Strange Tales from Liaozhai--Volume 4

by Pu Songling

  When he saw Zhong among the crowd, he joyfully shook his hand, exclaiming, “Your intentions regarding moral conduct are worthy of respect!” He dragged Zhong with him into a pavilion, ignoring the other people as he spoke, and went on to ask, “Don’t you want to know your future?”

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  Liaodong: The site of Dongnan prefecture in Liaoning province.

  Jinan: Capital of Shandong province.

  Regional prince: A title conferred on the sons of imperial princes who weren’t directly in line to inherit their fathers’ titles (Hucker 208).

  Baotu Spring: This artesian spring in Jinan, acknowledged in the classic Spring and Autumn Annals, was declared 天下第一泉 (World’s Number One Spring) by Qing emperor Qianlong.

  “I do,” replied Zhong.

  “Your lot in life is uncertain,” replied the Daoist, “but now your success in the provincial examination is within sight. Yet when you make your triumphant return home, I’m afraid you’ll never see your mother again.”

  As Zhong, who was extremely filial, heard this, his tears fell, and he wished to return home without finishing the examination. The Daoist informed him, “If you fail to take this particular examination, you’ll never see your name on a list of successful examination candidates.”

  “My mother will die without seeing me, never to live again,” replied Zhong, “and besides, even if I was made a noble after passing the examination, what would be the point?”

  “Because we’ve been related since a previous life,” the Daoist told him, “I’ll certainly do my best to help you now.” Then he took a small pill and instructed Zhong, “If you have someone deliver this pill to your home, your mother will be able to live seven more days. When you complete the examination, you can go, and you and your mother will still be able to see each other.”

  Zhong stashed the pill away, quickly agitating to return home, quite beside himself. Fearing that his mother might die, he figured that if he could just return a day earlier, he’d be able to demonstrate his devotion to his mother yet one more day. Thus he ordered his servant to prepare their donkeys and they turned east towards home, hurrying on their way.

  They’d traveled about a li when the donkeys suddenly rushed back the way they’d come, like they’d gone wild, till they shook off the men, who fell down. Zhong had no idea why they’d done this, and the beasts’ agitation-provoked sweat dripped like rain.

  His servant recommended that they stop, but Zhong refused to listen. Then they took other donkeys, but the same thing happened. The sun was already over the mountains, and Zhong didn’t know what to do. His servant thus advised him, “Tomorrow you can finish the examination, so why fight to get home this evening? Please, let me go ahead alone, and then you can follow after taking the exam—that’s the better plan.” Having no alternative, Zhong went along with his advice.

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  Li: A distance equal to 1/3 mile.

  The next day, he hastily completed the examination and immediately set out, as though there was no time even to eat or breathe, hurrying on his way to return home. His mother had become sick from all the chaos, but after taking some medicine, she recovered.

  When the servant gave her the pill, she was still in bed, and recovered a bit after taking it—and when Zhong came into the room to see her, he shed tears beside her bed. His mother shook her head for him to stop, then grasped his hand and happily told him, “I had a dream that I was in the underworld, where I watched the Hell King’s facial expression as his anger subsided. He said that he’d investigated your entire life, and found no significant evils; now that he realizes you’re simply a filial son, he’s extending my life by twelve years.” Zhong was equally overjoyed.

  After several days had passed, she became as relaxed and healthy as she had been before. Soon afterwards, when Zhong heard that he’d successfully passed the examination, he bid his mother farewell and returned to Jinan.

  When he passed by the prince’s palace, he gave some money to a palace servant to inform the Daoist of his presence. The Daoist happily came out to see him, so Zhong expressed his sincere gratitutde to him. The Daoist told him, “You’ll experience a great triumph after this, and your mother will increase her alloted life span, all of which is due to your great moral values—and even a Daoist couldn’t do that!”

  Zhong wondered at this prophecy, and thereupon respectfully asked how long he would live. “You’re not very wealthy,” the Daoist remarked, “and yet you’ll live to quite an old age. In a previous life, when we were monks, you threw a stone at a dog, but mistakenly hit and killed a frog that now has been reincarnated as a donkey. If we discussed your destiny solely from the perspective of your previous record, you’d be fated to die at a young age; but now your filial piety and virtue has moved the gods, and already in the heavens they’ve relented regarding your fate, so you’ll be safe and sound.

  “However, your wife was unfaithful in a previous existence, and it’s her fate to make you a widower while you’re still young. Although your uprightness has extended your lifespan, it hasn’t affected your wife, and I’m afraid that in a year, she will die.”

  Zhong grieved over this for a good long while, then asked where he would find a new wife after that. “In Zhongzhou,” the Daoist replied, “and she’s now fourteen years old.” Just before leaving, he advised Zhong, “If you happen to find yourself in imminent danger, you should hasten to the southwest.”

  After a year elapsed, Zhong’s wife fell ill and died. His uncle was a district magistrate in Xijiang, so his mother sent him there to visit, and it happened that while he was en route, he passed through Zhongzhou, deciding then to test the Daoist’s prophecy.

  Thus as he hastened to the village, by chance he encountered a group of young men and women frolicking at the riverside. Just as he wanted to take his donkey’s reins and hurry past, there was a mule without any bridle on it that began chasing him, kicking up its hooves, so when Zhong turned his head and saw this, he gave his own donkey a lash; this frightened the donkey into a frenzied gallop.

  At the time, a six- or seven-year-old nobleman’s son and his nursemaid were sitting together on the river bank; as the donkey ran past, none of the family retainers were able to grab the child before he was knocked into the river. The crowd of them then began shouting, wanting to seize Zhong. As the scholar sped away frantically, he suddenly recalled the Daoist’s words, and quickly hurried off towards the southwest.

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  Zhongzhou: Located in modern Henan province.

  Xijiang: Located in the western portion of Guangdong province.

  When he’d gone about thirty li, he came to a mountain village, where there was an old man at its gate who bowed respectfully as Zhong rode up to him. The old man invited him to enter. He said, “My name’s Fang,” and asked the scholar where he was coming from.

  Zhong prostrated himself and kowtowed, telling the old man about everything that had just happened. Fang told him, “Don’t worry about it. Please stop here for now, and we can send someone to find out what happened.”

  News of the incident arrived later that night, and once he realized that it involved a nobleman’s son, the old man became quite upset, exclaiming, “His family can use their power to pursue you, and though I mean to help you, it’s something I really can’t prevent!” Zheng couldn’t stop expressing how sorry he felt.

  Fang thought carefully and responded, “We can’t do anything about it, but please spend the night here, and we’ll listen for further news to see if we can determine what plans have been made.” Zhong was so sad and distressed that he couldn’t sleep all night long.

  The next day, Fang went to check on news and discovered that an official document had already been issued, calling for the apprehension and public execution of the guilty party. The old man winced, but didn’t say anything and returned. Zhong remained apprehensive, and didn’t feel safe.

&
nbsp; At midnight the old man came to where Zhong was sitting and asked, “How old is your wife?” Zhong told him that he was a widower.

  Fang happily replied, “I’ve got an idea that might help.” Zhong asked what he meant, and the old man explained, “My elder sister married a Buddhist monk, who went to live in a monastery in the mountains south of here; elder sister then passed away. That left her daughter—who’s extremely gifted—an orphan, with the family’s servants to raise her. So how about if you marry her?”

  Zhong was happy to take the Daoist’s advice, and hoped his nearest relatives would allow him to carry out the scheme, remarking, “I sincerely trust you. But while I, the guilty party, am far away, I’m greatly afraid I might bring my father-in-law trouble.”

  “This will be your plan,” Fang replied. “My brother-in-law’s magical power is quite godlike, so for a long time he hasn’t participated in human affairs. After you get married, my niece will strategize with you, and you’ll surely find an answer to your problems.” Zhong was overjoyed that he would be marrying into this family.

  The girl turned out to be sixteen, and stunningly beautiful beyond compare. Zhong thought her perfect, responding to the sight of her with a sigh. “I know I’m rather homely,” the girl told him, “so why are you frightening me with your disapproving stare?”

  Zhong replied in apology, “You’re a goddess, miss, and it’s fortunate indeed that we’re to be married. But there’s disaster following me, and I’m afraid it’s going to ruin everything.” Hence he told her about what had happened.

  “My uncle’s such a villain!” the girl answered reproachfully. “This is a terrible calamity, and he arranged for this marriage without telling me the truth, so now I’ve fallen into his trap!”

  Zhong knelt before her and declared, “The truth is that I pled with him, feeling I was doomed, and though your uncle felt pity for me, he didn’t know what approach to take, but knew you could rescue a dead man. I’m honestly not sufficiently worthy to make this an advantageous marriage, but at least my family won’t disgrace you. If I can just survive this catastrophe, I’ll make the best offerings I can to you every day.”

  “Since the matter has already progressed this far,” the girl cheerily responded, “how could I possibly take my leave of my husband? Yet my father became a monk, and has already purged his feelings of love for his children. However, I’ll go along with you to beg him, and I’d guess that the setbacks we’ll experience won’t be easy to bear.”

  One night, when they couldn’t sleep, they took a thick silk blanket and made cushions for their knees that they wore secretly under their clothes; then they called for a sedan chair, and traveled more than ten li into the mountains to the south. The mountain path became so twisty and dangerous that they couldn’t ride in it any further.

  As she climbed down from the sedan chair, the girl took a treacherous misstep and Zhong had to pull her back by the arm and help her up, then they began to proceed with difficulty up the rise. They hadn’t gone far when they sighted the mountain pass, so they both sat down to take a little rest. The girl was breathing hard, sweating so heavily that her make-up started running.

  Zhong noticed this, and out of concern that she couldn’t bear the climbing, declared, “This is my business, so I should send you back before you’re harmed by this hardship!”

  “I’m afraid this isn’t even the painful part yet!” the girl replied sorrowfully.

  They revived a bit from their weariness, and were just about to enter a monastery, so they paid obeisance to the Buddha and then proceeded. The winding entrance led to the meditation room, where they saw an old monk sitting cross-legged, his eyes closed, and a boy with a duster in hand serving him. He was sweeping the abbot’s chamber bright and clean; spread before them were pebbles as numerous as the stars in constellations.

  The girl didn’t dare move, so she kneeled right on top of them; Zhong echoed her actions. The monk opened his eyes and looked up at them, then closed them again and left them shut. “For a long time I wasn’t sure I should visit,” the girl reverentially remarked, “but now that I’m married, I’ve brought your son-in-law to meet you.”

  Quite some time passed till the monk opened his eyes to look at them and remarked, “This girl can be so demanding!” He didn’t say anything further.

  The couple knelt there for a good long while, till their strength was almost exhausted, the pebbles feeling like they were pressing into their bones, and they couldn’t support themselves any longer due to the pain. Moments later, the monk spoke: “Has a mule arrived yet?”

  “No, it hasn’t,” replied the girl.

  “The couple should leave, then, and hurry away before it arrives.” The two kowtowed respectfully, then stood up rather unsteadily and left.

  Thus they returned home in compliance with the monk’s advice, though they didn’t understand his reasoning, so they concealed themselves and kept their ears open. A few days passed, according to local legend, and then the guilty party was arrested, to bring things to a close. The couple were hiding together inside their home.

  Before long, the boy they’d seen in the mountains arrived, took a length of bamboo that had been cut, and handed it to Zhong, saying, “This thing will endure the sentence for you.” Then he urged the scholar to bury it and to present appropriate burial offerings for it, in order to be free of the enmity of the bamboo trees.

  Zhong watched, and where the bamboo had been cut, there were bloodstains. Then he spoke blessings over it, and buried it.

  The couple didn’t dare stay there any longer, and thus returned home to Liaoyang by night.

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  Liaoyang: Also located in Liaoning province.

  300. The Ghost Wife

  Nie Pengyun, from Tai’an, got along perfectly with his wife, living with her in conjugal harmony. Then his wife fell ill and died. Nie became anxiety-ridden and preoccupied with sad thoughts, restless due to losing her.

  One night as he sat alone, his wife suddenly forced the door open and entered. Nie cried in terror, “How have you come back?”

  “I’m already a ghost,” she replied with a smile. “I felt your mourning, and I’ve supplicated the Hell King to be allowed to speak and rendezvous with my beloved.” Elated, Nie carried her to their bed and slept with her, as though things were just the same as ever. Afterwards, they met regularly like this until a year had elapsed.

  Nie refused to speak about remarrying. His uncles and brothers kept telling him that his feelings for the dead wife would prevent him from producing children to carry on the family name, and that it was selfish of him to be that way, so they urged him to remarry to produce heirs; Nie took their advice and betrothed a woman from a good family. But he was afraid that his dead wife wouldn’t be happy about it, so he kept it secret.

  Before long, the appointed wedding day was approaching. The ghost knew what Nie had in mind, so she appeared and reproached him, “I’ve been faithful to you, risking censure in the underworld; now I find that you’re no longer faithful to me till death, so what kind of love is that?” Nie explained his reasoning as a matter of family loyalty. The unhappy ghost refused to hear any more and departed.

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  Tai’an: The city located near Mt. Tai, in Shandong province.

  Even though Nie sympathized with her, he went ahead with his plans. The couple was married that night, and while they were both asleep, the ghost suddenly entered their room, approached the bed and began beating the new wife, derisively shouting, “What do you think you’re doing in my bed!”

  Nie’s bride jumped up, trying to fend her off while resisting the blows. Afraid, the naked Nie crouched down, not daring to choose a side and offer assistance. Soon a rooster crowed, and the ghost vanished.

  The new wife began to suspect that Nie’s wife wasn’t really dead, so she accused him of tricking her and said she wanted to hang herself. Nie then told her everything, so his bride
began to realize that the wife was a ghost.

  The ghost appeared again at dusk that day. The new wife cowered in fear. The ghost wife didn’t attempt to sleep with Nie, instead pinching his skin and flesh with her fingers; when she finished, her eyes were shining with anger as she stared at him, discontentedly, in silence. This continued for several nights. Nie was a nervous wreck.

  He went to a village to consult a skilled magician, who whittled some small stakes from peach wood which he then pounded into the four corners of the wife’s grave, and her strange visitations finally came to an end.

  301. General Huang

  When Pacifier of the South Huang Degong was still a young man on his way up, he was traveling to the capital with two scholars, who’d passed the provincial level of the civil service examination, when they ran into boisterous bandits on the road. The scholars were terribly frightened and went down on their knees, begging the robbers to take their money.

  Huang became infuriated, and asserting that he wasn’t just some little pawn, with his hands he grasped a mule by two of its legs, swung the beast up, and flung it at them. The thieves had no way to defend themselves against it, so it toppled both the men and their horses. Huang punched them and broke the bandits’ arms, then the outlaws collected themselves and searched for ways to escape.

  The scholars were so impressed with Huang’s valor that they gave him money and persuaded him to join the army, and after repeatedly demonstrating rare merit, he was promoted to the rank of general.

  There was a certain bold and powerful fellow from Shanxi who’d always respected the pugilist’s art, so he spent everything he had on learning how to box.

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  Pacifier of the South: Huang Degong (1594-1645), whose courtesy name was Hushan, came from Liaoning province. The loyal Huang (see Lu 277) was given the title “Pacifier of the South” (jingnan) in 1644 for meritorious service in suppressing a peasant rebellion (Zhu 2:1043n1).