Blue & White Jar, Ming Dynasty
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I originally set out to create links to all the most beautiful graphics that relate to the Taoist temples of California. Now I search the net to create links to sites that relate to Taoist and Confucian Temples of all kinds. -Jess O
What is Tao? What is Tao? It is just this. It cannot be rendered into speech. If you insist on an explanation, This means exactly this. |
English version by
http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/L/LuTungPin/Myheartiscle.htm
The third of the Eight Immortals, Han Zhong Li had great strength, and was physically the strongest of the Eight Drunken Immortals.
In his youth, Han had been a drunkard who had always had an eye for trouble, picking brawls and causing mischief. One day, Li Tit Kwai warned him to straighten out his life. Han refused, and challenged Li to a brawl. Han was promptly defeated and forced to abide by Li's side and become his pupil. Although he tried to run away from Li on many instances, Li always got the better of him. Han eventually resigned to becoming a Taoist priest and after many years of meditation achieved immortality on the Mountain Hua.
Han's signature characteristics are a fan and a huge wine cauldron, the latter of which he is often depicted with in pictures. The fan gives him the power of resurrecting the dead.
Text Copyright 2005 - 2007 (c) ikungfu.net All rights reserved: http://ikungfu.net/Han-Zhong-Li.htm
Picture from: http://german.cri.cn/311/2005/10/11/1@36860.htm
Lu Tung Pin is venerated for two reasons. Firstly because he is associated with medicine and the elixir of life. He knows the formula for the elixir of life and his potions and charms can heal the sick. Lu Tung Pin is also the doctor of the poor.
As a young man Lu Tung Pin met up with a fire dragon who gave him a sword. This sword was called Chan-yao Kuai, the Demon-Slayer which allows him to have control over evil spirits destroying, capturing or taming them if he is invoked correctly; but to Lu Tung Pin this sword was not a weapon for killing enemies but a symbol for conquering passion, aggression, and ignorance.
Lu Tung Pin considered compasion to be the essential means of attaining perfection.
He decided to forgo the life of an official and follow Chung Li-ch'uan into the mountains. There Lu learned the secrets of alchemy and the art of swordsmanship. He transformed the methods of Outer Alchemy (wai-dan) into those of Inner Alchemy (nei-dan).
http://mypage.uniserve.ca/~bggibson/sara/Healing/LuTungPin.html
Han Chung Li was a historical persona, serving as a Marshall or General of the Imperial Han dynasty (207BCE - 220CE). It was said that Lao Tzu himself, shared the wisdom of the Tao with Han Chung Li. Upon embracing the teachings of the Tao , Han successfully ended the bloodshed and violence in his government life and journeyed to the wilderness, the mountains, to nature as a wanderer cultivating the Tao.
One day, whilst meditating, the adjacent stone in his mountain chamber cracked and revealed a sacred jade box. Inside this mysterious box contained an age old scroll that showed him the secrets of attaining Immortality. Studying the secret meditations, Han Chung Li finally achieved his immortality. His chamber was filled with celestial clouds, music and a magic crane appeared bringing him to the realms of the immortals.
Han Chung Li was revered for devising the pill of immortality by sacred Taoist Alchemy. This is why he is a popular deity for those in search for longevity. Once during a famine that swept China, Han Chung Li turned stones to gold and silver for the poor, saving millions of lives.
His symbol of power is his feather fan, which he uses to revive and reincarnate the souls of the departed. His magical fan can also control the forces of the 7 seas and the changes in the weather. He is often depicted as mounted on a chimera (Kei Lun), a mythical creature of the Taoist Goddess Hsi Wong Mu.
Han Chung Li is associated with the Trigram Chen of the Bagua. Chen, a yang wood trigram relates to the direction East, and is represented by the colors Green. Chen is often associated with the thundering forces of nature, and thus we may say that Han is often seen as jovial and forceful. His positive emotions embodies generosity, benevolence and graciousness while he suppresses the negative feelings of condemnation, guiltiness, frustration and violence.
Data from: http://www.usadojo.com/styles/about-drunkard-boxing.htm
Picture from: Marla Mallett Textiles and Tribal Oriental Rugs
http://www.marlamallett.com/e-5309dd-a.htm
Han Chung-li represents military men. He lived during the Han dynasty when he was a Marshall of the Empire. In his old age he became a hermit and lived on Yang-chiu Mt. in Shansi where he met the Five Heroes who taught him how to be an immortal. This knowledge he taught to Lu Tung-pin.
During a famine he turned base metals into silver which he distributed to the poor people. He is recognized as a figure who holds a fan or a peach.
When he achieved immortality he was carried by a stork into the Heavens. Another legend has it that the wall of his hut burst open to reveal a casket in which were instructions on how to become an immortal.
From: The Taoist DeitiesHe said to Immortal Lu, "While you were carrying the sack these years, did you know what was inside?"
Immortal Lu replied, "Yes, I knew that the sack was filled with stones."
Chung-li Ch'uan then said, "Do you know that the rocks that you've been carrying around all these years could be turned into gold? Because you have shown sincerity and humility and have never uttered a word of complaint, I shall teach you how to turn these stones into gold if you wish.
Immortal Lu asked Chung-li Ch'uan, "When these stones have been transformed into gold, will they be identical to real gold?"
Chung-li Ch'uan replied, "No, gold that has been transformed from stones or other objects will only last for five hundred years. After that, they will return to their original form."
Immortal Lu said, "Then I do not wish to learn the techniques of turning stones into gold. If the gold is not permanent, then what I do now will have harmful effects five hundred years later. I would rather be ignorant of a technique which may potentially harm people."
Hearing Lu Tung-pin's reply, Chung-li Ch'uan said, "Your foundations are stronger than mine. Your level of enlightenment will be higher than mine. As you have enlightened me, I now realize that this technique of turning stones to gold or silver or precious gems is not worth learning and not worth teaching." From Historical Legend of Sun Bu-er: http://www.earlywomenmasters.net/masters/buer/index.html
The Taoist Temple is now a museum.
Greeting the visitor at the top of the stairs are several large plaques covered with Chines characters, which list the names of members of the Sam Yup Association who donated monies for the building's construction. On the south wall are carved figures of the eight immortals (mythical personages likened to the Patron Saints in Catholicism) while their corresponding ceremonial staves are displayed next to the stairwell. Across the room is a ceremonial "oven" or incinerator in which were burned paper offerings of money or clothing to the individual's ancestors. Silk embroideries show symbolic animals and birds, the meaning of which are explained by docents. The tools of individual "worship" have remained where they were used, leaving a treasured legacy through which we may partially learn of their fascinating ways.
http://www.noehill.com/kings/nat1972000226.aspThe Emperor purified himself by fasting, and humbly offered supplications to heaven for the space of sixty days without ceasing. One day he fell asleep and saw in his dream standing outside the Tung-hua Gate of the palace a Taoist adept, wearing upon his head p. 798 a green lotus-cap,1 and upon his back a dark crane's-down robe. In his hand he carried a crystal ju-i.2 Bowing to the Emperor, he said: "Your servant has been sent by the Supreme Ruler of the Universe to control these demons." Then he summoned an officer resplendent in golden armour, who seizing the demons tore them in pieces and swallowed them till none were left. In answer to the Emperor's query as to the identity of this gallant warrior the Taoist replied: "He is no other than Kuan Yü3, whom Your Majesty invested with the title Revered and Immortal Prince." The Emperor thanked the officer repeatedly, and then asked him where was Chang Fei4. Kuan Yü replied: "Every generation Chang Fei becomes reincarnate in the person of some male child. At the present time, in order to serve Your Majesty, he is being reborn in a family called Yo, living at Hsiang Chou5."
Asked by the Emperor what was his name, the Taoist replied: "Your servant is called Yang, and was born on the 14th day of the 4th month."6
The Emperor awoke from his dream, and having looked up the records, knew that the Taoist was really Tung-pin. Henceforth the demons remained permanently expelled from the palace. An imperial edict ordered that in all the shrines dedicated to Tung-pin throughout China he should be known by the title The Pure One of Subtle Intellect."
From: THE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND FOR 1916 [LONDON, 1916] {Reduced to HTML by Christopher M. Weimer, August 2002} XXI THE EIGHT IMMORTALSBy W. PERCEVAL YETTS
http://www.sacred-texts.com/journals/jras/1916-21.htm