Lisjak v podobi učenjaka

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Lisjak v podobi učenjaka

Zhang Hua, courtesy name Maoxian, served as Minister of Works during the reign of Emperor Hui of Jin. At that time, a spotted fox lived before the tomb of King Zhao of Yan. Having grown old over many years, it had acquired the power to change its form. It transformed itself into a young scholar and set out to visit Lord Zhang. On the way, it asked the ceremonial pillar before the tomb, “With my talents and appearance, might I gain an audience with Minister Zhang?” The pillar replied, “With your marvelous gifts, there is little you cannot do. But Lord Zhang’s wisdom and judgment may prove too difficult to beguile. If you go, you are sure to meet with disgrace and may never return. Not only will you lose the body you have preserved for a thousand years, you will also bring grave misfortune upon this old pillar.” The fox would not listen. It presented its visiting card and sought an audience with Zhang Hua. Seeing a graceful youth with his hair still tied in childhood tufts, a complexion as fair and flawless as jade, and a charm that enlivened every movement and glance, Zhang Hua held him in high esteem. They began to discuss literature, weighing words against their substance, and the youth offered insights Zhang Hua had never heard before. They went on to examine the Three Histories, probe the subtleties of the hundred schools, explore the mysteries of Laozi and Zhuangzi, and unfold the profoundest meanings of the Airs and Odes. Their talk embraced the ten sages, encompassed the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and humankind, criticized the eight schools of Confucian learning, and scrutinized the five rites. At every turn, Zhang Hua found himself confounded and unable to reply. At last he sighed. “How can there be such a youth in this world? If he is not a ghost or demon, he must be a fox.” He had a couch swept clean and invited the youth to stay, while posting men to watch him. The young scholar said, “My lord ought to honor the worthy and show tolerance toward all, commend the able and have compassion for those who fall short. Why should you resent another man’s learning? Is this what Mozi meant by universal love?” With that, he asked to take his leave. But Zhang Hua had already stationed guards at the gate, and he could not get out. The youth then said to him, “You have placed armed men and ranks of horsemen at your gates. Surely this means you suspect me. I fear that people throughout the realm will hold their tongues, and men of wisdom and resource will turn away at the sight of your door. For your sake, my lord, I deeply regret it.” Zhang Hua made no reply, but ordered an even stricter watch. Just then Lei Huan, courtesy name Kongzhang, the magistrate of Fengcheng and a man of wide learning, came to visit. Zhang Hua told him about the young scholar. Kongzhang said, “If you suspect him, why not summon a hunting dog to test him?” A dog was brought, but the youth showed not the slightest fear. The fox said, “Heaven endowed me with talent and intelligence, yet you take me for a demon and test me with a dog. Try a thousand tests and devise ten thousand schemes—what harm can they do me?” Hearing this, Zhang Hua grew still angrier. “This is certainly a true demon. I have heard that uncanny spirits fear dogs, but dogs can distinguish only creatures a few hundred years old. An ancient spirit of a thousand years is beyond their power to detect. Only by shining the light of burning thousand-year-old dead wood upon it can one make its true form appear at once.” Kongzhang asked, “Where could we find such thousand-year-old spirit wood?” Zhang Hua replied, “It is said that the wooden ceremonial pillar before King Zhao of Yan’s tomb has stood for a thousand years.” He sent men to cut it down. As his messenger was approaching the tree, a small boy dressed in blue appeared in the air and asked, “Why have you come?” The messenger replied, “A young man has called upon Minister Zhang. He is richly talented and eloquent, but the minister suspects him of being a demon. He has sent me to fetch the ceremonial pillar and reveal the youth by its light.” The boy in blue said, “That foolish old fox would not heed my warning. Now his calamity has reached me too. How can I escape?” He broke into loud weeping and vanished in an instant. The messenger cut down the tree, and blood flowed freely from it. He brought the wood back and burned it to cast its light upon the young scholar, who was revealed as a spotted fox. Zhang Hua said, “Had these two creatures not encountered me, no one could have caught them in another thousand years.” Then he had the fox boiled.