The story of the origin of cow's head and horse's face

The origin of the "bull's head and horse's face": According to the Tiecheng Mud Plough Classic, Abang became a bull's head in the underworld after his death because he was unfilial to his parents, and served as an official to patrol and search for fugitives. According to some information, Buddhism was originally a bull's head. When it was introduced to China, it was only because of the symmetry and pairing among the people in China that it was matched with a horse face. The theory of "cow's head and horse's face" spread among the people in China, and was later absorbed by Taoism, and served as the subordinate and judge of Yan Luowang.

Legend has it that the ox head and horse face used to be in charge of real power in the underworld, but why did it become one of Yan's courtiers? Speaking of which, there is an interesting story. A long time ago, there was a gentleman named Ma in Fengdu City. He was a tycoon with deep pockets in the city. Supposedly, he should be satisfied, but one thing has been bothering him, because he is sixty years old and has married eleven "wings" in succession. No matter how much you ask God to make a wish, you can't achieve it. Needless to say, Mr. Ma regards his only son, Ma Yichun, as the apple of his eye. But he was worried that if something happened, it would not only break the incense of Ma's family. And the rich have no heirs. For this reason, he was sad day and night and was at a loss.

Unexpectedly, the house leaked rain, and it rained all night. One day, Mr. Ma had breakfast and was going out to prepare dining tables. When his son turned eighteen tomorrow, he would give him a wedding banquet. Coincidentally, just then, a man with eight characters passed by the door and said, "fortune teller, fortune teller!" " "

When Mr. Ma heard the shouts, he was overjoyed and forgot all about going out. So he hurried down the steps with a gown in his hand and respectfully invited Mr. Bazi to come in and sit on it. After drinking tea, Mr. Ma said sincerely, "Sir, would you please count the lives of my children?"

Mr. Bazi nodded and said, "Yes, yes."

Mr. Ma immediately reported his son's birth time. Mr. Bazi was surprised and blurted out, "Oh, no!"

Mr. Ma was getting more and more flustered, but in order to find out urgently, he begged, "Please rest assured, Sir, and say it directly."

Hachi hesitated for a moment and said, "Your young master's clothes are good, but his life span is too short, only eighteen years!" "

Mr. Ma fainted to the ground with a cry of "Oh, my God", and it took a long time to wake up, and his face was as white as earth. Asked: "sir, please try to save my poor son!" " "

Mr. Ba Zi thought for a moment and said, "What can mortals do? There's only one way. I wonder if members are willing to spend money? "

When Mr. Ma heard that there was still a way to think about it, he quickly said, "As long as I can save my son, even if I lose everything, I will do whatever it takes!"

Mr. Bazi just told him: Tomorrow night at midnight, you should prepare a table of the most abundant food and wine, put it in a box, take it to the first twelve steps of the "Death Gate" and give it to two chess players. However, you should invite them three times in a row, be patient and don't be impatient. Mr. Ma keeps it in mind.

The next day, when he arrived at the designated place, he found two people absorbed in playing chess. These two are none other than bull's head and horse's face. Mr. Ma didn't dare to disturb them. He knelt down quietly, put the box on his head and watched silently. When they finished playing a game of chess, he carefully asked, "Two immortals, please eat before you play!" " "Two people seem to have heard each other's words, but there is no answer, just like three transgressions twice.

The cow's head and horse's face could not help drooling when they saw this man's sincerity and the delicious food in the box. Ma Mian quietly said to the bull's head, "Niu Ge, we haven't eaten yet on this business trip. Let's have a full meal. It's hard to care about this person, don't you think? " Tauren have had this idea for a long time, but it's not convenient to say it. He nodded and said, "It's not too late to go down the mountain after eating." After talking, it's like the wind blowing away the leaves. I ate all the food and was about to leave. I saw the delivery man still kneeling on the ground and asked, "You must have something to ask us?"

Commissioner Ma quickly kowtowed and said, "I am in trouble and need your help." Said and burned a pile of money paper.

Cow's head and horse face felt embarrassed and had to say, "What do you want? Tell me quickly! I have something important to travel! "

"Two gods, I only have one life, and life is coming to an end. Please show mercy to the two gods. "

"What's your name?"

"Ma Yichun." Tauren opened the "heady order" given to him by Cui Panguan. He was frightened and said, "Brother Ma, what we want is his son. It's just not the time yet. I didn't expect ... This ... "

Commissioner Ma repeatedly kowtowed: "I would be grateful if the two immortals could prolong their lives!"

Tauren said, "The law of Yin Cao is strict, and it is not easy to do it!" Mr. Ma secretly worried and had a brainwave. He turned to Ma Mian and said, "I have a brother named Ma, who is also in charge of the underworld. If you don't do it, I have to go to him. "

When Ma Mian heard this, he thought to himself, I, the underworld from the king to the ghost, know that there is no one named Ma except me. If this relative is me, but I haven't met him, I tentatively ask, "My surname is Ma, too. I want to know who your brother is? " Mr. Ma said in surprise: "As blind as a bat, it is difficult for a villain to write two words' horse' in one stroke. Thank you, brother. " The horse said, "You said you were my brother. Why don't I remember? "

"After you went to the grave, you drank ecstasy tea, and you forgot all about the dead. Where can I remember? "

Ma thinks what he said is true, and now he has eaten his food. If he didn't do it well, he exchanged glances with Niu tou. Niutou knows that, in that case, consider it a personal favor and try to give him some change.

So, while I was drunk, I went back to Cao. When it was known, he sent Bai impermanence to inquire about it himself, and it happened. Yama right immediately flew into a rage and immediately took the cow's head and horse's face to the temple. In order to make an example for others, he took responsibility for everyone in front of ministers, and then blew bad style twice. Suddenly, the cow's head and horse's face returned to their original shapes. Yama right saw that they really repented, so he cut off their official services and stayed in the underworld as an errand.