法苑珠林 46.45

46.45

Under the Jin, a man of Yixing surnamed Zhou traveled out of the capital during the Yonghe reign period, riding a horse and accompanied by two servants. Before reaching a village, evening fell. By the roadside was a new, small thatched hut. He saw a woman come out of the door and gaze out; she appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen, with an upright countenance and clean, fresh clothes. Seeing Zhou pass by, she said to him, 'The sun has already set, and the village ahead is still far; how could you reach Linhe?' Zhou then requested to lodge there. This woman lit a fire and prepared food for him. Toward the end of the first watch, he heard a young child outside calling the name 'Axiang'. The woman answered, 'Yes.' Soon [the voice] said, 'The officials call you to push the thunder-cart.' The woman then took her leave, saying, 'Now I have business and must go.' During the night, there was a violent thunderstorm. Toward dawn, the woman returned. After Zhou mounted his horse, he looked back at the place where he had lodged the night before, only to see a new grave mound, with horse dung and leftover grass at the entrance of the mound. Zhou was greatly shocked and saddened. Five years later, he indeed became the Grand Administrator of Linhe. (These three proofs above are from the Xu soushen ji.)