The Golden Lotus, Volume 1 Read online

  “It is time to start,” Bojue cried.

  “No, breakfast first,” Ximen Qing said. He called for tea and refreshments. Afterwards, he changed his clothes for brighter and more handsome attire, and they all set out together for the temple of the Jade Emperor.

  Before they had gone very far, they could see the temple gateway. It was lofty and imposing, but the sanctuary, with walls reaching almost to the skies, was more commanding still. It was approached by a gate in the shape of the character ba, covered with a red wash. Within the precincts were three paths, like the character chuan. The buildings were of marble with wave-like markings. The sanctuary, its lofty eaves glittering in green and gold, was in the center. Images of the Three Pure Holy Ones stood in due order in the middle, and at the far end was Laozi, the Old Lord of the Most High, riding upon his black ox.

  They entered the second sanctuary, went around, and passing through a side door, came to the abbot’s quarters. On either hand grew grasses as green as jasper and flowers as red as coral. There were pine trees and bamboos. On either side of the door hung scrolls. One bore the inscription: “In Paradise, unending are the months, the years,” and the other, “In the Vessel of Heaven there lies another world.” On the north was a hall the size of three rooms, where the abbot officiated every day at morning and evening prayer.

  The temple had been specially decorated for the occasion. In the middle of the north wall hung a picture of the Jade Emperor in the Golden Palace of Paradise, and on both sides were the nobles of the Purple Palace. The four generals, Ma, Zhao, Wen and Guan were there too.

  Abbot Wu was standing outside the Hall of the Sacred Scriptures. He welcomed them with a priestly reverence, and Ximen Qing and his friends went in. After taking tea, they all got up and began to look at the pictures. Bai Laiguang took Chang Zhijie by the hand, and they examined the portrait of General Ma. He looked very brave and fierce, but he had three eyes. “I don’t understand this,” Bai Laiguang said. “We mortals find that with only two eyes it is well to keep one closed. Can he need an extra eye to keep a watch on us and on our misdeeds?”

  Ying Bojue overheard him and went over to them. “You silly fellow,” he said. “It is on your account alone that he needs an eye more than anybody else.”

  Everybody laughed, and Chang Zhijie pointed to the picture of General Wen. “Now here,” he said, “there really is something out of the ordinary. He is blue from top to toe. I suppose he must be one of Lu Qi’s ancestors.”

  Bojue burst out laughing. “Come over here, Father Abbot,” he cried, “and I’ll tell you a story.

  “Once upon a time, a priest died and came before the Prince of Hades. The Prince bade him give an account of himself. ‘I am a priest,’ he said quite simply. Then the Prince ordered one of his officers to search the records and find out what was known of the man. They discovered that he was indeed a priest and a man of excellent character. So the Prince of Hades reprieved him and sent him back to earth.

  “When he was once more in the land of the living, he met a man he knew, who worked at a dye works. ‘However did you succeed in getting back, Father?’ this man said to him. ‘I only said I was a priest and they sent me back again,’ his friend answered. The man remembered this, and when his time came to go before the Prince of Hades, he too declared that he was a priest. The Prince told his officials to examine the man’s body. When they came to his hands, they found them both bright blue. ‘What does this mean?’ he was asked. ‘That comes from the work I have done on General Wen’s thing.’ “

  They laughed. Then they went to the other side to look at the pictures of red-faced Guan and Zhao. Zhao was a black-faced warrior, with a great tiger standing beside him. Bai Laiguang pointed to the tiger, and cried: “Look at that tiger! He must be one of the kind that don’t eat meat, or he wouldn’t be going about with a man so amiably.”

  “What!” said Ying Bojue. “Don’t you know the tiger is his most trusted servant?”

  Xie Xida, who had been listening, said, “If I had a servant like that, a quarter of an hour of his company would be quite enough. I should always be afraid he might take it into his head to eat me.”

  Bojue laughed: “That’s a nice thing to say,” he said to Ximen Qing.

  “What’s that?” said Ximen.

  “Well,” Bojue said, “Xie here says he would be afraid a trusted comrade might eat him. You certainly ought to go in fear of your life, for there are seven or eight of us, all trusted comrades, and all ready to feed at your expense at any time.”

  At that moment the abbot came back to the hall. “Do I hear you speaking of tigers, Gentlemen?” he said. “In this very district of Qinghe, one has recently caused very serious trouble. Scores of travelers, and more than a dozen hunters, have found that to their cost.”

  “Really?” Ximen Qing cried.

  “Yes,” said the priest. “I am surprised you gentlemen have not heard about it. I should not have known myself, but a little while ago, one of my young novices went to ask alms at Master Cai’s house in Cangzhou, and he had to stay there several days before it was safe to return. Between Qinghe and Cangzhou there is a ridge called Jingyang, and it seems that a dragon-eyed, white-headed tiger has recently been making raids from there in search of human prey. Travelers have been afraid to pass the hill, and have had to form parties when they went that way. The local authorities are now offering a reward of fifty taels to anyone who kills the tiger, but so far, though several attempts have been made, they have all come to nothing. Indeed the hunters have been most unfortunate: they have had nothing but maulings for their pains.”

  Bai Laiguang jumped up. “We are too busy today, since we have this brotherhood to form, but tomorrow we will go and catch the tiger. It will be one way of putting a little money in our pockets.”

  “Evidently you don’t value your life very highly,” Ximen Qing said. The other laughed. “Let me get hold of something to spend, and I don’t care what happens.”

  “That reminds me of another funny story,” Ying Bojue said. “Once a man fell into a tiger’s clutches, and his son, who wished to rescue him, took a knife and went to kill the beast. But the man, though the tiger had him actually in his jaws, cried out anxiously: ‘Son, mind where you stick that knife. For goodness’ sake, don’t spoil the tiger’s skin.’ “

  Abbot Wu was now preparing the offerings for sacrifice. When everything was ready, he came forward and said: “Gentlemen, it is time to burn the sacred papers.” Then he produced a document. “I have already written the address,” he said, “but I should be glad if you would tell me which of you is the elder brother and in what order I am to put the others. If you will kindly arrange yourselves in your due rank, I shall find it easier to write down your honorable names.”

  At this there was a chorus: “His Lordship comes first, of course,” but Ximen Qing held back. “We should rank according to our age,” he said. “Brother Ying is older than I am, and it is for him to take the first place.” This was not at all what Ying Bojue wished. “Oh, no, Father!” he cried, I should be ruined. In these days, a man is judged by his wealth or by his position, and since there is no getting away from that, there is no point in taking age into consideration. Besides, there are others older than myself. And there are many other reasons why I should not be made elder brother. Both in dignity and moral standing, I do not rank so high as his Lordship. He is a paragon to the whole world. Then again, I have always been called Ying the Second, and if I were made elder brother I should have to be called Ying the Elder. If I met two acquaintances, and one addressed me as Ying the Elder and the other as Ying the Second, I shouldn’t know which of them I ought to answer.”

  Ximen Qing laughed. “You talk such nonsense, anybody might die of laughing,” he said. Xie Xida urged him not to decline, but Ximen continued modestly to prefer the others. Finally, after further pressure from Hua, Ying and the rest, he could hold out no longer and took the place of honor. He was followed by Ying Bojue and Xie Xida, and H
ua, out of respect for his wealth, was allotted the fourth place. The others arranged themselves in the lower positions. The abbot then filled up the document, lighted candles, and, with all the men standing shoulder to shoulder in their due order, the address was solemnly unfolded and read aloud.

  IN THE EMPIRE OF THE GREAT SONG, THE PROVINCE OF SHANDONG, PREFECTURE OF DONGPING AND DISTRICT OF QINGHE

  The faithful, Ximen Qing, Ying Bojue, Xie Xida, Hua Zixu, Sun Tianhua, Zhu Shinian, Yun Lishou, Wu Dian’en, Chang Zhijie and Bai Laiguang, here assembled, do wash their hands and burn incense to ask a blessing.

  The oath of fidelity sworn within the Peach Orchard is the model of all loyalty; with humble hearts we seek to take it as our example, and strive to emulate the spirit that inspired it.

  The love of Bao and Guan was as the depth of the ocean, and animated by the same spirit, we hope to imitate their solemn purpose.

  The peoples of the four oceans may yet be as brethren and they of different names as of the same blood.

  Therefore

  In this period of Zhenghe—Year—Month—Day, devoutly offering meat offerings of pig and sheep before the phoenix chariot, we humbly bow before this holy altar and make our supplications.

  We make our obeisance unto the Highest Heaven, where in a golden palace dwell the Jade Emperor, the Guardian Angels of the Five Directions, the Tutelaries of City and Village, and all the spirits who come and go.

  We beseech them to accept the incense of our sincerity. May they deign to protect us in all our doings.

  We, Qing, etc...., though born each at a different hour, pray that death may find us united. May the bond between us remain ever unbroken. Our pleasures will we take together, and in time of need will we succor one another. The memory of our friendship shall be ever green, and in our wealth will we remember the unfortunate. Thus, at the last, shall our confidence be confirmed: thus, coming with the sun and going with the moon, shall our fellowship be established as high as the heavens and as firm as the earth.

  Henceforth, from this our solemn act of friendship, may our love be eternal and our peace unending. May each of us enjoy length of days, and his household unceasing felicity.

  In Heaven alone do we place our trust, until our lives’ end. In token whereof, we diligently set this down.

  REIGN PERIOD OF ZHENGHE.

  YEAR.

  MONTH.

  DAY.

  When the abbot had finished the reading of this declaration, the men worshipped, bowing together eight times before the shrine. One last time they bowed, and when the paper money had been consumed, the sacred utensils were removed. The abbot told his acolytes to remove the sacrificial animals and cut them up. Chicken, fish and fruits of every kind were set out in profusion upon two tables. Ximen Qing took the seat of honor, and the rest seated themselves in accordance with their rank. The abbot presided over the feast. Soon the wine had been passed around several times, and the men began to amuse themselves telling riddles and guessing fingers, making the hall ring with noisy laughter.

  They saw the sun rise in the distant east

  They watched it set behind the mountains.

  Deep have they drunk, and now unsteadily go forth

  While o’er the trees there hangs the tiny crescent moon.

  In the midst of their enjoyment, Daian suddenly came in. He whispered to Ximen Qing, “Mother has sent me to take you home. She says the Third Lady has had a fainting fit, and you must not be late.” Ximen rose at once.

  “I don’t wish to disturb the party, or to be the cause of its breaking up,” he said, “but my third wife is ill, and I am afraid I must leave you.”

  “I go the same way as Brother Ximen,” said Hua Zixu. “We will go together.”

  “If you two rich men both go away,” Ying Bojue cried, “how can we stay? Brother Hua, you really must not go.”

  “There is no man in his house,” Ximen said. “We must go back together and set his wife’s mind at rest.”

  “Just as I was coming away,” Daian said, “Mistress Hua was telling Tian Fu to saddle a horse and come here.”

  At that moment the boy arrived. He went to Hua and said, “Your horse is here, and Mother would like you to return.”

  Before leaving, they thanked Abbot Wu for his kindness, and saluted Ying Bojue and the others. “We are compelled to go now,” they said, “but you must stay and have a good time.” They went out, jumped on their horses, and rode away. Those who remained were indeed so ravenous that they would have devoured Taishan without leaving a particle of earth. They lingered in the temple and drank deep, and there we may leave them.

  When Ximen Qing reached home, he said good-bye to Hua Zixu, and went at once to ask Yueniang how his third wife was.

  “I only said she was ill,” said Yueniang, “to get you away from those fellows. That is why I made Daian tell you that story. But in truth she has been steadily getting worse, and you ought to stay at home and devote a little of your time to her.”

  Ximen went to the other side of the house to visit his third wife, and for a few days continued to pay her some attention. On the tenth day of the tenth month, when Ximen Qing had just dispatched a boy to summon the doctor, he was still in the hall when Ying Bojue came in, smiling. Ximen greeted him, and asked him to sit down.

  “How is my sister-in-law?” Bojue asked.

  “I’m afraid she will never get any better,” Ximen said, “it is very doubtful indeed whether anything can be done for her. What time did the party break up the other day?”

  “Abbot Wu kept urging us to stay, and it was nearly the second watch before we left. I was very drunk. It was a good thing for you that you came home so early.”

  “Have you had dinner yet?” Ximen Qing said.

  Ying Bojue could not make up his mind whether to say “Yes” or “No,” so he asked Ximen to guess.

  “I should say you have.”

  Ying politely put his hand before his mouth, laughed, and said, “You silly man, you’ve guessed wrong.”

  “Well, if you haven’t, why didn’t you say so, you greedy beast?” Ximen said, laughing. “I can’t imagine what makes you such a donkey.” He told a servant to prepare a meal for Bojue and himself.

  “I should have dined,” Bojue said, “but I have just heard a most extraordinary piece of news, and I had to come and tell you all about it. We can go and see for ourselves.”

  “What is this marvelous piece of news?” said Ximen.

  “You remember the abbot telling us about the tiger of Jingyang Ridge?” Bojue said. “Well, yesterday a man killed that tiger with his bare fists.”

  “Don’t talk such nonsense,” Ximen said. “I don’t believe a word of it.”

  “You say you don’t believe me, but wait till I’ve told you all about it,” Bojue went on, waving his arms and stamping his feet in his excitement. “The hero is a certain Wu Song, who some time ago got into trouble at Master Chai’s house, and had to run away. He fell ill, and, when he recovered, thought he would like to come and see his brother again. On the way here, he had to pass Jingyang Ridge. There he came upon the tiger and killed it with no weapons but his hands and feet.” Ying Bojue told this story in such minute detail that he might himself have been an eyewitness. Ximen Qing shook his head.

  “In that case,” he said, “as soon as we have finished dinner, I’ll go with you and see what the tiger looks like.”

  “Don’t let’s wait for dinner, or we may be too late,” said Bojue. “Let’s go to the High Street, and spend an hour or two in the tavern there.”

  Laixing was setting the table, but his master told him not to trouble about the meal, and to ask Yueniang to have some clothes set out for him to wear. In a few moments he had changed, and set off arm in arm with Bojue. In the street they ran into Xie Xida. “Hullo, Brothers,” he said, laughing, “are you coming to see the man who killed the tiger?”

  “We are,” said Ximen.

  Xie Xida told them that the crowd was so great as
to make the roadway almost impassable, and they went to a tavern overlooking the street. They had not long been there when they heard the sound of drums and gongs. The people were all craning their necks to see. Hunters, marching two by two, carrying their tasseled spears, went before the tiger’s body. It was so huge that four men could hardly carry it, and it looked like a great embroidered sack. Then, riding upon a splendid white charger, came the bold fellow who had killed it. Ximen Qing gazed at him, bit his nails, and said, “Just look at that man. He must have the strength of a hippopotamus, or he could never have vanquished that great beast.” They drank their wine and discussed the heroic deed.

  Full seven feet tall is this majestic figure

  A hero striking terror into all beholders

  With stern and rugged face, and sparkling eyes that blaze like glittering stars

  Clenched fists like sledgehammers.

  If he but raise his foot, the tigers in their mountain lair feel their courage wane

  One blow with that fist, and the great bear trembles in his lonely valley.

  He wears a magic cap with silver flowers

  And his long-sleeved gown is soaked with his victim’s blood.

  This was the man of whom Ying Bojue had spoken. His home was in the district of Yanggu, and it was only because he had taken a sudden fancy to pay a visit to his elder brother that the opportunity of killing the tiger had come to him.

  The magistrate had summoned the hero to his presence, and a host of people were waiting to see him arrive at the Town Hall. As Wu Song dismounted, the magistrate took his place in the Hall of Audience, and the people carried the great beast to the front of the Hall. His Honor was greatly impressed by the hero’s bearing, and reflected that a man must be strong indeed to kill such a tiger. He called Wu Song forward.

  The hero paid his respects, and then told the story of his prowess so vividly that the officials were half paralyzed by fright. Then, in the Hall of Audience, the magistrate solemnly offered him three cups of wine, and from the public treasure that was stored there took fifty taels of silver.