Original Text
Outside the city walls of Fengdu County there was a cavern of unfathomable depth, which tradition held to be the very court of King Yama. All the instruments of torture used therein were fashioned by human hands; whenever a set of fetters or manacles wore out, they were cast into the mouth of the cave, and the county magistrate would immediately replace them with new ones, which, if left there overnight, would vanish without a trace. The expenses for supplying these items were all defrayed from the surtax revenues.
During the Ming dynasty, a Censor-in-Chief named Hua, while on an inspection tour to Fengdu, heard of this tale and refused to believe it, wishing to enter the cave to resolve his doubts. The people all said it was not advisable, but Hua would not listen. Taking a torch, he entered the cave, ordering two attendants to follow behind. After walking about a li inside, the torch suddenly went out. Looking closely, he saw that the steps serving as a passage were broad and bright, with ten great halls above, where high officials sat in order, each clad in court robes and holding a ceremonial tablet, their demeanor solemn and dignified, save for an empty seat at the eastern end. When the officials saw Hua approaching, they descended the steps to greet him, smiling as they asked, "You have come? How have you fared since we parted?" Hua inquired, "What place is this?" The officials replied, "This is the underworld." Greatly startled, Hua begged to leave. The officials pointed to the empty seat and said, "This is your seat; how could you return?" Hua grew even more terrified and repeatedly pleaded for leniency. The officials said, "How can one escape fate?" They then produced a scroll for Hua to see, on which was written: "On such-and-such a day, such-and-such a person returns to the underworld in his physical body." Upon reading this, Hua trembled all over, as if immersed in icy water. Thinking of his aged mother and young children, he could not help but weep bitterly. After a while, a deity clad in golden armor arrived bearing a yellow silk imperial decree. All bowed and performed the ritual dance, opened the decree, and read it aloud. Then they congratulated Hua, saying, "You have a chance to return to the world of the living." Delighted, Hua asked the reason. The officials said, "We have just received the Heavenly Emperor's decree, proclaiming a general amnesty in the underworld, so we can plead for your release by invoking this precedent." They then pointed out the path for Hua to return, and he departed.
A few paces away, all was pitch black, and the road could not be discerned; Lord Hua was greatly distressed and perplexed. Suddenly there appeared a divine general of imposing bearing, with a ruddy face and long beard, whose body radiated a divine light that illuminated several feet around. Lord Hua stepped forward, bowed, and begged for assistance. The divine being said, "Recite the Buddhist sutras, and you shall find your way out." With these words, he departed. Lord Hua thought to himself that he could recall but few of the scriptures and incantations, only the Diamond Sutra being somewhat familiar; so he pressed his palms together and began to recite it. At once he perceived a thread of light before his eyes, brightening the path ahead. Whenever he chanced to forget a passage, the light would instantly darken; he would pause to ponder for a long while, and when he resumed recitation, the light would shine again. In this manner, Lord Hua made his way out of the underworld. As for his two attendants, their fate remained unknown.
Commentary
Whenever a story in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio takes place in a location far removed by a thousand li and unfamiliar to northern readers, Pu Songling often first introduces the local customs and manners, so that readers may grasp the story's background before delving into it. The Tale of the Fengdu Censor is precisely such a case.
Fengdu, according to popular belief, is the center of the underworld, and the cave outside the county town is said to be the seat of the administrative office of the King of Hell. The story recounts the experiences of the Imperial Censor Hua Gong in Fengdu, and naturally begins by introducing these related legends. The experiences of Imperial Censor Hua Gong merely serve to confirm the truth of the Fengdu rumors. The reasons for his safe return to the mortal world, whether due to filial piety or the recitation of the Diamond Sutra, are nothing but clichés, marking this as a mediocre piece within Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. However, upon careful reflection, since the cave outside Fengdu County involves matters of "supplies and expenditures, recorded in the official regulations," the experiences of the Imperial Censor Hua Gong might well be a hoax perpetrated by those with vested interests.