In the past someone passed by on a boat and saw a dead dragon on the dam, and it seemed that it was stranded.
Shortly afterward, he saw a tall, strong man in black, standing beside the bank and speaking to him: “While getting off the dam yesterday, I could not pass it and thus died. You may report this for me to the Dizzying Pool.”
The passerby said, “There is no one on the Dizzying Pool. How could I report it?”
The man in black said, “When you arrive at the pool, just speak aloud.”
The passerby did as he instructed. In a moment, a sound of weeping from the pool was heard.
(GXSGC, #23. 357; TPYL, 66. 316a)
____________
1. Yangxin 陽新 County, modern Yangxin, Hubei.
2. For 立望夫而化為立石, TPYL (440. 2025a) reads 立望而死，形化為石, “She stood watching until she died, and her body became a piece of stone.”
3. The Upheaval of Yongjia occurred in the fifth year of the Yongjia reign (307–312) under Emperor Huai 懷, during which the Xiongnu 匈奴 (Huns) army crushed Jin troops, captured Luoyang, and massacured 30,000 people.
4. Yiyang 宜陽 County, modern Yichun 宜春, Jiangxi.
5. In traditional Chinese culture heaven has been described as an omnipotent high god who supervises and dominates the world of creatures. It responds to the affairs of human beings by sending down calamities, bestowing good fortunes, and acting as the savior. This story is beyond doubt from this tradition, yet the way the girl is saved is unique compared with prior depictions of heavenly retribution in the historical texts. A typical example of such depictions can be found in Sima Qian, Shi ji, 38.1631; cf. Zhenjun Zhang’s English translation in Nienhauser Jr., ed., Grand Scribe’s Record, 5. 1, 288–89. For discussions of heavenly bao (retribution), see Kao, “Bao and Baoying”; and Zhenjun Zhang, “From Demonic to Karmic Retribution”; also see Buddhism and Tales of the Supernatual in Early Medieval China, 82–106.
6. Yidu 宜都 Commandery; its seat was in the modern city of Yichang, Hubei; Jianping 建平 Commandery, its seat was in modern Wushan 巫山 County, Sichuan. Both were established in the Three Kingdoms period.
7. Shixing 始興, modern Shixing County, Guangdong.
8. Ai 艾 County, seat in modern Xiushui 修水, Jiangxi.
9. Xiangyi 襄邑 County, modern Sui 睢 County, Henan.
10. Xiping 熙平 County, modern Yangshuo 陽壽, Guangxi.
11. Wutong 五通, the five supernatural powers, including: 1) shenzu tong 神足通, the power to be anywhere at will; 2) tianyan tong 天眼通, the power to see anything anywhere; 3) tian’er tong 天耳通, the power to hear any sound anywhere, 4) taxin tong 他心通, the power to know the thoughts of all other minds, and 5) suming tong 宿命通, the power to know past lives.
12. Yecheng 鄴城 was the capital of Shi Jilong 石季龍 in this story (see next footnote), located in present-day Linzhang County, Henan Province.
13. Shi Jilong, agnomen of Shi Hu 石虎 (295–349), the third emperor of Later Zhao and a notorious tyrant.
14. Qiao 譙 County, present-day Bo 亳 County, Anhui.
15. Emperor Wu of Wei, Cao Cao (155–220), was a native of Qiao County.
16. Donglai Commandery, see footnote 42 in chapter 4.
17. Le’an 樂安 County, modern Boxing 博興, Shandong.
18. Pingdu 平度 County, modern Anfu 安福, Jiangxi.
19. Liu Jian 劉建, the grandson of Emperor Jing (r. 157–141 BCE) of Han, inherited the title Prince of Jiangdu 江都.
20. This is an abstract of the story of Cao E 曹娥, a Han dynasty girl who drowned herself in order to find her father’s lost corpse in the river. In the first year of the Yuanjia reign of Eastern Han (151), Du Shang 度尚, the magistrate of Shangyu 上虞, built a tomb and a temple on her behalf. Since then, Cao E has been venerated as an exemplar of filial piety in the history of China.
21. Duke Tao 陶, named Tao Kan 陶侃 (259–334), Duke of Changsha, Minister of Defense and Governor of Jingzhou and Jiangzhou of Jin. He was also the great-grandfather of Tao Qian 陶潛 (365–427), the famous poet of Eastern Jin.
22. Wuxuan 武宣, present-day Wuxuan County, Guangxi.
23. The GXSGC edition takes the Wan 晚 in 晚被斫 (at night [the elm tree] was cut down) as the man, Hu Wan, by underlining it. It is a mistake.
24. Baqiu, see footnote 32 in chapter 5.
25. Shuo 碩 County, information is not available.
APPENDIX
265. WANG DONGTING
Wang Dongting once dreamed of someone giving him a big writing brush, with a shaft as big as a raster.1 After awaking, he told others, “I’ll do something as a well-known writer someday.”
A little while later, Liezong passed away.2 Both the elegy and posthumous title proposal for him were written by Wang.
(TPYL 399. 1843b quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
266. ZHENG ZICHAN
Zichan (d. 522) of Zheng had a good reputation for taking care of his mother.3 Once he visited the state of Jin as an envoy under an order, and on the way he felt a pain in his heart. Then he sent someone back to his home to ask how his mother was. His mother said, “I suddenly felt that my heart and body were not harmonious, and I missed you. That is all.”
(TPYL 411. 1897b quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
267. XU GANMU
When Xu Ganmu (364–426) was young,4 he dreamed of a crow flying down from the sky with a long-handled umbrella in its mouth and standing it in front of his yard. The crow flew up into the sky again and came down with another umbrella. In total it stood three umbrellas there, and then cried loudly, made an angry noise, and left.
Later, Xu really contracted a foul disease, and consequently died of it.
(TPYL 920. 4083a quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
268. SALTED DRAGON MEAT
Someone sent some salted meat to Zhang Hua. When Hua saw it, he told his guest, “This is salted dragon meat. Inside it there is a light of five colors.” The guest examined it, and it was just as Hua said. Later he heard from his host that it was made from the white fish obtained under reeds 茅积.
(TPYL 862. 3832a quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
269. THE DILU HORSE
When Liu Bei first went to Liu Biao for shelter,5 he stationed his troops at Fancheng. Those under Liu Biao intended to take advantage of their conference to catch Liu Bei.
Bei noticed this, so when he went to the privy he left. The Dilu horse he rode fell and sank in the Tanxi stream west of the city and could not get out.
Bei urgently told the Dilu horse, “This is a strategic point for me. Why don’t you try your best?”
The horse understood his words, so it jumped over three zhang and was able to cross the river.
(YWLJ, 93. 1619 [Animal, a] quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
270. THE GHOST OF FANGFENG
In Guiji was the ghost of Fangfeng, who had been seen frequently in the nearby cities and towns. It often sat on the Leimen Gate6 with two legs touching the ground. The magistrate of Hengyang, He Taoyi, was good at playing the zither. Hearing the sound of the zither, Fangfeng danced in He’s atrium.
(YWLJ 44. 782 quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
271. CHEN ZHUANG
During the time of Huan Cheji,7 there was a man called Chen Zhuang who entered Mount Wudang to learn the Daoist doctrine. White smoke always drifted from the place where he lived, and fragrance was smelled everywhere.
(TPYL 981. 4343a quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
272. CAO SHUANG
/> When Cao Shuang (d. 249) was about to be put to death,8 he dreamed of two tigers with the Thunder God, resembling two jars, in their mouths and put him in the courtyard.
(TPYL 13. 66a quotes from SSXY)
273. TOMB OF WANG ZIQIAO
The tomb of Wang Ziqiao is in Jingling. During the Warring States period, a robber excavated it but found nothing; there was only a sword hanging in the open grave. When the robber intended to fetch it, the sword emitted a sound resembling the roar of a dragon and a tiger. Therefore he dared not approach it. In a moment, it flew up directly into the sky.
The Classic of Immortals says, “When a true man passes away,9 a sword will mostly take his place. Five hundred years later, the sword can also make a numinous transformation.” This story is the verification of it.
(TPGJ 229. 1755 quotes from SSXY)
274. ZHANG HENG AND CAI YONG
A month after Zhang Heng’s death,10 Cai Yong’s mother became pregnant. The talents and appearance of Heng and Yong were similar. Their contemporaries conjectured that Yong was the reincarnation of Heng.
(Xutan zhu 續談助 13 quotes from SSXY)
275. SUN HAO
On the eighth day of the fourth month, Sun Hao (242–284) urinated on a golden statue [of Buddha], and he called it “bathing Buddha.”11 Later, his penis contracted a disease, and only recovered after he confessed his sin.
(BKLT 3. 65a quotes from SSXY)
276. FOOD BECOMING SPIRAL SHELLS
During the Yongxi reign (290), the family of Wei Guan (220–290) was cooking.12 Their food dropped onto the ground and morphed into spiral shells that all stretched out their feet to walk. Later, Guan was put to death.
(TPYL 885. 3931a quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
277. WEI FAJI
Wei Faji was a native of Yixing. At the age of twelve, his son contracted an illness that lasted for years.
Once a spirit came to talk to him, saying, “Your bed mat is not clean. Where should I sit?”
Faji replied, “There is a painted kerchief box that is very clean. Why don’t you enter it?” Accordingly, he put fresh fruit in the box.
When he heard a sound inside, he covered the box. Hearing something shaking inside, he then wrapped the box with his cloth. It was as heavy as five sheng of millet.
Then his son recovered from the illness.
(TPYL 711. 3168a quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
278. IRON HAMMER
In the third year of Yongjia, in the flower bed under the terrace of the old Prince Rencheng of Wei in Zhongmu County,13 there was an iron hammer of the Han. It was six feet long and buried three feet underground, with its head pointed toward the southwest.
(TPYL 763. 3389a quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
279. WHITE JADE OF CHANGSHAN
Prince Changsha moved his fief to Changshan. When he arrived, he dug a well. At the point four zhang under the ground, he obtained a piece of white jade three to four square feet in area.
(TPYL 805. 3579a quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version)
280. DU YU
When Du Yu (222–285) was Governor of Jingzhou and guarded Xiangyang,14 from time to time there were feast gatherings. When he was drunk, he would close the door of his study and lie down alone, not allowing others to approach him.
Once when he was drunk, he was heard throwing up in his study, and his voice cried out in great pain. All of his attendants were terrified. Then a clerk opened the door and had a look. He saw there was a big snake on the bed, lowering its head by the side of the bed to vomit, yet not a single man in sight.
(TPYL 388. 1793a–b quotes from SSXY, yet this is not in the extant version; TPGJ 456. 3727 quotes from Liu shi xiaoshuo)
281. THE IMMORTAL RESIDENCE15
At the bottom of Songgao Mountain there was a big cave. During the Jin dynasty, a man fell into the cave by mistake. He saw two people playing chess there; by their side was a cup of white liquid. They gave it to the man to drink, and his strength increased ten times.
The chess players asked, “Do you want to stay here?”
The man who had fallen replied, “I don’t want to stay.”
The chess players said, “To go westward from here, there is a big well. Inside it is a flood dragon. Please throw yourself into the well, and you will be able to get out yourself. If you are hungry, take the stuff in the well to eat.”
The man who had fallen just followed what they said. After around half a year, he came out at central Shu and returned to Luoyang. He inquired of Zhang Hua about what he had experienced. Hua replied, “That is the Immortal Residence.16 What you drank was carnelian juice, and what you ate was stone marrow from the dragon cave.”
(GXSGC, #63. 370; CXJ 5. 103–04 and TPYL 39. 185a–b)
282. BREAKING A PROMISE CAUSES LOSS OF MAGIC FIGURES
Xu Chang and Bao Liang of Wuxing had long been close friends. Bao intended to teach Xu secret magical arts, but he told him first, “It is proper to make a pledge.” Xu pledged that he would never be an official in government. Then Bao gave him the magic figures. Consequently, Xu could constantly see eight grand deities around him. He was able to see everything in the past as well as in the future, and his ability and insight increased daily.
People in the county and village all talked about Xu with approval, and the authority intended to hire him as Assistant Magistrate of the county. Xu was delighted with it.
The next morning, however, seven of the eight deities disappeared, and the one left was arrogant, different from his usual behavior. When Xu asked him why, he replied, “You broke your promise, so we won’t work together with you. The reason I was asked to stay here alone was to guard the magic figures, and that is all.”
Thus Xu returned the magic figures and withdrew.
(GXSGC, #258. 432; both TPYL, 882. 3919b–40a and TPGJ, 294. 2340 quote from SSXY, yet this is not found in the extant version)
283. ZHANG HUA
When Zhang Hua was about to decline, blowing wind brought six to seven cloth rods leaning against the wall.
(GXSGC, #64. 370; TPYL 830. 3703b quotes from SSXY)
284. JIA YONG LOST HIS HEAD
The Governor of Yuzhang, Jia Yong, possessed divine power. When leaving the commandery to launch a punitive expedition against the rebels, he was killed by them and beheaded.
He mounted his horse to return to his camp, saying through his chest, “I was defeated in battle and wounded by the rebels. Everybody, please look: is it better to have a head or not to have one?”
The officials wept, saying, “It is better to have a head.”
“No!” said Jia Yong. “It is also nice without a head.”
After finishing his words, he immediately died.
(GXSGC, #217. 415; TPGJ 321. 2548, no source given)
285. THE MOLE CRICKETS
Shi Ziran of Guiiji said, there was a man wearing an unlined white silk garment and a silk hat who went directly to his mat, held his hands, and talked to him. When Ziran asked his name, he replied, “My surname is Lu, and my name is Gou. My home is by the river, close to Tanxi.”
Five days later, when his craftsman dug in the old hill by the west ditch in the field, he found a big pit full of mole crickets—about a dou (ten pints) or so. Among these mole crickets, several were very strong, and one was huge. Ziran suddenly realized what had happened, saying, “My recent guest called himself Lu Gou, which became Lou gu (mole crickets) by exchanging the finals of the two characters while keeping their initials. The guest said his home was in Tanxi, which means west pit.”
Then he filled the whole pit with boiling water. Since then the mole crickets have been extinct.
(GXSGC, #257. 432; TPYL 948. 4209b, no source given)
____________
1. Wang Dongting 王東亭, named Wang Xun 王珣 (349–400), was Marquis of Dongting and Minister of Education of Eastern Jin. He was the grands
on of Wang Dao and a noted calligrapher. A similar story is found in Wang’s biography in Jin shu, 65.1756–57.
2. Liezong 烈宗, the posthumous title of Sima Yao, Emperor Xiaowu of Eastern Jin.
3. Zichan 子產 was a vassal of Zheng 鄭 in the Spring and Autumn period.
4. Xu Ganmu 徐干木, named Xianzhi 羨之, Minister of Education of the [Liu] Song.
5. Liu Bei 劉備 (r. 221–223), styled Xuande 玄德, the founder of Shu. Liu Biao 劉表 (142–208), styled 景升, was Governor of Jingzhou at the end of Eastern Han.
6. The gate of Shaoxing 紹興.
7. Huan Chong, the Cheji jiangjun 車騎將軍 (Chariot and Horse General) and governor of Jingzhou of Eastern Jin.
8. Cao Shuang 曹爽, Marquis Wu’an 武安 of Wei, was killed by Sima Yi (179–251), the founder of Jin.
9. A true man is a man who has achieved enlightenment.
10. Zhang Heng 張衡 (78–139), styled Pingzi 平子, was a writer and astronomer of the Eastern Han. Cai Yong 蔡邕 (132–192), styled Bojie 伯喈, was a writer of Eastern Han.
11. Sun Hao was the last Emperor of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period.
12. Wei Guan 衛瓘, styled Boyu 伯玉, a general and Minister of Works of Jin.
13. Prince Rencheng 任城, the second son of Cao Cao, named Cao Zhang (d. 223). After his death, his son was enfeoffed at Zhongmu 中牟.
Hidden and Visible Realms Page 26