As fierce as tigers are, subduing a tiger is not impossible. Here’s a little-known thing about Tigers, they can sense the benevolence and virtue of officials and the loyal souls of devoted and righteous men. This article tells the story of Guo Shijun, a good man in the early Qing Dynasty, who the county governor personally praised for “subduing the dragon and the tiger.” When the good man died, the tiger even killed him.
Subdue a tiger
In the early Qing Dynasty, Guo Shijun, who lived in Gan Yi County, was acclaimed for his sincere, modest, and generous personality. Everyone in the neighborhood recognized him as a good person, and his filial piety to his parents was known to all.
Tigers were rampant in the area
At that time, tigers were rampant in their area. People living there or passing by had to be on guard. One day, Guo Shijun needed to go to a village to collect rent. Two servants went with him. On the way, a tiger suddenly appeared in the thick grass and blocked the road. The two servants left their luggage and fled at once. Guo Shijun wanted to escape, but his legs were out of control. He sat down on the ground and watched the animal.
Guo Shijun’s courage and compassion
While he was waiting for the opportunity to escape, the tiger sat opposite him. Knowing he could hardly be spared, Guo Shijun told the animal: “It is my fate that I have the misfortune to run into you. Please devour me, and don’t let me be afraid and scared for long.” After listening to him, the animal got up and nestled close to him as if he had already tamed it.
Then Guo Shijun asked the tiger: “If you are not going to harm me, what do you want to do?” The animal immediately picked up his bundles with its mouth and put them in front of him. It bowed its head, signifying it would carry his things for him. As if he understood the animal’s intention, Guo Shijun tied the bundles on the animal’s back. He got up and walked forward. The animal followed.
The tiger follows Guo Shijun
The two servants had already fled to the village by this time. They told the tenants what had happened. Everyone was shocked and thought Heaven’s ways were unpredictable, as a good man like Guo Shijun would have been mauled to death by a tiger. Suddenly, they saw a tiger following Guo Shijun, arriving at the village. All rushed into the house, closed the door, and made loud noises.
Guo Shijun said: “Don’t be afraid. The tiger doesn’t attack people.” He told them to open the door. Sure enough, the animal obediently followed Guo Shijun’s instructions with its ears stuck and tail dropped. Witnessing the scene, the panicked crowd turned joyful. They scrambled to take the meat to feed the animal. It ate up everything piece by piece. At night, it slept outside.
When Guo Shijun returned home, the tiger carried the bundles for him. When the villagers saw the animal, they were horrified like the tenants. Guo Shijun told them exactly what had happened. People believed that Guo Shijun’s noble virtue had converted the animal. It made them respect and love him more. From then on, there was no more rampage of tigers in the countryside.
Guo Shijun prays for rain
At that time, the county was suffering from a prolonged drought. The officials built an altar to pray and sent people to the Town God’s Temple many times to ask the Town God for help but got no response. Then one day, the county governor heard the Town God say to him in a dream: “There will be an old man traveling east with a tiger outside the northern suburbs tomorrow. He can bring rain. Go and look for him.”
The next day, the governor ordered his officers to wait in the northern suburbs, and they did wait for Guo Shijun’s arrival. The officers knew that the tiger that followed him never hurt anyone, so they dragged Guo Shijun to see the county governor without hesitation. The governor was amazed and grandly greeted Guo Shijun, asking him to pray for rain on his behalf.
Guo Shijun firmly refused, saying that he could not do it. However, the governor insisted on the request, so he had no choice but to kneel on the altar while the tiger bent under it. At noon, a dragon-like long winding black cloud rose steeply from the southeast, and soon rain poured down. The governor was overjoyed and invited Guo Shijun to a banquet prepared for him at his official residence. Guo Shijun firmly refused and left with the tiger.
The governor’s praise
When the governor returned to the office, he wrote four big Chinese characters on paper, which meant “subdue the dragon and ambush the tiger” to commemorate his accomplishment. He ordered the officers to send it and wine to Guo Shijun’s house with a drum and trumpet band accompaniment. This incident made Guo Shijun’s reputation even more prominent.
The tiger’s loyalty
When Guo Shijun died, the tiger kept roaring around his bed. It only stopped when it felt the fear of the Guo family. On the day of Guo Shijun’s burial, the animal kept shedding tears and stayed under the casket day and night. The animal crouched on the ground as soon as the coffin was laid at the grave and the burial ritual was completed. It gave out a roar. Then it killed itself by hitting its head on the tombstone.
People thought it was a loyal tiger and reported the incident to the governor. When the governor came to Guo Shijun’s grave and saw the animal’s dead body with its head broken, he was so sad and mournful that he chose a place next to Guo Shijun’s, wrapped the animal’s body in cloth, and buried it there. He then erected a tombstone for the and inscribed it with the words “Tomb of Good Man Guo’s Righteous Tiger,” which still exists today.
Conclusion
The story of Guo Shijun and the tiger is a testament to the power of virtue and loyalty. Guo Shijun’s courage and compassion in the face of danger and the animal’s loyalty in death are both inspiring and humbling. It is a reminder that even the most fierce creatures can be tamed by the power of kindness and goodness. It is a reminder that even in the darkest times, the light of virtue and compassion can shine through and bring about a better future.
Translated by Cecilia
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