Sima Mao disrupts order in the underworld and sits in judgment.

31

Sima Mao Disrupts Order in the Underworld and Sits in Judgment

This lyric to the tune of “Full River Red,” written by Monk Hui’an,¹ exhorts people to be content with their lot. Everything that ever happens to every mortal being is determined by fate. What is predestined comes to you of its own accord. What is not meant for you cannot be had, do what you may. You are not Scholar Sima Chongxiang. Do you think you can argue with Yama, king of hell, over your fate?

Storyteller, as for that Sima, how did he argue with Yama? Which of them had justice on his side? Please read on, and you will find out. As the poem says,

It is said that during the reign of Emperor Ling [168–89] of the Eastern Han dynasty, there lived in Yizhou Prefecture of the Shu District a scholar by the name of Sima Mao, courtesy name Chongxiang. Endowed with a most quick mind, he was such a good reader that he could take in ten lines at a single glance. At the age of eight, capable of composing essays as fast as he could write, he was sent as a child prodigy to take the imperial examinations in the capital, only to be disqualified by the examiner for his impertinent remarks.

When he was older and wiser, he deeply regretted his indiscretion and did his best to cultivate prudence and modesty. He immersed himself in his studies behind closed doors, totally oblivious to happenings in the outside world. After his parents died, he moved into a hut, where he lived for six years in mourning and won a reputation as a filial son. He was recommended several times for official posts on the grounds of filial piety, virtue, and breadth of knowledge, but each time the position was seized by someone with political backing, leaving him bitterly disappointed.

In the first year of the Guanghe reign period [178], Emperor Ling started the construction of his Western Palace. To raise money for the project, he put official positions and titles up for sale, with prices varying with the rank of the position. The title of duke was sold for ten million and that of minister for five million. There was one Cui Lie, who, through the emperor’s nurse, bought with five million the title of minister of education. On the day of Cui’s inauguration and the o ering of thanks, the emperor regretted the deal. With a stamp of his foot, he said, “I was shortchanged for such a nice title. I could have got ten million if only I had made things a little harder for him.”

The emperor then founded the School at the Gate of the Great Capital and ordered the magistrates, prefects, and the three highest offices to recommend sons of rich families to enter the school. Those o ering enough money were made inspectors for a provincial appointment and imperial secretaries for a metropolitan one. Scholar-officials regarded association with these people as a disgrace.

The poverty-stricken Sima Chongxiang had no one to recommend him, and so, by the time he reached fifty years of age, his circumstances had seen no change, however talented and erudite he was. A member of the common folk he remained, much to his seething resentment. In a state of inebriety, he took up the four treasures of the study² and composed a lyric poem to the tune of “Grievances,” intoning the words as he wrote them. The poem said,

Having finished the poem, he intoned it over and over again. However, as this outburst still did not give full vent to his bitterness, he wrote another eight lines:

Before he knew it, evening had set in. He lit the lamp and chanted the poems several times. Rage suddenly seized him. He threw the poems into the lamp’s flame, exclaiming, “Heaven! Oh Heaven! If there is still any good sense left in you, what can you say for an answer? I, Sima Mao, have never in my life been guilty of anything that would compromise my integrity. Even if you take me before Yama, I wouldn’t flinch a bit. What do I have to fear?” After this outburst, he felt a weariness steal over him, and he fell asleep by the table.

Then there emerged from under the table seven or eight of Yama’s demon runners, standing only three feet tall, with green faces, and long teeth sticking out of their mouths. Teasing Chongxiang, they said, “Scholar, what talents do you have to make you speak so bitterly of heaven and earth and to throw such libel at the netherworld! We are here to take you to Yama, king of hell. We’ll see if you still can find your tongue!”

Chongxiang shot back, “What logic is this, to accuse me of libel when Yama’s injustice is a fact!”

Without bothering to hear him out, the demons sprang upon him, dragged him by hand and by foot down from his seat, and threw a black noose around his neck. With a loud cry, he woke up in a cold sweat. What met his eyes was the sadly flickering flame of the lamp.

Shivers of cold ran through him. Feeling indisposed, he had his wife, Wang-shi, bring him a warm cup of tea. The tea made him dizzy, as if his legs were giving way under the weight of his head. Wang-shi helped him to bed. The following day, he fell into a coma and failed to respond to her calls. She wondered what he could be ill with. When the day drew to a close, he breathed his last, lying sti in bed. Wang-shi broke down in a flood of passionate weeping. As his hands and feet were found to be still soft and his chest still slightly warm, she dared not move his body but stayed by the bedside, sobbing bitterly.

Let us follow another thread of the story and describe how the god on night patrol saw Chongxiang burn his poem “Grievances” and duly reported the event to the Jade Emperor. The latter flew into a rage. “Fame and fortune are a matter of fate. Should human status be determined by worth and talent, as he would have it, the world would know nothing but eternal peace, nor would there be any change of dynasties. How preposterous! (Subtle words that give food for thought.) What does this petty scholar know? Yet he accuses me of being unfair! He needs some punishment, the sooner the better, as a warning to all those given to false accusations.”

At this point, the Gold Star of Venus remarked, “Imprudent though he was, he said those bitter words because, for all his talents, his is a hard life. If we go by the rule of rewarding the good and punishing the evil, his remarks did not overstep the bounds of reason. In view of the circumstances, I plead that he be forgiven.”

The emperor said, “It was most presumptuous of him to claim that he would set all wrongs to right if he were Yama. What mortal, I ask you, can be Yama? With case files piled up mountain-high, the ten kings of the netherworld are so overwhelmed with work that they have no time for meals. And this Sima Mao, of all people, comes along and claims that he can set all the cases straight!”

The Gold Star of Venus spoke again: “If he has the arrogance, he probably has the competence. As far as the netherworld is concerned, it is indeed true that injustice has been done. There still remain cases that should have been tried hundreds of years ago. The bitterness of those souls that are thus confined to hell can be felt even in heaven. In my humble view, the best course is to take him to the netherworld and let him take over Yama’s duties for half a day. Let him settle cases that have been mishandled. If his judgments are wise and fair, it will be a credit to o set his o ense. If not, that will be the time for punishment, and only under those circumstances will he accept the justice of it.” (A unique ruling that does justice to the wisdom of that old man, the Star of Venus.) The Jade Emperor approved the suggestion. Thereupon, the Gold Star of Venus, with authorization from the Jade Emperor, descended to the Palace of Darkness in the netherworld and ordered Yama to summon Sima Mao and give him the royal seat for twelve hours that night so that he could accept petitions and try cases. If his judgments were found to be wise and fair, he was to enjoy immense fame and wealth in his next life, as compensation for his misery in this one. Should his judgments lack wisdom, he was to be condemned to hell, never to be reincarnated as a human being again. Thus instructed, Yama sent the Demon of Impermanence to bring Chongxiang down to hell.

Chongxiang did not show the slightest fear at the sight of the demon and followed him all the way to the Palace of Darkness, where the demon yelled a command for him to drop to his knees. Chongxiang protested, “Why should I? Who’s the man sitting up there?”

“That’s Yama himself.”

Chongxiang was overjoyed. “Oh, Yama! Yama! I, Sima Mao, have long been looking forward to seeing you to unburden myself of all my complaints. (The audacity!) How happy am I to be in your presence! In your exalted status as king, you have the judges, the Ox-Heads, the Horse-Faces, and tens of thousands of demon runners to help you, whereas I, Sima Mao, am but a lonely and penniless scholar whose life and death are in your hands. Don’t try to intimidate me with your power. Let’s have a debate in all fairness. The one with the most convincing argument will be the winner.” (In the world of the living, who would allow you to have a debate in all fairness?)

“Being master of the netherworld, I follow the mandate of heaven in everything I do. What virtue and ability do you have that qualify you to take my place? What records do you want to set straight?”

“Yama, you said you follow the mandate of heaven, but the mandate of heaven is based on the love for humanity. It exhorts people to virtue and calls for punishing the wicked. Yet, as things are, the greedy wallow in wealth, whereas the generous find themselves impoverished. The wicked attain fame and fortune to do evil with impunity, whereas the kindhearted are humbled, brought to grief, and denied every wish. The virtuous are often duped by the treacherous and the talented bullied by the benighted. (He says everything I wanted to say to unburden myself of all my complaints.) The wronged have no one to turn to for vindication. All this, Yama, is attributable to the lack of justice in your judgments. Take me for an example: All my life, I, Sima Mao, have labored at my studies with unflinching diligence and made every e ort to practice filial piety. What did I do in violation of the will of heaven that I should su er one setback after another and be unjustly reduced to a status inferior to that of the merely mediocre? What good are you if you turn right and wrong upside down like this? If I were the king of hell, such injustices would never occur.”

Yama laughed. “Retribution is only a matter of time, and may not be readily apparent. It may happen in this lifetime for something one did in a previous existence, or it may be visited upon one’s o spring. In the case of a stingy rich man, he is blessed with wealth because he mortified his flesh in his previous life, but his stinginess in this life will make him die of hunger in his next one. A poor man is poor because, in his previous life, he sinned or lived in wanton extravagance o some ill-gotten gains. Should he devote himself to good deeds, he will still be able to live a life of plenty in his next existence. Thus, it can be seen that the mean and treacherous will find it hard not to lose the fame and fortune they have in this life, and that the honest and kind will eventually attain prosperity without fail, however grievous their life may be at the moment. This immutable law brooks no doubt. Mortal beings do not see what lies beyond their noses, but heaven has a vision that reaches far and wide. As it is beyond their capacity to understand the workings of heaven, humans cry out in protest but only because they do not know better.”

Chongxiang challenged, “If you are thorough in meting out retribution, as you say, don’t tell me there aren’t souls of victims of injustice here in the netherworld. I challenge you to let me check your past records. If every case was fairly handled to the satisfaction of one and all, I, Sima Mao, will be content to plead guilty to libel.”

Yama replied, “I have a decree from the Lord on High to yield my throne to you for twelve hours so that you can review my records. If your judgments are fair and wise, you will enjoy fame and fortune in your next life. If not, you will be condemned to perdition, never to be reincarnated as a human being again.”

Chongxiang was delighted: “So, the Jade Emperor did grant my wish.”

Yama rose from his throne and called him into a back hall. There, Chongxiang put on a crown, a robe embroidered with patterns of pythons, and a jade belt. And the very image of Yama he was!

Demon runners struck the tribunal drum, announcing, “The new Yama now calls the court to order!” There formed against the wall in neat order two lines of judges and runners from the Departments of Virtue and Evil and from the six bureaus. A jade tablet in hand, Chongxiang marched jauntily into the tribunal hall and mounted the throne. After the customary salutations, the assembly of officials inquired if notices should be posted to announce that the court was ready to hear cases. Chongxiang thought to himself, “Goodness only knows how many people there are throughout the five mountains and the four seas of the empire,³ but the Lord on High grants me only twelve hours. If I fail to finish my job on time, I’ll be accused of incompetence, and the consequences of such an o ense won’t be pleasant.”

At this point, a plan sprang to mind. He addressed the judge as follows: “As I am allotted only twelve hours by the Jade Emperor, there is no time to go over all cases. Just bring me some past records. To show you the right way to handle cases, I will settle a few of the most difficult ones that have remained unsolved for hundreds of years.”

The judge reported, “Your Majesty, there are, for your examination, only four files containing cases that have remained unresolved for more than three hundred fifty years, since the beginning of the Han dynasty.”

“Bring them to me.”

The judge did so accordingly.

Turning over the pages, Chongxiang saw that they were the cases of

After he finished reading the files, Chongxiang gave a great gu aw. “What makes these cases so difficult to solve? All of you in the six bureaus should be reprimanded, and it’s all because Yama has been dragging his feet. (Dragging one’s feet is better than making an arbitrary judgment.) Tonight, I will bring these cases to a close.” Thereupon, he had the demon scribe on duty copy down all the names of the plainti s and the defendants as they appeared in the four files and summoned them for a hearing. The news sent waves of shock throughout the netherworld, as these lines attest:

The demon scribe on duty reported, “The prisoners are here awaiting instructions from Your Honor.”

“Bring forward the parties involved in the first case,” commanded Chongxiang.

The judge shouted at the top of his voice, “Roll call for the parties to the first case!” The roll call found the plainti s Han Xin, Peng Yue, and Y ing Bu and the defendants Liu Bang and Lü-shi all present.

Han Xin was the first one called forward.

“When you were first in the service of Xiang Yu,” said Chongxiang, “you were nothing more than a gentleman of the interior whose suggestions were invariably brushed aside. Once you turned to Liu Bang, you rose to eminence and glory. You were even granted a title of nobility as a reward for your meritorious service. How could you have turned against him later in a conspiracy that ended rightfully in your death? What grounds do you have for lodging a complaint against your lord?”

Han Xin replied, “Your Majesty, please allow me to explain. Out of gratitude for the emperor of Han’s recognition of my ability and his kindness in building a platform for a grand ceremony honoring me as grand marshal, I took pains to acquit myself well. I devised the strategy of building a plank pathway on a cli to divert Xiang Yu’s attention while quietly slipping our forces past Chencang. I helped my master conquer the region of the three Qins. I saved his life at Xingyang, captured Bao, the king of Wei, crushed the army of the state of Dai, and took Xie, the king of Zhao, prisoner. To the north, I swept up the territory of Yan; to the east, I annexed the state of Qi, taking over seventy cities in total; to the south, I put to rout a two-hundredthousand-man Chu army and killed the celebrated general Long Qie; at Nine-Li Mountain, I laid ten ambushes and killed Chu soldiers to the last man; I dispatched six generals to pursue Xiang Yu until he took his own life in desperation at the Wu River ferry. Ten great achievements I have to my name, and content I was in the thought that my descendants could enjoy fame and fortune for generations to come. Then to my great dismay, once he won the empire, the emperor demoted me, in total disregard for my good service. Empress Lü, in a plot with Xiao He, induced me to go to the Palace of Eternal Happiness, where, before I could protest, some armed men bound me up and killed me. In falsely charging me with attempted insurrection, they also wiped out everyone within three degrees of kinship in my family. In all of these three hundred fifty years, this cruel injustice done to me has not been vindicated. Innocent as I am of any wrongdoing, I humbly appeal to Your Majesty’s judiciousness in the settlement of this case.”

Chongxiang snapped, “As a grand marshal, how could you have been so foolhardy as to have been coaxed into a trap and bound up like a child? Didn’t you have anyone to consult? Who can you blame now?”

Han Xin replied, “I did have a military counselor by the name of Kuai Tong, who began well but left me halfway.”

Chongxiang called out to the demon scribe, “Bring Kuai Tong immediately for questioning.”

Kuai Tong was brought forward in a trice.

“Why did you, as Han Xin alleged, abandon your duties as his military counselor?” Chongxiang demanded.

Kuang Tong said in defense of himself, “I was not at fault. I left because Han Xin rejected my advice. At the time when Han Xin defeated Tian Guang, king of Qi, it was I who submitted a memorial to Liu Bang in Luoyang to request conferral of a temporary title of king for Han Xin so as to pacify the Qi people. The king of Han sneered, ‘That lowly rascal who crawled between someone’s legs!⁵ How can he covet a title before the state of Chu is conquered!’ At this point, Zhang Liang quietly stepped on the king’s foot from behind and whispered into his ear, ‘This is a time when you need capable men. Do not let a trivial concern bring you a major loss.’ Thereupon the king changed his tone and said, ‘When a man of honor seeks a position, he seeks not to be a temporary king but a real king.’ So saying, he ordered that the royal seal be brought to him and granted Han Xin the title King of the Three Qis. My observations led me to believe that the king of Han still held Han Xin in distrust and would eventually discard him. Therefore, I advised Han Xin to rise against the king of Han, seek alliance with the state of Chu, and then, with the empire thus divided into three powers, wait for the right opportunity to present itself. But Han Xin said, ‘When the prince built a platform and made me a marshal, I took a vow to be loyal to him as long as he treated me with equal honor. How could I betray him then?’ My repeated attempts to make him see the advantages of such a move failed to shake his resolve. On the contrary, he reproached me for instigating treason. Out of fear of punishment, I feigned madness and fled to the village I came from. Just as I had expected, he was murdered at the Palace of Eternal Happiness after he had helped the king of Han conquer Chu. By then, it was too late for him to regret.”

Chongxiang turned to Han Xin: “What made you turn a deaf ear to Kuai Tong’s advice?”

Han Xin replied, “A fortune-teller by the name of Xu Fu said that I was not to die until the age of seventy-two, at the height of my fame and fortune. That was why I chose not to betray the king of Han. As it turned out, I died way before my time, at the age of thirty-two.”

Chongxiang thereupon had Xu Fu the fortune-teller brought under guard for questioning: “How could you have promised Han Xin seventy-two years of life when he was allotted only thirty-two? How can a fortune-teller throw around phony predictions? In your eagerness to relieve your clients of their purse, you had total disregard for the grief your words might bring them. How despicable!”

Xu Fu protested, “Please listen to me, Your Majesty. It is often said that ‘The allotted span of life can be shortened just as it can be extended.’ Therefore, the length of one’s span of life can well ba›e a fortune-teller. That Han Xin should have lived to be seventy-two was what I derived from my calculations. Little did I know that his excessive killing and squandering of his store of merit would bring about his untimely death. I, for my part, did not predict wrong.”

Chongxiang asked, “What exactly did he do in the way of excessive killing and squandering of merit? Tell the court and spare no details.”

Xu Fu said, “Having abandoned the state of Chu, Han Xin was on his way to enter into the service of the king of Han when he lost his bearings. Fortunately for him, he came upon two woodcutters who showed him a path that led to southern Zheng. Fearful that the king of Chu would send men in pursuit of him and learn of his whereabouts from the woodcutters, he went back with his sword drawn and killed the two men. Insignificant as they were, the woodcutters had done him a favor, and heaven punishes the ungrateful most severely. As the poem says,

Chongxiang pressed further: “What about the other thirty years?” To this Xu Fu answered, “In a fanfare to show his high regard for Han Xin, the man recommended three times by his prime minister, Xiao He, the emperor of Han built a thirty-foot-high platform where he put Han Xin on the seat of honor, while he himself, with a gold seal in hand, bowed to Han Xin and acknowledged him as grand marshal. Han Xin accepted the salutation in all complacence. As the poem says,

Chongxiang said, “A subject who accepts bows from his sovereign is indeed bound to su er the consequences. But what about the remaining twenty years?”

Xu Fu replied, “There was a Scholar Li, counselor by profession, who persuaded Tian Guang, king of Qi, to surrender himself to the state of Han. Tian Guang then spent his days reveling in wine in Li’s company. Taking advantage of Tian Guang’s lack of preparedness, Han Xin crushed Qi in a surprise attack. Tian Guang attributed the defeat to Li’s double-dealing and killed him in boiling water. And so Han Xin scored a great victory to his credit, but only because he betrayed a state that was ready to surrender and took credit that rightfully belonged to Li. As the poem says,

Chongxiang remarked, “There is indeed much sense in what you say. But how do you account for the remaining ten years?”

“That was due to another misdeed. When pursuing Xiang Yu to Guling, the troops of the state of Han were vastly outnumbered by those of the state of Chu. Moreover, Xiang Yu was a man with enough strength to uproot mountains and raise cauldrons. In such a desperate situation, when the Han troops were too few and too weak to gain the upper hand, Han Xin laid out a sure-fire battle formation with ambushes on all sides at Nine-Li Mountain. All one million Chu soldiers and one thousand generals were killed to the last man; Xiang Yu, the king of Chu, was forced to make his escape, all alone, to the Wu River ferry, where he slit his throat and died. As the poem says,

Han Xin was at a loss for an answer after Xu Fu finished speaking. Chongxiang asked, “Han Xin, what do you have to say in your own defense?”

Han Xin replied, “It was through Xiao He’s recommendation that I was made grand marshal. It was the selfsame Xiao He [d. 193 B.C.E.] who later masterminded the plot that lured me into the Palace of Eternal Happiness, where I was arrested and murdered. Xiao was as responsible for my destruction as he was to be credited for my success. It is a grievance that I bear even to this day.”

“Oh, very well,” said Chongxiang, “I will summon Xiao He and get the truth out of him.”

Before long, Xiao He was brought before him. Chongxiang asked, “Xiao He, why were you so erratic as to change from recommending Han Xin to destroying him?”

“There is a reason for this,” said Xiao He. “I recommended him because he, for all his talent, did not win any recognition, while the king of Han, later the emperor, needed a competent grand marshal. Thus they fitted each other’s purposes perfectly. Who would have known that the emperor would change his mind and grow jealous of Han Xin for his abilities? Before setting out on an expedition to quell a rebellion by Chen Xi, the emperor reminded the empress to be on guard against Han Xin. After he had departed, the empress acted upon his instructions and took counsel with me, stating her intention to kill Han Xin for conspiring against the throne. I said, ‘Han Xin is the number one worthy subject of the emperor. If he is guilty of conspiracy, no signs of it are evident. I dare not carry out your order.’ The empress flew into a rage. ‘May I presume,’ she said, ‘that you are an accomplice? If you fail to come up with a plan to do away with Han Xin, you will also be punished upon the emperor’s return.’ Fearing the power of the empress, I was obliged to present her with a plan whereby Han Xin was summoned into the palace to join in celebrating the crushing of Chen Xi by the emperor’s troops, and then, at a sharp order, he was seized and executed by armed men. I never had any intention of harming him.”

Chongxiang said, “It seems that Liu Bang alone was responsible for Han Xin’s death.” Thereupon, he instructed the demon judge to present him with copies of all of the depositions. “This court finds that the rise of the Han dynasty was largely the work of Han Xin, a man who was not rewarded for his merit. Such an unprecedentedly cruel injustice must be redressed in his next life.” With these comments, he put aside the file for the time being.

Next, he summoned Peng Yue, prince of Daliang, for a hearing: “What crime did you commit that made Empress Lü order your death?”

Peng Yue replied, “I am not guilty of any wrongdoing. Instead, I have rendered the emperor meritorious service. I was put to death because while the emperor was away on an expedition to the border regions, Empress Lü, being the wanton woman that she was, asked a eunuch to name a handsome minister in the Han court. Upon being told that Chen Ping was the most handsome man in the imperial court, the empress asked where he was. The eunuch replied, ‘He is with the emperor on the expedition.’ ‘Name another one,’ said the empress. The eunuch said, ‘There is Peng Yue, prince of Daliang, a handsome man of heroic mettle.’ Thereupon, Empress Lü issued a secret decree, summoning me into the court. I proceeded to the Hall of the Golden Bell, but the empress was not there. The eunuch said, ‘Her Majesty wishes to discuss a secret matter with you in the Hall of Eternal Faith.’ Scarcely had I stepped into the hall than the gate was locked and bolted. The empress descended the flight of steps to greet me and invited me to a feast inside the hall. After three cups of wine, her lust aroused, she asked me for intimacy, but I refused out of fear of breaking the ethical codes of behavior. In a towering rage, she ordered her men to kill me with stabs of bronze sledgehammers. My body was cooked and chopped into mincemeat, and my head hung in the street with orders that it not be buried. The emperor, upon his return, was told only that I had sought to rise against him. What a gross injustice!”

The empress, listening to this at one side, burst into tears and protested, “Your Majesty, don’t listen to his lies. It is always men who harass women. Who has heard of a woman taking liberties with a man? When I summoned Peng Yue into the palace for a consultation, he was so impressed by my wealth that he made advances toward me. A minister who flirts with the sovereign’s wife should, by rights, be executed.”

Peng Yue broke in, “When in the Chu army, Empress Lü had a longlasting a air with Shen Yiji. I, Peng Yue, a man of integrity for all my life, am the last one to harbor any indecent thoughts!”

Chongxiang remarked, “Peng Yue’s words ring true, whereas the empress is deceitful. There is no need to go into this further. This court finds Peng Yue a most worthy minister of moral fortitude and matchless loyalty. He will again be a man of honor in his next life, when the wrongs inflicted upon him will be redressed, just as in the case of Han Xin.” With these comments, the file was put aside.

Ying Bu, prince of Jiujiang, was the next one to be called forth. This was how Ying Bu stated his case: “Han Xin, Peng Yue, and I worked together as one. It was through the three of us that the Han empire came into being. I did not have in me the slightest trace of rebellious thought. One day, when I was relaxing by the riverside, there came the announcement of the arrival of an imperial messenger, who, upon a decree from the empress, gave me a jar of mincemeat. After thanking the envoy for this gift, I set the table, had a taste of it, and found it delicious. Then I came upon a human fingernail. I was filled with apprehensions. Upon questioning, the messenger denied all knowledge of the contents of the jar. In a fit of anger, I had him beaten, and the truth came out: It was the flesh of Peng Yue, prince of Daliang. Sickened at hearing this, I induced vomiting by inserting my fingers into my throat, and the meat spurted out in the shape of tiny crabs. To this day, there still exist such ‘Peng Yue’ crabs, which embody Peng Yue’s grievance. Looking for someone to vent my anger on, I killed the messenger then and there. When the empress learned this, she dispatched men carrying a double-edged sword, drugged wine, and three yards of red silk to kill me and return to the palace with my severed head. It is my humble wish that Your Majesty will, in your wisdom, vindicate me for my unjustified death.”

“The three worthy men did indeed die all too miserably,” said Chongxiang. “I, as Yama, do hereby divide the Han empire into three portions and bestow to each of the three of you one portion as a reward for the significant contributions you made when you were alive. (Wise judgment.) Your case is closed.” All parties signed their depositions and left.

As the first group of prisoners withdrew, the second group was called in. This was the case of requiting kindness with enmity. After the names of both the plainti , Ding Gong, and the defendant, Liu Bang, were called and they were found to be present, Ding Gong began stating his case: “When I had the Han emperor encircled on the battlefield, I released him only after he promised to share the empire with me. It turned out, in a way no one would have expected, that he had me murdered after he claimed the throne. I resent such injustice and hope that Your Majesty will judge in my favor.”

Chongxiang turned to Liu Bang: “What do you have to say for yourself?”

The emperor of Han replied, “Being Xiang Yu’s favorite general, Ding Gong was guilty of disloyalty when he failed to capture me, Xiang Yu’s enemy, when I was in his hands. Therefore, I killed him as a warning to all who are lacking in loyalty. It is not a case of wanton killing of the innocent.”

Ding Gong protested, “If so, what did you do for Ji Xin, your loyal subject, who laid down his life for you at Xingyang? You did not even confer a title upon him. How ungrateful of you! Xiang Bo, being a kinsman of Xiang Yu, was the first one to be guilty of disloyalty when he drew his sword and, with Fan Kuai, came to your rescue at the Hongmen Banquet. How is it that he was granted a royal surname and a title instead of being killed? There was also Yong Chi, another of Xiang’s favored generals, whom you loathed most. Yet later, you made him a lord. Why did you bear me, of all people, such malice?” (Admirable! What a clever tongue Ding Gong has!)

The emperor was struck dumb. Chongxiang said, “My verdict for this case is ready. Summon Xiang Bo and Yong Chi, who will be judged along with Ding Gong. Both the plainti and the defendant may now withdraw.”

Parties involved in the third case, that of abusing power and usurping the throne, were now brought forward. After confirming the presence of Lady Qi, the plainti , and Empress Lü, the defendant, Chongxiang addressed Lady Qi in these words: “Lü being the empress, you were but a favored consort. How could you go against all common sense by accusing her of abusing power and usurping the throne, when her son was all too clearly the rightful heir to the throne of the Han dynasty?”

Lady Qi poured out her woes: “During the battle at River Sui before he gained the throne, the emperor, fleeing desperately with Ding Gong and Yong Chi in close pursuit, stumbled all by himself into our Qi village, where my father hid him. I was playing the zither in my room when the emperor heard the music. He asked to see me and, pleased with my looks, he wanted to have me as a concubine, a request that I declined. He said, ‘If things turn out the way I wish and I do gain the empire, I will set up your son as the crown prince.’ With that, he tore o a part of his battle robe and gave it to me as a token of his sincerity. Only then did I give my consent. Thus, my son, when he was born, was named Ruyi [As One Wishes]. The emperor had promised that after his death, Ruyi would succeed to the throne, but nothing came of the promise because all the ministers of the court stood much in fear of the empress.

“After the emperor’s death, Empress Lü set up her own son as the successor to the throne and made Ruyi a mere prince of Zhao, but my son and I dared not object. As it turned out, Empress Lü was still not satisfied. She cajoled us into her quarters for a feast, in the course of which she gave Ruyi some poisoned wine that killed him instantly. Blood flowed out from all of the nine apertures of his head and body. The empress made a feint of being too inebriated to notice anything amiss. With all the hatred burning in my heart, I dared not break down in tears but just threw her a sidelong glance. Claiming that it was precisely my phoenix eyes that enamored the emperor, she had a palace maid blind me by stabbing gold needles into my eyes. Then, a stream of molten bronze was poured down my throat. My four limbs cut o , I was left abandoned in the latrine. What crime did I and my son commit to deserve such cruelty? The wrongs we su ered remain unvindicated to this day. Please do right by us, Your Majesty.” With these words, she burst into heartrending sobs.

Chongxiang comforted her: “Don’t weep so. I will see that justice is done. You will be a queen mother and your son a sovereign in your next lives, and both mother and son will live together to a ripe old age.”

She signed her deposition and left.

Next came the fourth case, that of taking advantage of the victim’s desperate situation to force him to commit suicide. After a rollcall found all parties involved in the case present, Chongxiang asked Xiang Yu, the plainti , “It was Han Xin who eliminated you and fostered Liu Bang. Why did you sue the six generals instead of Han Xin?”

Xiang Yu said, “Han Xin is not to blame for having abandoned me. It was my fault that I did not recognize his abilities, even though, with two pupils in each of my eyes, I should have been more perceptive. Defeated at Gaixia, I broke through the enemy siege and was on the run when I saw a farmer and asked him which of the two roads lying on both sides of me was a thoroughfare that would lead me out of the area. He told me to take the one on the left, which turned out to be the wrong one, and I was overtaken by Liu Bang’s forces. The farmer was, in fact, Xia Guang, a general of the state of Han, in disguise. I fought as best I could with all the force and skills I could muster and broke out of the tight siege. At the Wu River ferry, I came upon an old acquaintance, Lü Matong. I was counting on him to let me go for old time’s sake, but he and four other commanders forced me to take my own life. They then cut me apart and each took one piece of my body so as to claim a reward. That accounts for my resentment.”

Chongxiang nodded in agreement: “The court finds that the six commanders did not deserve the titles and territories conferred upon them because they accomplished nothing in the battlefield but, by sheer good luck, took advantage of Xiang Yu’s desperate situation and forced him to commit suicide. In their next lives, they will be generals again but will be slain by Xiang Yu in vindication for the injustice done to him.” With this judgment, the case was put aside.

Then, Chongxiang had the judge present him with the registration book and issued his sentences, without the slightest unfairness, requiting kindness with kindness and meting out punishment for wrongdoings. While Chongxiang was speaking, the judge sat by his side writing down his words with a brush-pen, filling in information on birthplaces, given names and surnames, and times of birth and death. All the plainti s and defendants were called into Chongxiang’s presence for a lecture before being sent away for reincarnation.

“Han Xin,” said Chongxiang, “you dedicated yourself to the service of your country and won most of the land for the Han empire. It is a shame that you died of a cruel wrong. I will now reincarnate you as Cao Cao,⁶ courtesy name Mengde, to be born in the house of Cao Song of the town of Qiaoxiang. You will be prime minister in the Han court and, later, king of the state of Wei, with Xudu as your seat of power and having under your control half of the land of the Han empire. You will hold such sway as to be able to seek retaliation for all the injustices inflicted upon you in your previous life. You are not to lay any claim to the throne in your lifetime, so as to rise above any suspicion of disloyalty to the Han empire. Your son, to whom the throne of the Han will be yielded, will confer upon you posthumously the title of Emperor Wu of Wei, an honor that should compensate you for the ten meritorious deeds you accomplished for founding the Han.”

Next he called forth Liu Bang, the first Han emperor: “You will again be reborn into the Han royal family as Emperor Xian [r. 189–220], to tremble with fear under the bullying of Cao Cao for your whole life and to enjoy no peace of mind whether sitting or lying down. Each day of your life will drag on as painfully as if it were a year. In your previous existence, you as a sovereign wronged your subject. As a retribution, your subject will get even with you in your next life.”

To Empress Lü, he said, “You will be reincarnated into the Fu family to be married to Emperor Xian and su er from all kinds of cruel mistreatment from Cao Cao until you are strangled to death in the palace with a piece of red silk as retribution for the murder of Han Xin in the Palace of Eternal Happiness.”

Han Xin asked, “What is the judgment for Xiao He?”

Chongxiang replied, “Xiao He was your benefactor before he did you wrong.” So saying, he called forth Xiao He: “You will be reborn into a Yang family to be named Xiu, courtesy name Dezu. When Liu Bang took over the heartland of Qin, all other commanders scrambled for gold and silk, but you were the only one who was after files and documents. In your next life, you will be a man of matchless intelligence and insight. As master of records for Cao Cao, with the generous emoluments that come with such an important position, you will be amply rewarded for having strongly recommended Han Xin three times to the king of Han. But you will be killed by Cao Cao for having rightly guessed and exposed his secret military strategy. You will thus pay with your life for having cajoled Han Xin into the Palace of Eternal Happiness to meet his death.” The judge took due note of everything.

Ying Bu, Prince of Jiujiang, was the next one to be called forth. “You will be reborn as the son of Sun Jian of the region to the east of the river. You will be named Sun Quan, with the courtesy name Zhongmou.⁷ You will rise to be the lord of Wu, and later, the emperor of Wu, with reign over the entire region east of the Yangzi River, where you will enjoy the riches of the land.”

Next, he called forth Peng Yue: “Being a man of integrity, you will be reborn as Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande, son of Liu Hong of Lousang Village of Zhuojun County.⁸ Your name as a man of honor and benevolence will spread far and wide. Later in your life, you will be the emperor of Shu and reign over the Sichuan region. The empire will be split among you, Cao Cao, and Sun Quan. It is the Cao family that will wipe out the Han dynasty, but your succession to the Han throne is a testament to your loyalty.”

Peng Yue said, “With the empire split among three powers, that surely will be a time of chaos. How is Shu, with only a small territory, to be a match for the states of Wu and Wei?”

“I’ll provide you with several aides,” said Chongxiang, whereupon he summoned Kuai Tong: “Being a wise and resourceful man, you will be reborn in Nanyang as Zhuge Liang, courtesy name Kongming, also known as the Sleeping Dragon.⁹ You will be Liu Bei’s military adviser and help him with his cause.”

Next, Xu Fu the fortune-teller was summoned. “You said that Han Xin was to live to be seventy-two years old, but actually he died at thirty-two, a death that, for all its untimeliness, was predestined. You will be reborn in Xiangyang as Pang Tong [179–214], with the courtesy name Shiyuan, nicknamed the Young Phoenix, to help Liu Bei take Sichuan. You are preordained to die at the age of thirty-two at the foot of Phoenix Fall Hill. Dying at the same age when Han Xin did is a retribution for your quackery as a fortune-teller. (Fortune-tellers, watch out!) All future fortune-tellers will learn from your early death not to mislead people with their nonsense.”

Peng Yue said, “Military advisers need good generals to support them.”

“You will have them,” said Chongxiang. He called forth Fan Kuai: “You will be reborn into a Zhang family in Zhuozhou Prefecture, Fanyang, as Zhang Fei, courtesy name Yide.”¹⁰

Next, he had Xiang Yu step forward: “You will be reborn in a Guan family in Xieliang, Puzhou Prefecture. Your surname will be changed but not your given name: You will be Guan Yu [d. 220], with the courtesy name Yunchang. The two of you [Xiang Yu and Fan Kuai], both fearless warriors who easily push back ten thousand men, will pledge brotherhood with Liu Bei in the Peach Garden and join hands in laying the foundation of a great career. Fan Kuai did wrong in letting his wife Lü Xu aid Empress Lü in her tyranny. The wife’s sin will be visited upon the husband. Xiang Yu did wrong in killing Ziying, king of Qin, and in burning the city of Xianyang. Both of you, therefore, are preordained to die unnatural deaths. However, Fan Kuai, you were a loyal and valiant subject who never resorted to flattery. Xiang Yu, you have the three virtues of not killing Liu Bang’s father, not sullying Empress Lü, and not trying to ambush Liu Bang when he was a guest at your table. Both of you are predestined in your next lives to be men of honor, courage, and candor and will assume the stature of gods after you die.”¹¹

He then called Ji Xin over: “For all your dedication to the Liu family in your previous life, you did not enjoy wealth for a single day. You will now be reborn into a Zhao family of Changshan as Zhao Yun [d. 229], courtesy name Zilong, a famous general of the kingdom of Shu. Your prestige will spread far and wide for rescuing the future emperor¹² from the million-strong enemy troops in Changban, Dangyang. You will be spared all ailments and die of natural causes at the advanced age of eighty-two.”

Lady Qi was the next one to be called forth. “You will be reborn into the Gan family,” said Chongxiang, “to be married to Liu Bei as his head wife. Empress Lü had admired the good looks of Prince Peng and failed in her attempt to seduce him. She was also jealous of you for enjoying the emperor’s love. That is why I make you Peng Yue’s wife so that Empress Lü will have no legitimate reason for jealousy. (Brilliant and full of humor.) Ruyi, Prince of Zhao, will still be your son, to be named Liu Shan [207–271], with the nickname of Adou, and will succeed to the throne. He will enjoy wealth and eminence for forty-two peaceful years in compensation for his su erings in his previous life.”

Ding Gong was the next in line. “You will be reborn,” said Chongxiang, “into the Zhou family as Zhou Yu [175–210], with the courtesy name Gongjin, to serve Sun Quan as his commander. You will be driven to death by frustration at the hands of Zhuge Liang at the age of thirty-five. In your previous life, your service to Xiang Yu did not last long, nor will your service to Sun Quan in your next life be maintained to the end.”

To Xiang Bo and Yong Chi, he said, “Xiang Bo betrayed his kinsman and entered the service of the enemy to seek riches and fame. Yong Chi was granted noble titles by the enemy. The two of you, being guilty of o enses against Xiang Yu, will be reborn as Yan Liang and Wen Chou respectively, both to be killed by Guan Yu in revenge for the grievances from his previous life.” (Brilliant.)

Xiang Yu asked, “What will be done to the six commanders?”

Chongxiang ruled that they were to be subordinates of Cao Cao and would be given the duty of guarding border passes. Yang Xi would be reborn as Bian Xi, Wang Yi as Wang Zhi, Xia Guang as Kong Xiu, Lü Sheng as Han Fu, Yang Wu as Qin Qi, and Lü Matong as Cai Yang. All six of them were to be killed by Guan Yu as he charged through the five passes in retaliation for their forcing him to take his own life at the Wu River in his previous existence. (Brilliant again.) All those present found Chongxiang’s sentences to be fair and just.

Chongxiang then asked all the soldiers and officers who died unjustly when Chu and Han were contending for power, all whose talents were not put to full use, and all those who had debts of gratitude to pay and injustices to vindicate—indeed, he asked all who had cases to plead to come to him, and all of them were reborn in the time of the Three Kingdoms. The mean and cruel who refused to pay their debts of gratitude were reincarnated as warhorses to serve officers and commanders. Instances of this nature will not be described in detail here. The judge made meticulous notes of all the cases and, before they noticed it, roosters’ crows announced the arrival of the fifth watch.

Having left the court and removed his official robe, Chongxiang resumed his identity as a scholar. He handed his files over to Yama for his inspection. After many a gasp of admiration, the latter forwarded the documents to heaven for a celestial judgment. (Yama is a worthy king who appreciates talent and righteousness.) The Jade Emperor was full of praise: “I am impressed by his efficiency in settling within twelve hours cases that have been pending for over three hundred years—and settling them in a way that manifests the impartiality of the universe and the infallibility of the law of retribution. What a rare talent he is! All his judgments on the complaints shall be acted upon accordingly. For a man of such inestimable ability, Sima Mao is, indeed, shortchanged in this life. He should be granted a royal title in his next life and be reborn into a Sima family so that his surname will remain the same. His given name will be changed into Yi [178–251], with the courtesy name Zhongda. He will lead a life of distinction as a commander, then as prime minister. He will pass down his title to his descendants, who will merge the three kingdoms and name the dynasty Jin. (The Jade Emperor has a bolder vision.) Though Cao Cao as a reincarnation of Han Xin will be out to seek vindication for the injustices he su ered, his insults to the emperor and his killing of the empress as spelled out in Chongxiang’s sentence are by no means exemplary conduct. Lest future generations emulate such evil behavior without knowing the underlying causes, it is advisable to have Sima Yi humiliate Cao Cao’s descendants as retribution for Cao Cao’s humiliation of Emperor Xian. This will serve as a warning to posterity against evil deeds.” (Getting more and more interesting.)

The Jade Emperor thus issued his imperial decree, which was duly read with much ceremony by Yama, who then laid out a farewell feast in Chongxiang’s honor. Chongxiang made a request of Yama: “My wife Wang-shi, since marrying me at an early age, has known nothing but hardships all her life. Please be so kind as to intercede on my behalf with heaven and make us husband and wife again in our next lives so that she can share riches and distinction with me.” Yama gave his consent.

While bidding farewell to Yama in the netherworld, Chongxiang suddenly turned over in his bed and, opening his eyes, saw his wife Wang-shi sitting by his side, weeping bitterly. “How strange!” he exclaimed over and over again and gave his wife a detailed account of how he had disrupted the normal conduct of a airs in the netherworld. “Having received the Jade Emperor’s decree, I dare not linger on. Luckily, I will be joined with you again in my next life.” With these words, he closed his eyes and died. Now that Wang-shi knew what lay ahead, her grief subsided and she busied herself with arrangements for Chongxiang’s funeral, after which she, too, died. Sima Yi and his wife of the later period of the Three Kingdoms were none other than Chongxiang and his wife reincarnated. This extraordinary story is still being told to this day, as attested by a poem of later times: