Kako je Jiang Ziwen postal bog

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Kako je Jiang Ziwen postal bog

Jiang Ziwen was a native of Guangling. He was fond of wine and women, and reckless beyond all restraint. He often said of himself, “My bones are pure; when I die, I am destined to become a god.” Toward the end of the Han dynasty, he served as commandant of Moling. While pursuing bandits to the foot of Mount Zhong, he was struck on the forehead. He untied his official sash to bind the wound, but died shortly afterward. In the early days of Wu’s founding ruler, one of Jiang’s former subordinates saw him on the road, riding a white horse and holding a white feather fan, with attendants about him just as in life. The man fled in terror. Jiang followed him and said, “I am to become the tutelary god of this land and bestow blessings upon you common people. Tell the people to build me a shrine. If you do not, great calamity will follow.” That summer, a terrible epidemic broke out. Fear spread among the people in whispered conversations, and quite a few began secretly making offerings to him. Jiang then spoke through spirit mediums: “I shall grant great aid and protection to the Sun family. A shrine should be built for me. Otherwise, I shall bring disaster by sending insects into people’s ears.” Before long, tiny insects like dust-sized gnats began entering people’s ears, and all who were afflicted died; physicians could find no cure. The people grew still more afraid, but the ruler of Wu remained unconvinced. Jiang again spoke through spirit mediums: “If you will not offer sacrifices to me, I shall bring another calamity, this time by great fires.” That year, fires broke out on a vast scale, flaring up in dozens of places in a single day. The flames even reached the palace. Those consulted argued that a spirit would cease to cause harm once it had a place where it belonged, and that some means should therefore be found to appease him. An envoy was accordingly sent to invest Ziwen as Marquis of Zhongdu and his younger brother Zixu as Commandant of Changshui, each receiving an official seal and sash. A temple was built for them. Mount Zhong was renamed Mount Jiang—the Mount Jiang that now stands northeast of Jiankang. From that time onward, the calamities ceased, and the people came to worship him with great devotion.