Nesting Forest Notes

Author: Gong Wei (Qing Dynasty), annotated by Qian Binghuan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1997-12-01
Features: The Nest Forest Notes (six volumes) and The Continuation (one volume) were written by Gong Wei of the Qing Dynasty. Wei, styled Chao Lin, called himself Chao Lin Sanren, and later styled Jixi Laomin. He was from Kunshan, Jiangsu. Born in the 43rd year of the Kangxi reign (1704), he was still alive at the age of 66 in the 34th year of the Qianlong reign (1769). His great-grandfather was known as Xipu and served in the Ming Dynasty. His father, styled Liaocun, was a jinshi (imperial scholar) and served as an examiner in Jiangxi. His mother, Lady Ge, was well-versed in poetry and literature, and his aunts and sisters were also educated. His wife, Lady Wang, belonged to a prominent family in Loudong. By the time of the author, the family had declined from wealth to moderate means. Wei loved classics and history, excelled in poetry and prose, was skilled in musical instruments, and also practiced martial arts. His writings were highly praised by his teachers and friends. For example, Shen Qiyuan (styled Jingting), a respected figure of the time, once read his works and exclaimed, "The Han-style literature has reappeared!" Lu Ji also praised him, saying, "In his writings, there is nothing but fragrance, and beyond the confines of convention, he possesses the craftsmanship of a master. He has reached the pinnacle of a talent and dispelled the grievances of a scholar." However, he failed the imperial examinations multiple times and, at the age of over forty, had yet to pass. He deeply felt his talent was unappreciated and once wrote, "Twenty years of preparing for the imperial examinations have wasted half of my useful life. Three failures in the provincial exams have left me with nine volumes of nameless failures." Due to frequent illnesses, he had to give up his pursuit of an official career. "I now shut myself indoors, avoiding medicine and treatment. Books may be damaged, but not my possessions. I have no desires, and writing is not for money. How can there be worries? The seventy-year-old flower of the four seasons can be a friend, and a single branch of the wise can be a model. In games, I do not refuse to play, and in music, even if I enjoy it alone, I still enjoy it. My mind holds mountains and rivers, and even in my small room, I have a distant view; resting in the pastures of Xu and Xu, the world's flavors become ancient and. Without a position, I should enjoy the wind and moon with peace; with books, I might resemble the addiction to smoke and clouds." This was his life in his later years. Gong Wei's other works include The Golden Dust Collection (several volumes), Records of Insect Disasters and Continuation of Records of Insect Disasters (each one volume), Records of Lake and Mountain Travel (one volume), Records of Ruan's Journey (two volumes), and Explorations in the Garden of Brushes (several volumes), which may all have been lost. There is no biography of the author, and his family background, life, and writings are only roughly compiled from scattered records in this book. The Nest Forest Notes was created by Gong Wei, who wrote, "In the past forty years, what I have seen and what I wanted to express have gradually appeared here." The book is arranged in chronological order, starting from the late Kangxi reign and ending around the 28th year of the Qianlong reign. The content is quite extensive, covering social customs, historical anecdotes, natural disasters, official corruption, as well as literary insights and interactions with friends and relatives. The author's writing is fluent and engaging, as if conversing with old friends. For example, in his account of the insect disaster in the 20th year of the Qianlong reign, he wrote, "During the White Dew Festival, the water boiled, and the rice roots rotted, giving rise to insects, which was expected, but not to this extent. At the beginning of the month, I heard of insect disasters in the three counties of the prefecture; yet my county's crops were lush, and the harvest seemed promising. Mid-Autumn came, and the insects also began to rise in the dark, spreading without end. The lush crops I had seen earlier were now all red." That year, there was a severe famine, and the people had nothing to rely on. The price of a stone of rice rose to five taels of silver or more. "They valued millet as if it were jade and millet, and used wild greens as if they were delicacies. Fields were meant to feed the people, but now they were considered dirty; pawn shops were meant to secure loans, but now they were empty. Exquisite carvings of sandalwood and zitan were only sold for firewood; splendid scrolls were not worth the price of paper money. Scholars sought refuge in the western suburbs of the city, yet even they had to beg for rice. Beggars filled the streets, and many died. Those who carried burdens could not support their families and even sought suicide." Just after the famine, "epidemics spread relentlessly; those who caught it died, and countless deaths occurred. Among the scholars, the most tragic was Zhou Kunzhuang, whose entire family of seven perished." Only four years later, "insects again devoured the crops, yielding no more than one or two dou of rotten rice per mu. Food was insufficient, and several mouths were starving in the summer." When the poor were suffering from hunger, cold, and epidemics, corrupt officials, unscrupulous merchants, and petty clerks colluded to seize relief funds, enriching themselves while the people suffered. "They collected gold and grain to build gardens, then laughed and pointed at the bones in the streets." This depicted a tragic contrast between officials and scholars and the common people. Similar records include those of the wind and flood disasters in the 10th year of the Yongzheng reign and around the 12th year of the Qianlong reign. Regarding the customs of Wu region related to daily life, he wrote, "The customs of Wu are extravagant and growing day by day, yet they do not know when to stop. How can there be enough for everyone? When I was young, scholars wore only fur coats, but now even women and children in the streets wear fur. Red silk hats were worn by one in twenty, but now by one in eighteen or nineteen. Families without savings are ashamed to wear cotton. The decorations of turning dragons and standing dragons, the gold-painted and gold-cut clothes, are now worn even by common households. The more expensive the items, the harder it is to afford, and those who add luxury have no satisfaction." Regarding marriage, he wrote, "The match sought to match status, and the couple was valued for their virtue, with wealth being secondary. The customs of Wu have declined, with men calculating the dowry and women demanding betrothal gifts. Some even write draft contracts before marrying. Thus, rituals have become like contracts, and it is extremely indecent. Moreover, once profit is involved, the distinction between good and bad, and the choice of partners, are no longer considered." The records of the temple fairs are also quite detailed. "The people of Wu believe in sorcery and worship ghosts. During the temple fairs, the processions are grand: orderly attendants, pairs forming rows, officials in uniform, riding in pairs. The repeated playing of drums, pipes, and strings fills the sky; the fluttering of banners and canopies shines like the sun. Holding spears and shields, they retain the spirit of the great Nuo; walking dogs and hunting with hawks may hide the meaning of hunting. They gather gold and jewels to decorate pavilions and weave silk and brocade into towers. Those holding incense kowtow on the streets, and those with bound feet crawl on the ground. Though customs may vary, none are as extravagant as this. Once I visited Chaxi and encountered a magnificent fair, creating novelty in pavilions and drawing on ancient traditions in poetry. On Jinhuashan, the rich and noble appeared as immortals; at the southern end of Liu Market, it became a prosperous world. Tao Yuanming's golden flowers along the paths were now part of treasures, and Pei Jun's green nights at the banquet were spent in pearl boxes. Two teams competed for supremacy, and the entire nation seemed to lose its senses. The splendor of the processions was secondary; the decoration with pearls was truly a spectacle." "On the 28th day of the third month, known as the birth of Mount Tai, the gods of the villages gathered at the Tai Temple. There are several temples, with one between Kunshan and Changshu, where the fairs are particularly lively. On the day, people from all over gather, adding to the boat races and drumbeats. The sound of jade pipes and gold flutes fills the clear waters; the flowing robes and colorful attire adorn the waves. Truly, these are customs that are not abandoned, and they are also a joy for those who seek excitement." These records reflect, to some extent, the economic development of the Jiangnan region during the Ming and Qing dynasties and can serve as references for economic history research. At the same time, they also provide materials for sociological studies.