All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #8

All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #8

“CHANG, THE HEAVENLY TEACHER, CHIEF OF THE TAOISTS, BESEECHES THE GODS TO DRIVE AWAY THE EVIL FLUX. THE COMMANDER HUNG, IN HEEDLESSNESS, FREES THE SPIRITS.”

Then was the Commander afraid and he said, “You are but a cowherd, and how do you know?”

The acolyte laughed and said, “In the morning I serve The Heavenly Teacher in his temple and I heard him say, ‘Today the Son Of Heaven has sent a Commander Hung to me and he comes bearing the imperial mandate and the jade censer and he comes here on the mountain and he would have me got to the capital to make a mass of three thousand six hundred chants and so drive away the plague. Therefore will I mount a crane and ride the clouds and go thither.’ By now I do think he is gone, for he is not in the temple. Do not go up then for on the mountain there are fierce tigers and wild beasts and even your life may be lost.”

The Commander said, “Do not lie to me.”

Then the acolyte laughed and answered nothing but again he blew upon his flute, and so he turned to the other side of the ridge. The Commander thought to himself, saying, “But how is it this little lad knows everything? I believe The Heavenly Teacher must have commanded him to come and speak to me thus. Truly must this be so. When I think of climbing further and of how frightened I have been just now, better would it be if I returned.”

So the Commander took up the censer and sought again his old path and he hastened down the mountain. All the Taoists met him and he sat down in the guest hall and then the abbot asked him, “Did you see The Heavenly Teacher?”

Then the Commander said, “I am an honored official in the imperial court and how was it you bade me climb that mountain road and suffer thus? Truly might I all unknowing have lost my life. When I head gone half up the mountain there leaped out upon me a slant-eyed white-browed tiger and he frightened my souls and spirits clean away from me. Again I had not passed through more than on valley up the mountain when out of the viny bamboos there sprang a great snowy-spotted serpent and he heaped himself into circles and cut off the road I must go. If my destiny had not been greatly good how could I have come back with my life? – But it was all because of you Taoists who thought to make a joke of a high lord!”

Then the abbot replied, saying, “And how would such poor Taoists as we dare to treat so mighty a lord thus lightly? Nay, this tiger and this serpent were trials sent by our Heavenly Teacher to try your heart, for although there be tigers and serpents on this mountain of ours they are not such as harm men.”

<Continued – Prologue #9>

All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #7

All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #7

“CHANG, THE HEAVENLY TEACHER, CHIEF OF THE TAOISTS, BESEECHES THE GODS TO DRIVE AWAY THE EVIL FLUX. THE COMMANDER HUNG, IN HEEDLESSNESS, FREES THE SPIRITS.”

Again he went on some thirty to fifty paces and he drew several deep sighs and he said resentfully, “The Emperor set me a certain day to come here and he has made me suffer such fear as this ---“

Before he finished speaking he perceived again a great wind rising there and it blew a poisonous breath toward him. When the Commander stared into it there was a sound of hissing among the vines in the bamboos and there came forth a white-spotted serpent as large around as a bucket.

The Commander saw it and again he leaped in terror. He case aside his censer and shouted out, “This time am I dead indeed!” And tumbling backward he fell beside a ledged rock. Then he saw the serpent writhe quickly toward to rock and facing him it heaped itself into a pile of circles and out of its two eyes gleamed yellow light and opening its great mouth it thrust out its tongue and blew its poisonous breath into the man’s face.

The Commander was in such terror his three souls floated from his body and his seven earthly spirits left him. That serpent stared awhile at the Commander and at last winding down the mountain was seen no more. Only then did the Commander crawl to his feet again and he said, “Fortunate! But I am killed with fright.”

When he looked at himself there were spots on him as big as dumplings and he began to curse the Taoists, saying, “These hateful, cursed, virtueless ones – they make these tricks on me and make me suffer such fears as these! If I cannot find The Heavenly Teacher on the mountain top then shall I have more to say to them when I go down.”

Again he lifted up the censer and set straight the mandate and ordered his clothing and was about to go on again. Even as he lifted his foot to step he heard in the pines the faint sound of a flute coming near and nearer. When he fixed his gaze to see, he saw an acolyte sitting backward on an ox and blowing on a metal flute and smiling as he came. The Commander watched him come and he called, “From whence have you come? Do you know who I am?”

But the acolyte paid no heed to him and he did but blow his flute. The Commander asked him yet several times more and at last the acolyte laughed a great ho-ho and taking the metal flute from his lips he pointed with it at the Commander and he said, “Do you come hither to see The Heavenly Teacher?”

<Continued – Prologue #8>

All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #6

All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #6
“CHANG, THE HEAVENLY TEACHER, CHIEF OF THE TAOISTS, BESEECHES THE GODS TO DRIVE AWAY THE EVIL FLUX. THE COMMANDER HUNG, IN HEEDLESSNESS, FREES THE SPIRITS.”

Then the Commander parted from them and repeating the name of the Taoist god he left his feet free and strode up the mountain. He went on thus alone awhile and he rounded the cliffs and followed the narrow path and pushed aside the vines and grasses.

When he had gone over several ridges and more than a mile or so he felt his feet give way and his legs were suddenly strengthless, and truly could he go no further. He was silent now and he pondered, and in his heart he said, “I am an honored minister of the imperial court and when I am in the capital I cannot rest unless I have to mattresses under me and when I eat it must be from many dishes and even then am I wearied much. How then can I suddenly put straw sandals on my feet and walk up such a mountain as this? And how do I know where this Heavenly Teacher is that one like me should suffer so?”

He had gone but thirty or fifty paces more and his shoulders were heaving with his panting when suddenly between two mountains he saw a great wind rise. When this wind had passed there came after it a great noise like the clap of mighty thunder from behind the pine trees and there leaped out suddenly a white-browed, slant-eyed, many-hued tiger.

The Commander gave a start of terror and he shouted out, “Ah Yah!” and he fell backward. The great tiger stared at him and begin to circle first to the left and then to the right and it roared awhile and then went leaping down the crags to the back of the mountain.

Now the Commander had fallen at the foot of a tree and all his thirty-six teeth clattered together and his heart beat as though it were a well with fifteen buckets going up and down together in it. His whole body lost its sense as though he were paralyzed and his two legs were weak as vanquished cocks. Without ceasing he cried out bitterness.

After the tiger had left him he lay for about the space of the drinking of a cup of tea and only then could he clamber to his feet and he mended the incense in his censer and lit the incense and again he went up the mountain determined to find The Heavenly Teacher.

<Continued – Prologue #7>

All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #5

All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #5

“CHANG, THE HEAVENLY TEACHER, CHIEF OF THE TAOISTS, BESEECHES THE GODS TO DRIVE AWAY THE EVIL FLUX. THE COMMANDER HUNG, IN HEEDLESSNESS, FREES THE SPIRITS.”

So was mandate placed for the time in the midst of the temple and all those who had come went into the guest hall and the Commander sat himself in the center. Then was tea brought thither and immediately vegetarian food was brought in and among these not one sort of vegetable food was lacking whether from water or from land. When the meal had been eaten the Commander again asked the abbot, saying, “If The Heavenly Teacher is in the little temple on the crest of the mountain why may one not go thither and invite him to come down that he may open the mandate of the Emperor and read it?”

 The abbot answered humbly,  “This generation of Taoists who is upon the crest of the mountain has reached a very high stage and he can bridle the mists and ride upon them and where no clouds are he can make them rise and he leaves no footsteps behind him. Such Taoists as we are cannot easily see him. How then can we send one and invite him to come down?”

The Commander said, “If it be so, then how shall we see him? The plague in the capital is fierce passing belief and so did the Son Of Heaven bid me to come hither bearing this mandate which was written even by the imperial hand itself. And I come myself bearing the dragon incense! And I come to invite The Heavenly Teacher that he will lead a great mass of three thousand six hundred chants and so spread a net for Heaven and thus drive away the plague and save the lives of all the people. But if it be thus with him, then how shall we do it?”

Then the abbot said respectfully, “If the Son Of Heaven would save the lives of the people, the Commander must use a pure heart. You must eat only vegetable food and bathe your body and change to cotton garments and take no man with you and yourself you must bear the imperial mandate and with the imperial incense lighted go up the mountain on foot and worship The Heavenly King and bow before him and invite him. Thus only may The Heavenly King be seen. But if your heart be not pure then will it be but vain that you go and hard will it be to see him.”

The Commander heard this and he said, “From the day I left the capital I have eaten no meat and is my heart not pure? If it be thus then I will do as you say. Tomorrow at dawn will I go up the mountain.”

That night did each go therefore to his rest. On the next day at the fifth watch all the Taoists rose and they prepared a fragrant hot water and asked the Commander to rise and wash his body. All his garments were changed to ones of cotton thread, new and such as had never been worn before by man. Upon his feet were hempen shoes and straw sandals. When he had eaten a vegetarian meal he fetched the imperial mandate and he wrapped it in a yellow silk kerchief and bound it on his back. In his hand he bore a silver censer and in it smoked the imperial incense. Many of the Taoists and priests escorted him to the mountain’s foot and then they pointed out the path that he must take. Again did the abbot humbly say, “If the Commander would save the people let not your heart repent itself or think to turn back. With all your heart then go upward!”

<Continued – Prologue #6>

All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #4

All Men Are Brothers – [Shui Hu Chuan] – Prologue #4

“CHANG, THE HEAVENLY TEACHER, CHIEF OF THE TAOISTS, BESEECHES THE GODS TO DRIVE AWAY THE EVIL FLUX. THE COMMANDER HUNG, IN HEEDLESSNESS, FREES THE SPIRITS.”

Then was the imperial incense burned in the palace and the Emperor himself gave the mandate he had written on red paper to the minister, who was the Commander Hung. Straightway he went forth with the imperial mandate and he bade farewell to the Emperor and he bore the mandate on his shoulder and put the imperial incense in a box and he led with him some tens of men. They all mounted each his horse and they all followed him and so they left the capital.

They followed the road then and they went straight toward the city of Hsin Chou to a little town called Kuei Ch’i. In less than a day they came to the city of Hsin Chou in Kiangsi. The officials of the city great and small came forth to meet them and straightway they sent men to announce the matter to the abbot of the temple in The Mountain Of Dragons And Tigers to prepare to receive the imperial mandate.

On the next day all the officials escorted the Commander Hung to the foot of The Mountain Of Dragons and Tigers and there from The temple Of Upper Clearness they saw many Taoists coming down, their bells chiming and drums beating, and they carried incense and flowers and lanterns and candles and banners and canopies and many instruments of music, and they all came down the mountain to meet the imperial messenger. He came straight to the temple before he came down from his horse. Then did they all, from the abbot to the least acolyte, circle about to greet him and they escorted him into The Hall Of Three Clearnesses and they besought him to set up the imperial mandate in their midst.

And the Commander asked the abbot, saying, “Where is The Heavenly Teacher now?”

The abbot came forward and said humbly, “Thus will I tell the Commander. The one of this generation of these many generations has a notable name, The Heavenly Teacher Of Empty Peace, and his temper is very lofty and remote from men. Hard is it for him to do such work as to meet guests or speed them. He has built a thatched temple for himself upon the crest of the mountain and there he lives alone, purifying his spirit. Because of this he does not live here in our temple.”

The Commander said, “But now there comes a mandate from the throne commanding him thither and how may we see him therefore?”

The abbot answered, saying, “Pray let me speak. For the time let this mandate be placed here in the temple, for none of us common priests dare to open it. Let the Commander then go into our guest hall and there drink tea and then may we take counsel together.”

<Continued – Prologue #5>