Dschang Liang

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowyBv3lPebnJQKkwo2AHlaTKiZyC3Rf_Z_7A2bZwt8vrT2UOzscHgK3ab44nnbuG6mvraHXXShywx0dSX0-D-4MB1UN_if4sREd2xWmyOYLob3wUslSQ_9Hh91gRy0-ba_Y_rT6rMOWmV/s1600/george-hood-chinese-fairy-tale-weaving-maiden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowyBv3lPebnJQKkwo2AHlaTKiZyC3Rf_Z_7A2bZwt8vrT2UOzscHgK3ab44nnbuG6mvraHXXShywx0dSX0-D-4MB1UN_if4sREd2xWmyOYLob3wUslSQ_9Hh91gRy0-ba_Y_rT6rMOWmV/s320/george-hood-chinese-fairy-tale-weaving-maiden.jpg" width="221" /></a></div> Dschang Liang was a native of one of those states which had been destroyed by the Emperor Tsin Schi Huang. And Dschang Liang determined to do a deed for his dead king’s sake, and to that end gathered followers with whom to slay Tsin Schi Huang.<br /> <br /> Once Tsin Schi Huang was making a progress through the country. When he came to the plain of Bo Lang, Dschang Liang armed his people with iron maces in order to kill him. But Tsin Schi Huang always had two traveling coaches which were exactly alike in appearance. In one of them he sat himself, while in the other was seated another person. Dschang Liang and his followers met the decoy wagon, and Dschang Liang was forced to flee from the Emperor’s rage. He came to a ruined bridge. An icy wind was blowing, and the snowflakes were whirling through the air. There he met an old, old man wearing a black turban and a yellow gown. The old man let one of his shoes fall into the water, looked at Dschang Liang and said: “Fetch it out, little one!”<br /> <br /> Dschang Liang controlled himself, fetched out the shoe and brought it to the old man. The latter stretched out his foot to allow Dschang Liang to put it on, which he did in a respectful manner. This pleased the old man and he said: “Little one, something may be made of you! Come here to-morrow morning early, and I will have something for you.”<br /> <br /> The following morning at break of dawn, Dschang Liang appeared. But the old man was already there and reproached him: “You are too late. To-day I will tell you nothing. To-morrow you must come earlier.”<br /> <br /> So it went on for three days, and Dschang Liang’s patience was not exhausted. Then the old man was satisfied, brought forth the Book of Hidden Complements, and gave it to him. “You must read it,” said he, “and then you will be able to rule a great emperor. When your task is completed, seek me at the foot of the Gu Tschong Mountain. There you will find a yellow stone, and I will be by that yellow stone.”<br /> <br /> Dschang Liang took the book and aided the ancestor of the Han dynasty to conquer the empire. The emperor made him a count. From that time forward Dschang Liang ate no human food and concentrated in spirit. He kept company with the four whitebeards of the Shang Mountain, and with them shared the sunset roses in the clouds. Once he met two boys who were singing and dancing:<br /> <br /> “Green the garments you should wear, If to heaven’s gate you’d fare; There the Golden Mother greet, Bow before the Wood Lord’s feet!”<br /> <br /> When Dschang Liang heard this, he bowed before the youths, and said to his friends: “Those are angel children of the King Father of the East. The Golden Mother is the Queen of the West. The Lord of Wood is the King Father of the East. They are the two primal powers, the parents of all that is male and female, the root and fountain of heaven and earth, to whom all that has life is indebted for its creation and nourishment.<br /> <br /> The Lord of Wood is the master of all the male saints, the Golden Mother is the mistress of all the female saints. Whoever would gain immortality, must first greet the Golden Mother and then bow before the King Father. Then he may rise up to the three Pure Ones and stand in the presence of the Highest. The song of the angel children shows the manner in which the hidden knowledge may be acquired.”<br /> <br /> At about that time the emperor was induced to have some of his faithful servants slain. Then Dschang Liang left his service and went to the Gu Tschong Mountain. There he found the old man by the yellow stone, gained the hidden knowledge, returned home, and feigning illness loosed his soul from his body and disappeared.<br /> <br /> Later, when the rebellion of the “Red Eyebrows” broke out, his tomb was opened. But all that was found within it was a yellow stone. Dschang Liang was wandering with Laotsze in the invisible world.<br /> <br /> Once his grandson Dschang Dau Ling went to Kunlun Mountain, in order to visit the Queen Mother of the West. There he met Dschang Liang. Dschang Dau Ling gained power over demons and spirits, and became the first Taoist pope. And the secret of his power has been handed down in his family from generation to generation

Dschang Liang

Dschang Liang was a native of one of those states which had been destroyed by the Emperor Tsin Schi Huang. And Dschang Liang determined to...

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Black arts

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM174rJSWdBAqRjGLKY0F9Wb5ISJvRC5tM70Xvu4S27uIe6bm7lT7-QFsXJ8LHwhQr2AZLBvgZ_UWOU1YExmR9wnaf4jjAv_zI-M9erfxJo2uLtaW4d6kjE5mCS-CUXXoPJ_x2CA1iXq0L/s1600/ZhangDaqian-960x576-1488200116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="960" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM174rJSWdBAqRjGLKY0F9Wb5ISJvRC5tM70Xvu4S27uIe6bm7lT7-QFsXJ8LHwhQr2AZLBvgZ_UWOU1YExmR9wnaf4jjAv_zI-M9erfxJo2uLtaW4d6kjE5mCS-CUXXoPJ_x2CA1iXq0L/s320/ZhangDaqian-960x576-1488200116.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The dwell in the South-West are masters of many black arts. They often lure men of the Middle Kingdom to their country by promising them their daughters in marriage, but their promises are not to be trusted. Once there was the son of a poor family, who agreed to labor for three years for one of the wild men in order to become his son-in-law. At the end of that time the wedding was celebrated, and the couple were given a little house for a home. But no sooner had they entered it than the wife warned her husband to be on his guard, since her parents did not like him, and would seek to do him harm. In accordance with the custom she entered the house first with a lighted lantern, but when the bridegroom followed her she had disappeared. And thus it went, day by day. During the daytime she was there, but when evening came she disappeared.<br /> <br /> And one day, not long after they had been married, his wife said to him: “To-morrow morning my mother celebrates her birthday, and you must go to congratulate her. They will offer you tea and food. The tea you may drink, but be sure not to touch any of the food. Keep this in mind!”<br /> <br /> So the following day the wife and husband went to her mother’s home and offered their congratulations. Her parents seemed highly pleased, and served them with tea and sweets. The son-in-law drank, but ate nothing, though his wife’s parents, with kind words and friendly gestures, kept urging him to help himself. At last the son-in-law did not know what to do, and thought that surely they could mean him no ill. And seeing the fresh caught eels and crabs on the plate before him, he ate a little of them. His wife gave him a reproachful glance, and he offered some excuse for taking his leave.<br /> <br /> But his mother-in-law said: “This is my birthday. You simply must taste my birthday noodles!”<br /> <br /> With that she placed a great dish before him, filled with noodles that looked like threads of silver, mingled with fat meat, and spiced with fragrant mushrooms. During all the time he had been living in the country the son-in-law had never yet seen such an appetizing dish. Its pleasant odor rose temptingly to his nostrils, and he could not resist raising his chop-sticks. His wife glanced over at him, but he pretended that he did not see her.<br /> <br /> She coughed significantly, but he acted as though he did not hear. Finally she trod on his foot under the table; and then he regained control of himself.<br /> <br /> He had not as yet eaten half of the food and said: “My hunger is satisfied.”<br /> <br /> Then he took leave, and went off with his wife.<br /> <br /> “This is a serious matter,” said the latter. “You would not listen to my words, and now you will surely have to die!”<br /> <br /> But still he did not believe her, until he suddenly felt terrible pains, which soon grew unbearable, so that he fell to the ground unconscious. His wife at once hung him up by the feet from the beam of the roof, and put a panful of glowing charcoal under his body, and a great jar of water, into which she had poured sesame oil, in front of the fire, directly below his mouth. And when the fire had heated him thoroughly, he suddenly opened his mouth—and can you imagine what came out of it? A squirming, crawling mass of poisonous worms, centipedes, toads and tadpoles, who all fell into the jar of water. Then his wife untied him, carried him to bed, and gave him wine mingled with realgar to drink. Then he recovered.<br /> <br /> “What you ate in the belief that they were eels and crabs,” said his wife, “were nothing but toads and tadpoles, and the birthday noodles were poisonous worms and centipedes. But you must continue to be careful. My parents know that you have not died, and they will think up other evil plans.”<br /> <br /> A few days later his father-in-law said to him: “There is a large tree growing on the precipice which juts over the cave. In it is the nest of the phenix. You are still young and able to climb, so go there quickly and fetch me the eggs!”<br /> <br /> His son-in-law went home and told his wife.<br /> <br /> “Take long bamboo poles,” said she, “and tie them together, and fasten a curved sword at the top. And take these nine loaves of bread and these hens’ eggs, there are seven times seven of them. Carry them along with you in a basket. When you come to the spot you will see a large nest up in the branches. Do not climb the tree, but chop it down with the curved sword. Then throw away your poles, and run for dear life. Should a monster appear and follow you, throw him the loaves of bread, three loaves at a time, and finally throw down the eggs on the ground and make for home as quickly as you can. In this way you may escape the danger which threatens you.”<br /> <br /> The man noted all she said exactly and went. And sure enough he saw the bird’s nest—it was as large as a round pavilion. Then he tied his curved sword to the poles, chopped at the tree with all his strength, laid down his poles on the ground and never looked around but ran for dear life. Suddenly he heard the roaring of a thunder-storm rising above him. When he looked up he saw a great dragon, many fathoms long and some ten feet across. His eyes gleamed like two lamps and he was spitting fire and flame from his maw.<br /> <br /> He had stretched out two feelers and was feeling along the ground. Then the man swiftly flung the loaves into the air. The dragon caught them, and it took a little time before he had devoured them. But no sooner had the man gained a few steps than the dragon once more came flying after him. Then he flung him more loaves and when the loaves came to an end, he turned over his basket so that the eggs rolled over the ground. The dragon had not yet satisfied his hunger and opened his greedy jaws wide. When he suddenly caught sight of the eggs, he descended from the air, and since the eggs were scattered round about, it took some time before he had sucked them all. In the meantime the man succeeded in escaping to his home.<br /> <br /> When he entered the door and saw his wife, he said to her, amid sobs: “It was all I could do to escape, and I am lucky not to be in the dragon’s stomach! If this sort of thing keeps up much longer I am bound to die!”<br /> <br /> With these words he kneeled and begged his wife pitifully to save his life.<br /> <br /> “Where is your home?” asked his wife.<br /> <br /> “My home is about a hundred miles away from here, in the Middle Kingdom, and my old mother is still living. The only thing that worries me is that we are so poor.”<br /> <br /> His wife said: “I will flee with you, and we will find your mother. And waste no regrets on your poverty.”<br /> <br /> With that she gathered up all the house held in the way of pearls and precious stones, put them in a bag and had her husband tie it around his waist. Then she also gave him an umbrella, and in the middle of the night they climbed the wall with the aid of a ladder, and stole away.<br /> <br /> His wife had also said to him: “Take the umbrella on your back and run as fast as ever you can! Do not open it, and do not look around! I will follow you in secret.”<br /> <br /> So he turned North and ran with all his might and main. He had been running for a day and a night, had covered nearly a hundred miles, and passed the boundaries of the wild people’s country, when his legs gave out and he grew hungry. Before him lay a mountain village. He stopped at the village gate to rest, drew some food from his pocket and began to eat. And he looked around without being able to see his wife.<br /> <br /> Said he to himself: “Perhaps she has deceived me after all, and is not coming with me!”<br /> <br /> After he had finished eating, he took a drink from a spring, and painfully dragged himself further. When the heat of the day was greatest a violent mountain rain suddenly began to fall. In his haste he forgot what his wife had told him and opened his umbrella. And out fell his wife upon the ground.<br /> <br /> She reproached him: “Once more you have not listened to my advice. Now the damage has been done!”<br /> <br /> Quickly she told him to go to the village, and there to buy a white cock, seven black tea-cups, and half a length of red nettlecloth.<br /> <br /> “Do not be sparing of the silver pieces in your pocket!” she cried after him as he went off.<br /> <br /> He went to the village, attended to everything, and came back. The woman tore the cloth apart, made a coat of it and put it on. No sooner had they walked a few miles before they could see a red cloud rising up in the South, like a flying bird.<br /> <br /> “That is my mother,” said the woman.<br /> <br /> In a moment the cloud was overhead. Then the woman took the black tea-cups and threw them at it. Seven she threw and seven fell to earth again. And then they could hear the mother in the cloud weeping and scolding, and thereupon the cloud disappeared.<br /> <br /> They went on for about four hours. Then they heard a sound like the noise of silk being torn, and could see a cloud as black as ink, which was rushing up against the wind.<br /> <br /> “Alas, that is my father!” said the woman. “This is a matter of life and death, for he will not let us be! Because of my love for you I will now have to disobey the holiest of laws!”<br /> <br /> With these words she quickly seized the white cock, separated its head from its body, and flung the head into the air. At once the black cloud dissolved, and her father’s body, the head severed from the trunk, fell down by the edge of the road. Then the woman wept bitterly, and when she had wept her fill they buried the corpse. Thereupon they went together to her husband’s home, where they found his old mother still living. They then undid the bag of pearls and jewels, bought a piece of good ground, built a fine house, and became wealthy and respected members of the community.

Black arts

The dwell in the South-West are masters of many black arts. They often lure men of the Middle Kingdom to their country by promising them t...

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Bamboo and The Turtle

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSdU_bw_4apCFnuW68DqtTOPkBrZr5uxkEYxvWigAjt_E4weAyEhK5WrdklXUPjNz-XC3yFpnEgD5jIuzMJk6On67DZYTspRIBHsmzx4xqltWtxp0X5VYaXrpNPZ9H072dW7WJp9tOUJh/s1600/515LldYxABL._AC_SY400_FMwebp_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="500" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSdU_bw_4apCFnuW68DqtTOPkBrZr5uxkEYxvWigAjt_E4weAyEhK5WrdklXUPjNz-XC3yFpnEgD5jIuzMJk6On67DZYTspRIBHsmzx4xqltWtxp0X5VYaXrpNPZ9H072dW7WJp9tOUJh/s320/515LldYxABL._AC_SY400_FMwebp_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> They had just passed down the Holy Way between the huge stone animals when Bamboo, a little boy of twelve, son of a keeper, rushed out from his father’s house to see the mandarins go by. Such a parade of great men he had never seen before, even on the feast days. There were ten sedan chairs, with bearers dressed in flaming colours, ten long-handled, red umbrellas, each carried far in front of its proud owner, and a long line of horsemen.<br /> <br /> When this gay procession had filed past, Bamboo was almost ready to cry because he could not run after the sightseers as they went from temple to temple and from tomb to tomb. But, alas! his father had ordered him never to follow tourists. “If you do, they will take you for a beggar, Bamboo,” he had said shrewdly, “and if you’re a beggar, then your daddy’s one too. Now they don’t want any beggars around the royal tombs.” So Bamboo had never known the pleasure of pursuing the rich. Many times he had turned back to the little mud house, almost broken-hearted at seeing his playmates running, full of glee, after the great men’s chairs.<br /> <br /> On the day when this story opens, just as the last horseman had passed out of sight among the cedars, Bamboo chanced to look up toward one of the smaller temple buildings of which his father was the keeper. It was the house through which the visitors had just been shown. Could his eyes be deceiving him? No, the great iron doors had been forgotten in the hurry of the moment, and there they stood wide open, as if inviting him to enter.<br /> <br /> In great excitement he scurried toward the temple. How often he had pressed his head against the bars and looked into the dark room, wishing and hoping that some day he might go in. And yet, not once had he been granted this favour. Almost every day since babyhood he had gazed at the high stone shaft, or tablet, covered with Chinese writing, that stood in the centre of the lofty room, reaching almost to the roof. But with still greater surprise his eyes had feasted on the giant turtle underneath, on whose back the column rested. There are many such tablets to be seen in China, many such turtles patiently bearing their loads of stone, but this was the only sight of the kind that Bamboo had seen. He had never been outside the Hsi Ling forest, and, of course, knew very little of the great world beyond.<br /> <br /> It is no wonder then that the turtle and the tablet had always astonished him. He had asked his father to explain the mystery. “Why do they have a turtle? Why not a lion or an elephant?” For he had seen stone figures of these animals in the park and had thought them much better able than his friend, the turtle, to carry loads on their backs. “Why it’s just the custom,” his father had replied—the answer always given when Bamboo asked a question, “just the custom.” The boy had tried to imagine it all for himself, but had never been quite sure that he was right, and now, joy of all joys, he was about to enter the very turtle-room itself. Surely, once inside, he could find some answer to this puzzle of his childhood.<br /> <br /> Breathless, he dashed through the doorway, fearing every minute that some one would notice the open gates and close them before he could enter. Just in front of the giant turtle he fell in a little heap on the floor, which was covered inch-deep with dust. His face was streaked, his clothes were a sight to behold; but Bamboo cared nothing for such trifles. He lay there for a few moments, not daring to move. Then, hearing a noise outside, he crawled under the ugly stone beast and crouched in his narrow hiding-place, as still as a mouse.<br /> <br /> “There, there!” said a deep voice. “See what you are doing, stirring up such a dust! Why, you will strangle me if you are not careful.”<br /> <br /> It was the turtle speaking, and yet Bamboo’s father had often told him that it was not alive. The boy lay trembling for a minute, too much frightened to get up and run.<br /> <br /> “No use in shaking so, my lad,” the voice continued, a little more kindly. “I suppose all boys are alike—good for nothing but kicking up a dust.” He finished this sentence with a hoarse chuckle, and the boy, seeing that he was laughing, looked up with wonder at the strange creature.<br /> <br /> “I meant no harm in coming,” said the child finally. “I only wanted to look at you more closely.”<br /> <br /> “Oh, that was it, hey? Well, that is strange. All the others come and stare at the tablet on my back. Sometimes they read aloud the nonsense written there about dead emperors and their titles, but they never so much as look at me, at me whose father was one of the great four who made the world.”<br /> <br /> Bamboo’s eyes shone with wonder. “What! your father helped make the world?” he gasped.<br /> <br /> “Well, not my father exactly, but one of my grandfathers, and it amounts to the same thing, doesn’t it. But, hark! I hear a voice. The keeper is coming back. Run up and close those doors, so he won’t notice that they have not been locked. Then you may hide in the corner there until he has passed. I have something more to tell you.”<br /> <br /> Bamboo did as he was told. It took all his strength to swing the heavy doors into place. He felt very important to think that he was doing something for the grandson of a maker of the world, and it would have broken his heart if this visit had been ended just as it was beginning.<br /> <br /> Sure enough, his father and the other keepers passed on, never dreaming that the heavy locks were not fastened as usual. They were talking about the great men who had just gone. They seemed very happy and were jingling some coins in their hands.<br /> <br /> “Now, my boy,” said the stone turtle when the sound of voices had died away and Bamboo had come out from his corner, “maybe you think I’m proud of my job. Here I’ve been holding up this chunk for a hundred years, I who am fond of travel. During all this time night and day, I have been trying to think of some way to give up my position. Perhaps it’s honourable, but, you may well imagine, it’s not very pleasant.”<br /> <br /> “I should think you would have the backache,” ventured Bamboo timidly.<br /> <br /> “Backache! well, I think so; back, neck, legs, eyes, everything I have is aching, aching for freedom. But, you see, even if I had kicked up my heels and overthrown this monument, I had no way of getting through those iron bars,” and he nodded toward the gate.<br /> <br /> “Yes, I understand,” agreed Bamboo, beginning to feel sorry for his old friend.<br /> <br /> “But, now that you are here, I have a plan, and a good one it is, too, I think. The watchmen have forgotten to lock the gate. What is to prevent my getting my freedom this very night? You open the gate, I walk out, and no one the wiser.”<br /> <br /> “But my father will lose his head if they find that he has failed to do his duty and you have escaped.”

Bamboo and The Turtle

They had just passed down the Holy Way between the huge stone animals when Bamboo, a little boy of twelve, son of a keeper, rushed out fro...

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Ancient Man

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzFHGOq-N3Z1dFI-TARi-Qqm6VZ4DvbmdN1oPRKNq4y6-u5kutY159HDORpzb_ys0N3BmQbSvRr3VSR9WEG1BSXNx-5jrzlQeKgIbLzk7E7nRR-391VgrfUIO5HALBU7h_uuTtzLz59ve/s1600/Wen-Zhou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzFHGOq-N3Z1dFI-TARi-Qqm6VZ4DvbmdN1oPRKNq4y6-u5kutY159HDORpzb_ys0N3BmQbSvRr3VSR9WEG1BSXNx-5jrzlQeKgIbLzk7E7nRR-391VgrfUIO5HALBU7h_uuTtzLz59ve/s1600/Wen-Zhou.jpg" /></a></div> Once upon a time there was a man named Huang An. He must have been well over eighty and yet he looked like a youth. He lived on cinnabar and wore no clothing. Even in winter he went about without garments. He sat on a tortoise three feet long. Once he was asked: “About how old might this tortoise be?” He answered: “When Fu Hi first invented fish-nets and eel-pots he caught this tortoise and gave it to me. And since then I have worn its shield quite flat sitting on it. The creature dreads the radiance of the sun and moon, so it only sticks its head out of its shell once in two thousand years. Since I have had the beast, it has already stuck its head out five times.” With these words he took his tortoise on his back and went off. And the legend arose that this man was ten thousand years old

Ancient Man

Once upon a time there was a man named Huang An. He must have been well over eighty and yet he looked like a youth. He lived on cinnabar a...

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The tales of Confucious

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-foBCxrE3Aj2MKguulzb8ReDWU5SEsKEyrz9qd999_pOkZHqt5Gc8yLIvan-9no6hfS-_tmTjyNmbcVqvmwRQD6zQVdjEL7t74ZgdDhpyJJbkq-KaVJmgMVumKGi3laVvAlfIXT8B5bdR/s1600/41on3qt9gSL._AC_SY400_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-foBCxrE3Aj2MKguulzb8ReDWU5SEsKEyrz9qd999_pOkZHqt5Gc8yLIvan-9no6hfS-_tmTjyNmbcVqvmwRQD6zQVdjEL7t74ZgdDhpyJJbkq-KaVJmgMVumKGi3laVvAlfIXT8B5bdR/s320/41on3qt9gSL._AC_SY400_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div> When Confucius came to the earth, the Kilin, that strange beast which is the prince of all four-footed animals, and only appears when there is a great man on earth, sought the child and spat out a jade whereon was written: “Son of the Watercrystal you are destined to become an uncrowned king!” And Confucius grew up, studied diligently, learned wisdom and came to be a saint. He did much good on earth, and ever since his death has been reverenced as the greatest of teachers and masters. He had foreknowledge of many things. And even after he had died he gave evidence of this.<br /> <br /> Confucius with his disciples.<br /> “Confucius and His Disciples Yanzi and Huizi at the “Apricot Altar””. Illustration by Kano Tan’yû. Mid-17th century.<br /> <br /> Once, when the wicked Emperor Tsin Schi Huang had conquered all the other kingdoms, and was traveling through the entire empire, he came to the homeland of Confucius. And he found his grave. And, finding his grave, he wished to have it opened and see what was in it. All his officials advised him not to do so, but he would not listen to them. So a passage was dug into the grave, and in its main chamber they found a coffin, whose wood appeared to be quite fresh. When struck it sounded like metal. To the left of the coffin was a door, which led into an inner chamber. In this chamber stood a bed, and a table with books and clothing, all as though meant for the use of a living person. Tsin Schi Huang seated himself on the bed and looked down. And there on the floor stood two shoes of red silk, whose tips were adorned with a woven pattern of clouds. A bamboo staff leaned against the wall. The Emperor, in jest, put on the shoes, took the staff and left the grave. But as he did so a tablet suddenly appeared before his eyes on which stood the following lines:<br /> <br /> O’er kingdoms six Tsin Schi Huang his army led, To ope my grave and find my humble bed; He steals my shoes and takes my staff away To reach Schakiu—and his last earthly day!<br /> <br /> Tsin Schi Huang was much alarmed, and had the grave closed again. But when he reached Schakiu he fell ill of a hasty fever of which he died.<br /> <br /> Note: The Kilin is an okapi-like legendary beast of the most perfected kindness, prince of all the four-footed animals. The “Watercrystal” is the dark Lord of the North, whose element is water and wisdom, for which last reason Confucius is termed his son. Tsin Schi Huang (B.C. 200) is the burner of books and reorganizer of China famed in history. Schakiu (Sandhill) was a city in the western part of the China of that day.

The tales of Confucious

When Confucius came to the earth, the Kilin, that strange beast which is the prince of all four-footed animals, and only appears when ther...

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Man and The Alan

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgghoTuWRSFOvgLHAuUjnhdYqy9GuZcIczvKm2Ka70tPoTusYQUk9DUr_5pDz68OmiA_H-GbvcBWNEgxP9pG33ptc05g9d4PFjidM2BvEtN-irzX0YVSqqgVHx97vtlTVzdXrHfjs2TQ/s1600/12954136._UX75_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="126" data-original-width="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgghoTuWRSFOvgLHAuUjnhdYqy9GuZcIczvKm2Ka70tPoTusYQUk9DUr_5pDz68OmiA_H-GbvcBWNEgxP9pG33ptc05g9d4PFjidM2BvEtN-irzX0YVSqqgVHx97vtlTVzdXrHfjs2TQ/s1600/12954136._UX75_.jpg" /></a></div> A Tinguian was once walking along a trail in the wood when he heard a strange sound in a large tree near him, and looking up he was startled to see that it was the home of the Alan—spirits who live in the wood.<br /> <br /> He stopped and gazed for a moment at the horrible creatures, large as people, hanging from the limbs of the tree with their heads down like bats. They had wings to fly, and their toes were at the back of their feet, while their long fingers, which pointed backward, were fastened at the wrist.<br /> <br /> “Surely,” thought the man, “these terrible beings will eat me if they can catch me. I will run away as fast as I can while they are asleep.” He tried to run but he was too frightened, and after a few steps he fell face down on the ground.<br /> <br /> At this the Alan began to wail loudly, for they saw him fall and believed him dead And they came down out of the tree with gold and beads which they laid on him.<br /> <br /> After a while the man gathered courage and, jumping up, he cried as loudly as he could, “Go away!”<br /> <br /> The Alan did not move, but they looked at him and said: “Give us the one bead nagaba [a peculiar bead of double effect], and you may have the rest.” When the man refused to do this, they were angry and turned away, crying, “Then we are going to burn your house, for you are a bad man.”<br /> <br /> Thereupon the man went home as fast as he could go, but very soon after that his house burned, for the Alan kept their word.</div>

Man and The Alan

A Tinguian was once walking along a trail in the wood when he heard a strange sound in a large tree near him, and looking up he was start...

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The fox and the tiger

<br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaNVTF3fcQm7i9SOfiAH0Z6QDOOGRiDVyduHAG-7jZIKFpsNrnm-FfpzW1dGopwwYsmbtARfxF1xwH5LabDzRKEigZef3ha_CDkbGxcOiF4JjA6TSo6zbsqEINS0BBGX8dDzKrQj2U4Ft/s1600/The+fox+and+the+tiger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaNVTF3fcQm7i9SOfiAH0Z6QDOOGRiDVyduHAG-7jZIKFpsNrnm-FfpzW1dGopwwYsmbtARfxF1xwH5LabDzRKEigZef3ha_CDkbGxcOiF4JjA6TSo6zbsqEINS0BBGX8dDzKrQj2U4Ft/s320/The+fox+and+the+tiger.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Once a fox met a tiger. The latter bared his teeth, stretched out his claws, and was about to devour him. But the fox spoke and said: “My dear sir, you must not think that you are the only king of beasts. Your courage does not compare with my own. Let us walk together, and do you keep behind me. And if men catch sight of me and do not fear me, then you may devour me.” The tiger was willing, and so the fox led him along a broad highway. But the travelers, when they saw the tiger in the distance, were all frightened and ran away.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Then the fox said: “How about it? I went in advance, and the men saw me and had not as yet seen you.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And thereupon the tiger drew in his tail and ran away himself.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The tiger had remarked quite well that the men were afraid of the fox, but he had not noticed that the fox had borrowed the terror he inspired from him.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">References: Wikipedia</span></div> <br />

The fox and the tiger

Once a fox met a tiger. The latter bared his teeth, stretched out his claws, and was about to devour him. But the fox spoke and said: ...

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The fox and the raven

<br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_W8ba-CXWcgntx2rqitPlOQNVCG1lJEKUh8ZdE5PMPHYZzsO5_gOq1uIXY_E4HxG2l5iwCAb_A9t5-FK381q4ryHqtcEFsjScBIFfYkLKVp3x3v22kBRlt9MehhJLJ2AxfS6FZJzfLaA/s1600/The+fox+and+the+raven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_W8ba-CXWcgntx2rqitPlOQNVCG1lJEKUh8ZdE5PMPHYZzsO5_gOq1uIXY_E4HxG2l5iwCAb_A9t5-FK381q4ryHqtcEFsjScBIFfYkLKVp3x3v22kBRlt9MehhJLJ2AxfS6FZJzfLaA/s320/The+fox+and+the+raven.jpg" width="220" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The fox knows how to flatter, and how to play many cunning tricks. Once upon a time he saw a raven, who alighted on a tree with a piece of meat in his beak. The fox seated himself beneath the tree, looked up at him, and began to praise him.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“Your color,” he began, “is pure black. This proves to me that you possess all the wisdom of Laotzse, who knows how to shroud his learning in darkness. The manner in which you manage to feed your mother shows that your filial affection equals that which the Master Dsong had for his parents. Your voice is rough and strong. It proves that you have the courage with which King Hiang once drove his foes to flight by the mere sound of his voice. In truth, you are the king of birds!”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The raven, hearing this, was filled with joy and said: “I thank you! I thank you!”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And before he knew it, the meat fell to earth from his opened beak.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The fox caught it up, devoured it and then said, laughing: “Make note of this, my dear sir: if some one praises you without occasion, he is sure to have a reason for doing so.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Note: Traditionally narrated, it may be taken for granted that this is simply Æsop’s fable in Chinese dress. The manner of presentation is characteristically Chinese. For “the wisdom of Laotzse” compare, p. 30, “The Ancient’s Book of Wisdom and Life”: “Who sees his light, yet dwells in darkness.” Master Dsong was King Dsi’s most faithful pupil, renowned for his piety. The raven is known in China as “the bird of filial love,” for it is said that the young ravens bring forth the food they have eaten from their beaks again, in order to feed the old birds.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">References: Wikipedia</span></div> <br />

The fox and the raven

The fox knows how to flatter, and how to play many cunning tricks. Once upon a time he saw a raven, who alighted on a tree with a piec...

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The fire-god

<br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbaQfiD8QSom-IPA2xhKyS00JjVQsl0TNK17C6SwlvDLn8j9bG1Io8p5-gD1RNTcPWkHq6RLuRnndXXHWp5Hxl0_tmhXbFoHS-F8knU-2_R2UP_7UCkoMsI8YUopDkPrK8U7UoTjYUYDI/s1600/The+fire-god.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="271" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbaQfiD8QSom-IPA2xhKyS00JjVQsl0TNK17C6SwlvDLn8j9bG1Io8p5-gD1RNTcPWkHq6RLuRnndXXHWp5Hxl0_tmhXbFoHS-F8knU-2_R2UP_7UCkoMsI8YUopDkPrK8U7UoTjYUYDI/s320/The+fire-god.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Long before the time of Fu Hi, Dschu Yung, the Magic Welder, was the ruler of men. He discovered the use of fire, and succeeding generations learned from him to cook their food. Hence his descendants were intrusted with the preservation of fire, while he himself was made the Fire-God. He is a personification of the Red Lord, who showed himself at the beginning of the world as one of the Five Ancients. The Fire-God is worshiped as the Lord of the Holy Southern Mountain. In the skies the Fiery Star, the southern quarter of the heavens and the Red Bird belong to his domain. When there is danger of fire the Fiery Star glows with a peculiar radiance. When countless numbers of fire-crows fly into a house, a fire is sure to break out in it.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the land of the four rivers there dwelt a man who was very rich. One day he got into his wagon and set out on a long journey. And he met a girl, dressed in red, who begged him to take her with him. He allowed her to get into the wagon, and drove along for half-a-day without even looking in her direction. Then the girl got out again and said in farewell: “You are truly a good and honest man, and for that reason I must tell you the truth. I am the Fire-God. To-morrow a fire will break out in your house. Hurry home at once to arrange your affairs and save what you can!” Frightened, the man faced his horses about and drove home as fast as he could. All that he possessed in the way of treasures, clothes and jewels, he removed from the house. And, when he was about to lie down to sleep, a fire broke out on the hearth which could not be quenched until the whole building had collapsed in dust and ashes. Yet, thanks to the Fire-God, the man had saved all his movable belongings.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">References Wikipedia</span></div> <br />

The fire-god

Long before the time of Fu Hi, Dschu Yung, the Magic Welder, was the ruler of men. He discovered the use of fire, and succeeding gener...

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The Constable

<br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUrcr775prAaaMCobWEok6ejfFYk3-piRaJFFs4a-6jz72unGkSCvjB1FI0MBokCQalOiAZ0jC3UGN94dnkP6Si7KZJw5O7Bz1ZxWKpgSd93B2eSG_UvsEQrGl8mR2gKEcyLz-H8h3g9B/s1600/The+Constable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="186" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUrcr775prAaaMCobWEok6ejfFYk3-piRaJFFs4a-6jz72unGkSCvjB1FI0MBokCQalOiAZ0jC3UGN94dnkP6Si7KZJw5O7Bz1ZxWKpgSd93B2eSG_UvsEQrGl8mR2gKEcyLz-H8h3g9B/s320/The+Constable.jpg" width="220" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the city of neighborhood of Kaiutschou there once lived a constable by the name of Dung. One day when he returned from a hunt after thieves the twilight had already begun to fall. So before he waded through the stream that flowed through the city he sat down on the bank, lit a pipe and took off his shoes. When he looked up, he suddenly saw a man in a red hat dressed as a constable crouching beside him.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Astonished, he inquired: “Who are you? Your clothes indicate that you are a member of our profession, but I have never yet seen you among the men of our local force. Tell me, pray, whence you come?”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The other answered: “I am weary, having come a long journey, and would like to enjoy a pipeful of tobacco in your company. I am sure you will not object to that.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dung handed him a pipe and tobacco.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">But the other constable said: “I do not need them. Just you keep on smoking. It is enough for me to enjoy the odor.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So they chatted awhile together, and together waded through the stream. And gradually they became quite confidential and the stranger said: “I will be quite frank with you. I am the head constable of the Nether World, and am subject to the Lord of the Great Mountain. You yourself are a constable of reputation here in the upper world. And, because of my skill, I have standing in the world below. Since we are so well suited to each other, I should like to enter into a bond of brotherhood with you.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dung was agreeable and asked: “But what really brings you here?”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Said the other: “In your district there lives a certain Wang, who was formerly superintendent of the granaries, and at that time caused the death of an officer. This man has now accused him in the Nether World. The King of the Nether World cannot come to a decision in the case, and therefore has asked the Lord of the Great Mountain to settle it.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Lord of the Great Mountain has ordered that Wang’s property and life be shortened. First his property is to be sequestered here in the upper world, and then his soul is to be dragged to the nether one. I have been sent out by the Judge of the Dead to fetch him. Yet the established custom is, when some one is sent for, that the constable has first to report to the god of the city. The god of the city then issues a summons, and sends one of his own spirit constables to seize the soul and deliver it over to me. Only then may I take it away with me.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dung asked him further particulars; but the other merely said: “Later on you will see it all for yourself.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">When they reached the city Dung invited his colleague to stay at his home, and entertained him with wine and food. But the other only talked and touched neither the goblet nor the chop-sticks.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Said Dung: “In my haste I could not find any better meal for you. I am afraid it is not good enough.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">But his guest replied: “Oh no, I am already surfeited and satisfied! We spirits feed only on odors; in which respect we differ from men.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was late at night before he set out to visit the temple of the city god.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">No sooner did morning dawn than he reappeared to take farewell and said: “Now all is in order: I am off! In two years’ time you will go to Taianfu, the city near the Great Mountain, and there we will meet again.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dung began to feel ill at ease. A few days later, in fact, came the news that Wang had died. The district mandarin journeyed to the dead man’s natal village in order to express his sympathy. Among his followers was Dung. The inn-keeper there was a tenant of Wang’s.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dung asked him: “Did anything out of the ordinary happen when Sir Wang died?”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“It was all very strange,” answered the inn-keeper, “and my mother who had been very busy in his house, came home and fell into a violent fever. She was unconscious for a day and a night, and could hardly breathe. She came to on the very day when the news of Sir Wang’s death was made public, and said: ‘I have been to the Nether World and I met him there. He had chains about his neck and several devils were dragging him along. I asked him what he had done, but he said: “I have no time to tell you now. When you return ask my wife and she will tell you all!”’ And yesterday my mother went there and asked her. And Wang’s wife told her with tears: ‘My master was an official, but for a long time he did not make any head-way. He was superintendent of the granaries in Nanking, and in the same city was a high officer, with whom my master became very intimate. He always came to visit at our house and he and my master would talk and drink together.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">One day my master said to him: “We administrative mandarins have a large salary and a good income besides. You are an officer, and have even reached the second step in rank, yet your salary is so small that you cannot possibly make it do. Have you any other income aside from it?” The officer replied: “We are such good friends that I know I can speak openly to you. We officers are compelled to find some additional sources of revenue in order that our pockets may not be altogether empty. When we pay our men we make a small percentage of gains on the exchange; and we also carry more soldiers on our rosters than there actually are present. If we had to live on our salaries we would die of hunger!”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“‘When my husband heard him say this he could not rid himself of the idea that by disclosing these criminal proceedings the State would be indebted to him, and that it would surely aid his plans for advancement. On the other hand, he reflected that it would not be right to abuse his friend’s confidence. With these ideas in his mind he retired to his inner rooms. In the courtyard stood a round pavilion. Lost in heavy thought, he crossed his hands behind his back, and for a long time walked round and round the pavilion. Finally he said with a sigh: “Charity begins at home; I will sacrifice my friend!” Then he drew up his report, in which the officer was indicted.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">An imperial order was issued, the matter was investigated, and the officer was condemned to death. My husband, however, was at once increased in rank, and from that time on advanced rapidly. And with the exception of myself no one ever knew anything of the matter.’ When my mother told them of her encounter with Wang in the Nether World, the whole family burst into loud weeping. Four tents full of Buddhist and Taoist priests were sent for, who fasted and read masses for thirty-five days in order that Wang might be delivered. Whole mountains of paper money, silk and straw figures were burned, and the ceremonies have not as yet come to an end.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">When Dung heard this he was very much frightened.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two years later he received an order to journey to Taianfu in order to arrest some robbers there. He thought to himself: “My friend, the spirit, must be very powerful indeed, to have known about this trip so far in advance. I must inquire for him. Perhaps I will see him again.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">When he reached Taianfu he sought out an inn.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The inn-keeper received him with the words: “Are you Master Dung, and have you come from the bay of Kaiutschou?”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I am the man,” answered Dung, alarmed, “how do you happen to know me?”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The inn-keeper replied: “The constable of the temple of the Great Mountain appeared to me last night and said: ‘To-morrow a man by the name of Dung who is a good friend of mine is coming from the bay of Kaiutschou!’ And then he described your appearance and your clothes to me exactly, and told me to make careful note of them, and when you came to treat you with the greatest consideration, and to take no pay from you, since he would repay me lavishly. So when I saw you coming everything was exactly as my dreams had foretold, and I knew you at once. I have already prepared a quiet room for you, and beg that you will condescend to make yourself at ease.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Joyfully Dung followed him, and the inn-keeper waited on him with the greatest consideration, and saw that he had great plenty to eat and to drink.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">At midnight the spirit arrived. Without having opened the door, he stood by Dung’s bedside, gave him his hand, and asked how things had gone with him since he had last seen him.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dung answered all his questions and thanked him into the bargain for appearing to the inn-keeper in a dream.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">He continued to live for some days at the inn. During the day he went walking on the Great Mountain and at night his friend came to visit him and talked with him, and at the same time asked him what had happened to Sir Wang.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“His sentence has already been spoken,” answered the other. “This man pretended to be conscientious, and traitorously brought about the death of his friend. Of all sins there is no greater sin than this. As a punishment he will be sent forth again into the world as an animal.” Then he added: “When you reach home you must take constant care of your health. Fate has allowed you seventy-eight years of mortal life. When your time is up I will come to fetch you myself. Then I will see that you obtain a place as constable in the Nether World, where we can always be together.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">References: Wikipedia</span></div> <br />

The Constable

In the city of neighborhood of Kaiutschou there once lived a constable by the name of Dung. One day when he returned from a hunt after...

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Fire-fox

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCM2_wtIAZrCA4SGR7rt5K87wsknnqiKMo5SC9KXDun93jc5lRdK63yMd8ntV8oBHKVBl5cXoKsopJoJbMVmqTdDjkJqCjWufYaLipu00ijZ3xPD9EK_lcCezUWIH4Ur553XgwN3XsHwY/s1600/Fire-fox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="256" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCM2_wtIAZrCA4SGR7rt5K87wsknnqiKMo5SC9KXDun93jc5lRdK63yMd8ntV8oBHKVBl5cXoKsopJoJbMVmqTdDjkJqCjWufYaLipu00ijZ3xPD9EK_lcCezUWIH4Ur553XgwN3XsHwY/s320/Fire-fox.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once upon a time there was a strong young farmer who came home late one evening from market. His way led him past the gardens of a wealthy gentleman, in which stood a number of tall buildings. Suddenly he saw something shining floating in the air inside the gardens, something which glowed like a ball of crystal. He was astonished, and climbed the wall around the gardens, but there was not a human being in sight; all he saw was, at a distance, something which appeared to be a dog, looking up at the moon. And whenever it blew its breath out a ball of fire came out of its mouth, and rose to the moon. And whenever it drew its breath in the ball sank down again, and it caught it in its jaws. And so it went on without a stop. Then the farmer realized that it was a fox, who was preparing the elixir of life.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">He hid in the grass and waited until the ball of fire came down again, at about the height of his own head. Then he stepped hastily from his hiding-place, took it away and at once swallowed it. And he could feel it glow as it passed down his throat into his stomach. When the fox saw what had happened he grew angry. He looked furiously at the farmer, but feared his strength. For this reason he did not dare attack him, but went angrily on his way.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">From that time on the farmer-boy could make himself invisible, was able to see ghosts and devils, and had intercourse with the spirit-world. In cases of sickness, when people lay unconscious, he could call back their souls, and if some one had committed a sin he could plead for them. He earned much money owing to these gifts.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">When he reached his fiftieth year, he withdrew from all things and would no longer exercise his arts. One summer evening he was sitting in his courtyard, enjoying the cool air. While there he drank a number of goblets of wine, and by midnight had fallen fast asleep. Suddenly he awoke, feeling ill. It seemed as though some one were patting him on the back, and before he knew it, the ball of fire had leaped out from his throat. At once a hand reached for it and a voice said: “For thirty long years you kept my treasure from me, and from a poor farmer-lad you have grown to be a wealthy man. Now you have enough, and I would like to have my fire-ball back again!”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then the man knew what had happened, but the fox was gone.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">References : Wikipedia</span></div> <br />

Fire-fox

Once upon a time there was a strong young farmer who came home late one evening from market. His way led him past the gardens of a wea...

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Yang Gu Fe

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbfyPOPryc7Zve8ohqCL5iA-oPlIZd-kkkGvyT1T-UfX1qWdYz599KlLlVwavIQMxS58-4bNR9RGBUkomUPX9UgQnArWHMxLsUebXmnK-3G7JPQVkmFzkhVVDtDFH2H6ef2lr_13dC76i/s1600/Yang-GuiFei-Featured-Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="700" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbfyPOPryc7Zve8ohqCL5iA-oPlIZd-kkkGvyT1T-UfX1qWdYz599KlLlVwavIQMxS58-4bNR9RGBUkomUPX9UgQnArWHMxLsUebXmnK-3G7JPQVkmFzkhVVDtDFH2H6ef2lr_13dC76i/s320/Yang-GuiFei-Featured-Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The emperor Ming Huang of the Tang dynasty was the celebrated Yang Gui Fe. She so enchanted him by her beauty that he did whatever she wished him to do. But she brought her cousin to the court, a gambler and a drinker, and because of him the people began to murmur against the emperor. Finally a revolt broke out, and the emperor was obliged to flee. He fled with his entire court to the land of the four rivers.<br /> <br /> But when they reached a certain pass his own soldiers mutinied. They shouted that Yang Gui Fe’s cousin was to blame for all, and that he must die or they would go no further. The emperor did not know what to do. At last the cousin was delivered up to the soldiers and was slain. But still they were not satisfied.<br /> <br /> “As long as Yang Gui Fe is alive she will do all in her power to punish us for the death of her cousin, so she must die as well!”<br /> <br /> Sobbing, she fled to the emperor. He wept bitterly and endeavored to protect her; but the soldiers grew more and more violent. Finally she was hung from a pear-tree by a eunuch.<br /> <br /> The emperor longed so greatly for Yang Gui Fe that he ceased to eat, and could no longer sleep. Then one of his eunuchs told him of a man named Yang Shi Wu, who was able to call up the spirits of the departed. The emperor sent for him and Yang Shi Wu appeared.<br /> <br /> That very evening he recited his magic incantations, and his soul left its body to go in search of Yang Gui Fe. First he went to the Nether World, where the shades of the departed dwell. Yet no matter how much he looked and asked he could find no trace of her. Then he ascended to the highest heaven, where sun, moon and stars make their rounds, and looked for her in empty space. Yet she was not to be found there, either. So he came back and told the emperor of his experience. The emperor was dissatisfied and said: “Yang Gui Fe’s beauty was divine. How can it be possible that she had no soul!”<br /> <br /> The magician answered: “Between hill and valley and amid the silent ravines dwell the blessed. I will go back once more and search for her there.”<br /> <br /> So he wandered about on the five holy hills, by the four great rivers and through the islands of the sea. He went everywhere, and finally came to fairyland.<br /> <br /> The fairy said: “Yang Gui Fe has become a blessed spirit and dwells in the great south palace!”<br /> <br /> So the magician went there and knocked on the door. A maiden came out and asked what he wanted, and he told her that the emperor had sent him to look for her mistress. She let him in. The way led through broad gardens filled with flowers of jade and trees of coral, giving forth the sweetest of odors. Finally they reached a high tower, and the maiden raised the curtain hanging before a door. The magician kneeled and looked up. And there he saw Yang Gui Fe sitting on a throne, adorned with an emerald headdress and furs of yellow swans’ down. Her face glowed with rosy color, yet her forehead was wrinkled with care.<br /> <br /> She said: “Well do I know the emperor longs for me! But for me there is no path leading back to the world of men! Before my birth I was a blessed sky-fairy, and the emperor was a blessed spirit as well. Even then we loved each other dearly. Then, when the emperor was sent down to earth by the Lord of the Heavens, I, too, descended to earth and found him there among men. In twelve years’ time we will meet again. Once, on the evening of the seventh day, when we stood looking up at the Weaving Maiden and the Herd Boy, we swore eternal love. The emperor had a ring, which he broke in two. One half he gave to me, the other he kept himself. Take this half of mine, bring it to the emperor, and tell him not to forget the words we said to each other in secret that evening. And tell him not to grieve too greatly because of me!”<br /> <br /> With that she gave him the ring, with difficulty suppressing her sobs. The magician brought back the ring with him. At sight of it the emperor’s grief broke out anew.<br /> <br /> He said: “What we said to each other that evening no one else has ever learned! And now you bring me back her ring! By that sign I know that your words are true and that my beloved has really become a blessed spirit.”<br /> <br /> Then he kept the ring and rewarded the magician lavishly.<br /> <br /> Note: The emperor Ming Huang of the Tang dynasty ruled from 713 to 756 A.D. The introduction to the tale is historical. The “land of the four rivers” is Setchuan.

Yang Gu Fe

The emperor Ming Huang of the Tang dynasty was the celebrated Yang Gui Fe. She so enchanted him by her beauty that he did whatever she wis...

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Women's Word Part Flesh and Blood

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1pGKqk9Ai98UTa5q6dBM_iLxYAjda8HEVBwQwOGNagAlijydw2PVMz9JNC9aY7bf4uftFlMnZVsOVPNslXUg8UyrLmzLwkY0PavSgEN7mG5W6oF5m4J6hyphenhyphenC1bDIMYZhR8ZFl0nqcLkIs/s1600/feb15_c11_footbinding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1072" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1pGKqk9Ai98UTa5q6dBM_iLxYAjda8HEVBwQwOGNagAlijydw2PVMz9JNC9aY7bf4uftFlMnZVsOVPNslXUg8UyrLmzLwkY0PavSgEN7mG5W6oF5m4J6hyphenhyphenC1bDIMYZhR8ZFl0nqcLkIs/s320/feb15_c11_footbinding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Once upon a time there were two brothers, who lived in the same house. And the big brother listened to his wife’s words, and because of them fell out with the little one. Summer had begun, and the time for sowing the high-growing millet had come. The little brother had no grain, and asked the big one to loan him some, and the big one ordered his wife to give it to him. But she took the grain, put it in a large pot and cooked it until it was done. Then she gave it to the little fellow. He knew nothing about it, and went and sowed his field with it. Yet, since the grain had been cooked, it did not sprout.<br /> <br /> Only a single grain of seed had not been cooked; so only a single sprout shot up. The little brother was hard-working and industrious by nature, and hence he watered and hoed the sprout all day long. And the sprout grew mightily, like a tree, and an ear of millet sprang up out of it like a canopy, large enough to shade half an acre of ground. In the fall the ear was ripe. Then the little brother took his ax and chopped it down. But no sooner had the ear fallen to the ground, than an enormous Roc came rushing down, took the ear in his beak and flew away. The little brother ran after him as far as the shore of the sea.<br /> <br /> Then the bird turned and spoke to him like a human being, as follows: “You should not seek to harm me! What is this one ear worth to you? East of the sea is the isle of gold and silver. I will carry you across. There you may take whatever you want, and become very rich.”<br /> <br /> The little brother was satisfied, and climbed on the bird’s back, and the latter told him to close his eyes. So he only heard the air whistling past his ears, as though he were driving through a strong wind, and beneath him the roar and surge of flood and waves. Suddenly the bird settled on a rock: “Here we are!” he said.<br /> <br /> Then the little brother opened his eyes and looked about him: and on all sides he saw nothing but the radiance and shimmer of all sorts of white and yellow objects. He took about a dozen of the little things and hid them in his breast.<br /> <br /> “Have you enough?” asked the Roc.<br /> <br /> “Yes, I have enough,” he replied.<br /> <br /> “That is well,” answered the bird. “Moderation protects one from harm.”<br /> <br /> Then he once more took him up, and carried him back again.<br /> <br /> When the little brother reached home, he bought himself a good piece of ground in the course of time, and became quite well to do.<br /> <br /> But his brother was jealous of him, and said to him, harshly: “Where did you manage to steal the money?”<br /> <br /> So the little one told him the whole truth of the matter. Then the big brother went home and took counsel with his wife.<br /> <br /> “Nothing easier,” said his wife. “I will just cook grain again and keep back one seedling so that it is not done. Then you shall sow it, and we will see what happens.”<br /> <br /> No sooner said than done. And sure enough, a single sprout shot up, and sure enough, the sprout bore a single ear of millet, and when harvest time came around, the Roc again appeared and carried it off in his beak. The big brother was pleased, and ran after him, and the Roc said the same thing he had said before, and carried the big brother to the island. There the big brother saw the gold and silver heaped up everywhere.<br /> <br /> The largest pieces were like hills, the small ones were like bricks, and the real tiny ones were like grains of sand. They blinded his eyes. He only regretted that he knew of no way by which he could move mountains. So he bent down and picked up as many pieces as possible.<br /> <br /> The Roc said: “Now you have enough. You will overtax your strength.”<br /> <br /> “Have patience but a little while longer,” said the big brother. “Do not be in such a hurry! I must get a few more pieces!”<br /> <br /> And thus time passed.<br /> <br /> The Roc again urged him to make haste: “The sun will appear in a moment,” said he, “and the sun is so hot it burns human beings up.”<br /> <br /> “Wait just a little while longer,” said the big brother. But that very moment a red disk broke through the clouds with tremendous power. The Roc flew into the sea, stretched out both his wings, and beat the water with them in order to escape the heat. But the big brother was shrivelled up by the sun.<br /> <br /> Note: This fairy-tale is traditionally narrated. The Roc is called pong in Chinese, and the treasures on the island are spoken of as “all sorts of yellow and white objects” because the little fellow does not know that they are gold and silver.

Women's Word Part Flesh and Blood

Once upon a time there were two brothers, who lived in the same house. And the big brother listened to his wife’s words, and because of th...

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The Three Rhymsters

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_4-CFPli7osQkeuVGBeTTaZT7_OY8OVj-o6p_KO_0QfHI6iLF9f6Jaet0LMYnyJPcobGnO73MGPN0-SZFsLFOEdA8JyGKj1y7LtUwEeha48oGDNtsA9rS-eQvN0zbengOZKhD4jjkpyr/s1600/f8bc126e49161a42f17f02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_4-CFPli7osQkeuVGBeTTaZT7_OY8OVj-o6p_KO_0QfHI6iLF9f6Jaet0LMYnyJPcobGnO73MGPN0-SZFsLFOEdA8JyGKj1y7LtUwEeha48oGDNtsA9rS-eQvN0zbengOZKhD4jjkpyr/s320/f8bc126e49161a42f17f02.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>  Once there were three daughters in a family. The oldest one married a physician, the second one married a magistrate; but the third, who was more than usually intelligent and a clever talker, married a farmer.<br /> <br /> Now it chanced, once upon a time, that their parents were celebrating a birthday. So the three daughters came, together with their husbands, to wish them long life and happiness. The parents-in-law prepared a meal for their three sons-in-law, and put the birthday wine on the table. But the oldest son-in-law, who knew that the third one had not attended school, wanted to embarrass him.<br /> <br /> “It is far too tiresome,” said he, “just to sit here drinking: let us have a drinking game. Each one of us must invent a verse, one that rimes and makes sense, on the words: ‘in the sky, on the earth, at the table, in the room,’ And whoever cannot do so, must empty three glasses as a punishment.”<br /> <br /> All the company were satisfied. Only the third son-in-law felt embarrassed and insisted on leaving. But the guests would not let him go, and obliged him to keep his seat.<br /> <br /> Then the oldest son-in-law began: “I will make a start with my verse. Here it is:<br /> <br /> “In the sky the phenix proudly flies, On the earth the lambkin tamely lies, At the table through an ancient book I wade, In the room I softly call the maid.”<br /> <br /> The second one continued: “And I say:<br /> <br /> “In the sky the turtle-dove flies round, On the earth the ox paws up the ground, At the table one studies the deeds of yore, In the room the maid she sweeps the floor.”<br /> <br /> But the third son-in-law stuttered, and found nothing to say. And when all of them insisted, he broke out in rough tones of voice:<br /> <br /> “In the sky—flies a leaden bullet, On the earth—stalks a tiger-beast, On the table—lies a pair of scissors, In the room—I call the stable-boy.”<br /> <br /> The other two sons-in-law clapped their hands and began to laugh loudly.<br /> <br /> “Why the four lines do not rime at all,” said they, “and, besides they do not make sense. A leaden bullet is no bird, the stable-boy does his work outside, would you call him into the room? Nonsense, nonsense! Drink!”<br /> <br /> Yet before they had finished speaking, the third daughter raised the curtain of the women’s room, and stepped out. She was angry, yet she could not suppress a smile.<br /> <br /> “How so do our lines not make sense?” said she. “Listen a moment, and I’ll explain them to you: In the sky our leaden bullet will shoot your phenix and your turtle-dove. On the earth our tiger-beast will devour your sheep and your ox. On the table our pair of scissors will cut up all your old books. And finally, in the room—well, the stable-boy can marry your maid!”<br /> <br /> Then the oldest son-in-law said: “Well scolded! Sister-in-law, you know how to talk! If you were a man you would have had your degree long ago. And, as a punishment, we will empty our three glasses.”<br /> <br /> Note: This is also a fairy-tale traditionally handed down.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div>

The Three Rhymsters

 Once there were three daughters in a family. The oldest one married a physician, the second one married a magistrate; but the third, who ...

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The Monk of the Yangtze-kiang

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmSveAVFa9KnxBQIRir3VX1R7IZGmQHYix17epEwEdYLn0finECyfw4rTDU5f7SRSr4fwqgmaZaE_mBzn68U34EgI_C3DG3L8nJU1JOz5dQdooqFF-yrUsU16TLbITMxYnGRLm5-7tPGt/s1600/200px-Qutang_Gorge_on_Changjiang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="200" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmSveAVFa9KnxBQIRir3VX1R7IZGmQHYix17epEwEdYLn0finECyfw4rTDU5f7SRSr4fwqgmaZaE_mBzn68U34EgI_C3DG3L8nJU1JOz5dQdooqFF-yrUsU16TLbITMxYnGRLm5-7tPGt/s320/200px-Qutang_Gorge_on_Changjiang.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Buddhism took its rise in southern India, on the island of Ceylon. It was there that the son of a Brahminic king lived, who had left his home in his youth, and had renounced all wishes and all sensation. With the greatest renunciation of self he did penance so that all living creatures might be saved. In the course of time he gained the hidden knowledge and was called Buddha.<br /> <br /> In the days of the Emperor Ming Di, of the dynasty of the Eastern Hans, a golden glow was seen in the West, a glow which flashed and shone without interruption.<br /> <br /> One night the emperor dreamed that he saw a golden saint, twenty feet in height, barefoot, his head shaven, and clothed in Indian garb enter his room, who said to him: “I am the saint from the West! My gospel must be spread in the East!”<br /> <br /> When the ruler awoke he wondered about this dream, and sent out messengers to the lands of the West in order to find out what it meant.<br /> <br /> Thus it was that the gospel of Buddha came to China, and continued to gain in influence up to the time of the Tang dynasty. At that time, from emperors and kings down to the peasants in the villages, the wise and the ignorant alike were filled with reverence for Buddha. But under the last two dynasties his gospel came to be more and more neglected. In these days the Buddhist monks run to the houses of the rich, read their sutras and pray for pay. And one hears nothing of the great saints of the days gone by.<br /> <br /> At the time of the Emperor Tai Dsung, of the Tang dynasty, it once happened that a great drought reigned in the land, so that the emperor and all his officials erected altars everywhere in order to plead for rain.<br /> <br /> Then the Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea talked with the Dragon of the Milky Way and said: “To-day they are praying for rain on earth below. The Lord of the Heavens has granted the prayer of the King of Tang. To-morrow you must let three inches of rain fall!”<br /> <br /> “No, I must let only two inches of rain fall,” said the old dragon.<br /> <br /> So the two dragons made a wager, and the one who lost promised as a punishment to turn into a mud salamander.<br /> <br /> The following day the Highest Lord suddenly issued an order saying that the Dragon of the Milky Way was to instruct the wind and cloud spirits to send down three inches of rain upon the earth. To contradict this command was out of the question.<br /> <br /> But the old dragon thought to himself: “It seems that the Dragon-King had a better idea of what was going to happen than I had, yet it is altogether too humiliating to have to turn into a mud salamander!” So he let only two inches of rain fall, and reported back to the heavenly court that the command had been carried out.<br /> <br /> Yet the Emperor Tai Dsung then offered a prayer of thanks to heaven. In it he said: “The precious fluid was bestowed upon us to the extent of two inches of depth. We beg submissively that more may be sent down, so that the parched crops may recover!”<br /> <br /> When the Lord of the Heavens read this prayer he was very angry and said: “The criminal Dragon of the Milky Way has dared diminish the rain which I had ordered. He cannot be suffered to continue his guilty life. So We Dschong, who is a general among men on earth, shall behead him, as an example for all living beings.”<br /> <br /> In the evening the Emperor Tai Dsung had a dream. He saw a giant enter his room, who pleaded with hardly restrained tears: “Save me, O Emperor! Because of my own accord I diminished the rainfall, the Lord of the Heavens, in his anger, has commanded that We Dschong behead me to-morrow at noon. If you will only prevent We Dschong from falling asleep at that time, and pray that I may be saved, misfortune once more may pass me by!”<br /> <br /> The emperor promised, and the other bowed and left him.<br /> <br /> The following day the emperor sent for We Dschong. They drank tea together and played chess.<br /> <br /> Toward noon We Dschong suddenly grew tired and sleepy; but he did not dare take his leave. The emperor, however, since one of his pawns had been taken, fixed his gaze for a moment on the chess-board and pondered, and before he knew it We Dschong was already snoring with a noise like a distant thunder. The emperor was much frightened, and hastily called out to him; but he did not awake. Then he had two eunuchs shake him, but a long time passed before he could be aroused.<br /> <br /> “How did you come to fall asleep so suddenly!” asked the emperor.<br /> <br /> “I dreamed,” replied We Dschong, “that the Highest God had commanded me to behead the old dragon. I have just hewn off his head, and my arm still aches from the exertion.”<br /> <br /> And before he had even finished speaking a dragon’s head, as large as a bushel-measure, suddenly fell down out of the air. The emperor was terribly frightened and rose.<br /> <br /> “I have sinned against the old dragon,” said he. Then he retired to the inner chambers of his palace and was confused in mind. He remained lying on his couch, closed his eyes, said not a word, and breathed but faintly.<br /> <br /> Suddenly he saw two persons in purple robes who had a summons in their hands. They spoke to him as follows: “The old Dragon of the Milky Way has complained against the emperor in the Nether World. We beg that you will have the chariot harnessed!”<br /> <br /> Instinctively the emperor followed them, and in the courtyard there stood his chariot before the castle, ready and waiting. The emperor entered it, and off they went flying through the air. In a moment they had reached the city of the dead. When he entered he saw the Lord of the High Mountain sitting in the midst of the city, with the ten princes of the Nether World in rows at his right and left. They all rose, bowed to him and bade him be seated.<br /> <br /> Then the Lord of the High Mountain said: “The old Dragon of the Milky Way has really committed a deed which deserved punishment. Yet Your Majesty has promised to beg the Highest God to spare him, which prayer would probably have saved the old dragon’s life. And that this matter was neglected over the chess-board might well be accounted a mistake. Now the old dragon complains to me without ceasing. When I think of how he has striven to gain sainthood for more than a thousand years, and must now fall back into the cycle of transformations, I am really depressed. It is for this reason I have called together the princes of the ten pits of the Nether World, to find a way out of the difficulty, and have invited Your Majesty to come here to discuss the matter. In heaven, on earth and in the Nether World only the gospel of Buddha has no limits. Hence, when you return to earth great sacrifices should be made to the three and thirty lords of the heavens. Three thousand six hundred holy priests of Buddha must read the sutras in order to deliver the old dragon so that he may rise again to the skies, and keep his original form. But the writings and readings of men will not be enough to ensure this. It will be necessary to go to the Western Heavens and thence bring words of truth.”<br /> <br /> This the emperor agreed to, and the Lord of the Great Mountain and the ten princes of the Nether World rose and said as they bowed to him: “We beg that you will now return!”<br /> <br /> Suddenly Tai Dsung opened his eyes again, and there he was lying on his imperial couch. Then he made public the fact that he was at fault, and had the holiest among the priests of Buddha sent for to fetch the sutras from the Western Heavens. And it was Huan Dschuang, the Monk of the Yangtze-kiang, who in obedience to this order, appeared at court.<br /> <br /> The name of this Huan Dschuang had originally been Tschen. His father had passed the highest examinations during the reign of the preceding emperor, and had been intrusted with the office of district mandarin on the Yangtze-kiang. He set out with his wife for this new district, but when their ship reached the Yellow River it fell in with a band of robbers. Their captain slew the whole retinue, threw father Tschen into the river, took his wife and the document appointing him mandarin, went to the district capital under an assumed name and took charge of it. All the serving-men whom he took along were members of his robber-band. Tschen’s wife, however, together with her little boy, he imprisoned in a tower room. And all the servants who attended her were in the confidence of the robbers.<br /> <br /> Now below the tower was a little pond, and in this pond rose a spring which flowed beneath the walls to the Yellow River. So one day Tschen’s wife took a little basket of bamboo, pasted up the cracks and laid her little boy in the basket. Then she cut her finger, wrote down the day and hour of the boy’s birth on a strip of silk paper with the blood, and added that the boy must come and rescue her when he had reached the age of twelve. She placed the strip of silk paper beside the boy in the basket, and at night, when no one was about, she put the basket in the pond. The current carried it away to the Yangtze-kiang, and once there it drifted on as far as the monastery on the Golden Hill, which is an island lying in the middle of the river. There a priest who had come to draw water found it. He fished it out and took it to the monastery.<br /> <br /> When the abbot saw what had been written in blood, he ordered his priests and novices to say nothing about it to any one. And he brought up the boy in the monastery.<br /> <br /> When the latter had reached the age of five, he was taught to read the holy books. The boy was more intelligent than any of his fellow-students, soon grasped the meaning of the sacred writings, and entered more and more deeply into their secrets. So he was allowed to take the vows, and when his head had been shaven was named: “The Monk of the Yangtze-kiang.”<br /> <br /> By the time he was twelve he was as large and strong as a grown man. The abbot, who knew of the duty he still had to perform, had him called to a quiet room. There he drew forth the letter written in blood and gave it to him.<br /> <br /> When the monk had read it he flung himself down on the ground and wept bitterly. Thereupon he thanked the abbot for all that the latter had done for him. He set out for the city in which his mother dwelt, ran around the yamen of the mandarin, beat upon the wooden fish and cried: “Deliverance from all suffering! Deliverance from all suffering!”<br /> <br /> After the robber who had slain his father had slipped into the post he held by false pretences, he had taken care to strengthen his position by making powerful friends. He even allowed Tschen’s wife, who had now been a prisoner for some ten years, a little more liberty.<br /> <br /> On that day official business had kept him abroad. The woman was sitting at home, and when she heard the wooden fish beaten so insistently before the door and heard the words of deliverance, the voice of her heart cried out in her. She sent out the serving-maid to call in the priest. He came in by the back door, and when she saw that he resembled his father in every feature, she could no longer restrain herself, but burst into tears. Then the monk of the Yangtze-kiang realized that this was his mother and he took the bloody writing out and gave it to her.<br /> <br /> She stroked it and said amid sobs: “My father is a high official, who has retired from affairs and dwells in the capital. But I have been unable to write to him, because this robber guarded me so closely. So I kept alive as well as I could, waiting for you to come. Now hurry to the capital for the sake of your father’s memory, and if his honor is made clear then I can die in peace. But you must hasten so that no one finds out about it.”<br /> <br /> The monk then went off quickly. First he went back to his cloister to bid farewell to his abbot; and then he set out for Sianfu, the capital.<br /> <br /> Yet by that time his grandfather had already died. But one of his uncles, who was known at court, was still living. He took soldiers and soon made an end of the robbers. But the monk’s mother had died in the meantime.<br /> <br /> From that time on, the Monk of the Yangtze-kiang lived in a pagoda in Sianfu, and was known as Huan Dschuang. When the emperor issued the order calling the priests of Buddha to court, he was some twenty years of age. He came into the emperor’s presence, and the latter honored him as a great teacher. Then he set out for India.<br /> <br /> He was absent for seventeen years. When he returned he brought three collections of books with him, and each collection comprised five-hundred and forty rolls of manuscript. With these he once more entered the presence of the emperor. The emperor was overjoyed, and with his own hand wrote a preface of the holy teachings, in which he recorded all that had happened. Then the great sacrifice was held to deliver the old Dragon of the Milky Way.<br /> <br /> Note: The emperor Tai Dsung is Li Schi Min, the Prince of Tang mentioned in No. 65. He was the most glorious and splendid of all Chinese rulers. The “Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea” has appeared frequently in these fairy-tales. As regards the “Lord of the High Mountain,” and the ten princes of the Nether World, comp. Nos. 38 and 50. The Highest Lord is Yu Huang, the Lord of Jade or of Nephrite. Huan Dschuang was originally known as Tschen. Regarding his father’s fate subsequent to his being drowned, and that of his sons in the spirit-world see No. 24. The “bamboo basket” is a Moses motive which occurs in other Chinese fairy-tales. “The Monk of the Yangtze-kiang” is, literally, (in Chinese, Giang Liu Ho Schang) “The monk washed ashore by the stream.” “Wooden fish”: A hollow piece of wood in the form of a fish, which is beaten by the Buddhists as sign of watchfulness. Three collections of books—the Tripitaka.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div>

The Monk of the Yangtze-kiang

Buddhism took its rise in southern India, on the island of Ceylon. It was there that the son of a Brahminic king lived, who had left his h...

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The Magic Cask

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv953ZvsZVqdWUjSpamDUZOBhXRgv5Sq-SXx8x_xUgONDdPD_Dd6Wce7c_GxFk7-MBDcfAphwIgqLZZa9_xShIHrrOaMBaGgqhyJB_IR4l4L5Dtv5jRNcgJIwiU_egaEXoVCKm4cbkniI2/s1600/Chinese+Tales08Cask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv953ZvsZVqdWUjSpamDUZOBhXRgv5Sq-SXx8x_xUgONDdPD_Dd6Wce7c_GxFk7-MBDcfAphwIgqLZZa9_xShIHrrOaMBaGgqhyJB_IR4l4L5Dtv5jRNcgJIwiU_egaEXoVCKm4cbkniI2/s1600/Chinese+Tales08Cask.jpg" /></a></div> Once upon a time there was a man who dug up a big, earthenware cask in his field. So he took it home with him and told his wife to clean it out. But when his wife started brushing the inside of the cask, the cask suddenly began to fill itself with brushes. No matter how many were taken out, others kept on taking their place. So the man sold the brushes, and the family managed to live quite comfortably.<br /> <br /> Once a coin fell into the cask by mistake. At once the brushes disappeared and the cask began to fill itself with money. So now the family became rich; for they could take as much money out of the cask as ever they wished.<br /> <br /> Now the man had an old grandfather at home, who was weak and shaky. Since there was nothing else he could do, his grandson set him to work shoveling money out of the cask, and when the old grandfather grew weary and could not keep on, he would fall into a rage, and shout at him angrily, telling him he was lazy and did not want to work.<br /> <br /> One day, however, the old man’s strength gave out, and he fell into the cask and died. At once the money disappeared, and the whole cask began to fill itself with dead grandfathers. Then the man had to pull them all out and have them buried, and for this purpose he had to use up again all the money he had received. And when he was through, the cask broke, and he was just as poor as before.

The Magic Cask

Once upon a time there was a man who dug up a big, earthenware cask in his field. So he took it home with him and told his wife to clean i...

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The Heartless Husband

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjA0yJq4SKkWvKPEnPDxkcGu8ajMYs4WwzyQLgVoXD0NS_9ZsBLtnN38yWh361XR6DQUQ1jqL1P0LJErfMArccg_sdeCpg_HwozuZdSczsciTBWidE_hL2VABLmg9nPl9eHFuB4B6mdZF/s1600/51z1grUgQRL._AC_SY400_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjA0yJq4SKkWvKPEnPDxkcGu8ajMYs4WwzyQLgVoXD0NS_9ZsBLtnN38yWh361XR6DQUQ1jqL1P0LJErfMArccg_sdeCpg_HwozuZdSczsciTBWidE_hL2VABLmg9nPl9eHFuB4B6mdZF/s320/51z1grUgQRL._AC_SY400_.jpg" width="211" /></a></div> ln olden times Hanchow was the capital of Southern China, and for that reason a great number of beggars had gathered there. These beggars were in the habit of electing a leader, who was officially entrusted with the supervision of all begging in the town. It was his duty to see that the beggars did not molest the townsfolk, and he received a tenth of their income from all his beggar subjects. When it snowed or rained, and the beggars could not go out to beg, he had to see to it that they had something to eat, and he also had to conduct their weddings and funerals. And the beggars obeyed him in all things.<br /> <br /> Well, it happened that there was a beggar king of this sort in Hanchow by the name of Gin, in whose family the office had been handed down from father to son for seven generations. What they had taken in by way of beggars’ pence they had lent out on interest, and so the family had gradually become well-to-do, and finally even rich.<br /> <br /> The old beggar-king had lost his wife at the age of fifty. But he had an only child, a girl who was called “Little Golden Daughter.” She had a face of rare beauty and was the jewel of his love. She had been versed in the lore of books from her youth up, and could write, improvise poems and compose essays. She was also experienced in needlework, a skilled dancer and singer, and could play the flute and zither. The old beggar-king above all else wanted her to have a scholar for a husband. Yet because he was a beggar-king the distinguished families avoided him, and with those who were of less standing than himself he did not wish to have anything to do. So it came about that Little Golden Daughter had reached the age of eighteen without being betrothed.<br /> <br /> Now at that time there dwelt in Hanchow, near the Bridge of Peace, a scholar by the name of Mosu. He was twenty years of age, and universally popular because of his beauty and talent. His parents were both dead, and he was so poor that he could hardly manage to keep alive. His house and lot had long since been mortgaged or sold, and he lived in an abandoned temple, and many a day passed at whose end he went hungry to bed.<br /> <br /> A neighbor took pity on him and said to him one day: “The beggar-king has a child named Little Golden Daughter, who is beautiful beyond all telling. And the beggar-king is rich and has money, but no son to inherit it. If you wish to marry into his family his whole fortune would in the end come to you. Is that not better than dying of hunger as a poor scholar?”<br /> <br /> At that time Mosu was in dire extremity. Hence, when he heard these words he was greatly pleased. He begged the neighbor to act as a go-between in the matter.<br /> <br /> So the latter visited the old beggar-king and talked with him, and the beggar-king talked over the matter with Little Golden Daughter, and since Mosu came from a good family and was, in addition, talented and learned, and had no objection to marrying into their family, they were both much pleased with the prospect. So they agreed to the proposal, and the two were married.<br /> <br /> So Mosu became a member of the beggar-king’s family. He was happy in his wife’s beauty, always had enough to eat and good clothes to wear. So he thought himself lucky beyond his deserts, and lived with his wife in peace and happiness.<br /> <br /> The beggar-king and his daughter, to whom their low estate was a thorn in the flesh, admonished Mosu to be sure to study hard. They hoped that he would make a name for himself and thus reflect glory on their family as well. They bought books for him, old and new, at the highest prices, and they always supplied him liberally with money so that he could move in aristocratic circles. They also paid his examination expenses. So his learning increased day by day, and the fame of it spread through the entire district. He passed one examination after another in rapid succession, and at the age of twenty-three was appointed mandarin of the district of Wu We. He returned from his audience with the emperor in ceremonial robes, high on horseback.<br /> <br /> Mosu had been born in Hanchow, so the whole town soon knew that he had passed his examination successfully, and the townsfolk crowded together on both sides of the street to look at him as he rode to his father-in-law’s house. Old and young, women and children gathered to enjoy the show, and some idle loafer called out in a loud voice:<br /> <br /> “The old beggar’s son-in-law has become a mandarin!”<br /> <br /> Mosu blushed with shame when he heard these words. Speechless and out of sorts he seated himself in his room. But the old beggar-king in the joy of his heart did not notice his ill humor. He had a great festival banquet prepared, to which he invited all his neighbors and good friends. But most of the invited guests were beggars and poor folk, and he insisted that Mosu eat with them. With much difficulty Mosu was induced to leave his room. Yet when he saw the guests gathered around the table, as ragged and dirty as a horde of hungry devils, he retired again with disdain. Little Golden Daughter, who realized how he felt, tried to cheer him up again in a hundred and one ways, but all in vain.<br /> <br /> A few days later Mosu, with his wife and servants, set out for the new district he was to govern. One goes from Hanchow to Wu We by water. So they entered a ship and sailed out to the Yangtze-kiang. At the end of the first day they reached a city where they anchored. The night was clear and the moonrays glittered on the water, and Mosu sat in the front part of the ship enjoying the moonlight. Suddenly he chanced to think of the old beggar-king. It was true that his wife was wise and good, but should heaven happen to bless them with children, these children would always be the beggar’s nephews and nieces, and there was no way of preventing such a disgrace. And thus thinking a plan occurred to him. He called Little Golden Daughter out of the cabin to come and enjoy the moonlight, and she came out to him happily. Men servants and maid servants and all the sailors had long since gone to sleep. He looked about him on all sides, but there was no one to be seen. Little Golden Daughter was standing at the front of the ship, thinking no evil, when a hand suddenly thrust her into the water. Then Mosu pretended to be frightened, and began to call out: “My wife made a misstep and has fallen into the water!”<br /> <br /> And when they heard his words, the servants hurried up and wanted to fish her out.<br /> <br /> But Mosu said: “She has already been carried away by the current, so you need not trouble yourselves!” Then he gave orders to set sail again as soon as possible.<br /> <br /> Now who would have thought that owing to a fortunate chance, Sir Hu, the mandarin in charge of the transportation system of the province, was also about to take charge of his department, and had anchored in the same place. He was sitting with his wife at the open window of the ship’s cabin, enjoying the moonlight and the cool breeze.<br /> <br /> Suddenly he heard some one crying on the shore, and it sounded to him like a girl’s voice. He quickly sent people to assist her, and they brought her aboard. It was Little Golden Daughter.<br /> <br /> When she had fallen into the water, she had felt something beneath her feet which held her up so that she did not sink. And she had been carried along by the current to the river-bank, where she crept out of the water. And then she realized that her husband, now that he had become distinguished, had forgotten how poor he had been, and for all she had not been drowned, she felt very lonely and abandoned, and before she knew it her tears began to flow. So when Sir Hu asked her what was the matter, she told him the whole story. Sir Hu comforted her.<br /> <br /> “You must not shed another tear,” said he. “If you care to become my adopted daughter, we will take care of you.”<br /> <br /> Little Golden Daughter bowed her thanks. But Hu’s wife ordered her maids to bring other clothes to take the place of the wet ones, and to prepare a bed for her. The servants were strictly bidden to call her “Miss,” and to say nothing of what had occurred.<br /> <br /> So the journey continued and in a few days’ time Sir Hu entered upon his official duties. Wu We, where Mosu was district mandarin, was subject to his rule, and the latter made his appearance in order to visit his official superior. When Sir Hu saw Mosu he thought to himself: “What a pity that so highly gifted a man should act in so heartless a manner!”<br /> <br /> When a few months had passed, Sir Hu said to his subordinates: “I have a daughter who is very pretty and good, and would like to find a son-in-law to marry into my family. Do you know of any one who might answer?”<br /> <br /> His subordinates all knew that Mosu was young and had lost his wife. So they unanimously suggested him.<br /> <br /> Sir Hu replied: “I have also thought of that gentleman, but he is young and has risen very rapidly. I am afraid he has loftier ambitions, and would not care to marry into my family and become my son-in-law.”<br /> <br /> “He was originally poor,” answered his people, “and he is your subordinate. Should you care to show him a kindness of this sort, he will be sure to accept it joyfully, and will not object to marrying into your family.”<br /> <br /> “Well, if you all believe it can be done,” said Sir Hu, “then pay him a visit and find out what he thinks about it. But you must not say that I have sent you.”<br /> <br /> Mosu, who was just then reflecting how he might win Sir Hu’s favor, took up the suggestion with pleasure, and urgently begged them to act as his go-between in the matter, promising them a rich reward when the connection was established.<br /> <br /> So they went back again and reported to Sir Hu.<br /> <br /> He said: “I am much pleased that the gentleman in question does not disdain this marriage. But my wife and I are extremely fond of this daughter of ours, and we can hardly resign ourselves to giving her up. Sir Mosu is young and aristocratic, and our little daughter has been spoiled. If he were to ill-treat her, or at some future time were to regret having married into our family, my wife and I would be inconsolable. For this reason everything must be clearly understood in advance. Only if he positively agrees to do these things would I be able to receive him into my family.”<br /> <br /> Mosu was informed of all these conditions, and declared himself ready to accept them. Then he brought gold and pearls and colored silks to Sir Hu’s daughter as wedding gifts, and a lucky day was chosen for the wedding. Sir Hu charged his wife to talk to Little Golden Daughter.<br /> <br /> “Your adopted father,” said she, “feels sorry for you, because you are lonely, and therefore has picked out a young scholar for you to marry.”<br /> <br /> But Little Golden Daughter replied: “It is true that I am of humble birth, yet I know what is fitting. It chances that I agreed to cast my lot with Mosu for better or for worse. And though he has shown me but little kindness, I will marry no other man so long as he lives. I cannot bring myself to form another union and break my troth.”<br /> <br /> And thus speaking the tears poured from her eyes. When Sir Hu’s wife saw that nothing would alter her resolve, she told her how matters really stood.<br /> <br /> “Your adopted father,” said she, “is indignant at Mosu’s heartlessness. And although he will see to it that you meet again, he has said nothing to Mosu which would lead him to believe that you are not our own daughter. Therefore Mosu was delighted to marry you. But when the wedding is celebrated this evening, you must do thus and so, in order that he may taste your just anger.”<br /> <br /> When she had heard all this, Little Golden Daughter dried her tears, and thanked her adopted parents. Then she adorned herself for the wedding.<br /> <br /> The same day, late at evening, Mosu came to the house wearing golden flowers on his hat, and a red scarf across his breast, riding on a gaily trapped horse, and followed by a great retinue. All his friends and acquaintances came with him in order to be present at the festival celebration.<br /> <br /> In Sir Hu’s house everything had been adorned with colored cloths and lanterns. Mosu dismounted from his horse at the entrance of the hall. Here Sir Hu had spread a festival banquet to which Mosu and his friends were led. And when the goblet had made the rounds three times, serving-maids came and invited Mosu to follow them to the inner rooms. The bride, veiled in a red veil, was led in by two maid-servants. Following the injunctions of the master of the ceremony, they worshiped heaven and earth together, and then the parents-in-law. Thereupon they went into another apartment. Here brightly colored candles were burning, and a wedding dinner had been prepared. Mosu felt as happy as though he had been raised to the seventh heaven.<br /> <br /> But when he wanted to leave the room, seven or eight maids with bamboo canes in their hands appeared at each side of the door, and began to beat him without mercy. They knocked his bridal hat from his head, and then the blows rained down upon his back and shoulders. When Mosu cried for help he heard a delicate voice say: “You need not kill that heartless bridegroom of mine completely! Ask him to come in and greet me!”<br /> <br /> Then the maids stopped beating him, and gathered about the bride, who removed her bridal veil.<br /> <br /> Mosu bowed with lowered head and said: “But what have I done?”<br /> <br /> Yet when he raised his eyes he saw that none other than his wife, Little Golden Daughter, was standing before him.<br /> <br /> He started with fright and cried: “A ghost, a ghost!” But all the servants broke out into loud laughter.<br /> <br /> At last Sir Hu and his wife came in, and the former said: “My dear son-in-law, you may rest assured that my adopted daughter, who came to me while I was on my way to this place, is no ghost.”<br /> <br /> Then Mosu hastily fell on his knees and answered: “I have sinned and beg for mercy!” And he kowtowed without end.<br /> <br /> “With that I have nothing to do,” remarked Sir Hu, “if our little daughter only gets along well with you, then all will be in order.”<br /> <br /> But Little Golden Daughter said: “You heartless scoundrel! In the beginning you were poor and needy. We took you into our family, and let you study so that you might become somebody, and make a name for yourself. But no sooner had you become a mandarin and a man of standing, than your love turned into enmity, and you forgot your duty as a husband and pushed me into the river. Fortunately, I found my dear adopted parents thereby. They fished me out, and made me their own child, otherwise I would have found a grave in the bellies of the fishes. How can I honorably live again with such a man as you?”<br /> <br /> With these words she began to lament loudly, and she called him one hard-hearted scoundrel after another.<br /> <br /> Mosu lay before her, speechless with shame, and begged her to forgive him.<br /> <br /> Now when Sir Hu noticed that Little Golden Daughter had sufficiently relieved herself by her scolding, he helped Mosu up and said to him: “My dear son-in-law, if you repent of your misdeed, Little Golden Daughter will gradually cease to be angry. Of course you are an old married couple; yet as you have renewed your vows this evening in my house, kindly do me a favor and listen to what I have to say: You, Mosu, are weighed with a heavy burden of guilt, and for that reason you must not resent your wife’s being somewhat indignant, but must have patience with her. I will call in my wife to make peace between you.”<br /> <br /> With these words Sir Hu went out and sent in his wife who finally, after a great deal of difficulty, succeeded in reconciling the two, so that they agreed once more to take up life as husband and wife.<br /> <br /> And they esteemed and loved each other twice as much as they had before. Their life was all happiness and joy. And later, when Sir Hu and his wife died, they mourned for them as if in truth they had been their own parents.<br /> <br /> Note: “To marry into”: as a rule the wife enters the home of her husband’s parents. But when there is no male heir, it is arranged that the son-in-law continues the family of his wife’s parents, and lives in their home. The custom is still very prevalent in Japan, but it is not considered very honorable in China to enter into a strange family in this way. It is characteristic that Mosu, as a punishment for disdaining to “marry into” a family the first time, is obliged to “marry into” a second time, the family of Sir Hu.<br /> <br /> The costume here described is still the wedding-costume of China. “Little Golden Daughter” said: “You heartless scoundrel!”; despite her faithfulness, in accordance with Chinese custom, she is obliged to show her anger over his faithlessness; this is necessary before the matter can be properly adjusted, so that she may “preserve her face.”

The Heartless Husband

ln olden times Hanchow was the capital of Southern China, and for that reason a great number of beggars had gathered there. These beggars ...

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