法苑珠林 75.56

75.56

In the third year of the Xianqing era of the Tang, Wang Zhi of Qishan County in Qizhou was serving as a county magistrate in Yizhou. Having completed his term of evaluation, he was returning to his home commandery. He had an unmarried daughter of dignified countenance who had not yet been betrothed; she died on the road. Her body was halted in Mianzhou, where her encoffined remains were temporarily placed in a temple for several months. In the temple, there was previously a student staying in one of the rooms. Early one night, he saw this deceased maiden come into the room, adorned in magnificent dress. She fully expressed courteous regard and wished to join him in affection. The student accepted her, and they were intimate for a month. The maiden gave the student a bronze mirror and a set of hair comb and towel. Thinking she was about to set out on her journey, the maiden and the student fully displayed their sorrowful affection and secretly took leave of each other. Her family searched for these items and could not find them, so they ordered people to patrol the rooms to search for them, finding them in the student's room. They ordered attendants to bind and beat this man, taking him to be a petty thief. The student explained the situation in full, lingering over his words, and said, 'Not only did I receive these items from the young lady, she also left behind upper and lower garments when parting from me, leaving them as tokens of trust.' They ordered people to open the coffin to inspect and search it, and indeed these garments were missing; in addition, they saw that the girl's body appeared as though someone had been intimate with her. Having seen these signs, they had him released. Inquiring of this man, they asked, 'Where do you reside, sir?' He replied, 'I am originally a man of Qizhou. Because I accompanied my father to his southern posting, and both my parents have died, I have temporarily traveled across various prefectures to study. I will return before long.' They gave him clothing and a horse, equipped him to return together, and treated him as their daughter's husband, cherishing him with great affection. (Seen in the account of the monk Fayun of Ximing Temple, who fully related it thus regarding his native Zizhou.)