法苑珠林 50.25

50.25

During the Song, whenever a Grand Protector of Jiuquan Commandery assumed office, he would die suddenly before long. Later, Chen Pei of Bohai was dispatched to this commandery. Pei was sorrowful and unhappy, so he went to a diviner to divine his auspicious or inauspicious fortune. The diviner said, 'Keep away from the feudal lords (zhuhou) and release Boqiu; if you can resolve this, you will have no worries.' Pei still did not understand these words. The diviner replied, 'Just go, and you will naturally come to understand it.' After Pei assumed office, among his attending physicians were Wang Houping, as well as Shi Hou, Dong Hou, and others. Pei was enlightened in his mind and said, 'These are what were called the "various Hous" (zhuhou)!' So he distanced himself from them. He then lay down and pondered the meaning of 'releasing Boqiu,' but did not know what it meant. After midnight, something came onto Pei's quilt. Pei, sensing it, used the quilt to cover and catch it. The creature leaped and bounded, making loud noises. People outside heard it and came in holding torches, intending to kill it. The demonic spirit then said, 'I truly have no ill intent; I only wished to test you, Governor. If you pardon me this once, I will deeply repay your kindness, Governor.' The Governor said, 'What kind of creature are you that you suddenly affront the Grand Protector?' The demonic spirit said, 'I was originally a hundred-year-old fox. Now I have transformed into a demonic spirit and am on the verge of becoming a deity; yet I happened to encounter your awe-inspiring anger, Governor, and have met with great distress. If you release me this once, my style-name is Boqiu. If you ever have an urgent difficulty, Governor, just call my style-name, and it will naturally be resolved.' Pei was then delighted and said, 'The divination truly meant "releasing Boqiu"!' He immediately released it. Opening the quilt a little, suddenly there was a red light like a thunderous flash of lightning that flew out the door. The following night, someone knocked on the door. Pei asked, 'Who is it?' It replied, 'Boqiu.' He asked, 'What is the matter?' It replied, 'I have come to report something.' He asked, 'What do you report?' It replied, 'There are bandits at the northern border; they have set out slaves.' Pei investigated and found it to be verified. In every matter it spoke to Pei in advance. Consequently, there was not the slightest wrongdoing within his jurisdiction, and everyone said, 'A sagely ruler has emerged!' After more than a month, the Chief Clerk Li Yin had an illicit affair with Pei's maidservant. Afterwards, filled with fear that Boqiu would come to report it, he plotted with the 'various Hous' to kill Pei. Taking advantage of the absence of bystanders, they sent the 'various Hous' holding clubs to go straight in to beat him to death. In terror, Pei called out at once, 'Boqiu, come save me!' Immediately there appeared an object like an unfolded bolt of red silk, crackling with loud sound. The Hous fell prostrate on the ground, having lost their wits. Pei then bound them one by one and interrogated them about the reason for their coming, and they all confessed their guilt. More than a month later, it bid farewell to Pei, saying, 'Now I have attained deity status and must ascend to heaven; I will no longer be able to visit and meet with you, Governor.' It then departed and was seen no more. (The one verified account above comes from the *Sequel to the Records of Inquiring into the Spirits*.)