法苑珠林 75.55

75.55

There was a certain Xu from Donghai during the Song. His former wife, Lady Xu, bore a boy named Tiejiu, and Lady Xu died. Master Xu remarried, taking Lady Chen. Lady Chen was cruel and fierce, bent on destroying Tiejiu. Lady Chen gave birth to a boy, and when he was born, she prayed over him, saying, 'If you do not eliminate Tiejiu, you are no son of mine!' She then named him Tiechu, desiring to use a pestle to pound the iron mortar. Thereupon, she beat Tiejiu and subjected him to all manner of torment and bitterness. When he was hungry, she gave him no food; when he was cold, she added no padded clothes. Master Xu's nature was dim and weak, and he was often absent. The second wife gave free rein to her cruelty, and Tiejiu ultimately died from Chen's starvation and painful beatings, aged sixteen at the time. A little over ten days after his death, the ghost suddenly returned home, mounted Chen's bed, and said, 'I am Tiejiu. In truth, I had not a shred of guilt, yet I suffered this wanton cruelty. My mother voiced her grievance to Heaven and received a tally from the Heavenly Bureau to take Tiechu. I will make Tiechu suffer illnesses identical to the bitterness I met with. There will be an appointed date when he will be taken away. I am now staying here waiting for it.' His voice was just as in life; the family members and guests could not see his form, but all heard his speech. Thereupon, he constantly lived upon the roof beam. Lady Chen knelt to apologize, slapped her cheeks, and laid out offerings. The ghost said, 'There is no need for this. You starved me to death; how could a single meal atone for it?' During the night, Chen whispered secretly about it. The ghost yelled sharply, 'How dare you speak of me! I will now sever the ridgepole of your house.' Then the sound of a saw was heard, and sawdust fell along with it. A tearing sound arose, as though the ridgepole were actually collapsing. The whole family ran outside, lit candles, and looked, but there was nothing unusual. The ghost also cursed Tiechu, saying, 'Since you killed me, do you sit comfortably in the house and take pleasure in it? I will burn your house!' Flames were immediately seen igniting, with fiercely raging smoke and flames, causing dismay inside and out. Shortly thereafter, it extinguished on its own, and the thatch roof remained intact without the slightest damage. Day after day, he cursed and scolded, and from time to time he sang, 'Peach and plum blossoms are magnificent; / If frost falls, what can be done? / Peach and plum fruit are magnificent; / The frost has fallen early.' His voice was very mournful, seemingly lamenting his own failure to grow to adulthood. At that time, Tiechu was six years old. As soon as the ghost arrived, he fell ill: his body ached, his belly swelled, his breath surged upward, preventing him from eating. The ghost repeatedly beat him, leaving bruises all over. After a month or so, he died, and the ghost then fell silent. (This one verification is from the Yuanhun zhi.)