Ge Xuan

Ge Xuan 葛玄 or Ge Xiaoxian 葛孝先 (164? - 244?), called Ge Xianweng “immortal old man”, was a fangshi, alchemist and magician Taoïste specialist in the techniques of immortality to the Royaume of Wu at the time of the Three kingdoms.

One knows little thing of his life. Originating in a well-read woman family of Danyang, it would have lost his parents whereas it was still in adolescence and would be relative (probably great-uncle) of Ge Hong, which inherited part of its knowledge via its disciple Zheng Yin. According to the Chronic of the Three kingdoms , Sun Quan held it in high regard.

Place in the taoism

He is regarded as an important link of the alchemical tradition of the South of which he would have had between his hands the most influential texts, which contributed to the gun of the schools Lingbao and to a lesser extent Shangqing. Besides the first running regards it as its patriarch; the legend claims that it is Gezao mount, seat of the school, that it would have flown away towards the sky. According to Ge Hong, he would have been the disciple of the fangshi Zuo Ci appreciated of CAD CAD, of which he would have received alchemical texts: Danpai xianjing , Book of the nine tripods , Book of the gold elixir.

In addition, according to the tradition which wants that the crowned texts are of divine source, Laozi in its shape of Pur of the supreme ridge would have given to him on the Mont Tiantai thirty-six booklets, of which the gun of Lingbao, then sent three immortal to give thirty-six other booklets to him, of which collections of ritual Shangqing and Lingbao.

Caption

The poverty of historical information relating to it is compensated by the richness of its legend, contained in the Vies of immortal of which the Registre of immortal of the three caves . It seems a magician able there to order with the elements thanks to talismans, exorcist and healer. One tells there thus how a day that he ate in company of a visitor, this one requested a demonstration of its capacities. Ge Xuan opened the mouth and the grains of rice which it contained transformed into bees which whirled around the visitor. The alchemist then opened again the mouth and they found their place and their nature first.

As the tradition wants it, it would have acquired its capacities as a practitioner the asceticism of mountain in mountain and visiting the grounds of immortality. As an achieved taoist, it would have become immortal of alive sound. One day, he announced with his pupil Zhang Gong that he would prepare for his departure the 13 of the eighth lunar month. The said day, it extended in its room, taken care by its disciples. The third night, a high wind penetrated in the room while resounded of the rolls of thunder. When the disciples had relit the candles puffed up by the wind, it remained on the bed only clothing of their Master, the still tied belt.

Divinisé under the name of “immortal Old man” or “Minister for the supreme Ridge”, it was titrated by the emperor under the Song.　

The cave of the Return of the clouds located on the mount Huading, top principal of the Tiantai mount where Ge Xuan would have received from Laozi the gun of Lingbao, claims to be its residence. At the entry was its Jardin of the the where it cultivated varieties medicinal, mentioned in the monographs of the Tiantai mount and qualques poems.

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