The Wine Mad: A Tale of Afterlife and Redemption
Explore the story of Miao Yongding, a man caught between the realms of the living and the dead, and the consequences of his actions in the afterlife.
wine
The Monkey and Ape Wine
Scholar Cao Loyin(曹學士洛禋) once told me this story.
In the spring of the forty-third year of Kangxi(康熙)’s reign, he and his friend Pan Xichou(潘錫疇) traveled to Huangshan(黃山) and arrived at the Wenshu Monastery(文殊院), where they dined with monks including Xuezhuang(雪莊). Suddenly, the monks disappeared from the table, leaving only their heads visible. Xuezhuang said, ‘This is the ‘floating cloud atop(雲過),’ no need for the two guests to be surprised.’
The next day, they reached the Yunfeng Cave(雲峰洞) and found an old man living there.
The Cherry Ghost
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 Tasty Visitor
Master Ye Fashan(葉法善) was skilled in talismanic magic. The Emperor honored him several times as a Hongluqing(鴻臚卿), bestowing upon him lavish rewards and special treatment.
Ye Fashan resided in the Xuanzhen Temple(玄真觀), often hosting a dozen or more courtiers who would come to the temple, loosen their belts, and stay without intending to leave. The seats would be occupied, and they’d desire wine to drink.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, claiming to be Qu Xiucai.
The Tiger’s Wife
She saw they were all tigers, but she did not dare to say anything.
During the reign of Emperor Kaiyuan of the Tang Dynasty, a tiger took the daughter of a family as his wife and built a house in the mountains. The woman did not realize that her husband was a tiger even after two years.
One day, two guests came with wine and drank with her husband in the house.
An Alcohol Friend
Jiang finally found a friend with whom he could compete in drinking, but the secret that this friend kept shocked him.
Jiang Xiu was a tavern owner in Bingzhou. He loved his drink so much that he was seldom sober. He usually enjoyed drinking with others. However, the people of Bingzhou were wary of his excessive drinking.
When he invited them to drink with him, most would avoid him, leaving Jiang Xiu with few friends.
Drinking Companions: A tale of an unlikely friendship between a poor scholar and a clever fox
Explore the heartwarming story of a poor scholar and a witty fox who form an extraordinary friendship, leading to unexpected wealth and wisdom.