梗概

Yueyang Tower

Casting its magnificent reflection on the Dongting Lake is the glorious Yueyang Tower．Its construction began more than 1400 years ago，when Yuezhou aristocrats forced local peasants to raise this tower as a place for scenic viewing．The workers labored endlessly，but in return they were mistreated，so many fell ill．

One afternoon，a passerby clothed in black and carrying a gourd came to plead for some overnight lodging．After his stay was granted，the workers began to discover his supernatural powers．First，the stranger cured a carpenter whose eyes were burned by lime using a golden pill，which he then distributed to all those sick．At dinnertime，seeing that everyone had only porridge and spoiled dishes to eat，he magically turned woodehips into rice using his gourd，and wood shavings，which he scattered into the lake，into fish．Before long，the workers were having the most delicious meal．The stranger in black，however，disappeared．

Attracted by the cheerful noises，the officers came and discovered the appetizing meal，which they rushed to devour for themselves．Yet，just as the snow-white rice and the savory fish entered their mouths，they became woodehips and shavings again．Some impatient officers even had agonizing stomachaches．Since that day，the officers dared not to neglect the workers again and the workers，having had rice and fish everyday，built the most magnificent Yueyang Tower．So who was that visitor？One old carpenter recalled that it was the divine Lü Dongbin．