The Tale of the Fairy Maiden

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*The Tale of the Meeting of the Fairy Maiden*
(written by Li Hu, Ming Dynasty
, in his *History of the Immortals of Xuanyang*) Having heard of the story of the meeting of the fairy maiden in his youth, he laughed and said, "This is utter nonsense," and dismissed it. Later, seeing it frequently mentioned in unofficial histories, he sighed again, "This is a perpetuation of error. Believing everything in books is worse than believing in divine texts," and closed the book without reading it. In the year Xinmao of the Jiajing reign (1541), when I was just over twenty, I was alone in the Xuanyang Grotto when I suddenly encountered a fairy maiden. The event was truly extraordinary, and I began to believe that what I had heard and seen before was not a figment of my imagination. Therefore, I recorded twenty-four poems of *Heavenly Questions*, one poem of *Ode to the Fairy Maiden*, and one poem of *Song of the Immortals*, collectively titled *The Tale of the Meeting of the Fairy Maiden*. Written by Li Hu, the *History of the Immortals of Xuanyang*, on the fifth day of the third month of the year Renzi of the Jiajing reign (1542). Inquiring about
the solar and lunar eclipses, the * History of the Immortals of Xuanyang*, written when I was just over twenty, was reading the *I Ching* in the Xuanyang Grotto. Its profound and far-reaching nature transcends worldly affairs, allowing one to concentrate the spirit and embrace oneness, and to delve into the mysteries of the universe. On the day of Xinmao in the Jiajing reign (1541), the sky was clear and bright, moonlight streamed through the curtains, a strange fragrance filled the room, and purple smoke rose. Opening the door, one could see a young woman, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with soft, smooth skin, her hair tied up in a black bun, her demeanor elegant and refined, her bearing dignified. Dressed in white, she walked slowly around, and as she approached, she closed the door and sat quietly, lost in thought. A moment later, there was a knock at the door. The immortal said, "Whom are you, immortal?" The woman replied, "I am a virgin." He said, "Are you a virgin who has run away with a lover? Or are you a demon who has become a ghost?" She said, "I am a celestial spirit from the Heavenly Palace, who came from Penglai. We are destined to meet, and I wish to serve you." He said, "A man's infatuation can be explained. A woman's infatuation cannot. You came before me, and you will surely be banished by Confucius. Running away with a lover at night will ultimately make you despised by the people of the country. I am engaged to a woman of the Chen family but have not yet married; she is also a virgin. If I, a virgin, were to run away with a lover, the people of the country would despise me for despising her. You should return home quickly, lest you bring shame upon yourself." He said, “You are a frivolous youth, disregarding moral principles, indulging in pleasures, stealing jade and fragrance, peeping from towers, and scaling walls. Do not be attracted to my beauty, for you know I am no ordinary person to be spoken to. I will discuss with you the secrets of the universe, revealing the mysteries of heaven and earth, and elucidating the essence of yin and yang. Do not doubt that I am a lewd and wicked spirit. I hope you will learn from Zhan Qin and be accepted, rather than from Lu Man and reject the profound.” He said, “You can discuss profound theories and reveal mysteries, which I am eager to hear, but I fear you are not capable of doing so.” He said, “May I try?” I then lit a candle, opened the key, and invited you to the outer hall. We sat in rows, east and west, sipping tea and discussing matters in detail. Upon examining the meaning and reasoning behind it, I found it to be something beyond the mortal realm. I composed myself and raised my hand, saying, “You claim to be a celestial being from Penglai, a place of extraordinary spirits. Are you perhaps a fairy?” She replied, “Yes.” I said, “You are indeed a fairy. Where do you come from?” She said, “The celestial bodies are pure and ethereal, neither extinguished nor born. The essence of the stars is both turbid and pure. The turbid becomes stone, the pure becomes spirit. Thus, when it is concentrated in birds and beasts, it becomes the phoenix and the unicorn. When it is concentrated in plants and trees, it becomes the lingzhi and the ailanthus. When it is concentrated in a mother’s womb, it gives birth to sages and saints. They are wise and intelligent, on earth they are humans, in the sky they are stars. The saying goes, ‘Riding the constellations of the stars,’ which can be clearly verified. My birth has a source; who can explain it, Wei Zi?” She said, “Stars have transformed into humans countless times from ancient times to the present. I wish to recount them all.” "He said, 'Fairy maidens descended to earth, mingling with the dust of the mortal realm. Records in books foreshadow my heart. The Horned Maiden and the Weaver Girl were dutifully married to Dong Yong. The Fairy Maiden of Shaoshi sought to marry Feng Sheng. The River Goddess met Zheng and untied her jade pendant on the riverbank. Pei Zi of Lanqiao encountered Xuan Ying on the road. I cannot recount all those similar to her.' He said, 'Dong Yong met a fairy maiden who wove to help the poor. I am also a poor scholar; can you weave?' He said, 'Yin and Yang are in harmony, and kinds of things gather and are grouped. The Horned Maiden and the Weaver Girl were dutifully married to Dong Nong. I am well-versed in literature and know you are a man of great talent. I seek a marriage based on your abilities and wish to follow you for life. The Way leads to wealth, and profit is not for you. Weaving to help you is something I have never heard of.' He said, 'You are a banished fairy of extraordinary abilities; Heaven must be watching. I have a question for Heaven; why don't you answer it for me?' He said, 'Yes.' Then he rose and asked. Question: "The Way of the Three Powers is Heaven, Earth, and Man. What are the Five Elements that constitute the essence, and how did men and women come to be?" Answer: "In the beginning, there was no beginning, only primordial chaos. Before creation, there was neither Yin nor Yang. From change came existence, and the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji) was in the void. Heaven opened the position of Zi (子), and Earth opened the position of Chou (丑). Man was born at the hour of Yin (寅), and the Three Powers were unified. The Five Elements were manifested, and all things were publicly encompassed. The teachings of Zhou and Zhu are here; do not believe them." Question: "How many millions of miles are there between Heaven and Earth? What is lacking in the east and west? How can their numbers be recorded?" Answer: "Heaven is too high to climb, and it is too far from Earth; who can ascend to see it? Measuring the sun's shadow and the moon's reflection is vast and indistinct; even with over two hundred million measurements, its true extent cannot be determined. As for the four cardinal directions, do not..." "I believe deeply." He asked, "Heaven is white (卯白), and earth is yellow (卯黄). What is outside heaven? What is inside earth?" He replied, "When heaven and earth opened, yellow and white were first separated. In the beginning of time, the concept of '卯' (mao) became clear. Heaven is clear above, and earth is turbid below. Heaven encompasses earth, yet heaven itself is condensed below. Heaven seems to be below earth, becoming increasingly turbid rather than clear. This is the ultimate theory of heaven, and its examination should be meticulous." He asked, "The celestial body covers things, making them light and clear. A single breath pervades all, so why does the northwest tilt?" He replied, "A single breath rises, vast and boundless. The way of heaven rotates to the left, changing swiftly. East, west, south, and north, their old positions are hard to maintain. Looking up, all is clear and blue. What is west, what is north, what is waning, what is waxing, who can see the scene?" "The northwest is tilted. People say it's unbelievable, but you have faith." He asked, "The celestial bodies are a unified whole, seemingly without flaws. You mended the sky with stones; dare I inquire about this profound mystery?" She replied, "Light and pure rises, a unified whole. Originally without flaws, why wait for a mender? If there's a gap to mend, there's no way to pass through. The celestial positions were undetermined, a vast and chaotic void. Nuwa mended stones, and five colors began to separate. Eastern wood was green, southern fire was red. Northern water was black, yellow was central. Gold was white, each of the five directions different. Mending the heavens, the way of heaven, how great is the Emperor's work!" He asked, "The celestial bodies cover the sky, the earth condenses below. What do the sun and moon rely on, to rotate and revolve?" She replied, "The sun and moon are the essence of yin and yang. A single breath rotates..." " Turning, the painting never stops at night. Like blood and qi, circulating throughout the body. Empty and without support, moving up and down. Why must it depend on anything, forcing the world to unite?" He asked, "The sun and moon are immense, their celestial phenomena clearly visible. What virtue does the moonlight possess, that it dies and is reborn?" He replied, "It is the spirit of the moon, the light of the sun and moon. Brightly visible above, people observe from below. Like a silver ball, each sees its own side. Reflected in the air, its finest details are discerned. Its yin essence is pure and clear, unharmed by the waxing and waning of the moon. I know you are well-read, your profound words are hidden." He asked, "The sun is the yang essence. How can a crow have three legs? The moon dies and is reborn, where is the rabbit inside?" He replied, "A person lives a hundred years, how much of that can last? Time flies swiftly, rabbits run and birds fly." The story goes that a rabbit raids a bird's roost. Four legs belong to even numbers, three legs to odd numbers. The moon doesn't have three burrows, so where does the rabbit dwell? The questioner asks, "Yi's wife, E'e, is also human. What elixir did she steal to escape to the moon?" The answer is, "The moon possesses yin essence, and E'e possesses yin spirit. The celestial image is devoid of people, hence this allegory. What elixir did she steal to escape to the moon? Why does E'e complain, why does she slumber alone? This is vulgar and crude; I hope you will not listen." The questioner then asks, "The cassia tree in the moon, what is its spiritual root? Where does its fruit come from?" The answer is, "The autumn cassia blossoms, its beauty enhanced by literary brilliance. With great talent and swift action, the cassia tree reaches high. Like ascending to the heavenly palace, it is extremely difficult. The cassia tree in the moon palace is a metaphor for its fame." "The Lingyin Temple is a place of absurd association, with fragrant osmanthus blossoms. Planted and bearing fruit, its taste is spicy and fragrant. Xu Zizhi's discourse has already refuted this absurdity." He asked, "The moon's black and white intermingle, their reflections uneven. How can the shadows of mountains and rivers dispel doubts?" He replied, "The images of the sun and moon embody black and white. Black and white are clearly distinguished, allowing us to discern appearances and colors. Eyes with bright black pupils are easily mistaken for having more white. Eyes with more white are prone to dizziness and confusion. Observing the phenomena with our own eyes reveals this profound truth. The shadows of mountains and rivers are not bound by any fixed pattern. How can fabricated, base ideas dispel doubts?" He asked, "The sun and moon eclipse, sometimes bright, sometimes dim. This is not recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals; why don't you explain it all?" He replied , "The heavens have nine paths, the ecliptic being in the center. The sun and moon pass through the same path, their reflections uneven ." "When the moon waxes and wanes, the sun is obscured. The sun is above the moon, and the moon obscures the sun's radiance. When the moon deviates from its usual course, the sun is obscured from its palace. The degree of obstruction varies depending on the location of the eclipse. Whether an eclipse occurs or not indicates a failure in calendrical calculations." The questioner asked, "In the first year of Emperor Yao's reign, why did the sun appear ten times? How could Yi shoot it down and save only one?" The answer was, "During Emperor Yao's prosperous reign, the records are accurate. His son, Zhi, ruled in chaos, causing calamities and disasters. The sunlight was dazzling and unbearably intense. It appeared as if ten suns were shining, killing all crops. Yi was ordered to rescue the sun, and he shot it down with incredible speed. His arrow stopped like a drawn sword, like a halberd being wielded. The Huainan people spread falsehoods to arouse doubt among the masses." The questioner then asked, "The sky is filled with stars, vast and boundless. The five directions are in different positions; what are their symbols and names?" " He said, 'The essence of all things is the constellations above. The primordial energy is formless and nameless. Songs praise its brilliance, and legends tell of its nighttime illumination. What is the Dipper and the Winnowing Basket? What is the Void and the Orion? Observing the phenomena and playing with divination, we forcefully name them. In the east it is not Venus, in the west it is not Morning Star. The five directions are different, depending on what people call them.' He asked, 'The Big Dipper has seven stars, seven pigs in a row. Guan Lu in white robes, what does he mean?' He said , 'Taigong's hook pendant, with the virtue of water. Emperor Gaozu of Han slew the snake, claiming it was because the emperor wept. What god is the Big Dipper, spreading food under the pine tree? A jar in an abandoned garden, how could a servant have obtained it? These two sons made up stories, wanting to make their magic divine. Could it be that Wang Lao's crime was punishable by a pardon in seven days? Zhao Yan's lifespan could be increased by weeping.'"

Question: "The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd, two stars in the sky. On the seventh night of the seventh lunar month, what is the meaning of their meeting?"
Answer: "The appearance of the stars can be described in detail in the Book of Poetry. The Big Dipper and the Dipper revolve north and south. The Big Dipper produces winnowing, the Dipper produces slurry. But even that is impossible, let alone celebrating the bridge over the Milky Way. The shuttle and the head of the weaver girl, the names of the two stars are well-known. What brocade do they weave, what land do they cultivate? The idea of men and women being intimate is even more absurd."
Question: "Zhang Qian rode a raft, how did he ascend to heaven? How is the Weaver Girl's loom stone passed down?"
Answer: "Zhang Qian..." A Han official, sent as an envoy to the Western Regions, traveled the heavens on a raft, recounting his adventures. But heaven has no celestial maidens; what loom or weaving could there be? The shuttle is empty; what loom stone could there be? Even the fortune teller Jun Ping could not possibly know this. It is not recorded in Zhang Qian's biography. The *Hua Zhi* and *Bo Wu* are filled with wondrous tales. These are fantasies and unfounded; do not indulge in them.
He asked, "Where does thunder originate? What god is thunder? How does it cause death? How does it govern punishment?"
He replied, "Thunder is in the earth, before all things are born. Yin and Yang clash and collide, creating it." Take artillery as an example; the principle is quite clear. Fire strikes from within, producing a sound. The flashing light dazzles the eyes. Things are damaged, but Heaven has no intention of harming them. The stirring of all things—is power the one that administers punishment?
The question is asked: "Thunder and fire blaze fiercely, leaving behind only scraps of axe. What is the means of their arrangement? What controls them?"
The answer is: "Thunder and lightning are fierce and intense, striking with great force. Like a rolling vessel thrown into a well, it turns into solid ice. Thunder is not the drum of the earth, nor can it speak of scraps of axe. The sound of Heaven is majestic and swift, intertwined with divine power. Soaring and roaring in the sky, it becomes turbid and murky near the ground.
Thus, it becomes..." "Dregs and debris, though seemingly indestructible, remain. Like a dragon soaring upwards, they leave behind clumps of snow. Their name is stagnant, like axe dust."
The question is asked: "Nothing is more powerful than the dragon, so how does it bring rain? It transforms with the air, so how can it absorb water?"

The answer is: "When yin and yang are in harmony, clouds rise and disperse. Rain falls, and the dragon follows the clouds. Rivers and seas are dragon's lair, but there is no dragon spirit in the sky. The divine dragon transforms, soaring in the sky. Clouds rise and bring rain, but rain is not formed by dragons."
The question is asked: "Mountains and rivers generate clouds, formed by the condensation of air. How can this be attributed to the dragon, and how is rain produced?"

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