The Ten Forbidden Books of the Ming and Qing Dynasties: The Curse of the Jujube (Part 1)

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Table of
Contents Introduction Preface
Chapter
One: General Introduction to the Human Character of Heaven and Earth
Chapter Two: Sa Jun Enters the Government Office as an Official Chapter Three : Sa Jun, a Physician, Mistakenly Prescribes Medicine Chapter Four: Sa
Jun, with a Sincere Heart, Cultivates the Tao; Three Immortals Transmit Magical Arts
Chapter Five: Sa Jun Tests His Wonderful Methods Along the Way; Sa Jun Subdues Evil and Mad Ghosts
Chapter Six: Arrives at Shangqing and Meets Zhang Tianshi; Presents Talismans and Records the Name of the True Man
Chapter Six: Wang E Subdues the Monkey and Horse Spirits; The True Man Annihilates the Sacrificial Children
Chapter Seven: The True Man Burns Down Guangfu Temple; The City God Orders Wang E to Investigate His
Faults Chapter Eight: Wang E Investigates the True Man's Faults; The True Man Returns the Pearl to the Merchant
Chapter Nine Chapter 10: Sa Zhenren Abstained from Women, Not Upholding Female Chastity; Chapter 11: Sa
Zhenren Used Thunder and Fire to Exorcise Plague Demons, Treating the Elderly and Cherishing the Young; Chapter 12:
Sa Zhenren Traveled to Fengdu Kingdom, Traveling Throughout the Underworld; Chapter 13: Sa Zhenren
Established the Reward Platform for Good Deeds in the Underworld, Traveling to the Reward Division 　　; Chapter 14:
Sa Zhenren Traveled Throughout Hell, Gui Zhenjun Led Him Back; Chapter 15 　　: Sa Zhenren Built the Great Offering at Xihe, Xu Jingbao, and Ascended 　　. The book, published by Ming Cuiqing Hall, is titled "The Record of Sa Zhenren's Attainment of Immortality and the Curse of the Jujube in the Five Dynasties," with an introduction at the beginning. It is signed "Written by Zhuxi Sanren, in the auspicious autumn of the year Guimao in the Wanli reign." This indicates the book was completed in the 31st year of the Wanli reign (1603). "The Record of the Curse of the Jujube" recounts the story of Sa Zhenren's accumulation of good deeds, his study of Taoism, and his ascension to immortality. The book's depiction of punishing Wang E is also found in Chapter 22 of Yu Xiangdou's *Journey to the North* (《北游记》), titled "The Patriarch Subdues Wang E in Henan." This suggests that such supernatural tales were widespread at the time, and novelists collected and utilized them with minor variations, some detailed and others brief, not necessarily indicating a direct lineage. *The Cursed Jujube Chronicle* was also compiled, processed, and organized based on these tales. Only one version of *The Cursed Jujube Chronicle* survives—the Ming Dynasty Jianyang Cuiqing Hall Yu family edition, now held in the Japanese Cabinet Library. The book's layout and illustrations are identical to *The Flying Sword Chronicle*, except for the numerous "Portraits of Master Sa" at the end of the table of contents. This book is a facsimile of the Cabinet Library edition and shares the same source as the edition in Tianyi Publishing House's *Collection of Rare Ming and Qing Dynasty Novels*. The 　　preface states: " 　　The human heart is but a small space; good thoughts lead to immortality, evil thoughts to mere mortality. Is there a path between immortality and mortality? The difference lies only in removing one's own barriers. Master Sa was a man of virtue during the Five Dynasties period, recorded in the Shu Xihe annals; he was once an immortal." From a humble scribe, he rose to prominence, yet even after changing careers, his understanding of the art remained elusive. He then joined the ranks of those who followed the Dharma, his journey marked by trials and tribulations far exceeding the measure of time. Yet, his aspirations remained uncorrupted by profit; his thoughts were focused, his desires undiminished; his spirit was single-minded, and no obstacle could deter him. His heart was pure. Such a tranquil spirit, even comparable to Confucius and Buddha, was comparable to him. Thus, his achievements reached the six realms, his influence flowed to the nine heavens, he traversed the realms of the living and the dead, benefiting all people and things, and was thus elevated to the position of Heavenly Pivot. Alas! Alas! Why did Lord Sa ever swallow the moon's essence, consume the sun's spirit, chew on dew, cook yellow and boil white, or cleanse his marrow and molt his fur? It was merely a matter of cultivating his mind. Therefore, I say: the path to immortality is not a fixed one, but rather lies in removing one's own barriers. With barriers removed, one can attain sainthood; without barriers, one is lost in madness. Is the difference between immortality and mortality truly the key to the human heart? In my spare time, I studied the *Sou Shen* (In Search of the Supernatural) collection, admiring the gentle and benevolent spirit of Master Sa. I gathered his remaining stories and composed *The Story of the Cursed Jujube*. The story of the cursed jujube is a way of encompassing all other magical arts. This is not merely to elucidate the jade book for immortals, but also to honor the divine for those who cultivate their minds. If this is considered baseless, then it is mere empty rhetoric and utterly deceitful. How dare I! How dare I! 　　Written by Zhuxi Sanren in the auspicious autumn of the year Gui Mao in the Wanli reign . Chapter 　　One: A General Account of the Human Character of the World, Master Sa's Past Life and Cultivation. 　　The poem reads: 　　Autumn light departs and spring returns, the sun and moon bustle like a wheel. 　　I now believe fame and fortune are external things, wealth and honor seem like fleeting clouds. 　　When you encounter a joyful place, do not be saddened, for life is easily filled with silver. 　　In my leisure, I will recount the events of yesteryear, and behold the immortal Master Sa. 　　Since the beginning of chaos, there was heaven above, earth below, and man beneath heaven and earth. Heaven, earth, and man are called the Three Powers. However, the life of man is varied and complex. Among them were kings, dukes, ministers, and high officials; not to mention those who were scholars, merchants, travelers, doctors, geomancers, physiognomists, diviners, craftsmen, fishermen, woodcutters, farmers, herdsmen, musicians, and painters. How could one possibly count all these people? One sees countless deaths and rebirths in a single day, but only a few, pure in their conduct, untouched by the turbid currents of love, unburdened by the sea of desire, cultivate their minds, nourish their nature, perfect their essence, and solidify their spirit. Those who attain immortality are called immortals. Where do immortals reside? After ascending to heaven, they reside in the Thirty-Three Heavens. A poem testifies to this: " 　　Beyond each heaven is another heaven; above each heaven are immortals. 　　Immortals are made from mortals, but I fear the mortals' hearts are not steadfast." 　　This book, however, speaks solely of immortals. It was originally from the Five Dynasties period. There was a man named Sa Shoujian, a native of Xihe in Shu (modern-day Sichuan). He was granted the title of Zhenren (True Man) and became an immortal. By imperial decree, he was appointed to the position of Tian Shu (Heavenly Pivot), residing in the Tongming Hall under the Jade Emperor's tutelage, alongside Zhang Tianshi (Celestial Master Zhang) and Xu Zhenjun (True Lord Xu), and ranking among the Three Officials and Four Saints. Who in the world did not know this immortal? But becoming an immortal in heaven is no easy feat. It was only through three lifetimes of virtuous cultivation that he attained such a position. How did True Man Sa cultivate his virtue in his previous life? 　　Initially, he was merely a butcher named Wu Cheng, young and full of strength. You see him slaughtering cattle, butchering pigs, and butchering sheep with skillful ease, like Bao Ding butchering an ox, or Zhu Pingman slaying a dragon. In a single day, he might slaughter one or two cattle, or butcher three or four sheep, or slaughter five or six pigs. He was a swift executioner before the King of Hell, a messenger of death among livestock. At the age of thirty, he had killed countless animals. One day, passing by a school, he heard the sound of students reciting, and one of them read aloud: "A gentleman, seeing beasts alive, cannot bear to see them die; hearing their cries, cannot bear to eat their flesh." He sighed and said, "I have been wrong in this life." He then repented and never killed cattle, pigs, or sheep again. Every morning, he would rise early, burn incense, chant a few Buddhist prayers, and write down a few admonitions: "Good deeds bring good rewards, evil deeds bring evil consequences; if good and evil are not repaid, the time has not yet come." He also said, "A family that accumulates good deeds will surely have abundant blessings, a family that accumulates evil deeds will surely have abundant calamities." Approaching sixty, he died of illness. On 　　the day of his death, the messengers of death first took him to the Eastern Peak Palace to see the Heavenly Emperor of Benevolence and Sagehood. The Benevolent Emperor, knowing that Wu Cheng's first half of life was spent as a butcher and his second half as a Buddhist practitioner, decided to prevent him from passing through the underworld. He wrote an official document and sent it directly to Yama, the King of Hell, asking, "Wu Cheng slaughtered and killed countless beings thirty years ago, and thirty years later, he has reformed through Buddhist practice. Does he still need to undergo reincarnation?" Yama replied, "This person has reformed and is a good person. Order him not to come to the underworld." He simply ordered two soul-guiding boys to lead Wu Cheng to a good place, to be born into a wealthy family, ensuring his life of comfort, with three hundred acres of land, abundant grain, clear water, fishponds, and grand houses. The soul-guiding boys led Wu Cheng to be born into a family surnamed Chen in Liangzhou. This was the first incarnation of the True Man Sa. 　　Now, let's talk about the second incarnation of the True Man Sa, whose surname was Lu and given name You. He had no elder brothers or younger brothers. He simply enjoyed a portion of his grandfather's wealth, which he lived comfortably. Although his land was not extensive, it still amounted to several hundred acres. Although his wealth wasn't enough to make his fortune rotten, he was still quite well-off, with a net worth of ten thousand strings of cash. While he didn't have twelve beauties before his embroidered screen, he had a wife and a concubine. He had servants to attend to him, and he never lacked fish for food or a carriage for transportation. In summer, he wore fine linen; in winter, he wore light fur. Though not a great tycoon, he lived a life of complete independence. Who among those in such a position wouldn't indulge in lust? Some might steal Han Shou's perfume, others might steal Xiao Lang's jade, or others might leap over Zhang Sheng's wall. Only Lu You remained honest and upright. 　　One day, while staying at the estate, he met a young woman, about seventeen or eighteen years old. She had delicate, 　　arched eyebrows, like willow leaves, and cherry-red lips. Her face was like that of Wenjun, and her waist was slender and graceful. Her fingers, like jade shoots, extended from her sleeves; her feet, like golden lotuses, peeked out from under her skirt, and her every step was graceful and charming. Truly, she surpasses even Wang Zhaojun playing the pipa on horseback and Qin maiden playing the phoenix flute atop the tower.

This young woman was returning to her mother's home when, upon reaching a village, a sudden storm arose. The clouds were as black as spilled ink, the rain poured down like a deluge, the lightning flashed like thunder striking a monument, and the wind snapped bamboo and trees like a boat capsizing on the Wu River. Left with no other choice, the woman sought shelter at the village. She said she would leave after the rain stopped, but the rain fell from noon until dusk. When she finally tried to leave, the road was pitch black, so she had to stay overnight at Lu You's village. Lu You noticed the woman hadn't eaten, so he ordered the villagers to slaughter a chicken, cook a bowl of rice, and prepare some other dishes. The woman ate while thinking, secretly thinking, "This gentleman is so attentive; he must be thinking of me tonight. I should reciprocate his feelings."
In their conversation, she became very intimate with Lu You. After the meal, Lu You said, "Young lady, there's only one man in this village, and his wife is at her parents' home. Otherwise, I could arrange for you to stay with him for a while. It's inconvenient for a man and woman to share a room today." The young lady said, "That's alright." Lu You said, "There are only two main rooms here, and the bedding elsewhere isn't neat enough for you to sleep in separately. You can sleep in my bed. I'll make arrangements."
The young lady, seeing Lu You, a handsome young man, was already captivated. She longed to share a room with him, envisioning a passionate night together. However, Lu You was a man of integrity, emulating Guan Yu's unwavering loyalty, lighting the lamp and reciting a poem: "
The laws of propriety are as clear as the sun, the principles of morality as heavy as a mountain.
Beware of lust, lest it corrupt the tranquility of sages.
While Zhuo is beautiful, Sima Xiangru is not.
One must awaken sharply, breaking free from the barriers of lust."
The woman went to bed, loosened her fragrant silk sash, took off her red-sleeved jacket, and lay down in the red silk curtains. Unconsciously, her heart was stirred. Around midnight, unable to resist her desire, she tossed and turned, saying, "My lord, come and sleep here with me." Lu You replied, "Men and women should not touch each other; how can we sleep together?"
Seeing that this gentleman only sat under the lamp, seemingly without any affection, the woman rose again, saying, "My lord, I have not come here today as a woman seeking pleasure, but rather as a match made in heaven. Staying at your esteemed estate, I saw your gentle and refined nature and fell in love with you. Why don't you sleep with me, our bodies pressed together, our legs intertwined, our hearts in harmony, like fish swimming in spring water?" Lu You said, "This is impossible, young man..." "Madam is a respectable woman, with her own husband. I am a son of a respectable family, with my own wife. If you wish to befriend us, how can you forget your own husband? If I wish to befriend you, how can I forget my own wife? This is absolutely unacceptable." The woman said, "I have come at an inopportune time. It is acceptable to befriend gentlemen, but it is also acceptable not to befriend gentlemen. Aren't we just like fish and carp, unable to distinguish between each other?" Lu You said, "What is true is true, and what is false is false. Have you not heard: 'Only in clear water can you see two kinds of fish'?"
The woman saw that Lu You was stern and righteous, and had no choice but to leave at dawn. But that is another story. Who knew that Lu You's good intentions would be reported to the Heavenly Court and the Underworld by the Earth God.
But that was not a big deal. Another day, Lu You was in the back garden, personally hoeing and planting flowers. He had just dug up a cellar of gold, about five hundred taels. Lu You said, "My family is already wealthy; why should I seek more? This is all for helping the poor and needy." So he dug up the gold from the cellar. The next day, he held a large-scale distribution at the crossroads. Widows, widowers, orphans, and the lonely flocked to the market, filling it with people. Lu You gave one tael of gold to those who were entitled to it, and five coins to those who were entitled to it, and in an instant, the five hundred taels of gold were all given away.
However, some were broken-minded, some were blind, and some were hunchbacked. The lame had difficulty walking, the blind had difficulty seeing, and the hunchbacked had difficulty backing up; they took two steps for every one step, and two miles for every mile. By the time they reached the crossroads, the gold was all gone. Lu You then ordered his servants to fetch fifty taels of gold from his own home to replenish the distribution, finally completing the distribution. Those who benefited from this act, numerous and talkative, all praised Lu You's virtuous conduct and kind heart. Little did they know that their voices reached the heavens and the netherworld. The underworld even recorded this act of kindness in its records.
Lu You lived to the age of sixty-five, passing away peacefully in his bed. On the day of his death, the messengers of death first took him to see the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak. The Benevolent Emperor, seeing that Lu You, despite being with a woman in the village without harboring evil thoughts, and having found five hundred taels of gold in the garden and distributed it to the poor, deems him unworthy of reincarnation. He wrote a short document and sent it to the Underworld, stating, "This is how it is." King Yama ordered the officials in charge of rewarding good and punishing evil to carefully examine the records, and indeed found two such deeds. He said, "This man was not seduced by beauty, nor did he take the gold. He was able to escape a great calamity. In his next life, he will become an immortal. However, he must experience many trials and tribulations to see how well he observes the precepts. If his precepts are strictly observed, he will attain enlightenment." Therefore, the document was sent directly to the Eastern Peak Palace, instructing the Benevolent Emperor not to escort Lu You to the Underworld, but to have the soul-guiding boy lead him to the mortal realm to experience worldly affairs before becoming an immortal. This is the previous incarnation of the True Man Sa in his second life.
But how he will become an immortal this time remains to be seen; we will explain below.
Chapter Two: Sa Jun Enters the Government Office as a Clerk; Sa Jun, a Physician, Mistakenly Prescribes Medicine.
It is said that Sa Zhenren, having cultivated for two lifetimes, was born again in Xihe County, Shu, following the Soul-Guiding Child. There was a man named Sa Ruwang, whose wife was Cao. The couple had accumulated much good karma, but were childless at the age of thirty. Cao longed for a child for three years, and suddenly one day she became pregnant. While sleeping with her husband, she dreamt that a phoenix landed on them. She saw
nine precious buds, five brilliant colors. The nine precious buds drank in the essence of heaven and earth, the five brilliant colors illuminated the patterns of heaven and earth, resembling an auspicious omen from the Yu court, and a propitious sign from Qishan. It is said that it will not perch on anything but the phoenix tree, nor eat anything but bamboo seeds; yet it alighted in a wondrous dream, and soared in auspicious time. Phoenix, oh phoenix, descend upon its virtuous glory; phoenix, oh phoenix, spread your wings and soar high. This phoenix is the celestial offspring of the Sa family, not a courtier of Qin Lou or a courtier of Xiao Lang.
Cao, having dreamt of this phoenix, told her husband, Ruwang. As Wang also said, "I also had some dreams, and this clearly indicates a good son." When the tenth month was approaching, a large Eucommia ulmoides plant and a small ginseng plant appeared. Master Sa ordered Liu Jinu to remove honeysuckle from the aconite root and kelp from the frankincense plant. After rubbing the large belly a few times, the Ophiopogon japonicus plant opened wide. In a short while, a clove-shaped seed was born. The couple was overjoyed and named the child Shoujian. From birth, the child was intelligent and gifted, showing early signs of talent. As a child, he excelled at reading, possessing a vast knowledge and able to read ten thousand books at a glance. He was also skilled in calligraphy, his characters powerful and elegant, like dragons coiling and tigers crouching. He was also adept at composing poetry, his poems flowing like pearls from the heavens. He was also skilled at writing essays, his writing as powerful as a hundred bushels of dragon's blood, his pen capable of carrying a heavy load.
With such learning, Sa Jun was clearly a child prodigy, and everyone said, "Winning high office is as easy as picking up a mustard seed, and passing the imperial examinations is as simple as plucking a beard from his forehead." Little did they know that the King of Hell wanted to test his conduct, leading to many unexpected events. Unexpectedly, when he was only nine years old, his father died first, followed by his mother, leaving Sa Jun without a father or mother to rely on. Alone and lonely, he was like a starving crow chick, crying pitifully.
As he grew older, even food and clothing were scarce. Suddenly, an official decree was issued, ordering the elders of each county to recommend their most talented sons to serve as agricultural officials. The elders of Xihe County recommended Sa Jun. Unable to refuse, Sa Jun had no choice but to serve in the county. Although Lord Sa was a kind and benevolent man, his official duties were not particularly demanding. He could have easily been assigned to the clerk's office, managing documents; the rites office, overseeing sacrifices and welcoming officials; the household office, managing finances; the workshops, overseeing craftsmen's work; or the military office, managing soldiers. However, he was placed in the penal office. Once inside, he had to use his cunning and skill in handling both criminals and criminals.
One night, a man broke into the stable and stole a fine horse. It had just stopped raining. The horse's owner followed the horse's tracks the next morning, traveling about twenty li, until he found it at a house. He then took it to the local authorities. Everyone said that the horse thief deserved a penal sentence. The thief confessed that he had indeed taken in the runaway horse. The authorities ordered the penal office to investigate, and the horse thief could only beg Lord Sa to pardon him. Lord Sa defended him, writing a petition stating, "If there were methods to steal horses, wouldn't there also be a way to hide them? This horse may have escaped and been taken in by someone, that is true." With just these few words, he cleared the horse thief of all charges. The government then punished the horse owner instead. What does "punished instead" mean? It means that the person who accused the thief was sentenced to prison, and thus also received a prison sentence.
Another man had an empty boat, unattended, which was stolen downstream and converted into a boat for his steed. Just as the boat was being dismantled, the boat owner found him and, upon arriving at the local authorities, presented a complaint stating: "At midnight, someone, beating gongs and drums, robbed a passenger boat, scattered the cargo, and then dismantled the boat to convert it into another vessel." The authorities approved the case and determined that "So-and-so robbed the cargo, but did not kill anyone; therefore, the sentence is reduced by one degree, and he is to be spared death but exiled to the army." The man had no choice but to plead with Lord Sa to clear his name of the military punishment. Mr. Sa defended the man, reporting to the official, saying, "Since the passenger ship was carrying goods, wouldn't it have had two or three guards? If the people escaped by robbing the ship at night with gongs and drums, they should have shouted for help from the residents on both banks; if they couldn't escape, they would have been killed by the thieves. Now, they only accuse the thieves of robbing the passenger ship and distributing the goods, without mentioning anyone on board. This is clearly a sham ship. To call a sham ship a cargo ship and claim that taking goods downstream is robbery is an absurd claim." You see, Mr. Sa's few words on behalf of the man were not crucial; the official clearly exonerated the man and instead implicated the accuser, threatening him with military service. But that's another story.
Another man had been in a close relationship with a woman for about three years. Later, he began a relationship with another woman, and his old love faded as the new relationship deepened. The former woman, however, was resentful and repeatedly tried to prevent him from visiting the new woman. Little did she know that too much kindness could turn into resentment, and too much love could turn into hatred. The woman said something to the man, and the man reciprocated. The man cursed the woman, and the woman cursed the man in return. The man, unable to bear it any longer, became enraged and, driven by anger, unleashed a torrent of blows, punching and kicking the woman repeatedly until she was beaten to death. This is truly a case of: a devoted
woman and a heartless man, former love turned to enmity.
When the woman's husband returned home, he found his wife dead and exclaimed, "This is none other than her lover!" He then filed a lawsuit. The neighbors also testified that on the day of the woman's death, her lover had indeed come from his house. The authorities immediately sentenced him to death. However, he pleaded with Lord Sa and was spared the death penalty. Sa Jun immediately reported to the official, saying, "Since I had a close relationship with the woman, with intimate feelings, there was absolutely no physical violence; there was only a gentle touch, not any violent confrontation. This woman's life must not have been killed by someone who had already committed adultery, but by someone who hadn't yet committed adultery and was harassed and killed when she refused." Upon seeing this report, the official spared Sa Jun's life, only charging him with adultery. Instead, he accused Sa Jun's husband of lying and, upon questioning, added the charge of "selling adultery" to the sentence. This was precisely where Sa Jun wielded his pen.
Suddenly one day, he heard that a man who had inquired about the fate of a traveler had died at a post station, a man who had inquired about the fate of a soldier had died on the frontier, and a man whose husband had been angered to death by inquiring about selling adultery. Sa Jun suddenly realized the truth, saying, "I have saved one life and taken another, giving birth to one and killing another. What is the true intention of this?" He then used the excuse of "going to the countryside to pacify the local area" to abandon his penmanship and flee to another town, never daring to return.
Since Sa Jun was not an official, and believing that "the way of medicine is a benevolent art," he bought Shennong's *Compendium of Materia Medica*, Wang Shuhe's *Pulse Diagnosis*, and Sun Simiao's *Elbow Formulas*, studying them thoroughly. He then adopted the appearance of a physician, embodying the
teachings passed down from the Yellow Emperor and possessing a heart that embraced the bounty of heaven and earth. To investigate the root of an illness, he combined observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation; to examine the three pulse positions, he pondered the deficiency and excess, the floating and sinking of the pulse. To cure stubborn diseases and revive paralysis, he devised ingenious remedies; to bring the dead back to life, he considered the methods of moxibustion and acupuncture. He admired the clear spring water of Su Danquan, which nourished the orange grove, and the clusters of red apricot blossoms of Dong Feng. When encountering illness, he thought of helping the people and benefiting the land; when administering medicine, he aimed to nourish the yang and yin. He aspired to become a renowned physician, his heart filled with compassion for humanity.
Sa Jun, practicing medicine, radiated benevolence, and his medicines were like magic. He cured several mute men so they could speak, several blind men so they could see again, several hunchbacks so they could straighten their backs, several lame men so they could walk properly, several men with five injuries and seven diseases, several men with left-sided or right-sided paralysis, several men with urinary and bowel obstruction, several men with persistent heart and stomach pain, several men with boils before and after nailing, and several men with left-sided or right-sided bladder and kidney problems. Since Mr. Sa was such a skilled physician, everyone admired him, saying, "Such a physician is a reincarnation of Bian Que, a second Lu Gong." Little did they know:
even a fool can have a stroke of genius, and even a wise man can make a mistake.
One day, a man fell seriously ill with extreme weakness and fever all over his body. He should have taken a dose of the Ten-Ingredient Tonic Soup, but instead, he took a dose of external medicine, which caused his immediate death. Another woman suffered from postpartum fever, clearly caused by stagnant blood. Removing this stagnant blood would have cured her. Instead, he prescribed a strong tonic, which only replenished the stagnant blood, and the woman died. Another child, suffering from convulsions and subsequently becoming mute, was clearly weak and needed tonification. Mr. Sa said, "This is phlegm obstructing the mind; clearing it will cure it." He then administered a dose of a strong tonic containing Glauber's salt and rhubarb, and the child died. Having caused these three deaths, Mr. Sa pounded his chest and wept bitterly, lamenting to the heavens, "The way of medicine is so difficult to understand!" He then added, "'A good doctor is made after three broken arms,' but I have not learned this medicine through broken arms." He further said, "'A doctor should not prescribe medicine unless his family has been in the same lineage for three generations,' but I have not learned this medicine through family tradition." He then threw the medicine packet into the water and the medicine book into the fire. Filled with self-reproach, he composed a poem: "
My business is ruined by clumsy efforts, I have achieved nothing as a doctor or an official.
An official who is not upright is cunning, a doctor who is not knowledgeable is mediocre."
A mistakenly administered medicine is like poison, a light stroke of the pen is sharper than a spear.
The greatest sorrow is the loss of life; a single thought can ignite a deep regret.
Since Sa Jun was so remorseful, he said, "What profession should I pursue to atone for my past transgressions?" Then he thought to himself, "The path of cultivation is based on compassion, and its gateway is expediency. I should renounce the world and cultivate the Tao, repenting for my past mistakes,
thus escaping the cycle of reincarnation." Sa Jun's single thought was the very foundation of becoming an immortal. Let us see what happens next.
Chapter Three: Sa Jun, with a Sincere Heart, Cultivates the Tao; Three Immortals Transmit Magical Arts.
It is said that Sa Jun, having abandoned medicine, became a Taoist priest, wearing a Taoist headscarf, a tattered robe, a hemp sash, and straw sandals. Upon entering the gate of enlightenment, he comprehended some immortal secrets, realizing that all human beings are entangled and harmed by this physical body. What is this physical body? It is the flesh and blood. With only this body, one is trapped in the sea of desire, adrift in the river of love. Isn't this just being entangled and harmed? As Sa Jun sang in "Lament for the Skin Bag,"
this skin bag is so obstructive, causing trouble for my mind. It schemes and plots with every step, making me restless. A bundle of sinews, a lump of flesh, binding together the body to form the four elements. There is hunger, thirst, poverty, sickness, disaster, and ruin. It demands food, clothing, and even more, worldly riches and lust. It keeps my mind constantly occupied, a debt from the beginning of my life. Thinking about it carefully, it's truly unbearable, attracting demons that are difficult to restrain. It breeds the five ghosts and the three corpses, nurturing the eight evils and the six harms. This body, filled with excrement and urine, and blood and veins, has no semblance of elegance. The nine orifices are all unclean pits, the six gates are a mess. Falling into the three evil paths, sinking into the six realms, all because of this skin bag that I am made this way. Now I know you are my enemy, which is why I feel disgust. I must ask a wise teacher, seek the easy path, and only by obtaining the Dharma can I turn back to my true self. Life arises from desire, and desire, once exhausted, has no end. Sever desire firmly, for clinging to the physical body leads to ruin. Simple meals and coarse tea are enough; anything more breeds greed and envy. The true self, do not yearn, but recognize its profound mystery. Within lies a great divine pearl, its light ever-present, day and night. It defies words, defies description, cannot be heard or seen. Neither empty nor existent, neither in between, shimmering and bright without fixed measure. Nourish the physical body with purity, for within purity arises understanding. Suddenly, understanding dawns, and the physical body transforms into a treasury of pearls. Its light pervades the entire realm, unobstructed, connecting inner and outer. It illuminates the dignified, transcendent being, possessing perfect divine powers. There is neither sin nor fortune, neither heaven nor hell. Once freed from this physical body, one roams freely without restraint. Neither coming nor going, there is no fixed abode between coming and going. Vast and boundless, shining in the heavens, who can seek the place of Buddhahood here?
After sighing over the "Words of Truth in the Skin Bag," Mr. Sa, believing the human heart to be unfathomable—if grasped, it exists; if abandoned, it perishes; its comings and goings are unpredictable, its origin unknown—he continued reciting the Heart Sutra: "
When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practicing the profound Prajnaparamita, he perceived that the five aggregates are all empty. Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form; form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Sensation, thought, volition, and consciousness are also like this. Shariputra, all dharmas are empty in nature, neither arising nor ceasing, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing. Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, perception, volition, or consciousness; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma; no eye-consciousness, and so forth, up to no mind-consciousness; no ignorance, nor the cessation of ignorance, and so forth, up to no old age and death, nor the cessation of old age and death; no suffering, origination, cessation, or path; no wisdom, nor attainment. Because there is nothing to be attained, Bodhisattvas, relying on Prajnaparamita, have no hindrance in their minds. Because there is no hindrance and no obstruction, they have no fear of death." Far removed from distorted dreams, ultimately attaining Nirvana. All Buddhas of the three times, relying on Prajnaparamita, attain Amuttara-samyak-sambodhi. The mantra is then recited: Gate Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhisattva.
Now, let us say that Lord Sa diligently cultivated himself, believing that all methods ultimately lead to the same goal, and without a teacher, who could impart their knowledge? At this time, he heard of Zhang Xujing, a Celestial Master in Guangxin Prefecture, Jiangxi; Wang Fangping, in Jianchang Prefecture, Jiangxi; and Ge Xianweng, an Immortal in Jiujiang Prefecture, Jiangxi. All three were renowned for their profound Taoist arts. Lord Sa intended to travel from Shu down the river, first to Jiujiang to visit Ge Xianweng, then from Jiujiang to Guangxin to visit Zhang Xujing, and from Guangxin to Jianchang to visit Wang Fangping. He wanted to take these three as his teachers and inquire about their profound teachings.
At that time, the peach blossoms were in full bloom and the willows were green. He passed through the Nine Streams and Eighteen Caves, and then crossed the Twelve Peaks of Wushan. Carrying some scraps of rice and millet, he headed straight for the Dragon Tiger Wind and Cloud Gathering Mountain, intending to learn how to obtain fire and refine elixirs. He traveled day and night, tirelessly trekking. He crossed many spring water crossings and many mountains beyond mountains at sunset, before finally emerging from a gorge. Feeling weary, he rested briefly in the pavilion when suddenly three Taoist priests appeared: one called "Taoist Jing," another "Taoist Ping," and the third "Taoist Weng." These three priests were none other than Zhang Xujing, Wang Fangping, and Ge Xianweng. Seeing that this Mr. Sa was sincerely devoted to the Tao and had come from afar to pay his respects, the three discussed and decided to impart their profound teachings to him on the way. They had just arrived at the pavilion at the gorge entrance.
Upon seeing the three Daoist masters, who possessed an air of otherworldly elegance and detachment from worldly concerns, Sa Jun immediately rose and said, "Esteemed Daoist masters, I bow in greeting." The three Daoists quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Please do not take offense, Daoist masters." Sa Jun then asked, "What are your esteemed names, Daoist masters? And where do you come from?" Zhang Xujing replied, "I am Daoist Jing." Wang Fangping said, "I am Daoist Ping." Ge Xianweng said, "I am Daoist Weng. We are all from Jiangxi." Daoist Jing then asked Sa Jun, "What is your esteemed name, Daoist master? And where are you from?" Sa Jun replied, "I am from Xihe in Shu County, my surname is Sa, and my given name is Shoujian." Daoist Jing asked, "Where do you intend to go, Daoist master?" "Sa Jun said, 'I will go to Jiangxi to visit my three masters, Zhang Xujing, Wang Fangping, and Ge Xianweng, and learn their Daoist teachings.' Master Jing said, 'Xujing, my Daoist friend, is now dead.'
Sa Jun was shocked and asked, 'Since Master Xujing is dead, is Master Wang Fangping still alive?' Master Ping said, 'I am from Jianchang, and I was Wang Fangping's neighbor. Now Fangping is also dead.' Sa Jun was shocked again and asked, 'Since Masters Zhang and Wang are dead, is Master Ge Xianweng still alive?' Master Weng said, 'Ge Xianweng was also my Daoist friend, and he has been dead for many years.'
Upon hearing that all three masters were dead, Sa Jun looked up to the sky and sighed, saying, 'I have no chance to come here.' Then he burst into tears." Master Jing said, “Master, there is no need to grieve. Although Xu Jing is dead, his son has now succeeded him as the Celestial Master, and his Taoist skills are also high. I have a past relationship with him, and I have written a letter that I was about to entrust to someone to deliver. Now, why not give it to you? When you go to pay him a visit, he will surely impart the Taoist teachings to you.” He then took out a book from his sleeve and handed it to Master Sa. After receiving the instructions, Sa Jun asked, "How far is it to Xinzhou in Jiangxi?" The Taoist Ping replied, "The mountains are layered, the river is vast, it's very far, very far." The Taoist Weng said, "You will incur much travel expense on this journey. I will teach you the method of incantating dates." Sa Jun asked, "What is the method of incantating dates?" The Taoist Weng said, "Simply recite the incantation, and the dates will naturally grow as large as pears. Incantate nine dates a day, and eat three dates each time, and you will be full for a day, without needing any other food." He then taught Sa Jun the secret incantation, instructing him to chant: "Sheep horn, sheep horn, deer deer deer, yan he moo ne ba fu hong." Sa Jun followed the instructions, and indeed, dates silently appeared in his sleeve. These dates were: "
Elegant and pure, high and red. Crisp as candy, sweet as honey. Magnificent as Han Yan's golden bullets, sweet as Chu's red water chestnuts." Filial piety is exemplified by Zeng Shen, who cherished his parents; integrity is exemplified by Wang Ji, who divorced his wife. Manqian, skilled in guessing riddles, had always been a cunning strategist; Xiao Lian, with his sincere heart, surely repaid her with valor.
Now, let's talk about how Lord Sa obtained the method of cursing jujubes, and he bowed deeply to the old Taoist priest, expressing his endless gratitude. Ping Daoren said, “Since Master Weng has already taught you the method of incantating jujubes, I have nothing else to teach you. Now I have a palm leaf fan that can cure illnesses. One fan reduces fever, a second fan brings coolness, and a third fan makes your hair stand on end, and the illness will be cured. Moreover, this fan can also bring back the soul of someone who died suddenly. If a person dies suddenly and is under sixty years old, they should have several talismans on their body. If this fan is used to fan them, they will come back to life. Therefore, it is also called the Fan of Returning Souls.” Sa Jun asked, “How can this palm leaf fan have such wonderful uses?” Ping Daoren said, “This palm leaf does not grow anywhere else. It grows on a rocky cliff on Mount Sumeru and has existed for thousands of kalpas. I don’t know how much rain and dew it has eaten from heaven and how much frost and snow it has endured. It is of pure yin quality and is a treasure between heaven and earth. My master, Master Xuwu, once collected it and made this fan, which is why it has such wonderful uses. I will now pass it on to you.” He then taught Sa Jun two more talismans, which Sa Jun accepted with a bow, deeply grateful.
The Taoist priest Jing said, "The three of us met Lord Sa together. Since the two gentlemen have already taught us, I also have some lifelong magic techniques to share." He then taught Lord Sa the "Five Thunder Great Method," instructing him to focus his mind, exhale, perform hand seals, and step on the Big Dipper to summon the Thunder Gods and Thunder Generals, thus rousing the five directions of barbarian thunder. He further taught him: Hai is the Heavenly Gate, where Heavenly Fire is raised; Kun is the Earthly Gate, where Earthly Fire is raised; Mao is the Thunder Gate, where Thunder Fire is raised; Wu Zi raises Thunderbolt Fire; and Si Wu Wei raises the Samadhi True Fire of the Sun. The thunder roared fiercely, with a power that shook the heavens and the earth; the fire blazed fiercely, with the might of a raging inferno. This method is used to drive away evil and subdue all menace; this is called the "Five Thunder Method." Lord Sa bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
Now, having each imparted their teachings to Lord Sa, the three Taoist priests took their leave, leaving Lord Sa deeply disappointed.
But whether the transmitted methods would prove effective or not remains to be seen; let us see below for the explanation.
Chapter Four: Lord Sa Tests His Wonderful Methods Along the Way; Lord Sa Subdues the Evil Demon.
It is said that Lord Sa, having received the teachings of the three Taoist priests, traveled along the road, applying their methods, and they all proved effective. How so? One day, Lord Sa arrived in Yunyang, far from any village or inn, and felt unwell. He then chanted a spell over dates and ate them. He stretched out his sleeve, and sure enough, the dates appeared instantly. He didn't know if they fell from the sky, sprang from the ground, or were sent by a ghost or spirit. Lord Sa took three and ate them, and his hunger was gone.
He then traveled to Xiangyang, where he saw a family urging craftsmen to make coffins for the deceased. Lord Sa asked, "Why is this coffin made?" A man replied, "My father is gravely ill and near death, so I have prepared this coffin for him." Lord Sa said, "Why not call a doctor to save him?" The man said, "He has taken many medicines, but none have worked." Lord Sa said, "I will treat him for you." He then took out his palm-leaf fan and fanned him. Sure enough, the fever subsided after the first fan, the coolness returned after the second, and the goosebumps tingled after the third, and his illness was immediately cured. The man then prostrated himself on the ground and said, "My father was saved by your grace, which I can never repay!" Lord Sa quickly helped him up and said, "Helping others and benefiting all beings is the duty of a monk; there is no need for bowing and kneeling." Afterward, the man presented Lord Sa with ten taels of silver as a token of his gratitude. Lord Sa said, "I am a monk; I have no use for this silver." He then refused and left.
After traveling for less than half a day, they suddenly heard a very mournful cry, which went: "Young man, young man, Zeng Shen could not raise Zeng Xi, and Yan Lu grieved for Yan Hui." Upon hearing this, Sa Jun felt a pang of sorrow and said, "This must be the cry of someone who has lost their son." He went to the house and saw an old man. He asked, "Old man, why are you crying so bitterly?" The old man said, "I had a son when I was fifty, and he died suddenly at the age of nineteen. I am old and have no way to end my life, so I am crying." Sa Jun asked, "How long has your son been dead?" The old man said, "He has not been dead for long." Sa Jun said, "In that case, old man, there is no need to cry. I can bring him back to life." He then pasted two talismans on the dead man's body, waved a palm leaf fan, and saw the dead man suddenly turn around and rise again in a short time. His father embraced him and wept bitterly, saying, "I thought we would never see each other again, how fortunate I am to have your soul returned!" He then asked his son, "How were you able to return?" His son replied, "Just now, I went to the underworld, and suddenly two messengers chased after me, saying, 'Go back quickly, go back quickly!' Then I felt a gust of wind under my armpits, and I flew back from the messengers." His father then pointed to Mr. Sa and told his son, "This is the merit of this gentleman who saved you." Thereupon, the father and son knelt down and kowtowed twice. Seeing the old man kneeling, Mr. Sa quickly returned the greeting, saying, "You are my father, please rise, please rise." The old man then offered him gold and silk as thanks, but Mr. Sa said, "I am a monk, what use are such valuables? Please return them." They then parted ways.
One day, while traveling in Wuchang, he heard weeping again, the lamenting, "Young husband, young son, single wife, how can you bear to return to the netherworld?" Hearing this, Mr. Sa was deeply saddened and went to the old man's house. There was a woman who looked to be about twenty-two or twenty-three years old. She had an elegant and graceful appearance, and tears were streaming down her face. It was just like the poem: "
Her jade-like face was lonely with tears streaming down her face, like a pear blossom in spring rain."
Lord Sa asked, "Young lady, why are you weeping?" The woman wiped away her tears and said, "My husband was only twenty-three years old when he tragically died, leaving behind our five-year-old son. I am left all alone and destitute, and that is why I weep." Lord Sa asked, "When did your husband die?" The woman replied, "Not long ago, only moments ago." She wept again after speaking. Lord Sa said, "Young lady, there is no need to grieve. Your husband has not been dead for long; I can bring him back to life." He then placed two talismans on the deceased's body, waved a palm-leaf fan, and the deceased suddenly stirred and soon revived. You see, the young couple, the wife seeing her husband brought back to life, the husband seeing tears in his wife's eyes, embraced each other and wept. This cry was even more heart-wrenching, saying, "The lovebirds were nearly torn apart by a fierce eagle." Then his wife asked him, "How did you come back to life?" He replied, "I had reached the Naihe Bridge, about to cross, but fearing the danger, I hesitated. Suddenly, two messengers appeared, grasped my hands, and said, 'Turn back, turn back!' Before they finished speaking, a gentle breeze rose from under my arms, and I was instantly transported back."
At that moment, Sajun was nearby. His wife said, "It was thanks to you, sir, that you were saved." The couple then prostrated themselves on the ground. The husband said to Sajun, "Sir, you are my second parents." Sajun said, "Although it was I who saved you, it is also because your karmic connection was not severed. Please rise; there is no need to bow." The couple were deeply grateful to Sajun, feeling they had nothing to repay him with. Their daughter offered Sajun her jewelry and clothes as a token of gratitude. Sajun said, "Helping the people and benefiting all beings is the duty of us monks; there is no need for thanks." He returned the jewelry and clothes, and they departed.
Sa Jun then traveled to Jiujiang, where he saw a man in a house possessed by a demon. The man had become delirious, wearing no hat, clothes, or shoes, completely naked, eating excrement and urine, and frequently embracing and playing with the women in the house. His parents chained him up and beat him with peach branches and willow sticks from dawn till dusk, yet he showed no marks and felt no pain. That evening, the chains were broken, and he escaped. His parents dragged him back, locked him up again, and chained him again, confining him behind heavy doors. The following night, the chains were broken again, and the heavy doors were opened, allowing him to escape once more.
His parents, having no other choice, sought the help of a sorcerer. They sent their servants to fetch a sorcerer, who came with five fellow disciples to assist in the ritual. While Shi Yangyang was smug, one of the men said, "Master, this ghost is quite ferocious. You must be careful." The master replied, "My magic is the highest, my magic is the most wondrous. I have overturned the altar of Lord Zhao and shattered the temple of Lord Yan. How much of my skill can such a monster withstand?" He then erected two high altars, one for the master as the main altar and one for the assistant master. Each of the two masters conjured a ball of fiery energy, blew their horns, making a mournful sound, and brandished their swords, making a sharp, resounding noise. They then summoned the Five Gods and the Five Spirits.
The master on the main altar, with a bowl of fire on his head, and the master on the assistant altar, holding a whip, along with their three junior disciples, escorted them into the ghost's room. The ghost, with its head raised, resembled a monkey spirit, and its eyes, when opened, resembled those of a golden-eyed beast. The master on the main altar shouted, and the ghost shouted back. The sorcerer shouted twice, and the demon shouted twice in return. The sorcerer at the main altar, his face flushed with rage, hurled his fire-balancing bowl at the demon with a "plop!" The demon blew on it, causing the sparks to fly wildly. The sorcerer at the main altar, instead of burning the evil spirit, ended up with his own hair and eyebrows singed.
Frustrated, the sorcerer at the main altar blew on his horn, summoning his demonic forces to amplify his power. But the demon flicked his hand, and the horn flew high into the air, never to come down. The sorcerer at the main altar was enraged and swung his sword at it, but the demon flicked his hand again, and the sword flew high into the air, unable to come down. The sorcerer at the main altar tumbled, about to overturn the heavens and shake the earth's axis, but the demon pointed at him and hung him in the east. Seeing the main monk hanging by the madman, the assistant monk tried to strike him with his whip, but the madman simply tossed it aside, leaving him suspended in mid-air. He had to perform a somersault, flipping the heavens and shaking the earth, to rescue the main monk, but the madman pointed again and hung the assistant monk to the west.
Look, these two monks were hanging there, clanging and jingling, yet no ropes were visible; they were simply suspended in mid-air. Hanging these two monks wasn't the end of it; the madman then used some tricks, banging their hands and heads together, opening their hands and heads. What was this like? It was like hanging two mallets, banging them and opening them, opening and banging, banging and opening—quite a spectacle!
Seeing the main and secondary altars being hoisted up by the mad demon, the three junior disciples protecting the Dharma were terrified. They dared not even tumble or strike the fire bowl, and hurriedly stepped forward, striking their tokens and proclaiming, "Heavenly generals, earthly soldiers, fire army, thunder god, the Old Mother of Mount Lu, the True Lord of Mount Mao, the Five Witches and Five Young Masters, come swiftly!" Before they finished speaking, the mad demon appeared, grabbing one of the Dharma protectors, tossing him to the left with his left hand and tossing him to the right with his right. Then, using various techniques, he pressed down hard on the left head and lifted hard on the right head, as if crushed by a thousand pounds; they could no longer move. Only one Dharma protector, seeing the situation was dire, hurriedly ran away.
Everyone clapped and laughed, saying, "What a great sorcerer who overturned Zhao Gong's altar! What a great sorcerer who broke up Yan Gong's temple! The sorcerer didn't chase away the mad ghost, but was chased away by the evil ghost." The sorcerer didn't care about the laughter and just kept running. He had only run for two miles when he met Sa Jun. Sa Jun asked, "Master, why are you in such a hurry to leave?" The master, panting, replied, "In that village, there's a family with a mad ghost. My five brothers and I went to subdue him, but two were hung up, two were pinned down, and only I escaped unscathed. I've never seen such a vicious ghost." Sa Jun said, "Go back now, I'll exorcise it for you."
The master shook his head and said, "Old sir, don't be so insistent. That mad ghost keeps saying he'll control all five of us, but only I will escape. If you go, you'll make up the numbers." Sa Jun said, "My magic is no match for yours, just go." The master said, "My magic is also superior, but this ghost is several times more cunning than me." Sa Jun said, "Do you dare to come back after you leave?" The master said, "Like a fish escaping a golden hook, it wags its tail and shakes its head, never to return." And so he fled.
What a Sa Jun! Hearing that those masters were being hung up and pinned down by evil ghosts, why didn't he go to their rescue? Why not heal a spirit that has gone mad? So he went alone to the house of the madman. Sure enough, he saw the man with disheveled hair, yellow eyes, and naked body. He also saw two sorcerers hanging high in the air and two others lying on the ground. So he ascended the altar, focused his mind, calmed his breath, and moved his palms, summoning the Thunder Gods of the East (Jia and Yi wood), the West (Geng and Xin metal), the South (Bing and Ding fire), the North (Ren and Gui water), and the Center (Wu and Ji earth), and also igniting heavenly fire, earthly fire, thunder fire, lightning fire, and the true fire of the Samadhi of the Sun. There was thunder and fire, the thunder shook the heavens and the fire scorched the sky, and in an instant, the fire and thunder officials captured the madman.
The mad ghost knelt down, kowtowing and pleading, "Immortal Master, spare my life! Spare my life!" Lord Sa said, "What kind of ghost are you? Confess your story clearly." The mad ghost said, "I am the spirit of this village's demons. Thirty years ago, I moved a treasure chest, secretly enriching this family. They are grateful for my kindness and have offered me sacrifices every year. For the past six or seven years, they haven't offered me a single cup of wine or burned a single bundle of paper money. Therefore, this lowly ghost is resentful and has caused this disaster. I beg the Immortal Master to forgive me." Lord Sa said, "According to your words, the blame is not entirely yours; the family also bears responsibility. I now order your family to continue the previous sacrifices. You must repent and reform, and never again cause such disaster." The mad ghost said, "I dare not do it again." Lord Sa said, "You may lower the two hanging sorcerers and lift up the two pressing sorcerers."
In a short while, the mad ghost pointed east and west, and the two hanging sorcerers slowly fell from the void. Then, with a flick of his wrist to the left and a flick to the right, the two figures that had been pressed down slowly rose from the ground. Soon after, the master's horn, the master's knife, and the master's whip fell. The sorcerer finished, and together they bowed in gratitude to Lord Sa. They were no longer alive.
Meanwhile, the evil spirit, having recovered its strength, returned to its true nature. Overwhelmed with shame and remorse, it quickly combed its hair, put on a hat, clothes, and shoes and socks, and also came to bow in gratitude to Lord Sa, saying, "Many thanks to you for saving my life, sir." Lord Sa said, "Your calamity was inevitable. But since the evil spirit received protection from him in the past, you must not neglect his offerings from now on." The man accepted the promise and withdrew. His parents, grateful for Lord Sa's kindness, prepared a silver gift to express their gratitude. Lord Sa refused it, but said, "Those four sorcerers suffered greatly for your family's sake; thanking them is enough." His parents followed Lord Sa's advice and presented the gift. Sa Jun then bid farewell to the family and went directly to Guangxin Prefecture to see the Celestial Master. Let's see what happens next.
Chapter Five: Arriving at Shangqing to See Celestial Master Zhang, Examining Talismans and Reporting Names to the True Man.
Now, having subdued the demon, Lord Sa traveled leisurely to Longhu Mountain in Guixi, Guangxin Prefecture, Jiangxi Province. This Longhu Mountain was indeed a blessed land. There, one could see:
the mountain range stretched endlessly, its peaks and valleys winding and meandering. To the left, a serene green dragon stretched, to the right, a majestic white tiger coiled. Auspicious clouds rose from the mountain, and shimmering mists clung before the caves. Ancient pines stood tall and verdant, and bamboos flourished with sturdy, upright branches. Flying and dancing were the vibrant purple orioles; calling and wailing were the proud white cranes. Fragrant and delicate were the exotic flowers; soft and tender were the lush, verdant grasses. There were thirty-six palaces, each burning fragrant musk and ambergris; and seventy-two temples, each playing the mournful sounds of phoenix flutes and ivory pipes. A poem testifies to this: "
Clouds embrace the fragrant chambers, saturated with worldly airs; rare flowers and jade herbs bloom in all four seasons. A hut
built high, untouched by human hands; at midnight, a new phoenix perches on green bamboo."
The scenery of Shangqing Palace will not be mentioned now. Mr. Sa, carrying a letter from the Taoist Jing, went directly to pay his respects at the Celestial Master's Mansion. He found the scenery of the Celestial Master's Mansion exceptionally beautiful. Outside the gate flowed several clear, deep rivers, like ribbons formed by the earth; beyond the rivers rose several layers of magnificent mountains, rugged and towering, a picture painted by nature. The vermilion towers stood tall, reaching into the clouds; the painted pavilions, shimmering and bright, seemed to divide the sun and moon equally. Mr. Sa entered through the main gate, where a couplet read: "
Immortal guests in the Qilin Hall; the prime minister's home in the Dragon and Tiger Mountains."
Sa Jun entered through the first gate and then the second. Above the second gate was a couplet: "
Red clouds embrace the returning white crane; this very place is a celestial abode." "
Jade herbs and rare flowers sprout; where else can one seek Penglai on the sea?"
Having entered this gate, Sa Jun ascended several steps and arrived at the Celestial Master's hall. Upon seeing the Celestial Master, he kowtowed and said, "This humble Taoist comes from Western Shu. On the way, I met a Taoist named Jing, who said he had a past relationship with the True Man and sent me a letter. I humbly request that you accept it." The Celestial Master ordered the attendant to take the letter and told Sa Jun to step aside in the corridor. Upon opening the letter, he saw that it was his father Xu Jing's handwriting and burst into tears, unknowingly disturbing his mother, Yuan Jun. Yuanjun hurriedly came out and asked, "My son, why are you weeping so bitterly?" The Celestial Master then handed Yuanjun the book her father had written. Yuanjun exclaimed in surprise, "This is your father's handwriting!" She also burst into tears and then asked the Celestial Master, "Where did you get this book?" The Celestial Master replied, "A Taoist priest just sent it to me." Yuanjun asked, "Where is the Taoist priest now?" The Celestial Master said, "He is currently hiding under the eaves." He then ordered someone to call him out and ask him.
When Sajun saw Yuanjun, he immediately prostrated himself on the ground. Yuanjun asked, "Where did you obtain this letter?" Sa Jun replied, "I am a native of Xihe in Shu. I admire the lofty character of Celestial Master Xujing, and also admire the Taoist arts of the three immortals: Wang Fangping of Jianchang, and Ge Xianweng of Jiangzhou. I have come from afar to pay my respects. Upon arriving at the Gorge Pavilion, I met three Taoists: one was Taoist Jing, one was Taoist Ping, and one was Taoist Weng. They told me that Celestial Master Xujing and the two immortals, Wang and Ge, had all died, and that each of the three immortals had passed on their magical arts to me. This letter was sent by Taoist Jing." Yuanjun said, "According to what you have said, Taoist Ping is Wang Fangping, Taoist Weng is Ge Xianweng, and Taoist Jing is Celestial Master Xujing."
Upon hearing this, Sa Jun was astonished and exclaimed, "Indeed, indeed! If they were not the three immortals, how could I have received these arts, able to summon jujubes, revive the dead, and expel evil?" Yuanjun then said to the Celestial Master, "Let's see what your father wrote in his letter." The Celestial Master read it carefully, and the letter read: "
Father, you know this, my son." My body has dissolved, and I roam the Jade Capital; I am not dead. You and your mother need not grieve. You have inherited the seal of the Celestial Master; you must fulfill your duties, uphold the immortal traditions of your ancestors, and not let the teachings fall into disrepair. This is my deepest hope. Strive on, strive on! Lord Sa of the Western Shu River has come to pay homage to me from afar. I, along with the two immortals Wang Fangping and Ge Xianweng, have each bestowed upon him a method. You should then have him wear the Precious Record and present his name as a True Person, so that his methods may be further illustrious—this is the glory of the immortal lineage. You may give him one of the precious swords I left behind. There are no other words in this letter; please understand, my son.
After reading his father's letter, the Celestial Master said to the Primordial Lady, "Since your father has commanded you to present Lord Sa's name as a True Person, you may obey." The Celestial Master said to the Primordial Lady, "I dare not disobey." The Primordial Lady then returned to the Incense Pavilion, and Lord Sa bowed in thanks. But that is another story.
Now, regarding the Celestial Master's presentation of the name, Lord Sa was led to the Hall of the Three Pure Ones. What are the "Three Pure Ones"? These are the "Shangqing Zhenjing Lingbao Tianzun," the "Yuqing Shengjing Yuanshi Tianzun," and the "Taiqing Xianjing Daode Tianzun." These three Pure Ones are the ancestors of Taoism, hence the Shangqing Palace has a hall dedicated to them.
When the Celestial Master arrived at the Hall of the Three Pure Ones, he ordered all the Taoist officials—the Instructor, the Furnace Master, the Bell Master, the Confessor, the Letter Writer, the Music Player, and a group of Taoist priests—to burn fragrant incense, light blazing candles, ignite dazzling lamps, beat the tinkling drums, strike the resounding bells, play the melodious flutes, and appreciate the delicate sounds of the sheng. He also struck the golden bell, struck the jade chime, and played the cloud zither.
The Celestial Master donned his ceremonial robes and crown, holding an ivory tablet, and performed some rituals, chanting: "The Taiji divides into high and low, light and pure ascending to Heaven. If one can cultivate the Dao, one becomes a true immortal. One's practice increases by three thousand times, and one's life lasts for tens of thousands of years. The elixir platform opens with a precious lotus, and the golden words leave their legacy." He then reported: "Your subject, Zhang Daoling's great-grandson, the Celestial Master, humbly and fearfully bows his head. I humbly submit this memorial to the Prefect of Sa of Xihe County, Western Shu, requesting that he present the precious record, proclaiming the name of the True Man, so that his virtuous lineage may flourish and his Dao may spread to the immortal lineage. Your subject is overwhelmed with trepidation, gazing upon Heaven and revering the Holy One. I respectfully submit this memorial." After the Celestial Master finished speaking, he burned the precious record. The record,
written entirely in jade characters, was like a phoenix dancing, its incense and ink condensing into purple clouds.
As it burned, a wisp of smoke flickered, forming the two large characters "True Man," which floated upwards to the Heavenly Palace. At that moment, the Prefect of Sa bowed again, looking up with boundless joy. After the Celestial Master finished announcing his name, he removed his robes and crown and returned to his residence. Master Sa bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
Now, having announced his name as a True Person, Master Sa wished to return to Sichuan and bid farewell to the Celestial Master. The Celestial Master, reluctant to part so soon, prepared a farewell feast for True Person Sa. What delicacies were laid out at the feast? Pure and clean immortal peaches, clear green immortal wine, bright red immortal peaches, smooth and slippery immortal tangerines, and perfectly round immortal dates. Also laid out were fragrant delicacies of the Eight Treasures and exquisite soup of the Seven Treasures. Truly, leopard fetus, bear paw, and purple camel hump were all deliciously stir-fried, while eagle breast, orangutan lips, and golden carp tails were all rare and exotic. Celestial Master Zhang acted as host, and True Person Sa as guest. The virtuous host and honored guest toasted each other, drinking until the moon rose above the phoenix tree and the water clock dripped away.
Before long, dawn broke. True Person Sa then took his leave of the Celestial Master and returned home. At that time, the Celestial Master, obeying his father's command, took another precious sword and gave it to Master Sa, saying, "This sword can slay evil and protect the Dharma; cherish it." Master Sa then bowed and accepted it. The Celestial Master, deeply attached to the Master, was reluctant to part, and again carried him in a sedan chair to the eastern suburbs. Before departing, he spontaneously composed a poem: "
You came from Sichuan, and now you return to Sichuan.
White clouds drift to the horizon; where are you now?"
Master Sa, moved by the Celestial Master's affection, was also reluctant to part and composed a poem: "
Eight thousand miles from the Jade Capital, I arrived with boundless joy.
Today we meet and part again; the azure clouds and verdant trees evoke deep feelings.
" After exchanging poems, Celestial Master Zhang and Master Sa bowed and parted. Celestial Master Zhang returned to his residence, while Master Sa boarded the post road; these details are omitted here. But what evil spirit Master Sa encountered on the road that became his adversary? Let us see what happens next.
Chapter Six: Wang E Subdues the Monkey and Horse Spirits, the Immortal Annihilates the Children Through Sacrifice.
Now, in Xiangyin, Hengzhou Prefecture, south of the South Mountain lived a wild monkey spirit, and north of the North Mountain lived a wild horse spirit. What was the monkey spirit like? It had:
gleaming eyes,
a body covered in tangled fur, lively hands, and a supple waist. It
moved lightly around trees and swiftly across the mountains.
Cunning like Sun Wukong, a majestic beast among demons.
And what was the wild horse spirit like? It had:
a soft, swaying tail and a mane that flowed freely.
Lively as a ten-foot-long black crow, swift as the wind.
Faster than Red Hare, more majestic than the Black Dragon.
A fearsome demon beast, powerful enough to bully even the bear.
These two spirits, the wild monkey and the wild horse, one ruling the southern mountain and the other the northern mountain, were both highly skilled and possessed supernatural powers. Which deer, elk, fox, or fawn wouldn't tremble and call them "Great King" upon seeing them? Even the tiger, known as the Mountain Lord, would bow respectfully before these two spirits, calling itself a junior. When these spirits unleashed their supernatural powers, they released eerie winds and exhaled strange breaths, darkening the sky and plunging the earth into darkness. Anyone who stood in their way would immediately become dizzy and disoriented, as if under anesthesia, their bones limp and unable to move. Some were dragged away by the wild monkey spirit, others carried away by the wild horse spirit. Every day, the wild monkey spirit would drag away one or two, or the wild horse spirit would carry away three or four.
The people of that village were filled with grief: fathers who had lost their sons wept for their sons; wives who had lost their husbands wept for their husbands; brothers who had lost their brothers wept for their brothers; brothers who had lost their brothers wept for their brothers; their cries of sorrow echoed throughout heaven and earth. Whenever people gathered, they would say that their son had been dragged away by a monkey spirit, or that their father had been carried away by a horse spirit; they would say that their brother had been dragged away by a monkey spirit, or that their elder brother had been carried away by a horse spirit. This is truly a case of:
"Don't talk to another sorrowful person, for talking about sorrow is enough to kill."
There once lived a man named Wang E, a local resident, known for his fierce nature and extraordinary strength. One night, while traveling through a valley, he saw a flame rise up. Wang E shouted loudly, and the fire was extinguished. He remembered the spot, and the next day, carrying a hoe, he dug there and found a pit of pure iron, weighing over a hundred pounds. Wang E took it home, summoned several blacksmiths, set up several furnaces, and used several hundred pounds of charcoal to forge an iron whip. It exuded
a murderous aura and gleamed with a cold light. Forged in the fire of a furnace, it was neither pure nor martial; molded from the earth, it was neither gold nor silver. The whip, with its angular edges, is like a vessel of moderate size, crafted with exquisite skill, resembling the joints of bamboo, neither too sparse nor too dense. When wielded, it forms a snake of moderate weight, a three-foot-long whip of moderate length. This whip is comparable to the one Hu Jingde used to beat Zhang Shigui. This whip is also comparable to the one Zhao Xuantan used to subdue demons.
Now, Wang E, having had this whip forged by craftsmen, heard of the monsters in Xiangyin that devoured countless people. He then declared to the people, "In the past, Zhou Chu was just an ordinary man, yet he slew the dragon in the waters of Yixing and killed the white-browed tiger of Nanshan. Now, the spirit of the wild monkeys of Xiangyin is only comparable to the dragon in the waters of Yixing; the spirit of the wild horses is only comparable to the white-browed tiger of Nanshan. Zhou Chu has a sword, I have a whip; tomorrow I will surely eliminate these two scourges!"
Upon hearing Wang E's words, some tried to dissuade him, while others urged him to go. Those who tried to stop him said, "That monster's breath can darken the sky and plunging the earth. If you go and provoke it, aren't you just asking for death?" Others, trying to provoke him, said, "You're a brave and valiant man, surely you're not afraid of a monkey or a horse spirit? If you don't go, you're not a true hero."
Wang E, easily provoked, spewed fire from his mouth and smoke from his nose. He donned a short shirt, a short skirt, and tight stockings, his head wrapped tightly, his belt fastened securely, and grabbed a steel whip. He headed straight for Xiangyin, intending to first eliminate the monkey spirit south of Nanshan. Fearing the monkey spirit wouldn't come out, he disguised himself as a woodcutter and sang to himself: "
I recognize the old forest amidst the clouds, but the path is hard to find on the cliffside over the fragrant grass.
I see the morning rain on the western mountain, and the crossing at the southern stream is increasingly deep."
The monkey demon, hearing the song from inside the cave, was contemplating dragging the monkey inside, skinning and dismembering it, and feeding it to the monkeys and their offspring. As he emerged, he unexpectedly bumped into his nemesis. There stood Wang E, wielding a steel whip, his eyes gleaming like a Hui Muslim's, his beard thick like steel needles, his face dark like a thunder god's, and his stature like a celestial being. The demon was terrified, but then thought, "I release my demonic energy, darkening the sky and plunging the earth, devouring countless people; what do I care about him?" He retrieved a weapon from the cave, and in a moment, exhaled a burst of demonic energy and rushed out.
Wang E, however, deftly deflected the demonic energy and struck the monkey demon with his steel whip. The monkey demon, wielding an iron cudgel, countered with his own skills. One used the steel whip for martial arts, the other the iron cudgel for supernatural powers, and they fought for several rounds. Wang E was strong and powerful. He deliberately feigned an opening, and the monkey spirit struck down with its staff. Wang E parried with his steel whip, then flicked the monkey spirit with the tip, causing it to flee in defeat. Wang E caught up with it at the cave entrance and struck it with his whip, killing the wild monkey spirit instantly. He then went back into the cave and whipped away the monkeys and their offspring one by one, leaving them all in ruins.
After eliminating the monkey spirit, Wang E went to the north of the North Mountain to deal with the horse spirit. After waiting for a long time, the horse spirit did not emerge. Wang E then pretended to be a shepherd boy and sang: "
I do not covet fame and fortune to enter the palace, I lie on the lush grass in the setting sun.
I rise and find no yellow calf, I search by the fallen flowers and flowing water.
" The horse spirit heard a shepherd boy singing outside the cave and thought to himself, "This is a death wish, refusing to go to heaven, but crashing into the gates of hell." He was about to come out and carry him into the cave to be a snack for the horse and its offspring. Just as he stepped out, he unexpectedly encountered this evil Wang E, who wielded a steel whip, his eyes gleaming like an owl, his face dark like a barbarian, and his voice booming like Zhang Fei's roar that broke the Ba Ling Bridge. The demon was indeed afraid. He thought, "I'll release a breath of demonic energy, making his bones ache and his eyes dizzy. What's there to be afraid of?" So he unleashed his demonic energy and leaped forward.
What a Wang E! Despite the demonic energy, he didn't feel dizzy or his bones ache, and raised his steel whip to strike the horse demon. What a horse demon! With great effort, he leaped two or three zhang high, pouncing down to bite Wang E, then leaped again, two or three zhang high, pouncing down to kick him. He leaped like this four or three times, but Wang E's steel whip struck him from the left and right.
The horse spirit, unable to withstand the attack, was whipped by Wang E. The horse spirit hurriedly fled, but Wang E followed closely, chasing it to the cave entrance. The horse spirit, not expecting Wang E's approach, failed to dodge and was finished off with another powerful whip.
Wang E then entered the cave and beat all the other horses and their offspring until their skin was broken, their souls scattered, leaving nothing behind. After eliminating these two monsters, the villagers came to see that south of the South Mountain, in the monkey spirit's cave, there were piles of withered bones; north of the North Mountain, in the horse spirit's cave, there were stacks of withered bones—a sight that chilled them to the bone. Although Wang E had subdued the two spirits, he was both overwhelmed by their demonic energy and had overexerted himself, and soon died. The villagers all said, "Such a hero, what a pity, what a pity!" So they prepared clothes and a coffin and buried Wang E. But that is another story.
The City God of Xiangyin County, believing that Wang E had died saving the villagers from a scourge, considered him a martyr in life and a valiant god in death, and thus reported this to the Prefectural City God. The Prefectural City God then reported to the Provincial City God, who in turn reported to the Jade Emperor, who decreed that Wang E become a deity of Xiangyin, receiving offerings annually. Having received the Jade Emperor's decree, Wang E obeyed the local customs and manifested his divine power. The residents of Xiangyin built a grand temple to worship him, naming it "Guangfu Temple," and his deity "King Guangfu." Every year on the third day of the fourth lunar month, the anniversary of Wang E's death, the villagers would slaughter pigs, sheep, chickens, and geese, arranging the offerings neatly. On
the day of the sacrifice, the temple would be filled with thousands of men and women, burning countless loads of incense and countless boatloads of paper money. Little did they know that this deity, a wicked man in life, would also become a wicked god in death. One year, as the sacrificial ceremony approached, the deity suddenly spoke, saying, "My fellow villagers, I have rendered service to your region. By the Jade Emperor's decree, I am ordered to offer sacrifices to this land. Every year we only eat pigs, sheep, chickens, and geese, but the taste is never good. This year, for the sacrificial ceremony, you must eat those young boys and girls."
Hearing this, the villagers trembled. Among them were some spirited individuals who knelt before the temple and said, "Your Highness, you are a god of blessings, protecting this land. How can you harm other people's young boys and girls?" The deity, hearing this, was enraged and said, "You residents, you disobey the divine will! How despicable! How despicable!" In an instant, a great wind arose, so fierce it howled
, destroying forests and causing birds to lose their nests. A somber atmosphere
descended upon the mountains, and waves surged high on the river. Willows at Zhangtai were
broken, and thatched huts were overturned.
Boats rocked and swayed, and countless travelers' souls were consumed by despair.
After the wind passed, another downpour began, and the rain was heavy:
at midday, a sudden clap of thunder startled everyone.
Thick clouds gathered from the ground, and the torrential rain poured down from the sky. It was
like a waterfall cascading down like the Milky Way, or a basin overflowing the city of Baidi.
The flat plains and fields suddenly transformed into the Han River.
The rain had stopped, but then came a hailstorm. The hail was fierce:
at first, it seemed like a lizard's spit, then suddenly, like something hidden in the shadows.
It stirred the sea and overturned rivers with the force of a collapsing mountain and splitting rocks.
Small, hard-edged silver bullets, their light brighter than crystal. Don't
say it was a strange occurrence from heaven; it was also a punishment from the spirits.
This evil god's wind was not wind at all. Other winds only blow leaves and sweep flowers, even the strongest only break trees, uproot shrubs, and scatter sand. Only this wind could roll stones into the water and blow people into the sky. And the rain was not rain at all. Previous rains only washed away dust and broke pieces, even the strongest only shattered banana leaves and drenched peach blossoms. Never had I seen such a heavy rain, its force like the Milky Way pouring down, its speed like a tidal wave crashing over the sea. And the hail was not hail at all. In the past, the hailstones were only the size of beans or grains of rice, the largest being the size of cherries from the imperial garden or plums from the eastern country. They were nowhere to be as large as a bushel, as hard as stone, or weighing five or six pounds each.
But look at this wicked god! Just because he had a mouth to argue about, he caused wind and rain, rain and hail, leaving that large village without a single tree, a single clump of grain, or a single tile. Not a single goose or duck in the pond was killed, not a single bird on the mountain was killed, seven out of ten travelers on the road were injured, and nine out of ten cattle and sheep in the suburbs were killed. When the rain and hail stopped, the evil wicked god asked again, "Fellow villagers, may you offer young boys and girls as sacrifices to me?" Seeing this, the villagers had no choice but to admit they were willing to offer young boys and girls as sacrifices. Only then did the wicked god calm down.
Now, in Guangfu Temple Village, there were ten bao (villages). These ten bao of villagers, because of the need to offer young boys and girls, the first bao recommended the second bao to offer sacrifices first, and the second bao recommended the third bao to offer sacrifices first. After much back and forth, they had no choice but to draw lots to decide the winner, and the first person to participate in the sacrificial ceremony was chosen. The head of the first person to participate asked the landlord for a boy, but the landlord said, "My precious son, how could I bear to part with him?" He asked the landlord to the west for a girl, but the landlord said, "My lovely daughter, how could I bear to part with her?"
The landlords were at a loss. It was the first day of the fourth month, and the sacrificial ceremony was approaching. They wanted to buy a girl elsewhere, but they were afraid of missing the ceremony. There happened to be a man named Liu Duan, who was very wealthy and had over fifty or sixty maids and seventy or eighty servants. Liu Duan was a heartless man; he wouldn't marry his servants to his maids, nor would he marry his maids to his servants. Girls, around twelve or thirteen years old, have awakened their desires and know how to play the pipa. Among them was a servant who was exceptionally clever and quick-witted; and a maid who was exceptionally beautiful and charming. The maid would flirt with the servant, and the servant would be captivated by her. The two went to that secluded spot to do their thing. In the midst of their pleasure, the maid hugged the servant and cried, "My darling brother, you're making me so happy!" The servant also hugged the maid and cried, "My darling sister, you're making me so relaxed!"
The two of them, each calling the other their "darling," were whispering and babbling, not realizing that "walls have ears, and windows are always open to the world." Liu Duan went to the spot, heard everything clearly, and shouted loudly. It turned out to be a maid and a servant, completely naked, engaging in adultery. Liu Duan had his servants bring the maid and servant to the front of the hall and said, "You two are committing adultery; according to family law, you should be beaten to death." The maid and servant begged for mercy repeatedly, and Liu Duan said, "Very well, the Guangfu Temple is holding a virgin boy and girl sacrifice ceremony now; why not sacrifice you two to the Guangfu King?"
Liu Duan's suggestion was significant; soon, the heads of the sacrificial ceremonies came to Liu Duan's house in twos and threes to demand them. The maid and servant bathed in fragrant water, and at dawn the next day, they were taken to the temple for a sacrificial offering. Offerings of pigs, sheep, and wine were still laid out, and two trays held young boys and girls. Normally, this deity required all the households of the ten bao (a local community) to line up and kneel in worship for the sacrificial offerings. But because of the young boys
and girls, everyone else was dismissed, and only one or two households were allowed to offer wine in the temple. The households said that the deity had taken the souls of the young boys and girls, so there was no reason for them to eat. After offering two or three cups of wine, the deity, refusing to eat pigs, sheep, chickens, or geese, only ate people. It devoured the young boys and girls alive, except for their hair, toes, bones, and skin. The one or two households offering wine were terrified.
This first year's offering was not a big deal, but it became a regular practice. Every year on the third day of the fourth lunar month, a young boy and girl were to be sacrificed. The second round of offerings was for the third, the third for the fourth, and the fourth for the fifth. Previously, the boys and girls used in the second offering were bought from elsewhere, but for the third and fourth offerings, the children had to be the families' own; those bought were forbidden. This is not the saying: "Without this precedent, this precedent cannot be established; with this precedent, this precedent cannot be abolished." Rather, it is: "With this precedent, it cannot be established; without this precedent, it cannot be abolished."
Now, Master Sa, returning from the Shangqing Palace, passed through this area and saw a house at the head of the road with a banner hanging outside its gate. Inside, candles flickered and incense smoke filled the air, accompanied by loud music. Master Sa thought to himself, "This must be a religious ceremony." He went over to see what kind of devotees they were. Suddenly, an old man saw Master Sa and hurriedly greeted him, inviting him to the tea room. After the greetings, the old man turned a chair around for Master Sa to sit on, while he himself sat down. The Master asked, "Old sir, what is your honorable name?" The old man replied, "My humble name is Gao Biao." The Master asked, "How many brothers do you have?" The old man replied, "I only have one younger brother named Jie." The Master then asked, "Is the vegetarian feast you are holding today a Qingmiao vegetarian feast or a Baoan ritual?" Gao Biao replied, "Today we are holding a vegetarian feast to prepare for the deceased." The Master said, "A vegetarian feast is a vegetarian feast, and a vegetarian feast for the deceased is a vegetarian feast for the deceased. What do you mean by 'preparing for the deceased'?"
The old man bowed and said, "Sir, you have just come from out of town. Have you seen that towering temple?" The Master said, "I have seen it, but I have not yet been there." The old man said, "That temple is called Guangfu Temple. There is a Great King of Inspiration named Guangfu. Years ago, he captured a monkey spirit and a horse spirit here. The God of Heaven ordered him to offer sacrifices to this land, hence the name Great King of Inspiration." The Master said, "May I ask you, old sir, what is meant by 'inspiration'?" The old man suddenly burst into tears and said, "Sir, that Great King 'responds to the needs of the people and builds temples'..." "His divine power protects the people for thousands of miles. Every year, sweet dew is bestowed upon the village, and auspicious clouds descend upon the town."
The Master said, "Bestowing sweet dew and auspicious clouds is a good intention, yet you are so distressed and troubled. Why?" The old man stamped his feet and beat his chest, crying out, "Sir! Though there is much kindness, there is still resentment; though there is compassion, it still hurts. It is because he demands children, which is not to show the righteousness of the god."
The Master said, "Does the god eat children?" The old man said, "Exactly. Every year, a child is required for the sacrifice..." A young girl, along with sacrificial offerings of pigs and sheep, were offered to him. He ate them all and ensured good weather and abundant harvests. If we did not offer sacrifices, he would bring disaster and calamity. This year, it was our turn to offer sacrifices. The Master asked, "How many sons do you have, sir?"
Old Gao pounded his chest and said, "Poor thing, poor thing. What do you mean by 'sons'? It's shameful. I am sixty-three years old this year, and my younger brother is fifty-nine. We both have difficulty raising children. I took a concubine when I was fifty, and she gave birth to a daughter who is only eight years old this year. We named her 'One-Scale Gold'." The Master asked, "What is meant by 'One Weigh of Gold'?" The old man replied, "Because my children suffered hardship, I repaired bridges and roads, built temples and pagodas, and gave alms to monks. I kept an account book. When my daughter was born, I had over thirty catties of gold. Thirty catties make one weighing, hence the name 'One Weigh of Gold.' My younger brother has a son who is also born out of wedlock. He is seven years old this year and we named him 'Gao Guanbao.'" The Master asked, "What is the meaning behind this name?"
The old man said, "We worship Guan Yu, and because we prayed for this son under Guan Yu's patronage, we named him 'Guanbao.' Unexpectedly, this year is our family's turn for the sacrificial ceremony, and we dare not fail to offer sacrifices. Therefore, the bond between blood relatives is hard to sever, so we first..." " My daughter and nephews are holding a ritual for the deceased to be reborn in a better realm, hence the saying 'preparing for the funeral feast.
' This is it." Upon hearing this, the Master couldn't stop the tears from streaming down his face and said, "Old man, you have no sons, only a daughter, and your brother has only a son. How can you bear to sacrifice them alive?" The old man said, "This is out of necessity." The Master said, "Can a purchased one replace it?" The old man said, "This deity, when we first offered sacrifices, he would accept those we bought, but now he only wants his own children, not those we bought." The Master said, "Bring your daughter out and let her see."
Gao Biao hurriedly went inside and dragged out a gold coin, then immediately had Gao Jie bring out Guan Bao and placed her in front of the hall. The child, unaware of life or death, clutched two sleeves of fruit, shivering and chewing, (instantly) collapsed into Gao's arms, calling out "Father." Gao's brother, seeing this, couldn't help but cry and said, "My son, you are my son now, tomorrow you will be a dish at Guangfu." Then he burst into tears.
Master Sa felt a pang of compassion and said, "Old man, there's no need to weep. These two children..." Old Gao asked, "How can you save them, sir?" The man replied, "I am from Xihe in Sichuan, named Sa Shoujian. I cultivate the Dao and have been taught three Daoist techniques by three immortal masters: Zhang Xujing, Wang Fangping, and Ge Xianweng. If I use this thunder magic, this deity can be eliminated, and it will be unable to eat your children." Old Gao said, "If it's not good, it's good; if it's bad, it's bad." The Master said, "I will ensure you have good fortune and no misfortune, or misfortune and no fortune." He then instructed Old Gao and his brother to take the two children inside and not to send them back the next morning. Master Sa went alone to the Guangfu Temple.
What happened next is unknown; let's see what happens next.
Chapter Seven: The Master Burns Down the Guangfu Temple; The City God Orders Wang E to Investigate.
Master Sa went straight to the Guangfu Temple and saw the temple's residents striking bells and drums, with incense, flowers, and candles arranged neatly. The deity then spoke again, asking, "Today is a sacrificial ceremony at Gao Biao's house, why haven't the offerings arrived yet?" The villagers replied, "Gao Biao's family must have prepared a lavish offering, hence the delay." The deity then asked, "Are the boy and girl Gao Guanbao and Yichengjin?" The villagers replied, "Your Majesty's power is divine, we would never dare to change them." The deity said, "In that case, those two tender ones are quite suitable."
Before he finished speaking, Master Sa stood outside the temple gate, using the Three Platforms Cover on his head and the Eight Trigrams for protection. His feet were firmly planted, forming the Big Dipper's energy, and his hands held the Separation of Fire Heavenly Venerable Overcoming the Southern Dipper. He then unleashed the Five Directions of Savage Thunder, and also summoned Heavenly Fire, Earthly Fire, Thunder Fire, Lightning Fire, and the Three True Fires of the Sun, and blew a gust of wind. Thunder roared, fire raged, and wind howled, turning the Guangfu Temple a fiery red.
Flames rose from the beams, flames blazed on the pillars, the flames scorched the heavens and earth, and the blazing fire illuminated the mountains and rivers. At first, only the sweet scent of sandalwood filled the air, but now the deafening gongs and drums are gone. It's as if Xianyang was first destroyed, as if the temple is ablaze. The bell's knob is burned off, the incense burner's string shatters. The bonfire turns to flames, the divination sticks to smoke. The judges can no longer hold their pens, the little devils dare not raise their fists. The King of Guangfu is charred and disfigured, the local deities are burned and their faces and shoulders are torn off. The blessed households flee in terror, the temple master cries out in agony. Truly, all for the sake of children, the living gods are enraged. They unleash merciless fire, how ruthless!
Meanwhile, the Guangfu Temple is engulfed in flames. Those with sons carry their sons away, those with brothers flee with their brothers. At this moment, who cares about temples anymore? The temple lord, in his haste, went to the east to retrieve a piece of clothing, to the west to retrieve a pair of shoes, to the kitchen to retrieve rice pots, steamers, spoons, chopsticks, bowls, and plates, and to the bedroom
to retrieve straw mats, straw cushions, and cotton sheets. In his panic, he paid no heed to any mention of the Bodhisattva. This Bodhisattva, though carved from wood and bamboo, possessed some spiritual power. Seeing the fire approaching, he leaped out of the temple gate. Looking closer, he saw a Taoist priest standing before the temple, wielding thunder and fire. This enraged the priest, who, "anger rose from his heart, and evil arose in his gall," raised his steel whip and lashed it at the sky. The Taoist priest, seeing the priest's hostile intentions, brandished the precious sword bestowed upon him by Zhang Tianshi, blocking the whip. When the whip struck from the left, the sword blocked from the left; when the whip struck from the right, the sword parried from the right; when the whip struck from above, the sword parried from above; when the whip struck from below, the sword parried from below.
The deity was helpless and was about to summon his soldiers to help him when the True Man unleashed his palm lightning, striking him head-on and burning him with the flames in his hand. How could the deity withstand this? So he asked the local earth god in the temple, "Who is this person? Who destroyed my sacrifices and burned down my temple?" The earth god replied, "I just visited Gao Biao's house, and the Gao family's earth god told me, 'In Xihe, Sichuan, there is a man named Sa Shoujian who possessed the magic of three immortals: Zhang Xujing, Wang Fangping, and Ge Xianweng. He also received a precious sword bestowed by Zhang Tianshi. This sword flies about, slaying heavenly gods above and earthly demons below.' The one who set fire to the temple and destroyed the sacrifices of young boys and girls today is this very man."
Upon hearing this, the god sighed silently, "If this person has such abilities, what can I do to him? But I was able to offer sacrifices to the King of Guangxiang in this land on the recommendation of the City God of Huguang Province. I should go and see the City God to find out what to do." So he rode a cloud and went directly to Huguang Province. In a temple stood a deity, wearing a black turban, a crimson robe, a gold belt, and carrying an ivory tablet. He was handsome, with clear features, white teeth, red lips, a powdered face, and a three-pronged beard. To his left stood judges, and to his right, lesser demons, all exuding an imposing and menacing aura.
When King Guangfu arrived, he saw a local earth god before the temple and asked, "Is this the City God?" The earth god replied, "Indeed." King Guangfu asked, "What is this City God's name?" The earth god said, "Don't you know his origins? His name is Ji Xin. He served Emperor Gaozu of Han loyally to the death. After Emperor Gaozu gained the throne, he appointed him City God." King Guangfu said, "There are many City Gods in the world; surely not all of them are surnamed Ji?" The earth god replied, "There are thirteen..." "Which province, prefecture, state, or county doesn't have a City God surnamed Ji? Even if the Eastern Yi, Western Rong, Southern Man, and Northern Di built cities and established temples, their City Gods would all be surnamed Ji!" King Guangfu asked. "Why is this City God so exceptionally majestic?" The local deity replied, "This City God is the ruler of a province. A City God in a province is more majestic than a City God in a prefecture, a City God in a prefecture is more majestic than a City God in a state, and a City God in a state is more majestic than a City God in a county."
The origins of this City God will not be discussed here. King Guangfu entered the temple and met with the City God. Because of their high rank, he knelt in respect. After the worship, the City God asked, "What kind of deity are you?" King Guangfu replied, "This humble deity's surname is Wang, and given name is E. Years ago, in Xiangyin, I subdued two spirits, a monkey and a horse. The City God of Xiangyin reported this to you, and you recommended me before the Jade Emperor, who decreed that I should offer sacrifices there. Unexpectedly, a man named Sa Shoujian from Xihe in Shu burned down my temple and destroyed my sacrifices. Now, we are destitute, without a roof over our heads. We beg your mercy, Your Majesty." The City God said, "Since it is this Sa Shoujian, I hear he has received the Daoist teachings of three immortals: Zhang Xujing, Wang Fangping, and Ge Xianweng. Now he is a True Man, possessing great supernatural powers and boundless magic. How can you possibly subdue him?" "What? I'm only speaking to you today out of boredom. Why don't you follow him for twelve years, and when he commits a crime, I'll allow you to whip him to death to avenge your past grievances, and I'll report this to the Jade Emperor. If he's innocent, and you dare to whip him without permission, you will be punished."
King Guangfu secretly rejoiced, saying, "Sa Shoujian, Sa Shoujian, don't say twelve years, I'll avenge you in twelve hours. If I can't avenge you in twelve hours, I'll avenge you in twelve days. If I can't avenge you in twelve days, I'll definitely avenge you in twelve months, it definitely won't take twelve years." The City God saw that King E was so happy, and fearing that he might use his personal grudge to harm the True Man, he sent an envoy from his department to accompany King E as a magistrate. If Sa Shoujian committed a crime, King E was allowed to whip him; if he was innocent, he was not allowed to avenge his past grievances. King E agreed and went, and the envoy also agreed to go with him. But that's another story.
Now, let's talk about how True Man Sa burned down the Guangfu Temple and went to Gao Biao's house. The Gao brothers, grateful that he had saved their two children, prepared a lavish feast to thank the Master. They slaughtered a newborn pig, a soft-wool sheep, a rooster that crowed at dawn, a red-footed goose, and a mallard duck, and caught several shimmering fish, arranging them neatly.
As soon as Master Sa arrived at their house, he asked, "What is the purpose of this feast?" The Gao brothers replied, "Thanks to your magical power, Master, my daughter and nephew were saved. This feast is a small token of our gratitude." The Master was greatly surprised and said, "To have killed so many lives for me alone is my sin." He then clasped his hands in repentance and continuously recited the scriptures for dispelling calamities and atonement. Then he said to Old Gao, "I am a monk, abstaining from alcohol and meat. Please accept this lavish feast."
The Gao brothers were taken aback and said, "Since you are a vegetarian, our humble abode has nothing to offer." The Taoist said, "No need. I must take my leave." Old Gao said, "The King of Guangfu burned down the temple. If you leave, what will he do to my house? It would be best if you stayed here for a year or two." The Taoist said, "That deity has been destroyed by me. How dare he come back to cause trouble? You can rest assured." The Gao brothers repeatedly urged him to stay, and the Taoist had no choice but to stay for a month or two. Since this Taoist was a vegetarian, the Gao brothers ordered a servant to prepare vegetarian fruits and dishes.
It was April, and besides loquats, plums, apricots, and cherries, there weren't many other fruits in the garden. Only at home were there fresh oranges, sweet sugarcane, round and clean chestnuts, and pristine gourds. With these fruits, they gathered celery from the southern stream, dug up bamboo shoots from the western garden, searched for wood ear mushrooms on the eastern mountain, and foraged for wild rice on the northern mountain. They also cooked fragrant spring rice, brewed delicate early spring tea, opened a glass of clear Jinhua wine, and cooked smooth and slippery jade-like soup. They had the servants set out these vegetables, fruits, and dishes on the table, while their cousins went to the guest room to invite the master for lunch. The Master said, “I am deeply grateful for your kindness, sir. However, I have been taught the magic of the Immortal Master Ge Xianweng, which involves incantating dates. Incantating three dates is enough for one meal, and incantating nine dates is enough for one day. I have no need for fruits, vegetables, or soups.” Old Gao said, “According to you, sir, you can fast completely.” Then he asked, “What is meant by incantating dates?” The Master said, “Just recite the incantation, and the dates will come of their own accord. I have placed a small box on the table for you two gentlemen to incantate a few dates.” Gao Jie said, “Surely you have a wonderful method.”
He then placed a box on the table, and the Master recited a few incantations, saying, “Sheep horn, sheep horn, deer roe, deer roe, yan he moo ne ba fu hong.” As soon as he finished reciting the incantation, several dates as large as pears appeared and were placed in the box. Old Gao laughed loudly, "Sir, your method is wonderful, wonderful indeed!" The True Man presented the dates to the Gao brothers. Old Gao took one, Gao Jie took one, Gao Guanbao and Yi Chengjin each took one, and Gao Biao's wife and concubine, and Gao Jie's wife and concubine each took one. The True Man had finished distributing them. Gao Biao and Gao Jie ate the dates, and indeed they tasted exceptionally delicious. They were full after one meal and said, "Sir, with such precious things, why do you still eat these wild mountain fruits?" He then cleared away the table.
Meanwhile, True Man Sa had been staying at the Gao residence for over a month. One day, he truly wished to leave. Old Gao could not force him to stay, so he presented him with one hundred taels of silver, one hundred taels of gold, fifty bolts of colored silk, and fifty strings of copper and iron as a reward for saving his son, which he displayed in the courtyard. At that time, Wang E, observing from the underworld, said to the messenger, "If this man accepts such a large sum of money, he will surely be whipped by me when I make a deal." So he raised his whip to strike him. The messenger said, "Let's see if he accepts it. Don't be rash."
Master Sa was surprised to see the gift and asked, "What brings you this, sir?" Old Gao replied, "My daughter and nephew are deeply grateful for your kindness in saving them. We offer this as a token of our gratitude and hope you will accept it." Master Sa said, "I am a monk. I have no parents to support me, no wife to raise me. I don't travel as a guest, nor do I pay taxes. What use is this valuable gift? Please accept it." Old Gao said, "Once upon a time, there was a yellow sparrow that was struck by a hawk and was about to die. Yang Bao saved it and later brought it back with two rings. My brothers and I have received your great kindness. If we don't repay it with gold and silk, we are less than a bird. We hope you will accept it." Master Sa said, "Sir, your sincerity is enough! Enough! If you insist on repaying me with gold and silk, it's not out of love for me, but rather a burden. I will resolutely refuse."
Gao Biao and Gao Jie then knelt down, insisting that Master Sa accept the gifts. The Master knelt down and said, "Please rise, please rise." Old Gao said, "Sir, if you do not accept this small gift, my brother and I will kneel until tomorrow." The Master said, "Very well, please rise, I will accept a string of coins from you." Old Gao said, "Please accept the gold and silver." The Master said, "A string of coins is enough." Old Gao then said, "Please accept the colored silk, so I can make some clothes to wear." The Master said, "I have this robe to live on for a lifetime, what need do I have for clothes?" Then they parted ways. Old Gao and his brother were deeply grateful.
When the envoy saw this Master who was not greedy for money, he said to Wang E, "This man values righteousness over wealth, a good man, a good man." Wang E said, "Your Excellency should not praise him too much. There will surely be a flaw in his future, and I will punish him sooner or later."
But where did the Master go? What fault did Wang E discover in him? Let's see what happens next.
Chapter Eight: Wang E Investigates the Immortal's Mistakes, the Immortal
Returns the Pearl to the Merchant It is said that the Immortal Sa left the Gao residence and traveled everywhere, intending to help people and benefit all things. The evil god Wang E, seeking revenge, followed him east and west, killing anyone who committed any offense. One day, the Immortal arrived in Chenzhou. It was September, and he saw a woman in a field pulling up a type of green vegetable. What is this green vegetable? It is also called woad. The vegetable had
white roots and green leaves. Planted in the field, it received the rain and dew of heaven; grown from the soil, it nourished the people of the earth. It was called woad, and also called woad. When hungry, it could fill the stomach; when thirsty, it could generate saliva. This was originally Zhuge Liang's vegetable, not the wild man's celery.
Why is this vegetable also called "Zhuge Liang's vegetable"? When Zhuge Liang went on his military campaigns, he always ordered this vegetable to be planted wherever his chariots stopped, hence the name Zhuge Liang's vegetable. Meanwhile, when Master Sa passed by, the woman who was picking vegetables was a kind and virtuous woman. When she saw that he was a wandering Taoist, she asked, "Sir, would you like some dandelion to quench your thirst?" As she spoke, she took out two dandelions and respectfully handed them to him. Wang E, watching from behind, said, "Men and women shouldn't touch each other; let's give him a lash today." The talisman said, "Wait a minute, let's see what he does."
Just then, Master Sa saw the woman bringing over the wild greens and hurriedly said, "Young lady, since you're so kind, please put it on the ground, and I'll take it myself." The woman said, "You're being overly polite, sir. Thousands upon thousands of others have received things from me without a word." Master Sa said, "In times of suspicion, one must be careful."
The woman had no choice but to put the wild greens on the ground. Master Sa then took a few coins and put them on the ground as well, saying, "Young lady, please accept my coins as payment." The woman said, "Sir, you're not buying me two wild greens. I don't know how many favors I've done in this field today." Master Sa said, "If you won't accept the coins, I dare not accept the wild greens either."
Seeing his overly polite manner, the woman had no choice but to accept. The Taoist priest had just taken a single green mustard seed and said, "Thank you." The woman said, "Sir, take the other two." The Taoist priest said, "One is enough. Taking more would be beneath my dignity." So he took the green mustard seed, washed it clean in the clear stream, and then ate it. The messenger saw this and said to Wang E, "A gentleman who knows proper etiquette, truly rare! Truly rare!" Wang E said, "He escaped this whip this time. If I follow him again, I'll make sure he dies at my hands." Now, the
Taoist priest arrived at the border of Guizhou, in a place called Longjin. There was a large stream there, and he saw:
a vast expanse of water, with boundless, layered waves. It was like the water pouring down from the gorges of Sichuan, like the Milky Way cascading down from the heavens. It was deep and bottomless, with swirling eddies. No one could see the current in the middle of the stream, only the fishermen's songs could be heard from the opposite bank. He called out to the boatman, but he could see neither ahead nor behind; looking at the force of the stream, he was helpless to turn left or right. It was truly:
the rushing water cascaded down the rapids, the waves crashed against the fishing rocks, sending white spray flying. As
dusk fell, finding no inn on the riverbank, he called for a boatman to stand on the sandy ferry landing. It
was already dark, and there was no inn on this side. He wanted to cross to the other side, but couldn't see a ferry. Master Sa searched left and right, finally finding a ferry still moored among the willows. It turned out the ferryman was afraid someone would row his boat recklessly, so he had secured it far away among the willows. Master
Sa had no choice but to board the boat, untie the willow branch, pick up a bamboo pole, and pole the boat out of the willow shade. Wang E saw this and raised his steel whip, saying, "Taking things without asking the owner, crossing the river without paying!" He was about to strike him on the head when the talisman quickly stopped him, saying, "Don't be reckless! Why hit him for such a small matter? Let's see how he gets to the other side." As Master Sa poled the boat out, the water gradually deepened and the waves grew larger. He put down the bamboo pole, put on the oar, and rowed vigorously a few times, eventually reaching this side of the river.
There were still some willow trees on this bank. The True Man jumped off the boat, climbed down a willow branch, and secured the boat firmly. He then took a few copper coins, placed them in the cabin, bowed, and left. The messenger, seeing the True Man's actions, repeatedly expressed his admiration, saying, "'Not refusing to do good because it is small,' how rare! How rare!" Wang Eyong said, "My lord, don't be so admiring. He might escape this time, but he certainly won't escape next time." But let's leave that aside for now. Now, let
's talk about the True Man Sa. One day, he was traveling to Yuxi. It was September, and suddenly a strong wind arose. That wind, oh, it was truly:

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