The Extraordinary Supernatural

Particular Creatures and Phenomena 

In the YWCT, different kinds of creatures and phenomena are described, as well as humans with unusual abilities and beings that resemble humans, but have supernatural powers. Interestingly, in half of all stories, the protagonists have neutral experiences and only 29 notes tell of bad experiences or that the protagonist is even punished. In the following, the different beings and phenomena, as well as their relationship to humans, will be examined.

Humans with Supernatural Powers 

Humans with supernatural abilities include Daoists, monks and magicians, as well as individuals who can see ghosts (nengshigui 能視鬼 or shiguizhe 視鬼者). Daoists frequently use their powers to interfere with family matters. Their miraculous abilities are said to give cause for worry, but to be acceptable, as long as they use them for good ends. Not approved of is a certain Daoist of unknown origin, Song Laihui 宋來會 (fl. 1723) tells about. The man was once invited to celebrate the vine blossom at the house of the Minister of Finance, Tian Wen 田雯 (1634−1704), the father of Ji Yun’s friend Tian Zhongyi 田中義 (d. c 1761). During the festivity, the guests felt disturbed by three misbehaving scholars. One is a vulgar character, distasteful and superficial, but continuously talking. The other is a rather irritating and frivolous young man. The third one is a pedantic scholar, who in vain tried to calm down the two increasingly agitated men and as a result also exposed his anger. Seeing this, the Daoist wrote three charms (fu 符) on a piece of paper and burned them. Thereafter the three men appeared as if in trance, hurried to the far corners of the garden, and started to behave like parodies of their own character. Due to their laughable performance, they became the spectacle of the guests, who were shocked but at the same time amused. After a while, the crowd dispersed toward the offered alcohol and the Daoist burned three more fu. Thereupon, the men became depressed at first and regained consciousness. They excused themselves for breach of etiquette and for having fallen asleep drunk, whereas the guests giggled secretly and went their way. Later on, the same Daoist used his magic ability to manipulate the concubine of a traveller in a guest house. When she could recollect the incident and the malefactor was to be arrested, it turned out that he had already fled. Ji Yun remarked that this is probably the reason why it is stated in the Zhouli 周禮 that commoners with magical powers are not allowed to enter the palace.  Even though the Daoist did use magic successfully to quiet down and ridicule the three annoying scholars at the garden party, it was not necessary to do so. His ordinary character is already revealed by demonstrating his magical power in this way. At the end of the story, his misuse of power becomes even more apparent.

Nevertheless, the majority of Daoists in the collection interfere favourably with social interests, as do monks. Solely one instance is reported, in which a Tibetan monk of the Red Lamaism-school takes supernatural revenge on the official Liu Baozhu 留保柱 (d. c 1797) who had annoyed him. Ji Yun commented that he suspects the followers of this school to practice nothing but magic. On the other hand, magicians seem to be mainly employed for entertainment. Thus, Ji Yun tells of a sorcerer who performed his magic tricks in the house of his maternal grandfather Zhang Fen 张棻 (d. 1750) as amusement for his guest. To the great astonishment of the audience, the magician showed his art in getting things to partly or fully disappear and reappear in different places. Soberly, Ji Yun commented that people think it is normal for foxes and demons to let human belongings dematerialise. It is also seen as normal that magicians can drive out foxes and demons. How then, can it be strange if a magician uses these beings to make things disappear at his command?

The stories also describe humans with special abilities that are not necessarily understood as supernatural, such as persons who can see ghosts. As compared to shamans, whose souls travel to the underworld, persons who can see ghosts have the inherited gift to do so in this world. Next to protagonists with no social background given, three stories tell of officials and scholars, who have this ability. Named are the commander Aixinga 愛星阿 (d. 1799), the Vice Censor Hu Taichu 胡太初, the Grand-Secretary Heng Lantai 恒蘭台 (fl. 1715), who can also see dragons, and Luo Pin 羅聘. Due to his personality and already mentioned painting 'Ghost Amusement', Luo Pin is probably the most prominent ghost-seer of the 18th century. Ji Yun additionally tells of his own capacity, that he was able as a child to see as well in the dark as during daytime. This ability lessened the older he got: "Today, it only happens to me once every year or two years. It is as quick as the spark of a flint or the snapping of fingers." Ji Yun also gives a reason for the decline of special abilities: "The older one gets the more desires one has, which is why special abilities become weaker and weaker." (HX IV.10 b). These special abilities are understood as certain innate humane sensitivities and as opposed to the miraculous tricks that Daoist, monks, and magicians learn to practice.

Miscellaneous Species

The narratives describe creatures that look like humans, unknown mixed species, supernatural animals, and mythological beings as well as strange plants. There are Daoists, scholars, old men, or women, who turn out to be of puzzling origin because they suddenly appear, vanish, or fly. It is told about immortals (xian 仙), fairies (tiannü 天女, shennü 神女), and a man who is undying, but according to himself he is no immortal. The miscellaneous species comprise monstrous apparitions and tiny humans, who talk a strange language. Further on there are creatures that can change their appearance from humans to monsters. Four narratives describe beings that are like humans and like beast (si ren si shou 似人似獸), or who resemble humans but are no humans (si ren fei ren 似人非人). These are said to live deep in the mountains, in Tibet or Urumqi and are sometimes called 'uncivilized humans' (yeren 野人). Unknown peoples are thus thought of as being capable of having supernatural powers and monstrous appearances.

Moreover, mythical beings, like dragons are mentioned as well as eighteen supernatural animals. The latter comprise birds flying out of the coffin of the recently dead, to carry their souls. It is said that the official Jin Shen 金甡 (1701−1782) once bought and ate such a bird, but according to the report this did not agree too well with him.

It also happens, that ordinary domestic animals all of a sudden behave unnaturally. They can be very loyal towards humans and oxen might even miraculously save their owner’s life. Next to stories about supernatural insects and snakes, the official Yu Jin'ao 俞金鼇 (d. 1793) tells how he formerly saw a giant gecko in the Gobi Desert. The gecko followed him on two legs until he shot him down. Whereas Ji Yun's daughter became a witness to innumerable lice killing a man, there are birds and bats, who fly out of human abscesses, as well as heat and cold resistant worms, mice, and rats. Other reports are seen as less surprising, like the one about roosters, which under certain circumstances can lay eggs. The official Adisi 阿迪斯 (1739–1815) explains Ji Yun the medical effect of these eggs and how one can succeed in letting rooster's qi accumulate (jingqi tuanjie 精氣摶結), in order to make them lay eggs. Ji Yun is not amazed, since he had already read about this in the Zi bu yu by Yuan Mei 袁枚 (1716–1798).

In more than half of the stories these supernatural creatures have no influence on the protagonist’s life. In 15 per cent of the narratives they are malevolent and twice they punish an immoral human. Most of the protagonists of the upper class are officials, who frequently meet strange creatures when travelling, in, or near their official residence; as for example, the Military Commander of the province of Guangxi, Tian Gengye 田耕野 (fl. 1709) After the death of his wife, it happened that the official is on his own in his yamen one night and dreams that his late wife comes flying down to him from a tree. After making polite exchanges, she tells him that she is indeed a fairy 天女. Since their predetermined relationship is not quite over yet, she has come down for a short reunion. Seizing the opportunity of meeting a supernatural being, Tian Gengye typically inquires first about his professional career and thereafter about his life span (see chapter Destiny and Divination). In another entry Ji Yun is asked by Agui 阿桂 (1717–1797) what he thinks of the unbelievable story about the mythological being Xingtian 刑天[2] and replies that it is reported in the Shanhaijing 山海經. Agui still thinks it is absurd, but nevertheless, tells Ji Yun about a Mongolian aristocrat, who in old times was once out hunting and killed a stag. It turns out that the stag already had an arrow sticking in his body:

[…] When he was just about to take the dead stag with him, a horse came galloping in his direction. On it sat a human without a head, who used his nipples as eyes and his navel as a mouth. When he spoke it sounded like the song of birds. Even though what he said was unintelligible, by using his hands one could guess what he meant. It seemed that he was of the opinion that the stag belongs to him and did not want the aristocrat to take it with him. The hunting escorts present were shocked and did not know what to do. The aristocrat was well known for his courage and dared to oppose the [headless] body. Non-verbally he made him understand that the first arrow did not kill the animal, but only the second, which was shot by himself. Therefore, they should share the stag. The body understood him and agreed. It even seemed as if he would nod with his head. After he took half of the stag, he vanished. No one knew where he came from, where he lived, or to which tribe he belonged to. Considering his appearance it might well be that he was a descendant of Xingtian [...] (LX I.3).

Ji Yun remarks, that the things under heaven are manifold, but that scholars are limited in their experience and knowledge. Everything that is written in old texts has a reason and things that seem too strange are often later added writings. Therefore, it is of great importance that the reader can distinguish between the original text and a forgery.

Scholars do frequently meet strange creatures outside their home in the wilderness, during an excursion or journey. Generally, they do not suffer bad experiences and, as in the stories about ghosts, it happens that a scholar dares to make a vulgar joke about a frightening creature:

Xu Nanjin 許南金 from Nanpi was very courageous. Once, he stayed in a Buddhist temple to study and shared his night-quarters with a friend. In the middle of the night two burning torches suddenly appeared at the northern wall. When the scholars looked closer, they could make out a human face. This was as big as a dustpan and the two torches were the gleaming of his eyes. The friend nearly died of fright, whereas Mr. Xu slowly stood up, got dressed again and said: "Right now I wanted to read and suffered from the candle being burned down. Your coming is very charming, indeed." He took a book and sat down with his back to the face, but as soon as he had read a few pages aloud, the light of the eyes gradually weakened. He hit the wall with his hand, but nothing more happened (LY VI.9).

Later, Mr. Xu was staying once more in the temple and when he went to the toilet one night, the face appeared again. This time, he took his used toilet paper and wiped the creature's mouth with it. Eventually the face was sick, and wailingly disappeared for good.[3] As Xu Nanjin commented on his encounter: "Naturally there are ghosts and demons and one meets them sometimes. In cases where one is careful and has an orderly life, it is impossible not to get along with them, since they cannot disturb one's feelings" (LY: 255). Here, Mr. Xu's rather provocative behaviour is praised as an unemotional gesture. In another entry, a scholar encounters a strange tiny man at night in his study. For some time, he observes how the dwarf dirties his writing utensils. Finally, he burns the tiny man, even though he seems to beg for mercy. The behaviour of the scholar is said to be incomprehensible.

The biographical characters also include Ji Zhenxin 紀震新 (1612–1665), who used to breed sheep. One day, one of his sheep suddenly stands up on two legs and starts dancing. The spectators tell him that this is not a good omen and that it would be better if he slaughtered the sheep. Ji Zhenxin counters that something has probably taken possession of the animal and is responsible for its strange activity. Therefore, it would not make sense to slaughter it. After his calm and considerate reaction, the people often treated him as a sage. In 1645, he became a tribute student and died in old age, without having to suffer any kind of misfortune. Ji Zhenxin’s reaction to simply ignore the unexplainable occurrence makes him a role model for the proper behaviour towards unusual and frightening occurrences. However, this does not always help, as is shown in the story told by Li Ruolong 李若龍 (fl. 1752). In 1735, it happened in a village in which Ji Yun’s marital relatives lived, that one night, all of a sudden all the dogs were barking very loudly. The villagers ran out of their houses and saw a strange looking man standing on a roof. The man had a big sack in his hand, from which he pulled out live geese and ducks, throwing them on some of the roofs. The next day, the villagers ate the birds which tasted normal. Later, each family who had received one of them had to mourn a death and thus, it turned out that it was a bad omen:

That night, the family of my [Ji Yun's] father-in-law, the honourable Ma Zhoulu 馬周錄, had also received two ducks. In the same year, his younger brother, the honourable sub-prefect Gengchang 庚長, died. Honestly, the story of Mr. Youdan is not absurd. From old times until today, there have been as many deaths as sand in the Yellow River. For what reason did the omen only appear that night? Why at this place? Why did it only concern certain families? Moreover, what purpose did the throwing of geese and ducks have? Was it of significance who was chosen? (RS II.13)

Ji Yun tersely comments that ghosts and gods have their reasons. We can understand some, but others are incomprehensible. These questions are not to be answered and the meaning of the story will have to stay obscure.

The protagonists of the lower strata have more encounters with supernatural animals. Men of a minority group are punished by cattle for using a special slaughtering method, and a herdsman loses a horse, which is eaten by monstrous beings. In the event, the man can drive them away by courageously shooting at them. Another character hastily beats to death a unicorn born by his cow, because he cannot accept the exceptional, even though unicorns are a good omen.[4] It can also happen, that a thoughtless farmer wants to slaughter a buffalo which had previously saved his father’s life. Another man restores him to reason and accordingly he shows himself thankful and treats the buffalo well. The difference between a protagonist of low background and a scholar also becomes apparent in the following biographical entry:

The honourable Zhang Baonan 張寶南, commissioner in Sichuan, is a younger cousin of my [Ji Yun's] grandmother. His wife loved to eat turtle soup and one day the cook bought a very big turtle. When he cut off its head, a very small man of about four to five cun 寸 [13–16 cm] came crawling out of the neck, running around. The cook was so shocked that he collapsed. Everyone tried to bring him back to consciousness and the small man did not know where to run to. When they cut open the stomach of the turtle, they found him inside, already dead. My grandmother studied him in detail, but my late mother was too young at the time and only got a quick glance from him at the side. He looked like a Muslim from the Zhigong tu 職貢圖.[5] His headdress was yellow, his jacket blue, the belt red, and the boots black. He wore different layers of clothes and everything looked just like it is illustrated [in the Zhigong tu] – even the face, eyes, hands, and feet.

The Academy Teacher, Mr. Cen, explained: "These tiny humans are called turtle treasure (biebao 鱉寶). One can keep them alive, if a human's arm is cut open and he is placed in the flesh. Biebao will then live by drinking the human blood. The person who has this treasure in his arm can suddenly see gold, silver, pearls, jade, and the like, hidden in the earth. Once the biebao drinks up the blood, the person will die. The following generations can also cut their arms, place him inside, and become rich as well." When the cook heard of this, he was very regretful. Every time, he thought about it, he would slap his cheek. My [Ji Yun's] maternal grandmother Cao said: "According to the teacher, one should be prepared to exchange one's life for wealth. There are so many ways to become rich, why should one cut open one's arm to nourish a turtle!" However, the cook could not see it this way and finally died out of grief. (LY V.51).

Here, the man of the lower strata is frightened to encounter a strange creature, but would be willing to risk his life for wealth. Moreover, the cook even dies out of sorrow for having missed the opportunity to become rich. In contrast, educated persons are generally not described as astonished about strange creatures, but often show a scientific interest. Nevertheless, only three of the narrated occurrences can be scientifically explained.

Phenomena and Objects

43 stories of the YWCT give an account of mysterious supernatural occurrences and objects. It is noticeable that men of the upper class figure in over half of these narratives as protagonists and undergo more threatening supernatural experiences. The individuals of the other social classes encounter more neutral and even good occurrences, but considering the way they are described seem to play a rather marginal role. In more than half of the stories a phenomenon is not interpreted and 18 times Ji Yun expresses that he has no explanation to offer. An example of a phenomenon that can be clarified is the entry about a marital relative of Ji Yun, Zhang Jingyun 張景運 (fl. 1777). After Mr. Zhang's son died prematurely, his wife hanged herself in order to be buried together with her child. At the wall where she hung herself, a vivid portrait of her son appeared all of a sudden. People who saw this thought it was very strange, but Ji Yun argues that since the woman had a virtuous character, it is unlikely that something unnatural would happen and explains the event:

The picture came into being by the union of the concentrated spiritual power (shen 神) and the accumulation of the qi 氣. Where the qi gathers, the shen becomes firm. At the place where the shen and qi condense, they bring forth a form, which is beautiful and the image manifests itself. The shenqi 神氣 of the living is in motion and interacts with the shenqi of the dead. Through the interaction of these two the image appeared. This is the reason why it is said that 'an image is in the heart' and 'sincerity can influence metal and stone' [...] (LX I.16).

As Ji Yun's definition makes clear, the association of the spiritual and energy of living and dead persons can cause abnormal apparitions, which can be considered a natural phenomenon, especially when moral humans are involved. Further on, Ji Yun illuminates the origin of ignis fatui as the fire of ghosts, which his brother Ji Zhuo 紀晫 (1706–1777) and his friend, Shen Dingxun 沈鼎勛 (juren 1713) have seen one night, while taking a walk. Moreover, a reason is given for the phenomena that the cut off heads of dead men start to move all of a sudden. During his time at the Hanlin Academy, Ji Yun once fasted together with a colleague. The colleague tells him about an experience he had while taking part in a military campaign. It happened, that he and the soldiers where overtaken by a snowstorm, so that the horses and carts could not proceed any further. Since they had only a small tent with them, they used the heads of the dead as cushions. During the night, these heads suddenly started to twist and jump and only when insulted, would they stop moving. Ji Yun thinks that the phenomenon was not provoked by ghosts and that the heads did also not react to the abuse:

When the heads were cut off, their living energy (shengqi 生氣) was not entirely used up. Through the bitter cold, it was embedded and retained inside. When the heads were heated up by human qi, their own leftover qi could emerge. This is why they did move at the time and stopped thereafter. Every living being, whose natural disposition (shengxing 生性) is not exhausted, moves when it is warmed up. This is a natural law (HX III.47).

Ji Yun's colleague is very relieved after listening to the explanation. Since he had never heard before that anyone had met a ghost on the battlefield, he had interpreted the experience as an omen of his nearing end. A similar explanation is given for clothes that move on their own:

At the time when the senior colleague Ge Dongchang 戈東長 [Ge Dai 戈岱, jinshi 1742] was working in the Hanlin Academy, it happened that his father, Mr. Fuzhai 傅斋, went to the market and bought a dark blue robe. One day, Mr. Fuzhai returned home and could not find his keys. He feared he had forgotten them on his bed and looked into the room from outside the window. There, he saw the robe standing upright, as if a human would wear it. He shrieked in surprise and the robe fell on the floor. Afterwards, many people talked about this episode and were of the opinion that the robe should be burned. The elderly colleague Liu Xiaogu 劉嘯谷, who at that time lived at the same place as Mr. Fuzhai, said: 'The robe had been worn by a person who died in it and his hun 魂 is still connected with it. Ghosts are of yin-energy (陰氣) and diffuse when exposed to the sunlight.' Thus, they placed the robe inside out into the strong sunlight and after a few days they carried it back to the room. When they secretly observed it, nothing strange happened any more [...] (LY VI.38).

Here, the explanation turns the unsettling occurrence into a part of the natural order. Likewise, reports in which a moral reason is given for a supernatural incident are not understood as strange. For example, if persons with a bad character receive a supernatural warning or punishment. Even a distant relative of Ji Yun, who had mistreated her servant or immoral sons of upper class protagonists, receive magical cautions.

Individuals of the elite figure surprisingly often in entries about mysterious phenomena that have no explanations. This is the case in the report by Ji Yun's teacher, Zhu Chengxu 朱承煦 (b. 1675). One night, Mr. Zhu had met with friends at a lake for amusement. They invited an illiterate prostitute to join them and drink alcohol. Once drunk, she wrote a poem and threw it in front of one of the friends. As soon as the man had read the poem, he dropped dead. Until today, the reason for this strange incident is obscure. The same is the case in the narrative about a former art student of Ji Yun's great-uncle, Zhang Jingshuo 張景說. The man once painted a picture of a woman, which all of a sudden was finished by itself in a very artistic way. The official Yongning 永寧 (d. c 1770) liked the picture so much that he was not startled by this incident and bought it. Unfortunately, one day the painted women abruptly vanished again. Contrary to the assumption that this might be a bad omen for Yongning, nothing disastrous happened and the incident remained a puzzle. Another strange occurrence is that of an official who unexpectedly sees his wife as a threatening ghost after his wedding day. He cannot recover from this sight and takes his own life. Maybe it was a case of retribution from a former life, even though the neo-Confucians, as Ji Yun concludes, would surely explain this by the man having been confused.

The biographical entries also tell of frightening and unaccountable incidents. Ji Tiancheng 紀天澄 (1658-1720), his son Ji Ce 紀策 (1684-1737), as well as grandson Ji Xuan 紀暄 (1705-1747) all died of the same mysterious disease, after having suffered from insomnia first. Just when Ji Xusheng's son, Ruyun 汝允 (1730-1789), is in danger of dying of the same illness, a craftsman finds out by chance that an object is hidden in one of the walls of the house. This turns out to be an old lamp stand and it is presumed that this object is the reason for the men's insomnia. After the lamp stand is destroyed, Ji Ruyun immediately gains his health again.

An exception to the rather threatening incidents is the entry in which fun is made about the neo-Confucian's refusal to accept the obvious existence of the supernatural. When Ji Yun's father is visiting his uncle Chen Deyin 陳德音 (juren 1713), there is a fall of rain every day from nine o'clock in the morning until one o'clock midday. Afterwards, everything is covered with strange bubbles. One day, while an old Confucian teacher is giving lessons, one of his students asks, what the underlying principle (li 理) of this rain could be? Whereupon the teacher is looking at the wall and replies: "The Master [Confucius] did not speak of anomalies ('子不話怪').” (RS: 214) Naturally, the teacher’s answer also points out that Confucius acknowledged the existence of the strange, but did not want to talk about it.

Sometimes, an abnormal phenomenon can indeed turn out to be an omen and in these stories, the protagonists are all members of the elite. It is understood as a lucky sign, that abnormally big and shining pearls are found in a lake. As Agui 阿桂 (1717–1797) informs Ji Yun, these pearls were presented to Emperor Qianlong, who until today wears them as adornment on his official headwear.

Fig. Qianlong Emperor 乾隆帝, Portrait by Giuseppe Castiglione (1688–1766)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qianlong_Emperor