Skip to main content

The Emperor of Qin and the Spirit of the Sea

The Book San Qi-lüe Record (三齊略), says that Qin Shi-huang ( 秦始皇 ) wished to construct a stone bridge in the midst of the sea, so that he could cross over to find out the place of sunrise; but as this was not within the compass of human power, the Spirit of the Sea (海神) set up the buttresses for him. The Spirit drove stones down into the Eastern Sea from the Mountain Chengyang. All stones stood up and moved eastward. The Spirit whipped those slow stones to urge up, he flogged them so hard that all stones bled. You can still see red bloodstains on those stones on the Mountain Chengyang till today.

Qin Shi-huang was grateful for the kindness of the Sea Spirit, and doing honour to him, sought an interview; the spirit of the sea replied, saying, ' My form is ugly, and you must not delineate it ; on condition of your not attempting this, I will meet with your Majesty.' Qin Shi-huang then constructed a stone pier, upon which he went out about ten miles into the sea, and obtained an interview. His attendants did not dare to move their hands, but a clever fellow among them clandestinely delineated the form which presented the Spirit of the Sea itself with his foot. The spirit was angry, and charging his Majesty with a breach of faith, departed.

Qin Shi-huang hurriedly turned around his horse back to the shore, just merely set foot on the land safely, but his attendant the painter drowned. All stones set up as buttresses collapsed.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Legend of The Three-Life Stone

The Buddhist believe metempsychosis, or the migration of the souls of animated beings, people's relationships are predestined through three states of life: the past, present, and future life. Legend has it that there's a road called Yellow Spring Road, which leads to Fogotten River. Over the river there's a bridge called Helpless Bridge (Naihe Bridge), at one end of the bridge sits a crimson stone called Three-life Stone. When two people die, they take this route to reincarnation. if they carve their name on the Three-life Stone together while they pass the stone, they are to be predestined to be together in their future life. Although before their rebirth they will be given a MengPo Soup to drink and thereby their memory of past life are obliterated. In reality, San-Sheng Shi (三生石), or Three-Life Stone is located beside Flying Mountain near the West Lake, Hangzhou. On the stone, there is seal with three Chinese characters that say "The Three-life Stone," and a de...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Four Diamond Kings of Heaven

On the right and left sides of the entrance hall of Buddhist temples, two on each side, are the gigantic figures of the four great Diamond Kings of Heaven. They are four brothers named respectively Mo-li Ch’ing (Pure), Mo-li Hung (Vast), Mo-li Hai (Sea), and Mo-li Shou (Age). Mo-li Ch’ing, the eldest, is twenty-four feet in height, with a beard the hairs of which are like copper wire. He carries a magnificent jade ring and a spear, and always fights on foot. He has also a magic sword, ‘Blue Cloud,’ on the blade of which are engraved the four characters: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind. When brandished, it causes a black wind, which produces tens of thousands of spears, which pierce the bodies of men and turn them to dust. The wind is followed by a fire, which fills the air with tens of thousands of golden fiery serpents. A thick smoke also rises out of the ground, which blinds and burns men, none being able to escape. Mo-li Hung carries in his hand an umbrella, called the Umbrella of Chao...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bian He's Jade Disc (He Shi Bi)

Bian He was a jade master from the state of Chu. He was entrusted with the task of finding the best jade for Chu. He climbed many a mountain and turned over every stone that he came across. One day he came to Mount Jin, where, according to legends, a pair of phoenixes frolicked on slate. Bian He believed that there must be treasure in this mountain. After an exhaustive search, he came upon a large piece of stone that looked unremarkable at first. But upon close inspection of its grains and veins, Bian He was convinced that it was a rare piece of jade. He brought it back to King Li of Chu. King Li asked his court workmen to check it out. The king’s men told the king that it was an ordinary stone not deserving the attention of a king and Bian He was a cheat. Emperor Li ordered the men to chop off Bian He’s left foot and dump him onto the street. Bian He dragged himself back to Mount Jin. In spite of the tremendous pain, he never lost the conviction that the stone was jade. He waited p...
Post a Comment
Read more