It is told that in the Western Capital there was a learned licentiate named Sun Che, brilliant beyond compare from birth and diligent in his studies besides. He had mastered the classics and histories, could dash off an essay on the spot, and was accomplished at composing poems and matching couplets; everyone called him a genius. A man like that in the examination halls could take first place as zhuangyuan and no one would call it too much. But who knew that in recent examinations, essays counted for nothing? Many who couldn't write a single sentence correctly were passed by the examiners, while those who excelled in all three sessions were failed. As the saying goes: "Don't wish your writing to win over the world; wish only that it wins over the examiner." If it pleases the examiner, even a stinking fart is fine; if it doesn't, even brocade is useless. The trouble is, once examiners have passed the jinshi themselves, their eyes grow bleary from paperwork and their hearts are blinded by gold and silver — how could they still read writing as clearly as a poor scholar by his lamp at the window? Come exam time, they get everything upside down without even noticing, caring nothing whether others live or die. And so, though Sun Che's belly was full of brocade, it's no wonder he failed year after year.
One year the official in charge of the examination was a man named Ding Tan, a member of the treacherous minister Ding Wei's faction. The selection that year was even worse than other years: family standing counted, not essays; money counted, not talent. The papers were supposedly sealed with the names pasted over, but in fact it was all done through secret back channels: he passed every one of his favorites, then pulled out a few papers at random to fill up the list, and that was the examination done. Poor Sun Che once again fell off the bottom of the list. A fellow student of his named Wang Nian, who normally couldn't write a sentence straight, passed with high honors — enough to make anyone die of rage. And so Sun Che sank into gloom and died, and went before the desk of Yama, King of the Underworld, to lodge his complaint.
Complaint concerning a great talent wrongfully killed: Heaven had no eyes, and wrongly gave me a bellyful of talent. The examiner was corrupt, and wrongfully killed seven essays of brocade. Degrees matter little, but writing ought to be judged on its merits. Chaff is winnowed to the front; pearls and jade are buried. To live like this is worse than never being born; to die like this — how can I accept death? The world of the living has no discerning eye, but the underworld has justice. I submit this complaint. That day King Yama read the complaint and said in a great rage, "Sun Che, what great talent do you have, that the examiner wronged you?" Sun Che said, "I dare not claim great talent, but I often see that those who pass have no talent at all. If the examiner had been willing to open his eyes and be fair, I, Sun Che, would surely not rank below Wang Nian. My original papers are here — I beg Your Majesty to look at them." King Yama said, "No doubt your writing is too profound, so the examiner couldn't understand it. I didn't become King of the Underworld by passing exams with a few lines of writing myself, and I won't dare, like those illiterates up in the world of the living, to judge other people's writing any old how. Only if old Bao looks at yours will it be made clear. He is the Star of Literature from heaven itself; there's no way he could fail to recognize good writing."
That very day they invited Lord Bao to judge the case. Lord Bao glanced over the complaint and sighed, "When it comes to the examination halls, a great many are wronged." Sun Che then presented his original papers, and after reading them carefully Lord Bao said, "A rare talent indeed! Who was the examiner, that he wouldn't pass you?" Sun Che said, "Ding Tan." Lord Bao said, "That fellow can't read to begin with — how could he serve as examiner?" Sun Che said, "Just look at someone like Wang Nian passing — how can anyone accept it?"
Lord Bao ordered the ghost bailiffs, "Bring those two here for trial at once." The bailiffs said, "Those two are high officials in the world of the living right now — how can we just seize them?" Lord Bao said, "Their high offices are about to be ruined by this very affair. Bring them!" Before long the two were brought in.
Lord Bao said, "Ding Tan, as examiner, how could you wrongfully kill a talent like Sun Che's?"
Ding Tan said, "Writing has its good days and bad days. Sun Che's paper didn't measure up, so I didn't pass him."
Lord Bao said, "His original papers are right here. Look again." With that he flung the papers down. Ding Tan read them and his face turned bright red. Slowly he said, "That day my eyes were dim, and I happened not to read carefully." Lord Bao said, "If you don't read the writing, how do you select scholars? Sun Che failed, while Wang Nian, who can't write, passed — clearly there was foul play. I see you still have twelve years left among the living. Now, since you wrongfully killed a great talent, it shall be judged as wrongfully taking a life: your life is cut short by twelve years. If you plead dim eyes and misreading, in your next life you'll be a blind fortune-teller. If you sold passes through code words in the papers, in your next life you'll be a blind beggar, begging along the streets. It's up to you to own which it was. Wang Nian, you passed by luck though you can't write: in your next life you'll be an ox, living on grass, as your retribution. Sun Che, you got no reward from your studies in this life; in your next life you'll pass early and take first place in all three examinations." When he finished, each of them bowed his head to the ground in silence.
Only Wang Nian spoke up: "I may not write well, but I can at least turn out a few lines — there are some who can't write a single one. And now I'm to be an ox eating grass? Aren't there plenty of grass-eaters up in the world of the living already?" Lord Bao said, "That is exactly why you'll go and serve as an example." He then wrote his judgment: "Upon investigation, the examiner Ding Tan claims that writing has its good days and bad days; in truth it was the money that came heavier or lighter. Unfair and unclear, he dealt in secret arrangements, robbing Zhang to pay Li, and wrongfully killed a great talent. In the world of the living he might heed private requests and keep his gentleman's face; the underworld bends to no favors: let him be a blind fortune-teller. Wang Nian turned into a village ox is no injustice; Sun Che taking top honors is only right."
When the judgment was written, it was made into a case file with Sun Che's original papers pasted in, and the file and the men together were sent on to the courts of the Ten Halls for inspection.
