[8] That is, to the operation of some influence surviving from a previous existence.
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[9] This is another hit at the ruling classes. Chi K‘ang, a celebrated musician and alchemist (A.D. 223–262), was sitting one night alone, playing upon his lute, when suddenly a man with a tiny face walked in, and began to stare hard at him, the stranger’s face enlarging all the time. “I’m not going to match myself against a devil!” cried the musician, after a few moments, and instantly blew out the light.
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[10] When Liu Chüan, Governor of Wu-ling, determined to relieve his poverty by trade, he saw a devil standing by his side, laughing and rubbing his hands for glee. “Poverty and wealth are matters of destiny,” said Liu Chüan; “But to be laughed at by a devil——,” and accordingly he desisted from his intention.
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[11] A writer who flourished in the early part of the fourth century, and composed a work in thirty books entitled Supernatural Researches.
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[12] The famous poet, statesman, and essayist, who flourished A.D. 1036–1101.
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[13] “And his friends had the habit of jotting down for his unfailing delight anything quaint or comic that they came across.”—The World on Charles Dickens: 24th July 1878.
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[14] It is related in the Historical Record that when T‘ai Po and Yü Chung visited the southern savages they saw men with tattooed bodies and short hair.
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[15] A fabulous community, placed by geographers to the west of the Dragon city—wherever that may be. So called because the heads of the men are in the habit of leaving their bodies, and flying down to marshy places to feed on worms and crabs. A red ring is seen the night before the flight encircling the neck of the man whose head is about to fly. At daylight the head returns.
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[16] A quotation from the admired works of Wang Po, a brilliant scholar and poet, who was drowned at the early age of twenty-eight, A.D. 675.
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[17] I have hitherto failed in all attempts to identify this quotation.
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