Adventures of the Mad Monk Ji Gong

by Guo Xiaoting

  Life in a thatched hut beside a mountain stream,

  Watching the years pass,

  Counting the reds and whites of blossoming peach and pear trees,

  Seeing the green shoots in the fields,

  Lying at night on a bamboo bed listening to the rain,

  Seeing streaks of light on paper windows

  As sun breaks through the clouds,

  Such are the simple joys of those

  Free from the lust for wealth and power.

  ZHAO Bin, in the darkness, saw the man with the sword enter the building where he was about to kill the two men, master and servant. The horrified young gentleman, trembling with fear, knelt on the floor and begged: “Great sir, forgive me. Hold your peals of thunder and tolerate my slow report to you.” The old servant was also kneeling.

  Then Zhao Bin heard the man with the sword say to them, “Who are you two, master and servant, and what have you been doing? Speak quickly!”

  The old servant replied: “Since you ask, sir, the young master of our house is named Xiu Zhibing. His original home was in Chienan province. His father’s name was Xiu Changuei. The father was on good terms with Han Dianyuan, the then-chief military officer. He is here now in the prime minister’s flower garden, acting as superintendent of the estate. Han Dianyuan has a daughter of the same age as our young master. Her father suggested that he should give her to be the wife of our young master. The arrangement was made when they were very young. Later, our old master died. Shortly after that the buildings of our estate burned, leaving hardly a tile intact. Then I came here with our young master.

  “When we came here to live as poor relations, Han Dianyuan saw that the clothing we wore was in tatters, and he regretted the marriage agreement. Han Dianyuan hates poverty and loves only wealth. It is now clear why he kept the two of us here, telling the young master to go on with his studies in this flower garden. Who would have thought that he would have sent you here to kill us?”

  When the man with the saber heard this, he said, “So that is how it all came about. I truly did not know.” At the same time he took out the hundred ounces of silver, saying to the young master, “I will give this to you. Take it quickly and escape with your lives! Find a safe place where you can study diligently. When you are older, you may become famous. You cannot wait here, for fear that he will try again to harm you.”

  Outside, when Zhao Bin heard this, he said, “This business was well taken care of. He is a man of character.” He was so pleased that he forgot he was eavesdropping and spoke the words aloud.

  When the man with the sword heard someone speak outside, he leapt out through the doorway, sword in hand. Seeing Zhao Bin, he struck at him, but Zhao Bin parried the blow with his vegetable chopper. The two faced one another, each probing and searching for an opening in the other’s defense. Zhao Bin had a strange feeling, as he said to himself, “How is it that his manner of handling a sword is the same as mine?”

  The other had similar feelings, for he quickly moved out of reach and, with his sword still at the ready, called out: “Slowly! Do not move until you tell me your name, where you live, with whom you have practiced sword fighting, and for what reason you have come here.”

  Zhao Bin said, “I am named Zhao Bin. People have nicknamed me the Helping Hand. You ought to know that I am dangerous. You need not try to find out whether I will kill you.”

  When the other man heard this, he quickly threw down his sword, saying, “All this time it was one who was the same as a dear brother. This is like taking water to the Dragon King temple, people of the same household not recognizing each other!”

  “Who are you?” Zhao Bin asked.

  The other man replied, “I am surnamed Yin—my personal name is Shixiong. Dear brother, you have forgotten your elder brother.”

  Zhao Bin thought to himself, “When I was eight or nine years old, Yin Shixiong came to work for my father. That was several years more than ten years ago.” He put down his vegetable chopper and greeted him in a more polite manner, and the two exchanged news of what had happened since they had parted.

  Yin Shixiong said, “After I stopped acting as an armed escort on the east road, I worked for your father until his death. Then I heard that my teacher’s wife and my dear brother had moved to the capital. I thought I would seek you out, but until now I was unsuccessful. While staying at the Thrice Lucky Inn, I fell sick with an ulcer on my leg. At the inn, I met the former chief military officer, Han Dianyuan, who is living in the flower garden and is the superintendent of this estate. He is also the owner of the Thrice Lucky Inn. He looked after me during my illness and brought me here, where I stayed until I recovered. Today he gave me a hundred ounces of silver and asked me to kill a person whom he hates. I came here and asked—and only then did I understand what it was all about. Dear brother, you came at just the right time.”

  Zhao Bin then explained about the other affair, ending, “Tonight I am carrying out the orders of Ji Gong. I came here to get the five-thunders, eight-trigram prince’s tally scroll.”

  Yin Shixiong said, “It was lucky that you met me tonight. If you had not, you would not have been able to get the scroll. First, help me to get Xiu Zhibing and the old servant safely away—then I will help you.”

  The two then went into the room and told Xiu Zhibing to leave quickly, taking the hundred ounces of silver for traveling expenses. Xiu Zhibing asked Yin Shixiong’s name. The old servant kowtowed to Yin, thanking him for his kindness.

  The servant then rapidly prepared the young master’s lute and a small chest of books to take with them. “Yin, kind sir,” he asked, “where shall we go on such a dark night as this? Here in the capital the watchmen are very numerous and investigate everyone they find out at night. If you simply tell us to go, how will we manage?”

  Yin Shixiong thought this sounded reasonable and said, “Zhao Bin, if you have a place where they could safely stay for the night, tomorrow an inn can be found for them.”

  Zhao Bin replied, “Brother Yin, would you remain here for a short time, and would you, young master, and your servant come with me?”

  He then took the two out through the corner gate of the flower garden. Zhao Bin was thinking of taking the two men to his own home, but they had not gone very far past the gate when he saw a man standing before him. It was Ji Gong. As soon as Zhao Bin saw him he said, “Ah, Teacher, you have come. Very good!” and explained about the two people with him.

  Ji Gong said, “Good, I came about this very business. I was in the library drinking at Li Guoyuan’s house, and I told him that I was going to pay my respects to you and came here. You go quickly now and carry out what we talked about—I will take care of these two.”

  Hearing this, Xiu Zhibing immediately raised his clasped hands in respect to Ji Gong, who then took them away to the home of Li Guoyuan.

  Telling the servant to leave their baggage in the courtyard, Ji Gong took the two into the library. Zhao Wenhui and Li Guoyuan were drinking wine. When they saw Ji Gong bring in the studious-looking young gentleman with his servant, they quickly rose to their feet. “Teacher, where have you been that you have returned with these two people?” they asked.

  The monk explained the affairs of Xiu Zhibing. When he was sure that Li Guoyuan understood, the monk asked, “Could you give them a few rooms here, where the young man can continue his studies? If there should be any problem, I would be responsible.”

  Li Guoyuan could see that Xiu Zhibing was extremely refined and intelligent. He agreed at once to the monk’s request and asked everyone to sit down and drink with him.

  At the third watch they heard a sound outside, and a voice. “I am the spirit and I have come. Senior Monk Ji Gong, who is above others, I have brought the five-thunder, eight-trigram prince’s tally scroll.”

  Ji Gong quickly went out and saw Zhao Bin and Yin Shixiong on the roof.

  Earlier that evening, after handing over Xiu Zhibing to Ji Gong, Zhao Bin had returned to the flower gard
en. As soon as he met Yin Shixiong, they immediately hurried over to the five-story pavilion. This pavilion had twenty-five rooms, all of spacious proportions. It was entirely covered inside, with paper folded into pleats for extra warmth and comfort. In the center of the building outside was a hanging balcony. Yin Shixiong climbed up and went into the adjoining room.

  There on a table he saw a small hardwood box. Opening it, he saw that inside was the actual prince’s tally. On it were the characters “five thunders” surrounded by the eight sets of trigrams, each consisting of three whole and or broken parallel lines in various combinations, as they were used for divination.

  Zhao Bin said, “We have finished, brother. Let us go together.”

  Yin Shixiong replied, “After we leave, things will be in chaos here.”

  Zhao Bin asked, “What do you mean?”

  “Think about it,” Yin Shixiong said. “The person who bought the scroll is the prime minister of this present dynasty. If he loses this treasured piece, would he not go to the local officials? Would not the local officials carry out extensive investigations to get to the bottom of it? Could the great numbers of suspects escape from being brought in to be questioned, and perhaps from being beaten to death?”

  So saying, he took out fire-making implements and set fire to one of the paper-covered window lattices. As the two men fled from the estate over the roofs, they could see the light from a great fire behind them.

  It was like a golden serpent leaping wildly with a trail of sparks. Then the fierce power of the blazing flames broke through everywhere. The fire followed the winds like waves. There was a sound of “Hu! Hu!” as if a monster were breathing within the concealing smoke, while a red glow illuminated heaven and earth.

  Well before this, the two men had sped away over the walls of nearby estates. Using their skills, they flew over the houses until they reached the rooftop of the Li home, where Zhao Bin called out: “I am here. The spirit has come!”

  Ji Gong came out and, reaching up, took the scroll from Zhao Bin and handed up to him a yellow bag. In it were five hundred cash, an incense burner filled with rice, and five bowls filled with small cakes. Such a gift was indeed appropriate for a temple image.

  The monk said, “Take it, venerable Wei Tuo. This contains the material thanks of this household.”

  Up above, Zhao Bin took it and called out, “I, the spirit, am leaving.” Then, with Yin Shixiong, he went home to his mother.

  Now Ji Gong took the five-thunder, eight-trigram prince’s tally scroll inside. When it was unrolled, it was seen to be the correct one. Li Guoyuan quickly sent it by a trusted servant to give it to Li Chunshan.

  Li Guoyuan and his guests sat drinking and talking through the rest of the night. When morning came, Ji Gong took his leave. Li Guoyuan wanted to give him gold or silver, but Ji Gong said, “If you want to thank me, let our relationship simply continue as it is now. As a monk, I will appreciate your care in helping Xiu Zhibing to go on with his studies.”

  Li Guoyuan agreed and Ji Gong left.

  As he walked straight along on his way, he saw a man standing in front of him. The man, who seemed to be an attendant, said, “Where is Ji Gong going?”

  The monk asked, “Who are you?”

  The attendant replied, “The man who owns our inn has been given forty strokes with the bamboo, and he has wounds from the beating. I hear that you, sir, have the pill of the immortals containing a subtle medicine. I beg you to cure him.”

  The monk asked, “Who is the owner of your inn?”

  The attendant replied. “The man who founded the Thrice Lucky Inn is Han Dianyuan. He was the superintendent of the prime minister’s estate. Because last night the great pavilion in the flower garden was lost in a fire, the prime minister was very angry. He said that Han Dianyuan had neglected his duty. Han Dianyuan was given forty strokes with the big bamboo and is now suffering from pain.”

  When the monk heard this, he went with the man to the Thrice Lucky Inn. As soon as he entered the cashier’s room, he saw Han Dianyuan, who was lying down and groaning continuously. Several friendly waiters were standing around him, advising and trying to comfort him. When they saw the monk come in, they said, “Success! The honorable teacher indeed has the pill of the immortals made from subtle medicine. The great teacher is especially compassionate.”

  The monk laughed and pointed at the suffering man. “Even with subtle medicine it is difficult to heal an illness that is a punishment for a person’s own evil acts. Heaven above quickly requites merciless men.”

  These words struck Han Dianyuan to the core. He thought to himself: “This monk knows things that others do not. During the night I sent Yin Shixiong to kill Xiu Zhibing, to whom my daughter has long been promised. I did not see Yin Shixiong return, but the young man and his servant went away. Then for no reason the great pavilion was lost in a fire.” He thought about it and then asked, “Holy monk, could Your Reverence save me? I repent.”

  The monk replied, “I will take care of you and cure your sickness. Will you give your daughter in marriage to Xiu Zhibing, or not?”

  Han Dianyuan answered, “If I can be better, I will gladly ask Xiu Zhi-bing to return and give him my daughter. I will have no more evil thoughts. I have been driven out of the prime minister’s estate. I now do not dare to let evil rule my heart. If I were to let evil into my heart again, I fear that heaven and earth would destroy me.”

  The monk gave him some medicine that immediately relieved his pain. The monk then told him to go to the home of Li Guoyuan to receive back Xiu Zhibing as the husband-to-be of his daughter. Han Dianyuan bowed his head in assent.

  CHAPTER 8

  A false order from the prime minister commands that the Great Pagoda be pulled down; the vagabond saint manifests his powers to punish the evil lower officials

  NOW, from that day when Ji Gong had left the Monastery of the Soul’s Retreat, he had been staying sometimes at the home of Su Beishan, and sometimes at the home of Zhao Wenhui. Today he had been playing chess in the home of Su Beishan with Su Yuanwai. Suddenly Ji Gong moved a chess piece that committed him to the attack. At the same moment, Ji Gong’s thoughts turned to the temple, and by the light of his intuition he knew what was taking place there.

  At once he slapped his hand on the table three times and said, “Su Beishan, I cannot remain here in your home. I must go immediately. Prime Minister Qin has sent people to demolish the Great Memorial Pagoda in my temple. I am going to fight with this Prime Minister Qin.”

  Su Beishan said, “Saintly monk, you cannot. It is he who is the prime minister. He ranks with the most glorious nobles. My teacher is a man who has left the world. How can you provoke the wrath of such a powerful man?”

  Ji Gong did not give Su Beishan any further explanation, but simply stood up to leave. Su Beishan went with him to the mansion gate and watched as he walked off into the distance. Ji Gong walked straight out through the Qiantang gate and along the Su Embankment, singing to himself.

  Those who live a century

  Since the ancient times are few,

  First a child, then faltering age,

  In between not too much time.

  There is sadness; there are cares.

  Though our nation brims with wealth,

  This dynasty’s governed ill.

  Though officials gain much gold,

  Few have wisdom, none are brave.

  Once disturbed, their hair turns white.

  Autumn’s moon will soon grow dim;

  Autumn’s flowers quickly fade;

  Time for flowers passes soon.

  Bring the wine jar round once more

  And forget the dusty tombs,

  ‘Til the grass turns green again.

  The monk was still singing when he came to the mountain gate. The moment that Guang Liang saw him, the superintendent said, “Brother teacher, thank heaven that you are here! Such a calamity! It is as if the sky has fallen on our temple!”

  After Ji Gon
g had asked for the details about which he already knew, he said, “No matter what the calamity, even if the heavens fall, Brother Teacher, it does not matter. Leave it all to me, Mad Ji! But this pagoda is something we cannot give them. Do you think that I would fail the body of monks in this temple?”

  Guang Liang said, “But, Brother Teacher, you must not provoke these men to anger. They are the four great managers of the prime minister’s estate. He has sent them here to take down the Great Memorial Pagoda and use the materials from it to restore his lofty pavilion.”

  Ji Gong said, “Ah! He is the prime minister of the present reign, and he wants to destroy the Great Memorial Pagoda, so it must be destroyed! Then after another two days pass, the commander of the capital’s palace garrison will order us to have the Great Treasure Hall taken down, and we will let him destroy that! And there will be still more! Again, after another two days, a letter will come from Linan prefecture, saying that its officials want us to take down the two halls to the east and west! Again we will have to let them be destroyed! After still another two days, a letter will come from Qiantang prefecture, or some other prefecture, saying that its officials want to take down the storage building for sutras, and we will have to let them destroy it! And there will be still more! I raised the money for the Great Memorial Pagoda, and I cannot give it to them to take down!”

  Hearing this talk, the superintendent thought in his heart, “Ji Gong was never right for us in the past. This situation may be our chance to get rid of him.” Thus, even now, the superintendent was still trying to take advantage of the situation to injure Ji Gong. Then Superintendent Guang Liang said, “Brother Teacher, do you dare to ask them not to take down the Great Memorial Pagoda? The four honorable great managers are now sitting in the large meditation hall. You may go to look for them, but I fear that you will make trouble that you cannot control.”

  Ji Gong gave a cold little laugh saying, “Brother Teacher, I do not want you to concern yourself with this matter.” Having spoken, he walked quickly toward the large meditation hall.