It all start from one encounter.
I was wondering around the street of Chengdu, one special city of west china which was famous of its snack food , then there came across a Chinese youth. I invited him for a tea and he asked me what is my hobby , I told him I am very curious about mysterious health care mythology , like acupuncture, taigi, and the most incredible thing: Immortality or Longevity , and this is the only reason why I am here . I showed him one pocket book 《Tao Te Ching》 , English version . He just read one page and returned it back then told me this book was not well translated and full of misunderstandings ， just like a Great Rabbi in Jerusalem has no interest with any ignorant atheist's interpretation about GENESIS whom apparently know nothing about Hebrew language .
I told him I have read some books about Tao before I visit china , like 《Road to Heaven:Encounters With Chinese Hermits 》, written by Mr Bill Porter , which ignited my passion to pursuit the Tao.
“Immortality ? ” he speak quietly but word by word in English :
“ It is the glory of God to conceal a thing “ 【 Proverbs 25:2 】
I was shocked. i recognized this is a person whom I could discuss something really valuable.
“Are you Christian ? I was very interested in the great Tao , master, how can I obtain it ? How can I obtain immotality ? I am listening with all my ears for anything you said!"
“Maybe you also have read the book 《The secret of the golden flower 》,the English version ", he did not answer my question and smiled , “ I can understand your curiosity , which is same like any other people on this planet. But maybe you are wasting your time. In my opinion, even those native well known scholars who are proficient in traditional Chinese language and study taoism classic scriptures all their lifes, they can't understand Tao completely . Most of them or even so called famous taoism masters are just know something about low level health care method , which is known as the secret knowledge of inner chemistry , but this is nothing about Immortality or longevity at all. If you want to obtain the Immortality fruits, it's like someone is trying to make a rope out of sand. Have you ever seen a successful person? None of them could succeed. The weakness of the human's will and the death gene embedded in the dirty body determined that even in their minds , they could not win the Grim Reaper . Today you see thousands of people come and go on this street, but one hundred years later, or not more than 36500 days, all of them will become dust . Maybe you have heard of this famous question :
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O death, where is thy sting?[Corinthians 15:5]”
I was so depressed but shocked again by his last sentence . It seems he is more familiar with Bible than me . Then the nearby old Chinese lady said anxiously, "since this person is so acknowledged about Tao, even if you don't understand Chinese language, maybe you can follow him to be a disciple “. The young man stopped her and left the teahouse immediately .
It happened so quickly and I can only leave cash for bill on desk and rushed out and followed him . I wanted to take a photo for him with camera .
To my surprise , I found from the viewfinders the young master who were walking slowly shadowless under the sun, which is so impressive different from another people who walked near by him . Just several seconds later it seems I lost him in the crowd and I can not find him anymore.
“He is a shadowless hermit “ , I knew it several days later from one Chinese classic literature professor at this teahouse after I explained all this event . . “It happens and I believe it , it’s a confirm mark for Immotality body, we called such people SHENXIAN, a holy title for the certain people has an incredible long life in Chinese old scriptures " “ my suggestion is maybe you should stay this street where this encounter event happened , for meeting him again . Take it as his test and Immortality means confidence and patience about Tao. "
And what happened next proved the professor is right .