An Ancient Chinese Story: The Mountain Deity and His Guard Wolf

An Ancient Chinese Story: The Mountain Deity and His Guard Wolf
The wolf was determined not to kill any more humans but rather to do good deeds. JULIAN STRATENSCHULTE/AFP/Getty Images
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Long ago, Phoenix Mountain in Shandong Province was home to a secluded spiritual follower and his guard wolf. Through his Buddhist cultivation, the spiritual follower had already become a mountain deity. The two lived in a stone house inside a large cave in the mountain. The mountain deity was deeply fond of his wolf.

Every day, the mountain deity watched over the mountain and read Buddhist scriptures, while his guard wolf paid careful attention to him as he worshiped the Buddha and chanted the scriptures.