For the time being, we shall make no mention of Guangrui serving in his post and Xuanzang practicing austerities. We tell you now about two worthies who lived on the banks of the river Jing outside the city ofChang'an: a fisherman by the name of Zhang Shao and a woodman by the name of Li Ding.1 The two of them were scholars who had passed no official examination, mountain folks who knew how to read. One day in the city of Chang' an, after they had sold the wood on the one's back and the carp in the other's basket, they went into a small inn and drank until they were slightly tipsy. Each carrying a bottle, they followed the bank of the Jing River and walked slowly back.
"Brother Li," said Zhang Shao, "in my opinion those who strive for fame will lose their lives on account of fame; those who live in quest of fortune will perish because of riches; those who have titles sleep embracing a tiger; and those who receive official favors walk with snakes in their sleeves. When you think of it, their lives cannot compare with our carefree existence, close to the blue mountains and fair waters. We cherish poverty and pass our days without having to quarrel with fate:'
"Brother Zhang," said Li Ding, "there's a great deal of truth in what you say. But your fair waters cannot match my blue mountains." "On the contrary," said Zhang Shao, "your blue mountains cannot match my fair waters, in testimony of which I offer a lyric2 to the tune of'Butterflies Enamored of Flowers' that says:
In a small boat o'er ten thousand miles of misty waves
I lean to the silent, single sail,
Circled by sounds of the mermaid-fish.
My mind cleansed, my care purged, here lacks wealth or fame;
Leisurely I pick stems of bulrushes and reeds.
Counting the seagulls is pleasure to be told!
At willowed banks and reeded bays
My wife and son join my joyous laugh.
I sleep most soundly as wind and wave recede;
No shame, no glory, nor any misery:'
Li Ding said, "Your fair waters are not as good as my blue mountains. I also have as testimony a lyric poem to the tune of 'Butterflies Enamored of Flowers' that says:
At a dense forest's pine-seeded corner
I hear, wordless, the oriole-
Its deft tongue's a tuneful pipe.
Pale reds and bright greens announce the warmth of spring;
Summer comes abruptly; so passes time.
Then autumn arrives (for it's an easy change)
With Jragrant golden flowers
Most worthy of our joy;
And cold winter descends, swift as a finger snaps.
Ruled by no one, I'm free in all four climes:'
The fisherman said, "Your blue mountains are not as good as my fair waters, which offer me some fine things to enjoy. As testimony I have here a lyric to the tune of 'The Partridge Sky"':
The fairyland cloud and water do suffice:
Boat adrift, oars accumbent-this is my home.
I split fishes live and cook green turtles;
I steam purple crabs and boil red shrimps.
Green reed-shoots,
Water-plant sprouts;
Better still the 'chicken heads,'3 the walter caltrops,
Lotus roots, old oryoung, the tender celery leaves,
Arrowheads, white caltrops, and niaoying flowers:'
The woodman said, "Your fair waters are not as good as my blue mountains, which offer me some fine things to enjoy. As testimony I too have a lyric to the tune of'The Partridge Sky':
On tall, craggy peaks that touch heaven's edge
A grass house, a straw hut would make up my home.
Cured fowls, smoked geese surpass turles or crabs;
Hares, antelopes, and deer best fishes or shrimps.
The scented chun leaves;
The yellow lian sprouts;4
Bamboo shoots and mountain tea are even better!
Purple plums, red peaches, prunes and apricots ripe,
Sweet pears, sour dates, and cassia flowers:'
The fisherman said, "Your blue mountains are truly not as good as my fair waters. I have another lyric to the tune of'The Heavenly Immortal':
One lea.flike skiff goes where'er I choose to stay.
I fear not ten thousand folds of wave or mist.
I drop hooks and cast nets to catch fresh .fish:
With no sauce or fat,
It's tastier yet.
Old wife and young son complete my home.
When .fishes are plenty, I leave for Chang'an marts
And barter them for wine I drink till drunk.
A coir coat shrouds me, on autumnal stream I lie;
Snoring, asleep,
No fret or care-
I love not the glory or the pomp of man:'
The woodman said, "Your fair waters are still not as good as my blue mountains. I too have a poem to the tune of'The Heavenly Immortal':
A few straw houses built beneath a hill.
Pines, orchids, plums, bamboos-lovable all!
Passing groves, climbing mountains, I seek dried woods.
With none to chide,
I sell as I wish:
How much, how little, depends on my yield.
I use the cash to buy wine as I please.
Earthen crocks, clay flagons-both put me at ease.
Sodden with wine, in the pine shade I lie:
No anxious thoughts;
No gain or loss;
No care for this world's failure or success."
The fisherman said, "Brother Li, your moutain life is not as pleasing as my livelihood on the waters. As testimony, I have a lyric to the tune of 'Moon Over West River':
Red smartweeds's thick blooms glow in moonlight;5
Yellow rush-leaves tousled, wind-shaken.
The blue sky, clean and distant, in empty Chu River:
Drawing my lines, I stir a deep pool of stars.
In rank and .file big .fishes enter the net;
Teams of tiny perches swallow the hooks.
Their taste is special when they're caught and cooked.
My laughter presides over rivers and lakes:'
The woodman says, "Brother Zhang, your life on the waters is not as pleasing as my livelihood in the mountains. As testimony, I also have a lyric to the tune of 'Moon Over West River':
Dead leaves, parched creepers choking the road;
Snapped poles, aged bamboos crowding the hill;
Dried tendrils and sedges in disheveled growth
I break and take; my ropes truss the load.
Willow trunks hollowed by insects,
Pine branches clipped off by wind,
I gather and stockpile, ready for winter's cold.
Change them for wine or cash as I wish."
The fisherman said, "Though your life in the mountains is not bad, it is still not as charming and graceful as mine is on the fair waters. As testimony, I have a lyric to the tune of'Immortal by the River':
Falling tide moves my one boat away;
I rest my oars, my song comes with the night.
The coir coat, the waning moon-how charming they are!
No seagull darts up from fright
As rosy clouds spread through the sky.
I sleep without care at reeded isles,
Still snoozing when the sun is high.
I work after my own plans and desires.
Vassals in cold nights tending court,
Could theirs match my pleasure and peace?"
The woodman said, "The charm and grace of your fair waters cannot be compared with those of my blue mountains. I too have a testimony to the tune of 'Immortal by the River':
I walk autumn's frosty paths dragging my ax;
In night's cool I pole back my load,
Stranger still with temples stuck with flowers.
I push clouds to find my way out;
Moon-stuck I call open my gate.
Rustic wife and young son greet me with smiles;
On straw bed and wooden pillow I lie.
Steamed pears and cooked millet are soon prepared.
The urn's brew newly mellowed
Will add to my secret joys."
The fisherman said, 'M these things in our poems have to do with our livelihood, the occupations with which we support ourselves. But your life not as good as those leisurely moments of mine, for which I have as testimony a regulated poem. The poem says:
Idly I watch the blue sky's white cranes fly.
My boat stops stream-side, my door's half-closed.
By the sail my son's taught to knot fishing threads;
Rowing stops, I join my wife to dry the nets.
My mind is still: thus I know the water's calm.
My self's secure: hence I feel the wind is light.
I freely don my green coir and bamboo hat:
That beats wearing a robe with purple sash.
The woodman said, "Your leisurely moments are not as good as mine, for which I also have a regulated poem as a testimony. The poem says:
Idly I watch billows of white clouds fly,
Or sit in my thatched hut's closed bamboo gates.
I open leisurely books to teach my son;
At times I face guests to play circling chess.6
My cane strolls with my songs through floral paths;
Aroused, I climb green mountains, lute in hand.
Straw sandals, hemp sashes, and coarse cloth quilts
All beat silk garments when your heart is free!"
Zhang Shao said, "Li Ding, the two of us indeed are
Lucky to have light songs to amuse us.
We don't need castanets or flasks of gold.7
But the poems we have recited thus far are occasional pieces, hardly anything unusual. Why don't we attempt a long poem in the linking-verse manner, 8 and see how fares the conversation between the fisherman and the woodman?"
Li Ding said, "That's a marvelous proposal, Brother Zhang! Please begin."
My boat rests on the green water's mist and wave.9
My home's deep in mountains and open plains.
I love the streams and bridges as spring tide swells;
I care for ridges veiled by the clouds of dawn.
My fresh carps from Longmen are often cooked;10
My dried woods, worm-rotted, are daily burnt.
Nets of many kinds will support my age.
Both pole and rope will see me to the end.
I lie in a skiff and watch wild geese fly;
I sprawl on grassy paths when wild swans cry.
I have no stake infields of mouth and tongue;
Through seas of scandal I've not made my way.
Hung-dried by the stream my net's like brocade;
Polished new on rocks, my ax shows a fine blade.
Beneath autumn's moon I oft fish alone;
In spring hills all quiet I meet no one.
Fishes are changed for wine for me and wife to drink;
Firewood is used to buy a bottle for my son.
I sing and freely pour on my heart's desire;
In songs and sighs there's none to restrain me.
I call fellow boatmen to come as brothers;
With friends we join the codgers of the wilds.
We make rules, play games, and exchange the cups;
We break words, remake them, when we pass the mugs.
Cooked shrimps, boiled crabs are my daily feasts;
I'm daily fed by smoked fowls and fried ducks.
My unlettered wife makes tea languidly;
My mountain wife cooks rice most leisurely.
When dawn comes, I lift my staff to stir the waves;
At sunrise I pole my wood to cross big roads.
I don coir coat after rain to catch live carps;
Wind-blown I wield my ax to cut dried pines.
Hiding tracks to flee the world, I'm like a fool;
Blotting name and surname, I play deaf and dumb.
Zhang Shao said, "Brother Li, just now I presumed to take the lead and began with the first line of the poem. Why don't you begin this time and I shall follow you."
A rustic who feigns to be romantic;
An oldie taking pride in streams and lakes.
My lot is leisure, I seek laxity and ease.
Shunning talk and gossip, I love my peace.
In moonlit nights I sleep in safe straw huts;
When sky dims I'm draped with light coir cape.
I befriend with ardor both pines and plums;
I'm pleased to mingle with egrets and gulls.
My mind has no plans for fortune or fame;
My ears are deaf to the din of spear and drum.
At any time I'd pour my fragrant wine;
My day's three meals are soups oflea.JY greens.
My living rests on two bundles of wood;
My trade is my pole fit with hooks and lines.
I call our young son to sharpen my ax;
I tell my small rogue he should mend our nets.
Spring comes, I love to watch the willows green;
Warm days gladden the sight of rushes and reeds.
To flee summer's heat I plant new bamboos;
I pick young lotus to cool myself in June.
When Frost Descends the fatted fowls are slain;
By Double Ninth11 I'd cook the roe-filled crabs.
I sleep deep in winter though the sun is high;
When the sky's tall and hazy, I'd not fry!
Throughout the year I roam free in the hills;
In all four climes I sail the lakes at will.
Gathering wood I own the immortals' feel;
Dropping my rod, I sport no worldly form.
My door's wild blossoms are fragrant and bright;
My stem's green water flows calm and serene.
Content, I seek not the Three Dukes' seats.12
Like a ten-mile city my nature's firm.
Cities, though tall, must resist a siege;
Dukes, though of high rank, must the summon heed.
Delight in hills and streams is truly rare.
Thank Heaven, thank Earth, let's thank the gods!
The two of them thus recited poems and songs and composed linkingverses. Arriving at the place where their ways parted, they bowed to take leave of each other. "Elder Brother Li," said Zhang Shao, "take care as you go on your way. When you climb the mountains, be wary of the tiger. If you were harmed, I would find, as the saying goes,
one friend missing on the street tomorrow."
When Li Ding heard these words, he grew very angry saying, "What a scoundrel you are! Good friends would even die for each other! But you, why do you say such unlucky things to me? If I'm to be harmed by a tiger, your boat will surely capsize in the river:' "I'll never capsize my boat in the river," said Zhang Shao. Li Ding said, "As
There are unexpected storms in the sky
So there is sudden weal or woe with man.13
What makes you so sure that you won't have an accident?"
"Elder Brother Li," said Zhang Shao, "you say this because you have no idea what may befall you in your business, whereas I can predict what'll happen in my kind of business. And I assure you that I won't have any accident." "The kind of living you pick up on the waters;' said Li Ding, "is an exceedingly treacherous business. You have to take chances all the time. How can you be so certain about your future?"
"Here's something you don't know about," said Zhang Shao. "In this city of Chang' an, there's a fortune teller who plies his trade on the West Gate Street. Every day I give him a golden carp as a present, and he consults the sticks in his sleeve for me. I follow his instructions when I lower my nets, and I've never missed in a hundred times. Today I went again to buy his prediction; he told me to set my nets at the east bend of the Jing River and to cast my line from the west bank. I know I'll come back with a fine catch of fishes and shrimps. When I go up to the city tomorrow, I'll sell my catch and buy some wine, and then I'll get together with you again, old brother." The two men then parted.
There is, however, a proverb: "What is said on the road is heard in the grass." For you see, it happened that a ya~a on patrol in the Jing River overheard the part of the conversation about not having missed a hundred times. He dashed back to the Water Crystal Palace and hastily reported to the Dragon King, shouting, "Disaster! Disaster!" "What sort of disaster?" asked the Dragon King.
"Your subject," said the y~a, "was patrolling the river and overheard a conversation between a woodman and a fisherman. Before they parted, they said something terrible. According to the fisherman, there is a fortune teller on West Gate Street in the city of Chang' an who is most accurate in his calculations. Every day the fisherman gives him a carp, and he then consults the sticks in his sleeve, with the result that the fisherman has not missed once in a hundred times when he casts his line! If such accurate calculations continue, will not all our water kin be exterminated? Where will you find any more inhabitants for the watery region who will toss and leap in the waves to enhance the majesty of the Great King?"
The Dragon King became so angry that he wanted to tal<e the sword and go at once up to Chang'an to slay the fortune teller. But his dragon sons and grandsons, the shrimp and crab ministers, the samli counselor, the perch Subdirector of the Minor Court, and the carp President of the Board of Civil Office all came from the side and said to him, "Let the Great King restrain his anger. The proverb says, 'Don't believe everything you hear: If the Great King goes forth like this, the clouds will accompany you and the rains will follow you. We fear that the people of Chang' an will be terrified and Heaven will be offended. Since the Great King has the power to appear or disappear suddenly and to transform into many shapes and sizes, let him change into a scholar. Then go to the city of Chang' an and investigate the matter. If there is indeed such a person, you can slay him without delay; but if there is no such person, there is no need to harm innocent people." The Dragon King accepted their suggestion; he abandoned his sword and dismissed the clouds and the rains. Reaching the river bank, he shook his body and changed into a white-robed scholar, truly with
Features most virile,
A stature towering;
A stride most stately-
So orderly and .firm.
His speech exalts Kong and Meng;
His manner embodies Zhou and Wen.14
He wears a silk robe of the color of jade;
His casual head-wrap's shaped like the letter one.15
Coming out of the water, the Dragon King strode to the West Gate Street in the city of Chang' an. There he found a noisy crowd surrounding someone who was saying in a lofty and self-assured manner, "Those born under the Dragon will follow their fate; those under the Tiger will collide with their physiognomies.16 The branches Yin, Chen, Si, and Hai may be said to fit into the grand scheme, but I fear your birthday may clash with the Planet Jupiter." When the Dragon King heard this, he knew that he had come upon the fortune-teller's place. Walking up to it and pushing the people apart, he peered inside to see
Four walls of exq~isite writings;
A room full ofbrocaded paintings;
Smoke unending from the treasure duck;17
And such pure water in a porcelain vase.
On both sides are mounted Wang Wei's paintings;
High above his seat hangs the Guiguform.18
The ink slab from Duanxi, 19
The golden smoke ink,
Both match the great brush of frostiest hair;
The crystal balls,
Guo Pu's numbers,20
Neatly face new classics of soothsaying.
He knows the hexagrams well;
He's mastered the eight trigrams;
He perceives the laws of Heaven and Earth;
He discerns the ways of demons and gods.
One tray before him fixes the cosmic hours;
His mind clearly orders all planets and stars.
Truly those things to come
And those things past
He beholds as in a mirror;
Which house will rise
And which will fall
He foresees like a god.
He knows evil and decrees the good;
He prescribes death and predicts life.
His pronouncements quicken the wind and rain;
His brush alarms both spirits and gods.
His shop sign has letters to declare his name;
This divine diviner, Yuan Shoucheng.
Who was this man? He was actually the uncle of Yuan Tiankang, president of the Imperial Board of Astronomy in the present dynasty. The gentleman was truly a man of extraordinary appearance and elegant features; his name was known throughout the great country and his art was considered the highest in Chang' an. The Dragon King went inside the door and met the Master; after exchanging greetings, he was invited to take the seat of honor while a boy served him tea. The Master asked, "What would you like to know?" The Dragon King said, "Please forecast the weather." The Master consulted his sticks and made his judgment:
Clouds hide the hilltop
And fog shrouds the tree.
The rain you'd divine
Tomorrow you'll see.
'~t what hour will it rain tomorrow, and how much rain will there be?" asked the Dragon King. '~t the hour of the Dragon the clouds will gather;' said the Master, "and thunder will be heard at the hour of the Serpent. Rain will come at the hour of the Horse and reach its limit at the hour of the Sheep. 21 There will be altogether three feet, three inches, and forty-eight
drops of rain." "You had better not be joking now:' said the Dragon King,
laughing. "If it rains tomorrow and if it is in accordance with the time and the amount you prophesied, I shall present you with fifty taels of gold as my thanks. But if it does not rain, or if the amount and the hours are incorrect, I tell you truly that I shall come and break your front door to pieces and tear down your shop sign. You will be chased out of Chang' an at once so that you may no longer seduce the multitude." "You may certainly do that," said the Master amiably. "Good-bye for now. Please come again tomorrow after the rain."
The Dragon King took leave and returned to his water residence. He was received by various aquatic deities, who asked, "How was the Great King's visit to the soothsayer?" "Yes, yes, yes;' said the Dragon King, "there is indeed such a person, but he's a garrulous fortune-teller. I asked him when it would rain, and he said tomorrow; I asked him again about the time and the amount, and he told me that clouds would gather at the hour of the Dragon, thunder would be heard at the hour of the Serpent, and that rain would come at the hour of the Horse and would reach its limit at the hour of the Sheep. Altogether there would be three feet, three inches, and forty-eight drops of water. I made a wager with him: if it is as he said, I'll reward him with fifty taels of gold. If there is the slightest error, I'll break down his shop and chase him away, so that he will not be permitted to seduce the multitude at Chang' an." "The Great King is the supreme commander of the eight rivers;' said the water kin, laughing, "the great Dragon Deity in charge of rain. Whether there is going to be rain or not, only the Great King knows that. How dare he speak so foolishly? That soothsayer is sure to lose!"
While the dragon sons and grandsons were laughing at the matter with the fish and crab officials, a voice was heard suddenly in midair announcing, "Dragon King of the Jing River, receive the imperial command." They raised their heads to look and saw a golden-robed guardian holding the decree of the Jade Emperor and heading straight for the water residence. The Dragon King hastily straightened out his attire and burned incense to receive the decree. After he made his delivery, the guardian rose into the air and left. The Dragon King opened the decree, which said:
We bid the Eight-Rivers Prince
To call up thunder and rain;
Pour out tomorrow your grace
To benefit Chang' an's race.
The instructions regarding the hours and the amount of rain written on the decree did not even differ in the slightest from the soothsayer's prediction. So overwhelmed was the Dragon King that his spirit left him and his soul fled, and only after awhile did he regain consciousness. He said to his water kinsmen, "There is indeed an intelligent creature in the world of dust! How well he comprehends the laws of Heaven and Earth! I'm bound to lose to him!"
"Let the Great King calm himself," said the samli counselor. "Is it so difficult to get the better of the fortune-teller? Your subject here has a little plan that will silence that fellow for good." When the Dragon King asked what the plan was, the counselor said, "If the rain tomorrow misses the timing and the amount specified by a mere fraction, it will mean that his prediction is not accurate. Won't you have won? What's there to stop you then from tearing up his shop sign and putting him on the road?" The Dragon King took his counsel and stopped worrying.
The next day he ordered the Duke of Wind, the Lord of Thunder, the Boy of Clouds, and the Mother of Lightning to go with him to the sky above Chang' an. He waited until the hour of the Serpent before spreading the clouds, the hour of the Horse before letting loose the thunder, the hour of the Sheep before releasing the rain, and only by the hour of the Monkey did the rain stop. 22 There were only three feet and forty drops of water, since the times were altered by an hour and the amount was changed by three inches and eight drops.
After the rain, the Dragon King dismissed his followers and came down from the clouds, transformed once again into a scholar dressed in white. He went to the West Gate Street and barged into Yuan Shoucheng's shop. Without a word of explanation, he began to smash the shop sign, the brushes, and the ink slab to pieces. The Master, however, sat on his chair and remained unmoved, so the Dragon King unhinged the door and threatened to hit him with it, crying, "You're nothing but a bogus prophet of good and evil, an imposter who deludes the minds of the people! Your predictions are incorrect; your words are patently false! What you told me about the time and quantity of today's rain was utterly inaccurate, and yet you dare sit so smugly and so high on your seat? Leave here at once before you are executed!" Still Yuan Shoucheng was not at all intimidated. He lifted up his head and laughed scornfully. ''I'm not afraid!" he said. "Not in the least! I'm not guilty of death, but I fear that you have committed a mortal crime. You can fool other people, but you can't fool me! I recognize you, all right: you are not a white-robed scholar but the Dragon King of the Jing River. By altering the times and holding back the quantity of rain, you have disobeyed the decree of the Jade Emperor and transgressed the law of Heaven. On the dragon execution block you won't escape the knife! And here you are, railing at me!"
When the Dragon King heard these words, his heart trembled and his hair stood on end. He dropped the door quickly, tidied his clothes, and knelt before the Master saying, "I beg the Master not to take offense. My previous words were spoken in jest; little did I realize that my prank would tum out to be such a serious crime. Now I have indeed transgressed the law of Heaven. What am I to do? I beseech the Master to save me. If you won't, I'll never let you go!" "I can't save you;' said Shoucheng, "I can only point out to you what may be a way of life." ''I'm willing to be instructed," said the Dragon.
The Master said, "You are to be executed tomorrow by the human judge, Wei Zheng, at the third quarter past the hour of noon. If you want to preserve your life, you must go quickly to plead your case before the present emperor Tang Taizong, for Wei Zheng is the prime minister before his throne. If you can win the emperor's favor, you'll be spared." Hearing this, the Dragon took leave with tears in his eyes. Soon the red sun sank down and the moon arose. You see
Smoke thickens on purple mountains as homing crows tire;
Travelers on distant journeys head for inns;
Young wild geese at fords rest on field and sand.
The silver stream appears23
To hasten the time float. 24
Lights fare in a lone village from dying fames:
Wind sweeps the burner to clear Daoist yard of smoke
As man fades away in the butterfly dream.25
The moon moves floral shadows up the garden's rails.
The stars are rife
As water clocks strike;
So swiftly the gloom deepens that it's midnight.
Our Dragon King of the Jing River did not even return to his water home; he waited in the air until it was about the hour of the Rat, 26 when he descended from the clouds and mists and came to the gate of the palace. At this time the Tang emperor was just having a dream about taking a walk outside the palace in the moonlight, beneath the shades of flowers. The Dragon suddenly assumed the form of a human being and went up to him. Kneeling, he cried out, "Your Majesty, save me, save me!" "Who are you?" asked Taizong. "We would be glad to save you." "Your Majesty is the true dragon," said the Dragon King, "but I am an accursed one. Because I have disobeyed the decree of Heaven, I am to be executed by a worthy subject of Your Majesty, the human judge Wei Zheng. I have therefore come here
to plead with you to save me:' "If Wei Zheng is to be the executioner," said
Taizong, "we can certainly save you. You may leave and not worry." The Dragon King was delighted and left after expressing his gratitude.
We tell you now about Taizong, who, having awakened, was still turning over in his mind what he had dreamed. Soon it was three-fifths past the hour of the fifth watch, and Taizong held court for his ministers, both civil and martial. You see
Smoke shrouding the phoenix arches;
Incense clouding the dragon domes;
Light shimmering as the silk screens move;
Clouds brushing thefeather-trimmedflags;27
Rulers and lords harmonious as Yao and Shun;28
Rituals and music solemn as Han's and Zhou's.
The attendant lamps,
The court-maiden fans
Show their colors in pairs;
From peacock screens
And unicorn halls
Light radiates everywhere.
Three cheers for long life!
A wish for reign everlasting!
When a whip cracks three times,
The caps and robes will bow to the Crown.
Brilliant palatial blooms, endued by Heaven's scent;
Pliant bank willows, sung and praised by court music.
The screens of pearl,
The screens of jade,
Are drawn high by golden hooks:
The dragon-phoenix fan,
The mountain-river fan, 29
Rest on top of the royal carriage.
The civil lords are noble and refined;
The martial lords, strong and valiant.
The imperial path divides the ranks:
The vermilion court aligns the grades.
The golden seal and purple sashes bearing the three signs30
Will last for millions of years as Heaven and Earth.
After the ministers had paid their homage, they all went back to standing in rows according to their rank. The Tang emperor opened his dragon eyes to look at them one by one: among the civil officials were Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Xu Shizhi, Xu Jingzong, and Wang Guei; and among the military officials were Ma Sanbao, Duan Zhixian, Yin Kaishan, Cheng Yaojin, Liu Hongzhi, Hu Jingde, and Qin Shubao. Each one of them was standing there in a most solemn manner, but the prime minister Wei Zheng was not to be seen anywhere. The Tang emperor asked Xu Shizhi to come forward and said to him, "We had a strange dream last night: there was a man who paid homage to us, calling himself the Dragon King of the Jing River. He said that he had disobeyed the command of Heaven and was supposed to be executed by the human judge Wei Zheng. He implored us to save him, and we gave our consent. Today only Wei Zheng is absent from the ranks. Why is that?" "This dream may indeed come true;' answered Shizhi, "and Wei Zheng must be summoned to court immediately. Once he arrives, let Your Majesty keep him here for a whole day and not permit him to leave. After this day, the dragon in the dream will be saved:' The Tang emperor was most delighted: he gave the order at once to have Wei Zheng summoned to court.
We speak now of prime minister Wei Zheng, who studied the movement of the stars and burned incense at his home that evening. He heard the cries of cranes in the air and saw there a Heavenly messenger holding the golden decree of the Jade Emperor, which ordered him to execute in his dream the old dragon of the Jing River at precisely the third quarter past the noon hour. Having thanked the Heavenly grace, our prime minister prepared himself in his residence by bathing himself and abstaining from food; he was also sharpening his magic sword and exercising his spirit, and therefore he did not attend court. He was terribly flustered when he saw the royal officer on duty arriving with the summons. Not daring, however, to disobey the emperor's command, he had to dress quickly and follow the summons into court, kowtowing and asking for pardon before the throne. The Tang emperor said, "We pardoned indeed our worthy subject."
At that time the various ministers had not yet retired from the court, and only after Wei Zheng's arrival was the curtain drawn up for the court's dismissal. Wei Zheng alone was asked to remain; he rode the golden carriage with the emperor to enter the chamber for relaxation, where he discussed with the emperor tactics for making the empire secure and other affairs of state. When it was just about midway between the hour of the Serpent and the hour of the Horse, the emperor asked the royal attendants to bring out a large chess set, saying, "We shall have a game with our worthy subject." The various concubines took out the chessboard and set it on the imperial table. After expressing his gratitude, Wei Zheng set out to play chess with the Tang emperor, both of them moving the pieces step by step into positions. It was completely in accordance with the instruction of the
Classic of Chess:
The way of chess exalts discipline and caution; the most powerful pieces
should remain in the center, the weakest ones at the flanks, and the less pow-
erful ones at the corners. This is a familiar law of the chess player. The law
says: "You should rather lose a piece than an advantage. When you strike on
the left, you must guard your right; when you attack in the rear, you must
watch your front. Only when you have a secure front will you also have a
rear, and only if you have a secure rear will you maintain your front. The two
ends cannot be separated, and yet both must remain flexible and not be en-
cumbered. A broad formation should not be too loose, while a tight position
should not be constricted. Rather than clinging on to save a single piece, it is
better to sacrifice it in order to win; rather than moving without purpose, it
is better to remain stationary in order to be self-supportive. When your ad-
versary outnumbers you, your first concern is to survive; when you outnum-
ber your adversary, you must strive to exploit your force. He who knows how
to win will not prolong his fight; he who is a master of positions will not en-
gage in direct combat; he who knows how to fight will not suffer defeat; and
he who knows how to lose will not panic. For chess begins with proper en-
gagement but ends in unexpected victory. If your enemy, even without being
threatened, is bringing up his reinforcement, it is a sign of his intention to
attack; if he deserts a small piece without trying to save it, he may be stalking
a bigger piece. If he moves in a casual manner, he is a man without thoughts;
response without thought is the way to defeat. The Classic of Poetry says:
Approach with extreme caution
As if facing a deep canyon.
Such is the meaning thereof
The poem says:
The chessboard's the earth; the pieces are the sky;
The colors are light and dark as the whole universe.
When playing reaches that skillfu.l, subtle stage,
Boast and laugh with the old Immortal ofChess.31
The two of them, emperor and subject, played chess until three quarters past the noon hour, but the game was not yet finished. Suddenly Wei Zheng put his head on the table and fell fast asleep. Taizong laughed and said, "Our worthy subject truly has worn himself out for the state and exhausted his strength on behalf of the empire. He has therefore fallen asleep in spite of himself:' Taizong allowed him to sleep on and did not arouse him. In a little while, Wei Zheng awoke and prostrated himself on the ground saying, "Your subject deserves ten thousand deaths! Your subject deserves ten thousand deaths! Just now I lost consciousness for no reason at all. I beg Your Majesty's pardon for such insult against the emperor."
"What insult is there?" said Taizong. '1\rise! Let us forget the old game and start a new one instead." Wei Zheng expressed his gratitude. As he put his hand on a piece, a loud clamor was heard outside the gate. It was occasioned by the ministers Qin Shubao and Xu Mougong, who arrived with a dragon head dripping with blood. Throwing it in front of the emperor, they said, "Your Majesty, we have seen seas tum shallow and rivers run dry,
but a thing as strange as this we have never even heard of:' Taizong arose
with Wei Zheng and said, "Where did this thing come from?" "South of the Thousand-Step Corridor," replied Shubao and Mougong, "at the crossroads, this dragon head fell from the clouds. Your lowly subjects dare not withhold it from you."
In alarm, the Tang emperor asked Wei Zheng, "What's the meaning of this?" Turning to kowtow to him, Wei Zheng said, "This dragon was executed just now by your subject in his dream." When the Tang emperor heard this, he was seized with fear and said, "When our worthy minister was sleeping, I did not see any movement of body or limb, nor did I perceive any scimitar or sword. How could you have executed this dragon?" Wei Zheng replied, "My lord, although
My body was before my master,
I left Your Majesty in my dream;
My body before my master faced the unfinished Bame,
With dim eyes fully closed;
I left Your Majesty in my dream to ride the blessed cloud,
With spirit most eaBer and alert.
That draBon on the draBon execution block
Was bound up there by celestial hosts.
Your subject said,
'For breakinB Heaven's law,
You are worthy of death.
Now by Heaven's command,
I end your wretched life.'
The draBon listened in Brief;
Your subject bestirred his spirit;
The draBon listened in Brief,
RetrievinB claws and scales to await his death;
Your subject bestirred his spirit,
LiftinB robe and takinB step to hold hiBh his blade.
With one loud crack the knife descended;
And thus the head of the draBonfellfrom the sky.''
When Taizong heard these words, he was filled with both sadness and delight. The delight was caused by his pride in having a minister as good as Wei Zheng. If he had worthies of this kind in his court, he thought, need he worry about the security of his empire? He was saddened, however, by the fact that he had promised in his dream to save the dragon, and he had not anticipated that the creature would be killed in this manner. He had to force himself to give the order to Shubao that the dragon head be hung on display at the market, so that the populace of Chang' an might be informed. Meanwhile, he rewarded Wei Zheng, after which the various ministers dispersed.
That night he returned to his palace in deep depression, for he kept remembering the dragon in the dream crying and begging for his life. Little did he expect that the turn of events would be such that the dragon still could not escape calamity. Having thought about the matter for a long time, he became physically and mentally drained. At about the hour of the second watch, the sound of weeping was heard outside the door of the palace, and Taizong became even more fearful. He was sleeping fitfully when he saw our Dragon King of the Jing River holding his head dripping with blood in his hand, and crying in a loud voice: "Tang Taizong! Give me back my life! Give me back my life! Last night you were full of promises to save me. Why did you order a human judge in the daytime to have me executed? Come out, come out! I am going to argue this case with you before the King of the Underworld:' He seized Taizong and would neither let go nor desist from his protestation. Taizong could not say a word; he could only struggle until perspiration covered his entire body. Just at the moment when it seemed that nothing could separate them, fragrant clouds and colorful mists appeared from the south. A Daoist priestess came forward and waved a willow twig. That headless dragon, still mourning and weeping, left at once toward the northwest. For you see, this was none other than the Bodhisattva Guanyin, who by the decree of Buddha was seeking a scripture pilgrim in the Land of the East. She was staying in the temple of the local spirit at the city of Chang' an when she heard in the night the weeping of demons and the crying of spirits. So she came specially to drive the accursed dragon away and to rescue the emperor. That dragon went directly to the court of the Underworld to file suit, of which we shall say no more.
We now tell you about Taizong, who, when he awoke, could only yell aloud, "Ghost! Ghost!" He so terrified the queens of three palaces, the concubines of six chambers, and the attending eunuchs that they remained sleepless for the entire night. Soon it was the fifth watch, and all the officials of the court, both civil and military, were waiting for an audience outside the gate. They waited until dawn, but the emperor did not appear, and every one of them became apprehensive and restless. Only after the sun was high in the sky did a proclamation come out saying, "We are not feeling too well. The ministers are excused from court." Five or six days went by swiftly, and the various officials became so anxious that they were about to enter the court without summons and inquire after the throne. Just then the queen mother gave the order to have the physician brought into the palace, and so the multitude waited at the gate of the court for some news. In a little while, the physician came out and he was questioned about the emperor's illness. "The pulse of His Majesty is irregular;' said the physician, "for it is weak as well as rapid. He blabbers about seeing ghosts. I also perceive that there were ten movements and one rest, but there is no breath left in his viscera. I am afraid that he will pass away within seven days." When the various ministers heard this statement, they paled with fright.
In this state of alarm, they again heard that Taizong had summoned Xu Mougong, Huguo Gong, and Yuchi Gong to appear before him. The three ministers hurried into the auxiliary palace, where they prostrated themselves. Speaking somberly and with great effort, Taizong said, "My worthy subjects, since the age of nineteen I have been leading my army in expeditions to the four comers of the Earth. I have experienced much hardship throughout the years, but I have never encountered any kind of strange or weird thing. This day, however, I have seen ghosts!"
"When you established your empire," said Yuchi Gong, "you had to kill countless people. Why should you fear ghosts?" "You may not believe it," said Taizong, "but outside this bedroom of mine at night, there are bricks thrown and spirits screaming to a degree that is truly unmanageable. In the daytime it's not too bad, but it's intolerable at night!" "Let Your Majesty be relieved," said Shubao, "for this evening your subject and Jingde32 will stand guard at the palace gate. We shall see what sort of ghostly business there is:' Taizong agreed to the proposal, and Mougong and the other ministers retired after expressing their gratitude.
That evening the two ministers, in full battle dress and holding golden bludgeon and battle-ax, stood guard outside the palace gate. Dear generals! Look how they are attired:
They wore on their heads bright glimmering golden helmets,
And on their bodies cuirasses of dragon scales.
Their jeweled breastplates glow like hallowed clouds:
With lion knots tightly drawn,
And silk sashes newly spun.
This one had phoenix eyes facing the sky to frighten the stars:
The other had brown eyes glowering like lightning and the shining moon.
They were once warriors of the greatest merit;
But now they've become
For all time the guardians of the gates,
In all ages the protectors of the home.33
The two generals stood beside the door for the entire night and did not see the slightest disturbance. That night Taizong rested peacefully in the palace; when morning came he summoned the two generals before him and thanked them profusely, saying, "Since falling ill, I haven't been able to sleep for days, and only last night did I manage to get some rest because of your presence. Let our worthy ministers retire now for some rest so that we may count on your protection once again at night." The two generals left after expressing their gratitude, and for the following two or three nights their standing guard brought continued peace. However, the royal appetite diminished and the illness became more severe. Taizong, moreover, could not bear to see the two generals overworked. So once again he called Shubao, Jingde, the ministers Du and Fang into the palace, saying to them, "Though I got some rest these past two days, I have imposed on the two generals the hardship of staying up all night. I wish to have portraits made ofboth of them by a skilled painter and have these pasted on the door, so that the two generals will be spared any further labor. How about it?" The various ministers obeyed; they selected two portrait painters, who made pictures of the two generals in their proper battle attire. The portraits were then mounted near the gate, and no incident occurred during the night.
So it was for two or three days, until the loud rattling of bricks and tiles was again heard at the rear gate of the palace. At dawn the emperor called together the various ministers, saying to them, "For the past few days there have been, happily, no incidents at the front of the palace, but last night the noises at the back door were such that they nearly frightened me to death:' Mougong stepped forward and said, "The disturbances at the front door were driven off by Jingde and Shubao. If there is disturbance at the rear gate, then Wei Zheng ought to stand guard." Taizong approved the suggestion and ordered Wei Zheng to guard the rear door that night. Accepting the charge, Wei donned his full court regalia that evening; holding the sword with which he had slain the dragon, he stood at attention before the rear gate of the palace. What splendid heroic stature! Look how he is attired:
Green satin turban swaths his brow:
The silk robe's jade belt is waist-hung;
Windblown, craned-down sleeves fly like dri.fting snow.
He bests Lil and Shu's divine looks.34
His feet wear black boots most supple;
His hands hold a blade sharp and fierce.
Withglaring eyes he stared at all four sides.
Which deviant 90d dares approach?35
A whole night went by and no ghost appeared. But though there were no incidents at either the front or the rear gate, the emperor's condition worsened. One day the queen mother sent for all the ministers to discuss funeral arrangements. Taizong himself also summoned Xu Mougong to his bedside to entrust to him the affairs of state, committing the crown prince to the minister's care as Liu Bei did to Zhuge Liang. 36 When he had finished speaking, he bathed and changed his garments, waiting for his time to come. Wei Zheng then stepped out from the side and tugged the royal garment with his hand, saying, "Let Your Majesty be relieved. Your subject knows something that will guarantee long life for Your Majesty."
"My illness," said Taizong, "has reached the irremediable stage; my life is in danger. How can you preserve it?" "Your subject has a letter here," said Wei, "which I submit to Your Majesty to take with you to Hell and give to the Judge of the Underworld,Jue:'
"Who is Cui Jue?" asked Taizong.
"Cui Jue," said Wei, "was the subject of the deceased emperor, your father: at first he was the district magistrate of Cizhou, and subsequently he was promoted to vice president of the Board of Rites. When he was alive, he was an intimate friend and sworn brother of your subject. Now that he is dead, he has become a judge in the capital of the Underworld, having in his charge the chronicles of life and death in the region of darkness. He meets with me frequently, however, in my dreams. If you go there presently and hand this letter to him, he will certainly remember his obligation toward your lowly subject and allow Your Majesty to return here. Surely your soul will return to the human world, and your royal countenance will once more grace the capital." When Taizong heard these words, he took the letter in his hands and put it in his sleeve; with that, he closed his eyes and died. Those queens and concubines from three palaces and six chambers, the crown prince and the two rows of civil and military officials, all put on their mourning garb to mourn him, as the imperial coffin lay in state at the Hall of the White Tiger, but we shall say no more about that. We do not know how the soul ofTaizong came back; let's listen to the explanation in the next chapter.