The Fifty-Fourth Sunday

The church was completed, the first group of clergy successfully indoctrinated, and the brand-new printed “Book of the Holy Mother” was finished—all of which signified that preparations for the founding of the Holy Mother Church had been thoroughly concluded. All that remained was to formally establish the faith.

On September 16th, in the sixth year of Zhongping under the Han dynasty, Luan Yi declared this day as the very first Sabbath on the land of China; from then on, the following days would be Monday, Tuesday, and so forth, repeating in perpetual cycle, just as in later ages.

Beginning in August, Luan Yi hired more than thirty children to spread word throughout the streets and alleys that the Holy Mother Church would commence its teachings on September 16th. Moreover, anyone who had made a purchase at any of the Luan family’s enterprises could receive a voucher, and those who received this certificate were informed that, on the day the church opened, they could redeem it for a free copy of the newly written book by the prodigy Luan Ziqi.

Most patrons of the Luan family’s establishments were well-off individuals for whom buying a book was no obstacle; ordinarily, they would not covet such a small favor. But one must remember—the author of the church’s gifted book was none other than Luan Yi. His previous works, “Strange Tales of Liaozhai” and “On Wealth,” had been wildly popular, their limited print runs always falling short of demand, leaving many unable to acquire them. Especially within the borders of Jinan, such books were exceedingly rare.

Now, to receive a Luan Yi book for free—rumored that the first ten recipients could even get his autograph—how could this not thrill the wealthy gentry around Licheng? They wished they could visit the Luan shops daily just to collect more vouchers.

Unfortunately, Luan Yi foresaw their scheme and set a rule early on: each person could receive only one stamped voucher.

Thus, on the morning of September 16th, the day the church opened, a long line formed outside the main hall of the Holy Mother Church in Lishan, all eager to claim their book.

Upon receiving the pristine “Book of the Holy Mother,” people were astonished, exclaiming, “This book is made of Caihou paper!”

In this era, Caihou paper was a mark of luxury—its price exceeding even that of silk. Books printed on it were extremely precious, yet here they could be obtained for free at the church. Everyone marveled: attending the opening ceremony of the Holy Mother Church was certainly worthwhile.

Those who received the scripture were grouped by tens, and each group was guided by church staff clad in immaculate white robes—the clergy—through the church, from the scripture library and reading room to the dining hall. The stories depicted in the murals were explained in detail, matched with the contents of the “Book of the Holy Maiden,” recounting her acts of creation.

Among the guides was Xiao Wu, a disciple of Xi Zhicai, who came from a background in comic storytelling.

In the Eastern Han dynasty, amusements were few and far between; thus, after hearing these unheard-of tales, visitors were full of curiosity, asking Xiao Wu, “How did Master Ziqi learn of these things that are not recorded in any book?”

Pride and reverence shone in Xiao Wu’s expression. “My young master—now to be called our church leader—received wisdom from the Holy Mother herself. Seeing the suffering of people, she bestowed great wisdom upon him so that he might spread her gospel to the world, redeem the sins of the earth, and lead humanity to knock on the gates of heaven. In the Holy Mother’s kingdom, one gains eternal life.”

The listeners grew even more intrigued. Coupled with rumors of Luan Yi’s miraculous birth and his renown as a prodigy, they quickly connected him with the chosen one spoken of by Xiao Wu. “Could it be… Master Ziqi is truly a divine being descended to earth?”

“If Master Ziqi were not a heavenly being, how could he know these things on the walls?” replied another, already deeply immersed in the religious atmosphere conjured by the murals.

Since ancient times, the Chinese have yearned for immortality. In late Eastern Han Jinan, those attending the church’s opening ceremony were no different; the promise of “eternal life, entry to heaven” was particularly enticing.

Xiao Wu led them to the main hall, pointing to the murals on either side, where heaven and hell were depicted in stark contrast. “In truth, after death, everyone attains eternal life. The difference is: some enjoy the bliss of eternity, others suffer its pains. Those who do good and are charitable, like the farmers on the left, ascend to paradise—a land without sin, poverty, disease, or sorrow, where all desires are fulfilled.”

Conversely, those who oppress and commit evil fall into the abyss of hell—a dark, terrifying world haunted by demons. Burdened by sin, they suffer forever, as shown by the scholar in the mural on the right. Demons peel off his skin, stitch it back on, and repeat, endlessly, the agony unimaginable. Worse sinners are plunged into vats of boiling oil, their flesh rent and bloodied, only for demons to heal them with magic and toss them back in, the torment never ceasing—a fate worse than death.

Those who gazed upon the murals of suffering in hell shivered involuntarily. Anyone guilty of wrongdoing broke into a cold sweat, fearing that such torment might await them after death.

Perceiving their anxiety, Xiao Wu comforted them, “The Holy Mother is merciful, loving, and forgiving. As long as one sincerely admits their sins, repents, reforms, does good deeds, cares for their brothers and sisters in the church, spreads the gospel, and supports the church, the Holy Mother will rejoice, accept them, forgive their sins, and allow them entry to heaven.”

Everyone nodded vigorously, praising, “The Holy Mother is merciful… truly merciful!”

Seeing his explanation had its desired effect, Xiao Wu smiled and respectfully invited his group to be seated on the designated benches. Groups led by Xiao Bai, the songstress Yinglian, harpist Wang Bo, drum master Zhang Xu, and chef Li Xin followed, taking their seats in turn. In the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, everyone was in place; the latecomers stood at the back or in the aisles between benches.

Soon, the main hall was packed to overflowing.

At the hour of Chen, Luan Yi entered through the back door. Today, he wore a white headscarf, a creamy white robe, and white boots, his entire figure enveloped in sacred pale hues. Like all the other clergy, a blood-red cross—the symbol of the Holy Mother Church—was embroidered at the center of his breast.

Gripped tightly in his hand was the lotus hammer, now resembling a staff, its end thudding against the wooden platform with a resonant sound. Each strike seemed to touch the souls of all present.

His expression was solemn as he stood to the right of the Holy Mother Nüwa’s statue, his wise gaze sweeping across the crowd, and he spoke loudly: “Out of compassion, the Holy Mother founded the church beneath Lishan on this day, September 16th, in the sixth year of Zhongping, to save humanity. We must remember her grace, strengthen our faith, follow her teachings, pray for the Holy Spirit to descend into our hearts, reform ourselves, and pursue eternal bliss.”

“To seek eternal bliss!” All the clergy raised their right fists and shouted, and the attendees in each group mimicked them, laughing and chanting, “To seek eternal bliss!”

Luan Yi continued, “Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the Holy Mother created the world and mankind. You have all heard these stories from the church servants and read them in the scriptures. The Holy Mother made humanity, granting us life, wisdom, and desire. Life gives us vitality, wisdom distinguishes us from beasts, and desire drives us to strive. These three great gifts elevate us above all creatures. The merciful Holy Mother wished her children happiness and health. Yet, people betrayed her hopes. They treat life as worthless, misuse wisdom in schemes, and let desire become greed… Deceit, theft, corruption, and murder spread across the land. The Holy Mother, ever compassionate, cannot bear to see humanity sink into sin and descend into hell. Thus, she spoke to me in spirit, ‘Luan Yi, go forth! Proclaim my gospel to humanity, redeem their sins, and let them ascend to my kingdom.’”

He paused, seeing everyone listening intently, then continued, “Therefore, I, Luan Ziqi, built the temple of God beneath Lishan in Jinan. Many may wonder why I established the church here in Jinan, and not in my hometown of Yingchuan. The answer is simple: the people of Jinan are blessed. Long ago, the Holy Mother visited this land. After the battle between Gong Gong and Zhu Rong, Gong Gong toppled the pillar of Buzhou Mountain, and the Milky Way’s waters flooded the earth, drowning countless fields and villages. The people suffered terribly. The Holy Mother, full of compassion, descended to the mortal world, traveling east by immortal boat. The vessel stopped at the northern foothills of Mount Tai, where she tied it to Peg Mountain, ascended into the sky, and flew to the Eastern Sea to repair the heavens. The immortal boat she sailed remained forever at the north of Mount Tai. Millennia later, dust covered its deck, and the immense boat slowly turned into fertile soil. Over time, the planks decayed, river water seeped through the cracks, broke through the rich earth, and emerged as countless springs. You must have guessed by now what I am referring to. This fertile land atop the immortal boat is Jinan.”

Luan Yi spoke convincingly, fitting perfectly with the worldview of the Han people. The audience was stunned—so that was how Jinan came to be! No wonder there were so many springs inside and outside the city; the city and its villages were all built upon the immortal boat the Holy Mother left on earth. Did that mean the people of Jinan were touched by celestial grace?

“So, the people of Jinan are blessed. Because the immortal boat rests here, the Holy Mother rejoices in you, and so I have built her temple here, allowing you to be the first to hear her teachings.”

“Holy Mother is merciful!” As rehearsed, the clergy all rose together and raised their right fists, shouting loudly. The audience groups followed suit, this time raising their fists as well, their voices much stronger than before: “Holy Mother is merciful…”