Crimes & Mysteries

Chapter 1Zhang the Divine Teacher Prays to Dispel a PlagueMarshal Hong Releases Demons by MistakeAfter Five Dynasties' turmoil and strife,The clouds dispersed and revealed the sky,Refreshing rain brought old trees new life, Culture and learning once again were high.Ordinary folk in the lanes wore silk,Music drifted from mansions and towers,Under the heavens all was serene,Men dozed off at noon midst gay birds and flowers.This eight-lined poem was written during the reign of Emperor Shen Zong of the Song Dynasty by a scholar named Shao Yaofu, also known as Master Kang Jie. From the end of the T...

CHAPTER 5The Murder of Wu DaWhen deep in mystic contemplationSounding the shallows of this world's emptiness,Even the marriage most blessed by Fate seems full of evil.Men in their folly crave for love,Yet, when in calm collectedness they study it,Hateful it seems.Leave the wild grassesGather not the idle flowersSo, thy truest self, the vigor of thy manhood,Will know the peace of Nature.A simple wife, young children, and plain fareWith these need no man suffer the pangs of loveOr lose his fortune.Yun'ge could not contain his anger at the way old woman Wang had treated him. He took his basket an...

Chapter 2He Becomes Aware of the Wonderful Truth of EnlightenmentBy Killing the Demon He Realizes His Spirit-NatureThe story goes on to tell how after being given a name the Handsome Monkey King jumped for joy and bowed to Subhuti to express his thanks. The Patriarch then ordered the others to take Sun Wukong out through the double doors and teach him how to sprinkle and sweep the floor, answer orders, and deport himself properly. All the Immortals went out in obedience to this command. When Sun Wukong was outside the doors he bowed to all his spiritual elder brothers and laid out his bed on t...

Chapter 1The Divine Root Conceives and the Spring Breaks ForthAs the Heart's Nature Is Cultivated, the Great Way ArisesBefore Chaos was divided, Heaven and Earth were one;All was a shapeless blur, and no men had appeared.Once Pan Gu destroyed the Enormous VaguenessThe separation of clear and impure began.Living things have always tended towards humanity;From their creation all beings improve.If you want to know about Creation and Time,Read Difficulties Resolved on the Journey to the West.In the arithmetic of the universe, 129,600 years make one cycle. Each cycle can be divided into twelve phas...

CHAPTER 4Ximen Qing Attains His EndThe sun streams through the painted doorway into the bedchamber.There stands a maiden whom no gold can buy.She leans against the doorHer lovely eyes, like beams of sunshine, seek to pursue her loverBut he has gone so far, her tender feet may never hope to follow.Old woman Wang took the money and started for the door. Smiling, she said to Jinlian, "I must go to the street to buy a jar of wine; you will keep his Lordship company, won't you? If there is a drop left in the jar, warm two cups and drink them with him. The best wine is to be had in East Street. I sh...

CHAPTER 3 The Old ProcuressXimen Qing was desperately anxious to possess Pan Jinlian. He gave the old woman no peace."Stepmother," he said, "if you bring this business to a happy end, I will give you ten taels of silver.""Sir," said the old woman, "you may have heard, perhaps, of setting a love snare. The expression implies much that is difficult and is, indeed, what is more commonly known as wife stealing. Before a man can set about this wife-stealing business with any prospect of success, five things are essential. He must be as handsome as Pan An. His member must be at least as ...