My brother-in-law's grandfather, Mr. Song, whose name was To, was originally a scholar in the city. One day, he was sick and lying in bed, when, suddenly, he saw a government official, holding a notice sheet in his hand and leading a horse with white hair on its head, approaching. Said to him, "Please go and take the examination!" Mr. Song said, "How can the examination be conducted suddenly when the master of the school-table, who is in charge of the examination, has not arrived?" The errand boy didn't answer, but just kept urging him on. Mr. Song could only reluctantly mount his horse and follow him. The roads they traveled were all very strange, and soon they came to a city, like the capital where the emperor lived. In a short time, they entered a court house. The palace building was magnificent and ornate, and in the hall sat more than a dozen officials, all unknown, of whom only Guan Di was known. There were two tables and two stools each under the hall porch of the yamen. Already a Xiu Cai was sitting there on the lower seat. Mr. Song then sat down shoulder to shoulder with him. There were pens and paper on each table. After a while, a roll of paper with a title was sent down, and at a glance there were eight words written on it, "One person and two persons, with heart and without heart." They both made the article and presented it. There was a sentence in Mr. Song's article which said, "There are people who deliberately go about doing good things, and though they do good things, they should not be rewarded; and there are people who do not mean to do bad things, and though they do bad things, they can be punished without punishment." The officials could not stop praising it as it was passed around. They then summoned Mr. Song to the hall and said to him, "In that part of Henan, there is a lack of a city god, and it would be fitting for you to take up the post." Upon hearing this, Mr. Song, who then began to understand, hastily knelt down, and while kowtowing cried, "How could I dare to excuse myself again and again when I can get such an honorable appointment? But my old mother, who is over 70 years old, has no one around to support her. I beg you to allow me to be at your disposal again after her death." A man in the hall who seemed to be emperor-like immediately ordered to check his mother's longevity. An official with a beard, holding a booklet that recorded a person's longevity and fortune, looked at it once and said, "She still has nine years of Yang life left." When they heard this and were hesitating to think of a way out, Guan Di said, "There is no matter; let the one surnamed Zhang act as proxy for nine years first, and when the time comes, he will go again." Thereupon, the people of the hall said to Mr. Song, "You should have been allowed to go to your office at once, but this time, from the consideration of benevolence, love, filial piety, and respect, I will give you a leave of absence for nine years, and when the term expires, I shall still ask you to go." After saying this, he encouraged the scholar with a few words. The two gentlemen kowtowed and walked down the hall, the Xiucai took Mr. Song's hand and sent him all the way to the outskirts of the countryside, and introduced himself, saying, "I am a native of Changshan place, surnamed Zhang." He also gave Mr. Song the poem he had made as a souvenir. However, Mr. Song forgot the whole poem, but only remembered two lines in the middle: "Spring is always here when there are flowers and wine, and the night is bright when there is no wax and no light". Mr. Song mounted his horse and left, and when he returned to the village, it was as if he had woken up from a dream. But by this time, he had already been dead for three days. Mr. Song's mother heard groaning in the coffin, and quickly helped him out of it. After a long time, Mr. Song can speak. He inquired about the place in Changshan and found that the man surnamed Zhang had died on that day.

Since then the 9th year, Mr. Song's mother really died by then. After the funeral was sent, Mr. Song took a bath and walked into the house and also died. Mr. Song's father-in-law's family lived in the west gate of the city. Suddenly, he saw Mr. Song in a new official's uniform, followed by many carriages and horses. The father-in-law's family was very surprised, not knowing that Mr. Song had become a god and a city god. They rushed to Mr. Song's home to inquire about the news, it turned out, Mr. Song has died.

My aunt's husband himself remembered a small biography, but unfortunately after the war did not save it, this is only a rough it.

The Examination of the City God is the first of the Liaozhai Zhiyi (聊斋志异). It is a fable that promotes the virtue of benevolence and filial piety.

The article recounts Song To's examination for the post of City God. Song To was bedridden and was called by the official to take the examination. Next, the author uses the brush of fantasy to focus on the scene of the interview of Song To by the gods of the underworld. The exam scene is grotesque and solemn: the palace is majestic and gorgeous, the examiner has more than a dozen officials, the candidates only Song To and Changshan Zhang Xiucai. The exam question is "one person, two people, with or without heart" eight words. Song To was very talented and had unique insights into social issues. His explanation of the question was: "If you have the heart to do good deeds, you will not be rewarded for good deeds; if you have no heart to do bad deeds, you will not be punished for evil deeds." , which was passed on in praise by the gods. Song To believed that good and evil should be judged from human motives, not from the effect as the only criterion for judgment. From a practical point of view, the consequences of good and evil should be specifically analyzed, and then rewards and punishments should be clearly distinguished and rewarded. This is the basic condition of being an official. These two sentences, both indicate that Song To has the necessary conditions to become an official, have the ability to distinguish between reward and punishment, but also contains the feudal society of good and evil, black and white is unclear to attack, but also implies Song To because of a long time to try and failed to get the pent-up resentment in the chest.

Next, the author takes the character out of his normal orbit and highlights Song To's filial behavior. When the gods appreciated Song To's talent and decided to appoint him as the city god of Henan Province, as an old granary student, in the pain and suffering of being stuck in a cold window suddenly won the exam, for the general public, here and now should be very happy. But the author used the technique of knocking the character out of the normal track to write that Song To was not only not happy, but also wept and begged the gods, "My mother is seventy years old, no one to support her, please allow me to serve her until the end of her life, and then I will listen to the order, and allow you to hire and dispatch." So the gods were moved and praised Song To for his filial piety, and exceptionally granted a leave of absence for nine years, allowing Zhang Xucai to act as the city god. The description of this scene is meticulous, detailed and touching, which strongly illustrates that Song To is a scholar of good character and high integrity. In the poem written by Song To to Zhang Xiucai later, there are two lines: "Spring is always there with flowers and wine, and the night is bright without candles and lamps", which are neatly matched. This pair of lines reveals that Song To is a man of talent and learning, with an open-minded and bold personality, indifferent to fame and fortune, open-minded, pursuing freedom, without the poor and sour look of other pedantic literati. Therefore, we can say that the author's Song To is a scholar with both virtue and talent. Between being an official and fulfilling filial piety, he can give priority to fulfilling filial piety. This is undoubtedly a strong criticism of those who are obsessed with officialdom and don't want benevolence and filial piety. He had virtue and talent, but he was only an old granary student. This is undoubtedly ironic and critical of the dark society that buries talents.

The plot of this novel successfully utilizes the story structure method of "out of the realm of illusion, suddenly entering the earth (Lu Xun's words)". The author lets the characters enter the dream world by lying ill, and then unfolds a magical storyline, from the real to the imaginary, from the imaginary to the real, and then from the real to the imaginary. In this way, a layer of authenticity and reality is painted on the unreal story, which enhances the artistic influence of the work.

2, Corpse Transformation

Translation

There was an old man in Yangxin County, a native of Caidian, a suburb of the county. The village was five or six miles from the city, and his father and son opened an inn on the road to make it easier for passing merchants to stay there. There are several car drivers, trafficking goods, often boarding his home.

One day at dusk, the four car drivers came to stay with him. The old man pondered for a moment and thought of a place, but he was afraid that the guest would not be willing. The guests said, "I just want to settle down, I dare not be picky". It turned out that the old man's daughter-in-law died not long ago, the body in the room, the son is going out to buy a coffin. The old man wanted the spirit of the cold and quiet, so he led the guests through an alleyway to go. Into the house, only to see the table dimly lit, behind the table hanging the spirit of the tent, with a paper coverlet covering the dead. Then look at the lying place, is only separated by a door of the room, with a bunk. Four guests because of laborious running, fell on the pillow will snore loudly. One of them hazy, suddenly heard the bed click sound, hastily opened his eyes to see, the spirit of the light in front of the clear, the female corpse has uncovered the paper coverlet up, and out of bed into the bedroom, face golden, raw silk wrapped forehead. The female corpse approached the couch, bent down to the sleeping guests blowing one by one. Guests were immediately startled, fearing that she blew to their own, secretly pulling the quilt covered head, do not dare to come out of a gas. A moment later, the female corpse fruit does not approach him, blowing as usual. By feeling that she has gone out of the room, and heard the paper coverlet click click click, only slightly out of the head to peep, see the female body lying stiff as ever. Guests are very afraid, but do not dare to make a sound, they secretly use their feet to kick the companion. The companions are motionless. Thought there is nothing to do, might as well get dressed and escape. Just put on the clothes, the chuffing sound again, had to bury his head into the quilt again. Feel the female corpse really come again, continuously blowing to him many times before leaving. A moment, heard the spirit bed rattling, know that the female corpse is lying down again. So the guests slowly from the bottom of the hand out to get pants, hurriedly put on, bare feet will run out of life. At this time, the female corpse also got up to chase, and so she left the spiritual account, the guest has opened the door to escape. Who knows that the female corpse in hot pursuit. The guest ran and screamed, but no one in the village woke up. Want to go to knock on the master's door, but afraid to be too late. Only toward the direction of the county town to escape as hard as possible. When he arrived at the eastern suburb, he saw a temple and heard the sound of wooden fish, so he knocked on the door in a hurry. The monk in the temple was very surprised and refused to let him in immediately. In an instant, the body of a woman arrived, only a foot or so away. Guests embarrassed and anxious no way out, see a poplar in front of the nunnery, the trunk is about four or five feet thick, only to borrow the tree to cover themselves. The corpse came from the left, then turned sideways to the right; the corpse came from the right, then turned sideways to the left. The female corpse became angrier and angrier as they held each other for a long time. However, they were exhausted, and the female corpse stood motionless. The guest, panting and sweating, leaned against a tree trunk to protect himself. Suddenly the corpse rose up and lunged at him with both arms stretched out across the tree trunk. The guest fell to the ground in shock as the female corpse failed to grab him, holding the trunk rigidly.

The monk eavesdropped for a long time until there was no sound, then he opened the door and came out. See guests lying on the ground, with a candle, has died, but there is still a trace of breath in the chest, back into the nunnery, the end of the night before waking up, let him drink tea, and then asked him how it is? Guests will be one by one into the narrative. At this time, the morning bell rang, the sky has been dawn. Monk saw the tree with a woman's body, immediately reported to the magistrate. County officials personally inspect, people dial down the female corpse hand, can not be opened. Observe carefully, left and right hand four fingers and rolled like a hook, inserted into the trunk, no nails. After a few more people, joint efforts to open. Look at the finger points, as if chiseled eight holes. County officials sent agents to the store to inquire, the store is because the woman's body is missing, the guests died, have clamored. The officer told him the reason, and the old man went with the officer to carry the body back. The surviving customer said to the magistrate with tears in his eyes, "Four of us went out together, but now I am the only one left, how can I convince the townspeople of this?" The magistrate gave him a certificate of release and gave him food and clothing and left.

3. Laoshan Taoist priest

There was a young man in the city surnamed Wang, the seventh in line, the son of a rich man's family, who envied Taoist priests when he was young. He heard that there were many immortals in Laoshan Mountain, so he traveled around with books on his back and so on.

On this day, ascending to the top of a mountain, he saw a temple, very quiet. A Taoist priest was sitting on a futon, his white hair floating on his neck, and his demeanor was bright and bold. So he went up and bowed down, and talked with the Taoist priest. When he heard the Taoist priest's teachings, he wanted to worship him as his master. The Taoist priest said, "I am afraid you are delicate and lazy and cannot suffer." Wang Sheng replied, "No problem, I can suffer!" So he took him as his disciple.

The Taoist priest had many disciples, and in the evening they all gathered, and Wang Sheng saluted and met with them all, and so he stayed in the temple.

In the early hours of the next morning, the Taoist priest greeted him and granted him an axe, telling him to accompany the crowd up the mountain to cut wood. Wang Sheng cautiously accepted the admonition.

After more than a month, his hands and feet became thickly calloused, and he couldn't stand it any longer, and privately had a desire to go home.

One night when I came back, I saw two men drinking with the master. It was already dark and there were no lights or candles. He saw the master cut the shape of a mirror out of paper and glued it to the wall. A moment later, the moonlight shone brightly in the room, the light can be distinguished from the millimeters, the disciples gathered around him to listen to the back of the call. One of the guests was heard to say, "A good night should be enjoyed to the fullest, and must not be enjoyed together." So the master took a jug of wine from the case, and distributed it to all the people, and bade them all get drunk. Wang Sheng thought privately, "How can seven or eight people enjoy themselves with one pot of wine? All the disciples found their own pots and bowls and came to the wine. Wang Sheng was afraid that there was no more wine, so he dried a cup first. But after several cups, the wine in the pot was not less. He was puzzled. A moment later, a guest said, "I am grateful for the reward of moonlight illumination, but this drinking is too lonely, why not call Chang'e to come?" So see the master threw a chopstick to the moon, spinning to see a beauty, out of the light, the beginning is less than a foot high, and so on the ground, but with the same human figure. Slender waist, beautiful neck, flowing and beautiful, and even jumped up to the neon dress and feather dance. Jumped for a while, and sang: "do fairy ah, reluctant ah, want to come back ah, why do I imprisoned in ah, this wide cold palace ah!" The voice is clear and pleasant, loud as a piper. Drinking, hovering up, leaping to the table. The crowd is shocked to look at the time, has changed into chopsticks again. Three people laughed. One of the guests said: "Tonight is the most joyful, however, do not win the wine, you send me to the moon palace how?" The three of them moved their seats and gradually entered the moon, and the people saw the three of them drinking in the moon, and their whiskers and eyebrows were visible, as if their shadows were shining in a mirror. After a while more, the moonlight gradually dimmed, and the attendant's men lit the lamps, but they saw the Taoist sitting alone, and the guests were gone. The leftovers on the table were all there, and the moon, which was stuck to the wall, was only round like a mirror.

The Taoist priest asked his disciples, "Have you had enough to drink?" The crowd replied, "Enough." The Taoist priest said, "If you have drunk enough, you should go to bed early and do not delay cutting wood and grass." The crowd answered and retired. Wang Sheng was privately envious, and the thought of going back was dispelled. After another month, is in unbearable to endure its suffering, but the Taoist priest and does not pass on an art, the heart really can not wait, so to the Taoist priest resignation, said: "disciple hundreds of miles to learn from the immortal master, even if you can not get the art of longevity, there is a small teachings to the disciple, but also can be comforted by disciple to seek guidance; the heart in the three months that have already passed, but only in the morning went out to cut wood and come back in the evening. When I was at home, I did not suffer like this." The Taoist priest laughed and said, "I had said that you could not suffer, and now it is true; I will certainly send you back in the morning." Wang Sheng added, "My disciple has labored for so many days, and the master has slightly taught some small techniques, and this visit is not considered a white robe." Taoist priest asked, "What spells do you seek?" Wang Sheng said, "Every time I see the master walking, the wall can not block, only learned this spell is satisfied." The Taoist priest smiled and agreed with him. Then he passed him a mnemonic and made him recite the incantation by himself, after which he greeted, "Enter!" Wang Sheng faced the wall for several steps, not daring to enter, and the Taoist priest said, "Try to enter." Wang Sheng did walk calmly, but when he reached the wall, he was blocked. The Taoist priest said again, "You run into it violently with your head down, without hesitation." He indeed left the wall a few steps, and ran violently into it, and when he reached the root of the wall, as if there were no wall, he looked back and saw that he had indeed reached the outer edge of the wall. He was greatly pleased and went in to thank the master. The Taoist priest said, "Go back and you should treat it with respect, otherwise it will not work." So he gave him road money and told him to go back.

When he reached home, he boasted that he had met an immortal, and that the hard walls could not stop him. His wife did not believe him, so he imitated the original action, leaving the wall a few feet, running towards the wall, but his head hit the hard wall with a thud. His wife went up and saw that his forehead was swollen with a lump as big as an egg. His wife made gestures and laughed at him, and he was ashamed and angry and scolded the old Taoist priest for having no conscience.

The author says: There is no one who hears about this who does not laugh out loud. But there are many decent people like Wang Sheng in the world. Now there is a despicable and boring guy who likes to lust, and when he gets sick, he is afraid to use medicine. Then a man who sucked carbuncles and licked hemorrhoids came in and told him that there was a spell for curing diseases, and catered to him, deceiving him by saying, "Take this spell and you will be cured of all diseases." When it was first tested, it couldn't be done without a small effect, and so it was thought that everything under the sun could be done in this way. It seems that they cannot stop until they hit the wall and it hurts.

There are too many, if just want to know the plot of each story here is what you are looking for

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