Daoist Immortal Wang Mengxing (王梦醒) - 1934
‘I have been sat on my meditation cushion for many years now (both alive and dead), and have practised self-cultivation that preserves the body by building the essence (性 – Xing).'
In the latter years of the Qing Dynasty (during the reign of the Emperor Guangxu), there lived in the Changchun area of Jilin province, northeast China, a man named Wang Mengxing (王梦醒). One day his mother died of illness and was buried in Changchun. Wang Mengxing entered the famous (Daoist) temple on Mount Qian (千山 – Qian Shan) named ‘No Limit Temple’ (无量观 – Wu Liang Guan) where he dedicated himself to the study of the Dao (道). However, for the last ten years of his life, he lived in a simple hut next to the tomb of his mother, where, for three years he observed the Confucian ritual of filial mourning. This involved him drinking only cold water, and eating raw rice (in the form of uncooked rice flour) to fill his belly.
After hearing rumours amongst the people that there was a Daoist priest sat in constant meditation by the grave of his mother – the local battalion commander named Cao Kun (曹锟) – travelled to the Changchun area to see for himself. When he arrived at the site of the tomb, Cao Kun found Wang Mengxing sat in quiet and still meditation. As his fame grew, many ordinary people brought offerings of money to help Wang Mengxing – but he remained unresponsive to the attention and indifferent to the offerings of money (much of which blew away in the wind). Quite often a pile of coins would build-up around his seated area and as he did not move, poor people would come by and simply take the money for themselves – assuming that Wang Mengxing was wealthy and did not care. However, one day a robber armed with a knife came to Wang Mengxing and demanded the money and riches he thought that he possessed – but could find none. Before leaving the area, the robber stabbed Wang Mengxing in the throat. The next day the police arrived to investigate and found Wang Mengxing unable to talk due to his badly injured throat. As Changchun was very busy at the time with many visitors from other counties, the police asked Wang Mengxing if a stranger had attacked him, but he denied this with a shake of his head. The police asked if what happened had originated from the ‘divine-sky’ (天 – Tian), to which Wang Mengxing nodded yes to this idea and the police stated that in that case, they cannot arrest a ‘spirit’ and demand a life for a life. Shortly after this incident in 1934, Wang Mengxing died (whilst sat up in meditation). The local people placed his body (still sat crossed-legged in meditation) in his mother’s tomb and called the area the ‘Filial Son Grave’ (孝子坟 – Xiao Zi Fen). There are many stories about Wang Mengxing who taught his disciples that filial piety should be a corner-stone of correct spiritual training.
During the Japanese occupation of northeast China (and the establishment of the Manchukuo puppet State), Changchun was declared the capital city and a large road was planned. However, the ‘Filial Son’s Tomb’ was in the way and workers were sent to clear the obstacle. Every worker who tried to damage the grave either fell injured or fainted. The Japanese did not believe this and used artillery shells and aerial bombardment on the grave – but to no avail as all the missiles failed to explode. The Japanese also made the puppet emperor Xuantong (宣统) – also known as ‘Pu Yi’ – to issue an imperial edict to move the grave – but no one was able to carry-out the order. Not long after this, a voice was heard emanating from the tomb stating: ‘I have been sat on my meditation cushion for many years now (both alive and dead), and have practised self-cultivation that preserves the body by building the essence (性 – Xing). This is how I have observed (and integrated with) the true essence (真元 – Zhen Yuan). I watch over this grave in the name of the divine-sky and I can tell you that it is not time for the bones of my mother to migrate.’ Everyone living in northeast China has heard of this ‘Filial Son Grave’ and many thousands of people go there every year to burn incense and pray – some even spend the night in the old Daoist Temple nearby.
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2016.
Original Chinese Language Text:
王梦醒
王梦醒是大约清末光绪时候的人,生于吉林长春。他生来就好修道,觉得人生好像作梦似的。因母亲去世,返回长春在母亲坟上守孝。守孝期间,他不吃熟的东西,就吃生米;他用手抓一把米,这就是他一天的口粮,抓多少就吃多少。这一把米不是他自己买的,有人送米,他就吃,没有人送,他就不吃了。有很多人送米给他,谁先送这一把米,他就吃谁的,后送来的就不吃了。
当时曹锟做统带,像现在的营长,常去拜访王孝子。人们传说他有道,又怎么样有功夫,很多人争先恐后的供养他;有人给铜钱或者纸币,他也置之不顾。纸币被风刮跑,或者有人偷拿铜钱,他也不加拦阻,引起一些流氓恶人的觊觎,说:“他也不收拾那些散钱,随便人拿,他一定有很多钱才这样子;如果没有钱,不会不要散钱的。”于是晚间就去打劫他。他在那儿坐着,那些恶人拿刀威胁,逼索金银珠宝。王梦醒说他没有钱,恶人不相信,用刀刺破他喉咙才走。
第二天警察来了,看他奄奄一息的样子,不能讲话。那时候长春很热闹,各国的人士都有。警察一一问他,是哪一个国家的人杀的,他都摇头。警察说:“莫非是天杀的你?”他点头了。警察说:“天杀的你,我们没有法子叫老天爷来给你偿命。”他就死了。
日本占领东北,成立伪满洲帝国,建都在长春,想要开一条大马路,孝子坟就在马路中间挡着。工人想把坟搬到一边,谁刨坟谁就昏倒,或者受伤了。日本人不相信,就用炮来轰,又用飞机炸弹来炸;炸弹都不爆炸。又找宣统下圣旨令其搬家,孝子坟还是屹然不动,谁也动不了。最后听见坟里边有人讲话,他说:“蒲团静坐已多年,修身养性守真元;母骨迁徙时未至,吾坟移动在乎天。”全东北都知道这个孝子坟,很灵感的,住在很远的地方的人都去烧香。我自己也曾到孝子坟那儿看过,还在一个老道庙上住了一宿。
After hearing rumours amongst the people that there was a Daoist priest sat in constant meditation by the grave of his mother – the local battalion commander named Cao Kun (曹锟) – travelled to the Changchun area to see for himself. When he arrived at the site of the tomb, Cao Kun found Wang Mengxing sat in quiet and still meditation. As his fame grew, many ordinary people brought offerings of money to help Wang Mengxing – but he remained unresponsive to the attention and indifferent to the offerings of money (much of which blew away in the wind). Quite often a pile of coins would build-up around his seated area and as he did not move, poor people would come by and simply take the money for themselves – assuming that Wang Mengxing was wealthy and did not care. However, one day a robber armed with a knife came to Wang Mengxing and demanded the money and riches he thought that he possessed – but could find none. Before leaving the area, the robber stabbed Wang Mengxing in the throat. The next day the police arrived to investigate and found Wang Mengxing unable to talk due to his badly injured throat. As Changchun was very busy at the time with many visitors from other counties, the police asked Wang Mengxing if a stranger had attacked him, but he denied this with a shake of his head. The police asked if what happened had originated from the ‘divine-sky’ (天 – Tian), to which Wang Mengxing nodded yes to this idea and the police stated that in that case, they cannot arrest a ‘spirit’ and demand a life for a life. Shortly after this incident in 1934, Wang Mengxing died (whilst sat up in meditation). The local people placed his body (still sat crossed-legged in meditation) in his mother’s tomb and called the area the ‘Filial Son Grave’ (孝子坟 – Xiao Zi Fen). There are many stories about Wang Mengxing who taught his disciples that filial piety should be a corner-stone of correct spiritual training.
During the Japanese occupation of northeast China (and the establishment of the Manchukuo puppet State), Changchun was declared the capital city and a large road was planned. However, the ‘Filial Son’s Tomb’ was in the way and workers were sent to clear the obstacle. Every worker who tried to damage the grave either fell injured or fainted. The Japanese did not believe this and used artillery shells and aerial bombardment on the grave – but to no avail as all the missiles failed to explode. The Japanese also made the puppet emperor Xuantong (宣统) – also known as ‘Pu Yi’ – to issue an imperial edict to move the grave – but no one was able to carry-out the order. Not long after this, a voice was heard emanating from the tomb stating: ‘I have been sat on my meditation cushion for many years now (both alive and dead), and have practised self-cultivation that preserves the body by building the essence (性 – Xing). This is how I have observed (and integrated with) the true essence (真元 – Zhen Yuan). I watch over this grave in the name of the divine-sky and I can tell you that it is not time for the bones of my mother to migrate.’ Everyone living in northeast China has heard of this ‘Filial Son Grave’ and many thousands of people go there every year to burn incense and pray – some even spend the night in the old Daoist Temple nearby.
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2016.
Original Chinese Language Text:
王梦醒
王梦醒是大约清末光绪时候的人,生于吉林长春。他生来就好修道,觉得人生好像作梦似的。因母亲去世,返回长春在母亲坟上守孝。守孝期间,他不吃熟的东西,就吃生米;他用手抓一把米,这就是他一天的口粮,抓多少就吃多少。这一把米不是他自己买的,有人送米,他就吃,没有人送,他就不吃了。有很多人送米给他,谁先送这一把米,他就吃谁的,后送来的就不吃了。
当时曹锟做统带,像现在的营长,常去拜访王孝子。人们传说他有道,又怎么样有功夫,很多人争先恐后的供养他;有人给铜钱或者纸币,他也置之不顾。纸币被风刮跑,或者有人偷拿铜钱,他也不加拦阻,引起一些流氓恶人的觊觎,说:“他也不收拾那些散钱,随便人拿,他一定有很多钱才这样子;如果没有钱,不会不要散钱的。”于是晚间就去打劫他。他在那儿坐着,那些恶人拿刀威胁,逼索金银珠宝。王梦醒说他没有钱,恶人不相信,用刀刺破他喉咙才走。
第二天警察来了,看他奄奄一息的样子,不能讲话。那时候长春很热闹,各国的人士都有。警察一一问他,是哪一个国家的人杀的,他都摇头。警察说:“莫非是天杀的你?”他点头了。警察说:“天杀的你,我们没有法子叫老天爷来给你偿命。”他就死了。
日本占领东北,成立伪满洲帝国,建都在长春,想要开一条大马路,孝子坟就在马路中间挡着。工人想把坟搬到一边,谁刨坟谁就昏倒,或者受伤了。日本人不相信,就用炮来轰,又用飞机炸弹来炸;炸弹都不爆炸。又找宣统下圣旨令其搬家,孝子坟还是屹然不动,谁也动不了。最后听见坟里边有人讲话,他说:“蒲团静坐已多年,修身养性守真元;母骨迁徙时未至,吾坟移动在乎天。”全东北都知道这个孝子坟,很灵感的,住在很远的地方的人都去烧香。我自己也曾到孝子坟那儿看过,还在一个老道庙上住了一宿。