The wine in his gourd was said to replenish itself automatically. Ch'en T'uan was a real person and is mentioned in the dynastic history of the Sung (960-- 1279).
在歷史上，陳摶確有其人，宋史「陳摶傳」裡說：摶老能逆知人意，他將寶壺蘆掛在齋中壁上，當時有一個名叫賈休復的道士，想死了他的寶壺，而陳摶心裡也明白。