Original Text
Liu Hongzhong, a Grand Secretary from Changshan, was sent as an envoy to Korea alongside a certain military officer. Hearing that Anqi Island was a dwelling place of immortals, he wished to take a boat and journey there. The Korean officials all said it was impossible and told him to wait for Little Zhang. It turned out that Anqi Island had no communication with the mortal world, except that Little Zhang, a disciple of the immortals, would make one or two trips back and forth each year. Anyone wishing to go to the island must first inform Little Zhang. If Little Zhang deemed it permissible, then a favorable wind would carry them there smoothly; otherwise, a hurricane would capsize the boat. After a day or two, the Korean king summoned Grand Secretary Liu. Upon entering the court, he saw a man wearing a sword and a palm-leaf hat, sitting in the hall, about thirty years of age, with a dignified and clean appearance. Upon inquiry, this man was Little Zhang. Grand Secretary Liu then expressed his desire to visit Anqi Island to Little Zhang, who agreed, but said, "Your deputy cannot go." He then went out of the hall and examined each of Liu's attendants one by one, finding only two who could accompany them. He then ordered a boat to guide Grand Secretary Liu and the others to go with him to Anqi Island.
After traveling an unknown distance by water, feeling only the rustling wind as if riding clouds and mist, they soon arrived at the territory of Anqi Island. It was the depth of winter, but upon reaching the island, the climate was warm, and mountain flowers bloomed throughout the valleys. Little Zhang led them into a cave, where they saw three old men sitting cross-legged. The two on the east and west seemed unaware of the guests' arrival, as if they did not notice them, while only the one seated in the middle rose to greet them and exchanged courtesies. After they were seated, he ordered tea to be served. A young servant boy was seen taking a tray and walking out. Outside the cave, on a stone wall, there was an iron spike with its tip embedded in the stone. The boy pulled out the spike, and water immediately gushed forth. He caught it in a cup, and when it was full, he plugged the hole again. Then he carried the water in and presented it; the water was a light green color. Minister Liu tried a small sip, and it was so cold it chilled his teeth. Fearing the cold, he did not drink. The old man turned his head and gestured to the boy. The boy took the cup, drank the remaining water, then went back to the same spot, pulled out the spike, refilled the cup, and returned. This time, the cup emitted a rich fragrance and steamed with heat, as if it had just been taken from a stove. Minister Liu marveled inwardly. He inquired about his own fortune, wealth, and misfortune. The old man smiled and said, "How could one who has left the world know even the year or month, let alone the affairs of the human realm?" When asked about the method for longevity, he replied, "This is not something that a man of wealth and rank can achieve." Minister Liu rose to take his leave, and Little Zhang still escorted him back. After returning to Korea, Minister Liu recounted in detail the strange people and events he had witnessed. The king sighed and said, "What a pity you did not drink that cup of cold tea. That water was the primordial jade nectar; one cup could extend your life by a hundred years."
When Grand Secretary Liu was about to return to his homeland, the king of that realm bestowed upon him a gift, wrapped layer upon layer in paper and silk, and cautioned him not to open it until he was near the sea. As soon as he had left the sea behind, he hastily took it out and unwrapped it, peeling away hundreds of layers of paper and silk until he found a mirror. Gazing into it, he could see the dragons and water creatures of the Dragon Palace as clearly as if they were before his eyes. While he was intently looking, he suddenly noticed that the tide had risen higher than the towers and pavilions, surging fiercely toward him. In great terror, Liu ran with all his might, but the tide pursued him, swift as wind and rain. Growing even more frightened, he hurled the mirror into the surging waves, and only then did the tide recede in an instant.
Commentary
Liu Hongxun of Changshan and Pu Songling of Zichuan were close in region and adjacent in time. When Liu Hongxun was sent as an envoy to Korea, he not only fulfilled his political and diplomatic mission with great success but also played the role of a cultural ambassador, deepening the cultural exchange between China and Korea. These were momentous events in that time and place, and many intriguing legends must have circulated about them; this tale is likely written based on such hearsay. Regrettably, although this story excels in literary description, as He Yin remarked: "The depiction of the island scenery makes one feel as if floating among immortals," yet lines such as "How can those outside the mortal world, who know not the passage of years, understand human affairs?" and the question about the art of avoiding aging, answered with "This is not something that men of wealth and rank can achieve," still linger on the myths of immortals from the Han and Tang dynasties. Even the mirror gifted by the Korean king, which showed "the dragon palaces and sea creatures with every detail clear before the eyes," remains but a legend of ancient mirrors.