洛城劉仲堪，少鈍而淫於典籍，恆杜門攻苦，不與世通。一日，方讀，忽聞異香滿室；少間，珮聲甚繁。驚顧之，有美人入，簪珥光采；從者皆宮妝。劉驚伏地下。美人扶之曰：「子何前倨而後恭也？」劉益惶恐曰：「何處天仙，未曾拜識。前此幾時有侮？」美人笑曰：「相別幾何，遂爾懜懜！危坐磨磚者，非子耶？」乃展錦薦，設瑤漿，捉坐對飲，與論古今事，博洽非常。劉茫茫不知所對。美人曰：「我止赴瑤池一回宴耳；子歷幾生，聰明頓盡矣！」遂命侍者以湯沃水晶膏進之。劉受飲訖，忽覺心神澄徹。既而曛黑，從者盡去，息燭解襦，曲盡歡好。未曙，諸姬已復集。美人起，妝容如故，鬢髮修整，不再理也。劉依依苦詰姓字。答曰：「告郎不妨，恐益君疑耳。妾，甄氏；君，公幹後身。當日以妾故罹罪，心實不忍，今日之會，亦聊以報情癡也。」問：「魏文安在？」曰：「丕，不過賊父之庸子耳。妾偶從游嬉富貴者數載，過即不復置念。彼曩以阿瞞故，久滯幽冥，今未聞知。反是陳思為帝典籍，時一見之。」旋見龍輿止於庭中，乃以玉脂合贈劉，作別登車，雲推而去。劉自是文思大進。然追念美人，凝思若癡，歷數月，漸近羸殆。母不知其故，憂之。家一老嫗，忽謂劉曰：「郎君意頗有思否？」劉以言隱中情，告之。嫗曰：「郎試作尺一書，我能郵致之。」劉驚喜曰：「子有異術，向日昧於物色。果能之，不敢忘也。」乃折柬為函，付嫗便去。半夜而返曰：「幸不悞事。初至門，門者以我為妖，欲加縛縶。我遂出郎君書，乃將去。少頃喚入，夫人亦欷歔，自言不能復會。便欲裁答。我言：『郎君羸憊，非一字所能瘳。』夫人沉思久，乃釋筆云：『煩先報劉郎，當即送一佳婦去。』瀕行，又囑：『適所言，乃百年計；但無泄，便可永久矣。』」劉喜伺之。明日，果一老姥率女郎，詣母所，容色絕世。自言：「陳氏；女其所出，名司香，願求作婦。」母愛之；議聘，更不索貲，坐待成禮而去。惟劉心知其異。陰問女：「係夫人何人？」答云：「妾銅雀故妓也。」劉疑為鬼。女曰：「非也。妾與夫人，俱隸仙籍，偶以罪過謫人間。夫人已復舊位；妾謫限未滿，夫人請之天曹，暫使給役，去留皆在夫人，故得長侍床簀耳。」一日，有瞽媼牽黃犬丐食其家，拍板俚歌。女出窺，立未定，犬斷索咋女，女駭走，羅衿斷。劉急以杖擊犬。犬猶怒，齕斷幅，頃刻碎如麻。瞽媼捉領毛，縛以去。劉入視女，驚顏未定。曰：「卿仙人，何乃畏犬？」女曰：「君自不知：犬乃老瞞所化，蓋怒妾不守分香戒也。」劉欲買犬杖斃。女不可，曰：「上帝所罰，何得擅誅？」居二年，見者皆驚其豔，而審所從來，殊恍惚，於是共疑為妖。母詰劉，劉亦微道其異。母大懼，戒使絕之。劉不聽。母陰覓術士來，作法於庭。方規地為壇，女慘然曰：「本期白首；今老母見疑，分義絕矣。要我去，亦復非難，但恐非禁咒所能遣耳！」乃束薪爇火，拋階下。瞬息煙蔽房屋，對面相失。有聲震如雷，既而煙滅，見術士七竅流血死矣。入室，女已渺。呼嫗問之，嫗亦不知所去。劉始告母：「嫗蓋狐也。」
洛城刘仲堪，少钝而淫于典籍，恒杜门攻苦，不与世通。一日，方读，忽闻异香满室；少间，珮声甚繁。惊顾之，有美人入，簪珥光采；从者皆宫妆。刘惊伏地下。美人扶之曰：「子何前倨而后恭也？」刘益惶恐曰：「何处天仙，未曾拜识。前此几时有侮？」美人笑曰：「相别几何，遂尔懜懜！危坐磨砖者，非子耶？」乃展锦荐，设瑶浆，捉坐对饮，与论古今事，博洽非常。刘茫茫不知所对。美人曰：「我止赴瑶池一回宴耳；子历几生，聪明顿尽矣！」遂命侍者以汤沃水晶膏进之。刘受饮讫，忽觉心神澄彻。既而曛黑，从者尽去，息烛解襦，曲尽欢好。未曙，诸姬已复集。美人起，妆容如故，鬓发修整，不再理也。刘依依苦诘姓字。答曰：「告郎不妨，恐益君疑耳。妾，甄氏；君，公干后身。当日以妾故罹罪，心实不忍，今日之会，亦聊以报情痴也。」问：「魏文安在？」曰：「丕，不过贼父之庸子耳。妾偶从游嬉富贵者数载，过即不复置念。彼曩以阿瞒故，久滞幽冥，今未闻知。反是陈思为帝典籍，时一见之。」旋见龙舆止于庭中，乃以玉脂合赠刘，作别登车，云推而去。刘自是文思大进。然追念美人，凝思若痴，历数月，渐近羸殆。母不知其故，忧之。家一老妪，忽谓刘曰：「郎君意颇有思否？」刘以言隐中情，告之。妪曰：「郎试作尺一书，我能邮致之。」刘惊喜曰：「子有异术，向日昧于物色。果能之，不敢忘也。」乃折柬为函，付妪便去。半夜而返曰：「幸不悮事。初至门，门者以我为妖，欲加缚絷。我遂出郎君书，乃将去。少顷唤入，夫人亦欷歔，自言不能复会。便欲裁答。我言：『郎君羸惫，非一字所能瘳。』夫人沉思久，乃释笔云：『烦先报刘郎，当即送一佳妇去。』濒行，又嘱：『适所言，乃百年计；但无泄，便可永久矣。』」刘喜伺之。明日，果一老姥率女郎，诣母所，容色绝世。自言：「陈氏；女其所出，名司香，愿求作妇。」母爱之；议聘，更不索赀，坐待成礼而去。惟刘心知其异。阴问女：「系夫人何人？」答云：「妾铜雀故妓也。」刘疑为鬼。女曰：「非也。妾与夫人，俱隶仙籍，偶以罪过谪人间。夫人已复旧位；妾谪限未满，夫人请之天曹，暂使给役，去留皆在夫人，故得长侍床箦耳。」一日，有瞽媪牵黄犬丐食其家，拍板俚歌。女出窥，立未定，犬断索咋女，女骇走，罗衿断。刘急以杖击犬。犬犹怒，龁断幅，顷刻碎如麻。瞽媪捉领毛，缚以去。刘入视女，惊颜未定。曰：「卿仙人，何乃畏犬？」女曰：「君自不知：犬乃老瞒所化，盖怒妾不守分香戒也。」刘欲买犬杖毙。女不可，曰：「上帝所罚，何得擅诛？」居二年，见者皆惊其艳，而审所从来，殊恍惚，于是共疑为妖。母诘刘，刘亦微道其异。母大惧，戒使绝之。刘不听。母阴觅术士来，作法于庭。方规地为坛，女惨然曰：「本期白首；今老母见疑，分义绝矣。要我去，亦复非难，但恐非禁咒所能遣耳！」乃束薪爇火，抛阶下。瞬息烟蔽房屋，对面相失。有声震如雷，既而烟灭，见术士七窍流血死矣。入室，女已渺。呼妪问之，妪亦不知所去。刘始告母：「妪盖狐也。」
Liu Zhongkan of Luoyang was slow-witted as a boy but besotted with books. He kept his door shut and toiled at his studies, having no dealings with the world. One day, as he was reading, a strange fragrance suddenly filled the room; a moment later came a busy jingling of pendants. He looked round in alarm. A beautiful lady came in, her hairpins and earrings glittering; her attendants were all dressed as palace women. Liu, startled, threw himself down on the floor. The lady raised him up. “Why so haughty before and so humble now?” she said. More frightened than ever, Liu said, “Which heavenly immortal are you? I have never had the honour of meeting you. When was I ever rude to you?” The lady laughed. “Has it been so long since we parted, that you are this muddled? Was it not you who sat bolt upright grinding bricks?” She had a brocade mat spread and jade nectar set out, pulled him down to sit, and drank with him, talking of things past and present with uncommon learning. Liu was at a loss and could find nothing to say. “I went to just one banquet at the Jasper Pool,” said the lady, “and you have gone through several lives — and all your wits are gone!” She told an attendant to dissolve some crystal paste in hot water and give it to him. Liu drank it down, and at once felt his mind turn clear and bright. Soon dusk fell. The attendants all left; the candles were put out, clothes loosened, and the two of them took their pleasure to the full. Before dawn the women had gathered again. The lady rose; her face and dress were as before, her hair still smooth and neat, needing no tending. Clinging to her, Liu begged to know her name. “There is no harm in telling you,” she said, “but I fear it will only puzzle you more. I am Lady Zhen; you are Gonggan reborn. In those days you were punished because of me, and in my heart I could not bear it. This meeting is a small repayment for your foolish love.” “Where is Emperor Wen of Wei now?” he asked. “Pi? He was nothing but the mediocre son of a villainous father. I happened to follow him in his wealth and pleasures for a few years, and once it was over I gave him no more thought. Because of A-Man he was kept a long time in the underworld; I have heard nothing of him since. It is Chen Si, rather, who keeps the records for the Emperor on High; I see him now and then.” Then a dragon carriage was seen to stop in the courtyard. She gave Liu a box of jade salve, said goodbye, and mounted the carriage; clouds bore it away. From then on Liu’s writing improved greatly. But he pined for the lady, sunk in thought as if in a daze, and after some months he had wasted nearly to death. His mother did not know the cause and was worried. An old woman of the household suddenly said to him, “Young master, is someone on your mind?” Her words touched his secret, and Liu told her. “Try writing a letter, young master,” she said. “I can deliver it.” Liu was surprised and delighted. “You have strange powers, and I never saw it till now. If you can really do this, I will never forget it.” He folded a sheet into a letter and handed it to her, and off she went. She came back at midnight. “Luckily I didn’t spoil things. When I first got to the gate, the gatekeepers took me for a demon and were going to tie me up. So I brought out your letter, and they took it in. Soon I was called inside. Her ladyship sighed and wept too, and said she could not meet you again. She was about to write an answer. I said, ‘The young master is worn to the bone; a letter won’t cure him.’ Her ladyship thought for a long time, then laid down her brush and said, ‘Please go back first and tell Master Liu I will send him a good wife at once.’ Just as I was leaving she told me as well: ‘What I have just said is a plan for a lifetime. So long as it does not leak out, it can last forever.’” Liu waited gladly. The next day, sure enough, an old woman brought a girl to his mother’s rooms, a girl of matchless beauty. The old woman said her family name was Chen, that the girl was her daughter, called Sixiang, and that she wished her to become Liu’s wife. His mother loved the girl. When they discussed the betrothal, the old woman asked for no gifts at all, but stayed until the wedding was done and then left. Only Liu knew in his heart that something strange was afoot. He asked the girl privately, “What are you to the lady?” “I was once a singing girl of the Bronze Sparrow Terrace,” she answered. Liu suspected she was a ghost. “No,” she said. “The lady and I are both on the rolls of the immortals; we were banished to the world of men for some offence. The lady has gone back to her old place. My term of banishment is not yet up. The lady asked the heavenly office to let me serve her for a while, and whether I go or stay is up to her. So I can wait on you at your bedside for a long time.” One day a blind old woman leading a yellow dog came begging at the house, beating clappers and singing country songs. The girl came out to look. Before she had even stood still, the dog broke its rope and went for her. She fled in terror, and her silk skirt tore. Liu quickly beat the dog with a stick. The dog, still furious, gnawed the torn piece of cloth, and in a moment it was shredded like hemp. The blind woman caught it by the scruff, tied it up and led it away. Liu went in to see the girl; she was still pale with fright. “You are an immortal, my dear,” he said. “How can you be afraid of a dog?” “You don’t know,” she said. “The dog is old A-Man reborn. He is angry that I did not keep his command about the shared incense.” Liu wanted to buy the dog and beat it to death. The girl would not allow it. “He is being punished by the Lord on High. How can we kill him on our own?” She had been there two years. All who saw her were amazed at her beauty, but when they asked where she came from, the answers were hazy, and so everyone began to suspect she was a demon. Liu’s mother questioned him, and he hinted a little at the strangeness. His mother was terrified and told him to break with her. Liu would not listen. His mother secretly found a sorcerer and had him work his rites in the courtyard. Just as he was marking out an altar on the ground, the girl said sorrowfully, “I had hoped to grow old with you. Now your mother suspects me, and our bond is at an end. If she wants me gone, that is not hard — but I doubt spells and charms can send me away!” She bound up a bundle of firewood, set it alight and threw it down below the steps. In an instant smoke covered the house, so that people face to face could not see each other. There was a crash like thunder; then the smoke cleared, and the sorcerer lay dead, blood streaming from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth. They went into her room: the girl had vanished. They called the old servant woman to ask her, but she too was gone, no one knew where. Only then did Liu tell his mother, “The old woman must have been a fox.”