gnovel Chapter 99 The Bhikkhunis of Bamboo Grove Temple
Chapter 99 The Bhikkhunis of Bamboo Grove Temple
After the sacrificial ceremony, Li Congke rushed back to the palace, changed into his imperial robes, and received court congratulations at the Wenming Hall.
The officials from the Secretariat and the Imperial Censorate entered in turn, followed by the newly appointed Minister of Works Feng Dao and Left Vice Minister Liu Xu.
The Three Dukes were of the first rank, while the Left and Right Assistant Ministers were of the second rank, ranking above the third-rank officials Han Zhaoyin, Lu Wenji, and Yao Yi.
However, Feng Dao and Liu Xu were ranked after them, ahead of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers.
The imperial court is extremely particular about strict hierarchy, so how could such a thing as a lack of distinction between superiors and inferiors happen?
Gao Xingzhou saw this and was greatly puzzled, but he didn't feel comfortable asking.
After the grand court ceremony concluded, the officials dispersed.
"Are you wondering why the two of us are lined up here?"
Feng Dao himself remained calm and composed, while Liu Xu looked furious and couldn't help but complain about the whole story.
"On the second day of the eleventh month last year, it rained when I entered the court, and all the officials moved to the corridor. Dong Jin, the clerk in charge of the ranks, led Liu, who was ranked below the Censor-in-Chief and the three censors."
Gao Xingzhou exclaimed in surprise: "The Censor-in-Chief is a fifth-rank official, isn't that going too far?"
"Yes, I questioned Dong Jin about the precedent he was following, and from the prime minister down to the provincial governor, everyone claimed ignorance. What are these people good for? Fine, then I, Liu, will simply disregard my dignity and follow in their footsteps." (Note 1)
Seeing Liu Xu's anger, Feng Dao tried to appease him, but this only provoked him further. Liu Xu pointed at his father-in-law and cursed, "You have such a good temper! When others bully you, you still look so happy."
Liu Xu felt indignant about Feng Dao's lack of ambition: "The position of one of the Three Dukes is the duty of the Prime Minister, who should participate in major political affairs. Lu Wenji alone thought that the duty of the Minister of Works was merely to perform sacrifices and sweep, but you actually picked up a broom and started sweeping?"
"Sweeping is my duty, so why should I fear it?"
"Open your eyes and take a look."
Liu Xu laughed and said, "The Secretariat is the central authority of the state. Since the new prime minister took office, he has neglected his duties and caused chaos. All kinds of edicts and decrees are poorly written and full of errors. Your Majesty has had to issue an edict to rectify them." (Note 2)
"Have we made the same mistake as the 'traitor of true destiny' again?"
Feng Dao jokingly said that he was referring to the rebellion in Dingzhou several years ago, when the former prime minister Li Qi presented a memorial entitled "Congratulations on the Pacification of the King of Zhongshan," which included the phrase "the restoration of the rebels in Zhen Ding."
Dingzhou is Dingzhou, not the same place as Zhengding. Even a high-ranking official like Gao Xingzhou was so ignorant of geography. Gao Xingzhou, who participated in the Battle of Dingzhou, could only look up to the sky in silence.
After this incident, the officials presented three memorials to Emperor Mingzong, all of which were written by Feng Dao himself. His writing was natural and unconventional, and the entire court admired it. As a result, they gradually became awestruck by its profoundness, and the officials became more respectful and less pretentious.
It seems that Feng Dao has returned to his original state after only a little over a year away from the court.
"You still have the mind to joke? The rules you set back then are either useless or ignored. They're almost ruined."
Liu Xu cited an example: "Didn't you merge the three departments of personnel selection to jointly conduct elections? Well, look, you've gone back to the old ways."
Under the Tang dynasty system, the Ministry of Personnel was divided into three departments: the Department of Personnel Selection (尚书铨), headed by the Minister (尚书铨), responsible for selecting officials of the fifth to seventh ranks; and the Department of Personnel Selection (侍郎), headed by the Department of Central Selection (中铨) and the Department of Eastern Selection (东铨), responsible for selecting officials of the eighth and ninth ranks. The selections were conducted annually for three weeks in early winter and continued until the end of spring.
During the Tiancheng era, Feng Dao served as prime minister. He offered advice that the entire country was not united, and that only a few hundred people were selected each year. The Ministry of Personnel had three separate appointments, which, although a tradition, were in fact cumbersome and useless.
Therefore, the three selection processes were merged into one, with the Minister and Vice Minister jointly handling the selection. When Yao Yi and Lu Wenji became prime ministers, they again petitioned to divide the selection process into three.
We'll see.
Liu Xu looked like he was waiting to see them make a fool of themselves: "They're being too clever for their own good. In three months, there will be some disputes and trouble."
Gao Xingzhou found the current court increasingly incomprehensible. He had already decided that after the grand court ceremony, he would meet with someone, submit a memorial requesting to retire, and hurry back home.
……
"What, we're going back already?"
Luoyang was bustling and lively during the New Year. Gao Huaide had only been there for a few days and was unwilling to return to Yanzhou so soon.
"The itinerary cannot be determined by your own desire to have fun."
Gao Huaide's mind raced, trying to come up with a way to stay and enjoy the Lantern Festival in the capital for another ten days or so. His eyes darted around, but he couldn't find a suitable reason.
"Come with me to see someone."
Gao Xingzhou was thinking that he needed to let his eldest son know about the deceit and treachery of the world as soon as possible, so that he could maintain the foundation and not become a stepping stone for others in the chaotic world.
The White Horse Temple in Luoyang is famous throughout the world. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, a monk went to the Western Paradise to obtain Buddhist scriptures. The scriptures were carried back by a white horse, hence the name.
Not far southeast of the White Horse Temple, there is another inconspicuous temple.
Here once stood a towering pagoda, said to be over 500 feet tall, enshrining the Buddha's relics. Because its body pierced the clouds, it was named Qiyun Pagoda. Unfortunately, during the chaos at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, eighteen warlords rose up in rebellion, and Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang, destroying the wooden pagoda and turning it into ruins.
Until the Three Kingdoms were reunited, the governor of Wuwei in the Western Jin Dynasty had a daughter named Zhong Lingyi. She was originally a teacher of music and books for the children of nobles, but later she became a Buddhist monk.
At that time, there were no nuns in the Central Plains. Zhong Lingyi resolutely accepted the ten precepts, shaved her head and became a nun, taking the Dharma name Jingjian. She gathered twenty-four like-minded people and together they established Zhulin Temple. A group of women rammed earth to build walls, planted vegetable plots, and created a place for spiritual practice.
This is the origin of Master Jingjian and Zhulin Temple, the first female nun and the first nunnery in China according to historical records.
Gao Huaide followed his father into this bamboo forest, as if isolated from the world. The temple gate was simple and undecorated, with an old ebony plaque hanging above it, inscribed with the three characters "Zhulin Temple".
The two waited quietly outside the temple for a while, and a nun in her early thirties came out to greet them. Although she had shaved her head, her former beauty was still evident.
"This humble nun is of no use to you any longer, so what brings you here?"
Gao Xingzhou replied respectfully, "Even if there's no particular reason, it's only right that I come to visit for Brother Xia's sake."
The nun sighed softly, "It's been five years since he passed away, does anyone still remember him?"
"Brother Xia took great care of us and captured Wang Yanzhang, helping me avenge my father. I will be grateful to him for the rest of my life."
"Yes, he has always been a good person."
The nun sighed, "When the late emperor released Emperor Zhuangzong, all the palace women returned home, but I was left with nowhere to go. Just because we shared the same surname, he took me in and treated me like a younger sister, taking good care of me."
In her next sentence, she abruptly changed the subject: "So when you later wanted me to marry that Khitan man and serve him with my body, didn't I agree?" (Note 3)
The nun's words were filled with resentment, clearly indicating that this marriage was not what she wanted.
"The late emperor was very thoughtful; you've worked hard these past few years."
"Hard work? You make it sound so easy. Do you think I enjoy sleeping with Khitans?"
The nun sneered, "Even if he changes his name to Han, a barbarian is still a barbarian at heart. Just because he recites a few poems or paints a few pictures doesn't mean he'll side with us. All he's thinking about is helping his own people invade the Central Plains!"
"Li Zanhua was secretly colluding with our country. Thanks to your timely notification, the court was able to make preparations in advance."
Upon hearing this, Gao Huaide realized that the woman in front of him was actually a spy who had infiltrated the inner circle of Li Zanhua, the current ruler of the Khitan Kingdom, Yelü Bei, the elder brother of Yelü Deguang!
"He took advantage of the arrival of the envoy from the Bohai Kingdom to secretly transmit the intelligence, thinking himself very clever and secretive."
"Why did you submit a petition for divorce and become a monk?"
After a moment's thought, Gao Xingzhou asked the most important question of the day: "Could it be that Yelü Bei is aware of your identity?"
"Two years ago, Yelü Deguang led a large army to invade the south, but was repelled by accurately predicting the direction of the attack. He became somewhat suspicious, but he didn't suspect me. Last year, the Khitans raided Xinzhou, Shuozhou, and Yingzhou several times without success, which made him even more suspicious."
"The reason you gave for the divorce is that he had a fondness for drinking human blood, and that his concubines would prick their arms to suck it; that for minor offenses by his maids, he would gouge out their eyes, cut them with knives, or burn them with fire. Is this all because Li Muhua was so anxious?"
"No, that's not it. Didn't the Bohai Kingdom send envoys to pay tribute last November? They brought back a message that made him a bit obsessed."
The nun seemed quite pleased and relieved: "His good younger brother Yelü Deguang, whom he helped wholeheartedly, gave him a huge green headscarf to wear." (Note 4)
……
"Is this nun one of Li Cunxu's concubines, or a member of Xia Luqi's family?"
On the way back to the inn, Gao Huaide tentatively asked.
"Indeed. Emperor Zhuangzong had a large harem, including Zhaorong, Zhaoyi, Zhaoyuan, envoys, imperial censors, imperial attendants, imperial attendants, virtuous women, virtuous women, Xianyi, Yaofang, virtuous women, Xuanyi, and many other titles. Empress Liu was given death by the late emperor. His principal wife, Consort Han, and his secondary wife, Consort Yin, currently reside in Taiyuan. Lady Xia was the Lady of Guo at that time."
Gao Xingzhou recalled how Xia Shi had been taken in by Xia Luqi when she left the palace, all alone and helpless. Other women like her, if they had relatives to rely on, some savings, and could marry a reliable man, were fortunate; otherwise, they were mostly destined to drift like duckweed.
Take Xia Shi for example. She had finally enjoyed a few years of peace when an imperial edict shattered her tranquility, ordering her to marry Yelü Bei, who had come to her from the sea. For this woman, it was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.
Just one year later, Xia Luqi launched a campaign against Meng Zhixiang of Xichuan, but unfortunately suffered a defeat and died. Xia's heart grew even colder.
"Becoming a nun and leaving behind the world is a good outcome for her."
Gao Huaide disagreed, thinking, "What's so good about being a nun who just eats vegetarian food and chants Buddhist scriptures all day?" He also wondered why, since they knew Li Muhua was a traitor, they didn't arrest him.
"A bird in the palm of your hand, you can catch it anytime you want."
Gao Xingzhou lectured his son: "The Art of War says: 'A counter-espionage agent uses the enemy's spies.' You can recite it fluently in peacetime, but why can't you apply it practically in real life?"
This level of criticism was nothing to Gao Huaide; his mind had already wandered elsewhere, and he became elated.
Gao Xingzhou's memorial to resign was rejected, and the emperor issued an edict to persuade him to stay, insisting that he not leave until after the Lantern Festival.
"On the Lantern Festival, lanterns are lit to celebrate the New Year, and the night is free of charge. It is not easy for you, Lord Gao, to come from afar. I would like to host a banquet at your private residence, to emulate our long nights of drinking in the past."