From the Sung dynasty onwards the legend was recorded in written works such as: 人天眼目 (The eye of humans and gods), 無門関 (Mumonkan abstractions: collection of Zen teachings), 五燈会元 (Five Light's Collections), 廣燈録 (Kotoroku: Zen sect historiography) and 聯燈会要 (Essentials of the Several Lamps Combined) etc.
宋代以降に人天眼目、無門関、五燈会元、廣燈録、聯燈会要などにこの伝説が記載されるようになった。