Collected Gazetteers of Mount Luofu 罗浮山志会编

Compiled by Song Guangye.

A Kangxi reign edition of the Qing Dynasty, it consists of twelve volumes and is included in the category of Topography of Palaces and Temples in Daoist Texts Outside the Canon.

Luofu Mountain stands on the bank of the Dongjiang River in Boluo County, Guangdong Province, known as the Seventh Grotto Heaven in Taoism. Stretching across Boluo, Zengcheng and Longmen counties with a circumference of five hundred li, its main peak is Feiyun Summit—this was the place where Ge Hong, the renowned Taoist Priest of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, cultivated the The Dao and refined the Golden Elixir, making it a famous sacred Taoist mountain and an abode of immortals.

Collected Gazetteers of Mount Luofu

Compiled Gazetteer of Luofu Mountain is a comprehensive collection of gazetteers of Luofu Mountain from all dynasties. According to the General Principles at the beginning of the book: "This compilation fully incorporates all contents of the old editions, and additionally gathers extensively from various books, adding fifty to sixty percent of new material—hence it is named 'Compiled Collection'."

The book is exceptionally rich in content, covering "everything from astronomical divisions down to scenic sights, lost writings and anecdotes, all exhaustively collected". It opens with eight prefaces, a feature unmatched by other gazetteers. This is followed by a list of fifty-six source works for compilation, including important gazetteers such as Collection of Luofu by Tan Cui, Illustrated Gazetteer of Luofu by Wang Zhou, Gazetteer of Luofu Mountain by Bai Yuchan, Collection of Luofu by Chen Pengfei, Gazetteer of Luofu Mountain by Chen Lian, Gazetteer of Luofu Mountain by Li Minbiao and Gazetteer of Luofu Mountain by Tao Jing.

The preliminary volume contains thirty-four general and detailed maps of Luofu Mountain with explanatory notes, vividly depicting the shapes of the mountain's peaks and its scenic spots and historical sites.

Volume One records the astronomical and geographical location of Luofu Mountain, and compiles works such as Notes on the Hand Map of Luofu Mountain by Zou Shizheng, a Taoist Priest of the Song Dynasty, Classic of Maps by Huang Zuo, Annotated Classic of Maps of Luofu Mountain by Li Minbiao and Notes on the Mountain Map by Pan Fang.

Volumes Two and Three, titled Scenic Sights, document the mountain's grottoes, immortal rocks, springs and ponds, pagodas and temples, towers and pavilions, altars and Taoist abbeys and other scenic spots.

Volumes Four to Six, titled Biographies, contain brief accounts of immortals, monks and distinguished worthies associated with the mountain throughout the ages.

Volume Seven, titled Records of Products, catalogs the mountain's birds, beasts, fish, shellfish, insects, herbs, trees, grains, vegetables, melons, fruits, flowers and bamboos.

Volumes Eight and Nine, titled Annalistic Studies, record the mountain's allusions, historical anecdotes, auspicious omens and folk customs.

Volumes Ten to Twelve, titled Literary Arts, collect biographies, official memorials, fu rhapsodies, palace memorials, odes, eulogies, inscriptions, sao-style poems and other literary works about Luofu Mountain from all dynasties.

Appended to the end of the gazetteer are one Postscript to the Combined Compilation of the Gazetteer of Luofu Mountain and two colophons.