INTO

CHINESE

SUPERSTITIONS
S.J.
*

By Henry Dore,

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH

By

D.J. Finn, S.J.

Second Part
THE CHINESE PANTHEON
Profusely illustrated

Vol.

IX

TAOIST PERSONAGES

T'USEWEI PRINTING PRESS

Shanghai

1931

X>3
7JL/
v.

*i

8 4

CONTENTS
SECOND PART VOLUME
IX

Contents
List of illustrations

Preface

VII XI

CHAPTER IV
limrtorlal Ciodis, Oienii

(Taoism)
Article
I

Yuen Shi Tien Tsun (T) The Eternal The legend of Yuen Shi
genealogy
of

(1)
1-3

T'ien wang.

...

4-5 6-8

Appendix The
Article II

Taoism

Yuh-hwang, The August (Jade) Emperor The modern Jupiter.

I.

II.

Yuh-hwang Yuh-hwang

in

legend
conferred

9-10

in actual history

10-12

III.

Honorific titles

on

Yuh-hwang....

12-16

Article III
(1)
is affixed

T'ung-T'ien-Kiao-Chu (T)
)

17-18
this letter

(T

means that

the temples of the divinity to which

are kept by Taoist priests. (T. B.) that they are kept by Budhist priests also.

When

the letter B. and 0.

are

alone without

),

they are meant to

show that the

divinity is also honoured by Budhists and, or Confiueianists.

u
Article
Article

IV

Hung-Kiun-Tao-Jen
Hiien-Tien-Shang Ti

(T)
^T B)
skies.
...

1!)

V
VI

The sovereign
Article

of

The Gloomy

20-26

Muh-Kung and Kin-mu (T) The god of the immortals and

Preliminary notions

his Consort.

...27-29

I.

Tung-wang-kung.

28-30
31-34

II.

Si-wang-mu
The eight Immortals. Pah- sien
List of eight immortals
Classification

Article VII

(T) B. C.

35-36

and distinctive features

.36-37
39-40

Han

chung-li

Lii-tung-pin

41-43
.
.

Chang-kwo-lao
Lan-ts'ai-hwo

44-45
46-47
48-51

Han-siang-tze Ts'ao-kwoh-kiu

52-55
.56-57
...

Ho

sien-ku

Tieh-kwai-li

58-59

Li of

The Eight hundreds

Yung

Yeu-Kiiin-ping Tung-Chung-shu Ko-Yung-kwei Chang shen

Fan

C'heng60-62 63

General Conclusion
Article VIII

Liu-hai-sien

(T.B.)

C
64-65
...

Thejmmortal
I.

Liu-hai.

II.

Name and Legend An Apparition of Liu-hai

IX
Chang-tao-ling
(T)

66-68

Article
I.

Chang- Tao-ling, according to the Taoist Book ... and Works of other writers.

69-76

II.

Chang-Tao-ling

in

history.

76-79

III.

Chang-Tao-ling according to the Histories of the Three Kingdoms. Origin of the

title

"T'ien shi" ^Bjjj (Heaven-Teacher) 79-86

Article

XI

 IV
I.

Wang-lin-kwan. 3E
Sa-chen-jen.

IT.

H^

fg IT

133-135 136-138

A
(T)

Article

XX
XXI

Chen yuan the Immortal (Sien)

Lieh-Tsze.

139
140-141

Article

(T)

Appendix
I.

The
author.

historical

Lieh-Tsze and

Ids works.

The

II.

His Works.

III.

His Doctrine.

(Tj

...

142-145

Article

XXII

Chwang-Tsze.
king."

Nan-Kwa-Chwang-Sheng Author of The "Nan-hwa145-146

is

T'ao-chow-kung's son (|5^^^)

condemned. 147-149

Appendix
his
I.

The
work

historical

Chwang-Tsze

^^

and
150-153

The man.
His work.
His Doctrine.

II.

III.

Article

XXIII Hwai nan tsze (T) The sage from The south

of

The Hwai River 145-157

Appendix
I.

Historical notes

II.

The Literary School of Hwai-nan-tsze The works of Hwai-nan-tsze

f&

ir

158-159

Article

XXIV

Wang-yuen-shwai

(T)
160-161

Generalissimo
Article

Wang
(T)

XXV
XXVI

Sie-tien-kiiin

B
162-1^3
(T B)

Sie the

Heavenly Leader

Article

Hwun-ki-p'ar.g-yuen-shwai Generalissimo P'ang

164-165

Article

XXVII
XXVIII
Liu,

Li-yuen-shwai
Li

(T)

Generalissimo
Article

166-167

Liu-t'ien-kiiin

The Heaveanly Chief

168

V
Article

XXIX Wang Kao Rh yuan shwai The Two Generalissimos, Wang-

(T)

and Kao

...

196

Article

XXX

T'ien-hwai-pih yuan shwai Generalissimo T'ien hwa-pih

T'ien yii

170-171

Article

XXXI

yuan shwai (T) The Generalissimo "Field Rain."

shwai
...

172-173

Article

XXXII Tang yuan

Generalissimo

(Tj

Tang

174
(T) 175
(T)

Article

XXXIII

Generalissimo
Article

Shih yuan shwai Shih

XXXIV

Fu-ying-yuan-shwai Generalissimo Fu-ying

B
167-177

Article

XXXV

Yang yuan shwai Generalissimo Yang

(T)

B
178

Article

XXXVI

Kao yuan shwai (BT) Generalissimo Kao (a faultless healer)

Chang-yuan-shwai (T B) Generalissimo Chang, Averter of The
Small-pox

179-180

Article

XXXVII

181

Article

XXXVIII

Sinning, keu yuan shwai

(T) C
182-183

(Thunder Department)
Article Article

XXXIX XL
XLI
XLII

Tie yuan shwai

(T)

184

K'ang-yuan-shwai Generalissimo K'ang

(T B)
185

Article

Mung

yuan shwai (The Merciful) (T)B 186-187

(T)
188-189

Article

Fung-hwo-yuan T'ien yuan shwai

Generalissimo T'ien (of the

Fire Ministry)
Article

Wind and

XLIII

Hiu-Li-hu-Sien
Genii of

(T)
190-191

The
Article

The Nine Carp Lake

(T)

XLIV

Wang-Shi-Ch'en.

192

 VI
Article

XLV

Lii-Shan- K'wang-Feu Sien

of

Sheng

(T) 193-194

Master K'wang-Feu
Article

Mt.

Lu

XLVI Hwang-Sien-Shi Hwang the Immortal

XLVII

(T) 195 (T)

196-198

Article

Peh-Kih-Ku-Sie-yuan

Executive of North Pole exorcisms

Article

XLVIII Peh-hoh-T'ung T-ze The White Crane Boy

(T)
199-200

Article

XLIX
L

Yang-sze-tsiang-kiiin

(TB)
201

Generalissimo Yang Sze

Article

Chih-KIoh Sien

(T)

The Bare Foot Immortal

Article LI

202-203

Wen-yuan-shwai
Generalissimo

(TB)
...

Wen

204-206

Article LII

Tsien-li-yen
li

Shun fung-rh

(TB)
207-209 210-215

Thousand
Article LIII
Article

Eye and Fair wind Ear

(B T) C

Kiangtszeya
(

LIV San Mao B T) The three Mao brothers

216-218

Article

LV
LVI
The
LVII

Kin-K'eii-shang-ti and Yuh-K'eii-shang-ti

(T B)
Article

219

Wu-lao
live

Ancient

of

days
better

220-221

Article

Some Immortals,
honoured

known

or

more
222-225

Article

LVIII The usual grouping

Temples.

of 'Saints" in Taoist

226-227

VII

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
No
131.
132.

Page

Yuen

shi T'ien-tsun

Yuh-hwang, the Pearly Emperor.

T'ung-t'ien Kiao-chu

10
18

133.
134.

Hung

kiun Lao-tze (the Great Putter), holding in his hand the three pills which he gave to Lao-tze, Yueiishi t'ien tsun

and T'ungf-t'ien kiao-chu

lay at his feet.
his rolled

19

135.

Chen-wu after his victory. The tortoise and the serpent

Chen-wu, holding
in his

20

136.

hand

up flag

22
30

137. 138.

The Goddess Si-wang-mu (the Western Royal Mother) Tung-wang kung and Si-wang-mu. The king and
queen of the Immortals Excess in the cups among the Immortals

32
36

139.

140. 141.
142. 143. 144.

The

eight Immortals

at

their

awaking
40
42 41
...

Han

Chung-li

Lu Tung-pin on Kwei-sing's kraken Chang Kwo-lao Lan T'sai hwo

...

..

46 4^
52

145. 146. 147. 148. 149.

150.
151.

Han
Ts'ao

Siang-tze Kwoh- kiu

The Fairy Lady, Ho

T'ieh-kwai
Li
58

152.
153.

Lu Tung-pin. Han Chung-li The Fairy Goddess Ho. Chang-kwo-lao Lan Ts'ai-hwo. Tsao Kwoh-kiu Han Siang-tze T'ieh Kwai-li. The Immortal Liu-hai. This picture is
Chang

60 60 62 62
affixed
in

154.

... families as a protective and luckbearing talisman Picture known as T'ien-shi and his insignia.

66

that of "the five

155.

venomous animals"

80

Hsii the Immortal, travelling on the lakes

VIIIPeg

Xo
156.
157.

Li,

the tower-bearer

96 96 98
98

Ma, the heavenly king

Chao, the heavenly king

158.

159.
160.

Wen.

the heavenly king

T'ai-yih Chen-jen

100
108
S
V

161. 162.
163.

Teu-mu
Na-to San-t'ai-tze

112
.124

164.

165.

The blowing and sniffing Taoist Monk. The God of the Bine Dragon star Cheng Kiu-knng ... (in the Yuh-hwang Monastery) The God of the White Tiger star. Ving Ch'eng-siu
Heng-hah.
(In the

126

Hwang

Monastery)
at

126

166.
167. 168.

Eul-lang

128

Wang-ling-kwan (In a monastery Sah Chen-jen and the God of the

out of the water

city

T'ung Chow). moat coming

134

136
138
140
146

169.

The Immortal Chen-yuan

Lieh-tse

170.
171.

Hwai-nan-tse.

172.
173.
174. 175.

Generalissimo

Wang
.

154
160

Nan-hwa Chwang-sheng (Chwang-tze)

Sieh, the heavenly

leader

162

The Generalissimo Hwun-k'i-pang

Generalissimo Li
Liu,
the

164
166

176.
177.

heavenly leader

168
169

178.
179.

The two Generalissimos, Kao and Wang The Generalissimo Tien hwa-pih
Tien-yu Vuan-shwai (Generalissimo Tien-yu) Generalissimo Tang
Generalissimo Shih

170
172 174

180.

181.
182.

175
176
...

183.

184.

185.
186.

Generalissimo Fu-ying Generalissimo Yang and his military attendant. Generalissimo Kao, the peerless doctor Generalissimo Chang,

178 180

who

protects from

smallpox.

180

-IX No
187.
188.

Page

Generalissimo T'ieh
Generalissimo K'ang Generalissimo Meng

184

184
1N6 188

189.
190.

The The

three Brothers Musicians

raises a flood in the

191.
192.

Wang-shi-ch'en
brother

Yellow River.
eldest

...192

teacher Kw'ang-feu of Lu-shan, and his

Kw'd.ng-suh
...

194 194

193.

Hwang

the Immortal, writer of magic charms.

194.

Yen Chen-k'ing,
that exorcises

canonised,
the

first officer of

the Ministry

North Pole

196 200

195.
196. 197.

The divining youth Peh-hoh (White Crane) General Yangsze

Generalissimo
Ts'ien-li-ven.

201 204
-08

Wen
Shun-fung-eul
in

198.

199
200.

210

Written charm burnt

honour of the Three Princes

216
.

San Mao
201.

The Three Princes San Mao

216

21!) Kin-k'ueh Shangti and Yuh-k'ueh Shangti 203204-205206. The Four Patrons of Longevity (Another 220 manner of representing them)

202.

II

PREFACE
Fr. Kennelly, the translator of the first eight volumes of Fr. Dore's monumental work, has laid clown his pen and gone to the

sure reward of his labours.

Another comes

to

resume the task

though

and confessedly incapable of adding learned, succinct notes called from such wide reading as distinguished
less qualified

Fr. Kennelly's work. The present translator must therefore confine himself to giving a faithful rendering of the French text. Such petty changes as he has made are not distinguished, because

Fr.

Dore

is

alterations:

happily with us still and has reviewed these still better, he has himself added considerable
I,

few

new

matter to Articles

VII, IX, XXI, XXII,

preface
in

XXIV

and LVII.

The

hope of helping the reader to an orientation amid such masses of material and also
to appreciation of

translator adds this

the

some features

of the

book which otherwise

might escape

notice.

The volume
"demons"
supreme
its

treats of the

contribution

made by Taoist

to the Chinese Pantheon, namely, those worthies, heroes, spirits

(in

celestial rulers as

Greek sense), quasi-divinities or even such have connexions rather with Taoism

than with Buddhism or Confucianism.

the working principle
fffj

"

are

Of course the traces of One" f H? H evident again and again and Fr. Dore has given "The Three
Beliefs are

a hint at the

head of each article by the use of the letters T

(Buddhist),
is

(Taoist),

(Confucian).

This volume

not an account of

Taoism

in its

historical

development in China. That is to come later in a volume, now under Fr. Dore's pen, which will deal with Lao-tsze's life, legend and doctrine. The text and illustrations of this volume represent those

who

beside

Lao-tsze

claim veneration or

worship

 xir
from the Taoists or the eclectics of to-day
It is

or

yesterday.

(1)

therefore a puddingstone conglomerate of fact and fiction in from history and myth under formative influences streaming

"relis'ion" that

Buddhism, Confucianism and even a primitive magic (a fourth China but has been is not officiallv counted in
).

most potent

A few word about

preface.

Lao-tsze will help

his

the purpose of this

To understand
:

appearances

in this

book,
a

we must
magician,

make
a

dichotomy there is the Lao-tsze of legend, As divinity and there is the Lao-tsze of history.
a

a historical

personage, he seems to

he

is

as

recent
died
in

as

the battle

of

Marathon
B. C.

for

have

that

same year 490

and he

King

was probably the author of the doctrinal treatise the Tao-TehAs a mythical personage, he left China for $j[ $.

regions beyond the Western Passes in 1030 B.C.. that is in the earl_\- year of the Chow j] Dynasty which he had helped with
his

magic to establish itself: he had taken a leading part in warring down all those other demons, and thaumaturgs who supported the Bhang tyrant. This latter Lao-tsze may be found
for

example

in

Articles
the

III,

XLV

and

LIII.

This

is

the

Lao-tsze

who
^if,

Ts'ing

-fc

Third (Lowest) Heaven, the T'ai among the Immortals f[Jj.

reigns in
Lao-tsze

The

historical

gave

the

initial

impulse

to

school of philosophy that produced Lieh tsze and Chwang tsze in the fifth century B. C. and Hwai-nan-tsze in the second (see
Articles

XXI. XXII,
to

could claim
ethics

though always very obscure and tending to esoteric mysticism; in fact, some hold that its sources are to be found farther back and probably outside China altogether, Lao-tsze
then being to this foreign thought what Confucius was to the traditions of the earlier Chow. The classic of Taoism is the

XXIV below). This is the Taoism that be a philosophy cosmology, metaphysics and

Tao-Teh-Eing (the Book of the Principle and of

(1)

its

Action);

See note at end of preface.

 XIII
after

to be a

two millennia of book of verse.

existence,
It

it has recently been recognized records for us Lao-tsze's thought if

not his actual writing: it is vague and difficult in the It centres about an Absolute, a monist principle that
the identification in itself of
?v, all

extreme.

demands

contraries.

It

postulates in
3$).

man

attitude of quietism,
of obscurities.

of

Non-interference

(4ffi

The book
XXI,

is prolific

The reader

will find in Articles

XXII, the same doctrines

as developed

by the

later writers.

But far from remaining a difficult monistic philosophy with mystic elements. Taoism developed or absorbed a ritual, a Pantheon and an eschatology, that borrowed from and at times
lent to Buddhism. Taoism now presents a whole arsenal of magic devices (see the charms explained in Vol. Ill English edition Vol. V of the French: those spells are in the main Taoisticj,

these probably

being an inheritance from an earlier strain of Chinese religion, witness the importance attached to Kiang Tszc-ya and the Eight Diagrams as well as the attachment to a
of "rebus" writing bronzes of Shang or Chow.

style

that

is

reminiscent

of

the

earlier

this type of Taoism belongs the Triad of Divinities which is be merely a. twofold repetition of Lao-tsze As a guide to the hierarchy of worth studying in Vol. VI. Taoism into which one must fit the personages described in this

To

said to

volume, the author's table of

here :
I.

this

Taoist

Triad

is

reproduced

Highest Heaven: Yuh Wing: 3

(Jade Pure)

RULER:

T'ien pao: iYuan-shi T'it n-t sun (Art\o\e I)or \Yuk-hwang (Article II)

^ ^

POPULATION:
II.

The Saints

M A
fjf

Middle Heaven: Shang Ts'ing J^

(Upper Pure)
|J

RULER: Ling pao T'ien tsun\ Tao-kiun ^f POPULATION: the Heroes m A (who have
perfect rule over Nature).

attained

 XIV
111.

Lowest Heaven: T'ai Ts'ing

ffi

(Great Pure)

RULER:
souls

Shen Pao
:

7|ilj}

'-$

Lao Kiiin
f|[)

%
A

"f* e.

POPULATION

the

Immortals

(i.

human
class.)

endowed with divine powers.

The most numerous

The personages described

have places
Taoists.
in this

in this

volume are supposed

to

hierarchy consisting of some 800 "deified" After Articles below a term "Generalissimo" is to

XV

be found frequently in the headings: the reason is obvious: as the Chinese Heavens are the prototype (to be understood as "copy")
ot

the Chinese realm, there

fact

must be there

corps of

Heavenly
is

Officers, in

26

in

number, Na-ch'a (Article

(Art.

XV)
first in

their

Marshal and

Wang Ling-kwan

XIX)

is

the

dignity.

be of

and study of all these personages would interest but would take too much space here. As a guide
classification
to follow

which the reader may wish

division by periods

up

for himself the following

may

be of use:
Articles
I,

1. A completely mythical period: XII. XIII, XIV, XX, XXX, XXXI,

II,

IV, VI, XI,

XXXVI, XXXVIII, XL
Chow dynasty
against the

XLVI, XLIX
2.

(?)

LVI.
of the
:

The period

wars

of the

Slmng (1122 B.C.) this seems to be regarded as the emergence of Taoism from myth to history: a kind of "epic" moment: see
Articles III, V,

XV
(a

(Really a borrowing from Buddhism)

XVI,

Chinese Herakles), XLVIII, LII, LIII. This period apparently condensed myths in itself: it attracts both from the earlier and the later periods; e. g. LII seems to be pure myth, XV is one who first come in the train of Buddha whereas
LIII historically belongs this period.
3.

XXU. XXXIX

The Chow Dynasty (1122 B.C. -255 B.C.) XXI, XXII.

XXIX. XXXIII, XLI,

philosopher Mih Tsze.)
4.

XLV
-

(a

pupil

of

Lao Tsze)

LVI

(the

The

Ts'in (255 B. C.

206 B. C.)

XVIII, LIV.

 XV
5.

The Han

(206 B. C.

Chang T'ien-shi), XLIII (9 Carp-Lake Immortals), LI, (LIV), LVII (Chang Hang). The period is typical for magic Taoism. 6. Tsin 265 The E & 420 A.D.: X and XXVIII.

tant

- 220 A. D.) IX (the very imporXXIV (Hwai-nan-tsze), XXVI, XXXV,

:

7.

Sui

(590 618

A. D.

A. D.)

XVIII;

VII

(The

and T'ang Dynasties. (618 907 Eight Immortals except Ts'ao)

:

XXIII,
of these

XXV, XXVII, XXXIV, XXXVII,

personages have human
traits.

XLII, XLVII. Most

(7 a)
8.

LV
;

and VIII belong to the transition (disorders) period.

of the

tals in

VII)

The Sung (960 1228 A. D.) (One XIX, XXXII, XLIV, L.

Eight Immor-

Looking at this panorama, one might count the first and second periods as a back-ground of hazy lights, the eight is the immediate fore-ground, (almost the view-point) the fifth is the
;

centre of interest where imagination works on definite details the seventh

is

close up

to

distinct

vision

where as the third

tends to fade away into mythical obscurity. That is, by the end of the Sang dynasty, Taoism had settled down its active

formation was going on

in the

Han

period.
(in Article

The legends
""),

of "Eight

Hundred" Li

VII

^A

of Lieh Tsze (Article

XXI) and

of T'len-hwa (Article

XXX)

present in themselves a sliding about of dates that taken place unrecorded in many other cases.

may have

Many

of

these

tales

have a human

interest

and

as

samples one might recommend Chwang-tsze and his wife (Article XXIV) or Mong the sympathetic (Article XLI), or that of the For the magic of fairy friends Wang and Kao (Article XXIX).
tables, there is the story of Na-ch'a (Article

XV)

or of the

Nine

Brothers

(Article

XLIII)

or

of "Television

and

Listener-in"

(Article LII).

As

this preface
I

is

intended to be the
to

showman

for

the

production,

must not forget

recommend

the display of illu.-

_XVI
trations.

Considered

in

"rcalicr"

themselves, they form

rare antiquities.

a very

album

of

fast

becoming
style
of

First,

the

head-dress

in

the

various

pictures

deserves attention: there

is

the hat of state mien ^distinguished

its slanting flat top Ping %, the jjfc. projecting at the sides (Fig. 132) there is of a soft material (leather: cf. |$ the Chung-tsing kwan /, 3pj

by

its

pearl strings liu

tail

dragon-head and

with raised ridges which were then decorated -^f-) put together with gold, pearls etc (Fig. 182) there is the hat of the ministers
:

and scholars, puh-t'eu

shun yang kin

^j| fjf

(e.g. Fig. 192 as for the

J|j

JjE

or

Fig. 155, 190 as for scholars

|j^

);

Fig.

173

seems
as

to

be the

[\],

often

now regarded

worn

specially
like

by Taoists.
at the back.

For the greatest part the other hats worn are

the puh-t'eu but with the projecting "feet" turned up into horns

Then there are the helmets of which Figg. 156,Figg. 168, 196, present various forms. Many other the head-ornament that hair the within a figures carry gathers little case or cap admitting of various forms of decoration. Figg.
159

and

133 and 199 are representative.

Once

(Fig.

ll-l)

we have

the

out-door hat for sun and rain popularly called a "Gong" hat 1$ $% l|)f Among the women's head-gear, Fig. 138 is noteworthy
.

for the ingenious touch

by which the "phoenix"

(1^ or

If[)

of

Fig. 137

becomes an ornament

in Si-wang-tmi's hair.

Among
important
is

the implements or symbols to be noted, the most

ji:

the p

Jii-i,

a sceptre originally

associated with

Buddhism
example^
or

as one of its seven Precious Jewels.

it

Yuan
201,

shi

T'ien

tsun carries

in

Fig.

131.

In

Figg.

132, of

138,

we have

of the

tablets that

were part

the

ceremonies of
Jjifj

imperial audience

or of office as tokens of investiture

flfj,

on Fig. 132, we see a constellation token, one of the twelve symbols Jp: on the Emperor's tablet, as the next highest nobles had only nine symbols omitting the sun, moon and constellation, this

^;

figure denotes an emperor).

On

Fig. 133, 139 etc.

a

173

there

is

the

yak's

tail,

[^ j^

Chu-wei,

symbol

of conversationalists of their tongues)

(leaders of the herd by the constant

wagging

-XVII of the command not to kill living things. There is a "star flag" in Figg. 135 and 136 of which the unwrapping will cause

and

rain

l|

jj.

In

fig.

190

can

flick all

demons away

(as a

Kiang holds a flag charm /ft) and

(#%%*)
a
staff

that

(4T j$

$|5) of

use against demons.

of "nine joints"

Alp

edition).

be easily recognized the characters

Wang Ling-kwan (Fig. 167) carries one Hwang (Fig. 193) holds a charm, as will by those who have read Vol III (English

%)]

^
fjij,

are

the

inevitable

formula of

command
Kivoh-lao

over the
(Figg.
ft

spirits.

143

The instrument carried by Chang and 150) was described for me by a

~
it

Cantonese as

(or$q)

but

he

could give

no further

explanation except that

of a tongs-like thing in a the purposes of the magic control of "wind and

was some magical apparatus consisting case. The fans in Fig. 190 are for
fire,"

that

is

the meteorological elements

>X.

(the

wheels

in

162,

174,

179

are called "wind-fire wheels").

Armour can
legs
this division

-can distinguish clearly the

:

be seen to advantage in Fig. 159 where one three pieces shoulders, trunk and

seems

to be followed

in

the

leaf-cape,

leaf-

girdle

and the trousers

of Na-ch'a (Fig. 162). Fig.

152 carries a
In

pretty specimen of the "Wolf-tooth banner" other pictures, one may find the weapons
185) i| (Fig. 182),

a battle-mace.

known

as

(Fig-

= %

(Fig. 184).

notices at once the left

right exposed in
is

arm

In Fig. 156, a Chinese eye covered with civilian dress and the
of very high

armour as the mark

army rank: Li
all

higher in

rank than the other three.

be
familiar to
readers.

Doubtless the Pah-kwa will

If not, I

must
or

refer
to

them
II

to Mayers: Chinese Reader's of

in

Manual Part
223.
:

II

N 241

Vol

this present
figg.

work

p.

There
and
it

diagrams are
Ji

to be

found
fig.

153,

154,

199 below

should be noted that

fit

153 presents the arrangement

known

as

199 shows the Ji scheme (though one fig. have the arrangerather would that have Kiang expected might ment attributed to Wen-tvang). In Figg. 153 and 199 the Pah-

whereas

III

kini as
it

win
Fig".

tion of

may

7j< |jt zji ^. An explana153 would be too long, but we note that the use of black and red in the "Twelve Branches"

were

nail

down

the good-luck

all

the characters on

indicates those figures that are "opposed" or ''congruent''.

A
beings.

few pictures

call for

special

notice.

The

children

in

Figg. 1G9 and 185 seem to refer to help

in child-birth

from these

indicate in

as a whole are supposed to Chinese calenders whether weather phenomena in the year over which they individually preside will be mild you
:

The "generalissimos"

judge by the general look of the picture: if the year's special Generalissimo is fierce, the thunder will be dreadful. In the
series 141-148, there is reference to a

combat in which the Eight Immortals overcame the sea-monsters, subjects of Lung-wavg. In Fig. 177, the bats emanating from Liu's breath probably refer
potency
in calling

to his

upon the rains

(cf.

Vol.

VII

Fig.

107).

Fig. 154 seems to be specially aimed at enticing wealth to come The black tiger is a wealth emblem and beneath the user's way.
his feet are objects that

are usually to be found in the

Chinese

cornucopia

'M $t (see Vol XI. figg. 272, 275, 276: Vol. V. figg. 201, 215; also Vol. VII fig. 90 where frogs, turtles are bringing
:

offerings of valuables to Si-wang-mu) i.e. the twin coins under the tiger's left fore-leg, the "fiery-pearl" under his right hind-leg

and

a pair objects (identified

left
:

by some as horns that startles the

latter

heavens) under the

this

object also

is

out

of

the

cornucopia's store: the tiger's right fore-leg laises the

the Heaven-master" (the imprint

"Seal of

being Blessing, come: away,

Health (the chasing of the venomous animals) and malign!"). wealth would be secured by the presence of "Fleaven's-master, the Hero of the Dragon-Tiger Mountain." (Cf. Vol. 1 p. 224).

With these
antiquities and

indications,

the allusiveness of the plates

is

not by any means exhausted nor their value as illustrations of

culture.

But

at

first

sight this

interest

seem
so

to be altogether absent
art.

from productions

for the

might most part

crude when judged as

 XIX
With this, we must close a preface that has grown too long and allow the reader to enjoy Fr. Dore's fullness. Below a note is added to set on record here the official attitude of the Xew China to all that forms the matter of these volumes.
Canton 29th Sept. 1930
Feast of
St.

Michael the Archangel.

Xote.
tion.

Temples regarded as worthy

or

unworthy

of official recogni-

A
fg 2 3rd.
It
I.

decree of the Government of

the preservation or destruction of temples

Nanking (Home office) relative was published in the Shi-pao

to

Nov, 192S.
divides temples into two classes.
to be kept up.
$jj;

Those

of (A) ^g *f

sages and worthies of preceding

jfa

ages;

Fuli-hi

{fc

i|g

(Vol. X.); Shen

(first

Nung

|| (Vol. X.)
cf.

Hwang-ti

lr

iff-

(Vol. X.); Lei

{x
tf[

TsuMM H
(the
Yii

rearer of silk-worms
Heutsili
J&
:

Vol. XI);

Ts'ang Hieh

(inventor of
jz

writing);

$g

(harvest-patron):

The Great
-

Yii

irrigator): Confucius
W.

Mencius; Kung Shu-yan (Vol. VI. XII): Yoh-Fci gj Jfe (Vol. XII).
1$t
*Jjp(:

$& #E (Vol. XI):

Kuan

of (B)
tion:

religions teaching theism with pure and right

inten-

credence

is

admissible.

a) b)
II.

Polytheistic religions

f$

ffc:

of

Sahyamuni and
Christianity
l(l>

of Lao-tsze. %.

Monotheistic:

Mahometanism and

Temples
A. "^

to be suppressed.

jjj$ |: in which purely legendary personages are worshipped with no practical utility whatever.

1.

Temples
-X

of Stellar Spirits: sun,

moon

etc.

(Vol.

XII),

Fire-spirit
(Vol. VI):

Hu-o-shen

(Vol. X); Kicei-sing

and Wen-ch'ang

% g

cult of the battle-flag

2.

%M Mrivers, earth;

Genii of the mountains,

:

The

Holy Peaks:
XI),

The

Rivers \ jf
Ta-ti
jf|

River Spirits (Vol. X).

iff-,

T'ai-shan %k Uj (Vol.

Tung-yoh

-fr

(Vol. XI). T'u-ti

The Dragon-kings H 3: (Vol. VII). Ch'eng-hwang J$ (1 (Vol. XI). and A ffi (Vol. X), the Hearth God
fefc
jjfa

 XX
3.

The
i'r/ffi

.Ministry of

Thunder

etc. (Vol.

X).

B.

M: Temples offending against

Temples

-f-

public morality e.g. by playing on

of

credulity of people for gain etc.

Chang

sien
jjflji

5ft

{|l|

(Vol. XI):

Sungtsseniangniang

(Vol. I): Ts'ai shcnfft

(Vol. XI);

g|> Yfc

(Vol. IX), Ts'i-t'ien-ta-sheng (Vol. V); JJY

fifoen

5^

| (the

Monkey Sun

Eh lang Heu-tssc

&

-?-

^#

(Vol. X); Eiien-Van ; if (god of riches Vol.

V. XI); 7 Ts'ten B# jg (Vol. XI); Eu-sien (fox-spirit Vol. V).

A
the

Cantonese

paper of 24
ffc
ftit|

30 adds the assurance that Chinese cultivate a '"religion"^

lo all these classes-under

free

from superstition-superior

name
ruler
3.

of

i.e.

the devotion to the ethical

relations

of

the

;= $|:

and
v* z
fg
*

ruler: father
-fc

and son: husband and wife: and the culture of the

f

(benevolence)

(justice?

right)

jjj|

(propriety),

(wisdom),

(trustworthiness).

dr

IS

^
IV
(1)

CHAPITER
(TAOISM)
Mi

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

u amm
I

ARTICLE

YUEN

SIU T'IEN

TSUN j

^^^

(T)

THE ETERNAL
Yuen Shi
T'ien

Tsun, the First Principle, His Heavenly

Excellency, is a Taoist god often described as the first person This personage has never had an existence; in the Taoist triad.

name, origin
followers.

and function are pure

to
is

inventions

of

Lao-tze's

beginning,

According no over-lord, but

them. Yuen Shi T'ien Tsun owns

himself the
principle
of

no
all

things; hence the

name Yuen

Shi, First principle.

(1)

(for Lao-tse: see Part III)

IMMORTAL CODS, GENII

Thus
of the

the Taoist teaching' represents

him as

first

member

heavenly Triad, sovereign ruler of the third heaven, the Yuh-ts'ing 3 fpf, abode of the saints ?g J\ he is enthroned
;

above

all

the heavens.
of

(1)

The author

the

Sui

situ

king

tsih chi |5^

H" $g

provides him with surname and name: "Loh tsing-sin" ^| jfj? 'fg, The description then goes on he was born before all beginning,
:

his

substance

is

indestrucible,

it

is

increated,

self-existent,

invisible,

limitless.

formed essentially of air No one has been

able to trace back the beginning of his existence.

He

it

is

who,
(at

source of

all

truth, teaches at each revolution of the spheres

new Kalpa) the mysterious doctrine that confers immorAll who arrive at this knlowedge mount step by step to tality.
each
everlasting
of
life

refine themselves like spirits and in the full light

day turn into Immortals. (2)

The Taoist adepts had

triad
:

to set

up

a rival to

the

Buddhist

not to be beaten in the display

of

the

marvellous, they

found

two

personages to

partner

their

Lao-tze.

Thus they
^f
;",

erected thrones for Yuen Shi T'ien-tsun and Tad-Kiln,

the

in

two highest

of their three heavens.

So,

Yuen Shi T'ien-tsun

was

installed in the first heaven,

in the

the (Jade) Yuh-ts'ing

ffi

second (Superior) Shang-ts'ing J; $f while Lao-tze occupied the throne in the third heaven Tai-ts'ing % $f.

and Tao-Kun

(3)

In

modern

times, the

actual

highest

sovereignty

is

in

dispute between Yuh-hwang 3L J^ and Yuen-shi T'ien-tsun.

The

temples it is true, usually honour the latter as the first person of the Taoist triad but actually the supreme governance of the
universe
(4)
is

assigned to the former, the August (lade) Emperor.

en
(2) (3) (4)

m m * , m m at m w, % t. #, & %
Cf. the

?t

#.
1*^

book: T'ai yuen

|Jpf

clicn yih

pen

tsi Icing: jz yt JE <L >fc

(Book 35 p. 17,19) Cf, Tuh shu hi shu

Roei-Shi.

UoJi If

SI $

Book

43 p.

2.

See schema of Taoist Heavens in Vol VI above

p. 9

(French edition)

Fig.

131

Yuen che

t'ien tsuen

Yuan

shi T'ien-tsun.

YUEN SHE TIEN TSUN

Yuen-shi T'ien-tsun cannot have been always part of the Taoist Triad: his primal place was above the three Heavens, above the three Pure Ones, he was superior to all upheavals or renewals of the universe. Like a rock unshaken amid the fury
of storms, this

god knowing no beginning, no end, no change

all

existed through

the cosmic revolutions, seeing the storms of

Yet he can keep count of the works good or evil of each family by the help of the hearth god, his faithful Chief of Secret Service, Tsao-kun Hf
ruin expend themselves impotent at his feet.

and for an executive officer of

justice

he

commands
Lei-tsu

the
jjjft

service of the President of the

Thunder Department

His ministers have heavenly palaces in the seven of Stars the North Pole while their establishments on earth are on the Sacred Peak of the East and other holy mountains. This

and his

staff.

Modern practice, as noted is the theory of the Taoist books. above, has left this unrivalled god somewhat out in the cold and
turn preferably to Yuh-hwang, First Lord of the skies.
represented by Su-p'u ? #g (president under the Ming PJ3) on the question: "The three Pure Ones (the three members of the Taoist Triad) Is it not the a fictitious invention of the Taoists. are
critical
is

view

of the Tribunal of Rites

merely

height of absurdity

to

take Li-lao-tsze
(1)

$|t

as one of

the

Three Lords

of

Heaven".

To complete this notice, we give here the Taoist legend of Yuen-shi T'ien-wang which seems to have been the basis for all that has been written about the god Yuen-shi T'ien Tsun.
Book 181 p. 2 (1) Cf. Ming-shi E$ See Chinese Superstitions, Vol." VI. p. 102 (English Edition) In a list of 2 4 other Budhas worshipped by Chinese Buddhists (taken
from a
litany)
is

&

apparently

3E Yuen shi T'ien icang which occurs the name jc j& but an absorption of the Taoist divinity into Buddhist wor-

the pearl ship (syncretism). Our fig. 131 shows some Buddhist trappings: on the fore head, the Joh-i sceptre, the suggestion of a lotus-leaf cushions.

IMMORTAL

CODS..

GENII

THE LEGEM)
7C
Kin-hung
in the fifth

Ol YUEX-SHI
jt

T'lEN-WANG
3E

3i

&j\ the divinity of T'ai-shan

ijj

descendant

generation from P'ai-ku

~jfc

tells

the legend thus:

Once upon
icaiuj

a time there lived a

man

called Yuen-shi Ti'ento

who dwelt

in the

mountains and was wont

;

teach

his

followers on the mountain peaks

thanks

to

his

teaching

my

brothers and nephews were enabled to arrive at the true doctrine. Now this man used to speak of the most remote ages as if he had been an eye-witness of the events which he described. When

asked where his home was, he used merely to point to the skies and then iridescent clouds would wrap him about. "Whoever would know, he used to reply, where dwell, must fly up to
I

these immeasurable heights".

Thereupon

seeing that the vast heavens are void

to find

who can

thought to myself tell me where

him

at

home? But two

genii, Ch'ih-ising-tze

#^^

(1)

and

came down upon the summit of T'ai Shan Hwang-Iao ;|f thus and ill among themselves: "Since there is a genius spoke called Yuen-shi yt jfe, let us go to visit him, even if we must pass
the
I

bounds
of

of the universe

begged
the

them
1

to give

me

and go beyond the outmost stars." instruction after some words of

;

teaching which
to

welcomed with
of

respect, those

two genii climbed

holy mountain, ascended thence highest peak into the vault of sky and cried to me from the heights of heaven's "If thou wouldst know the beginning of Yuen-shi, clouds:
the

thou must fare beyond the confines of heaven and earth, for he dwells without the bounds of this world. Then must thou

go higher and ever higher even to the sphere of nothingness and being, in the plains of the radiant spirits."

When
(1)

they reached those immeasurable heights, the

of fire, evolved

two
Hiicn-

The god

from Yang and Yin assisted by

hilen-Shang-jen. The First Ancestor of the (2)

Sombre Heavens" (up

Article

V below).

YUEN-SHI T'lEN-WANG
genii caught a glint of light and lo!

Huen-hiien-shang-jen

J;

A
in

down

appeared in front of them. The two genii bowed homage and gratitude. The apparition answered their
(1)

greetings in words: "You can imparting my doctrine to men.

best

show your gratitude by

to

You wish

know

the story of

Yuen-ski;

will tell you.

When
itself

period of primitive chaos finished

P'an-ku $ ^f had in the his work, his soul shed its

tossing

mortal envelope and found without any point of support.

''I

about

in

the

void

must perforce",
I

said the soul within itself, "be reborn

in order to regain a visible

form and preserve

my

original shape.
1

Else until
a

first

get a rebirth in a mother's

womb
it

shall

remain

mere empty, unstable being". of the wind reached Fuh-yii-tai

So

his soul borne

jjj
;

on the wings
beheld a holy
of

$j -^

there

woman

called T'ai-yuen ^c 7C (2) of

some

forty years

age,

who keeping

her virginity was

living alone

on

the

mountain

The air and rainbow mists were the Ts'o-ngo-shan | ||$ |jj. sole food of her vital spirits; she was a hermaphrodite combining active and passive principles in herself and each day she climbed
to the
of

sun and

mountain top to collect there the flowering quintessence moon. P'an-ku captivated by her virginal purity

seized a

moment when

she

was sighing

to enter her

mouth
at

as a

pure ray of light.

She was with child twelve years and

the

end of that period the birth took place across her spinal column. From the first moment of his existence, this child could walk and
colours.
is

speak and his body was surrounded with a cloud-glory in five He took the name of Yuen-shi T'ien-wang his mother
;

usually called T'ai-yuen sheng-mu jc 7C of the First Beginning")

So,

M#
is

("Holy Mother

Yuen-shi
-.

T'ien-wang

x; &p 5R 3E

an

avatar

of

P'an-ku
(1)

(2)
Originally jz

The Great Principle.

Cf. Shen-sien-tong-Uen

meant a vast period

1

of time

like a geological epoch.

(2)
fji
f|I|

M gg

Bk.

Art. 4

p. 6,7,8.

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

APPENDIX

THE GENEALOGY OF TAOISM.

* 1 I
Fn-li Yuen-shi T'ien-tsun

T'ai-shang Tao-teh T'ien-tsun

Shang-ts'ing Ling-pao

^% icJiMf^^^ T'ien-tsun A i fn it

jfc
;j?
jjif

%^

Yuh-ts'ing Yuen-shi T'ien-tsun 3i

jfc ffe

5^ jg

IV shang

Yuen Kiln: Mother

tze
-J-

of Lao-tze.

Kao-shang Lao

522 B.C.

Wu-xlunig chen-jen Yin Hi. Lao-tze's Disciple.

AfaMA^fl * HI A i*
*fc

T'ai-hwo chen-jen Yin kwei. Yin His cousin.

T'ai-kih chen-jen

Tu Chung.

P'eng Tsu's
disciple.

S^M. ( tne Methuselah of China)

T'ai ts'ing chen-jen P'eng-Tsung.

T'ai-ts'ing chen-jen

Avatar of P'eng Tsu. Sung-Lun. Musician.

SfiiAII
$'jr A ^ $ *$i*A?*S
/\

Si-jji(Ji

chen-jen Fung-Ch'ang.
hi's disciple.

Hilen-chow chen-jen Yao Tan. Yin

Pah-su chen-jen Chow-Lianh. Yin Tan \s disciple.

T'ai-Wei chen-jen Yin Teng.

Hwang-ting chen-jen Wang

T'an. C.B. 176-157.

Si-yulx sien-k'ing Li Yih. B.C. 179-157.

*1pJ

5t A
AHW

17i)-157

Ho

sluing

chang jen (Ho shang-kung

1A^14
j*

M
+
-f-

&)

C. 130 B.C. Chen-jen C. 130 B.C. Chen-jen

Ngan Ki-sheng.

Ma

Ming-sheng.

GENEALOGY* OF TAOISM

After the Christian Era:

Chen-jen Yin Ch'ang-sheng

IA1I4 + 122 A.D.

MAf&#Mf
&A#Lfoffi
121-168 A.D.
C. 150

Chen-jen Hsu Tsung-shi Chen-jen Wi

i

Pch-yang

A.D.

IE

- 3i U 31 M. m. iA3EJI SI1MA1I-

Cheng-yih Ti'en-shi Chang Tao-ling.

ffwe7i h chen-jen

-\-

156

Luh-tai eh en jen

Wan-Ch'ang Chao Shing

Li Ya.

-f-j-

156

156

Hwa-yang chen-jen

mmmxmmm
*fi

Cheng-yang zhen jen Chung-li

P&

A g& M A 3&
IflJ

Shun-yang chen-jen

Lii

Yen.

K'iien. -f-CJSO 869-874

Hai

chein

chen jen Liu Huen-ying 911

Chung-yang cheng-jen Wang Chit Tze-yang chen-jen Chang Peh-twan

+1192
10H2

IH^AJl
^ A $f
+
ffi

$t FH

$j

IIIA

51 f6

#fa

Tze-yang chen-jen Chang Peh-twan

Ts'ui-hiien chen-jen Shih T'ai.

7';2e

1139

Mew

chen-jen Hsieh Tao-kwang 1159-1169

S'ui-hu chen-jen Ch'en

SJiMAi^iitt
l||

Hai-kiiing chen-jen Peh

Nan -f- 1224 Yuh Chen ~\1208-1229

1218

Hoh-lin chen-jen Pung-Sze.

A 3E

lii

H92 Chung-yang

chen-jen

Wang

Chit.

3EPMA3:^ ^C "& M A |J5 A M ft^.KA#J^5

4^i?MAJiii
Jl

Yuh-yang chen-jen Wang Ch'u

T'ai-ku chen-jen

yih.

+
1212

1222

Hoh

Ta-t 'ung

-f

iH

if|

A f9-

Jii&

Ch'ang sheng chen-jen LJn Ch'u hit en. -f- 1203 1193 Tan-yang chen-jen Ma Yuh. Tan Ch'u-twan. -f 1175 Ch'ang-chen chen-jen

SlIAili
In If fllj
1

Ch'ang ch'un chen-jen K'iu Ch'u-ki.

Ts'ing-tsing sien

-f-4-

1227 1182

M -^ ^ ^

ku Sun Puh-eul.

Immortal cobs, genii

venerated by the "Tao-ski" in temples together with K'iu Ch'ang-chun's 18 disciples of a list is given below.
All these personages are
table
is

in their

whom

The above
Taoist Canon
(j|f

taken

from

the

new

edition

of

the

Tao tsavg. Commercial Press Edition. Vol.

370 X 704; Wieger's Edition. N 6S1)

The author Teng

indicates in his

ff|)

fi,

surnamed Ynh-pin-ize 3
the

^f,

general lines
of

Tao Idt-king ^' $ in the chief [ore-bears and the most celebrated masters

Commentary on

Taoism up

to the 14th century.

:

according

to the preface

the table of

was attributed

to an ancient

The work dates from 1298, the ancestors of Taoism "Tao-shi", named Siao Ting-chi

3 without the least scruple about chronological order.

-vw>-

AP.TICLEjII

YIH-H\VA\G, THE AUGUST (JADE) EMPEROR

it

THE MODERN JUPITER.

"Yuh-hwang" means the Jade Emperor. Jade being the symbol of Purity, he is sometimes known as the August Pure One. Another title of his Yuh-hwang-shang-ti 3 j|l ^, the

Pure August Over-Lord.

1.

Yuh-hwang
life

in Legend.

In the

Chung-tseng-sheu-sheng-ki
of

1g

jf|

|$ f, (1) the

following legendary

Yuh-hwang

is

given:

Of old there was a kingdom called Kwang-yen-miao-lohhwoh itWf. 1& the queen IS whose king was Tsing-teh f^g was called Pao-Yueh ^ ft Though past her prime she had as So royal edict summoned the Tao-shi yet no male child.

(Taoist priets or adepts) to the palace that there they

might

perform their

rites,

plant their flags and recite their prayers in

throne.
a

order to secure an heir for the

night, the queen

During the following

vision,

was favoured with

Lao-kiin

appeared to her, riding on a dragon and carrying a male child The in his arms: he came flying through the air towards her. to be to have child heir the her the to let him queen implored
crown.

on her knees and thanked him.

"Willingly; take him," said he to the queen. She fell On waking, she knew she was

pregnant; at the end of a year,

on the ninth
1

day of the
cycle),
at

first

moon,

of the year Ping-ivu

ptj

(52nd

of

the

noon

she gave brith to the royal heir.

From childhood

on,

he gave

proof of compassion and generosity towards the poor; he distributed all the palace wealth to the people of poor condition. On
(1)

Book

I p. 7.

10

IMMORTAL CODS. GENII

but after
a

the death of his father, he ascended the throne

few

days reign he resigned the sceptre to his prime minister, left the 0^ and kingdom and took to living as an hermit at P'u-ming on the mountain Sin-yen According to the Ming Annals $.

~
'111

IS ?

Book 34
li

p. 23,

Book 87

p. 25,

the mountain P'u-ming

(about 30 miles) west of Micn-hicn in Shew -si: the mountain Sin-yen is 100 li S. E. of the prefecture of Yungis

situated 90

ping

in

Yun-iuni..

After attaining "perfection",

he

days

in

healing the sick and saving people's lives:

passed his death found

employment. The Sung emperors C hen g-t sung ^ jH and Hwui-tsung <% (1101-1126 A.D.) bestowed upon him all the posthumous titles with which we
him
in this

(998-1023 A. D.)

%^

find

him honoured
2.

in

our

own

day.

Yuh-hwang

in actual history.

In the year 1005, the Sung Emperor Cheng-tsung had been compelled to sign a dishonorable treaty with the Tungus jgj ~fc y\) and the dynasty was like to fall into disfavour. (or K'i-tan

In order to confirm his authority, the

and announced solemnly that he was

with the Heavenly Gods.
of his minister, the politic In this,

emperor turned visionary in direct communication he was following the advice

and sceptic

who had made to

and

often expounded to him

how

Wang kin-jao 3 the supposed revelations

politic shifts

^^

Fuh-hi, Yii-wang and others

were merely

to secure obedience.

finally in the

The emperor studiously conned his part tenth month of 1012 A. D. called together

his ministers

and gave them an account of a dream in which an Immortal had brought him a letter from Yuh-hwang, the August Pure One, the Emperor of fade; the letter ran, "I have already

Heavenly Letters by your ancestor Chan (T'aito send him to visit you in person." Soon this promise was fulfilled and T'ai-Tsu -j^ jjj the founder of the dynasty, came to the Emperor. Cheng-tsung immediately informed
sent
tsu)

you
I

two

am now about

his ministers of the visit.

This gives us the clue to

the

origin

Fig. 132

Yu-hoang, TEmpereur auguste.

Yuh-hwang

the

Pearly Emperor.

VUH-WANG
ot

IN

ACTUAL HISTORY
of knavery,

11

full

Ynh-hwang, he was born of a piece panoply from the imperial brain.

Here, for instance,
is

and issued

in

the judgment passed by the official

history of China, the Tze-chi-i'ung-kien kang-muh

fa

>I t

@.

Sun-chen-tsong was a knave

his

who cheated Heaven

sacrile-

giously;

minister

Wang-kin-jao was a mere

scamp.

The

Emperor K'ang-hsi of the Ts'ing dynasty K'ang-hsi 0; $E (1662-1723) when giving the imperial approbation to this official
history, judged
it

his

duty

to

add
it

comment on
to

this

very
to

passage.
a

Here

is

his note:

"If

is evil

impute falsehood

man, is it not horrible to impute it to Heaven? Cheng -T sung was a poor simpleton and his minister Wang-kin-jao was guilty

ot a great crime".

To remove
to record this

all

doubt, the great

history

thinks

it

proper
a

important event, namely the

is

creation
of

of

new

divinity;

"It

at this date that the

name

Yuh-hwang
to

figures

for the first time

on

the

list

of divinities

be

worshipped.

Nothing
of

is

known about

whom

no

the beginning or end of this personage information is available. It is probable that the

legends glorifying him date also from this period."

Cheng-tsung, once pledged to the trickery, was apprehensive of being taking to task

by

his minister, the scholar

Wang-tan

5E

J=L-

So he resolved

to pledge

him

to

a golden silence.

He

invited

overpowered him with marks of affection and esteem, and made him drunk with a choice wine.
to his
table,

him

"I want", he added, "the

this wine, so
I

members

of

your household
it

to

taste

sending you a cask of cask was delivered but full of rich pearls.

am

as a present."

The
his

Wang-tan's gratitude

was

to be shown by silence, and Wang-tan complied. death-bed indeed he demanded that his head should be

On

shaved

and he should be clothed

in

the

dress of

a bonze

this

was

to be an expiation of his guilty connivance with

deceit.

the

Emperor's

At

this

passage,

the

takes up his brush again:

commentator K'ang-hsi "Wang-tan is guilty of two faults;

imperial

12
first

IMMORTAL CODS. GENII

in his life-time

he

proved himself a

vile

flatterer of his

sovereign,

secondly when death was coming

he tried

to

flatter

Buddha."
3

Honorific titles conferred on Yuh-hwang.

In 1013, the

Sung Emperor Cheng-tsung had

set
it

statue
of
built

of

Yuh-hwang
Jade Pure
(

cast
)ne.

and

up

in

the

palace or

temple

the
in

Yuh-ts'ing

kung, Ti

''

which

was

honour

of this
it

he visited

god: in person, accompanied by his whole court, and offered sacrifice with the rites usual for the

adoration of Heaven.
In 1015, the
title

of

same emperor conferred on him the pompous "Supreme author of Heaven, of the Universe, of human
Good,
of rites,

destinies, of

and

of

the

WAY.

purest

August

One, high sovereign of Heaven."

In 1115,
in

Sung-hwui-tsung had a

magnificent temple

built

honour

of

Yuh-hwang who
of an

right to

wear the dress

statues of the

same time
to

to the people to

by imperial script the emperor; orders were given at the build everywhere Taoist temples and
received
In order to cap his
the

make

"August Pure One."

the
title of

exaltation of the Yuh-hwang, the

Emperor conferred on him

Sluing Ti J^

most

lofty dignity of

all.

Chief Ruler
with
the

of the Universe, a title that set

Yuh-hwang on

a level

Sovereign on High, the August Heaven 3^ of the scholars.

The worship

of

Yuh-hwang

as the

most popular god

of all

as a real Jupiter, dates from that period.

A number
yeh-tu"
i$L

of

works,

among

others the

'

'Cheng-ling -weiof

it

M>

set

Yuh-hwang on the throne

the

Third Heaven, the Yuh-ts'ing 3 jj| (the Jade Purity) and give him the primary in the Taoist Trinity. As far as the people is
concerned, usually "God"
there
is

is

identical

with

Yuh-wang.

Hence

giving the title "Shang-ti" to God, as worhipped by Christians: for this title is preferentially used in
difficulty
in

HONORIFIC TITLES CONFERRED ON YUH-WANG

reference to

13

Yuh-hwang by
is

the people

"Yuh-hwang-shang-ti." (1)
remark
of a

There
author:
'"the

a touch of impishness in the

Chinese

emperor Hui-tsung who did so much to spread the cult and exalt the memory of Yuh-hwang was ill paid for his services. Why did his divine protector allow him to perish
miserably in Sha-moh desert?"
It would not probably be amiss to surmise that vague legends of Yuh-hwang had already existed before the reign of Cheng-tsung ; perhaps this emperor, conversant with the fables

of the Taoist priests

and the bonzes, had drawn upon them

to

serve his

own

purpose.
the first time
of

that the

The statement of the historians that this is name of Yuh-hwang figures on the list
was the
first

gods for

worship, proves merely that this

occasion on which

an emperor formally ordered honours to be paid to this divinity.

In their pride the litterati, even in
it

our own time, make

a point of

honour

to recognise only the

gods named on the

official lists for

sacrifice; this

does not

the rest, but merely that officially the do not receive recognition from the government.

mean that they ignore gods who are not inscribed

Adequate proof of the point at issue here would be some document prior to Cheng-tsung or some proof that Yuh-hwang was already acknowledged by Taoists or Buddhists.

The Buddhists do
divinities

in fact

claim that Yuh-ti

is

one of their

borrowed and appropriated by the Taoists.

fact is certain,

One
titles

the Taoist-priests

several

namely that under the Sung dynasty, times endeavoured to foist Taoist
a

on the gods worshipped by the Bonzes and actually for whole year succeeded thanks to the intrigue of Lin Ling-su

m(1)

(2)
Cf.

Tse-chi-t'ung-lcien-kang-muh.

ii fg

$i|

H Wieger, Textes

historiqueg, Vol III.

(2)

Article V, (below) p.481

14
(

IMMORTAL GODS. GENII

>ne

might advance a theory as explanation of a possible borrrowing from Buddhism. Cheng -t sung might well have selected from his store of superstitious lore a Buddhist deity to
serve his purpose.

But which one? Tentatively,

a slight

suggest that

the Taoist adepts simply took Indra from

Buddhism and made

him

their

own by
is
pfc

change of name.
following titles:
of

Indra
Yin-to-lo
g|

called in Chinese by one of the

fg,

T'ien-chu

(the

Master

Heaven).

Neng-T'ien-chu tt~3i 3z (the Powerful Master of Heaven), Ti-tthih Modern bonzes if? f| the Buddhist Sovereign, or simply Ti ^.
call

him Yuh-ti

3*

on their altars
the

in

ffi, the Jade Emperor and company with Fan-wang $

set him frequently 3 Brahma, e.g. in

'

famous temple of Ting-hwui-tsz 1 ^j' (Kiangsu) where they are especially jealous Buddhist traditions. (1)
It will

of of

Joh-kao #p
the

f|

purity

of

be granted that

these

names

are

suggestive

and

that the

D y the Tao-shi Yuh-hwang 31 and Supreme of Heaven of Master that with exactly corresponds
role

conferred

on

Sovereign.
It is

an easy step to add Yuh JL to the

title

Ti

tf?

or to

change

this Ti for the

synonym Hwang
the

Who

then

first called

god Yuh-ti 31 %?

Was

it

the

bonzes or the Tao-shi?

Certainly
divinity as theirs
in the
it

is

the
call

bonzes

who now-a-days
if?-

claim

the

and

him openly Yuh-Ti 31

His place

Indra, gives
(1)

temples, facing Brahma, who is the regulation pendant of some colour to the suggestion above. (2)

article,

See article on indra and Brahma. (Vol. VII) At the end of the is a reproduction of the two statues [Yuh-ti and Fan-wang) as they are to be seen in the temple of Ting-hwui-tsz.

(Fig 58) there

(2)

Shakra,

or Indra,

editions

of Pe-chang-ts'ing-Jcwei

god of the atmostphere, is, in the modern "Manual of Buddhist Regulations and

Festivals" identified with the well

of Shakra. 1st

known

Taoist divinity

Yu

ti".

Birthday

month

9th day. Cf. Edkins. Chinese Buddhism,

p. 210.

HONORIFIC TITLES CONFERRED ON YU-HWANG

15

The pagans when speaking- of this god usually call him Chang-Yuh-hwdng, as much as to claim him for an ancestor of the family Chang $| (1) Chang Tao ling jjg $| || and all who
:

have succeeded

to

him with the

title of

Master
line.

of

Heaven

fr]j

claim to be his descendents in the direct

The theory has been sugested

hwang was only
a

that

the

legend

of

Yuhthe

symbol

of ancient Nature-worship.

Thus

Emperor, Tsing-teh ffi $*, his father, would be the sun, the great ruler of all Nature: the queen Pao-yueh ^J is then the moon, the fair queen of the heavens: of their symbolic wedlock is
;jtjf

born the beneficent living power that decks nature

array of plant and flower.
I

with

its

incline rather to the belief that the

Chinese never thought of these charming fancies, which in fact are not to be found in any Taoist book. The Tao-shi and all
the people regard

Yuh-wang

as a personal god

who keeps

a court

and palace, receives the ambassadors gives them his orders. (2)
( 1
)

of other inferior

gods and

See

p.

below
\% UJ

(2) ik

^ SI M

note Cf. Si-Yu-Tci BfjUtE: Nan-hai-Jcwanyin-p'usah-chwan $j an d a H tb. e popular books.

'

Note. In a temple dedicated have found the 3 6 T'ien-Mun ^

to

Yuh-hwang at Hai-men-t'ing

&

f"j

Jj*

or Taoist genii arranged along the

walls at each side of the central altar.

that

There are the same Taoist genii

shwai, the god of the sun,

we

shall describe in succeeding

y

chapters, e.g\ the Thunder Departof

ment, Sun hen ts~e Chu-pa-Mai,

Ma Yuan

the

moon.

16

IMMORTAL

GOt)S.

GENII

ooooo
Yuh-hwang
.=
-*,

a
Kj

rs =Q

so

&H

Ml

IS

I* At

ft

o o
o o

Two

officers-in-waiting

Two

Eul Tcung

ts'ao

Eul-lung

officers-in-waiting ts ao

V)

V.

0/

Two Generals Eul ts'iang -levari

Two Generals
Eul-ts'iang-Miin

s
7.

~ m

t'ung-t'ien-kiao-chu

1?

AETICLE

III

T'UiXG-T'lEIV.KlAO.CHU

m
T'ung-t'ien-kiao-chu

3c
}j

m
^
|fc

(1) is in

modern Taoism

regarded as the

powerful genii.

of the most His master was Hung-kiiln-lao-tsu $t |=J f| his dress was a red robe embroidered with white cranes he rode on a Kw'ei niu a one-horrid monster somewhat like a buffalo i\=-,
first of

the

patriarchs, and one

His palace Pih-yiu-kung || $| stood on Mt. Tsz-Chi-ya $& ; jH. This genius sided with the infamous Chow-wang &J- 3 last
of the

struggle with the armies of

Shang dynasty (1154-1122 B.C.) and helped him in his Wu-wang |e 3 first of the Chow
B.C.).

Dynasty (1122
jen

First of

all

^fIA

to Kiai-p'ai-hwan ^-

he sent his disciple To-pao-taof$. |fj and entrusted to him

four valuable swords along with the plan of a fortress which he was to build and call Chu-Sien-Ch'en f^ fill |B|, the "Citadel of all
the Immortals." (2)

to fight Kwang-ch'eng-tse J| J$

To-pao-tao-jen carried out these instructions, but he had and was struck to the ground

by

his adversary with a

blow

of his

Heavenly

seal

and had to
and

save himself by flight.

T'ung-tien-kiao-clin then
to rally the army.

came

to defend his

disciple
of

Unfortunately a

whole troup

to support the Magician, Kiang-tze-ya. (3) to attack

H^
j]\l

5f

gods came The first

with his
Maritchi)

was Lao-tze ? who struck him twice or three times staff; then came Chun-ti ifl $| (the goddess of light,
armed with her
stick

Kia-ch'i-wu

jft

T'ung-

t'ien-kiao-chu' s buffalo falls

and the rider has

to escape hurriedly

into the air

(1)

amid a dust-whirl.
ffc 'TI

Also called T'ung-t'ien-l'iao-tsu jg Jz

fift

(2) j[Fung-shen-yen-i it

Jft Wc.

(3)

See below, Article LIU.

Book G Hwui 73, p. 31 He was the Choiv general,

18

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

The

result

of

the

worthy: Jan'teng-tao-jen Vol VI p. 89 sq.) rent the

Hf

combats was decisively against our (Dipanikara, a Buddha, see air and swooped suddenly upon him;

1A

with a violent stroke of his pillar that steadies the sea Jan-teng
flung-

him down

to earth

and compelled him

to

give

up the

struggle. (1)

T'ung-t'ien-kiao-chu planned a new

camp

outside

T'ung-

kwan

H|

and endeavoured
staff

to

renew the attack:

a second

time
a
ijjt

Lao-tsze's

wound

in

stopped him; Yuen-shi-t'icn-tsun inflicted his shoulder with the precious stone Jou-i jtfj
as
a
staff

originally a Sacred Jewel, later regarded

(see fig. 131)

or

sceptre

and Chun-ti-tao-jen waved the tree branch of the seven powers: on the instant T'ung-t'ien-kiao-chu s magic sword crumbled and he had to seek safety in flight.
Hung-kiiin-tao-jen,

master of

all

three

spirits,

seeing
:

them engaged

combat, determined to bring about a peace so he assembled them under one tent in Kiang-tze-ya's camp, made
in

them kneel before him and lectured T'ung-t'ien-kiao-Chu at length on the iniquity of helping the tyrant Chow; then he bade all
three live henceforth in perfect accord.

The

discourse finished,

he gave each a pill to be swallowed at once. had been taken, Hung-kiiin-tao-jen then warned
effect of the pills

When
one
the

the

pills

them that the

would be

to kill instantly the

in

who would
pill

harbour a thought of discord

thereupon burst within him.

his

heart,

for

would

Hung-kiiln-lao-tsu took off

T'ung-t'ien-kiao-chu

with him

on the clouds and the meeting broke up. (2)

(1)

Op.cit.Bk.7.IZwMi 77. p.l

Op.cit. Bk,7,

Bk.7,77'wi 78, p. 5.

(2)

Ewni

82, p. 17,

Bk

7,

Hwui

84, p. 25.

)!OJ

Fig. 133

A
It
i.

T'ong't'ien kiao tchou.

T'ung-t'ien hiao-chu.

Fig.

134

Hong kiun

lao tsou.

II

tient en

main

les trois pilules qu'il

donna

Lao

tse

Yuen

flu

tien tsuen et a T'ong t'ien kiao tsou. Hung kiun Lao-tsu (the Great Potter), holding
Lao-tze, Yuan-shi t'ien tsun

in his

hand

the three pills

which he gave

to

and T'ung-t'ien

kiao-tsu.

HUNG-KIUN-TAO-JEN

19

ARTICLE

IV.

HUNG K1UN-TAO-JEN

(T)

m m

m.

a
%

the name of a Hung-kiun-tao-jen (or Lao-tsze jjj) is mythical personage whom the Taoists assign as the common master of Yuen-shi-t'ien-tsun, Lao-tsze and T'ung-i'ien kiao-tsu
(see preceding ad fin.)
historical basis nor

He

is

a pure

fiction possessing neither

show

in

genealogy of his own. The Taoist books his hand a bamboo staff with a gnarled root-end forming

a kind of crosier.

The

palace or paradise where he

is

reputed to

live is called

Tsz-siao-kung

^^

^\
Taoism who has formed by
is

He

is

the primal ancestor of

his lessons the very founder

himself (Lao-tsze), he
of the
gfc
fj

the

first
is

patriarch and the most powerful

genii. (1)

Hence he

usually

called

Bung-Hun

lao-tsu

f|,

"Hung-kiun the

primal ancestor."
(1)

See Op.cit. Bk.

7.

Ewui

8. p.

24.

20

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE

V.

HUEN-T1EN-SHANG-T1

jpt
J|g

Ji

#
SKIES.
:

THE SOVEREIGN OF THE GLOOMY

This Taoist god is ^. Yet another name
jf| ;".

called
is:

Hiien t'ien-shang-ti or Chen-wu

i?E ffr

Peh-kih yiu-cheng-chen-kiun 4b
is

Hiien-Pien-shang-ti

a reincarnation of Tuan-shi t'ien-

tsun (see Article I)

who on

a ray of light entered the

womb

of

*$* |^. Shan-sheng Kingdom queen ffi, After fourteen months he came forth. On reaching his fifteenth

of

the

of Tsing-loh

year, he left his father

and mother and betook himself

himself
at

to

Mt.
holy
the

T'ai-hwo ^c fp

llj

to put

the

disposal
the
a

of

the

patriarch, Tse hu

who came down from

to teach
spirit

third

heaven,

Jade Azure, Yuh-ts'ing 3E |pf' Some authors add that a celestial

him

marvellous doctrine.

presented
|X|

him with

magic sabre which he wore in his retreat on ;fcfp

This mountain T'ai-hwo-shan
is

T'ai-luvo-than.

120

li

to

the south

of

Kuai-chow

jj

j'\],

in

the

prefecture

of

Siang-yang-fu
-fr

Hu-peh
changed

(fft).

this

Its original name was T'ai Yah name when Hiicn Pun got orders

M%M m but
stay

it

to

here.

One very

towered over the whole lofty peak called Tsz-siao $| mountain massif, its name was changed to Wu-tang-shan (1) f^, Chen-wu jH jj alone among men is perfection If* UU because itself (2) (a play on the words: Chen-wu-tang m. ', Chen-wu

is

alone capable
(1)
Cf.

of.)

It

was on
0J3

this

high peak that for forty

60. p. 25

Ming-yihfung-cM

M^

Bk.

(2)

Chen-wu^

^ at Wu tang-shan $:

^f LU is

one of the most celebrated

pilgrimages in all China. On the very top of the mountain, on the actual in 1416, i.e. the 14th peak, there jstands the pagoda of gilted bronze built
year of the reign Yung Loh
in tens of

^ 6?! (Ming dynasty). Every year pilgrims thousands come together there especially in the second, the third and the ninth Chinese months.

Fig. 435

Tchen-ou apres sa

vietoire.

La tortue
The

et le serpent sont a ses pieds,

Chen-wu

after his victory.

tortoise

and

the serpent lay at his feet,

HUEN-TTEN-SHANG-TI
years he practised perfection: he reach that he could fly

21

Such

a degree of "subtlety" did

and sent
invite

Yuen-shi-Hen-isun (the Taoist Primal) got to hear of him five dignitaries from among the Heroes of the second
a

Heaven and

company
to

of

Immortals from the

first

Heaven

to

him up

Heaven.

Huen-t'ien complied and entered the

golden palace of Heaven.

That was in the reign of the emperor Chow &J" (B.C. 1154 the last of the Shang $j or Yin The demon kings, dynasty). Kwei-wang 3'(i 3E at the head of their legions were then ravaging

August)

Yuen-shi t'ien-tsun ordered Yuh-hwang (the Pearly head of the twelve great chiefs of the heavenly legions and send him down to earth. Pie went
to put Hilen t'ien at the

the universe.

bare-foot, with

hair

unbound

he wore a

breastplate

of

gold

over a

black

robe

and amid the black clouds he raised his

black standard.

Here are the names

HI as

of the twelve officers of the

Heaven
iz tf

as they are given by the "Lao-kiiin-luh-kiah-fu-tu $

quoted by the Tuh-shu-ki-shu-lioh f|

Sz-ma-k'ing

$
p.4.

$f,

% % Bk.43,
Hf-ft^F.

%
fi

J|

J|p

Chao-izc-jcn

Chang -wen-t'ung
Shih-shah-i'ung

$13cM

Tsan wen-hung
Ts'ui shihk'ing

#^t^
Jji^5"JJ|p

MM
^"H

Wang

wen-k'ing

Hi^tfdJ]
,11

Chan-tsze-kiang

Jg

^ }X

Hu-wen-chang
Mung-pai-king

Wei shang -k'ing tl?_h^l

Ming-wen-chang H^j^ljt
flji]

ifE^JipJl

Hiicn-Pien fought the demon-king at T'ung-yin [^ (The Grotto of Gloom). Mo-wang J| 3 made out of air a grey
tortoise

and a huge serpent which fought on his side. Yet Yuen-wang and his heavenly army won the victor}-, overran the enemy and flung the devils in chains into the abyss Fung-tu f> that chasm is reputed the mouth of hell. %f> in Szechwan |5I )\\
:

The

victor then ascended to his golden palace in

a

Heaven

and Yuen-slii-Pien-tsim as

reward gave him the

title Hiien-t'ien

22
shang-ti ]
in the
').

IMMORTAL GODS. GENII

J^

First

Lord

of

Heaven.

Such

is
1.

the story
p.
jgj

IE Bk, if Chung-tseng sheu shen-lci According to the Suh-wen-hien t'ung-kao $|

^ #
the

12 (J^

jffj;

Bk.

241, p. 28 his
Star.

name

Hiien-tvu

is

name

of

the

Polar

1022 A.D.)
changed
~t

One

of the
in

Sung emperors, Cheng-tsung whose name the character ;

to
j||

^^
hiicn

(997

A.D.

occurred,

p^'s

name

p^ and by that

name he was known

for the future. (1)

The Yuan (Mongol

jfc

tc dynast}) emperor Ch'eng Tsung (1294 A.D. to 1307 A.D.) conferred on him a fuller title:

"Holy Beginning good

Heaven".

and

Majestic,

First

Lord

of

High

We must now turn to the supposed apparition of Hiicn-t'ioi chang-U to the Sung Emperor, Hwui Tsung yfc $fc rfc (1100 A.D. to 1126 A.D.) This emperor was an ardent Taoist: he requested
the

Tao-shi to

register
in
f[f

him

in

their

annals as the

emperor,
native
of

prince and master

Taoism.

"He had

a special veneration for

one Ling-ling-su

^
in

^,

a Tao-shi; this
(}#}).

Wen-chow

^
a

j\\

Che-kiang

man was He had been

Buddhist

a a a

Buddhist
Tao-shi.

priest but being ill-treated, he ran

away and become

One day on

begging

expedition to a

monastery, he

was maltreated by the bonzes and in consequence kept a lasting grudge against them. In 1118 Hwui tsung on a visit to some Taoist priests, heard from them such praise of Ling-ling-su that
he conceived a high esteem for the
the
title,

man and bestowed on him

had received

"true, enlightened

and intelligent master."

Lin-ling-su intimated to Hwui-tsung that he

from heaven

book

in characters
it

"old seal" cloud-like;

to fool the people.

written square and (apparentlv was a mere farrago of fables and rubbish

got numerous taoist temples built with ousting the teaching of the bonzes and avenging the insult he had suffered at their hands. At first he
the

He

avowed aim

of

(1)

Sui-yuan-sui-pih fl

pi

Bk

G p. 6

Fig. 136

main son drapeau enroule. Chen-wu, holding in his hand his rolled up flag.
Tchen-ou
tient en

HUEN-T'IEN-SHANG-TI
carried on his trickery in
yiin-shang, but they
fell

23

partnership with the Tao-shi Wangout and Ling su poisoned his fellow.

In fine, he

become insufferably arrogant and was detested by

One day, encountering the heir to the throne, he declined to yield place to the prince. The latter on his return to the palace lodged a complaint with his father. The
everybody.
dismissed Lin to his native district
local

emperor
that the
called
officer

and gave

orders

mandarins,

especially

the

Wen-chow

mandarin,

Kiang-iwan-pen, should make enquiries about him. This got definite evidence of Lin's vicious proceedings and
a report

send
Lin's

to

the
to

emperor.

An
but

imperial

order

decreed

banishment
reached him.

Chu-chow,

he was dead before the order

Now,
that

this

personage plays an

important part
sacred

in

our

present matter.

One

day,

the

Emperor Hwui Tsung

told

him

he

would

like to

see

Cnen-wu's

person.

''Your

majesty," said Ling-su, to obtain this favour must along with

me summon
Jjfjj)
:

to the palace
is

the

Master

of

Heaven
of

(T'ien-shi

^
jjjf

Chan-tsing-M who

the

successor

Chang -tao -ling

midnight,
the

M, il (the sovereign pontiff of Taoism).

At the moment when

at

these

two were performing

their rites

sky

Suddenly lightning rends the skies, the thunder rolls; a grey tortoise and a serpent are dropped amid a blaze of light at the treshold of the palace. The emperor casts himself down,
then offers incense and
but deign to
reveal
says,
"I

darkened.

desire to see

Chen-wu,

if

he

himself."

The thunder crushes

is

tortoise

and serpent are gone

a
a

huge foot
second

visible

on the threshold.

The emperor makes

prostration

and offers incense

begging Chen-wu to condescend to show himself more manifestly. That moment, he sees standing before him the huge figure of a man some ten feet high; his face was stern and striking; his hair was unbound over his black dress which had sleeves sweeping down to the ground, he wore a breastplate of gold and a belt set with jewels his hand brandished a sword his feet were bare,
:
:

round

his

head there flouted an aureola of

light

the

ends of

24
his belt

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

were
floating'

on the

air.

He

remained long enough for

(1)

the emperor

to sketch

him and then vanished.

0^
j,

The Ming Annals

a

Bk. 50

p.

16,18 make mention of

(i.e, temple built in the thirteenth year of Yung-Loh 7^ 1416 A.D.). for sacrifice to the Holy and helpful true Master of

the Polar Star, that

is

to

say,
set

to

Huen-wn

(a

name
charge

for

the

Seven Stars

of the

North)

by Shang-ti

in

of

"The True Northern Regions. Human generations called him Master" Cheng-Kiln IfL ;g" and set at his feet a tortoise The

the

is

tortoise

identified with the

"White Tiger" and the serpent

with "Blue Dragon"

and

a serpent.

The Taoists have

life

fabricated

without any historical foundation details of the

of this

and deeds
an incident
#; (1023

personage. (2)

The Sung Annals.

assigned 1064 A. D.)

5^

^ Book

296

p.l.

relate

to the reign of the

Emperor Jen Tsung fz

Ning-chow
3k.
j'\]

The mandarin

at

in the prefecture

Kansu (fj; ;f|) was one Kung-tao-fu /ft in King-yang-fu J| descendent from Confucius in the 45th generation. Now a serpent suddenly appeared in the temple of Chen-wu and the inhabitants all
worhipped
it

as a spirit;

all

the officials both civil

and military

made

libations of

wine and

prostrated

themselves before the

animal.

Thereupon Kun-tao-fu went

horrified, but soon

to the

the reptile's head with a blow of his official tablet.

folk

pagoda and crushed At first the

were

The

novel,

Si-yiu-ki

Bf $1 IE

everybody praised his wisdom. would have it that the

marshals at
at the

Tortoise and the Serpent are two

this divinity: the story will be

the

disposal
in

of

found

page quoted

the

note above.
In the more important temples of Chen-wu 31 jj it is not unusual to find fourteen figures supporting him, seven on each Of these the first eight are the brigands he side of the altar.

met on the Mountain Pah-p'an-shan

(1)
2 9 p. 9.

$|

I_Lj

when

he was going
J([)fl;MffiBk.

Sung-shi

%
:

Jfe

Bk
111

463

p. 9- Lang-ye-tai-tsui.pien
p. 20. In this

jjj|i

(1)

Si-yiu-Tci ig

mo-t'ien-tsun /% M.

M ^^

Vol. VI

work, ho

is

named: "T'ang-

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

to Si-t'ien Hf Ji to

25

and wanted money.

worship Buddha. These robbers stopped him 4< I have no money, he explained," I am on

my way
genii.

their desire to

Buddha." With that, the brigands showed accompany him, became his disciples and afterwards The other six are demons whom he made subject to
to worship

himself

Some

by his famous victory over them and their legions. Tao-shi claim that these are merely lour military officers
civil officers

and two

attached to his suite.

26

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

o o

o o o o

MUH-KUNG AND KIN-MU

27

AETICLE

VI

MUH-KUNG and KLV-MU

* * #
THE GOD OF THE IMMORTALS AND HIS CONSORT.
What, according to the Taoists, is Preliminary notions. an immortal? Their immortal is a man who grows old but does
not die.
(1)

The term Sien

filj

(or
a

might suggest graphically,

Hj

Huen) means, man who lives

as the
in the

character

mountains,

the mountain-solitary.

and a mountain
they
die,

(shan).

The character consists of a man \ (\) The immortals, though in semblance

so.

do not really do

What
;

is

called

corpse,
in

is

in

their case but a

metamorphosis

their

bones are

process

of

After death, they retain all the properties of the living being; their feet do not become livid, the skin remains fresh, their eyes do not lose their light; though apparently dead,
transformation.

they are more alive them ever. Some of them shed the corpseshell before they are put into grave others can fly in the air before their hair begins to fall out for all, the corpse is merely a transition stage it is the outer-casing of the change. It is like
: : ;

the

all its new process by which the butterfly emerges in when transformation has brilliancy from its uncouth pupa-shell

taken place.
In order the better to understand this notion of the Taoist
ascetics,
it is

well

to

recall

briefly

their

classification

of

the

super

human
See

beings

who

live in this universe.

(1)

Wieger,
is

Characters.

Etymological Lessons

25.

I.

where

another, older former

explained as one

who by

Taoist practices rose

above mortals.

28

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

In order to attain such degree of transcendent qualities as

is

accessible to

human

nature, a regime
of

is

necessary
first

there

is

a
is

hvgiene of soul as
strict

well as
all

body.
is

The

requirement
of

abstinence from

that

calculated to use up the

forces
palate,

of

the

body

viz.

sexual

indulgence,

pleasures

the

ambition; such are the negative conditions. But abstention does not carry one far; the vital spirit, the essence of the constituent

Yin and Yang must be strengthened in all ways hence special application of dietary, medicine, chemistry, possible gymnastics. When the maximum of vital forces has been
elements
;

secured,

methods must be devised

for

conserving these, for

protecting them from the ravages of disease and death in fine, the adept has to "spiritualise" himself, to render himself

independent of matter.

that sought to store up in a "pill of immortality"

This search gave birth to an alchemy all the elements

titution of a

necessary for the development of vital forces and for the consnew transcendent man, a superhuman man. In

this scale of perfection, there are degrees:

a)

The

immortal This

first

degree consists

in

begetting

and bringing to birth in one's self the superhuman embryo; this should, on attaining perfect development, issue from the old body (like the cicada from its first skin) this degree is the
:

Taoist ascetic, the Immortal.,

The immortal can

travel

at

will

through the universe, enjoys all the blessings of glowing health, has nothing to fear from sickness or death, eats and drinks in
amplest measures
b)

is

perfectly happy,

This second degree is The hero or perfect man higher still. The body is here no chrysalis shell to be shed and
left

behind but

is itself
it

so

spiritualised,

has become so subtle

it

so transcendent that

can

fly through the air:

is

borne on

the wings of the wind or sits on the clouds and so travels from one world to another and takes up its abode in the stars: it is
freed

from

all

the laws
spirit.

of

matter and yet

is

not completely

changed into a pure

MUH-KUNG AND KIN-MU

c)

29
the heroes, there

The

saint.

Third degree.

Amongst

are certain superior beings,

and virtue

these

endowed with extraordinary genius constitute the third class of superhuman

beings, the saints.

Thus there are three distinct categ-ories The ascetics or immortals: Sien The heroes or perfect men: Chen jen j||
:

f[{j

Among

the perfect
lg.

there

are

the

eminent saints:

Sheng
Immortals
light of
for

(1)

of the first rank

are

transformed

in

the

full

day

place at

those of second rank, the metamorphosis takes midnight: those transformed in the morning or the
:

evening become the masters of the world: everything in fine depends on the degree of infused knowledge with which they have been favoured (2)
For
fuller

(1)

treatment,

see

Fr. Wieger's exhaustive handling of

Taoism. (Taoism)
(2)

Cf.

Tsih-sien-luh

p. 5, Shi-wen-lei-tsii (ts'ien-tsih)

(K'ang-hi-tsz-tien

The king
also

of

& T'ai-ping-kwang-ki ^ ^ IE Bk 58 Shih-ming ^ ^ % $g |g M Bk 34 under the word Sien ^ $ $) the Immortals Tung-wang-kung ^ I 2 called
H
f|l)

ftj

>

P-

i\h

is

also

Muh-kung ;fc . The queen called Kin-mu ^ #.

of the

Immortals

is

Si-wang-muh

glf

30

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

I.

Tung-wang-kung

j}

3E

&

The god of the Immortals, Tung-wang-kung, surnamed Muh-kung ^ (Ruler of the Element Wood) is also called I { and Kiun-ming ;" B] (1)
In the beginning, the primitive air congealed and at
first

remained motionless: then

it
:

set

itself

to

achieve

crowning

merit by producing beings it began by fashioning Muh-kung Jf. fe from the most pure substance of eastern air and then establi-

shed this being as the Sovereign of the active principle

$ and of
all

"Yang"

the regions of the East.

is

Yuh-hwang"). His palace is in the clouds; violet clouds form its dome, blue clouds its walls. He has as man-servant the "Young Immortal" (Sien-t'ong) ji and as maid the Immortal, Yuh-nii (the Jade Woman) 31 -:.
("the prince
f[(j

I|S

So Tung-wang-kung

often designated, Yuh-liwang-kiun

The

roll of

the Immortals

is in

his

hands.

He

is

often

called: Tong-hwa-ti-kiiln J( ip

;g\ (2)

(1) (2)

Cf.

Suh-wen-hien-t'ong-k'ao $f

M ^
Ill

Bk. 214
p.

p. 2.

See also: Chinese Superstitions Vol.

Article

Vol

IX

XLVI, below. Mayers:

Chinese

256 (English Transl) Reader's Manuel, No

572, 508.

Fig. 437

La deesse

Si

wang-mou.

The Goddess Si-wang-mu (the Western Royal Mother)

SI-WANG-MU

31

II

Si-wang-mu

3E

(Queen-Mother of the

Chow"
Mother
and her

(ffi

j'\])

1.

Origin.

purest quintessence of

"Shen West) in the legendary. Si-wang-mu was fashioned of the western air. She is often called: "Golden

variants:

Hen

first

Her family name has three chief Her own name is Hwui [p] Yang jfr; Ho fpj name "Wan-kin" %fc ifc.
of the Tortoise."
-g|
;
.

Tung-wang-kung
Si-wang-mu

ifc

formed of the eastern

western

air is the

male, active principle of the air and ruler of the air of the East:
"jfff

3E , born
is

of

the

air

is

the

female,

passive principle and

These two principles by combining, beget Heaven and Earth, (1) all the beings of the universe and thus become the two principles of life and of the subsistance of all that exists.
sovereign of the air of the West.

Si-wang-mu' s Palace. the snow-clad chain K'lvun-lun

2

It is

planted on the lofty peaks of

H
a

-fir-

rampart of
li

solid gold

surrounds

the twelve blocks of storied structures,

is

all

built

of

precious stones: this rampart that is, it covers 300 miles.

thousand

in

circumference

The

right

"Kingfishers Stream"

wing stands on the enchanted bank of the Immortal it is the usual abode of the

left wing is that beings of the male sex while the neighbouring corresdivisions seven are There of their female counterparts.

ponding

seven distinctive colours of dress: red, blue, black, and undyed. There is there a marvellous violet, yellow, green we shall shortly have to tell of the fountain made of
to

gems

annual banquet of
(1)

the Immortals held there.

creative results of

Others accounts interpret their origin as "the first created and the powers of nature in their primary process of
1.

development (Mayers of Heaven and Earth

c): or born of Yin and Yang beneath the influence

(Vol. Ill p. 258).

32

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

But every Immortal must, before taking up his residence,

pay

first of all a visit to

Si-wang-mu. The "Sien-fo-tsi-tsung"

tells

us that

Muh-wang
lived
in

3E of the

Chow Dynasty

(1001 B. C.

946
~\R\

Western queen named Si-wang-mu 3 group K'wang lun Shan (some have suggested Babylon!) and that he had a famous interview with her on the magic border of the delicious fountain "Ydo-ch'i
B.C.) paid a
visit to a
-

who

the mountain

Jg -^. Cf. Muh-t'ien-tsze-ch'wan 1& jH ^F

d)
to
Si-

Here

is

the text of the

famous verses attributed

to

wang-mu on
visitor
:

this occasion:

they are addressed

her imperial

In the heavens hover great and white the clouds

On

Long

earth below are jagged hills and mountain peaks: is thy way climbing heights and breasting floods

Die not therein but unto us once more return.

Taoists writers have
to

enchant Muh-wang

^
all

made of Si-wang-mu a second Calypso 3i much to the detriment of his

is

imperial office.
3

But
and
in

that
of

the merest fable spinning.

Images sometimes depicted

details
:

Cult

Si-wang-mu H 3E # She is human shape but with some distinctive

teeth, dishevelled hair. (2)

a panther's

tail, tiger's

In the

"Chi-ma-tien" (paper-talisman shops) $ J^ j, Tung-wang-hung 3E iV an d Si-wang-mu flf 3 - are usually to be had on one

"Chi-ma" $ J^ Kin mu 4fe -Js.

side

by

side,

and entitled Muh-kung

;fc

and

At the period
J5J,

of the feodal wars, at the

/

end of the Chow

of

towards 400 B.C., Kii-tsien

pj

jg|

of the

kingdom

Yueh %&

(the

modern Chekiang

Wu ^| (modern Kwang-si) created

altar to
(1)

$Jf jj), and conqueror of the kingdom of Kiangsu, parts of Anhwei, Chekiang and

at the

"Si-wang-mu" Cgf 3 "90

But
this

request of his minister Wen-chang an in *' ie western suburb of his

Muh Son

of

Heaven may have been a prime

1.

of Ts'in 623

B. C. (So. M.Ed.
(2)

Chavannes) V. below Article LVI,

Fig. 138

Tong-wang kong et Si-wang-mou. Le roi et la reine des Immorteis. the Immortals. Tung-wang hung and Si-wang-mu. The king and queen of

SI-WANG-MU.
capital.

33

sacrifices offered to her to ask for happiness This become a usual practise: Si-wan-mu was depicted as a noble matron and sacrifices were offered to her. Legend relates that in the year 110 B.C. Si-wang-mu

He had

and longevity,

came

in

1^4

$?

person down to the palace of the Han Emperor Wu-ti on ms birth-day and made him a present of seven

peaches that confer immortality. This is to be linked with the account of the annual feast, P'an-t'ao-hwui |j| the Feast '}',

of the peaches.

Once

1% Hil> Si-uang-mu Besides such exquisite

by the magic fountain "Yao-ehi" entertains the Immortals of both sexes,

a year

viands,

as

bear's paws,

monkey's

lips,

dragon-liver and phoenix-marrow, they are served with peaches from the goddess's orchard such as are endowed with the

myterious power of conferring immortality on all who have the j|| IE describes in happiness to taste of them. The Si-yiu-ki

romantic style the garden, the peach-harvesting and the setting

of the feast. (1)
is

Possibly
of offering an

it

due to these fables that a custom has arisen

their fiftieth

prayers are

of Si-wang-mu to women when they reach Before the image, prostrations are made, offered and incense with a view to obtaining a

image

vear.

prolongation of

life.

the reign of Ngai-ti 1$ of the Earlier (Western) Han "^f fH, a revolt broke out in Shan-tung on the occasion of a great drought. The rebels paid dj to this goddess, offered sacrifice to her and In the year 3 B.C. in

&

special

worship

carried stalks of sorghun (Indian millet)

in

their hands: these

Si-wang-mu (2) they called 4 Sons and daughters of Si-wang-mu. make it. complete as the author could

wands

of

Here

is

list

as

Only one

son,

but

he

is

the

ninth,

could

be

found:

title Chen-jen (perfect man, see Hilen-siu 1| bearing the of other brothers. trace no is there above p. 28)

^A

(1)

Vol.

1.

Ch.

5.

(2)

Wieger.

Textes Historiques

Vol.p.6 9 5

31

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

More daughters are to be found. The fourth is Hwd-lin name is Yung-chen ^ Lpl and her title is :"NanShe is consort of the God of longevity; kih fu-jen ]|j |!| ^ \.
ijl

$t her first

as such she

Jl j popularly entitled Sheu-sing lao-t'eu-tze Head of the Star of Longevity." The thirteenth of her daughters is called Mei-lan 1$ ff with the further
is

HI

*?

"the

Old

name
"Lady

of Chung-lin

ftji

$t and the

title

Yiu-ying-fu-jen
is

1%.

^\

of
:

Right hand beauty": her abode

\h-

on Mount Ts'ang-

lang it i%

The
Yu-yin
(1)
Jfc

twentieth

is

called

Ts'ing-ngo
:

^
in

$$,

her prefix
$fc

is

and she

is

entitled

(It is this star that

Lady was incarnated

of the Star Tze-wei

H^
the

the person

of

Emperor. Hence the phrase "a star has fallen from heaven,'' used at the death of an emperor. In the imperial palace there were pictures of Tze-wei as incarnated in the emperor). Her
palace
is

on Mount Yuen-lung j

pgg

pj

at

Yu-ye

$fl

ff.

The twenty third of her daughters, Yao-ki J$L #[ bears the title of honour, "Lady of the Flowery Clouds." It was she who gave to Yu |J| the great, the collection of formula for unvoking demons or ghosts. The youngest daughter
Yuh-chi-fu-jen 3i J& 5^ or as T'ai-chen-wang-fu-jen

named

Wan

is

known

as

'

"lady of the Jade Flower (? plant)" -fc jH 3 A> "The T'ai-Chen King's

Every time she drows music from her violin, the birds gather to hear the melodious harmony: she rides on the white dragon and travels over the sea at will.
Lady."
Cf.

Chen-ehen pien-wang
Yin-yang-tsah-tsu
Sien-chivan-shih-i

)||

ifL

p}$
ffl.

4g p. 97

#%
f|lj

Bk.14 p.2
in

j?|

|^

jjr

T'ai p'ing-kwang-ki

k T M
1

IE Bk.e.p.i. Bk.p.i

Ming-yih-t'ung-chi BJ

$^

Bk.52,p.2: Bk.67p.42 11
p. 23

Kwang-yu-ki Jg $L fg Bk. 13
(1)

See Vol. XII

p.

1220

35

ARTICLE VII

The Eight Immortals PAH-SUV

(T)

BC

A
There
is

fill

the Eight Immortals before the

no reliable evidence for the legend concerning Sung period: it even seems

very likely that

it

was invented
Such
and
the

in the
is

time of the
opinion
of

Yuan
a

7c

dynasty (1280-1368 A.D.).

writer Hu-ying-lin fy
support.
fig

the

famous
in

fj|

in his

works he gives reason

The emperors

of

li

which then grew rapidly in the title of "True Male Principle :" to Lil-tung-pin jgj| |H that of "Pure Active Principle"; Ho sien-ku ffi g jf
-][p)

Yuan dynasty favoured Taoism influence. They gave to Han-chungf[jj

H H

then was taken to be his pupil and gradually this came to

the accepted opinion.
It

be

was

at

this

epoch

that for

the

first

time the Eight Immortal were brought into the comedies and into
congratulations on the attainment of the fiftieth year of age. Our author declares that there is no trace of such observances
before the

Yuan

dynasty.

Among

the various

names

of the

Pah Sien

f[Ij,

some

are

those of historical personages while others belong to the realm Below the different sources are distinguiof romance and fable.

shed

in

our brief notices.

first of all a

In this section the reader will find

of the

catalogue
a

names according

to

the

various

lists
;

division into categories

with charateristics
all

general afterwards each of

and

these worthies will have a notice

to himself.

Lists of the "Eight Immortals"

According

to the Shi-wu-yuen-Jiui
fjf

!$)

- Bk. 33, p.

7.

Han-chung-li
Chang-Jcwo-lao

f| $f

Lil-tung-pin

g
|

-}|j5J

^
%j

$f

^^

Lan-ts'ai-hwo

36

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

Han-sian-tsze

Ho-sien-ku
2

fa

#M? M
fill

Ts'ao-kwoh-liu f/ gj %\

Li-yuan-chung

^ ^

7c

According

to

the (Yuen-lung)
p. 18

T'ung-kao-ts'uen-shu 5^

^
in

tfr

(Wai-kiien)

Same names except

Li-yuan-chung

that
ls

T'ieh-kwai-li $^

7C

^* s
in

})j

replaces

that has established itself

popular representations and

3

the lists as usually eiuoteel.

The Suh-wen-hien-tung-kao
list:

jgg

~j|

Bk. 241

p. 3,

47

gives the following:

Han-chung-li
Lan-tsai-hwo
Ts'ao-kwoh-kiu

ill
"i?
1

mmm
1

Lii-tung-pin

g
ff

-j|0j

H
^

Han-siang-tze
T'ieh-kwai-li

$p: j$|

#J
ij!

^
?
find

Fung-seng-ko
4

ft

Hilen-hu-tze

j
6. p.

In the

work Y en-pu-tsa-ki
list

BE Bk.

16

we

the following's other

:

of the Eight, in great part differing

from any

Li-rh

^
fifi

5
frf-

Yung-ch'eng

*
jJH jff

!
"gj
Efe.

Tung-chung-shuTJt
Yen-kiiin-pHng
J|

Chang-tao-Ung
Li-pah-peh
Si t

^^

^
f|[|

/\

Fan-chang-sheu fa 4^

Koh-yung-kwei Jf 7K

Ifi

wung

Classification

and Distinctive Features of the Eight Immortals.

Classification.

All classes of

mankind

are

represented

among
is

the Eight.

Greybeards are represented by Chang-kwo-lao, youths by Han-yii's

(I? M.) grandson, Han-siang-ise.
tive of military

Han-chung-li
of the literati

the representa-

men, Lii-tung-pin

and wealthy.

The
womankind

nobility

contributes Ts'ao-kwoh-kiu,

ts'ai-kwo, the

infirm

the needy Lanhave provided the lame T'ieh-kwai-li and

Ho-sin-ku.
in
f[ij

Thus
Pah-sien

the representations, three

different

groups

of

are to be found: Primitive Immortals, ''Mediaeval"

THE EIGHT IMMORTALS.

Immortals and Modern Immortals.
2

37

Characteristic
a)

emblems

of the Eight Immortals.

is

Chang-kwo-lao $f

depicted

with

his

ass

on
tail.

which sometimes he

rides with his face

a

towards the animal's

less

He

carries in his

hand

phoenix-feather and

frequently

peach of immortality.
b)
this

Immortal

Two

fp usually is playing on the flute: the street-singer, symbol of the mountebanks. long clackers or castanets complete the portrait.
is

Lan

Ts'ai-houo |*

c)

Han

Siang-tzc

$$. f#|

^
$j|

carries a

basket

of

peaches of

immortality or a bouquet of flowers.

d)

Han-chung-li
3fc

f||
;

ft he

fans himself with his feather-fan

also found holding
his

(Yii-mao-shan f$

||)

is

peach of

immortality.
e)

Lil-tung-pin

drive
his

away

the

is armed with g demons Chan-yao-kwai

-}[FJ

his
'|^

iffi

^
of

magic sword and he carries

in

to
in

hand

his Yiin-chen
tail.

f!|

(||)

kind
is

fly-whisk,

the

shape a horse's

This Taoist emblem

a taken of the
at will. (1)

power

to fly in the air and to

f )

walk on the clouds

Ts'ao-kwoh-kiu

f|

Jf

is

sa

to hold in

both hands his

Yun-yang-pan (or Sheu-pan $i) or ^j Hwuh a kind of tablet which had to be held when one was admitted to an imperial
audience.
In our figures 146, 151, he

castanets, |f

or }Q

^.

(1)

holds his usual symbol, This p'ou-sah or Immortal had

Ts'ao-kwoh-kiu was
in fact access to the

free entry to audience with superior deities.

connected with the imperial family and had

Emperor's presence.
g)

T'ieh-kwai-U
is

})}

^
%.

is
:

gourd. (A gourd
(1)

$ jg Hu-Lu
tail

depicted with an iron leg and a and the crucible is ;|- ^Tan Lu.)
It is of

Also called yak's

Indian origin.
it

It is

used by
to

both Buddhist and Taoist priests.

the

In

Buddhism,

signifies obedience
living. See.

commandment not
p. 186,

to destroy the life of

anything

Encyclop.

Sinica

38

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

magic remedies.
In

containing
crucible for

making

his potions.

our pictures he has also his His image is ordinarily used

cities.

as a sign for pharmacists in Chinese h)

Ho-sien-ku
of the
-}|pj

jp]

filj

is

shown holding

in

her

hand a

bloom
ping

magic

lotus or else with the peach

in the

which Lil-tung-

mountain gorge to help her to playing the Sheng |jg, a Chinese musical instrument, and drinking wine. She is a free-and-easy

gave her

find her

way.

Sometimes she

is

beauty and her protector Lu-tung-pin is the scholar of still freer morals as may be seen in the attractive picture called by the
Chinese:

Lii-tung-pin
(1)
I.

hsi-mou-tan

g ^
(Vol

^ j^
V

iff

f\ Lie-tung-pin

admires a peony.
(1)

See Part
It

Plants and flowers.

p. 733;

Figure 231)
in Fig.

Note:

may

be of interest to give the

names

of the Eight
Tew aili (in

140:
:

from right
(in green);

to left

they are:

Ho

Sien Kit:

T'ich

yellok)

Lan

Ts'ai-hwo: Ts'ao

Ewoh-Mu:

Chang Kwo-lao (back

Lii

to front):

Han

Siang-tsze

Han Chung -li:

Tung-pin.

HAN-CHUNG-LI

39

HAN CHUNG-LI

g|

fj|

There are different acccounts given 1. His family name is Chung-Li fg

that he
lived

of his origin
gj|
:

and

life.

Han

fj|

indicates
title

under the dynasty

of that

name, the whole

meaning, "Chung-li of the

Han
is

period".
$f[

fang || 2f
Jf,

His personal name He was born

.

K'uen

and his

first

name: Yun-

in the district of

Hien-yang-hsien
"0f

$%
^c
ffi

a sub-prefecture of the some-time capital Si-ngan-fu

"gf .

in Shen-si ffi

He became marshal

of the empire, in the year

2496 (Chinese cycle).

On
Yang-Moh

attaining old age, he retired into solitude on Mount *fc ft \[\, 30 li N.E. of Yih-ch'eng-hien J| jjfc Jg$ in the
|JL|

| $f in Shan-si W- He possesses the honorific title: "Imperial prince of the true active principle".

prefecture of P'ing-yang-fu ^p

(1)
2.

Chung-li-k'iien Uril'jfl
of the

was only
Jg]

a vice-marshal in the

service
battle

Duke Chow-hiao

he was defeated in a

and

fled to

Chung-nan Mountains $$
East

\\]

where he found

five heroes, the flower of the

who

taught him the doctrine

of the

Immortals.

At the opening of the T'ang dynasty Jff, Han-chung-U taught this same science of immortality to I.u-tung-pin g
-j[5j

and took the invidious

3.

title:

"Sole independant under heaven. (2)

dynasty.

Han-Chung-li, also called K'uen lived in the T'ang Jf He has been wrongly confused with the Han marshal
is

Chung-Li-mei (($0- Han-chung-U

not a man's

name but

the

name
(1)

of a district. (3)

Cf. Lii-tsu-ts'iicn-shu
Jf?

ififl.

&#
$J

Passim.

(Bk.I

p. LIS).

Shi-wuh-

yun-hwui.
(2)

#1

M#

Bk.

33 p.

Cf.

SM-wulc-yuen-hwui

^#

Bk. 33

p. 7.

(3)

Cf. Ting-wei-tsa-luh %T Wi

$% Bk. 3. p. 2

40
4.

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

This "immortal" must be the same as a Taoist adept, by who was present at the celebrated name, Chung-li-tze $jf interview between Ch'en-yao-tze $f{ J& with T'wan ]%. (1)

5.

H JH
latter

and

He was a beggar who took the title, Master Chung-li who gave Lao-chV ^ ^ a pill of immortality. This
il

his

had barely swallowed the pill when he became mad, wife and attained immortality. (2)

left

These two opinions

4, 5

and the works that authorise

of the T'tnig (3).

them are mentioned

(1)
(2)

in the

Old Annals

Sungshi-ch'en,T'rvan-chwan
Cf. Wang-lao-chi-ch'wan
3c.

& %& %
5fc

[f$

f$
.

fl|,

(3)

Kiu-t'ang-shu

tf

J}f

&

Bk.

p. 23.

Fig- 141

Han

Tchong-li.

Han Chung-U.

LU-TUNG-PIN

41

LU-TUNG-PIN

}|jf

Lii-tung-pin seems like the preceding Immortal to have once really existed notwithstanding the differences in the dates

assigned to him by different sources.

First Version:
is

Lii

is

his family

name,
in

his other

name

either Tung-pin or

Yen $.

He came from
jpj
cfa

Yung-loh-hsien
Shen-si

^^

in the prefecture of Ho-chung-fu

/Jrf

|$ Hf,

120
ij|

li

to S.E, of the present sub-prefecture

of
JjE

Yung-tsi-hsien
;

^
of
It

f|.

His

great

grand-father

Yen-chi
(fpf

was

Eastern
||.

supervisor of the river "Ho-tung"

^)

under the T'ang

His grand father Wei ffi was president of the Board Rites and his father Jang was prefect of Hai-chcw i%

j'\'\.

was

T'ang-Tek-tsung fy- $| 9^ year of the Chen-yuan j=| 7^ period (798 A. D.), on the fourteenth day of the fourteenth month that Lii-tung-pin came into the

in the reign of

in the

fourteenth

world; he grew to be five feet two inches in height: at twenty years of age he had not yet married. It was at this period of his life that he uudertook a voyage to Mount Lii Jt[ jjj in tne prefecture

There he met the hero of Kiu-kiang % ?x in Kiang-si jx "Fire-Dragon" who gave him a magic sword, thanks to which

he could at will hide

the title: "Pure

in

the

skies:

it

was then
of

that

he took
his

active".

At 64 years

age,

he

passed

examinations for the doctor's degree: that was

in the LTsien t'ong

)& jH period (869-847 A.D.) of the T'ang emperor l-tsung.^%,

It

was during
"gEf

a journey to the capital

in Shen-si |$

(Si-ngan-fou
the

fff

Chang-ngan that he chanced to meet

4

Immortal Chung-li-kiiien $(| ^f (Ean-chun-li ?H fli g$Q. a cup oi Chung-li was in an inn and was engaged in heating as it were ravished in an was wine. Lii-tung-pin sorghum

a high dignity and ecstasy, and dreamt that he was promoted to blessed with all the favours of fortune. This happy state lasted,

so he thought,

some

fifty

years: suddenly a grave crime brought

6

42

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

about his

own

exile

and the extirpation

of his family.

Thus,

all

alone in the world, he

a start.
It

was sighing
a little

bitterly

when he awoke with

fell

had been but

time since his

asleep, so that
:

Han-chung-li's wine
literary allusion to

was not yeh fully heated (1) the "dream of the sorghum wine."

hence the

Thus won

over from the ambition for

human

dignities,

he

followed Han-

chung-li to Hoh-ling (Mountain Peak) || ft( at Chung-nan #. there he was initiated into the divine mysteries and became

Immortal.

title

of

The Sung Emperor Hwui-tsung 1115 bestowed on him the hero of Wonderful Wisdom. Afterwards he was
Second

proclaimed: "Imperial Prince, certain protector" (2)

Version:

fable

relates

that

Lu-iung-pin

is

none other than the ancient king Hwang-tan Jl Ipt who was said to have reigned 250 years after the primal chaos and to have
been reincarnated
.11

in the reign of the

T'ting

emperor T'ai-tsung

twentieth year of the Chen-kwan period (^ fH) His father 646 A.D. on the fourteenth day of the fourth moon.
~k
in the
:

was Jang gf and his mother one Wang 3E ne was eight feet two inches in height he wore mustaches and side-whiskers and
:

was

slightly pock-marked.

At the age
Liu

of twenty, he
of

married a young

girl

named

high court judge of flj, daughter criminal eases. He failed three times in the doctorate examination
a
Nieh-t'ai
j|,
:

at last in the

second year of the T'ien-shou

would seem
to

|g period of the

(1)

Fig. 139 above

allude to this.

The two figures

beneath the tree are Lii-tung-pin and Han Chung-li. The other two are These immortals are engaged on the llan-sieng-tsse and Tiek Tcwai-li. task of necking the elixir #fc )f While doiim s<>, they drink wine ffr j@

and may
is

let

a thousand years pass

j*j

unnoticed.

There

is

the

jr[.

)f

or

external sublimation and the

ft-

or the internal sublimation

which here

helped by the wine cup.

(2;
Cf. Lu-tsu-ts'iien-shu-pcn-rhwan.

iH

iB

#$

Whole

of

Bk.

p. 1,15

Fig.

142

Lit

Liu Tong-pin, sur le gnao de Koei-sing. hraken. Tung-pin on Kwei-sing's

LU-TUNG-PIN

43
his father

T'ang Empress ft fa Wo-hou (691 A.D.), him to present himself again for examination.
years of age.

ordered

He was

then 46

While passing through the capital city Ch'ang-ngan $, he met Chung-li-k'uen g $| 4| in an inn: he took this latter as
master and taking leave
of the world, followed
li

him

to Mt.

Hoh-

Ung S| #i at Chung-nan $fe fg. Cluing Yen r^H with the fore-name Tung-pin
3rd

gave him a new name

^tj\

-jjpj

(1)
of
$j.

Version:
fff

Lil-tung-pin
%
jjj

P'u-fan-hsien
It is
j$f,

Rg

was born in the district which then was included in Ho-nan ;pJ

now

in

Shan-si

to the

S.E. of
fff
'}]]

Yung-tsi-hsien
Jfi.

tJ<

\$

in

the prefecture of P'u-chow (2)

4th. Version,

Lu-tung-pin was born

in

the

twelfth vear

Chen-yuan j=( 7c period of the T'ang Emperor Teh-Tsung M' W> tj^ ^96 A.D. His father became prefect of Hai-chow $| and so Lu-tung-pin established himself there. After taking his
}>\\

of the

doctor's degree, he
in the prefecture of

became sub-prefect
Kiu-kiang
ji

of

Teh-hwa-hsien t^ffcjii

During voyage towards Mount Lii jj ill in the same prefecture, he met Chung-li "the True Active Principle" and by him was
a

in Kiang-si yX If-

initiated in the secrets of immortality. (3)

In

all

these
is

references

be cited, there

visible a

historical

and others which could easily foundation, almost always

life

the same: and the fanciful additions

of this doctor of the

made by legend to the T'ang dynasty do not change it in

mortal
(4)
f|l|

its

essence.

He was

just a scholar, a simple

who enjoyed

no preternatural privileges.
(1)

Cf. Shen-sien-t'ung-kien
Lii tsu-ts'iien-shu, as

jjjtj]

It

Bk. 14 Ch.

3 p.l, 8.

(2)
(3)
(4) (5)

above,

p. 19.

Id.

Bk. l.p.19

Ch'en-t'uan-chwang |8fc Worshipped by the barbers as Lii-Tsu

%%

jjjfl.

44

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

CHANG-KWO-LAO

gj|

^ ^
Mount Chung-tiao 4
of
1

Chang-kwo-lao lived as a solitary on

fl
iJU

|Jj |f |5 he was to be seen constantly travelling between Fen-chow ffl j'\\ and T sin-chow ff He declared he was some centuries old.
:

in

P'ing-yang-fu Zp

$f, a prefecture

Shan-si

j'\'}.

In vain did

two

of the T'ang

A.D.) and Kao-tsung

refused emphatically

^ ^
all

(650-684)

Emperors, T'ai-isung invite him

In the

-j^

^ (622-650
court:

to

he

usurper agreed to leave his retreat but seemed to be struck dead at the door of "The Jealous
dignities.

reign of the

Empress

^Yl(

Hon

(684-705),

he

at

last

Woman"

temple: his body decomposed forthwith

and became
of all

the spoil of worms.

But shortly,

to the

amazement
j'g
jli'l

men,

he was to be seen on
^
[i

Mount Heng-chow

in

P'ing-yang-fu

Ht-

On

his journeys he used to ride

white ass: but he

had the happy knack of folding up the ass like a sheet of paper and laying it aside in a serviette between journeys the serviette
:

could be kept in a travelling bag and the ass could be prepared for use by the spraying of a little water from his master's

mouth.

He

claimed to have been,

in

an earlier existence, grand

!).

vizier of the

Emperor Yao (2357 B.C.

In the 23rd year of K'ai-yuan f$ ? period (735 A.D.)

of

Emperor Hiien-tsung Jf ] ^, he was commissioned to go to Loh-yang (^ and was elected Grand Officer of the Academy with the honorific "Most perspicacious Master."
the T'ang
j*g.
:

shan

i|t

This was the moment when the famous "Tao-shi" Yeh-fawas, thanks to his magic, in high favour at Court. fe

The Emperor asked him: ''Who

replied

is this

Chang-Jcwo?"
I

"I

know,
fall

the

magician,
feet

but

if

tell

dead

But, your speak. Majesty deigns to give me an assurance that Your Majesty will go bare-foot and uncovered to make petition to Chang-kwo-lao, he
I

at

Your Majesty,
to

shall
if

do

not

dare

Your

will instantly bring

me back

to

life."

Hiicn

tsung

made him
is

the promise demanded, and Fah-shan spoke: "Kwo-lao

a preter-

Fig. 143

Tchang-kouo-lao.

Chang

Kxoo-lao.

CHANG-KWO-LAO
natural white bat that has issued from the primitive chaos".

45

So Scarcely were the words spoken when he fell dead. Hiien-tsung went bare-foot and bare-head to suppplicate Changkwo-lao and ask him for pardon for his indiscretion. Changkwo-lao sprinkled Fah-shan's face with water

and revived him.

Shortly after. Chang -kwo-lao fell sick and returned to Mount Heng-chow fa j'\\- He died there in the beginning of the T'it n-

pao period (742-746) of the same reign. Sometime after his burial, his disciples opened his grave but found it empty. CI)
(1)
Cf.

T'ai-pHng-Tcwang-Tci jz 2p

;fg

Bk. 30

p.l.

Kiu-t'ang-shu

ff |f
B/j

Bk.S

p. 23.

Ming-yih-t'ung-chi

%t J&

Bk.20 p.l.Bk.19.
20.

p. is.

Mayer's Chinese Header's Manual, N

46

IMMORTAL CODS, CENII

LAN-TSAl-HWO
The origin of name was Yang-su
T'ang
J|f.

j|

TpP

this

^^

hermaphrodite is unknown. His foreand he lived towards the end of the

ragged clothes, a blue cloak, a belt

Here

is

his style:

made

of black

wood

three inches wide, one foot bare, the other in

a boot,

sleep in the

wearing quilted clothes in summer, in winter he would snow and his breath went up burning hot like steam

from a boiling cauldron. A strolling singer, begging his living in the streets, he held in his hand a tablet (or a wand) three feet
long: people at first sight took him for a fool which he was not: as he walked, his one boot beat the measure of his song:
Ta-ta-ho!
Lan-ts'ai-hwo,

May

one on earth his equal find!

Youth is a plant that tastes a spring, The years like weaver's shuttles fly, The generations pass nor come again. Yet ever men are born more and more.
he were given cash, he threaded them on a string and in the road without
refrain

If

dragged them after him or strewed them bothering more about them. His constant

was:

Who
So!
I

will

dare say that

man cannot

be pregnant?

have been so these ten months!

In an inn of Feng-yang-fu

JU,

Jft

(fix)

in

Anhwei he

got drunk and disappeared in a cloud after

his boot, his cloak, his belt

first

flinging to earth

and his

tablet. (1)

(1)

Cf.

Suit slicn-sicn-chtvan f

jjji}]

f|I|

(T'ai-ping-kwang-ki) Bk.22
24 2 p. 14
6. p. 8

p. 6.

Suh-wen-hsien-t'ung-Tcao

Shen-sien-t'ung-Men

jjjiji

f|I|

g ^C f i f Bk. M Bk. is Cp.

$?

Fig. 144

Lan Ts'ai-houo. Lan Ts'ai-hwo.

LAN-TS'AI-HWO
In Chinese comedies, Lan-ts'ai-hwo
is

47
dressed as a
It
is

female
easy
to

but speaks with a

man's voice or vice versa.

is

understand that this hermaphrodite

ribaldry. (1)

the occasion for unpleasant

(1)

Lan Ts'ai-hwo

fi 5 3D

The Taoist books give two different accounts

personage:

of this

legendary

According to the Kin-Tcai sin teng M ' M Kuen I p. 3. Plate Lan Ts'ai hwo is none other than the Taoist adept Cken Ts'i tze |$| -^(also called Ch'en Fuh-hiu (g ff;) who was living in the regnal period Cheng Yuen 0_ yt (785-805 A.D.) of the T'ang Emperor Teh-Tsung
1.

&

(T'u HI)
-fc-

[ij

/If

W. 0''

about that time he was summoned

at

to

Court.

He went back
in

to

his

hermitage
2,

Pao-chcng

%
f>

frjf

to finish his days.

jft
[Sfc

The Annals

of the Sub-prefecture of Wu-chih-hsien

{$_
tff

the
of

prefecture of Hwai-Tcing

in

Bonan,

record

that

23

li

north
is

Wu-chih-hsien the tomb of the

Immortal (female) Lan Ts'ai-hwo

HJ } tt(

still

shown in the village of Lan-fung-ts'un * Kuen XIX p. 2 9.) fg

This female.

see Wu-chih-hsien %^ p

hermaphrodite

is

sometimes depicted as male, sometimes

as

The characteristic symbol

fairly

commonly used

is

the

pair

of

clappers (castanets) held between the fingers to play a primitive accompaniment to the singing (Cf. Eiai-tsze-yuan hwa-ch'wan, as above, p. 14.)

48

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

IIAiV-SlANG-TZE

||

jijfl

^
fjij

Han-siang-tze whose fore-name

is

Ts'ing-fu

5^,

was

the

nephew
$-

of the celebrated

Han-yu

ff;

H;, also
jj

called

iE -< oi tne district Nan-yang-hsien

officer

|Q

$ in

Han t'ui-chi Hunan (fH),

famous scholar and high

under the

T'ang Emperor

Hsien Tsung jf gf 9* (806-821 A.D.). Han-siang-tze was as a child confided to the care of his uncle for the study of literature

and preparation
to

One day he said for the public examinations. Han-yu, "My object in my studies is different from yours". ''What then do you learn?" I learn to make excellent wine without any previous matter existing and to call flowers into

existence on the instant." "Let

me see." So Siang-tze put some earth in a flower-pot and forthwith there came forth a bouquet of perfect peonies of gleaming red: on the petals of these
flowers, written in gold, were

two verses:
g), ||

Clouds shroud Ts'in Peak (^

where now
)

is

my abode?

Snow

is

piled on

Lan-Kwan

(j;|

and

my

horse will not push on

These two mountains are

of

in

Shen-si

|$

"JUT

in

the

district
is

Lan-t'ien-hsien

J*

ffl

M-

meaning

of these verses?"
in

"You

"What", asked Han-yu",

will

the

know

in

good time."

Han-yu was sent

chow-fu \$
j'\]

at the foot of

Kwang-tung Lan-kwan ] |, snow

jfl\

in

disgrace into the prefecture of Ch'aoWhen he had arrived ig.

fell

so heavily that he could

go no further. Then Siang-tze appeared to him, swept away the snow and opened a road for him. Thus Han-yu came to understand the two lines and added eight others himself in
explanation.

When

Siang-tze parted from his

uncle

he
of

sent

him the

following verses; "Many, indeed, are the

men

name who have

Fig.

145

Han Han

Siang-tse.

Siang-tze.

MAN-SIANG-TZE
served their land, but

49

who midst them

is

You have won

place of

the peak of dignities

and

your master

in letters?
in

now

art buried

damp and fog."

Han-yii on his
part

And
verse:

"How many
!

here below are drunk for

bidest

bade the nephew farewell in love of honours

straight
path,

and of gain
watchful
:

Thou
shall

on

the

alone

and

day

come when heavenwards

soaring, thou shalt

cleave thyself a passage gleaming midst the azure clouds."

Han-yii was saddened by the thoughts of exile in a

damp

climate and brooded over the thought that he must die without seeing home and family again. But Siang-tze consoled him and

gave him a drug assuring him that a grain would enable him to endure the miseries of that damp. "Not only shall you come back in perfect health to your home, but you shall be restored
to

your former dignity". And so

it

befell.

(1)

the grand-nephew of Han-yii

According to another account, Han-siang-tze ff; $|J -^ was he fled from school and his ff:

whereabouts

were

for a long while

unknown.
is still

If

the Ming-yih-t'ung-chi 0^
Shen-si $i
in
it
"jM

we may
to be
of

trust
in
;"

jfjfc

^f.,

there

seen

a grotto called

"The Western Cave

Siang-tzt

the

little

truant

is

said to have hid.

just anger

saw him back at home for was about to beat him when the youngster
little

His uncle's birthday the celebrations, and the uncle in

said
will
;

(2)

"Don't be annoyed: just give me a flowers blossom on it forthwith."

branch and

make

Another legend, recorded

"$*

in the Kiai-tsze-yuen-wah-chwan

*?

S 4

1W-

re l ates

tnat

Han-siang-tze

after

proclaiming

himself disciple of Lii-tung-pin g ^, fell from a peach-tree a metamorphosis, he underwent his After and was killed. body

(1)

Cf. Suh-wen-hsien-i'uny-lcao #|
Cf. Suh-sien-chwan #f
f|i|

J|$

jft

:# Bk.242 p. 10.

(2)

fi?

Yuen-Hen-lei-hav.

oO

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

sought out his uncle Han-yii and boasted of his power to create

an exquisite wine or to produce flowers instantly.

said than done: before his uncle's eyes a cup
fine

And no
filled

sooner

was

with a

wine and

bouquet
is

of water-lilies burst into view. (1)

Now
$j|

here

the verdict of the scholar Tlu-ying-lin #]

of

on these proofs

praeternatural power
cited
is

attributed to Ilan-

siang-tze.

The authority

the poetry

composed by Hanat

siang's uncle, Han-yii

when they were together

Hu-ying-lin

the

foot of

the Lan-kwan J* | Mountain.

to be sheer inventions of

finds

those verses
]

two works. Yiu-yang-tsa-tsu

% $

and Ts'ing-so-kao-i

Jg

f|

and these inventions came

to be

taken as historical truth.

Since the inscriptions were in existence

before Han's banishment to Kwang-tung Ji

he

cannot then

have written them.

sih-piao

Hit cites in
St-

support the T'ang-tsai-siang-shi-

m% m#n
of

ilus book describes Siang-tze as the son of Lao-ch'eng

$, nephew
deo-ree of

Han-yii

and

as

having been admitted to the

the

Doctor 823 A.D.

in the reign of

T'ang Emperor
in

Muh-Tsung
of Rites.

M%

9* and
is

later

on incorporated
to

the

Ministry

No

allusion

made

magical powers. The occasion

for

this

legend

seems

to

have

been a

poem
in

which

Han-yii

addressed once to a nephew of his

j\\

who

lived

Siu-chow-fu

%
of

Jfl\

Here are the words:

"Who
boasts

knocks upon
of

my

door?

Ah.

'tis

my

relative,

he

that

magic power and

probing heaven's works".

This person

was then

his

nephew,
as

not his nephew's son and his

that of a diviner, a caster of

power was mentioned merely

and horoscopes

so, the

poet adds,

(1)

Opus

cit. in

text Bk. 4 p. 8

IIAN-SIANG-TZE
"I venture not to enhance your gifts
to see

51
I

have but one desire,

you

a loyal officer."

There
to

is

not question here of the

grand-nephew on the journey

Kwang-tung.

So Han-yil does

not testify to any magic power of Han-siang-tze (1).

(1)

Cf. Riu-t'ang-shu t

Bk.

8. p.

23

The Annals
f|

of the prefecture of Hwai-king-fu in

Honan

flf

Kilen IV,p. 32. state that

;j

Han

Siang-tse's

grave

is 5

li

east of Mung-hsie%

(formerly Ho-yang-hsien), in

Ho -nan.
such as young
wear.

traits

Most pictures and with hair

is

of this personage depict a figure with certain feminine

tied in a knot
girls

The type
ft
fil

in

most use

that from the

painter Li lih-ivung

^^

Kiai-tse-yuen hwa ch'wan 7r -fm about the year 1G79. Ss-tsih

U
[/C]

of

the

p. 8.

In his account, the author explains the different symbols or "attri-

butes" by which this Immortal

may

be recognized..

He

is

represented.
a)

With a basket
With a basket
to spring

of peaches, because he fell from a peach-tree

of flowers, because after

and
he

was

killed.

b)

coming back

to

life,

caused flowers

up suddenly

in

order to give his uncle proof of

his preternatural powers.

c)

With a pear-tree beside him

in the picture.

52

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

TS'AO-KWOH-IiU
The Empress
Jen-tsung
5J5

li?

Ts'ao

Jl

,/p,

wife of the

Sung Emperor

fr;

(1023-1064 A.D.) had two younger brothers.

jp;

The

elder of these, King-liiu

f^ remained aloof from affairs of

state, the

conduct.

younger King-chih jft yfjf was notorious for disorderly Several times had the Emperor ineffectually taken
to task: he

him sharply
as homicide.

pursued his course and even went as far

(2

tzls)

The imperial Censor was Pao-wen-cheng Q "^ jE known among the people as Pao-lao-ye & % ffi, a native
fj^

of the district Hoh-fei-hsien fe

in

Lii-chow-fu J|

)>[\

/ft.

in

the Province Ngan-hwei

He, haled

him before
a

his court

and

condemned him. The

elder brother, smarting under this disgrace,

hid himself in the mountain,

made himself

head-covering and
the
life

clothes from the wild-plants and resolved to live

of

perfect hermit.

One
visited

day, Han-chung-li
in his solitude

fl

J||

and Lii-tung-pin

pj

^ff

him
'T

and asked him, "What are you doing

studying the Way?" "What way? Where is the hermit merely pointed to heaven. His visitors The hermit moved his hand to urged, "Where is this heaven?" his heart. His visitors smiled and rejoined, "The heart is heaven,
here?"

way?"

The

am

is the Way you have seized the truth." So then and there, they imparted to him a prescription for perfection and for attaining foremost place amongst the Heroes. By dint

and heaven

of

intense

application,

he attained the happy state

within

few days. (1)

Another work
IB

intitled,
7 p. 1

(l$

if)

fe Hi

Bk.

gives

Lung-t'u (shen-twan) kun-ngan || more circumstantial yet more

legendary details about this pair of brothers.

There was a graduate, one Yuen-wen-cheng

Ch'ao-yang-hsien $j
(1)

^ ^

IE of

& (Ch'ao-chow fu
IB ti

$]

j'\]

Ift

in

Kwang-tung

Shen-sien-t'ung-lien

/[$

f|Il

Bk. IS eh. 9

p. 8.

Fig.

146

Ts'ao Kouo-kieou.
Ts'ao Kwoh-kiu.

ts'ao-kwoh-kiu

53

his way to the examinations in the capital 30and he had with him his wife whose maiden name was Chang %.

He was on

The younger brother of the Empress caught sight of and was fascinated by her beaut}' an invitation to
;

the

woman
palace

the

for

husband and wife followed

determinedly and
at

the husband

was strangled and

to

the prince endeavoured to

force

the

woman
he

his

will.

She
in

refused

last

had her shut

up

deep inaccessible dungeon. But the graduate's soul appeared to the Imperial Censor Pao-lao-ye j ffj and demanded vengeance

for this foul crime.

The

elder brother

King-hiu
the

jp;

fa

seeing

that the impartial Censor had taken up

of his brother's guilt, advised

case

and
the

knowing

him

to do

away with

woman

and get
a deep

rid of all

prosecution.
well

sources of incrimination and so prevent further The young rake -Jp; j$[ had the woman flung into
star

but the

T'ai-peh-kin-sing

-fc

J|
it

in

the

figure of

an old

man drew
of a

her out.

As

she
:

was escaping, she

thinking
to

met the cortege

mandarin on the road

be

and presented her accusation. The mandarin however proved to be no other than Ts'ao-king-hiu
the murderer's elder brother; he did not

that of Pao-lao-ye, she advanced

venture to refuse the

accusation but on the pretext that the woman had been guilt} of grave disrespect in not standing aside for his cortege to pass,

he had her beaten with iron-tipped whips and left her for dead in an adjacent lane-way. Again she revives and this time she succeeds in reaching Pao-lao-ye. The Censor gets her to draw up a formal accusation. He has Ts'ao-king-hiu arrested immediately, puts

him into the

pillory,

and loads him

with

chains.

top of this, he writes an invitation to Ts'ao-king-chih: the Paolatter comes to find himself confronted with the woman.
lao-ye has

On

him thrown
of

the entreaties
the

into a dungeon and turns a Emperor and Empress: within

falls

deaf ear to
a

few days,

young murderer's head

fH

beneath the executioner's sword.

In order to extricate Ts'ao-king-hiu, the Sung

v|5

Emperor Jen-tsuny
over the empire by
receipt of the edict,

^
all

which

then proclaims a sort of jubilee those in prison are pardoned.

all

On

."

IMMORTAL GODS, GUNII

sets Ts'ao-king-hiu
free.

Pao-lao-yt
as
it

This

latter finding

himself
of
a

were risen from death devotes himself to the practice hermit and profiting by lessons from perfection, becomes a Hero, becomes one of the Eight Immortals.
N.B.
a

god This function he owes

of the

is honoured in many temples as Pao-lao-ye tH nether world, the Lord Justice of the other world.

^%

in great part to the

above story.

The Sii-chow Annals (1) written in the reign of K'ang-hi Cheh(1662-1723) add that in the reign of the Sung Emperor Tsung 5^ g- %*, in the year 1097 A. I).. Ts'ao-kwoh-Hu ig" |U J|
came
to dwell in the

temple Yuh-hu-kwan 'K M.

$S

50

lis

of the sub-prefecture Siao-hsien |f $|.

Historical critique

The
to the

historian Hu-ying-lin

point.

brothers of
Jen-tsung.

comments very much pfl M $1 The Sung Annals, says he. make mention of the Empress Ts'ao T|f jg\ wife of the Emperor The elder's name was Ts'ao-fu ~% ff: and the younger
fft.

was

Ts'ao-yih "H
at

Their father was Ts'ao-pin

iff

^,

high

dignitary

the court of the

Sung Emperors

T'ai-tsu ($ -k fl)

and T'ai-tsung

(#

*) 960-998 A.D.
of

was mandarin under $|. the Sung Emperor Jen-tsung and died at the age of 72; he was canonized as Yih-wang iJy 3i- The Annals make no mention of
Ts'ai-yih
his

Ts'ao-fu was prefect posthumous title Kung-heu

Yung-chow

|j|

j\\

and received the

becoming an Immortal

and

yet,

among

those related to the

Imperial house we find no other personages bearing this name \\U Mence we have to deal with pure legends for which there
.

is

no Historical foundation.

The work
Ngan-shu

Tao-shan-ts'ing-hwa
so

jjj

iff

fj speaks of one
the
that

ffi,

famous

for

his

learning (under

Emperor Chen-tsung
(1)
58 p. 26

jg

908-102.3

A.D.)
ffi ifg

he

Sung was
7& Bk.

Kiang-nan t'ung-chi Sii-chow

Jisien-chi

yl

&

'JH

fill

TS'AO-KWOH-KIU

55

regarded as a reincarnation of the Immortal Ts'ao-pah-Peh ^jff A but even if we suppose that this latter worthy ever existed, "g" he is not connected with the Imperial family.
:

Hence Hu-yin-lin
whole
story
(1)

is

well justified in concluding

that the

of

Ts'ao-kwoh-hiu

f | |
Bk. 242

is

purely

legendary

omance.

(1)

Of,

Sung-Shi

Jfc

Bk. 25S

p. 1:

p. 10:

264 p.S.

Eai-yu-ts'ung-Jcao

&

ffc

ft

B. 34 p. 24,25.

66

IMMORTAL CODS, GENll

IIO-S1EX-KU
Ho-sien-ku
ipf
f[]j

jpf

-f|Jj

tt
'fpj

jfc

was
of

the daughter of one Ho-t'ai

^
in

from

the

sub-prefecture
Jpi
]||.

Tseng-ch'eng-hsien
in the

if

g$,

Kwang-tung
jj

She lived

time of the Empress Wu-heu

during- the T'ang dynasty (684-705 A.D.). She chose the mountain Yun-mu-Ung, ft -^: #| 20 li E. of the Tseng-eh'eng sub-prefecture for her abode. This mountain yields
fa, the

usurper

a stone called

"Mother

of

Cloud Stone:" Yun-mu-shih

ft.

In a dream, a spirit bade her pound this stone thus she would attain agility and immortality.
or 15 years old.

up and eat it: She was then 14

She obeyed and in addition promised never to Henceforth she was to be seen flying from one peak marry. to another. Every day she brought her mother fruit from the
mountain.

She herself soon felt no longer any need to eat and She her style of speech became as singular as her behaviour. to come to court but was invited by the Empress Wu-heu

^^

when half-way on
of the reign of

the

became an Immortal.

journey, she suddenly disappeared and It was then the King-lung jp; f| period

Chung-tsung Jf

? (707-710 A.D.). (1)

in

According to another view, recorded

H'J

Liu-kung-fu-shi-hwa
||j?

5t 3Cff

p&<

ner birthplace
'}\]

She led a vagabond Jffi Yung-chow-fu 7j< existence on the street and high-roads. On her head she had only six hairs. One day she ventured into the mountains to get some
of
pfiT.

was Ling-ling in Hunan #Jj

in the

prefecture

tea

there she lost her

way

but there came to her help a stranger

(supposed to be Liu-tung-pin g \$ ^). He gave her a peach to eat and showed her the way out of the wild gorges into which she had strayed. As soon as she tasted the fruit, she

was possessed

of the gift of foretelling the

good or bad fortune

gift

of other people
(l)
Cf.

and soon also received the

of

Immortality.
Bk, 65
p.

Ming-yih-t'ung-chi

Wt
f

Suh-ivcn-hsicn-t'ung-lao $g

& Bk. M pg Bk.

79,

p. 7:
p.
4.

32

242

Fig.

147

Ho

Sien-kou.

The Fairy Lady Ho.

HO-SIEN-Ktt

57

This

is all

dated about the year 710

A.D. under the reign

of

Chung-Tsung.
If

however we look
II
e.

into the Tseng-teh-cheng-tuh-sing-tsahfind

chi

#^ g^
period,
i.

, we

that

she

flourished

in

the

Sung

three centuries later, under

Jen-tsung

% fc ^

(1023-1064 A.D.).

historic fact. Ho-sien-'ku

of

Here two, we may conclude that there is nothing of certain is a heroine of romance or a taoist myth the fairy kind. Even if we suppose her to have existed, we
Other
and texts are preserved
34.

cannot accept as facts the deeds attributed to her.

details
3f,
in the Hai-yii-ts'ung

kao p

#^

Bk

58

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

T1EH-KWA1-L1
This Immortal's family

||

^^
/.;'

name was

^
:

and his surname

9- Si-wan-mu |3i# cured him of an ulcer on the him the art of becoming- an Immortal he was canonized leg, taught His lady-patron made him a as "Ruler of the Chinese East."
K'ung-muli
iJL

present of an iron crutch

Chung-li-k'Uen

and commissioned

him
in

to

find

out

|jf

f||

(Han-clumg-li

it (H)

the

capital

and teach him the science of immortality. (1)

Pictures of T'ieh-kwai-li are often to he found as the sign
of a druggist's shop, because he carried a
pills:

gourd containing magic

he

is

remembered

as a kind healer.
jjitjj

The book
p. 3. identifies

Shen-sien-tung-kien

-fiJj

jj

fjj

Bk.5, Chap.
$

1.

T'ieh-kwai-li with Li-ning-yang

who was
in

honoured by Lao-tze with an apparition and instructed by him

the doctrine of perfection.

Shortly

after

this

favour, his soul

left his body for a journey to the mountain Hwa-shan |j| Mj. Before his departure, he gave instructions to his disciple Langhis soul had not come back, ling f$ ^f that if after seven days

the body

was

to

be

cremated.

Six days had

barely

elapsed

when

the disciple got

news

of the illness of his

mother; anxious

he burned Li-ning-yang' s body premathe soul came back in due time but that result the with turely in a forest a hapless only to find the ashes of its abode. Nearby
to start off to visit her,

Li-ning-yang' s wandering soul found entered the untenanted body, by the temples and took possession. To his amazement, he found himself possessed of a black face,

wretch had died

of

hunger:

a pointed head,

woolly matted beard and

first

hair,

crippled leg.

At

sight of this dreadful exterior

huge eyes and a he wanted

to rid himself of this coating into

tently.
(l)

Lao-tze begged

him not

to

which he had slipped inadverdo so and gave him a golden

(Yuen-lung)Wai-kuen
p. 18.

Cf. T'ung-lao-ts'iien-shu

M^^ #

Fig.

148

T'ie-koai Li.

T'ieh-kwca Li

T'lEH-KWAI-LI
circlet for his hair

59

and an iron crutch

putting his

hand

to his eyes, Li

On to help his walking. found his eyes as large as rings;

hence he came to be called "Hollow-Eyed Li", Li-k'ung-muh ?L SPopularly he was called: T'ieh-kwai-li.

Another legend

is

to be

found

in the

"Suh-wen-hsien-l'ung-

*
(5f

f^tl^Bk. 241
Li-t'ieh-kwai

p. 47.

})}

lived
at

it

the time of the Sui dynasty

||$
lit

(590-618 A.D.)
i

He was born

Hiah

in

Tung-hu-hien
$f in

^
j#j

M H
4b-

n the

sub-prefecture

I-ch'ang-fu

Hu-peh

His special name was Hung-shui $t 7^ and his "milk" name was Kwai-rh #} ^, and he had still another name, T'ieh;

kwai

existence, roaming through the towns, begging a living. In the end, he was seen digging out a cave for himself with his iron crutch he was changed into a
$j

$%.

He

led a hapless

dragon and flew up

Hu-ying-lin
all this
is

to the skies.
flg

fj|,
:

the critic of

the

Immortals, treats

as so

much

fiction

"no trace

of this fabulous

personage

to be

found either

in the

Histories or in any other serious

\fy

work."

Cf. Hai-yii-ts'uvg-kao

-^ |f

loc. cit.

60

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

LI Ol

THE EIGHT HUNDREDS

/\ 1"

Li-pah-pch
to

^ A

g" (Li of the Eight

Hundreds) supposed

end of the Ilia jg (c.1800 B.C.) or the have beginning of the Chow Jg) (1122 B.C.) and reputed to If he started to move, he covered 800 li at one lived 800 years.

have flourished

at the

po,

secluded

He lived at times name "Eight Hundred." mountains, at times in the towns. He devoted himself to the study of alchemy on the mountain Hwa-lin-shan
hence
the
in the

lp

lU

10

li

X.E.

of

the

town
of

of Shui-chow-fu

tfft

jW

fft

in

Kiang-si

reign (1001 to 946 B.C.) he dwelt on the mountain

W-

In the

the

Chow Emperor Muh

|Jj

shan by the banks of the torrent

Ch'eng-tu
jfc

^ ^ Kin-Vang^ ^ Kin-t'ang in the prefecture

U
1

in

Sz-ch'wan

JH-

He
chung-fu
(ifS)

learned that T'ang-kung-fang

ffi

$ |$
Mang
3
\fc

prefect of
3|^

Han-

^4

tne reign of \Yan(j

%fc

9-23 A.D.) was looking for an

all

the Usurper experienced master: so

|f
to

he betook himself with

services.

speed to Shen-si

offer

his

Shortly after his arrival, his

whole body was

afflicted

with such an ulcer that no one ventured to come near him.

"My

malady", said he
licks this ulcer."

to

Kung-fang, "can be cured only if some one So Kung-fang got three servants to do the

repulsive service.

But Li declared: "Servants won't do:

it

must

So Kung-fang himself complied but be done by a wise man". Li now demanded that the prefect's wife must do the same as
her husband.

Kung-fang ordered
cure
did

his wife

but

when she had

of the

obeyed, the

not

come.

Thereupon Li

Eight

Hundreds demanded three hundred thousand quarts of excellent wine in which he would bathe. The devoted Kung-fang satisfied he came forth from his request and this time, Li was cured
:

the

bath

hale

and hearty without a trace of

his

previous

affliction.

"Know, "said Li to Kung-fang," that I am an Immortal: knew that you were in want of a master and I came to put

Fig. 149

Fig. 450

Liu-tong-pin.
Lit

Han-tchong-li.

Ho-sien-kou.
7Vie

Tchang-ko-lao.

Tung -pin.

Han

Chung-li.

Fairy Goddess Ho.

Chang-kwo-lao.

LI-PAH-PEH

61

you

to the

test to

see

if

you were worth teaching.

for Immortality."
his

Now,
the

shall teach

you the recipe

Then he ordered Kung-fang,

all of

wife

and

three

sarvents, to take a bath in the wine into which he had plunged:

in turn came forth glistening with freshness and Then he presented Kung-fang with a book of magic (tan-king f\ ^) with which he could compound the draught of immortality. On Yiin-t'ai Mount | J{ |Jj at Ts'ang-ki-lisien ^

them

youth.

MM- m
)\\,

the prefecture of Pao-ning-fu {$

Jff

in Sz-ch'ivan

&

thi> latter

drank the drug and found Immortality.

(1)

diction.

In these fairy tales there is patent absurdity and contraLi was already 800 years old under the Chow ffl Emperor Muh-wang f| ^- c. 1000 B.C.; he was still only 800

years old in 8 A.D. when under the Western Han took service with Kung-fang: and in the 10th century

HM

lie

A.D.

he was still the under the Sung Emperor T'ai-tsung % ic a certain high that find we same in the Sung Annals ji|

official

Ch'en-tsung-sin

\% ^g from Yung-ch'eng-hsien
fig

^^%
his

in the prefecture of

Kwei-tch-fu %%
disillusioned.
in

iff

(Honan)

became

disciple but

History not written Li-Rh ^ % (See

is

was soon

such contradictory variants:

Tao-tze)

life of

Chang-tao-ling ^ M ^
Yung

(See his

life; article

IX)

ch'eiig.

&

$,
at

Master
court.
detail

This personage claimed to have been of Hwang-ii fift and a high dignitary

one

time

the

in that

monarch's

The Suh-wen-hsien-Pung-Tcao |f
viz.

ft jl 3 adds a typical

that

Emepror Muh
gifts of

renewing

about 1010 reign of the Chow He had the useful to this world. back he came f| to black the white heads of changing youth,
B.C.
in

the

(1)

Shen-sien-chwan %%{$\M (.Tai-ving-lacang-li Bk.

7. p. G)

Ming-yih

Vung-shi

m & M

Bk

34 P- 39

'

22

'

62
of elders

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

and of making their missing teeth grow again.
Later

on, he became Lao-tze's master.

Tuiig-cliuiig-sliu

Jr

1ty

$f-

Born

at

Kwang-ch'wan J|
(fnj

Jl|,

130 li

E. of

Tsao-kiang-hsien

#j $r<

i"

Chihli it ||
still

^k).

From

the Ch'un-ts'iu

^ #;

we

learn that while

youth he was a mandarin: he was a sage

of the time of King-i'i ^;

^
to

(156-140 B.C.)

probe the laws of nature by examining any extraordinary or calamitous events that occurred.
practice
Yen-kiuu-p'iiig

His

was

jg

M
He was born
$g he used to
at Lin-k'iung

His other name was Tsun

gpfr

j||.

J5
)\\.

tne present prefecture of K'iiing-chow J5 'M

Sz-ch'wan

ffl

According

to the Yih-king

practise as

a professional fortune-teller

the provincial

capital,

on the streets of Ch'eng-tu )$ ^fl' and on earning a hundred cents, he

his

would return home.

master Yang-yung

During
fife,

youth he studied under the

$
in

a hermit

who dwelt on
the
reign,

the south of the

Min Mountain

[lj^

Sz-ch'wan,

in

Yuen-ting period yt

(116-110 B.C.) of the

Hem Emperor's

Wu

Ti

jft

$?.

Fau Chaug Sheu

U^^

No document known

to me.

Ko-vimg-kwei

tK Jl

was

also

The Wan-sing -t'ung-pu H # j known as Kejh-sien-wuny ^ f The Ming-yih-tung-shi

ff

assures

us that he

he

[Ij

f| and

that

lived

under the Tsin ff (255 to 206 B.C.).

J)

|fc

^, tells us that a

mountain

Ko-yung-kwei-shan fa Jj| Oj 4o // X. of P'ang-hsien i J$ got

in the prefecture
its

Ch'eng-tu

$ 3$<
the

name

as

memorial

of

Fig.

151

Fig.

152

Lan-ts'ai-houo.

Tsao-kouo-kieou.

Tie-koai-li.

Han-siang-tse.

Lan

Ts'ai-hwo.

Tsao Kwoh-kiu.

Tieh Kwai-li.

Han

Siang-tze.

KO-YUNG-KWEI
gift

63

of

Immortality given to

Ko-yung-kwei while he lived on

the mountain.

Reference Rooks:

Wan-sing-i'ung-pu [ $

M H

Bk.

U7
67

p. 1: p. 1.

Bk. 2

p.

20

Bk.
Suh-wen-hsien-t'ung-kao f
flR

Heu-han-shu f $|
Ts'ien-han-shu
Shati g-yiu-luh

m
ffr

# M 3t Bk. # ( T below 82) M # Pjk 56 1: Bk. 72

-

241

p. 9.

p. 7.

P-

p. 1.

^
of

|| Bk. 10

p. 22.

General Conclusion.
1.

The legend

the

"Eight Immortals"
at

does not go

farther back than the

Yuan

dynasty, or

very
is,

most

it

may

come from

the end of the Southern Sung, that

the last half

of the 13th century

2.

A.D.

Of the "Eight", only three are genuinely historical personages viz. Han-chung-li, Chang kwo-lao, LU-tung-pin. Re:

liable historical

sources that refer

to

these

three,

have never

made

allusion to
3.

any praeternatural power possessed by them.

at

These legends often are

:

gical sequence

e.g.

Ho-sien-ku
story-teller

had

logger-heads with chronolodied before the birth of

us
that she

Lu-tung-pin, yet

the

tells

owed

her

she was lost in the mountains, wholly to the magic safety peach given her by the Immortal Lu.

when

The
called

first

series of

plates

singly as travelling over the sea

representing these Immortals on various sea monsters are

popularly

"Pah-sien-piao-hai
in

-fill

$*

The second

series depicts

them

couples with their distinctive symbols.

C

Few
able
to

subjects have been so often represented by

hinese

artists as these

Immortals.

The experienced eye

on
vases,

will

often

be

recognize

them
for

cups,

tea-pots, different

fans

and

pictures.

We

have therefore reproduced

specimens

which may be helpful

memorising the types.

64

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

AETICLE
L1U-HAI-S1EN

VIII
(T.B.)

m m m
THE IMMORTAL
This
LIU-HAI.

Immortal

is

usual

represented

with

one

of

the

following attributes:
a)

He

holds in his hand a motley string to which

is

tied a

Shan

i||f,

a three-legged

toad (an emblem of money-making).

b)

He wears

an oblique sash made of eggs and gold pieces

strung together.

The following legend

1.

will explain these attributes.

Name and

Legend.
to his

There
his acts

is

no agreement as

name, much

less

as

to

and deeds.

A.
his clan

According

to Lii-tsu-ts'uen-shu
Lit
|?lj

f^f
name

Bk.

1, p.
$ji.
-Jfc

19,

name was

and

his

personal

Ts'ao

He
fjj

was
Fort

said to
Ji

have been
in tne

a Minister of State
>

under T'ai-tsu

MW-iM

ea r 916 A.D.

when

the latter proclaimed

left

Lii afterwards himself emperor of the Liao $ or Ki-tan >1 ^. court and buried himself in a mountain solitude between

Chung-nan-shan

# T#

(Jj

and

T'ai-hwa-shan
in Shen-si
f|lj

-Jk
"gEj".

I$

|Xj

in

the

prefecture of Si-ngan-fu Hf -^
B.
his clan
a

ffi

gjj*

The Shen-sien-i'ung-Men } f| Bk. name as Liu-hai $J, his own name as

fltji

18 Ch.
Ts'ao

3.
%%.

gives

fflj

with

fore-name Tsung-ch'eng 9^ $ (1) Liu-hai

%\\

#|

was

originally

from Peh-king 4b
(1)

(-ft

^p) in Chih-li jf $$
IE

(jpj 4fc ).

Peking was

The Kwang-yil-M
Hg

^ ^

Bk.

p.

37

gives

his

fore-name as

Chao-tah

LIU-HAI-SIEN
called of old Yen-shan $S mj

65
of

and was the capital

the

little

kingdom

of

Yen ^.
a minister

This Liu became

king of Yen $$.

under Liu-sheu-kivang

|?|J

-fa

Nature and Destiny were the ordinary topics of his discourse and he honoured the old emperor Hwang-ti jir and Lao-kiiin. He, one day, received a visit from Cheng-yang-tze iE

IH ^p, the Illumined (to wit, the Immortal Han-chung-li

jH) and the reception
of

f|

the

visitor

took

place

in

the

state

The visitor set himself to building- up a pile of ten eggs one on top of another but each time with a piece of gold between. (1)
apartment.

"That
less ticklish

retort.

is a hazardous business", cried Liu-hai. "Yes, but than being minister to that prince of yours", was the The host immediately cut short the interview, and Ts'ao

took the hint.

of Few,

He presented himself before Kwang %, king who had usurped the title of emperor and upbraided him
act. (2)

with his

As

the king turned a deaf ear to his remons-

trance, In accordance with

Chinese practice pleaded illness in order to surrender his seals and resign. He changed his name ,, to Hilen-ying 3j&: the Tao-shi call him," "Hai-shan-tsze #$ ||ff
^jr,

the Sea-toad.

He

then started to travel in search of perfec-

tion and meeting with Lil-shun-yang

(viz. the

Immortal
gold

got Lii-tung-pin secretions into pills of immortality.

g ^

|J) he

the

recipe

for

changing

The Yuan
Chi-yiian jg

%,

? Emperor Shun-Ti jl[| $? in the 6th year of 1340 A.D. conferred on him the posthumous title:

"Loyal Prince
(1)

of Intelligence that searcheth the great Doctrine."

in

2)

Hence the bandolier worn by Liu-hai The T'ungMen-Tcang-muh M $ *H @T'ai-tsu jz

ffl

Chinese pictures,
43, says

Bk. 54 p

that the
sht
/-

Emperor

of the Later Liang

&m

had

granted Liu

K'ai -ping period Hfl hwang the title of King of Yen in the 3rd year of the the title of 2p 909 A.D, and that the king Sheu-hwang ^ )fe usurped

Emperor

in the first year of ''Kien-hwa"

-f^

911 A. D.

66
2.

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

An Apparition
is

of Liu-hai.

The following legend

(fung-hia-pih-t'an)

taken from the book

Hg

Mung-lai-fu

^^
!ft
j)i'|

Tf

(^

$ f$)

p. 44.

At Su-chow
dwelt
Jr ;
in the
?$C-

outside

the

Nan-hao

]$ y^ suburb, a

Drang Gate |M] PI there man called Pei-hung-wen

been held

in

This family lived by commerce and in it virtue had honour from generation to generation. In the first
EE,
j5pj

year of the reign of K'ang-hi J^

who gave

his

name

as Ngo-pao

1662 A.D., a young stranger {$ knocked at the door of Pel's

house and asked for work.

proved to be very
offered his

He was
to

industrious.

given employment and After a month or so, he was

take
it.

wages but declined

Moreover

it

had

been noticed that sometimes he did not take any food for days together without for all that suffering inconvenience; all the

inmates of the house bore astonished

trait.

witness
of

to

this

strange
nightjust

One day he was given

;

the

task

cleaning
inside

the

vessels (1)

in

an instant he had turned them

out,

like a football
still

cover: the witnesses of this device were of course

more amazed.

On
Lantern

the

fifteenth

festival, (2) the stranger

day of the first Chinese month, the took his master's child out in

his arms to show him the illuminations: suddenly he disappeared. The family was most anxious. But he turned up in the third watch. (3) The master scolded him roundly.

(1)

Two

kinds are in use.

One
of

of the

"commode"
ussd
for

type, serving for

stool: the other of the

urine-flask

type

as

sick-beds

in

our
to

countries.

It is this latter,

made
is

earthenware and indeed

difficult

keep clean, of which there

(2)

question in the narrative.

Kwo
Art IV

siao-nien jg
p.

t\>

(Spending the

little

New

Year.

See above

Vol.

V
(3)

642 (Engl, trans).

is

The night

divided into six watches of

who have

lived in Chinese cities will

all

beats wandering about

for the third watch.

two hours each. Those have a vivid memory of the drum right announcing the watch: e. g. three taps

Fig. 153

Lieou hai

sien. Cette

image

est affich^e

dans

les

demeures comme un talisman pr^serva-

teur et porte-bonheur. The Immortal Liu-hai. This picture bearing talisman.

is

affixed in families as a protective

and luck-

LIU-HAI-SIEN

67

"But why," replied the supposed servant," do you get angry? This year the Lantern Feast has been wretched all over China: only at Fuh-chow flg jl'H, the capital of Fuh-kien fig -5t has it been a success so I took your child there to see it. They
refused to give credence to this as Su-chow
is

hundreds of
a

li

from
Li

Fuh-chow.

Thereupon

the

child produced

half

score

of

ches

ffi,

bade

fa (2) freshly plucked and offering them to his parents them taste the fruit. Then they understood that the

stranger

was an Immortal.
a

Some months later on, he caught when he was drawing water from the well.
parti-coloured cord several feet long, put
it

three-legged

toad
a

He

tied

it

with

went home leaping with

been looking for have caught it".
it

joy.

on his shoulder and I have "This animal had escaped

:

in vain for

many

So

all

round the

a year and to-day at last 1 neighbourhood the tidings

spread that Liu-hai was in the house of the

Pei

j|

family
his

an

immense crowd assembled.

Then

Liu-hai

raised

hands to

thank his master Pei and from the middle

of the courtyard

went

up into the air and disappeared. The door of this dwelling in Su-chow is still noted by people passing as a souvenir of an Immortal's visit.
Since Liu-hai wears a string of coins, his
for the success of business transactions.

help

is

sought

Images
for pasting up,

of Liu-hai with his frog (see

fig.

153) are intended

a

one on each of the side-posts of

door so that
fifth

the one faces the other.

Our

figure 153

is

suitable for the

(2)

Nephelium punicum
Trees said
shell,

Li-che (as above or %h 1: aiso }f

to live

4fc

Tan che),
fruit
is

Greatly esteemed.

hundred

of

years.

small

with a light
inside
its

marked with a shagreen

pattern:

the

shape

round,

substance that is is an oblong nut surrounded by a white fleshy Libest very juicy and pleasant. It does not ripen north of Fuh-kicn. is th chees cannot be got as early as the Chinese first month. May

beginning of their season.

68
of the fifth

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

month
(5c)
(1)

as

the

inscriptions

refer

to

the

"the
their

muywost

leaves

increasing-

the

five

blessings

by

charms written red with peach-wood being the happy cause of the Three "superfltiences" (good-luck, old-age, male issue)." Above is the "Pah Kwa" with the command that
breath" and
the diagram should
(1)
fix for

ever good-weal

(?j<

H^

%).
r

Chinese Superstitions (English Ed.) Vol.

p.

646,732: 71

CHANG-TAO-LING

69

AKTICLE

IX
(T)

CHANG-TAO-L1NG

The

following

account

of

Chang-iao-ling

will

hardly

support attempts to find in such a charlatan a parallel for the first holder of the Papacy. To-day the mere statement of the historical facts should suffice to make such companion odious.

These

facts are to be found,

(1)

in

the

Taoist
his

books and
(2)
in

in

certain other

works that have

China,

dealt
in

with
the

life.

the

general histories of

(3)

records

of

the

Three

Kingdoms Period which mention him and

in that period.
I,

his descendents as living

Chang-tao-Iing. according to the Taoist Books and

Works

of other writers.

51

H
(1) (2)

ftp

According to "More Divine Beings", (1) Chang-t'ien-shi would be a descendent of Chang-liang iJH J^ in the

eighth generation (2).

Chungtseng-sheu-shen-M
(Note)
It will

M
^

V&

'ffi

JPt

IE xI Part, p. 58 etc

be remembered that Chang-liang was from Honan

#| in

province, being born in Yiichow

the prefecture of K'ai-fung-fu

fJ

ffl-

When

he saw that the kingdom

of the Ts'in ^| dynasty,

in

which he was born, had

in

fallen

into the

hands

he attempted
ousted

vain

to

avenge

the wrong's of his couutry and then enlisted under the victorious standard
of Liu-pang
gi]

fft,

founder of the Han &. who

title

return for his services, the

of

"Duke"

{$ |

Chang-liang thereupon retired from political life Ch'ih-sung-tsse j$ -f- to obtain from him the secret

the Ts'in ^. In was conferred upon him. and sought out the sorcerer
of

living

without
held him

food and of spiritualizing his body.

in

The empress
to eat,

Lii-hcu

Jfi'

high esteem and constrained him

His grave
is

much

indeed against his will

as he could not refuse such a high personage.

died.
fft

Eight years afterwards he

Yf.

at P'ci-hsien

ft|i

| in the prefecture of Siichow-fu

#|

in Kiang-su

M-

He

is

known

as 5C

Jfc

i%

Duke Perfect Gentleman.

70

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

of

His birth is given as taking- place in the tenth year ic 35 A.D. And the birth-place is said Kwang-wu-ti it have been Mount T'ien Midi Ji g |Jj, Mount Heaven's Eye

^^

to
at
jff

Lin-ngan-hsien $$
in

%M

in tlie

prefecture of

Cheh-Jciang #jf f. see to be more likely.

There are

Hang-chow other opinions which we

f\\

shall

Henceforth he devoted himself to magic and lived on

Peh-mang-shan 4t t\] \\} to the north of Honanfu fij of the Ho-nan. In vain the emperors Chang-ti

ff fl-f,

capital

J=l

$T (76-88

A.D) and Hwo-ti

last to the

fp (89-106 A.D.) invited him to their court. After pilgrimages to the most famous mountains, he came at

U^
his

^,

the stream

Yiln-kin

H
JjSf,

ffc

(cloud-brocade)

at Hing-ngan-hsien J&

#
W-

Jf,

fecture in Kiangsi

fx.

Kwang-sin subpreFrom the mountain heights around

-jg

in the

the torrent,

ranged over a wonderful view and he proceeded to follow up the course of the stream until he arrived at a grotto. Y un-lin-tung Here he worked at alchemy |g $$
eve
j|jrj.

for three years until the

consummation
tiger,

of blue
in

dragon and white

pill

mysterious union whereupon Chang-tao-ling succeded

of the

producing the

of

immortality.

Upon

eating

this,

his

face,

of a

though he was sixty years of age, became as fresh as that Moreover he received as a special mark of divine boy.
all

favour a mystic book containing

lizing oneself,

sorts of recipes for spiritua" or

changing shape
Finally he
left

at

will,

driving

away

devils

and goblins.
he took up his
T'ai ft jf at
fj
3|f|fvf.

Kiangsi for Szech'wan )\\ where abode on the "Cloud Terrace" Mountain Yun
(

Ts an-M-hsien |f
this

^ $

in

the
to

From

mountain he rose

Pao-ning Prefecture heaven. He left as

his
seal

heirlooms his magic-book, a collection of

his magic-sword.

charms,

and

His son was named Chang-heng

Chang-lu
last
jj||

jjf

||f\

his
3J|

||,

his

great-grand- son
to live

Chang-shing

grand-son This jj|.

came back again

Kiangsi

on the Lung-hu Mountain f|

jlf;

|i|.

in the Kwei-k'i

subprefecture
ft.

fJHf,

belongings to Kwang-sin-fu
Chcn-jcn

Hk ft Hi in

H-

The

title of

^A

"Hero"

CHANG-TAO-LINC,
or "Perfect

71
of

men" belongs

to

the

head

the

family

in

each

generation.

The account given

Immortals "Shen-sien-chwan

in

the
f|Jj

|>$

"Biographies of Genii and Bk. 4. p. 8, is as follows:

Chang-tao-Mng was originally a native of petty kingdom P'ei ftff in Ngan-hwui (to the N. E. Nan-siu-chow in the Fung-yang

%^

He was a distinguished scholar, fully prefecture J^ $ #F/). (1) possessing the national literature. One day he hurst into a
"What use is literature for prolonging one's life!" and sigh fortwith abandoned letters for alchemy. He sought instruction
in the recipes

by which Hwang-ii
exilir.

jif

^
to

had

once

upon

time

concocted

his

preparation of this
to a halt

himself to the Determining wonderful draught, Chang was quickly brought

of the

devote

by the cost

necessary ingredients.

He could not count upon his family and relatives for the expenses of his researches in alchemy, for he was of the poor
farmer class that lived from hand-to-mouth by
rearing.
tilling

or

cattle-

Hearing however that the people of Sze-chivan were simple and credulous and that there were many famous mounland,

tains in that

he

betook

himself

there

with

train

of

followers and reached Hoh-ming Mount $$ o| mj in the Ta-yih There he composed district ^ go, J2$ (under K'iung-chow J[$ j\\).
his

book

of

magic recipes
to

in

24 chapters.
his
pille

upon

starting

compound

Just as he had resolved of immortality, there

with a long train of mounted appeared a heavenly messenger men. A parasol was borne in front of this notable who was seated his followers rode tigers and dragons. in a golden chariot while

This visitor announced himself as Chu-hsia-she

or Lao-tsze

?f

^^

or as Tung-hai-siao-Pung

%%

,]>

it "the

Youth

of the Eastern

Sea."

He
in

imparted to
cure
of

and wondrous

recipes for the

all

Chang certain secrets manner of ailment-.

folk

Chang soon succeeded

(1)

overawing the common

who

called

V. Ti-li-yun-pien

-Jfe

S M^

X. B.

Now

at

Kiang-sU

72

IMMORTAL GODS. GENII

thousands.

him "Master; his pupils could now be counted by hundreds of Faced with this vast body of disciples, Chang-taoby which
his disciples took

Jing devised a regular hierarchy

it

rice,

utensils,

paper,
his

and he published regulations turn to go about requisitioning writing-brushes, firewood and the like.
in

He

also

used

position

roads, and

mend

bridges:

to get the people to disobedience brought the

open

up

infliction

on the recusant of an illness as a punishment. From that time These simple on, everybody rendered him absolute obedience.
folk
to

were persuaded that Cluing had

their service.

a mission

from Heaven thus

command

He

himself took good care to foster

the idea.

than

Chang led these multitudes more by their sense of shame by punishments. According to his instructions anyone suffering from a malady, had to write act a confession of all the

faults he

the

document

had committed during his whole life and then holding in his hand, plunge it into water and swear before

the Spirits never to

also to pledge his

commit these

faults again.

Such

one had
to

life

as guarantee of his sincerity.

Thanks

this device, the people

quences
It

of

began to regard maladies as the consesins and were ashamed to go back to sinful ways.
people

was

a sort of "revival in which fear held

back from

wickedness.

he

Chang-tao-ling netted substantial gain from this procedure charged five bushels of rice for treating a case of sickness:

hence he

won

the

nick-name

of

Rice-thief

%fa.

which the

When people of Szech'wan were not slow to bestow upon him. he had thus secured the necessary resources, he set himself
again by means of alchemy to compound the pill of immortality. On achieving the task, he ate of the pill only one half as he did not wish yet to enter heaven but chose rather to enjoy several
personalities
at

once

down

here
its

on
time

earth.

One
a

of

these
in

personalities henceforth spent

front of his dwelling.

boating on

lake

CHANOTAO-LING

73

(the Tao-she) and other visitors flocked to These were received by one of his "selves" which entertained them and spoke with them while the real Chang-tdosee him.

The adepts

The visitors got the following ling stayed out on the lake. advice "You cannot, like me, renounce the world and quit it
:

but surely you could imitate me in regulating- your family. If you do so, you shall obtain the favour of drinking a potion
that will add

some centuries
is,

to

your

life.

As

for

Hwang-ti's
used
it

crucible," (that

the apparatus reputed to have been

by

the

Emperor

for concocting his elixir), "I

"Hshall

have given
will

to

my

disciple,

Wang-chang 3E
the

Later on, there

take
of
it

come from
:

Eastern lands one who

shall

for

his

use

his

arrival

then day proceeded to trace the portrait of this new-comer in advance. Exactly on time, Chao-sheng |j| _^. arrived from the East; he it
seventh
the
first

be on

moon".

He

was whom Chang-tao-ling had announced.

The

latter

then led

all

his disciples

to a

the highest peak

of Yiin-i'ai j| jf.

At

their feet,

from

out

sheer

rock-face,

these grew a peach-tree: it reached out like a an abyss: it was now laden with the peaches.

man's arm

over

The Master then

"I will teach deep mystery to anyone of you who has spoke. the courage to gather these peaches." These were three hundred
disciples there, yet no one

volunteered, until

Chao-sheng |

.ff.

that leaped boldly down from the rock-peak upon the tree he at once and sure was his foothold into out stretched space:

began to gather much fruit as he could stow away in his clothes. But now came the problem of the ascent. On the slippery rock his hands could find no grips and he had to lighten himself of
of fruit by flinging then up to the company above; three hundred and two peaches. Tao-ling distributed were there the peaches: each ate one and Tao-ling kept one over for Chao-

his

burden

sheng.

To
his

assist this later to regain the group, Tao-ling stretched

down

hand, extending

it

miraculously

some

thirty

feet.

After Chao-sheng had come up and had eaten his peach, Chang10

74

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

looked

Tao-ling

down

the

precipice

and

said

with

smile,

"Chao-sheng has been able to jump down courageously upon 4< I will try it myself that tree and his foot did not stumble: Xo sooner said aiul I shall have the right to get a big peach."
than done

but

now

he was followed by Wang-chang 3

4J[-

and

Chao-sheng.

One

stood on each side of the master and thus the

two were taught there by him the mysteries of his doctrine. Three days after this revelation, they returned to their homes, made final arrangements and then came back to the mountain
where
all

three disappeared in

full

midday

into

the

sky

while

the others were looking on.

The book Shang-yiu-luh $ % $ (b. 4 p. 9) furnishes details. C hang -tao-ling' s name was Fu-han ff ^| when he was seven years old, he understood the Tao-teh-hing
additional
:

M
of

13

$ an d a " the
life

lore

of

earth,

water and the

stars.

He

lived the

of a hermit
}pf
j|f

his teeth

Ho-nan-fu and
j=l

ff\.
it

on Peh-mang Mountain \c ^|5 lib north A white tiger brought a charm between
Chang-Tao-ling's
feet.

laid

at

The Emperor
Hicu-ti

Chang-ti
89-106

76-89 A. D. invited him to

court:

%|

tf?

A.D. repeated the

invitation three times, wished to take

of

him as teacher, and even promised him the title of Duke But Chang could not be tempted: he went Ki-hsien. Szechwan and lived as a solitary on Mt. Hoh-ming |
(Ta-yih-hsien
Jft

to
]\\

j\\).

He

f sub-prefecture dependant on K'iiing Chow was the teacher of Wang-chang 3E -If: who was well

go

versed in astrology and had entered into the secrets of Hwang~ti

j^

^
(1)

(1)

and Lao-tsze

%^
three

received from the Master Ts'ing-k'iu ^f Emperors and a treatise on astrology. From his master Kwang-ch'engtsze 10t jfc ^f- he had got the magic retort for making the pill that conferred the gifts of spiritualisalion and of flying

Hwangti's

skill.
first

He had

Icf,

the works of the

in the air.

Yiin t'ai 3jk ^ gave him magic spells by which he could use dragons and tigers as mounts, viz. Fao-p'u-tszechen-yiin #J #" -^ i|| gg. Cf. Lou-she-keou-ki?

CHANG-TAO-LING

(0

Chang ~Tao-ling and composing the compound

Tiger."

his pupil spent three years in

common

entitled:

"Of the Dragon and the

(

crucible in

blue dragon and a white tiger kept watch over the Mi which the concoction of the drug was going on.

finishing the task,

Chang took the drug and

his

old

age

was

forthwith changed into fresh youth.

One

day,

Chang was on
% if f
in

visit

to

Mt Sung
li

[[\,

the
of

Sacred Mountain of the

Teng-fung-hsien

North,

about

10

to

the

north
for

Honan.

Another name

the

mountain
house of

Skeh (Mansion) because there is a grotto or rock in its side. Here it was that Chang received his
is

message from the gold-clad Ambassador. In a cavern hollowed out in middlemost of the mountain's three peaks, there were the books of the first three emperors, Hwang-tVs crucible and the
alchemy formulas of the "Three Pure Ones": with the help of these he was to make the Pill of Immortality which he should eat and then mount up to the heavens. Tao-ling first underwent
purificatory ceremonies and then

made

his

way

into

the grotto
pill

as indicated: he found there the recipe for the famous So he accpiired the he succeeded in producing.

which
of

power

bilocation and of invisibility.

Once he heard

strains of heavenly

music from

on high.

Lao-tsze

%^
|Jj
:

forthwith came

down

to

earth upon the summit of

"Just now, six huge

| P|

and

spoke

with

Tan-ling:

demons are assailing the inhabitants of Szechwan. Go and master them it will bring you immeasurable merit and your name shall be for ever engraved on this mountain.

Take from my hands

prayers of "the
further spells for the

this

Three Pure Ones",

pill

the mysterious book, this epitome of also this collection of charms,

of

immortality, this pair of sabres, one of which is male and the other female, this seal possessed die.-.-, chequer-apron and red sandals. every virtue of this hat, Let me appoint my next meeting with you for a thousand days in the K'wan-lun mounhence, in the Grotto of the Immortals
tains

%$

lib"

76

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

Chang accepted the
gifts.

By

help of these, he marshalled

thirty-six
^pf

thousand

spirits

and led them to Ts'ing-ch'eng Mountain

Kwan-hsien }f f (Ch'eng-tu-fu ffl ^f in Szechwan). prisoners of the generals of the eight departments of devils and slew their six great kings. Alter this exploit he
iXl

in

He made

betook himself with

residence on

Wang-chang
f| J&
\\}

to
in

Mt

Yiin-t'ai

|1|

jj;

their

Mt Lung-hu

Kiang-si jX

M-

This Taoistic legend is confirmed (or rather repeated) by the history T'ung-hien-kang-muh (cheng-pien) ) fjg |p] @ (IE fjg) Bk. 24 p. 83 Kang-muh-chih-shih $\ @ Jf with the addition

of

some curious
into

features.
a

Before

mounting
up
Mt.

to

the

heavens,
struck

Chang -tao-ling
boldly

called

halt

half-way
of

Yiin-t'ai,

the

granite-face

the

mountain

passage for himself came out at the very peak. responsible for two caves in the Mountain: one

and making a Thus he was

half-way up,

"The High Cave of the Immortal": one on the Cave of the Immortal."
II.

ridge,

"The plane

Chang-Tao-ling the p

in history

The account given by

che-t'ung-kicn-kang-muh

official

history

of

China "Tse-

M H $$

runs as follows:

Chang-Tao-ling was a descendant in the eighth remove from Chang-] cany ijjf fsi marquis of Liu fg $|, minister of Liupang |flj ip, founder of the Han family fj|. Born on Mt.
T'ien-muh
art of

lU,

making

pills of
jf|

"Heaven's Eye Mountain", he learned the immortality and took up his abode on the

Dragon-Tiger-Hill

llj

in

Kiang-si.

fx.

Chang-U
fruitless

ft (76-89 A.D.) and Hwo-ti fp if 89-106 A. D.

attempts to attract him to court. journeys in an attempt to find a perfect solitude. In the course of these wanderings he came upon the grotto Yun-kin-tung

The Emperors made He made various

f^

-j[0]

in

which an

immortal

was then busying himself with

to of

alchemy.

elixir: at last the

So he devoted three years happy combination

the

elaboration

of

an

Blue Dragon and White

CHANG-TAO-LING

77

Tiger solved the problem. Chang -Tao-ling, already sixty years old, regained his youth on tasting the elixir. He also fell in for a bequest of talismans and whose spells enabled magic-books

him

to do Protean changes, to banish

in

demons and work

trans-

formations

others at his will.

Chang, on leaving his laboratory-cave went off to Mt. Hoh-ming (Crane Cry)| % |jj in Sz'ch'wan ffl )\\ where he lived as a hermit immersed again in researches into the secrets of alchemy. To make a livelihood, he carried on a medical practise in which his fee for each case was five bushels of rice: hence
the nick-name, "Rice-thief."

Lao-kiun

j jg (Lao-tsze)

himself

bestowed on him

work containing charms still more potent than he yet possessed: so with some choice companions he delved still deeper into the mysteries of alchemy. By 156 A.D. he had attained a high degree of perfection and was almost completely purged of baser
matter: so he pushed into Mt. Yun-T'ai and passed out by
the

summit leaving the two

That same

caves.

year, on the 9th day of the 9th, Lao-tsze

%i

now sent him a heavenly messenger charged with this message: "You have overstepped the mean in your massacre of the devils
and as a punishment the

Supreme Being
six

is

prolonging your
days.
I

earthly existence by three thousand

hundred

will

await you in the palace of Shang-ts'ing J^ fn".

by his disciple Wang-chang and by some twenty years Chao-sheng, retired to Mt. Hoh-ming and spent was visited by a he about One there. mid-day as hermit day redrobed messenger from heaven, inviting him on behalf of the
Tao-ling

escorted

Gods

to the

Palace

of

the

Immortals.

Tao-ling
of

mounted

his

Palace. carriage and reached the came forth to meet him but alas he
!

party

the
ripe

Immortals

was not yet

to be

understand their language

<1)
Cf. the story

(1).

So he had

enough to brought back

ad finem).

below of Ewui-n&n-tsse (Article

XXIV

78
to earth again

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

on
Mt. Yang-p'ing
son,
all

%^

|1|.

Then he handed
recipes

over to Chang-heng his

his

his

magic equipment,

for immaterialization, aerial flying, his amulets,

books, seal and

two sabres

for decapitating

demons.
off

'"Take," said he, "this

precious

gifts, kill

demons,

chase

kingdom,

bring peace to the people

and

hobgobbins, protect the let my dignity pass from

father to son without ever leaving the family".

In the reign of the

Han Emperor Hwan-ti

fj|

$b

iff

157

A. D. one mid-day Chang-Tao-ling, accompanied by his wife, nee

Yung

|ff

J, his pupil

Wang-chang and by Chao-sheng

Yiln-t'ai f| jf
ill
:

up to heaven from the summit of

years of age.

went fjjf ^he was 123

After his death,

Chang -King

carried

on

the

magic and

This transmitted the profession to his own son Ohang-lu |f-. latter had himself entitled Master-Prince and called his adherents

"Demon-Soldiers" over
"Directors".

whom

he set chiefs called "Libationers,''

His gang was only a branch of the rebels known as Yellow Turbans. The central authority was helpless at the
so obliged to endure what they could they gave him the title of Prefect of Han-ning fj| 3g, in Hu-nan jflj and Hing-ning-hsien M. chow fg|

moment: and

not

cure
Pin-

now
jf.

>)>\\

The other books

particular merit.
It

of history
in

add that he was

reign
of

man
of

of

no

was

the

the

T'ang

monarch
"Master

Hilen-tsung
of

the official title 1?. 'M that in 748 A.D. Heaven" was conferred posthumously on him. In

the time of

the Northern Wei 4h f%. the Taoist priest K' eu-k'ien-chi

% M 2.

had been called Master

formula
:

of

Heaven but

it

was then an empty

official

it

was only under the T'ang that

to the title.

recognition

was awarded

The Confucian
the
official history,

scholar

who

has added the commentary to

history
of

sighes over the

Taoism.

From

the founder Lao-tsze's time

Han, there had was almost no there developed only some thirty-seven schools; of no there was hugger-mugger, no talismans. spirit propaganda:

down

to the Earlier

CHANG-TAO-LING no magic. under the

All these distortions
later

79
in

came

with

Chang-Tao-ling

Han and henceforth propaganda for the sect made enormous strides among the common people. One Taoist priest of Mt Sung ^ a disciple of Chang-lu (the grandson of
Chang-Tao-ling) claimed to have been favoured with apparitions
of Lao-tsze
title of

and announced that

it

was the

sage's

will

that

the

"Heaven Master''

Sffl

should be

conferred

Taoism spread like wild-fire through Tao-ling. could claim equal rank with Confucianism and Buddhism. Its worst crime would be the entitling its teachers: Masters of the

on ChangChina and

Way,

"Tao-shi"

-^ and Master of

Heaven "T'ien-shi"

jjj.

What

wretched charlatan dares usurp the title Were not Chang-Tao-ling and K'euof "Master of Heaven"! Is not k'ien-chi mere men, born of a father and a mother?
audacity!
..

their very intelligence a gift of

to themselves the title of
II
T.

Heaven?
of

How

dare
(1)

the}-

arrogate

"Master

Heaven".
tt

Chang-tao-ling according
of the

the Histories

Three Kingdoms.
the practices

Whoever wishes
of

to get an accurate idea of

Chang and his immediate descendants should read with care what the different histories of the Three Kingdoms record on
the subject.

The
ft
f^,

revolt

known

in

history

as

that

of

the

"Yellow
Ling-ii

Turbans" broke out

tf?

in the reign of the

Han Emperor

promoter was Chang-kioh 5S a follower of Lao-tsze who had been studying Taoist magic.
about 184 A. D.

The

chief

(1)

For further details

see:

Bk 24 @ JE T'ung-Men-Tcang-muh Wieger, Textes Historiques V. 2 p. 916-9 2 3. Bk. 114 p. 18 Bk. 35 p. 1. Wei-sJiu ||

51 fg
-

P- 8 --

Bk

*> l3

73

Sung-shu
Ming-shi

H %#
&

Bk. 433
Bk. 50
p.

p.

1.

17.

fljj

Heu-han-shu Liu yen-shwan

75, p. 3.

$ M#

%\

$J

(Commentary)

Bk.

80

IMMORTAL GODS, GENll

a moment when the plague was causing wide-spread havoc, Chang-kioh claimed to have found an infallible remedy. Using a stick with nine knots in it, he drew a kind of charm on a piece

At

of

paper which was to be given to the

to prostrate themselves,
off the

victims

of

the scourge
all

These had then

of water.
if

examine

their

sins

scrupulously and drink

If

ashes of the charm

in a

draught

thev got well, their recovery was due to their faith;

not, their incredulity

was

responsible.

Thanks

to this procee-

ding, he

won

an enormous number of adherents.

proclaimed

a universal peace,

Thereupon he and got posted up on doors the two

characters: Kiah-tsze

^ ^

viz. the cyclic

numbers

of

the

year

when peace was

to be realized, 184

A.D.

He

styled his doctrine:

the "Doctrine of Universal Peace".

of 500.000 followed his

His recruits to the number

banner wearing yellow turbans

his

|ji.

Chang-kioh
himself led the
of

divided

forces

into

three

groups.

He

Heaven.

corps and called himself the Duke-Marshal commanded His second brother, Ch<n\g-pao >JJt
first

the second with the

his

title

of

Duke-Marshal

of

Earth.

Lastly,

youngest brother, Chang-leang, was in charge of the third group and was called: Duke Marshal of Men. All three suffered defeat at the hands of General Hwang-fu-sung and perished.

At
Siu
</M

this period, another insurgent leader appeared,

Lao-Tsze j #?. also a disciple of

He

also set

Changabout

His system was as popularising his recipe for curing the pest. the patient must find a place suitable for perfect recollection and there ponder upon the sins of his life-time:
follows:

then his

name must

be written on three documents asserting his

That these three declarations might be brought to the cognizance of the Three Prineiples(jE:'jt' San-kwan) of Heaven Earth and Water, one was to be deposited on a
willingness to amend.

mountain, the second buried

water.
adepts.

in

earth
the

and the third

sunk

in

There were
All those

officers to share

control of his bands of

who submitted

fee of five bushels of rice:

to the treatment had to pay a hence Chang-siu got the name of Five

Fig. 154

des "Cinq venimeux\ Tchang-t'ien-che et ses insignes. Image dite as that of the known Chang T'ien-shi and his insignia. Picture
l

five

venomous animals"

CHANG-TAO-LING
Bushels Master.

8.1

His bands were only an off-shoot of the general

~$|

Yellow Turban Revolt. Chang-luh

ling
tjj|
jj||

grandson

of

Chang-Tao'jj|

|H followed in the foot-step of Chang-siu

historian of the Three

fij?.

The

Kingdoms
the people

tells

us

of

Chang
rice

Tao-ling the well-known details of his stay in Szchwan where he

composed Taoist books

to stir

up

and

of the

fee

earning the "Rice-chief" nick-name (Mi-tseh

Jfc ji$).

About Chang-luh,
tion.

He was

grandson he gives us more informafrom Fung jg P'ei (to the Xorth originally
his
'jiff

of Nan-siu-chow in Ngan-hwei), the cradle of

the

Han

}'J|.

He

was

also called Kung-k'i

jjjjL

The prefect of Yih-chow flt (now Ch'eng-tu-fu jj entrusted Chang-luh with a Sz-chwan) one Liu yen |pj military command and sent him to attack the prefect of Han-chung
')]]

in

^ ^

cf

(in Shen-si).

But Chang,

in

order to reap

all

the

glory

for

himself

had his colleague Chang-siu murdered and then

amalgamated their armies. Liu-ehang glj JJf, son of Liu-yin, wiped out Chang's family but Chang installed himself as governor Here he so effectively won over the populace at Han-chung. his to superstitions that they styled him the Teacher Prince
gjjj

;g\

His troops were styled: Demon-soidiers Kwei-tsuh

z.

The adepts
and were graded
chief precept

of his teaching

were

called, Libationers

]|f

in hierarchies

under "Grand Libationers."

The

was

blind faith without an attempt at dissimulation,

in this case too the sick were exactly like the Yellow Turbans, faults as the source of their their to make a full confession of

illnesses.

where travellers got rice and meat free, but where avenging spirits smote with sickness violated the those who abused the hospitality. Those who thirce

The Libationers founded

free inns

order's laws were put

to

death.

officials of the replaced the ordinary

Everywhere the Libationers Government and ruled the

common

people.
11

82

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

For thirty years Chang-luh and
his
in

Libationers ruled the

districts to the
(in
fit

west of Pa-hsien

j||

Chung -k'ing-fu JUg/fit

Sz-chwan) as well as the prefecture of Han-chung-fu ^| tf5 lust then, the central government had to (in Shen-si).

tolerate
title of

what

it

was too weak

to prevent

so he

was given

the

Prefect of Han-ning

attached to Pin-chow $ j'\] assailed him in 216 A.D. under the reign
Hien-ti

III -Jl 3| (now Hing-ning-hsien Ts'ao-ts'ao i& in Hu-nan fj$ $t).

^^ ^

of the

Han Emperor

^| Jft ^f and Chang-luh had to retire to Sz-chwan. Ts'ao himself got into trouble and had to afterwards Shortly confer on Chang the title of "Marshal Pacifier of the South."
Chang-luli died in 216.

The
to his

historian has not nothing

to

say

about Chang-heng

3H$f the son of

Chang-T ao-ling beyond the fact that he succeeded father and followed the same profession.
is ail

This

that the

most authentic source, the History

of

the three Kingdoms, has to say about

Chang

Tao-ling, Chang-heng

and Chang-luh. charlatans and

All sources agree in calling

rebels. (1)

them

"rice-thieves",

Origin of the

title

"T'ien-shi"

fiji

(Heaven-Teacher),

The

hereditary

title of

T'ien-shi

Ji

frjj

(Heaven-Master)

given to Chang Tao-ling and his lineal descendants was first conferred by 8hi-tsu, T'ai-wu-H -jtt 1L ~k H& ffi (Topatao) of the Yuen-wei j dynasty (424-452 x\.D.) on the Taoist priest,

K' eu-k'ien-chi ^g f$j ;. This worthy was then living on the southern slope of the sacred mountain, Sung-shan |1|, situated

in the

north

of

Teng-fung-hsien

Q. ^i Mdistrict

Ho-nan.

He was

styled Fu-ehen
(1)
L

HiH

an<^ n

home

was Ch'ang-p'ing-chow

Cf. San-Tcwoh-che
5 p. 13.

Wei-shu, Chan g-lu-ch van.

gg

Bk.

San-hwoJi-tien-lioh

= m

$K-

Eeu-han-shu, Liu-yen clncan

f%

%M

fl?-

CHANG-TAO-LING

83

attached to Peking (Peh-ping), Chih-li. In his youth, H he had become the intimate of the Immortal Ch'eng-kung-hing
jl'li

and after many journeys together they had finished by Like Chang settling down on the southern slope of Sung-shan. Tao-ling, he delved into magic and claimed to have been favoured with special apparitions of Lao-tsze ^. By him he had been
y)]

selected as the head of

"T'ien-shi"

Taoism and was

to

bear

the

title

of

grandson of Lao-tsze, Lipu-wen |H -^r bestowed upon him a book of magic charms and it was this collection that K'eu-Jc'ien-chi went to present to
ftfj

"Heaven-Master".

the

Emperor

T'ai-wu.

When

K'eu

appeared

at

court

no one

believed his statements except the chief of Imperial Kitchens, Ts'ui-hao Ts'ui-hao had been summoned to the court of Jfjjf.

T'ai-tsung, Ming-yuen-ii

BJ j

(409-424 A. D.) as

chief

magician and the next monarch T'ai-wu placed great reliance on him. Later on, however T'ai-wu had him put to death with the
vilest of indignities.
It

was

ts'ui-hao

behalf of K'eu-Jc'ien-chi.

who now presented the magic-book on The emperor was greatly pleased and
and
his

deputed Ts'ui to offer

K'eu-k'ien-cJu

sacrifice of silks

got
title

himself
of

and victims on Mt. Sung. hocus-pocus accepted and

Ji
A"
gjjj.

received the
built

-'Heaven-teacher"
at Ta-t'ung-hsien

temple
(then

was

by imperial orders

[p]

called

Vin-ch'eng

ifcjc)

i Shan-si

and given

to K'eu to be a centre of

propaganda.
Sz-me-Jcung in his

History

notes the advent of this

new

alchemy

(1)

The

historians cited above

assure

us

that the title

of

"T'ien-shi" granted by

T'ai-wu

to

K'eu-k'ien-chi

empty honour and was only

(1)

officially

was only an promulgated and recognized

Cf. T'ling-lcien-lang-muh (cheng-pien

iil
-

H Bk.

22 p. 53: Bk.

26, p. 11:

Bk, 24 p

82.

Bk.
HJJ

72 Bk. 24, p. SO.

7&

Ming-yih-fung-che
Shi-u'uh-yuen-luvui

Wt
!$}

Bk
B1<
-

P- 52

If?

M~

3 5 p. 1.

84
iii

rMMORTAL GODS, GENII

716 A.
I),

in

the reign of the

Tang Emperor Huen Tsung

}$

In

1016 A. D.,

the

Sung Emperor Chen-tsung

$z

(0L

i
^

conferred on the Taoist priest Chang Cheng-sui |jjf IE |M the tit: e This was a direct descendof "Teacher of Perfect Seclusion."
ant of

Chang-Tao-Ung and lived ou Lung -hush an which had seat of Chang's descendants since Chang-sheng ^^, the great-grandson of Chang-Tao-Ung had settled there.

become the

Chang-cheng-sui was magician and sooth-sayer and got a hold on the people by his craft. The Emperor was deeply The wedded to all such practices and sent for Cheng-sui.
minister of state Wang-k'in-joh

HI

got

for

him

house

temple and landed property to be held should also have titles of honour.

for ever: his

descendants

The Annals of the Ming dynasty add the following details. Under the Sung dynasty, Chang-Tao-Ung and his heirs received the title of True Princes (Emperor Shen-tsung %. fji 9*

%^

1068-]0[6

A.D., confirmed officially by Hwui-tsung The Ming princes gave them the (1101-1126 A. D.)

ffi

^
of

style

True

Men.
called
gjp

or

Heroes, "Chen-jen"
$[$

l^

A-

According
the
first

to

the

writer Shao-peh-wen

fg

(Sung dynasty)

three
of

Chang

themselves Shi-kiun
la-

(Master-Princes,

Princes

Master.)

Down
mandarin

to the

end

of

the

Empire,

the

court

deputed a

to offer sacrifice in the temple.

first

Hien-Mng-koung, Ml ft
official list.

on the fifteenth of the

month the

birth day of

Chang-Tao-Ung

although this sacrifice did not appear on the

The founder
I).)

of the

Ming dynasty

BJ

jjfl

(1368-1396 A-

deprived Chang-cheng-ch'ang 3| jE
of

^ Chang -Tao-ling's lineal

replacing
it

descendant,

the

title

"Heaven-Teacher",

by

Chen-jen m. A (Hero). The Emperor, in the hearing "Heaven is the noblest of beings. ters, remarked:

of his minis-

How

could

CHANG-TAO-LING
it

85
of

have

master?"
in

(1)

Yet the
since
that,
in the

name
even

Heaven-teacher has
the

always been (Hero)

title

use

though

''Chen-jen"
the

had been usual

Yuen

jc dynasty (before

Ming).

of

Thus it appears that Chang-Tao-ling is the real founder modern Taoism with its preoccupations with magic. It was

he who opened up the source of revenue in the pills of immortality and the talismans to cure all sorts of illnesses. He claimed to

have his magic recipes straight from heaven, and

exploited that source of revenue.

his descendants

Considerable sums of

money

were even

on procuring as remedy or a talisman which should have the seal of the Grand prophylactic Master of Taoism. (2)
till

recent times

spent

So successful was

this line of business that the

Buddhist

monks followed

the lead and turned out talismans written in red

ink. Pagan households now generally treasure one or more charms of this kind to protect them from evil spirits or epidemics.

In

fine,

common-sense

Chang-Tao-l tug's epitaph might, in the vigorous of Chinese, be written with the characters

"Stealer of Rice"

J$.

The
on
a tiger

picture here reproduced depicts Chang-Tao-ling riding

and holding magic sword and

it

magic potion
the

(elixir)

The

tiger, be

noted, holds in

its

paw

magic

seal (1) of

which another

Below are the

latest variety (2) the serpent, the the beasts: lizard, poisonous " is called, the hence the the and toad picture centiped spider,

of

our plates reproduces the

five

picture of the five poisonous things It is often hung up on the fifth day
Bk.
Bfl

S
of

#S

(wu-tuh-siang).
fifth

the

month

(old

(1)

Ming-sM

B%

jfe

5
tfe

p, 17.

Ming-yih-t'ung-CM

;& (as jg

Kang-Tcien-yih -che-luh:
(2)

chit fi

& %

quoted above) S Bk. 34

p.

14

See

fig.

154 bis:

The Seal

of the last

Grand Master

of

Taoism.

Copied

in the

year 1928-9.

86

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ward
off the calamities

calendar) to

and

illnesses that

may come

with the heats of summer. (3)

The inscription on the
''Blessings descend!
(Sie,

(1)

seal
1

is |2

jjjg

gpji

!fli.

way with

the evils!"

the last character, expresses abnormal incorrect influences).

2)

See Fig. 154 bis See Chinese Superstitions Vol. V. Fig. 203.
(Text, p. 616-7.)

(3)

CULT OF WANG CHANG

87

AITEXIUX

CULT OF WAftG

CIIA\<;

Wang-Chang, a disciple of Chang Tao-ling under the title, Wang Ta-chen-sien 3E ^C .St flljhis at Teh-hing-hsien ^ $| | in

is

worshipped

Kiang-si, 40

li

temple of from the town of

Wu-yuen-hsien (of Hwui-chow) has become a famous pilgrimage. The peasants come in multitudes to worship him and beg
protection against epidemics and public calamities but especially to be free from the white ants whose ravages destroy the wooden frame-work of houses. He is also invoked against the Mung-

ch'ung

^H

a kind of evil that causes

mildew on

rice.

As soon
house, they

as people notice the presence of white ants in write on a strip of paper the characters: Wang

a
fa

chen sien
^

The

These

tsai is'z, ch'ung i tsieh sz. 3 Jz jj| f|I| ^E jlfc ii EP all ants! great Genius Wang is here, perish forthwith details were furnished by the Rev. P. de Bodman, S. J.

missioner at
(p. 530)

Wu-tjuan
current

in

Ngan-hwui

%k

The

P each

legend

is still

among

the people.

88

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE X
IIU-CIIEi\-KlUIV

(T

II)

ft
The family name
of this

M M
personage was

Hu

f^

he

was

usually called Sun j| and his full name was King-chi %fo .. The authorities are not agreed as to his birth-place. Some say

nan

was from the prefecture of Jil-ning-fu '$ 5| jff in Ho The author of Kwang-yii-ki Ji. f on the contrary holds that he was born at Nan-ch'ang-fu jff J| j^f in Kiang-si
that he
}p[
ffc.
,f|f

and his grandfather's His father's name was Hil-su f His mother had a dream of a phoenix with golden ffo. plumage the bird was carrying in its beak a precious pearl and
Hu-i'an
:

dropped it into her bosom and so she was with child. In the second year of Ch'ih-wu -ff J^ (239 A.D.) that is, in the the -fc *$?, the founder of (Wu-ta-ti ;jf| reign of Sun-k'iien

dynast} -^), the child was studied the magic of the Taoists

Wu

born.
:

in early

During his youth, he manhood, he proved

life.

himself dutiful to his parents and temperate in

At the beginning of the regnal period T'ai-k'ang -j^ (280 A.D.) of Tsin Emperor Wu-ti f| | it, he was named This ancient town was situated sub-prefect of Tsing-yang ]jt [IJ.
to the
iJL

North

of the actual

sub-prefecture of Chi-kicuig-hsien
j'\]

in Hu-peh $] -ftunder King-chow-fu $J #fDuring of tiles into gold in his touch turned shards o! years drought, 8$,

order

that

the

distressed

might
to
his

pay

their

arrears

of

tax.

Thousands were

indebted

talismans

and

charms

for

reco\ery from epidemics.

He

resigned office during the dynastic troubles and

to the south of Yang-tsze-kiang

went where he entered into intimate

Fig.

55

Hiu-sicn en promenade par

les lacs.

Hm

the

Immortal, travelling on the

lakes.

HU-CHENG-KIUN

89

relatione with a famous magician Kwoh-p'oh fj$ g|. Together they betook themselves to the minister Wang-tun 3E fie who had revolted against the Western Tsin. Kwoh-poh merely succeeded
in irritating

Wang who

got him beheaded.

Hil- sun flung a

made

it

dance about

in the air:

cup up on the roof-beam of the room and while Wang-tun's attention was
slipped away.
in

rivetted on the strange capers of the cup, Hit-sun

Having got as far as Lu-kiang -k' eu |j| ft p went on board a boat which two dragons
the sea and then lifted up to the
clouds.
Jfr

Ngan-hwei,

he-

first

drew

off

to

In

jiffy

they had
over
the
of

taken

it

off to
Jj|

Kiu-kiang-fu
(

ft
(1),

in
li

Kiangsi ft
south

Lu-shan

\\]

Mountain \s)

25

of the

town

peeped out to and the dragons motor wonderful the look at steal a power boat on a the to this dumped profane scrutiny objecting
Kiu-kiang ji
ft.

The boatman out

of curiosity

mountain peak and

fled.

Now,
alligator

in those parts, there was dragon or transcendent (2)

itself into a

which had transformed

young man

calling

himself Shen-lang ft J}p\ This young man had married Kia-yuh i, daughter of the high court judge of T'an-chow jjp >)\\ (i.e-

Chang-sha-fu

ty

If?',

the

capital

of

Hunan).

The young

Every year couple occupied quarters the rivers and lakes in spring and summer, Shen-lang swept over
at the

back of the tribunal.

ch'an-fu

(Nan Yu-chang Kiangsi and recognized that he was a dragon and actually the cause of the floods that devastated So he planned to get rid of him.
(3).

One day

Hii-chen-kiun met
capital
of

him

at

%^

| 1

If,

Kiangsi.
(1)

The Ruling mountains,

heats.
ffi,

the favourite

retreat

of

Europeans from

the

summer
(

The character

known already from

its

use for the Fox-demons

11

$,

becoming
(3)

of being, has indicates that an animal has ascended in the scale an intelligent being - a kind of spirit or demon.

over the waters,

ruler is a See Dragon "Article" In Chinese folk-lore, the dragon rains, storms* sails amid the clouds, at will causes
(Vol.

droughts and floods

V Chapter

X. Art. I.V

p.

677 sq.)

90

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

Shen-lang was not slow to understand that his behaviour

was known
and made
in pursuit.

to Hii-chen-kiun

and so he changed into a yellow ox

hide
in

off.

Hit adopted the shape of a black ox and started

The yellow
to

beast tried to
it

well

but

the

black one jumped in after

and away

Chang sha

-|f;

f)r

and the yellow beast jumped out where he resumed his human shape

and residence

in his father-in-law's

"yamen" Hit-sun on following

to

him

to the town, straightway repairs

the

official

court

and

must come forth and show himself, and imperiously upbraids him "Dragon, how dare you hide yourself here under a borrowed shape. Shen-lang came
gives notice to Shen-lang that he
:

forth and

resuming

began

to circle

his proper shape as a transcendental "alligator about the hall but Hit-sun ordered the warrior,

Then he commanded Shell's two sons to spirits to kill him. come out from their dwelling and by spitting some water from his mouth on them (1) made little dragons of them. Kia-yuh was ordered to quit her appartments immediately and at a given
instant the whole tribunal disappeared
into

the

earth

leaving

merely a lake to mark the

site.

Hu-chen-Jciuw after his victory over the

his

Dragon assembled

whole family, numbering forty-two persons, on Si- sha n yj and all, taking outside the walls of Nan-ch'ang-fu ]fj ^ fl^f

with them their dogs and their domestic fowls, went up to heaven in broad daylight. Hit was 133 years of age. It was
the
first of

k'ang

the eighth moon, in the second year of the period of Eastern Tsin Emperor Hiao-wu-ti

Ning]j tf?

(374 A.D.).

His own
temple
in Hit's

compatriots and his clan came and built a honour. They collected the hundred and twenty

pieces of poetry he had composed, them

wrote out on

slips

of

(I)

An

action easily recognizable by

at

all

who have watched Chinese

spraying machine.
(See
Articie VII),

laundrymen

work.

The mouth

is

used as a

also the account of Chang Kwo-lao's steed.

HU-CHEN-KIUN

91

bamboo which they

by worshippers

put into a tube to provide lots to for their guidance.

be drawn

The Sung Emperor Hwui-tsung

(Ir

% ^^

in

1111

A. D.
of

fp

regnal

period)

canonized Hit-sun

under the

style

"Ecmitable, admirable and beneficent prince" and built a pagoda for it by imperial edict.

SITE OP THE

WELL AND CAVE

Hli-SUN

OCCUPIED BY

THE DRAGON THAT

The

OVERCAME-

traditions relative to the Dragon's well and cave are

(1) Suh-wen-hsien-t'ung-kao
BJ

reported as follows by two works:

&

ft IS M< (2) Min-yih-t'ung-chi

In the town of Nan-ch'ang-fu

- U
/j!f

~fe

facing the

temple

of Longevity, also
is

known

as the Palace of the Iron Pillar, there

a bottomless well with blackish waters

whose

levels correspond

to those of the

Kiang

fx.-

In the middle of

the

well

there

is

sunk an iron

pillar said to

Dragon's mischief.
Dragon's den.

have been cast by Hii-snn to stop the So the foot of this column are attached
blocking the

the eight chains tying up a vein in the earth and

(1)

His adventurous deed has been

Wu-ts'uen-tsieh

celebrated

by

the

poet

^
is

s |p

(Yuen Dynasty XIII-X1Y

centuries).
pillar
;

But there
one was

mention of a second hole and a second

east, the other west of Fung-ch'eng-hsien ff $c M> a subprefecture of Nan-ch'ang-fu. In these pits there was an inex-

haustible supply of water and

it

was Hil-chen who with charms

them
so
effectively

dislodged the Dragon returned no more.

hiding

in

that

he

(1)

Chinese geomancy, Fung-shui

or

}$,

?J<

(lit.

Wind and
in

water)

pays

particular attention to these veins

arteries

the

earth

from with

earthly influences
as into his den.

make themselves

felt

and into which the Drag-on sinks

92

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

Another version
of the

Dragon story

is

given by the work:

Mung-lai-pu (Fung-hia-'pih-t'an-ych-lung-pien)
it

^H "^

(^

Eg,

mm

in

i>-

45.

At the period when Hii-sun was still only a novice in tru high science of the way jtf (Taoism), he had a friend who was
and fantastic temper and whom he for all that kept duly admonished. One day this man went to an island in the Kiang t to hathe and found there an egg as big as a pumpkin: he pierced the shell and sucked the contents. Soon he felt himself as
of a strange
it

were encased; he developed

a sort of

carapace and scales, and

in three

days was a real dragon.

So he retired into the Kiang f and only came forth now

and then as
a fair

young man

to

seduce women.
|J

He made
jj.

it

his

aim

to

turn

the

P'o-yang lake i&

of

Kiang-si

"g into an

Hence Hii-sun in the general interest got hold of him a column of stone at the bottom of the water. The place of the captivity was Nan-ch'ang-fu before the Longevity temple, as we havo seen above.
island sea.

and bound him to

Later on, he succeeded in marrying a rich-man's daughter

but this
in

man was made aware of the truth by Hii-chan-Jciun and consequence showed his son-in-law the door: the latter never came back. Finally he sought out two poor women living on the
banks
of the

Kiang fx

mother-in-law and her danghter-in-law.

They Thereupon the vicious Dragon cast a look back over his shoulder and pointing with his finger said, "Look, the water is coming," Actually the flood had risen to
the front door. So the the

refused him admittance.

two women retired to the inner room and Dragon followed them pointing a second time and repeating. "The water is coming." So all three had to mount to the upper floor
At down he disappeared.
pregnant but when the time
Shortly the

and there the ruffian spent the night.

woman was known

to be

for her

confinement was just

at

hand, Hii-chen-kiiin came to the

house-door under the guise of a mendicant Taoist priest. The people of the house begged to be excused for not giving anything

Htj-CHEN-KIUN

93

because of domestic troubles: they promised to be more generous another day. "Oh, yes," said the visitor "I know you are in distress

and

it

is

precisely in order to free you that

a
li)

have come.
will

About

half a mile (over

to

the

south-east,

you

find

an old woman,

a very clever

They took

his

advice

and

midwife: get her to come to you". induced the old woman to come
:

she proved to be the old Matron of the

Lit
it

Hills (jg

[Ij).

When
storm.

the time

of delivery

kiun
head.

f{-

As soon as one of m. 1g who was standing ready

was amid the Dragon's sons was born,

came,
at

terrific

Hii-ch'enoff
its

the

door, cut

This proceeding was repeated until eight were disposed of. A last one appeared and after making several attempts to mount up to the skies, returned each time to its mother. So Chen-hiun was touched by this piety and determined to do no more to it than dock its tail. This was done and the dragon felt
so

much
4b-

pain that

it
it

fled

away

to hide in a deep pool in

Hu-peh

Every year
According

revisited the

mother

in the third or fourth

moon, causing devastating storms.

to another legend,
it

dwelt

first in

the subprefjg

fecture of

Ying-shan

Jg

[Ij

Jg$,

(under

Teh-ngan-fu
of
its

fit

'"

Hu-peh). absence dirtied

Jfl,

The peasants taking advantage

its

temporary
to Sui-chow

pool, so that

it

removed

its

lair

The bordering on Ying-shan (also under Teh-ngan-fu). | fo abode fit with many ponds, Sui-chow district is mountainous
a dragon.

This

latter version

mer was

told

me by

comes from Teh-ngan-fu, while the forThis authority added: Kiang-si man.
same account
in

You can
of

find pretty well the

the

new

edition

Wan-shu-kung-chi

H H ^ !&
%
ffc

The miserable Sung Emperor Hwui-isung

ized

i canon-

him and gave him According to two works,

a title of honour.

(1) the Taoist priest

il jg

Wang-t
Sung-shu

(1)
jfc
jfe

T'ung-Jcien-kang-muh (su pien Bk. 462 p. 9.

V.

Bk.

p.

93.

1)4

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

sih

A.D. claimed to have received 3E f/- i=t in tne y ear H13 mysterious hook enabling him to declare the future: this had come from the hand of Hit-sit n who had been canonized three

years before.

The

minister Ts'ai-king

~$ft.

informed the monarch

who had
hailed
as

Wang-tsze-sih

summoned
of
all

to

court.

There

he

was

"Master Searcher

Mysteries."

The

foolish

man

wanted

to be

honoured by
snares for

the other
$fc

Taoist-priests and this

brought about his ruin. rAn-ling-su

jealous, laid his

ft

^, high

at

court, got

where he

died.

Probably

it

him and got him cast into prison was on hearing of the wondrous book
and then after
call the

that the credulous Hwui-tseng canonized Hii-sun

two

vears of

wonder

at the

prophecies decided to

Taoist

Waiig-tsse-sik to court.
References:

T'ai-pin-kwang-Tci

^ M

fE

BK. 14

p. 3

Chung-tseng-sheu-shen-ki j| i$
Ming-yih-t'ung-chi VR

^ #
IS.

fE

(
:

^)p.22

$t

^
d

BK. 31 p. BK.49 p. 13,

Yuen-kien-lei-han
$j]

BK. 52, p.19 28; BK.49 p. 8:

f& $1
fE

BK, 318
p. 15.

p. 30.

Kwang-yu-H

^ H

BK.12

Suh-wen-hien-t'ung-lcao

^ #

|| j

BK. 241

p. 38.

SZ-TA-t'IEN-WANC,

!);")

AETICLE

IX

SZ-TA-T'lEN-WANG
ffl

(B.T.)

3i

3E
(1)

THE FOUR GREAT HEAVENLY KINGS

I.

Their residences.

The

four heavenly kings have their palaces on

Mt Su-mi

2Jf$8Li]> the Su-Meru where the gods dwell in Indian legends, it is the Mountain of the Four Treasures. Its height is three million

three hundred and sixty thousand

silver (west), crystal (south-east)
II.

li.

Its sides are of gold (east)

(2)

and agate (north-east).

Their names.

(3)

I.

(P'i-p'u-tung-ch'a) t'ien-wang
(P'i-p'u-poh-ch'a) t'ien-wang
(T'i-t'eu-lai-ch'a)

^
:

II.

Jg

III.

t'ien-wang
:

IV.

(P'i-sha-men) t'ien-wang

^ % 3: ^ j$ % ^ 3f if| ^I ^ 3: It ^ PI
gijj

~Ji

5fc

Sheu-shen-ki ||

There are the names to be found under the heading jji$ f

in

the second book of

3E, T'ien

Wang.
in the
:

The well-known
West
Jit -31

story of the Journal of the

Voyage

(4) Hf
3i

j|| !,

furnishes two

more names
(i.e.

of

Heavenly Kings

I- Tseng-chang Picn-wung
wang,
(i.e.

3E, T'o-Pah-li t'ien

Virudhaka) and } Li the Tower-bearer, apparently

(1)

See Chinese Superstitions (above) Vol. VII (Eng. trans.) 394-408

for a full account of Indian origin. (2)

(3)
Bit
5ft

Tuk-su-M-sJiu-lioh ff '& E $ M-

Bk

12 p. 2.
Wit
flft

Other versions of their names are:

Yirupalsha West); J|

St

Virudhaka (south),
(East);

$#

H 4

Dhritarashtra

# &

|"j

Yaishramana (North).
(4)

(Fourth Hwui)

fr

I'

(K p. 15.

96

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

same
:

the

as

Virupakasha or Vajrapdni).

This

latter

is

very

popular

he

may
fig.

be

recognised

tower

(1)

(See

156).

by the symbol he carries, a His name is Yuen-pa yt if! and his

tore- name Tsing

ipf.

These Heavenly Kings are styled

the Taoists and are represented as
in

Li,

Ma, Chao,
156,

Wen by
158, 159.
its

Fig.

157,

For the Buddhist figures see Vol. VII pp. 394 sqq. and account of the Kin-hang of Buddist temples.

[iS]lJ

Ill

Worship.
T'ai-tsung of the T'ang dynasty Jf

When
ming

^^

(or Li-shi-

-Jtt;

0j).

second son of Kao-tsu)^

jjf

was

still

fighting

to establish the T'ang

A.D., a spirit

dynasty inaugurated by his father in 620 came down from heaven and introduced himself as
?*]

P'i-sha-men T'ien-Wang J f>

Ji 3 "I wish,

said he," to help

his
like

you to reestablish peace a monster with the head

the divinity

in the

of a

kingdom." In pig and a trunk

hand he held
an elephant: So when
all

procured peace wherever he appeared.

Li-shi-ming succeeded to his father, by imperial edict

officials

had

to sacrifice to P'i-sha-men.

In 1023 A.D.

(^

1|) the
build

ordered

all

prefects to

temples

Sung emperor Jen-tsung ^ fc i in honour of this same

the letters ^ 3 T'ien Wang (Heavenly King) inscribed on the facade of all new Buddhist temples. A large number of temples in honour of the King of Heaven were
divinity and to have
built all over the

Kmpire.

(2)

According to the Hai-yii-ts'nng kao,

temples were called
the T'ien-pao

(3)

many Buddhist
emperor
in

3E

IsL

Temple

of the

Heavenly King. In

^ ^
j

Hiien-tsung

j|f

^"-*.

period (712-756 A.D.) of the T'ang the barbarians raided Si-ngan-fu

W ^c M

This tower is perhaps a confused reproduction of an Indian (1) original thunderbolt (see Article on Na-ch'a below: also Chinese Superst. Vol. VI p. 97: Mayer's Handbook N 820). See: Sheu-shen-ki j\$ fP, "p under the heading 5c 3E at the (2) end of Bk. II. 34 Bk. (3) p. 21,42. :# p>;

Fig.

156

Li porte-tour.
Li, the tower-bearer.

sz-ta-t'ien-wang
Shen-si and the
(1) to use his

97

charms

Emperor ordered Puh-k'ung-san-ts'ang 5fc Jg He to drive them off. Immediately a divinity,

:

clad in golden hreastplate appeared the priest announced that P'i-cha-men T'ien-wang's second son, by name Tuh-kien #$ #|, had set out to help the defenders. After a short while assurance was

appeared

given to the Emperor that all was well, for T'ien-wang J^ 3 had in the North-eastern district and had swept away the foe. The Emperor thereupon gave orders for the image of the

Heavenly King
(3)

to be set

up on
priest,

all

roads.

Fuh-Tc'ung, a
in 774

famous
title:

honoured with the

title

of

Royal

Duke, died
Sf ft

H. D. (9th year of Ta-lih

^ M

in

reign

of

T'ai-tsung

Posthumous

sagacious, erudite, prudent

monk

of the Throe

Mysteries

(=

%).

13

98

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

rt

3
S
3

Fig. 158

Tchao. Le

roi

du

ciel.

Chao, the heavenly king.

Wen, Wen,

le roi celeste.

the heavenly king

t'ai-yih

99

ARTICLE
T'AI-YIH

XII

THE GREAT ONE

The Han Emperor Wu-ti
Taoist priest with
all

(T)

^^^

was supplied by the

for

sorts of prescriptions
first to

restored youth

perform sacrifice to Tsao-kiiin the Divinity of the Household-hearth and then to quaff a fj but without success. potion compounded with vermilion

and immortality.

He had

Then

there

came one

Miao-ki p fe,

Taoist adept

who

persuaded the monarch that his failure was due to not sacrificing to T'ai-yih -fr ,, the Great One, the Supreme One, first of all heavenly spirits, him from whom the Five Sovereigns ^Yu-ti 3l
>$?

take their start.

"In ancient days the Emperor used to sacriseven days, one after the other, he was wont The emperor ordered these rites to he-

fice to

the Great One, both in spring and in autumn, in the south:

eastern suburb

in

to offer seven victims."

renewed

in the

suburbs to the south-east of the capital of Chang-

ffi (|^ ngan -^ #, that is Si-ngan-fu ^ Miao-ki were to be followed minutely. (1)

-gj).

The precepts

of

to the

The scholars enraged at seeing the emperor falling a victim quackery of the Taoists. determined to counter their wiles. One of the court-grandees came upon the Emperor one day as he was on the point of quaffing an elixir regardless of the sacred
:

person, he snatched the cup and drank the potion.

The Emperor
"since
I

was ordering
I

his death.
elixir,

"Nay, Sire,/ said the

culprit,
If

have drunk the

you cannot put me

to death.

however
a

am
(1)

still

subject to mortality,

Your Majesty owes me

28

reward

SJii-M-tseh-i . IE

M
%

li B.

Bk.

p. 24.

Wen-hien-t'ung-kao

# Bk.

80 p. 4

100

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

for proving that the potion is worthless and that those humbugs have been cheating your Majesty." The Emperor forewent the

punishment but was not disillusioned.

Now

this

Supreme One

is

an invention of some Taoist

the divinity represents an abstract conception that has taken on different connotations at different times or in different places or
contacts.

(I)

T*A1 Y1H:

the Sovereign of the Five Heavenly

Emperors

T'ai Yih-fc Zj 1s tne noblest of the

prime Ruler on

whom
of

Heavenly Spirits, the depend the Five Emperors, the Green

Emperor

of the East, the

Red

of the

South, the White of the

of

West, the Black

the

North and the Yellow

of Shang-ii
_

the
is

Middle.
T'ai-yih

T'ai-Yih's throne rises above those of the Five.

That

becomes the equivalent

the
fj|

Supreme Being.
it
ffi,

Under
K'wang-hen
T'ai-yih.
H?

the
ffj

Han Emperor

Yuen-ti

48-32 B.C.,
the
cult
of

(1) petitioned for the abolition of

oblivion.

From about this time From the Dynasty of

nothing more

on, T'ai-yih begins to

sink into
)f|

the

Western Han

"jjf

to the
is

Sui

inclusive,

at least in official circles

heard

of these sacrifices.

Jf

BH,

Only under the T'ang Emperor Ming-hwang (Hiien Tsung) 713, A.D. do we come again upon traces

of the cult. (2)

(t)

T'AI-YIH. Cosmic Matter before

Rites
are
its

its

dispersion.

The

based on the Great Unit.

;

Heaven and
(Passive and

Earth date from

subdivision

its

revolutions constitute the

p|

two principles
(1)

of ail

beings Yin and Yang |^

tung

UJ

^; he

Fore-name Che-hwei ^f ^, a native of Yih-hsien jk? g in Shan.sent a memorial to the Emperor for the suppression of all
is
If?

sacrifices not officially canonical.

Cf. Ts'ien-han-shu
|ffi

(2)

Cf.

Shi-wu-yuen-hwui
Wu-li-t'ung-Jcao

J| if Bk.

H Bk. 81 p. ^ M # Bk.
3 6

1.

12 p.
p.
9.

l.

Fig.

160

T*ai-i-tcheng-jen.

a i-y ih

Chen -j e n

T'AI-YIH

101

Active

a sort
;

of

the seasons
of its parts.

spirits
It
is

its changes produce "matter" and 'from") and demons J^ are born of the subordination
;

entitled
it

the T'ai-yih:,

"Immensely Great":

before

dispersion,

was uniquely one Yih

so

it

is

T'ai-yih

"Great Unity", the principle of heaven, earth and the seasons. (1)
(3)

T'AI-YIH. Three and One.

Another view would regard T'ai-yih as the noble Heavenly

once one in himself but three if one considers his union with Heaven and with Earth. Heaven, Earth and T'ai-yih make a Triad in which the unique spirit is the "Great Unity".
Spirit, at

The Taoits addressed

the

memorial on

this supposition to

Han emperor Wu-ti

Son
of

]J| jj ifr.

They represented

that formerly

the

Heaven was wont

to sacrifice an ox every three years

to the spirit

One and

three

heaven, Earth and Great One: they

gained their point

(2).

(4)

T'AI-YIH. An unknown
49, p. 18.
is

spirit.

otherwise

The Ming-shi W j Bk. unknown spirit who

(5)

allows him to be some

popularly so named.

T'AI-YIH.

Spirit of the Pole Star.

Others would allow him to be the

spirit of the

Pole Star,

venly

him the Five Heathe pivotal constellation. Hence he has under Pole Star. (3) the on abode Sovereigns and he has his
(6)

T'AI-YIH.

the Spirit of the First of

Nine Constellations.
stellar

The Taoist having invented

allotted

certain

divinities.

them

The Nine

constellations. palaces in the Constellations of which there

a set of points of the

(1)

compass

IE

eight being

question form directions in the

is
- 2
-

Cf. Li-M-shu-shu-U-yun
Cf. Shi-M-tseh-i
Cf.
jfe

#
Jfe

&
1*1

BE

il

Bk

1K 24,

(2) (1)
ft

IE

Yuen-lien lai-han
6

ffl

MM g&
IE

Bk

.28, p

24.

m%

Bk.

p. 8

ShH-i'Cheh-i

Bk. 4 p. 5 Wen hien-t'ung-Jcao ft Bk. 2 7 p. 1,

102

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

heavenly sphere and the ninth being the centre.

usual are a fixed convention.
1.

The

colours as

The

list is

as follows. (1)
-j^

AY. White. (Star) T'ien-p'ung 7^

j|g

dwelling of T'ai-yih
Sheh-i'i
,.

2.

North. Black
S. E.

.,

T'ien-nei

3.

Blue

T'ien-heng
T'ien-fu
T'ien-kin

^ ^
Ji

ft

|| $|

Hf
jjtjj

,,

Rlen-yuen Jf $g

4.
5. 6.

East. Green

..

Chao-yao
T'ien-fu

^^
^
^J
J&jfc

Centre. Yellow

N.

W. White
Red
Violet

T'ien-Sin

7. 8. 9.

South,

.,

T'ien-chu
T'ien-jen

^ -^ ^ ^ f
-Ji

,fr

Ts'ing-lung flrft
Hien-ch'e
T'ai-Yin
.,

N. E. White
S.

Ufa,,

W.

.,

T'ien-ying

^
is

T'ien-Yih

ft ^

Tha T'ang emperor Ming-hwang

(j
9t?)

(Hiien-tsung) J^ B) j|l 713-754 A.D. inspired by the Taoist priests offered sacrinine
of
Jf-

fice to

these

which

-^-

the

Chief.

His son and

successor Su-tsung
erected
in

H^
the

756-763 A.D. had a separate

mound

honour

of

Great One that sacrifices might be

separately offered to him.

The Sung Emperors Jen-tsung

Shen-tsung (1068-1086
5jc

(1023-1064

f-

^)

and

t)

set

One

of the

West and
ft

the

One

of

up respectively the Great the Centre this latter was

:

entitled

Wu-fuh
-fc

total of 10
I.

fg, the Five Blessings.

Shen-tsung made the

spirits.

The Ten T'AI-YIH

1.

Spirits.
is;

2.

3.

4.
5.

6.
7.

8.

The The The The The The The The

-fa
-fa

-fc

of the Five Blessings. of the Prince.

of the Officials.
of the People.

-^
-fa
-jc

of the

Nine Natural Agents.

of the Great Journeys.

of the Petty Journeys. of the

jg|!

Four
ffi

Spirits.

(i)

Lang-ye-tai-tsui-pien

!fli

ft
2jf

pft

Bk.

p. 19.

Tszshi-tsing-lnca

=f-

fljf

Bk.

p. 9.

T'AI-YIH
9.

103

10.

The The

-fc

of the

one Heaven.

of the one Earth. (1)

The Sung Emperor Ewui-tsung

set

%%^

1101-1126 A.D.
reign

up a

T'ai-yih of the

North and

during- the

devotions

grew

in respect of the

new

spirit.

In 1252 A.D.

(i.e.

second-last year of

Shun Yiu $|

jjjfr)

the

Emperor Li-tsung % g| ^ ordered a temple to be erected towards the West for the Great One, and on the third of the tenth month, he himself went in person to worship. His minister, Meu-tsztsai
p.

z%

(2)

protested with a very dignified and outspoken

this Taoist invention.
all

memorial against
to the fact

He

called his attention

to

that calamities of

sorts

began

pour

in

upon
, at

the empire from the very year 112 B.C.

when

the

Han emperor
-fa

Wu-Ti

-fH jj

went himself
;

to offer sacrifice to T'ai-yih

"Kan-ts'uen"

^J"^|

that year brought an eclipse of the sun, drought,

locusts, floods, bursting of

dams

scourge.

There was moreover the revolt

and every year added a new <f the South ]fj ^j| Nanall

yueh, with

Hun

inroads and brigandage in the East and

the

painful instances of witch craft which had caused such disturbance in the royal palace "So, he concluded," this cult is bringing us no

goodduck.
late,

The Emperor
that

recognized
is

^t $? Wu-ti in his old age, but all too he had been cheated. "Your Majesty not
:

only

imitating

sorrow to your most loyal ministers and

that causes him but even surpassing him still more is storing

up

bitter regrets for the close of

your

life." (3)

For
Emperors. denounced

all

that the cult

When
it

the

Ming

as heterodox.

was continued under the Yuen => of the Rites P^ came a President So a compromise was effected (to
and henceforth
this

save face for the older emperors)

T'ai-yih

was

to be

honoured on the same

altar as the

Heavenly Powers
4.

(1)
(2) (3)

Cf. Tuh-shu-M-shu-lioh 0f

Sfcfi

M
Jg

Bk.43 P

Born

at Tsing-yen-hsicn ft Wi M- in Ss-ch'wan.

Cf. Suh-wen-hien-t'iing kao $f

M#

Bk. 108

p.

1.

104

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

thunder and rain but not on a separate

controlling- wind, clouds,

special altar of his

(S)

own. (1)
T.\i-YiH-ciii:\-Ji;.\

i-iA
converted
these
rather

The

Taoists,

always
title of

practical,

abstract conceptions into a heroic personage to be worshipped in

their temples

under the

T'ai-yih-chen-jen

(The Hero

T.y.).

His adventures as related

have made him famous.

in

the Fung-shen-yen-i
is

f$

jiff

H
is

(-)

The reader

referred to the notice of

Practically this

Na-ch'a-san-t'ai-tsz in Article

XV

below.

the

only T'ai-yih

known

to

the worshippers in

Chinese temples of

our days.
(li
(2)
Cf.

Ming-shi

.&

Bk.

4:*

p. 18.

Cf.

'The Right

Way

of Installing Divinities"

:-?:::

-:-::.

h-shen

A ETICLE

XIII.

SHIH-RH-T1.\G-K] IH-SH1 \

+ r t
The Twelve Ting
Riali spirits of Taoism.
I

Tu-

The Taoist have twe e spirits = 1 Buddhism ~_

'

g to
:
.

-r

However
:

instead oi

::::

Ten
_

Stems 5^ ^p
olv

Heavv

twelve Earthl; the stems ere used

two of
Z
-

first
I

s:e:

used in con:

nrst six E irthb

rancr
t

^ji
t

and then the

Branches.

^p .K
coi

used

in

rombinat

To each
I.

Sis

ing Spirits
-

ear

nan

Pei

Fil

;'-

T^

'

*$
:
-

-'

~.

TS

,.

%^z

&

I '_;-'
1

TEl
= -t x se =
=
J=.

TV

'-Kg

he Sis Kiah Spirits

tt"
-

A:

3
-.

-r
"?

:-:.

A"

^
f=
-

IluiA-^

K
(1)

TT ei-

^T

F
""II.

p.
-

38$

106

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

Kiah-ch'en-shen

Kiah-yin-shen

^ ^

J|
'j

ijiifj

Mung-fei-k'ing

]fc
B]

J}(i|]

t$

Ming-wen-chang

#; j|l

Certain Taoist writers assert that the

first six

are feminine

and the

latter masculine. (1)

Usually they

all

are represented as

masculine.

These play an important part

by the following curve

in
:

talismans where

they are represented

(l)

Tuh-suh-Jci-shu-lioh ff

ffi

Suh-wen-hien-t'ung-lcao $f

% Bk if M -%

43 P- 4

Bk. 241

p. 3.

TEU-MU

107

ARTICLE

XIV

THE DIPPER MOTHER

TEU-MU

(B.T.)

Teu-mu, the "Dipper," Mother, is greatly honoured in Buddhist temples but for all that she is a stellar divinity of the Taoists as one can see from what follows.

Teu-mu
reigns
in the

J\-

-fjj:

was

the mother of the nine

human

sove-

known

as the Jen-hwang

||

who

are said to have reigned

fabulous era after the Rulers of the Heaven and those of

the Earth. (1)

She was called Mo-li-che

the

TJclJ

} (2)

and was born

in

Western Realm, T'ien-chuh-kwoh

**r

g], i.e. India.

Having attained a deep insight into heavenly mysteries, her presence radiated light, she roamed over the seas, travelled from sun to moon, and as well showed an overflowing charity
for the help of poor

human

beings.
of

In one of the

Northern regions

the

Universe
l/j]

there

lived one Ch'en-tsu-ts'ung J& # ?,

li-che

King

of Cheu-yii

fl.

Mo-

heard report of his renowned virtues, married him and had

nine sons.
1.

These were

T'ien-ying
T'ien-sin

4.
7.

^ ^

%
>fr

2. 5.

T'ien-jen
T'ien-k'in

<

3.
6.
9.

Tien-chu

^
Ji

}
ffi

^^
jf

ien-fu

T'ien-ch'ung

^<#

8.

T'ien-jui Ji

T'ien-p'ung
-$-..

^H
in

She
all

is

also called

T'ien-mu

^
she

#,

Tao-mu jg
their
to

When

these children had been well instructed by

the
(1) (2)

mother

all

transcendental

sciences,

said

them: "In tbese

See Mayers: Chinese Reader's Manual

p. 384.

Besides her family

name

is

given as

Wan M<

her

personal

name

as T'ai-yang

|5.

108

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

all

northern regions, the dwellers are

South."

too few, better dwell in the

So they went

off to the

south of Mt. Che Sin

%%

ll]

the inhabitants seeing their chariots and garments, took them to be genii and chose the eldest as king. T'len-ying was raised to

the throne and

is

sometimes called Kiu-t'eu-shi

but

Hf J

"the

eldest of the nine"

more generally Jen-hwang

Jl

"The

Human

Emperor".
Yuen-shi-t'ien-tsun 7^
#fj

Then
Heavens He

j|t

came on earth and

the Polar

raised Mo-M-che, her consort and her nine sons to the joys of the
installed her in the palace Teu-ch'u
J\>f},

Hinge (on which all the stars revolve) and conferred on her the title of "Queen of the Doctrine of the Primal Heaven". Hence is derived the title of "Dipper" Mother J\- $, as she
dwells near the Dipper Star. rule over nine constellations.

Her

nine sons live with

her

and

Her consort
Teu-fu-t'ien-tsun
if-

Ch'en-tsi-ts'uny living

with her

is

entitled

^ ^

%, Dipper Father Deva worthy. And

title of

the
of

Queen has
Heaven.
(1)

the corresponding

Dipper Mother revered

Fig. 161 gives an idea of the usual representation of Indian type in Buddhist temples. She wears a crown of Buddhas she possesses three eyes and eighteen arms: in these she holds mystic symbols; a flag, a bow, an arrow, fiery wheels, a
:

monkey's head,
throne.

a pearl
is

and
^

she has the

lotus

flower

as

her

in picture copied from a statue at Ju-kao ffl a nunnery temple outside the South Gate. In the main hall of the Mt. T'ai Temple a similar statue forms a pendant |i|

Our

Chun-Pi ip $| (Marichi) these two are on supporting P'i-lu-fuh f| f$. (2)

to

one

of

lateral altars

fflK;

(1 Shensien-t'ung-lien Bk. 15 Art. 5 p. 1.

jjjijj

f|l|

&g $g Bk.

1.

Art.

p. 1. 2. Art. 3 Art.

(2)

See, Chinese Superstitions, Engl. Ed. Vol.

VI

p. 119.

Fig. 161

Teou-mou.
Teu-mu.

TEU-MU

109

Teu-mu
thology
:

is

derived from the Marichi (1) of

Brahmin myof

the Taoist

have made

stellar

divinity

her

and

provided her with a consort and a palace amid the

(2)

stars.

See, Chinese Superstitions, Engl.

Ed

Vol. VII
']$

p.

303 311.

Marichi

is

there identified with Chung -t'i

$g.

110

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

Ill

ARTICLE
T

XV.
(T.B.)

NA-CH*A-SAI\ -T*A1-TSZE

m
1.

nt

7-

Birth.

Li-tsing
local

^
J}$

ffi,

general

under Cheu-wang

j$ 3,

was

the

commander in Ch'en-t'ang-kwan |^ |gf g| at the time when murderous was ushering- out the Shang dynasty jgj broke out.
J gave birth to three sons, Kin-ch'a
^s;
P-"

His wife Yin-shi

|f

the eldest, Muh-ch'a

the second and

9J(I

F,

Na-ch'a

known

as "the third prince" j -& -p-

He

is

a hero of romance.
jf\\\i

The author

of the Fung-shen-yen-yi ij

-/j^

has piled

up the marvellous in describing the deeds of this incrediblecharacter. His mother was with child for three years and six

months without being able to bring the child to birth. )ne night she saw in dream-vision a Taoist priest entering her room.
(

Full of indignation at this, she cried,

"How

dare you enter

my

room

so rudely?"

The Taoist answered by bidding

her receive

the "child of the

unicorn," and, without giving her time to say anything, he thrust an object into her bosom. She awoke in a what she had just fit of fear and aroused Li-tsing, telling him

seen in her dream.

pangs.
Li-tsing

On

the instant,

she

was

seized

by

birth-

withdrew

to a hall, puzzled In

the whole affair;

everything seemed to be of evil presage. Shortly two servants r an up distraught crying, "Your wife has just given birth to

wicked monster".
Li-tsing took his sword and entered his wife's room.
It

was flooded with

smell.
like a

red

glare

There on the
wheel.

floor

Li struck at

and permeated with a strange was a mass of flesh whirling about it with his sword, cleft it open and
of
light.

there issued a child

The

child's face

whose body radiated red beams was verv white: around its wrist was

a bracelet

112
of gold

IMMORTAL GODS, GENU

and about
jts

middle a

band of red

silk

from which

streamed dazzling'rays of golden light. This bracelet was the ''circle of earth atid heaven," this silken band an embroidery of earth and sky in fane, two precious objects from the grotto of

by its inhabitant the Hero i- e. jx. Zi) preceding article on -^c when he had visited the mother in her sleep. The child was a
Kin-kwang-tsung -^ ft
T'ai-yih ic Zj
:

^\ presented

( s ee

reincarnation of Ling-chu-tsze ft 3& -?

The

Intelligent Pearl.
Li-tsing's permis-

On
and he
2.

the morrow, T'ai-yih

came and asked

said

sion to see the child.

shall be

"His name,"

he, "shall

be

Na-ch'a

my

disciple."

Youth and Misdeeds.

Na-ch'a at seven years of age was six feet high. One day he asked permission from his mother to go for a walk outside the town. She agreed on condition that an officer should

accompany him, and impressed on him

that he

must not remain

long outside the ramparts lest his father should be displeased. So Na-ch'a went out with an officer as escort. It was the fifth

month and

so hot that after

walking

li

he was bathed in sweat.

On

ahead, there was a grove of trees, and he

was assured by

his

escort

whom

very cool Pushed on

his dress, a

he had sent on to investigate, that he should find it Na ch'a was delighted, there under the willows.
got well
into

to the trees

the

shade

and undoing
the willows,

proceeded stream g-entlv ruffled by the wind

:

to enjoy the cool breeze.

Amid
the

rolled clear,

green

waters
of a

inviting him to bathe

the waters played about

sides

mass
ced

of rocks.
to

The youngster bounding along

that

the bank, announthis

his

guardian

he

would bathe from

if

rock.

"Make

haste then," said the officer,"

your father

is

back before
his

you, he will be very displeased.

"Na

ch'a took

off

clothes

and them made use of

as a bath-towell, that

his red-silk band,

is,

some seven

feet

long

dipped it no sooner had

as the Chinese are so fond of doing he This band was a mysterious object: into the stream.
it

touched the surface of the river that the water

Fig.

d02

Na-touo

san-t'ai-tse.

Na-to San-t'ai-tze.

NA-CH'A

113

began

to boil,

and earth and sky shook.

its

This
-/pj"

river,
in

the

River

with the Nine Bends, Kiu

the Eastern Seas:

Wan Ho \ $f was waters now grew red and

its

touch

with
of

the

palace

Lung-wang ||

swayed on
(1)

supports and began to

crumble.

The Dragon King

palace Shui-tsing-kung 7^

crack and sway. so he sent a police-officer Li-ken

Ngao-kwang | ^ seated in his Crystal H ^ 'gf was surprised to see the walls He knew it was not the time for an earthquake

ji|

to visit the borders of the

sea in order to find out the cause of the disturbance.

Li-ken

came

to the
all

mouth
in

of the

River of the Nine Bends

child

and saw the waters

red: yet there

silk

dipping a strip of red

was only a the water to wash

there
Li

himself.

burst through the waters, demanding what this might be that was causing such disturbance. Na-ch'a looked around and caught
sight

down below
if

in

the water of
his teeth

creature with

green
a

face

and red hair who bared

axe as
to strike him.

and was brandishing

brute
is
it,

great
"that
j|{(

"What

said
of

Na-ch'a

speaks thus?"
3

Then seeing
it

this police-officer

Lung-wang

making

for him, he slipped aside

bracelet threw

so that

it

and taking off his golden landed on Li-king's head and crushing

him dead on the rock Na-ch'a got hold of his bracelet again and laughing said, "His blood has stained my He sat again on a rock and precious circle of earth and sky." caused a second disastrous this but water the in it clean washed
his brain stretched

quake that demolished the Dragon-king's palace. "How is it that my messenger is not back?"

said
of

Ngao
the

kwang: and

at that

moment,

his officials

brought news

by a child. So Ngao-kwang's third son, a squad of marines" and holding Ngao-ping |Jr ptj at the head of submarines of swift flotilla this forth: issues his trident several raises mountainous waves that caused a sort of "bore"
killing of the courier feet high in the

ment
(1)

Na-ch'a stood up in amazeand on the instant caught sight of a warrior riding on a sea

Nine Bends River.

Chinese Superstitions, Vol. VII pp. 409 sqq.

15

114

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

monster.

"Who
of

killed

my

envoy?" cried the apparition. "T'was

are

I", said Na-ch'a.

"And who
to insult

yon?"
so

"I

am
I

Na-ch'a, third son of

Li-tsing

Ch'en-t'ang-hwen

$M $f

fjj.

came here
him
!"

to

cool

myself.

He came
know

me and
was
that
a
kill

killed

"Ruffian,

do you

that
did

Li-ken

Heaven?
boast
of

How
it?"

you dare to
with

messenger of the King of him and even still worse

tried

And

Ngao-p'ing

to

strike

his

trident into Na-ch'a.

Na-ch'a dodged the stroke

and demanded

who
alive

his

King,"

assailant was. "Ngao-p'ing, third son of the Dragon "Such bragging! If you dare touch me. I will flay you and your mud-eels." "You would make me choke

with rage." shouted Ngao-ping and he struck with his trident. Na-ch'a opened up his silk strip upon the air and thousands of
fire-balls burst out

from
sides

it.

The Dragon-King's son

falls

finds himself

hemmed
foot on
bracelet

in

on

his

on his back. Na-ch'a plants one victim's head and strikes him with the golden
all

and

whereupon the

real

dragon shape

is

disclosed.

"I
a

am
belt

going, said Na-ch'a," to take out your sinews, and

make

of dragon-sinews for my father's breastplate." This he did and brought home his spoils to the great terror of the officers
in the fortress.

The

killed

what had befallen

assumed the form

man's escort reported to the Dragon King his son and the King himself thereupon
of a scholar in order to seek out Li-tsing

and

demand

of

him reason

for

the

killing
first

of

his

son.

Li-tsing,

ignorant of the whole happening, at then he summoned Na-ch'a.

denied his son's guilt:

Na-ch'a was in the garden busy dragon-sinews for his father. To his

at

plaiting

the

belt

of

father's

amazement he
father,

now

offered

it

to

him.

"What

misfortunes,"

cried the

"have you brought upon us. Come and explain yourself." There here complete; 1 is no need to be afraid: his son's sinews are
shall give

them back

to him,

if

he wants them,
the

"was Na-ch'a' s

cynical reply.

Coming

face to face with

Dragon-King, he

NA-CH'A

115

greeted him, offered a few bare words of apology and offered to

give him back his son's sinews.
of these tokens of the

The
turned

father, to

moved

at the sight

crime,

Li-tsing ;

"You have
not

begotten such a son and yet dare to deny his guilt: do you hear his cynical confession. To-morrow the

Monarch
he
left.

5 ^

shall hear of

Yuh-hwang, Jade this from me". On the instant

enormity of these crimes, began His wife having heard the sound and learned the "What a harmful being you cause, came to find her husband.
to sob loud.

Li-tsing, terrified by the

brought into the world," said Li-tsing to her

in

anger,

"he

has

already killed two spirits, one of them being'the Dragon King's son: to-morrow Yuh-ti 3 ^f will be told of it and in two or
three days that will be the end of us."

The poor mother then with streaming

son.

eyes reproached hesix

''You

you now to be for us all a cause of ruin and death?" Na-ch'a, overcome by the sorrow of both his parents, flung himself on his knees and promonths,
are

whom I bore in my womb for you for whom I suffered so much,

three years and

tested

"Allow me once
I

for all to declare that

of

am

not an ordi-

Zj iH AThese magic weapons which I hold from him have brought upon me the mortal enmity of Ngao-kwang ffc ) but he shall not a

nary man.

am

disciple

T'ai-yih-chen-jjen

-^

prevail.
is

To day
guilty

the

It 1 am going to seek counsel of my master." one alone, not his parents, who must face the

penalty."

Thereupon he

set out for

Kien-yuen-shan %i

mj.

There, he sought the cave of his master, T'ai-yih k" and told him what had befallen him. The master realising the
serious consequences of these deeds, bade him bare his breast then with a brush he traced a magic talisman on the skin and gave him certain secret recommendations. "Now," he added, "go
to the

Gate

of

Heaven and wait

for the arrival of

Ngao-kwang on

his

way

to lodge his charge with 3 1$ Yuh-ti.

Then come and

molesta-

consult

me

again that

we may

save your parents from

116
tion on account of
of

IMMORTAL GODS, CENI1

your escapades." Na-ch'a arrived at the Gate it shut. Lung-wang had not yet come.

Heaven and found

Alter a short while Na-ch'a saw

invisible because of
T'ai-yih's

him coming.

Being himself

talisman, Na-ch'a ran up to the

Dragon-King and struck him to such effect on the loins that Lung-wang fell to the ground and Na-ch'a started to trample on him and revile him. The king now recognized Na-ch'a and taxed him with so man}' crimes. The only answer was abuse and
blows.

Then Na-clra proceeded

to an

extreme

of outrage; he tore

open the King's garments, lifted his breastplate and tore off some score of the Dragon-king's scales from his body so that blood
flowed copiously. This made the King cry for quarter which Nach'a granted on condition that the accusation before Yuh-ti was

must change fear without away of its making its escape. to follow had and Lung-wang complied Na-ch'a home in the guise of a small blue dragon. As soon as they
foregone. Thereupon Na-ch'a

demanded

that the king

himself into a small serpent that could be led

arrived at Na-ch'a's home, the

his

Dragon-King Ngao-hwang resumed

normal shape, accused Na-ch'a of having assaulted him and declared that on the morrow he would present himself with all
the Dragon-Kings to lodge
his

accusation

with

Yuh-ti,

Then

he changed into a gale and vanished.

Li-tsing

was dismayed by

this piling of

woes on woes but

said
he,

Na-ch'a would have him be of Q-ood cheer. "1

am"

"the

predestined of the gods, and my master is T'ai-yih-chen-jen. I have his assurance that he can protect us. All these Dragons

Kings can do nothing." Li-tsing was perplexed by the words as

much

as by the happenings.

Na-ch'a went out into the garden and, in search of amusement issued by the North Gate and climbed the tower overlooking the gate. There he came across a ma^ic bow and three

magic arrows
Hwang-ti
rebellions

jj| ^j*

they had been deposited there since the Emperor had made use of the weapon to overcome the

Ch'i-yiu

it-

Na-ch'a

history but he

mused with himself

that he

knew nothing about their must have some pra-

NA-GH'A
ctice,
if,

117
to secure in

as his master

warned him, he were destined

the future the fortunes of the

Chow dynasty

ffl

against the Shang

the south-east.
a trail of red to

So he bent the bow and shot an arrow to jtj. The bolt sped whistling through the air leaving mark its passage. Just then an attendant of

% $1
of

Shih-ki-niang-niang
to

il J| by

name Pih-yun | | happened

fi

be at the foot

Mt

Skeleton K'u-lou f

Mj

i front of the

Goddess's grotto.

The arrow pierced his throat and he fell dead. Immediately came forth and examining the arrow which bore the inscsiption. "the Arrow which troubleth the Sky,'' she knew that it came from Ch'en-t'ang-kwan ($ jg jfg.
the Goddess

So the Goddess Li-tsing of course was the guilty one. mounted her blue phoenix, sped over Ch'en-i'ang-kwan and took off Li-tsing to her cave. There she set him kneeling before her and upbraided him with his criminal ingratitude. She was preparing him for immortality and had helped him to worldly

honours since he had

killed her attendant.

left his

lonely mountain

and now he had

to

Li-tsing swore he

was innocent but

Li-tsing
find

no

arrow was eloquent testimony. the Goddess to allow him to go at liberty and
avail
for the
''If
I

begged

the culprit.

cannot find him. you shall take

my

life."

Again Na-ch'a cheerfully owned to being the guilty -person and followed his father to the Goddess's grotto. But as he
arrived at the entrance, the second attendant Ts'ai-yun-t'ung-rh

9& HI

S%

upbraided him.

Na-ch'a struck him

at

roughly.
Na-ch'a

This

enraged Shih-ki-niang-niang and she rushed with a sword quickly she had stripped him of
:

armed

and magic
to death.

silk strip.

Na-ch'a

fled to his

his magic bracelet master and the Goddess

pursued him.

She demanded delivery of the culprit to put him struggle began and but T'ai-yih-chen-jen succeeded
;

in launching against her a globe of nine fiery dragons she changed into encircled the Goddess and burned her
:

these
stone.

Now "said T'ai-yih to Na-ch'a back quich to your parents: the four pragon-Kings have lodged their accusation with Yuh-ii

118

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

and they are about to seize your parents." Na-ch'a began to weep but T'ai-yih whispered him some secret advice and assured him it would save his parents.
3.

Death.
(

)n his return.

Na-ch'a found the four Dragon-Kings bent

on taking
son.

off his parents. "It is I," said he,

"who have

killed
I

your
shall

Why

molest

my

parents?

will

pay the penalty.

I will rip up give back to my parents what I got from them. belly and tear out my entrails, cut off my limbs and scrape

my my

bones.

t'ien-wang 7c io the offer.

Will you agree? If not, let us all appear before Yuen-shi^ 3E an d abide the result." Lung-wang accepted

a sword, cut off one of

So Na-ch'a on the spot carried out his part: he took his arms and then fell senseless after

performing the hara-kiri. His soul borne by the winds reached T'ai-yih's cave even while the mother was still engaged in the
burial rites.
to Ch''en-Pang -k wan
is not your abode." said his Master, "return and beg your mother to build you a temple After three years of away on Mt. Ts'ui-p'ing 1-3 Jp| dj
.

"This

forty

li

worship, your can be reincarnated."

About the
in

third

watch

of the night, Na-ch'a's

mother was

deep sleep when her son appeared and admonished her to build his temple that his soul might find an abode. The mother
a
in tears

awoke and

told Li-tsing.
a

He

scolded her for her blind

attachment to such
woe.

monstrous son who had caused them such

for five

But the apparitions continued

last occasion, Na-ch'a

or six nights

and

spoke very plainly. "Do not forget that I am savage by nature. If you do not give ear. evils will come upon you." So the mother got the temple built secretly: in it was a statue of Na-ch'a and soon it attracted crowds of pilgrims

on the

by wondrous happenings.
(

)ne day, Li-tsing

at the

wondered
"These

masses of pilgrims of
spirit in

with his troops passed that way and all ages and conditions on

the reads leading to the temple.

six

"Where

are these people going?"

months the

the mountain-temple has

been

NA-CH'A

1!*

doing- wonders and people are streaming here from all sides to pray to him." "What is the spirit's name?" "Na-ch'a." Li-tsing, on hearing this, went to have the evidence of his own eyes and

found that

it

was

really Na-ch'a-hing-kung I'jjld^ffgr-

He

entered

and saw that the statue really represented his own Na-ch'a. Beside it were the usual two attendants. Li-tsing in violent anger set to
it

whipping and reviling the

evil,

figure.

Not

satisfied

with being for

after

us a cause of
death."

you v\ould deceive these people

the statue
till
it

you

He whipped

fell to

pieces: with kicks,

overthrew the attendants, warned the people not to worship such Then he a wicked man who had disgraced his own family.
ordered the temple to be burned.

On arriving home, Li-tsing taxed his wife with building that temple and thereby exposing him. her husband, to be degraded for introducing a heterodox cult to a false divinity. "If ever
you want
end
to build a

relations with you.

of the matter."

temple again for Na-ch'a, I have burned that temple

will
let

sever

all

that

be the

Na-ch'a had been

its

away from

the temple at the

find

moment

of

destruction and he returned to

merely a heap of

smoking
of

ruins.

"Who

has destroyed

my
in

temple?" he asked of his attentears.

dant spirits

who waited him "Ah! He Ch'en-t'ang-kwan."

Li-tsing,

commander
I

has outstepped his rights.

had

from him. Why does he come given him back what I had got to demolish my gilded statue? I have no more ties to bind me to

him."
the soul <>f Na-ch'a had During that half-year of worship, he must go again to Now a sensitive life. back win to begun

consult T'ai-yih

how

to carry

on.

T'di-yih
a

been cruelly maltreated and declared that

agreed that he had way must lie found

to get Na-ch'a ready in order to help Kiang-tsze-ya was shortly to leave his mountain and establish a
4.

3jp

who

new dynasty.

Rebirth of Na-ch'a.
T'ai-yih-chen-jen procured

two water-lily stems and three

120
lotus

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

leaves

and with them

In this

formed on the ground

sort

of

he slipped Na-ch'a's soul by means of magic charms and there arose a new Nd-ch'a, full of life with fresh complexion and ruddy lips and fully sixteen feet in height.

skeleton-man.

"Presently in my peach garden, I shall arm you," said T'ai-yih "and there he gave him a fiery lance, finely sharp, and two wheels
(1)

of

fire

and wind

to

serve

as

vehicles (like roller-skates)

and an ingot of gold in a panther-skin wallet. So Na-ch'a after having thanked his benefactor, sped off on his
under
his feet

wheels to Ch'en-t'ang-kwan.

coming vengeance, he and to meet him. After went weapons mutual abuse, Li-tsiug was worsted in a combat of arms and took to Might Na-ch'a pursued relentlessly and just as he was about to
Li-tsing got

When

warning

of the

mounted

his horse, took his

overtake Li-tsing, the latter's second son Muh-ch'a ^PTj intervened In answer to Muh-ch'a's rebukes. Na-ch'a insisted to protect him.
that he had given back his
his grievance out
filial

relationship and will

now have

brother with a

with Li-tsing. In a fight Na-ch'a disables his blow of the golden ingot on the loins. Then he
of Li until the
latter

resumes the pursuit

and
is

loses

hope

of

escape

about to

kill

himself.

On

a sudden, the voice of a Taoist

adopt calls him to take refuge in his cave where he will be safe. Na-ch'a follows his victim but there is now no trace of Li to be
seen in the grotto,

Na-ch'a would force this old fellow to vield

up
It

his refugee but he has not

was Wen-shu-t'ien-tsun

~$i

~fy%.

reckoned with his new opponent. H H^. and T'ai-yih has planned

to teach Na-ch'a a lesson. This Taoist by use of magic implements got hold of Na-ch'a. In the twinkling of an eye, he had passed a golden collar about his neck and two chains this

about his legs and had him fettered to a golden one of Wen-shu's attendants gave the turbulent
drubbing.
(1)

pillar.

Then

boy a good

See Mayers Chinese Reader's Manual, No 520 Originally Buddha's

wheels

&

tfj.

NA-CH'A
Just at this humiliating

121

moment, T'ai-yih as if by chance Wen-shu and making Na ch'a stand before Wen-shu and Li-tsing, he admonished him to live on good terms with his father while however taking the father to task for having burnt

came

to visit

the pagoda of Ts'ui-p'ing Shan.

return
grotto.

home and

after a

Thereupon T'ai-yih bade moment, ordered Na-ch'a off to

Li-tsing
his

own

But
rushed
back.

Na-ch'a, full of resentment and thirsting for revenge,

off in

pursuit of Li-tsing, confident of getting his

own

worthy appears, takes Li under his protection and forbids Na-ch'a to do him any harm. Na-ch'a was now in a paroxysm of rage, unrestrained as a wild cat, and
produced from
flung himself at the Taoist, wishing to spear him but this latter a white lotus-flower from his mouth and the spear was checked. Na-ch'a still w as untamed; so the Taoist produced
r

But

of a sudden, a Taoist

some mysterious object that mounted up in the air and then fell at Na-ch'a's feet wrapping him in a shroud of flame that scorched him cruelly. At last he yielded and begged
his sleeve

for mercy.

The Taoist made him promise

address him
as

to live on

good terms
prostrate

with Li-tsing, to

father and

now

to

himself at his feet in order to be reconciled with him.

It

was now

Li-tsing's

turn.

The Taoist turning

to

him

office that he might become an promised him a retreat from who were shortly Immortal and be enabled to serve the Chow "Both of you." he went to takeover the reins of governement.
I?;)

in the new dynasty and both of yon will on, "will be high officers to render Na-ch'a impotent for the But attain immortality:'

future

against

Li-tsing,

he

bade

this

latter

kneel

and

then

at Na-ch'a's bestowed on him the magic object that had burned of tower a was it gold (1) reason: feet and brought him to the reason and of the Li-tsing become symbol and this has

(1)

originally

Indian mythology.

a representation of a Li could be Vajrapani.

thunder-bolt:

the

vajra

of

16

122
for his usual title,
(1) ft

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

"The Tower-Bearer"
T'oh-t'dh Li-Vien-wang

&H

3E.
tales,

The fabulous
romances about the

the stories of the gods at war,

the

fights at the establishment of

Chow

dynasty

are full of the marvellous deeds and fantastic

Li-tsing

combats

in

which
in

and Na-ch'a figure as heroes.

They always share

the campaigns of the gods. (2)

The

Sheu-shen-ki

^^|E

gives a shorter but more obscure

legend which seems to have a similar core. Na--ch'a was the he was sixty feet in height he had three squire of Yuh-ti 3 heads with nine eyes in all in his eight arms he carried magic

weapons:
task
the

his

mouth belched blue clouds and

his voice

made
(3)

the

pillars of the sky rock

and the bases of earth tremble

His

was

to reduce to subjection the

Demon-Kings who
of

harried

earth.

Yuh-ti

made him generalissimo

the

twenty-six

heavenly

officers,

grand-marshal of the heavens, and guardian

of the gate of heaven. (4)

See Chinese Superstitions, above, Article XI fig. 156. The Taoist who bestowed the tower was Jan-teng $k $ and Taoist legends would make of him the teacher of Buddha (see Chinese Superstitions, Vol. VI p. 89-90 Dipamkara or the Light-bearer). So Wen-shu above and P'ou-hien ^f S (master of one of Litsing's sons) are the Marijusri and the Samantaihadra Buddhas (see Chinese Superstitions Vol, VI p. 126-130) Cf. Fung-shen-yen-yi ft JS ig Bk. 2 Ewui 12 p. 4: Ewui 14 p. 12.
(1)
jjft

(2)

Shen-sien-t'ung-kien

jjjiji

fill

$g.

Fung-shen-yen-yi $$
Cf. illustration in

jjfl

fc

Bk.

Ewui

12, 13, 14.

fig.

Chinese Superstitions Vol XI

jjiifi

262
this

(3)

Funy-shen-yen-yi Jf

Jg fg Bk.

Ewui

76.

He owed

new

shape

to his

master

T'ai-yih.
-fy
jjft

(4)

Sheu-shen-ki

It

/tio

h'/fn

iff) p.

61.

HENG-HOH-RH-TSIANG

123

ARTICLE XVI

HENG-HOH-RH-TSIANG
i?

~
"fc
-jnp

Marshals "Sniffer" and "Blower".

Here we have
that

to deal with

one of the marvellous legends

struggles

grew up Chow Dynasty

about
Jfft.

the

terrible

ushering

in

the

Heng

"the Sniffer" was Marshal ($f) Cheng-lun f$

ffc^-.

jfo,

Ha

"the Blower" was Marshal ($f) Cken-ki

the last Shang

Cheng-lun was the

Quartermaster-General for the Commissariat of the Armies of Chow $\ He had as jj Emperor, the infamous
(jf|

master a famous magician Tu-ngoh $ /ff hailing from the Ivwun-Lun Mts j= $} lX|
.

\, the Hero) From him he had

which sucked

learned the marvellous knack of browing forth from his nostrils,

with the resonance of a

bell,

two columns

of light

up men, body and soul. Thanks to this marvellous power, he was able to win victory after victory over the Chow fighters. One day however he was worsted, fettered and carried off to hi s
J?|J

camp by the general Teng-kiu-kung gft % ^. He was pardoned and enlisted on the Chow side as Quartermaster-General of Commissariat and General of five army-corps.

On
Ch'en-ki

the

Chow
Blower

side
(a

now, he found himself opposed

of

to
in

the

sort

anticipation

of

poisongas

warfare: "flammenwerfer" versus gas) who was also commissaThe "Blower's" special qualification was riat commandant.
that he had learned the magic trick of storing up
in
his chest

yellow gas which he emitted through

those
of the

his

mouth and

so destroyed

who

faced him.

Thus he

cut lanes through the battalions

it

Chow.

But when "Sniffer" faced "Blower",

was

stale-

mate

until Na-ch'a !%$?, on the

Chow

side,

wounded

the "Sniffer"

124
in the

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

shoulder and then the general Hwang-f'ei-liu
;|f fRe

^
in

lanced

him through the middle.

Cheng-lun the Sniffer
with
the
in

his

turn

was

killed

battle
3\-

Shang ]$}. The Marshal Kin-ta-sheng Ox-demon, was his adversary and he had the gift
inners the Niu-hwang ^-

^
of

^c

an

in his

producing the Ox-bezoar stone. (1) Face

to face with the "Sniffer", he threw

in his face

him out of action by spitting with the noise of thunder a bezoar-stone big as a

rice-bowl.

The

"Sniffer's nostrils

were crushed
in

in

and he was

thrown

to the

ground and then hewn

two.
Kiang-tsze-ya

After the establishment of the

5f-

Chow

f-

(see Article LIII) canonized these

two worthies and assigned

them the guardianship

of temple doors. So at the entrance to Buddhist temples you may find the Sniffer with nostrils expanded drum-wise and the Hlower with eyes bulging out of their sockets

with his

effort.

(2)

(1)

See Vol. XI, Art

to be

XXXVII

p.

1048 Niu-hwang. Ox-bezoar

is

supposed

produced in the stomachs of certain kinds of cattle when they have eaten on the mountains a plant called Ling-cJii-ts'ao H S Bezoar is a costly article in the Chinese pharmacopeia. Ij?.
by the Chinese
(2)
Cf.

Fung-shen-yen-yi $f

jjjiji

g| large ed.

Bk.

p.

30-1;

Bk
99
[SI.

13 p. 9;

Bk

15 p. 40;

Bk

19 p. 19-20; Bk. 15 p. 31, 32,42,43;

61,

Bk
92,

20 p. 55. (Popular edition divided into Ilwui or chapters) 57,

74,

Fig.

163

Heng-hah
Heng-ha

le

Souffleur et

le

Renifleur.
sniffing Taoist

The blowing and

Monk.

TS'ING-LUNG, PEH-HU

125

ARTICLE XVII

TS 1NG-LUNG, PEH-HU
C

At the gate
article.

of Taoist temples, these

like

two

divinities
of

may

be

found as guardians

the

Heng and Hoh

the

preceding

The following

notes trace their origin and

how they

were canonized as
I.

stellar divinities.

The Blue Dragon,

gg

This

spirit of the

Blue

Dragon

star

was originally one

\,

Teng-kiu-kung (see preceding article) f$

one of the
jj)
JIJ.

chief

generals of the last Yin Emperor j) (or Shang in the dynastic struggle inaugurating the Choir

who

figures

His son was

in

Teng-siu

gfl

%; and his daughter Shan-yuh

-/ifT

%\i

HI figures

the

romance Fung-shen-yen-yi ft f$

j.

ill

[ID

Teng-kiu-kung' s army was encamped at San-shan-kwan when he received an order to march to the battle-field
TjEf
|I|.

of Si-k'i

Opposed there
;pf f||

to Na-ch'a (see Article

left

XV)

and

Hwang -fei-hu

J*,

he had his

with his magic bracelet. T'u king-sun %f Jjfe as a healed wound and fracture.

arm fractured by Na-ch'a Fortunately he had a famous magician,

subordinate and
this

one quickly

Shan-yuh then took the field to avenge her father: she had a magic weapon, a stone of Wxe fires, which she threw with good aim at Yang-tsien jj f^ full in the face: but he was wounded and his celestial dog leaped upon Shan-yuh and biting
her
too.

neck put
(1)

her to flight,

T'u

hing-sun

cured

his

wounds

marriage to T'u hing-sun

(1)

After a bancpuet Teng-kiu-kung promises his daughter in if he wins the day at Si-k'i. Kiang-tszelung-shen-yen-yi %\
i\$

J^

S-

Hwui

53 p. 6: 54 p.

it.

12l

IMMORTAL GODS. GENII

ya, the

Chow

aspirant

is

uneasy
in

at the repeated success

of

this

up magic. Finding out that his master was Kit liu-sun, he begged this latter to call his pupil over to
daring
officer, so well

the 'Tight" side.

Kii induced his pupil to

come

to Kiang's

camp

and demanded of him

dynasty.

why

he
it

T'u confessed that

fought against the new was to obtain the hand of Kiuthus

kung's daughter. So they set about satisfying him and laid an elaborate plot to steal the girl away from her father. "Go be!

tweens" were sent to Teng-kiu-kung and flren a trap was laid. Officers disguised as plain soldiers were sent to present a list of

wedding presents: one of those opened a box containing weapons and exploded a bomb. It was an arranged signal. Teng-kiu-kung was assailed, beaten and forced to flee leaving Shan-yuh to the
victors.

After her marriage in the Chow camp, Shen-yuh returned spend a few days with her father and she succeeded in persua. ding him to transfer his allegiance to the "rising sun". (1) Teng
to

now fought vigorously

CJww-wang
famous
ffi

against the troops of his old master anc j killed with his own hand in the different J

battles at Ts'ing-lung-kwan (Blue

officers

Dragon Pass)

^ fI

ffl

three

Peh-hien-chung

Hf fc. Yu-ch'eng

fa and

Sun-pao |

3|. (2)

In a subsequent combat, Teng

W. ^p, to wit n$

The Blower

(Article

XVI).

was attacked by Ch'en-ki He was dehorsed

in

by the gas-attack, taken prisoner and executed

the enemy's

camp by order

of the general K'iu-yin

Jrft

|.

Kiang-tsze-ya in his canonisations assigned him the ruling

of the star Ts'ing-lung. (3)
II.

The White Tiger Peh-hu.

j%

The
siu Wi
(1)

over the White Tiger star is Yin-ch'eng^- one of the colleagues of Teng-kiu-kung (above).
spirit ruling
p. 14 - 17. 66, p, 11. 73 p. 32. 33: 99.

Fung-shen-ycnyx, Huui 56.

(2) (3)

Hwui Fung-shen-ycn-yi Huui

,,
,

.-.

164

*
M

w-Tchei
_
i

jrod of ike

Blue Di

star

Fig.

165

Esprit de

l'etoile

du Tigre blanc. Yng-tch'eng-sieou (Pagode de Hoang).

star.

The God of the White Tiger Monastery).

Ying Ch'eng-siu

(In the

Hwang

TS'IENG-LUNG-PEH-HU

127

His father Yin-p'o-pai }$$$ occupied one of the highest posts Chow- wang }- 3 and was sent by him to negociate terms of peace with Kiang tsze-ya. The marquis Kiang seized him and put him to death. So Ch'eng-siu wen-hwan || -
at the court of

his son attacked

Kiang wen-hwan

to
fell

but was defeated in battle and

avenge his father's death His pierced by a lance.

enemy

sent his head as a trophy to Kiang tsz-ya.

As

a sort of delayed indemnity, he

was canonized

as the

spirit of the

White Tiger

star.

(2)

(2)

Fung-shen-yenyi Hwui

9 5

p. 25:

99.

128

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE

XVIII
(B.T.)

I4YVAN-KEU-SHEN

AND RH-LANG-SHEN

iS

W
of

SB

W
Bh-lang.

The Divinity
following
1

Kwan-k'eu (1) and

naturally

/ws sow

The

article

divides itself

into

three headings:

historical facts, legend, cult.

1.

Such facts as seem

The

to rest

on historic basis.
is

Divinity of Kwan-k'eu
is

one Li-ping

#Jt

and the

Rh-lang divinity
In

his son.

the

third

century
Hg

before
3E

Christ

the

famous

Ts'in

^
in

Emperor

Chao-Wang

(255

B.C.)

named

Li-ping

prefect of Ch'eng in

$%

in Sz-ch'wan.

the mountain

Li-tui

J$

J$, one

//

Li got an opening cut south-east of the town

Kwan-hsien, to give an outlet to the waters of the river Moh inundations and draining the marshes. yY. thus preventing

Then he dug two canals across the town Ch'eng-tu: these were navigable and also helped general irrigation purposes. In addition to these services he seems to have abolished the
barbarism of
canonization.

human

sacrifice

to

the river god; hence his

own

(1)

Mt. Kwan-l'cu

is

26

li

to the
JiSc

north-east of

Kwan-hsien
Jl|.

}|g

in

tha sub-prefecture of Cheng-tu

#|i

in Sz-ch'wan

Wen-wung,

native of Lii-lciang

sub-prefecture of Lu-chow-fu in Ngan-hwui towards the closing years of the $L was appointed prefect in Ss-ch'wan Ban Emperor Kingti (g| || if?) 15C - 140 B. C. and made a new bed for
Jjg
'{1

in the

the Tsien-Tciang

fel

tL

by piercing

mountain.

Hence the name

p. 8

jH

p.

Irrigation Mouth.
Cf. Ming-yih-t'ung-shi t$

jjft

Bk. 67

ZVin Hem

7ra

|w^#

Bk. 89

p. 2.

Fig.

166

Eul-lang &

Eul-lang.

kwan-k'eu-shen and rh-lang-shen

(Sources)
Pei-wen-yun-fu-iui-tsz %%
-*

129

|fj /ft

M^
%
67
p.

Bk. 10
Jjg

p.

45
jfc

Kia-k'ing. Sz-ch'wan-t'ung-chi-yii-ti

VH

)\\

jg ji;^l

Bk

10

p.

32

Ming-yih-t'ung-chi
Shi-ki-tseh-yi

$)#;& Bk

23

&

|E $]

Bk

29

p. 2

Ts'ien-han-shu
II.

$|

Bk. 29

p. 1

The Embroidrey of Legend*

We
mountain
sacrifice to

hear

first

of

combat
there

in

countryside of a devastating dragon and chains

Li-tui.

which Li-ping rids the it up under the

(1)

Then

is

ceremony
of
its
jj

of

the

River
is

and an account

abolition.
f[J jpT

human The
(2)

following version

from the

Shi-ki-ho-k'ii-shu

^ #.

In the waters of the channels cut by Li-ping for irrigation and drainage there dwelt a spirit to whom two young girls were
offered annually.

of this marriage. (3)

million cash were spent on the ceremonies He clad Li-ping offered his own daughter.

her sumptuously and committing her to the waters, he went to

the temple of the River-god,
offered a cup of wine

mounted the

but there was

steps of the altar and

no response.

In anger.
;

he cried, "Sovereign of the River: you are insulting me (4) let us have our quarrel out!". With that, he drew his sword and
(1)
(2) (3)

Tuh-sing-tsah-chi

|gH| Bk.5
(jll|

p. 9.
2.

Cf. Shi-M-tseh-yi &. IE

Bk.

2 9 p.

Cf.

"The Five Saints" "Chinese Superstitions Vol XII

sacrifice.

p.

1100"
in

for a description of the ceremonies of Marriage with the River-god.

It

was a human

The

sirls

were elaborately dressed

bridal garments, and seated upon a bridal couch in richly decorated backs; then they were taken out to the deep and drowned.

of

X p. 7 SO. The Marriage of the Count. The Chinese text is not too clear. The above is the explanation capable scholars and seems right. The meaning would be. "I have
See also Vol
(4)

given you

and

my daughter in marriage, have offered you the wine of rejoicing you are boorishly silent. Is not this contemptuous!" It was really
17

picking a quarrel.

130
disappeared.
in deadly

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

But on the river-bank two green bulls were seen being of course Li and the River-god and
Suddenly Li-ping returned
"If
in

combat

the bout lasted long.

his followers

person to
I

and

said,

you do not come to

my

help,

am

dead-beat with fighting. See there to the south, that bull with his flanks girt in the white wrappings of my seal is myself." A Thus the scribe went and stabbed the bull on the north.
River-spirit died and that
HI.

was the

last

heard of him. (1)

Cult.

The
of

Hai-yii-ts'img-kao [$ f

H ^ records that the Divinity

temple of "Eminent Virtue" Kwan-hsien in Sz-ch'wan.

Kwan-k'eu was worshipped

7J< J|t If?

in the
is,

at Yung-k'ang-kiiin

that

This divinity was entitled

King and had

mandarin

assigned to take care of his temple. All the people of Shuh D (Sz-ch'wan) held the temple in great veneration and performed In a single year 40.000 sheep were offered there sacrifices there.

and a toll-duty on them brought in twenty million cash. At the birth-day of the God, the whole prefecture made contributions Even officialdom esteemed for the banquet and processions.
the divinity.

In

1329 A.D.

in

the

Emperor Wen-tsung
the following titles:

7c ^C

first year of his reign, the Yuen conferred on Li-ping and Rh-lang

Li-ping:
ficent

The King hollowed,

virtuous, dear to

all,

magni-

and kindly.
Rh-lang: King magnificent whose renoun is unbounded, in beneficence and wisdom, good and generous.
Rh-lang.

eminent

latter Rh-lang was in recent times more honoured than his father, probably because of the popularity of the Si-yiuki |jj jf[| f (6th Hwui p. 22) which gives this account of him:

This

(1)

Cf. T'aip'ing-yu-lan t Hai-yii-ts'ung-lao

&

^^

-f

ffl

Bk. 882
3 5 p. 20.

p. 4.

Bk.

kwan-k'eu-shen and rh-lang-shen

His name was Chao-kiny |
Taoist adept Li-kioh
jj?

131
of the
ffi tfj
jH'|

and he was a pupil

ffi
}|f

The Sui Emperor Yang-ti (605-617 A.D.) appointed him prefect of Kwan-chow
JJ.

in

Sz-ch'wan.

dragon, under the form of a bull, living in the rivers

jjg

Leng

Ijj-

and Yuen

caused annual floods.

Jp;

in the fifth

month Chao-kiny $g

tackled the question: he

During the flood came

noise by
into

with a

flotilla

of 700 boats, a thousand troops and ten thousand

made a deafening shouting and drumming. 1'chao-kiny flung himself waters with drawn sword to fight the dragon. Those saw the wathers grow red, then there came as it were
stood on the banks and
sion that cast stones into the air and a rumble like

men who

the

watching an explothunder.

The hero emerged brandishing sword

waving about the head

in

hand and with the other

of the monster.

He was twenty-six years of age when he performed this deed but when troubles came upon the national life, he resigned and disappeared. However in a subsequent period of swollen
waters, the people of

Kwan-chow saw him amid

fog

mounted

on a grey horse and crossing the waters attended by hound. (1)

a heavenly

So
P.

temple was erected for him

is

at

Kwan-kiang-k'eu

}|f

/X

And

he

generally

known

as Bh-lang of Kwan-kiang-k'eu,
(2)

grand marshal, nephew

of the divinity.

There

is

however another version

1

of his

relationships in

the Si-yiu-ki Bk.

Hwui

6 p. 22.

was According to this, Bh-lang is Yang-tsien jjf fffc. He Conto Sun-heu-tsz, ^U^^fight deputed by Yuh-hwany 3EI fronted, the two heroes began to recite their titles and Bh-lang
said,

"Do you

not

know
It is

that

am
is

the

nephew

of

Yuh-ii 3

fir

and that

my posthumous name
by order
for the

Hwui-Ung-hien-wang-rh-lang

fi J$ 3E Z2 |R.

of Yuh-ii

ft
&$:

himself that

(1)

The popular name

Sheu-shen-ki

dog

is

Ying k'uen,

the eagle-hound.

(2)

( %)

&

jjjiji

IE P- 45.

132

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

to attack you".

come

"Ah!

said Sun-heu-tsz,"

the younger sister of Yuh-ti daigned to

I remember that come down to earth and

married Yang-kiiin

jjjfo

ig by

whom

she had a son.

So that

is

you!

If

From

dear to you, flee at once or I must kill you! your this it follows that Eh-lang as Yang-tsien is the son of
life is

Yang-kiiin and

nephew
fact,

of

Yuh-hwang,
is

And

in

Bh-lang

identified in

the temples with

Yang-tsien, recognizable by his attendant dog (see fig. 166) or his famous mirror that discovers lurking demons like a search
light, the

Chao-yao-king Pg

%fc

(The Devil-exposer).
titles

few more samples of the posthumous

:

held by

Bh-lang are

~
Rk-lang-shen-sheng-chen-kiiin
Jjft

f$

f|

jflL

;"
l||

Ts'ing-yuen-miao-tao-chen-kiiin $f

])$

^$

^g"

Ch'ih-ch'eng-wang

^^

3E

These
Chcn-tsung

laste

two

%
Jgf

j%
0^

Ming-hwang

were conferred by the Sung Emperor (998-1023 A.D.) and the T'ang Emperor
titles

(Hiien Tsung)

(713-756 A.D).

WANG-LING-KWAN AND SAH SHEU-KIEN

133

ARTICLE XIX

WANG-LING-KWAN AND SAH-SHEU-K1EN

(B.T.)

^ m ^
I.

m * ^
II tV

Wang-llng-kwan. 3E

The
the

statue of this
as

worthy
fft]

in

most Taoist temples plays

in

same

role

K'ia-lan

does

Buddhist temples, a

gate-keeper.

personage we have but faint Yung-loh fa |^, the Ming ty] reign from 1403 to 1425 A. D., there was a Taoist adept famous for skill, one Cheu-sz-tih, )g] a native of Cheh-kiang province (from ffi.

Of

his history as a historical of

details.

At the court

&

the sub-prefecture of Ts'iuen-t'ang-hsien ||

ly of

|- j$,

more accuratea

Hang-cl\ow $l

j\]).
;$/,

He seems

to

have

been

pupil

of

Chang-yu-ch'u ^g

the 43rd Grand-Master of Taoist, but he

attributed his adept practice to the tradition of Wang-yuen-shwai

3i 7C

Bffr

otherwise Wan-ling -I wan,

first

among

the

twenty-six

heavenly marshals, president of the Heavenly Ministry of Fire. This ang-ling-kwan was the pupil of Sah-sheu-kien (see below

and he

in turn

was

in the reign

of

Sung Emperor Ewui-tsung

&%
seems
tor.

9j?

(1101-1126 A. D.) a pupil of the notorious Taoist adept

ffi

Lin Ling-su

f|

^.

As
to

for the cult of a

Wang;

the

Emperor Yung-loh

fa

have been a great promoter if not the actual inauguraIn his reign an antique statue of Wang was found on the

shore of the sea and the Emperor worshipped

evening.

He

also

had

sacrifices

performed

in

it morning and Wang's honour to

the west of the imperial

of his petitions. of the

town

as a thanksgiving for the hearing

He had

a temple built for

him

called

"Temple

Heavenly Marshal". In the reign Siian Teh Iff gg (14261436 A. D.). the title was changed to "Temple of the Virtue of
Fire" and

Wang

received the

title of

"True Prince Glorious and

134

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

This emperor had also the characters for, "Palace of Virtue and the Resplendent Intelligence" set on the facade of the temple. The emperor Hicn-tsung Bj jj?
Kindly".
the

Great

1465-1488 A. D. changed the name of the temple to that of "Palace of the Virtue of Fire" and added two characters

MM

Hien-Ung

to

the

worthy's

titles,

meaning as much
the

as

"Thaumaturge."
Every three months, the robe and dress
statue were
of

temple

Every three years, certain parts were consigned to the fire and every ten years the whole the costly outfit was destroyed and renewed with all its pearls, jade and silks. Celebrations were held on Fajijf's birth-day, and on New
changed.
Year's Day, the
tion of

Summer Solstice and the Feast Wang and Sah, officials were deputed to
jg

of

the Appari-

offer sacrifice.
Jffj

But when one Kou-kioh

f|f

J and his son Ku-lun

by Wang and Sah, the affair became a source of disorder, and the government had to exile these two men. Then two presidents of the Tribunal of Rites, and Wen-i denounced the llung-mo $fc $e (Ming period)
pretended
to

be

possessed

cult as a
built

senseless
it,

temples for

But as preceding emperors had on one ventured to abolish the sacrifices.

practice.

However, the sensible arrangement was made that the various were to be kept in the monastery and not it was to be an affair for the temple exchequer. (1) destroyed:
sets of gala dress

In

fig.

594

it

may

be noted

(as in

fig.

172)

that

Wang

has three eyes, hence his place in a Taoist temple, sometimes even in a Buddist one is door-keeper in a niche opposite the He entry, helped often by the K'ia Ian (2) or by Wei-t'u.
carries a club to

drive

away

evil

spirits.

Sometimes he

is

staff-officer for the gods,

in a

sometimes he enjoys the principal place

temple as chief object of cult therein.

Hai-yii-ts-ung'kao fa
tfc

(!)

Ming

yih-t'ung-chi ty

%.

tfc

:# Bk. 35 p. 24 etc. 7& Bk. 38 p. 36.

p.

(2) flm jg See Vol. VII Art XII importation of Buddhism).

313 Weit'o

ffe

is

Veda, an Indian

Fig.

107

2-

f
f

f^

Watig-ling-koan (Pagode de T'ong-tcheou).

Wang-ling-kwan

(In a Tnonastery at T'ung Chow).

THE TEMPLE OF WANG-LING-KWAN

135

o o o
1

3l

136

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

II.

Sah-chen-jen.

jfj

^ A

This Sah-sheu-kien
Lin ling-su

H^
"g"

|g said to have been a pupil of

if

in the reign of
-/pj

A.D.)was
killed

a native of Si-ho

in

Hwui-tsung $fc ^q (1101-1126 Sz-ch'wan and was a doctor

by profession.
a

day, by a slip of the pen, his prescriptions Sah renounced his practice and left for and patient
fx.

One

Kiang-nan
Hii-tsing

1^

hoping to learn

at the feet of the

Taoist adepts

3Ef#^. But when he got as far as Shen-si j^ff his purse proved to be empty. Three Taoist worthies met him and told him that the Adepts whom
j$f |jf,

Lin-ling-su and Wang-shi-ch'en

,

he sought had already

left this

earth

to console his grief,

each

gave him

a talisman.

Hii-tsing, for

written letter; the second gave a recited, made the reciter the possessor of seven cash; the third,
a spell giving power at will to make a thunderbolt strike. Sah-sheu-kien parted from these good people, and thanks to a

was no other, gave him a charm that each time, on being

it

recitation

of

the

charm

hundred times

day, covered his

expenses and even could bestow alms. On arriving at the Grand-master's dwelling in Kiang-si, he found all in mourning
for Hii-tsing,

who had

died a few days before.

lo
!

The new-comer
just
died.

presented his letter,

T'ien-shi
letter ran

and

it

was

the handwriting of the great

gjjj

(Heavenly Master)
:

who had

The

Hii-wang and Lin have met Sha and each You can safely send up his of us has given him a talisman.
three,

We

name

to the

Emperor
a

for promotion.

Sah became
tha

famous magician.
#|| |f|

Having learned
(in

that in
in

town

of Siang-yin-hsien

Hunan
girls

]ft

the

district of

Chang-sha

-fsk

$?

young boys and

|5g

were offered
he went to
I

in sacrifice to

Ch'eng-hwang J$

(1)

in

a temple,
is

investigate.

As soon

as ever he said, "It

an

evil spirit,

am

going to

burn his temple," the lightning flashed and the temple

He

is

(1) Ch'eng-hicang J$ [! is the tutelary spirit in charge of a town. the Heavenly Mandarin of the place. See Vol. XI Art III p. 874.

Fig.

168

Sa tchen-jen

et le

Tch'eng-hoang chen sortant des eaux.

the

Sah Chen-jen and

God of

the city

moat corning out of

the water.

WANG-LING-KWAN AND SAH-SHEU-KIEN

13?

was past

saving.

It

was never

rebuilt. (1)

Another account runs as follows. Sah-chen-jen stayed in that same temple and during the night the Ch'eng-hwang (or local tutelary god j$ |?Ji appeared to a villager and ordered him to eject an obnoxious Taoist adept from his temple. When the
villager got as far as

the

gave him

some

sticks

of

temple gate, Sah-shen-kien met him, incense and said, "When I am

the
foot
of

gone

out, just light this at

Ch'eng-hwang' $ statue."
the

The

result

was lightning bursting from

to

incense-burner and

the destruction of the temple as in the other account.

But now
(fig.

follows something better

refers.

which our

illustration

168)

Sah wished

to put the river

between himself and possible

:

consequences, but there was no ferryman so he steered himself across and then deposited the fare on the thwart of the ferry.
river-flood

Straightway a figure armed with a golden axe rose from the and greeted Shen-kin. He introduced himself as the
the

divinity of

burned temple

"I

have accused you

before

Shang-ti J^
and,
if

and have got orders

to track

you

for three

years

your conduct, I am to strike do you come to me to day retorted Sha, "But," pray, "Why, you". if the three years are not run yet?" "Because your flawless honesty
I

find the slightest flaw in

in

using the ferry has inspired

disciple. (2)

me with

the desire to follow you

and be your

Another variant again to this is found in the Sheu-shen-ki of the river at (see footnote above). Sah standing on the edge from amid the waters. a saw figure rising Lung-hing-fu f1 J& Jff
This apparition had a golden-breastplate and held a whip in its In answer to Sah, it explained that it was the right hand. and that he had been divinity of the temple of Siang-yiu-hsien
behaviour those twelve fruitlessly spying to find a defect in Sah's as Sha was shortly to be admitted to high heavenly
years:
dignity,
(1)

would he kindly
Sheu-shen-li

find

subordinate position for this

($

f4 tH)

_fc

p. 35.
p. 29.

(2)

Kia-ling-hu-nan-t'ungchi Hf gj $j gj JS J& Bk. 171

18

138

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

divinity?" Sha retorted,

"Would your
divinity

cruelty and wickedness

his

do

me any

credit?"

The

swore to mend

ways, and

Sah made a successful petition to Yuh-ti 3 employ him as marshal.

Shen-kin went on toTs'ing chow $|
a
)]}

to be allowed to

and there he received

message from a group of heaven's officials that orders were just coming from heaven summoning him to take up his high divinity
there.

On

the

word he

rose and

became immortal.
a coffin,
:

When

his

mortal remains were enclosed in

the coffin
to be

it

was remarked

that

was so heavier than before it was opened and found So it was known that he had become an immortal. The Ming Emperor Siian Teh Bj m. W. entitled Sah's True prince
empty.

eminent and beneficent.

Fig. 169

Tchen-yuen-sien.

The Immortal Chen-yuan.

CHEN YUAN THE IMMORTAL

139

AKTICLE

XX
(Sien>

CHEN YUAN THE IMMORTAL

R
7c
fill

This immortal was a younger

jen
(1)
lX|

$^^ A'
frfi

of brother T'ai-yih-hwang-

He
l

lived a hermit's life

on Mt. Wan-sheu

HH H
;Jc

at Si-t'u ] J;.

fc

His master was Yuh-ch'en-ta-fah-shi 3 wno as usua trained him in magical arts. When he
to attend his brother's instruc%$.

had finished that course, he went

Sz-ch'wan.

tions in the temple Pch-yuh-lcu g ~

in
[Jj

on Mt. Ngo-mei

||$ |||

Both
of the

of

them were among the guests

is

at the great

banquet

gods given by Wang-mu

(2)

Ji-fy for the feast of P'an-t'ao-hwui

That

to say, they
the

were both ranked as immortals.

legendary ages,

(1)

T'ai-i-Mcang-jen Jived in

some time

after

Jen-hwang A M.'< distinguished for skill in government, he was elected emperor and reigned for over four hundred years. His sons were Tu $t> and Chang ^t. He studied the science of immortality on Mt. Ngo-mei |1$

Hi

(Sz-ch'wan pg

)\\).

(2)

Shen-sien-t'ung-Jcien j$

-foil

IS Bk.

1,

art. 2 p. 5;

Bk.
Bk.

1 art. 6 p. 2. 2 art. 9 p.

6-8.

140

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE XXI

LIEH-TSZE

(T)

m
The legend
Till

*
a literary
title
(

Lieh-tsze

is

for a
ft.

man
In

of the
first

tribe (|^)

whose name was Ma-tan

in

his

existence he had been

charge

of forestry

under Hicn-kung

^
and

&

(882-811 B.C.).

But when

this prince destroyed the Tih,

put Kung-t'ai-tsz

^ic^

to death,

Ma-tan

%ft
=f

fled

from court.

In the time of Chao-silen-tsz j&

(595-576 B.C.)

Ma

reappeared under the name of Tun Jjf. He mounted his chariot and entered the capital of Tsin ff. The prince Ling ft had intended to bestow office on him, but as the prince was guilty
of

some

lack of deference,

Tun disappeared

in a whirl-wind.

So

the people of the North worship him.

Now Tun
Twice he was

rebuffed,

endeavoured to become a pupil of In-hi J' some months later he was honoured with
with a smile and
finally after
five

a look, three years after that

more years of aspirancy, he was accepted and how to become immortal.

In-hi taught

him

Tun married

young woman named Cheng f$ and then

sought out a new master, one

Hu

K'iu

tsze lin

jjg

^^

with

whom
>)\\

he stayed nine years.

Then he removed

to

Pah-chow

where he studied under Lao-shang-shi $ jgj j. Here he became the intimate of Peh-kao-tsze fj -^ and attained perfect

knowledge: he could now walk about the sky on wings of the wind. Again he assumed a new name, Yii k'eu ||2 ^g and retired
from men
It

for 40 years in the

kingdom

of
[jg

Cheng
ffl

ffl.

was

at this period in Pu-t'ien

that he

composed

the eight sections of the Lieh-tsze 7?\\ :f, afterwards called the He had considerable numbers of pupils Chung-hil-king ?#jt3f|[.

Fig. 170

Lie-tse.

Lieh-tze-

LIEH-TSZE
especially at the period of

141

Duke Muh ^^. Word was brought that he had living in his mandarin Tsz-yang district a man of worth who was poor and would be a fitting Person on whom to bestow alms. Tsz-yang sent Lich some scores of wheel-barrows laden with grain, but Lieh thanked him
to the local

^^

and declined to accept.

When

self-denial, he explained that

his wife was annoyed by this though the mandarin had just then

believed good reports about himself, he might in the future give ear to evil critics and so he preferred not to take any gift-

Shortly after that, when the people of Cheng put to death Tsz gang and his adherents, Lieh-tsze was not molested. (1)

(1)

Cf. Sken-sien-t'ung-kien i$

i\]\

M&

Bk.

6 art.

p.

78.

142

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

APPENDIX

THE HISTORICAL, LIEH-TSZE AND

1.

HIS WORKS.

The Author.

No
life,

precise date can be fixed for the

all

period of Lieh-tsze

but pretty well

are

agreed

that

it

was

in

the

period

immediately following the death of Confucius, that is, after 479 B.C. Others say that he was compelled to leave the territory of

Cheng f|J$ by a famine in 398 after he had lived there and obscurity for 40 years.
His
but
real

in

poverty

name was Lieh

Yii-k'eu

$\\

%.

Some

critics
?

have taken the name of the work "Lieh-tsze" to be a nom-de-plume

in all probability the eight

chapters contain for the most part the actual teaching of Lieh-tsze though edited by his immediate disciples and later on modified or added to.

The

actual

work

is

clearly

composite arrangement by

several authors

who have

put their

own
p]

ideas

into

it.

But

to

conclude, as a critic of the Sung

existed in as
of him,

period did, that Lich-tsz never

J| jg

much
to

as Sz-ma Ts'ien

makes no mention
Rather, there are

would be

go beyond- the premises.

so

many

semi-historical legends about

him that he must have

existed.
2.

His Work.
Lieh-tsze

elusive,

and Chwang-tsze % vague doctrine that is the Too

both handle the

same

of Lao-tsze

(^

^f) in the

IJcH

$*

However

the

works

of

these two are those of real

writers.

thinkers, a rare qualification

among Chinese
is

They have

developed the Master's doctrine and that

found to be enriched

and enlarged by the process.

THE LIFE OF LIEH-TSZE

Lieh-tsze's Treatise
tf& jgg

143

was

first

entitled;
Jit

Chung-hu-king
~&

#fi

In 742, the

Emperor Hiien Tsung

tk

named

it:

Chung-M-chen-king ty were added and it was

^^

$g.

Later on, two more characters

hii-chi-teh

called:

Chung

chen king

tyi

jjfj[

mmm
XX

into

These works have been translated

In French two are available:
p.
les

many

languages.

282

sq.

Wieger

S.J.
:

Annates du Musee Cuimet, Tome Taoisme II p. 69 to p. 200. Partial

translations into English

F.H. Balfour in Leaves from

Taoist Teachings

my

Chinese

Scrapbook
(1912)
3.

(1887).

Giles:

Wisdom

of the Fast

His Doctrine.

On the

origin of things v.g. Chapter

one hand, profound and difficult speculations on the I. The nature of the primal Too 3f
,

a begetter not begotten, transformer nor itself tranformed everexistent,

in the universe in virtue of the two-fold law, of the

ty of

immutable beyond sensation, whence issue all the beings two fold modaliYang p and Yin |5fj (the Active Principle and the Passive).

On
and
the

the other hand, complete incertitude as to the origin

end of man.
;

"The

state of death

the dead

living know nothing know nothing of their

of

their

future

future state of

(an insinuation of metempsychosis). Also there is a rude pantheism, "Thy body belongs to the skies and the earth
life"

new

of

which

it is

a morsel.

Thy

life is

an atom of cosmic harmony

:...

thy children and babies are thine but belong to the Great All. Life is a theft from nature: all men though they be not culpable
thieves, yet live

by stealing from sky and earth."

course of the work the two more prolific ideas conduct

Added
everywhere of Taoism:
in politics
life,

to this mixture of shallowness and depth one finds

in the
first,

the idea of unconstraint, free-and easy

and morals; secondly, practices aiming at prolonging etherializing, refining away the body and arriving at the

condition of an immortal genius.

We

find constantly these

same

144

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

tendencies in Chinese Taoism, even here in what are after the

Tao-teh-king the fundamental documents of the doctrine, Lieh-tsze

and Chwang-tsze (Article XXII). It is these characteristics which become more and more marked as we approach the charlatan Taoism of Chang Tao-ling ijg (1)

&

The
349
of

text of Lieh-tsze

is

readily available in coll.

348 and

the

Commercial

Press's

new

edition

of

the

Taoist

Canonical Writings.
Encyclopedia Sinica (coulingl Lich
Tzii.

(1)

Tsz'-yuan |$ $ (Lieh

Jlj)

Wieger Taoisme,

Tom

II

(Les Peres du Systime Taoist e) passim.

NAN-HWA-CHWANG-SHENG

145

AETICLE XXII

NAN-HYVA-CHWANG-SHEIVG
Bf

(T)

*
^
a

CHWANG-TSZE, AUTHOR OF THE "NAN-HWA-KING."

Chwang-sheng
Chivang-tsze $
|j

also

called

Chwang-cheu %
of

f$

and

was

distant

descendant

Chwang-Wang

$ 3 king of Ch'u 3S (not his third son as the

Tffy

Sheu-shen-ki

T'ung-shan $ |i| in the territory of Mung-hsien $& where he filled an official position. It was there that he professed himself a disciple of Lao-Tsze $
IE
it).

would have

He

dwelt at

^ (the historical

Chwang
a

died about 320 B.C.)

often
fall

During the day, he would

sleep,

asleep
gaily

and

in

his

he

became

butterfly

that

fluttered

about

the

garden.

On

movement

of

awaking, his shoulders were still twitching with the his wings. Puzzled he consulted Lao-tsze (the

historical personage died about 490 B.C.)

"Oh",

said

Lao-Kuen

j1$, "do you not

that

know

that formerly you were a white butterfly

was to become immortal after having fed on the quintessence of flowers and so nourished yourself on the quintessence of but one day you raided the peaches and Yin |^ and Yang

flowers in the garden of Wang-mu-niang-niang 3E

the Blue Bird, (1) guardian of the garden, killed

1 i&

a,K

'

you and you

had to be reincarnated."
Chwang-cheu, at
secret of his
fifty

years

of

age,

at

last

learned

the

being.
is

Lao-tsze

perceiving

his

virtue,

gave him

(1)

The Blue Bird

ter (the fabulous

farmer-emperor

a metamorphosis of Shen-nung-hwanfj-ti's daughj& ^r ifr dated about 2737-2697 B.C.).

jjiiji

She was drowned

in crossing the sea to join Ch'ih

Sung Tsse jr-fc^-

Then

she was changed into a blue bird and ordered to fill up the sea by dumping all sorts of things into it. Wang-mu took pity on her and made her the

guardian of her garden.

(Cf. Shen-sien-t'ung-Men).

19

146
the five thousand

IMMORTAL GODS, GEN] I

characters of the Tao-teh-king jg ^g $g (the he learned them off with the result that he saw

Taoist Classic)
his

body spiritualize and he was enabled at will to change shape. So he resigned his office, (1) left Lao-tsze, crossed over into Ts'i y^ and became the intimate of a rich merchant T'ao-chu-kung

m *
the

(2)
off to
-

where kingdom of Ch'u him as his C, employed j|C prince master and here he wrote the Tung -ling-Icing fg $g in 9
the

Later on he went

Hwui

3E 488

432

B.

jlpj

chapters with the collaboration of his

friend
EB

^.

Here

also a

man named

T'ien-is'i

Keng-sang-ch'u )^ took him for his

This was his third wife for he had already had and after her Chwang-k'iao %E 5$|, the daughter of one Ch'u
son-in-law.

death he had married one Sung 5 but he had put her away for

bad conduct.

(3)
little
;|

He

stayed with his father-in-law in Ch'u for a

j||

over

a year, then he left for the grotto of Lien-hwa-tung

-j[ji]

on

in Chao-ti g ^. There he took Mt. Miao-ku-she f J iLl (previously known as 'ft J!$ up a pupil one Ting-ling-wei

Ting-ku

|)

man

of Liao-tung

jf

^.
and took to writing. He wheel-barrows. Wei-wang
official to invite

Then

he returned io Ch'u

produced enough writings to fill five of Ch'u Jjg sent thrice a high JlSt 3E king
take
office.

him

to

he offered a "retainer" of 100 golden pieces, and on the other two occasions raised it to 1000 but Chwang-tsze
first

At

He suggested that if the king would have service from him, he might call his son to court. The king fell in with this suggestion and the son became minister.
was unmoved.
(1)

The Sluu-shen-li gives a

political reason

for his resignation;

viz

the wars of Wu-tsz-sii

(2)

-f"

Wof successful
^f-j

The name, as a pledge

commerce

often

occurs

on

the antithetic couplets

(3)

Tui-ls? f

presented to merchants.

The Sheu-shen-ki gives him as spouse Jo-ngaoshi

^ %c

JT;,

and a

son Chwang-chi-yang $

^..

Fig. 171

Hoai nan-tse.
Hwai-nan-tse.

NAN-HWA-CHWANG-SHENG
T'ao-ehow-kung's son
( pflj

147

is

condemned.

$jf?

T'ao had three sons and the second of them T'ao-pien )% while drunk killed a man. He was arrested and was to he

beheaded.
letter

So the father sent

t>

his eldest

Ch'ih-sun fp

If

with a

and a quantity of gold

help.

He

Chwang-sheng in order to get his instructed Ch'ih-sun not to meddle with the business
letter

beyond handing the

and the gold

to

Chwang who was

to

act for his friend with the fullest possible liberty.

but the advice was not taken.

Chwang-sheng told the young man he might go back home, However Chwang went off to the

that the only

ners.

king and told him that an unlucky star was about to appear and method to avoid disaster was to set free all priso-

So the king issued an amnesty.

Ch'ih-sun did not

know of Chwang's action in the matter and thinking he had done nothing to help, demanded back the gold. Chwang gave it back but he was raging. So back he went
and told the king that among the amnestied was one T'ao, guilty of homicide, who on being freed had circulated a story that the king had been bribed to open the prisons.
to the palace

The king got

T'ao arrested and beheaded.

Ch'ih-sun buried the

Ins

body and returned home to be upbraided by

father:

"It

is

your love for gold that has killed your brother." Chwang-sheng handed his pupil over to a friend, Fcu-k'tuwung ffi- Si ft and went off witn nis wife to &un 9 *M- Here lle j\\ and retired to Mt. Nan-hwa p^ || [jj at Ts'ao-chow spent

his

days

in

writing.

There ho wrote the Nan-hwa-king

chapters.

A
there.

humourous

incident

is

connected with the sage's stay

One day walking

at the foot of the

mountain, he saw a

freshly heaped grave-mound with a young widow beside it busily engaged in fanning the soil. Interested as a sage should be, he

approached and begged for an explanation. The widow was furthering her husband's last will for he had enjoined on her not
to

marry before the earth on

his grave should

have dried. Chwang-

148

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

sheng gallantly offered his services to expedite matters, took the The widow fan, waved it and lo the earth was dry as a bone.
!

thanked him and went

off

on her business.

Chwang-sheng told the incident to his wife on coming back home. The lady was shocked at such unseemly conduct in
a fresh

widow.

way

of the world."
it

"Oh, not at all," said the sage, "that's the usual His wife, scenting the sarcasm, protested

under oath that

was not her way.

en wife buried him.

Shortly ofterwards, Chwang-sheng died and his grief strickA few days after the funeral a young man

Ch'u-wang-sun

fJ|

translation) arrived intending to

(Grandson of the King of Ch'u is the become Chwang's pupil. "What!

Dead Then show me

!

to the

tomb

!"

And

he did reverence

to

the grave.

Finding an empty room somewhere there, he settled down to study. When half a month had passed, the widow approached Ch'u-w ting-sun's servant, a discreat elderly man.

Was

his

master married?
to act as

"No!"

Then would

the

man

be good

enough

go-between? Ch'u-wang-sun

in fact

made some

about the impropriety of unseemly haste. "But", said the lady, "my husband is dead and that is all that is to be said." So she put off her widow's weeds and got ready for fresh Then Wang-sun brought her face to face with her nuptials.
difficulties

husband's tomb and said, "Your

man

is
it

risen

!"

She scanned

the face opposite her and sure enough,

was her own Chwang-

sheng she hanged herself for very shame. in the vacant tomb and struck up a song.

Chwang buried her

Having burnt his house, off he went to Puh-shui '0 y^ where he engaged in fishing. Thence he went to Chung -tiao-shan and his mistress Hiien-nil where he met Fung-hen /H, rf* jfc |i|

j ~k (or

% #

Mother

of

Heaven).

walk the skies or

the gods at

visit astral dwellings.

With him he loved to One day, dining with

Wang-mu's (^ -f$), he was invested by Shang-ti J^ with the kingship in Jupiter and assigned as his palace the who had \%, a stellar god dwelling vacated by Mao-mung

NAN-HWA-CHWANG-SHENG
reincarnated himself in the

149

come back

to claim his starry abode.

of

Chow dynasty and had not since Now Shang-ti recommendshould

be

ed that in future leave

absence

asked

and

not

merely taken. (1)

(1)

Shen-sien-t'ung-kien
Sheu-shen-Tci
}$

jpji

fill

}j
(

Bk.

6,

art

5,

p.

4:

art

p.

jjjf

ffl

h J&)

(I part) p. 62-63.

150

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

APPENDIX

THE HISTORICAL CHWANG-TSZE

I.

=f-

AND HIS WORK.

The man.

Usually known as Chwang-tsze this famous Taoist's family name was Chwang but his personal name Chow Jg], with the other
characters
chen-jen
]ff

Tszc-hiu
ij

j||

His posthumous title is Nan-hwa fo. and he merits the "chen-jen" by his vigo-

rous, original thinking.

the duchy of
to

Mung-hsien ^' $ in Sui Yang f}f| |^ in and lived at Tung-shan y dj. According $~ some authorities he was originally from Liang Jf.
at

He was

born

Sung

Chwang
and went

filled

an

official

post at Mung-hsien but resigned

Ts'i

off to the

kingdom

of

where he formed an

intimate friendship with Tao-chu-kung f$

^^

(1),

an important

merchant

in that country.

From Ts'i, Chwang went to the kingdom of Ch'u ^ where he composed the Tung-ling-king ^\ f| Jg? in nine chapters. It was in Ch'u that the king Wei Wang /$ J thrice offered him
official position.
II.

His Work.

In 742 A. D., the T'ang Emperor Huen-isung Jf ] conferred on Chwang-tsze the posthumous title of Nan-hwa-chenjen
Tfj"

Ijl

jit

and consequently the

pfr

title of his

over since been

(1)
e.

if|

$?

The

text

will

writings has be found in the

i.

Yiieh

fj|

over Wv.

Fan-Li fg |g having helped as Minister to the final victory of j^, left Yueh in 472 for Ts'i where he became rich by comof Ch'e I tsz Pi ilj^-^ft

merce under the name

minister.

and subsequently became

f>)

Again he resigned and wandered off to T'ao (S.W. Shantung): here again he became rich trading and farming under the names of
T'ao-chu-kung
(If^

THE LIFE OF CHWANG-TSZE

Commercial Press edition
(coll. 349, 350,

151

of the Taoist

Canon under N 687

II)
in

351)

in

Wieger (Taoisme
to be
:

665.

French translations are

found

"Les Annates du

Musee Guimet,
p.

torn

XX

202-509.

In

English

213 sq. Wieger, S.J., Taoisme II there is Giles: Chwang Tsu, Mystic,
p.

Moralist and Social Reformer.

Legge

Texts of Taoism

(Sacred

Books of the East).

The
1. 2.

treatise comprises three sections:

Nei-pien

f^j

in 7

chapters:

work

of Chwang-tsze.

Wai-pien

#\>

|f in 15 chapters.
in 11 chapters.

3.

Tsah-pien $ J|
last

The

two sections

are the

work

of pupils,

not of the

master himself.
Chwang-tsze collaborated with his friend Keng-sang-ch'u
$t

HM
new

commonly

called Kang-tsang-tsze
-j(5j

% ^

^,
(in

in the vol.

com-

position of the

the

ft Tung-ling chen king C.P. edition of the Taoist Canon).

$g

349 of

These two works together with

:f fc %l $g, Lieh-tsze's
Yin-hi's f*
fl\

Lao-tsze's Tao-teli-king =

^
jgj

Tch'un

hii

chen king ty jg
*&

gf.

Wen-shi-chen-king (1)

$&,

and Wen-tsze's
real

-=f

T'ung-hiien-chen-king

; jg $g

form the

corpus of

Taoist doctrine.
1IT.

His Doctrine.
A.

The

critic.

retorts that Chwang-tsze has flashes of wit, slashing in the have passed into proverbs. He is an unrivalled master is not Confucius Even spared. the weak spot. art of

piercing

Having brought

to the bar of the critic's justice that Utopian tales fair speaker from Lu, that monger of silly "the politician and Wu-wang ", Chwangto the credit of Wen-wang

(c 742 A.D.) Yin-hsi. "TTT^Pr^bably the^vork of T'ien Vung-siu Efl ft through which Lao-Uze passed the guardian of the pass Ban-Tcuh jg out West.

152
tsze

IMMORTAL CODS, GENII

concludes with this
final

sentence:

"He may count

as a

not as a master of the antique." "to want to fit ancient ways to the ideas of one's contemporaries, is running your car over the water and your boat over the land."
teller of the antique,

B.

The Philosopher.
least

At

he has the honesty to confess ignorance as to

the law that governs the great cosmic transformations, cosmic evolution, the origin of the world. "To say of the universe "some
:

one has made

it",

or

it

has

come from nothing

are alike inde-

monstrable propositions." Chwang-tsze professes to know nothing about the essence of the Chao |g, of that Principle which he knows
only by
its

external manifestations.

To

ask questions about the

principle or to

answer them

alike

betrays ignorance as to the

very Principle itself. Questions or answers concerning its nature are foolish and inept for they suppose in the people who make them a total ignorance of the nature of the universe and of the

Great Beginning. Surely a warning for commentators of the Tao-ieh-king and for those who would devise systems of interpretation for
it.

The principal points of the doctrine contained in Chxcang-tss's works may perhaps be reduced to these heads:
1.

Therein

is

Non-interference, non-assertion, inaction, "apathy": "If a man would last the way of Heaven. long, he
his

must moderate
body
till

own
life

self,

not press to the extreme of any-

thing, always stop half-way.

intact,

maintain

In this fashion one will keep one's to the very last, support one's parents

their death

and

last oneself to the

very end of one's allotted

span." "One makes life last by using it only on that which does not use it up." Chwang-tsze ch. III.
2.
i.e.

a)

Affliction
c)

Egoism. Avoid what might use up the vital principle and worries, b) Too lively a desire of results

and
"If

success,

Working

over-busily at
will

making oneself

useful.

you are

a useful

man, you

not live to be an old one."

THE LIFE OF CHWANG-TSZE

153

"The axe spares the

useless tree but cuts

:

got an acknowledged value

3.

the over-zealous

down any one that has man is over-used."

in

Pantheism. "All beings are participation

a
let

the Great

All".

Heaven and earth make

undergo transformation;
will.

mighty crucible in which beings us leave the founder to do as he

should accept in good part all that transformation fashions out of us. The material of existing things has served
will

We

and
do

serve

in

due succession
full liberty to

beings:

let

us leave

for a quantity of different the transforming principle to

Your body is merely the loan of some coarse matter its work. which heaven and earth have made to you for a span of time* Your life is a combination of subtile matter which also you have from heaven and earth.
4.

Taoist

to aid its action.

line

with the

Wisdom Let Heaven act and do not attempt The crowning height of wisdom is to fall into march of universal evolution. Let time work, swim
concentrate on inaction.
life

with the current,

Real

science,

real

wisdom

consists in maintaining one's

to the
it

end

of the years

assigned by
Chwang-tsze.
Cf.

nature without shortening Chap. VI and XI.

II p.

by one's

own

fault.

Wieger Tom.

408-4]

1,

43X, 43H etc.

References
Chi-na wen Moh shi
it.

ffl

%&
fill

Vol. 67.
(

J:

p.

17-18

p.

21-22.

Chen-sien-lieh-chwang
Ts's-yuen g$
'[].

jp|i

'S\\

#/

|;

#). Fa
Li

(Chwang

J|

).

Mayers.
Shen-sien

Chinese Reader's Manual: N 92 Chwang Chow N N 336, Lao tsze.

t'ung-lcienjjft
fill

127,

jifi

|g

1.

c. in

text above.

20

154

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

AETICLE

XXIII

HVVA1

NAN TSZE
=f

m s
THE SAGE FROM THE
The Legend. SOI Til

OF THE HVVAI RIVER

This worth}- was originally one Liu-ngan

king- of the
in

^lj

and was
is

districts

south of the
jj'j-

Hwai

in 122-116 B.

C, that
fH

the period Yuan-sheu 7c

of the

Han Emperor Wu-ti

^f.
j*X-

His younger In-other was Liu-se f'lj fl^, king of Lu-Mang Jg How the former came to get the title used above will be

explained by the narrative.

Liu-ngan had the reputation of being well versed in learAfter studies under Kiien-tsze and ning especially in astrology. a famous who -^p, taught him the three treatises of }f| magician
the K'in-sin 3p

X<i-shu
pit n

pfcj

^|

eh

;||

Liu wrote the >fr (The Tempering of the Heart), (The Inward Writing) in 21 chapters, the Chung(The Mean) in 8 chapters and then the three books
'jjjf

of the

Hung-pao-wan-pih $|
Liu

Jjl

on transformations, a work
for

of 100,000 characters.

was responsible

famous cookery

recipes: he taught the people to grind beans, to

make

the pickle
f$.

"Tsiang-yeu

-f|

and the famous bean-curd cheese Teu-fu If

About

this time people

remarked

in the
3E.
1

kingdom
"i^

a young-

man who
a very

called himself Wang-chung-Jcao

fff

and there was

one very old

in

man who

told
;

how he had
in

seen this young person

long time before

appearance

to the king's

and received

he was one who made his One Wu-pei f |) brought this notice and the king had Wang summoned to court him with all honour. After a long time, Wang at
fact

every generation.

last confided to the

hwang-ti $f

i|ig

jir

king that he was the In-other of Hien-yuen(i.e. Hwang-ti or else an emperor from the

Fig. 172

Wang

yuen-choai.

Generalissimo

Wang

1IWAI

NAN TSZE

155

ninth
at
^

fabulous epoch) and that lie had retired to M't. Peh 4b because the Ts'in emperor She-hwang Skang-kuh J^

|Ij

Ijfa

(211-20!i
it

make

my

B.C.) had summoned him to write characters. "1 business" he went on "to teach men the doctrine of

immortality." The king of course immediately asked how that could be achieved. "My friends will come to teach you", said

Wang-chung-kao ]

ftf

"|fj.

few months afterwards. Wang left the country and eight venerable old men with white beards and hair presented themselves
at

the

palace

gate

requesting an
a

audience.

Word was
official

brought to the king and he sent

interview
told that the king
tality,

smooth-tongued

to

these importuners and get rid of them.

They were

was on the look-out

for

three things, immorcraft for killing

of

deeper knowledge

of the Doctrine,

magic

*igers and rearing buildings, and, as old

furthering- those ends, the official

men were
it

no use

in

could not dare to usher them

smiled:

into the royal presence.

look at a king and old

The old men men might be

was no crime
all.

to

useful after

And with

the

that they turned themselves into radiant young men! Off went official to the king and King Liu in person crime out to the
in

palace door to receive them, barefoot, for he forgot

to
slip

his

haste
u t'ai

on
,,
f[Ij

his
|fj*

shoes.

He brought them

into the S;-si<

Palace

and there prostrate before them, he professed

himself their pupil.

The
to

eight resumed their venerable aged forms and recited

him

wdiat they could do by

and the elements.

way of controlling winds, thunder The king asked them for the elixir: the\

explained to him the 36 books of the ////< n-ytih-tan-kingi Alchemy) ~p_ Ti -ft W. ail( every day escorted him to collect magic simp
l

On

the Pah-kung-shan, the Mountain of the Eight Venerabies

(Jj

/{

near Sheu-chow

^
ffi

l!'|

(Longevity

Town)

they concocted

the eiixir.
In 122 B.C. (jc

year). Liu-ngan's son, Liu-ts'ien

$\\

j|

who

believed himself to be an incomparable

swordsman

challen-

1-36

IMMORTAL CODS. OENII

a military officer,

ged

one Lei-pei
In

f]f

fj,

highly skilled with the

Lei-pei inadvertently

sword, to a fencing-bout.

the

match

wounded

the prince.

one of his friends

Fearful of consequences, Lei plotted with Wu-pei \\i $ and forwarded to the Emperor

hatching a revolt against the throne. of this sent an envoy Tsung-cheng

Wu-ti a denunciation of the two Liu brothers, the kings, as The emperor on receipt

IE

to punish

them.

The

king of Lii-kiang, Liu-se,

the younger brother,

hung

himself on

hearing of this turn of fortune. Before the imperial delegate got to

Hwai Nan,

the eight

immortals came

to invite

Liu-ngan to go

off

with them. Liu not

first;

knowing

of his

brother's death, wanted to fetch him

loss,

on

hearing of his

he demanded the death of the false Lei-pei

for,

and Wu-pei.

But the eight dissuaded him

not
kill

said they, those

who would

even insects, could not be the killers of men. So they took the king with them to Mt. Peh-hung and all mounted up to the heavens. The} left their simples and their alembic
behind with
the
result

that

certain

hens and

dogs ate and

became immortal.

Now

the Eight led the king to a mountain

<T>

Thev beyond the seas where all the qenii were O gathered tooether. C5 instructed him to address the genii as "Uncle, Immortal One"
and to serve them with respect in the hope of being himself admitted to the palace of Yuh-ti 3 *$?. TAu-ngan obeyed, but not having yet shaken off the royal
as

way, his manner of speaking and acting displeased the Immortals smacking of superiority and not redolent of due humility. So

was lodged with Yuh-ti, and the Heavenly Sovereign seeing that Liu was not yet ripe for immortality, was for sending him back to earth for reincarnation. Now the Eight came again
a complaint to

the

rescue and

suggested that he be permitted to

live for

three years at a distance from the Palace, alone and without any official functions in order to give him time for conversion. After

conversion, he

could be entrusted with

to

office.

Yuh-ti agreed.
It

The

first

step was

change the king's name.

of the

was now

that

he took the

name "The Sage from South

Hwai."

HWAI NAN TSZE

157

Now

whose death was such

Hwai-nan-tsze begged the Eight to save his brother a bitter grief to him. The Eight went off
a

upon the Western seas and got

this they

branch of

a fragrant
:

wood

called "the tree that recalls the soul"

made

a pill

and gave

it

Fan-hwan-shu jS^^j with to the dead man: he revived,

practised virtue and

was saved.
fiij

The Eight accompanied by Ro-heu

nan-tsze, instructed

\%

revisited

Hwai-

him

in all the

mysteries related to him, and

escorted him to Tung-wang-kung -f fe, king of the Immortals and he conferred on the sage the vacant post of T'ai-kih-chen-jen

illA
(l

(1).

Cf. Shen-sien-t'ung-Men

f|I|

$ Bk.

8.

Art.

p. 3-7

158

IMMORTAL CODS. GENII

APPENDIX
HISTORICAL NOTES
I.

The Literary School

of Hwai-nan-tsze

ff|

p||

^f-.

The

court of the King- of Hwai-nan

all

-/fl

was

the gather-

ing place of scholars of

different shades of opinion but

Taoism

predominated. Magicians and devotees of occultism met there in great numbers. The prince himself Liu Ngan committed suicide in 122 B.C. on an accusation of revolt.

Liu

Teh

flj

fg

King

of

Ho-kien

pj f$

fostered a school
in

which formed an exact contrast with Liu-N gem's

Hwai-nan.

strayed from classic tradition and refinement and tended to Taoism and magic, the Ho-kien school

Whereas

the Hwai-nan band

worked
latter

at the restoration of the ancient canonical writings.

The

were Confucian, the former Taoist.

of Hwai-nan-tsze
/

II.

The Works

]>j

"T*-

The works
the
title

attributed to Hwai-nan-tsze are collected unde r

;{
]j

Hwai-nan-tsze-hung-lieh-kiai
in the

-T-

| ^J
at

fjfr.

It

is

included
the

Taoist Canon and

edition.
It

is

to be

found

1,200 of

Commercial Press

contains 28 Kiien

and

is

printed in the live volumes 863, 864, 865, 866, 867.

It is It is
1.

also called

Hung

pao wan pih

|J|

'jif

"||

H.

divided into three sections:

slut

Nei

pq

fl|

21 chapters.
,!;-

2. 3.

Chung shu Wai shu

47

'?,[

8 Chapters.

Dissertations on various subjects.

This work
tions of the

prince of

is a collection of some of the literary producmotley company that frequented the court of the Hwai-nan.

It is

or no share in

very probable that Hwai-nan-tsze had personallv little it. The accounts to be found in the Shen-sien-

THE LIFE OF HWAI NAN TSZ

t'ung-kien

159

ftjl f[[j j| |^ and other Taoist books as to his personal labours in the composition of the collection are at least very doubtful.

|flj

|nj,

Nevertheless this collection which we owe to Liu Hiang the Librarian and President of the Committee for the

Canonical Books,
it

is a very precious document for the reason that sums up perfectly the state of Taoism at the period 150-122 It marks a period of unmistakable degradation in the real B.C.
-T-,

Taoist doctrine of Lao-isze j

Chwang

|j

{,

Lieh

tys\

-^

and

Wen

^r

.^p.

Decadence appears
as

in insertion of

marvellous hap-

penings, the devotion to alchemy, legends.

lation

known

Hwai-nan-isze's
It
is

is

the

The work or compidawn of degenerate,

falling
of
off,

charlatan Taoism.
distinct

the

first

stage of

very
3f

branching

off

towards the Neo-taoism

Wang Pao

JH and Cliang Tao-ling

^^

f^.

160

IMMORTAL CODS, GENI.

ARTICLE

XXIV
1 1

W ANG- Y V A X-S
3E

XV A

(T)

7C

All

GENERALISSIMO WANG
Generalissimo Wangr's father was
his
Wa-ngr-c/i'ew 2E

and

mother Chao-shi ffi j. His father was already dead when the child was born in the Ping-shen year ptj E^ of Cheng k wan His parents lived in Loh-li -/g. jg. at period, i.e. 63f A. D. M

Siang-yang H|||. He was called as fore-name Tung-ch'eng iff f$.

W <mgr-ww

(ngoh) 3

and also

He was
out
in

gifted by nature with

abnormal muscular strength:

If

but for study he had not the least interest.

fairs

disputes broke
to

and markets, he brought the parties

reason and

everybody was full of praises for his sense of justice. Otherwise, as he was of an impetuous character, persons who pushed their

own schemes
recting them.

detested him, and he could never succeed in cor-

At Fu-fung fa
i.e.

jm,,

there

was one Wang-heh-hu 5

J&

Wang the Black Tiger. This man borrowed our hero's name Wang-wu (ngoh) 5 ^ and under that name carried off women and sold them. So much in awe did the peasants stand of the real
Wang-wu
T.

that

they were afraid to protest, not knowing

that they were being fooled by an imposter.

The

real

Wang-wu,

getting to hear of

Wang-heh-hu and the people then gladly went to the criminal court to defend their liberator. But Wang-wu on appearing refused to kneel before the mandarin and so was condemned as guilty. He thereupon grew furious,
it,

killed 3E

H^

his hair stood on

end and he cried death

to all such bandits

and

deliverance for the people from their malpractices. He flung himself at the mandarin who was barely rescued by his body-

guard.

Fig. 173

Nan-hoa Tchoang-cheng (Tchoang-tze).

Nan-hwa Chwang sheng (Chwang-tze).

WANG-YUEN-SHWAI

161

Wang
a

once went to King-siang

~$\\

H, where he found

that

demon

of the River (K'iang fX) dwelling in an old

temple was

befooling the people.

month processions

in his

Every year <>n the sixth day of the sixth honour were held and people had to

provide ten oxen, ten pigs, ten sheep and wine for the sacrifice, It was a cruel declared to be for the averting of epidemics.
imposition: people at times had to
sell

their children to

meet

it.

So Wang-wu burned temple and idol. Then the evil spirit stirred up a raging wind but Sah-chcii-jcn [^ m. J\ (see Article XIX) appeared and countered it and the evil spirit had to take to
flight.

Yuh-ti 3

canonized him
:

with the

title:

Wang

Saga-

cious Generalissimo

also

he had a seal

big as a man's head

engraved for him with the four characters: Ch'eh~sin-chung-liang "Sincere and Conscientious". He also conferred iff '(? m> $k
'

on him the

office of spirit

protecting the capital of

beneficent.

the

Empire.
as ever

Wang Yuen-shwai was most

of their

As soon

the Taoist priests communicated with him any business by

means

charms, he straightway settled it. He puts to death all the grievous wrong-doers he can discover and so people are on their guard against offending him. He is of a very irascible

temperament
in the world,

he always keeps close to the Gate

oi

Heaven and

as soon as Yuh-ti

commissions him

to redress

any wrongs down

he

is off at

once without delay. (1)

(l)

Sheu-shen-l-i ft

f;E

(T )

P.

10.

21

162

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE XXV
S1E-T1EIX

KlUN

(T) B.

I ^ f
SIK

THE HEAVENLY LEADER

jj|j-

" Sie-t'ien-kiun's name was Sie-shi-yung ft $(k> n s ^ ore name was Lei-hing flf ft his father was Sie-ngen ||t J,. When he was born on one first of the month during the period Chenhwan j=( fj| 627-650 A.D., fiery wheels fell from the skies over Shan-tung and lighted up the air with a marvellous light. Endowed
^
:

knew no

with a violent character and very irascible, Sie-shi-yung |jt ft 1(1 fear, but his conduct was upright and he became sub-

prefect of Shan-yin mj ]SJ|. A superior official in Liao-tung jjjg " (i a squeeze pressed for the remittance of the taxes in order to

thousand
but

of taels

rather

reported the

from Shi-yung. But the latter gave nothing matter to the viceroy who visited his
official of

displeasure on the higher

the two.

This

latter then

demanded of Shi-yung a present of a helmet and breastplate of The sub-prefect passed off on him an ox-hide with tinsilver.
plates.

The
paying
off

superior

officer

now devised another scheme

for

Shi-yung.

He

sent a memorial to the viceroy praising

his enemy's military qualities and recommending him as the only one capable of dealing with the rebels. So Shi-yung was put in charge of the expedition and came off victorious. Being a careful

commander, he foresaw that the

rebels might immediately

try a surprise attack.

He

stationed his soldiers around the camp,

not in
the

it, occuping the best commanding positions: sure enough, enemy returned but found himself overwhelmed with arrows

and had to

retire.

Yuh-ti 3[
Ja

canonised Sie as Hu'o-tch-t'ien

of the Beneficent Planet

Jciiin

fc ^

^
has

Heavenly Sovereign

Mars.

He

Fig. 474

Sie-t*ien-kiun.

Sieh, the heavenly leader.

sie-t'ien-kiun
control of

163

summer,

lie
feet

is

depicted as wearing a Tao-adept's

fiery

head-eear, and his

move on
It

wheels:

in his

hands he

carries a golden staff. (1)

i

is

easy to distinguish him from Na-

Ira (Article

XV)
fiery

is

depicted with

six

riding-

on his

by the difference of attributes. Sometimes hearms and three heads (Tantra style) and wheels: so he is to be found on a representa-

tion from the Hwo-sing Temple.

(1)

Shcu -shen-li

CP

;#

1t if IE P- 4-5.

164

IMMORTAL CODS, GENII

ARJICLE XXVI
IIWUX-Kl-PWXCI-YlJEN-SHU Al
ffi
(T.B.)

7C

fj||j

GENERALISSIMO PANG
This worthy's name was P'ang-kiao ^| ^jj his fore-name was Chang-ts'ing Jt ffi. His father P'ang-ting ^| % and his mother (Yao $fc was her family name) lived at Tu-k'eu $ p by Han-kiang jj| fX- He was born during the reign of the Han
:

Emperor
month.
All

Hicn-ti jH

fljjfc

^f in the year Kwei-yeu

cyclic

{,

193 A.D.

on the Kwei-hai bay

(the

number

^S

^)

in the

eleventh

his ancestors

had

enjoyed

a high

reputation

their boat and had passed the ninth of the left behind her a hundred pounds in gold. She came back next day to recover them and P'ang-kiao /^| gave her back the sum

among travellers. ninth moon on board

been boat-people and the family Once a lady had

entire and
(

would not accept the gratuity she

offered.
in the

)n the

twenty-eighth of the twelfth moon,

to cross

evening,

young woman came

to

the river.

It

was snowing- and

nobody dared

go across.

P'ang-kiao gave her shelter, got her

clothes dried, and on the thirtieth his father took her on board to

But it was a stormy day, the River was bring her to her home. rough and the boat capsized. P'ang-kiao leaped into the waves, bent on saving his father: thrice he brought him to the bank and
thrice the

wave swept them out to the depths. Yet P'ang-kiao and the father managed at length quite exhausted to save themselves. The woman had meanwhile disappeared, but it was she

who

really

had saved them

When

the father

it was Kwan-yin-p'u-sah ||| -flf |f(ft. and son got safe on to the bank, they found
:

Fig. 175

Hoen-k'i-pang yuen-choai. The Generalissimo Hwun-k'i-pang.

HWAN-KI-P'ANOYUEN-SHWAI
there scores of
all

1()5

Kwei $%

spirits of the dead,

ghosts

(1) weeping-

around them disappointed that they had not been able

(2).

to

drown them
(1)

On

the 30th day of the 12th

moon,
to

all

these

ghosts

leave

the

nether regions or other abodes and gather about rivers, lakes, streams in
order to drown anybody

who ventures

come

there.

Anyone

of

the

ghosts that secures his victim, gives his place in blades to the soul of the drowned and himself enters a new incarnation. This same is true of the
30th of the 7th moon.
(2)

Hinc

illae

lacrimae.
IE PN

Sheu-shen-ki

(T #)

^ #

160

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE

XXVII
(T)

L1-YUEN-SHWA1

*
Li-fung
the
pff

7C

ffll

GKM:it\l,ISSI.M()

1,1

^'\

was born exacty

(in the

at

midday on the

fifth

of

moon

in .192

A.D,

year Jen-tsze f ^f, during the Sui

His father's name was Li-fang dynasty). Jf and his mother's Sun-shi the place was P ^. Kin-kiang-k'eu f^ -/I.

of his birth.

Li-fung became a formidable pirate on the Southern seas: he had fled from his home because he had killed the murderer
of a

irresistible

neighbour's parents: to this step he had been led by an temper and herculean strength. He took refuge in

a temple of a marine divinity cried out,

and there

five genii

who saw him

"Here's an angel coming !" Li-fung asked coming them how they knew and the}- explained that as officers of Lung So ivang j]j| 3E their business was to seize the water demons.
saying, they brought out a sword from their den, gave it to Li-fung and disappeared. This vision kept puzzling him thereafter.

Here are some

of

his

exploits.

)n

the

Kiang

fx.

rne

River) he one day spotted a suspect boat and went on board: it was a pirate-ship full of young women and laden with valuables.

He

set the
(

women

free

and lectured the pirates on their robberies.

still

)n

another occasion,

the bed of the river a monstrous devil, and

on the Kiang. he perceived in all about were huge

waves stirred up by a terrifying wind. Li-fung jumped out of the boat and began to walk over the waves: a black wind raged iranctically hollowing out the waters the devil appeared face to
:

face with Li in the

pig, a porpoise feet

form

of a colossal

Kiang-chu

fj.

f|f

a river-

large as a

mountain with

a tail

more than 90
Li-fung killed

long and attended by seven other demons.

Fig. 176

Li 3 uen-choai.

Generalissimo

Li.

LI-YUEN

S11VVAI

167

them came
them.

all

and the storm grew calm.

thank him
for

The

next

to

his

exceptional

services

night a spirit and to assure

him that he would beg Yuli-ti \[ $?, to recompense him for Yuh-ti did reward him by canonization with the title of "Generalissimo Li, chief of the advance-guard": he was assigned

two marshals
(l)

as assistants (1).

Sheu-shen-Tci

if

# IE

("F

#>

i>-

9,

10.

168

IMMORTAL CODS, GENII

ARTICLE XXVIII
n;i-Tn<:x-Kirx
<t>

*
The work Tsah-M-cliwan $|
Liu-fuh
(HlJ

ig

LH, TUE HK.\VEM,Y CHIEF

ft}

ffi

calls

him Liu-tsun
a Sie

1]

$?

fg)

was

his lather

and

his

mother was
Eastern Tsin

ID".

He
a

was born

during- the

dynast}- of the
|||J

f f

in

fisherman's boat at Min-kiang

of the year Keng-tsze J^ T-

yx on the 12th of the 8th

moon

(a cyclic

number

that

might stand

here for 340 or 400 A.D.).

One day when

Kiang some
yx>

his

ne

fell

into the water but

mother was drawing water from the was so lucky as to cling to

floating

Though

his family

wreckage until his father could haul him out. was very poor, the}- managed to send him to

who taught him the "five ifi study under Lo-chen-jen thunders" recipe by which he could control winds and rains. By
a public spirited use of this power, he
tor of the

made himself

the benefac-

countryside and all the people went to honour him as a p'u-sah. So he quitted the place but the peasants erected a temple to him and prayed to him with sure effect.

At

this

time,

drought affected the regions under the

Eastern capital.
hearing that
to him.

The Emperor was in great distress and on Liu-tsun was an infallible help, he went and prayed

The drought was broken and the harvest was excellent. The Emperor conferred on Liu the title of Huen-hwa-ts'e-tsichen-Miin
7/

ft

] iff

&^

the Empire.

Yuh-ti 3

^
IE

ratified this title

True prince merciful benefactor of and entrusted to Liu

the Supervision of the Five Cereals. (1)

(l)

Sheu-shen-ki

41

(T %)

p.

io.

Fig.

177

Lieou-t'ien-k'iun.

Liu, the heavenly leader.

Fig.

178

Les deux generalissimes Ka'o et Wang. The two Generalissimos, Kao and Wang.

WANG, KAO RH YUAN SHWA1

169

ARTICLE XXIX

WANG, KAO RH YUAN SHWA1

I I 1
The "Fung
Wang-t'ieh 3E $,
shi

7C

6t

THE TWO GENERALISSIMOS, WANG AND KAO.

chwan"
)

(<

gives them

Wang

the Iron and

Kao-t'ung

$fi,

the south of Yung-ch'eng {ft north of Ki-yung $j |f|. Doth were born the same year, 839 B.C. while Li-wang Jgf 3 of the Chow dynasty was

Brazen.

Wang was from

names Kao the J)^ and Kao

the

from the

living-,

though just then he was

power.

in

exile

and a sort

of

republic

was

in

The two had become sworn

offices in different
JJSjt

brothers: the}

held

various

provinces of the empire but when Han-wang 3E took no account of their advice, thev resigned.
his friend that he

One day Kao-t'ung informed away on a voyage to Nan-ling ]fj

that district
is

was going

jjj|.

"Do you

not

know

that

infested with tigers?" asked his solicitous friend.

"Death or
went
off,

life is of

small account," answered K'ao-t'ung.

So he
It

and

of course shortly his friend

must follow him.

was only Wang-t'ieh who met a tiger and he killed it. K'ao-t'ung went to meet his friend, anxious lest he be the prey of tigers and 'hey made the return journey together. This friendship it was that won the popular titles of Iron and Copper: so solidly was their friendship welded.
In consideration of their braver}-.
in

Yuh-ti 3 ^f
Hill.

conferred
(1)

them
(1)

the

title of

Superintendants of the Tiger

$S

Sheu-shen-M

(T %)

&$

HE.

P.

10-11.

22

170

IMMORTAL CODS.

GEA'II

AR1ICLE XXX

li;r\-ll\\

I'lll

VI V\

SHUAI

(of Hie Thtmricr

ffl

Department)

#
of this

7C

filtl

GENERALISSIMO TIEX-HWA-PIH.
The
names
family

name

personage T'ien

[33

and

his other

are explained below.

himself a

This worthy, really being- terrestrial electricity, took to human body in a field [33- His birth took place amid
;

terrifying portents: thunder, lightning, gales and rain but when the new-born babe striding a huge serpent appeared, all the bees tied to feed him with their honey.

On growing
birthplace
bly

up,

Field) with the personal

he took the family name of T'ien ( [33 name of Pih (i|| Complete) because his

was

a field set off with flowers of

which he presumaretired
to

was

the latest, the

finishing
|)|

touch.
i|j|;

Then he

a
It

hermitage on Alt. Luh-lu yen was at the time when Nil wo

jg-

(Windless Precipice).

shi

-}

$$

(1)

was engaged

in

stopping up the north-east gap in the sky; she was not successful with her five-coloured earth. So T'ien-pih came to her help with
a

mixture of the essences of

fire,

the fusion

was forwarded by

the South

water and primal rock matter; wind and then a dreadful

filled.

crash shook earth and sky.

The gap was

Later, he helped Hien-yuen-hwang-ti $Jf

M *&

to reduce

the rebel Ch'i yen %r it by showering on the rebel five-coloured

fire

amid

a whirl of
title

wind and thunder. Hwang-ti conferred on

him the
all

and function of Dragon-master. But T'ien found this incompatible with being a hermit and declining withdrew
|j| -pf.

to

Hwa-siu
(1)

Henceforth he added Hiea to his name.

See account of Nii-wo ix

% R

Vol. XII Art.

XLVI

p.

1070.

Fig.

79

Le generalissime Tien-hoa-pi. The Generalissimo Tien hwa-pih.

t'ien-hwa-pih yuan-shwai

171 the

When

in the

reign of the

Emperor Yao

|j|,

demon

monsters and the ten suns were causing- trouble and tenor on earth, Yuh-ti 3 by edict conceded T'ien-yuen-shivai the right

range over heavens, sun and moon, riding on the lightning and carrying in his hand the thunder-banner.
to

At the end

of

scoured the earth and

Yuh-ti canonized T'ien
pa P^
Jjl

the Han jH dynasty, human perversity was

the
at

demons again
its

worst.

So

Hwa

with the

tit.'e

Lei-men-pih yuan shwai

7t

fr}j.

Ministry or Department, Porte).

in

Pih generalissimo of the Thunder Gate (i.e. He entrusted to him the supervi-

sion of the twelve subdivisions of the

}SL
'jj

Department

to aid

Chen-wu
to

overcoming the demons of epidemics, attending droughts and floods, and putting to death criminals. (1)
(1)

Sheu-shen-lci ft

jjiiji

(T #)

P.

172

IMMORTAL GODS. GENII

ARTICLE XXXI
I'll

VL'

YUAN SHWAI
7c
BitJ

eg

THE GEXElt ALISSIMO

'Field Rain."

who
come
If

flying

This fabulous personage was the son of the Green Dragon from the pursuit of Ts'e tsi chen Jciun ^| "M jH U, had
in

to hide in the grotto

& 'M

Hwang-sha-tnng (Yellow-sand Cave) Sz-ch'wan and there had taken to himself a beautiful

woman

called P'ang Jff. Ts'e-tsi overtook them as the with child: the Green Dragon took to flight and the

woman was woman hid

He

herself in a held.

The pursuer found her

though
it.

there and caused the

instant birth of the child by a frightening pass of his sword.

did no

harm

to the child

it

had the head

fell

of a dragon, but

bade the mother suckle

As

the rain

and the thunder

growled
!/ii.

at the

moment

of the birth in the field, the

child.

name

T'ien

Field Rain,

was given the

At the age
$f m.
A.

of six Tien-yii
:

was entrusted

to

Chang-chen jen
the science of

to

be educated

his

tutor taught him

thunder and gave him the name Ts'uen-ling retirement on Mt. Tse-hwa (Purple Flower Mt.)

&

j|.

Then
[Jj,

in

%H

he

he came into being and asked a venerable Taoist adept to enlighten him. Thus he learned that his father

began

to meditate

on

how

was the Green Dragon and that

living at Lung-i/cu
pg| Yi

his

mother,

now

blind,

was

in

Sz-ch'wan.

This news inspired him with deep resentment for the

pursuer of his father.
his

Two
of

years after that,

to of

he went to visit

mother and

in a

fit

resolution

tore up the cloth of his tent and

made

avenge his father, he it a flag: with this he

coursed the skies to hunt out his enemy. His mouth exhaled water which became clouds and at the waving of his standard,
the

thunder

rolled.

T'i< n-yii

enraged gave

Twelve demons stopped his career and battle, but there was no decision.

Fig.

180

Tien Yu Yuen-choai.
Tien-yii

Yuan-shwai (Generalissimo Tien-yv).

t'ien-yu yuan-shwaj
)

17:!

uh-li 3^

fjf-

then

summoned

T'ien-yu and

explained that

had been aiming only at the genera] good by driving off the Green Dragon and so T'ien-yu must not bear him a grudge:
Ts'e-tsi

as for the twelve demons, though

indeed

the}

deserved
they

death.
to

now

that the}- had stayed him from vengeance

his subordinates.

desired

become

Now
P$ $c
;|jt

Yuh-li canonized him as Hiang-yao-h'iu-sii yuan shwai

f^
:

ffi

gjjj

the Generalissimo conqueror of hobgoblins and

exorcist of the
left a

obscene.

He

is

represented as holding

in

his

thunderbolt and

in his right a

yellow

flag.

Fig. 180

shows
:

a character inscribed -^ on the triangular flag attached to a dart

this is ling -^
;

it

is

a royal

commission. (1)

(1)

Sheu-shen-Tci

(T #)

-ft

IE P- 12-13.

74

MMORTAL GODS, GENII

AETICLE

XXXII
(

TANG Vl\\ SHWA1

m % n
GENERALISSIMO TANG
This Generalissimo was born
the reign of the
at

Hivai-chow \% #1

during

Sung Emperor Chih-tsung ^ fJf ' in the Yuan yen period {JtMi) 1086-1094 A.D. All we know about his parents

is

that his father had a

#}

and that

his

posthumous mother belonged

title

Ho-Ma-tsai-siang
the

f[ij

^
the

to

Ch'en

|^j.

On

day of his birth, there appeared on the high-road some thirty

children with flags together with a new-born babe: the children explained that they were escorting "Yih-luli- full -sing" - Sfi- IS

"The lucky

star for

all

the way."
all

The

black but he

was endowed with

complexion was the talents of mind.

child's

Tang was

three years a Commissioner of Inquiry and he

to
all,

proved to be above corruption: he meeted out justice

be

they relatives or absolute strangers, and his skill in unravelling cases passed as miraculous. It passed into a popular saying that if the Black fudge put a man in prison, it was deserved, and it

became the theme of popular songs that nor man nor sheer awe could look at him without tears.

devil

for

He

died

aged 97 and Yuh-ti 3

canonized him.

As

symbol he carries a mace.

rewarder of the good.
(1)
Sheu-sTien-Tci

He

is a

punisher of evil-doers and a

(1)

(T

^')

IE P- 13.

Fig.

181

Tang-y uen-choai

Generalissimo Tang.

Fig.

182

Che-yuen-choai. Generalissimo Shih.

sum yuan-shwa]

17;,

ARTICLE XXXIII SHIM Yl W-SIIU

\1
( I )

5
The seventh year
3E, 833 B.C., is of the

7c

arfj

GENERALISSIMO SHIH
Chow Emperor Siien-wang
Shih's
l/ij

Vi*

given as the year of

was

Ts'ing ming $f Bj], the 6th That day the dragons had great rejoicings and there was rain and wind. He was horn in Siang-k'i father ]fi of a
of April.
.^jj

the Pure Brightness Festival

birth;

and the day

called
of

Wen

fit

yj"

and

Han

ff;

mother.

He

bore

the

name

(Divine rearing). Possessed of a pleasingexterior, he went oft" to stud} under Yin-nil T" at Kwan-chung

Shen-yuh

$\i

there.

Later on, he built a house south of Mt.iHei f |Jj and stayed During the seventh month, an alarming draught set in:

the harvest

was

in jeopard}-

and the peasants came

a

to

consult

changed bis clothes before burned incense and made (ritual proceedings worship), prostrations: the people joined with him in worship. The prayers
in their distress.

Shih

So he took

bath,

were heard and rain

fell.

But during the prayer, Shih was suddenly

changed into an immortal: only his garments marked the New arrivals now- announced that place where he had stood.
they had met Shih escorted by over a hundred men with flags He bade them thank the villagers on his riding eastwards.
behalf and explain that Yuh-ti 3E
$?

bad entrusted him with an

urgent mission.
Shang-ti J^
fff

put

him

at

the

head

of

the

Thunder

Department with the

the evil (1).
Sheu-shen-fci

office of

rewarding the

good and punishing

(1)

,T 4?)W

IE P-

13-14.

176

f.M

MORTAL CODS, GENII

AETICLE XXXIV

FU-YING-YUAN-SHWAI
gl]

(T)

It

if

7C

fil|l

GENERAL.ISNMO FU-YING
in Shan-tung At the foot of the famous T'ai-shan [Jj dwelt one Fu-ho-kung R\\ 'h and his wife Ngeu ydng shi g)i; They had a son T'ai yii H? '^. He was horn j.

there

in the first

month

of the year Jen-yin T: 'M

during the reign of

(])

the T'ang

Emperor Hi-tsung

%^

**, 882 A.D.

The

child

proved

to be of an energetic, choleric

temperament.
failed.

Grown

up, he stood for the examinations and

So

he shut himself up in his room and studied intensely.

as he sat studying, one of the

One

night
tails

Demon-foxes one with nine

taking the shape of a man, opened the door and wished to start a conversation with Fu-ying but the scholar would not take

anv notice

of the intruder. at

Next day, the fox came again, and now knocked

the

window but
the fox
like a

the student did not

a

make any

sign of attention.

Now

became

dragon's and the room, sat upon

monstrous giant with eyes as big as bells, jaws a mouth like a tiger's: this monster entered
a

tea-table
it

and began

to

lire

its

eyes and
recluse,

nose with a

fire

brand which

had

in

its

hands.

The

looking up from his books, told the monster that lie knew quite well he was the same as yesterday's intruder but that it did not frighten him in the least. With that he flung his

without

brush for red writing at the Demon-fox full in the face. The monster on the instant turned into a woman, thanked him and
said:
(1

"You
)

are a high dignitary:

is

Yuh4i

^
)

shortly will put

14 but
$

Whole account

from Shcu-shcn-li fp
Kien-fu was only
7

p.

the account

there wrongly gives the date as 9th year of Kien-fu period

#:

it

was

the 2nd of Chunij-ltuo

i|i

ft

years long.

Fig. 483

Fou-yng Yuen-choai.
Generalissimo Fu-ying.

FU-YING YUAN-SHWAI

vou
I

in charge of hope that you

all spirits

and hobgoblins

in this

region.

May
on,

will

pardon

my

faults?"
a

''From
leaf

now

replied the recluse, "you

must turn over

new

and practice

virtue."

In fact, Yuh-ti's edict soon was published summoning Generalissimo Fu-ying and conferring on him the dignity of

regent and notable of the

district.

23

178

IMMORTAL GODS, GENU

ARTICLE XXXV

YANG YUAN SIIWA1

j|

(T)

It.

% w

GENERALISSIMO YANG
The information about this personage is more than usually His lather was Yang, his mother was Su f and he was
one
of

vague.

born
the

in

Han dynasty given the name

began

Keng-shen J^j Eja (cyclic number) years under on the 16th. of the 10th. month. He was j||
Piao
jjfc,

"Little

Tiger,''

because immediately

before his birth a tiger

was seen running up

under
the

and the peasants

to cry out, "Tiger! Tiger!"

Becoming

mandarin

Han

Emperors,

he

obtained the pardon of a robber whom the Emperor was about to put to death, and once when local mandarins tried to
corrupt him with a gift of a thousand silver pieces, he went on with his resolution. Whilst he exercised his functions at

Yang Chow fy
perfect integrity.

>}\],

he distinguished

himself

for

courage and

Shang-ti J^

and attached to him

world, over the

granted him the post of terrestrial spirit is a military officer. He has authority

both over this world and the world beyond:

1)

in

the other

demons

of the

five

directions and over the ten

rulers in Hades, 2) in our world, he

of

ding over the demons of the sea and of mountains.

as a reward for his

good and

evil actions

is charged with the rewarand further has a power of restraint

On

the

whole,

own observance

of law, he has

been elevated

to the position of a formidable potentate. (1)

Sheu-shen-Jci

(l)

(T #)

$t

&

IE P- 15.

Fig.

184

ire. son officier militant. Yang-yuen-choai et attendant. Generalissimo Yang and his military

KAO-YUAN-SHWAI

^79

ARTICLE XXXVI
K AO-YUAN-SH WA
I
(

B.T. )

US

7C

Bill

GENERALISSIMO KAO
Kao-yuan-shwai jf tc
chen jen
frj]

(a faultless healer )

was

womb of one Mei, jfa, wife of Kao-eh'un-kung . For the date of his birth we have only the very indefinite data, the Kia-tsze day (E}3 -=f first
(Article XII) in the

reincarnation of T'ai-yih-

^^

of a cycle) of the 11th

month of a Kia-tsze year. At birth he dazzled everybody with the firedike brilliancy of his body, so his parents threw him into the River But fx as an evil genius.
Yoh-shi-t'ien-tsun ^ f (The Deva Medicine-Man) saved, him and took him as a disciple. The boy grew up to be very beautiful and his master called him Yuan g and taught him all
fr|j

kinds of wonderful spells.

maladies or wounds.

Kao-yuan could cure monkeys, serpents, For instance he cured a

tigers
tiger

of

their

of

bad

throat by the application of the bone of a serpent.

for every evil. Once he came upon an suppurating sore on his back: he got the wound to close by the application of the dew from the flowers called K'iung-hwa fQ f (ilowers of the immortals). This particular a

He had

remedy
a

immortal who had

immortal, bent on founding out a weak spot in Kao's art, told him of an old cypress that was withered and dead and challenged him to revive it. "Quite easy", "said Kao, and sprinkling it with

Kwan-yin

$|1

lustral water, he

made

the tree live again.

Then

the immortal

proposed

to

him the
:

difficult

task

of

providing

but Kao had a nostrum in his issue for a childless grandee pharmocopeia for that too. "All very well," said the immortal,

"but you doctors only heal one evil by causing another, simples you use would have produced seeds and from the seeds

180

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

men". plants might have come: you injure the plants to cure So Kao could only sigh, "True! One cannot save both at once": he thanked the immortal for this reminder and gave him a

new

recipe for resuscitating people.

As Kao had on

his

voyages done an immense amount

of

conferred on him the title: Generalissimo good, Yuh-ti 31 (1) His statue is to be Kao, avatar come from the nine skies.

found

in the

temples of the god of healing or in those where

Buddists worship Yoh-shi-fuh

H
IE.

frjj

%, The Healing Buddha.

(Baishajyaguru

see Chin. Sup. Vol. VI p. 115)

(1)

Sheu-shen-li

(T #)

#S

P.

16-17.

Fig. 185

medecin transcetidant. Kao-yuen-choai le doctor. Generalissimo Kao, the peerless

Fig. 186

Tchang-yuen-choai

le

protecteur

centre

la variole.

Generalissimo Chang, who

protects from smallpox.

CHANG-YUAN-SHWA1

Jg]

ARIICLE XXXVII

CHANG-YUAN-SHWAl
3ft

T.B.

7c

6f|)

GENERALISSIMO CHANG, AVERTER OF THE SMALL-POX.

mother was
Shan-tung
of the 8th

Chang's father had the personal name Kwei Jp and a Hwang f|. He was born at Ning-hai 3& ^g
in

his
in

703 A.D.,

i.e.

the year

reign of the

Empress Wu-heu moon.

a very

fe,

Kwei-mao 2$ Q\) during the on the Kwei-mao ^ day

Jj|J

Chang had
resembled

handsome
(1)
HE

face with splendid heard and

Wang -ling -Jew an

'g*.

He was

possessed

a clear intelligence

and passed the

official

examinations, becoming

a prefect of the second class.

He was
his

consistent

justice.

During

greatly esteemed for his administration many student-

took their degrees for he was never severe towards them. When the surrounding districts were ravaged by an epidemic, his was
spared and the residents built a temple and honoured him there.

him to he exactly just and of a r ff knowing piercing intelligence, conferred on him the title. "Speedy Avenger Also he was of Injustice," and the office of watching epidemics.
Yuh-ti 3
i

to

guard infants against small pox.

(2)

Chang
his statue
is

is

one

of the

male divinities

of the

small pox and

to be found in very

many

temples.

(1)

See Article

(2)

Sheu-shen-hi
Cf. Vol.

XIX above. (T #) 41 #
:

IE P- 20.

(below;

Chap.

Art. Ill p. 757 sqq.

IS'2

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE XXXVIII
sin-hung,

keu vuw-shwai
(T)

(Thunder Department)

* m ^
jp$

7c

e*

In

ill

In the prefecture of Ku-yung-chow " #1 on Mt. Shen-lei (Mountain of the Spirit Thunder) the thunder-god was

wont

to

come

forth out of the mountain-side at the 10th

moon:

during-

summer and autumn

he hid under the form of a hen.

J| and with poor wood-cutter of Yung-chow named Sin-hing used to cut fire-wood for his the added name of Chen-yv.

U^

mother.

month while cutting faggots on Mt. Shen-lei, he had the good fortune to come across five hens He took them off home to roosting in the depths of a cave.

One day

in the

eighth

his mother.

She put four

a

of

them into
this

a crate-basket,

them over with

cook
it

clothes, but she kept the other out to kill

covering it and
to

for

meal.

But

hen spoke and

said

her:

"Beware, I am the Spirit of the Thunder: you cannot eat me: beware of doing me any harm." The old lady was quite unmoved by this prodigy thereupon the lightning flashed and she was
:

dashed to the ground.

Siu-hing

came back
his

again, this time with

fire-wood

and

wine and found

He

poor old mother lying lifeless on the floor. could not understand why his mother, so good an old woman,

should have been killed or

how

she could have died so suddenly.

Just then the wind howled, the thunder rolled and from amid
the

thunder-clouds

the
in

outraged

divinity

was about
filial

to

kill

Sin-hing.

But instead,

consideration of Sin's
1

piety,

Taoist adept appeared and said, "If the reason is that she was about to

have killed your mother, kill me. Do not bear me

I now ask your pardon." Sin swallowed them and

any grudge

am

the Thunder-spirit and

iron-pills.

Thereupon, he gave Sin 12

was completely metamorphosed.

His mouth became a beak; he

SIN-HING, KEU YUAN-SHWAI

183
in

grew wings: in one hand he held a hammer and wedge: beneath his feet were five drums. His to save his mother. That done, he disappeared.

the other a
task

first

was

The sovereign
filial

of the

heavens canonized him

for his greal

of the

member Thunder Department. Along with Pih-yuan-shwai (Article XXX) he rules over the demons of the five directions. (1)
piety with the title: Generalissimo of the star Keu,

Chang's statue along with

be seen in temples of Chen-wu
jpL

of

Pih-yuan-shwai

is

often

to

, e.g. in that at T'ai-hing.

oi

This
(the

spirit

seems

to be

merely a doublet

Lei-hung

^^

Thunder Divinity) and has no

historical prototype.

(1)

Sheushenl'i

(T #)

-8

IE P- 21.

184

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE XXXIX

T1EH-YUAN-SHWA1

(T) B.

ft
T'ai-yih-chen-jen
-jx.

7c

aiti

Zl iH

received
"]'

from Yuh-ti Ji ^f
Art. XIII)
child
for

an order to send one of the six

to earth to be born

Ti)i</

spirits (see
jfjf
:

from

Yen

woman
Pimj-ieu

the
the
of

there

was
SUi

to

lie

no father.

The

birth took place on

seventh day
the

of the fifth

month

in the
jf<fj

year

fkj

^f-

of the

Shang

dynasty. (1)

The name

of the child

Emperor was

T'ieh-t'eu.

early youth, he was remarkable for courage and his and daring strength was such that he could knock over nine So in a series of Herculean toils, he killed a demon south oxen.
of Shui-ying
|!|,

From

7k.

|fj.

tamed

horse of

(ire

north
Jgf-

of

Yin-shan

[fji

killed

another demon

at

Ye-hwo-miao

lk

M> took
a

captive

Demon-fox

at Tse-hii-leu
yX-

% ^

||

and

destroyed

Demon-

snake of the Kiang

his braver}- by confiding to him the administration of the Northern lands and honoured him with

Yuh-ti rewarded

the

title

of "Fierce,

Impetuous Generalissimo T'ieh."

(2)

The

whole story seems

to be lacking historical basis.

(1)

Sin (1373-1352 B.C.); Lin Sin (1225-1219 B.C.)

It =. the last of the

There were three Emperors of this name in the dynasty: Siao and the infamous Chow Sin
dynasty (1154-1122
the first reigns:
it

B.C.).

The
the

not

fall in either of

falls

on

year

year Fing-wu does 1155 B.C. and

if

perhaps this may be meant as the is purely at random.

(2)
Sh<
u slu n-Tci

first

year of Chow-sin:

not, the dating

(T #)

\t

t$ IE P- 23.

Fig. 187

T'ie-yuen-choai.

Generalissimo Tieh.

Fig. 188
.

4L

If

R'ang-yuen-choai. Generalissimo K'ang.

k'ang-yuan-shwai

185

AKTICLE

XL
(K T.)

K'ANG-YUAIV-SHWAl
Jjf

7c

Bill

GENERALISSIMO K'ANG

An

incarnation of the

dragon-horse

took
?
:

for

its

father

Kwang-yeu | Jf| and for its mother a Kin on the banks of the Hwang-ho (Yellow

these people dwelt

fir
jjjj.

River)

The

birth of the child, K'ang, took place on the wholly mythical date of the 9th year of the Emperor Jen-hwang f- ^!- during the

period Yen-teh j |g.

for his compassion: he never did any living being. Worms and ants were the object.- oi His one great pleasure was to drink a pure his tender care.

K'ang was remarkable

harm

to

noble wine.

One day he saw a bird of prey swoop on a little heron ith a and carry it oft" but the little bird fell to earth again broken wing. So K'ang took it home, bandaged its wing and nursed it: the heron grew big and one day brought in its beak a
stem
of

the

herb

of

immortality

which

it

presented

to

its

benefactor.

On

the

lips

of

the

people, he
all

was

"beneficent"

for

he

cured

sicknesses.

spoken of as the So the Celestial

-age
four
right

Monarch confirmed
cardinal points.

the title formally as:

"Beneficent and
of

generalissimo," and conferred on him supervision

the
his

He

is

depicted as carrying a club in

in his left.

hand and
(1)

golden axe
(~b

(1)

Sheu-shen-M

#)

J8

IE P- 23.

24

186

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE XLI

MUNG YUAN SHWA1

Si
Somewhere
in the

(The Merciful)
firfl

(T)

15

7C

in the fourth

kingdom
Jjff-

of
jf[,

Chao

in

honour

century B. C. a temple was built of Mung with the title of

actual dates
of
his
life

Tsiang-Jciiln

Marshal.

The

are

uncertain.

He was born on
jT

the 12th of the 8th

moon

in the

Wu
12th

sheng year

The

child's

$ of a mother Kwok jf|) and a father Ki-hao name was Mung-shan ^ |Jj. He died in the
j^f

.jl-f^f.

moon

of the Keng-ch'en year

J|.

his

Being very sympathetic, it happened that as mandarin thoughts turned to his old mother and to the mothers of so

many prisoners in his charge. These poor fellows, he reflected, So he visited his prisons could not go to see their mothers. and told the immates how their state actually conflicted with
filial

piety.

The

prisoners wept

and asked

for

the

favour

of

being allowed to revisit their mothers. Then Mung made a pro"If you all promise to be back here by the fifth posal to them. of the first moon, I will let you go home on the twenty-fifth of
the twelfth moon."
their word. It

The

prisoners agreed, were

let

go and kept

became an annual custom.

So Mung began to meditate how these fellows were really good men they had filial piety, they were trustworthy they were even just in as much as they came back to pay their debt to
:

human
all

justice.

So one day he said

to

them

all,

"If

set

you

at liberty, will

"We

you conduct yourself well for the future?" have been bad in the past," the)- answered him, "but we
will lead blameless lives."
all

swear that from now on, we

said the mandarin, "I
set

''Then,"
said,

you

free."

The prisoners

"That
"Oh,
I

is all

very well for us, but what have only one life and if I lose it

about you yourself?" in saving hundreds of

Mong-yuen-cboai. Generalissimo Meng

MUNG YUAN SHWAI

others, what harm does it do?" The convicts protested that they had merited death by their crimes and could not consent to

purchase their liberty

that they
said,

at the cost of his innocent

life,

seeing too
in

owed him many

favours.

Mung-shan, now

tears,

"Be assured, I have my own ways of managing." prisoners were freed from their chains, did obeisance
and
left.

So the
to

him

The superior mandarin, one T'eng Jj|s, informed of what had happened sent for Mung shan, had him punished and censured him "I order you to get back the 800 prisoners whom you have
:

if one solitary prisoner is missing, you will forfeit your life." Mung-shan replied, "I am ready to die, but 1 cannot get back those eight-hundred.'' Then he seized a lance and

set at liberty:

tried to pierce himself: three times he tried

and each

time

an

invisible

power struck

it

aside and only the lance-handle met his

:

breast.

Mung now

heard someone calling him out of doors

on

and going out, he found a chariot waiting him ready harnessed, a whole escort with flags.

Mung went
canonized him
of Chao.

off

and paid

his respects to Yuh-li 3

who

as:

Magnificent Generalissimo

of the of

Kingdom
decorated

The heavenly sovereign placed two flowers on his hat and made him a present of with a yellow dragon. The higher mandarin
on the event
built in

the immortal's

a lance

sent

memorial
a

to the prince of of

Chao and

this latter
title

had

temple

honour

Mung
(T

and gave him the

IE P- 25.26.

of

Marshal. (1)

(1)

Sheu-shen-hi

%)& &

188

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE XLII

FUNG-HYVO-YUAN TlEi\-YUAN SUW

\1

M
had T'ien-tsien

'k
T'lEN

ffl

^c

gi|i

GENERALISSIMO

(of Hie

Wind and

Fire .Ministry)
of brothers)
<J

This generalissimo (or apparently this group as father and Tiao-ch'un-hi ffl /
T'ai-piiig-kivoh
-fc

H-

as

mother and came from

in all three brothers,

[r|j.

There were

T'ien-hung-i 03
seniority.

-/it

||

matchless musicians: T'ien-sun-liu EH^-pa, and T'ien-che-piao EB %1? $|, in order of

\)\]

In the period K'ai-yuan

jc

(713-742 A. D.),

the

T'ang Emperor Hilen-tsung

masters.

i.

its

took

them

as

his

music-

They were formed

for cantatas

and dances, and were

excellent flutists.

clouds stayed
of their songs

in

they played their magic flutes, the their course across the sky, and the harmony

When

opened the Lah-mei flowers

$J

;f

(Chimonan-

thes Fragrans, a scented flower opening in the 12th moon).

depth of winter,

The Emperor

fell

sick

and

in

dream he saw the three

brothers playing the Chinese equivalents of mandoline and violin; the harmony of their tones charmed him and he awoke cured.

So he made marquises of the three of them.

The)' are in one account credited with
the dragon-boats, the once national
of the fifth
in

the

invention

of

event

in

China on the 5th

month

(1).

staying an epidemic but the consulted the three brothers.

The Taoist Grand-Master was engaged demons proved intractable. So he

T'it n

yuan shwai caused

a large

named "Shen-cheu" (Spirit-boat) f$ -fy to be constructed. This was to be manned by a million spirits under orders to keep beating drums. The din enticed the demons out from the town
boat
(1)

Sheu-shen-Tci

(f #)

fl

IE p. 24.

Fig. 490

Les

trois freres musiciens.

The three Brothers Musicians.

FUXG-HWO-YUAN T'lEN-YUAN
to listen to the concerted sound.
T'ien

SIIWAI

189

yuan shwai seized them

and drove them away with the help

of the Taoist Master.

t'ien shi ^f ~H frfi (1) recognizing T'ien's skill and certain craft, gave helpers and adressed a memorial to the Emperor (i.e. Ming-hwang Jjjf flfl Jl) to inform of these striking Huen-tsung

Chang

deeds.

marquises.

The Emperor canonized the All the members of their

(2)

brothers with the

title

of

family received posthumous

titles of nobility.

(1)

See Chinese Superst. Vol

p.

648

(Engl. Trans.) for

festival,

the
it

usual

traditional explanation of the

Dragon-boat

connecting

with

the poet
(2)

K'iili i/uen T&

IW.

B.C. 332-295.
of Taoism, see Article

The great wizard

IX above.

190

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE XLIII
KIU-L1-HU-S1EN
(I)
-fiii

a m w
At Sien-yeu-hsien

THE GENII OF THE NINE CARP LAKE

a sub-prefecture in the district f[|| 3H J$$, ML there lived one Ho-tungin Fuh-kien Jft ft |g Hing-hwa-fu p an ffi )j| $\] with his wife Liw ;jvfv She bore nine children of

whom

the eldest

was one-eyed and

kill

all

the others blind.

all.

The

father in despair determined to

them
the

But the mother

of the

found a

man

to

take

them

oft

to

mountains towards the

north-east of Sien-yeu-hsien.

There on the mountain

Nine

Immortals they devoted themselves to the hermit's life: nearby is a lake and on its shores they concocted the elixir. Succeeding
in their essay,

hence the lake

they mounted each a red carp and disappeared: is called Kiu-li-hu $f $f\, the Nine carp Lake.

By
to

the lake

is

temple where great crowds gather every year

in

burn incense

honour

of the nine brothers.

The poet Hwang-mung-liang nir jg; J| has commemorated the legend in verse. (1) Having described the wondrous landscape that is the setting of the story, he tells how the nine carps
became nine dragons and raised the immortals
to the heavens.
fixes

The
account, the

"Shen-sien-t'ung-kien"

Tjiif)

f[jj

ij

|gj

date for

these events and adds picturesque details.

King

of 31 in

f$

(Fuh-kien)
-/H jj

According to this Wu-chu 4te j^f, in the

days of the

Han emperor Wu-ti

,%

(140

86

B.C.), had a

glorious palace built for himself amid the Niao-shih

Mountains

^
in

\\\,

in

site

of

enchanting beauty.
pj

(Bird-rock) On the

ninth of the ninth

in

the year Ping-ch'en

(125 B.C.), the

the brothers

king gave

a great banquet.

Someone

told

how

Ho

were engaged
of the lake
(1)

making their pills of immortality on the borders below. The king immediately sent for them.
(T #)
\t

Sheu-shen-M

IE

P-

r,s

KIU-LI-HU-SIEN

191

brothers were asked whence they came and what their powers were. They answered that after a least on Mt.
Sii-mi

The

(Su-meru

jen ic fe

MA

2j| ftff [[}), they had gone off with T'ai-kih-chenand each had now a special gift of magic. So

they displayed their talents for the Emperor. The first made a pass on the air and immediately a golden rose from the royal table and plunged down into the lake. cup

The second pointed

split

at

one of the mountains

forth.

its

rock}'

sides

and lotus flowers sprang the face of a precipice, wrote

air again.

The

third

letters there

The
like a

fourth by a breath, stirred

Hew up against and came down the a wind that whirled

up rocks
a
fir

swarm

of flies

on a sudden, the wind ceased and

the rocks returned to their

mountain caves.

The

fifth
first

uprooted
flew
aloft

and changed it and then retired into

to

a gilded
:

dragon which

a cave

with a bamboo branch, the genius

made

as

if

to fish

it

back to a

fir-tree

again.

out and stirring up the dragon changed him The sixth with a hand-pass made a

neighbouring mountain move off to the east and then called a mountain from the north to shift into the vacant site. When the turn came for the seventh, he announced that
as the brothers had already
to depart.

So he turned

his

summons.

The

the elixir, they were now about and nine carps came at nine brothers rode on the backs of the fish

made

to the

lake,

up into the

skies.

that on, the lake was known as the Nine Carp Lake Now king as that of the Nine Immortals. mountain and the Wu-chu 4ffi |g and his court on seeing this ascension of the genu had flung themselves on their knees and the fifth of the brothers

From

let

fall
:

to

earth

the

bamboo with which he had played

it

the

dragon

so the king treasured

dj

and on the facing mountain

Niao-shih ,% ft

had

a ferrace Ling-siao

^%m

built to be a

monument

of these

wonders.

On

the edge of the lake

he had

another temple built where sacrifice was offered annually to the Nine Immortals. (1)
(1)

Shen-sien-t'ung-Men

jfa

fill

MM

Bk. VII, Art

7 p. S -

Art. S p.

1.

192

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE XLIV

WANG-SH1-CH*EN
2E
Wang's
real

(T)

# %
Jifip
:

was an
the

official title

name was Wang-wen-lc'ing J 3C (Majordomo). He was born in

Shi-ck'en

the time of

Sung dynasty (X1,XII,XIII centuries A.D.). (1) noted for a most unusual cast of features.

He was
all

When grown
the country.
for setting

to

manhood, he took

to

travelling

over

One day he met a magician who gave him a charm the winds in movement and casting lightning-bolts.

This magician was the Taoist on

whom

the

Sung Emperor
title

Hwui-tsung
wished
to

% $ ^

(1101-1126

A.D.)

conferred the

of

"Taoist Adept of the

make

Palace;" this important personage otten gifts to Wang but our worthy always refused.
a time, the district of

Once upon
a long period of
rain.

Yang-chow

^J'H

suffered

drought. Wang was begged to command the So he took his sword, filled his mouth with water (as

in the air, saying,

Chinese laundrymen and others still do) and sprayed it like rain "Let the Yellow River rise three feet!" Three
after, the

days

mandarin

of

Yang-chow reported

to the

Emperor

that a yellow rain had just fallen in his district.

period

Ta-yuan(no such name ^ 7^ in the usual was 1107-1111 A.D.) a temple was built for Wang in the town of Kien-ch'ang-fu jjg || ff. It became famous for prodigies and was crowded with worshippers. (1)
In the epoch
lists:

$g

(l)

Sheu-shen-Tci

{~Y-

#)

45 ft IE P- 59.
1

Fig. 191

Wang-che-tch'en
Wang-shi-ch'en

fait

monter

l'eau

du fleuve Jeune.
Yellow River.

raises a flood in the

LU-SHAN K'WANG-FEU-SIEN-SHENG

1!).'!

ARTICLE XLV

LU-SHAN K'WANG-FEU-SIEIV-SHENG

(T)

*
personal

iii

m
;" Z|S

-f-

%
MT.

%.
TAJ
\

MASTER R'WANG-FEU OF

This teacher's name was K'wang-shuh

jfj[

and

his

second style Feu JfL. lie was born in the south of the Kingdom of Clru f^. When he
Kiiln-p'ing
vvith a
still

name

was

quite

young he conceived

the idea of living as a recluse

and, refusing the offices presented

(1122
Wi
K'-

lil

by the Emperor Wu jj^ 3E 1115 B.C.), he retired to the south of Mt. Nan-chang Here he P ast which flowed the Tiger Stream f& \l.
straw furnished barely with a couch and some
visited

built a hut of

books.

Here he was

by

Yung-ch'eng-kung
the

$ &
ol

disguised as a

young man who taught him

secret

the

immortals.

This K'wang-shuh

|T

$f|

brothers: the eldest was K'wang-suh

was the second eldest of five [T (ft. named Tsze-hi ^

,{-

The

younger brothers dwelt some time company with K'wang-shuh |T $|.

three

at

Lil- shaft

in

shuh

professed himself

In the reign of K'ang-wang || 3, 1078-1052 B.C.. K'wangail(1 eve " a disciple of Lao-isze -"

received from his lips

left

all

sorts of magic recipes.

When

Lao-

the court to retire to

Poh ^, K'wang-shuh reentered Ch'ou

L05S of Chao-wang Hg 2i where he arrived during the reign immorof doctrine the 1001 B.C.). There he taught his brothers About a thousand years later, the Han Emperor Wu-t* tality. from the Sacred Hill of the South, Mt. (140-86 B.C.) returning
I

Seng ft

in Hunan, passed by P'ang-li (the Po-yang lake) ill he there a temple of K'wang-suh |g (ft to whom found and g|, the for g| |S made he Siin-yang-kiang Thence paid his respects.
ft\

The

noise of the

drums on the imperial bark annoyed

25

the

194
river-dragon
the

IMMORTAL CODS, GENII

who made
the

such a disturbance of the waters that

point
of

boat

was on

appeared an archer
imperial boat.

who walked
his

being swamped. Then there over the waters and came to the

Very

respectfully he told the sovereign that he

had been sent by

brother Suh

(ft

to

protect the imperial

person as the emperor had just been praying in his temple. Then he shot some arrows into the dragon, killed it and disap-

The emperor was peared, having restored calm to the waters. puzzled and asked his Taoist-adepts to explain. "We know," said they, "that K'wang-suh has a younger brother K'wang-shu
(Hi HO anc' this
is

probably the Immortal

who

has appeared to

you."

if IS Jz

So the Emperor canonized him as Naii-kih-ta-ming-kuvg &' Most illustrious Duke of the South Pole (or
:

perhaps here "Extremity" as the Emperor had been visiting the Sacred Peak of the South).

to

command dragons and

K'wang-shuh had such marvellous powers as enabled him The five marshals of ride tigers.

epidemics had to submit to him and take his orders. The Emperor Wu-ti had a temple built in his honour on the bank of the Tiger River. Later on, the prefect of Kiu-yin fj| |, by name Hwan-i ;jg ffi, had it transferred to a site near the pass of Mt.

Lu

lJj.

This genius has jurisdiction over the Ministry of epidemics and protects those who supplicate him in time of drought, floods
or plagues. (1)
(l)

Sheu-shen-li (~f
4,

^fc) 5

tS

#
1,

"IE

P- 59.

Shen-sien-t'ung-Men
8

jjjfji

f||j

jffi

Bk.

Art.

p, 5:

Bk.

Art.

p. 1;

Bk.

Art.

6 p.

2.

Fig. 192

son frere aine K'oang-sou. Liu-chan K'oang-fou-sien-cheng et and his eldest brother Ku> ang-suk. The teacher Kw'ang-feu of Lu-shan,

Fig. 493

Hoang-sien-che

le

dessinateur de talismans.

Hwang

the

charms. Immortal, writer of magic

HWANOSIEN-SHI

195

ARTICLE XLVI

HWANG-S1EN-SII1

(T)

ff

fli

ffi

HWANG THE IMMORTAL,

As Hwang was the seventh among his brothers, he was usually known as ji - ^ Hwang ts'ih-kung Hwang the Seventh. He was born at Shang hang-hsien J^ ^ ^ in Fuh-kien in the prefecture of Kiang Chow -/X
;

'J'I'l-

by exorcised devils with whips. Legend

natural stone.

He was

profession a magician, a writer of

tells that

charms: he

the countryside was

suffering great annoyance from a mountain-demon and a praeter-

Hwang

got the better of them with his charms

and then got into the stone himself and never more came forth. That particular rock had something human about its shape, some
resemblance to Hwang-ts'ih-kung
jir

A^ fe.
a

At Chung-liao-ch'ang $
honour on
to the south of

^^

a rock called Shih-k'i ft

|l{.

temple was erected in his Afterwards it was removed

$& (1
^

Shang -hang-hsien. _h #
(T t
)

(1)

Sheu-shenlci

45

IE P- 60

196

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE XLVII
PEH-KIH-K'U-SIE-YUAIV.
(T)

*
This
|l ul
J$p

ft

I K
Emperor Teh-tsung
to

EXECUTIVE OF NORTH POLE EXORCISMS

title is

that

posthumously conferred on Yen-chen-k'ing

who

lived in the time of the T'ung

Jg

ffi.

- (780-80.") A.D.)

The Emperor used Yen

rebel Li-hi-lieJi

as a trusty officer

^%
-Jsb

j& in 783 A.D. (Kwei-hai

%%).
him

oppose the Before Yen

to dinner at

set out against the rebel, his family entertained

Cheng-loh-p'o

|^ j$.

In his cups,

he

revealed that he had

once upon a time met a Taoist adept by name T'ao-pah-paJi }^ A A from whom he had got the pill of immortality: but the Taoist had warned him, "In seventy years there will be great

ffi

danger waiting you. on Alt. Lo-jeu -/g.

will

$f| ffi

|I|."

expect you on the bank of the I-Joh Yen confessed that now he felt

that he

was going

to his death.
at

When
rebel to

Yen arrived

the

Eastern capital to exhort the

make his submission, this latter had him surrounded by minions who abused him and threatened to butcher him. But he remained so unmoved that Li-hi-lieh 2^ |fr actually treated
^fll

him with

respect.

The next
and took the
$
j]\

year, 784 A.I

).

Li,

title of

Wu-ch'eng

f-r&.

had himself proclaimed Emperor Yen wrote from Ts'ai-chow

Li shortly

a farewell report to the

Emperor and

had him

strangled.

He was

77 years of age at his death and the

emperor

gave him the posthumous title of Wen-chung * ^."Distinguished and Loyal." Before his death he entrusted his gold belt to an
imperial envoy and enjoined on him to bury his corpse carefully. This the envoy did to the south of Ts'ai-chow $$ >}\].

Fig. 194

Yen Tchen-UMng.
Yen

*****

c |W

dn p6ie du Minister ds Exorcismes canonise, premier offieicr

officer

NW.

of tke

Mtn

Mry

.M

exorcto

<ne .No,,,,

N*

PEH-KIH K'U-SIE-YUAN
In 787 A.D. (Ting-mao begged the Emperor to order
official,

197

JJ|J),

the minister Li-pi(l)^ N

for

befitting obsequies

his

loyal

Yen-lu-kung ||

.J.

(the

honorific

title

given by the

Emperor, "Duke of Lu") who had died in the imperial cause. The Emperor sent his own son to bring the coffin to the capital. The prince got the coffin opened and though it was mouldering, the body was intact: hands and feet were flexible, the black hair
and beard were several
feet in length

and the hands were so

the resolutely clenched that the tips of the fingers had pierced a new coffin and into was the the hands. So of body put palms

brought to the capital. The obsequies were performed with He was buried at Peh-shan # the honours due to dukes.
near Yen-shih-hsien
ffg
gjfj

all

nj

5$,.

Lo-feu-shan $ ft

Sometime afterwards, a merchant happened to pass by and saw two Taoist adepts playing at chess |Jj under the trees. One of them addressed him and asked him |l, where he came from. On learning he was from Loh-yang
-/g.

his the Taoist smiled and said he wished to give him a letter for merchant. the to and entrusted it family. Then he wrote a letter When the latter had returned to Peh-shan, he gave the letter to to Yen'i relathe custodian of the family tombs and he gave it of their ancestor: so chat as the tives. writing They recognized

Yen's grave was opened and found empty.

hwan
of

# $ |I

Yuh-ti canonized the worthy as Peh-kili-k'ii-sie-iso-p'anFirst Military Officer of the Ministry

Jfl5

?ij

Exorcisms

of the

North Pole.

entered a temple After some ten years, a family servant and found Yenat Loh-yang of the T'ung-teh-si pj f white on the altar of Buddha, clad in a chen-k'ing seated there bu him at look better The servant went closer to get a robe. so concealing and kept its face fioure turned

% %

the

away

(1)

A.U. 722-S9.

A famous

councillor of the
reigns.

Emperor

he became scholar and statesman. In 756 so for three remained and Suh-tsung
See Vol. VII
p. 46:

Later on an ardent Taoist.

IPS

IMMORTAL CODS, GENII

tures until finally it left the temple, passed into a garden and entered a hut built of two straw cells: into this the servant

followed. Yen inquired about his relatives, gave the servant an ingot of gold for his journey and told him not to divulge what had happened. The servant, of course, on his return told
all
:

the gold proved to be genuine and

was

sold.

The people

of

the household got their horses and rode off to see for themselves

but everything had vanished and they found only a fallow land covered with high grass. (1)
(1)

Sheu-shen-M

(T

;#)

'$

#
fill

IE P- 61.

Shen-sien-t'ung-lcien

jjjiji

MM

Bk. 16 Art.

p. 8; Art. 3,

1.

seh-hoh-t'ung-tsze

199

AKTICLE XLVIII
PEH-llOH-TUi\G-TSZE

HI

THE WHITE CRAXE BOY

In the account of Chili
the reader will find
father off to heaven.
in the

how

nix (French ed. Vol. XI p. 1028) her son as a Crane-spirit carried his

Here we are concerned with

its

appearance

biography of Pao-che-shan-shi ^f J, g$ frfj (or Chi-kung | ^). (1) Chi Rung disputed with Peh-hoh-tao-jen ^ |$ Jt A tne possession of Mt. Ts'ien $| dj. The Liang Emperor Wu-ti $( yfc

promised

it

to the

first to

get hold

of

the mountain.
it

The
to

crane
settle

flew off to take

possession, but just as

was about

on the land, Chi-kung* s $fc staff came whistling through The the air behind and the crane took fright and flew beyond. staff fell to ground and the site was adjudged to Chi-kung $fc.

The

statue of this

White Crane Boy

is

to be
Jprjj

found

in

many
ple
of

Taoist temples and the Fung-shen-yen-yi %\

/|f

H gives
the disci-

an account of his exploits.

He

was, according to
I)

this,

Yuan-shi-t'ien-tsun (Article

jt An

%, and together

in chief of the Chow armies at the they helped the commander foundation of the dynasty (1122 B.C.). The White Crane Boy

When the distinguished himself in the Hwang-ho-chen ff fpj p. his ordered Yuan the entered struggle. heroine K'iiing siao Jg f|
disciple to
Ml

throw into the

it

air his precious

jewel, the magic Ju-i

Pih-siao,

M(1)

2 ) In falling ( See above

broke the head of K'iting-siao.

Vol. VII Art.

XXII

p. 4 57 sqq.

Chi-kung (A D.4 25-514),

famous Buddhist monk. A Jui is carried by Tsz (2)

wet-sing in Fig. 359,360 of Vol.

XI

also Fig. 131 (above).

7 Precious things, Originally a Buddhist magic jewel, one of the of Buddhist gods (and the Saptnaratna. In China a sceptre, a symbol to be Chinese court usage, a token of distinction). Said originally

instrument for back-scratching.

200

IMMORTAL CODS, GENII

scissors in the air in order to

&i |f her sister, came to avenge her loss: she cast her magic kill Yuan. But Peh-hoh's Ju-i Hies
a

up
to

the

second time and colliding with the scissors, makes it crash "round. Yuan, availing; himself of the chance, draws a
his sleeve, flings
is
it

box from
self

into the air

and Pih-siao

finds her-

imprisoned and
(1)

killed subsequently. (1)

Fung-shai ycn-yi$\

j$

jgi

Bk.

Hwui

51, p.

1.

Also Chinese Superstitions Vol. XI hu-niang 1%

Art. XI, p

932 on
of
Iff

K'ang-sanf%

#g

where

Fig. 262

depicts

the

battle

with

Na-ch'a, and Pih-siao and her scissors.

Fig. 195

Pe-ho-t'ong-tse.

Crane The divining youth Peh-hoh (White

Fig.

196

Yang-se tstang-kiun.

Genemi

Yang-sze.

YANG-SZE-TSIANG-KIUN

201

ARTICLE XL1X
YAI\G-SZE-TS1AI\G-Klt3:\
(T.B.)

m m m m
GENERAL YANG-SZE
Yang
(the
is

one of the generals

i

of the

Naga-king, Lung-wang

Dragon-King) f| 3: ar>d is n charge of the policing of the Therefore boatmen and the lumbermen on the rafts waters.
worship him.
In several temples in Hai-mcn $|
special altar

his statue occupies

;i

and

is

much reverenced by

the wood-merchants as

the protector of the rafts of wood.

His symbols are a dragon, as he controls the watercourses and stills storms, and an axe, symbol
cutters.

rivers
of

and

wood-

26

202

IMMORTAL GODS, GENi:

ARTICLE L
CIMH-KIOII S1EN
( 1

# W
the $<;

ill

THE BARE-FOOT IMMORTAL

In the year 1009 A.D. (Ki-yen g,

H)

during the reign of

Emperor Chen-tsung ? jfl ^ in the 10th month, a high official was ordered to Mt. Mao ?f> mj, where Mao-hiim tf- ~S Mao-ying ^ $L (1) was honoured, to demand from that
spirit

an heir to the empire.

|f|
jjj,

Mao-kiiln happened just then to be

staying at T'ai-shan
of T'ai-shan's

the Sacred Peak of the East: the god

daughter, Pih-hia-yuan-Miin

H%
ttft

^",

(2)

was

Mao's wife.
presented
it

So Mao referred the request to the god who in turn to Yuh-ti 3 ^, the Ruler of Heaven. Yuh-ti was
5^
JJ

just then at this palace of T'ung-ming

and there were

12 bare-footed

Immortals round

his throne.

Yuh-ti caught one

of these smiling of reincarnation

and

and pounced on him immediately for the duty office of governing men.
did not

The Immortal
insisted
("#;

want

to be reincarnated but Yuh-ti

and gave him as helps two K'iih (^fj) spirits, one civil Wen) and one military (Wu f^). So "Barefoot" had to go,

greatly regretting his smile.

the 5th of the 10th month of 1010 B.C. (Keng-suh an heir was born to the Emperor. He was called Sheu-i )%), Benefit received but for all that, he wept uninterruptedly. jfc,
:

On

^ ^
l^t

So the Emperor by proclamation invited any person

remedy

to supply a stopping tears effectively. A Taoist Adept called Leu presented himself, touched the little prince's head and said.
for
!

"Don't cry

It

had been better had you not laughed when you

LIV
for the

(1)
(2)

See Article

Three Brothers Man.

See below Vol.

XI

Art.

XXII

p.

990 sq.

CH'IH-KIOH SIEN

203

were

in Yuh-ti's palace.

Wu-Jc'iih will give help."

Now, The

take heart!

Wen

k'iih

~%

|JJj

and

infant ceased crying.

A month after his birth, there grew up under his cradle a The shoot of Ts'ing ling-chi ft 'jjF, a herb of the Immortals. little prince, from his earliest years, loved to walk bare-foot. (1)

(1)

Shen-sien-t'ung-hien

jjj!}i

f|l]

$ Bk.

18 Art.

p. 1.

204

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

ARTICLE LI
\VE\-YUA\-SIIVVAI
(T.B.)

fi

7C

N
WEN
Bridge"
fx
in the

GENERALISSIMO
The
:

small

town

of "White-stone
%ft

Wen-chow

lm

'J'H

subprefecture in Cheh-kiang

was the

birth-place of

Wen.

Though

his

scholar with the bachelor's degree.

family was of the people, his father was a As he had no child, he went

with his wife Chang-shi $1 i, called also Tao-hwui,

to Hi'H-t'o fa j; (Sovereign Earth) in his temple.

M.M

to P ra y

During the night, his wife in a dream saw a spirit with golden armour who held in one hand a large axe and in the other
a brilliant pearl

which he was
(1)

the Kiah-shen

be incarnated in

offering. 'T am", said he, "one of marshal. I desire to and Yuh-hwang's jjfc your womb and become a man: will you be my

mother?"

Chang-shi accepted as she was a pure stupid woman but her visitant a being full of wisdom and majesty. Then the spirit laid his pearl in her womb and she awoke. After twelve months, she bore

W en-yuan-shwai
the year

mid-day
i.e.

of the fifth of the fifth

month and

it was was 142 A.D.,

:

the

first

year of Han-ngan
jljfj

^
On

4 during the leign of the

Han
and

Emperor

Shun-ti -^

*$?.

bathing the child, his cousin

his left side
(2)

exclaimed:

"There are 24 charms written on

16 on his right and

all

nobody knows the characters."

Soon

after,

these vanished.

The mother, because

-=f

of her dream, called the

child

Hwan

Tsz-yuh J

literally,

Bracelet Child-Jade.
name
of

(1) Cf. Che-rh yuenkieh Appendice. these six spirits Taoist.

(2)

Thence they give the

See above Vol. Ill (Engl. Ed.) for specimens of the extraordinary
in

characters used

charms.

Fig. 197

Wen-)'uen-choai. Generalissimo Wen.

WEN-YUAN-SHWAl

205

At seven, early youth, he studied the stars; at ten, the classics, histories and astronomy. At nineteen, he sat for the examinations and failed. At twentydisplayed a ready talent.
six,

From

Wen

he abandoned literature for arms: and

failed

in

the military exami-

nations, he

afresh.

So he

reflected sadly that in life he

could not serve his monarch and his people, but consoled himself with the hope that after death he should aid the sovereign by

destroying evildoers and abuses. He began to think of becoming a recluse, and while working over these thoughts, he saw a dra-

gon which dropped a pearl at his feet: he caught up the pearl and swallowed it. The dragon began to dance and twirl before
him.
its tail

Wen

seized the monster,

bent him to a circle and rolled

change came on him immediately: his face went grey, his hair red, his body blue and his total appearance was terrifying. Thereupon the god of T'ai-shan [\\

round his arm.

appointed him as his assistant in governing T'ai-shan, an in which he distinguished himself.

office

Yuh-hwang canonized him, at first, as the Grand spirit with the Golden Neck; then, later on, as the Marshal, Chief of
all

wed on him

He bestothe spirits. Supervisor of all officials of T'ai-shan. a bracelet, a flower made of gems and a writing

him to securing him free entry and sortie from heaven, allowing m submit to in petitions himself Yuh-hwang's palace present
urgent cases.

He
sort
of

bracelet in his left and depicted with a precious T'ieh-kien battle-mace $$ fg (an "iron baton", prickly
is
;

mace)

in his right.

Wen
honorific

is

honoured

at

Wen-chow $&

]>\\.

The

inhabitants of

investiture with that town by persistent entreaty obtained his

titles.
is

(1) In

many temples

of the

god

of T'ai-

statue also

to be found.

A
*

to Fig. 197 vva figure very similar

(1)

Shen-shen-M

^
}.

#>
7C

tt
&fr-

IE P- 18-19-

He

is

there entitled. F,

JVen-yuan-sliwai

Jfi6

206

IMMORTAL GODS, GENIx

li

to he seen in a temple in the countryside about 8

to the north-

east of Ju-kao.
a

To

give him more

dignity,

two servants and

horse were in attendance on him.

IS'IN-LI-YEN

AND SHUN-FUNG-RH

207

ARTICLE LII
TS'lEX-Ll-YEN

Til
The
figures of these
of superfine hearing

SHUN-IUNG-RH

115
^
B^ (Piercing

THOTJSAND-LI EYE AND FAIR WIND EAR.

two genii, often as giants with savage expressions on their faces, are to be found as door-guardians in many Taoist temples. (1) This Chinese Lvnceus and his brother
were named Kao-ming
(Delicately Sensitive).

View)

and Kao-kioh
ko #j
$fc
&j-

^ %

They came

to Chao-

Chow

and were presented by Fei-lien H| j to the Emperor (the infamous last member of the Shang dynasty 1154-

1122 B.C.).

The Emperor

greatly admired their warlike appeartitle of

ance and granted them the

Shen-wu-shang-tsiang-kiiin
to Mung-tsin
$fc
jj;
'{j$t

Spirit-Marshals of his army

and had them brought J^ $f where his commander-in-chief Yuen-hung

jjtyi

then was.

Ko Ming's face was blue in tint and his eyes shone like lamps: he was very tall: his mouth had a wide gape and showed His brother, Ko-Kioh, had a green complexion tusk-like teeth.
:

on his head were two horns he had a red beard and teeth sharp as swords jutted forth from his large mouth.
Their
the
first

adversary was Na-ch'a

who was on

the side of

Chow. Na

blow

flung his magic bracelet but Kao-kioh received the on his head without suffering a scratch. Na then took hold
discretely

of his fiery globe but the brothers

withdrew.

As

all

means
tsien

of attack
ff,

proved ineffectual, a council was held by Yanga and Li-tsing $$j to debate Kiang-tsze-ya 5J-

^^

by using the trigrams(see Fuh-hi of of ft %, sprinkled with the blood Fig. 199) upper part But of course, it failed when it came to be of fowl and dog.

method

of beating the brother's spells

(1)

Two

gigantic statues at Ch'eng-hwang-miao of T'ai-hing

208

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

in practice, for

put

the brothers had heard and seen deliberations

and preparations

alike.

The important

military factor of surprise

was

lacking.

So Yang-tsien went

to Kiany-tszc-ya

and told him that he

wished to take more effective methods against the two. "What do you wish to do?" asked Kiany-tszc-ya. "I can't tell you; they would hear it all." So Kiany allowed him to go away to execute
his plan.

The

brothers of course were quite aware that Yang

had gone, but he had not said where he was going and any how
it

did not matter.

Now Yang went away to visit Yuh-ting-chen-yen 31 jUj "Jade Tripod" (a Taoist adept) in the cave of Kin-hia g| (Cavern of Golden Mist) on Yuh-is'iien-shan 31 fjj Being asked his advice, the Taoist worthy explained, "These two are

j|pj

from Mt. K'i-p'an |g # |jj one of them is a peach-tree demon and the other a pomegranate-demon the two trees have active
: :

roots covering an area of 30 square

is

li.

On

the Mountain there

Hwany-ti |f $$ called Hien-yuen-miao jftf $j| J^ and in it are two clay statues of Ts'ien-li-yen =f- J[ [jg and Shunfung-rh ]l[| /(, Jf the peach-tree and the pomegranate-tree having
a

temple

of

become

genii have entered these statues

one can see and the other can hear a thousand

and possess them. The li but no farther.

two

Let Kiany-tsze-ya know that he must uproot all the roots of those Then he will trees, burn them and then break the statues.

defeat these demons. But when you tell Kiang, see that demons cannot perceive your communication. You must get flags waved and gongs and drums beaten all through your arm}."

On Town's return, Kiany asked him how he had fared. 'T can say nothing," replied Vang. "But I must know what you want to do." "Well, first, if you please, I will do it, and then
you
flags
will see."

Kiany agreed and Yang went

to

have 2000 red

beat

waved

busily in the air and a thousand

soldiers to

gongs and drums vigorously. This effectively screened the communication to Kiany of the Taoist Worthy's advice.

Fig. 198

Ts

ien-li-yen.

Choen-fong-eul.

Ts'ien-U-yen.

Shun-fung-eul.

TS'IEN-LI-YEN

AND SHUN-FTJNG-RH

209

to K'i-p'an
at

with 3000 soldiers marched off Thereupon Li-tsing Mountain and destroyed the ahode of the den ions and the same time Lei-chen-isze f}f J| -^ kept the giants engaged
attack.

^$

by an

But the giants were rendered

useless, for the flags

waving as far as the eye could see and the deafening and drums fuddled their sensitiveness.

din of gongs

On the following right Yuan-hung jj^ $t determined to storm Kiang's camp. He sent as an advance-guard Ts'ien-li-yen and Shun-fung-rh: but the Chow camp was on the alert expecting an attack. Yang tsien and the other officers in the service of
Wu-wang
it

f 31 (the

first

Chow Emperor 1122-1115 B.C.)outfianked

skulls. (1)

the brothers.
fell

Kiang-tsze-ya cast his exorcising whip in the air:

on these two demons and broke their

Fung-shen-yen-yi $1

(1)

}g Wc Bk. 8

Hwui

89 p.

to

Huui

91

p.

21

27

210

IMMMORTAL CODS. GENII

ARTICLE

LIII
(I B)

K1ANG TSZE YA

( 1 )

m * w
1190-1094 B.C. (? 1210-1120)
nal

The family name of this hero was Kiting || and his personame was Bhang fnf but since the fief Lit g had been held
family as descendants of a minister of the

in his

Emperor Yao

3|?

(2257 B.C.?

i.e.

Shang. He Grandsire's Hope: this title was given him by Si-peh "g" fj (B.C. 1231-1135), "the Chief of the West". Duke of Chow, the
as

Chinese history), he was known as Lit was known by another name T'ai-kung-wang ~fc Q>
of

Dawn

Chow Dynasty (who is known by a postWen-wang ^( J as if he had himself been Emperor). This Wen-wang discovered in Kiang the counsellor whom an ancestor had prophesied would help to establish the fortunes of the House of Chow Jg].
virtual founder of the

humous

title

of

Chow wang
its

Kiang-tsze-ga, at least in legend, passing from the service to that of the new dynasty Chow J], J- 3E

became
set the

most distinguished general.

in the

Chow

person of

Wu-wang

His military successes 3 on the throne: in

reality, the disaffection of the

to say to the results. of

Bhang adherents had much more The battle of Mung tsin jg (The Lord
yjjf;

Mung)

or

Muh-yeh fa
Jjff

Jgf

(1122

B.C.)

to

the south of Wei-

hwui-fu Hf
3E

jj^jf

decided the fate of the Shang.

)

As

a result

Wu-wang (originally Fall |f ascended the throne as first of the Chow dynasty. He conferred on Kiang-tsze-ga the title of "Father and Counsellor" and named him King of Ts'i ^ with
succession for his children. (2)
See also Chinese Superstitions: Vol IV, Chapter VIII, Article VII (1) 428 (English Edition); A magic inscription :f or averting- devils at sight

p.

of Kiany's
(2)

name.
2 p. 2,
3.

Kang-Jcien-hopien Bk.

Fig.

199

KIANG-TSZE-YA

1 I ]]

This is the historic frame into which legend and romances have woven a tissue of miraculous happenings and marvellous deeds. Only a very short resume can he given here of the content of the legends.

Kiang-tsze-ya was an avatar of Yih-chen

Yuh-chen-ta-fah-shi 3^ J| near the Eastern Sea.
>)>]]

jgl,

pupil

of
;ft

ftp

he was

hum

at Hit-choir

His parents died when he was very

young and he became

'/&

vendor of the bean condiment Tsiang-yi u So he took to slaugh(1) but did not do good business.
a

making a slaughter-house to the east of the for some time, he had to give up this trade. town Chao-ko i$\ Then after a voyage to Lido-tung jiff ]|f he returned to Tung-yang he married the daughter of one Sz-ma lp\ J|. Then ife m where he went to dwell in Nan-shan ^ |Jj where he spent his time
tering cattle: after
sffc

fishing.

One day

he caught a carp and in

ffr

its
4g!

belly found a

book

entitled:

Ping-ling-ia-yao-l uh-pi en J

^ |f,

six chapters

on Military Art. He studied the book for a month and when he had grasped the subjet matter, he went on again with his fishing. He is famous for his fishing with a straight pin of iron instead
of a

hook

(it is

said

that the fish

in

admiration of his virtue

his

voluntarilv

impaled

themselves)

but

wife

remonstrated

with him on this apparent folly. Kiang pointed out that she did not belong to the craft and went on as before.

Then
bank

at last Lao-tsze

=f appeared one

day on the other

and reproached him with being ignorant of his eat this pill," said he, and threw into the air origin. "Take and The the Kioh- yuan-tan ft "drug of understanding origin." into a luminous track in the air, passed through
of the river

%^

pill

leaving

the pill, he felt Kiang's stomach. On digesting was influencing his ideas. himself was before him and not want to be a mandarin? said

that Lao-tszi

"Why", "What means can

Lao-tsze,"do you

take to attain to that rank?" replied Kiang.

which has been fermentA paste of "yellow beans" #T with salt (1) of the culinary proc( B ed before use. Kiang is invoked for the success See Vol. IV. p. 428 sqq.

212

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

will

up.

''Wen-wang -% 3E has need of a capable man; he When the time comes, you will find a jade

take you
I

tablet.

am

going myself to look up Wen-wang to settle the business." When Lao-tsze had gone, Kiang went home and removed his family,
including his boy Tsao jg, aged 7, and his 10 year old daughter, to Wen-wang's country near Si-ki "gf (S.W. of Shen-si) and ||j made his home there in Pao-Jci-hsien 'if | f at Wei- shut J'pf y\^.

Three months
a jade

after that, he caught a fat fish, and inside there was with the inscription. "Ki #[ is predestined to the Ts'i shall be thy reward." Ki was a throne, go to his help. name for the descendants of Hwang-ti, and especially for the

tablet

house of Chow.

(1)

Now
dream
in

the

hour had come.

Wen-wang

(i.e.

Si-peh) had a

which he saw a winged bear flying from the south-east

and settling down beside the palace. Soothsayers explained that the expected sage would therefore come from the lands south-east.

One
of

day,

Wen-wang and

his court

went hunting along the banks

fisherman,

the

Wei-shui.

Coming upon some

who

timidly

withdrew, he followed and questioned them. They told him of an old man farther on who was always fishing by the river and
singing as he fished: his name was Fei-hiung, Flying Bear fH$j|. Wen-wang felt he had his man and got people to lead him to this "Flying Bear." The old man did not take any notice of this
great personage's salutation but went on fishing and singing: "When the West Wind begins to blow, winter is a-coming in.

The
Si-k'i

old year
"gj"

is

fl|.

Few

a-dying and the phoenix has cried to the land of are they that know me." Wen-wang ^

saluted him again and

at last

now entered

into conversation with

in his chariot.
It

him

he took him

away with himself

was

the year Jen-shen T:

1129 B.C. and Kiang

was then 72 years

of age (born in 1200 B.C.?).

(1)

Wen-ivang was a descendant of Heu-tsi

first

ffj

fg

of

the

Ki family

and the

Cliow

emperor

jslc

3E

Wu-wang was Wen's

son.

KIANG-TSZE-YA

213

Before his death, Wen-wang summoned his son Wu-wang and hade him pay his respects to as master and father.

Kiang

When

the

new emperor had ascended

the throne,

lie

took Kiang's

daughter as the imperial concuhine and he conferred the kingdom of TsH on Kiang and his descendants. It was

eldest son,

who

ruled the
title of

court with the

Tsao^, Kiang's kingdom while his father remained at The second son Shen f| received king.
Kiang
retired
to his

the principality of

Fu

~$.

kingdom when
in his

death drew near and passed away very quietly one day arm-chair at the age of 105(?).

The king of Ts'i sent news of his father's death to the Emperor Ch'eng-wang jf&T: and the Duke Pih i|^ was deputed by the monarch to go as his representative to Ts'i and offer sacrifice to the dead, immolating an ox. But when Kiang was
encoffined, the coffin
son, the king Tsao,
hat,

for the body, so Kiang's and found nothing beyond the clothes and the military treatise belonging to the dead man.

seemed no heavier
coffin

opened the

So the empty
victory of Muh-ijc
$fc

coffin

was buried

at the scene of the great

f and the clothes were buried at Pih Jjl. In Ts'i his son had a mausoleum built and there Kiang received
rites.

the honours of the

(1)

Other legends would have Kiang

! )-

to be the pupil of

Yuan-

After a stay of 40 years in shi-t'ien-tsiin =it ftu H M- ( see Art his master, he received the with the Kwun-lun Mountains

% $

order to go to help Wen-wang. Then he tried his hand at many mission. At the age of things before accomplishing his took a wife, he became a worker in bamboo, a miller, an eatm
last house keeper, a cattle-dealer, a fortune-teller and from this Then 3=. under &JChow-wang into service occupation went

turned over to Wu-wang.

His
fill

fights in

company with

the immortals and the gods

yi
4

whole volumes
1)

of

Fung-shen yen

(The
Art
7

Way
p.
1

to hives
to

Shen-sicn-t'ung-Men
yi Jf
fit

Bk
'

fill

31

&

Bk.

Art.

Fung shen yen

St ft

ffwui

to

Hwui

24.

214
vinities,
i.e.

IMMORTAL GODS, GENII

to

can only give

after the

in outline
J\

Confer the Post of Divinity) ^J- jji$ ffi ||. Here we the famous Canonization of the Shcnjffi
victory.
It is

Chow

supposed to have added consi-

derably to the spirit ranks.

tower was

built for the

the supervision of Peh-Jcien

gg.

ceremony by five genii under The Decree of Canonization

was delivered
list

to Kiang-tsze-ya by

Yuan
in

shi tHen tsun as well as a

of the spirits of

and their functions:

this list

was

affixed to the

Kiang platform. supports holding his yellow flag -^ and his exorcising-whip, mounted the He had Peh-kien lead before him the souls of all the stage.
warriors

the

helmet

and breastplate,

who had

fallen in the previous

fights,

explained Yuanthe
spirit-offices

shi-t'ien-tsun's

decree and conferred on them

they were to hold in the other world. Many of these spirits are still reckoned in the Chinese pantheon. (1)

This explains the power over demons credited to KiangHe has made them and therefore can unmake. Hence tsze-ya.
the protective spell, "Kiang-tsze-ya
fear"
;

is

here: there

is

no reason for

or
is

as in

fig.

199

H^c^^jlt'S'^^S^ B
is

Venerable

Kiang

here, everything

safe (in the sense of "lucky").

He

is

much

associated with the P'ah-kun

(or

eight

received so

much

attention from Wen-wang.

trigrams) which Often Kiang occuIn

pies the place of

of

honour on

household

altar.

many

districts

Ngan-hwui and Kiang-su pictures of Kiang are pasted up on the fifth of the fifth to ward off bad-luck, devils, epidemics.
a fact, under the T'ang dynasty, Kiang was a war-god. had temples A.D. the Emperor Hiicn-tsung ~&. erected in his honour officially in both capitals and in all prefec-

As

In

731

tures and subprefectures. Ten generals were assigned as his court in attendance and Chang-leang jjg J^ (2) as his attached
(1)

(2)

Fung-shcn-yen-yi Hwui 99 Bk. S. Chang-leang, died B.C. 189; had shared in

the overthrow of the Ts'in

the

establishment of
in the

the

Han dynasty and

somewhat as Kiang

overthrow of Shang.

KIANG-TSZE-YA
minister.
"civil"

215

war.

Thus was begun the system of two official temples: a one for Confucius and a "military" one for the god of Sze-ma Kwang p\ ^t protests against Kiang being put

on a

level

with the matchless Confucius.

Moreover the sages

o1

antiquity could
once. (1)
(1)

make one

job

of

governing and repressing

at

Wieger;

Textes his^oriques

p.

1658.

216

IMMORTAL GODS, GENU

ARTICLE LIV
SAi\

MAO

(T

!&)

THE THREE MAO BROTHERS

A
of these

the history genealogical table with notes will explain

brothers,

whose

birth

place

was Hien-yang

$ %
#/

(i.e.

Si-ngan-fu) in Shen-si.

Great-great-grandfather :(1)? 217 B.C. Mao-nmng (Ch'u-ch'eng)

3

if

Great-grandfather:

(Unknown)

Grand-father: (2) 249 B.C.

Parents:
Hit (Wife) ff J

Mao-hi^^

(Kung-lun$kjfo)

Mao-tsu (Peh-ying) or Mao-mung

Mao-ying

(Shuh-shen)

Mao-ku

(Ki-wei)

Mao-chung

(Sz-chi)

Mao-ying, the eldest of the brothers, was born during the

reign of the

Han Emperor
t$t

King-ti -^
i.e.

the Chung-yuan

period,

in the fifth year of jfr 145 B.C., on the third of the

left

10th

month.

When

eighteen years of age, he

his parents

(1)

yang.
office

Foreseeing- that the

The great-great-grandfather had been a famous scholar of Hien Chow ffl were toppling to ruin, he kept out of
to

and devoted himself

alchemy on Mt. Hica

Ijl

HJ.

In full daylight,

on the day Keng tsse (|? -f-) of the 9th month hwang-M, he went up to the heavens.
Shen-sien-t'ung

in the

30th Year of TsHn-shi

Men

jf4
{\\\

f|I|

|g

Bk. 43

p. S.

(2)

The

{$ Tung-sien-chwan p T'ai-p'ing-kwang-M Bk. 5 p. 5. % jgfc il :# Bk. 241 p. 13. Suh-wen-hien-fung-hao grandfather had been Comptroller for the Ts'in Prince
3jif(

Chwang-siang-wang ^ S S 3E. the father of Ts'insM-hwang jt 209 B.C ) and real ouster of the Choir dynasty. Mao hi received
service the title of

(221his

for

Magnanimous, Sincere Duke.

Fig. 200

San Mao (Tchema en

leur honneur).

Three Princes San Mao. Written charm burnt in honour of the

Fig. 201

San Mao.
The Three Princes San Mao.

SAN-MAO
for

217
(in

Mt. Heng
-jf

>|

mj,
i

the

Sacred Peak of the North

Hwunto spiri-

yuen-hsien

flg jgg

n Shen-si).

There he met Wang-kiiin 3{{\.

a spiritualized

man; becoming-

his pupil, he learned

how

tualize himself so that he could

overcome the law

)

of gravity

and the

need for nutrition. Si-wang-mu (Article Yl

that

gave him the prayer

makes the

perfect hero.

of perfection, the

Tao

jf,

Then having acquired the science he returned home at the age of 49.

His father now abused him

piety: the old
of

man

for vagrancy and lack of filial took a stick to beat him but it flew in pieces

itself. So Mao-ying fled and passed into a wall to hide. Shortly he quitted home and went eastward till he settled down on Mt. Kii-k'uh frj $\ pj in the kingdom of Wu <%. In this

solitude, a spiritualized

man gave him

the

method
full

of self-perfection

and intrinsic nutrition

levitation at will.

so he arrived at

subtility

and

aerial

death of his parents, he returned to Shen-si for the funeral and ceremonies.
In the fourth year of the period Pen-shi
2fc

On

iff

(i.e.

69 or

70 B.C.) of the

Han Emperor

Suen-ti

Hm
to

iff

on the third of

the fourth month, a heavenly messenger brought him a message

and Mao-ying immediately bade farewell announcing that he was going away to Mt.
into the clouds.

his

relatives,

and

Kii-k'uh, disappeared

were mandarins but when they heard of his departure, resigned and followed him to Mt. Kii-k'uh. Ying welcomed them and set them to a fast of as a way to the immortal state: each of them for three
His brothers

Ku

|g

and Chung

years So the mountain that period lived solitary on a separate peak. came to be called Mt. Mao or the Peaks of the Three Mao's. It
is

situated 45

li

to the south-east

of

Kii-yung-hsien

fij

'.

in

the sub-prefecture of
in

Kiang-ning-fu ft

/ft

(modern Nanking.

Kiang-su. (1)
In 64 B.C.. the second year of the period Yuan-k'ang jt the reign of Siian-ti, the two younger moon,

/, in the 8 th
(1)

during

of Ming) Ming-yih-t'ung-chi (Geography

ty

Wt

Bk-

6.

p. 8

28

218

IMMORTAL CODS, GENII

brothers Kit and Chung mounted on two yellow cranes to the heavens. To prayers offered to them on the mountain peaks
the} have always given effect.

Now Man-ying's old master Wang-hiiin came from T'ai Shan, the sacred mountain of Shan-tung, to Mt. Kii-k'iih to propose marriage with his niece Yuh-nii (Jade-lady 3{ ^c). (1) So to be married and henceforth Man-ying went to T'ai-shan -Jz
|JL|

his life

journey ings to and fro between and T'ai-shan on the back of a white crane.
a series of

was

Kii-k'iih

In 976 A.D., the

Sung Emperor
;g\

T'ai-isung

5|c

ic

in his

very

first

year, canonized Mao-ying as: "Loyal Prince, Protector

fft

of the

Holy"

lg

ifi

By

this

name Mao-ying

is

known

in

the Shen-shen-ki

f$ f.

In the district about

Hwo-chow

ffl

j>\],

on the borders of

Nanking (the town Hwo-chow is in Ngan-hwui), there is on the left bank of the Kiang fx. a celebrated mountain standing boldly
up with three peaks.
|
Mj.
It is

Here

a temple to

the Bird Cage Mt. Ki-iung-shan $$fc San-Mao j ^, the Three Maos, has

been constructed on the almost precipitous peak, so difficult of access that one has to climb up one passage with the help of an
iron chain
let

into

the

rock at either end;

it

is

or

was

a fairly

popular pilgrimage.

(1)

i.e.

Pih-hia-yuanliiin

M. it

(See Vol. VI Art.

XXII

p.

990 sq.)

Fig.

202

Kin-k'iue-chang-ti et Yu-k'iu<-chang-ti. Kin-k'ueh Shang-ti and Yuh-k'ueh Shang-ti.

KIN-K'EtJH-SHANG-TI

AND YUH-K.-EUH-SHANG-TI

21 9

ARTICLE IV

KU\-K<EUH-SHANG-T1 and YUH K'ELII 8IIWG-TI

(T.B.)

&m

%
of the

m #
Ming
relate

The Annals

that

at

the

time of the

Five Dynasties (907-960 A.D.), Chi-cheng p jgand Chi-ngoh %] sons of Sii-wen f jUJt, led their armies south and restored fj,
peace to Fuh-chow fg
)]]

in

Fuh-kien.

The heads

of

families

and the elders erected statues and made offerings hefore them in token of gratitude.

An emperor
"heroes,"
i.e.

in the
-

or "genius"

-fill

of the Sung dynasty canonized them as second rank, superior to that of "immortal" The MlV( ffl (1403J Emperor Ch'eng Tsu Vft

1425 A.D.

when

ill

had recourse

to

them and was cured:

in

the title of Ti-kiiin rff JJ Imperial gratitude he conferred on them Golden Palace" ( $) and the "of the was One Sovereigns.

other "of the Palace of Jade"

(5

Jffl).

Then

the

Ming Emperors Yiny-tsung

9j?

(1436-1450

A.D.) and Hien-Tsung jg

_t *$> Supreme Rulers.

(1465-1488 A.D.) honoured them as

of Rites deprived

*, the Ministry In 1488, in the reign of Hiao Tsung them of this title as an abuse and cut down

the sacrifices in their honour.

220

IMMORTAL GODS. GENII

ARTICLE LVI

WU-LAO

THE FIVE ANCIENT OF DAYS.

The live genii known by this name have been the theme many Chinese paintings or drawings, and Chinese arts have

of

exercised their ingenuity to secure fresh original treatment. Their images are often exposed for the sake of art rather than
for worship.

of

Divinities
to

Yet they are genii of whom we read in the Records and Genii, the Shen-sien-t'ung-kien f^ f[|j jgj $j.
this,

According

thev would be

among

the

first

of

human
five

beings on the earth, or rather they are the spirits of the elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth.
1.

The

spirit of

Metal

in a

is

the famous

Wang-mu

3E

# or

Kin-mu
born
of

^-BJ:; she

"Yin"

was born on the Kwun-lun Mountains j^^lll, At f^ and "Yang" |SJ|. the two principles.
top-knot on her head, she had

birth, her hair

was bunched

tiger-teeth, a great necklace with jade

of
p.

pendants

fell

upon

a sort

apron
489).
2.

of

mulberry-leaves (Cf. Si-wang-mu, Article VI above

The Wood-spirit

is

Muh-kung

7fc

^, god

of the Immortals.

He was born of primal air in the East. He made himself garments

leaves. (Cf.
3.

country of

Wei-ling, to the

of green leaves

and hawthorn

Tung-wang-kung

^^

^,

Article VI, p. 488)

The Water-spirit is Shui-tsing-tsze 7k. j^ born, a very handsome person, at Ts ang-lang '/J|-/j| He made himself garments of the bark of ebony.
e

He was
North.

in the

4.

The

Fire-Spirit.

Ch'ih-tsinh-tsze (see Vol.

111

X
of

Fig. 236)

appeared first at Shih-t'ang-chan ^g" j^ pj from "yin" and "yang" and looked like a

the South.

He

issued

man made

fire.

He

Fig. 203

maniire de les represents) Les quatre Patrons de la Vieillesse (Seconde them). manner of representing The Four Patrons of Longevity (Another

Fig.

204

Fig.

205

Fig

200

WU-LAO

22]

made himself garments

a star as a streak of
5.
jif

of red leaves.

He had come down from

lierht.

The

Earth-Spirit

is

^.

He was produced by
in the

Hwang-lao (the Yellow Ancient) humidity and warmth and suddenly

(1)

appeared

middle regions.

Other authors give the Ancients the following names

Shih-pah-kung (King-tsieh)

+ A {%

Ip)

Ku-chih-kung |i

[J[

Ling-k'ung-tsze $

'*

Fuh-yuu-shen

ft

^ ^

Hiug-sien (2) -^ fj
It is

^.

Wang-mu

usual to depict only four Ancients, called Sze-lao ["| is left out. (See Vol. XIII fig. 4, for an apparition

of these five elders to Confucius). (3)

(1)

(.Shen-sicn-long lien Bk.

(Si-yeu-l-i

Art. 1)

(2)
(3)

WM

IE

Hwui

64 p. 15).
Tieli is

In

fig.

205 the butterfly *t

a punning allusion to J

Tich

''80-70 years of age".

222

MMORTAL GODS,

GENI-

ARTICLE LVII
Some Immortals. Better Known
1.

or

More

in

Honour
=?

KWAN

CH'ENG-TSZE
first

jfc

Ewang-ch'eng-tsze, one of the

to be

numbered among
lessons from

the Immortals, dwelt in a cavern hollowed out in Mt. K'ung-t'ung

flBgf
ilijp].

The Emperor

Htvan-ti jf

ifc

went

to take

him and learn the

2-

secret of immortality. (1)

HWANG

CH'U-PING

(1)

H yj ^
j*\

Hwang-ch'u-ping was born

of if

at Tan-k'i

$| in the kingdom

was herding (modern Shen-si). was carried off by a Taoist adept to Kin-hwa-shan ^|ji where he spent more than forty years in a grotto heedless of (Ij his family. His elder brother had been ever looking for him
At the age
of fifteen as he

sheep, he

and one day meeting

he
is

very famous Taoist, he asked him whether

knew
a

of his brother, living or dead.

It

"At King-hwa-shan, there

shepherd Hwang-ch'u-ping.

must be your brother."

The

elder brother

The

first

question was,

"What

found him by the Taoist 's guidance. has happened to your sheep?"
Ch'u-ping.

"They

are east of the

mountain," answered

Only

white rocks were visible but at a word from their "herdsman"

they turned into thousands of sheep. "Oh, so you have become 'genius'; may I too learn that learning?" "Wish and you will

So the elder brother quitted home and became his junior's disciple. So he secured the gift of immortality. Ch'u-p'ing then took the name of Ch'ih-sung-tsze 3f fy ^ and his elder
attain."

brother Ch'u-k'i

-ffl

|fi

took the

name Lupon
IE Bk.
I

.|f.

#. (2)

(1)

T'ai-p'ing-l-wang-l-i pk
f[Ii

^ ^

p, 5.

Sien-fuh-yuan
(2)

$ft

Hi

Bk.

4 p. 3.

T'ai-p'ing-kwang-l-i
4 p. 13.

^^^

| Bk.

p.

Sien-fuh-yuan-M

fill

$J

Bk.

THE BETTER KNOWN IMMORTALS

){.

223

HilEN-CHEN-TSZE

This genius's real name was Chan-chi-hwo >j^ lie %j was a hermit on Mt. Kwei-ki lif ff |Jj Having being a celebrated scholar with the doctor's degree and having been in office, he

came back

to his family as usual

life in

on an occasion
order to live

of

mourning

and then renounced public

in solitude.

As strong with the wine-cup as with the pen, he could drink three bushels (?) and not be drunk. As a result of a
special

form

of

nutrition,

he could

roll

in

the

snow without

feeling the cold and could submerge himself in water without drowning. He crossed lakes and rivers in comfort, carousing and

singing, by simply spreading his

mat on

the water and embarking

on

it.

When
he mounted

the time came, a crane

its

came down from the

in

skies

back and disappeared

the heavens.
;

(1)

He

lived in the time of the T'ang

Emperor Su-Tsung Jg

(756-

773 A.D.)
4.

OHAXG-LAO

(2)

Chan-lao was from Luh-Eoh-hsien

fe

Jg$

in

Yang-chow

5.

MEH-TSZE

S?

was a high dignitary in the kingdom of Sung ^. Tih H but when he had written the famous was name His book that goes by the name of Meh-tsze, (3) he was ever after called out between Sung% and Ch'u by that name. When war broke
Meh-tsze
real

gj,

Daedalus (See Lu-pan Kung-shu-pan % $ft $, a Chinese French Edition), made Vol. 1031, XI, p. -Chinese Superstitions"
:

(1)

T'ai-pHng-Tcwang-Tci

*f II Bk.
,,

27

p. 7

Sien-fuh-yuan

{\h

ft

Bk.
(2)
(3)

4 p. 20.
.. ,,

T'ai-p'ing-lcwang-ki

Bk,

17 p.

1.

The

historical

Mehtih
is

lived

somewhere between
as

the 5th and

centuries B. C.

His doctrine

summed up

$ S

"Universal Love.'

224

IMMORTAL CODS, GENU

enemy's walls. Now Mchdays and seven nights to

special aerial ladders for scaling- the

tszi

made

a special journey of seven

beg him to withdraw the aid afforded to an unjust war by his

special talents.

At the age of
|Jj

82,

Meh-tsze retired to Mt.

Chdw-tih

Jg)

J^

where he became an immortal. (1)

6.

YE- J EN

|f

The Wild Man.

He was

a disciple of

Koh-hung J|

$t, a

famous Taoist
Jj

of

the fourth century,

also

known

as Pao-pu-tsze

j[y

^f-

His

master before passing away to the life of the immortals, had left some of the elixir pills hidden in a stone pillar on Mt. Lo-feu

p:

|J_|.

The "Wild Man" got hold

a terrestrial immortal. a

of

one,

swallowed

it

and

became

by night saw

man wearing no

Travellers crossing Mt. Lo-feu clothes but covered with long

hair all over his body: this Wild Man spent his life roaming over the mountain singing joyous songs. Taoism honours him
as a genius. (2)
7.

CHANG-LIANG
personage
in

?&

&
189 or 187 B.C.
is

The
famous
Ts'in.

historical

who

died in

for his

We

against the need only here note that he has become one of the
part

assisting the

Han dynasty

Taoist

Immortals.
8.

CHANG SAN-FUNG

3f

This Taoist was possessor of a "Comucopiae" Tsil-pao-pen

If*

f.

Sfc

anc

'

so

was

deified as Protecting Spirit of Riches.

*{!{-,

yih

~$|

or Chang Ts'iicnHis name was Chang-Kiun-shih $| ~$ he was dubbed Chang the Filth}- Chang "Lah-tah" Jjs
;

(1)

T'ai pHng-kwang-Jci jz

^^
F>1<.

IE Bk.
4 p. 5.

5 p. 1. 2.

(2)

Sien- full-yuan

i\\\

{%

fl

THE BETTER KNOWN IMMORTALS

3H iM x-

of the Province of

His native place was Kwang-ning-hsien in Kin-chen Sometimes he was Fung-t'ien (Liao-tung).
Shen-si,

called

Yuan
in

found

provinces.

Temples in his honour are to be Ngan-hwui and in most of the Actually he lived under the first Ming Emperor,
Yuan-tsze itx,^.

Yun-nan,

Hung Wu

gfc

j,

1368

1399.
to
jg

He

then

lived in
of

the

temple
in

Ying-siahg-kwan j

ft!

the

north-east

Ying-chow-fu
14
2 3
>

Ngan-hwui.
Cf. Ying-chow-fu-chi

j & Yun-nan-t'ung-chi Shen-si i'ung chi $ M 5 ^ j Ts'ing-yih-t'ung-chi

fl
Jff
jfr

K. 11

p. P-

16

K
K.

91

65. p. 52, 53
p. 7

Jpf

K. 44

Note: The Sien-fuh-yuan

of the usual

f[Jj

fi gj provides

illustrations

statues or carving that depict

these genii in the

temples.

29

22(]

IMMORTAL GODS. GENII

ARTICLE LVIII
The Usual Grouping
<>!'

-SAINTS"

in Taoist

Temples

To
useful to

know

those wishing to identify Taoist statues, it will be the three groups of "Saints" which are honoured

in the greater

Taoist temples.

these ark as below.

I.

Wu
Ts'ih

Tsu 3l

jffl-

the Five Ancestors.

^L, the

II.

Chen J^

Seven Heroes.
fiiji

III.

Shih-Pah

ta shi -f

A^

the Eighteen

Grand Masters.

wu-tsu ji m THE FIVE ANCESTORS

i

Wan

Hsiuen p'u (Tung-hwa-ti-kiun)

Li-k'iuan (Cheng-yang-tsze)

Ilf (^OT?>&)
:

157 A.D.

MMfi (IE It ?) 295 3 LuYen(Tung-pin)(T'un-yarig-t8ze) &($%) ($iH^)817

Chang
flj

4 Liu Ts'ao (Hai-ehan-tsze)

5"

$| (f it

Wang

Chili

(Chung-yang-tsze)
II.

^ j|

T ( p ^)
1
)

911

1192

TS'IH

CHEN

T:

&
Wang
,

THE SEVEN HEROES

(Disciples of the
1
fifth

ancestor:

Chih)
1
)

Ma Y u

Ta n-ya ng-tsz e)

g IK^Ii
^.Mi%{

Tan Ch'a-toan(Ch'ang-chan-tsze)

+ +
+
-4-

1183
1175

Liu Ch'u-hsiuan (Ch'ang sheng tsze) ^iM&i-fk.Q-^) 4 K'iu Ch'u hi (Ch'ang ch'wen-tsze) )
3
5

4- 1203

Wang Ch u-yih
(

(Yii-yang

fsze)

Ho
S'joj

Ta-t'ung (Hwang-ning-tsze)
Pu-rul (Ts'ing-tsing-san-jen)

Ir^^C^i^ Pi ^ j UJz'MfM'ffi ^
jfc
(

1227

3?.

1222 1212

-4-

M^~ (tpf^ffcA)

4-

H82

THE GROUPING OF SAINTS OF TAOISM

III.

-J27

SHIH PAH TA SHI

-f

A *

ftjj

THE EIGHTEEN GRAND MASTERS

(Disciples of the fourth Hero Kin, Ch'ang-ch'tm
1.
|i:i<;
/,.
)

1227

Yin Ts'ing-hwo (Chi-p'ing)

125]

2.
3.

Sung Bing-yun {Teh -fang)

Li Chen-chang (Chi-ehang)

+
-j_

1247
1256
1221

4.
5.

C/mo Tao-hien (Pao-ynan)

$tm<7 rao >^/"" (T'ai yuan)

6.
7.

Hia Chi-ehi ng (Sht u-yih)

2; ).)

Wang Chi-ming
Sun Chi-kien
Yii

8.
9.

(T'ai-su)

JjT>

'C

Chi-ko

(Kwang

fan)
i-

1255

10. Chang Ch\ su (Chung-hwo)

1268

11. 12.

Chen Chi-siu (Kwang-kiao)

A';//;

Chi-yuen (Pao-puh)

13.
14.

Mwwp

Chi-wen (Fu-hwa)

^H(#ft) +
:-rf>3S

- ,iJ

Chun [i Chi-yuan
Chi-yuan (Chi-ts'ing)
Chi-ts'ing (Ming-chen)

15. JlW
16.

Ho

1255

17.

Fans' Chi-tsing

Hl
if *@W
76.

18. P</?i

Teh-chung

1256

Ct. Tao-tsang
Ji7

$|Vol. 75,

/m

t'ung-chi

(Kwang-su) %

&(*)

K. 178,

p. 94-95.

.':

.-

DS 721 D613 v.9

East
Asiatic

Core, Henri Researches into Chinese superstitions. v.9

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