Appreciation of Ming and Qing Dynasty Leisurely Short Pieces: Flowers, Birds, Insects, and Fish

Author: / Country: Mainland China
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Publishing Time: 2001-12-01
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Author: Song Lian① When I was a guest in Jianye②, I saw people raising Persian fish, which are commonly called "Shibopu fish"③. They are as big as fingers, with five-colored crests and tails④, and small dark spots on their cheeks⑤. They are fierce and good at fighting. People keep them in two jars, covering the water surface with lotus leaves, and feed them with earthworms and flies⑥. The fish blow bubbles at the edge of the leaves. Knowing they are brave and can be used, I placed them in a large jar of water and combined them. Each fish raised its crest and tail, facing each other, and their anger made their bodies curl like bows, their scales turning black. After a while, they suddenly acted like autumn falcons striking the water⑦, making a loud noise⑧, splashing water on people's clothes. They fought for several rounds and then separated. When they fought, they were like arrows released from a bow, unstoppable. Later, they tangled together, spinning without untangling. One fish might be defeated, and the victor would chase it with fury, while the defeated would fear and throw itself out of the jar, its body turning pure white. I heard that those with blood and spirit must have a desire for competition⑨. So, do these fish also have a desire for competition? Or are they stubborn and dull to this extent? Alas! But what I pity is not just the fish, is it? — Complete Works of Song Wenxian Gong [Annotations] ① Song Lian (1310–1381), styled Jingliao, known as Qianxi, was from Pujiang (now part of Zhejiang). In his youth, he studied under Wu Lai, Liu Guan, and Huang Li, renowned for his literary talent. During the Zhengzong period of the Yuan Dynasty, he was recommended for the position of Compiler in the Hanlin Academy but declined, choosing to live in Longmen Mountain, writing and teaching. When the Ming Dynasty was established, Zhu Yuanzhang invited him as the Head of Jiangnan Confucian Academy and tasked him with teaching the prince. In 1369, he was appointed as the Chief Editor of the History of the Yuan Dynasty and later became a Hanlin Academician, rising to the position of Chief Academician and Imperial Censor. He retired in 1377. Two years later, due to his grandson Song Shen's involvement in the Hu Weiyong case, his entire family was exiled to Maozhou, where he died in Kuizhou. Song Lian had a significant influence on the early Ming literary scene and was regarded as the "Literary Master of the Generation." His works include Qianxi Collection, Song Scholar Collection, and Complete Works of Song Wenxian Gong. ② Jianye: Now Nanjing. ③ Pseudo: Here means "incorrect" or "misnomer." ④ Crests and tails (ailie): The dorsal fin and tail fin of the fish. ⑤ Dark: Refers to small black round spots, often made into spiral ink called "dark snail." ⑥ Or: Or. ⑦ Autumn falcon: A falcon in autumn. Falcon (son): A type of bird that flies very fast, is fierce, and excels at attacking other birds. ⑧ Peng: Water sound. ⑨ Blood and spirit: Refers to vitality. [Commentary] Nature has various combative animals. Apart from fierce beasts like lions, tigers, eagles, and falcons, even small insects have a reputation for fighting, such as the well-known cricket fights. This book later includes tales of fighting spiders and ants, which are truly eye-opening. Unsurprisingly, even aquatic fish have a combative nature, leaving one in awe. The Persian fish, "as big as fingers," are small but extremely fierce in battle. During fights, "filled with anger," their scales turn black. When attacking, they are as swift as arrows released from a bow, unstoppable. The victor chases the defeated with fury, while the loser, out of fear (or perhaps even anger and despair), jumps out of the jar, its body turning pure white. This scene carries a tragic yet heroic tone. However, the author does not find joy in watching the fish fight. He reflects that the Persian fish's combative nature may be because all living beings have a "desire for competition," but more accurately, it is their "stubbornness and ignorance" that leads to such inexplicable self-destruction, entertaining humans without realizing it. The fight of the Persian fish is pitiful, but is it only them who act so foolishly? What about us humans? The final line of the essay, "What I pity is not just the fish," reveals the theme of this short piece, prompting deep reflection. Hu Shian of the late Ming Dynasty also wrote about fighting fish in his Supplement to the Illustrated Catalog of Strange Fish. We have included that essay in this book for readers to compare and read alongside it. Some passages in Hu Shian's work, quoted from the Yuan Dynasty's Bai Shi by Qiu Yuan, seem to have been borrowed by the author of this essay.
Tian Rucheng on Avian Acrobatics① Tao Jiucheng mentioned in Hangzhou that he once saw someone performing avian acrobatics, raising seven turtles of seven different sizes, placing them on a table, and beating drums to guide them②. The turtles of the same size would first reach the center of the table and lie down. The second smallest would climb onto the backs of the larger ones, until the smallest reached the back of the sixth largest, standing upright with their tails raised, resembling a small tower, called "Turtles Stacking a Tower." He also saw someone raising nine toads③, placing a small mound on a mat④, and the largest toad sat on it, while the eight smaller ones lined up on either side. When the largest toad made a sound, the others did too, and when it made multiple sounds, they did as well. Later, the smaller toads one by one approached the largest, nodded and made sounds, like making a bow and then retreating, called "Toads Reciting Scriptures." Recently, I saw avian acrobatics in Hangzhou, one called "Ants Fighting④," where fine ants of yellow and black were trained, each with a larger ant as a leader, with flags as signals. On the first drum, they faced each other in battle lines⑤, on the second, they fought, on the third, they divided their forces, and on the fourth, they lowered their flags and returned to their nests⑥. Another called "Spiritual Birds Performing Plays⑦," where wax-billed birds acted as puppets⑧, singing and following the music, bowing, kneeling, and standing as if they were human (⑨). Sometimes they were made to carry flags and dance; or they were given talismans with the names of the Eight Trigrams and directed to carry them without error; or they were thrown into the air and would leap and catch them. Though a minor skill, it seems almost magical (⑩). — Reminiscences of the West Lake [Annotations] ① Tian Rucheng (1502–1566), styled Shuhuo, was from Qiantang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang). In 1526, he passed the imperial examinations and served as the Chief Clerk of the Ministry of Justice in Nanjing, among other posts. He traveled extensively before retiring and returning home. His hometown was near West Lake, so he dedicated himself to admiring its scenery, exploring famous landmarks, and writing books such as Reminiscences of the West Lake and Reminiscences of the West Lake. ② Guide: To make clear. ③ Toad: A general term for frogs and toads. ④ Mound: A large piece of stone or wood. ⑤ Reciting scriptures: Reciting Buddhist scriptures. ⑥ Fighting: To fight. ⑦ Facing each other in battle lines: To face each other in battle lines. ⑧ Lowering flags: To lower flags. ⑨ Puppets: Wooden figures in puppetry, here referring to trained wax-billed birds. ⑩ As if: As if, resembling. ⑩ Probably: Perhaps, likely. Magical skill: A magical ability. [Commentary] This essay records four types of "avian acrobatics": Turtles Stacking a Tower, Toads Reciting Scriptures, Ants Fighting, and Spiritual Birds Performing Plays. The first two were excerpted from Tao Zongyi's of the Yuan Dynasty, hence the introduction "Tao Jiucheng's words" (Tao Zongyi, styled Jiucheng). All four types of avian acrobatics are vividly described, leaving one astonished. Avian acrobatics involves training birds, insects, and fish to perform various tricks. This skill has been recorded in history. Tang Dynasty author Duan Chengshi's included a story of "Fleas Forming a Formation," where dozens of flea spiders emerged from bamboo tubes in rows, facing each other in battle lines, and changed formations according to the drumbeats of the performer, arranging dozens of formations like soldiers on the battlefield, moving forward and backward in strict order. Another story told of a Japanese performer who entertained Emperor Mu of Tang with flea spider dances to the Liangzhou (a dance tune). Following the rhythm of the music, these small insects could "twist and turn, never missing a beat," leaving one in awe. We do not know what methods the performers used to train such small animals. From the records, it seems these tiny creatures—fish, shells, insects, and ants—possess some kind of spirit or instinct, and with certain special training, they can perform programmed acts according to human will, not just as foolish creatures. However, without human guidance, their spirit and instinct cannot manifest. Thus, human intelligence and relentless effort are key to transforming things.
Tian Rucheng on Flowers① Tian Rucheng listed twenty-six points on flowers:
- For light clouds②,
- For morning sun,
- For light cold③,
- For light rain,
- For light mist,
- For fine moon,
- For evening sun,
- For light snow,
- For evening glow,
- For rare birds,
- For solitary cranes,
- For clear streams,
- For small bridges,
- For beside bamboo,
- For under pines,
- For bright windows,
- For sparse fences,
- For green cliffs④,
- For green moss,
- For copper vases,
- For paper screens⑤,
- For playing the flute in the forest,
- For playing the lute on the knee,
- For playing chess under a stone board,
- For boiling tea after sweeping snow,
- For a beauty in light makeup with hairpins⑥.
Tian Rucheng listed fourteen points on flowers he disliked:
- For fierce winds,
- For continuous rain,
- For scorching sun,
- For bitter cold,
- For ugly women,
- For vulgar men,
- For crows,
- For bad poetry⑦,
- For discussing current affairs,
- For discussing official appointments⑧,
- For shouting at the flower path⑨,
- For unfurling red curtains in front of flowers⑩,
- For beating drums when admiring flowers,
- For using clichéd allusions to plum blossoms in poetry (?).
Tian Rucheng listed six points on flowers he admired:
- For free of dust and smoke,
- For protected by bells and ropes (?),
- For a mirror-like clean ground (?),
- For fallen petals not getting dirty (?),
- For the owner's lingering gaze day and night (?),
- For poets pausing to admire (?),
- For beautiful courtesans in light makeup singing gracefully (?).
Tian Rucheng listed twelve points on flowers he humiliated:
- For the owner not caring for them (?),
- For the owner being stingy and vulgar (?),
- For being planted in a wealthy family's garden,
- For being named after coarse maids (?),
- For twining into screens (?),
- For ordering vulgar courtesans to admire them (?),
- For monks planting them under windows (?),
- For inserting vases in wine and food shops,
- For dog poop under trees,
- For clothes under branches,
- For white paper screens with painted designs (?),
- For growing in dirty alleys and foul ditches (?). — Reminiscences of the West Lake [Annotations] ① Flowers: Suitable and fitting. ② Light clouds: A sky with soft, gentle light. Light: Same as "dull." ③ Light cold: Mild cold. ④ Green cliffs: Green mountainsides. ⑤ Paper screens: Screens made of bast fiber and silk paper, decorated with other objects and called "Plum Paper Screens." Song Hong's Mountain Home Clear Affairs·Plum Paper Screens: "Use a single bed. Place four black lacquered pillars on the sides, each hanging a half-tin bottle with plum branches." Also shortened to "Plum Screens" or "Plum Screens." This refers to the suitability of placing plum blossoms in paper screens with elegant scholars and beauties. ⑥ Lü: Same as "pin." ⑦ "For ugly women" and the following four sentences: Ugly women and vulgar men admiring flowers, crows crying in front of flowers, and bad poetry recited in front of flowers. ⑧ Official appointments: Appointing officials. ⑨ Shouting at the flower path: When officials traveled, subordinates shouted in front to make people step aside. ⑩ Red curtains: Red screens. ? Using clichéd allusions to plum blossoms in poetry: Using overused allusions to plum blossoms when writing poetry.: King Wu Ding used Fu Shuo as a minister, hoping he would govern the country like seasoning a dish with salt and plums, hence "" and "" were used to. : During the Southern Dynasties (Song), Lu Kai's poem "To Fan Ye" had the line "Picking plums met a courier, sent to the person at the head of the pass," which later became a common allusion for plum poetry. (?) Bells and ropes: In the Tang Dynasty, to protect flowers in the palace, red threads were tied to gold bells on the flower branches. When birds came, the threads would tangle, and the bells would ring, scaring the birds away. (?) Mirror clean: As clean as a mirror. (?) Fallen petals not getting dirty: Petals falling to the ground would not get dirty. (zi): Same as "zī," black, extended to mean "dirty." (?) Lingering gaze day and night: Staying and admiring day and night. (?) Pausing to admire: Stopping to admire the flowers. : Same as "put down." (?) Beautiful courtesans: Elegant and beautiful courtesans. (?) Not caring for them: Planting and admiring flowers was originally "a good deed," not caring for them means unwilling to put effort into planting and admiring, hence the flowers resent it. (?) Stingy and vulgar: Stingy and vulgar. (?) Naming coarse maids after flowers: Using flower names as the names of coarse maids, such as "Plum Fragrance, Apricot Flower." (?) Twining into screens: Twisting flower branches into screens. (?) Ordering vulgar courtesans: Making vulgar courtesans accompany the appreciation of flowers. (wei): Vulgar and coarse. (?) Painted designs: Paintings, also called "powder drafts." (?) Dirty alleys and foul ditches: Dirty alleys and foul ditches. [Commentary] This passage is from the tenth volume of Reminiscences of the West Lake. The text earlier describes a noble scholar named Zhang Ji, who built a garden by the West Lake and planted tens of acres of plum blossoms, calling it the "Plum Garden." To protect the plum blossoms, Zhang Ji considered for months and formulated "Four Matters on Flowers: Flowers, Dislikes, Honors, and Humiliations, totaling fifty-eight points." He posted these fifty-eight "regulations" for loving and protecting flowers in the hall to "warn and remind" visitors, requiring them to treat the flowers with such reverence. Zhang Ji truly deserves to be called the "Guardian of Flowers." From this "notice" protecting flowers, we can see how refined the appreciation of flowers was for ancient scholars and officials, and it also typifies the character, interests, and aesthetic level of ancient Chinese literati. These extensive fifty-eight points are both rules for protecting flowers and guidelines for admiring them. When the severe cold is almost over but not yet gone, the cold air is biting, and all flowers are withered. Only plum blossoms can endure the cold, standing alone against frost and snow, welcoming spring as it approaches. This is the character of plum blossoms. Precisely because of this, plum blossoms have become the symbol of the Chinese spirit that fears no oppression and refuses to yield; ancient scholars and officials often used the image of plum blossoms to express their own integrity, aloofness, and lofty sentiments. Clear streams, small bridges, pines by the fence, green moss on the ground, bright windows facing flowers; flowers may be accompanied by rare birds or cranes, far from the hustle and bustle, in a tranquil realm. That was the paradise the literati cherished. Flute playing in the forest, lute playing under flowers, turning the elegance of plum blossoms into music, with the flute and lute melodies intertwining with the hearts of those admiring the flowers. Plum blossoms shed their worldly cares, pure and flawless, so they must be free of dust and smoke, with clean ground like mirrors, and even fallen petals remain clean, untouched by dust. Cold, tranquility, elegance, and purity are the soul of plum blossoms, and also the aesthetic ideal pursued by poets.