Tan Jinxuan, a county student. He deeply believed in the art of guiding and breathing exercises; in cold and heat he did not stop. He practiced it for several months, and felt as if he had obtained something.

　　One day, just as he was sitting cross-legged, he heard a small voice in his ear like a fly's, saying: "You may appear." When he opened his eyes, he heard it no more. He closed his eyes and steadied his breath, and again heard it as before. He thought that his elixir was about to be completed, and secretly rejoiced.

　　From then on, every time he sat he heard it. Then he thought to wait until it spoke again, and he should respond to observe it. One day, it spoke again. He then murmured in response: "You may appear."

　　Soon he felt a rustling in his ear, as if something were coming out. He glanced covertly: a small man, about three inches long, with a hideous and ferocious face like a yaksha's, was spinning around on the ground. In his heart he secretly marveled at it, but for the moment he concentrated his spirit to watch its change.

　　Suddenly a neighbor, wanting to borrow something, knocked at the door and called out. The small man, hearing this, looked panicked and frightened, ran around the room, like a rat that has lost its hole. Tan felt his soul and spirit both lost, and no longer knew where the small man had gone.

　　He then developed a manic psychosis, crying out without stopping. After half a year of medicine and treatment, he gradually recovered.


中文如下：

　　谭晋玄，邑诸生也。笃信导引之术，寒暑不辍。行之数月，若有所得。一日，方趺坐，闻耳中小语如蝇，曰：“可以见矣。”开目即不复闻。合眸定息，又闻如故。谓是丹将成，窃喜。自是每坐辄闻。因思俟其再言，当应以觇之。一日，又言。乃微应曰：“可以见矣。”俄觉耳中习习然，似有物出。微睨之，小人长三寸许，貌狞恶如夜叉状，旋转地上。心窃异之，姑凝神以观其变。忽有邻人假物，扣门而呼。小人闻之，意张皇，绕屋而转，如鼠失窟。谭觉神魂俱失，不复知小人何所之矣。遂得颠疾，号叫不休，医药半年，始渐愈。

　　【翻译】

　　谭晋玄，是县学里的生员。他十分崇信气功养生之术，不管是严冬还是酷暑都坚持练功，从不间断。这样练了几个月以后，自己感到似乎有所收获。有一天，他正在盘腿打坐的时候，忽然听见耳朵中有苍蝇叫一样的细语声，说：“可以出来了。”可是他一睁开眼睛，却又听不见了。等再闭上眼调养呼吸，就又听见同样的声音。他以为自己所炼的内丹就要大功告成了，心中暗暗高兴。从此后，他每次盘坐都能听到那说话声。于是想等到再有说话声时，自己应答一下看会如何。一天，他又听到了耳中的说话声，就轻声答道：“可以出来了。”不一会儿，他就觉得耳朵里又痛又痒，像是有东西出来了。斜眼偷偷一看，见有个三寸左右的小人儿，面目狰狞丑恶得像夜叉一样，在地上转来转去。他心里暗自吃惊，便暂且凝神注视着小人儿看他有什么变化。忽然有个邻居来借东西，敲着门呼喊他。小人儿听见了叩门声，十分惊慌，绕着屋子转起了圈儿，就像是一只找不到洞口的老鼠。这时，谭晋玄觉得神魂都出了窍儿，迷迷糊糊地再也不知道小人儿到哪里去了。从此他便得了癫狂病，不停地号叫，服药医治了半年多，才逐渐有了好转。