In traditional Chinese culture, a promise was never treated lightly. A person’s word carried moral weight, and an oath made before Heaven or the gods was believed to have real consequences. An old story from Suzhou explores that belief in dramatic fashion, telling of a man whose betrayal of kindness seemed to follow him into a terrifying dream — and nearly into his next life.
A vow made in desperation
The story centers on Shi Weng, a generous man from Suzhou who was known for helping others. After finally having a son in his forties, he went to a temple at Tiger Hill to burn incense and offer thanks. There, near Sword Pond, he heard someone crying.
To his surprise, the weeping man was Gui Qian, a former childhood classmate. Gui said his family was trapped in poverty and burdened with debts owed to powerful people. With no way out, he had come to the temple intending to end his life.
Moved by pity, Shi Weng opened his chest and gave him 300 taels of silver — a huge sum. Gui Qian went into the temple, knelt before the deity, and swore an oath through tears: If he could not repay Shi Weng in this life, then in the next he would repay him even as a dog or a horse.
Shi Weng did even more than save his life. Later, when Gui Qian came to thank him, Shi saw how poor he still was and gave him a jujube orchard as a place to settle. The two men also agreed that one day their children would marry.
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