The Sorceress' Revolt
Author: Toriumi Jinzō
Translator: Ainikki the Archivist
Ko Biji's Story
Part Five: Desires and Treasures
The full moon illuminated Mt. Hua in the
distance. The sides were sheer, reflecting cold light from the peak all
the way to the foot of the mountain. Mt. Hua was the steepest mountain out
of the Five Sacred Mountains of the Daoists. There were many famous
temples and mausoleums on the mountain's western side. It was full night,
so there were no pilgrims in sight. The houses built near the mountain's
base were dark and quiet.
The mountain’s foothills were known for their scenic beauty. Estates owned by wealthy families extended from the valley to the forest. Of particular note was the estate owned by Yang Chun.1. More than a dozen gardens graced its bounds, each styled according to a
different theme. Although Yang Chun was a wealthy landowner, he and his
wife were devout Daoists and kind to others, so they had a good local
reputation. The previous spring, Yang Chun had inherited some sutras
written in gold as a gift from an elderly gentleman's estate in exchange
for providing medical care. The sutras had their origin in India and
couldn't be easily deciphered. Still, the fact that they were written in
ink made with gold made the sutras very valuable.
By chance, Yang Chun learned of a Daoist
priestess and her daughter who had expertise with ancient and obscure
languages. Yang Chun asked the priestess to decipher the sutras. The
priestess did not impress Yang Chun, for she was poor and lowly in
appearance, but she was able to recognize the sutra written in gold. It
was the Heart Sutra.2 As the priestess deciphered it, the Bodhisattva of universal
compassion3 appeared before Yang Chun and his wife. Since then, Yang Chun had
retained the priestess at his estate, calling her a living Buddha.
This priestess was, of course, Sei Koko.
Rumors of the vision of the Bodhisattva spread quickly and earned Sei Koko
many believers in her mysterious powers. Yang Chun built a small temple at
his estate and made Sei Koko the head priestess, which attracted believers
from other provinces. Sei Koko and her daughter, who were habitual
wanderers, now had their own small house and were able to live in luxury.
Once, a long time before, Sei Koko had been able to make enough money for
a house by pretending to be a lay priestess, but she'd been deceived by
another false Daoist and left penniless.
That wouldn't happen this time. She was
aware that most people didn't know when their luck would turn, so she took
pains to ensure that all the donations to Yang Chun's temple ended up in
her own pocket. When she'd accumulated enough wealth for her purposes, she
transported it to a secret place as insurance. She would not repeat the
same mistakes as the past. When she'd been left with nothing, she and her
daughter had nearly died.
Ko Biji did not know where her mother's
wealth was hidden. Sei Koko told her not to ask, and Ko Biji was
accustomed to obeying her. Sei Koko usually refrained from interfering in
her daughter's affairs, and Ko Biji believed that she owed her mother the
same courtesy.
Wealth had an addictive quality: the more
Sei Koko possessed, the more she wanted. She was not unique in this
desire. Many people earn enough money so that they never again have to
work for their entire lives, yet still yearn for more. That kind of greed
was endless. There was no sating it.
Sei Koko's practice of Daoism was shallow
and surface-level from the first. She used its principles and ideas to
enrich herself. She no longer remembered where and when she'd heard of
Yunmeng Mountain and the Heavenly Book, but the idea of them lingered in
the back of her mind--because it could lead to more wealth. She had picked
up on the knowledge during her wanderings. Everyone desired immortality
and the use of supernatural powers, after all. If she managed to get her
hands on the Heavenly Book, she would gain greater respect from believers,
which would lead to more donations. Her ambition was to establish a new
branch of Daoism that extended nation-wide, with her at the center as the
new religion's founder.
***
Lao Tzu, author of the Tao Te Ching, was traditionally regarded as the founder of Daoism. The Tao Te Ching was written between the 8th and 3rd century BCE. The Yellow Emperor, Huang Di (2697–2597 BCE) was also often associated with the origin of Daoism; his works likely influenced Lao Tzu.
Later popularizers like Gan Ji (died 200 CE) and Zhang Jue (died c. October 184 CE) were revered as immortals who
used divine powers through sorcery and divination. Their influence gained
followers by the hundreds of thousands. One of Gan Ji's disciples
submitted the Taipingjing4 to the Emperor of China, further spreading the teachings of
Daoism.
The early Shangqing School of Daoism was
founded by a woman, Wei Huacun (251-334 ACE). Her devotion to Daoist
cultivation so impressed a number of other so-called immortals that she
received many scriptures as gifts to found her school. Wei Huacan was Sei
Koko's model for her own ideas on founding an independent school of
Daoism.
Tanshi desired to understand the Way of
Shattering Earth for the sake of knowledge, but Sei Koko wanted it only as
a means of making more money. Even after hearing the rumors, Sei Koko was
not entirely convinced that the Heavenly Book actually existed.
For this reason, she didn't devote her own resources to finding the
Heavenly Book--she tasked her daughter with it instead.
***
One day, Sei Koko held a large memorial
service. Many good men and women participated, and many donations were
made. The altar enshrined several divine images, including the divine
image of Empress Wu Zetian, whom Sei Koko worshiped.
Thick candles, incense sticks,
swords, flags, and other offerings were placed on the altar. The altar was
a self-styled thing that did not conform to the standards of Daoism,
Buddhism, or Manichaeism. Of the three, Daoism, which originated from
folk religion, picked and chose traditions based on the individual
preferences of believers.
Sei Koko was short and small-boned and
could have been in her forties, fifties or even older: she had an ageless
kind of face. She was dressed in a blue hood, a cotton overcoat with a
blue-and-purple pattern, and yellow-green brocaded pants with many
decorative pleats. This manner of dress was a bit unusual for a Daoist
priestess, though blue was a common color for priests and priestesses to
wear. Her irises contained many tiny pinpricks of light as if there was a
galaxy in her eyes. This effect was inspiring to believers, though it came
about quite by accident. When Sei Koko was young, she suffered from a
strange disease. A Daoist monk gave her a medicine called Kintan5, which caused damage to her optic nerves and created the effect.
Sei Koko's attendant and several favored
believers were put in charge of administrating the ceremony. The attendant
was twenty-five or twenty-six years old, good-looking, and valued Sei
Koko's down-to-earth practicality. Yang Chun provided attendants and
servants to see to Sei Koko's living conditions; Sei Koko and her daughter
never wanted for anything when they were in residence.
***
In the middle of the night, Tanshi visited
Yang Chun's estate, guided by Ko Biji. The estate rested in the middle of
the forest and was protected by a high fence all around it. A moat was dug
outside the fence. The only ways in or out were two gates. Yang Chun
provided extra security for Sei Koko and her daughter, since they were two
women living alone on the corner of the estate. Housework was handled by
two women servants selected by Yang Chun who only obeyed orders from Sei
Koko. Aside from them, no one else was permitted to visit the northwestern
corner of the estate where Sei Koko lived without express permission.
Tanshi was guided to a tearoom and asked
to wait. His shadow stretched out on the walls of the room, which was
illuminated by a single candle. He was so nervous that his shoulders
shook; he willed himself still.
Does the Heavenly Book really contain the secrets of the Way of
Shattering Earth? Can that knowledge be deciphered, or is it lost to
us?
He felt as if he were being judged by an angry, distant god every silent
moment that passed.
Sei Koko's home was quiet. Ko Biji
was probably telling her about their journey and what they'd learned.
Tanshi wondered how much Ko Biji would tell her mother.
As Tanshi struggled to maintain his
composure, he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. Sei Koko entered
the tearoom with Ko Biji walking half a step behind her.
Tanshi greeted them in the manner of a
monk, sitting up straight, bowing his head and clasping his hands
together. He said, "My name is Tanshi, and I am a monk of the Yinghui
Mountain Temple in Sicheng. I left my temple to become a wandering monk."
"I am Sei Koko. I heard a bit about you
from my daughter. Be welcome here." Her tone was stiff and formal. Her
attitude was more intimidating than welcoming.
Ko Biji raised an eyebrow at her mother.
Ever since she'd been adopted as Yang Chun's pet priestess, she'd changed
the way she spoke and carried herself. Both her posture and her tone made
her seem older: old and wise.
"I heard that you managed to take a copy
of the Heavenly Book from Hakūn-do Cave," Sei Koko said, skipping straight
to the subject of interest for them all.
"I did. I mean, I don't know if it is
truly the Heavenly Book, since I can't read it. But I took a tracing of
the tablet in the cave."
"Let me have a look."
"Thank you for your help." Tanshi took out
a scroll from the bag at his side and handed it to Sei Koko. Sei Koko
spread the scroll on the tea table and traced the symbols written there
with her eyes. Sometimes, stuck on a symbol, she turned the scroll over
and held it up to the candlelight.
Tanshi and Ko Biji exchanged a quick
glance. Both were anticipating Sei Koko's appraisal of the document and were
nervous about what she would find. Ko Biji remained silent in front of her
mother, perhaps because of Sei Koko's exaggerated gravitas. Even during
their nomadic life, Sei Koko had taught her daughter some manners and
culture. Tanshi could imagine from Sei Koko's demeanor that she must have
been quite strict.
Tanshi focused on Sei Koko's eyes. He
could only pray that she would be able to decipher it. Sei Koko paused
halfway through the scroll and looked up at Tanshi. Her expression
was calm.
"This is the Book of Desires and
Treasures."
"What?" Tanshi couldn't understand her
words right away. If he could see into Sei Koko's heart, he would know
that she was about to burst with joy. But she didn't let any sign of that
show. Her discipline as a Daoist, even a false one, allowed her to keep a
firm grip over her emotions.
"Without a doubt, it is genuine. It is
what you call the Heavenly Book."
"The Book of Desires and Treasures?"
Tanshi asked.
Tanshi's heart beat faster.
"Yes. It is written in some of the oldest
writing styles I know. Chinese characters began with the bone script of
the Yin Dynasty (1400 BCE to 1027 BCE), which priests and priestesses used
to tell the future--this character is bone script. Later, the First
Emperor created a more unified script based on bone script that was easier
to use--clerical script." She pointed to a few more symbols on the scroll.
"At the end of the Eastern Han dynasty (c. 202 BCE – 220 CE) clerical
script was linearized and became the script in common usage today.
"This scroll is written in a splendidly
artistic combination of characters," Sei Koko said. "It is difficult to
believe that a person could write it. The commentaries are written in a
combination of Sanskit and bone script, but the Daoist scriptures are
written in a mix of classical and foreign characters. You are probably
familiar with the classical characters used by your monastic order?" she
asked Tanshi.
"Yes. I have heard that the characters
have their basis in Sanskrit, Tibetan, Pali, and other
languages."
"It also uses words in Khotanese, Kutchan,
and Tocharian, which are now obsolete."
Tanshi was astonished by Sei Koko's
knowledge of ancient characters. Where on earth had she learned them? This
was also a mystery. But first, he had to find out what the scroll actually
said.
"So it's impossible to decipher...?"
"Well, we have no choice but to decipher
it... but it will take a long time to do it. And this copy is so rough...
some errors in transcription are inevitable."
The scroll was made by smearing ink all
over the Heavenly Book in Hakūn-do Cave, so of course it was rough.
"It can't be helped if it takes time, but
I would be grateful if you could decipher it."
"I shall. I believe the full scroll
contains the secrets of the celestial immortals, and would allow
practitioners of the arts revealed to ascend to immortality."
"So the knowledge is only partial?" Tanshi
asked, disappointment showing clearly on his face.
"The portion we have is a bit less
impressive--it details the Way of Shattering Earth. If you are able to
master the Way of Shattering Earth, you will be able to control all
sentient beings and all things in this world. It is an unparalleled art in
the mortal realm."
Tanshi nodded. "I never wanted to be a
celestial immortal. All I ever wanted was to learn the Way of Shattering
Earth."
"Then let us see how much we can
decipher."
"Thank you." Tanshi bowed deeply. He felt
his tension ease and smiled at Ko Biji.
She returned his faint smile with one of
her own.
Sei Koko turned her more serious gaze on
Tanshi. "Tanshi, this knowledge could only have been obtained by you, and
it can only be read by me. I do not believe that it is a coincidence that
we have met."
Tanshi placed his palms together and bowed
his head. "Yes... I'm very happy to meet you. Please guide this one,
priestess."
Sei Koko smiled at him for the first time.
"Don't bother with formalities. We have
much to do. Let us learn what we can from this Book of Desires and
Treasures."
"Thank you."
"The owner of this place, Yang Chun, is a
remarkable man who allows us to stay on sufferance. I will tell him that
you are a relative of mine."
"It's an honor beyond my imagination to
stay here and assist this work."
"Ko Biji, if he's my relative, then he is
your relative, too. Keep that in mind when you are together."
"Of course, mother."
"I saw a shrine outside," Tanshi said.
"Are there many believers here?"
"There will be many worshipers in the
shrine during the day, but no one is permitted to approach this house
without my permission," Sei Koko said. "If you are concerned about being
attacked or pursued, do not be. No one can find you here unless you let
them."
From this, Tanshi knew that Ko Biji had
told her about being attacked in Sanmenxia.
"I won't go anywhere unless I have to,"
Tanshi said. "It seems like we should lay low for awhile."
"You should go by the name Danshi while
you are here."
"Danshi?"
"An egg is round, as is a bullet. It should be
easy enough for you to remember."6
"Yes, that's fine," Tanshi said.
"The back room will be Danshi's new living
area," Sei Koko said to her daughter. "Prepare it."
Ko Biji bowed slightly and left.
"I must thank the gods for our good
fortune in delivering the Heavenly Book here," Sei Koko said. "Come pray
with me."
Tanshi followed Sei Koko into the
shrine.
Sei Koko lit candles on the altar, then
sat with her back straight in front of it. Tanshi took a seat behind
her. Sei Koko put her palms together and began chanting a prayer.
Tanshi thought the prayer was strange--it certainly wasn't like any
Buddhist prayer he'd ever heard--but he followed Sei Koko's example and
put his hands together.
The candles on the altar dimmed, and white
smoke rose around it. Then, the figure of the Bodhisattva of universal
compassion, riding on a white elephant, appeared before them, shimmering
in a white haze.
Tanshi stared. He remembered the image of
the Bodhisattva of universal compassion, as they were a common figure of
worship at his home temple. He took a moment to regain his composure and
fell into a meditation pose before the figure.
When Tanshi opened his eyes, the Bodhisattva had already disappeared and the white smoke was gone. A blue
light shone in the eyes of Sei Koko as she turned towards him. An
unpleasant spike of fear wormed its way into his mind.
"Indeed, you saw the Bodhisattva of
universal compassion," Sei Koko said, eyes aglow. "Many would deem this
witchcraft. Sacrilegious. Are you certain you wish to use the knowledge in
the Book of Desires and Treasures?"
The blue light faded from Sei Koko's eyes,
and she smiled. "There's no need to be frightened. If you have the basics
of training, you can master many arts. I'm sure there are many more powers
in the Heavenly Book."
"Then I will learn, depending on your
instruction," Tanshi said. "When can we begin deciphering the text?"
"Reading the book means nothing without
practicing the arts therein."
"Yes, that's true."
"Don't let your anticipation outpace your
achievements. Still, I wouldn't worry. Compared to a monk's ascetic
practices, learning to apply forbidden knowledge is surprisingly simple."
Tanshi feared that his anticipation had
long outpaced anything he'd accomplished as a monk, but he wisely kept
silent.
"From now on, you will call me Sei Koko,
and I will call you Danshi," she said.
"Yes, I will do that."
"Now, to decipher the Heavenly Book, we will need a quiet
place to work, some money for necessities, tools, a few chemicals... The
offerings of believers won't be enough to cover everything."
"Um... I'm sorry, but I'm just a traveling
monk, and I was never wealthy. I don't think I can contribute any money to
this..."
Sei Koko smiled tightly. "Not to worry.
We'll figure it all out somehow." She made no more mention of the Heavenly
Book that evening.
"You must be tired," Sei Koko said after a
few more prayers. "My daughter has surely prepared your sleeping quarters
by now. They're at the back of the house."
Tanshi bowed politely. "Thank you."
Tanshi went to his room. There was a
window that opened out on a forest landscape. All was still. He lay on his
bed for a while, thinking.
It's only been four months since I left my home... I almost died, but I
found what I was looking for.
The Heavenly Book. The Way of Shattering Earth.
I wonder if Ko Biji is asleep, he
thought. He'd wanted to speak with her, but Sei Koko seemed determined to
keep them apart for the immediate future. He wondered why there seemed to
be so little affection between Ko Biji and her mother. They hadn't seen
one another in a long time, but Sei Koko's attitude toward Ko Biji was
cold. He didn't think that Sei Koko was a bad person, necessarily, but
there was a lack of motherly warmth in her, even though Ko Biji was
usually kindhearted and cheerful. The contrast gave him whiplash.
His last thoughts before he slept were of
the Heavenly Book. He still couldn't believe that he'd gained such
knowledge with his own hands.
If I was born from an egg, it was an auspicious one. Maybe a phoenix
egg. The Way of Shattering Earth is in reach.
He reflected on his good fortune and tried not to let success go to his
head.
Translator's Notes
1 楊春: Yang Chun: Yang Chun is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of
the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Slender in figure
with his arms long and skinny, Yang Chun is nicknamed "White Flower Serpent"
for his appearance. He is a good fighter who uses a long sword. Originally
from Jieliang (present-day Yuncheng, Shanxi), Yang Chun leads a band of
outlaws at Mount Hua in the novel. ↩
2 The Heart Sutra is a popular sutra in Mahāyāna Buddhism. In Sanskrit, the
title translates as "The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom." The Sutra
famously states, "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form." It is a condensed
exposition on the Buddhist Mahayana teaching of the Two Truths doctrine,
which says that ultimately all phenomena are emptiness. It has been called
the most frequently used and recited text in the entire Mahayana Buddhist
tradition. The text has been translated into English dozens of times from
Chinese, Sanskrit, and Tibetan, as well as other source languages. ↩
3 In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (meaning "the lord who looks down", also known
as Lokeśvara ("Lord of the World") and Chenrezig (in Tibetan), is a Bodhisattva associated with great compassion. Avalokiteśvara has numerous
manifestations and is depicted in various forms and styles. In some texts,
he is even considered to be the source of all Hindu deities (such as Vishnu,
Shiva, Saraswati, Brahma, etc). While Avalokiteśvara was depicted as male in
India, in East Asian Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara is most often depicted as a
female figure known in various languages as Guanyin (in Chinese), Kannon (in
Japanese), Gwaneum (in Korean), and Quan Am (in Vietnamese). Guanyin is also
an important figure in other East Asian religions, particularly Chinese folk
religion and Daoism. ↩
4 Taipingjing ("Scriptures of the Great Peace") is the name of several
different Taoist texts. At least two works were known by this title:
Chinese: 天官歷包元太平經; author: Gan Zhongke 甘忠可 Chinese: 太平清領書;
author: unknown Taipingjing usually refers to the work which has been
preserved by the unknown author. It is considered to be a valuable resource
for researching early Daoist beliefs and society at the end of the Eastern
Han dynasty. Zhang Jue (d. 184), the leader of the Yellow Turban Rebellion,
taught "Taiping Taoism" (太平道) based on this work. ↩
5 金丹: Kintan, an elixir of immortality made with gold. ↩
6 Tanshi's name is 卵子, "egg child." Sei Koko proposes the false name of Danshi, 弾子, which means "bullet child. ↩
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