| Posted by: the_duke (Ofer Waldman) | This is my own (Ofer Waldman) translation into English (excluding comments included in the original translation):
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The wood lord is also called father king of the east, as well as Lord king of the east. For he is the primordial Qi of the spring sun, first and foremost to all things. Putting on the triple-faced crown, wearing the nine-colored misty clouds clothes, he has also assumed the name of the ruler Jade emperor.
He Lives within a clouds residence, making violet clouds his cover, with cyan clouds being his city walls, immortal elflings serve as his attendants, together with fragrant jade beauties. Bailiffs of truth and immortal officials, great many millions in number, each having their own duty, are all accepting his orders, with scholar bodyguards. Since each man or woman who achieve the Dao, get their name listed in the lists thereupon.
Formerly, at the beginning of Han dynasty, little children on the road were singing:
"Wear a skirt of greenish hue
Enter the gates of heaven through
Clasp and greet the metal mother
and make sure to worship the wood lord too.」
The people of the time were not aware of it, and only Zhang Zifang recgnized it. He thus bowed at them and said: 」These are the jade children of lord king of the east, and they speak of the people of the world who has ascended and became immortals, and are now greeting the metal mother and worship the wood lord.」
Some say that he lives at the far east in the great reeds, among which there is a mountain, and a room made of green jade, several Li deep and wide. At the time when the bailiffs recommend the immortals, he goes and requests the immortality pills of the nine heavens, and once a year travels to his palace to make an overall examination of the male and female immortals ranks, achievements and conduct. According to this he raises or degrades them, and gathers the registry of their conduct. And this he first presents to the primordial beginning, then display to the dawn of jade, and by this awaits commands from the elderly lord. The world』s fates, the exchange of Yin and Yang, the era』s uprise and sinking of fortunes, the nine yangs of the one hundred and six, the selection of good and the expeling of evil, that is the root of them all.
Sometimes, together with a jade lady they play by throwing arrow into a pot. Every casting, one throws twelve hundred. If a 「brave」 throws and the arrow enters without jumping out, the heavens laugh loudly. If there is a 「brave」 who yet stalls and does not catch which jumped out, the heavens scoff at him. Scholars has documented this with details.
The naming 「king」 (Wang) is a honorific title for a senior, and is not a clan name. Common people take the 「King Father」 (Wangfu) and 「Queen mother」 (Wangmu) to be last names, which is mistaken.
Taken from "Xianchuan Shiyi"
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