☯Xing Hepu's Taoist Abilities
Xing Hepu was quite an extraordinary figure in the Tang Dynasty. He devoted himself to Taoism and was skilled in various Taoist arts, among which the most interesting and magical one was mental arithmetic. With just a little mental calculation, he could know the ins and outs of things as well as their good or bad fortune.
✨Saving Cui Sima
Xing Hepu's old friend, Cui Sima, was an ordinary person without Taoist cultivation. By now, he was old, ill, and on the verge of death. Knowing that his days were numbered, and aware of Xing Hepu's proficiency in Taoism, he earnestly hoped that Xing could save his life.
✨ Recommended Taoist Talismans
Discover powerful talismans for your spiritual journey
One day, Cui Sima suddenly heard a digging sound coming from the north wall of his bedroom. The north wall adjoined his neighbor's house, so he asked his family to go and see what was happening and why it was necessary to dig the wall. His family came back and said that nothing had happened and they hadn't heard the kind of digging sound he mentioned. But the digging sound kept ringing in Cui Sima's ears for seven whole days. On the seventh day, he saw a tiny transparent hole the size of a grain of rice appearing on the north wall. When he asked the people around him, everyone said they hadn't seen it. The next day, the hole gradually grew to the size of a plate. Unable to resist his curiosity, Cui Sima looked through the hole. He saw several people holding hoes and pickaxes resting beside a dug hole. Feeling puzzled, Cui Sima asked them what they were doing. They replied, "This is arranged by the Realized Person Xing. To save Lord Sima from disaster, we have to work doubly hard to achieve it." As soon as they finished speaking, Xing Hepu came riding in a carriage at a gallop, stood a few steps away from the hole, and said to him, "Brother Cui, your lifespan was originally at an end. I pleaded hard for you, and the Old Yama finally agreed to extend your life by twelve years. Don't worry, all your illnesses will be gone from now on." After Xing Hepu finished speaking, he disappeared along with the hole in the wall. Ten days later, Cui Sima's illnesses were cured without treatment, and his body gradually became strong.
🔮The Prophecy for Fang Guan
Xing Hepu's Taoist arts were so magical that many high-ranking officials and celebrities came to him, asking him to predict their future. Once, Grand Commandant Fang Guan asked him to tell his fortune for life. After some mental calculation, Xing Hepu said, "My lord, if one day you start from the southeast and end up in the northwest, then your lifespan and fortune will come to an end. The place where you pass away should be a Taoist site, the cause of your illness will be from eating fish, and the coffin used will be made of Qiuci boards."
✨Fulfillment of the Prophecy
Later, Fang Guan was transferred from the position of prefect of Yuanzhou to prefect of Hanzhou. Dissatisfied, he resigned from his official post and went to Langzhou for a short stay, taking a route that went from the southeast to the northwest. On a whim, he stayed in the Taoist Ziji Palace. At that time, the palace was hiring carpenters for work. Seeing that the wood used by the carpenters had a unique grain, Fang Guan asked about the name and use of the wood. The Taoist in the palace replied, "This is Qiuci board donated by local merchants a few days ago, intended to build a small hut." Upon hearing the words "Qiuci board", he suddenly remembered what Xing Hepu had said to him in the past. After a while, the prefect of Langzhou sent someone to invite Fang Guan, saying that as a gesture of hospitality, he had specially prepared sliced fish and invited him to share it. After eating, Fang Guan couldn't help sighing, "Lord Xing is indeed a living immortal!" He then told the prefect of Langzhou the whole story and request him, "If something unexpected really happens to me, please use the Qiuci board to make a coffin for me, so that I can rest in peace." That night, Fang Guan indeed passed away because of eating the sliced fish.
