《搜神记》Vol. 3

It was already the third watch of the night. The moon shone brightly, and the clouds were sparse. Suddenly, the sound of a sheng and a yue, a kind of wind instrument, came from the northwest. He opened the door to look and saw auspicious clouds and radiant vapors layered over one another, swirling and circling. The retinue, banners, and carriage canopies were arranged in stately order, like the procession of a Zhaoyi, a title for a woman official in the ancient palace. Two female immortals sat at the head of the procession. The young man hurried to hide, but the two immortals called to him: “Do not be afraid. I am a daughter of the Ge family. The Supreme Emperor has rewarded my filial conduct and appointed me to the post of Zhengyi in the Jade Purity Palace. I am now going to tour the Ten Continents and pay my respects to the Queen Mother. Please tell my family about this.”

The young man thought the event extraordinary. Later, people built a temple in her honor, and it was said that she answered prayers with great efficacy.

The Five Plague Envoys’ Birthday: The Third Day of the Ninth Month

Emperor Wen of the Sui saw five strongmen, each three to five zhang tall and dressed in robes representing the five directions. One held a ladle and a guanzi; one held a leather bag and a sword; one held a fan; one held a hammer; and one held a fire pot. Emperor Wen asked Zhang Juren, the Grand Astrologer: “What kind of spirits are these? What calamities or blessings will they bring?”

Zhang Juren replied: “They are the Strongmen of the Five Directions, the Five Ghosts of Heaven, known as the Five Plague Envoys. When they appear, the people will be struck by plague.”

Emperor Wen asked: “Is there any way to deal with them and avert disaster?” Zhang Juren answered: “There is no way to stop them.” Many people throughout the realm then died of illness. Emperor Wen therefore built shrines for the five and issued an edict conferring titles upon them: the strongman in the green robe became the General Who Manifests the Sacred; the one in the red robe, the General Who Manifests a Response; the one in the white robe, the General Who Responds; the one in the black robe, the General Who Completes the Response; and the one in the yellow robe, the General Who Inspires Awe. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, offerings were made to them on the fifth day of the fifth month.

The Five Thieving Generals

The Five Robber Generals were five bandits who caused unrest during the Yongguang era of Emperor Fei of Song. They gathered followers and took to banditry in the local area. In the third year of the Jinghe era, the emperor sent the general Zhang Hong to defeat them and kill them north of Xinfeng County. Afterward, the five spirits appeared and caused trouble where they had died. Those who worshipped them called them the “Five Robber Generals,” or, as they were then known, the “robber gods.” Their names, in order, were Du Ping, Li Si, Ren An, Sun Li, and Geng Yanzheng.

A lüeshuai commissioner.

The official known as the Seizing Envoy was surnamed Pei and named Pu. He was a cousin of Wei Yuanfang, a native of Duling. Pei Pu once served as a county commandant in Xinping County, Hezhou, and died in office in the fifth year of Yuanhe (810).

In the early years of Changqing, Wei Yuanfang failed the civil service examinations and planned to travel to Longyou to seek support from someone living there. He left through Kaiyuan Gate and traveled dozens of li, reaching a remote post station. As he was about to rest, he saw a man in military uniform riding toward him, followed by dozens of mounted attendants. The man looked much like Pei Pu. When he saw Yuanfang, he seemed to recognize him, and hurriedly dismounted to avoid him, entering a teahouse and drawing the curtain around a small room. His attendants sat scattered outside the curtain.

Puzzled, Yuanfang also entered the teahouse. He lifted the curtain and saw that it was indeed Pei Pu. Delighted, he paid his respects and asked, “Elder Cousin, you have already passed away. How is it that you have become a military officer? Do officials in the underworld dress like this too?”

Pei Pu replied, “I am an official in the underworld, in charge of warriors. That is why I dress this way.”

Yuanfang asked, “What is your title?”

Pei Pu answered, “Seizing Envoy for Longyou and Xichuan.”

Yuanfang asked, “What are you responsible for?”

Pei Pu said, “My duty is to seize the surplus wealth people acquire.”

“What do you mean by surplus wealth?” Yuanfang asked.

Pei Pu explained, “When people trade goods and seek wealth, the amount they are fated to receive is fixed. Sometimes goods are scarce, or a buyer prizes a particular item especially highly, and the proceeds exceed that destined amount. The excess is called ‘surplus wealth,’ and we are charged with collecting it.”

Yuanfang asked, “How do you know what counts as surplus?”

“A person’s food, drink, and wealth throughout life are all fixed in amount,” Pei Pu said. “The underworld keeps registers recording how much wealth each person may receive. If what they actually obtain exceeds that amount, underworld officials scrape away and seize the surplus.”

Yuanfang asked, “When you seize it, do you snatch it from someone’s moneybag or steal it from inside their clothing?”

“Nothing like that,” Pei Pu replied. “The money a person is fated to receive has a fixed amount; only what exceeds it falls under our authority. Sometimes we make someone lose money for no apparent reason; sometimes we bring an unexpected calamity upon them; sometimes we cause their profits from trade to fall below what is usual. In short, we do not necessarily take it directly from the person.”

Pei Pu continued, “When I was alive, I thought that diligent merchants would grow rich, diligent farmers would reap good harvests, and diligent scholars would gain office and emoluments. I only regretted that some people were not diligent enough, and so failed to obtain these things. Only now do I understand that it is quite common for a diligent merchant to lose a ship at sea, a diligent farmer to face drought, or a diligent scholar to remain poor despite years of hard study. Diligence is the foundation of cultivating virtue, and learning is the root of good conduct. Virtue and good conduct are the way to cultivate oneself and establish one’s place in the world, but they cannot guarantee wealth or official emoluments.

“Your meeting with me was also fated. You were meant to receive two jin of silver, but once that money reached your hands, it would later be seized. So I did not dare give you too much. On this trip I had hoped to treat you generously in Jing, but I gave you only a little money, and when we reached the Zhenping area, we were unable to obtain anything more. A person’s fate has its own fixed measure, and timing does not go astray. You should quietly accept things in accordance with the Dao, and not become anxious or agitated. Keep working hard.”

Pei Pu had to enter the city on official business. Affairs of the underworld were dark and secret, and there was no time to say more. He slowly took his leave of Yuanfang.

The Lord of Increasing Blessings, a deity who governs the increase of good fortune, food, clothing, and official stipends, was born on the seventeenth day of the ninth lunar month.

Lord Li’s personal name was Guizu. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Wei, he served as an official in the prime minister’s office. By day, he heard cases in local government offices that had been unjustly delayed or mishandled, distinguishing right from wrong and settling grievances. By night, he reviewed case files in the underworld and judged the merits of each case. He also administered the food, clothing, and stipends of court officials ranked third grade and above, and assigned the yearly share of food, clothing, and blessings due to people in the world of the living. In the first year of the Tiancheng era under Emperor Mingzong of the Later Tang (926), the court posthumously bestowed on him the title “Lord of Increasing Blessings.”

The Deities of Blessings, Emoluments, and Wealth

The God of Blessings and Emoluments was Yang Cheng, courtesy name Xi, the governor of this province. Emperor Wu of Han favored the short-statured people of Daozhou and treated them as palace servants and playthings. When Daozhou families had sons, children who were short and pleasing in appearance were often selected; hundreds were taken each year, forcing them to part from their parents.

When Yang Cheng governed Daozhou as its governor, he submitted a memorial to Emperor Wu of Han, saying, “I have examined the local records. This region has only short-statured people; there are no dwarfs here for people to toy with.” On hearing this, the emperor came to his senses and ended the selections. The people of the commandery, grateful for Yang Cheng’s kindness, built a shrine to him, painted his portrait, and made offerings in his honor, revering him as the local god of blessings. Later, people throughout the realm also painted and worshipped his image, regarding him as the deity who presided over the gates of blessings, emoluments, and wealth.

Door Gods

The Door Gods are the two Tang dynasty generals Qin Shubao, also called Qin Shubao, and Hu Jingde, that is, Yuchi Jingde. According to legend, when Emperor Taizong of Tang was unwell, evil spirits often troubled him outside his bedchamber. Later, people venerated the two generals and pasted their portraits on their doors to guard the household. For this reason, they are called Door Gods.

These two deities are the Tang dynasty generals Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde. According to legend, when Emperor Taizong of Tang was unwell, the sound of bricks and tiles being thrown about often came from outside his bedchamber, while ghosts and monsters wailed, disturbing the palace throughout the night. Afraid, Taizong told his ministers what was happening.

Qin Shubao submitted a memorial, saying, “All my life I have cut down enemies as easily as breaking dry grass, and their corpses have piled up like ants. Why should I fear a few little ghosts? I am willing to stand guard at night in full armor alongside Jingde.” Taizong approved, and that night passed peacefully. Grateful for their hard work standing guard and their lost sleep, Taizong ordered painters to depict them fully armed, with their hair bristling in fury, and hang the portraits on either side of the palace gates. The evil spirits then fell silent. People later adopted this custom, and Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde became Door Gods. A short verse in Journey to the West says: “Once heroes and distinguished veterans, they came to be called gate guards for a thousand years, and Door Gods for all eternity.”

Shentu and Yulei

On Mount Dushuo in the Eastern Sea stood a vast peach tree, its twisting branches stretching for three thousand li. Its drooping boughs faced northeast, where a place called the “Ghost Gate” stood—the passage through which all ghosts came and went. Two deities on the mountain, named Shentu and Yulei, were charged with inspecting and commanding the ghosts as they passed. When they caught an evil ghost, they fed it to a tiger.

Following this legend, the Yellow Emperor is said to have made peachwood boards to ward off evil. The custom of placing peachwood boards on doors supposedly began with him. Later, people painted images of the deities on the boards, or inscribed them with the words “Shentu on the left, Yulei on the right,” and placed them on their doorways at the New Year.

Zhongdao

During the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, known as Tang Minghuang, he returned to the palace after reviewing the troops at Mount Li and suddenly fell ill. By day, he dreamed of a small demon dressed in red and wearing short trousers, with a shoe on one foot and the other foot bare. The demon stole a large embroidered sachet from the palace hall and the emperor’s jade flute, then ran around the palace, playing.

Tang Minghuang scolded the demon and asked who it was. The demon replied, “I am Xuhào, a spirit that steals people’s possessions and drains away their good fortune.” The emperor asked, “What does Xuhào mean?” The demon said, “I steal possessions from people out of nowhere, and I ruin their happy occasions.” The emperor grew angry and was about to summon his guards when a huge demon suddenly appeared. It wore a tattered hat, a blue robe, and a horned belt, with court boots on its feet. First, the huge demon put out the small demon’s eyes; then it tore the demon apart and ate it.

The emperor asked who the huge demon was. It reported, “I am Zhong Kui, a successful candidate from Zhongnan Mountain. I failed the imperial examinations and was too ashamed to return to my home village, so I struck my head against the palace steps and died. Your Majesty once ordered that I be buried in a green robe. I am grateful for this kindness and for the sacrifices made to me, so I have been charged with helping Your Majesty rid the world of Xuhào demons.”

When the demon had finished speaking, Tang Minghuang awoke, and his illness was cured. The emperor then ordered Wu Daozi to paint Zhong Kui’s likeness.

The birthday of the Siming Chongshen is the third day of the eighth month.

The god’s surname is Zhang and his given name is Ming; his courtesy name is Zigui. He has the appearance of a beautiful woman. His wife’s courtesy name is Qingji, and they have six daughters, all named Cha. These are the Six Gui Maidens. They report people’s offenses to Heaven: for serious offenses, they reduce a person’s lifespan by two or three hundred days; for minor offenses, by one or two hundred days. They are thus the messengers who inspect people on behalf of Heaven and Earth.

When repairing the “chong” in the center of a house (the original character is used here, but its precise meaning is unclear), face west and leave space on all four sides, keeping it nine inches from the cooking pot. Then build it with broad clods of earth and fine soil, making sure it does not break through or crack. The Chong god died on the day Renzi, so the chong must not be repaired then. On a Chen day in the fifth month, offer a zaitou to the Chong god, and build it with space on all four sides using broad clods of earth and fine soil, taking care not to let it break through or crack. Since the Chong god died on the day Renzi, repairs are inauspicious on that day. Offering a zaitou on a Chen day in the fifth month is said to bring people abundant benefits. If chicken feathers fall into the chong, disaster will follow; if dog bones fall into it, an arrogant child will be born. On the day Jisi in the first month, offer a white chicken to the Chong god, preferably early in the day. Offerings on the day Jichou in the fifth month are auspicious, as are those on the day Dingsi in the fourth month. The god emerges from the chong wearing yellow and with its hair loose. Once you know its name, call out to it; this is said to dispel evil.

The Toilet God was a woman of the He family in Laiyang, named Xu and styled Liqing. She studied books from childhood and was clever and eloquent. In the third year of the Chuigong era of the Tang dynasty, Li Jing, governor of Shouyang, took her as a concubine. Li Jing’s wife, née Tuo, grew jealous of her and secretly had her killed, leaving her body in the toilet. Her spirit lingered for a long time. People passing the toilet often heard weeping and sometimes glimpsed her appearing, as if leading troops and shouting commands. From then on, she was known for her efficacy. People set up offerings and prayed to her, sometimes using a suspended winnowing basket to invite her spirit to descend. She was said to foretell good and ill fortune. Tradition holds that she died on the fifteenth day of the first month, so she manifests only during that month.

The Road-Opening God is the Fangxiangshi of the Rites of Zhou, an ancient official responsible for driving away evil and clearing the way. According to legend, when the Yellow Emperor toured the Nine Provinces, his principal consort Leizu died on the road. The Yellow Emperor ordered his secondary consort Haoru to attend to her, and then hired people to guard her against mishaps at night. This is regarded as the origin of the Road-Opening God. In folk usage, this deity is commonly called the Perilous-Road God, and is also known as General of the Paths and Fields or the Road-Opening God.

According to tradition, the Yellow Emperor, Xuanyuan, once traveled through the Nine Extremities, the legendary farthest reaches in nine directions. His principal consort, Leizu, died along the way, and the Yellow Emperor ordered his secondary consort, Haoru, to care for her. He then acquired an object called a “xiang” to guard against dangers on the road at night. This may have been the origin of placing guardian gods beside roads. In folk belief, this deity is called the “Roadside Danger God,” and is also known as the “Field Path General” or the “Road Opener.”

“By command of the thunder ordinances”: The character “ling” is read with a level tone. It is a title for the able runners of the Thunder Department, divine generals skilled at swift travel among the Thunder gods’ subordinates. They move so quickly that they can rival thunder and lightning. Thus, when talismans and incantations say, “Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the ordinances,” they are commanding these generals to act swiftly.

The Two Gods Weng Zhong

Emperor Ming of Wei once had two bronze divine figures cast, called “Xi Zhong,” and placed them outside the Sima Gate. According to ancient accounts, the appearance of a giant was an omen that a state was about to fall. When a giant appeared at Changqiu in Lintao, it foretold disaster and the destruction of the Qin state. Qin Shi Huang, however, took these omens as auspicious signs and had bronze statues cast in imitation of the giants.

In the thirty-fifth year of the Wanli reign of the Great Ming (1607), the year of Dingwei, on an auspicious day of the Upper Prime, Zhang Guoxiang, Celestial Master (Tianshi) of Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi), who inherited the teaching, embodied sincerity, followed the Dao, expounded the mysteries, and propagated the teaching, and who oversaw Daoist affairs throughout the realm, received the imperial command to collate and print this text.

End of Volume Six of Records of the Search for the Supernatural.