The Confluence of Three Religions

This is a chronicle of immortality rooted in the Chinese context, but it does not write about ascension and escape, but only about human cultivation. Liu Yan, a young man from Qingzhou, opened his eyes in the troubled times where hunger and death were everywhere, and he saw that Confucian ethics had faded in the hunger and cold, Taoism was reclusive in the mountains and rivers in silence, and the sound of Buddhist scriptures could not overcome the suffering of firewood, rice, oil and salt. With half of the "Analects of Confucius" and half of the "Tao Te Ching" in mind, he traveled all over the world and vowed in front of the ruins of the Confucius Temple to "integrate the learning of the three schools and relieve the misfortunes of all peoples." You will see him angrily denounce corrupt officials with Confucian "awe-inspiring energy", use Taoist "yin and yang principles" to divert floods, and use Buddhist "compassion" to soothe the souls of the dead - not mystical magic, but turning "benevolence, justice, etiquette, wisdom and trust" into rural covenants that encourage farming and weaving, turning "Tao follows nature" into herbs to treat epidemics, and "reincarnation of cause and effect" to condense rural rules to end disputes. He has seen great Confucians talking about "kingly ways", Taoist priests refining "golden elixirs" alone, and monks sitting back and watching "suffering", and finally realized: "Confucianism is the backbone of the world, Taoism is the bloodline of being obedient to the world, and Buddha is the soul of living in the world. The three are rooted in the word 'saving the people.'" In this story, there is no supernatural power that can destroy the world, only the practice of "unity of knowledge and action"; there is no extravagant hope of immortality, only the enthusiasm of "creating peace for all generations". See how Liu Yan cultivates his energy in a humble house, maintains integrity under a powerful sword, and attains enlightenment amidst the cries of refugees. Finally, the dim light of "the convergence of three religions" illuminates the smoke and the sound of books in troubled times.