Stories from Ancient China: The Idiom, "Vicissitude"

The idiom "Vicissitude" means that things in this world have changed a lot. It is originated from the book A Deity Passes on - Yuan Wang by Ge Hong from the Jing dynasty. Ma Gu said: "Since the reception, we have seen that the East China Sea has changed to a mulberry field three times."

Long time ago, there were two immortals: one was called Yuan Wang and the other one was called MaGu. One time, they had a drink together at Cai Jing's home.

That day, accompanied by a group of trumpeters ridding unicorns and some aides, Wang Yuan sat on a vehicle pulled by five dragons and arrived at Cai Jing's home. He wore a hat used for travelling far away, a colourful silk ribbon, and carried a tiger-shaped arrow bag. He looked majestic. After they arrived at Cai Jing's home, all the others disappeared. After Wang Yuan and the Cai family member expressed mutual best wishes, he waved his hand on the air to invite MaGu. Cai Jing's family members did not know the fairy lady MaGu. So they all looked at the sky and waited.

A little while later, one messenger of the sky talked to Wang Yuan:"MaGu asked me to send her respects to you first. She said that she had not seen you for five hundred years. Right now, she was on tour inspecting the PengLai divine islands. She will be here to join you soon.

Wang Yuan nodded his head and waited patiently. Very soon, Mar Gu came down from the sky. She looked like an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old beautiful girl of the human world. She had beautiful long hair down to her waist. I do not know what kind of material her clothing was made of. The clothing had a beautiful pattern and was radiant.

After Mar Gu and Wang Yun greeted each other, Wang Yuan ordered the feast to begin. All the utensils were made of gold and jade. They look very delicate and elegant. They had wonderful food. Most of the food was unique flowers and fruits, which were extremely fragrant.

The people from Cai Jing's family had never seen those things before.

During the party, MarGu told Wang Yuan:" Since I received my order from God, I have seen the East China sea change into a mulberry field three times. When I arrived at Penlai, I noticed that the sea water level has dropped by half. Does not that mean that the sea will become a mulberry field again?"

Wang Yuan sighed and said: "The sages all said that the water level is dropping. Soon, one will be able to raise the dust here." After they finished, Wang Yuan and MarGu asked for their own vehicles and went up to the sky.

There was a saying in the past: "It's only one day in heaven, but one thousand years have passed on earth." The different dimensions have different time. Within a flash in a divine being's eye, the East China Sea has become mulberry field in the human world. The time fortune is really unpredictable!