In the land of Dongping, there lives a generous and hospitable Chunyu Fen who is good at drinking. He came from a wealthy family and made friends with heroes from all over the world. He once served as a deputy general in the Huainan army with his martial arts skills, but was dismissed from his official position due to a drunken outburst. From then on, he indulged in debauchery and indulged in drinking every day.
Chunyu Mansion is located ten miles east of Guangling County, with an ancient locust tree standing tall on the south side of the courtyard. Its lush branches and leaves cover the sky and sun, making it an ideal place for him and his friends to drink and chat. On July 9th, the seventh year of the Zhenyuan reign of the Tang Dynasty, Chunyu Fen was drunk and lying at home. A friend settled him in the east corridor of the hall. My friend said, ‘Let’s take a nap for a while, we’ll be back soon.’ After speaking, he left.
In the daze of Chunyu Fen, there seemed to be a purple clothed envoy kneeling before him, saying that he had been invited by the order of King Huai’an. He followed the messenger out in a daze, boarded a beautifully decorated carriage, crossed the hole of the locust tree, and entered a completely different world. Mountains, rivers, plants, and local customs are all different from the human world. Traveling for miles, one arrives at a city wall called ‘Da Huai An Guo’, with towering city gates and numerous pavilions, showcasing the aura of a king.
After entering the city, Chunyu Fen was welcomed to Donghua Hall. When he saw the Right Prime Minister in person, he informed him that he had been chosen by the King of Huai’an as his son-in-law and would marry Princess Yaofang. Chunyu Fen was shocked and uncertain, secretly guessing the reason behind this matter. That night, the wedding was grand, treasures were listed, fairy music was floating, and many fairies were around, laughing and talking about the fun of past encounters. It was not until you were honest that you knew your relationship was already settled.
After marriage, Chunyu Fen was highly regarded by the king and appointed as the governor of Nanke County. He co governed the county affairs with his former friends Zhou Ben and Tian Zihua, and achieved remarkable political achievements, which won the hearts of the people. Over the past twenty years, Nanke County has thrived and prospered, with Chunyu Fen holding an extremely prestigious position and his family enjoying immense glory.
However, the good times did not last long. The Tanluo Kingdom invaded the territory, and Zhou Ben led his troops to face defeat. Although Chunyu Fen tried to protect him, the princess and Sixian passed away one after another, leaving him heartbroken. The king recognized his achievements and allowed him to return the coffin to the capital, and temporarily ordered him to return home to pay respects. As Chunyu Fen bid farewell, he suddenly realized that everything was like a dream. When he returned to the human world, he realized that the Great Huai’an Kingdom and Nanke County were nothing but ant nest illusions.
In addition to being startled, Chunyu Fen searched under the locust tree and dug open the ant nest. He saw that the scene in the city was no different from his dream, and he believed that Nan Ke’s dream was true. From then on, he deeply felt that the world was illusory and fame and fortune were like floating clouds, so he quit drinking and devoted himself to the Tao.
Three years later, in the year of Ding Chou, Chunyu Fen also passed away at the age of 47, just as he had promised in his dream. This incident was heard by Li Gongzuo, who deeply felt that the world is like a dream. He specially wrote the “Biography of the Governor of Nanke” to warn people not to be burdened by fame and fortune. He hopes that future gentlemen will take this as a lesson, remain indifferent and clear minded, and achieve peace and far-reaching goals. Li Zhao, a military officer from Xizhou, also sighed and said, “I am an extremely powerful minister with immense power over the court and the public. Looking at them like ants gathering together, what a righteous thing
