over to look, but each declared the feat to be impossible.
Chao Sheng alone had the courage to rush out to the
point of the rock and up the tree stretching out into
space. With firm foot he stood and gathered the
peaches, placing them in the folds of his cloak, as
many as it would hold, but when he wished to climb
back up the precipitous slope, his hands slipped on
the smooth rock, and all his attempts were in vain.
Accordingly, he threw the peaches, three hundred and
two in all, one by one up to Chang Tao-ling, who distributed
them. Each disciple ate one, as also did Chang,
who reserved the remaining one for Chao Sheng, whom
he helped to climb up again. To do this Chang
extended his arm to a length of thirty feet, all present
marvelling at the miracle. After Chao had eaten
his peach Chang stood on the edge of the precipice,
and said with a laugh: “Chao Sheng was brave
enough to climb out to that tree and his foot never
tripped. I too will make the attempt. If
I succeed I will have a big peach as a reward.”
Having spoken thus, he leapt into space, and alighted
in the branches of the peach-tree. Wang Ch’ang
and Chao Sheng also jumped into the tree and stood
one on each side of him. There Chang communicated
to them the mysterious formula. Three days later
they returned to their homes; then, having made final
arrangements, they repaired once more to the mountain
peak, whence, in the presence of the other disciples,
who followed them with their eyes until they had completely
disappeared from view, all three ascended to Heaven
in broad daylight.
Chang Tao-ling’s Great Power
The name of Chang Tao-ling, the Heavenly Teacher,
is a household word in China. He is on earth
the Vicegerent of the Pearly Emperor in Heaven, and
the Commander-in-Chief of the hosts of Taoism.
He, the chief of the wizards, the ‘true [i.e.
ideal] man,’ as he is called, wields an immense
spiritual power throughout the land. The present
pope boasts of an unbroken line for three-score generations.
His family obtained possession of the Dragon-tiger
Mountain in Kiangsi about A.D. 1000. “This
personage,” says a pre-Republican writer, “assumes
a state which mimics the imperial. He confers
buttons like an emperor. Priests come to him
from various cities and temples to receive promotion,
whom he invests with titles and presents with seals
of office.”
Kings of Heaven
The Four Kings of Heaven, Ssu Ta T’ien-wang,
reside on Mount Sumeru (Hsue-mi Shan), the centre
of the universe. It is 3,360,000 li—that
is, about a million miles—high. [19] Its
eastern slope is of gold, its western of silver, its
south-eastern of crystal, and its north-eastern of
agate. The Four Kings appear to be the Taoist
reflection of the four Chin-kang of Buddhism
already noticed. Their names are Li, Ma, Chao,
and Wen. They are represented as holding a pagoda,
sword, two swords, and spiked club respectively.
Their worship appears to be due to their auspicious
appearance and aid on various critical occasions in
the dynastic history of the T’ang and Sung Periods.