《青城山記》

My home lies north of Guanjiang (present-day Dujiangyan City in Sichuan), merely thirty or forty li from Mount Qingcheng. Since childhood, I'd often heard marvelous tales about this sacred Daoist mountain and its grotto-heavens (the Daoist term for divine landscapes where immortals dwell). In my youth I made one hasty visit, but later, preoccupied with earning a livelihood across the country, I never found opportunity to return.

In the summer of 1887 (the 13th year of the Guangxu reign), I was observing mourning rites at home with my doors closed to visitors. My kinsman Jiang Xifan and student Jin Weifan invited me to accompany them on an excursion to Mount Qingcheng. On the fifth day, we ascended by sedan chair, only to be met by a sudden downpour upon reaching the temple at dusk. Confined indoors, we were sorely disappointed. But at dawn the next day, as the temple bell's last echoes faded, sunlight dyed our windows crimson and violet. Immediately we summoned servants to assist our climb.

Passing through successive mountain ridges, we reached Shangqing Palace (the principal Daoist temple on the peak). Before us, a thousand peaks vied in splendor while tributaries of the Min River coiled like ribbons at the mountain's base. My companions and the resident Daoists followed behind, pointing out each scenic wonder—every landmark clearly visible. This exhilarating clarity of spirit made me feel transported to Penglai, the fabled isle of immortals. I could scarcely believe such marvels existed in the mortal realm.

At dusk we returned to our lodgings for wine. "Did you enjoy today's journey?" my friends asked. "Indeed," I replied, "though it's regrettable we lack ancient travelogues for comparison." They responded: "Lost texts are our predecessors' failing, but scholars err by neglecting fragmentary records. Mountains like Luofu, Lushan, Kongtong, and Wutai all have local chronicles—mostly by natives. How can we let Mount Qingcheng, this gathering place of transcendents, remain undocumented?"

Their reasoning struck me as sound: the wise honor broad knowledge. To record but one-tenth while omitting the rest would shame the mountain's numinous presence. Upon returning home, I consulted classical texts and compiled these recollections into Records of Mount Qingcheng, preserving at least an outline. As for proclaiming the grotto-heavens' wonders? That I dare not presume!

Written on the 17th day of the 5th lunar month, 1887, by Peng Xun, the Fisherman of Tao River, in the Hall of Sown Books.

Mount Qingcheng is situated south of Guan County (present-day Dujiangyan City) in Sichuan Province, adjacent to a great river with waterways encircling its western slopes. Backed by city walls, its mountain range stretches over a hundred li. The Yuanhe Junxian Gazetteer records its location as thirty li northwest of Qingcheng County, while the Universal Geography places it thirty-two li northwest.

The mountain's fame traces back to the era of the Three Sovereigns when the immortal Ning Fengzi practiced self-cultivation here in seclusion. Later, the Yellow Emperor visited to inquire about the Dao (the Way). By the Eastern Han dynasty, Celestial Master Zhang Daoling (founder of Daoism) subdued demons, transmitted alchemical scriptures (Neidan), and ultimately ascended to heaven in broad daylight, further elevating Mount Qingcheng's renown. Though countless cultivators have practiced here throughout history, its status as a sacred gathering place for immortals was already enshrined in classical texts.

Daoist records describe Mount Qingcheng as a "conclave of divine immortals." The Register of Blessed Lands mentions its "Drowning Pool" capable of granting feathered ascent to immortality and its sweet dew spiritual herbs. The Jade Casket Scripture identifies it as the "Fifth Great Grotto-Heaven of Precious Immortals' Nine Chambers" among Daoism's Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens, where the Yellow Emperor once carved stone tablets in worship, honoring it as "Elder of the Five Sacred Mountains." Zhang Daoling established the "Qingcheng Administrative Center" (one of Daoism's Twenty-Four Parishes) here, while the Charts of the True Forms of the Five Peaks also documents its status as a grotto-heaven blessed land.

The Tang dynasty Classified Anthology of Arts and Letters records the Yellow Emperor's designation of Mount Qingcheng as Elder of the Five Peaks, with its undulating ridges forming a numinous realm inhabited by perfected beings. The Register of Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands explicitly identifies it as the Fifth Grotto-Heaven spanning two thousand li. The Tang Six Codes ranks it foremost among Jiannan Circuit's celebrated mountains. The ancient Pillowbook Records states that Master Guiguzi once served as "Grand Primordial Preceptor" governing Mount Qingcheng.

The mountain bears multiple alternate names across texts: the Survey of Scenic Splendors calls it Red Wall or Qingcheng Capital, a name also mentioned by Lu You (literary name Fangweng). Five Dynasties Daoist Du Guangting describes the thousand-li Min Mountain range with Qingcheng as its foremost peak. The mountain contains seventy-two minor grottoes corresponding to the seventy-two climatic periods (seasonal nodes) and eight major grottoes aligned with the eight solar terms (including Spring Commencement). These eight grottoes include: Supreme Unity, Nine Immortals' Treasure Chamber, Sala Trees, Jade Treasure High Terrace, Magu's Grotto, Treasure Garden, Holy Mother, and Commander-in-Chief. Qing dynasty poet Wang Shizhen (literary name Yuyang Shanren) further documented Mount Qingcheng's occasional "mountain market" mirages—visions of floating cities appearing in clear skies.

Since ancient times, Mount Qingcheng has been a sacred Daoist site. Here are records of literati's travels and poetic works about the mountain.

The Tang dynasty poet Qian Qi wrote in "Song of Seeing Off Vice-Director Yang Du to the Shu Army at Mount Qingcheng": In Shu's southwestern lands where mountain ranges stretch unbroken, Daoist scriptures most revere Qingcheng's peaks. The towering mountain pierces clouds, its distant vista surpassing Emei's Sword Gate. Mist-wrapped slopes easily form rainbow mists, while luminous cave blossoms make one forget time. Two gifted scholars follow the army's march, bearing precious military texts and Wang Can's poetry. At sunset, ape cries echo through Jade Fort Pass; in clear weather, emerald hues reflect on battle standards. On spring moonlit nights before the barracks gate, I know you'll drink to homesickness in distant lands.

Zhao Bian of the Song dynasty wrote in "Poem on Visiting Mount Qingcheng": Carrying zither and wine up Qingcheng's slopes, clouds parted for me while the bright moon lit my way. Stargazing inspired verses summoning the Registrar, yet I missed meeting Master Lu Tong. Ancient murals showed immortals in vivid grace, stone inscriptions bore writings startling mortal minds. Though missing my homeland's streams and hills, I've wasted ten years of reclusive time.

Fan Chengda composed in "Revisiting Mount Qingcheng": Ten thousand miles of pure wandering never tires me - two banners exchanged for this bamboo staff. Following Jingluo's path straight westward, I climbed the first peak above River's Source. Under heaven none roam freer than I; within these hills the Qi grows most dense. Testing my verse carved on cliffside stones, leaving it for moss to claim in coming years.

Wang Shizhen of the Qing dynasty depicted in "Gazing at Mount Qingcheng": Clouds link western regions, this famed peak gazes up to Han standards. Millennial traces of the Yellow Emperor, where mountain deities pay nightly homage. Jade palaces tower above crimson valleys, divine lamps descend through azure skies. When the Elder (referring to Qingcheng's mountain deity) beckons, the path to heaven seems near at hand.

Gu Guangxu wrote in "Poem on Traveling Mount Qingcheng": Du Fu left five-character verses after visiting - how could five words capture Qingcheng's wonders? My brief stay found white clouds tarrying too. Before composing new lines, I feared disturbing cloud-thoughts. My chance chant rose through ninefold heavens, yet failed to awaken Qingcheng's sacred earth.

Cai Shitian composed en route to Qingcheng in "Scenes Along the Bamboo Raft Village Road from Lidui Crossing": Crossing the river toward Qingcheng, the waters.... These poems vividly convey generations of literati's yearning and insights about Mount Qingcheng's immortal peaks and numinous realms.

This passage depicts the experiences and impressions of several poets visiting Mount Qingcheng, a sacred Daoist site situated at the southern foot of Sichuan's Min Mountains, revered as the Fifth Grotto-Heaven in Daoist tradition.

The opening lines paint the mountain scenery: walking along emerald-green stream banks into dense forests, where sunlight filters through the canopy. Within clearings surrounded by ancient trees, gentle breezes carry intermittent cicada songs, transporting visitors beyond worldly cares.

The poets capture Mount Qingcheng through different lenses: some describe the secluded Daoist temples (referred to as "jade palaces") with their echoing bells; others recount listening to scripture recitations (jing) by cliff edges and making reverent gestures toward the Shangqing (Upper Clarity) celestial realm amidst clouds. One draws parallels between visiting Mount Hua in May and paying homage to Fan Changsheng, the renowned Eastern Han dynasty Daoist immortal.

The text highlights the mountain's distinctive features: thirty-six verdant peaks piercing the clouds, eight major grottoes corresponding to solar terms, and seventy-two minor caves aligned with the traditional seventy-two climatic periods. Visitors witness marvelous phenomena like the "Sacred Lamps" (miraculous lights in Daoist lore) and auspicious lingzhi mushrooms. Even the Tang poet Du Fu reportedly felt profound awe during his ascent.

The concluding verses express the poets' regret at not fully exploring the mountain—some constrained by official duties could only gaze from afar, while others planned to return in clearer weather for deeper exploration. The line "No need for alchemical furnaces to summon immortals" suggests that in such a qi-suffused sacred mountain, one can directly experience the Dao's natural harmony without external alchemy (waidan) practices.

(Note: "Shangqing" refers to one of the Three Pure Ones' (Sanqing) celestial realms; "three elemental clouds" denote visualized celestial mists in Daoist meditation; "striding void chants" describe the ethereal recitation style mimicking immortals' speech.)

The Records of Mount Qingcheng describes the distribution of this sacred mountain (one of Daoism's Ten Great Grotto-Heavens) and its surrounding ranges. According to the Records of Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands, Mount Qingcheng spans approximately two thousand li, with continuous ridges that defy precise measurement.

The commonly visited areas include: the western boundary reaching Damian Mountain (with its rear peaks like Old Man's Village recorded separately in county annals), the southern limit at Tai'an Mountain, the eastern extent near Xiangji Temple Mountain, and the northern foothills extending dozens of li into flat farmland.

The highest peak is Damian Mountain (also called Zhao Gong Mountain, named after the Sui dynasty Daoist Zhao Yu who cultivated here). Ancient texts identify this as one of the Seventy-Two Blissful Lands, where Immortal Luo once practiced internal alchemy (Neidan). Located north of Three Streams, this seventy-two li high mountain features precipitous cliffs shrouded in perpetual mist. From its summit, surrounding peaks appear like rows of grandchildren kneeling before their patriarch. During winter and spring, snow seals the paths, transforming the mountain into a silver sea of jade-like purity where only wild animals roam. Visitors typically attempt the ascent in late summer or early autumn, requiring several clear days to complete the journey.

Northward from Damian Mountain descends the densely forested Daping Mountain, serving as the necessary passage to the higher peak. Eastward lie these notable sites:

• Laojun Cliff (named for its temple dedicated to Lord Lao)
• Santai Mountain
• Severed Mountain (named during the Wanli era of Ming dynasty when officials ordered its ridge cut to dispel rumors of imperial qi)
• Recumbent Ox Mountain (anciently called Stone Ladder Mountain, also known as Subdued Ox Mountain, famed for legendary longevity-granting herbs)
• Great Ox-Heart Mountain
• Lesser Ox-Heart Mountain (alternately named Jade Summit Mountain, its solitary peak piercing the clouds harbors a stone pool said to conceal an immortal's sword)
• Dragon Gate Mountain (renamed Flower Viewing Mountain for its crimson azaleas, where Song dynasty recluse Master Feng once dwelt)
• Further north lies Phoenix Mountain (abundant in flake gold deposits)

Each site preserves unique Daoist lore while forming an interconnected sacred geography centered around Mount Qingcheng's spiritual landscape.

The residents of Jinju (modern-day Dujiangyan area in Sichuan) mostly lived comfortably due to the region's prosperity, though this also made it prone to becoming a burden on local governance. To the northeast lies Hengshan, a ridge stretching horizontally with flat farmland both above and below—beyond this point, the terrain becomes entirely landlocked.

Heading directly east from Damianshan is the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) Terrace, known in ancient times as Mount Yayue. According to the Yudi Jisheng, this mountain lies west of Qingcheng County, where the Shanghuang Temple was built during the Jin dynasty. The temple grounds were home to rare osmanthus trees, exotic flowers, and sacred medicinal herbs like lingzhi, often visited by the Daoist Li A. Du Guangting's records mention that Mount Qingcheng has eight major grotto-heavens (Dongtian) corresponding to the eight trigrams, connecting eight water systems. Five of these grotto-heavens align with celestial star palaces, featuring jade ponds, golden sands, and divine forests, with sweet, clear waters rich in spiritual Qi (vital energy). The name "Bagua Terrace" likely originates from this.

The Yudi Jisheng also notes that Chengdu Mountain serves as the "Anshan" (a feng shui term for a protective mountain in front of the main peak) of Mount Qingcheng, with the unfathomable Magu Cave at its base. Old local gazetteers highlight the Zhangren Temple and Shangqing Palace as the most famous Daoist temples on Mount Qingcheng, while others are mostly scattered at the mountain's foot. From the base, it's five li to Shangqing Palace, then halfway up to Chengdu Mountain, and finally to Damianshan at the summit. Thus, Bagua Terrace might be Chengdu Mountain itself, and the "Immortal’s Cave" could well be Magu Cave—though this remains speculative without definitive evidence.

Further east is Wangpo Cliff, bearing an inscription from Zhao Zhen in 1177 (the fourth year of the Chunxi era, Southern Song dynasty) commemorating road repairs, indicating significant visitor traffic even then. Within the cliff lies Dragon Cave, where the waters of Shiding River thunderously pour in. Eastward lies Dripping Cliff, with a cascading waterfall plunging dozens of zhang (a traditional unit of length), its cool, sweet water drinkable. According to Wang Xiangzhi’s records, Longju Stream flows beneath Chengdu Mountain, gathering waters from numerous valleys to form a ninety-foot waterfall, beneath which lies Dragon Cave—likely this very spot. Continuing east is Longgunbian, colloquially called Luoguobian, the exit point of Dragon Cave’s waters, beyond which the land flattens again.

Heading south from Damianshan is Tongling Gully, locally known as Touying Gully, named after Zhang Xianzhong’s troops using it to raid Tai’an Temple. Further south is Changping Mountain, described in the Yudi Jisheng as lying above the Wei River, where the ancient Shu king Du Yu once led his people to escape floods—ruins of fortifications and residences remain. The mountain once housed Tai’an Temple, its gate facing Huaping Laoze Road. The Fangyu Shenglan notes that ascending Changping Mountain requires clinging to vines, following a thirty-li bird’s path to reach Peony Terrace, presumably this location.

This passage documents the geographical features and tea history of the Qingcheng Mountain region. Shaping Mountain was anciently called Huaping or Baotang Mountain, renowned for producing premium tea leaves. Ming dynasty scholar Yang Shen mentioned in his postscript to Harmonizing with Minister Zhang's Tea Song that Lu Ziyuan once praised Shaping tea as peerless, yet curiously, ancient texts contain few records of it.

According to Mao Wenxi's Tea Manual, the precipitous Baotang Mountain at Yulei Pass grew cliffside tea trees whose buds required growing three to five inches before yielding just one or two tender leaves. Zhang Jingyang's Jin dynasty poem White Rabbit Tower in Chengdu containing the lines "Fragrant tea crowns the six cleansings, sublime flavor spreads through nine regions" likely constitutes the earliest record of Shaping tea. This confirms that Shaping Mountain was the ancient Baotang Mountain.

The text cites poetic verses describing local tea: the perilous Baotang Mountain at Yulei Pass where the summit's Shaping produced the prized "chief among auspicious herbs" (referring to tea). The poems detail the tea's morphology—golden buds resembling crow beaks, purple sprouts with brocade-like patterns. It mentions historical tea connoisseurs like Sima Xiangru, Mao Wenxi, Lu Tong, and Lu Yu, along with the use of precious ingredients like rosewater and sweet dew syrup to complement the tea's aroma.

The passage then describes surrounding geographical features: eastward from Tongling Gully lies Mahuang Ridge, below which sits Chessboard Rock, traditionally believed to be where ancient immortals played weiqi. Northward stands Wooden Fish Mountain, beyond which lies Jiaozi Mountain—fengshui masters (qingwu specialists) consider these peaks protective guardians of Qingcheng Mountain. Continuing northeast from Mahuang Ridge leads to the First Peak, anciently called Gaotai Mountain, offering panoramic views of surrounding landscapes and villages. Here occurs the miraculous "Sacred Lights" phenomenon—on clear nights one may witness hundreds of flickering lights dancing across the mountains, which Wu Chuan Lu records as resembling the glow emitted by ancient alchemists refining their elixirs.

Some say the luminous phenomena are caused by the spirits of plants and trees, while others attribute them to divine dragons or mountain ghosts. Devout believers maintain they are miraculous manifestations of immortal sages. Extending southward from the First Peak, the emerald-hued mountain range known as the Thirty-Six Peaks was anciently called Tiancang Mountain (Heavenly Granary Mountain). According to the Geographical Records of Scenic Wonders, these peaks lie south of Yanqing Temple, with thirty-six hidden grottoes concealed among their cliffs—legend says immortals secretly stored rare metals, exotic treasures, grains, salt and sundry goods within them. Another tradition holds that each of the thirty-six peaks contains one grotto. Du Guangcheng recorded that the first eighteen are called Yang Peaks (Solar Peaks), while the latter eighteen are Yin Peaks (Lunar Peaks).

The Song dynasty poet Gong Dafang wrote: "The thirty-six Heavenly Granaries embrace the jade-green mists," and Chao Gongsu described: "The Heavenly Lord trims icy blossoms at midnight, thirty-six peaks stand like jade pillars." Turning southeast from here brings one to Cool Wind Summit, and further east lies Chan Master Cliff. This precipitous terrain forms a natural stronghold where "one warrior could hold off ten thousand." During the late Ming dynasty, the monk Liaokong from Tai'an Temple led local resistance against bandits here, ultimately sacrificing himself by dashing against the cliffs. To commemorate his righteous deed, villagers painted his likeness on the rock face for veneration. To this day, when mountain folk pass by with ceremonial music for weddings or funerals, they must first make offerings—a testament to the enduring power of heroic spirits.

Further east stands Brush Rack Mountain, named for its undulating ridges resembling a scholar's brush holder. Beyond it lies Xiangji Mountain (Mountain of Fragrant Accumulation), where Geographical Records mentions a waterfall before the temple and the stupa of Chicken-Bone Chan Master. Its summit, called Lone Crane Peak, rises in solitary grandeur like a standing crane. These contending ridges display nature's splendor—their lush verdure refreshes the spirit, while secluded streams and winding paths create a realm apart from worldly clamor.

North of the First Peak towers Zhangren Mountain (Elder Mountain). Fan Chengda observed that viewing Zhangren Peak from Shangqing Palace feels like facing a sheer wall. The Tang poet Cen Shen's Green City's Elder Peak verses begin: "Patriarch of the Five Sacred Peaks, gazing west through azure mists / Clouds part to reveal cliff ridges, stone edges visible for miles..." His poem describes the lotus-shaped monastic complex atop the peak, where a small Buddhist temple shrouded in perpetual clouds crowns the summit. The poet's merging with cloud and stream expresses his yearning for reclusive cultivation. South of Zhangren Peak lies... [text continues]

Records of Guicheng Mountain (commonly known as Yuecheng Mountain) describe an extraordinary event: On the thirteenth day of the seventh month during the Renzi year of Former Shu ruler Wang Jian's reign, continuous heavy rains caused a cliff collapse on Guicheng Mountain in Qingcheng. Torrential floods surged down from a height of over a hundred zhang behind the Zhangren Temple. As the deluge rushed directly toward the temple's main hall, threatening to destroy the structure, enormous boulders suddenly toppled like embankments, diverting the floodwaters eastward and saving the temple from inundation. Previously, the temple had struggled with water supply, but thereafter, the mountain flood carved out a spring whose sweet, fragrant waters flowed directly into the temple kitchen, providing an inexhaustible supply throughout the seasons.

Southeast of Zhangren Temple stands Yuanzhen Mountain (according to Yudi Jisheng, located before the temple), where grows a divine herb resembling rice seedlings—legend claims consuming it leads to immortality. To the northeast lies Feifu Mountain (Fangyu Shenglan records Feifu Temple built at its base), providing direct access to the plains.

East of the First Peak rises the Hunyuan Summit, where three verdant peaks stand abruptly like overturned tripod cauldrons. Below the Third Peak lies the famed Celestial Master (Tianshi) Cave, nestled amidst sheer cliffs thousands of ren high—its precipitous walls appear knife-cut, with the cave's eave jutting precariously over terrifying depths. The entrance faces a ring of peaks where mountain mists and emerald hues seem within reach, while distant fields remain clearly visible. Inside, the cave enshrines a statue of Zhang Tianshi alongside an imperial stele from Emperor Xuanzong's Tang Dynasty era. Poet Li Xing of Xi'ou once inscribed verses here (depicting twelve-story towers touching celestial realms and solitary snow-night meditations by the hearth).

The northern ridge extending from Tianshi Cave is called Longju Mountain (locally known as Qinglong Ridge or Paifang Ridge), further east lies Taiping Mountain (also called Medicine King Mountain), with Taiping Market at its base. South of the cave spans the perilous Pianqiao—originally a single-log bridge spanning a chasm between cliffs where travelers had to inch along the rock face, now rebuilt as an arched stone bridge with railings. Crossing southward leads to Ancestral Master Hall and Xuanyuan Summit (traditionally where Perfected Lord Ning Fengzi instructed the Yellow Emperor in the Dao, with ruins of Xuanyuan Platform).

This vivid account captures Qingcheng's sacred sites: from Guicheng Mountain's miraculously averted flood to Tianshi Cave's dramatic topography; from Yuanzhen Mountain's immortality lore to Pianqiao's treacherous transformation. Particularly noteworthy is the depiction of Tianshi Cave—simultaneously a Daoist sanctuary, panoramic vista, and Tang imperial artifact site, embodying nature's marvels and cultural heritage. Elements like the "divine herb" and "Yellow Emperor's Dao inquiry" reflect Qingcheng's mystique as a cradle of Daoism.

At Mount Qingcheng (a renowned Daoist mountain), there is a deep ravine called the "Inkbrush Toss Gorge," stretching south to north until reaching the Side Bridge, spanning over a li in length. According to Wang Xiangzhi's records, this gorge was formed by the stroke of a vermilion brush wielded by the Celestial Master (referring to Zhang Daoling). It plunges 130 feet deep and spans 300 feet wide, located beside the Great Dragon Bridge.

The Great Dragon Bridge spans between two peaks, separated by a hundred paces. The cliffs are sheer and perilous, with the bridge built midway up the mountain. Its surface gradually narrows, with the thinnest section measuring only five or six inches wide, while its full length extends fifteen feet. On either side of the bridge are bottomless precipices. Nearby stands the "Oath Ghost Stone," where legend says the Celestial Master once made a pact with ghostly soldiers, marking the green cliffs with his vermilion brush. Even today, the fractured rocks retain a reddish hue. From this, it appears that what is now called the Side Bridge was the ancient Great Dragon Bridge, while the Inkbrush Toss Gorge corresponds to the cliffs once marked by the Celestial Master’s brush.

Traveling south and then east from here leads to White Cloud Stream, where the Northern Song statesman Wen Yanbo (posthumously titled Duke Wenlu) once built a residence for the recluse Zhang Yu. Further east lies Mount Qianyuan. The Records of the Extraordinary notes that sixty li south of Mount Qianyuan is a place called the Eastern and Western Pillars, where mountain ranges stretch endlessly, their peaks graceful and beautiful. Among them, several steep peaks stand to the east, with the tallest said to be where the immortal Pu ascended to heaven. The name "Mount Qianyuan" has been in use since antiquity.

Continuing eastward are the Three Lions Mountains, their undulating forms resembling crouching lions, spanning the southern ranges. Fengshui masters regard this as a terrain that guards the water’s mouth. The entire Mount Qingcheng system takes Great Face Mountain as its ancestral vein, High Terrace Mountain as its pivot, and the Celestial Master’s Grotto (where Zhang Daoling practiced cultivation) as its center, encircled by verdant peaks year-round. On clear spring mornings, when mist spreads across the landscape, the silhouettes of mountains and trees resemble a city wall girdling the horizon—hence the name "Green Wall" (Qingcheng).

As for the Daoist temples of Mount Qingcheng: though historically celebrated as a scenic site, many of its once-numerous monasteries have been lost to time. Among the surviving ancient structures, the most venerable is Cloud Celebration Temple, nestled deep within Great Face Mountain. Tradition holds it was built in the early Ming Dynasty, but its remote location makes verification difficult. In truth, most of Mount Qingcheng’s temples date to the Jin and Tang periods. The Upper Sovereign Temple near the Eight Trigrams Platform, as recorded in Supplements to Sichuan’s Records, was originally the Yuanzhen Temple of antiquity, first established in the Jin Dynasty. The area abounds in numinous mushrooms, celestial herbs, and rare blossoms.

On Mount Qingcheng grows ganoderma grass resembling rice seedlings, said to bestow immortality when consumed. Tang poet Zhang Xiaobiao once depicted the scenery in verse: celestial mists form a canopy, the Seven-Star Banner flutters, evoking Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's refuge here during the An Lushan Rebellion. Though the imperial path has become medicinal fields, the aura of emperors still lingers around the Buxu Altar (a Daoist ritual platform). Auspicious qi faintly shimmers between pavilions, while ancient cedars and junipers twist like dragons. The poet lamented that though traveling with eminent monk Huixiu and scholar Li Guo, he could only gaze toward Jianmen Pass while longing for Chang'an.

Qing official Huang Yunhu also composed poetry: "What merit does a mundane official like me possess to visit this immortal mountain?" Towering into the clouds, Qingcheng's rain-nourished emerald cliffs and wind-borne stream melodies uplift the spirit. Its ancient forests offer summer respite, where two millennia-old cedars (requiring multiple people to embrace their trunks) exude natural fragrance. "Let me savor these mist-wreathed vistas," he wrote, advising fellow travelers against haste. His verses mention Emperor Xuanzong's pilgrimage during his Sichuan exile.

The text enumerates Qingcheng's sacred sites:

Five major Daoist temples:

Qinghuang Temple, Zhonghuang Temple, Wenchang Palace, Zhenwu Temple (on Santai Mountain), and two Dongyue Temples (near Longgun Slope)

Three Buddhist monasteries:

Shangyuan Palace, Qingshan Temple (both on Phoenix Mountain), and Yuwang Temple

Three ancient shrines:

Huilong Temple (on Muyu Mountain), Tianzhen Temple, and Yuanming Palace

Three White Cloud Temples (on Jiaozi Mountain):

Jiuquan Hermitage, Jiulong Hermitage, and Lejing Hermitage (one on Santai Mountain)

Others:

Shen Family Hermitage (Tai'an Mountain), Tai'an Temple (legendarily founded in Tang, its Ming-era towers once dominated Qingcheng before wartime destruction; extant bells from Jiajing reign record reconstructions during Zhizheng and Chenghua eras), Guo Family Hermitage (Dunzi Cliff), and White Horse Temple (Qianyuan Mountain)

Three sites on Longju Mountain:

Black Tiger Temple, Stone Bamboo Shoots Hall, Dragon Abode Hermitage, and Flying Immortal Temple

Qing literatus Xu Rulong's poem describes the journey along streams to Changdao Temple and Flying Immortal Temple: "Peak upon peak suddenly parts midway, where sheer cliffs culminate. The ravine deepens between fractured walls, perilous stairs emerging from treetops. Winding along azure bluffs, traversing endless bamboo groves. The path narrows progressively—ten li ascending toward heaven. Sunset veiled by vines, the vista vast and obscure..." (fragmentary original text)

This passage describes several important religious sites on Qingcheng Mountain and their historical origins. Xiangji Temple, also called ancient Lingyan Temple, stands in the mountain, with the pagoda of Chan Master Jigu in front. This master arrived during the Western Wei and received his name, “Chicken Bones,” because he particularly enjoyed eating chicken. The name Xiangji Temple was already well known in the Song dynasty.

Zhangren Guan lies north of Zhangren Mountain, while Jianfu Palace stands to the south, east of Guicheng Mountain. Records describe five peaks rising like a screen beneath Zhangren Peak, with temple halls extending halfway up the mountainside. Since the Tang dynasty, the deity here has been called Wuyue Zhangren Chufu Dingming Zhenjun. According to legend, his surname was Ning and given name Feng, and he taught the Yellow Emperor the longqiao technique of flight. During the Song, Zhangren Guan was renamed Huiqing Jianfu Palace.

Qingcheng Mountain received the title Wuyue Zhangren, “Elder of the Five Sacred Peaks,” in the Yellow Emperor's time, associated with a true immortal of the upper realm who governs mountains and rivers. Daoist temples began to be built here in the Jin dynasty. Each spring and autumn, vegetarian offerings were made to Zhangren Mountain, with the county magistrate personally performing the rites because this was a major sacred mountain of Shu. During the Tang, Sima Chengzhen advised Emperor Xuanzong that Daoist Zhenjun should oversee mountain and river sacrifices. Qingcheng Zhangren was chief of the Five Sacred Peaks and supervised the deities.

In the first year of Xiankang of Former Shu, 925, Emperor Wang Yan visited Qingcheng Mountain with the empress dowager and a senior imperial consort to pray for blessings. He toured Zhangren Guan and worshiped the installed divine images. The Quan Tang Shi also includes two poems about Qingcheng Zhangren. One describes offering wine to Taiyi Zhenjun with “cranes from Emei's immortal palace” and “wine of jade liquid and golden radiance.”

In the records of Mount Qingcheng (a sacred Daoist mountain), there is a description of a hidden blessed grotto-heaven. Northwest of Jianmen Gate, where five-colored auspicious clouds gather deeply, lies the winding Dragon Bend Mountain. People admire the moon and watch clouds there, with moonlight spilling upon jade steps as springwater drips like milk. The sound of jade flutes attracts phoenixes dancing gracefully amidst mist and clouds. In the secluded dwelling place of the Elder of Qingcheng (a Daoist immortal), cranes cry among the clouds, leaving wispy traces behind.

The Tang poet Du Fu wrote in his poem "Elder Mountain": Since becoming a visitor to Qingcheng, he could never bear to leave this land. Deeply enamored with Elder Mountain's scenery, he followed crimson stone steps toward tranquil depths. West of the Elder Shrine (some say near the cave entrance), auspicious qi condensed into emerald-hued clouds. He longed to dwell on the highest peak, hoping to reverse his graying hair (hinting at Daoist longevity pursuits). There grew Polygonatum (a prized Daoist medicinal herb) that could preserve one's countenance pure as ice and snow.

When Empress Dowager Xu of Later Shu paid respects to her late husband's portrait at Elder Temple, she composed: The imperial carriage has returned to Wu wilderness, while I come to venerate the sacred visage. Ascending three winding paths feels like scaling the Nine Peaks. Sunlight bathes layered ridges while mist lingers amidst jade-green hues. I yearn to perform the Fengshan sacrifices, awaiting another chance to climb these heights.

The Song poet Wen Tong depicted: Peaks draped in sapphire shadows embrace the immortal realm of Mount Min. The Divine Sovereign (referring to Daoist deities), golden scarf adorning his shoulders, commands the bureaus of the Five Thearchs. His majestic presence pervades this true realm where mortals dare not clamor. Reverently I bow in the extraordinary hall, lifting my gaze to violet radiance. Hoping to forge immortal covenants, I'd spend my lifetime beyond worldly cares. Following precepts from the Stamen-Pearl Palace (a Daoist celestial abode), I await ascension to the Grand Aurora heavens.

Lu You wrote in "Elder Temple View": The plaque bears golden seal script characters; vermilion gates flanked by towering bamboo groves. Cliffs demarcate heaven and earth; a thousand pillars stand solemnly. Adjusting my robes, I pay solemn homage to Lord Elder—the vast hall drifting with precious incense. Tracing time-worn murals, I marvel at mountain rhinoceroses and earth-goats (legendary creatures), myriad uncanny forms like ancient tombs. Immortals wear jade pendants and rainbow sashes, adjusting marten caps with transcendent grace. Though wishing to depart, dusk's beauty holds me captive.

His poem also describes an aged herb-gatherer toiling day and night: Digging up pounds of Poria cocos (prized Daoist medicine) beneath pine roots—consumed to strengthen sinews and bones. From wolfberry thickets comes dogs' barking; mountain stoves exhale ethereal fragrance. Though abstaining from wine, the adept's face stays rosy. The poet confesses he too studied the Daode Jing (Five Thousand Characters), yet strayed into worldly chaos—now vowing to follow the elder's deer-like freedom. But how to access those secret cultivation texts?

Another poem inscribed on a temple wall reads: Lingering incense drifts as moonlit chimes fade; tree shadows coil like dragons on stone altars. Riding a blue luan (divine bird) makes the mortal world seem cramped; idly playing jade flutes, one feels the grotto-heaven's chill. Dawn's medicinal brew fills courtyards with strange perfume; night's elixir fires cast unearthly glow through rocks. I laugh at those immortals who flew up yet missed the truth—better cultivate purity right here.

This account mainly describes the history and legends of Shangqing Palace on Qingcheng Mountain. This important Daoist temple stands on Gaotai Mountain, Qingcheng's highest peak. Its halls are built with timber planks and stone, cleverly following the terrain. From above, Zhangren Peak looks as low as a wall.

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Wang Yan, emperor of Former Shu, visited Qingcheng Mountain with the empress dowager and a senior imperial consort. The accompanying palace women's clothes were painted with clouds and rosy mists, making them look like immortals from a distance. Wang Yan composed the Ganzhou Qu to describe the immortal scenery and ordered the women to sing along. In the fifth year of Qiande, 923, he built Shangqing Palace and honored the legendary immortal Wang Zijin as Shengzu Zhidao Yuchen Huangdi, installing a statue for worship. The main hall also enshrined Yuanyuan Huangdi, Laozi, and several Tang emperors, with grand ceremonies of homage.

The renowned painter Du Gonggui was ordered to paint in Shangqing's ancestral hall and received the office of Hanlin Daizhao, a court appointment. Historical records say that when Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang sent Li Yan as an envoy to Former Shu, Wang Yan took him to Shangqing Palace. People along the route decorated with lanterns and colored ornaments, creating a magnificent spectacle. The Song poet Lu You described the palace at night and mentioned mysterious lights often seen in the mountains. Locals called them shengdeng, sacred lamps, and believed they came from the elixir fires left by ancient immortals. His poem also expressed the wish to obtain immortal medicine through cultivation and wash away worldly impurity.

This passage recounts the literary journeys and poetic creations of several scholars at Mount Qingcheng. It begins by depicting the mountain's majestic scenery resembling "emerald waves tilting eastward," with immortal cranes soaring over Luoyang City in graceful flight. The text then records poems composed during a night's stay at Shangqing Palace (Upper Clarity Temple), capturing the tranquil atmosphere of pine winds echoing through countless valleys, stars appearing intimately close, and the peculiar phenomenon of moonlight illuminating the summit while storms raged below.

The writings preserve verses by scholars like Fan Chengda, who used "traversing the Well and touching the Lodge constellations" to convey the perilous climb, and "snail's antennae" as a metaphor for humanity's petty conflicts. A notable anecdote describes how when sudden weather changes brought snow to the rear mountains, the poets immediately ascended to Shangqing Palace to enjoy the spectacle.

The latter section details the historical evolution of Tianshi Dong's Changdao Guan (Celestial Master Cave's Constant Dao Temple): originally built during the Sui dynasty's Daye era as Yanqing Guan, renamed Changdao Guan in the Tang dynasty, then called Zhaoqing Guan during the Song dynasty. The text recounts how Buddhist monks from Feifu Temple once occupied the site until Emperor Xuanzong of Tang decreed its return to Daoist priests, erecting a stele to demarcate boundaries between the Daoist temple and Buddhist monastery under official supervision.

Finally, the passage quotes Wen Tong's poetic description of Zhaoqing Guan, using "jade cliffs coiling around jade heavens" to portray the temple's grandeur and "colorful emerald connecting every step" to express its harmony with the natural landscape, while marveling at its eternal waterfalls cascading through millennia. These vivid accounts showcase Mount Qingcheng's dual splendor as both a Daoist sacred site and a marvel of natural and cultural landscapes.

This passage documents the distribution of Daoist temples on Mount Qingcheng and their historical anecdotes. When Northern Song poet Cai Shitian first entered Mount Qingcheng, he was awestruck by the scenery surrounding Changdao Temple—the deep mountain forests seemed to merge with heaven and earth, emerald peaks wreathed in mist, vines obscuring the sunlight, and moss encroaching upon the temple walls. He noted this was where the immortal Ning Fengzi (Rain Master during the Yellow Emperor's reign) once cultivated the Dao. After meditating here for two days, he experienced the phenomenon of "coughing up jade-green spittle"—a sign of advanced Daoist practice where saliva turns bluish-green.

South of Celestial Master Cave (Tianshi Dong) stands the Three Sovereigns Hall, built upon the ruins of an ancient Yellow Emperor shrine. Further south lies the Ancient Slanted Bridge; crossing it leads three li to Patriarch Hall (Zushi Dian). Beyond that runs White Cloud Stream, where the Song dynasty geographical record Yu Di Ji Sheng mentions the former Qingdu Temple (also called Cavern Heaven Temple). Northern Song statesman Wen Yanbo once donated adjacent land to hermit Zhang Yu. This stream was also the retreat of Tang dynasty Daoist master Du Guangting. The current Patriarch Hall likely occupies the original site of ancient Qingdu Temple.

Further south stands the now-abandoned Chufu Temple at the foot of Tiancang Mountain. The Daoist scripture Record of Blessed Lands describes Tiancang's peaks as celestial treasure vaults where rare jewels frequently appeared. Lu You's travel notes mention this as the cultivation site of Princess Yuzhen (Daoist name "Master Chiyong"), sister of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Today, between Patriarch Hall and Xuanyuan Summit, one can still see remnants of multiple temple complexes.

The text concludes with poems by three literati: Shen Shaonan satirizes nobles seizing mountain land for private gardens, contrasting them with the princess's mountain solitude; Hu Shubao depicts Princess Yuzhen's transcendent practice beyond worldly concerns; while Lu You records his journey through deep mountains seeking temple ruins. These verses collectively embody Mount Qingcheng's enduring character as a sanctuary of Daoist reclusion.

This passage documents the history of Daoist temples and anecdotes of notable figures in the Qingcheng Mountain area:

On Tiancang Mountain stands the now-ruined Weiyi Temple, its origins untraceable. The Song dynasty poet Wen Tong wrote "Poem of Weiyi Temple," depicting jade-like peaks and ancient moss glowing emerald, as if one could see immortals holding ceremonial tablets in procession. The temple treasured precious Daoist scriptures (fulu), resembling the celestial emperor's granary where even farmland could yield jade.

At Qingcheng's foothills lies Changsheng Gong (Temple of Eternal Life), called Biluo Temple during the Han dynasty and renamed Changsheng Guan (or Fanxian Temple) in the Song era. Records state that Fan Ji (courtesy name Wuwei, also called You with courtesy name Ziyuan) practiced cultivation here during Emperor Zhaolie's reign, mastering longevity techniques. Despite imperial summons, he remained reclusive and was honored as Duke Xiaoyao. Later rulers converted his residence into a temple. Living to 130, Fan Ji led thousands to defend Qingcheng's strategic passes during Li Xiong's Western Jin rebellion. Declining Li's offer to become ruler, he was ultimately titled Celestial-Earth Grand Preceptor (Tianshi) and Marquis of Western Mountains, revered by Sichuan locals.

Tang poet Tang Qiu's "Poem of Fanxian Temple" describes: following emerald hills to seek the temple, asking yellow-capped priests for true teachings. Moss adorns the immortal's bridge while pine fragrance lingers on ancient paths—gathering herbs by day, tending alchemical furnaces by night. As temple bells fade, spring murmurs persist; wind stirs blossoms beneath moonlit altars.

Lu You's "Moon Viewing at Changsheng Temple" from the Song dynasty reads: "Under the jade-clear sky spanning ten thousand li, I contemplate the moon in Changsheng's silent night. May I never descend to mortal dust, hearing only the celestial ritual music (buxu) echoing from jade terraces. Mountains stand wordless; ancient pines twist like dancing dragons. When the aged immortal misses our rendezvous, I lean alone on railings playing my flute. Daoist masters fear not the ninth heaven's chill—everywhere becomes their moon palace vista." His "Brief Rest at Changsheng Temple" adds: "Changsheng's purity transcends worldly filth; returning feels like crossing lifetimes. Though mortal realms suffer kalpas' ravages, this remains an immortal's abode. Priests serve qingjing rice (Daoist longevity cuisine), hermits don raven-hued scarves. Turning back, my weary horse kicks up journey's dust."

Li Xing's Qing dynasty "Poem of Changsheng Temple" depicts: "Across stone bridges, the faint immortal palace...."

This passage describes the historical origins and surrounding landscapes of Feifu Temple on Mount Qingcheng. Legend holds that Feifu Temple was located near Wangjia Forest, originally converted from the residence of Tang dynasty eunuch Yan Zunmei and formerly known as Changsheng Monastery. The temple complex housed a Siwang Pavilion. According to the Biographies of Divine Monks, Mount Qingcheng was once home to extraordinary monks capable of instant travel between Chang'an and the mountain, leading Emperor Xizong to bestow the name "Feifu Temple" (Temple of Flying Arrivals) during the Guangming era (880-881 CE).

However, the text notes historical discrepancies: the Kaiyuan Imperial Edicts record Feifu Temple's existence as early as Emperor Xuanzong's Kaiyuan era (713-741 CE), predating Yan Zunmei's involvement. The likely explanation is that Yan later built a villa adjacent to the temple or donated his estate to the religious community, causing later chroniclers' confusion. Song dynasty poet Wen Tong composed verses depicting Feifu Temple: "Through level woods layered peaks appear, where stands this solitary temple fair. Immortals riding flying steeds, oft come here their visit to share," capturing this mountain-hidden sanctuary frequented by celestial beings.

The text also documents another scenic wonder—Mudan Ping (Peony Terrace). Ascending thirty li of precipitous mountain paths from Changping Mountain leads to this elevated plateau spanning dozens of acres. Ancient trees tower here, blooming in spring with flowers appearing before leaves—their peony-like fragrance and lotus-shaped blossoms earning them the name "Withered Branch Peonies." Song dynasty recluses Qiao Ding and Li Hao once dwelled here, while Fan Chengda composed poetry praising the terrace's peony scenery.

At Brocade Canopy Mountain (where even the most splendid peonies of the mortal world dare not compete with its beauty) lies Hibiscus Terrace. According to Records of Wu Boats, ascending sixty li from Damian Mountain leads to this broad, flat area called Hibiscus Terrace. Daoist priests cultivate Szechuan lovage (a medicinal herb) here, requiring a ten-day stay before continuing the climb. Beyond this point lies ethnic minority territory, rarely reached even by dedicated cultivators.

The Xuanyuan Altar is also known as the Initiation Altar. Records of Qingcheng Mountain states that the Perfected Lord Ningfeng (an immortal from the Yellow Emperor's era) once cultivated in seclusion on the northern cliffs, where the Yellow Emperor built an altar to honor him as Guardian of the Five Sacred Mountains. This site is now mistakenly called Xuanyuan Platform.

Sky Peak Pavilion stands within Chufu Abbey. The River Chart's Comprehensive Terrestrial Forms records this abbey as the cultivation site of Princess Yuzhen, daughter of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. From its pavilion, one can see the Thirty-Six Peaks arrayed like a folding screen.

The Reading Platform by White Cloud Stream was the study of late Tang dynasty Daoist priest Du Guangting. Lu You's annotation to his Poem on the Reading Platform notes: Du Guangting, styled Binsheng, hailed from Kuocang in Zhejiang. An avid reader of exceptional literary talent, he failed the imperial "Hundred Essays" examination and subsequently took monastic vows at Mount Tiantai. Emperor Xizong of Tang summoned him, bestowing the purple robe (highest honor for Daoist clergy) and appointing him court scholar at Linde Hall. In his later years, he retreated to White Cloud Stream at Qingcheng, calling himself "Master of Eastern Seas." Wang Jian of Former Shu conferred upon him the title "Vast Achievement Master." His works include Vast Achievement Collection and Gourd Collection. Lu You's poem reads: "The mountain still keeps his reading nook, Where clearing winds part clouds like scrolls unfurled. The moonlit realm of ice-pure clarity remains— When will the Poetry Immortal revisit this world?"

Red Wall Pavilion stands behind the Palace of Eternal Life. Geographical Records of Notable Sites documents this structure behind Changsheng Abbey, originally the hermitage of Fan Ji from Liu Bei's Three Kingdoms era, where the nanmu trees he planted still thrive. Later Emperor Liu Shan renamed it Azure Heaven Abbey, only changed to its current name during the Song dynasty.

Qiao Cliff is located on Damian Mountain. The History of Song records that Neo-Confucian scholar Qiao Ding chose this scenic spot for seclusion, earning such reverence from Shu locals that they respectfully referred to it simply as "The Qiao Cliff," avoiding direct mention of his name.

Jade Splendor Tower, according to Geographical Records of Notable Sites, was situated within the Abbey of the Venerable Lord. Southern Song poet Lu You composed his Magnolia Blossoms Slow lyric here: "Seeing through Handan's millet dream, I sigh at frost-touched hair. Though refining elixirs on Hua Mountain or watching cranes at Green Stream, still I betrayed my original Daoist heart. These worldly years finally revealed mysterious truth— Cultivating nine acres of golden mushrooms, Planting a thousand jade trees. At night on the star altar, chanting to celestial music, While icy dew soaks jade hairpins. Watching emerald phoenixes part clouds, Azure simurghs chase moonlight— How crystalline these immortal towers appear! Holding a jade-cased Daoist scripture..." (original lyric partially quoted)

This passage documents the origins and legends of various Daoist sacred sites at Mount Qingcheng:

In the celestial realm where the Heavenly Emperor Jun resides, immortal officials well-versed in music traverse the Penglai fairy isles, transcending the flow of mundane time. The Altar of Three Masters lies below Liushi Cliff, built by the people of Shu to honor the three patriarchs—Celestial Master Zhang (Zhang Daoling, founder of Daoism), Successor Master (the second Celestial Master Zhang Heng), and Lineage Master (the third Celestial Master Zhang Lu)—after Zhang subdued demons here.

The Yellow Emperor Shrine stands within Changdao Temple. According to Records of Mount Qingcheng, this was where the Yellow Emperor received scriptures. When the temple was built during the Sui dynasty, it still preserved relics of Celestial Master Zhang and a stele inscribed by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Today, this site houses the Hall of Three Sovereigns. Chongmiao Temple, originally named Laojun Temple, was renamed during Emperor Huizong of Song's Zhenghe era. Du Guangting's restoration stele records that this was where Lord Lao (the supreme Daoist deity) manifested during Celestial Master Zhang's missionary work in Shu during the Han dynasty.

Guangfu Monastery sits to the left of Damian Mountain, overlooking the Zao River, ten li from the city, with breathtaking scenery. Yangma Terrace, on the cliffs of Chishi Fortress, derives its name from the sheep and horse shapes that appeared when Celestial Master Zhang made a covenant with spirits here. The Celestial Master Pond at the northeastern foothills near Shangqing Palace was dug by Zhang to provide water for birds and animals during his cultivation at Shicheng Cliff. Nearby stand seventeen chestnut trees he personally planted.

Ning Xiansheng Cave is a stone chamber behind Longgong Mountain where a hermit named Ning lived during the Yellow Emperor's time—the emperor once came to study under him. Xuanyuan Terrace behind Yanqing Temple houses a statue of the Heavenly Venerable in its stone niche, along with a stele of imperial edicts and statues of two Tang princesses. The Dragon Palace, a cavern southwest of Shangqing Temple, can accommodate a thousand people; another dragon cave lies east of Changdao Temple.

Lingyan Temple on Xiangji Mountain originally had two pavilions—Moyun and Huxiao—of which the western Moyun Pavilion likely marks the original site. According to Huangfu Mi, Yuzhen Cave lies between Mount Qingcheng and Damian Mountain, surrounded by numerous grotto-heavens like Taihua and Yuzhen, overseen by immortal officials such as Liu Jing of the Five Sacred Mountains. Jinhua Palace on Mount Jinhua, less than a li from Shanghuang Temple, was built by two Tang princesses. Wang Yan, emperor of Former Shu, once summered here with his mother. During the Xiantong era of Tang, Xue Feng, governor of Mianzhou, famously dreamed of visiting the celestial caverns of Tiancang Cave.

This records detailed information about several sacred Daoist sites on Mount Qingcheng:

Tiancang Cave is a mystical cavern said to extend ten li deep, where traces left by immortals can still be seen. Across the stream, mountain dwellings are visible, but people dare not casually cross the waters.

Changdao Temple (an important Daoist monastery) contains a remarkable heaven-shaped stone with twelve edges, resting on a square base about six to seven chi wide. Legend says the Celestial Master Zhang Daoling (founder of Daoism) made covenants with spirits here during the Han dynasty.

The Jade Maiden Cave (Yunü Dong), located south of Dazi Cliff and north of Longju Mountain, now lies abandoned. Several years ago, rainwater erosion split the cliff face, revealing carved characters reading "Jade Maiden Cave" on the stone wall—the first two characters remain well-preserved. According to the Classic of Mountains and Seas, this may have been the cultivation site of the legendary Plain Maiden (Su Nü), an immortal from the Yellow Emperor's era.

Near Xiangji Temple lies Longmen Cave, where winding streams flow through deep rock formations. A massive gate-like boulder bears the inscription "Dragon Gate Stone." Song dynasty poet Lu You composed verses describing this mist-shrouded, precipitously beautiful landscape.

Mount Qingcheng also features stone carvings of the sun and moon. The Jade Casket Scripture (Yu Kui Jing) records these as sacred objects from the "Treasure Immortal's Nine Chambers Heaven"—the fifth major grotto-heaven. Here the Celestial Master established Qingcheng Zhi (an early Daoist parish), though its exact location remains debated, possibly northeast or northwest of Yanqing Temple.

The Immortal-Meeting Rock on Longju Ridge remains perpetually veiled in mist, with cascading waterfalls. Legends tell of frequent immortal sightings, though careful searches reveal nothing.

At Gaotai Mountain's summit lies the "Tiger Enclosure," said to be where ancient immortals raised tigers—iron chains still remain wedged in the cliff crevices. Halfway up the thirteen peaks on the mountain's shaded side, Golden Whip Cliff contains a cave several chi wide housing sunlight-glinting golden stem-like objects. Ancient people believed Tiancang's peaks served as celestial treasure vaults, possibly connecting to this legend. Folk tales mistakenly attribute these to Shu King Qingfu's treasures—a clear error.

The Great Chaoyang Cave is nestled deep within the towering peaks north of Hunyuan Summit. At sunrise, the entire mountain blushes crimson and purple, presenting a magnificent spectacle. Huang Yunhu, a Ming dynasty official who once lodged here, composed verses describing the morning view: after sleeping on stone following night rain, one rubs sleepy eyes to behold emerald forests glowing like ink-wash paintings under the morning sun, with cloudbanks unfurling across the fields like white silk. Such wondrous scenes invite profound contemplation, leaving one yearning to return. Since earthly existence brims with vitality and joy, why envy the immortals of Penglai paradise?

The Small Chaoyang Cave lies merely a few zhang away, sharing equally exquisite scenery.

The Oath-to-Ghosts Platform stands beneath Zhangren Peak. Ancient records describe how a dragon's lair here once frequently flooded crops. Celestial Master Zhang (Zhang Daoling, founder of Daoism) erected this stone platform to suppress the waters. During the Tang Kaiyuan era, Governor Yang Li further carved images on three sides: Emperor Xuanzong's portrait, a Buddha statue, and the Celestial Master's likeness.

The Sword-Testing Stone north of Yanqing Temple, also called Three-Isle Rock, measures dozens of zhang in height and width. Legend tells of numerous demons haunting Mount Qingcheng when Celestial Master Zhang encountered this boulder obstructing his path during an exorcism. As thunder roared, he cleaved the massive rock with one sword stroke—the southern fragment splitting again spontaneously.

Xiangji Temple's Rice-Leaking Stone bears another tale: during the monastery's revival by a "Chicken-Bone Chan Master" of former dynasties, rice miraculously trickled from its crevices to supply the kitchen. Though the stone remains, it no longer yields grain.

On Shaping Mountain, a weathered stele barely preserves four characters: "Prince of Neijiang's Residence"—likely a Ming dynasty refuge during Zhang Xianzhong's rebellion.

The Ghost-Realm Ancient Stele originally stood below Ghost City Mountain. Wang Xiangzhi recorded it marked where Celestial Master Zhang banished spirits to remote regions. Sadly, its inscriptions eroded completely, and even the stele has vanished.

Qianyuan Mountain's Natural Bridge astounds: a slender stone slab spans thousands of zhang across a chasm, its overhanging end adorned with exotic flora—said to be an immortal's playground.

On northern Gaotai Mountain's cliffs facing Zhangren Peak, colossal characters "Qing Cheng Shan" (Mount Qingcheng) are carved several chi square. Notably, the character "Qing" retains its water radical (氵), which was dropped after 730 CE, suggesting this may be a Sui-Tang era inscription.

This passage documents numerous historic sites and natural landscapes of Mount Qingcheng (a renowned Daoist mountain), divided into several sections:

Records concerning Fan Changsheng (a Daoist figure): The Zhangren Temple houses a mural of Fan Changsheng painted by Sun Taigu of the Song dynasty, depicting him adjusting his mink-tail official headdress. Song scholar Wen Tong once composed poetry praising Sun's exceptional artistry, declaring his Mount Qingcheng paintings unparalleled in the world, unsurpassable even after a thousand years.

The marvel of Six-Time Water: Two li south of Zongyuan Temple on Mount Qingcheng stands a precipitous cliff where Perfected Lord Ning (a Daoist immortal) is said to have transmitted Daoist teachings to the Yellow Emperor. The stone niche beneath originally enshrined a royal statue of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Water flows from the cliff precisely six times daily (according to the ancient two-hour time units), continuing uninterrupted to this day. Daoist scriptures identify this as the Fifth Grotto-Heaven (a sacred cultivation site), where spring water descends three times daily, known as "Tidal Spring." Historical records describe this spring's water level fluctuating with Yin-Yang changes, never drying nor overflowing.

Accounts of Celestial Pool: South of Shangqing Palace, the Records of Blessed Lands mentions Mount Qingcheng's sweet dew, auspicious herbs, and celestial pool. The Geographical Records of Scenic Wonders describes the high-altitude Celestial Pool on Gaotai Mountain, where the Jin dynasty established Shangqing Palace, mistakenly called Magu Pool by locals (Magu being a Daoist female immortal).

Descriptions of Dragon Pools: One pool before the Immortal's Cave spans over ten feet across and several feet deep, receiving multiple streams without flooding; another before Xiangji Temple's hall shares similar dimensions, its crystalline waters unchanging through seasons.

Mandarin Duck Wells: North of Shangqing Palace, these twin wells spaced several feet apart exhibit interconnected water levels—when one rises, the other recedes.

Other notable sites: Deer-Drink Spring lies west of Qingcheng County on Mount Qingcheng; Dragon-Abode Stream at Chengdu Mountain's base gathers valley waters into nine cascading waterfalls.

At a depth of ten feet beneath Mount Qingcheng lies a dragon cave. According to the Qianque Leishu, Chengdu Mountain originally served as Qingcheng's "table mountain" (a fengshui term referring to a protective barrier before the main peak), yet today only Longju Mountain remains as Qingcheng's table mountain, with Chengdu Mountain nowhere to be found. The stream below is often called "Chengdu Creek"—could it be that the mountain's name gradually shifted to "Longju" due to the waterway's designation, causing "Chengdu Mountain" to fade from memory? This remains an unresolved question.

Yuzi Water flows through the northwest valleys of Qingcheng before merging into the Min River. Legend speaks of winged fish dwelling here that could take flight; ancient texts claim consuming them granted immortality. Sanxi Water courses downstream from Longju Creek, its rapids pounding against boulders until carving through the mountain to form a deep pool, said to house dragonkind. Along its banks stand ruins of a celestial palace and an ancient stone statue of Laozi—relics left by immortals.

North of Chanshi Cliff lies Xiangshui Cave, where the sound of flowing water never ceases, murmuring like distant thunder. On quiet nights, melodies resembling celestial flutes and drums drift from its depths. At Longju Ridge's northern slope, a stone stalagmite towers over ten zhang high, flanked by two smaller companions, their needle-like peaks piercing the clouds like giant bamboo shoots.

Yanqing Temple hosts nine ancient pines, their rugged forms once inspiring poetry from Fan Shugong, a Song Dynasty literatus. Beside Lingguan Hall in Changdao Temple grows a ginkgo tree with a trunk measuring sixteen chi in girth, its branches studded with stalactite-like burls resembling jade bamboo shoots. Two more ancient ginkgos thrive on Zhonghuang Temple's cliffs, their twelve-chi trunks crowned with lush foliage.

Just south of Celestial Master Zhang's cave stands a peculiar palm tree—though barely arm-span thick, it soars several zhang high before splitting into twin trunks, said to have been planted by the Celestial Master himself. Zhangren Temple boasts two tree peonies dubbed "Great General" and "Little General," towering ten and five zhang respectively. The Song Dynasty monk Wuguang once composed verses praising these wonders before Qingcheng's ancient caves.

The Shuzhi Buxia records 108 scenic sites across Qingcheng. On clear moonlit nights, the vista from Chufu Temple encompasses them all—yet centuries of change have erased some landmarks while obscuring others through renamed identities. Many sites now fade into oblivion for lack of documentation. This account preserves them, awaiting rediscovery by future seekers.

This passage records the names of various scenic spots at Mount Qingcheng, a renowned Daoist sacred mountain. These names are imbued with immortal imagery and can be categorized into several types:

First are the mountain peaks, such as Pengzu Peak (named after the longevity immortal Pengzu), Stone Mirror Peak, and Dragon Fang Peak, all bearing characteristics of Daoist cultivation sites. Next are water landscapes, including streams like Wild Cloud Creek, Cloud-Hiding Cove, and Lotus Creek, as well as springs such as Pearl-Dripping Spring and Milky Spring - names that exude an ethereal immortal aura.

There are numerous pavilions and hermitages like Rainbow-Hanging Pavilion, Cloud-Resting Hermitage, and Rotted Axe Pavilion, all serving as places for Daoist practitioners to meditate and contemplate the scenery. Particularly noteworthy are the many cultivation grottoes named with the character "dong" (cave), such as Purple Mist Grotto and Azure Mist Grotto - natural caverns where Daoist adepts practiced internal alchemy (Neidan).

The text also documents several distinctive botanical landscapes like the Medicinal Herb Garden, Orchid Valley, and Mushroom Terraces, along with symbolically significant sites such as the Elixir Platform (for alchemical practices), Elixir-Bathing Pool, and Herb-Drying Terrace. Finally, it mentions topographic features like Minya Vista and Leopard Valley, collectively presenting Mount Qingcheng's complete geographical tapestry as a Daoist grotto-heaven blessed land.

Mount Qingcheng, as a sacred Daoist mountain, has historically attracted numerous recluses for spiritual cultivation. Just as the Yellow Emperor left legends at Mount Kongtong, Zhang Liang (Marquis of Liu) at Mount Zibai, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva at Mount Emei, such blessed grotto-heavens (recognized by Daoism as sacred cultivation sites) like Qingcheng became renowned through the seclusion of eminent adepts. If these numinous mountains and sacred sites were forgotten by later generations, would it not betray nature's divine craftsmanship?

Here we record the story of the famous recluse Fan Changsheng. According to Jin Dynasty records, Fan Changsheng, courtesy name Ziyuan, was a native of Fuling who secluded himself in the Western Mountains of Chengdu. The people of Shu revered him as "Changsheng" (Longevity). During Emperor Hui of Jin's reign, when Li Xiong attacked Chengdu, Fan led over a thousand households to seek refuge at Mount Qingcheng, where he later attained the Dao and became an immortal.

The Fangyu Shenglan records his original name as Fan Ji, courtesy name Wuwei (Non-Action). During the Shu Han period of the Three Kingdoms, he cultivated Dao at Mount Qingcheng, mastering the arts of immortality. Though repeatedly summoned by the court, he refused to leave the mountain and was later enfeoffed as "Duke of Carefree Ease." Emperor Liu Shan converted his former dwelling into the Changsheng Temple.

The Book of Jin documents that when Li Xiong's army faced food shortages, Fan Changsheng transported provisions from Mount Qingcheng, revitalizing Li Liu's forces. At that time, Fan practiced Daoist cultivation in mountain caves. Though Li Xiong wished to enthrone him, Fan firmly declined. In the first year of Yongxing (304 CE), when Li Xiong proclaimed himself King of Chengdu, Fan arrived in a plain carriage. Li personally welcomed him, appointing him as chancellor and honoring him as "Fan the Worthy." Later, Fan persuaded Li to declare himself emperor, establishing the Da Cheng regime, while Fan himself was venerated as "Celestial and Terrestrial Grand Preceptor" (Tiandi Taishi), enfeoffed as Marquis of Western Mountains with exemptions from military service and taxation.

According to Shu Lu, Fan Changsheng passed away at eighty-four, succeeded by his son Fan Ben as chancellor. Skilled in astrological divination, he was worshipped as a deity by Shu's populace. These accounts supplement official histories.

Discrepancies exist regarding Fan's names: Li Dingzuo's Collected Commentaries on the Zhouyi cites Yan Zhitui's claim that Fan was "Shu Talent," the annotator of the Zhouyi; Yang Shen (Sheng'an) considered them separate individuals; the Chronicles of Huayang records his original name as Yanjiu, also called Jiuchong or Zhi, courtesy name Yuanshou—a native of Danyu, Fuling who lived over a century. This suggests Fan may have used multiple names.

Yang Shen also recorded an anecdote: at Chengdu's Jinrong Lane stood a stone pillar where Zhuge Liang once unearthed a seal-script stele inscribed "Silkworm Bush's Oath Establishing Shu." Five characters—"zhuó chù zhú juān chù"—remained undeciphered until Fan Changsheng alone could interpret them.

This passage records the deeds of several historical figures associated with Mount Qingcheng, primarily recounting the stories of three eminent individuals:

The first is Fan Changsheng, a leader of the Celestial Master (Tianshi) Daoist tradition. During the Shu-Han period, he was renowned for his wisdom. Amidst the chaos of the collapsing empire, he initially maintained an aloof stance of "not submitting to the emperor nor befriending feudal lords." Yet upon hearing Xu Yu's advice, he provided provisions to Li Xiong (founder of the Cheng-Han regime during the Sixteen Kingdoms period), aiding his establishment of an independent regime in Chengdu. The author suggests this mirrors how Zhang Liang (Marquis of Liu) first failed in assassinating the Qin emperor but later helped the Han dynasty overthrow Qin. Superficially, it might seem Fan was being used by Li Xiong, but in truth, he was employing Li to avenge Shu-Han. Later, Liu Shan (the last Shu-Han emperor) built the Chicheng Pavilion in his honor, and Zhuge Liang funded the Jinrong Workshop, demonstrating his esteemed status among Shu-Han rulers and ministers.

Next is Li Yaofu from Zitong. When Li Xiong jokingly remarked about his inauspicious name, he solemnly replied: "I'd rather be a commoner in the eras of Yao and Shun than serve as prime minister of Shu." He authored the poem "Pond in a Basin": "Beyond appears no land at all/Yet within lies a separate heaven." He later retreated to Mount Qingcheng, vanishing without trace.

Lastly, there's Zhao Yu (courtesy name Chongming) of the Sui dynasty, who secluded himself on Mount Qingcheng with his elder brother Zhao Mian, becoming disciples of Li Jue. Emperor Yang of Sui, hearing of their virtue, once summoned them by decree. Through contrasting Fan Changsheng's parallel with Zhang Liang, Li Yaofu's noble integrity, and the reclusive lives of the Zhao brothers, the text highlights Mount Qingcheng's special status as a sanctuary for hermits.

The mentioned divination method—"predicting floods when the year corresponds to the character 'zhuo' in the Hai-Zi cycle"—reflects ancient prognostic techniques where specific year-associated characters foretold disasters like floods, famines, fires, wars, or bountiful harvests. This practice was particularly popular and considered remarkably accurate in the Shu region.

This passage recounts the legendary tales of three figures associated with Qingcheng Mountain.

The first story tells of Zhao Yu, the magistrate of Jiazhou (venerated in Daoism as "Perfected Lord of Mysterious Dao and Pure Origin"). When the governor of Yizhou attempted to forcibly summon him to the capital for an official post, Zhao Yu refused the high-ranking position, preferring to remain a local official. Later, when a flood dragon plagued the Qianwei region for years, Zhao Yu personally took up his sword, entered the waters, and slew the creature, staining the river red with its blood. During the turmoil of the Sui dynasty, he withdrew from public life and disappeared. When the Jialing River later overflowed, witnesses saw him riding through the mist atop the waves on horseback, after which the floodwaters receded. In the Tang dynasty, he was posthumously honored as the "Divinely Valiant General," and a temple was built for him at Guankou, where prayers for healing were often answered. Subsequent emperors continued to bestow titles upon him, and by the Song dynasty, he was formally enshrined as "Perfected Lord of Mysterious Dao and Pure Origin, Sovereign of Shu."

The second story recounts the deeds of the Medicine King, Sun Simiao. During a severe drought under Empress Wu Zetian, Buddhist monks in Luoyang failed to summon rain through scripture recitation. Two white-haired elders, identifying themselves as the Dragon Kings of the Yi and Luo Rivers, explained that heavenly approval was required for rainfall. The monks then sought out Sun Simiao, who had been practicing Daoist cultivation in seclusion on Mount Song. He composed a memorial to the celestial court, and that very night, torrential rains fell. Puzzled as to why his fifty years of spiritual practice had gone unrecognized by the heavens, Sun Simiao was told by the Dragon Kings: "How can one attain immortality without aiding mortal suffering?" Inspired, he traveled to Qingcheng Mountain to compile his Essential Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces (Qianjin Fang). Upon completing the text, he ascended to immortality in broad daylight.

The third story briefly mentions the Shu scholar Fu Zai (courtesy name Houzhi), who in his youth retreated to Qingcheng Mountain with Yang Heng and Song Ji to study in seclusion. Yang Heng later passed the imperial examinations. This anecdote illustrates how Qingcheng Mountain has long been a sanctuary for scholars and recluses pursuing cultivation and learning.

Du Ji (courtesy name Laofu), a failed imperial examinee, spent his life without notable achievements yet persistently considered himself a man of extraordinary talent, disdaining ordinary official posts. When Wei Nankang (Wei Gao) governed Shu Province, he recruited Du as a financial commissioner. Though appreciated, Du remained discontent. During Wei Gao's grand Zhaijiao (purification ritual) ceremonies at twenty-four Daoist temples on Mount Qingcheng, he commissioned Du to compose ritual texts.

At a banquet by Moha Pond, Du excused himself to wash, then directed twelve clerks holding inkstones to flank him. Strolling along the water's edge, he dictated two distinct compositions simultaneously with astonishing fluency. Liu Pi, then serving as granary officer, requested Wei Gao to compose a Zhenzan (Daoist eulogy) per tradition. Wei specifically wrote for Du: "Transcendent as primordial Qi (vital energy), brilliant as a literary titan. Like a hornless dragon breaching waves, an autumn hawk riding winds. Steadfast in Dao (the Way), supporting benevolent rule. When merit ripens, your place in Qilin Pavilion awaits."

Later, when rebellion shook the capital, Liu Pi seized power in Shu with separatist ambitions. Though coerced into drafting memorials, Du's compositions maintained impeccable deference. After Liu's defeat, most aides perished, but Du presented a chest of draft memorials to Chancellor Gao Chongwen before bowing eastward to retire at Mount Lu. Wei Gao's prophetic Zhenzan proved uncannily accurate.

Yan Zunmei, a rare benevolent eunuch, served as Left Divine Strategy Army protector. Recalling his early days in the Northern Bureau, he wore plain attire without ceremonial tablets. The Privy Council office then occupied just three book-crammed rooms. After Yang Fugang usurped ministerial authority by attaching yellow slips to edicts, Yan often contemplated retirement. Once, he suddenly danced wildly—startling his household when nearby cats and dogs spoke. The cat remarked: "The Commandant acts strangely, perhaps madness." The dog replied: "Let him be." Recovering, Yan remembered their words with unease.

When Emperor Zhaozong fled to Fengxiang, Yan retired. After Shu forces reclaimed Xingyuan, he moved to Jiannan under King Wang Jian's patronage, building a hermitage on Mount Qingcheng where he lived past eighty. Known for integrity and humility—paired with Ximen Jixuan in reputation—he survived the eunuch purge when Shu ignored the imperial order. His eight-volume Annals of Northern Bureau recorded eunuch virtues and vices.

Song dynasty's Zhang Yu (courtesy name Shaoyu), descended from Hedong but settled in Pi County, showed exceptional intellect and ambition young. Despite failed examinations, his 1038 frontier policy memorial impressed the court, which offered him a librarian post. Instead, he retreated to Mount Qingcheng as "White Cloud Recluse." Refusing six summons, he earned Grand Councilor Wen Yanbo's respect, who purchased him a mountain estate. Carrying Laozi and Yijing texts, he roamed famous peaks on a black ox, playing chess and savoring landscapes. His wife Pu mastered Buddhist teachings. Renaming himself "Little Fool" in old age, he composed his own epitaph before dying at seventy-four. Su Shi later visited his Qingcheng hermitage ruins.

This passage records the stories of two recluses associated with Qingcheng Mountain.

The first was a scholar who failed the imperial examinations. During Emperor Renzong's Baoyuan era (1038-1040) of the Song Dynasty, he submitted a memorial discussing border defense strategies, proposing to use conflicts between the Khitan and other tribes to protect the Central Plains. Later, he retreated to Qingcheng Mountain, where the local official Wen Yanbo specially arranged for him to dwell at White Cloud Stream, the former residence of Du Guangting (the renowned Tang Dynasty Daoist priest). During mourning periods, he maintained strict vegetarianism, and when he planted his walking stick before a grave, it miraculously sprouted leaves. This recluse particularly loved playing chess and traveling through mountains and rivers, often taking his entire family on long journeys to places like Yuanxiang, Zhejiang, Mount Luofu, and Mount Jiuyi, returning with collected stones and accompanied by cranes. He passed away before completing his writings behind closed doors, and Chao Shi praised his literary style as preserving the essence of Western Han Dynasty prose. Several descendants passed the imperial examinations and held official posts, continuing the family lineage for generations.

The second recluse was Sun Zhiwei (courtesy name Taigu) from Pengshan. Well-versed in Confucian classics and Daoist teachings, he excelled in painting. Initially studying under the monk Lingzong (lay surname Qiu), he often engaged in profound discussions. Many Buddhist and Daoist temples in Sichuan housed his artworks, though he insisted on vegetarianism whenever painting religious subjects. He secluded himself at Zhao Village in Baihouba, Qingcheng Mountain, drawn to its tranquil bamboo-lined waterways. Records state that when painting Buddhist and Daoist deities, he would observe fasting and meditation, abstaining from alcohol and meat. When patrons requested paintings, he would rather feign illness through fasting than paint hastily. To accurately depict spirits and deities, he once consulted a shamaness about their appearances. Despite his artistic mastery, being fundamentally a Confucian scholar set him apart from ordinary artisans, hence his classification among reclusive intellectuals.

The text also mentions Qiao Ding from Fuling, who studied Buddhism in youth before turning to Confucianism and learning the Yi Jing (Book of Changes) under Guo Nangshi. These accounts supplement omissions in official histories, and all these recluses were later enshrined in local temples honoring virtuous worthies.

This passage records the legendary stories of two Song Dynasty recluses in Mount Qingcheng.

The first was Qiao Ding (Master Qiao), who originally studied Confucian classics under Cheng Yi in Luoyang before abandoning Confucianism to pursue Daoist cultivation. During the Jingkang era, when recommended for an official post, he declined. After Emperor Gaozong ascended the throne and he was recommended again, he reluctantly accepted but maintained extreme poverty throughout his journey, refusing even the food and clothing offered by officials. When the Jin troops advanced south, he retreated to seclusion in Damianshan (the main peak of Mount Qingcheng), where locals respectfully called him "Master Qiao of the Cliff," never daring to address him directly. Lu You (Fangweng) recorded in his poetry that Qiao lived over 130 years, dwelling year-round in perilous peaks rarely visited by humans, appearing only once every few years. Poems by Yang Shen (Sheng'an) and Lu You suggest Qiao eventually practiced alchemy at Mudanping, with records of "bathing the Great Elixir" hinting he may have achieved immortality through Neidan (internal alchemy) practice.

The second figure was Yao Pingzhong (courtesy name Xiyan), the adopted son of famed northwestern general Yao Gu, who earned military merit at just eighteen. When the eunuch commander Tong Guan attempted to recruit him, Yao refused. Later, he distinguished himself suppressing the Fang La rebellion but incurred imperial suspicion by declining rewards. During the Jin siege of Bianjing, Emperor Qinzong summoned him, whereupon he volunteered for a night raid on the enemy camp. Though breaching two camps, the attack ultimately failed, and he fled on a black mule (legendary mount of immortals) into seclusion at Mount Qingcheng. While not explicitly stated, contextual clues suggest he too attained transcendence through Daoist practice there.

This account tells the legendary story of General Yao during the Southern Song Dynasty. After suffering defeat in battle during the Jingkang period, General Yao fled on muleback, covering 750 li (approximately 375 kilometers) in a single day and night. Initially intending to seclude himself on Mount Hua, he ultimately chose the more remote Mount Qingcheng for its superior seclusion.

He first arrived at Shangqing Temple (a famous Daoist temple on Mount Qingcheng), where no one recognized him. Venturing deeper some 270 li into the Daminan Mountains where few travelers ventured, he settled in a stone cave. During the early Jianyan period, imperial edicts sought him without success. Only between the Qiandao and Chunxi eras (approximately 1165-1189) did he reappear at Zhangren Temple (another renowned Daoist site on Mount Qingcheng), recounting his experiences. By then in his eighties, he sported purple beard several feet long, with a radiant complexion, traversing mountainous terrain with the agility of galloping horses. His calligraphy was extraordinary, yet he never revealed the secrets of his attainment of Dao (the Way). The poet Lu You (Fangweng) later wrote his biography.

The text also mentions another Qingcheng Daoist, Gou Taifu, a resident priest at Zhangren Temple who styled himself "Recluse of Mount Min." He often exchanged poetic verses with the poet Zhang Yu. Gou famously declared: "With my left hand grasping Fan Xian's sleeve (possibly referring to Fan Zhongyan), my right hand resting on Xue Chang's shoulder, I lift my head proudly toward the sun and release a long whistle piercing the azure heavens"—a vivid expression of his transcendent joy as a recluse beyond worldly concerns.

Through these two figures, the passage illustrates Mount Qingcheng's tradition as a sacred Daoist site for reclusion and practitioners' spiritual pursuit beyond mundane affairs. The mentioned Shangqing Temple and Zhangren Temple remain significant Daoist centers at Qingcheng today, while the self-styled "Recluse of Mount Min" vividly embodies the Daoist ideals of naturalness and unfettered freedom.

Gu Zangyong was a native of Taizhou who lived as a recluse on Mount Qingcheng during Emperor Zhenzong's Xianping era (998-1003 CE) of the Song Dynasty. This Daoist priest possessed astonishing drinking capacity—he could consume ten pecks of wine without becoming intoxicated. During the Dazhong Xiangfu period (1008-1016 CE), the emperor summoned him to court. When Gu requested permission to return to Mount Qingcheng, the sovereign composed a farewell poem describing the mountain's scenery: morning clouds illuminating all things, blue mists winding through the peaks, and elm trees at dawn arranged like constellations. The sound of pine waves mingled with cold mist transcending the mundane world, while white cranes soared above the mountain summits in harmony with zither music.

During Emperor Renzong's Huangyou era (1049-1054 CE), Zhang Sui resided on Mount Qingcheng where he wrote commentaries for the works of Wei Boyang (the renowned Eastern Han alchemist), appending mathematical diagrams to the texts.

Feng Huaigu, styled Dechun, hailed from Suining and mastered physiognomy and feng shui. In Emperor Taizong's Taiping Xingguo period (976-984 CE), he selected a dwelling site before Niuxin Mountain along the Sanxi Road of Mount Qingcheng, with Kanhua Mountain behind his residence. There he built a three-story pavilion for his reclusion. Specializing in the essential principles of alchemy (Neidan), he practiced daily breathing exercises (Daoyin) and studied all varieties of alchemical and Daoist scriptures. Many sought him out to learn longevity techniques and alchemical methods—when transmitting these arts, he emphasized medical classics while accepting gold, silver, and silk as compensation.

During the Xianping era, a wealthy Chengdu family spent years selecting a burial site for their patriarch. When consulting Feng Huaigu about the feng shui, Feng declared the location—with its encircling mountain contours and clear watercourses—to be exceptionally auspicious. Yet the family protested that after burial, their fortune had scattered and relatives perished. Feng explained: "Among all things, humans possess the most spiritual luminosity, with heavenly mandates assigned to each. Just as birds and beasts cannot forcibly occupy each other's nests, this site bears the feng shui of nobility which ordinary people cannot sustain. As the Yijing states: calamity befalls when petty men occupy positions meant for noble ones."

An Shitong, recorded in historical texts as a Mount Qingcheng Daoist, originally came from western regions. His father had served as a military officer whose repeated strategic proposals went unheeded, eventually drinking away his remaining years. Though An Shitong lived in reclusion on Mount Qingcheng, when the Wu Xi rebellion erupted, he wrote to Chengdu commander Yang Fu: "Though I dwell beyond worldly affairs, I received Confucian teachings. You should inspire troops and civilians with loyalty and righteousness—open granaries, rally patriots, and defend Jianmen Pass unto death." This revealed his Daoist transcendence still harboring worldly concern.

This passage contains two distinct sections: the first recounts historical events, while the latter documents immortal legends associated with Mount Qingcheng.

The first part describes a rebellion in Sichuan during the Southern Song Dynasty. A traitorous general named Wu Xi rose in revolt, yet local officials hesitated like "wine sacks and rice bags," too timid to mobilize forces against him. The author condemns these scholar-officials for neglecting their duty to ruler and state, comparing their inaction to a son standing idly by while his father suffers. The text highlights a man named Fu Guang, who at fifty-two resolutely journeyed to Jiangling to urge Wu Lie to quell the rebellion, ultimately succeeding in suppressing Wu Xi's revolt.

The latter section recounts Daoist immortal lore surrounding Mount Qingcheng. Legend holds that during the Yellow Emperor's reign, an immortal named Ning Fengzi served as the "Pottery Overseer" (Tao Zheng), responsible for ceramic production. Through a cultivation method described as "accumulating fire to self-immolate," he attained immortality. Capable of riding dragons and serpents in flight, the Yellow Emperor erected an altar to honor him as "Elder of the Five Sacred Peaks." During the Tang Dynasty, he was enshrined as the "True Lord of Stored Blessings and Settled Destiny," and in the Song Dynasty, the Huìqìng Jiànfú Palace was constructed on Mount Qingcheng for his veneration.

The text also records a Tang Xuanzong-era legend: the emperor dreamed of celestial beings descending to his palace, including a red-robed, golden-crowned immortal who paid him homage. When Xuanzong consulted the Daoist master Sima Chengzhen for interpretation, Chengzhen explained this as the manifestation of sacred mountain and river deities. The Zhangren Temple on Mount Qingcheng marks the site where Ning Fengzi once cultivated the Dao, with a temple established there as early as the Jin Dynasty in his honor.

In Daoist belief, the Supreme Venerable Sovereign (the highest deity in Daoism), concerned that mountain and river deities might become arrogant, dispatched celestial immortals from the upper realms to oversee the sacred mountains. Among them, the Elder of Qingcheng was appointed as the chief of the Five Sacred Peaks. The Director of Lifespans from the Nine Heavens at Mount Qian was responsible for recording the registers of life and death. These celestial beings established temples across the Five Peaks, where they received offerings through purification rituals (Zhaijiao) and sacrifices.

Sima Jizhu, a native of Chu, traveled north for five or six years before journeying west to Shu, eventually settling in the Elder Village of Qingcheng Mountain. Ma Mingsheng (originally named He Junxian) of the Han dynasty, a native of Linzi, frequently visited Qingcheng Mountain and later attained immortality at Huayin Mountain. According to the Biographies of Immortals (Shenxian Zhuan), he was severely wounded while pursuing bandits as a county official in his youth and was saved by a divine being. This experience led him to abandon his official post and follow the path of immortality. Initially seeking only a remedy for his wounds, he later discovered the arts of longevity. Carrying his books, he wandered the world for years, enduring hardships until he obtained the Scripture of the Solar Divine Elixir (Taiyang Shendan Jing). Returning to the mountains, he refined and consumed the elixir. Preferring not to ascend to heaven immediately, he took only half the dose, becoming an earthbound immortal (Dixian) who dwelled among mortals, changing his residence every three years, remaining elusive to ordinary people.

Yin Changsheng, a native of Xinye and a relative of a Han empress, disdained worldly glory. Hearing of Ma Mingsheng's path to immortality, he willingly became his servant. For over a decade, Ma Mingsheng spoke only of farming and mundane matters, causing twelve other disciples to leave. Yet Yin grew ever more reverent. Eventually, Ma took him to Qingcheng Mountain, where he refined gold from yellow earth and, facing west, established an altar to transmit the Scripture of the Great Clarity Divine Elixir (Taiqing Shendan Jing). After Ma departed, Yin successfully refined the elixir, consumed half to ascend, and later produced over 100,000 catties of gold to aid the poor. He lived among mortals for 300 years, his appearance never aging.

Li Yi, active during Emperor Wen of Han's reign, resided long at Qingcheng Mountain and possessed foresight. In 221 CE (the first year of Zhangwu during Shu-Han), when Liu Bei prepared to attack Wu, he sent Chen Zhen to inquire about the campaign's outcome. Li Yi remained silent but drew over forty weapon diagrams, tore them apart, then sketched a man lying buried by the roadside and wrote the character "white" before leaving. His prophecy was fulfilled—Liu Bei's campaign failed, and he died of illness at Baidi ("White Emperor") City. During Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's reign, Li's arts became renowned, but he refused multiple summonses. An envoy returned with only a painting: a thatched hut on a mountain with a deer lying beneath. At the time, none could decipher its meaning. (Note: The "deer beneath the hut" was a pun for "An Lushan," foreshadowing the An Lushan Rebellion.)

During the An Lushan Rebellion, when Emperor Xuanzong of Tang fled to Sichuan (Shu region), he truly grasped the profound meaning of Daoism. Historical accounts of this period appear in both the Biographies of Divine Immortals (Shenxian Zhuan) and Records of Shu (Shu Zhi), with the former providing particularly detailed descriptions.

Zhang Daoling, a native of Pei State, was originally a scholar at the Imperial Academy well-versed in the Confucian Five Classics. In his later years, he turned to studying the Dao of longevity and mastered the Nine Cauldrons Elixir Method transmitted from the Yellow Emperor. Unable to afford the materials for alchemical preparations due to poverty, he heard that the simple, virtuous people of Shu were easily transformed and that the region abounded in sacred mountains. Thus he journeyed to Sichuan with disciples, residing at Minghu Mountain (recorded in Sui Shu as located in Qingcheng County—now Qingcheng Mountain). There he composed twenty-four Daoist texts. While immersed in cultivation, countless celestial beings suddenly descended, imparting to him the "Orthodox Unity Illuminating Authority Dao" (Zhengyi Mingwei zhi Dao). After mastering this teaching, Zhang could heal illnesses, and multitudes became his followers, eventually numbering tens of thousands.

He established religious rules requiring disciples to contribute rice and supplies while leading communal projects like bridge and road repairs. Those neglecting virtuous conduct would fall ill. Under his guidance, people weeded out impurities from their lives and reformed their ways. He also taught through instilling shame—the sick would confess their misdeeds in writing, cast the papers into water, and vow never to repeat them before the spirits. Consequently, none dared commit further wrongs. Later, having perfected the elixir, he consumed only half the dose, refusing immediate ascension. Instead, he manifested multiple incarnations to continue aiding the world. He often mentioned awaiting someone from the east to whom he'd transmit the essential secrets of the Nine Cauldrons method. True to his words, Zhao Sheng arrived from the east. After subjecting Zhao to seven trials, Zhang finally transmitted the alchemical scriptures. Ultimately, Zhang Daoling, Wang Chang, and Zhao Sheng all achieved daylight ascension (Pillowbook Records further states Zhang later became a Three Heavens Master (Santian Fashi), governing the six directions while attending Laozi).

Li A, a native of Shu, maintained unchanging youthful features across generations. Often seen begging in Chengdu, he distributed alms to the poor, disappearing at night and returning at dawn with none knowing his whereabouts. Though never speaking to questioners, his facial expressions revealed fortunes—smiles foretold great joy while slight sighs portended calamity. A man named Gu Qiang, sensing his extraordinariness, followed him back to Qingcheng Mountain and witnessed numerous marvels. When Gu was eighteen, Li A appeared fiftyish; when Gu turned eighty, Li's appearance remained unchanged. Later, Li announced Kunlun Mountain's summons and never returned.

Wang Gushen and Pi Yuanyao were both Qingcheng Mountain Daoists thoroughly versed in Laozi-Zhuangzi philosophy and adept at astrological divination, perpetually wandering famous mountains and rivers.

This passage records the deeds of several Daoist figures associated with Mount Qingcheng:

A cultivator departed from Jingzhou, traveled through Xiaoxiang to Mount Heng in the south, and attained the Dao by practicing embryonic respiration (a Neidan breathing technique) behind the Golden Mother Hall. Later he journeyed eastward through the mountains seeking the Nine Immortals. When Emperor Wu of Han toured southward, he encountered this cultivator and bestowed upon him the title "Master of the Great Subtlety."

During the Shu Han period, Chen Xun (courtesy name Xiaoju), a native of Shuzhou known for his erudition, entered Mount Qingcheng after Shu's surrender to Deng Ai and became a disciple of Gu Yuanzi. In the second year of Emperor Huizong's Zhenghe era (Song dynasty), he was enshrined as "Perfected Man of Orthodox Specialness."

Rongcheng Gong of the Jin dynasty (recorded in Annals of Shu as foremost among the Eight Immortals of Shu) secluded himself at Mount Hongmeng (present-day Mount Qingcheng). Ge Hong's Pillow Book records Rongchengzi and Li Heizi as Perfected Men of Mount Min, with Master Guigu serving as Great Primordial Master governing Mount Qingcheng.

Li Jue, originally from Shu, changed his name to Qizhen and took the Daoist title "Great Emptiness" after receiving alchemical teachings from Huangfang Gong. While cultivating at Mount Wuyi, during his return journey through Mount Longhu, he encountered a drought where local rain prayers proved ineffective. After someone dreamed of a Perfected Man the previous night, Li arrived the next day and successfully summoned rain upon request. Later at Yuxu Hermitage in Zhenzhou, he transmitted his methods to Zhang Ziqiong with the instruction: "Refining the Golden Elixir requires secret cultivation, but the Daoist methods should be transmitted to others." He ultimately ascended to immortality from Mount Qingcheng during the Double Ninth Festival. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang posthumously honored him as "Responding and Protecting Treasure of Compassion Master."

The Chicken-Bone Chan Master was a Buddhist monk who came to Mount Qingcheng during the Western Wei dynasty, known for his particular fondness for chicken. At his deathbed, all the chickens he had eaten flew out from his mouth crying and departed. When one chicken fell missing a leg, the master rebuked his attendant for stealing it—upon the attendant vomiting it forth, the leg reattached and the chicken flew away complete. His stupa remains at Xiangji Temple.

Princess Yuzhen of Tang, Emperor Ruizong's eighth daughter, took Daoist vows with Princess Jinxian and cultivated at Mount Tiancang in Shu. After her feathery ascent, she was buried at the mountain's side. When Emperor Xuanzong visited Shu, he opened her coffin to find only her hat and shoes remaining. Bronze statues of the emperor and princess survive at Chufu Abbey.

Feng Daliang of Daojiang, though poor, revered the Dao. Though not a formal cultivator, he enthusiastically received every visiting adept who passed through.

The Records of Mount Qingcheng document three stories of Daoist cultivation leading to immortality, all occurring in the Sichuan region around Mount Qingcheng.

The first tale recounts the story of Feng Daliang and his wife. Originally, they made a living by using an ox to turn their millstone. After the ox died, their life became difficult. A Daoist from Mount Cimu (慈母山, "Motherly Kindness Mountain") often stopped by their home and, upon learning of their plight, fashioned a fake ox from the dead animal’s hide and horns. Through ritual methods, he made it work like a real ox but warned them never to untie the rope around its mouth. This "hide ox" proved even stronger than the original, helping the family prosper. Later, a shepherd boy untied the rope on a scorching day, revealing the ox’s true form. The Fengs then opened a tavern and frequently hosted an elderly woodcutter. One day, the old man arrived with eight companions, each planting a five- or six-inch-long nanmu branch in the courtyard, claiming that when the branches grew to a foot in thickness, the family would amass a fortune. This indeed came to pass, and when Emperor Xuanzong of Tang traveled to Shu (Sichuan), Feng Daliang even donated 300,000 coins. It was said these eight men were the Eight Immortals (八仙), and four decades later, they taught the Feng family the method of ascension at the Giant’s Palace on Mount Min. Mount Cimu earned its name for "nourishing all things," with its dragon pond and caverns.

The second story recounts the legend of Wang Xianke. A native of Mount Qingcheng in Shu, he attained immortality during the Yifeng era (676–679) of Emperor Gaozong of Tang. A monk from Shuzhou once encountered him on Mount Longchi (龙池山, "Dragon Pond Mountain"), where Wang revealed that he had initially only mastered flight but now practiced deeper Daoist arts with his family in the secluded mountains. Records describe Wang Xianke, styled Yeshan, as a prodigy born after his mother dreamed of a great star entering her womb. He was exceptionally bright from childhood and generous in charity. After meeting a master who taught him alchemy (炼丹术), his first attempt failed. Later, he served a Daoist with utmost sincerity for three years before receiving the true transmission, finally ascending in the fifth month of the third year of Yifeng.

The third tale tells of Li Ji, a native of Jinan. While living in Lin’an, he met a green-robed Daoist at Jingyun Temple who treated him to bamboo shoots. After eating, the Daoist suddenly vanished, leaving Li Ji feeling light as a swallow, walking as if flying, and no longer needing food. He later secluded himself on Mount Qingcheng to cultivate the Dao.

Luo Gongyuan hailed from Jiulong in Pengzhou and frequently wandered between Mount Qingcheng and the Luochuan region. During the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong's reign in the Tang dynasty, he encountered local officials while traveling in Ezhou. When the regional governor sought to test his magical arts, Luo Gongyuan invited him to wait and observe. At the appointed time, a dragon indeed emerged from the river, prompting the governor to report this marvel to the imperial court. Summoned by Emperor Xuanzong, Luo's responses greatly pleased the sovereign.

The emperor once pitted Luo against Ye Fashan and Vajra Tripitaka in magical contests, where Luo consistently prevailed. His most renowned skill was the art of invisibility, which the emperor wished to learn. Luo demurred: "Your Majesty is already a ruler attuned to the Dao—why pursue such trivial tricks? Were you to truly master my arts, you might abandon the imperial seal and flee to the commoner's world." Enraged, the emperor ordered his execution. When an envoy returned from Shu (Sichuan), Luo told him: "I first came to Shu during the Xianhe era of the Eastern Jin dynasty to cultivate Dao. Hearing of the Son of Heaven's fondness for Daoist arts, I came forth. But worldly food carries turbid Qi—it takes ten years of purification before one can transmit the Dao. Why this haste to kill me?" With these words, he vanished after leaving a letter and presenting Sichuan's native angelica herb. Later, during the An Lushan Rebellion when Emperor Xuanzong fled to Shu, Luo greeted him at Jianmen Pass and escorted him to Chengdu before achieving feathered ascension. To this day, locals in Pengzhou and Hanzhou still make offerings to him.

The Cold-Afflicted Monk originally dwelled in Mount Meng, perpetually suffering from chills. An elder taught him to drink Thunderclap Tea, which cured his condition and left him more vigorous than youths. In his eighties, he entered Mount Qingcheng and was never seen again.

Li Hao, styled Taisu, of unknown origins, reclused at Mount Qingcheng's Peony Slope, often associating with the immortal Master Erzhu. He composed one hundred alchemical poems that circulated widely before his entire household achieved celestial ascension.

Tan Qiao, styled Jingsheng, was the son of Tan Zhu, an official at the Imperial Academy. Obsessed with Daoist arts, he left home to study under a Daoist master at Mount Song, mastering grain-abstinence and Qi-nurturing techniques. After successfully refining elixirs at Mount Heng (Nanyue), he gained abilities of invisibility and transformation before finally retiring to Mount Qingcheng.

Zhang Junxiang, a Daoist from Mount Min, mastered the Laozi. He compiled the Collected Commentaries on the Dao De Jing, synthesizing annotations from thirty scholars across generations including Heshang Gong, Yan Zun, and Wang Bi.

This passage recounts extraordinary anecdotes about several Daoist masters from Mount Qingcheng.

Cai Zihuang, Cheng Yuanying, Che Huibi, and thirty other Daoists were collectively referred to as "Junxiang" (Lord Ministers), though only twenty-nine names are actually listed—perhaps because the "Junxiang" title itself was counted as one. Among them, Cheng Yuanying was a Daoist during the Tianbao era (742–756 CE) of the Tang dynasty. His commentary on the Daode Jing (Classic of the Way and Virtue) was unconventional: he placed "Abandon learning and there will be no sorrow" after "Reject sageliness and discard wisdom," and treated "The difference between 'yes' and 'oh'" as a standalone chapter.

Xue Chang, a native of Ji County in Youzhou, practiced Daoism at the Dongtian Temple on Mount Qingcheng during the Tianbao era. After drinking wine made from pokeberry (a toxic plant), he bled from all seven orifices and appeared dead, only to revive three days later with the ability to see through solid rock. When Emperor Xuanzong of Tang heard of this, he sent envoys to summon him to the capital, but Xue suddenly vanished. Some later claimed to have seen him reappear on Mount Damian.

Huidai, a Sichuan Daoist, was a disciple of the Celestial Master (Tianshi) Zhai. Though he often feigned madness, Zhai warned his students not to underestimate him. Once, during heavy snowfall, he entered Mount Qingcheng wearing only thin robes to seek shelter. The monks assumed he would freeze to death, but instead, his body radiated heat like a furnace. When he fell ill, his mouth became covered in festering sores, and he went months without eating or drinking. Just before death, he suddenly opened his mouth, revealing his internal organs—terrifying all present—before disappearing without a trace.

Liu Wuming, a native of Chengdu who claimed descent from the Shu Han dynasty, received secret alchemical teachings from a Perfected Being (Zhenren) in a cave on Mount Qingcheng's northern cliffs. He built a platform for cultivation on Mount Wushan and was still alive in the second year of the Kaicheng era (837 CE) under Emperor Wenzong of Tang before vanishing into Mount Qingcheng.

Xu Zuoqing, a Daoist from Mount Qingcheng, appeared in the skies above Shayuan during the Double Ninth Festival in the thirteenth year of Tianbao (754 CE), while Emperor Xuanzong was hunting there.

This passage recounts several miraculous tales associated with Mount Qingcheng:

The first story occurred during the Tianbao era of Emperor Xuanzong's reign in the Tang Dynasty. A Daoist priest named Zuo Qing frequently traveled between Yizhou's Moonlight Abbey (Yueguan) and Mount Qingcheng. One day he returned claiming someone had shot him with an arrow in the mountains, though he was unharmed. He left the arrow behind, explaining it wasn't an ordinary human weapon and must be returned to its owner. After inscribing words on the wall, he departed. Later, when Emperor Xuanzong fled to Sichuan during the An Lushan Rebellion, he recognized this arrow at Moonlight Abbey as the very imperial hunting arrow he'd used years earlier, leaving him astonished.

The second tale concerns Xue Youqi, a native of Puzhou who passed the imperial examinations during the Kaiyuan era. After serving as Ling County's deputy magistrate around age twenty, he abandoned his official post to cultivate Daoism at Mount Qingcheng and Mount Emei, eventually achieving immortality at Mount Heng (Nanyue) in Hunan.

The third narrative follows Yang Tongyou (originally named Yang Shiwu). After Emperor Xuanzong's retreat to Sichuan, longing for Lady Yang (Yang Guifei), he summoned the spirit-medium Yang Shiwu upon hearing of his supernatural abilities. Yang Shiwu claimed to have seen Lady Yang - now the immortal "Shangyuan Nü Taizhen" - on Penglai's celestial mountain in the Eastern Sea, returning with her golden hairpin as proof. The emperor bestowed the name "Tongyou" (Penetrating the Mysterious). Yang professed training under Western Region's Lord Wang and Mount Qingcheng's Zhenren (Perfected Being), later practicing there for years before ascending to heaven with a host of immortals.

The fourth account tells of an official named Cui who died in Sichuan during Tianbao. His superior Zhangqou Jianqiong sought to forcibly marry Cui's young widow. During a banquet in Chengdu meant to detain her, her uncle Mr. Lu unexpectedly escorted her away. Though pursuers followed, Lu departed calmly while chatting and laughing. Soon after, a youth delivered celestial garments - a blue skirt, white robe, and green cape - all clearly not of this world.

This passage from the Qingcheng Shan Ji recounts several Daoist stories.

After taking an elixir, the wife of Chengdu official Yang Jianqiong shone among the other women, dazzling even her husband. Three days later she suddenly died, and Yang reported the event. Tang Emperor Xuanzong asked Zhang Guolao, one of the Eight Immortals, who said the matter should be put to Wang Lao of Qingcheng Mountain. Officials searched widely and eventually found two medicine sellers in a market who said Wang Lao had sent them. Following them several li into the mountain, they found a white-haired elder seated quietly in a thatched cottage. Learning that Zhang Guolao had spoken about him, Wang Lao was summoned to the capital. He told Zhang, “You talk too much, boy. You have made me come all this way.” Wang explained that Yang's wife had been an attendant of Taiyuan Furen, a Daoist female immortal, in a previous life. She had stolen and worn immortal garments and been punished with human rebirth. Now she had been reborn as Yudan Tianzi, a Daoist celestial deity, while her husband had fallen into hell because he coveted the immortal garments.

Another account concerns the late-Tang Daoist Du Guangting. A native of Chang'an, he failed the civil service examination and then studied under the renowned Daoist Master Pan. When Emperor Xizong fled turmoil and entered Shu, he sought a distinguished man to oversee Daoist affairs. Master Pan recommended Du Guangting, saying that despite his examination failure he had exceptional bearing and profound understanding. The emperor was deeply impressed when they met, granted him a purple Daoist robe, and named him Guangcheng Xiansheng. Later, Wang Jian, emperor of Former Shu, honored him as Tianshi. Believing that the many existing commentaries on the Daodejing were insufficiently thorough, Du wrote the eighty-juan Guangcheng Yi and other works, highly praised by scholars of the time. The Shu Taowu adds that his courtesy name was Binsheng and that the poet Fang Gan likened him to a precious great jade tablet in an ancestral temple.

Note: Ying means an attendant accompanying a bride. Pidai means formally receiving ordination as a Daoist. Ziyi, purple robes, were worn by eminent Tang Daoists. Liangjie refers to the main areas of Chang'an where Daoist temples were concentrated.

Zheng Yunzou (courtesy name Yingbai) repeatedly failed the imperial examinations before becoming a Daoist priest at Mount Tiantai. Emperor Xizong of Tang summoned him and bestowed the purple Daoist robe (a prestigious honor for eminent Daoists during the Tang dynasty). After serving at court, he requested permission to travel to Chengdu, eventually secluding himself at White Cloud Creek on Mount Qingcheng. Wang Jian, emperor of Former Shu, honored him as "Transmitter of Truth Celestial Master" (Chuanzhen Tianshi) and appointed him Grand Academician at the Chongzhen Abbey. He compiled supplements to the Bowuzhi (Records of Diverse Matters), though some accounts claim he entered Shu to avoid wartime chaos and was known as "Master Guangde." These records vary and should be verified against official histories.

During the Later Shu period of the Five Dynasties, there was a Celestial Master Shen (the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms records him as a descendant of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang) who cultivated the Dao on Mount Qingcheng. In the final years of the Guangzheng era (under Meng Chang, the last emperor of Later Shu), when the emperor indulged in pleasures, Celestial Master Shen presented three red gardenia seeds. The flowers bloomed with six crimson petals and rich fragrance, delighting the emperor, who ordered their patterns painted on palace fans and rewarded the master with rice and silk. Yet Celestial Master Shen distributed these gifts immediately before disappearing without trace. He authored several volumes of Yishen Lun (Treatise on Spiritual Joy) and one scroll of Fuqi Lun (Treatise on Qi Absorption).

Liu Yunyun, a Daoist priest of Mount Qingcheng, later became a disciple of Wen Gu. Once, while visiting Liu Guangzuo, a Secretariat Drafter, he coincidentally met another Daoist visitor named Sheng Gongke Shenmo. Liu Guangzuo displayed a peach-stone cup over a foot in diameter (reportedly made from the stone of legendary flat peaches), exquisitely patterned. He recounted receiving it from a Daoist during his youth while traveling Mount Hua. Liu Yunyun then produced a white stone the size of a hen's egg, its natural veins forming a clear image: two child attendants holding ceremonial tablets leading the way, followed by an immortal—with eyebrows, hair, robes, hats, and shoes all distinctly visible. He claimed to have found it in a stone cavern at Magu Cave. Shenmo also exhibited a stone fragment, one and a half inches wide and two and a half inches long, bearing faint patterns resembling the coiled scales and claws of a dragon, discovered in the mountains of Wu Gorge.

During the Song dynasty, a villager named Cheng Junyou from Xiaoxi County, Suizhou, still wove straw sandals for a living at sixty years old. His compassionate nature extended even to birds and beasts, and he would offer his earnings to any mountain-dwelling Daoist he encountered. In the ninth year of the Kaibao era (976), he met a Daoist with a black dog at Mount Yunding, who asked him to carry a medicine bag and staff to Mount Qingcheng. Following the Daoist along a narrow path, they passed through initially overgrown vegetation that gradually gave way to exotic flowers and rare trees. After several miles, the route unfolded with wondrous rocks, tall bamboos, peach blossoms cascading beside flying springs, and abbeys nestled between mountain and water—where pines and osmanthus grew in serene mist. When the Daoist ascended the hall, Cheng Junyou placed the luggage at the foot of the steps.

A Daoist priest gave Li Junyou a medicinal pill and instructed him to consume it, saying that if he felt hungry or thirsty, he could chew some cypress seeds. Li's friend earnestly begged to stay and serve the priest, but the Daoist replied, "Return home first and find a quiet room to devote yourself to cultivating the profound mysteries of the Dao. When the eighth day of the ninth month arrives, I shall come to fetch you." After bowing in gratitude, Li departed. Suddenly, a black dog began barking, and when he turned back to look, the place where he had met the priest had vanished without a trace. Upon inquiring with locals, he learned it was the path leading to the Cave Heaven Temple of Mount Qingcheng.

Returning home, Li Junyou practiced cultivation as the priest had instructed. On the night of the seventh day of the ninth month, under bright moonlight and a gentle breeze, he seemed to be waiting for something. At dawn, multicolored clouds appeared in the sky, and Li unexpectedly stepped onto the auspicious clouds, gradually ascending amidst his family's cries and futile pursuit. The local magistrate Li Zhun and his deputy Zhang Wei deemed this an ominous event, imprisoning Li's wife and children while dispatching officers to search everywhere, disturbing the entire village.

Later, Li Junyou suddenly appeared at the government office requesting an audience. Deputy Zhang Wei scolded him: "If you've truly attained immortality, why would you return?" Just as they were about to detain and punish him, Li simply sat quietly with bowed head, neither eating nor drinking. When questioned how he escaped, he replied, "A new emperor is about to ascend the throne—why worry about not being pardoned?" Soon after, Emperor Taizong of Song assumed power, and everyone suddenly understood. In the third month of the first year of the Taiping Xingguo era (976 CE), Li Junyou ascended again amid celestial music and divine fragrances. The imperial court rewarded his family with grain and cloth upon hearing this, and jailer Zhang Hanqiu, having witnessed the miracle, abandoned his official post to pursue Daoist cultivation.

Another cultivator, Li Xuan (courtesy name Tingyi), was descended from Persian ancestors who had accompanied Emperor Xizong of Tang to Shu (Sichuan). Gentle and refined by nature, he excelled in medicine and life-nourishing arts but exhausted his family fortune through alchemical obsessions, leaving only Daoist scriptures and medicine bags. He possessed correspondence between Master Erzhu and the Southern Sixth Gentleman of Qingcheng discussing alchemical techniques, along with an exquisitely patterned peach-pit cup. In his later years, he found a peculiar black stone beneath Liushi Cliff at Mount Qingcheng—smooth as a goose egg yet warm to the touch. One day while examining it with fellow Daoists, it accidentally shattered, revealing hollow interiors carved with intricate dragon-phoenix cloud patterns of such craftsmanship that it was deemed unmistakably an immortal's artifact.

There was also a northern hermit named Shangguan Daoren who dwelled year-round in tree nests at Mount Qingcheng, sustaining himself on pine nuts. Though over ninety years old, visitors could only perceive...

This passage records anecdotes about several Daoist figures associated with Qingcheng Mountain.

While at Zhangren Guan, Lu You, known as Fangweng, suddenly said that neither bringing lasting peace to a country nor attaining immortality was something ordinary people could accomplish. What mattered was governing diligently, caring for the body, and awaiting the emergence of truly capable people. He then returned to silence.

Huangfu Tan, from Jiajiang, was an accomplished physician. He cured the eye disease of Song Emperor Gaozong's mother but refused a reward. When the emperor asked about methods for long life, he replied, “First restrain desire and do not indulge yourself. Reading ten thousand volumes of elixir scriptures is less valuable than concentrating on shouyi, guarding the One, the fundamental practice.” The emperor greatly admired him.

Huangfu Shi'an was a Daoist of Qingcheng Mountain and wrote one juan of Yangsheng Danjue.

Li Shouyi, a Daoist from Shu, excelled at painting Daoist divine images and frequently visited Zhangren Guan.

Kou Zilong was another Qingcheng Daoist. According to legend, he met a village woman on the way to Magu Cave, said to be the cultivation site of the female immortal Magu. After she gave him radishes to eat, he became full of vitality and lived to a hundred.

Chen Huazi lived on Qingcheng Mountain. He often sold cut-paper flowers to buy wine and associated with the famous Daoist Chen Tuan.

Zhang Zhongyuan came from Bazhou in Hebei and built a solitary thatched retreat on Zibai Ridge of Damian Mountain in Qingcheng.

Zhao Gongyuan cultivated himself for two hundred and thirty years on Duyu Mountain in Minshan, Tianshui, and claimed to be seven hundred years old. These accounts portray Qingcheng as a sacred Daoist mountain that attracted many practitioners seeking seclusion and cultivation.

Here are accounts of several extraordinary individuals associated with Mount Qingcheng:

Yuan Xing was a Daoist priest from Mount Qingcheng, skilled in medicine. When Emperor Wuzong of Tang suffered from heart fever that imperial physicians couldn't cure, someone recommended this Daoist. Summoned to court, the priest produced two blue elixir pills from his green cloth pouch and administered them with pear juice. The emperor recovered immediately. Wuzong rewarded him with ten thousand taels of gold and bestowed the title "Vast Relief Master." Days later, the Daoist departed. When the emperor's illness recurred and he sought the priest again, the man had vanished without trace.

During the Ming dynasty, Mou Kangmin from Neijiang received esoteric Daoist arts from an extraordinary master in his youth and later retreated to Mount Qingcheng. In late Wanli era, he predicted turmoil would strike Sichuan in the ninth month of Xinyou year. Indeed, She Chongming (Chief She) later seized Chongqing in rebellion. When rebel forces threatened Chengdu, official Zhu Xieyuan sought Mou's counsel at Mount Qingcheng. Mou awaited him on the road, accurately foretelling the rebels' arrival and siege of Chengdu, assuring Zhu "With you here, there's no need for worry." Zhu later pacified the southwest, achieving merits comparable to Tang dynasty's Wei Gao (Wei Nankang). Mou also predicted "Beijing's royal Qi (energy) will exhaust," which came true with the Ming collapse.

In early Qing dynasty, the "Scarred Monk" was actually Zhang Xianzhong's nephew. After Zhang's defeat, he disfigured his face with gunpowder burns and hid among Mount Qingcheng's thirty-six peaks as a monk. Still alive during Kangxi reign, he claimed Zhang Xianzhong never intended mass slaughter until an incident at Wudang Mountain's Golden Summit where a deity rebuked him: "Depart quickly!"—making Zhang believe he was destined to kill by heavenly mandate.

Gu Aying, master of Yutang Mountain, was visited by scholar Cai Shitian during Kangxi era. This Daoist maintained ruddy complexion without eating or drinking, yet could recount Yuan-Ming transition events in detail. Many believed he had attained terrestrial immortality (earthbound transcendent). Cai previously knew Wang, former Hanyang prefect over ninety years old who could levitate, and specially arranged their meeting.

Monk Longquan was a practitioner from Mount Tiantai who traveled to Guan County and settled at Qingyun Temple in the western mountains. His predictions about fortune and misfortune always proved accurate, and he could summon tigers and leopards. He enjoyed drinking with locals, calling it "forming joyful connections." One evening during a gathering at the temple, villagers heard licking sounds from his meditation chamber. When questioned, Longquan smiled and said, "Would you like to see? Don't be afraid." With a wave of his horsetail whisk, two tigers emerged from the room, their eyes gleaming like stars. The terrified guests trembled in fear until Longquan shouted a command, sending the beasts away. After this incident, no one dared drink with him again. One day, he suddenly gathered the villagers to bid farewell, visiting each household as if preparing for a long journey. Returning to his chamber, he sat cross-legged in meditation and passed away. (I've heard his original name was Longzang—whether this was truly Longquan remains uncertain.)

Lü Motou was a local Daoist priest during the Daoguang reign period, though no one knew his origins. His tangled hair resembled hemp ropes, and he always carried a folded sphere at his waist. Often seen wandering the markets of Daojiang Village with a large wooden fish, his prophecies about fortune proved remarkably accurate. When invited to meals, he could devour entire tables of food while still claiming hunger. He once meditated for days without eating at Fulong Temple, claiming to have ascended Mount Emei and traveled through Qingcheng Mountain's peaks with the Iron Ladle Daoist. During his recent travels here, he carried a thirty-pound iron staff and a large iron ladle. Later, he went to Qingcheng Mountain to gather herbs and was never heard from again.

Additional records about Qingcheng Mountain: Old local gazetteers state that Rongzhao Temple was located on Mount Tianguo, now in ruins. The Ming Dynasty's Unified Gazetteer records Mount Tianguo west of the county seat, with Rongzhao Temple atop it. The Qingcheng Mountain Records mentions eight major caves in Qingcheng Mountain, with this being the fifth. However, Yang Shen (literary name Sheng'an) wrote that Qingcheng Mountain was also called "Tian Valley," and that "Tianguo" was a mistaken transcription. The Classic of Mountains and Seas describes a vast wilderness between southwestern black waters called Guangdu, which Guo Pu's commentary identifies as a three-hundred-li-wide city at the world's center—where the goddess Su Nü appeared. This city was Guo Pu's addition based on other legends. The black-water Guangdu corresponds to present-day Chengdu, while Su Nü's Tian Valley in Qingcheng Mountain is now called the Jade Maiden Cave. This confirms Tian Valley as another name for Qingcheng Mountain itself, not a separate location within it.

The Biographies of Immortals states that Zhang Daoling resided at Minghu Mountain in Sichuan to write Daoist scriptures and cultivate, making no mention of Heming Mountain. Yet the Records of Wei claims Zhang studied Daoism at Heming Mountain without referencing Qingcheng. Investigating Zhang Daoling's deeds reveals his connection to Qingcheng Mountain...

This passage primarily documents the historical evolution and sacred legends surrounding Mount Qingcheng (a renowned Daoist mountain in Sichuan) and its surrounding areas.

Regarding toponymic changes: Guan County was renamed Qiji Prefecture during the Liang Dynasty. In the Sui Dynasty, Qiji County was again renamed Qingcheng County. Within Mount Qingcheng lies the Minghu Mountain, likely one of its subsidiary ranges, though its exact location is difficult to identify today.

Concerning sacred sites: The Huan Yu Ji (Records of the Universe) documents that Holy Mother Mountain lies west of Qingcheng County, standing two thousand zhang tall with a thirty-li circumference, featuring a deep cavern on its southern side. The Yu Di Ji (Geographical Records) states Holy Mother Mountain is east of Mount Qingcheng, containing the Dragon Pool Cavern, though these ancient sites are now difficult to verify.

Su Yun's Record of the Holy Mother Hall from the Song Dynasty preserves crucial details: North of Lingquan Town stood a shrine to the Holy Mother. During the Sui Dynasty's Kaihuang era (581-600 CE), a cultivator named Chu Xiang journeyed from Jiangdu (modern Yangzhou) to this site—originally from Heishui Creek in Qingcheng County, Tang'an Prefecture. Having comprehended Buddhist principles in his youth, he later chose this mountain for spiritual practice, establishing a Daoist center. During famines, he cooked congee in small pots to relieve victims, saving tens of thousands. After his passing, disciples built a shrine and pagoda at his cultivation site. Initially called "Mimu Cloister," it was destroyed during Emperor Wuzong's Huichang-era persecution of Buddhism (841-846 CE). Not until 855 CE, when Chancellor Bai Minzhong served in Shu territory during Emperor Xuanzong's reign, was it reconstructed under Chan Master Farun's supervision, restoring both the hall and original pagoda.

This passage documents the historical origins and miraculous manifestations of the Sacred Mother Temple (Shengmuyuan) on Mount Qingcheng. During the Xiantong era (860-874 CE) of the Tang dynasty, National Preceptor Wuda (a renowned Tang Buddhist master) traveled from Chang'an to Shu region (modern Sichuan) and settled here as abbot, naming the site "Sacred Mother Temple," from which the mountain also derived its name.

Despite the turmoil of the late Tang period, the temple's spiritual efficacy became increasingly evident. During droughts, the deities would promptly send life-giving rain to save the people, demonstrating boundless compassion. In the second year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era (1009 CE) of the Northern Song dynasty, local official Ren Zhongzheng reported these miracles to the imperial court, which soon granted the temple its new title "Auspicious Response Temple" (Ruiyingyuan).

Between the Baoyuan and Huangyou eras (1038-1054 CE), when Shu suffered consecutive droughts and plagues, officials including Zhang Yi, Yang Yueyan, and Wen Yanbo led military officers in conducting altar ceremonies here, striking bells and chanting scriptures. Rain invariably fell that very night, bringing abundant harvests across hundreds of miles. Later magistrates like Pan Dong, Xu Fen, and Liu Yong similarly obtained rain through their prayers here, each documenting these marvels in prose and poetry.

The temple's reputation spread widely thereafter, with drought-stricken counties throughout Shu making pilgrimages to seek rain—each petition answered without fail. Such efficacy earned it equal renown with other famous cultic sites like the Baoshan Sacred Mother and Songshan Qimu shrines.

The text notes that the original Tang-era stele inscription by Zhu Daoyi (847-860 CE) before the shrine contained inaccuracies. Monk Weiying, concerned about historical distortion, compiled authentic records and commissioned a new preface to preserve both the Sacred Mother's deeds and the temple's true history. Finally, the Dongbaoshan Tujing records this place as the "Compassionate Mother" for nurturing all things. Its mountain pools contain gold, silver, bronze, and iron-colored fish—legendary "flesh mushrooms" (rouzhi) granting immortality when consumed—and mark the cultivation site of the Celestial Sovereign Perfected (Tianhuang Zhenren), a Daoist immortal.

This passage records several historical anecdotes and legends about Mount Qingcheng:

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Meng Chang, Emperor of Later Shu, hosted a banquet in Fanglin Garden in the 12th year of Guangzheng era (949 CE) to admire red gardenia flowers. These blossoms were cultivated from seeds presented from Mount Qingcheng, displaying vibrant crimson hues with a plum blossom's delicate fragrance. Southern Song poet Lu You composed an ode about these flowers, recounting how he encountered a child holding extraordinary red blossoms on Mount Qingcheng—the youth vanished in an instant, later revealed by an elderly Daoist priest as a spiritual encounter, prompting Lu to lament his scholarly pursuits that still fell short of attaining the Dao.

Another account describes a rare zhi mushroom tree in Fanxian Temple, standing over ten feet tall yet growing exceptionally slowly. Its small white flowers bloomed one year, bore fruit the next, and only ripened in the third year. The fruits resembled paper mulberries with tortoise-shell patterned surfaces, offering a sweet-sour flavor suitable for consumption.

Mount Baoyuan, located thirty li north of Qingcheng County along the eastern Min Mountain range, earned its name ("Treasure Garden Mountain") from abundant lingzhi mushrooms, jade artifacts, and precious medicinal herbs. Mount Qingcheng was also called Changsheng Guan Mountain (Mountain of Longevity Temple), featuring Tianchi Mountain (Heavenly Pool Mountain, alternatively called Quanfeng Mountain) whose summit held a secluded pool above sheer cliffs, rarely visited by humans.

The final account chronicles Tang dynasty Daoist priest Zhang Suqing, originally from Jianzhou. Once a knowledgeable retainer of Xiahou Zi, he later embraced asceticism at Changdao Temple on Mount Qingcheng. When Former Shu Emperor Wang Jian constructed the Zhangren Temple, Zhang was commissioned to paint twelve river goddesses and aquatic deities representing the Five Sacred Mountains and Four Great Rivers. His vividly rendered spirit portraits so awed viewers that Shu's Grand Tutor An Siqian later presented them as imperial birthday gifts.

This account relates anecdotes about several Daoist figures from the Qingcheng Mountain region:

The King of Shu (ruler of the Former Shu Kingdom) once commissioned portraits of twelve immortals, with scholar Ouyang Jiong composing eulogies and court calligrapher Huang Jubao inscribing them in clerical script. These portraits were displayed during the Zhaijiao (Daoist sacrificial ceremony) at Yuju Temple.

Du Guangting, a Daoist priest from Shaanxi who sought refuge in Shu during the An Lushan Rebellion, excelled at painting Buddhist arhats. He created portraits of Prince Jin (the Zhou Dynasty royal who supposedly attained immortality) and Tang emperors for the Later Shu ruler, earning him the position of Hanlin Academician and the honor of wearing the purple-gold fish pouch (high official regalia). His extraordinary painting skills were first cultivated under the tutelage of Chang Can in portrait artistry.

Zhang Cha, a recluse from Fujian who relocated to Chengdu, was renowned for his literary talent. In his later years, the local governor recommended him for the title "Reclusive Scholar of Transcendent Retirement." One night he dreamed of receiving a summons from an Eastern Peak Daoist, and the next day while touring Qingcheng Mountain with friend Li Shilin, their conversation eerily mirrored the dream. Li Shilin, a native of Pengzhou known for his eccentric behavior who lived past one hundred, had famously predicted Su Dongpo's success in the imperial examinations while in Chengdu.

Qingcheng Mountain hosted annual Daoist assemblies every February 15th, organized in rotation by prominent local families. After one such gathering, a mysterious priest left his bamboo hat at a teahouse—whereupon it began spinning like a wheel. An inscribed poem beneath the hat hinted he was an immortal visiting from Penglai, the fabled abode of transcendents.

Another record tells of a Shu Daoist who frequented Ziji Palace to visit Du Guangting, always singing the "Autumn in the Courtyard" melody. One evening, Du noticed two azure-robed attendants serving at his banquet, only to watch the Daoist fold these youths into inch-sized figures stored in his hat before vanishing through the doorway. These stories vividly illustrate the mystical dimensions of Qingcheng Mountain's Daoist culture.

The Records of Mount Qingcheng document two extraordinary tales from the Qingcheng Mountain region.

The first story recounts the fate of Magistrate Liu Chan. A man of striking appearance and profound learning, he was particularly devoted to the arts of immortality. Despite being past fifty, he and his wife remained childless. He once served as the Registrar of Chengzhou under the pseudo-Shu regime. After the Song dynasty unified the land, he concealed his identity and built a hermitage on Ghost City Mountain, making a living by selling medicinal herbs. One night, three strangers arrived bearing wine and food. As they discussed alchemical techniques (the "yellow and white methods" referring to formulas for refining gold and silver), the visitors suddenly turned hostile, brandishing weapons and demanding Liu Chan surrender his secret formulas. After being forced to hand over remnants of his alchemical elixirs, Liu and his wife fled down the mountain under cover of darkness, never daring to return.

The second tale occurred during the Chunhua era (around 993 CE). Villagers from Qingcheng Mountain were digging for medicinal herbs on Mount Zhaogong when they uncovered a porcelain box containing a massive crimson serpent coiled inside. When a villager prodded it with a hoe, the serpent transformed into a pheasant and flew into a nearby stream, leaving behind only a stone hairpin in the box. That night, the pin illuminated the entire house as bright as daylight. Fearing it was an ill omen, the villagers presented it to the local estate master. Later, amid wartime chaos, this miraculous hairpin vanished without a trace.

The text concludes with a reference to Qiao Xiu’s Records of Shu, which names Rongchenggong (also known as Gui Rongqu) as the foremost of the Eight Immortals of Shu. A legendary recluse said to dwell in the primordial wilderness, he shares deep connections with Qingcheng Mountain. These accounts collectively highlight the mountain’s enduring mystique as a sacred Daoist site.

Several famous figures lived in seclusion or were active at Qingcheng Mountain. The first listed is Laozi, Li Er, said here to have been born in Shu at the site of present-day Qingyang Palace in Chengdu. The third is Dong Zhongshu, explicitly identified as a recluse with the same name as, but different from, the Han Confucian scholar who proposed the “Three Responses on Heaven and Humanity.” The fourth is Zhang Daoling, founder of Daoism, associated with present-day Heming Guan in Dayi County. The fifth is Yan Junping, the Han master of Yijing studies, whose divination shop site is in Chengdu. The sixth is the immortal Li Babai, who practiced in a cave at Longmen. The seventh is the Jin Daoist Fan Changsheng. The eighth is Master Erzhu, who was active in the Yazhou region.

In his Ming-dynasty You Qingcheng Shan Ji, Jiao Weizhang writes that there are dozens of famous mountains west of Chengdu, of which Qingcheng in Guan County, today's Dujiangyan, is the most beautiful. In the third month of the second year of Jiajing, his friend Feng Tingqi proposed, “Qingcheng's beauty is the finest in Yizhou. Tiancang Peak and the surrounding mountains rise around it, their cliffs richly green. I own fields at the mountain's foot and know the area well. Why not visit together? I will wait for you at the Baiyun stone steps.” We set out together, crossed the river by boat, and walked across a hundred li of sandy plain. As we approached the foothills, the woods and stream valleys were already astonishing.

We passed Maqiao, went around Niuxin Mountain, and reached the foot of Hengshan. A stream winds around the cliffs and flows east. It could irrigate fields, but collapsing banks had allowed its water to escape. A previous magistrate, Mr. Hu from Jixi, ordered excavation and reinforcement along the cliffs, and people still benefit from his work. Such public service by a capable official deserves praise. Beyond Hengshan we turned west to Shifowan, where the soil was fertile and water plentiful. Farther west, we climbed a small hill. The terrain gradually leveled out, with forests and valleys stretching onward. Qingcheng Mountain, Changsheng Guan, and other buildings remained hidden in distant cloud and mist.

After asking a passerby for directions, we walked about one li north and found two monks welcoming us by the roadside with incense sticks. This was Luojia An. The hermitage stood deep in a valley, reached by a winding path along a secluded stream. Jagged rocks required us to hop across them. Soon the sky darkened and fine rain began. We hurried south for more than a li before the rain stopped. That afternoon we rested at Changsheng Guan and found that the Daoist temple had long been abandoned. Broken walls and rampant weeds prompted reflection that all things have their appointed rise and fall. At this point, lines from Su Dongpo's poem about Hengshan suggest the impermanence of prosperity and decline.

Heading northwest from the Palace of Eternal Life, we entered a mountain pass where sheer cliffs flanked the path like open doors embracing a rushing stream. Moss-covered bamboo groves flourished in verdant splendor, and after several winding turns we reached the dilapidated ruins of Jianfu Palace. Before it stood densely forested peaks rising like thousand-ren walls, where only a few impoverished monks resided—so destitute they couldn't even offer tea. Fortunately, my friend Zhou Ziliang (courtesy name Han) arrived from Dale with wine and provisions. As dusk fell, making further travel impossible, a storm erupted. We drank anxiously, daunted by the treacherous terrain ahead—the precipitous cliffs and dense forests surrounding Celestial Master's Cave would become even more slippery after rain. Were we to abandon our quest? Our companions, led by Xianyu Shenzong, rallied us: "We mustn't quit! Rest tonight, don wooden clogs at dawn, and climb. Let us not waver like Xie Lingyun, the Southern Dynasties poet who famously turned back halfway."

At daybreak after breakfast, pale sunlight filtered through clouds. Departing the temple, we saw crimson cliffs jutting angularly from deep valleys when suddenly—an echoing cry reverberated as if answering the stones. Ascending western ridges, we gasped for breath on near-vertical steps choked with vines, forced to arch our backs while climbing. In the distance, a pear tree blazed like white brocade—marking the cave's location. Crossing successive peaks, we traversed perilous footpaths barely a foot wide above bottomless chasms. After four or five li, we reached the cave's base: a cavern suspended thirty meters up a sheer face, utterly inaccessible. Former Magistrate Hu had built cliffside planking; following this, we entered to find a central statue of Zhang Daoling (founder of Daoism), flanked by what some claimed was Tang Emperor Xuanzong, though others insisted depicted Meng Chang, last ruler of Later Shu.

Qingcheng Mountain's wonders defy full description: to the right, thirty-six peaks emerge like indigo hair coils, while sword-testing rocks and other formations bow toward the main summit yet retain their unyielding dignity. Mist brushing our sleeves made heaven and earth seem graspable—a spectacle unmatched under heaven. Yet the alchemical furnace stood empty, its cranes never returning. Truly, this embodied the saying: "The ladder to heaven lies within reach, yet remains unclimbable." Beside the cave stood a hermitage where a centenarian Buddhist monk abstained from wine and meat. He told us of nearby Peony Terrace and Sunrise Cave. After drinking, wind filled our sleeves and heroic spirit our breasts. Retracing our path past Jianfu Palace, we encountered Feng Tingqi, who hosted a revelrous gathering where all our fellow travelers reunited.

These past few days, after plenty of food and wine, a fresh, clear Qi had just begun to rise, yet worldly worries once again crowded into my mind. Only after Sima Qian visited Longmen and explored Yu's Cave did his writing become spacious, free-flowing, and full of extraordinary spirit. The great Confucian scholars Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi traveled far to Mount Heng and found harmony with the Dao. How could ordinary people lost in noise and bustle understand the lofty feelings they experienced then? I have always enjoyed wandering among rivers and lakes, so I cannot let this visit to Mount Qingcheng pass without writing something about it.

Wang Menggeng, a county magistrate of our dynasty, once wrote the "Record of the Restoration of Changdao Guan at Tianshi Dong." Changdao Guan stands on the first peak of Mount Qingcheng in Guan County and is a true home of Daoist practice. Daoist scriptures record that, among the thirty-six Dongtian, or grotto-heavens, Qingcheng ranks just below the Five Sacred Mountains. Rising 3,600 zhang, it has thirty-six towering peaks and 108 scenic sites, and is called Baoxian Jiushi Zhi Tian, the Heaven of the Precious Immortals' Nine Chambers. In the time of the Yellow Emperor, Xuanyuan, the Zhenren Ning Fengzi lived here in seclusion. The emperor asked him about the art of ascending to heaven on a dragon. Ning Fengzi was later given the titles Wuyue Zhangren, Elder of the Five Sacred Mountains, and Chufu Dingming Zhenjun, Perfected Lord Who Stores Blessings and Determines Destiny. Although these accounts contain some exaggeration, they are not wholly without foundation.

At the end of the Eastern Han, the recluse Fan Ji of Fuling, whose courtesy name was Wuwei, refused Liu Bei's summons and was granted the title Xiaoyao Gong, Duke of Free Wandering. Skilled in the arts of longevity, he was known as Fan Changsheng. During the turmoil in Shu in the Yuankang era of the Jin dynasty, he led several thousand people in holding this mountain and achieved notable success. Biluo Guan, also called Changdao Guan, was later built here. In the twelfth year of the Tang Kaiyuan era, Emperor Xuanzong issued an edict: "Mount Qingcheng in Shuzhou originally had Changdao Guan. We now hear that monks have seized it and made it a Buddhist monastery. It must immediately be returned to the Daoists, and the monastery moved to its original site outside the mountain, so that Daoists and Buddhists each have their own place." The Tang honored Laozi as Xuanyuan Huangdi, Emperor of the Mysterious Origin; its reverence for Daoism could hardly have been greater.

Zhang Daoling, the founder of Daoism, also practiced here. Nearby stands the Oath Stone, and where the blue-green cliff breaks open there is a dragon's cave. Legend says that, because Zhang Tianshi kept watch, the dragon dared not emerge from the water to destroy the crops. At the foot of the mountain flows Baiyun Xi, White Cloud Stream. Du Guangting lived here in seclusion at the end of the Tang and compiled a richly extensive Daozang, revered by Daoists as canonical scripture. The other stories are too numerous to recount. This truly is a hidden realm visited by immortals and a sacred retreat for recluses. Yet as the land and times changed, the halls and temples gradually fell into ruin. Very few remain untouched by mist, weeds, and creeping vines. Last autumn I temporarily took charge of Guan County. This summer I visited its scenic sites with friends, hoping to find the places associated with Chufu Zhangren and Changsheng Yanqing mentioned in Lu You's poems.

The Upper Clarity Palace (Shangqing Gong) on Mount Qingcheng now consists only of two low and cramped rooms, with nearly all other structures ruined. Only the Everlasting Dao Temple (Changdao Guan) remains intact, its ancient stone buildings commissioned by Tang dynasty emperors still standing tall, with halls and corridors arranged in harmonious tiers. Perhaps through divine protection, this sacred site has preserved one-tenth of its original scale through centuries of change, remaining a blessed sanctuary among famous mountains.

The wooden structures of Everlasting Dao Temple had deteriorated over the years, but Daoist priest Wan Benyuan painstakingly gathered funds through donations from all directions to gradually restore them. He asked me to write a record of this endeavor. I consider Mount Qingcheng one of the sacred grotto-heavens (Dongtian) among Daoist mountains, and Everlasting Dao Temple the finest of its many temples. Though Tang emperors repeatedly issued decrees for its maintenance, it was later left to decay—a regrettable treatment of such a historic site. Wan Benyuan’s restoration efforts are truly commendable, so I agreed to his request and composed this account.

As an aside: On Mount Qingcheng’s Great Face Mountain (Damian Shan), there once lived a Chan monk named Chenghe, well-versed in Zen. A fellow monk asked him, "What does the summit spire (xianglun, the pinnacle of a Buddhist pagoda) look like?" The master replied, "It stands straight, piercing the clouds." The monk pressed, "What about a higher state?" The master said, "Three and a half feet into the earth." When asked, "What is the essence of the Dharma?" he answered, "The booming drums before Xingyi Gate." Puzzled, the monk demanded an explanation, to which the master said, "It means three thousand strikes at dawn, eight hundred at dusk." (From The Comprehensive Records of the Buddhas and Patriarchs).