In Wu commandery, east of the Sanmao Temple, lived a man named Di, a servant of a certain Minister Sima. The Minister’s daughter was haunted by a demon; a hundred remedies could not drive it. So he wrote a note and sent Di to Longhu Mountain to beg the Heavenly Master to cure her.
Arriving, Di found gates grand and halls solemn, everywhere hung with plaques naming guardian generals. The gatekeeper went in to report; after about two hours Di was summoned. The judges escorted the Heavenly Master out; he sat in a tiger-skin chair within a lotus canopy, a golden seal and precious sword arrayed on the throne. Di prostrated under the eaves and presented his petition to a judge, who passed it up.
The Master read it, shook his head, knit his brows, pondered long, whispered in the judge’s ear — what was said, none knew — then gave Di a slip of paper, ordering the Daoist of Shangqing Temple to perform the rite.
Di took the order and went, and found a Daoist in a cloth cap and short clothes, carrying manure in the fields. He showed the letter. The Daoist, opening it, could not help laughing: “The Heavenly Master sells talismans for tens of thousands and never once minds. But when it comes to a matter of taking life, he fobs it off on us — truly laughable.” He took out a small wooden basin, poured in cool water, laid a bronze mirror face-up over it, dipped a brush in ink and painted the mirror surface several times. Presently the water boiled like soup; a wisp of vapor rose toward the sky. Suddenly, with a crack, the vapor poured down, the water scattered like jumping pearls, and the basin held not a drop.
The Daoist said: “It is removed!”
Di rejoiced and said: “When I return I will tell my master; he will surely reward you richly.” The Daoist smiled coldly and said nothing, gathered his things, and still carrying manure strode off.
Di returned with the Master’s order and told the Minister. On that very day and hour, in the daughter’s room a thunderclap sounded, blood rained down, and the demon was gone. Later the Minister prepared a hundred taels of silver and a cloth robe, and went personally to Shangqing Temple to thank him. But the Daoist was never to be seen, and he sighed and returned.
The Duo comment: One with great ability surely does not put up a great front. So among cloth-clad manure-carriers there is the skill to bind demons. Yet men seek marvels among the rich and honoured — as if buying talismans beneath a lotus canopy.
