In the realm of human understanding, moral character is often perceived as an intangible concept, something immaterial or beyond the grasp of the ordinary senses. Yet, beneath this surface perception lies a profound reality: Moral character is not merely a philosophical abstraction, but something intricately woven into the very fabric of existence. In fact, some even have the ability to perceive its presence. In this remarkable story, one man recounts his extraordinary experiences growing up in China, where he encountered someone who could see the moral qualities of others as a visible light.
Seeing the unseen
When I was 12 years old, my family lived in Beijing, where my father worked for the North China government agency. He had a colleague from Fujian named Mr. Huang, and the two of them were very close. One day, two friends from Shanghai came to visit my father. Mr. Huang happened to be there, so my father introduced them to each other. The four made an appointment to meet again in the evening at the hotel where the friends were staying.
Around seven o’clock in the evening, it was already quite dark. At that time, electric lights were not common in Beijing. The streetlights were just small kerosene lamps encased in glass, providing very dim light. As my father and Mr. Huang walked toward the hotel, the surroundings were silent and deserted. Suddenly, Mr. Huang said loudly: “Mr. Xu is there, and Mr. Wang is behind him.” My father looked ahead, but saw nothing. After walking a bit further, they indeed saw his two friends from Shanghai approaching slowly. My father later asked Mr. Huang how he could see them in such conditions.
Mr. Huang explained that since childhood, he had been able to see a light above everyone’s head. His mother, upon discovering this, forbade him from speaking about it to avoid being accused of spreading superstitious tales.
He said: “Everyone has a light above their head, but the brightness, size, and color varies. Those with power and influence usually have red or purple light; noble and upright people have white or blue light; corrupt and depraved people have black or gray light. Other colors like yellow, orange, green, and ocher vary according to a person’s character and behavior. The brightness and size of the light also change with a person’s luck and circumstances.” Because he had already seen the lights above the heads of Mr. Xu and Mr. Wang during the daytime, he was able to distinguish them from a distance that night.
The changing nature of human light
Mr. Huang noted that a person’s light can change. For example, if a moral person is led astray by bad influences, their previously bright and large light will become dim and small. Thus, he could immediately tell if someone’s moral character, which greatly helped him in making friends and conducting business.
During the height of General Zhang Zuolin’s power, Mr. Huang saw the warlord’s light, which was three meters tall and red. However, about a week before Zhang was killed in an explosion, Mr. Huang saw him again and noticed that his light had shrunk to just a few feet and was dim and weak. Soon after, Zhang was indeed killed.
The fear and respect of spirits for people of high moral character
Since Mr. Huang had revealed this secret, he decided to share another one, which my father discovered by chance. One day, my father and Mr. Huang attended a banquet together. As they walked back through a quiet street, Mr. Huang suddenly burst into laughter. My father looked around, but saw nothing funny and pressed him for an explanation. Mr. Huang finally revealed the truth.
He said that ghosts are extremely snobbish, but their snobbishness is different from humans. People fear the powerful and bully the honest and kind. Ghosts, however, respect and fear kind, loyal, and moral people. When a ghost sees such a person, it respectfully makes way or waits carefully from a distance. If the person is powerful or bullies others, the ghost will mock and tease him, drawing a turtle on his back or tying a rope to his hair.
Earlier, as they were walking, a righteous and orderly person was also on the street. A small ghost, upon seeing him, hurriedly made way and stood by the wall waiting for him to pass. At that moment, the person stopped to tie his shoelace, placing his foot against the wall, which happened to be on the small ghost. The ghost was so startled that it flailed about, but couldn’t run away, which was quite amusing, and Mr. Huang couldn’t help but laugh.
This extraordinary account challenges us to reconsider our understanding of moral character and the unseen forces that shape our lives. It suggests that our actions and intentions may be more visible than we realize, influencing not only our reputations, but also the way we are perceived by both the living and the supernatural.
Whether or not we believe in the ability to see the light of human nature, this story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of integrity, kindness, and righteousness in our daily lives. It invites us to strive for a moral clarity that, even if unseen, leaves a lasting impression on the world around us.
Translated by cecilia
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