Bi Luo Xian Gu is a female immortal in Taoism. Her story of attaining immortality is widely circulated and she is worshipped in the south and Hong Kong and Macao.
Bi Luo Xian Gu, whose surname was Huang and whose given name was Yongbing, was also known by the style name Jiekun. She was from Xianyang County, Xi'an Prefecture, Shaanxi Province. Her parents were in their sixties and still had no children, so they were very anxious and often went to the Chunyang Lvzu Temple on the outskirts of Xianyang to pray for a child to carry on the family line. Her parents were so devoted that they prayed for a child every day, without fail, at the Lvzu Temple on the outskirts of Xianyang. Finally, heaven and earth were moved, and on the 22nd day of the fifth lunar month of the Wuwei year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty, they gave birth to a girl despite being infertile. The girl could speak when she was born, had a sparkle in her eyes, and instead of crying, she was happy, and was very cute. The people in the surrounding 18-li area were quite curious and went to visit. After seeing her, the villagers were all amazed. When the fairy Bi Luo was born, because the eight characters of her birthdate indicated that fire and earth were flourishing and the five elements lacked water, she was named Yongbing, in the hope of achieving a balance between yin and yang. Yongbing was strong-willed and intelligent; at the age of six, she was well-read and polite, and was good at both literature and martial arts. The imperial court repeatedly sent envoys to try to take her into the palace, but she refused. At the age of eight, Yongbing could compose poetry and paint, knew the classics of the Hundred Schools of Thought by heart, and taught herself everything she knew without a teacher. She was particularly fond of the Tao Te Ching and the Complete Works of Master Lü, which she could recite from memory. She woke up every morning at the sound of the rooster and practiced martial arts, excelling at all 18 weapons. She was also skilled at playing the zither, playing chess, calligraphy and painting. From an early age, she was deeply influenced by her parents' belief in Taoism and worship of the Taoist ancestor Master Lü. By the time she was 14, she was already a beautiful young woman with extraordinary skills. She rejected all suitors, even a high-ranking official from the imperial court, and insisted on remaining a Taoist nun. When she was 18, her parents unfortunately passed away one after the other. She was left alone with no one to depend on, and stayed with her aunt's family. Her aunt's family was poor and had no means of support, so she had no choice but to marry the son of a family surnamed Liang. Yongbing was hardworking and kind, and she was good at both housework and work outside the home. She was organized and tidy, and the neighbors all envied the Liang family for getting such a good daughter-in-law. Unfortunately, one day when the fairy was out, a fire broke out in the Liang family and the whole family was burned to death. The fairy was devastated by the grief and determined to remain chaste and never remarry. After observing the mourning period for three years, a wealthy merchant surnamed Tan saw that she was as beautiful as a fairy and had outstanding talent, and wanted to take her as a concubine. Her family wanted to marry her off in exchange for money. The fairy refused and jumped over the wall to escape late one night. Without a penny, she begged her way all the way to Hengyang, Hunan Province. She was unfamiliar with the area and had no relatives, so in order to make a living, the fairy had no choice but to perform on the streets. However, the world was cruel, and she was often humiliated. She was harassed by bullies, and being alone, she was no match for them, so she had to leave town and escape for her life. The fairy helped the poor wherever she went, feeding the homeless with food she begged, and her reputation for punishing the wicked and praising the good grew.
Legend has it that when the Master Lü Zushi learned of the fairy's situation, he instructed the local Taoist priestess Hui Ming of Jingqing Palace to bring the fairy back to the temple when she visited the Taoist temple. After the fairy returned to the temple, she never left the temple gates and practiced diligently, studying the Taoist external alchemy techniques of yellow and white alchemy and the Taoist internal alchemy secrets of health preservation. The immortal nun worked very hard, consulting Taoist classics, delving into the mysteries of Taoist teachings, seeking out a master to learn the Taoist way, and conducting experiments herself, morning and night, without letup, for ten years as one day. On the eighth day of the seventh month of the year of the Binyou reign period of Emperor Qianlong, at the hour of the snake, the great elixir was finally successful.
The immortal nun was deeply grateful for the grace of her ancestor Lü Zushou and was determined to become a Daoist priest to save the people. One day, the immortal nun went to the Daoist priest Huiming and said, “Disciple has long been grateful for your nurturing. The result today is your grace. Yesterday, my ancestor Lü Zushou summoned me to become a Da Lu sword immortal. Please give your consent. I will definitely come to repay you in the future.” After performing nine prostrations, the fairy faced east and sat upright in her feathered robe. She was only 28 years old at the time. After her transformation, a pillar of white smoke rose straight up into the sky, the heavens and earth opened up, thunder roared, and the heavenly court welcomed her. Later generations felt the fairy's grace and took her name as “Xian Gu”. The Jade Emperor bestowed upon her the sacred title of “Dufan Jue Mi Daluo Jianshen Biluoxian Shi” (Great Luo Sword Fairy Master Biluoxian) to enlighten the world.
The Bixian Xiangu has a solemn expression, dressed in full battle gear, with a golden helmet and armor, her right hand on her hip and her left hand holding a ritual object. There is also the word “dart” on her belt, making her look very powerful. She protects all good men and women, just like a heroine galloping across the battlefield in ancient times. Good men and women compete to worship her.
碧罗仙姑是道教的一位女仙。她的成道故事广为流传,在南方及港澳地区有一定的信仰。
碧罗仙姑,姓黄名咏冰,字洁坤,陕西省西安府咸阳县人。她的父母到晚年六十岁时,身边还一直无子息,非常着急,并常去咸阳郊区的纯阳吕祖观祈祷求子,以继香火。其父母不分时日,一天也不间断地去吕祖观中祈求生儿育女,实是虔诚。终于感动天地,于清朝乾隆戊午年五月二十二日丑时,不孕而生一女孩,女孩生时即能语,双目有神,不哭反乐,甚是可爱,周围十八里乡亲颇感好奇,前往探访。乡亲看后,无不称奇。碧罗仙姑出生时,因其生辰八字中,火土大旺,五行缺水,故取名咏冰,以求阴阳平衡。咏冰生性刚毅,聪慧伶俐;六岁时,知书达礼,能文善武,朝廷多次派人想纳其入宫而不从。咏冰八岁能诗善画,能熟读诸子百家经典,过目不忘,无师自通,特别喜爱《道德经》《吕祖师全书》等,随手拣来,倒背如流。她每天闻鸡起舞,十八般武器,样样精通,琴棋书画,得心应手;从小深受父母信仰道教的熏陶,信仰道教吕祖先师。至十四岁时,已是出水芙蓉,清秀动人,身怀绝技。求婚者踏破门槛,甚至有朝廷大员,均被谢绝,咏冰执意不嫁,守身信道。十八岁时,父母不幸相继去世,独自一人无依无靠,寄住于她的姑母家,姑母家贫如洗,生活没有着落,无奈与一梁姓人家的公子为婚。咏冰勤劳善良,家里家外是一把好手,整理有条,邻里乡亲无不羡慕梁家娶了一个好媳妇。不幸有一天仙姑外出时,梁家发生了大火,全家都被烧死。仙姑悲痛欲绝,立志守节,终生不再婚嫁。守孝三年后,有谭姓大商人见其美如天仙,才学出众,欲纳其为妾,姑家想把她嫁出以换银两。仙姑不从,一日深夜跳墙逃脱。身无分文,一路乞讨,风餐露宿至湖南省衡阳地区,人生地疏,举目无亲,为了生计,仙姑不得已在街头献艺,无奈世态苍伤,常常受辱,有恶霸纠缠,孤独一人,难敌恶霸,只好远走他乡,逃生求道。仙姑走到哪里都救助穷人,用乞来的食物供养无家可归者,惩恶扬善,名声大振。
传说吕祖师知道了仙姑的情况,就开示当地净庆宫女道士慧明道长访道时携带仙姑回道观。仙姑回到道观后,不出庙门,闭门修炼,精研道教外丹黄白术及道教内丹养生秘诀。仙姑非常刻苦,查阅道教经典,深究道教义理之玄机,拜师证道,并亲自做试验,晨夕从不间断,十年如一日,终获成效。于乾隆乙酉年七月初八申时,大丹始告成功。
仙姑深感吕祖先师的恩典,立志成道普度苍生。一日仙姑来到度师慧明道长前说:“弟子长久以来感恩沐浴培养,今天的成果是大师的恩泽,昨天吕祖恩师诏请为大罗剑仙,敬请首肯,日后定来相报。”仙姑行九拜大礼后,面向东方,端坐羽化,当时年仅二十八岁。羽化后,一股清烟直上云霄,天地开朗,雷声四作,天庭相迎。后人感仙姑的恩德,取其名为“仙姑”,玉皇大帝奉圣号为“度凡觉迷大罗剑仙碧罗仙师”。以悟世人。
碧罗仙姑神态庄严,一身戎装打扮,金盔金甲,右手叉腰,左手抚器,其腰间还有一个“镖”字,甚是威武,保护众善男女,好似古代驰骋战场的女英雄。善男信女竞相朝拜。