Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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Xie Lingya wrote down everything that needed to be done. After returning, he first found the electronic version of the last manuscript and wrote some more serious introductions, such as the construction history of Baoyang Temple and cultural relics stories.
Then there was the media account matter. He thought about it and went to contact his uncle specifically.
The entire “Baoyang Notes” was actually divided into two parts, one was about Taoism, and the other was the annotations and understanding of Taoist classics. He hoped to sort out the latter and select some to put online.
After the meeting, Xie Lingya asked Taoist priests from other temples, and they all said that after opening, it would be enough to repost some content every two days. For Taoist festivals, etiquette science, etc., original content would be sent out as event notices.
——It’s one thing to have a meeting, but it’s another thing to actually do it. Many temples don’t have the time and energy to create online accounts. They are not big Taoist temples, and they don’t have that much promotion funds.
Xie Lingya thought that since he had done it, he should pay more attention to it.
Just like the last time he briefly asked him about “guest ghosts”, it was actually a misinformation. There were many such examples in “Baoyang Notes”, such as the earliest “Flying Corpses” dealt with by Xie Lingya, and some people didn’t understand Guang Chengzi[1]. They even interpreted guest ghosts as “flying corpses and walking monsters.”
Taoism had an influence on many ancient cultures, such as the seals they used. There were so many kinds of Taoist seals. The seal of the City God that Xie Lingya received was unearthed in the past. Experts who saw it thought it was an ancient official seal because they did not understand the Taoist tradition. The “Tao Jing Master Treasure” seal had also been misunderstood as the “Taoist Dharma Treasure”. In fact, the Tao Jing Master was one of the three treasures of Taoism.
It was okay for outsiders to misunderstand some knowledge. But even insiders misunderstood some knowledge because of incomplete research.
Wang Yuji had no objections to this. He knew nothing about the Internet, but he also thought it was a good thing to share these notes. In the past, information was underdeveloped and communication among colleagues was limited. He knew and discovered some knowledge, but he couldn’t tell too many people.
“That’s it. I’m going to set up a Weibo and WeChat account for our Baoyang Temple and organize some content in this area and release it.” Xie Lingya said.
Zhang Daoting deeply agreed, “It is also a meritorious deed to be able to correct everyone’s mistakes and clear up doubts.”
Hai Guanchao said: “I’m just saying, where will Baoyang Temple get the funds and manpower to manage the public account? The Taoist Association said it lightly, you still say that you’re going to share some reading notes. It doesn’t take much effort to explain Taoist culture in a popular and interesting way to attract interested netizens. It’s not that simple…”
“No, no, no, I’m not just going to share Baoyang Notes. It will also contain some attractive things,” Xie Lingya said.
Hai Guanchao said humorously: “Are you going to repost a cold joke?
“No, Daoting.”
Zhang Daoting: “…”
….
Xie Lingya created a public account. In addition to reading notes, the first issue indeed included a lot of photos of Zhang Daoting, all of whom were provided by photographers in Qiyang, and the pictures had even been edited.
Because they often came to Baoyang Temple to take photos of Zhang Daoting and they never had to pay model fees, so they also authorized the Baoyang Temple official account to use the pictures for free, as long as the photographer was credited.
Of course, there were some notes below the photo to explain what rituals the Taoist priest was doing. Finally, here were some environmental pictures of Taoist temples, pictures of tourists drinking tea, etc. After sending it out, those photography enthusiasts took the initiative to help repost it.
About a day after Xie Lingya shared it in his circle of friends, he found that the number of clicks had increased to several thousand. He found it strange that the account he had just created, even if those photography enthusiasts had transferred it, had so many clicks.
——This content is not particularly novel. Could it be that fans of Zhang Daoting are flocking here? So fast?
Xie Lingya checked the distribution of readers in the background and found that there were many IPs from a certain place. Looking at the newly added followers, many names and avatars were related to Taoism, or simply a certain Taoist priest.
Xie Lingya suddenly realized that that place was where Zhang Tianshi’s home was!
Later, Xie Lingya asked Daozhang Zhao from the Provincial Taoist Association. Sure enough, a descendant of Tianshi saw the Moments he shared from Daozhang Zhao and helped forward it. After all, Xie Lingya helped retrieve the sword and seal before.
The influence of the Tianshi family could not be compared to that of Baoyang Temple. No wonder it received thousands of clicks in one night, and he heard that it was even becoming famous among peers. Of course, it was not because of Zhang Daoting’s portrait, but because of his reading notes. These experts’ notes were rather attractive for insiders.
They actively forwarded it to confirm what they had learned or called on fellow believers to come and read the useful information.
This feedback showed that this matter was indeed very meaningful, and Xie Lingya continued to organize his notes.
The power of the Internet was really powerful. Xie Lingya wrote the names of his uncles and masters in the author column. At that time, more people knew their names than in the past through word of mouth. The reputation of Baoyang Temple in the industry had thus also increased. Suddenly it got bigger. In the past, it was a pearl covered in dust, but now that it had the opportunity, it shone brightly.
In addition, Xie Lingya also asked Taoist Zhao to push his business card and added the descendant of Tianshi. Zhang Tianshi of this generation was only middle-aged and could play WeChat pretty well.
Xie Lingya thanked Zhang Tianshi. If he hadn’t helped turn it around, it wouldn’t have spread so fast.
Zhang Tianshi also said a few polite words, and said very sincerely: [Xiao Xie, are you really not considering becoming a priest?]
Xie Lingya: “…”
Even the contemporary Master came to sell Amway, and he was a little drunk…
Zhang Tianshi: [The 30th Celestial Master Jingxu Zhenjun said that the seal must be the seal of the heart, and the Dharma is the heart. The seal of the heart is passed down from generation to generation, but today people do not know the mystery of the seal of the wood. It is commendable that you can realize that Tao is the foundation at such a young age. Do you want to come to my house to study?]
Xie Lingya sweated: […Thank you, I’m really honored, but it still doesn’t work. I will start school in the second half of the year.]
Tianshi: [Okay, if you have any such ideas in the future, message me on WeChat [smile].]
Xie Lingya: [Hold your fists] [Hold your fists] [Hold your fists]
Xie Lingya wiped his sweat. He was really a little excited just now, but it was just because he was surprised that Zhang Tianshi himself came to invite him, but he did not waver.
By the way, Tianshi said “my family” quite lightly. Wasn’t his family the ancestral home of the whole family, Longhu Mountain? If he went to his house, he would have to die if he didn’t get a Taoist certificate…
….
Xie Lingya didn’t need to review now. In addition to focusing on the expansion, he just organized his notes and managed the public account.
That day Shi Changxuan told him that he would be away for two or three days, as he had made arrangements to visit the corpse ceremony in the neighboring city. This was his homework. Huang Jinyang was not going. It was said that he had other work and would go further to other provinces.
Xiao Dian was helping Xie Lingya sort his notes out. After hearing this, he asked curiously: “What is the Corpse Ritual? It sounds a bit weird.”
“The Corpse Sacrifice is an ancestor worship ceremony that has existed as far back as the pre-Qin Dynasty. Corpse erection is Sacrifice, this corpse does not refer to a corpse, but to a mage, a living person who is sacrificed on behalf of the ancestors,” Shi Changxuan explained.
That was to say, the ancestors could descend on the corpse and enjoy the worship in person.
Xie Lingya had also vaguely heard of this method, “Do they also wear a ghost head?”
Shi Changxuan nodded.
The mage in the corpse ceremony would wear a ghost-headed mask, which symbolized the ancestors. They then sat in the hall, and their descendants knelt down and worshipped below. In addition to inviting ancestors from all generations, gods such as the earth God were also invited to be present.
“This, this is okay? Can they really invite them?” This kind of folk magic sounded very primitive. After hearing it, Xiao Dian was scared by his imagination, but also very interested and wanting to see it.
Xie Lingya shook his head, “I don’t know about this, but the mage should be really capable.”
Xiao Dian said weakly: “Teacher Xie, can we also go and see it?”
Xie Lingya said, “What are you looking at? Look back at Shi Dao, it’s just his homework. That place is in a neighboring city.”
Hai Guanchao said from the side: “You are a bit unkind. You usually ask my disciple to accompany you when you go to the mountains or have a meeting, and he does it. Why can’t you accompany him when he’s going to do homework?”
Hai Guanchao still refused to admit defeat: “Then will you go with him? Xiao Shi will go alone for two or three days. Won’t it be lonely?”
Shi Changxuan: “…”
He wanted to say something, but then shut up. Since worshiping Wang Yuji, he had changed from Taoist Shi to Xiao Shi in Hai Guanchao’s mouth.
Xiao Dian continued weakly: “Then why don’t you let me go with Teacher Xie to accompany Taoist Master Shi?”
Xie Lingya looked at Shi Changxuan and felt quite embarrassed. Although Hai Guanchao was being messy, what he said was reasonable. In the past, he always dragged Shi Changxuan to accompany him. This time, Shi Changxuan did his homework alone. It seemed like there was no harm in him accompanying him.
Anyway, it would only take two or three days. The public account information had been edited long ago and could be posted using a mobile phone. Xie Lingya only thought about it for a moment and then said, “Okay, just go!”
….
Before leaving, Zhang Daoting helped Xie Lingya carry his small amount of luggage to the yard, fearing that he would be confused and not bring everything with him and it would be inconvenient to go outside.
At this moment, Xie Lingya still had a procedure to complete and asked them to wait for him and that he would come back after finishing it. Shi Changxuan also sat in the backyard and waited.
Xiao Dian was very happy and whispered: “Daozhang Zhang, tell me, Teacher Xie agreed to take me, do you think there is still hope for me?”
“Don’t expect too much, I think he was just squeezed out by Brother Hai.” Zhang Daoting didn’t look at him twice.
This was not a visit to other Taoist temples. If it were a visit to other Taoist temples, it would be more or less the same. But this was just to accompany Shi Changxuan to do homework and see folk religious activities. He guessed he thought of it as a trip. Although Xiao Dian was not very young, in everyone’s mind he was just a half-grown child with a weak brain, so Xie Lingya may treat him as a child.
Xiao Dian’s shoulders suddenly collapsed and he said: “Actually, I know that I have no talent, I can’t understand books, and it takes me a long time just to memorize them. That day, Teacher Xie even touched my chest and back, and then sighed…”
“Wow, he touched you too?” Zhang Daoting said, “You can rest assured, he didn’t look good after he touched me and Liu Bohe as well.”
When Shi Changxuan heard this, he was suddenly startled. His plain expression then became slightly subtle. Something flashed through his mind, but he couldn’t catch it for the moment, but he was subconsciously startled.
Xiao Dian was overjoyed when he heard this, “Really?”
“What are you happy about?” Zhang Daoting patted his head, “Who would like him sighing when you are touched by your Teacher?”
Xiao Dian: “…”
Xiao Dian muttered: “Then touching Taoist Master Shi is not necessarily necessary.”
He almost forgot about Shi Changxuan. Zhang Daoting looked at Shi Changxuan at the side and said, “Oh, that’s true.”
There was no need to mention Shi Changxuan’s talent. They couldn’t compare anyway.
Shi Changxuan was glanced at by Zhang Daoting, as if he had just woken up from a dream, and his expression was a little confused: “…He touched you too?”
“Yes, too? He also touched you?” Zhang Daoting became happy, “Haha Haha, speaking of it, I misunderstood at first. I didn’t know why he touched me, and I was so scared. He didn’t explain it clearly at that time, which made me tremble.
“I later found out why, and I discovered that in fact, Mr. Xie touches everyone he sees, even uncles like Hou Xuzhong and Liu Bohe…”
Shi Changxuan: “???”
Everything from the past came to mind, the initial goodwill and attention, Wang Yuji having no disciples during his lifetime, him paying homage to his uncle, inviting people to visit, offering sacrifices… all the details that he had ignored or not ignored, and the words of Zhang Daoting and Xiao Dian just poured into his mind.
More and more pictures became more and more complicated, making Shi Changxuan’s mind turbulent, but it became clearer and clearer.
It seemed that all the pictures and sentences gradually disappeared, and finally only one of Zhang Daoting’s sentence remained which became particularly clear:
“Hey, Mr. Xie actually touches people when he sees them!”
T/N: The title of this chapter seems a bit wrong, doesn’t it????
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[1] Guang Chengzi (Literarily “Person Who Knows All” ) is a Taoist deity and a character in the classic Chinese novel Fengshen Yanyi.