University of Virginia Library

Luan Ta

His outstanding attempt to attract immortals was made through Luan
Ta. Emperor Wu executed one magician, and later a queen who wanted
to curry favor sent to Emperor Wu Luan Ta, a clever slave in the palace
of a vassal kingdom located in the present eastern Shantung. Luan Ta
made great promises, saying that gold could be made, the break in the
dykes of the Yellow River could be mended, the medicine that brings
immortality could be obtained, and immortals could be caused to come.
He said that he had frequently seen immortals, but they despised him
because of his low rank, and even despised the King his former master.
If the Emperor wanted to make them come, he must give great honors
to his messenger, make him his relative, and treat him as his equal.
Emperor Wu was quite ready to try the experiment; he loaded honors
upon Luan Ta, ennobling him, giving him a large estate, a palace, a
thousand slaves, the Emperor's eldest daughter to wife, the equivalent
of a hundred thousand catties of gold, emblems of ranks higher than
those held by any of the ministers, and treated him as an equal, even
coming to visit him at his house. Luan Ta was invited to the best homes
and everyone marvelled at his success. When Emperor Wu had thus
done everything that had been asked of him, Luan Ta was still unable
to produce any immortals; even continual sacrifices all night did not
bring any materializations. He finally left his dangerous honors and
departed for the east to seek teachers. He was however watched, and,

when he failed to visit any supposed teachers, he was cruelly executed for
having deceived the Emperor. Thus Emperor Wu shared the superstitious
beliefs of the time and was willing to experiment with them, but
was not uncritically credulous. About half of the "Treatise on the
Suburban and Other Sacrifices" (HS ch. 25) is devoted to Emperor Wu's
religious practises.