法苑珠林 31.31

31.31

漢時太山黃原。平旦開門。忽有一青犬在門外伏。守備如家養。原紲犬隨隣里獵。日垂夕見一鹿。便放犬。犬行甚遲。原絕力逐不及。行數里至一穴。入百餘步。忽有平衢。槐柳列植行牆迴匝。原隨犬入門。列房櫳戶可有數十間。皆女子。姿容妍媚衣裳鮮麗。或撫琴瑟或執博棊。至北閤有三間屋。二人侍直。若有所伺。見原相視而笑。此青犬所致妙音婿也。一人留一人入閤。須臾有四婢出。稱太真夫人白黃郎。有一女年已弱笄。冥數應為君婦。既暮引原入內。內有南向堂。堂前有池。池中有臺臺四角有徑尺穴。穴中有光映帷席。妙音容色婉妙侍婢亦美。交禮既畢。宴寢如舊。經數日原欲暫還報家。妙音曰。人神道異。本非久勢。至明日解珮分袂。臨階洟泗。後會無期。深加愛敬。若能相思至三月旦可修齋潔。四婢送出門。半日至家。情念恍忽。每至其期常見空中有軿車髣髴若飛（右此三驗出幽冥錄）。

In the Han period, Huang Yuan of Mount Tai opened his door at dawn and suddenly found a blue-green dog crouching outside, guarding like a domestic animal. Yuan leashed the dog and joined his neighbours in a hunt. Toward evening, seeing a deer, he unleashed the dog. The dog ran very slowly, yet Yuan exhausted his strength chasing it and still could not catch up. Traveling several li, he arrived at a cave. Entering over a hundred paces, there was suddenly a level thoroughfare, lined with rows of locusts and willows, enclosed by winding walls. Yuan followed the dog through the gate and found rows of chambers and latticed doorways, perhaps several tens of rooms, all occupied by women of graceful and alluring countenance in fresh, splendid garments, some playing the qin and se zithers, others playing bo and chess. Arriving at the northern chamber, there were three rooms where two people were on attendant duty as if waiting for someone. Seeing Yuan, they looked at each other and smiled: "This is the husband of Miaoyin, brought by the blue-green dog." One stayed while the other entered the chamber. In a moment, four maidservants emerged, saying, "Lady Taizhen addresses Master Huang: she has a daughter who has just reached the age of pinning her hair; by dark destiny, she is fated to be your wife." When evening came, they led Yuan inside, where there was a south-facing hall. In front of the hall was a pond, and within the pond was a terrace. At the four corners of the terrace were openings a foot wide, from which light shone upon the curtains and mats. Miaoyin's appearance was gentle and lovely, and the maidservants were also beautiful. After the wedding rites were completed, they feasted and slept as usual. After several days, Yuan wished to return home temporarily to inform his family. Miaoyin said, "The ways of humans and spirits are different; by nature this could not last long." The next day, untying her pendants, she took her leave, weeping at the steps: "We shall not meet again. I hold you in deep love and reverence. If you long for me, on the first day of the third month you may practice fasting and purification." Four maidservants escorted him out the gate. In half a day, he reached home, his thoughts bewildered and dazed. Whenever that date arrived, he would often see a curtained carriage in the sky, seeming as if it were flying. (The above three verifications are from the Youming lu.)