法苑珠林 32.87

32.87

Wen Ying of Nanyang during the Han dynasty, courtesy name Shuliang, served as assistant magistrate of Ganling during the Jian'an era. While crossing the border, he lodged for the night. At the third watch of the night, he dreamed of a person kneeling before him who said: "Long ago, my ancestors buried me here. Rushing waters have eroded the tomb, and my coffin has been submerged and soaked. Half is in water and half is dry, so that I have no way to keep warm. Hearing that you are here, I have come to rely on you. Pray pause for a brief moment tomorrow; I would be blessed if you would relocate me to a high and dry place." The ghost pulled open his robe to show Ying, and it was entirely soaked. Ying felt sorrowful in his heart and immediately woke up. Having awoken, he told his attendants. His attendants said: "Dreams are merely unreal; why should they be considered strange?" Ying then went back to sleep. Toward dawn, he dreamed of him again, who said to Ying: "I reported my distress to you; how could you fail to pity me?" In the dream, Ying asked: "Who are you?" He replied: "I was originally a man of Zhao. At present, I belong to the spirits of the registered dead." Ying asked: "Where is your coffin now?" He replied: "It is nearby, ten or so paces north of your tent, under a withered willow tree by the water's edge—that is me. Dawn is about to break, and I will not be able to see you again; you must remember this." Ying replied: "Yes." Suddenly he woke up. At daybreak, when they were about to set out, Ying said: "Though they say dreams are not worthy of wonder, what great urgency is there [for us to rush]?" His attendants said: "Why begrudge a brief moment to see if it is verified?" Ying then arose and went thither. A dozen or so men led the way upstream along the water, and indeed they found a withered willow tree. [Someone] said, "This is it." Digging beneath it, after a short while they indeed found a coffin. The coffin was severely decayed and half submerged in water. Ying said to his attendants: "Earlier I listened to others and thought it was unreal. What is transmitted among worldly folk cannot be without verification." He relocated the coffin, made a libation offering, and departed. (The single verification above is from the Soushen ji.)