During the end of the Kangxi period (1661-1722), a lesson in courage and redemption was embodied by a man named Liu Heng, who lived near the Zhangge Bridge in Hetian County.
Liu Heng was not his original name, but he got this name because he was a violent and ferocious man (“Heng” means overbearing).
Despite his initial fearsome reputation, Liu Heng’s acts of bravery and kindness offered a poignant reminder that it’s never too late to change one’s fate.
This story, alongside that of Qi Wang, underscores the belief that understanding one’s mistakes and actively working to amend them is not only an act of bravery, but also a pathway to spiritual liberation.
Finding courage in compassion: The transformation of Liu Heng
Liu Heng was known for his violent temperament, earning him a name that signified overbearing aggression.
Yet, his life took an unexpected turn when he witnessed a woman in distress, trapped in the river’s currents.
No one dared to rescue her, but Liu Heng jumped up and said: “How can you guys not help her? You are not men!” He rowed a boat alone and chased after the woman for three to four miles, finally rescuing her after almost capsizing the boat several times.
The woman safely gave birth the following day, but soon after, Liu Heng was bedridden with a sudden illness.
He recounted a dream he had in which celestial bureaucrats revealed that his act of saving the woman and her unborn child had offset his accumulated sins, thus granting him an extension of his life.
However, the time had come for him to face the consequences of his past misdeeds.
He was still able to walk and stand, but he immediately asked his wife to prepare for his funeral. Everyone found this strange.
Liu Heng sighed: “I can’t recover. The night I saved the woman from the water, I was in a dream, and I arrived at a government house. The officials took me in, and one of them pointed out a book and said: ‘You have done so many evil things in your life that you should die on a particular day this year, and when you die, you will fall into the body of a pig and be subjected to the punishment of slaughter for the next five generations.
‘Fortunately, you have saved two lives in one day, and you have accumulated great virtue, so according to the laws of the netherworld, you can extend your life by twenty-four years. This 24-year lifespan is used to offset your accumulated sins, so you should still die on the originally scheduled date. Because the deadline is approaching, I am worried that people in the world will not be able to understand why your life seems shortened after you have saved others.
‘Therefore, I have called you here to explain this matter so that you may understand the reason for it. The karma of this life is over, so try your best to be good in your next life.’ I didn’t tell anyone when I woke up because I hated this dream. Now that I am sick as expected, how can I expect to live?”
What happened afterward was just as Liu Heng had said.
People in the world may think that he saved two lives, but he soon fell sick and died. Is not this a brave action rewarded with dire retribution? In fact, it was a good thing for him to offset the bad karma he had created in this life by saving the lives of others! He was saved from the pain of being slaughtered as a pig in his next five lifetimes, and in his second life, he became a human being and was able to receive a blessing that no one could ask for.
Therefore, even though a person has made mistakes, as long as he is willing to change and work hard to do good deeds, he will definitely be able to change his destiny and receive an unexpected blessing.
This narrative captures the essence of redemption, as Liu Heng, who was initially feared for his wrath, became a symbol of salvation and hope, illustrating how one selfless act can significantly alter one’s karmic path.
Repentance and generosity: Qi Wang’s quest for redemption
The narrative of Qi Wang, a man from Jinhua longing for a son, further exemplifies the concept that genuine repentance paired with acts of generosity can pivot one’s destiny in a favorable direction.
Qi Wang still did not have a son when he was 50. A fortune teller said: “There is a bad lines on your face; you must have done something wrong.” Qi Wang said: “When I was young, I committed adultery and raped someone else’s wife and daughter in a secret place where no one could see.”
The fortune teller was horrified and said: “Committing such a sin will annihilate your offspring! The sin of adultery is the most difficult to repent. You have to be very good to win the heart of Heaven!”
As a result, Qi Wang changed his ways and repented. For the first year, he was happy to give to others, and he was never stingy. The fortune-teller said: “You have not done enough!” The following year, whenever he encountered a situation where raising money was difficult, Qi Wang was always the first one to donate, and his donations were more than half of the total amount.
The fortune-teller said: “You haven’t done enough!” In the third year, Qi Wang donated alone and always exceeded others in giving. When the fortune-teller saw him, he said: “You already have the lines of good karma on your face. You don’t have to worry about not having a son anymore.”
Qi Wang did have a son, and when he was 70 years old, he was still in good health and was able to hold and play with his grandson.
Through three years of increasing charitable deeds, he gradually reshaped his fate, eventually being rewarded with not only a son, but also the joy of witnessing his grandson, marking a complete turnaround from his ominous initial prognosis.
Universal lessons of hope and transformation
Both tales from a distant past remind us that our actions significantly influence our destiny.
The stories of Liu Heng and Qi Wang shine a light on the enduring principle that it’s possible to overcome the shadows of past mistakes through courage, compassion, and unwavering commitment to positive change.
In our contemporary society, where the quest for meaning and redemption remains as relevant as ever, these stories inspire us to reflect on our actions and their ripple effects on our lives and those around us.
By embracing the courage to acknowledge our faults and striving to make amends, we pave the way for not just personal redemption but also for contributing to the greater good, affirming the profound impact of kindness and generosity in transforming lives across generations.
Translation by Audrey Wang
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