolling by the creek bridge may serve as a mirror of his conduct. One poem says: “Sweeping the pavilion and reading, my interest is not yet spent; / In green shade and clear daylight there is even more leisure. / My staff supports me as I walk the creek bridge; / I see all the ten li of mountains south of the lake.”

Dong Luoshi

Master Dong Luoshi, named Yun, was from Haining and was known in the rivers-and-lakes world for his poetry. At sixty he traveled to Kuaiji, met Wang Yangming, and talked with him for several nights; he then asked to become his disciple, but Yangming would not permit it. Yun returned home and wove a strand of fine silk as a gift, saying, “My sincerity has been accumulated as finely as this thread.” Thereupon he bowed and joined his school. His juniors urged him to return, asking, “Why should you torment yourself like this in old age?” He answered, “I am simply following what I like.” Hence he called himself Congwu Daoren (Daoist Who Follows What He Likes).

Wu Kangzhai

Master Wu Kangzhai, named Yubi, was from Chongren. He traveled to the capital and studied under Yang Pu. When he saw the Yiluo origins, he formed the ambition to befriend the ancients; he held that sages and worthies must be taken as teachers, restrained body and mind, and promoted the study of principle. In the second year of Tianshun, he was summoned to the capital by edict and, on arriving at the Wenhua Hall, was appointed Left Yude of the Left Chunfang, but he did not accept. The emperor wished to force him into office; he declined three times, then pleaded illness and returned home. He shut his door and lectured on learning, and his followers numbered several hundred. He was called Kangzhai Jushi (Layman of Kangzhai).

Lou Kezhen

Master Lou Kezhen, named Liang, was from Shangrao. In youth he associated with Wu Kangzhai. His learning took “recovering the strayed mind” as the gate of dwelling in reverence, and “what worry, what thought; do not forget, do not help” as the essential point of dwelling in reverence. Wang Yangming once studied under him. He was called Master Yizhai.

Chen Baisha

Master Chen Baisha, named Xianzhang, was from Xinhui in Guangdong. After passing the provincial examination he retired and did not emerge, and heard...

Note: The original ends at “heard” at the close of the Chen Baisha entry; the continuation should appear elsewhere in the complete work. Proper nouns such as “Yiluo” (Yichuan and the Luo school, referring to Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism), “dwelling in reverence” (Zhu Xi’s holding to reverence), and “Left Yude” (a crown-prince official) have been retained according to convention with brief parenthetical notes.

This passage comes from the miscellaneous biographical records in the Complete Works of Mr. Zhang Sanfeng. It concerns the lives and scholarly orientations of several Ming dynasty literati. The vernacular rendering is as follows.

The Wu Yubi Lineage (continued from the preceding text)

Wu Kangzhai (Wu Yubi) of Jiangxi lectured in Linchuan. Someone then set aside his former studies and came to study under him. Wu taught people not to rely on books and empty talk, to put guarding stillness first, and to realize the Heavenly Principle at all times and in all places. The essential point was “do not forget and do not help”—that is, neither lose the practice nor force it to grow by pulling up the seedlings. He also said: the scholar takes naturalness as the root, self-forgetfulness as the greatest, and desirelessness as the highest.

The provincial administration commissioner Peng Shao and the governor-general Zhu Ying heard of his reputation and jointly memorialized to recommend him, asking the court to summon him with due ceremony. A certain Minister of Personnel held that people like Xianzhang were, according to regulations, supposed to take the metropolitan examination and pursue an official career, not to be treated as recluses—so why specially summon him? When Xianzhang reached the capital, he was again ordered to be examined at the Ministry of Personnel. He pleaded illness and did not go, requesting instead to return home to care for his mother. Thereupon he was appointed to the post of Jiantao. After this he was summoned repeatedly, but he would not leave seclusion.

Xue Jingxuan

The accomplished scholar Master Xue Jingxuan was named Xuan, with the courtesy name Dewen, and was from Hejin in Shanxi. He passed the jinshi examination and rose to Vice Minister of Rites. During the Tianshun reign he was in the Grand Secretariat for several months. Seeing Shi Heng and others monopolizing power, he sighed and said, “The gentleman acts when he perceives the incipient signs; he does not wait for the day to end.” He then retired from office and lived in seclusion in the Longmen Mountains. His learning centered on recovering the original nature. His self-cultivation was profound, and his words and actions could all serve as standards. He wrote Records of Reading in twenty juan, and scholars largely revered his teachings.

Zhang Haiguan

The recluse scholar Master Zhang Haiguan was named Xi and was from Qiantang. In the Renwu year of Tianshun (1458) he passed the provincial examination but failed the metropolitan examination. He was appointed instructor of Shanyin and soon resigned to retire into the mountains and forests. At home he had several stalks of bamboo and built a pavilion among them, naming it “Curing Vulgarity,” and he wrote his own record praising it. The gist was this: Since my resolve to resign from office and live in leisure could not be “cured,” I hung up my official cap outside the Shenwu Gate, and it has been nearly twenty years. Then at home I made a garden and planted several hundred bamboo stalks, all upright and jointed; among them I built a small pavilion with six pillars and a thatched roof, adopting a meaning of plainness. Sitting in this pavilion, the clear sound like jade can cure the ears of clamor; the faint, delicate fragrance can cure the nose of the stench of copper; the leaves like emerald can cure the eyes of dusty atmosphere; and bamboo shoots served with tea and food can cure the mouth of greed and gluttony. The bamboo’s hollow heart and sturdy joints can also cure people of self-satisfaction and loss of integrity. Therefore, taking the poetic meaning of Pi Lao (Pi Rixiu), I named it the Curing Vulgarity Pavilion. He sighed: In this world there are those with high beams and painted rafters whose masters are nonetheless vulgar and base—why not come and sit a while in this pavilion?

Jin Yuanyu

The recluse scholar Master Jin Yuanyu was named Cong and was from Shangyuan (present-day Nanjing area). He once traveled to Chicheng Mountain in Zhejiang, lingering and lingering, unable to bear leaving.

Note: The “Xianzhang” in the text should refer to the scholar who once studied under Wu Yubi and was later summoned by the court. In common accounts this occurs in the context of Hu Juren’s disciples or related fellow students; the Complete Works here uses “Xianzhang” as a person’s name. “Jiantao” was a subordinate official in the Ming Hanlin Academy, responsible for collating texts; it is not “reviewing errors” in the modern sense.

Thus he styled himself "the Farmer of Chishan." In everyday life he often gave long, loud whistles and looked on the world with a lofty detachment, so that no one could see into his heart. In his dealings with others, however, he was plain, unpretentious, and sincere. He was known together with Shi Chiweng as the "Two Recluses of Jinling" (Jinling is the area around present-day Nanjing, and "recluses" refers to two men of high standing who lived in seclusion and refused office). Shi Chiweng, whose personal name was Zhong, was openhearted and would not curry favor with the powerful. He called himself "Old Fool" (Chiweng) and named the tower where he lived "Lying in Folly."

Tang Bohu, also known as Tang Yin, was a "man of understanding," one who saw through worldly affairs and stood free of their burdens. He was a native of the Wu region and passed the provincial examination in the Southern Metropolitan Region, placing first. Later, implicated in a case, he was barred from public office, and so he gave himself over to a free and unrestrained way of life. The Prince of Ning, Zhu Chenhao, a member of the Ming imperial house, admired him and invited him to serve. Seeing that Zhu Chenhao harbored rebellious intentions, Tang feigned madness to extricate himself. His talent overflowed: at times he expressed himself through poetry, at other times through painting, and his literary elegance shone across the lands east of the Yangtze. He once carved an inscription on a rock that read "The Foremost Romantic Scholar of Jiangnan." In his later years he took refuge in Buddhism and called himself "Layman of the Six Illusions."

Luo Dafu, whose true name was Luo Hongxian, was also a man of understanding, a native of Jishui. He entered officialdom through the highest examination and was first appointed Assistant Tutor (Zanshan), an official who advised the heir apparent, the Eastern Palace being the residence of the crown prince. He submitted a memorial requesting a role in drafting the ceremonial rites of the Eastern Palace, which offended the emperor. He was dismissed and returned home, where he shut his gates and refused to see visitors. In the mountains he carved out a stone cave, placed a half-bed within it, and sat silently for three years, during which time he was said to foresee certain events. He once remarked: "One must not take empty insight for real attainment. Each day one must gather in body and mind and not allow the habits of later acquired conditioning to slip in unnoticed. Only then is a life not wasted."

Zhao Huaixian was a "recluse," a man of hidden life, and a commoner of Wucheng (modern Huzhou) without any official rank. During the Zhengde era the court summoned him, but he did not respond. Visitors who entered his dwelling felt as though they had walked into a deep mountain ravine. He often went out and about on the rivers and lakes in a small boat, content in himself. Two Ministers, Nanyuan and Ruoxi, held a gathering at Xian Mountain and went to his home to invite him to join their society, but he declined. Throughout his life he nourished his nature, remaining quiet and at peace. He lived to ninety, wrote his own funeral oration and elegiac verses, and passed away without illness.

Shen Zideng was a recluse from Hangzhou and the son of Shen Rui, Vice Minister of Justice in the Ming dynasty. Though born into wealth and privilege, he aspired to purity and simplicity. He dressed in coarse cloth and lived in the mountains, where he would give a long, open-throated whistle. He called himself "Mountain Man of the Green Gate." He used his example to encourage the young men of noble families who clung to worldly splendor.

Mr. Chen Qiwei was a native of Jiangyin. He built a farmhouse on the western outskirts of the city and owned several dozen mu of farmland, which he tilled himself to make his living. Whenever guests came to visit, he always prepared wine to entertain them. When the wine had warmed him, he would compose poems. One line reads, "When I catch a fish, I'll buy wine for it," which reveals his easy contentment with whatever came his way and his joy in finding delight within his own circumstances.

A Vernacular Interpretation of The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng

Opening Maxims

If there is wine, keep the guest—this is joy. Why suffer again over poverty? Without fish and without wine, the host is suitable, but the guest is not.

It is also fine to lie in lofty seclusion like this; why worry about missing the morning? These may indeed be called the words of a man of understanding. At that time, the recluses in the various mountains of the Five Peaks and Ten Peaks mostly wore plain cloth but imitated the habits of scholar-officials, which was most contemptible. If there could be such a person in the fields, he would come close to true simplicity.

Gu Yingyu

Mr. Gu Yingyu, whose given name was Li, was from Shangyuan (present-day Nanjing area). He rose to the post of vice commissioner and then resigned to live in retirement at Baixia (Nanjing). When someone asked him whether retiring was too early and how he cultivated integrity in retirement, he said: “If there is surplus wealth in the official purse, that is precisely not the way to cultivate integrity.” He sat and slept in a small tower with the plaque “Cold Pine.” He regularly supported himself by teaching young children. Huo Weiya, the Minister of Rites (Huo Tao), wanted to support him with a hundred mu of land from an abandoned temple, but he refused to accept it. Such was his contentment in poverty.

Zhu Junzuo

Mr. Zhu Junzuo, whose given name was Jian, was from Yueqing in Wenzhou. He rose to the post of vice commissioner and then retired from government to return to his hometown, where he built a hut in Yandang Mountain and had a transcendent, otherworldly air. When someone urged him to re-enter public life, he said: “How could I exchange my ‘Five Treasures’ for five dou of rice?” The Five Treasures were Longqiu tea, Qiyin bamboo, Goldstar grass, mountain yam, and Guanxiang fish—all produced in Yandang.

Mr. Xu

Mr. Xu Chang was from Chong’an in Fujian. He devoted himself to the study of principle (lixue), and because he was well versed in the classics he served as an instructor in Putian. When his parent died, he returned to his native place; after the mourning period was over, he did not resume official service. When someone urged him to serve again, Chang wept and said: “I originally took the meager salary to support my parent; now my parent can no longer be supported—why should I serve again?” He then built a house in the Wuyi Mountains and hid himself deeply, never coming out.

Lai Yixian (Lai Zhide)

Mr. Lai Zhide, courtesy name Yixian, was from Liangshan in Shu (present-day Liangping area, Chongqing). As a child he had exceptional conduct. In the Jiajing era he passed the provincial examination, but returned home to care for his parents and did not go out to serve. His learning took “extending knowledge” as its foundation and “dutifully fulfilling human relations” as its essential concern. The authorities submitted a memorial recommending him, and he was appointed as an expectant official in the Hanlin Academy, but he did not go. His writings during his lifetime were extensive, but only his commentary on the Yi (Book of Changes) exhausted his effort. He first read the Yi for six years at the Fushan Thatched Hall but could not glimpse its gate; then he traveled far as a guest to the deep mountains of Qutang in Wan County, where he immersed himself and repeated his study, forgetting food and sleep. After a long time he suddenly had an awakening; he accumulated twenty-nine years before the book was completed. Thereafter he observed heaven and earth, examined the workings of creation, and had no friction with things, simply at ease and self-content.

Note: “Dashi” refers to a scholar who is broad-minded, does not cling to fame and office, and keeps to his resolve; “Five Peaks” and “Ten Peaks” were terms used in the mountain-forest reclusion circles of the time; “plain cloth imitating the gentry” means that commoners imitated the mannerisms of scholar-officials. The original text is a collection of short biographies; its connection with Zhang Sanfeng’s specialized discourses is relatively weak, and it may be an appendix of the “Dashi” category in the complete works.

Biographical Notes on Figures Associated with The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng: A Plain-Language Reading

Luo Qinshun (Luo Zheng’an)

Luo Qinshun, styled Yunsheng and known by the sobriquet Zheng’an, was a native of Taihe, Jiangxi, and was called a “retired scholar.” The court summoned him to the capital several times, but he refused to leave his retirement. During the Jiajing reign he was again summoned to serve as Minister of Personnel, and again he firmly declined. At that time Zhang Cong and Xia Yan were in power; Luo lived in seclusion in the mountains, shut his door, and devoted himself to learning such as “investigating things and setting the will.” He once said that in conducting oneself and handling affairs, one must first break through the barrier between “righteousness” and “profit”; otherwise one will never be at peace in life. His works include Kunzhi ji (Record of Knowledge Gained through Hardship).

Xie Zipei (Xie Tingdi)

Xie Tingdi was a native of Fushun. He passed the jinshi examination during the Jiajing reign and served as assistant commissioner in Zhejiang, but soon resigned and returned home to care for his parents, never again taking office. In the early Wanli reign, Grand Coordinator Zeng Shengwu memorialized: “Xie Tingdi has lived in retirement for thirty years, written books, and delighted in the Dao; he should be granted capital-official rank to encourage scholars of the forests and mountains.” The court accordingly conferred on him at home the post of Vice Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud; contemporaries called him “the Vice Minister of the Imperial Stud in the Mountains.”

Lu Zichuan (Lu Shidao)

Lu Shidao was a native of Changzhou and a jinshi of the Jiajing reign. He had just taken office in the Ministry of Rites when he requested leave to return home and care for his parents; at that time he was not yet thirty. Thereafter he shut his door and declined visitors for more than thirty years, hand-copying thousands of volumes of classics. He was elegant and cultivated, admired by his contemporaries; he was especially aloof from the world and fond of the Dao, something ordinary people find hard to achieve.

Li Yinnan (Li Yingji)

Li Yingji, styled Ziqi, was a native of Macheng in Huanggang and was called an “untrammeled scholar.” During the Wanli reign, government orders were harsh, so he grew vegetables in a garden at home and no longer went out. At that time taxes in Liangguang were increased again and again, and many people north and south had sallow, hungry faces. Yinnan wrote “Song of the Old Gardener”: “Alas, vegetable garden—you and I can still live; alas, insects—do not gnaw my vegetable roots. Minced meat, minced meat is for the upper people, not for mountain folk to enjoy.” All who heard it sighed.

Once, while hoeing the ground, he dug up a dragon-god image and worshipped it morning and evening. Suddenly he dreamed of a man in golden armor with a green face; after speaking with him briefly, from then on his decisions about future matters often proved true like an echo. One day he told his younger brother and son: “Now the three great bandits of Shu have been pacified. The worthy avoid the age; the next best avoid the place.” Thereupon he alone carried his pack and went to live in seclusion in Sichuan.

Yu Changru (Yu Chunxi)

Yu Chunxi was a native of Qiantang and a jinshi of the Wanli reign. He served as Secretary in the Ministry of Personnel and later resigned and returned home. He found the fine scenery around Geling and Qixia; often braving mist and treading the heights, he was happily content all day. In Huang Yuyong’s account of his life, he said: “Taking Confucianism as his foundation, he also cultivated the Daoist way.”

Note: In the original, marks such as “⬤” may indicate characters lost in copying (for example, the character ting); the notation “[shi/ji]” is usually understood as li (wooden clogs for mountain climbing); personal and place names have been lightly standardized according to common textual forms for readability.

Vernacular Interpretation

(Summary of the preceding passage) Taking profound principles as one’s practice, Chan methods as one’s final refuge, mountains and waters as one’s support, and poetry and prose as one’s diversion—this is enough to sum up a whole life.

An Wosu

Mr. An Wosu, whose given name was Xifan, was a native of Wuxi. He once served as a principal secretary in the Ministry of Personnel, but because he spoke bluntly and dared to speak his mind, he was dismissed and returned home, where he shut his door and did not go out. When he did go out, he rode in a small boat, emulating famous scholars such as Tao Yuanming, Zhang Han, Su Shi, and Mi Fu; leaning by the window, he kept company with mist and water, drifting as he pleased, delighted and forgetting to return.

Yao Gongshou

Mr. Yao Gongshou, whose given name was Shou, was a native of Jiashan. He was appointed prefect of Yongning from the position of censor, and after resigning his office he had a boat built named “Rainbow Moon over the Cang River,” with which he traveled between Wu and Yue, looking from afar like one among the immortals. At home he established pavilions and lodges named “Danqiu” (Cinnabar Hill), and people called him Mr. Danqiu.

Zhou Shuda

Mr. Zhou Shuda, whose given name was Yi, was from Jinchi in Yunnan. In childhood he was exceptionally intelligent, and as he grew up he became even more steady. In scholarship he took “knowing when to stop” as his guiding end; he farmed to support his mother and did not court power or influence. He once met a Daoist priest who practiced alchemy and wished to transmit his methods. Yi said: “What use is much gold? Neidan (internal alchemy) is not as good as having few desires; Waidan (external alchemy) is not as good as being frugal. You may as well stop. I am a Daoist of the Confucian tradition; I have long been drawing on the essential and using it broadly.”

Lu Siduan

Mr. Lu Siduan, whose given name was Cheng, was a native of Pinghu. He became a jinshi in the yichou year of the Tianqi reign and served successively as a vice director. Because he would not attach himself to the Donglin faction, he was pushed aside during the evaluation and left idle. In a memorial he said roughly: “I would rather have few backers and stand alone, be an obstinate petty man, and never be a ‘gentleman’ who clings to grass and trees and is plausible but false.” For this he incurred the Donglin’s resentment; they pushed him out vigorously, and once his office was removed he returned with a long whistle. He was probably one of the ancient type of the ardent and the scrupulous. Whenever he saw a household by a stream with a small bridge and flowing water, he would often linger for a long time, unable to leave.

Wen Yinlin

Mr. Wen Yinlin, whose given name was Long, was from Yin County. He was lofty in mind and made his dwelling in a thatched hut. Whenever the wind passed beyond the bamboo and clouds chilled the roots of the pines, he found therein a free and rustic delight. Someone said his poems were like a household by a stream, with a curved table and sparse windows, forever playing with the hues of water and clouds; I believe his temperament was like that as well.

Chen Zhongchun

Mr. Chen Zhongchun, whose given name was Jiru and whose sobriquet was Meigong, was a native of Huating. When he was just in his prime he cast aside fame and office and became accustomed to reclusion…

Excerpt from The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng (Biographical Section): A Plain-Language Reading

South of Xiao Kunshan he built a thatched hut, bought books and loaded them onto a boat, and called himself the “Nameless Angler.” Whenever he wore a straw cloak under the cold moonlight, or blew his iron flute in the clear, frosty air, he felt that men like Zhang Zhihe and Lu Tiansui were in fact not far from those who did not understand this kind of life.

Yin Fangshu

The recluse Mr. Yin Fangshu was a native of Xiushui. He farmed in person at Yongle South Village and was content and self-amused. This is the man of whom Chen Zhongchun said, “Yet I envy the white-haired recluse Yin, ploughing alone amid the partridges’ calls.” With walls of reeds and a roof of thatch that could not keep out wind and rain, he admired Wang Ji’s character and also called himself Donggaozi. In slack seasons from farming he practiced medicine; when he earned money, he would go to the market and buy damaged old books to read.

Zhu Baimin

The recluse Mr. Zhu Baimin was a native of Wu. Of uncommon bearing, he once traveled alone to Huangshan and sought out Songshan and Huashan from afar. In the early Chongzhen reign he rode a donkey into the capital, hoping to present a panegyric, but did not succeed; returning, he built a hut below Lianzi Peak of Huashan west of the prefectural city, drew water and cooked for himself, and was unwilling to see the powerful. He was often ranked with Wang Jie’an and Zhao Fanfu as the “Three High-minded Men of Wu,” and Baimin was first among them.

Li Yinzhong

The man of broad understanding Mr. Li Yinzhong, named Tianzhi, was from Pinghu. He was a juren in the guiyou examination of the Chongzhen reign; in old age he changed his name to Que and his courtesy name to Qianfu, and lived in seclusion beside Wansong Terrace on Longqiu Mountain. In a single thatched hut, people praised his lofty conduct and far-reaching withdrawal; his poetry had the resonance of clear rivers and emerald peaks.

Xie Huixian

The man of broad understanding Mr. Xie Huixian, named Lin, was from Yixing. A juren in the guiyou examination of the Chongzhen reign, he concealed his traces behind a humble gate, tended a plot of vegetables, and did not enter the prefectural offices. Chen Qinian’s poem “Sending My Thoughts” says: “A half-mu ox-shed is ringed by vegetable fields; hoeing the beds and drawing water, alone and carefree. A pair of straw sandals is worth a thousand in gold; he has not trodden the city for another ten years.”

Lu Maoqu

The layman Mr. Lu Maoqu, also written Lian or Lian, was a native of Wuxian and twice passed the military examination. After the jiashen year he shaved his head and became a monk, living below Lianzi Peak. Where the vines were deep and secluded, he made his bed among the cliffs; ten thousand peaks faced his door, and a stream wound around it. He called himself Daoist Liaoyuan and left the Fengjiang yigao (Remaining Drafts of Fengjiang).

Li Zuoyan

The man of broad understanding Mr. Li Zuoyan, named Yuankuan, was from Nanchang. He passed the jinshi examination in the Chongzhen reign and served successively as Zhejiang Vice Commissioner of Education. Because he offended Wen Tiren, he was dismissed and returned home. On Guluzhou he built a thatched hut, lectured to students, and kept to himself with equanimity.

Note: The original consists of short biographies of recluses and high-minded scholars of the late Ming and early Qing. It follows the passage on Zhang Sanfeng about “building a hut, loading books, and living as a fishing recluse,” and aims to group together people of similar character. Proper names, official titles, and reign-year designations such as Chongzhen guiyou and jiashen are retained as in the original; “ox-shed” may refer to a crude farm dwelling, and interpretations differ slightly among scholars, so no further elaboration is offered here.

(Continued from the preceding text.) In the early years of the Shunzhi reign, someone recommended him for office; pleading that his mother was advanced in age, he firmly declined and never again left his mountain retreat for the rest of his life.

Fang Mizhi

Mr. Fang Mizhi was a man of broad understanding. His original name was Fang Yizhi, and he was a native of Tongcheng. During the Chongzhen era he passed the jinshi examination and rose to the post of Reviewer in the Hanlin Academy, enjoying great fame throughout the realm. After the fall of the Ming, he shaved his head and became a monk, changing his name to Hongzhi, with the courtesy name Wuke and the sobriquet Monk Yaodi. He traveled throughout famous mountains and never returned to lay life. He was the author of Illustrations of the Zhou Changes, Records of Boiling Snow, and the Complete Works of Fushan.

Liu Nianting

Mr. Liu Nianting, whose personal name was Boyuan, was a native of Cixi. Having passed the jinshi examination, he rose to the post of assistant surveillance commissioner and later resigned due to illness to live in retirement. He lived to be more than one hundred years old. He entered official service in the fifth year of Longqing (1571) and returned home in the sixteenth year of Wanli (1588); by the eleventh year of Chongzhen (1638), he was already eighty. At a time when the state was in grave danger, he still wrote “Self-Mocking Poem of a Recluse Who Has Survived to Eighty,” which shows his aspirations. The poem says: “They say I returned to my fields too early— / If I had not returned early, what good would it have done? / How many men wish to return and cannot; / The yellow dog at the Eastern Gate only adds to their vexation.” All who heard it admired him greatly. Later he changed his name, adopted the sobriquet Master of Emptiness, withdrew into the deep mountains, and his end is unknown.

Zhang Haodong

Mr. Zhang Haodong, whose personal name was Ruoxi, was a native of Huating. In the guiwei year of Chongzhen (1643), he passed the jinshi examination. After the jiashen year (1644), he lived in hiding in the countryside and tended his garden himself. When old friends came to visit, they found him wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a hoe, greeting them with clasped hands among the purple melons and white amaranth; he lived in a few broken huts, maintaining a quiet and unassuming self-sufficiency. At times he called himself “Master of the Cold Pine.”

Wei Shuzi

Mr. Wei Shuzi (Wei Xi) was a recluse scholar from Ningdu in Jiangxi and a Confucian student at the end of the Ming. With his younger brother Wei Li, he built a hut on Cuiwei Peak in Jinhua, and the brothers lived there in seclusion and did not emerge. When high officials heard of his name, many wished to meet him, but he never went. Wei Li, whose courtesy name was Jizi, traveled throughout the famous mountains of the realm and lived with Shuzi at Cuiwei; they were often accompanied by a pair of cranes, and people regarded this as a charming story.

Liu Qin’er

Mr. Liu Qin’er, whose personal name was Yongxi, was a native of Weixian in Daming Prefecture. During the Chongzhen era he was recommended as a xiaolian and appointed instructor of Changzhou. After the fall of the Ming, he hid himself by Yangcheng Lake. The provincial governor wished to recommend him, but he firmly declined on grounds of illness. His family was poor, and sometimes he lacked food and clothing, yet he remained composed. He often rowed his own boat, beating the oars until he reached the middle of the lake, where he would sing; when the song ended, he returned. Gazing at the setting sun among the mountains, he would pace alone beneath the misty trees.

Xia Yuanzhen

Mr. Xia Yuanzhen, whose personal name was Daoda, was a native of Daming. During the Chongzhen era he was recommended as a xiaolian, and soon afterward he gave up all thought of official advancement. After the fall of the Ming…

(The text below is not continued; the translation ends with the original passage supplied.)

Lin Mingjun

The eminent scholar Mr. Lin Wei’hao, whose given name was Mingjun, was a native of Pingdu. He was generous and high-minded, and from youth he could compose poetry and prose in the ancient style. In the jiashen year of the Chongzhen reign (1644), when Shu fell, Grand Secretary Wang Yingxiong received orders to lead the campaign against the rebels; on recommendation Lin Mingjun ranked first and was appointed a secretary in the Ministry of War’s Bureau of Appointments. After the Ming dynasty collapsed, he never took office again. In the Shunzhi era the court intended to appoint him a vice commissioner, but he pleaded illness and declined. Later he was nominated for the special “Erudite and Literary” examination, and again he did not go. He built a hut in the deep shade of paulownia trees and lived in free-spirited seclusion for more than thirty years. Once at Pingdu he invited spirit writing through the planchette; I chanced to descend upon his brush and bestowed upon him the four characters “iron liver, stone gall.” His Collected Works of the Tanyuan Hall, Poems from the Ba Character Garden, and Recent Collection from the Wutong Dwelling circulate in the world.

Qing

Huang Taichong

The recluse Mr. Huang Taichong, whose given name was Zongxi, was a native of Yuyao. He had studied under the Ming scholar Liu Niantai and delved into the learning of earlier sages, so those who came to learn from him grew day by day. In the eighteenth year of Kangxi, Censor-in-Chief Xu Yuanwen specially recommended him to the throne. Huang Taichong declined on grounds of illness, devoted himself to quiet sitting, and strove to shut out worldly distractions. His writings span ancient and modern times and survey many schools of thought; from astronomy and geography to Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist teachings and the books of the hundred schools, there was nothing he did not investigate deeply. Scholars called him Master Lizhou.

Qiu Zhiji

The eminent scholar Mr. Qiu Zhiji, whose given name was Zha’ao and style name Cangzhu, was a native of Yin. In youth he followed Huang Zongxi in investigating the learning of nature and life; he had been a licentiate, his reputation was outstanding, and he later rose to Vice Minister of the Right in the Ministry of Personnel, then at once pleaded illness, resigned, and returned home. Together with Tao Cuncun of Kuaiji he went deeply into the essentials of cultivating body and mind. After a long time he showed the vigorous spirit of an old pine and the clear bearing of a crane, standing out among forest and hills—clearly he had awakened and gained something real. His Brief Expositions on the Four Books, Detailed Commentary on Du Fu’s Poetry, and Huang-Lao Meditations circulate in the world.

Tao Cuncun

The hermit Mr. Tao Cuncun, whose given name was Suzhi and original name Shiwang, was a native of Kuaiji. In youth he traveled the water towns and mountains of Yue, the landscapes of Wu, and the region around Yanjing.

A certain eminent scholar grew ever more accomplished; after passing the jinshi examination in the Kangxi reign, he withdrew to seclusion in Shanyin and traveled back and forth to Huotong Dongtian (the Huotong Grotto Heaven). Later he met an accomplished adept beyond the mundane world, who transmitted to him secret methods for nurturing body and mind. He then burned his examination essays, wrote the Five Types of Daoist Discourse, annotated them in a collected commentary, and also composed miscellaneous essays on the internal alchemy tradition, thereby drawing later students to the path. Qiu Zhiji praised him as “laughing freely among forests and springs, content with Heaven and accepting fate,” and held the remark apt. He styled himself “Lay Buddhist of the Pure Heart” and also “Daoist of Penetrating the Subtle.”

Yan Qinming

Master Yan Qinming, a man of attainment, was a native of Ronglu. In the bingwu year of the Kangxi reign (1666) he passed the provincial examination; he studied the classics and histories deeply. While Wu Sangui held Shu, many scholar-officials were coerced, yet Yan Qinming held firm to his integrity and refused to serve. After Sichuan was pacified, he built a dwelling beneath Yuchan Mountain and never entered a city for the rest of his life.

Shen Yuexi

Master Shen Yuexi, a man of retirement, was a native of Wan County and a Confucian of broad learning. With lofty aspirations, he lived in seclusion in the mountains and styled himself “Wild Man of West Creek.” Li Peizhi, governor-general of Sichuan, knowing his long-standing erudition, urged him to take office; he did not agree, but built a few rooms and said he took pleasure in watching coldly and laughing it off. Those who met him all likened him to recluses such as Chao Fu and Xu You.

Cheng Wuqiao

Master Cheng Wuqiao, a man of attainment, whose given name was Mengxing, was a native of Jiangdu. In the Kangxi reign he passed the jinshi examination and served as compiler. After returning home for his parents’ mourning, he never took office again—clearly a man indifferent to fame and gain. He had the Xiaoyuan garden and the Yinan country retreat; in the garden he composed poetry, sat at leisure, and stretched body and mind. Whenever bamboo shadows swayed like rain on green leaves and cloud mist drifted over the lake, he would boil tea and share cakes with recluses and refined companions, composing verse in response to the scene. Seen from afar, he seemed as free as a lone cloud or wild crane, transcending the dust of the world.

Zhang Huanhua

Master Zhang Yishan, a man of attainment, was a native of Lianglou County. After passing the jinshi examination in the Kangxi reign, he withdrew to West Creek and built Baoxian Hall; the garden held ten scenic spots, fully capturing the beauty of water, bamboo, flowers, and herbs. Yishan excelled at the qin; in deep mountains and waters or on nights of clear wind and bright moon, he would tune the strings and play, as though immortals passing in chariots would pause in midair to listen. His sons and nephews all rose to eminence; some urged him to leave the hills, saying a prestigious post was within easy reach—he only smiled and did not reply. His mind was empty and clear; after passing the jinshi he devoted himself to Chan practice and styled himself “Daoist of Illusory Flowers.”

Jin Shoumen

Master Jin Shoumen, a man of retirement, whose given name was Nong, was a native of Qiantang and never held office. By nature he was cool, lofty, and stern, and did not follow the ways of the world; in his later years he devoted himself wholeheartedly to his pursuits.

Vernacular Interpretation

There are people who can remain leisurely and at ease while others are rushing about in circles; such a disposition is precious. As the last month of the lunar year draws to a close, he often brings out wine of his own brewing and invites the old men of the neighborhood to sit with him; amid laughter and conversation they freely discuss recluses and true masters, ancient and modern.

In middle age this man once made a “boundless roaming,” traveling throughout Qi and Lu, Yan and Zhao, Qin and Jin, Chu and Min, and other regions before returning. At one time he aspired to be like the Lata Daoist, covering a thousand li a day, and also aspired to be like Yuxisheng, striking the bell and sweeping the ground on Qingshan, serving as a wandering ascetic. During the Qianlong reign, he lodged in Yangzhou, hiding himself among painting and calligraphy.

Li Keshan

Mr. Li Keshan, a recluse scholar, was named Guo and was originally a commoner from the Changzhou area. Through reading he comprehended the Dao and moral principle, and lived in seclusion at Nangang, enduring hunger while reciting scriptures (Jing). His two brushwood gates stayed tightly shut; sometimes he could not even keep himself supplied with firewood, yet he remained cheerful and self-content. He often said: “The pleasures of wealth and honor are not equal to those of the immortals; the court and marketplace may be livable, but they are not equal to mountains, forests, springs, and rocks.” During the Qianlong reign, Governor Lord Ya heard of his reputation and came to visit, but he avoided him and would not meet. Truly he was a lofty scholar of the Wu region.

Zhao Oubai

Mr. Zhao Oubai, a free-spirited scholar, was named Yi, styled Oubei, with the courtesy name Yunsong, and was from Yanghu. In the twenty-sixth year of the Qianlong reign he passed the imperial examination as tanhua, third place in the palace examination, and rose to the office of Guixi Circuit. Because his mother was old, he requested to return home to support her, and thereafter never again took office. Oubai resigned early, and his travels were leisurely. He once visited the peaks of Tiantai, Yandang, and Wuyi, and had much the feeling of traveling in company with immortals. When passing Mount Fuquan in Guizhou, he lingered in the Pavilion for Ritual Worship of the Dipper, copied out the “Song of Sitting in Meditation,” and departed. In his later years, after meals he practiced the method of carefree wandering; he enjoyed a very long life and took delight in himself among woods and ponds for several decades.

Yin Guoyuan

Mr. Yin Guoyuan, a recluse scholar, was named Rumei and was from Yuanhe. He was content in poverty and joyful in the Dao, living in quiet seclusion and keeping to himself. When visitors came, they saw only a bend of water and two simple gates lying at the bridgehead among sparse willows; his baskets and gourds were often empty, yet he was at ease. He once inscribed a couplet: “Lying in the woods, one can truly forget the years; with a heart at leisure, one need not be ashamed before the immortals.” My spirit roamed into his realm, and I could simply judge him a recluse scholar.

Wu Zhuqiao

Mr. Wu Zhuqiao, a free-spirited scholar, was named Weiguang and was from Zhaowen. During the Qianlong reign he passed the jinshi examination and served as a secretary in the Ministry of Rites. He had barely entered the literary academy before being reassigned to the Bureau of Ceremonies; he thirsted for mist and clouds, mountains and forests, and again resigned from a sumptuous and well-paid office. His resolve to resign and roam the mountains, like Xiang Qin (Xiang Xiu of the Western Jin), was already urgent, and his longing for the purity of Ji and Ying—where the recluses Chao Fu and Xu You dwelt—grew even deeper. He sang freely among lakes and mountains, deeply studied literature and history, sought out rare inscriptions and rubbings, and was unrestrained with qin and wine. Most people admired his elegance; I alone valued his lofty reclusion.

Selected Vernacular Explanations from The Complete Works of Master Zhang Sanfeng

Luo Yufeng

Luo Yufeng was a recluse. Originally an ordinary commoner of She County, he later took up residence in Yangzhou. He had studied the arts under a certain Mr. Shoumen. His brush often carried extraordinary feelings, and he was especially fond of painting ghosts and monsters; whatever he encountered in his travels he painted into a long scroll, titled Guiqu Tu (Picture of Ghostly Interests). Zhang Sanfeng recounted that he had once journeyed in spirit to Luo’s studio, and the ghosts and monsters in the paintings unexpectedly rose one after another to bow—a truly strange affair. Luo was not only a painter but also a poet. He delighted in roaming among mountains and waters and was even more fond of Chan Buddhism. He once wrote the Qixin Lu (Record of Arousing Faith) to clarify the doubts commonly held by students of the Chan and Pure Land traditions.

Weng Dansheng

Weng Dansheng was also a recluse. Originally a commoner of Huating (around present-day Songjiang, Shanghai), he had a clear and expansive temperament, and his poetic brush was free and detached. A friend, in a preface to his poetry collection, said: he relished tranquility and was content with solitude; he supported his mother with coarse tea and plain food; he farmed, read, and taught his children; he did not marry by forty, nor did he attend the government examinations. His poems are like an ancient zither—clear and resonant, with a lingering cadence. Someone remarked that eight lines were enough to capture fully Dansheng’s character and style. While traveling in Yangzhou, Weng inscribed lines on a wall, including: “Two parts of moonlit shadow—a dream of mountain passes; one current of billowing sound—the sorrow of past and present.” At the time Zhang Sanfeng was wandering idly in the form of an old Daoist priest. He felt that the words “sorrow” and “dream” did not sound like a recluse’s voice, so he changed them to “share” and “flow,” to convey that all people share this single moon and that the dark river flows on without cease. When Weng later passed by this place again and saw the revisions, he was startled and bowed low, saying: “Whoever can revise my poem must have an immortal’s brush; no ordinary hand could do it.”

Xu Huixi

Xu Huixi (Dachun) was a commoner of Wujiang. By nature he loved lakes and mountains and did not covet glory or profit; in daily life he took purity and quietude as his guiding principle. He established a thatched cottage on the shore of Lake Tai, and before his gate the green of the seventy-two peaks entered his seat. He once wrote the Yinfu Jing Jie and the Daode Jing Jujie; their literary thought is brilliant and readable. He also built for himself the Cangtuo Retreat and inscribed a couplet: “A whole mountain of numinous herbs—medicine for immortals; a single path of pine wind—the grave of a recluse.” Zhang Sanfeng saw it in a spirit journey and also recorded the matter.

Note (for reading the original text): All three sections are short pieces from the complete works that record “contemporary recluses.” They are connected with narratives of Zhang Sanfeng’s “spirit journeys,” “poem revisions,” and the like; their emphasis is on literati reclusion, poetry and painting, Chan and Dao, rather than cultivation rituals.