My maternal grandfather was a devout Buddhist layperson, though he had never formally taken vows. He had a kind heart, treated everyone with sincerity, and never spoke ill of others. His favorite saying was: “Suffering losses is a blessing.” Not only was he virtuous, but he was also well-versed in the I Ching and skilled at interpreting hexagrams. Every time he cast one, it was almost always accurate.
In addition, he was adept at selecting burial sites, determining auspicious dates for weddings and funerals, and giving guidance on feng shui for homes. People from neighboring villages often sought his advice, and he never turned anyone away. He offered his assistance wholeheartedly, solving countless problems and helping many families. Because of his benevolence, the villagers fondly called him “The Great Kind Man.”
When I was a teenager, my grandfather often told me stories about how good and evil always receive their due rewards, as well as the importance of respecting heaven and believing in the divine. He was particularly disgusted by the chaotic, immoral behavior he witnessed during the Cultural Revolution. Again and again, he urged me to cultivate virtue, perform good deeds, and never engage in anything unethical or harmful. At the time, I was too young to fully understand or accept everything he said, but in hindsight, many of his warnings and predictions came true — leaving me deeply in awe of his foresight.
An ill-chosen day brings disaster
One incident remains vivid in my memory. During the final years of the Republic of China era, my grandfather’s cousin, who was also his neighbor, decided to build a new house. Influenced by my grandfather, this cousin had learned a bit about selecting auspicious dates and feng shui but was far from an expert. Still, he was quite self-assured and confident in his abilities.
Without consulting my grandfather, he chose the date and time to begin construction on his own. When my grandfather learned of this, he did a quick calculation and kindly warned him: “The timing you’ve selected violates the ‘Heavenly Robber’ star. It’s bad luck. I advise you to postpone and choose another date.”
But the cousin scoffed, saying: “Everyone knows about thieves on Earth — who’s ever seen a thief from heaven? If such a thing exists, I’d like to see it myself.” Clearly, he didn’t believe my grandfather’s advice and proceeded with the construction anyway.
Not long after the house was completed, the prophecy came true. One afternoon, three policemen galloped into the village on horseback, barging straight into the cousin’s house and sealing the gates. They ordered the family to stay inside and not come out. Moments later, six mountain bandits, also on horseback, charged in, surrounding the courtyard while shouting and firing shots, demanding that the gates be opened.
The policemen fired back from the windows, leading to a fierce gunfight. One bandit even climbed up onto the courtyard wall, but was shot dead by a policeman. Eventually, the remaining bandits fled. It turned out the three policemen had initially been pursuing a single bandit, but unexpectedly ran into five more, leading them to seek refuge in the cousin’s home. It took a long time to settle the mess caused by this “Heavenly Robber” disaster.
Afterward, my grandfather’s cousin became fully convinced of his older brother’s uncanny foresight.
A warning about the chaos of the Cultural Revolution
During the early years of the Cultural Revolution, my grandfather was often visibly troubled. Red Guards and rebel groups roamed the streets, denouncing people, smashing property, and destroying temples and Buddha statues. Every day brought violent campaigns to “smash the old and establish the new.”
I remember seeing my grandfather shaking his head, sighing, and sometimes seething with anger. He would mutter: “They’re committing great sins — destroying the heavenly order and basic morality!”
Curious, I once asked him: “Grandpa, why are you so upset?”
He looked at me earnestly and said: “My child, you’re still young, but remember my words: Never do bad things, and especially never tear down temples or smash Buddha statues. There will be retribution.”
I was confused. “But isn’t this what the government tells us to do? How could it be wrong?”
My grandfather grew solemn and said: “Don’t listen to their nonsense. That man (referring to Mao) is a reincarnated demon king, leading the Communist Party’s demons to bring chaos to the world. They’ve poisoned people’s hearts, destroyed faith, and waged war against gods and Buddhas. Heaven won’t tolerate it.”
At the time, I deeply respected my grandfather, but it was hard for me to accept his words. They contradicted everything I had been taught in school. Yet, as I grew older, gained life experience, and read countless stories rooted in traditional culture, I slowly came to understand and believe everything my grandfather had said. Sadly, by the time I wanted to ask him more, he had already passed away.
A prophecy of a future era of peace
One conversation with my grandfather remains especially vivid. I was 16 when my mother sent me to pick him up. On the way home, he seemed in good spirits, sharing many mythological stories with me. As we walked, he suddenly turned serious and said:
“Always believe in gods and Buddhas. Don’t be swayed by the chaos you see today — where there is turmoil, there will eventually be restoration. In the future, a true Buddha will descend to save people. There will be decades of a peaceful, divine kingdom on Earth, where humans and gods coexist. Sadly, I won’t live to see it, but you might. Don’t miss your chance.”
Translated by Joseph Wu
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