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CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

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— 467 —<br />

ARTICLE XXIV.<br />

THE LAZY GLUTTON<br />

OR THE BUDDHISTfMONK LAN-TS'AN. (1)<br />

Lan-ts'an Shen-shi '||| ^ jjjip<br />

gjjj.<br />

The real name <strong>of</strong> this monk was Ming-tsan B£j $f|, or "Bright<br />

libation-cup". He lived in the latter part <strong>of</strong> the reign <strong>of</strong> HsiXen-tsung<br />

j£ ^ (A. D. 713-756),<br />

5 th<br />

emperor <strong>of</strong> the T'ang ^ dynasty. In<br />

early life, he was a menial in the Heng-yoh monastery, Heng-yohsze<br />

Hf ^ ^F' dedicated to the God <strong>of</strong> the Southern Peak, in Hunan<br />

$J) |ff. When the monks had taken their meal, he devoured with<br />

avidity the leavings, hence he was nicknamed the "Lazy Glutton",<br />

Lan-ts'an j$g £jg (2).<br />

When his daily task was over, and night set in, he slept during<br />

20 years in the cattle-pen <strong>of</strong> the monastery. About midnight, he<br />

began to chant his prayers. His powerful voice, echoed throughout<br />

the mountain gorges, was heard far and wide over the country. At<br />

first, it seemed monotonous and rather plaintive, but gradually<br />

assumed a joyous tone. On hearing it, the famous scholar Li-pi<br />

5j£$& exclaimed :<br />

"this<br />

voice is unquestionably beyond the ordinary ;<br />

the monk Lan-ts'an iff M must be a genius descended from the<br />

heavens". He, therefore, resolved to pay him a visit. The monk<br />

had no sooner seen him than he gaped about listlessly, and began<br />

to spit up in the air. He then said to the scholar: "you came <strong>of</strong><br />

course to deprive me <strong>of</strong> my hoardings?" Despite this rebuff, Li-pi<br />

(1) See the 1 4 Hi Arhat, Shen-tsan shen-shi j$ fg gf fiiji, who seems to be<br />

the same as this monk. Chinese Superstitions. Vol. VII. p. 365.<br />

(2) The 2» d character <strong>of</strong> his name, Tsan jg, meaning a libation-cup,<br />

was changed into Ts'an gg-, i. e. broken food, leavings, and the word "Lazy",<br />

Ann 1$, added. Hence a "lazy glutton". Williams. Dictionary <strong>of</strong> the Chi-<br />

nese Language.<br />

30

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