Immortals and Spirits of the Tao
Chinese Folklore of Lu Dong-Bin:
A Taoist Immortal
Yinong Chong, October 2008
Halloween is just around the corner.
It’s a time when humans and spirits meet. But in
Lu Dong-Bin: The Guest of the Cavern
When LU Yan was born, it is said that a white crane flew into his house
and sat by his mother’s bed; the sound of flutes and fragrance of flowers
filled his mother’s chamber; and rainbow colored clouds hovered around.
When LU was young, he aspired to follow the footsteps of his father
and grandfather. He studied Confucian classics and practiced martial arts,
hoping one day he would pass the civil service examinations and became an
appointed official by the emperor, just like his father and grandfather.
As LU turned 20 years old, he met a
Taoist priest who told him that he had the makings of an immortal. “You
are destined to live in a thatched hut rather than a golden mansion.” LU
was instructed to follow a man named ZHONG-LI Quan when he showed up in
LU’s life. Years passed. LU took the examination twice and failed each
time. On his way to the capital for one last try, LU settled at a small
inn for the night. He ordered some wine, took a few sips, and gave out a
deep sign. Out of nowhere, LU
heard a voice behind him: “no need to drink by yourself and sign so
deeply. Tell me what troubles you, young man.” It turned out this man was
no other but ZHONG-LI Quan.
LU told ZHONG-Li he was no longer that
enthusiastic about passing the exam and becoming a government official any
more. Yet he was afraid of failing to shoulder up responsibilities for his
family and his country. ZHONG-LI asked LU to follow him to the mountains
to cultivate the Tao. But LU was deeply conflicted at the offer. On the
one hand, LU wanted to go into the mountain, leaving this world behind and
stopped pursuing the fame and fortune all his life. On the other hand, he
was not ready to abandon his responsibilities to his family and his
country. ZHONG-LI saw his confliction. Instead of persuading LU to follow
him, he gave LU a pillow to “sleep on” that night.
Head on the pillow gifted by ZHONG-LI,
LU had a strange dream: he saw that he passed the examination and finally
became the chief-minister in the emperor’s court; he also got married and
had many children and grandchildren; he finally achieved his goal and
became a well-respected man with fame and status. Towards the end of his
dream, however, his life took nose-dive: he was framed by political rivals
for treason; his entire family was arrested and most of them later
executed; and he was exiled to a far away land where he died a lonely man.
Deeply shaken by his nightmare, LU ran out to look for ZHONG-Li,
who was waiting for him while sipping his morning tea.
“So, you have lived through 20 years of
your life in one night, eh?” ZHON-LI asked before LU even opened his
mouth. “Then you knew about my dream?” LU asked.
The Taoist explained to LU that gains
and losses were illusions of the mortal world, and that only those who
could see through illusions were able to transcend them. LU asked ZHONG-Li
to take him into the mountains. “From now on, fame, riches, and social
status are nothing to me”, LU said.
ZHONG-LI congratulated him on his waking up from his dream: it is
the first necessary step. “But your mind is cluttered and your body is
weak. You must strengthen your body and mind before I can teach you the
arts of immortality.” ZHONG-LI
promised to come back and teach LU the arts once he had built his
foundation with diligent daily practice.
LU even changed his name:
from then on, he was no long LU Yan the scholar, but a guest of the
cave (Dong-Bin). He built himself a hut in the mountains, and lived the
simple life of a hermit. Serenity of nature emptied his cluttered mind,
and vigorous workout strengthened his body. One day, ZHONG-LI showed up at
the door and declared that LU was ready to learn the Taoist arts. “First
I’ll teach you how to turn stones into gold”.
LU asked his teacher if the gold would remain gold forever, and the
reply was the gold nuggets would turn back to stones after three thousands
years. LU would rather not learn something that could delude people.
ZHONG-LI was impressed with his student’s insight, and went on to train LU
until he had nothing left to teach.
On the eve of departure, the elder
immortal said to LU: “Now that I have completed my wok with you, I must
return to the celestial realm. If you wish, you can journey home with me”.
LU bowed to his teacher and said: “Our paths are different. You are
destined to wander leisurely in the celestial lands, while I am destined
to help all sentient beings return to the Tao. Until then, I will not
enter the highest realm of immortality.”
ZHONG-LI bowed deeply to his student and bid him farewell: “your
vow to bring people to the Tao is far greater than mine.”
ZHONG-LI then vanished into the thick fog.
LU came down the mountain and wandered
around the countryside for many years. LU healed the sick, helped the
poor, and led many astray to return to the Tao. In many years to come,
countless temples and alters were built in his name, as LU was indeed the
one of the most revered Taoist immortals in Chinese history. Legend also
portrayed him as a “Sword-Wine-Poetry loving immortal”, as LU was said to
have superb talents in swordsmanship, poetry, and drinking lots of wine
without getting drunk. But according to LU, his sword was not for fetching
someone’s head. Rather it is used to “cut off the worry, anger and greed
for humankind.”
