In Spring 2014, Daoist celestial immortal, Wong Tai Sin gave me a poem by way of a qin when I paid a visit to his popular temple in HK. The poem turned out to be an ominous omen:
“Clouds envelop Qinling Mountain and I do not know where my home is.
The snow covers Languan Pass and the horses will go no further.”
It was the same prophetic poem given by Han Xiangzi to Han Yu, his uncle which unfolded. Han Yu was a top poet and influential Neo Confucian of Tang at the time. Han Yu was later exiled to ChaoChui by the Tang Emperor and on the way there his horses had refused to move because of a blizzard. Soon he was covered by snow and faced impending death until his nephew, Han Xiangzi appeared to rescue him.
[Read Canadian Museum of History online – Volumes 1 and 2 - to appreciate the poem and the story behind it.] Han Xiangzi is one of the famous eight Daoist immortals. (Ba Xian)
Lately, I realized why my current dire situation is about the same as Han Yu and in need of rescue.
While Han Yu had had Han Xiangzi to rescue him during the blizzard and from impending death, which divinity will come to save me from the calamity? I have prayed.
