instantly retraced back to darkness. Placing a sword beside of his pillow, he
then blew off the candle and slept. Next day, he proudly revealed this incident to his
colleagues. Nothing ever happened to him after that episode.
Nevertheless, his servant, who stayed on the adjacent room, was less fortunate. He
was bewitched and moaned all night in his dreams of fantasy. A few months later, this
cross-starred servant had died of physical exhaustion. All of his energy was sucked up. At
his deathbed, with embarrassment, he murmured and confessed to his master. He
disclosed that, in his dreams, there was a gorgeous girl frequently visiting and sleeping
with him. Enjoying carnal pleasures, he was periodically promised that she would become
his bride in the next days. With great effort, this servant feebly but happily consoled his
master, who was in vast annoyance and aggravation.
"It's my fault," the mayor bitterly wailed and regretfully self-criticized; "I was over-confident
and overlooked the whole picture,
concerning only about
myself and thoughtlessly
neglecting my servants. Because of my own high honor and integrity, I am not afraid of any
evil-spirits, at all. They couldn't harm me. As a matter of fact, they shouldn't even appear or
approach me in the first place. On the other hand, my less fortunate servant's fate was
sealed by my own foolish self-confidence." With remorse, he promptly moved out of that
possessed residence.
As an old Chinese maxim states, "A wise person wouldn't stand near a shaky tall wall." If
we have choices, why should we unnecessarily confront with a potential danger, which
might eventually harm us or our compatriots? Keeping a safe distance away from a likely
trouble seems to be the best protection against all odds.
29
A NORMAL PLACE OF ODDITY
My colleague, Mr. Der, was just relocated to Kara Shahr. On one scorching hot
summer afternoon, he sauntered on a less-traveled segment of the city. It was deadly quiet.
The air was stuffy and the sky cloudless. Strolling along a boulevard, he unconsciously
entered woods. In there, the trees became dense, the leaves and branches gradually
blocked of the vicious sunlight. He could feel a cool and mysterious breeze gently
caressing his face. Birds chirped from afar.
Observing a weather-beaten and deserted
pavilion, he paced in that building and, relaxed himself on a stone chair, enjoying the
tranquility of the surroundings.
Hours later, a suspicious voice demanded, with courtesy but in a hollow and eerie tone. "Sir,
it's time for you to go home now. I need this place to entertain my guests." With amazement,
he was disturbed and awakened. Cautiously looking around for a moment, he found
nobody.
"It must be a ghost," Horrified and dejected, he went home, dashed to my study room and
anxiously told me, seeking my advice. "I must be doomed. Only a person with dubious
character or a person who is on the doorsteps of death will be contacted by the dark
creatures. How could I, a well-learned gentleman, in my primetime, was harassed by an
evil spirit under the bright daylight? My days must be numbered. Otherwise, the devil won't
dare to come near me...."
"Please, calm down. Don't worry," After listening and analyzing this unusual episode, I
comforted him. "Of course, as a general rule of thumb, your concerns and assumption does
make sense. Confronting with or approaching by an otherworldly creature is certainly
considered a bad omen. However, it all depends on the circumstances. Be broad-minded
and allow me to use an analogy to illustrate my viewpoint. Encountering a dark creature in
a remote and haunted region is just like locating a person in a crowded farmer market. It is
only
natural.
The
area
that
you
visited
this
afternoon
has
numerous
several-hundred-year-old trees, where could be occupied by otherworldly creatures. The
front yard of that deserted pavilion used to be a notorious execution site. Many criminals
suffered untimely and cruel death there. The negative
then blew off the candle and slept. Next day, he proudly revealed this incident to his
colleagues. Nothing ever happened to him after that episode.
Nevertheless, his servant, who stayed on the adjacent room, was less fortunate. He
was bewitched and moaned all night in his dreams of fantasy. A few months later, this
cross-starred servant had died of physical exhaustion. All of his energy was sucked up. At
his deathbed, with embarrassment, he murmured and confessed to his master. He
disclosed that, in his dreams, there was a gorgeous girl frequently visiting and sleeping
with him. Enjoying carnal pleasures, he was periodically promised that she would become
his bride in the next days. With great effort, this servant feebly but happily consoled his
master, who was in vast annoyance and aggravation.
"It's my fault," the mayor bitterly wailed and regretfully self-criticized; "I was over-confident
and overlooked the whole picture,
concerning only about
myself and thoughtlessly
neglecting my servants. Because of my own high honor and integrity, I am not afraid of any
evil-spirits, at all. They couldn't harm me. As a matter of fact, they shouldn't even appear or
approach me in the first place. On the other hand, my less fortunate servant's fate was
sealed by my own foolish self-confidence." With remorse, he promptly moved out of that
possessed residence.
As an old Chinese maxim states, "A wise person wouldn't stand near a shaky tall wall." If
we have choices, why should we unnecessarily confront with a potential danger, which
might eventually harm us or our compatriots? Keeping a safe distance away from a likely
trouble seems to be the best protection against all odds.
29
A NORMAL PLACE OF ODDITY
My colleague, Mr. Der, was just relocated to Kara Shahr. On one scorching hot
summer afternoon, he sauntered on a less-traveled segment of the city. It was deadly quiet.
The air was stuffy and the sky cloudless. Strolling along a boulevard, he unconsciously
entered woods. In there, the trees became dense, the leaves and branches gradually
blocked of the vicious sunlight. He could feel a cool and mysterious breeze gently
caressing his face. Birds chirped from afar.
Observing a weather-beaten and deserted
pavilion, he paced in that building and, relaxed himself on a stone chair, enjoying the
tranquility of the surroundings.
Hours later, a suspicious voice demanded, with courtesy but in a hollow and eerie tone. "Sir,
it's time for you to go home now. I need this place to entertain my guests." With amazement,
he was disturbed and awakened. Cautiously looking around for a moment, he found
nobody.
"It must be a ghost," Horrified and dejected, he went home, dashed to my study room and
anxiously told me, seeking my advice. "I must be doomed. Only a person with dubious
character or a person who is on the doorsteps of death will be contacted by the dark
creatures. How could I, a well-learned gentleman, in my primetime, was harassed by an
evil spirit under the bright daylight? My days must be numbered. Otherwise, the devil won't
dare to come near me...."
"Please, calm down. Don't worry," After listening and analyzing this unusual episode, I
comforted him. "Of course, as a general rule of thumb, your concerns and assumption does
make sense. Confronting with or approaching by an otherworldly creature is certainly
considered a bad omen. However, it all depends on the circumstances. Be broad-minded
and allow me to use an analogy to illustrate my viewpoint. Encountering a dark creature in
a remote and haunted region is just like locating a person in a crowded farmer market. It is
only
natural.
The
area
that
you
visited
this
afternoon
has
numerous
several-hundred-year-old trees, where could be occupied by otherworldly creatures. The
front yard of that deserted pavilion used to be a notorious execution site. Many criminals
suffered untimely and cruel death there. The negative
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