Strange Stories from the Bank of Song

Author: (Qing) Wang Tao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-11-01
Features: One day, it was the third anniversary of the deceased's room. Inviting a high monk to perform Buddhist ceremonies, the clanging of gongs and drums filled the hall. They also chanted the Liang Huang Chan for forty-nine days in another temple. The deceased recalled his past life and shed tears, saying to his daughter, "The matter entrusted to you the other day—why haven't you said a word until now? Was it a lie then?" The daughter replied, "I didn't speak because I feared it would hurt your heart. On that day, your wife was seen and loved by the Nine Princes. They sent a poison messenger with betrothal gifts, and when she entered, she directly addressed them. Your wife angrily threw the betrothal gifts to the ground and said, 'I dare not refuse the duty of teaching in the palace; but if you dare to interfere with me improperly, even death is not what I fear. Moreover, how can the sparrows of this world compare to the phoenixes of the heavens? If it is unavoidable, I am ready to face the fire pit, blood lake, knife mountain, and sword peak, and I will meet my end there. You may do as you please—it matters little to me.' The Nine Princes, hearing this, were furious and ordered her to be stripped and placed in the ice prison. She said, 'This is just enough to temper my jade bones.' Then they threw her into the furnace. She said, 'With an iron heart and stone intestines, it is hard to melt me through countless lifetimes.' Seeing her unyielding, the Nine Princes lost their temper, but they still did not immediately give up. Soon, they were informed by the Yama Lord, who praised the wife for her unwavering virtue and ordered the Nine Princes not to seek revenge. She was reborn as the daughter of a wealthy family in Jinchang and was destined to marry the deceased in her next life. Three years have passed in this world. You can now turn sorrow into joy.' The deceased asked, "Where is Jinchang?" She replied, "When the time comes, you will know. Remember that in thirteen years, a five-goat messenger will come here—then it will be time." The deceased then recorded this in a book. Just as he was speaking, the gatekeeper reported, "There is someone coming from the South Sea. They have a grand entourage and appear to be a high official, insisting on meeting the master." The deceased looked at their name card and did not recognize them, so he went out to talk to them. The person was exceptionally tall and handsome, with eloquent speech. He introduced himself as the newly appointed magistrate of Zengcheng County, coming to the capital to present himself. His cousin, Sun Lifang, the salt inspector, was also waiting in Guangdong and was related to the deceased. He wrote a letter to his daughter Yunshi, and the deceased agreed to act as the postman. He took out a letter for the deceased and left in a hurry. The deceased took the letter inside and showed it to his daughter. It read, "Aqiu has grown up and should be matched. If there is no suitable person, she can return to the countryside and follow the story of Eying. It is also fine. When the white bird messenger comes, it will be your elder sister's husband—you may meet them." The daughter discussed this with the deceased. The deceased initially pretended to refuse, laughing and saying, "I'm afraid the jealous wife wants to eat lychees, where will she find a ginkgo soup?" The daughter replied, "You, the cunning slave, want to take the house but let it go—your thoughts are as clear as your liver and lungs. I have no jealousy, so why bother?" The next year, Rongxian was already seventeen years old. After the Lantern Festival, the wedding was arranged. The ceremony was grand, the gifts were luxurious, the attire was exquisite, and the onlookers from far and near were full of admiration. The guests were numerous, and the attire was impeccable, far surpassing the previous marriage. Everyone praised the daughter for her virtue. The deceased planned to take the imperial examination and travel north. His two daughters urged him to stay, saying, "Today, you have the left by Yin and Xing and the right by Shi Dan, with fine wine in the house and famous flowers in the garden. Every fine day and beautiful night, you can drink together and enjoy happiness. You lead, and they follow—how could this not be one of the greatest joys in the world? Even the immortals in the paradise would envy this. Why must you travel the road and dream again in the Spring Palace? Even if you enter the literary world and ascend the jade hall, it is just worldly fame—what is the point? If you insist on going, are you truly a mortal with ordinary bones? Moreover, serving your husband and sister-in-law in the same bed is also a short-lived union. Later, you may regret it too." The deceased then gave up. One day, the peonies in the courtyard bloomed magnificently, with flowers as large as basins, vibrant in color and fragrance, dazzling and magnificent. The deceased was enjoying a drink with his two daughters when he was informed that the former magistrate of Zengcheng County was coming again. He went out to meet him. The former magistrate said he had been promoted to the position of and was passing through on his way to the capital. The next day, the deceased hosted a grand banquet for him and enjoyed the peonies together. The guest praised the peonies endlessly, especially the yellow and purple ones, as the crown of the flowers, and repeatedly asked for rare varieties to take back. The deceased, reluctant to refuse, reluctantly gave them potted plants as gifts. He thought they were as valuable as treasures. Unbeknownst to him, after the guest left, both daughters fell ill simultaneously. The flowers withered, and the women in the house passed away. The deceased was heartbroken and buried them with gold, jade, and treasures. When he dug up the graves, the coffins felt as light as empty. From then on, he no longer wanted to stay at home and traveled to Jiangsu to relieve his sorrow. By chance, he stayed in a small inn on the outskirts of Jinchang and was invited by friends to visit Liuyuan. He went boating with them. The painted boats were densely packed, and the scholars and ladies were numerous. He specially admired Shen Jinlan, thinking she was unmatched in Suzhou. In the garden, he saw a woman whose demeanor was similar to Zhiyun, and he couldn't help but gaze at her. The woman turned to see him and seemed to recognize him, surprised by his long gaze, turned and smiled gracefully, walking away. He asked someone to find out about her and learned she was from a wealthy family. He arranged for a matchmaker to propose, and they settled in Wumen. By chance, they talked about the past of Zhiyun, and the woman could not respond. The painted boats of the Qiantang River were famous for their beauty. From Hangzhou to the riverbank, up the river to Yiqiao, Fuyang, Yanzhou, Lanxi, Jinhua, Longyou, Quzhou, and finally to Changshan, a distance of six hundred li. At each place, there were dozens of boats, sometimes fewer. The women in the boats were either three or four, or one or two. The number of painted boats depended on the prosperity of the local area. The boats were moored like fish in a row or geese in an order, with white faces and green eyebrows, living in boats. Whenever the wind blew over the water, the moon was bright in the sky, with cups and dishes scattered, and silk and bamboo instruments arranged, truly enough to form a bond with nature and dispel the sadness of travel. Among them, the most outstanding was Guanfeng, the schoolgirl. She was young and beautiful, with a voice like green jade, full of grace and radiance, tall and elegant, with the charm of a jade tree in the wind. She was skilled in singing and especially mastered the pipa. Every time she played, everyone listened attentively. She was refined and had no arrogance of a courtesan, preferring to chat quietly with a few like-minded people. The twoshan scholars from the West River, following their official to Yingchuan, discussed flowers and moon, with high standards, often praising Guanfeng in "Yiyu Sheng." Shen was not fond of visiting courtesans, but he listened casually and seemed to believe it. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yangshan invited famous scholars to a banquet on a boat on the river. He forcefully invited Shen to join them. At that time, the autumn water was clear and the moon was bright as day. The woman was dressed in simple, elegant attire, with natural beauty. Shen was instantly captivated, and their bond deepened. The banquet was grand, and the flowers gathered. The women were all exquisite, whether slim or plump. Fan Keishan was also present and gave each of the most beautiful women a pair of couplets as a reward. He gave Guanfeng: "Guanfeng enjoys the wind and water, playing the flute and enjoying the moon." He gave Lian Die: "Lotus seeds form a auspicious sign, and brocade flowers flutter with longing." Lian Die grew up in Tonglu, near the Tongjun Mountain, the most beautiful in the village, with neighboring sisters calling her Xi Shi. Her family was poor, and her parents passed away, so she fell into the world of pleasure, not by her own choice. He gave Tan Xiang: "Tang boards and gold cups bring joy. Warm tea and fragrance bring a different kind of pleasure." Tan Xiang lived in the small mountain of Xiaoyin in Fuyang, also a small family girl, graceful and charming. She was only sixteen and had been married for a month. He gave Cui Feng: "Cui sleeves in the cold night, leaning on bamboo. in the warm spring, replacing flowers." Cui Feng was originally from Qiantang, living under the Lotus Peak, with a small name of A Feng. She was fair as snow in her youth, and people jokingly called her a white phoenix. As she grew older, she liked to wear green clothes, so she was named Cui Feng. He gave Shen Xiang: "Shen fish and swans are the beauty of the city. Misty fragrance and bright light recall old words." Shen Xiang was a fisherwoman by the Fuchun River. She was slender and graceful, with a face like a painting, elegant and charming, far beyond her peers. She learned to play the qin and flute and mastered them instantly, with music that perfectly matched the rhythm. The music master himself admired her talent. Fan Keishan, drunk and singing, wrote couplets, and his brush was soaked in ink, each perfectly suited to the person. This became a famous story in the painted boats. Yun Hua, who was particularly close to Guanfeng, wrote thirty couplets in both upper and lower tones to describe her. Here are two to give a sense of her: "Heavy mist protects the clouds, willows like Xiao Man. Remembering the moonlit night on the river, we shared a cup together on the Six Dynasties Mountain." "A stream with new water is greener than oil, fragrant wine breaks the traveler's sorrow. Remembering the day when I woke from a spring sleep, we sat together, watching each other comb our hair." Lanling, the dreamer, was a charming young man in the muddy world. He admired the beauty of Yanling and came to visit. He traveled through the flower gardens but rarely approved. He happened to meet a woman at the foot of the Lankuo Mountain, greatly admiring her, saying her beauty was worth eating and her radiance overflowed, as if she had the spirit of the mountain and river. He lingered for a month, spending six hundred strings of silk. Although Shen was extravagant, the woman's beauty was undeniable. In the fragrance of plum blossoms, a new boat was completed, and a grand banquet was held, with extraordinary excitement, almost like lights and music all night. A traveler from the sea once gave him a couplet: "If you meet Yun Hua, it's okay to bring wine; pity the woman who washes silk, she must float on the lake." It showed his deep regret. At the same time, there was Lian Die, who was as beautiful as Guanfeng, with the same reputation. She had a delicate face and natural charm, quiet and rarely smiling, like a young woman in seclusion, not seeking attention but being pitied by others. When someone mentioned her, she would blush and be unable to answer. With ample free time, she embroidered to entertain herself, and Yun Hua loved her deeply. Their feelings grew deep, and their words became more intimate. Her poem "Lianxi" was widely praised. The poem goes: "The sky is pure as washed, stars fade into the night. Crossing the river to embrace autumn, flowers hide in the painting. A young beauty by the green stream, lives in the middle of the waves. A smile brings a hundred beauties, dispelling worldly worries. Face to face, they say nothing, silk robes emit a fragrance. Lamplight brightens the silk night, phoenix combs adorn new attire. Drinking rules are not harsh, urging wine eagerly. Silver zither breaks and resumes, jade throat clear and long. Night is quiet, gongs beat urgently, green waves rise slightly cool. The song ends, the moon falls into the water, wild geese fly in a line." Lian Die was delighted with the poem and placed it beside her powder box and mirror. She often recited it, showing her deep feelings. Others, like Guanmei, were bright and unconventional, enjoying their own charm; Fengyu was charming and gentle; Lanxian was small and delicate, moving people to pity; Xuan was round and composed; Zhuying was full of wisdom at fifteen; Yunqi was elegant and graceful; Gao Feng was naturally beautiful, needing no makeup; and Xiangmei was charming and accommodating, pleasing to others. They were all rising stars in the painted boats. In the early days of the fourth month of Dinghai, Tian Nan's hermit traveled to Xiling. He rowed between Liuqiao and Sanshu. The reeds were red, and the rushes were green, adding new beauty. The friends invited him to drink at Sanshu's Three Ponds. It happened to be the day of bathing the Buddha, and scholars and ladies came in crowds, almost sweating from the heat. Outside Yu Tower, a tavern was full of drunkards, with no empty seats. The hermit, tired of the noise, went to Lingyin. In the carriage, he saw the four mountains surrounding each other, lush and overwhelming, and he couldn't help but exclaim. When he arrived, he ate in the hall, where the vegetables and bamboo were excellent. He walked with his friends in front of the temple and suddenly saw carriages coming one after another. Among them, two women were dressed in dazzling attire, unlike ordinary families. They walked gracefully to the main hall to pray. The hermit noticed one was tall and elegant, with a delicate face and long eyebrows. The other was naturally beautiful, with bright eyes and rosy cheeks. They were both stunning. A friend who knew them said, "One is Qianzhu, and the other is Shuyu—the sisters of the painted boats. Since you admire them, why not visit outside Qiantang City today?" The hermit declined, saying he would return the next morning. After the women finished their prayers, they got into carriages. They saw the hermit's red flower on his lapel and couldn't help but smile charmingly. The friend said to the hermit, "How have you earned such a beautiful fate in this life! Even that last glance as you left was enough to make one forget everything." Yuan Guangbo, the governor, was known for his extravagance. He specially admired the women and held a banquet, passing flowers and striking drums, drinking under the moon. He even stayed overnight, and their intimacy was great. Yuan had recently lost his wife, and his friend Yu Wujian advised him to take one as a concubine. Yuan whispered to him, "This beauty is nineteen, at the peak of youth. However, her breasts are already full like beans, and her bones are thin like reeds. The peach blossoms at the entrance are easy to enter, but the boat of the fisherman is hard to board. I don't think this is the gentle paradise of Emperor Wu. It can be a fleeting spring breeze, but why must it be a bond with the immortal?" His suggestion was abandoned. The women, being the best of the courtesans, were chosen as the queens of the flower list. Thus, those who sought beauty sought to meet them as a mark of honor. Zhang Ruixian, a young nobleman who had just come from Nanchang, had high standards and rarely approved of any beauty. He was captivated by the women and asked for their names. She smiled and said, "Two beauties together, two immortals united—this is a good thing." She hosted a banquet at Hongfu Fragrant Pavilion. After the delicacies were served, silk and bamboo instruments played, and games were held, the atmosphere was lively. The women sat beside him, leaning on his arm like birds relying on their nests. Zhang lost every thumb war and often had the women drink for him. The women were not good at drinking, but she forced herself to finish several cups. Her cheeks became slightly red, like a sleeping, increasing her charm. Zhang held her on his knee and said, "This is my beautiful Hua. With such a beautiful face, I'm afraid the courtesans of Beili and the flowers of Nanbu will have to step down." He paid three thousand gold to free her and brought her home, making her his exclusive favorite. She gave birth to three daughters, but none survived. Zhang said, "This is truly a kiln of clay." From then on, he gradually lost favor with his wife. Zhang also grew cold towards her, no longer as devoted as before. The woman also regretted and sighed, "In the past, I was too late to marry in the spring, now I am just drifting in the autumn river. What can I say?" The woman then had a desire to become a nun. Sister Jingyin of Baiyun Temple was an old acquaintance of her mother. After her mother's death, she had invited her to perform Buddhist ceremonies. One night, she came to the woman's house, knelt and greeted her, and upon seeing the woman, she exclaimed, "Your face is so thin! What happened?" The woman recounted her troubles and showed her desire to shave her head and enter the Buddhist order, to repay past lives, and to forever tie the pure bond and ascend the path of enlightenment. Jingyin said, "You are not yet twenty, why do you have such thoughts? Once you enter here, you will not be able to control yourself. Long nights of cold gongs, midnight lonely lamps, cold pillows and single quilts—how can you endure that?" The woman said, "My mind is made up, please don't speak further. When my mother gave birth to me, she dreamed of being a red lotus placed in a pool, eaten by a strange beast, with petals falling onto the water. My fate was decided from the beginning. I have a lotus nature, and lotus threads are easily killed. Why don't you take me into the Buddhist door, to achieve the true fruit of Bodhi, so that on the assembly of the spirit mountain, I can save a suffering soul." She then took off her gold bracelets and gave them to her, saying, "I offer them to all beings. I will have enough in my dowry to support myself for a lifetime, just need a cup of clear water from the kitchen of incense." She then cut her hair and threw it into the mirror. The nun hesitated and left. The next day, the woman left her husband and went to the temple. Zhang could not stop her. Tong Xian, hearing of her cousin, was resentful and often spread rumors to defame her. Later, hearing she had fallen into the world of pleasure, she planned to visit her in Danghu, but the innkeeper was strict, and she couldn't leave far. Soon, she was taken by Zhang. Zhang was a powerful family, and his hope was lost. Now, she went to the temple, made up her face, and went to meet her. The woman did not come out, but gave her a jade block with a few lines of writing: "I have become a pure body, the Bodhi tree is old, the mirror platform is high, and the east wind cannot shake me again. Please give up your delusions." Tong Xian returned in despair. Wu Wujian heard of this and clasped his hands in praise, saying, "This woman, the Bodhisattva, has achieved such a result—how good! How good!"