Story 110: Zelin Nima Gunjue Folktales
Story 110: Zelin Nima Gunjue Folktales
Zelin Nima Gunjue
Author: Anonymous
Once upon a time, there was a tea merchant in the city of Shigatse. He would follow the caravan of “Doba” (Doba: Kangding Tibetan for Dagando, Doba is the caravan going to Kangding) every year, driving groups of people.
The mules and horses went through all kinds of hardships and dangers to do business in the distant city of Kangding, using their backs to buy Pulu, which was as white and soft as snowflakes, in exchange for Tuocha and brick tea from Han Dynasty, which were as black as gold.
The water of Nianchu River flows year by year; the merchants who sell tea grow old year by year. He was so old that his hands could no longer lift the bag, his teeth could no longer chew mutton, and he could no longer go out without a cane. He could no longer climb the ninety-nine snow-capped mountains to transport tea to Kangding City.
The old man has an only son named Zelin Nyima Gunjue. The old couple regarded him as the fat in their hearts and the pupils of their eyes. They stood in the sun for fear of him melting, and sat in the shade for fear of him freezing. Nima Gunjue has grown to be sixteen or seventeen years old, and he still plays “Polly” (Polly: a game played with pieces of stone, and the bottom: a game played with cow’s feet) with the neighborhood children all day long. “Fruit”. Other children couldn’t play with him, so they used their fingers to scratch their faces to shame him:
Come on! Come on!
Nima Gunjue is an expert at playing “Polly”.
Shipping tea is a fool! What a fool!
Come on! Come on!
Nima Gunjue is an expert at playing “bottom results”.
Shipping tea is a fool! What a fool!
Nima Gunjue was very angry and went home and said to his father: “Abba! This year I am going to Kangding City to deliver tea to the villagers!” Abba said: “Son! Your mother and I are both old.
Like a butter lamp in the wind, it goes out when it says it will. You should wait until we both die before you go! He went to his mother again and said, “Mom!” I’m going to Kangding this year
Go to the city and transport tea for the folks! “My grandma said, “My child, there are ninety-nine snow-capped mountains on the road from here to Kangding City. You must not go there with your body as arrogant as butter! “.
My father didn’t agree, and my mother didn’t agree either, so Nima Gunjue went to her childhood sweetheart Zhenbulingzi to discuss it. Zhenbulingzi thought for a while and said: “As usual, I should obey what my parents say. I am sheep dung on the threshold. I don’t know whether to roll in or out. As a rule, I shouldn’t talk too much. But, folks, Someone has to transport the tea you drink!”
Nima Gunjue thought her words were reasonable and determined to follow the “Douba” caravan to Kangding City. When he set off, his father was worried and came with a cane; his mother was worried and read scriptures to see him off. Zhenbu Lingzi was even more reluctant to leave. She grabbed his horse’s bit and took him to the Nianchu River. She cried and told him:
Please listen to it,
Zelin Nima goes to sleep!
Don’t stop when you cross the rocky mountain,
Be careful of the mountain monster playing tricks on you;
Go through the forest without stopping,
Beware of tree monsters playing tricks on you,
Don’t stop when you pass by Shenhu Lake,
Don’t let the Dragon Lady confuse you.
When Nima Gunjue saw his friends walking away, he felt anxious and sang:
Please don’t cry,
Lover Zhenbulingzi!
Quickly adjust the jewelry on your head,
Quickly wipe the tears from your eyes,
Should use singing and smiling faces,
The brother who sends you on a long journey.
Just as Zhenbulingzi wiped her tears with her sleeves, Nima Gunjue hit her horse and disappeared like a bird. Zhenbulingzi fainted and fell to the ground. When she woke up, she could no longer see the young man’s shadow.
Nima Gunjue followed the caravan, traveling at sunrise and camping at sunset. The journey went smoothly. One day, the caravan walked through the steep stone mountain. The strange cliffs and rocks on the roadside looked like the devil’s palace. Nima felt tired from walking and sat on a stone to rest.
The mountain demon in the cliff cave turned into a beautiful little nun, holding rosary beads in her hand, standing on the roadside and singing,
Ah tsk tsk, ah well,
What an arrogant young man,
What a handsome man,
From the front, he looks good.
From the back, you look in good shape.
Looks impressive from the side,
I love you, okay?
I’ll get married to you, okay?
Nima Gun felt very frightened and jumped onto his horse quickly, answering as he walked:
It’s not that I’m good-looking, Ani (Ani: nun.)!
That’s the bronze mirror on the chest shining;
It’s not that I have a good figure, Ani!
That’s the belt floating around the body;
It’s not that I’m very impressive, Ani!
It is “Jia Chi Pu Xiu” (Jia Chi Pu Xiu: a mainland knife and satin bowl cover worn by wealthy Tibetan people on their waists.) tied around the waist.
I have a lover, Zhenbulingzi,
How can I fall in love with you again?
I have a lover, Zhenbulingzi,
How can I get married to you again?
A few days later, the caravan passed through a large primeval forest. In the forest, there were big trees as thick as millstones, which looked like pillars supporting the sky. Nima Gun felt very hungry, so he dismounted and wanted to eat some dry food.
The tree monster on the ancient tree transformed into a beautiful shepherdess, with wild flowers in her hair, walking towards her with her waist twisted, asking Nima to come to her tent as a guest. Nima was so frightened that he jumped on his horse and chased everyone.
A few days later, the caravan passed a blue lake. The sun shines on the blue waves, like thousands of diamonds beating. Nima felt thirsty and stopped to drink some water. The dragon girl at the bottom of the lake saw his reflection, which was brighter than the morning glow, and quickly transformed into a noble lady with a wavy belt around her waist. She stopped his horse’s head and sang:
Ah tsk tsk, hehe,
What a beautiful young man,
What a majestic man.
I saw that he looked good in front of me.
From the back, you look in good shape.
Looks impressive from the side,
I love you, okay?
I’ll get married to you, okay?
The dragon girl blocks Nima’s sleep. She can’t move left or right. He had no choice but to sing to her:
It’s not that I’m good-looking, miss.
That’s the bronze mirror on the chest shining;
It’s not that I have a good figure, miss.
That’s the braids floating on the head;
I’m not very impressive, miss?
That is “Jia Chi Pu Xiu” tied around the waist.
I have a lover, Zhenbulingzi,
How can I fall in love with you again?
I have a lover, Zhenbulingzi,
How can I get married to you again?
The dragon girl was so angry that she stamped her foot three times, bit her lip three times, and swore, “Okay! I’ll wait for you here until you come back.”
The caravan climbed over countless snow-capped mountains and crossed countless rapids and glaciers, and walked for several months before arriving at Kangding City. Nima Gunjue has never seen such a lively place. All kinds of goods gather here and people from all ethnic groups interact here. Following the instructions of his companions, he sold the furs, furs and medicinal materials he brought and bought tea bricks, silk and porcelain. In the spring of the next year, the caravan crossed Zheduo Mountain again and returned to its hometown day and night.
They passed by the blue sacred lake. On the lake, a small golden-eyed fish swam to the left, right, and jumped upwards. The more they watched, the more interesting it became. Suddenly, the golden-eyed little fish swung its tail, splashing snow-white water and turned into a long white horse. It didn’t move forward or backward, and it just swept the horse and man into the sea. The friends were panicked and anxious.
Those who knew how to swim fished in the lake, and those who didn’t know how to swim searched for it on the shore. Three days and three nights passed, and not even the body was recovered. Everyone had no choice but to continue on their way. The closer one gets to home, the deeper the partner’s grief becomes. Some of them took off their hats, some took off their bridles, and some bowed their heads and shed tears to express their condolences for Nima Gunjue…
Besides, since Nima Gunjue left home, Zhenbulingzi has come to take care of the old man every day. I carry water for them in the morning and cook “Tuba” (Tuba: porridge made by Tibetans using radish, wheat grains, bones, etc.) for them in the evening, just like parents giving birth to children.
A year has passed, and the day for Nima Gunjue to go home is getting closer and closer. Zhenbu Lingzi went upstairs three times to look at the sky when she had nothing to do, and nine times when she had something to do. She looked at the east side longingly.
The roads and rooftops were all dug into holes by her. One day, she finally saw a caravan loaded with tea bags. She was so happy! Holding highland barley wine in her left hand and holding a small Tibetan mat in her right hand, she ran to the Nianchu River, just as the first group of caravans came over. Zhenbulingzi looked left and right, but couldn’t find Nima Gunjue. She only saw the mules and horses of the caravan, all of which had their bridles removed, and then she sang to everyone;
Welcome, welcome,
A businessman returning from Kangding!
Are you thirsty, friends?
Please drink a bowl of highland barley wine.
Are you tired from walking, my friend?
Please take a seat on the mat.
Could you please take off the bridles of the mules and horses?
What are the rules here?
Please ask Zelin Nima Gunjue,
Why didn’t I go with you?
The caravan man replied in a very soft voice:
Thank you, thank you,
Miss Zhenbulingzi.
The mules and horses take off their bridles, girl,
This is the rule of Kangding City;
Zelin Nima, go to sleep, girl,
Right behind us.
They drank some highland barley wine, said a few comforting words, and hurried over.
The girl waited and waited, and finally the second batch of caravans arrived. Looking around, there was still no sign of Nima Gunjue; every one of them was seen holding a hat in his hand.
Zhenbulingzi was extremely disappointed and sang feebly:
Welcome, welcome,
A businessman returning from Kangding:
Are you thirsty, friends?
Please drink a bowl of highland barley wine.
Are you tired from walking, my friend?
Please take a seat on the mat.
Could you please take off your hat when walking?
What is the custom of this place?
Please ask Zelin Nima Gunjue,
Why didn’t I go with you?
The people in the caravan were very sad and said that taking off their hats was a custom in Kangding City. Zelin Nima went to sleep and had something to worry about later. He drank a few sips of highland barley wine, said a few words of comfort, and went over in a panic. Got it
The girl waited for a long time before the last group of caravans arrived. When she saw that there was still no one, she went to sleep and knew that it was more likely to happen. With tears in her eyes, Zhenbulingzi sang sadly:
Welcome, welcome,
A businessman returning from Kangding!
Please tell me, friend,
Hide nothing;
Please tell the truth, my friend,
No matter how big the disaster is.
When we set off, we gather in groups,
When he came back, he was the only one missing;
Poor Zelin Nima is sleeping,
Dead or alive?
After listening to the girl’s song, the people in the caravan were very sad, but no one wanted to tell the news of Nima Gunjue’s death from their own mouths. They sang:
Please listen to it, Qing.
Miss Zhenbulingzi!
Zelin Nima, go to sleep, girl,
Staying sick by the lake of God;
Don’t be impatient, girl.
Gods and Buddhas will bless him with good health.
After singing, he reluctantly said goodbye to Zhenbulingzi and left silently. As for the girl, she fainted and fell to the ground. It took a long time to wake up. She thought: When Nima Gunjue wanted to go to Kangding City, my mother didn’t agree, and my father didn’t agree, but I, a sheep dung egg on the threshold, wanted to persuade him to be a promising person.
Now, everyone in the caravan is back with joy, but my mother is the only one who feels uncertain about her life and death. Can my grandma not shed tears? Abba, can you not be sad? I want to follow the caravan’s footprints to find his whereabouts. If he is sick, I want to cure his illness; if he is dead, I want to carry his body back.
Thinking of this, Zhenbulingzi did not go home, but walked straight towards Kangding. She was on the road during the day and also at night. I would ask around when I met people, search for villages when I came across them, and even when I saw a stone or a piece of grass, I would like to ask about the whereabouts of Nima Gunjue. She was too tired to walk, and her body was as stooped as a jade bamboo; she cried too much, and her eyes were as dry as a sea child. She climbed up a very high snow-capped mountain and called Nima Gunjue’s name, which made the cliffs weep. She walked through a very dense forest and sang songs about missing her loved ones, and the ancient trees also sighed. .
One day, she finally came to the sacred lake, but still could not find the shadow of Nima Gunjue. The girl was so tired that she lay down by the lake to rest. Suddenly, she heard someone shouting in the lake: “The dog comes to eat, and the food is in the gold basin! The dog comes to eat, and the food is in the silver basin!”
Zhenbulingzi knew it was the sound of Nima Gunjue without even thinking about it. He immediately took off his ring and silently prayed to the sky: “Bodhisattva! If Nima and I have a marriage as thin as a horse’s tail, please send my ring to him!” “After that, he threw the ring into the lake.
When Zelin Nima woke up, he was tied to the bottom of the lake with the magic rope of “Dun Yu Xia Gua” (Dun Yu Xia Gua: Ruyi Lasso.) by Dragon Girl. Dragon Girl wanted to marry him. He said that a needle could not Both ends are pointed, a person cannot have two hearts, and he will not agree to it no matter what. The Dragon Girl had no choice but to force him to feed the dogs in the Dragon Palace and wait for him to change his mind.
When Nima Gunjue was feeding the dog, a ring suddenly fell from the lake with a “sing” sound. She picked it up and looked closely, and recognized it to be the life ring of her lover Zhenbulingzi. He was very happy. Knowing that Lian Xin’s lover was looking for him, he hurriedly took off his ring and prayed to heaven: “Bodhisattva, if Zhenbulingzi and I still meet again, please give this ring to me.” Come to her.”
Zhenbulingzi got Nima Bojue’s ring and knew that he was at the bottom of the lake. She was so happy that she forgot about everything, raised her feet and ran towards the lake. At this time, something unexpected happened. Zhenbulingzi walked down step by step, and the lake receded step by step. When Zhenbulingzi reached the bottom of the lake, the water in the sacred lake dried up so much that even the shadow disappeared. Only Nima Gunjue stood in front of her, like a brave prince.
In this way, they both rode a horse, like clouds blown by the wind, happily running towards their hometown.
The good news also grew wings and flew to Shigatse faster than them. My father and mother suddenly cheered up from despair and were grateful to Miss Zhenbu Lingzi from the bottom of their hearts. After hearing the news, the villagers came and presented snow-white hadas and danced joyfully to welcome the lovers who had experienced many hardships and returned safely. Immediately afterwards, they held a grand wedding. The bride and groom used the finest tea shipped from Kangding and made fragrant butter tea to entertain guests from far and near.
Narrated by: Niqiao, Chengguan Town, Shigatse
Note: This story is popular in the Houzang area, where most people over forty years old, especially women, can sing it. When we sorted it out, there were two slight differences from the original story. The first is the reason why Nima Gunjue went to Kangding. The original story was that his uncle lost money, so we changed it to Abba is old; the second is Zhenbulingzi’s attitude. The original story was that Zhenbulingzi opposed him going to Kangding, so we changed it to Became support. This seems to increase the plausibility of the story.
In August 1979, Wang Qing, an old farmer from Langjiexue Commune in Gongga County, told a story with the same name, but the content was different. The story goes: Nima Gunjue is the son of a tea merchant. He does not do his job properly and only makes some shady friends. There were three bad guys who pretended to be businessmen and encouraged Nima Gunjue to transport tea to Kangding.
When the tea was shipped back, they first instigated a wine seller to seduce him, then mixed poison in the wine to kill him, and defrauded him of his tea bags. , drove away his mules and horses. Later, his wife Zhenbulingzi accidentally discovered the three bad guys, but Nima Gunjue was nowhere to be seen, so she searched for him alone along the tea transporting road. After going through a lot of hardships, she found him under a broken wall. Her husband was about to die.
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