Jurong, Maoshan.

Maoshan is at the junction of Jurong and Jintan, and belongs to the former in terms of administrative division. It is said that in the Western Han Dynasty, there were three brothers of the Mao family who collected medicine and alchemy here, saved the people and helped the world, and founded the Taoist system.

Later, when he arrived in Qiliang, Tao Hongjing, the master of the Shangqing faction, lived in seclusion in Maoshan again, recruited disciples, and officially established a sect. Because of the respect for the sages, the three Mao brothers are respected as the ancestors.

When Maoshan was in its heyday, there were as many as 257 palaces, but by the end of the Qing Dynasty, only three palaces and five views remained. The three palaces are Chongxi Wanshou Palace, Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace, Yuanfu Wanning Palace, and the five views are Deyou Temple, Renyou Temple, Yuchen Temple, Baiyun Temple, and Ganyuan Temple.

Later, the Japanese-ghost war broke out, coupled with the torrent of humanity, almost all of them were burned. Until the 80s, the government allocated funds to restore the Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace and the Yuanfu Wanning Palace, which were collectively known as the Maoshan Taoist Academy, which belonged to the Zhengyi faction.

There is also a Kun Dao Academy, named Qianyuan Temple, which belongs to the Quanzhen Dragon Sect.

It is said that at the northern foot of this mountain, there is a small town called Maoshan Town. The town is 10 kilometers long from north to south and 5 kilometers wide from east to west, with a very small area and a population of just over 30,000.

In the early morning of this day, many people were still asleep, but the Zheng family, a well-known wealthy family in the town, was open and noisy, and there were still many vehicles parked at the door.

"Daochang Chen, I'm going to trouble you this time, you have to worry a lot. ”

"You're welcome, it's all what should be done. ”

While talking, I saw a few people coming out of the house with a Taoist chief, and a middle-aged man accompanied by kind words, and stuffed a thick red envelope by the way.

The chief took it, skillfully covered it with his sleeve, and disappeared, and then he also took out a paper bag, and said: "This is the hour I calculated, you do as I tell you, and there will be nothing to do tonight." However, I said that the death of the deceased before the Midyear Festival is not a good sign, and you had better do another ritual to eliminate the disaster. ”

"We can trust you!"

"Then the poor road will take his leave first!"

Several people sent the Taoist chief away, wiped his body back to the house, and hurriedly dressed and wore filial piety. It's not a very formal filial piety dress, with a belt rooted on the head or waist, and the clothes are plain.

After that, dozens of people crowded into the house, and a short teenager was pushed to the front. He was seven or eight years old at most, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a little stunned, and a round porcelain altar in his arms.

“……”

For a while, everyone held their breath, and the middle-aged man said in a low voice: "Happy, what taught you yesterday, just do it." ”

"Oh!"

The young man nodded, raised the porcelain altar above his head, and said in his mouth: "Grandpa, since you are gone, don't think about it anymore...... Your children and grandchildren will pay your final memorials, and you will also bless your children and grandchildren with peace and health, and wealth and happiness. ”

When the words fell, he used all his strength and slammed it hard.

"Smack!"

The porcelain altar smashed on the cement surface, and it suddenly fell apart and shattered at the door. Immediately after, a woman took a bowl of sugar boiling water and said, "Happy, drink this." ”

The young man poured it down in one breath, and everyone went out one after another and got into the car.

This middle-aged man's name is Zheng Cheng, and the young man is his youngest son, named Zheng Xingxing. A few days ago, the grandfather with the highest rank in the clan died, and he was handling the funeral at this time.

As the saying goes: five miles are different customs, and three miles change the rules, not to mention the difference between the north and the south?

For example, in the north, on the sixth night, you should "go to the wang", which is to burn some paper money in front of your house, put some food offerings, gather relatives and friends, and the host will babble and scatter some paper ashes next to the chimney.

For according to the northern saying, the deceased does not know that he is dead in the first six days, and you must tell him on the sixth day: Ah, you are already hanging, go quickly!

Then the soul of the deceased will flee down the chimney.

But in the south, especially in the south of the Yangtze River, there seems to be no Shangwang custom. Only on the morning of the first seven days, the child smashes the altar at the door, and then drinks a bowl of sugar water, which means peace.

Of course, in the past, it used to be suspended for seven days, but now it is not possible, and it is usually cremated in three days.

After a few words, the convoy arrived at the funeral home, and a group of people were busy paying their respects.

Zheng Xingxing doesn't understand, let the paper be burned, let the kowtow kowtow...... Although the child didn't cry, it was actually quite sad, and there was already the concept of "death" at this age.

Grandpa was kind to himself, but he never saw him again.

……

In the funeral tradition of the Xia Kingdom, the first seven days are probably the most important day.

It is believed that the spirit of the deceased will return home on the seventh day, and the family will prepare a meal after which they must be avoided. If the soul is allowed to see the family, it will cause them to worry about each other, and they will not be at peace with each other.

Maoshan Town is next to Maoshan Mountain, and it has been smelled by the ears and eyes for generations, so it is naturally more important than other places.

In the blink of an eye, it was evening, Zheng Zhai.

Distant relatives and neighbors have dispersed, leaving the most direct group of people sitting in the living room. I saw Zheng Cheng take out the paper bag, carefully open it, and pull out a piece of yellow paper with a few words on it:

It's two o'clock.

This is the time when the dead come back to their souls.

"It's nine o'clock to 11 o'clock, right?

"Don't worry about it, just two hours. ”

Grandma was more refreshing, hugged her little grandson and specially advised: "Be happy, remember! Don't come out for a while, just stay in the bed!"

"Mmmm, I'm not coming out!" said the child.

"Alright, let's almost get ready. Grandma spoke.

Immediately, a group of people began to get busy.

According to the instructions of the chief, first put the incense, candles, wine and food on the table, then spread a layer of plant ash, take a bamboo pole, and stand on the steps of the door—it is said that when the yin spirit sees the bamboo pole, it will enter the house.

After that, an egg is boiled and placed in an earthen pot in the corner of the house to bribe the god of evil (commonly known as the god of chicken feet) so that the ghost can stay for a few more moments. At the same time, you have to prepare a string of firecrackers, and throw them into the house after the morning is over, and you can only enter after the explosion.

After it was done, Grandma asked a group of people to go back to the house and never allowed to come out.

To be honest, they don't know if what the Taoist priest said is true or not, and they don't know if there are ghosts in this world. They only know that this is passed down from generation to generation, just like the Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Spring Festival, which have become deeply ingrained in the locals.

The courtyard of the Zheng family is very large, with two floors, grandma, uncle's family, aunt's family, eldest son and daughter-in-law, and Zheng Cheng and his wife take Zheng Xingxing.

The child curled up on the bed, sandwiched between his parents, excited and curious, asked, "Mom, will Grandpa come back?"

"Don't ask, hurry up and go to bed!"

"But I can't sleep. ”

"Then squint!"

Zheng Ma's attitude is very vague, she answered yes, she didn't believe it, and the answer was no, and she was not very down-to-earth. She patted the child and asked, "Hey, what time is it?"

"Eighty-fifty. ”

Zheng's father is playing with his mobile phone, he doesn't care, his father has been dead for seven days, the sad period has passed, and now he is going through the program. His wife paid more attention than him and said, "Turn off the lights, mom should say it in a while, and you don't play." ”

"Alas, shut up, shut up!"

He had no choice but to put down his phone and ask his wife to turn off the lights.

In an instant, the courtyard was pitch black and eerily quiet. The people in the houses did not know what they were doing, and there was no sound at all. Zheng's mother hugged her son and estimated in her heart, it should be nine o'clock, right?

She listened a little nervously, quietly, nothing happened.

After a while, she thought again, it should be nine and fifteen, right?

"Hoo ......"

"Crunch...... Crunch ......"

There was movement this time, but it was the slight snoring of his son, and the sound of his husband turning over in boredom.

In this way, the three of them lay down for a while, except for the occasional barking of the neighbor's dog and the passing of the car outside. She couldn't help but laugh, it was really superstition!

"Hmm......"

After lying down for another quarter of an hour, Zheng Xingxing suddenly moved his body and woke up and said, "Mom, I want to pee." ”

"Bear with me. ”

"Oh!"

“……”

"Mom, I can't hold it back, I'm about to pee out!" He screwed all kinds of pee, a small one, sharp and hard in his underwear.

"Then go!" said Zheng's father impatiently.

"It's not time yet!" the wife refused.

"What's the matter, go, don't wet the bed!"

My husband didn't care, and Zheng's mother also thought about it, as if there was really nothing wrong, so she said, "Go ahead, I'll come back after going to the toilet." ”

"Hmm!"

Zheng happily jumped out of bed, pulled his shoes and ran out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. After swaying happily, he walked back upside down.

As he reached the aisle, he glanced at it with his bladder: the aisle led to the living room, and the living room led to the door, and the door led to the courtyard...... This straight line is dark and dark.

The wine and food were not touched, the ashes of the plants and trees were intact, and the earthen jars in the corners of the house were also placed end-to-end.

He shook his head and scurried back to his bedroom. The physiological problem was solved, and the left and right parents guarded the child, and the child felt warm and stable, and soon fell asleep again.

……

"Hmm, why is it so bright?"

I don't know how long I slept, Zheng happily muttered suddenly, only to feel a light in front of him. At the same time, the body is light and soft, as if it is soaked in water, and it is pushed up little by little by buoyancy.

This state is amazing, he doesn't know whether he is dreaming or waking up, whether he is open or closed.

In a daze, I saw that the light slowly dimmed, and a black figure appeared. This figure is getting closer and closer, closer and closer, with a clear face, and it is his grandfather.

“……”

Zheng Xingxing wanted to scream, and he did shout, but he didn't make any sound. And the grandfather walked up to him, with a loving face, but he didn't speak.

Grandpa paused, then stretched out his hand, as if touching his grandson's head, and then turned around and disappeared.

"Happy! Happy, what's wrong with you?"

"Happy, don't scare your mother...... Woohoo......"

Just talking about the Zheng family's house, it can be messed up at this time!

Zheng Xingxing fell asleep, suddenly yelling, waving his hands, and then turning into crying again, and kept saying, "Turn on the light! Turn on the light!"

Mom and Dad were startled, shaking and shaking, but they couldn't wake up. Grandma and the others were alarmed, and ran downstairs in a panic, and for a while, all kinds of noises became chaotic.

"Turn the lights on! Turn the lights on!"

"Happy...... Woo...... Happy ......"

Zheng's mother also cried, and Zheng's father was so anxious that he kicked the wall. Only the grandmother was stunned, and suddenly scolded fiercely: "Dead old man, what are you doing touching the child if you have nothing to do!

"Mom, you said Dad is back?"

When Mama Zheng heard this, she raised her head suddenly and stared at her mother-in-law, which was extremely intimidating. Grandma was suffocated, and hurriedly comforted: "No, no, I'm talking nonsense! Don't worry, the child is sleep hysteria, it will be fine for a while, it will be fine for a while!"

In this way, everyone was at a loss, some said to send to the hospital, some said to find the Taoist, and some went to boil sugar water. In the end, even the neighbors came running, but unfortunately there were no eggs.

Fortunately, about five minutes later, Zheng Xingxing gradually stopped crying and regained consciousness. It didn't look like there was any change, but his eyes were swollen like peaches, and he said in confusion: "Mom, what's wrong with me?"

"Woo...... It's okay, it's okay!"

Zheng's mother didn't care about explaining, and hugged her son and cried again.

…………

"Ahh

Zheng Xingxing ran out of the house with a crawl, and his mother chased after him, and said angrily: "What are you making trouble? ”

"I'm not going in! There's been a dead person there, I'm not going in!"

The child hugged the iron door, his face turned white, and his body trembled.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

The mother's face turned white, and she raised her hand and slapped her, scolding: "What do you little cub know? You didn't look at anything!"

"It's true, it's really dead, Mom, Mom......" The child was already crying.

Zheng's mother wanted to scold again, but she saw her cousin pull it out, leaned against the door frame and said, "Yo, I said I'm happy, I'm usually good to you, right?

"No, sister, the child is playing!" she quickly explained.

"Hmph, that kid was touched by the old man, you know everything. Maybe he opened some kind of yin and yang eyes, tsk, I can't afford such a capable nephew, let's come less in the future...... Bang!"

The cousin closed the door.

“……”

Zheng's mother pursed her lips, took the child's hand, and led it home step by step.

It was noon, and lunch had just been prepared at home. When Grandma saw them returning, she reluctantly greeted them, and went to the dining room to eat.

During the whole process, the atmosphere of the family was heavy, and no one said a word. Zheng Xingxing was even more depressed, almost burying his head in the bowl, not daring to look at his relatives.

After the first seven days, he became strange. Everywhere I went, I either said that the person had died, or that it was unlucky, or I went crazy and yelled...... Who's got to take care of it?

In just a few days, half of Maoshan Town spread all over the town, saying that the Zheng family kid was touched by a ghost and was nervous.

People are like this, in the face of strong pressure, even if it is flesh and blood, sometimes it can be easily parted.

"I discussed it with my mother, and I will send happiness up the mountain tomorrow. ”

Dad Zheng chewed the rice in his mouth, and said coldly.

"What do you mean?" Mama Zheng was stunned.

"I have communicated with Daochang Chen, and he said that this child's yin qi has entered the body, and it is not good for mortals to stay at home for a long time. He is very interested in accepting him as an apprentice, and he just gives some melons and fruits every year as a filial piety. ”

"Zheng Cheng, do you still have a conscience?"

Zheng's mother immediately turned it over and said, "That's your own son! Are you willing to send him to become a monk?"

"Don't quarrel with me, he's so crazy, what can we do? Even if we don't dislike him, what will we do when he grows up? Go to school, fall in love, find a job, get married, who will take a fancy to him? Instead of this, it is better to let the Taoist chief discipline and discipline, maybe it will be fine. ”

"You!"

Zheng's mother's eyes turned red, and she turned to her grandmother, "Mom, that's what you mean?"

"The Taoist on the mountain has a profound mana, it is better than us, and we will take it back after we are cured, isn't it?"

"Good, good ......"

Zheng's mother seemed to be crying, but she couldn't help it, and laughed mockingly: "Happy is my son, and what he has become is also my son! You don't want him, I want him!"

(Have you ever been a teacher, Happy Teacher's Day!)