Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 317 Died Trying to Catch the Moon
After resting for a day or two in Yangzhou, the True Man and his entourage set off again. This was to repair the laws and to seek out those who would hear the Way.

Time flies, and more than five years have passed. The chaos in the Tang Dynasty has not stopped; on the contrary, it has become uncontrollable with the passage of time. Scenes of exchanging children for food are common in the Tang Dynasty.

The Tang Dynasty was already showing signs of its impending demise.

In that year, Li Bai's wife, Lady Zong, passed away due to illness. Before that, Li Bai had accompanied Lady Zong on her travels throughout the country for five years. Lady Zong had no regrets before her death and passed away with a smile.

However, after burying the Zong family, Li Bai fell into confusion. He had no more attachments to the mortal world, but he did not know how to embark on a spiritual journey, nor how to find the immortals.

To pluck the moon?

How to pick them?

Li Bai was unsure of the truth, so he chose to return to his thatched cottage in Yangzhou to continue his reclusive life, devoting himself to cultivation and seeking the path of spiritual practice.

One day, Li Bai met Wu Yun again in his thatched cottage. After many years, the two met again, but things had changed and people were no longer the same, which made people sigh with emotion.

Wu Yun said, "Taibai, please accept my condolences. I have heard of your wife's passing."

Li Bai shook his head and said, "It is fate."

Wu Yun said, "Now that your wife has passed away, you have no more attachments to the mortal world. Why not cultivate your immortal destiny and instead return here? Is it to say goodbye to me?"

Li Bai said, "You should know about chastity; I did not return here to say goodbye to you."

Wu Yun asked, "Could it be that, as I suspected, you don't know how to pluck the moon to begin your immortal journey, which is why you, Taibai, have not yet embarked on cultivation?"

Li Bai said helplessly, "Just as you think, I don't know how to use this divine opportunity. In the past, I always thought that when the time came, I would find a way, but now I don't know what to do."

Wu Yun laughed and asked, "Does Li Bai have any regrets now?"

Li Bai asked, "What kind of regret?"

Wu Yun said, "If you had not delayed when you were destined for immortality, but instead followed the immortals, why would you have this doubt now?"

Li Bai said, "But this is absolutely not allowed."

Wu Yun smiled and said, "I know your heart, but now, what should you do?"

Li Bai said, "I dare not hide my chastity from you, but I do not know what to do."

Wu Yun said, "Why don't you burn incense and pray? Perhaps the gods will know?"

Li Bai said helplessly, "I have tried to be chaste, but there was no response. Furthermore, I do not know the name of that immortal, how to pray, or to whom to pray. Therefore, I prayed to the word 'immortal,' but there was no reaction."

Wu Yun said, "If that's the case, I really don't know what to do."

Li Bai said, "Enough, enough, enough. If that's how it is, I'll wait here. Perhaps when the time is right, I'll understand the way."

Wu Yun said, “That is not possible! I see that you, Taibai, are old and your health is not as good as before. How much time do you have to wait? One year? Two years? Or perhaps three or four years? You are too old to continue your cultivation.”

Li Bai was somewhat troubled and said, "In that case, I don't know what to do?"

Wu Yun pondered for a moment and said, "Taibai, you should think carefully. In the past, what else did the immortals tell you besides what you already know?"

Li Bai pondered for a long time without saying a word.

Wu Yun asked, "Taibai, several years have passed since that dream of immortality. Have you forgotten the scenes in that dream?"

Li Bai shook his head and said, "Chastity, that dreamlike scene, I have not forgotten, but I am pondering what the immortals said. But the immortals once told me that to cultivate oneself, one must sever worldly ties and leave the mortal world. Does this mean that if I want to cultivate myself, I must also sever worldly ties and leave the mortal world?"

Wu Yun said, "Most cultivators prefer tranquility because being entangled in the mortal world inevitably leads to many karmic consequences, which can disrupt their cultivation. Therefore, true cultivators often hide in deep mountains and forests, detached from worldly affairs. What is the reason for this? Furthermore, what does severing worldly ties and leaving the human world have to do with plucking the moon?"

Li Bai said, "It is probably related to this matter."

Wu Yun said, "Taibai, you are overthinking this. There is really no connection between us."

Li Bai shook his head and said nothing more.

Seeing Li Bai's state, Wu Yun said no more, but took out some silver coins from his pocket and said, "Taibai, keep these silver coins and use them wisely. Don't get drunk every day."

He knew that Li Bai had no source of money and relied entirely on the help of his old friends, so each of them would give him some money, more or less.

Li Bai accepted the silver and bowed to Wu Yun.

Wu Yun was about to take his leave, but then he suddenly thought of something and said, "Taibai, try to go out less these days, lest the chaos outside affect you."

Li Bai, puzzled, asked, "Why speak of chastity in this way?"

Wu Yun said, "I observed the celestial phenomena last night and saw that the Ziwei Emperor Star in Chang'an City was in turmoil, and the generals on the border were showing signs of aggression. This is an intention to rebel and cause chaos, and I fear that a chaotic world is about to arrive."

Upon hearing this, Li Bai laughed and said, "The words of chastity speak of an impending chaotic era, but isn't this already a chaotic era?"

Wu Yun shook his head and said, "War is imminent, but I fear that the chaos of that time will be more than a hundred times worse than it is now."

Li Bai said helplessly, "We are already in a chaotic world. What will we do if there is another war?"

Wu Yun said, "Taibai, this is beyond our control. We need not concern ourselves with it. We should just take care of ourselves. We have no energy to look after others."

Li Bai bowed and said, "I understand the meaning of chastity."

Wu Yun said, "You should stay here and cultivate diligently. I'm leaving now."

The two said their goodbyes, and Wu Yun then left.

Li Bai was alone in his thatched hut, lost in thought, unsure of what to do.

……

Time flies like an arrow, and several months have passed since Li Bai retired to his thatched cottage.

Li Bai ultimately did not know how to cultivate himself. After a long period of not knowing how to cultivate himself, he felt that he was getting old and weak. Even now, he still had difficulty moving a jar of wine. The children in the nearby villages often took advantage of his old age and weakness and made fun of him.

Li Bai was terrified of death, drank heavily every day, became oblivious to everything, and forgot his connection with the immortals.

One day, Li Bai had a group of children steal a lot of fruit. He was furious but powerless, and in the end, he could only drink wine and swallow his anger.

Before he knew it, the night was deep. In a daze, Li Bai walked to the river in the village and saw that the place was bustling with activity. He looked around in bewilderment.

A villager came forward, helped Li Bai up, and said, "Mr. Li, why are you drunk here?"

Li Bai, still half-asleep, asked, "Why is the village so lively?"

The villager replied, "Today is the Dragon King's birthday, and the village is holding a grand ceremony to worship him. From today until tomorrow, there will be a grand ceremony every day, so it will be quite lively."

Li Bai laughed and said, "In these chaotic times, the village is struggling to survive. How can we be willing to spend so much money and grain to worship the Dragon King?"

The villager helped Li Bai up and said, "Mr. Li, you don't know this, but the money and provisions for this sacrifice come from the Wang family, a wealthy household in the village. Although the village is struggling to make ends meet, the Wang family is extremely rich. They only need to contribute a hair or two to hold such a grand sacrifice." Li Bai said groggily, "I didn't expect it to be like this. You don't need to worry about me. I'll rest here for a while and then leave. You go and do your own thing."

The villager shook his head and said, "Mr. Li is no ordinary man. It is my honor to serve him here. Mr. Li, you don't need to send me away."

Upon hearing this, Li Bai shook his head and said, "I am but an old man nearing death; how can I be considered an extraordinary person?"

The villager said, "I don't have much insight, but I've often heard others say that Mr. Li is incredibly talented and a banished immortal. He must be no ordinary person."

Li Bai shook his head and said, "It's just a rumor, don't take it seriously."

The villagers dared not say anything and stood aside to prevent Li Bai from falling into the river.

Li Bai gazed at the bright moon in the sky and suddenly said, "Do you think it's possible for a mortal to pluck the moon from the sky?"

Upon hearing this, the villager knelt down, filled with fear and unease, and said, “Mr. Li, please do not speak nonsense. How can a mortal pluck the moon? Besides, that is the Moon Palace of the Goddess of the Moon. For a mortal to speak of such a thing is already an offense. There was a rumor that if you point at the Moon Goddess, it is disrespectful, and after midnight the Goddess of the Moon will send someone to cut off your ear as punishment. Therefore, you must not disrespect the Goddess of the Moon.”

Li Bai laughed and said, "But let me ask you, is it possible to pluck the moon? Don't say such a thing, just tell me whether you can or cannot."

The villager said, "I dare not speak recklessly."

Li Bai helped the villager up and said, "But you clearly stated that if there is any guilt, then let the Goddess of the Moon blame me, Li Taibai alone."

Upon hearing Li Bai's words, the villagers repeatedly said they dared not, and after hesitating for a long time, they said, "Mr. Li, mortals certainly cannot pluck the moon."

Li Bai said, "How can I tell?"

The villagers said, "Mr. Li, we can't even reach the Taiyin (the moon), how can we talk about picking it?"

Upon hearing this, Li Bai pondered for a long time, then slowly nodded and said, "No, we can't even reach the Taiyin Mountain, so how can we say we can pluck it? What you say makes sense."

The villagers said, "But if Mr. Li wants to pluck the moon, there is a way."

Li Bai asked, "Do you have a solution?"

The villagers said, "We have our own way, we have our own way."

Li Bai, intrigued, sat down on the ground and asked, "Tell me about it."

The villager said, “In the past, my child would often see the full moon and pester me to give him the moon. I had no way to get the moon for him, but he kept saying that he wanted the moon. So I had to come up with a way. So at night, I would take a basin of water and place it in the yard. When the full moon was reflected in the basin, I could get the moon and satisfy my child for a while.”

Upon hearing this, Li Bai suddenly realized that he was blinded by a leaf and could not see Mount Tai. How could he not have thought of this? The illusion of a flower in a mirror and the moon in the water is a common saying.

He was overjoyed and said, "You have done me a great favor."

The villagers, puzzled, said, "What do you mean by that, sir? Even if you can see the moon in a basin, it's an illusion and shouldn't be taken as real."

Li Bai remained calm and composed, saying, "The moon in the basin is an illusion, but isn't our life also an illusion? Seeing the moon in the basin is like seeing myself."

The villagers were bewildered, not understanding what Li Bai was talking about.

Li Bai suddenly turned around, laughed loudly several times, looked at the river behind him, and saw the full moon reflected in the water. He suddenly reached out to grab it, but his steps faltered and he fell into the river.

The villagers were terrified and shouted incessantly.

"Someone, come quickly!"

"Mr. Li has fallen into the water!!"

Amid the villagers' shouts, a large group of villagers quickly arrived, but after searching the water for a long time, they found no trace of Li Bai and learned that he had drunkenly tried to scoop up the moon and died.

……

Li Bai was extremely famous, and news of his death quickly spread throughout the world. People everywhere mourned his passing and admired this man of extraordinary talent.

In the imperial palace of Chang'an, Li Longji heard of Li Bai's death and was overcome with grief. He did not know the reason for this feeling, but he could not stop it.

The palace maid who reported to the emperor was still laughing at Li Bai, but then she said, "Your Majesty, this is truly absurd! That great poet Li Bai actually got drunk and tried to catch the moon's reflection in the water and died. The moon in the water is just an illusion, even a three-year-old child knows that. That Li Bai actually thought there was a moon in the water, which is even less than a three-year-old child. It is truly laughable!"

Li Longji's eyes were sharp as he asked, "What's so funny about this? Tell me in detail."

The palace servant sensed the displeasure in Li Longji's words and said tremblingly, "I know my crime, I know my crime! I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

Li Longji said, "Li Taibai was a citizen of the Great Tang Dynasty. As a citizen of the Great Tang Dynasty, he was my subject. Now that my subject has passed away, how dare you speak so boldly? Go down later and receive twenty strokes of the cane."

The palace servants knelt on the ground, kowtowing countless times, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Longji pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "You said that Li Bai died trying to catch the moon, was it because of some divine connection?"

Upon hearing Li Longji's words, the palace attendant recalled the matter of the immortal connection and said, "Your Majesty, that immortal connection was merely a dream of Li Bai; it cannot be taken seriously."

Li Longji said, "Li Bai once told me that he must pluck the moon to attain immortality. Li Bai is now trying to catch the moon in the water, which is also a way of obtaining the moon. Perhaps he is already practicing cultivation."

The palace attendant said, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely impossible."

Li Longji asked, "How do you know?"

The palace attendant laughed and said, "Li Bai is already dead, so what talk is there about cultivation or immortality?"

Upon hearing this, Li Longji remained silent for a long time.

After a long pause, he suddenly spoke, saying, "Who says that one cannot cultivate after death? That one cannot attain immortality after death? You should know that in the past, there have been many stories of immortals teaching people to be resurrected after death. Even back in the time of Emperor Taizong, after the monk Xuanzang went to the west to obtain the scriptures, he talked about his experiences. He mentioned that the king of the Western Wuji Kingdom had been dead for many years and taught his disciples to bring him back to life. Isn't this a case of being resurrected after death? One can attain immortality after death."

Upon hearing this, the palace attendant bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I hereby issue a notice instructing the entire Tang Dynasty to search for Li Bai."

Li Longji shook his head and said, "No need for that, it's just my guess."

The palace attendant said, "Your Majesty, if we search, we might actually find Li Bai."

Li Longji said, "No need, but hurry up and fetch that pill for me to take."

Upon hearing this, the palace servants dared not disobey. After a short while, they took out a treasure box, opened it, and inside was a golden pill, a golden elixir refined by a Taoist alchemist.

Li Longji said, "This golden elixir was refined by a true cultivator. Taking it will make one's spirit a hundredfold, but prolonged use will cause discomfort. Do you know why?"

The palace attendant replied, “Your Majesty, this elixir is made from gold and stone, which are the essence of heaven and earth. The alchemist said that if one ingests it for a long time, one can ascend to immortality. Your Majesty’s discomfort may be a sign of becoming an immortal.”

Li Longji asked, "Why do I feel unwell? Is this a sign of becoming an immortal?"

The palace attendant then said, "To become an immortal, one must undergo trials and tribulations. The discomfort you feel is surely one of those trials and tribulations. Isn't this a sign of becoming an immortal?"

Li Longji was overjoyed upon hearing this and swallowed the elixir.

(End of this chapter)