The three men said further, “We are the Controllers of Fate. When you walk down this hill, don’t look back within a hundred steps.”
Zhong looked back after walking thirty steps and saw the three men become white cranes and fly away.
Zhong later buried his parents at the place they had pointed to, where purple air often connected to the sky and spread over the ground. The elders said, “The Sun clan is rising!”
Zhong begot Jian (155–192),24 styled Wentai, who served under Emperor Ling [of Han] as General Who Eliminates Barbarians and Governor of Changsha.
Jian begot Quan (182–252),25 styled Zhongmou, who occupied east of the Yangzi River at the end of Han, established the Wu Kingdom, became the Son of Heaven, took Yangzhou as his capital, and named his reign Jianye; later he moved his capital to Wuchang.
Quan begot Liang (243–260),26 Liang begot Xiu (235–264),27 and Xiu begot Hao (242–284).28 Hao was attacked by the Jin and surrendered to Jin; Emperor Wu [of Jin] enfeoffed him as Marquis Guiming [returning the Heavenly Mandate].29
They were truly the Son of Heaven, the emperor, for four generations. Sun Quan was called Grand Emperor; Liang was dethroned; Xiu was Emperor Jing. Hao was the Last Emperor. Their rule lasted continuously for sixty-eight years.30
(GXSGC, #48. 365–66; LLZS, 7. 332b)
207. LU SU
Sun Quan (182–252) fell ill. A shaman reported to him, saying, “There was a ghost wearing a silk kerchief. It seemed to be an old general or prime minister. At first I scolded him loudly, yet he did not respond, and he directly entered the palace.”
That night, Quan saw Lu Su coming,31 and his clothes were exactly as the shaman described.
(GXSGC, #54. 367; TPGJ, 317. 2513)
208. THE THREE BROKEN-ARMED DUKES
Someone appraised the tomb of Yang Shuzi’s (221–278) father,32 saying that there was the air of emperors above it. Thereupon Shuzi dug a ditch behind the tomb himself. The diviner said later, “There should still be a broken-armed duke [among the three] coming from [the geomancy of] this tomb.”33
Yang Hu (Shuzi) was good at riding, and he had a son about five or six years old. After he dug the tomb, his son died right away. Yang was the Commander-in-Chief of Xiangyang at that time. While riding around and around in training he fell down and broke his arm.
At the time all the scholars admired and praised his loyalty.34
(GXSGC, #61. 61; TPYL, 369. 1701b; annotation in SSXY, 20. 705)
209. JIAOZHOU SCISSORS
When Yuan Cong was the Governor of Xin’an Commandery,35 at the southern border of the commandery there was an engraved stone slab. Once when Yuan arrived there to feast and carouse, someone obtained a pair of scissors from under the stone; everyone was surprised.
Cong inquired of the recorder. The recorder replied, “In the past Prince Huan of Changsha drank and feasted at Sunzhou,36 but the elders said, ‘This islet is narrow and long. Does it indicate that you will be the Governor of Changsha [long sand]?’ This had been proven to be true. Three vertical knives (刂) form a region (zhou 州); so if you get a Jiaozhou [clipping] knife, you will be the Governor of Jiaozhou as well.”37
Later, Cong really governed Jiaozhou.
(GXSGC, #189. 406; TPYL, 830. 3703a–b quotes from SSXY and says, “It is the same in the YML.”)
210. THE SORCERER DU YAN
Dong Zhuo (d. 192) believed in sorcery.38 The sorcerer Du Yan was always in his army, praying for blessings on his behalf.
One day, Yan asked Zhuo for a piece of cloth. In haste, Zhuo had no cloth, but did have a towel. Yan said, “It can be used.”
Having taken the towel, Yan began to write on it. The character he wrote seemed to have two mouths, one big and the other small, and one was on top of the other. He raised the towel with his writing and told Zhuo, “Be careful with this!”
Later, Zhuo was killed by Lü Bu (d. 199), and then people in later times realized that the character Yan wrote hinted at Lü Bu.39
(TPYL, 735. 3258b; GXSGC, #49. 366)
211. THREE HORSES SHARE ONE MANGER
Emperor Wu of Wei (155–220) suspected that the sons of Emperor Xuan [of Jin] (179–251) were not loyal subjects of the Cao clan.40 Furthermore, he once dreamed of three horses sharing one manger. He hated the sons even more. Thus he summoned Emperor Wen (Cao Pi, r. 220–226) and Emperor Ming (Cao Rui, r. 227–239) and told them what he had seen in the dream. Both said, “There are numerous ways to guard against them. Please don’t worry about it groundlessly.” Emperor Wu agreed.
Later, the sons of Emperor Xuan really destroyed the Cao clan and took the throne from them, all similar to what was seen in the dream.
(GXSGC, #50. 366; TPYL, 400. 1850a)
212. THE MELODY OF GUANGLING
He Siling, a native of Guiji,41 was good at playing zither. One night he sat in the moonlight, playing a zither in the wind. Suddenly came a man who was very tall, with fetters and a wretched face. The man reached the middle of the courtyard and praised Siling’s playing. Then he talked with Siling, and called himself Xi Zhongsan.42
He told Siling, “Your playing was pretty facile, yet did not follow the old methods.” Therefore he offered him the “Melody of Guangling.”
He Siling took it, and it has stayed extant until today.
(GXSGC, #221. 417; TPGJ, 324. 2569 quotes from YML; TPYL, 579. 2615b, quotes from SSXY, yet this is not found in its extant version)
213. XI KANG
Xi Kang was playing a zither under the lamp when he saw a man more than ten feet tall, black faced, and wearing an unlined garment with a leather belt. Kang looked at him closely, then blew out the light, saying, “I’m ashamed to vie with an evil spirit for light!”
(Leishuo, 11. 189a)43
214. FA ZU AND WANG FU44
Li Tong, a native of Pucheng,45 came back to life from death, saying, “I saw Fazu (fl. 300), the Buddhist monk, explaining the Sutra of Suramgama to King Yama; I also saw the Daoist priest Wang Fu (fl. 300), in fetters, begging Fazu to listen to his confession of sins, yet Fazu was not willing to do that.”
(GXSGC, #265. 434; annotation in Bianzheng lun, 6)
215. THE PRINCE OF ANXI’S THREE LIVES46
An Shigao, the marquis, was the Prince of Anxi State (Parthia). He became a monk together with the son of a great patron and studied the way [of enlightenment] in a city in Shewei.47 Every time a host refused to help them, the son of the great patron would become angry. Shigao always admonished him.
Having roamed for twenty-eight years, Shigao decided that he should go to Guangzhou. It happened that there was a revolt. A man met Shigao and drew his knife without a hitch, saying, “I have really got you now!” Shigao replied with a laugh, “I owed you a debt in a previous life; thus I came from afar to repay you.” Then the man killed him.
A teenager said, “This stranger, who came from a state far away, could speak our language and did not show any sign of reluctance. Could he be a deity?” The people all laughed in astonishment.
The soul of Shigao returned and was reborn in the state of Anxi, becoming the son of the prince, again with the name Shigao. At the age of twenty, the Marquis of Anxi gave up the lordship again so as to learn the Way [of enlightenment]. Ten and some more years later, he said to those who studied with him, “I shall go to Guiji Commandery to repay my debt.” 48
As he passed by Mount Lu,49 he visited his friends; then he passed by Guangzhou. Seeing that the teenager was still alive, he went directly to his home and talked about the events in the past with him. The young man was greatly delighted and followed him to Guiji.
While passing by the Monastery of Mount Ji, Shigao summoned the deity of the mountain and talked with him. The shape of the god of Mount Ji was like a python; his body was several dozen feet long, and he shed tears. Shigao spoke to him; the python then left. Shigao returned to his boat. There was a young man who got onto the boat, kneeled down, and went forward to receive an incantation; then he disappeared. Shigao said,50 �
��The young man you saw a moment ago was the deity of the temple, and he is now able to get rid of his ugly form.”
It was said that the deity of the temple was the son of the great patron. Later the temple attendant noticed a bad smell and saw a dead python. From then on the deity disappeared.
Shigao went on to Guiji and entered the gate of a market. It happened that there were some people fighting, and someone hit Shigao’s head by mistake. Thus he passed away.
Consequently the guest from Guangzhou worshiped Buddha more diligently.51
(GXSGC, #254. 430; TPGJ, 295. 2346–47)
216. FOTU CHENG, THE WESTERN MONK
Shi Le (r. 319–332) asked Fotu Cheng,52 “Can Liu Yao (d. 329) be caught?53 Is there any portent in which this can be seen?”
Cheng ordered his servant boy to practice abstinence [from meat and wine] for seven days. Then he put some sesame oil in his palm, rubbed it, set a piece of sandalwood on fire, and chanted incantations.
After a while, he raised his palm toward the boy, and in it was something distinctly unusual. Cheng asked, “Did you see anything?”
The boy replied, “I only saw a military man who was tall, large, and white, with an unusual appearance. His arms were tied up with a red silk thread.”
Cheng said, “This was none other than Liu Yao.”
In that very year, [Shi Le] captured Liu Yao alive as expected.
(GXSGC, #89. 378; TPYL, 370. 1705a)
217. TIGER DISASTER
Dowager Li, mother of Emperor Xiaowu (r. 373–396) of the Jin,54 was originally a humble palace girl. Emperor Jianwen (r. 371–372) had no sons, and he had ordered all the masters of physiognomy to read the faces of the palace girls.55 Dowager Li was then doing humble labors, so she did not participate in the selection. However, the fortune-teller pointed to her and said, “This woman should give birth to a noble son, yet will face a tiger disaster.” The emperor thus favored her, and she gave birth to Emperor Xiaowu and the Prince of Guiji, Sima Daozi (364–403).56
After ascending to the noble position of dowager, she was convinced of the effectiveness of the fortune-teller, yet surprised at the prediction that there would be a tiger disaster. Moreover, she had never seen a tiger, so she ordered someone to create a statue of one. She stroked the tiger with her hands and intended to make fun of it by hitting it. Then her hands became swollen and painful, and consequently she died of the disease.
(GXSGC, #121. 387–88; TPYL, 892. 3961a)
218. GUO JINGCHUN
Counselor-in-chief Wang met Guo Jingchun and asked him to predict his fortune through divination.57
When the divination was finished, Guo’s mood was very bad. He said, “There will be a disaster from thunder. If you order your driver to drive a cart westward for several li, obtain a cypress tree, cut it into logs as long as you are, and put them in the place where you sleep, then the disaster can be averted.”
Wang followed this counsel. Within several days, it thundered as expected, and the cypress logs all became small pieces.
(GXSGC, #74, 374; TPYL, 954. 4236a)
219. WANG MAOHONG’S DREAM
Wang Maohong (276–339), the Counselor-in-Chief [of Eastern Jin], once dreamed of someone trying to buy his eldest son, Changyu, with a million cash. The Counselor-in-Chief was fairly disgusted with it. In secret, he prayed for his son in every possible way.
Later, while building a house, he dug into a cave full of cash. He estimated the amount; it was around a million. He became extremely unhappy and hid all of the money.
In a little while, Changyu passed away.
(GXSGC, #75. 374; TPYL, 406. 1850a)
220. MARQUIS JIANG REQUESTS FOOD58
Wang Changyu, the Secretariat Attendant, had a good reputation, and he was the dearest son of his father, Wang Dao, the Counselor-in-Chief of Jin.
When the illness that Changyu contracted became critical, the Counselor-in-Chief arrived, very worried about the illness. He sat on the bed for several days without eating. Suddenly he saw an extremely strong man wearing armor and holding knives.
“Who are you, sir?” Wang asked.
The man replied, “I am Marquis Jiang. Your son is not in good health, and I intend to request that his life be prolonged. Therefore I have come. Please don’t worry anymore.”
Wang was overjoyed and his countenance changed. Right then he ordered food to be brought, and consequently the food Jiang ate reached several dou. No one within or outside the family understood the reason.
Having finished eating, Jiang suddenly became sad. He told Wang, “The life span of the Secretariat Attendant is exhausted. He cannot be saved.” After finishing these words, he disappeared.
(GXSGC, #76. 374; FYZL, 95. 2752; TPGJ, 293. 2331)
221. MAGICIAN AN KAI
An Kai, a lay sorcerer of Ancheng Commandery,59 mastered the magical arts. Every time he offered sacrifice to the spirits, he drummed drums, slaughtered the three domestic animals,60 piled firewood, lit a fire, and waited until the flames were raging. Then he put a belt around his waist and entered the fire. When the sacrificial papers [with elegiac address] were all burned, however, Kai’s body and clothing were the same as before.
At that time Wang Ningzhi (334–399) was the Governor of Jiangzhou,61 and Kai served him on a trip. Pretending to comb Wang’s hair, Kai pinned lotus leaves together to make a cap and handed it to Wang to wear. At that time Wang did not feel that the cap was abnormal, yet after he sat down the lotus leaves transformed into their original form. All of the people who sat there with him were startled.
(GXSGC, #101. 382; FYZL, 61. 1823; TPYL, 687. 3066b & 737. 3270a–b)
222. WANG NINGZHI’S WIFE62
Lady Xie, wife of Wang Ningzhi, the General of the Left Army of the Jin and Prince of Langye, suddenly lost her two sons. Being extremely regretful, she shed tears for six years.
Later she suddenly saw her two sons return, both in fetters. They consoled their mother, saying, “You should end the pain of losing your sons. Both of your sons are sinful. It is appropriate for you to create good fortune on our behalf.”63
Thereupon she was able to stop grieving, and instead, she diligently prayed for them.
(GXSGC, #102. 382; TPGJ, 320. 2538)
223. THE BUDDHIST NUN64
Huan Wen (312–373) harbored the mind of a usurper.65 At that time, a Buddhist nun came from afar. It was in summer, the fifth month of the year. The nun was bathing in another room. Wen spied on her stealthily and saw the naked nun cut her belly with a knife to get her five internal organs (the viscera) out first; next she cut off her two legs, head, and hands as well.
After a long while she finished bathing. Wen asked her, “Earlier I saw you. How could you mutilate yourself like that?”
The nun replied, “When you become the Son of Heaven, you should also be like that.” Wen felt disconsolate.
(GXSGC, #107, 384; TPYL, 395. 1826a)
224. JIANG ZIWEN
When Huan Xuan’s (369–404) ambition to usurp became unbridled, he sent the Censor to Ancheng Commandery to murder Sima Daozi, the Grand Mentor.66
Xuan was in Nanzhou67 when he saw a man wearing a flat-top kerchief and holding a horse whip, who informed him, “Marquis Jiang has come.”
Xuan was startled. Then he saw by the steps a servant driving a curtained carriage and a scholar official who called himself Jiang Ziwen.
“Why did you murder the Grand Mentor?” Jiang said. “Your fate is similar to his.”
In the twinkling of an eye, he disappeared.
(GXSGC, #118, 387; TPYL, 359. 1653b)
225. A MA
When Yuan Zhen of Chen Commandery was at Yuzhou,68 he sent three courtesans, A Xue, A Guo, and A Ma, to Huan Xuanwu (Wen). Quite a while after their arrival, three of them went to the front of the courtyard to watch the sky and saw a shooting star fall directly into the water of a basin. Xue and Guo each tried to scoop it out with a gourd ladle, but both failed to retrieve it. When A Ma was scooping, the star entered
the gourd ladle by chance. She drank the water and then felt she was pregnant. Consequently she gave birth to Huan Xuan.
(GXSGC, #108. 384; KYZJ, 71. 522)
226. XIE ANSHI
When Xie Anshi (320–385) lived under the rule of Huan Wen,69 he constantly feared that he would not be able to protect himself.
One night, he suddenly dreamed that he traveled sixteen li in Huan’s carriage, stopped while he saw a white rooster, and was not able to go forward anymore. Nobody could interpret this dream.
When Huan Wen died, Xie replaced him as prime minister. Sixteen years later when he fell ill, Xie Anshi realized the clue in the dream, saying, “Taking Huan’s carriage indicates replacing his position, sixteen li indicates I have only sixteen years in his office, stopping when I saw the white rooster indicates that, now that the God of the Year, Tai sui, is at the position of the cock, my illness will never be cured.”
In no more than a few days, he died.
(GXSGC, #99. 382; TPYL, 398, 774; BTSC, 140. 280b)
227. THE DAOIST PRIEST XU XUN (1)
Xu Xun’s (239–374) father died when he was young, and he did not know where his ancestral grave was. Touched by his sincere admiration, one day his grandfather suddenly showed up, saying, “I died thirty-one years ago. Now I will be able to receive a formal funeral. It is because of your filiality.” Accordingly, he raised a tablet, saying, “You may search for me under this sign.” Thereupon Xu Xun went to welcome the coffin of his grandfather to a grave in his hometown. The gravediggers said, “From [the geomancy of] this grave a marquis and a magistrate of a small county should come.”
Hidden and Visible Realms Page 23