British English: The Essence of Chinese Historical Notes American English: The Essence of Chinese Historical Notes

Author: Su Shi
Editor: Ren Shuobao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-10-01
Features:
Zhang Dai was a renowned prose writer of the Ming Dynasty. His "Viewing Snow at Lake Xinzhen" is a celebrated masterpiece in Chinese literary history, and even readers with limited knowledge of Zhang Dai are familiar with this beautiful and moving work. Zhang Dai (1597–1679) was from Shanyin (now Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province) and was born in the 25th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1597). He was known as Zongzi, also as Shigong, styled Tao'an, and also as Die'an. He came from a scholarly family and lived a life of wealth as a young man, valuing friendship over wealth and living a free-spirited life. After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, he retreated to the mountains, living a simple life of cloth and vegetables, immersed in writing, and finding joy in it. Zhang Dai had a unique personality and a colorful life. His life can be clearly divided into two phases: before and after the fall of the Ming Dynasty. Before the fall, he was a prominent figure in the social circles; after the fall, he withdrew to the mountains, becoming a true recluse. Previous generations have described his life and personality in vivid detail, calling him "a master of classical examinations in his youth, unwilling to be known as a scholar. In the south of the Yangtze River, all monks, swordsmen, Buddhist monks, and actors gathered at his home. Moreover, during the peaceful era of the Ming Dynasty, the land was tranquil, and the old man (referring to Tao'an, i.e., Zhang Dai—editor's note) lived at Longfu, with gardens, pavilions, ponds, and water features, with mulberry trees, wheat fields, and an annual income of thousands of strings of cash. Therefore, he indulged in cockfighting, falconry, six-throw dice, cuju, playing the lute, and splitting the Ruan, and he did them all. Now it is different. For thirty years, he has shut his door and refused guests, and guests have gradually left the old man. Occasionally, he walks into the market with a cane, and if people do not recognize his name, the old man is delighted and changes his name to Die'an and also to Shigong." Although Zhang Dai was famous for his unique personality, what was even more celebrated was his extraordinary literary talent, which brought him enduring fame through his extensive writings. Zhang Dai loved writing and produced many works in his lifetime, but very few have been passed down. His existing works include "Collected Essays of Langhuan," "Dream of West Lake Seeking," and "Postscripts to the Stone Cistern Book," among others. According to the preface of the existing "Dream of Tao'an," it is said: "The old man of Tao'an has written countless works, and his most confident is the 'Stone Cistern' book. This collection records local folk songs, trivial matters, but with a little embellishment, it becomes great literature. Readers feel as if they are traveling through mountains and rivers, witnessing customs, and admiring the beauty of palaces and temples, almost as if they are expressing the same sentiments as 'Foraging for Wild Vegetables' and 'Meadow Grass,' but with a touch of humor." His close friend Qi Zhi even admired his works immensely, praising him as "a master of writing, with his travel records, there is the breadth and depth of Li Daoyuan, the sharpness of Liu Tong, the elegance of Yuan Zhonglang, and the humor of Wang Jizhong, encompassing everything. There is a kind of ethereal and crystal-clear aura in his writing, and in his brushwork, there is nothing of the kind." These evaluations accurately summarize the main content and stylistic features of Zhang Dai's works.
Among Zhang Dai's works, "Dream of Tao'an" is the most widely known. In terms of genre, it belongs to the category of "notes." The genre of "notes" emerged during the Northern and Southern Dynasties and flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the distinction between "wen" (literary) and "bi" (prose) emerged in Chinese literature. Those that used rhymes, paid attention to wording, and moved people's emotions were called "wen," while the rest were called "bi." The original meaning of "notes" was "prose," a form of writing distinct from poetry and fu. Within notes, there was a subgenre of "note fiction," which specialized in recording strange and supernatural stories. Another type of notes differed in that it focused more on realism, resembling the documentary prose in modern literary theory. This type of note work excelled in recording observations, identifying names and objects, explaining ancient terms, narrating historical events, describing landscapes, and expressing emotions. After the Song Dynasty, this type of note work became even more popular, with many famous writers deeply attached to it, and many famous and renowned works emerged in history. Generally speaking, Zhang Dai's note works belong to this category.
On the surface, "Dream of Tao'an" seems to be related to dreams, but in reality, it records the visible and tangible emotions of the present. The title "dream" implies that the scenery is still present, but the emotions are gone. Through the realism of dreams, it expresses the ethereal and lingering of Zhang Dai. Zhang Dai was a master of the late Ming "spiritual literature," and this work fully embodies some characteristics of spiritual literature. "Dream of Tao'an" is divided into eight volumes, with the main focus on travel records, recalling some trivial matters from his past life. It is short in length but covers a wide range of topics, with a focus on the tea houses, taverns, singing and dancing halls, storytelling and performances, lantern festivals, and folk customs of the time, as well as scenes of raising birds, cockfighting, hunting, and martial arts, as well as landscapes, cultural relics, and calligraphy and painting. In terms of content and emotion, this work can be read alongside another of his famous note works, "Dream of West Lake Seeking."
"Dream of West Lake Seeking" is a five-volume work, divided into North Road, West Road, South Road, Middle Road, and External Scenes, each recording its merits. It focuses on the mountains and waters of West Lake and West Lake legends, and it extensively quotes the best lines of ancient and modern literati, blending the scenery with the text, making the old West Lake come alive on paper, subtly conveying the emotions of reminiscing about the past. Qing Dynasty critic Wu Chongyao noted this characteristic, pointing out: "In the past, Meng Yuanlao wrote 'Dream of Splendid Capital,' and Wu Zimao wrote 'Dream of Lin'an,' both expressing a sense of helplessness in the face of the passage of time and the changes of history. This work is truly the same. Although it occasionally touches on the joys of life, it is full of extraordinary emotions, lively discussions, and bold brushwork, almost making readers dizzy with admiration—such an extraordinary talent."
Zhang Dai expresses complex emotions in these two note works. On one hand, he uses "dream" and "seeking" to recall his homeland and the Ming Dynasty, showing his dissatisfaction with the Qing rulers. On the other hand, in his reminiscence of his homeland and the Ming Dynasty, he also reveals a subtle sense of melancholy. Only by considering both aspects can one truly understand these works. This is an issue we must pay attention to when reading.
Another feature of "Dream of Tao'an" in terms of content is that while focusing on travel records, Zhang Dai also realistically and specifically depicts the scenes of social life at the time, giving the work certain historical value. This can be considered from two aspects: first, the book extensively depicts the daily lives of the common people in the Song Dynasty, providing some help for our research on Song Dynasty folk customs, society, and history today. Second, Zhang Dai's book also preserves some materials that are not clearly mentioned in other historical records. For example, Shen Suibo's "Records of the South Capital's Temple of the Ancestor" contains a poem that says: "Empress Gao is paired with heaven, the imperial tent where the gods reside. The concubines are positioned on the east side, but one concubine stands alone on the west. Emperor Chengzu highly values his birth, and no concubine dares to match him in virtue." Emperor Changling often called himself the fourth son of Empress Gao, but according to the temple system of the time, Empress Gao faced south, and all concubines stood on the east side, with only one person on the west side. It is said that Empress Gao was barren and could not have Emperor Changling, and the Yiwén Prince was also not her son. People doubt this matter. In Volume 1 of "Dream of Tao'an," the entry "Zhongshan" records this matter clearly, sufficient to supplement the gaps in other historical books. Although the purpose and focus of Zhang Dai's notes are not in these aspects, his records do provide some valuable materials for research and utilization. This point needs to be noted when reading these two note works.
The most important thing to emphasize about "Dream of Tao'an" is its literary characteristics. Zhang Dai was a master of prose, and the chapters in his notes, whether describing any subject, are short, lively, elegant, and fresh, vivid and poetic, reflecting his high literary skills and great achievements in artistic realm. For example, the widely quoted "Viewing Snow at Lake Xinzhen" (found in Volume 3 of "Dream of Tao'an") is as follows:
"In the fifth year of the Chongzhen era, I lived by West Lake. For three days of heavy snow, there was no sound of people or birds on the lake. That night, I took a small boat, wrapped in furs and with a stove fire, and went alone to Xinzhen Lake to watch the snow. The misty frost was vast and indistinct, with the sky, snow, clouds, mountains, and water all white as one. The shadows on the lake were only a trace of the long embankment, a point of Xinzhen Lake, and a few grains of my boat, with two or three people in the boat. When I arrived at the pavilion, there were two men sitting on a mat, with a boy heating wine, the stove boiling. They were very happy to see me and said, 'How could there be someone like you in the middle of the lake!' They pulled me to drink together. I forced down three large cups of white wine and left. When I asked about their names, they were from Jinling and were staying here. When I got back on the boat, the boatman murmured, 'Don't say you are crazy, there are people even crazier than you.'"
This prose is less than 200 words long but contains an extraordinary amount of content: it narrates, describes scenery, depicts people, and expresses emotions, with a complete structure and a continuous flow of writing. The brushwork is simple yet profound, and the meaning is deep and distant. First, its narrative is exquisite. Zhang Dai uses several appropriate verbs to connect the relevant scenes, completely bringing out the event. Second, its description of scenery is extraordinary. Zhang Dai's method is basically to change the scenery as one moves, creating scenes according to the circumstances, capturing the most expressive features of the scenery, and meticulously crafting the charm of the West Lake in snow. Third, its depiction of people is extremely vivid. Zhang Dai's methods are flexible and varied. He excels at writing people through events and even more so through contrast. The entire piece is about watching snow at Xinzhen Lake, focusing on the "watching" word, using the scenes in his eyes to imply his own cold and noble character, while also vividly depicting the boy and the boatman, one celestial and one mortal, to contrast his own aloof and extraordinary nature. Fourth, its expression of emotions is almost invisible. The theme of the entire piece can be said to be fully expressing his noble and aloof emotions, but whether in narration, description, or depiction of people, there is no word that directly states his emotions. Yet when one reads the entire piece, there is not a single word that does not mention emotions—truly "without a single word, yet fully capturing the essence."
Such masterful writing can be found everywhere in "Dream of Tao'an."
In summary, "Dream of Tao'an" has left us a rich and precious legacy in literature, and we need to study and inherit it seriously.
Lastly, a brief explanation of the main versions of "Dream of Tao'an." "Dream of Tao'an" has several popular versions, including the "Yanyun Jia Bian" edition, the Daoguang edition, and the "Yueya Tang Congshu" edition. The version published this time is based on the strengths of various versions, carefully collated and organized.
Excerpt:
"Golden Breast Grass Flowers"
Jin Rusheng loved growing grass flowers. In front of his house, there was an empty lot bounded by a small river. Rusheng built three small rooms near the river, extending their foundations to the north, making them long and not square. He set up a bamboo fence on the left. Facing the street to the north, he built an earthen wall, and inside the wall, he laid a flower railing to protect the foundation. In front of this, he laid another stone flower railing, over a foot long but slightly narrower. In front of the railing, he piled up some winding rock formations with spiral mountain stones, giving it an artistic touch. Over a hundred plants were planted, mixed together, with rich and sparse arrangements, all full of elegance. In spring, poppies and were the main plants, supplemented by mountain orchids, fragrant osmanthus, and cassia. When spring fades, peonies are the main plants, supplemented by western morning glory, soil orchid, purple orchid, and mountain alder. In summer, peonies and Jianlan are the main plants, supplemented by hibiscus, black sunflower, southward-looking grass, jasmine, iris, and pearl orchid. In autumn, chrysanthemums are the main plants, supplemented by autumn gauze, autumn gourd, monk's shoe chrysanthemum, longevity hibiscus, old youth, autumn begonia, wild goose red, and dwarf cock's comb. In winter, water lilies are the main plants, supplemented by winter jasmine. For woody plants, such as purple and white lilac, green-calyx, jade plate, winter jasmine, western bureau, Yunnan tea, Japanese daylily, and white pear blossoms, he planted them at the top of the wall and corners of the house to shade the scorching sun. Rusheng was frail and often sick. He would rise early, without washing or combing his hair, crouching on the steps, catching chrysanthemum beetles and cutting earthworms. Under the roots and leaves of the flowers, even though there were hundreds of plants, he would go around them once a day. For bald heads, fire ants; for thin branches, black centipedes; for injured roots, earthworms and dragonflies; for eating leaves, elephant bugs and hairy monkeys. Fire ants were lured out with dried fish bones and turtle shells and thrown away. Black centipedes were picked out with straw-wrapped chopsticks. Dragonflies were killed with lanterns in the quiet night. Earthworms were dissolved with lime water. Hairy monkeys were killed with horse manure water. Elephant bugs were searched for in iron money holes. He personally experienced every task, even if his hands were frozen and his forehead was scorching, he did not care. The Jade Emperor was pleased with his diligence and recently produced three types of lingzhi, signifying auspiciousness.
"Ruyue Lake"
Ruyue Lake is in the city of Ningbo, near the south gate. The sun lake is round and slightly smaller, so it is called "sun." The moon lake is long and square, so it is called "moon." The two lakes are connected like a ring, with a causeway running through the middle, tied by a small bridge. The sun lake has the Temple of Heshao. Jizhen, in official robes and dragging a sash, had no appearance of a monk. The temple has a stone inscribed with the poem "Farewell" by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang to honor him. Jizhen begged to return to his hometown by the Jian Lake in his eighties. His poem "Returning Home" says: "I left home as a child and returned when old, my hometown's accent unchanged, but my hair has turned gray. My children and grandchildren see me and do not recognize me, laughing and asking where I came from?" Returning home in his eighties is not too late. People called him a bold retreater, a reputation passed down through the ages. Jizhen once visited an old medicine seller, asking for the art of immortality, and gave him a pearl. The old man saw a baker passing by and exchanged the pearl for a bun. Jizhen did not dare to speak, feeling very regretful. The old man said, "Your greed has not been removed, how can you achieve the art of immortality!" He returned the pearl and left. Then Jizhen was just a person obsessed with wealth and status. The "Tang Dynasty Book" in the "Biographies of Recluses" is also very awkward.
The moon lake is a vast expanse of water, clear and beautiful, extending straight to the south city. Below the city, peach and willow trees are densely planted. The lakeside is also interspersed with famous flowers, fruits, and trees to tie it together. The buildings and pavilions on the lake are all gardens and pavilions of scholars and officials. The pavilions and terraces are dilapidated, but the rocks and trees are aged. The clematis vines on the rocks are as large as a drum, usually over a hundred years old. The gentry of Siming, their fields and houses, their gardens and pavilions, and their lives. Many of the trees and rocks of Pingquan have moved between Chu and Qin, so the gardens and pavilions are just for the sake of it, like temporary lodgings or government offices. Tu Chishui's "Sala Hall" is also only left with sala. The so-called "Snow Wave" and other stones have been in someone's garden for a long time.
On the Qingming Festival, the boats on the two lakes are very prosperous, but the small bridge cannot accommodate large boats. The area under the city wall is slightly wider, with lush peach and willow trees. Tourists sit on the ground, drinking and singing, their voices echoing the melody of West Lake.
"Night Performance at Jinshan"
In the second year of the Chongzhen era, one day after the mid-autumn festival, I was traveling from Zhenjiang to Yanzhou. At dusk, I arrived at Beiguo, mooring my boat at the river mouth. The moonlight was reflected in the water like a bag, the river waves swallowed and spat, and the dew absorbed it, spraying it into the sky as white. I was greatly surprised. I moved the boat to Jinshan Temple, and it was already past two o'clock. Passing the Dragon King Hall, I entered the main hall, all quiet. Moonlight filtered through the trees, sparse like residual snow. I called a little servant to bring performance props and set up bright lights in the main hall, singing plays like "Han Qiwang at Jinshan" and "The Great Battle of the Yangtze River." The drums and gongs were loud, and all the monks in the temple got up to watch. An old monk rubbed his back to relieve his eye inflammation, opening his mouth widely, with yawns and sneezes coming one after another. After steadying his eyes, he looked at who he was, where he came from, and when he arrived, he dared not ask. When the play ended, it was just dawn. We untied the ropes and crossed the river. The mountain monks watched from the foot of the mountain for a long time, not knowing if they were human, monster, or ghost.