Knife splashing

Chapter 521 Temple Fair
Amitabha is the lord of the Western Paradise.

According to Buddhist teachings, people will suffer the pain of the six realms of reincarnation, but if they are reborn in the Pure Land, they can escape the cycle of suffering.

Needless to say, its status is very high.

The 17th day of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar is his birthday.

There is also a story about the origin of this day.

Legend has it that Amitabha Buddha has two incarnations in the human world.

The first is Master Shandao.

The second is Master Yongming Yanshou.

Master Yongming Yanshou was not only the sixth-generation patriarch of the Pure Land Sect, but also the third-generation patriarch of the Fayan School of Zen Buddhism.

He was born in the turbulent period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, when Buddhism was in decline. He was respected by Qian Chu, the King of Wuyue, and was honored as the national teacher.

One day, the King of Wuyue wanted to hold a grand meeting. When the seats were set, everyone humbly gave up the chief seat, and Master Yongming refused to sit. A ragged monk with long ears took the chief seat without hesitation.

After the meeting, the King of Wuyue asked Master Yongming if there was a saint coming to accept the offering. Master Yongming replied that the ancient Buddha Dingguang was coming to accept the offering today, implying that the long-eared monk was the one.

The King of Wu Yue was delighted when he heard the news and sent people to chase him, but he learned that the long-eared monk was practicing in a cave and had passed away when they found him.

The words "Amitabha is chattering" before the death of Chang'er Monk hint at his identity as Master Yongming.

The messenger informed King Wu Yue that the ancient Buddha Dingguang had passed away, but Master Yongming was the reincarnation of Amitabha Buddha.

Upon hearing this, the King of Wu Yue was delighted and hurried to see Master Yongming, but at the door he learned that Master Yongming had also passed away.

What’s more coincidental is that Amitabha represents infinite light and infinite life.

"Yongming" means infinite light and "Yanshou" means infinite life. The master's name is exactly the meaning of "Amitabha".

Subsequently, the birthday of Master Yongming Yanshou, November 17th of the lunar calendar, was designated as the birthday of Amitabha Buddha.

Regardless of whether this was true or not, the date was set.

If you are a Pure Land Buddhist who mainly believes in Amitabha Buddha, you will hold the "Three-Time Recitation Ceremony" and the "Seven-Day Diligence Buddha Ceremony".

Guangde Temple is not a Pure Land Buddhist temple, but a Zen temple. Therefore, it only holds a "consecration ceremony" to consecrate Amitabha Buddha and wish him to protect all living beings. There is also a "general Dharma ceremony" to pray for the believers to eliminate disasters and increase their blessings and wisdom.

These are things that Buddhist disciples have to worry about.

For the common people and believers, it is another matter.

Merchants of all sizes in Suining County are very happy.

After all, these days, although the Daxuan Dynasty is prosperous, ordinary people still have to work hard to cope with the daily necessities of life.

Among those who come from far away to burn incense, not a single one is poor.

Eating, drinking, defecating, urinating and sleeping are all income before the New Year.

The traveling artists were also very happy.

There are several days of religious ceremonies and temple fairs. I will make some money here quickly and then go to Chengdu to make more money after it’s over.

Whether we will eat meat or starve next year depends on these days.

Ordinary people in Suining were also very happy.

After all, life is too hard and too dull. Apart from weddings and funerals, there are only temple fairs and festivals that can bring joy to life.

Therefore, the city was busy early in the morning.

The people, carrying the old and the young, carried small bamboo baskets filled with straw paper, incense, candles, yellow paper and offerings, went up the mountain to burn incense, and then went to the temple fair.

Go to the Buddha to pray for blessings, then go to the temple fair to watch a show and eat some snacks to satisfy your cravings, it's like celebrating the New Year...

The street performers and peddlers woke up early before daybreak and went to the temple fair at the foot of the mountain, mainly because they were afraid that their stalls would be ripped off...

As for the dignitaries, they get up even earlier.

No one wants to miss the first stick of incense in the temple...

…………

"The temple fair is boring. I won't go!"

Shalifai ate a few mouthfuls of rice and returned to his room without looking back. He took out a picture, put on the bracelet, and sat cross-legged in meditation.

The picture shows a lotus flower.

He is now learning how to concentrate his mind, starting from the basics.

First visualize a lotus in your mind, and then try your best to maintain it. It can last for a long time even after you stop practicing, which means you have entered the door.

Otherwise, it is impossible to imagine God.

Not to mention future building construction.

This step comes easy to some people.

But for him, being able to enter into meditation normally is a big problem.

Fortunately, Li Yan got a treasure from the mountain. When Sharifei put on the White-robed Bodhisattva bracelet, he immediately felt the difference.

At least entering into a state of meditation and visualizing the lotus can be done easily.

Li Yan also had a plan for his method.

The Meishan School of Law specializes in hunter techniques, and now is the first to come up with a method that can be used in conjunction with firearms.

For Sharifei, it's perfect.

It is not difficult to join the Meishan Sect.

This sect has many branches, various organizations, and masters and apprentices. It is widely spread and is also found in Shu.

Even if the Meishan Sect in Shu was unwilling to accept him, Li Yan knew a few good friends in the Meishan Sect, so the worst that could happen was a trip to Xiangxi.

"I'm not going."

Lu San refused directly and returned to the room.

Such crowded occasions were a nightmare for him, and it was not appropriate to bring a bunch of small animals with him.

"Why is it always like this..."

Li Yan felt helpless and turned to look at Wang Daoxuan, "Master, are you not interested either?"

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and shook his head, saying, "I've seen too much at the temple fair. Today the weather is nice, so I want to take out the books and let them dry in the sun."

"OK then."

Li Yan sighed, forced a smile, turned his head and looked at Wu Ba who was fidgeting beside him, "Let's go, I'll accompany you today. Let's eat and have fun!"

"Good! Good!"

Wu Ba quickly stood up, unable to conceal the excitement on his face.

To be honest, Li Yan was too lazy to go, but he had no choice but to join the team because there was also a Wu Ba. Although he looked big and strong, no less powerful than the ancient generals, his temperament was sometimes like that of a child.

I also took him to temple fairs once or twice along the way.

As a result, the boy has never forgotten it since then.

Knowing there would be a temple fair, I started waiting two days in advance, and this morning I looked at everyone pitifully.

In the past, it was Sharifei who took him out to play.

Now, Li Yan has to take action personally.

After leaving Ruifu Residence, the number of people on the street was obviously much smaller.

Li Yan had already left the city and arrived at the dock, but something suddenly occurred to him, so he turned around and said to Wu Ba, "There is also a temple fair outside Lingquan Temple. Although it is a little smaller, we can't miss it."

"How about we go around here in the morning and go to the foot of Wolong Mountain in the afternoon?"

"Good! Good!"

When Wu Ba heard this, his face was even more delighted.

Li Yan burst out laughing, took Wu Ba and turned east.

…………

Compared with Guangde Temple, Lingquan Temple is closer.

The two passed Wangjiang Tower and walked southeast along the official road. In less than half an hour, they arrived at the foot of Lingquan Mountain.

This was originally a vast wilderness.

First, pilgrims from all over Shu came to burn incense, but could not find a place to stay in Suining County, so they simply set up camp here.

Afterwards, the Changchun Association came again to divide the territory.

When Li Yan and his friends arrived, the place was already crowded with people.

There are stages built with earthen platforms and wooden frames, and there are straw tents set up for storytelling, acrobatics and magic troupes. There are all kinds of sounds mixed together, such as humming and clanging.

One has to get closer to hear clearly.

As for those selling thread ends, baskets, New Year pictures and firecrackers, there are countless of them.

In such a cold day, everyone was shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Sugar paintings, sweet and beautiful sugar paintings!" "Jiangmi sweet wine, hot oil tea!"

"The new hoe and sickle are strong and cheap!"

"Old books and New Year pictures, selling them cheaply!"

There are crowds of people here. Although it is winter, the place is still bustling.

Li Yan had seen too many exciting things in his previous life, so he naturally didn't care about this kind of thing, but Wu Ba was dazzled by it.

This boy is similar to the kid at the festival.

After a while, I ran to the roasted sweet potato stall and ate and took, finishing four or five in a few bites, not even bothering with the hot air in my mouth...

After a while, I ran to the braised meat stall and ate a bright red braised pork knuckle with a sesame seed cake...

Not only did he talk non-stop, but his eyes were also darting around.

He had just crunched down two candy men and then ran to the puppet stage with a bunch of other kids, grinning foolishly.

Li Yan finally understood why Sharifei complained every time.

Taking this kid with me is almost like having a nanny.

The good thing was that he only needed to activate the Yang Jue, and he would know exactly where Wu Ba ran to. Plus, with his conspicuous stature, he couldn't be lost at all.

Since he was already here, he might as well walk with his hands behind his back, and occasionally visit the old item stalls to see if he could find anything good.

Gradually, letting go of all the worries is actually quite fun.

"Hello, Young Master Li!"

Suddenly a voice sounded beside him. It turned out to be an old man in black clothes and a white turban, bowing respectfully to him.

Without waiting for Li Yan to ask, the old man introduced himself: "Young Master Li, my surname is Wu, my given name is Kang, and I am the leader of the Changchun Society here. If you have anything, just tell me."

Li Yan has been a prominent figure in the Shu underworld in recent times. After Wangjiang Tower, his fame has increased even more.

For a small local organization like the Changchun Society, he is naturally a very important figure. If the president is present, everyone has to come and say hello.

“You’re welcome…”

Li Yan was about to say something polite, but suddenly something occurred to him and he asked, "Is there anything delicious or fun to do at the meeting today?"

"Yes!"

The old man Wu Kang suppressed his excitement and nodded quickly, "Although our place is small, it is the Guanyin Taoist temple, so some fellow Taoists with real skills have also come here."

"There is a puppet show from northern Sichuan called the Big Rod Puppets, but it is different from the usual ones. The puppets are as tall as people, which is really rare..."

"Speaking of food, I know one. His name is Wang Mazi, and his cooking skills are comparable to General Cai..."

"Senior, you must be joking."

Li Yan laughed dumbly, "Why would General Cai come to this place?"

There are also ranks in the kitchen world. The so-called "General Cuisine" is a famous chef who is well-known in a certain cuisine.

Usually when supernatural powers are awakened, color, fragrance and taste have reached their peak.

Li Yan was fortunate enough to have eaten it twice and found it very memorable.

But if he was "General Cai", even if he went to Chengdu and Chongqing, he would be a guest of high-ranking officials. He only needed to call out and rich people would rush to help him open a restaurant.

Why would I show up at such a big fair?

"That is something you do not know."

Wu Kang quickly explained: "That man has pockmarks all over his face and a bad temper. I heard that he has offended the rich and powerful and his peers. He doesn't like to serve the rich and only likes to cook at this big market."

"His dishes are expensive and he often quarrels with customers, so his business is average."

Li Yan became interested, "Where are these people?"

"Please follow me."

Wu Kang immediately ran ahead to lead the way.

He rushed to curry favor without giving it much thought. After all, the two sides were too different and there would be no point of intersection at all.

But there is one good thing, if I serve you well today, when I brag to others in the future, I can also say that I have a friendship with so-and-so.

"Wu Ba, let's go, I'll take you to eat something good!"

Li Yan also greeted and took Wu Ba with him to follow behind.

The one who appeared in Shu must be the Sichuan Cuisine General.

Sure enough, when the three of them arrived at the edge of the market, before they got close, Li Yan sniffed and drooled instantly.

"What the senior said is true!"

Li Yan took Wu Ba to a shed without saying a word.

The shed looked simple, just an ordinary straw mat enclosure with a few logs supporting the straw mat roof, but it was very clean.

On one side was a clay stove, and next to it stood a man, flipping an iron pan in his hand up and down, frying with a sizzling sound.

Just as the leader of the Changchun Association said, this cook looked really bad. He was short and stocky, with a big head and thick neck, and his face was covered with pockmarks, making him look like a mixture of sesame seeds and bugs. It was very uncomfortable to look at him.

But Li Yan's attention was all on his hands.

This person is cooking a classic Sichuan dish, twice-cooked pork.

The pork selected is top-quality pork belly, which is flipped up and down in the iron pan. The surface is covered with a layer of brown and slightly curved to form a bowl shape.

When it is served mixed with black fungus, vegetables and peppers, the aroma is so overwhelming.

“Good craftsmanship!”

Li Yan couldn't help but praise.

Wu Ba, who was standing next to him, was drooling, his hands were sweaty, he was pulling his arm, his eyes were wide open.

"What the hell!"

The vegetable general glared fiercely.

The servant nearby hurriedly took the plate and walked aside.

Inside the tent, there is an earthen stove on one side and two tables on the other side. At the moment, there is only one table of guests.

A blind old Taoist priest with a cane.

A young man holding a sword, with disheveled clothes and a dusty face.

The two of them also had anticipation on their faces. When the twice-cooked pork was served, they quickly picked up their chopsticks, first nodded and smiled at Wang Mazi, and then began to scramble for it and started eating.

When Li Yan saw it, he frowned immediately.

He could vaguely sense that there was something wrong with these two people. They should be sorcerers, but their aura seemed to be obscured by some force.

Not only that, when they were fighting with chopsticks, they were clearly using superb sword techniques. The chopsticks did not intersect, but the sword moves kept changing.

Li Yan just took a look and didn't intend to meddle in other people's business. He smiled slightly and prepared to sit at another table with Wu Ba.

"Wait a minute!"

Wang Mazi glared, "Who told you to sit down?"

Li Yan was a little surprised, "You don't do business?"

Wang Mazi snorted, "I don't want to do business with you!"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "Why?"

Wang Mazi stared at him intently and said in a cold voice, "Little white face, you are not a good person. Seeing that you are not happy, the dishes you cook will not taste good."

Li Yan: “…”

Wu Kang, who was standing next to him, immediately broke out in sweat when he saw this. He quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Wang Mazi, what nonsense are you talking about? This is the young master Li who has recently become famous. He appreciates you, so put away your bad temper."

"roll roll roll!"

Wang Mazi was not polite at all. He stared at Wu Kang and said, "Who do you think you are? You are telling me that."

Li Yan felt a little unhappy when he saw that this man was so strange.

Just as he was about to speak, a voice suddenly rang out from the side, "Uncle Wang, this is a true knight, please give me some face."

It was the young man holding the sword who suddenly spoke.

"Well, okay."

To Li Yan's surprise, Wang Mazi agreed directly and asked the servant next to him to wipe the table and pour tea.

Seeing this, Li Yan suppressed his anger, smiled and bowed to the young man, saying, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The young man smiled, revealing his big white teeth:

"Just fight me later!"

(End of this chapter)