集神州三寶感通錄 3.6

3.6

In the Song dynasty, Zhu Lingshi was sent on an envoy mission to Liaodong, and on his return he lost his way. Drifting across the sea with the wind for over a month, he reached an island, with both provisions and water exhausted. Entering the island to search for a spring, he went gradually deeper and climbed the mountain, whereupon he saw a temple with magnificent halls unlike anything he had ever seen. The monks asked where he had come from, and he recounted the whole affair. They provided food and water and asked whether he would leave or stay. Shi said, "This is a holy abode, not a place where an ordinary person may dwell." A monk said, "If you wish to stay, follow your heart's desire." Shi earnestly declined and wished to return. The monk told him, "This place is more than two hundred thousand li away from the capital." Shi and his companions heard this and were terrified, saying, "If so, by what means can we ever arrive?" The monk said, "We shall see you off ourselves; do not trouble yourself with worry." He then asked, "Do you know the Daoist monk Beidu?" Shi replied, "I know him." The monk then pointed to an alms-bowl bag on the wall and said, "This is his possession. For a minor infraction, he was punished to be among humans." He then took the bowl bag and gave it to Shi, along with a sealed letter. Characters were written upon it, yet they were illegible. The monk said, "You may give the letter and the bowl to him." He ordered a novice monk to see them off, saying, "Do not go by the path you came; here is a direct road that will swiftly reach your boat." In a moment they reached the sea. The novice monk placed a single bamboo staff on the prow of the boat and said to them, "Just close your eyes and let it go; do not labor with the sails." They then obeyed his words, hearing only the whistling sound of the wind. Someone stole a glance and saw the boat flying through the empty clouds, racing over mountains, trees, and the sea. In the space of a few breaths, they reached Yangdu. At the Great Pontoon Bridge, they saw Beidu straddling the bridge railing, shouting, "Giddy-up, horse! Giddy-up, horse!" When Lingshi arrived, the letter flew up on its own into Du's hand. Du said in surprise, "How did you get the letter from the Daoist of Penglai summoning me to return?" Shi then recounted the whole story and also handed the bowl to him. Holding it in both hands, Du said, "I have not seen this bowl for more than four thousand years!" He tossed it upward into the clouds and caught it as it came back down. In the Taichu era, he died without illness; this matter is recorded in a separate entry.