Introduction

The object that flew out was the glasses worn by the Wind Gentleman. The Wind Gentleman seemed to be stunned from the impact, taking a long time to regain his senses. It was only then that he realized his forehead had collided with the eaves of the incense burner, yet he felt even more confused. The path he had just walked should not have led to such a collision, but it seemed as if a section of the incense burner’s eaves had suddenly grown out, perfectly aligning with his forehead. Suddenly, the two words "kowtow" came to his mind, startling him.

Ancient sites like Lingyin Temple do not permit ordinary worshippers to light incense and candles inside the hall. In the courtyard outside the hall, several large incense burners are placed on either side for visitors to use for burning incense. Incense and candles are offered in different burners; the incense burner resembles the alchemical furnace of the Supreme Old Lord from television dramas, with the lit incense inserted into the ash inside the burner. The candle holder resembles a small pavilion, featuring a row of iron racks serving as candle stands, topped with a roof that has four corners extending upwards. Incense and candles are offered in different burners; the incense burner resembles the alchemical furnace of the Supreme Old Lord from television dramas, with the lit incense inserted into the ash inside the burner. The candle holder resembles a small pavilion, featuring a row of iron racks serving as candle stands, topped with a roof that has four corners extending upwards.

Unfortunately, at that time, the Wind Gentleman did not understand this principle. After exiting the Hall of the Medicine Master Buddha, he casually lit the last incense and offered it, then turned to leave. At that moment, he thought to himself: "These devotees kneeling on the ground are somewhat amusing; if kneeling could solve problems, wouldn’t there be no troubles in the world? In any case, I do not have any..."

As soon as the thoughts of the Wind Gentleman reached this point, he heard a resounding "dong" in his ears, akin to the great bell of a temple striking directly on his forehead. The echo reverberated throughout his mind, and in an instant, everything before him blurred. He could see nothing, only a chaotic flash of golden light, and it took a long time for him to regain his senses.

At that time, Feng Junzi did not realize what was wrong with his actions. Later, his friend Professor Song admonished him: "How can you sneak around to worship Buddha like this? Either you should be a complete tourist, or you should properly follow the Buddhist rituals to burn incense and pay respects. This is not a matter of belief, but a matter of respect."

Feng Junzi enjoys studying metaphysics, yet he is not a Buddhist. He originally had no intention of worshipping Buddha; he was merely curious about the legendary place where Jikong practiced. Perhaps influenced by the surrounding atmosphere, or perhaps to quickly rid himself of the entanglements of the vendors, Feng Junzi still spent twenty yuan on a set of incense and candles, and slowly walked into Lingyin Temple

In the spring of 1997, in May, at Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, visitors were numerous and the incense wafted through the air. This place was originally a tranquil valley by the West Lake, with modest hills and clear waters, making it an ideal location for monks to practice. However, after tourism became an important economic pillar of the area, the mountain paths were bustling not with eminent monks, but with laypeople drawn by fame and fortune, either enjoying the scenery or seeking wealth and recognition. Feng Junzi was one of these laypeople.

If someone had been standing nearby at that moment, they would have witnessed a rather bizarre scene: a person, after finishing their offering of incense and candles, turned to walk towards the mountain gate, but suddenly stopped as if their entire body had been frozen by something in the air. Of course, this was not due to any miraculous event; rather, it was because the person's forehead had collided heavily with a corner of the incense burner’s eaves, producing a loud "clang" from the metal incense burner. At the same time, the person's figure abruptly froze, and something flew out from in front of them with a whoosh, landing on the bluestone slab five meters away. Again, this was not due to any miraculous event; it was simply that the person's forehead had collided heavily with a corner of the incense burner’s eaves, producing a loud "clang" from the metal incense burner. At the same time, the person's figure abruptly froze, and something flew out from in front of them with a whoosh, landing on the bluestone slab five meters away.

The Wind Gentleman turned back to glance at the Buddhist hall, and only then did he realize that there was no need to turn around and bow a few more times; the previous bow had already been sufficient. He was unsure whether this was a warning from the Buddha or a jest from the Bodhisattva. From that moment on, the Wind Gentleman remembered an important principle: there are some things you may choose not to believe in, but you must not lack respect; you may disregard Buddhas, demons, and deities, but you must never deceive them, and you should never provoke them lightly

The Wind Gentleman initially suspected that this was merely a coincidence, but later two events compelled him to reconsider his doubts. First, he struck his forehead against a metal surface with considerable force; logically, it would be strange if he did not develop a small bump, yet remarkably, there were no signs of injury whatsoever, not even a bruise, as if nothing had happened. Second, his glasses flew five meters away and fell onto the hard stone floor, yet they did not break; not only did they remain intact, but there wasn't even a slight scratch on them. These occurrences were nearly impossible, yet they were indeed the reality.

It was around 2 or 3 PM, the peak time for tourists. As Feng Junzi arrived at the entrance of the mountain amidst the crowded throng, he was surrounded by a group of vendors holding incense and candles. "Boss, please buy a stick of incense. The Bodhisattva of Lingyin Temple is very effective; one cannot come to seek blessings empty-handed."

Although the gentleman of the wind offered incense and candles, he did not sincerely worship the Buddha. Along the way, he merely hastily lit the incense and placed it properly. Many devotees naturally crowded at the entrances of various halls after offering their incense, and the gentleman of the wind joined in the queue to join the excitement. When it was his turn, he simply walked to the front of the group, raised his head to look at the Buddha statue, and bowed, even wearing a nonchalant smile on his face