A Daoist encounters a fox spirit living in a temple and learns about its yearly escape during the suburban ritual. The fox spirit advises him to leave as well, foretelling the fall of the Ming Dynasty.
A certain Daoist from the Chaotian Temple was fond of practicing breathing exercises for health. There was an old man who temporarily lived in the temple and happened to have the same interest in this health practice. As a result, they became Daoist companions. The old man had been living in the temple for several years, but every year, when it was time for the suburban ritual to worship heaven and earth, he would leave the temple about ten days in advance and return after the ritual was over. The Daoist was quite puzzled by this and asked the old man why he did this. The old man said, “We are close friends, so I can tell you the truth. I am actually a fox spirit. When the day of the suburban ritual arrives, various deities and spirits will come to cleanse impurities, and I would have nowhere to hide, so I choose to leave on my own.” A year later, as the date for the suburban ritual approached, the old man left again, but this time he didn’t return to the temple for a long time. The Daoist was very concerned and puzzled. One day, the old man suddenly returned, and the Daoist asked him why he had returned so late. The old man replied, “I could hardly find you, Sir! Initially, I intended to hide far away, but I felt quite weary and, seeing a secluded drainage ditch, I decided to hide underneath a jar at the entrance. Unexpectedly, the God Wang Lingguan came to clean this place, and he immediately spotted me. He became angry and tried to whip me. I was scared and fled, with Lingguan God chasing closely behind. When I reached the bank of the Yellow River, it seemed like he was about to catch up, so in desperation, I sneaked into a toilet and crouched there. The deity found the place too dirty and left. I came out of there, covered in filth, and couldn’t appear in the human world anymore. So, I jumped into the water to cleanse myself. After nearly a hundred days, I finally rid myself of impurities. Today, I’ve come to bid you farewell and share a few words of advice: Sir, you should also leave this place and go into seclusion elsewhere, as a great calamity is approaching. This place is not a safe haven.” After saying this, the old man took his leave. The Daoist heeded the old man’s advice and relocated to another place. Not long after, the Jia-Shen Rebellion occurred, leading to the downfall of the Ming Dynasty.
《灵官》
朝天观道士某，喜吐纳之术。有翁假寓观中，适同所好，遂为玄友。居数年，每至郊祭时，辄先旬日而去，郊后乃返。道士疑而问之。翁曰：“我两人莫逆，可以实告：我狐也。郊期至，则诸神清秽，我无所容，故行遁耳。”又一年，及期而去，久不复返。疑之。一日忽至，因问其故。答曰：“我几不复见子矣！曩欲远避，心颇怠，视阴沟甚隐，遂潜伏卷瓮下。不意灵官粪除至此，瞥为所睹，愤欲加鞭。余惧而逃，灵官追逐甚急。至黄河上，濒将及矣。大窘无计，窜伏溷中。神恶其秽，始返身去。既出，臭恶沾染，不可复游人世。乃投水自濯讫，又蛰隐穴中，几百日，垢浊始净。今来相别，兼以致嘱：君亦宜引身他去，大劫将来，此非福地也。”言已，辞去。道士依言别徙。未几，而有甲申之变。