Purple Lotus Publisher > Journal > Volumn NO. 5

The Mysterious Immortal Chang Kuo Lao

By Grand Master Sheng-yen Lu

Translated by Janny Chow [1]

The Supreme Eight Immortals in Taoism are: Chung-li Chuan, Lu Tung Pin, Ho Hsien-ku, Chang Kuo Lao, Li T'ieh Kuai, Lan Ts'ai-ho, Ts'ao Kuo Chiu, and Han Hsiang-tze. Among these Eight Immortals, I, Mystical Crane Taoist, regard Chang Kuo Lao as the most mysterious.

For example, during the year of Jia Hsu of the Kai Yuan reign of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Emperor once caught a huge deer while hunting in the city of Hsien Yang. When the Emperor was ready to have the deer slaughtered and prepared into a meal, Chang Kuo Lao stopped him, "Do not proceed. This is a thousand year old magical deer. During the fifth year of the reign of the Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (206BC - 220AD), I was in the company of His Majesty when he also hunted in this forest and caught this deer. The Emperor had this deer released because it was a magical deer."

The later Emperor asked, "How can this be the same deer? There are so many wild deer in this area and, besides, it has been a long time since the reign of Emperor Wu of Han."

Chang Kuo Lao replied, "Before setting the deer free, Emperor Wu of Han tied a copper plate right below the left antler."

The Emperor then ordered his servant to examine the deer. There was, indeed, a copper plate about two inches long, but the words written on the plate had been made illegible from years of exposure to the elements. Even without being able to read the plate, the Emperor was quite shaken by this finding.

It is a mystery how many dynasties Chang Kuo Lao has outlived. It is also a mystery how long he has lived. According to a legend from that era, Chang Kuo Lao lived as a hermit on Mount Chung Tiao at Heng Chou. Whenever he traveled outdoors, he would ride a white donkey who could cover several thousand kilometers in a day. When he wanted to take a rest, he would fold up the white donkey by hand and put it in his pocket. When he again needed to ride, he would sip some water, spray it on the donkey, and chant some mantra. The donkey would come alive again.

Intrigued by the great magical powers of Chang Kuo Lao, the Tang Emperor asked another immortal, by the name of Yeh Fa Shan, "What is the background of Chang Kuo Lao?"

Yeh Fa Shan replied, "Although I am aware of his origin, I would lose my life if I disclosed it. That is why I am afraid to tell you, unless Your Majesty will remove your crown and walked barefoot to beg Chang Kuo Lao to revive me. That is the only way I can live again. If you will do that, then I will tell you."

After the Emperor gave his promise, Yeh Fa Shan told him, "Chang Kuo Lao was an ancient bat at the time when the Earth was separated from the heavens." As soon as he spoke this, blood oozed out of his eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth, and he fell dead on the ground.

Since the Emperor had given his word to Yeh Fa Shan, he removed his crown and shoes and walked to where Chang Kuo Luo was residing. There he begged Chang Kuo Lao to revive Yeh Fa Shan.

Chang Kuo Lao sighed, "This old man Yeh was just too loose with his mouth. If he keeps on doing this, all the secret origins between Heaven and Earth will be revealed."

The Emperor took the blame on himself, and begged Chang Kuo Lao for a long time. Finally Chang Kuo Lao agreed and took a mouthfull of water and sprayed it on Yeh Fa Shan's face. Yeh started breathing soon afterwards.

The Emperor became even more in awe of Chang Kuo Lao, and bestowed upon him the title of Tung Hsuan Hsien Sheng, which means the Mystical Sage.

During the reign of Tian Bao, Chang Kuo Lao passed away after feigning an illness. His disciples buried him but, later, when the coffin was reopened, there was nothing inside.

When he was living in the world, Chang Kuo Lao claimed that he had been born during the year of Ping Tzu of the Emperor Yao (around 1600 B.C.)

Chang Kuo Lao, one of the Eight Immortals, existed back in the time when the Universe was in its primeval state. He existed during the times of the Emperor Yao and the Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and he was alive during the Tang Dynasty as well. He is indeed an immortal.

I, Mystical Crane Taoist Lu Sheng-yen, think that the secret to his immortality lies in the magical transformative power between mind and matter, which requires the mastering of the skills of internal breathing and external form transformation.

For example, a man wanted to test the power of Chang Kuo Lao and offered him a cup of poisoned wine. After drinking the wine, all of Chang Kuo Lao's teeth turned black and shrank. He then asked people by his side to bring him a "ju-yi" stick [an ancient Chinese short sword, now a gift item signifying good wishes]. With the stick, he knocked out his teeth one by one. Then he took out some medicine and rubbed it on his gums. In a short while, all his teeth grew back and they were even more beautiful than before, like white jade. Such a feat was the result of mastering the skill of the transformative power between mind and matter.

To have a white donkey that runs several thousand kilometers a day, and to be able to fold it up like paper when not in use, yet to be able to reconvert it into a live animal using magic incantations and water, also demonstrates such transformative power between mind and matter.

I feel that the domain of Taoist practice is so profound that it is beyond one's imagination. Yet its ultimate goal is to return one to the Original Source. Within the phenomenal worlds, there are beginnings and ends, time sequences, causes and consequences, and one may get close to the Tao by understanding these workings.

The stories of the immortal Chang Kuo Lao are like fairy tales. Perhaps many people would find them implausible. But, throughout the ages, many sages have been able to live long lives through the uprooting of emotional afflictions. Modern sciences also show that the mental outlook of a person can affect his physical health, so how can we completely deny the power of the mind and the events that take place in the spiritual world?

The cultivation of the Tao is the most significant undertaking one can pursue in life, as written in this verse:

Longevity exists when all emotional afflictions are uprooted,
Next the six roots and transmigrations will be extinguished;
Ancient Immortals also cultivated this practice,
As it is the eternal gateway to Supreme Wisdom.

Footnotes
[1] Translated from pp.93-97 of Taoism: Ways and Legends, published November, 1985.