The Legend of Xu Tianshi

Xu Xun, whose courtesy name was Jingzhi, was born in the second year of Chiwu in the Eastern Wu Dynasty (239). He was a native of Cimu Village, Yitanpo, Changding Township, Nanchang County, Yuzhang County. He was a famous Taoist priest in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the founder of the Taoist "Jingming Tao". Together with Zhang Daoling, Ge Xuan, and Sa Shoujian, he was known as the four great heavenly masters of Taoism, and was revered as Xu Zhenjun, Xu Jingyang, etc. Xu Xun was talented, handsome, and eager to learn since childhood. He was proficient in classics, history, astronomy, geography, medicine, and the theory of yin and yang and the five elements. He was especially keen on Taoist practice of magic. When he was young, he went out hunting. He was deeply moved by the sight of a doe licking its calf after being hit by an arrow. He folded his crossbow and returned home. He began to practice Taoism and became famous in his hometown for his filial piety. At the age of 29, Xu Xun became a disciple of Xi'an Dadongjun Wu Meng and learned the true story. At the age of 36, he and Guo Pu visited famous mountain resorts together, and finally lived in seclusion in Xiaoyao Mountain in the western suburbs of Nanchang to practice. In the first year of Taikang in the Jin Dynasty (280), the 42-year-old Xu Xun was unable to refuse due to repeated orders from the court and went to serve as the magistrate of Jingyang County, Shu County. During his tenure, he was honest and fair, and actively promoted good governance. In the face of famine, he asked people to work for relief and taxes to help the victims tide over the difficulties. When encountering the plague, he saved people with his superb medical skills and made medicines, making the local people live and work in peace and contentment. He was deeply loved and known as "Xu Jingyang". In the first year of Jin Yongxi (290), he had a premonition that the Jin Dynasty would be in chaos, so he resigned and returned eastward to concentrate on Taoism. On his way back east, Xu Xun happened to be flooded in Jiangxi and other places, so he led his disciples and people to control the floods. He adopted the method of "using wood to overcome water" and vigorously expanded vegetation, effectively preventing droughts, floods and soil erosion.