| Chinese Text Project | |
| Simplified Chinese version |
《卷九 - Volume 9》 | English translation: AI and Chinese Text Project users [?] | Library Resources |
《壶公 - Hu Gong 》 | English translation: AI and Chinese Text Project users [?] | Library Resources |
| 1 | 壶公: | 壶公者，不知其姓名。今世所有《召军符》《召鬼神治病王府符》凡二十余卷，皆出于壶公，故或名为《壶公符》。汝南费长房为市掾时，忽见公从远方来，入市卖药，人莫识之。其卖药口不二价，治百病皆愈，语卖药者曰：“服此药必吐出某物，某日当愈。”皆如其言。得钱日收数万，而随施与市道贫乏饥冻者，所留者甚少。常悬一空壶于坐上，日入之后，公辄转足跳入壶中，人莫知所在。唯长房于楼上见之，知其非常人也。长房乃日日自扫除公座前地，及供馔物，公受而不谢，如此积久。长房不懈亦不敢有所求，公知长房笃信，语长房曰：“至暮无人时更来。”长房如其言而往，公语长房曰：“卿见我跳入壶中时，卿便随我跳，自当得入。”长房承公言为试，展足不觉已入。既入之后，不复见壶，但见楼观五色，重门阁道，见公左右侍者数十人。公语长房曰：“我仙人也，忝天曹职，所统供事不勤，以此见谪，蹔还人间耳，卿可教，故得见我。”长房不坐，顿首自陈：“肉人无知，积劫厚，幸谬见哀泯，犹如剖棺布气，生枯起朽，但见臭秽顽弊，不任驱使。若见怜念，百生之厚幸也。”公曰：“审尔大佳，勿语人也。”公后诣长房于楼上曰：“我有少酒，汝相共饮之。酒在楼下。”长房遣人取之，不能举，益至数十人，莫能得上。长房白公，公乃自下，以一指提上，与长房共饮之。酒器不过如蜯大，饮之，至旦不尽。公告长房曰：“我某日当去，卿能去否？”长房曰：“思去之心，不可复言。惟欲令亲属不觉不知，当作何计？”公曰：“易耳。”乃取一青竹杖与长房，戒之曰：“卿以竹归家，便称病，后日即以此竹杖置卧处，嘿然便来。”长房如公所言，而家人见此竹是长房死了，哭泣殡之。长房随公去，恍惚不知何所之，公独留之于群虎中，虎磨牙张口，欲噬长房，长房不惧。明日，又内长房石室中，头上有大石，方数丈，茅绳悬之，诸蛇并往啮绳欲断，而长房自若。公往撰之曰：“子可教矣。”乃命啖混，混臭恶非常，中有虫长寸许，长房色难之，公乃叹谢遣之曰：“子不得仙也！今以子为地上主者，可寿数百余岁。”为传封符一卷付之，曰：“带此可举诸鬼神，尝称使者，可以治病消灾。”长房忧不能到家，公以竹杖与之曰：“但骑此到家耳。”长房辞去，骑杖忽然如睡，已到家，家人谓之鬼，具述前事，乃发视棺中惟一竹杖，乃信之。长房以所骑竹杖投葛陂中，视之，乃青龙耳。长房自谓去家一日，推之已一年矣。长房乃行符收鬼治病，无不愈者，每与人同坐共语，而目瞋诃遣，人问其故，曰：“怒鬼魅之犯法耳。”汝南郡中常有鬼怪，岁辄数来，来时导从威仪，如太守入府，打鼓周行内外匝，乃还去，甚以为患。后长房诣府君，而正值此鬼来到府门前，府君驰入，独留长房，鬼知之不敢前，欲去，长房厉声呼使捉前来，鬼乃下车，把版伏庭中，叩头乞得自改。长房呵曰：“汝死老鬼，不念温凉，无故导从唐突官府，君知当死否？”急复令还就人形，以一札符付之，令与葛陂君，鬼叩头流涕，持札去。使以追视之，以札立陂边，以颈绕札而死。东海君来旱，长房后到东海，见其民请雨，谓之曰：“东海君有罪，君前系于葛陂，今当赦之。”令其作雨，于是即有大雨。长房曾与人共行，见一书生，黄巾被裘，无鞍骑马，下而叩头，长房曰：“促还他马，赦汝罪。”人问之，长房曰：“此狸耳，盗社公马也。”又尝与客坐，使至市市鲊，顷刻而还。或一日之间，人见在千里之外者数处。 |
| Hu Gong was a person whose name and surname were unknown. All more than twenty volumes of "Zhao Jun Fu" and "Zhao Guishen Zhi Bing Wangfu Fu" currently in existence were derived from Hu Gong, hence they are sometimes named as "Hu Gong Fu." Fei Changfang of Ruyang, when he was a clerk in the market office, suddenly saw Hu Gong coming from afar into the market selling medicine; no one recognized him. When he sold medicine, his price was fixed and never changed; he could cure all kinds of illnesses. He would tell those who bought the medicine: "After taking this medicine, you will vomit out a certain thing, and on a certain day you will be cured." Everything turned out exactly as he said. He earned tens of thousands of coins each day, but would immediately give them to the poor and destitute people on the streets who were hungry or freezing; he kept very little for himself. He often hung an empty gourd above his seat, and after sunset, Hu Gong would step into the gourd with a turn of his foot; no one knew where he went. Only Fei Changfang saw this from an upper floor and realized that Hu Gong was no ordinary person. Fei Changfang thus swept the ground in front of Hu Gong's seat and provided food and offerings every day; Hu Gong accepted them without expressing gratitude, and this continued for a long time. Fei Changfang remained diligent without daring to make any requests; Hu Gong, knowing that Fei Changfang was sincere and faithful, said to him: "Come again when no one is around at dusk." Fei Changfang followed his words and went as instructed. Hu Gong said to Fei Changfang: "When you see me jump into the gourd, follow me in immediately, and you will naturally be able to enter." Fei Changfang followed Hu Gong's words and tried it. As he stepped forward, he was unaware that he had already entered the gourd. After entering, Fei Changfang no longer saw the gourd; instead, he saw five-colored towers and pavilions, multiple gates and gallery walkways. He saw dozens of attendants on either side of Hu Gong. Hu Gong said to Fei Changfang: "I am an immortal, and I hold a humble position in the heavenly bureaucracy. Because those under my jurisdiction did not serve diligently, I was demoted for a time and have temporarily returned to the human world. You are teachable, so you were able to see me." Fei Changfang did not sit down but kowtowed and said: "I am a mere mortal, ignorant and burdened by many lifetimes of karma. I have been fortunate to be mistakenly shown compassion, as if one had opened a coffin to restore breath, bringing life back to the withered and decayed. Yet all that remains is foulness and stubborn corruption; I am unworthy to be commanded or used." "If you show mercy and compassion, it would be a great fortune for me in countless lifetimes." Hu Gong said: "If that is truly your wish, it is excellent. Do not speak of this to others." Later, Hu Gong went up to Fei Changfang on the upper floor and said: "I have a little wine; you and I shall drink it together. The wine is downstairs." Fei Changfang sent someone to fetch it, but the person could not lift it. He then sent dozens of people, yet none were able to bring it upstairs. Fei Changfang informed Hu Gong about this, so Hu Gong went downstairs himself and lifted the jar with one finger, bringing it upstairs to drink together with Fei Changfang. The wine vessel was no larger than an oyster shell, yet even after drinking all night until dawn, it was not emptied. Hu Gong told Fei Changfang: "On a certain day I shall leave; would you be able to go with me?" Fei Changfang said: "The longing to depart is beyond words." I only wish that my relatives will not notice or become aware. What plan should I take?" Hu Gong said: "It is easy." He then took a green bamboo staff and gave it to Fei Changfang, warning him: "When you return home with the bamboo, pretend to be ill. On the following day, place this bamboo staff at your resting place, and remain silent; I shall come." Fei Changfang followed Hu Gong's instructions. His family saw the bamboo staff and believed that Fei Changfang had died, weeping and burying him accordingly. Fei Changfang followed Hu Gong away, dazed and unaware of where they were going. Hu Gong left him alone among a group of tigers; the tigers ground their teeth and opened their mouths as if to bite Fei Changfang, but he was not afraid. The next day, Hu Gong placed Fei Changfang inside a stone chamber. Above his head was a large rock several chi in size, suspended by a rope made of straw; many snakes gathered to gnaw at the rope and try to break it, yet Fei Changfang remained calm and composed. Hu Gong went over and said: "You are now worthy of instruction." He then ordered Fei Changfang to eat hun, which was extremely foul-smelling and repulsive; there were worms about an inch long inside. Fei Changfang looked at it with distaste. Hu Gong sighed and dismissed him, saying: "You will not become an immortal!" "I shall now appoint you as a ruler on earth; you may live more than one hundred years." He gave him one volume of the "Chuanfeng Fu" and said: "Carry this, and you will be able to summon all ghosts and spirits. If you ever call yourself an envoy, you can cure diseases and eliminate disasters." Fei Changfang was worried that he could not return home. Hu Gong gave him the bamboo staff and said: "Just ride this to your home." Fei Changfang bid farewell and rode the staff. Suddenly, as if falling asleep, he had already arrived home. His family thought he was a ghost; when they heard his account of what had happened, they opened the coffin to find only the bamboo staff inside, and thus believed him. Fei Changfang threw the bamboo staff he had ridden into Ge Bei. When he looked at it, he realized that it was actually a green dragon. Fei Changfang thought he had been away from home for only one day; however, in reality, it had already been a full year. Fei Changfang then used the talismans to summon ghosts and cure diseases, and none failed to be healed. Often, while sitting and talking with people, he would suddenly glare fiercely and scold them away. When others asked why this happened, he said: "I am merely angry at evil spirits who have broken the laws." The Ruyang commandery often had ghosts and monsters; they would come several times a year. When they arrived, they were preceded by processions with imposing rituals, just like the governor entering his office, beating drums and circling inside and outside the area before finally leaving. This was considered a great nuisance. Later, Fei Changfang went to the governor's office and coincidentally encountered one of these ghosts arriving at the front gate. The governor hurriedly entered the building and left Fei Changfang alone outside. When the ghost realized this, it dared not advance further but turned to leave. Fei Changfang shouted sternly, ordering them to seize the ghost and bring it forward. Hearing this, the ghost dismounted from its carriage, held up a tablet of submission, knelt in the courtyard, and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for an opportunity to reform itself. Fei Changfang scolded: "You old dead ghost, you do not care about the warmth or chill of others. Without cause, you lead a procession and rudely intrude upon official premises. Do you know that you deserve to die?" Fei Changfang immediately ordered the ghost to return to its human form, gave it a talisman, and instructed it to deliver it to the Lord of Ge Bei. The ghost kowtowed with tears streaming down its face and took the talisman away. They followed to see what happened; when the ghost placed the talisman by the side of Ge Bei and hung its neck around it, it died. The Lord of Donghai had caused a drought. Later, Fei Changfang arrived in Donghai and saw the people pleading for rain. He told them: "The Lord of Donghai has committed crimes; he was previously imprisoned at Ge Bei by me. Now I shall pardon him." He ordered the people to summon rain, and immediately there was heavy rainfall. Fei Changfang once traveled with others and saw a scholar wearing a yellow headcloth and wrapped in a fur coat, riding a horse without a saddle. The man dismounted and kowtowed to him. Fei Changfang said: "Quickly return the horse to its owner; I shall forgive your crime." When others asked about this, Fei Changfang said: "This is merely a cat; it stole the horse of Shegong." Fei Changfang once sat with guests and sent someone to the market to buy pickled fish, which was returned in a moment. Sometimes within a single day, people saw him at several places hundreds of miles away. |
《尹轨 - Yin Gui 》 | English translation: AI and Chinese Text Project users [?] | Library Resources |
| 1 | 尹轨: | 尹轨者，字公度，太原人也。博学五经，尤明天文理气、河洛谶纬，无不精微。晚乃奉道，常服黄精，日三合，年数百岁而颜色美少。常闻其远祖尹喜，以周康王昭王之时。居草楼，遇老君与说经，其后周穆王再修楼观，以待有道之士，公度遂居楼观焉，自云：“喜数来与相见，授以道要。”由是能坐在立亡，变化之事。苏并州家先祖频奉事之，累世子孙见之，颜状常如五十岁人。游行人间，或入山，一年半年复见。无妻息。其说天下盛衰治乱之期、安危吉凶所在，未尝不效。晋永康元年十二月，道洛阳城西一家求寄宿，主人以祭蜡不欲令宿，良久，公度语其姓名，主人乃开门迎公度，与前设酒食，又以数斛谷与公度所乘青骡，公度竟不饮啖，骡亦不食谷，明旦去，谓主人曰：“君是不急难人耳，先虽不欲受我宿，后更有勤意吾及骡，虽不食君所设，意望相酬耳。令赐君神药一丸，带以随身，明年当有兵死者满地，此药可以全君体命。”明年洛中，果有赵王伦之乱，死者数焉。举家有从军者，皆不还，在家又为劫杀皆尽，惟余得药一人耳。 |
| Yin Gui was a native of Taiyuan, courtesy name Gongdu. He was well-versed in the Five Classics and especially proficient in astronomy, geomantic principles, the He Luo divination texts, and prophetic literature; there was nothing he did not understand thoroughly. Later in life, he devoted himself to Daoism and often consumed huangjing (yellow essence), taking three doses a day. He lived for several hundred years while maintaining the appearance of youth and beauty. He often heard about his distant ancestor Yin Xi, who lived during the reigns of King Kangwang and King Zhaowang of Zhou. He lived in Caolou and encountered the Old Lord (Laojun), who expounded scriptures to him. Later, King Muwang of Zhou renovated the Louguan building again to await sages with virtue; Gongdu then resided at Louguan. He claimed: "Yi Xi often comes to visit me and teaches me the essentials of Dao." Therefore, he was able to sit in meditation or stand motionless for long periods, and could perform transformations and miraculous feats. The ancestors of the Su Bingzhou family often served him with reverence, and for generations his descendants saw him; his appearance always resembled that of a man in his fifties. He traveled among the people, or went into the mountains, and would be seen again after one or two years. He had no wife or children. His predictions about the times of prosperity and decline, order and chaos in the world, as well as where safety, danger, good fortune, or misfortune lay, were never inaccurate. In the first year of Yongkang reign period of the Jin dynasty, on the twelfth month, Gongdu went to a house west of Luoyang city and asked for lodging. The host did not want to let him stay because he was preparing sacrifices for the Wax Festival. After some time, Gongdu told his name, and upon hearing it, the host opened the door and welcomed him in, having already prepared wine and food beforehand. He also gave several hu of grain to the green donkey that Gongdu rode. However, Gongdu neither drank nor ate anything, and the donkey did not eat the grain either. The next morning when he left, he said to the host: "You are merely a person who does not act in times of urgency. Although you initially refused me lodging, later you showed great kindness toward both myself and my donkey. Though I did not consume what you provided, I expected this gesture as a token of appreciation." He then gave the host one pill of divine medicine, saying: "Carry this with you. Next year, there will be corpses from warfare lying everywhere on the ground; this medicine can preserve your body and save your life." The next year in Luozhong, there was indeed a rebellion by Zhao Wang Lun, resulting in numerous deaths. All members of the family who had joined the military did not return, and those remaining at home were all killed in robberies; only he, who had received the medicine, survived. | ||
| 2 | 尹轨: | 公度腰中带漆竹管数十杖，中皆有药，入口即活。天下大疫，有得药如枣者，涂其门，则一家不病，病者立愈。又弟子黄理，居陆浑山中，患虎为暴，公度使断大木为柱，去家四方各一里外埋一柱，公度即以印印之，虎即绝迹。又有怪鸟止其屋上，以语公度，公度为书一奏符，著鸟鸣处，至夕，鸟伏死符下，遂绝。有人遭大丧，当年而食穷不及，公度见而嗟之，孝子说其孤苦，公度怆然曰：“君能得数斤铅否？”孝子曰；“可得耳。”乃具铅数十斤，公度将入山中小屋下，炉火中销铅，以神药如枣大投沸铅中，搅之，皆成银，以与之曰：“吾念汝贫困，不能营业，故以相与，慎勿言也。”复又有一人，本士族子弟，遇公事簿书不明，当陪负官钱百万，出卖田宅车牛，不售，而见收系，公度语所识富人曰：“可暂以百万钱借我，欲以救之，后二十日顿相还也。”富人即以钱百万与公度，公度以与遭事者，乃语曰：“君致锡百两。”其人即买锡与之，公度于炉中洋锡，以神药一方寸匕投沸锡中，变成黄金，金即秤卖，得钱百万还钱主。公度后到南阳太和山升仙去矣。 |
| Gongdu carried dozens of lacquered bamboo tubes at his waist; each contained medicine that could save a life as soon as it was taken into the mouth. During a great epidemic in the land, anyone who obtained medicine resembling an apricot kernel and applied it to their door would ensure that no one in the household fell ill; those already sick recovered immediately. Another disciple, Huang Li, lived in Luhun Mountain and suffered from tigers causing havoc. Gongdu instructed him to cut down a large tree for pillars, placing one pillar at each of the four directions—each one li away from his home—and then Gongdu stamped them with an imprint; after that, the tigers disappeared completely. There was also a strange bird perching on his roof; Huang Li told Gongdu about it, and Gongdu wrote an imperial talisman and placed it at the spot where the bird had called. By evening, the bird lay dead beneath the talisman, and thus it was eradicated. A man who had suffered a great loss found himself destitute and unable to afford food for the year. Gongdu saw this and sighed in sympathy. The filial son described his loneliness and hardship, prompting Gongdu to say sorrowfully: "Can you obtain several jin of lead?" The filial son said; "I can get it." He then prepared several dozen jin of lead, and Gongdu took it to a small house in the mountains. He melted the lead in a furnace fire, added some divine medicine about the size of an apricot kernel into the boiling lead, stirred it, and it all turned into silver. He gave it to him and said: "I feel pity for your poverty and inability to support yourself, so I give this to you; be careful not to speak of it." Another man, originally a son of an aristocratic family, encountered an official matter involving unclear records and was sentenced to pay one million qian in compensation. He sold his farmland, house, carts, and oxen but could not find buyers, and he was soon arrested. Gongdu said to a wealthy acquaintance he knew: "You can temporarily lend me one million qian; I want to save him. I will repay you entirely within twenty days." The wealthy man immediately gave Gongdu one million qian, and Gongdu passed it on to the unfortunate man. He then told him: "You should present one hundred liang of tin." The man immediately bought tin and gave it to Gongdu, who melted the tin in a furnace and added one square cun of divine medicine into the boiling tin. It turned into yellow gold, which was then weighed and sold for one million qian to repay the lender. Later, Gongdu went to Taihe Mountain in Nanyang and ascended to immortality there. |
《介象 - Jie Xiang 》 | English translation: AI and Chinese Text Project users [?] | Library Resources |
| 1 | 介象: | 介象者，字元则，会稽人也。学通五经，博览百家之言，能属文，阴修道法，入东岳受气禁之术，能茅上燃火煮鸡，鸡热而茅不焦，能令一里内不炊不蒸，鸡犬三日不鸣不吠，能令一市人皆坐不能起，能隐形变化为草木鸟兽。闻九丹之经，周游数千里求之。不值明师，乃入山精思，冀遇神仙，疲极卧石上，有一虎往舔象，象睡寤见虎，乃谓之曰：“天使汝来侍卫我者，汝宜停，若山神使汝来试我，汝疾去。”虎乃去。象入山见谷中有石子，紫色光彩，大如鸡子，不可称数，乃取两枚而游，谷深，不得度，乃还，于山中见一美女，年十五六许，颜色非常，衣服五彩，盖仙人也，象叩头乞长生之方，女曰：“汝急送手中物还故处，乃来，吾故于此待汝。”象即以石送于谷中而还，见女子在旧处，象复叩头。女曰：“汝血羊之气未尽，断谷三年更来。吾止此。”象归，断谷三年，乃复往见，此女故在前处，乃以丹方一日授象，告曰：“得此便仙，勿他为也。”象未得合作此药，常住弟子骆延雅合，惟下平床中，有书生数人，共论书传事，云云不判，象傍闻之，不能忍，乃为决解之，书生知象非凡人，密表奏象于主，象知之欲去，曰：“恐官事拘束我耳。”延雅固留。吴王诏徵象到武昌，甚敬重之，称为介君，为象起第宅，以御帐给之，赐遗前后累千金。从象学隐形之术，试还后宫及出入殿门，莫有见者。又令象变化，种瓜菜百菓，皆立生。与先主共论鲙鱼何者最上，象曰：“鲻鱼为上。”先主曰：“此鱼乃在海中，安可得乎？”象曰：“可得耳。”但令人于殿中庭方塪者水满之，象即索钓饵起钓之，垂纶于塪中，不食顷，得鲻鱼，先主惊喜，问象曰：“可食否？”象曰：“故为陛下取作鲙，安不可食。”乃使厨人切之。先主问曰：“蜀使不来，得姜作鲙至美，此间姜不及也。何由得乎？”象曰：“易得耳。愿差一人，并以钱五千文付之，象书一符，以著竹杖中，令其闭目骑杖，杖止便买姜，买姜毕，复闭目。”此人如言，骑杖须臾已到成都，不知何处，问人，言是蜀中也，乃买姜。于时，吴使张温在蜀，从人恰与买姜人相见，于是甚惊，作书寄家。此人买姜还厨中，鲙始就矣。 |
| Jie Xiang, courtesy name Yuanze, was a native of Kuaiji. He was well-versed in the Five Classics, had extensively read the writings of all schools of thought, and could compose literary works. In secret, he studied Daoist methods, went to Dongyue Mountain to receive instruction on breath control and magical incantations. He could light a fire on dry reeds to cook a chicken; the chicken would be hot while the reeds remained unburned. He was able to make people within one li refrain from cooking or steaming food for three days, during which chickens and dogs did not crow or bark. He had the power to cause all the people in an entire market to sit down and be unable to stand up. He could also become invisible and transform into grasses, trees, birds, or beasts. He heard of the Nine Dan Scripture and traveled thousands of li to seek it out. He did not encounter a wise teacher, so he went into the mountains to concentrate deeply, hoping to meet immortals. Exhausted, he lay down on a rock; there was a tiger that approached and licked Jie Xiang. When Jie Xiang woke up and saw the tiger, he said to it: "If Heaven has sent you to serve as my guardian, you should stay. If the mountain deity has sent you to test me, you must leave quickly." The tiger then left. Jie Xiang went into the mountain and saw in a valley some stones, purple with luster, as large as eggs, countless in number. He took two of them and continued to wander. The valley was deep, and he could not cross it, so he returned. In the mountains, he encountered a beautiful young girl about fifteen or sixteen years old, whose appearance was extraordinary; she wore clothes of five colors. She must have been an immortal. Jie Xiang kowtowed and begged her for the method to attain eternal life. The girl said: "You should quickly return the objects in your hand to their original place, then come back. I have been waiting for you here deliberately." Jie Xiang immediately returned the stones to the valley and came back, finding the girl still at her original place. Jie Xiang once again kowtowed before her. The girl said: "Your smell of blood and sheep has not yet disappeared; you must abstain from food for three years and then return." "I will remain here." Jie Xiang returned and abstained from food for three years, then went back to visit her. The girl was still at the same place. She then gave Jie Xiang a formula for cinnabar in one day's time, telling him: "With this you will become an immortal; do not pursue anything else." Jie Xiang had not yet obtained the ingredients to prepare this medicine, so he stayed at his disciple Luo Yanyan's residence. One day while lying on a low bed in the room, there were several scholar-students discussing matters related to books and historical records; they argued endlessly without reaching an agreement. Jie Xiang overheard their discussion from the side and could not bear it, so he stepped forward to resolve their dispute. The scholar-students realized that Jie Xiang was no ordinary person and secretly submitted a report recommending him to the authorities. When Jie Xiang learned of this, he wanted to leave, saying: "I fear being bound by official duties." Luo Yanyan insisted on keeping him. The Wu king issued an edict to summon Jie Xiang to Wuchang, and treated him with great respect, addressing him as "Jie Jun." He built a residence for Jie Xiang and provided him with imperial tents. The gifts bestowed upon him in the course of time amounted to several thousand gold pieces. Those who followed Jie Xiang to learn invisibility techniques tested their abilities by returning to the inner palace and entering or exiting the palace gates, yet no one saw them. He also ordered Jie Xiang to demonstrate transformation techniques; when he planted melons, vegetables, and a hundred kinds of fruits, they all sprouted immediately. He discussed with the reigning ruler which kind of fish was the best for making mince fish, and Jie Xiang said: "The best is the bǐ yú." The reigning ruler said: "This kind of fish lives in the sea; how can we possibly obtain it?" Jie Xiang said: "It is possible to get it." Jie Xiang said: "Just have someone fill the square pit in the courtyard of the palace with water." Jie Xiang then asked for some fishing bait and began to fish, casting his line into the pit. In no time at all, he caught a bǐ yú. The reigning ruler was astonished and delighted, asking Jie Xiang: "Is it edible?" Jie Xiang said: "I specifically caught this for Your Majesty to make mince fish; how could it not be edible." The ruler then ordered the cooks to slice it. The reigning ruler asked: "Since envoys from Shu have not come, we cannot obtain ginger to make mince fish as delicious; the ginger here is not comparable." "How can we obtain it?" Jie Xiang said: "It is easy to obtain." Jie Xiang said: "I request that one person be sent, and given five thousand copper coins. I will write a talisman, place it inside a bamboo staff, and instruct the person to close his eyes and ride on the staff. When the staff stops, he should buy ginger; after buying the ginger, he must again close his eyes." The man followed Jie Xiang's instructions and rode on the staff with his eyes closed. In a short while, he arrived in Chengdu, though he did not know where he was. He asked people around him, who told him that it was Shu territory. He then bought ginger. At that time, Wu envoy Zhang Wen was in Shu; his attendant just happened to meet the man who had bought ginger and was greatly surprised. He wrote a letter home about it. The man returned with the ginger to the kitchen, and by then the mince fish dish was already prepared. | ||
| 2 | 介象: | 象又能读诸符文如读书，无误谬者。或不信之，取诸杂符，除其标注以示象，象皆一一别之。又有一人种黍于山中，尝患猕猴食之，闻象有道，从乞辟猴法，象告：“无他，汝明日往看黍，若见猴群下，大嗥语之曰：‘吾已告介君，介君教汝莫食黍。’”此人仓卒直言象欺弄之。明日往见，群猴欲下树，试告象言语，猴即各还树，绝迹矣。 |
| Jie Xiang could also read various talismanic scripts as if reading ordinary books, without any errors or misunderstandings. Some people did not believe this and took various mixed talismans, removing their labels to show Jie Xiang; he was able to identify each one accurately. There was also a man who planted millet in the mountains and often suffered from monkeys eating it. Having heard of Jie Xiang's abilities, he followed him to beg for a method to drive away the monkeys. Jie Xiang told him: "There is nothing special about this. Tomorrow when you go to check your millet, if you see a group of monkeys coming down, shout loudly at them and say: 'I have already informed Master Jie; Master Jie has instructed you not to eat the millet.'" The man hastily spoke out bluntly, accusing Jie Xiang of deceiving him. The next day he went to see and found that the monkeys were about to descend from the trees. He tried repeating Jie Xiang's words, and immediately the monkeys returned to their trees and disappeared without a trace. | ||
| 3 | 介象: | 象在吴连求去，先主不许，象言某月日病，先主使左右以梨一奁赐象，象食之，须臾便死。先主殡埋之。以日中死，其日餔时已至建邺，以所赐梨付苑内种之。吏后以表闻先主，发视其棺中，唯一奏版符耳，先主思象，使以所住屋为庙，时时躬往祭之。常有白鹄来集座上，良久乃去。后弟子见象在盇竹山中，颜色更少焉。 |
| Jie Xiang remained in Wu and repeatedly requested to leave, but the reigning ruler did not permit it. Jie Xiang then declared that he would fall ill on a certain day. The ruling king sent attendants with one lacquered box of pears as a gift for Jie Xiang. After eating them, Jie Xiang died shortly thereafter. The reigning ruler gave him a burial. He had died at noon, yet on the same day during the bu hour he had already arrived in Jianye and planted the pears granted to him inside the palace grounds. Later, officials submitted a report to the reigning ruler informing him of this. Upon opening Jie Xiang's coffin for inspection, they found only one talismanic tablet inside. The ruling king missed Jie Xiang and ordered that the house where he had lived be converted into a shrine, visiting it in person from time to time to offer sacrifices. White cranes often came and gathered on the dais, remaining for a long while before finally departing. Later, his disciples saw Jie Xiang in Hua Zhu Mountain, looking younger than before. |
URN: ctp:shen-xian-zhuan/9