Introduction of Lin Shui Tai Bao She Ren (閭山臨水太保舍人童子)

 

A lot of People had been wondering, who are Tai Bao She Ren (太保舍人) in Taoism and Why in South East Asia or Southern China, there are Records & Statues dedicated to them? But yet, seldom People know about their Real Identity.

To be accurate, in Taoism (Southern Taoism), there are 2 groups of Tai Bao She Ren.

1 group is known as Qing Long Sheng Wang Tai Bao She Ren (青龍聖王太保舍人), which is the 2 sons of Qing Long Sheng Wang aka Duke Green Dragon (青龍聖王) in China Teochew Province (中國潮州).

Another group, which is known as Lin Shui Tai Bao She Ren (臨水太保舍人), this is the group that is always being invited in Taoist Lv Shan Ritual (道教閭山科儀). Besides that, this group of Tai Bao She Ren is quite well-known in China Fu Zhou Province (中國福州) and also in Taiwan (台灣).

In here, Jave will like to touch on the 2nd Group, which is the Son & Foster Sons of Lin Shui Fu Ren aka Madam Chen Jing Gu (臨水夫人陳靖姑).

AD 929 (唐朝永和二年), Tang Dynasty, on the 9th Day of Lunar 5 Month (農曆五月初九日), Madam Chen Jing Gu was found pregnant with a Baby Boy.

On the Day of knowing that she was pregnant, Madam Chen’s Master – Heavenly Master Xu Xun (許遜天師) had advised her not to engage into any form of Rituals in the next coming 3 Months. Knowing that her Master was making some hinting to her, Madam Chen Jing Gu gratefully kept the Advise in her mind.

AD 929, 13th Day of Lunar 8 Month, Madam Chen Jing Gu received a news from her Taoist-mate that River Bai Long (白龍江, in China Gan Su Province 位於中國甘肅省) had encountered Demon spreading Evil Energies that harm the Commoners on the Area.

Upon receiving the news and somehow Madam Chen Jing Gu had forgotten that she was pregnant, immediately, she set off for River Bai Long to subdue the Demon.

On 15th Day of Lunar 8 Month, Madam Chen Jing Gu arrived at the River. As she was performing her inspection on the situation, she saw that the Demon had released out harmful & negative energies from the River-bed and so, without further delaying, she dived into the River, hoping to subdue the Demon.

As Madam Chen Jing Gu was diving into the River, she realised that her stomach was reacting vigorously against the strong wave, only then she remembered the Advise that her Master had given her.

Just as she started to hesitate on the subduing of the Demon, a voice appeared in her mind to encourage her not to stop. Recalling seeing the People on the River-bank was suffering, Madam Chen Jing Gu chose not to give up and vowed to subdue the Demon. As she dived deeper into the Sea, she caressed her stomach and apologised to the unborn baby.

While Madam Chen Jing Gu comforting the Baby, she arrived at the Coral-cave where the Demon Dragon hid. Upon reaching at the Cave, Madam Chen Jing Gu released her 7-stars Sword (七星劍) and start to fight with the Demon Dragon.

Within moments, strong Waves (tsunami) started to appear on the surface of the River and in a while, the Waves had washed onto the bank which killed a number of the Commoners.

Just as the Waves had washed onto the bank, Madam Chen Jing Gu released out a Talisman and with some strong struggling, the Demon Dragon transformed itself into a White Snake (白蛇). Before the Demon Dragon fully transformed into a Snake, it released out a gust of Poisonous Gas to attack Madam Chen Jing Gu. Without noticing, Madam Chen Jing Gu was being hit by the Gas and within seconds, she was being blacked-out.

After returning conscious, Madam Chen Jing Gu realised that her Master was besides her and while she lift her head up, she saw that she was in Tian Ji Fu (金闕天機府), which was the Celestial Court where the Heavenly Masters performed their daily task.

With her Master’s explanation, Madam Chen Jing Gu realised that she had actually got her Immortal-hood. At the moment when she was being killed by the Demon Dragon, her Master had descended to the Mortal Realm to lead her Yuan Shen (元神) back to the Celestial Realm.

As Madam Chen Jing Gu listening to her Master on the whole encounter, she was also being told that her son had miscarriage. Realising that her son had sacrificed due to her, Madam Chen Jing Gu couldn’t forgive herself for not taking good care of her own flesh & blood.

Seeing that Madam Chen Jing Gu was so depressed, her Master had to reveal another piece of news to her, telling her that after 8 years, she would be able to see her Child in Feng Du City (酆都城) again. Cos after the Child was miscarriage, Master Xu had sent the Soul of the Child to Feng Du City to perform his cultivation under the Inspection of Recording Officer Bao & Bai (包白雙判官).

Upon knowing that, Madam Chen Jing Gu was grateful to her Master and she vowed to concentrate on her cultivation and would wait for the day for the Reunion. Besides that, she also made a vow on doing her best to protect ALL pregnant ladies and unborn babies, preventing them from getting hurt by any Negative Entities & Demons (發願為護童監生).

AD 936, 15th Day of Lunar 7 Month, which was about 8 years after Madam Chen Jing Gu got her Immortal-hood, she made her way to Feng Du City after bidding farewell to her Master.

On 15th Day of Lunar 8 Month, Madam Chen Jing Gu arrived at Feng Du City. Just before she stepped into the City, she was stopped by a little Boy. Looking at the Boy, Madam Chen Jing Gu thought that he was the Son of her, so immediately, she went forward to question the little Boy.

But just as Madam Chen Jing Gu was about to open her mouth to ask the Boy, the Boy started to speak up. The Boy told her that she was Chen Jing Gu and her main purpose of coming to Feng Du City was to look for her son. Upon hearing that, Madam Chen Jing Gu was surprised by the Boy’s Fore-casting. Knowing that Madam Chen Jing Gu was amazed by his Prediction, the little Boy had to tell her the Truth that he was actually the Foster-son of Officer Bao (包判官), his name was known as Bao Da Ting (包打聽) – meaning being Busybody wherever he went.

After knowing his true identity, Madam Chen Jing Gu was being amused by his name and with motherly love, she carried the Boy up and asked him to lead the way into the City to look for her son.

Due to Bao Da Ting was being killed at a young age in a Riot, he had never felt Motherly Love since he entered into Feng Du City, after being hug and carried by Madam Chen Jing Gu, Bao Da Ting was deeply touched and in his mind, he hoping that one day, he could have a Mother like Madam Chen Jing Gu. By looking into the eyes of Bao Da Ting, Madam Chen Jing Gu had somehow read the mind of him and so, she returned a smile and nodded at the him.

As both of them were about to reach the Magistrate Office of Officer Bao, 2 Boys were fighting on the Street. When Bao Da Ting saw the 2 boys, immediately he shouted out to the one wearing white to stop and called upon the other boy who dressed in Prince-robe to come forward to meet his Mother.

Upon hearing that, Madam Chen Jing Gu was shocked and stunned, immediately she freezed at the spot staring at the Prince-robe boy.

After returning to her calm state, Madam Chen Jing Gu looked down to Bao Da Ting, Bao Da Ting nodded to her to hint her that this boy was her Son.

Before Madam Chen Jing Gu could react further, her tears had rolled down and when the Prince-robe Boy saw her, he was deeply touched too. With a dash, he ran forward to hug Madam Chen Jing Gu and called out Mum. Hearing that her son was calling her, Madam Chen Jing Gu couldn’t withstand her upset and sorrow anymore, both of them hug together tightly and sob for quite some time. After 8 years, both of them finally reunited.

As Madam Chen Jing Gu comforting her Son, Officer Bao & Bai arrived at the spot. After introduction and making some enquiries, Madam Chen Jing Gu knew that Liu Cong (劉聰) - the Son’s name, was being taken care by both of them for the past 8 years under the Order of her Master, she was Grateful and Happy and immediately, she returned her Sincerest Gratitude to the 2 Officers.

While Madam Chen Jing Gu talking to the 2 Officers, Bao Da Ting & the white robe boy – known as Bai Gan Sheng (白感生), the Foster son of Officer Bai (白判官), were sobbing sadly aside as they recalled about their past.

Bai Gan Sheng, son of a loving couple in Fu Zhou City (福州市).

One Year, while the father of Bai Gan Sheng was out in the field ploughing the ground, he was being bitten by a Poisonous snake, just as he was about to call out for help, the poison had somehow travelled through-out the whole body and before he could get any assistance from the people nearby, he was died.

Soon, the news reached the wife. After receiving the news, the wife was not able to accept the fact and on the spot, the wife broke-down mentally and with a dash, the wife killed herself by jumping into the nearby River.

Bai Gan Sheng became an orphan.

At the age of 5, drought invaded the Area of where Bai Gan Sheng was living. In a month, the whole village was being seriously affected and for the people to survive, they had to move away to find a new place to settle down.

One day, while Bai Gan Sheng’s adopted father went out to look for food, Bai Gan Sheng was being left alone at home. Due to hunger, Bai Gan Sheng had to run around in the house for food. Just as he passed by the corridor, he saw a dog biting onto a bone. Looking at the bone, Bai Gan Sheng thought that there still some meat sticking on it and so, he ran towards the dog and snatched the bone away. Just as he placed the bone into his mouth and bite hard on it, the bone cracked and with a hungry swallow, Bai Gan Sheng swallowed the broken bone into his throat and after a while, Bai Gan Sheng found out that he couldn’t breathe (due to the stuck in the throat) and soon, Bai Gan Sheng was found died due to suffocation.

After Bai Gan Sheng pass-on, his Yuan Shen (元神) couldn’t find the way back to the Source and was found floating in the Air.

One Day, while Officer Bai was performing his inspection on the Drought situation, he saw Bai Gan Sheng’s Yuan Shen and with a Grab, Officer Bai took his Soul back to Feng Du City.

Back in Feng Du City, Officer Bai released the Soul out and transformed the Yuan Shen into the original look of Bai Gan Sheng. Looking at Bai Gan Sheng, Officer Bai felt pity for him and with compassionate, he kept Bai Gan Sheng by the side, acknowledged him as the Foster Son while waiting for the real Foster Mother to arrive in the Feng Du City to fetch him off.

With years of waiting, finally the Day had arrived.

Knowing that Bai Gan Sheng & Bao Da Ting were closely & Strongly connected with herself, Madam Chen Jing Gu pleaded to the 2 Officers for bringing them along back to Lv Shan (閭山) for cultivation.

Upon hearing that, Officer Bao & Bai were delighted and immediately agreed with the request.

Just before Madam Chen Jing Gu and the 3 children left for Lv Shan, Heavenly Master Xu Xun arrived at Feng Du City, upon ushering Master Xu in, Master Xu carried out his task on announcing the Celestial Edict for promoting Officer Bao & Bai to Chief Recording Officer and they were be relocated to Mountain Tai (泰山) to assist Lord Dong Yue (東嶽大帝) in looking after the Spiritual Coffer (受生庫).

As for Madam Chen Jing Gu, she was being Officially Bestowed with the Title of Pu Hua Bi Xia Tai Hou Bao Tong Zhu Sheng Zhao Hui Chong Fu Jiu Shi Yuan Jun (普化碧霞太后保童註生昭惠救世元君).

For her Son Liu Cong, he was giving the Title of Ling Yong Tai Bao San She Ren (靈勇太保三舍人).

For Eldest Foster Son Bao Da Ting, he was given the Title of Yin Yang Tai Bao Bao She Ren (引陽太保包舍人).

For Second Foster Son Bai Gan Sheng, he was giving the Title of Tong Ming Tai Bao Bai She Ren (通冥太保白舍人).

The 3 little Boys were being appointed the Task to assist Madam Chen Jing Gu in salvaging the Pass-on and also to protect those Un-born Babies. Besides that, for those who died before they were being born, their Souls were be lead to the Flower Garden (花園) to wait for Reborn.

Upon completing the Task of announcing the Celestial Edict, Heavenly Master Xu Xun brought Madam Chen Jing Gu and the 3 Boys back to Lv Shan.

Today in China Fu Zhou City, the story of the 3 Boys can still be found. Every, on their Manifestation Anniversary, Taoists will flock to the Main Ancestral Temple dedicating to Madam Chen Jing Gu to honour the 3 Boys.

For Bao Da Ting, his Anniversary falls on 14th Day of Lunar 5 Month (農曆五月十四日).

For Bai Gan Sheng, his Anniversary falls on 13rd Day of Lunar 3 Month (農曆三月十三日).

And for Liu Cong, his Anniversary falls on 9th Day of Lunar 5 Month (農曆五月初九日 using the Date when Madam Chen Jing Gu released the news out on her pregnancy).