Wu Xing

Officialdom Addiction

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《墨蘭圖》鄭思肖

Legend has it that during the late Ming Dynasty, a magistrate in Nanyang Prefecture(南陽府) died within his office. Since then, his ghost lingered, appearing at dawn, wearing a black gauze hat and an official belt, rushing to sit at the southern end of the hall. When attendants bowed to him, he nodded in approval, mimicking acceptance of their respects. He would vanish only when the day fully dawned.

During the reign of Emperor Yongzheng(雍正), a new magistrate, Magistrate Qiao(太守喬公), took office and upon hearing of this, couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “This person must have an addiction to his official position. 

The Cherry Ghost

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🎨《仿張僧繇山水圖》藍瑛

Hanlin(翰林) Xiong Ben(熊本) lived in a half-cut alley in the capital city, adjacent to the residence of Zhuang Lingyu(莊令輿), the compiler of the Imperial Academy. The two were close friends, often drinking together late into the night. On the night of August 12th, Zhuang Lingyu had prepared food and wine, inviting Xiong Ben over for a drink. As they were about to start, suddenly an envoy from the Tongcheng Duke arrived, summoning Zhuang Lingyu to his house. 

The Escaped Ghost

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🎨《溪山風雨圖》王蒙

In Juru County(句容), there was a constable named Yin Qian(殷乾), renowned in the county for his skill in catching thieves. Every night, he would often monitor the movements of thieves in secluded and desolate places.

One night, he went to a village and suddenly saw a person holding a rope rushing nervously past him from behind. Yin Qian thought to himself that this person must be a thief, so he followed closely behind. 

Stone Words

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《龍宿郊民圖》董源

Lü Shi(呂蓍) was from Jianning(建寧) and studied in an ancient temple at the foot of the northern slope of Wuyi Mountain(武夷山). One bright day, the sky suddenly darkened, and Lü Shi saw the stones on the stone steps standing up as if they were people. Then, a chilling wind arose, blowing window paper and tree leaves all over, sticking firmly to the stones. Roof tiles from the eaves also flew onto the stones. 

The White Rainbow Spirit

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part of 《桃源仙境圖》仇英 明

In Ding Shuiqiao(丁水橋), a town in Tangxi(塘西鎮), Zhejiang(浙江), there was a boatman named Ma Nanzhen(馬南箴). One night, he was paddling a small boat on the river. On the shore, there was an old lady with her daughter, signaling the boat, requesting passage. Several passengers on the boat advised Ma Nanzhen to ignore her and refuse to ferry the old lady. However, Ma Nanzhen said, ‘It’s late at night, and they are women without a place to stay. 

Kaxiong

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《秋景貨郎圖軸》佚名 明朝

Yang Kaxiong(楊喀雄)’s father served as a military officer but passed away early. His paternal uncle, Zhou, held the position of deputy general, stationed in Hezhou(河州). Feeling sympathetic for the young and orphaned Yang Kaxiong, he took him in and raised him. Zhou had a daughter who took a liking to the young and clever Kaxiong. She often gave him food. Despite their closeness, there was no impropriety between Zhou’s daughter and Kaxiong. 

Observing Cause and Effect

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《東坡題竹圖軸》杜堇 明

Ma Shilin(馬士麟), a scholar from Changzhou(常州), once recounted a personal experience:

When he was young, he and his father studied in the northern tower. From their window, they could see the outdoor flower platform of an old man named Wang who sold chrysanthemums. One day, Ma Shilin woke up early, leaning against the window and peering below. The sky was gradually brightening, and he saw Wang ascending the platform to water the flowers. 

The Corpse Monster at Shimen Gate

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《菸雲生動》吳石仙 近代

In Shimen County(石門縣), Zhejiang Province(浙江), there was a local official named Li Nianxian(李念先), tasked with collecting rent in the villages. One evening, he arrived at a remote village but couldn’t find an inn. He noticed a dimly lit thatched cottage in the distance and decided to head in that direction. As he approached, he found a broken bamboo fence acting as a gate, and from within came moaning sounds.

Li Nianxian loudly announced himself, stating his purpose as a local official there to collect rent. 

Washing the Purple River Cart

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《仕女圖》費丹旭 清

Ding Kai(丁愷), a bailiff from the Yamen in Fengdu County(酆都縣), Sichuan(四川), was carrying official documents to deliver in Kuizhou(夔州). Passing by the Guimen Pass(鬼門關), he saw a stone tablet inscribed with the words “Boundary of Yin and Yang.” Ding Kai walked up to the stone tablet, touched and observed it for a long time, unknowingly crossing the boundary. Wanting to return the same way, he found himself lost, unable to discern the direction. 

The Case of the First Time the Magistrate Pan Gu Settled

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傅抱石 山水

The “Book of the Northern Dynasties(北史)” says that the king of Piqian(毗騫國) had a three-foot-long head and still hasn’t died to this day. I used to doubt the authenticity of this record.

During the Kangxi(康熙) period, a man named Fang Wenmu(方文木) from Zhejiang(浙人) was navigating at sea when his ship was blown by the wind to a place where a grand and magnificent palace stood, inscribed with the three characters “Piqian Palace(毗騫殿)”. 

The Shapeshifting Ghost and the Flies

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In Huizhou(徽州), there was a top scholar named Dai Youqi(戴有祺). He and his friends, having drunk too much, strolled outside the city to admire the moon, reaching the Hui Long Bridge(回龍橋). A person in blue, carrying an umbrella, approached from the west side. Upon seeing Dai, he hesitated to cross the bridge, appearing fearful. Suspecting him to be a thief, Dai stepped forward to interrogate him. The person in blue claimed, ‘I am an officer from the yamen, sent to apprehend someone.’ 

The Matchmaking for Ghosts

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In the southern part(南鄉) of Nanjing’s Jiangpu(江浦), there was a woman surnamed Zhang who married a man named Chen. Seven years later, her husband passed away, leaving Zhang a widow. Struggling to make ends meet, she remarried to another Zhang with the same surname. This second Zhang had also been widowed for seven years. The matchmaker considered this coincidence to be a heaven-sent match.

Unexpectedly, just half a month after their marriage, the ghost of Zhang’s former husband possessed her and exclaimed, “You lack conscience!