Ming Dynasty Tales

A Guided Reader

Victor H. Mair, Zhenjun Zhang, Victor H. Mair, Zhenjun Zhang

• Editore: Bloomsbury Academic
• Anno: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781350263307
• Edizione: 1
• Argomento: History
• Categoria: Chinese History

With commentary and annotations throughout, Ming Dynasty Tales: A Guided Reader presents for the first time in English 10 key stories from China's Ming Dynasty era. Casting new light on this significant period in Chinese literary history, these tales bring Ming era China vividly to life, from its chaotic beginnings to its imperial heyday. As well as bearing witness to social change across the 100-year life of the Yuan Dynasty from 1260 to 1368, these tales tackle key themes of war and peace and Confucian values of loyalty, filiality, chastity, and righteousness.

Tale 1

“JINFENG CHAI JI” 金鳳釵記

(THE GOLDEN PHOENIX HAIRPIN)

By Qu You 瞿佑

Translated by Paul W. Kroll

During the Dade reign period (1297–1308),¹ there lived in Yangzhou a rich man by the name of Wu who was a district defense commandant. He lived next to the Loft of Vernal Breezes, and was a neighbor of Master Cui, an official with whom he had a deep bond of friendship. Cui had a son named Xingge and Wu had a daughter called Xingniang, both of whom were still in infant’s clothes. Cui sought the girl as a future wife for his son, and when Wu gave his consent, Cui presented him with a golden phoenix hairpin as a pledge. Shortly thereafter Cui was transferred to a post in a distant region, and for fifteen years not a word was exchanged between the two families.

At this time the girl reached her nineteenth year in the seclusion of her chambers. Her mother said to Wu, “The young master of the Cui family has been gone now for fifteen years with no news at all, and Xingniang has fully matured. I don’t believe that we should hold to the previous accord and waste her youth.” Answered Wu, “But I’ve given my word to my friend; the covenant has already been made. How can I go back on it?”

The girl, for her part, yearned for the arrival of her betrothed, became sick, and was confined to her bed. Within half a year she died. Her parents wept in grief.

As Xingniang was being prepared for burial, her mother, holding the golden phoenix hairpin, stroked the corpse and said tearfully, “This is a token from your husband’s family. Now that you are gone, what use is there in my keeping it?” Thereupon she fastened it in her daughter’s hair, to be interred with her.

Two months after the burial, young Cui arrived. Wu received him and inquired of his affairs, to which Cui replied, “My father died in the post of prefectural judge of Xuande prefecture.² My mother, too, passed away several years ago. Having now completed the mourning period for them, I’ve hastened here in spite of the long distance.” With tears falling, Wu told him, “It was Xingniang’s misfortune to fall ill because she yearned for you so. Two months ago, she died without fulfilling her wishes. She has already been buried.”

Wu thereupon conducted him into the girl’s chambers and burned sacrificial money before her memorial tablet, to inform her spirit of Cui’s arrival. Every member of the household wept bitterly. Then Wu said to Cui, “Your parents are dead, and your home is so far away. Now that you are here, please make yourself at home at my place. The son of an old friend is just like my own son. You needn’t be a stranger to me because of Xingniang’s death.” He then ordered Cui’s baggage moved in, and the young man settled down in a small studio, beside the gates of the family compound.

Half a month passed, and the Qingming Festival came. Because of the recent death of Wu’s daughter, the entire family paid a visit to her grave. Xingniang had a younger sister by the name of Qingniang, who was in her seventeenth year, and she also went along on that day. Only Cui remained at home to look after things.

When the family returned in the evening, the sky was already darkening. Cui greeted them, standing to the left of the gate. When the first of the two sedan chairs had entered and the second was before him, something seemed to fall out of it with a tinkling sound. He waited until the sedan chair had passed and then hurried over to pick it up. It was a golden phoenix hairpin. He wanted to return it to the inner quarters immediately, but the central gate had already been secured and he could not gain entrance. So he went back to his little studio, where he sat alone before a lighted candle, reflecting on his unconsummated betrothal and his loneliness. Considering that there was no future in living with someone else’s family this way, he sighed deeply.

Just as he was about to retire for the night, he suddenly heard a light knocking at the door. He called out to see who it was, but there was no reply. After a short pause, the knocking resumed. This sequence was repeated three times before Cui finally unlatched the door and peered out. Standing there was a lovely young girl who, upon seeing the door open, hitched up her long skirt and stepped into the room. Cui was shocked, but the girl lowered her head and with bated breath spoke to him in a low voice: “Don’t you recognize me? I’m Xingniang’s younger sister, Qingniang. A while ago I threw a hairpin from the sedan chair. Did you retrieve it?” She then pulled Cui toward the bed, but Cui, remembering her father’s hospitality, refused, saying, “I wouldn’t dare.” And he firmly resisted her repeated advances.

Suddenly the girl’s face flushed, and she raged at him:

My father has treated you with the propriety he would show his own brother’s son and has taken you into his own household. But now in the deep of night, you’ve enticed me here! What are you up to? If I report this to my father, he will surely take you to the magistrate and he will not let you off!

Cui, taken aback by this threat, could only comply with her wishes. When dawn came, she departed.

From this time on, each evening she would come in secret to the little studio next to the gates and each morning would depart in secret. A month and a half passed in this way. One night Qingniang said to Cui:

I live in the ladies’ quarters while you live in an outside studio. Fortunately, no one has yet learned of this affair, but I only fear that ‘a good cause will meet many obstacles and the wedding day can easily be delayed.’ For if one day our secret is discovered, I’ll be condemned by my family, shut up, and caged like a parrot. Then, ‘once the duck is struck, the male of the love-birds will be frightened as well.’³ Even though I’m quite willing to face this, I’m afraid that your good name would be compromised. It would be best to flee with whatever is dear to us before the matter is discovered. Rendering ourselves unknown in far-off villages and hiding our identities in other districts, we can grow old together without care and never be separated.

Cui was rather pleased with her suggestion and said, “What you’ve said is indeed sensible. Let me think about.” Whereupon he mused:

I’m an orphan, miserably alone, and have long lacked close relatives and friends. Even though I wish to flee with her, where could we go? But once I heard my father remark that our old servant Jin Rong was a faithful and honorable man. He dwells now in Lücheng, in Jinjiang prefecture,⁴ and tills the earth for a living. We shall throw ourselves on his kindness; surely he will not refuse us!

The next night, the two of them left at the fifth watch, carrying with them only the simplest baggage. They hired a boat and stopped at Guazhou, whence they continued to Danyang.⁵ There they inquired of the villagers and succeeded in finding Jin Rong, who had prospered with his family and become wealthy, while he himself had been made headman of the village. Cui was delighted and went directly to Jin’s place, but at first he was not recognized. However, when he mentioned his father’s name, official rank, and native place, and his own childhood name, Jin finally remembered him. Jin then set up a memorial tablet for his deceased master and wept. He then seated Cui and respectfully made obeisance to him, saying, “Here is my former young master.” Cui fully informed him of his reason for coming, whereupon Jin had the main quarters cleared and lodged the two there. He attended them as though he were attending his former master, providing them with all the clothing and food they required.

They resided with Jin for nearly a year, at which time the girl said to Cui:

At first I dreaded the censure of my parents, so I, like Lady Zhuo,⁶ fled with you. I did so because there was no other way out for us. But now the old grain has been consumed and the new grain is sprouting—time passes like a flowing stream, and a year has nearly gone by. All parents love their offspring, and if we return now of our own accord they will be so happy to see us once again that they certainly will not reproach us. No kindness is greater than that of our parents who give us life, so how can they bear to break off from their children? Why not go and see them?

Cui assented, and together they crossed back over the Yangzi, returning to the girl’s native town.

As they drew near her home, she said to Cui, “Having run off for a year, I fear I may meet my father’s wrath if I go with you. It would be best if you go on ahead and take a look first. I shall moor the boat here to await word from you.” As Cui was about to leave, she called him back and gave him the golden phoenix hairpin, saying, “If my father doubts you, show him this.”

When Wu heard that Cui was at his gate, he was overjoyed and went out to welcome him, making unexpected apologies: “My lack of hospitality must have caused you such uneasiness that you subsequently departed for elsewhere. It is all my fault! I hope you will not take offense.” Cui prostrated himself and, not daring to look up, repeatedly asked for Wu’s forgiveness.

Wu said, “What crime have you committed to call forth such alarming words? Please, explain yourself and allay my doubts.”

To which Cui replied:

Behind drawn curtains your daughter and I carried on a secret affair. Our affection for each other grew, and, turning our backs on the name of righteousness, we committed the offense of having a clandestine relationship. Without informing you I took her as though a wife and we stole away to hide in a far-off village. The months stretched on, and for a long time we made no effort to be in touch with you. But though our affection is more devoted even than that of husband and wife, how can one forget the kindnesses of father and mother? Humbly I implore you to behold the depth of our feelings and forgive our serious offense, so we may grow old together and be forever united. The blessing of your fond love and our happy family life are what we seek. I hope you will take pity on us.

On hearing this, Wu replied in amazement, “But my daughter has been bedridden for almost a year, unable to take thin gruel, and even needing help to turn over. How can you talk like this?”

Cui assumed that Wu was afraid of having disgrace brought to the family and so was covering up the truth in order to put him off. But he answered, “Qingniang is at this moment in my boat. You can send someone to bring her here.”

Although Wu did not believe him, he commanded a servant to hasten there. When the servant came to the boat, there was no one there, and upon his report Wu became angry and berated Cui for indulging in such a sham pretense. Cui then brought forth from his sleeve the golden phoenix hairpin and showed it to Wu. When Wu beheld it, he was utterly confounded: “This token was interred with my deceased daughter, Xingniang. How could it possibly turn up here?”

Amidst their confusion and perplexity, Qingniang unexpectedly rose from her bed and came directly to the hall. She made obeisance to her father and said:

I am Xingniang, whose ill fortune it was to leave you so early in my life and be cast into the wilderness. But my predestined bond with the young master of the Cui family was not yet broken. I’ve come here now desiring only to have my beloved younger sister Qingniang continue the union. If you concur with this wish, her ailment will be cured instantly; if not, she will expire now before you.

The entire household was petrified. They could see that the body was indeed that of Qingniang, but the voice and mannerisms were those of the deceased Xingniang.

Her father rebuked her: “You are already dead. By what right do you return to the human world and cause this turmoil?”

She replied:

After I died, the Courts of the Underworld found me guiltless of any crime and therefore did not restrain me with the usual prohibitions. I was put under the tutelage of Lady Houtu,⁷ and put in charge of forwarding messages. Since my earthly destiny had not been fulfilled, I was granted a special leave for one year in order to consummate my marriage with Master Cui.

Her father, hearing the urgency of her words, assented. She immediately composed her countenance and made obeisance to him in gratitude. Then she clasped Cui’s hand, sighing tearfully over their parting: “My parents have granted my wish. Be a good son-in-law, and take heed not to forget your old love because of the new.” After speaking these words, she cried bitterly and fell to the ground. She appeared dead.

Quickly a herb broth was forced between her lips, and in a brief while Qingniang revived. All symptoms of her sickness were gone, and her actions seemed normal. When asked about what had happened, she apparently remembered nothing, as if she had just awakened from a dream. An auspicious day was then chosen for her marriage with Cui.

Moved by Xingniang’s affection, C...

Indice dei contenuti

• Cover
• Halftitle Page
• Title Page
• Contents
• Notes on the Editors and Contributors
• Introduction
• Tale 1 “JINFENG CHAI JI” 金鳳釵記 (THE GOLDEN PHOENIX HAIRPIN)
• Tale 2 “CUICUI ZHUAN” 翠翠傳 (THE TALE OF CUICUI)
• Tale 3 “TAIXU SIFA ZHUAN” 太虛司法傳 (THE ACCOUNT OF THE LEGAL ADMINISTRATOR OF THE GRAND VOID)
• Tale 4 “LÜYI REN ZHUAN” 綠衣人傳 (THE TALE OF THE LADY IN GREEN)
• Tale 5 “FENGWEI CAO JI” 鳳尾草記 (THE RECORD OF A PHOENIX-TAIL FERN)
• Tale 6 “FURONG PING JI” 芙蓉屏記 (THE RECORD OF THE LOTUS SCREEN)
• Tale 7 “QIUQIAN HUI JI” 鞦韆會記 (THE TALE OF THE SWING-PLAY GATHERING)
• Tale 8 “YAO GONGZI ZHUAN” 姚公子傳 (THE TALE OF YOUNG MASTER YAO)
• Tale 9 “FUQING NONG ZHUAN”負情儂傳 (THE FAITHLESS LOVER)
• Tale 10 “ZHU SHAN” 珠衫 (THE PEARL SHIRT)
• Select Bibliography
• Index
• Imprint