Southbound Chronicle

Author: Zong Pu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Zong Pu's The Journey South was published in 1988. This book is part of the planned tetralogy "The Wild Gourd Guide" by the author. "The Wild Gourd Guide" is set against the backdrop of life at Southwest Associated University during the War of Resistance against Japan, vividly depicting the moral integrity and emotional worlds of several generations of Chinese intellectuals. The novel has a rigorous and well-structured plot, elegant and subtle language, intricate subplots, rich and authentic characters, and is highly engaging—making it a rare gem in recent years. The Journey South follows the plot of the universities in Beijing beginning their southward relocation after the "July 7th Incident." Excerpt:
The No. 3 house on Xiangsu Xiejie, adjacent to Shichahai, is a residence that can be considered a mansion. The three main gates, aligned with Nos. 2 and 4, are deep and imposing, with roofs high above and adorned with lions, tigers, and qilins, exuding a majestic aura. It was once the property of Zhang Zhidong, a prominent official during the late Qing Dynasty. No. 3 is the main courtyard, with a large screen wall at the entrance. The screen wall is decorated with auspicious patterns of bats and turtles in blue tiles. The central white wall originally depicted a large scene of lotuses, imitating the scenery of Shichahai. Over ten years ago, when Lao Laoye bought the house, he painted over the flashy decorations, leaving only a wall of white. Next to the main gates stand two small stone lions, which were moved to the back garden. Now, a pair of spirited red lacquered couplets hang above the gates: "Guard solitude, seek unity, discern the subtle from the obvious; Renounce arrogance, embrace humility, know that the easy is hard." These are the calligraphy of Weng Tonghe. Commercial Press sells various couplets, but Fu Zhi went to select this pair. Lao Laoye greatly admired the couplets and would recite them whenever he entered or left. He bought this large house for two reasons: first, to live with his daughters and avoid staying at his son-in-law's place, so he could accommodate all three daughters in a spacious home; second, he believed that turning land into a house was better than turning it into paper money. His eldest daughter, Suochu, was married far away in Yunnan, leaving her quarters here. His second daughter, Jiangchu, and Mantai Mian, who had many social engagements, occupied the front hall and the third courtyard. His third daughter, Bichu, and her family rarely stayed in the city, using only a small courtyard as a resting place when visiting. Lao Laoye himself lived in the main house of the fourth courtyard. The southern house in the front courtyard was for guests, often occupied by people from all walks of life. Over the past decade, amid turbulent times, the house remained peaceful and leisurely even with the main gate shut. Although there was a branch of the Meng family here, Fu Zhi felt a sense of dependence when he arrived—unintentionally compelled to come, unlike his planned actions. Along the way, Bichu had thought of visiting Xizhimen, hoping to leave the city if possible. She couldn’t help but worry about E. Fu Zhi said it would be useless, and Lao Song also advised, "Best not to wander the streets; your car and Mantai’s arrived at the same time." The entire alley was quiet, though it wasn’t late—every door was shut. No one was cooling off in the streets. The imposing screen wall revealed its stark white facade. As soon as the car stopped, Weiwei jumped out first, rushing over to open the doors for Fu Zhi and his wife. The black lacquered gate of the mansion was slightly ajar, and he dashed inside to report that the third aunt and her family had arrived. Jiangchu and Mantai Mian had engagements at the same time and ate at Tongheju. During the meal, someone from the company took Mantai Mian away, leaving only Jiangchu to return. She was just talking with Liu Ma, the housekeeper, about the city gates being closed when she mentioned that the Meng family would likely come. She hurried out to greet them. Passing through the courtyard, she entered the front hall, where Bichu and Fu Zhi had already gone through the hanging flower gate. Everyone greeted each other, but no one knew what to say. Jiangchu was two years older than Bichu and looked strikingly similar. Once, when she visited Minglun University, several unfamiliar gentlemen greeted her in the garden outside the Meng residence. She was puzzled until she learned they had all mistaken her for the Mrs. Meng. In truth, the sisters had very different personalities. Jiangchu was sharp, while Bichu was gentle. Jiangchu exuded wealth, while Bichu had a refined, forest-like charm. Their contrasting lifestyles over the years had shaped them. The front hall was the outer living room of the Mantai family, lavishly decorated. Bichu and the children did not sit there but walked further in, where Weiwei’s wolf dog, Henry, greeted them with a wagging tail. He knew the relative closeness of the visitors and rarely made mistakes. They sat in the living room of the main house. Bichu quickly made a phone call, but no one answered. "E must be at the concert and hasn’t returned yet," Fu Zhi said. Bichu had to hang up and try again later. "Dad’s asleep?" she asked. "Liu Ma went to the back courtyard and said he’s probably asleep," Jiangchu replied. Just then, the curtain rustled, and a short middle-aged woman entered. Her small, round eyes shone like polished buttons, and she wore a gray silk cheongsam. This was Zhao Lianxiu, Lao Laoye’s second wife. After losing his first wife in middle age, Lao Laoye had no one to assist him with daily chores. While others suggested he find a wife to care for him, many did so at the time, though no longer through concubinage. Chinese language and wisdom could find countless ways to describe the same thing, even those with completely opposite connotations. Lao Laoye, however, was unique in insisting on a proper marriage and took a second wife. Though she was a second wife, Zhao Lianxiu held little status in the Lu family. She was never treated as an equal to Bichu’s mother, the Mrs. Zhang. First, due to her background, she was the daughter of a carpenter from a small county in Lunnan, Yunnan, and was discovered by General Yan Liangzu of the Yunnan Army when she visited Stone Forest with Lao Laoye. Second, she was two years younger than Bichu. Originally, Lao Laoye sought her only to care for his father, with no intention of formal marriage. When Lao Laoye insisted on treating everyone equally, both Bichu and Zhao Lianxiu had no objections, though Jiangchu strongly opposed it. Later, when her opposition failed, a tone of slight disdain lingered. Zhao Lianxiu was, however, a virtuous and diligent woman who devoted herself wholeheartedly to caring for Lao Laoye. With a smile, she greeted everyone, adopting a servile demeanor as she reported, "Lao Laoye has already retired. He originally wanted to ask about the outside world when you returned, but it’s late, so he’s asleep." She then smiled and took E’s hand, as she liked her very much. E greeted her warmly but rarely thought of her when they weren’t together. The Meng family rarely mentioned her when they were together, as if she didn’t exist. Thus, each time E saw her, she felt both familiar and strange. "I was looking forward to seeing you, but now I can’t. It’s good that you’re here. You can stay in the city for a few more days," she said, holding E’s hand and then reaching for Xiaowa. "Dad doesn’t care about these things. He says as long as bombs don’t fall on our heads, everything’s fine." "Weiwei, the children can play in your room for a while. The back courtyard is cleaned up, so it’s time to sleep," Jiangchu said. The three children eagerly obeyed the command and hurried out. Lianxiu withdrew her hand, smiling as she sat on a chair near the door. She usually greeted them, sat for a few minutes, and then left. Xuanzi had already gone back to her room. Weiwei’s room was a small suite at the western end of the main house. Behind this row of main houses stood a courtyard with very little depth, filled with vines, known as the Vine Courtyard. A vine hung over Weiwei’s back window, which E loved. "Turn off the light, turn off the light," Weiwei said as soon as he entered and turned on the lamp. "E wants to see the vines," Xiaowa explained. After the lights were off, they indeed saw the swaying shadows of leaves. A thick vine, as wide as a child’s arm, slanted across the window lattice. "Why aren’t there fireflies in the city?" Xiaowa asked. "Fireflies move and flash. Can we go back tomorrow?" "If the city gates open tomorrow, we can go back," E said. "That’s not certain. Come, look at the map I drew—have you had enough of the vines?" E nodded in agreement to turn on the light. When the light came on, they saw a beautiful airplane model hanging in the middle of the room, painted in light blue. This was Weiwei’s summer vacation project. A large map was spread on the table, part of his summer homework. Weiwei’s desk was very large, even bigger than Mantai Mian’s office desk. The desk was divided into various sections: math, history, geography, aviation, and more. E walked over to examine the map, while Xiaowa tugged Weiwei to take down the model. Once the plane was removed, the two crouched on the ground to study it. "I hope you all grow up to fly planes," E said, crouching down to look at the map with them. "I want to build planes," Weiwei replied. "People should fly; otherwise, it’s too pityful. Birds probably look at us the way we look at snakes." "I want to build planes too," Xiaowa echoed. "Like fireflies, flying like fireflies." He looked at E. "E can’t build planes, but we’ll build one for you to sit in." "I can take responsibility for cleaning up the plane," E said, though she had no interest in building planes. Yet she believed that planes were like homes. "If Xuanzi were here, she’d say, ‘I won’t sit in it. I’m afraid I’ll fall.’” Weiwei laughed. "Xuanzi sister looks really pretty today, just like Ling sister." E thought that any bride should be beautiful. The three children studied the plane for a while before turning back to the map. Weiwei’s map marked the locations of foreign troops. "So many!" E exclaimed. "Where’s Lugu Bridge?" "This map isn’t detailed enough. Should I draw one?" Wei said, picking up a pen. Just then, Liu Ma entered to take E and Weiwei to bed. Weiwei wanted to follow. Liu Ma said, "Madam said you should also go to bed. She’ll be here soon." "Then we’ll go to Shichahai tomorrow," E said. "Can we really go out through the main gate tomorrow? For goodness sake, my," Liu Ma replied. "Then we’ll dig a canal in the back garden," Weiwei said. The back garden was a mysterious place for the children, as it was rarely visited and overgrown with weeds. Amid the wild grass stood an old two-story building, and the servants’ tales said that fox spirits lived there, with small red lights hanging at night—though no one had ever seen them. After a few more murmurs, the three children parted. The Meng siblings took a side alley to the main courtyard. The main house had fourteen rooms, arranged in a hook-and-chain style, tall and spacious. In the courtyard stood two crabapples and two locust trees, both lush and deeply rooted. In the center was a large fish tank with lotuses, two of which were blooming casually. The courtyard was quiet now, with only the lit and the fragrance of night jasmine filling the air. The children walked lightly. "Go run around. This big courtyard won’t disturb Lao Laoye," Liu Ma said. They entered the moon gate on the west side, a small cross courtyard likely once used as a study or music room. It was small but exquisite, with cypresses planted along the walls and a delicate rockery on the south wall. The flower beds were filled with peonies. Soft light filtered through the curtains, illuminating the lush flowers. Pushing aside the curtain, they saw Fu Zhi sitting at a table, while Bichu was tidying something. Liu Ma helped arrange for the two sisters to bathe and go to bed before leaving. A while later, someone called from outside, "Third Aunt, are you resting?" Bichu recognized this as Lü Guitang, the cousin of Lao Laoye’s late wife, and let him in. Lao Laoye had no sons, but all the Lu family members considered themselves his relatives. Lü Guitang could read and write and had taught private lessons in the countryside for a few years. His wife passed away last year, leaving him in debt, so he brought his daughter Xiangge to Lao Laoye last year, hoping to find some work to pay off his debts. Among the constant flow of guests in the south wing, he stood out as clear-headed and honest, and Lao Laoye often had him discuss and manage household affairs, placing him somewhere between relative and servant. However, no one had a proper title for him, and they simply called him by name, which had become customary. The Lü family had hoped to enroll Xiangge in school, but Lü Guitang said that Beijing was not their place and that they should first pay off their debts. The father and daughter took on some copying work. Over the past year, they gradually repaid some debts and lived a quiet life. "Come pay respects to Third Aunt and Mr. Meng," Lü Guitang said, pushing the curtain open, followed by sixteen-year-old Xiangge. Every time Bichu saw her, she felt she had grown taller and more striking, yet she also sensed her cleverness without depth, though she didn’t know why. She wore an old moon-white bamboo cloth shirt and pants, with loose, swinging legs, giving her a rustic charm despite the attire. "Little Aunt’s asleep?" she asked, referring to E. "No, no! You’re here!" E and Xiaowa were just about to fall asleep in the inner room. Xiangge first glanced at Bichu’s expression and sensing no objection, took two colorful braided hairpins with shiny tassels from her pocket and said with a smile, "These were tied for little Aunt during the Dragon Boat Festival." She went into the inner room. E and Xiaowa immediately cheered. They cheered for everything they saw. Since their call to E had not gone through, Bichu went forward to make another call. In the outer room, Fu Zhi and Lü Guitang discussed the current situation. Lü Guitang didn’t dare to linger, but Fu Zhi asked about rural conditions. "A cousin wrote saying life in the countryside is getting worse. Everyone in the village has a disease—first, they suffer from eye problems, then fever, and then they can’t move their right leg. Most are already too weak to survive without illness. If the Japanese attack again, there’s no hope left. I don’t know how the Japanese will proceed this time." "They’ll first, then aim to all of China," Fu Zhi said. "It depends on whether the Chinese people will have the courage to resist. If we lose Hebei again, it will be even harder to fight in the future." "Mr. Meng! To be honest," Lü Guitang couldn’t help but say, "I often feel like a disabled person. Though I can read and write, I’m not considered an intellectual. And though I grew up in the countryside, I’m not skilled with farming tools. People like me just pass the days. If there’s anything I can do for the great cause of resisting Japan, I’m ready to sacrifice everything!" A crisp laugh came from the inner room. He glanced inside. "Xiangge? Your aunts will take care of her." Fu Zhi was deeply moved. At this critical moment for the nation’s survival, most Chinese people would sacrifice their homes to ease the crisis. But he didn’t know how to unite such spirit. After a moment of silence, he said, "Tomorrow we’ll return to the school. You’ll need to take care of things here." "Being able to serve by Lao Laoye’s side is my fortune," Lü Guitang said. He then stood up and called for Xiangge. As she walked, she promised to teach E to make dolls with scraps of cloth the next day, and followed Lü Guitang in farewell. When Bichu returned, she had already made the call and spoken with Fu Zhi, then entered the inner room to see the two children. "Your sister’s here, there’s nothing to worry about. The concert will go on as planned," Bichu said, patting Xiaowa’s head. "Mom and Dad will go back first tomorrow. You two can stay here. Isn’t it fun?" The world in the city was rich and novel, and the two children never stayed long enough. Hearing that their parents were leaving, E immediately threw the colorful hairpins far away. How she longed to go home with them. "Can’t we go home?" "I want to go home too," Xiaowa echoed. "Stay for a few days, see how the situation changes, and we’ll pick you up," Fu Zhi said from the outer room. "Dad will tell you many stories from the past. Weiwei will take you to play—" He didn’t finish his sentence. For a moment, all four felt that Fanghu was the most wonderful place in the world, and no matter what, they didn’t want to leave. "Can we go back?" E pulled the blanket over her face, revealing only a pair of watery eyes. "I think we can," Fu Zhi could only reply. "How long?" "Not long,"