Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en

Author:Wu Cheng'en
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0218-7
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

After this there was not a man in the whole empire who was not moved to virtue The emperor also issued another edict ordering the treasury to pay gold and silver to Hu Jingde, who was sent to Kaifeng to seek Shang Liang, and to repay the emperor’s debt. Another edict called for a volunteer to take the melons to Hell.

Some days after the issue of these edicts, there appeared a good man, who was willing to present the melons. He was from Junzhou, by the name of Liu Chun, and he possessed some ten thousand strings of cash. But because his wife had given her hairpins to a poor monk, he accused her of being unfaithful to him. The wife could not endure the false accusation, so committed suicide, leaving behind her a little boy and girl, who cried night and day for their mother. The father could not endure their cries, and contemplated suicide. He was therefore willing to die and take the melons to Hell. He took the edict, and went with it to the emperor. He was told to go carefully select a couple of Southern melons to carry with him. On the way he chewed some poison and died, and his soul took the melons to Hell.

He soon got there and told the matter to the demon gatekeeper. The demon welcomed Liu most heartily, and led him to the Sunluo Hall where he saw Yama, the King of Hell and presented him with the melons, saying, “I come to present these by order of the distant Tang Emperor of China, in return for the kindness shown to him by the Ten Judges.” Yama was much pleased, and said, “What a faithful and good emperor he is.” He received the melons, and asked the man his name and whence he came. Liu replied, “I am from Junzhou and my name is Liu Chun. As my wife had committed suicide, I was willing to leave my home and children, and to sacrifice my life for my emperor, and therefore present the melons as my tribute.” When the Ten Judges heard this, they sent one of the demons to find the soul of Liu’s wife, and bring her to see him. The Judges also looked up the Records of Life and Death. Both the husband and wife were destined to become immortals. Yama said to one of his demons, “Go at once and bring her here.” The demon replied, “She arrived here long ago and her corpse has decomposed by now. Where can we put her soul?” Yama turned up the Records of Life and Death again. “The emperor’s sister, Princess Li Ruying, should be dead by now. Take her body and let the soul of Liu’s wife occupy it.” Having received his orders, the demon took Liu and his wife out of Hell. And so the princess’ body was given Mrs. Liu’s soul. The emperor, seeing his sister reviving, began to congratulate the royal princess, but she,

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