Ji Zi of the Shang Dynasty was particularly fond of Taoism. He carried a lot of money with him and travelled around to fmd a teacher of Taoism. Whenever he saw a man wearing a yellow cap, he would take him as a Taoist priest and kneel down before him to ask for instructions.

 

One day, a sly swindler tried to get Ji Zi's bag of money. He said deceitfully: "I am a Taoist priest with the true doctrine¹ of Taoism. If you'll follow me, I'll certainly teach Taoism to you."

 

Ji Zi believed this to be true, and followed this man wholeheartedly. The swindler wanted all along to take action, but had no chance, while Ji Zi time and again urged him to teach the Taoist doctrine.

 

One day the two of them came to a river bank. At the sight of a moored² boat, the swindler got an idea and planned to take action. He said to Ji Zi: "Taoism is right here!"

 

Ji Zi asked anxiously: "Where?"

 

The swindler said: "It is at the top of the boat's mast. You will learn Taoism if you climb up to the top."

 

Ji Zi put his bag of money under the mast, hurriedly grasped the mast and began to climb. The swindler clapped his hands and shouted below: "Up! Go further up!"

 

When Ji Zi climbed up to the top and could go no further, he suddenly saw the light. Hugging the mast, he shouted happily: "I've learned Taoism! I've learned Taoism!"

 

The swindler took this opportunity to pick up the bag of money and run away.

 

When Ji Zi came down, he kept shouting happily. The by- standers said: "Hey, you fool, he is a swindler and has made off with your money."

 

Ji Zi replied: "He is my master! He is my master! This is also what he is teaching me!"

  

商季子特别爱好道学，带了很多钱，游学四方，只要见到戴黄帽子的先生，就以为是道士，跪拜求教。

 

一天，一个狡猾的骗子，企图骗取季子的钱袋，就骗他说：“我是一个得了真传的道士，只要你跟着我云游，我就一定把道学传授给你。”

 

季子信以为真，诚心诚意地跟着他走。骗子一直想下手，但是没有机会。季子却不时地催促他传道。

 

一天，俩人一同来到江边。骗子一眼看到停泊的船，灵机一动，准备下手，就骗季子说：“道就在这儿哩！”

 

季子忙问：“在哪儿?”

 

骗子说：“就在这条船的桅杆顶端，你爬上去就得道了。”

 

季子将钱袋放在桅杆下，急忙抓住桅杆往上爬。骗子在下面拍着巴掌，连声喊道：“上！再上！”

 

季子爬到顶端，无法再上的时候，忽然大悟，抱着桅杆欢叫：“我得道了！我得道了！”

 

骗子趁机捡起钱袋跑掉了。

 

季子下来后，仍然欢叫个不停。旁观的人说：“晦！傻瓜，他是个骗子，早把你的钱袋拿走了！”

 

季子回答说：“他是我师傅！他是我师傅！这也是他在教我哪！”

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