The Taoist of Mount Lao

　　In our county there lived a scholar named Wang. He was the seventh son of an old and distinguished family. From a young age, he had admired the Taoist arts. Having heard that Mount Lao was home to many immortals, he packed his books and went there to travel.

　　He climbed to one of the peaks and found a Taoist temple, very secluded. A Taoist priest sat on a meditation cushion, his white hair falling over his collar, his expression clear and lofty. Wang knocked and spoke with him. The priest's words were profound and mysterious. Wang begged to become his disciple.

　　The priest said, "I'm afraid you're too spoiled and lazy to endure hardship."

　　Wang answered, "I can."

　　The priest had many disciples. At dusk they all gathered. Wang bowed to each of them and stayed at the temple. At dawn the next day, the priest called Wang over, handed him an axe, and told him to go gather firewood with the others. Wang obeyed carefully. After more than a month, his hands and feet were covered with thick calluses. He could no longer bear the pain, and secretly began thinking of going home.

　　One evening he returned to find two visitors drinking with the priest. The sun had already set, but there were no candles or lamps. The priest cut a piece of paper into the shape of a round mirror and pasted it on the wall. In a moment, the paper turned into a bright moon that lit up the whole room, so bright you could see the tiniest hair. The disciples gathered around, waiting on the guests.

　　One of the guests said, "A wonderful evening like this calls for everyone to share in the joy." He took a wine pot from the table and distributed the wine among the disciples, telling them to drink their fill. Wang thought to himself, There are seven or eight of us. How can one little pot be enough for everyone? But the disciples each found some cup or bowl and rushed to drink first, afraid the pot would run dry. Yet as they poured again and again, the wine never seemed to decrease. Wang was amazed.

　　Soon one of the guests said, "You've given us this bright moonlight, but drinking alone in such silence is dull. Why not summon the Moon Goddess Chang'e?" He tossed his chopstick into the moon. Instantly a beautiful woman emerged from the light. At first she was less than a foot tall, but when she reached the ground, she was as tall as an ordinary person. She had a slender waist and a graceful neck, and danced lightly—the Dance of Rainbow Skirts. Then she sang, "Airy and light, oh, come back to me! Why do you keep me in the cold palace of the moon?" Her voice was clear and piercing, as bright as a flute or a pipe. When she finished singing, she whirled up and leaped onto the table. In a flash, she turned back into a chopstick. The three men burst out laughing.

　　Another guest said, "Tonight is the most delightful, but I've had too much to drink. Could we move our farewell party to the Moon Palace?" The three of them—the priest and the two guests—moved their seats and slowly rose into the moon. The disciples watched as the three sat in the moon drinking. They could see every hair on their faces and beards, just like reflections in a mirror.

　　After a while, the moon grew dim. A disciple brought a candle. Only the priest sat there alone; the guests had vanished. The leftover food and fruit were still on the table. On the wall, the moon was nothing more than a round piece of paper, like a mirror. The priest asked the disciples, "Have you all had enough to drink?"

　　"Yes," they answered.

　　"Then go to bed early. Don't miss tomorrow's firewood cutting." They all acknowledged and left.

　　Wang was secretly overjoyed and full of admiration. His thoughts of going home disappeared.

　　But after another month, the hardship became unbearable again, and the priest still hadn't taught him a single spell. Wang could no longer wait. He said goodbye, saying, "Disciple has traveled hundreds of miles to learn from you, Master. Even if I can't learn the secret of immortality, I'd like to learn some small skill to comfort my seeking heart. Now, after two or three months, all I do is chop wood in the morning and come back in the evening. At home, I never suffered like this."

　　The priest laughed and said, "I told you from the start that you couldn't take the hardship. Now it's just as I said. Tomorrow morning I'll send you on your way."

　　Wang said, "Disciple has worked hard for many days. If you could teach me just one small trick, this trip won't have been a waste."

　　The priest asked, "What trick do you want to learn?"

　　Wang said, "I've often noticed that wherever you walk, walls don't block you. If I could learn that one thing, I'd be satisfied."

　　The priest laughed and agreed. He taught him the incantation and told him to recite it. Then he called out, "Go in!"

　　Wang faced the wall but dared not enter.

　　"Try stepping in," the priest said.

　　Wang walked slowly forward, but the wall stopped him.

　　The priest said, "Lower your head and dash in. Don't hesitate!"

　　Wang stepped back a few paces, lowered his head, and ran at the wall. When he reached it, it felt like empty air. He looked back and saw that he was indeed outside the wall. Overjoyed, he went back in and thanked the priest.

　　The priest said, "When you return home, lead a pure and honest life. Otherwise, the spell won't work." He gave Wang some traveling money and sent him off.

　　Wang went home and boasted that he had met an immortal and learned a spell that made walls no obstacle. His wife didn't believe him. Wang tried to show her. He stood a few feet from the wall, ran at it—and smacked his head against the hard wall, collapsing on the spot. His wife helped him up and looked. On his forehead, a lump had risen, as big as a giant egg. His wife made fun of him. Ashamed and furious, all Wang could do was curse the old Taoist for being no good.

　　The Historian of the Strange comments:

　　No one who hears this story can keep from laughing. But little do they know that the world is full of people just like Wang. There are crude, ignorant fellows who love poison and hate medicine. And so there are sycophants who teach them ways to show off their power and violence, flattering them and saying, "With this skill, you can run roughshod over the world without a hitch." They try it and it works a little at first. Then they think the whole world can be conquered that way—until they smash their heads against a hard wall and keep falling down.


中文如下:

　　【原文】

　　邑有王生，行七，故家子。少慕道，闻劳山多仙人，负笈往游。登一顶，有观宇，甚幽。一道士坐蒲团上，素发垂领，而神观爽迈。叩而与语，理甚玄妙。请师之。道士曰：“恐娇惰不能作苦。”答言：“能之。”其门人甚众，薄暮毕集。王俱与稽首，遂留观中。凌晨，道士呼王去，授以斧，使随众采樵。王谨受教。过月馀，手足重茧，不堪其苦，阴有归志。

　　一夕归，见二人与师共酌，日已暮，尚无灯烛。师乃翦纸如镜，黏壁间。俄顷，月明辉室，光鉴毫芒。诸门人环听奔走。一客曰：“良宵胜乐，不可不同。”乃于案上取壶酒，分赉诸徒，且嘱尽醉。王自思：七八人，壶酒何能遍给？遂各觅盎盂，竞饮先釂，惟恐樽尽。而往复挹注，竟不少减。心奇之。俄一客曰：“蒙赐月明之照，乃尔寂饮，何不呼嫦娥来？”乃以箸掷月中，见一美人，自光中出，初不盈尺，至地，遂与人等。纤腰秀项，翩翩作《霓裳舞》。已而歌曰：“仙仙乎，而还乎，而幽我于广寒乎！”其声清越，烈如箫管。歌毕，盘旋而起，跃登几上，惊顾之间，已复为箸。三人大笑。又一客曰：“今宵最乐，然不胜酒力矣。其饯我于月宫可乎？”三人移席，渐入月中。众视三人，坐月中饮，须眉毕见，如影之在镜中。移时，月渐暗。门人然烛来，则道士独坐而客杳矣。几上肴核尚存，壁上月，纸圆如镜而已。道士问众：“饮足乎？”曰：“足矣。”“足宜早寝，勿误樵苏。”众诺而退。王窃忻慕，归念遂息。

　　又一月，苦不可忍，而道士并不传教一术。心不能待，辞曰：“弟子数百里受业仙师，纵不能得长生术，或小有传习，亦可慰求教之心。今阅两三月，不过早樵而暮归。弟子在家，未谙此苦。”道士笑曰：“我固谓不能作苦，今果然。明早当遣汝行。”王曰：“弟子操作多日，师略授小技，此来为不负也。”道士问：“何术之求？”王曰：“每见师行处，墙壁所不能隔，但得此法足矣。”道士笑而允之。乃传以诀，令自咒毕，呼曰：“入之！”王面墙不敢入。又曰：“试入之。”王果从容入，及墙而阻。道士曰：“俯首骤入，勿逡巡！”王果去墙数步，奔而入，及墙，虚若无物，回视，果在墙外矣。大喜，入谢。道士曰：“归宜洁持，否则不验。”遂助资斧遣之归。

　　抵家，自诩遇仙，坚壁所不能阻。妻不信。王效其作为，去墙数尺，奔而入，头触硬壁，蓦然而踣。妻扶视之，额上坟起，如巨卵焉。妻揶揄之。王惭忿，骂老道士之无良而已。

　　异史氏曰：闻此事未有不大笑者，而不知世之为王生者，正复不少。今有伧父，喜疢毒而畏药石，遂有舐痈吮痔者，进宣威逞暴之术，以迎其旨，诒之曰：“执此术也以往，可以横行而无碍。”初试未尝不小效，遂谓天下之大，举可以如是行矣，势不至触硬壁而颠蹶不止也。

　　【翻译】

　　本县有个姓王的书生，排行第七，是过去一个世家大族的子弟。他从小仰慕道家的方术，听说崂山上有很多神仙，就打点行李前去访仙学道。一天，他登上崂山的山顶，看见有一座道观，很是幽静。里面有个道士正端坐在蒲团上，一头白发披散在脖颈上，神态爽朗不俗。王生上前探问并与他交谈，觉得道士说的话很是玄微奥妙，便请求道士收他为徒。道士说：“恐怕你娇气懒惰惯了，吃不了苦。”王生回答说：“我能吃苦的。”道士的门徒很多，傍晚时全都来了。王生和他们一一行礼后，就留在了道观中。第二天天快亮的时候，道士把王生叫去，交给他一把斧子，让他同大家一起去砍柴。王七小心谨慎地按着要求去做。这样过了一个多月，王生的手脚都磨出了厚厚的一层茧子，再也忍受不了这样的劳苦，暗暗产生了回家的念头。

　　一天晚上，王生打柴回来，看见两位客人和师父坐着饮酒。这时天已经黑了，还没点上灯烛。师父剪了一张如同镜子一样的圆纸，贴在墙壁上。一会儿，那纸就变成了一轮明月照亮了整个屋子，亮堂堂的连毫毛都可以看得见。各位弟子都在周围听从吩咐，奔走侍候。一位客人说：“这么美好的夜晚，应该和大家一同分享啊。”于是他从桌子上拿起酒壶，把酒分赏给众弟子，嘱咐他们一醉方休。王生心想：七八个人，一壶酒怎么能够都摊到呢？这时，大家各自找来杯子罐子，争先恐后地倒酒喝，唯恐酒壶空了。然而众人从里面不断地往外倒，那壶里的酒竟一点儿也不见减少。王七心里很是惊讶。过了一会儿，一位客人说：“虽然承蒙您赐给我们月亮来照亮，但这么寂寞无声地饮酒，为什么不把嫦娥唤来呢？”于是他把筷子向月亮中一抛，随即看见一个美女，从月光中飘了出来，开始还不到一尺高，等落到地上时就和常人一样高了。她腰身纤细脖颈秀美，风姿翩翩地跳起了《霓裳羽衣舞》。跳完舞又唱起了歌：“轻盈起舞呀！你快回来呀！你为什么幽闭我在广寒宫里呀！”她的歌声清脆高亢，嘹亮得像是吹箫管一样。唱完了歌，嫦娥盘旋飘然而起，一下子跳到了桌子上，大家正惊奇地看着时，她又变回了筷子。道士和客人三人一齐开怀大笑起来。又有一位客人说：“今夜最为快乐，但再也喝不下酒了。请把送别我的酒宴摆在月宫里吃可以吗？”说完，三个人就带着酒席，慢慢飞进了月亮当中。大家看着他们三个人坐在月宫里饮酒，连胡须眉毛都看得清清楚楚，就好像形象照在了镜子中似的。过了一会儿，月亮渐渐暗淡下去了。弟子点上蜡烛来，只看见道士一个人坐在屋子里，客人们都已不见了踪影。桌子上的菜肴、果品仍然残留在那里，再看看墙上的月亮，不过是一张像镜子一样的圆圆的纸片。道士问大家：“都喝够了吗？”众人一齐回答说：“够了。”“喝够了就早些睡觉吧，不要耽误了明天打柴。”大家答应着纷纷退下。王生心里暗暗惊喜羡慕，打消了回家的念头。

　　又过了一个月，王生实在受不了劳苦了，而道士还是连一个法术也不传授。王生心里也不想再等待了，就向道士告辞说：“徒弟从几百里以外来向仙师您学习道术，即使不能学到长生不老的法术，哪怕能学到点儿小法术，也可以安慰我的一片求教之心了。现在过了两三个月，天天都不过是早上去砍柴晚上回来。徒弟在家里可从来没受过这种辛苦。”道士笑着说：“我本来就认为你不能吃苦，现在果然如此。明天早晨就送你回去。”王七说：“徒弟在这里劳作了多日，请师父稍微教我一点儿小本事，这次就不算白来了。”道士问：“你想要学什么法术呢？”王生说：“我常见师父行走的时候，墙壁也不能阻隔，能学到这个法术，我就知足了。”道士笑着答应了他。于是，道士就教他念口诀，让他自己念了咒以后，就招呼道：“进去！”王生面对着墙，不敢进去。道士又说：“你试着往里走一下。”王生果然慢慢地往前走，到了墙跟前却被阻挡住了。道士说：“你低头快进，不要犹豫不前！”王生果然在离墙几步远的地方，冲着墙跑了进去。到了墙里时，好像空空的什么东西也没有，回头再一看，身子果然已经在墙外边了。王生大为惊喜，又回去拜谢师父。道士说：“回去后要清白做人，否则法术就不会灵验。”于是，送了他路费让他回家。

　　王生回到家里，自吹自擂地说遇见了仙人，学会了法术，坚固的墙壁也不能阻挡他过去。妻子不相信。于是，王生仿效起那天的举动，离墙几尺远，往墙里跑去，不料一头撞到硬壁，猛地摔倒在地上。妻子扶起他一看，只见额头上肿起了鸡蛋似的一个大包。妻子讥笑他，王生觉得又惭愧又气愤，大骂老道士不是个好东西。

　　异史氏说：听到了这件事的人没有不大笑的，但却不知像王生那样的人，世上真还有不少呢。现在有一种鄙陋粗野的人，喜欢像疾病毒药一样的坏东西，却畏惧治病疗伤的药物，于是便有一帮拍马屁的人，向他进献显威风、逞暴力的办法，以迎合他的心意，还骗他说：“掌握了这种法术去运用它，就可以横行天下而无可阻挡了。”起初试行未必没有小效果，于是他就以为天下之大都可以任他这样干了。这种人不到撞在硬壁上摔得头破血流的时候是绝不会停止的。