The Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms

Portraits, Volume 11

Page 2

Zhang Daoling

[Portrait of Zhang Daoling, the first Celestial Master, depicted in priestly robes with a long beard. Above him, the Big Dipper constellation shines through stylized clouds, symbolizing his divine authority and connection to the celestial bureaucracy.]


Lei Ben	Zhang Boduan	Erzhu Dong	Chen Nan	Ma Yu
Ma Xiang	Li the Snotty	Ge Changgeng	Mo Yueding	Zhang Sanfeng

This list serves as an index for the biographies and portraits that follow in the text. These individuals represent the transition from legendary "transcendents" to the founders of actual religious lineages in the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties:

Lei Ben: original: "雷賁" A Taoist figure often associated with the "Thunder Department" of the celestial hierarchy or specific local religious rites.
Zhang Boduan: original: "張栢端" A pivotal 11th-century scholar and alchemist who founded the Southern Lineage of the QuanzhenA major branch of Taoism, "Complete Perfection," which emphasizes internal alchemy—the transformation of energy within the body—and the unification of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. school.
Erzhu Dong: original: "二朱洞" A legendary figure from the Five Dynasties period, said to have achieved immortality through the refinement of cinnabar and the study of esoteric arts.
Chen Nan: original: "陳楠" A Southern Song dynasty master of "Thunder Rites" and internal alchemy, known for his humble profession as a mud-brick maker and his nickname "Chen the Mud-Pill."
Ma Yu: original: "馬鈺" Also known as Ma Danyang, he was the primary disciple of Wang Chongyang and the first leader of the Quanzhen school after his master's death.
Ma Xiang: original: "馬湘" A Tang dynasty eccentric known for his supernatural abilities, such as making flowers bloom instantly or turning wine into water.
Li the Snotty: original: "李鼻涕" A moniker for a "holy fool" or wandering Taoist adept (likely referring to the eccentric Li Han-guang), known for hiding his spiritual power behind a disheveled and unappealing appearance.
Ge Changgeng: original: "葛長庚" Better known by his Taoist name Bai Yuchan, he was a famous poet, calligrapher, and a grand master of internal alchemy in the Southern Song dynasty.
Mo Yueding: original: "莫月鼎" A prominent practitioner of the Five Thunders method during the Yuan dynasty, revered for his ability to summon rain and command spirits through LeifaThunder Rites: a tradition where practitioners internalize cosmic energies to command the spirits of thunder and lightning for exorcism or weather control..
Zhang Sanfeng: original: "張三丰" A semi-legendary figure of the Ming dynasty, often credited with the founding of internal martial arts and the Taoist sanctuary at Mount Wudang.