Chapter 11: The Tang King Returns to Life Through Good Deeds; Xiao Yu Upholds the True Faith to Liberate Lonely Souls

A poem says:

It is said that Emperor Taizong of Tang , following Judge Cui and Grand Commandant Zhu , escaped the entanglements of vengeful spirits and walked for a long time until they finally arrived at the place of the " Six Paths of Reincarnation ." There, they saw beings riding clouds and mists, draped in rainbow-colored robes; those receiving court salaries wore golden fish-shaped pouches at their waists. Monks, nuns, Taoist priests, commoners, birds, beasts, ghosts, and goblins—all densely crowded toward the Wheel of Reincarnation , each taking their own path.

The Tang King asked, "What is happening here?"

The judge replied, "Your Majesty, you must discern right from wrong and see through to your true nature. You must remember this and pass it on to those in the world of the living. This is called the 'Six Paths of Reincarnation': those who do good ascend to become immortals; the loyal are reborn into wealthy and noble families; the filial receive blessings in their next life; the fair and upright return as human beings; the virtuous are reborn into prosperous households; and the wicked fall into the path of hungry ghosts."

Upon hearing this, the Tang King nodded and sighed, saying:

Judge Cui escorted the Tang King to the " Gate of Noble Rebirth ," bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, this is the exit for your return to the world of the living. I, your humble judge, will take my leave here. Let Grand Commandant Zhu escort you a bit further."

The Tang King expressed his thanks, "I am grateful for your trouble in seeing me off so far."

The judge said, "After Your Majesty returns to the world of the living, you must hold a ' Water and Land Assembly ' to liberate the orphaned and wronged souls. Do not forget this. Only when there are no cries of grievance in the underworld can peace prevail in the world of the living. All past wrongdoings must be corrected one by one, and you must tell the people of the world to do good deeds. Only then can you ensure the longevity of your descendants and the stability of your kingdom."

The Tang King agreed to everything. Bidding farewell to Judge Cui, he followed Grand Commandant Zhu through the Gate of Noble Rebirth. Inside the gate, they saw a sea-dragon horse with a complete saddle and bridle. Grand Commandant Zhu quickly invited the Tang King to mount the horse, supporting him on both sides. The horse ran as fast as an arrow, and soon they reached the banks of the Wei River . The Tang King saw a pair of golden carp leaping and splashing in the waves, and his heart was filled with joy. He reined in the horse and stopped to watch.

The Grand Commandant said, "Your Majesty, hurry! Make haste and enter the city before the appointed hour!"

The Tang King was only interested in watching the fish and refused to move forward. The Grand Commandant had no choice but to grab hold of his foot and shout loudly, "If you won't go, what are you waiting for!" With a splash, he pushed the Tang King off the horse. Thus, the Tang King departed from the underworld and returned to the world of the living.

Now, let us speak of the civil and military officials of the Tang court: Xu Maogong, Qin Shubao, Hu Jingde , Duan Zhixuan , Ma Sanbao , Cheng Yaojin , Gao Shilian , Zhang Gongjin , Fang Xuanling , Du Ruhui , Xiao Yu , Fu Yi , Zhang Daoyuan , Zhang Shiheng , Wang Gui , and others. They were all accompanying the crown prince , the empress , the imperial consorts , palace maids, and attendants in mourning at the White Tiger Hall . At the same time, they were discussing the issuance of the mourning edict to notify the whole kingdom and preparing to support the crown prince's ascension to the throne.

At this moment, Wei Zheng stood beside them and said, "Everyone, wait! No, no! If we alarm the prefectures and counties, I fear unexpected trouble may arise. Wait another day; His Majesty will surely return to life."

Then Xu Jingzong stepped forward and retorted, "Prime Minister Wei, your words are too absurd! Since ancient times, it has been said, 'Spilled water cannot be gathered up; the dead never return.' How can you speak such empty words to confuse people's minds? What is the meaning of this!"

Wei Zheng replied, "To be honest with you, Mr. Xu, I have studied the arts of immortals since childhood and am most accurate in my calculations. I guarantee that His Majesty will not die."

As they were arguing, they suddenly heard a loud shout from inside the coffin: "I am drowning!" This terrified the civil and military officials, and the empress and consorts were panic-stricken. Every one of them looked as pale as yellow mulberry leaves in autumn, and their waists were as weak as tender willow branches in spring. The crown prince's legs gave way, and he could no longer hold up the mourning staff ; the attendants' souls fled, and they could not keep their mourning caps straight. The imperial consorts fell like hibiscus flowers blown down by a fierce wind; the palace maids stumbled like lotus flowers battered by a sudden rain. The ministers were so frightened that their bones turned to jelly and their muscles went numb, trembling and unable to speak. The White Tiger Hall seemed like a broken bridge with a severed beam, and the mourning hall looked like a dilapidated temple about to collapse.

Everyone in the palace fled, and no one dared to approach the coffin. Fortunately, the upright Xu Maogong, the resolute Prime Minister Wei, the courageous Qin Qiong, and the brave Hu Jingde stepped forward to hold the coffin and shouted, "Your Majesty, if you have any concerns, tell us. Do not pretend to be a ghost and frighten your family!"

Wei Zheng said, "He is not pretending to be a ghost! His Majesty has returned to life! Bring tools quickly!"

The crowd opened the coffin lid and indeed saw Taizong sitting inside, still shouting, "I am drowning! Who saved me?"

Xu Maogong and the others stepped forward to help him up and said, "Your Majesty, wake up. Do not be afraid. We are all here to protect you."

Only then did the Tang King open his eyes and say, "I have suffered so much! I escaped the evil ghosts of the underworld, only to nearly drown in the water."

The ministers said, "Your Majesty, calm your heart. Where did this flood come from?"

The Tang King said, "I was riding my horse when I reached the banks of the Wei River. I saw two fish playing in the water, and Grand Commandant Zhu pushed me off the horse. I fell into the river and nearly drowned."

Wei Zheng said, "Your Majesty, your body still carries some ghostly aura." He quickly ordered the Imperial Hospital to prepare a calming and spirit-stabilizing decoction , and also arranged for some congee . The Tang King took two doses in succession before his mind cleared and he recognized everyone. It turned out that the Tang King had been dead for three days and three nights, and now he had come back to life.

A poem says:

That day, as evening fell, the ministers invited the Tang King to return to his bedchamber to rest, and they all dispersed.

The next morning, the Tang King removed his mourning clothes and put on his court robes. He wore a crown that pierced the heavens, a robe of ochre yellow, a belt of blue-field jade, and stepped into the boots of a founder free from care. His appearance was dignified, his presence awe-inspiring, as he once again ascended the throne in the Golden Luan Hall. The civil and military officials, dressed in red robes and black caps, with purple sashes and golden seals, waited outside the court gates for the summons.

After the Tang King ascended the throne, the officials shouted, "Long live the Emperor!" ten thousand times and stood in their ranks. The Tang King issued an edict: "Let those with matters to report come forward; those without may withdraw from court."

Xu Maogong of the Eastern Palace, along with Wei Zheng, Wang Gui, Du Ruhui, Fang Xuanling, and others, as well as Yin Kaishan, Liu Hongji, Cheng Yaojin, Qin Shubao, Hu Jingde, and others of the Western Palace, all came forward together, knelt on the white jade steps, and reported, "Your Majesty, after your dream the other day, why did it take so long for you to awaken?"

The Tang King said, "A few days ago, I received a letter from Wei Zheng, and my spirit left the great hall. I saw the Imperial Guard inviting me to go hunting. As we walked, the men and horses suddenly disappeared, and I saw my late father, the former emperor, and my late elder brothers quarreling. Just as the dispute was becoming difficult to resolve, a judge in a black cap and dark robe named Cui Jue drove them away. I showed him Wei Zheng's letter, and then a boy in blue robes holding a banner led me into a hall. In the Senluo Hall, I met the Ten Kings of the Underworld. They said that the Dragon Lord of the Jing River had accused me of 'promising to save him but then having him killed.' I recounted the whole story. The kings said that the trial of the three realms had already been concluded, and they ordered someone to bring the Book of Life and Death to check my allotted lifespan. Judge Cui presented the book, and the kings saw that I was fated to live for thirty-three years. Thirteen years had already passed, leaving twenty more. They then sent Grand Commandant Zhu and Judge Cui to escort me back. When I bid farewell to the Ten Kings, I promised to send fruits and melons to express my gratitude. After leaving the Senluo Hall, I saw in the underworld that those who were unfilial, disloyal, or had committed many evil deeds were all suffering punishment—being ground, burned, pounded, filed, boiled, hung, and stripped—countless in number. When we reached the City of the Wrongfully Dead, countless vengeful spirits blocked our path. They were all former bandits and rebels from years past. Fortunately, Judge Cui vouched for me and borrowed a treasury of gold and silver from Xiang Liang of Henan to distribute to the vengeful spirits, allowing us to pass. Judge Cui urged me that upon returning to the world of the living, I must hold a 'Water and Land Assembly' to liberate the orphaned souls. After leaving the Six Paths of Reincarnation, Grand Commandant Zhu invited me to mount my horse. When we reached the Wei River, I was so captivated by the fish that he pushed me into the water, and thus I returned to life."

Upon hearing this, the ministers all celebrated and immediately sent word to the whole kingdom. Officials from every prefecture and county submitted memorials of congratulations one after another.

The Tang King then issued an edict to pardon all criminals throughout the land and to inspect the prisoners in the jails. The reviewing officials found that the Ministry of Punishments had over four hundred criminals sentenced to strangulation or decapitation. The Tang King released them all, allowing them to return home to bid farewell to their parents and brothers, entrust their family property to relatives, and return on the same day the following year to receive their punishment. The criminals thanked the king for his grace and departed. The Tang King also issued a decree for the relief of orphans, and it was discovered that there were over three thousand palace maids in the palace. He released them all and allowed them to marry. From then on, a spirit of goodness prevailed both inside and outside the court.

There is a poem to attest to this:

After releasing the palace maids and pardoning the death-row prisoners, the Tang King also issued an imperial proclamation that was spread throughout the land. The proclamation read:

From then on, there was no one in the land who did not do good. The Tang King, on the one hand, posted a recruitment notice seeking someone to deliver fruits and melons to the underworld; on the other hand, he took a treasury of gold and silver from the imperial vault and sent Yuchi Gong to Kaifeng Prefecture in Henan to find Xiang Liang and repay the debt.

A few days after the notice was posted, a virtuous man willing to deliver the fruits and melons came forward. He was from Junzhou, surnamed Liu, and named Quan. His family was quite wealthy. His wife, Li Cuilian, had given a gold hairpin to a monk at their gate as alms. Liu Quan scolded her for being unfaithful to her womanly duties and for leaving the house without permission. Unable to bear the insult, Li Cuilian hanged herself. She left behind a pair of young children who cried day and night. Liu Quan could not bear to see his children so heartbroken, and with no other recourse, he decided to sacrifice his life to deliver the melons. He tore down the imperial notice and came to see the Tang King. The Tang King issued an edict to send him to the Golden Pavilion Inn, where he was to carry a pair of pumpkins on his head, put paper money in his sleeve, and hold a death-defying pill in his mouth.

Indeed, Liu Quan swallowed poison and died. His spirit, carrying the melons on its head, soon arrived at the Ghost Gate. The ghost guards at the gate shouted, "Who are you, daring to come here?"

Liu Quan said, "I have been sent by His Majesty, Emperor Taizong of the Great Tang, to deliver fruits and melons to the Ten Kings of the Underworld."

The ghost guards welcomed him with joy and led Liu Quan to the Senluo Hall. Liu Quan presented the melons and said, "By order of the Tang King, I have traveled a long way to deliver these melons to thank the Ten Kings for their mercy in forgiving him."

The King of the Underworld was overjoyed: "Truly a faithful and virtuous Emperor Taizong!" After accepting the melons, he asked Liu Quan his name and place of origin.

Liu Quan said, "I am a commoner from Junzhou, named Liu Quan. My wife, née Li, hanged herself, leaving behind young children with no one to care for them. I was willing to abandon my family and children, sacrifice myself for my country, and deliver melons for the Tang King to thank the great kings for their grace."

Upon hearing this, the Ten Kings immediately ordered a search for Li Cuilian's whereabouts. The ghost attendants quickly brought Li Cuilian's spirit to the Senluo Hall. The husband and wife met and recounted the whole story, thanking the Ten Kings for their mercy. The King of the Underworld checked the Book of Life and Death and found that both Liu Quan and his wife were destined to become immortals. He quickly dispatched ghost attendants to send them back to life.

The ghost attendants reported, "Li Cuilian has been dead for a long time, and her body no longer exists. Where can her spirit attach itself?"

The King of the Underworld said, "The Tang King's younger sister, Princess Li Yuying, is fated to die this year. You may let Li Cuilian borrow her body to return to life."

The ghost attendants received their orders and took the spirits of Liu Quan and his wife back to the world of the living. A gust of yin wind carried them swiftly to Chang'an. They pushed Liu Quan's spirit back into his body at the Golden Pavilion Inn and took Li Cuilian's spirit into the palace. At that time, Princess Li Yuying was strolling on the mossy path under the flower shade. The ghost attendant suddenly rushed forward, pushed her down, seized her spirit, and thrust Li Cuilian's spirit into her body. The ghost attendants then returned to the underworld, and we shall say no more of this for now.

Now, the palace maids in the courtyard saw Princess Yuying fall to the ground. They rushed to the Golden Luan Hall and reported to the empress of the three palaces, "The princess has fallen dead!" The empress was greatly alarmed and immediately informed Taizong. Upon hearing this, the Tang King nodded and sighed, "This matter has indeed come to pass. Previously, I asked the Ten Kings of the Underworld, 'Are the young and old in the palace safe?' They said, 'All are safe, but I fear the imperial younger sister's life will not be long.' Now it has truly come true."

Everyone in the palace came, grief-stricken, and gathered under the flower shade to look. They saw that the princess still had a faint breath. The Tang King said, "Do not cry! Do not cry! Do not startle her!" With that, he stepped forward, supported the princess's head with his hand, and called softly, "Younger sister, wake up! Wake up!"

The princess suddenly turned over and shouted, "Husband, walk slowly! Wait for me!"

Taizong said, "Sister, it is we who are here."

The princess lifted her head, opened her eyes, looked around, and said, "Who are you, daring to pull at me?"

Taizong said, "I am your imperial brother, and this is your imperial sister-in-law."

The princess said, "Where do I have an imperial brother or sister-in-law! My maiden name is Li, and my childhood name was Li Cuilian. My husband's surname is Liu and his given name is Quan. We are both from Junzhou. Three months ago, I pulled out a gold hairpin and gave it to a monk at our gate as alms. My husband scolded me for leaving the house without permission and for being unfaithful to my womanly duties. I could not bear the insult and hanged myself with a white silk sash, leaving behind a pair of young children who cry day and night. Now, my husband was sent by the Tang King to deliver fruits and melons to the underworld. The King of the Underworld took pity on us and allowed us to return to life. He walked ahead, and I was too late to catch up. I stumbled and fell. You are all too rude! You don't even know who I am, yet you dare to pull at me!"

Upon hearing this, Taizong said to the crowd, "My sister must have been dazed from her fall and is talking nonsense." He issued an edict for the Imperial Hospital to prepare a decoction and had Princess Yuying carried into the palace to rest.

While the Tang King was sitting in court, the officer in charge suddenly reported, "Your Majesty, Liu Quan, who delivered the fruits and melons, has already returned to life and is waiting outside the court gates for your summons." The Tang King was greatly astonished and quickly ordered Liu Quan to be summoned into the hall. Liu Quan knelt at the foot of the vermillion steps. The Tang King asked, "How did the matter of delivering the fruits and melons go?"

Liu Quan said, "I carried the melons on my head to the Ghost Gate. I was led to the Senluo Hall, where I saw the Ten Kings of the Underworld. I presented the melons and conveyed Your Majesty's sincere gratitude. The Kings were very pleased and asked me to send their regards to Your Majesty, saying, 'Truly a faithful and virtuous Emperor Taizong!'"

The Tang King said, "What else did you see in the underworld?"

Liu Quan said, "I did not go to many places and did not see much. I only heard the King of the Underworld ask my name and place of origin. I told him about abandoning my family and children and my wife's suicide, and how I volunteered to deliver the melons. The King immediately sent ghost attendants to summon my wife. We met in the Senluo Hall. At the same time, he checked the Book of Life and Death and said that both my wife and I were destined to become immortals. He then dispatched ghost attendants to send us back to life. I walked ahead, and my wife followed behind. Fortunately, we both came back to life, but I do not know where my wife's spirit has been reborn."

The Tang King asked in surprise, "Did the King of the Underworld not tell you where your wife would go?"

Liu Quan said, "The King did not say anything. I only heard the ghost attendants say, 'Li Cuilian has been dead for a long time, and her body no longer exists.' The King then said, 'The Tang King's younger sister, Li Yuying, is fated to die this year. Let Cuilian borrow her body to return to life.' I do not know who this 'Tang King's younger sister' is or where she lives. I have not yet gone to look for her."

Upon hearing this, the Tang King was filled with joy and said to the ministers, "When I bid farewell to the King of the Underworld, I asked about matters in the palace. He said the young and old were all safe, but that my younger sister's life would not be long. Just now, my younger sister Yuying fell under the flower shade. I quickly helped her up, and she soon regained consciousness, shouting, 'Husband, walk slowly! Wait for me!' I thought she was dazed from her fall and talking nonsense. But when I questioned her further, her words matched Liu Quan's exactly!"

Wei Zheng memorialized, "The imperial younger sister happened to die at her appointed time, and when she just regained consciousness, she spoke these words. This is precisely the case of Li Cuilian borrowing a corpse to return to life. Such things do indeed happen. Please summon the princess and see what else she has to say."

The Tang King said, "I have just sent the Imperial Hospital to deliver medicine. I do not know how she is." He then ordered the imperial concubines to enter the palace and invite the princess.

They saw the princess in the palace shouting wildly, "I will not take medicine! This is not my home! My home is a clean tile-roofed house, not like this yellow building with such flashy doors! Let me out! Let me out!"

As she was shouting, four or five female officials and two or three eunuchs supported the princess and brought her to the hall. The Tang King said, "Do you recognize your husband?"

Princess Yuying said, "What nonsense! We have been husband and wife since childhood and have had children together. How could I not recognize him?"

The Tang King ordered the eunuchs to help her down the hall. The princess walked to the white jade steps, and as soon as she saw Liu Quan, she grabbed hold of him and said, "Husband, where were you going? Why didn't you wait for me! I fell down, and these unreasonable people surrounded me and shouted at me. What is the meaning of this!"

Liu Quan heard her speak exactly as his wife would, but her appearance was not his wife's. He dared not acknowledge her. The Tang King said, "Truly, 'Mountains may crumble and the earth may split, and people may see it, but to seize the living and replace the dead is a rarity indeed!'"

This virtuous monarch immediately ordered that the entire trousseau, clothing, and jewelry of Princess Yuying be bestowed upon Liu Quan as a dowry. He also granted him an imperial decree exempting him from all corvée labor forever and allowed him to take the "imperial younger sister" back to his hometown. The husband and wife thanked the king at the foot of the steps and left Chang'an joyfully.

There is a poem to attest to this:

The two bid farewell to the king and returned to Junzhou. They found their old home still standing and their children safe and sound. They then traveled far and wide, spreading the teachings of doing good and accumulating virtue. We shall say no more of this for now.

Now, let us speak of Yuchi Gong, who took a treasury of gold and silver to Kaifeng Prefecture in Henan to find Xiang Liang. It turned out that Xiang Liang made his living by selling water. He and his wife, née Zhang, sold clay pots and earthenware at their door to make a living. Their earnings were just enough to get by, but they often used their surplus money to feed monks and give alms, buying gold and silver paper ingots to burn as offerings to the underworld. Thus, they had reaped such a virtuous fruit. In the world of the living, he was a poor but good man; in the underworld, he was a wealthy elder with mountains of gold and silver.

When Yuchi Gong brought the gold and silver to Xiang Liang's door, it frightened Xiang Liang and his wife out of their wits. Moreover, the local officials had also arrived. The thatched cottage was surrounded by a crowd of carriages and horses. The old couple was so terrified that they became dazed and knelt on the ground, kowtowing incessantly.

Yuchi Gong said, "Old sir, please rise. Although I am an imperial envoy, I have come by the king's command to repay your gold and silver."

Xiang Liang answered tremblingly, "I have never lent money at usury. How dare I accept this ill-gotten money?"

Yuchi Gong said, "I know you are a poor man. But you have fed monks and given alms, spending all your money on buying paper ingots to burn as offerings to the underworld. In the underworld, they have kept an account of the money you have accumulated. Our Emperor Taizong died for three days and then returned to life. He once borrowed a treasury of gold and silver from you in the underworld. Now I am returning the exact amount. Please accept it so that I may return to report to His Majesty."

Xiang Liang and his wife simply kowtowed to heaven and still dared not accept it: "If I, a humble man, were to accept this money, I fear I would not live long. Burning paper ingots and storing them in the underworld is a matter of the unseen world. Besides, what proof is there that His Majesty borrowed money in the underworld? I absolutely dare not accept it!"

Yuchi Gong said, "His Majesty said that the loan was guaranteed by Judge Cui. Please accept it."

Xiang Liang said, "Even if I were to die, I would not dare to accept it!"

Seeing that he stubbornly refused, Yuchi Gong had no choice but to write a memorial and send a messenger to report to Taizong. After reading the memorial, the Tang King knew that Xiang Liang would not accept the gold and silver. He said, "Truly a kind and virtuous elder!" He immediately issued an edict for Yuchi Gong to use the gold and silver to build a temple and a shrine for Xiang Liang in his honor, to invite monks to perform good deeds, and to consider this as repayment of the debt.

After the edict arrived, Yuchi Gong thanked the king and proclaimed the decree. Everyone came to know of this matter. He used the gold and silver to purchase a piece of vacant land fifty acres wide inside the city and began construction on a temple. It was named "The Imperially Founded Xiangguo Temple." To the left, they built a shrine to Xiang Liang and his wife, erecting a stele with an inscription noting that it was "Supervised by Lord Yuchi." This is the present-day Great Xiangguo Temple.

After the project was completed, Yuchi Gong returned to court to report. The Tang King was very pleased. He then summoned all the ministers, posted notices to recruit monks, and prepared to hold a "Water and Land Assembly" to liberate the orphaned souls of the underworld. The notices spread throughout the land, and officials from every region recommended virtuous and learned monks to go to Chang'an. Within a month, monks from all over the country had gathered in Chang'an.

The Tang King issued an edict for the Grand Historiographer Fu Yi to select a high monk to preside over the Buddhist ceremony. After receiving the edict, Fu Yi submitted a memorial opposing Buddhism, stating that there was no such thing as Buddha in the world. The memorial read:

After reading the memorial, Taizong asked the ministers to discuss it. Prime Minister Xiao Yu stepped forward and memorialized, "Buddhism has flourished through successive dynasties. It promotes good deeds and restrains evil, secretly assisting the state. It should not be abolished. The Buddha is a sage. Those who do not follow the teachings of the sage deserve severe punishment."

Fu Yi debated with Xiao Yu, "The foundation of ritual is to serve one's parents and one's sovereign. Yet the Buddha abandons his parents and becomes a monk, treating commoners as equals to the Son of Heaven, and children as defying their parents. Xiao Yu was not born from an empty mulberry tree, yet he follows a doctrine that denies the father. This is what is meant by 'The unfilial person has no parents!'"

Xiao Yu simply put his palms together and said, "The establishment of hell is precisely for such people."

Taizong summoned the Court Grandee Zhang Daoyuan and the Grand Master of the Palace Secretariat Zhang Shiheng and asked them whether praying to the Buddha for blessings was efficacious. The two replied, "The Buddha teaches purity, benevolence, and forgiveness. The true essence of the Buddhist Dharma lies in realizing emptiness. Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou once ranked the three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism in order of precedence. The profound Dharma of the Great Master Huineng was widely revered and manifested its power. The stories of the Fifth Patriarch's reincarnation and Bodhidharma's manifestation are also widely told. Since ancient times, it has been said that the three teachings are supreme and cannot be destroyed or abolished. We beg Your Majesty to see clearly."

Taizong was greatly pleased and said, "Your words are reasonable. Anyone who opposes the Buddhist Dharma from now on will be punished." He then ordered Wei Zheng, Xiao Yu, and Zhang Daoyuan to invite all the Buddhas, select a virtuous and highly respected high monk to be the altar master, and establish the ceremonial site. The ministers kowtowed their thanks and withdrew. From then on, the court established a law: anyone who slandered monks or defamed the Buddhist Dharma would have their arms broken.

The next day, the three court officials gathered all the monks at the Mountains and Rivers Altar and selected them one by one. They chose a virtuous high monk. Do you know who he was?