That kōan has an obscure codicil. Not many know it, but if this response is given, the student is known to be enlightened, and can skip all further training:
Huongbo looks dazedly up from the smoking ash pile of the former fox spirit and into the eyes of the grinning Baizhang. Speechless at first, he finally stammers "Baizhang. That's quite an act. What do you call it?" Baizhang wraps both fists in Huongbo's beard, pulls him close and screams "The Aristocrats!!"
> the student is known to be enlightened, and can skip all further training
Wait, I thought we all had Buddha-nature and were already enlightened? In fact, Alan Watts himself said so. If everyone is enlightened, how can it be that only the enlightened can skip all Zen training? That's a difficult kōan, indeed.
Huongbo looks dazedly up from the smoking ash pile of the former fox spirit and into the eyes of the grinning Baizhang. Speechless at first, he finally stammers "Baizhang. That's quite an act. What do you call it?" Baizhang wraps both fists in Huongbo's beard, pulls him close and screams "The Aristocrats!!"