A certain man of the province of Hunan could recall what had happened to him in previous lives. In one of these lives, he had been a magistrate; and, on one occasion, when he had been nominated Assistant-Examiner, a candidate, named Hsing, was unsuccessful. Hsing went home dreadfully mortified, and soon after died; but his spirit appeared before the Judge of the Dead, and read aloud the rejected essay.
Upon this, thousands of other ghosts of failed candidates, all of whom had suffered in a similar way, thronged around, and unanimously elected Hsing as their chief. The Assistant-Examiner was immediately summoned to take his trial. When he arrived the Judge of the Dead questioned him, saying, “As you are appointed to examine the various essays, how is it that you reject the good ones and accept the worthless?”
“Sire,” replied he, “the ultimate decision rests with the Chief Examiner; I only pass them on to him.”
The Judge of the Dead then issued a warrant for the apprehension of the Chief Examiner, and, as soon as he appeared, he was told what had just been alleged against him.
To this, he answered, “I am only able to make a general estimate of the merits of the candidates. Valuable essays may be kept back from me by my Assistant-Examiners, in which case I am powerless.”
But the Judge of the Dead cried out, “It’s all very well for you two to throw the blame on each other like this; you are both guilty, and both of you must be bambooed according to law.”
This sentence was about to be carried into effect, when Hsing, who was not at all satisfied with its lack of severity, set up a fearful screeching and howling. In this, he was well supported by all the other hundreds and thousands of ghosts of failed candidates.
The result was that the Judge stopped short, and inquired what was the matter. Thereupon Hsing informed His Majesty that the sentence was too light, and that the Examiners should both have their eyes gouged out, so as not to be able to read essays any more.
The Judge of the Dead would not consent to this, explaining to the noisy rabble that the Examiners did not purposely reject good essays, but only because they themselves were naturally lacking in ability.
The ghosts of the failed candidates then begged that, at any rate, their hearts might be cut out; and to this the Judge was obliged to yield.
The Examiners were therefore seized by the attendants, their garments stripped off, and their bodies ripped open with sharp knives.
The blood poured out on the ground, and the victims screamed with pain; at which all the failed candidate ghosts rejoiced exceedingly, and said, “Here we have been confined, with no one to redress our wrongs; but now Mr. Hsing has come, our injuries are washed away.”
They then dispersed with great noise and hubbub.
Translated by Herbert Giles, No. 75
(edited by David McMullen, and slightly re-worded by Patrick Boyde, 2013)
