神僧傳 9.39

9.39

Master Diandian—it is not known where he was from. Although he had shaved his head and dyed his robes, he always acted like a madman. When someone invited him to a vegetarian meal, he did not abstain from wine and meat. Every day toward dusk, he would buy yellow and white hemp paper, brushes, and ink, put them in his sleeves, and return to his room. Although it had an outer door, it had no four walls. After entering, he closed the door so that no one could approach. At first, a young novice of the neighboring monk tiptoed up to spy on him: he saw him holding a candle, sitting with legs splayed, laying out the paper and brush before him, shouting rebukes, and writing in large characters—no one could decipher his writing. He often gave abrupt sighs and shouts as if passing judgments and executing orders. After a long while, looking closely between light and darkness, [the novice saw] shimmering figures lined up in rows like government clerks, their tunics and skirts wholly unlike the clothing of this world. The observer retreated in terror. When questioned about the reason, he angrily refused to answer. He lived thus for several years, and the people of Qiong and Zuo all regarded him as miraculous. Later, it was not known where he ended.