The pathetic state of affairs was now rudely interrupted. Just as Lao-tzŭ was about to take his departure it was found that his old servant Hsü-chia (徐甲), who had attended him for more than two hundred years without pay, seeing Lao-tzŭ about to set out on an apparently unlimited pilgrimage, demanded payment. The arrears of wages due to him amounted to 7,200,000 cash, and he applied to a friend who got Yin-hsi to speak to the sage. This friend gave his handsome daughter in marriage to Hsü-chia, who was quite delighted with the arrangement. Just at this time, however, the master appeared and told Chia that he ought to remember from what a poor condition he had been raised, and that he would have been dead long ago had it not been for the charm of long life which had been given to him. He also informed Chia that, as he had previously promised, he had intended to pay the debt in gold on reaching An-hsi (安息), a country which Biot identifies with that of the Parthians. Yielding to the last vestige of earthly infirmity Lao-tzŭ became angry and ordered Chia to fall on his face to the ground and open his mouth. The latter could not but obey, he fell to the ground, the charm came forth fresh as when it was swallowed, and Chia lay like a shrivelled mummy. Through the kindness of Yin-hsi, who recognised the miraculous power of Lao-tzŭ, and knocked his head on the ground to him, the ungrateful creditor was restored to life by the same wondrous charm. Yin-hsi also paid him on behalf of Lao-tzŭ the generous sum of 2,000,000 cash, and sent him away. Lao-tzŭ having now settled all his mundane affairs, bade farewell to the keeper of the Pass, telling him that he would return to earth after the lapse of a thousand days and that he would be recognised by the sign of a Chʽing Yang (青羊), literally, an azure sheep. He then mounted a cloud and soared out of sight of the weeping Yin-hsi in a dazzling glare of light away into the etherial regions, to his home in the heavens.[34] [1] Tʽai-pʽing-kwang-chī (太平廣志) ch. 1; and the Shen-hsien-chuan, vol. 1. [2] Shi-chi—老莊申韓列傳三 [3] An author named Chʽen (陳) quoted by Ma Tuan-lin, says that, as _Tan_ means flat-eared, it is not probable that it would be given as a posthumous title. Perhaps it is better to regard it as a name or nickname given to him during life. [4] Wên-hsíen-tʽung-kʽao (文獻通考), Ch. 211. [5] Chine, p. 111. [6] Tao-tê-king, Introduction, Note 1 on page xix. [7] See the 十字全書, the extract from Szŭ Ma-chien. [8] Dict. Villes et Arrond., p. 244. [9] Julien, Tao-tê-king, Introduction, Note 2 on page xix. [10] Tʽung-chien-kang-mu, Ch. 41. [11] Chine, p. 112. [12] Li-chi, Ch. 3, Sect. 74, Note. [13] See the Chia-yü (家語), Vol. 1, Ch. 3. [14] Ch. Classics, Vol. 1, Proleg., p. 65. [15] Kʽang-hsi’s Dictionary. Character _Chu_ (柱). [16] See his works, Ch 5, p. 27, the Tien Yun (天運) section. [17] Chia-yü, Vol. 1, Ch. 3. [18] Shï chi, Lao-tzŭ.