Hidden and Visible Realms

by Zhenjun Zhang

  Knowing then that she was a demon, Zong ordered his wife’s maid, “When she comes [into the room] again, close the door and catch her.”

  When she came, Zong immediately went to look. The creature could not escape, and it suddenly became an old white rooster. Through investigation, Zong discovered it was his family’s rooster. He killed it, and then the anomaly vanished.

  (GXSGC, #261. 433; TPGJ, 461. 3784)

  90. ESCORT CHEN

  In the morning of a certain day during the Yonghe reign period of Jin (345–356), Chen Xu, a resident of Xincheng County,31 heard someone knocking at the door, and the man introduced himself, saying, “I am Escort Chen.” Then there was the sound of a cart and horses, though their physical shapes could not be seen.

  The man entered directly and called the host to talk together, saying, “I should come here and lodge in your home to bring you good fortune.” He then ordered Chen Xu to arrange a bed and curtain for him in the house.

  Sometimes people visited him, praying for blessings by fasting and offering wine and gifts, and what he predicted was all proven. Each time people offered him wine and food, he asked them to kowtow and sent them behind the curtain, and nobody was allowed to open it and look inside.

  There was a person who suspected that Escort Chen was a fox or something similar. Taking advantage of being near him when kowtowing, this person tried to grab him. The creature retreated to the back of the bed, saying with fury, “How dare you suspect and test me!” The person then felt a severe pain in his heart. The host kowtowed on his behalf to apologize, and after quite a while Escort Chen’s anger subsided. After that nobody dared offend him.

  Chen Xu’s entire family suffered no misfortunes, had no trouble, and benefited from everything they did. Besides this, everything went on as usual.

  (GXSGC, #91. 378; TPGJ, 294. 2340)

  91. THE TRANSFORMATION OF A WILD CAT

  During the reign of Lord Haixi (r. 366–371),32 a man’s mother passed away. Since his family was poor, he had no money for a funeral. Therefore he moved his mother’s coffin deep into the mountain. Keeping filial love in mind, he started building a tomb by the side of the mountain and worked ceaselessly day and night.

  One day when it was about dark, a woman, holding her son in her arms, came to lodge there. When night came, the filial son still had not finished his work. The woman urged him to sleep several times before she finally fell asleep by the fire. It turned out that she was a wild cat, holding a crow in her arms. Consequently the filial son killed her and discarded her in a back pit.

  The next day, a man came to inquire, “My wife and child walked here yesterday and lodged in your place at night. Where are they now?”

  The filial son said, “It was only a wild cat, and I have already killed it.”

  The man said, “You killed my wife, how could you say that she is a wild cat? Where is she now?”

  Thereupon they reached the pit together, the wild cat had become a woman who died in the pit.

  The man then tied the filial son up and sent him to the authorities, and he was supposed to pay for the woman’s death with his life. The filial son told the magistrate, “This is indeed a demon. Should you bring a hunting dog here, you will see it is a demon.”

  Thus the magistrate asked, “Could this be distinguished by a dog?” The answer was, “A wild cat is by nature afraid of dogs, but a dog cannot distinguish [a cat or human] as well.”

  Accordingly, the magistrate released a dog. Thereupon the man became an old wild cat and was killed. Looking at the woman, they found she had become a wild cat again.

  (GXSGC, #104. 383; FYZL, 31. 989–90)

  92. THE ANOMALY OF HIDDEN RABBIT

  During the time of the Grand Marshal Huan Wen,33 an adjutant sat awake at night. Suddenly he saw a rabbit hidden between the ridgepole and beams, opening its eyes and snapping its teeth at him. It was extremely terrifying.

  When the rabbit approached closer, the adjutant drew his knife to cut it. He saw his knife exactly hit the rabbit, yet, on the contrary, it hurt his knee and blood streamed down. He felt this was extremely strange, so he asked his family to hide all the knives and he himself never went near them.

  Later, when he suddenly saw the rabbit again, his mind was confused and he grabbed a knife to cut it. Because of the wound subsequently inflicted upon himself, he became exhausted. Luckily, the knife was not sharp, so he did not die. This happened twice and then stopped.

  (GXSGC, #110. 382; TPYL, 907. 4023b; TPGJ, 359. 2847–48)

  93. THE “RECEIVING CLOUD” PREFECT

  In the front yard of Dong Qi, a native of Jingzhao Commandery,34 there was a big tree with good shade.

  During a continuous heavy rain one day, Dong Qi was at home alone. A clerk notified him, “The Receiving Cloud Prefect has come.” Then Dong saw the prefect.

  Wearing a towering hat, the prefect was eight feet tall and called himself Regional Earl. “My third son has outstanding talent. He should be a friend of yours.”

  The next day, Qi felt something had changed under the tree: each day after dusk there would be a young boy approaching him to talk, play, or ask for food and drink. This lasted for half a year; Qi’s vital energy became strong, and no member of his family had an illness.

  Later when Qi went to a villa, his three servants escorted him, saying, “The timber of your tree is useful. We intended to sell it, yet you have never listened to us. Let’s cut it together today.” Qi approved. The deity also vanished from then on.

  (GXSGC, #226. 418–19; TPGJ, 415. 3380–81)

  94. A DIVINE TREE

  Behind the home of Chen Qingsun, a native of Yingchuan,35 there was a divine tree. Numerous people went to it to pray for blessings, so a temple was built there, named the Heavenly Spirit Temple.

  Qingsun had a black ox. The spirit said in the air, “I like this ox. If you don’t offer it to me, I’ll kill your son on the twentieth of next month!” Qingsun replied, “One’s life is destined. It won’t be determined by you.” When that day arrived, his son really died.

  The spirit said again, “If you still don’t offer it to me, I’ll kill your wife in the fifth month.” Again Qingsun refused. When the time arrived, his wife died as well.

  Again the spirit came and said, “If you don’t offer the ox to me, I’ll kill you in the autumn.” Qingsun still didn’t give it to him. When it was autumn, he did not die.

  The ghost then came to apologize, saying, “As a man, your heart is upright, thus you receive great blessings. I hope you will not mention this to others—if Heaven and Earth heard of it, my crime is not a minor one. The fact was that I met a tiny ghost, so I was able to work as a clerk under the Controller of Fate. I saw the dates of your son’s and wife’s deaths; therefore, in order to obtain food I cheated you. I deeply hope that you will forgive me. The record shows that you will live to eighty-three years old, and your family is living with good fortune. Even ghosts and spirits will assist you. I will also serve you.” Then the sound of kowtowing was heard.36

  (GXSGC, #161. 399; TPGJ, 318. 3522)

  95. THE HEAD OF A DEITY STATUE

  A resident of Lubai Village of Guangling saw ghosts and demons every night.37 Their shapes were different, but all were ugly and hideous. Those who were cowardly would not dare approach them.

  The villagers suspected there must be a reason for what he saw. Ten men gathered and they dug together at the same time. One foot underground, they found the rotting head of a deity statue.

  When they inquired of the elders, all of them said, “People once took part in a funeral in the rain, and when they arrived at this place they met robbers. The people scattered, but the head of a deity statue fell into the mud.”38

  (GXSGC, #23. 356–57; TPYL, 552. 2501a–b)

  96. A NIGHTMARE

  Lady Guo, the maternal grandmother of Bi Xiuzhi, was once sleeping alone at night. When she summoned her maids, they replied but did not show up. Lady Guo called them several times, but they sti
ll did not appear. Later, she heard the loud sound of someone stepping on the bed. She berated the maiden in a severe voice, and she replied with “Yes, yes,” but still did not arrive.

  In a moment, Lady Guo saw that on the screen there was a face resembling a deity statue. Each of its eyes was as big as a jar, and their light spread all over the room. Its palms were as big as winnowing fans, and its fingers were several inches long. Furthermore, its ears and eyes moved back and forth vigorously. Lady Guo had vigorously practiced the Way, and now she wholeheartedly concentrated on chanting the scripture. The creature left.

  For quite a while, all the maidens came, saying, “Previously we intended to respond, yet it seemed we were pressed down by something. Now our bodies are light, so we have come.”

  (GXSGC, #162. 399–400; TPGJ, 359. 2848)

  97. THE FRAME OF A TILT HAMMER

  There was a guest who came from afar to lodge at the home of Xu Jian, a native of Hongnong Commandery.39 The guest had a horse that was startled and jumped at night. The guest felt upset, so he mounted the horse and left. A creature more than a zhang long followed the horse. The guest shot it and heard the sound of his arrow hitting wood.

  The next day, he retraced the road he had passed and saw that his arrow had hit the frame of a treadle-operated tilt hammer.

  (GXSGC, #186. 406; TPYL, 762. 3385a)

  98. RAKSASAS

  During the Song reign there was a state that was close to raksasas.40 The raksasas entered its territory several times, eating countless people. The king made an agreement with the raksasas that said, “From today each of the families in this state will have a special day of duty. On that day, the family on duty should send [a boy] to you. Please do not kill people randomly anymore.”

  A family of Buddha devotees had an only son aged ten who was the next boy to be sent [to the raksasas]. At the time of his departure, his parents wailed bitterly, and then chanted the name of Buddha wholeheartedly. Because Buddha’s power was great, the raksasas could not get close to the boy. The next morning, the parents found that their son was still alive and they went back home together happily.

  From then on, the calamity of the raksasas ceased completely. [Lives of] people in the state had indeed depended on this family.

  (GXSGC, #254. 430; TPGJ, 112. 773; FYZL, 50. 1514)

  99. QIAN TENG

  Qian Teng was the Governor of Pei Commandery in the third year of the Xianhe reign (328),41 and he was never moderate in his traveling. He dreamed of a man in black who told him, “Why do you go on outings endlessly? I should cut off the legs of your horse!”

  Later, Teng went out, and the legs of his horse broke for no reason. When he walked to a place outside the outer wall of the city, it suddenly became dark. A man who was more than a zhang tall and wore a black cap and white clothes shouted at the driver of Teng’s cart, to tell the driver to avoid him. In a moment the tall man arrived. He hit the cart driver with a whip, and the driver fell down right then.

  When dawn arrived, Teng’s followers saw that the cart was empty, and they tried to find him. After walking sixty to seventy steps, they found Teng leaning against a small table, sitting on the ground in luxuriant vegetation. Teng said, “I myself don’t know what has happened.”

  Fifty days later, Teng was sentenced and put to death.

  (GXSGC, #86. 377; TPGJ, 321. 2543–44)

  100. THE PRINCE OF MOUNT DOU

  The family of Shen Zong, a native of Yuhang,42 was constantly poor. Once he entered the mountain with his father. On their way back home, they saw a man with about four hundred attendants around him. The front carriage carried impedimenta with horsemen holding whips on both sides of the road, and the honor guards before and after him were like those of an officer with an emolument of two thousand bushels of grain.

  From the distance they saw Zong and his father, asked them to stop, and approached Zong and asked him to light their fire for them. Thereupon Zong asked, “What noble man is this?” The reply was, “He is the Prince of Mount Dou to the south of Yuhang.” Zong knew that he was a spirit; therefore he kowtowed and said, “I hope to be protected and helped.”

  Later when Zong entered the mountain, he obtained a jade pig.43 From then on his affairs all came out as he wished. He prospered in both farming and silkworm raising. Consequently, his family became wealthy.

  (GXSGC, #178. 403; TPYL, 359. 1653b & 472. 2166b; TPGJ, 294. 2342)

  101. THE DEITY OF HOUGUAN COUNTY

  In Houguan County there was a deity of the official residence.44 At the end of each year, the officials would slaughter an ox as sacrifice to him.

  When Wu Zeng of Pei Commandery was appointed the magistrate of the county, he stopped doing so. A year later Zeng was transferred to the position of Adjutant of the General Who Establishes Might. The deity came at night to ask Zeng, “Why don’t you give me my food?”

  The deity was rude in voice and countenance, blaming him severely. The officials then purchased an ox on the way as sacrifice and at the same time offered him apologies; then the deity left.

  (GXSGC, #207. 411; TPGJ, 294. 2343)

  102. RIVER DEITY

  Zhao Bolun, a native of Moling,45 once went to Xiangyang. The boatman prayed to the river spirit, promising a pig. When the boatman made the sacrifice, however, he offered only a pig shoulder.

  That night, Bolun and others dreamed of an old man and an old woman with hoary temples. Both of them wore cloth garments, held oars in their hands, and showed anger toward them. The next morning as soon as they set out, their boat struck sand and stones that could not be avoided by human strength.

  Then they offered sumptuous food to the deities and they were able to get through.

  (GXSGC, #209, 413; TPGJ, 318. 2514)

  103. THE DEITY OF GONGTING MONASTERY

  Gongting Temple in Nankang Commandery was proved especially effective in its divine power.46

  In the period of Emperor Xiaowu (373–396) of Jin, a monk arrived at the temple. When the statue of the deity saw him, tears streamed wildly down its face. Accordingly the deity displayed his own name; it turned out that he was the monk’s old friend.

  The deity said, “I am deeply sinful. Can you help me transcend the painful transmigration?”

  Thereupon the monk started fasting and reciting sutras on his behalf, and said, “I want to see your real physical form.” The deity replied, “The physical form with which I was endowed is extremely ugly and cannot be shown.”

  The monk pleaded bitterly. Thereupon the deity transformed into a snake with a body several zhang long. Hanging its head on the beam, it listened to the reading of sutras wholeheartedly, blood dripping from its eyes.

  By the night of the seventh day of the seventh month, the snake died, and the temple was closed as well.

  (GXSGC, #133. 392; TPGJ, 295. 2346)

  104. THE DEITY OF HARSH FROST

  Yangqi of Henan, styled Shengqing, contracted malaria when he was young. From a shrine he got a book regarding the ways of exorcising hundreds of types of demons, and whenever he used it to drive out demons, it proved to be effective.

  When he was the Governor of Rinan,47 his mother went to the privy and saw a ghost whose head was several feet long, and she told Shengqing about it.

  Shengqing said, “This is the Deity of Harsh Frost.” Then he drove it out, and had it transformed into a slave servant. To send a letter to the capital, the deity could set out in the morning and return in the evening. In doing physical labor, it had the strength of a thousand men.

  There was someone who contracted enmity with Shengqing. Shengqing sent the deity to the man’s home at night. The deity approached the head of his bed, held both of the man’s hands, opened its red eyes, and stretched its tongue down to the ground. The man was almost scared to death.

  (GXSGC, #192. 407; TPGJ, 292. 2320; & TPYL, 883. 3924b–25a)

  105. EXORCISING DEMONS

  In the middle of the Yongchu reign (420–422) under Gaozu of the Song,48 Zhang Chun wa
s the Governor of Wuchang. Once, someone was marrying off his daughter, and the daughter had not yet entered the carriage when she lost control of herself. She dashed out to hit people and the carriage, saying that she disliked marrying a vulgar man.

  A sorcerer said the girl was befuddled by evil demons, so he took her to the side of a river, drummed drums, and treated her with magic and prayer. Zhang Chun assumed that the sorcerer was deceiving and confusing the commoners, so he set a deadline for the sorcerer and requested the evil demon to be caught by then.

  Later, a green snake came to the sorcerer’s place. Right then the sorcerer pierced its head with a nail. At noon, he saw a big turtle coming from the river and lying prostrate in front of him. The sorcerer drew magic figures on its back with crimson ink, then sent it back into the river.

  When it was dark, a big white alligator appeared from the river, now sinking, now emerging. The same turtle was behind it, urging it to go quickly. The alligator assumed itself that it would be put to death, so it made bold entering the curtains to bid farewell to the girl.

  The girl wept bitterly, saying that she had lost her good match. Then she gradually recovered from losing her composure.

  Someone asked the sorcerer, “What was the cause of the demonic phenomenon?” The sorcerer replied, “The snake was a messenger, the turtle was a go-between, and the alligator was the match of the girl. All of the three creatures that I caught are demons.”

  From this moment Zhang Chun knew that the sorcerer was effective.

  (GXSGC, #235. 421; TPYL, 932. 4145a)