Records of Master Xu Shenweng 虚靖冲和先生徐神翁语录
Paul PengRecords of Master Xu Shenweng
Compiled by Zhu Songqing of the Southern Song Dynasty. It was recorded as one volume in History of the Song Dynasty · Bibliographic Treatise.
The current edition in the Daozang is divided into two volumes, included in the Zhengyi Section.
Records of Master Xu Shenweng
This book records the life and deeds of Divine Elder Xu, a famous Taoist priest in the late Northern Song Dynasty. The compiler edited and revised it on the basis of the widely circulated Sayings of Divine Elder Xu and Account of the Propagation of Divine Elder Xu, supplemented and adjusted by referring to other historical materials. The book was completed in the Dingwei year of the Chunxi reign (1187).It contains more than 170 records of Divine Elder Xu’s deeds, arranged roughly in chronological order. It is said that Xu Shouxin was his original name. At the age of nineteen, he entered Tianqing Abbey in Hailing, Taizhou, as a sweeper. Later he met a perfect man who taught him divination. All his predictions of fortune and misfortune proved miraculously accurate.
In the 2nd year of the Chongning reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty (1103), he was granted the title “Master Xuqing Chonghe”. He died in the 2nd year of the Daguan reign (1108) at the age of 76.
