冥報記 2.9

2.9

Mu Renqian was a native of Handan in Zhao Commandery. In his youth he studied the classics and did not believe in ghosts or spirits, but wishing always to test whether they existed or not, he sought out and studied under spirit-seers. For over ten years he was unable to see any. Later, when moving his household toward the county seat, he saw a man on the road who looked like a high official, in very grand robes and cap, riding a fine horse, accompanied by over fifty mounted attendants. The man looked at Renqian without speaking. Later Renqian saw him several times, and it was always thus. After ten years, having seen each other several dozen times, [the rider] suddenly halted his horse, called to Renqian, and said, 'Lately I have seen you frequently; in my heart I admire and hold affection for you, and I wish to associate with you.' Renqian bowed to him and asked, 'Who are you, sir?' He replied, 'I am only a ghost. My surname is Cheng, and my given name is Jing. Originally from Hongnong, during the Western Jin I served as an aide-de-camp (biejia). Now I hold the office of senior clerk (zhangli) in the State of Linhu.' Renqian asked where his state was, and what the king's surname and given name were. He replied, 'All north of the Yellow River is the State of Linhu. The state capital is northwest of Loufan, where the desert of [Shuo]zhou lies. Its king is the former King Wuling of Zhao, who now governs this realm. As a whole we are under the jurisdiction of Mount Tai. Every month, each state sends a chief minister to pay court at Mount Tai, which is why I frequently pass by here and encounter you. I can be of benefit to you: I can cause you to know misfortunes and perils in advance so that you may avoid them beforehand and escape unforeseen calamities. Only the span of life and death, and the retribution of great misfortune or fortune, cannot be moved.' Renqian agreed. Jing then ordered one of his mounted attendants, a regular steward (zhangshi), to be given to him, sending him to follow Renqian wherever he went: whenever anything arose, he was to report it beforehand, and if it was something he did not know, he was to come and inform [Jing]. Thereupon they parted. The steward continually followed him like a retainer; whenever Renqian had a question, he never failed to know it beforehand. At that time, in the early Daye era, Cen Zhixiang of Jiangling was magistrate of Handan. His son Wenben had not yet reached capping age (twenty). Zhixiang invited Renqian to his home to teach Wenben calligraphy. Renqian told Wenben of this matter, and also said, 'Senior Clerk Cheng said to me: "I have one thing that I am ashamed to say to you, yet since I associate with you, I cannot keep it from you. In the realm of ghosts and spirits there is also food, but one cannot eat one's fill; we suffer from hunger. If one obtains human food, one can remain full for an entire year. The throng of ghosts mostly steal human food. Since I am of noble rank, I cannot steal it; I would ask of you a single meal."' Once Renqian informed Wenben, Wenben prepared a banquet for him, setting out delicacies and fine food. Renqian said, 'Ghosts do not wish to enter human dwellings. You may pitch a pavilion tent and set up seats outside, displaying wine and food upon them.' Wenben did as he said. When the time arrived, Renqian saw Jing and two guests arrive and take their seats, accompanied by over a hundred mounted attendants. Once seated, Wenben faced the table and bowed twice, apologizing for the food not being exquisite; [Renqian] also conveyed [Jing's] sentiments, expressing his gratitude. Earlier, when Wenben was about to set out the food, Renqian had requested gold and silk to present in repayment. Wenben asked what sort of items they were, and Renqian said, 'The things used by ghosts are entirely different from those used by humans; only yellow gold and plain silk can be used in common. Yet genuine items are not as good as imitations: applying yellow colour to large tin sheets to make gold, and using paper for silk cloth, is considered the most precious and superior.' Wenben made them according to his words. When Jing finished eating, he ordered his mounted attendants to take turns sitting and eating. Wenben presented them with the gold coins and silk he had made. Jing was deeply pleased, thanked him, and said, 'Through scholar Mu I have troubled you, young sir, for provisions. Would you, young sir, like to know your lifespan?' Wenben declined, saying, 'I do not wish to know.' Jing took his leave and departed. Several years later, Renqian fell ill; though not critically severe, he was unable to rise. After more than a month, Renqian asked his regular steward, but the steward said he did not know. He then asked the senior clerk. The senior clerk reported back, saying, 'Within our realm it is not known. In a few days, when I go to court at Mount Tai, I will seek news and report back to you.' The following month, the senior clerk came in person and reported, saying, 'It is your fellow townsman Zhao Wu who serves as registrar (zhubu) of Mount Tai. There was a vacancy for one registrar, and he recommended you for this post; therefore, files and records have been prepared to summon you. When the case file is completed, you will die.' Renqian asked what plan could be devised. Jing said, 'Your lifespan should be over sixty years, and you are now only forty. It is merely that Registrar Zhao has wrongfully levied a summons upon you. I shall petition him for you.' Then [Zhao's message] came, with Registrar Zhao sending word: 'Brother Mu, formerly we were fellow students, and our affection was deep and profound. Now I am fortunate to serve as registrar of Mount Tai, and it just happened that a registrar post became vacant. The office is now selecting someone, and I have already submitted a proposal to the Lord; the Lord has granted your appointment. Since you cannot attain eternal life, Brother, you will eventually have to die. When death comes, through chance encounters one may not necessarily obtain an office. Why begrudge one or two decades and crave life so desperately? The official document has already been issued and can no longer be stopped. I hope you will make a firm resolution to come, without any doubt.' Renqian was anxious and fearful, and his illness grew even more severe. Jing said to Renqian, 'Registrar Zhao is determined to bring you over. You may go yourself to Mount Tai and present a petition of grievance before the Lord of the Prefecture; then you can be spared.' Renqian asked, 'By what means can I see the Lord of the Prefecture?' Jing said, 'Those who are ghosts can manage to see him. Go to the Mount Tai Shrine; cross a small ridge to the east, and on the level ground beyond the ridge is his administrative seat. You will see him of yourself.' Renqian told this to Wenben, and Wenben prepared travelling provisions for him. A few days later, Jing came again and told Renqian, 'The document is about to be finalized; I fear that your petition may not spare you. Quickly make an image of the Buddha, and those documents will spontaneously dissolve.' Renqian told Wenben, who used three thousand coins to paint a seated image on the west wall of a monastery. Soon afterward, Jing came and announced, 'You are spared!' In his heart, Renqian did not believe in the Buddha and still had doubts, so he asked Jing, 'The Buddha-Dharma speaks of cause and effect in the three times; is this true or false?' He replied, 'It is true.' Renqian said, 'If so, then when people die, they should be divided among the six destinies; how is it that all become ghosts, and King Wuling of Zhao and you are still ghosts today?' Jing said, 'How many households are there in your county?' Renqian said, 'Over ten thousand households.' 'And how many prison inmates?' Renqian said, 'Usually twenty or fewer.' He asked again, 'Among the ten thousand households, how many officials of the fifth rank are there?' Renqian said, 'None.' He asked again, 'How many officials of the ninth rank and above?' Renqian said, 'Several dozen.' Jing said, 'Within the six destinies, it is entirely like this. Those who attain the [higher] destinies are not even one in ten thousand, just as there is not a single fifth-rank official in your county. Those who attain the human destiny are a few people, like your ninth-rank officials; those who enter hell are also several dozen, like the prisoners in your gaol. Only ghosts and beasts are the most numerous, just like the taxable and corvée households in your county. Even within this realm, there are ranks and grades.' Then pointing to his attendants, he said, 'Those men are far inferior to me, and those who do not equal them are even more numerous.' Renqian said, 'Do ghosts die?' He replied, 'They do.' Renqian said, 'When they die, into which destiny do they enter?' He replied, 'I do not know, just as humans know of death but do not know of affairs after death.' Renqian asked, 'Are the petitions and offerings (zhangjiao) of Daoists of any benefit or not?' Jing said, 'In Daoism, the Heavenly Emperor holds overall command of the six destinies; this is called the Heavenly Department (Tiancao). King Yama is like the Son of Heaven among humans; the Lord of Mount Tai Prefecture is like the Director of the Department of State Affairs (Shangshu ling); the spirits who record the five destinies are like the various ministers of state (shangshu); and realms like ours are like large prefectures and commanderies. Whenever there is a human affair, the Daoists submit a petition praying for blessings, and the Heavenly Department receives it. It sends down an order to King Yama, saying: "On such-and-such month and day, a complaint was received from so-and-so, stating thus and so. You should examine the merits to the utmost and not allow injustice or excess." Yama reverently receives and carries it out, just as humans receive an imperial decree. Where there is no justification, one cannot seek exemption; where there is injustice, it will certainly be redressed. How could it be said to be of no benefit?' He asked further, 'What about cultivating merit in Buddhism?' Jing said, 'The Buddha is a great sage; no written documents are dispatched below. When merit is cultivated for him, the heavenly spirits revere and honour it, and one mostly obtains leniency and pardon. If one's merit is abundant, even if there are registers of the evil destinies, one cannot be pursued and apprehended. This is not something within my knowledge, nor do I know why it is so.' Having spoken, he left. Within one or two days, Renqian was able to rise, and he was cured. After Wenben's father died, he returned to his home village. Renqian sent a letter saying, 'Ghosts and spirits are indeed greedy and flatterers! In the past, when he wanted your food and drink, young sir, he was so exceedingly attentive; lately, knowing there is no more substantial profit, his visits have grown quite distant and cold. Yet the regular steward still follows me. When our county was captured by rebels, almost everyone was killed, but I was guided by the steward, and it was always as if the rebels could not see me; thus I managed to survive whole.' On the ninth day of the ninth month in the sixteenth year of Zhenguan, civil officials were bestowed a banquet at the North Gate of Xuanwu. Wenben was then Vice Director of the Secretariat (Zhongshu shilang), and sat facing my elder brother, the Court Architect (Taifu qing), together with Ma Zhou, Attendant Censor of the Secretariat, Wei Kun, Supervising Censor, and myself, Tang Lin. Wenben told these things to everyone himself.