南嶽總勝集 3.22

3.22

謝修通。宜春人也。稟性和雅。不好裝飾。聞喜則喜。見惡如探湯。奉母至孝。常懷悅色。一夕夢冠褐者曰。子骨相非凡。何不出家學道。遂告母。母允之。於是詣南岳。投衡岳觀潘如松為道士。而寄籍焉。因遊五峯。尋訪靈迹。一夕夢神人曰。朱陵洞府未合居之。後五十年再得棲。此東有玉峯洞天福地。亦朱陵之憲司。子宜處之。將有所遇。於是修通省親。而告母曰。今值儉歲。時凶難於給用母。有所感宜往玉笥洞天可以修其若何。母諾之。遂肩輿其母。往玉笥山。穴居數年。甘旨之奉棗栗芋茱黃菁百合。其後母即世塋葬訖。敻居三紀。遇梅蕭二真人傳道。行之後蟬蛻于清虛館之東隅。復入南嶽。隱真於洞靈原。果五十年矣。

Xie Xiutong was a man of Yichun. By nature he was gentle and elegant, and had no liking for adornments. When he heard of good, he rejoiced; when he saw evil, he shrank from it as if testing boiling water. He served his mother with utmost filial devotion, always keeping a pleased countenance. One night he dreamt of a person wearing a Daoist cap and coarse garments who said, 'Your bone structure is extraordinary; why do you not leave home to study the Way?' He thereupon told his mother, and his mother consented. He then went to Nanyue, joined Pan Rusong of Hengyue Abbey to become a Daoist, and registered his residence there. Thereupon he roamed the five peaks, seeking out numinous traces. One night he dreamt of a divine being who said, 'The cavern-dwelling of Zhuling is not yet meant for your abode; after fifty years you will be able to nest here again. East of here is the Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven and blessed land, which is also the judicial office of Zhuling; you should reside there, where you will meet with fortune.' Thereupon Xiutong returned to inquire after his mother and told her, 'Now we face a lean year, and during bad times it is difficult to provide for your needs, Mother. If you feel inclined, we should go to the Yusi Grotto-Heaven, where we may cultivate ourselves; what do you think?' His mother consented. He then carried his mother in a shoulder-borne litter to Mount Yusi. They lived in a cave for several years, providing delectable offerings of dates, chestnuts, taros, cornelian cherries, Solomon's seal, and lilies. After his mother passed away and the burial was complete, he lived in seclusion for three cycles of twelve years. He encountered the two True Men Mei and Xiao, who transmitted the Way to him. After practicing it, he shed his mortal form like a cicada in the eastern corner of the Qingxu Lodge, and returned again to Nanyue, concealing his true nature at Donglingyuan. It was indeed fifty years later.