Qinxian Huashan

　　“Huashan, located thirty-five li north of the city, boasts a towering peak that stands out from all the others. From afar, it resembles a lotus flower, hence its name. Atop the mountain stand the Laojun Hall, the Tianxian Jade Emperor Temple, and the Wangxian Stone Cave, within which lies the true form of Wangxian after his transcendence.”

　　The *Qinzhou Annals · Biography of Wangxian of Huashan* states: Wangxian was in fact named Wang Wei. Born into a farming family, he neither farmed, nor studied, nor married, nor owned property. He was a good-for-nothing drifter and rascal. Laziness inevitably led to poverty, and by the time he was “clad in rags and eating wild plants,” he could only scrape by with his silver tongue. “He loved doing good deeds — whenever there were road repairs or bridge constructions, he would roll up his sleeves, raise funds everywhere, and help clear the way for travelers and horses. People called him ‘Benevolent Friend Wang.’” When it came to such a barefoot bachelor, no one knew what to do with him, so they settled on calling him a do-gooder and had him watch over the mountain temple. Wang Wei lived alone, “chanting scriptures morning and night” (though he was illiterate, had no teacher, and no one knew what he was actually muttering about), “and never wore the robes of monks or Taoists” (nor did he have any). The grain he brought with him was only enough for three months. “Throughout the year, Wang Wei ate grain for three months, wheat bran for three months, chaff for three months, and grass for three months — no one knew his secret arts.”

　　In August of the 33rd year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty (1554), Wang Wei announced to the public the day of his death. Amidst general astonishment, people gathered as scheduled, only to see Wang Wei bid farewell to the crowd in daylight, enter a cave, sit in the lotus position, and then pass away as a wisp of white vapor rose. The local people preserved his body. Just for this alone, he fully deserved to be the master of Li Xian.

　　Fifty years later, during the Wanli reign, a clueless prefect came to Qinzhou. Upon taking office and hearing the tales of Wang Wei, he once climbed the mountain to pay homage. He saw that Wang Wei’s remains had lost all internal organs, resembling a silkworm’s shell, and when he tapped the relic, it produced a sound like gold or jade. He immediately ordered the village head to repair and restore the remains, investigated his legendary deeds, and erected a stone stele to record them.

　　Phone: 028-85568847

　　Address: Qinxian County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province