Original Text
In Hejian Prefecture, Hebei, there lived a scholar whose threshing ground was piled high with wheat stalks like a small hill. His family daily took some for fuel, and over time, a deep hollow formed within the stack. A fox dwelt there, often meeting the scholar in the guise of an old man. One day, the old man invited the scholar to drink, bowing and urging him into the hollow. The scholar hesitated, but the old man pulled him in by force, and he barely managed to enter. Inside, he found splendid chambers, and once seated, the tea was fragrant and the wine fine. Yet the light was dim, making it impossible to tell whether it was noon or dusk. After the feast, when he stepped out of the hollow, all the previous sights had vanished without a trace. The old man went out each night and returned at dawn, no one knowing his whereabouts. When asked, he said he was invited to drink by friends. The scholar begged to go with him, but the old man refused. Only after repeated pleas did he consent. The old man took the scholar by the arm, and they moved as swiftly as riding the wind; in about the time it takes to cook a meal, they arrived at a city. They entered a tavern, where many guests were gathered, drinking noisily. The old man led the scholar upstairs, and from there, they could see every dish and table below clearly. The old man went down alone, freely taking wine and fruits to present to the scholar, and none of the drinkers stopped him. After a while, the scholar noticed a guest in crimson robes before whom lay golden oranges, and he asked the old man to fetch one. The old man said, "That is a man of upright character; I dare not approach him." The scholar thought to himself, "If the fox befriends me, I must be a man of no integrity. From now on, I too shall conduct myself with rectitude." No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than he felt dizzy and lost control, tumbling from his perch. The drinkers below were startled, clamoring that he was a demon. Looking up, the scholar saw that the place he had been was not a second story but a roof beam. He told them the truth, and the people, deeming his words credible, gave him some money and sent him home. When asked where this place was, it turned out to be Yutai County in Shandong, a thousand li from Hejian.
Commentary
This piece carries a clear allegorical nature. It tells of a certain scholar from Hejian who befriended an unprincipled fox spirit, but later came to a repentant awakening. In his "Principles for Conduct" written for his friend Wang Bagan, Pu Songling remarked: "Righteousness is the opposite of depravity. If there is a man whom all point to and say, 'He is a depraved person,' though his ears, eyes, mouth, and nose are like those of any other, yet all despise him, because the depravity lies in his heart." "A wicked man is indeed a wicked man, but one who befriends a wicked man is also a wicked man." "To change is to leave one place and go to another, like a man abandoning his old dwelling and moving to a new house. When you see what ought to be done, hasten to do it, and do not linger." These words may serve as a footnote to this tale.