Yao Guang

Yao Guang, a Wu fire mystic, was famed for sitting in the ashes after burning reeds, then rising and shaking out his robes.
In the sources
Where the books name Yao Guang
History · vol. 63Records of the Three Kingdoms
…又有姚光者,有火術。吳主身臨試之,積荻數千束,使光坐其上,又以數千束荻裹之,因猛風而燔之。…
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評曰:三子各於其術精矣,其用思妙矣,然君子等役心神,宜於大者遠者,是以有識之士,舍彼而取此也。〈孫盛曰:夫玄覽未然,逆鑒來事,雖裨竈、梓慎其猶病諸,況術之下此者乎?吳史書達知東南當有王氣,故輕舉濟江。魏承漢緒,受命中畿,達不能豫覩兆萌,而流竄吳越。又不知吝術之鄙,見薄於時,安在其能逆覩天道而審帝王之符瑞哉?昔聖王觀天地之文,以畫八卦之象,故亹亹成於蓍策,變化形乎六爻,是以三易雖殊,卦繇理一,安有迴轉一籌,可以鈎深測隱,意對逆占,而能遂知來物者乎?流俗好異,妄設神奇,不幸之中,仲尼所棄,是以君子志其大者,無所取諸。臣松之以爲盛云「君子志其大者,無所取諸」,故評家之旨,非新聲也。其餘所譏,則皆爲非理。自中原酷亂,至于建安,數十年間,生民殆盡,比至小康,皆百死之餘耳。江左雖有兵革,不能如中國之甚也,焉知達不算其安危,知禍有多少,利在東南,以全其身乎?而責不知魏氏將興,流播吳越,在京房之籌,猶不能自免刑戮,況達但以祕術見薄,在悔吝之間乎!古之道術,蓋非一方,探賾之功,豈惟六爻,苟得其要,則可以易而知之矣,迴轉一籌,胡足怪哉?達之推算,窮其要妙以知幽測隱,何愧于古!而以裨、梓限之,謂達爲妄,非篤論也。《抱樸子》曰:時有葛仙公者,每飲酒醉,常入人家門前陂水中臥,竟日乃出。曾從吳主別,到洌州,還遇大風,百官船多沒,仙公船亦沉淪,吳主甚悵恨。明日使人鈎求公船,而登高以望焉。久之,見公步從水上來,衣履不沾,而有酒色。既見而言曰:「臣昨侍從而伍子胥見請,暫過設酒,忽忽不得,即委之。」又有姚光者,有火術。吳主身臨試之,積荻數千束,使光坐其上,又以數千束荻裹之,因猛風而燔之。荻了盡,謂光當以化爲燼,而光端坐灰中,振衣而起,把一卷書。吳主取其書視之,不能解也。又曰:吳景帝有疾,求覡視者,得一人。景帝欲試之,乃殺鵝而埋於苑中,架小屋,施牀几,以婦人屐履服物著其上,乃使覡視之。告曰:「若能說此冢中鬼婦人形狀者,當加賞而即信矣。」竟日盡夕無言,帝推問之急,乃曰:「實不見有鬼,但見一頭白鵝立墓上,所以不即白之,疑是鬼神變化作此相,當候其真形而定。無復移易,不知何故,不敢不以實上聞。」景帝乃厚賜之。然則鵝死亦有鬼也。葛洪《神仙傳》曰:仙人介象,字元則,會稽人,有諸方術。吳主聞之,徵象到武昌,甚敬貴之,稱爲介君,爲起宅,以御帳給之,賜遺前後累千金,從象學蔽形之術。試還後宮,及出殿門,莫有見者。又使象作變化,種瓜菜百果,皆立生可食。吳主共論鱠魚何者最美,象曰:「鯔魚爲上。」吳主曰:「論近道魚耳,此出海中,安可得邪?」象曰:「可得耳。」乃令人於殿庭中作方埳,汲水滿之,幷求鈎。象起餌之,垂綸於埳中。須臾,果得鯔魚。吳主驚喜,問象曰:「可食不?」象曰:「故爲陛下取以作生鱠,安敢取不可食之物!」乃使厨下切之。吳主曰:「聞蜀使來,得蜀薑作韲甚好,恨爾時無此。」象曰:「蜀薑豈不易得,願差所使者,幷付直。」吳主指左右一人,以錢五十付之。象書一符,以著青竹杖中,使行人閉目騎杖,杖止,便買薑訖,復閉目。此人承其言騎杖,須臾止,已至成都,不知是何處,問人,人言是蜀市中,乃買薑。于時吳使張溫先在蜀,既於市中相識,甚驚,便作書寄其家。此人買薑畢,捉書負薑,騎杖閉目,須臾已還到吳,厨下切鱠適了。臣松之以爲葛洪所記,近爲惑衆,其書文頗行世,故撮取數事,載之篇末也。神仙之術,詎可測量,臣之臆斷,以爲惑衆,所謂夏蟲不知冷冰耳。〉
Yao Guang was a figure of the state of Wu, mentioned in the Baopuzi, cited in Pei Songzhi’s annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms. The chapter in which he appears is not recorded; he does not appear in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Deeds
Yao Guang possessed the art of fire. The ruler of Wu ordered him to sit atop several thousand bundles of reeds, then had him wrapped in several thousand more bundles and set alight. When the reeds had burned away, Yao Guang sat upright in the ashes, shook out his clothes, and rose, holding a book in his hand. (Recorded in historical sources)
Relationships
- The ruler of Wu personally tested Yao Guang’s art of fire.