Life of Bāo - Chapter 23
June 24, 2023 (Morning and Afternoon)
In Chapter 22, Juān’s encounter with the Red Dragons changes her life’s direction. Bāo experiences an awakening. The legend of Prince Yijun of The Three Kingdoms is disclosed. Their desire to find the second Text Stone continues to the Cave of Thousand Buddhas at Longmen Grottoes. Will discoveries provide answers or more questions? ‘Three Equals Four,’ and Sheng Yao is close enough to smell his prey. Welcome to Chapter 23. Enjoy.
Chapter 23
June 24, 2023 (Morning & Afternoon)
Bāo and Master Zhao walked into a small dining area provided by the monastery for visitors. Yan was seated with Mei, who rose from her chair and bowed. She brought them oatmeal and fruit. Before she left the kitchen, she said, “Yan, I hope to see you before you depart. I have something for you.”
“I will find you before I leave.”
Yan couldn't be sure but sensed something different about Bāo. What is different? He looks the same, with his now short black hair and ever-present smile, cute. There is a calmness about him.
At the table, the trio planned their day. Master Zhao announced, “Good news. We have transportation to the Longmen Grottoes. We will leave after breakfast. Bring your backpacks. Do not leave anything behind because we may not return. The monks were kind enough to pack a lunch for us.” As he unfolded a map of Longmen Grottoes on the table, he explained, “We also have a promising location to begin our search.” He pointed to the hidden Cave of Thousand Buddhas section.
Mei walked into the kitchen and said, “Excuse me. You have a guest”. Juān walked into the room.
Yan jumped up from the table and shouted, “Juān, you're here!” She hugged her and asked, “How did you find us?” Before Juān could reply, Yan questioned, “Why are you here?”
Juān replied, “You are in danger. Yesterday at Wu’s, I overheard two members of the Red Dragons mention Luoyang, train schedules, and ‘their property.’” She conjectured, “They must be Red Dragon leaders based on how they were dressed and carried themselves. They had guards watching. A giant of a man said, “They are not in Chengdu.” Juān added, “I had a suspicion that if I asked at a monastery where I might find a monk traveling with two teenagers, they would know, and I was right.
While Juān spoke, Master Zhao and Bāo recalled the legend and the words, ‘Four souls.’ They each kept the thought to themselves. Yan commented, “You must be exhausted. Did you get any sleep?”
“Yes, on the train. I feel well-rested. Now that I am here without plans, may I join you?”
Master Zhao answered quickly, “You are welcome to join us. Now I am even happier.”
Juān questioned, “Why are you more happy?”
Bāo laughed and said, “Now he has three students.”
Mei told Juān, “I will get you something to eat and pack some food for your journey.”
Master Zhao looked at Yan and Bāo and said, “Get your bags packed and meet back here in forty-five minutes.”
While Yan packed, there was a knock, and Mei entered, “I have something for your journey. Please accept this as a reminder of your time here.” She placed a woven yarn bracelet of variegated colors on Yan’s wrist. “This is a Buddha bracelet intended to bring faith, balance, and attraction to good things.”
Yan asked, “What do the colors stand for?”
Mei replied, “Blue is for peace, yellow is a symbol for an empty mind, orange is stability, white is purity, and red is the symbol of life force.” Mei bowed, “May you be safe on your journey and find what you seek.”
“Thank you, Mei. When I wear it, I will think of your kindness.”
***
Sheng Yao boarded a train departing to Luoyang. Yao could not bring his firearm on the train. No need to worry; I will crush them. The Shaolin monk might put up a fight, but I have never lost a fight to anyone. He conjectured, “Now, where would they go? They are searching for something. The monk is an archaeologist whose temple is full of books. I suspect they are going to Longmen Grottoes. Why else would they go to Luoyang?”
He arrived in Luoyang at noon and knew he could catch a cab or tour group and be in Longmen Grottoes by late afternoon.
***
They were excited during the thirty-minute drive to Longmen Grottoes. When they arrived, they were met with breathtaking scenery and architecture. Two massive stonewall arches supported the Longmen Bridge over the Yi River. Between the arches, there was a large plaque. Bāo read, “The Longmen Grottoes comprise more than 2,300 caves and over one hundred thousand Buddha statues. You are now entering through the Dragon’s Gate.” There was also a large map made from three stacked black slate plates. The bottom of the made read, “Sight-Seeing Sketch Map of Longmen Grottoes.” Bāo questioned, “I do not see the Hidden Cave of Thousand Buddhas on the map.”
Master Zhao replied, “You won’t find it there. Tourists don’t go there.”
They walked through the arches to see a panoramic view of the west hill on the bank of the Yi River. A gigantic carved stone Buddha called “The Big Vairocana” was flanked on either side by other large stone Buddhas’. Master Zhao estimated the stone Buddha was fifty-six feet high. They watched as many tourists stood on platforms viewing the statues. Their necks strained to look up at The Big Vairocana's face. The vast caves filled their field of vision from north to south.
They would enter the Hidden Cave of Thousand Buddhas on the other side of the Yi River, opposite The Big Vairocana. Master Zhao, an archaeologist who occasionally gave lectures at the University of Chengdu, and access to caves that the general public did not. There was a guard station, and two attendants reviewed credentials. Master Zhao shared his university badge, which identified him as a professor of archaeology. The guard pointed at the others, “And them?”
Master Zhao replied, “Students.”
Satisfied, the attendants handed each a flashlight and hard hat and instructed, “Many caves have rarely been visited. Some entrances are very small, and cave ceiling height may be low, so always wear your hard hat. A few caves may require you to crawl. We have a three-hour limit because of potential dangers in air quality. We will send someone in to find you if you exceed the three hours. Good luck!”
They walked and shone their lights into the dim cave entrance, which turned extremely dark as they walked deeper. Master Zhao instructed, “Stay close. Do not lose sight of the person in front of you. If, for any reason, you feel lost, stop. Do not wander around. You will only get more confused. Echoes can be disorienting, so stay close together.”
Bāo and Yan walked to the front and led the group. Master Zhao and Juān followed. As Yan looked back, it was completely dark except for the two small pinpoints of flashlights. She commented, “I sure hope the batteries are charged.” Pointing the flashlights at the stone wall passageway intensified the already eery atmosphere by illuminating stone Buddha eyes that stared back at them.
Bāo stopped when he noticed a greenish tint on a Buddha statue. Master Zhao inspected the statue and confirmed, “No, this is just moss. We are in a damp area of the cave.” Drops of water echoed plip-plop as they observed puddles on the floor.
Ninety minutes expired, and they were tired, dirty, and thirsty. Master Zhao suggested, “We must stop and rest.” The carved-out room they stood in was about eight square feet. The ceiling appeared to be twenty feet high. They stood in a circle in the middle of the room. Master Zhao said, “We should shut our lights off to conserve the batteries. This is a good place for a lesson. Who can tell me the legend of the Dragon’s Gate?” No one spoke up.
“The Dragon’s Gate, at the crest of a waterfall, water cascades down from a mythical mountain. Carp swims upstream and leaps into the falls. Carp continue to leap up the falls, but some up and cascade down into a pool below. But if the carp reach the top, at the Dragons Gate, they will be transformed into dragons.”
“Persistence,” said Bāo.
Master Zhao complimented, “You are correct. Let us rest our eyes for a few minutes and continue searching.”
Their eyes adjusted to the darkness. Bāo recalled what Master Zhao taught them about awareness. His eyes looked about the room. Is that a light? He alerted the others, “Do you see a faint light at the bottom of the cave wall?”.
After a short time, Yan said, “Yes, I see a dim light in that niche beside the small stone Buddha.”
Master Zhao turned his flashlight and pointed in the direction of the light. They walked over, and Bāo knelt and said, “These rocks behind the small stone statue are loose.” The small stone statue was so small that Bāo could pick it up and hand it to Juān, who set it aside.
Bāo removed a few stones and exclaimed, “There is more light.” He removed eight more stones, looked into the void, and excitedly said, “There is a light and a small circular space. We can fit if we take our backpacks off and crawl on our stomachs.” Bāo removed his backpack, got onto a stomach, and crawled in. “It's large enough for all of us. I hear water dripping.”
One after the other, they made their way through the opening and into a circular room, as Bāo described. He stared at the face of the Buddha, and its left eye and cheek appeared to be shining. He followed the direction of the light and looked up. He instructed the others, “Look up.” Far above was an opening light, and water entered the room. It dripped down once every few seconds. A drop of water landed on the statue's cheek, and a stream traveled down the Buddha's arm to its open left hand, which gestured to the other arm. The water caused the brass metal on the Buddha's cheek below the eye to gleam like a lone star in the night sky.
Master Zhao announced enthusiastically, “It's not stone. It's brass. We have found it!”
Bāo looked closely at the statue and commented, “It's faint, but I can see a dark outline on the right wrist.” The room was dimly lit, so no one could see the tears running down Bao’s cheeks.
Juān, unfamiliar with the legend, the words on the papyrus, and what was foretold, said, “Now what?”
Master Zhao answered, “Now we must hurry. We lack time. I would estimate we have an hour to find the text stone, pry it up to see what is below it, exit this room, and return to the entrance.”
Bāo shined his flashlight to the ground behind the Buddha and shouted, “I think I found it.”
Master Zhao got down on his hands and knees and began scraping around the stone with a knife. The mortar was weak and loosened easily. Once loose, he removed it. Bāo kept the light where the Text Stone was removed. Master Zhao brushed away the dirt. Bāo excitedly said, “Something is shiny!”
Master Zhao scored the soil and removed the gold tube. He said, “This is identical to the first. It is much too dark to open here. We must exit now and find our way back.”
Bāo, the last to leave the room, turned and directed the light beam on the statue, capturing the instant a drop of water hit the Buddha's cheek. A mystical connection with the past washed over him. How many years have you remained hidden? I was always meant to find you. Thank you. I will not disappoint you. He exited the room and joined the others.
With uplifted spirits, they returned to the entrance quicker than expected. The guards looked at the four, who were dirty and sweaty, and said, “You made it.”
Walking out into the light of day, filled with excitement and joy, Master Zhao said, “Let's get cleaned up, have something to eat, and see if there is a message in our find.”
***
They moved away from the tourists and ate the packed lunch on a table near a small pond. They were all so happy with their find. Master Zhao announced, “It's time to see what we have discovered.”
Juān questioned, “Earlier, you said a second papyrus was in a gold tube. How could you be so certain?”
Master Zhao reached into his backpack, retrieved the wooden box, opened it, and removed the papyrus from the cylindrical gold tube. He said, “This is the first papyrus, and these lines refer to a second gold tube.”
Papyrus makes one
Behind the Text Stone makes two
Both encased in gold
Master Zhao explained to Juān, “I had to figure out just what the Text Stone was and where to find it. After reading the archaeology journal about a Text Stone behind a Buddha at the Longmen grottoes, I knew we needed to travel here. I admit I had my doubts. They had only found limestone-carved Buddha statues before today. When originally discovered, the Jade-colored Buddha was covered in dirt and moss, and there was no water to reveal the bronze surface below. The archeologists made a plausible error because they, like us, were rushed by time constraints. They may have planned to return but never did. Are you ready to see what we have discovered?”
Like schoolchildren, Bāo, Yan, and Juān shouted, “Yes!”
Master Zhao held the gold tube and attempted to remove the metal plug by hand. Sealed tight, he needed to retrieve his pocket knife from the backpack. He pried, removed the papyrus, unrolled it, and silently read. Stunned, he paused and placed his hands in his lap without saying a word.
“You have to tell us,” they urged.
As if the trio were student assistants, Master Zhao began, “It is written in Wei Stelae style calligraphy. Using angular strokes, the characters are flat and wide but appear tall. It is one haiku, unlike the first papyrus, which included five.
Now three equals four
Unexpected one shows Way
Beware Hua Dragon
Bāo knew immediately what the first line meant but hesitated to share. Juān arrived. Three souls are now four. He remembered Mei’s words from the legend: “Four souls must pass through the dragon's gate, meet with an unexpected one, and escape the dragon's claws.”
Yan, again, noticed the difference in Bāo. “You know something, don't you? You have been acting differently. Why?”
Master Zhao looked up from the papyrus, looked into Bāo’s eyes, and said empathetically, “I can tell that you have had an experience that may be difficult to explain. Please try.”
Bāo hesitantly began, “I meditated in the prayer room last night. While meditating, I fell into a trance. I was filled with peace. I was communicated to without words. I understood. All questions were answered. I lost track of time, thinking it had only been minutes, but it had been hours. Mei explained it as enlightenment. She said that some refer to it as nirvana.” After a brief pause, he continued, “The Buddha statue in the prayer room is exactly like the one we saw today. I asked Mei who this Buddha symbolized. She said Prince Yijun of the Wei dynasty, whom God touched during the Three Kingdoms period. I am sorry I didn't share this earlier,” he confessed.
Master Zhao said, “The library attendant shared Prince Yijun's story with me last night. The funny thing about enlightenment is that the next day, normal life returns. Routine things like making tea, walking with friends, and cleaning the house continue. What does change is how the enlightened now perceives these ordinary tasks in a new way. Master Zhao removed the gold bracelet from the box and handed it to Bāo.
After briefly inspecting it, Bāo said, “After Prince Yijuns’ death, a statue was molded out of bronze, the one we just saw. Replicas are housed in the monastery prayer hall and library. The gold bracelet was stolen from the statue in the cave. Mei shared the legend of four souls fleeing a dragon and finding treasure in a mountain. But this was a cave, not a mountain, so I am still confused. However, I believe those four souls to be us. Just like the papyrus revealed, ‘Now three equals four.’ Until Juān arrived, we were three. Now we are four.” Confident, he continued, “The legend said the four souls must pass through the Dragon’s Gate and meet with an unexpected one, all while trying to escape the dragon's claws.” Bāo placed the gold bracelet in Yan’s hand.
Yan said, “Mei said something I haven't understood until now.” She looked at Master Zhao and confessed, “You shared information about Bāo on the train, and I had doubts. A treasure will find a treasure, the gold bracelet. I do not doubt it any longer. Bāo, like the meaning of your name, you are that treasure, a rare jewel.” Yan lifted the gold bracelet and said, “This gold bracelet will be returned to the monastery, but not until another treasure is found in the mountain.”
Master Zhao repeated the last line, “Beware Hua Dragon,” then informed them, “Mount Hua is where we must go to find the treasure. Mount Hua, one of the five great mountains in China, has a long history of religious significance and is also one of the most dangerous.”
They sat quietly on the bench, each attempting to understand their recent life events, what had just been found in the cave, and what Bāo had revealed with his enlightenment experience. They all had the direction of their lives change when Bāo stole the gold bracelet. Bāo struggled with guilt. Did I steal or reclaim the bracelet while guided by an unknown force? Oh, I stole it alright, and that stupid, impulsive decision resulted in Yan and I being forced to leave the orphanage. I had always wanted to leave, but not like that. Then, he struggled with the guilt of a positive experience. Why did I have that experience while meditating? Why not someone else?
Yan was driven by her desire to attend University. As an orphan, I must overcome the labels others have placed on me. But what just happened? I had a plan, and here I sit after making a discovery that I didn’t even know existed until two days ago. How did this happen? I met and befriended Bāo, and his actions upended everything. The gold bracelet revealed a new path. Why am I not angry? I guess I am a little, but this unplanned adventure resulted in meeting new friends, Master Zhao, Juān, and Mei. And Bāo? Why am I feeling this way?
Juān retraced her steps. My father’s behavior caused me to leave home. I made a new home in the city, got a job, and met Yan. How did my life turn upside down? I didn't have any plans at all. Working at Wu’s Tea House was not a future. She looked at the gold bracelet. My life instantly changed without my being aware. It changed the instant Bāo held this gold bracelet in his hands. The Red Dragons hunt for them. And now, by association, they will look for me. What did I do? Was it compassion that I cared enough about others to upend my life for their safety, or was it the same unexplained force that entered Bāo’s life? I must see this through till the end.
Master Zhao picked up the gold bracelet. Its weight always surprised him. The discovery of the brass Buddha, the text stone, and the papyrus are once-in-a-lifetime discoveries. But I cannot tell anyone, at least not yet. The journey needs to be completed. Like mythological sirens, the papyrus writing, the gold bracelet, and the legend of Prince Yijun of the Three Kingdoms pull us to a dangerous place: Mount Hua. To make matters worse, the Red Dragons hunt us. People perished to obtain the gold bracelet and to protect us. He anguished as he picked up the moon pendant and questioned aloud, “What is its purpose?” He held up the yellow translucent pendant in which smoke appeared to move. Holding it to the light, he had a revelation and said aloud, “What if it’s not a pendant?”
Bāo said, “But that is what the card from the museum archive described it as.”
Master Zhao conjectured, “If I, myself an archaeologist, found this alone without any other clues, I may also have labeled it as a pendant. The first set of Haiku referred to it as Clavis yellow moon pendant. Clavis, by definition, means “key.”
Yan said, “A key? It doesn't look like a key.”
“Exactly, it doesn't look like a key. Our preconceived idea of what a key would look like prevented us from seeing other possibilities.” Then he asked the three, “What is the function of a key?”
Juān said, “To open something, to unlock something, or to keep something safe.”
Master Zhao whispered, “To keep something safe?” Then he looked at each of them before saying, “Treasure, for example. On the train, I spoke of awareness. What if something is so obvious that we become blind to its meaning or function? We do not see the obvious. Distraction causes us to look elsewhere.” He held the moon pendant. He picked up the gold bracelet. He placed the moon disk at the circular hole of the gold bracelet and said, “What if?” He pushed the yellow moon ‘pendant’ into the hole, and with an audible snap, it filled the circular gap snuggly. The moon disk shined bright yellow as if a light was behind it. He held up to the light, looked through it, and gasped, “It is a key. Look!”
He passed it to Bāo and held it up to the light. Yan and Juān also looked at it and then returned it to Master Zhao, who said, “That is an image of Mount Hua. The smoky clouds surround the mountain. The black oval-shaped dot near the top of the mountain, revealed in the disk, is where we will find the treasure.”
Bāo asked, “How soon can we leave?”
Maser Zhao cautioned, “We have found a clue but have also created more questions: “What face of the mountain is this? How will we get up there?”
Juān said, “Maybe the more important question is, where is the Dragon?”
***
Sheng Yao searched all day at the Longmen Grottoes. He went into each cave complex, observed crowds on observation platforms, and looked in the public cafeteria and both sides of the river. Now frustrated in his search, he sat at an outside table on the bank of the Yi River, drinking tea.
The giant stone-carved Buddha, The Big Vairocana, across the river stared back. He thought not about Bāo and the gold bracelet but the stone Buddhas. They gather together in one place with thousands of carved stone Buddhas. If I were a monk, where would I be? I would want to stay somewhere familiar and comfortable to a monk. He removed a map of Luoyang from his pocket, opened it on the table, and searched for the key. A black pagoda-style building was used to identify monasteries in the city. With a pen in hand, he found and circled the monasteries. It’s time to find the monk, the boy, and the gold bracelet.