This is a true story of a boy who once died but who was born again to another family.
About 200 years ago, Atsutane Hirata (1776-1843), one of the greatest Japanese scholars in the early 1800s, had interest on an afterlife.
Atsutane Hirata (1776-1843)
Hirata is conventionally ranked as one of the Four Great Men of Kokugaku (nativist) studies of Japan, and one of the most significant theologians of the Japanese Shinto religion.
Hirata had a great interest in the spirit world.
What will happen to us after death?
Thus, Hirata collected evidences of the spirit world from all over Japan.
On June 1823, Hirata published “Chronicle of the Rebirth of Katsugoro” based on his interviews with a boy, Katsugoro Koyata (1814-1869).
Katsugoro was a son of a farmer of Tama District, Musashi Province (in present-day Higashinakano, Hachioji city, Tokyo) Japan.
Amazingly, Katsugoro had a strange memory of his previous life before birth.
On November 1822, one night, Katsugoro said to his family,
Before birth, I was a child named Tozo of a family living in a Hodokubo village.
But when I was 6, I died from smallpox.
Then, Katsugoro told his family his amazing experiences after death to rebirth.
If you are interested in Katsugoro’s amazing confession about his rebirth, please click the link below.
By the way, Hirata had a detailed knowledge of Chinese books, too.
In the book, “Chronicle of Katsugoro’s Rebirth,” Hirata introduced an interesting story of a Chinese boy’s rebirth.
Here, I would like to introduce the amazing story of the Chinese boy’s rebirth.
A Chinese Boy Revealed His Memory of His Previous Life to His Mother
In Chinese collection of mysterious stories “Yi Jianzhi,” compiled around 1198, the rebirth of a Chinese boy named Lu xin is introduced.
Lu xin was born in Guo County, Dai Prefecture (the present Yuanping in north-central Shanxi Province), China.
Source – Own work
At the age of 3, Lu xin began to talk a lot.
One day, Lu xin revealed his memory of his previous life to his mother.
Before my birth, I was a child of Mr. and Mrs. Zhao living in Hui bei village.
His mother was very surprised to hear his words.
According to Lu xin, in his previous life, he died when he was 19 years old.
At that time, he put cattle out to graze in a mountain as usual.
Lu xin chased down cows descending from the mountain.
However, on that day, the field of grass became slippery with autumnal rain.
Thus, unfortunately, Lu xin slipped off a cliff.
After a while, he found himself lying at the bottom of the cliff.
Then he got up and looked around.
Where am I?
I think I fell off that cliff.
At that time, Lu xin saw someone lying on the ground by his side.
That guy seemed like his fellow cattleman.
The man looked as old as he was.
He probably might have fallen down that cliff, just like me.
So, Lu xin called out to the young man in a loud voice.
Hey! Are you okay?
But, the young man did not move a muscle.
Then, Lu xin looked closer at his face.
Much to his surprise, the young man was Lu xin himself!
Oh, My goodness!
Is he myself!?
What’s happened to me?
Am I dead?
No way!
Then, Lu xin tried to go into his body, but he could not.
I cannot go into my body!
I don’t know why I can’t come back to life.
What should I do?
However, Lu xin could not abandon his body.
So, he had no choice but to hover near his body on that day.
Lu xin’s Parents Set His Body on Fire
The next day, Lu xin heard his parents calling his name.
His parents gave a shout of surprise to find his body lying on the bottom of the cliff.
Oh! My son is dead!
He must have fallen off that cliff!
Oh, my god!
Then his parents broke down and cried loudly.
No, I’m not dead!
I’m still alive!
I’m here!
Lu xin spoke to his parents many times.
But they did not react, as if they did not hear him at all.
After a while, his father said to his mother.
What’s done is done.
Sadly, my son has gone.
Now, all we can do is to cremate him.
Then, his parents tried to set his body on fire.
To see the fire, Lu xin got panicked.
No! Please don’t burn my body!
I’m still alive!
Listen to me!
Lu xin shouted at the top of his voice to discourage his parents against cremating his body.
But, they did not hear his voice.
They set his body on fire.
Flames engulfed his body.
Oh no!
My body is burning!
I can’t come back to life now!
It’s over for me!
Lu xin was in despair.
After the cremation of his body, his parents gathered his ashes and left the place.
Lu xin wanted to follow them.
But, for some reason, his parents looked like they were over 10 feet tall.
He got so scared that he could not follow them.
An Old Man Made Lu xin Be Born Again to Another Family
Lu xin was nowhere to go.
After his parents left, he wandered around aimlessly for more than one month.
Then one day, an old man came from out of nowhere.
The old man said to Lu xin.
I will send you back.
Follow me.
So, Lu xin followed the old man.
After a while, they arrived at someone’s house.
The old man pointed at the house saying,
This will be your new home.
Then, according to the old man’s instructions, Lu xin was born again to the family.
This is the whole story before my birth.
Lu xin said to his mother.
His mother could not believe his story.
She wondered if he was kidding.
She thought that it must be a product of his imagination.
However, Lu xin continued.
By the way, the other day, I had a dream.
In the dream, I met my parents of my previous life.
Then, I told them about my rebirth to your family.
So, my previous father is coming to visit here tomorrow.
He had a white horse.
Thus, he will ride the white horse to come here!
Lu xin’s mother still could not believe his words.
But the following day, his mother decided to wait his previous father standing by the gate in front of her house.
After a while, she heard a beat of a horse’s hooves in the distance.
His mother looked at the direction of the beat in disbelief.
To her surprise, a man on a white horse showed up.
The man came galloping up on horseback.
The moment Lu xin saw the man, he broke into a run.
My dad of my previous life is coming!
As Lu xin said, his father of his previous life, Mr. Zhao came to pick him up!
After dismounting from the white horse, Mr. Zhao embraced Lu xin with a warm hug.
Dad!
Lu xin was so happy, he could not stop crying.
Then Lu xin talked to Mr. Zhao about his previous life.
Amazingly, Lu xin’s memory of his previous life corresponded exactly to the fact.
Mr. Zhao was very surprised to hear Lu xin’s story about his previous life.
You must be my deceased son!
In this way, Mr. Zhao recognized Lu xin as his deceased son.
According to the collection of mysterious stories, Yi Jianzhi, after that, Lu xin was supported by both families of the present family, the Lus and the previous family, the Zhaos.
This is the true story of rebirth actually occurred in China.
Interestingly, Hirata pointed out that the above case was very similar to the case of Katsugoro’ rebirth in Japan.
Thus, Hirata insisted that the rebirth could occur in many countries, not just in Japan and China.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Someday, your daughter may reveal her memory in her previous life to you.
She says to you,
Before my birth, I was a child of Mr. and Mrs. Doe.
In my previous life, my dad, Mr. Doe was a cowboy!
He had a good horse and he was so cool!
Of course, you think it’s a whole joke.
Are you kidding me?
No, I’m serious!
In my dream, I told my father of my previous life about my rebirth.
He said he will ride the horse to come here!
At last, you can’t deal with your daughter no more.
That’s enough!
Leave me out of your fantasies.
I have no time for the childish delusion!
However, one day, you hear your daughter shouting excitedly out of the front door of your house.
Dad, he is coming!
You look at your daughter excited with joy wonderingly.
What’s happening?
Who is coming?
My dad of my previous life is coming!
Look!
He is riding a horse!
Not that again.
That’s stupid!
However, when you are about to go back into the house, you hear a beat of a horse’s hooves in the distance.
My previous dad is coming!
Your daughter break into a run.
You look at where she run up to in disbelief.
A man on a horse showed up.
That can’t be!
Then, your daughter says,
I’ll introduce you my previous dad, Mr. Doe!
He’s a genuine cowboy!
And he is my previous dad!
No, way!!!
Someone, please pinch me!
I must be dreaming!!!!
You should remember that the rebirth could occur in many countries, not just in Japan and China, just as Hirata insisted.
Published on June 30, 2019
Written by OTAKUPAPA
References
- Hirata Atsutane (June 1823). “Chronicle of the Rebirth of Katsugoro“
- Hino City Local Museum (2015-2018). “The Story of Rebirth of Katsutoro“
- Katsugoro Koyata in Wikipedia.
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