Chen Fan 陳蕃

During Chen Fan’s humble years, he once lodged at the household of a Huang Shen.^[1] Shen’s wife gave birth during the night, but Fan was not aware of this. During the third watch (11pm to 1am), there was a knock on the door. After a long time, this was answered, and he heard the person enter and say: “There is someone within the gates; I must not step forward.” They were then told: “You can go by the back gate.” Presently he heard the stranger return, and that person, having entered, being questioned by them: “Is there a son? What is his name? What age will he reach?” The one who had come and returned said: “It is a son, named Anu. He will live to fifteen.” They questioned him again: “After that point how will he be killed?” He replied: “He will fall to the ground and die during the construction of a house.” Fan heard this but did not believe it. Fifteen years later he was serving as prefectural chief for Yuzhang, and sent a messenger to ask at the house after the child Anu. He reported: “He was helping the master to build a house when the ridgepole fell. He subsequently died.” 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, 316.2502:

陳蕃

陳蕃微時。嘗行宿主人黃申家。申婦夜產。蕃不知。夜三更。有扣門者。久許。聞裏有人應云。門裏有人。不可前。相告云。從後門往。俄聞往者還。門內者問之。見何兒。名何。當幾歲。還者云。是男。名阿奴。當十五歲。又問曰。後當若為死。答曰。為人作屋。落地死。蕃聞而不信。後十五年。為豫章太守。遣吏征問。昔兒阿奴所在。家云。助東家作屋。墮楝亡沒。出幽明錄

This tale is also transmitted in the anonymous early to mid-fourteenth-century collection 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), with substantial variations in detail:

Life And Death Predestined 生死前定

When Chen Zhongju was poor and humble, he stayed in the household of a Huang Shen in Jiujiang. One night, when Shen’s wife gave birth, someone knocked at the door, and, when questioned, they replied: “Within the gates is a person of eminence; I must not step forward, but should follow the back gate in going.” Presently he heard the stranger return, and the people inside asked: “Did she have a boy or a girl?” The stranger replied: “She had a boy, named Anu, who on reaching fifteen sui will fall to the ground and die during the construction of a house.” Zhongju made a mental note of this. Fifteen years later he was serving as prefectural chief for Yuzhang, and sent a messenger to ask at the house after the child Anu. He reported: “He was helping the master to build a house when the ridgepole fell and he was killed.” Zhongju did indeed subsequently achieve great eminence.

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), 前1.41 (Tale 74):

生死前定

陳仲舉微時，宿九江黃申家。申婦夜產，有扣門者，聞應云：「門裏有貴人，不可前，宜從後門往。」俄聞往者還，門內者問云：「生男或女？」答曰：「生男，名阿奴，當十五歲為人作屋落地死。」仲舉默記之。後十五年為豫章太守，遣吏問昔兒阿奴所在家，云：「助東家作屋墮棟而死。」仲舉後果大貴。

[1] This refers to the Eastern Han official Chen Fan 陳蕃 (d. 168 CE), courtesy name Zhongju 仲舉, who rose to serve as Grand Mentor (taifu 太傅), but died in prison during factional struggles at the court. See his lengthy biography at Houhanshu 66.2159-71.

Li Zhong 李重

In the fifth year Dazhong (851),[1] the Investigating Secretary-General in charge of the Heyin Iron and Salt Production Li Zhong was dismissed from office, and went to live in Hedong Prefecture. He fell ill, and over a ten-day period this illness became ever more serious, as he sank deeply into his bed. One evening, he told his servant: “I am ill and unable to rise.” He then ordered that the door be locked, but suddenly heard a rustling sound within the room. Zhong looked towards it, and saw a man in a deep red robe. It was Cai Xingji, Governor of Hexi. There was also another person, dressed in a folded white robe, standing behind him. Zhong was on good terms with Xingji, but was surprised, and said: “Censor Cai has arrived!” He ordered that they be invited up, and both, including the person in white, sat down. Before long, he saw that Xingji’s body was gradually growing, hands, feet, mouth and nose all increasing in size along with it. Looking hard, he realised that it was not actually Xingji. Zhong was astounded, and so called out to the Censor. Zhong then noticed that his own body [2778] had recovered somewhat and that he was able to rise. He leaned his back against the wall and sat, asking: “Your servant’s illness has gone on for ten months. Now I feel much better; how can it not have been down to this?” The other replied: “The gentleman’s illness has reached the exact point.” He then indicated the white-robed person; “This is my youngest brother. He is skilled at divination, so I had him calculate for Zhong.” The white-robed man reached into his sleeve and withdrew a small wooden ape, placing it on the divan. After a little while the ape jumped and leaped from side to side several times before standing still. The white-robed man then told him: “The divination is complete. The Secretary-General’s illness is not something to worry about. He will reach sixty-two, but there will also be calamity.” Zhong asked: “Will the Censor drink some wine?” He replied: “How could one dare not take a drink?” Zhong thus ordered wine be brought. When the cup was placed before the red-robed man, he said: “I have my own drinking vessel.” He then brought out a cup from his clothing. At first it seemed to be silver, but once filled his cup flipped and turned without cease. Looked at closely it turned out to be made of paper. The two men each emptied two full cups, then the guest returned the vessel into his robe and left. He again warned Zhong: “After the gentleman has recovered, be careful not to drink wine, or disaster will indeed find you.” Zhong thanked him and made a promise. After some time of this the pair departed. When they reached the courtyard the pair were suddenly nowhere to be seen. The outer gate was checked but it remained as firmly bolted as before. When they looked before the divan, the wine lay on the floor – it had clearly been drunk by two spirits. Zhong’s health improved from then on, but before long he went back to drinking like he had before. The following year, he was demoted to serve as Minister of War for Hangzhou.

From Xuanshizhi.

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), viii, 351.2777-78:

李重

太中五年。檢校郎中知鹽鐵河陰院事李重罷職。居河東郡。被疾。旬日益甚。沈然在榻。一夕。告其僕曰。我病不能起矣。即令扃鍵其門。忽聞庭中窣然有聲。重視之。見一人衣緋。乃河西令蔡行己也。又有一人。衣白疊衣。在其後。重與行己善。即驚曰。蔡侍御來。因命延上。與白衣者俱坐。頃之。見行己身漸長。手足口鼻。亦隨而大焉。細視之。乃非行己也。重心異也。然因以侍御呼焉。重遂覺身 [2778] 稍可舉。即負壁而坐。問曰。某病旬月矣。今愈甚。得不中於此乎。其人曰。君之疾當間矣。即指白衣者。吾之季弟。善卜。乃命卜重。白衣者於袖中出一小木猿。置榻上。既而其猿左右跳躑。數四而定。白衣者曰。卦成矣。郎中之病。固無足憂。當至六十二。然亦有災。重曰。侍御飲酒乎。曰。安敢不飲。重遂命酒。以杯置於前。朱衣者曰。吾自有飲器。乃於衣中出一杯。初似銀。及既酌。而其杯翻翻不定。細視。乃紙為者。二人各盡二杯。已而收其杯於衣中。將去。又誡重曰。君愈之後。慎無飲酒。禍且及矣。重謝而諾之。良久遂去。至庭中。乃無所見。視其外門。扃鍵如舊。又見其榻前。酒在地。蓋二鬼所飲也。重自是病癒。既而飲酒如初。其年。謫為杭州司馬。出宣室志

[1] The Zhonghua Shuju edition has Taizhong 太中here.

Hu Daoqia 胡道洽

Hu Daoqia described himself as a man of Guangling. He enjoyed matters of music and the medical arts. His body had a foul smell, and he always used a famous fragrance to guard against it. His only fear was of vicious dogs, and he knew the date of his own death, warning his younger brother and his son: “When my breath stops bury me quickly. Do not allow dogs to see my corpse.” He died in Shanyang, but when burial preparations were complete, the coffin felt empty, and when it was opened to check, there was no sign of a body. People at the time all said he was a fox. 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), ix, 447.3656:

胡道洽

胡道洽。自云廣陵人。好音樂醫術之事。題有臊氣。恒以名香自防。唯忌猛犬。自審死日。戒弟子曰。氣絕便殯。勿令狗見我尸也。死于山陽。斂畢。覺棺空。即開看。不見尸體。時人咸謂狐也。出異苑

A Beauty 玉兒（當是其名）

In the Taiyuan temple college there used to be a ghostly woman, who had been the concubine of Judicial Commissioner Song Danyi, but had, due to the envy of his wife, been beaten to death and buried where she fell next to the school; a mulberry tree sprouted on the spot. The spirit would sometimes enter the temple hostel, and make jokes with people; it was quite unlike a haunting. During the Dading era (1161-89 CE), there were several people staying overnight and studying in the room, and, after the third watch (i.e., at about 1am), they suddenly heard the sound of footsteps outside the window. Before long she had entered the room, going about and touching all those who slept there, saying ‘this one will pass’, ‘this one won’t pass’. Soon after, she said “Don’t be alarmed, don’t be alarmed.” When the time came, all came out as she had said.

Education Intendant Ma Chizheng reported that those sleepers were Zhao Wenqing, Duan Guohua and Guo Jizhi.

Yuan Haowen 元好問, Xu Yijian zhi 續夷堅志 (Continued Records of the Listener), 1.12:

玉兒（當是其名）

太原廟學，舊有鬼婦人，是宋旦一提刑妾，為正室妒，捶而死，倒埋學旁，其處有桑生焉。此鬼時入齋舍，與人戲語，然不為祟也。大定中，有數人夜宿時習齋，三更後，忽聞窗外履聲，須臾，入齋，以手遍拊睡者，云此人及第，此人不及第。既而曰：「休驚休驚也。」及至後，皆如其言。

學正馬持正說，睡者趙文卿、段國華、郭及之。

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)

Heavenly Wrath On Corrupt Officials 天譴墨吏

At the beginning of the Tang Zhenguan era (627-49 CE), the Director of Danyang, Wang Qiong, was summoned and dismissed in his third year. Qiong was extremely resentful, and took a great deal of money, visiting the Maoshan Daoist Ye Lingzhong, and seeking a memorial to the throne that would predict the future. Lingzhong was ninety years old, and, when forced to produce the petition, the paper floated up on incense smoke and disappeared into the mists. Soon after it fell back to the ground, with a note in red ink added to the end: “Accepting a hundred liang of gold, taking three years’ salary, murdering two people; these will be resolved after death.” One year later, Qiong died suddenly without illness.

上1.16 (Tale 85):

天譴墨吏

唐貞觀初，丹陽令王瓊，三年調集，遭黜。瓊甚憤惋，乃齎百千，詣茅山道士葉靈中，求章奏以問吉凶。靈中年九十，強為奏之，其章隨香烟飛上，縹渺不見。食頃復墮地，有朱書批其末，云：「受金百兩，折祿三年；枉殺二人，死後處斷。」一歲，瓊無疾暴卒。

Li Rong 李冗, Du yi zhi, 獨異志 (Outstanding Fantastic Stories) 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)

A version of the same tale, showing several variations, is found in the Taiping Guangji:

Ye Xuzhong 葉虛中

At the beginning of the Tang Zhenguan era (627-49 CE), the Director of Danyang, Wang Qiong, was summoned and dismissed in his third year. He was extremely resentful, and visited the Maoshan Daoist Ye Xuzhong, seeking a memorial to the throne that would predict the future. Xuzhong was over ninety years old, and, when forced to produce the petition, the paper floated up on incense smoke and disappeared into the mists. Soon after it fell back to the ground, with a note in red ink added to the end: “Accepting a hundred liang of gold, taking three years’ salary, murdering two people; these will be resolved after death.” One year later, Qiong did indeed meet a sudden end. From Duyizhi.

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), ii, 73.456-57:

葉虛中

唐貞觀初。丹陽令王瓊。三年調集。皆黜落。甚憤惋。乃齋宿于茅山道士葉虛中。求奏章以問吉凶。虛中年九十餘。彊為奏之。其章隨香煙飛上。縹渺不見。食頃復墮地。有朱書批其末云。受金百兩。折 [457] 祿三年。枉殺二人。死後處分。後一歲。瓊果得暴疾終。出獨異志

Hou Jing’s Tumour 侯景瘤

Hou Jing[1] often had a tumour, which was like a small turtle. Whenever he enjoyed victory, it would grow. On the day of his defeat and death, it shrank by one cun (c. 3.33cm).

Li Rong 李冗, Du yi zhi, 獨異志 (Outstanding Fantastic Stories), 上1.15 (Tale 80):

侯景瘤

侯景常有一瘤，如小龜。每戰勝，龜則起。及其敗死之日，瘤入一寸。

Li Rong 李冗, Du yi zhi, 獨異志 (Outstanding Fantastic Stories) 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)

[1] On Hou Jing 侯景 (503-52CE), courtesy name Wanjing 萬景, leader of an uprising against Emperor Wu of Liang in 548 CE, see:  https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BE%AF%E6%99%AF.

Zhang Baocang Achieves Eminence Through Medicine 張寶藏因醫致貴

During the Tang Zhenguan era (627-49 CE), Zhang Baocang was returning to Yueyang after ending his duty as Chief Secretary to the Imperial Guard, when he encountered a youth hunting and eating fresh meat in the wilds. Leaning against a tree he let out a long sigh and said: “Zhang Baocang is aged seventy and has never once had meat and wine like this; what a shame!” By his side there was a monk, who pointed and said: “Within sixty days, you will ascend to the third official grade; how is this something to sigh over?” When he finished speaking, he vanished. Baocang marvelled at this, and immediately returned to the capital. At that time Taizong (r. 626-49 CE) was suffering terribly with dysentery, and a crowd of physicians had no effect, so a decree was promulgated asking whether anyone in the court or retinue had the ability to treat the illness, promising them a rich reward. Baocang had once suffered from the same disease, so prepared a memorial to the throne in answer to the decree, prescribing beans simmered in milk. The emperor took it, and recovered instantly. A decree was passed down to the minister of state appointing him to the fifth official grade. Wei Wei obstructed this, so for more than a month he did not advance any plans. The emperor’s illness recurred, and he asked his retinue: “I previously took beans simmered in milk and this was effective.” He again ordered them to bring him forward, and after a single sip was cured once more. The emperor asked: “I had ordered to award him advancement to grade five, but have not seen him accept the post; why is this?” Wei was afraid, and said: “At the time the decree was issued, it was not clear whether this would be a military or civil branch of the clerks.” The emperor grew angry: “For governing we require a chancellor; we might as well appoint him to the third grade. I am the Son of Heaven; how can this not be up to me?” He therefore said in a loud voice: “Granted civil office in the third grade!” He stood and was appointed Minister for Protocol, and that was exactly sixty days later.

Li Rong 李冗, Du yi zhi 獨異志 (Outstanding Fantastic Stories), 上1.13 (Tale 74):

張寶藏因醫致貴

唐貞觀中，張寶藏為金吾長史嘗因下直歸櫟陽，路逢少年畋獵，割鮮野食。倚樹長歎曰：「張寶藏身年七十，未嘗得一食酒肉如此者，可悲哉！」傍有一僧，指曰：「六十日內，官登三品，何足歎也。」言訖不見。寶藏異之，即時還京。時太宗苦病痢疾，衆醫不效，即下詔問殿廷左右，有能治此疾者，當重賞之。寶藏曾困此疾，即具疏答詔，以乳煎蓽方進。上服之，立瘥。宣下宰臣：與五品官。魏微難之，逾月不進擬。上疾復作，問左右曰：「吾前服乳煎蓽茇有效。」復令進之，一啜又平復。上問曰：「嘗令與進方人五品官，不見除授，何也？」徵懼曰：「奉詔之際，未知文武二吏。」上怒曰：「治得宰相，不妨授三品；我天子也，豈不及汝邪？」乃厲聲曰：「與三品文官！」立授鴻臚卿，時正六十日矣。

Li Rong 李冗, Du yi zhi, 獨異志 (Outstanding Fantastic Stories) 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)