The Textile Merchant 布贩

The following story is from ‘Gossips from the Micro-reading Hall’.

Textile merchant Jiang always walked around with his big floral colour dog. On one such walk, he met an old man who stopped him. Jiang asked for the reason as he had never met this person before. The old man suddenly kow-towed and said, ‘I am actually a fox and had wrongly killed you in our previous existence. Three days later you will get you dog to sever my throat (as revenge). All these are predestined and I dare not try to escape the punishment. However, I have thought it over that my wrong had happened more than a hundred years ago, and since then, you have been reborn to become a human being and I have been downgraded as a fox. What satisfaction you will get in seeing me being killed by the dog? Moreover, you could not even recall about the incident now. I am willing to offer my daughter to you as penance for my sins.’

Jiang said, ‘I would not want to have anything to do with a fox, nor I want to take advantage of this situation to have your daughter. I can forgive you but what must I do to ensure that my dog would not mow you down when the time comes?’

The old man said that Jiang would give him a signed statement of release to say that he is willing to forgive him voluntarily. He would then pass the statement to the supreme deity. With this, the dog would not kill him. It was the rule that the victim would decide whether he would pardon the offender, and the supreme deity would not interfere. Jiang wrote out the release in a note and the old man left happily with it.

Some years later, Jiang was on his way to the North and was crossing the great river when a sudden storm threatened to capsize the boat. The sail could not be lowered to alleviate the force of the wind and storm. Suddenly a person jumped on to the mast and cut the rope that fastened the sail to the ship. The sail flew into the river and the ship managed to regain its stability. All on board were saved. The old man who severed the rope looked like the fox. He disappeared suddenly.

People commented that this old fox had a sense of gratitude. But I think, this fox could not even save himself, how could he save his former benefactor? May be it was because the supreme deity wanted to reward Jiang by extending his life, so he sent the old fox to perform the task.

.

以下故事来自《阅微草堂笔记》：

有姜挺者以贩布为业，恒携一花犬自随，一日独行，途遇一叟呼之住，问不相识，何见招？叟遽叩首有声，曰：我狐也，夙生负君命，三日后君当嗾花犬断我喉，冥数已定，不敢逃死，然窃念事隔百余年，君转生人道，我堕为狐，必追杀一狐，与君何益，且君已不记被杀事，偶杀一狐亦无所快于心，愿纳女自赎可乎？

姜曰：我不敢引狐入室，亦不欲乘危劫人女，贳则贳汝，然何以防犬终不噬也？

曰：君但手批一帖，曰某人夙负，自原销除，我持以告神，则犬自不噬。冤家债主，解释须在本人，神不违也。适携记簿纸笔，即批帖予之。叟喜跃去。

后七八载，姜贩布渡大江，突遇暴风，帆不能落，舟将覆，见一人直上樯竿杪，掣断其索，骑帆俱落，望之似是此叟，转瞬已失所在矣。

皆曰：此狐能报恩。余曰：此狐无术自救，能数千里外救人乎？此神以好生延其寿，遣此狐耳。

The Death of Hou Yi 后羿之死

The Chinese notion of moral responsibility was explained by Mencius (371-289 BC) when he cited the case of the famously skilful archer Hou Yi who was shot by a student Feng Meng who had mastered everything Yi had taught him. Mencius considered Hou Yi should also be held responsible for his own death because he failed to make a sound judgment before taking someone into his confidence.

However, Mencius’ purpose in citing the story is also to show just the opposite that the shot was indeed a bad one because it assaulted the ritual (li) on several fronts. By killing his teacher - presumably for fame, as the student would have then been the best archer in the land - the student simultaneously ignored the importance of the student-teacher relationship and the norms that maintain it, threatened the integrity of the tradition, and reduced the skill to a mere means that allowed him to attain an external good.

The followings are extracted from the book ‘Mencius’.

Feng Meng learned archery of Hou Yi. When he had acquired completely all the science of Hou Yi, he thought that in the entire kingdom only Hou Yi was superior to himself, and so he slew him.

Mencius said, ‘In this case Hou Yi also was to be blamed.’

Gong Meng Yi said, ‘It would appear as if he were not to be blamed.’

Mencius said,

But he thereby only meant that his blame was slight. How can he be held without any blame? The people of Zheng sent Zi Zhuo Ru Zi to make a stealthy attack on Wei, which sent Yu Gong Zhi Si to pursue him. Zi Zhuo Ru Zi said, ‘I feel unwell today, so much that I cannot hold my bow. I am a dead man!’

At the same time he asked his driver, ‘Who is it that is pursuing me?’ The driver said, ‘It is Yu Gong Zhi Si,’ on which, Zi Zhuo Ru Zi exclaimed, ‘I shall live.’

The driver said, ‘Yu Gong Zhi Si is the best archer of Wei, what do you mean by saying 'I shall live?'’

Zi Zhuo Ru Zi replied, ‘Yu Gong Zhi Si learned archery from Yin Gong Zhi Tuo, who again learned it from me. Now, Yin Gong Zhi Tuo is an upright man, and the friends of his selection must be upright also.’

When Yu Gong Zhi Si came up, he said, ‘Master, why are you not holding your bow?’ Zi Zhuo Zhi SI answered him, ‘I am feeling unwell today, and cannot hold my bow.’ On this Yu Gong Zhi Si said, ‘I learned archery from Yin Gong Zhi Tuo, who again learned it from you. I cannot bear to injure you with your own skills. However, the prince has ordered me to deal with you, which I dare not neglect.’

He then took his arrows, knocked off their steel points against the carriage-wheel, discharged four of them, and returned.

.

孟子（公元前370-289）以后羿被杀来说明道德责任。后羿在当时是最有名的好弓箭手，逢蒙学会了后羿所有手艺后把后羿杀死。孟子认为后羿对自己的死也有责任，因为他不能慧眼识人。

但是，孟子讲这个故事的目的也是要表明逢蒙的那一箭实在是‘坏’箭，因为它与礼节不符。杀死他的老师 - 看来是为了名誉吧，因为他的老师是当时最好的射手 - 这个学生忽略了师生的关系，与用于维持这种关系的准则，因而危害了传统的完整，这样就把一门技艺当成是获得体外利益的工具。

以下是《孟子》所记载的故事：

逢蒙学射於羿，尽羿之道；思天下惟羿为愈己，於是杀羿。

孟子曰：‘是亦羿有罪焉。’

公明仪曰：‘宜若无罪焉。’

曰：

薄乎云尔，恶得无罪！郑人使子濯孺子侵卫，卫使庾公之斯追之。子濯孺子曰：‘今日我疾作，不可以执弓，吾死矣夫！’

问其仆曰：‘追我者谁也？’其仆曰：‘庾公之斯也。’曰：‘吾生矣！’

其仆曰：‘庾公之斯，卫之善射者也。夫子曰：“吾生。”何谓也？’

曰：‘庾公之斯学射於尹公之他，尹公之他学射於我。夫尹公之他，端人也，其取友必端矣。’

庾公之斯至，曰：‘夫子何为不执弓？’曰：‘今日我疾作，不可以执弓。’曰：‘小人学射於尹公之他，尹公之他学射於夫子。我不忍以夫子之道，反害夫子。虽然，今日之事，君事也，我不敢废。’

抽矢扣轮，去其金，发乘矢而後反。

Grinding a Bar of Steel into a Needle 磨杵成针

The tendency with Chinese culture to emphasise hard work may be related to the legends and stories which have inspired people for generations. A well known story on Li Bai says a determined mind can grind a bar of steel into a needle, which obvious emphasises the strong determination to carry out a task. Li Bai, the famous poet lived during the Tang dynasty (618-907), is known to be a poetic genius. However, the famous story obviously points to the theory that Li Bai’s success was really due to his hard work and persistence in carrying out his learning tasks.

It is said that Li Bai was fond of playing when he was young, so he was always absent-minded in classes. One day he would catch little birds on the hill, and another day he would pick dates on the other hill.

One day, he saw an old lady sitting at the riverside when he was crossing the brook. The old lady was grinding an iron pestle without fear of tiredness. On seeing this, Li Bai laughed at her and said: “People who do this job are fools.”

The old lady answered kindly: “I am determined to grind the iron pestle into a needle even if the iron pestle is so thick and hard.” Li Bai took the iron pestle and felt tired after grinding it for a minute. Then he complained: “Oh, how long can I get it done? I quit.” The old lady shook her head and sighed: “The pestle can be grinded into a needle, as long as you keep working hard.”

The old lady’s words were so worthwhile, and Li Bai remembered them by heart. From then on, he spared no pains to study, and became a great poet finally.

The story comes from ‘Categorised Collection of Accurate Stories’ which was written in Ming dynasty by Chen Renxi (1581-1636).

‘Young Li Bai was not good in his studies. One day, he saw an old lady grinding a bar of steel and asked what she was doing. The old lady replied that she was making it into a needle. Li Bai was touched by what she said and from then on, he studied hard and graduated with good results.’

The Chinese phrase ‘grinding a bar of steel into a needle’ is now a famous proverb which is used to mean no matter how difficult or challenging a task is, it can be done as long as there is perseverance.

.

华人文化强调用功读书，可能是受到不少传说与故事的鼓舞。一个出名的有关李白的故事叙述坚强的决心可以把一根铁棒磨成针，显然是强调做事需要的是决心。著名的唐朝（618-907）诗人李白诗个天才诗人。但是，这个有名的故事显然是指向这样的一个学说，就是李白的成功其实是由于他用功与对学习的坚持。

据说，李白小时候特别贪玩，一到上课就走神。今天这山捉小鸟，明天那山去摘枣。下了山过小河，河边坐着老婆婆。老婆婆不怕累，正磨一根铁棒锤。李白看了笑呵呵，说：‘傻子才干这种活呢！ ’

老婆婆慈祥地说：‘不怕铁棒粗又硬，我要磨成绣花针！ ” 李白拿过铁棒锤，没磨几下就喊累，说：“哎呦，什么时候能磨成啊？我不干了！’ 老婆婆摇摇头，叹息道：‘只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针！’

老婆婆的话值千金，李白牢牢记在心。从此读书不怕苦，成了一位大诗人。

这个故事出自明朝陈仁锡（1581-1636）的《潜确类书》卷六十：

‘李白少读书，未成，弃去。道逢老妪磨杵，白问其故。曰：‘欲作针。’白感其言，遂卒业。’

‘磨杵成针’就成为有名的成语，指的是不管事情是多么的困难，只要有毅力，一定会成功。

The Pity of Zhong-Yong王安石：伤仲永

There is a tendency within Chinese culture to emphasize hard work rather learning aptitude in achieving academic success. Negative responses towards ‘aptitude’ are obvious in the Chinese context, dating back to Wang Anshi’s (1021-1086) work of ‘The Pity of Zhong Yong’ in the Song Dynasty. The story tells of an intelligent child named Shang Zhong Yong, who when he was young showed much aptitude for reading and memorization abilities, but years later he was found to be no different from other people. This story suggests that ‘aptitude’ is not emphasized in a Chinese educational context. As such, intelligent tests are rarely encouraged in Chinese schools.

Below is the story told by Wang Anshi.

In my hometown Jinxi, there was a person called Fang Zhong Yong. His family has been peasants for generations. At the age of five, Zhong Yong had never known any writing tools. Suddenly one day he cried and asked for these things: pen, paper, ink, etc.His father was very surprised and borrowed ones from the neighbor. Zhong Yong immediately wrote a quatrain Jueju poem, and signed his own name. His poem was talking about supporting parents and people from the same clan should get along harmoniously with each other in accordance with seniority and the patriarchal relationship. The poem generated big buzz among scholars of the entire township.

Since then, Zhong-Yong could immediately complete a poem about any assigned issues and objects. And his poems are of literary talent and sound rationale. People in the whole county were surprised by his incredible talent. Gradually, people started to treat his father as special guest with respectful courtesy; some even paid money in order to ask for Zhong Yong’s poems. His father felt that this was profitable and lucrative. So he let Zhong Yong visit people one day after another and would not let him study at school.

I’ve heard this matter for a long time. In Mingdao Era (1032-1033), I returned to hometown with my father. At my uncle’s house I met Zhong Yong. He was already twelve or thirteen years old by then. I asked him to write a poem. His poetry couldn’t meet the reputation of the past.

It took another seven years when I came back from Yangzhou. Once again I came to uncle’s home, asked about Fang Zhong Yong’s current situation. He replied: ‘Just like ordinary people.’

Wang Anshi commented: Zhong Yong’s special intelligence was gifted at birth. He was endowed with much higher talent than average talented people. However, he eventually became an ordinary person, because he did not receive proper education afterward. As naturally intelligent to such an extent as Zhong Yong was, he became an ordinary person without proper education. Well, nowadays, for those who are not born smart, if they do not receive proper education, could they beat child prodigy Zhong-Yong and still become “ordinary people”?

.

中华文化倾向于强调‘勤奋’而不是‘天资’为学习成功之要素。这种对‘天资’或‘才能’的负面看法在中国古书中是明显的，可以追溯到宋朝王安石（1021-1086）所写的‘伤仲永’的一篇文章。该故事说一个小孩小时候显示了很好的才能与记忆力，可是后来却与一般人没有两样。这个故事说明‘才能’不是中国教育所重视。所以，在中国学校中，‘才能测试’一向来是不被鼓励的。

以下《伤仲永》选自《王文公文集》：

金溪民方仲永，世隶耕。仲永生五年，未尝识书具，忽啼求之。父异焉，借旁近与之，即书诗四句，并自为其名。其诗以养父母、收族为意，传一乡秀才观之。

自是指物作诗立就，其文理皆有可观者。邑人奇之，稍稍宾客其父，或以钱币乞之。父利其然也，日扳仲永环谒于邑人，不使学。

余闻之也久。明道(宋仁宗年号，只有两年，1032-1033）中，从先人还家，于舅家见之，十二三矣。令作诗，不能称前时之闻。又七年，还自杨州，复到舅家，问焉，曰“泯然众人矣。”

王子曰：仲永之通悟，受之天也。其受之天也，贤于材人远矣。卒之为众人，则其受于人者不至也。彼其受之天也，如此其贤也，不受之人，且为众人；今夫不受之天，固众人，又不受之人，得为众人而已耶？

Mazu Culture 妈祖文化

Every year on 23rd day of the third lunar month (this year, it was on 6 May), the birthday of Mazu, and on 9th day of the ninth lunar month, the anniversary of Mazu’s death, locals and thousands of overseas believers come to Meizhou Island in the Fujian Province of China and hold worshipping ceremonies.

Among the crowds of people there is usually a group of women whose clothes are particularly eye-catching. They wear tall, sail-shaped hairstyles and half-red, half-blue wide-legged trousers. People call them "Meizhou Women" and their outfits are said to be modelled on the costume Mazu used to wear. As Mazu is the goddess of the sea and protector of boats, her hairstyle is reminiscent of a sail, and the symbol of her identity as the Holy Mother in Heaven is the red outfit she wears when she flies through the sky. Since women in the human world are subordinate to her and therefore must not wear identical clothes, their trousers are only half red.

Mazu(959-987) is widely worshiped in the south-eastern coastal areas of China and neighbouring areas in Southeast Asia, especially Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Hainan, and Vietnam, all of which have strong sea-faring traditions, as well as migrant communities elsewhere with sizeable populations from these areas. Mazu also has a significant influence on East Asian sea culture, especially in China and Taiwan.

Over 1,000 years ago, as the legend goes, a beautiful young girl by the name of Lin Mo was born at Meizhou Bay in Putian, Fujian Province. Clever, brave and kind-hearted, Lin Mu could forecast the weather and was happy to help fishermen in distress at sea. She encouraged the people to conquer nature and defeat evil, so she was much loved and esteemed by the people in her hometown. Unfortunately she died an early death at only 28. She was so well loved by people that they believed she ascended to heaven and became an immortal at Meizhou Bay. Rulers of past imperial courts upheld her and granted her the titles of ‘Heavenly Lady’, ‘Heavenly Empress’, and ‘Holy Mother on Heaven’. Meizhou Island became the centre of worshipping Mazu.

Over times she had also been bestowed with a series of loveable and respected names such as ‘Goddess of the Sea’, ‘Goddess of the Straits’ and ‘Goddess of Peace of the Straits. With the people migrating abroad, people spread Mazu culture there. Later Meizhou Island has been reputed as ‘Oriental Mecca’.

In 2009, the Mazu belief and custom was designated as "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

.

.

每年农历三月二十三日（今年阳历五月六日）妈祖诞辰与九月初九妈祖忌辰，当地与上千海外的信徒来到中国福建湄州岛参加祭拜仪式。

在所有团体中，有一组的妇女们的服装特别引人注目。她们梳船帆式发髻、半截红半截篮长裤。人们称她们为‘妈祖女’，而她们所穿的据说是妈祖所喜爱穿的服装。因为妈祖是海上保护神与航海员的保护者，她的发型就像船帆，她穿的裤子的红色代表了她升天时的‘天上圣母’的形象。因为人间的民众是她的臣民，不能穿与她所穿的同样的衣服，所以裤子的红色只能做到半截。

妈祖(959-987)在中国的东南沿海的信徒很多，尤其是在浙江、福建、台湾、广东、海南、与越南。这些地区有很强的海务传统，他们也有很大的移居外地的移民社群。妈祖对东亚，尤其是中国，包括台湾，的海洋文化的影响很大。

传说在千多年以前，一个出生于福建莆田湄州口的美丽的姑娘叫林默（林默娘）。她勇敢、善良，会预测天气，还乐于帮助在海上遇到问题的船民。她鼓励人们与自然斗争，战胜邪恶，所以很受到乡亲的爱戴与尊敬。很不幸，她在二十八岁就去世了。人们对她的敬爱令他们相信她死后升天，并在湄州湾口对面成为神仙。过去的帝皇也拜祭她并封她为‘天妃’，‘天后’，及‘天上圣母’等封号。湄州也就成为祭拜妈祖的中心。

随着时间的过去，她被给予各样敬爱的称呼，例如，‘海上保护神’，‘海峡保护神’，‘天上圣母’。随着当地人民移居外地，妈祖文化也跟着散播到那里。后来，湄洲就成为了‘东方的麦加’。

2009年，妈祖信仰与风俗被联合国教科文化组织列为‘人类无物质文化遗产’。

Emperor Han Gaozu Built Xinfeng 汉高祖建新丰

The first emperor of Han dynasty Liu Bang was born in the city of Feng in the district of Pei. Liu is said to be the first commoner to found a Chinese dynasty and it was not surprised it took some getting used to adjust to the new found status and life style when he and his father moved to the capital Chang-an.

The following record comes from the ‘Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital’ written by Liu Xin (46 BC – AD 23).

The father of Emperor Gaozu (256 BC or 247 BC – 195 BC) of the Han Dynasty moved to the capital Chang-an from his hometown Feng and lived in the palace. He was quite unhappy after a while. The Emperor asked those close to his father in private what might be the reasons. They told him that when his father was in Feng, he got along with young butchers and hawkers who sold liquor, peddled cakes, held cockfights and played soccer ball games. Now that all this was over, he felt depressed. The Emperor gave an order to construct a new district, called Xinfeng (new Feng), in Chang-an, and had old folks in Feng move to this district. His father cheered up at last. That was the reason why ever since a great number of vagrants lived in the Xinfeng district, but not scholars the well-to-do.

When the Emperor was young, he often made sacrifices at a temple for mother earth in Feng. So he had an identical temple built in the new district as well. When Xinfeng and the temple completed, the streets and buildings were all the same as those of the old Feng. As the folks from Feng strolled in the streets, they would have no difficulty in recognising their old houses. Driving the livestock along the lanes, they could find their own homes without hesitation as well. All the folks who moved here were pleased with the resemblance and praised the architect Hu Kuan. They rewarded him a lot for it, and in a month or so, he received a hundred units of gold.

.

汉朝开国皇帝刘邦出生于丰县（江苏省）的沛地区`（今`江苏沛县）。他是中国第一个（也是唯一的）平民出身皇帝。搬到首都长安，对于新的地位与生活，需要重新调整，那时不足为奇的。

劉歆(46 BC – 23) 《西京杂记》由以下的记载：

太上皇徙长安，居深宫，凄怆不乐。高祖窃因左右问其故，以平生所好，皆屠贩少年，酤酒卖饼，斗鸡蹴踘，以此为欢，今皆无此，故以不乐。高祖乃作新丰，移诸故人实之，太上皇乃悦。

故新丰多无赖，无衣冠子弟故也。高祖少时，常祭枌榆之社。及移新丰，亦还立焉。高帝既作新丰，并移旧社，衢巷栋宇，物色惟旧。士女老幼，相携路首，各知其室。放犬羊鸡鸭于通涂，亦竞识其家。其匠人胡宽所营也。移者皆悦其似而德之，故竞加赏赠，月余，致累百金。

Feng Xuan Purchased Righteousness for the Prince 冯谖买义

The following story comes from ‘Stratagems of the Warring States’.

In the State of Qi, there was a certain Feng Xuan who was so poor that he could not support himself. He got someone to request for him to join the household the Prince Meng Chang, desiring to dwell and be fed in his household. The Prince said, ‘What is his hobby?’ He was answered, ‘The guest has no hobby.’ The Prince then asked, ‘What is his special ability?’ He was answered, ‘He has no special ability.’ The Prince laughed and accepted him into his household, saying, ‘So be it.’ His attendants, thinking that he Prince thought meanly of Feng, fed him on the coarsest food. After a while, he leaned against a post, tapping his sword, and sang, ‘Long sword, let us go back. I have no fish when I eat.’ The attendants reported it and the Prince said, ‘Let him be fed like other guests in my household.’ After a while he again tapped on his sword and sang, ‘Long sword, let us go back. I have no carriage when I go out.’ The attendants all laughed at him and reported it. The Prince said, ‘Make ready a carriage for him as for those guests in my household who ride in carriages.’ Thereupon, he rode in his carriage, carried proudly his sword, went over to his friend and said, ‘The Prince Meng Chang treats me like a guest.’ After a while, he again tapped on his sword and said, ‘Long sword, let us go back. I have nothing for my home.’ The attendants all disliked him as they felt that he was too greedy and did not know when he had enough. The Prince asked, ‘Are Mr. Feng’s parents still alive?’ They replied, ‘He has an aged mother.’ The Prince then sent a messenger to give her enough food and supplies so that she should not be in want. Thereupon, Feng did not sing again.

Afterwards, the Prince Meng Chang put up a notice in which he asked, ‘Who among the guests in my households is experienced in accounts and can collect debts for me in Xue?’ Feng Xuan responded that he could. The Prince Meng Chang was surprised and said, ‘Who is this man?’ The attendants said, ‘It is he who sang “Long sword, let us go home.”’ The Prince Meng Chang laughed and said, ‘This guest has some ability after all. I have wronged him. I have not seen him before.’ He invited him to come and see him, and said thankfully, ‘I have been busy with and worried about my works. Moreover, I am naturally a weak and dull man. Being immersed in the business of the State, I may have offended you. Sir, is it true that you do not feel disgraced but have it in your mind to collect my debts for me in Xue?’ Feng said, ‘I am willing to do it.’ There upon he yoked his carriage, arranged his luggage, took with him the tallies and bonds, and before setting off, he asked, ‘When all the debts have been collected, what shall I buy to bring back?’ The Prince said, ‘See what my household has least of.’ He drove off quickly and came to Xue. He ordered his officers to summon all those people who owed debts to come and compare their tallies. When the tallies had been thoroughly compared, he issued an unauthorised order that the debts were to be remitted to the people, and accordingly burnt their tallies. The people exclaimed, ‘Long live the Prince.’

Doing the long journey quickly he came to Qi and on the following morning asked to see the Prince. The Prince marvelled at his speed, put on his robe and cap and granted Feng an audience. He asked, ‘Are all the debts collected? You have done it in such a short time’ Feng said, ‘The debts are all collected.’ The Prince asked, ‘What have you bought to bring back?’ Feng said, ‘Your Highness wanted something that the household has least of. As your servant, I presumed in your household, there are stores of valuable treasures, many dogs and horses fill your stables outside, and many beautiful women are ranged below you. What Your Highness’ household has least of is righteousness. And so I have purchased righteousness for Your Highness.’ The Prince said, ‘What do you mean by purchasing righteousness?’ Feng said, ‘Now, Your Highness possesses the small and unimportant place of Xue. You do not comfort and love its people as if they were your children; instead you make profit from them. Your servant issued an order on your behalf to cancel their debts and accordingly burnt their tallies. The people shouted “Long live the Prince.” And that is how your servant purchased righteousness for Your Highness.’ The Prince Meng Chang was displeased and said, ‘So be it, sir. You may retire.’

At the end of the year the King of Qi said to Prince, ‘I do not dare to employ the ministers of my predecessor as my own ministers.’ The Prince Meng Chang went to his own fief in Xue. When he was still a hundred li (0.5 km) away, the people, supporting their aged and leading little ones, came to meet the Prince on the way. When the Prince saw them, he said to Feng, ‘I see today the righteousness which, sir, you purchased for me.’ Feng said, ‘A wily hare needs to have three burrows and with that, it may just be able to escape death when attached. Now your Highness has just one burrow. It is not yet possible for you to sleep soundly. Allow me to prepare two more burrows for you.’ The Prince gave him fifty carriages and five hundred kilograms of gold. He journeyed westward to Liang, and said to King Hui, ‘Qi has banished its great minister – Prince Meng Chang. The king (duke) who welcomes him first will become rich and his army will become powerful.’ The King of Liang ordered the Chief Minister to vacate his post to become Commander-in-Chief of the army, and sent messengers with a thousand kilograms of gold and a hundred carriages to invite Prince Meng Chang to be his Chief Minister. Feng Xuan hurried on in advance and warned Prince Meng Chang, saying, ‘A thousand kilograms of gold is a valuable present, a hundred carriages are a brilliant convey. Qi is sure to know about it.’ The envoy from Liang returned three times but the Prince Meng Chang firmly refused the gifts and would not take up the post in Liang.

When the King of Qi heard of it, both he and his ministers were afraid and sent the Chief Tutor to present a thousand kilograms of gold, two decorated carriages with a team of four horses each, the personal sword of the King, and a sealed document in which he said the Prince, ‘I have been unfortunate, under the evil influence of my ancestral temple, sunk in the flattery of my ministers, and have offended Your Highness. It’s my entire fault. I wish Your Highness would have regard for the temple of my royal predecessor, come back to the State, and take charge of its affairs.’

Feng Xuan warned the Prince Meng Chang, saying, ‘I wish you would ask for the former king’s sacrificial utensils and erected an ancestral temple in Xue.’ When the temple was completed, Feng reported it to the Prince Meng Chang and said, ‘The three burrows are now ready. Your Highness may sleep soundly and rejoice.’

That the Prince Meng Chang was Chief Minister for several tens of years without any misfortune was due to the good advices and strategies of Feng Xuan.

.

冯谖买义的故事来自《战国策》。

齐人有冯谖者，贫乏不能自存，使人属孟尝君，愿寄食门下。孟尝君曰：“客何好？”曰：“客无好也。”曰：“客何能？”曰：“客无能也。”孟尝君笑而受之曰：“诺。”左右以君贱之也，食以草具。

居有顷，倚柱弹其剑，歌曰：“长铗归来乎！食无鱼。”左右以告。孟尝君曰：“食之，比门下之鱼客。”居有顷，复弹其铗，歌曰：“长铗归来乎！出无车。”左右皆笑之，以告。孟尝君曰：“为之驾，比门下之车客。”于是乘其车，揭其剑，过其友，曰：“孟尝君客我。”后有顷，复弹其剑铗，歌曰：“长铗归来乎！无以为家。”左右皆恶之，以为贪而不知足。孟尝君闻：“冯公有亲乎？”对曰：“有老母。”孟尝君使人给其食用，无使乏。于是冯谖不复歌。

后孟尝君出记，闻门下诸客：“谁习计会，能为文收责于薛乎？”冯谖署曰：“能。”孟尝君怪之，曰：“此谁也？”左右曰：“乃歌夫‘长铗归来’者也。”孟尝君笑曰：“客果有能也，吾负之，未尝见也。”请而见之谢曰：“文倦于事，愦于忧，而性愚，沉于国家之，开罪于先生。先生不羞，乃有意欲为收责于薛乎？”冯谖曰：“愿之。”于是约车治装，载券契而行，辞曰：“责毕收，以何市而反？”孟尝君曰：“视吾家所寡有者。”驱而之薛，使吏召诸民当偿者，悉来合券。券遍合，起，矫命以责赐诸民，因烧其券，民称万岁。

长驱到齐，晨而求见。孟尝君怪其疾也，衣冠而见之，曰：“责毕瓿乎？来何疾也！”曰：“收毕矣。”“以何市而反？”冯谖曰：“君云‘视吾家所寡有者，’臣窃计，君宫中积珍宝，狗马实外厩，美人充下陈。君家所寡有者，以义耳！窃以为君市义。”孟尝君曰：“市义奈何？”曰：“今君有区区之薛，不拊爱子其民，因而贾利之。臣窃矫君命，以责赐诸民，因烧其券，民称万岁。乃臣所以为君市义也”孟尝君不说，曰：“诺，先生休矣！”

后期年，有毁孟尝君于闵王，齐王谓孟尝君曰：“寡人不敢以先王之臣为臣。”孟尝君就国于薛，未至百里，民扶老携幼，迎君道中。孟尝君顾谓冯谖：“先生所为文市义者，乃今日见之。”冯谖曰：“狡兔有三窟，仅得免其死耳。今君有一窟，未得高枕而卧也。请为君复凿二窟。”孟尝君予车五十乘，金五百斤，西游于梁，谓惠王曰：“齐放其大臣孟尝君于诸侯，诸侯先迎之者，富而兵强。”于是，梁王虚上位，以故相为上将军，遣使者，黄金千斤，车百乘，往聘孟尝君。冯谖先驱，诫孟尝君曰：“千金，重币也；百乘，显使也。齐其闻之矣。”梁使三反，孟尝君固辞不往也。

齐王闻之，君臣恐惧，遣太傅赍黄金千斤，文车二驷，服剑，封书谢孟尝君曰：“寡人不祥，被于宗庙之祟，沉于谄谀之臣，开罪于君，寡人不足为也。愿君顾先王之宗庙，姑反国统万人乎？”冯谖诫孟尝君曰：“愿请先王之祭器，立宗庙于薛。”庙成，还报孟尝君曰：“三窟已就，君姑高枕为乐矣。”

孟尝君为相数十年，无纤介之祸者，冯谖之计也。

Zhou Chu Kills Three Terrors 周处除三害

The famous story of Zhou comes from the ‘A New Account of Tales of the World’ (Shi Shuo Xin Yu).

When he was a young man, Zhou Chu (240-299) was tough and fond of fighting. Residents of Yi Xing, his home town, both feared and hated him.

At that time there was in the district a terrible monster known as jiao (a kind of crocodile), that lived in the river, and a man-eating tiger that lived in the mountains. Together with Zhou Chu, they were known as the ‘three terrors’ plaguing the people. And Zhou Chu was considered to be the worst.

At one time somebody persuaded Zhou Chu to go and kill the other two monsters, in the hope that he might be killed in the struggle. He agreed to the request. After slaughtering the tiger in the mountains, he jumped into the river and launched an attack on the jiao. The jiao sometimes rose to the surface and sometime swam in the depth of the river, while Zhou Chu followed it for tens of miles all along. Three days and nights had passed, the residents decided that Zhou must have already been eaten by the jiao, and they had a celebration.

At this time, Zhou Chu succeeded in killing the jiao and re-emerged from the river. Knowing that the people were celebrating, he at last realised how deeply hated he had become. So he decided to start a new life, and went off in search of two scholars, known as the Lu brothers, for advice.

Lu Ji (261-301) was out at that time, but his younger brother, Lu Yun (262-303), was at home. Zhou Chu recounted the recent events ti him and said, ‘I wish to correct my behaviour, but I am no longer young, and change will not come easy.’

Lu Yun replied, ‘Confucius once said that if you found out the truth in the morning but died the same evening, you would feel no regret. You are still young and have a life of promise ahead of you. What you should feat is having no goal in your life. If you already bhave one, why worry that you will never come to fame?’

From then on Zhou Chu mad efforts to turn over a new leaf, and later was applauded as a loyal official and a loving son.’

.

.

‘周处除三害’的故事记载于《世说新语》。

周处年少时，凶强侠气，为乡里所患。

又义兴水中有蛟，山中有邅迹虎，并皆暴犯百姓，义兴人谓为‘三横’，而处尤剧。

或说处杀虎斩蛟，实冀三横唯余其一。处即刺杀虎，又入水击蛟，蛟或浮或没，行数十里，处与之俱，经三日三夜，乡里皆谓已死，更相庆。

竟杀蛟而出。闻里人相庆，始知为人情所患，有自改意。

乃自吴寻二陆，平原不在，正见清河，具以情告，并云：‘欲自修改而年已蹉跎，终无所成。’

清河曰：‘古人贵朝闻夕死，况君前途尚可。且人患志之不立，亦何忧令名不彰邪？’

处遂改励，终为忠臣孝子。

Rousing Games in the Bridal Chambers 闹洞房

Ancient Chinese believed four occurrences were the happiest things in life and they are expressed in a poem: a good rain after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a distant land, the wedding night in a room lit with red candles and the moment that one's name appears on a public billboard as having passed a government examination.

In feudal society, the harvesting of crops, to be always closely related to one's hometown, to get married as a symbol of becoming an adult and to gain a position in the government were the most important things by which a man was judged as being a success.

Among them, the wedding night was the most unforgettable experience and over the years many folk customs have evolved to celebrate of this happy occasion. One of the special customs is called ‘nao dongfang’ (teasing the newlyweds, or rousing games in the bridal chambers) in which relatives and friends of the newlyweds made fun of them in their room on their wedding night, asking the couple to act out the suggestions contained in hints being made to them.

The custom originated during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and it has continued up to today. It's said that long ago an Immortal found out that a devil had followed the wedding parade of a bride who was being carried in a sedan chair. The devil had then hidden in the couple's room and threatened their lives once all the guests had gone away. The Immortal said that the only way to drive the devil away was with people's laughter. So the couple had to bring a lot of friends into their room after the ‘baitang’ (the formal wedding ceremony) to produce noisy laughter.

The Chinese is not the only race that has a custom of ‘disturbing’ the newlyweds. In the west, chiverie is the wedding night prank to interrupt the wedding couple at night by a crowd clanging pots and pans, ringing bells and horns. Some even play around with the room where they will stay, like spread food all over the bed, put plenty of balloons and hide alarm clock everywhere, they make noise outside the place where the couple spends their first night together, just for fun. In the US, the ‘shivaree’, as it is called, was once very popular and often elaborated into a ritual humiliation of the bride and groom.

An article describes ‘nao dongfang’ in the Qing dynasty as follows:

Soon after the newlyweds have entered the nuptial chamber, all the wedding guests, male and female, follow. To win the smiles of the bride, people wilfully tease her with all kinds of ridicule and jokes. This practice of foolery and frivolity by adults in the nuptial chamber is intended to embarrass the bride and bridesmaid. The guests crack vulgar jokes in bawdy language and make flippant remarks the bride’s appearance. They go so far as to take the rouge and powder off the bride’s face and put it on one another. They do not stop until they have had their fill of wanton fun and foolery.

.

.

中国古代认为人生有四大喜事，宋•洪迈在《容斋四笔》中以《得意失意诗》来说明：‘久旱逢甘雨，他乡遇故知；洞房花烛夜，金榜题名时。’

在封建社会里，谷物丰收、靠近亲友、年长成婚及一官半职，都是一个男人成功的标志。

其中，洞房花烛夜最为难忘，并形成不少风俗来庆祝这个快乐的时辰。一个特别的风俗就是‘闹洞房’；在新婚之夜，亲戚朋友在新娘房内，出题要新婚夫妇照做表演。

这个风俗起源于汉朝（公元前206年至公元220年），延续至今。据说，很久以前，一个神仙发现有一个恶魔跟随新娘轿车队伍，来到新娘房中，等到所有的人都离开后，威胁新娘新郎的生命。神仙说，驱魔的唯一的方法就是人们的笑声。所以这对夫妇在拜堂之后就邀请很多的朋友到他们的房间来发出笑声。

闹新人并不是只是华人才有的风俗。在西方，再新婚夜就有就有‘chiverie’的习俗来干扰新人，以壶及平锅发出声音，摇铃及吹喇叭。有些还在他们的房间里恶作剧，例如把食物在他们的床上散布，四处放气球，藏闹钟；并在洞房外嚷叫，就为了好玩。在美国叫做的‘shivaree’亦曾流行一时，时常成为对新娘新郎的例行羞辱。

一篇文章对闹洞房的描述如下：

‘新妇既入洞房，男妇宾咸入，以欲博新妇之笑，谑浪笑傲，无所不至。……成年者之闹房，其目的则在侮弄新娘及伴房之女，淫词戏语，信口而出，或评新娘头足，或以新娘脂粉涂饰他人之面，任意调笑，兴尽而止。’

Jingwei Fills the Sea 精卫填海

In modern languages the word tragedy is often used loosely to mean a disaster - particularly a seemingly undeserved disaster that strikes unexpectedly powerful people and happy families.

There are two possible outcomes of any tragedy – it is either an unhappy or a happy ending. One of the most widespread assumptions about a good tragedy is that the characters must be subjected constantly to the successive blows of hardship and misfortune and it must have an unhappy ending in order for it to be ‘most tragic’. It is possible for a tragedy to have happy ending for the good after he overcomes numerous difficulties and obstacles. However, some considered such is not a good tragedy.

Tragedy depicts men and women who, dissatisfied with the hand destiny has dealt them, challenge the rules of the game. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose, but always they demonstrate the power of human spirit to stand against fate or the gods.

Tragedy also pushes the individual to the outer limits of existence where one must live or die by one's convictions. Facing the end of life, a person quickly recognizes life's ultimate values. All the trivial matters which occupy our daily routine suddenly vanish.

The Chinese myth on ‘Jingwei fills the sea’ is widely considered as a symbol of dogged determination and perseverance in the face of seemingly impossible odds.

The Fajiu Hill was two hundred li (a li is 0.5 km) away to the north. There was a lot of mulberry trees grew on it. Among them lived a bird which looked like a crow, but had a colourful head, a white bill and two red claws. Its call sounded like its name: Jingwei.

The bird was said to be Emperor Yandi's youngest daughter, Nuwa.

Nuwa, while playing on the East Sea, had been drowned and never returned. She had turned into Jingwei, and the bird would often carry bits of twigs and stones all the way from the West Mountains to the East Sea to fill it up.

.

.

用现代话来说，悲剧一般指灾害，尤其是看来不应发生却出乎意料地发生在有权力的人的身上或快乐家庭里的灾难。

悲剧只有两种可能的后果，它的收场可以是不愉快的，也可以是愉快的。对于一个‘好’的悲剧来说，普遍的假设是其中的人物应经历连续不断的苦难与不幸事故；同时，为了要达到‘最惨’效果，其结果应该是不愉快的。但是，好人克服了无数困难与障碍之后，也可能会有好的结果。但一些人认为这不是‘好’的悲剧。

悲剧描述人们 – 男的或女的 – 不满命运给予他们的安排而向这些游戏规律挑战。有时候他们赢了，有时候输了，可是他们时时刻刻显示敢于向命运或神灵挑战的人类精神。

悲剧也把人类推向极限，人们必须为了他们的信念而面对生死的选择。面对生命的终结，一个人很快的就认识到生命的最终价值。占据了我们日常生活的琐琐碎碎事务，突然间都变得不重要。

中国神话《精卫填海》（来自《山海经》）被普遍认为是代表了面对看似没有成功的可能性时的坚定决心与坚持。

‘又北二百里，曰发鸠之山，其上多枯木。有鸟焉，其状如乌，文首，白喙，赤足，名曰“精卫”，其鸣自詨。

是炎帝之少女，名曰女娃。

女娃游于东海，溺而不返，故为精卫，常衔西山之木石，以堙于东海。’