Biographies of Immortals Annotation and Translation. Annotation and Translation of the Biography of Immortals

Author: Qiu Heting (translator and annotator)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-09-01
Features: The Record of Immortals is the earliest extant specialized work on Taoist immortals. The Record of Immortals is concise in form, refined in style, rich in content, and became widely circulated after the Jin Dynasty. Many later Taoist immortal biographies drew their material from this book, and it was frequently quoted and recited by Taoist followers. From the Yuan and Ming dynasties onwards, scholars and literati also used it as a basis to elaborate on stories, developing them into novels and dramas. For instance, in the descriptions of Chi Songzi, Ning Fengzi, and Xiu Yanggong's abilities such as "burning himself in fire," "emitting five-colored smoke," "ascending and descending with the smoke," "flipping hands in flight," and "transforming shapes," we can see the prototypes of Sun Wukong's fiery eyes, flying through the clouds, and seventy-two transformations in Journey to the West. Another example is the story of Gou Jiufu, which still appears in various traditional plays today. Although the text of The Record of Immortals is simple and clear, there are still many difficult points, and there is very little precedent research to draw upon. Therefore, in this translation and annotation, errors and inconsistencies are inevitable.
The Record of Immortals records the ancient people's exploration of life phenomena and their pursuit of the meaning of life. In an era where feudal ethics were considered supreme yet easily destroyed and trampled upon by the powerful, this work undoubtedly represents the emotions of a ruthless world, the cries and sighs of the dishonored living. We believe that in today's post-industrial society, where instrumental rationality is highly developed and utilitarianism permeates interpersonal relationships, reading such a book may not only satisfy curiosity and evoke pastoral nostalgia but will surely provide unexpected inspiration and guidance for those who are attuned to the echoes deep within their hearts. This is also what we hope to achieve.
The Record of Immortals had a significant influence on later Taoist texts and immortal biographies, and many literary works, novels, and poems drew their material from it. However, since its composition, no previous annotations or corrections have been discovered. Although the text is brief, its age has made the language archaic and challenging to understand.