Zhaogu. The Mantis

Author: Fu Danyi Pu Songling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: During the Ming Xuanzhe era, the emperor was extravagant and levied crickets from the people. Chengming, a scholar from Huayin, Shaanxi, unable to pay, went to consult oracles and found a cricket in the backyard of a Buddhist temple. Just as he was joyful, his nine-year-old son accidentally crushed the cricket to death. Fearing punishment, the son jumped into a well and took his own life, leaving the couple heartbroken over the loss of their beloved child. When morning came, the cricket strangely revived. Chengming presented it to the court. After more than a year, Chengming's son awoke and recounted how he had transformed into the cricket. The couple then realized that their son had been compensating for their, and they sighed at the tragic fate of life and death being tied to human affairs.