崂山道士 The Taoist of Laoshan

邑有王生，行七，故家子。 yì yǒu wáng shēng, háng qī, gù jiā zǐ.
In the district lived a young man named Wang, seventh among his brothers and a son of an old-established family.

少慕道，闻崂山多仙人，负笈往游。 shào mù dào, wén láo shān duō xiān rén, fù jí wǎng yóu.
From his youth he admired the Dao, and hearing that Laoshan had many immortals, he went there carrying his book box.

登一顶，有观宇，甚幽。 dēng yī dǐng, yǒu guàn yǔ, shèn yōu.
On a summit he found a deeply secluded Daoist monastery.

一道士坐蒲团上，素发垂领，而神观爽迈。 yī dào shì zuò pú tuán shàng, sù fà chuí lǐng, ér shén guān shuǎng mài.
A Daoist sat on a rush cushion, his white hair hanging to his collar, with a bright, vigorous bearing.

叩而与语，理甚玄妙，请师之。 kòu ér yǔ yǔ, lǐ shèn xuán miào, qǐng shī zhī.
Wang paid his respects and spoke with him. His explanations were profound and subtle, and Wang asked to become his pupil.

道士曰：“恐娇惰不能作苦。” dào shì yuē: “kǒng jiāo duò bù néng zuò kǔ.”
The Daoist said, “I fear you are too pampered and lazy to bear hard work.”

答言：“能之。” dá yán: “néng zhī.”
He answered, “I can.”

其门人甚众，薄暮毕集，王俱与稽首，遂留观中。 qí mén rén shèn zhòng, bó mù bì jí, wáng jù yǔ qǐ shǒu, suì liú guàn zhōng.
The Daoist had many pupils, who all assembled at dusk. Wang bowed to each of them and stayed in the monastery.

凌晨，道士呼王去，授以斧，使随众采樵。 líng chén, dào shì hū wáng qù, shòu yǐ fǔ, shǐ suí zhòng cǎi qiáo.
At dawn the Daoist called Wang over, gave him an axe and sent him with the others to gather firewood.

王谨受教。 wáng jǐn shòu jiào.
Wang respectfully did as he was told.

过月余，手足重茧，不堪其苦，阴有归志。 guò yuè yú, shǒu zú chóng jiǎn, bù kān qí kǔ, yīn yǒu guī zhì.
After more than a month his hands and feet were thick with calluses. Unable to bear the hardship, he secretly wanted to go home.

一夕归，见二人与师共酌，日已暮，尚无灯烛。 yī xī guī, jiàn èr rén yǔ shī gòng zhuó, rì yǐ mù, shàng wú dēng zhú.
One evening he came back to find two guests drinking with the master. The sun had set, but no lamps or candles had been lit.

师乃剪纸如镜，粘壁间。 shī nǎi jiǎn zhǐ rú jìng, zhān bì jiān.
The master cut a piece of paper into a mirror-shaped circle and stuck it on the wall.

俄顷，月明辉壁，光鉴毫芒。 é qǐng, yuè míng huī bì, guāng jiàn háo máng.
In a moment, moonlight shone from the wall, illuminating even the finest hairs.

诸门人环听奔走。 zhū mén rén huán tīng bēn zǒu.
The pupils gathered around, listening and hurrying to serve.

一客曰：“良宵胜乐，不可不同。” yī kè yuē: “liáng xiāo shèng lè, bù kě bù tóng.”
One guest said, “Such a fine night and such pleasure ought to be shared.”

乃于案上取壶酒，分赉诸徒，且嘱尽醉。 nǎi yú àn shàng qǔ hú jiǔ, fēn lài zhū tú, qiě zhǔ jìn zuì.
He took a pot of wine from the table, shared it among the pupils and told them to drink their fill.

王自思：“七八人，壶酒何能遍给？” wáng zì sī: “qī bā rén, hú jiǔ hé néng biàn jǐ?”
Wang thought, “How can one pot of wine serve seven or eight people?”

遂各觅盎盂，竞饮先釂，惟恐樽尽。 suì gè mì àng yú, jìng yǐn xiān jiào, wéi kǒng zūn jìn.
They each found a bowl and competed to drain it first, afraid the wine would run out.

而往复挹注，竟不少减，心奇之。 ér wǎng fù yì zhù, jìng bù shǎo jiǎn, xīn qí zhī.
But however often they ladled and poured, the wine did not diminish at all, and Wang marvelled at it.

俄一客曰：“蒙赐月明之照，乃尔寂饮，何不呼嫦娥来？” é yī kè yuē: “méng cì yuè míng zhī zhào, nǎi ěr jì yǐn, hé bù hū cháng é lái?”
Soon a guest said, “We have been given this moonlight, yet we drink in silence. Why not call Chang'e here?”

乃以箸掷月中。 nǎi yǐ zhù zhì yuè zhōng.
He threw a chopstick into the moon.

见一美人，自光中出，初不盈尺，至地，遂与人等。 jiàn yī měi rén, zì guāng zhōng chū, chū bù yíng chǐ, zhì dì, suì yǔ rén děng.
A beautiful woman appeared from the light, at first less than a foot tall; when she reached the floor she was as tall as anyone there.

纤腰秀项，翩翩作霓裳舞。 xiān yāo xiù xiàng, piān piān zuò ní cháng wǔ.
With a slender waist and graceful neck, she danced lightly to the Rainbow Skirt dance.

已而歌曰：“仙仙乎，而还乎，而幽我于广寒乎？” yǐ ér gē yuē: “xiān xiān hū, ér huán hū, ér yōu wǒ yú guǎng hán hū?”
Then she sang, “Lightly I dance! Will you send me back, will you shut me away in the Palace of Vast Cold?”

其声清越，烈如箫管。 qí shēng qīng yuè, liè rú xiāo guǎn.
Her voice was clear and far-reaching, strong as the sound of pipes.

歌毕，盘旋而起，跃登几上，惊顾之间，已复为箸。 gē bì, pán xuán ér qǐ, yuè dēng jī shàng, jīng gù zhī jiān, yǐ fù wéi zhù.
When the song ended, she rose in a circling motion and leapt onto the table. As they watched in surprise, she had already become a chopstick again.

三人大笑。 sān rén dà xiào.
The three men laughed heartily.

又一客曰：“今宵最乐，然不胜酒力矣，其饯我于月宫可乎？” yòu yī kè yuē: “jīn xiāo zuì lè, rán bù shèng jiǔ lì yǐ, qí jiàn wǒ yú yuè gōng kě hū?”
Another guest said, “Tonight has been the greatest pleasure, but I can take no more wine. Could you see me off with a drink in the moon palace?”

三人移席，渐入月中。 sān rén yí xí, jiàn rù yuè zhōng.
The three moved their seats and gradually entered the moon.

众视三人坐月中饮，须眉毕见，如影之在镜中。 zhòng shì sān rén zuò yuè zhōng yǐn, xū méi bì xiàn, rú yǐng zhī zài jìng zhōng.
The pupils watched the three drinking inside the moon, their beards and eyebrows clearly visible, like reflections in a mirror.

移时，月渐暗，门人燃烛来，则道士独坐，而客杳矣。 yí shí, yuè jiàn àn, mén rén rán zhú lái, zé dào shì dú zuò, ér kè yǎo yǐ.
After a while the moon grew dim. A pupil brought a lit candle, and there was the Daoist sitting alone; the guests had vanished.

几上肴核尚存，壁上月，纸圆如镜而已。 jī shàng yáo hé shàng cún, bì shàng yuè, zhǐ yuán rú jìng ér yǐ.
The dishes and fruit were still on the table; the moon on the wall was only a circle of paper like a mirror.

道士问众：“饮足乎？” dào shì wèn zhòng: “yǐn zú hū?”
The Daoist asked the pupils, “Have you had enough to drink?”

曰：“足矣。” yuē: “zú yǐ.”
They answered, “Enough.”

“足宜早寝，勿误樵苏。” “zú yí zǎo qǐn, wù wù qiáo sū.”
“If you have had enough, go to bed early. Do not fall behind with gathering wood and grass.”

众诺而退。 zhòng nuò ér tuì.
They agreed and withdrew.

王窃欣慕，归念遂息。 wáng qiè xīn mù, guī niàn suì xī.
Wang secretly admired and longed for these wonders, so his thoughts of going home ceased.

又一月，苦不可忍，而道士并不传教一术。 yòu yī yuè, kǔ bù kě rěn, ér dào shì bìng bù chuán jiào yī shù.
Another month passed, and the hardship became unbearable, yet the Daoist had not taught him a single magical art.

心不能持，辞曰：“弟子数百里，受业仙师，纵不能得长生术，或小有传习，亦可慰求教之心。 xīn bù néng chí, cí yuē: “dì zǐ shù bǎi lǐ, shòu yè xiān shī, zòng bù néng dé cháng shēng shù, huò xiǎo yǒu chuán xí, yì kě wèi qiú jiào zhī xīn.
Unable to hold out, he asked leave to go: “I have come hundreds of li to study under an immortal master. Even if I cannot learn immortality, a little instruction would satisfy my wish to learn.

今阅两三月，不过早樵而暮归。 jīn yuè liǎng sān yuè, bù guò zǎo qiáo ér mù guī.
Two or three months have now passed, and all I do is go out for wood in the morning and return at dusk.

弟子在家，未谙此苦。” dì zǐ zài jiā, wèi ān cǐ kǔ.”
At home I never knew such hardship.”

道士笑曰：“我固谓不能作苦，今果然。 dào shì xiào yuē: “wǒ gù wèi bù néng zuò kǔ, jīn guǒ rán.
The Daoist smiled and said, “I said from the start that you could not endure hard work, and now it has proved so.

明早，当遣汝行。” míng zǎo, dāng qiǎn rǔ xíng.”
Tomorrow morning I will send you on your way.”

王曰：“弟子操作多日，师略授小技，此来为不负也。” wáng yuē: “dì zǐ cāo zuò duō rì, shī lüè shòu xiǎo jì, cǐ lái wéi bù fù yě.”
Wang said, “I have worked here many days. If you teach me a small skill, my journey will not have been wasted.”

道士问：“何术之求？” dào shì wèn: “hé shù zhī qiú?”
The Daoist asked, “What skill do you seek?”

王曰：“每见师行处，墙壁所不能隔，但得此法，足矣。” wáng yuē: “měi jiàn shī xíng chù, qiáng bì suǒ bù néng gé, dàn dé cǐ fǎ, zú yǐ.”
Wang said, “Whenever I see you walking, walls cannot obstruct you. If I could just learn that method, it would be enough.”

道士笑而允之。 dào shì xiào ér yǔn zhī.
The Daoist smiled and agreed.

乃传以诀，令自咒毕，呼曰：“入之！” nǎi chuán yǐ jué, lìng zì zhòu bì, hū yuē: “rù zhī!”
He taught Wang a formula, had him recite the incantation himself, and called, “Go through!”

王面墙不敢入。 wáng miàn qiáng bù gǎn rù.
Facing the wall, Wang did not dare go through.

又曰：“试入之。” yòu yuē: “shì rù zhī.”
The Daoist said again, “Try going through.”

王果从容入，及墙而阻。 wáng guǒ cóng róng rù, jí qiáng ér zǔ.
Wang did approach slowly, but the wall stopped him.

道士曰：“俯首骤入，勿逡巡！” dào shì yuē: “fǔ shǒu zhòu rù, wù qūn xún!”
The Daoist said, “Lower your head and rush through. Do not hang back!”

王果去墙数步，奔而入。 wáng guǒ qù qiáng shù bù, bēn ér rù.
Wang stepped several paces away and ran at it.

及墙，虚若无物；回视，果在墙外矣。 jí qiáng, xū ruò wú wù; huí shì, guǒ zài qiáng wài yǐ.
When he reached the wall, it was empty as if nothing were there. Looking back, he found himself outside it.

大喜，入谢。 dà xǐ, rù xiè.
Overjoyed, he went in to give thanks.

道士曰：“归宜洁持，否则不验。” dào shì yuē: “guī yí jié chí, fǒu zé bù yàn.”
The Daoist said, “When you return, keep yourself pure; otherwise it will not work.”

遂资斧遣之归。 suì zī fǔ qiǎn zhī guī.
He then gave Wang travelling money and sent him home.

抵家，自诩遇仙，坚壁所不能阻。 dǐ jiā, zì xǔ yù xiān, jiān bì suǒ bù néng zǔ.
When he reached home, Wang boasted that he had met an immortal and that solid walls could no longer stop him.

妻不信。 qī bù xìn.
His wife did not believe him.

王效其作为，去墙数尺，奔而入。 wáng xiào qí zuò wéi, qù qiáng shù chǐ, bēn ér rù.
Wang copied what he had done before, stood several feet from the wall and ran at it.

头触硬壁，蓦然而踣。 tóu chù yìng bì, mò rán ér bó.
His head struck the hard wall, and he abruptly fell down.

妻扶视之，额上坟起如巨卵焉。 qī fú shì zhī, é shàng fén qǐ rú jù luǎn yān.
His wife helped him up and saw that a lump like a huge egg had risen on his forehead.

妻揶揄之。 qī yé yú zhī.
His wife made fun of him.

王惭忿，骂老道士之无良而已。 wáng cán fèn, mà lǎo dào shì zhī wú liáng ér yǐ.
Ashamed and angry, Wang could only curse the old Daoist for being unscrupulous.

异史氏曰：“闻此事，未有不大笑者，而不知世之为王生者，正复不少。 yì shǐ shì yuē: “wén cǐ shì, wèi yǒu bù dà xiào zhě, ér bù zhī shì zhī wéi wáng shēng zhě, zhèng fù bù shǎo.
The Historian of the Strange says: “Nobody hears this story without laughing, yet they do not realise how many people in the world behave like Wang.

今有伧父，喜疢毒而畏药石，遂有舐痈吮痔者，进宣威逞暴之术，以迎其旨，绐之曰：‘执此术也以往，可以横行而无碍。’ jīn yǒu cāng fǔ, xǐ chèn dú ér wèi yào shí, suì yǒu shì yōng shǔn zhì zhě, jìn xuān wēi chěng bào zhī shù, yǐ yíng qí zhǐ, dài zhī yuē: ‘zhí cǐ shù yě yǐ wǎng, kě yǐ héng xíng ér wú ài.’
There are coarse fellows who enjoy poisonous pleasures and fear healing medicine. Then come the foulest flatterers, offering ways to display authority and indulge violence, catering to their wishes and deceiving them: ‘With these methods, you can act as you please without obstruction.’

初试，未尝不小效，遂谓天下之大，举可以如是行矣。 chū shì, wèi cháng bù xiǎo xiào, suì wèi tiān xià zhī dà, jǔ kě yǐ rú shì xíng yǐ.
At the first attempt these methods bring some small success, so they imagine that they can act this way throughout the whole world.

势不至触硬壁而颠蹶，不止也。” shì bù zhì chù yìng bì ér diān jué, bù zhǐ yě.”
They will not stop until they strike a hard wall and fall.”