The Book of Filial Duty, by Ivan Chen, [1908], at sacred-texts.com

No. VIII

He sold himself to bury his Father

During the Han dynasty lived Tung Yung, whose family was so very poor that when his father died, he was obliged to sell himself in order to procure money to bury his remains. After this he went to another place to gain the means of redeeming himself; and on his way he met a lady who desired to become his wife, and go with him to his master's house. She went with Tung, and wove three hundred pieces of silk, which being completed in two months, they returned home; and on the way, having reached the shade of the cassia-tree where they met before, the lady bid him adieu and vanished from his sight.

Tung could not endure to behold his father's bones lying exposed, but had not sufficient means to bury them. He saw that his household goods were not sufficient, and he said: "This little body of mine, what is the use of it? If I sell it, I can

p. 43

redeem it again, and thus bury my father, who will be saved from dishonour." His filial piety moved Heaven to direct a female spirit in human form to come and help him in fulfilling his engagement; she wove three hundred pieces of silk, and thus procured the redemption of a man of truly filial heart.