Zhang Wenwen started talking. She told us that when they first came here, the main hall of the temple collapsed, the side rooms on both sides were uninhabitable, the mountain gate also collapsed, and the red bricks in the courtyard were all broken. The rain made mud everywhere.
Including the Lingguan Hall in front, the beams have collapsed, knocking down the statue of Lord Lingguan and bending its neck. However, there is no way to repair it, so it can only lie there crookedly.
The old Taoist priest was over eighty years old, his legs and feet were not good, and he was unable to repair the temple. He could only eat a bowl of porridge with enough rice grains every day, plus some vegetable dumplings made of mixed wild vegetables, to survive.
Later, Taoist Master Zixu came here and took his disciples to tidy up the main hall, tidy up the side rooms, and helped Master Ling. He repaired the places that could be repaired, and tried not to ask for help if the house could be repaired by himself.
But even so, it was of little use. They repaired the house they lived in, and it was barely able to accommodate people. However, they did not have enough funds to repair the main hall, and even the collapsed beams could not be erected.
Therefore, Taoist Master Zixu personally went around to beg for alms, and also led his disciples to grow vegetables and collect herbs, and tried every means to raise funds.
Raising funds is easy to say, but it is extremely difficult to actually do it.
Because this temple is remote, not many people come here, and it is not well-known. Taoist Master Zixu himself has little savings, so he can only raise money from fellow Taoists and teachers everywhere.
However, as the saying goes, poor Taoist priests and poor Taoist priests, these Taoist priests who practice hard in the mountains are really poor, and they can't compare with those famous mountains and grand temples. Everyone's life is very difficult, and even a little money can't help.
In order to save money, Taoist Master Zixu and his disciples reduced their meals from three meals a day to two. They never took a car when going out. Those who could walk walked all the time. They ate very little. They only ate half a steamed bun for one meal and kept the other half. To eat every meal, you really have to save money every penny.
She was even reluctant to buy coal in winter, and she had no electric heater or anything. The master and apprentice went up to the mountains to cut firewood for warmth. When it snowed heavily, she even got lost in the forest and almost couldn't come back...
When she said these words, Zhang Wenwen's eye circles gradually turned red, and I felt very sad, because I knew that although she was talking about Taoist Master Zixu, repairing temples and houses, going up the mountain to chop firewood, these things, these hard and tiring tasks , she participated in the whole process and did nothing less.
I looked at her hands, and then I understood why the tender hands had become so rough now. It turned out that she had suffered so much...
Zhang Wenwen noticed that I was looking at her hand, so she subconsciously retracted it, and then continued to tell us the story of Taoist Master Zixu.
She said that sometimes, Taoist Master Zixu had to go down the mountain alone to ask for alms. He had to walk a whole day on the mountain road before he could go to the city and talk about fundraising with some benefactors who were willing to do good deeds.
However, some of these destiny owners are indeed good-hearted. No matter how much money they have, they are always willing to donate some selflessly to the temple.
There are also some people who are always utilitarian and say that donating money is fine, but you want to build a dojo for me or erect a monument for me.
What's more, I asked Taoist Zixu directly, "What benefits will it bring me if I donate to you?"
Taoist Master Zixu said that donating money to build a temple is a way to accumulate merit. This is the greatest benefit, and the gods of heaven and earth will mark it down for you.
But others disagree, saying that your temple is not a tourist attraction, nor is it a famous ancient temple. If you want me to make a donation, that's fine. Can we talk about cooperation issues? For example, I can help you improve the reputation of the temple. After I get out, my shares will be counted in the temple, and the incense money will be divided among everyone. What do you think?
Taoist Master Zixu was very helpless and said, "I'm sorry. Our temple is small and has little incense, and the mountains are high and the roads are far away. There are few pedestrians, and tourists are even rarer. I'm afraid I can't meet your request. At most, I can enshrine you in the main hall." Lu Wei, I burn incense and light lamps every day to pray for you.
But when people heard this, they sneered and said that there was no need to burn incense and light lamps to enshrine the throne. Your temple has no incense, so what effect can it have? I have money to go to a big temple to worship, burn incense and light lamps. Wouldn’t that be better?
Zixu Daochang was so angry that he couldn't get angry, so he could only hit the wall again and again, persist again and again, and after a long hard work, he finally collected some money and made some simple repairs to the temple.
First, the collapsed mountain gate was repaired, the muddy road was paved with cement, and some flowers and plants were planted. Then the leaky roof was thatched up, and the Lingguan Hall was renovated.
So the Lingguan Hall we see now has been renovated. Although it still looks very simple, at least you can go in and burn incense. Lingguan Ye no longer has to lie down with his neck crooked, and the collapsed beams have also been erected. Now, the leaky roof has been tiled...
However, the Lingguan Hall is very small and requires less money. The Sanqing Hall behind it is more difficult and more expensive, and the walls and floors need to be rebuilt.
If it was just a simple maintenance, it would be okay, but Taoist Master Zixu made a wish to build this temple better. She said that no matter how wronged she was, she could not wrong the Patriarch...
It's a pity that things didn't come true. Taoist Master Zixu worked hard for two years and worked hard for this hope every day, but she fell ill.
At the beginning, she refused to go for treatment and had to endure it, saying that just taking some medicine would be enough. Later, she couldn't take it anymore, so she agreed to go to the hospital for a check-up.
But the strange thing is that during the initial examination, nothing wrong was found, and the doctor didn't say anything. He just asked Zixu Daochang to take better care of his body, pay attention to nutrition, and not be too tired.
Therefore, Taoist Master Zixu didn't take it seriously. After she came back, it was still the same as before. Because the medicine was too expensive, she was reluctant to spend money. She took it for a few days and stopped taking it. She kept carrying it.
It has been like this for more than half a year. Almost a month ago, she suddenly became ill and the pain was severe, so she went to the hospital again for examination and did not come back until the day before yesterday...
When Zhang Wenwen said this, he stopped talking any further.
Uncle Ma asked with red eyes: "Go to the hospital for a check-up. What's the result? What did the doctor say?"
Zhang Wenwen hesitated for a moment, shook his head and said: "This...I don't know much about it. Master didn't allow me to tell...she didn't tell me anything after she came back..."
When she said this, her eyes wandered and kept looking outside the door. This must be because Taoist Master Zixu had told Zhang Wenwen not to tell anyone, so she didn't dare to say it.
However, judging from the conversation between Uncle Ma and Zhang Wenwen, I basically understand it.
The news of Taoist Priest Zixu's illness was probably secretly revealed by Zhang Wenwen, probably in order to seek help from the outside world.
Because she knows that once Uncle Ma and I find out about this, we will never sit idly by and ignore it.
