The World Inside a Pillow

" In the seventh year of the Kaiyuan there was a Daoist named Lü, an old man who had mastered the arts of the immortals. Travelling the road to Handan, he stopped to rest at a roadside inn, pushed back his cap and loosened his belt, and sat leaning against his cushion. Presently a young man came in off the road — Lu Sheng, in a short hemp coat, down from a black colt on his way out to the fields. He too stopped at the inn, took the same mat as the old man, and the two of them fell to talking and laughing with great ease." "In the seventh year of Kaiyuan, there was a Daoist named Lü Weng, who had obtained the arts of the immortals. Travelling the Handan road, he rested at an inn, took off his cap, loosened his belt, and sat leaning against his bag-cushion. Presently he saw among the travelers a young man, Lu Sheng, wearing a short coarse coat and riding a black colt, on his way to the fields. He too stopped at the inn, sat on the same mat as Weng, and their talk and laughter were very lively."

"After a while Lu Sheng looked down at his own worn, travel-stained clothes, let out a long sigh, and said: 'A grown man, born into the world and out of step with all of it — brought as low as this.'" "After a while, Lu Sheng, looking at his worn and dirty clothing, sighed deeply and said: 'A great man, born into the world and finding it does not suit him — reduced to hardship like this.'"

"'Look at you,' said the old man. 'Sound in body, nothing ailing you, and a moment ago you were talking and laughing at your ease. Yet you groan about hardship — why?' 'This?' said Lu Sheng. 'This is only scraping by. You could hardly call it a life.'" "Weng said: 'Looking at your body, you are without pain or illness, and just now you talked and laughed contentedly. Yet you sigh over hardship — why?' Lu Sheng answered: 'I merely keep myself alive. How could this be called contentment?'"

“The innkeeper's yellow millet was still not done.”

"'Then what would you call a life?' 'A man should build merit and raise up a name,' Lu Sheng said. 'Lead armies in the field and govern at court, eat from rows of bronze cauldrons and hear only the music he chooses, lift his whole clan higher and his household into wealth — then you could call a life good. I set my heart on study, I grew rich in every art; I used to think the robes of high office were mine for the plucking. And here I am in my prime, still bent over the furrows. If that is not being hemmed in, what is?' As he finished, his eyes clouded and he grew drowsy. The innkeeper was just then steaming a pot of yellow millet. The old man reached into his bag, drew out a pillow, and handed it to him. 'Rest your head on my pillow,' he said, 'and it will bring you the honor and the ease you long for.' The pillow was green porcelain, open at each end. Lu Sheng bent his head toward it — and saw the opening slowly widen and brighten, until he rose and stepped bodily inside." "Weng said: 'If this is not contentment, then what is?' He answered: 'A gentleman born into the world ought to build merit and establish a name — a general abroad, a minister at court — to eat from ranged cauldrons, to hear music of his choosing, to make his clan ever more flourishing and his household ever richer; only then can one speak of contentment. I once set my will on learning and was abundant in the arts; I reckoned that in my day high rank could be picked up at will. Now I am already a grown man, yet still toil in the fields. If this is not hardship, what is?' As he finished speaking, his eyes dimmed and he wished to sleep. At that time the innkeeper was steaming millet. Weng then took a pillow from his bag and handed it to him, saying: 'Pillow your head on mine, and it will make you honored and content as you wish.' The pillow was green porcelain, with an opening at both ends. Lu Sheng bowed his head toward it and saw the opening gradually grow larger and bright; then he raised his body and entered."

"He came at once to his home. Within a few months he married a daughter of the Cui clan of Qinghe — a woman of striking beauty — and his means grew richer by the season. Lu Sheng was overjoyed; his clothes, his carriages, his horses turned finer and more splendid with every passing day. The next year he sat the imperial examination, passed among the highest, and shed his commoner's coat for the robes of office." "He then arrived at his home. Within a few months he married a woman of the Cui clan of Qinghe, whose face was very beautiful, and his wealth grew ever greater. Lu Sheng was greatly pleased; from then on his clothing, carriages, and horses grew daily more fresh and splendid. The next year he passed the jinshi examination, placed on the roll, and put off his commoner's dress for office."

"From there the ascent never slowed. Collator, then examiner by imperial summons; sheriff of Weinan; then, almost at once, investigating censor; then court diarist and drafter of edicts. After three years he went out to govern Tong prefecture, then Shan; he carried his commissioner's staff to Bian, oversaw the whole circuit of Henan, and was called back to govern the capital itself." "He became a collator, responded to the imperial examination, was transferred to be sheriff of Weinan, soon promoted to investigating censor, then court diarist and drafter of imperial edicts. After three years he went out to administer Tongzhou, was moved to be governor of Shan, transferred his authority to Bianzhou, took charge of the surveillance of the Henan circuit, and was summoned to become metropolitan governor of the capital."

"Then war. He was made vice-censor-in-chief and military commissioner of Hexi, and on the frontier he broke the Rong tribes in a single great battle — seven thousand heads taken, nine hundred li of land opened to the empire. Home again, he rose higher still — vice-minister of personnel, then minister of revenue and grand censor." "He was then appointed vice-censor-in-chief and military commissioner of Hexi. He greatly defeated the Rong barbarians, cut off seven thousand heads, and opened up nine hundred li of territory. He was transferred to be vice-minister of personnel, then promoted to minister of revenue and concurrently grand censor."

"At the summit, the chief minister of the day came to hate him. A rumor was set loose — a few flying words, nothing that could be answered — and Lu Sheng was cast down to be prefect of distant Duanzhou." "He was greatly resented by the chief minister of the time, who struck at him with slanderous rumors, and he was demoted to be prefect of Duanzhou."

"Some years on they framed him worse — accused him of conspiring with the frontier generals, of designs against the throne. The order came down; officers arrived to take him. Lu Sheng turned to his wife and said: 'Back home east of the mountains I had five good fields — enough to keep out cold and hunger. Why did I ever go chasing a salary? Now it has come to this. I would give anything to be back in my short hemp coat, on my black colt, riding the Handan road — and I never can.' He took up a blade to cut his own throat. His wife caught his hand, and he was spared." "He was again falsely accused of conspiring with the frontier generals and plotting treason. An edict sent him to prison. He said: 'My family is east of the mountains, with five qing of good fields, enough to ward off cold and hunger. Why did I toil after a salary? Now it has come to this. I long to wear my short coat and ride my black colt along the Handan road, and I cannot.' He drew a blade and cut his own throat; his wife saved him, and he escaped death."

"He was banished to the far south. But after some years the emperor learned he had been wronged, recalled him, made him joint manager of affairs — grand councillor — then Director of the Secretariat, and enfeoffed him as Duke of Yan, heaping favor on him beyond anything shown to another man." "After several years the emperor knew of his wrong and recalled him and made him joint manager of affairs — grand councillor — then Director of the Secretariat, enfeoffing him as Duke of Yan; the imperial favor shown him was exceptional."

"He had five sons — Jian, Chuan, Wei, Ti, and Yi — every one of them able and accomplished, and all of them married into the most eminent houses of the realm. He had more than ten grandsons. Twice cast down and twice raised, he was now the most honored man of his age, and richer than he could count." "He had sons — named Jian, Chuan, Wei, Ti, and Yi — all of talent and ability. Their marriages were all into the most eminent clans of the realm. He had more than ten grandsons."

"The years came on and he grew old and worn. Again and again he begged to lay down his office and go home; again and again he was refused. When at last he fell ill, he sent up a final memorial to the throne: 'Your servant was only a student from east of the mountains. You raised me to the summit of office and honored me past all deserving. Now I am past eighty, my rank at the very top — and I take my leave of this bright age forever.' That same evening he died." "In later years he gradually grew old and infirm, and repeatedly begged to retire, but was not permitted. When he was about to die, he sent up a memorial: 'Your servant was originally a student from east of the mountains. Now I am past eighty, my position at the height of the three highest offices. I have emptily borne your deep favor, and now take eternal leave of this sagely age.' That evening he died."

"Lu Sheng stretched, yawned, and woke. He was lying in the inn just as before. The old man Lü sat beside him. The innkeeper's yellow millet was still not done. Everything he touched was exactly as it had been. He sat bolt upright. 'Was that — all of it — a dream?' The old man looked at him. 'The joys of a whole life,' he said, 'are just like that.' For a long while Lu Sheng sat blank and silent. Then he thanked him. 'Favor and disgrace, poverty and success, what is gained and what is lost, and life and death itself — now I have known them all the way through. This is how you have stilled my wanting. How could I not take the lesson?' He bowed his head to the ground twice, and went on his way." "Lu Sheng stretched and awoke, and saw his body lying in the inn just as before; Lü Weng sat beside him, and the innkeeper's millet was not yet cooked. Everything he touched was as it had been. He rose with a start and said: 'Was it then a dream?' Weng said to him: 'The contentments of human life are just like this.' Lu Sheng was blank for a long while, then thanked him, saying: 'The way of favor and disgrace, the turns of failure and success, the pattern of gain and loss, the truth of death and life — I have fully known them all. This is how you, sir, have stopped up my desires. How dare I not receive the teaching?' He bowed his head to the ground twice and departed."

枕中 The original Chinese · honored as an artifact

開元七年，道士有呂翁者，得神仙術，行邯鄲道中，息邸舍，攝帽弛帶隱囊而坐，俄見旅中少年，乃盧生也。

Opening lines, classical Chinese · 傳奇 · Tang chuanqi, via 太平廣記 Taiping Guangji