Original Text
Magistrate Xu served as the magistrate of Qidong County. In his yamen there was a tower used for storing fine delicacies, which were often stolen and scattered all over the floor. His servants were repeatedly punished for this, so they lay in ambush to investigate and saw a spider as large as a peck measure. Terrified, the servants hurried to report this to Magistrate Xu. Finding the matter most strange, he ordered a maidservant to feed the spider daily. The spider grew even tamer, emerging when hungry to seek food and retreating when sated. After more than a year, Magistrate Xu happened to be reviewing official documents when the spider suddenly appeared and crouched on his desk. Thinking it hungry, he was about to summon a servant to bring food when he saw two snakes lying on either side of the spider, each as thick as a chopstick. The spider curled its legs and tucked them beneath its belly, appearing utterly terrified. In an instant, the snakes swelled to the thickness of an egg. Magistrate Xu was greatly astonished and sought to flee. Then a thunderclap roared, and the entire household was struck dead. After some time, Magistrate Xu revived, but his wife, maidservants, and servants—seven in total—had been killed by the thunderbolt. Magistrate Xu lay ill for over a month and soon died as well. He was a man of integrity who loved the people, and on the day of his burial, the common folk contributed money to see him off, their wailing filling the countryside.
The Chronicler of the Strange remarks: The tale of the dragon playing with the spider was once dismissed as a mere street rumor—could such a thing truly exist? It is said that when thunder strikes a man, it must strike the wicked; how then could such an upright and benevolent official, who loved the people, meet with such a tragic calamity? The ways in which Heaven's justice is obscured are indeed too numerous to count!
Commentary
The Yuan dynasty drama "The Injustice to Dou E" features a lyric from the "Rolling Silk Ball" aria, which declares: "There are sun and moon hanging morning and evening, there are ghosts and gods holding the power of life and death. O Heaven and Earth! You should only distinguish the clear from the turbid, yet how have you muddled the thief Dao Zhi and the sage Yan Yuan! The virtuous suffer poverty and shortened lives, while the wicked enjoy wealth and prolonged years. O Heaven and Earth! You act as one who fears the strong and bullies the weak, and indeed you follow the current like a drifting boat! O Earth, you do not discern good from evil—what kind of earth are you! O Heaven, you misjudge the worthy and the foolish—you are a vain Heaven!" This is precisely the sentiment expressed in Pu Songling's tale. Yet can it be said that Pu Songling was not superstitious and did not believe in karmic retribution? Probably not; one can only say that Pu Songling's thoughts were rather complex, sometimes believing and sometimes not, without forming a consistent system that he carried through to the end.