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Yandi Shennongshi (Emperor Yan, the Divine Farmer) grew up by the Jiang River and thus took the surname Jiang. He had a human body with an ox's head and possessed sage virtue. He began to teach the world how to cultivate five grains for food, thereby reducing the harm of indiscriminate killing of living beings.

He tasted herbs and plants to elucidate their medicinal properties and treat diseases, saving lives from premature death. The common people used them daily without knowing why. He authored *Bencao* (Materia Medica) in four volumes. By the Liang Dynasty, Tao Hongjing added the content of *Mingyi Bielu* (Record of Famous Physicians) to it, expanding it to seven volumes. When my Tang Dynasty reached its zenith, Duke Yingguo Li Ji, Xu Xiaochong, Su Jingzong, and others, by imperial edict, collected and compiled again, removing inconsistencies in Tao’s work and clarifying chaotic folk usages. They newly revised it into twenty volumes, which are still in circulation today (from *Diwang Shiji* [Chronicles of Emperors and Kings] and *Bencao Lun Xu* [Preface to Discourse on Materia Medica]).

Huangdi Youxiongshi (Yellow Emperor of Youxiong), son of Shaodian, surnamed Ji, grew up by the Ji River. He had a dragon-like countenance and possessed sage virtue. He could speak from birth and commanded a hundred spirits, demonstrating a naturally endowed, heavenly constitution.

Yet he could not attain the Dao merely by sitting still. Therefore, in the first month of Huangdi Year 1, on a Jiazi day, he traveled to famous mountains seeking immortality. Fang Ming and Limu accompanied him. To the east, at Qingqiu, he met Mr. Zifu and received the Heavenly Texts of the Three Sovereigns to emulate the myriad deities; at Juzhic Mountain, he met Jun Duiwei and received the Diagram of Divine Mushrooms; ascending Gai Mountain, he met Zhenren Zhonghuang and received the prescription of Nine-Seed Powder; at Luohuo Mountain, he met Tongzi Huanggai and received nineteen prescriptions of Gold and Silver; passing through Kongtong Mountain, he asked Guangchengzi and received the Classic of Naturalness; visiting Mount Emei, he met Jun Dihuang and received the True One Classic; entering Jin Valley, he inquired about nourishing life and questioned the two ladies, Xuan Nu (Black Lady) and Su Nu (White Lady); regarding physical diagnosis, he consulted the discourses of Leigong, Qibo, Bogao, and Shao Yu, elaborating on the collateral connections of meridians and establishing canonical teachings through questioning and difficulty; he crafted the Nine Needles and wrote eighteen volumes of Internal and External Art Classics.

He ascended Mount Wangwu below the Jade Gate, fasted for three days, then climbed above the Jade Gate, entered the Terrace of Qionglin, and upon the Golden Stool, obtained the Nine Cauldron Divine Elixir of Xuan Nu and the methods of flying incense furnace fire. Thus, he gathered Yuyuliang (Eremocarpus seed) at Mount Mao, smelted it to obtain copper, returned to Mount Jing, and set up the furnace atop Dinghu Lake. Ten thousand tigers and leopards guarded the fire for him. Upon the completion of the Nine Cauldron Divine Elixir, a yellow dragon descended to welcome Huangdi’s ascent. More than seventy officials and palace women followed him. The minor attendants could not ascend; they all pulled at the dragon’s whiskers, causing them to fall off. The bow left by the Emperor was named Wuhao (Black Call). All people looked up; after the Emperor had ascended, they embraced his bow and whiskers and wailed. Hence, later generations named that place Dinghu (Cauldron Lake), and his bow was named Wuhao (from *Diwang Shiji* [Chronicles of Emperors and Kings] and *Taiqing Huangdi Jiuding Danjing* [Classic of the Yellow Emperor’s Nine Cauldron Elixir of Taiqing]).