Ma Xiangzi was a natural person from Hangzhou in the Tang Dynasty. Since childhood, he liked classics and history, literature and art, and especially the art of Huang Lao. He often traveled around with his friends. One day, he went to the western side of Mount Tianzhu in Nanyue alone. He saw that the mountain was higher than all the other mountains, with the main peak overlooking the smaller peaks, and all the other mountains surrounding the main peak, each peak being steep and strange. The ridges are steep and precipitous, the mountains are vast and winding, and the clouds and mist surround the peaks. Ancient pines stand upright in the ravines, and the wind sways the trees as if they were dragons. Thunder roars as waterfalls fly through the mountains, and rain sprays as springs flow over the rocks. High and low, strange rocks jostle against each other, and only a narrow path winds through the mountains. Ma Xiang thought to himself, this place is sparsely populated and full of danger. While he was thinking, suddenly there was a gust of foul wind from the opposite direction, from the western hills. The wind blew the delicate red and green leaves and the withered branches, which were falling endlessly, flying all over the path. In an instant, a fierce black tiger with a white forehead came running, chasing a mountain roe deer. The black tiger's mouth revealed its steel teeth, and its yellow eyes shot out a direct glare. It leaped at the mountain roe deer and grabbed it with its sharp claws. All you could hear was the roe deer's few miserable whinnies, and it died with blood splashing on the rocks, becoming the black tiger's meal. Ma Xiang was deeply puzzled: the same mountain beast, why does the strong eat the weak, staining the rocks with blood? While he was pondering, he suddenly heard someone behind him say, “That was close! Sir, didn't you see the black tiger just now? Hurry and return with us!” Ma Xiang turned around and saw that it was the two woodcutters, holding knives and axes, who were hiding behind an old pine tree and timidly calling out to him. Ma Xiang thought to himself, “What kindhearted woodcutters!” So he replied, “Don't be afraid, I have the skills to drive away bears and tame leopards. You go on with your woodcutting, I'll protect you here.” After saying this, he lay on his back on the stone facing the sky. The woodcutter saw his carefree appearance and felt much more at ease. He still hurriedly chopped firewood and quickly carried it down the mountain. Before leaving, he shouted, “Sir, it's getting late, hurry down the mountain!” Ma Xiang saw the woodcutter go far away, so he took a detour and continued climbing. He saw the trees with luxuriant branches and leaves, intertwined with each other; thorns were all over the ground, pulling his clothes and sleeves with every step, and even his hands and face were pricked, oozing blood. Just as Ma Xiang was about to cross the ridge, he saw a commotion in the grass in front of him. Two black tigers came strutting along at the same time, crouching, their mouths wide open, their eyes glaring with anger, and their fur bristling. Ma Xiang thought to himself, “Why are there two of them? Is my magic powerful? I can't help but feel a little scared.” But there was no time for him to think much, as the tigers were already closing in. Ma Xiang drew his sword while loudly reciting a spell. The tigers suddenly stopped, one in front of the other. The white tiger in front pressed its front two paws downwards, jumped up suddenly and charged straight at Ma Xiang, who dodged the attack. The other tiger stared at him with wide eyes. The tiger that had charged suddenly turned around, roared and pounced again. Ma Xiang dodged again, and the tiger brushed past him and leapt over, landing in the grass. Ma Xiang raised his sharp sword and shouted, “Be polite, beast, or you will not get off lightly!” The other black tiger saw that the white-browed tiger had missed twice and was panting in exhaustion, so it too leapt at him. Ma Xiang was attacked from the front and back, but he was quick-witted and so he too leapt, landing on a large rock. He swung his sword up and down, mumbling incantations and sutras. Seeing this, Erhu glanced at Ma Xiang, tucked his tail between his legs, and angrily walked away towards the mountain pass. Ma Xiang saw Erhu go away, and only then sat down to catch his breath. When he looked up, he saw that the sun had already set in the west, and it was already too late to go down the mountain. He decided to spend the night here under the rock. He gathered some dry grass and dead branches, picked up two stones and hit them together, causing sparks to fly, and in a moment he had lit a fire. Ma Xiang sat leaning against the rock, next to the fire, until dawn.

The sun rose in the east. The two woodcutters from the previous day were surprised to see Ma Xiang had spent the night there. When they asked about the tigers, Ma Xiang told them everything that had happened. Before he finished speaking, the woodcutters took off running, shouting, “Sir, leave, you can't stay here!” Ma Xiang watched the woodcutters go, and then climbed up the ridge. Suddenly, he heard a rushing sound behind him. He turned around and saw the two large tigers he had seen yesterday coming again, shaking their heads and wagging their tails. Ma Xiang raised his iron sword again and chanted mantras. The two tigers stopped, as if listening. Seeing that the tigers were not moving, Ma Xiang continued climbing, and the tigers followed him at a leisurely pace. Seeing that the black tiger had no intention of harming him, Ma Xiang felt relieved and started walking, wanting to take a good look at the mountain peaks, streams, caves and deep valleys to choose a good place to settle down and practice. However, the two black tigers followed him at a distance. Whenever Ma Xiang rested, the tigers would lie down motionless. Whenever Ma Xiang lifted his foot, the tigers would follow him. This went on for three days. Ma Xiang saw that the two tigers not only had no intention of causing trouble, but also had a heart to learn from their master. Alright, I will find a place to stop halfway up the mountain. So he lived in a cave at the foot of the mountain. It was said to be a cave, but it was actually just a rock ledge that could hold three or five people. He would sit on the top of the rock in the cave reciting scriptures and mantras early in the morning to greet the morning sun and late in the evening to accompany the setting sun. The two tigers also came here every day to listen to the recitation of scriptures and mantras.

Time flies. One year passed in a hurry. One evening, it was going to rain. When Ma Xiang returned from reciting the “Linguang Jing” after finishing, he saw Erhu also trying to leave. He said to Erhu, “My friend, it's going to rain heavily. This valley is steep and deep, and the road is slippery and difficult to walk on. Why don't we take shelter here and study scriptures together?” Erhu really listened and came to the cave entrance and bent over. Ma Xiang said again: All living things in the world should live in harmony, without having to kill each other. If you eat the weak, you must know that there are even stronger ones among the strong, and they will eat you in the future. Come in and say that the cave can shelter you from the rain and wind. Let's depend on each other!” So, Shuanghu accompanied Ma Xiang, and Ma Xiang taught Shuanghu. From then on, Shuanghu drank mountain spring water and ate wild fruits like Ma Xiang. Seven days in the mountains, it is difficult to remember the years in the world. After a few more springs, summers, autumns and winters, one day at dawn, Ma Xiang said to Er Hu: Over the years, the birds and animals have been able to reproduce, and you two have not harmed them. Your merits are recorded. I will return to Hangzhou today, and I will return in the future. You should behave yourselves, and do not forget the many years of teaching and cultivation. After saying this, he went down the mountain. Er Hu stood motionless in front of the cave, as if in a daze, and watched Ma Xiang's figure disappear in the distance. At noon, there was a plump pig at the foot of the mountain, slowly walking straight up the mountain. When Erhu saw it, Heihu closed his eyes as if nothing had happened. The white-browed tiger, on the other hand, opened his eyes wide, as if thinking: I haven't tasted meat in years, and now that my master has left, and I'm hungry, why not catch this fat pig and have a feast, and never catch another one again! When the fat pig approached, the big black tiger with the white forehead jumped up suddenly, extended its sharp claws, grabbed the fat pig and bit it. The fat pig screamed in pain, but soon fell silent as the tiger chewed it up. The black tiger with its eyes closed remained like that, as if it was asleep. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past, and when it opened its eyes, it saw that Ma Xiang had returned. He gently stroked the tiger's neck and said, “Different paths for different companions, different hearts for the same kind.” Then he cast a spell, recited a sutra and pointed his sword at the black tiger with the white forehead that was eating the pig. He said, “Different paths for companions, different hearts for the same kind.” After saying this, he cast a spell and recited a sutra, pointing his sword at the white-browed black tiger that was eating the pig. He said, “You beast, you have cultivated for many days, but your nature has not changed. Now you will turn into a stone in front of this cave, and let the spirits of the sun and moon, and the gods of wind and rain, teach you a lesson!” After saying this, he drew three circles with his sword, and suddenly a golden light covered the white-browed black tiger. In an instant, the black tiger turned into a stone, still in the shape of a tiger. Later generations called it the Black Tiger Stone, and the cave above the Black Tiger Stone was also called the Black Tiger Cave, and its spring was also called the Black Tiger Spring. Since then, people often come here to see the once-powerful Black Tiger, and today's miserable state!

Ma Xiang said to the other tiger, “You have already attained the Dao, let's travel together!” After saying this, he mounted the tiger's back, and the tiger jumped off the mountain like a gust of wind. It didn't take long to reach Mount Qinwang. Ma Xiang was deeply moved by the scenery and composed an impromptu poem: Where can I find the beginning of the world? Only the changing hearts of men remain. The sun and moon in the nine heavens shift from morning to night, And the mountains and rivers for ten thousand li have existed since ancient times. The wind stirs the water to swallow the distant borders, And the rain adds mist to hide the tall forests. Qin Shi Huang's plan for Mount Li was a vain attempt, And the vast expanse of the sea has turned even more profound. Ma Xiang and Black Tiger swam around the mountain for a few days at random. One day, he said to Black Tiger, “You stay here in the mountains for a while, and I'll go home to see my brother and sister-in-law. I'll be back in three days.” After saying this, he said goodbye to Black Tiger and returned to his hometown to visit his brother. Unfortunately, his brother had gone out of town, so he went to see his sister-in-law, who received him warmly. Ma Xiang said to his sister-in-law, “The purpose of my return this time is to divide the family property with my brother and sister-in-law.” His sister-in-law said, “Your brother has not returned yet. Why do you want to divide the family property? Is your brother not virtuous?” Ma Xiang said, “No!” So he waited for another three days, but his brother still had not returned home. Ma Xiang said, “Brother and sister-in-law, all the family fields and houses will go to my brother. I only love the East Garden flower garden, but I am afraid that my words are not reliable, so I will make a written agreement.” Without giving his sister-in-law a chance to speak, he immediately wrote and signed the document. After waiting for another three days, his sister-in-law still refused to accept the document. Ma Xiang then placed the document on the altar in the main hall, paid three bows to the ancestral tablets, and then passed away. His sister-in-law was terrified when she saw this, and invited the clan leader and neighbours to discuss the funeral arrangements. It so happened that her brother returned home at this time. On hearing the news, he was overcome with grief and said, “My younger brother has studied the Dao for many years, and now he has returned home to enlighten his brother and sister-in-law. He entrusted his mortal remains to us and died without despair. He then fulfilled his wish and was buried in the East Garden among the flowers. The following year, the people of Zitong County in Sichuan Province saw Ma Xiang riding a black tiger and strolling in the suburbs of the city!

(Note: Tianzhu Mountain is located in Qianshan County, Anhui Province. It is a famous scenic spot in the country, and the Black Tiger Cave is one of its attractions.

马湘字自然，唐代杭州人。自幼好经史、工文学，尤喜黄老之术。常与道友云游四方。一日只身来到南岳天柱山西侧，见这里山高出众山之上，大峰俯视小峰，众山拱卫主峰，峰峰奇峭。岭陡峦峻，苍莽逶拖，云雾绕岫。沟壑间古松兀立，风摇树动仿佛虬行。雷响山中飞瀑，雨喷石上流泉。高高下下，怪石磋硪，唯鸟道盘山。马湘暗想，此处人烟罕至，好生险恶。正在思想间，忽地对面西山岔内，陡起一阵腥风。风过处，刮得那些娇红嫩绿、枯叶残枝，摇落不已，满岔乱飞。顷刻，一头凶猛的黑斑白额虎狂奔而来，正追逐一只山獐。那黑虎口露钢牙，眼中黄光直射，猛地一跳向山獐扑去，利爪抓住了山獐。只听山獐几声凄惨地嘶叫，血溅岩石而一命呜呼，成了黑虎之美餐。马湘深思不解：同是一山之兽，为何强食弱肉，血染苍岩。沉思间，忽听见背后有人语： “好险呀，先生没见刚才那黑虎吗?快和我等一道返回!”马湘转身一看，原是二樵夫手执刀斧，躲在古松后胆怯地叫他。马湘心想：“多么善良的樵子！”遂答道：“别怕，我有驱熊降罴之术、伏虎治豹之方，你们砍柴吧，我在这里保护汝等。”说完，在石头上仰天而卧。樵夫见他那悠闲的样子，心也宽松了许多，仍急匆匆砍了柴迅速地担下了山。临行时还高呼：“先生，天不早了快下山吧！”马湘见樵夫远去， 便绕道继续攀登。只见树木枝繁叶茂，相互交错；荆棘遍地，步步拉衣挂袖，甚至手脸被刺，渗出血影。马湘刚要过岗，只见前面草丛一阵乱动，两只黑虎同时猫着腰，嘴咀咧牙怒目寒光，大摇大摆地走来。马湘思忖：怎么来了两只?我的法术灵吗?不由有三分恐惧。可时间不容他多想，那二虎已经逼近。马湘一面拔出佩剑，一面大声念咒。那虎一前一后陡然站住。在前的那白额大虎将前二爪向下一按，猛地跳窜起来，直扑马湘，马湘一闪躲过攻击。另一只瞪着大眼眈眈而视。扑来的那虎，突然转过身来，大吼一声又猛扑过来，马湘又一闪，那虎从马湘身边擦肩跃过，落在草丛中。马湘手举利剑，高声喝道：“畜牲不得无礼，否则定不轻饶！”另一只黑虎见白额大虎两次扑空，落荒喘气，亦纵身一跳扑来，马湘前后受攻，急中生智，于是也猛地一跳，跳到一巨石上，将手中剑上下挥舞，口中喃喃念咒、诵经。二虎见状，对马湘扫了一眼，夹着尾巴，愤愤地向山坳走了。马湘见二虎远走，这才坐下来喘息。定睛一看红日已西沉，欲下山为时 已晚。便决意在此石岩下栖身过夜。他拾得一些干草枯枝，拣起两块石头一碰，火花四溅，片刻就点燃起火来。马湘倚石偎火而坐，直等天明。

红日东升，昨日二樵夫又来这里砍柴，见马湘在这里过夜，十分惊讶。问及猛虎之事，马湘告诉昨日发生的一切。话未落音，二樵夫拔腿就跑，并大声喊道： “先生走吧，此处不能久留!”马湘目送二樵夫离去，自己坚持攀登山脊。忽听到背后有哗哗响声，回身一看，昨日见到的那二只大虎又摇头摆尾地来了。马湘又举起铁剑，口念真言。二虎停住脚步，似乎在倾听。马湘见老虎止步不前，又继续攀登，二虎又尾随其后不快不慢地跟着。马湘见黑虎无意伤害自己，便放心迈步，想把这山峰、溪涧、幽洞、深谷看个究竟，择一佳处栖身修炼。可这二只黑虎不近不远地跟在其后。马湘歇憩二虎便伏地不动，马湘抬脚，二虎也跟着前行。一连三天，天天如此。马湘见二虎不仅没有为难之意，还有求师学道之心。好吧，我就在这半山找个地方驻足。于是住在岩下山洞里。说是洞，实不过能容三五个人的岩坎而已。他早迎朝霞、晚伴夕阳坐在洞顶盘石上念经诵咒。二虎也每天来到这里听诵经咒。

光阴似箭，一年时光，匆匆而逝。一天傍晚，天将雨，马湘念完《灵宝经》返回洞时，见二虎也欲离去，便对二虎说： “朋友，天将暴雨，这山谷，峭陡深邃，路滑难行，不如就此棲身，共习经文吧!”二虎真的听话，来到洞口曲身俯卧。马湘又言道：世上众生灵，当和谐相处，不必相残，若以强食弱，须知强中更有强者，他日必为强者食之。进来说，洞内可避风雨。我等相依吧!”就这样，双虎伴着马湘，马湘教化着二虎。从此，二虎像马湘一样，渴饮山泉，饥食野果。山中方七日，世上难记年。又过几个春夏秋冬，一天黎明，马湘对二虎说：这些年来，飞禽走兽得以繁衍，汝俩没有残害它们，你们的功德记录在册。今我将回杭州，他日即归，汝等好自为之，勿忘多年教化和修炼之功。说罢，下了山。二虎站在洞前一动不动，如痴如呆，目睹马湘身影在远处消失。晌午，山麓下有一只膘圆肉壮的肥猪，慢腾腾地直往山上走来。二虎一见，黑虎闭了双眼，若无其事。那只白额大虎则睁大眼睛，好像在想：好多年没尝过腥荤，正好师父又走了，肚子也饿了，何不将这头肥猪抓来美食一顿，以后不抓就是了!等肥猪走近时，白额大黑虎猛地一跳，伸出利爪抓住肥猪就咬，咬得肥猪嗷嗷直叫，不一会，无声无息了，任凭虎大口大口地咬嚼着。闭了双眼的那只黑虎，仍然闭着眼，像是睡熟了似的。忽有一阵清风在身边掠过，睁眼一看，原来是马湘又回来了，他轻轻地摸抚着虎颈。说：“真是同伴不同道，同类不同心。”说罢，施法诵经以剑指着那吃猪的白额黑虎说：“你这畜牲，修炼了许多日子，秉性不改。现在让你在这洞前变成一块石头，让日月精灵、风雨神明来教训你吧!”说罢用剑划了三圈，忽地一道金光把白额黑虎罩住。顿时，黑虎变成了一块石头，其状仍是虎形，后人称为黑虎石，黑虎石上边那山洞也称为黑虎洞，其泉也叫黑虎泉了。从此人们常到这里来看看当年威风一时的黑虎，今日凄凉之惨状!

马湘对另一虎说： “你已得道，我们云游去吧!”说完跨上虎背，那老虎一阵风似跳下了山，时日不多就到了秦望山。马湘见景生情，倍有感触，乃即兴赋诗：太一初分何处寻，空留历数变人心。九天日月移朝暮，万里山川自古今。风动水光吞远徼，雨添岚气没高林。秦皇谩作骊山计，沧海茫茫转更深。马湘与黑虎随兴畅游了些日子，一天对黑虎说：“你在这山中棲息些日子，我回家看望兄嫂，三日后即归。语毕即别了黑虎返归故里省兄，来到家中。不凑巧兄去外地，便拜见嫂嫂，嫂嫂热情地接待。马湘对嫂说：我这次回来，目的是和兄嫂分家。嫂说：“你兄长未归，贤弟为何要分家，是嫂不贤?”马湘说：“非也!”于是又等了三日，兄长仍未回乡。马湘说：“兄嫂，家中田地屋宇尽归家兄，我唯爱东园花圃，恐口无凭，立字为据。”不容其嫂开口，字据立即写就并画了押，再等了三天，嫂子仍不收字据。马湘遂将字据摆在堂轩供桌上，向祖宗木主神位拜了三拜后，就仙逝了。其嫂见状惊恐不已，请来族长和邻里商议后事，正巧此时兄长回到家中。兄闻讯见情悲恸不已，曰：“弟学道多年，今是归家省悟兄嫂，是托化以绝望。遂完其志，棺葬东园花圃间。次年，四川梓潼县人都看见马湘骑着黑虎在城郊漫步!

(注：天柱山座落在安微省潜山县境内。是全国名胜风景区，黑虎洞是其景点之一。)