荊州彭好士，友家飲歸。下馬溲便，馬齕草路傍。有細草一叢，蒙茸可愛，初放黃花，豔光奪目，馬食已過半矣。彭拔其餘莖，嗅之有異香，因納諸懷。超乘復行。馬騖駛絕馳，頗覺快意，竟不計算歸途，縱馬所之。忽見夕陽近山，始將旋轡。但望亂山叢沓，並不知其何所。一青衣人來，見馬方噴嘶，代為捉啣，曰：「天已近暮，吾家主人便請宿止。」彭問：「此屬何地？」曰：「閬中也。」彭大駭，蓋半日已千餘里矣。因問：「主人為誰？」曰：「到彼自知。」又問：「何在？」曰：「咫尺耳。」遂代鞚疾行，人馬若飛。過一山頭，見半山中屋宇重疊，雜以屏幔，遙睹衣冠一簇，若有所伺。彭至下馬，相向拱敬。俄，主人出，氣象剛猛，巾服都異人世。拱手向客，曰：「今日客莫遠於彭君。」因揖彭，請先行。彭謙謝，不肯遽先。主人捉臂行之。彭覺捉處如被械梏，痛欲折，不敢復爭，遂行。下此者，猶相推讓，主人或推之，或挽之，客皆呻吟傾跌，似不能堪，一依主命而行。登堂，則陳設炫麗，兩客一筵。彭暗問接坐者：「主人何人？」答云：「此張桓侯也。」彭愕然，不敢復咳。合座寂然。酒既行，桓侯曰：「歲歲叨擾親賓，聊設薄酌，盡此區區之意。值遠客辱臨，亦屬幸遇。僕竊妄有干求，如少存愛戀，即亦不強。」彭起問：「何物？」曰：「尊乘已有仙骨，非塵世所能驅策。欲市馬相易，如何？」彭曰：「敬以奉獻，不敢易也。」桓侯曰：「當報以良馬，且將賜以萬金。」彭離席伏謝。桓侯命人曳起之。俄傾，酒饌紛綸。日落，命燭。眾起辭，彭亦告別。桓侯曰：「君遠來焉歸？」彭顧同席者曰：「已求此公作居停主人矣。」桓侯乃遍以巨觴酌客。謂彭曰：「所懷香草，鮮者可以成仙，枯者可以點金；草七莖，得金一萬。」即命僮出方授彭。彭又拜謝。桓侯曰：「明日造市，請於馬群中任意擇其良者，不必與之論價，吾自給之。又告眾曰：「遠客歸家，可少助以資斧。」眾唯唯。觴盡，謝別而出。途中始詰姓字，同座者為劉子翬。同行二三里，越嶺，即睹村舍。眾客陪彭並至劉所，始述其異。先是，村中歲歲賽社於桓侯之廟，斬牲優戲，以為成規，劉其首善者也。三日前，賽社方畢。是午，各家皆有一人邀請過山。問之，言殊恍惚，但敦促甚急，過山見亭舍，相共駭疑。將至門，使者始實告之；眾亦不敢卻退。使者曰：「姑集此，邀一遠客行至矣。」蓋即彭也。眾述之驚怪。其中被把握者，皆患臂痛；解衣燭之，膚肉青黑。彭自視亦然。眾散，劉即襆被供寢。既明，村中爭延客；又伴彭入市相馬。十餘日，相數十匹，苦無佳者；彭亦拚苟就之。又入市，見一馬，骨相似佳；騎試之，神駿無比。逕騎入村，以待鬻者；再往尋之，其人已去。遂別村人欲歸。村人各餽金貲，遂歸。馬一日行五百里。抵家，述所自來，人不之信，囊中出蜀物，始共怪之。香草久枯，恰得七莖，遵方點化，家以暴富。遂敬詣故處，獨祀桓侯之祠，優戲三日而返。
荆州彭好士，友家饮归。下马溲便，马龁草路傍。有细草一丛，蒙茸可爱，初放黄花，艳光夺目，马食已过半矣。彭拔其余茎，嗅之有异香，因纳诸怀。超乘复行。马骛驶绝驰，颇觉快意，竟不计算归途，纵马所之。忽见夕阳近山，始将旋辔。但望乱山丛沓，并不知其何所。一青衣人来，见马方喷嘶，代为捉啣，曰：「天已近暮，吾家主人便请宿止。」彭问：「此属何地？」曰：「阆中也。」彭大骇，盖半日已千余里矣。因问：「主人为谁？」曰：「到彼自知。」又问：「何在？」曰：「咫尺耳。」遂代鞚疾行，人马若飞。过一山头，见半山中屋宇重叠，杂以屏幔，遥睹衣冠一簇，若有所伺。彭至下马，相向拱敬。俄，主人出，气象刚猛，巾服都异人世。拱手向客，曰：「今日客莫远于彭君。」因揖彭，请先行。彭谦谢，不肯遽先。主人捉臂行之。彭觉捉处如被械梏，痛欲折，不敢复争，遂行。下此者，犹相推让，主人或推之，或挽之，客皆呻吟倾跌，似不能堪，一依主命而行。登堂，则陈设炫丽，两客一筵。彭暗问接坐者：「主人何人？」答云：「此张桓侯也。」彭愕然，不敢复咳。合座寂然。酒既行，桓侯曰：「岁岁叨扰亲宾，聊设薄酌，尽此区区之意。值远客辱临，亦属幸遇。仆窃妄有干求，如少存爱恋，即亦不强。」彭起问：「何物？」曰：「尊乘已有仙骨，非尘世所能驱策。欲市马相易，如何？」彭曰：「敬以奉献，不敢易也。」桓侯曰：「当报以良马，且将赐以万金。」彭离席伏谢。桓侯命人曳起之。俄倾，酒馔纷纶。日落，命烛。众起辞，彭亦告别。桓侯曰：「君远来焉归？」彭顾同席者曰：「已求此公作居停主人矣。」桓侯乃遍以巨觞酌客。谓彭曰：「所怀香草，鲜者可以成仙，枯者可以点金；草七茎，得金一万。」即命僮出方授彭。彭又拜谢。桓侯曰：「明日造市，请于马群中任意择其良者，不必与之论价，吾自给之。又告众曰：「远客归家，可少助以资斧。」众唯唯。觞尽，谢别而出。途中始诘姓字，同座者为刘子翚。同行二三里，越岭，即睹村舍。众客陪彭并至刘所，始述其异。先是，村中岁岁赛社于桓侯之庙，斩牲优戏，以为成规，刘其首善者也。三日前，赛社方毕。是午，各家皆有一人邀请过山。问之，言殊恍惚，但敦促甚急，过山见亭舍，相共骇疑。将至门，使者始实告之；众亦不敢却退。使者曰：「姑集此，邀一远客行至矣。」盖即彭也。众述之惊怪。其中被把握者，皆患臂痛；解衣烛之，肤肉青黑。彭自视亦然。众散，刘即襆被供寝。既明，村中争延客；又伴彭入市相马。十余日，相数十匹，苦无佳者；彭亦拼苟就之。又入市，见一马，骨相似佳；骑试之，神骏无比。径骑入村，以待鬻者；再往寻之，其人已去。遂别村人欲归。村人各餽金赀，遂归。马一日行五百里。抵家，述所自来，人不之信，囊中出蜀物，始共怪之。香草久枯，恰得七茎，遵方点化，家以暴富。遂敬诣故处，独祀桓侯之祠，优戏三日而返。
Peng Haoshi of Jingzhou was riding home after drinking at a friend’s house. He got down to relieve himself, and his horse cropped the grass by the road. There was a clump of fine grass there, soft and lovely, just coming into yellow flower, so bright it dazzled the eye; the horse had already eaten more than half of it. Peng pulled up the stems that were left. When he smelled them they gave off a strange fragrance, so he tucked them into the front of his robe. He leapt back into the saddle and rode on. The horse broke into a headlong gallop. Peng found it exhilarating, and with no thought for the way home he gave the horse its head. Suddenly he saw the setting sun close to the hills, and only then made to turn back. But all he could see was a jumble of hills crowding one on another, and he had no idea where he was. A servant in black came up, and seeing the horse snorting and neighing, took hold of its bit for him. “It is nearly dark,” he said. “My master invites you to stay the night.” “What place is this?” Peng asked. “Langzhong.” Peng was astounded: in half a day he had come more than a thousand li. “Who is your master?” he asked. “You will know when you get there.” “And where is he?” “Only a step away.” The man took the bridle and set off at speed; man and horse seemed to fly. Over the brow of a hill Peng saw, halfway down the slope, buildings rising tier on tier, hung here and there with screens and curtains, and in the distance a cluster of gentlemen in caps and robes, as though waiting for someone. Peng rode up and dismounted, and they bowed to one another. Presently the host came out. He had a fierce, forceful air, and his headcloth and robes were quite unlike anything in the world of men. He saluted the guests. “Of all our guests today, none has come farther than Mr. Peng.” He bowed to Peng and asked him to go in first. Peng modestly declined, unwilling to take precedence so readily. The host took him by the arm and walked him in. Where he was gripped, Peng felt as if clamped in irons; the pain was so great he thought the arm would snap. He dared not protest again, and went. The guests below him still went on deferring to one another. The host pushed some and hauled others; they all groaned and stumbled as if they could not bear it, and went in just as he bid. In the hall the furnishings were dazzling, two guests to a table. Peng quietly asked the man beside him, “Who is our host?” “That is Zhang, Marquis Huan.” Peng was stunned and dared not so much as cough. The whole company sat in silence. When the wine had gone round, the Marquis said, “Year after year I impose on you, my kin and friends, so I have laid on this modest drink to show my small gratitude. That a guest from afar should honour us as well is a lucky chance. I have presumed to make a request of him, but if he is at all loath to part with it, I will not press him.” Peng rose and asked, “What is it?” “Your mount now has the bones of an immortal; it is no longer a beast the mortal world can drive. I would like to buy a horse to give you in exchange. What do you say?” “I offer it to you with respect,” said Peng. “I would not dare take anything in exchange.” “You shall be repaid with a good horse,” said the Marquis, “and I will give you ten thousand taels besides.” Peng left his seat and prostrated himself in thanks. The Marquis had him pulled to his feet. Soon wine and dishes came in profusion. At sunset he called for candles. The guests rose to take their leave, and Peng too said goodbye. “You have come so far,” said the Marquis. “Where will you go?” Peng looked at the man who shared his table. “I have asked this gentleman to put me up.” The Marquis then poured a great goblet for every guest. To Peng he said, “That fragrant herb in your robe: fresh, it can make a man an immortal; dried, it can turn things to gold. Seven stems will yield ten thousand taels.” He had a pageboy bring out a recipe and give it to Peng, and Peng bowed his thanks again. “Tomorrow go to the market,” said the Marquis, “and pick whatever good horse you like from the herds. Don’t haggle over the price; I will pay it myself.” To the company he said, “Our guest from afar has a long way home. You might help him a little with his travelling money.” They all assented. When the goblets were drained, they thanked him, took their leave and went out. Only on the road did Peng ask names: the man at his table was Liu Zihui. They went on together two or three li, crossed a ridge, and saw the houses of a village. The guests all went with Peng to Liu’s house, and only then told him the strange story. Every year the village held a thanksgiving festival at the temple of Marquis Huan, slaughtering animals and putting on plays; it was long-standing custom, and Liu was its chief patron. The festival had ended three days before. Then, at noon that day, a man had come to every household with an invitation to cross the hill. When they questioned him his answers were very vague, but he urged them most insistently. Over the hill they saw the halls and pavilions and were all alarmed and uneasy. Only as they neared the gate did the messengers tell them the truth, and none of them dared turn back. The messengers said, “Gather here for now. We have invited a guest from afar, and he is on his way.” That was Peng. They told it with wonder. All those the host had gripped had aching arms; when they bared them under a candle, the flesh was black and blue. Peng looked at his own: it was the same. When the others had gone, Liu brought out bedding and gave him a bed. At daybreak the villagers vied with one another to entertain the guest, and went with him to the market to look at horses. In ten days and more he looked at dozens, but none was any good; Peng was ready to make do with what he could get. He went to the market once more and saw a horse that looked well built. He tried riding it: it was swift and spirited beyond compare. He rode it straight back to the village to wait for the seller, but when he went back to look for him, the man had gone. So Peng took leave of the villagers to go home. Each of them gave him money, and he set off. The horse covered five hundred li a day. At home, when he told where he had been, no one believed him, until he took goods from Shu out of his bag; then they all marvelled. The herb had long since dried. There were exactly seven stems. He followed the recipe and used them to make gold, and his family grew rich overnight. Then he went back reverently to the place, held a sacrifice at the Marquis’s shrine at his own expense, put on plays for three days, and came home.