Xu Wugui (11)

1 In the parents’ mind, the kid’s future is forever an enigma that the parents want to make clear earlier.

The poem by Su Dong Po goes like this:

“People expect their kids wise; wisdom spoils me in my whole life.

Wish my kids dull and fool; without disasters they rank high.”

2 Tao Yuanming felt helpless for his fool kids. He said that if this is the will of heaven, then, all what he can do is to drink and forget it.

3 Ziqi, a man of the State of Chu, had eight kids who all looked clever. Without exception, he as a father was eager to know who among the eight kids could be outstanding.

4 Someday, he invited a well-known fortuneteller, Jiufang Yin, to prophesy his kids through their faces. He asked, “Please tell me which among my kids has the best destiny and is the most auspicious one.

5 After reading their faces, Jiufang Yin told him, “Kun has the best fortune.”

6 Ziqi was satisfied with the prophecy because he already discovered that Kun is different from the others, he is more lovely and cute.

7 Ziqi asked with a smile, “In your opinion, why is Kun?”

8 Jiufang Yin answered, “Kun is doomed to receive salary from the king in his life.”

9 Ziqi stopped smiling, with tear out of eyes. He sobbed, “Why is my kid’s destiny so miserable?”

10 Then Jiufang Yin became confused. He asked, “To be an official is a good thing. As people said, when a man gets to the top, all his friends and relatives will get benefit with him too. If a member of family is close to the king, the benefit will not only go to the person himself but also to all the family members who will share his wealth and honor. Isn’t it good? Why do you cry instead? Alas! Your response is infelicitous. You are refusing the bliss from the god. I predict that your kid is alright but your response perhaps will bring misfortune to you.”

11 Shaking his head, Ziqi told him, “Yin, you don’t know it. Working for the king is not auspicious at all. To us, it just means that the income is better; and may enjoy more meat and wine than others; the meat and wine will quench the desire of mouth and nose but they are no good to the self-nature, Buddha-nature, Qi, calmness and refinement. Furthermore, to be an official is not what we pursuit for.

12 Why does he become an official? It is as if a lamb came out of the corner of my house but I never shepherded, and a hunting eagle flied out of my porch but I didn’t like hunting. Isn’t it queer?

13 Yin, my kids and I usually tour around the world. We enjoy the joy endowed by Heaven – ascending the high mountains, traveling any places we like, relishing the cool breeze and beautiful moon. How happy we are! We feel satisfy once we are full. We are not fastidious the food, and eat what grows in our field. We never seek splendid dress and delicious food. We don’t make a cause, nor seek for worldly glory, nor yearn for something, nor plan, nor try to please the public with claptrap. What we do totally depends on the guide of self-nature and virtue.

14 My family are living in an environment far away from the worldly affairs, how does a job from the king occur to us? The odd result must be derived from the odd fortune. Alas! If my kid’s destiny is so, we can do nothing for it. I am worrying about the odd fortune, so I sobbed.”

15 Before long, Ziqi sent Kun to the state of Yan for doing something, on the road to Yan, Kun was captured by the slave traders. To prevent escaping, the slave traders cut off Kun‘s feet tendon and then sold him to the State of Qi. Duke Qu of Qi bought him and appointed him as a gatekeeper. He worked as the duke’s gatekeeper all his life. Nevertheless, Jiufang Yin’s prophecy became true eventually, namely “receiving salary from the king”.