ers, the parents
of all that is male and female, the root and fountain of heaven and
earth, to whom all that has life is indebted for its creation and
nourishment. The Lord of Wood is the master of all the male saints,
the Golden Mother is the mistress of all the female saints. Whoever
would gain immortality, must first greet the Golden Mother and then
bow before the King Father. Then he may rise up to the three Pure Ones
and stand in the presence of the Highest. The song of the angel
children shows the manner in which the hidden knowledge may be
acquired."

At about that time the emperor was induced to have some of his
faithful servants slain. Then Dschang Liang left his service and went
to the Gu Tschong Mountain. There he found the old man by the yellow
stone, gained the hidden knowledge, returned home, and feigning
illness loosed his soul from his body and disappeared.

Later, when the rebellion of the "Red Eyebrows" broke out, his tomb
was opened. But all that was found within it was a yellow stone.
Dschang Liang was wandering with Laotsze in the invisible world.

Once his grandson Dschang Dau Ling went to Kunlun Mountain, in order
to visit the Queen Mother of the West. There he met Dschang Liang.
Dschang Dau Ling gained power over demons and spirits, and became the
first Taoist pope. And the secret of his power has been handed down in
his family from generation to generation.

Note: "In a yellow robe," is an indication of Taoism:
compare with No. 38. "The Book of Hidden Complements"
(Yin Fu Ging). Compare with Lia Dsi, Introduction.

LXV

OLD DRAGONBEARD

At the time of the last emperor of the Sui dynasty, the power was in
the hands of the emperor's uncle, Yang Su. He was proud and
extravagant. In his halls stood choruses of singers and bands of
dancing girls, and serving-maids stood ready to obey his least sign.
When the great lords of the empire came to visit him he remained
comfortably seated on his couch while he received them.

In those days there lived a bold hero named Li Dsing. He came to see
Yang Su in humble clothes in order to bring him a plan for the
quieting of the empire.

He made a low bow to which Yang Su did not reply, and then he said:
"The empire is about to be troubled by dissension and heroes are
everywhere taking up arms. You are the highest servant of the imperial
house. It should be your duty to gather the bravest around the throne.
And you should not rebuff