| | 沈羲: |
沈羲者，吴郡人也。学道于蜀中，但能消灾治病，救济百姓，而不知服食药物。功德感于天，天神识之。羲与妻贾氏共载，诣子妇卓孔宁家，道次忽逢白鹿车一乘、青龙车一乘、白虎车一乘，从数十骑，皆是朱衣仗节，方饰带剑，辉赫满道。问羲曰：“君见沈道士乎？”羲愕然曰：“不知何人耶？”又曰：“沈羲。”答曰：“是某也，何为问之？”骑吏曰：“羲有功于民，心不忘道，从少已来，履行无过，寿命不长，算禄将尽，黄老泯之。今遣仙官来下迎之，侍郎薄延者，白鹿车是也，度世君司马生者，青龙车是也，送迎使者徐福者，白虎车是也。”须臾，忽有三仙人在前，羽衣持节，以白玉版青玉介丹玉字授与羲，羲跪受，未能读。云拜羲为碧落侍郎，主吴越生死之籍，遂载羲升天。时道间锄耘人皆共见之，不知何等。须臾，大雾，雾解失其所在，但见羲所乘车牛入田食苗，或有识是羲牛者，以语其家弟子，数百人恐是邪魅将羲藏于山谷间，乃分布于百里之内求之，不得。 |
| | Shen Xi was a native of Wu Jun. He studied the Dao in Shu Zhong, but could only eliminate disasters and cure diseases, relieve the people, without knowing how to take medicinal substances. His virtue and merit moved Heaven, and the heavenly deities recognized him. Xi and his wife Jia Shi traveled together to visit their daughter-in-law Zhuo Kongning's home. Along the way, they suddenly encountered a white deer-drawn carriage, a green dragon-drawn carriage, and a white tiger-drawn carriage, each accompanied by dozens of horsemen. All were clad in red robes, bearing ceremonial staffs, adorned with sashes and swords, their brilliance filling the road. They asked Xi, "Have you seen Shen Dao Shi?" Xi was startled and said, "I do not know who that is." They said again, "Shen Xi." He replied, "That is me. Why are you asking about him?" The mounted official said, "Xi has done good for the people and never forgotten the Dao. Since his youth, he has lived without fault. His life span is not long, and his destiny of blessings is about to end; Huanglao takes pity on him." Now we have sent immortal officials to come down and welcome him. Shi Lang Bao Yan, the Attendant Official, is in the white deer-drawn carriage; Du Shi Jun Si Ma Sheng, the Immortal of This World, is in the green dragon-drawn carriage; and the envoy Song Ying Zhi Shi Xu Fu is in the white tiger-drawn carriage." In a moment, suddenly there were three immortals in front of him, clad in feathered robes and holding ceremonial staffs. They presented Xi with a white jade tablet, an emerald jade frame, and vermilion jade characters. Xi knelt to receive them but was unable to read the text. They conferred upon Xi the title of Bi Luo Shi Lang, in charge of the records of life and death for Wu Yue. Thus, they carried Xi up to Heaven. At that time, people tilling the fields along the way all saw it together but did not know what it was. In a moment, thick fog arose; when the mist cleared, they lost sight of where he had gone. They only saw the ox that Xi had ridden entering the fields to eat the crops. Some who recognized it as Xi's ox told his disciples at home. Hundreds feared that evil spirits had taken Xi and hidden him in the mountains, so they spread out within a hundred li to search for him but found nothing.
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| | 沈羲: |
而后四百余年，忽来还乡，推求得其数世孙，名怀喜。怀喜告曰：“闻先人相传，说家祖有仙人，今仙人果归也。”留数十日，羲因话初上天时，不得见天尊，但见老君东向坐，有左右勑，羲不得谢，但默坐而已。见宫殿郁郁，有如云气，五色玄黄，不可名字。侍者数百人，多女子及少男，庭中有珠玉之树，蒙茸丛生，龙虎辟邪，游戏其间，但闻琅琅有如铜铁之声，不知何物。四壁熠熠，有符书著之。老君形体略高一丈，披发垂衣，顶项有光。须臾数发，有玉女持金盘玉杯，盛药赐羲曰：“此是神丹，服之者不死矣。”妻各得一刀圭，告言饮毕而谢之。服药后，赐枣二枚，大如鸡子，脯五寸，遣羲去曰：“汝还人间，救治百姓之疾病者，君欲来上天，书此符，悬于竿杪，吾当迎汝。”乃以一符及仙方一首赐羲，羲奄忽如睡，已在地上。后人多得其方术者也。 |
| | After more than four hundred years, he suddenly returned to his hometown and traced the family line to find one of his descendants several generations later named Huai Xi. Huai Xi informed him, "I have heard from our ancestors that it was said my ancestor had become an immortal. Today, the immortal has indeed returned." Xi stayed for several dozen days. During this time, he spoke of the moment when he was first taken up to Heaven; he had not been allowed to see the Celestial Ruler, but only saw Laozi seated facing east, with attendants on either side issuing commands. Xi could not offer thanks and merely sat in silence. He saw the palaces and halls dense with grandeur, as if enveloped in clouds; they shimmered in five colors of dark and yellow hues, indescribable in words. There were hundreds of attendants, mostly women and young boys. In the courtyard stood trees bearing pearls and jade, growing thickly in clusters. Dragons, tigers, and 辟邪 (warding-off evils) played among them; one could only hear a clear ringing sound like that of bronze or iron, but no one knew what it was. The four walls shimmered brightly, with talismanic writings inscribed upon them. Laozi's figure was slightly over a zhang tall, with long hair and flowing robes, and there was light radiating from the top of his head. In a moment, several times over, jade maidens appeared holding golden plates and jade cups filled with medicine, which they gave to Xi, saying, "This is the divine cinnabar. Whoever consumes it will never die." Each of his wife received a single dao gui (a small measure), and they were told to drink them all before offering thanks. After taking the medicine, they were given two dates as large as chicken eggs and five cun of dried meat. They were then sent away with these words: "You return to the mortal world to heal the diseases of the people. If you wish to come up to Heaven again, write this talisman and hang it at the tip of a pole, and I shall welcome you." He then gave Xi one talisman and a single immortal formula. Suddenly, as if falling asleep, Xi found himself back on the ground. Many later people acquired his formulas and techniques.
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