Yin Changsheng

Yin Changsheng, as recorded in the "Great Mountain Taihe Mountain Annals" citing the "Yongzhou Record", was from the family of Empress Yin of Emperor Guangwu of Han (25 BC), and was from Dengzhou (now northeast of Nanping County, Sichuan Province). Yin is a disciple of Ma Mingsheng. He once received the secret of the "Sun God Pill" taught by Ma Mingsheng and practiced in seclusion with him on Wudang Mountain. After the pill was completed, he could fly by regulating his inner energy and reach everywhere in all directions. Later, he ascended to heaven during the day on Xiandu Mountain in the east of Jinyun County, Zhejiang Province. According to the "Xianjian", Yin Changsheng was a native of Henan Province. In March of the 8th year of Yongyuan (96 AD) during the reign of Emperor He of Han, he had already made Empress Yin, who was the great-grandson of Changsheng. (Note: The birthplace of Yin Changsheng is said to be Sichuan or Henan, but it is probably the name of Dengzhou. The reasons for many changes during the Han and Tang Dynasties remain to be further investigated - Author) The "Xianjian" records Yin Changsheng's deeds in considerable detail, stating that he was born into a wealthy family in his youth but lived a life of indifference and luxury. Later, he secluded himself and devoted himself to Taoist arts. Having heard that Ma Mingsheng possessed the immortal art of saving the world, he visited many famous mountains in search of it. Later, on Taihe Mountain (also known as Wudang Mountain), which belongs to Nanyang Prefecture, he was able to meet Ma Mingsheng and immediately performed the disciple's courtesy. At that time, Ma Mingsheng already had twelve disciples under his wing. These disciples all went to Ma Mingsheng with the intention of attaining enlightenment beyond the ordinary, but after getting in touch with him, they did not fulfill their wishes. Because Ma Mingsheng did not talk to them about the ways to transcend the mundane world, sooner or later he only discussed with them about managing the family and governing the country, as well as the disputes over the prosperity of the present era. This went on for more than ten years. Seeing that they could learn nothing in this way, the other disciples left one after another. Only Yin Changsheng remained consistent in his respect for his master. Even because of his words, Ma Mingsheng often scolded him mercilessly. Yin Changsheng still kept a pleasant expression and served Ma Mingsheng for twenty years. In this way, Ma Mingsheng was finally moved. He then took Yin Changsheng to the Qingcheng Mountain in Sichuan Province. First, he refined yellow earth into gold to show his skills, which convinced Yin Changsheng. Then, he set up an altar and swore by blood to become his master. Only then did he teach Yin Changsheng the "Taiqing Golden Liquid Divine Elixir Classic". Later, Yin Changsheng retired to Wudang Mountain to refine external elixirs. After achieving success, he first took half a dose. Instead of ascending to heaven in a hurry, he became an earth immortal and refined ten thousand jin of gold to distribute to the poor all over the world. From the "Immortal Mirror", it can be seen that the "poverty" (i.e., the poor) "knowledge and unknowledge" indicates that the gold refined by alchemists is not true gold; at least some of it is merely metal compounds with an appearance similar to gold. The "Xianjian" also records that Yin Changsheng "traveled around the world without following his wife, and the entire family lived a long life. Later, he entrusted the household affairs to his fellow disciples (Note by the author)." He entered Pingdu Mountain in Zhongzhou to cultivate and take elixirs, ascended to heaven in the daytime, and wrote nine books before leaving... And so on. According to the "Brief History of Taoism in Wudang", the lineage of the Yin Changsheng school of Taoism can be listed in four generations: Ma Mingsheng - Yin Changsheng - Bao Liang - Ge Hong. This research, based on the "Yunji Qiqian" and "Taiping Yulan", citing the "Daoxue Zhuan" and "Xianjian", holds that according to the historical records, in the first year of Taixing (318 AD), Bao Liang was living in Jiangdong. On the north Road of Jiangshan, he saw a man about sixteen or seventeen years old, with an extremely beautiful appearance and a swift gait, which Bao Liang could not reach by riding a horse. Bao Naiwen asked, "Seeing you walk so swiftly, you must be a person of the Tao." The other person said, "I am a longevity of the immortal Yin. The Supreme Elder Laozi sent me to Chicheng. Because you are calculating, you were able to see me." Bao Liang then bowed and learned the method of dissolving a corpse. Bao Liang was Ge Hong's father-in-law and master, and thus knew the inheritance relationship of this school. After Ge Hong, the situation of this faction became unclear.