Ge Hong - Cuckoo

A Taoist scholar from the Jin Dynasty in China. He was from Jurong County, Danyang County (Jiangning County, Jiangsu Province). His pen name was Chisen and his pen name was Baopuzi. He is the author of "The Tale of the Immortals" and the Inner and Outer Chapters of "Baopuzi". At the end of the outer chapter, he describes himself as "a descendant of a minister" and is of noble birth in Jiangnan, which is reflected in his actions and writings. He achieved military success in suppressing rebellions, and at the age of 20, he studied immortal arts under Zheng Yin. In his later years, he traveled to Kochi (northern Vietnam) in search of cinnabar (a compound of mercury and sulfur) to make an elixir, and died in Luofu Mountain, east of Guangzhou. Even after his death, his complexion was the same as when he was alive, and he was thought to have become a Shikaisen (a corpse-creating immortal) who would enter a coffin and leave his corpse behind to escape. He died at the age of 61. There is also a theory that he was 81. In the inner volume, he compiles various immortal techniques while accepting the orthodox Taoist arts handed down by Zuo Ci, Ge Xuan, and Zheng Yin. The outer volume, "Diviners of Immortals," and "Miscellaneous Records of the Xijing Capital" (which some say are forgeries) are noteworthy in the history of literature.

[Masayuki Miyazawa May 21, 2018]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、晋(しん)代の道教の士。丹陽郡句容(こうよう)県（江蘇(こうそ)省江寧(こうねい)県）の人。字(あざな)は稚川(ちせん)、号は抱朴子(ほうぼくし)。『神仙伝(しんせんでん)』および『抱朴子』内外篇(へん)などの著者。外篇巻末に自叙があり、自ら「大臣の子孫たり」と称するように、江南の貴族の出身で、その立場は彼の行動や著述に反映している。反乱の鎮圧に武功をあげ、20歳ころには鄭隠(ていいん)について仙術を学んだ。晩年は交趾(こうち)（ベトナム北部）に仙薬をつくるための丹砂(たんさ)（水銀と硫黄(いおう)の化合物）を求めて旅立ち、広州の東の羅浮山(らふざん)で没した。死するも顔色は生前と同じく、棺に入って屍(しかばね)を残して抜け出る尸解仙(しかいせん)になった、と考えられた。享年61歳。また81歳説もある。内篇では、左慈(さじ)―葛玄(かつげん)―鄭隠と伝わる道術を正統としつつ諸仙術を集大成した。外篇や『神仙伝』、『西京雑記(せいきょうざっき)』（偽作説もある）は文学史上注目されている。

［宮澤正順　2018年5月21日］

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