The Grand Historian, whose name was Ji Wu, was taken by his older cousin to visit a temple when he was five or six years old.

The Historian was frank and spirited even in childhood, possessing considerable courage. Upon seeing a clay demon statue in the temple—its round, angry eyes staring wide, its twin glass orbs glittering ominously—he was immediately taken with it. Secretly, he dug out one of the eyes with his finger and tucked it into his robe.

After returning home, his cousin suddenly fell gravely ill, rendered mute. Then, without warning, he leaped up, shouting in a harsh voice, "Why did you gouge out my eye?"

The noise and commotion continued unabated.

The others present were completely bewildered by this outburst, until the young Ji Wu, trembling, recounted the whole affair. His family immediately prayed, saying, "The child was ignorant of what he was doing, merely playing, yet he injured the honorable eyes. We shall return it at once."

The cousin boomed in response, "If that is the case, then I am departing."

With those words, he collapsed and fell unconscious. It was a long time before he awoke, and when questioned about his outburst, he claimed to remember nothing.

The family took the glass eye and returned it, carefully placing it back into the socket of the clay demon statue.