Stories from Ancient China: Xiaoshu and the Taoist Immortal

[Note: In ancient times, Chinese people believed that man and nature were closely connected and abnormal celestial phenomena corresponded to changes in the human world, manifesting as good luck or disasters for human beings. One’s destiny may be predestined and an invisible hand might be guiding birth, ageing, sickness and death.]

Yuan Xiaoshu was born in Chen Shire. He lost his father when he was young and he was well known as a devoted son to his mother. One time his mother fell ill and was unconscious for many days. In a dream, Xiaoshu met an old man who said he could heal his mother’s illness. Xiaoshu asked the old man his name and where he lived but the old man wouldn’t tell him. The old man asked Xiaoshu to meet him at a nearby stone altar. He said he had some medicine.

When Xiaoshu woke up he started his search for the stone altar. Xiaoshu found an abandoned Taoist temple ten miles from his home. There was an old stone altar in the temple. On the altar there was the old man, just as he had dreamt. Xiaoshu was overjoyed and he respectfully brought the old man home. The old man took out a pill called, Jiuling Dan from his pocket. He asked Xiaoshu’s mom to take the pill together with fresh water. The next day Xiaoshu’s mother recovered and so Xiaoshu was very grateful to the old man. He wanted to show him thanks by giving the old man money and gifts, but everything he offered was refused.

From that point on, the old man visited Xiaoshu once a month. Nobody knew where the old man lived. Xiaoshu had a feeling that the old man could read people’s futures and so he wanted to ask him about it. Out of respect, Xiaoshu dared not enquire. One day the old man came and told Xiaoshu, “I am going to a far away place. We won’t see each other from now on.” Then he took a book out of his robe and gave it to Xiaoshu. The old man said, “Your life span and all your achievements in life are contained in here. Everything has been predestined. If you are anxious for success, your efforts will surely be in vain. You should keep my book safe. Every time you get a big appointment in your life, you can open it and read one page. If you do not follow my instructions, you will have trouble.” Xiaoshu got down on his knees to accept the book. Then the old man departed.

Later on, Xiaoshu contracted a serious illness and was therefore lying in bed dying. His relatives asked Xiaoshu about what arrangements they should make for after his death, implying that Xiaoshu would die. Xiaoshu said, “I have a book given to me by an immortal which I have not yet read. Why do you worry about such things?” Ten days later he recovered.

Xiaoshu was appointed to be an officer in Zhucheng City in the Mizhou region (in Shandong Province). After being transferred five times, Xiaoshu was promoted to commissioner in Linjin County in Puzhou. Every time Xiaoshu received a new appointment, he would read a page of the book. The time and date was always exactly the same as what the old man had written in the book.

After Xiaoshu’s term of duty ran out, he went to live at a country villa. One morning Xiaoshu got up and was just about to comb his hair when something fell on the mirror in front of him. It looked like a snake but had four legs. Xiaoshu was so scared he fell to the ground. He lost his ability to speak and died a few days later.

A month later when Xiaoshu’s wife was sorting out his belongings, she found the book. It seemed that half of the pages in the book hadn’t been opened yet. She thought, “Sometimes immortals may miscalculate. The book is not finished but he passed away.” She opened the book. In the second half of the book there were only blank pages with the exception of one page. On that one page it was the drawing of a snake twisting on a mirror.

Reference:
The Destiny Records (Ding Ming Lu)