In the books of the Literati it is stated that Huangdi exploited the copper mines of Mount Shou, and out of the ore cast tripods at the foot of the Jing Mountain. When the tripods were completed, a dragon with a long beard came down, and went to meet Huangdi. Huangdi mounted the dragon. His whole suite including the harem, over seventy persons in all, mounted together with him, whereupon the dragon ascended. The remaining smaller officials, who could not find a seat on the dragon, all got hold of the dragon’s beard, which they pulled out. Huangdi’s bow fell down. The people gazed after him, until he disappeared in the sky. Then they hugged his bow, and the dragon’s beard, and moaned. Therefore later ages named the place Ding Hu (Tripod Lake) and the bow of the emperor Wu Hao (Raven’s Cry).
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《太史公記》誄五帝,亦云:黃帝封禪已,仙去,群臣朝其衣冠。因葬埋之。曰:此虛言也。
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The Grand Annalist in his eulogy on the Five Emperors also says that having performed the hill-sacrifice Huangdi disappeared as a genius, and that his followers paid their respect to his garments and cap, and afterwards buried them. I say that this is not true.
What does Huangdi really mean? Is it an appellative or a posthumous title? Being a posthumous title it must be some praise bestowed upon him by his subjects, for this kind of title is a glorification of what the deceased has done during his life-time. Huangdi was a votary of Dao, and subsequently, as they say, rose to Heaven. If his subjects wanted to honour him, they ought not to have styled him Huang, but ought to have given him a title implying his ascension as an immortal.According to the rules for honorary titles the pacification of the people would be called Huang, which means that he who is styled so kept the people at peace, but the word does not denote the acquisition of Dao. Among the many emperors those given to arts and literature were called Wen i.e. Scholarly, those fond of War, i.e. Warriors. Both designations had their real basis. They served to exhort others to do the like.If at the time of Huangdi posthumous titles were not yet given according to qualities, of what generation were those who first called him Huangdi? Huangdi’s own subjects must have known their prince, and later generations could trace his doings. Although our doubts about the existence of appellatives and posthumous titles at Huangdi’s time may not be set at rest, at all events it is evident that Huang cannot mean an Immortal who rose to Heaven.
A dragon does not rise to Heaven. If Huangdi rode on a dragon, it is clear that he could not have ascended to Heaven either. When a dragon rises, clouds and rain appear simultaneously and carry it along. As soon as the clouds disperse, and the rain stops, the dragon comes down again, and re-enters its pond. Should Huangdi really have ridden on a dragon, he would afterwards have been drowned with the dragon in the pond.
Huangdi was interred in the Qiao Mountain, and still they say that his officials buried his garments and cap. If he actually went up to Heaven on a dragon, his garments and cap cannot have separated from his body, and if he became a genius after the hill sacrifice and vanished, he cannot have left his garments and cap behind either. Did Huangdi really become a genius, who could not die, but rose to Heaven, his officers and people must have seen it with their own eyes. Having thus witnessed his ascension to Heaven, they decidedly knew that he did not die. Now, to bury the garments and cap of somebody, who did not die, would have been, as if he had died. Such a thing would not have been in accordance with the feelings of the officials, who were aware of the real state of affairs, and could distinguish between life and death.
It is on record that the seventy-two sovereigns who ascended Mount Tai, had troubled and toiled, worrying themselves over the state of the empire. Subsequently their efforts were crowned with success, and things settled, so that universal peace reigned throughout the land. When there was universal peace, the whole empire enjoyed harmony and tranquillity. Then they ascended the Tai Shan, and performed the hill-sacrifices. Now, the pursuit of Dao and the struggle for immortality are different from the vexations of official life and business. He whose thoughts all centre in Dao, forgets worldly affairs, because to trouble about them would injure his nature. They say that Yao looked dried up and Shun withered. Their hearts were sorrowful, and their bodies feeble and care-worn. If Huangdi brought about universal peace, his appearance must have been similar to that of Yao and Shun. Since Yao and Shun did not attain to Dao, it cannot be true that Huangdi rose to Heaven. If Huangdi in his pursuit of Dao neglected all worldly affairs, his mind would have been equanimous, and his body fat and strong. Then he would have been quite different from Yao and Shun, and consequently his achievements could not have been the same. In that case the universe would not have enjoyed universal peace. Without the universal peace his sacrifice on the mountain would not have taken place.
The Five Emperors and Three Rulers were all remarkable for their wisdom and virtue, Huangdi not more than the others. If all the sages became genii, Huangdi would not be one alone, and if the sages did not become genii, why should Huangdi alone be a genius? People seeing that Huangdi was very partial to magical arts, which are practised by genii, surmised that he was a genius.
Moreover, on finding the name of "Ding Hu" "Tripod beard" they said that Huangdi exploited the copper of Mount Shou, and cast it into tripods, and that a dragon with a floating beard came to meet him. This explanation would be on the same line with that of the Huiji Mountain. The purport of the name of this mountain is said to be that the emperor Yu of the Xia dynasty on a tour of inspection held a meeting (會) and a review (稽) on this mountain, whence its name Guiji. Yu went to Guiji for the purpose of regulating the water courses, but not on a tour of inspection, just as Huangdi was addicted to magic, but did not ascend to heaven. There was no such thing like a meeting or a review, as there was no casting of tripods, nor a dragon with a long beard. There is a village called Sheng Mu "Vanquish mother." Does that mean that there was really a son who vanquished his mother? A city is called Zhao Ge "Morning song." Are we to infer that the inhabitants of that city used to sing, when they rose in the morning?
The books of the Literati relate that the Prince of Huainan in his study of Daoism assembled all the Daoists of the empire, and humbled the grandeur of a princedom before the expositors of Daoist lore. Consequently, Daoist scholars flocked to Huainan and vied with each other in exhibiting strange tricks and all kinds of miracles. Then the prince attained to Dao and rose to heaven with his whole household. His domestic animals became genii too. His dogs barked up in the sky, and the cocks crowed in the clouds. That means that there was such plenty of the drug of immortality, that dogs and cocks could eat of it, and follow the prince to Heaven. Those who have a fad for Daoism and would learn the art of immortality all believe in this story, but it is not true.
Man is a creature. His rank may be ever so high, even princely or royal, his nature cannot be different from that of other creatures. There is no creature but dies. How could man become an immortal? Birds having feathers and plumes can fly, but they cannot rise to Heaven. How should man without feathers and plumes be able to fly and rise? Were he feathered and winged, he would only be equal to birds, but he is not; how then should he ascend to heaven?
Creatures capable of flying and rising, are provided with feathers and wings, others fast at running, have hoofs and strong feet. Swift runners cannot fly, and flyers not run. Their bodies are differently organised according to the fluid they are endowed with. Now man is a swift runner by nature, therefore he does not grow feathers or plumes. From the time he is full-grown up till his old age he never gets them by any miracle. If amongst the believers in Daoism and the students of the art of immortality some became feathered and winged, they might eventually fly and rise after all.
In case the nature of creatures could be changed, it ought to be possible that metal, wood, water, and fire were also altered. Frogs can be changed into quails, and sparrows dive into the water and become clams. It is the upshot of their spontaneous, original nature, and cannot be attained by the study of Dao. Lest the Daoists should be put on a level with the aforesaid animals, I say that, if men could have all the necessary feathers and plumage, then having feathers and plumage they might ascend to heaven.
Now, the growth and development of creatures is not abrupt, and its changes are not violent, but gradually brought about. If the Daoists and students of immortality could first grow feathers and plumes several inches long, so that they could skim over the earth, and rise to the terraces of high buildings, one might believe that they can ascend to heaven. But they do not show that they are able to fly even a small distance. How can they suddenly acquire the faculty of flying such a long way through the study of their miraculous arts without any gradual progress? That such a great result might be really effected by means of feathers and wings cannot be ascertained.
The human hair and beard, and the different colours of things, when young and old, afford another cue. When a plant comes out, it has a green colour, when it ripens, it looks yellow. As long as man is young, his hair is black, when he grows old, it turns white. Yellow is the sign of maturity, white of old age. After a plant has become yellow, it may be watered and tended ever so much, it does not become green again. When the hair has turned white, no eating of drugs nor any care bestowed upon one’s nature can make it black again. Black and green do not come back, how could age and decrepitude be laid aside?Yellow and white are like the frying of raw meat, and the cooking of fresh fish. What has been fried, cannot be caused to become raw again, and what has been cooked, to become fresh. Fresh and raw correspond to young and strong, fried and cooked, to weak and old. Heaven in developing things can keep them vigorous up till autumn, but not further on till next spring. By swallowing drugs and nourishing one’s nature one may get rid of sickness, but one cannot prolong one’s life, and become an immortal. Immortals have a light body and strong vital energy, and yet they cannot rise to heaven. Light and strong though they be, they are not provided with feathers and wings, and therefore not able to ascend to heaven.
Heaven and earth are both bodies. As one cannot descend into the earth, one cannot ascend into heaven. Such being the case, where would be a road leading up to heaven? Man is not strong enough to enter and pass through heaven’s body. If the gate of heaven is in the North-west, all people rising to heaven must pass by the Kunlun Mountain. The State of Huainan being situated in the South-east of the earth, he must, if he really ascended to heaven, first have gone to Kunlun with all his household, where he would have found an ascent. Provided the Prince of Huainan flew straight across the land to the north-western corner, flapping his wings, then he must have had feathers and wings. But since no mention is made of his passing by the Kunlun, nor of feathers and wings growing out of his body, the mere assertion of his ascension cannot be but wrong and untrue.
Liu An, prince of Huainan, lived contemporaneously with the emperor Xiao Wudi. His father Liu Chang was banished to Yan Dao in Shu for some offence, but died on the road, when he arrived at Yong Zhou. Liu An, who succeeded him in his princedom, bore a grudge against the emperor for having caused his father’s death in exile, and thought of making rebellion. He attracted all sorts of schemers, and intended great things. Men like Wu Bei filled his palaces, busy in writing books on the Daoist arts, and publishing essays on the most miraculous subjects. They were bustling about and putting their heads together.In the "Memoir of the Eight Companions" they wished to prove supernatural forces, as if they had attained to Dao. But they never reached it, and had no success. Then Huainanzi plotted a rebellion together with Wu Bei. The scheme was discovered, and he committed suicide or, as some say, was done to death. Whether this be the case, or whether he committed suicide is about the same. But people finding his writings very deep, abstruse, and mysterious, and believing that the predictions of the "Bagongzhuan" had been fulfilled, divulged the story that he had become a genius, and went up to heaven, which is not in accordance with truth.
It is chronicled in the books of the Literati that Lu Ao, when wandering near the "Northern Sea," passed the "Great North," and through the "Dark Gate" entered upon the Mongolean plateau. There he beheld an individual with deep eyes, a black nose and the neck of a wild goose. Lifting his shoulders, he soared up, and rapidly came down again, gamboling and disporting all the time against the wind. When he caught sight of Lu Ao, he suddenly took down his arms, and sought refuge under a rock. Lu Ao saw him there resting on the back of a tortoise and eating an oyster.Lu Ao accosted him saying, "Sir, I believe that, because I have given up what the world desires, separating from my kindred and leaving my home, in order to explore what is outside of the six cardinal points, you will condemn me. I began travelling in my youth. When I had grown up, I did not care for the ordinary duties of man, but managed to travel about. Of the four poles the "Great North" is the only one which I have not yet seen. Now unexpectedly I find you here, Sir. Shall we not become friends?"The stranger burst out laughing and said, "Why, you are a Chinaman. You ought not to come as far as this. Yet sun and moon are still shining here. There are all the stars, the four seasons alternate, and the Yin and the Yang are still at work. Compared to the "Nameless Region" this is only like a small hill. I travel south over the "Weary Waste," and halt north in the "Hidden Village." I proceed west to the "Obscure Hamlet," and pass east through the "Place of Dimness." There is no earth beneath, and no heaven above. Listening one does not hear, and to the looker-on the objects flit away from sight. Beyond that region there is still shape. Where that ends, one advances ten million Li by making one step. I could not yet get there. You, Sir, reached only this place in your travels, but speak of exploring. Is not that an exaggeration? But, please, remain. I have to meet Han Man on the ninth heaven, and cannot stay longer." The stranger then raised his arms, gave his body a jerk, and off he went into the clouds.Lu Ao stared after him, until he became invisible. His heart was full of endless joy and at the same time he was grieved, as though he had lost somebody. "Compared with you, my master, said he, I am nothing more than an earth-worm is to a wild goose. Crawling the whole day, I do not advance more than some feet, but myself consider it far. It is pitiable indeed."
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若盧敖者。唯龍無翼者,升則乘雲。盧敖言若士者有翼,言乃可信。今不言有翼,何以升雲?
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Such as Lu Ao held that dragons alone have no wings, and when they rise, ride on the clouds. Had Lu Ao said that the stranger had wings, his words might be credible. But he did not speak of wings, how could the other then ascend to the clouds?
Those creatures which with agility rise into the clouds, do not take human food or human drink. The dragon’s food is different from that of snakes, hence its movements are not the same as those of snakes. One hears that the Daoists drink an elixir made of gold and gems and eat the flowers of the purple boletus. These extremely fine stuffs make their bodies light, so that they become spirits and genii. The stranger ate the flesh of an oyster. Such is the food of ordinary people, by no means fine, or rendering the body light. How could he then have given himself a jerk and ascended to heaven?I have heard that those who feed on air do not take solid food, and that the latter do not eat air. The above mentioned stranger ate something substantial. Since he did not live on air, he could not be so light, that he might have risen on high.
May be that Lu Ao studying Dao and trying hard to become an immortal, travelled to the Northern Sea. Having left human society, and gone far away, he felt that he did not succeed in acquiring Dao. He was ashamed and afraid, lest his fellow-countrymen should criticize him. Knowing that things would certainly turn out so, that every body would reproach him, he invented the extravagant stories. He said that he met with a stranger. The meaning of the whole story is that his efforts to become immortal were not successful, and that time had not yet come.
In the case of Liu An, Prince of Huainan, who suffered death as a punishment of rebellion, all people heard of it, and at that time saw it, and yet the books of the Literati say that he obtained Dao, and disappeared as a genius, and that his cocks and dogs went up to heaven also. We cannot be surprised then that Lu Ao, who alone went to a far-off country, leaving no trace, should speak obscure and mysterious words. His case is similar to that of Xiang Man Du of Pufan in Hedong.
Xiang Man Du was a follower of Dao and a student of spiritism. He abandoned his family, and went away. When after three years absence he came back, his people asked him, what had happened to him. Xiang Man Du replied "I have no clear recollection of my departure, but I suddenly found myself as if lying down. Several genii appeared, who took me up to heaven, until we were at some few Li’s distance from the moon. I saw that above and beneath the moon all was dark, so that I could not distinguish East and West. Where we stopped near the moon, it was bitter cold. I felt hungry, and wished to eat, when a genius gave me a cupful of morning-red to drink. After having taken one cup, one does not feel hunger for several months. I do not know, how many years or months I stayed there, nor what fault I committed, for suddenly I found myself asleep again, and brought down to this place." The Hedong people gave him the surname of "Fallen Angel." But dealing thoroughly with the subject, we find that this story is impossible.
If Xiang Man Du could rise to heaven, he must have become a genius. How could he return after three years’ time? If a man leaves his kindred, and ascends to heaven, his vital fluid and his body must have undergone a change. Now, all creatures that have been metamorphosed, do not return to their previous state. When a chrysalis has changed into a cricket, and received its wings, it cannot be transmuted into a chrysalis again. All creatures that fly up, have wings. When they fly up, and come down again, their wings are still there as before. Had Xiang Man Du』s body had wings, his tale might be reliable, but since it had not, his talk is futile and not more trustworthy than Lu Ao’s.
Perhaps it was known at his time that Xiang Man Du was a fervent believer in Dao, who stealthily left his home, and wandered about in distant lands. At last, when he achieved nothing, and felt his strength exhausted, and his hope gone, he stealthily returned home, but being ashamed, if he had nothing to say, he told the story of his ascension to heaven, intimating thereby that Dao could be learned, and that there really were genii, and that he himself was degraded for some fault, after having reached the goal, first rising to heaven, and then coming down again.
The books of the Literati contain the statement that the king of Qi being dangerously ill, a messenger was sent to Song to fetch Wen Zhi. When he arrived and saw the king’s sickness he said to the heir-apparent: "The king’s illness can certainly be cured, but when it has been, the king is sure to kill me."The heir-apparent inquired what for, Wen Zhi replied, "Without anger the king’s illness cannot be cured, but when the king gets angry, my death is certain." The heir-apparent bowed his head, and entreated him saying," Should you cure the king’s sickness, myself and my mother are going to forcibly restrain the king at the cost of our lives. The king will certainly please my mother. We are wishing that you, master, shall have no trouble."Wen Zhi gave his consent and said that he was prepared to die. The king with his eldest son fixed a time. Thrice the physician was expected, but did not come so, that the king of Qi was already very angry. When he came at last, he did not put off his shoes, but walked upon the bed and tread upon the sheets. He asked the king about his sickness, but the king was so furious, that he did not speak with him. Then he said something which but aggravated the king』s wrath. The king abused him, and rose up, and his disease was gone. He was so enraged and so little pleased, that he wished to boil Wen Zhi alive. The heir-apparent and the queen forthwith interfered, but could obtain nothing. Wen Zhi was actually boiled alive in a cauldron: After three days’ and three night’s cooking, his appearance had not yet changed. Wen Zhi said, " If one really is anxious to kill me, why does one not put on the lid to intercept the Yin and the Yang fluids."The king had the lid put on, whereupon Wen Zhi died. Wen Zhi was a Daoist, in water he was not drowned, and in fire he did not burn. Hence he could remain three days and three nights in the kettle without changing colour.
This is idle talk. Wen Zhi was boiled three days and nights without changing colour. If then only in consequence of the lid being put on he was choked and died, this proves that he was not in possession of Dao. All living and breathing creatures die, when deprived of air. When they are dead and boiled, they become soft. If living and breathing creatures are placed in vessels with a lid on, having all their fissures carefully filled, so that the air cannot circulate, and their breath cannot pass, they die instantaneously. Thrown into a kettle with boiling water, they are also cooked soft. Why? Because they all have the same kind of body, the same breath, are endowed by heaven with a similar nature, and all belong to one class. If Wen Zhi did not breathe, he could have been like a piece of metal or stone, and even in boiling water not be cooked soft. Now he was breathing, therefore, when cooked, he could not but die.
If Wen Zhi could speak, he must have given sounds, which require breathing. Breathing is closely connected with the vital force, which resides in bones and flesh. Beings of bones and flesh being cooked, die. To deny that is the first untruth.Provided that Wen Zhi could be cooked without dying, he was a perfect Daoist, similar to metal or stone. To metal or stone it makes no difference, whether a lid be put on, or not. Therefore, to say that Wen Zhi died, when the lid was put on, is a second untruth.Put a man into cold water, which is not hot like boiling water, and he will die for want of breath after a short interval, his nose and mouth being shut out from the outer air. Submerged in cold water, a man cannot remain alive, how much less in bubbling, boiling water, in the midst of a violent fire? To say that Wen Zhi survived in the boiling water is a third untruth.When a man is submerged in water, so that his mouth is not visible outside, the sound of what he says is inaudible. When Wen Zhi was cooked, his body was certainly submerged in the kettle, and his mouth invisible. Under those circumstances one could not hear, what he said. That Wen Zhi should have spoken is the fourth untruth.Had a man who after three days’ and three nights’ cooking died, not changed colour, even ignorant people would have been amazed. If the king of Qi was not surprised, the heir-apparent and his ministers should have noticed this wonderful fact. In their astonishment at Wen Zhi they would have prayed that he be taken out, granted high honours, and be venerated as a master, from whom one might learn more about Dao. Now three days and three nights are mentioned, but nothing is said about the officials asking for his release. That is the fifth untruth.
At that time it was perhaps known that Wen Zhi was actually cooked, and that his death was caused by it. People noticing that he was a Daoist, invented the story that he lived a subtle life, and did not die, just as Huangdi really died, whereas the reports say that he rose to heaven, and as the prince of Huainan suffered the punishment of rebellion, whilst the books say that he entered a new life. There are those who like to spread false reports. Hence the story of Wen Zhi has been propagated until now.
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世無得道之效,而有有壽之人。世見長壽之人,學道為仙,踰百不死,共謂之仙矣。何以明之?
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There are no instances of any one having obtained Dao, but there have been very long-lived persons. People remarking that those persons, while studying Dao and the art of immortality, become over a hundred years old without dying, call them immortals, as the following example will show.
At the time of Han Wudi there lived a certain Li Shao Jun, who pretended that by sacrificing to the ’Hearth’ and abstaining from eating grain he could ward off old age. He saw the emperor, who conferred high honours upon him. Li Shao Jun kept his age and the place where he was born and had grown up secret, always saying that he was seventy old, and could effect that things did not grow old. On his journeys he visited all the princes around, and was not married. On hearing that he could manage that things did not age, people presented him with much richer gifts than they would otherwise have done. He had always money, gold, dresses, and food in abundance. As people believed that he did not do any business, and was yet richly provided with everything, and as nobody knew, what sort of a man he really was, there was a general competition in offering him services.Li Shao Jun knew some clever manoeuvres and some fine tricks, which did not fail to produce a wonderful effect. He used to feast with the Marquis of Wu An. In the hall there was a man of over 90 years. Li Shao Jun indicated to him the places which his grand-father frequented, when shooting. The old man knew them, having visited them as a child with his father. The whole audience was bewildered.When Li Shao Jun saw the emperor, the emperor had an old bronze vase, about which he asked him. Li Shao Jun replied that in the 15th year of the reign of Duke Huan of Qi it was placed in the Boqin hall. The inscription was examined, and it was found out that it was indeed a vessel of Duke Huan of Qi. The whole Court was startled, and thought that Li Shao Jun was several hundred years old. After a long time he died of sickness.
Those who now-a-days are credited with the possession of Dao are men like Li Shao Jun. He died amongst men. His body was seen, and one knew, therefore, that his nature had been longevous. Had he dwelt in mountain-forests or gone into deserts, leaving no trace behind him, he would have died a solitary death of sickness amidst high rocks. His corpse would have been food for tigers, wolves, and foxes, but the world would again have believed him to have disappeared as a real immortal.
The ordinary students of Dao have not Li Shao Jun’s age. Before Reaching a hundred years they die like all the others. Yet uncultured and ignorant people still hold that they are separated from their bodies, and vanish, and that, as a matter of fact, they do not die.What is understood by separation from the body? Does it mean that the body dies, and the spirit disappears? Or that the body does not die, but drops its coil? If one says that the body dies, and the spirit is lost, there is no difference from death, and every one is a genius. And if one believes that the body does not die, but throws off its coil, one must admit that the bones and the flesh of all the deceased Daoists are intact and in no wise different from the corpses of ordinary mortals.When the cricket leaves its chrysalis, the tortoise drops its shell, the snake its skin, and the stag its horns, in short, when the horned and skinned animals lose their outward cover, retaining only their flesh and bones, one might speak of the separation from the body. But even if the body of a dead Daoist were similar to a chrysalis, one could not use this expression.Why? When the cricket leaves the chrysalis, it cannot be considered as a spirit with regard to the chrysalis. Now to call it a separation from the body, when there is not even a similarity with the chrysalis, would again be an unfounded assertion missing the truth.
The Grand Annalist was a contemporary of Li Shao Jun. Although he was not amongst those who came near to Li Shao Jun』s body, when he had expired, he was in a position to learn the truth. If he really did not die, but only parted with his body, the Grand Annalist ought to have put it on record, and would not have given the place of his death.
The reference to the youth of the nonagenarian in the court would prove Li Shao Jun’s age. Perhaps he was fourteen or fifteen years old, when the old man accompanied his grandfather as a boy. Why should Li Shao Jun not know this, if he had 200 years?Wudi』s time is very far from Duke Huan, when the bronze vase was cast, and Li Shao Jun cannot have seen it. Perhaps he heard once that in the palace there was an old vessel, or he examined the inscription beforehand to speak upon it, so that he was well-informed, when he saw it again. When our amateurs of to-day see an old sword or an antique crooked blade, they generally know where to place it. Does that imply that they saw, how it was wrought?
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世或言:東方朔亦道人也,姓金氏,字曼倩,變姓易名,游宦漢朝。外有仕宦之名,內乃度世之人。
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Dong Fang Shuo is said to have also been possessed of Dao. His name was Jin, his style Man Qian, but he changed his names and for a time took office with the Han dynasty. Outwardly he was considered an official, but inwardly he passed to another existence.
This is wrong too. Dong Fang Shuo lived together with Li Shao Jun under the reign of Wudi, and must have been known to the Grand Annalist. Li Shao Jun taught Dao and a method to keep off old age by means of sacrificing to the "Hearth." He determined the period of a tripod cast under Duke Huan of Qi, and knew the places frequented, when hunting, by the grandfather of a nonagenarian, and yet he did not really attain to Dao. He was only a long-lived man, who died late. Moreover, Dong Fang Shuo was not as successful as Li Shao Jun in magical arts, wherefore then was he credited with the possession of Dao?
Under Wudi there were the Daoists Wen Cheng and Wu Li and others of the same type, who went on sea in search of the genii and to find the physic of immortality. Because they evidently knew the Daoist arts, they were trusted by the Emperor. Dong Fang Shuo undertook no mission on sea, nor did he do anything miraculous. If he had done, he would only have been a man like Li Shao Jun or on a level with Wen Cheng and Wu Li. Nevertheless he had the chance to be credited with the possession of Dao.
He again resembled Li Shao Jun, insomuch as he made a secret of his birth place, and the courtiers did not know his origin. He exaggerated his age. People finding that he looked rather strong and young and was of phlegmatic temper, that he did not care much for his office, but was well versed in divination, guessing, and other interesting plays, called him therefore a man possessed of Dao.
There is a belief that by the doctrine of Laozi one can transcend into another existence. Through quietism and dispassionateness one nourishes the vital force, and cherishes the spirit. The length of life is based on the animal spirits. As long as they are unimpaired, life goes on, and there is no death. Laozi acted upon this principle. Having done so for over a hundred years, he passed into another existence, and became a true Daoist sage.
That is another mistake. Eating; and drinking; are natural impulses, with which we are endowed at birth. Hence the upper part of the body has a mouth and teeth, the inferior part orifices. With the mouth and teeth one chews and eats, the orifices are for the discharge. Keeping in accord with one’s nature, one follows the law of heaven, going against it, one violates one’s natural propensities, and neglects one’s natural spirit before heaven. How can one obtain long life in this way?
If Wangzi Qiao had got no mouth, teeth, or orifices at birth, his nature would have been different from that of others. Even then one could hardly speak of long life. Now, the body is the same, only the deeds being different. To say that in this way one can transcend into another existence is not warranted by human nature.