The story and significance of cow's head and horse's face

Legend has it that the bull's head and horse's face used to be in charge of the real power of the underworld, but why did they only become arresting officers under Yan? 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. However, he was very worried that, in case of misfortune, not only the incense of the Ma family would be broken, but also the rich family would have no successors. 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 shocked and suddenly broke into a cold sweat: "What?" "The villain is not convenient to say." Hachi shook his head and sighed.

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 birthday is too short, too short!" "How much is it?" "Eighteen."

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 gray. Unexpectedly, the child's eighteenth birthday tomorrow is the end of his life. Think of this, it is a heartbreaking cry. After a long time, she sobbed and asked, "sir, sir, please try your best 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 were other ways to consider, his heart naturally calmed down a lot. He quickly said: "As long as you can save your son, even if you lose everything!"

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, so he had to kneel quietly, put the box on his head and watch silently. When they finished playing a game of chess, he carefully asked, "Two immortals, please eat before you play!" " "Two people seem to listen, but there is no answer, so he played the second game of chess. Mr. Ma waited until the end of the second inning, but nothing happened. He was a little anxious, but he didn't dare to offend, so he had to wait on his knees. After a while, Niutou suddenly put the chess piece down: "Brother Ma, let's go. It's time. " Horse face is also busy putting down the chess pieces, putting away the chessboard and preparing to go down the mountain.

At this time, Mr. Ma panicked outside, worried that he would miss the opportunity and miss the big event. He quickly raised his voice and shouted, "gentlemen, please eat before you go!" " The bull's head turned back and asked, "Who are you?"

When Mr. Ma saw that the time had come, he quickly said, "You two gods have worked hard. I think you are hungry at this time. I will prepare vegetarian wine and simple dishes. Please ask the gods to satisfy your hunger and thirst! "

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, so let's have a full stomach. This person can't help it. What do 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 that, he ate all the food like leaves and was about to leave. He saw the delivery man 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 "Gouhun Order" given to him by Cui Panguan, and got a fright: "Brother Ma, we want to catch his son, but the time is not 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 get it? "

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.

Cow's head and horse's face mean: superstitious legendary two ghost pawns, one with a cow's head and the other with a horse's head. Metaphor is all kinds of ugly people.