The Tài Wēi Líng Shū Zǐ Wén Xiān Jì Zhēn Jì Shàng Jīng 太微灵书紫文仙忌真记上经

As one of the early classic texts of the Shangqing School (Supreme Clarity School), it was likely composed during the Eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern Dynasties (317–589 CE).

Originally, it was a chapter within The Supreme Scripture of Purple Texts from the Supreme Mystery Spiritual Book; later, it was separated and circulated as an independent text. The Inner Biography of Real Person Zhou of Purple Yang records “Gong Zhongyang’s True Records on Immortal Taboos”—this refers precisely to this text.

The present version consists of one scroll and is included in the “Precepts and Disciplines Category” (Jielü Lei) of the Dongzhen Bu (True Grotto Section) of the Daozang (Taoist Canon). The scripture is falsely attributed to be “preached by the Azure Youth Lord of Fangzhu (Fangzhu Qingtong Jun) for those seeking immortality.”

The text states: Those who pursue immortality may possess “physiognomic signs of immortality” (xianxiang), but they may also have “physiognomic signs that ruin immortality” (baixianxiang); if one violates the “signs that ruin immortality,” they will not attain immortality.

Therefore, the scripture sets forth ten “immortal taboos” (i.e., ten precepts), such as: do not indulge in lechery, do not act as a hidden villain (who harms others secretly), do not get drunk, do not eat the meat of six domestic animals (cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, dogs, chickens), do not kill insects, and so on.

Those who violate these immortal taboos will all ruin the Dao of immortality and fail to attain immortality. The text also holds that those seeking immortality should extensively perform “hidden virtues” (yinde—good deeds done without seeking recognition), show compassion to all living things, rescue people from hardships and distress, deliver others from dangers and difficulties, take light of wealth and bestow favors, so as to expand their “blessed karma fields” (futian). Only in this way can one attain the Dao and become an immortal.