Four legendary figures were connected to various practices of daoyin: Pengzu 彭祖 (Ancestor Peng), Chisongzi 赤松子 (Master Redpine), Ningfengzi 寧封子 (Master of the Tumulus at Ning) and Wangzi Qiao 王子喬. Testimony linking these masters with daoyin can be found in the text Taiqing daoyin yangsheng jing 太清導引養生經 (Great Clarity Scripture on Therapeutic Exercises and Nourishing Life, DZ 818). The hagiographies of these four legendary masters are included in Liexian zhuan 列仙傳 (Arrayed Traditions of Transcendents), a collection of biographies of seventy legendary figures attributed to Liu Xiang 劉向 (77–6 BCE), a librarian and historian during the final years of the Western Han dynasty (202 BCE–9 CE),
According to Liexian zhuan, Pengzu was a high officer in the Yin 殷 kingdom (the present-day Henan) under the Shang dynasty (1600–1050 BCE). His surname was Qian 籤 and his first name was Keng 鏗. Grandson of Lord Zhuan Xu 顓頊 and third son of the Lu Zhongshi 陸終氏, he is reputed to have lived for more than eight hundred years through the practice of daoyin and sexual techniques.
Chisongzi, rain master to the Emperor Shennong 神農 (Divine Husbandman), was known for his magical powers. He was able to follow the wind and to practise self-immolation without being burned. Chisongzi’s expertise in daoyin was noted in the biography of Zhang Liang 張良 (262–189 BCE) in Shiji 史記 (Historical Records), the first of the official dynastic histories written by Sima Tan 司馬談 (d. ca. 110 BCE) and his son Sima Qian 司馬遷 (145–86 BCE).
Ningfengzi was an official in charge of pottery production during the time of the Yellow Emperor, who achieved transcendence through self-immolation. As many as fifty-five different daoyin exercises were attributed to Ningfengzi in Taiqing daoyin yangsheng jing, including exercises imitating different animals and the Six Breaths.
Wangzi Qiao was crown prince and heir to King Ling of Zhou 周靈王 (r. 571–545 BCE) who studied with Fuqiu Gong 浮丘公 on Mount Song 嵩山 (in modern Henan) for over thirty years and later departed on a white crane from the top of Mount Goushi 緱氏山(nr. Luoyang).
These legendary figures form an important part of daoyin tradition as ‘archetypal’ practitioners who achieved the ultimate goal of transcendence.
列仙傳
彭祖者，殷大夫也。姓籛名鏗，帝顓頊之孫陸終氏之中子，歷夏至殷末八百餘歲。常食佳芝，善導引行氣。歷陽有彭祖仙室，前世禱請風雨，莫不輒應。常有兩虎在祠左右，祠訖，地即有虎跡，雲後升仙而去。遐哉碩仙，時唯彭祖。道與化新，綿綿歷古。隱倫玄室，靈著風雨。二虎嘯時，莫我猜侮。
赤松子者，神農時雨師也。服水玉以教神農，能入火自燒。往往至崑崙山上，常止西王母石室中，隨風雨上下。炎帝少女追之，亦得仙，俱去。至高辛時，復為雨師。今之雨師本是焉。眇眇赤松，飄飄少女。接手翻飛，泠然雙舉。縱身長風，俄翼玄圃。妙達巽坎，作範司雨。
寧封子者，黃帝時人也，世傳為黃帝陶正。有人過之，為其掌火，能出五色煙，久則以教封子。封子積火自燒，而隨煙氣上下，視其灰燼，猶有其骨。時人共葬於寧北山中。故謂之寧封子焉。奇矣封子，妙稟自然。鑠質洪爐，暢氣五煙。遺骨灰燼，寄墳寧山。人睹其跡，惡識其玄。
王子喬者，周靈王太子晉也。好吹笙，作鳳凰鳴。游伊洛之間，道士浮丘公接以上嵩高山三十餘年。後求之於山上，見桓良曰：「告我家，七月七日待我於緱氏山巔。」至時，果乘白鶴駐山頭，望之不得到。舉手謝時人，數日而去。亦立祠於緱氏山下，及嵩高首焉。妙哉王子，神遊氣爽。笙歌伊洛，擬音鳳響。浮丘感應，接手俱上。揮策青崖，假翰獨往。