Fu Huangzhong 傅黃中

During the Tang era, Fu Huangzhong served as Magistrate for Zhuji County in Yuezhou. There was a person under his jurisdiction who became very drunk one night, went walking through the hills and fell asleep on coming to a steep escarpment. When a tiger happened to approach and sniffed at them, the tiger’s whiskers entered the drunkard’s nostrils, causing an explosive sneeze. The tiger, jumping in fright, fell down the bluff, leaving it trapped by the waist, so people were able to catch it.

From Chaoyeqianzai

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), ix, 426.3471:

傅黃中

唐傅黃中為越州諸暨縣命。有部人飲大醉。夜中山行。臨崖而睡。忽有虎臨其上而嗅之。虎鬚入醉人鼻中。遂噴嚏聲震。虎遂驚躍。便落崖。腰胯下遂。為人所得。

出朝野僉載 

Grand Prince of the White Stone 白石大王

When the father of the Fuzhou native Chen Zu’an was awaiting a vacancy as Magistrate for Yanzhou, he dreamed that a yellow-robed clerk arrived bearing a bamboo tally and told him: “The Emperor decrees the gentleman become Grand Prince of the White Stone.” Asked where this was, he replied: “It is not yet time. Wait until the gentleman sees a great stone with a blemish at the corner, and then you should depart. When the time comes [I] will return to meet [you].” On awaking he was greatly upset about this. Later, two months after assuming office, he made a pilgrimage to Mount Tai, lodging at a temple below the peak, at which he spotted a boulder below the courtyard which had a crack straight through one corner. He then became depressed and lost all joy. Not long after he had returned to the prefecture, the yellow-robed one arrived, and he died that very day.

Hong Mai 洪邁, He Zhuo 何卓 (ed.), Yi Jian Zhi 夷堅志 (Record of Yi Jian) 4 volumes (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1981), ii, 丙, 7.431:

白石大王

福州人陳祖安之父，待兗州通判闕，夢黃衣吏持符至，曰：「帝命公爲白石大王。」問所在，曰：「今未也。俟公見巨石玷一角，乃當去。及期，復來迎矣。」覺而大惡之。後赴官兩月，謁泰山，宿山下一寺，適見庭下大石，其一角正缺，悵然不樂。還郡未久，而黃衣至，遂以其日卒。

Kang and Li Answered in Dreams 康李夢應

In the twelfth month of the renchen year (1232) Kang Bolu and Li Qinshu travelled to inspect Hezhong. Xiancheng had not yet fallen, and, one day, Kang and Qinshu requested dreams from such-and-such a deity. Bolu dreamed that, the moat being breached, he struggled for a boat and fell into the water, being pulled out by a beautiful gold-robed woman. As this beautiful woman pulled him out, all before his eyes filled with peach blossom. Qinshu dreamed of people bearing pairs of peach-wood tallies, on which were written ‘Ready For the New Year’ and ‘Long Life, Wealth and Honour’. The following day the city fell; Bolu struggled to get into a boat but could not climb up, sinking into the water to his death. Li found a boat and fled to Shan County. After three or four days came the new year, and the Magistrate of Shan Yang Zhengqing ordered people to carry peachwood tallies; the writing on them was exactly as his dream had said.

Reported by Zheng Qing.

Yuan Haowen 元好問, Xu Yijian zhi 續夷堅志 (Continued Records of the Listener), 1.2 (Tale 3):

康李夢應

康伯祿、李欽叔，壬辰冬十二月行部河中。先城未破，一日，康與欽叔求夢於某神。伯祿夢城隍破，爭船落水中，為一錦衣美婦援之而去，美婦援出，滿眼皆桃花。欽叔夢人與桃符二，上寫「宜入新年」、「長命富貴」。明日城陷，伯祿爭船不得上，落水死。李得船走陜縣。三四日改歲，陜令楊正卿令人送桃符，所書如夢中所云。

正卿說。

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)

Xiao Bian’s Strange Cases 蕭卞異政

During the Zhenyou era (1213-17 CE), Xiao Bian was assigned to Shouzhou. One day, when returning from a tour of Yang and Jin, a yellow dog suddenly ran before his horse, wagging its tail tamely, first walking and then turning, as if it wanted to lead someone. Bian sent two soldiers to follow it; on reaching a disused well on the bank of the West River, it lowered its head and looked down. When the troops then looked within they found traces of blood on the well’s edge, and a corpse inside. They hurried back to report to Bian, and called the landowner to guard it. The dog then led them into the town, staring at an inn and barking without cease, as if it was making an accusation. When Bian summoned out the landlord, the innkeeper recognised the dog, saying: “This is guest Zhu’s pet. He left several days ago, hired a boat on the West River and took the dog along. Now his dog has come back alone. Why?” Bian then arrested the boatman, accompanying him to the county office and making the innkeeper identify him. Having confirmed that this was the boat’s owner, the landlord asked firmly where his guest Zhu was, and he soon confessed without needing strong interrogation.

Moreover, there was one Zhou Li who was eaten by a tiger when gathering firewood on the beach by the new temple in the west of the prefecture. Li’s wife wept as she made her complaint to Bian, and Bian told her: “I will travel with you.” He led a group of ten servants and they hurried to New Temple Beach, where they spotted a tiger among the undergrowth, ears lowered and eyes closed, which walked slowly towards them, as if driven forward by a spirit. Bian took an arrow and killed it, and when he cut its stomach open a ring was indeed found within its body.

Minister of Revenue Fan Cheng told this.

Yuan Haowen 元好問, Xu Yijian zhi 續夷堅志 (Continued Records of the Listener), 1.7 (Tale 15)

蕭卞異政

蕭卞，貞祐中為壽州。一日，楊津巡邏囘，忽馬前一黃犬，掉尾馴擾，且走且顧，如欲導人者。卞遣二卒隨之，徑至西河岸眢井中，垂頭下視。卒就觀之，井垠有微血，一屍在內。即馳報卞，呼地主守護之。犬又導入城，望見一客店，鳴吠不已，如有所訴。卞呼主人者至，主人識此犬，云是朱客所畜，數日前，僦舟西河，引此犬去。今犬獨來，何也？卞即拘船戶，偕至縣，令主人者認之，認是船戶，主固問朱客所在，未加拷訊，隨即首服。

又有周立，采薪州西新寺灘，為虎所食。立妻泣訴於卞，卞曰：「吾為爾一行。」率僮僕十餘輩，馳至新寺灘，叢薄間見一虎帖耳瞑目，徐行而前，若有鬼神驅執者。卞以一矢斃之，剖其腹中，環故在身。

范司農拯之說。

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)

Wang Zhi 王志

In the third year of the Tang Xianqing era (658 CE), Wang Zhi, from Qizhou, was appointed as a county magistrate in Yizhou. When his term expired he returned home. He had a beautiful daughter, who had died on her way to be married. Her coffin had been placed for several months in a monastery.  Within this monastery there was a student who slept in one of the rooms, and early one night he saw the girl come to him, beautiful and resplendently ornamented. She wanted to open her heart and enfold him; the student accepted her, and over a month they grew very close, the girl giving him a bronze mirror, a towel and a comb. When the magistrate wanted the student to leave, he and the girl shared a final secret farewell.

Her family had been searching without success for the gifts, and when the magistrate sent people to search the rooms, they were discovered in the student’s chambers. The magistrate sent his retinue to bind the student, believing that he had stolen them. The student appealed and explained that he had not only received those items, but had also been left an upper and lower robe by her. When the magistrate sent people to open the coffin and check, it turned out to lack these garments, and having seen this proof, treated this as settling the matter. Asking about him in the village, it was established that he was from Qizhou, had followed his parents to a posting in the south, and, after his mother and father had died, he travelled the various prefectures to study and was due to return soon. The magistrate granted him robes and a horse, packing his things and returning together, where he treated him as a son-in-law and they felt great affection for one another.

From Fayuanzhulin.

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, 328.2608:

王志

唐顯慶三年。岐州人王志。任益州縣令。考滿還鄉。有女美。未嫁道亡。停縣州寺中累月。寺中先有學生。停一房。夜初見此女來。粧飾華麗。欲伸繾綣。學生納之。相知經月。此女贈生一銅鏡。巾櫛各一。令欲上道。女與生密共辭別。家人求此物不得。令遺巡房求索。于生房得之。令遺左右縛此生。以為私盜。學生訴其事。非唯得此物。兼留上下二衣。令遺人開棺檢之。果無此衣。既見此徵。于是釋之。問其鄉里。乃岐州人。因從父南任。父母俱亡。遊諸州學問。不久當還。令給衣馬。裝束同歸。以為女夫。憐愛甚重。出法苑珠林

Zhang Cong 張琮

At the beginning of the Yonghui era (650-56 CE), Zhang Cong was serving as Magistrate of Nanyang. In his bedchamber he heard a sound like groaning bamboo coming from before his bed, but when he looked there was nothing to see. This continued over several nights. He found it very strange, so prayed: “If there is a spirit here, we ought to talk.” That night, a person suddenly emerged from among the bamboo, extremely old and ugly in appearance. Stepping forward, it explained: “During Zhu Can’s rebellion[1] your servant was in the army, and killed by Can. My remains lie right in front of the government office pavilion, and one of my eyes has been damaged by a bamboo root. I cannot bear this suffering. Because of the magistrate’s benevolence and wisdom, I thus bring this report. Were my grave moved this would be very fortunate, and I would not dare forget such generous benevolence.” The magistrate asked: “If this is the case how have we not been able to hear one another sooner?” He then agreed, and the following day, to provide a new coffin, had people dig there.

They did indeed find a corpse, with a bamboo root piercing through its left eye, dressed in clothing from that time. He had it reburied outside the town walls. Later he executed a village elder by flogging. The elder’s family, wishing to take revenge, plotted to wait outside the magistrate’s home at night for him to emerge, so they could kill him. It happened that fire took hold in the town, spreading to more than ten houses. The magistrate was just leaving to inspect this, when he caught sight of the spirit, who blocked his horse’s path, and told him: “The government office is no place for you in the deep night, and there is treachery afoot.” The magistrate asked who was behind this, and it replied: “Those who were previously tried in the government office.” The magistrate then returned home, surprising and capturing the family the next day. When questioned this was all verified, so he punished them thoroughly. That night he made further offerings at the tomb, and he had an inscribed stone added, reading:

Sacrifice self in the realm’s crisis,

Death and unforgettable loyalty.

The blazing martyr soul,

A true ghost hero.

From Guangyiji.

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, 328.2603:

張琮

永徽初。張琮為南陽令。寢閣中。聞階前竹有呻吟之聲。就視則無所見。如此數夜。怪之。乃祝曰。有神靈者。當相語。其夜。忽有一人從竹中出。形甚弊陋。前自陳曰。朱粲之亂。某在兵中。為粲所殺。尸骸正在明府閤前。一目為竹根所損。不堪楚痛。以明府仁明。故輒投告。幸見移葬。敢忘厚恩。令謂曰。如是何不早相聞。乃許之。明日。為具棺櫬。使掘之。果得一尸。竹根貫其左目。仍加時服。改葬城外。其後令笞殺一鄉老。其家將復仇。謀須令夜出。乃要殺之。俄而城中失火。延燒十餘家。令將出按行之。乃見前鬼遮令馬曰。明府深夜何所之。將有異謀。令問為誰。曰。前時得罪於明府者。令乃復入。明日。掩捕其家。問之皆驗。遂窮治之。夜更祭其墓。刻石銘於前曰。身狥國難。死不忘忠。烈烈貞魂。實為鬼雄。出廣異記

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[1] This is Zhu Can 朱粲 (d. 621 CE), a warlord active in the latter years of Sui rule and during the establishment of Tang government, with a fearsome reputation for cruelty.

Li Wenfu 李文府

At the start of the Emperor Wen of Sui’s Kaihuang era (581-601 CE), Li Wenfu of Anding resided in Stonebridge Lane, in Yedu. One night he placed a bottle of wine beneath his bed and, waking at midnight, suddenly heard a sound as if the bottle had tipped and the wine were flowing out. When he sent a maid to look at it, the wine bottle had not fallen over, and the stopper was in place as before. After a short while, he again heard something make a clatter and the sound of liquid. Demanding a torch he shone it around and looked, but the room was silent and there was nothing to see. He extinguished the light and locked the door, but before he could sleep he felt something like a hand chopping at his knee. This happened several times, so Wenfu arose and groped around but found nothing. He then took up a blade and lashed out on all four sides, and heard a sound as if of a ‘flying cicada’ hat ornament swaying in a breeze, and rushed out.

Wenfu was later appointed assistant county magistrate in Xuchang, within Yanzhou. On reaching the eighth year of the Kaihuang era (588 CE), he saw the former prefectural office clerk, Kong Zan, who was from Xuchang, but who had already died. Suddenly, in broad daylight, he arrived before Wenfu in the hall and bowed to him repeatedly. Wenfu was shocked and questioned him, to which he replied: “The Taishan magistrate chooses good people, and Zan, due to the gentleman’s wisdom and character, recommended him for office.” Wenfu kowtowed to him, worried and apprehensive. After a long time Zan told him: “Take care not to divulge this.” When ten years had passed, he did speak of this, but on finishing speaking, he began to feel unwell, and died soon after.

From Wuxingji.

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:

李文府

隋文帝開皇初。安定李文府。住鄴都石橋坊。曾夜置酒瓶於牀下。半夜覺。忽聞瓶倒漏酒聲。使婢看之。酒瓶不倒。蓋塞如舊。須臾。復聞有物嗒水聲。索火照看。屋內靜無所見。滅燭下關。未睡。似有以手指斲其膝。至三。文府起捫之。又無所得。乃拔刀四面揮之。即聞有聲如飛蟬曳響。衝而出。文府後仕兗州須昌縣丞。至開皇八年。見州故錄事孔瓚。即須昌人。先亡。忽白日至文府廳前再拜。文府驚問何為。云。太山府君選好人。瓚以公明幹。輒相薦舉。文府憂惶叩頭。瓚良久云。今更為方便。慎勿漏言。至十年。自說之。說訖。便覺不快。須臾而死。出五行記

Wang Wenming 王文明

[2584] Wang Wenming was serving as Magistrate of Jiang’an towards the end of the Song Taishi era (465-71 CE). His wife had been ill for a long time, and their daughter was outside preparing congee for her mother when, just as it was nearly ready, it transformed and became blood. She poured it away and made more, but this too changed in the same way. Her mother soon died, after which, while the children were weeping before her spirit tablet, their mother suddenly appeared, lying atop the bier as if she still lived. All of the children called out in sorrow, at which she immediately vanished. Previously, Wenming had coveted a maid who served under his wife, who was then pregnant and about to give birth.[1] On the day of his wife’s funeral, he sent the maid to look after the house, while everyone else went to see the tomb site. Just as the workers began to open the ground, the wife entered the house and beat the maid. After this his daughters all prepared their father’s food. They killed a chicken, but, after its blood had stopped running, the fowl suddenly leaped up, flew high and called out for a long time. Wenming died soon after, and each of the male relatives who succeeded him was soon buried by his successor.

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From Shuyiji.

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, 325.2583-84:

王文明

[2584] 王文明。宋太始末江安令。妻久病。女于外為母作粥。將熟。變而為血。棄之更作。復如初。母尋亡。其後兒女在靈前哭。忽見其母臥靈牀上。如平生。諸兒號戚。奄然而滅。文明先愛其妻所使婢。姙身將產。葬其妻日。使婢守屋。餘人悉詣墓所。部伍始發。妻便入戶打婢。其後諸女為父辦食。殺雞。割洗已竟。雞忽跳起。軒道長鳴。文明尋卒。諸男相續喪亡。出述異記

[1] This sentence revised and improved on the advice of Ofer Waldman (personal communication, 24 May 2021).  

Liu Kuo 劉廓

When the Song-era Chen Youzhi (d. 478 CE) was on garrison duty, Zhu Daozhen once served as Magistrate of Chanling, and Liu Kuo in the Revenue Section for Jingzhou. The two lodged together in Jiangling, and both enjoyed playing weiqi (a chess-like game), meeting night and day. Daozhen died on the sixth day of the third year in the Yuanhui era (475 CE). After several months had passed, Kuo was seated in the study when he suddenly caught sight of a person, who handed Kuo a letter, telling him: “Written by Zhu of Chanling.” It read:

Ever missing meeting for chess,

Never wanting separation.

Your fated approach draws near,

I dream you may soon visit.

When Kuo finished reading, the letter was nowhere to be seen. He was confined to bed by illness and soon died.

From Zhugongjiushi.

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, 325.2583:

劉廓

宋沈攸之在鎮。朱道珍嘗為孱陵令。劉廓為荊州戶曹。各相並居江陵。皆好圍棊。日夜相就。道珍元徽三年六日亡。至數月。廓坐齋中。忽見一人。以書授廓云。朱孱陵書。題云。每思棊聚。非意致濶。方有來緣。想能近顧。廓讀畢。失信所在。寢疾尋卒。出渚宮舊事

Cui Maobo 崔茂伯

The daughter of Cui Maobo married one Pei Zu’er. Her husband’s home was more than five hundred li distant, and after several years had passed she had still not arrived there. During the eighth month, she died suddenly. Pei was not yet aware of this when, as darkness was about to fall, the woman appeared at Pei’s gate, clapping her hands and requesting entry. Carrying a gold jar a little over two sheng (2 litres) in size, she came to his bed and stood before it. Pei told her to sit, and asked where she had come from. The woman told him: “I am the daughter of Cui, Magistrate of Qinghe. While still young I learned of the gentleman’s betrothal to me. Unfortunately I passed away, so our happy union was not to be. Although our wedding feast will never take place, we are already united in purpose, and I therefore came to inform the gentleman.” She then presented Pei with the gold vessel as a parting gift.

After she had departed, Pei informed his father of the matter. His father wanted to send a message to confirm this, but Pei said: “Betrothed to the Cuis as a child, we should not now react like this. I should go there in person.” His father permitted this. When Pei arrived, the woman had indeed been buried, so they exchanged condolences, and Pei described the whole affair, bringing out the jar to show Maobo. This had been placed with the woman in her grave, so they all went to visit the tomb. More than ten li before they arrived, Pei saw the woman again, and she spoke to him. Those around him all heard her voice, but were unable to see her form. Pei yearned to be united with her, and soon fell ill and died. They were buried together.

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, 324.2574:

崔茂伯

崔茂伯女。結婚裴祖兒。婚家相去五百餘里。數歲不通。八月中。崔女暴亡。裴未知也。日將暮。女詣裴門。拊掌求前。提金罌。受二升許。到牀前而立。裴令坐。問所由。女曰。我是清河崔府君女。少聞大人以我配君。不幸喪亡。大義不遂。雖同牢未顯。然斷金已著。所以故來報君耳。便別以金罌贈裴。女去後。裴以事啟父。父欲遣信參之。裴曰。少結崔氏姻。而今感應如此。必當自往也。父許焉。裴至。女果喪。因相弔唁。裴具述情事。出罌示茂伯。先以此罌送女入瘞。既見罌。遂與裴俱造女墓。未至十餘里。裴復見女在墓言語。旁人悉聞聲。不見其形。裴懷內結。遂發病死。因以合葬。