The mountain is called Xishan, located thirty miles west of the city. There is a temple on the top of the mountain called Xishan Temple.
Although it is called a temple and enshrines Buddha and Arhats, Xishan Temple does not accept offerings from all directions.
Because the entire Xishan land is owned by the Wang family, a large family in the city.
Xishan Temple was established by the ancestors of the Wang family and is only worshiped by the descendants of the Wang family.
Rumor has it that the ancestors of the Wang family were once warrior monks of the Shaolin Temple in the late Yuan Dynasty. Later, Taizu rebelled against the Yuan Dynasty. The ancestors of the Wang family returned to secular life to follow Emperor Taizu, and once served as Emperor Taizu's personal guard.
Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, the ancestors of the Wang family left the army due to injuries, and then returned to their hometown to live in peace with their wives and children.
When Emperor Taizu founded the country, he was rewarded for his merits. Although the ancestor of the Wang family was not on the list of titles, Emperor Taizu did not forget this former highly valued personal bodyguard. He awarded him a hundred taels of gold and the title of General of the fifth rank of martial virtue.
At this time, the Wang family had already taken advantage of the beginning of the war to buy hundreds of hectares of fertile land and became one of the wealthy households in Changshou County.
Coincidentally, in the third year of Hongwu, the Anlu Prefecture attached Guo Changshou County, making Changshou the administrative seat of the government. The first Anlu prefect was a former military Chinese clerk, who happened to be an old acquaintance of the ancestors of the Wang family.
Under his care and support, the Wang family's descendants turned from farmers to scholars, farming, studying and passing down family traditions, and the Wang family began to grow.
Within a few years, Anlu Prefecture was transformed into Anlu Prefecture, and Changshou County was transformed from a county into a prefecture, but the prosperity remained the same.
The ancestor of the Wang family built a small temple on the top of Xishan Mountain that he bought when his descendants became officials and the family gradually prospered.
When his granddaughter-in-law came in, he went up the mountain to become a monk again and became a monk in the temple.
After more than 150 years, the Wang family became the head of the gentry in Anlu Prefecture, entrenched inside and outside Anlu Prefecture.
Xishan Temple still stands on the top of Xishan Mountain, but many descendants of the Wang family have forgotten that they still have this ancestral land.
"Huh", even though it was a routine thing every other day, the little monk still had a smile on his face when he looked at the filled water tank.
This is the west courtyard of Xishan Temple.
Because Xishan Temple is built on the top of a mountain, the space is limited, so the layout is small, and it is only a small space for three people to enter the courtyard.
Entering the mountain gate, the first main hall you enter is the Tianwang Hall, and the side halls are the sutra room and guest hall; the second entrance is the Mahavira Hall, the side halls are the Ksitigarbha Hall and the Luohan Hall, and the third main room is the Zen Room and the Abbot's Room, both on the left and right.
Zhai Fang. After entering the courtyard, there are two courtyards on the left and right. One is the kitchen and the other is the residence of the handymen.
Although the water tank is not big, if it is really full, it will take eight trips to the mountain stream.
Starting before the sun rose, the young monk only carried water, which took him two hours to complete.
Next to the water tank is a large porcelain basin with a foot height. It contains the old water that was washed out in the morning in the water tank. There is a gourd and gourd floating on the water.
After two hours of sunshine, the water inside has lost its coolness and has become warm.
The little monk took the gourd and gourd, filled it with warm water, and rinsed it twice from head to toe. Then he put down the gourd and gourd and turned around and entered the backyard.
When he came out of the east chamber, he had already changed into clean clothes and was still wearing a gray monk's robe that was not new.
At this time, I heard a voice coming from the Zen room: "Idiot, why don't you come in..."
The little monk sighed, knowing in his heart that the second lesson of the day was about to begin.
When he entered the Zen room, he saw an ancient-looking old monk sitting on a futon, looking at him with a smile.
Opposite the old monk is a low table. Next to the low table is an old futon, which is where the young monk sits.
The young monk made a "namaste" and said: "Master."
Although the young monk was brought up by the old monk, the relationship between the two was actually master and disciple, but there was no title of master and disciple.
The "Master" in the young monk's mouth is what outsiders call the old monk.
The young monk often wondered in the early days why the old monk avoided the "name of master and disciple" when he acted casually. In the past two years, he has seen and heard a lot, and he has guessed the reason.
This temple is dedicated to the Wang family. Over the past 150 years, most of the monks who have served the Buddha in this temple are descendants of the Wang family who have escaped from the mortal world.
The old monk is no different.
Although there are numerous Wang family members who go up the mountain to visit the temple throughout the year, judging by their talk and manners, the status of those who go up the mountain to pay their respects is definitely not low.
If there are no accidents, the owner of his own body should also be a descendant of the Wang family.
Although the old monk wears a monk's skin, his behavior is more like a Confucian etiquette.
If you don't agree on the master-disciple relationship with the young monk, it's likely that the two of you are blood relatives and are more than one generation apart.
This is not surprising. The old monk looks like he is only seventy years old, but in fact he is nearly ninety years old and very old.
According to the old monk, the first generation abbot of Xishan Temple was born in Shaolin and was of the Shaolin "Jue" generation. When he came to the old monk's generation, he was the "Pu" generation. The old monk's Buddhist name was "Pu Hui".
When he arrived at the young monk's place, the old monk named him "Dao Chi".
Even though the Taoist idiot lived for thirty years in his previous life, he only knew about the Shaolin Temple that the abbot at that time was named Shi Yongxin, and the name of Fan was "Yong". As for the generation difference between "Pu" and "Tao", he still knew
really do not know.
"Carry it!" After the Taoist idiot saluted and sat down on the futon, the old monk directly ordered without saying a word.
"He who is a gentleman on the outside but a villain on the inside is a true villain. He who is a villain on the outside but a gentleman on the inside is a true gentleman. Those with high moral principles are not polite, and those with high righteousness take harm lightly. People admire a gentleman, but behave like a villain, and it is difficult for a gentleman to do anything.
.When people complain about villains, they are actually forgetful of their righteousness, and villains are unruly. It is difficult to gain a widow, but unruly profits are abundant, so everyone is a villain..."
It is only one hundred and forty-eight words, which is just a piece of cake for a Taoist idiot who has memorized the book for six years.
After a moment, I finished reciting it.
The old monk nodded and said, "Is that satisfactory?"
The Tao Chi thought for a while and said: "A person who looks like a gentleman but is a villain at heart is a real villain; a person who looks like a villain but is a gentleman on the inside is a true gentleman. People with high moral character do not boast; people with deep loyalty despise disasters.
The reason why people envy a gentleman, but behave like a villain, is because it is difficult to be a gentleman; when a person hates a villain, it is difficult to be magnanimous in his actual actions, because a villain does not need to be restrained in his actions. A gentleman is difficult to behave but gets little, while a villain acts freely but gets a lot.
,For this reason, people in the world tend to act like villains..."
Before Dao Chi finished speaking, footsteps could be heard outside.
The old monk couldn't help frowning after hearing this.
Dao Chi stopped talking.
Although Xishan Temple has no access control, there may be many people entering and leaving the temple.
Except for the old man who came to pay his respects to the Wang family clan, the rest were the family of the head of Wangjiayao Village at the foot of the mountain.
After all, there are old people and small people on the mountain, and there are all kinds of chores inside and outside.
The old monk loved purity and refused the servants sent by the Wang family's clan.
The village chief sent his nephew to go up the mountain every other day to do some sweeping.
As for the rice, noodles and vegetables needed by the old and young, they are sent up the mountain from the Wang family clan house every ten days.
"Master, the villain is here." A man's choking voice came from outside the door.
The old monk's brows spread, and his face showed a bit of confusion.
After a while, he said: "Come in."
The voice outside was no stranger to Dao Chi. It was Wang Fuping, the head of Wangjiayao Village.
Seeing Wang Fuping coming in dressed in mourning and mourning, the usually calm old monk finally changed his expression.
At this moment, Wang Fuping had already knelt on the ground and cried: "Master, the little man's father went last night..."
The old monk remained silent for a while, and the room was filled with the sound of Wang Fuping's sobbing.
Dao Chi had already stood up and was standing aside. When he heard the news, he clenched his fists and felt panicked.
The old monk had a nurturing attitude towards him, and Father Wang had a nurturing grace towards him.
The first person he saw in this world was Father Wang.
Father Wang is none other than the former owner of the Zaiyuan and the third person from Xishan Temple.
The winter before last year, Mr. Wang fell down and had some difficulty moving around. The village chief took him down the mountain to live in his old age.
Dao Chi went down the mountain several times, mostly to Wangjiayao to visit Father Wang.
Although Mr. Wang is over seventy years old and already a very old man in this era, hearing this news still makes people feel heartbroken.
After a while, the old monk Fang said quietly: "He left peacefully..."
Wang Fuping choked up and said: "It's good to go. Last night was fine. I just ate two meat rice dumplings and ate two cents of old wine... When dinner came this morning, he didn't come out yet. The villain went to invite him, only to find that he was already there.
Gone..." At this point, she was already crying.
The old monk took a long breath and said: "Get up, you are the mourner and you have many things to take care of. Don't delay here with the old monk. Go down the mountain."
Wang Fuping stood up, but did not leave immediately. Instead, he untied a small package from behind and opened it.
Inside is a pear wood box.
When the old monk saw this, he looked a little surprised.
Wang Fuping handed the wooden box to the old monk with both hands and said: "The villain's father has already given instructions, saying that this would be a waste if left in the villain's family, and should be left to the little master..."
The old monk nodded, turned to the Taoist Chi and said, "Since I'm keeping it with you, just accept it. Don't let him down, and it will also be considered as a blessing for the two of you."
Although he didn't know what was in this wooden box, thinking of Father Wang's kindness over the years, Dao Chi couldn't help but blushing and took the wooden box solemnly.
Wang Fuping seemed to have something on his mind, he wiped a few handfuls on his face randomly, wiped his tears and nose, and said: "Master, I will go down to the mountain first to pay tribute... The villain's father has lived a long life. It is a joy to mourn. You old man
Don’t feel sad. The villain respects the great master the most. If he knew that the great master was in pain, he would be uneasy even underground..."
The old monk nodded slightly and said: "Take the Taoist idiot... and recite the Ksitigarbha Sutra a hundred times in front of Old Wang on behalf of the old monk..."
The last sentence is an instruction to Taoist idiots.
The Taoist Chi lowered his head in response and said to Wang Fuping: "Please ask the village chief to wait for me at the mountain gate. I will come after I get the magic weapon..."
Wang Fuping hurriedly said: "Then there will be little Master Lao..."
After bidding farewell to the old monk again, Wang Fuping retreated.
Dao Chi did not follow immediately, but returned to the east wing of his apartment and put down the wooden box.
He did not open the wooden box, but placed it on the desk, hung the sandalwood beads around his neck, and picked up the wooden fish he usually used before leaving the room and heading to the mountain gate.
*
Smoke and dust gradually rose on the official road outside Anlu City.
On horseback, a young man walked toward the city gate in the distance, his face full of joy. He couldn't help turning his head and said to the attendant beside him: "Uncle Hai, we have arrived at Anlu City..."
The man called Uncle Hai is in his forties and works as a housekeeper.
Seeing the young man shaking the reins to urge the horse to gallop, he hurriedly said: "Third Young Master, please be careful and teach me a lesson...";