Emperor Wu of Zhou Dynasty Yuwen Yong. Du Qi asked Emperor Zhou Wu why he stayed in hell. Emperor Wu said it was because he had destroyed Buddha. (Image source: Public domain)
In history, every dynasty and every generation hasStranger,in advanceforeknowledgeIt ranges from social changes and dynasty changes to as small as family and personal destiny. because it isSecretso they often use obscure language to tell people, and people only realize the accuracy of their predictions after things happen.
Qiang Lian foresees Yu Wenhu’s fate
During the Northern Zhou Dynasty, there was a strange man who was called “Qiang Lian”. (Image source: Adobe stock)
In the Northern Zhou Dynasty, there was also such a strange person, who was called “Qiang Lian”. At first, people only knew his surname Qiang, but not his first name. People would not understand what he said when they first heard it, but afterward, people found that it all came true. Because there was a man named Li Shunxing in the Northern Wei Dynasty who often wore a Taoist priest’s crown. He liked to predict the future and many of his predictions came true, so he was named “Li Lian”. “Lian” here means reliable and trustworthy. People think Qiang is similar to Li Lian, so they also call him “Lian”.
Qiang Lian has a majestic appearance, is tall and strong, and is different from ordinary people. He is often in a trance and is unpredictable. If he wanted to talk about something, he would say it to everyone; if he didn’t want to talk, he wouldn’t answer no matter how much others begged him to. He usually lived in various temples in turns, sometimes living in private houses, and also visited the palaces of princes. Wherever he goes, everyone respects and trusts him.
Before Jin Gong Yuwenhu was executed, Qiang Lian took a gourd (big gourd) in his hand, walked to the gate of Yuwenhu’s mansion, squeezed the gourd on the door, and said loudly: “It’s bitter to break a gourd.” People were all excited. I don’t know what he means by this.
At that time, Fuhou Longen, the Duke of Zhuguo and Pinggao, had already followed Yuwenhu and was highly regarded. Qiang Lian came to Long En’s house again, called his wife Yuanshi, his concubines, maids, servants, etc. to come out and let them sit down together at the banquet. Everyone refused to sit together because they were too close to the lady and violated the rules of etiquette. Qiang Lian said: “You are all the same people, how can you distinguish between high and low?” Then he forced them to sit down.
Soon, Yu Wenhu was executed, and his sons were also executed. Long En was also punished, his family property was confiscated to the government, and his family servants were imprisoned.
Only then did people understand what Qiang Lian had said and done before. “瓠” has the same pronunciation as “Hu” in Yuwenhu. “瓠Po” means that Yuwenhu was killed, and “Ziku” means that his son was also implicated and executed. And the servants of Long En’s family were all imprisoned, doesn’t it mean that there is no distinction between high and low?
Qiang Lian cried loudly to Shakyamuni Buddha
During the Jiande period of Emperor Wu (572-578), Qiang Lian often climbed up the trees on the roadside at night and cried loudly for Sakyamuni Buddha. Sometimes he cried until dawn. He cried like this for many days, and his voice was very pitiful. In 574, Emperor Wu Wenyong issued an edict to exterminate Buddhism. Buddhist scriptures and statues were destroyed, a large number of monks were asked to return to secular life, and all kinds of Buddhist activities disappeared. When Emperor Wu of Zhou ordered the destruction of Buddhism, he also banned Taoism. Soon Emperor Wu Yuwenyong suffered from a serious disease and his body was rotten and died at the age of 36.
In the last year of the Elephant Year of Emperor Jing of Zhou Dynasty (580), Qiang Lian took another bottomless bag and went around Chang’an Market to beg. People rushed to give him rice and wheat. However, Qiang Lian opened his pocket and poured the rice and wheat into it, and then it leaked to the ground. Someone asked him why. He said: “There is no other meaning. I just want everyone to see that it is full but empty.”
In 581, Emperor Jing of Zhou Dynasty moved to Prime Minister Yang Jian, and the Northern Zhou Dynasty fell. Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Jian, named his country “Sui” and made his capital Daxing City (today’s Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province). The former Chang’an City gradually declined and was later abandoned. After that, Qiang Lian was nowhere to be found.
Emperor Wu of Zhou asked Emperor Wen of Sui for help from hell
Regarding the fate of Emperor Wu of the Zhou Dynasty, “The Continuation of the Biography of the Eminent Monk·The Biography of Wei Yuansong” tells a story that in the eighth year of Emperor Kaihuang’s reign in the Sui Dynasty (588), Yin Duqi died in Jingzhao, and he woke up three days later and said: When he arrived at the King of Hell, he said that he had met Emperor Wu of Zhou. Du Qi asked Emperor Zhou Wu why he stayed in hell. Emperor Wu said it was because he had destroyed the Buddha. Emperor Wu asked Du Qi to spread the word to the people in the world, and asked minister Wei Yuansong to bless him and come to save him from the sea of suffering.
According to records in “Taiping Guangji”, in the eleventh year of the founding of the Sui Dynasty, Zhao Wenchang, the prime minister of Dafu Temple, suddenly died violently, leaving him feeling a little warm in his heart. The family did not dare to commit suicide, but later he was alive again. He told how he met the King of Hell and was released to the human world because he often recited Buddhist scriptures. When he arrived at the door, he saw Emperor Wu of Zhou in the room beside the door, locked with a triple clamp. Emperor Wu of Zhou stopped Wenchang and said, “You are from my own country. I am here temporarily and I want to talk to you.” Wenchang immediately paid his respects. Emperor Wu asked: “Do you know me?” Wenchang replied: “I used to be your majesty’s bodyguard.”
Emperor Wu of Zhou then asked him to go back and explain to the Sui Emperor on his behalf that many of his sins could be excused, but the sin of destroying Buddhism was so serious that it could not be forgiven. He hoped that the Sui Emperor would establish some small merits for him. Hopefully through these good deeds he will be blessed and able to escape hell. ”
After Zhao Wenchang was resurrected, he reported what he had seen to Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty. Emperor Wen ordered everyone in the world to pay according to their numbers to copy the Vajra Prajna Sutra for Emperor Wu of Zhou. He also set up a three-day ritual and recorded these things. Written in the history of Sui Dynasty.
The experience of Emperor Wu of Zhou told the world that the sin of destroying the Buddha was very serious and the punishment after death was very severe. Although he had repented, it was already too late and he could only wait for others to save him from hell.
Editor in charge: Zi Meng
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