During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, Cheng Wenyuan, a doctor in the Ministry of Rites, was proficient in etiquette. However, after putting on the shroud for his deceased father-in-law, he encountered the strange thing that the whole family was troubled by strange dreams - the father-in-law always looked uneasy and resentful in the dream.
Cheng Wenyuan investigated the details of the funeral to no avail. Later, he learned from the ancient book "Secret Records of Yin and Yang" that it was related to the wearing of shrouds. He also learned that the "Comb of Clothes" in the ancient tombs in the northwest of the capital could solve this mystery. At midnight on the 15th day of each month, those who are sincere can meet someone who can guide them.
On the night of the 15th, Cheng Wenyuan went to the tomb and met the tomb guard. The tomb keeper took him into the Tomb of Cloths, which was like a hidden city. This place was dedicated to dealing with issues caused by wearing shrouds in the mortal world. There were many departments responsible for different affairs and the souls left behind by previous dynasties due to shroud issues.
Cheng Wenyuan studied at the Yiguan Tomb for many days, handled relevant cases, and passed the basic test. The tombkeeper took him to the treasury and told him that there were three key points in dressing his father-in-law, including timing, selection and method. He made at least two mistakes when dressing his father-in-law. However, these three key points involve the core secrets of the underworld. The tomb keeper said that more in-depth study and practice are needed, and only part of the content could be disclosed that day.
