help and assistance – Zhiguai Translations

Shi Wansui 史萬歲

On Daixian Lane, in Chang’an, stands the residence of the Sui-era Marshal of the Beiling Army Shi Wansui.[1] Formerly, spirits and monsters had often manifested at the mansion, and residents had then died. Wansui did not believe in this, so therefore went and lived there. One night he saw a person, [2598] his gown and hat extremely dignified, who approached Wansui. Wansui asked how he had come, to which the spirit said: “I am the Han general Fan Kuai,[2] and my tomb is close beside the gentleman’s toilet.[3] I often suffer from the mishaps of filth, and it would be fortunate to move to another place; generous reward would be guaranteed.” Wansui made a promise, but then questioned him closely on why he had killed people. The spirit told him: “They all died of fright; I didn’t kill them.” On digging, he found bones and a coffin, so made a new burial. The next night the figure returned and thanked him, saying: “The gentleman will serve as a general.” Wansui later served the Sui as a general, and, whenever he encountered rebels, would become aware of a spirit army assisting him, so each battle was a resounding victory.

From Liangjingji.

Li Fang 李昉, et al., Taiping guangji 太平廣記 (Extensive Gleanings from the Era of Great Harmony), 10 vols (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1961), vii, 327.2597-98:

史萬歲

長安待賢坊。隋北領軍大將軍史萬歲宅。其宅初常有鬼怪。居者則死。萬歲不信。因即居之。夜見人 [2598] 衣冠甚偉。來就萬歲。萬歲問其由。鬼曰。我漢將軍樊噲。墓近君居廁。常苦穢惡。幸移他所。必當厚報。萬歲許諾。因責殺生人所由。鬼曰。各自怖而死。非我殺也。及掘得骸柩。因為改葬。後夜又來謝曰。君當為將。吾必助君。後萬歲為隋將。每遇賊。便覺鬼兵助己。戰必大捷。出兩京記

[1] A biography of Shi Wansui 史萬歲, originally from Duling 杜陵, in Jingzhao 京兆, who reportedly enjoyed particular successes against Türk forces, but was executed due to court intrigue, is found at Suishu, 53.1353-57.

[2] Fan Kuai 樊噲 (posthumously styled Wu 武, d. 189 BCE), originally a dog-butcher by trade, later following the general Liu Bang 劉邦 (Han Gaozu 漢高祖, 256-195 BCE), distinguishing himself most prominently at the Hongmen feast 鴻門宴, an ambush set for the general. When Bang was enthroned at the head of the Western Han 西漢 (206 BCE-8 CE), he made Kuai Marquis of Wuyang 舞陽侯 and later chief minister of the left 左丞相.

[3] Thanks are due to Ofer Waldman for pointing out an embarrassing oversight in this translation.

Ruan Yuzhi 阮瑜之

In the tenth year of the Jin Taiyuan era (386 CE), Ruan Yuzhi resided before the Shixing Pagoda. Orphaned very young, he was unable to support himself and frequently wept and sobbed. He suddenly saw a spirit appear before his father’s inscribed brick, which told him: “A father has died and returned to the Rain Deity. Why weep for so long? After three years have passed, the gentleman’s family will be able to support itself, but for the time being your servant will aid the gentleman’s family. I will not cause harm, and should not be feared as inauspicious, but will rather bring fortune to the gentleman’s household.” After this the spirit remained in their home, and whenever the household needed something, the spirit would provide it. After two or three years, the gentleman’s circumstances had changed. Fed by the spirit, he would chat and laugh together with it. When Ruan asked its surname, it replied: “My surname is Li, and first name Liuzhi; I am the gentleman’s brother-in-law.” Ruan asked: “How did the gentleman come to me?” The spirit told him: “Your servant has endured hardships, and has now been sent for a time to live the way of ghosts, and assigned to the gentleman’s home. After four or five years I should depart.” Ruan asked him: “Where would you go then?” He replied: “To be reborn into the mortal world.” When that time came, he did indeed say farewell and leave.

From Youminglu.

Li Fang 李昉, et al., Taiping guangji 太平廣記 (Extensive Gleanings from the Era of Great Harmony), 10 vols (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1961), vii, 320.2539:

阮瑜之

晉太元十年。阮瑜之居在始興佛圖前。少孤貧不立。哭泣無時。忽見一鬼。書塼〈塼原作搏。據明鈔本改。〉著前云。父死歸玄冥。何為久哭泣。即後三年中。君家可得立。僕當寄君家。不使有損失。勿畏我為凶。要為君作吉。後鬼恒在家。家須用者。鬼與之。二三年。君〈明鈔本君作用〉小差。為鬼作食，共談笑語議。阮問姓。答云。姓李名留之。是君姊夫耳。阮問君那得來。鬼云。僕受罪已畢。今蹔生鬼道。權寄君家。後四五年當去。曰。復何處去。答云。當生世間。至期。果別而去。出幽明錄

Huan Hui 桓回

Huan Hui was from Jijiu in Bingzhou, and during the third year of Liu Cong’s Jianyuan era (316 CE?), he encountered an old man on the road. Questioned, he said: “There is a musician called Cheng Ping. What is his occupation now? He and I are old friends and I’d like to return to our philosophical discussions, examining the filial and the virtuous. If the gentleman should see him please pass on this information.” Hui asked his name, to which he said: “I am Ma Zixuan of Wu Prefecture.” On finishing speaking he vanished. When Hui saw Ping, he told him all of this. Ping sighed, and said: “In the past there was such a person, but he died almost fifty years ago.” When the Gentleman of the Inner Court Xun Yanshu heard this, he composed a prayer and ordered Ping to lay out wine and food, and to perform prayers on the road.

From Yiyuan.

Li Fang 李昉, et al., Taiping guangji 太平廣記 (Extensive Gleanings from the Era of Great Harmony), 10 vols (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1961), vii, 318.2515:

桓回

并州祭酒桓回。以劉聰建元三年。於途遇一老父。問之云。有〈有原作是。據明鈔本改。〉樂工成憑。今何職。我與其人有舊。為致清談。得察孝廉。君若相見。令知消息。回問姓字。曰。我吳郡麻子軒也。言畢而失。回見憑。具宣其意。憑歎曰。昔有此人。計去世近五十年。中郎荀彥舒聞之。為造祝文。令憑設酒飯。祀於通衢之上。出異苑

Chen Ji 沈季

Chen Ji was from Wuxing. In the second year of the Wu Dynasty’s Tianji era (278 CE), he was serving as Prefectural Chief for Yuzhang. In broad daylight he saw a person standing atop the hall, wearing a yellow turban and a robe of raw silk. The stranger declared himself to be Adjunct General Ping Yuxu from Runan. He asked for his burial place to be moved, and then disappeared, gradually and unhurriedly, from sight. Ji searched for the grave, but did not know its location. He therefore performed a ‘beckoning the soul burial’[1] for him.

Yuzhangji.

Li Fang 李昉, et al., Taiping guangji 太平廣記 (Extensive Gleanings from the Era of Great Harmony), 10 vols (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1961), vii, 317.2511:

沈季

吳興沈季。吳天紀二年。為豫章太守。白日。於廳上見一人。著黃巾練衣。自稱汝南平與許子將。求改葬。悠然不見。季求其喪。不知所在。遂招魂葬之。豫章記

[1] This term zhao hun zang 招魂葬 refers to a situation in which, where there are no remains to inter, the burial of clothing or other items was felt likely to draw the ethereal hun 魂 soul to the grave.

A Spirit Treats A Bone In The Throat 神醫骨鯁

Wang Youliang of Poyang, while eating a spicy pig’s trotter, accidentally swallowed a finger-sized bone which stuck in his throat and for several days could not be gulped down. Despite spitting and salivating being painful, he could take a little drink and soup, but his family were extremely worried about him. At dusk, when he was beginning to doze, he saw a scarlet-robed figure approach and tell him: “It is said you suffer from a bone. I have medicine, which is simply the finest southern pengsha.”[1] Awaking, he requested a small piece, held it in his mouth until it dissolved, and then on eating, was able to swallow freely as before. This can be seen as an example of spirits granting their secrets in the aid of others.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.226 (Tale 403):

神醫骨鯁

鄱陽汪友良因食辣蹄，誤吞骨如指大，鯁於喉間，累日不下，雖咳唾亦痛，但略通湯飲，家人絕憂之。於昏睡次，睹一朱衣來告曰：「聞汝苦骨，吾有一藥，唯南鵬砂最妙。」覺而索砂一小塊，淨洗含化，纔食頃，脫然如失。此殆神明陰授以方濟人云。

Yuan Haowen 元好問, Chang Zhenguo 常振國 (ed), Xu Yijian zhi 續夷堅志 (Continued Records of the Listener), and Anon., Jin Xin 金心 (ed.), Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi 湖海新聞夷堅續志 (Continuation of Records of the Listener with New Items from the Lakes and Seas) (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1986).

[1] Pengsha 鵬砂 refers to borax, or sodium tetraborate.

A Household God Brings Property 家神送物

The family of Zhang Shuiyuan, of Yongfeng Stone Well in Xinzhou, served their household god with great reverence. The [lacuna] household god was an ancestor. The [lacuna] household had very little property, and later, due to the exhaustion of their property, the family prayed from dawn to dusk, hoping for assistance from the nether world. One day, when dusk was approaching, an old woman was seen walking straight in, carrying a bamboo box which she placed on a table in the ancestral hall. The family rushed out to meet her, but she was nowhere to be seen. When they looked at the portrait of a female ancestor in the ancestral hall, however, there was a close resemblance; the family were astonished and confused, and hesitated to look at the box. After a night had passed they finally opened and examined it, and all the contents were items of silver and gold. The Zhangs sold this and managed their property, and from this initial wealth became an important lineage. The old woman was their ancestress.

Among these ancestral spirits there are none who do not watch over their descendants from the nether world, cherishing people who live in ignorance, instead revering and praying to lascivious demons from dawn to dusk, calling them deities and divinities. When other people pray for their ancestors, this can be called auspicious and prosperous. If one pays no heed to one’s ancestors, failing to observe the seasonal offerings, not revering the tombs, even when there are descendants, how does this differ to the extinction of a lineage? If people can shift their reverence from lascivious demons to respectful service of their ancestors, it would not only be the Zhangs who receive protection and reward, and the deities of heaven and earth too would extend their generosity and protection.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.219 (Tale 389):

家神送物

信州永豐石井張稅院者，家事家神甚謹。[ ]家神者，祖先也。[ ]薄有貲產，後因破蕩，家人朝夕禱之，以冀陰相。一日將暮，忽見一嫗攜一小竹合子直入，置家堂中几案上，急出迎之，亦不見矣。但瞻家堂中所畫先世祖婆者如之，家人疑異，留不啟視。經宿啟視，皆黃白之物。張鬻之治產，（「產」，明刻本作「生」。）因此貲產甲於〔一〕（據明刻本補。）族。蓋嫗者，祖婆也。夫祖宗英靈毋有不陰相子孫，惜人未之知，但朝夕奉祀淫鬼，指為神明。為他人祀祖宗，謂可徼福，反以本生祖宗置之度外，歲時不祭，墳墓不登，雖有子孫，絕嗣何異？儻能移祀淫鬼之心敬事祖宗，非惟如張氏之獲報，而天地神明亦加垂佑焉。

A Ghost Helps Fell Trees 鬼助伐木

A carpenter, Li Jian, once went alone into the mountains to cut timber to build a house. One day at noon he saw a person, tall in stature and ugly in appearance, and seemingly engraved all over, suddenly appearing before him. Li was about to chop down a tree, and the other also took up and used an axe; when asked his name, he called himself “Dr Hua.” Li’s heart leapt with fear, believing him to be a mountain goblin, and staring round couldn’t see anyone else, so yelled out several times to the spirits about his plight. The other leapt up and, excited, said: “You suspect me, which makes it hard to help you.” Uttering a long, loud cry, it climbed a tree and departed.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.238 (Tale 430):

鬼助伐木

木匠李監，嘗為人入山造木料架屋。一日午，見一人身長而貌醜，遍體雕質，（「質」，明刻本作「青」。）突如其前。李方伐木，彼亦用斤，問其姓名，則自稱曰「花博士」。李心驚悸，以為山之精怪，旁顧無人，即呼所事之神數聲。其人躍然而興曰：「爾既疑我，難以為助。」長嘯攀樹而去。