The Dream of the Red Chamber - Cao Xueqin　　

Chapter I.
　　Chen Shih-yin,in a vision,apprehends perception and spirituality. Chia Yue-ts'un,in the (windy and dusty)world,cherishes fond thoughts of a beautifulmaiden.
　　This is the opening section;this the first CHAPTER.Subsequent to the visions of adream which he had,on some previous occasion,experienced,the writerpersonally relates,he designedly concealed the true circumstances,and borrowedthe attributes of perception and spirituality to relate this story of the Record ofthe Stone.With this purpose,he made use of such designations as Chen Shih-yin(truth under the garb of fiction)and the like.What are,however,the eventsrecorded in this work?Who are the dramatis personae?
　　Wearied with the drudgery experienced of late in the world,the authorspeaking for himself,goes on to explain,with the lack of success whichattended every single concern,I suddenly bethought myself of the womankindof past ages.Passing one by one under a minute scrutiny,I felt that in actionand in lore,one and all were far above me;that in spite of the majesty of mymanliness,I could not,in point of fact,compare with these characters of thegentle sex.And my shame forsooth then knew no bounds;while regret,on theother hand,was of no avail,as there was not even a remote possibility of a dayof remedy.
　　On this very day it was that I became desirous to compile,in a connected form,for publication throughout the world,with a view to (universal)information,how that I bear inexorable and manifold retribution;inasmuch as what time,bythe sustenance of the benevolence of Heaven,and the virtue of my ancestors,myapparel was rich and fine,and as what days my fare was savory and sumptuous,Idisregarded the bounty of education and nurture of father and mother,and paidno heed to the virtue of precept and injunction of teachers and friends,with the
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　　result that I incurred the punishment,of failure recently in the least trifle,and thereckless waste of half my lifetime.There have been meanwhile,generation aftergeneration,those in the inner chambers,the whole mass of whom could not,onany account,be,through my influence,allowed to fall into extinction,in orderthat I,unfilial as I have been,may have the means to screen my ownshortcomings.
　　Hence it is that the thatched shed,with bamboo mat windows,the bed of towand the stove of brick,which are at present my share,are not sufficient todeter me from carrying out the fixed purpose of my mind.And could I,furthermore,confront the morning breeze,the evening moon,the willows bythe steps and the flowers in the courtyard,methinks these would moisten to agreater degree my mortal pen with ink;but though I lack culture anderudition,what harm is there,however,in employing fiction and unreconditelanguage to give utterance to the merits of these characters?And were I alsoable to induce the inmates of the inner chamber to understand and diffusethem,could I besides break the weariness of even so much as a single moment,or could I open the eyes of my contemporaries,will it not forsooth prove aboon?
　　This consideration has led to the usage of such names as Chia Yue-ts'unand other similar appellations.
　　More than any in these pages have been employed such words as dreams andvisions;but these dreams constitute the main argument of this work,andcombine,furthermore,the design of giving a word of warning to my readers.
　　Reader,can you suggest whence the story begins?
　　The narration may border on the limits of incoherency and triviality,but it possesses considerable zest.But to begin.
　　The Empress Nue Wo,(the goddess of works,)in fashioning blocks ofstones,for the repair of the heavens,prepared,at the Ta Huang Hills andWu Ch'i cave,36,501blocks of rough stone,each twelve chang in height,andtwenty-four chang square.Of these stones,the Empress Wo only used36,500;so that one single block remained over and above,without beingturned to any account.This was cast down the Ch'ing Keng peak.This
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　　stone,strange to say,after having undergone a process of refinement,attained a nature of efficiency,and could,by its innate powers,set itself intomotion and was able to expand and to contract.
　　When it became aware that the whole number of blocks had been made use of torepair the heavens,that it alone had been destitute of the necessary propertiesand had been unfit to attain selection,it forthwith felt within itself vexation andshame,and day and night,it gave way to anguish and sorrow.
　　One day,while it lamented its lot,it suddenly caught sight,at a great distance,ofa Buddhist bonze and of a Taoist priest coming towards that direction.Theirappearance was uncommon,their easy manner remarkable.When they drew nearthis Ch'ing Keng peak,they sat on the ground to rest,and began to converse.Buton noticing the block newly-polished and brilliantly clear,which had moreovercontracted in dimensions,and become no larger than the pendant of a fan,theywere greatly filled with admiration.The Buddhist priest picked it up,and laid itin the palm of his hand.
　　"Your appearance,"he said laughingly,"may well declare you to be asupernatural object,but as you lack any inherent quality it is necessary toinscribe a few characters on you,so that every one who shall see you may atonce recognise you to be a remarkable thing.And subsequently,when youwill be taken into a country where honour and affluence will reign,into afamily cultured in mind and of official status,in a land where flowers andtrees shall flourish with luxuriance,in a town of refinement,renown andglory;when you once will have been there..."
　　The stone listened with intense delight.
　　"What characters may I ask,"it consequently inquired,"will you inscribe?andwhat place will I be taken to?pray,pray explain to me in lucid terms.""Youmustn't be inquisitive,"the bonze replied,with a smile,"in days to come you'llcertainly understand everything."Having concluded these words,he forthwithput the stone in his sleeve,and proceeded leisurely on his journey,in companywith the Taoist priest.Whither,however,he took the stone,is not divulged.Norcan it be known how many centuries and ages elapsed,before a Taoist priest,K'ung K'ung by name,passed,during his researches after the eternal reason andhis quest after immortality,by these Ta Huang Hills,Wu Ch'i cave and Ch'ingPAGE 5
　　Keng Peak.Suddenly perceiving a large block of stone,on the surface of whichthe traces of characters giving,in a connected form,the various incidents of itsfate,could be clearly deciphered,K'ung K'ung examined them from first to last.
　　They,in fact,explained how that this block of worthless stone had originallybeen devoid of the properties essential for the repairs to the heavens,how itwould be transmuted into human form and introduced by Mang Mang the HighLord,and Miao Miao,the Divine,into the world of mortals,and how it would beled over the other bank (across the San Sara).On the surface,the record of thespot where it would fall,the place of its birth,as well as various family trifles andtrivial love affairs of young ladies,verses,odes,speeches and enigmas was stillcomplete;but the name of the dynasty and the year of the reign were obliterated,and could not be ascertained.
　　On the obverse,were also the following enigmatical verses:
　　Lacking in virtues meet the azure skies to mend,In vain the mortal world full many a year I wend,Of a former and after life these facts that be,Who will for a tradition strange record for me?
　　K'ung K'ung,the Taoist,having pondered over these lines for a while,became aware that this stone had a history of some kind.
　　"Brother stone,"he forthwith said,addressing the stone,"the concerns ofpast days recorded on you possess,according to your own account,aconsiderable amount of interest,and have been for this reason inscribed,with the intent of soliciting generations to hand them down as remarkableoccurrences.But in my own opinion,they lack,in the first place,any databy means of which to establish the name of the Emperor and the year of hisreign;and,in the second place,these constitute no record of any excellentpolicy,adopted by any high worthies or high loyal statesmen,in thegovernment of the state,or in the rule of public morals.The contentssimply treat of a certain number of maidens,of exceptional character;
　　either of their love affairs or infatuations,or of their small deserts orinsignificant talents;and were I to transcribe the whole collection of them,they would,nevertheless,not be estimated as a book of any exceptionalPAGE 6
　　worth."
　　"Sir Priest,"the stone replied with assurance,"why are you so excessively dull?
　　The dynasties recorded in the rustic histories,which have been written from ageto age,have,I am fain to think,invariably assumed,under false pretences,themere nomenclature of the Han and T'ang dynasties.They differ from the eventsinscribed on my block,which do not borrow this customary practice,but,beingbased on my own experiences and natural feelings,present,on the contrary,anovel and unique character.Besides,in the pages of these rustic histories,eitherthe aspersions upon sovereigns and statesmen,or the strictures upon individuals,their wives,and their daughters,or the deeds of licentiousness and violence aretoo numerous to be computed.Indeed,there is one more kind of loose literature,the wantonness and pollution in which work most easy havoc upon youth.
　　"As regards the works,in which the characters of scholars and beauties isdelineated their allusions are again repeatedly of Wen Chuen,their theme in everypage of Tzu Chien;a thousand volumes present no diversity;and a thousandcharacters are but a counterpart of each other.What is more,these works,throughout all their pages,cannot help bordering on extreme licence.Theauthors,however,had no other object in view than to give utterance to a fewsentimental odes and elegant ballads of their own,and for this reason they havefictitiously invented the names and surnames of both men and women,andnecessarily introduced,in addition,some low characters,who should,like abuffoon in a play,create some excitement in the plot.
　　"Still more loathsome is a kind of pedantic and profligate literature,perfectlydevoid of all natural sentiment,full of self-contradictions;and,in fact,thecontrast to those maidens in my work,whom I have,during half my lifetime,seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears.And though I will notpresume to estimate them as superior to the heroes and heroines in the worksof former ages,yet the perusal of the motives and issues of their experiences,may likewise afford matter sufficient to banish dulness,and to break the spellof melancholy.
　　"As regards the several stanzas of doggerel verse,they may too evokesuch laughter as to compel the reader to blurt out the rice,and to spurtout the wine.
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　　"In these pages,the scenes depicting the anguish of separation,the blissof reunion,and the fortunes of prosperity and of adversity are all,inevery detail,true to human nature,and I have not taken upon myself tomake the slightest addition,or alteration,which might lead to theperversion of the truth.
　　"My only object has been that men may,after a drinking bout,or after theywake from sleep or when in need of relaxation from the pressure of business,take up this light literature,and not only expunge the traces of antiquatedbooks,and obtain a new kind of distraction,but that they may also lay by along life as well as energy and strength;for it bears no point of similarity tothose works,whose designs are false,whose course is immoral.Now,SirPriest,what are your views on the subject?"
　　K'ung K'ung having pondered for a while over the words,to which he hadlistened intently,re-perused,throughout,this record of the stone;and finding thatthe general purport consisted of nought else than a treatise on love,and likewiseof an accurate transcription of facts,without the least taint of profligacyinjurious to the times,he thereupon copied the contents,from beginning to end,to the intent of charging the world to hand them down as a strange story.
　　Hence it was that K'ung K'ung,the Taoist,in consequence of his perception,(in his state of)abstraction,of passion,the generation,from this passion,ofvoluptuousness,the transmission of this voluptuousness into passion,and theapprehension,by means of passion,of its unreality,forthwith altered his namefor that of "Ch'ing Tseng"(the Voluptuous Bonze),and changed the title of"the Memoir of a Stone"(Shih-t'ou-chi,)for that of "Ch'ing Tseng Lu,"TheRecord of the Voluptuous Bonze;while K'ung Mei-chi of Tung Lu gave it thename of "Feng Yueeh Pao Chien,""The Precious Mirror of Voluptuousness."
　　In later years,owing to the devotion by Tsao Hsueeh-ch'in in the Tao Hungstudy,of ten years to the perusal and revision of the work,the additions andmodifications effected by him five times,the affix of an index and the divisioninto periods andCHAPTERs,the book was again entitled "Chin Ling Shih ErhCh'ai,""The Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling."A stanza was furthermorecomposed for the purpose.This then,and no other,is the origin of the Recordof the Stone.The poet says appositely:--
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　　Pages full of silly litter,Tears a handful sour and bitter;
　　All a fool the author hold,But their zest who can unfold?
　　You have now understood the causes which brought about the Record of theStone,but as you are not,as yet,aware what characters are depicted,and what circumstances are related on the surface of the block,reader,please lend an ear to the narrative on the stone,which runs asfollows:--
　　In old days,the land in the South East lay low.In this South-East part ofthe world,was situated a walled town,Ku Su by name.Within thewalls a locality,called the Ch'ang Men,was more than all others throughout themortal world,the centre,which held the second,if not the first place for fashionand life.Beyond this Ch'ang Men was a street called Shih-li-chieh (Ten _Li_street);in this street a lane,the Jen Ch'ing lane (Humanity and Purity);and in thislane stood an old temple,which on account of its diminutive dimensions,wascalled,by general consent,the Gourd temple.Next door to this temple lived thefamily of a district official,Chen by surname,Fei by name,and Shih-yin by style.
　　His wife,nee Feng,possessed a worthy and virtuous disposition,and had a clearperception of moral propriety and good conduct.This family,though not inactual possession of excessive affluence and honours,was,nevertheless,in theirdistrict,conceded to be a clan of well-to-do standing.As this Chen Shih-yin wasof a contented and unambitious frame of mind,and entertained no hankeringafter any official distinction,but day after day of his life took delight in gazing atflowers,planting bamboos,sipping his wine and conning poetical works,he wasin fact,in the indulgence of these pursuits,as happy as a supernatural being.
　　One thing alone marred his happiness.He had lived over half a century andhad,as yet,no male offspring around his knees.He had one only child,adaughter,whose infant name was Ying Lien.She was just three years of age.
　　On a long summer day,on which the heat had been intense,Shih-yin sat
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　　leisurely in his library.Feeling his hand tired,he dropped the book he held,leant his head on a teapoy,and fell asleep.
　　Of a sudden,while in this state of unconsciousness,it seemed as if he hadbetaken himself on foot to some spot or other whither he could not discriminate.
　　Unexpectedly he espied,in the opposite direction,two priests coming towardshim:the one a Buddhist,the other a Taoist.As they advanced they kept up theconversation in which they were engaged."Whither do you purpose taking theobject you have brought away?"he heard the Taoist inquire.To this question theBuddhist replied with a smile:"Set your mind at ease,"he said;"there's now inmaturity a plot of a general character involving mundane pleasures,which willpresently come to a denouement.The whole number of the votaries ofvoluptuousness have,as yet,not been quickened or entered the world,and I meanto avail myself of this occasion to introduce this object among their number,so asto give it a chance to go through the span of human existence.""The votaries ofvoluptuousness of these days will naturally have again to endure the ills of lifeduring their course through the mortal world,"the Taoist remarked;"but when,Iwonder,will they spring into existence?and in what place will they descend?"
　　"The account of these circumstances,"the bonze ventured to reply,"is enough tomake you laugh!They amount to this:there existed in the west,on the bank ofthe Ling (spiritual)river,by the side of the San Sheng (thrice-born)stone,a bladeof the Chiang Chu (purple pearl)grass.At about the same time it was that theblock of stone was,consequent upon its rejection by the goddess of works,alsoleft to ramble and wander to its own gratification,and to roam about at pleasureto every and any place.One day it came within the precincts of the Ching Huan(Monitory Vision)Fairy;and this Fairy,cognizant of the fact that this stone had ahistory,detained it,therefore,to reside at the Ch'ih Hsia (purple clouds)palace,and apportioned to it the duties of attendant on Shen Ying,a fairy of the Ch'ihHsia palace.
　　"This stone would,however,often stroll along the banks of the Ling river,andhaving at the sight of the blade of spiritual grass been filled with admiration,it,day by day,moistened its roots with sweet dew.This purple pearl grass,atthe outset,tarried for months and years;but being at a later period imbuedwith the essence and luxuriance of heaven and earth,and having incessantlyreceived the moisture and nurture of the sweet dew,divested itself,in course of
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　　time,of the form of a grass;assuming,in lieu,a human nature,whichgradually became perfected into the person of a girl.
　　"Every day she was wont to wander beyond the confines of the Li Hen (divestedanimosities)heavens.When hungry she fed on the Pi Ch'ing (hidden love)fruit--
　　when thirsty she drank the Kuan ch'ou (discharged sorrows,)water.Having,however,up to this time,not shewn her gratitude for the virtue of nurturelavished upon her,the result was but natural that she should resolve in her heartupon a constant and incessant purpose to make suitable acknowledgment.
　　"I have been,"she would often commune within herself,"the recipient of thegracious bounty of rain and dew,but I possess no such water as was lavishedupon me to repay it!But should it ever descend into the world in the form of ahuman being,I will also betake myself thither,along with it;and if I can onlyhave the means of making restitution to it,with the tears of a whole lifetime,Imay be able to make adequate return."
　　"This resolution it is that will evolve the descent into the world of so manypleasure-bound spirits of retribution and the experience of fantastic destinies;
　　and this crimson pearl blade will also be among the number.The stone still lies inits original place,and why should not you and I take it along before the tribunalof the Monitory Vision Fairy,and place on its behalf its name on record,so thatit should descend into the world,in company with these spirits of passion,andbring this plot to an issue?"
　　"It is indeed ridiculous,"interposed the Taoist."Never before have I heard eventhe very mention of restitution by means of tears!Why should not you and Iavail ourselves of this opportunity to likewise go down into the world?and ifsuccessful in effecting the salvation of a few of them,will it not be a workmeritorious and virtuous?"
　　"This proposal,"remarked the Buddhist,"is quite in harmony with my ownviews.Come along then with me to the palace of the Monitory Vision Fairy,andlet us deliver up this good-for-nothing object,and have done with it!And whenthe company of pleasure-bound spirits of wrath descend into human existence,you and I can then enter the world.Half of them have already fallen into thedusty universe,but the whole number of them have not,as yet,come together."
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　　"Such being the case,"the Taoist acquiesced,"I am ready to follow you,whenever you please to go."
　　But to return to Chen Shih-yin.Having heard every one of these wordsdistinctly,he could not refrain from forthwith stepping forward and payinghomage."My spiritual lords,"he said,as he smiled,"accept myobeisance."The Buddhist and Taoist priests lost no time in responding tothe compliment,and they exchanged the usual salutations."My spirituallords,"Shih-yin continued;"I have just heard the conversation that passedbetween you,on causes and effects,a conversation the like of which fewmortals have forsooth listened to;but your younger brother is sluggish ofintellect,and cannot lucidly fathom the import!Yet could this dulness andsimplicity be graciously dispelled,your younger brother may,by listeningminutely,with undefiled ear and careful attention,to a certain degree bearoused to a sense of understanding;and what is more,possibly find themeans of escaping the anguish of sinking down into Hades."
　　The two spirits smiled,"The conversation,"they added,"refers to theprimordial scheme and cannot be divulged before the proper season;but,whenthe time comes,mind do not forget us two,and you will readily be able toescape from the fiery furnace."
　　Shih-yin,after this reply,felt it difficult to make any further inquiries."Theprimordial scheme,"he however remarked smiling,"cannot,of course,bedivulged;but what manner of thing,I wonder,is the good-for-nothing object youalluded to a short while back?May I not be allowed to judge for myself?"
　　"This object about which you ask,"the Buddhist Bonze responded,"isintended,I may tell you,by fate to be just glanced at by you."With thesewords he produced it,and handed it over to Shih-yin.
　　Shih-yin received it.On scrutiny he found it,in fact,to be a beautiful gem,solustrous and so clear that the traces of characters on the surface were distinctlyvisible.The characters inscribed consisted of the four "T'ung Ling Pao Yue,"
　　"Precious Gem of Spiritual Perception."On the obverse,were also severalcolumns of minute words,which he was just in the act of looking at intently,when the Buddhist at once expostulated.
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　　"We have already reached,"he exclaimed,"the confines of vision."Snatchingit violently out of his hands,he walked away with the Taoist,under a loftystone portal,on the face of which appeared in large type the four characters:
　　"T'ai Hsue Huan Ching,""The Visionary limits of the Great Void."On eachside was a scroll with the lines:
　　When falsehood stands for truth,truth likewise becomes false,Where naught be made to aught,aught changes into naught.
　　Shih-yin meant also to follow them on the other side,but,as he was about tomake one step forward,he suddenly heard a crash,just as if the mountains hadfallen into ruins,and the earth sunk into destruction.As Shih-yin uttered a loudshout,he looked with strained eye;but all he could see was the fiery sun shining,with glowing rays,while the banana leaves drooped their heads.By that time,half of the circumstances connected with the dream he had had,had alreadyslipped from his memory.
　　He also noticed a nurse coming towards him with Ying Lien in her arms.ToShih-yin's eyes his daughter appeared even more beautiful,such a bright gem,soprecious,and so lovable.Forthwith stretching out his arms,he took her over,and,as he held her in his embrace,he coaxed her to play with him for a while;
　　after which he brought her up to the street to see the great stir occasioned by theprocession that was going past.
　　He was about to come in,when he caught sight of two priests,one a Taoist,theother a Buddhist,coming hither from the opposite direction.The Buddhist had ahead covered with mange,and went barefooted.The Taoist had a limping foot,and his hair was all dishevelled.
　　Like maniacs,they jostled along,chattering and laughing as they drew near.
　　As soon as they reached Shih-yin's door,and they perceived him with YingLien in his arms,the Bonze began to weep aloud.
　　Turning towards Shih-yin,he said to him:"My good Sir,why need you carry inyour embrace this living but luckless thing,which will involve father and motherin trouble?"
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　　These words did not escape Shih-yin's ear;but persuaded that theyamounted to raving talk,he paid no heed whatever to the bonze.
　　"Part with her and give her to me,"the Buddhist still went on to say.
　　Shih-yin could not restrain his annoyance;and hastily pressing his daughtercloser to him,he was intent upon going in,when the bonze pointed his handat him,and burst out in a loud fit of laughter.
　　He then gave utterance to the four lines that follow:
　　You indulge your tender daughter and are laughed at as inane;
　　Vain you face the snow,oh mirror!for it will evanescent wane,When the festival of lanterns is gone by,guard 'gainst your doom,'Tis what time the flames will kindle,and the fire will consume.
　　Shih-yin understood distinctly the full import of what he heard;but his heartwas still full of conjectures.He was about to inquire who and what they were,when he heard the Taoist remark,--"You and I cannot speed together;let us nowpart company,and each of us will be then able to go after his own business.
　　After the lapse of three ages,I shall be at the Pei Mang mount,waiting for you;
　　and we can,after our reunion,betake ourselves to the Visionary Confines of theGreat Void,there to cancel the name of the stone from the records."
　　"Excellent!first rate!"exclaimed the Bonze.And at the conclusion of thesewords,the two men parted,each going his own way,and no trace was againseen of them.
　　"These two men,"Shih-yin then pondered within his heart,"must have hadmany experiences,and I ought really to have made more inquiries of them;but atthis juncture to indulge in regret is anyhow too late."
　　While Shih-yin gave way to these foolish reflections,he suddenly noticed thearrival of a penniless scholar,Chia by surname,Hua by name,Shih-fei by styleand Yue-ts'un by nickname,who had taken up his quarters in the Gourd templenext door.This Chia Yue-ts'un was originally a denizen of Hu-Chow,and was
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　　also of literary and official parentage,but as he was born of the youngest stock,and the possessions of his paternal and maternal ancestors were completelyexhausted,and his parents and relatives were dead,he remained the sole and onlysurvivor;and,as he found his residence in his native place of no avail,hetherefore entered the capital in search of that reputation,which would enable himto put the family estate on a proper standing.He had arrived at this place sincethe year before last,and had,what is more,lived all along in very straitenedcircumstances.He had made the temple his temporary quarters,and earned aliving by daily occupying himself in composing documents and writing letters forcustomers.Thus it was that Shih-yin had been in constant relations with him.
　　As soon as Yue-ts'un perceived Shih-yin,he lost no time in saluting him."Myworthy Sir,"he observed with a forced smile;"how is it you are leaningagainst the door and looking out?Is there perchance any news astir in thestreets,or in the public places?"
　　"None whatever,"replied Shih-yin,as he returned the smile."Just a whileback,my young daughter was in sobs,and I coaxed her out here to amuse her.Iam just now without anything whatever to attend to,so that,dear brotherChia,you come just in the nick of time.Please walk into my mean abode,andlet us endeavour,in each other's company,to while away this long summerday."
　　After he had made this remark,he bade a servant take his daughter in,whilehe,hand-in-hand with Yue-ts'un,walked into the library,where a young pageserved tea.They had hardly exchanged a few sentences,when one of thehousehold came in,in flying haste,to announce that Mr.Yen had come to paya visit.
　　Shih-yin at once stood up."Pray excuse my rudeness,"he remarkedapologetically,"but do sit down;I shall shortly rejoin you,and enjoy thepleasure of your society.""My dear Sir,"answered Yue-ts'un,as he got up,alsoin a conceding way,"suit your own convenience.I've often had the honour ofbeing your guest,and what will it matter if I wait a little?"While these apologieswere yet being spoken,Shih-yin had already walked out into the front parlour.
　　During his absence,Yue-ts'un occupied himself in turning over the pages ofsome poetical work to dispel ennui,when suddenly he heard,outside the
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　　window,a woman's cough.Yue-ts'un hurriedly got up and looked out.He sawat a glance that it was a servant girl engaged in picking flowers.Her deportmentwas out of the common;her eyes so bright,her eyebrows so well defined.
　　Though not a perfect beauty,she possessed nevertheless charms sufficient toarouse the feelings.Yue-ts'un unwittingly gazed at her with fixed eye.Thiswaiting-maid,belonging to the Chen family,had done picking flowers,and wason the point of going in,when she of a sudden raised her eyes and became awareof the presence of some person inside the window,whose head-gear consisted ofa turban in tatters,while his clothes were the worse for wear.But in spite of hispoverty,he was naturally endowed with a round waist,a broad back,a fat face,asquare mouth;added to this,his eyebrows were swordlike,his eyes resembledstars,his nose was straight,his cheeks square.
　　This servant girl turned away in a hurry and made her escape.
　　"This man so burly and strong,"she communed within herself,"yet at the sametime got up in such poor attire,must,I expect,be no one else than the man,whose name is Chia Yue-ts'un or such like,time after time referred to by mymaster,and to whom he has repeatedly wished to give a helping hand,but hasfailed to find a favourable opportunity.And as related to our family there is noconnexion or friend in such straits,I feel certain it cannot be any other personthan he.Strange to say,my master has further remarked that this man will,for acertainty,not always continue in such a state of destitution."
　　As she indulged in this train of thought,she could not restrain herself fromturning her head round once or twice.
　　When Yue-ts'un perceived that she had looked back,he readily interpreted it asa sign that in her heart her thoughts had been of him,and he was frantic withirrepressible joy.
　　"This girl,"he mused,"is,no doubt,keen-eyed and eminently shrewd,and one in this world who has seen through me."
　　The servant youth,after a short time,came into the room;and when Yue-
　　ts'un made inquiries and found out from him that the guests in the frontparlour had been detained to dinner,he could not very well wait any longer,and promptly walked away down a side passage and out of a back door.
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　　When the guests had taken their leave,Shih-yin did not go back torejoin Yue-ts'un,as he had come to know that he had already left.
　　In time the mid-autumn festivities drew near;and Shih-yin,after thefamily banquet was over,had a separate table laid in the library,andcrossed over,in the moonlight,as far as the temple and invited Yue-ts'unto come round.
　　The fact is that Yue-ts'un,ever since the day on which he had seen the girl of theChen family turn twice round to glance at him,flattered himself that she wasfriendly disposed towards him,and incessantly fostered fond thoughts of her inhis heart.And on this day,which happened to be the mid-autumn feast,he couldnot,as he gazed at the moon,refrain from cherishing her remembrance.Hence itwas that he gave vent to these pentameter verses:
　　Alas!not yet divined my lifelong wish,And anguish ceaseless comes upon anguish I came,and sad at heart,my brow I frowned;
　　She went,and oft her head to look turned round.
　　Facing the breeze,her shadow she doth watch,Who's meet this moonlight night with her to match?
　　The lustrous rays if they my wish but read Would soon alight upon her beauteous head!
　　Yue-ts'un having,after this recitation,recalled again to mind how thatthroughout his lifetime his literary attainments had had an adverse fate andnot met with an opportunity (of reaping distinction),went on to rub hisbrow,and as he raised his eyes to the skies,he heaved a deep sigh and oncemore intoned a couplet aloud:
　　The gem in the cask a high price it seeks,The pin in the case to take wing it waits.
　　PAGE 17
　　As luck would have it,Shih-yin was at the moment approaching,and uponhearing the lines,he said with a smile:"My dear Yue-ts'un,really yourattainments are of no ordinary capacity."
　　Yue-ts'un lost no time in smiling and replying."It would be presumption in mypart to think so,"he observed."I was simply at random humming a few versescomposed by former writers,and what reason is there to laud me to such anexcessive degree?To what,my dear Sir,do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"hewent on to inquire."Tonight,"replied Shih-yin,"is the mid-autumn feast,generally known as the full-moon festival;and as I could not help thinking thatliving,as you my worthy brother are,as a mere stranger in this Buddhist temple,you could not but experience the feeling of loneliness.I have,for the expresspurpose,prepared a small entertainment,and will be pleased if you will come tomy mean abode to have a glass of wine.But I wonder whether you will entertainfavourably my modest invitation?"Yue-ts'un,after listening to the proposal,putforward no refusal of any sort;but remarked complacently:"Being the recipientof such marked attention,how can I presume to repel your generousconsideration?"
　　As he gave expression to these words,he walked off there and then,in companywith Shih-yin,and came over once again into the court in front of the library.Ina few minutes,tea was over.
　　The cups and dishes had been laid from an early hour,and needless to saythe wines were luscious;the fare sumptuous.
　　The two friends took their seats.At first they leisurely replenished theirglasses,and quietly sipped their wine;but as,little by little,they entered intoconversation,their good cheer grew more genial,and unawares the glassesbegan to fly round,and the cups to be exchanged.
　　At this very hour,in every house of the neighbourhood,sounded the fife andlute,while the inmates indulged in music and singing.Above head,the orb ofthe radiant moon shone with an all-pervading splendour,and with a steadylustrous light,while the two friends,as their exuberance increased,drainedtheir cups dry so soon as they reached their lips.
　　Yue-ts'un,at this stage of the collation,was considerably under the influence
　　PAGE 18
　　of wine,and the vehemence of his high spirits was irrepressible.As he gazedat the moon,he fostered thoughts,to which he gave vent by the recital of adouble couplet.
　　'Tis what time three meets five,Selene is a globe!
　　Her pure rays fill the court,the jadelike rails enrobe!
　　Lo!in the heavens her disk to view doth now arise,And in the earth below to gaze men lift their eyes.

　　"Excellent!"cried Shih-yin with a loud voice,after he had heard these lines;"Ihave repeatedly maintained that it was impossible for you to remain longinferior to any,and now the verses you have recited are a prognostic of yourrapid advancement.Already it is evident that,before long,you will extendyour footsteps far above the clouds!I must congratulate you!I mustcongratulate you!Let me,with my own hands,pour a glass of wine to pay youmy compliments."
　　Yue-ts'un drained the cup."What I am about to say,"he explained as he suddenlyheaved a sigh,"is not the maudlin talk of a man under the effects of wine.As faras the subjects at present set in the examinations go,I could,perchance,also havewell been able to enter the list,and to send in my name as a candidate;but I have,just now,no means whatever to make provision for luggage and for travellingexpenses.The distance too to Shen Ching is a long one,and I could not dependupon the sale of papers or the composition of essays to find the means of gettingthere."
　　Shih-yin gave him no time to conclude."Why did you not speak about thissooner?"he interposed with haste."I have long entertained this suspicion;but as,whenever I met you,this conversation was never broached,I did not presume tomake myself officious.But if such be the state of affairs just now,I lack,I admit,literary qualification,but on the two subjects of friendly spirit and pecuniarymeans,I have,nevertheless,some experience.Moreover,I rejoice that next year isjust the season for the triennial examinations,and you should start for the capitalwith all despatch;and in the tripos next spring,you will,by carrying the prize,beable to do justice to the proficiency you can boast of.As regards the travellingexpenses and the other items,the provision of everything necessary for you by my
　　PAGE 19
　　own self will again not render nugatory your mean acquaintance with me."
　　Forthwith,he directed a servant lad to go and pack up at once fifty taelsof pure silver and two suits of winter clothes.
　　"The nineteenth,"he continued,"is a propitious day,and you should lose notime in hiring a boat and starting on your journey westwards.And when,byyour eminent talents,you shall have soared high to a lofty position,and we meetagain next winter,will not the occasion be extremely felicitous?"
　　Yue-ts'un accepted the money and clothes with but scanty expression ofgratitude.In fact,he paid no thought whatever to the gifts,but went on,againdrinking his wine,as he chattered and laughed.
　　It was only when the third watch of that day had already struck that the twofriends parted company;and Shih-yin,after seeing Yue-ts'un off,retired to hisroom and slept,with one sleep all through,never waking until the sun was wellup in the skies.
　　Remembering the occurrence of the previous night,he meant to write a coupleof letters of recommendation for Yue-ts'un to take along with him to thecapital,to enable him,after handing them over at the mansions of certainofficials,to find some place as a temporary home.He accordingly despatched aservant to ask him to come round,but the man returned and reported that fromwhat the bonze said,"Mr.Chia had started on his journey to the capital,at thefifth watch of that very morning,that he had also left a message with the bonzeto deliver to you,Sir,to the effect that men of letters paid no heed to lucky orunlucky days,that the sole consideration with them was the nature of the matterin hand,and that he could find no time to come round in person and bid good-
　　bye."
　　Shih-yin after hearing this message had no alternative but to banish the subjectfrom his thoughts.
　　In comfortable circumstances,time indeed goes by with easy stride.Soon drewnear also the happy festival of the 15th of the 1st moon,and Shih-yin told aservant Huo Ch'i to take Ying Lien to see the sacrificial fires and flowery lanterns.
　　PAGE 20
　　About the middle of the night,Huo Ch'i was hard pressed,and he forthwith setYing Lien down on the doorstep of a certain house.When he felt relieved,hecame back to take her up,but failed to find anywhere any trace of Ying Lien.In aterrible plight,Huo Ch'i prosecuted his search throughout half the night;buteven by the dawn of day,he had not discovered any clue of her whereabouts.HuoCh'i,lacking,on the other hand,the courage to go back and face his master,promptly made his escape to his native village.
　　Shih-yin--in fact,the husband as well as the wife--seeing that their child had notcome home during the whole night,readily concluded that some mishap musthave befallen her.Hastily they despatched several servants to go in search of her,but one and all returned to report that there was neither vestige nor tidings of her.
　　This couple had only had this child,and this at the meridian of their life,sothat her sudden disappearance plunged them in such great distress that dayand night they mourned her loss to such a point as to well nigh pay no heed totheir very lives.
　　A month in no time went by.Shih-yin was the first to fall ill,and his wife,Dame Feng,likewise,by dint of fretting for her daughter,was alsoprostrated with sickness.The doctor was,day after day,sent for,and theoracle consulted by means of divination.
　　Little did any one think that on this day,being the 15th of the 3rd moon,whilethe sacrificial oblations were being prepared in the Hu Lu temple,a pan with oilwould have caught fire,through the want of care on the part of the bonze,andthat in a short time the flames would have consumed the paper pasted on thewindows.
　　Among the natives of this district bamboo fences and wooden partitions were ingeneral use,and these too proved a source of calamity so ordained by fate (toconsummate this decree).
　　With promptness (the fire)extended to two buildings,then enveloped three,then dragged four (into ruin),and then spread to five houses,until the wholestreet was in a blaze,resembling the flames of a volcano.Though both themilitary and the people at once ran to the rescue,the fire had alreadyassumed a serious hold,so that it was impossible for them to afford any
　　PAGE 21
　　effective assistance for its suppression.
　　It blazed away straight through the night,before it was extinguished,andconsumed,there is in fact no saying how many dwelling houses.Anyhow,pitifulto relate,the Chen house,situated as it was next door to the temple,was,at anearly part of the evening,reduced to a heap of tiles and bricks;and nothing butthe lives of that couple and several inmates of the family did not sustain anyinjuries.
　　Shih-yin was in despair,but all he could do was to stamp his feet and heave deepsighs.After consulting with his wife,they betook themselves to a farm of theirs,where they took up their quarters temporarily.But as it happened that water hadof late years been scarce,and no crops been reaped,robbers and thieves hadsprung up like bees,and though the Government troops were bent upon theircapture,it was anyhow difficult to settle down quietly on the farm.He thereforehad no other resource than to convert,at a loss,the whole of his property intomoney,and to take his wife and two servant girls and come over for shelter to thehouse of his father-in-law.
　　His father-in-law,Feng Su,by name,was a native of Ta Ju Chou.Although only alabourer,he was nevertheless in easy circumstances at home.When he on thisoccasion saw his son-in-law come to him in such distress,he forthwith felt atheart considerable displeasure.Fortunately Shih-yin had still in his possession themoney derived from the unprofitable realization of his property,so that heproduced and handed it to his father-in-law,commissioning him to purchase,whenever a suitable opportunity presented itself,a house and land as a provisionfor food and raiment against days to come.This Feng Su,however,only expendedthe half of the sum,and pocketed the other half,merely acquiring for him somefallow land and a dilapidated house.
　　Shih-yin being,on the other hand,a man of books and with no experience inmatters connected with business and with sowing and reaping,subsisted,by hookand by crook,for about a year or two,when he became more impoverished.
　　In his presence,Feng Su would readily give vent to specious utterances,while,with others,and behind his back,he on the contrary expressed hisindignation against his improvidence in his mode of living,and against hissole delight of eating and playing the lazy.
　　PAGE 22
　　Shih-yin,aware of the want of harmony with his father-in-law,could not helpgiving way,in his own heart,to feelings of regret and pain.In addition to this,the fright and vexation which he had undergone the year before,the anguish andsuffering (he had had to endure),had already worked havoc (on his constitution);
　　and being a man advanced in years,and assailed by the joint attack of povertyand disease,he at length gradually began to display symptoms of decline.
　　Strange coincidence,as he,on this day,came leaning on his staff and withconsiderable strain,as far as the street for a little relaxation,he suddenlycaught sight,approaching from the off side,of a Taoist priest with acrippled foot;his maniac appearance so repulsive,his shoes of straw,hisdress all in tatters,muttering several sentiments to this effect:
　　All men spiritual life know to be good,But fame to disregard they ne'er succeed!
　　From old till now the statesmen where are they?
　　Waste lie their graves,a heap of grass,extinct.
　　All men spiritual life know to be good,But to forget gold,silver,ill succeed!
　　Through life they grudge their hoardings to be scant,And when plenty has come,their eyelids close.
　　All men spiritual life hold to be good,Yet to forget wives,maids,they ne'er succeed!
　　Who speak of grateful love while lives their lord,And dead their lord,another they pursue.
　　All men spiritual life know to be good,But sons and grandsons to forget never succeed!
　　From old till now of parents soft many, But filial sons and grandsons who have seen?

　　Shih-yin upon hearing these words,hastily came up to the priest,"What wereyou so glibly holding forth?"he inquired."All I could hear were a lot of haoliao (excellent,finality.")
　　"You may well have heard the two words 'hao liao,'"answered the Taoist with asmile,"but can you be said to have fathomed their meaning?You should know
　　PAGE 23
　　that all things in this world are excellent,when they have attained finality;whenthey have attained finality,they are excellent;but when they have not attainedfinality,they are not excellent;if they would be excellent,they should attainfinality.My song is entitled Excellent-finality (hao liao)."
　　Shih-yin was gifted with a natural perspicacity that enabled him,as soon as heheard these remarks,to grasp their spirit.
　　"Wait a while,"he therefore said smilingly;"let me unravel thisexcellent-finality song of yours;do you mind?"
　　"Please by all means go on with the interpretation,"urged the Taoist;
　　whereupon Shih-yin proceeded in this strain:
　　Sordid rooms and vacant courts, Replete in years gone by with beds where statesmen lay;
　　Parched grass and withered banian trees,Where once were halls for song and dance!
　　Spiders'webs the carved pillars intertwine, The green gauze now is also pasted on the straw windows!
　　What about the cosmetic fresh concocted or the powder just scented;
　　Why has the hair too on each temple become white like hoarfrost!
　　Yesterday the tumulus of yellow earth buried the bleached bones, To-night under the red silk curtain reclines the couple!
　　Gold fills the coffers,silver fills the boxes,But in a twinkle,the beggars will all abuse you!
　　While you deplore that the life of others is not long,You forget that you yourself are approaching death!
　　You educate your sons with all propriety, But they may some day,'tis hard to say become thieves;
　　Though you choose (your fare and home)the fatted beam, You may,who can say,fall into some place of easy virtue!
　　Through your dislike of the gauze hat as mean, You have come to be locked in a cangue;
　　Yesterday,poor fellow,you felt cold in a tattered coat, To-day,you despise the purple embroidered dress as long!
　　Confusion reigns far and wide!you have just sung your part,I come on
　　PAGE 24
　　the boards,Instead of yours,you recognise another as your native land;
　　What utter perversion!
　　In one word,it comes to this we make wedding clothes for others!
　　(We sow for others to reap.)

　　The crazy limping Taoist clapped his hands."Your interpretation isexplicit,"he remarked with a hearty laugh,"your interpretation isexplicit!"
　　Shih-yin promptly said nothing more than,--"Walk on;"and seizing the stolefrom the Taoist's shoulder,he flung it over his own.He did not,however,returnhome,but leisurely walked away,in company with the eccentric priest.
　　The report of his disappearance was at once bruited abroad,and plunged thewhole neighbourhood in commotion;and converted into a piece of news,it wascirculated from mouth to mouth.
　　Dame Feng,Shih-yin's wife,upon hearing the tidings,had such a fit of weepingthat she hung between life and death;but her only alternative was to consultwith her father,and to despatch servants on all sides to institute inquiries.Nonews was however received of him,and she had nothing else to do but topractise resignation,and to remain dependent upon the support of her parentsfor her subsistence.She had fortunately still by her side,to wait upon her,twoservant girls,who had been with her in days gone by;and the three of them,mistress as well as servants,occupied themselves day and night withneedlework,to assist her father in his daily expenses.
　　This Feng Su had after all,in spite of his daily murmurings against his badluck,no help but to submit to the inevitable.
　　On a certain day,the elder servant girl of the Chen family was at the doorpurchasing thread,and while there,she of a sudden heard in the street shoutsof runners clearing the way,and every one explain that the new magistratehad come to take up his office.
　　PAGE 25
　　The girl,as she peeped out from inside the door,perceived the lictors andpolicemen go by two by two;and when unexpectedly in a state chair,was carriedpast an official,in black hat and red coat,she was indeed quite taken aback.
　　"The face of this officer would seem familiar,"she argued withinherself;"just as if I had seen him somewhere or other ere this."
　　Shortly she entered the house,and banishing at once the occurrence from hermind,she did not give it a second thought.At night,however,while she waswaiting to go to bed,she suddenly heard a sound like a rap at the door.A band ofmen boisterously cried out:"We are messengers,deputed by the worthymagistrate of this district,and come to summon one of you to an enquiry."
　　Feng Su,upon hearing these words,fell into such a terribleconsternation that his eyes stared wide and his mouth gaped.
　　What calamity was impending is not as yet ascertained,but,reader,listento the explanation contained in the nextCHAPTER.