in the story of the three empires. "On her
forehead she wrote the name of the Great God": Regarding
this god, Tai I, the Great One, compare annotation to
No. 18. The God of the Great Bear, i.e., of the
constellation. The letters which are exchanged are quite
as noticeable for what is implied between the lines, as
for what is actually set down.

LXVIII

YANG GUI FE

The favorite wife of the emperor Ming Huang of the Tang dynasty was
the celebrated Yang Gui Fe. She so enchanted him by her beauty that he
did whatever she wished him to do. But she brought her cousin to the
court, a gambler and a drinker, and because of him the people began to
murmur against the emperor. Finally a revolt broke out, and the
emperor was obliged to flee. He fled with his entire court to the land
of the four rivers.

But when they reached a certain pass his own soldiers mutinied. They
shouted that Yang Gui Fe's cousin was to blame for all, and that he
must die or they would go no further. The emperor did not know what to
do. At last the cousin was delivered up to the soldiers and was slain.
But still they were not satisfied.

"As long as Yang Gui Fe is alive she will do all in her power to
punish us for the death of her cousin, so she must die as well!"

Sobbing, she fled to the emperor. He wept bitterly and endeavored to
protect her; but the soldiers grew more and more violent. Finally she
was hung from a pear-tree by a eunuch.

The emperor longed so greatly for Yang Gui Fe that he ceased to eat,
and could no longer sleep. Then one of his eunuchs told him of a man
named Yang Shi Wu, who was able to call up the spirits of the
departed. The emperor sent for him and Yang Shi Wu appeared.

That very evening he recited his magic incantations, and his soul left
its body to go in search of Yang Gui Fe. First he went to the Nether
World, where the shades of the departed dwell. Yet no matter how much
he looked and asked he could find no trace of her. Then he ascended to
the highest heaven, where sun, moon and stars make their rounds, and
looked for her in empty space. Yet she was not to be found there,
either. So he came back and told the emperor of his experience. The
emperor was dissatisfied and said: "Yang Gui Fe's beauty was divine.
How can it be possible that she had no soul!"

The magician answered: "Between hill and valley and amid the silent
ravines dwell the blessed. I will go back once more and sear