Tenth century / 10th century – Zhiguai Translations

A Spring Contains A Pig-Dragon 泉有豬龍

By the side of a road in Qingshen County within Meizhou there is a small Buddha Hall, commonly known as the Buddha of the Sow Mother. When Su Dongpo (1037-1101) asked the local people about this, they said: “A century ago a sow prostrated herself there, and transformed into a spring with two carp; she was a pig-dragon. People petitioned the sow to grant them motherhood, and erected a Buddha Hall over it, hence the name.” The spring emerged upwards from rock, its depth not reaching two chi (about 66cm), but even in severe droughts it never stopped running. People could never see the carp, however. One day Dongpo told this to his wife’s brother Wang Yuan, but Yuan thought it absurd and preposterous. Unable to settle Yuan’s doubts, he went together with Yuan to pray at the spring, where the latter said: “Grant, if this is not all nonsense, another glimpse of the fish.” Before long the two carp emerged once again. Yuan was terrified, bowing over and over again and requesting forgiveness for his misdeed, and then departing.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.266 (Tale 483):

泉有豬龍

眉州青神縣道側有小佛堂，俗謂豬母佛。蘇東坡問之土人，曰：「百年前有牝豬伏於此，化為泉，有二鯉魚在泉中，蓋豬龍也。人請牝豬為母，而立佛堂其上，故以名之。」泉出石上，深不及二尺，大旱不竭，而鯉莫有見者。一日東坡以其事告妻兄王愿，愿疑之妄誕，不平其疑，與愿俱至井禱之泉上曰：「予若不妄言，魚當復見。」已而二鯉復出，愿大驚，再拜謝罪而去。

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).

A Ghost Seeks Acupuncture 鬼求針灸

When Xu Xi (886-975 CE) was governor of Sheyang, there were few people skilled in medicine, and his fame spread across the land. Once at night he heard a ghost moaning and groaning, its voice extremely mournful and bitter. Xu said: “You are a ghost; what can you need?” Then he heard the reply: “My family name is Dou, my own name Si, my household is in Dongyang, I suffered from back pain and died, and despite becoming a ghost the aches and pains are unbearable. I heard that the gentleman is skilled at acupuncture, and would like to be relieved of my suffering.” Xu said: “You are a ghost and without physical form; how should treatment be placed?” The ghost said: “The gentleman must only bind straw together as a person, seeking the vital points and inserting the needles there.” Xu followed these instructions and inserted needles at four points in the lower back and three points in the shoulder, set out offerings, and then buried it. The next day somebody came with thanks, saying: “Having received the gentleman’s treatment, and also the feast laid out, my illness is gone and my hunger sated; my gratitude for this kindness is extremely profound.” [238] He suddenly vanished.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.237-38 (Tale 428):

鬼求針灸

徐熙為射陽令，少善醫方，名聞海內。嘗夜聞有鬼呻吟，聲甚淒苦。徐曰：「汝是鬼，何所需？」俄聞答曰：「姓斛名斯，家在東陽，患腰痛死，雖為鬼而疼痛不可忍。聞君善針，願相救濟。」徐曰：「汝是鬼而無形，何厝治？」鬼曰：「君但縛芻為人，索孔穴針之。」徐如其言為針腰四處，又針肩三處，設祭而埋之。明日一人來謝曰：「蒙君醫療，復為設齋，病除饑解，感惠甚深。」 [238] 忽然不見。

A Temple Spirit Seizes A Fan 廟鬼奪人扇

Before Fan Zhi, Duke of Lu (911-964 CE), became influential, he was seated in a teahouse in Fengqiu, holding a fan on which was inscribed ‘The heat of summer drives out corrupt officials; a pure breeze brings back the departed.’ A strange and ugly figure suddenly appeared before him and bowed, saying: “How can the injustice of corrupt government end like the summer heat? Someday the gentleman will have to think deeply about this matter.” It then picked up the fan and departed. The gentleman was left sorrowful and unable to fathom the matter. Several days after, he passed a temple and saw a short spirit figure made of earth and wood – looking just like the strange and ugly person from the teahouse – holding his fan in its hands; the gentleman was astonished by this. Afterwards, on attaining a position of power, his first action was to consult on settling the [226] unified code of punishment.

Anon., Huhai xinwen yijian xuzhi, 後2.225-26 (Tale 402):

廟鬼奪人扇

范魯公質未顯時，坐封丘茶肆，手持扇，偶題「大暑去酷吏，清風來故人。」忽有一怪陋人前揖曰：「世之酷吏冤抑何止如大暑，公他日當深究此弊。」因攜其扇而去。公憫然莫測。後數日，過一廟，見一土木短鬼，狀貌酷類茶肆中者，扇亦在其手中，公心異焉。後致大用，首建議詳定 [226] 刑統。