Record of the Iron Tree
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Summary
Full title: Newly Engraved Record of the Iron Tree: How Xu Chunyang of the Jin Dynasty Attained the Dao and Captured the Flood Dragon. Tai Shang Lao Jun is the Daoist patriarch, residing in the Taiqing Wonderland. One day was his birthday, and all the immortals came to offer congratulations. When the wine was half drunk, Tai Shang Lao Jun said that four hundred years later a monster would appear in Jiangxi, and an immortal would need to descend to the mortal world to find a person of complete integrity, transmit the Daoist teachings to him, and help the world survive this calamity. The Filial Piety King recommended Lan Qi. The Filial Piety King came to the mortal world and transmitted to Lord Lan one by one the immortal wondrous secrets, the Golden Elixir Precious Mirror, the bronze tally and iron pledge, and the Shangqing spiritual herbs and the method of flying steps to slay evil. Lord Lan wished to pass the immortal methods on to Mother Chen, so he transformed into a little child of three or four years old. Mother Chen took pity on him for being orphaned and suffering, so she brought him home to raise. When this child grew up, he transmitted the immortal way to Mother Chen and told her that in later ages, in the Jin dynasty, two people would come to learn immortality, one surnamed Xu, named Xun, and one surnamed Wu, named Meng. The old mother could transmit this way to Xu Xun. After Perfected Lord Xu attained the Dao, he began to slay demons and monsters and rid the people of harm. Besides glorifying Daoist immortal arts, this book also reflects to some extent the turbulent social life of the late Han and Wei-Jin periods.
Editor's review
The Iron Tree Record, fully titled Newly Engraved Record of the Iron Tree: How Xu Chunyang of the Jin Dynasty Attained the Dao and Captured the Flood Dragon, is by Deng Zhimo and is a Daoist immortal-arts narrative centered on Xu Xun's attainment of the Dao and his slaying of demons and monsters. The book begins with Tai Shang Lao Jun's birthday and proceeds through the Filial Piety King's recommendation of Lan Qi, Lan Qi's transmission of the methods to Mother Chen, and Mother Chen's further transmission to Xu Xun and Wu Meng, unfolding the genealogy of immortal transmission layer by layer before turning to the main theme of Perfected Lord Xu ridding the people of harm. Its value lies not only in glorifying Daoist powers but also in reflecting aspects of the turbulent social life of the late Han and Wei-Jin periods, giving the immortal narrative a grounding in reality. When reading, one may use the chain of transmission as the key to understanding the book's structure and note how Daoist ideas of lineage are narrativized; at the same time, one should approach the battles between gods and demons as story rather than demand strict history or doctrinal text. Suitable for readers interested in Daoist literature, the legend of Xu Xun, and ancient narratives of gods and demons.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in Daoist immortal legends and the story of Xu Xun
- Scholars studying ancient god-and-demon novels and Daoist literature
- Readers who want to understand traditional narratives of master-to-disciple transmission
- Readers who enjoy demon-slaying themes and can accept a mix of classical and vernacular Chinese
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting strict historical verification or systematic exposition of Daoist doctrine
- Readers who prefer realism and are not interested in battles between gods and demons
- Readers who need light short pieces and do not wish to follow a complex transmission genealogy
Reading tips
- First clarify the chain of transmission from Tai Shang Lao Jun to the Filial Piety King, Lan Qi, Mother Chen, and Xu Xun before reading through.
- Divide the reading into two parts around Xu Xun's attainment of the Dao: the first half for lineage, the second for demon-slaying.
- Pay attention to the book's reflection of late Han and Wei-Jin social life and read it in contrast with the descriptions of immortal arts.
- Slow down at passages of god-and-demon combat to appreciate how the Daoist narrative unfolds.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一回 总叙儒释道源流 群仙庆贺老君寿
- 第二回 孝悌王传授秘诀 汉兰公三生解化
- 第三回 孝明王变化小儿 谌母传孝明王道
- 第四回 许琰许肃布阴德 许逊应泰运降生
- 第五回 吴猛遇真仙得道 真君投吴猛指引
- 第六回 真君访郭璞寻居 朝廷举真君孝廉
- 第七回 真君辞父母赴任 真君任所施德政
- 第八回 许旌阳弃职归回 真君为男女完娶
- 第九回 玉帝差女童献剑 许旌阳一次斩蛟
- 第十回 许旌阳二次斩蛟 众生徒云集投师
- 第十一回 许旌阳三次斩蛟 许旌阳追杀蛟党
- 第十二回 许旌阳四次斩蛟 龙王太子辅孽龙
- 第十三回 孽龙求观音讲和 真君五次收孽龙
- 第十四回 孽龙精入赘长沙 许旌阳六次擒蛟
- 第十五回 武昌府郭璞脱凡 许真君拔宅升天
FAQ
What does "Iron Tree Record" in the title refer to?
The source gives the full title Newly Engraved Record of the Iron Tree: How Xu Chunyang of the Jin Dynasty Attained the Dao and Captured the Flood Dragon, showing that the title is related to Xu Xun's attainment of the Dao and the capture of the flood dragon; the specific "iron tree" plot must be checked in the corresponding chapter of the book and should not be guessed apart from the text.
From whom did Xu Xun inherit his arts?
According to the source, the Filial Piety King recommended Lan Qi; after Lan Qi received the immortal wondrous secrets and other methods, he wished to transmit them to Mother Chen, and Mother Chen was instructed to pass the way on to Xu Xun and Wu Meng of the Jin dynasty, forming a clear transmission genealogy.
Does this book only tell of immortal arts?
Not entirely. The source notes that besides glorifying Daoist immortal arts, the book also reflects to some extent the turbulent social life of the late Han and Wei-Jin periods, so readers may also attend to the information about real life in it.
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About the author
邓志谟
Author
Deng Zhimo was a writer of popular fiction in the Ming dynasty. Very little is known publicly about his life, official career, or dates of birth and death; all that is known today is that eight works survive under his name. Judging from the titles collected here, his writing centers on gods, demons, and Daoist figures. His representative works include The Date Charm, The Flying Sword, The Iron Tree, and narratives such as The Flying Sword of Lü Chunyang of the Tang Dynasty Achieving the Dao and Master Sa Achieving the Dao through the Date Charm. These works mostly revolve around the cultivation journeys and miraculous deeds of Daoist figures such as Master Sa and Lü Chunyang, with fantastical plots that clearly reflect the taste of Ming dynasty supernatural fiction. Written in accessible language for a popular readership, they are later classified as classical literature and classic works, often used for literary appreciation and cultural reading, and are important material for understanding Ming dynasty fiction on Daoist themes.
