In the Ming dynasty there resided at Chitking a Mr. Yan, who constantly honoured the Buddhist law which prohibited the taking of life.
He saw regretfully that the crime of infanticide was very rife among the people, which all will admit is the worst kind of killing. He forthwith wrote and published some pamphlets, and illustrated sheet tracts, which he scattered among the people, urging them to desist from this horrible cruelty, In this way ho changed the manners both of the age and the neighbourhood in which he dwelt. Moreorer hie constantly endeavoured to prevent mien from taking the lives of animals and, by his exampf, which is always stronger than precept, led the way in this good work. On the birthday when is customary to kill chickens and ducks in order to prepare a feast for the invited guests he said: "If I pray to the idols to prolong the lives of my parents am I content when for our gratification I take the lives of other creatures?" He therefore utilised the money he would have spent in this way to relieve the poor. On the third day after the birth of a son, it is usual to give a great feast to all relatives and friends." The feast. was given but no animals were slaughtered. Years after when his son was married it was just the same. Once when he was ill, his friends wanted him to offer an animal in sacrifice to the gods, but he declined to accede to their appeals, saying: "Men love life, do not animals also love life in the same way?" In all this he sinned not. After a time a rebellion broke out in the district and the rebels were on the point of making him a prisoner, but suddenly there appeared one like unto a Taoist psiest, who snatched him out of the hands of the rebels as the wind whirls away the leaf of a tree. Thus Mr. Yan whilst others suffered, escaped the impending danger. Afterwards in Hangchow, Lin Tso (one of the Taoist Immortals whose name is closely associated with
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.