崂山道士

In a certain town there lived a man surnamed Wang, the seventh son, from a respectable family. From youth he yearned for the Way慕道 mù dàoAspiring to the Dao — the path of spiritual cultivation seeking immortality and enlightenment. A classical expression denoting deep religious ambition.. Hearing that Mount Laoshan abounded in immortals, he packed his books and set off to wander there.

Upon reaching a summit, he found a Daoist temple观 guànA Daoist place of worship. Buddhist temples are called 寺 (sì); Daoist temples are called 观 (guàn). The two terms are never interchangeable., secluded and serene. A Daoist priest sat upon a rush cushion, white hair hanging to his collar, his bearing luminous and extraordinary. Wang kowtowed and spoke with him; the priest's reasoning was profoundly subtle and marvelous. Wang begged to become his disciple. The priest said: "I fear you are too pampered and indolent to endure hardship." Wang replied: "I can endure!"

The priest had many disciples. At dusk they all assembled, and Wang made the full prostration稽首 qǐ shǒuThe most solemn form of kneeling bow in ancient China — forehead touching the ground and held there. More reverential than ordinary kowtowing, reserved for initiations and sacred rites. to each. Thus he was permitted to remain in the temple.

At dawn, the priest called Wang and gave him an axe, ordering him to follow the others and gather firewood. Wang obeyed with care. After more than a month, his hands and feet were covered in calluses, and he could not bear the suffering. A thought of return归志 guī zhìThe intention to go home. "志" means will or aspiration — here it reveals Wang's inner wavering and the fragility of his spiritual resolve. secretly stirred within him.

One day he saw two disciples drinking, their flushed faces酡 tuóThe reddening of the face from drinking wine. A classical term often used to describe a rosy, tipsy complexion. growing ever ruddier. The evening was far advanced; there had been no word from the master. The disciples sat in a circle awaiting instruction. The priest said: "This fine evening lacks entertainment. Let us cut paper into a moon." He cut a paper disk and pasted it on the wall. In moments, radiance flooded the room, illuminating every hair.

The disciples bustled about in wonder. A guest remarked: "Such a glorious night, such beauty — and yet so dull!" The priest smiled and said: "Then let Chang'e come to keep us company." He cast a chopstick at the wall, and it transformed into a lovely maiden, dancing with ethereal grace翩跹 piān xiānDancing lightly and gracefully, as if floating. Commonly describes the movements of immortals and celestial beauties.. She sang: "Immortal, immortal — shall you return? Or shall you confine me in the Palace of Cold Vastness?" Her voice was crystalline and piercing, piercing as a flute箫管 xiāo guǎnWind instruments generally. The vertical flute (箫) and horizontal pipe (管) together represent all haunting, ethereal sounds..

Another month passed, the hardship unbearable, yet the priest had not taught him a single art. Unable to restrain himself, Wang took his leave, saying: "This disciple traveled hundreds of li里 lǐA traditional Chinese unit of distance, roughly 500 meters. "数百里" emphasizes the great distance Wang traveled, making his disappointment more poignant. to study under an immortal master. Even if I cannot obtain the art of eternal life, a small bit of instruction might console求教之心The desire for teaching — though here it masks Wang's true complaint that the master has taught him nothing, revealing his impatient and utilitarian mindset. my seeking heart. For three or four months I have merely gone out at dawn and returned at dusk, doing nothing but gathering firewood. Not a single art has been passed to me."

The priest laughed and said: "I always said you could not endure hardship, and now it proves true. Tomorrow morning I shall send you on your way." Wang said: "This disciple has labored many days. If the master would but teach me one small skill, my journey here would not have been in vain." The priest asked: "What art do you seek?" Wang replied: "Whenever I see the master walk, walls cannot hold him back. If only I might learn this method, it would be enough."

The priest smiled and consented. He taught Wang an incantation诀 juéA secret formula or chant. In Daoist cultivation, "诀" refers to core techniques or spells not easily shared, typically transmitted orally only to formally initiated disciples., told him to chant it himself, and when he was finished, cried: "Pass through!" Wang faced the wall but dared not enter. The priest said again: "Try to pass through." Wang stepped forward calmly, but upon reaching the wall, he was stopped.

The priest said: "Lower your head and charge through! Do not hesitate逡巡 qūn xúnHanging back in doubt, reluctant to move forward. A classical expression for the psychological state of fear or indecision.!" Wang stepped back several paces from the wall, ran forward, and charged in. When he reached the wall, it was empty as air — turning around, he found himself indeed on the other side. Overjoyed, he returned to thank the priest.

The priest said: "When you return home, you must keep yourself pure and upright, or the spell will fail." He gave Wang traveling money and sent him home. Upon arriving, Wang boasted诩 xǔTo brag or vaunt. Wang's eagerness to show off after returning home stands in stark contrast to the master's warning to "keep pure." of meeting an immortal and declared that no solid wall could stop him. His wife did not believe him.

Wang imitated the ritual — stepping back several feet from the wall and charging forward. His head struck the hard wall, and he crashed to the ground踣 bóFalling face-forward. A literary term for a sudden, violent fall — more vivid than the modern word for "tumbling.". His wife helped him up and saw a swelling the size of a great egg rising from his forehead. She mocked him揶揄 yé yúTo ridicule or tease. The wife's laughter here is both mockery of his vanity and a folk illustration of the principle: without sincerity of heart, the magic fails.. Humiliated and furious, Wang could only curse the old priest's wickedness.

Literary Merit

"The Taoist of Laoshan" is one of Pu Songling's most satirically accomplished tales. It wraps a serious theme in a comic shell: true cultivation demands patient endurance, not opportunistic shortcuts. Wang's journey from his confident "I can endure!" to his humbling with an egg-sized lump on his forehead creates a devastating ironic arc.

Pu Songling's brilliance lies in the fact that Wang genuinely did learn the wall spell — the priest never deceived him. The failure is entirely Wang's own: unable to "keep pure," he rushed to show off the moment he arrived home, and his corrupted intentions nullified the magic. This is perhaps the most vivid literary illustration of the principle that sincerity is the precondition of spiritual power.

Comparative Study

Like the Zhuangzi's story of "Cook Ding Carving the Ox," this tale explores the relationship between technique and the Way. Cook Ding's skill accesses the Dao because his mind has forgotten the ox; Wang's skill cannot access the Dao because his mind is full of himself. Through a light and humorous story, Pu Songling conveys a profound Daoist philosophy: the Way cannot be transmitted by words, cannot be seized by force — only by releasing attachment can one attain it.