Mystic Rankings Records Daoist Classic 玄品录

Compiled by Zhang Tianyu, a Maoshan Taoist priest of the Yuan Dynasty.

It consists of five volumes and is included in the Genealogy and Record Category of The Dongshen Section within The Daozang.

Mystic Rankings Records

There is a preface written by the author himself in the Yihai year (1335 AD) at the beginning of the book, stating that this work collects and categorizes the moral teachings and literary works of those who followed in Laozi’s footsteps from all dynasties after Laozi. The entire book is divided into ten ranks, compiling the life stories of more than 130 figures from the pre-Qin period to the Song Dynasty, with a separate biography for each person, briefly recounting their life experiences and their connections to Daoism. The figures recorded are not limited to immortals and Taoist priests; all those associated with Daoism are included. Such literati as Sima Tan, Cao Can, Zhang Liang, Wang Bi, Xiang Xiu, Huangfu Mi, Xie An, Wang Xizhi, Tao Yuanming, Li Bai and He Zhizhang were all compiled in this book—either for their adherence to the principle of quietude and non-action, their seclusion and pure cultivation, or their unrestrained bearing and disdain for power and nobility. For this reason, The Imperial Collection of Four Libraries Abstracts criticized the book, stating that "though rich in collection, it inevitably incurs criticism for its miscellany".