Yui Jing Yi Meets the Kitchen God
During the Jia Jing years of Ming dynasty, there was a gentleman named Yui Du in Jiang Xi. His second name was Liang Chen. Mr. Yui was learned and multi-talented. At age 18, he passed the exam to be a government scholar.
He and his school friends set up Wen Chang society to show respect to Lord Wen Chang, a god who is in charge of the test achievements of scholars. They followed the Yin Zhih articles of Lord Wen Chang, for example, cherishing papers with words, freeing captive animals monthly, abstaining from immoral sexual conduct, and refraining from killing. As for verbal misdeeds such as lying, speaking unkindly, discussing the rights and wrongs of others, these were also asked to be abstained from. Because Lord Wen Chang said as long as one does many good deeds and accumulates virtue, heaven will surely bestow fortune.
Mr. Yui conducted himself this way for many years. However, he took the government exams seven times consecutively, yet never received a position in government. With no hope for being an official, he could only live by teaching.
When he was mid-aged, his household finances were still quite poor. What was more sad and tragic, he had five sons, four of which died. Of his four daughters, only one was still alive. When his third son was born, the boy had two distinct moles under his left foot. This child was very bright and cute. The parents were very fond of the boy. But the boy suddenly went missing at the age of 8. Due to these repeated devastating blows, his wife wept in sorrow until she was blind. Mr. Yui’s family circumstances became increasingly difficult.
He introspected and believed that he did not commit much misdeeds. Why does God give me such a heavy punishment? Why does heaven not bless me? On the eve of each lunar year after he was 40, Mr. Yui always wrote a declaration to heaven. He asked the kitchen God to deliver it to the heaven ruler. Yet after many years there was not much response.
Until the time when Mr. Yui was 47, at the eve of that new lunar year. He sat with his wife and daughter face to face in misery. Looking around the house, it was utterly desolate and bleak. Suddenly, they heard someone knocking. Opening the door, there was a man with a cloth on his head, wearing a black robe, looking to be in his 50’s or 60’s. This man politely greeted Mr. Yui.
Zhang: My family name is Zhang and I come from far away. I passed by your doorway, and heard sighs of worry. So I purposefully came to comfort you.
Mr Yui felt that this man was very bizarre, therefore he saluted him very respectfully.
Yui: I am now poor and destitute. Why would someone come to comfort me? Particularly tonight, the new year’s eve. All families are gathered together. Who will be free to come to my home to offer comfort?
Mr. Yui saw that his appearance and the way he spoke was not mundane, and so way very respectful to him. Thus he described to the gentleman the circumstances of his life.
Yui: My life’s studies, teaching, and the cultivation of morality all have no big faults. Why is it that up to now I still have not obtained a government rank? Unable to keep my family safe, so many of my children died young. Even to the point of lacking clothes and food, just living is a problem. These years, on every new year’s eve, I always burned a declaration to heaven in front of the Kitchen God. I still remember that declarations I wrote. I can tell them to you now.
Zhang: You needn’t say more. I know your family situation quite well. In the declarations you burned in front of the Kitchen God every year are all words of complaint about everyone and everything but yourself. The malice in your thoughts is too heavy. When you think, there is too much unkindness. What you do is only superficial, With no real intention of repenting. Disrespecting the heaven ruler in such an insincere way, I am afraid the punishment you will get will be more than this. These can possibly be even larger disaster to follow.
Yui: I heard that without us being aware, ghosts and gods are monitoring us. Even tiny deeds of good, these spirits are aware of them. For so many years I participated in Wen Chang Society, vowing with my classmates to strive to do good deeds. Can it be that these are all just on the surface? The rules in Wen Chang society are like commandments. Everyone must follow them. I am also conducting myself as taught, not violating. Can it be that this is also superficial?
Zhang: In your rules there are statements about respecting literature and cherishing papers with writing on them. Since there is this provision, you should behave accordingly. Yet you still take old books, not caring about taking sheets of articles to paste windows. When you see others use papers of articles to paste windows or wrap somethings, you never gave them the reasons for not doing that, nor did you once stop them. Except for the occasion when you see papers of articles on the street, you will pick them up and burn them. Isn’t this doing something for show? Isn’t it just superficial?
Zhang: As for freeing captured animals, if others do it then you do. If they don’t then you don’t. is your heart really merciful? Do you really want to save lives? Or is it simply seeing others act and having a little delight and following a bit. If others do nothing then it doesn’t matter. To truly follow joyfully in a kind act, you must give your best effort. Without your best effort you are not really following. Externally you also label yourself as a compassionate man, while actually in your heart you have no real compassionate feelings. Your kitchen still has food such as shrimps and crabs. You still have the heart to eat the flesh and blood of living beings.
Zhang: Lying, talking offensively, talking others into quarrels, and misleading others with suggestive or seductive words, all these you have committed. You are good at being sarcastic and saying inconsiderate things. Skillful at crafting your words, all those who listen are subdued by you. You even pride yourself in being a capable speaker. You have the ability to out-debate others and defy logic. Even unreasonable things you can talk into seeming reasonable. Because you have a desire to win, unwilling to concede to others, when talking with friends, you refuse to back down. This inconsideration of others is a big detriment.
Zhang: Thankfully, you still have a bit of conscience, knowing that your words are too harsh defying the spirit of kindness. This bit of conscience is the chance for you to turn disaster into fortune from now on. You do not know to examine your shortcomings, still believing that you have a good conscience and are a good person. Who can you deceive like this?
Zhang: Regarding the provision to abstain from immoral sexual conduct, although you have not committed such acts, if there happens to be come situation, you’ll have evil thoughts. You are really deceiving yourself and others. These are all rules set by your Wen Chang society and you can’t even follow them. Beyond these there is even less to say. Think for yourself whether you simply put up an outside appearance while not really earnestly doing anything.
Zhang: The yearly declarations that you wrote, the Kitchen God did indeed deliver to heaven, and submit to the Heaven Ruler. The Heaven Lord is not uncaring of you. He sent daytime messengers to observe you daily. But through these years, you did not manage to have one true kind deed to record.
Zhang: You also have greed, lust, jealousy, arrogance, thoughts of looking down on people, narrow-mindedness, a short temper, recalling the past, dreaming of the future, and holding vengeful thoughts. These vain thoughts, evil thoughts, are entwined firmly in your heart, never pausing. You simply pretend to act and speak benevolently. Yet these unkind thoughts have not changed at all. You don’t even have time to escape it. What fortune can you possibly ask for?
Yui: Since you know so well the unkind thoughts hidden in my heart, and have revealed them all, you must be a supernatural being, absolutely unordinary. I beg you to save me, please.
Mr Yui was terrified and then crouched with crying.
Zhang: You are a scholar, well learned in reason, and also know to admire kind actions and words and take joy in them. When you hear kind words you are also merry. Seeing kind deeds you are also encouraged. But you just forget it afterwards.
Zhang: The reason is because your habit of cultivating good is weak and your faith in doing good shallow. Your conditioning of agitation, worry and impure thoughts is too deep. Not having long-term determination and endurance, you are easily affected by external circumstances. Thus the kind words and actions in your life are all perfunctory, two steps forward two steps back. All on the surface. Not one deed was done earnestly, with total effort and sincerity.
Zhang: Also, the unkind intentions in your heart rise and fall without pause. Yet you still wish heaven to grant you fortune. Heaven has not granted you fortune. Thus you blame heaven. Think for yourself. This is as if your field only has thrones planted, yet you hope to harvest good rice in the future. How can there be reason for this? This does not fit with cause and effect.
Zhang: You must stop evil and accumulate good. Grow your modesty and virtue and ameliorate your shortcomings. If you strive and work hard, devoutly and sincerely, you will surely be changed in half a year. In three years you will definitely get a response.
Mr. Yui finally realized that destiny is created by oneself.
Zhang: You reap what you sow, so to speak. Do not blame others. As long as one can transform his thoughts, one can create for himself a new destiny.
Zhang: From now on whenever you have greed, lust, falseness, insincerity, and other deluded thoughts, you must be forceful, and completely reform and repent. Cut off these mirages and deluded thoughts form your heart. This is easy to speak of, but hard to do. You must be mentally prepared. As they say, do not fear the rise of thoughts but fear late awareness. Thought is what I just spoke of. Greed, lust, lust, falseness, insincerity, and other deluded thoughts. Whenever such thoughts give rise, immediately be aware.
Yui: My sins and bad habits really are deep! How should I transform my conditioning and habits?
Zhang: You must keep your mind totally clean, focusing all your concentration on what is kind. Do things without the thought of being reciprocated kindly. Regard doing good deeds and helping others as my own obligation, as what I should do. If others misunderstand, it is okay. The misunderstanding of others, do not be concerned with. Do not let this make you believe you cannot do good, or cannot be a good person. Even if others reciprocate me with hate, I do not care. Whether it is big or small, hard or easy, as long as it is righteous and kind, one must earnestly and directly do it without hesitation. One day, one year, one life, one generation. Even as far as wising that every single life you will thus do.
Zhang: First, you must have an enduring heart. Second, you must have long term determination. You absolutely cannot relax and become lazy. Nor can you be untrue to yourself and others. No matter what the circumstances, whether favorable or adverse, you must strive to practice earnestly. Bit by bit, accumulating more and more, gradually realizing your great wish. If your strength and ability is insufficient, then simply do as much as you can. Even if you have no power to fulfill a task, in intent you must still give your fullest. As long as you practice in this way for a long time, you will naturally have an unanticipated effect.
Zhang: Thankfully you still know courtesy. On every 1st and 15th of the month, you burned incense and made offerings to the Kitchen God, and did it with sincerity and respect. From now on you must strive to cultivate yourself. You can still change destiny.
After talking, Mr. Zhang went into Mr. Yui's room. Mr. Yui quickly followed only to know that Mr. Zhang disappeared beside the stove. Only now did Mr. Yui realize that it was the manifestation of the Kitchen God.
The next day, the new year’s day, a year had begun, and everything was renewed. Mr. Yui made a great vow, to rid himself of all deluded and mixed thoughts and also changed his name from Liang Chen to Jing Yi (Purify Intent), to remind himself to cut off all evil thoughts and to cultivate good. However, when he started to do this, distracting thoughts rose wildly. He was either doubtful or lazy, going forwards and backwards, making no progress.
After some time, Mr. Yui reflected on himself critically, resolving to try his hardest. From then on, every day before Guan Yin Bodhisattva, he bowed on the ground so hard that he bled, vowing sincerely. From that time on, Mr. Yui’s every word, every action, though, and moment, was spent as if ghosts and gods were next to him, not daring to self deceive, or relax his discipline. This is the key to why he is able to succeed in the future, to turn around destiny.
Whatever that can benefit others, no matter bid or small, whether he was busy or free, whether others knew or not. Mr. Yui all did earnestly, with endurance and a kind manner, without hesitation, to surely complete good deeds first, without considering whether he had the strength or was able to carry things through to the end. Only thinking of whether a cause should be done or not, not thinking of whether he had the strength. He did as much as he was able to do, with a merry heart, giving his best intent and effort.
If he did something halfway and ran out of strength, the merit was still complete. In this way, he took things as they came, broadly cultivating virtue.
And every time he met someone he would try to teach and guide them, telling them about ethics, diligence in studying, modesty, the ability to endure, and the principles of cause and effect, fearing that he did not give his total effort.
At the end of each month, as usual, he went before the Kitchen God and reported, the kindnesses he cultivated with his actions, speech and thoughts.
Mr. Yui’s cultivation of his character and virtue gradually became well practiced. When he was active, he held many kind thoughts. And when he was free and sat quietly, he mind was pure, without a thought. He practiced this way for three years. The response finally came.
When Mr. Yui attended the government exam at the age of 50, it was invigilated by a prime minister named Zhang. The prime minister wanted to find for his son, a teacher who was learned and virtuous. Everyone recommended Mr. Yui Jing Yi. Thus Mr. Yui was hired to teach at the prime minister’s house. He brought his family with him to the capital. His living condition also improved, not as poor and difficult as before. The prime minister appreciated Mr. Yui’s morality and knowledge and thus helped enroll him in the national academy.
In the fourth year of Wan Li (1572 AD), Ming dynasty, Mr. Yui took part in the provincial exam and passed. A year after that he passed the national exam for a Jin Shi. (e g ph. d). One day, Mr. Yui formally visited eunuch Yang. Yang called out his five foster sons to greet Mr. Yui. Among them was a 16 year old boy. At first sight Mr. Yui felt this boy looked familiar, as if he had met him before.
Yui: Where are you from?
Boy: Jiang Yo
Mr. Yui was from Jiang Xi. This boy seemed to remember his home town and his original family name.
Boy: When I was young, I left home to play. I entered someone’s grain transportation boat by mistake. As the boat sailed off, I was also carried away.
Mr. Yui was very surprised by these words. The boy agreed. Indeed, on the bottom of his left foot, he did have two very prominent moles.
Yui: Oh! You are my son!
Son: Father!
Yang saw that the father and son had reunited. He was also quite touched. Therefore, he was pleased to return the boy back to Mr. Yui.
Mr. Yui quickly reported this incidence to his wife. The family that had been separated for many years was finally reunited. Mother and son hugged together in tears upon meeting each other. The son was very filial. Seeing that the blind eyes of his mother were still weeping, he held up his mother’s face, and lapped her eyes. She can see things again!
The family was reunited at last. Mr. Yui realized his repentance and reformation in these past 3 years turned out exactly as the kitchen God had told him. An unimaginable response. When he could not have expected really happened at last. At this time he became less and less interested in worldly matters. Thus, he no longer wanted to be an official. This he bade farewell to prime minister Zhang and returned to his hometown.
There, with even more sincerity and devotion, he accumulated merit and practiced good deeds. He wrote his experience of meeting the Kitchen God and how he corrected himself in order to teach his offspring. Mr. Yiu lived until he was 88 years old.
His longevity, same as his fortune, were all the result of his cultivation after age 47. For us, the people of the world, this is indeed the best role model to learn from. The people of his village saw what Mr. Yui received in his life. They all said that it was his great effort in doing good deeds that changed his fate.
Mr. Yui was very unfortunate, yet also very fortunate. He only changed his ways to practice good at age 47, and received a response at 50. The fortunes of Mr. Yui’s son and grandchildren also turned good. These are results reaped from building merit and practicing good. Mr. Yui had seven grandsons, all of them healthy, good at studying and were famous later.
Recorded by Luo Jan, a younger fellow