法苑珠林 49.76

49.76

In the Zhou period, there was a man named Wang, courtesy name Yanwei, a native of Henan. By nature he was ferocious and evil, fond of wandering and hunting. His parents raised their only child with extreme tenderness and love. They constantly admonished him not to associate or wander with evil people, and also restrained him from archery and hunting, fearing harm to his body and life, which would fail to preserve their lineage. Yanwei did not follow his father's instruction, but hunted constantly without stopping; moreover, he followed evil people, frequently committing coarse misdeeds. When the parents saw that his violent conduct would not cease, they punished him with fifty strokes of the cane. Stricken with sores on his body, he could not go out. Bearing hatred toward his parents, he watched for when they were asleep at night, and secretly placed bags of earth over their mouths, sitting his body upon them in the hope that their breath could not escape. His intention was to cause their deaths without any scars or contusions, so that people would think it a sudden death and not suspect him. Suddenly, he saw a ghost enter the hall, shaking the house. Young and old all woke up, and he was thrown in front of his bed. Yanwei fell onto his back, and the earth bags were already upon his stomach. His parents woke up and recovered, and pulled at the earth bags on their son's belly, but could not remove them from his body. Yanwei again saw the ghost pressing down on the earth bags, and being in extreme distress on the brink of death, he cried out for his life to be saved. The entire household, both young and old, as well as the neighbours, joined their strength to pull them, but ultimately they could not be moved. Yanwei could make no sound, and could only knock his head with his hands, join his palms, and die.