Immortal’s Drying Shoes

　　   “Immortal’s Drying Boots” and “Immortal’s Drying Shoes” share a beautiful legend: Once upon a time, in the Xiandu Temple on the left peak of Huangshan Mountain lived the old Taoist Daoxuan and his disciple Taiqing; in the Zixia Palace on Songlin Peak lived the Taoist nun Lianyu and her apprentice Miaozhen. The two Taoist temples were separated by a deep ravine—the West Sea Valley—and strict Taoist rules meant they never interacted. One winter, a heavy snowfall cut off the fire supply in Xiandu Temple, so Daoxuan sent Taiqing to borrow fire from Zixia Palace. When Taiqing arrived at Zixia Palace, he met Miaozhen, and the two hit it off immediately, chatting warmly. From then on, the two would meet daily while chopping wood or carrying water to talk, gradually chopping less wood and carrying less water. Their masters soon found out and both were severely scolded. It was also decreed that in the future, woodcutting and water-carrying must be done within the boundary of the valley between the two peaks—crossing the line would result in punishment by Taoist whip or divine staff. After that, it became very difficult for the two to speak. Once, taking advantage of both masters being away from the mountain, they secretly met and agreed: Taiqing would air one boot at the mountain gate to signal that the master was away and Miaozhen could meet him; Miaozhen would air a pair of shoes in front of the palace to show her master had left, allowing Taiqing to come see her. From then on, they used airing boots and shoes as a way to meet. One day, while sweetly meeting in secret, their masters suddenly returned and the affair was exposed. They faced severe punishment. After much thought, they made up their minds: “If we can’t be together in life, we’ll be together in death!” Hand in hand, they leaped off the cliff into the surging sea of clouds. Taiqing’s boots and Miaozhen’s pair of shoes were left unaired and, over time, turned into stone boots and shoes—today’s Huangshan “Immortal’s Drying Boots” and “Immortal’s Drying Shoes.”