Meng Longtan from Jiangxi province and a scholar with the surname Zhu were temporarily staying in the capital. One day, they happened upon a temple. The temple was not particularly spacious, with its halls and monks' quarters being rather modest. Only one old monk was residing there at the time. When the monk saw guests arriving, he straightened his robe and went to greet them, leading them on a tour of the temple. In the center of the Buddha hall stood a statue of the great monk Baozhi, and on both side walls were exquisite, mystical murals. The figures depicted in the paintings appeared incredibly lifelike. On the eastern wall was a depiction of a group of celestial maidens scattering flowers. Among them was a young girl with her hair loose, holding a flower and smiling. Her small cherry lips seemed about to part to speak, and her affectionate eyes seemed to overflow with emotion.
Scholar Zhu gazed at the girl for a long time, gradually becoming entranced. His mind drifted, lost in thought. Suddenly, his body began to float as if carried by clouds, and he found himself flying towards the wall. Before him appeared layers of halls and pavilions, unlike anything of the human world. An old monk was seated on a high platform, delivering a sermon on Buddhist scriptures, with many monks in robes gathered around him, listening. Zhu found himself standing among them. After a while, he felt someone tugging at his sleeve. Turning around, he saw the girl with the loose hair, smiling at him before turning to leave. Zhu hurried after her, passing through a winding corridor until he saw her enter a small room. He hesitated, unsure whether to follow. The girl glanced back, raising the flower in her hand and beckoning him from afar. Zhu quickly followed her into the room. It was silent and empty, and he embraced the girl. She did not resist, and the two of them shared a moment of intimacy, as close as a married couple. When it was over, the girl closed the door and left, instructing Zhu not to make a sound. She returned again at night, and this continued for two days.
The girl's companions discovered this and, while teasing her, said: "Your child must be so big already, yet you still wear your hair loose like a maiden?" They playfully brought her hairpins and earrings, urging her to style her hair like a married woman. The girl was too embarrassed to speak. One of her companions said: "Sisters, let's not stay here too long, or we'll upset someone." Laughing and teasing, they left. Zhu looked at the girl again, and now her hair was styled in a towering, cloud-like bun, adorned with dangling phoenix hairpins, making her even more beautiful than when her hair was loose. Seeing that no one was around, Zhu affectionately embraced her again. The fragrance of orchids and musk filled the air, deeply intoxicating. As they were enjoying their time together, suddenly, the sound of heavy boots and the clanging of chains interrupted them, followed by a chorus of loud, chaotic voices. The girl sat up in alarm and, together with Zhu, cautiously peeked outside. There they saw a dark-skinned emissary dressed in golden armor, holding chains and a large hammer, surrounded by celestial maidens. The emissary asked: "Is everyone here?" The maidens responded: "Everyone is accounted for." The emissary then said: "If anyone is hiding a mortal from the lower world, report them immediately or face the consequences." The maidens replied in unison: "No one is hiding anyone." The emissary looked around like an eagle searching for prey, as if about to conduct a search. The girl was terrified, her face ashen with fear. Hastily, she told Zhu: "Quick, hide under the bed." She opened a small door in the wall and fled in panic. Zhu lay under the bed, not daring to make a sound. After a while, the sound of boots entered the room but soon left again. Gradually, the noise outside subsided, and Zhu finally felt a little calmer, but there were still people coming and going, chatting outside the door. Zhu remained anxiously hidden for a long time, until his ears began to buzz like cicadas, and golden stars danced before his eyes. The discomfort was unbearable, but he had no choice but to quietly wait for the girl's return. He had already forgotten where he had come from.
Meanwhile, Meng Longtan, still in the main hall, noticed that Zhu had disappeared and, puzzled, asked the old monk about his whereabouts. The old monk smiled and said: "He went to listen to a sermon." Meng asked: "Where is that?" The monk replied: "Not far from here." After a while, the old monk tapped the wall and called out loudly: "Master Zhu, why have you been away so long?" At that moment, an image of Zhu appeared on the mural, standing quietly with his head tilted, as if he had heard something. The monk called out again: "Your companion has been waiting for you for quite some time." With that, Zhu floated down from the wall, disheartened and bewildered, standing there with weak legs and a dazed expression. Meng Longtan, shocked, slowly inquired about what had happened, and only then did he learn that Zhu had been hiding under the bed when a thunderous knocking had jolted him out of the room, bringing him back to the real world. They both went to look at the mural again, and now the girl was depicted with her hair styled in a high bun, no longer the loose-haired maiden. Zhu, astonished, bowed to the monk and asked for an explanation. The old monk smiled and said: "Illusions arise from the mind. How could a monk like me know their origin?" Zhu remained troubled, unable to comprehend the situation. Meng Longtan was also secretly alarmed and uneasy. The two of them then took their leave and descended the temple steps, leaving the temple behind.
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