Makura-Jidō (Jido of the Headrest) : PhotoStory

In China, an imperial official of Emperor Wen has come to investigate the headspring of the medicinal waters at the foot of Mount Rekken (or Tekken). In the mountains, he meets a boy.

When the suspicious official asks his name, the boy says he is Jidō and he is more than 700 years old.

The imperial official suspects the boy is a phantom. Jidō shows him a headrest inscribed with sutras that he received from long-ago Emperor Mu of the Zhou dynasty.

Jidō tells the official he copied the verses onto a chrysanthemum leaf and the dew that formed on the leaf has given him long life. He performs a dance of joy.

Thanks to the spiritual power of the sutras, the dew dripping from the chrysanthemum leaf created a pool in the valley.

The gushing waters are from the headrest that Jidō possesses thanks to the emperor. Jidō expresses his appreciation.

He recommends the waters as sake to the imperial messenger and they drink together. Afterwards, Jidō returns to his hermit's hut in the mountains.