Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Volume 11 (Human Figures)

Page 6

Mei Fu

original: "梅福"

Mei Fu, whose courtesy name was Zizhen, was a native of Shouchun Located in modern-day Anhui Province.. He served the Han Dynasty as the Commandant of Nanchang. Witnessing the rise of Wang Mang A powerful official who eventually usurped the Han throne; he is often depicted in history as a symbol of political corruption and instability. and his autocratic grip on the government, Mei Fu sighed and lamented:

Thereupon, he abandoned his family to seek the path of the immortals. He wandered extensively through the Yandang and Southern Min mountain ranges. Upon reaching Mount Xianxia, he encountered the Immortal Lord of Kongtong A legendary Daoist figure associated with the transmission of esoteric wisdom., who bestowed upon him the methods of Inner and Outer Alchemy AlchemyThe practice of "Neidan" (Inner Alchemy) focused on spiritual cultivation and "Waidan" (Outer Alchemy) focused on the creation of life-prolonging elixirs.. The Lord told Fu, “Your destiny lies on Mount Feihong.”

Fu subsequently went there, built a humble hermitage, and devoted himself to spiritual cultivation. Once his elixir was perfected, he returned to his home in Shouchun. One day, a purple mist filled the sky, and Golden Boys and Jade Maidens Auspicious celestial attendants who herald divine arrivals. descended from the clouds, carrying a divine decree and leading simurghsoriginal: "鸞" (Luan); a mythical bird similar to a phoenix, often used as a celestial mount for those who have attained immortality..

Fu bowed to the decree, bid farewell to his family, and rode a simurgh into the heavens. It is recorded that people saw Fu again much later, during the Yuanfeng era of the Song Dynasty 1078–1085 CE.. He was eventually granted the title of the Perfected Man of Shouchun original: "壽春真人" (Shouchun Zhenren). "Perfected Man" is a high-ranking title in the Daoist celestial hierarchy..