Follow Wang Seven's journey as he encounters a Daoist on Laboring Mountain, learns magic, and faces unexpected challenges.
In this county, there was a scholar surnamed Wang, seventh in birth order, and he was a descendant of a prestigious family from the past. From a young age, he admired the Daoist arts and had heard that there were many immortals on Mount Lao, so he prepared his belongings and set out to seek the Dao and learn from the immortals. One day, he reached the summit of Mount Lao and saw a secluded Daoist temple. Inside, there was a Daoist priest sitting upright on a mat, with white hair flowing down his neck, and his demeanor was both refreshing and extraordinary. Wang approached him, inquired, and engaged in conversation. He found the words of the Daoist priest to be profound and mysterious, so he requested to become the priest’s disciple. The Daoist priest replied, “I’m afraid you are delicate and accustomed to comfort, unable to endure hardship.” Wang replied, “I can endure hardship.” The Daoist priest had many disciples, and by evening, they had all gathered. After paying respects to each one, Wang stayed in the Daoist temple. The next day, just before dawn, the Daoist priest called Wang and handed him an axe, instructing him to join the others in chopping wood. Wang Seven followed the instructions carefully. After more than a month had passed, Wang’s hands and feet were covered with thick calluses, and he could no longer bear such laborious toil. He secretly began to entertain thoughts of returning home.
One evening, Wang returned from collecting firewood and saw two guests sitting with his master, drinking wine. It was already dark, and no lamps or candles had been lit yet. The master cut out a round piece of paper resembling a mirror and pasted it on the wall. In a moment, the paper transformed into a bright moon, illuminating the entire room, making even the finest details visible. The disciples all followed orders, bustling around to serve. One of the guests said, “On such a beautiful night, we should all enjoy it together.” So, he picked up the wine jug from the table, poured wine into cups for the disciples, and instructed them to drink until they were drunk. Wang thought to himself, “With seven or eight people, how can one jug of wine be enough for all?” At this moment, everyone found their own cups and containers and rushed to pour and drink, fearing that the wine jug would run empty. However, no matter how much they poured from it, the wine in the jug did not seem to diminish at all. Wang Seven was quite surprised. After a while, one of the guests said, “Although we are grateful for the moonlight you’ve given us, drinking wine in such silence is a bit lonely. Why not summon Chang’e?” He then tossed a pair of chopsticks into the moon, and immediately, a beautiful woman emerged from the moonlight. She was initially less than a foot tall but grew to the height of an ordinary person when she landed on the ground. She had a slender waist and a graceful neck and began to dance the “Feathered Robe and Transcendent Dance.” After finishing the dance, she sang a song: “Gracefully dancing! Please come back quickly! Why did you confine me in the Guanghan Palace?” Her singing was clear and melodious, sounding like the playing of flutes and pipes. After singing, Chang’e floated up and landed on the table, leaving everyone in amazement. Suddenly, she transformed back into chopsticks. The Daoist priest and the guests burst into laughter together. Another guest said, “Tonight has been the most joyful, but I can no longer drink. Can we have the farewell feast in the Moon Palace?” After saying this, the three of them, along with the banquet, slowly flew into the moon. Everyone watched as the three of them sat in the Moon Palace, their beards and eyebrows clearly visible, as if their images were reflected in a mirror. After a while, the moon gradually dimmed. The disciples lit candles, only to see the Daoist priest sitting alone in the room, and the guests had all vanished. The dishes and fruits on the table remained, and looking at the moon on the wall, it was nothing but a round piece of paper, just like a mirror. The Daoist priest asked, “Have you all had enough to drink?” Everyone replied in unison, “We have.” “If you’ve had enough, then go to sleep early and don’t delay collecting firewood tomorrow,” the Daoist priest instructed. Everyone agreed and began to withdraw. Wang Seven was secretly delighted and envious, and he abandoned the idea of returning home.
Another month passed, and Wang Seven could no longer endure the hardships, yet the Daoist had not taught him a single spell. Wang Seven no longer wanted to wait and took his leave from the Daoist, saying, “As a disciple, I came from hundreds of miles away to learn the Daoist arts from you. Even if I cannot learn the secret of immortality, if I could just learn a small spell, it would satisfy my quest for knowledge. It’s been two or three months now, and every day, I do nothing but chop wood in the morning and return in the evening. I’ve never endured such hardship at home.” The Daoist smiled and said, “I already thought you couldn’t endure hardship, and now it seems to be the case. I’ll send you back tomorrow morning.” Wang Seven said, “After working here for so many days, please, Master, teach me a little something. That way, my visit won’t have been in vain.” The Daoist asked, “What kind of spell do you want to learn?” Wang replied, “I’ve seen you walk through walls without any hindrance. If I could learn that spell, I’d be content.” The Daoist agreed with a smile. So, he taught Wang a chant and instructed him to say it himself. After reciting the incantation, he called out, “Go in!” Wang faced the wall but hesitated to go in. The Daoist said, “Try taking a step forward.” Wang slowly moved forward and reached the wall, but he was blocked. The Daoist said, “Bow your head and go in quickly, don’t hesitate!” Wang indeed took a few steps back from the wall and then rushed forward. When he reached the wall, it felt like there was nothing there. When he turned around to look, he was indeed outside the wall. Wang Seven was greatly surprised and went back to thank his master. The Daoist said, “After you return, lead a virtuous life, or else the spells won’t work.” Then, he provided him with travel expenses and sent him on his way back home.
Upon returning home, Wang Seven boasted about meeting an immortal and learning magic, claiming that even sturdy walls couldn’t stop him. His wife didn’t believe him. So, Wang Seven imitated the actions of that day, stood a few feet away from the wall, and ran towards it. Unexpectedly, he collided with the solid wall and fell to the ground with a thud. His wife helped him up and saw a large bump on his forehead, resembling a chicken egg. She mocked him, and Wang Seven felt both embarrassed and infuriated, cursing the old Daoist for not being a good person.
The chronicler of strange tales said: People who heard about this incident couldn’t help but burst into laughter, but little did they know that there are indeed many individuals like Wang Seven in the world. Nowadays, there are some vulgar and uncouth people who are fond of harmful things, much like viruses, yet they fear medicinal remedies for their illnesses and injuries. As a result, a group of flatterers offers them methods to display power and indulge in violence, catering to their desires. They even deceive them by saying, “With mastery of these techniques, you can dominate the world without any hindrance.” Initially, these methods may yield some minor results, leading them to believe they can do as they please in the world. Such individuals will not stop until they collide headfirst with a solid wall, leaving them battered and bleeding.
《劳山道士》
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。