第143部分(第1/7 页)

＇e＇　Pei　was　a　small　ancient　state；　homeland　of　Liu　Bang。

＇e＇　East　River　Land　corresponded　to　the　mountainous　region　of　Hanzhong；　which　means　〃Within　Han〃；　or　the　land　of　the　ancient　state　of　Han。

The　fame　of　these　doings　penetrated　west　into　Hanzhong；　and　one　of　the　first　to　be　moved　to　indignation　was　Zhang　Lu；　Governor　of　Hanning。　This　Zhang　Lu　was　a　native　of　Pei*。　He　was　a　grandson　of　Zhang　Ling　who　retired　to　Mount　Humming；　in　the　East　River　Land*；　where　he　had　posed　a　work　on　Taoism　for　the　purpose　of　deluding　the　multitude。

Yet　all　the　people　respected　Zhang　Ling；　and　when　he　died　his　son；　Zhang　Heng；　carried　on　his　work；　and　taught　the　same　doctrines。　Disciples　had　to　pay　a　fee　in　rice；　five　carts。　The　people　of　his　day　called　him　the　Rice　Thief。

After　Zhang　Heng　passed　away；　his　son　Zhang　Lu　followed　his　step。　Zhang　Lu　styled　himself　Master　Superior；　and　his　disciples　were　called　monly　Devil　Soldiers。　A　headman　was　called　Libationer；　and　those　who　made　many　converts　were　called　Chief　Libationers。　Perfect　sincerity　was　the　ruling　tenet　of　the　cult；　and　no　deceit　was　permitted。　When　anyone　fell　ill；　an　altar　was　set　up　and　the　invalid　was　taken　into　the　Room　of　Silence　where　he　could　reflect　upon　his　sins　and　confess　openly。　Then　he　was　prayed　for。　The　director　of　prayers　was　called　Superintending　Libationer。

When　praying　for　a　person；　they　wrote　his　name　and　his　confession　on　a　slip　and　made　three　copies　thereof；　called　〃The　Writing　of　the　Three　Gods〃。　One　copy　was　burned　on　the　mountain　top　as　a　means　of　informing　Heaven；　another　was　burned　to　inform　Earth；　and　the　third　was　sunk　in　water　to　tell　the　Controller　of　the　Waters。　If　the　sick　person　recovered；　he　paid　as　fee　five　carts　of　rice。

They　had　Public　Houses　of