The Meishan Cave Dweller

In the old lands of Meishan, mountains rise one after another and rivers wind through them, while the Zi River surges between countless peaks. Since ancient times, Meishan has been divided into three regions: in the Upper Region, people hunted in the mountains; in the Middle Region, they farmed them; and in the Lower Region, they crossed the waters. The mountain folk lived in harmony with the land and waters, alongside tales from antiquity. Many have heard that Meishan ritual masters can drive out evil and capture spirits, but few know that the true Meishan tradition has never favored violence.

So-called shadow spirits are not born as wicked specters. They are merely remnants of unresolved obsessions, gathering into lingering shadows in dark, damp, and stagnant places, disturbing the human spirit. Those in poor health are more prone to seeing illusions, while those with troubled minds are more easily ensnared by them. The way to resolve the problem is, first, to heal the body; next, to restore harmony to the landscape; then, to settle old grievances; and finally, to send the lonely spirits on their way through a Nuo ritual, dispersing their obsessions and letting the stagnant energy flow.

Chen Wang followed his master's final instructions, carrying an ox horn, a ritual knife, and a medicine bag as he traveled through the countryside. He did not slay spirits, but soothed them; he did not mislead people, but set things right. He journeyed through the villages of central Hunan, west into the Miao lands of western Hunan, south to the Yao mountains of Nanling, and east to the coastal regions of Jiangxi and Fujian, moving between everyday life and legend.

The mountains are endless and the waters never cease. Countless unsettled souls still wait for someone to seek them out and comfort them. This is the road traveled by the wanderers of Meishan.