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7 Chen Kechang Becomes an Immortal during the Dragon Boat Festival Fame and fortune he was not meant to have; His life a lamp flickering in a draft. Not much chance, either, with life as a monk, For a luckless monk he turned out to be. The story goes that during the Shaoxing reign period [1131–62] of Emperor Gaozong of the great Song dynasty, there lived, in Yueqing County, Wenzhou Prefecture, a scholar named Chen Yi, courtesy name Kechang. Twenty-four years of age at the time our story begins, he was a young man of refined looks and keen intelligence. There was no book that he did not read, and no history with which he was not familiar. During the Shaoxing reign period, he sat three times for the imperial civil service examinations, but all three times he failed. He went to a fortune-teller by Zhong’an Bridge in Lin’an Prefecture [Lin’an being the capital, where the examinations were held] to find out what lay in store for him. The fortune-teller said, “You were born under the wrong star. You are not meant to be an o‹cial. Your only choice is to become a Buddhist monk.” Ever since childhood, Scholar Chen had heard his mother say that when he was born, she dreamed of a gilded arhat heading for her belly. Mortified by the fortune -teller’s words now that his prospects of fame and fortune looked dim, he went back to his inn to retire for the night. Early the next morning, he rose, paid for his lodging, and, with a hired hand carrying his luggage, went straight to Lingyin Monastery to become a monk under Abbot Iron Ox Yin, who was well versed in all the classics. The abbot’s ten acolytes, named after the ten Heavenly Stems, were all brilliant students, and Chen Kechang took the position of second acolyte in this succession.1 When the fourth day of the fifth month was drawing near,2 in the eleventh year of the Shaoxing reign period [1141], and zongzi3 were being prepared in the mansion of Prince Wu Yi, Emperor Gaozong’s maternal uncle,4 the prince gave an order to the butler, saying, “Tomorrow, I’ll be going to Lingyin Monastery to take some 98 donations to the monks. Get some vegetarian food ready for me.” Thus instructed, the butler proceeded to make arrangements for money and all the miscellaneous items that would be needed. After breakfast the next morning, the prince checked all the items and mounted his sedan-chair. He took along the butler, a few administrative assistants, his personal guards, and a number of low-ranking military o‹cers. They went through Qiantang Gate, past Shihan Bridge and the Big Buddha Head, and proceeded toward Lingyin Monastery on West Hill. Having received a visiting card in advance, the abbot had the monks strike the chimes and beat the drums to welcome the prince. After the prince was led into the main hall and invited to light incense, he was ushered into the abbot’s cell, where he sat down. Following the abbot’s lead, the monks saluted the prince and served him tea, after which they withdrew and stood against the wall in two rows, one on the left, one on the right. The prince said, “On every fifth day of the fifth month, I come to make donations to the monastery and bring you zongzi. Today is no exception.” Some young attendants carried in food oªerings to the Buddha and then went to all the monks’ rooms, distributing zongzi from the large trays they held on their palms. While walking leisurely along the corridors, the prince saw a quatrain written on the wall: In the state of Qi was born Lord Mengchang; During the Jin lived that powerful Zhen’e. Only I was born under the wrong star; Let me call the fortune-tellers to account! After reading it, the prince commented, “This poem has a bitter tone. I wonder who wrote it?” He returned to the abbot’s cell where the abbot had set out dinner , and asked, “Abbot, who in your monastery writes good poems?” “Your Excellency,” replied the abbot, “of the many monks in this monastery, the ten acolytes named after the ten Heavenly Stems are all capable of writing poetry.” “Summon them for me.” “Only two are in the monastery. The other eight are out in the villages.” Thereupon...

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