法苑珠林 49.44

49.44

During the Wu dynasty, the palace secretariat gentleman Xian Chong was supremely filial. His mother, Lady Wang, had lost her sight. Chong went out for a short while, instructing the maidservant to prepare food for his mother. The maid gathered beetle grubs, steamed them, and fed them to her. Lady Wang found them very delicious, not knowing what they were. When her son returned, Lady Wang said to him, 'After you left, the maid brought me a dish that was exceedingly sweet and delicious, yet it was neither fish nor meat. Try asking her about it.' When he subsequently questioned the maid, she confessed the truth that they were grubs. Chong embraced his mother and wept bitterly; his mother's eyes suddenly opened in clear sight. (The above verification is taken from Zu Tai's Zhiguai.)