Herbal Legends VIII: Ginseng 人參

A long time ago two monks, master and disciple, lived on Mount Cloud Dream in Could Dream Temple in the province Shandong. Every day the old master lit incense apathetically and prayed Buddhist hymns half-heartedly. He often went down to the valley to binge drink with his friends. But to his young disciple he behaved in a cruel way. He even tortured him physically and made him take care of all the temple tasks. The young monk was weary from the hardships and showed a yellow hue in his face. One day the master went down to the valley to meet his friends again and as per usual the young disciple was left with the many chores to do. All of a sudden, a little child emerged out of nowhere wearing a red cap and displaying its red little tummy. It then helped the young monk to do his work. From that day on, the young child appeared each time the old monk went to the valley in order to assist the young novice disciple. As soon as the master returned, it was, however, nowhere to be seen. After some time passed like this, the old monk noticed that his student was much healthier and stronger, less sallow in complexion and less emaciated than before. And regardless of how many chores he burdened him with, each time the young monk was able to complete them. He thought to himself:

“Something is not quite right about this.”

Therefore he forced his student to tell him the truth by threatening him. After he got to know of the existence of the little child, he pondered from where the child may have come since the temple was in a secluded and off-track area. The old monk in the end was convinced that it could only be a ginseng ghost. He dug out a spool of red thread, attached a needle to it and handed it over to his student to secretly pin it to the child, when it returned. The next day the old monk went into the valley once again. Once again, the little child rushed to the help of the disciple, who contemplated to confess everything to the child, however, he feared the punishment and beating of the old master. In his helplessness he finally stuck the needle onto the child, when it sneaked away to avoid encountering the old master on his return. The next morning at dawn the master locked his student in the monastery and followed the red thread with a pick in his hand until he reached the needle in a small plant next to a pine tree. The monk was utterly thrilled and with his pick dug out a formidable “Ginseng Child”. He swiftly carried it into the temple, threw it into a pot, placed the lid on top and weighed it down with a stone. The he instructed his student to make a fire and to stew the soup in the pot. Shortly afterwards the friends of the old monk paid a visit to the temple to pick him up for boozing. They did not accept any excuses and pressed him until he gave in and went down to the valley with them. Before leaving he shouted to his disciple:

“Under no circumstances open the pot before I am back again.”

When the master was gone, the student started noticing a very special fragrance, which was brimming out from the pot. Overwhelmed by curiosity, he ignored the admonitions of his master and lifted the stone from the lid and opened the pot. Inside he found a stick-like root from which he broke off a piece and tasted it. Never before had he perceived such a beautiful taste. Bewitched by it, he threw all cautions to the wind and ate the entire root. Afterwards he drank the soup until the last drop. At that very moment the master came home hurriedly. The young monk became frightened and did not know what to do. In shock he ran outside to the temple’s courtyard. After he had taken a few steps, his legs became extremely light and he started floating and eventually flew away.
The old monk was cursing him in anger, when he saw that his student had eaten the “Gingseng Child”, but was nowhere to be found.

Post-Scriptum:
This is not where the story ends, however this end seemed more fitting. The story continues as follows:

This “Ginseng Child” was one of a pair of two siblings, who lived near the old pine tree. Luckily the old monk had not discovered the other ginseng plant. However, the remaining ginseng cried ceaselessly over the loss of its sibling. Touched in the heart the old pine tree said to the ginseng:

“Dear child, do not cry anymore! I will lead you to Guangdong.
There are only few smoking chimneys and I will be able to protect you forever.”

Because of these words the ginseng plant stopped weeping and escaped with the pine tree from Shandong to Guangdong, where they settled in the mountains.”