In “The Examination for the Post of City God” from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Liaozhai by Pu Songlin, the story begins with Song Tao bedridden by illness.
In a daze, he is summoned by yamen officers to an examination hall. Initially unaware of his condition, he believes he is merely taking a special exam and even completes the test alongside a scholar named Zhang.
Later, after passing the examination, the examiners select him to serve as the City God of Henan Province. At this moment, he suddenly realizes that he is already dead—his soul is participating in the exam. This revelation occurs because the position of City God (Chenghuang) is an underworld official post.
Note: The “City God” is a pivotal deity in traditional Chinese folk belief, functioning as both a local guardian of cities and an administrative official in the underworld, overseeing urban order and spiritual affairs.
Upon this realization, Song Tao pleads with Yama (King of Hell) to delay his assumption of duties, citing his elderly mother’s reliance on him in the human world. He vows to take office only after her death. This plea directly confirms his death. Later Yama King permits Song Tao to adjust his lifespan so he can go back to the mortal realm to take care of his mother for nine years.
Subsequently, Song Tao regains consciousness in the human realm, discovering he had “died for three days.” His mother is preparing his funeral arrangements. This reality further verifies the truth he learned in the underworld.
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