(Minghui.org) Zhen Xizhen, a Taoist cultivator in the Northern Song Dynasty (960 AD – 1127 AD), was good at writing poems and stylish essays. He traveled around, using his expertise in Chinese medicine to help others. People loved him, as he did not ask for anything in return for helping patients.
When Zhen was 75 years old, he ran into someone who said to him, “You have sage-like features and the appearance of talents, which are quite extraordinary. This reminds me of the look of Li Quan, an achieved Taoist from the earlier Tang Dynasty (618 AD – 907 AD). Despite your age, it is not too late to cultivate immortality.” So he taught Zhen secrets of cultivating the body and told him, “Learning the essence of the Tao is as easy as turning over one's palm. What is difficult is putting it into practice. You've got to work hard at it.”
After two or three years of practice, Zhen gradually restored his appearance to a youthful one. When climbing rocks and walking on cliffs, he was able to move as light as a bird.
In autumn of 1022 AD, Zhen told people around him that he was to leave the world at the end of the year. Indeed, he passed away in the final month of that year. Years went by, and his body continued to look identical to when he was alive. Legend has it that Zhen Xizhen achieved immortality by leaving his body behind.
Adapted from History of Song Dynasty, Volume 462, Biography of Well Known Figures No. 221, Medical and Other Techniques
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Category: Traditional Culture
