釋氏要覽 3.326

3.326

唐吏部尚書唐臨。撰冥報記云。唐眭仁蒨者趙人。少事經學。不信鬼神。於一日路次見一人。衣冠乘馬。從者五十餘人。眄視眭。如此十年頻見。忽一日又相逢。乃駐馬召睦謂曰。比頻見君情相卷戀。欲與君游。睦問君何人。答吾鬼也。姓成名景本。弘農人。仕西晉別駕。今為胡國長史。睦問。胡國何在。曰自黃河北俱攝正都樓煩西北。沙磧中。王即昔趙靈王也。每月遣我朝泰山故。由此路睦許之。乃設酒食。復以錢綵為好。辭曰。鬼所用。錢即紙錢也。若綵絹。亦紙為之。銀即錫紙。金即黃塗之也（呼為贈作）。

Tang Lin, Minister of Personnel in the Tang dynasty, wrote the Mingbao ji, which says: "Sui Renqian of the Tang was a man of Zhao. In his youth he studied the classics and did not believe in ghosts and spirits. One day on the road he saw a person in cap and gown riding a horse, with over fifty followers, glancing at Sui. He frequently saw him like this for ten years. Suddenly one day they met again; the rider halted his horse and called Mu (Sui), saying: 'Having seen you frequently of late, my feelings have grown affectionate; I wish to associate with you.' Mu asked: 'Who are you, sir?' He replied: 'I am a ghost. My surname is Cheng, my personal name Jingben, a native of Hongnong. I served as a biejiā (assistant magistrate) under the Western Jin, and am now the chief administrator for the Barbarian State.' Mu asked: 'Where is the Barbarian State?' He said: 'North of the Yellow River, encompassing Loufan, the principal capital, to the northwest among the desert sands. The king is the ancient King Wuling of Zhao. Every month he dispatches me on court visits to Mount Tai, which is why I travel this road.' Mu agreed [to associate with him] and prepared wine and food, and further offered money and silks as presents. [Cheng] declined, saying: 'What ghosts use as money is paper money; if coloured silk, it is also made of paper; silver is tin foil, and gold is coated in yellow' (referred to as 'gift items')."