PEAK OF REPENTANCE ================== by Edmund Lau CHAPTER ONE : FORM AND EMPTINESS -------------------------------- "Grasp emptiness, and emptiness is form; Grasp form, and form is impermanent, Emptiness and form are not mine -- Sitting erect, I see my native home." Once upon a time, there lived a strange man. This man was neither a monk nor a taoist. However, many of his best friends and worst enemies were monks and taoists! Though many extolled him a great philosopher, he denied it strongly. He would often say, "Look at my legs ... do you see the mud and soil from the rice fields I work in from morning till late afternoon? Do philosophers have legs like mine? Definitely not! They are all to be found in the courts of the rich and powerful... receiving a high pay for their skills in flattery. In short, philosophers have no dirt on their feet... only in their mouths!" He loved saying such things, often ending with a hearty laugh. For he was a passionate man. In the evenings, he was always with the children of the village; playing, laughing, rolling on the floor, hiding, chasing... During winters, he can be found bringing coats for the shiverring monkeys in the nearby jungles. Above all, he loved wine and chess. Nearly everyday during the winter months, he stayed with the village headman, Master Fung. Master Fung was his very best friend as they both loved wine and chess - but more so because Master Fung was a rich man who had no airs... he never once looked down on the many poor families who depended on his generousity throughout the years. "Ah Pang - let's have another game, shall we?", Master Fung offered. "Sure. Why not? Up till now you've lost a total of 1532 games to me... so maybe your luck might change with the next round", Ah Pang answered with a warm laugh. Master Fung sighed, "How can I ever compete with Wiseman Pang in anything?" "There you go again. How many times have we been through this? I am no wiseman - I'm Layman Pang!", Ah Pang answered, "Besides, your skills have improved over the last several months, especially your offensive moves... However, I've noticed that you were more on the defensive over the past few days. Is something troubling you?" Master Fung did not answer. He appeared to be staring blankly at the chessboard before him. After a while, Layman Pang smiled and said, "I know what's troubling you... Just let nature take its course, shall we?" Master Fung appeared a little shy knowing that his friend had guessed correctly. His wife, Madam Fung, was well in her eleventh month of pregnancy already and the baby still showed no sign of coming forth. Initially, the couple was overjoyed when they were finally expecting their first child - after more than twenty years being married! However, it appeared as though the heavens were playing a huge joke on them as the child was still not delivered after eleven months of anxious waiting. "I am trying my best not to get anxious, Ah Pang", Master Fung answered, "That's why I invited you over for chess and wine but... it's already the eleventh month and..." Layman Pang looked intently at his friend and, still smiling, answered, "Old Fung, it's normal for you to worry. Yet the plain fact is that there is very little that either you or I can do... just let nature take its course." Maybe it's the assuring manner in Layman Pang's reply; or perhaps it's a sense of resignation, Master Fung answered, "Maybe you're right. Sorry for spoiling our mood..." Before Master Fung could complete his sentence, Layman Pang had already lifted up his wine glass to propose a toast. Cutting him off in mid-sentence, Layman Pang said, "Old Fung, if it will make you feel better... let me share a secret with you. I do not make it a habit to foretell the future for people though many have begged me to... I've always believed that man should live as naturally as possible without a care for tomorrow - as long as we live as fully as possible today. But for you I will make an exception this time... I tell you the truth, your son will be born before the sun rises tomorrow morning. He will also grow up as an honest, heroic man. His destiny will be to soar high in the skies like the immortals." Master Fung could hardly contain his joy. He, among the very few, knew Layman Pang's past. He knew that Layman Pang was not always known as Layman Pang. He was once the chief astrologer and advisor to the Emperor before the fall of the Yuen Dynasty. His fame spread all throughout China. Everyone in that era had heard of Wiseman Pang who could foretell the future. The rest of the details were sketchy at best... but Master Fung knew a little of it. Seemed that many monks and taoists were envious of Wiseman Pang's fame so they conspired against him. His enemies began to spread rumours about him. They claimed that he was helping the Han rebels to topple the Mongolian-led Yuen Dynasty. Soon the Yuen Emperor ordered his arrest. Before the court, he predicted the fall of the Yuen Dynasty and the establishment of a new dynasty by a Han surnamed Zhu. The Emperor wanted initially to have Wiseman Pang beheaded but later decided against that action. He ordered to have Pang locked up instead - to let him see with his own eyes that his predictions will all come to naught. As we all know, Wiseman Pang's predictions did come true - the Yuen Dynasty fell and Zhu Yuen Cheung established the present Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yuen Cheung decreed that all prisoners under the former Yuen rule be released (obviously hoping to gain more supporters while he was still trying to strengthen his rule). Pang was also among those released. From then on, Pang refused to have anything more to do with politics and titles. He retired to this quiet farming village headed by Master Fung and lived a quiet life here. He also changed his name to "Layman Pang" to truly live among commoners. He believed that this was the most natural way of life : living each day at a time with no cares for tomorrow, enjoying daily the produce of the earth and the fruits of his own labour at the farm. This night was the first time he had predicted anything for anyone since his imprisonment. Master Fung did not know what to say. He was overjoyed. He wanted to really thank Layman Pang but before he could open his mouth, he heard a servant shouting, "Master, Madam is in labour - come quick!" The remainder of the night was a frenzy of activity. The village midwife came and the rest of the household was kept busy preparing for the child's arrival. In the morning, before the sun rose, the child was born. Master Fung was overjoyed. He held his son in his arms and knelt before Layman Pang, thanking him and begging him to take the new-born baby as his disciple. Layman Pang agreed as he too was bubbling with joy over the birth of this baby. Master Fung remembered Layman Pang's prediction about the child's ultimate destiny. He named his son "Ching Yeung" - "Ching" symbolizing honesty and a guileless character and "Yeung" symbolizing the child's eventual greatness; like a great bird soaring to the heavens. * * * (end of chapter one)