The pursuit of Daoist cultivation is a recurring theme in classical Chinese literature. For instance, Journey to the West’s Sun Wukong voyages to the Spirit Terrace, Square-Inch Mountain seeking immortality from Patriarch Subodhi (Subhuti).
Today, we explore another iconic tale–Strange Tales from Liaozhai Studio: The Taoist Priest of Laoshan.
This story follows Wang Sheng, a wealthy youth who seeks immortality but fails due to impatience and laziness. Through Wang’s follies, Pu Songling satirizes human shallowness while probing the true essence of spiritual practice.
Plot Summary:
Enamored with Daoism, Wang travels to Mount Lao (Laoshan) upon hearing of its immortals. He meets a priest, becomes his disciple, and vows endurance. The priest, skeptical, assigns him only chopping wood. Within two or three months, Wang quits, demanding magic instead. The priest teaches him wall-penetration but warns: “Sincerity fuels its power.” Ignoring this, Wang rushes home to boast to his wife. When demonstrating the skill, he fails utterly and becomes a laughingstock.
Wang’s failure stems not from chance but inherent flaws, exposing universal human delusions.
Critique of Impatience
Wang equates cultivation with learning tricks and immortality with shortcuts. His refusal to endure labor while craving instant power mirrors society’s obsession with “quick success.”
Exposing Vanity
Wang’s goal is boasting, not enlightenment. His obsession with fame divorces him from cultivation’s true purpose: refining the heart through discipline.
Mistaking Technique for Truth
Wang sees Daoism as flashy magic (“paper-cut moon,” “chopstick beauty,” “wall-penetration”), blind to the inner cultivation behind it. The priest’s power came after years of labor–Wang rejects the process yet covets the result.
Contrast with Sun Wukong:
Unlike Wang’s greed and sloth, Sun Wukong sought immortality through perseverance and insight. His decade-long training under Subodhi–mastering 72 transformations and cloud-somersaults–showcases true dedication, laying foundations for his later heroism.
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