Yao Laotou

Overview

Yao Laotou (姚老头), commonly referred to as Master Yao, was the master of the Baoxi dragon kiln (宝溪窑口) located outside the small town of Lizhu Grotto-Heaven. Though he appeared to be an ordinary, exceptionally strict mortal craftsman, his true identity is the Medicine Buddha (药师佛), the Lord of the Eastern Pure Lapis Lazuli World (东方净琉璃世界教主). He journeyed from the Western Buddhist Kingdom to the Haoran Heaven to help manage the accumulated three-thousand-year tribulation of Lizhu Grotto-Heaven.

Appearance and Personality

As a kiln master, Yao Laotou was an old, unsmiling man known for his extreme strictness and rigid adherence to rules. He demanded absolute dedication from his apprentices and workers, displaying a ruthless streak when the integrity of the kiln was threatened. On one occasion, when an effeminate worker fled into the mountains after allowing the kiln fire to extinguish, Yao Laotou ordered his capture and had his limbs broken as punishment, showing no mercy for the catastrophic mistake.

Despite his harsh demeanor, Yao Laotou possessed immense wisdom. He was the embodiment of the phrase "a true Buddha only speaks ordinary words" (真佛只说平常话). His guidance to the youths around him was veiled in mundane discussions about pottery, earth, and fate.

History in Lizhu Grotto-Heaven

Operating the Baoxi Kiln, Yao Laotou took in local youths as apprentices. Liu Xianyang became his formal apprentice earlier on, while Chen Ping'an worked under him as a helper and apprentice. Notably, despite Chen Ping'an's diligence, Yao Laotou never formally accepted him as an inner disciple (入室弟子).

During their trips into the mountains to search for porcelain clay, Yao Laotou occasionally shared profound insights with Chen Ping'an. While examining Zhenzhu Mountain, the old master stamped his foot and remarked that although the mountain was small—like a snail's shell—its "earth flavor" (土味) was the most complete. He explained that the seemingly insignificant dirt beneath their feet, whether shaped into a clay bodhisattva to receive incense, fired into imperial porcelain, or made into a commoner's broken jar, all possessed their own roots and destinies, much like human beings. This subtle guidance ultimately inspired Chen Ping'an to purchase Zhenzhu Mountain with a single gold essence copper coin.

True Identity and Purpose

Yao Laotou's existence in Lizhu Grotto-Heaven was part of a grander cosmological design. He came from the Western Buddhist Kingdom to bear the karmic burden and resolve the massive tribulation the town had accumulated over three millennia. He served as a hidden counterpart to the Confucian scholar Qi Jingchun.

According to Feng Yi, had Qi Jingchun chosen to abandon the town and protect his own life and Dao, Yao Laotou would never have stood by idly; he was fully prepared to step in and save the inhabitants, returning to Haoran Heaven from the Western Buddhist Kingdom specifically for this purpose. The homophone between "Master Yao" (姚师傅) and "Medicine Buddha" (药师佛) served as a subtle hint to his true nature.

Relationships

• Chen Ping'an: Worked as a kiln apprentice under Yao Laotou. Though Yao Laotou was exceptionally strict and never formally made him a disciple, his teachings about the earth and fate profoundly influenced Chen Ping'an's early worldview and decisions.
• Liu Xianyang: A formal apprentice at the Baoxi Kiln who successfully earned Yao Laotou's recognition earlier than Chen Ping'an.
• Qi Jingchun: A fellow guardian of Lizhu Grotto-Heaven. Both figures recognized the impending doom of the small town and took on the immense karmic responsibility of managing its fallout.

Notes

• Yao Laotou's philosophical comparison between the destiny of fired clay and the fate of human beings is a cornerstone of Chen Ping'an's early understanding of equality and inherent worth.
• The revelation of his identity as the Medicine Buddha bridges the localized, mundane setting of the dragon kilns with the grand, inter-world machinations involving the Three Teachings.

References

• 剑来7：迢迢渡银汉，第一章 — 大师兄姓左: Details Yao Laotou's severe punishment of the worker who let the dragon kiln's fire extinguish.
• 剑来29：座中皆豪杰，第九章 — 河畔议事: Records Yao Laotou's teachings to Chen Ping'an regarding the "earth flavor" of Zhenzhu Mountain and the destinies of clay and men.
• 剑来32：登高拖虚舟，第六章 — 十四: Confirms his true identity as the Medicine Buddha and his role as the Lord of the Eastern Pure Lapis Lazuli World. It also notes Feng Yi's revelation regarding his ultimate intent to protect the town had Qi Jingchun not intervened.
• 剑来39：借取万重山，第二章 — 推陈出新: Mentions his origins in the Western Buddhist Kingdom and his role in addressing the three-thousand-year tribulation of the town.
• 剑来47：饮者折镆干，第三章 — 将进酒: Mentions his role at the Baoxi Kiln and his relationship with Liu Xianyang and Chen Ping'an as apprentices.