法苑珠林 5.32

5.32

This was the general drift of her poem; its full text ran to more than two hundred words and cannot be completely recorded. In addition, she annotated the *Changes* in seven rolls on divining good and ill fortune, and Yiqi grasped all of its meanings. They lived as husband and wife for seven or eight years. After Yiqi's parents took a wife for him, they were divided by days and resented it, divided by nights and slept apart; she came by night and left at dawn, fleeting as if flying. Only Yiqi saw her; other people did not see her. Although she stayed in a dark room, human voices were readily heard, and her footprints were often seen, yet they never beheld her form. Later, people found it strange and questioned him, and the matter leaked out. The jade woman then asked to leave, saying, 'I am a divine person; though I have consorted with you, I did not wish people to see me. Yet your nature is careless and indiscreet. In the past, my association with you lasted for accumulated years, and our bond of affection was not light. To part all at once—how could I not grieve and regret it? The situation cannot last; let each of us make effort.' She called her attendants, laid out wine and food, opened a bamboo hamper, took out two lengths of woven skirts and blouses, and bestowed them on Yiqi. She also presented him with a poem. Holding his arm, she bade farewell, tears streaming in profusion. Solemnly she mounted the carriage and departed, swift as flying. Yiqi's sorrow and emotion accumulated for days until he was nearly exhausted. Later, he came upon the road at Mount Yu in Jibei; looking westward toward the bend in the road from afar, there was a horse carriage resembling Zhiqiong's. Galloping forward, he arrived, and it was indeed the jade woman. Thereupon they drew back the curtain and saw each other, weeping at first and rejoicing afterwards. Holding the reins on the left, she helped him up to ride together to Luoyang. They thereupon made a household and restored their old affection. Down to the Taikang reign era she was still there, but she did not come and go every day; only on the third day of the third month, the fifth day of the fifth month, the seventh day of the seventh month, the ninth day of the ninth month, and on the dawn of the fifteenth day, would she come down and visit, staying the night before leaving. Zhang Maoxian composed the 'Rhapsody on the Divine Woman' for her. (The one above is from the *Soushen ji*.)