南嶽總勝集 3.52

3.52

近有皇甫坦者。字履道。西蜀人也。賦性穎達。立行清高。道學兼該。不類常輩。通老莊之外。尤精於術數。甞游岷峨訪天師治所。遇唐朱真人。得其元奧。又常以氣術治人疾病。又示以經字言人吉凶。或波撆少剩。或點畫草。真人詰之。則指東畫西。說南道北。禍福無不備矣。迤邐謁平都。歷荊渚過洞庭。凡所到處。遇其窮廢。並蒙恩惠。道行愈超。聲流於朝。紹興二十七年　皇帝徵之。赴闕及登。對答問稱　旨。主上深加禮待。後乞還廬山。結庵於撥雲峯下。以嗇精神。二十八年秋　太上皇復下詔命　御製詔書曰。先生清標孤映。寄迹物外。粃糠塵俗。嘯詠煙霞。信可樂也。去秋為別。俯仰周歲。興懷晤言。馳神緬邈。討青城會友於元覽。白雲遂無心於帝鄉也。秋涼甚邇。不知何日可相見。願早踐言。則騎鯨御炁。泠然無難。行且湘雲。橫素桂子。吹香燕館。超然下風。問道虛懷。結想久矣。專此為問。殘暑在近。益保清虛。後令先生降香於南岳。隆興改元　太上皇退居德壽宮。又下詔徵先生。每問道要皆稱　旨。復令先生降香於南嶽兼賜。

Recently there was Huangfu Tan, whose courtesy name was Lüdao, a native of western Shu. Naturally brilliant and perceptive, he maintained pure and lofty conduct. Comprehensively versed in Daoist learning, he was unlike ordinary men. Besides mastering Laozi and Zhuangzi, he was particularly proficient in mantic arts. He once traveled through the Min and Emei mountains to visit the administrative seats of the Celestial Masters, where he met the Perfected Master Tang Zhu and obtained his mysterious secrets. He also frequently treated people's diseases using qi techniques, and he used characters from the scriptures to divine people's good and bad fortunes: whether a falling hook or sweep was lacking or excessive, or whether the dots and strokes were cursive. When the Perfected Master questioned them, he would point east and sketch west, speaking of south and discoursing of north, yet disaster and blessing were fully explained. He gradually visited Pingdu, passed through Jingzhu, and crossed Dongting. Wherever he went, whenever he encountered the destitute or ruined, all received his benevolence. His cultivation of the Dao became ever more transcendent, and his renown reached the court. In the twenty-seventh year of Shaoxing, the Emperor summoned him. He arrived at court, ascended, and his responses matched the imperial intent. The Sovereign treated him with profound courtesy and respect. Later he begged to return to Mount Lu, where he built a hermitage below Baoyun Peak to conserve his spirit. In the autumn of the twenty-eighth year, the Retired Emperor again issued an edict. The imperially composed edict stated: 'The Master's pure standards shine in solitary radiance; you lodge your traces beyond the realm of things, taking the worldly dust as chaff and whistling and chanting amid mists and clouds. Truly this is joyful! Since our parting last autumn, a full year has passed in a moment. Cherishing thoughts of meeting and conversing, our spirit gallops into the distance. You explore Qingcheng and meet friends in profound contemplation; thus the white clouds have no thought of returning to the imperial capital. The autumn chill is very near, and we do not know what day we may meet. We wish you soon fulfill your word, and then riding a whale and steering the qi, floating gracefully will be without difficulty. Soon the clouds of Xiang will stretch plain, and osmanthus blossoms will blow fragrance into our banquet hall. Transcendent, we stand downwind of you, inquiring into the Dao with an empty heart, having harbored these thoughts for a long time. We write this especially to inquire of you. As the remaining summer draws near, preserve even more your pure emptiness.' Later, he ordered the Master to offer incense at Nanyue. When the reign era changed to Longxing, the Retired Emperor stepped down to reside in the Deshou Palace. He again issued an edict summoning the Master. Whenever questioned on the essentials of the Dao, his answers always matched the imperial intent. He again ordered the Master to offer incense at Nanyue and bestowed upon him gifts,