Explore the intriguing story of a White Lotus sect follower's dark magic, a forbidden love affair, and encounters with supernatural beings.
The White Lotus sect had a member from Shanxi, whose name I have forgotten, but he was probably someone like Xu Hongru. He used dark magic to bewilder the masses, and many people admired his magical abilities, so they worshiped him as their teacher. One day, he prepared to go out and placed a basin in the hall, covering it with another basin. He instructed his disciple to sit nearby and guard it, warning the disciple not to lift the cover and peek inside. After he left, the disciple lifted the cover and saw that the basin was filled with clear water, and on the water, there was a small boat made of woven grass, complete with sails and masts. Curious, the disciple used his finger to touch the boat, accidentally tipping it over. He hastily restored the boat to its original state and covered the basin. Before long, the teacher returned and angrily rebuked the disciple, saying, “Why did you disobey my command?” The disciple immediately defended himself, claiming that he had not disobeyed the order. The teacher said, “Just now, the boat in the sea capsized. How could you deceive me?” Another night, he lit a large candle in the hall and warned his disciple to watch over the candle carefully and not let the wind extinguish it. When the second watch arrived, he still had not returned. The disciple became extremely exhausted and decided to lie down on the bed for a brief nap. When he woke up, he was shocked to find that the large candle had already gone out, and he hurriedly relit it. Shortly thereafter, the teacher returned and scolded the disciple once again. The disciple protested, saying, “I really didn’t fall asleep. How could the candle have gone out?” The teacher angrily replied, “Just now, you let me walk more than ten miles in the darkness, and you still dare to say that?” The disciple was greatly terrified. There were many such strange incidents, too numerous to recount.
Later, the concubine of this White Lotus sect follower engaged in an affair with his disciple. He discovered this but pretended not to know and kept it a secret. He sent his disciple to feed the pigs, and as soon as the disciple entered the pigsty, he immediately transformed into a pig. He promptly called the butcher to slaughter the pig and sold the meat. No one knew about this incident. The disciple’s father, worried because his son had not returned home, came to inquire about his whereabouts. He told the father that the disciple hadn’t visited in a long time. The disciple’s family searched everywhere but still couldn’t find any information. A fellow sect member who knew about the situation in secret revealed the truth to the disciple’s father. The disciple’s father reported it to the county magistrate. Afraid that the White Lotus sect follower might escape, the magistrate dared not arrest and investigate him. Instead, he reported to his superiors and requested a thousand soldiers who surrounded the follower’s residence. His wife and children were all captured. They were imprisoned in wooden cages and carts, preparing to be escorted to the capital city. On the way, when they passed through the Taihang Mountains, a giant figure emerged from the mountains. It was as tall as a tree, with eyes as big as bowls, a mouth as large as a basin, and teeth about a foot long. The soldiers were so scared that they stood still, not daring to move forward. The White Lotus sect follower said, “This is a monster, and my wife can defeat it.” So the soldiers did as he said and released his wife. She bravely approached the giant, who became furious and swallowed her in a single breath. Everyone became even more frightened. The White Lotus sect follower said, “Since you’ve killed my wife, now you need my son.” So he released his son again, and just like before, the giant swallowed him. Everyone looked at each other in disbelief, not knowing what to do. The White Lotus sect follower, crying and enraged, said, “You’ve killed my wife and my son; I cannot accept this! Now I must take matters into my own hands.” So they indeed released him from the cart, gave him a weapon, and sent him to confront the giant. The giant approached with great force, and after a period of struggle, the giant grabbed him, put him in its mouth, stretched its neck, swallowed him, and then calmly departed.
《白莲教》
白莲教某者，山西人，忘其姓名，大约徐鸿儒之徒。左道惑众，慕其术者多师之。某一日将他往，堂中置一盆，又一盆覆之，嘱门人坐守，戒勿启视。去后，门人启之，视盆贮清水，水上编草为舟，帆樯具焉。异而拨以指，随手倾侧，急扶如故，仍覆之。俄而师来，怒责：“何违吾命？”门人立白其无。师曰：“适海中舟覆，何得欺我？”又一夕，烧巨烛于堂上，戒恪守，勿以风灭。漏二滴，师不至。儽然而殆，就床暂寐，及醒，烛已竟灭，急起爇之。既而师入，又责之。门人曰：“我固不曾睡，烛何得息？”师怒曰：“适使我暗行十馀里，尚复云云耶？”门人大骇。如此奇行，种种不胜书。
后有爱妾与门人通，觉之，隐而不言。遣门人饲豕，门人入圈，立地化为豕。某即呼屠人杀之，货其肉。人无知者。门人父以子不归，过问之，辞以久弗至。门人家诸处探访，绝无消息。有同师者，隐知其事，泄诸门人父。门人父告之邑宰。宰恐其遁，不敢捕治，达于上官，请甲士千人，围其第，妻子皆就执。闭置樊笼，将以解都。途经太行山，山中出一巨人，高与树等，目如盎，口如盆，牙长尺许。兵士愕立不敢行。某曰：“此妖也，吾妻可以却之。”乃如其言，脱妻缚。妻荷戈往，巨人怒，吸吞之。众愈骇。某曰：“既杀吾妻，是须吾子。”乃复出其子，又被吞如前状。众各对觑，莫知所为。某泣且怒曰：“既杀我妻，又杀吾子，情何以甘！然非某自往不可也。”众果出诸笼，授之刃而遣之。巨人盛气而逆，格斗移时，巨人抓攫入口，伸颈咽下，从容竟去。
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