The Temple Generals

So heres another story from the fount of Chinese folklore in Angela encyclopoedic mind.
As told to Monkey.

Painted huge on either half of temple doors there are always a couple of intimidating and grim looking military gentlemen. A little incongruous with the more tranquil space inside, so whats the deal?

Once there was a dragon, well known for being a bit full of themselves. In Chinese mythology, the weather is controlled by dragons, on the orders of higher gods. This one dragon was in-between rainstorms when he saw the shop of a fortune teller. AHA, thought the dragon, NO MORTAL CAN SEE THE FUTURE. I WILL DENOUNCE THIS PRETENDER! So he went into the shop and challenged the old man to predict where rain would fall the next day. Even the dragon himself didnt know yet, since the orders had not yet been issued. The man made his prediction, and the dragon chuckled in anticipated triumph: TOMORROW I WILL COME BACK AND TEAR DOWN YOUR SIGN, YOU FRAUD! NO ONE CAN KNOW SUCH THINGS!

Off went the dragon with such smugness that only their species can muster. The next day he went to his godly master and received his rain orders for the day. To his horror, he realised that the old fortune teller had been right down to the last detail! But rather than admit himself wrong, he deliberately sent rain to places other than where he was ordered, and left areas dry that were destined for downpours. Then he went to the fortune tellers shop in triumph to claim the wager won. There the old man was in a terrible state. "What have you done?" he asked, "The gods are VERY angry. There is drought across half the land and floods on the plains! They have ordered your death by beheading at the hands of the Prime Minister!". The dragon knew this to be true and didn't dare return to his master, but asked the old man instead - WHAT SHOULD I DO?

"There is only one way to save your head" said the old man, after much thought. "You must go and plead your case to the Emperor himself, and ask him to detain the Prime Minister the day of your execution, so that he cannot be in the city to carry out your sentence." So the dragon went on bended knee to the Emperor and pleaded his good nature and the harshness of the penalty, and promised to be a good friend of the country for ever more, if only the Emperor would detain his Prime Minister for that afternoon that he was scheduled to be put to the axe. The Emperor was merciful, and agreed to his terms.

On the day of the execution, the Prime Minister was summoned to the Imperial Palace on state affairs, where he was kept busy for several hours, but it was not yet too late to return to the city. So the Emperor bade his remain for tea, and the Prime Minister could not refuse, although he was keen to get on with his other duties. But soon the tea was drunk, and still it was early, so the Emperor detained his minister by playing many games of chess, until they were exhausted and the Prime Minister fell asleep. "Good" thought the Emperor "that keeps him here, and the dragon safe." But after some time, the PM awoke and exclaimed "What a strange dream! I dreamt that I cut the head off a dragon!" And indeed the dragon had been executed, just as in the dream.

The dragon was understandably upset with this outcome, and took to haunting the Emperor each night. A fearsome sight indeed - an enraged dragon, holding his severed head beneath his foreleg! The Emperor could never sleep soundly and was tired all day. Eventually he ordered his two best generals to guard the door to his sleeping chamber, and to be on guard for dead dragons. This measure worked and for the first time in weeks, the Emperor was able sleep undisturbed. But of course he couldn't keep his two best generals at his door indefinitely, so he had his artists paint life size portraits of the soldiers on either side of his door, and lo behold! That worked just as well! Dragons are known more for their cunning and pride than their sheer intelligence it would seem...

So in memory of these two exceptional generals and their illusion, their images adorn either side of main temple doors, to protect the inhabitants from evil influences and angry ghosts...

There you go. You learned something new. So did I...