Blood and Flesh in the Earth 土中血肉

He Shinxu was from Xuzhou and was a Jinshi scholar of the Cheng’an era (1196-1201 CE). On his father’s death at the beginning of the Chongqing era (1212-13 CE), he returned to his home village. In his courtyard one night was seen a bright glow, and Shinxu said: “This is a treasure.” He had his servant dig there, and a little over a zhang deep (c. 3.3m) they found a lump of flesh, as big as a large vessel. His family were very alarmed and ordered its urgent reburial. Shinxu quickly fell ill and died. His wife and more than ten other relatives passed away in succession. Those with knowledge say that such chunks of flesh are the Year God, and the emission of misfortune had caused the strange lights they had seen.

Yuan Haowen 元好問, Xu Yijian zhi 續夷堅志 (Continued Records of the Listener), 1.7 (Tale 16)

土中血肉

何信叔，許州人，承安中進士。崇慶初，以父憂居鄉里。庭中嘗夜見光，信叔曰：「此寶器也。」率僮僕掘之，深丈餘，得肉塊一，如盆盎大，家人大駭，亟命埋之。信叔尋以疾亡，妻及家屬十餘人相繼歿。識者謂肉塊太歲也，禍將發，故光怪先見。

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)

The Boy Zhang Enters the Nether World 張童入冥

Old Zhang, of Hantou Village in southern Pinghu, made his living by trapping quail, so people named him ‘Quail’. Already quite old, he had only one son, who, having reached childhood, died suddenly one day. The elderly [5] couple, thinking they would have nobody to rely on in their old age, wailing in great sadness, regretting that they had not all died. The following day they had planned to bury him, but still could not bear to, instead building a mound of bricks one or two chi (30-60cm) from the ground, and saying: “Our child will come back to life.” People scoffed at their foolishness, but some also mourned with them.

When after three days they returned to the grave, wailing and crying ceaselessly, they suddenly heard a groaning sound from within the tomb; the old couple said, shocked: “Our son’s immortal soul really has returned!” Scattering boards and bricks, they hauled out the coffin and carried it back home. Presently he asked for congee, and, after a good while had passed, said: “In the beginning, I was arrested by somebody and taken to the nether world officials, and I was sad and told their master: ‘Think of my old parents; I beg to live a full life. I will regret terribly never seeing them after my funeral is complete.’ The nether world official felt some sympathy, and told him: ‘You will now be released to return. Tell your father that if he can give up hunting and fishing as his profession, your lifespan will be extended.’”

His father, on hearing these words, burned all his nets and equipment, and carried his son to a temple to make offerings. In the temple there was a monk surnamed Lü, not yet forty years of age and unusually majestic in appearance, who had formerly been the leader of a merchant caravan supplying the prefecture. The Zhang boy asked him: “Has the Master returned to life too?” Lü asked, “How could he have died?” The Zhang boy replied: “When I was in the nether world waiting to be advised I saw the master on a copper column in a corner of the hall, feet bound with iron ties. A prison guard went and beat him under the arm until blood dripped out. When I was about to be released and come back, I asked: ‘Why is Master Lü being punished?’ They replied: ‘He often omits scripture readings at refectory meals, and therefore receives this retribution.’” On hearing this Lü was deeply shocked. He had suffered a weeping ulcer in his armpit, which had persisted over three years, and which the boy could not have known about. Lü then took up a clean and solitary existence, chanting sutras daily as his work. After three years his ulcer was cured.

Senior Officer Zhao witnessed this himself.

Yuan Haowen 元好問, Xu Yijian zhi 續夷堅志 (Continued Records of the Listener), 1.4-5 (Tale 10)

張童入冥

平輿南函頭村張老者，以捕鶉為業，故人目為鵪鶉。年已老，止一兒，成童矣，一旦死。翁 [5] 媪自念老無所倚，號哭悶絕，恨不俱死。明日欲埋之，又復不忍，但累甎作邱，入地一二尺許，云：「吾兒還活。」人笑其癡，而亦有哀之者。三日復墓，慟哭不休，忽聞墓中呻吟聲，翁媪驚曰：「吾兒果還魂矣！」撒棺甎，曳棺木出，舁歸其家。俄索湯粥，良久，說：「初，為人攝往冥司，兒哀訴主者：『爹娘老可念，乞盡餘年，葬送畢，死無所歸恨。』冥官頗憐之，即云：『今放汝歸，語汝父，能棄打捕之業，汝命可延矣！』」其父聞此語，盡焚網罟之屬，挈兒入寺供佛。寺有一僧呂姓者，年未四十，儀表殊偉，曾上州作綱首。張童即前問僧：「師亦還魂耶？」呂云：「何曾死？」張童言：「我在冥中引問次，見師在殿角銅柱上，鐵繩繫足，獄卒往來以棓撞師腋下，流血淋漓。及放歸時，曾問監卒：『呂師何故受罪？』乃云：『他多脫下齋主經文，故受此報。』」呂聞大駭，蓋其腋下病一漏瘡，已三年矣，兒初不知。呂遂潔居一室，日以誦經為課，凡三年，瘡乃平。 趙長官親見之。

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)

Hostel Pavilion Spiders 館亭蜘蛛

There was a Censor called Wei Jun who was once responsible for Jiangxia. Sent back to the capital with a message, on his return journey he stopped to transact business at a hostel pavilion. He suddenly noticed a white spider descending from one of the pavilion columns, its body extremely small. Wei Jun said: “This is a danger to people. I have heard that, though small, when it bites people even good medicine has no effect.” He therefore directed that it be killed. Presently he saw another white one descending, and had it killed like the last one. Looking up beyond it he saw that the web led to a lair, so he ordered his retinue to fetch a broom and sweep it all away, and said: “I have now eliminated the threat to life.” The following day, wishing to leave, he touched the column with his hand as he passed, and felt a sharp unbearable pain; it turned out to be the bite of a white spider on the column. Wei Jun was shocked, and immediately flicked it away. It soon swelled up, and before several days had passed this affected his entire arm. Due to this he was carried to Jiangxia in a sedan chair. Physicians and medicines had no effect, and eventually his left arm was pouring blood; when his blood was exhausted he died. Before this Wei Jun’s lady mother was in Jiangxia, and dreamed that a white-robed person addressed her: “My two brothers, younger and elder, were killed by your son. I have reported to the heavenly emperor, and the emperor has avenged this injustice according to my request.” When they finished speaking, the lady awoke in shock. Marvelling greatly at it, she was too disturbed to speak. A little more than ten days later, when Wei Jun arrived and she heard the full story, she came to understand the dream, realising that the day of her vision was indeed that on which he had killed the spider in the hostel pavilion. The lady wept and said: “How can you live for long now?” Several days later Wei Jun died.

Zhang Du 張讀, Xuanshi Zhi 宣室志 (Stories from the Chamber of Dissemination),1.3 (Tale 4):

館亭蜘蛛

有御史韋君，嘗從事江夏，復以奉使至京，既還，道次商於館亭中。忽見亭柱有白蜘蛛曳而下，狀甚微。韋君曰：「是為人之患也。吾聞汝雖小，螫人，良藥無及。」因以指殺焉。俄又見一白者下，如前所殺之。且視其上，有綱為窟，韋乃命左右挈箒盡為盡掃去，且曰：「為人患者，吾已除矣。」明日欲去，因以手撫去柱，忽覺指痛不可忍，乃是有一白蜘蛛螫其上。韋君驚，即拂去。俄遂腫焉，不數日而盡一臂。由是肩輿舁至江夏。醫藥無及，竟以左臂潰為血，血盡而終。先是韋君先夫人在江夏，夢一白衣人謂曰：「我弟兄二人為汝子所殺。吾告上帝，帝用雪其寃，且遂吾請。」言畢，夫人驚寤。甚異之，惡不能言。後旬餘而韋君至，具得其狀，方悟所夢，覺為夢日，果其殺蜘蛛於館亭時也。夫人泣曰：「其能久乎！」數日而韋君終矣。

Zhang Du 張讀, Xuanshi Zhi 宣室志 (Stories from the Chamber of Dissemination)in Du yi zhi, Xuanshi Zhi 獨異志，宣室志 (Outstanding Fantastic Stories, Stories from the Chamber of Dissemination), edited by Zhang Yongqin 张永钦 and Hou Zhiming 侯志明 (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1983)

The version transmitted in the Taiping Guangji varies slightly from this:

Wei Jun 韋君

There was a Censor called Wei Jun who was once responsible for Jiangxia. Sent back to the capital with a message, on his return journey he stopped to transact business at a hostel pavilion. He suddenly noticed a white spider descending from one of the pavilion columns, its body extremely small. Wei Jun said: “This is a danger to people. I have heard that, though small, when it bites people even good medicine has no effect.” He therefore directed that it be killed. Presently he saw another white one descending, and had it killed like the last one. Looking up beyond it he saw that the web led to a lair, so he ordered his retinue to fetch a broom to remove it all, and said: “I have now eliminated the threat to life.” The following day, about to leave, he touched the column with his hand as he passed, and felt a sharp pain that he could not bear; it turned out to be the bite of a white spider on the column. Wei Jun was shocked, and immediately flicked it away. Soon the swelling grew, and before several days had passed this affected his entire arm. Due to this he was carried to Jiangxia in a sedan chair. Physicians and medicines had no effect, and eventually his left arm was pouring blood; when his blood was exhausted he died. Before this Wei Jun’s lady mother was in Jiangxia, and dreamed that a white-robed person addressed her: “I had three brothers, younger and elder, and two were killed by your son. I have reported to the heavenly emperor, and the emperor felt sympathy and agreed to my request.” When they finished speaking, the lady awoke in shock. Marvelling greatly at it, she was too disturbed to speak. A little more than ten days later, when Wei Jun arrived and she heard the full story, she came to understand the dream, realising that the day of her vision was indeed that on which he had been in the hostel pavilion. The lady wept and said: “How can you live for long now?” Several days later Wei Jun died.

From Xuanshizhi

Li Fang 李昉, et al., Taiping guangji 太平廣記 (Extensive Gleanings from the Period of Great Harmony), 10 vols (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1961), x, 476.3920:

韋君

有御史韋君嘗從事江夏。後以奉使至京。既還。道次商於。館亭中。忽見亭柱有白蜘蛛曳而下。狀甚微。韋君曰。是人之患也。吾聞雖小。螫人。良藥無及。因以指殺焉。俄又見一白者下。如前所殺之。且觀其上。有綱為窟。韋乃命左右挈帚。盡為去。且曰。為人患者。吾已除矣。明日將去。因以手撫去柱。忽覺指痛。不可忍之。乃是有一白蜘蛛螫其上。韋君驚。即拂去。俄遂腫延。不數日而盡一臂。由是肩舁至江夏。醫藥無及。竟以左臂潰為血。血盡而終。先是韋君先夫人在江夏。夢一白衣人謂曰。我弟兄三人。其二人為汝子所殺。吾告上帝。帝用憫其寃。且遂吾請。言畢。夫人驚寤。甚異之。惡不能言。後旬餘而韋君至。具得其狀。方悟所夢。覺為夢日。果其館亭時也。夫人泣曰。其能久乎。數日而韋君終矣。出宣室志

An Unscrupulous Officer of the Way 法官不戒

Zhang Shengyuan, known as the ‘Sender of Thunder’, diligently followed the Way of Thunder, possessing exceptional power and efficacy; the populace all treated him as a transcendent. He resided in Lingdao Hall. One evening, when he was walking in the mountains, he defiled a village woman. When he returned at dusk, he lit a lamp, but there came the sound of a mouth eating and chewing, and suddenly dead fell to the ground. When the thunder spirits are like this, how can those scholars who follow the Way be disrespectful?

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後1.166 (Tale 289):

法官不戒

張聲遠，名雷發，奉行雷法，甚有靈驗，衆皆神之。寓廬陵道堂。一晚山行，污一村婦。暮歸，堂中焚炷，但口中作吃吃之聲，忽仆地竟死。雷將之靈如此，行法之士忽慢可乎？

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).

An Eagle Seizes A Soldier’s Kerchief 鷹攫卒巾

When Wang Menglong[1] administered Wuzhou, there was an eyrie atop an ancient tree in the prefectural capital, and a soldier sneaked into it and stole a chick. His commander was just beginning to attend to the matter, when an eagle swooped down, grabbed a kerchief from one of the troops and departed. Soon after, realising that this was not the nest snatching soldier, it returned bearing the kerchief, but straightaway snatched the kerchief belonging to the kidnapping soldier. The commander, making a deduction from this, beat the soldier and drove him away, and the eagle drew a flock of birds, calling and wheeling above the hall, as if they were calling out in gratitude, before they departed.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.269 (Tale 490):

鷹攫卒巾

王夢龍知婺州日，州治古木之上有鷹巢，一卒探取雛。守方視事，鷹忽飛下，攫一卒之巾以去。已而知非探巢之卒，復銜巾來還，乃徑攫探巢者之巾。守推其故，杖此卒而逐之，鷹乃引羣鷹飛鳴旋繞於廳上，若鳴謝之意而去。

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] This seems likely to be the Wang Menglong 王夢龍, courtesy name Huafu 華父, who passed the civil examinations in 1208. See Harvard University, Academia Sinica, and Peking University, China Biographical Database (January 1, 2018), https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/cbdb.

A Fox Called Duke of the Spirits 狐稱鬼公

In Xixiang, Pucheng County, there was a powerful spirit, proved effective in many affairs, that called itself Duke of the Spirits; after several decades, near and far all strove to approach it. It happened that one Wan Tu, who tended pigs for a living, stretched a small net across a mountain path and a fox fell into this. It suddenly spoke with a human voice, saying: “I am the Spirit Duke of Xixiang; I hope [you] will spare my life, for which there will be a generous reward.” Tu then released and turned it free. The next night, at lamp-lighting time, two hens and a great many guanhui notes were tossed into his compound. Before many days had passed, he again fell into the hands of a human forester, and once more spoke in supplication: “I was once caught by Wan Tu, and he, having released me, has been thanked most generously. If I am returned alive your reward will be rich.” The man having no trust in this, he ‘placed him on the field of death’. Several days later, a troupe of foxes surrounded [the forester’s] house seeking and searching, soon after, a single fox torched the dwelling and departed.

Anon., Jin Xin 金心 (ed.), Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi 湖海新聞夷堅續志, 2.249:

狐稱鬼公

浦城縣西鄉有神通靈，事多驗，自稱鬼公，至數十年，遠近爭趨之。忽有萬屠以敦豬為業，肩持小網過一山抝，有狐墮其中。俄為人言曰：「我乃西鄉鬼公，冀全性命，當厚為報。」屠遂放逸。次夜燈時，以兩雞及官會五百千拋入其家。不踰數日，又入虞人之手，復哀告曰：「我昔為萬屠所得，彼既放我，已有厚謝。我若復活，當重報汝。」人不之信，置之死地。後數日，羣狐繞屋尋索，曾不移時，有一狐火焚其屋而去。

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).

Shooting Spirit-Crows With Pellets 彈打神烏

Sister Qingxi was the third younger sister of Marquis Jiang, and in her temple were six paper-mulberry trees, luxuriant and widely spaced, offering cover and shade. There were crows that frequently raised their young in the trees, and one Xie Qing hurled pellets and killed several dozen of them, but then had the feeling that the spirit felt their loss. When night came, he dreamed that an exquisitely dressed woman, wearing an angry expression, approached and rebuked him: “Those crows are raised by me; why attack them? You have ten days to provide them with compensation.” The next day he went to the shrine at dawn to offer his thanks, but these were rejected, and after ten days he was dead.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.224 (Tale 399):

彈打神烏

清溪小姑乃蔣侯第三妹，廟中有六穀樹，扶疏蔭映。有烏常產育於樹。有謝慶者，挾彈彈殺數十枚，即覺精神若有所喪。至夜，夢一女衣裳楚楚，怒色而至，責曰：「烏我所養，何以見侵？限十日以汝償之。」次早往廟告謝，不許，旬日而卒。

 

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).

A Female Divinity Rebukes In A Dream 女神報夢

The Noble Prime Minister Jiang Guxin (i.e. Jiang Wanli, 1198-1275), went roaming with two or three friends during his period of poverty. On reaching a temple, they saw the figure of a boy, and at the next temple, a female deity. Guxin and his friends joked together and so carried the male deity to the female divinity’s temple, saying that they were bearing the groom into his wedding. That night Guxin had a dream in which the female deity gathered the hem of her robe and started to speak: “The child is a chaste and pure spirit, following orders to receive offerings in that place. Please take the boy back to his temple, and do not sully my moral integrity. The gentleman will in future act as prime minister, so I come to report to a superior. The other three people following the gentleman will all receive some censure.” The next day he gathered his friends, and was about to tell them of this, each spoke of a dream in which the female spirit faced and rebuked them, so the gentleman held his tongue and kept his secret, carrying the boy spirit back to his temple. Subsequently the gentleman indeed ascended to the position of prime minister, but his friends all suffered serious illness, and were fortunate to avoid death.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.220 (Tale 390):

女神報夢

朱丞相江古心，微時與二三友閑行，至一廟，乃男子身，次至一廟，乃女神也。古心與諸友戲，以男子神舁至女神廟，云（「云」原作「去」，據明刻本改。）送來入贅。是夜古心夢女神斂袵而啟曰：「兒乃貞潔之神，奉命血食斯土，請舁男神歸廟，毋污我大節。公異日當揆，故來稟覆。其三人隨從公者，亦略加譴矣。」次日會諸友，方欲話及，各言夜夢女神面責，公遂隱而不言，舁男神歸廟。後公果登相位，而諸友皆患重病，幸而免死。

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).

A River God’s Retribution 江神報事

Yu Dujian, known as Shan, was from Xinshang. In the xinyou year of the Song Jingding era (1261), he was governor to Linjiang Commandery, and, due to a flood, people suffered from having to wade through the river. He received word that, at a crossing on the boundary with Jiangdong, a boat had foundered killing eighteen people, including the boatman. The governor was keen to uphold the law, so sent a soldier bearing Daoist paper figures and an official document to seek the river spirit for questioning. The soldier feared punishment, so made earnest entreaties [217] at the riverbank. An elderly white-robed person suddenly emerged, saying: “You go now; I’ll come to the offices tomorrow.” The soldier returned and made his report. When the day came, the governor sat in the hall and waited. It was already late when a wisp of cold wind was felt touching people, and he saw a person with bushy brows and white hair, dressed in white, who said: “The eighteen people who died had in a previous life formed a gang of powerful bandits who killed people, and were therefore taken together in death one day on the water.” The governor said: “The boatman among them; what then was his crime?” The elderly figure said: “That person was the bandit chief. The governor understands the affairs of human life in this world. He does not understand the affairs of the nether world’s authority, all of which are destined and certain, without slip or error.”

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.216-17 (Tale 384):

江神報事

俞杜澗名掞，信上人。宋景定辛酉知臨江軍，因大水，人病涉。言江東界有一渡，水漲舟覆，溺死十八人，梢子亦沉死。知府善行法，差一卒持神符及官牒追江神來問。卒畏譴責，力懇 [217] 於水濱。忽一白衣老人出云：「你且去，我明日自到官。」卒歸報。至日，知府坐廳等候。近晚，但覺冷風一陣拂人，見一人龐眉皓首，身著白，云：「十八人死者，前世曾結黨為強盗殺人，以一日聚死於水。」知府曰：「梢子又何辜？」老人曰：「此人正是賊首也。知府但知陽間世事，不知陰府事皆注定，並無差錯。」

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).

Coveting Wealth and Killing A Monk 圖財殺僧

Ji Wugong was returning from Hangzhou by boat, and when he reached the riverbank there was a monk with many valuable possessions, which they lifted together into the boat. On boarding, the monk said he had forgotten something and stepped back off again. Ji coveted his wealth, and gave the order to push off. When the monk arrived, the boat was already midstream and beyond his reach; he tried to swim for it but drowned. Ji, claiming falsely that the monk had been his private chaplain, took all his property and returned with great riches. The following year, his wife became pregnant and was about to give birth, and that evening he dreamed that the monk came to meet him, and therefore named the child. When the child was fully grown, he spent and squandered up to half of the household resources. This son then had his own child, and one night dreamed of a boat descending from the ceiling panel and so named his son ‘Boatman’, and this son subsequently entirely disposed of the household’s wealth.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 前集2.122 (Tale 213):

圖財殺僧

季五公自杭州回船，次江畔，有一僧厚有財物，亦同搭此船。及入，謂有所忘，再出船去。季貪其財，先令發舟。僧來，船已中流，不可及，由是赴水而死。季冒認僧為門僧，席捲所遺，歸致大富。踰年，妻懷孕將產，初夜，夢此僧來相見，遂以為名之。及長，家計為之破蕩及半。子又生一孫，夜夢一船自天井中而下，命名船者，後盡鬻其家產無遺。

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).