1 春別夏至已半年 Spring had left, summer’s here and half the year gone,
2 臥病難起真可憐 So pitiful to be bedridden.
3 誰會為我盜靈芝 Who would, for me, steal the herb of immortality for me?
4 只恐夢中待長眠 Alas, I’m afraid that in dreams to wait for that eternal slumber.
3 靈芝 short for 靈芝草 and not the mushroom of the mortal realms, Ganoderma fungus. The magical mushroom grows only in the Southern Constellation governed by the Old Man of the Southern Pole, 南極仙翁. This allusion comes from the story of “Madam White Snake”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_of_the_White_Snake
However, my version came from the book, “The Beginning and Aftermath of the White Snake”. Here the antagonist was a toad. In the Kunlun Mountains, a white snake and a toad were neighbors. The feud started one night when the toad was playing with his internal of spiritual powers in a form of a bright ball. The white snake was curious about the light and snucked up to see what it was. Immediately she knew what it was and swallowed it. An extra 500 years of spiritual training was gained and the toad was left dying. After many years, a chance meeting with the Queen Mother of the West she became a menial attendant in her immortal peach garden as she had never done evil per say. She longed to become an immortal and she asked the Queen Mother the reason to cast away her original form of a snake. She was told that a thousand years ago, a boy had saved her from a group of boys that were playing with her to death. She must repay that debt to this person first.
She was advised to go to Hangchow on the Dragon Boat Festival to meet him. The tallest person will be her reborn benefactor. On her journey, she befriended a green snake and became her younger sister while a black fish Demon King of the Dong Ting Lake, her elder brother.
From the throngs of masses of people, the white snake cleverly deduced the tallest person would be the young man standing on top a small hill. With the help of the green snake a plan was hatched a sudden downpour created with a small boat at the opportune time to cross the lake. Being chivalrous, the benefactor lent her his umbrella so that he could have the pretext of coming for his umbrella the next day. She coyly proposed to him and after the marriage as witnessed by his older brother and sister-in-law, they opened an apothecary shop and with her magical powers she helped the husband to heal the sick while getting prosperous from her predictions on when to buy low, sell high for herbs.
Meanwhile, the toad had recovered from his mishap and converted to Buddhism. And during a chance meeting, he saw an evil aura surrounding the husband and with his magical powers, found out the aura belonged to his former enemy. He swore vengeance by breaking up their marriage. He told the husband that if he doesn’t believe him, he could ask her drink some realgar wine on the next Dragon Boat Festival. After many enticements from the husband, she took a sip and immediately felt oozy. She told him she needed rest and forbade him from coming into the room. Immediately once, on the bed, she reverted to her true form of a giant white snake with a single horn protruding from the head. The husband was worried at the sudden turn of things and went into the bedroom and parted the bed curtains… The sight was too much for his heart and fell down dead. As the midday heat abated, the green snake was able to return and found out what had happen. She immediately awakened the white snake sister. She wept bitterly to see that instead of repaying her gratitude, she had killed her benefactor. She resolved to fly to the Southern Constellation to retrieve the magical fungus that has the power to retrieve the dead back. She found the herb and was about to leave when the guardian spirits of the deer and crane stopped her from escaping. No matter how she pleaded and for whatever reason, they would not listen. A great battle ensued. She was able to defeat the deer guardian but could not do so with the crane guardian because it is her natural nemesis and that herb once plucked cannot leave her hand otherwise it would disappear. She fell and was about to be killed when the Old Man of the Southern Pole appeared and told his disciple to stop. He allowed her to fulfill her mission.
Upon reviving her husband, the suspicious man did not believe the wife’s words that a snake had crept into the bed. They even showed him the dead snake now hanging outside a tree’s branch. He became fearful and ran to the Golden Hill Temple where the toad spirit is the abbot. The green snake told her that her husband is a faithless man and they should leave him for good. However, the white snake could not part with him. The toad abbot used the reason for public good for his personal vendetta and would not listen. Another battle began. No matter how great the power she has, she could not overcome Buddha’s holy golden alms bowl. As the bowl came descending upon like as a prison, a sudden purple shot forth from her stomach and stopped the bowl from further descent. In this instant, the snakes were able to escape. The toad was also surprised and divined that this power came from the God of Literature as her future son.
The snakes sought help from her older brother, the black fish demon king. Together with their armies of water creatures, they came surging from the river to the hilltop temple. In this way, thousands of innocents lost their lives and greatly alarmed Heaven. The Jade Emperor order a contingent of heavenly troops under the command of the Eastern Ocean Dragon King to subdue the havoc the demons were creating. In the heat of the battle, the white snake labored and had to withdraw. Defeated, she had to give birth to the God of Literature at the Broken Bridge. Meanwhile, the Goddess of Mercy appeared to the husband and explained the cause and effect of their past fates and showed him a way to see his wife. Thus, they were reunited and became loving as before.
A month after the child was born, a great festivity took place to celebrate the child’s month long existence. The toad monk came knocking. He was refused entry but he just hurled his Buddha’s golden alms bowl and flew into the bedroom and the white snake was imprisoned within. The horrified husband reached into the bowl to retrieve his wife’s form of a snake but he could not reach it. For within the bowl is the universe and no mere mortal hand could reach for the stars.
Thus, the white snake was imprisoned under the Thunder Wind Pagoda till iron trees bloom. Seven years later, the green snake had practised enough to create seven willow green magic knives to save her sister. A battle ensued with the toad. She was easily defeated but not before she had burnt the pagoda. At the moment of her demise, the Goddess of Mercy came to rescue her by asking the toad abbot to release the green snake to her for the time being. She would live in her jade vase until time comes for reunion.
Twenty years later, the son grew up and took the imperial examinations and became the number one scholar. The Emperor was pleased with the looks and demeanor of the successful candidate. He was granted a boon. The request was instead of the custom in heading back to his hometown immediately, he would like to take a detour to Hangchow first. The Emperor was amazed at such a paltry request and asked for the reason. The Emperor was so amazed at the story that he issued an edict of pardon to the mother. At the pagoda, the edict was announced and a great roar ensued as the ground opened up. The toad abbot appeared and sighed. It must be destiny because she would only be freed when iron trees bloom. For one of the accoutrements of the Number One Scholar was a golden staff with golden flowers decorations. The Goddess of Mercy appeared and released the green snake so that the family can be reunited.
It was filial piety and more importantly, the edict of the Son of Heaven trumps all.
Note: The picture of the heartless husband is not shown in the book's profile of characters. Even minor roles were pictured!
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
