A Lustful Fantasy does not Escape Heaven's Scrutiny
 
In ancient China, someone who passed the lowest level of the civil service examination, usually at the village level, was known as a “Xiu Cai.”
 
There was once a man in China's Changzhou area who was talented enough to pass the test and become a Xiu Cai. One day he called upon a friend to exchange writing skills. He wrote an essay titled, “Wise Men Take Delight in Water.” He took great pride in his essay and his fellow intellectuals also praised the essay. He was overcome with joy. After he got drunk and returned home, the Xiu Cai sat idly and let his fantasies run wild. “When I pass the next level of civil service examination, I will take the neighbor's young maid Ageng as my concubine. I shall build a luxury mansion and buy extravagant clothing for her.” After midnight, he was still having fantasies about his life. When his wife hurried him to go to bed, he spit the tea in his mouth in her face and shouted insults. “You are a vat of vinegar! A vat of vinegar!” [Note: In both ancient and modern Chinese expression, vinegar is a metaphor for jealousy.]
 
There was another man in the same village who made a living by transcribing books. One day he had a dream about a divine being who was recording sentient beings' karmic retributions. He looked at the record and happened to see an entry about the Xiu Cai in his village. The entry said, “Although he was just having fantasies, he still harbored the desire for something that was not his. If he really passes the next level of civil service examination, he will make his fantasy come true. Therefore, he will have to suffer retribution. He will suffer from cold and hunger in Songling Harbor for one full day on January 17.”
 
After the book transcriber awakened from the dream, he recorded what he had seen. On the next day, he paid a visit to the Xiu Cai, who was in the middle of dressing up to go enjoy the plum blossoms in Xishan upon the invitation of his father-in-law.
 
He left for Xishan. When the boat he took was passing by Jinqiao, it crashed with the boat of the river patrol police. Everyone except him was arrested because he wore civilian clothes. However, he was tied to the bow while the boat headed for Wujiang. He was not released until the boat stopped by Songling Harbor. He nearly froze or starved to death. The book transcriber's dream came true!
 
When a person commits a lustful sin, he or she will suffer a great loss of virtue and ruin his future. The Xiu Cai in the story suffered from karmic retribution simply because he had a wild fantasy arisen from his vanity and arrogance, without actually committing a sin with the neighbor's maid. It proves that Heaven will record and judge our every thought.
 
贪色妄想　天理难欺
 
从前，长洲有个秀才稍有文采，有一天他到朋友家去切磋文章，他以“知者乐水”为题写了一篇文章，非常得意，也受到同辈的赞赏。秀才欣喜不已，酒醉后回到家，坐在那里妄想：等我得第后，我就要取邻女阿庚为妾，要为她建造华丽的房子，为她置华美艳丽的衣饰……”三更已过，他还在那里痴心妄想，妻子催促他睡觉，秀才一口将茶水吐到妻子脸上，骂道：“你这个醋瓮，醋瓮。”
 
同村有个受雇为人抄书的佣书人，一天晚上，他在睡梦中在一神人那里见到一记录世人善恶报应的籍册，只见上面有一朱批记录了那妄想秀才的事，写道：“虽只是妄想，但他有这个心，如果让他中第后他真会这样做的，因此罚他正月十七，到松陵驿冻饿一天。”
 
佣书人醒来后，将这件事记录了下来，第二天就特意到秀才家中去探访。只见秀才正在穿衣整靴，准备应亲家之邀到西山去看梅。
 
秀才上路了，他坐的船在通过津桥时，没曾想到将巡江使者的船撞了，结果秀才船上的人都被抓去了，只有秀才因穿着青色常服而免于被抓，但他被绑在船头驶往吴江，直到松陵驿前时才被释放，差点冻饿而死。这不应验了佣书人的梦中所见吗？
 
其实，人如果做了贪淫好色之事，那可会损大德、自毁前程的。故事中的秀才仅仅因为骄躁贪色的妄想，尚且受到了惩罚。可见上天对人的一思一念历历在目。