Complete and Illustrated Biographies of Transcendents, 9 juan

Ming dynasty (1368�1644), Wanli period (1573�1619)

Compiled by Wang Shizhen (1526�93; jinshi of 1547), with supplement by Wang Yunpeng (fl. 1600); proofread and edited by Wang Yunpeng; engraved by Huang Yimu (1586�1641)

Xin�an, Anhui Province: Wanhu xuan, 1600

11 columns per half folio; 22 characters per column; white folding margin at center of folio; single-line borders; overall dimensions of volumes: 27.9�28.0 x 16.4�16.5 cm; block sizes of text: approx. 20.3�20.4 x 12.8�13.0 cm; stitched binding

Inventory number: 16741

This is a collection of 581 brief hagiographies of Daoist masters and adepts who were believed to have achieved some form of immortality.Some entries have appended references to additional figures, bringing the total number of subjects to 640.Beginning with Laozi (ca. sixth century b.c.e.), readers are provided with information on the exemplary lives and fantastic exploits of all the celebrated Daoists, including the sage Zhuangzi (ca. 369�286 b.c.e.), the alchemist and theoretician Ge Hong (284�364), the scholar, physician, and polymath Tao Hongjing (456�536), and finally with Leng Qian and other immortals of the Ming dynasty.

There are 203 woodblock illustrations in which the immortals are variously depicted as wearing straw raincoats or feathered capes, riding on clouds, moving across water, or mounted on some animal, bird, fish, mythical beast, or auspicious creature.Dragons, phoenixes, and clouds in particular were understood to be efficient vehicles for transporting the immortals to celestial realms.