Long ago, during the Tang Dynasty there lived a man called Liu I.
Liu I had failed his examination and did not get his doctorate. So he had to return home.
As he was traveling back home a bird flew up in the field and his horse was frightened because of it and ran a few miles before Liu I could stop the horse.
There in the strange surroundings, Liu I saw a strange sight.
He saw a beautiful girl but the girl looked very sad. She was herding sheep on the hillside.
Liu I was unable to continue curiosity and went to the girl. “What is the matter? Why are you so sad?”
The girl heard his question and began to sob. “I am in need and I feel ashamed. Since you are kind enough to ask, I will tell you. I am the youngest daughter of the Dragon King of the sea of Dungting. I was married to the second son of the Dragon King of Ging Dschou.” The woman sobbed some more. “My husband ill treated me. I complained to his parents but they loved their son blindly and did nothing. When I complained again, they both became angry and I was sent here to herd sheep.”
After saying this the woman burst into tears and lost all control of herself.
Slowly she caught herself and nodded at Liu I. “The sea of Dungting is far from here. But I know that you will have to pass it on your homeward journey. Would you please give a letter to my father on the way to your home? “
Liu I was touched by her words. “I will be very glad to deliver the letter to your father. However the sea of Dungting is long and broad. How am I to find your father there?”
The girl nodded. “On the southern shore of the sea stands an orange tree. This tree is called the Tree of Sacrifice. When you go there, you must loosen your girdle and strike the tree three times with your girdle. Then someone will appear. Follow the person and you will see my father and tell him all this and please give him this letter.”
She got her letter in her hands and gave it to Liu I.
Liu I took the letter and thrust it in his bag.
Then he studied the sheep that she was herding. “Why are you here herding sheep?”
The girl shrugged. “These are not ordinary sheep. They are rain sheep.” Liu I was confused. “What are rain sheep?”
“They are thunder rams.”
That is when Liu I looked closely and saw that the sheep walked very majestically.
Liu I then looked at the beautiful woman. “After I deliver this letter for you, will you still treat me like a stranger?”
The woman shook her head. “You will be my dearest friend.”
After a month of traveling, Liu I reached the Sea of Dungting. There he asked around and found the Tree of Sacrifice. He loosened his girdle and struck the tree three times.
A warrior emerged from the waves of the sea.
Liu I told the warrior that he was here on an important mission to see the king.
Then the Warrior turned to the ocean and the waves turned into a solid street through which the warrior led Liu I.
The dragon castle came before him with a thousand gates and magic flowers. There was an exotic fragrance from the hall at the end of all the corridor. “What is this?”
“This is the hall of spirits.” The warrior told Liu I.
Liu I saw that there were jewels of every single kind that he had ever known, around him.
Liu I waited for the king for a long time.
At last, unable to stop himself, he asked the warrior why it was taking such a long time for the king to come.
“The king is talking to the priest of the sun in the coral tower about the sacred book of fire.” The warrior told Liu I.
Liu I was curious. “Why is the king interested in the sacred book of fire?”
The Warrior nodded. “The king is a dragon and dragons are powerful through water. The priest is human and human beings are powerful through fire. Fire can bring down great palaces with a single torch. Fire and water are different from each other so the king is talking with the priest to find a way in which fire and water can complete each other.”
After they had finished talking, a majestic man in a purple robe came before Liu I.
He was the dragon king.
Adapted from Chinese Folk Tales
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