In blessed times, when the Tang Dynasty ruled part of China, a boy was born who was assigned a place in the pantheon of immortals. His talents appeared very early, especially in the field of miracles, foggy predictions and aphorisms.
Want to be like everyone else - you'll be nobody
He sought to be different from all others or not - it is not known for certain. But he followed his convictions regardless of circumstances. If you recall that he professed Taoism, the doctrine of the path predetermined from above, there is nothing special to be surprised at.
His famous uncle, Han Yu, a poet, statesman and person, close to the emperor, tried to guide him on the path of truth. He was a Confucian and wanted to lead his nephew in the path of a court clerk. The path was trodden by the uncle himself, and for some time Han Xiang Zi walked along it as a state official.
Contrary to the uncle's exhortations, the future immortal resigned and set off to seek the truth. Very soon he became famous for his miracles, one of which particularly impressed the opponents of Taoism. To prove that the power of Tao is greater than the power of wine, he once drank an exorbitant amount of a drunken drink at a banquet. Confucians, witnesses of his feat, were greatly staggered in their rejection of Tao. Moreover, he was not completely intoxicated.
They also say that he knew how to make wine from water. Before him, only Jesus Christ was glorified.
Who shows my mistakes - my teacher
Aphorisms of Han Xiang Zi prove that he was able to make not only wine. He wanted and knew how to seek the truth. But first, you had to find a teacher. They became Lu Dunbin.
The teacher not only dedicated Han Xiang Zi to the sacraments of magic, in which he was an unrivaled expert. The immortality that the young man acquired was in some way a gift from the teacher. There is nothing to be surprised at. Lu Dunbin himself is considered the main immortal in the Taoist pantheon.
Tradition describes the process of transformation (it may be useful to someone): the teacher and student came to the area where peach trees grew. Not simple, but those that gave "peaches of the spirit." Han Xiang Zi climbed a tree, but did not have time to enjoy the fruits. The branch cracked, and he hit the ground so hard that life left him. Here the transformation happened. He ascended into heaven and immediately returned alive, but already immortal.
Those who do not believe can read the book "The Complete Biography of Han Xiang Zi," written with true Chinese elegance.
Without forgiving a mistake, you make a mistake yourself
One must be able to forgive mistakes. And you need to help the erring. Especially if you own magic.
A high-ranking uncle, although he was a philosopher, made many mistakes, for which he once paid for the position and disposition of the emperor. Wanting to eradicate Taoism, he once wrote a treatise "On the Bones of the Buddha" and submitted it to the office. The emperor did not evaluate the work of his minister as the author had hoped. He himself was a Buddhist and professed a Tao.
Shortly before this event, Han Xiang tried to convince his uncle and did it in Chinese. That is, so that you won’t guess right away. He read his poems, which mentioned flowers blooming instantly. Han Yu demanded evidence, and the young man brought them. He covered the earth with a cup and took it away after a minute. In front of everyone, a flower appeared from the earth. It grew, blossomed, blossomed, and on two petals appeared poems written in gold. The verses contained a prediction that no one understood, and only when the uncle went into exile did it become clear to him what was being discussed.
Nowhere is it mentioned that he was reforging, but his nephew not only explained to him the perniciousness of obstinacy, but also predicted that he would return to the throne. And so it happened. He also gave a cure for all diseases.
Do you know what kind of guy he was?
If there is anything in full confidence, it is that he was cheerful, cheerful and beautiful. So he remained in the people's memory, in legends and traditions.
He was considered the patron saint of musicians and gardeners. He always had a fruit basket and a jade flute. When it sounded, flowers bloomed around, and everyone was treated to fruit.
In the paintings, female features were sometimes given to his face, so he was beautiful. He had a cheerful disposition and love of life. How unlike Christian saints! Well, after all, China is not Europe.
Immortality and wisdom
Nevertheless, he became famous not only for being a guy shirt among immortal colleagues. Han Xiang Zi quotes on the tables of lovers of wisdom take no less place than Rubai Omar Khayyam. Both sages are somewhat similar and internally.
Apparently, he did not leave scientific works, but the principles of life contained in the chosen Han Xiang Zi taught many:
- If you want to clean up the world, first tidy up at home;
- kindness is defenseless, and therefore exists;
- conscientiousness is rewarded, but money has nothing to do with it;
- the flower is beautiful until touched;
- the wise is not the one who thinks about the great, but the one who does not think about the little things.
If there were a pantheon of immortal wisdom, these aphorisms would certainly be there.