SOLVED. Possible Children's Book - Boy/Man. Mountain. Question. [s]

[[deleted user]]

Like some people in this group I have forgotten the title of a book I enjoyed. I read it about seven years ago. Pretty sure it was an illustrated book intended for 7-12ish. I vaguely remember the illustrations, the would seem reminiscent of Asian scenery perhaps Japanese.
PLOT DETAILS:
The story was about this boy/man who worked hard and was a good person. He was poor though. He always wondered if he was such a good person why was he poor? His mother (possibly sick), tell him to go up to the mountain and ask it that question.

So he goes to the mountain and on the way up he meets three people who help him out. Some gave him food, water, maybe a place to rest? In exchange they asked him ask the mountain their questions. I don't remember each question but my best guess would be: why does my daughter not speak?, why am I not happy? and the other one I can't even guess.

The man promises to ask all their questions to the mountain. When he reaches the mountain he realizes that he can only ask an odd number of questions. He had four (including his own). So he gave up his question to ask the other three people's questions. As he went back down the mountain with the answers each person had given him a new reward. I believe gold may have been one. The answer to the "why is my daughter mute?" question was that she was waiting for husband/soulmate/true love to come. He happened to be that man.

So in the end he brought back a wife, money and something else to his wife and home.

Hopefully some has heard this story! Thank you in advance for helping!

[Kelly]

It sounds a bit like a mixture of Grace Lin's books Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky...only both have children on the quest; in the first a girl, in the second a boy. But maybe she has some source material listed in her books?

[Kris]

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon or Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin - Kelly's suggestions

[Kris]

A guess - Lum Fu and the Golden Mountain by Hisako Kimishima.

[[deleted user]]

Kris wrote: "A guess - Lum Fu and the Golden Mountain by Hisako Kimishima."

That's not it.

[Ayshe]

The Fourth Question: A Chinese Tale? This is the Kirkus review:
A well-told, nicely balanced story with an admirable message. Hard-working Yee-Lee sets out to ask a wise man why he is so poor. En route, he agrees to ask the wise man questions for three others: the mother of a mute daughter, the owner of a barren fruit tree, and a dragon who yearns to ascend to heaven. Finding that the wise man will answer only three questions, Yee- lee omits his own--to find, of course, that the other answers have the effect of granting all he could wish for. In rough pencil and subtle colors, Chen's beautifully designed, stylized illustrations--an imaginative blend of references to Chinese art with simple forms like dePaola's--reflect the story's warmth and gentle humor. Unusually satisfying. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-8)

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...

[[deleted user]]

Ayshe wrote: "The Fourth Question: A Chinese Tale? This is the Kirkus review:
A well-told, nicely balanced story with an admirable message. Hard-working Yee-Lee sets out to ask a wise man why he i..."

Yes! Thank you! That sounds exactly like how I remember it.