法苑珠林 35.32

35.32

During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Wei, he did not believe that there was fire-washed cloth in the south. The Emperor said: "The power of fire can melt stone and dissolve metal; why would it not burn this cloth?" After Emperor Wen passed away and during the time of the Crown Prince, Emperor Ming, a Western country offered a kāṣāya made of fire-washed cloth. Emperor Ming at first followed his father's words and did not believe it. He tested it with fire; though burned for a long time, it was not damaged. Only then did he know that there was empirical proof, and that the words were not false. Previous passages recorded in the historical records by Emperor Wen stating his disbelief in fire-washed cloth were all privately amended to affirm its existence.