After Liu Shan became Minister of Personnel, Hong Ming, then the magistrate of Hong County, sought to attach himself to Liu Shan. Not only did he erect a monument celebrating Liu Shan's benevolent governance, he also built a living shrine for him at the foot of Mount Tong, opening the floodgates for the construction of such shrines. The following year, Hong Ming took office as prefect of Qingwu Prefecture, and officials throughout Mi Prefecture rushed to follow his example.
Hong Ming later became governor of Mi Prefecture, but not long ago, Fang Yun's accusations had brought him down. The Hall of Punishment had taken him away during the Medical Way Literary Assembly, and he had subsequently been exiled to the Prison-Suppressing Sea.
In ancient times, ancestral shrines had originally commemorated the dead. Since the Han Kingdom, however, shrines could also be built for the living. These were known as living shrines.
When Liu Shan's power overshadowed the realm, living shrines dedicated to him abounded. In Mi Prefecture especially, almost every county had one.
But the living shrine closest to the capital was this one in Hong County.
Fang Yun knew that some people had guessed his general purpose. Gazing at the Liu Shan Living Shrine three li away, he said, "Since we've come to Mount Tong, there are two things we must do. The first is to pay our respects to Mount Tong's three thousand brave warriors. The second is to take a look at the first living shrine built for His Excellency the Left Prime Minister."
One was "pay our respects," and the other was "take a look." Everyone understood what Fang Yun meant.
Thus, Fang Yun took incense, paper offerings, and other items out of his River-Drinking Shell and joined the others in paying respects to the three