Li was registered as a native of the Tiantai district in Taizhoufu, a prefecture in the east-central portion of the province of Zhejiang. His wife was called Wang Shi, meaning a wife from the Wang family, since women usually continued to be called by their maiden names after marriage.
This couple loved the virtuous life. Li Yuanwai was extremely kind to others and not unduly severe toward the soldiers he commanded. Because of this, his reputation as a good officer was widespread. At home he was pleasant and generous, and outside his home he helped those in danger and relieved those in distress with padded clothing in winter and draughts of medicine in summer. When Li Yuanwai walked along the street, people generally called him Virtuous Li, but a few among them disagreed, saying, “If he is truly virtuous, why is there not a son?”
Li Maoqun overheard this talk, so later, when his wife saw him come home sad and dejected, she asked why he was unhappy. Her husband said, “When I was strolling in the street, almost everyone was calling me Virtuous Li, but among them there were some who said privately, but so that I could hear, that, if I were truly good it would not be possible for me to be without a son. I think that heaven has its spirits and the Buddha has his spirits, and if we ask, it is in their power to permit us to have a child.”
“Why not take a second wife or buy two concubines and have a son and a daughter?” urged his wife.
Her husband said, “Oh, my wife, it is wrong to say such words. How could I do such a stupid thing! My wife, you are only approaching forty. You can still give birth to sons or daughters. You and I will purify ourselves by fasting and bathing for three days and then go to the Guojing temple on Tiantai mountain, beyond Yongning village. There we will worship Buddha and beg for a son. If heaven above has eyes, you and I, husband and wife, may still have a child.”
“Very good,” said Wang Shi.
Li Yuanwai selected a date, and with his wife riding in a cart while he rode a horse, they and their party of servants reached the foot of Tiantai mountain. They looked up at the mountain rising up to meet the clouds, its peaks standing erect, the dense forests and the Guojing temple halfway to the top. When they reached the outside of the temple, they saw how large and high the monastery gate appeared. Inside there were two towers, one for the drum and one for the bell. Just beyond was the purification hall for the guests, the hall for reading the sutras or scriptures of Buddhism, and a large building with twenty-five rooms for storing the complete religious library of Buddhism, the Tripitaka.
Li Yuanwai got down from his horse. From within, the monks came out to greet the couple. At the great hall they were offered tea. The master of the temple, old Abbot Gong, came himself to welcome them and took them to each place where they were to burn incense. Husband and wife first went to the imposing Hall of Treasures and prayed. They knelt to ask the immortal Buddha to bless them, saying, “As we renew the incense, teach us a thousand times ten thousand times that we may have a son. If Buddha, the founder, will manifest his spirit, we will make extensive repairs to an old temple and fashion a golden image. This is our prayer.” On they went, burning incense at each place.
When they reached the Lohan Hall, containing images of lohan (disciples of Buddha), they also burned incense. When they were standing in front of the fourth lohan, they saw the image slip from its pedestal. Since the words “fall to earth” when used by Buddhists also means “be born into the world,” the senior priest Gong said, “Your prayer is an swered! Your prayer is answered! You will certainly have an honorable son. When the day comes, I will come to wish you happiness.”
Li Yuanwai returned home with his wife and servants. Without knowing it, his wife became pregnant and after some months gave birth to a boy. At the time of the birth, a red light seemed to fill the courtyard and there was a strong odor of a strange perfume. Li Yuanwai was extremely happy, even though the newborn cried continuously, never ceasing straight through to the third day.
On this third day, just as the relatives and friends in the community came to offer congratulations, some neighbors came in to say that Abbot Gong of the Guojing monastery had come personally to give the official his kind regards and offer his good wishes.
Li Yuanwai went to welcome him and Abbot Gong said, “I can see that you are very happy. Is your son well?”
“From the time he was born, he has cried without ceasing,” Li Yuanwai replied.“I feel very anxious about this. Does the revered monk have some subtle way to cure this?”
Abbot Gong said, “It is easily managed. If you will go into the house and carry your son outside, I will take a look, and then I will understand the cause.”
Li Yuanwai said uneasily, “The child is not yet a full month old. I am afraid it will not be right to carry him outside.”
Abbot Gong said, “There will be no harm. Simply wrap him loosely in a robe. The three lights of the sun, moon, and stars will not harm him.”
As soon as Li Yuanwai heard this reasonable suggestion, he went quickly and carried the child out. The boy, who was born with an attractive face, clear-cut features, and a pleasant personality, was still crying without stopping. As soon as Abbot Gong came over and looked at him, his crying mouth stretched into a smile.
The old monk stroked the top of the child’s head with his hand and said, “Do not smile. Do not smile. I know your past history, you coming and I going. How can the great provincial families be so confident of their futures?”
The child immediately stopped crying, and the monk said, “May I take a disciple’s name and give it to him as a remembrance? He would be called Li Xiuyuan—meaning ‘Li who restores those harmed by malevolent influences, either from their own previous incarnations or from the wrongful acts of others.’”
Li Yuanwai assented and carried the child inside. A little later the father came out, saying that food was prepared for the monk.
The relatives and friends scattered and soon senior monk Gong also left.
Li Yuanwai hired a wet nurse to assist in caring for the child. The child grew and became strong.
Light is like an arrow, the days and months like a weaver’s shuttle. The years passed with the parents hardly aware of them, and Li Xiuyuan reached the age of seven. They had never intended that he should simply gather with the village boys, idly talking and laughing. So his parents decided that his studies should begin. An old graduate, Du Qunying, was hired to teach the boy at the instructor’s home. There were two others in the class. One was Han Wenmei, the son of Han Wenzheng, a military man, filial and upright, from Yongning village. The other was Wang Shi’s nephew, Wang Zhuan, who lived in Jiuning village. He was the son of Wang Anshi, the commander of a military unit. Wang Zhuan was eight years old.
The three boys studied together and truly enjoyed one another’s friendship. Li Xiuyuan was the youngest, but he never forgot what had once passed before his eyes. He advanced rapidly as he studied, and surpassed ordinary students in talent. Master Du thought this remarkable, and often said to people that he had waited long for such a talent as that of Li Xiuyuan.
When he reached the age of fourteen, Li Xiuyuan had great skill in reciting passages from the Four Books of the philosopher Confucius, as well as the Five Classics, and numerous works of other ancient Chinese philosophers discussing Confucianism. Together with the two others, Wang and Han, he was constantly composing poems and reciting them in a loud voice.
That year they were thinking of taking the provincial examinations as degree candidates. But Xiuyuan’s father fell sick and could not get out of bed. He was in a serious condition, too ill to be aware of what other people were doing. Someone sent for Wang Anshi, his wife’s younger brother, to come to his bedside.
Li Yuanwai said, “My dear brother, I will not be long in the world of men. Your nephew and your older sister will need you to take care of them.