Xu Xun (239 – 374 AD) was a well known Taoist during the Jin Dynasty (265 – 420 AD). He was a resident of modern day Xuchang City in Hunan Province. Later, he moved to Nanchang City in Jiangxi Province. He was recommended by the people to be an official and he was once the magistrate of Jingyang County. Not only did Xu cultivate himself in Taoism and sought benevolence, he also helped the poor and urged others to cultivate and be loyal and filial. There are many touching stories about him.
 
Xu Xun was born into a family that yearned for the Tao and accumulated virtue through kind acts. His grandfather was a doctor at a government hospital and he emptied the family wealth to help victims of natural disasters. His father was known far and wide as a person who did kind deeds. Such a family will be blessed. Xu Xun was a man born with intelligence, willing to study, to be truthful, and one who did not seek fame or fortune. He was also a scholar of literature, astronomy, medicine, geography, and science. His daily activities included helping those in need and introducing moral concepts to people. Consequently, he was well respected.
 
One day Xu Xun bought an iron lamp holder from a marketplace in Nanchang. When he polished the holder, he noticed that underneath the paint was gold, not iron. So, he went back to the marketplace, found the seller and told him that he wanted to return it, because it was an expensive piece of art. The seller was very grateful to him and told him that because of many years of war he could not make a living and had to sell his family belongings, some of which were passed down to him from his ancestors. This righteous act was spread throughout the city.
 
When Xu Xun was 20 years old, the townspeople recommended him to become an official. He declined the honor each time until 280 AD, since the imperial government had asked too many times. Xu went to Szechuan to be the magistrate of Jingyang County. As magistrate, he made sure that there was no corruption. He also reduced penalties, encouraged kindness, and used righteous people as role models. When he started his job as magistrate, Jingyang was in the midst of a flood and farmers with low-lying farms lost all their crops. He let these people farm on government land to keep them working and remain productive. The flooding also caused plague. He personally picked herbs and created medicine based on his own knowledge to heal the sick, all free of charge. Xu also ordered medicine to be delivered to the sick and needy in neighboring counties. People living in the neighboring counties heard about how he cared for the people and began moving to Jingyang County. The population soared. He raised the morality of the people, reduced conflicts until there were no longer any lawsuits. People called him Xu Jingyang.
 

Later on, due to corruption in the Jin imperial court, Xu Xun resigned from his government post. The people of Jingyang created a statue to honor him and many citizens accompanied him on his journey back to Nanchang. Some people traveled with him over a thousand miles and then refused to return. They set up camps and housing near Xu’s home and changed their surnames to Xu. The locals started calling this area the “Camp of Xu,” a name that still exists today.

明道立德　博施济众 (上)
 
许逊，字敬之，晋代著名道士，祖籍汝南（今河南许昌），后迁居南昌（今属江西），被举孝廉，曾为旌阳县令，又称许旌阳，世称许真君。他不仅自己修道向善，而且扶危济困，劝人忠孝，劝人修道等，留下了许多感人事迹。
许逊家世慕仙道，积德行善，其祖父许琰曾为太医院医官，罄其家资赈济灾民；其父许肃也是乐善好施，声名远播。积善之家，必有余庆，许逊生而颖悟过人，三岁即知礼让，学读书，十岁知经书大意，此后立志为学，修真向道，不羡名利，不求闻达。他博通经史，明天文、地理、历律、医学、阴阳五行学说，平日周济贫乏，以仁孝忠信教化乡里，深得乡人尊敬。
 
一次，许逊在南昌集市上买了一个旧的铁灯架，回家擦拭后表面铁皮脱落原来却是纯金的，许逊就在第二次集市上沿街挨户寻找上次摆摊的那个卖主，找到后对他说：“这枝灯架是上次集市时我在你这儿买的，当时我们都以为是一枝普通的旧的铁制品，我买回去后一擦拭才知道原来这是黄金制成的珍贵工艺品。特拿来奉还。”卖主感谢地说：“这枝灯架，本是祖传的一件物品，尘封已久。只因连年战乱，生活无著，我只得在这里摆摊维持生计，也变卖些家传的旧物。这么珍贵的物品失而复得，真是太感谢你了。”许逊的义行传遍乡里。

许逊二十岁时被乡人推举孝廉，屡荐不就，直至西晋太康元年，因“朝廷屡加礼命，难于推辞”，才前往四川就任旌阳县令。许逊到了旌阳，去贪鄙，减刑罚，倡仁孝，近贤远奸，为当地人民办了许多好事。他到任时，旌阳正逢水患，低田颗粒无收，他让大批农民到官府田里耕种，助其渡荒，使灾民获得解救。当时瘟疫流行，死者甚多，他亲自采药、制药为百姓治病，药到病除，不收分文。又怜他郡病民及老幼妇女王（加尤字去掉一点）羸不能自至者，令人送药送水饮之，亦复安痊，时求医者日以千计。邻县人民仰慕他的德政，纷纷迁入旌阳，以致人口大增。他“教民忠孝慈仁”，使民风淳化，“争竞日消，至于无讼”，人们亲切的称他“许旌阳”，当地民谣中唱道：“人无盗窃，吏无奸欺，我君活人，病无能为”。后来晋室内乱，许逊就辞官回归故里，旌阳人民为他立祠塑像以纪念。许逊启程之日，百姓纷纷感恩相送，送至百里之外、至数百里、不少人跋涉千里，一直将其送至南昌家中，不肯回去，于是就在他的宅居旁搭起房舍定居，状如营垒，都改姓许，人称“许家营”，这一地名流传至今。