Read Suzhou again

Author: Xu Gangyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-06-01
Features: The homeland's land and water have nurtured millions of Wu people. Amidst the gentle mountains and soft waters, the Wu dialect emerged, leading many to perceive the people of Suzhou as embodying "softness." The Wu accent is lavish, and the Wu songs are tender. For thousands of years, it seems Suzhou people have indeed been softened by this gentle land, losing much of their fierceness. The martial and bold spirit of the early Wu state has vanished, leaving many dynasties to believe that the people of Suzhou are indulgent, timid, and lacking in masculine vigor—useless individuals. Even today, when people from Suzhou travel abroad, the first thing others think of is to make them speak, just to hear the sweet and tender Suzhou dialect, hoping to elicit a smile. The manner is as if they are teasing a red-beaked, green-parrot! Are the people of Suzhou truly so lacking in ambition? In fact, from ancient times to the present, the national backbone has always stood tall within the bodies of the people of Suzhou! Here, let alone figures like Fan Zhongyan, who advocated "worrying for the world before oneself and rejoicing for the world after oneself," or Fan Chengda, who was nearly killed while serving as an envoy to the Jin Dynasty but remained unwavering in his loyalty—let alone the Ming-era opposition to the eunuch Wei Zhongxian, where thousands gathered in righteous indignation, with martyrs dying with a smile, leaving behind the Five Martyrs' Monument that still moves later generations to tears—just the countless stories of the loyal and righteous among the common folk are enough.
In the early Southern Song Dynasty, Wang Shi, a girl from Xiaoshan's Xiaojia Bay, could compose poems by the age of seven, publishing over 700 palace verses. When Emperor Gaozong heard of her fame, he summoned her to become a concubine. She refused the envoy, saying, "While the two emperors are still missing (Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong were captured by the Jin), and the enemy has not been defeated, to indulge in pleasure is not the way of a great ruler." She wrote a poem to resist and died by suicide behind closed doors.
In the early Southern Song Dynasty, Liu Ding and Zhang Ao were military commanders. When the Jin forces entered Pan Gate, the two refused to surrender and fought bravely. Liu Ding died in battle, while Zhang Ao, captured, drowned himself rather than betray his country. The people of Suzhou built a temple in his honor at Pan Gate.
In the first year of the Dedeuruo era (1275), the Yuan forces crossed the Yangtze River. Wen Tianxiang, having left Pingjiang Prefecture to raise troops to rescue the Song emperor, sent Yin Yu with 500 righteous men to fight at Wumen. Yin Yu was shot repeatedly and died of exhaustion, struck down by clubs, while the remaining soldiers perished in the night battle.
That same year, Zheng Jingzhao, styled Huuchen, lived on the east side of Hedu Bridge (now the intersection of Baita West Road and Pishi Street). He was the magistrate of Kuaiji County and, upon the incompetent rule of Jia Sidao, was dismissed and exiled to the Mulian Pavilion in Zhangzhou. Zheng Jingzhao, as the escort, declared, "I will die for the world in killing Jia Sidao—what regret would I have?" He confined his son and concubine to a separate room and dragged Jia Sidao to his death. Later, he was captured in Fuzhou and died in prison.
Zheng Shimo of Dongting West Mountain had five daughters. When the Yuan forces crossed the Yangtze, the daughters feared for their lives and dug a pit, where they all jumped in together to commit suicide.
When the Ming Taizu conquered the city, An Wannian, the commander of Qimen, refused to surrender and died under the city walls. The tomb of Liu Zhen, a loyal woman from Daliu Zhen Lane (Daliu Zhijie Lane), was built for those who died for their loyalty during the Ming Taizu's conquest of Suzhou. The old bone mound named Wuguqiu in the northeast corner of the Prince's Mansion Temple (now the intersection of Dongdajie and Panhu Lane) also belonged to those who died for their loyalty. Zhou Kai, a hereditary commander of the Suzhou Guard, and his nephew Youshan were killed while resisting bandits while transporting supplies across the Yellow River during the Chongzhen era. Youshan's wife, Tang Shi, in grief, rowed to Jingkou to mourn and drowned herself by throwing stones.
In Huaguan's Maojia Lane, there is a well where people committed suicide to uphold their virtue when the Japanese invaders attacked. Cao Jian, an officer of the Suzhou Guard, was captured while fighting the Japanese and died refusing to surrender. His eldest daughter and grandson also drowned themselves.
When the Ming Dynasty fell, the news reached Suzhou. Jiang Yuanyun retreated to the wilderness, vowing never to enter the city. Zhao Weiyuan remained unmarried and stayed indoors, caring for his mother until her death. Shi Zhibing, who lived near Tiger Hill's Shantang, was promoted to West Dao's during the Chongzhen era and committed suicide on the eighth day of the eighth month of the Jiaoshen year. His horse also neighed mournfully and refused to eat.
West of Wangjiaqiao in Loumen, both sides were Liu family homes. When the Ming fell, many Liu family members died for their loyalty here, their blood staining the pillars and never fading. Later, a memorial pavilion was built. Cao Xun, who lived south of Qimen Road, heard of the Jiaoshen upheaval and, with his grandmother, mother, wife, and sister, committed suicide together.
Over a dozen scholars also heard of the news, gathered at the Wuxian County School to mourn the emperor, and drowned themselves in the school's pool. Later, their remains were exhumed and buried beneath the school's Apricot Altar, where they were enshrined in the Temple of Loyalty and Righteousness.
In the fifth month of the Yiyou year, Qing troops advanced south. Li Bohan of Tandong rebelled and died at Pan Gate. Qian Tingxian of Nanhao refused to surrender and was executed, while his wife, Yuan Shi, committed suicide. Monk Zhi Jie, who lived in Changmen, also led a rebellion against the Qing forces and died in the street battle. Pan Hengnan and others from Xukou also rebelled and died. Gu Chong, who lived in Loumen, was captured when the city fell and died refusing to surrender. His son, Fengshan, risked his life to find his father's body, retrieved his blood-stained clothes, and buried them near the Sanxiang Temple outside Xuxi, guarding the tomb for the rest of his life, moving all who passed by to sorrow.
A man named Li from Xiaojinqiao, upon the Qing troops' arrival, drank with his family before sending his wife and two sons (aged 12 and 9) to drown in a well, then drowned himself in the river. The street vendor at the front of Xuanmiao Temple also refused to surrender and, with his wife, hanged themselves.
Though these were merely humble commoners, their resistance in the face of national collapse and city destruction was nothing short of earth-shattering and divine. Have you not heard the ancient saying, "When the nation rises or falls, every man has a responsibility"? It perfectly embodies the fierce and loyal spirit of the people of Wu!
May 18, 1996