The Taoist Priest of Lao-Shan by Pu Songling
Wang seeks Taoist instruction at a mountain monastery, where he cuts firewood and witnesses magical transformations during a drinking party. Tiring of the work, he persuades the priest to teach him to pass through walls and succeeds under his guidance. Back home, Wang boasts of his power, but his demonstration for his wife leaves him with a swollen forehead; she laughs, and he curses the priest.
By Pu Songling · Genre: Short Story, Supernatural Fiction, Cautionary Tale · 1,551 words
First lines
There lived in our village a Mr. Wang, the seventh son in an old family. This gentleman had a _penchant_ for the Taoist religion; and hearing that at Lao-shan there were plenty of Immortals,[1] shouldered his knapsack and went off for a tour thither. Ascending a peak of the mountain he reached a secluded monastery where he found a priest sitting on a rush mat, with long hair flowing over his neck, and a pleasant expression on his face. Making a low bow, Wang addressed him thus: -- "Mysterious indeed is the doctrine: I pray you, Sir, instruct me therein. " "Delicately-nurtured and wanting in energy as you are," replied the priest, "I fear you could not support the fatigue. " "Try me," said Wang. So when the disciples, who were very many in number, collected together at dusk, Wang joined them in making obeisance to the priest, and remained with them in the monastery. Very early next morning the priest summoned Wang, and giving him a hatchet sent him out with the others to cut firewood. Wang respectfully obeyed, continuing to work for over a month until his hands and feet were so swollen and blistered that he secretly meditated returning home. One evening when he came back he found two strangers sitting drinking with his master. It being already dark, and no lamp or candles having been brought in, the old priest took some scissors and cut out a circular piece of paper like a mirror, which he proceeded to stick against the wall. Immediately it became a dazzling moon, by the light of which you could have seen a hair or a beard of corn. The disciples all came crowding round to wait upon them, but one of the strangers said, "On a festive occasion like this we ought all to enjoy ourselves together. " Accordingly he took a kettle of wine from the table and presented it to the disciples, bidding them drink each his fill; whereupon our friend Wang began to wonder how seven or eight of them could all be served out of a single kettle. The disciples, too, rushed about in search of cups, each struggling to get the first drink for fear the wine should be exhausted. Nevertheless, all the candidates failed to empty the kettle, at which they were very much astonished, when suddenly one of the strangers said, "You have given us a fine bright moon; but it's dull work drinking by ourselves. Why not call Ch‘ang-ngo[2] to join us? " He then seized a chop-stick and threw it into the moon, whereupon a lovely girl stepped forth from its beams. At first she was only a foot high, but on reaching the ground lengthened to the ordinary size of women. She had a slender waist and a beautiful neck, and went most gracefully through the Red Garment figure.[3] When this was finished she sang the following words: --
Genres
- Short Story — A compact prose narrative follows Wang from his arrival at the monastery to his failed demonstration at home.
- Supernatural Fiction — Paper becomes a shining moon, a chopstick becomes a dancing woman, and Wang passes through a wall under the priest's guidance.
- Cautionary Tale — The priest warns Wang to use his power carefully, and Wang's subsequent boasting ends in injury and ridicule.
Tags
Taoism · magical apprenticeship · supernatural transformations · passing through walls · boasting
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The Taoist Priest of Lao-Shan is listed on Textopian as a short story by Pu Songling, dated Date unknown.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Pu Songling
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Supernatural Fiction, Cautionary Tale
- Length: 1,551 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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