"Linwu Mountain Man Sending Rice Scroll"

Author: Zhong Shuhe (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: Strictly speaking, this cannot be considered a book, but rather a scroll filled with inscriptions by famous figures. The term "scroll" originally referred to a form of mounting for calligraphy and paintings, and this particular scroll originated during the late Qing Dynasty's Guangxu era. Linwu Mountain is today's Dongting Mountain on the western side of Taihu Lake. The scroll depicts the people of Linwu Mountain sending rice. To whom were they sending the rice? To Bao Fangzi, the local inspector (equivalent to a township head, the lowest level of civil servants). Why were they sending rice to him? Originally, Bao Fangzi was a native of Huai'an County, Henan, and also a scholar. He was an honest and upright official, unyielding to corruption. By the end of the 16th year of the Guangxu era (1890), he was dismissed from office for offending his superiors. After losing his job, Bao Fangzi found himself in dire straits, "burdened with debts and with no money left." He not only lacked funds to move, but even had no rice to cook his meals. Upon learning about his situation, the people of Linwu Mountain felt deeply sympathetic and decided to come to his aid. Some brought several bushels of rice, while others donated firewood. Within a month, the movement had "spread to over eighty villages, involving about seven or eight thousand households." This spontaneous action by the people was not only a display of sympathy and support for an honest official but also a protest against corrupt government officials. It was also a grand demonstration of public opinion. As a result, the Taihu Hall, Suzhou Prefecture, and the Jiangsu Provincial government were greatly shocked and demanded an "urgent investigation and severe punishment." However, Bao Fangzi was not afraid of power and believed that "the mountain villagers' gift of firewood and rice was the collective will of the people—those who were resentful could not stop it, and those who were supportive could not discourage it." He was confident that this was a just and righteous act.