Xiqu

Monk Mulian Rescues His Mother (Part Three):
Fu Luobu’s Purity of Heart Tested,
Mahāmaudgalyāyana’s Transformation,
The Lake of Blood, Taking the Punishments on His Mother’s Behalf and Delivery from Purgatory

The ritual performance of Blessings from the Three Gods is symbolic of celebratory causes and blessings. The episodes Taking the Punishments on His Mother’s Behalf and Delivery from Purgatory contain stunts that are unique to Dacheng Opera. “Eating paper and pulling out guts” is a form of traditional folk entertainment which describes how the demons of Hell eat the paper offerings (their version of fine food) and then pull out from their mouth long strips of paper. In “fire eating and spitting”, the demons burn the paper offerings, swallow the flaming ball, and then spit out balls of fire again.

In the story, Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, transforms into a woman picking mulberry in the grove. She invites Fu Luobu to spend the night at her place, and sets about seducing him. But Luobu is totally unmoved in face of seduction. Then Guanyin sends a white gibbon to seize the scriptures that Luobu is carrying and jumps into a ravine. Luobu jumps in also, with total disregard for his own life. Because of this, he is able to shake off his mortal self and be transported to the West to seek audience with the Buddha. The Great Buddha names him Mahāmaudgalyāyana (sinitised name “Mulian”), grants him the kasaya robe, the khakkhara staff and the straw shoes, all items for an enlightened disciple of Buddha. They would enable him to go into Hell to save his mother. In Hell, Liu is by the Lake of Blood, on the verge of being pulled into it to suffer for her sins. But Liu begs to be absolved because as a woman, she has already suffered the pains of pregnancy, birth, and three years of breast-feeding a baby. The guard from Hell is touched by her words and lets her pass. Liu is then taken to the Double Gate where she is put under a cangue to be further punished. Mulian arrives and offers to take the punishment for his mother instead. His filial piety moves the Heaven and the Earth, and he succeeds in saving his mother from Hell and pass on.