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diff --git a/43627-0.txt b/43627-0.txt index d2b6449..e1b3790 100644 --- a/43627-0.txt +++ b/43627-0.txt @@ -1,41 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio Vol. -I (of 2), by Songling Pu - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio Vol. I (of 2) - -Author: Songling Pu - -Translator: Herbert A. Giles - -Release Date: September 3, 2013 [EBook #43627] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE STORIES 1/2 *** - - - - -Produced by obstobst, Henry Flower and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43627 *** STRANGE STORIES @@ -11593,366 +11556,4 @@ Page 411, ‘bid’ changed to ‘bade’ (Wang’s father bade him hide). 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio Vol. I (of 2) - -Author: Songling Pu - -Translator: Herbert A. Giles - -Release Date: September 3, 2013 [EBook #43627] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE STORIES 1/2 *** - - - - -Produced by obstobst, Henry Flower and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - - - - -STRANGE STORIES - -FROM A - -CHINESE STUDIO. - - - - - STRANGE STORIES - FROM A - CHINESE STUDIO. - - TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED - BY - HERBERT A. GILES, - _Of H.M.'s Consular Service_. - - IN TWO VOLUMES. - - VOL. I. - - LONDON: - THOS. DE LA RUE & CO. - 110, BUNHILL ROW. - - 1880. - - - - - PRINTED BY - THOMAS DE LA RUE AND CO., BUNHILL ROW, - LONDON. - - - - - TO MY WIFE AND OUR CHILDREN: - - _BERTRAM_, - - _LIONEL_, - - _VALENTINE_, - - _LANCELOT_. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - INTRODUCTION Vol. I., pp. xiii-xxxii. - - - STORIES. - - VOL. I. VOL. II. - - PAGE PAGE - - Adulteration Punished -- 332 - - Alchemist, The -- 313 - - Boat-girl Bride, The -- 149 - - Boatmen of Lao-lung, The -- 348 - - Boon Companion, The 165 -- - - Bribery and Corruption -- 170 - - Buddhist Priest of Ch'ang-ch'ing, The 22 -- - - Buddhist Priests, Arrival of -- 231 - - Butterfly's Revenge, The -- 289 - - Carrying a Corpse -- 181 - - Cattle Plague, The -- 253 - - Censor in Purgatory, The -- 238 - - Chang Pu-liang -- 177 - - Chang's Transformation 237 -- - - Chou K'o-ch'ang and his Ghost -- 106 - - Clay Image, The -- 276 - - Cloth Merchant, The -- 127 - - Collecting Subscriptions -- 220 - - Considerate Husband, The 158 -- - - Country of the Cave Men, The 397 -- - - Courage Tested -- 116 - - Cruelty Avenged -- 267 - - Dead Priest, The -- 247 - - Death by Laughing 352 -- - - Disembodied Friend, The -- 119 - - Dishonesty Punished -- 279 - - Doctor, The -- 290 - - Donkey's Revenge, The -- 64 - - Dr. Tsêng's Dream 387 -- - - Dreaming Honours -- 327 - - Dutch Carpet, The -- 179 - - Dwarf, A 224 -- - - Earthquake, An -- 263 - - Elephants and the Lion, The -- 343 - - Engaged to a Nun 262 -- - - Examination for the Post of Guardian Angel 1 -- - - Faithful Dog, The -- 261 - - Faithful Gander, The -- 342 - - Faithless Widow, The -- 39 - - Feasting the Ruler of Purgatory -- 284 - - Fêng-shui -- 322 - - Fight with the Foxes, The 251 -- - - Fighting Cricket, The -- 17 - - Fighting Quails, The 66 -- - - Fisherman and his Friend, The -- 197 - - Flood, A 350 -- - - Flower-nymphs, The 285 -- - - Flying Cow, The -- 249 - - Foot-ball on the Tung-t'ing Lake 408 -- - - Foreign Priests 343 -- - - Fortune-hunter Punished, The -- 272 - - Forty Strings of Cash, The -- 211 - - Friendship with Foxes -- 300 - - Gambler's Talisman, The 419 -- - - Grateful Dog, The -- 308 - - Great Rat, The -- 303 - - Great Test, The -- 310 - - Hidden Treasure, The -- 345 - - His Father's Ghost -- 142 - - Hsiang-ju's Misfortunes 225 -- - - Husband Punished, The 422 -- - - Incorrupt Official, The -- 358 - - Infernal Regions, In the -- 95 - - Ingratitude Punished -- 138 - - Injustice of Heaven, The -- 111 - - Invisible Priest, The -- 235 - - Jen Hsiu, The Gambler 196 -- - - Joining the Immortals 53 -- - - Jonah, A Chinese -- 176 - - Judge Lu 92 -- - - Justice for Rebels -- 184 - - Killing a Serpent -- 190 - - King, The 257 -- - - Life Prolonged -- 273 - - Lingering Death, The -- 325 - - Little Chu 143 -- - - Lo-ch'a Country and the Sea Market, The -- 1 - - Lost Brother, The 203 -- - - Mad Priest, The -- 282 - - Magic Mirror, The -- 114 - - Magic Path, The -- 36 - - Magic Sword, The 124 -- - - Magical Arts 47 -- - - Magnanimous Girl, The 160 -- - - Making Animals -- 265 - - Man who was changed into a Crow, The 278 -- - - Man who was thrown down a Well, The 365 -- - - Marriage Lottery, The 428 -- - - Marriage of the Fox's Daughter, The 26 -- - - Marriage of the Virgin Goddess, The -- 257 - - Master-thief, The 347 -- - - Metempsychosis -- 207 - - "Mirror and Listen" Trick, The -- 251 - - Miss Chiao-no 33 -- - - Miss Lien-hsiang, The Fox-girl 168 -- - - Miss Quarta Hu 152 -- - - Miss Ying-ning; or, the Laughing Girl 106 -- - - Mr. Tung; or, Virtue Rewarded -- 244 - - Mr. Willow and the Locusts -- 242 - - Mysterious Head, The -- 135 - - Painted Skin, The 76 -- - - Painted Wall, The 9 -- - - Performing Mice, The 218 -- - - Perseverance Rewarded 186 -- - - Picture Horse, The -- 286 - - Pious Surgeon, The -- 351 - - Planchette -- 295 - - Planting a Pear-tree 14 -- - - Playing at Hanging 354 -- - - Priest's Warning, The -- 205 - - Princess Lily, The -- 56 - - Princess of the Tung-t'ing Lake -- 43 - - Quarrelsome Brothers, The 313 -- - - Raising the Dead -- 318 - - Rat Wife, The 355 -- - - Resuscitated Corpse, The -- 193 - - Rip van Winkle, A Chinese -- 85 - - Roc, The -- 340 - - Salt Smuggler, The -- 215 - - Saving Life -- 213 - - Sea-serpent, The -- 113 - - Self-punished Murderer, The 345 -- - - She-wolf and the Herd-boys, The -- 330 - - Shui-mang Plant, The 136 -- - - Singing Frogs, The 217 -- - - Singular case of Ophthalmia -- 102 - - Singular Verdict -- 307 - - Sisters, The 336 -- - - Smelling Essays -- 139 - - Snow in Summer -- 294 - - Solomon, A Chinese -- 335 - - Solomon, Another -- 355 - - Spirit of the Hills, The -- 137 - - Spirits of the Po-yang Lake, The -- 109 - - Spiritualistic Séances -- 131 - - Stolen Eyes, The -- 233 - - Strange Companion, A -- 130 - - Stream of Cash, The -- 110 - - Supernatural Wife, A -- 166 - - Taking Revenge -- 25 - - Talking Pupils, The 5 -- - - Ta-nan in Search of his Father 296 -- - - Taoist Devotee, A -- 183 - - Taoist Miracles -- 226 - - Taoist Priest, A 246 -- - - Taoist Priest of Lao-shan, The 17 -- - - Theft of the Peach -- 186 - - Three Genii, The 214 -- - - Three States of Existence, The -- 90 - - Thunder God, The 413 -- - - Tiger Guest, The 330 -- - - Tiger of Chao-ch'êng, The 219 -- - - Tipsy Turtle, The -- 28 - - Trader's Son, The 85 -- - - Two Brides, The -- 158 - - Unjust Sentence, The -- 80 - - Virtuous Daughter-in-law, The 374 -- - - Wei-ch'i Devil, The -- 268 - - Wine Insect, The -- 259 - - Wolf Dream, The -- 73 - - Wolves -- 305 - - Wonderful Stone, The 306 -- - - Young Gentleman who couldn't spell, The 326 -- - - Young Lady of the Tung-t'ing Lake, The 271 -- - - - APPENDIX A -- 361 - - " B -- 389 - - - - -INTRODUCTION. - - -I.--PERSONAL.--The public has, perhaps, a right to be made acquainted -with the title under which I, an unknown writer, come forward as the -translator of a difficult Chinese work. In the spring of 1867 I began -the study of Chinese at H.B.M.'s Legation, Peking, under an implied -promise, in a despatch from the then Secretary of State for Foreign -Affairs, that successful efforts would be rewarded by proportionately -rapid advancement in the service of which I was a member. Then -followed a long novitiate of utterly uninteresting and, indeed, most -repellent labour,--inseparable, however, from the acquisition of this -language, which throughout its early stages demands more from sheer -memory than from the exercise of any other intellectual faculty. At -length, in the spring of 1877, while acting as Vice-Consul at Canton, -I commenced the translation of the work here offered to the English -reader. For such a task I had flattered myself into the belief that I -possessed two of the requisite qualifications: an accurate knowledge -of the grammatical structure of the language, and an extensive insight -into the manners, customs, superstitions, and general social life of -the Chinese. I had been variously stationed at Peking, Tientsin, -Takow, and Taiwan Fu (in Formosa), Ningpo, Hankow, Swatow, and Canton, -from the latter of which I was transferred--when my task was still -only half finished--to Amoy. I had travelled beyond the Great Wall -into Mongolia; and I had made the journey overland from Swatow to -Canton, a distance of five hundred miles; besides which, in addition -to my study of the language, my daily object in life had always been -to familiarise myself as much as possible with Chinese sympathies and -habits of thought. With these advantages, and by the interesting -nature of the subject-matter, I hoped to be able on the one hand to -arouse a somewhat deeper interest than is usually taken in the affairs -of China; and, on the other, to correct at any rate some of the -erroneous views, too frequently palmed off by inefficient and -disingenuous workers, and too readily accepted as fact. And I would -here draw attention to one most important point; namely, that although -a great number of books have been published about China and the -Chinese, there are extremely few in which the information is conveyed -at first hand; in other words, in which the Chinese are allowed to -speak for themselves.[1] Hence, perhaps, it may be that in an -accurately-compiled work such as Tylor's _Primitive Culture_, -allusions to the religious rites and ceremonies of nearly one-third of -the human race are condensed within the limits of barely a dozen short -passages. Hence, too, it undoubtedly is that many Chinese customs are -ridiculed and condemned by turns, simply because the medium through -which they have been conveyed has produced a distorted image. Much of -what the Chinese do actually believe and practise in their religious -and social life will be found in this volume, in the _ipsissima verba_ -of a highly-educated scholar writing about his fellow-countrymen and -his native land; while for the notes with which I have essayed to make -the picture more suggestive and more acceptable to the European eye, -I claim only so much authority as is due to the opinion of one -qualified observer who can have no possible motive in deviating ever -so slightly from what his own personal experience has taught him to -regard as the truth. - - -II.--BIOGRAPHICAL.--The barest skeleton of a biography is all that can -be formed from the very scanty materials which remain to mark the -career of a writer whose work has been for the best part of two -centuries as familiar throughout the length and breadth of China as -are the tales of the "Arabian Nights" in all English-speaking -communities. The author of "Strange Stories" was a native of Tzu-chou, -in the province of Shan-tung. His family name was P'u; his particular -name was Sung-ling; and the designation or literary epithet by which, -in accordance with Chinese usage, he was commonly known among his -friends, was Liu-hsien, or "Last of the Immortals." A further fancy -name, given to him probably by some enthusiastic admirer, was -Liu-ch'üan, or "Willow Spring;" but he is now familiarly spoken of -simply as P'u Sung-ling. We are unacquainted with the years of his -birth or death; however, by the aid of a meagre entry in the _History -of Tzü-chou_ it is possible to make a pretty good guess at the date -of the former event. For we are there told that P'u Sung-ling -successfully competed for the lowest or bachelor's degree before he -had reached the age of twenty; and that in 1651 he was in the position -of a graduate of ten years' standing, having failed in the interim to -take the second, or master's, degree. To this failure, due, as we are -informed in the history above quoted, to his neglect of the beaten -track of academic study, we owe the existence of his great work; not, -indeed, his only production, though the one _par excellence_ by which, -as Confucius said of his own "Spring and Autumn," men will know him. -All else that we have on record of P'u Sung-ling, besides the fact -that he lived in close companionship with several eminent scholars of -the day, is gathered from his own words, written when, in 1679, he -laid down his pen upon the completion of a task which was to raise him -within a short period to a foremost rank in the Chinese world of -letters. Of that record I here append a close translation, accompanied -by such notes as are absolutely necessary to make it intelligible to -non-students of Chinese. - -AUTHOR'S OWN RECORD. - - "'Clad in wistaria, girdled with ivy;'[2] thus sang San-lü[3] in - his _Dissipation of Grief_.[4] Of ox-headed devils and serpent - Gods,[5] he of the long-nails[6] never wearied to tell. Each - interprets in his own way the music of heaven;[7] and whether it - be discord or not, depends upon antecedent causes.[8] As for me, I - cannot, with my poor autumn fire-fly's light, match myself against - the hobgoblins of the age.[9] I am but the dust in the sunbeam, a - fit laughing-stock for devils.[10] For my talents are not those of - Yü Pao,[11] elegant explorer of the records of the Gods; I am - rather animated by the Spirit of Su Tung-p'o,[12] who loved to - hear men speak of the supernatural. I get people to commit what - they tell me to writing, and subsequently I dress it up in the - form of a story; and thus in the lapse of time my friends from all - quarters have supplied me with quantities of material, which, from - my habit of collecting, has grown into a vast pile.[13] - - "Human beings, I would point out, are not beyond the pale of fixed - laws, and yet there are more remarkable phenomena in their midst - than in the country of those who crop their hair;[14] antiquity is - unrolled before us, and many tales are to be found therein - stranger than that of the nation of Flying Heads.[15] - 'Irrepressible bursts, and luxurious ease,'[16]--such was always - his enthusiastic strain. 'For ever indulging in liberal - thought,'[17]--thus he spoke openly without restraint. Were men - like these to open my book, I should be a laughing-stock to them - indeed. At the cross-roads[18] men will not listen to me, and yet - I have some knowledge of the three states of existence[19] spoken - of beneath the cliff;[20] neither should the words I utter be set - aside because of him that utters them.[21] When the bow[22] was - hung at my father's door, he dreamed that a sickly-looking - Buddhist priest, but half-covered by his stole, entered the - chamber. On one of his breasts was a round piece of plaster like - a _cash_;[23] and my father, waking from sleep, found that I, just - born, had a similar black patch on my body. As a child, I was thin - and constantly ailing, and unable to hold my own in the battle of - life. Our home was chill and desolate as a monastery; and working - there for my livelihood with my pen,[24] I was as poor as a priest - with his alms-bowl.[25] Often and often I put my hand to my - head[26] and exclaimed, 'Surely he who sat with his face to the - wall[27] was myself in a previous state of existence;' and thus I - referred my non-success in this life to the influence of a destiny - surviving from the last. I have been tossed hither and thither in - the direction of the ruling wind, like a flower falling in filthy - places; but the six paths[28] of transmigration are inscrutable - indeed, and I have no right to complain. As it is, midnight finds - me with an expiring lamp, while the wind whistles mournfully - without; and over my cheerless table I piece together my - tales,[29] vainly hoping to produce a sequel to the _Infernal - Regions_.[30] With a bumper I stimulate my pen, yet I only succeed - thereby in 'venting my excited feelings,'[31] and as I thus commit - my thoughts to writing, truly I am an object worthy of - commiseration. Alas! I am but the bird that, dreading the winter - frost, finds no shelter in the tree: the autumn insect that chirps - to the moon, and hugs the door for warmth. For where are they who - know me?[32] They are 'in the bosky grove, and at the frontier - pass'[33]--wrapped in an impenetrable gloom!" - -From the above curious document the reader will gain some insight into -the abstruse, but at the same time marvellously beautiful, style of -this gifted writer. The whole essay--for such it is, and among the -most perfect of its kind--is intended chiefly as a satire upon the -scholarship of the age; scholarship which had turned the author back -to the disappointment of a private life, himself conscious all the -time of the inward fire that had been lent him by heaven. It is the -key-note to his own subsequent career, spent in the retirement of -home, in the society of books and friends; as also to the numerous -uncomplimentary allusions which occur in all his stories relating to -official life. Whether or not the world at large has been a gainer by -this instance of the fallibility of competitive examinations has been -already decided in the affirmative by the millions of P'u Sung-ling's -own countrymen, who for the past two hundred years have more than made -up to him by a posthumous and enduring reverence for the loss of those -earthly and ephemeral honours which he seems to have coveted so much. - - -III.--BIBLIOGRAPHICAL.--_Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio_, known -to the Chinese as the _Liao-Chai-Chih-I_, or more familiarly, the -_Liao-Chai_, has hardly been mentioned by a single foreigner without -some inaccuracy on the part of the writer concerned. For instance, the -late Mr. Mayers states in his _Chinese Reader's Manual_, p. 176, that -this work was composed "circa A.D. 1710," the fact being that the -collection was actually completed in 1679, as we know by the date -attached to the "Author's Own Record" given above. It is consequently -two centuries, almost to the day, since the first appearance of a book -destined to a popularity which the lapse of time seems wholly unable -to diminish; and the present may fairly be considered a fitting epoch -for its first presentation to the English reader in an English dress. -I should mention, however, that the _Liao-Chai_ was originally, and -for many years, circulated in manuscript only. P'u Sung-ling, as we -are told in a colophon by his grandson to the first edition, was too -poor to meet the heavy expense of block-cutting; and it was not until -as late as 1740, when the author must have been already for some time -a denizen of the dark land he so much loved to describe, that his -aforesaid grandson printed and published the collection now so -universally famous. Since then many editions have been laid before the -Chinese public, the best of which is that by Tan Ming-lun, a Salt -Commissioner, who flourished during the reign of Tao Kuang, and who in -1842 produced, at his own expense, an excellent edition in sixteen -small octavo volumes of about 160 pages each. And as various editions -will occasionally be found to contain various readings, I would here -warn students of Chinese who wish to compare my rendering with the -text, that it is from the edition of Tan Ming-lun, collated with that -of Yü Chi, published in 1766, that this translation has been made. -Many have been the commentaries and disquisitions upon the meaning of -obscure passages and the general scope of this work; to say nothing of -the prefaces with which the several editions have been ushered into -the world. Of the latter, I have selected one specimen, from which the -reader will be able to form a tolerably accurate opinion as to the -true nature of these always singular and usually difficult -compositions. Here it is:-- - -T'ANG MÊNG LAI'S PREFACE. - - "The common saying, 'He regards a camel as a horse with a swelled - back,' trivial of itself, may be used in illustration of greater - matters. Men are wont to attribute an existence only to such - things as they daily see with their own eyes, and they marvel at - whatsoever, appearing before them at one instant, vanishes at the - next. And yet it is not at the sprouting and falling of foliage, - or at the metamorphosis of insects that they marvel, but only at - the manifestations of the supernatural world; though of a truth, - the whistling of the wind and the movement of streams, with - nothing to set the one in motion or give sound to the other, might - well be ranked among extraordinary phenomena. We are accustomed to - these, and therefore do not note them. We marvel at devils and - foxes: we do not marvel at man. But who is it that causes a man to - move and to speak?--to which question comes the ready answer of - each individual so questioned, '_I_ do.' This 'I do,' however, is - merely a personal consciousness of the facts under discussion. - For a man can see with his eyes, but he cannot see what it is that - makes him see; he can hear with his ears, but he cannot hear what - it is that makes him hear; how, then, is it possible for him to - understand the rationale of things he can neither see nor hear. - Whatever has come within the bounds of their own ocular or - auricular experience men regard as proved to be actually existing; - and only such things.[34] But this term 'experience' may be - understood in various senses. For instance, people speak of - something which has certain attributes as _form_, and of something - else which has certain other attributes as _substance_; ignorant - as they are that form and substance are to be found existing - without those particular attributes. Things which are thus - constituted are inappreciable, indeed, by our ears and eyes; but - we cannot argue that therefore they do not exist. Some persons can - see a mosquito's eye, while to others even a mountain is - invisible; some can hear the sound of ants battling together, - while others again fail to catch the roar of a thunder-peal. - Powers of seeing and hearing vary; there should be no reckless - imputations of blindness. According to the schoolmen, man at his - death is dispersed like wind or fire, the origin and end of his - vitality being alike unknown; and as those who have seen strange - phenomena are few, the number of those who marvel at them is - proportionately great, and the 'horse with a swelled back' - parallel is very widely applicable. And ever quoting the fact that - Confucius would have nothing to say on these topics, these - schoolmen half discredit such works as the _Ch'i-chieh-chih-kuai_ - and the _Yü-ch'u-chi-i_,[35] ignorant that the Sage's - unwillingness to speak had reference only to persons of an - inferior mental calibre; for his own _Spring and Autumn_ can - hardly be said to be devoid of all allusions of the kind. Now P'u - Liu-hsien devoted himself in his youth to the marvellous, and as - he grew older was specially remarkable for his comprehension - thereof; and being moreover a most elegant writer, he occupied his - leisure in recording whatever came to his knowledge of a - particularly marvellous nature. A volume of these compositions of - his formerly fell into my hands, and was constantly borrowed by - friends; now, I have another volume, and of what I read only about - three-tenths was known to me before. What there is, should be - sufficient to open the eyes of those schoolmen, though I much fear - it will be like talking of ice to a butterfly. Personally, I - disbelieve in the irregularity of natural phenomena, and regard as - evil spirits only those who injure their neighbours. For eclipses, - falling stars, the flight of herons, the nest of a mina, talking - stones, and the combats of dragons, can hardly be classed as - irregular; while the phenomena of nature occurring out of season, - wars, rebellions, and so forth, may certainly be relegated to the - category of evil. In my opinion the morality of P'u Liu-hsien's - work is of a very high standard, its object being distinctly to - glorify virtue and to censure vice, and as a book calculated to - elevate mankind may be safely placed side by side with the - philosophical treatises of Yang Hsiung which Huan Tan declared to - be so worthy of a wide circulation." - -With regard to the meaning of the Chinese words _Liao-Chai-Chih-I_, -this title has received indifferent treatment at the hands of -different writers. Dr. Williams chose to render it by "Pastimes of the -Study," and Mr. Mayers by "The Record of Marvels, or Tales of the -Genii;" neither of which is sufficiently near to be regarded in the -light of a translation. Taken literally and in order, these words -stand for "Liao--library--record--strange," "Liao" being simply a -fanciful name given by our author to his private library or studio. An -apocryphal anecdote traces the origin of this selection to a remark -once made by himself with reference to his failure for the second -degree. "Alas!" he is reported to have said, "I shall now have no -resource (_Liao_) for my old age;" and accordingly he so named his -study, meaning that in his pen he would seek that resource which fate -had denied to him as an official. For this untranslatable "Liao" I -have ventured to substitute "Chinese," as indicating more clearly the -nature of what is to follow. No such title as "Tales of the Genii" -fully expresses the scope of this work, which embraces alike weird -stories of Taoist devilry and magic, marvellous accounts of impossible -countries beyond the sea, simple scenes of Chinese every-day life, and -notices of extraordinary natural phenomena. Indeed, the author once -had it in contemplation to publish only the more imaginative of the -tales in the present collection under the title of "Devil and Fox -Stories;" but from this scheme he was ultimately dissuaded by his -friends, the result being the heterogeneous mass which is more aptly -described by the title I have given to this volume. In a similar -manner, I too had originally determined to publish a full and complete -translation of the whole of these sixteen volumes; but on a closer -acquaintance many of the stories turned out to be quite unsuitable for -the age in which we live, forcibly recalling the coarseness of our own -writers of fiction in the last century. Others again were utterly -pointless, or mere repetitions in a slightly altered form. Of the -whole, I therefore selected one hundred and sixty-four of the best and -most characteristic stories, of which eight had previously been -published by Mr. Allen in the _China Review_, one by Mr. Mayers in -_Notes and Queries on China and Japan_, two by myself in the columns -of the _Celestial Empire_, and four by Dr. Williams in a now forgotten -handbook of Chinese. The remaining one hundred and forty-nine have -never before, to my knowledge, been translated into English. To those, -however, who can enjoy the _Liao-Chai_ in the original text, the -distinctions between the various stories of felicity in plot, -originality, and so on, are far less sharply defined, so impressed as -each competent reader must be by the incomparable style in which even -the meanest is arrayed. For in this respect, as important now in -Chinese eyes as it was with ourselves in days not long gone by, the -author of the _Liao-Chai_ and the rejected candidate succeeded in -founding a school of his own, in which he has since been followed by -hosts of servile imitators with more or less success. Terseness is -pushed to its extreme limits; each particle that can be safely -dispensed with is scrupulously eliminated; and every here and there -some new and original combination invests perhaps a single word with a -force it could never have possessed except under the hands of a -perfect master of his art. Add to the above, copious allusions and -adaptations from a course of reading which would seem to have been -co-extensive with the whole range of Chinese literature, a wealth of -metaphor and an artistic use of figures generally to which only the -_chef-d'oeuvres_ of Carlyle form an adequate parallel; and the result -is a work which for purity and beauty of style is now universally -accepted in China as the best and most perfect model. Sometimes the -story runs along plainly and smoothly enough; but the next moment we -may be plunged into pages of abstruse text, the meaning of which is so -involved in quotations from and allusions to the poetry or history of -the past three thousand years as to be recoverable only after diligent -perusal of the commentary and much searching in other works of -reference. In illustration of the popularity of this book, Mr. Mayers -once stated that "the porter at his gate, the boatman at his mid-day -rest, the chair-coolie at his stand, no less than the man of letters -among his books, may be seen poring with delight over the -elegantly-narrated marvels of the _Liao-Chai_;" but he would doubtless -have withdrawn this judgment in later years, with the work lying open -before him. Ever since I have been in China, I have made a point of -never, when feasible, passing by a reading Chinaman without asking -permission to glance at the volume in his hand; and at my various -stations in China I have always kept up a borrowing acquaintance with -the libraries of my private or official servants; but I can safely -affirm that I have not once detected the _Liao-Chai_ in the hands of -an ill-educated man. Mr. Mayers made, perhaps, a happier hit when he -observed that "fairy-tales told in the style of the _Anatomy of -Melancholy_ would scarcely be a popular book in Great Britain;" though -except in some particular points of contact, the styles of these two -writers could scarcely claim even the most distant of relationships. - -Such, then, is the setting of this collection of _Strange Stories from -a Chinese Studio_, many of which contain, in addition to the -advantages of style and plot, a very excellent moral. The intention of -most of them is, in the actual words of T'ang Mêng-lai, "to glorify -virtue and to censure vice,"--always, it must be borne in mind, -according to the Chinese and not to a European interpretation of these -terms. As an addition to our knowledge of the folk-lore of China, and -as an _aperçu_ of the manners, customs, and social life of that vast -Empire, my translation of the _Liao-Chai_ may not be wholly devoid of -interest. The amusement and instruction I have myself derived from the -task thus voluntarily imposed has already more than repaid me for the -pains I have been at to put this work before the English public in a -pleasing and available form. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] "How can a statement as to customs, myths, beliefs, &c., of a -savage tribe, be treated as evidence, where it depends on the -testimony of some traveller or missionary, who may be a superficial -observer, more or less ignorant of the native language, a careless -retailer of unsifted talk, a man prejudiced or even wilfully -deceitful?"--TYLOR'S _Primitive Culture_, Vol. I., p. 9. - -[2] Said of the bogies of the hills, in allusion to their _clothes_. -Here quoted with reference to the official classes, in ridicule of the -title under which they hold posts which, from a literary point of -view, they are totally unfit to occupy. - -[3] A celebrated statesman (B.C. 314) who, having lost his master's -favour by the intrigues of a rival, finally drowned himself in -despair. The Annual Dragon Festival is said by some to be a "search" -for his body. - -[4] A poem addressed by San-lü to his Prince, after his disgrace. Its -non-success was the immediate cause of his death. - -[5] That is, of the supernatural generally. - -[6] A poet of the T'ang Dynasty whose eyebrows met, whose nails were -very long, and who could write very fast. - -[7] "You know the music of earth," said the Taoist sage, Chuang-tz[)u]; -"but you have not heard the music of heaven." - -[8] That is, to the operation of some influence surviving from a -previous existence. - -[9] This is another hit at the ruling classes. Chi K'ang, a celebrated -musician and alchemist (A.D. 223-262), was sitting one night alone, -playing upon his lute, when suddenly a man with a tiny face walked in, -and began to stare hard at him, the stranger's face enlarging all the -time. "I'm not going to match myself against a devil!" cried the -musician, after a few moments, and instantly blew out the light. - -[10] When Liu Chüan, Governor of Wu-ling, determined to relieve his -poverty by trade, he saw a devil standing by his side, laughing and -rubbing his hands for glee. "Poverty and wealth are matters of -destiny," said Liu Chüan; "But to be laughed at by a devil----," and -accordingly he desisted from his intention. - -[11] A writer who flourished in the early part of the fourth century, -and composed a work in thirty books entitled _Supernatural -Researches_. - -[12] The famous poet, statesman, and essayist, who flourished A.D. -1036-1101. - -[13] "And his friends had the habit of jotting down for his unfailing -delight anything quaint or comic that they came across."--_The World_ -on Charles Dickens: 24th July 1878. - -[14] It is related in the _Historical Record_ that when T'ai Po and Yü -Chung visited the southern savages they saw men with tattooed bodies -and short hair. - -[15] A fabulous community, placed by geographers to the west of the -Dragon city--wherever that may be. So called because the heads of the -men are in the habit of leaving their bodies, and flying down to -marshy places to feed on worms and crabs. A red ring is seen the night -before the flight encircling the neck of the man whose head is about -to fly. At daylight the head returns. - -[16] A quotation from the admired works of Wang Po, a brilliant -scholar and poet, who was drowned at the early age of twenty-eight, -A.D. 675. - -[17] I have hitherto failed in all attempts to identify this -quotation. - -[18] The cross-road of the "Five Fathers" is here mentioned, which the -commentator tells us is merely the name of the place. - -[19] The past, present, and future life, of the Buddhist system of -metempsychosis. - -[20] A certain man, who was staying at a temple, dreamt that an old -priest appeared to him beneath a jade-stone cliff, and, pointing to a -stick of burning incense, said to him, "That incense represents a vow -to be fulfilled; but I say unto you, that ere its smoke shall have -curled away, your three states of existence will have been already -accomplished." The meaning is that time on earth is as nothing to the -Gods. - -[21] This remark occurs in the fifteenth of the Confucian Gospels, -section 22. - -[22] The birth of a boy was formerly signalled by hanging a bow at the -door; that of a girl, by displaying a small towel--indicative of the -parts that each would hereafter play in the drama of life. - -[23] See note 42 to No. II. - -[24] Literally, "ploughing with my pen." - -[25] The _patra_ or bowl, used by Buddhist mendicants, in imitation of -the celebrated alms-dish of Shâkyamuni Buddha. - -[26] Literally, "scratched my head," as is often done by the Chinese -in perplexity or doubt. - -[27] Alluding to the priest Dharma-nandi, who came from India to -China, and tried to convert the Emperor Wu Ti of the Liang Dynasty; -but, failing in his attempt, he retired full of mortification to a -temple at Sung-shan, where he sat for nine years before a rock, until -his own image was imprinted thereon. - -[28] The six _gâti_ or conditions of existence, namely: angels, men, -demons, hungry devils, brute beasts, and tortured sinners. - -[29] Literally, "putting together the pieces under the forelegs (of -foxes) to make robes." This part of the fox-skin is the most valuable -for making fur clothes. - -[30] The work of a well-known writer, named Lin I-ch'ing, who -flourished during the Sung Dynasty. - -[31] Alluding to an essay by Han Fei, a philosopher of the third -century B.C., in which he laments the iniquity of the age in general, -and the corruption of officials in particular. He finally committed -suicide in prison, where he had been cast by the intrigues of a rival -minister. - -[32] Confucius (_Gospel_ xiv., sec. 37) said, "Alas! there is no one -who knows me (to be what I am)." - -[33] The great poet Tu Fu (A.D. 712-770) dreamt that his greater -predecessor, Li T'ai-po (A.D. 699-762) appeared to him, "coming when -the maple-grove was in darkness, and returning while the frontier-pass -was still obscured;"--that is, at night, when no one could see him; -the meaning being that he never came at all, and that those "who know -me (P'u Sung-ling)" are equally non-existent. - -[34] "Thus, since countless things exist that the senses _can_ take -account of, it is evident that nothing exists that the senses can -_not_ take account of."--The "Professor" in W. H. Mallock's _New Paul -and Virginia_. - -This passage recalls another curious classification by the great -Chinese philosopher Han Wên-kung. "There are some things which possess -form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stones; others -have sound but are without form, such as wind and thunder; others -again have both form and sound, such as men and animals; and lastly, -there is a class devoid of both, namely, _devils and spirits_." - -[35] I have never seen any of these works, but I believe they treat, -as implied by their titles, chiefly of the supernatural world. - - - - -STRANGE STORIES - -FROM A - -CHINESE STUDIO. - - - - -I. - -EXAMINATION FOR THE POST OF GUARDIAN ANGEL.[36] - - -My eldest sister's husband's grandfather, named Sung Tao, was a -graduate.[37] One day, while lying down from indisposition, an -official messenger arrived, bringing the usual notification in his -hand and leading a horse with a white forehead, to summon him to the -examination for his master's degree. Mr. Sung here remarked that the -Grand Examiner had not yet come, and asked why there should be this -hurry. The messenger did not reply to this, but pressed so earnestly -that at length Mr. Sung roused himself, and getting upon the horse -rode with him. The way seemed strange, and by-and-by they reached a -city which resembled the capital of a prince. They then entered the -Prefect's _yamên_,[38] the apartments of which were beautifully -decorated; and there they found some ten officials sitting at the -upper end, all strangers to Mr. Sung, with the exception of one whom -he recognised to be the God of War.[39] In the verandah were two -tables and two stools, and at the end of one of the former a candidate -was already seated, so Mr. Sung sat down alongside of him. On the -table were writing materials for each, and suddenly down flew a piece -of paper with a theme on it, consisting of the following eight -words:--"One man, two men; by intention, without intention." When Mr. -Sung had finished his essay, he took it into the hall. It contained -the following passage: "Those who are virtuous by intention, though -virtuous, shall not be rewarded. Those who are wicked without -intention, though wicked, shall receive no punishment." The presiding -deities praised this sentiment very much, and calling Mr. Sung to come -forward, said to him, "A Guardian Angel is wanted in Honan. Go you and -take up the appointment." Mr. Sung no sooner heard this than he bowed -his head and wept, saying, "Unworthy though I am of the honour you -have conferred upon me, I should not venture to decline it but that my -aged mother has reached her seventh decade, and there is no one now to -take care of her. I pray you let me wait until she has fulfilled her -destiny, when I will hold myself at your disposal." Thereupon one of -the deities, who seemed to be the chief, gave instructions to search -out his mother's term of life, and a long-bearded attendant forthwith -brought in the Book of Fate. On turning it over, he declared that she -still had nine years to live; and then a consultation was held among -the deities, in the middle of which the God of War said, "Very well. -Let Mr. graduate Chang take the post, and be relieved in nine years' -time." Then, turning to Mr. Sung, he continued, "You ought to proceed -without delay to your post; but as a reward for your filial piety, you -are granted a furlough of nine years. At the expiration of that time -you will receive another summons." He next addressed a few kind words -to Mr. Chang; and the two candidates, having made their _kotow_, went -away together. Grasping Mr. Sung's hand, his companion, who gave -"Chang Ch'i of Ch'ang-shan" as his name and address, accompanied him -beyond the city walls and gave him a stanza of poetry at parting. I -cannot recollect it all, but in it occurred this couplet:-- - - "With wine and flowers we chase the hours, - In one eternal spring: - No moon, no light, to cheer the night-- - Thyself that ray must bring." - -Mr. Sung here left him and rode on, and before very long reached his -own home; here he awaked as if from a dream, and found that he had -been dead three days,[40] when his mother, hearing a groan in the -coffin, ran to it and helped him out. It was some time before he could -speak, and then he at once inquired about Ch'ang-shan, where, as it -turned out, a graduate named Chang had died that very day. - -Nine years afterwards, Mr. Sung's mother, in accordance with fate, -passed from this life; and when the funeral obsequies were over, her -son, having first purified himself, entered into his chamber and died -also. Now his wife's family lived within the city, near the western -gate; and all of a sudden they beheld Mr. Sung, accompanied by -numerous chariots and horses with carved trappings and red-tasselled -bits, enter into the hall, make an obeisance, and depart. They were -very much disconcerted at this, not knowing that he had become a -spirit, and rushed out into the village to make inquiries, when they -heard he was already dead. Mr. Sung had an account of his adventure -written by himself; but unfortunately after the insurrection it was -not to be found. This is only an outline of the story. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[36] The tutelar deity of every Chinese city. - -[37] That is, he had taken the first or bachelor's degree. I shall not -hesitate to use strictly English equivalents for all kinds of Chinese -terms. The three degrees are literally, (1) Cultivated Talent, (2) -Raised Man, and (3) Promoted Scholar. - -[38] The official residence of a mandarin above a certain rank. - -[39] The Chinese Mars. A celebrated warrior, named Kuan Yü, who lived -about the beginning of the third century of our era. He was raised -after death to the rank of a God, and now plays a leading part in the -Chinese Pantheon. - -[40] Catalepsy, which is the explanation of many a story in this -collection, would appear to be of very common occurrence amongst the -Chinese. Such, however, is not the case; in which statement I am borne -out by my friend, Dr. Manson, of Amoy, who, after many years' practice -among the natives of that port, and also of Formosa, informs me that -he has never even heard of a single instance of this strange -complaint. - - - - -II. - -THE TALKING PUPILS. - - -At Ch'ang-ngan there lived a scholar, named Fang Tung, who though by -no means destitute of ability was a very unprincipled rake, and in the -habit of following and speaking to any woman he might chance to meet. -The day before the spring festival of Clear Weather,[41] he was -strolling about outside the city when he saw a small carriage with red -curtains and an embroidered awning, followed by a crowd of -waiting-maids on horseback, one of whom was exceedingly pretty, and -riding on a small palfrey. Going closer to get a better view, Mr. Fang -noticed that the carriage curtain was partly open, and inside he -beheld a beautifully dressed girl of about sixteen, lovely beyond -anything he had ever seen. Dazzled by the sight, he could not take his -eyes off her; and, now before, now behind, he followed the carriage -for many a mile. By-and-by he heard the young lady call out to her -maid, and, when the latter came alongside, say to her, "Let down the -screen for me. Who is this rude fellow that keeps on staring so?" The -maid accordingly let down the screen, and looking angrily at Mr. Fang, -said to him, "This is the bride of the Seventh Prince in the City of -Immortals going home to see her parents, and no village girl that you -should stare at her thus." Then taking a handful of dust, she threw it -at him and blinded him. He rubbed his eyes and looked round, but the -carriage and horses were gone. This frightened him, and he went off -home, feeling very uncomfortable about the eyes. He sent for a doctor -to examine his eyes, and on the pupils was found a small film, which -had increased by next morning, the eyes watering incessantly all the -time. The film went on growing, and in a few days was as thick as a -cash.[42] On the right pupil there came a kind of spiral, and as no -medicine was of any avail, the sufferer gave himself up to grief and -wished for death. He then bethought himself of repenting of his -misdeeds, and hearing that the _Kuang-ming_ sutra could relieve -misery, he got a copy and hired a man to teach it to him. At first it -was very tedious work, but by degrees he became more composed, and -spent every evening in a posture of devotion, telling his beads. At -the end of a year he had arrived at a state of perfect calm, when one -day he heard a small voice, about as loud as a fly's, calling out from -his left eye:--"It's horridly dark in here." To this he heard a reply -from the right eye, saying, "Let us go out for a stroll, and cheer -ourselves up a bit." Then he felt a wriggling in his nose which made -it itch, just as if something was going out of each of the nostrils; -and after a while he felt it again as if going the other way. -Afterwards he heard a voice from one eye say, "I hadn't seen the -garden for a long time: the epidendrums are all withered and dead." -Now Mr. Fang was very fond of these epidendrums, of which he had -planted a great number, and had been accustomed to water them himself; -but since the loss of his sight he had never even alluded to them. -Hearing, however, these words, he at once asked his wife why she had -let the epidendrums die. She inquired how he knew they were dead, and -when he told her she went out to see, and found them actually withered -away. They were both very much astonished at this, and his wife -proceeded to conceal herself in the room. She then observed two tiny -people, no bigger than a bean, come down from her husband's nose and -run out of the door, where she lost sight of them. In a little while -they came back and flew up to his face, like bees or beetles seeking -their nests. This went on for some days, until Mr. Fang heard from the -left eye, "This roundabout road is not at all convenient. It would be -as well for us to make a door." To this the right eye answered, "My -wall is too thick; it wouldn't be at all an easy job." "I'll try and -open mine," said the left eye, "and then it will do for both of us." -Whereupon Mr. Fang felt a pain in his left eye as if something was -being split, and in a moment he found he could see the tables and -chairs in the room. He was delighted at this and told his wife, who -examined his eye and discovered an opening in the film, through which -she could see the black pupil shining out beneath, the eyeball itself -looking like a cracked pepper-corn. By next morning the film had -disappeared, and when his eye was closely examined it was observed to -contain two pupils. The spiral on the right eye remained as before; -and then they knew that the two pupils had taken up their abode in one -eye. Further, although Mr. Fang was still blind of one eye, the sight -of the other was better than that of the two together. From this time -he was more careful of his behaviour, and acquired in his part of the -country the reputation of a virtuous man.[43] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[41] One of the twenty-four solar terms. It falls on or about the 5th -of April, and is the special time for worshipping at the family tombs. - -[42] The common European name for the only Chinese coin, about twenty -of which go to a penny. Each has a square hole in the middle, for the -convenience of stringing them together; hence the expression "strings -of cash." - -[43] The belief that the human eye contains a tiny being of the human -shape is universal in China. It originated, of course, from the -reflection of oneself that is seen on looking into the pupil of -anybody's eye, or even, with the aid of a mirror, into one's own. - - - - -III. - -THE PAINTED WALL. - - -A Kiang-si gentleman, named Mêng Lung-t'an, was lodging at the capital -with a Mr. Chu, M.A., when one day chance led them to a certain -monastery, within which they found no spacious halls or meditation -chambers, but only an old priest in _deshabille_. On observing the -visitors, he arranged his dress and went forward to meet them, leading -them round and showing whatever there was to be seen. In the chapel -they saw an image of Chih Kung, and the walls on either side were -beautifully painted with life-like representations of men and things. -On the east side were pictured a number of fairies, among whom was a -young girl whose maiden tresses were not yet confined by the matron's -knot. She was picking flowers and gently smiling, while her cherry -lips seemed about to move, and the moisture of her eyes to overflow. -Mr. Chu gazed at her for a long time without taking his eyes off, -until at last he became unconscious of anything but the thoughts that -were engrossing him. Then, suddenly, he felt himself floating in the -air, as if riding on a cloud, and found himself passing through the -wall,[44] where halls and pavilions stretched away one after another, -unlike the abodes of mortals. Here an old priest was preaching the Law -of Buddha, surrounded by a large crowd of listeners. Mr. Chu mingled -with the throng, and after a few moments perceived a gentle tug at his -sleeve. Turning round, he saw the young girl above-mentioned, who -walked laughing away. Mr. Chu at once followed her, and passing a -winding balustrade arrived at a small apartment beyond which he dared -not venture further. But the young lady, looking back, waved the -flowers she had in her hand as though beckoning him to come on. He -accordingly entered and found nobody else within. Then they fell on -their knees and worshipped heaven and earth together,[45] and rose up -as man and wife, after which the bride went away, bidding Mr. Chu keep -quiet until she came back. This went on for a couple of days, when the -young lady's companions began to smell a rat and discovered Mr. Chu's -hiding-place. Thereupon they all laughed and said, "My dear, you are -now a married woman, and should leave off that maidenly _coiffure_." -So they gave her the proper hair-pins and head ornaments, and bade her -go bind her hair, at which she blushed very much but said nothing. -Then one of them cried out, "My sisters, let us be off. Two's -company, more's none." At this they all giggled again and went away. - -Mr. Chu found his wife very much improved by the alteration in the -style of her hair. The high top-knot and the coronet of pendants were -very becoming to her. But suddenly they heard a sound like the -tramping of heavy-soled boots, accompanied by the clanking of chains -and the noise of angry discussion. The bride jumped up in a fright, -and she and Mr. Chu peeped out. They saw a man clad in golden armour, -with a face as black as jet, carrying in his hand chains and whips, -and surrounded by all the girls. He asked, "Are you all here?" "All," -they replied. "If," said he, "any mortal is here concealed amongst -you, denounce him at once, and lay not up sorrow for yourselves." Here -they all answered as before that there was no one. The man then made a -movement as if he would search the place, upon which the bride was -dreadfully alarmed, and her face turned the colour of ashes. In her -terror she said to Mr. Chu, "Hide yourself under the bed," and opening -a small lattice in the wall, disappeared herself. Mr. Chu in his -concealment hardly dared to draw his breath; and in a little while he -heard the boots tramp into the room and out again, the sound of the -voices getting gradually fainter and fainter in the distance. This -reassured him, but he still heard the voices of people going backwards -and forwards outside; and having been a long time in a cramped -position, his ears began to sing as if there was a locust in them, -and his eyes to burn like fire. It was almost unbearable; however, he -remained quietly awaiting the return of the young lady without giving -a thought to the why and wherefore of his present position. - -Meanwhile, Mêng Lung-t'an had noticed the sudden disappearance of his -friend, and thinking something was wrong, asked the priest where he -was. "He has gone to hear the preaching of the Law," replied the -priest. "Where?" said Mr. Mêng. "Oh, not very far," was the answer. -Then with his finger the old priest tapped the wall and called out, -"Friend Chu! what makes you stay away so long?" At this, the likeness -of Mr. Chu was figured upon the wall, with his ear inclined in the -attitude of one listening. The priest added, "Your friend here has -been waiting for you some time;" and immediately Mr. Chu descended -from the wall, standing transfixed like a block of wood, with starting -eyeballs and trembling legs. Mr. Mêng was much terrified, and asked -him quietly what was the matter. Now the matter was that while -concealed under the bed he had heard a noise resembling thunder and -had rushed out to see what it was. - -Here they all noticed that the young lady on the wall with the -maiden's tresses had changed the style of her _coiffure_ to that of a -married woman. Mr. Chu was greatly astonished at this and asked the -old priest the reason. - -He replied, "Visions have their origin in those who see them: what -explanation can I give?" This answer was very unsatisfactory to Mr. -Chu; neither did his friend, who was rather frightened, know what to -make of it all; so they descended the temple steps and went away. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[44] Which will doubtless remind the reader of _Alice through the -Looking-glass, and what she saw there_. - -[45] The all-important item of a Chinese marriage ceremony; amounting, -in fact, to calling God to witness the contract. - - - - -IV. - -PLANTING A PEAR-TREE. - - -A countryman was one day selling his pears in the market. They were -unusually sweet and fine flavoured, and the price he asked was high. A -Taoist[46] priest in rags and tatters stopped at the barrow and -begged one of them. The countryman told him to go away, but as he did -not do so he began to curse and swear at him. The priest said, "You -have several hundred pears on your barrow; I ask for a single one, the -loss of which, Sir, you would not feel. Why then get angry?" The -lookers-on told the countryman to give him an inferior one and let him -go, but this he obstinately refused to do. Thereupon the beadle of the -place, finding the commotion too great, purchased a pear and handed it -to the priest. The latter received it with a bow and turning to the -crowd said, "We who have left our homes and given up all that is dear -to us[47] are at a loss to understand selfish niggardly conduct in -others. Now I have some exquisite pears which I shall do myself the -honour to put before you." Here somebody asked, "Since you have pears -yourself, why don't you eat those?" "Because," replied the priest, "I -wanted one of these pips to grow them from." So saying, he munched up -the pear; and when he had finished took a pip in his hand, unstrapped -a pick from his back, and proceeded to make a hole in the ground, -several inches deep, wherein he deposited the pip, filling in the -earth as before. He then asked the bystanders for a little hot water -to water it with, and one among them who loved a joke fetched him some -boiling water from a neighbouring shop. The priest poured this over -the place where he had made the hole, and every eye was fixed upon him -when sprouts were seen shooting up, and gradually growing larger and -larger. By-and-by, there was a tree with branches sparsely covered -with leaves; then flowers, and last of all fine, large, sweet-smelling -pears hanging in great profusion. These the priest picked and handed -round to the assembled crowd until all were gone, when he took his -pick and hacked away for a long time at the tree, finally cutting it -down. This he shouldered, leaves and all, and sauntered quietly away. -Now, from the very beginning, our friend the countryman had been -amongst the crowd, straining his neck to see what was going on, and -forgetting all about his business. At the departure of the priest he -turned round and discovered that every one of his pears was gone. He -then knew that those the old fellow had been giving away so freely -were really his own pears. Looking more closely at the barrow he also -found that one of the handles was missing, evidently having been newly -cut off. Boiling with rage, he set out in pursuit of the priest, and -just as he turned the corner he saw the lost barrow-handle lying under -the wall, being in fact the very pear-tree that the priest had cut -down. But there were no traces of the priest--much to the amusement of -the crowd in the market-place. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[46] That is, of the religion of _Tao_, or, as it is sometimes called, -_Rationalism_. It was founded some six centuries before the Christian -era by a man named Lao-tz[)u], "Old boy," who was said to have been born -with white hair and a beard. Originally a pure system of metaphysics, -it is now but a shadow of its former self, and is corrupted by the -grossest forms of superstition borrowed from Buddhism, which has in -its turn adopted many of the forms and beliefs of Taoism, so that the -two religions are hardly distinguishable one from the other. - -"What seemed to me the most singular circumstance connected with the -matter, was the presence of half-a-dozen Taoist priests, who joined in -all the ceremonies, doing everything that the Buddhist priests did, -and presenting a very odd appearance, with their top-knots and cues, -among their closely shaven Buddhist brethren. It seemed strange that -the worship of Sakyamuni by celibate Buddhist priests, with shaved -heads, into which holes were duly burned at their initiation, should -be participated in by married Taoist priests, whose heads are not -wholly shaven, and have never been burned."--_Initiation of Buddhist -Priests at Kooshan_, by S. L. B. - -Taoist priests are credited with a knowledge of alchemy and the black -art in general. - -[47] A celibate priesthood belongs properly to Buddhism, and is not a -doctrine of the Taoist church. - - - - -V. - -THE TAOIST PRIEST OF LAO-SHAN. - - -There lived in our village a Mr. Wang, the seventh son in an old -family. This gentleman had a _penchant_ for the Taoist religion; and -hearing that at Lao-shan there were plenty of Immortals,[48] -shouldered his knapsack and went off for a tour thither. Ascending a -peak of the mountain he reached a secluded monastery where he found a -priest sitting on a rush mat, with long hair flowing over his neck, -and a pleasant expression on his face. Making a low bow, Wang -addressed him thus:--"Mysterious indeed is the doctrine: I pray you, -Sir, instruct me therein." "Delicately-nurtured and wanting in energy -as you are," replied the priest, "I fear you could not support the -fatigue." "Try me," said Wang. So when the disciples, who were very -many in number, collected together at dusk, Wang joined them in making -obeisance to the priest, and remained with them in the monastery. Very -early next morning the priest summoned Wang, and giving him a hatchet -sent him out with the others to cut firewood. Wang respectfully -obeyed, continuing to work for over a month until his hands and feet -were so swollen and blistered that he secretly meditated returning -home. One evening when he came back he found two strangers sitting -drinking with his master. It being already dark, and no lamp or -candles having been brought in, the old priest took some scissors and -cut out a circular piece of paper like a mirror, which he proceeded to -stick against the wall. Immediately it became a dazzling moon, by the -light of which you could have seen a hair or a beard of corn. The -disciples all came crowding round to wait upon them, but one of the -strangers said, "On a festive occasion like this we ought all to enjoy -ourselves together." Accordingly he took a kettle of wine from the -table and presented it to the disciples, bidding them drink each his -fill; whereupon our friend Wang began to wonder how seven or eight of -them could all be served out of a single kettle. The disciples, too, -rushed about in search of cups, each struggling to get the first drink -for fear the wine should be exhausted. Nevertheless, all the -candidates failed to empty the kettle, at which they were very much -astonished, when suddenly one of the strangers said, "You have given -us a fine bright moon; but it's dull work drinking by ourselves. Why -not call Ch'ang-ngo[49] to join us?" He then seized a chop-stick and -threw it into the moon, whereupon a lovely girl stepped forth from its -beams. At first she was only a foot high, but on reaching the ground -lengthened to the ordinary size of women. She had a slender waist and -a beautiful neck, and went most gracefully through the Red Garment -figure.[50] When this was finished she sang the following words:-- - - "Ye fairies! ye fairies! I'm coming back soon, - Too lonely and cold is my home in the moon." - -Her voice was clear and well sustained, ringing like the notes of a -flageolet, and when she had concluded her song she pirouetted round -and jumped up on the table, where, with every eye fixed in -astonishment upon her, she once more became a chop-stick. The three -friends laughed loudly, and one of them said, "We are very jolly -to-night, but I have hardly room for any more wine. Will you drink a -parting glass with me in the palace of the moon?" They then took up -the table and walked into the moon where they could be seen drinking -so plainly, that their eyebrows and beards appeared like reflections -in a looking-glass. By-and-by the moon became obscured; and when the -disciples brought a lighted candle they found the priest sitting in -the dark alone. The viands, however, were still upon the table and the -mirror-like piece of paper on the wall. "Have you all had enough to -drink?" asked the priest; to which they answered that they had. "In -that case," said he, "you had better get to bed, so as not to be -behindhand with your wood-cutting in the morning." So they all went -off, and among them Wang, who was delighted at what he had seen, and -thought no more of returning home. But after a time he could not stand -it any longer; and as the priest taught him no magical arts he -determined not to wait, but went to him and said, "Sir, I travelled -many long miles for the benefit of your instruction. If you will not -teach me the secret of Immortality, let me at any rate learn some -trifling trick, and thus soothe my cravings for a knowledge of your -art. I have now been here two or three months, doing nothing but chop -firewood, out in the morning and back at night, work to which I was -never accustomed in my own home." "Did I not tell you," replied the -priest, "that you would never support the fatigue? To-morrow I will -start you on your way home." "Sir," said Wang, "I have worked for you -a long time. Teach me some small art, that my coming here may not have -been wholly in vain." "What art?" asked the priest. "Well," answered -Wang, "I have noticed that whenever you walk about anywhere, walls and -so on are no obstacle to you. Teach me this, and I'll be satisfied." -The priest laughingly assented, and taught Wang a formula which he -bade him recite. When he had done so he told him to walk through the -wall; but Wang, seeing the wall in front of him, didn't like to walk -at it. As, however, the priest bade him try, he walked quietly up to -it and was there stopped. The priest here called out, "Don't go so -slowly. Put your head down and rush at it." So Wang stepped back a few -paces and went at it full speed; and the wall yielding to him as he -passed, in a moment he found himself outside. Delighted at this, he -went in to thank the priest, who told him to be careful in the use of -his power, or otherwise there would be no response, handing him at the -same time some money for his expenses on the way. When Wang got home, -he went about bragging of his Taoist friends and his contempt for -walls in general; but as his wife disbelieved his story, he set about -going through the performance as before. Stepping back from the wall, -he rushed at it full speed with his head down; but coming in contact -with the hard bricks, finished up in a heap on the floor. His wife -picked him up and found he had a bump on his forehead as big as a -large egg, at which she roared with laughter; but Wang was overwhelmed -with rage and shame, and cursed the old priest for his base -ingratitude. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[48] The "angels" of Taoism--immortality in a happy land being the -reward held out for a life on earth in accordance with the doctrines -of Tao, for which, as Mr. Chalmers says, "three terms suggest -themselves--the Way, Reason, and the _Word_; but they are all liable -to objection." - -Taoist priests are believed by some to possess an elixir of -immortality in the form of a precious liquor; others again hold that -the elixir consists solely in a virtuous conduct of life. - -[49] The beautiful wife of a legendary chieftain, named Hou I, who -flourished about 2,500 B.C. She is said to have stolen from her -husband the elixir of immortality, and to have fled with it to the -moon. - -[50] The name of a celebrated _pas seul_ of antiquity. - - - - -VI. - -THE BUDDHIST PRIEST OF CH'ANG-CH'ING. - - -At Ch'ang-ch'ing there lived a Buddhist priest of exceptional virtue -and purity of conduct, who, though over eighty years of age, was still -hale and hearty. One day he fell down and could not move; and when the -other priests rushed to help him up, they found he was already gone. -The old priest was himself unconscious of death, and his soul flew -away to the borders of the province of Honan. Now it chanced that the -scion of an old family residing in Honan, had gone out that very day -with some ten or a dozen followers to hunt the hare with falcons;[51] -but his horse having run away with him he fell off and was killed. -Just at that moment the soul of the priest came by and entered into -the body, which thereupon gradually recovered consciousness. The -servants crowded round to ask him how he felt, when opening his eyes -wide, he cried out, "How did I get here?" They assisted him to rise, -and led him into the house, where all his ladies came to see him and -inquire how he did. In great amazement he said, "I am a Buddhist -priest. How came I hither?" His servants thought he was wandering, and -tried to recall him by pulling his ears. As for himself, he could make -nothing of it, and closing his eyes refrained from saying anything -further. For food, he would only eat rice, refusing all wine and meat; -and avoided the society of his wives.[52] After some days he felt -inclined for a stroll, at which all his family were delighted; but no -sooner had he got outside and stopped for a little rest than he was -besieged by servants begging him to take their accounts as usual. -However, he pleaded illness and want of strength, and no more was -said. He then took occasion to ask if they knew the district of -Ch'ang-ch'ing, and on being answered in the affirmative expressed his -intention of going thither for a trip, as he felt dull and had nothing -particular to do, bidding them at the same time look after his affairs -at home. They tried to dissuade him from this on the ground of his -having but recently risen from a sick bed; but he paid no heed to -their remonstrances, and on the very next day set out. Arriving in the -Ch'ang-ch'ing district, he found everything unchanged; and without -being put to the necessity of asking the road, made his way straight -to the monastery. His former disciples received him with every token -of respect as an honoured visitor; and in reply to his question as to -where the old priest was, they informed him that their worthy teacher -had been dead for some time. On asking to be shewn his grave, they led -him to a spot where there was a solitary mound some three feet high, -over which the grass was not yet green. Not one of them knew his -motives for visiting this place; and by-and-by he ordered his horse, -saying to the disciples, "Your master was a virtuous priest. Carefully -preserve whatever relics of him you may have, and keep them from -injury." They all promised to do this, and he then set off on his way -home. When he arrived there, he fell into a listless state and took -no interest in his family affairs. So much so, that after a few -months he ran away and went straight to his former home at the -monastery, telling the disciples that he was their old master. This -they refused to believe, and laughed among themselves at his -pretensions; but he told them the whole story, and recalled many -incidents of his previous life among them, until at last they were -convinced. He then occupied his old bed and went through the same -daily routine as before, paying no attention to the repeated -entreaties of his family, who came with carriages and horses to beg -him to return. - -About a year subsequently, his wife sent one of the servants with -splendid presents of gold and silk, all of which he refused with the -exception of a single linen robe. And whenever any of his old friends -passed this monastery, they always went to pay him their respects, -finding him quiet, dignified, and pure. He was then barely thirty, -though he had been a priest for more than eighty years.[53] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[51] This form of sport may still be seen in the north of China. A -hare being started, two Chinese greyhounds (which are very slow) are -slipped from their leash in pursuit. But, as the hare would easily run -straight away from them, a falcon is released almost simultaneously. -The latter soars to a considerable height, and then swoops down on the -hare, striking it a violent blow with the "pounce," or claw. This -partially stuns the hare, and allows the dogs to regain lost ground, -by which time the hare is ready once more, and off they go again. The -chase is ended by the hare getting to earth in a fox's burrow, or -being ultimately overtaken by the dogs. In the latter case the heart -and liver are cut out on the spot, and given to the falcon; otherwise -he would hunt no more that day. Two falcons are often released, one -shortly after the other. They wear hoods, which are removed at the -moment of flying, and are attached by a slip-string from one leg to -the falconer's wrist. During the night previous to a day's hunting, -they are not allowed to sleep. Each falconer lies down with one falcon -on his left wrist, and keeps up an incessant tapping with the other on -the bird's head. This is done to make them fierce. Should the quarry -escape, a hare's skin is thrown down, by which means the falcons are -secured, and made ready for a further flight. Occasionally, but -rarely, the falcon misses its blow at the hare, with the result of a -broken or injured "arm." - -[52] Abstinence from wine and meat, and celibacy, are among the most -important dogmas of the Buddhist church, as specially applied to its -priesthood. At the door of every Buddhist monastery may be seen a -notice that "No wine or meat may enter here!" Even the laity are not -supposed to drink wine. - -[53] Having renewed his youth by assuming the body of the young man -into which his soul had entered. - - - - -VII. - -THE MARRIAGE OF THE FOX'S DAUGHTER. - - -A president of the Board of Civil Office,[54] named Yin, and a native -of Li-ch'êng, when a young man, was very badly off, but was endowed -with considerable physical courage. Now in his part of the country -there was a large establishment, covering several acres, with an -unbroken succession of pavilions and verandahs, and belonging to one -of the old county families; but because ghosts and apparitions were -frequently seen there, the place had for a long time remained -untenanted, and was overgrown with grass and weeds, no one venturing -to enter in even in broad daylight. One evening when Yin was carousing -with some fellow-students, one of them jokingly said, "If anybody will -pass a night in the haunted house, the rest of us will stand him a -dinner." Mr. Yin jumped up at this, and cried out, "What is there -difficult in that?" So, taking with him a sleeping-mat, he proceeded -thither, escorted by all his companions as far as the door, where -they laughed and said, "We will wait here a little while. In case you -see anything, shout out to us at once." "If there are any goblins or -foxes," replied Yin, "I'll catch them for you." He then went in, and -found the paths obliterated by long grass, which had sprung up, -mingled with weeds of various kinds. It was just the time of the new -moon, and by its feeble light he was able to make out the door of the -house. Feeling his way, he walked on until he reached the back -pavilion, and then went up on to the Moon Terrace, which was such a -pleasant spot that he determined to stop there. Gazing westwards, he -sat for a long time looking at the moon--a single thread of light -embracing in its horns the peak of a hill--without hearing anything at -all unusual; so, laughing to himself at the nonsense people talked, he -spread his mat upon the floor, put a stone under his head for a -pillow, and lay down to sleep. He had watched the Cow-herd and the -Lady[55] until they were just disappearing, and was on the point of -dropping off, when suddenly he heard footsteps down below coming up -the stairs. Pretending to be asleep, he saw a servant enter, carrying -in his hand a lotus-shaped lantern,[56] who, on observing Mr. Yin, -rushed back in a fright, and said to someone behind, "There is a -stranger here!" The person spoken to asked who it was, but the servant -did not know; and then up came an old gentleman, who, after examining -Mr. Yin closely, said, "It's the future President: he's as drunk as -can be. We needn't mind him; besides, he's a good fellow, and won't -give us any trouble." So they walked in and opened all the doors; and -by-and-by there were a great many other people moving about, and -quantities of lamps were lighted, till the place was as light as day. -About this time Mr. Yin slightly changed his position, and sneezed; -upon which the old man, perceiving that he was awake, came forward and -fell down on his knees, saying, "Sir, I have a daughter who is to be -married this very night. It was not anticipated that Your Honour would -be here. I pray, therefore, that we may be excused." Mr. Yin got up -and raised the old man, regretting that, in his ignorance of the -festive occasion, he had brought with him no present.[57] "Ah, Sir," -replied the old man, "your very presence here will ward off all -noxious influences; and that is quite enough for us." He then begged -Mr. Yin to assist in doing the honours, and thus double the obligation -already conferred. Mr. Yin readily assented, and went inside to look -at the gorgeous arrangements they had made. He was here met by a lady, -apparently about forty years of age, whom the old gentleman introduced -as his wife; and he had hardly made his bow when he heard the sound of -flageolets,[58] and someone came hurrying in, saying, "He has come!" -The old gentleman flew out to meet this personage, and Mr. Yin also -stood up, awaiting his arrival. In no long time, a bevy of people with -gauze lanterns ushered in the bridegroom himself, who seemed to be -about seventeen or eighteen years old, and of a most refined and -prepossessing appearance. The old gentleman bade him pay his respects -first to their worthy guest; and upon his looking towards Mr. Yin, -that gentleman came forward to welcome him on behalf of the host. Then -followed ceremonies between the old man and his son-in-law; and when -these were over, they all sat down to supper. Hosts of waiting-maids -brought in profuse quantities of wine and meats, with bowls and cups -of jade or gold, till the table glittered again. And when the wine had -gone round several times, the old gentleman told one of the maids to -summon the bride. This she did, but some time passed and no bride -came. So the old man rose and drew aside the curtain, pressing the -young lady to come forth; whereupon a number of women escorted out the -bride, whose ornaments went _tinkle tinkle_ as she walked along, sweet -perfumes being all the time diffused around. Her father told her to -make the proper salutation, after which she went and sat by her -mother. Mr. Yin took a glance at her, and saw that she wore on her -head beautiful ornaments made of kingfisher's feathers, her beauty -quite surpassing anything he had ever seen. All this time they had -been drinking their wine out of golden goblets big enough to hold -several pints, when it flashed across him that one of these goblets -would be a capital thing to carry back to his companions in evidence -of what he had seen. So he secreted it in his sleeve, and, pretending -to be tipsy,[59] leaned forward with his head upon the table as if -going off to sleep. "The gentleman is drunk," said the guests; and -by-and-by Mr. Yin heard the bridegroom take his leave, and there was a -general trooping downstairs to the tune of a wedding march. When they -were all gone the old gentleman collected the goblets, one of which -was missing, though they hunted high and low to find it. Someone -mentioned the sleeping guest; but the old gentleman stopped him at -once for fear Mr. Yin should hear, and before long silence reigned -throughout. Mr. Yin then arose. It was dark, and he had no light; but -he could detect the lingering smell of the food, and the place was -filled with the fumes of wine. Faint streaks of light now appearing in -the east, he began quietly to make a move, having first satisfied -himself that the goblet was still in his sleeve. Arriving at the door, -he found his friends already there; for they had been afraid he might -come out after they left, and go in again early in the morning. When -he produced the goblet they were all lost in astonishment; and on -hearing his story, they were fain to believe it, well knowing that a -poor student like Yin was not likely to have such a valuable piece of -plate in his possession. - -Later on Mr. Yin took his doctor's degree, and was appointed -magistrate over the district of Fei-ch'iu, where there was an -old-established family of the name of Chu. The head of the family -asked him to a banquet in honour of his arrival, and ordered the -servants to bring in the large goblets. After some delay a slave-girl -came and whispered something to her master which seemed to make him -very angry. Then the goblets were brought in, and Mr. Yin was invited -to drink. He now found that these goblets were of precisely the same -shape and pattern as the one he had at home, and at once begged his -host to tell him where he had had these made. "Well," said Mr. Chu, -"there should be eight of them. An ancestor of mine had them made, -when he was a minister at the capital, by an experienced artificer. -They have been handed down in our family from generation to -generation, and have now been carefully laid by for some time; but I -thought we would have them out to-day as a compliment to your Honour. -However, there are only seven to be found. None of the servants can -have touched them, for the old seals of ten years ago are still upon -the box, unbroken. I don't know what to make of it." Mr. Yin laughed, -and said, "It must have flown away! Still, it is a pity to lose an -heir-loom of that kind; and as I have a very similar one at home, I -shall take upon myself to send it to you." When the banquet was over, -Mr. Yin went home, and taking out his own goblet, sent it off to Mr. -Chu. The latter was somewhat surprised to find that it was identical -with his own, and hurried away to thank the magistrate for his gift, -asking him at the same time how it had come into his possession. Mr. -Yin told him the whole story, which proves conclusively that although -a fox may obtain possession of a thing, even at a distance of many -hundred miles, he will not venture to keep it altogether.[60] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[54] One of the "Six Boards" at the capital, equivalent to our own War -Office, Board of Works, etc. - -[55] The Chinese names for two stars: beta-gamma Aquila and alpha Lyra. - -[56] Lanterns very prettily made to resemble all kinds of flowers are -to be seen at the Chinese New Year. - -[57] This is, as with us, obligatory on all friends invited to a -marriage. - -[58] The accompaniment of all weddings and funerals in China. - -[59] The soberest people in the world, amongst whom anything like -sottishness is comparatively unknown, think it no disgrace, but rather -complimentary, to get pleasantly tipsy on all festive occasions; and -people who are physically unable to do so, frequently go so far as to -hire substitutes to drink for them. Mandarins especially suffer very -much from the custom of being obliged to "take wine" with a large -number of guests. For further on this subject, see No. LIV., note 292. - -[60] The wedding-party was, of course, composed entirely of foxes; -this animal being believed by the Chinese to be capable of appearing -at will under the human form, and of doing either good or evil to its -friends or foes. These facts will be prominently brought out in -several of the stories to follow. - - - - -VIII. - -MISS CHIAO-NO. - - -K'ung Hsüeh-li was a descendant of Confucius.[61] He was a man of -considerable ability, and an excellent poet.[62] A fellow-student, to -whom he was much attached, became magistrate at T'ien-t'ai, and sent -for K'ung to join him. Unfortunately, just before K'ung arrived his -friend died, and he found himself without the means of returning home; -so he took up his abode in a Buddhist monastery, where he was employed -in transcribing for the priests. Several hundred paces to the west of -this monastery there was a house belonging to a Mr. Shan, a gentleman -who had known better days, but who had spent all his money in a heavy -law-suit; and then, as his family was a small one, had gone away to -live in the country and left his house vacant. One day there was a -heavy fall of snow which kept visitors away from the monastery; and -K'ung, finding it dull, went out. As he was passing by the door of the -house above-mentioned, a young man of very elegant appearance came -forth, who, the moment he saw K'ung, ran up to him, and with a bow, -entered into conversation, asking him to be pleased to walk in. K'ung -was much taken with the young man, and followed him inside. The rooms -were not particularly large, but adorned throughout with embroidered -curtains, and from the walls hung scrolls and drawings by celebrated -masters. On the table lay a book, the title of which was, "Jottings -from Paradise;" and turning over its leaves, K'ung found therein many -strange things. He did not ask the young man his name, presuming that -as he lived in the Shan family mansion, he was necessarily the owner -of the place. The young man, however, inquired what he was doing in -that part of the country, and expressed great sympathy with his -misfortunes, recommending him to set about taking pupils. "Alas!" said -K'ung, "who will play the Mæcenas to a distressed wayfarer like -myself?" "If," replied the young man, "you would condescend so far, I -for my part would gladly seek instruction at your hands." K'ung was -much gratified at this, but said he dared not arrogate to himself the -position of teacher, and begged merely to be considered as the young -man's friend. He then asked him why the house had been shut up for so -long; to which the young man replied, "This is the Shan family -mansion. It has been closed all this time because of the owner's -removal into the country. My surname is Huang-fu, and my home is in -Shen-si; but as our house has been burnt down in a great fire, we have -put up here for a while." Thus Mr. K'ung found out that his name was -not Shan. That evening they spent in laughing and talking together, -and K'ung remained there for the night. In the morning a lad came in -to light the fire; and the young man, rising first, went into the -private part of the house. Mr. K'ung was sitting up with the -bed-clothes still huddled round him, when the lad looked in and said, -"Master's coming!" So he jumped up with a start, and in came an old -man with a silvery beard, who began to thank him, saying, "I am very -much obliged to you for your condescension in becoming my son's tutor. -At present he writes a villainous hand; and I can only hope you will -not allow the ties of friendship to interfere with discipline." -Thereupon, he presented Mr. K'ung with an embroidered suit of clothes, -a sable hat, and a set of shoes and stockings; and when the latter had -washed and dressed himself he called for wine and food. K'ung could -not make out what the valances of the chairs and tables were made of: -they were so very bright-coloured and dazzling. By-and-by, when the -wine had circulated several times, the old gentleman picked up his -walking-stick and took his leave. After breakfast, the young man -handed in his theme, which turned out to be written in an archaic -style, and not at all after the modern fashion of essay-writing. K'ung -asked him why he had done this, to which the young man replied that he -did not contemplate competing at the public examinations. In the -evening they had another drinking-bout, but it was agreed that there -should be no more of it after that night. The young man then called -the boy and told him to see if his father was asleep or not; adding, -that if he was, he might quietly summon Miss Perfume. The boy went -off, first taking a guitar out of a very pretty case; and in a few -minutes in came a very nice-looking young girl. The young man bade -her play the _Death of Shun_;[63] and seizing an ivory plectrum she -swept the chords, pouring forth a vocal melody of exquisite sweetness -and pathos. He then gave her a goblet of wine to drink, and it was -midnight before they parted. Next morning they got up early and -settled down to work. The young man proved an apt scholar; he could -remember what he had once read, and at the end of two or three months -had made astonishing progress. Then they agreed that every five days -they would indulge in a symposium, and that Miss Perfume should always -be of the party. One night when the wine had gone into K'ung's head, -he seemed to be lost in a reverie; whereupon his young friend, who -knew what was the matter with him, said, "This girl was brought up by -my father. I know you find it lonely, and I have long been looking out -for a nice wife for you." "Let her only resemble Miss Perfume," said -K'ung, "and she will do." "Your experience," said the young man, -laughing, "is but limited, and, consequently, anything is a surprise -to you. If Miss Perfume is your _beau ideal_, why it will not be -difficult to satisfy you." - -Some six months had passed away, when one day Mr. K'ung took it into -his head that he would like to go out for a stroll in the country. The -entrance, however, was carefully closed; and on asking the reason, the -young man told him that his father wished to receive no guests for -fear of causing interruption to his studies. So K'ung thought no more -about it; and by-and-by, when the heat of summer came on, they moved -their study to a pavilion in the garden. At this time Mr. K'ung had a -swelling on the chest about as big as a peach, which, in a single -night, increased to the size of a bowl. There he lay groaning with the -pain, while his pupil waited upon him day and night. He slept badly -and took hardly any food; and in a few days the place got so much -worse that he could neither eat nor drink. The old gentleman also came -in, and he and his son lamented over him together. Then the young man -said, "I was thinking last night that my sister, Chiao-no, would be -able to cure Mr. K'ung, and accordingly I sent over to my -grandmother's asking her to come. She ought to be here by now." At -that moment a servant entered and announced Miss Chiao-no, who had -come with her cousin, having been at her aunt's house. Her father and -brother ran out to meet her, and then brought her in to see Mr. K'ung. -She was between thirteen and fourteen years old, and had beautiful -eyes with a very intelligent expression in them, and a most graceful -figure besides. No sooner had Mr. K'ung beheld this lovely creature -than he quite forgot to groan, and began to brighten up. Meanwhile the -young man was saying, "This respected friend of mine is the same to -me as a brother. Try, sister, to cure him." Miss Chiao-no immediately -dismissed her blushes, and rolling up her long sleeves approached the -bed to feel his pulse.[64] As she was grasping his wrist, K'ung became -conscious of a perfume more delicate than that of the epidendrum; and -then she laughed, saying, "This illness was to be expected; for the -heart is touched. Though it is severe, a cure can be effected; but, as -there is already a swelling, not without using the knife." Then she -drew from her arm a gold bracelet which she pressed down upon the -suffering spot, until by degrees the swelling rose within the bracelet -and overtopped it by an inch and more, the outlying parts that were -inflamed also passing under, and thus very considerably reducing the -extent of the tumour. With one hand she opened her robe and took out a -knife with an edge as keen as paper, and pressing the bracelet down -all the time with the other, proceeded to cut lightly round near the -root of the swelling. The dark blood gushed forth, and stained the bed -and the mat; but Mr. K'ung was delighted to be near such a -beauty,--not only felt no pain, but would willingly have continued the -operation that she might sit by him a little longer. In a few moments -the whole thing was removed, and the place looked like the knot on a -tree where a branch has been cut away. Here Miss Chiao-no called for -water to wash the wound, and from between her lips she took a red pill -as big as a bullet, which she laid upon the flesh, and, after drawing -the skin together, passed round and round the place. The first turn -felt like the searing of a hot iron; the second like a gentle itching; -and at the third he experienced a sensation of lightness and coolness -which penetrated into his very bones and marrow. The young lady then -returned the pill to her mouth, and said, "He is cured," hurrying away -as fast as she could. Mr. K'ung jumped up to thank her, and found that -his complaint had quite disappeared. Her beauty, however, had made -such an impression on him that his troubles were hardly at an end. -From this moment he gave up his books, and took no interest in -anything. This state of things was soon noticed by the young man, who -said to him, "My brother, I have found a fine match for you." "Who is -it to be?" asked K'ung. "Oh, one of the family," replied his friend. -Thereupon Mr. K'ung remained some time lost in thought, and at length -said, "Please don't!" Then turning his face to the wall, he repeated -these lines:-- - - "Speak not of lakes and streams to him who once has seen the sea; - The clouds that circle Wu's peak are the only clouds for me." - -The young man guessed to whom he was alluding, and replied, "My father -has a very high opinion of your talents, and would gladly receive you -into the family, but that he has only one daughter, and she is much -too young. My cousin, Ah-sung, however, is seventeen years old, and -not at all a bad-looking girl. If you doubt my word, you can wait in -the verandah until she takes her daily walk in the garden, and thus -judge for yourself." This Mr. K'ung acceded to, and accordingly saw -Miss Chiao-no come out with a lovely girl--her black eyebrows -beautifully arched, and her tiny feet encased in phoenix-shaped -shoes--as like one another as they well could be. He was of course -delighted, and begged the young man to arrange all preliminaries; and -the very next day his friend came to tell him that the affair was -finally settled. A portion of the house was given up to the bride and -bridegroom, and the marriage was celebrated with plenty of music and -hosts of guests, more like a fairy wedding than anything else. Mr. -K'ung was very happy, and began to think that the position of Paradise -had been wrongly laid down, until one day the young man came to him -and said, "For the trouble you have been at in teaching me, I shall -ever remain your debtor. At the present moment, the Shan family -law-suit has been brought to a termination, and they wish to resume -possession of their house immediately. We therefore propose returning -to Shen-si, and as it is unlikely that you and I will ever meet again, -I feel very sorrowful at the prospect of parting." Mr. K'ung replied -that he would go too, but the young man advised him to return to his -old home. This, he observed, was no easy matter; upon which the young -man said, "Don't let that trouble you: I will see you safe there." -By-and-by his father came in with Mr. K'ung's wife, and presented Mr. -K'ung with one hundred ounces of gold; and then the young man gave the -husband and wife each one of his hands to grasp, bidding them shut -their eyes. The next instant they were floating away in the air, with -the wind whizzing in their ears. In a little while he said, "You have -arrived," and opening his eyes, K'ung beheld his former home. Then he -knew that the young man was not a human being. Joyfully he knocked at -the old door, and his mother was astonished to see him arrive with -such a nice wife. They were all rejoicing together, when he turned -round and found that his friend had disappeared. His wife attended on -her mother-in-law with great devotion, and acquired a reputation both -for virtue and beauty, which was spread round far and near. Some time -passed away, and then Mr. K'ung took his doctor's degree, and was -appointed Governor of the Gaol in Yen-ngan. He proceeded to his post -with his wife only, the journey being too long for his mother, and -by-and-by a son was born. Then he got into trouble by being too honest -an official, and threw up his appointment; but had not the wherewithal -to get home again. One day when out hunting he met a handsome young -man riding on a nice horse, and seeing that he was staring very hard -looked closely at him. It was young Huang-fu. So they drew bridle, and -fell to laughing and crying by turns,--the young man then inviting -K'ung to go along with him. They rode on together until they had -reached a village thickly shaded with trees, so that the sun and sky -were invisible overhead, and entered into a most elaborately-decorated -mansion, such as might belong to an old-established family. K'ung -asked after Miss Chiao-no, and heard that she was married; also that -his own mother-in-law was dead, at which tidings he was greatly moved. -Next day he went back and returned again with his wife. Chiao-no also -joined them, and taking up K'ung's child played with it, saying, "Your -mother played us truant." Mr. K'ung did not forget to thank her for -her former kindness to him, to which she replied, "You're a great man -now. Though the wound has healed, haven't you forgotten the pain yet?" -Her husband, too, came to pay his respects, returning with her on the -following morning. One day the young Huang-fu seemed troubled in -spirit, and said to Mr. K'ung, "A great calamity is impending. Can you -help us?" Mr. K'ung did not know what he was alluding to, but readily -promised his assistance. The young man then ran out and summoned the -whole family to worship in the ancestral hall, at which Mr. K'ung was -alarmed, and asked what it all meant. "You know," answered the young -man, "I am not a man but a fox. To-day we shall be attacked by -thunder;[65] and if only you will aid us in our trouble, we may still -hope to escape. If you are unwilling, take your child and go, that you -may not be involved with us." Mr. K'ung protested he would live or die -with them, and so the young man placed him with a sword at the door, -bidding him remain quiet there in spite of all the thunder. He did as -he was told, and soon saw black clouds obscuring the light until it -was all as dark as pitch. Looking round, he could see that the house -had disappeared, and that its place was occupied by a huge mound and a -bottomless pit. In the midst of his terror, a fearful peal was heard -which shook the very hills, accompanied by a violent wind and driving -rain. Old trees were torn up, and Mr. K'ung became both dazed and -deaf. Yet he stood firm until he saw in a dense black column of smoke -a horrid thing with a sharp beak and long claws, with which it -snatched some one from the hole, and was disappearing up with the -smoke. In an instant K'ung knew by her clothes and shoes that the -victim was no other than Chiao-no, and instantly jumping up he struck -the devil violently with his sword, and cut it down. Immediately the -mountains were riven, and a sharp peal of thunder laid K'ung dead upon -the ground. Then the clouds cleared away, and Chiao-no gradually came -round, to find K'ung dead at her feet. She burst out crying at the -sight, and declared that she would not live since K'ung had died for -her. K'ung's wife also came out, and they bore the body inside. -Chiao-no then made Ah-sung hold her husband's head, while her brother -prised open his teeth with a hair-pin, and she herself arranged his -jaw. She next put a red pill into his mouth, and bending down breathed -into him. The pill went along with the current of air, and presently -there was a gurgle in his throat, and he came round. Seeing all the -family about him, he was disturbed as if waking from a dream. However -they were all united together, and fear gave place to joy; but Mr. -K'ung objected to live in that out-of-the-way place, and proposed that -they should return with him to his native village. To this they were -only too pleased to assent--all except Chiao-no; and when Mr. K'ung -invited her husband, Mr. Wu, as well, she said she feared her father -and mother-in-law would not like to lose the children. They had tried -all day to persuade her, but without success, when suddenly in rushed -one of the Wu family's servants, dripping with perspiration and quite -out of breath. They asked what was the matter, and the servant replied -that the Wu family had been visited by a calamity on the very same -day, and had every one perished. Chiao-no cried very bitterly at this, -and could not be comforted; but now there was nothing to prevent them -from all returning together. Mr. K'ung went into the city for a few -days on business, and then they set to work packing-up night and day. -On arriving at their destination, separate apartments were allotted to -young Mr. Huang-fu, and these he kept carefully shut up, only opening -the door to Mr. K'ung and his wife. - -Mr. K'ung amused himself with the young man and his sister Chiao-no, -filling up the time with chess,[66] wine, conversation, and good -cheer, as if they had been one family. His little boy, Huan, grew up -to be a handsome young man, with a fox-like _penchant_ for roaming -about; and it was generally known that he was actually the son of a -fox. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[61] Lineal descendants of Confucius are to be found at this day near -their founder's mausoleum in Shantung. The head of the family is a -hereditary _kung_ or "duke," and each member enjoys a share of the -revenues with which the family has been endowed, in well-merited -recognition of the undying influence of China's greatest sage. - -[62] More or less proficiency in the art of poetry is an absolutely -essential qualification for all who present themselves at the great -competitive tests by which successful candidates are admitted to -Chinese official life. [See _Appendix_ A.] The following anecdote is -given by the London correspondent of the _Leeds Mercury_:-- - -"The new Chinese ambassador in this country is a man of considerable -literary ability, and perhaps one of the few diplomatists since the -days of Matthew Prior (Lord Lytton alone excepted) who has achieved -distinction as a poet. Shortly after his arrival in this country, he -expressed a wish to become acquainted with the principal English -poets, and as Mr. Browning is more accessible and more a man of the -world than the Poet Laureate, an arrangement was made the other day by -which the two should be brought in contact with one another. After the -mutual courtesies, Mr. Browning having learnt that His Excellency was -also a poet, expressed a desire to know how much he had published. -"Only three or four volumes," was the reply, through the interpreter. -"Then," said Mr. Browning, "I am a greater offender than His -Excellency, and unequal to him in self-restraint. What kind of poetry -does His Excellency write: pastoral, humorous, epic or what?" There -was a pause for a short time. At length the interpreter said that His -Excellency thought his poetry would be better described as the -"enigmatic." "Surely," replied Mr. Browning, "there ought then to be -the deepest sympathy between us, for that is just the criticism which -is brought against my own works; and I believe it to be a just one."" - -[63] One of the two celebrated but legendary rulers of China in the -golden ages of antiquity. Yao--who died B.C. 2258--nominated as his -successor a young and virtuous husbandman named Shun, giving him both -his daughters in marriage. At the death of Shun, these ladies are said -to have wept so much that their tears literally drenched the bamboos -which grew beside their husband's grave; and the speckled bamboo is -now commonly known as the bamboo of Shun's wives. - -[64] Volumes have been written by Chinese doctors on the subject of -the pulse. They profess to distinguish as many as twenty-four -different kinds, among which is one well known to our own -practitioners--namely, the "thready" pulse; they, moreover, make a -point of feeling the pulses of _both_ wrists. - -[65] The Chinese believe that wicked people are struck by the God of -Thunder, and killed in punishment for some hidden crime. They regard -lightning merely as an arrangement by which the God is enabled to see -his victim. - -[66] Chinese "chess" is similar to, but not identical with, our game. -The board is divided by a river, and the king is confined to a small -square of moves on his own territory. The game _par excellence_ in -China is _wei-ch'i_, an account of which I contributed to the _Temple -Bar_ Magazine for January, 1877. - - - - -IX. - -MAGICAL ARTS. - - -A certain Mr. Yü was a spirited young fellow, fond of boxing and -trials of strength. He was able to take two kettles and swing them -round about with the speed of the wind. Now, during the reign of -Ch'ung Chêng,[67] when up for the final examination at the capital, -his servant became seriously ill. Much troubled at this, he applied to -a necromancer in the market-place[68] who was skilful at determining -the various leases of life allotted to men. Before he had uttered a -word, the necromancer asked him, saying, "Is it not about your -servant, Sir, that you would consult me?" Mr. Yü was startled at this, -and replied that it was. "The sick man," continued the necromancer, -"will come to no harm; you, Sir, are the one in danger." Mr. Yü then -begged him to cast his nativity, which he proceeded to do, finally -saying to Mr. Yü, "You have but three days to live!" Dreadfully -frightened, he remained some time in a state of stupefaction, when the -necromancer quietly observed that he possessed the power of averting -this calamity by magic, and would exert it for the sum of ten ounces -of silver. But Mr. Yü reflected that Life and Death are already -fixed,[69] and he didn't see how magic could save him. So he refused, -and was just going away, whereupon the necromancer said, "You grudge -this trifling outlay. I hope you will not repent it." Mr. Yü's friends -also urged him to pay the money, advising him rather to empty his -purse than not secure the necromancer's compassion. Mr. Yü, however, -would not hear of it and the three days slipped quickly away. Then he -sat down calmly in his inn to see what was going to happen. Nothing -did happen all day, and at night he shut his door and trimmed the -lamp; then, with a sword at his side, he awaited the approach of -death. - -By-and-by, the clepsydra[70] shewed that two hours had already gone -without bringing him any nearer to dissolution; and he was thinking -about lying down, when he heard a scratching at the window, and then -saw a tiny little man creep through, carrying a spear on his shoulder, -who, on reaching the ground, shot up to the ordinary height. Mr. Yü -seized his sword and at once struck at it; but only succeeded in -cutting the air. His visitor instantly shrunk down small again, and -made an attempt to escape through the crevice of the window; but Yü -redoubled his blows and at last brought him to the ground. Lighting -the lamp, he found only a paper man,[71] cut right through the middle. -This made him afraid to sleep, and he sat up watching, until in a -little time he saw a horrid hobgoblin creep through the same place. No -sooner did it touch the ground than he assailed it lustily with his -sword, at length cutting it in half. Seeing, however, that both halves -kept on wriggling about, and fearing that it might get up again, he -went on hacking at it. Every blow told, giving forth a hard sound, and -when he came to examine his work, he found a clay image all knocked to -pieces. Upon this he moved his seat near to the window, and kept his -eye fixed upon the crack. After some time, he heard a noise like a -bull bellowing outside the window, and something pushed against the -window-frame with such force as to make the whole house tremble and -seem about to fall. Mr. Yü, fearing he should be buried under the -ruins, thought he could not do better than fight outside; so he -accordingly burst open the door with a crash and rushed out. There he -found a huge devil, as tall as the house, and he saw by the dim light -of the moon that its face was as black as coal. Its eyes shot forth -yellow fire: it had nothing either upon its shoulders or feet; but -held a bow in its hand and had some arrows at its waist. Mr. Yü was -terrified; and the devil discharged an arrow at him which he struck to -the ground with his sword. On Mr. Yü preparing to strike, the devil -let off another arrow which the former avoided by jumping aside, the -arrow quivering in the wall beyond with a smart crack. The devil here -got very angry, and drawing his sword flourished it like a whirlwind, -aiming a tremendous blow at Mr. Yü. Mr. Yü ducked, and the whole force -of the blow fell upon the stone wall of the house, cutting it right in -two. Mr. Yü then ran out from between the devil's legs, and began -hacking at its back--whack!--whack! The devil now became furious, and -roared like thunder, turning round to get another blow at his -assailant. But Mr. Yü again ran between his legs, the devil's sword -merely cutting off a piece of his coat. Once more he hacked -away--whack!--whack!--and at length the devil came tumbling down flat. -Mr. Yü cut at him right and left, each blow resounding like the -watchman's wooden gong;[72] and then, bringing a light, he found it -was a wooden image about as tall as a man. The bow and arrows were -still there, the latter attached to its waist. Its carved and painted -features were most hideous to behold; and wherever Mr. Yü had struck -it with his sword, there was blood. Mr. Yü sat with the light in his -hand till morning, when he awaked to the fact that all these devils -had been sent by the necromancer in order to kill him, and so evidence -his own magical power. The next day, after having told the story far -and wide, he went with some others to the place where the necromancer -had his stall; but the latter, seeing them coming, vanished in the -twinkling of an eye. Some one observed that the blood of a dog would -reveal a person who had made himself invisible, and Mr. Yü immediately -procured some and went back with it. The necromancer disappeared as -before, but on the spot where he had been standing they quickly threw -down the dog's blood. Thereupon they saw his head and face all smeared -over with the blood, his eyes glaring like a devil's; and at once -seizing him, they handed him over to the authorities, by whom he was -put to death. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[67] The last emperor of the Ming dynasty. Began to reign A.D. 1628. - -[68] The trade of fortune-teller is one of the most flourishing in -China. A large majority of the candidates who are unsuccessful at the -public examinations devote their energies in this direction; and in -every Chinese city there are regular establishments whither the -superstitious people repair to consult the oracle on every imaginable -subject; not to mention hosts of itinerant soothsayers, both in town -and country, whose stock-in-trade consists of a trestle-table, pen, -ink, and paper, and a few other mysterious implements of their art. -The nature of the response, favourable or otherwise, is determined by -an inspection of the year, month, day and hour at which the applicant -was born, taken in combination with other particulars referring to the -question at issue. - -[69] A firm belief in predestination is an important characteristic of -the Chinese mind. "All is destiny" is a phrase daily in the mouth of -every man, woman, and child, in the empire. Confucius himself, we are -told, objected to discourse to his disciples upon this topic; but it -is evident from many passages in the _Lun Yü_, or _Confucian Gospels_, -[Book VI. ch. 8., Book XIV. ch. 38, &c.] that he believed in a certain -pre-arrangement of human affairs, against which all efforts would be -unavailing. - -[70] An appliance of very ancient date in China, now superseded by -cheap clocks and watches. A large clepsydra, consisting of four copper -jars standing on steps one above the other, is still, however, to be -seen in the city of Canton, and is in excellent working order, the -night-watches being determined by reference to its indicator in the -lower jar. By its aid, coils of "joss-stick," or pastille, are -regulated to burn so many hours, and are sold to the poor, who use -them both for the purpose of guiding their extremely vague notions of -time, and for the oft-recurring tobacco-pipe. - -[71] "Paper men" are a source of great dread to the people at large. -During the year 1876 whole provinces were convulsed by the belief that -some such superstitious agency was at work to deprive innocent persons -of their tails; and the so-called "Pope" of the Taoist religion even -went so far as to publish a charm against the machinations of the -unseen. It ran as follows:--"Ye who urge filthy devils to spy out the -people!--the Master's spirits are at hand and will soon discover you. -With this charm anyone may travel by sunlight, moonlight, or starlight -all over the earth." At one time popular excitement ran so high that -serious consequences were anticipated; and the mandarins in the -affected districts found it quite as much as they could do to prevent -lynch-law being carried out on harmless strangers who were unlucky -enough to give rise to the slightest suspicion. - -Taoist priests are generally credited with the power of cutting out -human, animal, or other figures, of infusing vitality into them on the -spot, and of employing them for purposes of good or evil. - -[72] Watchmen in China, when on their nightly rounds, keep up an -incessant beating on what, for want of a better term, we have called a -wooden gong. The object is to let thieves know they are awake and on -the look-out. - - - - -X. - -JOINING THE IMMORTALS. - - -A Mr. Chou, of Wên-têng, had in his youth been fellow-student with a -Mr. Ch'êng, and a firm friendship was the result. The latter was poor, -and depended very much upon Chou, who was the elder of the two. He -called Chou's wife his "sister," and had the run of the house just as -if he was one of the family. Now this wife happening to die in -child-bed, Chou married another named Wang; but as she was quite a -young girl, Ch'êng did not seek to be introduced.[73] One day her -younger brother came to visit her, and was being entertained in the -"inner" apartments[74] when Ch'êng chanced to call. The servant -announced his arrival, and Chou bade him ask Mr. Ch'êng in. But Ch'êng -would not enter, and took his leave. Thereupon Chou caused the -entertainment to be moved into the public part of the house, and, -sending after Ch'êng, succeeded in bringing him back. They had hardly -sat down before some one came in to say that a former servant of the -establishment had been severely beaten at the magistrate's yamên; the -facts of the case being that a cow-boy of the Huang family connected -with the Board of Rites had driven his cattle across the Chou family's -land, and that words had arisen between the two servants in -consequence; upon which the Huang family's servant had complained to -his master, who had seized the other and had sent him in to the -magistrate's, where he had been bambooed. When Mr. Chou found out what -the matter was, he was exceedingly angry, and said, "How dares this -pig-boy fellow behave thus? Why, only a generation ago his master was -my father's servant! He emerges a little from his obscurity, and -immediately thinks himself I don't know what!" Swelling with rage, he -rose to go in quest of Huang, but Ch'êng held him back, saying, "The -age is corrupt: there is no distinction between right and wrong. -Besides, the officials of the day are half of them thieves, and you -will only get yourself into hot water." Chou, however, would not -listen to him; and it was only when tears were added to remonstrances -that he consented to let the matter drop. But his anger did not cease, -and he lay tossing and turning all night. In the morning he said to -his family, "I can stand the insults of Mr. Huang; but the magistrate -is an officer of the Government, and not the servant of influential -people. If there is a case of any kind, he should hear both plaintiff -and defendant, and not act like a dog, biting anybody he is set upon. -I will bring an action against the cow-boy, and see what the -magistrate will do to him." As his family rather egged him on, he -accordingly proceeded to the magistrate's and entered a formal plaint; -but that functionary tore up his petition, and would have nothing to -do with it. This roused Chou's anger, and he told the magistrate -plainly what he thought of him, in return for which contempt of court -he was at once seized and bound. During the forenoon Mr. Ch'êng called -at his house, where he learnt that Chou had gone into the city to -prosecute the cow-boy, and immediately hurried after him with a view -to stop proceedings. But his friend was already in the gaol, and all -he could do was to stamp his foot in anger. Now it happened that three -pirates had just been caught; and the magistrate and Huang, putting -their heads together, bribed these fellows to say that Chou was one of -their gang, whereupon the higher authorities were petitioned to -deprive him of his status as a graduate,[75] and the magistrate then -had him most unmercifully bambooed.[76] Mr. Ch'êng gained admittance -to the gaol, and, after a painful interview, proposed that a petition -should be presented direct to the Throne. "Alas!" cried Chou, "here -am I bound and guarded, like a bird in a cage. I have indeed a young -brother, but it is as much as he can do to provide me with food." Then -Ch'êng stepped forward, saying, "I will perform this service. Of what -use are friends who will not assist in the hour of trouble?" So away -he went, and Chou's son provided him with money to defray his -expenses. After a long journey he arrived at the capital, where he -found himself quite at a loss as to how he should get the petition -presented. However, hearing that the Emperor was about to set out on a -hunting tour, he concealed himself in the market-place, and when His -Majesty passed by, prostrated himself on the ground with loud cries -and gesticulations. The Emperor received his petition, and sent it to -the Board of Punishments,[77] desiring to be furnished with a report -on the case. It was then more than ten months since the beginning of -the affair, and Chou, who had been made to confess[78] to this false -charge, was already under sentence of death; so that the officers of -the Board were very much alarmed when they received the Imperial -instructions, and set to work to re-hear the case in person. Huang was -also much alarmed, and devised a plan for killing Mr. Chou by bribing -the gaolers to stop his food and drink; so that when his brother -brought provisions he was rudely thrust back and prevented from -taking them in. Mr. Ch'êng complained of this to the Viceroy of the -province, who investigated the matter himself, and found that Chou was -in the last stage of starvation, for which the gaolers were bambooed -to death. Terrified out of his wits, Huang, by dint of bribing -heavily, succeeded in absconding and escaping a just punishment for -his crimes. The magistrate, however, was banished for perversion of -the law, and Chou was permitted to return home, his affection for -Ch'êng being now very much increased. But ever after the prosecution -and his friend's captivity, Mr. Ch'êng took a dismal view of human -affairs, and one day invited Chou to retire with him from the world. -The latter, who was deeply attached to his young wife, threw cold -water on the proposition, and Mr. Ch'êng pursued the subject no -farther, though his own mind was fully made up. Not seeing him for -some days afterwards, Mr. Chou sent to inquire about him at his house; -but there they all thought he was at Chou's, neither family, in fact, -having seen anything of him. This looked suspicious, and Chou, aware -of his peculiarity, sent off people to look for him, bidding them -search all the temples and monasteries in the neighbourhood. He also -from time to time supplied Ch'êng's son with money and other -necessaries. - -Eight or nine years had passed away when suddenly Ch'êng re-appeared, -clad in a yellow cap and stole, and wearing the expression of a Taoist -priest. Chou was delighted, and seized his arm, saying, "Where have -you been?--letting me search for you all over the place." "The -solitary cloud and the wild crane," replied Ch'êng, laughing, "have no -fixed place of abode. Since we last met my equanimity has happily been -restored." Chou then ordered wine, and they chatted together on what -had taken place in the interval. He also tried to persuade Ch'êng to -detach himself from the Taoist persuasion, but the latter only smiled -and answered nothing. "It is absurd!" argued Chou. "Why cast aside -your wife and child as you would an old pair of shoes?" "Not so," -answered Ch'êng; "a man may wish to cast aside his son, but how can he -do so?" Chou asked where he lived, to which he replied, "In the Great -Pure Mansion on Mount Lao." They then retired to sleep on the same -bed; and by-and-by Chou dreamt that Ch'êng was lying on his chest so -that he could not breathe. In a fright he asked him what he was doing, -but got no answer; and then he waked up with a start. Calling to -Ch'êng and receiving no reply, he sat up and stretched out his hand to -touch him. The latter, however, had vanished, he knew not whither. -When he got calm, he found he was lying at Ch'êng's end of the bed, -which rather startled him. "I was not tipsy last night," reflected he; -"how could I have got over here?" He next called his servants, and -when they came and struck a light, lo! he was Ch'êng. Now Chou had had -a beard, so he put up his hand to feel for it, but found only a few -straggling hairs. He then seized a mirror to look at himself, and -cried out in alarm: "If this is Mr. Ch'êng, where on earth am I?" By -this time he was wide awake, and knew that Ch'êng had employed magic -to induce him to retire from the world. He was on the point of -entering the ladies' apartments; but his brother, not recognising who -he was, stopped him, and would not let him go in; and as he himself -was unable to prove his own identity, he ordered his horse that he -might go in search of Ch'êng. After some days' journey he arrived at -Mount Lao; and, as his horse went along at a good rate, the servant -could not keep up with him. By-and-by he rested awhile under a tree, -and saw a great number of Taoist priests going backwards and forwards, -and among them was one who stared fixedly at him. So he inquired of -him where he should find Ch'êng; whereat the priest laughed and said, -"I know the name. He is probably in the Great Pure Mansion." When he -had given this answer he went on his way, Chou following him with his -eyes about a stone's throw, until he saw him speak with some one else, -and, after saying a few words, proceed onwards as before. The person -whom he had spoken with came on to where Chou was, and turned out to -be a fellow-townsman of his. He was much surprised at meeting Chou, -and said, "I haven't seen you for some years. They told me you had -gone to Mount Lao to be a Taoist priest. How is it you are still -amusing yourself among mortals?" Chou told him who he really was; upon -which the other replied, "Why, I thought the gentleman I just met was -you! He has only just left me, and can't have got very far." "Is it -possible," cried Chou, "that I didn't know my own face?" Just then -the servant came up, and away they went full speed, but could not -discover the object of their search. All around them was a vast -desert, and they were at a loss whether to go on or to return. But -Chou reflected that he had no longer any home to receive him, and -determined to carry out his design to the bitter end; but as the road -was dangerous for riding, he gave his horse to the servant, and bade -him go back. On he went cautiously by himself, until he spied a boy -sitting by the wayside alone. He hurried up to him and asked the boy -to direct him where he could find Mr. Ch'êng. "I am one of his -disciples," replied the lad; and, shouldering Chou's bundle, started -off to shew the way. They journeyed on together, taking their food by -the light of the stars, and sleeping in the open air, until, after -many miles of road, they arrived in three days at their destination. -But this Great Pure locality was not like that generally spoken of in -the world. Though as late as the middle of the tenth moon, there was a -great profusion of flowers along the road, quite unlike the beginning -of winter. The lad went in and announced the arrival of a stranger, -whereupon Mr. Ch'êng came out, and Chou recognised his own features. -Ch'êng grasped his hand and led him inside, where he prepared wine and -food, and they began to converse together. Chou noticed many birds of -strange plumage, so tame that they were not afraid of him; and these -from time to time would alight on the table and sing with voices like -Pan-pipes. He was very much astonished at all this, but a love of -mundane pleasures had eaten into his soul, and he had no intention of -stopping. On the ground were two rush-mats, upon which Ch'êng invited -his friend to sit down with him. Then about midnight a serene calm -stole over him; and while he was dozing off for a moment, he seemed to -change places with Ch'êng. Suspecting what had happened, he put his -hand up to his chin, and found it covered with a beard as before. At -dawn he was anxious to return home, but Ch'êng pressed him to stay; -and when three days had gone by Ch'êng said to him, "I pray you take a -little rest now: to-morrow I will set you on your way." Chou had -barely closed his eyelids before he heard Ch'êng call out, "Everything -is ready for starting!" So he got up and followed him along a road -other than that by which he had come, and in a very short time he saw -his home in the distance. In spite of Chou's entreaties, Ch'êng would -not accompany him so far, but made Chou go, waiting himself by the -roadside. So the latter went alone, and when he reached his house, -knocked at the door. Receiving no answer, he determined to get over -the wall, when he found that his body was as light as a leaf, and with -one spring he was over. In the same manner he passed several inner -walls, until he reached the ladies' apartments, where he saw by the -still burning lamp that the inmates had not yet retired for the night. -Hearing people talking within, he licked a hole in the paper -window[79] and peeped through, and saw his wife sitting drinking with -a most disreputable-looking fellow. Bursting with rage, his first -impulse was to surprise them in the act; but seeing there were two -against one, he stole away and let himself out by the entrance-gate, -hurrying off to Ch'êng, to whom he related what he had seen, and -finally begged his assistance. Ch'êng willingly went along with him; -and when they reached the room, Chou seized a big stone and hammered -loudly at the door. All was then confusion inside, so Chou hammered -again, upon which the door was barricaded more strongly than before. -Here Ch'êng came forward with his sword,[80] and burst the door open -with a crash. Chou rushed in, and the man inside rushed out; but -Ch'êng was there, and with his sword cut his arm right off. Chou -rudely seized his wife, and asked what it all meant; to which she -replied that the man was a friend who sometimes came to take a cup of -wine with them. Thereupon Chou borrowed Ch'êng's sword and cut off her -head,[81] hanging up the trunk on a tree in the court-yard. He then -went back with Ch'êng. By-and-by he awaked and found himself on the -bed, at which he was somewhat disturbed, and said, "I have had a -strangely-confused dream, which has given me a fright." "My brother," -replied Ch'êng, smiling, "you look upon dreams as realities: you -mistake realities for dreams." Chou asked what he meant by these -words; and then Ch'êng shewed him his sword besmeared with blood. Chou -was terrified, and sought to destroy himself; but all at once it -occurred to him that Ch'êng might be deceiving him again. Ch'êng -divined his suspicions, and made haste at once to see him home. In a -little while they arrived at the village-gate, and then Ch'êng said, -"Was it not here that, sword in hand, I awaited you that night? I -cannot look upon the unclean spot. I pray you go on, and let me stay -here. If you do not return by the afternoon, I will depart alone." -Chou then approached his house, which he found all shut up as if no -one was living there; so he went into his brother's. - -The latter, when he beheld Chou, began to weep bitterly, saying, -"After your departure, thieves broke into the house and killed my -sister-in-law, hanging her body upon a tree. Alas! alas! The murderers -have not yet been caught." Chou then told him the whole story of his -dream, and begged him to stop further proceedings; at all of which his -brother was perfectly lost in astonishment. Chou then asked after his -son, and his brother told the nurse to bring him in; whereupon the -former said, "Upon this infant are centered the hopes of our -race.[82] Tend him well; for I am going to bid adieu to the world." He -then took his leave, his brother following him all the time with tears -in his eyes to induce him to remain. But he heeded him not; and when -they reached the village-gate his brother saw him go away with Ch'êng. -From afar he looked back and said, "Forbear, and be happy!" His -brother would have replied; but here Ch'êng whisked his sleeve, and -they disappeared. The brother remained there for some time, and then -went back overwhelmed with grief. He was an unpractical man, and -before many years were over all the property was gone and the family -reduced to poverty. Chou's son, who was growing up, was thus unable to -secure the services of a tutor, and had no one but his uncle to teach -him. One morning, on going into the school-room, the uncle found a -letter lying on his desk addressed to himself in his brother's -handwriting. There was, however, nothing in it but a finger-nail about -four inches in length. Surprised at this, he laid the nail down on the -ink-slab while he went out to ask whence the letter had come. This no -one knew; but when he went back he found that the ink-stone had been -changed into a piece of shining yellow gold. More than ever -astonished, he tried the nail on copper and iron things, all of which -were likewise turned to gold. He thus became very rich, sharing his -wealth with Chou's son; and it was bruited about that the two families -possessed the secret of transmutation.[83] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[73] This is a characteristic touch. Only the most intimate of friends -ever see each other's wives. - -[74] Where the women of the family live, and into which no stranger -ever penetrates. Among other names by which a Chinese husband speaks -of his wife, a very common one is "the inner [wo]man." - -[75] Until which he would be safe, by virtue of his degree, from the -degrading penalty of the bamboo. - -[76] This is the instrument commonly used for flogging criminals in -China, and consists of a strip of split bamboo planed down smooth. -Strictly speaking there are two kinds, the _heavy_ and the _light_; -the former is now hardly if ever used. Until the reign of K'ang Hsi -all strokes were given across the back; but that humane Emperor -removed the _locus operandi_ lower down, "for fear of injuring the -liver or the lungs." - -[77] See No. VII., note 54. - -[78] It is a principle of Chinese jurisprudence that no sentence can -be passed until the prisoner has confessed his guilt--a principle, -however, not unfrequently set aside in practice. - -[79] Wooden frames covered with a semi-transparent paper are used all -over the northern provinces of China; in the south, oyster-shells, cut -square and planed down thin, are inserted tile-fashion in the long -narrow spaces of a wooden frame made to receive them, and used for the -same purpose. But glass is gradually finding its way into the houses -of the well-to-do, large quantities being made at Canton and exported -to various parts of the empire. - -[80] Every Taoist priest has a magic sword, corresponding to our -"magician's wand." - -[81] In China, a man has the right to slay his adulterous wife, but he -must slay her paramour also; both or neither. Otherwise, he lays -himself open to a prosecution for murder. The act completed, he is -further bound to proceed at once to the magistrate of the district and -report what he has done. - -[82] The importance of male offspring in Chinese social life is hardly -to be expressed in words. To the son is confided the task of -worshipping at the ancestral tombs, the care of the ancestral tablets, -and the due performance of all rites and ceremonies connected with the -departed dead. No Chinaman will die, if he can help it, without -leaving a son behind him. If his wife is childless he will buy a -concubine; and we are told on page 41, vol. xiii., of the _Liao Chai_, -that a good wife, "who at thirty years of age has not borne a child -should forthwith pawn her jewellery and purchase a concubine for her -husband; for to be without a son is hard indeed!" Another and a common -resource is to adopt a nephew; and sometimes a boy is bought from -starving parents, or from a professional kidnapper. Should a little -boy die, no matter how young, his parents do not permit even him to be -without the good offices of a son. They adopt some other child on his -behalf; and when the latter grows up it becomes his duty to perform -the proper ceremonies at his baby father's tomb. Girls do not enjoy -the luxury of this sham posterity. They are quietly buried in a hole -near the family vault, and their disembodied spirits are left to -wander about in the realms below uncared for and unappeased. Every -mother, however, shares in the ancestral worship, and her name is -recorded on the tombstone, side by side with that of her husband. -Hence it is that Chinese tombstones are always to the memory either of -a father or of a mother, or of both, with occasionally the addition of -the grandfather and grandmother, and sometimes even that of the -generation preceding. - -[83] The belief that a knowledge of alchemy is obtainable by leading -the life of a pure and perfect Taoist, is one of the numerous -additions in later ages to this ancient form of religion. See No. IV., -note 46. - - - - -XI. - -THE FIGHTING QUAILS. - - -Wang Ch'êng belonged to an old family in P'ing-yüan, but was such an -idle fellow that his property gradually disappeared, until at length -all he had left was an old tumble-down house. His wife and he slept -under a coarse hempen coverlet, and the former was far from sparing of -her reproaches. At the time of which we are speaking the weather was -unbearably hot; and Wang went to pass the night with many other of his -fellow-villagers in a pavilion which stood among some dilapidated -buildings belonging to a family named Chou. With the first streaks of -dawn his comrades departed; but Wang slept well on till about nine -o'clock, when he got up and proceeded leisurely home. All at once he -saw in the grass a gold hair-pin; and taking it up to look at it, -found engraved thereon in small characters--"The property of the -Imperial family." Now Wang's own grandfather had married into the -Imperial family,[84] and consequently he had formerly possessed many -similar articles; but while he was thinking it over up came an old -woman in search of the hair-pin, which Wang, who though poor was -honest, at once produced and handed to her. The old woman was -delighted, and thanked Wang very much for his goodness, observing that -the pin was not worth much in itself, but was a relic of her departed -husband. Wang asked what her husband had been; to which she replied, -"His name was Wang Chien-chih, and he was connected by marriage with -the Imperial family." "My own grandfather!" cried Wang, in great -surprise; "how could you have known him?" "You, then," said the old -woman, "are his grandson. I am a fox, and many years ago I was married -to your grandfather; but when he died I retired from the world. -Passing by here I lost my hair-pin, which destiny conveyed into your -hands." Wang had heard of his grandfather's fox-wife, and believing -therefore the old woman's story, invited her to return with him, which -she did. Wang called his wife out to receive her; but when she came in -rags and tatters, with unkempt hair and dirty face, the old woman -sighed, and said, "Alas! Alas! has Wang Chien-chih's grandson come to -this?" Then looking at the broken, smokeless stove, she added, "How, -under these circumstances, have you managed even to support life?" -Here Wang's wife told the tale of their poverty, with much sobbing and -tears; whereupon the old woman gave her the hair-pin, bidding her go -pawn it, and with the proceeds buy some food, saying that in three -days she would visit them again. Wang pressed her to stay, but she -said, "You can't even keep your wife alive; what would it benefit you -to have me also dependent on you?" So she went away, and then Wang -told his wife who she was, at which his wife felt very much alarmed; -but Wang was so loud in her praises, that finally his wife consented -to treat her with all proper respect. In three days she returned as -agreed, and, producing some money, sent out for a hundred-weight of -rice and a hundred-weight of corn. She passed the night with them, -sleeping with Mrs. Wang, who was at first rather frightened, but who -soon laid aside her suspicions when she found that the old lady meant -so well towards them. Next day, the latter addressed Wang, saying, "My -grandson, you must not be so lazy. You should try to make a little -money in some way or other." Wang replied that he had no capital; upon -which the old lady said, "When your grandfather was alive, he allowed -me to take what money I liked; but not being a mortal, I had no use -for it, and consequently did not draw largely upon him. I have, -however, saved from my pin-money the sum of forty ounces of silver, -which has long been lying idle for want of an investment. Take it, and -buy summer cloth, which you may carry to the capital and re-sell at a -profit." So Wang bought some fifty pieces of summer cloth; and the old -lady made him get ready, calculating that in six or seven days he -would reach the capital. She also warned him, saying, - - "Be neither lazy nor slow-- - For if a day too long you wait, - Repentance comes a day too late." - -Wang promised all obedience, and packed up his goods and went off. On -the road he was overtaken by a rain-storm which soaked him through to -the skin; and as he was not accustomed to be out in bad weather, it -was altogether too much for him. He accordingly sought shelter in an -inn, but the rain went on steadily till night, running over the eaves -of the house like so many ropes. Next morning the roads were in a -horrible state; and Wang, watching the passers-by slipping about in -the slush, unable to see any path, dared not face it all, and remained -until noon, when it began to dry up a little. Just then, however, the -clouds closed over again, and down came the rain in torrents, causing -him to stay another night before he could go on. When he was nearing -the capital, he heard to his great joy that summer cloth was at a -premium; and on arrival proceeded at once to take up his quarters at -an inn. There the landlord said it was a pity he had come so late, as -communications with the south having been only recently opened, the -supply of summer cloth had been small; and there being a great demand -for it among the wealthy families of the metropolis, its price had -gone up to three times the usual figure. "But," he added, "two days -ago several large consignments arrived, and the price went down again, -so that the late comers have lost their market." Poor Wang was thus -left in the lurch, and as every day more summer cloth came in, the -value of it fell in a corresponding ratio. Wang would not part with -his at a loss, and held on for some ten days, when his expenses for -board and lodging were added to his present distress. The landlord -urged him to sell even at a loss, and turn his attention to something -else, which he ultimately did, losing over ten ounces of silver on his -venture. Next day he rose in the morning to depart, but on looking in -his purse found all his money gone. He rushed away to tell the -landlord, who, however, could do nothing for him. Some one then -advised him to take out a summons and make the landlord reimburse him; -but he only sighed, and said, "It is my destiny, and no fault of the -landlord's." Thereupon the landlord was very grateful to him, and gave -him five ounces of silver to enable him to go home. He did not care, -however, to face his grandmother empty-handed, and remained in a very -undecided state, until suddenly he saw a quail-catcher winning heaps -of money by fighting his birds, and selling them at over 100 _cash_ -a-piece. He then determined to lay out his five ounces of silver in -quails, and pay back the landlord out of the profits. The latter -approved very highly of this plan, and not only agreed to lend him a -room but also to charge him little or nothing for his board. So Wang -went off rejoicing, and bought two large baskets of quails, with which -he returned to the city, to the great satisfaction of the landlord -who advised him to lose no time in disposing of them. All that night -it poured in torrents, and the next morning the streets were like -rivers, the rain still continuing to fall. Wang waited for it to clear -up, but several days passed and still there were no signs of fine -weather. He then went to look at his quails, some of which he found -dead and others dying. He was much alarmed at this, but was quite at a -loss what to do; and by the next day a lot more had died, so that only -a few were left, which he fed all together in one basket. The day -after this he went again to look at them, and lo! there remained but a -single quail. With tears in his eyes he told the landlord what had -happened, and he, too, was much affected. Wang then reflected that he -had no money left to carry him home, and that he could not do better -than cease to live. But the landlord spoke to him and soothed him, and -they went together to look at the quail. "This is a fine bird," said -the landlord, "and it strikes me that it has simply killed the others. -Now, as you have got nothing to do, just set to work and train it; and -if it is good for anything, why you'll be able to make a living out of -it." Wang did as he was told; and when the bird was trained, the -landlord bade him take it into the street and gamble for something to -eat. This, too, he did, and his quail won every main; whereupon the -landlord gave him some money to bet with the young fellows of the -neighbourhood. Everything turned out favourably, and by the end of six -months he had saved twenty ounces of silver, so that he became quite -easy in his mind and looked upon the quail as a dispensation of his -destiny. - -Now one of the princes was passionately fond of quail-fighting, and -always at the Feast of Lanterns anybody who owned quails might go and -fight them in the palace against the prince's birds. The landlord -therefore said to Wang, "Here is a chance of enriching yourself by a -single stroke; only I can't say what your luck will do for you." He -then explained to him what it was, and away they went together, the -landlord saying, "If you lose, burst out into lamentations; but if you -are lucky enough to win, and the prince wishes, as he will, to buy -your bird, don't consent. If he presses you very much watch for a nod -from me before you agree." This settled, they proceeded to the palace -where they found crowds of quail-fighters already on the ground; and -then the prince came forth, heralds proclaiming to the multitude that -any who wished to fight their birds might come up. Some man at once -stepped forward, and the prince gave orders for the quails to be -released; but at the first strike the stranger's quail was knocked out -of time. The prince smiled, and by-and-by won several more mains, -until at last the landlord said, "Now's our time," and went up -together with Wang. The Prince looked at their bird and said, "It has -a fierce-looking eye and strong feathers. We must be careful what we -are doing." So he commanded his servants to bring out Iron Beak to -oppose Wang's bird; but, after a couple of strikes, the prince's quail -was signally defeated. He sent for a better bird, but that shared the -same fate; and then he cried out, "Bring the Jade Bird from the -palace!" In a little time it arrived, with pure white feathers like an -egret, and an unusually martial appearance. Wang was much alarmed, and -falling on his knees prayed to be excused this main, saying, "Your -highness's bird is too good. I fear lest mine should be wounded, and -my livelihood be taken from me." But the Prince laughed and said, "Go -on. If your quail is killed I will make it up to you handsomely." Wang -then released his bird and the prince's quail rushed at it at once; -but when the Jade bird was close by, Wang's quail awaited its coming -head down and full of rage. The former made a violent peck at its -adversary, and then sprung up to swoop down on it. Thus they went on -up and down, backwards and forwards, until at length they got hold of -each other, and the prince's bird was beginning to show signs of -exhaustion. This enraged it all the more, and it fought more violently -than ever; but soon a perfect snowstorm of feathers began to fall, -and, with drooping wings, the Jade bird made its escape. The -spectators were much moved by the result; and the prince himself, -taking up Wang's bird, examined it closely from beak to claws, finally -asking if it was for sale. "My sole dependence," replied Wang, "is -upon this bird. I would rather not part with it." "But," said the -prince, "if I give you as much as the capital, say of an ordinary -tradesman, will not that tempt you?" Wang thought some time, and then -answered, "I would rather not sell my bird; but as your highness has -taken a fancy to it I will only ask enough to find me in food and -clothes." "How much do you want?" inquired the prince; to which Wang -replied that he would take a thousand ounces of silver. "You fool!" -cried the Prince; "do you think your bird is such a jewel as all -that?" "If your highness," said Wang, "does not think the bird a -jewel, I value it more than that stone which was priced at fifteen -cities." "How so?" asked the prince. "Why," said Wang, "I take my bird -every day into the market-place. It there wins for me several ounces -of silver, which I exchange for rice; and my family, over ten in -number, has nothing to fear from either cold or hunger. What jewel -could do that?" "You shall not lose anything," replied the prince; "I -will give you two hundred ounces." But Wang would not consent, and -then the prince added another hundred; whereupon Wang looked at the -landlord, who, however, made no sign. Wang then offered to take nine -hundred; but the prince ridiculed the idea of paying such a price for -a quail, and Wang was preparing to take his leave with the bird, when -the prince called him back, saying, "Here! here! I will give you six -hundred. Take it or leave it as you please." Wang here looked at the -landlord, and the landlord remained motionless as before. However, -Wang was satisfied himself with this offer, and being afraid of -missing his chance, said to his friend, "If I get this price for it I -shall be quite content. If we go on haggling and finally come to no -terms, that will be a very poor end to it all." So he took the -prince's offer, and the latter, overjoyed, caused the money to be -handed to him. Wang then returned with his earnings; but the landlord -said to him, "What did I say to you? You were in too much of a hurry -to sell. Another minute, and you would have got eight hundred." When -Wang got back he threw the money on the table and told the landlord to -take what he liked; but the latter would not, and it was only after -some pressing that he would accept payment for Wang's board. Wang then -packed up and went home, where he told his story and produced his -silver to the great delight of all of them. The old lady counselled -the purchase of a quantity of land, the building of a house, and the -purchase of implements; and in a very short time they became a wealthy -family. The old lady always got up early in the morning and made Wang -attend to the farm, his wife to her spinning; and rated them soundly -at any signs of laziness. The husband and wife henceforth lived in -peace, and no longer abused each other, until at the expiration of -three years the old lady declared her intention of bidding them adieu. -They both tried to stop her, and with the aid of tears succeeded in -persuading her; but the next day she had disappeared.[85] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[84] The direct issue of the Emperors of the present dynasty and their -descendants in the male line for ever are entitled to wear a yellow -girdle in token of their relationship to the Imperial family, each -generation becoming a degree lower in rank, but always retaining this -distinctive badge. Members of the collateral branches wear a red -girdle, and are commonly known as _gioros_. With the lapse of two -hundred and fifty years, the wearers of these badges have become -numerous, and in many cases disreputable; and they are now to be found -even among the lowest dregs of Chinese social life. - -[85] Quail fighting is not so common now in China as it appears to -have been formerly. Cricket-fighting is, however, a very favourite -form of gambling, large quantities of these insects being caught every -year for this purpose, and considerable sums frequently staked on the -result of a contest between two champions. - - - - -XII. - -THE PAINTED SKIN. - - -At T'ai-yüan there lived a man named Wang. One morning he was out -walking when he met a young lady carrying a bundle and hurrying along -by herself. As she moved along with some difficulty,[86] Wang -quickened his pace and caught her up, and found she was a pretty girl -of about sixteen. Much smitten he inquired whither she was going so -early, and no one with her. "A traveller like you," replied the girl, -"cannot alleviate my distress; why trouble yourself to ask?" "What -distress is it?" said Wang; "I'm sure I'll do anything I can for you." -"My parents," answered she, "loved money, and they sold me as -concubine into a rich family, where the wife was very jealous, and -beat and abused me morning and night. It was more than I could stand, -so I have run away." Wang asked her where she was going; to which she -replied that a runaway had no fixed place of abode. "My house," said -Wang, "is at no great distance; what do you say to coming there?" She -joyfully acquiesced; and Wang, taking up her bundle, led the way to -his house. Finding no one there, she asked Wang where his family were; -to which he replied that that was only the library. "And a very nice -place, too," said she; "but if you are kind enough to wish to save my -life, you mustn't let it be known that I am here." Wang promised he -would not divulge her secret, and so she remained there for some days -without anyone knowing anything about it. He then told his wife, and -she, fearing the girl might belong to some influential family, advised -him to send her away. This, however, he would not consent to do; when -one day, going into the town, he met a Taoist priest, who looked at -him in astonishment, and asked him what he had met. "I have met -nothing," replied Wang. "Why," said the priest, "you are bewitched; -what do you mean by not having met anything?" But Wang insisted that -it was so, and the priest walked away, saying, "The fool! Some people -don't seem to know when death is at hand." This startled Wang, who at -first thought of the girl; but then he reflected that a pretty young -thing as she was couldn't well be a witch, and began to suspect that -the priest merely wanted to do a stroke of business. When he returned, -the library door was shut, and he couldn't get in, which made him -suspect that something was wrong; and so he climbed over the wall, -where he found the door of the inner room shut too. Softly creeping -up, he looked through the window and saw a hideous devil, with a green -face and jagged teeth like a saw, spreading a human skin upon the bed -and painting it with a paint-brush. The devil then threw aside the -brush, and giving the skin a shake out, just as you would a coat, -threw it over its shoulders, when, lo! it was the girl. Terrified at -this, Wang hurried away with his head down in search of the priest who -had gone he knew not whither; subsequently finding him in the fields, -where he threw himself on his knees and begged the priest to save him. -"As to driving her away," said the priest, "the creature must be in -great distress to be seeking a substitute for herself;[87] besides, I -could hardly endure to injure a living thing."[88] However, he gave -Wang a fly-brush, and bade him hang it at the door of the bedroom, -agreeing to meet again at the Ch'ing-ti temple. Wang went home, but -did not dare enter the library; so he hung up the brush at the bedroom -door, and before long heard a sound of footsteps outside. Not daring -to move, he made his wife peep out; and she saw the girl standing -looking at the brush, afraid to pass it. She then ground her teeth and -went away; but in a little while came back, and began cursing, saying, -"You priest, you won't frighten me. Do you think I am going to give up -what is already in my grasp?" Thereupon, she tore the brush to pieces, -and bursting open the door, walked straight up to the bed, where she -ripped open Wang and tore out his heart, with which she went away. -Wang's wife screamed out, and the servant came in with a light; but -Wang was already dead and presented a most miserable spectacle. His -wife, who was in an agony of fright, hardly dared cry for fear of -making a noise; and next day she sent Wang's brother to see the -priest. The latter got into a great rage, and cried out, "Was it for -this that I had compassion on you, devil that you are?" proceeding at -once with Wang's brother to the house, from which the girl had -disappeared without anyone knowing whither she had gone. But the -priest, raising his head, looked all round, and said, "Luckily she's -not far off." He then asked who lived in the apartments on the south -side, to which Wang's brother replied that he did; whereupon the -priest declared that there she would be found. Wang's brother was -horribly frightened and said he did not think so; and then the priest -asked him if any stranger had been to the house. To this he answered -that he had been out to the Ch'ing-ti temple and couldn't possibly -say; but he went off to inquire, and in a little while came back and -reported that an old woman had sought service with them as a -maid-of-all-work, and had been engaged by his wife. "That is she," -said the priest, as Wang's brother added she was still there; and they -all set out to go to the house together. Then the priest took his -wooden sword, and standing in the middle of the court-yard, shouted -out, "Base-born fiend, give me back my fly-brush!" Meanwhile the new -maid-of-all-work was in a great state of alarm, and tried to get away -by the door; but the priest struck her and down she fell flat, the -human skin dropped off, and she became a hideous devil. There she lay -grunting like a pig, until the priest grasped his wooden sword and -struck off her head. She then became a dense column of smoke curling -up from the ground, when the priest took an uncorked gourd and threw -it right into the midst of the smoke. A sucking noise was heard, and -the whole column was drawn into the gourd; after which the priest -corked it up closely and put it in his pouch.[89] The skin, too, which -was complete even to the eyebrows, eyes, hands, and feet, he also -rolled up as if it had been a scroll, and was on the point of leaving -with it, when Wang's wife stopped him, and with tears entreated him to -bring her husband to life. The priest said he was unable to do that; -but Wang's wife flung herself at his feet, and with loud lamentations -implored his assistance. For some time he remained immersed in -thought, and then replied, "My power is not equal to what you ask. I -myself cannot raise the dead; but I will direct you to some one who -can, and if you apply to him properly you will succeed." Wang's wife -asked the priest who it was; to which he replied, "There is a maniac -in the town who passes his time grovelling in the dirt. Go, prostrate -yourself before him, and beg him to help you. If he insults you, shew -no sign of anger." Wang's brother knew the man to whom he alluded, and -accordingly bade the priest adieu, and proceeded thither with his -sister-in-law. - -They found the destitute creature raving away by the road side, so -filthy that it was all they could do to go near him. Wang's wife -approached him on her knees; at which the maniac leered at her, and -cried out, "Do you love me, my beauty?" Wang's wife told him what she -had come for, but he only laughed and said, "You can get plenty of -other husbands. Why raise the dead one to life?" But Wang's wife -entreated him to help her; whereupon he observed, "It's very strange: -people apply to me to raise their dead as if I was king of the -infernal regions." He then gave Wang's wife a thrashing with his -staff, which she bore without a murmur, and before a gradually -increasing crowd of spectators. After this he produced a loathsome -pill which he told her she must swallow, but here she broke down and -was quite unable to do so. However, she did manage it at last, and -then the maniac crying out, "How you do love me!" got up and went away -without taking any more notice of her. They followed him into a temple -with loud supplications, but he had disappeared, and every effort to -find him was unsuccessful. Overcome with rage and shame, Wang's wife -went home, where she mourned bitterly over her dead husband, -grievously repenting the steps she had taken, and wishing only to die. -She then bethought herself of preparing the corpse, near which none of -the servants would venture; and set to work to close up the frightful -wound of which he died. - -While thus employed, interrupted from time to time by her sobs, she -felt a rising lump in her throat, which by-and-by came out with a pop -and fell straight into the dead man's wound. Looking closely at it, -she saw it was a human heart; and then it began as it were to throb, -emitting a warm vapour like smoke. Much excited, she at once closed -the flesh over it, and held the sides of the wound together with all -her might. Very soon, however, she got tired, and finding the vapour -escaping from the crevices, she tore up a piece of silk and bound it -round, at the same time bringing back circulation by rubbing the body -and covering it up with clothes. In the night, she removed the -coverings, and found that breath was coming from the nose; and by -next morning her husband was alive again, though disturbed in mind as -if awaking from a dream and feeling a pain in his heart. Where he had -been wounded, there was a cicatrix about as big as a cash, which soon -after disappeared. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[86] Impeded, of course, by her small feet. This practice is said to -have originated about A.D. 970, with Yao Niang, the concubine of the -pretender Li Yü, who wished to make her feet like the "new moon." The -Manchu or Tartar ladies have not adopted this custom, and therefore -the empresses of modern times have feet of the natural size; neither -is it in force among the Hakkas or hill-tribes of China and Formosa. -The practice was forbidden in 1664 by the Manchu Emperor, K'ang Hsi; -but popular feeling was so strong on the subject that four years -afterwards the prohibition was withdrawn. Protestant missionaries are -now making a dead set at this shameful custom, but so far with very -indifferent success; as parents who do not cramp the feet of their -daughters would experience no small difficulty in finding husbands for -them when they grow up. Besides, the gait of a young lady hobbling -along, as we should say, seems to be much admired by the other sex. -The following seven reasons why this custom still keeps its hold upon -the Chinese mind emanate from a native convert:-- - -"1st.--If a girl's feet are not bound, people say she is not like a -woman but like a man; they laugh at her, calling her names, and her -parents are ashamed of her. - -"2nd.--Girls are like flowers, like the willow. It is very important -that their feet should be bound short so that they can walk -beautifully, with mincing steps, swaying gracefully, thus showing they -are persons of respectability. People praise them. If not bound short, -they say the mother has not trained her daughter carefully. She goes -from house to house with noisy steps, and is called names. Therefore -careful persons bind short. - -"3rd.--One of a good family does not wish to marry a woman with long -feet. She is commiserated because her feet are not perfect. If -betrothed, and the size of her feet is not discovered till after -marriage, her husband and mother-in-law are displeased, her -sisters-in-law laugh at her, and she herself is sad. - -"4th.--The large footed has to do rough work, does not sit in a sedan -when she goes out, walks in the streets barefooted, has no red -clothes, does not eat the best food. She is wetted by the rain, tanned -by the sun, blown upon by the wind. If unwilling to do all the rough -work of the house she is called 'gormandizing and lazy.' Perhaps she -decides to go out as a servant. She has no fame and honour. To escape -all this her parents bind her feet. - -"5th.--There _are_ those with unbound feet who do no heavy work, wear -gay clothing, ride in a sedan, call others to wait upon them. Although -so fine they are low and mean. If a girl's feet are unbound, she -cannot be distinguished from one of these. - -"6th.--Girls are like gold, like gems. They ought to stay in their own -house. If their feet are not bound they go here and go there with -unfitting associates; they have no good name. They are like defective -gems that are rejected. - -"7th.--Parents are covetous. They think small feet are pleasing and -will command a high price for a bride."--_On Foot-Binding_, by Miss S. -Woolston. - -[87] The disembodied spirits of the Chinese _Inferno_ are permitted, -under certain conditions of time and good conduct, to appropriate to -themselves the vitality of some human being, who, as it were, -exchanges places with the so-called "devil." The devil does not, -however, reappear as the mortal whose life it has become possessed of, -but is merely born again into the world; the idea being that the -amount of life on earth is a constant quantity, and cannot be -increased or diminished, reminding one in a way of the great modern -doctrine of the conservation of energy. This curious belief has an -important bearing that will be brought out in a subsequent story. - -[88] Here again is a Taoist priest quoting the Buddhist commandment, -"Thou shalt not take life." The Buddhist laity in China, who do not -hesitate to take life for the purposes of food, salve their -consciences from time to time by buying birds, fishes, &c., and -letting them go, in the hope that such acts will be set down on the -credit side of their record of good and evil. - -[89] This recalls the celebrated story of the fisherman in the -_Arabian Nights_. - - - - -XIII. - -THE TRADER'S SON. - - -In the province of Hunan there dwelt a man who was engaged in trading -abroad; and his wife, who lived alone, dreamt one night that some one -was in her room. Waking up, she looked about, and discovered a small -creature which on examination she knew to be a fox; but in a moment -the thing had disappeared, although the door had not been opened. The -next evening she asked the cook-maid to come and keep her company; as -also her own son, a boy of ten, who was accustomed to sleep elsewhere. -Towards the middle of the night, when the cook and the boy were fast -asleep, back came the fox; and the cook was waked up by hearing her -mistress muttering something as if she had nightmare. The former then -called out, and the fox ran away; but from that moment the trader's -wife was not quite herself. When night came she dared not blow out the -candle, and bade her son be sure and not sleep too soundly. Later on, -her son and the old woman having taken a nap as they leant against the -wall, suddenly waked up and found her gone. They waited some time, but -she did not return, and the cook was too frightened to go and look -after her; so her son took a light, and at length found her fast -asleep in another room. She didn't seem aware that anything particular -had happened, but she became queerer and queerer every day, and -wouldn't have either her son or the cook to keep her company any more. -Her son, however, made a point of running at once into his mother's -room if he heard any unusual sounds; and though his mother always -abused him for his pains, he paid no attention to what she said. At -the same time, the more people urged him on to keep a sharp look-out, -the more eccentric were his mother's ways. One day she played at being -a mason, and piled up stones upon the window-sill, in spite of all -that was said to her; and if anyone took away a stone, she threw -herself on the ground, and cried like a child, so that nobody dared go -near her. In a few days she had got both windows blocked up and the -light excluded; and then she set to filling up the chinks with mud. -She worked hard all day without minding the trouble, and when it was -finished she smoothed it off with the kitchen chopper. Everyone who -saw her was disgusted with such antics, and would take no notice of -her. At night her son darkened his lamp, and, with a knife concealed -on his person, sat waiting for his mother to mutter. As soon as she -began he uncovered his light, and, blocking up the doorway, shouted -out at the top of his voice. Nothing, however, happened, and he moved -from the door a little way, when suddenly out rushed something like a -fox, which was disappearing through the door, when he made a quick -movement and cut off about two inches of its tail, from which the warm -blood was still dripping as he brought the light to bear upon it. His -mother hereupon cursed and reviled him, but he pretended not to hear -her, regretting only as he went to bed that he hadn't hit the brute -fair. But he consoled himself by thinking that although he hadn't -killed it outright, he had done enough to prevent it coming again. On -the morrow he followed the tracks of blood over the wall and into the -garden of a family named Ho; and that night, to his great joy, the fox -did not reappear. His mother was meanwhile prostrate, with hardly any -life in her, and in the midst of it all his father came home. The boy -told him what had happened, at which he was much alarmed, and sent for -a doctor to attend his wife; but she only threw the medicine away, and -cursed and swore horribly. So they secretly mixed the medicine with -her tea and soup, and in a few days she began to get better, to the -inexpressible delight of both her husband and son. One night, however, -her husband woke up and found her gone; and after searching for her -with the aid of his son, they discovered her sleeping in another room. -From that time she became more eccentric than ever, and was always -being found in strange places, cursing those who tried to remove her. -Her husband was at his wits' end. It was no use keeping the door -locked, for it opened of itself at her approach; and he had called in -any number of magicians to exorcise the fox, but without obtaining the -slightest result. One evening her son concealed himself in the Ho -family garden, and lay down in the long grass with a view to detecting -the fox's retreat. As the moon rose he heard the sound of voices, and, -pushing aside the grass, saw two people drinking, with a long-bearded -servant pouring out their wine, dressed in an old dark-brown coat. -They were whispering together, and he could not make out what they -said; but by-and-by he heard one of them remark, "Get some white wine -for to-morrow," and then they went away, leaving the long-bearded -servant alone. The latter then threw off his coat, and lay down to -sleep on the stones; whereupon the trader's son eyed him carefully, -and saw that he was like a man in every respect except that he had a -tail. The boy would then have gone home; but he was afraid the fox -might hear him, and accordingly remained where he was till near dawn, -when he saw the other two come back, one at a time, and then they all -disappeared among the bushes. On reaching home his father asked him -where he had been, and he replied that he had stopped the night with -the Ho family. He then accompanied his father to the town, where he -saw hanging up at a hat-shop a fox's tail, and finally, after much -coaxing, succeeded in making his father buy it for him. While the -latter was engaged in a shop, his son, who was playing about beside -him, availed himself of a moment when his father was not looking and -stole some money from him, and went off and bought a quantity of white -wine, which he left in charge of the wine-merchant. Now an uncle of -his, who was a sportsman by trade, lived in the city, and thither he -next betook himself. His uncle was out, but his aunt was there, and -inquired after the health of his mother. "She has been better the last -few days," replied he; "but she is now very much upset by a rat having -gnawed a dress of hers, and has sent me to ask for some poison." His -aunt opened the cupboard and gave him about the tenth of an ounce in a -piece of paper, which he thought was very little; so, when his aunt -had gone to get him something to eat, he took the opportunity of being -alone, opened the packet, and abstracted a large handful. Hiding this -in his coat, he ran to tell his aunt that she needn't prepare anything -for him, as his father was waiting in the market, and he couldn't stop -to eat it. He then went off; and having quietly dropped the poison -into the wine he had bought, went sauntering about the town. At -nightfall he returned home, and told his father that he had been at -his uncle's. This he continued to do for some time, until one day he -saw amongst the crowd his long-bearded friend. Marking him closely, he -followed him, and at length entered into conversation, asking him -where he lived. "I live at Pei-ts'un," said he; "where do you live?" -"I," replied the trader's son, falsely, "live in a hole on the -hill-side." The long-bearded man was considerably startled at his -answer, but much more so when he added, "We've lived there for -generations: haven't _you_?" The other then asked his name, to which -the boy replied, "My name is Hu.[90] I saw you with two gentlemen in -the Ho family garden, and haven't forgotten you." Questioning him more -fully, the long-bearded man was still in a half-and-half state of -belief and doubt, when the trader's son opened his coat a little bit, -and showed him the end of the tail he had bought, saying, "The like -of us can mix with ordinary people, but unfortunately we can never get -rid of this." The long-bearded man then asked him what he was doing -there, to which he answered that his father had sent him to buy wine; -whereupon the former remarked that that was exactly what he had come -for, and the boy then inquired if he had bought it yet or not. "We are -poor," replied the stranger, "and as a rule I prefer to steal it." "A -difficult and dangerous job," observed the boy. "I have my master's -instructions to get some," said the other, "and what am I to do?" The -boy then asked him who his masters were, to which he replied that they -were the two brothers the boy had seen that night. "One of them has -bewitched a lady named Wang; and the other, the wife of a trader who -lives near. The son of the last-mentioned lady is a violent fellow, -and cut off my master's tail, so that he was laid up for ten days. But -he is putting her under spells again now." He was then going away, -saying he should never get his wine; but the boy said to him, "It's -much easier to buy than steal. I have some at the wine-shop there -which I will give to you. My purse isn't empty, and I can buy some -more." The long-bearded man hardly knew how to thank him; but the boy -said, "We're all one family. Don't mention such a trifle. When I have -time I'll come and take a drink with you." So they went off together -to the wine-shop, where the boy gave him the wine and they then -separated. That night his mother slept quietly and had no fits, and -the boy knew that something must have happened. He then told his -father, and they went to see if there were any results; when lo! they -found both foxes stretched out dead in the arbour. One of the foxes -was lying on the grass, and out of its mouth blood was still -trickling. The wine-bottle was there; and on shaking it they heard -that some was left. Then his father asked him why he had kept it all -so secret; to which the boy replied that foxes were very sagacious, -and would have been sure to scent the plot. Thereupon his father was -mightily pleased, and said he was a perfect Ulysses[91] for cunning. -They then carried the foxes home, and saw on the tail of one of them -the scar of a knife-wound. From that time they were left in peace; but -the trader's wife became very thin, and though her reason returned, -she shortly afterwards died of consumption. The other lady, Mrs. Wang, -began to get better as soon as the foxes had been killed; and as to -the boy, he was taught riding and archery[92] by his proud parent, and -subsequently rose to high rank in the army. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[90] _Hu_ is the sound of the character for "fox;" it is also the -sound of quite a different character, which is used as a surname. - -[91] The name of the Chinese type was Ch'ên P'ing. See Mayer's -_Reader's Manual_, No. 102. - -[92] At the date at which we are writing skill in archery is still _de -rigueur_ for all Manchus, and for those who would rise in the Chinese -army. Only the other day the progressive Governor-General of the Two -Kiang, Shên Pao-chên, memorialised the Throne with a view to the -abandonment of this effete and useless form of military drill, and -received a direct snub for his pains. Two hundred odd years ago, when -the Manchus were establishing their power, the dexterity of their -bowmen doubtless stood them in good stead; though if we are to judge -of their skill then by the ordinary practice of to-day, as seen on any -Chinese parade-ground, they could never have been more than very -third-rate archers after all. - - - - -XIV. - -JUDGE LU. - - -At Ling-yang there lived a man named Chu Erh-tan, whose literary -designation[93] was Hsiao-ming. He was a fine manly fellow, but an -egregious dunce, though he tried hard to learn. One day he was taking -wine with a number of fellow-students, when one of them said to him, -by way of a joke, "People credit you with plenty of pluck. Now, if you -will go in the middle of the night to the Chamber of Horrors,[94] and -bring back the Infernal Judge from the left-hand porch, we'll all -stand you a dinner." For at Ling-yang there was a representation of -the Ten Courts of Purgatory, with the Gods and devils carved in wood, -and almost life-like in appearance; and in the eastern vestibule there -was a full-length image of the Judge with a green face, and a red -beard, and a hideous expression in his features. Sometimes sounds of -examination under the whip were heard to issue during the night from -both porches, and persons who went in found their hair standing on end -from fear; so the other young men thought it would be a capital test -for Mr. Chu. Thereupon Chu smiled, and rising from his seat went -straight off to the temple; and before many minutes had elapsed they -heard him shouting outside, "His Excellency has arrived!" At this they -all got up, and in came Chu with the image on his back, which he -proceeded to deposit on the table, and then poured out a triple -libation in its honour. His comrades who were watching what he did, -felt ill at ease, and did not like to resume their seats; so they -begged him to carry the Judge back again. But he first poured some -wine upon the ground, invoking the image as follows:--"I am only a -fool-hardy, illiterate fellow: I pray Your Excellency excuse me. My -house is close by, and whenever Your Excellency feels so disposed I -shall be glad to take a cup of wine with you in a friendly way." He -then carried the Judge back, and the next day his friends gave him the -promised dinner, from which he went home half-tipsy in the evening. -But not feeling that he had had enough, he brightened up his lamp, and -helped himself to another cup of wine, when suddenly the bamboo -curtain was drawn aside, and in walked the Judge. Mr. Chu got up and -said, "Oh, dear! Your Excellency has come to cut off my head for my -rudeness the other night." The Judge parted his thick beard, and -smiling, replied, "Nothing of the kind. You kindly invited me last -night to visit you; and as I have leisure this evening, here I am." -Chu was delighted at this, and made his guest sit down, while he -himself wiped the cups and lighted a fire.[95] "It's warm weather," -said the Judge; "let's drink the wine cold." Chu obeyed, and putting -the bottle on the table, went out to tell his servants to get some -supper. His wife was much alarmed when she heard who was there, and -begged him not to go back; but he only waited until the things were -ready, and then returned with them. They drank out of each other's -cups,[96] and by-and-by Chu asked the name of his guest. "My name is -Lu," replied the Judge; "I have no other names." They then conversed -on literary subjects, one capping the other's quotation as echo -responds to sound. The Judge then asked Chu if he understood -composition; to which he answered that he could just tell good from -bad; whereupon the former repeated a little infernal poetry which was -not very different from that of mortals. He was a deep drinker, and -took off ten goblets at a draught; but Chu who had been at it all day, -soon got dead drunk and fell fast asleep with his head on the table. -When he waked up the candle had burnt out and day was beginning to -break, his guest having already departed; and from this time the Judge -was in the habit of dropping in pretty often, until a close friendship -sprang up between them. Sometimes the latter would pass the night at -the house, and Chu would show him his essays, all of which the Judge -scored and underlined as being good for nothing. One night Chu got -tipsy and went to bed first, leaving the Judge drinking by himself. In -his drunken sleep he seemed to feel a pain in his stomach, and waking -up he saw that the Judge, who was standing by the side of the bed, had -opened him, and was carefully arranging his inside. "What harm have I -done you?" cried Chu, "that you should thus seek to destroy me?" -"Don't be afraid," replied the Judge, laughing, "I am only providing -you with a more intelligent heart."[97] He then quietly put back Chu's -viscera, and closed up the opening, securing it with a bandage tied -tightly round his waist. There was no blood on the bed, and all Chu -felt was a slight numbness in his inside. Here he observed the Judge -place a piece of flesh upon the table, and asked him what it was. -"Your heart," said the latter, "which wasn't at all good at -composition, the proper orifice being stuffed up.[98] I have now -provided you with a better one, which I procured from Hades, and I am -keeping yours to put in its place."[99] He then opened the door and -took his leave. In the morning Chu undid the bandage, and looked at -his waist, the wound on which had quite healed up, leaving only a red -seam. From that moment he became an apt scholar, and found his memory -much improved; so much so, that a few days afterwards he showed an -essay to the Judge for which he was very much commended. "However," -said the latter, "your success will be limited to the master's degree. -You won't get beyond that." "When shall I take it?" asked Chu. "This -year," replied the Judge. And so it turned out. Chu passed first on -the list for the bachelor's degree, and then among the first five for -the master's degree. His old comrades, who had been accustomed to make -a laughing-stock of him, were now astonished to find him a full blown -M.A., and when they learned how it had come about, they begged Chu to -speak to the Judge on their behalf. The Judge promised to assist them, -and they made all ready to receive him; but when in the evening he did -come, they were so frightened at his red beard and flashing eyes that -their teeth chattered in their heads, and one by one they stole away. -Chu then took the Judge home with him to have a cup together, and when -the wine had mounted well into his head, he said, "I am deeply -grateful to Your Excellency's former kindness in arranging my inside; -but there is still another favour I venture to ask which possibly may -be granted." The Judge asked him what it was; and Chu replied, "If you -can change a person's inside, you surely could also change his face. -Now my wife is not at all a bad figure, but she is very ugly. I pray -Your Excellency try the knife upon her." The Judge laughed, and said -he would do so, only it would be necessary to give him a little time. -Some days subsequently, the Judge knocked at Chu's door towards the -middle of the night; whereupon the latter jumped up and invited him -in. Lighting a candle, it was evident that the Judge had something -under his coat, and in answer to Chu's inquiries, he said, "It's what -you asked me for. I have had great trouble in procuring it." He then -produced the head of a nice-looking young girl, and presented it to -Chu, who found the blood on the neck was still warm. "We must make -haste," said the Judge, "and take care not to wake the fowls or -dogs."[100] Chu was afraid his wife's door might be bolted; but the -Judge laid his hand on it and it opened at once. Chu then led him to -the bed where his wife was lying asleep on her side; and the Judge, -giving Chu the head to hold, drew from his boot a steel blade shaped -like the handle of a spoon. He laid this across the lady's neck, which -he cut through as if it had been a melon, and the head fell over the -back of the pillow. Seizing the head he had brought with him, he now -fitted it on carefully and accurately, and pressing it down to make it -stick, bolstered the lady up with pillows placed on either side. When -all was finished, he bade Chu put his wife's old head away, and then -took his leave. Soon after Mrs. Chu waked up, and perceived a curious -sensation about her neck, and a scaly feeling about the jaws. Putting -her hand to her face, she found flakes of dry blood; and much -frightened called a maid-servant to bring water to wash it off. The -maid-servant was also greatly alarmed at the appearance of her face, -and proceeded to wash off the blood, which coloured a whole basin of -water; but when she saw her mistress's new face she was almost -frightened to death. Mrs. Chu took a mirror to look at herself, and -was staring at herself in utter astonishment, when her husband came in -and explained what had taken place. On examining her more closely, Chu -saw that she had a well-featured pleasant face, of a medium order of -beauty; and when he came to look at her neck, he found a red seam all -round, with the parts above and below of a different coloured flesh. -Now the daughter of an official named Wu was a very nice-looking girl -who, though nineteen years of age, had not yet been married, two -gentlemen who were engaged to her having died before the day.[101] At -the Feast of Lanterns,[102] this young lady happened to visit the -Chamber of Horrors, whence she was followed home by a burglar, who -that night broke into the house and killed her. Hearing a noise, her -mother told the servant to go and see what was the matter; and the -murder being thus discovered, every member of the family got up. They -placed the body in the hall, with the head alongside, and gave -themselves up to weeping and wailing the livelong night. Next morning, -when they removed the coverings, the corpse was there but the head had -disappeared. The waiting-maids were accordingly flogged for neglect of -duty, and consequent loss of the head, and Mr. Wu brought the matter -to the notice of the Prefect. This officer took very energetic -measures, but for three days no clue could be obtained; and then the -story of the changed head in the Chu family gradually reached Mr. Wu's -ears. Suspecting something, he sent an old woman to make inquiries; -and she at once recognised her late young mistress's features, and -went back and reported to her master. Thereupon Mr. Wu, unable to make -out why the body should have been left, imagined that Chu had slain -his daughter by magical arts, and at once proceeded to the house to -find out the truth of the matter; but Chu told him that his wife's -head had been changed in her sleep, and that he knew nothing about it, -adding that it was unjust to accuse him of the murder. Mr. Wu refused -to believe this, and took proceedings against him; but as all the -servants told the same story, the Prefect was unable to convict him. -Chu returned home and took counsel with the Judge, who told him there -would be no difficulty, it being merely necessary to make the murdered -girl herself speak. That night Mr. Wu dreamt that his daughter came -and said to him, "I was killed by Yang Ta-nien, of Su-ch'i. Mr. Chu -had nothing to do with it; but desiring a better-looking face for his -wife, Judge Lu gave him mine, and thus my body is dead while my head -still lives. Bear Chu no malice." When he awaked, he told his wife, -who had dreamt the same dream; and thereupon he communicated these -facts to the officials. Subsequently, a man of that name was captured, -who confessed under the bamboo that he had committed the crime; so Mr. -Wu went off to Chu's house, and asked to be allowed to see his wife, -regarding Chu from that time as his son-in-law. Mrs. Chu's old head -was fitted on to the young lady's body, and the two parts were buried -together. - -Subsequent to these events Mr. Chu tried three times for his doctor's -degree, but each time without success, and at last he gave up the idea -of entering into official life. Then when thirty years had passed -away, Judge Lu appeared to him one night, and said, "My friend, you -cannot live for ever. Your hour will come in five days' time." Chu -asked the Judge if he could not save him; to which he replied, "The -decrees of Heaven cannot be altered to suit the purposes of mortals. -Besides, to an intelligent man life and death are much the same.[103] -Why necessarily regard life as a boon and death as a misfortune?" Chu -could make no reply to this, and forthwith proceeded to order his -coffin and shroud;[104] and then, dressing himself in his -grave-clothes, yielded up the ghost. Next day, as his wife was weeping -over his bier, in he walked at the front door, to her very great -alarm. "I am now a disembodied spirit," said Chu to her, "though not -different from what I was in life; and I have been thinking much of -the widow and orphan I left behind." His wife, hearing this, wept till -the tears ran down her face, Chu all the time doing his best to -comfort her. "I have heard tell," said she, "of dead bodies returning -to life; and since your vital spark is not extinct, why does it not -resume the flesh?" "The ordinances of Heaven," replied her husband, -"may not be disobeyed." His wife here asked him what he was doing in -the infernal regions; and he said that Judge Lu had got him an -appointment as Registrar, with a certain rank attached, and that he -was not at all uncomfortable. Mrs. Chu was proceeding to inquire -further, when he interrupted her, saying, "The Judge has come with me; -get some wine ready and something to eat." He then hurried out, and -his wife did as he had told her, hearing them laughing and drinking in -the guest chamber just like old times come back again. About midnight -she peeped in, and found that they had both disappeared; but they came -back once in every two or three days, often spending the night, and -managing the family affairs as usual. Chu's son was named Wei, and was -about five years old; and whenever his father came he would take the -little boy upon his knee. When he was about eight years of age, Chu -began to teach him to read; and the boy was so clever that by the time -he was nine he could actually compose. At fifteen he took his -bachelor's degree, without knowing all this time that he had no -father. From that date Chu's visits became less frequent, occurring -not more than once or so in a month; until one night he told his wife -that they were never to meet again. In reply to her inquiry as to -whither he was going, he said he had been appointed to a far-off post, -where press of business and distance would combine to prevent him from -visiting them any more. The mother and son clung to him, sobbing -bitterly; but he said, "Do not act thus. The boy is now a man, and can -look after your affairs. The dearest friends must part some day." -Then, turning to his son, he added, "Be an honourable man, and take -care of the property. Ten years hence we shall meet again." With this -he bade them farewell, and went away. - -Later on, when Wei was twenty-two years of age, he took his doctor's -degree, and was appointed to conduct the sacrifices at the Imperial -tombs. On his way thither he fell in with a retinue of an official, -proceeding along with all the proper insignia,[105] and, looking -carefully at the individual sitting in the carriage, he was astonished -to find that it was his own father. Alighting from his horse, he -prostrated himself with tears at the side of the road; whereupon his -father stopped and said, "You are well spoken of. I now take leave of -this world." Wei remained on the ground, not daring to rise; and his -father, urging on his carriage, hurried away without saying any more. -But when he had gone a short distance, he looked back, and unloosing a -sword from his waist, sent it as a present to his son, shouting out to -him, "Wear this and you will succeed." Wei tried to follow him; but, -in an instant, carriage, retinue, and horses, had vanished with the -speed of wind. For a long time his son gave himself up to grief, and -then seizing the sword began to examine it closely. It was of -exquisite workmanship, and on the blade was engraved this -legend:--"_Be bold, but cautious; round in disposition, square in -action._"[106] Wei subsequently rose to high honours, and had five -sons named Ch'ên, Ch'ien, Wu, Hun, and Shên. One night he dreamt that -his father told him to give the sword to Hun, which he accordingly -did; and Hun rose to be a Viceroy of great administrative ability. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[93] Every Chinese man and woman inherits a family name or surname. A -woman takes her husband's surname, followed in official documents by -her maiden name. Children usually have a pet name given to them soon -after birth, which is dropped after a few years. Then there is the -_ming_ or name, which once given is unchangeable, and by which the -various members of a family are distinguished. But only the father and -mother and certain other relatives are allowed to use this. Friends -call each other by their literary designations or "book-names," which -are given generally by the teacher to whom the boy's education is -first entrusted. Brothers and sisters and others have all kinds of -nick-names as with us. Dogs and cats are called by such names as -"Blackey," "Whitey," "Yellowy," "Jewel," "Pearly," &c., &c. Junks are -christened "Large Profits," "Abounding Wealth," "Favourite of -Fortune," &c., &c. Places are often named after some striking -geographical feature; _e.g._, _Hankow_--"mouth of the Han river," -_i.e._, its point of junction with the Yang-tsze; or they have fancy -names, such as _Fuhkien_--"happily established;" _Tientsin_--"Heaven's -ford;" or names implying a special distinction, such as -_Nanking_--"southern capital;" _Shan-tung_--"east of the mountains," -&c. - -[94] The name given by foreigners in China to the imitation of the ten -torture-chambers of purgatory, as seen in every _Ch'êng-huang_ or -municipal temple. The various figures of the devil-lictors and the -tortured sinners are made either of clay or wood, and painted in very -bright colours; and in each chamber is depicted some specimen of the -horrible tortures that wicked people will undergo in the world to -come. I have given in the _Appendix_ a translation of the -"_Yü-li-ch'ao_," a celebrated Taoist work on this subject, which -should at any rate be glanced at by persons who would understand the -drift of some of these stories. - -[95] To heat the wine, which is almost invariably taken hot. - -[96] In token of their mutual good feeling. - -[97] The Chinese as a nation believe to this day that the heart is the -seat of the intellect and the emotions. - -[98] The heart itself is supposed to be pierced by a number of "eyes," -which pass right through; and in physical and mental health these -passages are believed to be clear. - -[99] See No. XII., note 87. - -[100] The _Hsi-yüan-lu_, a well-known work on Chinese medical -jurisprudence, and an _officially-authorised book_, while giving an -absurd antidote against a poison that never existed [see my _Chinese -Sketches_, p. 190], gravely insists that it is to be prepared at -certain dates only, "in some place quite away from women, fowls, and -dogs." - -[101] It was almost a wonder that she got a second _fiancé_, few -people caring to affiance their sons in a family where such a -catastrophe has once occurred. The death of an engaged girl is a -matter of much less importance, but is productive of a very curious -ceremony. Her betrothed goes to the house where she is lying dead and -steps over the coffin containing her body, returning home with a pair -of the girl's shoes. He thus severs all connection with her, and her -spirit cannot haunt him as it otherwise most certainly would. - -[102] Held annually on the 15th of the first Chinese month--_i.e._, at -the first full moon of the year, when coloured lanterns are hung at -every door. It was originally a ceremonial worship in the temple of -the First Cause, and dates from about the time of the Han dynasty, or -nearly two thousand years ago. - -[103] It was John Stuart Mill who pointed out that the fear of death -is due to "the illusion of imagination, which makes one conceive -oneself as if one were alive and feeling oneself dead" (_The Utility -of Religion_). - -[104] "Boards of old age" and "Clothes of old age sold here" are -common shop-signs in every Chinese city; death and burial being -always, if possible, spoken of euphemistically in some such terms as -these. A dutiful son provides, when he can afford it, decent coffins -for his father and mother. They are generally stored in the house, -sometimes in a neighbouring temple; and the old people take pleasure -in seeing that their funeral obsequies are properly provided for, -though the subject is never raised in conversation. Chinese coffins -are beautifully made; and when the body has been in for a day or two, -a candle is closely applied to the seams all round to make sure it is -air-tight,--any crack, however fine, being easily detected by the -flickering of the flame in the escaping gas. Thus bodies may be kept -unburied for a long time, until the geomancer has selected an -auspicious site for the grave. - -[105] Gongs, red umbrellas, men carrying boards on which the officer's -titles are inscribed in large characters, a huge wooden fan, &c., &c. - -[106] "Be like a cash" [see No. II., note 42] is a not uncommon saying -among the Chinese, the explanation of which rests upon the fact that a -cash is "round in shape and convenient for use," which words are -pronounced identically with a corresponding number of words meaning -"round in disposition, square in action." It is, in fact, a play on -words. - - - - -XV. - -MISS YING-NING; OR, THE LAUGHING GIRL. - - -At Lo-tien, in the province of Shantung, there lived a youth named -Wang Tz[)u]-fu, who had been left an orphan when quite young. He was a -clever boy, and took his bachelor's degree at the age of fourteen, -being quite his mother's pet, and not allowed by her to stray far away -from home. One young lady to whom he had been betrothed having -unhappily died, he was still in search of a wife when, on the occasion -of the Feast of Lanterns, his cousin Wu asked him to come along for a -stroll. But they had hardly got beyond the village before one of his -uncle's servants caught them up and told Wu he was wanted. The latter -accordingly went back; but Wang, seeing plenty of nice girls about and -being in high spirits himself, proceeded on alone. Amongst others, he -noticed a young lady with her maid. She had just picked a sprig of -plum-blossom, and was the prettiest girl he had ever heard of--a -perfect bunch of smiles. He stared and stared at her quite regardless -of appearances; and when she had passed by, she said to her maid, -"That young fellow has a wicked look in his eyes." As she was walking -away, laughing and talking, the flower dropped out of her hand; and -Wang, picking it up, stood there disconsolate as if he had lost his -wits. He then went home in a very melancholy mood; and, putting the -flower under his pillow, lay down to sleep. He would neither talk nor -eat; and his mother became very anxious about him, and called in the -aid of the priests.[107] By degrees, he fell off in flesh and got very -thin; and the doctor felt his pulse and gave him medicines to bring -out the disease. Occasionally, he seemed bewildered in his mind, but -in spite of all his mother's inquiries would give no clue as to the -cause of his malady. One day when his cousin Wu came to the house, -Wang's mother told him to try and find out what was the matter; and -the former, approaching the bed, gradually and quietly led up to the -point in question. Wang, who had wept bitterly at the sight of his -cousin, now repeated to him the whole story, begging him to lend some -assistance in the matter. "How foolish you are, cousin," cried Wu; -"there will be no difficulty at all, I'll make inquiries for you. The -girl herself can't belong to a very aristocratic family to be walking -alone in the country. If she's not already engaged, I have no doubt we -can arrange the affair; and even if she is unwilling, an extra outlay -will easily bring her round.[108] You make haste and get well: I'll -see to it all." Wang's features relaxed when he heard these words; and -Wu left him to tell his mother how the case stood, immediately setting -on foot inquiries as to the whereabouts of the girl. All his efforts, -however, proved fruitless, to the great disappointment of Wang's -mother; for since his cousin's visit Wang's colour and appetite had -returned. In a few days Wu called again, and in answer to Wang's -questions falsely told him that the affair was settled. "Who do you -think the young lady is?" said he. "Why, a cousin of ours, who is only -waiting to be betrothed; and though you two are a little near,[109] I -daresay the circumstances of the case will be allowed to overrule this -objection." Wang was overjoyed, and asked where she lived; so Wu had -to tell another lie, and say, "On the south-west hills, about ten -miles from here." Wang begged him again and again to do his best for -him, and Wu undertook to get the betrothal satisfactorily arranged. He -then took leave of his cousin, who from this moment was rapidly -restored to health. Wang drew the flower from underneath his pillow, -and found that, though dried up, the leaves had not fallen away. He -often sat playing with this flower and thinking of the young lady; but -by-and-by, as Wu did not reappear, he wrote a letter and asked him to -come. Wu pleaded other engagements, being unwilling to go; at which -Wang got in a rage and quite lost his good spirits; so that his -mother, fearing a relapse, proposed to him a speedy betrothal in -another quarter. Wang shook his head at this, and sat day after day -waiting for Wu, until his patience was thoroughly exhausted. He then -reflected that ten miles was no great distance, and that there was no -particular reason for asking anybody's aid; so, concealing the flower -in his sleeve, he went off in a huff by himself without letting it be -known. Having no opportunity of asking the way, he made straight for -the hills; and after about ten miles walking found himself right in -the midst of them, enjoying their exquisite verdure, but meeting no -one, and with nothing better than mountain paths to guide him. Away -down in the valley below, almost buried under a densely luxuriant -growth of trees and flowers, he espied a small hamlet, and began to -descend the hill and make his way thither. He found very few houses, -and all built of rushes, but otherwise pleasant enough to look at. -Before the door of one, which stood at the northern end of the -village, were a number of graceful willow trees, and inside the wall -plenty of peach and apricot trees, with tufts of bamboo between them, -and birds chirping on the branches. As it was a private house he did -not venture to go in, but sat down to rest himself on a huge smooth -stone opposite the front door. By-and-by he heard a girl's voice from -within calling out Hsiao-jung; and, noticing that it was a sweet-toned -voice, set himself to listen, when a young lady passed with a bunch of -apricot-flowers in her hand, and occupied in putting hair-pins into -her downcast head. As soon as she raised her face she saw Wang, and -stopped putting in hair-pins; then, smothering a laugh, picked a few -flowers and ran in. Wang perceived to his intense delight that she was -none other than his heroine of the Feast of Lanterns; but recollecting -that he had no right to follow her in, was on the point of calling -after her as his cousin. There was no one, however, in the street, and -he was afraid lest he might have made a mistake; neither was there -anybody at the door of whom he could make inquiries. So he remained -there in a very restless state till the sun was well down in the west, -and his hopes were almost at an end, forgetting all about food and -drink. He then saw the young lady peep through the door, apparently -very much astonished to find him still there; and in a few minutes out -came an old woman leaning on a stick, who said to him, "Whence do you -come, Sir? I hear you have been here ever since morning. What is it -you want? Aren't you hungry?" Wang got up, and making a bow, replied -that he was in search of some relatives of his; but the old woman was -deaf and didn't catch what he said, so he had to shout it out again at -the top of his voice. She asked him what their names were, but he was -unable to tell her; at which she laughed and said, "It is a funny -thing to look for people when you don't know their names. I am afraid -you are an unpractical gentleman. You had better come in and have -something to eat; we'll give you a bed and you can go back to-morrow -and find out the names of the people you are in quest of." Now Wang -was just beginning to get hungry, and, besides, this would bring him -nearer to the young lady; so he readily accepted and followed the old -woman in. They walked along a paved path banked on both sides with -hibiscus, the leaves of which were scattered about on the ground; and -passing through another door, entered a court-yard full of trained -creepers and other flowers. The old woman showed Wang into a small -room with beautifully white walls and a branch of a crab-apple tree -coming through the window, the furniture being also nice and clean. -They had hardly sat down when it was clear that some one was taking a -peep through the window; whereupon the old woman cried out, -"Hsiao-jung! make haste and get dinner," and a maid from outside -immediately answered "Yes, ma'am." Meanwhile, Wang had been explaining -who he was; and then the old lady said, "Was your maternal grandfather -named Wu?" "He was," replied Wang. "Well, I never!" cried the old -woman, "he was my uncle, and your mother and I are cousins. But in -consequence of our poverty, and having no sons, we have kept quite to -ourselves, and you have grown to be a man without my knowing you." "I -came here," said Wang, "about my cousin, but in the hurry I forgot -your name." "My name is Ch'in," replied the old lady; "I have no son: -only a girl, the child of a concubine, who, after my husband's death, -married again[110] and left her daughter with me. She's a clever girl, -but has had very little education; full of fun and ignorant of the -sorrows of life. I'll send for her by-and-by to make your -acquaintance." The maid then brought in the dinner--a large dish full -of choice morsels of fowl--and the old woman pressed him to eat. When -they had finished, and the things were taken away, the old woman said, -"Call Miss Ning," and the maid went off to do so. After some time -there was a giggling at the door, and the old woman cried out, -"Ying-ning! your cousin is here." There was then a great tittering as -the maid pushed her in, stopping her mouth all the time to try and -keep from laughing. "Don't you know better than to behave like that?" -asked the old woman, "and before a stranger, too." So Ying-ning -controlled her feelings, and Wang made her a bow, the old woman -saying, "Mr. Wang is your cousin: you have never seen him before. -Isn't that funny?" Wang asked how old his cousin was, but the old -woman didn't hear him, and he had to say it again, which sent -Ying-ning off into another fit of laughter. "I told you," observed the -old woman, "she hadn't much education; now you see it. She is sixteen -years old, and as foolish as a baby." "One year younger than I am," -remarked Wang. "Oh, you're seventeen are you? Then you were born in -the year ----, under the sign of the horse."[111] Wang nodded assent, -and then the old woman asked who his wife was, to which Wang replied -that he had none. "What! a clever, handsome young fellow of seventeen -not yet engaged?[112] Ying-ning is not engaged either: you two would -make a nice pair if it wasn't for the relationship." Wang said -nothing, but looked hard at his cousin; and just then the maid -whispered to her, "It is the fellow with the wicked eyes! He's at his -old game." Ying-ning laughed, and proposed to the maid that they should -go and see if the peaches were in blossom or not; and off they went -together, the former with her sleeve stuffed into her mouth until she -got outside, where she burst into a hearty fit of laughing. The old -woman gave orders for a bed to be got ready for Wang, saying to him, -"It's not often we meet: you must spend a few days with us now you are -here, and then we'll send you home. If you are at all dull, there's a -garden behind where you can amuse yourself, and books for you to -read." So next day Wang strolled into the garden, which was of -moderate size, with a well-kept lawn and plenty of trees and flowers. -There was also an arbour consisting of three posts with a thatched -roof, quite shut in on all sides by the luxurious vegetation. Pushing -his way among the flowers, Wang heard a noise from one of the trees, -and looking up saw Ying-ning, who at once burst out laughing and -nearly fell down. "Don't! don't!" cried Wang, "you'll fall!" Then -Ying-ning came down, giggling all the time, until, when she was near -the ground, she missed her hold, and tumbled down with a run. This -stopped her merriment, and Wang picked her up, gently squeezing her -hand as he did so. Ying-ning began laughing again, and was obliged to -lean against a tree for support, it being some time before she was -able to stop. Wang waited till she had finished, and then drew the -flower out of his sleeve and handed it to her. "It's dead," said she; -"why do you keep it?" "You dropped it, cousin, at the Feast of -Lanterns," replied Wang, "and so I kept it." She then asked him what -was his object in keeping it, to which he answered, "To show my love, -and that I have not forgotten you. Since that day when we met, I have -been very ill from thinking so much of you, and am quite changed from -what I was. But now that it is my unexpected good fortune to meet you, -I pray you have pity on me." "You needn't make such a fuss about a -trifle," replied she, "and with your own relatives, too. I'll give -orders to supply you with a whole basketful of flowers when you go -away." Wang told her she did not understand, and when she asked what -it was she didn't understand, he said, "I didn't care for the flower -itself; it was the person who picked the flower." "Of course," -answered she, "everybody cares for their relations; you needn't have -told me that." "I wasn't talking about ordinary relations," said Wang, -"but about husbands and wives." "What's the difference?" asked -Ying-ning. "Why," replied Wang, "husband and wife are always -together." "Just what I shouldn't like," cried she, "to be always with -anybody."[113] At this juncture up came the maid, and Wang slipped -quietly away. By-and-by they all met again in the house, and the old -woman asked Ying-ning where they had been; whereupon she said they had -been talking in the garden. "Dinner has been ready a long time. I -can't think what you have had to say all this while," grumbled the old -woman. "My cousin," answered Ying-ning, "has been talking to me about -husbands and wives." Wang was much disconcerted, and made a sign to -her to be quiet, so she smiled and said no more; and the old woman -luckily did not catch her words, and asked her to repeat them. Wang -immediately put her off with something else, and whispered to -Ying-ning that she had done very wrong. The latter did not see that; -and when Wang told her that what he had said was private, answered him -that she had no secrets from her old mother. "Besides," added she, -"what harm can there be in talking on such a common topic as husbands -and wives?" Wang was angry with her for being so dull, but there was -no help for it; and by the time dinner was over he found some of his -mother's servants had come in search of him, bringing a couple of -donkeys with them. It appeared that his mother, alarmed at his -non-appearance, had made strict search for him in the village; and -when unable to discover any traces of him, had gone off to the Wu -family to consult. There her nephew, who recollected what he had -previously said to young Wang, advised that a search should be -instituted in the direction of the hills; and accordingly the servants -had been to all the villages on the way until they had at length -recognised him as he was coming out of the door. Wang went in and told -the old woman, begging that he might be allowed to take Ying-ning with -him. "I have had the idea in my head for several days," replied the -old woman, overjoyed; "but I am a feeble old thing myself, and -couldn't travel so far. If, however, you will take charge of my girl -and introduce her to her aunt, I shall be very pleased." So she called -Ying-ning, who came up laughing as usual; whereupon the old woman -rebuked her, saying, "What makes you always laugh so? You would be a -very good girl but for that silly habit. Now, here's your cousin, who -wants to take you away with him. Make haste and pack up." The servants -who had come for Wang were then provided with refreshment, and the old -woman bade them both farewell, telling Ying-ning that her aunt was -quite well enough off to maintain her, and that she had better not -come back. She also advised her not to neglect her studies, and to be -very attentive to her elders, adding that she might ask her aunt to -provide her with a good husband. Wang and Ying-ning then took their -leave; and when they reached the brow of the hill, they looked back -and could just discern the old woman leaning against the door and -gazing towards the north. On arriving at Wang's home, his mother, -seeing a nice-looking young girl with him, asked in astonishment who -she might be; and Wang at once told her the whole story. "But that was -all an invention of your cousin Wu's," cried his mother; "I haven't -got a sister, and consequently I can't have such a niece." Ying-ning -here observed, "I am not the daughter of the old woman; my father was -named Ch'in and died when I was a little baby, so that I can't -remember anything." "I _had_ a sister," said Wang's mother, "who -actually did marry a Mr. Ch'in, but she died many years ago, and can't -be still living, of course." However, on inquiring as to facial -appearance and characteristic marks, Wang's mother was obliged to -acknowledge the identity, wondering at the same time how her sister -could be alive when she had died many years before. Just then in came -Wu, and Ying-ning retired within; and when he heard the story, -remained some time lost in astonishment, and then said, "Is this young -lady's name Ying-ning?" Wang replied that it was, and asked Wu how he -came to know it. "Mr. Ch'in," answered he, "after his wife's death was -bewitched by a fox, and subsequently died. The fox had a daughter -named Ying-ning, as was well known to all the family; and when Mr. -Ch'in died, as the fox still frequented the place, the Taoist -Pope[114] was called in to exorcise it. The fox then went away, taking -Ying-ning with it, and now here she is." While they were thus -discussing, peals of laughter were heard coming from within, and Mrs. -Wang took occasion to remark what a foolish girl she was. Wu begged to -be introduced, and Mrs. Wang went in to fetch her, finding her in an -uncontrollable fit of laughter, which she subdued only with great -difficulty, and by turning her face to the wall. By-and-by she went -out; but, after making a bow, ran back and burst out laughing again to -the great discomfiture of all the ladies. Wang then said he would go -and find out for them all about Ying-ning and her queer story, so as -to be able to arrange the marriage; but when he reached the spot -indicated, village and houses had all vanished, and nothing was to be -seen except hill-flowers scattered about here and there. Wu -recollected that Mrs. Ch'in had been buried at no great distance from -that spot; he found, however, that the grave had disappeared, and he -was no longer able to determine its position. Not knowing what to make -of it all, he returned home, and then Mrs. Wang told him she thought -the girl must be a disembodied spirit. Ying-ning shewed no signs of -alarm at this remark; neither did she cry at all when Mrs. Wang began -to condole with her on no longer having a home. She only laughed in -her usual silly way, and fairly puzzled them all. Sharing Miss Wang's -room, she now began to take her part in the duties of a daughter of -the family; and as for needlework, they had rarely seen anything like -hers for fineness. But she could not get over that trick of laughing, -which, by the way, never interfered with her good looks, and -consequently rather amused people than otherwise, amongst others a -young married lady who lived next door. Wang's mother fixed an -auspicious day for the wedding, but still feeling suspicious about -Ying-ning, was always secretly watching her. Finding, however, that -she had a proper shadow,[115] and that there was nothing -extraordinary in her behaviour, she had her dressed up when the day -came, in all the finery of a bride; and would have made her perform -the usual ceremonies, only Ying-ning laughed so much she was unable to -kneel down.[116] They were accordingly obliged to excuse her, but Wang -began to fear that such a foolish girl would never be able to keep the -family counsel. Luckily, she was very reticent and did not indulge in -gossip; and moreover, when Mrs. Wang was in trouble or out of temper, -Ying-ning could always bring her round with a laugh. The -maid-servants, too, if they expected a whipping for anything, would -always ask her to be present when they appeared before their mistress, -and thus they often escaped punishment. Ying-ning had a perfect -passion for flowers. She got all she could out of her relations, and -even secretly pawned her jewels to buy rare specimens; and by the end -of a few months the whole place was one mass of flowers. Behind the -house there was one especial tree[117] which belonged to the -neighbours on that side; but Ying-ning was always climbing up and -picking the flowers, for which Mrs. Wang rebuked her severely, though -without any result. One day the owner saw her, and gazed at her some -time in rapt astonishment; however, she didn't move, deigning only to -laugh. The gentleman was much smitten with her; and when she smilingly -descended the wall on her own side, pointing all the time with her -finger to a spot hard by, he thought she was making an assignation. So -he presented himself at nightfall at the same place, and sure enough -Ying-ning was there. Seizing her hand, to tell his passion, he found -that he was grasping only a log of wood which stood against the wall; -and the next thing he knew was that a scorpion had stung him violently -on the finger. There was an end of his romance, except that he died of -the wound during the night, and his family at once commenced an action -against Wang for having a witch-wife. The magistrate happened to be a -great admirer of Wang's talent, and knew him to be an accomplished -scholar; he therefore refused to grant the summons, and ordered the -prosecutor to be bambooed for false accusation.[118] Wang interposed -and got him off this punishment, and returned home himself. His mother -then scolded Ying-ning well, saying, "I knew your too playful -disposition would some day bring sorrow upon you. But for our -intelligent magistrate we should have been in a nice mess. Any -ordinary hawk-like official would have had you publicly interrogated -in court; and then how could your husband ever have held up his head -again?" Ying-ning looked grave and did not laugh this time; and Mrs. -Wang continued, "There's no harm in laughing as long as it is -seasonable laughter;" but from that moment Ying-ning laughed no more, -no matter what people did to make her, though at the same time her -expression was by no means gloomy. One evening she went in tears to -her husband, who wanted to know what was the matter. "I couldn't tell -you before," said she, sobbing; "we had known each other such a short -time. But now that you and your mother have been so kind to me, I will -keep nothing from you, but tell you all. I am the daughter of a fox. -When my mother went away she put me in the charge of the disembodied -spirit of an old woman, with whom I remained for a period of over ten -years. I have no brothers: only you to whom I can look. And now my -foster-mother is lying on the hill-side with no one to bury her and -appease her discontented shade. If not too much, I would ask you to do -this, that her spirit may be at rest, and know that it was not -neglected by her whom she brought up." Wang consented, but said he -feared they would not be able to find her grave; on which Ying-ning -said there was no danger of that, and accordingly they set forth -together. When they arrived, Ying-ning pointed out the tomb in a -lonely spot amidst a thicket of brambles, and there they found the old -woman's bones. Ying-ning wept bitterly, and then they proceeded to -carry her remains home with them, subsequently interring them in the -Ch'in family vault. That night Wang dreamt that the old woman came to -thank him, and when he waked he told Ying-ning, who said that she had -seen her also, and had been warned by her not to frighten Mr. Wang. -Her husband asked why she had not detained the old lady; but Ying-ning -replied, "She is a disembodied spirit, and would be ill at ease for -any time surrounded by so much life."[119] Wang then enquired after -Hsiao-jung, and his wife said, "She was a fox too, and a very clever -one. My foster-mother kept her to wait on me, and she was always -getting fruit and cakes for me, so that I have a friendship for her -and shall never forget her. My foster-mother told me yesterday she was -married." - -After this, whenever the great fast-day[120] came round, husband and -wife went off without fail to worship at the Ch'in family tomb; and by -the time a year had passed she gave birth to a son, who wasn't a bit -afraid of strangers, but laughed at everybody, and in fact took very -much after his mother. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[107] Sickness being supposed to result from evil influences, -witchcraft, &c., just as often as from more natural causes. - -[108] The rule which guides betrothals in China is that "the doors -should be opposite"--_i.e._, that the families of the bride and -bridegroom should be of equal position in the social scale. Any -unpleasantness about the value of the marriage presents, and so on, is -thereby avoided. - -[109] Marriage between persons of the same surname is forbidden by -law, for such are held to be blood relations, descended lineally from -the original couple of that name. Inasmuch, however, as the line of -descent is traced through the male branches only, a man may marry his -cousins on the maternal side without let or hindrance except that of -sentiment, which is sufficiently strong to keep these alliances down -to a minimum. - -[110] A very unjustifiable proceeding in Chinese eyes, unless driven -to it by actual poverty. - -[111] The Chinese years are distinguished by the names of twelve -animals--namely, rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, sheep, -monkey, cock, dog, and boar. To the common question, "What is your -honourable age?" the reply is frequently, "I was born under the ----;" -and the hearer by a short mental calculation can tell at once how old -the speaker is, granting, of course, the impossibility of making an -error of so much as twelve years. - -[112] Parents in China like to get their sons married as early as -possible, in the hope of seeing themselves surrounded by grandsons, -and the family name in no danger of extinction. Girls are generally -married at from fifteen to seventeen. - -[113] This scene should for ever disabuse people of the notion that -there is no such thing as "making love" among the Chinese. That the -passion is just as much a disease in China as it is with us will be -abundantly evident from several subsequent stories; though by those -who have lived and mixed with the Chinese people, no such confirmation -will be needed. I have even heard it gravely asserted by an educated -native that not a few of his countrymen had "died for love" of the -beautiful Miss Lin, the charming but fictitious heroine of _The Dream -of the Red Chamber_. - -Play-goers can here hardly fail to notice a very striking similarity -to the close of the first act of Mr. W. S. Gilbert's "Sweethearts." - -[114] The semi-divine head of the Taoist religion, sometimes called -the Master of Heaven. In his body is supposed to reside the soul of a -celebrated Taoist, an ancestor of his, who actually discovered the -elixir of life and became an immortal some eighteen hundred years ago. -At death, the precious soul above-mentioned will take up its abode in -the body of some youthful member of the family to be hereinafter -revealed. Meanwhile, the present Pope makes a very respectable income -from the sale of charms, by working miracles, and so forth; and only -about two years ago he visited Shanghai, where he was interviewed by -several foreigners. - -[115] Disembodied spirits are supposed to have no shadow, and but very -little appetite. There are also certain occasions on which they cannot -stand the smell of sulphur. Fiske, in his _Myths and Myth-makers_ -(page 230) says, "Almost universally, ghosts, however impervious to -thrust of sword or shot of pistol, can eat and drink like Squire -Westerns." - -[116] See No. III., note 45. - -[117] The _Mu-hsiang_ or _Costus amarus_. - -[118] Strictly in accordance with Chinese criminal law. - -[119] These disembodied spirits are unable to stand for any length of -time the light and life of this upper world, darkness and death being -as it were necessary to their existence and comfort. - -[120] The day before the annual spring festival. - - - - -XVI. - -THE MAGIC SWORD. - - -Ning Lai-ch'ên was a Chekiang man, and a good-natured, honourable -fellow, fond of telling people that he had only loved once. Happening -to go to Chinhua, he took shelter in a temple to the north of the -city; very nice as far as ornamentation went, but overgrown with grass -taller than a man's head, and evidently not much frequented. On either -side were the priest's apartments, the doors of which were ajar, with -the exception of a small room on the south side, where the lock had a -new appearance. In the east corner he espied a group of bamboos, -growing over a large pool of water-lilies in flower; and, being much -pleased with the quiet of the place, determined to remain; more -especially as, the Grand Examiner being in the town, all lodgings had -gone up in price. So he roamed about waiting till the priests should -return; and in the evening, a gentleman came and opened the door on -the south side. Ning quickly made up to him, and with a bow informed -him of his design. "There is no one here whose permission you need -ask," replied the stranger; "I am only lodging here, and if you don't -object to the loneliness, I shall be very pleased to have the benefit -of your society." Ning was delighted, and made himself a straw bed, -and put up a board for a table, as if he intended to remain some time; -and that night, by the beams of the clear bright moon, they sat -together in the verandah and talked. The stranger's name was Yen -Ch'ih-hsia, and Ning thought he was a student up for the provincial -examination, only his dialect was not that of a Chekiang man. On being -asked, he said he came from Shensi; and there was an air of -straightforwardness about all his remarks. By-and-by, when their -conversation was exhausted, they bade each other good night and went -to bed; but Ning, being in a strange place, was quite unable to sleep; -and soon he heard sounds of voices from the room on the north side. -Getting up, he peeped through a window, and saw, in a small court-yard -the other side of a low wall, a woman of about forty with an old -maid-servant in a long faded gown, humped-backed and feeble-looking. -They were chatting by the light of the moon; and the mistress said, -"Why doesn't Hsiao-ch'ien come?" "She ought to be here by now," -replied the other. "She isn't offended with you; is she?" asked the -lady. "Not that I know of," answered the old servant; "but she seems -to want to give trouble." "Such people don't deserve to be treated -well," said the other; and she had hardly uttered these words when up -came a young girl of seventeen or eighteen, and very nice looking. The -old servant laughed, and said, "Don't talk of people behind their -backs. We were just mentioning you as you came without our hearing -you; but fortunately we were saying nothing bad about you. And, as far -as that goes," added she, "if I were a young fellow why I should -certainly fall in love with you." "If _you_ don't praise me," replied -the girl, "I'm sure I don't know who will;" and then the lady and the -girl said something together, and Mr. Ning, thinking they were the -family next door, turned round to sleep without paying further -attention to them. In a little while no sound was to be heard; but, as -he was dropping off to sleep, he perceived that somebody was in the -room. Jumping up in great haste, he found it was the young lady he had -just seen; and detecting at once that she was going to attempt to -bewitch him, sternly bade her begone. She then produced a lump of gold -which he threw away, and told her to go after it or he would call his -friend. So she had no alternative but to go, muttering something about -his heart being like iron or stone. Next day, a young candidate for -the examination came and lodged in the east room with his servant. He, -however, was killed that very night, and his servant the night after; -the corpses of both shewing a small hole in the sole of the foot as if -bored by an awl, and from which a little blood came. No one knew who -had committed these murders, and when Mr. Yen came home, Ning asked -him what he thought about it. Yen replied that it was the work of -devils, but Ning was a brave fellow, and that didn't frighten him -much. In the middle of the night Hsiao-ch'ien appeared to him again, -and said, "I have seen many men, but none with a steel cold heart like -yours. You are an upright man, and I will not attempt to deceive you. -I, Hsiao-ch'ien, whose family name is Nieh, died when only eighteen, -and was buried alongside of this temple. A devil then took possession -of me, and employed me to bewitch people by my beauty, contrary to my -inclination. There is now nothing left in this temple to slay, and I -fear that imps will be employed to kill you." Ning was very frightened -at this, and asked her what he should do. "Sleep in the same room with -Mr. Yen," replied she. "What!" asked he, "cannot the spirits trouble -Yen?" "He is a strange man," she answered, "and they don't like going -near him." Ning then inquired how the spirits worked. "I bewitch -people," said Hsiao-ch'ien, "and then they bore a hole in the foot -which renders the victim senseless, and proceed to draw off the blood, -which the devils drink. Another method is to tempt people by false -gold, the bones of some horrid demon; and if they receive it, their -hearts and livers will be torn out. Either method is used according to -circumstances." Ning thanked her, and asked when he ought to be -prepared; to which she replied, "To-morrow night." At parting she -wept, and said, "I am about to sink into the great sea, with no -friendly shore at hand. But your sense of duty is boundless, and you -can save me. If you will collect my bones and bury them in some quiet -spot, I shall not again be subject to these misfortunes." Ning said he -would do so, and asked where she lay buried. "At the foot of the -aspen-tree on which there is a bird's nest," replied she; and passing -out of the door, disappeared. The next day Ning was afraid that Yen -might be going away somewhere, and went over early to invite him -across. Wine and food were produced towards noon; and Ning, who took -care not to lose sight of Yen, then asked him to remain there for the -night. Yen declined, on the ground that he liked being by himself; but -Ning wouldn't hear any excuses, and carried all Yen's things to his -own room, so that he had no alternative but to consent. However, he -warned Ning, saying, "I know you are a gentleman and a man of honour. -If you see anything you don't quite understand, I pray you not to be -too inquisitive; don't pry into my boxes, or it may be the worse for -both of us." Ning promised to attend to what he said, and by-and-by -they both lay down to sleep; and Yen, having placed his boxes on the -window-sill, was soon snoring loudly. Ning himself could not sleep; -and after some time he saw a figure moving stealthily outside, at -length approaching the window to peep through. It's eyes flashed like -lightning, and Ning in a terrible fright was just upon the point of -calling Yen, when something flew out of one of the boxes like a strip -of white silk, and dashing against the window-sill returned at once to -the box, disappearing very much like lightning. Yen heard the noise -and got up, Ning all the time pretending to be asleep in order to -watch what happened. The former then opened the box, and took out -something which he smelt and examined by the light of the moon. It -was dazzlingly white like crystal, and about two inches in length by -the width of an onion leaf in breadth. He then wrapped it up carefully -and put it back in the broken box, saying, "A bold-faced devil that, -to come so near my box;" upon which he went back to bed; but Ning, who -was lost in astonishment, arose and asked him what it all meant, -telling at the same time what he himself had seen. "As you and I are -good friends," replied Yen, "I won't make any secret of it. The fact -is I am a Taoist priest. But for the window-sill the devil would have -been killed; as it is, he is badly wounded." Ning asked him what it -was he had there wrapped up, and he told him it was his sword,[121] on -which he had smelt the presence of the devil. At Ning's request he -produced the weapon, a bright little miniature of a sword; and from -that time Ning held his friend in higher esteem than ever. - -Next day he found traces of blood outside the window which led round -to the north of the temple; and there among a number of graves he -discovered the aspen-tree with the bird's nest at its summit. He then -fulfilled his promise and prepared to go home, Yen giving him a -farewell banquet, and presenting him with an old leather case which he -said contained a sword, and would keep at a distance from him all -devils and bogies. Ning then wished to learn a little of Yen's art; -but the latter replied that although he might accomplish this easily -enough, being as he was an upright man, yet he was well off in life, -and not in a condition where it would be of any advantage to him. Ning -then pretending he had to go and bury his sister, collected -Hsiao-ch'ien's bones, and, having wrapped them up in grave-clothes, -hired a boat, and set off on his way home. On his arrival, as his -library looked towards the open country, he made a grave hard by and -buried the bones there, sacrificing, and invoking Hsiao-ch'ien as -follows:--"In pity for your lonely ghost, I have placed your remains -near my humble cottage, where we shall be near each other, and no -devil will dare annoy you. I pray you reject not my sacrifice, poor -though it be." After this, he was proceeding home when he suddenly -heard himself addressed from behind, the voice asking him not to -hurry; and turning round he beheld Hsiao-ch'ien, who thanked him, -saying, "Were I to die ten times for you I could not discharge my -debt. Let me go home with you and wait upon your father and mother; -you will not repent it." Looking closely at her, he observed that she -had a beautiful complexion, and feet as small as bamboo shoots,[122] -being altogether much prettier now that he came to see her by -daylight. So they went together to his home, and bidding her wait -awhile, Ning ran in to tell his mother, to the very great surprise of -the old lady. Now Ning's wife had been ill for a long time, and his -mother advised him not to say a word about it to her for fear of -frightening her; in the middle of which in rushed Hsiao-ch'ien, and -threw herself on the ground before them. "This is the young lady," -said Ning; whereupon his mother in some alarm turned her attention to -Hsiao-ch'ien, who cried out, "A lonely orphan, without brother or -sister, the object of your son's kindness and compassion, begs to be -allowed to give her poor services as some return for favours shewn." -Ning's mother, seeing that she was a nice pleasant-looking girl, began -to lose fear of her, and replied, "Madam, the preference you shew for -my son is highly pleasing to an old body like myself; but this is the -only hope of our family, and I hardly dare agree to his taking a -devil-wife." "I have but one motive in what I ask," answered -Hsiao-ch'ien, "and if you have no faith in disembodied people, then -let me regard him as my brother, and live under your protection, -serving you like a daughter." Ning's mother could not resist her -straightforward manner, and Hsiao-ch'ien asked to be allowed to see -Ning's wife, but this was denied on the plea that the lady was ill. -Hsiao-ch'ien then went into the kitchen and got ready the dinner, -running about the place as if she had lived there all her life. Ning's -mother was, however, much afraid of her, and would not let her sleep -in the house; so Hsiao-ch'ien went to the library, and was just -entering when suddenly she fell back a few steps, and began walking -hurriedly backwards and forwards in front of the door. Ning seeing -this, called out and asked her what it meant; to which she replied, -"The presence of that sword frightens me, and that is why I could not -accompany you on your way home." Ning at once understood her, and hung -up the sword-case in another place; whereupon she entered, lighted a -candle, and sat down. For some time she did not speak: at length -asking Ning if he studied at night or not--"For," said she, "when I -was little I used to repeat the Lêng-yen _sutra_; but now I have -forgotten more than half, and, therefore, I should like to borrow a -copy, and when you are at leisure in the evening you might hear me." -Ning said he would, and they sat silently there for some time, after -which Hsiao-ch'ien went away and took up her quarters elsewhere. -Morning and night she waited on Ning's mother, bringing water for her -to wash in, occupying herself with household matters, and endeavouring -to please her in every way. In the evening before she went to bed, she -would always go in and repeat a little of the _sutra_, and leave as -soon as she thought Ning was getting sleepy. Now the illness of Ning's -wife had given his mother a great deal of extra trouble--more, in -fact, than she was equal to; but ever since Hsiao-ch'ien's arrival all -this was changed, and Ning's mother felt kindly disposed to the girl -in consequence, gradually growing to regard her almost as her own -child, and forgetting quite that she was a spirit. Accordingly, she -didn't make her leave the house at night; and Hsiao-ch'ien, who being -a devil had not tasted meat or drink since her arrival,[123] now -began at the end of six months to take a little thin gruel. Mother and -son alike became very fond of her, and henceforth never mentioned what -she really was; neither were strangers able to detect the fact. -By-and-by, Ning's wife died, and his mother secretly wished him to -espouse Hsiao-ch'ien, though she rather dreaded any unfortunate -consequences that might arise. This Hsiao-ch'ien perceived, and -seizing an opportunity said to Ning's mother, "I have been with you -now more than a year, and you ought to know something of my -disposition. Because I was unwilling to injure travellers I followed -your son hither. There was no other motive; and, as your son has shewn -himself one of the best of men, I would now remain with him for three -years in order that he may obtain for me some mark of Imperial -approbation[124] which will do me honour in the realms below." Ning's -mother knew that she meant no evil, but hesitated to put the family -hopes of a posterity into jeopardy. Hsiao-ch'ien, however, reassured -her by saying that Ning would have three sons, and that the line would -not be interrupted by his marrying her. On the strength of this the -marriage was arranged to the great joy of Ning, a feast prepared, and -friends and relatives invited; and when in response to a call the -bride herself came forth in her gay wedding-dress, the beholders took -her rather for a fairy than for a devil. After this, numbers of -congratulatory presents were given by the various female members of -the family, who vied with one another in making her acquaintance; and -these Hsiao-ch'ien returned by gifts of paintings of flowers, done by -herself, in which she was very skilful, the receivers being extremely -proud of such marks of her friendship. One day she was leaning at the -window in a despondent mood, when suddenly she asked where the -sword-case was. "Oh," replied Ning, "as you seemed afraid of it, I -moved it elsewhere." "I have now been so long under the influence of -surrounding life,"[125] said Hsiao-ch'ien, "that I shan't be afraid of -it any more. Let us hang it on the bed." "Why so?" asked Ning. "For the -last three days," explained she, "I have been much agitated in mind; -and I fear that the devil at the temple, angry at my escape, may come -suddenly and carry me off." So Ning brought the sword-case, and -Hsiao-ch'ien, after examining it closely, remarked, "This is where the -magician puts people. I wonder how many were slain before it got old -and worn out as it is now. Even now when I look at it my flesh -creeps." The case was then hung up, and next day removed to over the -door. At night they sat up and watched, Hsiao-ch'ien warning Ning not -to go to sleep; and suddenly something fell down flop like a bird. -Hsiao-ch'ien in a fright got behind the curtain; but Ning looked at -the thing, and found it was an imp of darkness, with glaring eyes and -a bloody mouth, coming straight to the door. Stealthily creeping up it -made a grab at the sword-case, and seemed about to tear it in pieces, -when bang!--the sword-case became as big as a wardrobe, and from it a -devil protruded part of his body and dragged the imp in. Nothing more -was heard, and the sword-case resumed its original size. Ning was -greatly alarmed, but Hsiao-ch'ien came out rejoicing, and said, -"There's an end of my troubles." In the sword-case they found only a -few quarts of clear water; nothing else. - -After these events Ning took his doctor's degree and Hsiao-ch'ien bore -him a son. He then took a concubine, and had one more son by each, all -of whom became in time distinguished men. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[121] See No. X., note 80. - -[122] Which, well cooked, are a very good substitute for asparagus. - -[123] See note 115 to the last story. - -[124] Such as are from time to time bestowed upon virtuous widows and -wives, filial sons and daughters, and others. These consist of some -laudatory scroll or tablet, and are much prized by the family of the -recipient. - -[125] See note 119 to last story. - - - - -XVII. - -THE _SHUI-MANG_ PLANT. - - -The _shui-mang_[126] is a poisonous herb. It is a creeper, like the -bean, and has a similar red flower. Those who eat of it die, and -become _shui-mang_ devils, tradition asserting that such devils are -unable to be born again unless they can find some one else who has -also eaten of this poison to take their place.[127] These _shui-mang_ -devils abound in the province of Hunan, where, by the way, the phrase -"same-year man" is applied to those born in the same year, who -exchange visits and call each other brother, their children addressing -the father's "brother" as uncle. This has now become a regular custom -there.[128] - -A young man named Chu was on his way to visit a same-year friend of -his, when he was overtaken by a violent thirst. Suddenly he came upon -an old woman sitting by the roadside under a shed and distributing -tea gratis,[129] and immediately walked up to her to get a drink. She -invited him into the shed, and presented him with a bowl of tea in a -very cordial spirit; but the smell of it did not seem like the smell -of ordinary tea, and he would not drink it, rising up to go away. The -old woman stopped him, and called out, "San-niang! bring some good -tea." Immediately a young girl came from behind the shed, carrying in -her hands a pot of tea. She was about fourteen or fifteen years old, -and of very fascinating appearance, with glittering rings and -bracelets on her fingers and arms. As Chu received the cup from her -his reason fled; and drinking down the tea she gave him, the flavour -of which was unlike any other kind, he proceeded to ask for more. -Then, watching for a moment when the old woman's back was turned, he -seized her wrist and drew a ring from her finger. The girl blushed and -smiled; and Chu, more and more inflamed, asked her where she lived. -"Come again this evening," replied she, "and you'll find me here." Chu -begged for a handful of her tea, which he stowed away with the ring, -and took his leave. Arriving at his destination, he felt a pain in his -heart, which he at once attributed to the tea, telling his friend -what had occurred. "Alas! you are undone," cried the other; "they were -_shui-mang_ devils. My father died in the same way, and we were unable -to save him. There is no help for you." Chu was terribly frightened, -and produced the handful of tea, which his friend at once pronounced -to be leaves of the _shui-mang_ plant. He then shewed him the ring, -and told him what the girl had said; whereupon his friend, after some -reflection, said, "She must be San-niang, of the K'ou family." "How -could you know her name?" asked Chu, hearing his friend use the same -words as the old woman. "Oh," replied he, "there was a nice-looking -girl of that name who died some years ago from eating of the same -herb. She is doubtless the girl you saw." Here some one observed that -if the person so entrapped by a devil only knew its name, and could -procure an old pair of its shoes, he might save himself by boiling -them in water and drinking the liquor as medicine. Chu's friend -thereupon rushed off at once to the K'ou family, and implored them to -give him an old pair of their daughter's shoes; but they, not wishing -to prevent their daughter from finding a substitute in Chu, flatly -refused his request. So he went back in anger and told Chu, who ground -his teeth with rage, saying, "If I die, she shall not obtain her -transmigration thereby." His friend then sent him home; and just as he -reached the door he fell down dead. Chu's mother wept bitterly over -his corpse, which was in due course interred; and he left behind one -little boy barely a year old. His wife did not remain a widow, but in -six months married again and went away, putting Chu's son under the -care of his grandmother, who was quite unequal to any toil, and did -nothing but weep morning and night. One day she was carrying her -grandson about in her arms, crying bitterly all the time, when -suddenly in walked Chu. His mother, much alarmed, brushed away her -tears, and asked him what it meant. "Mother," replied he, "down in the -realms below I heard you weeping. I am therefore come to tend you. -Although a departed spirit, I have a wife, who has likewise come to -share your toil. Therefore do not grieve." His mother inquired who his -wife was, to which he replied, "When the K'ou family sat still and -left me to my fate I was greatly incensed against them; and after -death I sought for San-niang, not knowing where she was. I have -recently seen my old same-year friend, and he told me where she was. -She had come to life again in the person of the baby-daughter of a -high official named Jen; but I went thither and dragged her spirit -back. She is now my wife, and we get on extremely well together." A -very pretty and well-dressed young lady here entered, and made -obeisance to Chu's mother, Chu saying, "This is San-niang, of the K'ou -family;" and although not a living being, Mrs. Chu at once took a -great fancy to her. Chu sent her off to help in the work of the house, -and, in spite of not being accustomed to this sort of thing, she was -so obedient to her mother-in-law as to excite the compassion of all. -The two then took up their quarters in Chu's old apartments, and there -they continued to remain. - -Meanwhile San-niang asked Chu's mother to let the K'ou family know; -and this she did, notwithstanding some objections raised by her son. -Mr. and Mrs. K'ou were much astonished at the news, and, ordering -their carriage, proceeded at once to Chu's house. There they found -their daughter, and parents and child fell into each other's arms. -San-niang entreated them to dry their tears; but her mother, noticing -the poverty of Chu's household, was unable to restrain her feelings. -"We are already spirits," cried San-niang; "what matters poverty to -us? Besides, I am very well treated here, and am altogether as happy -as I can be." They then asked her who the old woman was; to which she -replied, "Her name was Ni. She was mortified at being too ugly to -entrap people herself, and got me to assist her. She has now been born -again at a soy-shop in the city." Then, looking at her husband, she -added, "Come, since you are the son-in-law, pay the proper respect to -my father and mother, or what shall I think of you?" Chu made his -obeisance, and San-niang went into the kitchen to get food ready for -them, at which her mother became very melancholy, and went away home, -whence she sent a couple of maid-servants, a hundred ounces of silver, -and rolls of cloth and silk, besides making occasional presents of -food and wine, so that Chu's mother lived in comparative comfort. -San-niang also went from time to time to see her parents, but would -never stay very long, pleading that she was wanted at home, and such -excuses; and if the old people attempted to keep her, she simply went -off by herself. Her father built a nice house for Chu with all kinds -of luxuries in it; but Chu never once entered his father-in-law's -door. - -Subsequently a man of the village who had eaten _shui-mang_, and had -died in consequence, came back to life, to the great astonishment of -everybody. However, Chu explained it, saying, "I brought him back to -life. He was the victim of a man named Li Chiu; but I drove off Li's -spirit when it came to make the other take his place." Chu's mother -then asked her son why he did not get a substitute for himself; to -which he replied, "I do not like to do this. I am anxious to put an -end to, rather than take advantage of, such a system. Besides, I am -very happy waiting on you, and have no wish to be born again." From -that time all persons who had poisoned themselves with _shui-mang_ -were in the habit of feasting Chu and obtaining his assistance in -their trouble. But in ten years' time his mother died, and he and his -wife gave themselves up to sorrow, and would see no one, bidding their -little boy put on mourning, beat his breast, and perform the proper -ceremonies. Two years after Chu had buried his mother, his son married -the granddaughter of a high official named Jen. This gentleman had had -a daughter by a concubine, who had died when only a few months old; -and now, hearing the strange story of Chu's wife, came to call on her -and arrange the marriage. He then gave his granddaughter to Chu's son, -and a free intercourse was maintained between the two families. -However, one day Chu said to his son, "Because I have been of service -to my generation, God has appointed me Keeper of the Dragons; and I -am now about to proceed to my post." Thereupon four horses appeared in -the court-yard, drawing a carriage with yellow hangings, the flanks of -the horses being covered with scale-like trappings. Husband and wife -came forth in full dress, and took their seats, and, while son and -daughter-in-law were weeping their adieus, disappeared from view. That -very day the K'ou family saw their daughter arrive, and, bidding them -farewell, she told them the same story. The old people would have kept -her, but she said, "My husband is already on his way," and, leaving -the house, parted from them for ever. Chu's son was named Ngo, and his -literary name was Li-ch'ên. He begged San-niang's bones from the K'ou -family, and buried them by the side of his father's. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[126] Probably the _Illicium religiosum_ is meant. - -[127] See No. XII., note 87. - -[128] The common application of the term "same-year-men," is to -persons who have graduated at the same time. - -[129] This is by no means an uncommon form of charity. During the -temporary distress at Canton, in the summer of 1877, large tubs of -gruel were to be seen standing at convenient points, ready for any -poor person who might wish to stay his hunger. It is thus, and by -similar acts of benevolence, such as building bridges, repairing -roads, etc., etc., that the wealthy Chinaman strives to maintain an -advantageous balance in his record of good and evil. - - - - -XVIII. - -LITTLE CHU. - - -A man named Li Hua dwelt at Ch'ang-chou. He was very well off, and -about fifty years of age, but he had no sons; only one daughter, named -Hsiao-hui, a pretty child on whom her parents doted. When she was -fourteen she had a severe illness and died, leaving their home -desolate and depriving them of their chief pleasure in life. Mr. Li -then bought a concubine, and she by-and-by bore him a son, who was -perfectly idolised, and called Chu, or the Pearl. This boy grew up to -be a fine manly fellow, though so extremely stupid that when five or -six years old he didn't know pulse from corn, and could hardly talk -plainly. His father, however, loved him dearly, and did not observe -his faults. - -Now it chanced that a one-eyed priest came to collect alms in the -town, and he seemed to know so much about everybody's private affairs -that the people all looked upon him as superhuman. He himself declared -he had control over life, death, happiness, and misfortune; and -consequently no one dared refuse him whatever sum he chose to ask of -them. From Li he demanded one hundred ounces of silver, but was -offered only ten, which he refused to receive. This sum was increased -to thirty ounces, whereupon the priest looked sternly at Li and said, -"I must have one hundred; not a fraction less." Li now got angry, and -went away without giving him any, the priest, too, rising up in a rage -and shouting after him, "I hope you won't repent." Shortly after these -events little Chu fell sick, and crawled about the bed scratching the -mat, his face being of an ashen paleness. This frightened his father, -who hurried off with eighty ounces of silver, and begged the priest to -accept them. "A large sum like this is no trifling matter to earn," -said the priest, smiling; "but what can a poor recluse like myself do -for you?" So Li went home, to find that little Chu was already dead; -and this worked him into such a state that he immediately laid a -complaint before the magistrate. The priest was accordingly summoned -and interrogated; but the magistrate wouldn't accept his defence, and -ordered him to be bambooed. The blows sounded as if falling on -leather, upon which the magistrate commanded his lictors to search -him; and from about his person they drew forth two wooden men, a small -coffin, and five small flags. The magistrate here flew into a passion, -and made certain mystic signs with his fingers, which when the priest -saw he was frightened, and began to excuse himself; but the magistrate -would not listen to him, and had him bambooed to death. Li thanked him -for his kindness, and, taking his leave, proceeded home. In the -evening, after dusk, he was sitting alone with his wife, when suddenly -in popped a little boy, who said, "Pa! why did you hurry on so fast? -I couldn't catch you up." Looking at him more closely, they saw that -he was about seven or eight years old, and Mr. Li, in some alarm, was -on the point of questioning him, when he disappeared, re-appearing -again like smoke, and, curling round and round, got upon the bed. Li -pushed him off, and he fell down without making any sound, crying out, -"Pa! why do you do this?" and in a moment he was on the bed again. Li -was frightened, and ran away with his wife, the boy calling after -them, "Pa! Ma! boo-oo-oo." They went into the next room, bolting the -door after them; but there was the little boy at their heels again. Li -asked him what he wanted, to which he replied, "I belong to Su-chou; -my name is Chan; at six years of age I was left an orphan; my brother -and his wife couldn't bear me, so they sent me to live at my maternal -grandfather's. One day, when playing outside, a wicked priest killed -me by his black art underneath a mulberry-tree, and made of me an evil -spirit, dooming me to everlasting devildom without hope of -transmigration. Happily you exposed him; and I would now remain with -you as your son." "The paths of men and devils," replied Li, "lie in -different directions. How can we remain together?" "Give me only a -tiny room," cried the boy, "a bed, a mattress, and a cup of cold gruel -every day. I ask for nothing more." So Li agreed, to the great delight -of the boy, who slept by himself in another part of the house, coming -in the morning and walking in and out like any ordinary person. -Hearing Li's concubine crying bitterly, he asked how long little Chu -had been dead, and she told him seven days. "It's cold weather now," -said he, "and the body can't have decomposed. Have the grave opened, -and let me see it; if not too far gone, I can bring him to life -again." Li was only too pleased, and went off with the boy; and when -they opened the grave they found the body in perfect preservation; but -while Li was controlling his emotions, lo! the boy had vanished from -his sight. Wondering very much at this, he took little Chu's body -home, and had hardly laid it on the bed when he noticed the eyes move. -Little Chu then called for some broth, which put him into a -perspiration, and then he got up. They were all overjoyed to see him -come to life again; and, what is more, he was much brighter and -cleverer than before. At night, however, he lay perfectly stiff and -rigid, without shewing any signs of life; and, as he didn't move when -they turned him over and over, they were much frightened, and thought -he had died again. But towards daybreak he awaked as if from a dream, -and in reply to their questions said that when he was with the wicked -priest there was another boy named Ko-tz[)u];[130] and that the day -before, when he had been unable to catch up his father, it was because -he had stayed behind to bid adieu to Ko-tz[)u]; that Ko-tz[)u] was now the -son of an official in Purgatory named Chiang, and very comfortably -settled; and that he had invited him (Chan) to go and play with him -that evening, and had sent him back on a white-nosed horse. His mother -then asked him if he had seen little Chu in Purgatory; to which he -replied, "Little Chu has already been born again. He and our father -here had not really the destiny of father and son. Little Chu was -merely a man named Yen Tz[)u]-fang, from Chin-ling, who had come to -reclaim an old debt."[131] Now Mr. Li had formerly traded to -Chin-ling, and actually owed money for goods to a Mr. Yen; but he had -died, and no one else knew anything about it, so that he was now -greatly alarmed when he heard this story. His mother next asked (the -quasi) little Chu if he had seen his sister, Hsiao-hui; and he said he -had not, promising to go again and inquire about her. A few days -afterwards he told his mother that Hsiao-hui was very happy in -Purgatory, being married to a son of one of the Judges; and that she -had any quantity of jewels,[132] and crowds of attendants when she -went abroad. "Why doesn't she come home to see her parents?" asked his -mother. "Well," replied the boy, "dead people, you know, haven't got -any flesh or bones; however, if you can only remind them of something -that happened in their past lives, their feelings are at once touched. -So yesterday I managed, through Mr. Chiang, to get an interview with -Hsiao-hui; and we sat together on a coral couch, and I spoke to her -of her father and mother at home, all of which she listened to as if -she was asleep. I then remarked, 'Sister, when you were alive you were -very fond of embroidering double-stemmed flowers; and once you cut -your finger with the scissors, and the blood ran over the silk, but -you brought it into the picture as a crimson cloud. Your mother has -that picture still, hanging at the head of her bed, a perpetual -souvenir of you. Sister, have you forgotten this?' Then she burst into -tears, and promised to ask her husband to let her come and visit you." -His mother asked when she would arrive; but he said he could not tell. -However, one day he ran in and cried out, "Mother, Hsiao-hui has come, -with a splendid equipage and a train of servants; we had better get -plenty of wine ready." In a few moments he came in again, saying, -"Here is my sister," at the same time asking her to take a seat and -rest. He then wept; but none of those present saw anything at all. -By-and-by he went out and burnt a quantity of paper money[133] and -made offerings of wine outside the door, returning shortly and saying -he had sent away her attendants for a while. Hsiao-hui then asked if -the green coverlet, a small portion of which had been burnt by a -candle, was still in existence. "It is," replied her mother, and, -going to a box, she at once produced the coverlet. "Hsiao-hui would -like a bed made up for her in her old room," said her (quasi) brother; -"she wants to rest awhile, and will talk with you again in the -morning." - -Now their next-door neighbour, named Chao, had a daughter who was -formerly a great friend of Hsiao-hui's, and that night she dreamt that -Hsiao-hui appeared with a turban on her head and a red mantle over her -shoulders, and that they talked and laughed together precisely as in -days gone by. "I am now a spirit," said Hsiao-hui, "and my father and -mother can no more see me than if I was far separated from them. Dear -sister, I would borrow your body, from which to speak to them. You -need fear nothing." On the morrow when Miss Chao met her mother, she -fell on the ground before her and remained some time in a state of -unconsciousness, at length saying, "Madam, it is many years since we -met; your hair has become very white." "The girl's mad," said her -mother, in alarm; and, thinking something had gone wrong, proceeded to -follow her out of the door. Miss Chao went straight to Li's house, and -there with tears embraced Mrs. Li, who did not know what to make of it -all. "Yesterday," said Miss Chao, "when I came back, I was unhappily -unable to speak with you. Unfilial wretch that I was, to die before -you, and leave you to mourn my loss. How can I redeem such behaviour?" -Her mother thereupon began to understand the scene, and, weeping, -said to her, "I have heard that you hold an honourable position, and -this is a great comfort to me; but, living as you do in the palace of -a Judge, how is it you are able to get away?" "My husband," replied -she, "is very kind; and his parents treat me with all possible -consideration. I experience no harsh treatment at their hands." Here -Miss Chao rested her cheek upon her hand, exactly as Hsiao-hui had -been wont to do when she was alive; and at that moment in came her -brother to say that her attendants were ready to return. "I must go," -said she, rising up and weeping bitterly all the time; after which she -fell down, and remained some time unconscious as before. - -Shortly after these events Mr. Li became dangerously ill, and no -medicines were of any avail, so that his son feared they would not be -able to save his life. Two devils sat at the head of his bed, one -holding an iron staff, the other a nettle-hemp rope four or five feet -in length. Day and night his son implored them to go, but they would -not move; and Mrs. Li in sorrow began to prepare the funeral -clothes.[134] Towards evening her son entered and cried out, -"Strangers and women, leave the room! My sister's husband is coming to -see his father-in-law." He then clapped his hands, and burst out -laughing. "What is the matter?" asked his mother. "I am laughing," -answered he, "because when the two devils heard my sister's husband -was coming, they both ran under the bed, like terrapins, drawing in -their heads." By-and-by, looking at nothing, he began to talk about the -weather, and ask his sister's husband how he did, and then he clapped -his hands, and said, "I begged the two devils to go, but they would -not; it's all right now." After this he went out to the door and -returned, saying, "My sister's husband has gone. He took away the two -devils tied to his horse. My father ought to get better now. Besides, -Hsiao-hui's husband said he would speak to the Judge, and obtain a -hundred years' lease of life both for you and my father." The whole -family rejoiced exceedingly at this, and, when night came, Mr. Li was -better, and in a few days quite well again. A tutor was engaged for -(the quasi) little Chu, who shewed himself an apt pupil, and at -eighteen years of age took his bachelor's degree. He could also see -things of the other world; and when anyone in the village was ill, he -pointed out where the devils were, and burnt them out with fire, so -that everybody got well. However, before long he himself became very -ill, and his flesh turned green and purple; whereupon he said, "The -devils afflict me thus because I let out their secrets. Henceforth I -shall never divulge them again." - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[130] It may be necessary here to remind the reader that Chan's spirit -is speaking from Chu's body. - -[131] We shall come by and by to a story illustrative of this -extraordinary belief. - -[132] The _summum bonum_ of many a Chinese woman. - -[133] Chinese silver, called sycee (from the Cantonese _sai see_ "fine -silk;" because, if pure, it may be drawn out under the application of -heat into fine silk threads), is cast in the form of "shoes," weighing -from one to one hundred ounces. Paper imitations of these are burnt -for the use of the spirits in the world below. The sharp edges of a -"shoe" of sycee are caused by the mould containing the molten silver -being gently shaken until the metal has set, with a view to secure -uniform fineness throughout the lump. - -[134] Death is regarded as a summons from the authorities of -Purgatory; lictors are sent to arrest the doomed man, armed with a -written warrant similar to those issued on earth from a magistrate's -yamên. - - - - -XIX. - -MISS QUARTA HU. - - -Mr. Shang was a native of T'ai-shan, and lived quietly with his books -alone. One autumn night when the Silver River[135] was unusually -distinct and the moon shining brightly in the sky, he was walking up -and down under the shade, with his thoughts wandering somewhat at -random, when lo! a young girl leaped over the wall, and, smiling, -asked him, "What are you thinking about, Sir, all so deeply?" Shang -looked at her, and seeing that she had a pretty face, asked her to -walk in. She then told him her name was Hu,[136] and that she was -called Tertia; but when he wanted to know where she lived, she laughed -and would not say. So he did not inquire any further; and by degrees -they struck up a friendship, and Miss Tertia used to come and chat -with him every evening. He was so smitten that he could hardly take -his eyes off her, and at last she said to him, "What _are_ you -looking at?" "At you," cried he, "my lovely rose, my beautiful peach. -I could gaze at you all night long." "If you think so much of poor -me," answered she, "I don't know where your wits would be if you saw -my sister Quarta." Mr. Shang said he was sorry he didn't know her, and -begged that he might be introduced; so next night Miss Tertia brought -her sister, who turned out to be a young damsel of about fifteen, with -a face delicately powdered and resembling the lily, or like an -apricot-flower seen through mist; and altogether as pretty a girl as -he had ever seen. Mr. Shang was charmed with her, and inviting them -in, began to laugh and talk with the elder, while Miss Quarta sat -playing with her girdle, and keeping her eyes on the ground. By-and-by -Miss Tertia got up and said she was going, whereupon her sister rose -to take leave also; but Mr. Shang asked her not to be in a hurry, and -requested the elder to assist in persuading her. "You needn't hurry," -said she to Miss Quarta; and accordingly the latter remained chatting -with Mr. Shang without reserve, and finally told him she was a fox. -However, Mr. Shang was so occupied with her beauty, that he didn't pay -any heed to that; but she added, "And my sister is very dangerous; she -has already killed three people. Any one bewitched by her has no -chance of escape. Happily, you have bestowed your affections on me, -and I shall not allow you to be destroyed. You must break off your -acquaintance with her at once." Mr. Shang was very frightened, and -implored her to help him; to which she replied, "Although a fox, I am -skilled in the arts of the Immortals;[137] I will write out a charm -for you which you must paste on the door, and thus you will keep her -away." So she wrote down the charm, and in the morning when her sister -came and saw it, she fell back, crying out, "Ungrateful minx! you've -thrown me up for him, have you? You two being destined for each other, -what have I done that you should treat me thus?" She then went away; -and a few days afterwards Miss Quarta said she too would have to be -absent for a day, so Shang went out for a walk by himself, and -suddenly beheld a very nice-looking young lady emerge from the shade -of an old oak that was growing on the hill-side. "Why so dreadfully -pensive?" said she to him; "those Hu girls can never bring you a -single cent." She then presented Shang with some money, and bade him -go on ahead and buy some good wine, adding, "I'll bring something to -eat with me, and we'll have a jolly time of it." Shang took the money -and went home, doing as the young lady had told him; and by-and-by in -she herself came, and threw on the table a roast chicken and a -shoulder of salt pork, which she at once proceeded to cut up. They now -set to work to enjoy themselves, and had hardly finished when they -heard some one coming in, and the next minute in walked Miss Tertia -and her sister. The strange young lady didn't know where to hide, and -managed to lose her shoes; but the other two began to revile her, -saying, "Out upon you, base fox; what are you doing here?" They then -chased her away after some trouble, and Shang began to excuse himself -to them, until at last they all became friends again as before. - -One day, however, a Shensi man arrived, riding on a donkey, and coming -to the door said, "I have long been in search of these evil spirits: -now I have got them." Shang's father thought the man's remark rather -strange, and asked him whence he had come. "Across much land and sea," -replied he; "for eight or nine months out of every year I am absent -from my native place. These devils killed my brother with their -poison, alas! alas! and I have sworn to exterminate them; but I have -travelled many miles without being able to find them. They are now in -your house, and if you do not cut them off, you will die even as my -brother." Now Shang and the young ladies had kept their -acquaintanceship very dark; but his father and mother had guessed that -something was up, and, much alarmed, bade the Shensi man walk in and -perform his exorcisms. The latter then produced two bottles which he -placed upon the ground, and proceeded to mutter a number of charms and -cabalistic formulæ; whereupon four wreaths of smoke passed two by two -into each bottle. "I have the whole family," cried he, in an ecstasy -of delight; as he proceeded to tie down the mouths of the bottles with -pig's bladder, sealing them with the utmost care. Shang's father was -likewise very pleased, and kept his guest to dinner; but the young man -himself was sadly dejected, and approaching the bottles unperceived, -bent his ear to listen. "Ungrateful man," said Miss Quarta from -within, "to sit there and make no effort to save me." This was more -than Shang could stand, and he immediately broke the seal, but found -that he couldn't untie the knot. "Not so," cried Miss Quarta; "merely -lay down the flag that now stands on the altar, and with a pin prick -the bladder, and I can get out." Shang did as she bade him, and in a -moment a thin streak of white smoke issued forth from the hole and -disappeared in the clouds. When the Shensi man came out, and saw the -flag lying on the ground, he started violently, and cried out, -"Escaped! This must be your doing, young Sir." He then shook the -bottle and listened, finally exclaiming, "Luckily only one has got -away. She was fated not to die, and may therefore be pardoned."[138] -Thereupon he took the bottles and went his way. - -Some years afterwards Shang was one day superintending his reapers -cutting the corn, when he descried Miss Quarta at a distance, sitting -under a tree. He approached, and she took his hand, saying, "Ten years -have rolled away since last we met. Since then I have gained the -prize of immortality;[139] but I thought that perhaps you had not -quite forgotten me, and so I came to see you once more." Shang wished -her to return home with him; to which she replied, "I am no longer -what I was that I should mingle in the affairs of mortals. We shall -meet again." And as she said this, she disappeared; but twenty years -later, when Shang was one day alone, Miss Quarta walked in. Shang was -overjoyed, and began to address her; but she answered him, saying, "My -name is already enrolled in the Register of the Immortals, and I have -no right to return to earth. However, out of gratitude to you I -determined to announce to you the date of your dissolution that you -might put your affairs in order. Fear nothing; I will see you safely -through to the happy land." She then departed, and on the day named -Shang actually died. A relative of a friend of mine, Mr. Li Wên-yü, -frequently met the above-mentioned Mr. Shang.[140] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[135] The Milky Way is known to the Chinese under this -name--unquestionably a more poetical one than our own. - -[136] See No. XIII., note 90. - -[137] That is, of the Taoists. See No. IV., note 46. - -[138] Predestination _after the event_ is, luckily for China, the form -of this superstition which really appeals to her all-practical -children. Not a larger percentage than with ourselves allow belief in -an irremediable destiny to divert their efforts one moment from the -object in view; though thousands upon thousands are ready enough to -acknowledge the "will of heaven" in any national or individual -calamities that may befall. See No. IX., note 69. - -[139] Any disembodied spirit whose conduct for a certain term of years -is quite satisfactory is competent to obtain this reward. Thus, -instead of being born again on earth, perhaps as an animal, they -become angels or good spirits, and live for ever in heaven in a state -of supreme beatitude. - -[140] Our author occasionally ends up with a remark of this kind; and -these have undoubtedly had their weight with his too credulous -countrymen. - - - - -XX. - -MR. CHU, THE CONSIDERATE HUSBAND. - - -At the village of Chu in Chi-yang, there was a man named Chu, who died -at the age of fifty and odd years. His family at once proceeded to put -on their mourning robes, when suddenly they heard the dead man cry -out. Rushing up to the coffin, they found that he had come to life -again; and began, full of joy, to ask him all about it. But the old -gentleman replied only to his wife, saying, "When I died I did not -expect to come back. However, by the time I had got a few miles on my -way, I thought of the poor old body I was leaving behind me, dependent -for everything on others, and with no more enjoyment of life. So I -made up my mind to return, and take you away with me." The bystanders -thought this was only the disconnected talk of a man who had just -regained consciousness, and attached no importance to it; but the old -man repeated it, and then his wife said, "It's all very well, but you -have only just come to life; how can you go and die again directly?" -"It is extremely simple," replied her husband; "you go and pack up -everything ready." The old lady laughed and did nothing; upon which -Mr. Chu urged her again to prepare, and then left the house. In a -short time he returned, and his wife pretended that she had done what -he wanted. "Then you had better dress," said he; but Mrs. Chu did not -move until he pressed her again and again, after which she did not -like to cross him, and by-and-by came out all fully equipped. The -other ladies of the family were laughing on the sly, when Mr. Chu laid -his head upon the pillow, and told his wife to do likewise. "It's too -ridiculous," she was beginning to say, when Mr. Chu banged the bed -with his hand, and cried out, "What is there to laugh at in dying?" -upon which the various members of the family, seeing the old gentleman -was in a rage, begged her to gratify his whim. Mrs. Chu then lay down -alongside of her husband, to the infinite amusement of the spectators; -but it was soon noticed that the old lady had ceased to smile, and -by-and-by her two eyes closed. For a long time not a sound was heard, -as if she was fast asleep; and when some of those present approached -to touch her, they found she was as cold as ice, and no longer -breathing; then, turning to her husband, they perceived that he also -had passed away. - -This story was fully related by a younger sister-in-law of Mr. Chu's, -who, in the twenty-first year of the reign K'ang Hsi,[141] was -employed in the house of a high official named Pi. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[141] A.D. 1682. - - - - -XXI. - -THE MAGNANIMOUS GIRL. - - -At Chin-ling there lived a young man named Ku, who had considerable -ability but was very poor; and having an old mother, he was very loth -to leave home. So he employed himself in writing or painting[142] for -people, and gave his mother the proceeds, going on thus till he was -twenty-five years of age without taking a wife. Opposite to their -house was another building, which had long been untenanted; and one -day an old woman and a young girl came to occupy it, but there being -no gentleman with them young Ku did not make any inquiries as to who -they were or whence they hailed. Shortly afterwards it chanced that -just as Ku was entering the house he observed a young lady come out of -his mother's door. She was about eighteen or nineteen, very clever -and refined looking, and altogether such a girl as one rarely sets -eyes on; and when she noticed Mr. Ku, she did not run away, but seemed -quite self-possessed. "It was the young lady over the way; she came to -borrow my scissors and measure," said his mother, "and she told me -that there was only her mother and herself. They don't seem to belong -to the lower classes. I asked her why she didn't get married, to which -she replied that her mother was old. I must go and call on her -to-morrow, and find out how the land lies. If she doesn't expect too -much, you could take care of her mother for her." So next day Ku's -mother went, and found that the girl's mother was deaf, and that they -were evidently poor, apparently not having a day's food in the house. -Ku's mother asked what their employment was, and the old lady said -they trusted for food to her daughter's ten fingers. She then threw -out some hints about uniting the two families, to which the old lady -seemed to agree; but, on consultation with her daughter, the latter -would not consent. Mrs. Ku returned home and told her son, saying, -"Perhaps she thinks we are too poor. She doesn't speak or laugh, is -very nice-looking, and as pure as snow; truly no ordinary girl." There -ended that; until one day, as Ku was sitting in his study, up came a -very agreeable young fellow, who said he was from a neighbouring -village, and engaged Ku to draw a picture for him. The two youths soon -struck up a firm friendship and met constantly, when it happened that -the stranger chanced to see the young lady of over the way. "Who is -that?" said he, following her with his eyes. Ku told him, and then he -said, "She is certainly pretty, but rather stern in her appearance." -By-and-by Ku went in, and his mother told him the girl had come to beg -a little rice, as they had had nothing to eat all day. "She's a good -daughter," said his mother, "and I'm very sorry for her. We must try -and help them a little." Ku thereupon shouldered a peck of rice, and, -knocking at their door, presented it with his mother's compliments. -The young lady received the rice but said nothing; and then she got -into the habit of coming over and helping Ku's mother with her work -and household affairs, almost as if she had been her daughter-in-law, -for which Ku was very grateful to her, and whenever he had anything -nice he always sent some of it in to her mother, though the young lady -herself never once took the trouble to thank him. So things went on -until Ku's mother got an abscess on her leg, and lay writhing in agony -day and night. Then the young lady devoted herself to the invalid, -waiting on her and giving her medicine with such care and attention -that at last the sick woman cried out, "Oh, that I could secure such a -daughter-in-law as you, to see this old body into its grave!" The -young lady soothed her, and replied, "Your son is a hundred times more -filial than I, a poor widow's only daughter." "But even a filial son -makes a bad nurse," answered the patient; "besides, I am now drawing -towards the evening of my life, when my body will be exposed to the -mists and the dews, and I am vexed in spirit about our ancestral -worship and the continuance of our line." As she was speaking Ku -walked in; and his mother, weeping, said, "I am deeply indebted to -this young lady; do not forget to repay her goodness." Ku made a low -bow, but the young lady said, "Sir, when you were kind to my mother, I -did not thank you; why, then, thank me?" Ku thereupon became more than -ever attached to her; but could never get her to depart in the -slightest degree from her cold demeanour towards himself. One day, -however, he managed to squeeze her hand, upon which she told him never -to do so again; and then for some time he neither saw nor heard -anything of her. She had conceived a violent dislike to the young -stranger above-mentioned; and one evening when he was sitting talking -with Ku, the young lady reappeared. After a while she got angry at -something he said, and drew from her robe a glittering knife about a -foot long. The young man, seeing her do this, ran out in a fright and -she after him, only to find that he had vanished. She then threw her -dagger up into the air, and whish! a streak of light like a rainbow, -and something came tumbling down with a flop. Ku got a light, and ran -to see what it was; and lo! there lay a white fox, head in one place -and body in another. "There is your _friend_," cried the girl; "I knew -he would cause me to destroy him sooner or later." Ku dragged it into -the house, and said, "Let us wait till to-morrow to talk it over; we -shall then be more calm." Next day the young lady arrived, and Ku -inquired about her knowledge of the black art; but she told Ku not to -trouble himself about such affairs, and to keep it secret or it might -be prejudicial to his happiness. Ku then entreated her to consent to -their union, to which she replied that she had already been as it were -a daughter-in-law to his mother, and there was no need to push the -thing further. "Is it because I am poor?" asked Ku. "Well, I am not -rich," answered she, "but the fact is I had rather not." She then took -her leave, and the next evening when Ku went across to their house to -try once more to persuade her, the young lady had disappeared, and was -never seen again. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[142] The usual occupation of poor scholars who are ashamed to go into -trade, and who have not enterprise enough to start as doctors or -fortune-tellers. Besides painting pictures and fans, and illustrating -books, these men write fancy scrolls in the various ornamental styles -so much prized by the Chinese; they keep accounts for people, and -write or read business and private letters for the illiterate masses. - - - - -XXII. - -THE BOON-COMPANION. - - -Once upon a time there was a young man named Ch'ê, who was not -particularly well off, but at the same time very fond of his wine; so -much so, that without his three stoups of liquor every night, he was -quite unable to sleep, and bottles were seldom absent from the head of -his bed. One night he had waked up and was turning over and over, when -he fancied some one was in the bed with him; but then, thinking it was -only the clothes which had slipped off, he put out his hand to feel, -and, lo! he touched something silky like a cat, only larger. Striking -a light, he found it was a fox, lying in a drunken sleep like a dog; -and then looking at his wine bottle he saw that it had been emptied. -"A boon-companion," said he, laughing, as he avoided startling the -animal, and covering it up, lay down to sleep with his arm across it, -and the candle alight so as to see what transformation it might -undergo. About midnight, the fox stretched itself, and Ch'ê cried, -"Well, to be sure, you've had a nice sleep!" He then drew off the -clothes, and beheld an elegant young man in a scholar's dress; but the -young man jumped up, and making a low obeisance, returned his host -many thanks for not cutting off his head. "Oh," replied Ch'ê, "I am -not averse to liquor myself; in fact they say I'm too much given to -it. You shall play Pythias to my Damon;[143] and if you have no -objection, we'll be a pair of bottle-and-glass chums." So they lay -down and went to sleep again, Ch'ê urging the young man to visit him -often, and saying that they must have faith in each other. The fox -agreed to this, but when Ch'ê awoke in the morning his bedfellow had -already disappeared. So he prepared a goblet of first-rate wine in -expectation of his friend's arrival, and at nightfall sure enough he -came. They then sat together drinking, and the fox cracked so many -jokes that Ch'ê said he regretted he had not known him before. "And -truly I don't know how to repay your kindness," replied the former, -"in preparing all this nice wine for me." "Oh," said Ch'ê, "what's a -pint or so of wine?--nothing worth speaking of." "Well," rejoined the -fox, "you are only a poor scholar, and money isn't so easily to be -got. I must try if I can't secure a little wine capital for you." Next -evening when he arrived, he said to Ch'ê, "Two miles down towards the -south-east you will find some silver lying by the wayside. Go early in -the morning and get it." So on the morrow Ch'ê set off and actually -obtained two lumps of silver with which he bought some choice morsels -to help them out with their wine that evening. The fox now told him -that there was a vault in his back-yard which he ought to open; and -when he did so, he found therein more than a hundred strings of -cash.[144] "Now then," cried Ch'ê, delighted, "I shall have no more -anxiety about funds for buying wine with all this in my purse." "Ah," -replied the fox, "the water in a puddle is not inexhaustible. I must -do something further for you." Some days afterwards the fox said to -Ch'ê, "Buckwheat is very cheap in the market just now. Something is to -be done in this line." Accordingly, Ch'ê bought over forty tons, and -thereby incurred general ridicule; but by-and-by there was a bad -drought and all kinds of grain and beans were spoilt. Only buckwheat -would grow, and Ch'ê sold off his stock at a profit of one thousand -per cent. His wealth thus began to increase; he bought two hundred -acres of rich land, and always planted his crops, corn, millet, or -what not, upon the advice of the fox secretly given him beforehand. -The fox looked on Ch'ê's wife as a sister, and on Ch'ê's children as -his own; but when, subsequently, Ch'ê died, it never came to the house -again. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[143] Kuan Chung and Pao Shu are the Chinese types of friendship. They -were two statesmen of considerable ability, who flourished in the -seventh century B.C. - -[144] Say about £10. See No. II., note 42. - - - - -XXIII. - -MISS LIEN-HSIANG. - - -There was a young man named Sang Tz[)u]-ming, a native of I-chou, who had -been left an orphan when quite young. He lived near the Saffron -market, and kept himself very much to himself, only going out twice a -day for his meals to a neighbour's close by, and sitting quietly at -home all the rest of his time. One day the said neighbour called, and -asked him in joke if he wasn't afraid of devil-foxes, so much alone as -he was. "Oh," replied Sang, laughing, "what has the superior man[145] -to fear from devil-foxes. If they come as men, I have here a sharp -sword for them; and if as women, why, I shall open the door and ask -them to walk in." The neighbour went away, and having arranged with a -friend of his, they got a young lady of their acquaintance to climb -over Sang's wall with the help of a ladder, and knock at the door. -Sang peeped through, and called out, "Who's there?" to which the girl -answered, "A devil!" and frightened Sang so dreadfully that his teeth -chattered in his head. The girl then ran away, and next morning when -his neighbour came to see him, Sang told him what had happened, and -said he meant to go back to his native place. The neighbour then -clapped his hands, and said to Sang, "Why didn't you ask her in?" -Whereupon Sang perceived that he had been tricked, and went on quietly -again as before. - -Some six months afterwards, a young lady knocked at his door; and -Sang, thinking his friends were at their old tricks, opened it at -once, and asked her to walk in. She did so; and he beheld to his -astonishment a perfect Helen for beauty.[146] Asking her whence she -came, she replied that her name was Lien-hsiang, and that she lived -not very far off, adding that she had long been anxious to make his -acquaintance. After that she used to drop in every now and again for a -chat; but one evening when Sang was sitting alone expecting her, -another young lady suddenly walked in. Thinking it was Lien-hsiang, -Sang got up to meet her, but found that the new-comer was somebody -else. She was about fifteen or sixteen years of age, wore very full -sleeves, and dressed her hair after the fashion of unmarried girls, -being otherwise very stylish-looking and refined, and apparently -hesitating whether to go on or go back. Sang, in a great state of -alarm, took her for a fox; but the young lady said, "My name is Li, -and I am of a respectable family. Hearing of your virtue and talent, I -hope to be accorded the honour of your acquaintance." Sang laughed, -and took her by the hand, which he found was as cold as ice; and when -he asked the reason, she told him that she had always been delicate, -and that it was very chilly outside. She then remarked that she -intended to visit him pretty frequently, and hoped it would not -inconvenience him; so he explained that no one came to see him except -another young lady, and that not very often. "When she comes, I'll -go," replied the young lady, "and only drop in when she's not here." -She then gave him an embroidered slipper, saying that she had worn it, -and that whenever he shook it she would know that he wanted to see -her, cautioning him at the same time never to shake it before -strangers. Taking it in his hand he beheld a very tiny little shoe -almost as fine pointed as an awl, with which he was much pleased; and -next evening, when nobody was present, he produced the shoe and shook -it, whereupon the young lady immediately walked in. Henceforth, -whenever he brought it out, the young lady responded to his wishes and -appeared before him. This seemed so strange that at last he asked her -to give him some explanation; but she only laughed, and said it was -mere coincidence. One evening after this Lien-hsiang came, and said in -alarm to Sang, "Whatever has made you look so melancholy?" Sang -replied that he did not know, and by-and-by she took her leave, -saying, they would not meet again for some ten days. During this -period Miss Li visited Sang every day, and on one occasion asked him -where his other friend was. Sang told her; and then she laughed and -said, "What is your opinion of me as compared with Lien-hsiang?" "You -are both of you perfection," replied he, "but you are a little -_colder_ of the two." Miss Li didn't much like this, and cried out, -"_Both of us perfection_ is what you say to _me_. Then she must be a -downright Cynthia,[147] and I am no match for her." Somewhat out of -temper, she reckoned that Lien-hsiang's ten days had expired, and said -she would have a peep at her, making Sang promise to keep it all -secret. The next evening Lien-hsiang came, and while they were talking -she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, dear! how much worse you seem to have -become in the last ten days. You must have encountered something bad." -Sang asked her why so; to which she answered, "First of all your -appearance; and then your pulse is very thready.[148] You've got the -devil-disease." - -The following evening when Miss Li came, Sang asked her what she -thought of Lien-hsiang. "Oh," said she, "there's no question about her -beauty; but she's a fox. When she went away I followed her to her hole -on the hill side." Sang, however, attributed this remark to jealousy, -and took no notice of it; but the next evening when Lien-hsiang came, -he observed, "I don't believe it myself, but some one has told me you -are a fox." Lien-hsiang asked who had said so, to which Sang replied -that he was only joking; and then she begged him to explain what -difference there was between a fox and an ordinary person. "Well," -answered Sang, "foxes frighten people to death, and, therefore, they -are very much dreaded." "Don't you believe that!" cried Lien-hsiang; -"and now tell me who has been saying this of me." Sang declared at -first that it was only a joke of his, but by-and-by yielded to her -instances, and let out the whole story. "Of course I saw how changed -you were," said Lien-hsiang; "she is surely not a human being to be -able to cause such a rapid alteration in you. Say nothing, to-morrow -I'll watch her as she watched me." The following evening Miss Li came -in; and they had hardly interchanged half-a-dozen sentences when a -cough was heard outside the window, and Miss Li ran away. Lien-hsiang -then entered and said to Sang, "You are lost! She is a devil, and if -you do not at once forbid her coming here, you will soon be on the -road to the other world." "All jealousy," thought Sang, saying -nothing, as Lien-hsiang continued, "I know that you don't like to be -rude to her; but I, for my part, cannot see you sacrificed, and -to-morrow I will bring you some medicine to expel the poison from your -system. Happily, the disease has not yet taken firm hold of you, and -in ten days you will be well again." The next evening she produced a -knife and chopped up some medicine for Sang, which made him feel much -better; but, although he was very grateful to her, he still persisted -in disbelieving that he had the devil-disease. After some days he -recovered and Lien-hsiang left him, warning him to have no more to do -with Miss Li. Sang pretended that he would follow her advice, and -closed the door and trimmed his lamp. He then took out the slipper, -and on shaking it Miss Li appeared, somewhat cross at having been kept -away for several days. "She merely attended on me these few nights -while I was ill," said Sang; "don't be angry." At this Miss Li -brightened up a little; but by-and-by Sang told her that people said -she was a devil. "It's that nasty fox," cried Miss Li, after a pause, -"putting these things into your head. If you don't break with her, I -won't come here again." She then began to sob and cry, and Sang had -some trouble in pacifying her. Next evening Lien-hsiang came and found -out that Miss Li had been there again; whereupon she was very angry -with Sang, and told him he would certainly die. "Why need you be so -jealous?" said Sang, laughing; at which she only got more enraged, and -replied, "When you were nearly dying the other day and I saved you, if -I had not been jealous, where would you have been now?" Sang pretended -he was only joking, and said that Miss Li had told him his recent -illness was entirely owing to the machinations of a fox; to which she -replied, "It's true enough what you say, only you don't see _whose_ -machinations. However, if any thing happens to you, I should never -clear myself even had I a hundred mouths; we will, therefore, part. A -hundred days hence I shall see you on your bed." Sang could not -persuade her to stay, and away she went; and from that time Miss Li -became a regular visitor. - -Two months passed away, and Sang began to experience a feeling of -great lassitude, which he tried at first to shake off, but by-and-by -he became very thin, and could only take thick gruel. He then thought -about going back to his native place; however, he could not bear to -leave Miss Li, and in a few more days he was so weak that he was -unable to get up. His friend next door, seeing how ill he was, daily -sent in his boy with food and drink; and now Sang began for the first -time to suspect Miss Li. So he said to her, "I am sorry I didn't -listen to Lien-hsiang before I got as bad as this." He then closed his -eyes and kept them shut for some time; and when he opened them again -Miss Li had disappeared. Their acquaintanceship was thus at an end, -and Sang lay all emaciated as he was upon his bed in his solitary room -longing for the return of Lien-hsiang. One day, while he was still -thinking about her, some one drew aside the screen and walked in. It -was Lien-hsiang; and approaching the bed she said with a smile, "Was I -then talking such nonsense?" Sang struggled a long time to speak; and, -at length, confessing he had been wrong, implored her to save him. -"When the disease has reached such a pitch as this," replied -Lien-hsiang, "there is very little to be done. I merely came to bid -you farewell, and to clear up your doubts about my jealousy." In great -tribulation, Sang asked her to take something she would find under -his pillow and destroy it; and she accordingly drew forth the slipper, -which she proceeded to examine by the light of the lamp, turning it -over and over. All at once Miss Li walked in, but when she saw -Lien-hsiang she turned back as though she would run away, which -Lien-hsiang instantly prevented by placing herself in the doorway. -Sang then began to reproach her, and Miss Li could make no reply; -whereupon Lien-hsiang said, "At last we meet. Formerly you attributed -this gentleman's illness to me; what have you to say now?" Miss Li -bent her head in acknowledgment of her guilt, and Lien-hsiang -continued, "How is it that a nice girl like you can thus turn love -into hate?" Here Miss Li threw herself on the ground in a flood of -tears and begged for mercy; and Lien-hsiang, raising her up, inquired -of her as to her past life. "I am a daughter of a petty official named -Li, and I died young, leaving the web of my destiny incomplete, like -the silkworm that perishes in the spring. To be the partner of this -gentleman was my ardent wish; but I had never any intention of causing -his death." "I have heard," remarked Lien-hsiang, "that the advantage -devils obtain by killing people is that their victims are ever with -them after death. Is this so?" "It is not," replied Miss Li; "the -companionship of two devils gives no pleasure to either. Were it -otherwise, I should not have wanted for friends in the realms below. -But tell me, how do foxes manage not to kill people?" "You allude to -such foxes as suck the breath out of people?" replied Lien-hsiang; "I -am not of that class. Some foxes are harmless; no devils are,[149] -because of the dominance of the _yin_[150] in their compositions." -Sang now knew that these two girls were really a fox and a devil; -however, from being long accustomed to their society, he was not in -the least alarmed. His breathing had dwindled to a mere thread, and at -length he uttered a cry of pain. Lien-hsiang looked round and said, -"How shall we cure him?" upon which Miss Li blushed deeply and drew -back; and then Lien-hsiang added, "If he does get well, I'm afraid you -will be dreadfully jealous." Miss Li drew herself up, and replied, -"Could a physician be found to wipe away the wrong I have done to this -gentleman, I would bury my head in the ground. How should I look the -world in the face?" Lien-hsiang here opened a bag and drew forth some -drugs, saying, "I have been looking forward to this day. When I left -this gentleman I proceeded to gather my simples, as it would take -three months for the medicine to be got ready; but then, should the -poison have brought anyone even to death's door, this medicine is able -to call him back. The only condition is that it be administered by the -very hand which wrought the ill." Miss Li did as she was told and put -the pills Lien-hsiang gave her one after another into Sang's mouth. -They burnt his inside like fire; but soon vitality began to return, -and Lien-hsiang cried out, "He is cured!" Just at this moment Miss Li -heard the cock crow and vanished,[151] Lien-hsiang remaining behind in -attendance on the invalid, who was unable to feed himself. She bolted -the outside door and pretended that Sang had returned to his native -place, so as to prevent visitors from calling. Day and night she took -care of him, and every evening Miss Li came in to render assistance, -regarding Lien-hsiang as an elder sister, and being treated by her -with great consideration and kindness. Three months afterwards Sang -was as strong and well as ever he had been, and then for several -evenings Miss Li ceased to visit them, only staying a few moments when -she did come, and seeming very uneasy in her mind. One evening Sang -ran after her and carried her back in his arms, finding her no heavier -than so much straw; and then, being obliged to stay, she curled -herself up and lay down, to all appearance in a state of -unconsciousness, and by-and-by she was gone. For many days they heard -nothing of her, and Sang was so anxious that she should come back that -he often took out her slipper and shook it. "I don't wonder at your -missing her," said Lien-hsiang, "I do myself very much indeed." -"Formerly," observed Sang, "when I shook the slipper she invariably -came. I thought it very strange, but I never suspected her of being a -devil. And now, alas! all I can do is to sit and think about her with -this slipper in my hand." He then burst into a flood of tears. - -Now a young lady named Yen-êrh, belonging to the wealthy Chang family, -and about fifteen years of age, had died suddenly, without any -apparent cause, and had come to life again in the night, when she got -up and wished to go out. They barred the door and would not hear of -her doing so; upon which she said, "I am the spirit daughter of a -petty magistrate. A Mr. Sang has been very kind to me, and I have left -my slipper at his house. I am really a spirit; what is the use of -keeping me in?" There being some reason for what she said, they asked -her why she had come there; but she only looked up and down without -being able to give any explanation. Some one here observed, that Mr. -Sang had already gone home, but the young lady utterly refused to -believe them. The family was much disturbed at all this; and when -Sang's neighbour heard the story, he jumped over the wall, and peeping -through beheld Sang sitting there chatting with a pretty-looking girl. -As he went in, there was some commotion, during which Sang's visitor -had disappeared, and when his neighbour asked the meaning of it all, -Sang replied, laughing, "Why, I told you if any ladies came I should -ask them in." His friend then repeated what Miss Yen-êrh had said; and -Sang, unbolting his door, was about to go and have a peep at her, but -unfortunately had no means of so doing. Meanwhile Mrs. Chang, hearing -that he had not gone away, was more lost in astonishment than ever, -and sent an old woman-servant to get back the slipper. Sang -immediately gave it to her, and Miss Yen-êrh was delighted to recover -it, though when she came to try it on it was too small for her by a -good inch. In considerable alarm, she seized a mirror to look at -herself; and suddenly became aware that she had come to life again in -some one else's body. She therefore told all to her mother, and -finally succeeded in convincing her, crying all the time because she -was so changed for the worse as regarded personal appearance from what -she had been before. And whenever she happened to see Lien-hsiang, she -was very much disconcerted, declaring that she had been much better -off as a devil than now as a human being. She would sit and weep over -the slipper, no one being able to comfort her; and finally, covering -herself up with bed-clothes, she lay all stark and stiff, positively -refusing to take any nourishment. Her body swelled up, and for seven -days she refused all food, but did not die; and then the swelling -began to subside, and an intense hunger to come upon her which made -her once more think about eating. Then she was troubled with a severe -irritation, and her skin peeled entirely away; and when she got up in -the morning, she found that the shoes had fallen off. On trying to put -them on again, she discovered that they did not fit her any longer; -and then she went back to her former pair which were now exactly of -the right size and shape. In an ecstasy of joy, she grasped her -mirror, and saw that her features had also changed back to what they -had formerly been; so she washed and dressed herself and went in to -visit her mother. Every one who met her was much astonished; and when -Lien-hsiang heard the strange story, she tried to persuade Mr. Sang to -make her an offer of marriage. But the young lady was rich and Sang -was poor, and he did not see his way clearly. However, on Mrs. Chang's -birthday, when she completed her cycle of sixty-one years,[152] Sang -went along with the others to wish her many happy returns of the day; -and when the old lady knew who was coming, she bade Yen-êrh take a -peep at him from behind the curtain. Sang arrived last of all; and -immediately out rushed Miss Yen-êrh and seized his sleeve, and said -she would go back with him. Her mother scolded her well for this, and -she ran in abashed; but Sang, who had looked at her closely, began to -weep, and threw himself at the feet of Mrs. Chang who raised him up -without saying anything unkind. Sang then took his leave, and got his -uncle to act as medium between them; the result being that an -auspicious day was fixed upon for the wedding. At the appointed time -Sang proceeded to the house to fetch her; and when he returned he -found that, instead of his former poor-looking furniture, beautiful -carpets were laid down from the very door, and thousands of coloured -lanterns were hung about in elegant designs. Lien-hsiang assisted the -bride to enter, and took off her veil, finding her the same bright -girl as ever. She also joined them while drinking the wedding -cup,[153] and inquired of her friend as to her recent transmigration; -and Yen-êrh related as follows:--"Overwhelmed with grief, I began to -shrink from myself as some unclean thing; and, after separating from -you that day, I would not return any more to my grave. So I wandered -about at random, and whenever I saw a living being, I envied its happy -state. By day I remained among trees and shrubs, but at night I used -to roam about anywhere. And once I came to the house of the Chang -family, where, seeing a young girl lying upon the bed, I took -possession of her mortal coil, unknowing that she would be restored to -life again." When Lien-hsiang heard this she was for some time lost in -thought; and a month or two afterwards became very ill. She refused -all medical aid and gradually got worse and worse, to the great grief -of Mr. Sang and his wife, who stood weeping at her bedside. Suddenly -she opened her eyes, and said, "You wish to live; I am willing to die. -If fate so ordains it, we shall meet again ten years hence." As she -uttered these words, her spirit passed away, and all that remained was -the dead body of a fox. Sang, however, insisted on burying it with all -the proper ceremonies. - -Now his wife had no children; but one day a servant came in and said, -"There is an old woman outside who has got a little girl for sale." -Sang's wife gave orders that she should be shown in; and no sooner had -she set eyes on the girl than she cried out, "Why, she's the image of -Lien-hsiang!" Sang then looked at her, and found to his astonishment -that she was really very like his old friend. The old woman said she -was fourteen years old; and when asked what her price was, declared -that her only wish was to get the girl comfortably settled, and -enough to keep herself alive, and ensure not being thrown out into the -kennel at death. So Sang gave a good price for her;[154] and his wife, -taking the girl's hand, led her into a room by themselves. Then, -chucking her under the chin, she asked her, smiling, "Do you know me?" -The girl said she did not; after which she told Mrs. Sang that her -name was Wei, and that her father, who had been a pickle-merchant at -Hsü-ch'êng, had died three years before. Mrs. Sang then calculated -that Lien-hsiang had been dead just ten years; and, looking at the -girl, who resembled her so exactly in every trait, at length patted -her on the head, saying, "Ah, my sister, you promised to visit us -again in ten years, and you have not played us false." The girl here -seemed to wake up as if from a dream, and, uttering an exclamation of -surprise, fixed a steady gaze upon Sang's wife. Sang himself laughed, -and said, "Just like the return of an old familiar swallow." "Now I -understand," cried the girl, in tears; "I recollect my mother saying -that when I was born I was able to speak; and that, thinking it an -inauspicious manifestation, they gave me dog's blood to drink, so that -I should forget all about my previous state of existence.[155] Is it -all a dream, or are you not the Miss Li who was so ashamed of being a -devil?" Thus they chatted of their existence in a former life, with -alternate tears and smiles; but when it came to the day for -worshipping at the tombs, Yen-êrh explained that she and her husband -were in the habit of annually visiting and mourning over her grave. -The girl replied that she would accompany them; and when they got -there they found the whole place in disorder, and the coffin wood all -warped. "Lien-hsiang and I," said Yen-êrh to her husband, "have been -attached to each other in two states of existence. Let us not be -separated, but bury my bones here with hers." Sang consented, and -opening Miss Li's tomb, took out the bones and buried them with those -of Lien-hsiang, while friends and relatives, who had heard the strange -story, gathered round the grave in gala dress to the number of many -hundreds. - -I learnt the above when travelling through I-chou, where I was -detained at an inn by rain, and read a biography of Mr. Sang written -by a comrade of his named Wang Tz[)u]-chang. It was lent me by a Mr. Liu -Tz[)u]-ching, a relative of Sang's, and was quite a long account. This is -merely an outline of it. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[145] The term constantly employed by Confucius to denote the man of -perfect probity, learning, and refinement. The nearest, if not an -exact, translation would be "gentleman." - -[146] Literally, "a young lady whose beauty would overthrow a -kingdom," in allusion to an old story which it is not necessary to -reproduce here. - -[147] The Lady of the Moon. See No. V., note 49. - -[148] See No. VIII., note 64. - -[149] Miss Lien-hsiang was here speaking without book, as will be seen -in a story later on. - -[150] The female principle. In a properly-constituted human being the -male and female principles are harmoniously combined. Nothing short of -a small volume would place this subject, the basis of Chinese -metaphysics, in a clear light before the uninitiated reader. Broadly -speaking, the _yin_ and the _yang_ are the two primeval forces from -the interaction of which all things have been evolved. - -[151] - - "_Ber._--It was about to speak, when the cock crew. - - _Hor._--And then it started like a guilty thing - Upon a fearful summons. I have heard, - The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, - Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat - Awake the God of Day; and, at his warning, - Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air, - The extravagant and erring spirit hies - To his confine." - - _Hamlet._ - -[152] "From time immemorial, the Chinese have employed a combination -of two sets of characters, numbering ten and twelve respectively, to -form a cycle of sixty terms for the purpose of chronological notation. -The period at which this cycle was invented is a subject upon which -complete uncertainty prevails, but there is little doubt that it first -came into use as a method of reckoning years after the reform of the -calendar in B.C. 104."--Mayers' _Reader's Manual_. - -The birthday on which any person completes his cycle is considered a -very auspicious occasion. The second emperor of the present dynasty, -K'ang Hsi, completed a cycle in his _reign_, with one year to spare; -and his grandson, Ch'ien Lung (or Kien Lung) fell short of this only -by a single year, dying in the same cyclical period as that in which -he had ascended the throne. - -[153] Bride and bridegroom drink wine together out of two cups joined -by a red string, typical of that imaginary bond which is believed to -unite the destinies of husband and wife long before they have set eyes -on each other. Popular tradition assigns to an old man who lives in -the moon the arrangement of all matches among mortals; hence the -common Chinese expression, "Marriages are made in the moon." - -[154] The bill of sale always handed to the purchaser of a child in -China, as a proof that the child is his _bonâ fide_ property and has -not been kidnapped, is by a pleasant fiction called a "deed of gift," -the amount paid over to the seller being therein denominated "ginger -and vinegar money," or compensation for the expense of rearing and -educating up to the date of sale. This phrase originates from the fact -that a dose of ginger and vinegar is administered to every Chinese -woman immediately after the delivery of her child. - -We may here add that the value of male children to those who have no -heirs, and of female children to those who want servants, has fostered -a regular kidnapping trade, which is carried on with great activity in -some parts of China, albeit the penalty on discovery is instant -decapitation. Some years ago I was present in the streets of Tientsin -when a kidnapper was seized by the infuriated mob, and within two -hours I heard that the man had been summarily executed. - -[155] The power of recalling events which have occurred in a previous -life will be enlarged upon in several stories to come. - - - - -XXIV. - -MISS A-PAO; OR, PERSEVERANCE REWARDED. - - -In the province of Kuang-si there lived a scholar of some reputation, -named Sun Tz[)u]-ch'u. He was born with six fingers, and such a simple -fellow was he that he readily believed any nonsense he was told. Very -shy with the fair sex, the sight of a woman was enough to send him -flying in the opposite direction; and once when he was inveigled into -a room where there were some young ladies, he blushed down to his neck -and the perspiration dripped off him like falling pearls. His -companions laughed heartily at his discomfiture, and told fine stories -of what a noodle he looked, so that he got the nickname of Silly Sun. - -In the town where our hero resided, there was a rich trader whose -wealth equalled that of any prince or nobleman, and whose connections -were all highly aristocratic.[156] He had a daughter, A-pao, of great -beauty, for whom he was seeking a husband; and the young men of -position in the neighbourhood were vying with each other to obtain her -hand, but none of them met with the father's approval. Now Silly Sun -had recently lost his wife; and some one in joke persuaded him to try -his luck and send in an application. Sun, who had no idea of his own -shortcomings, proceeded at once to follow this advice; but the father, -though he knew him to be an accomplished scholar, rejected his suit on -the ground of poverty. As the go-between[157] was leaving the house, -she chanced to meet A-pao, and related to her the object of her visit. -"Tell him," cried A-pao, laughing, "that if he'll cut off his extra -finger, I'll marry him." The old woman reported this to Sun, who -replied, "That is not very difficult;" and, seizing a chopper, cut the -finger clean off. The wound was extremely painful and he lost so much -blood that he nearly died, it being many days before he was about -again. He then sought out the go-between, and bade her inform Miss -A-pao, which she did; and A-pao was taken rather aback, but she told -the old woman to go once more and bid him cut off the "silly" from -his reputation. Sun got much excited when he heard this, and denied -that he was silly; however, as he was unable to prove it to the young -lady herself, he began to think that probably her beauty was -over-stated, and that she was giving herself great airs. So he ceased -to trouble himself about her until the following spring festival,[158] -when it was customary for both men and women to be seen abroad, and -the young rips of the place would stroll about in groups and pass -their remarks on all and sundry. Sun's friends urged him to join them -in their expedition, and one of them asked him with a smile if he did -not wish to look out for a suitable mate. Sun knew they were chaffing -him, but he thought he should like to see the girl that had made such -a fool of him, and was only too pleased to accompany them. They soon -perceived a young lady resting herself under a tree, with a throng of -young fellows crowding round her, and they immediately determined that -she must be A-pao, as in fact they found she was. Possessed of -peerless beauty, the ring of her admirers gradually increased, till at -last she rose up to go. The excitement among the young men was -intense; they criticised her face and discussed her feet,[159] Sun -only remaining silent; and when they had passed on to something else, -there they saw Sun rooted like an imbecile to the same spot. As he -made no answer when spoken to, they dragged him along with them, -saying, "Has your spirit run away after A-pao?" He made no reply to -this either; but they thought nothing of that, knowing his usual -strangeness of manner, so by dint of pushing and pulling they managed -to get him home. There he threw himself on the bed and did not get up -again for the rest of the day, lying in a state of unconsciousness -just as if he were drunk. He did not wake when called; and his people, -thinking that his spirit had fled, went about in the fields calling -out to it to return.[160] However, he shewed no signs of improvement; -and when they shook him, and asked him what was the matter, he only -answered in a sleepy kind of voice, "I am at A-pao's house;" but to -further questions he would not make any reply, and left his family in -a state of keen suspense. - -Now when Silly Sun had seen the young lady get up to go, he could not -bear to part with her, and found himself first following and then -walking along by her side without anyone saying anything to him. Thus -he went back with her to her home, and there he remained for three -days, longing to run home and get something to eat, but unfortunately -not knowing the way. By that time Sun had hardly a breath left in -him; and his friends, fearing that he was going to die, sent to beg of -the rich trader that he would allow a search to be made for Sun's -spirit in his house. The trader laughed and said, "He wasn't in the -habit of coming here, so he could hardly have left his spirit behind -him;" but he yielded to the entreaties of Sun's family, and permitted -the search to be made. Thereupon a magician proceeded to the house, -taking with him an old suit of Sun's clothes and some grass matting; -and when Miss A-pao heard the reason for which he had come, she -simplified matters very much by leading the magician straight to her -own room. The magician summoned the spirit in due form, and went back -towards Sun's house. By the time he had reached the door, Sun groaned -and recovered consciousness; and he was then able to describe all the -articles of toilette and furniture in A-pao's room without making a -single mistake. A-pao was amazed when the story was repeated to her, -and could not help feeling kindly towards him on account of the depth -of his passion. Sun himself, when he got well enough to leave his bed, -would often sit in a state of abstraction as if he had lost his wits; -and he was for ever scheming to try and have another glimpse at A-pao. - -One day he heard that she intended to worship at the Shui-yüeh temple -on the 8th of the fourth moon, that day being the Wash-Buddha -festival; and he set off early in the morning to wait for her at the -roadside. He was nearly blind with straining his eyes, and the sun was -already past noontide before the young lady arrived; but when she saw -from her carriage a gentleman standing there, she drew aside the -screen and had a good stare at him. Sun followed her in a great state -of excitement, upon which she bade one of her maids to go and ask his -name. Sun told her who he was, his perturbation all the time -increasing; and when the carriage drove on he returned home. Again he -became very ill, and lay on his bed unconscious, without taking any -food, occasionally calling on A-pao by name, at the same time abusing -his spirit for not having been able to follow her as before. Just at -this juncture a parrot that had been long with the family died; and a -child, playing with the body, laid it upon the bed. Sun then reflected -that if he was only a parrot one flap of his wings would bring him -into the presence of A-pao; and while occupied with these thoughts, -lo! the dead body moved and the parrot flew away. It flew straight to -A-pao's room, at which she was delighted; and catching it, tied a -string to its leg, and fed it upon hemp-seed. "Dear sister," cried the -bird, "do not tie me by the leg: I am Sun Tz[)u]-ch'u." In great alarm -A-pao untied the string, but the parrot did not fly away. "Alas!" said -she, "your love has engraved itself upon my heart; but now you are no -longer a man, how shall we ever be united together?" "To be near your -dear self," replied the parrot, "is all I care about." The parrot then -refused to take food from anyone else, and kept close to Miss A-pao -wherever she went, day and night alike. At the expiration of three -days, A-pao, who had grown very fond of her parrot, secretly sent some -one to ask how Mr. Sun was; but he had already been dead three days, -though the part over his heart had not grown cold. "Oh! come to life -again as a man," cried the young lady, "and I swear to be yours for -ever." "You are surely not in earnest," said the parrot, "are you?" -Miss A-pao declared she was, and the parrot, cocking its head aside, -remained some time as if absorbed in thought. By-and-by A-pao took off -her shoes to bind her feet a little tighter;[161] and the parrot, -making a rapid grab at one, flew off with it in its beak. She called -loudly after it to come back, but in a moment it was out of sight; so -she next sent a servant to inquire if there was any news of Mr. Sun, -and then learnt that he had come round again, the parrot having flown -in with an embroidered shoe and dropped down dead on the ground. Also, -that directly he regained consciousness he asked for the shoe, of -which his people knew nothing; at which moment her servant had -arrived, and demanded to know from him where it was. "It was given to -me by Miss A-pao as a pledge of faith," replied Sun; "I beg you will -tell her I have not forgotten her promise." A-pao was greatly -astonished at this, and instructed her maid to divulge the whole -affair to her mother, who, when she had made some inquiries, observed -that Sun was well known as a clever fellow, but was desperately poor, -and "to get such a son-in-law after all our trouble would give our -aristocratic friends the laugh against us."[162] However, A-pao -pleaded that with the shoe there as a proof against her, she would not -marry anybody else; and, ultimately, her father and mother gave their -consent. This was immediately announced to Mr. Sun, whose illness -rapidly disappeared in consequence. A-pao's father would have had Sun -come and live with them;[163] but the young lady objected, on the -score that a son-in-law should not remain long at a time with the -family of his wife,[164] and that as he was poor he would lower -himself still more by doing so. "I have accepted him," added she, "and -I shall gladly reside in his humble cottage, and share his poor fare -without complaint." The marriage was then celebrated, and bride and -bridegroom met as if for the first time in their lives.[165] The dowry -A-pao brought with her somewhat raised their pecuniary position, and -gave them a certain amount of comfort; but Sun himself stuck only to -his books, and knew nothing about managing affairs in general. Luckily -his wife was clever in that respect, and did not bother him with such -things; so much so that by the end of three years they were -comparatively well off, when Sun suddenly fell ill and died. Mrs. Sun -was inconsolable, and refused either to sleep or take nourishment, -being deaf to all entreaties on the subject; and before long, taking -advantage of the night, she hanged herself.[166] Her maid, hearing a -noise, ran in and cut her down just in time: but she still steadily -refused all food. Three days passed away, and the friends and -relatives of Sun came to attend his funeral, when suddenly they heard -a sigh proceeding forth from the coffin. The coffin was then opened -and they found that Sun had come to life again. He told them that he -had been before the Great Judge, who, as a reward for his upright and -honourable life, had conferred upon him an official appointment. "At -this moment," said Sun, "it was reported that my wife was close at -hand,[167] but the Judge, referring to the register, observed that her -time had not yet come. They told him she had taken no food for three -days; and then the Judge, looking at me, said that as a recompense for -her wifely virtues she should be permitted to return to life. -Thereupon he gave orders to his attendants to put to the horses and -see us safely back." From that hour Sun gradually improved, and the -next year went up for his master's degree. All his old companions -chaffed him exceedingly before the examination, and gave him seven -themes on out-of-the-way subjects, telling him privately that they had -been surreptitiously obtained from the examiners. Sun believed them as -usual, and worked at them day and night until he was perfect, his -comrades all the time enjoying a good laugh against him. However, when -the day came it was found that the examiners, fearing lest the themes -they had chosen in an ordinary way should have been dishonestly made -public,[168] took a set of fresh ones quite out of the common run--in -fact, on the very subjects Sun's companions had given to him. -Consequently, he came out at the head of the list; and the next year, -after taking his doctor's degree, he was entered among the Han-lin -Academicians.[169] The Emperor, too, happening to hear of his curious -adventures, sent for him and made him repeat his story; subsequently, -summoning A-pao and making her some very costly presents. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[156] There is nothing in China like an aristocracy of birth. Any man -may raise himself from the lowest level to the highest; and as long as -he and his family keep themselves there, they may be considered -aristocratic. Wealth has nothing to do with the question; official -rank and literary tastes, separate or combined, these constitute a -man's title to the esteem of his fellows. Trade is looked upon as -ignoble and debasing; and friendly intercourse between merchants and -officials, the two great social divisions, is so rare as to be almost -unknown. - -[157] The medium, without whose good offices no marriage can be -arranged. Generally, but not always, a woman. - -This system of go-betweens is not confined to matrimonial engagements. -No servant ever offers himself for a place; he invariably employs some -one to introduce him. So also in mercantile transactions the broker -almost invariably appears upon the scene. - -[158] See No. II., note 41. - -[159] The so-called "golden lilies" always come in for a large share -of criticism. See No. XII., note 86. This term originated with an -emperor who reigned in the fifth century, when, in ecstasies at the -graceful dancing of a concubine upon a stage ornamented with lilies, -he cried out, "Every footstep makes a lily grow." - -[160] A common custom; _e.g._ in the case of a little child lying -dangerously ill, its mother will go outside the door into the garden -or field, and call out its name several times, in the hope of bringing -back the wandering spirit. - -[161] This process must be regularly gone through night and morning, -otherwise the bandages become loose, and the gait of the walker -unsteady. - -[162] I have explained before that any great disparity of means is -considered an obstacle to a matrimonial alliance between two families. - -[163] This is a not unusual arrangement in cases where there are other -sons in the bridegroom's family, but none in that of the bride's, -especially if the advantage of wealth is on the side of the latter. - -[164] Such is the Chinese rule, adopted simply with a view to the -preservation of harmony. - -[165] They are supposed never to see each other before the -wedding-day; but, after careful investigation of the subject, I have -come to the conclusion that certainly in seven cases out of ten, the -intended bridegroom secretly procures a sight of his future wife. I am -now speaking of the higher classes; among the poor, both sexes mix -almost as freely as with us. - -[166] This would still be considered a creditable act on the part of a -Chinese widow. It is, however, of exceedingly rare occurrence. - -[167] Being nearly dead from hanging. - -[168] This is occasionally done, great influence or a heavy bribe -being brought to bear upon the Examiners, of whom there are only -two for the Master's degree, and the second of these, or -Assistant-Examiner, holds but a subordinate position. See _Appendix_ -A, and No. LXXV., note 71. - -[169] Admission to the Han-lin, or Chinese National Academy, is the -highest honour obtainable by a scholar. Its members are employed in -drawing up Government documents, histories, etc. - - - - -XXV. - -JEN HSIU. - - -Jen Chien-chih was a native of Yü-t'ai, and a dealer in rugs and furs. -One day he set off for Shensi, taking with him every penny he could -scrape together; and on the road he met a man who told him that his -name was Shên Chu-t'ing, and his native place Su-ch'ien. These two -soon became firm friends, and entered into a masonic bond[170] with -each other, journeying on together by the same stages until they -reached their destination. By-and-by Mr. Jen fell sick, and his -companion had to nurse him, which he did with the utmost attention, -but for ten days he gradually got worse and worse, and at length said -to Shên, "My family is very poor. Eight mouths depend upon my -exertions for food; and now, alas! I am about to die, far from my own -home. You and I are brothers. At this distance there is no one else to -whom I can look. Now in my purse you will find two hundred ounces of -silver. Take half, and when you have defrayed my funeral expenses, use -the balance for your return journey; and give the other half to my -family, that they may be able to send for my coffin.[171] If, however, -you will take my mortal remains with you home to my native place, -these expenses need not be incurred." He then, with the aid of a -pillow, wrote a letter, which he handed to Shên, and that evening he -died. Thereupon Shên purchased a cheap coffin[172] for some five or -six ounces of silver; and, as the landlord kept urging him to take -away the body, he said he would go out and seek for a temple where it -might be temporarily deposited. But he ran away and never went back -to the inn; and it was more than a year before Jen's family knew what -had taken place. His son was just about seventeen years of age, and -had recently been reading with a tutor; but now his books were laid -aside, and he proposed to go in search of his father's body. His -mother said he was too young; and it was only when he declared he -would rather not live than stay at home, that with the aid of the -pawn-shop[173] enough money was raised to start him on his way. An old -servant accompanied him, and it was six months before they returned -and performed the last ceremonies over Jen's remains. The family was -thus reduced to absolute destitution; but happily young Hsiu was a -clever fellow, and when the days of mourning[174] were over, took his -bachelor's degree. On the other hand, he was somewhat wild and very -fond of gambling; and although his mother strictly prohibited such -diversions, all her prohibitions were in vain. By-and-by the Grand -Examiner arrived, and Hsiu came out in the fourth class. His mother -was extremely angry, and refused to take food, which brought young -Hsiu to his senses, and he promised her faithfully he would never -gamble again. From that day he shut himself up, and the following year -took a first class degree, coming out among the "senior" -graduates.[175] His mother now advised him to take pupils, but his -reputation as a disorderly fellow stuck to him, and no one would -entrust their sons to his care. - -Just then an uncle of his, named Chang, was about to start with -merchandise for the capital, and recommended that Hsiu should go along -with him, promising himself to pay all expenses, an offer which Hsiu -was only too pleased to accept. When they reached Lin-ch'ing, they -anchored outside the Custom House, where they found a great number of -salt-junks, in fact a perfect forest of masts; and what with the noise -of the water and the people it was quite impossible to sleep. -Besides, as the row was beginning to subside, the clear rattle of dice -from a neighbouring boat fell upon Hsiu's ear, and before long he was -itching to be back again at his old games. Listening to hear if all -around him were sound asleep, he drew forth a string of cash that he -had brought with him, and thought he would just go across and try his -luck. So he got up quietly with his money, and was on the point of -going, when he suddenly recollected his mother's injunctions, and at -once tying his purse-strings laid himself down to sleep. He was far -too excited, however, to close his eyes; and after a while got up -again and re-opened his purse. This he did three times, until at last -it was too much for him, and off he went with his money. Crossing over -into the boat whence the sounds proceeded, he beheld two persons -engaged in gambling for high stakes; so throwing his money on the -table, he begged to be allowed to join. The others readily consented, -and they began to play, Hsiu winning so rapidly that soon one of the -strangers had no money left, and was obliged to get the proprietor of -the boat to change a large piece of silver for him, proceeding to lay -down as much as several ounces of silver for a single stake. - -As the play was in full swing another man walked in, who after -watching for some time at length got the proprietor to change another -lump of silver for him of one hundred ounces in weight, and also asked -to be allowed to join. Now Hsiu's uncle, waking up in the middle of -the night, and finding his nephew gone, and hearing the sound of -dice-throwing hard by, knew at once where he was, and immediately -followed him to the boat with a view of bringing him back. Finding, -however, that Hsiu was a heavy winner, he said nothing to him, only -carrying off a portion of his winnings to their own boat and making -the others of his party get up and help him to fetch the rest, even -then leaving behind a large sum for Hsiu to go on with. By-and-by the -three strangers had lost all their ready money, and there wasn't a -farthing left in the boat: upon which one of them proposed to play for -lumps of silver, but Hsiu said he never went so high as that. This -made them a little quarrelsome, Hsiu's uncle all the time trying to -get him away; and the proprietor of the boat, who had only his own -commission in view, managed to borrow some hundred strings of cash -from another boat, and started them all again. Hsiu soon took this out -of them; and, as day was beginning to dawn and the Custom House was -about to open, he went off with his winnings back to his own boat. - -The proprietor of the gambling-boat now found that the lumps of silver -which he had changed for his customers were nothing more than so much -tinsel, and rushing off in a great state of alarm to Hsiu's boat, told -him what had happened and asked him to make it good; but when he -discovered he was speaking to the son of his former travelling -companion, Jen Chien-chih, he hung his head and slunk away covered -with shame. For the proprietor of that boat was no other than Shên -Chu-t'ing, of whom Hsiu had heard when he was in Shensi; now, -however, that with supernatural aid[176] the wrongs of his father had -been avenged, he determined to pursue the man no further. So going -into partnership with his uncle, they proceeded north together; and by -the end of the year their capital had increased five-fold. Hsiu then -purchased the status of _chien-shêng_,[177] and by further careful -investment of his money ultimately became the richest man in that part -of the country. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[170] Besides the numerous secret societies so much dreaded by the -Government, membership of which is punishable by death, very intimate -friends are in the habit of adopting each other as sworn brothers, -bound to stand by one another in cases of danger and difficulty, to -the last drop of blood. The bond is cemented by an oath, accompanied -by such ceremonies as fancy may at the moment dictate. The most -curious of all, however, are the so-called "Golden Orchid" societies, -the members of which are young girls, who have sworn never to enter -into the matrimonial state. To such an extent have these sisterhoods -spread in the Kuang-tung Province, that the authorities have been -compelled to prohibit them under severe penalties. - -[171] A Chinaman loves to be buried alongside of his ancestors, and -poor families are often put to great straits to pay this last tribute -of respect and affection to the deceased. At all large cities are to -be found temporary burial grounds, where the bodies of strangers are -deposited until their relatives can come to carry them away. Large -freights of dead bodies are annually brought back to China from -California, Queensland, and other parts to which the Chinese are in -the habit of emigrating, to the great profit of the steamer-companies -concerned. Coffins are also used as a means of smuggling, respect for -the dead being so great that they are only opened under the very -strongest suspicion. - -[172] See No. XIV., note 104. The price of an elaborate Chinese coffin -goes as high as £100 or £150. - -[173] The never-failing resource of an impecunious Chinaman who has -any property whatever bearing an exchange value. The pawn-shop proper -is a licensed institution, where three per cent. _per month_ is -charged on all loans, all pledges being redeemable within sixteen -months. It is generally a very high brick structure, towering far -above the surrounding houses, with the deposits neatly packed up in -paper and arranged on the shelves of a huge wooden skeleton-like -frame, that completely fills the interior of the building, on the top -of which are ranged buckets of water in case of fire, and a quantity -of huge stones to throw down on any thieves who may be daring enough -to attempt to scale the wall. [In Peking, houses are not allowed to be -built above a certain height, as during the long summer months ladies -are in the habit of sitting to spin or sew in their courtyards, very -lightly clad.] Pawning goods in China is not held to be so disgraceful -as with us; in fact, most people, at the beginning of the hot weather, -pawn their furs and winter clothes, these being so much more carefully -looked after there than they might be at home. - -[174] Nominally of three years'--really of twenty-eight -months'--duration. - -[175] These are entitled to receive from Government a small allowance -of rice, besides being permitted to exercise certain petty functions, -for which a certain charge is authorized. See _Appendix_ A. - -[176] One of the strangers was the disembodied spirit of Hsiu's -father, helping his son to take vengeance on the wicked Shên. - -[177] An intermediate step between the first and second degrees, to -which certain privileges are attached. - - - - -XXVI. - -THE LOST BROTHER. - - -In Honan there lived a man named Chang, who originally belonged to -Shantung. His wife had been seized and carried off by the soldiery -during the period when Ching Nan's troops were overrunning the latter -province;[178] and as he was frequently in Honan on business, he -finally settled there and married a Honan wife, by whom he had a son -named Na. By-and-by this wife died, and he took another, who bore him -a son named Ch'êng. The last-mentioned lady was from the Niu family, -and a very malicious woman. So jealous was she of Na, that she treated -him like a slave or a beast of the field, giving him only the coarsest -food, and making him cut a large bundle of wood every day, in default -of which she would beat and abuse him in a most shameful manner. On -the other hand she secretly reserved all the tit-bits for Ch'êng, and -also sent him to school. As Ch'êng grew up, and began to understand -the meaning of filial piety and fraternal love,[179] he could not bear -to see this treatment of his elder brother, and spoke privately to -his mother about it; but she would pay no heed to what he said. - -One day, when Na was on the hills performing his task, a violent storm -came on, and he took shelter under a cliff. However, by the time it -was over the sun had set, and he began to feel very hungry. So, -shouldering his bundle, he wended his way home, where his step-mother, -displeased with the small quantity of wood he had brought, refused to -give him anything to eat. Quite overcome with hunger, Na went in and -lay down; and when Ch'êng came back from school, and saw the state he -was in, he asked him if he was ill. Na replied that he was only -hungry, and then told his brother the whole story; whereupon Ch'êng -coloured up and went away, returning shortly with some cakes, which he -offered to Na. "Where did you get them?" asked the latter. "Oh," -replied Ch'êng, "I stole some flour and got a neighbour's wife to make -them for me. Eat away, and don't talk." Na ate them up; but begged his -brother not to do this again, as he might get himself into trouble. "I -shan't die," added he, "if I only get one meal a-day." "You are not -strong," rejoined Ch'êng, "and shouldn't cut so much wood as you do." - -Next day, after breakfast, Ch'êng slipped away to the hills, and -arrived at the place where Na was occupied with his usual task, to the -great astonishment of the latter, who inquired what he was going to -do. "To help you cut wood," replied Ch'êng. "And who sent you?" asked -his brother. "No one," said he; "I came of my own accord." "Ah," cried -Na, "you can't do this work; and even if you can you must not. Run -along home again." Ch'êng, however, remained, aiding his brother with -his hands and feet alone, but declaring that on the morrow he would -bring an axe. Na tried to stop him, and found that he had already hurt -his finger and worn his shoes into holes; so he began to cry, and -said, "If you don't go home directly, I'll kill myself with my axe." -Ch'êng then went away, his brother seeing him half-way home, and going -back to finish his work by himself. He also called in the evening at -Ch'êng's school, and told the master his brother was a delicate boy, -and should not be allowed to go on the hills, where, he said, there -were fierce tigers and wolves. The master replied that he didn't know -where Ch'êng had been all the morning, but that he had caned him for -playing truant. Na further pointed out to Ch'êng that by not doing as -he had told him, he had let himself in for a beating. Ch'êng laughed, -and said he hadn't been beaten; and the very next day off he went -again, and this time with a hatchet. "I told you not to come," cried -Na, much alarmed; "why have you done so?" Ch'êng made no reply, but -set to work chopping wood with such energy that the perspiration -poured down his face; and when he had cut about a bundle he went away -without saying a word. The master caned him again, and then Ch'êng -told him how the matter stood, at which the former became full of -admiration for his pupil's kind behaviour, and no longer prevented him -from going. His brother, however, frequently urged him not to come, -though without the slightest success; and one day, when they went with -a number of others to cut wood, a tiger rushed down from the hills -upon them. The wood-cutters hid themselves, in the greatest -consternation; and the tiger, seizing Ch'êng, ran off with him in his -mouth. Ch'êng's weight caused the tiger to move slowly; and Na, -rushing after them, hacked away at the tiger's flanks with his axe. -The pain only made the tiger hurry off, and in a few minutes they were -out of sight. Overwhelmed with grief, Na went back to his comrades, -who tried to soothe him; but he said, "My brother was no ordinary -brother, and, besides, he died for me; why, then, should I live?" -Here, seizing his hatchet, he made a great chop at his own neck, upon -which his companions prevented him from doing himself any more -mischief. The wound, however, was over an inch deep, and blood was -flowing so copiously that Na became faint, and seemed at the point of -death. They then tore up their clothes, and, after having bandaged his -neck, proceeded to carry him home. His step-mother cried bitterly, and -cursed him, saying, "You have killed my son, and now you go and cut -your neck in this make-believe kind of way." "Don't be angry, mother," -replied Na; "I will not live now that my brother is dead." He then -threw himself on the bed; but the pain of his wound was so great he -could not sleep, and day and night he sat leaning against the wall in -tears. His father, fearing that he too would die, went every now and -then and gave him a little nourishment; but his wife cursed him so for -doing it, that at length Na refused all food, and in three days he -died. - -Now in the village where these events took place there was a magician -who was employed in certain devil-work among mortals,[180] and Na's -ghost, happening to fall in with him, related the story of its -previous sorrows, winding up by asking where his brother's ghost was. -The magician said he didn't know, but turned round with Na and shewed -him the way to a city where they saw an official servant coming out of -the city gates. The magician stopped him, and inquired if he could -tell them anything about Ch'êng; whereupon the man drew out a list -from a pouch at his side, and, after carefully examining it, replied -that among the male and female criminals within there was no one of -the name of Chang.[181] The magician here suggested that the name -might be on another list; but the man replied that he was in charge of -that road, and surely ought to know. Na, however, was not satisfied, -and persuaded the magician to enter the city, where they met many new -and old devils walking about, among whom were some Na had formerly -known in life. So he asked them if they could direct him to his -brother but none of them knew where he was; and suddenly there was a -great commotion, the devils on all sides crying out, "P'u-sa[182] has -come!" Then, looking up, Na beheld a most beautiful man descending -from above, encircled by rays of glory, which shot forth above and -below, lighting up all around him. "You are in luck's way, Sir," said -the magician to Na; "only once in many thousand years does P'u-sa -descend into hell and banish all suffering. He has come to-day." He -then made Na kneel, and all the devils began with clasped hands to -sing songs of praise to P'u-sa for his compassion in releasing them -from their misery, shaking the very earth with the sound. P'u-sa -himself, seizing a willow-branch, sprinkled them all with holy water; -and when this was done the clouds and glory melted away, and he -vanished from their sight. Na, who had felt the holy water fall upon -his neck, now became conscious that the axe-wound was no longer -painful; and the magician then proceeded to lead him back, not -quitting him until within sight of the village gate. In fact, Na had -been in a trance for two days, and when he recovered he told them all -that he had seen, asserting positively that Ch'êng was not dead. His -mother, however, looked upon the story as a make-up, and never ceased -reviling him; and, as he had no means of proving his innocence, and -his neck was now quite healed, he got up from the bed and said to his -father, "I am going away to seek for my brother throughout the -universe; if I do not find him, never expect to see me again, but I -pray you regard me as dead." His father drew him aside and wept -bitterly. However, he would not interfere with his son's design, and -Na accordingly set off. Whenever he came to a large town or populous -place he used to ask for news of Ch'êng; and by-and-by, when his money -was all spent, he begged his way on foot. A year had passed away -before he reached Nanking, and his clothes were all in tatters as -ragged as a quail's tail,[183] when suddenly he met some ten or a -dozen horsemen, and drew away to the roadside. Among them was a -gentleman of about forty, who appeared to be a mandarin, with numerous -lusty attendants and fiery steeds accompanying him before and behind. -One young man on a small palfrey, whom Na took to be the mandarin's -son, and at whom, of course, he did not venture to stare, eyed him -closely for some time, and at length stopped his steed, and, jumping -off, cried out, "Are you not my brother?" Na then raised his head, and -found that Ch'êng stood before him. Grasping each other's hands, the -brothers burst into tears, and at length Ch'êng said, "My brother, how -is it you have strayed so far as this?" Na told him the -circumstances, at which he was much affected; and Ch'êng's companions, -jumping off their horses to see what was the matter, went off and -informed the mandarin. The latter ordered one of them to give up his -horse to Na, and thus they rode together back to the mandarin's house. -Ch'êng then told his brother how the tiger had carried him away, and -how he had been thrown down in the road, where he had passed a whole -night; also how the mandarin, Mr. Chang,[184] on his return from the -capital, had seen him there, and, observing that he was no -common-looking youth, had set to work and brought him round again. -Also how he had said to Mr. Chang that his home was a great way off, -and how Mr. Chang had taken him to his own home, and finally cured him -of his wounds; when, having no son of his own, he had adopted him. And -now, happening to be out with his father, he had caught sight of his -brother. As he was speaking Mr. Chang walked in, and Na thanked him -very heartily for all his kindness; Ch'êng, meanwhile, going into the -inner apartments to get some clothes for his brother. Wine and food -was placed on the table; and while they were chatting together the -mandarin asked Na about the number of their family in Honan. "There is -only my father," replied Na, "and he is a Shantung man who came to -live in Honan." "Why, I am a Shantung man too," rejoined Mr. Chang; -"what is the name of your father's native place?" "I have heard that -it was in the Tung-ch'ang district," replied Na. "Then we are from the -same place," cried the mandarin. "Why did your father go away to -Honan?" "His first wife," said Na, "was carried off by soldiers, and -my father lost everything he possessed; so, being in the habit of -trading to Honan, he determined to settle down there for good." The -mandarin then asked what his father's other name was, and when he -heard, he sat some time staring at Na, and at length hurried away -within. In a few moments out came an old lady, and when they had all -bowed to her, she asked Na if he was Chang Ping-chih's grandson. On -his replying in the affirmative, the old lady wept, and, turning to -Mr. Chang, said, "These two are your younger brothers." And then she -explained to Na and Ch'êng as follows:--"Three years after my marriage -with your father, I was carried off to the north and made a -slave[185] in a mandarin's family. Six months afterwards your elder -brother here was born, and in another six months the mandarin died. -Your elder brother being his heir, he received this appointment, which -he is now resigning. I have often thought of my native place, and have -not unfrequently sent people to inquire about my husband, giving them -the full particulars as to name and clan; but I could never hear -anything of him. How should I know that he had gone to Honan?" Then, -addressing Mr. Chang, she continued, "That was rather a mistake of -yours, adopting your own brother." "He never told me anything about -Shantung," replied Mr. Chang; "I suppose he was too young to remember -the story; and I only looked at the difference between our ages." For -he, the elder of the brothers, was forty-one; Ch'êng, the younger, -being only sixteen; and Na, twenty years of age. Mr. Chang was very -glad to get two young brothers; and when he heard the tale of their -separation, proposed that they should all go back to their father. -Mrs. Chang was afraid her husband would not care to receive her back -again; but her eldest son said, "We will cast our lot together; all or -none. How can there be a country where fathers are not valued?" They -then sold their house and packed up, and were soon on the way to -Honan. When they arrived, Ch'êng went in first to tell his father, -whose third wife had died since Na left, and who now was a desolate -old widower, left alone with only his own shadow. He was overjoyed to -see Ch'êng again, and, looking fondly at his son, burst into a flood -of tears. Ch'êng told him his mother and brothers were outside, and -the old man was then perfectly transfixed with astonishment, unable -either to laugh or to cry. Mr. Chang next appeared, followed by his -mother; and the two old people wept in each other's arms, the late -solitary widower hardly knowing what to make of the crowd of men and -women-servants that suddenly filled his house. Here Ch'êng, not seeing -his own mother, asked where she was; and when he heard she was dead, -he fainted away, and did not come round for a good half-hour. Mr. -Chang found the money for building a fine house, and engaged a tutor -for his two brothers. Horses pranced in the stables, and servants -chattered in the hall--it was quite a large establishment. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[178] A.D. 1400 - -[179] The first of the sixteen maxims which form the so-called Sacred -Edict, embodies these two all-important family ties. The doctrine of -primogeniture is carried so far in China as to put every younger -brother in a subordinate position to every elder brother. All -property, however, of whatever kind, is equally divided among the -sons. [The Sacred Edict was delivered by the great Emperor K'ang Hsi, -and should be publicly read and explained in every city of the Empire -on the first and fifteenth of each month.] - -[180] Ordinary devils being unable to stand for any length of time the -light and life of the upper world, the souls of certain persons are -often temporarily employed in this work by the authorities of -Purgatory, their bodies remaining meanwhile in a trance or cataleptic -fit. - -[181] Their family name. - -[182] The Chinese corrupted form of Bodhisatva. Now widely employed to -designate any deity of any kind. - -[183] The usual similitude for a Chinese tatterdemalion. - -[184] The surnames Chang, Wang, and Li, correspond in China to our -Brown, Jones, and Robinson. - -[185] Slavery, under a modified form, exists in China at the present -day. All parents, having absolute power over their children, are at -liberty to sell them as servants or slaves to their wealthier -neighbours. This is not an infrequent occurrence in times of distress, -the children even going so far as to voluntarily sell themselves, and -exposing themselves in some public thoroughfare, with a notice affixed -to a kind of arrow on their backs, stating that they are for sale, and -the amount required from the purchaser. This I have seen with my own -eyes. The chief source, however, from which the supply of slaves is -kept up is kidnapping. [See No. XXIII., note 154.] As to the condition -of the slaves themselves, it is by no means an unhappy one. Their -master has nominally the power of life and death over them, but no -Chinaman would ever dream of availing himself of this dangerous -prerogative. They are generally well fed, and fairly well clothed, -being rarely beaten, for fear they should run away, and either be lost -altogether or entail much expense to secure their capture. The girls -do not have their feet compressed; hence they are infinitely more -useful than small-footed women; and, on reaching a marriageable age, -their masters are bound to provide them with husbands. They live on -terms of easy familiarity with the whole household; and, ignorant of -the meaning and value of liberty, seem quite contented with a lot -which places them beyond the reach of hunger and cold. Slaves take the -surnames of their masters, and the children of slaves are likewise -slaves. Manumission is not uncommon; and Chinese history furnishes -more than one example of a quondam slave attaining to the highest -offices of State. - - - - -XXVII. - -THE THREE GENII. - - -There was a certain scholar who, passing through Su-ch'ien on his way -to Nanking, where he was going to try for his master's degree, -happened to fall in with three other gentlemen, all graduates like -himself, and was so charmed with their unusual refinement that he -purchased a quantity of wine, and begged them to join him in drinking -it. While thus pleasantly employed, his three friends told him their -names. One was Chieh Ch'in-hêng; the second, Ch'ang Fêng-lin; and the -other, Ma Hsi-ch'ih. They drank away and enjoyed themselves very much, -until evening had crept upon them unperceived, when Chieh said, "Here -we, who ought to have been playing the host, have been feasting at a -stranger's expense. This is not right. But, come, my house is close -by; I will provide you with a bed." Ch'ang and Ma got up, and, taking -our hero by the arm, bade his servant come along with them. When they -reached a hill to the north of the village, there before them was a -house and grounds, with a stream of clear water in front of the door, -all the apartments within being beautifully clean and nice. Chieh then -gave orders to light the lamps and see after his visitor's servant; -whereupon Ma observed, "Of old it was customary to set intellectual -refreshments before one's friends; let us not miss the opportunity of -this lovely evening, but decide on four themes, one for each of us; -and then, when we have finished our essays, we can set to work on the -wine."[186] To this the others readily agreed; and each wrote down a -theme and threw it on the table. These were next divided amongst them -as they sat, and before the second watch[187] was over the essays were -all completed and handed round for general inspection; and our scholar -was so struck with the elegance and vigour of those by his three -friends, that he ran off a copy of them and put it in his pocket. The -host then produced some excellent wine, which was drunk by them in -such bumpers that soon they were all tolerably tipsy. The other two -now took their leave; but Chieh led the scholar into another room, -where, so overcome was he with wine, that he went to bed in his boots -and clothes. - -The sun was high in the heavens when our hero awaked, and, looking -round, he saw no house or grounds, only a dell on the hill-side, in -which he and his servant had been sleeping. In great alarm he called -out to the servant, who also got up, and then they found a hole with a -rill of water trickling down before it. Much astonished at all this, -he felt in his pocket, and there, sure enough, was the paper on which -he had copied the three essays of his friends. On descending the hill -and making inquiries, he found that he had been to the Grotto of the -Three Genii--namely, Crab, Snake, and Frog, three very wonderful -beings, who often came out for a stroll, and were occasionally visible -to mortal eyes. Subsequently, when our hero entered the examination -hall, lo! the three themes set were those of the Three Genii, and he -came out at the top of the list. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[186] No Chinese wine-party is complete without more or less amusement -of a literary character. Capping verses, composing impromptu odes on -persons or places, giving historical and mythological allusions, are -among the ordinary diversions of this kind. - -[187] The Chinese night lasts from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., and is divided -into five watches of two hours each, which are subdivided into five -"beats" of the watchman's wooden tom-tom. - - - - -XXVIII. - -THE SINGING FROGS. - - -Wang Tz[)u]-sun told me that when he was at the capital he saw a man in -the street who gave the following performance:--He had a wooden box, -divided by partitions into twelve holes, in each of which was a frog; -and whenever he tapped any one of these frogs on the head with a tiny -wand, the frog so touched would immediately begin to sing. Some one -gave him a piece of silver, and then he tapped the frogs all round, -just as if he was striking a gong; whereupon they all sang together, -with their _Do_, _Ré_, _Mi_, _Fa_, in perfect time and harmony. - - - - -XXIX. - -THE PERFORMING MICE. - - -Mr. Wang also told me that there was a man at Ch'ang-an who made his -living by exhibiting performing mice. He had a pouch on his back in -which he kept some ten of these little animals; and whenever he got -among a number of people he would fix a little frame on his back, -exactly resembling a stage. Then beating a drum he would sing some old -theatrical melody, at the first sounds of which the mice would issue -forth from the pouch, and then, with masks on their faces, and arrayed -in various costumes, they would climb up his back on to the stage, -where standing on their hind-legs they would go through a performance -portraying the various emotions of joy and anger, exactly like human -actors of either sex.[188] - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[188] The _rôles_ of women are always played in China by men, dressed -up so perfectly, small feet and all, as to be quite undistinguishable -from real women. - - - - -XXX. - -THE TIGER OF CHAO-CH'ÊNG. - - -At Chao-ch'êng there lived an old woman more than seventy years of -age, who had an only son. One day he went up to the hills and was -eaten by a tiger, at which his mother was so overwhelmed with grief -that she hardly wished to live. With tears and lamentations she ran -and told her story to the magistrate of the place, who laughed and -asked her how she thought the law could be brought to bear on a tiger. -But the old woman would not be comforted, and at length the magistrate -lost his temper and bade her begone. Of this, however, she took no -notice; and then the magistrate, in compassion for her great age and -unwilling to resort to extremities, promised her that he would have -the tiger arrested. Even then she would not go until the warrant had -been actually issued; so the magistrate, at a loss what to do, asked -his attendants which of them would undertake the job.[189] Upon this -one of them, Li Nêng, who happened to be gloriously drunk, stepped -forward and said that he would; whereupon the warrant was immediately -issued and the old woman went away. When our friend, Li Nêng, got -sober, he was sorry for what he had done; but reflecting that the -whole thing was a mere trick of his master's to get rid of the old -woman's importunities, did not trouble himself much about it, handing -in the warrant as if the arrest had been made. "Not so," cried the -magistrate, "you said you could do this, and now I shall not let you -off." Li Nêng was at his wits' end, and begged that he might be -allowed to impress the hunters of the district.[190] This was -conceded; so collecting together these men, he proceeded to spend day -and night among the hills in the hope of catching a tiger, and thus -making a show of having fulfilled his duty. - -A month passed away, during which he received several hundred blows -with the bamboo,[191] and at length, in despair, he betook himself to -the Ch'êng-huang temple in the eastern suburb, where, falling on his -knees, he prayed and wept by turns. By-and-by a tiger walked in, and -Li Nêng, in a great fright, thought he was going to be eaten alive. -But the tiger took no notice of anything, remaining seated in the -doorway. Li Nêng then addressed the animal as follows:--"O tiger, if -thou didst slay that old woman's son, suffer me to bind thee with this -cord;" and, drawing a rope from his pocket, threw it over the animal's -neck. The tiger drooped its ears, and allowing itself to be bound, -followed Li Nêng to the magistrate's office. The latter then asked it, -saying, "Did you eat the old woman's son?" to which the tiger replied -by nodding its head; whereupon the magistrate rejoined, "That -murderers should suffer death has ever been the law.[192] Besides, -this old woman had but one son, and by killing him you took from her -the sole support of her declining years. But if now you will be as a -son to her, your crime shall be pardoned." The tiger again nodded -assent, and accordingly the magistrate gave orders that he should be -released, at which the old woman was highly incensed, thinking that -the tiger ought to have paid with its life for the destruction of her -son. - -Next morning, however, when she opened the door of her cottage, there -lay a dead deer before it; and the old woman, by selling the flesh and -skin, was able to purchase food. From that day this became a common -event, and sometimes the tiger would even bring her money and -valuables, so that she became quite rich, and was much better cared -for than she had been even by her own son. Consequently, she became -very well-disposed to the tiger, which often came and slept in the -verandah, remaining for a whole day at a time, and giving no cause of -fear either to man or beast. In a few years the old woman died, upon -which the tiger walked in and roared its lamentations in the hall. -However, with all the money she had saved, she was able to have a -splendid funeral; and while her relatives were standing round the -grave, out rushed a tiger, and sent them all running away in fear. But -the tiger merely went up to the mound, and, after roaring like a -thunder-peal, disappeared again. Then the people of that place built a -shrine in honour of the Faithful Tiger, and it remains there to this -day. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[189] All underlings (and we might add overlings) in China being -unpaid, it behoves them to make what they can out of the opportunities -afforded. In most _yamêns_, the various warrants and such documents -are distributed to the runners in turn, who squeeze the victims thus -handed over to them. For a small bribe they will go back and report -"not at home;" for a larger one "has absconded," and so on. - -Gatekeepers charge a fee on every petition that passes through their -hands; gaolers, for a consideration and with proper security, allow -their prisoners to be at large until wanted; clerks take bribes to use -their influence, honestly or dishonestly, with the magistrate who is -to try the case; and all the servants share equally in the gratuities -given by anyone to whom their master may send presents. The amount, -whatever it may be, is enclosed in a red envelope and addressed to the -sender of the present, with the words "Instead of tea," in large -characters; the meaning being that the refreshments which should have -been set before the servants who brought the gifts have been commuted -by a money payment. This money is put into a general fund and equally -divided at stated periods. - -All Government officers holding a post, from the highest to the -lowest, are entitled to a nominal, and what would be a quite -inadequate, salary; but no one ever sees this. It is customary to -refuse acceptance of it on some such grounds as want of merit, and -refund it to the Imperial Treasury. - -[190] Anybody is liable to be "impressed" at any moment for the -service of the Government. Boat owners, sedan-chair and coolie -proprietors, especially dread the frequent and heavy calls that are -made upon them for assistance, the remuneration they receive being in -all cases insufficient to defray mere working expenses. But inasmuch -as Chinese officials may not seize any men, or boats, or carts, -holding passes to show that they are in the employ of a foreign -merchant, a lively trade in such documents has sprung up in certain -parts of China between the dishonest of the native and foreign -commercial circles. - -[191] Constables, detectives, and others, are liable to be bambooed at -intervals, generally of three or five days, until the mission on which -they are engaged has been successfully accomplished. In cases of theft -and non-restoration of the stolen property within a given time, the -detectives or constables employed may be required to make it good. - -[192] Extended by the Chinese to certain cases of simple man -slaughter. - - - - -XXXI. - -A DWARF. - - -In the reign of K'ang Hsi, there was a magician who carried about with -him a wooden box, in which he had a dwarf not much more than a foot in -height. When people gave him money he would open the box and bid the -little creature come out. The dwarf would then sing a song and go in -again. Arriving one day at Yeh, the magistrate there seized the box, -and taking it into his yamên asked the dwarf whence he came. At first -he dared not reply, but on being pressed told the magistrate -everything. He said he belonged to a respectable family, and that once -when returning home from school he was stupified by the magician, who -gave him some drug which made his limbs shrink, and then took him -about to exhibit to people. The magistrate was very angry and had the -magician beheaded, himself taking charge of the dwarf. He was -subsequently very anxious to get him cured, but unable to obtain the -proper prescription.[193] - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[193] The Cantonese believe the following to be the usual -process:--"Young children are bought or stolen at a tender age and -placed in a _ch'ing_, or vase with a narrow neck, and having in this -case a moveable bottom. In this receptacle the unfortunate little -wretches are kept for years in a sitting posture, their heads outside, -being all the while carefully tended and fed.... When the child has -reached the age of twenty or over, he or she is taken away to some -distant place and 'discovered' in the woods as a wild man or -woman."--_China Mail_, 15th May, 1878. - - - - -XXXII. - -HSIANG-JU'S MISFORTUNES. - - -At Kuang-p'ing there lived an old man named Fêng, who had an only son -called Hsiang-ju. Both of them were graduates; and the father was very -particular and strict, though the family had long been poor. Mrs. Fêng -and Hsiang-ju's wife had died one shortly after the other, so that the -father and son were obliged to do their household work for themselves. - -One night Hsiang-ju was sitting out in the moonlight, when suddenly a -young lady from next door got on the wall to have a look at him. He -saw she was very pretty, and as he approached her she began to laugh. -He then beckoned to her with his hand; but she did not move either to -come or to go away. At length, however, she accepted the invitation, -and descended the ladder that he had placed for her. In reply to -Hsiang-ju's inquiries, the young lady said her name was Hung-yü, and -that she lived next door; so Hsiang-ju, who was much taken with her -beauty, begged her to come over frequently and have a chat. To this -she readily assented, and continued to do so for several months, until -one evening old Mr. Fêng, hearing sounds of talking and laughing in -his son's room, got up and looked in. Seeing Miss Hung-yü, he was -exceedingly angry, and called his son out, saying, "You -good-for-nothing fellow! poor as we are, why aren't you at your books, -instead of wasting your time like this? A pretty thing for the -neighbours to hear of!--and even if they don't hear of it, somebody -else will, and shorten your life accordingly."[194] Hsiang-ju fell on -his knees, and with tears implored forgiveness; whereupon his father -turned to the young lady, and said, "A girl who behaves like this -disgraces others as well as herself; and if people find this out, we -shan't be the only ones to suffer." The old man then went back to bed -in a rage, and Miss Hung-yü, weeping bitterly, said to Hsiang-ju, -"Your father's reproaches have overwhelmed me with shame. Our -friendship is now at an end." "I could say nothing," replied he, "as -long as my father was here; but if you have any consideration for me, -I pray you think nothing of his remarks." Miss Hung-yü protested, -however, that they could meet no more, and then Hsiang-ju also burst -into tears. "Do not weep," cried she, "our friendship was an -impossible one, and time must sooner or later have put an end to these -visits. Meanwhile, I hear there is a very good match to be made in the -neighbourhood." Hsiang-ju replied that he was poor; but Miss Hung-yü -told him to meet her again the following evening, when she would -endeavour to do something for him. At the appointed time she arrived, -and, producing forty ounces of silver, presented them to Hsiang-ju; -telling him that at a village some distance off there was a Miss Wei, -eighteen years of age, who was not yet married because of the -exorbitant demands of her parents, but that a little extra outlay -would secure for him the young lady's hand. Miss Hung-yü then bade him -farewell, and Hsiang-ju went off to inform his father, expressing a -desire to go and make inquiries, but saying nothing about the forty -ounces. His father, thinking that they were not sufficiently well off, -urged him not to go; however, by dint of argument, he finally -persuaded the old man that, at any rate, there was no harm in trying. -So he borrowed horses and attendants, and set off to the house of Mr. -Wei, who was a man of considerable property; and when he got there he -asked Mr. Wei to come outside and accord him a few minutes' -conversation. Now the latter knew that Hsiang-ju belonged to a very -good family; and when he saw all the retinue that Hsiang-ju had -brought with him, he inwardly consented to the match, though he was -afraid that perhaps his would-be son-in-law might not be as liberal as -he would like. Hsiang-ju soon perceived what Mr. Wei's feelings were, -and emptied his purse on the table, at which Mr. Wei was delighted, -and begged a neighbour to allow the marriage contract to be drawn up -in his house.[195] Hsiang-ju then went in to pay his respects to Mrs. -Wei, whom he found in a small, miserable room, with Miss Wei hiding -behind her. Still he was pleased to see that, in spite of her homely -toilette, the young lady herself was very nice-looking; and, while he -was being entertained in the neighbour's house, the old lady said, "It -will not be necessary for you, Sir, to come and fetch our daughter. As -soon as we have made up a small trousseau for her, we will send her -along to you."[196] Hsiang-ju then agreed with them upon a day for the -wedding, and went home and informed his father, pretending that the -Wei family only asked for respectability, and did not care about -money. His father was overjoyed to hear this; and when the day came, -the young lady herself arrived. She proved to be a thrifty housekeeper -and an obedient wife, so that she and her husband got along capitally -together. In two years she had a son, who was called Fu-êrh. And once, -on the occasion of the great spring festival, she was on her way to -the family tombs, with her boy in her arms, when she chanced to meet a -man named Sung, who was one of the gentry of the neighbourhood. This -Mr. Sung had been a Censor,[197] but had purchased his retirement, and -was now leading a private life, characterised by many overbearing and -violent acts. He was returning from his visit to the graves of his -ancestors when he saw Hsiang-ju's wife, and, attracted by her beauty, -found out who she was; and imagining that, as her husband was a poor -scholar, he might easily be induced for a consideration to part with -the lady, sent one of his servants to find out how the land lay. When -Hsiang-ju heard what was wanted, he was very angry; but, reflecting on -the power of his adversary, controlled his passion, and passed the -thing off with a laugh. His father, however, to whom he repeated what -had occurred, got into a violent rage, and, rushing out, flung his -arms about, and called Mr. Sung every name he could lay his tongue to. -Mr. Sung's emissary slunk off and went home; and then a number of men -were sent by the enraged Sung, and these burst into the house and gave -old Fêng and his son a most tremendous beating. In the middle of the -hubbub Hsiang-ju's wife ran in, and, throwing her child down on the -bed, tore her hair and shrieked for help. Sung's attendants -immediately surrounded her and carried her off, while there lay her -husband and his father, wounded on the ground and the baby squalling -on the bed. The neighbours, pitying their wretched condition, helped -them up on to the couches, and by the next day Hsiang-ju could walk -with a stick; however, his father's anger was not to be appeased, and, -after spitting a quantity of blood, he died. Hsiang-ju wept bitterly -at this, and, taking his child in his arms, used every means to bring -the offenders to justice, but without the slightest success. He then -heard that his wife had put an end to her own existence, and with this -his cup of misery was full. Unable to get his wrongs redressed, he -often meditated assassinating Sung in the open street,[198] but was -deterred from attempting this by the number of his retainers and the -fear of leaving his son with no one to protect him. Day and night he -mourned over his lot, and his eyelids were never closed in sleep, when -suddenly in walked a personage of striking appearance to condole with -him on his losses. The stranger's face was covered with a huge curly -beard; and Hsiang-ju, not knowing who he was, begged him to take a -seat, and was about to ask whence he came, when all at once he began, -"Sir! have you forgotten your father's death, your wife's disgrace?" -Thereupon Hsiang-ju, suspecting him to be a spy from the Sung family, -made some evasive reply, which so irritated the stranger that he -roared out, "I thought you were a man; but now I know that you are a -worthless, contemptible wretch." Hsiang-ju fell on his knees and -implored the stranger to forgive him, saying, "I was afraid it was a -trick of Sung's: I will speak frankly to you. For days I have lain, as -it were, upon thorns, my mouth filled with gall, restrained only by -pity for this little one and fear of breaking our ancestral line. -Generous friend, will you take care of my child if I fall?" "That," -replied the stranger, "is the business of women; I cannot undertake -it. But what you wish others to do for you, do yourself; and that -which you would do yourself, I will do for you." When Hsiang-ju heard -these words he knocked his head upon the ground; but the stranger took -no more notice of him, and walked out. Following him to the door, -Hsiang-ju asked his name, to which he replied, "If I cannot help you I -shall not wish to have your reproaches; if I do help you, I shall not -wish to have your gratitude." The stranger then disappeared, and -Hsiang-ju, having a presentiment that some misfortune was about to -happen, fled away with his child. - -When night came, and the members of the Sung family were wrapped in -sleep, some one found his way into their house and slew the ex-Censor -and his two sons, besides a maid-servant and one of the ladies. -Information was at once given to the authorities; and as the Sung -family had no doubt that the murderer was Hsiang-ju, the magistrate, -who was greatly alarmed,[199] sent out lictors to arrest him. -Hsiang-ju, however, was nowhere to be found, a fact which tended to -confirm the suspicions of the Sung family; and they, too, despatched a -number of servants to aid the mandarin in effecting his capture. -Towards evening the lictors and others reached a hill, and, hearing a -child cry, made for the sound, and thus secured the object of their -search, whom they bound and led away. As the child went on crying -louder than ever, they took it from him and threw it down by the -wayside, thereby nearly causing Hsiang-ju to die of grief and rage. On -being brought before the magistrate he was asked why he had killed -these people; to which he replied that he was falsely accused, "For," -said he, "they died in the night, whereas I had gone away in the -daytime. Besides," added he, "how, with a crying baby in my arms, -could I scale walls and kill people?" "If you didn't kill people," -cried the magistrate, "why did you run away?" Hsiang had no answer to -make to this, and he was accordingly ordered to prison; whereupon he -wept and said, "I can die without regret; but what has my child done -that he, too, should be punished?" "You," replied the magistrate, -"have slain the children of others; how can you complain if your child -meets the same fate?" Hsiang-ju was then stripped of his degree[200] -and subjected to all kinds of indignities, but they were unable to -wring a confession from his lips;[201] and that very night, as the -magistrate lay down, he heard a sharp noise of something striking the -bed, and, jumping up in a fright, found, by the light of a candle, a -small, keen blade sticking in the wood at the head of his couch so -tightly that it could not be drawn out. Terribly alarmed at this, the -magistrate walked round the room with a spear over his shoulder, but -without finding anything; and then, reflecting that nothing more was -to be feared from Sung, who was dead, as well as his two sons, he -laid Hsiang-ju's case before the higher authorities, and obtained for -him an acquittal. Hsiang-ju was released and went home. His cupboard, -however, was empty, and there was nothing except his own shadow within -the four walls of his house. Happily, his neighbours took pity on him -and supplied him with food; and whenever he thought upon the vengeance -that had been wreaked, his countenance assumed an expression of joy; -but as often as his misfortunes and the extinction of his family came -into his mind, his tears would begin to flow. And when he remembered -the poverty of his life and the end of his ancestral line, he would -seek out some solitary spot, and there burst into an ungovernable fit -of grief. Thus things went on for about six months, when the search -after the murderer began to be relaxed; and then Hsiang-ju petitioned -for the recovery of his wife's bones, which he took home with him and -buried. His sorrows made him wish to die, and he lay tossing about on -the bed without any object in life, when suddenly he heard somebody -knock at the door. Keeping quiet to listen, he distinguished the sound -of a voice outside talking with a child; and, getting up to look, he -perceived a young lady, who said to him, "Your great wrongs are all -redressed, and now, luckily, you have nothing to ail you." The voice -seemed familiar to him, but he could not at the moment recall where he -had heard it; so he lighted a candle, and Miss Hung-yü stood before -him. She was leading a small, happy-looking child by the hand; and -after she and Hsiang-ju had expressed their mutual satisfaction at -meeting once more, Miss Hung-yü pushed the boy forward, saying, "Have -you forgotten your father?" The boy clung to her dress, and looked -shyly at Hsiang-ju, who, on examining him closely, found that he was -Fu-êrh. "Where did he come from?" asked his father, in astonishment, -not unmingled with tears. "I will tell you all," replied Miss Hung-yü. -"I was only deceiving you when I said I belonged to a neighbouring -family. I am really a fox, and, happening to go out one evening, I -heard a child crying in a ditch. I took him home and brought him up; -and, now that your troubles are over, I return him to you, that father -and son may be together." Hsiang-ju wiped away his tears and thanked -her heartily; but Fu-êrh kept close to Miss Hung-yü, whom he had come -to regard as a mother, and did not seem to recognise his father again. -Before day-break Miss Hung-yü said she must go away; but Hsiang-ju -fell upon his knees and entreated her to stop, until at last she said -she was only joking, adding that, in a new establishment like theirs, -it would be a case of early to rise and late to bed. She then set to -work cutting fuel and sweeping it up, toiling hard as if she had been -a man, which made Hsiang-ju regret that he was too poor to have all -this done for her. However, she bade him mind his books, and not -trouble himself about the state of their affairs, as they were not -likely to die of hunger. She also produced some money, and bought -implements for spinning, besides renting a few acres of land and -hiring labourers to till them. Day by day she would shoulder her hoe -and work in the fields, or employ herself in mending the roof, so -that her fame as a good wife spread abroad, and the neighbours were -more than ever pleased to help them. In half-a-year's time their home -was like that of a well-to-do family, with plenty of servants about; -but one day Hsiang-ju said to Miss Hung-yü, "With all that you have -accomplished on my behalf, there is still one thing left undone." On -her asking him what it was, he continued: "The examination for -master's degree is at hand, and I have not yet recovered the -bachelor's degree of which I was stripped." "Ah," replied she, "some -time back I had your name replaced upon the list; had I waited for you -to tell me, it would have been too late." Hsiang-ju marvelled very -much at this, and accordingly took his master's degree. He was then -thirty-six years of age, the master of broad lands and fine houses; -and Miss Hung-yü, who looked delicate enough to be blown away by the -wind, and yet worked harder than an ordinary labourer's wife, keeping -her hands smooth and nice in spite of winter weather, gave herself out -to be thirty-eight, though no one took her to be much more than -twenty. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[194] Meaning that it would become known to the Arbiter of life and -death in the world below, who would punish him by shortening his -appointed term of years. See _The Wei-ch'i Devil_, No. CXXXI. - -[195] One important preliminary consists in the exchange of the four -pairs of characters which denote the year, month, day, and hour of the -births of the contracting parties. It remains for a geomancer to -determine whether these are in harmony or not; and a very simple -expedient for backing out of a proposed alliance is to bribe him to -declare that the nativities of the young couple could not be happily -brought together. - -[196] The bridegroom invariably fetches the bride from her father's -house, conveying her to his home in a handsomely-gilt red sedan-chair, -closed in on all sides, and accompanied by a band of music. - -[197] The Censorate is a body of fifty-six officials, whose duty it is -to bring matters to the notice of the Emperor which might otherwise -have escaped attention; to take exception to any acts, including those -of His Majesty himself, calculated to interfere with the welfare of -the people; and to impeach, as occasion may require, the high -provincial authorities, whose position, but for this wholesome check, -would be almost unassailable. Censors are popularly termed the "ears -and eyes" of the monarch. - -[198] In the _Book of Rites_ (I. Pt. i. v. 10), which dates, in its -present form, only from the first century B.C., occurs this passage, -"With the slayer of his father, a man may not live under the same -heaven;" and in the _Family Sayings_ (Bk. X. _ab init._), a work which -professes, though on quite insufficient authority, to record a number -of the conversations and apophthegms of Confucius not given in the -_Lun-yü_, or Confucian Gospels, we find the following course laid down -for a man whose father has been murdered:--"He must sleep upon a grass -mat, with his shield for his pillow; he must decline to take office; -he must not live under the same heaven (with the murderer). When he -meets him in the court or in the market-place, he must not return for -a weapon, but engage him there and then;" being always careful, as the -commentator observes, to carry a weapon about with him. Sir John Davis -and Dr. Legge agree in stigmatizing this as "one of the objectionable -principles of Confucius." It must, however, be admitted that (1) a -patched-up work which appeared as we have it now from two to three -centuries after Confucius's death, and (2) a confessedly apocryphal -work such as the _Family Sayings_, are hardly sufficient grounds for -affixing to the fair fame of China's great Sage the positive -inculcation of a dangerous principle of blood-vengeance like that I -have just quoted. - -[199] The Chinese theory being that every official is responsible for -the peace and well-being of the district committed to his charge, and -even liable to punishment for occurrences over which he could not -possibly have had any control. - -[200] See No. X., note 75. - -[201] See No. X., note 78. - - - - -XXXIII. - -CHANG'S TRANSFORMATION. - - -Chang Yü-tan, of Chao-yuan, was a wild fellow, who pursued his studies -at the Hsiao temple. Now it chanced that the magistrate of the -district, Mr. Tsêng of San-han, had a daughter who was very fond of -hunting, and that one day young Chang met her in the fields, and was -much struck with her great beauty. She was dressed in an embroidered -sable jacket, and rode about on a small palfrey, for all the world -like a girl in a picture. Chang went home with the young lady still in -his thoughts, his heart being deeply touched; but he soon after heard, -to his infinite sorrow and dismay, that Miss Tsêng had died suddenly. -Their own home being at a distance,[202] her father deposited the -coffin in a temple;[203] the very temple, in fact, where her lover was -residing. Accordingly Chang paid to her remains the same respect he -would have offered to a god; he burnt incense every morning, and -poured out libations at every meal, always accompanied by the -following invocation:--"I had hardly seen you when your spirit became -ever present to me in my dreams. But you passed suddenly away; and -now, near as we are together, we are as far apart as if separated by -hills and rivers. Alas! alas! In life you were under the control of -your parents; now, however, there is nothing to restrain you, and with -your supernatural power, I should be hearing the rustle of your robe -as you approach to ease the sorrow of my heart." Day and night he -prayed thus, and when some six months had passed away, and he was one -night trimming his lamp to read, he raised his head and saw a young -lady standing, all smiles, before him. Rising up, he inquired who she -was; to which his visitor replied, "Grateful to you for your love of -me, I was unable to resist the temptation of coming to thank you -myself." Chang then offered her a seat, and they sat together chatting -for some time. From this date the young lady used to come in every -evening, and on one occasion said to Chang, "I was formerly very fond -of riding and archery, shooting the musk and slaying the deer; it is a -great sorrow to me to be deprived of these pleasures by death. If you -have any friendly feelings towards me, I pray you recite for me the -Diamond _sutra_[204] five thousand and forty-eight times, and I will -never forget your kindness." Chang did as he was asked, getting up -every night and telling his beads before the coffin, until the -occasion of a certain festival, when he wished to go home to his -parents, and take the young lady with him. Miss Tsêng said she was -afraid her feet were too tender to walk far; but Chang offered to -carry her, to which she laughingly assented. It was just like carrying -a child, she was so light;[205] and by degrees Chang got so accustomed -to taking her about with him, that when he went up for his examination -she went in too.[206] The only thing was she could not travel except -at night. Later on, Chang would have gone up for his master's degree, -but the young lady told him it was of no use to try, for it was not -destined that he should pass; and accordingly he desisted from his -intention. Four or five years afterwards, Miss Tsêng's father resigned -his appointment, and so poor was he that he could not afford to pay -for the removal of his daughter's coffin, but wanted to bury it -economically where it was. Unfortunately, he had no ground of his own, -and then Chang came forward and said that a friend of his had a piece -of waste land near the temple, and that he might bury it there. Mr. -Tsêng was very glad to accept, and Chang kindly assisted him with the -funeral,--for what reason the former was quite unable to guess. One -night after this, as Miss Tsêng was sitting by Chang's side, her -father having already returned home, she burst into a flood of tears, -and said, "For five years we have been good friends; we must now part. -I can never repay your goodness to me." Chang was alarmed, and asked -her what she meant; to which she replied, "Your sympathy has told for -me in the realms below. The sum of my _sutras_ is complete, and to-day -I am to be born again in the family of a high official, Mr. Lu, of -Ho-pei. If you do not forget the present time, meet me there in -fifteen years from now, on the 16th of the 8th moon." "Alas!" cried -Chang, "I am already over thirty, and in fifteen years more I shall be -drawing near the wood.[207] What good will our meeting do?" "I can be -your servant," replied Miss Tsêng, "and so make some return to you. -But come, escort me a few miles on my way; the road is beset with -brambles, and I shall have some trouble with my dress." So Chang -carried her as before, until they reached a high road, where they -found a number of carriages and horses, the latter with one or two -riders on the backs of each, and three or four, or even more persons, -in every carriage. But there was one richly-decorated carriage, with -embroidered curtains and red awnings, in which sat only one old woman, -who, when she saw Miss Tsêng, called out, "Ah, there you are." "Here I -am," replied Miss Tsêng; and then she turned to Chang and said, "We -must part here; do not forget what I told you." Chang promised he -would remember; and then the old woman helped her up into the -carriage, round went the wheels, off went the attendants, and they -were gone. Sorrowfully Chang wended his way home, and there wrote upon -the wall the date mentioned by Miss Tsêng; after which, bethinking -himself of the efficacy of prayer, he took to reciting _sutras_ more -energetically than ever. By-and-by he dreamed that an angel appeared -to him, and said, "The bent of your mind is excellent indeed, but you -must visit the Southern Sea."[208] Asking how far off the Southern Sea -was, the angel informed him it was close by; and then waking up, and -understanding what was required of him, he fixed his sole thoughts on -Buddha, and lived a purer life than before. In three years' time his -two sons, Ming and Chêng, came out very high on the list at the -examination for the second degree, in spite of which worldly successes -Chang continued to lead his usual holy life. Then one night he dreamed -that another angel led him among beautiful halls and palaces, where he -saw a personage sitting down who resembled Buddha himself. This -personage said to him, "My son, your virtue is a matter of great joy; -unhappily your term of life is short, and I have, therefore, made an -appeal to God[209] on your behalf." Chang prostrated himself, and -knocked his head upon the ground; upon which he was commanded to rise, -and was served with tea, fragrant as the epidendrum. A boy was next -instructed to take him to bathe in a pool, the water of which was so -exquisitely clear that he could count the fishes swimming about -therein. He found it warm as he walked in, and scented like the leaves -of the lotus-flower; and gradually the water got deeper and deeper, -until he went down altogether and passed through with his head under -water. He then waked up in a fright; but from this moment he became -more robust and his sight improved. As he stroked his beard the white -hairs all came out, and by-and-by the black ones too; the wrinkles on -his face were smoothed away, and in a few months he had the beardless -face of a boy of fifteen or sixteen. He also grew very fond of playing -about like other boys, and would sometimes tumble head over heels, and -be picked up by his sons. Soon afterwards his wife died of old age, -and his sons begged him to marry again into some good family; but he -said he should be obliged to go to Ho-pei first; and then, calculating -his dates, found that the appointed time had arrived. So he ordered -his horses and servants, and set off for Ho-pei, where he discovered -that there actually was a high official named Lu. Now Mr. Lu had a -daughter, who when born was able to talk,[210] and became very clever -and beautiful as she grew up. She was the idol of her parents, and had -been asked in marriage by many suitors, but would not accept any of -them; and when her father and mother inquired her motives for refusal, -she told them the story of her engagement in her former life. "Silly -child," said they, reckoning up the time, and laughing at her; "that -Mr. Chang would now be about fifty years of age, a changed and feeble -old man. Even if he is still alive, his hair will be white and his -teeth gone." But their daughter would not listen to them; and, finding -her so obstinate in her determination, they instructed the doorkeeper -to admit no strangers until the appointed time should have passed, -that thus her expectations might be brought to naught. Before long, -Chang arrived, but the doorkeeper would not let him in, and he went -back to his inn in great distress, not knowing what to do. He then -took to walking about the fields, and secretly making inquiries -concerning the family. Meanwhile Miss Tsêng thought that he had broken -his engagement, and refused all food, giving herself up to tears -alone. Her mother argued that he was probably dead, or in any case -that the breach of engagement was no fault of her daughter's; to none -of which, however, would Miss Tsêng listen, lying where she was the -livelong day. Mr. Lu now became anxious about her, and determined to -see what manner of man this Chang might be; so, on the plea of taking -a walk, he went out to meet him in the fields, and to his astonishment -found quite a young man. They sat down together on some leaves, and -after chatting awhile Mr. Lu was so charmed with his young friend's -bearing that he invited him to his house. No sooner had they arrived, -than Mr. Lu begged Chang to excuse him a moment, and ran in first to -tell his daughter, who exerted herself to get up and take a peep at -the stranger. Finding, however, that he was not the Chang she had -formerly known, she burst into tears and crept back to bed, upbraiding -her parents for trying to deceive her thus. Her father declared he was -no other than Chang, but his daughter replied only with tears; and -then he went back very much upset to his guest, whom he treated with -great want of courtesy. Chang asked him if he was not the Mr. Lu, of -such and such a position, to which he replied in a vacant kind of way -that he was, looking the other way all the time and paying no -attention to Chang. The latter did not approve of this behaviour, and -accordingly took his leave; and in a few days Miss Tsêng had cried -herself to death. Chang then dreamed that she appeared to him, and -said, "Was it you after all that I saw? You were so changed in age and -appearance that when I looked upon your face I did not know you. I -have already died from grief; but if you make haste to the little -street shrine and summon my spirit back, I may still recover. Be not -late!" Chang then waked, and immediately made inquiries at Mr. Lu's -house, when he found that the young lady had been dead two days. -Telling her father his dream, they went forth to summon the spirit -back; and on opening the shroud, and throwing themselves with -lamentations over the corpse, a noise was heard in the young lady's -throat, and her cherry lips parted. They moved her on to a bed, and -soon she began to moan, to the great joy of Mr. Lu, who took Chang out -of the room and, over a bumper of wine, asked some questions about his -family. He was glad to find that Chang was a suitable match for his -daughter, and an auspicious day was fixed for the wedding. In a -fortnight the event came off, the bride being escorted to Chang's -house by her father, who remained with them six months before going -home again. They were a youthful pair, and people who didn't know the -story mistook Chang's son and daughter-in-law for his father and -mother. A year later Mr. Lu died; and his son, a mere child, having -been badly wounded by some scoundrels, and the family property being -almost gone, Chang made him come and live with them, and be one of -their own family. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[202] No man being allowed to hold office within a radius of 500 _li_, -or nearly 200 miles, from his native place. - -[203] This is a very common custom all over China. - -[204] Of all the Buddhist _sutras_, this is perhaps the favourite with -the Chinese. - -[205] Contrary to the German notion that the spirit of the dead -mother, coming back at night to suckle the child she has left behind, -makes an impress on the bed alongside the baby. - -[206] Being, of course, invisible to all except himself. - -[207] A very ancient expression, signifying "the grave," the word -"wood" being used by synecdoche for "coffin." - -[208] The supposed residence of Kuan-yin, the Chinese Goddess of -Mercy, she who "hears prayers" and is the giver of children. - -[209] The great Supreme Ruler, who is supposed to have absolute sway -over the various other deities of the Chinese Pantheon. - -[210] Generally spoken of as an inauspicious phenomenon. - - - - -XXXIV. - -A TAOIST PRIEST. - - -Once upon a time there was a Mr. Han, who belonged to a wealthy -family, and was fond of entertaining people. A man named Hsü, of the -same town, frequently joined him over the bottle; and on one occasion -when they were together a Taoist priest came to the door with his -alms-bowl[211] in his hand. The servants threw him some money and -food, but the priest would not accept them, neither would he go away; -and at length they would take no more notice of him. Mr. Han heard the -noise of the priest knocking his bowl[212] going on for a long time, -and asked his servants what was the matter; and they had hardly told -him when the priest himself walked in. Mr. Han begged him to be -seated; whereupon the priest bowed to both gentlemen and took his -seat. On making the usual inquiries, they found that he lived at an -old tumble-down temple to the east of the town, and Mr. Han expressed -regret at not having heard sooner of his arrival, so that he might -have shown him the proper hospitality of a resident. The priest said -that he had only recently arrived, and had no friends in the place; -but hearing that Mr. Han was a jovial fellow, he had been very anxious -to take a glass with him. Mr. Han then ordered wine, and the priest -soon distinguished himself as a hard drinker; Mr. Hsü treating him all -the time with a certain amount of disrespect in consequence of his -shabby appearance, while Mr. Han made allowances for him as being a -traveller. When he had drunk over twenty large cups of wine, the -priest took his leave, returning subsequently whenever any -jollification was going on, no matter whether it was eating or -drinking. Even Han began now to tire a little of him; and on one -occasion Hsü said to him in raillery, "Good priest, you seem to like -being a guest; why don't you play the host sometimes for a change?" -"Ah," replied the priest, "I am much the same as yourself--a mouth -carried between a couple of shoulders."[213] This put Hsü to shame, -and he had no answer to make; so the priest continued, "But although -that is so, I have been revolving the question with myself for some -time, and when we do meet I shall do my best to repay your kindness -with a cup of my own poor wine." When they had finished drinking, the -priest said he hoped he should have the pleasure of their company the -following day at noon; and at the appointed time the two friends went -together, not expecting, however, to find anything ready for them. But -the priest was waiting for them in the street; and passing through a -handsome court-yard, they beheld long suites of elegant apartments -stretching away before them. In great astonishment, they remarked to -the priest that they had not visited this temple for some time, and -asked when it had been thus repaired; to which he replied that the -work had been only lately completed. They then went inside, and there -was a magnificently-decorated apartment, such as would not be found -even in the houses of the wealthy. This made them begin to feel more -respect for their host; and no sooner had they sat down than wine and -food were served by a number of boys, all about sixteen years of age, -and dressed in embroidered coats, with red shoes. The wine and the -eatables were delicious, and very nicely served; and when the dinner -was taken away, a course of rare fruits was put on the table, the -names of all of which it would be impossible to mention. They were -arranged in dishes of crystal and jade, the brilliancy of which -lighted up the surrounding furniture; and the goblets in which the -wine was poured were of glass,[214] and more than a foot in -circumference. The priest here cried out, "Call the Shih sisters," -whereupon one of the boys went out, and in a few moments two elegant -young ladies walked in. The first was tall and slim like a willow -wand; the other was short and very young, both being exceedingly -pretty girls. Being told to sing while the company were drinking, the -younger beat time and sang a song, while the elder accompanied her on -the flageolet. They acquitted themselves admirably; and, when the song -was over, the priest holding his goblet bottom upwards in the air, -challenged his guests to follow his example, bidding his servants pour -out more wine all round. He then turned to the girls, and remarked -that they had not danced for a long time, asking if they were still -able to do so; upon which a carpet was spread by one of the boys, and -the two young ladies proceeded to dance, their long robes waving about -and perfuming the air around. The dance concluded, they leant against -a painted screen, while the two guests gradually became more and more -confused, and were at last irrecoverably drunk. The priest took no -notice of them; but when he had finished drinking, he got up and said, -"Pray, go on with your wine; I am going to rest awhile, and will -return by-and-by." He then went away, and lay down on a splendid couch -at the other end of the room; at which Hsü was very angry, and shouted -out, "Priest, you are a rude fellow," at the same time making towards -him with a view of rousing him up. The priest then ran out, and Han -and Hsü lay down to sleep, one at each end of the room, on -elaborately-carved couches covered with beautiful mattresses. When -they woke up, they found themselves lying in the road, Mr. Hsü with -his head in a dirty drain. Hard by were a couple of rush huts; but -everything else was gone. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[211] This is the Buddhist _patra_, which modern writers have come to -regard as an instrumental part of the Taoist religion. See No. IV., -note 46. - -[212] To call attention to his presence. Beggars in China accomplish -their purpose more effectually by beating a gong in the shop where -they ask for alms so loudly as to prevent the shopkeeper from hearing -his customers speak; or they vary the performance by swinging about -some dead animal tied to the end of a stick. Mendicity not being -prohibited in China, there results a system of black mail payable by -every householder to a beggars' guild, and this frees them from the -visits of the beggars of their own particular district; many, however, -do not subscribe, but take their chance in the struggle as to who will -tire out the other first, the shopkeeper, who has all to lose, being -careful to stop short of anything like manual violence, which would -forthwith bring down upon him the myrmidons of the law, and subject -him to innumerable "squeezes." - -[213] _Sc._ a "sponge." - -[214] Said to have been introduced into China from the west by a -eunuch named San-pao during the Ming dynasty. - - - - -XXXV. - -THE FIGHT WITH THE FOXES. - - -In the province of Chih-li, there was a wealthy family in want of a -tutor. One day a graduate presented himself at the door, and was asked -by the master of the house to walk in; and he conversed so pleasantly -that in a short time it was clear to both sides that they were -mutually pleased with each other. The tutor said his name was Hu; and -when the usual present had been made to him, he was forthwith provided -with apartments, and entered very energetically upon his duties, -proving himself a scholar of no mean order. He was, however, very fond -of roaming, and generally came back in the middle of the night, not -troubling himself to knock if the door was locked but suddenly -appearing on the inside. It was therefore suspected that he was a fox, -though as his intentions seemed to be harmless, he was treated -extremely well, and not with any want of courtesy as if he had been -something uncanny. By-and-by he discovered that his master had a -daughter,[215] and being desirous of securing the match was always -dropping hints to that effect, which his master, on the other hand, -invariably pretended not to understand. One day he went off for a -holiday, and on the next day a stranger called; who, tying a black -mule at the door, accepted the invitation of the master to take a seat -within. He was about fifty years of age, very neat and clean in his -dress, and gentlemanly in his manners. When they were seated, the -stranger began by saying that he was come with proposals of marriage -on behalf of Mr. Hu; to which his host, after some consideration, -replied that he and Mr. Hu got along excellently well as friends, and -there was no object in bringing about a closer connection. "Besides," -added he, "my daughter is already betrothed, and I beg you, therefore, -to ask Mr. Hu to excuse me." The stranger said he was quite sure the -young lady was not engaged, and inquired what might be the objection -to the match: but it was all of no avail, until at length he remarked, -"Mr. Hu is of a good family; I see no reason why you should have such -an aversion to him." "Well, then," replied the other, "I will tell you -what it is. We don't like his _species_." The stranger here got very -angry, and his host also lost his temper, so that they came to high -words, and were already on the way to blows, when the latter bade his -servants give the stranger a beating and turn him out. The stranger -then retired, leaving his mule behind him; and when they drew near to -look at it they found a huge creature with black hair, drooping ears, -and a long tail. They tried to lead it away, but it would not move; -and on giving it a shove with the hand from behind, it toppled over -and was discovered to be only of straw. In consequence of the angry -words that had been said, the master of the house felt sure that there -would be an attempt at revenge, and accordingly made all preparations; -and sure enough the next day a whole host of fox-soldiers arrived, -some on horseback, some on foot, some with spears, and others with -cross-bows, men and horses trampling along with an indescribable din. -The family were afraid to leave the house, and the foxes shouted out -to set the place on fire, at which the inmates were dreadfully -alarmed; but just then one of the bravest of them rushed forth with a -number of the servants to engage the foxes. Stones and arrows flew -about in all directions, and many on both sides were wounded; at -length, however, the foxes drew off leaving their swords on the field. -These glittered like frost or snow, but when picked up turned out to -be only millet-stalks. "Is this all their cunning?" cried their -adversary, laughing, at the same time making still more careful -preparations in case the foxes should come again. Next day they were -deliberating together, when suddenly a giant descended upon them from -the sky. He was over ten feet in height by several feet in breadth, -and brandished a sword as broad as half a door; but they attacked him -so vigorously with arrows and stones that he was soon stretched dead -upon the ground, when they saw that he was made of grass. Our friends -now began to make light of their fox-foes, and as they saw nothing -more of them for three days their precautions were somewhat relaxed. -The foxes, however, soon reappeared, armed with bows and arrows, and -succeeded in shooting the master of the house in the back, -disappearing when he summoned his servants and proceeded to attack -them. Then, drawing the arrow from his back, he found it was a long -thorn; and thus the foxes went on for a month or so, coming and going, -and making it necessary to take precautions, though not really -inflicting any serious injury. This annoyed the master of the family -very much, until one day Mr. Hu[216] himself appeared with a troop of -soldiers at his back, and he immediately went out to meet him. Mr. Hu -withdrew among his men, but the master called to him to come forth, -and then asked him what he had done that soldiers should be thus -brought against his family. The foxes were now on the point of -discharging their arrows; Mr. Hu, however, stopped them; whereupon he -and his old master shook hands, and the latter invited him to walk -into his old room. Wine being served, his host observed, "You, Mr. Hu, -are a man of intelligence, and I trust you will make allowances for -me. Friends as we were, I should naturally have been glad to form a -connection with you; your carriages, however, horses, houses, etc., -are not those of ordinary mortals; and even had my daughter consented, -you must know the thing would have been impossible, she being still a -great deal too young." Mr. Hu was somewhat disconcerted at this, but -his host continued, "It's of no consequence; we can still be friends -as before, and if you do not despise us earthly creatures, there is my -son whom you have taught; he is fifteen years old, and I should be -proud to see him connected with you if such an arrangement should be -feasible." Mr. Hu was delighted, and said, "I have a daughter one year -younger than your son; she is neither ugly nor stupid. How would she -do?" His host got up and made a low bow, which Mr. Hu forthwith -returned, and they then became the best of friends, forgetting all -about the former unpleasantness. Wine was given to Mr. Hu's -attendants, and every one was made happy. The host now inquired where -Mr. Hu lived, that the ceremony of pouring out a libation to the -geese[217] might be performed; but Mr. Hu said this would not be -necessary, and remained drinking till night, when he went away again. -From this time there was no more trouble; and a year passed without -any news of Mr. Hu, so that it seemed as if he wished to get out of -his bargain. The family, however, went on waiting, and in six months -more Mr. Hu reappeared, when, after a few general remarks, he declared -that his daughter was ready, and requested that an auspicious day -might be fixed for her to come to her husband's home. This being -arranged, the young lady arrived with a retinue of sedan-chairs, and -horses, and a beautiful trousseau that nearly filled a room.[218] She -was unusually respectful to her father and mother in-law, and the -former was much pleased with the match. Her father and a younger -brother of his had escorted her to the house, and conversing away in a -most refined style they sat drinking till daybreak before they went -away. The bride herself had the gift of foreknowing whether the -harvest would be good or bad, and her advice was always taken in such -matters. Mr. Hu and his brother, and also their mother, often came to -visit her in her new home, and were then very frequently seen by -people. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[215] The women's apartments being quite separate from the rest of a -Chinese house, male visitors consequently know nothing about their -inhabitants. - -[216] See No. XIII., note 90. - -[217] A very ancient custom in China, originating in a belief that -these birds never mate a second time. The libation is made on the -occasion of the bridegroom fetching his bride from her father's house. - -[218] A Chinese trousseau, in addition to clothes and jewels, consists -of tables and chairs, and all kinds of house furniture and ornaments. - - - - -XXXVI. - -THE KING. - - -A certain Governor of Hu-nan despatched a magistrate to the capital in -charge of treasure to the amount of six hundred thousand ounces of -silver. On the road the magistrate encountered a violent storm of -rain, which so delayed him that night came on before he was able to -reach the next station. He therefore took refuge in an old temple; -but, when morning came, he was horrified to find that the treasure had -disappeared. Unable to fix the guilt on any one, he returned forthwith -to the Governor and told him the whole story. The latter, however, -refused to believe what the magistrate said, and would have had him -severely punished, but that each and all of his attendants stoutly -corroborated his statements; and accordingly he bade him return and -endeavour to find the missing silver. When the magistrate got back to -the temple, he met an extraordinary-looking blind man, who informed -him that he could read people's thoughts, and further went on to say -that the magistrate had come there on a matter of money. The latter -replied that it was so, and recounted the misfortune that had -overtaken him; whereupon the blind man called for sedan-chairs, and -told the magistrate to follow and see for himself, which he -accordingly did, accompanied by all his retinue. If the blind man said -east, they went east; or if north, north; journeying along for five -days until far among the hills, where they beheld a large city with a -great number of inhabitants. They entered the gates and proceeded on -for a short distance, when suddenly the blind man cried, "Stop!" and, -alighting from his chair, pointed to a lofty door facing the west, at -which he told the magistrate to knock and make what inquiries were -necessary. He then bowed and took his leave, and the magistrate obeyed -his instructions, whereupon a man came out in reply to his summons. He -was dressed in the fashion of the Han dynasty,[219] and did not say -what his name was; but as soon as the magistrate informed him -wherefore he had come, he replied that if the latter would wait a few -days he himself would assist him in the matter. The man then conducted -the magistrate within, and giving him a room to himself, provided him -regularly with food and drink. One day he chanced to stroll away to -the back of the building, and there found a beautiful garden with -dense avenues of pine-trees and smooth lawns of fine grass. After -wandering about for some time among the arbours and ornamental -buildings, the magistrate came to a lofty kiosque, and mounted the -steps, when he saw hanging on the wall before him a number of human -skins, each with its eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and heart.[220] -Horrified at this, he beat a hasty retreat to his quarters, convinced -that he was about to leave his own skin in this out-of-the-way place, -and giving himself up for lost. He reflected, however, that he should -probably gain nothing by trying to escape, and made up his mind to -wait; and on the following day the same man came to fetch him, saying -he could now have an audience. The magistrate replied that he was -ready; and his conductor then mounted a fiery steed, leaving the other -to follow on foot. By-and-by they reached a door like that leading -into a Viceroy's _yamên_, where stood on either side crowds of -official servants, preserving the utmost silence and decorum. The man -here dismounted and led the magistrate inside; and after passing -through another door they came into the presence of a king, who wore a -cap decorated with pearls, and an embroidered sash, and sat facing the -south. The magistrate rushed forward and prostrated himself on the -ground; upon which the king asked him if he was the Hu-nan official -who had been charged with the conveyance of treasure. On his answering -in the affirmative, the king said, "The money is all here; it's a mere -trifle, but I have no objection to receive it as a present from the -Governor." The magistrate here burst into tears, and declared that -his term of grace had already expired: that he would be punished if he -went back thus, especially as he would have no evidence to adduce in -substantiation of his story. "That is easy enough," replied the king, -and put into his hands a thick letter, which he bade him give to the -Governor, assuring him that this would prevent him from getting into -any trouble. He also provided him with an escort; and the magistrate, -who dared not argue the point further, sorrowfully accepted the letter -and took his departure. The road he travelled along was not that by -which he had come; and when the hills ended, his escort left him and -went back. In a few days more he reached Ch'ang-sha, and respectfully -informed the Governor of what had taken place; but the Governor -thought he was telling more lies, and in a great rage bade the -attendants bind him hand and foot. The magistrate then drew the letter -forth from his coat; and when the Governor broke the seal and saw its -contents, his face turned deadly pale. He gave orders for the -magistrate to be unbound, remarking that the loss of the treasure was -of no importance, and that the magistrate was free to go. Instructions -were next issued that the amount was to be made up in some way or -other and forwarded to the capital; and meanwhile the Governor fell -sick and died. - -Now this Governor had had a wife of whom he was dotingly fond; and one -morning when they waked up, lo! all her hair was gone. The whole -establishment was in dismay, no one knowing what to make of such an -occurrence. But the letter above-mentioned contained that hair, -accompanied by the following words:--"Ever since you first entered -into public life your career has been one of peculation and avarice. -The six hundred thousand ounces of silver are safely stored in my -treasury. Make good this sum from your own accumulated extortions. The -officer you charged with the treasure is innocent; he must not be -wrongly punished. On a former occasion I took your wife's hair as a -gentle warning. If now you disobey my injunctions, it will not be long -before I have your head. Herewith I return the hair as an evidence of -what I say." When the Governor was dead, his family divulged the -contents of the letter; and some of his subordinates sent men to -search for the city, but they only found range upon range of -inaccessible mountains, with nothing like a road or path. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[219] Which ended some sixteen hundred years ago. - -[220] Corresponding with our five "senses," the heart taking the place -of the brain, and being regarded by Chinese doctors as the seat not -only of intelligence and the passions, but also of all sensation. - - - - -XXXVII. - -ENGAGED TO A NUN. - - -At I-ling, in Hupei, there lived a young man named Chên Yü, the son of -a graduate. He was a good scholar and a handsome fellow, and had made -a reputation for himself even before he arrived at manhood. When quite -a boy, a physiognomist had predicted that he would marry a Taoist nun; -but his parents regarded it only as a joke, and made several attempts -to get him a different kind of wife. Their efforts, however, had not -hitherto proved successful, the difficulty being to find a suitable -match. - -Now his maternal grandmother lived at Huang-kang; and on one occasion, -when young Chên was paying her a visit, he heard some one say that of -the four Yüns at Huang-chou the youngest had no peer. This remark -referred to some very nice-looking nuns who lived in a temple[221] a -few miles from his grandmother's house; and accordingly Chên secretly -set off to see them, and, knocking at the door, was very cordially -received by the four ladies, who were persons of considerable -refinement. The youngest was a girl of incomparable beauty, and Chên -could not keep his eyes off her, until at last she put her hand up to -her face and looked the other way. Her companions now going out of the -room to get tea for their visitor, Chên availed himself of the -opportunity to ask the young lady's name; to which she replied that -she was called Yün-ch'i, and that her surname was Ch'ên. "How -extraordinary!" cried Chên; "and mine is P'an."[222] This made her -blush very much, and she bent her head down and made no answer; -by-and-by rising up and going away. The tea then came in, accompanied -by some nice fruit, and the nuns began telling him their names. One -was Pai Yün-shên, and thirty odd years of age; another was Shêng -Yün-mien, just twenty; and the third was Liang Yün-tung, twenty-four -or five years old, but the junior in point of religious standing.[223] -Yün-ch'i did not re-appear, and at length Chên grew anxious to see her -again, and asked where she was. Miss Pai told him her sister was -afraid of strangers, and Chên then got up and took his leave in spite -of their efforts to detain him. "If you want to see Yün-ch'i you had -better come again to-morrow," said Miss Pai; and Chên, who went home -thinking of nothing but Yün-ch'i, did return to the temple on the -following day. All the nuns were there except Yün-ch'i, but he hardly -liked to begin by inquiring after her; and then they pressed him to -stay and take dinner with them, accepting no excuses, Miss Pai herself -setting food and chop-sticks before him, and urging him to eat. When -he asked where Yün-ch'i was, they said she would come directly; but -evening gradually drew on and Chên rose to go home. Thereupon they all -entreated him to stay, promising that if he did so they would make -Yün-ch'i come in. Chên then agreed to remain; the lamps were lighted, -and wine was freely served round, until at last he said he was so -tipsy he couldn't take any more. "Three bumpers more," cried Miss Pai, -"and then we will send for Yün-ch'i." So Chên drank off his three -cups, whereupon Miss Liang said he must also drink three with her, -which he did, turning his wine-cup down on the table[224] and -declaring that he would have no more. "The gentleman won't condescend -to drink with us," said Miss Pai to Miss Liang, "so you had better -call in Yün-ch'i, and tell the fair Eloïsa that her Abelard is -awaiting her." In a few moments Miss Liang came back and told Chên -that Yün-ch'i would not appear; upon which he went off in a huff, -without saying a word to either of them, and for several days did not -go near the place again. He could not, however, forget Yün-ch'i, and -was always hanging about on the watch, until one afternoon he observed -Miss Pai go out, at which he was delighted, for he wasn't much afraid -of Miss Liang, and at once ran up to the temple and knocked at the -door. Yün-mien answered his knock, and from her he discovered that -Miss Liang had also gone out on business. He then asked for Yün-ch'i, -and Yün-mien led him into another court-yard, where she called out, -"Yün-ch'i! here's a visitor." At this the door of the room was -immediately slammed, and Yün-mien laughed and told Chên she had locked -herself in. Chên was on the point of saying something, when Yün-mien -moved away, and a voice was heard from the other side of the window, -"They all declare I'm setting my cap at you, Sir; and if you come here -again, I cannot answer for my safety. I do not wish to remain a nun, -and if I could only meet with a gentleman like you, Mr. P'an, I would -be a handmaid to him all the days of my life." Chên offered his hand -and heart to the young lady on the spot; but she reminded him that her -education for the priesthood had not been accomplished without -expense, "and if you truly love me," added she, "bring twenty ounces -of silver wherewith to purchase my freedom. I will wait for you three -years with the utmost fidelity." Chên assented to this, and was about -to tell her who he really was, when Yün-mien returned and they all -went out together, Chên now bidding them farewell and going back to -his grandmother's. After this he always had Yün-ch'i in his thoughts, -and wanted very much to get another interview with her and be near -her once again, but at this juncture he heard that his father was -dangerously ill, and promptly set off on his way home, travelling day -and night. His father died, and his mother who then ruled the -household was such a severe person that he dared not tell her what was -nearest to his heart. Meanwhile he scraped together all the money he -could; and refused all proposals of marriage on the score of being in -mourning for his father.[225] His mother, however, insisted on his -taking a wife; and he then told her that when he was with his -grandmother at Huang-kang, an arrangement had been made that he was to -marry a Miss Ch'ên, to which he himself was quite ready to accede; and -that now, although his father's death had stopped all communications -on the subject, he could hardly do better than pay a visit to his -grandmother and see how matters stood, promising that if the affair -was not actually settled he would obey his mother's commands. His -mother consented to this, and off he started with the money he had -saved; but when he reached Huang-kang and went off to the temple, he -found the place desolate and no longer what it had been. Entering in, -he saw only one old priestess employed in cooking her food; and on -making inquiries of her, she told him that the Abbess had died in the -previous year, and that the four nuns had gone away in different -directions. According to her, Yün-ch'i was living in the northern -quarter of the city, and thither he proceeded forthwith; but after -asking for her at all the temples in the neighbourhood, he could get -no news of her, and returned sorrowfully home, pretending to his -mother that his uncle had said Mr. Ch'ên had gone away, and that as -soon as he came back they would send a servant to let him know. - -Some months after these events, Chên's mother went on a visit to her -own home, and mentioned this story in conversation with her old -mother, who, to her astonishment, knew nothing at all about it, but -suggested that Chên and his uncle must have concocted the thing -together. Luckily, however, for Chên his uncle was away at that time, -and they had no means of getting at the real truth. Meanwhile, Chên's -mother went away to the Lily Hill to fulfil a vow she had made, and -remained all night at an inn at the foot of the hill. That evening the -landlord knocked at her door and ushered in a young priestess to share -the room. The girl said her name was Yün-ch'i; and when she heard that -Chên's mother lived at I-ling, she went and sat by her side, and -poured out to her a long tale of tribulation, finishing up by saying -that she had a cousin named P'an, at I-ling, and begging Chên's mother -to send some one to tell him where she would be found. "Every day I -suffer," added she, "and each day seems like a year. Tell him to come -quickly, or I may be gone." Chên's mother inquired what his other name -might be, but she said she did not know; to which the old lady replied -that it was of no consequence, as, being a graduate, it would be easy -to find him out. Early in the morning Chên's mother bade the girl -farewell, the latter again begging her not to forget; and when she -reached home she told Chên what had occurred. Chên threw himself on -his knees, and told his mother that he was the P'an to whom the young -lady alluded; and after hearing how the engagement had come about, his -mother was exceedingly angry, and said, "Undutiful boy! how will you -face your relations with a nun for a wife?" Chên hung his head and -made no reply; but shortly afterwards when he went up for his -examination, he presented himself at the address given by -Yün-ch'i--only, however, to find that the young lady had gone away a -fortnight before. He then returned home and fell into a bad state of -health, when his grandmother died and his mother set off to assist at -her funeral. On her way back she missed the right road and reached the -house of some people named Ching, who turned out to be cousins of -hers. They invited her in, and there she saw a young girl of about -eighteen sitting in the parlour, and as great a beauty as she had ever -set eyes on. Now, as she was always thinking of making a good match -for her son, and curing him of his settled melancholy, she asked who -the young lady might be; and they told her that her name was -Wang,--that she was a connection of their own, and that her father and -mother being dead, she was staying temporarily with them. Chên's -mother inquired the name of Miss Wang's betrothed, but they said she -was not engaged; and then taking her hand, she entered into -conversation, and was very much charmed with her. Passing the night -there, Chên's mother took her cousin into her confidence, and the -latter agreed that it would be a capital match; "but," added she, -"this young lady is somewhat ambitious, or she would hardly have -remained single so long. We must think about it." Meanwhile, Chên's -mother and Miss Wang got on so extremely well together that they were -already on the terms of mother and daughter; and Miss Wang was invited -to accompany her home. This invitation she readily accepted, and next -day they went back; Chên's mother, who wished to see her son free from -his present trouble, bidding one of the servants tell him that she had -brought home a nice wife for him; Chên did not believe this; but on -peeping through the window beheld a young lady much prettier even than -Yün-ch'i herself. He now began to reflect that the three years agreed -upon had already expired; that Yün-ch'i had gone no one knew whither, -and had probably by this time found another husband; so he had no -difficulty in entertaining the thought of marrying this young lady, -and soon regained his health. His mother then caused the young people -to meet, and be introduced to one another; saying to Miss Wang, when -her son had left the room, "Did you guess why I invited you to come -home with me?" "I did," replied the young lady, "but I don't think you -guessed what was _my_ object in coming. Some years ago I was betrothed -to a Mr. P'an, of I-ling. I have heard nothing of him for a long time. -If he has found another wife I will be your daughter-in-law; if not, I -will ever regard you as my own mother, and endeavour to repay you for -your kindness to me." "As there is an actual engagement," replied -Chên's mother, "I will say no more; but when I was at the Lily Hill -there was a Taoist nun inquiring after this Mr. P'an, and now you -again, though, as a matter of fact, there is no Mr. P'an in I-ling at -all." "What!" cried Miss Wang, "are you that lady I met? I am the -person who inquired for Mr. P'an." "If that is so," replied Chên's -mother with a smile, "then your Mr. P'an is not far off." "Where is -he?" said she; and then Chên's mother bade a maid-servant lead her out -to her son and ask him. "Is your name Yün-ch'i?" said Chên, in great -astonishment; and when the young lady asked him how he knew it, he -told her the whole story of his pretending to be a Mr. P'an. But when -Yün-ch'i found out to whom she was talking, she was abashed, and went -back and told his mother, who inquired how she came to have two names. -"My real name is Wang," replied the young lady; "but the old Abbess, -being very fond of me, made me take her own name." Chên's mother was -overjoyed at all this, and an auspicious day was immediately fixed for -the celebration of their marriage. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[221] These nunneries, of which there are plenty in China, are well -worth visiting, and may be freely entered by both sexes. Sometimes -there are as many as a hundred nuns living together in one temple, and -to all appearances devoting their lives to religious exercises; -report, however, tells many tales of broken vows, and makes sad havoc -generally with the reputation of these fair vestals. - -[222] In corresponding English, this would be:--The young lady said -her name was Eloïsa. "How funny!" cried Chên, "and mine is Abelard." - -[223] That is, she was the last to take the vows. - -[224] The usual signal that a person does not wish to take any more -wine. - -[225] This would carry him well on into the third of the years during -which Yün-ch'i had promised to wait for him. - - - - -XXXVIII. - -THE YOUNG LADY OF THE TUNG-T'ING LAKE. - - -The spirits of the Tung-t'ing lake[226] are very much in the habit of -borrowing boats. Sometimes the cable of an empty junk will cast itself -off, and away goes the vessel over the waves to the sound of music in -the air above. The boatmen crouch down in one corner and hide their -faces, not daring to look up until the trip is over and they are once -more at their old anchorage. - -Now a certain Mr. Lin, returning home after having failed at the -examination for Master's degree, was lying down very tipsy on the deck -of his boat, when suddenly strains of music and singing began to be -heard. The boatmen shook Mr. Lin, but failing to rouse him, ran down -and hid themselves in the hold below. Then some one came and lifted -him up, letting him drop again on to the deck, where he was allowed to -remain in the same drunken sleep as before. By-and-by the noise of -the various instruments became almost deafening, and Lin, partially -waking up, smelt a delicious odour of perfumes filling the air around -him. Opening his eyes, he saw that the boat was crowded with a number -of beautiful girls; and knowing that something strange was going on, -he pretended to be fast asleep. There was then a call for Chih-ch'eng, -upon which a young waiting-maid came forward and stood quite close to -Mr. Lin's head. Her stockings were the colour of the kingfisher's -wing, and her feet encased in tiny purple shoes, no bigger than one's -finger. Much smitten with this young lady, he took hold of her -stocking with his teeth, causing her, the next time she moved, to fall -forward flat on her face. Some one, evidently in authority, asked what -was the matter; and when he heard the explanation, was very angry, and -gave orders to take off Mr. Lin's head. Soldiers now came and bound -Lin, and on getting up he beheld a man sitting with his face to the -south, and dressed in the garments of a king. "Sire," cried Lin, as he -was being led away, "the king of the Tung-t'ing lake was a mortal -named Lin; your servant's name is Lin also. His Majesty was a -disappointed candidate; your servant is one too. His Majesty met the -Dragon Lady, and was made immortal; your servant has played a trick -upon this girl, and he is to die. Why this inequality of fortunes?" -When the king heard this, he bade them bring him back, and asked him, -saying, "Are you, then, a disappointed candidate?" Lin said he was; -whereupon the king handed him writing materials, and ordered him to -compose an ode upon a lady's head-dress. Some time passed before Lin, -who was a scholar of some repute in his own neighbourhood, had done -more than sit thinking about what he should write; and at length the -king upbraided him, saying, "Come, come, a man of your reputation -should not take so long." "Sire," replied Lin, laying down his pen, -"it took ten years to complete the Songs of the Three Kingdoms; -whereby it may be known that the value of compositions depends more -upon the labour given to them than the speed with which they are -written." The king laughed and waited patiently from early morning -till noon, when a copy of the verses was put into his hand, with which -he declared himself very pleased. He now commanded that Lin should be -served with wine; and shortly after there followed a collation of all -kinds of curious dishes, in the middle of which an officer came in and -reported that the register of people to be drowned had been made up. -"How many in all?" asked the king. "Two hundred and twenty-eight," was -the reply; and then the king inquired who had been deputed to carry it -out; whereupon he was informed that the generals Mao and Nan had been -appointed to do the work. Lin here rose to take leave, and the king -presented him with ten ounces of pure gold and a crystal square,[227] -telling him that it would preserve him from any danger he might -encounter on the lake. At this moment the king's retinue and horses -ranged themselves in proper order upon the surface of the lake; and -His Majesty, stepping from the boat into his sedan-chair, disappeared -from view. - -When everything had been quiet for a long time, the boatmen emerged -from the hold, and proceeded to shape their course northwards. The -wind, however, was against them, and they were unable to make any -headway; when all of a sudden an iron cat appeared floating on the top -of the water. "General Mao has come," cried the boatmen, in great -alarm; and they and all the passengers on board fell down on their -faces. Immediately afterwards a great wooden beam stood up from the -lake, nodding itself backwards and forwards, which the boatmen, more -frightened than ever, said was General Nan. Before long a tremendous -sea was raging, the sun was darkened in the heavens, and every vessel -in sight was capsized. But Mr. Lin sat in the middle of the boat, with -the crystal square in his hand, and the mighty waves broke around -without doing them any harm. Thus were they saved, and Lin returned -home; and whenever he told his wonderful story he would assert that, -although unable to speak positively as to the facial beauty of the -young lady he had seen, he dared say that she had the most exquisite -pair of feet in the world. - -Subsequently, having occasion to visit the city of Wu-ch'ang, he heard -of an old woman who wished to sell her daughter, but was unwilling to -accept money, giving out that any one who had the fellow of a certain -crystal square in her possession should be at liberty to take the -girl. Lin thought this very strange; and taking his square with him -sought out the old woman, who was delighted to see him, and told her -daughter to come in. The young lady was about fifteen years of age, -and possessed of surpassing beauty; and after saying a few words of -greeting, she turned round and went within again. Lin's reason had -almost fled at the sight of this peerless girl, and he straightway -informed the old woman that he had such an article as she required, -but could not say whether it would match hers or not. So they compared -their squares together, and there was not a fraction of difference -between them, either in length or breadth. The old woman was -overjoyed, and inquiring where Lin lived, bade him go home and get a -bridal chair, leaving his square behind him as a pledge of his good -faith. This he refused to do; but the old woman laughed, and said, -"You are too cautious, Sir; do you think I should run away for a -square?" Lin was thus constrained to leave it behind him, and hurrying -away for a chair, made the best of his way back. When, however, he got -there, the old woman was gone. In great alarm he inquired of the -people who lived near as to her whereabouts; no one, however, knew; -and it being already late he returned disconsolately to his boat. On -the way, he met a chair coming towards him, and immediately the screen -was drawn aside, and a voice cried out, "Mr. Lin! why so late?" -Looking closely, he saw that it was the old woman, who, after asking -him if he hadn't suspected her of playing him false, told him that -just after he left she had had the offer of a chair; and knowing that -he, being only a stranger in the place, would have some trouble in -obtaining one, she had sent her daughter on to his boat. Lin then -begged she would return with him, to which she would not consent; and -accordingly, not fully trusting what she said, he hurried on himself -as fast as he could, and, jumping into the boat, found the young lady -already there. She rose to meet him with a smile, and then he was -astonished to see that her stockings were the colour of a kingfisher's -wing, her shoes purple, and her appearance generally like that of the -girl he had met on the Tung-t'ing lake. While he was still confused, -the young lady remarked, "You stare, Sir, as if you had never seen me -before!" but just then Lin noticed the tear in her stocking made by -his own teeth, and cried out in amazement, "What! are you -Chih-ch'eng?" The young lady laughed at this; whereupon Lin rose, and, -making her a profound bow, said, "If you are that divine creature, I -pray you tell me at once, and set my anxiety at rest." "Sir," replied -she, "I will tell you all. That personage you met on the boat was -actually the king of the Tung-t'ing lake. He was so pleased with your -talent that he wished to bestow me upon you; but, because I was a -great favourite with Her Majesty the Queen, he went back to consult -with her. I have now come at the Queen's own command." Lin was highly -pleased; and washing his hands, burnt incense, with his face towards -the lake, as if it were the Imperial Court, and then they went home -together. - -Subsequently, when Lin had occasion to go to Wu-ch'ang, his wife asked -to be allowed to avail herself of the opportunity to visit her -parents; and when they reached the lake, she drew a hair-pin from her -hair, and threw it into the water. Immediately a boat rose from the -lake, and Lin's wife, stepping into it, vanished from sight like a -bird on the wing. Lin remained waiting for her on the prow of his -vessel, at the spot where she had disappeared; and by-and-by, he -beheld a house-boat approach, from the window of which there flew a -beautiful bird which was no other than Chih-ch'eng. Then some one -handed out from the same window gold and silk, and precious things in -great abundance, all presents to them from the Queen. After this, -Chih-ch'eng went home regularly twice every year, and Lin soon became -a very rich man, the things he had being such as no one had ever -before seen or heard of. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[226] The celebrated lake in Hu-nan, round which has gathered so much -of the folk-lore of China. - -[227] The instrument used by masons is here meant. - - - - -XXXIX. - -THE MAN WHO WAS CHANGED INTO A CROW. - - -Mr. Yü Jung was a Hu-nan man. The person who told me his story did not -recollect from what department or district he came. His family was -very poor; and once, when returning home after failure at the -examination, he ran quite out of funds. Being ashamed to beg, and -feeling uncomfortably hungry, he turned to rest awhile in the Wu -Wang[228] temple, where he poured out all his sorrows at the feet of -the God. His prayers over, he was about to lie down in the outer -porch, when suddenly a man took him and led him into the presence of -Wu Wang; and then, falling on his knees, said, "Your Majesty, there is -a vacancy among the black-robes; the appointment might be bestowed on -this man." The King assented, and Yü received a suit of black clothes; -and when he had put these on he was changed into a crow, and flew -away. Outside he saw a number of fellow-crows collected together, and -immediately joined them, settling with them on the masts of the boats, -and imitating them in catching and eating the meat or cakes which the -passengers and boatmen on board threw up to them in the air.[229] In a -little while he was no longer hungry, and, soaring aloft, alighted on -the top of a tree quite satisfied with his change of condition. Two or -three days passed, and the King, now pitying his solitary state, -provided him with a very elegant mate, whose name was Chu-ch'ing, and -who took every opportunity of warning him when he exposed himself too -much in search of food. However, he did not pay much attention to -this, and one day a soldier shot him in the breast with a cross-bow; -but luckily Chu-ch'ing got away with him in her beak, and he was not -captured. This enraged the other crows very much, and with their wings -they flapped the water into such big waves that all the boats were -upset. Chu-ch'ing now procured food and fed her husband; but his wound -was a severe one, and by the end of the day he was dead--at which -moment he waked, as it were, from a dream, and found himself lying in -the temple. - -The people of the place had found Mr. Yü to all appearance dead; and -not knowing how he had come by his death, and finding that his body -was not quite cold, had set some one to watch him. They now learnt -what had happened to him, and making up a purse between them, sent him -away home. Three years afterwards he was passing by the same spot, -and went in to worship at the temple; also preparing a quantity of -food, and inviting the crows to come down and eat it. He then prayed, -saying, "If Chu-ch'ing is among you, let her remain." When the crows -had eaten the food they all flew away; and by-and-by Yü returned, -having succeeded in obtaining his master's degree. Again he visited Wu -Wang's temple, and sacrificed a calf as a feast for the crows; and -again he prayed as on the previous occasion. That night he slept on -the lake, and, just as the candles were lighted and he had sat down, -suddenly there was a noise as of birds settling, and lo! some twenty -beautiful young ladies stood before him. "Have you been quite well -since we parted?" asked one of them; to which Yü replied that he -should like to know whom he had the honour of addressing. "Don't you -remember Chu-ch'ing?" said the young lady; and then Yü was overjoyed, -and inquired how she had come. "I am now," replied Chu-ch'ing, "a -spirit of the Han river, and seldom go back to my old home; but in -consequence of what you did on two occasions, I have come to see you -once more." They then sat talking together like husband and wife -reunited after long absence, and Yü proposed that she should return -with him on his way south. Chu-ch'ing, however, said she must go west -again, and upon this point they could not come to any agreement. Next -morning, when Yü waked up, he found himself in a lofty room with two -large candles burning brightly, and no longer in his own boat. In -utter amazement he arose and asked where he was. "At Han-yang," -replied Chu-ch'ing; "my home is your home; why need you go south?" -By-and-by, when it got lighter, in came a number of serving-women with -wine, which they placed on a low table on the top of a broad couch; -and then husband and wife sat down to drink together. "Where are all -my servants?" asked Yü; and when he heard they were still on the boat, -he said he was afraid the boat people would not be able to wait. -"Never mind," replied Chu-ch'ing; "I have plenty of money, and I'll -help you to make it up to them." Yü therefore remained with her, -feasting and enjoying himself, and forgetting all about going home. As -for the boatmen, when they waked up and found themselves at Han-yang, -they were greatly astonished; and, seeing that the servants could find -no trace of their missing master, they wished to go about their own -business. They were unable, however, to undo the cable, and so they -all remained there together for more than a couple of months, by the -end of which time Mr. Yü became anxious to return home, and said to -Chu-ch'ing, "If I stay here, my family connections will be completely -severed. Besides, as we are husband and wife, it is only right that -you should pay a visit to my home." "That," replied Chu-ch'ing, "I -cannot do; and even were I able to go, you have a wife there already, -and where would you put me? It is better for me to stop where I am, -and thus you will have a second family." Yü said she would be so far -off that he could not always be dropping in; whereupon Chu-ch'ing -produced a black suit, and replied, "Here are your old clothes. -Whenever you want to see me, put these on and come, and on your -arrival I will take them off for you." She then prepared a parting -feast for her husband, at which he got very tipsy; and when he waked -up he was on board his boat again, and at his old anchorage on the -lake. The boatmen and his servants were all there, and they looked at -one another in mutual amazement; and when they asked Yü where he had -been, he hardly knew what to say. By the side of his pillow he -discovered a bundle in which were some new clothes Chu-ch'ing had -given him, shoes, stockings, &c.; and folded up with them was the suit -of black. In addition to these he found an embroidered belt for tying -round the waist, which was stuffed full of gold. He now started on his -way south, and, when he reached the end of his journey, dismissed the -boatmen with a handsome present. - -After being at home for some months, his thoughts reverted to -Han-yang; and, taking out the black clothes, he put them on, when -wings immediately grew from his ribs, and with a flap he was gone. In -about four hours he arrived at Han-yang, and, wheeling round and round -in the air, espied below him a solitary islet, on which stood a house, -and there he proceeded to alight. A maid-servant had already seen him -coming, and cried out, "Here's master!" and in a few moments out came -Chu-ch'ing, and bade the attendants take off Mr. Yü's feathers. They -were not long in setting him free, and then, hand in hand, he and -Chu-ch'ing went into the house together. "You have come at a happy -moment," said his wife, as they sat down to tell each other all the -news; and in three days' time she gave birth to a boy, whom they -called Han-ch'an, which means "born on the Han river." Three days -after the event all the river-nymphs came to congratulate them, and -brought many handsome presents. They were a charming band, not one -being over thirty years of age; and, going into the bedroom and -approaching the bed, each one pressed her thumb on the baby's nose, -saying, "Long life to thee, little one!" Yü asked who they all were, -and Chu-ch'ing told him they belonged to the same family of spirits as -herself; "And the two last of all," said she, "dressed in white like -the lily, are the nymphs who gave away their girdles at Hankow."[230] - -A few months passed away, and then Chu-ch'ing sent her husband back in -a boat to his old home. No sails or oars were used, but the boat sped -along of itself; and at the end of the river journey there were men -waiting with horses to convey him to his own door. After this he went -backwards and forwards very frequently; and in time Han-ch'an grew up -to be a fine boy, the apple of his father's eye. Unhappily his first -wife had no children, and she was extremely anxious to see Han-ch'an; -so Yü communicated this to Chu-ch'ing, who at once packed up a box and -sent him back with his father, on the understanding that he was to -return in three months. However, the other wife became quite as fond -of him as if he had been her own child, and ten months passed without -her being able to bear the thought of parting with him. But one day -Han-ch'an was taken violently ill, and died; upon which Yü's wife was -overwhelmed with grief, and wished to die too. Yü then set off for -Han-yang, to carry the tidings to Chu-ch'ing; and when he arrived, lo! -there was Han-ch'an, with his shoes and socks off, lying on the bed. -He was greatly rejoiced at this, and asked Chu-ch'ing what it all -meant. "Why," replied she, "the term agreed upon by us had long -expired, and, as I wanted my boy, I sent for him." Yü then told her -how much his other wife loved Han-ch'an, but Chu-ch'ing said she must -wait until there was another child, and then she should have him. -Later on Chu-ch'ing had twins, a boy and a girl, the former named -Han-shêng and the latter Yü-p'ei; whereupon Han-ch'an went back again -with his father, who, finding it inconvenient to be travelling -backwards and forwards three or four times in a year, removed with his -family to the city of Han-yang. At twelve years of age Han-ch'an took -his bachelor's degree; and his mother, thinking there was no girl -among mortals good enough for her son, sent for him to come home, that -she herself might find a wife for him, which she did in the person of -a Miss Chih-niang, who was the daughter of a spirit like herself. Yü's -first wife then died, and the three children all went to mourn her -loss, Han-ch'an remaining in Hu-nan after the funeral, but the other -two returning with their father, and not leaving their mother again. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[228] The guardian angel of crows. - -[229] In order to secure a favourable passage. The custom here -mentioned was actually practised at more than one temple on the river -Yang-tsze, and allusions to it will be found in more than one serious -work. - -[230] Alluding to a legend of a young man meeting two young ladies at -Hankow, each of whom wore a girdle adorned with a pearl as big as a -hen's egg. The young man begged them to give him these girdles, and -they did so; but the next moment they had vanished, and the girdles -too. - - - - -XL. - -THE FLOWER NYMPHS. - - -At the lower temple on Mount Lao the camellias[231] are twenty feet in -height, and many spans in circumference. The peonies are more than ten -feet high; and when the flowers are in bloom the effect is that of -gorgeous tapestry. - -There was a Mr. Huang, of Chiao-chow, who built himself a house at -that spot, for the purposes of study; and one day he saw from his -window a young lady dressed in white wandering about amongst the -flowers. Reflecting that she could not possibly belong to the -monastery,[232] he went out to meet her, but she had already -disappeared. After this he frequently observed her, and once hid -himself in a thick-foliaged bush, waiting for her to come. By-and-by -she appeared, bringing with her another young lady dressed in red, -who, as he noticed from his distant point of observation, was an -exceedingly good-looking girl. When they approached nearer, the young -lady in the red dress ran back, saying, "There is a man here!" -whereupon Mr. Huang jumped out upon them, and away they went in a -scare, with their skirts and long sleeves fluttering in the breeze, -and perfuming the air around. Huang pursued them as far as a low wall, -where they suddenly vanished from his gaze. In great distress at thus -losing the fair creatures, he took a pencil and wrote upon a tree the -following lines:-- - - "The pangs of love my heart enthrall - As I stand opposite this wall. - I dread some hateful tyrant's power, - With none to save you in that hour." - -Returning home he was absorbed in his own thoughts, when all at once -the young lady walked in, and he rose up joyfully to meet her. "I -thought you were a brigand," said his visitor, smiling; "you nearly -frightened me to death. I did not know you were a great scholar whose -acquaintance I now hope to have the honour of making." Mr. Huang asked -the young lady her name, &c., to which she replied, "My name is -Hsiang-yü, and I belong to P'ing-k'ang-hsiang; but a magician has -condemned me to remain on this hill much against my own inclination." -"Tell me his name," cried Huang, "and I'll soon set you free." "There -is no need for that," answered the young lady; "I suffer no injury -from him, and the place is not an inconvenient one for making the -acquaintance of such worthy gentlemen as yourself." Huang then -inquired who was the young lady in red, and she told him that her name -was Chiang-hsüeh, and that they were half-sisters; "and now," added -she, "I will sing you a song; but please don't laugh at me." She then -began as follows:-- - - "In pleasant company the hours fly fast, - And through the window daybreak peeps at last. - Ah, would that, like the swallow and his mate, - To live together were our happy fate." - -Huang here grasped her hand[233] and said, "Beauty without and -intellect within--enough to make a man love you and forget all about -death, regarding one day's absence like the separation of a thousand -years. I pray you come again whenever an opportunity may present -itself." From this time the young lady would frequently walk in to -have a chat, but would never bring her sister with her in spite of all -Mr. Huang's entreaties. Huang thought they weren't friends, but Hsiang -said her sister did not care for society in the same way that she -herself did, promising at the same time to try and persuade her to -come at some future day. One evening Hsiang-yü arrived in a melancholy -frame of mind, and told Huang that he was wanting more when he -couldn't even keep what he had got; "for to-morrow," said she, "we -part." Huang asked what she meant; and then wiping away her tears with -her sleeve, Hsiang-yü declared it was destiny, and that she couldn't -well tell him. "Your former prophecy," continued she, "has come too -true; and now it may well be said of me-- - - 'Fallen into the tyrant's power, - With none to save me in that hour.'" - -Huang again tried to question her, but she would tell him nothing; and -by-and-by she rose and took her leave. This seemed very strange; -however, next day a visitor came, who, after wandering round the -garden, was much taken with a white peony,[234] which he dug up and -carried away with him. Huang now awaked to the fact that Hsiang-yü was -a flower nymph, and became very disconsolate in consequence of what -had happened; but when he subsequently heard that the peony only -lived a few days after being taken away, he wept bitterly, and -composed an elegy in fifty stanzas, besides going daily to the hole -from which it had been taken, and watering the ground with his tears. -One day, as he was returning thence, he espied the young lady of the -red clothes also wiping away her tears alongside the hole, and -immediately walked back gently towards her. She did not run away, and -Huang, grasping her sleeve, joined with her in her lamentations. When -these were concluded he invited her to his house, and then she burst -out with a sigh, saying, "Alas! that the sister of my early years -should be thus suddenly taken from me. Hearing you, Sir, mourn as you -did, I have also been moved to tears. Those you shed have sunk down -deep to the realms below, and may perhaps succeed in restoring her to -us; but the sympathies of the dead are destroyed for ever, and how -then can she laugh and talk with us again?" "My luck is bad," said -Huang, "that I should injure those I love, neither can I have the good -fortune to draw towards me another such a beauty. But tell me, when I -often sent messages by Hsiang-yü to you, why did you not come?" "I -knew," replied she, "what nine young fellows out of ten are; but I did -not know what you were." She then took leave, Huang telling her how -dull he felt without Hsiang-yü, and begging her to come again. For -some days she did not appear; and Huang remained in a state of great -melancholy, tossing and turning on his bed and wetting the pillow with -his tears, until one night he got up, put on his clothes, and trimmed -the lamp; and having called for pen and ink, he composed the -following lines:-- - - "On my cottage roof the evening raindrops beat; - I draw the blind and near the window take my seat. - To my longing gaze no loved one appears; - Drip, drip, drip, drip: fast flow my tears." - -This he read aloud; and when he had finished, a voice outside said, -"You want some one to cap your verses there!" Listening attentively, -he knew it was Chiang-hsüeh; and opening the door he let her in. She -looked at his stanza, and added impromptu-- - - "She is no longer in the room; - A single lamp relieves the gloom; - One solitary man is there; - He and his shadow make a pair." - -As Huang read these words his tears fell fast; and then, turning to -Chiang-hsüeh, he upbraided her for not having been to see him. "I -can't come so often as Hsiang-yü did," replied she, "but only now and -then when you are very dull." After this she used to drop in -occasionally, and Huang said Hsiang-yü was his beloved wife, and she -his dear friend, always trying to find out every time she came which -flower in the garden she was, that he might bring her home with him, -and save her from the fate of Hsiang-yü. "The old earth should not be -disturbed," said she, "and it would not do any good to tell you. If -you couldn't keep your wife always with you, how will you be sure of -keeping a friend?" Huang, however, paid no heed to this, and seizing -her arm, led her out into the garden, where he stopped at every peony -and asked if this was the one; to which Chiang-hsüeh made no reply, -but only put her hand to her mouth and laughed. - -At New Year's time Huang went home, and a couple of months afterwards -he dreamt that Chiang-hsüeh came to tell him she was in great trouble, -begging him to hurry off as soon as possible to her rescue. When he -woke up, he thought his dream a very strange one; and ordering his -servant and horses to be ready, started at once for the hills. There -he found that the priests were about to build a new room; and finding -a camellia in the way, the contractor had given orders that it should -be cut down. Huang now understood his dream, and immediately took -steps to prevent the destruction of the flower. That night -Chiang-hsüeh came to thank him, and Huang laughed and said, "It serves -you right for not telling me which you were. Now I know you, and if -you don't come and see me, I'll get a firebrand and make it hot for -you." "That's just why I didn't tell you before," replied she. "The -presence of my dear friend," said Huang, after a pause, "makes me -think more of my lost wife. It is long since I have mourned for her. -Shall we go and bemoan her loss together?" So they went off and shed -many a tear on the spot where formerly Hsiang-yü had stood, until at -last Chiang-hsüeh wiped her eyes and said it was time to go. A few -evenings later Huang was sitting alone when suddenly Chiang-hsüeh -entered, her face radiant with smiles. "Good news!" cried she, "the -Flower-God,[235] moved by your tears, has granted Hsiang-yü a return -to life." Huang was overjoyed, and asked when she would come; to which -Chiang-hsüeh replied, that she could not say for certain, but that it -would not be long. "I came here on your account," said Huang; "don't -let me be duller than you can help." "All right," answered she, and -then went away, not returning for the next two evenings. Huang then -went into the garden and threw his arms around her plant, entreating -her to come and see him, though without eliciting any response. He -accordingly went back, and began twisting up a torch, when all at once -in she came, and snatching the torch out of his hand, threw it away, -saying, "You're a bad fellow, and I don't like you, and I shan't have -any more to do with you." However, Huang soon succeeded in pacifying -her, and by-and-by in walked Hsiang-yü herself. Huang now wept tears -of joy as he seized her hand, and drawing Chiang-hsüeh towards them, -the three friends mingled their tears together. They then sat down and -talked over the miseries of separation, Huang meanwhile noticing that -Hsiang-yü seemed to be unsubstantial, and that when he grasped her -hand his fingers seemed to close only on themselves, and not as in -the days gone by. This Hsiang-yü explained, saying, "When I was a -flower-nymph I had a body; but now I am only the disembodied spirit of -that flower. Do not regard me as a reality, but rather as an -apparition seen in a dream." "You have come at the nick of time," -cried Chiang-hsüeh; "your husband there was just getting troublesome." -Hsiang-yü now instructed Huang to take a little powdered white-berry, -and mixing it with some sulphur, to pour out a libation to her, -adding, "This day next year I will return your kindness." The young -ladies then went away, and next day Huang observed the shoots of a -young peony growing up where Hsiang-yü had once stood. So he made the -libation as she had told him, and had the plant very carefully tended, -even building a fence all round to protect it. Hsiang-yü came to thank -him for this, and he proposed that the plant should be removed to his -own home; but to this she would not agree, "for," said she, "I am not -very strong, and could not stand being transplanted. Besides, all -things have their appointed place; and as I was not originally -intended for your home, it might shorten my life to be sent there. We -can love each other very well here." Huang then asked why Chiang-hsüeh -did not come; to which Hsiang-yü replied that they must make her, and -proceeded with him into the garden, where, after picking a blade of -grass, she measured upwards from the roots of Chiang-hsüeh's plant to -a distance of four feet six inches, at which point she stopped, and -Huang began to scratch a mark on the place with his nails. At that -moment Chiang-hsüeh came from behind the plant, and in mock anger -cried out, "You hussy you! what do you aid that wretch for?" "Don't be -angry, my dear," said Hsiang-yü; "help me to amuse him for a year -only, and then you shan't be bothered any more." So they went on, -Huang watching the plant thrive, until by the spring it was over two -feet in height. He then went home, giving the priests a handsome -present, and bidding them take great care of it. Next year, in the -fourth moon, he returned and found upon the plant a bud just ready to -break; and as he was walking round, the stem shook violently as if it -would snap, and suddenly the bud opened into a flower as large as a -plate, disclosing a beautiful maiden within, sitting upon one of the -pistils, and only a few inches in height. In the twinkling of an eye -she had jumped out, and lo! it was Hsiang-yü. "Through the wind and -the rain I have waited for you," cried she; "why have you come so -late?" They then went into the house, where they found Chiang-hsüeh -already arrived, and sat down to enjoy themselves as they had done in -former times. Shortly afterwards Huang's wife died, and he took up his -abode at Mount Lao for good and all. The peonies were at that time as -large round as one's arm; and whenever Huang went to look at them, he -always said, "Some day my spirit will be there by your side;" to which -the two girls used to reply with a laugh, and say, "Mind you don't -forget." Ten years after these events, Huang became dangerously ill, -and his son, who had come to see him, was very much distressed about -him. "I am about to be born," cried his father; "I am not going to -die. Why do you weep?" He also told the priests that if later on they -should see a red shoot, with five leaves, thrusting itself forth -alongside of the peony, that would be himself. This was all he said, -and his son proceeded to convey him home, where he died immediately on -arrival. Next year a shoot did come up exactly as he had mentioned; -and the priests, struck by the coincidence, watered it and supplied it -with earth. In three years it was a tall plant, and a good span in -circumference, but without flowers. When the old priest died, the -others took no care of it; and as it did not flower they cut it down. -The white peony then faded and died; and before long the camellia was -dead too. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[231] The text has _nai-tung_ ("endure the winter"), for the -identification of which I am indebted to Mr. L. C. Hopkins, of H.M.'s -Consular service. - -[232] Women, of course, being excluded. - -[233] Although the Chinese do not "shake hands" in our sense of the -term, it is a sign of affection to seize the hand of a parting or -returning friend. "The Book of Rites," however, lays down the rule -that persons of opposite sexes should not, in passing things from one -to the other, _let their hands touch_; and the question was gravely -put to Mencius (Book IV.) as to whether a man might even pull his -drowning sister-in-law out of the water. Mencius replied that it was -indeed a general principle that a man should avoid touching a woman's -hand, but that he who could not make an exception in such a case would -be no better than a wolf. Neither, according to the Chinese rule, -should men and women hang their clothes on the same rack, which -reminds one of the French prude who would not allow male and female -authors to be ranged upon the same bookshelf. - -[234] The _Pæonia albiflora_. - -[235] The various subdivisions of the animal and vegetable kingdoms -are each believed by the Chinese to be under the sway of a ruler -holding his commission from and responsible to the one Supreme Power -or God, fully in accordance with the general scheme of supernatural -Government accepted in other and less civilized communities. - - - - -XLI. - -TA-NAN IN SEARCH OF HIS FATHER. - - -Hsi Ch'êng-lieh was a Ch'êng-tu man. He had a wife and a concubine, -the latter named Ho Chao-jung. His wife dying, he took a second by -name Shên, who bullied the concubine dreadfully, and by her constant -wrangling made his life perfectly unbearable, so that one day in a fit -of anger he ran away and left them. Shortly afterwards Ho gave birth -to a son, and called him Ta-nan; but as Hsi did not return, the wife -Shên turned them out of the house, making them a daily allowance of -food. By degrees Ta-nan became a big boy; and his mother, not daring -to ask for an increase of victuals, was obliged to earn a little money -by spinning. Meanwhile, Ta-nan, seeing all his companions go to school -and learn to read, told his mother he should like to go too; and -accordingly, as he was still very young, she sent him for a few days' -probation. He turned out to be so clever that he soon beat the other -boys; at which the master of the school was much pleased, and offered -to teach him for nothing.[236] His mother, therefore, sent him -regularly, making what trifling presents she could to the master; and -by the end of two or three years he had a first-rate knowledge of the -Sacred Books.[237] One day he came home and asked his mother, saying, -"All the fellows at our school get money from their fathers to buy -cakes. Why don't I?" "Wait till you are grown up," replied his -mother, "and I will explain it to you." "Why, mother," cried he, "I'm -only seven or eight years old. What a time it will be before I'm grown -up." "Whenever you pass the temple of the God of War on your way to -school," said his mother, "you should go in and pray awhile; that -would make you grow faster." Ta-nan believed she was serious; and -every day, going and coming, he went in and worshipped at that temple. -When his mother found this out, she asked him how soon he was praying -to be grown up; to which he replied that he only prayed that by the -following year he might be as big as if he were fifteen or sixteen -years old. His mother laughed; but Ta-nan went on, increasing in -wisdom and stature alike, until by the time he was ten, he looked -quite thirteen or fourteen, and his master was no longer able to -correct his essays. Then he said to his mother, "You promised me that -when I grew up you would tell me where my father is. Tell me now." -"By-and-by, by-and-by," replied his mother; so he waited another year, -and then pressed her so eagerly to tell him that she could no longer -refuse, and related to him the whole story. He heard her recital with -tears and lamentations, and expressed a wish to go in search of his -father; but his mother objected that he was too young, and also that -no one knew where his father was. Ta-nan said nothing; however, in the -middle of the day he did not come home as usual, and his mother at -once sent off to the school, where she found he had not shewn himself -since breakfast. In great alarm, and thinking that he had been playing -truant, she paid some people to go and hunt for him everywhere, but -was unable to obtain the slightest clue to his whereabouts. As to -Ta-nan himself, when he left the house he followed the road without -knowing whither he was going, until at length he met a man who was on -his way to K'uei-chou, and said his name was Ch'ien. Ta-nan begged of -him something to eat, and went along with him; Mr. Ch'ien even -procuring an animal for him to ride because he walked too slowly. The -expenses of the journey were all defrayed by Ch'ien; and when they -arrived at K'uei-chou they dined together, Ch'ien secretly putting -some drug in Ta-nan's food which soon reduced him to a state of -unconsciousness. Ch'ien then carried him off to a temple, and, -pretending that Ta-nan was his son, offered him to the priests[238] on -the plea that he had no money to continue his journey. The priests, -seeing what a nice-looking boy he was, were only too ready to buy him; -and when Ch'ien had got his money he went away. They then gave Ta-nan -a draught which brought him round; but as soon as the abbot heard of -the affair and saw Ta-nan himself, he would not allow them to keep -him, sending him away with a purse of money in his pocket. Ta-nan next -met a gentleman named Chiang, from Lu-chou, who was returning home -after having failed at the examination; and this Mr. Chiang was so -pleased with the story of his filial piety that he took him to his own -home at Lu-chou. There he remained for a month and more, asking -everybody he saw for news of his father, until one day he was told -that there was a man named Hsi among the Fokien traders. So he bade -good-by to Mr. Chiang, and set off for Fokien, his patron providing -him with clothes and shoes, and the people of the place making up a -subscription for him. On the road he met two traders in cotton cloth -who were going to Fu-ch'ing, and he joined their party; but they had -not travelled many stages before these men found out that he had -money, and taking him to a lonely spot, bound him hand and foot and -made off with all he had. Before long a Mr. Ch'ên, of Yung-fu, -happened to pass by, and at once unbound him, and giving him a seat in -one of his own vehicles, carried him off home. This Mr. Ch'ên was a -wealthy man, and in his house Ta-nan had opportunities of meeting with -traders from all quarters. He therefore begged them to aid him by -making inquiries about his father, himself remaining as a fellow -student with Mr. Ch'ên's sons, and roaming the country no more, -neither hearing any news of his former and now distant home. - -Meanwhile, his mother, Ho, had lived alone for three or four years, -until the wife, Shên, wishing to reduce the expenses, tried to -persuade her to find another husband. As Ho was now supporting -herself, she steadfastly refused to do this; and then Shên sold her to -a Chung-ch'ing trader, who took her away with him. However, she so -frightened this man by hacking herself about with a knife, that when -the wounds were healed he was only too happy to get rid of her to a -trader from Yen-t'ing, who in his turn, after Ho had nearly -disembowelled herself, readily listened to her repeated cries that -she wished to become a nun. However, he persuaded her to hire herself -out as housekeeper to a friend of his, as a means of reimbursing -himself for his outlay in purchasing her; but no sooner had she set -eyes on the gentleman in question than she found it was her own -husband. For Hsi had given up the career of a scholar, and gone into -business; and as he had no wife, he was consequently in want of a -housekeeper. They were very glad to see each other again; and on -relating their several adventures, Hsi knew for the first time that he -had a son who had gone forth in search of his father. Hsi then asked -all the traders and commercial travellers to keep a look out for -Ta-nan, at the same time raising Ho from the status of concubine to -that of wife. In consequence, however, of the many hardships Ho had -gone through, her health was anything but good, and she was unable to -do the work of the house; so she advised her husband to buy a -concubine. This he was most unwilling to do, remembering too well the -former squabbling he had to endure; but ultimately he yielded, asked a -friend to buy for him an oldish woman--at any rate more than thirty -years of age. A few months afterwards his friend arrived, bringing -with him a person of about that age; and on looking closely at her, -Hsi saw that she was no other than his own wife Shên! - -Now this lady had lived by herself for a year and more when her -brother Pao advised her to marry again, which she accordingly agreed -to do. She was prevented, however, by the younger branches of the -family from selling the landed property; but she disposed of -everything else, and the proceeds passed into her brother's hands. -About that time a Pao-ning trader, hearing that she had plenty of -money, bribed her brother to marry her to himself; and afterwards, -finding that she was a disagreeable woman, took possession of -everything she had, and advertised her for sale. No one caring to buy -a woman of her age, and her master being on the eve of starting for -K'uei-chou, took her with him, finally getting rid of her to Hsi, who -was in the same line of business as himself. When she stood before her -former husband, she was overwhelmed with shame and fear, and had not a -word to say; but Hsi gathered an outline of what had happened from the -trader, and then said to her, "Your second marriage with this Pao-ning -gentleman was doubtless contracted after you had given up all hope of -seeing me again. It doesn't matter in the least, as now I am not in -search of a wife but only of a concubine. So you had better begin by -paying your respects to your mistress here, my wife Ho Chao-jung." -Shên was ashamed to do this: but Hsi reminded her of the time when she -had been in the wife's place, and in spite of all Ho's intercession -insisted that she should do so, stimulating her to obedience by the -smart application of a stick. Shên was therefore compelled to yield, -but at the same time she never tried to gain Ho's favour, and kept -away from her as much as possible. Ho, on the other hand, treated her -with great consideration, and never took her to task on the -performance of her duties; whilst Hsi himself, whenever he had a -dinner-party, made her wait at table, though Ho often entreated him -to hire a maid. - -Now the magistrate at Yen-t'ing was named Ch'ên Tsung-ss[)u], and once -when Hsi had some trifling difficulty with one of the neighbours he -was further accused to this official of having forced his wife to -assume the position of concubine. The magistrate, however, refused to -take up the case, to the great satisfaction of Hsi and his wife, who -lauded him to the skies as a virtuous mandarin. A few nights after, at -rather a late hour, the servant knocked at the door, and called out, -"The magistrate has come!" Hsi jumped up in a hurry, and began looking -for his clothes and shoes; but the magistrate was already in the -bedroom without either of them understanding what it all meant: when -suddenly Ho, examining him closely, cried out, "It is my son!" She -then burst into tears, and the magistrate, throwing himself on the -ground, wept with his mother. It seemed he had taken the name of the -gentleman with whom he had lived, and had since entered upon an -official career. That on his way to the capital[239] he had made a -_détour_ and visited his old home, where he heard to his infinite -sorrow that both his mothers had married again; and that his -relatives, finding him already a man of position, had restored to him -the family property, of which he had left some one in charge in the -hope that his father might return. That then he had been appointed to -Yen-t'ing, but had wished to throw up the post and travel in search -of his father, from which design he had been dissuaded by Mr. Ch'ên. -Also that he had met a fortune-teller from whom he had obtained the -following response to his inquiries:--"The lesser is the greater; the -younger is the elder. Seeking the cock, you find the hen; seeking one, -you get two. Your official life will be successful." Ch'ên then took -up his appointment, but not finding his father he confined himself -entirely to a vegetable diet, and gave up the use of wine.[240] The -above-mentioned case had subsequently come under his notice, and -seeing the name Hsi, he quietly sent his private servant to find out, -and thus discovered that this Hsi was his father. At night-fall he set -off himself, and when he saw his mother he knew that the -fortune-teller had told him true. Bidding them all say nothing to -anybody about what had occurred, he provided money for the journey, -and sent them back home. On arriving there, they found the place newly -painted, and with their increased retinue of servants and horses, they -were quite a wealthy family. As to Shên when she found what a great -man Ta-nan had become, she put still more restraint upon herself; but -her brother Pao brought an action for the purpose of reinstating her -as wife. The presiding official happened to be a man of probity, and -delivered the following judgment:--"Greedy of gain you urged your -sister to re-marry. After she had driven Hsi away, she took two fresh -husbands. How have you the face to talk about reinstating her as -wife?" He thereupon ordered Pao to be severely bambooed, and from this -time there was no longer any doubt about Shên's _status_. She was the -lesser and Ho the greater; and yet in the matter of clothes and food -Ho shewed herself by no means grasping. Shên was at first afraid that -Ho would pay her out, and was consequently more than ever repentant; -and Hsi himself, letting by-gones be by-gones, gave orders that Shên -should be called _madam_ by all alike, though of course she was -excluded from any titles that might be gained for them by Ta-nan.[241] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[236] This is by no means uncommon. The debt of gratitude between -pupil and teacher is second only to that existing between child and -parent; and a successful student soon has it in his power to more than -repay any such act of kindness as that here mentioned. - -[237] Which form the unvarying curriculum of a Chinese education. -These are (1) the _Four Books_, consisting of the teachings of -Confucius and Mencius; and (2) the _Five Canons_ (in the -ecclesiastical sense of the word) or the Canons of Changes, History, -Poetry, the Record of Rites, and Spring and Autumn. The _Four Books_ -consist of:-- - -(1) The Book of Wisdom, attributed by Chu Hi to Confucius. It is a -disquisition upon virtue and the moral elevation of the people. - -(2) The _Chung Yung_, or Gospel of Tz[)u] Ss[)u] (the grandson of -Confucius) wherein the ruling motives of human conduct are traced from -their psychological source. - -(3) The Confucian Gospels, being discourses of the Sage with his -disciples on miscellaneous topics. - -(4) The Gospels of Mencius. - -_The Canon of Changes_ contains a fanciful system of philosophy based -upon the combinations of eight diagrams said to have been copied from -the lines on the back of a tortoise. Ascribed to B.C. 1150. - -_The Canon of History_ embraces a period extending from the middle of -the 24th century B.C. to B.C. 721. Was edited by Confucius from then -existing documents. - -_The Canon of Poetry_ is a collection of irregular lyrics in vogue -among the people many centuries before the Christian era. Collected -and arranged by Confucius. - -_The Record of Rites_ contains a number of rules for the performance -of ceremonies and guidance of individual conduct. - -_Spring and Autumn_ consists of the annals of the petty kingdom of Lu -from 722 to 484 B.C. Is the work of Confucius himself. - -[238] See No. XXIII., note 154. - -[239] To be presented to the Emperor before taking up his post. - -[240] Hoping thus to interest Buddha in his behalf. - -[241] In accordance with Chinese usage, by which titles of nobility -are often conferred upon the _dead_ parents of a distinguished son. - - - - -XLII. - -THE WONDERFUL STONE. - - -In the prefecture of Shun-t'ien[242] there lived a man named Hsing -Yün-fei, who was an amateur mineralogist and would pay any price for a -good specimen. One day as he was fishing in the river, something -caught his net, and diving down he brought up a stone about a foot in -diameter, beautifully carved on all sides to resemble clustering hills -and peaks. He was quite as pleased with this as if he had found some -precious stone; and having had an elegant sandal-wood stand made for -it, he set his prize upon the table. Whenever it was about to rain, -clouds, which from a distance looked like new cotton wool, would come -forth from each of the holes or grottoes on the stone, and appear to -close them up. By-and-by an influential personage called at the house -and begged to see the stone, immediately seizing it and handing it -over to a lusty servant, at the same time whipping his horse and -riding away. Hsing was in despair; but all he could do was to mourn -the loss of his stone, and indulge his anger against the thief. -Meanwhile, the servant, who had carried off the stone on his back, -stopped to rest at a bridge; when all of a sudden his hand slipped and -the stone fell into the water. His master was extremely put out at -this, and gave him a sound beating; subsequently hiring several -divers, who tried every means in their power to recover the stone, but -were quite unable to find it. He then went away, having first -published a notice of reward, and by these means many were tempted to -seek for the stone. Soon after, Hsing himself came to the spot, and as -he mournfully approached the bank, lo! the water became clear, and he -could see the stone lying at the bottom. Taking off his clothes he -quickly jumped in and brought it out, together with the sandal-wood -stand which was still with it. He carried it off home, but being no -longer desirous of shewing it to people, he had an inner room cleaned -and put it in there. Some time afterwards an old man knocked at the -door and asked to be allowed to see the stone; whereupon Hsing replied -that he had lost it a long time ago. "Isn't that it in the inner -room?" said the old man, smiling. "Oh, walk in and see for yourself if -you don't believe me," answered Hsing; and the old man did walk in, -and there was the stone on the table. This took Hsing very much aback; -and the old man then laid his hand upon the stone and said, "This is -an old family relic of mine: I lost it many months since. How does it -come to be here? I pray you now restore it to me." Hsing didn't know -what to say, but declared he was the owner of the stone; upon which -the old man remarked, "If it is really yours, what evidence can you -bring to prove it?" Hsing made no reply; and the old man continued, -"To show you that I know this stone, I may mention that it has -altogether ninety-two grottoes, and that in the largest of these are -five words:-- - - 'A stone from Heaven above.'" - -Hsing looked and found that there were actually some small characters, -no larger than grains of rice, which by straining his eyes a little he -managed to read; also, that the number of grottoes was as the old man -had said. However, he would not give him the stone; and the old man -laughed, and asked, "Pray, what right have you to keep other people's -things?" He then bowed and went away, Hsing escorting him as far as -the door; but when he returned to the room, the stone had disappeared. -In a great fright, he ran after the old man, who had walked slowly and -was not far off, and seizing his sleeve entreated him to give back the -stone. "Do you think," said the latter, "that I could conceal a stone -a foot in diameter in my sleeve?" But Hsing knew that he must be -superhuman, and led him back to the house, where he threw himself on -his knees and begged that he might have the stone. "Is it yours or -mine?" asked the old man. "Of course it is yours," replied Hsing, -"though I hope you will consent to deny yourself the pleasure of -keeping it." "In that case," said the old man, "it is back again;" and -going into the inner room, they found the stone in its old place. -"The jewels of this world," observed Hsing's visitor, "should be given -to those who know how to take care of them. This stone can choose its -own master, and I am very pleased that it should remain with you; at -the same time I must inform you that it was in too great a hurry to -come into the world of mortals, and has not yet been freed from all -contingent calamities. I had better take it away with me, and three -years hence you shall have it again. If, however, you insist on -keeping it, then your span of life will be shortened by three years, -that your terms of existence may harmonize together. Are you willing?" -Hsing said he was; whereupon the old man with his fingers closed up -three of the stone's grottoes, which yielded to his touch like mud. -When this was done, he turned to Hsing and told him that the grottoes -on that stone represented the years of his life; and then he took his -leave, firmly refusing to remain any longer, and not disclosing his -name. - -More than a year after this, Hsing had occasion to go away on -business, and in the night a thief broke in and carried off the stone, -taking nothing else at all. When Hsing came home, he was dreadfully -grieved, as if his whole object in life was gone; and made all -possible inquiries and efforts to get it back, but without the -slightest result. Some time passed away, when one day going into a -temple Hsing noticed a man selling stones, and amongst the rest he saw -his old friend. Of course he immediately wanted to regain possession -of it; but as the stone-seller would not consent, he shouldered the -stone and went off to the nearest mandarin. The stone-seller was then -asked what proof he could give that the stone was his; and he replied -that the number of grottoes was eighty-nine. Hsing inquired if that -was all he had to say, and when the other acknowledged that it was, he -himself told the magistrate what were the characters inscribed within, -also calling attention to the finger marks at the closed-up grottoes. -He therefore gained his case, and the mandarin would have bambooed the -stone-seller, had he not declared that he bought it in the market for -twenty ounces of silver,--whereupon he was dismissed. - -A high official next offered Hsing one hundred ounces of silver for -it; but he refused to sell it even for ten thousand, which so enraged -the would-be purchaser that he worked up a case against Hsing,[243] -and got him put in prison. Hsing was thereby compelled to pawn a great -deal of his property; and then the official sent some one to try if -the affair could not be managed through his son, to which Hsing, on -hearing of the attempt, steadily refused to consent, saying that he -and the stone could not be parted even in death. His wife, however, -and his son, laid their heads together, and sent the stone to the high -official, and Hsing only heard of it when he arrived home from the -prison. He cursed his wife and beat his son, and frequently tried to -make away with himself, though luckily his servants always managed to -prevent him from succeeding.[244] At night he dreamt that a -noble-looking personage appeared to him, and said, "My name is Shih -Ch'ing-hsü--(Stone from Heaven). Do not grieve. I purposely quitted -you for a year and more; but next year on the 20th of the eighth moon, -at dawn, come to the Hai-tai Gate and buy me back for two strings of -cash." Hsing was overjoyed at this dream, and carefully took down the -day mentioned. Meanwhile the stone was at the official's private -house; but as the cloud manifestations ceased, the stone was less and -less prized; and the following year when the official was disgraced -for maladministration and subsequently died, Hsing met some of his -servants at the Hai-tai Gate going off to sell the stone, and -purchased it back from them for two strings of cash. - -Hsing lived till he was eighty-nine; and then having prepared the -necessaries for his interment, bade his son bury the stone with -him,[245] which was accordingly done. Six months later robbers broke -into the vault[246] and made off with the stone, and his son tried in -vain to secure their capture; however, a few days afterwards, he was -travelling with his servants, when suddenly two men rushed forth -dripping with perspiration, and looking up into the air, acknowledged -their crime, saying, "Mr. Hsing, please don't torment us thus! We took -the stone, and sold it for only four ounces of silver." Hsing's son -and his servants then seized these men, and took them before the -magistrate, where they at once acknowledged their guilt. Asking what -had become of the stone, they said they had sold it to a member of the -magistrate's family; and when it was produced, that official took such -a fancy to it that he gave it to one of his servants and bade him -place it in the treasury. Thereupon the stone slipped out of the -servant's hand and broke into a hundred pieces, to the great -astonishment of all present. The magistrate now had the thieves -bambooed and sent them away; but Hsing's son picked up the broken -pieces of the stone, and buried them in his father's grave. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[242] In which Peking is situated. - -[243] A common form of revenge in China, and one which is easily -carried through when the prosecutor is a man of wealth and influence. - -[244] Another favourite method of revenging oneself upon an enemy, who -is in many cases held responsible for the death thus occasioned. Mr. -Alabaster told me an amusing story of a Chinese woman who deliberately -walked into a pond until the water reached her knees, and remained -there alternately putting her lips below the surface and threatening -in a loud voice to drown herself on the spot, as life had been made -unbearable by the presence of foreign barbarians. This was during the -Taiping rebellion. - -[245] Valuables of some kind or other are often placed in the coffins -of wealthy Chinese; and women are almost always provided with a -certain quantity of jewels with which to adorn themselves in the -realms below. - -[246] One of the most heinous offences in the Chinese Penal Code. - - - - -XLIII. - -THE QUARRELSOME BROTHERS. - - -At K'un-yang there lived a wealthy man named Tsêng. When he died, and -before he was put in the coffin, tears were seen to gush forth from -both eyes of the corpse, to the infinite amazement of his six sons. -His second son, T'i, otherwise called Yu-yü, who had gained for -himself the reputation of being a scholar, said it was a bad omen, and -warned his brothers to be careful and not give cause for sorrow to the -dead,--at which the others only laughed at him as an idiot. - -Tsêng's first wife and eldest son having been carried off by the -rebels when the latter was only seven or eight years old, he married a -second wife, by whom he had three sons, Hsiao, Chung, and Hsin; -besides three other sons by a concubine--namely, the above-mentioned -T'i, or Yu-yü, Jen, and Yi. Now the three by the second wife banded -themselves together against the three by the concubine, saying that -the latter were a base-born lot; and whenever a guest was present and -either of them happened to be in the room, Hsiao and his two brothers -would not take the slightest notice of them. This enraged Jen and Yi -very much, and they went to consult with Yu-yü as to how they should -avenge themselves for such slights. Yu-yü, however, tried every means -in his power to pacify them, and would not take part in any plot; and, -as they were much younger than he, they took his advice,[247] and did -nothing. - -Hsiao had a daughter, who died shortly after her marriage to a Mr. -Chou; and her father begged Yu-yü and his other brothers to go with -him and give his late daughter's mother-in-law a sound beating.[248] -Yu-yü would not hear of it for a moment; so Hsiao in a rage got his -brothers Chung and Hsin, with a lot of rowdies from the neighbourhood, -and went off and did it themselves, scattering the goods and chattels -of the family about, and smashing everything they could lay their -hands on. An action was immediately brought by the Chou family, and -Hsiao and his two brothers were thrown into prison by the angry -mandarin, who purposed sending the case before a higher tribunal. -Yu-yü, however, whose high character was well known to that official, -interceded for them, and himself went to the Chou family and tendered -the most humble apologies for what had occurred. The Chou family, out -of respect for Yu-yü, suffered the case to drop, and Hsiao regained -his liberty, though he did not evince the slightest gratitude for his -brother's exertions. Shortly after, Yu-yü's mother died; but Hsiao and -the other two refused to put on mourning for her, going on with their -usual feasting and drinking as if nothing had happened. Jen and Yi -were furious at this; but Yu-yü only observed, "What they do is their -own indecorous behaviour; it does not injure us." Then, again, when -the funeral was about to take place, Hsiao, Chung, and Hsin stood -before the door of the vault, and would not allow the others to bury -their mother there. So Yu-yü buried her alongside the principal grave. -Before long Hsiao's wife died, and Yu-yü told Jen and Yi to accompany -him to the house and condole with the widower; to which they both -objected, saying, "He would not wear mourning for our mother; shall we -do so for his wife?"[249] Ultimately Yu-yü had to go alone; and while -he was pouring forth his lamentations beside the bier, he heard Jen -and Yi playing drums and trumpets outside the door. Hsiao flew into a -tremendous passion, and went after them with his own two brothers to -give them a good thrashing. Yu-yü, too, seized a big stick and -accompanied them to the house where Jen and Yi were; whereupon Jen -made his escape; but as Yi was clambering over the wall, Yu-yü hit him -from behind and knocked him down. Hsiao and the others then set upon -him with their fists and sticks, and would never have stopped but that -Yu-yü interposed his body between them and made them desist. Hsiao was -very angry at this, and began to abuse Yu-yü, who said, "The -punishment was for want of decorum, for which death would be too -severe. I can neither connive at their bad behaviour, nor at your -cruelty. If your anger is not appeased, strike me." Hsiao now turned -his fury against Yu-yü, and being well seconded by his two brothers, -they beat Yu-yü until the neighbours separated them and put an end to -the row. Yu-yü at once proceeded to Hsiao's house to apologize for -what had occurred; but Hsiao drove him away, and would not let him -take part in the funeral ceremonies. Meanwhile, as Yi's wounds were -very severe, and he could neither eat nor drink, his brother Jen went -on his behalf to the magistrate, stating in the petition that the -accused had not worn mourning for their father's concubine. The -magistrate issued a warrant; and, besides causing the arrest of Hsiao, -Chung, and Hsin, he ordered Yu-yü to prosecute them as well. Yu-yü, -however, was so much cut about the head and face that he could not -appear in court, but he wrote out a petition, in which he begged that -the case might be quashed; and this the magistrate consented to do. Yi -soon got better, the feeling of hatred and resentment increasing in -the family day by day; while Jen and Yi, who were younger than the -others, complained to Yu-yü of their recent punishment, saying, "The -relationship of elder and younger brothers exists for others, why not -for us?" "Ah," replied Yu-yü, "that is what I might well say; not -you." Yu-yü then tried to persuade them to forget the past; but, not -succeeding in his attempt, he shut up his house, and went off with his -wife to live somewhere else, about twenty miles away. Now, although -when Yu-yü was among them he did not help the two younger ones, yet -his presence acted as some restraint upon Hsiao and the other two; but -now that he was gone their conduct was beyond all bounds. They sought -out Jen and Yi in their own houses, and not only reviled them, but -abused the memory of their dead mother, against which Jen and Yi could -only retaliate by keeping the door shut against them. However, they -determined to do them some injury, and carried knives about with them -wherever they went for that purpose. - -One day the eldest brother, Ch'êng, who had been carried off by the -rebels, returned with his wife; and, after three days' deliberation, -Hsiao and the other two determined that, as he had been so long -separated from the family, he had no further claims upon them for -house-room, &c. Jen and Yi were secretly delighted at this result, and -at once inviting Ch'êng to stay with them, sent news of his arrival to -Yu-yü, who came back directly, and agreed with the others to hand over -a share of the property to their elder brother. Hsiao and his clique -were much enraged at this purchase of Ch'êng's good will, and, -hurrying to their brothers' houses, assailed them with every possible -kind of abuse. Ch'êng, who had long been accustomed to scenes of -violence among the rebels, now got into a great passion, and cried -out, "When I came home none of you would give me a place to live in. -Only these younger ones recognised the ties of blood,[250] and you -would punish them for so doing. Do you think to drive me away?" -Thereupon he threw a stone at Hsiao and knocked him down; and Jen and -Yi rushed out with clubs and gave the three of them a severe -thrashing. Ch'êng did not wait for them to lay a plaint, but set off -to the magistrate on the spot, and preferred a charge against his -three brothers. The magistrate, as before, sent for Yu-yü to ask his -opinion, and Yu-yü had no alternative but to go, entering the yamên -with downcast head, his tears flowing in silence all the while. The -magistrate inquired of him how the matter stood; to which he replied -only by begging His Honour to hear the case; which the magistrate -accordingly did, deciding that the whole of the property was to be -divided equally among the seven brothers. Thenceforth Jen and Yi -became more and more attached to Ch'êng; and one day, in conversation, -they happened to tell him the story of their mother's funeral. Ch'êng -was exceedingly angry, and declared that such behaviour was that of -brute beasts, proposing at the same time that the vault should be -opened and that she should be re-buried in the proper place. Jen and -Yi went off and told this to Yu-yü, who immediately came and begged -Ch'êng to desist from his scheme; to which, however, he paid no -attention, and fixed a day for her interment in the family vault. He -then built a hut near by, and, with a knife lopping the branches off -the trees, informed the brothers that any of them who did not appear -at the funeral in the usual mourning would be treated by him in a -manner similar to the trees. So they were all obliged to go, and the -obsequies were conducted in a fitting manner. The brothers were now at -peace together, Ch'êng keeping them in first-rate order, and always -treating Hsiao, Chung, and Hsin with much more severity than the -others. To Yu-yü he shewed a marked deference, and, whenever he was in -a rage, would always be appeased by a word from him. Hsiao, too, was -always going to Yu-yü to complain of the treatment he received at -Ch'êng's hands when he did anything that Ch'êng disapproved of; and -then, if Yu-yü quietly reproved him, he would be dissatisfied, so that -at last Yu-yü could stand it no longer, and again went away and took a -house at a considerable distance, where he remained almost entirely -cut off from the others. By the time two years had passed away Ch'êng -had completely succeeded in establishing harmony amongst them, and -quarrels were of rare occurrence. Hsiao was then forty-six years old, -and had five sons; Chi-yeh and Chi-tê, the first and third, by his -wife; Chi-kung and Chi-chi, the second and fourth, by a concubine; -and Chi-tsu, by a slave. They were all grown up, and exactly imitated -their father's former behaviour, banding themselves together one -against the other, and so on, without their father being able to make -them behave better. Chi-tsu had no brothers of his own, and, being the -youngest, the others bullied him dreadfully; until at length, being on -a visit to his wife's family, who lived not far from Yu-yü's house, he -went slightly out of his way to call and see his uncle. There he found -his three cousins living peaceably together and pursuing their -studies, and was so pleased that he remained with them some time, and -said not a word as to returning home. His uncle urged him to go back, -but he entreated to be allowed to stay; and then his uncle told him it -was not that he grudged his daily food: it was because his father and -mother did not know where he was. Chi-tsu accordingly went home, and a -few months afterwards, when he and his wife were on the point of -starting to congratulate his wife's mother on the anniversary of her -birthday, he explained to his father that he should not come home -again. When his father asked him why not, he partly divulged his -reasons for going; whereupon his father said he was afraid his uncle -would bear malice for what happened in the past, and that he would not -be able to remain there long. "Father," replied Chi-tsu, "uncle Yu-yü -is a good and virtuous man." He set out with his wife, and when they -arrived Yu-yü gave them separate quarters, and made Chi-tsu rank as -one of his own sons, making him join the eldest, Chi-san, in his -studies. Chi-tsu was a clever fellow, and now enrolled himself as a -resident of the place where his uncle lived.[251] - -Meanwhile, his brothers went on quarrelling among themselves as usual; -and one day Chi-kung, enraged at an insult offered to his mother, -killed Chi-yeh. He was immediately thrown into prison, where he was -severely bambooed, and in a few days he died. Chi-yeh's wife, whose -maiden name was Fêng, now spent the days of mourning in cursing her -husband's murderer; and when Chi-kung's wife heard this, she flew into -a towering passion, and said to her, "If your husband is dead, mine -isn't alive." She then drew a knife and killed her, completing the -tragedy by herself committing suicide in a well. - -Mr. Fêng, the father of the murdered woman, was very much distressed -at his daughter's untimely end; and, taking with him several members -of the family with arms concealed under their clothes, they proceeded -to Hsiao's house, and there gave his wife a most terrific beating. It -was now Ch'êng's turn to be angry. "The members of my family are dying -like sheep," cried he; "what do you mean by this, Mr. Fêng?" He then -rushed out upon them with a roar, accompanied by all his own brothers -and their sons; and the Fêng family was utterly routed. Seizing old -Fêng himself, Ch'êng cut off both his ears; and when his son tried to -rescue him, Chi-chi ran up and broke both his legs with an iron -crowbar. Every one of the Fêng family was badly wounded, and thus -dispersed, leaving old Fêng's son lying in the middle of the road. The -others not knowing what to do with him, Ch'êng took him under his arm, -and, having thrown him down in the Fêng village, returned home, giving -orders to Chi-chi to go immediately to the authorities and enter their -plaint the first.[252] - -The Fêng family had, however, anticipated them, and all the Tsêngs -were accordingly thrown into prison, except Chung, who managed to -escape. He ran away to the place where Yu-yü lived, and was pacing -backwards and forwards before the door, afraid lest his brother should -not have forgiven past offences, when suddenly Yu-yü, with his son and -nephew, arrived, on their return from the examination. "What do you -want, my brother?" asked Yu-yü; whereupon Chung prostrated himself at -the roadside, and then Yu-yü, seizing his hand, led him within to make -further inquiries. "Alas! alas!" cried Yu-yü, when he had heard the -story, "I knew that some dreadful calamity would be the result of all -this wicked behaviour. But why have you come hither? I have been -absent so long that I am no more acquainted with the local -authorities; and if I now went to ask a favour of them, I should -probably only be insulted for my pains. However, if none of the Fêng -family die of their wounds, and if we three may chance to be -successful in our examination, something may perhaps be done to -mitigate this calamity."[253] Yu-yü then kept Chung to dinner, and at -night he shared their room, which kind treatment made him at once -grateful and repentant. By the end of ten days he was so struck with -the behaviour of the father, sons, uncle, nephew, and cousins, one -toward the other, that he burst into tears, and said, "Now I know how -badly I behaved in days gone by." His uncle was overjoyed at his -repentance, and sympathised with his feelings, when suddenly it was -announced that Yu-yü and his son had both passed the examination for -master's degree, and that Chi-tsu was _proximé accessit_. This -delighted them all very much. They did not, however, attend the -Fu-t'ai's congratulatory feast,[254] but went off first to worship at -the tombs of their ancestors. - -Now, at the time of the Ming dynasty a man who had taken his master's -degree was a very considerable personage,[255] and the Fêngs -accordingly began to draw in their horns. Yu-yü, too, met them -half-way. He got a friend to convey to them presents of food and money -to help them in recovering from their injuries, and thus the -prosecution was withdrawn. Then all his brothers implored him with -tears in their eyes to return home, and, after burning incense with -them,[256] and making them enter into a bond with him that by-gones -should be by-gones, he acceded to their request. Chi-tsu, however, -would not leave his uncle; and Hsiao himself said to Yu-yü, "I don't -deserve such a son as that. Keep him, and teach him as you have done -hitherto, and let him be as one of your own children; but if at some -future time he succeeds in his examination, then I will beg you to -return him to me." Yu-yü consented to this; and three years afterwards -Chi-tsu did take his master's degree, upon which he sent him back to -his own family. - -Both husband and wife were very loth to leave their uncle's house, and -they had hardly been at home three days before one of their children, -only three years old, ran away and went back, returning to his -great-uncle's as often as he was recaptured. This induced Hsiao to -remove to the next house to Yu-yü's, and, by opening a door between -the two, they made one establishment of the whole. Ch'êng was now -getting old, and the family affairs devolved entirely upon Yu-yü, who -managed things so well that their reputation for filial piety and -fraternal love was soon spread far and wide. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[247] Deference to elder brothers is held by the Chinese to be second -only in importance to filial piety. - -[248] In a volume of _Chinese Sketches_, published by me in 1876, -occur (p. 129) the following words:--"Occasionally a young wife is -driven to commit suicide by the harshness of her mother-in-law, but -this is of rare occurrence, as the consequences are terrible to the -family of the guilty woman. The blood-relatives of the deceased repair -to the chamber of death, and in the injured victim's hand they place a -broom. They then support the corpse round the room, making its dead -arm move the broom from side to side, and thus sweep away wealth, -happiness, and longevity, from the accursed place for ever." - -[249] A wife being an infinitely less important personage than a -mother in the Chinese social scale. - -[250] Literally, of hand and foot, to the mutual dependence of which -that of brothers is frequently likened by the Chinese. - -[251] Any permanent change of residence must be notified to the -District Magistrate, who keeps a running census of all persons within -his jurisdiction. - -[252] To be thus beforehand with one's adversary is regarded as _primâ -facie_ evidence of being in the right. - -[253] By means of the _status_ which a graduate of the second degree -would necessarily have. - -[254] A sham entertainment given by the Fu-t'ai, or governor, to all -the successful candidates. I say _sham_, because the whole thing is -merely nominal; a certain amount of food is contracted for, but there -is never anything fit to eat, most of the money being embezzled by the -underlings to whose management the banquet is entrusted. - -[255] Much more so than at present. - -[256] Thereby invoking the Gods as witnesses. A common method of -making up a quarrel in China is to send the aggrieved party an olive -and a piece of red paper in token that peace is restored. Why the -_olive_ should be specially employed I have in vain tried to -ascertain. - - - - -XLIV. - -THE YOUNG GENTLEMAN WHO COULDN'T SPELL.[257] - - -At Chia-p'ing there lived a certain young gentleman of considerable -talent and very prepossessing appearance. When seventeen years of age -he went up for his bachelor's degree; and as he was passing the door -of a house, he saw within a pretty-looking girl, who not only riveted -his gaze, but also smiled and nodded her head at him. Quite pleased at -this, he approached the young lady and began to talk, she, meanwhile, -inquiring of him where he lived, and if alone or otherwise. He assured -her he was quite by himself; and then she said, "Well, I will come and -see you, but you mustn't let any one know." The young gentleman -agreed, and when he got home he sent all the servants to another part -of the house, and by-and-by the young lady arrived. She said her name -was Wên-chi, and that her admiration for her host's noble bearing had -made her visit him, unknown to her mistress. "And gladly," added she, -"would I be your handmaid for life." Our hero was delighted, and -proposed to purchase her from the mistress she mentioned; and from -this time she was in the habit of coming in every other day or so. On -one occasion it was raining hard, and, after hanging up her wet cloak -upon a peg, she took off her shoes, and bade the young gentleman clean -them for her. He noticed that they were newly embroidered with all the -colours of the rainbow, but utterly spoilt by the soaking rain; and -was just saying what a pity it was, when the young lady cried out, "I -should never have asked you to do such menial work except to show my -love for you." All this time the rain was falling fast outside, and -Wên-chi now repeated the following line:-- - - "A nipping wind and chilly rain fill the river and the city." - -"There," said she, "cap that." The young gentleman replied that he -could not, as he did not even understand what it meant. "Oh, really," -retorted the young lady, "if you're not more of a scholar than that, I -shall begin to think very little of you." She then told him he had -better practice making verses, and he promised he would do so. - -By degrees Miss Wên-chi's frequent visits attracted the notice of the -servants, as also of a brother-in-law named Sung, who was likewise a -gentleman of position; and the latter begged our hero to be allowed -to have a peep at her. He was told in reply that the young lady had -strictly forbidden that any one should see her; however, he concealed -himself in the servants' quarters, and when she arrived he looked at -her through the window. Almost beside himself, he now opened the door; -whereupon Wên-chi jumping up, vaulted over the wall and disappeared. -Sung was really smitten with her, and went off to her mistress to try -and arrange for her purchase; but when he mentioned Wên-chi's name, he -was informed that they had once had such a girl, who had died several -years previously. In great amazement Sung went back and told his -brother-in-law, and he now knew that his beloved Wên-chi was a -disembodied spirit. So when she came again he asked her if it was so; -to which she replied, "It is; but as you wanted a nice wife and I a -handsome husband, I thought we should be a suitable pair. What matters -it that one is a mortal and the other a spirit?" The young gentleman -thoroughly coincided in her view of the case; and when his examination -was over, and he was homeward bound, Wên-chi accompanied him, -invisible to others and visible to him alone. Arriving at his parents' -house, he installed her in the library; and the day she went to pay -the customary bride's visit to her father and mother,[258] he told his -own mother the whole story. She and his father were greatly alarmed, -and ordered him to have no more to do with her; but he would not -listen to this, and then his parents tried by all kinds of devices to -get rid of the girl, none of which met with any success. - -One day our hero had left upon the table some written instructions for -one of the servants, wherein he had made a number of mistakes in -spelling, such as _paper_ for _pepper_, _jinjer_ for _ginger_, and so -on; and when Wên-chi saw this, she wrote at the foot:-- - - "Paper for pepper do I see? - Jinjer for ginger can it be? - Of such a husband I'm afraid; - I'd rather be a servant-maid." - -She then said to the young gentleman, "Imagining you to be a man of -culture, I hid my blushes and sought you out the first.[259] Alas, -your qualifications are on the outside; should I not thus be a -laughing-stock to all?" She then disappeared, at which the young -gentleman was much hurt; but not knowing to what she alluded, he gave -the instructions to his servant, and so made himself the butt of all -who heard the story. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[257] Of course there is no such thing as spelling, in our sense of -the term, in Chinese. But characters are frequently written with too -many or too few strokes, and may thus be said to be incorrectly spelt. - -[258] A ceremonial visit made on the third day after marriage. - -[259] Contrary to all Chinese notions of modesty and etiquette. - - - - -XLV. - -THE TIGER GUEST. - - -A young man named Kung, a native of Min-chou, on his way to the -examination at Hsi-ngan, rested awhile in an inn, and ordered some -wine to drink. Just then a very tall and noble-looking stranger walked -in, and, seating himself by the side of Kung, entered into -conversation with him. Kung offered him a cup of wine, which the -stranger did not refuse; saying, at the same time, that his name was -Miao. But he was a rough, coarse fellow; and Kung, therefore, when the -wine was finished, did not call for any more. Miao then rose, and -observing that Kung did not appreciate a man of his capacity, went out -into the market to buy some, returning shortly with a huge bowl full. -Kung declined the proffered wine; but Miao, seizing his arm to -persuade him, gripped it so painfully that Kung was forced to drink a -few more cups, Miao himself swilling away as hard as he could go out -of a soup-plate. "I am not good at entertaining people," cried Miao, -at length; "pray go on or stop just as you please." Kung accordingly -put together his things and went off; but he had not gone more than a -few miles when his horse was taken ill, and lay down in the road. -While he was waiting there with all his heavy baggage, revolving in -his mind what he should do, up came Mr. Miao; who, when he heard what -was the matter, took off his coat and handed it to the servant, and -lifting up the horse, carried it off on his back to the nearest inn, -which was about six or seven miles distant. Arriving there he put the -animal in the stable, and before long Kung and his servants arrived -too. Kung was much astonished at Mr. Miao's feat; and, believing him -to be superhuman, began to treat him with the utmost deference, -ordering both wine and food to be procured for their refreshment. "My -appetite," remarked Miao, "is one that you could not easily satisfy. -Let us stick to wine." So they finished another stoup together, and -then Miao got up and took his leave, saying, "It will be some time -before your horse is well; I cannot wait for you." He then went away. - -After the examination several friends of Kung's invited him to join -them in a picnic to the Flowery Hill; and just as they were all -feasting and laughing together, lo! Mr. Miao walked up. In one hand he -held a large flagon, and in the other a ham, both of which he laid -down on the ground before them. "Hearing," said he, "that you -gentlemen were coming here, I have tacked myself on to you, like a fly -to a horse's tail."[260] Kung and his friends then rose and received -him with the usual ceremonies, after which they all sat down -promiscuously.[261] By-and-by, when the wine had gone round pretty -freely, some one proposed capping verses; whereupon Miao cried out, -"Oh, we're very jolly drinking like this; what's the use of making -oneself uncomfortable?" The others, however, would not listen to him, -and agreed that as a forfeit a huge goblet of wine should be drunk by -any defaulter. "Let us rather make death the penalty," said Miao; to -which they replied, laughing, that such a punishment was a trifle too -severe; and then Miao retorted that if it was not to be death, even a -rough fellow like himself might be able to join. A Mr. Chin, who was -sitting at the top of the line, then began:-- - - "From the hill-top high, wide extends the gaze--" - -upon which Miao immediately carried on with - - "Redly gleams the sword o'er the shattered vase."[262] - -The next gentleman thought for a long time, during which Miao was -helping himself to wine; and by-and-by they had all capped the verse, -but so wretchedly that Miao called out, "Oh, come! if we aren't to be -fined for these,[263] we had better abstain from making any more." As -none of them would agree to this, Miao could stand it no longer, and -roared like a dragon till the hills and valleys echoed again. He then -went down on his hands and knees, and jumped about like a lion, which -utterly confused the poets, and put an end to their lucubrations. The -wine had now been round a good many times, and being half tipsy each -began to repeat to the other the verses he had handed in at the recent -examination,[264] all at the same time indulging in any amount of -mutual flattery. This so disgusted Miao that he drew Kung aside to -have a game at "guess-fingers;"[265] but as they went on droning away -all the same, he at length cried out, "Do stop your rubbish, fit only -for your own wives,[266] and not for general company." The others were -much abashed at this, and so angry were they at Miao's rudeness that -they went on repeating all the louder. Miao then threw himself on the -ground in a passion, and with a roar changed into a tiger, immediately -springing upon the company, and killing them all except Kung and Mr. -Chin. He then ran off roaring loudly. Now this Mr. Chin succeeded in -taking his master's degree; and three years afterwards, happening to -revisit the Flowery Hill, he beheld a Mr. Chi, one of those very -gentlemen who had previously been killed by the tiger. In great alarm -he was making off, when Chi seized his bridle and would not let him -proceed. So he got down from his horse, and inquired what was the -matter; to which Chi replied, "I am now the slave of Miao, and have to -endure bitter toil for him. He must kill some one else before I can be -set free.[267] Three days hence a man, arrayed in the robes and cap -of a scholar, should be eaten by the tiger at the foot of the -Ts'ang-lung Hill. Do you on that day take some gentleman thither, and -thus help your old friend." Chin was too frightened to say much, but -promising that he would do so, rode away home. He then began to -consider the matter over with himself, and, regarding it as a plot, he -determined to break his engagement, and let his friend remain the -tiger's devil. He chanced, however, to repeat the story to a Mr. -Chiang who was a relative of his, and one of the local scholars; and -as this gentleman had a grudge against another scholar, named Yu, who -had come out equal with him at the examination, he made up his mind to -destroy him. So he invited Yu to accompany him on that day to the -place in question, mentioning that he himself should appear in undress -only. Yu could not make out the reason for this; but when he reached -the spot there he found all kinds of wine and food ready for his -entertainment. Now that very day the Prefect had come to the hill; and -being a friend of the Chiang family, and hearing that Chiang was -below, sent for him to come up. Chiang did not dare to appear before -him in undress, and borrowed Yu's clothes and hat; but he had no -sooner got them on than out rushed the tiger and carried him away in -its mouth. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[260] Alluding to a well-known expression which occurs in the -_Historical Record_, and is often used in the sense of deriving -advantage from connection with some influential person. - -[261] Without any regard to precedence, which plays quite as important -a part at a Chinese as at a western dinner-party. In China, however, -the most honoured guest sits at (what may be called) the head of the -table, the host at the foot. I say "what may be called," as Chinese -dining-tables are almost invariably square, and position alone -determines which is the head and which the foot. They are usually made -to accommodate eight persons; hence the fancy name "eight-angel -table," in allusion to the eight famous angels, or Immortals, of the -Taoist religion. (See No. V., note 48.) Occasionally, round tables are -used; especially in cases where the party consists of some such number -as ten. - -[262] It is almost impossible to give in translation the true spirit -of a Chinese antithetical couplet. There are so many points to be -brought out, each word of the second line being in opposition both in -tone and sense to a corresponding word in the first, that anything -beyond a rough rendering of the idea conveyed would be superfluous in -a work like this. Suffice it to say that Miao has here successfully -capped the verse given; and the more so because he has introduced, -through the medium of "sword" and "shattered vase," an allusion to a -classical story in which a certain Wang Tun, when drunk with wine, -beat time on a vase with his sword, and smashed the lip. - -[263] This is the _vel ego vel Cluvienus_ style of satire, his own -verse having been particularly good. - -[264] Many candidates, successful or otherwise, have their verses and -essays printed, and circulate them among an admiring circle of -friends. - -[265] Accurately described in Tylor's _Primitive Culture_, Vol. I., p. -75:--"Each player throws out a hand, and the sum of all the fingers -shown has to be called, the successful caller scoring a point; -practically each calls the total before he sees his adversary's hand." -The insertion of the word "simultaneously" after "called" would -improve this description. This game is so noisy that the Hong-kong -authorities have forbidden it, except within certain authorised -limits, between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.--Ordinance No. 2 of -1872. - -[266] This delicate stroke is of itself sufficient to prove the truth -of the oft-quoted Chinese saying, that all between the Four Seas are -brothers. - -[267] The "substitution" theory by which disembodied spirits are -enabled to find their way back to the world of mortals. A very -interesting and important example of this belief occurs in a later -story (No. CVII.), for which place I reserve further comments. - - - - -XLVI. - -THE SISTERS. - - -His Excellency the Grand Secretary Mao came from an obscure family in -the district of Yeh, his father being only a poor cow-herd. At the -same place there resided a wealthy gentleman, named Chang, who owned a -burial-ground in the neighbourhood; and some one informed him that -while passing by he had heard sounds of wrangling from within the -grave, and voices saying, "Make haste and go away; do not disturb His -Excellency's home." Chang did not much believe this; but subsequently -he had several dreams in which he was told that the burial-ground in -question really belonged to the Mao family, and that he had no right -whatever to it. From this moment the affairs of his house began to go -wrong;[268] and at length he listened to the remonstrances of friends -and removed his dead elsewhere. - -One day Mao's father, the cow-herd, was out near this burial-ground, -when, a storm of rain coming on, he took refuge in the now empty -grave, while the rain came down harder than ever, and by-and-by -flooded the whole place and drowned the old man. The Grand Secretary -was then a mere boy, and his mother went off to Chang to beg a piece -of ground wherein to bury her dead husband. When Chang heard her name -he was greatly astonished; and on going to look at the spot where the -old man was drowned, found that it was exactly at the proper place for -the coffin. More than ever amazed, he gave orders that the body should -be buried there in the old grave, and also bade Mao's mother bring her -son to see him. When the funeral was over, she went with Mao to Mr. -Chang's house, to thank him for his kindness; and so pleased was he -with the boy that he kept him to be educated, ranking him as one of -his own sons. He also said he would give him his eldest daughter as a -wife, an offer which Mao's mother hardly dared accept; but Mrs. Chang -said that the thing was settled and couldn't be altered, so then she -was obliged to consent. The young lady, however, had a great contempt -for Mao, and made no effort to disguise her feelings; and if any one -spoke to her of him, she would put her fingers in her ears, declaring -she would die sooner than marry the cow-boy. On the day appointed for -the wedding, the bridegroom arrived, and was feasted within, while -outside the door a handsome chair was in waiting to convey away the -bride, who all this time was standing crying in a corner, wiping her -eyes with her sleeve, and absolutely refusing to dress. Just then the -bridegroom sent in to say he was going,[269] and the drums and -trumpets struck up the wedding march, at which the bride's tears only -fell the faster as her hair hung dishevelled down her back. Her father -managed to detain Mao awhile, and went in to urge his daughter to make -haste, she weeping bitterly as if she did not hear what he was saying. -He now got into a rage, which only made her cry the louder; and in the -middle of it all a servant came to say the bridegroom wished to take -his leave. The father ran out and said his daughter wasn't quite -ready, begging Mao to wait a little longer; and then hurried back -again to the bride. Thus they went on for some time, backwards and -forwards, until at last things began to look serious, for the young -lady obstinately refused to yield; and Mr. Chang was ready to commit -suicide for want of anything better. Just then his second daughter was -standing by upbraiding her elder sister for her disobedience, when -suddenly the latter turned round in a rage, and cried out, "So you are -imitating the rest of them, you little minx; why don't you go and -marry him yourself?" "My father did not betroth me to Mr. Mao," -answered she, "but if he had I should not require you to persuade me -to accept him." Her father was delighted with this reply, and at once -went off and consulted with his wife as to whether they could venture -to substitute the second for the elder; and then her mother came and -said to her, "That bad girl there won't obey her parent's commands; we -wish, therefore, to put you in her place: will you consent to this -arrangement?" The younger sister readily agreed, saying that had they -told her to marry a beggar she would not have dared to refuse, and -that she had not such a low opinion of Mr. Mao as all that. Her father -and mother rejoiced exceedingly at receiving this reply; and dressing -her up in her sister's clothes, put her in the bridal chair and sent -her off. She proved an excellent wife, and lived in harmony with her -husband; but she was troubled with a disease of the hair, which caused -Mr. Mao some annoyance. Later on, she told him how she had changed -places with her sister, and this made him think more highly of her -than before. Soon after Mao took his bachelor's degree, and then set -off to present himself as a candidate for the master's degree. On the -way he passed by an inn, the landlord of which had dreamt the night -before that a spirit appeared to him and said, "To-morrow Mr. Mao, -first on the list, will come. Some day he will extricate you from a -difficulty." Accordingly the landlord got up early, and took especial -note of all guests who came from the eastward, until at last Mao -himself arrived. The landlord was very glad to see him, and provided -him with the best of everything, refusing to take any payment for it -all, but telling what he had dreamt the night before. Mao now began to -give himself airs; and, reflecting that his wife's want of hair would -make him look ridiculous, he determined that as soon as he attained to -rank and power he would find another spouse. But alas! when the -successful list of candidates was published, Mao's name was not among -them; and he retraced his steps with a heavy heart, and by another -road, so as to avoid meeting the innkeeper. Three years afterwards he -went up again, and the landlord received him with precisely the same -attentions as on the previous occasion; upon which Mao said to him, -"Your former words did not come true; I am now ashamed to put you to -so much trouble." "Ah," replied the landlord, "you meant to get rid of -your wife, and the Ruler of the world below struck out your name.[270] -My dream couldn't have been false." In great astonishment, Mao asked -what he meant by these words; and then he learnt that after his -departure the landlord had had a second dream informing him of the -above facts. Mao was much alarmed at what he heard, and remained as -motionless as a wooden image, until the landlord said to him, "You, -Sir, as a scholar, should have more self-respect, and you will -certainly take the highest place." By-and-by when the list came out, -Mao was the first of all; and almost simultaneously his wife's hair -began to grow quite thick, making her much better-looking than she had -hitherto been. - -Now her elder sister had married a rich young fellow of good family, -who lived in the neighbourhood, which made the young lady more -contemptuous than ever; but he was so extravagant and so idle that -their property was soon gone, and they were positively in want of -food. Hearing, too, of Mr. Mao's success at the examination, she was -overwhelmed with shame and vexation, and avoided even meeting her -sister in the street. Just then her husband died and left her -destitute; and about the same time Mao took his doctor's degree, which -so aggravated her feelings that, in a passion, she became a nun. -Subsequently, when Mao rose to be a high officer of state, she sent a -novice to his yamên to try and get a subscription out of him for the -temple; and Mao's wife, who gave several pieces of silk and other -things, secretly inserted a sum of money among them. The novice, not -knowing this, reported what she had received to the elder sister, who -cried out in a passion, "I wanted money to buy food with; of what use -are these things to me?" So she bade the novice take them back; and -when Mao and his wife saw her return, they suspected what had -happened, and opening the parcel found the money still there. They now -understood why the presents had been refused; and taking the money, -Mao said to the novice, "If one hundred ounces of silver is too much -luck for your mistress to secure, of course she could never have -secured a high official, such as I am now, for her husband." He then -took fifty ounces, and giving them to the novice, sent her away, -adding, "Hand this to your mistress, I'm afraid more would be too much -for her."[271] The novice returned and repeated all that had been -said; and then the elder sister sighed to think what a failure her -life had been, and how she had rejected the worthy to accept the -worthless. After this, the innkeeper got into trouble about a case of -murder, and was imprisoned; but Mao exerted his influence, and -obtained the man's pardon. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[268] Such is the dominant belief regarding the due selection of an -auspicious site, whether for a house or grave; and with this -superstition deeply ingrained in the minds of the people, it is easy -to understand the hold on the public mind possessed by the -pseudo-scientific professors of Fêng-Shui, or the geomantic art. - -[269] The bridegroom leads off the procession, and the bride follows -shortly afterwards in an elaborately-gilt sedan-chair, closed in on -all sides so that the occupant cannot be seen. - -[270] Here again we have the common Chinese belief that fate is fate -only within certain limits, and is always liable to be altered at the -will of heaven. - -[271] This is another curious phase of Chinese superstition, namely, -that each individual is so constituted by nature as to be able to -absorb only a given quantity of good fortune and no more, any -superfluity of luck doing actual harm to the person on whom it falls. - - - - -XLVII. - -FOREIGN[272] PRIESTS. - - -The Buddhist priest, T'i-k'ung, relates that when he was at -Ch'ing-chou he saw two foreign priests of very extraordinary -appearance. They wore rings in their ears, were dressed in yellow -cloth, and had curly hair and beards. They said they had come from the -countries of the west; and hearing that the Governor of the district -was a devoted follower of Buddha, they went to visit him. The Governor -sent a couple of servants to escort them to the monastery of the -place, where the abbot, Ling-p'ei, did not receive them very -cordially; but the secular manager, seeing that they were not ordinary -individuals, entertained them and kept them there for the night. Some -one asked if there were many strange men in the west, and what magical -arts were practised by the Lohans;[273] whereupon one of them laughed, -and putting forth his hand from his sleeve, showed a small pagoda, -fully a foot in height, and beautifully carved, standing upon the -palm. Now very high up in the wall there was a niche; and the priest -threw the pagoda up to it, when lo! it stood there firm and straight. -After a few moments the pagoda began to incline to one side, and a -glory, as from a relic of some saint, was diffused throughout the -room. The other priest then bared his arms, and stretched out his left -until it was five or six feet in length, at the same time shortening -his right arm until it dwindled to nothing. He then stretched out the -latter until it was as long as his left arm. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[272] The word here used is _fan_, generally translated "barbarian." - -[273] The disciples of Shâkyamuni Buddha. Same as _Arhans_. - - - - -XLVIII. - -THE SELF-PUNISHED MURDERER. - - -Mr. Li took his doctor's degree late in life.[274] On the 28th of the -9th moon of the 4th year of K'ang Hsi,[275] he killed his wife. The -neighbours reported the murder to the officials, and the high -authorities instructed the district magistrate to investigate the -case. At this juncture Mr. Li was standing at the door of his -residence; and snatching a butcher's knife from a stall hard by, he -rushed into the Ch'êng-huang[276] temple, where, mounting the -theatrical stage,[277] he threw himself on his knees, and spoke as -follows:--"The spirit here will punish me. I am not to be prosecuted -by evil men who, from party motives, confuse right and wrong. The -spirit moves me to cut off an ear." Thereupon he cut off his left ear -and threw it down from the stage. He then said the spirit was going to -fine him a hand for cheating people out of their money; and he -forthwith chopped off his left hand. Lastly, he cried out that he was -to be punished severely for all his many crimes; and immediately cut -his own throat. The Viceroy subsequently received the Imperial -permission to deprive him of his rank[278] and bring him to trial; but -he was then being punished by a higher power in the realms of darkness -below. See the _Peking Gazette_.[279] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[274] There is no limit as to age in the competitive examinations of -China. The _San-tz[)u]-Ching_ records the case of a man who graduated at -the mature age of eighty-two. - -[275] In 1665, that is between fourteen and fifteen years previous to -the completion of the _Liao Chai_. - -[276] See No. I., note 36. - -[277] Religion and the drama work hand in hand in China. - -[278] Always the first step in the prosecution of a graduate. In this -case, the accused was also an official. - -[279] Of what date, our author does not say, or it would be curious to -try and hunt up the official record of this case as it appeared in the -government organ of the day. The unfortunate man was in all -probability insane. - - - - -XLIX. - -THE MASTER THIEF. - - -Before his rebellion,[280] Prince Wu frequently told his soldiers that -if any one of them could catch a tiger unaided he would give him a -handsome pension and the title of the Tiger Daunter. In his camp there -was a man named Pao-chu, as strong and agile as a monkey; and once -when a new tower was being built, the wooden framework having only -just been set up, Pao-chu walked along the eaves, and finally got up -on to the very tip-top beam, where he ran backwards and forwards -several times. He then jumped down, alighting safely on his feet. - -Now Prince Wu had a favourite concubine, who was a skilful player on -the guitar; and the nuts of the instrument she used were of warm -jade,[281] so that when played upon there was a general feeling of -warmth throughout the room. The young lady was extremely careful of -this treasure, and never produced it for any one to see unless on -receipt of the Prince's written order. One night, in the middle of a -banquet, a guest begged to be allowed to see this wonderful guitar; -but the Prince, being in a lazy mood, said it should be exhibited to -him on the following day. Pao-chu, who was standing by, then observed -that he could get it without troubling the Prince to write an order. -Some one was therefore sent off beforehand to instruct all the -officials to be on the watch, and then the Prince told Pao-chu he -might go; and after scaling numerous walls the latter found himself -near the lady's room. Lamps were burning brightly within; the doors -were bolted and barred, and it was impossible to effect an entrance. -Under the verandah, however, was a cockatoo fast asleep on its perch; -and Pao-chu first mewing several times like a cat, followed it up by -imitating the voice of the bird, and cried out as though in distress, -"The cat! the cat!" He then heard the concubine call to one of the -slave girls, and bid her go rescue the cockatoo which was being -killed; and, hiding himself in a dark corner, he saw a girl come forth -with a light in her hand. She had barely got outside the door when he -rushed in, and there he saw the lady sitting with the guitar on a -table before her. Seizing the instrument he turned and fled; upon -which the concubine shrieked out, "Thieves! thieves!" And the guard, -seeing a man making off with the guitar, at once started in pursuit. -Arrows fell round Pao-chu like drops of rain, but he climbed up one of -a number of huge ash trees growing there, and from its top leaped on -to the top of the next, and so on, until he had reached the -furthermost tree, when he jumped on to the roof of a house, and from -that to another, more as if he were flying than anything else. In a -few minutes he had disappeared, and before long presented himself -suddenly at the banquet-table with the guitar in his hand, the -entrance-gate having been securely barred all the time, and not a dog -or a cock aroused. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[280] A.D. 1675. His full name was Wu San-kuei. - -[281] Such is the literal translation of a term which I presume to be -the name of some particular kind of jade, which is ordinarily -distinguished from the imitation article by its comparative -_coldness_. - - - - -L. - -A FLOOD. - - -In the twenty-first year of K'ang Hsi[282] there was a severe drought, -not a green blade appearing in the parched ground all through the -spring and well into the summer. On the 13th of the 6th moon a little -rain fell, and people began to plant their rice. On the 18th there was -a heavy fall, and beans were sown. - -Now at a certain village there was an old man, who, noticing two -bullocks fighting on the hills, told the villagers that a great flood -was at hand, and forthwith removed with his family to another part of -the country. The villagers all laughed at him; but before very long -rain began to fall in torrents, lasting all through the night, until -the water was several feet deep, and carrying away the houses. Among -the others was a man who, neglecting to save his two children, with -his wife assisted his aged mother to reach a place of safety, from -which they looked down at their old home, now only an expanse of -water, without hope of ever seeing the children again. When the flood -had subsided, they went back, to find the whole place a complete ruin; -but in their own house they discovered the two boys playing and -laughing on the bed as if nothing had happened. Some one remarked that -this was a reward for the filial piety of the parents. It happened on -the 20th of the 6th moon.[283] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[282] A.D. 1682; that is, three years after the date of our author's -preface. See _Introduction_. - -[283] A curious note here follows in the original, not however from -the pen of the great commentator, I Shih-shih:--"In 1696 a severe -earthquake occurred at P'ing-yang, and out of seventeen or eighteen -cities destroyed, only one room remained uninjured--a room inhabited -by a certain filial son. And thus, when in the crash of a collapsing -universe, filial piety is specially marked out for protection, who -shall say that God Almighty does not know black from white?" - - - - -LI. - -DEATH BY LAUGHING. - - -A Mr. Sun Ching-hsia, a marshal of undergraduates,[284] told me that -in his village there was a certain man who had been killed by the -rebels when they passed through the place. The man's head was left -hanging down on his chest; and as soon as the rebels had gone, his -servants secured the body and were about to bury it. Hearing, however, -a sound of breathing, they looked more closely, and found that the -windpipe was not wholly severed; and, setting his head in its proper -place, they carried him back home. In twenty-four hours he began to -moan; and by dint of carefully feeding him with a spoon, within six -months he had quite recovered. - -Some ten years afterwards he was chatting with a few friends, when one -of them made a joke which called forth loud applause from the others. -Our hero, too, clapped his hands; but, as he was bending backwards and -forwards with laughter, the seam on his neck split open, and down fell -his head with a gush of blood. His friends now found that he was -quite dead, and his father immediately commenced an action against the -joker;[285] but a sum of money was subscribed by those present and -given to the father, who buried his son and stopped further -proceedings. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[284] Or "Director of Studies." - -[285] The Chinese distinguish five degrees of homicide, of which -accidental homicide is one (see _Penal Code_, Book VI.) Thus, if a gun -goes off of itself in a man's hand and kills a bystander, the holder -of the gun is guilty of homicide; but were the same gun lying on a -table, it would be regarded as the will of Heaven. Similarly, a man is -held responsible for any death caused by an animal belonging to him; -though in such cases the affair can usually be hushed up by a money -payment, no notice being taken of crimes in general unless at the -instigation of a prosecutor, at whose will the case may be -subsequently withdrawn. Where the circumstances are purely accidental, -the law admits of a money compensation. - - - - -LII. - -PLAYING AT HANGING. - - -A number of wild young fellows were one day out walking when they saw -a young lady approach, riding on a pony.[286] One of them said to the -others, "I'll back myself to make that girl laugh," and a supper was -at once staked by both sides on the result. Our hero then ran out in -front of the pony, and kept on shouting "I'm going to die! I'm going -to die!" at the same time pulling out from over the top of a wall a -stalk of millet, to which he attached his own waistband, and tying the -latter round his neck, made a pretence of hanging himself. The young -lady did laugh as she passed by, to the great amusement of the -assembled company; but as when she was already some distance off their -friend did not move, the others laughed louder than ever. However, on -going up to him they saw that his tongue protruded, and that his eyes -were glazed; he was, in fact, quite dead. Was it not strange that a -man should be able to hang himself on a millet stalk?[287] It is a -good warning against practical joking. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[286] Women in China ride _à califourchon_. - -[287] Which, although tolerably stout and strong, is hardly capable of -sustaining a man's weight. - - - - -LIII. - -THE RAT WIFE. - - -Hsi Shan was a native of Kao-mi, and a trader by occupation. He -frequently slept at a place called Mêng-i. One day he was delayed on -the road by rain, and when he arrived at his usual quarters it was -already late in the night. He knocked at all the doors, but no one -answered; and he was walking backwards and forwards in the piazza when -suddenly a door flew open and an old man came out. He invited the -traveller to enter, an invitation to which Hsi Shan gladly responded; -and, tying up his mule, he went in. The place was totally unfurnished; -and the old man began by saying that it was only out of compassion -that he had asked him in, as his house was not an inn. "There are only -three or four of us," added he; "and my wife and daughter are fast -asleep. We have some of yesterday's food, which I will get ready for -you; you must not object to its being cold." He then went within, and -shortly afterwards returned with a low couch, which he placed on the -ground, begging his guest to be seated, at the same time hurrying back -for a low table, and soon for a number of other things, until at last -Hsi Shan was quite uncomfortable, and entreated his host to rest -himself awhile. By-and-by a young lady came out, bringing some wine; -upon which the old man said, "Oh, our A-ch'ien has got up." She was -about sixteen or seventeen, a slender and pretty-looking girl; and as -Hsi Shan had an unmarried brother, he began to think directly that she -would do for him. So he inquired of the old man his name and address, -to which the latter replied that his name was Ku, and that his -children had all died save this one daughter. "I didn't like to wake -her just now, but I suppose my wife told her to get up." Hsi Shan then -asked the name of his son-in-law, and was informed that the young lady -was not yet engaged,--at which he was secretly very much pleased. A -tray of food was now brought in, evidently the remains from the day -before; and when he had finished eating, Hsi Shan began respectfully -to address the old man as follows:--"I am only a poor wayfarer, but I -shall never forget the kindness with which you have treated me. Let me -presume upon it, and submit to your consideration a plan I have in my -head. My younger brother, San-lang, is seventeen years old. He is a -student, and by no means unsteady or dull. May I hope that you will -unite our families together, and not think it presumption on my part?" -"I, too, am but a temporary sojourner," replied the old man, -rejoicing; "and if you will only let me have a part of your house, I -shall be very glad to come and live with you." Hsi Shan consented to -this, and got up and thanked him for the promise of his daughter; upon -which the old man set to work to make him comfortable for the night, -and then went away. At cock-crow he was outside, calling his guest to -come and have a wash; and when Hsi Shan had packed up ready to go, he -offered to pay for his night's entertainment. This, however, the old -man refused, saying, "I could hardly charge a stranger anything for a -single meal; how much less could I take money from my intended -son-in-law?" They then separated, and in about a month Hsi Shan -returned; but when he was a short distance from the village he met an -old woman with a young lady, both dressed in deep mourning. As they -approached he began to suspect it was A-ch'ien; and the young lady, -after turning round to look at him, pulled the old woman's sleeve, and -whispered something in her ear, which Hsi Shan himself did not hear. -The old woman stopped immediately, and asked if she was addressing Mr. -Hsi; and when informed that she was, she said mournfully, "Alas! my -husband has been killed by the falling of a wall. We are going to bury -him to-day. There is no one at home; but please wait here, and we will -be back by-and-by." They then disappeared among the trees; and, -returning after a short absence, they walked along together in the -dusk of the evening. The old woman complained bitterly of their lonely -and helpless state, and Hsi Shan himself was moved to compassion by -the sight of her tears. She told him that the people of the -neighbourhood were a bad lot, and that if he thought of marrying the -poor widow's daughter, he had better lose no time in doing so. Hsi -Shan said he was willing; and when they reached the house the old -woman, after lighting the lamp and setting food before him, proceeded -to speak as follows:--"Knowing, Sir, that you would shortly arrive, we -sold all our grain except about twenty piculs. We cannot take this -with us so far; but a mile or so to the north of the village, at the -first house you come to, there lives a man named T'an Erh-ch'üan, who -often buys grain from me. Don't think it too much trouble to oblige me -by taking a sack with you on your mule and proceeding thither at once. -Tell Mr. T'an that the old lady of the southern village has several -piculs of grain which she wishes to sell in order to get money for a -journey, and beg him to send some animals to carry it." The old woman -then gave him a sack of grain; and Hsi Shan, whipping up his mule, was -soon at the place; and, knocking at the door, a great fat fellow came -out, to whom he told his errand. Emptying the sack he had brought, he -went back himself first; and before long a couple of men arrived -leading five mules. The old woman took them into the granary, which -was a cellar below ground, and Hsi Shan, going down himself, handed up -the bags to the mother and daughter, who passed them on from one to -the other. In a little while the men had got a load, with which they -went off, returning altogether four times before all the grain was -exhausted. They then paid the old woman, who kept one man and two -mules, and, packing up her things, set off towards the east. After -travelling some seven miles day began to break; and by-and-by they -reached a market town, where the old woman hired animals and sent back -T'an's servant. When they arrived at Hsi Shan's home he related the -whole story to his parents, who were very pleased at what had -happened, and provided separate apartments for the old lady, at the -same time engaging a fortune-teller to fix on a lucky day for -A-ch'ien's marriage with their son San-lang. The old woman prepared a -handsome trousseau; and as for A-ch'ien herself, she spoke but little, -seldom losing her temper, and if any one addressed her she would only -reply with a smile. She employed all her time in spinning, and thus -became a general favourite with all alike. "Tell your brother," said -she to San-lang, "that when he happens to pass our old residence he -will do well not to make any mention of my mother and myself." - -In three or four years' time the Hsi family had made plenty of money, -and San-lang had taken his bachelor's degree, when one day Hsi Shan -happened to pass a night with the people who lived next door to the -house where he had met A-ch'ien. After telling them the story of his -having had nowhere to sleep, and taking refuge with the old man and -woman, his host said to him, "You must make a mistake, Sir; the house -you allude to belongs to my uncle, but was abandoned three years ago -in consequence of its being haunted. It has now been uninhabited for a -long time. What old man and woman can have entertained you there?" Hsi -Shan was very much astonished at this, but did not put much faith in -what he heard; meanwhile his host continued, "For ten years no one -dared enter the house; however, one day the back wall fell down, and -my uncle, going to look at it, found, half-buried underneath the -ruins, a large rat, almost as big as a cat. It was still moving, and -my uncle went off to call for assistance, but when he got back the rat -had disappeared. Everyone suspected some supernatural agency to be at -work, though on returning to the spot ten days afterwards nothing was -to be either heard or seen; and about a year subsequently the place -was inhabited once more." Hsi Shan was more than ever amazed at what -he now heard, and on reaching home told the family what had occurred; -for he feared that his brother's wife was not a human being, and -became rather anxious about him. San-lang himself continued to be much -attached to A-ch'ien; but by-and-by the other members of the family -let A-ch'ien perceive that they had suspicions about her. So one night -she complained to San-lang, saying, "I have been a good wife to you -for some years: now I have become an object of contempt. I pray you -give me my divorce,[288] and seek for yourself some worthier mate." -She then burst into a flood of tears; whereupon San-lang said, "You -should know my feelings by this time. Ever since you entered the -house the family has prospered; and that prosperity is entirely due to -you. Who can say it is not so?" "I know full well," replied A-ch'ien, -"what you feel; still there are the others, and I do not wish to share -the fate of an autumn fan."[289] At length San-lang succeeded in -pacifying her; but Hsi Shan could not dismiss the subject from his -thoughts, and gave out that he was going to get a first-rate mouser, -with a view to testing A-ch'ien. She did not seem very frightened at -this, though evidently ill at ease; and one night she told San-lang -that her mother was not very well, and that he needn't come to bid her -good night as usual. In the morning mother and daughter had -disappeared; at which San-lang was greatly alarmed, and sent out to -look for them in every direction. No traces of the fugitives could be -discovered, and San-lang was overwhelmed with grief, unable either to -eat or to sleep. His father and brother thought it was a lucky thing -for him, and advised him to console himself with another wife. This, -however, he refused to do; until, about a year afterwards, nothing -more having been heard of A-ch'ien, he could not resist their -importunities any longer, and bought himself a concubine. But he never -ceased to think of A-ch'ien; and some years later, when the prosperity -of the family was on the wane, they all began to regret her loss. - -Now San-lang had a step-brother, named Lan, who, when travelling to -Chiao-chou on business, passed a night at the house of a relative -named Lu. He noticed that during the night sounds of weeping and -lamentation proceeded from their next-door neighbours, but he did not -inquire the reason of it; however, on his way back he heard the same -sounds, and then asked what was the cause of such demonstrations. Mr. -Lu told him that a few years ago an old widow and her daughter had -come there to live, and that the mother had died about a month -previously, leaving her child quite alone in the world. Lan inquired -what her name was, and Mr. Lu said it was Ku; "But," added he, "the -door is closely barred, and as they never had any communication with -the village, I know nothing of their antecedents." "It's my -sister-in-law," cried Lan, in amazement, and at once proceeded to -knock at the door of the house. Some one came to the front door, and -said, in a voice that betokened recent weeping, "Who's there? There -are no men in this house."[290] Lan looked through a crack, and saw -that the young lady really was his sister-in-law; so he called out, -"Sister, open the door. I am your step-brother A-sui." A-ch'ien -immediately opened the door and asked him in, and recounted to him the -whole story of her troubles. "Your husband," said Lan, "is always -thinking of you. For a trifling difference you need hardly have run -away so far from him." He then proposed to hire a vehicle and take her -home; but A-ch'ien replied, "I came hither with my mother to hide -because I was held in contempt, and should make myself ridiculous by -now returning thus. If I am to go back, my elder brother Hsi Shan must -no longer live with us; otherwise, I will assuredly poison myself." -Lan then went home and told San-lang, who set off and travelled all -night until he reached the place where A-ch'ien was. Husband and wife -were overjoyed to meet again, and the following day San-lang notified -the landlord of the house where A-ch'ien had been living. Now this -landlord had long desired to secure A-ch'ien as a concubine for -himself; and, after making no claim for rent for several years, he -began to hint as much to her mother. The old lady, however, refused -flatly; but shortly afterwards she died, and then the landlord thought -that he might be able to succeed. At this juncture San-lang arrived, -and the landlord sought to hamper him by putting in his claim for -rent; and, as San-lang was anything but well off at the moment, it -really did annoy him very much. A-ch'ien here came to the rescue, -showing San-lang a large quantity of grain she had in the house, and -bidding him use it to settle accounts with the landlord. The latter -declared he could not accept grain, but must be paid in silver; -whereupon A-ch'ien sighed and said it was all her unfortunate self -that had brought this upon them, at the same time telling San-lang of -the landlord's former proposition. San-lang was very angry, and was -about to take out a summons against him, when Mr. Lu interposed, and, -by selling the grain in the neighbourhood, managed to collect -sufficient money to pay off the rent. San-lang and his wife then -returned home; and the former, having explained the circumstances to -his parents, separated his household from that of his brother. -A-ch'ien now proceeded to build, with her own money, a granary, which -was a matter of some astonishment to the family, there not being a -hundredweight of grain in the place. But in about a year the granary -was full,[291] and before very long San-lang was a rich man, Hsi Shan -remaining as poor as before. Accordingly, A-ch'ien persuaded her -husband's parents to come and live with them, and made frequent -presents of money to the elder brother; so that her husband said, -"Well, at any rate, you bear no malice." "Your brother's behaviour," -replied she, "was from his regard for you. Had it not been for him, -you and I would never have met." After this there were no more -supernatural manifestations. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[288] The Chinese acknowledge seven just causes for putting away a -wife. (1) Bad behaviour towards the husband's father and mother. (2) -Adultery. (3) Jealousy. (4) Garrulity. (5) Theft. (6) Disease. (7) -Barrenness. The right of divorce may not, however, be enforced if the -husband's father and mother have died since the marriage, as thus it -would be inferred that the wife had served them well up to the time of -their death; or if the husband has recently risen to wealth and power -(hence the saying, "The wife of my poverty shall not go down from my -hall"); or thirdly, if the wife's parents and brothers are dead, and -she has no home in which she can seek shelter. - -[289] This elegant simile is taken from a song ascribed to Pan -Chieh-yü, a favourite of the Emperor Ch'êng Ti of the Han dynasty, -written when her influence with the Son of Heaven began to wane. I -venture to reproduce it here. - - "O fair white silk, fresh from the weaver's loom; - Clear as the frost, bright as the winter's snow! - See! friendship fashions out of thee a fan, - Round as the round moon shines in heaven above. - At home, abroad, a close companion thou, - Stirring at every move the grateful gale. - And yet I fear, ah, me! that autumn chills, - Cooling the dying summer's torrid rage, - Will see thee laid neglected on the shelf, - All thought of by-gone days, like them, by-gone." - -[290] Signifying that it would be impossible for him to enter. - -[291] The result of A-ch'ien's depredations as a rat. - - - - -LIV. - -THE MAN WHO WAS THROWN DOWN A WELL. - - -Mr. Tai, of An-ch'ing, was a wild fellow when young. One day as he was -returning home tipsy,[292] he met by the way a dead cousin of his -named Chi; and having, in his drunken state, quite forgotten that his -cousin was dead, he asked him where he was going. "I am already a -disembodied spirit," replied Chi; "don't you remember?" Tai was a -little disturbed at this; but, being under the influence of liquor, -he was not frightened, and inquired of his cousin what he was doing in -the realms below. "I am employed as scribe," said Chi, "in the court -of the Great King." "Then you must know all about our happiness and -misfortunes to come," cried Tai. "It is my business," answered his -cousin, "so of course I know. But I see such an enormous mass that, -unless of special reference to myself or family, I take no notice of -any of it. Three days ago, by the way, I saw your name in the -register." Tai immediately asked what there was about himself, and his -cousin replied, "I will not deceive you; your name was put down for a -dark and dismal hell." Tai was dreadfully alarmed, and at the same -time sobered, and entreated his cousin to assist him in some way. "You -may try," said Chi, "what merit will do for you as a means of -mitigating your punishment; but the register of your sins is as thick -as my finger, and nothing short of the most deserving acts will be of -any avail. What can a poor fellow like myself do for you? Were you to -perform one good act every day, you would not complete the necessary -total under a year and more, and it is now too late for that. But -henceforth amend your ways, and there may still be a chance of escape -for you." When Tai heard these words he prostrated himself on the -ground, imploring his cousin to help him; but, on raising his head, -Chi had disappeared; he therefore returned sorrowfully home, and set -to work to cleanse his heart and order his behaviour. - -Now Tai's next door neighbour had long suspected him of paying too -much attention to his wife; and one day meeting Tai in the fields -shortly after the events narrated above, he inveigled him into -inspecting a dry well, and then pushed him down. The well was many -feet deep, and the man felt certain that Tai was killed; however, in -the middle of the night he came round, and sitting up at the bottom, -he began to shout for assistance, but could not make any one hear him. -On the following day, the neighbour, fearing that Tai might possibly -have recovered consciousness, went to listen at the mouth of the well; -and hearing him cry out for help, began to throw down a quantity of -stones. Tai took refuge in a cave at the side, and did not dare utter -another sound; but his enemy knew he was not dead, and forthwith -filled the well almost up to the top with earth. In the cave it was as -dark as pitch, exactly like the Infernal Regions; and not being able -to get anything to eat or drink, Tai gave up all hopes of life. He -crawled on his hands and knees further into the cave, but was -prevented by water from going further than a few paces, and returned -to take up his position at the old spot. At first he felt hungry; -by-and-by, however, this sensation passed away; and then reflecting -that there, at the bottom of a well, he could hardly perform any good -action, he passed his time in calling loudly on the name of -Buddha.[293] Before long he saw a number of Will-o'-the-Wisps -flitting over the water and illuminating the gloom of the cave; and -immediately prayed to them, saying, "O Will-o'-the-Wisps, I have heard -that ye are the shades of wronged and injured people. I have not long -to live, and am without hope of escape; still I would gladly relieve -the monotony of my situation by exchanging a few words with you." -Thereupon, all the Wills came flitting across the water to him; and -among them was a man of about half the ordinary size. Tai asked him -whence he came; to which he replied, "This is an old coal-mine. The -proprietor, in working the coal, disturbed the position of some -graves;[294] and Mr. Lung-fei flooded the mine and drowned forty-three -workmen. We are the shades of those men." He further said he did not -know who Mr. Lung-fei was, except that he was secretary to the City -God, and that in compassion for the misfortunes of the innocent -workmen, he was in the habit of sending them a quantity of gruel every -three or four days. "But the cold water," added he, "soaks into our -bones, and there is but small chance of ever getting them removed. If, -Sir, you some day return to the world above, I pray you fish up our -decaying bones and bury them in some public burying-ground. You will -thus earn for yourself boundless gratitude in the realms below." Tai -promised that if he had the luck to escape he would do as they wished; -"but how," cried he, "situated as I am, can I ever hope to look again -upon the light of day?" He then began to teach the Wills to say their -prayers, making for them beads[295] out of bits of mud, and repeating -to them the liturgies of Buddha. He could not tell night from morning; -he slept when he felt tired, and when he waked he sat up. Suddenly, he -perceived in the distance the light of lamps, at which the shades all -rejoiced, and said, "It is Mr. Lung-fei with our food." They then -invited Tai to go with them; and when he said he couldn't because of -the water, they bore him along over it so that he hardly seemed to -walk. After twisting and turning about for nearly a quarter of a mile, -he reached a place at which the Wills bade him walk by himself; and -then he appeared to mount a flight of steps, at the top of which he -found himself in an apartment lighted by a candle as thick round as -one's arm. Not having seen the light of fire for some time, he was -overjoyed and walked in; but observing an old man in a scholar's dress -and cap seated in the post of honour, he stopped, not liking to -advance further. But the old man had already caught sight of him, and -asked him how he, a living man, had come there. Tai threw himself on -the ground at his feet, and told him all; whereupon the old man cried -out, "My great-grandson!" He then bade him get up; and offering him a -seat, explained that his own name was Tai Ch'ien, and that he was -otherwise known as Lung-fei. He said, moreover, that in days gone by a -worthless grandson of his named T'ang, had associated himself with a -lot of scoundrels and sunk a well near his grave, disturbing the peace -of his everlasting night; and that therefore he had flooded the place -with salt water and drowned them. He then inquired as to the general -condition of the family at that time. - -Now Tai was a descendant of one of five brothers, from the eldest of -whom T'ang himself was also descended; and an influential man of the -place had bribed T'ang to open a mine[296] alongside the family grave. -His brothers were afraid to interfere; and by-and-by the water rose -and drowned all the workmen; whereupon actions for damages were -commenced by the relatives of the deceased,[297] and T'ang and his -friend were reduced to poverty, and T'ang's descendants to absolute -destitution. Tai was a son of one of T'ang's brothers, and having -heard this story from his seniors, now repeated it to the old man. -"How could they be otherwise than unfortunate," cried the latter, -"with such an unfilial progenitor? But since you have come hither, you -must on no account neglect your studies." The old man then provided -him with food and wine, and spreading a volume of essays according to -the old style before him, bade him study it most carefully. He also -gave him themes for composition, and corrected his essays as if he had -been his tutor. The candle remained always burning in the room, never -needing to be snuffed and never decreasing. When he was tired he went -to sleep, but he never knew day from night. The old man occasionally -went out, leaving a boy to attend to his great-grandson's wants. It -seemed that several years passed away thus, but Tai had no troubles of -any kind to annoy him. He had no other book except the volume of -essays, one hundred in all, which he read through more than four -thousand times. One day the old man said to him, "Your term of -expiation is nearly completed, and you will be able to return to the -world above. My grave is near the coal-mine, and the grosser breeze -plays upon my bones. Remember to remove them to Tung-yüan." Tai -promised he would see to this; and then the old man summoned all the -shades together and instructed them to escort Tai back to the place -where they had found him. The shades now bowed one after the other, -and begged Tai to think of them as well, while Tai himself was quite -at a loss to guess how he was going to get out. - -Meanwhile, Tai's family had searched for him everywhere, and his -mother had brought his case to the notice of the officials, thereby -implicating a large number of persons, but without getting any trace -of the missing man. Three or four years passed away and there was a -change of magistrate; in consequence of which the search was relaxed, -and Tai's wife, not being happy where she was, married another -husband. Just then an inhabitant of the place set about repairing the -old well and found Tai's body in the cave at the bottom. Touching it, -he found it was not dead, and at once gave information to the family. -Tai was promptly conveyed home, and within a day he could tell his own -story. - -Since he had been down the well, the neighbour who pushed him in had -beaten his own wife to death; and his father-in-law having brought an -action against him, he had been in confinement for more than a year -while the case was being investigated.[298] When released he was a -mere bag of bones;[299] and then hearing that Tai had come back to -life, he was terribly alarmed and fled away. The family tried to -persuade Tai to take proceedings against him, but this he would not -do, alleging that what had befallen him was a proper punishment for -his own bad behaviour, and had nothing to do with the neighbour. Upon -this, the said neighbour ventured to return; and when the water in the -well had dried up, Tai hired men to go down and collect the bones, -which he put in coffins and buried all together in one place. He next -hunted up Mr. Lung-fei's name in the family tables of genealogy, and -proceeded to sacrifice all kinds of nice things at his tomb. By-and-by -the Literary Chancellor[300] heard this strange story, and was also -very pleased with Tai's compositions; accordingly, Tai passed -successfully through his examinations, and, having taken his master's -degree, returned home and reburied Mr. Lung-fei at Tung-yüan, -repairing thither regularly every spring without fail.[301] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[292] I have already discussed the subject of drunkenness in China -(_Chinese Sketches_, pp. 113, 114), and shall not return to it here, -further than to quote a single sentence, to which I adhere as firmly -now as when the book in question was published:--"Who ever sees in -China a tipsy man reeling about a crowded thoroughfare, or lying with -his head in a ditch by the side of some country road?" - -It is not, however, generally known that the Chinese, with their usual -quaintness, distinguish between five kinds of drunkenness, different -people being differently affected, according to the physical -constitution of each. Wine may fly (1) to the heart, and produce -maudlin emotions; or (2) to the liver, and incite to pugnacity; or (3) -to the stomach, and cause drowsiness, accompanied by a flushing of the -face; or (4) to the lungs, and induce hilarity; or (5) to the kidneys, -and excite desire. - -[293] "The very name of Buddha, if pronounced with a devout heart -1,000 or 5,000 times, will effectually dispel all harassing thoughts, -all fightings within and fears without."--_Eitel._ - -[294] A religious and social offence of the deepest dye, sure to -entail punishment in the world to come, even if the perpetrator -escapes detection in this life. - -[295] The Buddhist rosary consists of 108 beads, which number is the -same as that of the compartments in the _Phrabat_ or sacred footprint -of Buddha. - -[296] It here occurred to me that the word hitherto translated "well" -should have been "shaft;" but the commentator refers expressly to the -_Tso Chuan_, where the phrase for "a dry well," as first used, is so -explained. We must accordingly fall back on the supposition that our -author has committed a trifling slip. - -[297] See No. LI., note 285. - -[298] That is, as to whether or not there were extenuating -circumstances, in which case no punishment would be inflicted. - -[299] Such is the invariable result of confinement in a Chinese -prison, unless the prisoner has the wherewithal to purchase food. - -[300] The provincial examiner for the degree of bachelor. - -[301] To worship at his tomb. - - - - -LV. - -THE VIRTUOUS DAUGHTER-IN-LAW. - - -An Ta-ch'êng was a Chung-ch'ing man. His father, who had gained the -master's degree, died early; and his brother Erh-ch'êng was a mere -boy. He himself had married a wife from the Ch'ên family, whose name -was Shan-hu; and this young lady had much to put up with from the -violent and malicious disposition of her husband's mother.[302] -However, she never complained; and every morning dressed herself up -smart, and went in to pay her respects to the old lady. Once when -Ta-ch'êng was ill, his mother abused Shan-hu for dressing so nicely; -whereupon Shan-hu went back and changed her clothes; but even then -Mrs. An was not satisfied, and began to tear her own hair with rage. -Ta-ch'êng, who was a very filial son, at once gave his wife a beating, -and this put an end to the scene. From that moment his mother hated -her more than ever, and although she was everything that a -daughter-in-law could be, would never exchange a word with her. -Ta-ch'êng then treated her in much the same way, that his mother might -see he would have nothing to do with her; still the old lady wasn't -pleased, and was always blaming Shan-hu for every trifle that -occurred. "A wife," cried Ta-ch'êng "is taken to wait upon her -mother-in-law. This state of things hardly looks like the wife doing -her duty." So he bade Shan-hu begone,[303] and sent an old -maid-servant to see her home: but when Shan-hu got outside the -village-gate, she burst into tears, and said, "How can a girl who has -failed in her duties as a wife ever dare to look her parents in the -face? I had better die." Thereupon she drew a pair of scissors and -stabbed herself in the throat, covering herself immediately with -blood. The servant prevented any further mischief, and supported her -to the house of her husband's aunt, who was a widow living by herself, -and who made Shan-hu stay with her. The servant went back and told -Ta-ch'êng, and he bade her say nothing to any one, for fear his mother -should hear of it. In a few days Shan-hu's wound was healed, and -Ta-ch'êng went off to ask his aunt to send her away. His aunt invited -him in, but he declined, demanding loudly that Shan-hu should be -turned out; and in a few moments Shan-hu herself came forth, and -inquired what she had done. Ta-ch'êng said she had failed in her duty -towards his mother; whereupon Shan-hu hung her head and made no -answer, while tears of blood[304] trickled from her eyes and stained -her dress all over. Ta-ch'êng was much touched by this spectacle, and -went away without saying any more; but before long his mother heard -all about it, and, hurrying off to the aunt's, began abusing her -roundly. This the aunt would not stand, and said it was all the fault -of her own bad temper, adding, "The girl has already left you, and has -nothing more to do with the family. Miss Ch'ên is staying with me, not -your daughter-in-law; so you had better mind your own business." This -made Mrs. An furious; but she was at a loss for an answer, and, seeing -that the aunt was firm, she went off home abashed and in tears. - -Shan-hu herself was very much upset, and determined to seek shelter -elsewhere, finally taking up her abode with Mrs. An's elder sister, a -lady of sixty odd years of age, whose son had died, leaving his wife -and child to his mother's care. This Mrs. Yü was extremely fond of -Shan-hu; and when she heard the facts of the case, said it was all her -sister's horrid disposition, and proposed to send Shan-hu back. The -latter, however, would not hear of this, and they continued to live -together like mother and daughter; neither would Shan-hu accept the -invitation of her two brothers to return home and marry some one else, -but remained there with Mrs. Yü, earning enough to live upon by -spinning and such work. - -Ever since Shan-hu had been sent away, Ta-ch'êng's mother had been -endeavouring to get him another wife; but the fame of her temper had -spread far and wide, and no one would entertain her proposals. In -three or four years Erh-ch'êng had grown up, and he was married first -to a young lady named Tsang-ku, whose temper turned out to be -something fearful, and far more ungovernable even than her -mother-in-law's. When the latter only looked angry, Tsang-ku was -already at the shrieking stage; and Erh-ch'êng, being of a very meek -disposition, dared not side with either. Thus it came about that Mrs. -An began to be in mortal fear of Tsang-ku; and whenever her -daughter-in-law was in a rage she would try and turn off her anger -with a smile. She seemed never to be able to please Tsang-ku, who in -her turn worked her mother-in-law like a slave, Ta-ch'êng himself not -venturing to interfere, but only assisting his mother in washing the -dishes and sweeping the floor. Mother and son would often go to some -secluded spot, and there in secret tell their griefs to one another; -but before long Mrs. An was stretched upon a sick bed with nobody to -attend to her except Ta-ch'êng. He watched her day and night without -sleeping, until both eyes were red and inflamed; and then when he went -to summon the younger son to take his place, Tsang-ku told him to -leave the house. Ta-ch'êng now went off to inform Mrs. Yü, hoping that -she would come and assist; and he had hardly finished his tale of woe -before Shan-hu walked in. In great confusion at seeing her, he would -have left immediately had not Shan-hu held out her arms across the door; -whereupon he bolted underneath them and escaped. He did not dare tell -his mother, and shortly afterwards Mrs. Yü arrived, to the great joy -of Ta-ch'êng's mother, who made her stay in the house. Every day -something nice was sent for Mrs. Yü, and even when she told the -servants that there was no occasion for it, she having all she wanted -at her sister's, the things still came as usual. However, she kept -none of them for herself, but gave what came to the invalid, who -gradually began to improve. Mrs. Yü's grandson also used to come by -his mother's orders, and inquire after the sick lady's health, besides -bringing a packet of cakes and so on for her. "Ah, me!" cried Mrs. An, -"what a good daughter-in-law you have got, to be sure. What have you -done to her?" "What sort of a person was the one you sent away?" asked -her sister in reply. "She wasn't as bad as some one I know of," said -Mrs. An, "though not so good as yours." "When she was here you had but -little to do," replied Mrs. Yü; "and when you were angry she took no -notice of it. How was she not as good?" Mrs. An then burst into tears, -and saying how sorry she was, asked if Shan-hu had married again; to -which Mrs. Yü replied that she did not know, but would make inquiries. -In a few more days the patient was quite well, and Mrs. Yü proposed to -return; her sister, however, begged her to stay, and declared she -should die if she didn't. Mrs. Yü then advised that Erh-ch'êng and his -wife should live in a separate house, and Erh-ch'êng spoke about it -to his wife; but she would not agree, and abused both Ta-ch'êng and -his mother alike. It ended by Ta-ch'êng giving up a large share of the -property, and ultimately Tsang-ku consented, and a deed of separation -was drawn up. Mrs. Yü then went away, returning next day with a -sedan-chair to carry her sister back; and no sooner had the latter put -her foot inside Mrs. Yü's door, than she asked to see the -daughter-in-law, whom she immediately began to praise very highly. -"Ah," said Mrs. Yü, "she's a good girl, with her little faults like -the rest of us; but your daughter-in-law is just as good, though you -are not aware of it." "Alas!" replied her sister, "I must have been as -senseless as a statue not to have seen what she was." "I wonder what -Shan-hu, whom you turned out of doors, says of you," rejoined Mrs. Yü. -"Why, swears at me, of course," answered Mrs. An. "If you examine -yourself honestly and find nothing which should make people swear at -you, is it at all likely you would be sworn at?" asked Mrs. Yü. "Well, -all people are fallible," replied the other, "and as I know she is not -perfect, I conclude she would naturally swear at me." "If a person has -just cause for resentment, and yet does not indulge that resentment, -such behaviour should meet with a grateful acknowledgment; or if any -one has just cause for leaving another and yet does not do so, such -behaviour should entitle them to kind treatment. Now, all the things -that were sent when you were ill, and all the various little -attentions, did not come from my daughter-in-law but from yours." -Mrs. An was amazed at hearing this, and asked for some explanation; -whereupon Mrs. Yü continued, "Shan-hu has been living here for a long -time. Everything she sent to you was bought with money earned by her -spinning, and that, too, continued late into the night." Mrs. An here -burst into tears, and begged to be allowed to see Shan-hu, who came in -at Mrs. Yü's summons, and threw herself on the ground at her -mother-in-law's feet. Mrs. An was much abashed, and beat her head with -shame; but Mrs. Yü made it all up between them, and they became mother -and daughter as at first. In about ten days they went home, and, as -their property was not enough to support them, Ta-ch'êng had to work -with his pen while his wife did the same with her needle. Erh-ch'êng -was quite well off, but his brother would not apply to him, neither -did he himself offer to help them. Tsang-ku, too, would have nothing -to do with her sister-in-law, because she had been divorced; and -Shan-hu in her turn, knowing what Tsang-ku's temper was, made no great -efforts to be friendly. So the two brothers lived apart;[305] and when -Tsang-ku was in one of her outrageous moods, all the others would stop -their ears, till at length there was only her husband and the servants -upon whom to vent her spleen. One day a maid-servant of hers -committed suicide, and the father of the girl brought an action -against Tsang-ku for having caused her death. Erh-ch'êng went off to -the mandarin's to take her place as defendant, but only got a good -beating for his pains, as the magistrate insisted that Tsang-ku -herself should appear, and answer to the charge, in spite of all her -friends could do. The consequence was she had her fingers -squeezed[306] until the flesh was entirely taken off; and the -magistrate, being a grasping man, a very severe fine was inflicted as -well. Erh-ch'êng had now to mortgage his property before he could -raise enough money to get Tsang-ku released; but before long the -mortgagee threatened to foreclose, and he was obliged to enter into -negotiations for the sale of it to an old gentleman of the village -named Jen. Now Mr. Jen, knowing that half the property had belonged to -Ta-ch'êng, said the deed of sale must be signed by the elder brother -as well; however, when Ta-ch'êng reached his house, the old man cried -out, "I am Mr. An, M.A., who is this Jen that he should buy my -property?" Then, looking at Ta-ch'êng, he added, "The filial piety of -you and your wife has obtained for me in the realms below this -interview;" upon which Ta-ch'êng said, "O father, since you have this -power, help my younger brother." "The unfilial son and the vixenish -daughter-in-law," said the old man, "deserve no pity. Go home and -quickly buy back our ancestral property." "We have barely enough to -live upon," replied Ta-ch'êng; "where, then, shall we find the -necessary money?" "Beneath the crape myrtle-tree,"[307] answered his -father, "you will find a store of silver, which you may take and use -for this purpose." Ta-ch'êng would have questioned him further, but -the old gentleman said no more, recovering consciousness shortly -afterwards[308] without knowing a word of what had happened. Ta-ch'êng -went back and told his brother, who did not altogether believe the -story; Tsang-ku, however, hurried off with a number of men, and had -soon dug a hole four or five feet deep, at the bottom of which they -found a quantity of bricks and stones, but no gold. She then gave up -the idea and returned home, Ta-ch'êng having meanwhile warned his -mother and wife not to go near the place while she was digging. When -Tsang-ku left, Mrs. An went herself to have a look, and seeing only -bricks and earth mingled together, she, too, retraced her steps. -Shan-hu was the next to go, and she found the hole full of silver -bullion; and then Ta-ch'êng repaired to the spot and saw that there -was no mistake about it. Not thinking it right to apply this heir-loom -to his own private use, he now summoned Erh-ch'êng to share it; and -having obtained twice as much as was necessary to redeem the estate, -the brothers returned to their homes. Erh-ch'êng and Tsang-ku opened -their half together, when lo! the bag was full of tiles and rubbish. -They at once suspected Ta-ch'êng of deceiving them, and Erh-ch'êng ran -off to see how things were going at his brother's. He arrived just as -Ta-ch'êng was spreading the silver on the table, and with his mother -and wife rejoicing over their acquisition; and when he had told them -what had occurred, Ta-ch'êng expressed much sympathy for him, and at -once presented him with his own half of the treasure. Erh-ch'êng was -delighted, and paid off the mortgage on the land, feeling very -grateful to his brother for such kindness. Tsang-ku, however, declared -it was a proof that Ta-ch'êng had been cheating him; "for how, -otherwise," argued she, "can you understand a man sharing anything -with another, and then resigning his own half?" - -Erh-ch'êng himself did not know what to think of it; but next day the -mortgagee sent to say that the money paid in was all imitation silver, -and that he was about to lay the case before the authorities. Husband -and wife were greatly alarmed at this, and Tsang-ku exclaimed, "Well, -I never thought your brother was as bad as this. He's simply trying to -take your life." Erh-ch'êng himself was in a terrible fright, and -hurried off to the mortgagee to entreat for mercy; but as the latter -was extremely angry and would hear of no compromise, Erh-ch'êng was -obliged to make over the property to him to dispose of himself. The -money was then returned, and when he got home he found that two lumps -had been cut through, shewing merely an outside layer of silver, about -as thick as an onion-leaf, covering nothing but copper within. -Tsang-ku and Erh-ch'êng then agreed to keep the broken pieces -themselves, but send the rest back to Ta-ch'êng, with a message, -saying that they were deeply indebted to him for all his kindness, and -that they had ventured to retain two of the lumps of silver out of -compliment to the giver; also that Ta-ch'êng might consider himself -the owner of the mortgaged land, which he could redeem or not as he -pleased. Ta-ch'êng, who did not perceive the intention in all this, -refused to accept the land; however, Erh-ch'êng entreated him to do -so, and at last he consented. When he came to weigh the money, he -found it was five ounces short, and therefore bade Shan-hu pawn -something from her jewel-box to make up the amount, with which he -proceeded to pay off the mortgage. The mortgagee, suspecting it was -the same money that had been offered him by Erh-ch'êng, cut the pieces -in halves, and saw that it was all silver of the purest quality. -Accordingly he accepted it in liquidation of his claim, and handed the -mortgage back to Ta-ch'êng. Meanwhile, Erh-ch'êng had been expecting -some catastrophe; but when he found that the mortgaged land had been -redeemed, he did not know what to make of it. Tsang-ku thought that at -the time of the digging Ta-ch'êng had concealed the genuine silver, -and immediately rushed off to his house, and began to revile them all -round. Ta-ch'êng now understood why they had sent him back the money; -and Shan-hu laughed and said, "The property is safe; why, then, this -anger?" Thereupon she made Ta-ch'êng hand over the deeds to Tsang-ku. - -One night after this Erh-ch'êng's father appeared to him in a dream, -and reproached him, saying, "Unfilial son, unfraternal brother, your -hour is at hand. Wherefore usurp rights that do not belong to you?" In -the morning Erh-ch'êng told Tsang-ku of his dream, and proposed to -return the property to his brother; but she only laughed at him for a -fool. Just then the eldest of his two sons, a boy of seven, died of -small-pox, and this frightened Tsang-ku so that she agreed to restore -the deeds. Ta-ch'êng would not accept them; and now the second child, -a boy of three, died also; whereupon Tsang-ku seized the deeds, and -threw them into her brother-in-law's house. Spring was over, but the -land was in a terribly neglected state; so Ta-ch'êng set to work and -put it in order again. From this moment Tsang-ku was a changed woman -towards her mother- and sister-in-law; and when, six months later, -Mrs. An died, she was so grieved that she refused to take any -nourishment. "Alas!" cried she, "that my mother-in-law has died thus -early, and prevented me from waiting upon her. Heaven will not allow -me to retrieve my past errors." Tsang-ku had thirteen children,[309] -but as none of them lived, they were obliged to adopt one of -Ta-ch'êng's,[310] who, with his wife, lived to a good old age, and had -three sons, two of whom took their doctor's degree. People said this -was a reward for filial piety and brotherly love. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[302] See No. XLIII., note 248. - -[303] See No. LIII., note 288. - -[304] Such is the Chinese idiom for what we should call "bitter" -tears. This phrase is constantly employed in the notices of the death -of a parent sent round to friends and relatives. - -[305] A disgraceful state of things, in the eyes of the Chinese. See -the paraphrase of the _Sacred Edict_, Maxim 1. - -[306] An illegal form of punishment, under the present dynasty, which -authorizes only _bambooing_ of two kinds, each of five degrees of -severity; _banishment_, of three degrees of duration; _transportation_ -for life, of three degrees of distance; and _death_, of two kinds, -namely, by strangulation and decapitation. That torture is -occasionally resorted to by the officers of the Chinese Empire is an -indisputable fact; that it is commonly employed by the whole body of -mandarins could only be averred by those who have not had the -opportunities or the desire to discover the actual truth. - -[307] _Lagerstroemia indica._ - -[308] That is, old Mr. Jen's body had been possessed by the -disembodied spirit of Ta-ch'êng's father. - -[309] Five is considered a large number for an ordinary Chinese woman. - -[310] In order to leave some one behind to look after their graves and -perform the duties of ancestral worship. No one can well refuse to -give a son to be adopted by a childless brother. - - - - -LVI. - -DR. TSÊNG'S DREAM. - - -There was a Fohkien gentleman named Tsêng, who had just taken his -doctor's degree. One day he was out walking with several other -recently-elected doctors, when they heard that at a temple hard by -there lived an astrologer, and accordingly the party proceeded thither -to get their fortunes told. They went in and sat down, and the -astrologer made some very complimentary remarks to Tsêng, at which he -fanned himself and smiled, saying, "Have I any chance of ever wearing -the dragon robes and the jade girdle?"[311] The astrologer[312] -immediately put on a serious face, and replied that he would be a -Secretary of State during twenty years of national tranquillity. -Thereupon Tsêng was much pleased, and began to give himself greater -airs than ever. A slight rain coming on, they sought shelter in the -priest's quarters, where they found an old bonze, with sunken eyes and -a big nose, sitting upon a mat. He took no notice of the strangers, -who, after having bowed to him, stretched themselves upon the couches -to chat, not forgetting to congratulate Tsêng upon the destiny which -had been foretold him. Tsêng, too, seemed to think the thing was a -matter of certainty, and mentioned the names of several friends he -intended to advance, amongst others the old family butler. Roars of -laughter greeted this announcement, mingled with the patter-patter of -the increasing rain outside. Tsêng then curled himself up for a nap, -when suddenly in walked two officials bearing a commission under the -Great Seal appointing Tsêng to the Grand Secretariat. As soon as Tsêng -understood their errand, he rushed off at once to pay his respects to -the Emperor, who graciously detained him some time in conversation, -and then issued instructions that the promotion and dismissal of all -officers below the third grade[313] should be vested in Tsêng alone. -He was next presented with the dragon robes, the jade girdle, and a -horse from the imperial stables, after which he performed the -_ko-t'ow_[314] before His Majesty and took his leave. He then went -home, but it was no longer the old home of his youth. Painted beams, -carved pillars, and a general profusion of luxury and elegance, made -him wonder where on earth he was; until, nervously stroking his -beard, he ventured to call out in a low tone. Immediately the -responses of numberless attendants echoed through the place like -thunder. Presents of costly food were sent to him by all the grandees, -and his gate was absolutely blocked up by the crowds of retainers who -were constantly coming and going. When Privy Councillors came to -see him, he would rush out in haste to receive them; when -Under-Secretaries of State visited him, he made them a polite bow; but -to all below these he would hardly vouchsafe a word. The Governor of -Shansi sent him twelve singing-girls, two of whom, Ni-ni and Fairy, he -made his favourites. All day long he had nothing to do but find -amusement as best he could, until he bethought himself that formerly a -man named Wang had often assisted him with money. Thereupon he -memorialized the Throne and obtained official employment for him. Then -he recollected that there was another man to whom he owed a -long-standing grudge. He at once caused this man, who was in the -Government service, to be impeached and stripped of his rank and -dignities. Thus he squared accounts with both. One day when out in his -chair a drunken man bumped against one of his tablet-bearers.[315] -Tsêng had him seized and sent in to the mayor's yamên, where he died -under the bamboo. Owners of land adjoining his would make him a -present of the richest portions, fearing the consequences if they did -not do so; and thus he became very wealthy, almost on a par with the -State itself. By-and-by, Ni-ni and Fairy died, and Tsêng was -overwhelmed with grief. Suddenly he remembered that in former years he -had seen a beautiful girl whom he wished to purchase as a concubine, -but want of money had then prevented him from carrying out his -intention. Now there was no longer that difficulty; and accordingly he -sent off two trusty servants to get the girl by force. In a short time -she arrived, when he found that she had grown more beautiful than -ever; and so his cup of happiness was full. But years rolled on, and -gradually his fellow-officials became estranged, Tsêng taking no -notice of their behaviour, until at last one of them impeached him to -the Throne in a long and bitter memorial. Happily, however, the -Emperor still regarded him with favour, and for some time kept the -memorial by him unanswered. Then followed a joint memorial from the -whole of the Privy Council, including those who had once thronged his -doors, and had falsely called him their dear father. The Imperial -rescript to this document was "Banishment to Yunnan,"[316] his son, -who was Governor of P'ing-yang, being also implicated in his guilt. -When Tsêng heard the news, he was overcome with fear; but an armed -guard was already at his gate, and the lictors were forcing their way -into his innermost apartments. They tore off his robe and official -hat, and bound him and his wife with cords. Then they collected -together in the hall his gold, his silver, and bank-notes,[317] to the -value of many hundred thousands of taels. His pearls, and jade, and -precious stones filled many bushel baskets. His curtains, and screens, -and beds, and other articles of furniture were brought out by -thousands; while the swaddling-clothes of his infant boy and the shoes -of his little girl were lying littered about the steps. It was a sad -sight for Tsêng; but a worse blow was that of his concubine carried -off almost lifeless before his eyes, himself not daring to utter a -word. Then all the apartments, store-rooms, and treasuries were sealed -up; and, with a volley of curses, the soldiers bade Tsêng begone, and -proceeded to leave the place, dragging Tsêng with them. The husband -and wife prayed that they might be allowed some old cart, but this -favour was denied them. After about ten _li_, Tsêng's wife could -barely walk, her feet being swollen and sore. Tsêng helped her along -as best he could, but another ten _li_ reduced him to a state of -abject fatigue. By-and-by they saw before them a great mountain, the -summit of which was lost in the clouds; and, fearing they should be -made to ascend it, Tsêng and his wife stood still and began to weep. -The lictors, however, clamoured round them, and would permit of no -rest. The sun was rapidly sinking, and there was no place at hand -where they could obtain shelter for the night. So they continued on -their weary way until about half-way up the hill, when his wife's -strength was quite exhausted, and she sat down by the roadside. Tsêng, -too, halted to rest in spite of the soldiers and their abuse; but they -had hardly stopped a moment before down came a band of robbers upon -them, each with a sharp knife in his hand. The soldiers immediately -took to their heels, and Tsêng fell on his knees before the robbers, -saying, "I am a poor criminal going into banishment, and have nothing -to give you. I pray you spare my life." But the robbers sternly -replied, "We are all the victims of your crimes, and now we want your -wicked head." Then Tsêng began to revile them, saying, "Dogs! though I -am under sentence of banishment, I am still an officer of the State." -But the robbers cursed him again, flourishing a sword over his neck, -and the next thing he heard was the noise of his own head as it fell -with a thud to the ground. At the same instant two devils stepped -forward and seized him each by one hand, compelling him to go with -them. After a little while they arrived at a great city where there -was a hideously ugly king sitting upon a throne judging between good -and evil. Tsêng crawled before him on his hands and knees to receive -sentence, and the king, after turning over a few pages of his -register, thundered out, "The punishment of a traitor who has brought -misfortune on his country: the cauldron of boiling oil!" To this ten -thousand devils responded with a cry like a clap of thunder, and one -huge monster led Tsêng down alongside the cauldron, which was seven -feet in height, and surrounded on all sides by blazing fuel, so that -it was of a glowing red heat. Tsêng shrieked for mercy, but it was all -up with him, for the devil seized him by the hair and the small of his -back and pitched him headlong in. Down he fell with a splash, and rose -and sank with the bubbling of the oil, which ate through his flesh -into his very vitals. He longed to die, but death would not come to -him. After about half-an-hour's boiling, a devil took him out on a -pitchfork and threw him down before the Infernal King, who again -consulted his note-book, and said, "You relied on your position to -treat others with contumely and injustice, for which you must suffer -on the Sword-Hill." Again he was led away by devils to a large hill -thickly studded with sharp swords, their points upwards like the -shoots of bamboo, with here and there the remains of many miserable -wretches who had suffered before him. Tsêng again cried for mercy and -crouched upon the ground; but a devil bored into him with a poisoned -awl until he screamed with pain. He was then seized and flung up high -into the air, falling down right on the sword points, to his most -frightful agony. This was repeated several times until he was almost -hacked to pieces. He was then brought once more before the king, who -asked what was the amount of his peculations while on earth. -Immediately an accountant came forward with an abacus, and said that -the whole sum was 3,210,000 taels, whereupon the king replied, "Let -him drink that amount." Forthwith the devils piled up a great heap of -gold and silver, and, when they had melted it in a huge crucible, -began pouring it into Tsêng's mouth. The pain was excruciating as the -molten metal ran down his throat into his vitals; but since in life he -had never been able to get enough of the dross, it was determined he -should feel no lack of it then. He was half-a-day drinking it, and -then the king ordered him away to be born again as a woman[318] in -Kan-chou. A few steps brought them to a huge frame, where on an iron -axle revolved a mighty wheel many hundred _yojanas_[319] in -circumference, and shining with a brilliant light. The devils flogged -Tsêng on to the wheel, and he shut his eyes as he stepped up. Then -whiz--and away he went, feet foremost, round with the wheel, until he -felt himself tumble off and a cold thrill ran through him, when he -opened his eyes and found he was changed into a girl. He saw his -father and mother in rags and tatters, and in one corner a beggar's -bowl and a staff,[320] and understood the calamity that had befallen -him. Day after day he begged about the streets, and his inside rumbled -for want of food; he had no clothes to his back. At fourteen years of -age he was sold to a gentleman as concubine; and then, though food and -clothes were not wanting, he had to put up with the scoldings and -floggings of the wife, who one day burnt him with a hot iron.[321] -Luckily the gentleman took a fancy to him and treated him well, which -kindness Tsêng repaid by an irreproachable fidelity. It happened, -however, that on one occasion when they were chatting together, -burglars broke into the house and killed the gentleman, Tsêng having -escaped by hiding himself under the bed. Thereupon he was immediately -charged by the wife with murder, and on being taken before the -authorities was sentenced to die the "lingering death."[322] This -sentence was at once carried out with tortures more horrible than any -in all the Courts of Purgatory, in the middle of which Tsêng heard one -of his companions call out, "Hullo, there! you've got the nightmare." -Tsêng got up and rubbed his eyes, and his friends said, "It's quite -late in the day, and we're all very hungry." But the old priest -smiled, and asked him if the prophecy as to his future rank was true -or not. Tsêng bowed and begged him to explain; whereupon the old -priest said, "For those who cultivate virtue, a lily will grow up even -in the fiery pit."[323] Tsêng had gone thither full of pride and -vainglory; he went home an altered man. From that day he thought no -more of becoming a Secretary of State, but retired into the hills, and -I know not what became of him after that. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[311] That is, of rising to the highest offices of State. - -[312] The Chinese term used throughout is "star-man." - -[313] Chinese official life is divided into nine grades. - -[314] Prostrating himself three times, and knocking his head on the -ground thrice at each prostration. - -[315] The _retinue_ of a high mandarin is composed as follows:--First, -gong-bearers, then bannermen, tablet-bearers (on which tablets are -inscribed the titles of the official), a large red umbrella, mounted -attendants, a box containing a change of clothes, bearers of regalia, -a second gong, a small umbrella or sunshade, a large wooden fan, -executioners, lictors from hell, who wear tall hats; a mace (called a -"golden melon"), bamboos for "bambooing," incense-bearers, more -attendants, and now the great man himself, followed by a body-guard of -soldiers and a few personal attendants, amounting in all to nearly one -hundred persons, many of whom are mere street-rowdies or beggars, -hired at a trifling outlay when required to join what might otherwise -be an imposing procession. The scanty _retinues_ of foreign officials -in China still continue to excite the scorn of the populace, who love -to compare the rag-tag and bob-tail magnificence of their own -functionaries with the modest show even of H.B.M.'s Minister at -Peking. - -[316] A land journey of about three months, ending in a region which -the Chinese have always regarded as semi-barbarous. - -[317] This use of paper money in China is said to date from A.D. 1236; -that is, during the reign of the Mongol Emperor, Ogdai Khan. - -[318] This contingency is much dreaded by the Chinese. - -[319] A _yojana_ has been variously estimated at from five to nine -English miles. - -[320] The _patra_ and _khakkharam_ of the _bikshu_ or Buddhist -mendicant. - -[321] It is not considered quite correct to take a concubine unless -the wife is childless, in which case it is held that the proposition -to do so, and thus secure the much-desired posterity, should emanate -from the wife herself. On page 41 of Vol. XIII., of this author, we -read, "and if at thirty years of age you have no children, then sell -your hair-pins and other ornaments, and buy a concubine for your -husband. For the childless state is a hard one to bear;" or, as Victor -Hugo puts it in his _Légende des Siècles_, there is nothing so sad as -"la maison sans enfants." - -[322] This is the celebrated form of death, reserved for parricide and -similar awful crimes, about which so much has been written. Strictly -speaking, the malefactor should be literally chopped to pieces in -order to prolong his agonies; but the sentence is now rarely, if ever, -carried out in its extreme sense. A few gashes are made upon the -wretched victim's body, and he is soon put out of his misery by -decapitation. As a matter of fact, this death is not enumerated among -the _Five Punishments_ authorized by the Penal Code of the present -dynasty. See No. LV., note 306. - -[323] Alluding to a well-known Buddhist miracle in which a _bikshu_ -was to be thrown into a cauldron of boiling water in a fiery pit, when -suddenly a lotus-flower came forth, the fire was extinguished, and the -water became cold. - - - - -LVII. - -THE COUNTRY OF THE CANNIBALS.[324] - - -At Chiao-chou[325] there lived a man named Hsü, who gained his living -by trading across the sea. On one occasion he was carried far out of -his course by a violent tempest, and reached a country of high hills -and dense jungle,[326] where, after making fast his boat and taking -provisions with him, he landed, hoping to meet with some of the -inhabitants. He then saw that the rocks were covered with large holes, -like the cells of bees; and, hearing the sound of voices from within, -he stopped in front of one of them and peeped in. To his infinite -horror he beheld two hideous beings, with thick rows of horrid fangs, -and eyes that glared like lamps, engaged in tearing to pieces and -devouring some raw deer's flesh; and, turning round, he would have -fled instantly from the spot, had not the cave-men already espied -him; and, leaving their food, they seized him and dragged him in. -Thereupon ensued a chattering between them, resembling the noise of -birds or beasts,[327] and they proceeded to pull off Hsü's clothes as -if about to eat him; but Hsü, who was frightened almost to death, -offered them the food he had in his wallet, which they ate up with -great relish, and looked inside for more. Hsü waved his hand to shew -it was all finished, and then they angrily seized him again; at which -he cried out, "I have a saucepan in my boat, and can cook you some." -The cave-men did not understand what he said; but, by dint of -gesticulating freely, they at length seemed to have an idea of what he -meant; and, having taken him down to the shore to fetch the saucepan, -they returned with him to the cave, where he lighted a fire and cooked -the remainder of the deer, with the flavour of which they appeared to -be mightily pleased. At night they rolled a big stone to the mouth of -the cave,[328] fearing lest he should try to escape; and Hsü himself -lay down at a distance from them in doubt as to whether his life would -be spared. At daybreak the cave-men went out, leaving the entrance -blocked, and by-and-by came back with a deer, which they gave to Hsü -to cook. Hsü flayed the carcase, and from a remote corner of the cave -took some water and prepared a large quantity, which was no sooner -ready than several other cave-men arrived to join in the feast. When -they had finished all there was, they made signs that Hsü's saucepan -was too small; and three or four days afterwards they brought him a -large one of the same shape as those in common use amongst men, -subsequently furnishing him with constant supplies of wolf and -deer,[329] of which they always invited him to partake. By degrees -they began to treat him kindly, and not to shut him up when they went -out; and Hsü, too, gradually learnt to understand, and even to speak, -a little of their language, which pleased them so much that they -finally gave him a cave-woman for his wife. Hsü was horribly afraid of -her; but, as she treated him with great consideration, always -reserving tit-bits of food for him, they lived very happily together. -One day all the cave-people got up early in the morning, and, having -adorned themselves with strings of fine pearls, they went forth as if -to meet some honoured guest, giving orders to Hsü to cook an extra -quantity of meat that day. "It is the birthday of our King," said -Hsü's wife to him; and then, running out, she informed the other -cave-people that her husband had no pearls. So each gave five from -his own string, and Hsü's wife added ten to these, making in all -fifty, which she threaded on a hempen fibre and hung around his neck, -each pearl being worth over an hundred ounces of silver. Then they -went away, and as soon as Hsü had finished his cooking, his wife -appeared and invited him to come and receive the King. So off they -went to a huge cavern, covering about a mow[330] of ground, in which -was a huge stone, smoothed away at the top like a table, with stone -seats at the four sides. At the upper end was a dais, over which was -spread a leopard's skin, the other seats having only deer-skins; and -within the cavern some twenty or thirty cave-men ranged themselves on -the seats. After a short interval a great wind began to stir up the -dust, and they all rushed out to a creature very much resembling -themselves, which hurried into the cave, and, squatting down -cross-legged, cocked its head and looked about like a cormorant. The -other cave-men then filed in and took up their positions right and -left of the dais, where they stood gazing up at the King with their -arms folded before them in the form of a cross. The King counted them -one by one, and asked if they were all present; and when they replied -in the affirmative, he looked at Hsü and inquired who he was. -Thereupon Hsü's wife stepped forward and said he was her husband, and -the others all loudly extolled his skill in cookery, two of them -running out and bringing back some cooked meat, which they set before -the King. His Majesty swallowed it by handfuls, and found it so nice -that he gave orders to be supplied regularly; and then, turning to -Hsü, he asked him why his string of beads[331] was so short. "He has -but recently arrived among us," replied the cave-men, "and hasn't got -a complete set;" upon which the King drew ten pearls from the string -round his own neck and bestowed them upon Hsü. Each was as big as the -top of one's finger, and as round as a bullet; and Hsü's wife threaded -them for him and hung them round his neck. Hsü himself crossed his -arms and thanked the King in the language of the country, after which -His Majesty went off in a gust of wind as rapidly as a bird can fly, -and the cave-men sat down and finished what was left of the banquet. -Four years afterwards Hsü's wife gave birth to a triplet of two boys -and one girl, all of whom were ordinary human beings, and not at all -like the mother; at which the other cave-people were delighted, and -would often play with them and caress them.[332] Three years passed -away, and the children could walk about, after which their father -taught them to speak his own tongue; and in their early babblings -their human origin was manifested. The boys, as mere children, could -climb about on the mountains as easily as though walking upon a level -road; and between them and their father there grew up a mutual feeling -of attachment. One day the mother had gone out with the girl and one -of the boys, and was absent for a long time. A strong north wind was -blowing, and Hsü, filled with thoughts of his old home, led his other -son down with him to the beach, where lay the boat in which he had -formerly reached this country. He then proposed to the boy that they -should go away together; and, having explained to him that they could -not inform his mother, father and son stepped on board, and, after a -voyage of only twenty-four hours, arrived safely at Chiao-chou. On -reaching home Hsü found that his wife had married again; so he sold -two of his pearls for an enormous sum of money,[333] and set up a -splendid establishment. His son was called Piao, and at fourteen or -fifteen years of age the boy could lift a weight of three thousand -catties[334] (4,000 lbs.). He was extremely fond of athletics of all -kinds, and thus attracted the notice of the Commander-in-Chief, who -gave him a commission as sub-lieutenant. Just at that time there -happened to be some trouble on the frontier, and young Piao, having -covered himself with glory, was made a colonel at the age of eighteen. - -About that time another merchant was driven by stress of weather to -the country of the cave-men, and had hardly stepped ashore before he -observed a young man whom he knew at once to be of Chinese origin. The -young man asked him whence he came, and finally took him into a cave -hid away in a dark valley and concealed by the dense jungle. There he -bade him remain, and in a little while he returned with some deer's -flesh, which he gave the merchant to eat, saying at the same time that -his own father was a Chiao-chou man. The merchant now knew that the -young man was Hsü's son, he himself being acquainted with Hsü as a -trader in the same line of business. "Why, he's an old friend of -mine," cried the latter; "his other son is now a colonel." The young -man did not know what was meant by a _colonel_, so the merchant told -him it was the title of a Chinese mandarin. "And what is a -_mandarin_?" asked the youth. "A mandarin," replied the merchant, "is -one who goes out with a chair and horses; who at home sits upon a dais -in the hall; whose summons is answered by a hundred voices; who is -looked at only with sidelong eyes, and in whose presence all people -stand aslant;--this is to be a mandarin." The young man was deeply -touched at this recital, and at length the merchant said to him, -"Since your honoured father is at Chiao-chou, why do you remain here?" -"Indeed," replied the youth, "I have often indulged the same feeling; -but my mother is not a Chinese woman, and, apart from the difference -of her language and appearance, I fear that if the other cave-people -found it out they would do us some mischief." He then took his leave, -being in rather a disturbed state of mind, and bade the merchant wait -until the wind should prove favourable,[335] when he promised to come -and see him off, and charge him with a letter to his father and -brother. Six months the merchant remained in that cave, occasionally -taking a peep at the cave-people passing backwards and forwards, but -not daring to leave his retreat. As soon as the monsoon set in the -young man arrived and urged him to hurry away, begging him, also, not -to forget the letter to his father. So the merchant sailed away and -soon reached Chiao-chou, where he visited the colonel and told him the -whole story. Piao was much affected, and wished to go in search of -those members of the family; but his father feared the dangers he -would encounter, and advised him not to think of such a thing. -However, Piao was not to be deterred; and having imparted his scheme -to the commander-in-chief, he took with him two soldiers and set off. -Adverse winds prevailed at that time, and they beat about for half a -moon, until they were out of sight of all land, could not see a foot -before them, and had completely lost their reckoning. Just then a -mighty sea arose and capsized their boat, tossing Piao into the -water, where he floated about for some time at the will of the waves, -until suddenly somebody dragged him out and carried him into a house. -Then he saw that his rescuer was to all appearances a cave-man, and -accordingly he addressed him in the cave-people's language, and told -him whither he himself was bound. "It is my native place," replied the -cave-man, in astonishment; "but you will excuse my saying that you are -now 8,000 _li_ out of your course. This is the way to the country of -the Poisonous Dragons, and not your route at all." He then went off to -find a boat for Piao, and, himself swimming in the water behind, -pushed it along like an arrow from a bow, so quickly that by the next -day they had traversed the whole distance. On the shore Piao observed -a young man walking up and down and evidently watching him; and, -knowing that no human beings dwelt there, he guessed at once that he -was his brother. Approaching more closely, he saw that he was right; -and, seizing the young man's hand, he asked after his mother and -sister. On hearing that they were well, he would have gone directly to -see them; but the younger one begged him not to do so, and ran away -himself to fetch them. Meanwhile, Piao turned to thank the cave-man -who had brought him there, but he, too, had disappeared. In a few -minutes his mother and sister arrived, and, on seeing Piao, they could -not restrain their tears. Piao then laid his scheme before them, and -when they said they feared people would ill-treat them, he replied, -"In China I hold a high position, and people will not dare to shew -you disrespect." Thus they determined to go. The wind, however, was -against them, and mother and son were at a loss what to do, when -suddenly the sail bellied out towards the south, and a rustling sound -was heard. "Heaven helps us, my mother!" cried Piao, full of joy; and, -hurrying on board at once, in three days they had reached their -destination. As they landed the people fled right and left in fear, -Piao having divided his own clothes amongst the party; and when they -arrived at the house, and his mother saw Hsü, she began to rate him -soundly for running away without her. Hsü hastened to acknowledge his -error, and then all the family and servants were introduced to her, -each one being in mortal dread of such a singular personage. Piao now -bade his mother learn to talk Chinese, and gave her any quantity of -fine clothes and rich meats, to the infinite delight of the old lady. -She and her daughter both dressed in man's clothes, and by the end of -a few months were able to understand what was said to them. The -brother, named Pao [Leopard], and the sister, Yeh [Night], were both -clever enough, and immensely strong into the bargain. Piao was ashamed -that Pao could not read, and set to work to teach him; and the -youngster was so quick that he learnt the sacred books[336] and -histories by merely reading them once over. However, he would not -enter upon a literary career, loving better to draw a strong bow or -ride a spirited horse, and finally taking the highest military -degree. He married the daughter of a post-captain; but his sister had -some trouble in getting a husband, because of her being the child of a -cave-woman. At length a serjeant, named Yüan, who was under her -brother's command, was forced to take her as his wife. She could draw -a hundred-catty bow, and shoot birds at a hundred paces without ever -missing. Whenever Yüan went to battle she went with him; and his -subsequent rise to high rank was chiefly due to her. At thirty-four -years of age Pao got a command; and in his great battles his mother, -clad in armour and grasping a spear, would fight by his side, to the -terror of all their adversaries; and when he himself received the -dignity of an hereditary title, he memorialized the Throne to grant -his mother the title of "lady." - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[324] The Chinese term--here translated "Cannibals"--is a meaningless -imitation by two Chinese characters of the Sanscrit _yakcha_, or -certain demons who feed upon human flesh. - -[325] Hué, the capital of Cochin-China. - -[326] The island of Hainan, inhabited as it was in earlier times by a -race of savages, is the most likely source of the following marvellous -adventures. - -[327] To which sounds the languages of the west have been more than -once likened by the Chinese. It is only fair, however, to the lettered -classes to state that they have a similar contempt for their own local -dialects; regarding _Mandarin_ as the only form of speech worthy to be -employed by men. - -[328] The occasional analogies to the story of the Cyclops must be -evident to all readers. - -[329] The animal here mentioned is the plain brown deer, or _Rusa -Swinhoii_, of Formosa, in which island I should prefer to believe, but -for the great distance from Hué, that the scenes here narrated took -place. - -[330] About one sixth of an acre. On old title-deeds of landed -property in China may still be seen measurements calculated according -to the amount of grain that could be sown thereon. - -[331] The king here uses the words "ku-t'u-tz[)u]," which are probably -intended by the author to be an imitation of a term in the savage -tongue. - -[332] Fondness for children is specially a trait of Chinese character; -and a single baby would do far more to ensure the safety of a foreign -traveller in China than all the usual paraphernalia of pocket-pistols -and revolvers. - -[333] Literally, "a million of taels," the word used being the -Buddhist term _chao_. - -[334] Here again we have 100 _chün_, one _chün_ being equal to about -40 _lbs._ Chinese weights, measures, distances, numbers, &c., are -often very loosely employed; and it is probable that not more than 100 -_catties_, say 133 _lbs._, is here meant. - -[335] That is, until the change of the monsoon from S.W. to N.E. - -[336] See No. XLI., note 237. - - - - -LVIII. - -FOOT-BALL ON THE TUNG-T'ING LAKE. - - -Wang Shih-hsiu was a native of Lu-chou, and such a lusty fellow that -he could pick up a stone mortar.[337] Father and son were both good -foot-ball players; but when the former was about forty years of age he -was drowned while crossing the Money Pool.[338] Some eight or nine -years later our hero happened to be on his way to Hunan; and anchoring -in the Tung-t'ing lake, watched the moon rising in the east and -illuminating the water into a bright sheet of light. While he was thus -engaged, lo! from out of the lake emerged five men, bringing with them -a large mat which they spread on the surface of the water so as to -cover about six yards square. Wine and food were then arranged upon -it, and Wang heard the sound of the dishes knocking together, but it -was a dull, soft sound, not at all like that of ordinary crockery. -Three of the men sat down on the mat and the other two waited upon -them. One of the former was dressed in yellow, the other two in white, -and each wore a black turban. Their demeanour as they sat there side -by side was grave and dignified; in appearance they resembled three of -the ancients, but by the fitful beams of the moon Wang was unable to -see very clearly what they were like. The attendants wore black serge -dresses, and one of them seemed to be a boy, while the other was many -years older. Wang now heard the man in the yellow dress say, "This is -truly a fine moonlight night for a drinking-bout;" to which one of his -companions replied, "It quite reminds me of the night when Prince -Kuang-li feasted at Pear-blossom Island."[339] The three then pledged -each other in bumping goblets, talking all the time in such a low tone -that Wang could not hear what they were saying. The boatmen kept -themselves concealed, crouching down at the bottom of the boat; but -Wang looked hard at the attendants, the elder of whom bore a striking -resemblance to his father, though he spoke in quite a different tone -of voice. When it was drawing towards midnight, one of them proposed a -game at ball; and in a moment the boy disappeared in the water, to -return immediately with a huge ball--quite an armful in -fact--apparently full of quicksilver, and lustrous within and without. -All now rose up, and the man in the yellow dress bade the old -attendant join them in the game. The ball was kicked up some ten or -fifteen feet in the air, and was quite dazzling in its brilliancy; but -once, when it had gone up with a whish-h-h-h, it fell at some distance -off, right in the very middle of Wang's boat. The occasion was -irresistible, and Wang, exerting all his strength, kicked the ball -with all his might. It seemed unusually light and soft to the touch, -and his foot broke right through. Away went the ball to a good height, -pouring forth a stream of light like a rainbow from the hole Wang had -made, and making as it fell a curve like that of a comet rushing -across the sky. Down it glided into the water, where it fizzed a -moment and then went out. "Ho, there!" cried out the players in anger, -"what living creature is that who dares thus to interrupt our sport?" -"Well kicked--indeed!" said the old man, "that's a favourite drop-kick -of my own." At this, one of the two in white clothes began to abuse -him saying, "What! you old baggage, when we are all so annoyed in this -manner, are you to come forward and make a joke of it? Go at once with -the boy and bring back to us this practical joker, or your own back -will have a taste of the stick." Wang was of course unable to flee; -however, he was not a bit afraid, and grasping a sword stood there in -the middle of the boat. In a moment, the old man and boy arrived, also -armed, and then Wang knew that the former was really his father, and -called out to him at once, "Father, I am your son." The old man was -greatly alarmed, but father and son forgot their troubles in the joy -of meeting once again. Meanwhile, the boy went back, and Wang's -father bade him hide, or they would all be lost. The words were hardly -out of his mouth when the three men jumped on board the boat. Their -faces were black as pitch, their eyes as big as pomegranates, and they -at once proceeded to seize the old man. Wang struggled hard with them, -and managing to get the boat free from her moorings, he seized his -sword and cut off one of his adversaries' arms. The arm dropped down -and the man in the yellow dress ran away; whereupon one of those in -white rushed at Wang who immediately cut off his head, and he fell -into the water with a splash, at which the third disappeared. Wang and -his father were now anxious to get away, when suddenly a great mouth -arose from the lake, as big and as deep as a well, and against which -they could hear the noise of the water when it struck. This mouth blew -forth a violent gust of wind, and in a moment the waves were mountains -high and all the boats on the lake were tossing about. The boatmen -were terrified, but Wang seized one of two huge stones there were on -board for use as anchors,[340] about 130 lbs. in weight, and threw it -into the water, which immediately began to subside; and then he threw -in the other one, upon which the wind dropped, and the lake became -calm again. Wang thought his father was a disembodied spirit, but the -old man said, "I never died. There were nineteen of us drowned in the -river, all of whom were eaten by the fish-goblins except myself: I was -saved because I could play foot-ball. Those you saw got into trouble -with the Dragon King, and were sent here. They were all marine -creatures, and the ball they were playing with was a fish-bladder." -Father and son were overjoyed at meeting again, and at once proceeded -on their way. In the morning they found in the boat a huge fin--the -arm that Wang had cut off the night before. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[337] Used for pounding rice. - -[338] A fancy name for the Tung-t'ing lake. See No. XXXVIII., note -226. - -[339] The commentator declares himself unable to trace this allusion. - -[340] These are bound in between several sharp-pointed stakes and -serve their purpose very well in the inland waters of China. - - - - -LIX. - -THE THUNDER GOD. - - -Lê Yün-hao and Hsia P'ing-tz[)u] lived as boys in the same village, and -when they grew up read with the same tutor, becoming the firmest of -friends. Hsia was a clever fellow, and had acquired some reputation -even at the early age of ten. Lê was not a bit envious, but rather -looked up to him, and Hsia in return helped his friend very much with -his studies, so that he, too, made considerable progress. This -increased Hsia's fame, though try as he would he could never succeed -at the public examinations, and by-and-by he sickened and died. His -family was so poor they could not find money for his burial, whereupon -Lê came forward and paid all expenses, besides taking care of his -widow and children. - -Every peck or bushel he would share with them, the widow trusting -entirely to his support; and thus he acquired a good name in the -village, though not being a rich man himself he soon ran through all -his own property. "Alas!" cried he, "where talents like Hsia's failed, -can I expect to succeed? Wealth and rank are matters of destiny, and -my present career will only end by my dying like a dog in a ditch. I -must try something else." So he gave up book-learning and went into -trade, and in six months he had a trifle of money in hand. - -One day when he was resting at an inn in Nanking, he saw a great big -fellow walk in and seat himself at no great distance in a very -melancholy mood. Lê asked him if he was hungry, and on receiving no -answer, pushed some food over towards him. The stranger immediately -set to feeding himself by handfuls, and in no time the whole had -disappeared. Lê ordered another supply, but that was quickly disposed -of in like manner; and then he told the landlord to bring a shoulder -of pork and a quantity of boiled dumplings. Thus, after eating enough -for half a dozen, his appetite was appeased and he turned to thank his -benefactor, saying, "For three years I haven't had such a meal." "And -why should a fine fellow like you be in such a state of destitution?" -inquired Lê; to which the other only replied, "The judgments of heaven -may not be discussed." Being asked where he lived, the stranger -replied, "On land I have no home, on the water no boat; at dawn in the -village, at night in the city." Lê then prepared to depart; but his -friend would not leave him, declaring that he was in imminent danger, -and that he could not forget the late kindness Lê had shewn him. So -they went along together, and on the way Lê invited the other to eat -with him; but this he refused, saying that he only took food -occasionally. Lê marvelled more than ever at this; and next day when -they were on the river a great storm arose and capsized all their -boats, Lê himself being thrown into the water with the others. -Suddenly the gale abated and the stranger bore Lê on his back to -another boat, plunging at once into the water and bringing back the -lost vessel, upon which he placed Lê and bade him remain quietly -there. He then returned once more, this time carrying in his arms a -part of the cargo, which he replaced in the vessel, and so he went on -until it was all restored. Lê thanked him, saying, "It was enough to -save my life; but you have added to this the restoration of my goods." -Nothing, in fact, had been lost, and now Lê began to regard the -stranger as something more than human. The latter here wished to take -his leave, but Lê pressed him so much to stay that at last he -consented to remain. Then Lê remarked that after all he had lost a -gold pin, and immediately the stranger plunged into the water again, -rising at length to the surface with the missing article in his mouth, -and presenting it to Lê with the remark that he was delighted to be -able to fulfil his commands. The people on the river were all much -astonished at what they saw; meanwhile Lê went home with his friend, -and there they lived together, the big man only eating once in ten or -twelve days, but then displaying an enormous appetite. One day he -spoke of going away, to which Lê would by no means consent; and as it -was just then about to rain and thunder, he asked him to tell him what -the clouds were like, and what thunder was, also how he could get up -to the sky and have a look, so as to set his mind at rest on the -subject. "Would you like to have a ramble among the clouds?" asked -the stranger, as Lê was lying down to take a nap; on awaking from -which he felt himself spinning along through the air, and not at all -as if he was lying on a bed. Opening his eyes he saw he was among the -clouds, and around him was a fleecy atmosphere. Jumping up in great -alarm, he felt giddy as if he had been at sea, and underneath his feet -he found a soft, yielding substance, unlike the earth. Above him were -the stars, and this made him think he was dreaming; but looking up he -saw that they were set in the sky like seeds in the cup of a lily, -varying from the size of the biggest bowl to that of a small basin. On -raising his hand he discovered that the large stars were all tightly -fixed; but he managed to pick a small one, which he concealed in his -sleeve; and then, parting the clouds beneath him, he looked through -and saw the sea glittering like silver below. Large cities appeared no -bigger than beans--just at this moment, however, he bethought himself -that if his foot were to slip, what a tremendous fall he would have. -He now beheld two dragons writhing their way along, and drawing a cart -with a huge vat in it, each movement of their tails sounding like the -crack of a bullock-driver's whip. The vat was full of water, and -numbers of men were employed in ladling it out and sprinkling it on -the clouds. These men were astonished at seeing Lê; however, a big -fellow among them called out, "All right, he's my friend," and then -they gave him a ladle to help them throw the water out. Now it -happened to be a very dry season, and when Lê got hold of the ladle he -took good care to throw the water so that it should all fall on and -around his own home. The stranger then told him that he was the God of -Thunder,[341] and that he had just returned from a three years' -punishment inflicted on him in consequence of some neglect of his in -the matter of rain. He added that they must now part; and taking the -long rope which had been used as reins for the cart, bade Lê grip it -tightly, that he might be let down to earth. Lê was afraid of this, -but on being told there was no danger he did so, and in a moment -whish-h-h-h-h--away he went and found himself safe and sound on _terra -firma_. He discovered that he had descended outside his native -village, and then the rope was drawn up into the clouds and he saw it -no more. The drought had been excessive; for three or four miles round -very little rain had fallen, though in Lê's own village the -water-courses were all full. On reaching home he took the star out of -his sleeve, and put it on the table. It was dull-looking like an -ordinary stone; but at night it became very brilliant and lighted up -the whole house. This made him value it highly, and he stored it -carefully away, bringing it out only when he had guests, to light them -at their wine. It was always thus dazzlingly bright, until one evening -when his wife was sitting with him doing her hair, the star began to -diminish in brilliancy, and to flit about like a fire-fly. Mrs. Lê sat -gaping with astonishment, when all of a sudden it flitted into her -mouth and ran down her throat. She tried to cough it up but couldn't, -to the very great amazement of her husband. That night Lê dreamt that -his old friend Hsia appeared before him and said, "I am the Shao-wei -star. Your friendship is still cherished by me, and now you have -brought me back from the sky. Truly our destinies are knitted -together, and I will repay your kindness by becoming your son." Now Lê -was thirty years of age but without sons; however, after this dream -his wife bore him a male child, and they called his name Star. He was -extraordinarily clever, and at sixteen years of age took his master's -degree. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[341] This deity is believed to be constantly on the look-out for -wicked people, aided by the Goddess of Lightning, who flashes a mirror -on to whomsoever the God wishes to strike. "_The thief eats -thunderbolts_," means that he will bring down vengeance from Heaven on -himself. Tylor's _Primitive Culture_, Vol. I., p. 88. - - - - -LX. - -THE GAMBLER'S TALISMAN. - - -A Taoist priest, called Han, lived at the T'ien-ch'i temple, in our -district city. His knowledge of the black art was very extensive, and -the neighbours all regarded him as an Immortal.[342] My late father -was on intimate terms with him, and whenever he went into the city -invariably paid him a visit. One day, on such an occasion, he was -proceeding thither in company with my late uncle, when suddenly they -met Han on the road. Handing them the key of the door, he begged them -to go on and wait awhile for him, promising to be there shortly -himself. Following out these instructions they repaired to the temple, -but on unlocking the door there was Han sitting inside--a feat which -he subsequently performed several times. - -Now a relative of mine, who was terribly given to gambling, also knew -this priest, having been introduced to him by my father. And once this -relative, meeting with a Buddhist priest from the T'ien-fo temple, -addicted like himself to the vice of gambling, played with him until -he had lost everything, even going so far as to pledge the whole of -his property, which he lost in a single night. Happening to call in -upon Han as he was going back, the latter noticed his exceedingly -dejected appearance, and the rambling answers he gave, and asked him -what was the matter. On hearing the story of his losses, Han only -laughed, and said, "That's what always overtakes the gambler, sooner -or later; if, however, you will break yourself of the habit, I will -get your money back for you." "Ah," cried the other, "if you will only -do that, you may break my head with a pestle when you catch me -gambling again." So Han gave him a talismanic formula, written out on -a piece of paper, to put in his girdle, bidding him only win back what -he had lost, and not attempt to get a fraction more. He also handed -him 1000 _cash_, on condition that this sum should be repaid from his -winnings, and off went my relative delighted. The Buddhist, however, -turned up his nose at the smallness of his means, and said it wasn't -worth his while to stake so little; but at last he was persuaded into -having one throw for the whole lot. They then began, the priest -leading off with a fair throw, to which his opponent replied by a -better; whereupon the priest doubled his stake, and my relative won -again, going on and on until the latter's good luck had brought him -back all that he had previously lost. He thought, however, that he -couldn't do better than just win a few more strings of cash, and -accordingly went on; but gradually his luck turned, and on looking -into his girdle he found that the talisman was gone. In a great fright -he jumped up, and went off with his winnings to the temple, where he -reckoned up that after deducting Han's loan, and adding what he had -lost towards the end, he had exactly the amount originally his. With -shame in his face he turned to thank Han, mentioning at the same time -the loss of the talisman; at which Han only laughed, and said, "That -has got back before you. I told you not to be over-greedy, and as you -didn't heed me, I took the talisman away."[343] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[342] See No. V., note 48. - -[343] Gambling is the great Chinese vice, far exceeding in its ill -effects all that opium has ever done to demoralize the country. Public -gaming-houses are strictly forbidden by law, but their existence is -winked at by a too venal executive. _Fantan_ is the favourite game. It -consists in staking on the remainder of an unknown number of cash, -after the heap has been divided by four, namely whether it will be -three, two, one, or nothing; with other variations of a more -complicated nature. - - - - -LXI. - -THE HUSBAND PUNISHED. - - -Ching Hsing, of Wên-têng, was a young fellow of some literary -reputation, who lived next door to a Mr. Ch'ên, their studios being -separated only by a low wall. One evening Ch'ên was crossing a piece -of waste ground when he heard a young girl crying among some -pine-trees hard by. He approached, and saw a girdle hanging from one -of the branches, as if its owner was just on the point of hanging -herself. Ch'ên asked her what was the matter, and then she brushed -away her tears, and said, "My mother has gone away and left me in -charge of my brother-in-law; but he's a scamp, and won't continue to -take care of me; and now there is nothing left for me but to die." -Hereupon the girl began crying again, and Ch'ên untied the girdle and -bade her go and find herself a husband; to which she said there was -very little chance of that; and then Ch'ên offered to take her to his -own home--an offer which she very gladly accepted. Soon after they -arrived, his neighbour Ching thought he heard a noise, and jumped over -the wall to have a peep, when lo and behold! at the door of Ch'ên's -house stood this young lady, who immediately ran away into the garden -on seeing Ching. The two young men pursued her, but without success, -and were obliged to return each to his own room, Ching being greatly -astonished to find the same girl now standing at his door. On -addressing the young lady, she told him that his neighbour's destiny -was too poor a one for her,[344] and that she came from Shantung, and -that her name was Ch'i A-hsia. She finally agreed to take up her -residence with Ching; but after a few days, finding that a great -number of his friends were constantly calling, she declared it was too -noisy a place for her, and that she would only visit him in the -evening. This she continued to do for a few days, telling him in reply -to his inquiries that her home was not very far off. One evening, -however, she remarked that their present _liaison_ was not very -creditable to either; that her father was a mandarin on the western -frontier, and that she was about to set out with her mother to join -him; begging him meanwhile to make a formal request for the -celebration of their nuptials, in order to prevent them from being -thus separated. She further said that they started in ten days or so, -and then Ching began to reflect that if he married her she would have -to take her place in the family, and that would make his first wife -jealous; so he determined to get rid of the latter, and when she came -in he began to abuse her right and left. His wife bore it as long as -she could, but at length cried out it were better she should die; upon -which Ching advised her not to bring trouble on them all like that, -but to go back to her own home. He then drove her away, his wife -asking all the time what she had done to be sent away like this after -ten years of blameless life with him.[345] Ching, however, paid no -heed to her entreaties, and when he had got rid of her he set to work -at once to get the house whitewashed and made generally clean, himself -being on the tip-toe of expectation for the arrival of Miss A-hsia. -But he waited and waited, and no A-hsia came; she seemed gone like a -stone dropped into the sea. Meanwhile emissaries came from his late -wife's family begging him to take her back; and when he flatly -refused, she married a gentleman of position named Hsia, whose -property adjoined Ching's, and who had long been at feud with him in -consequence, as is usual in such cases. This made Ching furious, but -he still hoped that A-hsia would come, and tried to console himself in -this way. Yet more than a year passed away and still no signs of her, -until one day, at the festival of the Sea Spirits, he saw among the -crowds of girls passing in and out one who very much resembled A-hsia. -Ching moved towards her, following her as she threaded her way through -the crowd as far as the temple gate, where he lost sight of her -altogether, to his great mortification and regret. Another six months -passed away, when one day he met a young lady dressed in red, -accompanied by an old man-servant, and riding on a black mule. It was -A-hsia. So he asked the old man the name of his young mistress, and -learnt from him that she was the second wife of a gentleman named -Chêng, having been married to him about a fortnight previously. Ching -now thought she could not be A-hsia, but just then the young lady, -hearing them talking, turned her head, and Ching saw that he was -right. And now, finding that she had actually married another man, he -was overwhelmed with rage, and cried out in a loud voice, "A-hsia! -A-hsia! why did you break faith?" The servant here objected to his -mistress being thus addressed by a stranger, and was squaring up to -Ching, when A-hsia bade him desist; and, raising her veil, replied, -"And you, faithless one, how do you dare meet my gaze?" "You are the -faithless one," said Ching, "not I." "To be faithless to your wife is -worse than being faithless to me," rejoined A-hsia; "if you behaved -like that to her, how should I have been treated at your hands? -Because of the fair fame of your ancestors, and the honours gained by -them, I was willing to ally myself with you; but now that you have -discarded your wife, your thread of official advancement has been cut -short in the realms below, and Mr. Ch'ên is to take the place that -should have been yours at the head of the examination list. As for -myself, I am now part of the Chêng family; think no more of me." Ching -hung his head and could make no reply; and A-hsia whipped up her mule -and disappeared from his sight, leaving him to return home -disconsolate. At the forthcoming examination, everything turned out as -she had predicted; Mr. Ch'ên was at the top of the list, and he -himself was thrown out. It was clear that his luck was gone. At forty -he had no wife, and was so poor that he was glad to pick up a meal -where he could. One day he called on Mr. Chêng, who treated him well -and kept him there for the night; and while there Chêng's second wife -saw him, and asked her husband if his guest's name wasn't Ching. "It -is," said he, "how could you guess that?" "Well," replied she, "before -I married you, I took refuge in his house, and he was then very kind -to me. Although he has now sunk low, yet his ancestors' influence on -the family fortunes is not yet exhausted;[346] besides he is an old -acquaintance of yours, and you should try and do something for him." -Chêng consented, and having first given him a new suit of clothes, -kept him in the house several days. At night a slave-girl came to him -with twenty ounces of silver for him, and Mrs. Chêng, who was outside -the window, said, "This is a trifling return for your past kindness to -me. Go and get yourself a good wife. The family luck is not yet -exhausted, but will descend to your sons and grandchildren. Do not -behave like this again, and so shorten your term of life." Ching -thanked her and went home, using ten ounces of silver to procure a -concubine from a neighbouring family, who was very ugly and -ill-tempered. However, she bore him a son, and he by-and-by graduated -as doctor. Mr. Chêng became Vice-President of the Board of Civil -Office,[347] and at his death A-hsia attended the funeral; but when -they opened her chair on its return home, she was gone, and then -people knew for the first time that she was not mortal flesh and -blood. Alas! for the perversity of mankind, rejecting the old and -craving for the new?[348] And then when they come back to the familiar -nest, the birds have all flown. Thus does heaven punish such people. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[344] See No. XLVI., note 271. - -[345] See No. LIII., note 288. - -[346] The virtuous conduct of any individual will result not only in -happiness and prosperity to himself, but a certain quantity of these -will descend to his posterity, unless, as in the present case, there -is one among them whose personal wickedness neutralizes any benefits -that would otherwise accrue therefrom. Here we have an instance where -the crimes of a descendant still left a balance of good fortune -surviving from the accumulated virtue of generations. - -[347] One of the six departments of State administration. - -[348] This seems a curious charge to bring against a people who for a -stolid and bigoted conservatism have rarely, if ever, been equalled. -Mencius, however, uttered one golden sentence which might be brought -to bear upon the occasionally foolish opposition of the Chinese to -measures of proved advantage to the commonwealth. "Live," said the -Sage, "in harmony with the age in which you are born." - - - - -LXII. - -THE MARRIAGE LOTTERY. - - -A certain labourer's son, named Ma T'ien-jung, lost his wife when he -was only about twenty years of age, and was too poor to take another. -One day when out hoeing in the fields, he beheld a nice-looking young -lady leave the path and come tripping across the furrows towards him. -Her face was well painted,[349] and she had altogether such a refined -look that Ma concluded she must have lost her way, and began to make -some playful remarks in consequence. "You go along home," cried the -young lady, "and I'll be with you by-and-by." Ma doubted this rather -extraordinary promise, but she vowed and declared she would not break -her word; and then Ma went off, telling her that his front door faced -the north, etc., etc. In the evening the young lady arrived, and then -Ma saw that her hands and face were covered with fine hair, which made -him suspect at once she was a fox. She did not deny the accusation; -and accordingly Ma said to her, "If you really are one of those -wonderful creatures you will be able to get me anything I want; and I -should be much obliged if you would begin by giving me some money to -relieve my poverty." The young lady said she would; and next evening -when she came again, Ma asked her where the money was. "Dear me!" -replied she, "I quite forgot it." When she was going away, Ma reminded -her of what he wanted, but on the following evening she made precisely -the same excuse, promising to bring it another day. A few nights -afterwards Ma asked her once more for the money, and then she drew -from her sleeve two pieces of silver, each weighing about five or six -ounces. They were both of fine quality, with turned-up edges,[350] and -Ma was very pleased and stored them away in a cupboard. Some months -after this, he happened to require some money for use, and took out -these pieces; but the person to whom he showed them said they were -only pewter, and easily bit off a portion of one of them with his -teeth. Ma was much alarmed, and put the pieces away directly; taking -the opportunity when evening came of abusing the young lady roundly. -"It's all your bad luck," retorted she; "real gold would be too much -for your inferior destiny."[351] There was an end of that; but Ma went -on to say, "I always heard that fox-girls were of surpassing beauty; -how is it you are not?" "Oh," replied the young lady, "we always adapt -ourselves to our company. Now you haven't the luck of an ounce of -silver to call your own; and what would you do, for instance, with a -beautiful princess?[352] My beauty may not be good enough for the -aristocracy; but among your big-footed, burden-carrying rustics,[353] -why it may safely be called 'surpassing.'" - -A few months passed away, and then one day the young lady came and -gave Ma three ounces of silver, saying, "You have often asked me for -money, but in consequence of your weak luck I have always refrained -from giving you any. Now, however, your marriage is at hand, and I -here give you the cost of a wife, which you may also regard as a -parting gift from me." Ma replied that he wasn't engaged, to which the -young lady answered that in a few days a go-between would visit him to -arrange the affair. "And what will she be like?" asked Ma. "Why, as -your aspirations are for 'surpassing' beauty," replied the young lady, -"of course she will be possessed of surpassing beauty." "I hardly -expect that," said Ma; "at any rate three ounces of silver will not be -enough to get a wife." "Marriages," explained the young lady, "are -made in the moon;[354] mortals have nothing to do with them." "And why -must you be going away like this?" inquired Ma. "Because," answered -she, "we go on shilly-shallying from day to day, and month to month, -and nothing ever comes of it. I had better get you another wife and -have done with you." Then when morning came, she departed, giving Ma a -pinch of yellow powder, saying, "In case you are ill after we are -separated, this will cure you." Next day, sure enough, a go-between -did come, and Ma at once asked what the proposed bride was like; to -which the former replied that she was very passable-looking. Four or -five ounces of silver was fixed as the marriage present, Ma making no -difficulty on that score, but declaring he must have a peep at the -young lady.[355] The go-between said she was a respectable girl, and -would never allow herself to be seen; however it was arranged that -they should go to the house together, and await a good opportunity. So -off they went, Ma remaining outside while the go-between went in, -returning in a little while to tell him it was all right. "A relative -of mine lives in the same court, and just now I saw the young lady -sitting in the hall. We have only got to pretend we are going to see -my relative, and you will be able to get a glimpse of her." Ma -consented, and they accordingly passed through the hall, where he saw -the young lady sitting down with her head bent forward while some one -was scratching her back. She seemed to be all that the go-between had -said; but when they came to discuss the money, it appeared the young -lady only wanted one or two ounces of silver, just to buy herself a -few clothes, etc., at which Ma was delighted, and gave the go-between -a present for her trouble, which just finished up the three ounces his -fox-friend had provided. An auspicious day was chosen, and the young -lady came over to his house; when lo! she was hump-backed and -pigeon-breasted, with a short neck like a tortoise, and boat-shaped -feet, full ten inches long. The meaning of his fox-friend's remarks -then flashed upon him. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[349] Only slave-girls and women of the poorer classes, and old women, -omit this very important part of a Chinese lady's toilet. - -[350] Alluding probably to the shape of the "shoe" or ingot of silver. - -[351] See No. XLVI., note 271. - -[352] Literally, "One who would make wild geese alight and fish dive -down for shame;" or, as the next line from the same poem has it, "a -beauty which would obscure the moon and put flowers to the blush." - -[353] Slave-girls do not have their feet compressed. - -[354] Wherein resides an old gentleman who ties together with a red -cord the feet of those destined to become man and wife. From this bond -there is no escape, no matter what distance may separate the affianced -pair. The first go-between, Ku Ts'ê, was originally seen, on ice, -arranging matches with some one below:-- - - "Marriage is not a trifling thing-- - The Book and the Vermilion String! - On ice by moonlight may be seen - The wedded couples' go-between." - - --_A Thousand Character Essay for Girls._ - -Hence the common phrase "to do the ice (business)," _i.e._, to arrange -a marriage. - -[355] This proceeding is highly improper, but is winked at in a large -majority of Chinese betrothals. - - -END OF VOL. I. - - -THOS. DE LA RUE AND CO., PRINTERS, BUNHILL ROW, LONDON. - - * * * * * - -TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE - -This book was published in two volumes, of which this is the first. -The second volume was released as Project Gutenberg ebook #xxxxx, -available at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/xxxxx. Referenced -content not present in this electronic text can be found in Volume II. - -Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. [)u] represents u breve. -In footnote 55, Greek letters are denoted by their English names. - -Obvious typographical errors repaired. Punctuation, spelling, -hyphenation, use of accented characters and stylistic presentation -standardized when a predominant preference was found in this book. -Capitalization and hyphenation of Chinese personal names has been -standardized. Otherwise left as printed. - -Footnote numbers were re-indexed in this electronic text, internal -references renumbered correspondingly. - -Footnote 46, 'old' changed to 'odd' (presenting a very odd -appearance). - -Footnote 109, 'Marriages' changed to 'Marriage' (Marriage between persons -of the same surname is forbidden). - -Footnote 267, 'CVI' changed to 'CVII.' (later story (No. CVII.),). - -Page 36, 'villanous' changed to 'villainous' (he writes a villainous -hand). - -Page 86, 'dare' changed to 'dared' (nobody dared go near her). - -Page 306, 'grottos' changed to 'grottoes' (from each of the holes or -grottoes on the stone). - -Page 378, 'Shan' changed to 'Shan-hu' (Shan-hu held out her arms). - -Page 408, 'watching' changed to 'watched' (watched the moon rising in -the east). - -Page 411, 'bid' changed to 'bade' (Wang's father bade him hide). - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio -Vol. I (of 2), by Songling Pu - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE STORIES 1/2 *** - -***** This file should be named 43627-8.txt or 43627-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/6/2/43627/ - -Produced by obstobst, Henry Flower and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Giles—A Project Gutenberg eBook</title> @@ -609,48 +609,7 @@ abbr{ </head> <body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio Vol. -I (of 2), by Songling Pu - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio Vol. I (of 2) - -Author: Songling Pu - -Translator: Herbert A. Giles - -Release Date: September 3, 2013 [EBook #43627] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE STORIES 1/2 *** - - - - -Produced by obstobst, Henry Flower and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - -</pre> - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43627 ***</div> <div class="trn-top"> <p>Please read the <b><a href="#t-note">Transcriber's Note</a></b> at the end of this electronic text.</p> @@ -16381,388 +16340,6 @@ the east).</p> <p>Page 411, ‘bid’ changed to ‘<a href="#tn_5">bade</a>’ (Wang’s father bade him hide).</p> </div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio -Vol. I (of 2), by Songling Pu - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE STORIES 1/2 *** - -***** This file should be named 43627-h.htm or 43627-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/6/2/43627/ - -Produced by obstobst, Henry Flower and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio Vol. I (of 2) - -Author: Songling Pu - -Translator: Herbert A. Giles - -Release Date: September 3, 2013 [EBook #43627] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE STORIES 1/2 *** - - - - -Produced by obstobst, Henry Flower and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - - - - -STRANGE STORIES - -FROM A - -CHINESE STUDIO. - - - - - STRANGE STORIES - FROM A - CHINESE STUDIO. - - TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED - BY - HERBERT A. GILES, - _Of H.M.'s Consular Service_. - - IN TWO VOLUMES. - - VOL. I. - - LONDON: - THOS. DE LA RUE & CO. - 110, BUNHILL ROW. - - 1880. - - - - - PRINTED BY - THOMAS DE LA RUE AND CO., BUNHILL ROW, - LONDON. - - - - - TO MY WIFE AND OUR CHILDREN: - - _BERTRAM_, - - _LIONEL_, - - _VALENTINE_, - - _LANCELOT_. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - INTRODUCTION Vol. I., pp. xiii-xxxii. - - - STORIES. - - VOL. I. VOL. II. - - PAGE PAGE - - Adulteration Punished -- 332 - - Alchemist, The -- 313 - - Boat-girl Bride, The -- 149 - - Boatmen of Lao-lung, The -- 348 - - Boon Companion, The 165 -- - - Bribery and Corruption -- 170 - - Buddhist Priest of Ch'ang-ch'ing, The 22 -- - - Buddhist Priests, Arrival of -- 231 - - Butterfly's Revenge, The -- 289 - - Carrying a Corpse -- 181 - - Cattle Plague, The -- 253 - - Censor in Purgatory, The -- 238 - - Chang Pu-liang -- 177 - - Chang's Transformation 237 -- - - Chou K'o-ch'ang and his Ghost -- 106 - - Clay Image, The -- 276 - - Cloth Merchant, The -- 127 - - Collecting Subscriptions -- 220 - - Considerate Husband, The 158 -- - - Country of the Cave Men, The 397 -- - - Courage Tested -- 116 - - Cruelty Avenged -- 267 - - Dead Priest, The -- 247 - - Death by Laughing 352 -- - - Disembodied Friend, The -- 119 - - Dishonesty Punished -- 279 - - Doctor, The -- 290 - - Donkey's Revenge, The -- 64 - - Dr. Tseng's Dream 387 -- - - Dreaming Honours -- 327 - - Dutch Carpet, The -- 179 - - Dwarf, A 224 -- - - Earthquake, An -- 263 - - Elephants and the Lion, The -- 343 - - Engaged to a Nun 262 -- - - Examination for the Post of Guardian Angel 1 -- - - Faithful Dog, The -- 261 - - Faithful Gander, The -- 342 - - Faithless Widow, The -- 39 - - Feasting the Ruler of Purgatory -- 284 - - Feng-shui -- 322 - - Fight with the Foxes, The 251 -- - - Fighting Cricket, The -- 17 - - Fighting Quails, The 66 -- - - Fisherman and his Friend, The -- 197 - - Flood, A 350 -- - - Flower-nymphs, The 285 -- - - Flying Cow, The -- 249 - - Foot-ball on the Tung-t'ing Lake 408 -- - - Foreign Priests 343 -- - - Fortune-hunter Punished, The -- 272 - - Forty Strings of Cash, The -- 211 - - Friendship with Foxes -- 300 - - Gambler's Talisman, The 419 -- - - Grateful Dog, The -- 308 - - Great Rat, The -- 303 - - Great Test, The -- 310 - - Hidden Treasure, The -- 345 - - His Father's Ghost -- 142 - - Hsiang-ju's Misfortunes 225 -- - - Husband Punished, The 422 -- - - Incorrupt Official, The -- 358 - - Infernal Regions, In the -- 95 - - Ingratitude Punished -- 138 - - Injustice of Heaven, The -- 111 - - Invisible Priest, The -- 235 - - Jen Hsiu, The Gambler 196 -- - - Joining the Immortals 53 -- - - Jonah, A Chinese -- 176 - - Judge Lu 92 -- - - Justice for Rebels -- 184 - - Killing a Serpent -- 190 - - King, The 257 -- - - Life Prolonged -- 273 - - Lingering Death, The -- 325 - - Little Chu 143 -- - - Lo-ch'a Country and the Sea Market, The -- 1 - - Lost Brother, The 203 -- - - Mad Priest, The -- 282 - - Magic Mirror, The -- 114 - - Magic Path, The -- 36 - - Magic Sword, The 124 -- - - Magical Arts 47 -- - - Magnanimous Girl, The 160 -- - - Making Animals -- 265 - - Man who was changed into a Crow, The 278 -- - - Man who was thrown down a Well, The 365 -- - - Marriage Lottery, The 428 -- - - Marriage of the Fox's Daughter, The 26 -- - - Marriage of the Virgin Goddess, The -- 257 - - Master-thief, The 347 -- - - Metempsychosis -- 207 - - "Mirror and Listen" Trick, The -- 251 - - Miss Chiao-no 33 -- - - Miss Lien-hsiang, The Fox-girl 168 -- - - Miss Quarta Hu 152 -- - - Miss Ying-ning; or, the Laughing Girl 106 -- - - Mr. Tung; or, Virtue Rewarded -- 244 - - Mr. Willow and the Locusts -- 242 - - Mysterious Head, The -- 135 - - Painted Skin, The 76 -- - - Painted Wall, The 9 -- - - Performing Mice, The 218 -- - - Perseverance Rewarded 186 -- - - Picture Horse, The -- 286 - - Pious Surgeon, The -- 351 - - Planchette -- 295 - - Planting a Pear-tree 14 -- - - Playing at Hanging 354 -- - - Priest's Warning, The -- 205 - - Princess Lily, The -- 56 - - Princess of the Tung-t'ing Lake -- 43 - - Quarrelsome Brothers, The 313 -- - - Raising the Dead -- 318 - - Rat Wife, The 355 -- - - Resuscitated Corpse, The -- 193 - - Rip van Winkle, A Chinese -- 85 - - Roc, The -- 340 - - Salt Smuggler, The -- 215 - - Saving Life -- 213 - - Sea-serpent, The -- 113 - - Self-punished Murderer, The 345 -- - - She-wolf and the Herd-boys, The -- 330 - - Shui-mang Plant, The 136 -- - - Singing Frogs, The 217 -- - - Singular case of Ophthalmia -- 102 - - Singular Verdict -- 307 - - Sisters, The 336 -- - - Smelling Essays -- 139 - - Snow in Summer -- 294 - - Solomon, A Chinese -- 335 - - Solomon, Another -- 355 - - Spirit of the Hills, The -- 137 - - Spirits of the Po-yang Lake, The -- 109 - - Spiritualistic Seances -- 131 - - Stolen Eyes, The -- 233 - - Strange Companion, A -- 130 - - Stream of Cash, The -- 110 - - Supernatural Wife, A -- 166 - - Taking Revenge -- 25 - - Talking Pupils, The 5 -- - - Ta-nan in Search of his Father 296 -- - - Taoist Devotee, A -- 183 - - Taoist Miracles -- 226 - - Taoist Priest, A 246 -- - - Taoist Priest of Lao-shan, The 17 -- - - Theft of the Peach -- 186 - - Three Genii, The 214 -- - - Three States of Existence, The -- 90 - - Thunder God, The 413 -- - - Tiger Guest, The 330 -- - - Tiger of Chao-ch'eng, The 219 -- - - Tipsy Turtle, The -- 28 - - Trader's Son, The 85 -- - - Two Brides, The -- 158 - - Unjust Sentence, The -- 80 - - Virtuous Daughter-in-law, The 374 -- - - Wei-ch'i Devil, The -- 268 - - Wine Insect, The -- 259 - - Wolf Dream, The -- 73 - - Wolves -- 305 - - Wonderful Stone, The 306 -- - - Young Gentleman who couldn't spell, The 326 -- - - Young Lady of the Tung-t'ing Lake, The 271 -- - - - APPENDIX A -- 361 - - " B -- 389 - - - - -INTRODUCTION. - - -I.--PERSONAL.--The public has, perhaps, a right to be made acquainted -with the title under which I, an unknown writer, come forward as the -translator of a difficult Chinese work. In the spring of 1867 I began -the study of Chinese at H.B.M.'s Legation, Peking, under an implied -promise, in a despatch from the then Secretary of State for Foreign -Affairs, that successful efforts would be rewarded by proportionately -rapid advancement in the service of which I was a member. Then -followed a long novitiate of utterly uninteresting and, indeed, most -repellent labour,--inseparable, however, from the acquisition of this -language, which throughout its early stages demands more from sheer -memory than from the exercise of any other intellectual faculty. At -length, in the spring of 1877, while acting as Vice-Consul at Canton, -I commenced the translation of the work here offered to the English -reader. For such a task I had flattered myself into the belief that I -possessed two of the requisite qualifications: an accurate knowledge -of the grammatical structure of the language, and an extensive insight -into the manners, customs, superstitions, and general social life of -the Chinese. I had been variously stationed at Peking, Tientsin, -Takow, and Taiwan Fu (in Formosa), Ningpo, Hankow, Swatow, and Canton, -from the latter of which I was transferred--when my task was still -only half finished--to Amoy. I had travelled beyond the Great Wall -into Mongolia; and I had made the journey overland from Swatow to -Canton, a distance of five hundred miles; besides which, in addition -to my study of the language, my daily object in life had always been -to familiarise myself as much as possible with Chinese sympathies and -habits of thought. With these advantages, and by the interesting -nature of the subject-matter, I hoped to be able on the one hand to -arouse a somewhat deeper interest than is usually taken in the affairs -of China; and, on the other, to correct at any rate some of the -erroneous views, too frequently palmed off by inefficient and -disingenuous workers, and too readily accepted as fact. And I would -here draw attention to one most important point; namely, that although -a great number of books have been published about China and the -Chinese, there are extremely few in which the information is conveyed -at first hand; in other words, in which the Chinese are allowed to -speak for themselves.[1] Hence, perhaps, it may be that in an -accurately-compiled work such as Tylor's _Primitive Culture_, -allusions to the religious rites and ceremonies of nearly one-third of -the human race are condensed within the limits of barely a dozen short -passages. Hence, too, it undoubtedly is that many Chinese customs are -ridiculed and condemned by turns, simply because the medium through -which they have been conveyed has produced a distorted image. Much of -what the Chinese do actually believe and practise in their religious -and social life will be found in this volume, in the _ipsissima verba_ -of a highly-educated scholar writing about his fellow-countrymen and -his native land; while for the notes with which I have essayed to make -the picture more suggestive and more acceptable to the European eye, -I claim only so much authority as is due to the opinion of one -qualified observer who can have no possible motive in deviating ever -so slightly from what his own personal experience has taught him to -regard as the truth. - - -II.--BIOGRAPHICAL.--The barest skeleton of a biography is all that can -be formed from the very scanty materials which remain to mark the -career of a writer whose work has been for the best part of two -centuries as familiar throughout the length and breadth of China as -are the tales of the "Arabian Nights" in all English-speaking -communities. The author of "Strange Stories" was a native of Tzu-chou, -in the province of Shan-tung. His family name was P'u; his particular -name was Sung-ling; and the designation or literary epithet by which, -in accordance with Chinese usage, he was commonly known among his -friends, was Liu-hsien, or "Last of the Immortals." A further fancy -name, given to him probably by some enthusiastic admirer, was -Liu-ch'uean, or "Willow Spring;" but he is now familiarly spoken of -simply as P'u Sung-ling. We are unacquainted with the years of his -birth or death; however, by the aid of a meagre entry in the _History -of Tzue-chou_ it is possible to make a pretty good guess at the date -of the former event. For we are there told that P'u Sung-ling -successfully competed for the lowest or bachelor's degree before he -had reached the age of twenty; and that in 1651 he was in the position -of a graduate of ten years' standing, having failed in the interim to -take the second, or master's, degree. To this failure, due, as we are -informed in the history above quoted, to his neglect of the beaten -track of academic study, we owe the existence of his great work; not, -indeed, his only production, though the one _par excellence_ by which, -as Confucius said of his own "Spring and Autumn," men will know him. -All else that we have on record of P'u Sung-ling, besides the fact -that he lived in close companionship with several eminent scholars of -the day, is gathered from his own words, written when, in 1679, he -laid down his pen upon the completion of a task which was to raise him -within a short period to a foremost rank in the Chinese world of -letters. Of that record I here append a close translation, accompanied -by such notes as are absolutely necessary to make it intelligible to -non-students of Chinese. - -AUTHOR'S OWN RECORD. - - "'Clad in wistaria, girdled with ivy;'[2] thus sang San-lue[3] in - his _Dissipation of Grief_.[4] Of ox-headed devils and serpent - Gods,[5] he of the long-nails[6] never wearied to tell. Each - interprets in his own way the music of heaven;[7] and whether it - be discord or not, depends upon antecedent causes.[8] As for me, I - cannot, with my poor autumn fire-fly's light, match myself against - the hobgoblins of the age.[9] I am but the dust in the sunbeam, a - fit laughing-stock for devils.[10] For my talents are not those of - Yue Pao,[11] elegant explorer of the records of the Gods; I am - rather animated by the Spirit of Su Tung-p'o,[12] who loved to - hear men speak of the supernatural. I get people to commit what - they tell me to writing, and subsequently I dress it up in the - form of a story; and thus in the lapse of time my friends from all - quarters have supplied me with quantities of material, which, from - my habit of collecting, has grown into a vast pile.[13] - - "Human beings, I would point out, are not beyond the pale of fixed - laws, and yet there are more remarkable phenomena in their midst - than in the country of those who crop their hair;[14] antiquity is - unrolled before us, and many tales are to be found therein - stranger than that of the nation of Flying Heads.[15] - 'Irrepressible bursts, and luxurious ease,'[16]--such was always - his enthusiastic strain. 'For ever indulging in liberal - thought,'[17]--thus he spoke openly without restraint. Were men - like these to open my book, I should be a laughing-stock to them - indeed. At the cross-roads[18] men will not listen to me, and yet - I have some knowledge of the three states of existence[19] spoken - of beneath the cliff;[20] neither should the words I utter be set - aside because of him that utters them.[21] When the bow[22] was - hung at my father's door, he dreamed that a sickly-looking - Buddhist priest, but half-covered by his stole, entered the - chamber. On one of his breasts was a round piece of plaster like - a _cash_;[23] and my father, waking from sleep, found that I, just - born, had a similar black patch on my body. As a child, I was thin - and constantly ailing, and unable to hold my own in the battle of - life. Our home was chill and desolate as a monastery; and working - there for my livelihood with my pen,[24] I was as poor as a priest - with his alms-bowl.[25] Often and often I put my hand to my - head[26] and exclaimed, 'Surely he who sat with his face to the - wall[27] was myself in a previous state of existence;' and thus I - referred my non-success in this life to the influence of a destiny - surviving from the last. I have been tossed hither and thither in - the direction of the ruling wind, like a flower falling in filthy - places; but the six paths[28] of transmigration are inscrutable - indeed, and I have no right to complain. As it is, midnight finds - me with an expiring lamp, while the wind whistles mournfully - without; and over my cheerless table I piece together my - tales,[29] vainly hoping to produce a sequel to the _Infernal - Regions_.[30] With a bumper I stimulate my pen, yet I only succeed - thereby in 'venting my excited feelings,'[31] and as I thus commit - my thoughts to writing, truly I am an object worthy of - commiseration. Alas! I am but the bird that, dreading the winter - frost, finds no shelter in the tree: the autumn insect that chirps - to the moon, and hugs the door for warmth. For where are they who - know me?[32] They are 'in the bosky grove, and at the frontier - pass'[33]--wrapped in an impenetrable gloom!" - -From the above curious document the reader will gain some insight into -the abstruse, but at the same time marvellously beautiful, style of -this gifted writer. The whole essay--for such it is, and among the -most perfect of its kind--is intended chiefly as a satire upon the -scholarship of the age; scholarship which had turned the author back -to the disappointment of a private life, himself conscious all the -time of the inward fire that had been lent him by heaven. It is the -key-note to his own subsequent career, spent in the retirement of -home, in the society of books and friends; as also to the numerous -uncomplimentary allusions which occur in all his stories relating to -official life. Whether or not the world at large has been a gainer by -this instance of the fallibility of competitive examinations has been -already decided in the affirmative by the millions of P'u Sung-ling's -own countrymen, who for the past two hundred years have more than made -up to him by a posthumous and enduring reverence for the loss of those -earthly and ephemeral honours which he seems to have coveted so much. - - -III.--BIBLIOGRAPHICAL.--_Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio_, known -to the Chinese as the _Liao-Chai-Chih-I_, or more familiarly, the -_Liao-Chai_, has hardly been mentioned by a single foreigner without -some inaccuracy on the part of the writer concerned. For instance, the -late Mr. Mayers states in his _Chinese Reader's Manual_, p. 176, that -this work was composed "circa A.D. 1710," the fact being that the -collection was actually completed in 1679, as we know by the date -attached to the "Author's Own Record" given above. It is consequently -two centuries, almost to the day, since the first appearance of a book -destined to a popularity which the lapse of time seems wholly unable -to diminish; and the present may fairly be considered a fitting epoch -for its first presentation to the English reader in an English dress. -I should mention, however, that the _Liao-Chai_ was originally, and -for many years, circulated in manuscript only. P'u Sung-ling, as we -are told in a colophon by his grandson to the first edition, was too -poor to meet the heavy expense of block-cutting; and it was not until -as late as 1740, when the author must have been already for some time -a denizen of the dark land he so much loved to describe, that his -aforesaid grandson printed and published the collection now so -universally famous. Since then many editions have been laid before the -Chinese public, the best of which is that by Tan Ming-lun, a Salt -Commissioner, who flourished during the reign of Tao Kuang, and who in -1842 produced, at his own expense, an excellent edition in sixteen -small octavo volumes of about 160 pages each. And as various editions -will occasionally be found to contain various readings, I would here -warn students of Chinese who wish to compare my rendering with the -text, that it is from the edition of Tan Ming-lun, collated with that -of Yue Chi, published in 1766, that this translation has been made. -Many have been the commentaries and disquisitions upon the meaning of -obscure passages and the general scope of this work; to say nothing of -the prefaces with which the several editions have been ushered into -the world. Of the latter, I have selected one specimen, from which the -reader will be able to form a tolerably accurate opinion as to the -true nature of these always singular and usually difficult -compositions. Here it is:-- - -T'ANG MENG LAI'S PREFACE. - - "The common saying, 'He regards a camel as a horse with a swelled - back,' trivial of itself, may be used in illustration of greater - matters. Men are wont to attribute an existence only to such - things as they daily see with their own eyes, and they marvel at - whatsoever, appearing before them at one instant, vanishes at the - next. And yet it is not at the sprouting and falling of foliage, - or at the metamorphosis of insects that they marvel, but only at - the manifestations of the supernatural world; though of a truth, - the whistling of the wind and the movement of streams, with - nothing to set the one in motion or give sound to the other, might - well be ranked among extraordinary phenomena. We are accustomed to - these, and therefore do not note them. We marvel at devils and - foxes: we do not marvel at man. But who is it that causes a man to - move and to speak?--to which question comes the ready answer of - each individual so questioned, '_I_ do.' This 'I do,' however, is - merely a personal consciousness of the facts under discussion. - For a man can see with his eyes, but he cannot see what it is that - makes him see; he can hear with his ears, but he cannot hear what - it is that makes him hear; how, then, is it possible for him to - understand the rationale of things he can neither see nor hear. - Whatever has come within the bounds of their own ocular or - auricular experience men regard as proved to be actually existing; - and only such things.[34] But this term 'experience' may be - understood in various senses. For instance, people speak of - something which has certain attributes as _form_, and of something - else which has certain other attributes as _substance_; ignorant - as they are that form and substance are to be found existing - without those particular attributes. Things which are thus - constituted are inappreciable, indeed, by our ears and eyes; but - we cannot argue that therefore they do not exist. Some persons can - see a mosquito's eye, while to others even a mountain is - invisible; some can hear the sound of ants battling together, - while others again fail to catch the roar of a thunder-peal. - Powers of seeing and hearing vary; there should be no reckless - imputations of blindness. According to the schoolmen, man at his - death is dispersed like wind or fire, the origin and end of his - vitality being alike unknown; and as those who have seen strange - phenomena are few, the number of those who marvel at them is - proportionately great, and the 'horse with a swelled back' - parallel is very widely applicable. And ever quoting the fact that - Confucius would have nothing to say on these topics, these - schoolmen half discredit such works as the _Ch'i-chieh-chih-kuai_ - and the _Yue-ch'u-chi-i_,[35] ignorant that the Sage's - unwillingness to speak had reference only to persons of an - inferior mental calibre; for his own _Spring and Autumn_ can - hardly be said to be devoid of all allusions of the kind. Now P'u - Liu-hsien devoted himself in his youth to the marvellous, and as - he grew older was specially remarkable for his comprehension - thereof; and being moreover a most elegant writer, he occupied his - leisure in recording whatever came to his knowledge of a - particularly marvellous nature. A volume of these compositions of - his formerly fell into my hands, and was constantly borrowed by - friends; now, I have another volume, and of what I read only about - three-tenths was known to me before. What there is, should be - sufficient to open the eyes of those schoolmen, though I much fear - it will be like talking of ice to a butterfly. Personally, I - disbelieve in the irregularity of natural phenomena, and regard as - evil spirits only those who injure their neighbours. For eclipses, - falling stars, the flight of herons, the nest of a mina, talking - stones, and the combats of dragons, can hardly be classed as - irregular; while the phenomena of nature occurring out of season, - wars, rebellions, and so forth, may certainly be relegated to the - category of evil. In my opinion the morality of P'u Liu-hsien's - work is of a very high standard, its object being distinctly to - glorify virtue and to censure vice, and as a book calculated to - elevate mankind may be safely placed side by side with the - philosophical treatises of Yang Hsiung which Huan Tan declared to - be so worthy of a wide circulation." - -With regard to the meaning of the Chinese words _Liao-Chai-Chih-I_, -this title has received indifferent treatment at the hands of -different writers. Dr. Williams chose to render it by "Pastimes of the -Study," and Mr. Mayers by "The Record of Marvels, or Tales of the -Genii;" neither of which is sufficiently near to be regarded in the -light of a translation. Taken literally and in order, these words -stand for "Liao--library--record--strange," "Liao" being simply a -fanciful name given by our author to his private library or studio. An -apocryphal anecdote traces the origin of this selection to a remark -once made by himself with reference to his failure for the second -degree. "Alas!" he is reported to have said, "I shall now have no -resource (_Liao_) for my old age;" and accordingly he so named his -study, meaning that in his pen he would seek that resource which fate -had denied to him as an official. For this untranslatable "Liao" I -have ventured to substitute "Chinese," as indicating more clearly the -nature of what is to follow. No such title as "Tales of the Genii" -fully expresses the scope of this work, which embraces alike weird -stories of Taoist devilry and magic, marvellous accounts of impossible -countries beyond the sea, simple scenes of Chinese every-day life, and -notices of extraordinary natural phenomena. Indeed, the author once -had it in contemplation to publish only the more imaginative of the -tales in the present collection under the title of "Devil and Fox -Stories;" but from this scheme he was ultimately dissuaded by his -friends, the result being the heterogeneous mass which is more aptly -described by the title I have given to this volume. In a similar -manner, I too had originally determined to publish a full and complete -translation of the whole of these sixteen volumes; but on a closer -acquaintance many of the stories turned out to be quite unsuitable for -the age in which we live, forcibly recalling the coarseness of our own -writers of fiction in the last century. Others again were utterly -pointless, or mere repetitions in a slightly altered form. Of the -whole, I therefore selected one hundred and sixty-four of the best and -most characteristic stories, of which eight had previously been -published by Mr. Allen in the _China Review_, one by Mr. Mayers in -_Notes and Queries on China and Japan_, two by myself in the columns -of the _Celestial Empire_, and four by Dr. Williams in a now forgotten -handbook of Chinese. The remaining one hundred and forty-nine have -never before, to my knowledge, been translated into English. To those, -however, who can enjoy the _Liao-Chai_ in the original text, the -distinctions between the various stories of felicity in plot, -originality, and so on, are far less sharply defined, so impressed as -each competent reader must be by the incomparable style in which even -the meanest is arrayed. For in this respect, as important now in -Chinese eyes as it was with ourselves in days not long gone by, the -author of the _Liao-Chai_ and the rejected candidate succeeded in -founding a school of his own, in which he has since been followed by -hosts of servile imitators with more or less success. Terseness is -pushed to its extreme limits; each particle that can be safely -dispensed with is scrupulously eliminated; and every here and there -some new and original combination invests perhaps a single word with a -force it could never have possessed except under the hands of a -perfect master of his art. Add to the above, copious allusions and -adaptations from a course of reading which would seem to have been -co-extensive with the whole range of Chinese literature, a wealth of -metaphor and an artistic use of figures generally to which only the -_chef-d'oeuvres_ of Carlyle form an adequate parallel; and the result -is a work which for purity and beauty of style is now universally -accepted in China as the best and most perfect model. Sometimes the -story runs along plainly and smoothly enough; but the next moment we -may be plunged into pages of abstruse text, the meaning of which is so -involved in quotations from and allusions to the poetry or history of -the past three thousand years as to be recoverable only after diligent -perusal of the commentary and much searching in other works of -reference. In illustration of the popularity of this book, Mr. Mayers -once stated that "the porter at his gate, the boatman at his mid-day -rest, the chair-coolie at his stand, no less than the man of letters -among his books, may be seen poring with delight over the -elegantly-narrated marvels of the _Liao-Chai_;" but he would doubtless -have withdrawn this judgment in later years, with the work lying open -before him. Ever since I have been in China, I have made a point of -never, when feasible, passing by a reading Chinaman without asking -permission to glance at the volume in his hand; and at my various -stations in China I have always kept up a borrowing acquaintance with -the libraries of my private or official servants; but I can safely -affirm that I have not once detected the _Liao-Chai_ in the hands of -an ill-educated man. Mr. Mayers made, perhaps, a happier hit when he -observed that "fairy-tales told in the style of the _Anatomy of -Melancholy_ would scarcely be a popular book in Great Britain;" though -except in some particular points of contact, the styles of these two -writers could scarcely claim even the most distant of relationships. - -Such, then, is the setting of this collection of _Strange Stories from -a Chinese Studio_, many of which contain, in addition to the -advantages of style and plot, a very excellent moral. The intention of -most of them is, in the actual words of T'ang Meng-lai, "to glorify -virtue and to censure vice,"--always, it must be borne in mind, -according to the Chinese and not to a European interpretation of these -terms. As an addition to our knowledge of the folk-lore of China, and -as an _apercu_ of the manners, customs, and social life of that vast -Empire, my translation of the _Liao-Chai_ may not be wholly devoid of -interest. The amusement and instruction I have myself derived from the -task thus voluntarily imposed has already more than repaid me for the -pains I have been at to put this work before the English public in a -pleasing and available form. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] "How can a statement as to customs, myths, beliefs, &c., of a -savage tribe, be treated as evidence, where it depends on the -testimony of some traveller or missionary, who may be a superficial -observer, more or less ignorant of the native language, a careless -retailer of unsifted talk, a man prejudiced or even wilfully -deceitful?"--TYLOR'S _Primitive Culture_, Vol. I., p. 9. - -[2] Said of the bogies of the hills, in allusion to their _clothes_. -Here quoted with reference to the official classes, in ridicule of the -title under which they hold posts which, from a literary point of -view, they are totally unfit to occupy. - -[3] A celebrated statesman (B.C. 314) who, having lost his master's -favour by the intrigues of a rival, finally drowned himself in -despair. The Annual Dragon Festival is said by some to be a "search" -for his body. - -[4] A poem addressed by San-lue to his Prince, after his disgrace. Its -non-success was the immediate cause of his death. - -[5] That is, of the supernatural generally. - -[6] A poet of the T'ang Dynasty whose eyebrows met, whose nails were -very long, and who could write very fast. - -[7] "You know the music of earth," said the Taoist sage, Chuang-tz[)u]; -"but you have not heard the music of heaven." - -[8] That is, to the operation of some influence surviving from a -previous existence. - -[9] This is another hit at the ruling classes. Chi K'ang, a celebrated -musician and alchemist (A.D. 223-262), was sitting one night alone, -playing upon his lute, when suddenly a man with a tiny face walked in, -and began to stare hard at him, the stranger's face enlarging all the -time. "I'm not going to match myself against a devil!" cried the -musician, after a few moments, and instantly blew out the light. - -[10] When Liu Chuean, Governor of Wu-ling, determined to relieve his -poverty by trade, he saw a devil standing by his side, laughing and -rubbing his hands for glee. "Poverty and wealth are matters of -destiny," said Liu Chuean; "But to be laughed at by a devil----," and -accordingly he desisted from his intention. - -[11] A writer who flourished in the early part of the fourth century, -and composed a work in thirty books entitled _Supernatural -Researches_. - -[12] The famous poet, statesman, and essayist, who flourished A.D. -1036-1101. - -[13] "And his friends had the habit of jotting down for his unfailing -delight anything quaint or comic that they came across."--_The World_ -on Charles Dickens: 24th July 1878. - -[14] It is related in the _Historical Record_ that when T'ai Po and Yue -Chung visited the southern savages they saw men with tattooed bodies -and short hair. - -[15] A fabulous community, placed by geographers to the west of the -Dragon city--wherever that may be. So called because the heads of the -men are in the habit of leaving their bodies, and flying down to -marshy places to feed on worms and crabs. A red ring is seen the night -before the flight encircling the neck of the man whose head is about -to fly. At daylight the head returns. - -[16] A quotation from the admired works of Wang Po, a brilliant -scholar and poet, who was drowned at the early age of twenty-eight, -A.D. 675. - -[17] I have hitherto failed in all attempts to identify this -quotation. - -[18] The cross-road of the "Five Fathers" is here mentioned, which the -commentator tells us is merely the name of the place. - -[19] The past, present, and future life, of the Buddhist system of -metempsychosis. - -[20] A certain man, who was staying at a temple, dreamt that an old -priest appeared to him beneath a jade-stone cliff, and, pointing to a -stick of burning incense, said to him, "That incense represents a vow -to be fulfilled; but I say unto you, that ere its smoke shall have -curled away, your three states of existence will have been already -accomplished." The meaning is that time on earth is as nothing to the -Gods. - -[21] This remark occurs in the fifteenth of the Confucian Gospels, -section 22. - -[22] The birth of a boy was formerly signalled by hanging a bow at the -door; that of a girl, by displaying a small towel--indicative of the -parts that each would hereafter play in the drama of life. - -[23] See note 42 to No. II. - -[24] Literally, "ploughing with my pen." - -[25] The _patra_ or bowl, used by Buddhist mendicants, in imitation of -the celebrated alms-dish of Shakyamuni Buddha. - -[26] Literally, "scratched my head," as is often done by the Chinese -in perplexity or doubt. - -[27] Alluding to the priest Dharma-nandi, who came from India to -China, and tried to convert the Emperor Wu Ti of the Liang Dynasty; -but, failing in his attempt, he retired full of mortification to a -temple at Sung-shan, where he sat for nine years before a rock, until -his own image was imprinted thereon. - -[28] The six _gati_ or conditions of existence, namely: angels, men, -demons, hungry devils, brute beasts, and tortured sinners. - -[29] Literally, "putting together the pieces under the forelegs (of -foxes) to make robes." This part of the fox-skin is the most valuable -for making fur clothes. - -[30] The work of a well-known writer, named Lin I-ch'ing, who -flourished during the Sung Dynasty. - -[31] Alluding to an essay by Han Fei, a philosopher of the third -century B.C., in which he laments the iniquity of the age in general, -and the corruption of officials in particular. He finally committed -suicide in prison, where he had been cast by the intrigues of a rival -minister. - -[32] Confucius (_Gospel_ xiv., sec. 37) said, "Alas! there is no one -who knows me (to be what I am)." - -[33] The great poet Tu Fu (A.D. 712-770) dreamt that his greater -predecessor, Li T'ai-po (A.D. 699-762) appeared to him, "coming when -the maple-grove was in darkness, and returning while the frontier-pass -was still obscured;"--that is, at night, when no one could see him; -the meaning being that he never came at all, and that those "who know -me (P'u Sung-ling)" are equally non-existent. - -[34] "Thus, since countless things exist that the senses _can_ take -account of, it is evident that nothing exists that the senses can -_not_ take account of."--The "Professor" in W. H. Mallock's _New Paul -and Virginia_. - -This passage recalls another curious classification by the great -Chinese philosopher Han Wen-kung. "There are some things which possess -form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stones; others -have sound but are without form, such as wind and thunder; others -again have both form and sound, such as men and animals; and lastly, -there is a class devoid of both, namely, _devils and spirits_." - -[35] I have never seen any of these works, but I believe they treat, -as implied by their titles, chiefly of the supernatural world. - - - - -STRANGE STORIES - -FROM A - -CHINESE STUDIO. - - - - -I. - -EXAMINATION FOR THE POST OF GUARDIAN ANGEL.[36] - - -My eldest sister's husband's grandfather, named Sung Tao, was a -graduate.[37] One day, while lying down from indisposition, an -official messenger arrived, bringing the usual notification in his -hand and leading a horse with a white forehead, to summon him to the -examination for his master's degree. Mr. Sung here remarked that the -Grand Examiner had not yet come, and asked why there should be this -hurry. The messenger did not reply to this, but pressed so earnestly -that at length Mr. Sung roused himself, and getting upon the horse -rode with him. The way seemed strange, and by-and-by they reached a -city which resembled the capital of a prince. They then entered the -Prefect's _yamen_,[38] the apartments of which were beautifully -decorated; and there they found some ten officials sitting at the -upper end, all strangers to Mr. Sung, with the exception of one whom -he recognised to be the God of War.[39] In the verandah were two -tables and two stools, and at the end of one of the former a candidate -was already seated, so Mr. Sung sat down alongside of him. On the -table were writing materials for each, and suddenly down flew a piece -of paper with a theme on it, consisting of the following eight -words:--"One man, two men; by intention, without intention." When Mr. -Sung had finished his essay, he took it into the hall. It contained -the following passage: "Those who are virtuous by intention, though -virtuous, shall not be rewarded. Those who are wicked without -intention, though wicked, shall receive no punishment." The presiding -deities praised this sentiment very much, and calling Mr. Sung to come -forward, said to him, "A Guardian Angel is wanted in Honan. Go you and -take up the appointment." Mr. Sung no sooner heard this than he bowed -his head and wept, saying, "Unworthy though I am of the honour you -have conferred upon me, I should not venture to decline it but that my -aged mother has reached her seventh decade, and there is no one now to -take care of her. I pray you let me wait until she has fulfilled her -destiny, when I will hold myself at your disposal." Thereupon one of -the deities, who seemed to be the chief, gave instructions to search -out his mother's term of life, and a long-bearded attendant forthwith -brought in the Book of Fate. On turning it over, he declared that she -still had nine years to live; and then a consultation was held among -the deities, in the middle of which the God of War said, "Very well. -Let Mr. graduate Chang take the post, and be relieved in nine years' -time." Then, turning to Mr. Sung, he continued, "You ought to proceed -without delay to your post; but as a reward for your filial piety, you -are granted a furlough of nine years. At the expiration of that time -you will receive another summons." He next addressed a few kind words -to Mr. Chang; and the two candidates, having made their _kotow_, went -away together. Grasping Mr. Sung's hand, his companion, who gave -"Chang Ch'i of Ch'ang-shan" as his name and address, accompanied him -beyond the city walls and gave him a stanza of poetry at parting. I -cannot recollect it all, but in it occurred this couplet:-- - - "With wine and flowers we chase the hours, - In one eternal spring: - No moon, no light, to cheer the night-- - Thyself that ray must bring." - -Mr. Sung here left him and rode on, and before very long reached his -own home; here he awaked as if from a dream, and found that he had -been dead three days,[40] when his mother, hearing a groan in the -coffin, ran to it and helped him out. It was some time before he could -speak, and then he at once inquired about Ch'ang-shan, where, as it -turned out, a graduate named Chang had died that very day. - -Nine years afterwards, Mr. Sung's mother, in accordance with fate, -passed from this life; and when the funeral obsequies were over, her -son, having first purified himself, entered into his chamber and died -also. Now his wife's family lived within the city, near the western -gate; and all of a sudden they beheld Mr. Sung, accompanied by -numerous chariots and horses with carved trappings and red-tasselled -bits, enter into the hall, make an obeisance, and depart. They were -very much disconcerted at this, not knowing that he had become a -spirit, and rushed out into the village to make inquiries, when they -heard he was already dead. Mr. Sung had an account of his adventure -written by himself; but unfortunately after the insurrection it was -not to be found. This is only an outline of the story. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[36] The tutelar deity of every Chinese city. - -[37] That is, he had taken the first or bachelor's degree. I shall not -hesitate to use strictly English equivalents for all kinds of Chinese -terms. The three degrees are literally, (1) Cultivated Talent, (2) -Raised Man, and (3) Promoted Scholar. - -[38] The official residence of a mandarin above a certain rank. - -[39] The Chinese Mars. A celebrated warrior, named Kuan Yue, who lived -about the beginning of the third century of our era. He was raised -after death to the rank of a God, and now plays a leading part in the -Chinese Pantheon. - -[40] Catalepsy, which is the explanation of many a story in this -collection, would appear to be of very common occurrence amongst the -Chinese. Such, however, is not the case; in which statement I am borne -out by my friend, Dr. Manson, of Amoy, who, after many years' practice -among the natives of that port, and also of Formosa, informs me that -he has never even heard of a single instance of this strange -complaint. - - - - -II. - -THE TALKING PUPILS. - - -At Ch'ang-ngan there lived a scholar, named Fang Tung, who though by -no means destitute of ability was a very unprincipled rake, and in the -habit of following and speaking to any woman he might chance to meet. -The day before the spring festival of Clear Weather,[41] he was -strolling about outside the city when he saw a small carriage with red -curtains and an embroidered awning, followed by a crowd of -waiting-maids on horseback, one of whom was exceedingly pretty, and -riding on a small palfrey. Going closer to get a better view, Mr. Fang -noticed that the carriage curtain was partly open, and inside he -beheld a beautifully dressed girl of about sixteen, lovely beyond -anything he had ever seen. Dazzled by the sight, he could not take his -eyes off her; and, now before, now behind, he followed the carriage -for many a mile. By-and-by he heard the young lady call out to her -maid, and, when the latter came alongside, say to her, "Let down the -screen for me. Who is this rude fellow that keeps on staring so?" The -maid accordingly let down the screen, and looking angrily at Mr. Fang, -said to him, "This is the bride of the Seventh Prince in the City of -Immortals going home to see her parents, and no village girl that you -should stare at her thus." Then taking a handful of dust, she threw it -at him and blinded him. He rubbed his eyes and looked round, but the -carriage and horses were gone. This frightened him, and he went off -home, feeling very uncomfortable about the eyes. He sent for a doctor -to examine his eyes, and on the pupils was found a small film, which -had increased by next morning, the eyes watering incessantly all the -time. The film went on growing, and in a few days was as thick as a -cash.[42] On the right pupil there came a kind of spiral, and as no -medicine was of any avail, the sufferer gave himself up to grief and -wished for death. He then bethought himself of repenting of his -misdeeds, and hearing that the _Kuang-ming_ sutra could relieve -misery, he got a copy and hired a man to teach it to him. At first it -was very tedious work, but by degrees he became more composed, and -spent every evening in a posture of devotion, telling his beads. At -the end of a year he had arrived at a state of perfect calm, when one -day he heard a small voice, about as loud as a fly's, calling out from -his left eye:--"It's horridly dark in here." To this he heard a reply -from the right eye, saying, "Let us go out for a stroll, and cheer -ourselves up a bit." Then he felt a wriggling in his nose which made -it itch, just as if something was going out of each of the nostrils; -and after a while he felt it again as if going the other way. -Afterwards he heard a voice from one eye say, "I hadn't seen the -garden for a long time: the epidendrums are all withered and dead." -Now Mr. Fang was very fond of these epidendrums, of which he had -planted a great number, and had been accustomed to water them himself; -but since the loss of his sight he had never even alluded to them. -Hearing, however, these words, he at once asked his wife why she had -let the epidendrums die. She inquired how he knew they were dead, and -when he told her she went out to see, and found them actually withered -away. They were both very much astonished at this, and his wife -proceeded to conceal herself in the room. She then observed two tiny -people, no bigger than a bean, come down from her husband's nose and -run out of the door, where she lost sight of them. In a little while -they came back and flew up to his face, like bees or beetles seeking -their nests. This went on for some days, until Mr. Fang heard from the -left eye, "This roundabout road is not at all convenient. It would be -as well for us to make a door." To this the right eye answered, "My -wall is too thick; it wouldn't be at all an easy job." "I'll try and -open mine," said the left eye, "and then it will do for both of us." -Whereupon Mr. Fang felt a pain in his left eye as if something was -being split, and in a moment he found he could see the tables and -chairs in the room. He was delighted at this and told his wife, who -examined his eye and discovered an opening in the film, through which -she could see the black pupil shining out beneath, the eyeball itself -looking like a cracked pepper-corn. By next morning the film had -disappeared, and when his eye was closely examined it was observed to -contain two pupils. The spiral on the right eye remained as before; -and then they knew that the two pupils had taken up their abode in one -eye. Further, although Mr. Fang was still blind of one eye, the sight -of the other was better than that of the two together. From this time -he was more careful of his behaviour, and acquired in his part of the -country the reputation of a virtuous man.[43] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[41] One of the twenty-four solar terms. It falls on or about the 5th -of April, and is the special time for worshipping at the family tombs. - -[42] The common European name for the only Chinese coin, about twenty -of which go to a penny. Each has a square hole in the middle, for the -convenience of stringing them together; hence the expression "strings -of cash." - -[43] The belief that the human eye contains a tiny being of the human -shape is universal in China. It originated, of course, from the -reflection of oneself that is seen on looking into the pupil of -anybody's eye, or even, with the aid of a mirror, into one's own. - - - - -III. - -THE PAINTED WALL. - - -A Kiang-si gentleman, named Meng Lung-t'an, was lodging at the capital -with a Mr. Chu, M.A., when one day chance led them to a certain -monastery, within which they found no spacious halls or meditation -chambers, but only an old priest in _deshabille_. On observing the -visitors, he arranged his dress and went forward to meet them, leading -them round and showing whatever there was to be seen. In the chapel -they saw an image of Chih Kung, and the walls on either side were -beautifully painted with life-like representations of men and things. -On the east side were pictured a number of fairies, among whom was a -young girl whose maiden tresses were not yet confined by the matron's -knot. She was picking flowers and gently smiling, while her cherry -lips seemed about to move, and the moisture of her eyes to overflow. -Mr. Chu gazed at her for a long time without taking his eyes off, -until at last he became unconscious of anything but the thoughts that -were engrossing him. Then, suddenly, he felt himself floating in the -air, as if riding on a cloud, and found himself passing through the -wall,[44] where halls and pavilions stretched away one after another, -unlike the abodes of mortals. Here an old priest was preaching the Law -of Buddha, surrounded by a large crowd of listeners. Mr. Chu mingled -with the throng, and after a few moments perceived a gentle tug at his -sleeve. Turning round, he saw the young girl above-mentioned, who -walked laughing away. Mr. Chu at once followed her, and passing a -winding balustrade arrived at a small apartment beyond which he dared -not venture further. But the young lady, looking back, waved the -flowers she had in her hand as though beckoning him to come on. He -accordingly entered and found nobody else within. Then they fell on -their knees and worshipped heaven and earth together,[45] and rose up -as man and wife, after which the bride went away, bidding Mr. Chu keep -quiet until she came back. This went on for a couple of days, when the -young lady's companions began to smell a rat and discovered Mr. Chu's -hiding-place. Thereupon they all laughed and said, "My dear, you are -now a married woman, and should leave off that maidenly _coiffure_." -So they gave her the proper hair-pins and head ornaments, and bade her -go bind her hair, at which she blushed very much but said nothing. -Then one of them cried out, "My sisters, let us be off. Two's -company, more's none." At this they all giggled again and went away. - -Mr. Chu found his wife very much improved by the alteration in the -style of her hair. The high top-knot and the coronet of pendants were -very becoming to her. But suddenly they heard a sound like the -tramping of heavy-soled boots, accompanied by the clanking of chains -and the noise of angry discussion. The bride jumped up in a fright, -and she and Mr. Chu peeped out. They saw a man clad in golden armour, -with a face as black as jet, carrying in his hand chains and whips, -and surrounded by all the girls. He asked, "Are you all here?" "All," -they replied. "If," said he, "any mortal is here concealed amongst -you, denounce him at once, and lay not up sorrow for yourselves." Here -they all answered as before that there was no one. The man then made a -movement as if he would search the place, upon which the bride was -dreadfully alarmed, and her face turned the colour of ashes. In her -terror she said to Mr. Chu, "Hide yourself under the bed," and opening -a small lattice in the wall, disappeared herself. Mr. Chu in his -concealment hardly dared to draw his breath; and in a little while he -heard the boots tramp into the room and out again, the sound of the -voices getting gradually fainter and fainter in the distance. This -reassured him, but he still heard the voices of people going backwards -and forwards outside; and having been a long time in a cramped -position, his ears began to sing as if there was a locust in them, -and his eyes to burn like fire. It was almost unbearable; however, he -remained quietly awaiting the return of the young lady without giving -a thought to the why and wherefore of his present position. - -Meanwhile, Meng Lung-t'an had noticed the sudden disappearance of his -friend, and thinking something was wrong, asked the priest where he -was. "He has gone to hear the preaching of the Law," replied the -priest. "Where?" said Mr. Meng. "Oh, not very far," was the answer. -Then with his finger the old priest tapped the wall and called out, -"Friend Chu! what makes you stay away so long?" At this, the likeness -of Mr. Chu was figured upon the wall, with his ear inclined in the -attitude of one listening. The priest added, "Your friend here has -been waiting for you some time;" and immediately Mr. Chu descended -from the wall, standing transfixed like a block of wood, with starting -eyeballs and trembling legs. Mr. Meng was much terrified, and asked -him quietly what was the matter. Now the matter was that while -concealed under the bed he had heard a noise resembling thunder and -had rushed out to see what it was. - -Here they all noticed that the young lady on the wall with the -maiden's tresses had changed the style of her _coiffure_ to that of a -married woman. Mr. Chu was greatly astonished at this and asked the -old priest the reason. - -He replied, "Visions have their origin in those who see them: what -explanation can I give?" This answer was very unsatisfactory to Mr. -Chu; neither did his friend, who was rather frightened, know what to -make of it all; so they descended the temple steps and went away. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[44] Which will doubtless remind the reader of _Alice through the -Looking-glass, and what she saw there_. - -[45] The all-important item of a Chinese marriage ceremony; amounting, -in fact, to calling God to witness the contract. - - - - -IV. - -PLANTING A PEAR-TREE. - - -A countryman was one day selling his pears in the market. They were -unusually sweet and fine flavoured, and the price he asked was high. A -Taoist[46] priest in rags and tatters stopped at the barrow and -begged one of them. The countryman told him to go away, but as he did -not do so he began to curse and swear at him. The priest said, "You -have several hundred pears on your barrow; I ask for a single one, the -loss of which, Sir, you would not feel. Why then get angry?" The -lookers-on told the countryman to give him an inferior one and let him -go, but this he obstinately refused to do. Thereupon the beadle of the -place, finding the commotion too great, purchased a pear and handed it -to the priest. The latter received it with a bow and turning to the -crowd said, "We who have left our homes and given up all that is dear -to us[47] are at a loss to understand selfish niggardly conduct in -others. Now I have some exquisite pears which I shall do myself the -honour to put before you." Here somebody asked, "Since you have pears -yourself, why don't you eat those?" "Because," replied the priest, "I -wanted one of these pips to grow them from." So saying, he munched up -the pear; and when he had finished took a pip in his hand, unstrapped -a pick from his back, and proceeded to make a hole in the ground, -several inches deep, wherein he deposited the pip, filling in the -earth as before. He then asked the bystanders for a little hot water -to water it with, and one among them who loved a joke fetched him some -boiling water from a neighbouring shop. The priest poured this over -the place where he had made the hole, and every eye was fixed upon him -when sprouts were seen shooting up, and gradually growing larger and -larger. By-and-by, there was a tree with branches sparsely covered -with leaves; then flowers, and last of all fine, large, sweet-smelling -pears hanging in great profusion. These the priest picked and handed -round to the assembled crowd until all were gone, when he took his -pick and hacked away for a long time at the tree, finally cutting it -down. This he shouldered, leaves and all, and sauntered quietly away. -Now, from the very beginning, our friend the countryman had been -amongst the crowd, straining his neck to see what was going on, and -forgetting all about his business. At the departure of the priest he -turned round and discovered that every one of his pears was gone. He -then knew that those the old fellow had been giving away so freely -were really his own pears. Looking more closely at the barrow he also -found that one of the handles was missing, evidently having been newly -cut off. Boiling with rage, he set out in pursuit of the priest, and -just as he turned the corner he saw the lost barrow-handle lying under -the wall, being in fact the very pear-tree that the priest had cut -down. But there were no traces of the priest--much to the amusement of -the crowd in the market-place. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[46] That is, of the religion of _Tao_, or, as it is sometimes called, -_Rationalism_. It was founded some six centuries before the Christian -era by a man named Lao-tz[)u], "Old boy," who was said to have been born -with white hair and a beard. Originally a pure system of metaphysics, -it is now but a shadow of its former self, and is corrupted by the -grossest forms of superstition borrowed from Buddhism, which has in -its turn adopted many of the forms and beliefs of Taoism, so that the -two religions are hardly distinguishable one from the other. - -"What seemed to me the most singular circumstance connected with the -matter, was the presence of half-a-dozen Taoist priests, who joined in -all the ceremonies, doing everything that the Buddhist priests did, -and presenting a very odd appearance, with their top-knots and cues, -among their closely shaven Buddhist brethren. It seemed strange that -the worship of Sakyamuni by celibate Buddhist priests, with shaved -heads, into which holes were duly burned at their initiation, should -be participated in by married Taoist priests, whose heads are not -wholly shaven, and have never been burned."--_Initiation of Buddhist -Priests at Kooshan_, by S. L. B. - -Taoist priests are credited with a knowledge of alchemy and the black -art in general. - -[47] A celibate priesthood belongs properly to Buddhism, and is not a -doctrine of the Taoist church. - - - - -V. - -THE TAOIST PRIEST OF LAO-SHAN. - - -There lived in our village a Mr. Wang, the seventh son in an old -family. This gentleman had a _penchant_ for the Taoist religion; and -hearing that at Lao-shan there were plenty of Immortals,[48] -shouldered his knapsack and went off for a tour thither. Ascending a -peak of the mountain he reached a secluded monastery where he found a -priest sitting on a rush mat, with long hair flowing over his neck, -and a pleasant expression on his face. Making a low bow, Wang -addressed him thus:--"Mysterious indeed is the doctrine: I pray you, -Sir, instruct me therein." "Delicately-nurtured and wanting in energy -as you are," replied the priest, "I fear you could not support the -fatigue." "Try me," said Wang. So when the disciples, who were very -many in number, collected together at dusk, Wang joined them in making -obeisance to the priest, and remained with them in the monastery. Very -early next morning the priest summoned Wang, and giving him a hatchet -sent him out with the others to cut firewood. Wang respectfully -obeyed, continuing to work for over a month until his hands and feet -were so swollen and blistered that he secretly meditated returning -home. One evening when he came back he found two strangers sitting -drinking with his master. It being already dark, and no lamp or -candles having been brought in, the old priest took some scissors and -cut out a circular piece of paper like a mirror, which he proceeded to -stick against the wall. Immediately it became a dazzling moon, by the -light of which you could have seen a hair or a beard of corn. The -disciples all came crowding round to wait upon them, but one of the -strangers said, "On a festive occasion like this we ought all to enjoy -ourselves together." Accordingly he took a kettle of wine from the -table and presented it to the disciples, bidding them drink each his -fill; whereupon our friend Wang began to wonder how seven or eight of -them could all be served out of a single kettle. The disciples, too, -rushed about in search of cups, each struggling to get the first drink -for fear the wine should be exhausted. Nevertheless, all the -candidates failed to empty the kettle, at which they were very much -astonished, when suddenly one of the strangers said, "You have given -us a fine bright moon; but it's dull work drinking by ourselves. Why -not call Ch'ang-ngo[49] to join us?" He then seized a chop-stick and -threw it into the moon, whereupon a lovely girl stepped forth from its -beams. At first she was only a foot high, but on reaching the ground -lengthened to the ordinary size of women. She had a slender waist and -a beautiful neck, and went most gracefully through the Red Garment -figure.[50] When this was finished she sang the following words:-- - - "Ye fairies! ye fairies! I'm coming back soon, - Too lonely and cold is my home in the moon." - -Her voice was clear and well sustained, ringing like the notes of a -flageolet, and when she had concluded her song she pirouetted round -and jumped up on the table, where, with every eye fixed in -astonishment upon her, she once more became a chop-stick. The three -friends laughed loudly, and one of them said, "We are very jolly -to-night, but I have hardly room for any more wine. Will you drink a -parting glass with me in the palace of the moon?" They then took up -the table and walked into the moon where they could be seen drinking -so plainly, that their eyebrows and beards appeared like reflections -in a looking-glass. By-and-by the moon became obscured; and when the -disciples brought a lighted candle they found the priest sitting in -the dark alone. The viands, however, were still upon the table and the -mirror-like piece of paper on the wall. "Have you all had enough to -drink?" asked the priest; to which they answered that they had. "In -that case," said he, "you had better get to bed, so as not to be -behindhand with your wood-cutting in the morning." So they all went -off, and among them Wang, who was delighted at what he had seen, and -thought no more of returning home. But after a time he could not stand -it any longer; and as the priest taught him no magical arts he -determined not to wait, but went to him and said, "Sir, I travelled -many long miles for the benefit of your instruction. If you will not -teach me the secret of Immortality, let me at any rate learn some -trifling trick, and thus soothe my cravings for a knowledge of your -art. I have now been here two or three months, doing nothing but chop -firewood, out in the morning and back at night, work to which I was -never accustomed in my own home." "Did I not tell you," replied the -priest, "that you would never support the fatigue? To-morrow I will -start you on your way home." "Sir," said Wang, "I have worked for you -a long time. Teach me some small art, that my coming here may not have -been wholly in vain." "What art?" asked the priest. "Well," answered -Wang, "I have noticed that whenever you walk about anywhere, walls and -so on are no obstacle to you. Teach me this, and I'll be satisfied." -The priest laughingly assented, and taught Wang a formula which he -bade him recite. When he had done so he told him to walk through the -wall; but Wang, seeing the wall in front of him, didn't like to walk -at it. As, however, the priest bade him try, he walked quietly up to -it and was there stopped. The priest here called out, "Don't go so -slowly. Put your head down and rush at it." So Wang stepped back a few -paces and went at it full speed; and the wall yielding to him as he -passed, in a moment he found himself outside. Delighted at this, he -went in to thank the priest, who told him to be careful in the use of -his power, or otherwise there would be no response, handing him at the -same time some money for his expenses on the way. When Wang got home, -he went about bragging of his Taoist friends and his contempt for -walls in general; but as his wife disbelieved his story, he set about -going through the performance as before. Stepping back from the wall, -he rushed at it full speed with his head down; but coming in contact -with the hard bricks, finished up in a heap on the floor. His wife -picked him up and found he had a bump on his forehead as big as a -large egg, at which she roared with laughter; but Wang was overwhelmed -with rage and shame, and cursed the old priest for his base -ingratitude. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[48] The "angels" of Taoism--immortality in a happy land being the -reward held out for a life on earth in accordance with the doctrines -of Tao, for which, as Mr. Chalmers says, "three terms suggest -themselves--the Way, Reason, and the _Word_; but they are all liable -to objection." - -Taoist priests are believed by some to possess an elixir of -immortality in the form of a precious liquor; others again hold that -the elixir consists solely in a virtuous conduct of life. - -[49] The beautiful wife of a legendary chieftain, named Hou I, who -flourished about 2,500 B.C. She is said to have stolen from her -husband the elixir of immortality, and to have fled with it to the -moon. - -[50] The name of a celebrated _pas seul_ of antiquity. - - - - -VI. - -THE BUDDHIST PRIEST OF CH'ANG-CH'ING. - - -At Ch'ang-ch'ing there lived a Buddhist priest of exceptional virtue -and purity of conduct, who, though over eighty years of age, was still -hale and hearty. One day he fell down and could not move; and when the -other priests rushed to help him up, they found he was already gone. -The old priest was himself unconscious of death, and his soul flew -away to the borders of the province of Honan. Now it chanced that the -scion of an old family residing in Honan, had gone out that very day -with some ten or a dozen followers to hunt the hare with falcons;[51] -but his horse having run away with him he fell off and was killed. -Just at that moment the soul of the priest came by and entered into -the body, which thereupon gradually recovered consciousness. The -servants crowded round to ask him how he felt, when opening his eyes -wide, he cried out, "How did I get here?" They assisted him to rise, -and led him into the house, where all his ladies came to see him and -inquire how he did. In great amazement he said, "I am a Buddhist -priest. How came I hither?" His servants thought he was wandering, and -tried to recall him by pulling his ears. As for himself, he could make -nothing of it, and closing his eyes refrained from saying anything -further. For food, he would only eat rice, refusing all wine and meat; -and avoided the society of his wives.[52] After some days he felt -inclined for a stroll, at which all his family were delighted; but no -sooner had he got outside and stopped for a little rest than he was -besieged by servants begging him to take their accounts as usual. -However, he pleaded illness and want of strength, and no more was -said. He then took occasion to ask if they knew the district of -Ch'ang-ch'ing, and on being answered in the affirmative expressed his -intention of going thither for a trip, as he felt dull and had nothing -particular to do, bidding them at the same time look after his affairs -at home. They tried to dissuade him from this on the ground of his -having but recently risen from a sick bed; but he paid no heed to -their remonstrances, and on the very next day set out. Arriving in the -Ch'ang-ch'ing district, he found everything unchanged; and without -being put to the necessity of asking the road, made his way straight -to the monastery. His former disciples received him with every token -of respect as an honoured visitor; and in reply to his question as to -where the old priest was, they informed him that their worthy teacher -had been dead for some time. On asking to be shewn his grave, they led -him to a spot where there was a solitary mound some three feet high, -over which the grass was not yet green. Not one of them knew his -motives for visiting this place; and by-and-by he ordered his horse, -saying to the disciples, "Your master was a virtuous priest. Carefully -preserve whatever relics of him you may have, and keep them from -injury." They all promised to do this, and he then set off on his way -home. When he arrived there, he fell into a listless state and took -no interest in his family affairs. So much so, that after a few -months he ran away and went straight to his former home at the -monastery, telling the disciples that he was their old master. This -they refused to believe, and laughed among themselves at his -pretensions; but he told them the whole story, and recalled many -incidents of his previous life among them, until at last they were -convinced. He then occupied his old bed and went through the same -daily routine as before, paying no attention to the repeated -entreaties of his family, who came with carriages and horses to beg -him to return. - -About a year subsequently, his wife sent one of the servants with -splendid presents of gold and silk, all of which he refused with the -exception of a single linen robe. And whenever any of his old friends -passed this monastery, they always went to pay him their respects, -finding him quiet, dignified, and pure. He was then barely thirty, -though he had been a priest for more than eighty years.[53] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[51] This form of sport may still be seen in the north of China. A -hare being started, two Chinese greyhounds (which are very slow) are -slipped from their leash in pursuit. But, as the hare would easily run -straight away from them, a falcon is released almost simultaneously. -The latter soars to a considerable height, and then swoops down on the -hare, striking it a violent blow with the "pounce," or claw. This -partially stuns the hare, and allows the dogs to regain lost ground, -by which time the hare is ready once more, and off they go again. The -chase is ended by the hare getting to earth in a fox's burrow, or -being ultimately overtaken by the dogs. In the latter case the heart -and liver are cut out on the spot, and given to the falcon; otherwise -he would hunt no more that day. Two falcons are often released, one -shortly after the other. They wear hoods, which are removed at the -moment of flying, and are attached by a slip-string from one leg to -the falconer's wrist. During the night previous to a day's hunting, -they are not allowed to sleep. Each falconer lies down with one falcon -on his left wrist, and keeps up an incessant tapping with the other on -the bird's head. This is done to make them fierce. Should the quarry -escape, a hare's skin is thrown down, by which means the falcons are -secured, and made ready for a further flight. Occasionally, but -rarely, the falcon misses its blow at the hare, with the result of a -broken or injured "arm." - -[52] Abstinence from wine and meat, and celibacy, are among the most -important dogmas of the Buddhist church, as specially applied to its -priesthood. At the door of every Buddhist monastery may be seen a -notice that "No wine or meat may enter here!" Even the laity are not -supposed to drink wine. - -[53] Having renewed his youth by assuming the body of the young man -into which his soul had entered. - - - - -VII. - -THE MARRIAGE OF THE FOX'S DAUGHTER. - - -A president of the Board of Civil Office,[54] named Yin, and a native -of Li-ch'eng, when a young man, was very badly off, but was endowed -with considerable physical courage. Now in his part of the country -there was a large establishment, covering several acres, with an -unbroken succession of pavilions and verandahs, and belonging to one -of the old county families; but because ghosts and apparitions were -frequently seen there, the place had for a long time remained -untenanted, and was overgrown with grass and weeds, no one venturing -to enter in even in broad daylight. One evening when Yin was carousing -with some fellow-students, one of them jokingly said, "If anybody will -pass a night in the haunted house, the rest of us will stand him a -dinner." Mr. Yin jumped up at this, and cried out, "What is there -difficult in that?" So, taking with him a sleeping-mat, he proceeded -thither, escorted by all his companions as far as the door, where -they laughed and said, "We will wait here a little while. In case you -see anything, shout out to us at once." "If there are any goblins or -foxes," replied Yin, "I'll catch them for you." He then went in, and -found the paths obliterated by long grass, which had sprung up, -mingled with weeds of various kinds. It was just the time of the new -moon, and by its feeble light he was able to make out the door of the -house. Feeling his way, he walked on until he reached the back -pavilion, and then went up on to the Moon Terrace, which was such a -pleasant spot that he determined to stop there. Gazing westwards, he -sat for a long time looking at the moon--a single thread of light -embracing in its horns the peak of a hill--without hearing anything at -all unusual; so, laughing to himself at the nonsense people talked, he -spread his mat upon the floor, put a stone under his head for a -pillow, and lay down to sleep. He had watched the Cow-herd and the -Lady[55] until they were just disappearing, and was on the point of -dropping off, when suddenly he heard footsteps down below coming up -the stairs. Pretending to be asleep, he saw a servant enter, carrying -in his hand a lotus-shaped lantern,[56] who, on observing Mr. Yin, -rushed back in a fright, and said to someone behind, "There is a -stranger here!" The person spoken to asked who it was, but the servant -did not know; and then up came an old gentleman, who, after examining -Mr. Yin closely, said, "It's the future President: he's as drunk as -can be. We needn't mind him; besides, he's a good fellow, and won't -give us any trouble." So they walked in and opened all the doors; and -by-and-by there were a great many other people moving about, and -quantities of lamps were lighted, till the place was as light as day. -About this time Mr. Yin slightly changed his position, and sneezed; -upon which the old man, perceiving that he was awake, came forward and -fell down on his knees, saying, "Sir, I have a daughter who is to be -married this very night. It was not anticipated that Your Honour would -be here. I pray, therefore, that we may be excused." Mr. Yin got up -and raised the old man, regretting that, in his ignorance of the -festive occasion, he had brought with him no present.[57] "Ah, Sir," -replied the old man, "your very presence here will ward off all -noxious influences; and that is quite enough for us." He then begged -Mr. Yin to assist in doing the honours, and thus double the obligation -already conferred. Mr. Yin readily assented, and went inside to look -at the gorgeous arrangements they had made. He was here met by a lady, -apparently about forty years of age, whom the old gentleman introduced -as his wife; and he had hardly made his bow when he heard the sound of -flageolets,[58] and someone came hurrying in, saying, "He has come!" -The old gentleman flew out to meet this personage, and Mr. Yin also -stood up, awaiting his arrival. In no long time, a bevy of people with -gauze lanterns ushered in the bridegroom himself, who seemed to be -about seventeen or eighteen years old, and of a most refined and -prepossessing appearance. The old gentleman bade him pay his respects -first to their worthy guest; and upon his looking towards Mr. Yin, -that gentleman came forward to welcome him on behalf of the host. Then -followed ceremonies between the old man and his son-in-law; and when -these were over, they all sat down to supper. Hosts of waiting-maids -brought in profuse quantities of wine and meats, with bowls and cups -of jade or gold, till the table glittered again. And when the wine had -gone round several times, the old gentleman told one of the maids to -summon the bride. This she did, but some time passed and no bride -came. So the old man rose and drew aside the curtain, pressing the -young lady to come forth; whereupon a number of women escorted out the -bride, whose ornaments went _tinkle tinkle_ as she walked along, sweet -perfumes being all the time diffused around. Her father told her to -make the proper salutation, after which she went and sat by her -mother. Mr. Yin took a glance at her, and saw that she wore on her -head beautiful ornaments made of kingfisher's feathers, her beauty -quite surpassing anything he had ever seen. All this time they had -been drinking their wine out of golden goblets big enough to hold -several pints, when it flashed across him that one of these goblets -would be a capital thing to carry back to his companions in evidence -of what he had seen. So he secreted it in his sleeve, and, pretending -to be tipsy,[59] leaned forward with his head upon the table as if -going off to sleep. "The gentleman is drunk," said the guests; and -by-and-by Mr. Yin heard the bridegroom take his leave, and there was a -general trooping downstairs to the tune of a wedding march. When they -were all gone the old gentleman collected the goblets, one of which -was missing, though they hunted high and low to find it. Someone -mentioned the sleeping guest; but the old gentleman stopped him at -once for fear Mr. Yin should hear, and before long silence reigned -throughout. Mr. Yin then arose. It was dark, and he had no light; but -he could detect the lingering smell of the food, and the place was -filled with the fumes of wine. Faint streaks of light now appearing in -the east, he began quietly to make a move, having first satisfied -himself that the goblet was still in his sleeve. Arriving at the door, -he found his friends already there; for they had been afraid he might -come out after they left, and go in again early in the morning. When -he produced the goblet they were all lost in astonishment; and on -hearing his story, they were fain to believe it, well knowing that a -poor student like Yin was not likely to have such a valuable piece of -plate in his possession. - -Later on Mr. Yin took his doctor's degree, and was appointed -magistrate over the district of Fei-ch'iu, where there was an -old-established family of the name of Chu. The head of the family -asked him to a banquet in honour of his arrival, and ordered the -servants to bring in the large goblets. After some delay a slave-girl -came and whispered something to her master which seemed to make him -very angry. Then the goblets were brought in, and Mr. Yin was invited -to drink. He now found that these goblets were of precisely the same -shape and pattern as the one he had at home, and at once begged his -host to tell him where he had had these made. "Well," said Mr. Chu, -"there should be eight of them. An ancestor of mine had them made, -when he was a minister at the capital, by an experienced artificer. -They have been handed down in our family from generation to -generation, and have now been carefully laid by for some time; but I -thought we would have them out to-day as a compliment to your Honour. -However, there are only seven to be found. None of the servants can -have touched them, for the old seals of ten years ago are still upon -the box, unbroken. I don't know what to make of it." Mr. Yin laughed, -and said, "It must have flown away! Still, it is a pity to lose an -heir-loom of that kind; and as I have a very similar one at home, I -shall take upon myself to send it to you." When the banquet was over, -Mr. Yin went home, and taking out his own goblet, sent it off to Mr. -Chu. The latter was somewhat surprised to find that it was identical -with his own, and hurried away to thank the magistrate for his gift, -asking him at the same time how it had come into his possession. Mr. -Yin told him the whole story, which proves conclusively that although -a fox may obtain possession of a thing, even at a distance of many -hundred miles, he will not venture to keep it altogether.[60] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[54] One of the "Six Boards" at the capital, equivalent to our own War -Office, Board of Works, etc. - -[55] The Chinese names for two stars: beta-gamma Aquila and alpha Lyra. - -[56] Lanterns very prettily made to resemble all kinds of flowers are -to be seen at the Chinese New Year. - -[57] This is, as with us, obligatory on all friends invited to a -marriage. - -[58] The accompaniment of all weddings and funerals in China. - -[59] The soberest people in the world, amongst whom anything like -sottishness is comparatively unknown, think it no disgrace, but rather -complimentary, to get pleasantly tipsy on all festive occasions; and -people who are physically unable to do so, frequently go so far as to -hire substitutes to drink for them. Mandarins especially suffer very -much from the custom of being obliged to "take wine" with a large -number of guests. For further on this subject, see No. LIV., note 292. - -[60] The wedding-party was, of course, composed entirely of foxes; -this animal being believed by the Chinese to be capable of appearing -at will under the human form, and of doing either good or evil to its -friends or foes. These facts will be prominently brought out in -several of the stories to follow. - - - - -VIII. - -MISS CHIAO-NO. - - -K'ung Hsueeh-li was a descendant of Confucius.[61] He was a man of -considerable ability, and an excellent poet.[62] A fellow-student, to -whom he was much attached, became magistrate at T'ien-t'ai, and sent -for K'ung to join him. Unfortunately, just before K'ung arrived his -friend died, and he found himself without the means of returning home; -so he took up his abode in a Buddhist monastery, where he was employed -in transcribing for the priests. Several hundred paces to the west of -this monastery there was a house belonging to a Mr. Shan, a gentleman -who had known better days, but who had spent all his money in a heavy -law-suit; and then, as his family was a small one, had gone away to -live in the country and left his house vacant. One day there was a -heavy fall of snow which kept visitors away from the monastery; and -K'ung, finding it dull, went out. As he was passing by the door of the -house above-mentioned, a young man of very elegant appearance came -forth, who, the moment he saw K'ung, ran up to him, and with a bow, -entered into conversation, asking him to be pleased to walk in. K'ung -was much taken with the young man, and followed him inside. The rooms -were not particularly large, but adorned throughout with embroidered -curtains, and from the walls hung scrolls and drawings by celebrated -masters. On the table lay a book, the title of which was, "Jottings -from Paradise;" and turning over its leaves, K'ung found therein many -strange things. He did not ask the young man his name, presuming that -as he lived in the Shan family mansion, he was necessarily the owner -of the place. The young man, however, inquired what he was doing in -that part of the country, and expressed great sympathy with his -misfortunes, recommending him to set about taking pupils. "Alas!" said -K'ung, "who will play the Maecenas to a distressed wayfarer like -myself?" "If," replied the young man, "you would condescend so far, I -for my part would gladly seek instruction at your hands." K'ung was -much gratified at this, but said he dared not arrogate to himself the -position of teacher, and begged merely to be considered as the young -man's friend. He then asked him why the house had been shut up for so -long; to which the young man replied, "This is the Shan family -mansion. It has been closed all this time because of the owner's -removal into the country. My surname is Huang-fu, and my home is in -Shen-si; but as our house has been burnt down in a great fire, we have -put up here for a while." Thus Mr. K'ung found out that his name was -not Shan. That evening they spent in laughing and talking together, -and K'ung remained there for the night. In the morning a lad came in -to light the fire; and the young man, rising first, went into the -private part of the house. Mr. K'ung was sitting up with the -bed-clothes still huddled round him, when the lad looked in and said, -"Master's coming!" So he jumped up with a start, and in came an old -man with a silvery beard, who began to thank him, saying, "I am very -much obliged to you for your condescension in becoming my son's tutor. -At present he writes a villainous hand; and I can only hope you will -not allow the ties of friendship to interfere with discipline." -Thereupon, he presented Mr. K'ung with an embroidered suit of clothes, -a sable hat, and a set of shoes and stockings; and when the latter had -washed and dressed himself he called for wine and food. K'ung could -not make out what the valances of the chairs and tables were made of: -they were so very bright-coloured and dazzling. By-and-by, when the -wine had circulated several times, the old gentleman picked up his -walking-stick and took his leave. After breakfast, the young man -handed in his theme, which turned out to be written in an archaic -style, and not at all after the modern fashion of essay-writing. K'ung -asked him why he had done this, to which the young man replied that he -did not contemplate competing at the public examinations. In the -evening they had another drinking-bout, but it was agreed that there -should be no more of it after that night. The young man then called -the boy and told him to see if his father was asleep or not; adding, -that if he was, he might quietly summon Miss Perfume. The boy went -off, first taking a guitar out of a very pretty case; and in a few -minutes in came a very nice-looking young girl. The young man bade -her play the _Death of Shun_;[63] and seizing an ivory plectrum she -swept the chords, pouring forth a vocal melody of exquisite sweetness -and pathos. He then gave her a goblet of wine to drink, and it was -midnight before they parted. Next morning they got up early and -settled down to work. The young man proved an apt scholar; he could -remember what he had once read, and at the end of two or three months -had made astonishing progress. Then they agreed that every five days -they would indulge in a symposium, and that Miss Perfume should always -be of the party. One night when the wine had gone into K'ung's head, -he seemed to be lost in a reverie; whereupon his young friend, who -knew what was the matter with him, said, "This girl was brought up by -my father. I know you find it lonely, and I have long been looking out -for a nice wife for you." "Let her only resemble Miss Perfume," said -K'ung, "and she will do." "Your experience," said the young man, -laughing, "is but limited, and, consequently, anything is a surprise -to you. If Miss Perfume is your _beau ideal_, why it will not be -difficult to satisfy you." - -Some six months had passed away, when one day Mr. K'ung took it into -his head that he would like to go out for a stroll in the country. The -entrance, however, was carefully closed; and on asking the reason, the -young man told him that his father wished to receive no guests for -fear of causing interruption to his studies. So K'ung thought no more -about it; and by-and-by, when the heat of summer came on, they moved -their study to a pavilion in the garden. At this time Mr. K'ung had a -swelling on the chest about as big as a peach, which, in a single -night, increased to the size of a bowl. There he lay groaning with the -pain, while his pupil waited upon him day and night. He slept badly -and took hardly any food; and in a few days the place got so much -worse that he could neither eat nor drink. The old gentleman also came -in, and he and his son lamented over him together. Then the young man -said, "I was thinking last night that my sister, Chiao-no, would be -able to cure Mr. K'ung, and accordingly I sent over to my -grandmother's asking her to come. She ought to be here by now." At -that moment a servant entered and announced Miss Chiao-no, who had -come with her cousin, having been at her aunt's house. Her father and -brother ran out to meet her, and then brought her in to see Mr. K'ung. -She was between thirteen and fourteen years old, and had beautiful -eyes with a very intelligent expression in them, and a most graceful -figure besides. No sooner had Mr. K'ung beheld this lovely creature -than he quite forgot to groan, and began to brighten up. Meanwhile the -young man was saying, "This respected friend of mine is the same to -me as a brother. Try, sister, to cure him." Miss Chiao-no immediately -dismissed her blushes, and rolling up her long sleeves approached the -bed to feel his pulse.[64] As she was grasping his wrist, K'ung became -conscious of a perfume more delicate than that of the epidendrum; and -then she laughed, saying, "This illness was to be expected; for the -heart is touched. Though it is severe, a cure can be effected; but, as -there is already a swelling, not without using the knife." Then she -drew from her arm a gold bracelet which she pressed down upon the -suffering spot, until by degrees the swelling rose within the bracelet -and overtopped it by an inch and more, the outlying parts that were -inflamed also passing under, and thus very considerably reducing the -extent of the tumour. With one hand she opened her robe and took out a -knife with an edge as keen as paper, and pressing the bracelet down -all the time with the other, proceeded to cut lightly round near the -root of the swelling. The dark blood gushed forth, and stained the bed -and the mat; but Mr. K'ung was delighted to be near such a -beauty,--not only felt no pain, but would willingly have continued the -operation that she might sit by him a little longer. In a few moments -the whole thing was removed, and the place looked like the knot on a -tree where a branch has been cut away. Here Miss Chiao-no called for -water to wash the wound, and from between her lips she took a red pill -as big as a bullet, which she laid upon the flesh, and, after drawing -the skin together, passed round and round the place. The first turn -felt like the searing of a hot iron; the second like a gentle itching; -and at the third he experienced a sensation of lightness and coolness -which penetrated into his very bones and marrow. The young lady then -returned the pill to her mouth, and said, "He is cured," hurrying away -as fast as she could. Mr. K'ung jumped up to thank her, and found that -his complaint had quite disappeared. Her beauty, however, had made -such an impression on him that his troubles were hardly at an end. -From this moment he gave up his books, and took no interest in -anything. This state of things was soon noticed by the young man, who -said to him, "My brother, I have found a fine match for you." "Who is -it to be?" asked K'ung. "Oh, one of the family," replied his friend. -Thereupon Mr. K'ung remained some time lost in thought, and at length -said, "Please don't!" Then turning his face to the wall, he repeated -these lines:-- - - "Speak not of lakes and streams to him who once has seen the sea; - The clouds that circle Wu's peak are the only clouds for me." - -The young man guessed to whom he was alluding, and replied, "My father -has a very high opinion of your talents, and would gladly receive you -into the family, but that he has only one daughter, and she is much -too young. My cousin, Ah-sung, however, is seventeen years old, and -not at all a bad-looking girl. If you doubt my word, you can wait in -the verandah until she takes her daily walk in the garden, and thus -judge for yourself." This Mr. K'ung acceded to, and accordingly saw -Miss Chiao-no come out with a lovely girl--her black eyebrows -beautifully arched, and her tiny feet encased in phoenix-shaped -shoes--as like one another as they well could be. He was of course -delighted, and begged the young man to arrange all preliminaries; and -the very next day his friend came to tell him that the affair was -finally settled. A portion of the house was given up to the bride and -bridegroom, and the marriage was celebrated with plenty of music and -hosts of guests, more like a fairy wedding than anything else. Mr. -K'ung was very happy, and began to think that the position of Paradise -had been wrongly laid down, until one day the young man came to him -and said, "For the trouble you have been at in teaching me, I shall -ever remain your debtor. At the present moment, the Shan family -law-suit has been brought to a termination, and they wish to resume -possession of their house immediately. We therefore propose returning -to Shen-si, and as it is unlikely that you and I will ever meet again, -I feel very sorrowful at the prospect of parting." Mr. K'ung replied -that he would go too, but the young man advised him to return to his -old home. This, he observed, was no easy matter; upon which the young -man said, "Don't let that trouble you: I will see you safe there." -By-and-by his father came in with Mr. K'ung's wife, and presented Mr. -K'ung with one hundred ounces of gold; and then the young man gave the -husband and wife each one of his hands to grasp, bidding them shut -their eyes. The next instant they were floating away in the air, with -the wind whizzing in their ears. In a little while he said, "You have -arrived," and opening his eyes, K'ung beheld his former home. Then he -knew that the young man was not a human being. Joyfully he knocked at -the old door, and his mother was astonished to see him arrive with -such a nice wife. They were all rejoicing together, when he turned -round and found that his friend had disappeared. His wife attended on -her mother-in-law with great devotion, and acquired a reputation both -for virtue and beauty, which was spread round far and near. Some time -passed away, and then Mr. K'ung took his doctor's degree, and was -appointed Governor of the Gaol in Yen-ngan. He proceeded to his post -with his wife only, the journey being too long for his mother, and -by-and-by a son was born. Then he got into trouble by being too honest -an official, and threw up his appointment; but had not the wherewithal -to get home again. One day when out hunting he met a handsome young -man riding on a nice horse, and seeing that he was staring very hard -looked closely at him. It was young Huang-fu. So they drew bridle, and -fell to laughing and crying by turns,--the young man then inviting -K'ung to go along with him. They rode on together until they had -reached a village thickly shaded with trees, so that the sun and sky -were invisible overhead, and entered into a most elaborately-decorated -mansion, such as might belong to an old-established family. K'ung -asked after Miss Chiao-no, and heard that she was married; also that -his own mother-in-law was dead, at which tidings he was greatly moved. -Next day he went back and returned again with his wife. Chiao-no also -joined them, and taking up K'ung's child played with it, saying, "Your -mother played us truant." Mr. K'ung did not forget to thank her for -her former kindness to him, to which she replied, "You're a great man -now. Though the wound has healed, haven't you forgotten the pain yet?" -Her husband, too, came to pay his respects, returning with her on the -following morning. One day the young Huang-fu seemed troubled in -spirit, and said to Mr. K'ung, "A great calamity is impending. Can you -help us?" Mr. K'ung did not know what he was alluding to, but readily -promised his assistance. The young man then ran out and summoned the -whole family to worship in the ancestral hall, at which Mr. K'ung was -alarmed, and asked what it all meant. "You know," answered the young -man, "I am not a man but a fox. To-day we shall be attacked by -thunder;[65] and if only you will aid us in our trouble, we may still -hope to escape. If you are unwilling, take your child and go, that you -may not be involved with us." Mr. K'ung protested he would live or die -with them, and so the young man placed him with a sword at the door, -bidding him remain quiet there in spite of all the thunder. He did as -he was told, and soon saw black clouds obscuring the light until it -was all as dark as pitch. Looking round, he could see that the house -had disappeared, and that its place was occupied by a huge mound and a -bottomless pit. In the midst of his terror, a fearful peal was heard -which shook the very hills, accompanied by a violent wind and driving -rain. Old trees were torn up, and Mr. K'ung became both dazed and -deaf. Yet he stood firm until he saw in a dense black column of smoke -a horrid thing with a sharp beak and long claws, with which it -snatched some one from the hole, and was disappearing up with the -smoke. In an instant K'ung knew by her clothes and shoes that the -victim was no other than Chiao-no, and instantly jumping up he struck -the devil violently with his sword, and cut it down. Immediately the -mountains were riven, and a sharp peal of thunder laid K'ung dead upon -the ground. Then the clouds cleared away, and Chiao-no gradually came -round, to find K'ung dead at her feet. She burst out crying at the -sight, and declared that she would not live since K'ung had died for -her. K'ung's wife also came out, and they bore the body inside. -Chiao-no then made Ah-sung hold her husband's head, while her brother -prised open his teeth with a hair-pin, and she herself arranged his -jaw. She next put a red pill into his mouth, and bending down breathed -into him. The pill went along with the current of air, and presently -there was a gurgle in his throat, and he came round. Seeing all the -family about him, he was disturbed as if waking from a dream. However -they were all united together, and fear gave place to joy; but Mr. -K'ung objected to live in that out-of-the-way place, and proposed that -they should return with him to his native village. To this they were -only too pleased to assent--all except Chiao-no; and when Mr. K'ung -invited her husband, Mr. Wu, as well, she said she feared her father -and mother-in-law would not like to lose the children. They had tried -all day to persuade her, but without success, when suddenly in rushed -one of the Wu family's servants, dripping with perspiration and quite -out of breath. They asked what was the matter, and the servant replied -that the Wu family had been visited by a calamity on the very same -day, and had every one perished. Chiao-no cried very bitterly at this, -and could not be comforted; but now there was nothing to prevent them -from all returning together. Mr. K'ung went into the city for a few -days on business, and then they set to work packing-up night and day. -On arriving at their destination, separate apartments were allotted to -young Mr. Huang-fu, and these he kept carefully shut up, only opening -the door to Mr. K'ung and his wife. - -Mr. K'ung amused himself with the young man and his sister Chiao-no, -filling up the time with chess,[66] wine, conversation, and good -cheer, as if they had been one family. His little boy, Huan, grew up -to be a handsome young man, with a fox-like _penchant_ for roaming -about; and it was generally known that he was actually the son of a -fox. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[61] Lineal descendants of Confucius are to be found at this day near -their founder's mausoleum in Shantung. The head of the family is a -hereditary _kung_ or "duke," and each member enjoys a share of the -revenues with which the family has been endowed, in well-merited -recognition of the undying influence of China's greatest sage. - -[62] More or less proficiency in the art of poetry is an absolutely -essential qualification for all who present themselves at the great -competitive tests by which successful candidates are admitted to -Chinese official life. [See _Appendix_ A.] The following anecdote is -given by the London correspondent of the _Leeds Mercury_:-- - -"The new Chinese ambassador in this country is a man of considerable -literary ability, and perhaps one of the few diplomatists since the -days of Matthew Prior (Lord Lytton alone excepted) who has achieved -distinction as a poet. Shortly after his arrival in this country, he -expressed a wish to become acquainted with the principal English -poets, and as Mr. Browning is more accessible and more a man of the -world than the Poet Laureate, an arrangement was made the other day by -which the two should be brought in contact with one another. After the -mutual courtesies, Mr. Browning having learnt that His Excellency was -also a poet, expressed a desire to know how much he had published. -"Only three or four volumes," was the reply, through the interpreter. -"Then," said Mr. Browning, "I am a greater offender than His -Excellency, and unequal to him in self-restraint. What kind of poetry -does His Excellency write: pastoral, humorous, epic or what?" There -was a pause for a short time. At length the interpreter said that His -Excellency thought his poetry would be better described as the -"enigmatic." "Surely," replied Mr. Browning, "there ought then to be -the deepest sympathy between us, for that is just the criticism which -is brought against my own works; and I believe it to be a just one."" - -[63] One of the two celebrated but legendary rulers of China in the -golden ages of antiquity. Yao--who died B.C. 2258--nominated as his -successor a young and virtuous husbandman named Shun, giving him both -his daughters in marriage. At the death of Shun, these ladies are said -to have wept so much that their tears literally drenched the bamboos -which grew beside their husband's grave; and the speckled bamboo is -now commonly known as the bamboo of Shun's wives. - -[64] Volumes have been written by Chinese doctors on the subject of -the pulse. They profess to distinguish as many as twenty-four -different kinds, among which is one well known to our own -practitioners--namely, the "thready" pulse; they, moreover, make a -point of feeling the pulses of _both_ wrists. - -[65] The Chinese believe that wicked people are struck by the God of -Thunder, and killed in punishment for some hidden crime. They regard -lightning merely as an arrangement by which the God is enabled to see -his victim. - -[66] Chinese "chess" is similar to, but not identical with, our game. -The board is divided by a river, and the king is confined to a small -square of moves on his own territory. The game _par excellence_ in -China is _wei-ch'i_, an account of which I contributed to the _Temple -Bar_ Magazine for January, 1877. - - - - -IX. - -MAGICAL ARTS. - - -A certain Mr. Yue was a spirited young fellow, fond of boxing and -trials of strength. He was able to take two kettles and swing them -round about with the speed of the wind. Now, during the reign of -Ch'ung Cheng,[67] when up for the final examination at the capital, -his servant became seriously ill. Much troubled at this, he applied to -a necromancer in the market-place[68] who was skilful at determining -the various leases of life allotted to men. Before he had uttered a -word, the necromancer asked him, saying, "Is it not about your -servant, Sir, that you would consult me?" Mr. Yue was startled at this, -and replied that it was. "The sick man," continued the necromancer, -"will come to no harm; you, Sir, are the one in danger." Mr. Yue then -begged him to cast his nativity, which he proceeded to do, finally -saying to Mr. Yue, "You have but three days to live!" Dreadfully -frightened, he remained some time in a state of stupefaction, when the -necromancer quietly observed that he possessed the power of averting -this calamity by magic, and would exert it for the sum of ten ounces -of silver. But Mr. Yue reflected that Life and Death are already -fixed,[69] and he didn't see how magic could save him. So he refused, -and was just going away, whereupon the necromancer said, "You grudge -this trifling outlay. I hope you will not repent it." Mr. Yue's friends -also urged him to pay the money, advising him rather to empty his -purse than not secure the necromancer's compassion. Mr. Yue, however, -would not hear of it and the three days slipped quickly away. Then he -sat down calmly in his inn to see what was going to happen. Nothing -did happen all day, and at night he shut his door and trimmed the -lamp; then, with a sword at his side, he awaited the approach of -death. - -By-and-by, the clepsydra[70] shewed that two hours had already gone -without bringing him any nearer to dissolution; and he was thinking -about lying down, when he heard a scratching at the window, and then -saw a tiny little man creep through, carrying a spear on his shoulder, -who, on reaching the ground, shot up to the ordinary height. Mr. Yue -seized his sword and at once struck at it; but only succeeded in -cutting the air. His visitor instantly shrunk down small again, and -made an attempt to escape through the crevice of the window; but Yue -redoubled his blows and at last brought him to the ground. Lighting -the lamp, he found only a paper man,[71] cut right through the middle. -This made him afraid to sleep, and he sat up watching, until in a -little time he saw a horrid hobgoblin creep through the same place. No -sooner did it touch the ground than he assailed it lustily with his -sword, at length cutting it in half. Seeing, however, that both halves -kept on wriggling about, and fearing that it might get up again, he -went on hacking at it. Every blow told, giving forth a hard sound, and -when he came to examine his work, he found a clay image all knocked to -pieces. Upon this he moved his seat near to the window, and kept his -eye fixed upon the crack. After some time, he heard a noise like a -bull bellowing outside the window, and something pushed against the -window-frame with such force as to make the whole house tremble and -seem about to fall. Mr. Yue, fearing he should be buried under the -ruins, thought he could not do better than fight outside; so he -accordingly burst open the door with a crash and rushed out. There he -found a huge devil, as tall as the house, and he saw by the dim light -of the moon that its face was as black as coal. Its eyes shot forth -yellow fire: it had nothing either upon its shoulders or feet; but -held a bow in its hand and had some arrows at its waist. Mr. Yue was -terrified; and the devil discharged an arrow at him which he struck to -the ground with his sword. On Mr. Yue preparing to strike, the devil -let off another arrow which the former avoided by jumping aside, the -arrow quivering in the wall beyond with a smart crack. The devil here -got very angry, and drawing his sword flourished it like a whirlwind, -aiming a tremendous blow at Mr. Yue. Mr. Yue ducked, and the whole force -of the blow fell upon the stone wall of the house, cutting it right in -two. Mr. Yue then ran out from between the devil's legs, and began -hacking at its back--whack!--whack! The devil now became furious, and -roared like thunder, turning round to get another blow at his -assailant. But Mr. Yue again ran between his legs, the devil's sword -merely cutting off a piece of his coat. Once more he hacked -away--whack!--whack!--and at length the devil came tumbling down flat. -Mr. Yue cut at him right and left, each blow resounding like the -watchman's wooden gong;[72] and then, bringing a light, he found it -was a wooden image about as tall as a man. The bow and arrows were -still there, the latter attached to its waist. Its carved and painted -features were most hideous to behold; and wherever Mr. Yue had struck -it with his sword, there was blood. Mr. Yue sat with the light in his -hand till morning, when he awaked to the fact that all these devils -had been sent by the necromancer in order to kill him, and so evidence -his own magical power. The next day, after having told the story far -and wide, he went with some others to the place where the necromancer -had his stall; but the latter, seeing them coming, vanished in the -twinkling of an eye. Some one observed that the blood of a dog would -reveal a person who had made himself invisible, and Mr. Yue immediately -procured some and went back with it. The necromancer disappeared as -before, but on the spot where he had been standing they quickly threw -down the dog's blood. Thereupon they saw his head and face all smeared -over with the blood, his eyes glaring like a devil's; and at once -seizing him, they handed him over to the authorities, by whom he was -put to death. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[67] The last emperor of the Ming dynasty. Began to reign A.D. 1628. - -[68] The trade of fortune-teller is one of the most flourishing in -China. A large majority of the candidates who are unsuccessful at the -public examinations devote their energies in this direction; and in -every Chinese city there are regular establishments whither the -superstitious people repair to consult the oracle on every imaginable -subject; not to mention hosts of itinerant soothsayers, both in town -and country, whose stock-in-trade consists of a trestle-table, pen, -ink, and paper, and a few other mysterious implements of their art. -The nature of the response, favourable or otherwise, is determined by -an inspection of the year, month, day and hour at which the applicant -was born, taken in combination with other particulars referring to the -question at issue. - -[69] A firm belief in predestination is an important characteristic of -the Chinese mind. "All is destiny" is a phrase daily in the mouth of -every man, woman, and child, in the empire. Confucius himself, we are -told, objected to discourse to his disciples upon this topic; but it -is evident from many passages in the _Lun Yue_, or _Confucian Gospels_, -[Book VI. ch. 8., Book XIV. ch. 38, &c.] that he believed in a certain -pre-arrangement of human affairs, against which all efforts would be -unavailing. - -[70] An appliance of very ancient date in China, now superseded by -cheap clocks and watches. A large clepsydra, consisting of four copper -jars standing on steps one above the other, is still, however, to be -seen in the city of Canton, and is in excellent working order, the -night-watches being determined by reference to its indicator in the -lower jar. By its aid, coils of "joss-stick," or pastille, are -regulated to burn so many hours, and are sold to the poor, who use -them both for the purpose of guiding their extremely vague notions of -time, and for the oft-recurring tobacco-pipe. - -[71] "Paper men" are a source of great dread to the people at large. -During the year 1876 whole provinces were convulsed by the belief that -some such superstitious agency was at work to deprive innocent persons -of their tails; and the so-called "Pope" of the Taoist religion even -went so far as to publish a charm against the machinations of the -unseen. It ran as follows:--"Ye who urge filthy devils to spy out the -people!--the Master's spirits are at hand and will soon discover you. -With this charm anyone may travel by sunlight, moonlight, or starlight -all over the earth." At one time popular excitement ran so high that -serious consequences were anticipated; and the mandarins in the -affected districts found it quite as much as they could do to prevent -lynch-law being carried out on harmless strangers who were unlucky -enough to give rise to the slightest suspicion. - -Taoist priests are generally credited with the power of cutting out -human, animal, or other figures, of infusing vitality into them on the -spot, and of employing them for purposes of good or evil. - -[72] Watchmen in China, when on their nightly rounds, keep up an -incessant beating on what, for want of a better term, we have called a -wooden gong. The object is to let thieves know they are awake and on -the look-out. - - - - -X. - -JOINING THE IMMORTALS. - - -A Mr. Chou, of Wen-teng, had in his youth been fellow-student with a -Mr. Ch'eng, and a firm friendship was the result. The latter was poor, -and depended very much upon Chou, who was the elder of the two. He -called Chou's wife his "sister," and had the run of the house just as -if he was one of the family. Now this wife happening to die in -child-bed, Chou married another named Wang; but as she was quite a -young girl, Ch'eng did not seek to be introduced.[73] One day her -younger brother came to visit her, and was being entertained in the -"inner" apartments[74] when Ch'eng chanced to call. The servant -announced his arrival, and Chou bade him ask Mr. Ch'eng in. But Ch'eng -would not enter, and took his leave. Thereupon Chou caused the -entertainment to be moved into the public part of the house, and, -sending after Ch'eng, succeeded in bringing him back. They had hardly -sat down before some one came in to say that a former servant of the -establishment had been severely beaten at the magistrate's yamen; the -facts of the case being that a cow-boy of the Huang family connected -with the Board of Rites had driven his cattle across the Chou family's -land, and that words had arisen between the two servants in -consequence; upon which the Huang family's servant had complained to -his master, who had seized the other and had sent him in to the -magistrate's, where he had been bambooed. When Mr. Chou found out what -the matter was, he was exceedingly angry, and said, "How dares this -pig-boy fellow behave thus? Why, only a generation ago his master was -my father's servant! He emerges a little from his obscurity, and -immediately thinks himself I don't know what!" Swelling with rage, he -rose to go in quest of Huang, but Ch'eng held him back, saying, "The -age is corrupt: there is no distinction between right and wrong. -Besides, the officials of the day are half of them thieves, and you -will only get yourself into hot water." Chou, however, would not -listen to him; and it was only when tears were added to remonstrances -that he consented to let the matter drop. But his anger did not cease, -and he lay tossing and turning all night. In the morning he said to -his family, "I can stand the insults of Mr. Huang; but the magistrate -is an officer of the Government, and not the servant of influential -people. If there is a case of any kind, he should hear both plaintiff -and defendant, and not act like a dog, biting anybody he is set upon. -I will bring an action against the cow-boy, and see what the -magistrate will do to him." As his family rather egged him on, he -accordingly proceeded to the magistrate's and entered a formal plaint; -but that functionary tore up his petition, and would have nothing to -do with it. This roused Chou's anger, and he told the magistrate -plainly what he thought of him, in return for which contempt of court -he was at once seized and bound. During the forenoon Mr. Ch'eng called -at his house, where he learnt that Chou had gone into the city to -prosecute the cow-boy, and immediately hurried after him with a view -to stop proceedings. But his friend was already in the gaol, and all -he could do was to stamp his foot in anger. Now it happened that three -pirates had just been caught; and the magistrate and Huang, putting -their heads together, bribed these fellows to say that Chou was one of -their gang, whereupon the higher authorities were petitioned to -deprive him of his status as a graduate,[75] and the magistrate then -had him most unmercifully bambooed.[76] Mr. Ch'eng gained admittance -to the gaol, and, after a painful interview, proposed that a petition -should be presented direct to the Throne. "Alas!" cried Chou, "here -am I bound and guarded, like a bird in a cage. I have indeed a young -brother, but it is as much as he can do to provide me with food." Then -Ch'eng stepped forward, saying, "I will perform this service. Of what -use are friends who will not assist in the hour of trouble?" So away -he went, and Chou's son provided him with money to defray his -expenses. After a long journey he arrived at the capital, where he -found himself quite at a loss as to how he should get the petition -presented. However, hearing that the Emperor was about to set out on a -hunting tour, he concealed himself in the market-place, and when His -Majesty passed by, prostrated himself on the ground with loud cries -and gesticulations. The Emperor received his petition, and sent it to -the Board of Punishments,[77] desiring to be furnished with a report -on the case. It was then more than ten months since the beginning of -the affair, and Chou, who had been made to confess[78] to this false -charge, was already under sentence of death; so that the officers of -the Board were very much alarmed when they received the Imperial -instructions, and set to work to re-hear the case in person. Huang was -also much alarmed, and devised a plan for killing Mr. Chou by bribing -the gaolers to stop his food and drink; so that when his brother -brought provisions he was rudely thrust back and prevented from -taking them in. Mr. Ch'eng complained of this to the Viceroy of the -province, who investigated the matter himself, and found that Chou was -in the last stage of starvation, for which the gaolers were bambooed -to death. Terrified out of his wits, Huang, by dint of bribing -heavily, succeeded in absconding and escaping a just punishment for -his crimes. The magistrate, however, was banished for perversion of -the law, and Chou was permitted to return home, his affection for -Ch'eng being now very much increased. But ever after the prosecution -and his friend's captivity, Mr. Ch'eng took a dismal view of human -affairs, and one day invited Chou to retire with him from the world. -The latter, who was deeply attached to his young wife, threw cold -water on the proposition, and Mr. Ch'eng pursued the subject no -farther, though his own mind was fully made up. Not seeing him for -some days afterwards, Mr. Chou sent to inquire about him at his house; -but there they all thought he was at Chou's, neither family, in fact, -having seen anything of him. This looked suspicious, and Chou, aware -of his peculiarity, sent off people to look for him, bidding them -search all the temples and monasteries in the neighbourhood. He also -from time to time supplied Ch'eng's son with money and other -necessaries. - -Eight or nine years had passed away when suddenly Ch'eng re-appeared, -clad in a yellow cap and stole, and wearing the expression of a Taoist -priest. Chou was delighted, and seized his arm, saying, "Where have -you been?--letting me search for you all over the place." "The -solitary cloud and the wild crane," replied Ch'eng, laughing, "have no -fixed place of abode. Since we last met my equanimity has happily been -restored." Chou then ordered wine, and they chatted together on what -had taken place in the interval. He also tried to persuade Ch'eng to -detach himself from the Taoist persuasion, but the latter only smiled -and answered nothing. "It is absurd!" argued Chou. "Why cast aside -your wife and child as you would an old pair of shoes?" "Not so," -answered Ch'eng; "a man may wish to cast aside his son, but how can he -do so?" Chou asked where he lived, to which he replied, "In the Great -Pure Mansion on Mount Lao." They then retired to sleep on the same -bed; and by-and-by Chou dreamt that Ch'eng was lying on his chest so -that he could not breathe. In a fright he asked him what he was doing, -but got no answer; and then he waked up with a start. Calling to -Ch'eng and receiving no reply, he sat up and stretched out his hand to -touch him. The latter, however, had vanished, he knew not whither. -When he got calm, he found he was lying at Ch'eng's end of the bed, -which rather startled him. "I was not tipsy last night," reflected he; -"how could I have got over here?" He next called his servants, and -when they came and struck a light, lo! he was Ch'eng. Now Chou had had -a beard, so he put up his hand to feel for it, but found only a few -straggling hairs. He then seized a mirror to look at himself, and -cried out in alarm: "If this is Mr. Ch'eng, where on earth am I?" By -this time he was wide awake, and knew that Ch'eng had employed magic -to induce him to retire from the world. He was on the point of -entering the ladies' apartments; but his brother, not recognising who -he was, stopped him, and would not let him go in; and as he himself -was unable to prove his own identity, he ordered his horse that he -might go in search of Ch'eng. After some days' journey he arrived at -Mount Lao; and, as his horse went along at a good rate, the servant -could not keep up with him. By-and-by he rested awhile under a tree, -and saw a great number of Taoist priests going backwards and forwards, -and among them was one who stared fixedly at him. So he inquired of -him where he should find Ch'eng; whereat the priest laughed and said, -"I know the name. He is probably in the Great Pure Mansion." When he -had given this answer he went on his way, Chou following him with his -eyes about a stone's throw, until he saw him speak with some one else, -and, after saying a few words, proceed onwards as before. The person -whom he had spoken with came on to where Chou was, and turned out to -be a fellow-townsman of his. He was much surprised at meeting Chou, -and said, "I haven't seen you for some years. They told me you had -gone to Mount Lao to be a Taoist priest. How is it you are still -amusing yourself among mortals?" Chou told him who he really was; upon -which the other replied, "Why, I thought the gentleman I just met was -you! He has only just left me, and can't have got very far." "Is it -possible," cried Chou, "that I didn't know my own face?" Just then -the servant came up, and away they went full speed, but could not -discover the object of their search. All around them was a vast -desert, and they were at a loss whether to go on or to return. But -Chou reflected that he had no longer any home to receive him, and -determined to carry out his design to the bitter end; but as the road -was dangerous for riding, he gave his horse to the servant, and bade -him go back. On he went cautiously by himself, until he spied a boy -sitting by the wayside alone. He hurried up to him and asked the boy -to direct him where he could find Mr. Ch'eng. "I am one of his -disciples," replied the lad; and, shouldering Chou's bundle, started -off to shew the way. They journeyed on together, taking their food by -the light of the stars, and sleeping in the open air, until, after -many miles of road, they arrived in three days at their destination. -But this Great Pure locality was not like that generally spoken of in -the world. Though as late as the middle of the tenth moon, there was a -great profusion of flowers along the road, quite unlike the beginning -of winter. The lad went in and announced the arrival of a stranger, -whereupon Mr. Ch'eng came out, and Chou recognised his own features. -Ch'eng grasped his hand and led him inside, where he prepared wine and -food, and they began to converse together. Chou noticed many birds of -strange plumage, so tame that they were not afraid of him; and these -from time to time would alight on the table and sing with voices like -Pan-pipes. He was very much astonished at all this, but a love of -mundane pleasures had eaten into his soul, and he had no intention of -stopping. On the ground were two rush-mats, upon which Ch'eng invited -his friend to sit down with him. Then about midnight a serene calm -stole over him; and while he was dozing off for a moment, he seemed to -change places with Ch'eng. Suspecting what had happened, he put his -hand up to his chin, and found it covered with a beard as before. At -dawn he was anxious to return home, but Ch'eng pressed him to stay; -and when three days had gone by Ch'eng said to him, "I pray you take a -little rest now: to-morrow I will set you on your way." Chou had -barely closed his eyelids before he heard Ch'eng call out, "Everything -is ready for starting!" So he got up and followed him along a road -other than that by which he had come, and in a very short time he saw -his home in the distance. In spite of Chou's entreaties, Ch'eng would -not accompany him so far, but made Chou go, waiting himself by the -roadside. So the latter went alone, and when he reached his house, -knocked at the door. Receiving no answer, he determined to get over -the wall, when he found that his body was as light as a leaf, and with -one spring he was over. In the same manner he passed several inner -walls, until he reached the ladies' apartments, where he saw by the -still burning lamp that the inmates had not yet retired for the night. -Hearing people talking within, he licked a hole in the paper -window[79] and peeped through, and saw his wife sitting drinking with -a most disreputable-looking fellow. Bursting with rage, his first -impulse was to surprise them in the act; but seeing there were two -against one, he stole away and let himself out by the entrance-gate, -hurrying off to Ch'eng, to whom he related what he had seen, and -finally begged his assistance. Ch'eng willingly went along with him; -and when they reached the room, Chou seized a big stone and hammered -loudly at the door. All was then confusion inside, so Chou hammered -again, upon which the door was barricaded more strongly than before. -Here Ch'eng came forward with his sword,[80] and burst the door open -with a crash. Chou rushed in, and the man inside rushed out; but -Ch'eng was there, and with his sword cut his arm right off. Chou -rudely seized his wife, and asked what it all meant; to which she -replied that the man was a friend who sometimes came to take a cup of -wine with them. Thereupon Chou borrowed Ch'eng's sword and cut off her -head,[81] hanging up the trunk on a tree in the court-yard. He then -went back with Ch'eng. By-and-by he awaked and found himself on the -bed, at which he was somewhat disturbed, and said, "I have had a -strangely-confused dream, which has given me a fright." "My brother," -replied Ch'eng, smiling, "you look upon dreams as realities: you -mistake realities for dreams." Chou asked what he meant by these -words; and then Ch'eng shewed him his sword besmeared with blood. Chou -was terrified, and sought to destroy himself; but all at once it -occurred to him that Ch'eng might be deceiving him again. Ch'eng -divined his suspicions, and made haste at once to see him home. In a -little while they arrived at the village-gate, and then Ch'eng said, -"Was it not here that, sword in hand, I awaited you that night? I -cannot look upon the unclean spot. I pray you go on, and let me stay -here. If you do not return by the afternoon, I will depart alone." -Chou then approached his house, which he found all shut up as if no -one was living there; so he went into his brother's. - -The latter, when he beheld Chou, began to weep bitterly, saying, -"After your departure, thieves broke into the house and killed my -sister-in-law, hanging her body upon a tree. Alas! alas! The murderers -have not yet been caught." Chou then told him the whole story of his -dream, and begged him to stop further proceedings; at all of which his -brother was perfectly lost in astonishment. Chou then asked after his -son, and his brother told the nurse to bring him in; whereupon the -former said, "Upon this infant are centered the hopes of our -race.[82] Tend him well; for I am going to bid adieu to the world." He -then took his leave, his brother following him all the time with tears -in his eyes to induce him to remain. But he heeded him not; and when -they reached the village-gate his brother saw him go away with Ch'eng. -From afar he looked back and said, "Forbear, and be happy!" His -brother would have replied; but here Ch'eng whisked his sleeve, and -they disappeared. The brother remained there for some time, and then -went back overwhelmed with grief. He was an unpractical man, and -before many years were over all the property was gone and the family -reduced to poverty. Chou's son, who was growing up, was thus unable to -secure the services of a tutor, and had no one but his uncle to teach -him. One morning, on going into the school-room, the uncle found a -letter lying on his desk addressed to himself in his brother's -handwriting. There was, however, nothing in it but a finger-nail about -four inches in length. Surprised at this, he laid the nail down on the -ink-slab while he went out to ask whence the letter had come. This no -one knew; but when he went back he found that the ink-stone had been -changed into a piece of shining yellow gold. More than ever -astonished, he tried the nail on copper and iron things, all of which -were likewise turned to gold. He thus became very rich, sharing his -wealth with Chou's son; and it was bruited about that the two families -possessed the secret of transmutation.[83] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[73] This is a characteristic touch. Only the most intimate of friends -ever see each other's wives. - -[74] Where the women of the family live, and into which no stranger -ever penetrates. Among other names by which a Chinese husband speaks -of his wife, a very common one is "the inner [wo]man." - -[75] Until which he would be safe, by virtue of his degree, from the -degrading penalty of the bamboo. - -[76] This is the instrument commonly used for flogging criminals in -China, and consists of a strip of split bamboo planed down smooth. -Strictly speaking there are two kinds, the _heavy_ and the _light_; -the former is now hardly if ever used. Until the reign of K'ang Hsi -all strokes were given across the back; but that humane Emperor -removed the _locus operandi_ lower down, "for fear of injuring the -liver or the lungs." - -[77] See No. VII., note 54. - -[78] It is a principle of Chinese jurisprudence that no sentence can -be passed until the prisoner has confessed his guilt--a principle, -however, not unfrequently set aside in practice. - -[79] Wooden frames covered with a semi-transparent paper are used all -over the northern provinces of China; in the south, oyster-shells, cut -square and planed down thin, are inserted tile-fashion in the long -narrow spaces of a wooden frame made to receive them, and used for the -same purpose. But glass is gradually finding its way into the houses -of the well-to-do, large quantities being made at Canton and exported -to various parts of the empire. - -[80] Every Taoist priest has a magic sword, corresponding to our -"magician's wand." - -[81] In China, a man has the right to slay his adulterous wife, but he -must slay her paramour also; both or neither. Otherwise, he lays -himself open to a prosecution for murder. The act completed, he is -further bound to proceed at once to the magistrate of the district and -report what he has done. - -[82] The importance of male offspring in Chinese social life is hardly -to be expressed in words. To the son is confided the task of -worshipping at the ancestral tombs, the care of the ancestral tablets, -and the due performance of all rites and ceremonies connected with the -departed dead. No Chinaman will die, if he can help it, without -leaving a son behind him. If his wife is childless he will buy a -concubine; and we are told on page 41, vol. xiii., of the _Liao Chai_, -that a good wife, "who at thirty years of age has not borne a child -should forthwith pawn her jewellery and purchase a concubine for her -husband; for to be without a son is hard indeed!" Another and a common -resource is to adopt a nephew; and sometimes a boy is bought from -starving parents, or from a professional kidnapper. Should a little -boy die, no matter how young, his parents do not permit even him to be -without the good offices of a son. They adopt some other child on his -behalf; and when the latter grows up it becomes his duty to perform -the proper ceremonies at his baby father's tomb. Girls do not enjoy -the luxury of this sham posterity. They are quietly buried in a hole -near the family vault, and their disembodied spirits are left to -wander about in the realms below uncared for and unappeased. Every -mother, however, shares in the ancestral worship, and her name is -recorded on the tombstone, side by side with that of her husband. -Hence it is that Chinese tombstones are always to the memory either of -a father or of a mother, or of both, with occasionally the addition of -the grandfather and grandmother, and sometimes even that of the -generation preceding. - -[83] The belief that a knowledge of alchemy is obtainable by leading -the life of a pure and perfect Taoist, is one of the numerous -additions in later ages to this ancient form of religion. See No. IV., -note 46. - - - - -XI. - -THE FIGHTING QUAILS. - - -Wang Ch'eng belonged to an old family in P'ing-yuean, but was such an -idle fellow that his property gradually disappeared, until at length -all he had left was an old tumble-down house. His wife and he slept -under a coarse hempen coverlet, and the former was far from sparing of -her reproaches. At the time of which we are speaking the weather was -unbearably hot; and Wang went to pass the night with many other of his -fellow-villagers in a pavilion which stood among some dilapidated -buildings belonging to a family named Chou. With the first streaks of -dawn his comrades departed; but Wang slept well on till about nine -o'clock, when he got up and proceeded leisurely home. All at once he -saw in the grass a gold hair-pin; and taking it up to look at it, -found engraved thereon in small characters--"The property of the -Imperial family." Now Wang's own grandfather had married into the -Imperial family,[84] and consequently he had formerly possessed many -similar articles; but while he was thinking it over up came an old -woman in search of the hair-pin, which Wang, who though poor was -honest, at once produced and handed to her. The old woman was -delighted, and thanked Wang very much for his goodness, observing that -the pin was not worth much in itself, but was a relic of her departed -husband. Wang asked what her husband had been; to which she replied, -"His name was Wang Chien-chih, and he was connected by marriage with -the Imperial family." "My own grandfather!" cried Wang, in great -surprise; "how could you have known him?" "You, then," said the old -woman, "are his grandson. I am a fox, and many years ago I was married -to your grandfather; but when he died I retired from the world. -Passing by here I lost my hair-pin, which destiny conveyed into your -hands." Wang had heard of his grandfather's fox-wife, and believing -therefore the old woman's story, invited her to return with him, which -she did. Wang called his wife out to receive her; but when she came in -rags and tatters, with unkempt hair and dirty face, the old woman -sighed, and said, "Alas! Alas! has Wang Chien-chih's grandson come to -this?" Then looking at the broken, smokeless stove, she added, "How, -under these circumstances, have you managed even to support life?" -Here Wang's wife told the tale of their poverty, with much sobbing and -tears; whereupon the old woman gave her the hair-pin, bidding her go -pawn it, and with the proceeds buy some food, saying that in three -days she would visit them again. Wang pressed her to stay, but she -said, "You can't even keep your wife alive; what would it benefit you -to have me also dependent on you?" So she went away, and then Wang -told his wife who she was, at which his wife felt very much alarmed; -but Wang was so loud in her praises, that finally his wife consented -to treat her with all proper respect. In three days she returned as -agreed, and, producing some money, sent out for a hundred-weight of -rice and a hundred-weight of corn. She passed the night with them, -sleeping with Mrs. Wang, who was at first rather frightened, but who -soon laid aside her suspicions when she found that the old lady meant -so well towards them. Next day, the latter addressed Wang, saying, "My -grandson, you must not be so lazy. You should try to make a little -money in some way or other." Wang replied that he had no capital; upon -which the old lady said, "When your grandfather was alive, he allowed -me to take what money I liked; but not being a mortal, I had no use -for it, and consequently did not draw largely upon him. I have, -however, saved from my pin-money the sum of forty ounces of silver, -which has long been lying idle for want of an investment. Take it, and -buy summer cloth, which you may carry to the capital and re-sell at a -profit." So Wang bought some fifty pieces of summer cloth; and the old -lady made him get ready, calculating that in six or seven days he -would reach the capital. She also warned him, saying, - - "Be neither lazy nor slow-- - For if a day too long you wait, - Repentance comes a day too late." - -Wang promised all obedience, and packed up his goods and went off. On -the road he was overtaken by a rain-storm which soaked him through to -the skin; and as he was not accustomed to be out in bad weather, it -was altogether too much for him. He accordingly sought shelter in an -inn, but the rain went on steadily till night, running over the eaves -of the house like so many ropes. Next morning the roads were in a -horrible state; and Wang, watching the passers-by slipping about in -the slush, unable to see any path, dared not face it all, and remained -until noon, when it began to dry up a little. Just then, however, the -clouds closed over again, and down came the rain in torrents, causing -him to stay another night before he could go on. When he was nearing -the capital, he heard to his great joy that summer cloth was at a -premium; and on arrival proceeded at once to take up his quarters at -an inn. There the landlord said it was a pity he had come so late, as -communications with the south having been only recently opened, the -supply of summer cloth had been small; and there being a great demand -for it among the wealthy families of the metropolis, its price had -gone up to three times the usual figure. "But," he added, "two days -ago several large consignments arrived, and the price went down again, -so that the late comers have lost their market." Poor Wang was thus -left in the lurch, and as every day more summer cloth came in, the -value of it fell in a corresponding ratio. Wang would not part with -his at a loss, and held on for some ten days, when his expenses for -board and lodging were added to his present distress. The landlord -urged him to sell even at a loss, and turn his attention to something -else, which he ultimately did, losing over ten ounces of silver on his -venture. Next day he rose in the morning to depart, but on looking in -his purse found all his money gone. He rushed away to tell the -landlord, who, however, could do nothing for him. Some one then -advised him to take out a summons and make the landlord reimburse him; -but he only sighed, and said, "It is my destiny, and no fault of the -landlord's." Thereupon the landlord was very grateful to him, and gave -him five ounces of silver to enable him to go home. He did not care, -however, to face his grandmother empty-handed, and remained in a very -undecided state, until suddenly he saw a quail-catcher winning heaps -of money by fighting his birds, and selling them at over 100 _cash_ -a-piece. He then determined to lay out his five ounces of silver in -quails, and pay back the landlord out of the profits. The latter -approved very highly of this plan, and not only agreed to lend him a -room but also to charge him little or nothing for his board. So Wang -went off rejoicing, and bought two large baskets of quails, with which -he returned to the city, to the great satisfaction of the landlord -who advised him to lose no time in disposing of them. All that night -it poured in torrents, and the next morning the streets were like -rivers, the rain still continuing to fall. Wang waited for it to clear -up, but several days passed and still there were no signs of fine -weather. He then went to look at his quails, some of which he found -dead and others dying. He was much alarmed at this, but was quite at a -loss what to do; and by the next day a lot more had died, so that only -a few were left, which he fed all together in one basket. The day -after this he went again to look at them, and lo! there remained but a -single quail. With tears in his eyes he told the landlord what had -happened, and he, too, was much affected. Wang then reflected that he -had no money left to carry him home, and that he could not do better -than cease to live. But the landlord spoke to him and soothed him, and -they went together to look at the quail. "This is a fine bird," said -the landlord, "and it strikes me that it has simply killed the others. -Now, as you have got nothing to do, just set to work and train it; and -if it is good for anything, why you'll be able to make a living out of -it." Wang did as he was told; and when the bird was trained, the -landlord bade him take it into the street and gamble for something to -eat. This, too, he did, and his quail won every main; whereupon the -landlord gave him some money to bet with the young fellows of the -neighbourhood. Everything turned out favourably, and by the end of six -months he had saved twenty ounces of silver, so that he became quite -easy in his mind and looked upon the quail as a dispensation of his -destiny. - -Now one of the princes was passionately fond of quail-fighting, and -always at the Feast of Lanterns anybody who owned quails might go and -fight them in the palace against the prince's birds. The landlord -therefore said to Wang, "Here is a chance of enriching yourself by a -single stroke; only I can't say what your luck will do for you." He -then explained to him what it was, and away they went together, the -landlord saying, "If you lose, burst out into lamentations; but if you -are lucky enough to win, and the prince wishes, as he will, to buy -your bird, don't consent. If he presses you very much watch for a nod -from me before you agree." This settled, they proceeded to the palace -where they found crowds of quail-fighters already on the ground; and -then the prince came forth, heralds proclaiming to the multitude that -any who wished to fight their birds might come up. Some man at once -stepped forward, and the prince gave orders for the quails to be -released; but at the first strike the stranger's quail was knocked out -of time. The prince smiled, and by-and-by won several more mains, -until at last the landlord said, "Now's our time," and went up -together with Wang. The Prince looked at their bird and said, "It has -a fierce-looking eye and strong feathers. We must be careful what we -are doing." So he commanded his servants to bring out Iron Beak to -oppose Wang's bird; but, after a couple of strikes, the prince's quail -was signally defeated. He sent for a better bird, but that shared the -same fate; and then he cried out, "Bring the Jade Bird from the -palace!" In a little time it arrived, with pure white feathers like an -egret, and an unusually martial appearance. Wang was much alarmed, and -falling on his knees prayed to be excused this main, saying, "Your -highness's bird is too good. I fear lest mine should be wounded, and -my livelihood be taken from me." But the Prince laughed and said, "Go -on. If your quail is killed I will make it up to you handsomely." Wang -then released his bird and the prince's quail rushed at it at once; -but when the Jade bird was close by, Wang's quail awaited its coming -head down and full of rage. The former made a violent peck at its -adversary, and then sprung up to swoop down on it. Thus they went on -up and down, backwards and forwards, until at length they got hold of -each other, and the prince's bird was beginning to show signs of -exhaustion. This enraged it all the more, and it fought more violently -than ever; but soon a perfect snowstorm of feathers began to fall, -and, with drooping wings, the Jade bird made its escape. The -spectators were much moved by the result; and the prince himself, -taking up Wang's bird, examined it closely from beak to claws, finally -asking if it was for sale. "My sole dependence," replied Wang, "is -upon this bird. I would rather not part with it." "But," said the -prince, "if I give you as much as the capital, say of an ordinary -tradesman, will not that tempt you?" Wang thought some time, and then -answered, "I would rather not sell my bird; but as your highness has -taken a fancy to it I will only ask enough to find me in food and -clothes." "How much do you want?" inquired the prince; to which Wang -replied that he would take a thousand ounces of silver. "You fool!" -cried the Prince; "do you think your bird is such a jewel as all -that?" "If your highness," said Wang, "does not think the bird a -jewel, I value it more than that stone which was priced at fifteen -cities." "How so?" asked the prince. "Why," said Wang, "I take my bird -every day into the market-place. It there wins for me several ounces -of silver, which I exchange for rice; and my family, over ten in -number, has nothing to fear from either cold or hunger. What jewel -could do that?" "You shall not lose anything," replied the prince; "I -will give you two hundred ounces." But Wang would not consent, and -then the prince added another hundred; whereupon Wang looked at the -landlord, who, however, made no sign. Wang then offered to take nine -hundred; but the prince ridiculed the idea of paying such a price for -a quail, and Wang was preparing to take his leave with the bird, when -the prince called him back, saying, "Here! here! I will give you six -hundred. Take it or leave it as you please." Wang here looked at the -landlord, and the landlord remained motionless as before. However, -Wang was satisfied himself with this offer, and being afraid of -missing his chance, said to his friend, "If I get this price for it I -shall be quite content. If we go on haggling and finally come to no -terms, that will be a very poor end to it all." So he took the -prince's offer, and the latter, overjoyed, caused the money to be -handed to him. Wang then returned with his earnings; but the landlord -said to him, "What did I say to you? You were in too much of a hurry -to sell. Another minute, and you would have got eight hundred." When -Wang got back he threw the money on the table and told the landlord to -take what he liked; but the latter would not, and it was only after -some pressing that he would accept payment for Wang's board. Wang then -packed up and went home, where he told his story and produced his -silver to the great delight of all of them. The old lady counselled -the purchase of a quantity of land, the building of a house, and the -purchase of implements; and in a very short time they became a wealthy -family. The old lady always got up early in the morning and made Wang -attend to the farm, his wife to her spinning; and rated them soundly -at any signs of laziness. The husband and wife henceforth lived in -peace, and no longer abused each other, until at the expiration of -three years the old lady declared her intention of bidding them adieu. -They both tried to stop her, and with the aid of tears succeeded in -persuading her; but the next day she had disappeared.[85] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[84] The direct issue of the Emperors of the present dynasty and their -descendants in the male line for ever are entitled to wear a yellow -girdle in token of their relationship to the Imperial family, each -generation becoming a degree lower in rank, but always retaining this -distinctive badge. Members of the collateral branches wear a red -girdle, and are commonly known as _gioros_. With the lapse of two -hundred and fifty years, the wearers of these badges have become -numerous, and in many cases disreputable; and they are now to be found -even among the lowest dregs of Chinese social life. - -[85] Quail fighting is not so common now in China as it appears to -have been formerly. Cricket-fighting is, however, a very favourite -form of gambling, large quantities of these insects being caught every -year for this purpose, and considerable sums frequently staked on the -result of a contest between two champions. - - - - -XII. - -THE PAINTED SKIN. - - -At T'ai-yuean there lived a man named Wang. One morning he was out -walking when he met a young lady carrying a bundle and hurrying along -by herself. As she moved along with some difficulty,[86] Wang -quickened his pace and caught her up, and found she was a pretty girl -of about sixteen. Much smitten he inquired whither she was going so -early, and no one with her. "A traveller like you," replied the girl, -"cannot alleviate my distress; why trouble yourself to ask?" "What -distress is it?" said Wang; "I'm sure I'll do anything I can for you." -"My parents," answered she, "loved money, and they sold me as -concubine into a rich family, where the wife was very jealous, and -beat and abused me morning and night. It was more than I could stand, -so I have run away." Wang asked her where she was going; to which she -replied that a runaway had no fixed place of abode. "My house," said -Wang, "is at no great distance; what do you say to coming there?" She -joyfully acquiesced; and Wang, taking up her bundle, led the way to -his house. Finding no one there, she asked Wang where his family were; -to which he replied that that was only the library. "And a very nice -place, too," said she; "but if you are kind enough to wish to save my -life, you mustn't let it be known that I am here." Wang promised he -would not divulge her secret, and so she remained there for some days -without anyone knowing anything about it. He then told his wife, and -she, fearing the girl might belong to some influential family, advised -him to send her away. This, however, he would not consent to do; when -one day, going into the town, he met a Taoist priest, who looked at -him in astonishment, and asked him what he had met. "I have met -nothing," replied Wang. "Why," said the priest, "you are bewitched; -what do you mean by not having met anything?" But Wang insisted that -it was so, and the priest walked away, saying, "The fool! Some people -don't seem to know when death is at hand." This startled Wang, who at -first thought of the girl; but then he reflected that a pretty young -thing as she was couldn't well be a witch, and began to suspect that -the priest merely wanted to do a stroke of business. When he returned, -the library door was shut, and he couldn't get in, which made him -suspect that something was wrong; and so he climbed over the wall, -where he found the door of the inner room shut too. Softly creeping -up, he looked through the window and saw a hideous devil, with a green -face and jagged teeth like a saw, spreading a human skin upon the bed -and painting it with a paint-brush. The devil then threw aside the -brush, and giving the skin a shake out, just as you would a coat, -threw it over its shoulders, when, lo! it was the girl. Terrified at -this, Wang hurried away with his head down in search of the priest who -had gone he knew not whither; subsequently finding him in the fields, -where he threw himself on his knees and begged the priest to save him. -"As to driving her away," said the priest, "the creature must be in -great distress to be seeking a substitute for herself;[87] besides, I -could hardly endure to injure a living thing."[88] However, he gave -Wang a fly-brush, and bade him hang it at the door of the bedroom, -agreeing to meet again at the Ch'ing-ti temple. Wang went home, but -did not dare enter the library; so he hung up the brush at the bedroom -door, and before long heard a sound of footsteps outside. Not daring -to move, he made his wife peep out; and she saw the girl standing -looking at the brush, afraid to pass it. She then ground her teeth and -went away; but in a little while came back, and began cursing, saying, -"You priest, you won't frighten me. Do you think I am going to give up -what is already in my grasp?" Thereupon, she tore the brush to pieces, -and bursting open the door, walked straight up to the bed, where she -ripped open Wang and tore out his heart, with which she went away. -Wang's wife screamed out, and the servant came in with a light; but -Wang was already dead and presented a most miserable spectacle. His -wife, who was in an agony of fright, hardly dared cry for fear of -making a noise; and next day she sent Wang's brother to see the -priest. The latter got into a great rage, and cried out, "Was it for -this that I had compassion on you, devil that you are?" proceeding at -once with Wang's brother to the house, from which the girl had -disappeared without anyone knowing whither she had gone. But the -priest, raising his head, looked all round, and said, "Luckily she's -not far off." He then asked who lived in the apartments on the south -side, to which Wang's brother replied that he did; whereupon the -priest declared that there she would be found. Wang's brother was -horribly frightened and said he did not think so; and then the priest -asked him if any stranger had been to the house. To this he answered -that he had been out to the Ch'ing-ti temple and couldn't possibly -say; but he went off to inquire, and in a little while came back and -reported that an old woman had sought service with them as a -maid-of-all-work, and had been engaged by his wife. "That is she," -said the priest, as Wang's brother added she was still there; and they -all set out to go to the house together. Then the priest took his -wooden sword, and standing in the middle of the court-yard, shouted -out, "Base-born fiend, give me back my fly-brush!" Meanwhile the new -maid-of-all-work was in a great state of alarm, and tried to get away -by the door; but the priest struck her and down she fell flat, the -human skin dropped off, and she became a hideous devil. There she lay -grunting like a pig, until the priest grasped his wooden sword and -struck off her head. She then became a dense column of smoke curling -up from the ground, when the priest took an uncorked gourd and threw -it right into the midst of the smoke. A sucking noise was heard, and -the whole column was drawn into the gourd; after which the priest -corked it up closely and put it in his pouch.[89] The skin, too, which -was complete even to the eyebrows, eyes, hands, and feet, he also -rolled up as if it had been a scroll, and was on the point of leaving -with it, when Wang's wife stopped him, and with tears entreated him to -bring her husband to life. The priest said he was unable to do that; -but Wang's wife flung herself at his feet, and with loud lamentations -implored his assistance. For some time he remained immersed in -thought, and then replied, "My power is not equal to what you ask. I -myself cannot raise the dead; but I will direct you to some one who -can, and if you apply to him properly you will succeed." Wang's wife -asked the priest who it was; to which he replied, "There is a maniac -in the town who passes his time grovelling in the dirt. Go, prostrate -yourself before him, and beg him to help you. If he insults you, shew -no sign of anger." Wang's brother knew the man to whom he alluded, and -accordingly bade the priest adieu, and proceeded thither with his -sister-in-law. - -They found the destitute creature raving away by the road side, so -filthy that it was all they could do to go near him. Wang's wife -approached him on her knees; at which the maniac leered at her, and -cried out, "Do you love me, my beauty?" Wang's wife told him what she -had come for, but he only laughed and said, "You can get plenty of -other husbands. Why raise the dead one to life?" But Wang's wife -entreated him to help her; whereupon he observed, "It's very strange: -people apply to me to raise their dead as if I was king of the -infernal regions." He then gave Wang's wife a thrashing with his -staff, which she bore without a murmur, and before a gradually -increasing crowd of spectators. After this he produced a loathsome -pill which he told her she must swallow, but here she broke down and -was quite unable to do so. However, she did manage it at last, and -then the maniac crying out, "How you do love me!" got up and went away -without taking any more notice of her. They followed him into a temple -with loud supplications, but he had disappeared, and every effort to -find him was unsuccessful. Overcome with rage and shame, Wang's wife -went home, where she mourned bitterly over her dead husband, -grievously repenting the steps she had taken, and wishing only to die. -She then bethought herself of preparing the corpse, near which none of -the servants would venture; and set to work to close up the frightful -wound of which he died. - -While thus employed, interrupted from time to time by her sobs, she -felt a rising lump in her throat, which by-and-by came out with a pop -and fell straight into the dead man's wound. Looking closely at it, -she saw it was a human heart; and then it began as it were to throb, -emitting a warm vapour like smoke. Much excited, she at once closed -the flesh over it, and held the sides of the wound together with all -her might. Very soon, however, she got tired, and finding the vapour -escaping from the crevices, she tore up a piece of silk and bound it -round, at the same time bringing back circulation by rubbing the body -and covering it up with clothes. In the night, she removed the -coverings, and found that breath was coming from the nose; and by -next morning her husband was alive again, though disturbed in mind as -if awaking from a dream and feeling a pain in his heart. Where he had -been wounded, there was a cicatrix about as big as a cash, which soon -after disappeared. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[86] Impeded, of course, by her small feet. This practice is said to -have originated about A.D. 970, with Yao Niang, the concubine of the -pretender Li Yue, who wished to make her feet like the "new moon." The -Manchu or Tartar ladies have not adopted this custom, and therefore -the empresses of modern times have feet of the natural size; neither -is it in force among the Hakkas or hill-tribes of China and Formosa. -The practice was forbidden in 1664 by the Manchu Emperor, K'ang Hsi; -but popular feeling was so strong on the subject that four years -afterwards the prohibition was withdrawn. Protestant missionaries are -now making a dead set at this shameful custom, but so far with very -indifferent success; as parents who do not cramp the feet of their -daughters would experience no small difficulty in finding husbands for -them when they grow up. Besides, the gait of a young lady hobbling -along, as we should say, seems to be much admired by the other sex. -The following seven reasons why this custom still keeps its hold upon -the Chinese mind emanate from a native convert:-- - -"1st.--If a girl's feet are not bound, people say she is not like a -woman but like a man; they laugh at her, calling her names, and her -parents are ashamed of her. - -"2nd.--Girls are like flowers, like the willow. It is very important -that their feet should be bound short so that they can walk -beautifully, with mincing steps, swaying gracefully, thus showing they -are persons of respectability. People praise them. If not bound short, -they say the mother has not trained her daughter carefully. She goes -from house to house with noisy steps, and is called names. Therefore -careful persons bind short. - -"3rd.--One of a good family does not wish to marry a woman with long -feet. She is commiserated because her feet are not perfect. If -betrothed, and the size of her feet is not discovered till after -marriage, her husband and mother-in-law are displeased, her -sisters-in-law laugh at her, and she herself is sad. - -"4th.--The large footed has to do rough work, does not sit in a sedan -when she goes out, walks in the streets barefooted, has no red -clothes, does not eat the best food. She is wetted by the rain, tanned -by the sun, blown upon by the wind. If unwilling to do all the rough -work of the house she is called 'gormandizing and lazy.' Perhaps she -decides to go out as a servant. She has no fame and honour. To escape -all this her parents bind her feet. - -"5th.--There _are_ those with unbound feet who do no heavy work, wear -gay clothing, ride in a sedan, call others to wait upon them. Although -so fine they are low and mean. If a girl's feet are unbound, she -cannot be distinguished from one of these. - -"6th.--Girls are like gold, like gems. They ought to stay in their own -house. If their feet are not bound they go here and go there with -unfitting associates; they have no good name. They are like defective -gems that are rejected. - -"7th.--Parents are covetous. They think small feet are pleasing and -will command a high price for a bride."--_On Foot-Binding_, by Miss S. -Woolston. - -[87] The disembodied spirits of the Chinese _Inferno_ are permitted, -under certain conditions of time and good conduct, to appropriate to -themselves the vitality of some human being, who, as it were, -exchanges places with the so-called "devil." The devil does not, -however, reappear as the mortal whose life it has become possessed of, -but is merely born again into the world; the idea being that the -amount of life on earth is a constant quantity, and cannot be -increased or diminished, reminding one in a way of the great modern -doctrine of the conservation of energy. This curious belief has an -important bearing that will be brought out in a subsequent story. - -[88] Here again is a Taoist priest quoting the Buddhist commandment, -"Thou shalt not take life." The Buddhist laity in China, who do not -hesitate to take life for the purposes of food, salve their -consciences from time to time by buying birds, fishes, &c., and -letting them go, in the hope that such acts will be set down on the -credit side of their record of good and evil. - -[89] This recalls the celebrated story of the fisherman in the -_Arabian Nights_. - - - - -XIII. - -THE TRADER'S SON. - - -In the province of Hunan there dwelt a man who was engaged in trading -abroad; and his wife, who lived alone, dreamt one night that some one -was in her room. Waking up, she looked about, and discovered a small -creature which on examination she knew to be a fox; but in a moment -the thing had disappeared, although the door had not been opened. The -next evening she asked the cook-maid to come and keep her company; as -also her own son, a boy of ten, who was accustomed to sleep elsewhere. -Towards the middle of the night, when the cook and the boy were fast -asleep, back came the fox; and the cook was waked up by hearing her -mistress muttering something as if she had nightmare. The former then -called out, and the fox ran away; but from that moment the trader's -wife was not quite herself. When night came she dared not blow out the -candle, and bade her son be sure and not sleep too soundly. Later on, -her son and the old woman having taken a nap as they leant against the -wall, suddenly waked up and found her gone. They waited some time, but -she did not return, and the cook was too frightened to go and look -after her; so her son took a light, and at length found her fast -asleep in another room. She didn't seem aware that anything particular -had happened, but she became queerer and queerer every day, and -wouldn't have either her son or the cook to keep her company any more. -Her son, however, made a point of running at once into his mother's -room if he heard any unusual sounds; and though his mother always -abused him for his pains, he paid no attention to what she said. At -the same time, the more people urged him on to keep a sharp look-out, -the more eccentric were his mother's ways. One day she played at being -a mason, and piled up stones upon the window-sill, in spite of all -that was said to her; and if anyone took away a stone, she threw -herself on the ground, and cried like a child, so that nobody dared go -near her. In a few days she had got both windows blocked up and the -light excluded; and then she set to filling up the chinks with mud. -She worked hard all day without minding the trouble, and when it was -finished she smoothed it off with the kitchen chopper. Everyone who -saw her was disgusted with such antics, and would take no notice of -her. At night her son darkened his lamp, and, with a knife concealed -on his person, sat waiting for his mother to mutter. As soon as she -began he uncovered his light, and, blocking up the doorway, shouted -out at the top of his voice. Nothing, however, happened, and he moved -from the door a little way, when suddenly out rushed something like a -fox, which was disappearing through the door, when he made a quick -movement and cut off about two inches of its tail, from which the warm -blood was still dripping as he brought the light to bear upon it. His -mother hereupon cursed and reviled him, but he pretended not to hear -her, regretting only as he went to bed that he hadn't hit the brute -fair. But he consoled himself by thinking that although he hadn't -killed it outright, he had done enough to prevent it coming again. On -the morrow he followed the tracks of blood over the wall and into the -garden of a family named Ho; and that night, to his great joy, the fox -did not reappear. His mother was meanwhile prostrate, with hardly any -life in her, and in the midst of it all his father came home. The boy -told him what had happened, at which he was much alarmed, and sent for -a doctor to attend his wife; but she only threw the medicine away, and -cursed and swore horribly. So they secretly mixed the medicine with -her tea and soup, and in a few days she began to get better, to the -inexpressible delight of both her husband and son. One night, however, -her husband woke up and found her gone; and after searching for her -with the aid of his son, they discovered her sleeping in another room. -From that time she became more eccentric than ever, and was always -being found in strange places, cursing those who tried to remove her. -Her husband was at his wits' end. It was no use keeping the door -locked, for it opened of itself at her approach; and he had called in -any number of magicians to exorcise the fox, but without obtaining the -slightest result. One evening her son concealed himself in the Ho -family garden, and lay down in the long grass with a view to detecting -the fox's retreat. As the moon rose he heard the sound of voices, and, -pushing aside the grass, saw two people drinking, with a long-bearded -servant pouring out their wine, dressed in an old dark-brown coat. -They were whispering together, and he could not make out what they -said; but by-and-by he heard one of them remark, "Get some white wine -for to-morrow," and then they went away, leaving the long-bearded -servant alone. The latter then threw off his coat, and lay down to -sleep on the stones; whereupon the trader's son eyed him carefully, -and saw that he was like a man in every respect except that he had a -tail. The boy would then have gone home; but he was afraid the fox -might hear him, and accordingly remained where he was till near dawn, -when he saw the other two come back, one at a time, and then they all -disappeared among the bushes. On reaching home his father asked him -where he had been, and he replied that he had stopped the night with -the Ho family. He then accompanied his father to the town, where he -saw hanging up at a hat-shop a fox's tail, and finally, after much -coaxing, succeeded in making his father buy it for him. While the -latter was engaged in a shop, his son, who was playing about beside -him, availed himself of a moment when his father was not looking and -stole some money from him, and went off and bought a quantity of white -wine, which he left in charge of the wine-merchant. Now an uncle of -his, who was a sportsman by trade, lived in the city, and thither he -next betook himself. His uncle was out, but his aunt was there, and -inquired after the health of his mother. "She has been better the last -few days," replied he; "but she is now very much upset by a rat having -gnawed a dress of hers, and has sent me to ask for some poison." His -aunt opened the cupboard and gave him about the tenth of an ounce in a -piece of paper, which he thought was very little; so, when his aunt -had gone to get him something to eat, he took the opportunity of being -alone, opened the packet, and abstracted a large handful. Hiding this -in his coat, he ran to tell his aunt that she needn't prepare anything -for him, as his father was waiting in the market, and he couldn't stop -to eat it. He then went off; and having quietly dropped the poison -into the wine he had bought, went sauntering about the town. At -nightfall he returned home, and told his father that he had been at -his uncle's. This he continued to do for some time, until one day he -saw amongst the crowd his long-bearded friend. Marking him closely, he -followed him, and at length entered into conversation, asking him -where he lived. "I live at Pei-ts'un," said he; "where do you live?" -"I," replied the trader's son, falsely, "live in a hole on the -hill-side." The long-bearded man was considerably startled at his -answer, but much more so when he added, "We've lived there for -generations: haven't _you_?" The other then asked his name, to which -the boy replied, "My name is Hu.[90] I saw you with two gentlemen in -the Ho family garden, and haven't forgotten you." Questioning him more -fully, the long-bearded man was still in a half-and-half state of -belief and doubt, when the trader's son opened his coat a little bit, -and showed him the end of the tail he had bought, saying, "The like -of us can mix with ordinary people, but unfortunately we can never get -rid of this." The long-bearded man then asked him what he was doing -there, to which he answered that his father had sent him to buy wine; -whereupon the former remarked that that was exactly what he had come -for, and the boy then inquired if he had bought it yet or not. "We are -poor," replied the stranger, "and as a rule I prefer to steal it." "A -difficult and dangerous job," observed the boy. "I have my master's -instructions to get some," said the other, "and what am I to do?" The -boy then asked him who his masters were, to which he replied that they -were the two brothers the boy had seen that night. "One of them has -bewitched a lady named Wang; and the other, the wife of a trader who -lives near. The son of the last-mentioned lady is a violent fellow, -and cut off my master's tail, so that he was laid up for ten days. But -he is putting her under spells again now." He was then going away, -saying he should never get his wine; but the boy said to him, "It's -much easier to buy than steal. I have some at the wine-shop there -which I will give to you. My purse isn't empty, and I can buy some -more." The long-bearded man hardly knew how to thank him; but the boy -said, "We're all one family. Don't mention such a trifle. When I have -time I'll come and take a drink with you." So they went off together -to the wine-shop, where the boy gave him the wine and they then -separated. That night his mother slept quietly and had no fits, and -the boy knew that something must have happened. He then told his -father, and they went to see if there were any results; when lo! they -found both foxes stretched out dead in the arbour. One of the foxes -was lying on the grass, and out of its mouth blood was still -trickling. The wine-bottle was there; and on shaking it they heard -that some was left. Then his father asked him why he had kept it all -so secret; to which the boy replied that foxes were very sagacious, -and would have been sure to scent the plot. Thereupon his father was -mightily pleased, and said he was a perfect Ulysses[91] for cunning. -They then carried the foxes home, and saw on the tail of one of them -the scar of a knife-wound. From that time they were left in peace; but -the trader's wife became very thin, and though her reason returned, -she shortly afterwards died of consumption. The other lady, Mrs. Wang, -began to get better as soon as the foxes had been killed; and as to -the boy, he was taught riding and archery[92] by his proud parent, and -subsequently rose to high rank in the army. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[90] _Hu_ is the sound of the character for "fox;" it is also the -sound of quite a different character, which is used as a surname. - -[91] The name of the Chinese type was Ch'en P'ing. See Mayer's -_Reader's Manual_, No. 102. - -[92] At the date at which we are writing skill in archery is still _de -rigueur_ for all Manchus, and for those who would rise in the Chinese -army. Only the other day the progressive Governor-General of the Two -Kiang, Shen Pao-chen, memorialised the Throne with a view to the -abandonment of this effete and useless form of military drill, and -received a direct snub for his pains. Two hundred odd years ago, when -the Manchus were establishing their power, the dexterity of their -bowmen doubtless stood them in good stead; though if we are to judge -of their skill then by the ordinary practice of to-day, as seen on any -Chinese parade-ground, they could never have been more than very -third-rate archers after all. - - - - -XIV. - -JUDGE LU. - - -At Ling-yang there lived a man named Chu Erh-tan, whose literary -designation[93] was Hsiao-ming. He was a fine manly fellow, but an -egregious dunce, though he tried hard to learn. One day he was taking -wine with a number of fellow-students, when one of them said to him, -by way of a joke, "People credit you with plenty of pluck. Now, if you -will go in the middle of the night to the Chamber of Horrors,[94] and -bring back the Infernal Judge from the left-hand porch, we'll all -stand you a dinner." For at Ling-yang there was a representation of -the Ten Courts of Purgatory, with the Gods and devils carved in wood, -and almost life-like in appearance; and in the eastern vestibule there -was a full-length image of the Judge with a green face, and a red -beard, and a hideous expression in his features. Sometimes sounds of -examination under the whip were heard to issue during the night from -both porches, and persons who went in found their hair standing on end -from fear; so the other young men thought it would be a capital test -for Mr. Chu. Thereupon Chu smiled, and rising from his seat went -straight off to the temple; and before many minutes had elapsed they -heard him shouting outside, "His Excellency has arrived!" At this they -all got up, and in came Chu with the image on his back, which he -proceeded to deposit on the table, and then poured out a triple -libation in its honour. His comrades who were watching what he did, -felt ill at ease, and did not like to resume their seats; so they -begged him to carry the Judge back again. But he first poured some -wine upon the ground, invoking the image as follows:--"I am only a -fool-hardy, illiterate fellow: I pray Your Excellency excuse me. My -house is close by, and whenever Your Excellency feels so disposed I -shall be glad to take a cup of wine with you in a friendly way." He -then carried the Judge back, and the next day his friends gave him the -promised dinner, from which he went home half-tipsy in the evening. -But not feeling that he had had enough, he brightened up his lamp, and -helped himself to another cup of wine, when suddenly the bamboo -curtain was drawn aside, and in walked the Judge. Mr. Chu got up and -said, "Oh, dear! Your Excellency has come to cut off my head for my -rudeness the other night." The Judge parted his thick beard, and -smiling, replied, "Nothing of the kind. You kindly invited me last -night to visit you; and as I have leisure this evening, here I am." -Chu was delighted at this, and made his guest sit down, while he -himself wiped the cups and lighted a fire.[95] "It's warm weather," -said the Judge; "let's drink the wine cold." Chu obeyed, and putting -the bottle on the table, went out to tell his servants to get some -supper. His wife was much alarmed when she heard who was there, and -begged him not to go back; but he only waited until the things were -ready, and then returned with them. They drank out of each other's -cups,[96] and by-and-by Chu asked the name of his guest. "My name is -Lu," replied the Judge; "I have no other names." They then conversed -on literary subjects, one capping the other's quotation as echo -responds to sound. The Judge then asked Chu if he understood -composition; to which he answered that he could just tell good from -bad; whereupon the former repeated a little infernal poetry which was -not very different from that of mortals. He was a deep drinker, and -took off ten goblets at a draught; but Chu who had been at it all day, -soon got dead drunk and fell fast asleep with his head on the table. -When he waked up the candle had burnt out and day was beginning to -break, his guest having already departed; and from this time the Judge -was in the habit of dropping in pretty often, until a close friendship -sprang up between them. Sometimes the latter would pass the night at -the house, and Chu would show him his essays, all of which the Judge -scored and underlined as being good for nothing. One night Chu got -tipsy and went to bed first, leaving the Judge drinking by himself. In -his drunken sleep he seemed to feel a pain in his stomach, and waking -up he saw that the Judge, who was standing by the side of the bed, had -opened him, and was carefully arranging his inside. "What harm have I -done you?" cried Chu, "that you should thus seek to destroy me?" -"Don't be afraid," replied the Judge, laughing, "I am only providing -you with a more intelligent heart."[97] He then quietly put back Chu's -viscera, and closed up the opening, securing it with a bandage tied -tightly round his waist. There was no blood on the bed, and all Chu -felt was a slight numbness in his inside. Here he observed the Judge -place a piece of flesh upon the table, and asked him what it was. -"Your heart," said the latter, "which wasn't at all good at -composition, the proper orifice being stuffed up.[98] I have now -provided you with a better one, which I procured from Hades, and I am -keeping yours to put in its place."[99] He then opened the door and -took his leave. In the morning Chu undid the bandage, and looked at -his waist, the wound on which had quite healed up, leaving only a red -seam. From that moment he became an apt scholar, and found his memory -much improved; so much so, that a few days afterwards he showed an -essay to the Judge for which he was very much commended. "However," -said the latter, "your success will be limited to the master's degree. -You won't get beyond that." "When shall I take it?" asked Chu. "This -year," replied the Judge. And so it turned out. Chu passed first on -the list for the bachelor's degree, and then among the first five for -the master's degree. His old comrades, who had been accustomed to make -a laughing-stock of him, were now astonished to find him a full blown -M.A., and when they learned how it had come about, they begged Chu to -speak to the Judge on their behalf. The Judge promised to assist them, -and they made all ready to receive him; but when in the evening he did -come, they were so frightened at his red beard and flashing eyes that -their teeth chattered in their heads, and one by one they stole away. -Chu then took the Judge home with him to have a cup together, and when -the wine had mounted well into his head, he said, "I am deeply -grateful to Your Excellency's former kindness in arranging my inside; -but there is still another favour I venture to ask which possibly may -be granted." The Judge asked him what it was; and Chu replied, "If you -can change a person's inside, you surely could also change his face. -Now my wife is not at all a bad figure, but she is very ugly. I pray -Your Excellency try the knife upon her." The Judge laughed, and said -he would do so, only it would be necessary to give him a little time. -Some days subsequently, the Judge knocked at Chu's door towards the -middle of the night; whereupon the latter jumped up and invited him -in. Lighting a candle, it was evident that the Judge had something -under his coat, and in answer to Chu's inquiries, he said, "It's what -you asked me for. I have had great trouble in procuring it." He then -produced the head of a nice-looking young girl, and presented it to -Chu, who found the blood on the neck was still warm. "We must make -haste," said the Judge, "and take care not to wake the fowls or -dogs."[100] Chu was afraid his wife's door might be bolted; but the -Judge laid his hand on it and it opened at once. Chu then led him to -the bed where his wife was lying asleep on her side; and the Judge, -giving Chu the head to hold, drew from his boot a steel blade shaped -like the handle of a spoon. He laid this across the lady's neck, which -he cut through as if it had been a melon, and the head fell over the -back of the pillow. Seizing the head he had brought with him, he now -fitted it on carefully and accurately, and pressing it down to make it -stick, bolstered the lady up with pillows placed on either side. When -all was finished, he bade Chu put his wife's old head away, and then -took his leave. Soon after Mrs. Chu waked up, and perceived a curious -sensation about her neck, and a scaly feeling about the jaws. Putting -her hand to her face, she found flakes of dry blood; and much -frightened called a maid-servant to bring water to wash it off. The -maid-servant was also greatly alarmed at the appearance of her face, -and proceeded to wash off the blood, which coloured a whole basin of -water; but when she saw her mistress's new face she was almost -frightened to death. Mrs. Chu took a mirror to look at herself, and -was staring at herself in utter astonishment, when her husband came in -and explained what had taken place. On examining her more closely, Chu -saw that she had a well-featured pleasant face, of a medium order of -beauty; and when he came to look at her neck, he found a red seam all -round, with the parts above and below of a different coloured flesh. -Now the daughter of an official named Wu was a very nice-looking girl -who, though nineteen years of age, had not yet been married, two -gentlemen who were engaged to her having died before the day.[101] At -the Feast of Lanterns,[102] this young lady happened to visit the -Chamber of Horrors, whence she was followed home by a burglar, who -that night broke into the house and killed her. Hearing a noise, her -mother told the servant to go and see what was the matter; and the -murder being thus discovered, every member of the family got up. They -placed the body in the hall, with the head alongside, and gave -themselves up to weeping and wailing the livelong night. Next morning, -when they removed the coverings, the corpse was there but the head had -disappeared. The waiting-maids were accordingly flogged for neglect of -duty, and consequent loss of the head, and Mr. Wu brought the matter -to the notice of the Prefect. This officer took very energetic -measures, but for three days no clue could be obtained; and then the -story of the changed head in the Chu family gradually reached Mr. Wu's -ears. Suspecting something, he sent an old woman to make inquiries; -and she at once recognised her late young mistress's features, and -went back and reported to her master. Thereupon Mr. Wu, unable to make -out why the body should have been left, imagined that Chu had slain -his daughter by magical arts, and at once proceeded to the house to -find out the truth of the matter; but Chu told him that his wife's -head had been changed in her sleep, and that he knew nothing about it, -adding that it was unjust to accuse him of the murder. Mr. Wu refused -to believe this, and took proceedings against him; but as all the -servants told the same story, the Prefect was unable to convict him. -Chu returned home and took counsel with the Judge, who told him there -would be no difficulty, it being merely necessary to make the murdered -girl herself speak. That night Mr. Wu dreamt that his daughter came -and said to him, "I was killed by Yang Ta-nien, of Su-ch'i. Mr. Chu -had nothing to do with it; but desiring a better-looking face for his -wife, Judge Lu gave him mine, and thus my body is dead while my head -still lives. Bear Chu no malice." When he awaked, he told his wife, -who had dreamt the same dream; and thereupon he communicated these -facts to the officials. Subsequently, a man of that name was captured, -who confessed under the bamboo that he had committed the crime; so Mr. -Wu went off to Chu's house, and asked to be allowed to see his wife, -regarding Chu from that time as his son-in-law. Mrs. Chu's old head -was fitted on to the young lady's body, and the two parts were buried -together. - -Subsequent to these events Mr. Chu tried three times for his doctor's -degree, but each time without success, and at last he gave up the idea -of entering into official life. Then when thirty years had passed -away, Judge Lu appeared to him one night, and said, "My friend, you -cannot live for ever. Your hour will come in five days' time." Chu -asked the Judge if he could not save him; to which he replied, "The -decrees of Heaven cannot be altered to suit the purposes of mortals. -Besides, to an intelligent man life and death are much the same.[103] -Why necessarily regard life as a boon and death as a misfortune?" Chu -could make no reply to this, and forthwith proceeded to order his -coffin and shroud;[104] and then, dressing himself in his -grave-clothes, yielded up the ghost. Next day, as his wife was weeping -over his bier, in he walked at the front door, to her very great -alarm. "I am now a disembodied spirit," said Chu to her, "though not -different from what I was in life; and I have been thinking much of -the widow and orphan I left behind." His wife, hearing this, wept till -the tears ran down her face, Chu all the time doing his best to -comfort her. "I have heard tell," said she, "of dead bodies returning -to life; and since your vital spark is not extinct, why does it not -resume the flesh?" "The ordinances of Heaven," replied her husband, -"may not be disobeyed." His wife here asked him what he was doing in -the infernal regions; and he said that Judge Lu had got him an -appointment as Registrar, with a certain rank attached, and that he -was not at all uncomfortable. Mrs. Chu was proceeding to inquire -further, when he interrupted her, saying, "The Judge has come with me; -get some wine ready and something to eat." He then hurried out, and -his wife did as he had told her, hearing them laughing and drinking in -the guest chamber just like old times come back again. About midnight -she peeped in, and found that they had both disappeared; but they came -back once in every two or three days, often spending the night, and -managing the family affairs as usual. Chu's son was named Wei, and was -about five years old; and whenever his father came he would take the -little boy upon his knee. When he was about eight years of age, Chu -began to teach him to read; and the boy was so clever that by the time -he was nine he could actually compose. At fifteen he took his -bachelor's degree, without knowing all this time that he had no -father. From that date Chu's visits became less frequent, occurring -not more than once or so in a month; until one night he told his wife -that they were never to meet again. In reply to her inquiry as to -whither he was going, he said he had been appointed to a far-off post, -where press of business and distance would combine to prevent him from -visiting them any more. The mother and son clung to him, sobbing -bitterly; but he said, "Do not act thus. The boy is now a man, and can -look after your affairs. The dearest friends must part some day." -Then, turning to his son, he added, "Be an honourable man, and take -care of the property. Ten years hence we shall meet again." With this -he bade them farewell, and went away. - -Later on, when Wei was twenty-two years of age, he took his doctor's -degree, and was appointed to conduct the sacrifices at the Imperial -tombs. On his way thither he fell in with a retinue of an official, -proceeding along with all the proper insignia,[105] and, looking -carefully at the individual sitting in the carriage, he was astonished -to find that it was his own father. Alighting from his horse, he -prostrated himself with tears at the side of the road; whereupon his -father stopped and said, "You are well spoken of. I now take leave of -this world." Wei remained on the ground, not daring to rise; and his -father, urging on his carriage, hurried away without saying any more. -But when he had gone a short distance, he looked back, and unloosing a -sword from his waist, sent it as a present to his son, shouting out to -him, "Wear this and you will succeed." Wei tried to follow him; but, -in an instant, carriage, retinue, and horses, had vanished with the -speed of wind. For a long time his son gave himself up to grief, and -then seizing the sword began to examine it closely. It was of -exquisite workmanship, and on the blade was engraved this -legend:--"_Be bold, but cautious; round in disposition, square in -action._"[106] Wei subsequently rose to high honours, and had five -sons named Ch'en, Ch'ien, Wu, Hun, and Shen. One night he dreamt that -his father told him to give the sword to Hun, which he accordingly -did; and Hun rose to be a Viceroy of great administrative ability. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[93] Every Chinese man and woman inherits a family name or surname. A -woman takes her husband's surname, followed in official documents by -her maiden name. Children usually have a pet name given to them soon -after birth, which is dropped after a few years. Then there is the -_ming_ or name, which once given is unchangeable, and by which the -various members of a family are distinguished. But only the father and -mother and certain other relatives are allowed to use this. Friends -call each other by their literary designations or "book-names," which -are given generally by the teacher to whom the boy's education is -first entrusted. Brothers and sisters and others have all kinds of -nick-names as with us. Dogs and cats are called by such names as -"Blackey," "Whitey," "Yellowy," "Jewel," "Pearly," &c., &c. Junks are -christened "Large Profits," "Abounding Wealth," "Favourite of -Fortune," &c., &c. Places are often named after some striking -geographical feature; _e.g._, _Hankow_--"mouth of the Han river," -_i.e._, its point of junction with the Yang-tsze; or they have fancy -names, such as _Fuhkien_--"happily established;" _Tientsin_--"Heaven's -ford;" or names implying a special distinction, such as -_Nanking_--"southern capital;" _Shan-tung_--"east of the mountains," -&c. - -[94] The name given by foreigners in China to the imitation of the ten -torture-chambers of purgatory, as seen in every _Ch'eng-huang_ or -municipal temple. The various figures of the devil-lictors and the -tortured sinners are made either of clay or wood, and painted in very -bright colours; and in each chamber is depicted some specimen of the -horrible tortures that wicked people will undergo in the world to -come. I have given in the _Appendix_ a translation of the -"_Yue-li-ch'ao_," a celebrated Taoist work on this subject, which -should at any rate be glanced at by persons who would understand the -drift of some of these stories. - -[95] To heat the wine, which is almost invariably taken hot. - -[96] In token of their mutual good feeling. - -[97] The Chinese as a nation believe to this day that the heart is the -seat of the intellect and the emotions. - -[98] The heart itself is supposed to be pierced by a number of "eyes," -which pass right through; and in physical and mental health these -passages are believed to be clear. - -[99] See No. XII., note 87. - -[100] The _Hsi-yuean-lu_, a well-known work on Chinese medical -jurisprudence, and an _officially-authorised book_, while giving an -absurd antidote against a poison that never existed [see my _Chinese -Sketches_, p. 190], gravely insists that it is to be prepared at -certain dates only, "in some place quite away from women, fowls, and -dogs." - -[101] It was almost a wonder that she got a second _fiance_, few -people caring to affiance their sons in a family where such a -catastrophe has once occurred. The death of an engaged girl is a -matter of much less importance, but is productive of a very curious -ceremony. Her betrothed goes to the house where she is lying dead and -steps over the coffin containing her body, returning home with a pair -of the girl's shoes. He thus severs all connection with her, and her -spirit cannot haunt him as it otherwise most certainly would. - -[102] Held annually on the 15th of the first Chinese month--_i.e._, at -the first full moon of the year, when coloured lanterns are hung at -every door. It was originally a ceremonial worship in the temple of -the First Cause, and dates from about the time of the Han dynasty, or -nearly two thousand years ago. - -[103] It was John Stuart Mill who pointed out that the fear of death -is due to "the illusion of imagination, which makes one conceive -oneself as if one were alive and feeling oneself dead" (_The Utility -of Religion_). - -[104] "Boards of old age" and "Clothes of old age sold here" are -common shop-signs in every Chinese city; death and burial being -always, if possible, spoken of euphemistically in some such terms as -these. A dutiful son provides, when he can afford it, decent coffins -for his father and mother. They are generally stored in the house, -sometimes in a neighbouring temple; and the old people take pleasure -in seeing that their funeral obsequies are properly provided for, -though the subject is never raised in conversation. Chinese coffins -are beautifully made; and when the body has been in for a day or two, -a candle is closely applied to the seams all round to make sure it is -air-tight,--any crack, however fine, being easily detected by the -flickering of the flame in the escaping gas. Thus bodies may be kept -unburied for a long time, until the geomancer has selected an -auspicious site for the grave. - -[105] Gongs, red umbrellas, men carrying boards on which the officer's -titles are inscribed in large characters, a huge wooden fan, &c., &c. - -[106] "Be like a cash" [see No. II., note 42] is a not uncommon saying -among the Chinese, the explanation of which rests upon the fact that a -cash is "round in shape and convenient for use," which words are -pronounced identically with a corresponding number of words meaning -"round in disposition, square in action." It is, in fact, a play on -words. - - - - -XV. - -MISS YING-NING; OR, THE LAUGHING GIRL. - - -At Lo-tien, in the province of Shantung, there lived a youth named -Wang Tz[)u]-fu, who had been left an orphan when quite young. He was a -clever boy, and took his bachelor's degree at the age of fourteen, -being quite his mother's pet, and not allowed by her to stray far away -from home. One young lady to whom he had been betrothed having -unhappily died, he was still in search of a wife when, on the occasion -of the Feast of Lanterns, his cousin Wu asked him to come along for a -stroll. But they had hardly got beyond the village before one of his -uncle's servants caught them up and told Wu he was wanted. The latter -accordingly went back; but Wang, seeing plenty of nice girls about and -being in high spirits himself, proceeded on alone. Amongst others, he -noticed a young lady with her maid. She had just picked a sprig of -plum-blossom, and was the prettiest girl he had ever heard of--a -perfect bunch of smiles. He stared and stared at her quite regardless -of appearances; and when she had passed by, she said to her maid, -"That young fellow has a wicked look in his eyes." As she was walking -away, laughing and talking, the flower dropped out of her hand; and -Wang, picking it up, stood there disconsolate as if he had lost his -wits. He then went home in a very melancholy mood; and, putting the -flower under his pillow, lay down to sleep. He would neither talk nor -eat; and his mother became very anxious about him, and called in the -aid of the priests.[107] By degrees, he fell off in flesh and got very -thin; and the doctor felt his pulse and gave him medicines to bring -out the disease. Occasionally, he seemed bewildered in his mind, but -in spite of all his mother's inquiries would give no clue as to the -cause of his malady. One day when his cousin Wu came to the house, -Wang's mother told him to try and find out what was the matter; and -the former, approaching the bed, gradually and quietly led up to the -point in question. Wang, who had wept bitterly at the sight of his -cousin, now repeated to him the whole story, begging him to lend some -assistance in the matter. "How foolish you are, cousin," cried Wu; -"there will be no difficulty at all, I'll make inquiries for you. The -girl herself can't belong to a very aristocratic family to be walking -alone in the country. If she's not already engaged, I have no doubt we -can arrange the affair; and even if she is unwilling, an extra outlay -will easily bring her round.[108] You make haste and get well: I'll -see to it all." Wang's features relaxed when he heard these words; and -Wu left him to tell his mother how the case stood, immediately setting -on foot inquiries as to the whereabouts of the girl. All his efforts, -however, proved fruitless, to the great disappointment of Wang's -mother; for since his cousin's visit Wang's colour and appetite had -returned. In a few days Wu called again, and in answer to Wang's -questions falsely told him that the affair was settled. "Who do you -think the young lady is?" said he. "Why, a cousin of ours, who is only -waiting to be betrothed; and though you two are a little near,[109] I -daresay the circumstances of the case will be allowed to overrule this -objection." Wang was overjoyed, and asked where she lived; so Wu had -to tell another lie, and say, "On the south-west hills, about ten -miles from here." Wang begged him again and again to do his best for -him, and Wu undertook to get the betrothal satisfactorily arranged. He -then took leave of his cousin, who from this moment was rapidly -restored to health. Wang drew the flower from underneath his pillow, -and found that, though dried up, the leaves had not fallen away. He -often sat playing with this flower and thinking of the young lady; but -by-and-by, as Wu did not reappear, he wrote a letter and asked him to -come. Wu pleaded other engagements, being unwilling to go; at which -Wang got in a rage and quite lost his good spirits; so that his -mother, fearing a relapse, proposed to him a speedy betrothal in -another quarter. Wang shook his head at this, and sat day after day -waiting for Wu, until his patience was thoroughly exhausted. He then -reflected that ten miles was no great distance, and that there was no -particular reason for asking anybody's aid; so, concealing the flower -in his sleeve, he went off in a huff by himself without letting it be -known. Having no opportunity of asking the way, he made straight for -the hills; and after about ten miles walking found himself right in -the midst of them, enjoying their exquisite verdure, but meeting no -one, and with nothing better than mountain paths to guide him. Away -down in the valley below, almost buried under a densely luxuriant -growth of trees and flowers, he espied a small hamlet, and began to -descend the hill and make his way thither. He found very few houses, -and all built of rushes, but otherwise pleasant enough to look at. -Before the door of one, which stood at the northern end of the -village, were a number of graceful willow trees, and inside the wall -plenty of peach and apricot trees, with tufts of bamboo between them, -and birds chirping on the branches. As it was a private house he did -not venture to go in, but sat down to rest himself on a huge smooth -stone opposite the front door. By-and-by he heard a girl's voice from -within calling out Hsiao-jung; and, noticing that it was a sweet-toned -voice, set himself to listen, when a young lady passed with a bunch of -apricot-flowers in her hand, and occupied in putting hair-pins into -her downcast head. As soon as she raised her face she saw Wang, and -stopped putting in hair-pins; then, smothering a laugh, picked a few -flowers and ran in. Wang perceived to his intense delight that she was -none other than his heroine of the Feast of Lanterns; but recollecting -that he had no right to follow her in, was on the point of calling -after her as his cousin. There was no one, however, in the street, and -he was afraid lest he might have made a mistake; neither was there -anybody at the door of whom he could make inquiries. So he remained -there in a very restless state till the sun was well down in the west, -and his hopes were almost at an end, forgetting all about food and -drink. He then saw the young lady peep through the door, apparently -very much astonished to find him still there; and in a few minutes out -came an old woman leaning on a stick, who said to him, "Whence do you -come, Sir? I hear you have been here ever since morning. What is it -you want? Aren't you hungry?" Wang got up, and making a bow, replied -that he was in search of some relatives of his; but the old woman was -deaf and didn't catch what he said, so he had to shout it out again at -the top of his voice. She asked him what their names were, but he was -unable to tell her; at which she laughed and said, "It is a funny -thing to look for people when you don't know their names. I am afraid -you are an unpractical gentleman. You had better come in and have -something to eat; we'll give you a bed and you can go back to-morrow -and find out the names of the people you are in quest of." Now Wang -was just beginning to get hungry, and, besides, this would bring him -nearer to the young lady; so he readily accepted and followed the old -woman in. They walked along a paved path banked on both sides with -hibiscus, the leaves of which were scattered about on the ground; and -passing through another door, entered a court-yard full of trained -creepers and other flowers. The old woman showed Wang into a small -room with beautifully white walls and a branch of a crab-apple tree -coming through the window, the furniture being also nice and clean. -They had hardly sat down when it was clear that some one was taking a -peep through the window; whereupon the old woman cried out, -"Hsiao-jung! make haste and get dinner," and a maid from outside -immediately answered "Yes, ma'am." Meanwhile, Wang had been explaining -who he was; and then the old lady said, "Was your maternal grandfather -named Wu?" "He was," replied Wang. "Well, I never!" cried the old -woman, "he was my uncle, and your mother and I are cousins. But in -consequence of our poverty, and having no sons, we have kept quite to -ourselves, and you have grown to be a man without my knowing you." "I -came here," said Wang, "about my cousin, but in the hurry I forgot -your name." "My name is Ch'in," replied the old lady; "I have no son: -only a girl, the child of a concubine, who, after my husband's death, -married again[110] and left her daughter with me. She's a clever girl, -but has had very little education; full of fun and ignorant of the -sorrows of life. I'll send for her by-and-by to make your -acquaintance." The maid then brought in the dinner--a large dish full -of choice morsels of fowl--and the old woman pressed him to eat. When -they had finished, and the things were taken away, the old woman said, -"Call Miss Ning," and the maid went off to do so. After some time -there was a giggling at the door, and the old woman cried out, -"Ying-ning! your cousin is here." There was then a great tittering as -the maid pushed her in, stopping her mouth all the time to try and -keep from laughing. "Don't you know better than to behave like that?" -asked the old woman, "and before a stranger, too." So Ying-ning -controlled her feelings, and Wang made her a bow, the old woman -saying, "Mr. Wang is your cousin: you have never seen him before. -Isn't that funny?" Wang asked how old his cousin was, but the old -woman didn't hear him, and he had to say it again, which sent -Ying-ning off into another fit of laughter. "I told you," observed the -old woman, "she hadn't much education; now you see it. She is sixteen -years old, and as foolish as a baby." "One year younger than I am," -remarked Wang. "Oh, you're seventeen are you? Then you were born in -the year ----, under the sign of the horse."[111] Wang nodded assent, -and then the old woman asked who his wife was, to which Wang replied -that he had none. "What! a clever, handsome young fellow of seventeen -not yet engaged?[112] Ying-ning is not engaged either: you two would -make a nice pair if it wasn't for the relationship." Wang said -nothing, but looked hard at his cousin; and just then the maid -whispered to her, "It is the fellow with the wicked eyes! He's at his -old game." Ying-ning laughed, and proposed to the maid that they should -go and see if the peaches were in blossom or not; and off they went -together, the former with her sleeve stuffed into her mouth until she -got outside, where she burst into a hearty fit of laughing. The old -woman gave orders for a bed to be got ready for Wang, saying to him, -"It's not often we meet: you must spend a few days with us now you are -here, and then we'll send you home. If you are at all dull, there's a -garden behind where you can amuse yourself, and books for you to -read." So next day Wang strolled into the garden, which was of -moderate size, with a well-kept lawn and plenty of trees and flowers. -There was also an arbour consisting of three posts with a thatched -roof, quite shut in on all sides by the luxurious vegetation. Pushing -his way among the flowers, Wang heard a noise from one of the trees, -and looking up saw Ying-ning, who at once burst out laughing and -nearly fell down. "Don't! don't!" cried Wang, "you'll fall!" Then -Ying-ning came down, giggling all the time, until, when she was near -the ground, she missed her hold, and tumbled down with a run. This -stopped her merriment, and Wang picked her up, gently squeezing her -hand as he did so. Ying-ning began laughing again, and was obliged to -lean against a tree for support, it being some time before she was -able to stop. Wang waited till she had finished, and then drew the -flower out of his sleeve and handed it to her. "It's dead," said she; -"why do you keep it?" "You dropped it, cousin, at the Feast of -Lanterns," replied Wang, "and so I kept it." She then asked him what -was his object in keeping it, to which he answered, "To show my love, -and that I have not forgotten you. Since that day when we met, I have -been very ill from thinking so much of you, and am quite changed from -what I was. But now that it is my unexpected good fortune to meet you, -I pray you have pity on me." "You needn't make such a fuss about a -trifle," replied she, "and with your own relatives, too. I'll give -orders to supply you with a whole basketful of flowers when you go -away." Wang told her she did not understand, and when she asked what -it was she didn't understand, he said, "I didn't care for the flower -itself; it was the person who picked the flower." "Of course," -answered she, "everybody cares for their relations; you needn't have -told me that." "I wasn't talking about ordinary relations," said Wang, -"but about husbands and wives." "What's the difference?" asked -Ying-ning. "Why," replied Wang, "husband and wife are always -together." "Just what I shouldn't like," cried she, "to be always with -anybody."[113] At this juncture up came the maid, and Wang slipped -quietly away. By-and-by they all met again in the house, and the old -woman asked Ying-ning where they had been; whereupon she said they had -been talking in the garden. "Dinner has been ready a long time. I -can't think what you have had to say all this while," grumbled the old -woman. "My cousin," answered Ying-ning, "has been talking to me about -husbands and wives." Wang was much disconcerted, and made a sign to -her to be quiet, so she smiled and said no more; and the old woman -luckily did not catch her words, and asked her to repeat them. Wang -immediately put her off with something else, and whispered to -Ying-ning that she had done very wrong. The latter did not see that; -and when Wang told her that what he had said was private, answered him -that she had no secrets from her old mother. "Besides," added she, -"what harm can there be in talking on such a common topic as husbands -and wives?" Wang was angry with her for being so dull, but there was -no help for it; and by the time dinner was over he found some of his -mother's servants had come in search of him, bringing a couple of -donkeys with them. It appeared that his mother, alarmed at his -non-appearance, had made strict search for him in the village; and -when unable to discover any traces of him, had gone off to the Wu -family to consult. There her nephew, who recollected what he had -previously said to young Wang, advised that a search should be -instituted in the direction of the hills; and accordingly the servants -had been to all the villages on the way until they had at length -recognised him as he was coming out of the door. Wang went in and told -the old woman, begging that he might be allowed to take Ying-ning with -him. "I have had the idea in my head for several days," replied the -old woman, overjoyed; "but I am a feeble old thing myself, and -couldn't travel so far. If, however, you will take charge of my girl -and introduce her to her aunt, I shall be very pleased." So she called -Ying-ning, who came up laughing as usual; whereupon the old woman -rebuked her, saying, "What makes you always laugh so? You would be a -very good girl but for that silly habit. Now, here's your cousin, who -wants to take you away with him. Make haste and pack up." The servants -who had come for Wang were then provided with refreshment, and the old -woman bade them both farewell, telling Ying-ning that her aunt was -quite well enough off to maintain her, and that she had better not -come back. She also advised her not to neglect her studies, and to be -very attentive to her elders, adding that she might ask her aunt to -provide her with a good husband. Wang and Ying-ning then took their -leave; and when they reached the brow of the hill, they looked back -and could just discern the old woman leaning against the door and -gazing towards the north. On arriving at Wang's home, his mother, -seeing a nice-looking young girl with him, asked in astonishment who -she might be; and Wang at once told her the whole story. "But that was -all an invention of your cousin Wu's," cried his mother; "I haven't -got a sister, and consequently I can't have such a niece." Ying-ning -here observed, "I am not the daughter of the old woman; my father was -named Ch'in and died when I was a little baby, so that I can't -remember anything." "I _had_ a sister," said Wang's mother, "who -actually did marry a Mr. Ch'in, but she died many years ago, and can't -be still living, of course." However, on inquiring as to facial -appearance and characteristic marks, Wang's mother was obliged to -acknowledge the identity, wondering at the same time how her sister -could be alive when she had died many years before. Just then in came -Wu, and Ying-ning retired within; and when he heard the story, -remained some time lost in astonishment, and then said, "Is this young -lady's name Ying-ning?" Wang replied that it was, and asked Wu how he -came to know it. "Mr. Ch'in," answered he, "after his wife's death was -bewitched by a fox, and subsequently died. The fox had a daughter -named Ying-ning, as was well known to all the family; and when Mr. -Ch'in died, as the fox still frequented the place, the Taoist -Pope[114] was called in to exorcise it. The fox then went away, taking -Ying-ning with it, and now here she is." While they were thus -discussing, peals of laughter were heard coming from within, and Mrs. -Wang took occasion to remark what a foolish girl she was. Wu begged to -be introduced, and Mrs. Wang went in to fetch her, finding her in an -uncontrollable fit of laughter, which she subdued only with great -difficulty, and by turning her face to the wall. By-and-by she went -out; but, after making a bow, ran back and burst out laughing again to -the great discomfiture of all the ladies. Wang then said he would go -and find out for them all about Ying-ning and her queer story, so as -to be able to arrange the marriage; but when he reached the spot -indicated, village and houses had all vanished, and nothing was to be -seen except hill-flowers scattered about here and there. Wu -recollected that Mrs. Ch'in had been buried at no great distance from -that spot; he found, however, that the grave had disappeared, and he -was no longer able to determine its position. Not knowing what to make -of it all, he returned home, and then Mrs. Wang told him she thought -the girl must be a disembodied spirit. Ying-ning shewed no signs of -alarm at this remark; neither did she cry at all when Mrs. Wang began -to condole with her on no longer having a home. She only laughed in -her usual silly way, and fairly puzzled them all. Sharing Miss Wang's -room, she now began to take her part in the duties of a daughter of -the family; and as for needlework, they had rarely seen anything like -hers for fineness. But she could not get over that trick of laughing, -which, by the way, never interfered with her good looks, and -consequently rather amused people than otherwise, amongst others a -young married lady who lived next door. Wang's mother fixed an -auspicious day for the wedding, but still feeling suspicious about -Ying-ning, was always secretly watching her. Finding, however, that -she had a proper shadow,[115] and that there was nothing -extraordinary in her behaviour, she had her dressed up when the day -came, in all the finery of a bride; and would have made her perform -the usual ceremonies, only Ying-ning laughed so much she was unable to -kneel down.[116] They were accordingly obliged to excuse her, but Wang -began to fear that such a foolish girl would never be able to keep the -family counsel. Luckily, she was very reticent and did not indulge in -gossip; and moreover, when Mrs. Wang was in trouble or out of temper, -Ying-ning could always bring her round with a laugh. The -maid-servants, too, if they expected a whipping for anything, would -always ask her to be present when they appeared before their mistress, -and thus they often escaped punishment. Ying-ning had a perfect -passion for flowers. She got all she could out of her relations, and -even secretly pawned her jewels to buy rare specimens; and by the end -of a few months the whole place was one mass of flowers. Behind the -house there was one especial tree[117] which belonged to the -neighbours on that side; but Ying-ning was always climbing up and -picking the flowers, for which Mrs. Wang rebuked her severely, though -without any result. One day the owner saw her, and gazed at her some -time in rapt astonishment; however, she didn't move, deigning only to -laugh. The gentleman was much smitten with her; and when she smilingly -descended the wall on her own side, pointing all the time with her -finger to a spot hard by, he thought she was making an assignation. So -he presented himself at nightfall at the same place, and sure enough -Ying-ning was there. Seizing her hand, to tell his passion, he found -that he was grasping only a log of wood which stood against the wall; -and the next thing he knew was that a scorpion had stung him violently -on the finger. There was an end of his romance, except that he died of -the wound during the night, and his family at once commenced an action -against Wang for having a witch-wife. The magistrate happened to be a -great admirer of Wang's talent, and knew him to be an accomplished -scholar; he therefore refused to grant the summons, and ordered the -prosecutor to be bambooed for false accusation.[118] Wang interposed -and got him off this punishment, and returned home himself. His mother -then scolded Ying-ning well, saying, "I knew your too playful -disposition would some day bring sorrow upon you. But for our -intelligent magistrate we should have been in a nice mess. Any -ordinary hawk-like official would have had you publicly interrogated -in court; and then how could your husband ever have held up his head -again?" Ying-ning looked grave and did not laugh this time; and Mrs. -Wang continued, "There's no harm in laughing as long as it is -seasonable laughter;" but from that moment Ying-ning laughed no more, -no matter what people did to make her, though at the same time her -expression was by no means gloomy. One evening she went in tears to -her husband, who wanted to know what was the matter. "I couldn't tell -you before," said she, sobbing; "we had known each other such a short -time. But now that you and your mother have been so kind to me, I will -keep nothing from you, but tell you all. I am the daughter of a fox. -When my mother went away she put me in the charge of the disembodied -spirit of an old woman, with whom I remained for a period of over ten -years. I have no brothers: only you to whom I can look. And now my -foster-mother is lying on the hill-side with no one to bury her and -appease her discontented shade. If not too much, I would ask you to do -this, that her spirit may be at rest, and know that it was not -neglected by her whom she brought up." Wang consented, but said he -feared they would not be able to find her grave; on which Ying-ning -said there was no danger of that, and accordingly they set forth -together. When they arrived, Ying-ning pointed out the tomb in a -lonely spot amidst a thicket of brambles, and there they found the old -woman's bones. Ying-ning wept bitterly, and then they proceeded to -carry her remains home with them, subsequently interring them in the -Ch'in family vault. That night Wang dreamt that the old woman came to -thank him, and when he waked he told Ying-ning, who said that she had -seen her also, and had been warned by her not to frighten Mr. Wang. -Her husband asked why she had not detained the old lady; but Ying-ning -replied, "She is a disembodied spirit, and would be ill at ease for -any time surrounded by so much life."[119] Wang then enquired after -Hsiao-jung, and his wife said, "She was a fox too, and a very clever -one. My foster-mother kept her to wait on me, and she was always -getting fruit and cakes for me, so that I have a friendship for her -and shall never forget her. My foster-mother told me yesterday she was -married." - -After this, whenever the great fast-day[120] came round, husband and -wife went off without fail to worship at the Ch'in family tomb; and by -the time a year had passed she gave birth to a son, who wasn't a bit -afraid of strangers, but laughed at everybody, and in fact took very -much after his mother. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[107] Sickness being supposed to result from evil influences, -witchcraft, &c., just as often as from more natural causes. - -[108] The rule which guides betrothals in China is that "the doors -should be opposite"--_i.e._, that the families of the bride and -bridegroom should be of equal position in the social scale. Any -unpleasantness about the value of the marriage presents, and so on, is -thereby avoided. - -[109] Marriage between persons of the same surname is forbidden by -law, for such are held to be blood relations, descended lineally from -the original couple of that name. Inasmuch, however, as the line of -descent is traced through the male branches only, a man may marry his -cousins on the maternal side without let or hindrance except that of -sentiment, which is sufficiently strong to keep these alliances down -to a minimum. - -[110] A very unjustifiable proceeding in Chinese eyes, unless driven -to it by actual poverty. - -[111] The Chinese years are distinguished by the names of twelve -animals--namely, rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, sheep, -monkey, cock, dog, and boar. To the common question, "What is your -honourable age?" the reply is frequently, "I was born under the ----;" -and the hearer by a short mental calculation can tell at once how old -the speaker is, granting, of course, the impossibility of making an -error of so much as twelve years. - -[112] Parents in China like to get their sons married as early as -possible, in the hope of seeing themselves surrounded by grandsons, -and the family name in no danger of extinction. Girls are generally -married at from fifteen to seventeen. - -[113] This scene should for ever disabuse people of the notion that -there is no such thing as "making love" among the Chinese. That the -passion is just as much a disease in China as it is with us will be -abundantly evident from several subsequent stories; though by those -who have lived and mixed with the Chinese people, no such confirmation -will be needed. I have even heard it gravely asserted by an educated -native that not a few of his countrymen had "died for love" of the -beautiful Miss Lin, the charming but fictitious heroine of _The Dream -of the Red Chamber_. - -Play-goers can here hardly fail to notice a very striking similarity -to the close of the first act of Mr. W. S. Gilbert's "Sweethearts." - -[114] The semi-divine head of the Taoist religion, sometimes called -the Master of Heaven. In his body is supposed to reside the soul of a -celebrated Taoist, an ancestor of his, who actually discovered the -elixir of life and became an immortal some eighteen hundred years ago. -At death, the precious soul above-mentioned will take up its abode in -the body of some youthful member of the family to be hereinafter -revealed. Meanwhile, the present Pope makes a very respectable income -from the sale of charms, by working miracles, and so forth; and only -about two years ago he visited Shanghai, where he was interviewed by -several foreigners. - -[115] Disembodied spirits are supposed to have no shadow, and but very -little appetite. There are also certain occasions on which they cannot -stand the smell of sulphur. Fiske, in his _Myths and Myth-makers_ -(page 230) says, "Almost universally, ghosts, however impervious to -thrust of sword or shot of pistol, can eat and drink like Squire -Westerns." - -[116] See No. III., note 45. - -[117] The _Mu-hsiang_ or _Costus amarus_. - -[118] Strictly in accordance with Chinese criminal law. - -[119] These disembodied spirits are unable to stand for any length of -time the light and life of this upper world, darkness and death being -as it were necessary to their existence and comfort. - -[120] The day before the annual spring festival. - - - - -XVI. - -THE MAGIC SWORD. - - -Ning Lai-ch'en was a Chekiang man, and a good-natured, honourable -fellow, fond of telling people that he had only loved once. Happening -to go to Chinhua, he took shelter in a temple to the north of the -city; very nice as far as ornamentation went, but overgrown with grass -taller than a man's head, and evidently not much frequented. On either -side were the priest's apartments, the doors of which were ajar, with -the exception of a small room on the south side, where the lock had a -new appearance. In the east corner he espied a group of bamboos, -growing over a large pool of water-lilies in flower; and, being much -pleased with the quiet of the place, determined to remain; more -especially as, the Grand Examiner being in the town, all lodgings had -gone up in price. So he roamed about waiting till the priests should -return; and in the evening, a gentleman came and opened the door on -the south side. Ning quickly made up to him, and with a bow informed -him of his design. "There is no one here whose permission you need -ask," replied the stranger; "I am only lodging here, and if you don't -object to the loneliness, I shall be very pleased to have the benefit -of your society." Ning was delighted, and made himself a straw bed, -and put up a board for a table, as if he intended to remain some time; -and that night, by the beams of the clear bright moon, they sat -together in the verandah and talked. The stranger's name was Yen -Ch'ih-hsia, and Ning thought he was a student up for the provincial -examination, only his dialect was not that of a Chekiang man. On being -asked, he said he came from Shensi; and there was an air of -straightforwardness about all his remarks. By-and-by, when their -conversation was exhausted, they bade each other good night and went -to bed; but Ning, being in a strange place, was quite unable to sleep; -and soon he heard sounds of voices from the room on the north side. -Getting up, he peeped through a window, and saw, in a small court-yard -the other side of a low wall, a woman of about forty with an old -maid-servant in a long faded gown, humped-backed and feeble-looking. -They were chatting by the light of the moon; and the mistress said, -"Why doesn't Hsiao-ch'ien come?" "She ought to be here by now," -replied the other. "She isn't offended with you; is she?" asked the -lady. "Not that I know of," answered the old servant; "but she seems -to want to give trouble." "Such people don't deserve to be treated -well," said the other; and she had hardly uttered these words when up -came a young girl of seventeen or eighteen, and very nice looking. The -old servant laughed, and said, "Don't talk of people behind their -backs. We were just mentioning you as you came without our hearing -you; but fortunately we were saying nothing bad about you. And, as far -as that goes," added she, "if I were a young fellow why I should -certainly fall in love with you." "If _you_ don't praise me," replied -the girl, "I'm sure I don't know who will;" and then the lady and the -girl said something together, and Mr. Ning, thinking they were the -family next door, turned round to sleep without paying further -attention to them. In a little while no sound was to be heard; but, as -he was dropping off to sleep, he perceived that somebody was in the -room. Jumping up in great haste, he found it was the young lady he had -just seen; and detecting at once that she was going to attempt to -bewitch him, sternly bade her begone. She then produced a lump of gold -which he threw away, and told her to go after it or he would call his -friend. So she had no alternative but to go, muttering something about -his heart being like iron or stone. Next day, a young candidate for -the examination came and lodged in the east room with his servant. He, -however, was killed that very night, and his servant the night after; -the corpses of both shewing a small hole in the sole of the foot as if -bored by an awl, and from which a little blood came. No one knew who -had committed these murders, and when Mr. Yen came home, Ning asked -him what he thought about it. Yen replied that it was the work of -devils, but Ning was a brave fellow, and that didn't frighten him -much. In the middle of the night Hsiao-ch'ien appeared to him again, -and said, "I have seen many men, but none with a steel cold heart like -yours. You are an upright man, and I will not attempt to deceive you. -I, Hsiao-ch'ien, whose family name is Nieh, died when only eighteen, -and was buried alongside of this temple. A devil then took possession -of me, and employed me to bewitch people by my beauty, contrary to my -inclination. There is now nothing left in this temple to slay, and I -fear that imps will be employed to kill you." Ning was very frightened -at this, and asked her what he should do. "Sleep in the same room with -Mr. Yen," replied she. "What!" asked he, "cannot the spirits trouble -Yen?" "He is a strange man," she answered, "and they don't like going -near him." Ning then inquired how the spirits worked. "I bewitch -people," said Hsiao-ch'ien, "and then they bore a hole in the foot -which renders the victim senseless, and proceed to draw off the blood, -which the devils drink. Another method is to tempt people by false -gold, the bones of some horrid demon; and if they receive it, their -hearts and livers will be torn out. Either method is used according to -circumstances." Ning thanked her, and asked when he ought to be -prepared; to which she replied, "To-morrow night." At parting she -wept, and said, "I am about to sink into the great sea, with no -friendly shore at hand. But your sense of duty is boundless, and you -can save me. If you will collect my bones and bury them in some quiet -spot, I shall not again be subject to these misfortunes." Ning said he -would do so, and asked where she lay buried. "At the foot of the -aspen-tree on which there is a bird's nest," replied she; and passing -out of the door, disappeared. The next day Ning was afraid that Yen -might be going away somewhere, and went over early to invite him -across. Wine and food were produced towards noon; and Ning, who took -care not to lose sight of Yen, then asked him to remain there for the -night. Yen declined, on the ground that he liked being by himself; but -Ning wouldn't hear any excuses, and carried all Yen's things to his -own room, so that he had no alternative but to consent. However, he -warned Ning, saying, "I know you are a gentleman and a man of honour. -If you see anything you don't quite understand, I pray you not to be -too inquisitive; don't pry into my boxes, or it may be the worse for -both of us." Ning promised to attend to what he said, and by-and-by -they both lay down to sleep; and Yen, having placed his boxes on the -window-sill, was soon snoring loudly. Ning himself could not sleep; -and after some time he saw a figure moving stealthily outside, at -length approaching the window to peep through. It's eyes flashed like -lightning, and Ning in a terrible fright was just upon the point of -calling Yen, when something flew out of one of the boxes like a strip -of white silk, and dashing against the window-sill returned at once to -the box, disappearing very much like lightning. Yen heard the noise -and got up, Ning all the time pretending to be asleep in order to -watch what happened. The former then opened the box, and took out -something which he smelt and examined by the light of the moon. It -was dazzlingly white like crystal, and about two inches in length by -the width of an onion leaf in breadth. He then wrapped it up carefully -and put it back in the broken box, saying, "A bold-faced devil that, -to come so near my box;" upon which he went back to bed; but Ning, who -was lost in astonishment, arose and asked him what it all meant, -telling at the same time what he himself had seen. "As you and I are -good friends," replied Yen, "I won't make any secret of it. The fact -is I am a Taoist priest. But for the window-sill the devil would have -been killed; as it is, he is badly wounded." Ning asked him what it -was he had there wrapped up, and he told him it was his sword,[121] on -which he had smelt the presence of the devil. At Ning's request he -produced the weapon, a bright little miniature of a sword; and from -that time Ning held his friend in higher esteem than ever. - -Next day he found traces of blood outside the window which led round -to the north of the temple; and there among a number of graves he -discovered the aspen-tree with the bird's nest at its summit. He then -fulfilled his promise and prepared to go home, Yen giving him a -farewell banquet, and presenting him with an old leather case which he -said contained a sword, and would keep at a distance from him all -devils and bogies. Ning then wished to learn a little of Yen's art; -but the latter replied that although he might accomplish this easily -enough, being as he was an upright man, yet he was well off in life, -and not in a condition where it would be of any advantage to him. Ning -then pretending he had to go and bury his sister, collected -Hsiao-ch'ien's bones, and, having wrapped them up in grave-clothes, -hired a boat, and set off on his way home. On his arrival, as his -library looked towards the open country, he made a grave hard by and -buried the bones there, sacrificing, and invoking Hsiao-ch'ien as -follows:--"In pity for your lonely ghost, I have placed your remains -near my humble cottage, where we shall be near each other, and no -devil will dare annoy you. I pray you reject not my sacrifice, poor -though it be." After this, he was proceeding home when he suddenly -heard himself addressed from behind, the voice asking him not to -hurry; and turning round he beheld Hsiao-ch'ien, who thanked him, -saying, "Were I to die ten times for you I could not discharge my -debt. Let me go home with you and wait upon your father and mother; -you will not repent it." Looking closely at her, he observed that she -had a beautiful complexion, and feet as small as bamboo shoots,[122] -being altogether much prettier now that he came to see her by -daylight. So they went together to his home, and bidding her wait -awhile, Ning ran in to tell his mother, to the very great surprise of -the old lady. Now Ning's wife had been ill for a long time, and his -mother advised him not to say a word about it to her for fear of -frightening her; in the middle of which in rushed Hsiao-ch'ien, and -threw herself on the ground before them. "This is the young lady," -said Ning; whereupon his mother in some alarm turned her attention to -Hsiao-ch'ien, who cried out, "A lonely orphan, without brother or -sister, the object of your son's kindness and compassion, begs to be -allowed to give her poor services as some return for favours shewn." -Ning's mother, seeing that she was a nice pleasant-looking girl, began -to lose fear of her, and replied, "Madam, the preference you shew for -my son is highly pleasing to an old body like myself; but this is the -only hope of our family, and I hardly dare agree to his taking a -devil-wife." "I have but one motive in what I ask," answered -Hsiao-ch'ien, "and if you have no faith in disembodied people, then -let me regard him as my brother, and live under your protection, -serving you like a daughter." Ning's mother could not resist her -straightforward manner, and Hsiao-ch'ien asked to be allowed to see -Ning's wife, but this was denied on the plea that the lady was ill. -Hsiao-ch'ien then went into the kitchen and got ready the dinner, -running about the place as if she had lived there all her life. Ning's -mother was, however, much afraid of her, and would not let her sleep -in the house; so Hsiao-ch'ien went to the library, and was just -entering when suddenly she fell back a few steps, and began walking -hurriedly backwards and forwards in front of the door. Ning seeing -this, called out and asked her what it meant; to which she replied, -"The presence of that sword frightens me, and that is why I could not -accompany you on your way home." Ning at once understood her, and hung -up the sword-case in another place; whereupon she entered, lighted a -candle, and sat down. For some time she did not speak: at length -asking Ning if he studied at night or not--"For," said she, "when I -was little I used to repeat the Leng-yen _sutra_; but now I have -forgotten more than half, and, therefore, I should like to borrow a -copy, and when you are at leisure in the evening you might hear me." -Ning said he would, and they sat silently there for some time, after -which Hsiao-ch'ien went away and took up her quarters elsewhere. -Morning and night she waited on Ning's mother, bringing water for her -to wash in, occupying herself with household matters, and endeavouring -to please her in every way. In the evening before she went to bed, she -would always go in and repeat a little of the _sutra_, and leave as -soon as she thought Ning was getting sleepy. Now the illness of Ning's -wife had given his mother a great deal of extra trouble--more, in -fact, than she was equal to; but ever since Hsiao-ch'ien's arrival all -this was changed, and Ning's mother felt kindly disposed to the girl -in consequence, gradually growing to regard her almost as her own -child, and forgetting quite that she was a spirit. Accordingly, she -didn't make her leave the house at night; and Hsiao-ch'ien, who being -a devil had not tasted meat or drink since her arrival,[123] now -began at the end of six months to take a little thin gruel. Mother and -son alike became very fond of her, and henceforth never mentioned what -she really was; neither were strangers able to detect the fact. -By-and-by, Ning's wife died, and his mother secretly wished him to -espouse Hsiao-ch'ien, though she rather dreaded any unfortunate -consequences that might arise. This Hsiao-ch'ien perceived, and -seizing an opportunity said to Ning's mother, "I have been with you -now more than a year, and you ought to know something of my -disposition. Because I was unwilling to injure travellers I followed -your son hither. There was no other motive; and, as your son has shewn -himself one of the best of men, I would now remain with him for three -years in order that he may obtain for me some mark of Imperial -approbation[124] which will do me honour in the realms below." Ning's -mother knew that she meant no evil, but hesitated to put the family -hopes of a posterity into jeopardy. Hsiao-ch'ien, however, reassured -her by saying that Ning would have three sons, and that the line would -not be interrupted by his marrying her. On the strength of this the -marriage was arranged to the great joy of Ning, a feast prepared, and -friends and relatives invited; and when in response to a call the -bride herself came forth in her gay wedding-dress, the beholders took -her rather for a fairy than for a devil. After this, numbers of -congratulatory presents were given by the various female members of -the family, who vied with one another in making her acquaintance; and -these Hsiao-ch'ien returned by gifts of paintings of flowers, done by -herself, in which she was very skilful, the receivers being extremely -proud of such marks of her friendship. One day she was leaning at the -window in a despondent mood, when suddenly she asked where the -sword-case was. "Oh," replied Ning, "as you seemed afraid of it, I -moved it elsewhere." "I have now been so long under the influence of -surrounding life,"[125] said Hsiao-ch'ien, "that I shan't be afraid of -it any more. Let us hang it on the bed." "Why so?" asked Ning. "For the -last three days," explained she, "I have been much agitated in mind; -and I fear that the devil at the temple, angry at my escape, may come -suddenly and carry me off." So Ning brought the sword-case, and -Hsiao-ch'ien, after examining it closely, remarked, "This is where the -magician puts people. I wonder how many were slain before it got old -and worn out as it is now. Even now when I look at it my flesh -creeps." The case was then hung up, and next day removed to over the -door. At night they sat up and watched, Hsiao-ch'ien warning Ning not -to go to sleep; and suddenly something fell down flop like a bird. -Hsiao-ch'ien in a fright got behind the curtain; but Ning looked at -the thing, and found it was an imp of darkness, with glaring eyes and -a bloody mouth, coming straight to the door. Stealthily creeping up it -made a grab at the sword-case, and seemed about to tear it in pieces, -when bang!--the sword-case became as big as a wardrobe, and from it a -devil protruded part of his body and dragged the imp in. Nothing more -was heard, and the sword-case resumed its original size. Ning was -greatly alarmed, but Hsiao-ch'ien came out rejoicing, and said, -"There's an end of my troubles." In the sword-case they found only a -few quarts of clear water; nothing else. - -After these events Ning took his doctor's degree and Hsiao-ch'ien bore -him a son. He then took a concubine, and had one more son by each, all -of whom became in time distinguished men. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[121] See No. X., note 80. - -[122] Which, well cooked, are a very good substitute for asparagus. - -[123] See note 115 to the last story. - -[124] Such as are from time to time bestowed upon virtuous widows and -wives, filial sons and daughters, and others. These consist of some -laudatory scroll or tablet, and are much prized by the family of the -recipient. - -[125] See note 119 to last story. - - - - -XVII. - -THE _SHUI-MANG_ PLANT. - - -The _shui-mang_[126] is a poisonous herb. It is a creeper, like the -bean, and has a similar red flower. Those who eat of it die, and -become _shui-mang_ devils, tradition asserting that such devils are -unable to be born again unless they can find some one else who has -also eaten of this poison to take their place.[127] These _shui-mang_ -devils abound in the province of Hunan, where, by the way, the phrase -"same-year man" is applied to those born in the same year, who -exchange visits and call each other brother, their children addressing -the father's "brother" as uncle. This has now become a regular custom -there.[128] - -A young man named Chu was on his way to visit a same-year friend of -his, when he was overtaken by a violent thirst. Suddenly he came upon -an old woman sitting by the roadside under a shed and distributing -tea gratis,[129] and immediately walked up to her to get a drink. She -invited him into the shed, and presented him with a bowl of tea in a -very cordial spirit; but the smell of it did not seem like the smell -of ordinary tea, and he would not drink it, rising up to go away. The -old woman stopped him, and called out, "San-niang! bring some good -tea." Immediately a young girl came from behind the shed, carrying in -her hands a pot of tea. She was about fourteen or fifteen years old, -and of very fascinating appearance, with glittering rings and -bracelets on her fingers and arms. As Chu received the cup from her -his reason fled; and drinking down the tea she gave him, the flavour -of which was unlike any other kind, he proceeded to ask for more. -Then, watching for a moment when the old woman's back was turned, he -seized her wrist and drew a ring from her finger. The girl blushed and -smiled; and Chu, more and more inflamed, asked her where she lived. -"Come again this evening," replied she, "and you'll find me here." Chu -begged for a handful of her tea, which he stowed away with the ring, -and took his leave. Arriving at his destination, he felt a pain in his -heart, which he at once attributed to the tea, telling his friend -what had occurred. "Alas! you are undone," cried the other; "they were -_shui-mang_ devils. My father died in the same way, and we were unable -to save him. There is no help for you." Chu was terribly frightened, -and produced the handful of tea, which his friend at once pronounced -to be leaves of the _shui-mang_ plant. He then shewed him the ring, -and told him what the girl had said; whereupon his friend, after some -reflection, said, "She must be San-niang, of the K'ou family." "How -could you know her name?" asked Chu, hearing his friend use the same -words as the old woman. "Oh," replied he, "there was a nice-looking -girl of that name who died some years ago from eating of the same -herb. She is doubtless the girl you saw." Here some one observed that -if the person so entrapped by a devil only knew its name, and could -procure an old pair of its shoes, he might save himself by boiling -them in water and drinking the liquor as medicine. Chu's friend -thereupon rushed off at once to the K'ou family, and implored them to -give him an old pair of their daughter's shoes; but they, not wishing -to prevent their daughter from finding a substitute in Chu, flatly -refused his request. So he went back in anger and told Chu, who ground -his teeth with rage, saying, "If I die, she shall not obtain her -transmigration thereby." His friend then sent him home; and just as he -reached the door he fell down dead. Chu's mother wept bitterly over -his corpse, which was in due course interred; and he left behind one -little boy barely a year old. His wife did not remain a widow, but in -six months married again and went away, putting Chu's son under the -care of his grandmother, who was quite unequal to any toil, and did -nothing but weep morning and night. One day she was carrying her -grandson about in her arms, crying bitterly all the time, when -suddenly in walked Chu. His mother, much alarmed, brushed away her -tears, and asked him what it meant. "Mother," replied he, "down in the -realms below I heard you weeping. I am therefore come to tend you. -Although a departed spirit, I have a wife, who has likewise come to -share your toil. Therefore do not grieve." His mother inquired who his -wife was, to which he replied, "When the K'ou family sat still and -left me to my fate I was greatly incensed against them; and after -death I sought for San-niang, not knowing where she was. I have -recently seen my old same-year friend, and he told me where she was. -She had come to life again in the person of the baby-daughter of a -high official named Jen; but I went thither and dragged her spirit -back. She is now my wife, and we get on extremely well together." A -very pretty and well-dressed young lady here entered, and made -obeisance to Chu's mother, Chu saying, "This is San-niang, of the K'ou -family;" and although not a living being, Mrs. Chu at once took a -great fancy to her. Chu sent her off to help in the work of the house, -and, in spite of not being accustomed to this sort of thing, she was -so obedient to her mother-in-law as to excite the compassion of all. -The two then took up their quarters in Chu's old apartments, and there -they continued to remain. - -Meanwhile San-niang asked Chu's mother to let the K'ou family know; -and this she did, notwithstanding some objections raised by her son. -Mr. and Mrs. K'ou were much astonished at the news, and, ordering -their carriage, proceeded at once to Chu's house. There they found -their daughter, and parents and child fell into each other's arms. -San-niang entreated them to dry their tears; but her mother, noticing -the poverty of Chu's household, was unable to restrain her feelings. -"We are already spirits," cried San-niang; "what matters poverty to -us? Besides, I am very well treated here, and am altogether as happy -as I can be." They then asked her who the old woman was; to which she -replied, "Her name was Ni. She was mortified at being too ugly to -entrap people herself, and got me to assist her. She has now been born -again at a soy-shop in the city." Then, looking at her husband, she -added, "Come, since you are the son-in-law, pay the proper respect to -my father and mother, or what shall I think of you?" Chu made his -obeisance, and San-niang went into the kitchen to get food ready for -them, at which her mother became very melancholy, and went away home, -whence she sent a couple of maid-servants, a hundred ounces of silver, -and rolls of cloth and silk, besides making occasional presents of -food and wine, so that Chu's mother lived in comparative comfort. -San-niang also went from time to time to see her parents, but would -never stay very long, pleading that she was wanted at home, and such -excuses; and if the old people attempted to keep her, she simply went -off by herself. Her father built a nice house for Chu with all kinds -of luxuries in it; but Chu never once entered his father-in-law's -door. - -Subsequently a man of the village who had eaten _shui-mang_, and had -died in consequence, came back to life, to the great astonishment of -everybody. However, Chu explained it, saying, "I brought him back to -life. He was the victim of a man named Li Chiu; but I drove off Li's -spirit when it came to make the other take his place." Chu's mother -then asked her son why he did not get a substitute for himself; to -which he replied, "I do not like to do this. I am anxious to put an -end to, rather than take advantage of, such a system. Besides, I am -very happy waiting on you, and have no wish to be born again." From -that time all persons who had poisoned themselves with _shui-mang_ -were in the habit of feasting Chu and obtaining his assistance in -their trouble. But in ten years' time his mother died, and he and his -wife gave themselves up to sorrow, and would see no one, bidding their -little boy put on mourning, beat his breast, and perform the proper -ceremonies. Two years after Chu had buried his mother, his son married -the granddaughter of a high official named Jen. This gentleman had had -a daughter by a concubine, who had died when only a few months old; -and now, hearing the strange story of Chu's wife, came to call on her -and arrange the marriage. He then gave his granddaughter to Chu's son, -and a free intercourse was maintained between the two families. -However, one day Chu said to his son, "Because I have been of service -to my generation, God has appointed me Keeper of the Dragons; and I -am now about to proceed to my post." Thereupon four horses appeared in -the court-yard, drawing a carriage with yellow hangings, the flanks of -the horses being covered with scale-like trappings. Husband and wife -came forth in full dress, and took their seats, and, while son and -daughter-in-law were weeping their adieus, disappeared from view. That -very day the K'ou family saw their daughter arrive, and, bidding them -farewell, she told them the same story. The old people would have kept -her, but she said, "My husband is already on his way," and, leaving -the house, parted from them for ever. Chu's son was named Ngo, and his -literary name was Li-ch'en. He begged San-niang's bones from the K'ou -family, and buried them by the side of his father's. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[126] Probably the _Illicium religiosum_ is meant. - -[127] See No. XII., note 87. - -[128] The common application of the term "same-year-men," is to -persons who have graduated at the same time. - -[129] This is by no means an uncommon form of charity. During the -temporary distress at Canton, in the summer of 1877, large tubs of -gruel were to be seen standing at convenient points, ready for any -poor person who might wish to stay his hunger. It is thus, and by -similar acts of benevolence, such as building bridges, repairing -roads, etc., etc., that the wealthy Chinaman strives to maintain an -advantageous balance in his record of good and evil. - - - - -XVIII. - -LITTLE CHU. - - -A man named Li Hua dwelt at Ch'ang-chou. He was very well off, and -about fifty years of age, but he had no sons; only one daughter, named -Hsiao-hui, a pretty child on whom her parents doted. When she was -fourteen she had a severe illness and died, leaving their home -desolate and depriving them of their chief pleasure in life. Mr. Li -then bought a concubine, and she by-and-by bore him a son, who was -perfectly idolised, and called Chu, or the Pearl. This boy grew up to -be a fine manly fellow, though so extremely stupid that when five or -six years old he didn't know pulse from corn, and could hardly talk -plainly. His father, however, loved him dearly, and did not observe -his faults. - -Now it chanced that a one-eyed priest came to collect alms in the -town, and he seemed to know so much about everybody's private affairs -that the people all looked upon him as superhuman. He himself declared -he had control over life, death, happiness, and misfortune; and -consequently no one dared refuse him whatever sum he chose to ask of -them. From Li he demanded one hundred ounces of silver, but was -offered only ten, which he refused to receive. This sum was increased -to thirty ounces, whereupon the priest looked sternly at Li and said, -"I must have one hundred; not a fraction less." Li now got angry, and -went away without giving him any, the priest, too, rising up in a rage -and shouting after him, "I hope you won't repent." Shortly after these -events little Chu fell sick, and crawled about the bed scratching the -mat, his face being of an ashen paleness. This frightened his father, -who hurried off with eighty ounces of silver, and begged the priest to -accept them. "A large sum like this is no trifling matter to earn," -said the priest, smiling; "but what can a poor recluse like myself do -for you?" So Li went home, to find that little Chu was already dead; -and this worked him into such a state that he immediately laid a -complaint before the magistrate. The priest was accordingly summoned -and interrogated; but the magistrate wouldn't accept his defence, and -ordered him to be bambooed. The blows sounded as if falling on -leather, upon which the magistrate commanded his lictors to search -him; and from about his person they drew forth two wooden men, a small -coffin, and five small flags. The magistrate here flew into a passion, -and made certain mystic signs with his fingers, which when the priest -saw he was frightened, and began to excuse himself; but the magistrate -would not listen to him, and had him bambooed to death. Li thanked him -for his kindness, and, taking his leave, proceeded home. In the -evening, after dusk, he was sitting alone with his wife, when suddenly -in popped a little boy, who said, "Pa! why did you hurry on so fast? -I couldn't catch you up." Looking at him more closely, they saw that -he was about seven or eight years old, and Mr. Li, in some alarm, was -on the point of questioning him, when he disappeared, re-appearing -again like smoke, and, curling round and round, got upon the bed. Li -pushed him off, and he fell down without making any sound, crying out, -"Pa! why do you do this?" and in a moment he was on the bed again. Li -was frightened, and ran away with his wife, the boy calling after -them, "Pa! Ma! boo-oo-oo." They went into the next room, bolting the -door after them; but there was the little boy at their heels again. Li -asked him what he wanted, to which he replied, "I belong to Su-chou; -my name is Chan; at six years of age I was left an orphan; my brother -and his wife couldn't bear me, so they sent me to live at my maternal -grandfather's. One day, when playing outside, a wicked priest killed -me by his black art underneath a mulberry-tree, and made of me an evil -spirit, dooming me to everlasting devildom without hope of -transmigration. Happily you exposed him; and I would now remain with -you as your son." "The paths of men and devils," replied Li, "lie in -different directions. How can we remain together?" "Give me only a -tiny room," cried the boy, "a bed, a mattress, and a cup of cold gruel -every day. I ask for nothing more." So Li agreed, to the great delight -of the boy, who slept by himself in another part of the house, coming -in the morning and walking in and out like any ordinary person. -Hearing Li's concubine crying bitterly, he asked how long little Chu -had been dead, and she told him seven days. "It's cold weather now," -said he, "and the body can't have decomposed. Have the grave opened, -and let me see it; if not too far gone, I can bring him to life -again." Li was only too pleased, and went off with the boy; and when -they opened the grave they found the body in perfect preservation; but -while Li was controlling his emotions, lo! the boy had vanished from -his sight. Wondering very much at this, he took little Chu's body -home, and had hardly laid it on the bed when he noticed the eyes move. -Little Chu then called for some broth, which put him into a -perspiration, and then he got up. They were all overjoyed to see him -come to life again; and, what is more, he was much brighter and -cleverer than before. At night, however, he lay perfectly stiff and -rigid, without shewing any signs of life; and, as he didn't move when -they turned him over and over, they were much frightened, and thought -he had died again. But towards daybreak he awaked as if from a dream, -and in reply to their questions said that when he was with the wicked -priest there was another boy named Ko-tz[)u];[130] and that the day -before, when he had been unable to catch up his father, it was because -he had stayed behind to bid adieu to Ko-tz[)u]; that Ko-tz[)u] was now the -son of an official in Purgatory named Chiang, and very comfortably -settled; and that he had invited him (Chan) to go and play with him -that evening, and had sent him back on a white-nosed horse. His mother -then asked him if he had seen little Chu in Purgatory; to which he -replied, "Little Chu has already been born again. He and our father -here had not really the destiny of father and son. Little Chu was -merely a man named Yen Tz[)u]-fang, from Chin-ling, who had come to -reclaim an old debt."[131] Now Mr. Li had formerly traded to -Chin-ling, and actually owed money for goods to a Mr. Yen; but he had -died, and no one else knew anything about it, so that he was now -greatly alarmed when he heard this story. His mother next asked (the -quasi) little Chu if he had seen his sister, Hsiao-hui; and he said he -had not, promising to go again and inquire about her. A few days -afterwards he told his mother that Hsiao-hui was very happy in -Purgatory, being married to a son of one of the Judges; and that she -had any quantity of jewels,[132] and crowds of attendants when she -went abroad. "Why doesn't she come home to see her parents?" asked his -mother. "Well," replied the boy, "dead people, you know, haven't got -any flesh or bones; however, if you can only remind them of something -that happened in their past lives, their feelings are at once touched. -So yesterday I managed, through Mr. Chiang, to get an interview with -Hsiao-hui; and we sat together on a coral couch, and I spoke to her -of her father and mother at home, all of which she listened to as if -she was asleep. I then remarked, 'Sister, when you were alive you were -very fond of embroidering double-stemmed flowers; and once you cut -your finger with the scissors, and the blood ran over the silk, but -you brought it into the picture as a crimson cloud. Your mother has -that picture still, hanging at the head of her bed, a perpetual -souvenir of you. Sister, have you forgotten this?' Then she burst into -tears, and promised to ask her husband to let her come and visit you." -His mother asked when she would arrive; but he said he could not tell. -However, one day he ran in and cried out, "Mother, Hsiao-hui has come, -with a splendid equipage and a train of servants; we had better get -plenty of wine ready." In a few moments he came in again, saying, -"Here is my sister," at the same time asking her to take a seat and -rest. He then wept; but none of those present saw anything at all. -By-and-by he went out and burnt a quantity of paper money[133] and -made offerings of wine outside the door, returning shortly and saying -he had sent away her attendants for a while. Hsiao-hui then asked if -the green coverlet, a small portion of which had been burnt by a -candle, was still in existence. "It is," replied her mother, and, -going to a box, she at once produced the coverlet. "Hsiao-hui would -like a bed made up for her in her old room," said her (quasi) brother; -"she wants to rest awhile, and will talk with you again in the -morning." - -Now their next-door neighbour, named Chao, had a daughter who was -formerly a great friend of Hsiao-hui's, and that night she dreamt that -Hsiao-hui appeared with a turban on her head and a red mantle over her -shoulders, and that they talked and laughed together precisely as in -days gone by. "I am now a spirit," said Hsiao-hui, "and my father and -mother can no more see me than if I was far separated from them. Dear -sister, I would borrow your body, from which to speak to them. You -need fear nothing." On the morrow when Miss Chao met her mother, she -fell on the ground before her and remained some time in a state of -unconsciousness, at length saying, "Madam, it is many years since we -met; your hair has become very white." "The girl's mad," said her -mother, in alarm; and, thinking something had gone wrong, proceeded to -follow her out of the door. Miss Chao went straight to Li's house, and -there with tears embraced Mrs. Li, who did not know what to make of it -all. "Yesterday," said Miss Chao, "when I came back, I was unhappily -unable to speak with you. Unfilial wretch that I was, to die before -you, and leave you to mourn my loss. How can I redeem such behaviour?" -Her mother thereupon began to understand the scene, and, weeping, -said to her, "I have heard that you hold an honourable position, and -this is a great comfort to me; but, living as you do in the palace of -a Judge, how is it you are able to get away?" "My husband," replied -she, "is very kind; and his parents treat me with all possible -consideration. I experience no harsh treatment at their hands." Here -Miss Chao rested her cheek upon her hand, exactly as Hsiao-hui had -been wont to do when she was alive; and at that moment in came her -brother to say that her attendants were ready to return. "I must go," -said she, rising up and weeping bitterly all the time; after which she -fell down, and remained some time unconscious as before. - -Shortly after these events Mr. Li became dangerously ill, and no -medicines were of any avail, so that his son feared they would not be -able to save his life. Two devils sat at the head of his bed, one -holding an iron staff, the other a nettle-hemp rope four or five feet -in length. Day and night his son implored them to go, but they would -not move; and Mrs. Li in sorrow began to prepare the funeral -clothes.[134] Towards evening her son entered and cried out, -"Strangers and women, leave the room! My sister's husband is coming to -see his father-in-law." He then clapped his hands, and burst out -laughing. "What is the matter?" asked his mother. "I am laughing," -answered he, "because when the two devils heard my sister's husband -was coming, they both ran under the bed, like terrapins, drawing in -their heads." By-and-by, looking at nothing, he began to talk about the -weather, and ask his sister's husband how he did, and then he clapped -his hands, and said, "I begged the two devils to go, but they would -not; it's all right now." After this he went out to the door and -returned, saying, "My sister's husband has gone. He took away the two -devils tied to his horse. My father ought to get better now. Besides, -Hsiao-hui's husband said he would speak to the Judge, and obtain a -hundred years' lease of life both for you and my father." The whole -family rejoiced exceedingly at this, and, when night came, Mr. Li was -better, and in a few days quite well again. A tutor was engaged for -(the quasi) little Chu, who shewed himself an apt pupil, and at -eighteen years of age took his bachelor's degree. He could also see -things of the other world; and when anyone in the village was ill, he -pointed out where the devils were, and burnt them out with fire, so -that everybody got well. However, before long he himself became very -ill, and his flesh turned green and purple; whereupon he said, "The -devils afflict me thus because I let out their secrets. Henceforth I -shall never divulge them again." - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[130] It may be necessary here to remind the reader that Chan's spirit -is speaking from Chu's body. - -[131] We shall come by and by to a story illustrative of this -extraordinary belief. - -[132] The _summum bonum_ of many a Chinese woman. - -[133] Chinese silver, called sycee (from the Cantonese _sai see_ "fine -silk;" because, if pure, it may be drawn out under the application of -heat into fine silk threads), is cast in the form of "shoes," weighing -from one to one hundred ounces. Paper imitations of these are burnt -for the use of the spirits in the world below. The sharp edges of a -"shoe" of sycee are caused by the mould containing the molten silver -being gently shaken until the metal has set, with a view to secure -uniform fineness throughout the lump. - -[134] Death is regarded as a summons from the authorities of -Purgatory; lictors are sent to arrest the doomed man, armed with a -written warrant similar to those issued on earth from a magistrate's -yamen. - - - - -XIX. - -MISS QUARTA HU. - - -Mr. Shang was a native of T'ai-shan, and lived quietly with his books -alone. One autumn night when the Silver River[135] was unusually -distinct and the moon shining brightly in the sky, he was walking up -and down under the shade, with his thoughts wandering somewhat at -random, when lo! a young girl leaped over the wall, and, smiling, -asked him, "What are you thinking about, Sir, all so deeply?" Shang -looked at her, and seeing that she had a pretty face, asked her to -walk in. She then told him her name was Hu,[136] and that she was -called Tertia; but when he wanted to know where she lived, she laughed -and would not say. So he did not inquire any further; and by degrees -they struck up a friendship, and Miss Tertia used to come and chat -with him every evening. He was so smitten that he could hardly take -his eyes off her, and at last she said to him, "What _are_ you -looking at?" "At you," cried he, "my lovely rose, my beautiful peach. -I could gaze at you all night long." "If you think so much of poor -me," answered she, "I don't know where your wits would be if you saw -my sister Quarta." Mr. Shang said he was sorry he didn't know her, and -begged that he might be introduced; so next night Miss Tertia brought -her sister, who turned out to be a young damsel of about fifteen, with -a face delicately powdered and resembling the lily, or like an -apricot-flower seen through mist; and altogether as pretty a girl as -he had ever seen. Mr. Shang was charmed with her, and inviting them -in, began to laugh and talk with the elder, while Miss Quarta sat -playing with her girdle, and keeping her eyes on the ground. By-and-by -Miss Tertia got up and said she was going, whereupon her sister rose -to take leave also; but Mr. Shang asked her not to be in a hurry, and -requested the elder to assist in persuading her. "You needn't hurry," -said she to Miss Quarta; and accordingly the latter remained chatting -with Mr. Shang without reserve, and finally told him she was a fox. -However, Mr. Shang was so occupied with her beauty, that he didn't pay -any heed to that; but she added, "And my sister is very dangerous; she -has already killed three people. Any one bewitched by her has no -chance of escape. Happily, you have bestowed your affections on me, -and I shall not allow you to be destroyed. You must break off your -acquaintance with her at once." Mr. Shang was very frightened, and -implored her to help him; to which she replied, "Although a fox, I am -skilled in the arts of the Immortals;[137] I will write out a charm -for you which you must paste on the door, and thus you will keep her -away." So she wrote down the charm, and in the morning when her sister -came and saw it, she fell back, crying out, "Ungrateful minx! you've -thrown me up for him, have you? You two being destined for each other, -what have I done that you should treat me thus?" She then went away; -and a few days afterwards Miss Quarta said she too would have to be -absent for a day, so Shang went out for a walk by himself, and -suddenly beheld a very nice-looking young lady emerge from the shade -of an old oak that was growing on the hill-side. "Why so dreadfully -pensive?" said she to him; "those Hu girls can never bring you a -single cent." She then presented Shang with some money, and bade him -go on ahead and buy some good wine, adding, "I'll bring something to -eat with me, and we'll have a jolly time of it." Shang took the money -and went home, doing as the young lady had told him; and by-and-by in -she herself came, and threw on the table a roast chicken and a -shoulder of salt pork, which she at once proceeded to cut up. They now -set to work to enjoy themselves, and had hardly finished when they -heard some one coming in, and the next minute in walked Miss Tertia -and her sister. The strange young lady didn't know where to hide, and -managed to lose her shoes; but the other two began to revile her, -saying, "Out upon you, base fox; what are you doing here?" They then -chased her away after some trouble, and Shang began to excuse himself -to them, until at last they all became friends again as before. - -One day, however, a Shensi man arrived, riding on a donkey, and coming -to the door said, "I have long been in search of these evil spirits: -now I have got them." Shang's father thought the man's remark rather -strange, and asked him whence he had come. "Across much land and sea," -replied he; "for eight or nine months out of every year I am absent -from my native place. These devils killed my brother with their -poison, alas! alas! and I have sworn to exterminate them; but I have -travelled many miles without being able to find them. They are now in -your house, and if you do not cut them off, you will die even as my -brother." Now Shang and the young ladies had kept their -acquaintanceship very dark; but his father and mother had guessed that -something was up, and, much alarmed, bade the Shensi man walk in and -perform his exorcisms. The latter then produced two bottles which he -placed upon the ground, and proceeded to mutter a number of charms and -cabalistic formulae; whereupon four wreaths of smoke passed two by two -into each bottle. "I have the whole family," cried he, in an ecstasy -of delight; as he proceeded to tie down the mouths of the bottles with -pig's bladder, sealing them with the utmost care. Shang's father was -likewise very pleased, and kept his guest to dinner; but the young man -himself was sadly dejected, and approaching the bottles unperceived, -bent his ear to listen. "Ungrateful man," said Miss Quarta from -within, "to sit there and make no effort to save me." This was more -than Shang could stand, and he immediately broke the seal, but found -that he couldn't untie the knot. "Not so," cried Miss Quarta; "merely -lay down the flag that now stands on the altar, and with a pin prick -the bladder, and I can get out." Shang did as she bade him, and in a -moment a thin streak of white smoke issued forth from the hole and -disappeared in the clouds. When the Shensi man came out, and saw the -flag lying on the ground, he started violently, and cried out, -"Escaped! This must be your doing, young Sir." He then shook the -bottle and listened, finally exclaiming, "Luckily only one has got -away. She was fated not to die, and may therefore be pardoned."[138] -Thereupon he took the bottles and went his way. - -Some years afterwards Shang was one day superintending his reapers -cutting the corn, when he descried Miss Quarta at a distance, sitting -under a tree. He approached, and she took his hand, saying, "Ten years -have rolled away since last we met. Since then I have gained the -prize of immortality;[139] but I thought that perhaps you had not -quite forgotten me, and so I came to see you once more." Shang wished -her to return home with him; to which she replied, "I am no longer -what I was that I should mingle in the affairs of mortals. We shall -meet again." And as she said this, she disappeared; but twenty years -later, when Shang was one day alone, Miss Quarta walked in. Shang was -overjoyed, and began to address her; but she answered him, saying, "My -name is already enrolled in the Register of the Immortals, and I have -no right to return to earth. However, out of gratitude to you I -determined to announce to you the date of your dissolution that you -might put your affairs in order. Fear nothing; I will see you safely -through to the happy land." She then departed, and on the day named -Shang actually died. A relative of a friend of mine, Mr. Li Wen-yue, -frequently met the above-mentioned Mr. Shang.[140] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[135] The Milky Way is known to the Chinese under this -name--unquestionably a more poetical one than our own. - -[136] See No. XIII., note 90. - -[137] That is, of the Taoists. See No. IV., note 46. - -[138] Predestination _after the event_ is, luckily for China, the form -of this superstition which really appeals to her all-practical -children. Not a larger percentage than with ourselves allow belief in -an irremediable destiny to divert their efforts one moment from the -object in view; though thousands upon thousands are ready enough to -acknowledge the "will of heaven" in any national or individual -calamities that may befall. See No. IX., note 69. - -[139] Any disembodied spirit whose conduct for a certain term of years -is quite satisfactory is competent to obtain this reward. Thus, -instead of being born again on earth, perhaps as an animal, they -become angels or good spirits, and live for ever in heaven in a state -of supreme beatitude. - -[140] Our author occasionally ends up with a remark of this kind; and -these have undoubtedly had their weight with his too credulous -countrymen. - - - - -XX. - -MR. CHU, THE CONSIDERATE HUSBAND. - - -At the village of Chu in Chi-yang, there was a man named Chu, who died -at the age of fifty and odd years. His family at once proceeded to put -on their mourning robes, when suddenly they heard the dead man cry -out. Rushing up to the coffin, they found that he had come to life -again; and began, full of joy, to ask him all about it. But the old -gentleman replied only to his wife, saying, "When I died I did not -expect to come back. However, by the time I had got a few miles on my -way, I thought of the poor old body I was leaving behind me, dependent -for everything on others, and with no more enjoyment of life. So I -made up my mind to return, and take you away with me." The bystanders -thought this was only the disconnected talk of a man who had just -regained consciousness, and attached no importance to it; but the old -man repeated it, and then his wife said, "It's all very well, but you -have only just come to life; how can you go and die again directly?" -"It is extremely simple," replied her husband; "you go and pack up -everything ready." The old lady laughed and did nothing; upon which -Mr. Chu urged her again to prepare, and then left the house. In a -short time he returned, and his wife pretended that she had done what -he wanted. "Then you had better dress," said he; but Mrs. Chu did not -move until he pressed her again and again, after which she did not -like to cross him, and by-and-by came out all fully equipped. The -other ladies of the family were laughing on the sly, when Mr. Chu laid -his head upon the pillow, and told his wife to do likewise. "It's too -ridiculous," she was beginning to say, when Mr. Chu banged the bed -with his hand, and cried out, "What is there to laugh at in dying?" -upon which the various members of the family, seeing the old gentleman -was in a rage, begged her to gratify his whim. Mrs. Chu then lay down -alongside of her husband, to the infinite amusement of the spectators; -but it was soon noticed that the old lady had ceased to smile, and -by-and-by her two eyes closed. For a long time not a sound was heard, -as if she was fast asleep; and when some of those present approached -to touch her, they found she was as cold as ice, and no longer -breathing; then, turning to her husband, they perceived that he also -had passed away. - -This story was fully related by a younger sister-in-law of Mr. Chu's, -who, in the twenty-first year of the reign K'ang Hsi,[141] was -employed in the house of a high official named Pi. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[141] A.D. 1682. - - - - -XXI. - -THE MAGNANIMOUS GIRL. - - -At Chin-ling there lived a young man named Ku, who had considerable -ability but was very poor; and having an old mother, he was very loth -to leave home. So he employed himself in writing or painting[142] for -people, and gave his mother the proceeds, going on thus till he was -twenty-five years of age without taking a wife. Opposite to their -house was another building, which had long been untenanted; and one -day an old woman and a young girl came to occupy it, but there being -no gentleman with them young Ku did not make any inquiries as to who -they were or whence they hailed. Shortly afterwards it chanced that -just as Ku was entering the house he observed a young lady come out of -his mother's door. She was about eighteen or nineteen, very clever -and refined looking, and altogether such a girl as one rarely sets -eyes on; and when she noticed Mr. Ku, she did not run away, but seemed -quite self-possessed. "It was the young lady over the way; she came to -borrow my scissors and measure," said his mother, "and she told me -that there was only her mother and herself. They don't seem to belong -to the lower classes. I asked her why she didn't get married, to which -she replied that her mother was old. I must go and call on her -to-morrow, and find out how the land lies. If she doesn't expect too -much, you could take care of her mother for her." So next day Ku's -mother went, and found that the girl's mother was deaf, and that they -were evidently poor, apparently not having a day's food in the house. -Ku's mother asked what their employment was, and the old lady said -they trusted for food to her daughter's ten fingers. She then threw -out some hints about uniting the two families, to which the old lady -seemed to agree; but, on consultation with her daughter, the latter -would not consent. Mrs. Ku returned home and told her son, saying, -"Perhaps she thinks we are too poor. She doesn't speak or laugh, is -very nice-looking, and as pure as snow; truly no ordinary girl." There -ended that; until one day, as Ku was sitting in his study, up came a -very agreeable young fellow, who said he was from a neighbouring -village, and engaged Ku to draw a picture for him. The two youths soon -struck up a firm friendship and met constantly, when it happened that -the stranger chanced to see the young lady of over the way. "Who is -that?" said he, following her with his eyes. Ku told him, and then he -said, "She is certainly pretty, but rather stern in her appearance." -By-and-by Ku went in, and his mother told him the girl had come to beg -a little rice, as they had had nothing to eat all day. "She's a good -daughter," said his mother, "and I'm very sorry for her. We must try -and help them a little." Ku thereupon shouldered a peck of rice, and, -knocking at their door, presented it with his mother's compliments. -The young lady received the rice but said nothing; and then she got -into the habit of coming over and helping Ku's mother with her work -and household affairs, almost as if she had been her daughter-in-law, -for which Ku was very grateful to her, and whenever he had anything -nice he always sent some of it in to her mother, though the young lady -herself never once took the trouble to thank him. So things went on -until Ku's mother got an abscess on her leg, and lay writhing in agony -day and night. Then the young lady devoted herself to the invalid, -waiting on her and giving her medicine with such care and attention -that at last the sick woman cried out, "Oh, that I could secure such a -daughter-in-law as you, to see this old body into its grave!" The -young lady soothed her, and replied, "Your son is a hundred times more -filial than I, a poor widow's only daughter." "But even a filial son -makes a bad nurse," answered the patient; "besides, I am now drawing -towards the evening of my life, when my body will be exposed to the -mists and the dews, and I am vexed in spirit about our ancestral -worship and the continuance of our line." As she was speaking Ku -walked in; and his mother, weeping, said, "I am deeply indebted to -this young lady; do not forget to repay her goodness." Ku made a low -bow, but the young lady said, "Sir, when you were kind to my mother, I -did not thank you; why, then, thank me?" Ku thereupon became more than -ever attached to her; but could never get her to depart in the -slightest degree from her cold demeanour towards himself. One day, -however, he managed to squeeze her hand, upon which she told him never -to do so again; and then for some time he neither saw nor heard -anything of her. She had conceived a violent dislike to the young -stranger above-mentioned; and one evening when he was sitting talking -with Ku, the young lady reappeared. After a while she got angry at -something he said, and drew from her robe a glittering knife about a -foot long. The young man, seeing her do this, ran out in a fright and -she after him, only to find that he had vanished. She then threw her -dagger up into the air, and whish! a streak of light like a rainbow, -and something came tumbling down with a flop. Ku got a light, and ran -to see what it was; and lo! there lay a white fox, head in one place -and body in another. "There is your _friend_," cried the girl; "I knew -he would cause me to destroy him sooner or later." Ku dragged it into -the house, and said, "Let us wait till to-morrow to talk it over; we -shall then be more calm." Next day the young lady arrived, and Ku -inquired about her knowledge of the black art; but she told Ku not to -trouble himself about such affairs, and to keep it secret or it might -be prejudicial to his happiness. Ku then entreated her to consent to -their union, to which she replied that she had already been as it were -a daughter-in-law to his mother, and there was no need to push the -thing further. "Is it because I am poor?" asked Ku. "Well, I am not -rich," answered she, "but the fact is I had rather not." She then took -her leave, and the next evening when Ku went across to their house to -try once more to persuade her, the young lady had disappeared, and was -never seen again. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[142] The usual occupation of poor scholars who are ashamed to go into -trade, and who have not enterprise enough to start as doctors or -fortune-tellers. Besides painting pictures and fans, and illustrating -books, these men write fancy scrolls in the various ornamental styles -so much prized by the Chinese; they keep accounts for people, and -write or read business and private letters for the illiterate masses. - - - - -XXII. - -THE BOON-COMPANION. - - -Once upon a time there was a young man named Ch'e, who was not -particularly well off, but at the same time very fond of his wine; so -much so, that without his three stoups of liquor every night, he was -quite unable to sleep, and bottles were seldom absent from the head of -his bed. One night he had waked up and was turning over and over, when -he fancied some one was in the bed with him; but then, thinking it was -only the clothes which had slipped off, he put out his hand to feel, -and, lo! he touched something silky like a cat, only larger. Striking -a light, he found it was a fox, lying in a drunken sleep like a dog; -and then looking at his wine bottle he saw that it had been emptied. -"A boon-companion," said he, laughing, as he avoided startling the -animal, and covering it up, lay down to sleep with his arm across it, -and the candle alight so as to see what transformation it might -undergo. About midnight, the fox stretched itself, and Ch'e cried, -"Well, to be sure, you've had a nice sleep!" He then drew off the -clothes, and beheld an elegant young man in a scholar's dress; but the -young man jumped up, and making a low obeisance, returned his host -many thanks for not cutting off his head. "Oh," replied Ch'e, "I am -not averse to liquor myself; in fact they say I'm too much given to -it. You shall play Pythias to my Damon;[143] and if you have no -objection, we'll be a pair of bottle-and-glass chums." So they lay -down and went to sleep again, Ch'e urging the young man to visit him -often, and saying that they must have faith in each other. The fox -agreed to this, but when Ch'e awoke in the morning his bedfellow had -already disappeared. So he prepared a goblet of first-rate wine in -expectation of his friend's arrival, and at nightfall sure enough he -came. They then sat together drinking, and the fox cracked so many -jokes that Ch'e said he regretted he had not known him before. "And -truly I don't know how to repay your kindness," replied the former, -"in preparing all this nice wine for me." "Oh," said Ch'e, "what's a -pint or so of wine?--nothing worth speaking of." "Well," rejoined the -fox, "you are only a poor scholar, and money isn't so easily to be -got. I must try if I can't secure a little wine capital for you." Next -evening when he arrived, he said to Ch'e, "Two miles down towards the -south-east you will find some silver lying by the wayside. Go early in -the morning and get it." So on the morrow Ch'e set off and actually -obtained two lumps of silver with which he bought some choice morsels -to help them out with their wine that evening. The fox now told him -that there was a vault in his back-yard which he ought to open; and -when he did so, he found therein more than a hundred strings of -cash.[144] "Now then," cried Ch'e, delighted, "I shall have no more -anxiety about funds for buying wine with all this in my purse." "Ah," -replied the fox, "the water in a puddle is not inexhaustible. I must -do something further for you." Some days afterwards the fox said to -Ch'e, "Buckwheat is very cheap in the market just now. Something is to -be done in this line." Accordingly, Ch'e bought over forty tons, and -thereby incurred general ridicule; but by-and-by there was a bad -drought and all kinds of grain and beans were spoilt. Only buckwheat -would grow, and Ch'e sold off his stock at a profit of one thousand -per cent. His wealth thus began to increase; he bought two hundred -acres of rich land, and always planted his crops, corn, millet, or -what not, upon the advice of the fox secretly given him beforehand. -The fox looked on Ch'e's wife as a sister, and on Ch'e's children as -his own; but when, subsequently, Ch'e died, it never came to the house -again. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[143] Kuan Chung and Pao Shu are the Chinese types of friendship. They -were two statesmen of considerable ability, who flourished in the -seventh century B.C. - -[144] Say about L10. See No. II., note 42. - - - - -XXIII. - -MISS LIEN-HSIANG. - - -There was a young man named Sang Tz[)u]-ming, a native of I-chou, who had -been left an orphan when quite young. He lived near the Saffron -market, and kept himself very much to himself, only going out twice a -day for his meals to a neighbour's close by, and sitting quietly at -home all the rest of his time. One day the said neighbour called, and -asked him in joke if he wasn't afraid of devil-foxes, so much alone as -he was. "Oh," replied Sang, laughing, "what has the superior man[145] -to fear from devil-foxes. If they come as men, I have here a sharp -sword for them; and if as women, why, I shall open the door and ask -them to walk in." The neighbour went away, and having arranged with a -friend of his, they got a young lady of their acquaintance to climb -over Sang's wall with the help of a ladder, and knock at the door. -Sang peeped through, and called out, "Who's there?" to which the girl -answered, "A devil!" and frightened Sang so dreadfully that his teeth -chattered in his head. The girl then ran away, and next morning when -his neighbour came to see him, Sang told him what had happened, and -said he meant to go back to his native place. The neighbour then -clapped his hands, and said to Sang, "Why didn't you ask her in?" -Whereupon Sang perceived that he had been tricked, and went on quietly -again as before. - -Some six months afterwards, a young lady knocked at his door; and -Sang, thinking his friends were at their old tricks, opened it at -once, and asked her to walk in. She did so; and he beheld to his -astonishment a perfect Helen for beauty.[146] Asking her whence she -came, she replied that her name was Lien-hsiang, and that she lived -not very far off, adding that she had long been anxious to make his -acquaintance. After that she used to drop in every now and again for a -chat; but one evening when Sang was sitting alone expecting her, -another young lady suddenly walked in. Thinking it was Lien-hsiang, -Sang got up to meet her, but found that the new-comer was somebody -else. She was about fifteen or sixteen years of age, wore very full -sleeves, and dressed her hair after the fashion of unmarried girls, -being otherwise very stylish-looking and refined, and apparently -hesitating whether to go on or go back. Sang, in a great state of -alarm, took her for a fox; but the young lady said, "My name is Li, -and I am of a respectable family. Hearing of your virtue and talent, I -hope to be accorded the honour of your acquaintance." Sang laughed, -and took her by the hand, which he found was as cold as ice; and when -he asked the reason, she told him that she had always been delicate, -and that it was very chilly outside. She then remarked that she -intended to visit him pretty frequently, and hoped it would not -inconvenience him; so he explained that no one came to see him except -another young lady, and that not very often. "When she comes, I'll -go," replied the young lady, "and only drop in when she's not here." -She then gave him an embroidered slipper, saying that she had worn it, -and that whenever he shook it she would know that he wanted to see -her, cautioning him at the same time never to shake it before -strangers. Taking it in his hand he beheld a very tiny little shoe -almost as fine pointed as an awl, with which he was much pleased; and -next evening, when nobody was present, he produced the shoe and shook -it, whereupon the young lady immediately walked in. Henceforth, -whenever he brought it out, the young lady responded to his wishes and -appeared before him. This seemed so strange that at last he asked her -to give him some explanation; but she only laughed, and said it was -mere coincidence. One evening after this Lien-hsiang came, and said in -alarm to Sang, "Whatever has made you look so melancholy?" Sang -replied that he did not know, and by-and-by she took her leave, -saying, they would not meet again for some ten days. During this -period Miss Li visited Sang every day, and on one occasion asked him -where his other friend was. Sang told her; and then she laughed and -said, "What is your opinion of me as compared with Lien-hsiang?" "You -are both of you perfection," replied he, "but you are a little -_colder_ of the two." Miss Li didn't much like this, and cried out, -"_Both of us perfection_ is what you say to _me_. Then she must be a -downright Cynthia,[147] and I am no match for her." Somewhat out of -temper, she reckoned that Lien-hsiang's ten days had expired, and said -she would have a peep at her, making Sang promise to keep it all -secret. The next evening Lien-hsiang came, and while they were talking -she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, dear! how much worse you seem to have -become in the last ten days. You must have encountered something bad." -Sang asked her why so; to which she answered, "First of all your -appearance; and then your pulse is very thready.[148] You've got the -devil-disease." - -The following evening when Miss Li came, Sang asked her what she -thought of Lien-hsiang. "Oh," said she, "there's no question about her -beauty; but she's a fox. When she went away I followed her to her hole -on the hill side." Sang, however, attributed this remark to jealousy, -and took no notice of it; but the next evening when Lien-hsiang came, -he observed, "I don't believe it myself, but some one has told me you -are a fox." Lien-hsiang asked who had said so, to which Sang replied -that he was only joking; and then she begged him to explain what -difference there was between a fox and an ordinary person. "Well," -answered Sang, "foxes frighten people to death, and, therefore, they -are very much dreaded." "Don't you believe that!" cried Lien-hsiang; -"and now tell me who has been saying this of me." Sang declared at -first that it was only a joke of his, but by-and-by yielded to her -instances, and let out the whole story. "Of course I saw how changed -you were," said Lien-hsiang; "she is surely not a human being to be -able to cause such a rapid alteration in you. Say nothing, to-morrow -I'll watch her as she watched me." The following evening Miss Li came -in; and they had hardly interchanged half-a-dozen sentences when a -cough was heard outside the window, and Miss Li ran away. Lien-hsiang -then entered and said to Sang, "You are lost! She is a devil, and if -you do not at once forbid her coming here, you will soon be on the -road to the other world." "All jealousy," thought Sang, saying -nothing, as Lien-hsiang continued, "I know that you don't like to be -rude to her; but I, for my part, cannot see you sacrificed, and -to-morrow I will bring you some medicine to expel the poison from your -system. Happily, the disease has not yet taken firm hold of you, and -in ten days you will be well again." The next evening she produced a -knife and chopped up some medicine for Sang, which made him feel much -better; but, although he was very grateful to her, he still persisted -in disbelieving that he had the devil-disease. After some days he -recovered and Lien-hsiang left him, warning him to have no more to do -with Miss Li. Sang pretended that he would follow her advice, and -closed the door and trimmed his lamp. He then took out the slipper, -and on shaking it Miss Li appeared, somewhat cross at having been kept -away for several days. "She merely attended on me these few nights -while I was ill," said Sang; "don't be angry." At this Miss Li -brightened up a little; but by-and-by Sang told her that people said -she was a devil. "It's that nasty fox," cried Miss Li, after a pause, -"putting these things into your head. If you don't break with her, I -won't come here again." She then began to sob and cry, and Sang had -some trouble in pacifying her. Next evening Lien-hsiang came and found -out that Miss Li had been there again; whereupon she was very angry -with Sang, and told him he would certainly die. "Why need you be so -jealous?" said Sang, laughing; at which she only got more enraged, and -replied, "When you were nearly dying the other day and I saved you, if -I had not been jealous, where would you have been now?" Sang pretended -he was only joking, and said that Miss Li had told him his recent -illness was entirely owing to the machinations of a fox; to which she -replied, "It's true enough what you say, only you don't see _whose_ -machinations. However, if any thing happens to you, I should never -clear myself even had I a hundred mouths; we will, therefore, part. A -hundred days hence I shall see you on your bed." Sang could not -persuade her to stay, and away she went; and from that time Miss Li -became a regular visitor. - -Two months passed away, and Sang began to experience a feeling of -great lassitude, which he tried at first to shake off, but by-and-by -he became very thin, and could only take thick gruel. He then thought -about going back to his native place; however, he could not bear to -leave Miss Li, and in a few more days he was so weak that he was -unable to get up. His friend next door, seeing how ill he was, daily -sent in his boy with food and drink; and now Sang began for the first -time to suspect Miss Li. So he said to her, "I am sorry I didn't -listen to Lien-hsiang before I got as bad as this." He then closed his -eyes and kept them shut for some time; and when he opened them again -Miss Li had disappeared. Their acquaintanceship was thus at an end, -and Sang lay all emaciated as he was upon his bed in his solitary room -longing for the return of Lien-hsiang. One day, while he was still -thinking about her, some one drew aside the screen and walked in. It -was Lien-hsiang; and approaching the bed she said with a smile, "Was I -then talking such nonsense?" Sang struggled a long time to speak; and, -at length, confessing he had been wrong, implored her to save him. -"When the disease has reached such a pitch as this," replied -Lien-hsiang, "there is very little to be done. I merely came to bid -you farewell, and to clear up your doubts about my jealousy." In great -tribulation, Sang asked her to take something she would find under -his pillow and destroy it; and she accordingly drew forth the slipper, -which she proceeded to examine by the light of the lamp, turning it -over and over. All at once Miss Li walked in, but when she saw -Lien-hsiang she turned back as though she would run away, which -Lien-hsiang instantly prevented by placing herself in the doorway. -Sang then began to reproach her, and Miss Li could make no reply; -whereupon Lien-hsiang said, "At last we meet. Formerly you attributed -this gentleman's illness to me; what have you to say now?" Miss Li -bent her head in acknowledgment of her guilt, and Lien-hsiang -continued, "How is it that a nice girl like you can thus turn love -into hate?" Here Miss Li threw herself on the ground in a flood of -tears and begged for mercy; and Lien-hsiang, raising her up, inquired -of her as to her past life. "I am a daughter of a petty official named -Li, and I died young, leaving the web of my destiny incomplete, like -the silkworm that perishes in the spring. To be the partner of this -gentleman was my ardent wish; but I had never any intention of causing -his death." "I have heard," remarked Lien-hsiang, "that the advantage -devils obtain by killing people is that their victims are ever with -them after death. Is this so?" "It is not," replied Miss Li; "the -companionship of two devils gives no pleasure to either. Were it -otherwise, I should not have wanted for friends in the realms below. -But tell me, how do foxes manage not to kill people?" "You allude to -such foxes as suck the breath out of people?" replied Lien-hsiang; "I -am not of that class. Some foxes are harmless; no devils are,[149] -because of the dominance of the _yin_[150] in their compositions." -Sang now knew that these two girls were really a fox and a devil; -however, from being long accustomed to their society, he was not in -the least alarmed. His breathing had dwindled to a mere thread, and at -length he uttered a cry of pain. Lien-hsiang looked round and said, -"How shall we cure him?" upon which Miss Li blushed deeply and drew -back; and then Lien-hsiang added, "If he does get well, I'm afraid you -will be dreadfully jealous." Miss Li drew herself up, and replied, -"Could a physician be found to wipe away the wrong I have done to this -gentleman, I would bury my head in the ground. How should I look the -world in the face?" Lien-hsiang here opened a bag and drew forth some -drugs, saying, "I have been looking forward to this day. When I left -this gentleman I proceeded to gather my simples, as it would take -three months for the medicine to be got ready; but then, should the -poison have brought anyone even to death's door, this medicine is able -to call him back. The only condition is that it be administered by the -very hand which wrought the ill." Miss Li did as she was told and put -the pills Lien-hsiang gave her one after another into Sang's mouth. -They burnt his inside like fire; but soon vitality began to return, -and Lien-hsiang cried out, "He is cured!" Just at this moment Miss Li -heard the cock crow and vanished,[151] Lien-hsiang remaining behind in -attendance on the invalid, who was unable to feed himself. She bolted -the outside door and pretended that Sang had returned to his native -place, so as to prevent visitors from calling. Day and night she took -care of him, and every evening Miss Li came in to render assistance, -regarding Lien-hsiang as an elder sister, and being treated by her -with great consideration and kindness. Three months afterwards Sang -was as strong and well as ever he had been, and then for several -evenings Miss Li ceased to visit them, only staying a few moments when -she did come, and seeming very uneasy in her mind. One evening Sang -ran after her and carried her back in his arms, finding her no heavier -than so much straw; and then, being obliged to stay, she curled -herself up and lay down, to all appearance in a state of -unconsciousness, and by-and-by she was gone. For many days they heard -nothing of her, and Sang was so anxious that she should come back that -he often took out her slipper and shook it. "I don't wonder at your -missing her," said Lien-hsiang, "I do myself very much indeed." -"Formerly," observed Sang, "when I shook the slipper she invariably -came. I thought it very strange, but I never suspected her of being a -devil. And now, alas! all I can do is to sit and think about her with -this slipper in my hand." He then burst into a flood of tears. - -Now a young lady named Yen-erh, belonging to the wealthy Chang family, -and about fifteen years of age, had died suddenly, without any -apparent cause, and had come to life again in the night, when she got -up and wished to go out. They barred the door and would not hear of -her doing so; upon which she said, "I am the spirit daughter of a -petty magistrate. A Mr. Sang has been very kind to me, and I have left -my slipper at his house. I am really a spirit; what is the use of -keeping me in?" There being some reason for what she said, they asked -her why she had come there; but she only looked up and down without -being able to give any explanation. Some one here observed, that Mr. -Sang had already gone home, but the young lady utterly refused to -believe them. The family was much disturbed at all this; and when -Sang's neighbour heard the story, he jumped over the wall, and peeping -through beheld Sang sitting there chatting with a pretty-looking girl. -As he went in, there was some commotion, during which Sang's visitor -had disappeared, and when his neighbour asked the meaning of it all, -Sang replied, laughing, "Why, I told you if any ladies came I should -ask them in." His friend then repeated what Miss Yen-erh had said; and -Sang, unbolting his door, was about to go and have a peep at her, but -unfortunately had no means of so doing. Meanwhile Mrs. Chang, hearing -that he had not gone away, was more lost in astonishment than ever, -and sent an old woman-servant to get back the slipper. Sang -immediately gave it to her, and Miss Yen-erh was delighted to recover -it, though when she came to try it on it was too small for her by a -good inch. In considerable alarm, she seized a mirror to look at -herself; and suddenly became aware that she had come to life again in -some one else's body. She therefore told all to her mother, and -finally succeeded in convincing her, crying all the time because she -was so changed for the worse as regarded personal appearance from what -she had been before. And whenever she happened to see Lien-hsiang, she -was very much disconcerted, declaring that she had been much better -off as a devil than now as a human being. She would sit and weep over -the slipper, no one being able to comfort her; and finally, covering -herself up with bed-clothes, she lay all stark and stiff, positively -refusing to take any nourishment. Her body swelled up, and for seven -days she refused all food, but did not die; and then the swelling -began to subside, and an intense hunger to come upon her which made -her once more think about eating. Then she was troubled with a severe -irritation, and her skin peeled entirely away; and when she got up in -the morning, she found that the shoes had fallen off. On trying to put -them on again, she discovered that they did not fit her any longer; -and then she went back to her former pair which were now exactly of -the right size and shape. In an ecstasy of joy, she grasped her -mirror, and saw that her features had also changed back to what they -had formerly been; so she washed and dressed herself and went in to -visit her mother. Every one who met her was much astonished; and when -Lien-hsiang heard the strange story, she tried to persuade Mr. Sang to -make her an offer of marriage. But the young lady was rich and Sang -was poor, and he did not see his way clearly. However, on Mrs. Chang's -birthday, when she completed her cycle of sixty-one years,[152] Sang -went along with the others to wish her many happy returns of the day; -and when the old lady knew who was coming, she bade Yen-erh take a -peep at him from behind the curtain. Sang arrived last of all; and -immediately out rushed Miss Yen-erh and seized his sleeve, and said -she would go back with him. Her mother scolded her well for this, and -she ran in abashed; but Sang, who had looked at her closely, began to -weep, and threw himself at the feet of Mrs. Chang who raised him up -without saying anything unkind. Sang then took his leave, and got his -uncle to act as medium between them; the result being that an -auspicious day was fixed upon for the wedding. At the appointed time -Sang proceeded to the house to fetch her; and when he returned he -found that, instead of his former poor-looking furniture, beautiful -carpets were laid down from the very door, and thousands of coloured -lanterns were hung about in elegant designs. Lien-hsiang assisted the -bride to enter, and took off her veil, finding her the same bright -girl as ever. She also joined them while drinking the wedding -cup,[153] and inquired of her friend as to her recent transmigration; -and Yen-erh related as follows:--"Overwhelmed with grief, I began to -shrink from myself as some unclean thing; and, after separating from -you that day, I would not return any more to my grave. So I wandered -about at random, and whenever I saw a living being, I envied its happy -state. By day I remained among trees and shrubs, but at night I used -to roam about anywhere. And once I came to the house of the Chang -family, where, seeing a young girl lying upon the bed, I took -possession of her mortal coil, unknowing that she would be restored to -life again." When Lien-hsiang heard this she was for some time lost in -thought; and a month or two afterwards became very ill. She refused -all medical aid and gradually got worse and worse, to the great grief -of Mr. Sang and his wife, who stood weeping at her bedside. Suddenly -she opened her eyes, and said, "You wish to live; I am willing to die. -If fate so ordains it, we shall meet again ten years hence." As she -uttered these words, her spirit passed away, and all that remained was -the dead body of a fox. Sang, however, insisted on burying it with all -the proper ceremonies. - -Now his wife had no children; but one day a servant came in and said, -"There is an old woman outside who has got a little girl for sale." -Sang's wife gave orders that she should be shown in; and no sooner had -she set eyes on the girl than she cried out, "Why, she's the image of -Lien-hsiang!" Sang then looked at her, and found to his astonishment -that she was really very like his old friend. The old woman said she -was fourteen years old; and when asked what her price was, declared -that her only wish was to get the girl comfortably settled, and -enough to keep herself alive, and ensure not being thrown out into the -kennel at death. So Sang gave a good price for her;[154] and his wife, -taking the girl's hand, led her into a room by themselves. Then, -chucking her under the chin, she asked her, smiling, "Do you know me?" -The girl said she did not; after which she told Mrs. Sang that her -name was Wei, and that her father, who had been a pickle-merchant at -Hsue-ch'eng, had died three years before. Mrs. Sang then calculated -that Lien-hsiang had been dead just ten years; and, looking at the -girl, who resembled her so exactly in every trait, at length patted -her on the head, saying, "Ah, my sister, you promised to visit us -again in ten years, and you have not played us false." The girl here -seemed to wake up as if from a dream, and, uttering an exclamation of -surprise, fixed a steady gaze upon Sang's wife. Sang himself laughed, -and said, "Just like the return of an old familiar swallow." "Now I -understand," cried the girl, in tears; "I recollect my mother saying -that when I was born I was able to speak; and that, thinking it an -inauspicious manifestation, they gave me dog's blood to drink, so that -I should forget all about my previous state of existence.[155] Is it -all a dream, or are you not the Miss Li who was so ashamed of being a -devil?" Thus they chatted of their existence in a former life, with -alternate tears and smiles; but when it came to the day for -worshipping at the tombs, Yen-erh explained that she and her husband -were in the habit of annually visiting and mourning over her grave. -The girl replied that she would accompany them; and when they got -there they found the whole place in disorder, and the coffin wood all -warped. "Lien-hsiang and I," said Yen-erh to her husband, "have been -attached to each other in two states of existence. Let us not be -separated, but bury my bones here with hers." Sang consented, and -opening Miss Li's tomb, took out the bones and buried them with those -of Lien-hsiang, while friends and relatives, who had heard the strange -story, gathered round the grave in gala dress to the number of many -hundreds. - -I learnt the above when travelling through I-chou, where I was -detained at an inn by rain, and read a biography of Mr. Sang written -by a comrade of his named Wang Tz[)u]-chang. It was lent me by a Mr. Liu -Tz[)u]-ching, a relative of Sang's, and was quite a long account. This is -merely an outline of it. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[145] The term constantly employed by Confucius to denote the man of -perfect probity, learning, and refinement. The nearest, if not an -exact, translation would be "gentleman." - -[146] Literally, "a young lady whose beauty would overthrow a -kingdom," in allusion to an old story which it is not necessary to -reproduce here. - -[147] The Lady of the Moon. See No. V., note 49. - -[148] See No. VIII., note 64. - -[149] Miss Lien-hsiang was here speaking without book, as will be seen -in a story later on. - -[150] The female principle. In a properly-constituted human being the -male and female principles are harmoniously combined. Nothing short of -a small volume would place this subject, the basis of Chinese -metaphysics, in a clear light before the uninitiated reader. Broadly -speaking, the _yin_ and the _yang_ are the two primeval forces from -the interaction of which all things have been evolved. - -[151] - - "_Ber._--It was about to speak, when the cock crew. - - _Hor._--And then it started like a guilty thing - Upon a fearful summons. I have heard, - The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, - Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat - Awake the God of Day; and, at his warning, - Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air, - The extravagant and erring spirit hies - To his confine." - - _Hamlet._ - -[152] "From time immemorial, the Chinese have employed a combination -of two sets of characters, numbering ten and twelve respectively, to -form a cycle of sixty terms for the purpose of chronological notation. -The period at which this cycle was invented is a subject upon which -complete uncertainty prevails, but there is little doubt that it first -came into use as a method of reckoning years after the reform of the -calendar in B.C. 104."--Mayers' _Reader's Manual_. - -The birthday on which any person completes his cycle is considered a -very auspicious occasion. The second emperor of the present dynasty, -K'ang Hsi, completed a cycle in his _reign_, with one year to spare; -and his grandson, Ch'ien Lung (or Kien Lung) fell short of this only -by a single year, dying in the same cyclical period as that in which -he had ascended the throne. - -[153] Bride and bridegroom drink wine together out of two cups joined -by a red string, typical of that imaginary bond which is believed to -unite the destinies of husband and wife long before they have set eyes -on each other. Popular tradition assigns to an old man who lives in -the moon the arrangement of all matches among mortals; hence the -common Chinese expression, "Marriages are made in the moon." - -[154] The bill of sale always handed to the purchaser of a child in -China, as a proof that the child is his _bona fide_ property and has -not been kidnapped, is by a pleasant fiction called a "deed of gift," -the amount paid over to the seller being therein denominated "ginger -and vinegar money," or compensation for the expense of rearing and -educating up to the date of sale. This phrase originates from the fact -that a dose of ginger and vinegar is administered to every Chinese -woman immediately after the delivery of her child. - -We may here add that the value of male children to those who have no -heirs, and of female children to those who want servants, has fostered -a regular kidnapping trade, which is carried on with great activity in -some parts of China, albeit the penalty on discovery is instant -decapitation. Some years ago I was present in the streets of Tientsin -when a kidnapper was seized by the infuriated mob, and within two -hours I heard that the man had been summarily executed. - -[155] The power of recalling events which have occurred in a previous -life will be enlarged upon in several stories to come. - - - - -XXIV. - -MISS A-PAO; OR, PERSEVERANCE REWARDED. - - -In the province of Kuang-si there lived a scholar of some reputation, -named Sun Tz[)u]-ch'u. He was born with six fingers, and such a simple -fellow was he that he readily believed any nonsense he was told. Very -shy with the fair sex, the sight of a woman was enough to send him -flying in the opposite direction; and once when he was inveigled into -a room where there were some young ladies, he blushed down to his neck -and the perspiration dripped off him like falling pearls. His -companions laughed heartily at his discomfiture, and told fine stories -of what a noodle he looked, so that he got the nickname of Silly Sun. - -In the town where our hero resided, there was a rich trader whose -wealth equalled that of any prince or nobleman, and whose connections -were all highly aristocratic.[156] He had a daughter, A-pao, of great -beauty, for whom he was seeking a husband; and the young men of -position in the neighbourhood were vying with each other to obtain her -hand, but none of them met with the father's approval. Now Silly Sun -had recently lost his wife; and some one in joke persuaded him to try -his luck and send in an application. Sun, who had no idea of his own -shortcomings, proceeded at once to follow this advice; but the father, -though he knew him to be an accomplished scholar, rejected his suit on -the ground of poverty. As the go-between[157] was leaving the house, -she chanced to meet A-pao, and related to her the object of her visit. -"Tell him," cried A-pao, laughing, "that if he'll cut off his extra -finger, I'll marry him." The old woman reported this to Sun, who -replied, "That is not very difficult;" and, seizing a chopper, cut the -finger clean off. The wound was extremely painful and he lost so much -blood that he nearly died, it being many days before he was about -again. He then sought out the go-between, and bade her inform Miss -A-pao, which she did; and A-pao was taken rather aback, but she told -the old woman to go once more and bid him cut off the "silly" from -his reputation. Sun got much excited when he heard this, and denied -that he was silly; however, as he was unable to prove it to the young -lady herself, he began to think that probably her beauty was -over-stated, and that she was giving herself great airs. So he ceased -to trouble himself about her until the following spring festival,[158] -when it was customary for both men and women to be seen abroad, and -the young rips of the place would stroll about in groups and pass -their remarks on all and sundry. Sun's friends urged him to join them -in their expedition, and one of them asked him with a smile if he did -not wish to look out for a suitable mate. Sun knew they were chaffing -him, but he thought he should like to see the girl that had made such -a fool of him, and was only too pleased to accompany them. They soon -perceived a young lady resting herself under a tree, with a throng of -young fellows crowding round her, and they immediately determined that -she must be A-pao, as in fact they found she was. Possessed of -peerless beauty, the ring of her admirers gradually increased, till at -last she rose up to go. The excitement among the young men was -intense; they criticised her face and discussed her feet,[159] Sun -only remaining silent; and when they had passed on to something else, -there they saw Sun rooted like an imbecile to the same spot. As he -made no answer when spoken to, they dragged him along with them, -saying, "Has your spirit run away after A-pao?" He made no reply to -this either; but they thought nothing of that, knowing his usual -strangeness of manner, so by dint of pushing and pulling they managed -to get him home. There he threw himself on the bed and did not get up -again for the rest of the day, lying in a state of unconsciousness -just as if he were drunk. He did not wake when called; and his people, -thinking that his spirit had fled, went about in the fields calling -out to it to return.[160] However, he shewed no signs of improvement; -and when they shook him, and asked him what was the matter, he only -answered in a sleepy kind of voice, "I am at A-pao's house;" but to -further questions he would not make any reply, and left his family in -a state of keen suspense. - -Now when Silly Sun had seen the young lady get up to go, he could not -bear to part with her, and found himself first following and then -walking along by her side without anyone saying anything to him. Thus -he went back with her to her home, and there he remained for three -days, longing to run home and get something to eat, but unfortunately -not knowing the way. By that time Sun had hardly a breath left in -him; and his friends, fearing that he was going to die, sent to beg of -the rich trader that he would allow a search to be made for Sun's -spirit in his house. The trader laughed and said, "He wasn't in the -habit of coming here, so he could hardly have left his spirit behind -him;" but he yielded to the entreaties of Sun's family, and permitted -the search to be made. Thereupon a magician proceeded to the house, -taking with him an old suit of Sun's clothes and some grass matting; -and when Miss A-pao heard the reason for which he had come, she -simplified matters very much by leading the magician straight to her -own room. The magician summoned the spirit in due form, and went back -towards Sun's house. By the time he had reached the door, Sun groaned -and recovered consciousness; and he was then able to describe all the -articles of toilette and furniture in A-pao's room without making a -single mistake. A-pao was amazed when the story was repeated to her, -and could not help feeling kindly towards him on account of the depth -of his passion. Sun himself, when he got well enough to leave his bed, -would often sit in a state of abstraction as if he had lost his wits; -and he was for ever scheming to try and have another glimpse at A-pao. - -One day he heard that she intended to worship at the Shui-yueeh temple -on the 8th of the fourth moon, that day being the Wash-Buddha -festival; and he set off early in the morning to wait for her at the -roadside. He was nearly blind with straining his eyes, and the sun was -already past noontide before the young lady arrived; but when she saw -from her carriage a gentleman standing there, she drew aside the -screen and had a good stare at him. Sun followed her in a great state -of excitement, upon which she bade one of her maids to go and ask his -name. Sun told her who he was, his perturbation all the time -increasing; and when the carriage drove on he returned home. Again he -became very ill, and lay on his bed unconscious, without taking any -food, occasionally calling on A-pao by name, at the same time abusing -his spirit for not having been able to follow her as before. Just at -this juncture a parrot that had been long with the family died; and a -child, playing with the body, laid it upon the bed. Sun then reflected -that if he was only a parrot one flap of his wings would bring him -into the presence of A-pao; and while occupied with these thoughts, -lo! the dead body moved and the parrot flew away. It flew straight to -A-pao's room, at which she was delighted; and catching it, tied a -string to its leg, and fed it upon hemp-seed. "Dear sister," cried the -bird, "do not tie me by the leg: I am Sun Tz[)u]-ch'u." In great alarm -A-pao untied the string, but the parrot did not fly away. "Alas!" said -she, "your love has engraved itself upon my heart; but now you are no -longer a man, how shall we ever be united together?" "To be near your -dear self," replied the parrot, "is all I care about." The parrot then -refused to take food from anyone else, and kept close to Miss A-pao -wherever she went, day and night alike. At the expiration of three -days, A-pao, who had grown very fond of her parrot, secretly sent some -one to ask how Mr. Sun was; but he had already been dead three days, -though the part over his heart had not grown cold. "Oh! come to life -again as a man," cried the young lady, "and I swear to be yours for -ever." "You are surely not in earnest," said the parrot, "are you?" -Miss A-pao declared she was, and the parrot, cocking its head aside, -remained some time as if absorbed in thought. By-and-by A-pao took off -her shoes to bind her feet a little tighter;[161] and the parrot, -making a rapid grab at one, flew off with it in its beak. She called -loudly after it to come back, but in a moment it was out of sight; so -she next sent a servant to inquire if there was any news of Mr. Sun, -and then learnt that he had come round again, the parrot having flown -in with an embroidered shoe and dropped down dead on the ground. Also, -that directly he regained consciousness he asked for the shoe, of -which his people knew nothing; at which moment her servant had -arrived, and demanded to know from him where it was. "It was given to -me by Miss A-pao as a pledge of faith," replied Sun; "I beg you will -tell her I have not forgotten her promise." A-pao was greatly -astonished at this, and instructed her maid to divulge the whole -affair to her mother, who, when she had made some inquiries, observed -that Sun was well known as a clever fellow, but was desperately poor, -and "to get such a son-in-law after all our trouble would give our -aristocratic friends the laugh against us."[162] However, A-pao -pleaded that with the shoe there as a proof against her, she would not -marry anybody else; and, ultimately, her father and mother gave their -consent. This was immediately announced to Mr. Sun, whose illness -rapidly disappeared in consequence. A-pao's father would have had Sun -come and live with them;[163] but the young lady objected, on the -score that a son-in-law should not remain long at a time with the -family of his wife,[164] and that as he was poor he would lower -himself still more by doing so. "I have accepted him," added she, "and -I shall gladly reside in his humble cottage, and share his poor fare -without complaint." The marriage was then celebrated, and bride and -bridegroom met as if for the first time in their lives.[165] The dowry -A-pao brought with her somewhat raised their pecuniary position, and -gave them a certain amount of comfort; but Sun himself stuck only to -his books, and knew nothing about managing affairs in general. Luckily -his wife was clever in that respect, and did not bother him with such -things; so much so that by the end of three years they were -comparatively well off, when Sun suddenly fell ill and died. Mrs. Sun -was inconsolable, and refused either to sleep or take nourishment, -being deaf to all entreaties on the subject; and before long, taking -advantage of the night, she hanged herself.[166] Her maid, hearing a -noise, ran in and cut her down just in time: but she still steadily -refused all food. Three days passed away, and the friends and -relatives of Sun came to attend his funeral, when suddenly they heard -a sigh proceeding forth from the coffin. The coffin was then opened -and they found that Sun had come to life again. He told them that he -had been before the Great Judge, who, as a reward for his upright and -honourable life, had conferred upon him an official appointment. "At -this moment," said Sun, "it was reported that my wife was close at -hand,[167] but the Judge, referring to the register, observed that her -time had not yet come. They told him she had taken no food for three -days; and then the Judge, looking at me, said that as a recompense for -her wifely virtues she should be permitted to return to life. -Thereupon he gave orders to his attendants to put to the horses and -see us safely back." From that hour Sun gradually improved, and the -next year went up for his master's degree. All his old companions -chaffed him exceedingly before the examination, and gave him seven -themes on out-of-the-way subjects, telling him privately that they had -been surreptitiously obtained from the examiners. Sun believed them as -usual, and worked at them day and night until he was perfect, his -comrades all the time enjoying a good laugh against him. However, when -the day came it was found that the examiners, fearing lest the themes -they had chosen in an ordinary way should have been dishonestly made -public,[168] took a set of fresh ones quite out of the common run--in -fact, on the very subjects Sun's companions had given to him. -Consequently, he came out at the head of the list; and the next year, -after taking his doctor's degree, he was entered among the Han-lin -Academicians.[169] The Emperor, too, happening to hear of his curious -adventures, sent for him and made him repeat his story; subsequently, -summoning A-pao and making her some very costly presents. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[156] There is nothing in China like an aristocracy of birth. Any man -may raise himself from the lowest level to the highest; and as long as -he and his family keep themselves there, they may be considered -aristocratic. Wealth has nothing to do with the question; official -rank and literary tastes, separate or combined, these constitute a -man's title to the esteem of his fellows. Trade is looked upon as -ignoble and debasing; and friendly intercourse between merchants and -officials, the two great social divisions, is so rare as to be almost -unknown. - -[157] The medium, without whose good offices no marriage can be -arranged. Generally, but not always, a woman. - -This system of go-betweens is not confined to matrimonial engagements. -No servant ever offers himself for a place; he invariably employs some -one to introduce him. So also in mercantile transactions the broker -almost invariably appears upon the scene. - -[158] See No. II., note 41. - -[159] The so-called "golden lilies" always come in for a large share -of criticism. See No. XII., note 86. This term originated with an -emperor who reigned in the fifth century, when, in ecstasies at the -graceful dancing of a concubine upon a stage ornamented with lilies, -he cried out, "Every footstep makes a lily grow." - -[160] A common custom; _e.g._ in the case of a little child lying -dangerously ill, its mother will go outside the door into the garden -or field, and call out its name several times, in the hope of bringing -back the wandering spirit. - -[161] This process must be regularly gone through night and morning, -otherwise the bandages become loose, and the gait of the walker -unsteady. - -[162] I have explained before that any great disparity of means is -considered an obstacle to a matrimonial alliance between two families. - -[163] This is a not unusual arrangement in cases where there are other -sons in the bridegroom's family, but none in that of the bride's, -especially if the advantage of wealth is on the side of the latter. - -[164] Such is the Chinese rule, adopted simply with a view to the -preservation of harmony. - -[165] They are supposed never to see each other before the -wedding-day; but, after careful investigation of the subject, I have -come to the conclusion that certainly in seven cases out of ten, the -intended bridegroom secretly procures a sight of his future wife. I am -now speaking of the higher classes; among the poor, both sexes mix -almost as freely as with us. - -[166] This would still be considered a creditable act on the part of a -Chinese widow. It is, however, of exceedingly rare occurrence. - -[167] Being nearly dead from hanging. - -[168] This is occasionally done, great influence or a heavy bribe -being brought to bear upon the Examiners, of whom there are only -two for the Master's degree, and the second of these, or -Assistant-Examiner, holds but a subordinate position. See _Appendix_ -A, and No. LXXV., note 71. - -[169] Admission to the Han-lin, or Chinese National Academy, is the -highest honour obtainable by a scholar. Its members are employed in -drawing up Government documents, histories, etc. - - - - -XXV. - -JEN HSIU. - - -Jen Chien-chih was a native of Yue-t'ai, and a dealer in rugs and furs. -One day he set off for Shensi, taking with him every penny he could -scrape together; and on the road he met a man who told him that his -name was Shen Chu-t'ing, and his native place Su-ch'ien. These two -soon became firm friends, and entered into a masonic bond[170] with -each other, journeying on together by the same stages until they -reached their destination. By-and-by Mr. Jen fell sick, and his -companion had to nurse him, which he did with the utmost attention, -but for ten days he gradually got worse and worse, and at length said -to Shen, "My family is very poor. Eight mouths depend upon my -exertions for food; and now, alas! I am about to die, far from my own -home. You and I are brothers. At this distance there is no one else to -whom I can look. Now in my purse you will find two hundred ounces of -silver. Take half, and when you have defrayed my funeral expenses, use -the balance for your return journey; and give the other half to my -family, that they may be able to send for my coffin.[171] If, however, -you will take my mortal remains with you home to my native place, -these expenses need not be incurred." He then, with the aid of a -pillow, wrote a letter, which he handed to Shen, and that evening he -died. Thereupon Shen purchased a cheap coffin[172] for some five or -six ounces of silver; and, as the landlord kept urging him to take -away the body, he said he would go out and seek for a temple where it -might be temporarily deposited. But he ran away and never went back -to the inn; and it was more than a year before Jen's family knew what -had taken place. His son was just about seventeen years of age, and -had recently been reading with a tutor; but now his books were laid -aside, and he proposed to go in search of his father's body. His -mother said he was too young; and it was only when he declared he -would rather not live than stay at home, that with the aid of the -pawn-shop[173] enough money was raised to start him on his way. An old -servant accompanied him, and it was six months before they returned -and performed the last ceremonies over Jen's remains. The family was -thus reduced to absolute destitution; but happily young Hsiu was a -clever fellow, and when the days of mourning[174] were over, took his -bachelor's degree. On the other hand, he was somewhat wild and very -fond of gambling; and although his mother strictly prohibited such -diversions, all her prohibitions were in vain. By-and-by the Grand -Examiner arrived, and Hsiu came out in the fourth class. His mother -was extremely angry, and refused to take food, which brought young -Hsiu to his senses, and he promised her faithfully he would never -gamble again. From that day he shut himself up, and the following year -took a first class degree, coming out among the "senior" -graduates.[175] His mother now advised him to take pupils, but his -reputation as a disorderly fellow stuck to him, and no one would -entrust their sons to his care. - -Just then an uncle of his, named Chang, was about to start with -merchandise for the capital, and recommended that Hsiu should go along -with him, promising himself to pay all expenses, an offer which Hsiu -was only too pleased to accept. When they reached Lin-ch'ing, they -anchored outside the Custom House, where they found a great number of -salt-junks, in fact a perfect forest of masts; and what with the noise -of the water and the people it was quite impossible to sleep. -Besides, as the row was beginning to subside, the clear rattle of dice -from a neighbouring boat fell upon Hsiu's ear, and before long he was -itching to be back again at his old games. Listening to hear if all -around him were sound asleep, he drew forth a string of cash that he -had brought with him, and thought he would just go across and try his -luck. So he got up quietly with his money, and was on the point of -going, when he suddenly recollected his mother's injunctions, and at -once tying his purse-strings laid himself down to sleep. He was far -too excited, however, to close his eyes; and after a while got up -again and re-opened his purse. This he did three times, until at last -it was too much for him, and off he went with his money. Crossing over -into the boat whence the sounds proceeded, he beheld two persons -engaged in gambling for high stakes; so throwing his money on the -table, he begged to be allowed to join. The others readily consented, -and they began to play, Hsiu winning so rapidly that soon one of the -strangers had no money left, and was obliged to get the proprietor of -the boat to change a large piece of silver for him, proceeding to lay -down as much as several ounces of silver for a single stake. - -As the play was in full swing another man walked in, who after -watching for some time at length got the proprietor to change another -lump of silver for him of one hundred ounces in weight, and also asked -to be allowed to join. Now Hsiu's uncle, waking up in the middle of -the night, and finding his nephew gone, and hearing the sound of -dice-throwing hard by, knew at once where he was, and immediately -followed him to the boat with a view of bringing him back. Finding, -however, that Hsiu was a heavy winner, he said nothing to him, only -carrying off a portion of his winnings to their own boat and making -the others of his party get up and help him to fetch the rest, even -then leaving behind a large sum for Hsiu to go on with. By-and-by the -three strangers had lost all their ready money, and there wasn't a -farthing left in the boat: upon which one of them proposed to play for -lumps of silver, but Hsiu said he never went so high as that. This -made them a little quarrelsome, Hsiu's uncle all the time trying to -get him away; and the proprietor of the boat, who had only his own -commission in view, managed to borrow some hundred strings of cash -from another boat, and started them all again. Hsiu soon took this out -of them; and, as day was beginning to dawn and the Custom House was -about to open, he went off with his winnings back to his own boat. - -The proprietor of the gambling-boat now found that the lumps of silver -which he had changed for his customers were nothing more than so much -tinsel, and rushing off in a great state of alarm to Hsiu's boat, told -him what had happened and asked him to make it good; but when he -discovered he was speaking to the son of his former travelling -companion, Jen Chien-chih, he hung his head and slunk away covered -with shame. For the proprietor of that boat was no other than Shen -Chu-t'ing, of whom Hsiu had heard when he was in Shensi; now, -however, that with supernatural aid[176] the wrongs of his father had -been avenged, he determined to pursue the man no further. So going -into partnership with his uncle, they proceeded north together; and by -the end of the year their capital had increased five-fold. Hsiu then -purchased the status of _chien-sheng_,[177] and by further careful -investment of his money ultimately became the richest man in that part -of the country. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[170] Besides the numerous secret societies so much dreaded by the -Government, membership of which is punishable by death, very intimate -friends are in the habit of adopting each other as sworn brothers, -bound to stand by one another in cases of danger and difficulty, to -the last drop of blood. The bond is cemented by an oath, accompanied -by such ceremonies as fancy may at the moment dictate. The most -curious of all, however, are the so-called "Golden Orchid" societies, -the members of which are young girls, who have sworn never to enter -into the matrimonial state. To such an extent have these sisterhoods -spread in the Kuang-tung Province, that the authorities have been -compelled to prohibit them under severe penalties. - -[171] A Chinaman loves to be buried alongside of his ancestors, and -poor families are often put to great straits to pay this last tribute -of respect and affection to the deceased. At all large cities are to -be found temporary burial grounds, where the bodies of strangers are -deposited until their relatives can come to carry them away. Large -freights of dead bodies are annually brought back to China from -California, Queensland, and other parts to which the Chinese are in -the habit of emigrating, to the great profit of the steamer-companies -concerned. Coffins are also used as a means of smuggling, respect for -the dead being so great that they are only opened under the very -strongest suspicion. - -[172] See No. XIV., note 104. The price of an elaborate Chinese coffin -goes as high as L100 or L150. - -[173] The never-failing resource of an impecunious Chinaman who has -any property whatever bearing an exchange value. The pawn-shop proper -is a licensed institution, where three per cent. _per month_ is -charged on all loans, all pledges being redeemable within sixteen -months. It is generally a very high brick structure, towering far -above the surrounding houses, with the deposits neatly packed up in -paper and arranged on the shelves of a huge wooden skeleton-like -frame, that completely fills the interior of the building, on the top -of which are ranged buckets of water in case of fire, and a quantity -of huge stones to throw down on any thieves who may be daring enough -to attempt to scale the wall. [In Peking, houses are not allowed to be -built above a certain height, as during the long summer months ladies -are in the habit of sitting to spin or sew in their courtyards, very -lightly clad.] Pawning goods in China is not held to be so disgraceful -as with us; in fact, most people, at the beginning of the hot weather, -pawn their furs and winter clothes, these being so much more carefully -looked after there than they might be at home. - -[174] Nominally of three years'--really of twenty-eight -months'--duration. - -[175] These are entitled to receive from Government a small allowance -of rice, besides being permitted to exercise certain petty functions, -for which a certain charge is authorized. See _Appendix_ A. - -[176] One of the strangers was the disembodied spirit of Hsiu's -father, helping his son to take vengeance on the wicked Shen. - -[177] An intermediate step between the first and second degrees, to -which certain privileges are attached. - - - - -XXVI. - -THE LOST BROTHER. - - -In Honan there lived a man named Chang, who originally belonged to -Shantung. His wife had been seized and carried off by the soldiery -during the period when Ching Nan's troops were overrunning the latter -province;[178] and as he was frequently in Honan on business, he -finally settled there and married a Honan wife, by whom he had a son -named Na. By-and-by this wife died, and he took another, who bore him -a son named Ch'eng. The last-mentioned lady was from the Niu family, -and a very malicious woman. So jealous was she of Na, that she treated -him like a slave or a beast of the field, giving him only the coarsest -food, and making him cut a large bundle of wood every day, in default -of which she would beat and abuse him in a most shameful manner. On -the other hand she secretly reserved all the tit-bits for Ch'eng, and -also sent him to school. As Ch'eng grew up, and began to understand -the meaning of filial piety and fraternal love,[179] he could not bear -to see this treatment of his elder brother, and spoke privately to -his mother about it; but she would pay no heed to what he said. - -One day, when Na was on the hills performing his task, a violent storm -came on, and he took shelter under a cliff. However, by the time it -was over the sun had set, and he began to feel very hungry. So, -shouldering his bundle, he wended his way home, where his step-mother, -displeased with the small quantity of wood he had brought, refused to -give him anything to eat. Quite overcome with hunger, Na went in and -lay down; and when Ch'eng came back from school, and saw the state he -was in, he asked him if he was ill. Na replied that he was only -hungry, and then told his brother the whole story; whereupon Ch'eng -coloured up and went away, returning shortly with some cakes, which he -offered to Na. "Where did you get them?" asked the latter. "Oh," -replied Ch'eng, "I stole some flour and got a neighbour's wife to make -them for me. Eat away, and don't talk." Na ate them up; but begged his -brother not to do this again, as he might get himself into trouble. "I -shan't die," added he, "if I only get one meal a-day." "You are not -strong," rejoined Ch'eng, "and shouldn't cut so much wood as you do." - -Next day, after breakfast, Ch'eng slipped away to the hills, and -arrived at the place where Na was occupied with his usual task, to the -great astonishment of the latter, who inquired what he was going to -do. "To help you cut wood," replied Ch'eng. "And who sent you?" asked -his brother. "No one," said he; "I came of my own accord." "Ah," cried -Na, "you can't do this work; and even if you can you must not. Run -along home again." Ch'eng, however, remained, aiding his brother with -his hands and feet alone, but declaring that on the morrow he would -bring an axe. Na tried to stop him, and found that he had already hurt -his finger and worn his shoes into holes; so he began to cry, and -said, "If you don't go home directly, I'll kill myself with my axe." -Ch'eng then went away, his brother seeing him half-way home, and going -back to finish his work by himself. He also called in the evening at -Ch'eng's school, and told the master his brother was a delicate boy, -and should not be allowed to go on the hills, where, he said, there -were fierce tigers and wolves. The master replied that he didn't know -where Ch'eng had been all the morning, but that he had caned him for -playing truant. Na further pointed out to Ch'eng that by not doing as -he had told him, he had let himself in for a beating. Ch'eng laughed, -and said he hadn't been beaten; and the very next day off he went -again, and this time with a hatchet. "I told you not to come," cried -Na, much alarmed; "why have you done so?" Ch'eng made no reply, but -set to work chopping wood with such energy that the perspiration -poured down his face; and when he had cut about a bundle he went away -without saying a word. The master caned him again, and then Ch'eng -told him how the matter stood, at which the former became full of -admiration for his pupil's kind behaviour, and no longer prevented him -from going. His brother, however, frequently urged him not to come, -though without the slightest success; and one day, when they went with -a number of others to cut wood, a tiger rushed down from the hills -upon them. The wood-cutters hid themselves, in the greatest -consternation; and the tiger, seizing Ch'eng, ran off with him in his -mouth. Ch'eng's weight caused the tiger to move slowly; and Na, -rushing after them, hacked away at the tiger's flanks with his axe. -The pain only made the tiger hurry off, and in a few minutes they were -out of sight. Overwhelmed with grief, Na went back to his comrades, -who tried to soothe him; but he said, "My brother was no ordinary -brother, and, besides, he died for me; why, then, should I live?" -Here, seizing his hatchet, he made a great chop at his own neck, upon -which his companions prevented him from doing himself any more -mischief. The wound, however, was over an inch deep, and blood was -flowing so copiously that Na became faint, and seemed at the point of -death. They then tore up their clothes, and, after having bandaged his -neck, proceeded to carry him home. His step-mother cried bitterly, and -cursed him, saying, "You have killed my son, and now you go and cut -your neck in this make-believe kind of way." "Don't be angry, mother," -replied Na; "I will not live now that my brother is dead." He then -threw himself on the bed; but the pain of his wound was so great he -could not sleep, and day and night he sat leaning against the wall in -tears. His father, fearing that he too would die, went every now and -then and gave him a little nourishment; but his wife cursed him so for -doing it, that at length Na refused all food, and in three days he -died. - -Now in the village where these events took place there was a magician -who was employed in certain devil-work among mortals,[180] and Na's -ghost, happening to fall in with him, related the story of its -previous sorrows, winding up by asking where his brother's ghost was. -The magician said he didn't know, but turned round with Na and shewed -him the way to a city where they saw an official servant coming out of -the city gates. The magician stopped him, and inquired if he could -tell them anything about Ch'eng; whereupon the man drew out a list -from a pouch at his side, and, after carefully examining it, replied -that among the male and female criminals within there was no one of -the name of Chang.[181] The magician here suggested that the name -might be on another list; but the man replied that he was in charge of -that road, and surely ought to know. Na, however, was not satisfied, -and persuaded the magician to enter the city, where they met many new -and old devils walking about, among whom were some Na had formerly -known in life. So he asked them if they could direct him to his -brother but none of them knew where he was; and suddenly there was a -great commotion, the devils on all sides crying out, "P'u-sa[182] has -come!" Then, looking up, Na beheld a most beautiful man descending -from above, encircled by rays of glory, which shot forth above and -below, lighting up all around him. "You are in luck's way, Sir," said -the magician to Na; "only once in many thousand years does P'u-sa -descend into hell and banish all suffering. He has come to-day." He -then made Na kneel, and all the devils began with clasped hands to -sing songs of praise to P'u-sa for his compassion in releasing them -from their misery, shaking the very earth with the sound. P'u-sa -himself, seizing a willow-branch, sprinkled them all with holy water; -and when this was done the clouds and glory melted away, and he -vanished from their sight. Na, who had felt the holy water fall upon -his neck, now became conscious that the axe-wound was no longer -painful; and the magician then proceeded to lead him back, not -quitting him until within sight of the village gate. In fact, Na had -been in a trance for two days, and when he recovered he told them all -that he had seen, asserting positively that Ch'eng was not dead. His -mother, however, looked upon the story as a make-up, and never ceased -reviling him; and, as he had no means of proving his innocence, and -his neck was now quite healed, he got up from the bed and said to his -father, "I am going away to seek for my brother throughout the -universe; if I do not find him, never expect to see me again, but I -pray you regard me as dead." His father drew him aside and wept -bitterly. However, he would not interfere with his son's design, and -Na accordingly set off. Whenever he came to a large town or populous -place he used to ask for news of Ch'eng; and by-and-by, when his money -was all spent, he begged his way on foot. A year had passed away -before he reached Nanking, and his clothes were all in tatters as -ragged as a quail's tail,[183] when suddenly he met some ten or a -dozen horsemen, and drew away to the roadside. Among them was a -gentleman of about forty, who appeared to be a mandarin, with numerous -lusty attendants and fiery steeds accompanying him before and behind. -One young man on a small palfrey, whom Na took to be the mandarin's -son, and at whom, of course, he did not venture to stare, eyed him -closely for some time, and at length stopped his steed, and, jumping -off, cried out, "Are you not my brother?" Na then raised his head, and -found that Ch'eng stood before him. Grasping each other's hands, the -brothers burst into tears, and at length Ch'eng said, "My brother, how -is it you have strayed so far as this?" Na told him the -circumstances, at which he was much affected; and Ch'eng's companions, -jumping off their horses to see what was the matter, went off and -informed the mandarin. The latter ordered one of them to give up his -horse to Na, and thus they rode together back to the mandarin's house. -Ch'eng then told his brother how the tiger had carried him away, and -how he had been thrown down in the road, where he had passed a whole -night; also how the mandarin, Mr. Chang,[184] on his return from the -capital, had seen him there, and, observing that he was no -common-looking youth, had set to work and brought him round again. -Also how he had said to Mr. Chang that his home was a great way off, -and how Mr. Chang had taken him to his own home, and finally cured him -of his wounds; when, having no son of his own, he had adopted him. And -now, happening to be out with his father, he had caught sight of his -brother. As he was speaking Mr. Chang walked in, and Na thanked him -very heartily for all his kindness; Ch'eng, meanwhile, going into the -inner apartments to get some clothes for his brother. Wine and food -was placed on the table; and while they were chatting together the -mandarin asked Na about the number of their family in Honan. "There is -only my father," replied Na, "and he is a Shantung man who came to -live in Honan." "Why, I am a Shantung man too," rejoined Mr. Chang; -"what is the name of your father's native place?" "I have heard that -it was in the Tung-ch'ang district," replied Na. "Then we are from the -same place," cried the mandarin. "Why did your father go away to -Honan?" "His first wife," said Na, "was carried off by soldiers, and -my father lost everything he possessed; so, being in the habit of -trading to Honan, he determined to settle down there for good." The -mandarin then asked what his father's other name was, and when he -heard, he sat some time staring at Na, and at length hurried away -within. In a few moments out came an old lady, and when they had all -bowed to her, she asked Na if he was Chang Ping-chih's grandson. On -his replying in the affirmative, the old lady wept, and, turning to -Mr. Chang, said, "These two are your younger brothers." And then she -explained to Na and Ch'eng as follows:--"Three years after my marriage -with your father, I was carried off to the north and made a -slave[185] in a mandarin's family. Six months afterwards your elder -brother here was born, and in another six months the mandarin died. -Your elder brother being his heir, he received this appointment, which -he is now resigning. I have often thought of my native place, and have -not unfrequently sent people to inquire about my husband, giving them -the full particulars as to name and clan; but I could never hear -anything of him. How should I know that he had gone to Honan?" Then, -addressing Mr. Chang, she continued, "That was rather a mistake of -yours, adopting your own brother." "He never told me anything about -Shantung," replied Mr. Chang; "I suppose he was too young to remember -the story; and I only looked at the difference between our ages." For -he, the elder of the brothers, was forty-one; Ch'eng, the younger, -being only sixteen; and Na, twenty years of age. Mr. Chang was very -glad to get two young brothers; and when he heard the tale of their -separation, proposed that they should all go back to their father. -Mrs. Chang was afraid her husband would not care to receive her back -again; but her eldest son said, "We will cast our lot together; all or -none. How can there be a country where fathers are not valued?" They -then sold their house and packed up, and were soon on the way to -Honan. When they arrived, Ch'eng went in first to tell his father, -whose third wife had died since Na left, and who now was a desolate -old widower, left alone with only his own shadow. He was overjoyed to -see Ch'eng again, and, looking fondly at his son, burst into a flood -of tears. Ch'eng told him his mother and brothers were outside, and -the old man was then perfectly transfixed with astonishment, unable -either to laugh or to cry. Mr. Chang next appeared, followed by his -mother; and the two old people wept in each other's arms, the late -solitary widower hardly knowing what to make of the crowd of men and -women-servants that suddenly filled his house. Here Ch'eng, not seeing -his own mother, asked where she was; and when he heard she was dead, -he fainted away, and did not come round for a good half-hour. Mr. -Chang found the money for building a fine house, and engaged a tutor -for his two brothers. Horses pranced in the stables, and servants -chattered in the hall--it was quite a large establishment. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[178] A.D. 1400 - -[179] The first of the sixteen maxims which form the so-called Sacred -Edict, embodies these two all-important family ties. The doctrine of -primogeniture is carried so far in China as to put every younger -brother in a subordinate position to every elder brother. All -property, however, of whatever kind, is equally divided among the -sons. [The Sacred Edict was delivered by the great Emperor K'ang Hsi, -and should be publicly read and explained in every city of the Empire -on the first and fifteenth of each month.] - -[180] Ordinary devils being unable to stand for any length of time the -light and life of the upper world, the souls of certain persons are -often temporarily employed in this work by the authorities of -Purgatory, their bodies remaining meanwhile in a trance or cataleptic -fit. - -[181] Their family name. - -[182] The Chinese corrupted form of Bodhisatva. Now widely employed to -designate any deity of any kind. - -[183] The usual similitude for a Chinese tatterdemalion. - -[184] The surnames Chang, Wang, and Li, correspond in China to our -Brown, Jones, and Robinson. - -[185] Slavery, under a modified form, exists in China at the present -day. All parents, having absolute power over their children, are at -liberty to sell them as servants or slaves to their wealthier -neighbours. This is not an infrequent occurrence in times of distress, -the children even going so far as to voluntarily sell themselves, and -exposing themselves in some public thoroughfare, with a notice affixed -to a kind of arrow on their backs, stating that they are for sale, and -the amount required from the purchaser. This I have seen with my own -eyes. The chief source, however, from which the supply of slaves is -kept up is kidnapping. [See No. XXIII., note 154.] As to the condition -of the slaves themselves, it is by no means an unhappy one. Their -master has nominally the power of life and death over them, but no -Chinaman would ever dream of availing himself of this dangerous -prerogative. They are generally well fed, and fairly well clothed, -being rarely beaten, for fear they should run away, and either be lost -altogether or entail much expense to secure their capture. The girls -do not have their feet compressed; hence they are infinitely more -useful than small-footed women; and, on reaching a marriageable age, -their masters are bound to provide them with husbands. They live on -terms of easy familiarity with the whole household; and, ignorant of -the meaning and value of liberty, seem quite contented with a lot -which places them beyond the reach of hunger and cold. Slaves take the -surnames of their masters, and the children of slaves are likewise -slaves. Manumission is not uncommon; and Chinese history furnishes -more than one example of a quondam slave attaining to the highest -offices of State. - - - - -XXVII. - -THE THREE GENII. - - -There was a certain scholar who, passing through Su-ch'ien on his way -to Nanking, where he was going to try for his master's degree, -happened to fall in with three other gentlemen, all graduates like -himself, and was so charmed with their unusual refinement that he -purchased a quantity of wine, and begged them to join him in drinking -it. While thus pleasantly employed, his three friends told him their -names. One was Chieh Ch'in-heng; the second, Ch'ang Feng-lin; and the -other, Ma Hsi-ch'ih. They drank away and enjoyed themselves very much, -until evening had crept upon them unperceived, when Chieh said, "Here -we, who ought to have been playing the host, have been feasting at a -stranger's expense. This is not right. But, come, my house is close -by; I will provide you with a bed." Ch'ang and Ma got up, and, taking -our hero by the arm, bade his servant come along with them. When they -reached a hill to the north of the village, there before them was a -house and grounds, with a stream of clear water in front of the door, -all the apartments within being beautifully clean and nice. Chieh then -gave orders to light the lamps and see after his visitor's servant; -whereupon Ma observed, "Of old it was customary to set intellectual -refreshments before one's friends; let us not miss the opportunity of -this lovely evening, but decide on four themes, one for each of us; -and then, when we have finished our essays, we can set to work on the -wine."[186] To this the others readily agreed; and each wrote down a -theme and threw it on the table. These were next divided amongst them -as they sat, and before the second watch[187] was over the essays were -all completed and handed round for general inspection; and our scholar -was so struck with the elegance and vigour of those by his three -friends, that he ran off a copy of them and put it in his pocket. The -host then produced some excellent wine, which was drunk by them in -such bumpers that soon they were all tolerably tipsy. The other two -now took their leave; but Chieh led the scholar into another room, -where, so overcome was he with wine, that he went to bed in his boots -and clothes. - -The sun was high in the heavens when our hero awaked, and, looking -round, he saw no house or grounds, only a dell on the hill-side, in -which he and his servant had been sleeping. In great alarm he called -out to the servant, who also got up, and then they found a hole with a -rill of water trickling down before it. Much astonished at all this, -he felt in his pocket, and there, sure enough, was the paper on which -he had copied the three essays of his friends. On descending the hill -and making inquiries, he found that he had been to the Grotto of the -Three Genii--namely, Crab, Snake, and Frog, three very wonderful -beings, who often came out for a stroll, and were occasionally visible -to mortal eyes. Subsequently, when our hero entered the examination -hall, lo! the three themes set were those of the Three Genii, and he -came out at the top of the list. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[186] No Chinese wine-party is complete without more or less amusement -of a literary character. Capping verses, composing impromptu odes on -persons or places, giving historical and mythological allusions, are -among the ordinary diversions of this kind. - -[187] The Chinese night lasts from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., and is divided -into five watches of two hours each, which are subdivided into five -"beats" of the watchman's wooden tom-tom. - - - - -XXVIII. - -THE SINGING FROGS. - - -Wang Tz[)u]-sun told me that when he was at the capital he saw a man in -the street who gave the following performance:--He had a wooden box, -divided by partitions into twelve holes, in each of which was a frog; -and whenever he tapped any one of these frogs on the head with a tiny -wand, the frog so touched would immediately begin to sing. Some one -gave him a piece of silver, and then he tapped the frogs all round, -just as if he was striking a gong; whereupon they all sang together, -with their _Do_, _Re_, _Mi_, _Fa_, in perfect time and harmony. - - - - -XXIX. - -THE PERFORMING MICE. - - -Mr. Wang also told me that there was a man at Ch'ang-an who made his -living by exhibiting performing mice. He had a pouch on his back in -which he kept some ten of these little animals; and whenever he got -among a number of people he would fix a little frame on his back, -exactly resembling a stage. Then beating a drum he would sing some old -theatrical melody, at the first sounds of which the mice would issue -forth from the pouch, and then, with masks on their faces, and arrayed -in various costumes, they would climb up his back on to the stage, -where standing on their hind-legs they would go through a performance -portraying the various emotions of joy and anger, exactly like human -actors of either sex.[188] - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[188] The _roles_ of women are always played in China by men, dressed -up so perfectly, small feet and all, as to be quite undistinguishable -from real women. - - - - -XXX. - -THE TIGER OF CHAO-CH'ENG. - - -At Chao-ch'eng there lived an old woman more than seventy years of -age, who had an only son. One day he went up to the hills and was -eaten by a tiger, at which his mother was so overwhelmed with grief -that she hardly wished to live. With tears and lamentations she ran -and told her story to the magistrate of the place, who laughed and -asked her how she thought the law could be brought to bear on a tiger. -But the old woman would not be comforted, and at length the magistrate -lost his temper and bade her begone. Of this, however, she took no -notice; and then the magistrate, in compassion for her great age and -unwilling to resort to extremities, promised her that he would have -the tiger arrested. Even then she would not go until the warrant had -been actually issued; so the magistrate, at a loss what to do, asked -his attendants which of them would undertake the job.[189] Upon this -one of them, Li Neng, who happened to be gloriously drunk, stepped -forward and said that he would; whereupon the warrant was immediately -issued and the old woman went away. When our friend, Li Neng, got -sober, he was sorry for what he had done; but reflecting that the -whole thing was a mere trick of his master's to get rid of the old -woman's importunities, did not trouble himself much about it, handing -in the warrant as if the arrest had been made. "Not so," cried the -magistrate, "you said you could do this, and now I shall not let you -off." Li Neng was at his wits' end, and begged that he might be -allowed to impress the hunters of the district.[190] This was -conceded; so collecting together these men, he proceeded to spend day -and night among the hills in the hope of catching a tiger, and thus -making a show of having fulfilled his duty. - -A month passed away, during which he received several hundred blows -with the bamboo,[191] and at length, in despair, he betook himself to -the Ch'eng-huang temple in the eastern suburb, where, falling on his -knees, he prayed and wept by turns. By-and-by a tiger walked in, and -Li Neng, in a great fright, thought he was going to be eaten alive. -But the tiger took no notice of anything, remaining seated in the -doorway. Li Neng then addressed the animal as follows:--"O tiger, if -thou didst slay that old woman's son, suffer me to bind thee with this -cord;" and, drawing a rope from his pocket, threw it over the animal's -neck. The tiger drooped its ears, and allowing itself to be bound, -followed Li Neng to the magistrate's office. The latter then asked it, -saying, "Did you eat the old woman's son?" to which the tiger replied -by nodding its head; whereupon the magistrate rejoined, "That -murderers should suffer death has ever been the law.[192] Besides, -this old woman had but one son, and by killing him you took from her -the sole support of her declining years. But if now you will be as a -son to her, your crime shall be pardoned." The tiger again nodded -assent, and accordingly the magistrate gave orders that he should be -released, at which the old woman was highly incensed, thinking that -the tiger ought to have paid with its life for the destruction of her -son. - -Next morning, however, when she opened the door of her cottage, there -lay a dead deer before it; and the old woman, by selling the flesh and -skin, was able to purchase food. From that day this became a common -event, and sometimes the tiger would even bring her money and -valuables, so that she became quite rich, and was much better cared -for than she had been even by her own son. Consequently, she became -very well-disposed to the tiger, which often came and slept in the -verandah, remaining for a whole day at a time, and giving no cause of -fear either to man or beast. In a few years the old woman died, upon -which the tiger walked in and roared its lamentations in the hall. -However, with all the money she had saved, she was able to have a -splendid funeral; and while her relatives were standing round the -grave, out rushed a tiger, and sent them all running away in fear. But -the tiger merely went up to the mound, and, after roaring like a -thunder-peal, disappeared again. Then the people of that place built a -shrine in honour of the Faithful Tiger, and it remains there to this -day. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[189] All underlings (and we might add overlings) in China being -unpaid, it behoves them to make what they can out of the opportunities -afforded. In most _yamens_, the various warrants and such documents -are distributed to the runners in turn, who squeeze the victims thus -handed over to them. For a small bribe they will go back and report -"not at home;" for a larger one "has absconded," and so on. - -Gatekeepers charge a fee on every petition that passes through their -hands; gaolers, for a consideration and with proper security, allow -their prisoners to be at large until wanted; clerks take bribes to use -their influence, honestly or dishonestly, with the magistrate who is -to try the case; and all the servants share equally in the gratuities -given by anyone to whom their master may send presents. The amount, -whatever it may be, is enclosed in a red envelope and addressed to the -sender of the present, with the words "Instead of tea," in large -characters; the meaning being that the refreshments which should have -been set before the servants who brought the gifts have been commuted -by a money payment. This money is put into a general fund and equally -divided at stated periods. - -All Government officers holding a post, from the highest to the -lowest, are entitled to a nominal, and what would be a quite -inadequate, salary; but no one ever sees this. It is customary to -refuse acceptance of it on some such grounds as want of merit, and -refund it to the Imperial Treasury. - -[190] Anybody is liable to be "impressed" at any moment for the -service of the Government. Boat owners, sedan-chair and coolie -proprietors, especially dread the frequent and heavy calls that are -made upon them for assistance, the remuneration they receive being in -all cases insufficient to defray mere working expenses. But inasmuch -as Chinese officials may not seize any men, or boats, or carts, -holding passes to show that they are in the employ of a foreign -merchant, a lively trade in such documents has sprung up in certain -parts of China between the dishonest of the native and foreign -commercial circles. - -[191] Constables, detectives, and others, are liable to be bambooed at -intervals, generally of three or five days, until the mission on which -they are engaged has been successfully accomplished. In cases of theft -and non-restoration of the stolen property within a given time, the -detectives or constables employed may be required to make it good. - -[192] Extended by the Chinese to certain cases of simple man -slaughter. - - - - -XXXI. - -A DWARF. - - -In the reign of K'ang Hsi, there was a magician who carried about with -him a wooden box, in which he had a dwarf not much more than a foot in -height. When people gave him money he would open the box and bid the -little creature come out. The dwarf would then sing a song and go in -again. Arriving one day at Yeh, the magistrate there seized the box, -and taking it into his yamen asked the dwarf whence he came. At first -he dared not reply, but on being pressed told the magistrate -everything. He said he belonged to a respectable family, and that once -when returning home from school he was stupified by the magician, who -gave him some drug which made his limbs shrink, and then took him -about to exhibit to people. The magistrate was very angry and had the -magician beheaded, himself taking charge of the dwarf. He was -subsequently very anxious to get him cured, but unable to obtain the -proper prescription.[193] - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[193] The Cantonese believe the following to be the usual -process:--"Young children are bought or stolen at a tender age and -placed in a _ch'ing_, or vase with a narrow neck, and having in this -case a moveable bottom. In this receptacle the unfortunate little -wretches are kept for years in a sitting posture, their heads outside, -being all the while carefully tended and fed.... When the child has -reached the age of twenty or over, he or she is taken away to some -distant place and 'discovered' in the woods as a wild man or -woman."--_China Mail_, 15th May, 1878. - - - - -XXXII. - -HSIANG-JU'S MISFORTUNES. - - -At Kuang-p'ing there lived an old man named Feng, who had an only son -called Hsiang-ju. Both of them were graduates; and the father was very -particular and strict, though the family had long been poor. Mrs. Feng -and Hsiang-ju's wife had died one shortly after the other, so that the -father and son were obliged to do their household work for themselves. - -One night Hsiang-ju was sitting out in the moonlight, when suddenly a -young lady from next door got on the wall to have a look at him. He -saw she was very pretty, and as he approached her she began to laugh. -He then beckoned to her with his hand; but she did not move either to -come or to go away. At length, however, she accepted the invitation, -and descended the ladder that he had placed for her. In reply to -Hsiang-ju's inquiries, the young lady said her name was Hung-yue, and -that she lived next door; so Hsiang-ju, who was much taken with her -beauty, begged her to come over frequently and have a chat. To this -she readily assented, and continued to do so for several months, until -one evening old Mr. Feng, hearing sounds of talking and laughing in -his son's room, got up and looked in. Seeing Miss Hung-yue, he was -exceedingly angry, and called his son out, saying, "You -good-for-nothing fellow! poor as we are, why aren't you at your books, -instead of wasting your time like this? A pretty thing for the -neighbours to hear of!--and even if they don't hear of it, somebody -else will, and shorten your life accordingly."[194] Hsiang-ju fell on -his knees, and with tears implored forgiveness; whereupon his father -turned to the young lady, and said, "A girl who behaves like this -disgraces others as well as herself; and if people find this out, we -shan't be the only ones to suffer." The old man then went back to bed -in a rage, and Miss Hung-yue, weeping bitterly, said to Hsiang-ju, -"Your father's reproaches have overwhelmed me with shame. Our -friendship is now at an end." "I could say nothing," replied he, "as -long as my father was here; but if you have any consideration for me, -I pray you think nothing of his remarks." Miss Hung-yue protested, -however, that they could meet no more, and then Hsiang-ju also burst -into tears. "Do not weep," cried she, "our friendship was an -impossible one, and time must sooner or later have put an end to these -visits. Meanwhile, I hear there is a very good match to be made in the -neighbourhood." Hsiang-ju replied that he was poor; but Miss Hung-yue -told him to meet her again the following evening, when she would -endeavour to do something for him. At the appointed time she arrived, -and, producing forty ounces of silver, presented them to Hsiang-ju; -telling him that at a village some distance off there was a Miss Wei, -eighteen years of age, who was not yet married because of the -exorbitant demands of her parents, but that a little extra outlay -would secure for him the young lady's hand. Miss Hung-yue then bade him -farewell, and Hsiang-ju went off to inform his father, expressing a -desire to go and make inquiries, but saying nothing about the forty -ounces. His father, thinking that they were not sufficiently well off, -urged him not to go; however, by dint of argument, he finally -persuaded the old man that, at any rate, there was no harm in trying. -So he borrowed horses and attendants, and set off to the house of Mr. -Wei, who was a man of considerable property; and when he got there he -asked Mr. Wei to come outside and accord him a few minutes' -conversation. Now the latter knew that Hsiang-ju belonged to a very -good family; and when he saw all the retinue that Hsiang-ju had -brought with him, he inwardly consented to the match, though he was -afraid that perhaps his would-be son-in-law might not be as liberal as -he would like. Hsiang-ju soon perceived what Mr. Wei's feelings were, -and emptied his purse on the table, at which Mr. Wei was delighted, -and begged a neighbour to allow the marriage contract to be drawn up -in his house.[195] Hsiang-ju then went in to pay his respects to Mrs. -Wei, whom he found in a small, miserable room, with Miss Wei hiding -behind her. Still he was pleased to see that, in spite of her homely -toilette, the young lady herself was very nice-looking; and, while he -was being entertained in the neighbour's house, the old lady said, "It -will not be necessary for you, Sir, to come and fetch our daughter. As -soon as we have made up a small trousseau for her, we will send her -along to you."[196] Hsiang-ju then agreed with them upon a day for the -wedding, and went home and informed his father, pretending that the -Wei family only asked for respectability, and did not care about -money. His father was overjoyed to hear this; and when the day came, -the young lady herself arrived. She proved to be a thrifty housekeeper -and an obedient wife, so that she and her husband got along capitally -together. In two years she had a son, who was called Fu-erh. And once, -on the occasion of the great spring festival, she was on her way to -the family tombs, with her boy in her arms, when she chanced to meet a -man named Sung, who was one of the gentry of the neighbourhood. This -Mr. Sung had been a Censor,[197] but had purchased his retirement, and -was now leading a private life, characterised by many overbearing and -violent acts. He was returning from his visit to the graves of his -ancestors when he saw Hsiang-ju's wife, and, attracted by her beauty, -found out who she was; and imagining that, as her husband was a poor -scholar, he might easily be induced for a consideration to part with -the lady, sent one of his servants to find out how the land lay. When -Hsiang-ju heard what was wanted, he was very angry; but, reflecting on -the power of his adversary, controlled his passion, and passed the -thing off with a laugh. His father, however, to whom he repeated what -had occurred, got into a violent rage, and, rushing out, flung his -arms about, and called Mr. Sung every name he could lay his tongue to. -Mr. Sung's emissary slunk off and went home; and then a number of men -were sent by the enraged Sung, and these burst into the house and gave -old Feng and his son a most tremendous beating. In the middle of the -hubbub Hsiang-ju's wife ran in, and, throwing her child down on the -bed, tore her hair and shrieked for help. Sung's attendants -immediately surrounded her and carried her off, while there lay her -husband and his father, wounded on the ground and the baby squalling -on the bed. The neighbours, pitying their wretched condition, helped -them up on to the couches, and by the next day Hsiang-ju could walk -with a stick; however, his father's anger was not to be appeased, and, -after spitting a quantity of blood, he died. Hsiang-ju wept bitterly -at this, and, taking his child in his arms, used every means to bring -the offenders to justice, but without the slightest success. He then -heard that his wife had put an end to her own existence, and with this -his cup of misery was full. Unable to get his wrongs redressed, he -often meditated assassinating Sung in the open street,[198] but was -deterred from attempting this by the number of his retainers and the -fear of leaving his son with no one to protect him. Day and night he -mourned over his lot, and his eyelids were never closed in sleep, when -suddenly in walked a personage of striking appearance to condole with -him on his losses. The stranger's face was covered with a huge curly -beard; and Hsiang-ju, not knowing who he was, begged him to take a -seat, and was about to ask whence he came, when all at once he began, -"Sir! have you forgotten your father's death, your wife's disgrace?" -Thereupon Hsiang-ju, suspecting him to be a spy from the Sung family, -made some evasive reply, which so irritated the stranger that he -roared out, "I thought you were a man; but now I know that you are a -worthless, contemptible wretch." Hsiang-ju fell on his knees and -implored the stranger to forgive him, saying, "I was afraid it was a -trick of Sung's: I will speak frankly to you. For days I have lain, as -it were, upon thorns, my mouth filled with gall, restrained only by -pity for this little one and fear of breaking our ancestral line. -Generous friend, will you take care of my child if I fall?" "That," -replied the stranger, "is the business of women; I cannot undertake -it. But what you wish others to do for you, do yourself; and that -which you would do yourself, I will do for you." When Hsiang-ju heard -these words he knocked his head upon the ground; but the stranger took -no more notice of him, and walked out. Following him to the door, -Hsiang-ju asked his name, to which he replied, "If I cannot help you I -shall not wish to have your reproaches; if I do help you, I shall not -wish to have your gratitude." The stranger then disappeared, and -Hsiang-ju, having a presentiment that some misfortune was about to -happen, fled away with his child. - -When night came, and the members of the Sung family were wrapped in -sleep, some one found his way into their house and slew the ex-Censor -and his two sons, besides a maid-servant and one of the ladies. -Information was at once given to the authorities; and as the Sung -family had no doubt that the murderer was Hsiang-ju, the magistrate, -who was greatly alarmed,[199] sent out lictors to arrest him. -Hsiang-ju, however, was nowhere to be found, a fact which tended to -confirm the suspicions of the Sung family; and they, too, despatched a -number of servants to aid the mandarin in effecting his capture. -Towards evening the lictors and others reached a hill, and, hearing a -child cry, made for the sound, and thus secured the object of their -search, whom they bound and led away. As the child went on crying -louder than ever, they took it from him and threw it down by the -wayside, thereby nearly causing Hsiang-ju to die of grief and rage. On -being brought before the magistrate he was asked why he had killed -these people; to which he replied that he was falsely accused, "For," -said he, "they died in the night, whereas I had gone away in the -daytime. Besides," added he, "how, with a crying baby in my arms, -could I scale walls and kill people?" "If you didn't kill people," -cried the magistrate, "why did you run away?" Hsiang had no answer to -make to this, and he was accordingly ordered to prison; whereupon he -wept and said, "I can die without regret; but what has my child done -that he, too, should be punished?" "You," replied the magistrate, -"have slain the children of others; how can you complain if your child -meets the same fate?" Hsiang-ju was then stripped of his degree[200] -and subjected to all kinds of indignities, but they were unable to -wring a confession from his lips;[201] and that very night, as the -magistrate lay down, he heard a sharp noise of something striking the -bed, and, jumping up in a fright, found, by the light of a candle, a -small, keen blade sticking in the wood at the head of his couch so -tightly that it could not be drawn out. Terribly alarmed at this, the -magistrate walked round the room with a spear over his shoulder, but -without finding anything; and then, reflecting that nothing more was -to be feared from Sung, who was dead, as well as his two sons, he -laid Hsiang-ju's case before the higher authorities, and obtained for -him an acquittal. Hsiang-ju was released and went home. His cupboard, -however, was empty, and there was nothing except his own shadow within -the four walls of his house. Happily, his neighbours took pity on him -and supplied him with food; and whenever he thought upon the vengeance -that had been wreaked, his countenance assumed an expression of joy; -but as often as his misfortunes and the extinction of his family came -into his mind, his tears would begin to flow. And when he remembered -the poverty of his life and the end of his ancestral line, he would -seek out some solitary spot, and there burst into an ungovernable fit -of grief. Thus things went on for about six months, when the search -after the murderer began to be relaxed; and then Hsiang-ju petitioned -for the recovery of his wife's bones, which he took home with him and -buried. His sorrows made him wish to die, and he lay tossing about on -the bed without any object in life, when suddenly he heard somebody -knock at the door. Keeping quiet to listen, he distinguished the sound -of a voice outside talking with a child; and, getting up to look, he -perceived a young lady, who said to him, "Your great wrongs are all -redressed, and now, luckily, you have nothing to ail you." The voice -seemed familiar to him, but he could not at the moment recall where he -had heard it; so he lighted a candle, and Miss Hung-yue stood before -him. She was leading a small, happy-looking child by the hand; and -after she and Hsiang-ju had expressed their mutual satisfaction at -meeting once more, Miss Hung-yue pushed the boy forward, saying, "Have -you forgotten your father?" The boy clung to her dress, and looked -shyly at Hsiang-ju, who, on examining him closely, found that he was -Fu-erh. "Where did he come from?" asked his father, in astonishment, -not unmingled with tears. "I will tell you all," replied Miss Hung-yue. -"I was only deceiving you when I said I belonged to a neighbouring -family. I am really a fox, and, happening to go out one evening, I -heard a child crying in a ditch. I took him home and brought him up; -and, now that your troubles are over, I return him to you, that father -and son may be together." Hsiang-ju wiped away his tears and thanked -her heartily; but Fu-erh kept close to Miss Hung-yue, whom he had come -to regard as a mother, and did not seem to recognise his father again. -Before day-break Miss Hung-yue said she must go away; but Hsiang-ju -fell upon his knees and entreated her to stop, until at last she said -she was only joking, adding that, in a new establishment like theirs, -it would be a case of early to rise and late to bed. She then set to -work cutting fuel and sweeping it up, toiling hard as if she had been -a man, which made Hsiang-ju regret that he was too poor to have all -this done for her. However, she bade him mind his books, and not -trouble himself about the state of their affairs, as they were not -likely to die of hunger. She also produced some money, and bought -implements for spinning, besides renting a few acres of land and -hiring labourers to till them. Day by day she would shoulder her hoe -and work in the fields, or employ herself in mending the roof, so -that her fame as a good wife spread abroad, and the neighbours were -more than ever pleased to help them. In half-a-year's time their home -was like that of a well-to-do family, with plenty of servants about; -but one day Hsiang-ju said to Miss Hung-yue, "With all that you have -accomplished on my behalf, there is still one thing left undone." On -her asking him what it was, he continued: "The examination for -master's degree is at hand, and I have not yet recovered the -bachelor's degree of which I was stripped." "Ah," replied she, "some -time back I had your name replaced upon the list; had I waited for you -to tell me, it would have been too late." Hsiang-ju marvelled very -much at this, and accordingly took his master's degree. He was then -thirty-six years of age, the master of broad lands and fine houses; -and Miss Hung-yue, who looked delicate enough to be blown away by the -wind, and yet worked harder than an ordinary labourer's wife, keeping -her hands smooth and nice in spite of winter weather, gave herself out -to be thirty-eight, though no one took her to be much more than -twenty. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[194] Meaning that it would become known to the Arbiter of life and -death in the world below, who would punish him by shortening his -appointed term of years. See _The Wei-ch'i Devil_, No. CXXXI. - -[195] One important preliminary consists in the exchange of the four -pairs of characters which denote the year, month, day, and hour of the -births of the contracting parties. It remains for a geomancer to -determine whether these are in harmony or not; and a very simple -expedient for backing out of a proposed alliance is to bribe him to -declare that the nativities of the young couple could not be happily -brought together. - -[196] The bridegroom invariably fetches the bride from her father's -house, conveying her to his home in a handsomely-gilt red sedan-chair, -closed in on all sides, and accompanied by a band of music. - -[197] The Censorate is a body of fifty-six officials, whose duty it is -to bring matters to the notice of the Emperor which might otherwise -have escaped attention; to take exception to any acts, including those -of His Majesty himself, calculated to interfere with the welfare of -the people; and to impeach, as occasion may require, the high -provincial authorities, whose position, but for this wholesome check, -would be almost unassailable. Censors are popularly termed the "ears -and eyes" of the monarch. - -[198] In the _Book of Rites_ (I. Pt. i. v. 10), which dates, in its -present form, only from the first century B.C., occurs this passage, -"With the slayer of his father, a man may not live under the same -heaven;" and in the _Family Sayings_ (Bk. X. _ab init._), a work which -professes, though on quite insufficient authority, to record a number -of the conversations and apophthegms of Confucius not given in the -_Lun-yue_, or Confucian Gospels, we find the following course laid down -for a man whose father has been murdered:--"He must sleep upon a grass -mat, with his shield for his pillow; he must decline to take office; -he must not live under the same heaven (with the murderer). When he -meets him in the court or in the market-place, he must not return for -a weapon, but engage him there and then;" being always careful, as the -commentator observes, to carry a weapon about with him. Sir John Davis -and Dr. Legge agree in stigmatizing this as "one of the objectionable -principles of Confucius." It must, however, be admitted that (1) a -patched-up work which appeared as we have it now from two to three -centuries after Confucius's death, and (2) a confessedly apocryphal -work such as the _Family Sayings_, are hardly sufficient grounds for -affixing to the fair fame of China's great Sage the positive -inculcation of a dangerous principle of blood-vengeance like that I -have just quoted. - -[199] The Chinese theory being that every official is responsible for -the peace and well-being of the district committed to his charge, and -even liable to punishment for occurrences over which he could not -possibly have had any control. - -[200] See No. X., note 75. - -[201] See No. X., note 78. - - - - -XXXIII. - -CHANG'S TRANSFORMATION. - - -Chang Yue-tan, of Chao-yuan, was a wild fellow, who pursued his studies -at the Hsiao temple. Now it chanced that the magistrate of the -district, Mr. Tseng of San-han, had a daughter who was very fond of -hunting, and that one day young Chang met her in the fields, and was -much struck with her great beauty. She was dressed in an embroidered -sable jacket, and rode about on a small palfrey, for all the world -like a girl in a picture. Chang went home with the young lady still in -his thoughts, his heart being deeply touched; but he soon after heard, -to his infinite sorrow and dismay, that Miss Tseng had died suddenly. -Their own home being at a distance,[202] her father deposited the -coffin in a temple;[203] the very temple, in fact, where her lover was -residing. Accordingly Chang paid to her remains the same respect he -would have offered to a god; he burnt incense every morning, and -poured out libations at every meal, always accompanied by the -following invocation:--"I had hardly seen you when your spirit became -ever present to me in my dreams. But you passed suddenly away; and -now, near as we are together, we are as far apart as if separated by -hills and rivers. Alas! alas! In life you were under the control of -your parents; now, however, there is nothing to restrain you, and with -your supernatural power, I should be hearing the rustle of your robe -as you approach to ease the sorrow of my heart." Day and night he -prayed thus, and when some six months had passed away, and he was one -night trimming his lamp to read, he raised his head and saw a young -lady standing, all smiles, before him. Rising up, he inquired who she -was; to which his visitor replied, "Grateful to you for your love of -me, I was unable to resist the temptation of coming to thank you -myself." Chang then offered her a seat, and they sat together chatting -for some time. From this date the young lady used to come in every -evening, and on one occasion said to Chang, "I was formerly very fond -of riding and archery, shooting the musk and slaying the deer; it is a -great sorrow to me to be deprived of these pleasures by death. If you -have any friendly feelings towards me, I pray you recite for me the -Diamond _sutra_[204] five thousand and forty-eight times, and I will -never forget your kindness." Chang did as he was asked, getting up -every night and telling his beads before the coffin, until the -occasion of a certain festival, when he wished to go home to his -parents, and take the young lady with him. Miss Tseng said she was -afraid her feet were too tender to walk far; but Chang offered to -carry her, to which she laughingly assented. It was just like carrying -a child, she was so light;[205] and by degrees Chang got so accustomed -to taking her about with him, that when he went up for his examination -she went in too.[206] The only thing was she could not travel except -at night. Later on, Chang would have gone up for his master's degree, -but the young lady told him it was of no use to try, for it was not -destined that he should pass; and accordingly he desisted from his -intention. Four or five years afterwards, Miss Tseng's father resigned -his appointment, and so poor was he that he could not afford to pay -for the removal of his daughter's coffin, but wanted to bury it -economically where it was. Unfortunately, he had no ground of his own, -and then Chang came forward and said that a friend of his had a piece -of waste land near the temple, and that he might bury it there. Mr. -Tseng was very glad to accept, and Chang kindly assisted him with the -funeral,--for what reason the former was quite unable to guess. One -night after this, as Miss Tseng was sitting by Chang's side, her -father having already returned home, she burst into a flood of tears, -and said, "For five years we have been good friends; we must now part. -I can never repay your goodness to me." Chang was alarmed, and asked -her what she meant; to which she replied, "Your sympathy has told for -me in the realms below. The sum of my _sutras_ is complete, and to-day -I am to be born again in the family of a high official, Mr. Lu, of -Ho-pei. If you do not forget the present time, meet me there in -fifteen years from now, on the 16th of the 8th moon." "Alas!" cried -Chang, "I am already over thirty, and in fifteen years more I shall be -drawing near the wood.[207] What good will our meeting do?" "I can be -your servant," replied Miss Tseng, "and so make some return to you. -But come, escort me a few miles on my way; the road is beset with -brambles, and I shall have some trouble with my dress." So Chang -carried her as before, until they reached a high road, where they -found a number of carriages and horses, the latter with one or two -riders on the backs of each, and three or four, or even more persons, -in every carriage. But there was one richly-decorated carriage, with -embroidered curtains and red awnings, in which sat only one old woman, -who, when she saw Miss Tseng, called out, "Ah, there you are." "Here I -am," replied Miss Tseng; and then she turned to Chang and said, "We -must part here; do not forget what I told you." Chang promised he -would remember; and then the old woman helped her up into the -carriage, round went the wheels, off went the attendants, and they -were gone. Sorrowfully Chang wended his way home, and there wrote upon -the wall the date mentioned by Miss Tseng; after which, bethinking -himself of the efficacy of prayer, he took to reciting _sutras_ more -energetically than ever. By-and-by he dreamed that an angel appeared -to him, and said, "The bent of your mind is excellent indeed, but you -must visit the Southern Sea."[208] Asking how far off the Southern Sea -was, the angel informed him it was close by; and then waking up, and -understanding what was required of him, he fixed his sole thoughts on -Buddha, and lived a purer life than before. In three years' time his -two sons, Ming and Cheng, came out very high on the list at the -examination for the second degree, in spite of which worldly successes -Chang continued to lead his usual holy life. Then one night he dreamed -that another angel led him among beautiful halls and palaces, where he -saw a personage sitting down who resembled Buddha himself. This -personage said to him, "My son, your virtue is a matter of great joy; -unhappily your term of life is short, and I have, therefore, made an -appeal to God[209] on your behalf." Chang prostrated himself, and -knocked his head upon the ground; upon which he was commanded to rise, -and was served with tea, fragrant as the epidendrum. A boy was next -instructed to take him to bathe in a pool, the water of which was so -exquisitely clear that he could count the fishes swimming about -therein. He found it warm as he walked in, and scented like the leaves -of the lotus-flower; and gradually the water got deeper and deeper, -until he went down altogether and passed through with his head under -water. He then waked up in a fright; but from this moment he became -more robust and his sight improved. As he stroked his beard the white -hairs all came out, and by-and-by the black ones too; the wrinkles on -his face were smoothed away, and in a few months he had the beardless -face of a boy of fifteen or sixteen. He also grew very fond of playing -about like other boys, and would sometimes tumble head over heels, and -be picked up by his sons. Soon afterwards his wife died of old age, -and his sons begged him to marry again into some good family; but he -said he should be obliged to go to Ho-pei first; and then, calculating -his dates, found that the appointed time had arrived. So he ordered -his horses and servants, and set off for Ho-pei, where he discovered -that there actually was a high official named Lu. Now Mr. Lu had a -daughter, who when born was able to talk,[210] and became very clever -and beautiful as she grew up. She was the idol of her parents, and had -been asked in marriage by many suitors, but would not accept any of -them; and when her father and mother inquired her motives for refusal, -she told them the story of her engagement in her former life. "Silly -child," said they, reckoning up the time, and laughing at her; "that -Mr. Chang would now be about fifty years of age, a changed and feeble -old man. Even if he is still alive, his hair will be white and his -teeth gone." But their daughter would not listen to them; and, finding -her so obstinate in her determination, they instructed the doorkeeper -to admit no strangers until the appointed time should have passed, -that thus her expectations might be brought to naught. Before long, -Chang arrived, but the doorkeeper would not let him in, and he went -back to his inn in great distress, not knowing what to do. He then -took to walking about the fields, and secretly making inquiries -concerning the family. Meanwhile Miss Tseng thought that he had broken -his engagement, and refused all food, giving herself up to tears -alone. Her mother argued that he was probably dead, or in any case -that the breach of engagement was no fault of her daughter's; to none -of which, however, would Miss Tseng listen, lying where she was the -livelong day. Mr. Lu now became anxious about her, and determined to -see what manner of man this Chang might be; so, on the plea of taking -a walk, he went out to meet him in the fields, and to his astonishment -found quite a young man. They sat down together on some leaves, and -after chatting awhile Mr. Lu was so charmed with his young friend's -bearing that he invited him to his house. No sooner had they arrived, -than Mr. Lu begged Chang to excuse him a moment, and ran in first to -tell his daughter, who exerted herself to get up and take a peep at -the stranger. Finding, however, that he was not the Chang she had -formerly known, she burst into tears and crept back to bed, upbraiding -her parents for trying to deceive her thus. Her father declared he was -no other than Chang, but his daughter replied only with tears; and -then he went back very much upset to his guest, whom he treated with -great want of courtesy. Chang asked him if he was not the Mr. Lu, of -such and such a position, to which he replied in a vacant kind of way -that he was, looking the other way all the time and paying no -attention to Chang. The latter did not approve of this behaviour, and -accordingly took his leave; and in a few days Miss Tseng had cried -herself to death. Chang then dreamed that she appeared to him, and -said, "Was it you after all that I saw? You were so changed in age and -appearance that when I looked upon your face I did not know you. I -have already died from grief; but if you make haste to the little -street shrine and summon my spirit back, I may still recover. Be not -late!" Chang then waked, and immediately made inquiries at Mr. Lu's -house, when he found that the young lady had been dead two days. -Telling her father his dream, they went forth to summon the spirit -back; and on opening the shroud, and throwing themselves with -lamentations over the corpse, a noise was heard in the young lady's -throat, and her cherry lips parted. They moved her on to a bed, and -soon she began to moan, to the great joy of Mr. Lu, who took Chang out -of the room and, over a bumper of wine, asked some questions about his -family. He was glad to find that Chang was a suitable match for his -daughter, and an auspicious day was fixed for the wedding. In a -fortnight the event came off, the bride being escorted to Chang's -house by her father, who remained with them six months before going -home again. They were a youthful pair, and people who didn't know the -story mistook Chang's son and daughter-in-law for his father and -mother. A year later Mr. Lu died; and his son, a mere child, having -been badly wounded by some scoundrels, and the family property being -almost gone, Chang made him come and live with them, and be one of -their own family. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[202] No man being allowed to hold office within a radius of 500 _li_, -or nearly 200 miles, from his native place. - -[203] This is a very common custom all over China. - -[204] Of all the Buddhist _sutras_, this is perhaps the favourite with -the Chinese. - -[205] Contrary to the German notion that the spirit of the dead -mother, coming back at night to suckle the child she has left behind, -makes an impress on the bed alongside the baby. - -[206] Being, of course, invisible to all except himself. - -[207] A very ancient expression, signifying "the grave," the word -"wood" being used by synecdoche for "coffin." - -[208] The supposed residence of Kuan-yin, the Chinese Goddess of -Mercy, she who "hears prayers" and is the giver of children. - -[209] The great Supreme Ruler, who is supposed to have absolute sway -over the various other deities of the Chinese Pantheon. - -[210] Generally spoken of as an inauspicious phenomenon. - - - - -XXXIV. - -A TAOIST PRIEST. - - -Once upon a time there was a Mr. Han, who belonged to a wealthy -family, and was fond of entertaining people. A man named Hsue, of the -same town, frequently joined him over the bottle; and on one occasion -when they were together a Taoist priest came to the door with his -alms-bowl[211] in his hand. The servants threw him some money and -food, but the priest would not accept them, neither would he go away; -and at length they would take no more notice of him. Mr. Han heard the -noise of the priest knocking his bowl[212] going on for a long time, -and asked his servants what was the matter; and they had hardly told -him when the priest himself walked in. Mr. Han begged him to be -seated; whereupon the priest bowed to both gentlemen and took his -seat. On making the usual inquiries, they found that he lived at an -old tumble-down temple to the east of the town, and Mr. Han expressed -regret at not having heard sooner of his arrival, so that he might -have shown him the proper hospitality of a resident. The priest said -that he had only recently arrived, and had no friends in the place; -but hearing that Mr. Han was a jovial fellow, he had been very anxious -to take a glass with him. Mr. Han then ordered wine, and the priest -soon distinguished himself as a hard drinker; Mr. Hsue treating him all -the time with a certain amount of disrespect in consequence of his -shabby appearance, while Mr. Han made allowances for him as being a -traveller. When he had drunk over twenty large cups of wine, the -priest took his leave, returning subsequently whenever any -jollification was going on, no matter whether it was eating or -drinking. Even Han began now to tire a little of him; and on one -occasion Hsue said to him in raillery, "Good priest, you seem to like -being a guest; why don't you play the host sometimes for a change?" -"Ah," replied the priest, "I am much the same as yourself--a mouth -carried between a couple of shoulders."[213] This put Hsue to shame, -and he had no answer to make; so the priest continued, "But although -that is so, I have been revolving the question with myself for some -time, and when we do meet I shall do my best to repay your kindness -with a cup of my own poor wine." When they had finished drinking, the -priest said he hoped he should have the pleasure of their company the -following day at noon; and at the appointed time the two friends went -together, not expecting, however, to find anything ready for them. But -the priest was waiting for them in the street; and passing through a -handsome court-yard, they beheld long suites of elegant apartments -stretching away before them. In great astonishment, they remarked to -the priest that they had not visited this temple for some time, and -asked when it had been thus repaired; to which he replied that the -work had been only lately completed. They then went inside, and there -was a magnificently-decorated apartment, such as would not be found -even in the houses of the wealthy. This made them begin to feel more -respect for their host; and no sooner had they sat down than wine and -food were served by a number of boys, all about sixteen years of age, -and dressed in embroidered coats, with red shoes. The wine and the -eatables were delicious, and very nicely served; and when the dinner -was taken away, a course of rare fruits was put on the table, the -names of all of which it would be impossible to mention. They were -arranged in dishes of crystal and jade, the brilliancy of which -lighted up the surrounding furniture; and the goblets in which the -wine was poured were of glass,[214] and more than a foot in -circumference. The priest here cried out, "Call the Shih sisters," -whereupon one of the boys went out, and in a few moments two elegant -young ladies walked in. The first was tall and slim like a willow -wand; the other was short and very young, both being exceedingly -pretty girls. Being told to sing while the company were drinking, the -younger beat time and sang a song, while the elder accompanied her on -the flageolet. They acquitted themselves admirably; and, when the song -was over, the priest holding his goblet bottom upwards in the air, -challenged his guests to follow his example, bidding his servants pour -out more wine all round. He then turned to the girls, and remarked -that they had not danced for a long time, asking if they were still -able to do so; upon which a carpet was spread by one of the boys, and -the two young ladies proceeded to dance, their long robes waving about -and perfuming the air around. The dance concluded, they leant against -a painted screen, while the two guests gradually became more and more -confused, and were at last irrecoverably drunk. The priest took no -notice of them; but when he had finished drinking, he got up and said, -"Pray, go on with your wine; I am going to rest awhile, and will -return by-and-by." He then went away, and lay down on a splendid couch -at the other end of the room; at which Hsue was very angry, and shouted -out, "Priest, you are a rude fellow," at the same time making towards -him with a view of rousing him up. The priest then ran out, and Han -and Hsue lay down to sleep, one at each end of the room, on -elaborately-carved couches covered with beautiful mattresses. When -they woke up, they found themselves lying in the road, Mr. Hsue with -his head in a dirty drain. Hard by were a couple of rush huts; but -everything else was gone. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[211] This is the Buddhist _patra_, which modern writers have come to -regard as an instrumental part of the Taoist religion. See No. IV., -note 46. - -[212] To call attention to his presence. Beggars in China accomplish -their purpose more effectually by beating a gong in the shop where -they ask for alms so loudly as to prevent the shopkeeper from hearing -his customers speak; or they vary the performance by swinging about -some dead animal tied to the end of a stick. Mendicity not being -prohibited in China, there results a system of black mail payable by -every householder to a beggars' guild, and this frees them from the -visits of the beggars of their own particular district; many, however, -do not subscribe, but take their chance in the struggle as to who will -tire out the other first, the shopkeeper, who has all to lose, being -careful to stop short of anything like manual violence, which would -forthwith bring down upon him the myrmidons of the law, and subject -him to innumerable "squeezes." - -[213] _Sc._ a "sponge." - -[214] Said to have been introduced into China from the west by a -eunuch named San-pao during the Ming dynasty. - - - - -XXXV. - -THE FIGHT WITH THE FOXES. - - -In the province of Chih-li, there was a wealthy family in want of a -tutor. One day a graduate presented himself at the door, and was asked -by the master of the house to walk in; and he conversed so pleasantly -that in a short time it was clear to both sides that they were -mutually pleased with each other. The tutor said his name was Hu; and -when the usual present had been made to him, he was forthwith provided -with apartments, and entered very energetically upon his duties, -proving himself a scholar of no mean order. He was, however, very fond -of roaming, and generally came back in the middle of the night, not -troubling himself to knock if the door was locked but suddenly -appearing on the inside. It was therefore suspected that he was a fox, -though as his intentions seemed to be harmless, he was treated -extremely well, and not with any want of courtesy as if he had been -something uncanny. By-and-by he discovered that his master had a -daughter,[215] and being desirous of securing the match was always -dropping hints to that effect, which his master, on the other hand, -invariably pretended not to understand. One day he went off for a -holiday, and on the next day a stranger called; who, tying a black -mule at the door, accepted the invitation of the master to take a seat -within. He was about fifty years of age, very neat and clean in his -dress, and gentlemanly in his manners. When they were seated, the -stranger began by saying that he was come with proposals of marriage -on behalf of Mr. Hu; to which his host, after some consideration, -replied that he and Mr. Hu got along excellently well as friends, and -there was no object in bringing about a closer connection. "Besides," -added he, "my daughter is already betrothed, and I beg you, therefore, -to ask Mr. Hu to excuse me." The stranger said he was quite sure the -young lady was not engaged, and inquired what might be the objection -to the match: but it was all of no avail, until at length he remarked, -"Mr. Hu is of a good family; I see no reason why you should have such -an aversion to him." "Well, then," replied the other, "I will tell you -what it is. We don't like his _species_." The stranger here got very -angry, and his host also lost his temper, so that they came to high -words, and were already on the way to blows, when the latter bade his -servants give the stranger a beating and turn him out. The stranger -then retired, leaving his mule behind him; and when they drew near to -look at it they found a huge creature with black hair, drooping ears, -and a long tail. They tried to lead it away, but it would not move; -and on giving it a shove with the hand from behind, it toppled over -and was discovered to be only of straw. In consequence of the angry -words that had been said, the master of the house felt sure that there -would be an attempt at revenge, and accordingly made all preparations; -and sure enough the next day a whole host of fox-soldiers arrived, -some on horseback, some on foot, some with spears, and others with -cross-bows, men and horses trampling along with an indescribable din. -The family were afraid to leave the house, and the foxes shouted out -to set the place on fire, at which the inmates were dreadfully -alarmed; but just then one of the bravest of them rushed forth with a -number of the servants to engage the foxes. Stones and arrows flew -about in all directions, and many on both sides were wounded; at -length, however, the foxes drew off leaving their swords on the field. -These glittered like frost or snow, but when picked up turned out to -be only millet-stalks. "Is this all their cunning?" cried their -adversary, laughing, at the same time making still more careful -preparations in case the foxes should come again. Next day they were -deliberating together, when suddenly a giant descended upon them from -the sky. He was over ten feet in height by several feet in breadth, -and brandished a sword as broad as half a door; but they attacked him -so vigorously with arrows and stones that he was soon stretched dead -upon the ground, when they saw that he was made of grass. Our friends -now began to make light of their fox-foes, and as they saw nothing -more of them for three days their precautions were somewhat relaxed. -The foxes, however, soon reappeared, armed with bows and arrows, and -succeeded in shooting the master of the house in the back, -disappearing when he summoned his servants and proceeded to attack -them. Then, drawing the arrow from his back, he found it was a long -thorn; and thus the foxes went on for a month or so, coming and going, -and making it necessary to take precautions, though not really -inflicting any serious injury. This annoyed the master of the family -very much, until one day Mr. Hu[216] himself appeared with a troop of -soldiers at his back, and he immediately went out to meet him. Mr. Hu -withdrew among his men, but the master called to him to come forth, -and then asked him what he had done that soldiers should be thus -brought against his family. The foxes were now on the point of -discharging their arrows; Mr. Hu, however, stopped them; whereupon he -and his old master shook hands, and the latter invited him to walk -into his old room. Wine being served, his host observed, "You, Mr. Hu, -are a man of intelligence, and I trust you will make allowances for -me. Friends as we were, I should naturally have been glad to form a -connection with you; your carriages, however, horses, houses, etc., -are not those of ordinary mortals; and even had my daughter consented, -you must know the thing would have been impossible, she being still a -great deal too young." Mr. Hu was somewhat disconcerted at this, but -his host continued, "It's of no consequence; we can still be friends -as before, and if you do not despise us earthly creatures, there is my -son whom you have taught; he is fifteen years old, and I should be -proud to see him connected with you if such an arrangement should be -feasible." Mr. Hu was delighted, and said, "I have a daughter one year -younger than your son; she is neither ugly nor stupid. How would she -do?" His host got up and made a low bow, which Mr. Hu forthwith -returned, and they then became the best of friends, forgetting all -about the former unpleasantness. Wine was given to Mr. Hu's -attendants, and every one was made happy. The host now inquired where -Mr. Hu lived, that the ceremony of pouring out a libation to the -geese[217] might be performed; but Mr. Hu said this would not be -necessary, and remained drinking till night, when he went away again. -From this time there was no more trouble; and a year passed without -any news of Mr. Hu, so that it seemed as if he wished to get out of -his bargain. The family, however, went on waiting, and in six months -more Mr. Hu reappeared, when, after a few general remarks, he declared -that his daughter was ready, and requested that an auspicious day -might be fixed for her to come to her husband's home. This being -arranged, the young lady arrived with a retinue of sedan-chairs, and -horses, and a beautiful trousseau that nearly filled a room.[218] She -was unusually respectful to her father and mother in-law, and the -former was much pleased with the match. Her father and a younger -brother of his had escorted her to the house, and conversing away in a -most refined style they sat drinking till daybreak before they went -away. The bride herself had the gift of foreknowing whether the -harvest would be good or bad, and her advice was always taken in such -matters. Mr. Hu and his brother, and also their mother, often came to -visit her in her new home, and were then very frequently seen by -people. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[215] The women's apartments being quite separate from the rest of a -Chinese house, male visitors consequently know nothing about their -inhabitants. - -[216] See No. XIII., note 90. - -[217] A very ancient custom in China, originating in a belief that -these birds never mate a second time. The libation is made on the -occasion of the bridegroom fetching his bride from her father's house. - -[218] A Chinese trousseau, in addition to clothes and jewels, consists -of tables and chairs, and all kinds of house furniture and ornaments. - - - - -XXXVI. - -THE KING. - - -A certain Governor of Hu-nan despatched a magistrate to the capital in -charge of treasure to the amount of six hundred thousand ounces of -silver. On the road the magistrate encountered a violent storm of -rain, which so delayed him that night came on before he was able to -reach the next station. He therefore took refuge in an old temple; -but, when morning came, he was horrified to find that the treasure had -disappeared. Unable to fix the guilt on any one, he returned forthwith -to the Governor and told him the whole story. The latter, however, -refused to believe what the magistrate said, and would have had him -severely punished, but that each and all of his attendants stoutly -corroborated his statements; and accordingly he bade him return and -endeavour to find the missing silver. When the magistrate got back to -the temple, he met an extraordinary-looking blind man, who informed -him that he could read people's thoughts, and further went on to say -that the magistrate had come there on a matter of money. The latter -replied that it was so, and recounted the misfortune that had -overtaken him; whereupon the blind man called for sedan-chairs, and -told the magistrate to follow and see for himself, which he -accordingly did, accompanied by all his retinue. If the blind man said -east, they went east; or if north, north; journeying along for five -days until far among the hills, where they beheld a large city with a -great number of inhabitants. They entered the gates and proceeded on -for a short distance, when suddenly the blind man cried, "Stop!" and, -alighting from his chair, pointed to a lofty door facing the west, at -which he told the magistrate to knock and make what inquiries were -necessary. He then bowed and took his leave, and the magistrate obeyed -his instructions, whereupon a man came out in reply to his summons. He -was dressed in the fashion of the Han dynasty,[219] and did not say -what his name was; but as soon as the magistrate informed him -wherefore he had come, he replied that if the latter would wait a few -days he himself would assist him in the matter. The man then conducted -the magistrate within, and giving him a room to himself, provided him -regularly with food and drink. One day he chanced to stroll away to -the back of the building, and there found a beautiful garden with -dense avenues of pine-trees and smooth lawns of fine grass. After -wandering about for some time among the arbours and ornamental -buildings, the magistrate came to a lofty kiosque, and mounted the -steps, when he saw hanging on the wall before him a number of human -skins, each with its eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and heart.[220] -Horrified at this, he beat a hasty retreat to his quarters, convinced -that he was about to leave his own skin in this out-of-the-way place, -and giving himself up for lost. He reflected, however, that he should -probably gain nothing by trying to escape, and made up his mind to -wait; and on the following day the same man came to fetch him, saying -he could now have an audience. The magistrate replied that he was -ready; and his conductor then mounted a fiery steed, leaving the other -to follow on foot. By-and-by they reached a door like that leading -into a Viceroy's _yamen_, where stood on either side crowds of -official servants, preserving the utmost silence and decorum. The man -here dismounted and led the magistrate inside; and after passing -through another door they came into the presence of a king, who wore a -cap decorated with pearls, and an embroidered sash, and sat facing the -south. The magistrate rushed forward and prostrated himself on the -ground; upon which the king asked him if he was the Hu-nan official -who had been charged with the conveyance of treasure. On his answering -in the affirmative, the king said, "The money is all here; it's a mere -trifle, but I have no objection to receive it as a present from the -Governor." The magistrate here burst into tears, and declared that -his term of grace had already expired: that he would be punished if he -went back thus, especially as he would have no evidence to adduce in -substantiation of his story. "That is easy enough," replied the king, -and put into his hands a thick letter, which he bade him give to the -Governor, assuring him that this would prevent him from getting into -any trouble. He also provided him with an escort; and the magistrate, -who dared not argue the point further, sorrowfully accepted the letter -and took his departure. The road he travelled along was not that by -which he had come; and when the hills ended, his escort left him and -went back. In a few days more he reached Ch'ang-sha, and respectfully -informed the Governor of what had taken place; but the Governor -thought he was telling more lies, and in a great rage bade the -attendants bind him hand and foot. The magistrate then drew the letter -forth from his coat; and when the Governor broke the seal and saw its -contents, his face turned deadly pale. He gave orders for the -magistrate to be unbound, remarking that the loss of the treasure was -of no importance, and that the magistrate was free to go. Instructions -were next issued that the amount was to be made up in some way or -other and forwarded to the capital; and meanwhile the Governor fell -sick and died. - -Now this Governor had had a wife of whom he was dotingly fond; and one -morning when they waked up, lo! all her hair was gone. The whole -establishment was in dismay, no one knowing what to make of such an -occurrence. But the letter above-mentioned contained that hair, -accompanied by the following words:--"Ever since you first entered -into public life your career has been one of peculation and avarice. -The six hundred thousand ounces of silver are safely stored in my -treasury. Make good this sum from your own accumulated extortions. The -officer you charged with the treasure is innocent; he must not be -wrongly punished. On a former occasion I took your wife's hair as a -gentle warning. If now you disobey my injunctions, it will not be long -before I have your head. Herewith I return the hair as an evidence of -what I say." When the Governor was dead, his family divulged the -contents of the letter; and some of his subordinates sent men to -search for the city, but they only found range upon range of -inaccessible mountains, with nothing like a road or path. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[219] Which ended some sixteen hundred years ago. - -[220] Corresponding with our five "senses," the heart taking the place -of the brain, and being regarded by Chinese doctors as the seat not -only of intelligence and the passions, but also of all sensation. - - - - -XXXVII. - -ENGAGED TO A NUN. - - -At I-ling, in Hupei, there lived a young man named Chen Yue, the son of -a graduate. He was a good scholar and a handsome fellow, and had made -a reputation for himself even before he arrived at manhood. When quite -a boy, a physiognomist had predicted that he would marry a Taoist nun; -but his parents regarded it only as a joke, and made several attempts -to get him a different kind of wife. Their efforts, however, had not -hitherto proved successful, the difficulty being to find a suitable -match. - -Now his maternal grandmother lived at Huang-kang; and on one occasion, -when young Chen was paying her a visit, he heard some one say that of -the four Yuens at Huang-chou the youngest had no peer. This remark -referred to some very nice-looking nuns who lived in a temple[221] a -few miles from his grandmother's house; and accordingly Chen secretly -set off to see them, and, knocking at the door, was very cordially -received by the four ladies, who were persons of considerable -refinement. The youngest was a girl of incomparable beauty, and Chen -could not keep his eyes off her, until at last she put her hand up to -her face and looked the other way. Her companions now going out of the -room to get tea for their visitor, Chen availed himself of the -opportunity to ask the young lady's name; to which she replied that -she was called Yuen-ch'i, and that her surname was Ch'en. "How -extraordinary!" cried Chen; "and mine is P'an."[222] This made her -blush very much, and she bent her head down and made no answer; -by-and-by rising up and going away. The tea then came in, accompanied -by some nice fruit, and the nuns began telling him their names. One -was Pai Yuen-shen, and thirty odd years of age; another was Sheng -Yuen-mien, just twenty; and the third was Liang Yuen-tung, twenty-four -or five years old, but the junior in point of religious standing.[223] -Yuen-ch'i did not re-appear, and at length Chen grew anxious to see her -again, and asked where she was. Miss Pai told him her sister was -afraid of strangers, and Chen then got up and took his leave in spite -of their efforts to detain him. "If you want to see Yuen-ch'i you had -better come again to-morrow," said Miss Pai; and Chen, who went home -thinking of nothing but Yuen-ch'i, did return to the temple on the -following day. All the nuns were there except Yuen-ch'i, but he hardly -liked to begin by inquiring after her; and then they pressed him to -stay and take dinner with them, accepting no excuses, Miss Pai herself -setting food and chop-sticks before him, and urging him to eat. When -he asked where Yuen-ch'i was, they said she would come directly; but -evening gradually drew on and Chen rose to go home. Thereupon they all -entreated him to stay, promising that if he did so they would make -Yuen-ch'i come in. Chen then agreed to remain; the lamps were lighted, -and wine was freely served round, until at last he said he was so -tipsy he couldn't take any more. "Three bumpers more," cried Miss Pai, -"and then we will send for Yuen-ch'i." So Chen drank off his three -cups, whereupon Miss Liang said he must also drink three with her, -which he did, turning his wine-cup down on the table[224] and -declaring that he would have no more. "The gentleman won't condescend -to drink with us," said Miss Pai to Miss Liang, "so you had better -call in Yuen-ch'i, and tell the fair Eloisa that her Abelard is -awaiting her." In a few moments Miss Liang came back and told Chen -that Yuen-ch'i would not appear; upon which he went off in a huff, -without saying a word to either of them, and for several days did not -go near the place again. He could not, however, forget Yuen-ch'i, and -was always hanging about on the watch, until one afternoon he observed -Miss Pai go out, at which he was delighted, for he wasn't much afraid -of Miss Liang, and at once ran up to the temple and knocked at the -door. Yuen-mien answered his knock, and from her he discovered that -Miss Liang had also gone out on business. He then asked for Yuen-ch'i, -and Yuen-mien led him into another court-yard, where she called out, -"Yuen-ch'i! here's a visitor." At this the door of the room was -immediately slammed, and Yuen-mien laughed and told Chen she had locked -herself in. Chen was on the point of saying something, when Yuen-mien -moved away, and a voice was heard from the other side of the window, -"They all declare I'm setting my cap at you, Sir; and if you come here -again, I cannot answer for my safety. I do not wish to remain a nun, -and if I could only meet with a gentleman like you, Mr. P'an, I would -be a handmaid to him all the days of my life." Chen offered his hand -and heart to the young lady on the spot; but she reminded him that her -education for the priesthood had not been accomplished without -expense, "and if you truly love me," added she, "bring twenty ounces -of silver wherewith to purchase my freedom. I will wait for you three -years with the utmost fidelity." Chen assented to this, and was about -to tell her who he really was, when Yuen-mien returned and they all -went out together, Chen now bidding them farewell and going back to -his grandmother's. After this he always had Yuen-ch'i in his thoughts, -and wanted very much to get another interview with her and be near -her once again, but at this juncture he heard that his father was -dangerously ill, and promptly set off on his way home, travelling day -and night. His father died, and his mother who then ruled the -household was such a severe person that he dared not tell her what was -nearest to his heart. Meanwhile he scraped together all the money he -could; and refused all proposals of marriage on the score of being in -mourning for his father.[225] His mother, however, insisted on his -taking a wife; and he then told her that when he was with his -grandmother at Huang-kang, an arrangement had been made that he was to -marry a Miss Ch'en, to which he himself was quite ready to accede; and -that now, although his father's death had stopped all communications -on the subject, he could hardly do better than pay a visit to his -grandmother and see how matters stood, promising that if the affair -was not actually settled he would obey his mother's commands. His -mother consented to this, and off he started with the money he had -saved; but when he reached Huang-kang and went off to the temple, he -found the place desolate and no longer what it had been. Entering in, -he saw only one old priestess employed in cooking her food; and on -making inquiries of her, she told him that the Abbess had died in the -previous year, and that the four nuns had gone away in different -directions. According to her, Yuen-ch'i was living in the northern -quarter of the city, and thither he proceeded forthwith; but after -asking for her at all the temples in the neighbourhood, he could get -no news of her, and returned sorrowfully home, pretending to his -mother that his uncle had said Mr. Ch'en had gone away, and that as -soon as he came back they would send a servant to let him know. - -Some months after these events, Chen's mother went on a visit to her -own home, and mentioned this story in conversation with her old -mother, who, to her astonishment, knew nothing at all about it, but -suggested that Chen and his uncle must have concocted the thing -together. Luckily, however, for Chen his uncle was away at that time, -and they had no means of getting at the real truth. Meanwhile, Chen's -mother went away to the Lily Hill to fulfil a vow she had made, and -remained all night at an inn at the foot of the hill. That evening the -landlord knocked at her door and ushered in a young priestess to share -the room. The girl said her name was Yuen-ch'i; and when she heard that -Chen's mother lived at I-ling, she went and sat by her side, and -poured out to her a long tale of tribulation, finishing up by saying -that she had a cousin named P'an, at I-ling, and begging Chen's mother -to send some one to tell him where she would be found. "Every day I -suffer," added she, "and each day seems like a year. Tell him to come -quickly, or I may be gone." Chen's mother inquired what his other name -might be, but she said she did not know; to which the old lady replied -that it was of no consequence, as, being a graduate, it would be easy -to find him out. Early in the morning Chen's mother bade the girl -farewell, the latter again begging her not to forget; and when she -reached home she told Chen what had occurred. Chen threw himself on -his knees, and told his mother that he was the P'an to whom the young -lady alluded; and after hearing how the engagement had come about, his -mother was exceedingly angry, and said, "Undutiful boy! how will you -face your relations with a nun for a wife?" Chen hung his head and -made no reply; but shortly afterwards when he went up for his -examination, he presented himself at the address given by -Yuen-ch'i--only, however, to find that the young lady had gone away a -fortnight before. He then returned home and fell into a bad state of -health, when his grandmother died and his mother set off to assist at -her funeral. On her way back she missed the right road and reached the -house of some people named Ching, who turned out to be cousins of -hers. They invited her in, and there she saw a young girl of about -eighteen sitting in the parlour, and as great a beauty as she had ever -set eyes on. Now, as she was always thinking of making a good match -for her son, and curing him of his settled melancholy, she asked who -the young lady might be; and they told her that her name was -Wang,--that she was a connection of their own, and that her father and -mother being dead, she was staying temporarily with them. Chen's -mother inquired the name of Miss Wang's betrothed, but they said she -was not engaged; and then taking her hand, she entered into -conversation, and was very much charmed with her. Passing the night -there, Chen's mother took her cousin into her confidence, and the -latter agreed that it would be a capital match; "but," added she, -"this young lady is somewhat ambitious, or she would hardly have -remained single so long. We must think about it." Meanwhile, Chen's -mother and Miss Wang got on so extremely well together that they were -already on the terms of mother and daughter; and Miss Wang was invited -to accompany her home. This invitation she readily accepted, and next -day they went back; Chen's mother, who wished to see her son free from -his present trouble, bidding one of the servants tell him that she had -brought home a nice wife for him; Chen did not believe this; but on -peeping through the window beheld a young lady much prettier even than -Yuen-ch'i herself. He now began to reflect that the three years agreed -upon had already expired; that Yuen-ch'i had gone no one knew whither, -and had probably by this time found another husband; so he had no -difficulty in entertaining the thought of marrying this young lady, -and soon regained his health. His mother then caused the young people -to meet, and be introduced to one another; saying to Miss Wang, when -her son had left the room, "Did you guess why I invited you to come -home with me?" "I did," replied the young lady, "but I don't think you -guessed what was _my_ object in coming. Some years ago I was betrothed -to a Mr. P'an, of I-ling. I have heard nothing of him for a long time. -If he has found another wife I will be your daughter-in-law; if not, I -will ever regard you as my own mother, and endeavour to repay you for -your kindness to me." "As there is an actual engagement," replied -Chen's mother, "I will say no more; but when I was at the Lily Hill -there was a Taoist nun inquiring after this Mr. P'an, and now you -again, though, as a matter of fact, there is no Mr. P'an in I-ling at -all." "What!" cried Miss Wang, "are you that lady I met? I am the -person who inquired for Mr. P'an." "If that is so," replied Chen's -mother with a smile, "then your Mr. P'an is not far off." "Where is -he?" said she; and then Chen's mother bade a maid-servant lead her out -to her son and ask him. "Is your name Yuen-ch'i?" said Chen, in great -astonishment; and when the young lady asked him how he knew it, he -told her the whole story of his pretending to be a Mr. P'an. But when -Yuen-ch'i found out to whom she was talking, she was abashed, and went -back and told his mother, who inquired how she came to have two names. -"My real name is Wang," replied the young lady; "but the old Abbess, -being very fond of me, made me take her own name." Chen's mother was -overjoyed at all this, and an auspicious day was immediately fixed for -the celebration of their marriage. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[221] These nunneries, of which there are plenty in China, are well -worth visiting, and may be freely entered by both sexes. Sometimes -there are as many as a hundred nuns living together in one temple, and -to all appearances devoting their lives to religious exercises; -report, however, tells many tales of broken vows, and makes sad havoc -generally with the reputation of these fair vestals. - -[222] In corresponding English, this would be:--The young lady said -her name was Eloisa. "How funny!" cried Chen, "and mine is Abelard." - -[223] That is, she was the last to take the vows. - -[224] The usual signal that a person does not wish to take any more -wine. - -[225] This would carry him well on into the third of the years during -which Yuen-ch'i had promised to wait for him. - - - - -XXXVIII. - -THE YOUNG LADY OF THE TUNG-T'ING LAKE. - - -The spirits of the Tung-t'ing lake[226] are very much in the habit of -borrowing boats. Sometimes the cable of an empty junk will cast itself -off, and away goes the vessel over the waves to the sound of music in -the air above. The boatmen crouch down in one corner and hide their -faces, not daring to look up until the trip is over and they are once -more at their old anchorage. - -Now a certain Mr. Lin, returning home after having failed at the -examination for Master's degree, was lying down very tipsy on the deck -of his boat, when suddenly strains of music and singing began to be -heard. The boatmen shook Mr. Lin, but failing to rouse him, ran down -and hid themselves in the hold below. Then some one came and lifted -him up, letting him drop again on to the deck, where he was allowed to -remain in the same drunken sleep as before. By-and-by the noise of -the various instruments became almost deafening, and Lin, partially -waking up, smelt a delicious odour of perfumes filling the air around -him. Opening his eyes, he saw that the boat was crowded with a number -of beautiful girls; and knowing that something strange was going on, -he pretended to be fast asleep. There was then a call for Chih-ch'eng, -upon which a young waiting-maid came forward and stood quite close to -Mr. Lin's head. Her stockings were the colour of the kingfisher's -wing, and her feet encased in tiny purple shoes, no bigger than one's -finger. Much smitten with this young lady, he took hold of her -stocking with his teeth, causing her, the next time she moved, to fall -forward flat on her face. Some one, evidently in authority, asked what -was the matter; and when he heard the explanation, was very angry, and -gave orders to take off Mr. Lin's head. Soldiers now came and bound -Lin, and on getting up he beheld a man sitting with his face to the -south, and dressed in the garments of a king. "Sire," cried Lin, as he -was being led away, "the king of the Tung-t'ing lake was a mortal -named Lin; your servant's name is Lin also. His Majesty was a -disappointed candidate; your servant is one too. His Majesty met the -Dragon Lady, and was made immortal; your servant has played a trick -upon this girl, and he is to die. Why this inequality of fortunes?" -When the king heard this, he bade them bring him back, and asked him, -saying, "Are you, then, a disappointed candidate?" Lin said he was; -whereupon the king handed him writing materials, and ordered him to -compose an ode upon a lady's head-dress. Some time passed before Lin, -who was a scholar of some repute in his own neighbourhood, had done -more than sit thinking about what he should write; and at length the -king upbraided him, saying, "Come, come, a man of your reputation -should not take so long." "Sire," replied Lin, laying down his pen, -"it took ten years to complete the Songs of the Three Kingdoms; -whereby it may be known that the value of compositions depends more -upon the labour given to them than the speed with which they are -written." The king laughed and waited patiently from early morning -till noon, when a copy of the verses was put into his hand, with which -he declared himself very pleased. He now commanded that Lin should be -served with wine; and shortly after there followed a collation of all -kinds of curious dishes, in the middle of which an officer came in and -reported that the register of people to be drowned had been made up. -"How many in all?" asked the king. "Two hundred and twenty-eight," was -the reply; and then the king inquired who had been deputed to carry it -out; whereupon he was informed that the generals Mao and Nan had been -appointed to do the work. Lin here rose to take leave, and the king -presented him with ten ounces of pure gold and a crystal square,[227] -telling him that it would preserve him from any danger he might -encounter on the lake. At this moment the king's retinue and horses -ranged themselves in proper order upon the surface of the lake; and -His Majesty, stepping from the boat into his sedan-chair, disappeared -from view. - -When everything had been quiet for a long time, the boatmen emerged -from the hold, and proceeded to shape their course northwards. The -wind, however, was against them, and they were unable to make any -headway; when all of a sudden an iron cat appeared floating on the top -of the water. "General Mao has come," cried the boatmen, in great -alarm; and they and all the passengers on board fell down on their -faces. Immediately afterwards a great wooden beam stood up from the -lake, nodding itself backwards and forwards, which the boatmen, more -frightened than ever, said was General Nan. Before long a tremendous -sea was raging, the sun was darkened in the heavens, and every vessel -in sight was capsized. But Mr. Lin sat in the middle of the boat, with -the crystal square in his hand, and the mighty waves broke around -without doing them any harm. Thus were they saved, and Lin returned -home; and whenever he told his wonderful story he would assert that, -although unable to speak positively as to the facial beauty of the -young lady he had seen, he dared say that she had the most exquisite -pair of feet in the world. - -Subsequently, having occasion to visit the city of Wu-ch'ang, he heard -of an old woman who wished to sell her daughter, but was unwilling to -accept money, giving out that any one who had the fellow of a certain -crystal square in her possession should be at liberty to take the -girl. Lin thought this very strange; and taking his square with him -sought out the old woman, who was delighted to see him, and told her -daughter to come in. The young lady was about fifteen years of age, -and possessed of surpassing beauty; and after saying a few words of -greeting, she turned round and went within again. Lin's reason had -almost fled at the sight of this peerless girl, and he straightway -informed the old woman that he had such an article as she required, -but could not say whether it would match hers or not. So they compared -their squares together, and there was not a fraction of difference -between them, either in length or breadth. The old woman was -overjoyed, and inquiring where Lin lived, bade him go home and get a -bridal chair, leaving his square behind him as a pledge of his good -faith. This he refused to do; but the old woman laughed, and said, -"You are too cautious, Sir; do you think I should run away for a -square?" Lin was thus constrained to leave it behind him, and hurrying -away for a chair, made the best of his way back. When, however, he got -there, the old woman was gone. In great alarm he inquired of the -people who lived near as to her whereabouts; no one, however, knew; -and it being already late he returned disconsolately to his boat. On -the way, he met a chair coming towards him, and immediately the screen -was drawn aside, and a voice cried out, "Mr. Lin! why so late?" -Looking closely, he saw that it was the old woman, who, after asking -him if he hadn't suspected her of playing him false, told him that -just after he left she had had the offer of a chair; and knowing that -he, being only a stranger in the place, would have some trouble in -obtaining one, she had sent her daughter on to his boat. Lin then -begged she would return with him, to which she would not consent; and -accordingly, not fully trusting what she said, he hurried on himself -as fast as he could, and, jumping into the boat, found the young lady -already there. She rose to meet him with a smile, and then he was -astonished to see that her stockings were the colour of a kingfisher's -wing, her shoes purple, and her appearance generally like that of the -girl he had met on the Tung-t'ing lake. While he was still confused, -the young lady remarked, "You stare, Sir, as if you had never seen me -before!" but just then Lin noticed the tear in her stocking made by -his own teeth, and cried out in amazement, "What! are you -Chih-ch'eng?" The young lady laughed at this; whereupon Lin rose, and, -making her a profound bow, said, "If you are that divine creature, I -pray you tell me at once, and set my anxiety at rest." "Sir," replied -she, "I will tell you all. That personage you met on the boat was -actually the king of the Tung-t'ing lake. He was so pleased with your -talent that he wished to bestow me upon you; but, because I was a -great favourite with Her Majesty the Queen, he went back to consult -with her. I have now come at the Queen's own command." Lin was highly -pleased; and washing his hands, burnt incense, with his face towards -the lake, as if it were the Imperial Court, and then they went home -together. - -Subsequently, when Lin had occasion to go to Wu-ch'ang, his wife asked -to be allowed to avail herself of the opportunity to visit her -parents; and when they reached the lake, she drew a hair-pin from her -hair, and threw it into the water. Immediately a boat rose from the -lake, and Lin's wife, stepping into it, vanished from sight like a -bird on the wing. Lin remained waiting for her on the prow of his -vessel, at the spot where she had disappeared; and by-and-by, he -beheld a house-boat approach, from the window of which there flew a -beautiful bird which was no other than Chih-ch'eng. Then some one -handed out from the same window gold and silk, and precious things in -great abundance, all presents to them from the Queen. After this, -Chih-ch'eng went home regularly twice every year, and Lin soon became -a very rich man, the things he had being such as no one had ever -before seen or heard of. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[226] The celebrated lake in Hu-nan, round which has gathered so much -of the folk-lore of China. - -[227] The instrument used by masons is here meant. - - - - -XXXIX. - -THE MAN WHO WAS CHANGED INTO A CROW. - - -Mr. Yue Jung was a Hu-nan man. The person who told me his story did not -recollect from what department or district he came. His family was -very poor; and once, when returning home after failure at the -examination, he ran quite out of funds. Being ashamed to beg, and -feeling uncomfortably hungry, he turned to rest awhile in the Wu -Wang[228] temple, where he poured out all his sorrows at the feet of -the God. His prayers over, he was about to lie down in the outer -porch, when suddenly a man took him and led him into the presence of -Wu Wang; and then, falling on his knees, said, "Your Majesty, there is -a vacancy among the black-robes; the appointment might be bestowed on -this man." The King assented, and Yue received a suit of black clothes; -and when he had put these on he was changed into a crow, and flew -away. Outside he saw a number of fellow-crows collected together, and -immediately joined them, settling with them on the masts of the boats, -and imitating them in catching and eating the meat or cakes which the -passengers and boatmen on board threw up to them in the air.[229] In a -little while he was no longer hungry, and, soaring aloft, alighted on -the top of a tree quite satisfied with his change of condition. Two or -three days passed, and the King, now pitying his solitary state, -provided him with a very elegant mate, whose name was Chu-ch'ing, and -who took every opportunity of warning him when he exposed himself too -much in search of food. However, he did not pay much attention to -this, and one day a soldier shot him in the breast with a cross-bow; -but luckily Chu-ch'ing got away with him in her beak, and he was not -captured. This enraged the other crows very much, and with their wings -they flapped the water into such big waves that all the boats were -upset. Chu-ch'ing now procured food and fed her husband; but his wound -was a severe one, and by the end of the day he was dead--at which -moment he waked, as it were, from a dream, and found himself lying in -the temple. - -The people of the place had found Mr. Yue to all appearance dead; and -not knowing how he had come by his death, and finding that his body -was not quite cold, had set some one to watch him. They now learnt -what had happened to him, and making up a purse between them, sent him -away home. Three years afterwards he was passing by the same spot, -and went in to worship at the temple; also preparing a quantity of -food, and inviting the crows to come down and eat it. He then prayed, -saying, "If Chu-ch'ing is among you, let her remain." When the crows -had eaten the food they all flew away; and by-and-by Yue returned, -having succeeded in obtaining his master's degree. Again he visited Wu -Wang's temple, and sacrificed a calf as a feast for the crows; and -again he prayed as on the previous occasion. That night he slept on -the lake, and, just as the candles were lighted and he had sat down, -suddenly there was a noise as of birds settling, and lo! some twenty -beautiful young ladies stood before him. "Have you been quite well -since we parted?" asked one of them; to which Yue replied that he -should like to know whom he had the honour of addressing. "Don't you -remember Chu-ch'ing?" said the young lady; and then Yue was overjoyed, -and inquired how she had come. "I am now," replied Chu-ch'ing, "a -spirit of the Han river, and seldom go back to my old home; but in -consequence of what you did on two occasions, I have come to see you -once more." They then sat talking together like husband and wife -reunited after long absence, and Yue proposed that she should return -with him on his way south. Chu-ch'ing, however, said she must go west -again, and upon this point they could not come to any agreement. Next -morning, when Yue waked up, he found himself in a lofty room with two -large candles burning brightly, and no longer in his own boat. In -utter amazement he arose and asked where he was. "At Han-yang," -replied Chu-ch'ing; "my home is your home; why need you go south?" -By-and-by, when it got lighter, in came a number of serving-women with -wine, which they placed on a low table on the top of a broad couch; -and then husband and wife sat down to drink together. "Where are all -my servants?" asked Yue; and when he heard they were still on the boat, -he said he was afraid the boat people would not be able to wait. -"Never mind," replied Chu-ch'ing; "I have plenty of money, and I'll -help you to make it up to them." Yue therefore remained with her, -feasting and enjoying himself, and forgetting all about going home. As -for the boatmen, when they waked up and found themselves at Han-yang, -they were greatly astonished; and, seeing that the servants could find -no trace of their missing master, they wished to go about their own -business. They were unable, however, to undo the cable, and so they -all remained there together for more than a couple of months, by the -end of which time Mr. Yue became anxious to return home, and said to -Chu-ch'ing, "If I stay here, my family connections will be completely -severed. Besides, as we are husband and wife, it is only right that -you should pay a visit to my home." "That," replied Chu-ch'ing, "I -cannot do; and even were I able to go, you have a wife there already, -and where would you put me? It is better for me to stop where I am, -and thus you will have a second family." Yue said she would be so far -off that he could not always be dropping in; whereupon Chu-ch'ing -produced a black suit, and replied, "Here are your old clothes. -Whenever you want to see me, put these on and come, and on your -arrival I will take them off for you." She then prepared a parting -feast for her husband, at which he got very tipsy; and when he waked -up he was on board his boat again, and at his old anchorage on the -lake. The boatmen and his servants were all there, and they looked at -one another in mutual amazement; and when they asked Yue where he had -been, he hardly knew what to say. By the side of his pillow he -discovered a bundle in which were some new clothes Chu-ch'ing had -given him, shoes, stockings, &c.; and folded up with them was the suit -of black. In addition to these he found an embroidered belt for tying -round the waist, which was stuffed full of gold. He now started on his -way south, and, when he reached the end of his journey, dismissed the -boatmen with a handsome present. - -After being at home for some months, his thoughts reverted to -Han-yang; and, taking out the black clothes, he put them on, when -wings immediately grew from his ribs, and with a flap he was gone. In -about four hours he arrived at Han-yang, and, wheeling round and round -in the air, espied below him a solitary islet, on which stood a house, -and there he proceeded to alight. A maid-servant had already seen him -coming, and cried out, "Here's master!" and in a few moments out came -Chu-ch'ing, and bade the attendants take off Mr. Yue's feathers. They -were not long in setting him free, and then, hand in hand, he and -Chu-ch'ing went into the house together. "You have come at a happy -moment," said his wife, as they sat down to tell each other all the -news; and in three days' time she gave birth to a boy, whom they -called Han-ch'an, which means "born on the Han river." Three days -after the event all the river-nymphs came to congratulate them, and -brought many handsome presents. They were a charming band, not one -being over thirty years of age; and, going into the bedroom and -approaching the bed, each one pressed her thumb on the baby's nose, -saying, "Long life to thee, little one!" Yue asked who they all were, -and Chu-ch'ing told him they belonged to the same family of spirits as -herself; "And the two last of all," said she, "dressed in white like -the lily, are the nymphs who gave away their girdles at Hankow."[230] - -A few months passed away, and then Chu-ch'ing sent her husband back in -a boat to his old home. No sails or oars were used, but the boat sped -along of itself; and at the end of the river journey there were men -waiting with horses to convey him to his own door. After this he went -backwards and forwards very frequently; and in time Han-ch'an grew up -to be a fine boy, the apple of his father's eye. Unhappily his first -wife had no children, and she was extremely anxious to see Han-ch'an; -so Yue communicated this to Chu-ch'ing, who at once packed up a box and -sent him back with his father, on the understanding that he was to -return in three months. However, the other wife became quite as fond -of him as if he had been her own child, and ten months passed without -her being able to bear the thought of parting with him. But one day -Han-ch'an was taken violently ill, and died; upon which Yue's wife was -overwhelmed with grief, and wished to die too. Yue then set off for -Han-yang, to carry the tidings to Chu-ch'ing; and when he arrived, lo! -there was Han-ch'an, with his shoes and socks off, lying on the bed. -He was greatly rejoiced at this, and asked Chu-ch'ing what it all -meant. "Why," replied she, "the term agreed upon by us had long -expired, and, as I wanted my boy, I sent for him." Yue then told her -how much his other wife loved Han-ch'an, but Chu-ch'ing said she must -wait until there was another child, and then she should have him. -Later on Chu-ch'ing had twins, a boy and a girl, the former named -Han-sheng and the latter Yue-p'ei; whereupon Han-ch'an went back again -with his father, who, finding it inconvenient to be travelling -backwards and forwards three or four times in a year, removed with his -family to the city of Han-yang. At twelve years of age Han-ch'an took -his bachelor's degree; and his mother, thinking there was no girl -among mortals good enough for her son, sent for him to come home, that -she herself might find a wife for him, which she did in the person of -a Miss Chih-niang, who was the daughter of a spirit like herself. Yue's -first wife then died, and the three children all went to mourn her -loss, Han-ch'an remaining in Hu-nan after the funeral, but the other -two returning with their father, and not leaving their mother again. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[228] The guardian angel of crows. - -[229] In order to secure a favourable passage. The custom here -mentioned was actually practised at more than one temple on the river -Yang-tsze, and allusions to it will be found in more than one serious -work. - -[230] Alluding to a legend of a young man meeting two young ladies at -Hankow, each of whom wore a girdle adorned with a pearl as big as a -hen's egg. The young man begged them to give him these girdles, and -they did so; but the next moment they had vanished, and the girdles -too. - - - - -XL. - -THE FLOWER NYMPHS. - - -At the lower temple on Mount Lao the camellias[231] are twenty feet in -height, and many spans in circumference. The peonies are more than ten -feet high; and when the flowers are in bloom the effect is that of -gorgeous tapestry. - -There was a Mr. Huang, of Chiao-chow, who built himself a house at -that spot, for the purposes of study; and one day he saw from his -window a young lady dressed in white wandering about amongst the -flowers. Reflecting that she could not possibly belong to the -monastery,[232] he went out to meet her, but she had already -disappeared. After this he frequently observed her, and once hid -himself in a thick-foliaged bush, waiting for her to come. By-and-by -she appeared, bringing with her another young lady dressed in red, -who, as he noticed from his distant point of observation, was an -exceedingly good-looking girl. When they approached nearer, the young -lady in the red dress ran back, saying, "There is a man here!" -whereupon Mr. Huang jumped out upon them, and away they went in a -scare, with their skirts and long sleeves fluttering in the breeze, -and perfuming the air around. Huang pursued them as far as a low wall, -where they suddenly vanished from his gaze. In great distress at thus -losing the fair creatures, he took a pencil and wrote upon a tree the -following lines:-- - - "The pangs of love my heart enthrall - As I stand opposite this wall. - I dread some hateful tyrant's power, - With none to save you in that hour." - -Returning home he was absorbed in his own thoughts, when all at once -the young lady walked in, and he rose up joyfully to meet her. "I -thought you were a brigand," said his visitor, smiling; "you nearly -frightened me to death. I did not know you were a great scholar whose -acquaintance I now hope to have the honour of making." Mr. Huang asked -the young lady her name, &c., to which she replied, "My name is -Hsiang-yue, and I belong to P'ing-k'ang-hsiang; but a magician has -condemned me to remain on this hill much against my own inclination." -"Tell me his name," cried Huang, "and I'll soon set you free." "There -is no need for that," answered the young lady; "I suffer no injury -from him, and the place is not an inconvenient one for making the -acquaintance of such worthy gentlemen as yourself." Huang then -inquired who was the young lady in red, and she told him that her name -was Chiang-hsueeh, and that they were half-sisters; "and now," added -she, "I will sing you a song; but please don't laugh at me." She then -began as follows:-- - - "In pleasant company the hours fly fast, - And through the window daybreak peeps at last. - Ah, would that, like the swallow and his mate, - To live together were our happy fate." - -Huang here grasped her hand[233] and said, "Beauty without and -intellect within--enough to make a man love you and forget all about -death, regarding one day's absence like the separation of a thousand -years. I pray you come again whenever an opportunity may present -itself." From this time the young lady would frequently walk in to -have a chat, but would never bring her sister with her in spite of all -Mr. Huang's entreaties. Huang thought they weren't friends, but Hsiang -said her sister did not care for society in the same way that she -herself did, promising at the same time to try and persuade her to -come at some future day. One evening Hsiang-yue arrived in a melancholy -frame of mind, and told Huang that he was wanting more when he -couldn't even keep what he had got; "for to-morrow," said she, "we -part." Huang asked what she meant; and then wiping away her tears with -her sleeve, Hsiang-yue declared it was destiny, and that she couldn't -well tell him. "Your former prophecy," continued she, "has come too -true; and now it may well be said of me-- - - 'Fallen into the tyrant's power, - With none to save me in that hour.'" - -Huang again tried to question her, but she would tell him nothing; and -by-and-by she rose and took her leave. This seemed very strange; -however, next day a visitor came, who, after wandering round the -garden, was much taken with a white peony,[234] which he dug up and -carried away with him. Huang now awaked to the fact that Hsiang-yue was -a flower nymph, and became very disconsolate in consequence of what -had happened; but when he subsequently heard that the peony only -lived a few days after being taken away, he wept bitterly, and -composed an elegy in fifty stanzas, besides going daily to the hole -from which it had been taken, and watering the ground with his tears. -One day, as he was returning thence, he espied the young lady of the -red clothes also wiping away her tears alongside the hole, and -immediately walked back gently towards her. She did not run away, and -Huang, grasping her sleeve, joined with her in her lamentations. When -these were concluded he invited her to his house, and then she burst -out with a sigh, saying, "Alas! that the sister of my early years -should be thus suddenly taken from me. Hearing you, Sir, mourn as you -did, I have also been moved to tears. Those you shed have sunk down -deep to the realms below, and may perhaps succeed in restoring her to -us; but the sympathies of the dead are destroyed for ever, and how -then can she laugh and talk with us again?" "My luck is bad," said -Huang, "that I should injure those I love, neither can I have the good -fortune to draw towards me another such a beauty. But tell me, when I -often sent messages by Hsiang-yue to you, why did you not come?" "I -knew," replied she, "what nine young fellows out of ten are; but I did -not know what you were." She then took leave, Huang telling her how -dull he felt without Hsiang-yue, and begging her to come again. For -some days she did not appear; and Huang remained in a state of great -melancholy, tossing and turning on his bed and wetting the pillow with -his tears, until one night he got up, put on his clothes, and trimmed -the lamp; and having called for pen and ink, he composed the -following lines:-- - - "On my cottage roof the evening raindrops beat; - I draw the blind and near the window take my seat. - To my longing gaze no loved one appears; - Drip, drip, drip, drip: fast flow my tears." - -This he read aloud; and when he had finished, a voice outside said, -"You want some one to cap your verses there!" Listening attentively, -he knew it was Chiang-hsueeh; and opening the door he let her in. She -looked at his stanza, and added impromptu-- - - "She is no longer in the room; - A single lamp relieves the gloom; - One solitary man is there; - He and his shadow make a pair." - -As Huang read these words his tears fell fast; and then, turning to -Chiang-hsueeh, he upbraided her for not having been to see him. "I -can't come so often as Hsiang-yue did," replied she, "but only now and -then when you are very dull." After this she used to drop in -occasionally, and Huang said Hsiang-yue was his beloved wife, and she -his dear friend, always trying to find out every time she came which -flower in the garden she was, that he might bring her home with him, -and save her from the fate of Hsiang-yue. "The old earth should not be -disturbed," said she, "and it would not do any good to tell you. If -you couldn't keep your wife always with you, how will you be sure of -keeping a friend?" Huang, however, paid no heed to this, and seizing -her arm, led her out into the garden, where he stopped at every peony -and asked if this was the one; to which Chiang-hsueeh made no reply, -but only put her hand to her mouth and laughed. - -At New Year's time Huang went home, and a couple of months afterwards -he dreamt that Chiang-hsueeh came to tell him she was in great trouble, -begging him to hurry off as soon as possible to her rescue. When he -woke up, he thought his dream a very strange one; and ordering his -servant and horses to be ready, started at once for the hills. There -he found that the priests were about to build a new room; and finding -a camellia in the way, the contractor had given orders that it should -be cut down. Huang now understood his dream, and immediately took -steps to prevent the destruction of the flower. That night -Chiang-hsueeh came to thank him, and Huang laughed and said, "It serves -you right for not telling me which you were. Now I know you, and if -you don't come and see me, I'll get a firebrand and make it hot for -you." "That's just why I didn't tell you before," replied she. "The -presence of my dear friend," said Huang, after a pause, "makes me -think more of my lost wife. It is long since I have mourned for her. -Shall we go and bemoan her loss together?" So they went off and shed -many a tear on the spot where formerly Hsiang-yue had stood, until at -last Chiang-hsueeh wiped her eyes and said it was time to go. A few -evenings later Huang was sitting alone when suddenly Chiang-hsueeh -entered, her face radiant with smiles. "Good news!" cried she, "the -Flower-God,[235] moved by your tears, has granted Hsiang-yue a return -to life." Huang was overjoyed, and asked when she would come; to which -Chiang-hsueeh replied, that she could not say for certain, but that it -would not be long. "I came here on your account," said Huang; "don't -let me be duller than you can help." "All right," answered she, and -then went away, not returning for the next two evenings. Huang then -went into the garden and threw his arms around her plant, entreating -her to come and see him, though without eliciting any response. He -accordingly went back, and began twisting up a torch, when all at once -in she came, and snatching the torch out of his hand, threw it away, -saying, "You're a bad fellow, and I don't like you, and I shan't have -any more to do with you." However, Huang soon succeeded in pacifying -her, and by-and-by in walked Hsiang-yue herself. Huang now wept tears -of joy as he seized her hand, and drawing Chiang-hsueeh towards them, -the three friends mingled their tears together. They then sat down and -talked over the miseries of separation, Huang meanwhile noticing that -Hsiang-yue seemed to be unsubstantial, and that when he grasped her -hand his fingers seemed to close only on themselves, and not as in -the days gone by. This Hsiang-yue explained, saying, "When I was a -flower-nymph I had a body; but now I am only the disembodied spirit of -that flower. Do not regard me as a reality, but rather as an -apparition seen in a dream." "You have come at the nick of time," -cried Chiang-hsueeh; "your husband there was just getting troublesome." -Hsiang-yue now instructed Huang to take a little powdered white-berry, -and mixing it with some sulphur, to pour out a libation to her, -adding, "This day next year I will return your kindness." The young -ladies then went away, and next day Huang observed the shoots of a -young peony growing up where Hsiang-yue had once stood. So he made the -libation as she had told him, and had the plant very carefully tended, -even building a fence all round to protect it. Hsiang-yue came to thank -him for this, and he proposed that the plant should be removed to his -own home; but to this she would not agree, "for," said she, "I am not -very strong, and could not stand being transplanted. Besides, all -things have their appointed place; and as I was not originally -intended for your home, it might shorten my life to be sent there. We -can love each other very well here." Huang then asked why Chiang-hsueeh -did not come; to which Hsiang-yue replied that they must make her, and -proceeded with him into the garden, where, after picking a blade of -grass, she measured upwards from the roots of Chiang-hsueeh's plant to -a distance of four feet six inches, at which point she stopped, and -Huang began to scratch a mark on the place with his nails. At that -moment Chiang-hsueeh came from behind the plant, and in mock anger -cried out, "You hussy you! what do you aid that wretch for?" "Don't be -angry, my dear," said Hsiang-yue; "help me to amuse him for a year -only, and then you shan't be bothered any more." So they went on, -Huang watching the plant thrive, until by the spring it was over two -feet in height. He then went home, giving the priests a handsome -present, and bidding them take great care of it. Next year, in the -fourth moon, he returned and found upon the plant a bud just ready to -break; and as he was walking round, the stem shook violently as if it -would snap, and suddenly the bud opened into a flower as large as a -plate, disclosing a beautiful maiden within, sitting upon one of the -pistils, and only a few inches in height. In the twinkling of an eye -she had jumped out, and lo! it was Hsiang-yue. "Through the wind and -the rain I have waited for you," cried she; "why have you come so -late?" They then went into the house, where they found Chiang-hsueeh -already arrived, and sat down to enjoy themselves as they had done in -former times. Shortly afterwards Huang's wife died, and he took up his -abode at Mount Lao for good and all. The peonies were at that time as -large round as one's arm; and whenever Huang went to look at them, he -always said, "Some day my spirit will be there by your side;" to which -the two girls used to reply with a laugh, and say, "Mind you don't -forget." Ten years after these events, Huang became dangerously ill, -and his son, who had come to see him, was very much distressed about -him. "I am about to be born," cried his father; "I am not going to -die. Why do you weep?" He also told the priests that if later on they -should see a red shoot, with five leaves, thrusting itself forth -alongside of the peony, that would be himself. This was all he said, -and his son proceeded to convey him home, where he died immediately on -arrival. Next year a shoot did come up exactly as he had mentioned; -and the priests, struck by the coincidence, watered it and supplied it -with earth. In three years it was a tall plant, and a good span in -circumference, but without flowers. When the old priest died, the -others took no care of it; and as it did not flower they cut it down. -The white peony then faded and died; and before long the camellia was -dead too. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[231] The text has _nai-tung_ ("endure the winter"), for the -identification of which I am indebted to Mr. L. C. Hopkins, of H.M.'s -Consular service. - -[232] Women, of course, being excluded. - -[233] Although the Chinese do not "shake hands" in our sense of the -term, it is a sign of affection to seize the hand of a parting or -returning friend. "The Book of Rites," however, lays down the rule -that persons of opposite sexes should not, in passing things from one -to the other, _let their hands touch_; and the question was gravely -put to Mencius (Book IV.) as to whether a man might even pull his -drowning sister-in-law out of the water. Mencius replied that it was -indeed a general principle that a man should avoid touching a woman's -hand, but that he who could not make an exception in such a case would -be no better than a wolf. Neither, according to the Chinese rule, -should men and women hang their clothes on the same rack, which -reminds one of the French prude who would not allow male and female -authors to be ranged upon the same bookshelf. - -[234] The _Paeonia albiflora_. - -[235] The various subdivisions of the animal and vegetable kingdoms -are each believed by the Chinese to be under the sway of a ruler -holding his commission from and responsible to the one Supreme Power -or God, fully in accordance with the general scheme of supernatural -Government accepted in other and less civilized communities. - - - - -XLI. - -TA-NAN IN SEARCH OF HIS FATHER. - - -Hsi Ch'eng-lieh was a Ch'eng-tu man. He had a wife and a concubine, -the latter named Ho Chao-jung. His wife dying, he took a second by -name Shen, who bullied the concubine dreadfully, and by her constant -wrangling made his life perfectly unbearable, so that one day in a fit -of anger he ran away and left them. Shortly afterwards Ho gave birth -to a son, and called him Ta-nan; but as Hsi did not return, the wife -Shen turned them out of the house, making them a daily allowance of -food. By degrees Ta-nan became a big boy; and his mother, not daring -to ask for an increase of victuals, was obliged to earn a little money -by spinning. Meanwhile, Ta-nan, seeing all his companions go to school -and learn to read, told his mother he should like to go too; and -accordingly, as he was still very young, she sent him for a few days' -probation. He turned out to be so clever that he soon beat the other -boys; at which the master of the school was much pleased, and offered -to teach him for nothing.[236] His mother, therefore, sent him -regularly, making what trifling presents she could to the master; and -by the end of two or three years he had a first-rate knowledge of the -Sacred Books.[237] One day he came home and asked his mother, saying, -"All the fellows at our school get money from their fathers to buy -cakes. Why don't I?" "Wait till you are grown up," replied his -mother, "and I will explain it to you." "Why, mother," cried he, "I'm -only seven or eight years old. What a time it will be before I'm grown -up." "Whenever you pass the temple of the God of War on your way to -school," said his mother, "you should go in and pray awhile; that -would make you grow faster." Ta-nan believed she was serious; and -every day, going and coming, he went in and worshipped at that temple. -When his mother found this out, she asked him how soon he was praying -to be grown up; to which he replied that he only prayed that by the -following year he might be as big as if he were fifteen or sixteen -years old. His mother laughed; but Ta-nan went on, increasing in -wisdom and stature alike, until by the time he was ten, he looked -quite thirteen or fourteen, and his master was no longer able to -correct his essays. Then he said to his mother, "You promised me that -when I grew up you would tell me where my father is. Tell me now." -"By-and-by, by-and-by," replied his mother; so he waited another year, -and then pressed her so eagerly to tell him that she could no longer -refuse, and related to him the whole story. He heard her recital with -tears and lamentations, and expressed a wish to go in search of his -father; but his mother objected that he was too young, and also that -no one knew where his father was. Ta-nan said nothing; however, in the -middle of the day he did not come home as usual, and his mother at -once sent off to the school, where she found he had not shewn himself -since breakfast. In great alarm, and thinking that he had been playing -truant, she paid some people to go and hunt for him everywhere, but -was unable to obtain the slightest clue to his whereabouts. As to -Ta-nan himself, when he left the house he followed the road without -knowing whither he was going, until at length he met a man who was on -his way to K'uei-chou, and said his name was Ch'ien. Ta-nan begged of -him something to eat, and went along with him; Mr. Ch'ien even -procuring an animal for him to ride because he walked too slowly. The -expenses of the journey were all defrayed by Ch'ien; and when they -arrived at K'uei-chou they dined together, Ch'ien secretly putting -some drug in Ta-nan's food which soon reduced him to a state of -unconsciousness. Ch'ien then carried him off to a temple, and, -pretending that Ta-nan was his son, offered him to the priests[238] on -the plea that he had no money to continue his journey. The priests, -seeing what a nice-looking boy he was, were only too ready to buy him; -and when Ch'ien had got his money he went away. They then gave Ta-nan -a draught which brought him round; but as soon as the abbot heard of -the affair and saw Ta-nan himself, he would not allow them to keep -him, sending him away with a purse of money in his pocket. Ta-nan next -met a gentleman named Chiang, from Lu-chou, who was returning home -after having failed at the examination; and this Mr. Chiang was so -pleased with the story of his filial piety that he took him to his own -home at Lu-chou. There he remained for a month and more, asking -everybody he saw for news of his father, until one day he was told -that there was a man named Hsi among the Fokien traders. So he bade -good-by to Mr. Chiang, and set off for Fokien, his patron providing -him with clothes and shoes, and the people of the place making up a -subscription for him. On the road he met two traders in cotton cloth -who were going to Fu-ch'ing, and he joined their party; but they had -not travelled many stages before these men found out that he had -money, and taking him to a lonely spot, bound him hand and foot and -made off with all he had. Before long a Mr. Ch'en, of Yung-fu, -happened to pass by, and at once unbound him, and giving him a seat in -one of his own vehicles, carried him off home. This Mr. Ch'en was a -wealthy man, and in his house Ta-nan had opportunities of meeting with -traders from all quarters. He therefore begged them to aid him by -making inquiries about his father, himself remaining as a fellow -student with Mr. Ch'en's sons, and roaming the country no more, -neither hearing any news of his former and now distant home. - -Meanwhile, his mother, Ho, had lived alone for three or four years, -until the wife, Shen, wishing to reduce the expenses, tried to -persuade her to find another husband. As Ho was now supporting -herself, she steadfastly refused to do this; and then Shen sold her to -a Chung-ch'ing trader, who took her away with him. However, she so -frightened this man by hacking herself about with a knife, that when -the wounds were healed he was only too happy to get rid of her to a -trader from Yen-t'ing, who in his turn, after Ho had nearly -disembowelled herself, readily listened to her repeated cries that -she wished to become a nun. However, he persuaded her to hire herself -out as housekeeper to a friend of his, as a means of reimbursing -himself for his outlay in purchasing her; but no sooner had she set -eyes on the gentleman in question than she found it was her own -husband. For Hsi had given up the career of a scholar, and gone into -business; and as he had no wife, he was consequently in want of a -housekeeper. They were very glad to see each other again; and on -relating their several adventures, Hsi knew for the first time that he -had a son who had gone forth in search of his father. Hsi then asked -all the traders and commercial travellers to keep a look out for -Ta-nan, at the same time raising Ho from the status of concubine to -that of wife. In consequence, however, of the many hardships Ho had -gone through, her health was anything but good, and she was unable to -do the work of the house; so she advised her husband to buy a -concubine. This he was most unwilling to do, remembering too well the -former squabbling he had to endure; but ultimately he yielded, asked a -friend to buy for him an oldish woman--at any rate more than thirty -years of age. A few months afterwards his friend arrived, bringing -with him a person of about that age; and on looking closely at her, -Hsi saw that she was no other than his own wife Shen! - -Now this lady had lived by herself for a year and more when her -brother Pao advised her to marry again, which she accordingly agreed -to do. She was prevented, however, by the younger branches of the -family from selling the landed property; but she disposed of -everything else, and the proceeds passed into her brother's hands. -About that time a Pao-ning trader, hearing that she had plenty of -money, bribed her brother to marry her to himself; and afterwards, -finding that she was a disagreeable woman, took possession of -everything she had, and advertised her for sale. No one caring to buy -a woman of her age, and her master being on the eve of starting for -K'uei-chou, took her with him, finally getting rid of her to Hsi, who -was in the same line of business as himself. When she stood before her -former husband, she was overwhelmed with shame and fear, and had not a -word to say; but Hsi gathered an outline of what had happened from the -trader, and then said to her, "Your second marriage with this Pao-ning -gentleman was doubtless contracted after you had given up all hope of -seeing me again. It doesn't matter in the least, as now I am not in -search of a wife but only of a concubine. So you had better begin by -paying your respects to your mistress here, my wife Ho Chao-jung." -Shen was ashamed to do this: but Hsi reminded her of the time when she -had been in the wife's place, and in spite of all Ho's intercession -insisted that she should do so, stimulating her to obedience by the -smart application of a stick. Shen was therefore compelled to yield, -but at the same time she never tried to gain Ho's favour, and kept -away from her as much as possible. Ho, on the other hand, treated her -with great consideration, and never took her to task on the -performance of her duties; whilst Hsi himself, whenever he had a -dinner-party, made her wait at table, though Ho often entreated him -to hire a maid. - -Now the magistrate at Yen-t'ing was named Ch'en Tsung-ss[)u], and once -when Hsi had some trifling difficulty with one of the neighbours he -was further accused to this official of having forced his wife to -assume the position of concubine. The magistrate, however, refused to -take up the case, to the great satisfaction of Hsi and his wife, who -lauded him to the skies as a virtuous mandarin. A few nights after, at -rather a late hour, the servant knocked at the door, and called out, -"The magistrate has come!" Hsi jumped up in a hurry, and began looking -for his clothes and shoes; but the magistrate was already in the -bedroom without either of them understanding what it all meant: when -suddenly Ho, examining him closely, cried out, "It is my son!" She -then burst into tears, and the magistrate, throwing himself on the -ground, wept with his mother. It seemed he had taken the name of the -gentleman with whom he had lived, and had since entered upon an -official career. That on his way to the capital[239] he had made a -_detour_ and visited his old home, where he heard to his infinite -sorrow that both his mothers had married again; and that his -relatives, finding him already a man of position, had restored to him -the family property, of which he had left some one in charge in the -hope that his father might return. That then he had been appointed to -Yen-t'ing, but had wished to throw up the post and travel in search -of his father, from which design he had been dissuaded by Mr. Ch'en. -Also that he had met a fortune-teller from whom he had obtained the -following response to his inquiries:--"The lesser is the greater; the -younger is the elder. Seeking the cock, you find the hen; seeking one, -you get two. Your official life will be successful." Ch'en then took -up his appointment, but not finding his father he confined himself -entirely to a vegetable diet, and gave up the use of wine.[240] The -above-mentioned case had subsequently come under his notice, and -seeing the name Hsi, he quietly sent his private servant to find out, -and thus discovered that this Hsi was his father. At night-fall he set -off himself, and when he saw his mother he knew that the -fortune-teller had told him true. Bidding them all say nothing to -anybody about what had occurred, he provided money for the journey, -and sent them back home. On arriving there, they found the place newly -painted, and with their increased retinue of servants and horses, they -were quite a wealthy family. As to Shen when she found what a great -man Ta-nan had become, she put still more restraint upon herself; but -her brother Pao brought an action for the purpose of reinstating her -as wife. The presiding official happened to be a man of probity, and -delivered the following judgment:--"Greedy of gain you urged your -sister to re-marry. After she had driven Hsi away, she took two fresh -husbands. How have you the face to talk about reinstating her as -wife?" He thereupon ordered Pao to be severely bambooed, and from this -time there was no longer any doubt about Shen's _status_. She was the -lesser and Ho the greater; and yet in the matter of clothes and food -Ho shewed herself by no means grasping. Shen was at first afraid that -Ho would pay her out, and was consequently more than ever repentant; -and Hsi himself, letting by-gones be by-gones, gave orders that Shen -should be called _madam_ by all alike, though of course she was -excluded from any titles that might be gained for them by Ta-nan.[241] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[236] This is by no means uncommon. The debt of gratitude between -pupil and teacher is second only to that existing between child and -parent; and a successful student soon has it in his power to more than -repay any such act of kindness as that here mentioned. - -[237] Which form the unvarying curriculum of a Chinese education. -These are (1) the _Four Books_, consisting of the teachings of -Confucius and Mencius; and (2) the _Five Canons_ (in the -ecclesiastical sense of the word) or the Canons of Changes, History, -Poetry, the Record of Rites, and Spring and Autumn. The _Four Books_ -consist of:-- - -(1) The Book of Wisdom, attributed by Chu Hi to Confucius. It is a -disquisition upon virtue and the moral elevation of the people. - -(2) The _Chung Yung_, or Gospel of Tz[)u] Ss[)u] (the grandson of -Confucius) wherein the ruling motives of human conduct are traced from -their psychological source. - -(3) The Confucian Gospels, being discourses of the Sage with his -disciples on miscellaneous topics. - -(4) The Gospels of Mencius. - -_The Canon of Changes_ contains a fanciful system of philosophy based -upon the combinations of eight diagrams said to have been copied from -the lines on the back of a tortoise. Ascribed to B.C. 1150. - -_The Canon of History_ embraces a period extending from the middle of -the 24th century B.C. to B.C. 721. Was edited by Confucius from then -existing documents. - -_The Canon of Poetry_ is a collection of irregular lyrics in vogue -among the people many centuries before the Christian era. Collected -and arranged by Confucius. - -_The Record of Rites_ contains a number of rules for the performance -of ceremonies and guidance of individual conduct. - -_Spring and Autumn_ consists of the annals of the petty kingdom of Lu -from 722 to 484 B.C. Is the work of Confucius himself. - -[238] See No. XXIII., note 154. - -[239] To be presented to the Emperor before taking up his post. - -[240] Hoping thus to interest Buddha in his behalf. - -[241] In accordance with Chinese usage, by which titles of nobility -are often conferred upon the _dead_ parents of a distinguished son. - - - - -XLII. - -THE WONDERFUL STONE. - - -In the prefecture of Shun-t'ien[242] there lived a man named Hsing -Yuen-fei, who was an amateur mineralogist and would pay any price for a -good specimen. One day as he was fishing in the river, something -caught his net, and diving down he brought up a stone about a foot in -diameter, beautifully carved on all sides to resemble clustering hills -and peaks. He was quite as pleased with this as if he had found some -precious stone; and having had an elegant sandal-wood stand made for -it, he set his prize upon the table. Whenever it was about to rain, -clouds, which from a distance looked like new cotton wool, would come -forth from each of the holes or grottoes on the stone, and appear to -close them up. By-and-by an influential personage called at the house -and begged to see the stone, immediately seizing it and handing it -over to a lusty servant, at the same time whipping his horse and -riding away. Hsing was in despair; but all he could do was to mourn -the loss of his stone, and indulge his anger against the thief. -Meanwhile, the servant, who had carried off the stone on his back, -stopped to rest at a bridge; when all of a sudden his hand slipped and -the stone fell into the water. His master was extremely put out at -this, and gave him a sound beating; subsequently hiring several -divers, who tried every means in their power to recover the stone, but -were quite unable to find it. He then went away, having first -published a notice of reward, and by these means many were tempted to -seek for the stone. Soon after, Hsing himself came to the spot, and as -he mournfully approached the bank, lo! the water became clear, and he -could see the stone lying at the bottom. Taking off his clothes he -quickly jumped in and brought it out, together with the sandal-wood -stand which was still with it. He carried it off home, but being no -longer desirous of shewing it to people, he had an inner room cleaned -and put it in there. Some time afterwards an old man knocked at the -door and asked to be allowed to see the stone; whereupon Hsing replied -that he had lost it a long time ago. "Isn't that it in the inner -room?" said the old man, smiling. "Oh, walk in and see for yourself if -you don't believe me," answered Hsing; and the old man did walk in, -and there was the stone on the table. This took Hsing very much aback; -and the old man then laid his hand upon the stone and said, "This is -an old family relic of mine: I lost it many months since. How does it -come to be here? I pray you now restore it to me." Hsing didn't know -what to say, but declared he was the owner of the stone; upon which -the old man remarked, "If it is really yours, what evidence can you -bring to prove it?" Hsing made no reply; and the old man continued, -"To show you that I know this stone, I may mention that it has -altogether ninety-two grottoes, and that in the largest of these are -five words:-- - - 'A stone from Heaven above.'" - -Hsing looked and found that there were actually some small characters, -no larger than grains of rice, which by straining his eyes a little he -managed to read; also, that the number of grottoes was as the old man -had said. However, he would not give him the stone; and the old man -laughed, and asked, "Pray, what right have you to keep other people's -things?" He then bowed and went away, Hsing escorting him as far as -the door; but when he returned to the room, the stone had disappeared. -In a great fright, he ran after the old man, who had walked slowly and -was not far off, and seizing his sleeve entreated him to give back the -stone. "Do you think," said the latter, "that I could conceal a stone -a foot in diameter in my sleeve?" But Hsing knew that he must be -superhuman, and led him back to the house, where he threw himself on -his knees and begged that he might have the stone. "Is it yours or -mine?" asked the old man. "Of course it is yours," replied Hsing, -"though I hope you will consent to deny yourself the pleasure of -keeping it." "In that case," said the old man, "it is back again;" and -going into the inner room, they found the stone in its old place. -"The jewels of this world," observed Hsing's visitor, "should be given -to those who know how to take care of them. This stone can choose its -own master, and I am very pleased that it should remain with you; at -the same time I must inform you that it was in too great a hurry to -come into the world of mortals, and has not yet been freed from all -contingent calamities. I had better take it away with me, and three -years hence you shall have it again. If, however, you insist on -keeping it, then your span of life will be shortened by three years, -that your terms of existence may harmonize together. Are you willing?" -Hsing said he was; whereupon the old man with his fingers closed up -three of the stone's grottoes, which yielded to his touch like mud. -When this was done, he turned to Hsing and told him that the grottoes -on that stone represented the years of his life; and then he took his -leave, firmly refusing to remain any longer, and not disclosing his -name. - -More than a year after this, Hsing had occasion to go away on -business, and in the night a thief broke in and carried off the stone, -taking nothing else at all. When Hsing came home, he was dreadfully -grieved, as if his whole object in life was gone; and made all -possible inquiries and efforts to get it back, but without the -slightest result. Some time passed away, when one day going into a -temple Hsing noticed a man selling stones, and amongst the rest he saw -his old friend. Of course he immediately wanted to regain possession -of it; but as the stone-seller would not consent, he shouldered the -stone and went off to the nearest mandarin. The stone-seller was then -asked what proof he could give that the stone was his; and he replied -that the number of grottoes was eighty-nine. Hsing inquired if that -was all he had to say, and when the other acknowledged that it was, he -himself told the magistrate what were the characters inscribed within, -also calling attention to the finger marks at the closed-up grottoes. -He therefore gained his case, and the mandarin would have bambooed the -stone-seller, had he not declared that he bought it in the market for -twenty ounces of silver,--whereupon he was dismissed. - -A high official next offered Hsing one hundred ounces of silver for -it; but he refused to sell it even for ten thousand, which so enraged -the would-be purchaser that he worked up a case against Hsing,[243] -and got him put in prison. Hsing was thereby compelled to pawn a great -deal of his property; and then the official sent some one to try if -the affair could not be managed through his son, to which Hsing, on -hearing of the attempt, steadily refused to consent, saying that he -and the stone could not be parted even in death. His wife, however, -and his son, laid their heads together, and sent the stone to the high -official, and Hsing only heard of it when he arrived home from the -prison. He cursed his wife and beat his son, and frequently tried to -make away with himself, though luckily his servants always managed to -prevent him from succeeding.[244] At night he dreamt that a -noble-looking personage appeared to him, and said, "My name is Shih -Ch'ing-hsue--(Stone from Heaven). Do not grieve. I purposely quitted -you for a year and more; but next year on the 20th of the eighth moon, -at dawn, come to the Hai-tai Gate and buy me back for two strings of -cash." Hsing was overjoyed at this dream, and carefully took down the -day mentioned. Meanwhile the stone was at the official's private -house; but as the cloud manifestations ceased, the stone was less and -less prized; and the following year when the official was disgraced -for maladministration and subsequently died, Hsing met some of his -servants at the Hai-tai Gate going off to sell the stone, and -purchased it back from them for two strings of cash. - -Hsing lived till he was eighty-nine; and then having prepared the -necessaries for his interment, bade his son bury the stone with -him,[245] which was accordingly done. Six months later robbers broke -into the vault[246] and made off with the stone, and his son tried in -vain to secure their capture; however, a few days afterwards, he was -travelling with his servants, when suddenly two men rushed forth -dripping with perspiration, and looking up into the air, acknowledged -their crime, saying, "Mr. Hsing, please don't torment us thus! We took -the stone, and sold it for only four ounces of silver." Hsing's son -and his servants then seized these men, and took them before the -magistrate, where they at once acknowledged their guilt. Asking what -had become of the stone, they said they had sold it to a member of the -magistrate's family; and when it was produced, that official took such -a fancy to it that he gave it to one of his servants and bade him -place it in the treasury. Thereupon the stone slipped out of the -servant's hand and broke into a hundred pieces, to the great -astonishment of all present. The magistrate now had the thieves -bambooed and sent them away; but Hsing's son picked up the broken -pieces of the stone, and buried them in his father's grave. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[242] In which Peking is situated. - -[243] A common form of revenge in China, and one which is easily -carried through when the prosecutor is a man of wealth and influence. - -[244] Another favourite method of revenging oneself upon an enemy, who -is in many cases held responsible for the death thus occasioned. Mr. -Alabaster told me an amusing story of a Chinese woman who deliberately -walked into a pond until the water reached her knees, and remained -there alternately putting her lips below the surface and threatening -in a loud voice to drown herself on the spot, as life had been made -unbearable by the presence of foreign barbarians. This was during the -Taiping rebellion. - -[245] Valuables of some kind or other are often placed in the coffins -of wealthy Chinese; and women are almost always provided with a -certain quantity of jewels with which to adorn themselves in the -realms below. - -[246] One of the most heinous offences in the Chinese Penal Code. - - - - -XLIII. - -THE QUARRELSOME BROTHERS. - - -At K'un-yang there lived a wealthy man named Tseng. When he died, and -before he was put in the coffin, tears were seen to gush forth from -both eyes of the corpse, to the infinite amazement of his six sons. -His second son, T'i, otherwise called Yu-yue, who had gained for -himself the reputation of being a scholar, said it was a bad omen, and -warned his brothers to be careful and not give cause for sorrow to the -dead,--at which the others only laughed at him as an idiot. - -Tseng's first wife and eldest son having been carried off by the -rebels when the latter was only seven or eight years old, he married a -second wife, by whom he had three sons, Hsiao, Chung, and Hsin; -besides three other sons by a concubine--namely, the above-mentioned -T'i, or Yu-yue, Jen, and Yi. Now the three by the second wife banded -themselves together against the three by the concubine, saying that -the latter were a base-born lot; and whenever a guest was present and -either of them happened to be in the room, Hsiao and his two brothers -would not take the slightest notice of them. This enraged Jen and Yi -very much, and they went to consult with Yu-yue as to how they should -avenge themselves for such slights. Yu-yue, however, tried every means -in his power to pacify them, and would not take part in any plot; and, -as they were much younger than he, they took his advice,[247] and did -nothing. - -Hsiao had a daughter, who died shortly after her marriage to a Mr. -Chou; and her father begged Yu-yue and his other brothers to go with -him and give his late daughter's mother-in-law a sound beating.[248] -Yu-yue would not hear of it for a moment; so Hsiao in a rage got his -brothers Chung and Hsin, with a lot of rowdies from the neighbourhood, -and went off and did it themselves, scattering the goods and chattels -of the family about, and smashing everything they could lay their -hands on. An action was immediately brought by the Chou family, and -Hsiao and his two brothers were thrown into prison by the angry -mandarin, who purposed sending the case before a higher tribunal. -Yu-yue, however, whose high character was well known to that official, -interceded for them, and himself went to the Chou family and tendered -the most humble apologies for what had occurred. The Chou family, out -of respect for Yu-yue, suffered the case to drop, and Hsiao regained -his liberty, though he did not evince the slightest gratitude for his -brother's exertions. Shortly after, Yu-yue's mother died; but Hsiao and -the other two refused to put on mourning for her, going on with their -usual feasting and drinking as if nothing had happened. Jen and Yi -were furious at this; but Yu-yue only observed, "What they do is their -own indecorous behaviour; it does not injure us." Then, again, when -the funeral was about to take place, Hsiao, Chung, and Hsin stood -before the door of the vault, and would not allow the others to bury -their mother there. So Yu-yue buried her alongside the principal grave. -Before long Hsiao's wife died, and Yu-yue told Jen and Yi to accompany -him to the house and condole with the widower; to which they both -objected, saying, "He would not wear mourning for our mother; shall we -do so for his wife?"[249] Ultimately Yu-yue had to go alone; and while -he was pouring forth his lamentations beside the bier, he heard Jen -and Yi playing drums and trumpets outside the door. Hsiao flew into a -tremendous passion, and went after them with his own two brothers to -give them a good thrashing. Yu-yue, too, seized a big stick and -accompanied them to the house where Jen and Yi were; whereupon Jen -made his escape; but as Yi was clambering over the wall, Yu-yue hit him -from behind and knocked him down. Hsiao and the others then set upon -him with their fists and sticks, and would never have stopped but that -Yu-yue interposed his body between them and made them desist. Hsiao was -very angry at this, and began to abuse Yu-yue, who said, "The -punishment was for want of decorum, for which death would be too -severe. I can neither connive at their bad behaviour, nor at your -cruelty. If your anger is not appeased, strike me." Hsiao now turned -his fury against Yu-yue, and being well seconded by his two brothers, -they beat Yu-yue until the neighbours separated them and put an end to -the row. Yu-yue at once proceeded to Hsiao's house to apologize for -what had occurred; but Hsiao drove him away, and would not let him -take part in the funeral ceremonies. Meanwhile, as Yi's wounds were -very severe, and he could neither eat nor drink, his brother Jen went -on his behalf to the magistrate, stating in the petition that the -accused had not worn mourning for their father's concubine. The -magistrate issued a warrant; and, besides causing the arrest of Hsiao, -Chung, and Hsin, he ordered Yu-yue to prosecute them as well. Yu-yue, -however, was so much cut about the head and face that he could not -appear in court, but he wrote out a petition, in which he begged that -the case might be quashed; and this the magistrate consented to do. Yi -soon got better, the feeling of hatred and resentment increasing in -the family day by day; while Jen and Yi, who were younger than the -others, complained to Yu-yue of their recent punishment, saying, "The -relationship of elder and younger brothers exists for others, why not -for us?" "Ah," replied Yu-yue, "that is what I might well say; not -you." Yu-yue then tried to persuade them to forget the past; but, not -succeeding in his attempt, he shut up his house, and went off with his -wife to live somewhere else, about twenty miles away. Now, although -when Yu-yue was among them he did not help the two younger ones, yet -his presence acted as some restraint upon Hsiao and the other two; but -now that he was gone their conduct was beyond all bounds. They sought -out Jen and Yi in their own houses, and not only reviled them, but -abused the memory of their dead mother, against which Jen and Yi could -only retaliate by keeping the door shut against them. However, they -determined to do them some injury, and carried knives about with them -wherever they went for that purpose. - -One day the eldest brother, Ch'eng, who had been carried off by the -rebels, returned with his wife; and, after three days' deliberation, -Hsiao and the other two determined that, as he had been so long -separated from the family, he had no further claims upon them for -house-room, &c. Jen and Yi were secretly delighted at this result, and -at once inviting Ch'eng to stay with them, sent news of his arrival to -Yu-yue, who came back directly, and agreed with the others to hand over -a share of the property to their elder brother. Hsiao and his clique -were much enraged at this purchase of Ch'eng's good will, and, -hurrying to their brothers' houses, assailed them with every possible -kind of abuse. Ch'eng, who had long been accustomed to scenes of -violence among the rebels, now got into a great passion, and cried -out, "When I came home none of you would give me a place to live in. -Only these younger ones recognised the ties of blood,[250] and you -would punish them for so doing. Do you think to drive me away?" -Thereupon he threw a stone at Hsiao and knocked him down; and Jen and -Yi rushed out with clubs and gave the three of them a severe -thrashing. Ch'eng did not wait for them to lay a plaint, but set off -to the magistrate on the spot, and preferred a charge against his -three brothers. The magistrate, as before, sent for Yu-yue to ask his -opinion, and Yu-yue had no alternative but to go, entering the yamen -with downcast head, his tears flowing in silence all the while. The -magistrate inquired of him how the matter stood; to which he replied -only by begging His Honour to hear the case; which the magistrate -accordingly did, deciding that the whole of the property was to be -divided equally among the seven brothers. Thenceforth Jen and Yi -became more and more attached to Ch'eng; and one day, in conversation, -they happened to tell him the story of their mother's funeral. Ch'eng -was exceedingly angry, and declared that such behaviour was that of -brute beasts, proposing at the same time that the vault should be -opened and that she should be re-buried in the proper place. Jen and -Yi went off and told this to Yu-yue, who immediately came and begged -Ch'eng to desist from his scheme; to which, however, he paid no -attention, and fixed a day for her interment in the family vault. He -then built a hut near by, and, with a knife lopping the branches off -the trees, informed the brothers that any of them who did not appear -at the funeral in the usual mourning would be treated by him in a -manner similar to the trees. So they were all obliged to go, and the -obsequies were conducted in a fitting manner. The brothers were now at -peace together, Ch'eng keeping them in first-rate order, and always -treating Hsiao, Chung, and Hsin with much more severity than the -others. To Yu-yue he shewed a marked deference, and, whenever he was in -a rage, would always be appeased by a word from him. Hsiao, too, was -always going to Yu-yue to complain of the treatment he received at -Ch'eng's hands when he did anything that Ch'eng disapproved of; and -then, if Yu-yue quietly reproved him, he would be dissatisfied, so that -at last Yu-yue could stand it no longer, and again went away and took a -house at a considerable distance, where he remained almost entirely -cut off from the others. By the time two years had passed away Ch'eng -had completely succeeded in establishing harmony amongst them, and -quarrels were of rare occurrence. Hsiao was then forty-six years old, -and had five sons; Chi-yeh and Chi-te, the first and third, by his -wife; Chi-kung and Chi-chi, the second and fourth, by a concubine; -and Chi-tsu, by a slave. They were all grown up, and exactly imitated -their father's former behaviour, banding themselves together one -against the other, and so on, without their father being able to make -them behave better. Chi-tsu had no brothers of his own, and, being the -youngest, the others bullied him dreadfully; until at length, being on -a visit to his wife's family, who lived not far from Yu-yue's house, he -went slightly out of his way to call and see his uncle. There he found -his three cousins living peaceably together and pursuing their -studies, and was so pleased that he remained with them some time, and -said not a word as to returning home. His uncle urged him to go back, -but he entreated to be allowed to stay; and then his uncle told him it -was not that he grudged his daily food: it was because his father and -mother did not know where he was. Chi-tsu accordingly went home, and a -few months afterwards, when he and his wife were on the point of -starting to congratulate his wife's mother on the anniversary of her -birthday, he explained to his father that he should not come home -again. When his father asked him why not, he partly divulged his -reasons for going; whereupon his father said he was afraid his uncle -would bear malice for what happened in the past, and that he would not -be able to remain there long. "Father," replied Chi-tsu, "uncle Yu-yue -is a good and virtuous man." He set out with his wife, and when they -arrived Yu-yue gave them separate quarters, and made Chi-tsu rank as -one of his own sons, making him join the eldest, Chi-san, in his -studies. Chi-tsu was a clever fellow, and now enrolled himself as a -resident of the place where his uncle lived.[251] - -Meanwhile, his brothers went on quarrelling among themselves as usual; -and one day Chi-kung, enraged at an insult offered to his mother, -killed Chi-yeh. He was immediately thrown into prison, where he was -severely bambooed, and in a few days he died. Chi-yeh's wife, whose -maiden name was Feng, now spent the days of mourning in cursing her -husband's murderer; and when Chi-kung's wife heard this, she flew into -a towering passion, and said to her, "If your husband is dead, mine -isn't alive." She then drew a knife and killed her, completing the -tragedy by herself committing suicide in a well. - -Mr. Feng, the father of the murdered woman, was very much distressed -at his daughter's untimely end; and, taking with him several members -of the family with arms concealed under their clothes, they proceeded -to Hsiao's house, and there gave his wife a most terrific beating. It -was now Ch'eng's turn to be angry. "The members of my family are dying -like sheep," cried he; "what do you mean by this, Mr. Feng?" He then -rushed out upon them with a roar, accompanied by all his own brothers -and their sons; and the Feng family was utterly routed. Seizing old -Feng himself, Ch'eng cut off both his ears; and when his son tried to -rescue him, Chi-chi ran up and broke both his legs with an iron -crowbar. Every one of the Feng family was badly wounded, and thus -dispersed, leaving old Feng's son lying in the middle of the road. The -others not knowing what to do with him, Ch'eng took him under his arm, -and, having thrown him down in the Feng village, returned home, giving -orders to Chi-chi to go immediately to the authorities and enter their -plaint the first.[252] - -The Feng family had, however, anticipated them, and all the Tsengs -were accordingly thrown into prison, except Chung, who managed to -escape. He ran away to the place where Yu-yue lived, and was pacing -backwards and forwards before the door, afraid lest his brother should -not have forgiven past offences, when suddenly Yu-yue, with his son and -nephew, arrived, on their return from the examination. "What do you -want, my brother?" asked Yu-yue; whereupon Chung prostrated himself at -the roadside, and then Yu-yue, seizing his hand, led him within to make -further inquiries. "Alas! alas!" cried Yu-yue, when he had heard the -story, "I knew that some dreadful calamity would be the result of all -this wicked behaviour. But why have you come hither? I have been -absent so long that I am no more acquainted with the local -authorities; and if I now went to ask a favour of them, I should -probably only be insulted for my pains. However, if none of the Feng -family die of their wounds, and if we three may chance to be -successful in our examination, something may perhaps be done to -mitigate this calamity."[253] Yu-yue then kept Chung to dinner, and at -night he shared their room, which kind treatment made him at once -grateful and repentant. By the end of ten days he was so struck with -the behaviour of the father, sons, uncle, nephew, and cousins, one -toward the other, that he burst into tears, and said, "Now I know how -badly I behaved in days gone by." His uncle was overjoyed at his -repentance, and sympathised with his feelings, when suddenly it was -announced that Yu-yue and his son had both passed the examination for -master's degree, and that Chi-tsu was _proxime accessit_. This -delighted them all very much. They did not, however, attend the -Fu-t'ai's congratulatory feast,[254] but went off first to worship at -the tombs of their ancestors. - -Now, at the time of the Ming dynasty a man who had taken his master's -degree was a very considerable personage,[255] and the Fengs -accordingly began to draw in their horns. Yu-yue, too, met them -half-way. He got a friend to convey to them presents of food and money -to help them in recovering from their injuries, and thus the -prosecution was withdrawn. Then all his brothers implored him with -tears in their eyes to return home, and, after burning incense with -them,[256] and making them enter into a bond with him that by-gones -should be by-gones, he acceded to their request. Chi-tsu, however, -would not leave his uncle; and Hsiao himself said to Yu-yue, "I don't -deserve such a son as that. Keep him, and teach him as you have done -hitherto, and let him be as one of your own children; but if at some -future time he succeeds in his examination, then I will beg you to -return him to me." Yu-yue consented to this; and three years afterwards -Chi-tsu did take his master's degree, upon which he sent him back to -his own family. - -Both husband and wife were very loth to leave their uncle's house, and -they had hardly been at home three days before one of their children, -only three years old, ran away and went back, returning to his -great-uncle's as often as he was recaptured. This induced Hsiao to -remove to the next house to Yu-yue's, and, by opening a door between -the two, they made one establishment of the whole. Ch'eng was now -getting old, and the family affairs devolved entirely upon Yu-yue, who -managed things so well that their reputation for filial piety and -fraternal love was soon spread far and wide. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[247] Deference to elder brothers is held by the Chinese to be second -only in importance to filial piety. - -[248] In a volume of _Chinese Sketches_, published by me in 1876, -occur (p. 129) the following words:--"Occasionally a young wife is -driven to commit suicide by the harshness of her mother-in-law, but -this is of rare occurrence, as the consequences are terrible to the -family of the guilty woman. The blood-relatives of the deceased repair -to the chamber of death, and in the injured victim's hand they place a -broom. They then support the corpse round the room, making its dead -arm move the broom from side to side, and thus sweep away wealth, -happiness, and longevity, from the accursed place for ever." - -[249] A wife being an infinitely less important personage than a -mother in the Chinese social scale. - -[250] Literally, of hand and foot, to the mutual dependence of which -that of brothers is frequently likened by the Chinese. - -[251] Any permanent change of residence must be notified to the -District Magistrate, who keeps a running census of all persons within -his jurisdiction. - -[252] To be thus beforehand with one's adversary is regarded as _prima -facie_ evidence of being in the right. - -[253] By means of the _status_ which a graduate of the second degree -would necessarily have. - -[254] A sham entertainment given by the Fu-t'ai, or governor, to all -the successful candidates. I say _sham_, because the whole thing is -merely nominal; a certain amount of food is contracted for, but there -is never anything fit to eat, most of the money being embezzled by the -underlings to whose management the banquet is entrusted. - -[255] Much more so than at present. - -[256] Thereby invoking the Gods as witnesses. A common method of -making up a quarrel in China is to send the aggrieved party an olive -and a piece of red paper in token that peace is restored. Why the -_olive_ should be specially employed I have in vain tried to -ascertain. - - - - -XLIV. - -THE YOUNG GENTLEMAN WHO COULDN'T SPELL.[257] - - -At Chia-p'ing there lived a certain young gentleman of considerable -talent and very prepossessing appearance. When seventeen years of age -he went up for his bachelor's degree; and as he was passing the door -of a house, he saw within a pretty-looking girl, who not only riveted -his gaze, but also smiled and nodded her head at him. Quite pleased at -this, he approached the young lady and began to talk, she, meanwhile, -inquiring of him where he lived, and if alone or otherwise. He assured -her he was quite by himself; and then she said, "Well, I will come and -see you, but you mustn't let any one know." The young gentleman -agreed, and when he got home he sent all the servants to another part -of the house, and by-and-by the young lady arrived. She said her name -was Wen-chi, and that her admiration for her host's noble bearing had -made her visit him, unknown to her mistress. "And gladly," added she, -"would I be your handmaid for life." Our hero was delighted, and -proposed to purchase her from the mistress she mentioned; and from -this time she was in the habit of coming in every other day or so. On -one occasion it was raining hard, and, after hanging up her wet cloak -upon a peg, she took off her shoes, and bade the young gentleman clean -them for her. He noticed that they were newly embroidered with all the -colours of the rainbow, but utterly spoilt by the soaking rain; and -was just saying what a pity it was, when the young lady cried out, "I -should never have asked you to do such menial work except to show my -love for you." All this time the rain was falling fast outside, and -Wen-chi now repeated the following line:-- - - "A nipping wind and chilly rain fill the river and the city." - -"There," said she, "cap that." The young gentleman replied that he -could not, as he did not even understand what it meant. "Oh, really," -retorted the young lady, "if you're not more of a scholar than that, I -shall begin to think very little of you." She then told him he had -better practice making verses, and he promised he would do so. - -By degrees Miss Wen-chi's frequent visits attracted the notice of the -servants, as also of a brother-in-law named Sung, who was likewise a -gentleman of position; and the latter begged our hero to be allowed -to have a peep at her. He was told in reply that the young lady had -strictly forbidden that any one should see her; however, he concealed -himself in the servants' quarters, and when she arrived he looked at -her through the window. Almost beside himself, he now opened the door; -whereupon Wen-chi jumping up, vaulted over the wall and disappeared. -Sung was really smitten with her, and went off to her mistress to try -and arrange for her purchase; but when he mentioned Wen-chi's name, he -was informed that they had once had such a girl, who had died several -years previously. In great amazement Sung went back and told his -brother-in-law, and he now knew that his beloved Wen-chi was a -disembodied spirit. So when she came again he asked her if it was so; -to which she replied, "It is; but as you wanted a nice wife and I a -handsome husband, I thought we should be a suitable pair. What matters -it that one is a mortal and the other a spirit?" The young gentleman -thoroughly coincided in her view of the case; and when his examination -was over, and he was homeward bound, Wen-chi accompanied him, -invisible to others and visible to him alone. Arriving at his parents' -house, he installed her in the library; and the day she went to pay -the customary bride's visit to her father and mother,[258] he told his -own mother the whole story. She and his father were greatly alarmed, -and ordered him to have no more to do with her; but he would not -listen to this, and then his parents tried by all kinds of devices to -get rid of the girl, none of which met with any success. - -One day our hero had left upon the table some written instructions for -one of the servants, wherein he had made a number of mistakes in -spelling, such as _paper_ for _pepper_, _jinjer_ for _ginger_, and so -on; and when Wen-chi saw this, she wrote at the foot:-- - - "Paper for pepper do I see? - Jinjer for ginger can it be? - Of such a husband I'm afraid; - I'd rather be a servant-maid." - -She then said to the young gentleman, "Imagining you to be a man of -culture, I hid my blushes and sought you out the first.[259] Alas, -your qualifications are on the outside; should I not thus be a -laughing-stock to all?" She then disappeared, at which the young -gentleman was much hurt; but not knowing to what she alluded, he gave -the instructions to his servant, and so made himself the butt of all -who heard the story. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[257] Of course there is no such thing as spelling, in our sense of -the term, in Chinese. But characters are frequently written with too -many or too few strokes, and may thus be said to be incorrectly spelt. - -[258] A ceremonial visit made on the third day after marriage. - -[259] Contrary to all Chinese notions of modesty and etiquette. - - - - -XLV. - -THE TIGER GUEST. - - -A young man named Kung, a native of Min-chou, on his way to the -examination at Hsi-ngan, rested awhile in an inn, and ordered some -wine to drink. Just then a very tall and noble-looking stranger walked -in, and, seating himself by the side of Kung, entered into -conversation with him. Kung offered him a cup of wine, which the -stranger did not refuse; saying, at the same time, that his name was -Miao. But he was a rough, coarse fellow; and Kung, therefore, when the -wine was finished, did not call for any more. Miao then rose, and -observing that Kung did not appreciate a man of his capacity, went out -into the market to buy some, returning shortly with a huge bowl full. -Kung declined the proffered wine; but Miao, seizing his arm to -persuade him, gripped it so painfully that Kung was forced to drink a -few more cups, Miao himself swilling away as hard as he could go out -of a soup-plate. "I am not good at entertaining people," cried Miao, -at length; "pray go on or stop just as you please." Kung accordingly -put together his things and went off; but he had not gone more than a -few miles when his horse was taken ill, and lay down in the road. -While he was waiting there with all his heavy baggage, revolving in -his mind what he should do, up came Mr. Miao; who, when he heard what -was the matter, took off his coat and handed it to the servant, and -lifting up the horse, carried it off on his back to the nearest inn, -which was about six or seven miles distant. Arriving there he put the -animal in the stable, and before long Kung and his servants arrived -too. Kung was much astonished at Mr. Miao's feat; and, believing him -to be superhuman, began to treat him with the utmost deference, -ordering both wine and food to be procured for their refreshment. "My -appetite," remarked Miao, "is one that you could not easily satisfy. -Let us stick to wine." So they finished another stoup together, and -then Miao got up and took his leave, saying, "It will be some time -before your horse is well; I cannot wait for you." He then went away. - -After the examination several friends of Kung's invited him to join -them in a picnic to the Flowery Hill; and just as they were all -feasting and laughing together, lo! Mr. Miao walked up. In one hand he -held a large flagon, and in the other a ham, both of which he laid -down on the ground before them. "Hearing," said he, "that you -gentlemen were coming here, I have tacked myself on to you, like a fly -to a horse's tail."[260] Kung and his friends then rose and received -him with the usual ceremonies, after which they all sat down -promiscuously.[261] By-and-by, when the wine had gone round pretty -freely, some one proposed capping verses; whereupon Miao cried out, -"Oh, we're very jolly drinking like this; what's the use of making -oneself uncomfortable?" The others, however, would not listen to him, -and agreed that as a forfeit a huge goblet of wine should be drunk by -any defaulter. "Let us rather make death the penalty," said Miao; to -which they replied, laughing, that such a punishment was a trifle too -severe; and then Miao retorted that if it was not to be death, even a -rough fellow like himself might be able to join. A Mr. Chin, who was -sitting at the top of the line, then began:-- - - "From the hill-top high, wide extends the gaze--" - -upon which Miao immediately carried on with - - "Redly gleams the sword o'er the shattered vase."[262] - -The next gentleman thought for a long time, during which Miao was -helping himself to wine; and by-and-by they had all capped the verse, -but so wretchedly that Miao called out, "Oh, come! if we aren't to be -fined for these,[263] we had better abstain from making any more." As -none of them would agree to this, Miao could stand it no longer, and -roared like a dragon till the hills and valleys echoed again. He then -went down on his hands and knees, and jumped about like a lion, which -utterly confused the poets, and put an end to their lucubrations. The -wine had now been round a good many times, and being half tipsy each -began to repeat to the other the verses he had handed in at the recent -examination,[264] all at the same time indulging in any amount of -mutual flattery. This so disgusted Miao that he drew Kung aside to -have a game at "guess-fingers;"[265] but as they went on droning away -all the same, he at length cried out, "Do stop your rubbish, fit only -for your own wives,[266] and not for general company." The others were -much abashed at this, and so angry were they at Miao's rudeness that -they went on repeating all the louder. Miao then threw himself on the -ground in a passion, and with a roar changed into a tiger, immediately -springing upon the company, and killing them all except Kung and Mr. -Chin. He then ran off roaring loudly. Now this Mr. Chin succeeded in -taking his master's degree; and three years afterwards, happening to -revisit the Flowery Hill, he beheld a Mr. Chi, one of those very -gentlemen who had previously been killed by the tiger. In great alarm -he was making off, when Chi seized his bridle and would not let him -proceed. So he got down from his horse, and inquired what was the -matter; to which Chi replied, "I am now the slave of Miao, and have to -endure bitter toil for him. He must kill some one else before I can be -set free.[267] Three days hence a man, arrayed in the robes and cap -of a scholar, should be eaten by the tiger at the foot of the -Ts'ang-lung Hill. Do you on that day take some gentleman thither, and -thus help your old friend." Chin was too frightened to say much, but -promising that he would do so, rode away home. He then began to -consider the matter over with himself, and, regarding it as a plot, he -determined to break his engagement, and let his friend remain the -tiger's devil. He chanced, however, to repeat the story to a Mr. -Chiang who was a relative of his, and one of the local scholars; and -as this gentleman had a grudge against another scholar, named Yu, who -had come out equal with him at the examination, he made up his mind to -destroy him. So he invited Yu to accompany him on that day to the -place in question, mentioning that he himself should appear in undress -only. Yu could not make out the reason for this; but when he reached -the spot there he found all kinds of wine and food ready for his -entertainment. Now that very day the Prefect had come to the hill; and -being a friend of the Chiang family, and hearing that Chiang was -below, sent for him to come up. Chiang did not dare to appear before -him in undress, and borrowed Yu's clothes and hat; but he had no -sooner got them on than out rushed the tiger and carried him away in -its mouth. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[260] Alluding to a well-known expression which occurs in the -_Historical Record_, and is often used in the sense of deriving -advantage from connection with some influential person. - -[261] Without any regard to precedence, which plays quite as important -a part at a Chinese as at a western dinner-party. In China, however, -the most honoured guest sits at (what may be called) the head of the -table, the host at the foot. I say "what may be called," as Chinese -dining-tables are almost invariably square, and position alone -determines which is the head and which the foot. They are usually made -to accommodate eight persons; hence the fancy name "eight-angel -table," in allusion to the eight famous angels, or Immortals, of the -Taoist religion. (See No. V., note 48.) Occasionally, round tables are -used; especially in cases where the party consists of some such number -as ten. - -[262] It is almost impossible to give in translation the true spirit -of a Chinese antithetical couplet. There are so many points to be -brought out, each word of the second line being in opposition both in -tone and sense to a corresponding word in the first, that anything -beyond a rough rendering of the idea conveyed would be superfluous in -a work like this. Suffice it to say that Miao has here successfully -capped the verse given; and the more so because he has introduced, -through the medium of "sword" and "shattered vase," an allusion to a -classical story in which a certain Wang Tun, when drunk with wine, -beat time on a vase with his sword, and smashed the lip. - -[263] This is the _vel ego vel Cluvienus_ style of satire, his own -verse having been particularly good. - -[264] Many candidates, successful or otherwise, have their verses and -essays printed, and circulate them among an admiring circle of -friends. - -[265] Accurately described in Tylor's _Primitive Culture_, Vol. I., p. -75:--"Each player throws out a hand, and the sum of all the fingers -shown has to be called, the successful caller scoring a point; -practically each calls the total before he sees his adversary's hand." -The insertion of the word "simultaneously" after "called" would -improve this description. This game is so noisy that the Hong-kong -authorities have forbidden it, except within certain authorised -limits, between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.--Ordinance No. 2 of -1872. - -[266] This delicate stroke is of itself sufficient to prove the truth -of the oft-quoted Chinese saying, that all between the Four Seas are -brothers. - -[267] The "substitution" theory by which disembodied spirits are -enabled to find their way back to the world of mortals. A very -interesting and important example of this belief occurs in a later -story (No. CVII.), for which place I reserve further comments. - - - - -XLVI. - -THE SISTERS. - - -His Excellency the Grand Secretary Mao came from an obscure family in -the district of Yeh, his father being only a poor cow-herd. At the -same place there resided a wealthy gentleman, named Chang, who owned a -burial-ground in the neighbourhood; and some one informed him that -while passing by he had heard sounds of wrangling from within the -grave, and voices saying, "Make haste and go away; do not disturb His -Excellency's home." Chang did not much believe this; but subsequently -he had several dreams in which he was told that the burial-ground in -question really belonged to the Mao family, and that he had no right -whatever to it. From this moment the affairs of his house began to go -wrong;[268] and at length he listened to the remonstrances of friends -and removed his dead elsewhere. - -One day Mao's father, the cow-herd, was out near this burial-ground, -when, a storm of rain coming on, he took refuge in the now empty -grave, while the rain came down harder than ever, and by-and-by -flooded the whole place and drowned the old man. The Grand Secretary -was then a mere boy, and his mother went off to Chang to beg a piece -of ground wherein to bury her dead husband. When Chang heard her name -he was greatly astonished; and on going to look at the spot where the -old man was drowned, found that it was exactly at the proper place for -the coffin. More than ever amazed, he gave orders that the body should -be buried there in the old grave, and also bade Mao's mother bring her -son to see him. When the funeral was over, she went with Mao to Mr. -Chang's house, to thank him for his kindness; and so pleased was he -with the boy that he kept him to be educated, ranking him as one of -his own sons. He also said he would give him his eldest daughter as a -wife, an offer which Mao's mother hardly dared accept; but Mrs. Chang -said that the thing was settled and couldn't be altered, so then she -was obliged to consent. The young lady, however, had a great contempt -for Mao, and made no effort to disguise her feelings; and if any one -spoke to her of him, she would put her fingers in her ears, declaring -she would die sooner than marry the cow-boy. On the day appointed for -the wedding, the bridegroom arrived, and was feasted within, while -outside the door a handsome chair was in waiting to convey away the -bride, who all this time was standing crying in a corner, wiping her -eyes with her sleeve, and absolutely refusing to dress. Just then the -bridegroom sent in to say he was going,[269] and the drums and -trumpets struck up the wedding march, at which the bride's tears only -fell the faster as her hair hung dishevelled down her back. Her father -managed to detain Mao awhile, and went in to urge his daughter to make -haste, she weeping bitterly as if she did not hear what he was saying. -He now got into a rage, which only made her cry the louder; and in the -middle of it all a servant came to say the bridegroom wished to take -his leave. The father ran out and said his daughter wasn't quite -ready, begging Mao to wait a little longer; and then hurried back -again to the bride. Thus they went on for some time, backwards and -forwards, until at last things began to look serious, for the young -lady obstinately refused to yield; and Mr. Chang was ready to commit -suicide for want of anything better. Just then his second daughter was -standing by upbraiding her elder sister for her disobedience, when -suddenly the latter turned round in a rage, and cried out, "So you are -imitating the rest of them, you little minx; why don't you go and -marry him yourself?" "My father did not betroth me to Mr. Mao," -answered she, "but if he had I should not require you to persuade me -to accept him." Her father was delighted with this reply, and at once -went off and consulted with his wife as to whether they could venture -to substitute the second for the elder; and then her mother came and -said to her, "That bad girl there won't obey her parent's commands; we -wish, therefore, to put you in her place: will you consent to this -arrangement?" The younger sister readily agreed, saying that had they -told her to marry a beggar she would not have dared to refuse, and -that she had not such a low opinion of Mr. Mao as all that. Her father -and mother rejoiced exceedingly at receiving this reply; and dressing -her up in her sister's clothes, put her in the bridal chair and sent -her off. She proved an excellent wife, and lived in harmony with her -husband; but she was troubled with a disease of the hair, which caused -Mr. Mao some annoyance. Later on, she told him how she had changed -places with her sister, and this made him think more highly of her -than before. Soon after Mao took his bachelor's degree, and then set -off to present himself as a candidate for the master's degree. On the -way he passed by an inn, the landlord of which had dreamt the night -before that a spirit appeared to him and said, "To-morrow Mr. Mao, -first on the list, will come. Some day he will extricate you from a -difficulty." Accordingly the landlord got up early, and took especial -note of all guests who came from the eastward, until at last Mao -himself arrived. The landlord was very glad to see him, and provided -him with the best of everything, refusing to take any payment for it -all, but telling what he had dreamt the night before. Mao now began to -give himself airs; and, reflecting that his wife's want of hair would -make him look ridiculous, he determined that as soon as he attained to -rank and power he would find another spouse. But alas! when the -successful list of candidates was published, Mao's name was not among -them; and he retraced his steps with a heavy heart, and by another -road, so as to avoid meeting the innkeeper. Three years afterwards he -went up again, and the landlord received him with precisely the same -attentions as on the previous occasion; upon which Mao said to him, -"Your former words did not come true; I am now ashamed to put you to -so much trouble." "Ah," replied the landlord, "you meant to get rid of -your wife, and the Ruler of the world below struck out your name.[270] -My dream couldn't have been false." In great astonishment, Mao asked -what he meant by these words; and then he learnt that after his -departure the landlord had had a second dream informing him of the -above facts. Mao was much alarmed at what he heard, and remained as -motionless as a wooden image, until the landlord said to him, "You, -Sir, as a scholar, should have more self-respect, and you will -certainly take the highest place." By-and-by when the list came out, -Mao was the first of all; and almost simultaneously his wife's hair -began to grow quite thick, making her much better-looking than she had -hitherto been. - -Now her elder sister had married a rich young fellow of good family, -who lived in the neighbourhood, which made the young lady more -contemptuous than ever; but he was so extravagant and so idle that -their property was soon gone, and they were positively in want of -food. Hearing, too, of Mr. Mao's success at the examination, she was -overwhelmed with shame and vexation, and avoided even meeting her -sister in the street. Just then her husband died and left her -destitute; and about the same time Mao took his doctor's degree, which -so aggravated her feelings that, in a passion, she became a nun. -Subsequently, when Mao rose to be a high officer of state, she sent a -novice to his yamen to try and get a subscription out of him for the -temple; and Mao's wife, who gave several pieces of silk and other -things, secretly inserted a sum of money among them. The novice, not -knowing this, reported what she had received to the elder sister, who -cried out in a passion, "I wanted money to buy food with; of what use -are these things to me?" So she bade the novice take them back; and -when Mao and his wife saw her return, they suspected what had -happened, and opening the parcel found the money still there. They now -understood why the presents had been refused; and taking the money, -Mao said to the novice, "If one hundred ounces of silver is too much -luck for your mistress to secure, of course she could never have -secured a high official, such as I am now, for her husband." He then -took fifty ounces, and giving them to the novice, sent her away, -adding, "Hand this to your mistress, I'm afraid more would be too much -for her."[271] The novice returned and repeated all that had been -said; and then the elder sister sighed to think what a failure her -life had been, and how she had rejected the worthy to accept the -worthless. After this, the innkeeper got into trouble about a case of -murder, and was imprisoned; but Mao exerted his influence, and -obtained the man's pardon. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[268] Such is the dominant belief regarding the due selection of an -auspicious site, whether for a house or grave; and with this -superstition deeply ingrained in the minds of the people, it is easy -to understand the hold on the public mind possessed by the -pseudo-scientific professors of Feng-Shui, or the geomantic art. - -[269] The bridegroom leads off the procession, and the bride follows -shortly afterwards in an elaborately-gilt sedan-chair, closed in on -all sides so that the occupant cannot be seen. - -[270] Here again we have the common Chinese belief that fate is fate -only within certain limits, and is always liable to be altered at the -will of heaven. - -[271] This is another curious phase of Chinese superstition, namely, -that each individual is so constituted by nature as to be able to -absorb only a given quantity of good fortune and no more, any -superfluity of luck doing actual harm to the person on whom it falls. - - - - -XLVII. - -FOREIGN[272] PRIESTS. - - -The Buddhist priest, T'i-k'ung, relates that when he was at -Ch'ing-chou he saw two foreign priests of very extraordinary -appearance. They wore rings in their ears, were dressed in yellow -cloth, and had curly hair and beards. They said they had come from the -countries of the west; and hearing that the Governor of the district -was a devoted follower of Buddha, they went to visit him. The Governor -sent a couple of servants to escort them to the monastery of the -place, where the abbot, Ling-p'ei, did not receive them very -cordially; but the secular manager, seeing that they were not ordinary -individuals, entertained them and kept them there for the night. Some -one asked if there were many strange men in the west, and what magical -arts were practised by the Lohans;[273] whereupon one of them laughed, -and putting forth his hand from his sleeve, showed a small pagoda, -fully a foot in height, and beautifully carved, standing upon the -palm. Now very high up in the wall there was a niche; and the priest -threw the pagoda up to it, when lo! it stood there firm and straight. -After a few moments the pagoda began to incline to one side, and a -glory, as from a relic of some saint, was diffused throughout the -room. The other priest then bared his arms, and stretched out his left -until it was five or six feet in length, at the same time shortening -his right arm until it dwindled to nothing. He then stretched out the -latter until it was as long as his left arm. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[272] The word here used is _fan_, generally translated "barbarian." - -[273] The disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. Same as _Arhans_. - - - - -XLVIII. - -THE SELF-PUNISHED MURDERER. - - -Mr. Li took his doctor's degree late in life.[274] On the 28th of the -9th moon of the 4th year of K'ang Hsi,[275] he killed his wife. The -neighbours reported the murder to the officials, and the high -authorities instructed the district magistrate to investigate the -case. At this juncture Mr. Li was standing at the door of his -residence; and snatching a butcher's knife from a stall hard by, he -rushed into the Ch'eng-huang[276] temple, where, mounting the -theatrical stage,[277] he threw himself on his knees, and spoke as -follows:--"The spirit here will punish me. I am not to be prosecuted -by evil men who, from party motives, confuse right and wrong. The -spirit moves me to cut off an ear." Thereupon he cut off his left ear -and threw it down from the stage. He then said the spirit was going to -fine him a hand for cheating people out of their money; and he -forthwith chopped off his left hand. Lastly, he cried out that he was -to be punished severely for all his many crimes; and immediately cut -his own throat. The Viceroy subsequently received the Imperial -permission to deprive him of his rank[278] and bring him to trial; but -he was then being punished by a higher power in the realms of darkness -below. See the _Peking Gazette_.[279] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[274] There is no limit as to age in the competitive examinations of -China. The _San-tz[)u]-Ching_ records the case of a man who graduated at -the mature age of eighty-two. - -[275] In 1665, that is between fourteen and fifteen years previous to -the completion of the _Liao Chai_. - -[276] See No. I., note 36. - -[277] Religion and the drama work hand in hand in China. - -[278] Always the first step in the prosecution of a graduate. In this -case, the accused was also an official. - -[279] Of what date, our author does not say, or it would be curious to -try and hunt up the official record of this case as it appeared in the -government organ of the day. The unfortunate man was in all -probability insane. - - - - -XLIX. - -THE MASTER THIEF. - - -Before his rebellion,[280] Prince Wu frequently told his soldiers that -if any one of them could catch a tiger unaided he would give him a -handsome pension and the title of the Tiger Daunter. In his camp there -was a man named Pao-chu, as strong and agile as a monkey; and once -when a new tower was being built, the wooden framework having only -just been set up, Pao-chu walked along the eaves, and finally got up -on to the very tip-top beam, where he ran backwards and forwards -several times. He then jumped down, alighting safely on his feet. - -Now Prince Wu had a favourite concubine, who was a skilful player on -the guitar; and the nuts of the instrument she used were of warm -jade,[281] so that when played upon there was a general feeling of -warmth throughout the room. The young lady was extremely careful of -this treasure, and never produced it for any one to see unless on -receipt of the Prince's written order. One night, in the middle of a -banquet, a guest begged to be allowed to see this wonderful guitar; -but the Prince, being in a lazy mood, said it should be exhibited to -him on the following day. Pao-chu, who was standing by, then observed -that he could get it without troubling the Prince to write an order. -Some one was therefore sent off beforehand to instruct all the -officials to be on the watch, and then the Prince told Pao-chu he -might go; and after scaling numerous walls the latter found himself -near the lady's room. Lamps were burning brightly within; the doors -were bolted and barred, and it was impossible to effect an entrance. -Under the verandah, however, was a cockatoo fast asleep on its perch; -and Pao-chu first mewing several times like a cat, followed it up by -imitating the voice of the bird, and cried out as though in distress, -"The cat! the cat!" He then heard the concubine call to one of the -slave girls, and bid her go rescue the cockatoo which was being -killed; and, hiding himself in a dark corner, he saw a girl come forth -with a light in her hand. She had barely got outside the door when he -rushed in, and there he saw the lady sitting with the guitar on a -table before her. Seizing the instrument he turned and fled; upon -which the concubine shrieked out, "Thieves! thieves!" And the guard, -seeing a man making off with the guitar, at once started in pursuit. -Arrows fell round Pao-chu like drops of rain, but he climbed up one of -a number of huge ash trees growing there, and from its top leaped on -to the top of the next, and so on, until he had reached the -furthermost tree, when he jumped on to the roof of a house, and from -that to another, more as if he were flying than anything else. In a -few minutes he had disappeared, and before long presented himself -suddenly at the banquet-table with the guitar in his hand, the -entrance-gate having been securely barred all the time, and not a dog -or a cock aroused. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[280] A.D. 1675. His full name was Wu San-kuei. - -[281] Such is the literal translation of a term which I presume to be -the name of some particular kind of jade, which is ordinarily -distinguished from the imitation article by its comparative -_coldness_. - - - - -L. - -A FLOOD. - - -In the twenty-first year of K'ang Hsi[282] there was a severe drought, -not a green blade appearing in the parched ground all through the -spring and well into the summer. On the 13th of the 6th moon a little -rain fell, and people began to plant their rice. On the 18th there was -a heavy fall, and beans were sown. - -Now at a certain village there was an old man, who, noticing two -bullocks fighting on the hills, told the villagers that a great flood -was at hand, and forthwith removed with his family to another part of -the country. The villagers all laughed at him; but before very long -rain began to fall in torrents, lasting all through the night, until -the water was several feet deep, and carrying away the houses. Among -the others was a man who, neglecting to save his two children, with -his wife assisted his aged mother to reach a place of safety, from -which they looked down at their old home, now only an expanse of -water, without hope of ever seeing the children again. When the flood -had subsided, they went back, to find the whole place a complete ruin; -but in their own house they discovered the two boys playing and -laughing on the bed as if nothing had happened. Some one remarked that -this was a reward for the filial piety of the parents. It happened on -the 20th of the 6th moon.[283] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[282] A.D. 1682; that is, three years after the date of our author's -preface. See _Introduction_. - -[283] A curious note here follows in the original, not however from -the pen of the great commentator, I Shih-shih:--"In 1696 a severe -earthquake occurred at P'ing-yang, and out of seventeen or eighteen -cities destroyed, only one room remained uninjured--a room inhabited -by a certain filial son. And thus, when in the crash of a collapsing -universe, filial piety is specially marked out for protection, who -shall say that God Almighty does not know black from white?" - - - - -LI. - -DEATH BY LAUGHING. - - -A Mr. Sun Ching-hsia, a marshal of undergraduates,[284] told me that -in his village there was a certain man who had been killed by the -rebels when they passed through the place. The man's head was left -hanging down on his chest; and as soon as the rebels had gone, his -servants secured the body and were about to bury it. Hearing, however, -a sound of breathing, they looked more closely, and found that the -windpipe was not wholly severed; and, setting his head in its proper -place, they carried him back home. In twenty-four hours he began to -moan; and by dint of carefully feeding him with a spoon, within six -months he had quite recovered. - -Some ten years afterwards he was chatting with a few friends, when one -of them made a joke which called forth loud applause from the others. -Our hero, too, clapped his hands; but, as he was bending backwards and -forwards with laughter, the seam on his neck split open, and down fell -his head with a gush of blood. His friends now found that he was -quite dead, and his father immediately commenced an action against the -joker;[285] but a sum of money was subscribed by those present and -given to the father, who buried his son and stopped further -proceedings. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[284] Or "Director of Studies." - -[285] The Chinese distinguish five degrees of homicide, of which -accidental homicide is one (see _Penal Code_, Book VI.) Thus, if a gun -goes off of itself in a man's hand and kills a bystander, the holder -of the gun is guilty of homicide; but were the same gun lying on a -table, it would be regarded as the will of Heaven. Similarly, a man is -held responsible for any death caused by an animal belonging to him; -though in such cases the affair can usually be hushed up by a money -payment, no notice being taken of crimes in general unless at the -instigation of a prosecutor, at whose will the case may be -subsequently withdrawn. Where the circumstances are purely accidental, -the law admits of a money compensation. - - - - -LII. - -PLAYING AT HANGING. - - -A number of wild young fellows were one day out walking when they saw -a young lady approach, riding on a pony.[286] One of them said to the -others, "I'll back myself to make that girl laugh," and a supper was -at once staked by both sides on the result. Our hero then ran out in -front of the pony, and kept on shouting "I'm going to die! I'm going -to die!" at the same time pulling out from over the top of a wall a -stalk of millet, to which he attached his own waistband, and tying the -latter round his neck, made a pretence of hanging himself. The young -lady did laugh as she passed by, to the great amusement of the -assembled company; but as when she was already some distance off their -friend did not move, the others laughed louder than ever. However, on -going up to him they saw that his tongue protruded, and that his eyes -were glazed; he was, in fact, quite dead. Was it not strange that a -man should be able to hang himself on a millet stalk?[287] It is a -good warning against practical joking. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[286] Women in China ride _a califourchon_. - -[287] Which, although tolerably stout and strong, is hardly capable of -sustaining a man's weight. - - - - -LIII. - -THE RAT WIFE. - - -Hsi Shan was a native of Kao-mi, and a trader by occupation. He -frequently slept at a place called Meng-i. One day he was delayed on -the road by rain, and when he arrived at his usual quarters it was -already late in the night. He knocked at all the doors, but no one -answered; and he was walking backwards and forwards in the piazza when -suddenly a door flew open and an old man came out. He invited the -traveller to enter, an invitation to which Hsi Shan gladly responded; -and, tying up his mule, he went in. The place was totally unfurnished; -and the old man began by saying that it was only out of compassion -that he had asked him in, as his house was not an inn. "There are only -three or four of us," added he; "and my wife and daughter are fast -asleep. We have some of yesterday's food, which I will get ready for -you; you must not object to its being cold." He then went within, and -shortly afterwards returned with a low couch, which he placed on the -ground, begging his guest to be seated, at the same time hurrying back -for a low table, and soon for a number of other things, until at last -Hsi Shan was quite uncomfortable, and entreated his host to rest -himself awhile. By-and-by a young lady came out, bringing some wine; -upon which the old man said, "Oh, our A-ch'ien has got up." She was -about sixteen or seventeen, a slender and pretty-looking girl; and as -Hsi Shan had an unmarried brother, he began to think directly that she -would do for him. So he inquired of the old man his name and address, -to which the latter replied that his name was Ku, and that his -children had all died save this one daughter. "I didn't like to wake -her just now, but I suppose my wife told her to get up." Hsi Shan then -asked the name of his son-in-law, and was informed that the young lady -was not yet engaged,--at which he was secretly very much pleased. A -tray of food was now brought in, evidently the remains from the day -before; and when he had finished eating, Hsi Shan began respectfully -to address the old man as follows:--"I am only a poor wayfarer, but I -shall never forget the kindness with which you have treated me. Let me -presume upon it, and submit to your consideration a plan I have in my -head. My younger brother, San-lang, is seventeen years old. He is a -student, and by no means unsteady or dull. May I hope that you will -unite our families together, and not think it presumption on my part?" -"I, too, am but a temporary sojourner," replied the old man, -rejoicing; "and if you will only let me have a part of your house, I -shall be very glad to come and live with you." Hsi Shan consented to -this, and got up and thanked him for the promise of his daughter; upon -which the old man set to work to make him comfortable for the night, -and then went away. At cock-crow he was outside, calling his guest to -come and have a wash; and when Hsi Shan had packed up ready to go, he -offered to pay for his night's entertainment. This, however, the old -man refused, saying, "I could hardly charge a stranger anything for a -single meal; how much less could I take money from my intended -son-in-law?" They then separated, and in about a month Hsi Shan -returned; but when he was a short distance from the village he met an -old woman with a young lady, both dressed in deep mourning. As they -approached he began to suspect it was A-ch'ien; and the young lady, -after turning round to look at him, pulled the old woman's sleeve, and -whispered something in her ear, which Hsi Shan himself did not hear. -The old woman stopped immediately, and asked if she was addressing Mr. -Hsi; and when informed that she was, she said mournfully, "Alas! my -husband has been killed by the falling of a wall. We are going to bury -him to-day. There is no one at home; but please wait here, and we will -be back by-and-by." They then disappeared among the trees; and, -returning after a short absence, they walked along together in the -dusk of the evening. The old woman complained bitterly of their lonely -and helpless state, and Hsi Shan himself was moved to compassion by -the sight of her tears. She told him that the people of the -neighbourhood were a bad lot, and that if he thought of marrying the -poor widow's daughter, he had better lose no time in doing so. Hsi -Shan said he was willing; and when they reached the house the old -woman, after lighting the lamp and setting food before him, proceeded -to speak as follows:--"Knowing, Sir, that you would shortly arrive, we -sold all our grain except about twenty piculs. We cannot take this -with us so far; but a mile or so to the north of the village, at the -first house you come to, there lives a man named T'an Erh-ch'uean, who -often buys grain from me. Don't think it too much trouble to oblige me -by taking a sack with you on your mule and proceeding thither at once. -Tell Mr. T'an that the old lady of the southern village has several -piculs of grain which she wishes to sell in order to get money for a -journey, and beg him to send some animals to carry it." The old woman -then gave him a sack of grain; and Hsi Shan, whipping up his mule, was -soon at the place; and, knocking at the door, a great fat fellow came -out, to whom he told his errand. Emptying the sack he had brought, he -went back himself first; and before long a couple of men arrived -leading five mules. The old woman took them into the granary, which -was a cellar below ground, and Hsi Shan, going down himself, handed up -the bags to the mother and daughter, who passed them on from one to -the other. In a little while the men had got a load, with which they -went off, returning altogether four times before all the grain was -exhausted. They then paid the old woman, who kept one man and two -mules, and, packing up her things, set off towards the east. After -travelling some seven miles day began to break; and by-and-by they -reached a market town, where the old woman hired animals and sent back -T'an's servant. When they arrived at Hsi Shan's home he related the -whole story to his parents, who were very pleased at what had -happened, and provided separate apartments for the old lady, at the -same time engaging a fortune-teller to fix on a lucky day for -A-ch'ien's marriage with their son San-lang. The old woman prepared a -handsome trousseau; and as for A-ch'ien herself, she spoke but little, -seldom losing her temper, and if any one addressed her she would only -reply with a smile. She employed all her time in spinning, and thus -became a general favourite with all alike. "Tell your brother," said -she to San-lang, "that when he happens to pass our old residence he -will do well not to make any mention of my mother and myself." - -In three or four years' time the Hsi family had made plenty of money, -and San-lang had taken his bachelor's degree, when one day Hsi Shan -happened to pass a night with the people who lived next door to the -house where he had met A-ch'ien. After telling them the story of his -having had nowhere to sleep, and taking refuge with the old man and -woman, his host said to him, "You must make a mistake, Sir; the house -you allude to belongs to my uncle, but was abandoned three years ago -in consequence of its being haunted. It has now been uninhabited for a -long time. What old man and woman can have entertained you there?" Hsi -Shan was very much astonished at this, but did not put much faith in -what he heard; meanwhile his host continued, "For ten years no one -dared enter the house; however, one day the back wall fell down, and -my uncle, going to look at it, found, half-buried underneath the -ruins, a large rat, almost as big as a cat. It was still moving, and -my uncle went off to call for assistance, but when he got back the rat -had disappeared. Everyone suspected some supernatural agency to be at -work, though on returning to the spot ten days afterwards nothing was -to be either heard or seen; and about a year subsequently the place -was inhabited once more." Hsi Shan was more than ever amazed at what -he now heard, and on reaching home told the family what had occurred; -for he feared that his brother's wife was not a human being, and -became rather anxious about him. San-lang himself continued to be much -attached to A-ch'ien; but by-and-by the other members of the family -let A-ch'ien perceive that they had suspicions about her. So one night -she complained to San-lang, saying, "I have been a good wife to you -for some years: now I have become an object of contempt. I pray you -give me my divorce,[288] and seek for yourself some worthier mate." -She then burst into a flood of tears; whereupon San-lang said, "You -should know my feelings by this time. Ever since you entered the -house the family has prospered; and that prosperity is entirely due to -you. Who can say it is not so?" "I know full well," replied A-ch'ien, -"what you feel; still there are the others, and I do not wish to share -the fate of an autumn fan."[289] At length San-lang succeeded in -pacifying her; but Hsi Shan could not dismiss the subject from his -thoughts, and gave out that he was going to get a first-rate mouser, -with a view to testing A-ch'ien. She did not seem very frightened at -this, though evidently ill at ease; and one night she told San-lang -that her mother was not very well, and that he needn't come to bid her -good night as usual. In the morning mother and daughter had -disappeared; at which San-lang was greatly alarmed, and sent out to -look for them in every direction. No traces of the fugitives could be -discovered, and San-lang was overwhelmed with grief, unable either to -eat or to sleep. His father and brother thought it was a lucky thing -for him, and advised him to console himself with another wife. This, -however, he refused to do; until, about a year afterwards, nothing -more having been heard of A-ch'ien, he could not resist their -importunities any longer, and bought himself a concubine. But he never -ceased to think of A-ch'ien; and some years later, when the prosperity -of the family was on the wane, they all began to regret her loss. - -Now San-lang had a step-brother, named Lan, who, when travelling to -Chiao-chou on business, passed a night at the house of a relative -named Lu. He noticed that during the night sounds of weeping and -lamentation proceeded from their next-door neighbours, but he did not -inquire the reason of it; however, on his way back he heard the same -sounds, and then asked what was the cause of such demonstrations. Mr. -Lu told him that a few years ago an old widow and her daughter had -come there to live, and that the mother had died about a month -previously, leaving her child quite alone in the world. Lan inquired -what her name was, and Mr. Lu said it was Ku; "But," added he, "the -door is closely barred, and as they never had any communication with -the village, I know nothing of their antecedents." "It's my -sister-in-law," cried Lan, in amazement, and at once proceeded to -knock at the door of the house. Some one came to the front door, and -said, in a voice that betokened recent weeping, "Who's there? There -are no men in this house."[290] Lan looked through a crack, and saw -that the young lady really was his sister-in-law; so he called out, -"Sister, open the door. I am your step-brother A-sui." A-ch'ien -immediately opened the door and asked him in, and recounted to him the -whole story of her troubles. "Your husband," said Lan, "is always -thinking of you. For a trifling difference you need hardly have run -away so far from him." He then proposed to hire a vehicle and take her -home; but A-ch'ien replied, "I came hither with my mother to hide -because I was held in contempt, and should make myself ridiculous by -now returning thus. If I am to go back, my elder brother Hsi Shan must -no longer live with us; otherwise, I will assuredly poison myself." -Lan then went home and told San-lang, who set off and travelled all -night until he reached the place where A-ch'ien was. Husband and wife -were overjoyed to meet again, and the following day San-lang notified -the landlord of the house where A-ch'ien had been living. Now this -landlord had long desired to secure A-ch'ien as a concubine for -himself; and, after making no claim for rent for several years, he -began to hint as much to her mother. The old lady, however, refused -flatly; but shortly afterwards she died, and then the landlord thought -that he might be able to succeed. At this juncture San-lang arrived, -and the landlord sought to hamper him by putting in his claim for -rent; and, as San-lang was anything but well off at the moment, it -really did annoy him very much. A-ch'ien here came to the rescue, -showing San-lang a large quantity of grain she had in the house, and -bidding him use it to settle accounts with the landlord. The latter -declared he could not accept grain, but must be paid in silver; -whereupon A-ch'ien sighed and said it was all her unfortunate self -that had brought this upon them, at the same time telling San-lang of -the landlord's former proposition. San-lang was very angry, and was -about to take out a summons against him, when Mr. Lu interposed, and, -by selling the grain in the neighbourhood, managed to collect -sufficient money to pay off the rent. San-lang and his wife then -returned home; and the former, having explained the circumstances to -his parents, separated his household from that of his brother. -A-ch'ien now proceeded to build, with her own money, a granary, which -was a matter of some astonishment to the family, there not being a -hundredweight of grain in the place. But in about a year the granary -was full,[291] and before very long San-lang was a rich man, Hsi Shan -remaining as poor as before. Accordingly, A-ch'ien persuaded her -husband's parents to come and live with them, and made frequent -presents of money to the elder brother; so that her husband said, -"Well, at any rate, you bear no malice." "Your brother's behaviour," -replied she, "was from his regard for you. Had it not been for him, -you and I would never have met." After this there were no more -supernatural manifestations. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[288] The Chinese acknowledge seven just causes for putting away a -wife. (1) Bad behaviour towards the husband's father and mother. (2) -Adultery. (3) Jealousy. (4) Garrulity. (5) Theft. (6) Disease. (7) -Barrenness. The right of divorce may not, however, be enforced if the -husband's father and mother have died since the marriage, as thus it -would be inferred that the wife had served them well up to the time of -their death; or if the husband has recently risen to wealth and power -(hence the saying, "The wife of my poverty shall not go down from my -hall"); or thirdly, if the wife's parents and brothers are dead, and -she has no home in which she can seek shelter. - -[289] This elegant simile is taken from a song ascribed to Pan -Chieh-yue, a favourite of the Emperor Ch'eng Ti of the Han dynasty, -written when her influence with the Son of Heaven began to wane. I -venture to reproduce it here. - - "O fair white silk, fresh from the weaver's loom; - Clear as the frost, bright as the winter's snow! - See! friendship fashions out of thee a fan, - Round as the round moon shines in heaven above. - At home, abroad, a close companion thou, - Stirring at every move the grateful gale. - And yet I fear, ah, me! that autumn chills, - Cooling the dying summer's torrid rage, - Will see thee laid neglected on the shelf, - All thought of by-gone days, like them, by-gone." - -[290] Signifying that it would be impossible for him to enter. - -[291] The result of A-ch'ien's depredations as a rat. - - - - -LIV. - -THE MAN WHO WAS THROWN DOWN A WELL. - - -Mr. Tai, of An-ch'ing, was a wild fellow when young. One day as he was -returning home tipsy,[292] he met by the way a dead cousin of his -named Chi; and having, in his drunken state, quite forgotten that his -cousin was dead, he asked him where he was going. "I am already a -disembodied spirit," replied Chi; "don't you remember?" Tai was a -little disturbed at this; but, being under the influence of liquor, -he was not frightened, and inquired of his cousin what he was doing in -the realms below. "I am employed as scribe," said Chi, "in the court -of the Great King." "Then you must know all about our happiness and -misfortunes to come," cried Tai. "It is my business," answered his -cousin, "so of course I know. But I see such an enormous mass that, -unless of special reference to myself or family, I take no notice of -any of it. Three days ago, by the way, I saw your name in the -register." Tai immediately asked what there was about himself, and his -cousin replied, "I will not deceive you; your name was put down for a -dark and dismal hell." Tai was dreadfully alarmed, and at the same -time sobered, and entreated his cousin to assist him in some way. "You -may try," said Chi, "what merit will do for you as a means of -mitigating your punishment; but the register of your sins is as thick -as my finger, and nothing short of the most deserving acts will be of -any avail. What can a poor fellow like myself do for you? Were you to -perform one good act every day, you would not complete the necessary -total under a year and more, and it is now too late for that. But -henceforth amend your ways, and there may still be a chance of escape -for you." When Tai heard these words he prostrated himself on the -ground, imploring his cousin to help him; but, on raising his head, -Chi had disappeared; he therefore returned sorrowfully home, and set -to work to cleanse his heart and order his behaviour. - -Now Tai's next door neighbour had long suspected him of paying too -much attention to his wife; and one day meeting Tai in the fields -shortly after the events narrated above, he inveigled him into -inspecting a dry well, and then pushed him down. The well was many -feet deep, and the man felt certain that Tai was killed; however, in -the middle of the night he came round, and sitting up at the bottom, -he began to shout for assistance, but could not make any one hear him. -On the following day, the neighbour, fearing that Tai might possibly -have recovered consciousness, went to listen at the mouth of the well; -and hearing him cry out for help, began to throw down a quantity of -stones. Tai took refuge in a cave at the side, and did not dare utter -another sound; but his enemy knew he was not dead, and forthwith -filled the well almost up to the top with earth. In the cave it was as -dark as pitch, exactly like the Infernal Regions; and not being able -to get anything to eat or drink, Tai gave up all hopes of life. He -crawled on his hands and knees further into the cave, but was -prevented by water from going further than a few paces, and returned -to take up his position at the old spot. At first he felt hungry; -by-and-by, however, this sensation passed away; and then reflecting -that there, at the bottom of a well, he could hardly perform any good -action, he passed his time in calling loudly on the name of -Buddha.[293] Before long he saw a number of Will-o'-the-Wisps -flitting over the water and illuminating the gloom of the cave; and -immediately prayed to them, saying, "O Will-o'-the-Wisps, I have heard -that ye are the shades of wronged and injured people. I have not long -to live, and am without hope of escape; still I would gladly relieve -the monotony of my situation by exchanging a few words with you." -Thereupon, all the Wills came flitting across the water to him; and -among them was a man of about half the ordinary size. Tai asked him -whence he came; to which he replied, "This is an old coal-mine. The -proprietor, in working the coal, disturbed the position of some -graves;[294] and Mr. Lung-fei flooded the mine and drowned forty-three -workmen. We are the shades of those men." He further said he did not -know who Mr. Lung-fei was, except that he was secretary to the City -God, and that in compassion for the misfortunes of the innocent -workmen, he was in the habit of sending them a quantity of gruel every -three or four days. "But the cold water," added he, "soaks into our -bones, and there is but small chance of ever getting them removed. If, -Sir, you some day return to the world above, I pray you fish up our -decaying bones and bury them in some public burying-ground. You will -thus earn for yourself boundless gratitude in the realms below." Tai -promised that if he had the luck to escape he would do as they wished; -"but how," cried he, "situated as I am, can I ever hope to look again -upon the light of day?" He then began to teach the Wills to say their -prayers, making for them beads[295] out of bits of mud, and repeating -to them the liturgies of Buddha. He could not tell night from morning; -he slept when he felt tired, and when he waked he sat up. Suddenly, he -perceived in the distance the light of lamps, at which the shades all -rejoiced, and said, "It is Mr. Lung-fei with our food." They then -invited Tai to go with them; and when he said he couldn't because of -the water, they bore him along over it so that he hardly seemed to -walk. After twisting and turning about for nearly a quarter of a mile, -he reached a place at which the Wills bade him walk by himself; and -then he appeared to mount a flight of steps, at the top of which he -found himself in an apartment lighted by a candle as thick round as -one's arm. Not having seen the light of fire for some time, he was -overjoyed and walked in; but observing an old man in a scholar's dress -and cap seated in the post of honour, he stopped, not liking to -advance further. But the old man had already caught sight of him, and -asked him how he, a living man, had come there. Tai threw himself on -the ground at his feet, and told him all; whereupon the old man cried -out, "My great-grandson!" He then bade him get up; and offering him a -seat, explained that his own name was Tai Ch'ien, and that he was -otherwise known as Lung-fei. He said, moreover, that in days gone by a -worthless grandson of his named T'ang, had associated himself with a -lot of scoundrels and sunk a well near his grave, disturbing the peace -of his everlasting night; and that therefore he had flooded the place -with salt water and drowned them. He then inquired as to the general -condition of the family at that time. - -Now Tai was a descendant of one of five brothers, from the eldest of -whom T'ang himself was also descended; and an influential man of the -place had bribed T'ang to open a mine[296] alongside the family grave. -His brothers were afraid to interfere; and by-and-by the water rose -and drowned all the workmen; whereupon actions for damages were -commenced by the relatives of the deceased,[297] and T'ang and his -friend were reduced to poverty, and T'ang's descendants to absolute -destitution. Tai was a son of one of T'ang's brothers, and having -heard this story from his seniors, now repeated it to the old man. -"How could they be otherwise than unfortunate," cried the latter, -"with such an unfilial progenitor? But since you have come hither, you -must on no account neglect your studies." The old man then provided -him with food and wine, and spreading a volume of essays according to -the old style before him, bade him study it most carefully. He also -gave him themes for composition, and corrected his essays as if he had -been his tutor. The candle remained always burning in the room, never -needing to be snuffed and never decreasing. When he was tired he went -to sleep, but he never knew day from night. The old man occasionally -went out, leaving a boy to attend to his great-grandson's wants. It -seemed that several years passed away thus, but Tai had no troubles of -any kind to annoy him. He had no other book except the volume of -essays, one hundred in all, which he read through more than four -thousand times. One day the old man said to him, "Your term of -expiation is nearly completed, and you will be able to return to the -world above. My grave is near the coal-mine, and the grosser breeze -plays upon my bones. Remember to remove them to Tung-yuean." Tai -promised he would see to this; and then the old man summoned all the -shades together and instructed them to escort Tai back to the place -where they had found him. The shades now bowed one after the other, -and begged Tai to think of them as well, while Tai himself was quite -at a loss to guess how he was going to get out. - -Meanwhile, Tai's family had searched for him everywhere, and his -mother had brought his case to the notice of the officials, thereby -implicating a large number of persons, but without getting any trace -of the missing man. Three or four years passed away and there was a -change of magistrate; in consequence of which the search was relaxed, -and Tai's wife, not being happy where she was, married another -husband. Just then an inhabitant of the place set about repairing the -old well and found Tai's body in the cave at the bottom. Touching it, -he found it was not dead, and at once gave information to the family. -Tai was promptly conveyed home, and within a day he could tell his own -story. - -Since he had been down the well, the neighbour who pushed him in had -beaten his own wife to death; and his father-in-law having brought an -action against him, he had been in confinement for more than a year -while the case was being investigated.[298] When released he was a -mere bag of bones;[299] and then hearing that Tai had come back to -life, he was terribly alarmed and fled away. The family tried to -persuade Tai to take proceedings against him, but this he would not -do, alleging that what had befallen him was a proper punishment for -his own bad behaviour, and had nothing to do with the neighbour. Upon -this, the said neighbour ventured to return; and when the water in the -well had dried up, Tai hired men to go down and collect the bones, -which he put in coffins and buried all together in one place. He next -hunted up Mr. Lung-fei's name in the family tables of genealogy, and -proceeded to sacrifice all kinds of nice things at his tomb. By-and-by -the Literary Chancellor[300] heard this strange story, and was also -very pleased with Tai's compositions; accordingly, Tai passed -successfully through his examinations, and, having taken his master's -degree, returned home and reburied Mr. Lung-fei at Tung-yuean, -repairing thither regularly every spring without fail.[301] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[292] I have already discussed the subject of drunkenness in China -(_Chinese Sketches_, pp. 113, 114), and shall not return to it here, -further than to quote a single sentence, to which I adhere as firmly -now as when the book in question was published:--"Who ever sees in -China a tipsy man reeling about a crowded thoroughfare, or lying with -his head in a ditch by the side of some country road?" - -It is not, however, generally known that the Chinese, with their usual -quaintness, distinguish between five kinds of drunkenness, different -people being differently affected, according to the physical -constitution of each. Wine may fly (1) to the heart, and produce -maudlin emotions; or (2) to the liver, and incite to pugnacity; or (3) -to the stomach, and cause drowsiness, accompanied by a flushing of the -face; or (4) to the lungs, and induce hilarity; or (5) to the kidneys, -and excite desire. - -[293] "The very name of Buddha, if pronounced with a devout heart -1,000 or 5,000 times, will effectually dispel all harassing thoughts, -all fightings within and fears without."--_Eitel._ - -[294] A religious and social offence of the deepest dye, sure to -entail punishment in the world to come, even if the perpetrator -escapes detection in this life. - -[295] The Buddhist rosary consists of 108 beads, which number is the -same as that of the compartments in the _Phrabat_ or sacred footprint -of Buddha. - -[296] It here occurred to me that the word hitherto translated "well" -should have been "shaft;" but the commentator refers expressly to the -_Tso Chuan_, where the phrase for "a dry well," as first used, is so -explained. We must accordingly fall back on the supposition that our -author has committed a trifling slip. - -[297] See No. LI., note 285. - -[298] That is, as to whether or not there were extenuating -circumstances, in which case no punishment would be inflicted. - -[299] Such is the invariable result of confinement in a Chinese -prison, unless the prisoner has the wherewithal to purchase food. - -[300] The provincial examiner for the degree of bachelor. - -[301] To worship at his tomb. - - - - -LV. - -THE VIRTUOUS DAUGHTER-IN-LAW. - - -An Ta-ch'eng was a Chung-ch'ing man. His father, who had gained the -master's degree, died early; and his brother Erh-ch'eng was a mere -boy. He himself had married a wife from the Ch'en family, whose name -was Shan-hu; and this young lady had much to put up with from the -violent and malicious disposition of her husband's mother.[302] -However, she never complained; and every morning dressed herself up -smart, and went in to pay her respects to the old lady. Once when -Ta-ch'eng was ill, his mother abused Shan-hu for dressing so nicely; -whereupon Shan-hu went back and changed her clothes; but even then -Mrs. An was not satisfied, and began to tear her own hair with rage. -Ta-ch'eng, who was a very filial son, at once gave his wife a beating, -and this put an end to the scene. From that moment his mother hated -her more than ever, and although she was everything that a -daughter-in-law could be, would never exchange a word with her. -Ta-ch'eng then treated her in much the same way, that his mother might -see he would have nothing to do with her; still the old lady wasn't -pleased, and was always blaming Shan-hu for every trifle that -occurred. "A wife," cried Ta-ch'eng "is taken to wait upon her -mother-in-law. This state of things hardly looks like the wife doing -her duty." So he bade Shan-hu begone,[303] and sent an old -maid-servant to see her home: but when Shan-hu got outside the -village-gate, she burst into tears, and said, "How can a girl who has -failed in her duties as a wife ever dare to look her parents in the -face? I had better die." Thereupon she drew a pair of scissors and -stabbed herself in the throat, covering herself immediately with -blood. The servant prevented any further mischief, and supported her -to the house of her husband's aunt, who was a widow living by herself, -and who made Shan-hu stay with her. The servant went back and told -Ta-ch'eng, and he bade her say nothing to any one, for fear his mother -should hear of it. In a few days Shan-hu's wound was healed, and -Ta-ch'eng went off to ask his aunt to send her away. His aunt invited -him in, but he declined, demanding loudly that Shan-hu should be -turned out; and in a few moments Shan-hu herself came forth, and -inquired what she had done. Ta-ch'eng said she had failed in her duty -towards his mother; whereupon Shan-hu hung her head and made no -answer, while tears of blood[304] trickled from her eyes and stained -her dress all over. Ta-ch'eng was much touched by this spectacle, and -went away without saying any more; but before long his mother heard -all about it, and, hurrying off to the aunt's, began abusing her -roundly. This the aunt would not stand, and said it was all the fault -of her own bad temper, adding, "The girl has already left you, and has -nothing more to do with the family. Miss Ch'en is staying with me, not -your daughter-in-law; so you had better mind your own business." This -made Mrs. An furious; but she was at a loss for an answer, and, seeing -that the aunt was firm, she went off home abashed and in tears. - -Shan-hu herself was very much upset, and determined to seek shelter -elsewhere, finally taking up her abode with Mrs. An's elder sister, a -lady of sixty odd years of age, whose son had died, leaving his wife -and child to his mother's care. This Mrs. Yue was extremely fond of -Shan-hu; and when she heard the facts of the case, said it was all her -sister's horrid disposition, and proposed to send Shan-hu back. The -latter, however, would not hear of this, and they continued to live -together like mother and daughter; neither would Shan-hu accept the -invitation of her two brothers to return home and marry some one else, -but remained there with Mrs. Yue, earning enough to live upon by -spinning and such work. - -Ever since Shan-hu had been sent away, Ta-ch'eng's mother had been -endeavouring to get him another wife; but the fame of her temper had -spread far and wide, and no one would entertain her proposals. In -three or four years Erh-ch'eng had grown up, and he was married first -to a young lady named Tsang-ku, whose temper turned out to be -something fearful, and far more ungovernable even than her -mother-in-law's. When the latter only looked angry, Tsang-ku was -already at the shrieking stage; and Erh-ch'eng, being of a very meek -disposition, dared not side with either. Thus it came about that Mrs. -An began to be in mortal fear of Tsang-ku; and whenever her -daughter-in-law was in a rage she would try and turn off her anger -with a smile. She seemed never to be able to please Tsang-ku, who in -her turn worked her mother-in-law like a slave, Ta-ch'eng himself not -venturing to interfere, but only assisting his mother in washing the -dishes and sweeping the floor. Mother and son would often go to some -secluded spot, and there in secret tell their griefs to one another; -but before long Mrs. An was stretched upon a sick bed with nobody to -attend to her except Ta-ch'eng. He watched her day and night without -sleeping, until both eyes were red and inflamed; and then when he went -to summon the younger son to take his place, Tsang-ku told him to -leave the house. Ta-ch'eng now went off to inform Mrs. Yue, hoping that -she would come and assist; and he had hardly finished his tale of woe -before Shan-hu walked in. In great confusion at seeing her, he would -have left immediately had not Shan-hu held out her arms across the door; -whereupon he bolted underneath them and escaped. He did not dare tell -his mother, and shortly afterwards Mrs. Yue arrived, to the great joy -of Ta-ch'eng's mother, who made her stay in the house. Every day -something nice was sent for Mrs. Yue, and even when she told the -servants that there was no occasion for it, she having all she wanted -at her sister's, the things still came as usual. However, she kept -none of them for herself, but gave what came to the invalid, who -gradually began to improve. Mrs. Yue's grandson also used to come by -his mother's orders, and inquire after the sick lady's health, besides -bringing a packet of cakes and so on for her. "Ah, me!" cried Mrs. An, -"what a good daughter-in-law you have got, to be sure. What have you -done to her?" "What sort of a person was the one you sent away?" asked -her sister in reply. "She wasn't as bad as some one I know of," said -Mrs. An, "though not so good as yours." "When she was here you had but -little to do," replied Mrs. Yue; "and when you were angry she took no -notice of it. How was she not as good?" Mrs. An then burst into tears, -and saying how sorry she was, asked if Shan-hu had married again; to -which Mrs. Yue replied that she did not know, but would make inquiries. -In a few more days the patient was quite well, and Mrs. Yue proposed to -return; her sister, however, begged her to stay, and declared she -should die if she didn't. Mrs. Yue then advised that Erh-ch'eng and his -wife should live in a separate house, and Erh-ch'eng spoke about it -to his wife; but she would not agree, and abused both Ta-ch'eng and -his mother alike. It ended by Ta-ch'eng giving up a large share of the -property, and ultimately Tsang-ku consented, and a deed of separation -was drawn up. Mrs. Yue then went away, returning next day with a -sedan-chair to carry her sister back; and no sooner had the latter put -her foot inside Mrs. Yue's door, than she asked to see the -daughter-in-law, whom she immediately began to praise very highly. -"Ah," said Mrs. Yue, "she's a good girl, with her little faults like -the rest of us; but your daughter-in-law is just as good, though you -are not aware of it." "Alas!" replied her sister, "I must have been as -senseless as a statue not to have seen what she was." "I wonder what -Shan-hu, whom you turned out of doors, says of you," rejoined Mrs. Yue. -"Why, swears at me, of course," answered Mrs. An. "If you examine -yourself honestly and find nothing which should make people swear at -you, is it at all likely you would be sworn at?" asked Mrs. Yue. "Well, -all people are fallible," replied the other, "and as I know she is not -perfect, I conclude she would naturally swear at me." "If a person has -just cause for resentment, and yet does not indulge that resentment, -such behaviour should meet with a grateful acknowledgment; or if any -one has just cause for leaving another and yet does not do so, such -behaviour should entitle them to kind treatment. Now, all the things -that were sent when you were ill, and all the various little -attentions, did not come from my daughter-in-law but from yours." -Mrs. An was amazed at hearing this, and asked for some explanation; -whereupon Mrs. Yue continued, "Shan-hu has been living here for a long -time. Everything she sent to you was bought with money earned by her -spinning, and that, too, continued late into the night." Mrs. An here -burst into tears, and begged to be allowed to see Shan-hu, who came in -at Mrs. Yue's summons, and threw herself on the ground at her -mother-in-law's feet. Mrs. An was much abashed, and beat her head with -shame; but Mrs. Yue made it all up between them, and they became mother -and daughter as at first. In about ten days they went home, and, as -their property was not enough to support them, Ta-ch'eng had to work -with his pen while his wife did the same with her needle. Erh-ch'eng -was quite well off, but his brother would not apply to him, neither -did he himself offer to help them. Tsang-ku, too, would have nothing -to do with her sister-in-law, because she had been divorced; and -Shan-hu in her turn, knowing what Tsang-ku's temper was, made no great -efforts to be friendly. So the two brothers lived apart;[305] and when -Tsang-ku was in one of her outrageous moods, all the others would stop -their ears, till at length there was only her husband and the servants -upon whom to vent her spleen. One day a maid-servant of hers -committed suicide, and the father of the girl brought an action -against Tsang-ku for having caused her death. Erh-ch'eng went off to -the mandarin's to take her place as defendant, but only got a good -beating for his pains, as the magistrate insisted that Tsang-ku -herself should appear, and answer to the charge, in spite of all her -friends could do. The consequence was she had her fingers -squeezed[306] until the flesh was entirely taken off; and the -magistrate, being a grasping man, a very severe fine was inflicted as -well. Erh-ch'eng had now to mortgage his property before he could -raise enough money to get Tsang-ku released; but before long the -mortgagee threatened to foreclose, and he was obliged to enter into -negotiations for the sale of it to an old gentleman of the village -named Jen. Now Mr. Jen, knowing that half the property had belonged to -Ta-ch'eng, said the deed of sale must be signed by the elder brother -as well; however, when Ta-ch'eng reached his house, the old man cried -out, "I am Mr. An, M.A., who is this Jen that he should buy my -property?" Then, looking at Ta-ch'eng, he added, "The filial piety of -you and your wife has obtained for me in the realms below this -interview;" upon which Ta-ch'eng said, "O father, since you have this -power, help my younger brother." "The unfilial son and the vixenish -daughter-in-law," said the old man, "deserve no pity. Go home and -quickly buy back our ancestral property." "We have barely enough to -live upon," replied Ta-ch'eng; "where, then, shall we find the -necessary money?" "Beneath the crape myrtle-tree,"[307] answered his -father, "you will find a store of silver, which you may take and use -for this purpose." Ta-ch'eng would have questioned him further, but -the old gentleman said no more, recovering consciousness shortly -afterwards[308] without knowing a word of what had happened. Ta-ch'eng -went back and told his brother, who did not altogether believe the -story; Tsang-ku, however, hurried off with a number of men, and had -soon dug a hole four or five feet deep, at the bottom of which they -found a quantity of bricks and stones, but no gold. She then gave up -the idea and returned home, Ta-ch'eng having meanwhile warned his -mother and wife not to go near the place while she was digging. When -Tsang-ku left, Mrs. An went herself to have a look, and seeing only -bricks and earth mingled together, she, too, retraced her steps. -Shan-hu was the next to go, and she found the hole full of silver -bullion; and then Ta-ch'eng repaired to the spot and saw that there -was no mistake about it. Not thinking it right to apply this heir-loom -to his own private use, he now summoned Erh-ch'eng to share it; and -having obtained twice as much as was necessary to redeem the estate, -the brothers returned to their homes. Erh-ch'eng and Tsang-ku opened -their half together, when lo! the bag was full of tiles and rubbish. -They at once suspected Ta-ch'eng of deceiving them, and Erh-ch'eng ran -off to see how things were going at his brother's. He arrived just as -Ta-ch'eng was spreading the silver on the table, and with his mother -and wife rejoicing over their acquisition; and when he had told them -what had occurred, Ta-ch'eng expressed much sympathy for him, and at -once presented him with his own half of the treasure. Erh-ch'eng was -delighted, and paid off the mortgage on the land, feeling very -grateful to his brother for such kindness. Tsang-ku, however, declared -it was a proof that Ta-ch'eng had been cheating him; "for how, -otherwise," argued she, "can you understand a man sharing anything -with another, and then resigning his own half?" - -Erh-ch'eng himself did not know what to think of it; but next day the -mortgagee sent to say that the money paid in was all imitation silver, -and that he was about to lay the case before the authorities. Husband -and wife were greatly alarmed at this, and Tsang-ku exclaimed, "Well, -I never thought your brother was as bad as this. He's simply trying to -take your life." Erh-ch'eng himself was in a terrible fright, and -hurried off to the mortgagee to entreat for mercy; but as the latter -was extremely angry and would hear of no compromise, Erh-ch'eng was -obliged to make over the property to him to dispose of himself. The -money was then returned, and when he got home he found that two lumps -had been cut through, shewing merely an outside layer of silver, about -as thick as an onion-leaf, covering nothing but copper within. -Tsang-ku and Erh-ch'eng then agreed to keep the broken pieces -themselves, but send the rest back to Ta-ch'eng, with a message, -saying that they were deeply indebted to him for all his kindness, and -that they had ventured to retain two of the lumps of silver out of -compliment to the giver; also that Ta-ch'eng might consider himself -the owner of the mortgaged land, which he could redeem or not as he -pleased. Ta-ch'eng, who did not perceive the intention in all this, -refused to accept the land; however, Erh-ch'eng entreated him to do -so, and at last he consented. When he came to weigh the money, he -found it was five ounces short, and therefore bade Shan-hu pawn -something from her jewel-box to make up the amount, with which he -proceeded to pay off the mortgage. The mortgagee, suspecting it was -the same money that had been offered him by Erh-ch'eng, cut the pieces -in halves, and saw that it was all silver of the purest quality. -Accordingly he accepted it in liquidation of his claim, and handed the -mortgage back to Ta-ch'eng. Meanwhile, Erh-ch'eng had been expecting -some catastrophe; but when he found that the mortgaged land had been -redeemed, he did not know what to make of it. Tsang-ku thought that at -the time of the digging Ta-ch'eng had concealed the genuine silver, -and immediately rushed off to his house, and began to revile them all -round. Ta-ch'eng now understood why they had sent him back the money; -and Shan-hu laughed and said, "The property is safe; why, then, this -anger?" Thereupon she made Ta-ch'eng hand over the deeds to Tsang-ku. - -One night after this Erh-ch'eng's father appeared to him in a dream, -and reproached him, saying, "Unfilial son, unfraternal brother, your -hour is at hand. Wherefore usurp rights that do not belong to you?" In -the morning Erh-ch'eng told Tsang-ku of his dream, and proposed to -return the property to his brother; but she only laughed at him for a -fool. Just then the eldest of his two sons, a boy of seven, died of -small-pox, and this frightened Tsang-ku so that she agreed to restore -the deeds. Ta-ch'eng would not accept them; and now the second child, -a boy of three, died also; whereupon Tsang-ku seized the deeds, and -threw them into her brother-in-law's house. Spring was over, but the -land was in a terribly neglected state; so Ta-ch'eng set to work and -put it in order again. From this moment Tsang-ku was a changed woman -towards her mother- and sister-in-law; and when, six months later, -Mrs. An died, she was so grieved that she refused to take any -nourishment. "Alas!" cried she, "that my mother-in-law has died thus -early, and prevented me from waiting upon her. Heaven will not allow -me to retrieve my past errors." Tsang-ku had thirteen children,[309] -but as none of them lived, they were obliged to adopt one of -Ta-ch'eng's,[310] who, with his wife, lived to a good old age, and had -three sons, two of whom took their doctor's degree. People said this -was a reward for filial piety and brotherly love. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[302] See No. XLIII., note 248. - -[303] See No. LIII., note 288. - -[304] Such is the Chinese idiom for what we should call "bitter" -tears. This phrase is constantly employed in the notices of the death -of a parent sent round to friends and relatives. - -[305] A disgraceful state of things, in the eyes of the Chinese. See -the paraphrase of the _Sacred Edict_, Maxim 1. - -[306] An illegal form of punishment, under the present dynasty, which -authorizes only _bambooing_ of two kinds, each of five degrees of -severity; _banishment_, of three degrees of duration; _transportation_ -for life, of three degrees of distance; and _death_, of two kinds, -namely, by strangulation and decapitation. That torture is -occasionally resorted to by the officers of the Chinese Empire is an -indisputable fact; that it is commonly employed by the whole body of -mandarins could only be averred by those who have not had the -opportunities or the desire to discover the actual truth. - -[307] _Lagerstroemia indica._ - -[308] That is, old Mr. Jen's body had been possessed by the -disembodied spirit of Ta-ch'eng's father. - -[309] Five is considered a large number for an ordinary Chinese woman. - -[310] In order to leave some one behind to look after their graves and -perform the duties of ancestral worship. No one can well refuse to -give a son to be adopted by a childless brother. - - - - -LVI. - -DR. TSENG'S DREAM. - - -There was a Fohkien gentleman named Tseng, who had just taken his -doctor's degree. One day he was out walking with several other -recently-elected doctors, when they heard that at a temple hard by -there lived an astrologer, and accordingly the party proceeded thither -to get their fortunes told. They went in and sat down, and the -astrologer made some very complimentary remarks to Tseng, at which he -fanned himself and smiled, saying, "Have I any chance of ever wearing -the dragon robes and the jade girdle?"[311] The astrologer[312] -immediately put on a serious face, and replied that he would be a -Secretary of State during twenty years of national tranquillity. -Thereupon Tseng was much pleased, and began to give himself greater -airs than ever. A slight rain coming on, they sought shelter in the -priest's quarters, where they found an old bonze, with sunken eyes and -a big nose, sitting upon a mat. He took no notice of the strangers, -who, after having bowed to him, stretched themselves upon the couches -to chat, not forgetting to congratulate Tseng upon the destiny which -had been foretold him. Tseng, too, seemed to think the thing was a -matter of certainty, and mentioned the names of several friends he -intended to advance, amongst others the old family butler. Roars of -laughter greeted this announcement, mingled with the patter-patter of -the increasing rain outside. Tseng then curled himself up for a nap, -when suddenly in walked two officials bearing a commission under the -Great Seal appointing Tseng to the Grand Secretariat. As soon as Tseng -understood their errand, he rushed off at once to pay his respects to -the Emperor, who graciously detained him some time in conversation, -and then issued instructions that the promotion and dismissal of all -officers below the third grade[313] should be vested in Tseng alone. -He was next presented with the dragon robes, the jade girdle, and a -horse from the imperial stables, after which he performed the -_ko-t'ow_[314] before His Majesty and took his leave. He then went -home, but it was no longer the old home of his youth. Painted beams, -carved pillars, and a general profusion of luxury and elegance, made -him wonder where on earth he was; until, nervously stroking his -beard, he ventured to call out in a low tone. Immediately the -responses of numberless attendants echoed through the place like -thunder. Presents of costly food were sent to him by all the grandees, -and his gate was absolutely blocked up by the crowds of retainers who -were constantly coming and going. When Privy Councillors came to -see him, he would rush out in haste to receive them; when -Under-Secretaries of State visited him, he made them a polite bow; but -to all below these he would hardly vouchsafe a word. The Governor of -Shansi sent him twelve singing-girls, two of whom, Ni-ni and Fairy, he -made his favourites. All day long he had nothing to do but find -amusement as best he could, until he bethought himself that formerly a -man named Wang had often assisted him with money. Thereupon he -memorialized the Throne and obtained official employment for him. Then -he recollected that there was another man to whom he owed a -long-standing grudge. He at once caused this man, who was in the -Government service, to be impeached and stripped of his rank and -dignities. Thus he squared accounts with both. One day when out in his -chair a drunken man bumped against one of his tablet-bearers.[315] -Tseng had him seized and sent in to the mayor's yamen, where he died -under the bamboo. Owners of land adjoining his would make him a -present of the richest portions, fearing the consequences if they did -not do so; and thus he became very wealthy, almost on a par with the -State itself. By-and-by, Ni-ni and Fairy died, and Tseng was -overwhelmed with grief. Suddenly he remembered that in former years he -had seen a beautiful girl whom he wished to purchase as a concubine, -but want of money had then prevented him from carrying out his -intention. Now there was no longer that difficulty; and accordingly he -sent off two trusty servants to get the girl by force. In a short time -she arrived, when he found that she had grown more beautiful than -ever; and so his cup of happiness was full. But years rolled on, and -gradually his fellow-officials became estranged, Tseng taking no -notice of their behaviour, until at last one of them impeached him to -the Throne in a long and bitter memorial. Happily, however, the -Emperor still regarded him with favour, and for some time kept the -memorial by him unanswered. Then followed a joint memorial from the -whole of the Privy Council, including those who had once thronged his -doors, and had falsely called him their dear father. The Imperial -rescript to this document was "Banishment to Yunnan,"[316] his son, -who was Governor of P'ing-yang, being also implicated in his guilt. -When Tseng heard the news, he was overcome with fear; but an armed -guard was already at his gate, and the lictors were forcing their way -into his innermost apartments. They tore off his robe and official -hat, and bound him and his wife with cords. Then they collected -together in the hall his gold, his silver, and bank-notes,[317] to the -value of many hundred thousands of taels. His pearls, and jade, and -precious stones filled many bushel baskets. His curtains, and screens, -and beds, and other articles of furniture were brought out by -thousands; while the swaddling-clothes of his infant boy and the shoes -of his little girl were lying littered about the steps. It was a sad -sight for Tseng; but a worse blow was that of his concubine carried -off almost lifeless before his eyes, himself not daring to utter a -word. Then all the apartments, store-rooms, and treasuries were sealed -up; and, with a volley of curses, the soldiers bade Tseng begone, and -proceeded to leave the place, dragging Tseng with them. The husband -and wife prayed that they might be allowed some old cart, but this -favour was denied them. After about ten _li_, Tseng's wife could -barely walk, her feet being swollen and sore. Tseng helped her along -as best he could, but another ten _li_ reduced him to a state of -abject fatigue. By-and-by they saw before them a great mountain, the -summit of which was lost in the clouds; and, fearing they should be -made to ascend it, Tseng and his wife stood still and began to weep. -The lictors, however, clamoured round them, and would permit of no -rest. The sun was rapidly sinking, and there was no place at hand -where they could obtain shelter for the night. So they continued on -their weary way until about half-way up the hill, when his wife's -strength was quite exhausted, and she sat down by the roadside. Tseng, -too, halted to rest in spite of the soldiers and their abuse; but they -had hardly stopped a moment before down came a band of robbers upon -them, each with a sharp knife in his hand. The soldiers immediately -took to their heels, and Tseng fell on his knees before the robbers, -saying, "I am a poor criminal going into banishment, and have nothing -to give you. I pray you spare my life." But the robbers sternly -replied, "We are all the victims of your crimes, and now we want your -wicked head." Then Tseng began to revile them, saying, "Dogs! though I -am under sentence of banishment, I am still an officer of the State." -But the robbers cursed him again, flourishing a sword over his neck, -and the next thing he heard was the noise of his own head as it fell -with a thud to the ground. At the same instant two devils stepped -forward and seized him each by one hand, compelling him to go with -them. After a little while they arrived at a great city where there -was a hideously ugly king sitting upon a throne judging between good -and evil. Tseng crawled before him on his hands and knees to receive -sentence, and the king, after turning over a few pages of his -register, thundered out, "The punishment of a traitor who has brought -misfortune on his country: the cauldron of boiling oil!" To this ten -thousand devils responded with a cry like a clap of thunder, and one -huge monster led Tseng down alongside the cauldron, which was seven -feet in height, and surrounded on all sides by blazing fuel, so that -it was of a glowing red heat. Tseng shrieked for mercy, but it was all -up with him, for the devil seized him by the hair and the small of his -back and pitched him headlong in. Down he fell with a splash, and rose -and sank with the bubbling of the oil, which ate through his flesh -into his very vitals. He longed to die, but death would not come to -him. After about half-an-hour's boiling, a devil took him out on a -pitchfork and threw him down before the Infernal King, who again -consulted his note-book, and said, "You relied on your position to -treat others with contumely and injustice, for which you must suffer -on the Sword-Hill." Again he was led away by devils to a large hill -thickly studded with sharp swords, their points upwards like the -shoots of bamboo, with here and there the remains of many miserable -wretches who had suffered before him. Tseng again cried for mercy and -crouched upon the ground; but a devil bored into him with a poisoned -awl until he screamed with pain. He was then seized and flung up high -into the air, falling down right on the sword points, to his most -frightful agony. This was repeated several times until he was almost -hacked to pieces. He was then brought once more before the king, who -asked what was the amount of his peculations while on earth. -Immediately an accountant came forward with an abacus, and said that -the whole sum was 3,210,000 taels, whereupon the king replied, "Let -him drink that amount." Forthwith the devils piled up a great heap of -gold and silver, and, when they had melted it in a huge crucible, -began pouring it into Tseng's mouth. The pain was excruciating as the -molten metal ran down his throat into his vitals; but since in life he -had never been able to get enough of the dross, it was determined he -should feel no lack of it then. He was half-a-day drinking it, and -then the king ordered him away to be born again as a woman[318] in -Kan-chou. A few steps brought them to a huge frame, where on an iron -axle revolved a mighty wheel many hundred _yojanas_[319] in -circumference, and shining with a brilliant light. The devils flogged -Tseng on to the wheel, and he shut his eyes as he stepped up. Then -whiz--and away he went, feet foremost, round with the wheel, until he -felt himself tumble off and a cold thrill ran through him, when he -opened his eyes and found he was changed into a girl. He saw his -father and mother in rags and tatters, and in one corner a beggar's -bowl and a staff,[320] and understood the calamity that had befallen -him. Day after day he begged about the streets, and his inside rumbled -for want of food; he had no clothes to his back. At fourteen years of -age he was sold to a gentleman as concubine; and then, though food and -clothes were not wanting, he had to put up with the scoldings and -floggings of the wife, who one day burnt him with a hot iron.[321] -Luckily the gentleman took a fancy to him and treated him well, which -kindness Tseng repaid by an irreproachable fidelity. It happened, -however, that on one occasion when they were chatting together, -burglars broke into the house and killed the gentleman, Tseng having -escaped by hiding himself under the bed. Thereupon he was immediately -charged by the wife with murder, and on being taken before the -authorities was sentenced to die the "lingering death."[322] This -sentence was at once carried out with tortures more horrible than any -in all the Courts of Purgatory, in the middle of which Tseng heard one -of his companions call out, "Hullo, there! you've got the nightmare." -Tseng got up and rubbed his eyes, and his friends said, "It's quite -late in the day, and we're all very hungry." But the old priest -smiled, and asked him if the prophecy as to his future rank was true -or not. Tseng bowed and begged him to explain; whereupon the old -priest said, "For those who cultivate virtue, a lily will grow up even -in the fiery pit."[323] Tseng had gone thither full of pride and -vainglory; he went home an altered man. From that day he thought no -more of becoming a Secretary of State, but retired into the hills, and -I know not what became of him after that. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[311] That is, of rising to the highest offices of State. - -[312] The Chinese term used throughout is "star-man." - -[313] Chinese official life is divided into nine grades. - -[314] Prostrating himself three times, and knocking his head on the -ground thrice at each prostration. - -[315] The _retinue_ of a high mandarin is composed as follows:--First, -gong-bearers, then bannermen, tablet-bearers (on which tablets are -inscribed the titles of the official), a large red umbrella, mounted -attendants, a box containing a change of clothes, bearers of regalia, -a second gong, a small umbrella or sunshade, a large wooden fan, -executioners, lictors from hell, who wear tall hats; a mace (called a -"golden melon"), bamboos for "bambooing," incense-bearers, more -attendants, and now the great man himself, followed by a body-guard of -soldiers and a few personal attendants, amounting in all to nearly one -hundred persons, many of whom are mere street-rowdies or beggars, -hired at a trifling outlay when required to join what might otherwise -be an imposing procession. The scanty _retinues_ of foreign officials -in China still continue to excite the scorn of the populace, who love -to compare the rag-tag and bob-tail magnificence of their own -functionaries with the modest show even of H.B.M.'s Minister at -Peking. - -[316] A land journey of about three months, ending in a region which -the Chinese have always regarded as semi-barbarous. - -[317] This use of paper money in China is said to date from A.D. 1236; -that is, during the reign of the Mongol Emperor, Ogdai Khan. - -[318] This contingency is much dreaded by the Chinese. - -[319] A _yojana_ has been variously estimated at from five to nine -English miles. - -[320] The _patra_ and _khakkharam_ of the _bikshu_ or Buddhist -mendicant. - -[321] It is not considered quite correct to take a concubine unless -the wife is childless, in which case it is held that the proposition -to do so, and thus secure the much-desired posterity, should emanate -from the wife herself. On page 41 of Vol. XIII., of this author, we -read, "and if at thirty years of age you have no children, then sell -your hair-pins and other ornaments, and buy a concubine for your -husband. For the childless state is a hard one to bear;" or, as Victor -Hugo puts it in his _Legende des Siecles_, there is nothing so sad as -"la maison sans enfants." - -[322] This is the celebrated form of death, reserved for parricide and -similar awful crimes, about which so much has been written. Strictly -speaking, the malefactor should be literally chopped to pieces in -order to prolong his agonies; but the sentence is now rarely, if ever, -carried out in its extreme sense. A few gashes are made upon the -wretched victim's body, and he is soon put out of his misery by -decapitation. As a matter of fact, this death is not enumerated among -the _Five Punishments_ authorized by the Penal Code of the present -dynasty. See No. LV., note 306. - -[323] Alluding to a well-known Buddhist miracle in which a _bikshu_ -was to be thrown into a cauldron of boiling water in a fiery pit, when -suddenly a lotus-flower came forth, the fire was extinguished, and the -water became cold. - - - - -LVII. - -THE COUNTRY OF THE CANNIBALS.[324] - - -At Chiao-chou[325] there lived a man named Hsue, who gained his living -by trading across the sea. On one occasion he was carried far out of -his course by a violent tempest, and reached a country of high hills -and dense jungle,[326] where, after making fast his boat and taking -provisions with him, he landed, hoping to meet with some of the -inhabitants. He then saw that the rocks were covered with large holes, -like the cells of bees; and, hearing the sound of voices from within, -he stopped in front of one of them and peeped in. To his infinite -horror he beheld two hideous beings, with thick rows of horrid fangs, -and eyes that glared like lamps, engaged in tearing to pieces and -devouring some raw deer's flesh; and, turning round, he would have -fled instantly from the spot, had not the cave-men already espied -him; and, leaving their food, they seized him and dragged him in. -Thereupon ensued a chattering between them, resembling the noise of -birds or beasts,[327] and they proceeded to pull off Hsue's clothes as -if about to eat him; but Hsue, who was frightened almost to death, -offered them the food he had in his wallet, which they ate up with -great relish, and looked inside for more. Hsue waved his hand to shew -it was all finished, and then they angrily seized him again; at which -he cried out, "I have a saucepan in my boat, and can cook you some." -The cave-men did not understand what he said; but, by dint of -gesticulating freely, they at length seemed to have an idea of what he -meant; and, having taken him down to the shore to fetch the saucepan, -they returned with him to the cave, where he lighted a fire and cooked -the remainder of the deer, with the flavour of which they appeared to -be mightily pleased. At night they rolled a big stone to the mouth of -the cave,[328] fearing lest he should try to escape; and Hsue himself -lay down at a distance from them in doubt as to whether his life would -be spared. At daybreak the cave-men went out, leaving the entrance -blocked, and by-and-by came back with a deer, which they gave to Hsue -to cook. Hsue flayed the carcase, and from a remote corner of the cave -took some water and prepared a large quantity, which was no sooner -ready than several other cave-men arrived to join in the feast. When -they had finished all there was, they made signs that Hsue's saucepan -was too small; and three or four days afterwards they brought him a -large one of the same shape as those in common use amongst men, -subsequently furnishing him with constant supplies of wolf and -deer,[329] of which they always invited him to partake. By degrees -they began to treat him kindly, and not to shut him up when they went -out; and Hsue, too, gradually learnt to understand, and even to speak, -a little of their language, which pleased them so much that they -finally gave him a cave-woman for his wife. Hsue was horribly afraid of -her; but, as she treated him with great consideration, always -reserving tit-bits of food for him, they lived very happily together. -One day all the cave-people got up early in the morning, and, having -adorned themselves with strings of fine pearls, they went forth as if -to meet some honoured guest, giving orders to Hsue to cook an extra -quantity of meat that day. "It is the birthday of our King," said -Hsue's wife to him; and then, running out, she informed the other -cave-people that her husband had no pearls. So each gave five from -his own string, and Hsue's wife added ten to these, making in all -fifty, which she threaded on a hempen fibre and hung around his neck, -each pearl being worth over an hundred ounces of silver. Then they -went away, and as soon as Hsue had finished his cooking, his wife -appeared and invited him to come and receive the King. So off they -went to a huge cavern, covering about a mow[330] of ground, in which -was a huge stone, smoothed away at the top like a table, with stone -seats at the four sides. At the upper end was a dais, over which was -spread a leopard's skin, the other seats having only deer-skins; and -within the cavern some twenty or thirty cave-men ranged themselves on -the seats. After a short interval a great wind began to stir up the -dust, and they all rushed out to a creature very much resembling -themselves, which hurried into the cave, and, squatting down -cross-legged, cocked its head and looked about like a cormorant. The -other cave-men then filed in and took up their positions right and -left of the dais, where they stood gazing up at the King with their -arms folded before them in the form of a cross. The King counted them -one by one, and asked if they were all present; and when they replied -in the affirmative, he looked at Hsue and inquired who he was. -Thereupon Hsue's wife stepped forward and said he was her husband, and -the others all loudly extolled his skill in cookery, two of them -running out and bringing back some cooked meat, which they set before -the King. His Majesty swallowed it by handfuls, and found it so nice -that he gave orders to be supplied regularly; and then, turning to -Hsue, he asked him why his string of beads[331] was so short. "He has -but recently arrived among us," replied the cave-men, "and hasn't got -a complete set;" upon which the King drew ten pearls from the string -round his own neck and bestowed them upon Hsue. Each was as big as the -top of one's finger, and as round as a bullet; and Hsue's wife threaded -them for him and hung them round his neck. Hsue himself crossed his -arms and thanked the King in the language of the country, after which -His Majesty went off in a gust of wind as rapidly as a bird can fly, -and the cave-men sat down and finished what was left of the banquet. -Four years afterwards Hsue's wife gave birth to a triplet of two boys -and one girl, all of whom were ordinary human beings, and not at all -like the mother; at which the other cave-people were delighted, and -would often play with them and caress them.[332] Three years passed -away, and the children could walk about, after which their father -taught them to speak his own tongue; and in their early babblings -their human origin was manifested. The boys, as mere children, could -climb about on the mountains as easily as though walking upon a level -road; and between them and their father there grew up a mutual feeling -of attachment. One day the mother had gone out with the girl and one -of the boys, and was absent for a long time. A strong north wind was -blowing, and Hsue, filled with thoughts of his old home, led his other -son down with him to the beach, where lay the boat in which he had -formerly reached this country. He then proposed to the boy that they -should go away together; and, having explained to him that they could -not inform his mother, father and son stepped on board, and, after a -voyage of only twenty-four hours, arrived safely at Chiao-chou. On -reaching home Hsue found that his wife had married again; so he sold -two of his pearls for an enormous sum of money,[333] and set up a -splendid establishment. His son was called Piao, and at fourteen or -fifteen years of age the boy could lift a weight of three thousand -catties[334] (4,000 lbs.). He was extremely fond of athletics of all -kinds, and thus attracted the notice of the Commander-in-Chief, who -gave him a commission as sub-lieutenant. Just at that time there -happened to be some trouble on the frontier, and young Piao, having -covered himself with glory, was made a colonel at the age of eighteen. - -About that time another merchant was driven by stress of weather to -the country of the cave-men, and had hardly stepped ashore before he -observed a young man whom he knew at once to be of Chinese origin. The -young man asked him whence he came, and finally took him into a cave -hid away in a dark valley and concealed by the dense jungle. There he -bade him remain, and in a little while he returned with some deer's -flesh, which he gave the merchant to eat, saying at the same time that -his own father was a Chiao-chou man. The merchant now knew that the -young man was Hsue's son, he himself being acquainted with Hsue as a -trader in the same line of business. "Why, he's an old friend of -mine," cried the latter; "his other son is now a colonel." The young -man did not know what was meant by a _colonel_, so the merchant told -him it was the title of a Chinese mandarin. "And what is a -_mandarin_?" asked the youth. "A mandarin," replied the merchant, "is -one who goes out with a chair and horses; who at home sits upon a dais -in the hall; whose summons is answered by a hundred voices; who is -looked at only with sidelong eyes, and in whose presence all people -stand aslant;--this is to be a mandarin." The young man was deeply -touched at this recital, and at length the merchant said to him, -"Since your honoured father is at Chiao-chou, why do you remain here?" -"Indeed," replied the youth, "I have often indulged the same feeling; -but my mother is not a Chinese woman, and, apart from the difference -of her language and appearance, I fear that if the other cave-people -found it out they would do us some mischief." He then took his leave, -being in rather a disturbed state of mind, and bade the merchant wait -until the wind should prove favourable,[335] when he promised to come -and see him off, and charge him with a letter to his father and -brother. Six months the merchant remained in that cave, occasionally -taking a peep at the cave-people passing backwards and forwards, but -not daring to leave his retreat. As soon as the monsoon set in the -young man arrived and urged him to hurry away, begging him, also, not -to forget the letter to his father. So the merchant sailed away and -soon reached Chiao-chou, where he visited the colonel and told him the -whole story. Piao was much affected, and wished to go in search of -those members of the family; but his father feared the dangers he -would encounter, and advised him not to think of such a thing. -However, Piao was not to be deterred; and having imparted his scheme -to the commander-in-chief, he took with him two soldiers and set off. -Adverse winds prevailed at that time, and they beat about for half a -moon, until they were out of sight of all land, could not see a foot -before them, and had completely lost their reckoning. Just then a -mighty sea arose and capsized their boat, tossing Piao into the -water, where he floated about for some time at the will of the waves, -until suddenly somebody dragged him out and carried him into a house. -Then he saw that his rescuer was to all appearances a cave-man, and -accordingly he addressed him in the cave-people's language, and told -him whither he himself was bound. "It is my native place," replied the -cave-man, in astonishment; "but you will excuse my saying that you are -now 8,000 _li_ out of your course. This is the way to the country of -the Poisonous Dragons, and not your route at all." He then went off to -find a boat for Piao, and, himself swimming in the water behind, -pushed it along like an arrow from a bow, so quickly that by the next -day they had traversed the whole distance. On the shore Piao observed -a young man walking up and down and evidently watching him; and, -knowing that no human beings dwelt there, he guessed at once that he -was his brother. Approaching more closely, he saw that he was right; -and, seizing the young man's hand, he asked after his mother and -sister. On hearing that they were well, he would have gone directly to -see them; but the younger one begged him not to do so, and ran away -himself to fetch them. Meanwhile, Piao turned to thank the cave-man -who had brought him there, but he, too, had disappeared. In a few -minutes his mother and sister arrived, and, on seeing Piao, they could -not restrain their tears. Piao then laid his scheme before them, and -when they said they feared people would ill-treat them, he replied, -"In China I hold a high position, and people will not dare to shew -you disrespect." Thus they determined to go. The wind, however, was -against them, and mother and son were at a loss what to do, when -suddenly the sail bellied out towards the south, and a rustling sound -was heard. "Heaven helps us, my mother!" cried Piao, full of joy; and, -hurrying on board at once, in three days they had reached their -destination. As they landed the people fled right and left in fear, -Piao having divided his own clothes amongst the party; and when they -arrived at the house, and his mother saw Hsue, she began to rate him -soundly for running away without her. Hsue hastened to acknowledge his -error, and then all the family and servants were introduced to her, -each one being in mortal dread of such a singular personage. Piao now -bade his mother learn to talk Chinese, and gave her any quantity of -fine clothes and rich meats, to the infinite delight of the old lady. -She and her daughter both dressed in man's clothes, and by the end of -a few months were able to understand what was said to them. The -brother, named Pao [Leopard], and the sister, Yeh [Night], were both -clever enough, and immensely strong into the bargain. Piao was ashamed -that Pao could not read, and set to work to teach him; and the -youngster was so quick that he learnt the sacred books[336] and -histories by merely reading them once over. However, he would not -enter upon a literary career, loving better to draw a strong bow or -ride a spirited horse, and finally taking the highest military -degree. He married the daughter of a post-captain; but his sister had -some trouble in getting a husband, because of her being the child of a -cave-woman. At length a serjeant, named Yuean, who was under her -brother's command, was forced to take her as his wife. She could draw -a hundred-catty bow, and shoot birds at a hundred paces without ever -missing. Whenever Yuean went to battle she went with him; and his -subsequent rise to high rank was chiefly due to her. At thirty-four -years of age Pao got a command; and in his great battles his mother, -clad in armour and grasping a spear, would fight by his side, to the -terror of all their adversaries; and when he himself received the -dignity of an hereditary title, he memorialized the Throne to grant -his mother the title of "lady." - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[324] The Chinese term--here translated "Cannibals"--is a meaningless -imitation by two Chinese characters of the Sanscrit _yakcha_, or -certain demons who feed upon human flesh. - -[325] Hue, the capital of Cochin-China. - -[326] The island of Hainan, inhabited as it was in earlier times by a -race of savages, is the most likely source of the following marvellous -adventures. - -[327] To which sounds the languages of the west have been more than -once likened by the Chinese. It is only fair, however, to the lettered -classes to state that they have a similar contempt for their own local -dialects; regarding _Mandarin_ as the only form of speech worthy to be -employed by men. - -[328] The occasional analogies to the story of the Cyclops must be -evident to all readers. - -[329] The animal here mentioned is the plain brown deer, or _Rusa -Swinhoii_, of Formosa, in which island I should prefer to believe, but -for the great distance from Hue, that the scenes here narrated took -place. - -[330] About one sixth of an acre. On old title-deeds of landed -property in China may still be seen measurements calculated according -to the amount of grain that could be sown thereon. - -[331] The king here uses the words "ku-t'u-tz[)u]," which are probably -intended by the author to be an imitation of a term in the savage -tongue. - -[332] Fondness for children is specially a trait of Chinese character; -and a single baby would do far more to ensure the safety of a foreign -traveller in China than all the usual paraphernalia of pocket-pistols -and revolvers. - -[333] Literally, "a million of taels," the word used being the -Buddhist term _chao_. - -[334] Here again we have 100 _chuen_, one _chuen_ being equal to about -40 _lbs._ Chinese weights, measures, distances, numbers, &c., are -often very loosely employed; and it is probable that not more than 100 -_catties_, say 133 _lbs._, is here meant. - -[335] That is, until the change of the monsoon from S.W. to N.E. - -[336] See No. XLI., note 237. - - - - -LVIII. - -FOOT-BALL ON THE TUNG-T'ING LAKE. - - -Wang Shih-hsiu was a native of Lu-chou, and such a lusty fellow that -he could pick up a stone mortar.[337] Father and son were both good -foot-ball players; but when the former was about forty years of age he -was drowned while crossing the Money Pool.[338] Some eight or nine -years later our hero happened to be on his way to Hunan; and anchoring -in the Tung-t'ing lake, watched the moon rising in the east and -illuminating the water into a bright sheet of light. While he was thus -engaged, lo! from out of the lake emerged five men, bringing with them -a large mat which they spread on the surface of the water so as to -cover about six yards square. Wine and food were then arranged upon -it, and Wang heard the sound of the dishes knocking together, but it -was a dull, soft sound, not at all like that of ordinary crockery. -Three of the men sat down on the mat and the other two waited upon -them. One of the former was dressed in yellow, the other two in white, -and each wore a black turban. Their demeanour as they sat there side -by side was grave and dignified; in appearance they resembled three of -the ancients, but by the fitful beams of the moon Wang was unable to -see very clearly what they were like. The attendants wore black serge -dresses, and one of them seemed to be a boy, while the other was many -years older. Wang now heard the man in the yellow dress say, "This is -truly a fine moonlight night for a drinking-bout;" to which one of his -companions replied, "It quite reminds me of the night when Prince -Kuang-li feasted at Pear-blossom Island."[339] The three then pledged -each other in bumping goblets, talking all the time in such a low tone -that Wang could not hear what they were saying. The boatmen kept -themselves concealed, crouching down at the bottom of the boat; but -Wang looked hard at the attendants, the elder of whom bore a striking -resemblance to his father, though he spoke in quite a different tone -of voice. When it was drawing towards midnight, one of them proposed a -game at ball; and in a moment the boy disappeared in the water, to -return immediately with a huge ball--quite an armful in -fact--apparently full of quicksilver, and lustrous within and without. -All now rose up, and the man in the yellow dress bade the old -attendant join them in the game. The ball was kicked up some ten or -fifteen feet in the air, and was quite dazzling in its brilliancy; but -once, when it had gone up with a whish-h-h-h, it fell at some distance -off, right in the very middle of Wang's boat. The occasion was -irresistible, and Wang, exerting all his strength, kicked the ball -with all his might. It seemed unusually light and soft to the touch, -and his foot broke right through. Away went the ball to a good height, -pouring forth a stream of light like a rainbow from the hole Wang had -made, and making as it fell a curve like that of a comet rushing -across the sky. Down it glided into the water, where it fizzed a -moment and then went out. "Ho, there!" cried out the players in anger, -"what living creature is that who dares thus to interrupt our sport?" -"Well kicked--indeed!" said the old man, "that's a favourite drop-kick -of my own." At this, one of the two in white clothes began to abuse -him saying, "What! you old baggage, when we are all so annoyed in this -manner, are you to come forward and make a joke of it? Go at once with -the boy and bring back to us this practical joker, or your own back -will have a taste of the stick." Wang was of course unable to flee; -however, he was not a bit afraid, and grasping a sword stood there in -the middle of the boat. In a moment, the old man and boy arrived, also -armed, and then Wang knew that the former was really his father, and -called out to him at once, "Father, I am your son." The old man was -greatly alarmed, but father and son forgot their troubles in the joy -of meeting once again. Meanwhile, the boy went back, and Wang's -father bade him hide, or they would all be lost. The words were hardly -out of his mouth when the three men jumped on board the boat. Their -faces were black as pitch, their eyes as big as pomegranates, and they -at once proceeded to seize the old man. Wang struggled hard with them, -and managing to get the boat free from her moorings, he seized his -sword and cut off one of his adversaries' arms. The arm dropped down -and the man in the yellow dress ran away; whereupon one of those in -white rushed at Wang who immediately cut off his head, and he fell -into the water with a splash, at which the third disappeared. Wang and -his father were now anxious to get away, when suddenly a great mouth -arose from the lake, as big and as deep as a well, and against which -they could hear the noise of the water when it struck. This mouth blew -forth a violent gust of wind, and in a moment the waves were mountains -high and all the boats on the lake were tossing about. The boatmen -were terrified, but Wang seized one of two huge stones there were on -board for use as anchors,[340] about 130 lbs. in weight, and threw it -into the water, which immediately began to subside; and then he threw -in the other one, upon which the wind dropped, and the lake became -calm again. Wang thought his father was a disembodied spirit, but the -old man said, "I never died. There were nineteen of us drowned in the -river, all of whom were eaten by the fish-goblins except myself: I was -saved because I could play foot-ball. Those you saw got into trouble -with the Dragon King, and were sent here. They were all marine -creatures, and the ball they were playing with was a fish-bladder." -Father and son were overjoyed at meeting again, and at once proceeded -on their way. In the morning they found in the boat a huge fin--the -arm that Wang had cut off the night before. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[337] Used for pounding rice. - -[338] A fancy name for the Tung-t'ing lake. See No. XXXVIII., note -226. - -[339] The commentator declares himself unable to trace this allusion. - -[340] These are bound in between several sharp-pointed stakes and -serve their purpose very well in the inland waters of China. - - - - -LIX. - -THE THUNDER GOD. - - -Le Yuen-hao and Hsia P'ing-tz[)u] lived as boys in the same village, and -when they grew up read with the same tutor, becoming the firmest of -friends. Hsia was a clever fellow, and had acquired some reputation -even at the early age of ten. Le was not a bit envious, but rather -looked up to him, and Hsia in return helped his friend very much with -his studies, so that he, too, made considerable progress. This -increased Hsia's fame, though try as he would he could never succeed -at the public examinations, and by-and-by he sickened and died. His -family was so poor they could not find money for his burial, whereupon -Le came forward and paid all expenses, besides taking care of his -widow and children. - -Every peck or bushel he would share with them, the widow trusting -entirely to his support; and thus he acquired a good name in the -village, though not being a rich man himself he soon ran through all -his own property. "Alas!" cried he, "where talents like Hsia's failed, -can I expect to succeed? Wealth and rank are matters of destiny, and -my present career will only end by my dying like a dog in a ditch. I -must try something else." So he gave up book-learning and went into -trade, and in six months he had a trifle of money in hand. - -One day when he was resting at an inn in Nanking, he saw a great big -fellow walk in and seat himself at no great distance in a very -melancholy mood. Le asked him if he was hungry, and on receiving no -answer, pushed some food over towards him. The stranger immediately -set to feeding himself by handfuls, and in no time the whole had -disappeared. Le ordered another supply, but that was quickly disposed -of in like manner; and then he told the landlord to bring a shoulder -of pork and a quantity of boiled dumplings. Thus, after eating enough -for half a dozen, his appetite was appeased and he turned to thank his -benefactor, saying, "For three years I haven't had such a meal." "And -why should a fine fellow like you be in such a state of destitution?" -inquired Le; to which the other only replied, "The judgments of heaven -may not be discussed." Being asked where he lived, the stranger -replied, "On land I have no home, on the water no boat; at dawn in the -village, at night in the city." Le then prepared to depart; but his -friend would not leave him, declaring that he was in imminent danger, -and that he could not forget the late kindness Le had shewn him. So -they went along together, and on the way Le invited the other to eat -with him; but this he refused, saying that he only took food -occasionally. Le marvelled more than ever at this; and next day when -they were on the river a great storm arose and capsized all their -boats, Le himself being thrown into the water with the others. -Suddenly the gale abated and the stranger bore Le on his back to -another boat, plunging at once into the water and bringing back the -lost vessel, upon which he placed Le and bade him remain quietly -there. He then returned once more, this time carrying in his arms a -part of the cargo, which he replaced in the vessel, and so he went on -until it was all restored. Le thanked him, saying, "It was enough to -save my life; but you have added to this the restoration of my goods." -Nothing, in fact, had been lost, and now Le began to regard the -stranger as something more than human. The latter here wished to take -his leave, but Le pressed him so much to stay that at last he -consented to remain. Then Le remarked that after all he had lost a -gold pin, and immediately the stranger plunged into the water again, -rising at length to the surface with the missing article in his mouth, -and presenting it to Le with the remark that he was delighted to be -able to fulfil his commands. The people on the river were all much -astonished at what they saw; meanwhile Le went home with his friend, -and there they lived together, the big man only eating once in ten or -twelve days, but then displaying an enormous appetite. One day he -spoke of going away, to which Le would by no means consent; and as it -was just then about to rain and thunder, he asked him to tell him what -the clouds were like, and what thunder was, also how he could get up -to the sky and have a look, so as to set his mind at rest on the -subject. "Would you like to have a ramble among the clouds?" asked -the stranger, as Le was lying down to take a nap; on awaking from -which he felt himself spinning along through the air, and not at all -as if he was lying on a bed. Opening his eyes he saw he was among the -clouds, and around him was a fleecy atmosphere. Jumping up in great -alarm, he felt giddy as if he had been at sea, and underneath his feet -he found a soft, yielding substance, unlike the earth. Above him were -the stars, and this made him think he was dreaming; but looking up he -saw that they were set in the sky like seeds in the cup of a lily, -varying from the size of the biggest bowl to that of a small basin. On -raising his hand he discovered that the large stars were all tightly -fixed; but he managed to pick a small one, which he concealed in his -sleeve; and then, parting the clouds beneath him, he looked through -and saw the sea glittering like silver below. Large cities appeared no -bigger than beans--just at this moment, however, he bethought himself -that if his foot were to slip, what a tremendous fall he would have. -He now beheld two dragons writhing their way along, and drawing a cart -with a huge vat in it, each movement of their tails sounding like the -crack of a bullock-driver's whip. The vat was full of water, and -numbers of men were employed in ladling it out and sprinkling it on -the clouds. These men were astonished at seeing Le; however, a big -fellow among them called out, "All right, he's my friend," and then -they gave him a ladle to help them throw the water out. Now it -happened to be a very dry season, and when Le got hold of the ladle he -took good care to throw the water so that it should all fall on and -around his own home. The stranger then told him that he was the God of -Thunder,[341] and that he had just returned from a three years' -punishment inflicted on him in consequence of some neglect of his in -the matter of rain. He added that they must now part; and taking the -long rope which had been used as reins for the cart, bade Le grip it -tightly, that he might be let down to earth. Le was afraid of this, -but on being told there was no danger he did so, and in a moment -whish-h-h-h-h--away he went and found himself safe and sound on _terra -firma_. He discovered that he had descended outside his native -village, and then the rope was drawn up into the clouds and he saw it -no more. The drought had been excessive; for three or four miles round -very little rain had fallen, though in Le's own village the -water-courses were all full. On reaching home he took the star out of -his sleeve, and put it on the table. It was dull-looking like an -ordinary stone; but at night it became very brilliant and lighted up -the whole house. This made him value it highly, and he stored it -carefully away, bringing it out only when he had guests, to light them -at their wine. It was always thus dazzlingly bright, until one evening -when his wife was sitting with him doing her hair, the star began to -diminish in brilliancy, and to flit about like a fire-fly. Mrs. Le sat -gaping with astonishment, when all of a sudden it flitted into her -mouth and ran down her throat. She tried to cough it up but couldn't, -to the very great amazement of her husband. That night Le dreamt that -his old friend Hsia appeared before him and said, "I am the Shao-wei -star. Your friendship is still cherished by me, and now you have -brought me back from the sky. Truly our destinies are knitted -together, and I will repay your kindness by becoming your son." Now Le -was thirty years of age but without sons; however, after this dream -his wife bore him a male child, and they called his name Star. He was -extraordinarily clever, and at sixteen years of age took his master's -degree. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[341] This deity is believed to be constantly on the look-out for -wicked people, aided by the Goddess of Lightning, who flashes a mirror -on to whomsoever the God wishes to strike. "_The thief eats -thunderbolts_," means that he will bring down vengeance from Heaven on -himself. Tylor's _Primitive Culture_, Vol. I., p. 88. - - - - -LX. - -THE GAMBLER'S TALISMAN. - - -A Taoist priest, called Han, lived at the T'ien-ch'i temple, in our -district city. His knowledge of the black art was very extensive, and -the neighbours all regarded him as an Immortal.[342] My late father -was on intimate terms with him, and whenever he went into the city -invariably paid him a visit. One day, on such an occasion, he was -proceeding thither in company with my late uncle, when suddenly they -met Han on the road. Handing them the key of the door, he begged them -to go on and wait awhile for him, promising to be there shortly -himself. Following out these instructions they repaired to the temple, -but on unlocking the door there was Han sitting inside--a feat which -he subsequently performed several times. - -Now a relative of mine, who was terribly given to gambling, also knew -this priest, having been introduced to him by my father. And once this -relative, meeting with a Buddhist priest from the T'ien-fo temple, -addicted like himself to the vice of gambling, played with him until -he had lost everything, even going so far as to pledge the whole of -his property, which he lost in a single night. Happening to call in -upon Han as he was going back, the latter noticed his exceedingly -dejected appearance, and the rambling answers he gave, and asked him -what was the matter. On hearing the story of his losses, Han only -laughed, and said, "That's what always overtakes the gambler, sooner -or later; if, however, you will break yourself of the habit, I will -get your money back for you." "Ah," cried the other, "if you will only -do that, you may break my head with a pestle when you catch me -gambling again." So Han gave him a talismanic formula, written out on -a piece of paper, to put in his girdle, bidding him only win back what -he had lost, and not attempt to get a fraction more. He also handed -him 1000 _cash_, on condition that this sum should be repaid from his -winnings, and off went my relative delighted. The Buddhist, however, -turned up his nose at the smallness of his means, and said it wasn't -worth his while to stake so little; but at last he was persuaded into -having one throw for the whole lot. They then began, the priest -leading off with a fair throw, to which his opponent replied by a -better; whereupon the priest doubled his stake, and my relative won -again, going on and on until the latter's good luck had brought him -back all that he had previously lost. He thought, however, that he -couldn't do better than just win a few more strings of cash, and -accordingly went on; but gradually his luck turned, and on looking -into his girdle he found that the talisman was gone. In a great fright -he jumped up, and went off with his winnings to the temple, where he -reckoned up that after deducting Han's loan, and adding what he had -lost towards the end, he had exactly the amount originally his. With -shame in his face he turned to thank Han, mentioning at the same time -the loss of the talisman; at which Han only laughed, and said, "That -has got back before you. I told you not to be over-greedy, and as you -didn't heed me, I took the talisman away."[343] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[342] See No. V., note 48. - -[343] Gambling is the great Chinese vice, far exceeding in its ill -effects all that opium has ever done to demoralize the country. Public -gaming-houses are strictly forbidden by law, but their existence is -winked at by a too venal executive. _Fantan_ is the favourite game. It -consists in staking on the remainder of an unknown number of cash, -after the heap has been divided by four, namely whether it will be -three, two, one, or nothing; with other variations of a more -complicated nature. - - - - -LXI. - -THE HUSBAND PUNISHED. - - -Ching Hsing, of Wen-teng, was a young fellow of some literary -reputation, who lived next door to a Mr. Ch'en, their studios being -separated only by a low wall. One evening Ch'en was crossing a piece -of waste ground when he heard a young girl crying among some -pine-trees hard by. He approached, and saw a girdle hanging from one -of the branches, as if its owner was just on the point of hanging -herself. Ch'en asked her what was the matter, and then she brushed -away her tears, and said, "My mother has gone away and left me in -charge of my brother-in-law; but he's a scamp, and won't continue to -take care of me; and now there is nothing left for me but to die." -Hereupon the girl began crying again, and Ch'en untied the girdle and -bade her go and find herself a husband; to which she said there was -very little chance of that; and then Ch'en offered to take her to his -own home--an offer which she very gladly accepted. Soon after they -arrived, his neighbour Ching thought he heard a noise, and jumped over -the wall to have a peep, when lo and behold! at the door of Ch'en's -house stood this young lady, who immediately ran away into the garden -on seeing Ching. The two young men pursued her, but without success, -and were obliged to return each to his own room, Ching being greatly -astonished to find the same girl now standing at his door. On -addressing the young lady, she told him that his neighbour's destiny -was too poor a one for her,[344] and that she came from Shantung, and -that her name was Ch'i A-hsia. She finally agreed to take up her -residence with Ching; but after a few days, finding that a great -number of his friends were constantly calling, she declared it was too -noisy a place for her, and that she would only visit him in the -evening. This she continued to do for a few days, telling him in reply -to his inquiries that her home was not very far off. One evening, -however, she remarked that their present _liaison_ was not very -creditable to either; that her father was a mandarin on the western -frontier, and that she was about to set out with her mother to join -him; begging him meanwhile to make a formal request for the -celebration of their nuptials, in order to prevent them from being -thus separated. She further said that they started in ten days or so, -and then Ching began to reflect that if he married her she would have -to take her place in the family, and that would make his first wife -jealous; so he determined to get rid of the latter, and when she came -in he began to abuse her right and left. His wife bore it as long as -she could, but at length cried out it were better she should die; upon -which Ching advised her not to bring trouble on them all like that, -but to go back to her own home. He then drove her away, his wife -asking all the time what she had done to be sent away like this after -ten years of blameless life with him.[345] Ching, however, paid no -heed to her entreaties, and when he had got rid of her he set to work -at once to get the house whitewashed and made generally clean, himself -being on the tip-toe of expectation for the arrival of Miss A-hsia. -But he waited and waited, and no A-hsia came; she seemed gone like a -stone dropped into the sea. Meanwhile emissaries came from his late -wife's family begging him to take her back; and when he flatly -refused, she married a gentleman of position named Hsia, whose -property adjoined Ching's, and who had long been at feud with him in -consequence, as is usual in such cases. This made Ching furious, but -he still hoped that A-hsia would come, and tried to console himself in -this way. Yet more than a year passed away and still no signs of her, -until one day, at the festival of the Sea Spirits, he saw among the -crowds of girls passing in and out one who very much resembled A-hsia. -Ching moved towards her, following her as she threaded her way through -the crowd as far as the temple gate, where he lost sight of her -altogether, to his great mortification and regret. Another six months -passed away, when one day he met a young lady dressed in red, -accompanied by an old man-servant, and riding on a black mule. It was -A-hsia. So he asked the old man the name of his young mistress, and -learnt from him that she was the second wife of a gentleman named -Cheng, having been married to him about a fortnight previously. Ching -now thought she could not be A-hsia, but just then the young lady, -hearing them talking, turned her head, and Ching saw that he was -right. And now, finding that she had actually married another man, he -was overwhelmed with rage, and cried out in a loud voice, "A-hsia! -A-hsia! why did you break faith?" The servant here objected to his -mistress being thus addressed by a stranger, and was squaring up to -Ching, when A-hsia bade him desist; and, raising her veil, replied, -"And you, faithless one, how do you dare meet my gaze?" "You are the -faithless one," said Ching, "not I." "To be faithless to your wife is -worse than being faithless to me," rejoined A-hsia; "if you behaved -like that to her, how should I have been treated at your hands? -Because of the fair fame of your ancestors, and the honours gained by -them, I was willing to ally myself with you; but now that you have -discarded your wife, your thread of official advancement has been cut -short in the realms below, and Mr. Ch'en is to take the place that -should have been yours at the head of the examination list. As for -myself, I am now part of the Cheng family; think no more of me." Ching -hung his head and could make no reply; and A-hsia whipped up her mule -and disappeared from his sight, leaving him to return home -disconsolate. At the forthcoming examination, everything turned out as -she had predicted; Mr. Ch'en was at the top of the list, and he -himself was thrown out. It was clear that his luck was gone. At forty -he had no wife, and was so poor that he was glad to pick up a meal -where he could. One day he called on Mr. Cheng, who treated him well -and kept him there for the night; and while there Cheng's second wife -saw him, and asked her husband if his guest's name wasn't Ching. "It -is," said he, "how could you guess that?" "Well," replied she, "before -I married you, I took refuge in his house, and he was then very kind -to me. Although he has now sunk low, yet his ancestors' influence on -the family fortunes is not yet exhausted;[346] besides he is an old -acquaintance of yours, and you should try and do something for him." -Cheng consented, and having first given him a new suit of clothes, -kept him in the house several days. At night a slave-girl came to him -with twenty ounces of silver for him, and Mrs. Cheng, who was outside -the window, said, "This is a trifling return for your past kindness to -me. Go and get yourself a good wife. The family luck is not yet -exhausted, but will descend to your sons and grandchildren. Do not -behave like this again, and so shorten your term of life." Ching -thanked her and went home, using ten ounces of silver to procure a -concubine from a neighbouring family, who was very ugly and -ill-tempered. However, she bore him a son, and he by-and-by graduated -as doctor. Mr. Cheng became Vice-President of the Board of Civil -Office,[347] and at his death A-hsia attended the funeral; but when -they opened her chair on its return home, she was gone, and then -people knew for the first time that she was not mortal flesh and -blood. Alas! for the perversity of mankind, rejecting the old and -craving for the new?[348] And then when they come back to the familiar -nest, the birds have all flown. Thus does heaven punish such people. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[344] See No. XLVI., note 271. - -[345] See No. LIII., note 288. - -[346] The virtuous conduct of any individual will result not only in -happiness and prosperity to himself, but a certain quantity of these -will descend to his posterity, unless, as in the present case, there -is one among them whose personal wickedness neutralizes any benefits -that would otherwise accrue therefrom. Here we have an instance where -the crimes of a descendant still left a balance of good fortune -surviving from the accumulated virtue of generations. - -[347] One of the six departments of State administration. - -[348] This seems a curious charge to bring against a people who for a -stolid and bigoted conservatism have rarely, if ever, been equalled. -Mencius, however, uttered one golden sentence which might be brought -to bear upon the occasionally foolish opposition of the Chinese to -measures of proved advantage to the commonwealth. "Live," said the -Sage, "in harmony with the age in which you are born." - - - - -LXII. - -THE MARRIAGE LOTTERY. - - -A certain labourer's son, named Ma T'ien-jung, lost his wife when he -was only about twenty years of age, and was too poor to take another. -One day when out hoeing in the fields, he beheld a nice-looking young -lady leave the path and come tripping across the furrows towards him. -Her face was well painted,[349] and she had altogether such a refined -look that Ma concluded she must have lost her way, and began to make -some playful remarks in consequence. "You go along home," cried the -young lady, "and I'll be with you by-and-by." Ma doubted this rather -extraordinary promise, but she vowed and declared she would not break -her word; and then Ma went off, telling her that his front door faced -the north, etc., etc. In the evening the young lady arrived, and then -Ma saw that her hands and face were covered with fine hair, which made -him suspect at once she was a fox. She did not deny the accusation; -and accordingly Ma said to her, "If you really are one of those -wonderful creatures you will be able to get me anything I want; and I -should be much obliged if you would begin by giving me some money to -relieve my poverty." The young lady said she would; and next evening -when she came again, Ma asked her where the money was. "Dear me!" -replied she, "I quite forgot it." When she was going away, Ma reminded -her of what he wanted, but on the following evening she made precisely -the same excuse, promising to bring it another day. A few nights -afterwards Ma asked her once more for the money, and then she drew -from her sleeve two pieces of silver, each weighing about five or six -ounces. They were both of fine quality, with turned-up edges,[350] and -Ma was very pleased and stored them away in a cupboard. Some months -after this, he happened to require some money for use, and took out -these pieces; but the person to whom he showed them said they were -only pewter, and easily bit off a portion of one of them with his -teeth. Ma was much alarmed, and put the pieces away directly; taking -the opportunity when evening came of abusing the young lady roundly. -"It's all your bad luck," retorted she; "real gold would be too much -for your inferior destiny."[351] There was an end of that; but Ma went -on to say, "I always heard that fox-girls were of surpassing beauty; -how is it you are not?" "Oh," replied the young lady, "we always adapt -ourselves to our company. Now you haven't the luck of an ounce of -silver to call your own; and what would you do, for instance, with a -beautiful princess?[352] My beauty may not be good enough for the -aristocracy; but among your big-footed, burden-carrying rustics,[353] -why it may safely be called 'surpassing.'" - -A few months passed away, and then one day the young lady came and -gave Ma three ounces of silver, saying, "You have often asked me for -money, but in consequence of your weak luck I have always refrained -from giving you any. Now, however, your marriage is at hand, and I -here give you the cost of a wife, which you may also regard as a -parting gift from me." Ma replied that he wasn't engaged, to which the -young lady answered that in a few days a go-between would visit him to -arrange the affair. "And what will she be like?" asked Ma. "Why, as -your aspirations are for 'surpassing' beauty," replied the young lady, -"of course she will be possessed of surpassing beauty." "I hardly -expect that," said Ma; "at any rate three ounces of silver will not be -enough to get a wife." "Marriages," explained the young lady, "are -made in the moon;[354] mortals have nothing to do with them." "And why -must you be going away like this?" inquired Ma. "Because," answered -she, "we go on shilly-shallying from day to day, and month to month, -and nothing ever comes of it. I had better get you another wife and -have done with you." Then when morning came, she departed, giving Ma a -pinch of yellow powder, saying, "In case you are ill after we are -separated, this will cure you." Next day, sure enough, a go-between -did come, and Ma at once asked what the proposed bride was like; to -which the former replied that she was very passable-looking. Four or -five ounces of silver was fixed as the marriage present, Ma making no -difficulty on that score, but declaring he must have a peep at the -young lady.[355] The go-between said she was a respectable girl, and -would never allow herself to be seen; however it was arranged that -they should go to the house together, and await a good opportunity. So -off they went, Ma remaining outside while the go-between went in, -returning in a little while to tell him it was all right. "A relative -of mine lives in the same court, and just now I saw the young lady -sitting in the hall. We have only got to pretend we are going to see -my relative, and you will be able to get a glimpse of her." Ma -consented, and they accordingly passed through the hall, where he saw -the young lady sitting down with her head bent forward while some one -was scratching her back. She seemed to be all that the go-between had -said; but when they came to discuss the money, it appeared the young -lady only wanted one or two ounces of silver, just to buy herself a -few clothes, etc., at which Ma was delighted, and gave the go-between -a present for her trouble, which just finished up the three ounces his -fox-friend had provided. An auspicious day was chosen, and the young -lady came over to his house; when lo! she was hump-backed and -pigeon-breasted, with a short neck like a tortoise, and boat-shaped -feet, full ten inches long. The meaning of his fox-friend's remarks -then flashed upon him. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[349] Only slave-girls and women of the poorer classes, and old women, -omit this very important part of a Chinese lady's toilet. - -[350] Alluding probably to the shape of the "shoe" or ingot of silver. - -[351] See No. XLVI., note 271. - -[352] Literally, "One who would make wild geese alight and fish dive -down for shame;" or, as the next line from the same poem has it, "a -beauty which would obscure the moon and put flowers to the blush." - -[353] Slave-girls do not have their feet compressed. - -[354] Wherein resides an old gentleman who ties together with a red -cord the feet of those destined to become man and wife. From this bond -there is no escape, no matter what distance may separate the affianced -pair. The first go-between, Ku Ts'e, was originally seen, on ice, -arranging matches with some one below:-- - - "Marriage is not a trifling thing-- - The Book and the Vermilion String! - On ice by moonlight may be seen - The wedded couples' go-between." - - --_A Thousand Character Essay for Girls._ - -Hence the common phrase "to do the ice (business)," _i.e._, to arrange -a marriage. - -[355] This proceeding is highly improper, but is winked at in a large -majority of Chinese betrothals. - - -END OF VOL. I. - - -THOS. DE LA RUE AND CO., PRINTERS, BUNHILL ROW, LONDON. - - * * * * * - -TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE - -This book was published in two volumes, of which this is the first. -The second volume was released as Project Gutenberg ebook #xxxxx, -available at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/xxxxx. Referenced -content not present in this electronic text can be found in Volume II. - -Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. [)u] represents u breve. -In footnote 55, Greek letters are denoted by their English names. - -Obvious typographical errors repaired. Punctuation, spelling, -hyphenation, use of accented characters and stylistic presentation -standardized when a predominant preference was found in this book. -Capitalization and hyphenation of Chinese personal names has been -standardized. Otherwise left as printed. - -Footnote numbers were re-indexed in this electronic text, internal -references renumbered correspondingly. - -Footnote 46, 'old' changed to 'odd' (presenting a very odd -appearance). - -Footnote 109, 'Marriages' changed to 'Marriage' (Marriage between persons -of the same surname is forbidden). - -Footnote 267, 'CVI' changed to 'CVII.' (later story (No. CVII.),). - -Page 36, 'villanous' changed to 'villainous' (he writes a villainous -hand). - -Page 86, 'dare' changed to 'dared' (nobody dared go near her). - -Page 306, 'grottos' changed to 'grottoes' (from each of the holes or -grottoes on the stone). - -Page 378, 'Shan' changed to 'Shan-hu' (Shan-hu held out her arms). - -Page 408, 'watching' changed to 'watched' (watched the moon rising in -the east). - -Page 411, 'bid' changed to 'bade' (Wang's father bade him hide). - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio -Vol. I (of 2), by Songling Pu - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRANGE STORIES 1/2 *** - -***** This file should be named 43627.txt or 43627.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/6/2/43627/ - -Produced by obstobst, Henry Flower and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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