Chinese Traditional Story: Escape from the Great Plague of the Century

Hello everyone, the story I'm going to share today is Escape from the Great Plague of the Century. The concept of plague is no longer unfamiliar to people around the world, and I've even heard that an even larger one is on the way. Therefore, amidst this anxiety, I'd like to share a historical story and some of my own family's experience, hoping that those who have the opportunity to hear these stories will find some help and be able to evade this impending disease. Looking at major plagues throughout history, they all seem to be directly related to the decline of human morality. So who sets the moral standards of humanity? We know that humans were created by God, and the human world must be managed by God. Throughout history, God has sent some saints, such as Shakyamuni Buddha, Jesus, Laozi, and Confucius to the world to impart theories and knowledges on how people should live in this world. Examples of karmic retributions in the human world also prove this point. When a person's thoughts and actions deviate from the principles set by God, this person will fall ill or suffer misfortune. However, if more people deviate from the right path, human disasters will begin. With disasters raging today, many people understand that behaviors and thoughts that were once considered wrong have become commonplace. To put it simply, officials are corrupt, people openly rob others, people deceive each other, men and women have children out of wedlock, people beat and scold their elders, and some even kill their own relatives for money. It's safe to say that such examples abound around the world today. Will God ignore such a world? The devastating pandemic, still fresh in our memories, occurred just a few years ago, during which many lost their loved ones and friends. It was a wake-up call from God, urging humanity to awaken quickly so that we could escape an even greater plague that was about to strike. Here, I would like to share a story my grandmother told me. My grandmother was a devout Buddhist. My grandfather passed away a long time ago, and my grandmother struggled to raise three underage children. It was truly a miracle that she survived in those days. Grandma had no choice but to sell popsicles on the street. She told me that in those days, there were many beggars on the street. Every time she finished selling popsicles, she would put the coins she earned to the beggars one by one on her way home. By the time she got home, there were hardly any left. When she was 35, a great plague broke up in her town. It was so severe that she saw neighbors get up in the morning to cook, only to be dead by evening. At that time, my grandmother heard that a certain medicine could prevent the plague. So she took my 12-year-old father and went door-to-door to give people injections. There were no masks back then, let alone any protective gear. Later, almost every family had someone die, but my grandmother's family of four remained unharmed. Next, I would like to share another ancient story. During the Song Dynasty, there was a scholar in Poyang County named Shen Chuan. He was kind-hearted from a young age, so everyone called him a virtuous man. When he was in his 40s, he experienced a miraculous event. One year, a plague broke out in the area, and Shen Chuan unfortunately contracted it. Nearly 10 days passed, and his illness showed no signs of improvement, with corpses scattered everywhere in the street. Just when he was at his wits' end, one evening, as he lay in bed helplessly waiting to die, he suddenly saw a person dressed in yellow clothes, holding a rattan stick, walking from outside and come directly to his bedside. The man in yellow looked like a runner from a government office. He stood in front of the bed, not saying a word, and occasionally looked back at outside. Shen Chuan followed his gaze and looked toward the door, where he saw another person. The man wore black turban and green robe, holding documents in his hands. He appeared to be an official. Just as the green-robed man was about to enter the room, the man in yellow pointed at Shen Chuan and said to him, This man is very kind. Upon hearing this, the green-robed man took out a pen from his sleeve, crossed out a line on the document, then the two of them turned and left, one after the other. Shen Chuan was completely bewildered at the time. After a while, he came to his sense and realized that he had seen a soul-ripping messenger. Thinking of this, he felt a chill of fear. At this moment, his wife and children came to see him. To confirm that his guess was correct, he asked his wife and children if they had seen anyone enter the house. They both said they hadn't. Shen Chuan understood in his heart that his guess was right, which made him even more terrified. At the same time, he was also grateful that he had always done good deeds and accumulated merits, which was why he hadn't been taken away by the soul-ripping messenger. Due to nervousness, he broke out in sweat, almost completely soaked. The next day, he miraculously recovered and later passed away at an advanced age. From my family's experience and this ancient story, we now know very well that today's plague has got eliminating dose with great sense. Therefore, the old saying, heaven is watching what people do, is truly accurate. Some might say, my friend was always so kind, how could he have died in the plague? I believe certain examples exist. However, God sees us not only in this life, but also in the thousands of years reincarnation we have experienced in the human world. This is clearly visible to God. Such people may have committed great things in past life, but it doesn't mean they are hopeless. The reason I'm writing this today to tell everyone the secret to escaping this plague is to repent before heaven for wrong doings you've done, resolve to correct them, and then do more good deeds. If you continue to do this, you will surely be happy at the end. Thank you very much for listening to the story. More touching stories will be ready for you if you just subscribe it. Thank you again.