Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature
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The Hammer Falls on the Xiongnu In 121 BCE, Emperor Wu appointed the young general Huo Qubing as General of the Chariots and Cavalry, leading a force of ten thousand cavalrymen from Longxi (modern Gansu) to strike at the Xiongnu. Huo’s army achieved a resounding victory, seizing control of Yanzhi Mountain and Qilian Mountain.
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One day, Chan Master Danxia Tianran lay sprawled across the Tianjin Bridge in Luoyang City. When Governor Zheng Yuqing passed by during an official inspection, his guards demanded: “Why block the governor’s path?”
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One day, Zen Master Yuanlu asked Great Pearl Huihai(Dazhu Huihai): “Venerable, do you also exert effort in practicing the Chan?”
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In Journey to the West, Sun Wukong(the Monkey King) is notoriously prideful, showing little deference to most gods and buddhas—even high-ranking figures like the Jade Emperor, Tathagata Buddha, and Laozi. However, he harbors genuine respect for two deities: Guanyin Bodhisattva and Taibai Jinxing (the Great White Star, also known as the Golden Star of…
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In Journey to the West, Guanyin Bodhisattva grants Tang Sanzang the Tightening Curse (Tight-Fillet Spell) and its accompanying golden fillet to subdue Sun Wukong.
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For new readers of the Dao De Jing, there are two essential points to understand beforehand.