Wu Gu Da Fu: Senior Official of 5 Black Ram

Read about the incredible life of Changti Yuan, a Shanxi scholar who heard a mysterious title in his dream, faced adversity, and eventually achieved success as a magistrate.

Changti Yuan was from Hejin County, Shanxi, with the courtesy name Ruyu. When he was a scholar, he heard in a dream someone calling him “Wu Gu Da Fu” (Five-Animal Sacrifice Great Master), and Changti Yuan woke up very happy, thinking it was a good omen for his career. Later, Changti Yuan encountered the chaos of marauders, who stripped him of his clothes and locked him in an empty room. It was the midst of a harsh winter, and the weather was extremely cold. In the darkness, he felt around and found a few pieces of sheepskin to cover himself, which prevented him from freezing to death. When daylight came, Changti Yuan got up and looked at the sheepskins covering him, and there were exactly five of them. Changti Yuan couldn’t help but laugh silently, knowing that it was a divine joke. Later, he was appointed as the magistrate of Luonan County with the status of a tribute scholar. This story was recorded by Mr. Bizai Ji Xian.

《五羖大夫》

河津畅体元，字汝玉。为诸生时，梦人呼为“五羖大夫”，喜为佳兆。及遇流寇之乱，尽剥其衣，闭置空室。时冬月，寒甚，暗中摸索，得数羊皮护体，仅不至死。质明，视之，恰符五数，哑然自笑神之戏己也。后以明经授雒南知县。毕载积先生志。