Appendices and Endnotes

by William Dolby

  i) Prince Blazoning of New Metropolis’s Female-relative’s Father’s-ancestral-temple Solemn Ancestral-temple. (Hsin-tu Hsien-wang Ch’i-ni Mu-miao 新都顯王戚禰穆廟).”

  In later ages, the Son of Heaven also built ancestral temples. Li Shang-yin 李商隱 (813 - 858) has a poem with the words: “The Nine Ancstral-temples have no dust, as the Eight Horses return.” Ou-yang Hsüan 歐陽玄 (1273 - 1357) and others, Sung history (Sung-shih 宋史), “Li-chih”, says: “The Nine Ancestral Temples are the different rooms of the same palace-hall.” The same work, “Yȕeh-chih”, says: “The Nine Ancestral-temples observe virtue, The Hundred Spirits cushion the throne.”

  731i.e. restoration of imperial power.

  732Hung Sheng gives the note that this line derives from a poem by Pai Chü-yi 白居易 [772 - 846].

  733Hung Sheng gives the note that this line derives from a poem by Hu Tseng 胡曾 [fl. ca. AD 877].

  734Hung Sheng gives the note that this line derives from a poem by He Ch’ao 賀朝 [fl. ca. AD 711].

  735Hung Sheng gives the note that this line derives from a poem by Tu Hsȕn-he 杜荀鶴 [846 - 904].

  736Shang-huang 上皇, Sublime/Superior/Upper August-emperor

  737mo-chang 魔障, “destruction barrier”, a Buddhist term, referring to the blocking and destruction of the cultivation of cosmic virtue. Superior Truth grading sutra (Sheng-yi-ti p’in-ching 勝義諦品經) mentions ten kinds of “destruction barrier”.

  The mo is a transliteration of the Sanskrit mara, meaning “killing”, “destroying”, “to block and destroy” (chang-hai 障害), and Mara, being a deva, “Destroyer”, “Evil One”, Devil”, “Murderer”, “Hinderer”, “Disturber”. The chang is a translation of the Sanskrit term varana or avarana, “screen”, “barricade”, “partition”, meaning the passions or delusions that hinder enlightenment.

  738Yü-lin 羽林, Plume Forest, Feather Forest:

  i) the name of an imperial palace forbidden precincts guard body. In the reign of Emperor Warrior (Wu-ti 武帝, reigned 140 BC - 87 BC) of the Han dynasty, the Splendour-establishing-camp Cavalry (Chien-chang-ying Chi 建章營騎) was set up, the name of which was later changed to Feather Forest. In addition, the sons and grandsons of men who’d died in the army’s activities were picked out and fostered, given instruction in the Five Weapons by the Feather-forest Officers (Yü-lin-kuan 羽林官), and the title Feather-forest Fatherless-ones (Yü-lin Ku-erh 羽林孤兒). Emperor Proclamation (Hsȕan-ti 宣帝, reigned 73 BC - 58 BC) ordered a Commandant Cavalry Commnder-in-chief (chung-lang-chiang chi-tu-wei 中郎將騎都尉) to oversee the Feather Forest guard, leading a hundred “young gentlemen” (lang 郎), who were called Feather-forest Young Gentlemen (Yü-lin-lang 羽林郎).

  From the Eastern Han dynasty onwards, each dynasty set up Feather Forest Supervisions (Yü-lin-chien 羽林監). Emperor Yang-ti 煬帝 (reigned 605 - 617) changed the Left and Right Commandants (tso-yu ling-chȕn 左右領軍) to Left and Right Encampment Guard (tso-yu t’un-wei 左右屯衛), the soldiers it led being called the Feather Forest. The T’ang dynasty set up a Left and Right Feather-forest Army (tso-yu yü-lin chȕn 左右羽林軍), later changing the Army to Guard (wei 衛), which had such officers as Grand Generals (ta chiang-chun 大將軍) and generals (chiang-chȕn 將軍). The Sung dynasty didn’t install any Feather Forest.

  In the Yȕan dynasty, the Feather-forest General was a Retinue Functionary (hu-ts’ung chih-shih-kuan 扈從執事官). In the Ming dynasty, a Feather-forest Guard was set up in the Imperial Armies (ch’in-chȕn 親軍).

  ii) the name of an asterism. Ssu-ma Ch’ien 司馬遷 (ca. 147 BC - 90 BC), Historians’ records (Shih-chi 史記), “T’ien-kuan”, says: “Void Peril (Hsü-wei 虛危): to its south there are a multitude of stars, called Feather-forest Heaven-army (Yü-lin T’ien-chȕn 羽林天軍).”

  Chang Shou-chieh 張守節 (T’ang dynasty), Establishing proper meanings in “Historians’ records” (Shih-chi cheng-yi 史記正義), says: “The forty-five stars of the Feather Forest are gathered in threes on threes, dispersed to the south of Fortress Wall (Lei-pi 壘壁).”

  739Yen-ch’iu 延秋, Invite-autumn/Extend-autumn, the name of a gate of Ch’ang-an city, being the west gate of the imperial-palace Forbidden-precincts Hunting-park (Chin-yȕan 禁苑).

  740Ch’ȕan-t’ai, 泉臺, Springs Terrace:

  i) meaning “grave”, “tomb”. Huang T’ao 黃滔 (fl. ca. AD 900), in his poem Grieving over my paternal cousin (Shang weng-wai-sheng 傷翁外甥), has the line: “At Springs Terrace the laurel-tree divides.”

  ii) the name of a terrace. Tso Ch’iu-ming 左丘明 (6th - 5th century BC?) (dub. attr.), Tso’s commentary (Tso-chuan 左傳), “Wen 16 nien”, says: “In the summer, in the Fifth Month, a snake came out from Springs Palace (Ch’ȕan-kung 泉宮), and entered the capital, its movements being like those of the late ruler. In the autumn, in the Eighth Month, Sheng Ch’iang died, and Springs Terrace was destroyed.” Commentary to that says: “The Terrace was inside the Palace. When people saw it come out of the Palace, they destroyed the Terrace, and at the same time destroyed the Palace.”

  Kung-yang Kao 公羊高 (late 4th century BC?) (attr.), Kung-yang’s commentary (Kung-yang chuan 公羊傳), says: “Before it was completed, it was Young-gentlemen Terrace (Lang-t’ai 郎臺), but when it was completed, it became Springs Terrace.” A note to that says: “Springs Terrace was built by Duke Dignity of Lu (Lu Chuang-kung 鲁莊宮) reigned 693 BC - 660 BC]).”

  741hua-fan 花旛, flower-pennant.

  742luan-chia tui-tzu 鑾駕隊子.

  743Used as an item of cortege insignia. On the end of a pole.

  744i.e. horses close side by side.

  745Nan-yȕan 南苑, South Imperial Hunting-park, seemingly the name of a T’ang dynasty imperial hunting-park situated in Ch’ang-an, but perhaps fictional. There was a park of such a name during the Ch’ing dynasty, south of present-day Peking.

  746A term from Songs classic.

  747The terms First Proffering-the-wine-cup (ch’u hsien-chȕeh 初獻爵), Second Proffering-the-wine-cup (ya hsien-chȕeh 亞獻爵) and Final Proffering-the-wine-cup (chung hsien-chȕeh 終獻爵) referred to the thrice pouring of wine in libation in sacrificial services.

  748Lit. “holding-sourness-in-your-mouth”.

  749Pei-mang 北邙, North Mang, tha name of a mountain. The Mang is also found written as Mang 芒, and it’s also called Mount Mang (Mang-shan 邙山), Mount Mang (Mang-shan 芒山), North Mountain (Pei-shan 北山), and Mount Hsia (Hsia-shan 郟山). Situated north of present-day Lo-yang county in Henan province. on the borders of Yen-shih, Kung and Meng-chin counties. The River Ch’an-shui issues from it. In the year AD 35, during the Eastern Han dynasty, Pince Chih of Kung (Kung-wang Chih 恭王祉) was buried on North Mang, and after that princes, high nobility and lofty ministers were often buried there.

  During the reign-period 1156 - 1161 of the Kin dynasty, the mountain’s name was changed to Mount Grand Peace (T’ai-ping-shan 太平山). In the T’ang dynasty, there was a New Music-treasury (Hsin Yȕeh-fu 新樂府) song entitled North Mang lay (Pei-mang hsing 北邙行).

  Kuo Mao-ch’ien 郭茂倩 (Sung dynasty), Collection of the lyrics of Music Treasury songs (Yȕeh-fu shih-chi 樂府詩集), says: “North Mang lay talks of people’s/ a person’s dying and being buried on North Mang, having the same sense as Liang Fu’s song (Liang Fu yin 梁甫吟), Mount T’ai song (T’ai-shan yin 泰山吟) and Wormwood Ward song (Hao-li yin 蒿里吟).”

  Wang Chien 王建 (fl. ca. 751 - 835) has a poem with the lines: “Up on Mount North Mang there’s little vacant land, everywhere there are old graves of Lo-yang people; So many people of the old graves have gone home to burial, having piled up yellow gold with nowhere to put it.” He also has the lines: “Day in day out the carriages and horses come back from funerals, but they still erect their big residences and high terraces!”

  Chang Chi 張籍 (768 - ca. 830) has a poem with the lines: “At the north gate of Lo-yang, o
n the North Mang road, the hearses rumble-rumble entering the autumn vegetation.” And further has the lines: “Living in the capital city, one never comprehends sorrow, Please, sir, for a while, turn towards a trip to North Mang.” These give the gist.

  Here in this drama the meaning seems to be “when will you be reburied in the capital”?

  750Tien-ling-yen 奠靈筵, Libation-to-spirit Feast. Presumably a feast at which libations were made to the spirit(s) of the departed.

  751ch’ang-shih 常侍, Constant Attendant, Attendant-in-ordinary, a formal term for “eunuch chamberlain”, the eunch director of imperial-palace eunuchs. During the Ch’in dynasty and Han dynasty, there was the post of Central Attendant-in-ordinary (chung-ch’ang-shih 中常侍). From the Wei and Tsin dynasties onwards, there was the Cavalier Attendant-in-ordinary/ Senor Recorder/Policy Advisor (san-chi ch’ang-shih 散騎常侍). In the Sui and T’ang dynasties, there was the Inner Attendant-in-ordinary (nei ch’ang-shih 內常侍) in the Imperial-palace Domestic Service (nei-shih sheng 內侍省). All of these were posts in close attendance upon the emperor.

  752Chin-chiang, 錦江, Brocade River, the name of various rivers:

  i) A river in Szechwan province, also called Flowing River (Liu-chiang 流江) and the River Wen (Wen-chiang 汶江), and popularly known as Prefectural River (Fu-he 府河) and Running-horse River (Tsou-ma-he 走馬河). It’s a branch of the River Min, and has its source in P’i county. On reaching Hua-yang county, it joins up with the River P’i (P’i-chiang 郫江). The people of Shu, ancient Szechwan, regarded this river as bright and beautiful as washed brocade, hence the name. They also named a place, Brocade Ward (Chin-li 錦里) after it. The part of the river inside Hua-yang city is also called the Inner River (Nei-chiang 內江).

  ii) When the River Shang-jao (Shang-jao-chiang 上饒江) of Shang-jao county in Kiangsi province reaches Yü-chiang county, it joins up with the White Pagoda River (Pai-t’a-he 白塔河), and the two are together called Brocade River. As it flows past Yü-kan county, it’s called the Dragon-grotto River (Lung-k’u-he 龍窟河), which flows into the River P’o (P’o-chiang 鄱江). The river has a Cloud-brocade Rock (Yȕn-chin-shih 雲錦石), hence its name.

  iii) A river also called Auspicious River (Jui-he 瑞河) and Shu River (Shui-shui 蜀水). Its source is north-east of Shang-li in the neighbourhood of P’ing-hsiang in the western part of Kiangsi province. It flows eastwards past Wan-tsai, then east again past Shang-kao and Kao-an, and on arriving south of Hsien-chien, flows southwards into the River Kan (Kan-chiang 贛江).

  iv) A river also called the River Chen (Chen-chiang 鎮江). A big river of Korea. Its source is in the Lu-ling Mountains range in the eastern part of Chuan-lo Pei-tao, from where it flows northwards, and, on reaching the south-west part of Chung-ch’ing Pei-tao, joins up with the River Pao-ch’ing-ch’uan. Turning sharply, it flows south-westwards, entering Chung-ch’ing Nan-tao, where it pours into the Yellow Sea. It’s four hundred and one kilometres in length, and the agriculture on its banks flourishes, with villages on both sides, the region of it being acclaimed as “Korea’s treasury”.

  753fen-po 焚帛, to Burn Silk. i.e. to burn silk as a means of communicating with the dead. Perhaps similar to Burning Paper (shao-chih 燒紙), to burn paper “coins” to communicate with the dead.

  754Buying silk for bribe.

  755i.e. that created by burned paper sacrificial money.

  756Refers to the story of the goddess Royal Mother of the West’s (Hsi-wang-mu 西王母) visit to Emperor Warrior (Wu-ti 武帝, reigned 140 BC - 87 BC) of the Han dynasty.

  757Ting Ling-wei 丁令威, a Taoist adept from Grand-empyrean Monastery (T’ai-hsiao-kuan 太霄觀) in Ch’ü-a 曲阿 during the Han dynasty. T’ao Ch’ien 陶潛 (372 - 427) (false attribution, being somewhat later, AD 439 or later), Sequel to “In quest of the supernatural” (Sou-shen hou-chi 搜神後記), says:

  Ting Ling-wei studied cosmic truths on Mount Spirit-void (Ling-hsü-shan 靈虛山), later turning into a crane, and returning to Liao 遼, hovering in the air and saying:

  There’s a bird, there’s a bird, Ting Ling-wei,

  Left home a thousand years ago,

  only now returning;

  The inner and outer city-walls are as of old,

  but the people aren’t,

  Why not, amid the heap on heap of

  tombs,

  go immortality-studying.

  Then he ascended high, soaring up to the heavens.

  758Liao-yang 遼陽, name of counties in olden times:

  i) set up under the Han dynasty, abolished by the Tsin dynasty, situated north-west of present-day Liao-yang county in Liaoning province.

  ii) one called Liao-yang 轑陽 during the Tsin dynasty, its old administrative city being situated in present-day Liao county in Shansi province. Under the Latter Wei dynasty, its name was changed to Liao-yang 遼陽, and its administrative seat moved to north of present-day Liao county. The Sui dynasty changed its name to Liao-shan 遼山, and returned its administrative seat to present-day Liao county.

  iii) a county under the Liao dynasty. Liao-yang was also the name of a commandery (Liao-yang-chȕn 遼陽郡) set up under the Ch’in dynasty, which commandery from the Tsin dynasty on became part of Koguryõ/ Kokuli/Ko-ku-rye/Koma (Kao-li 高麗). When the T’ang dynasty conquered Ko-ku-rye, the T’ang set up a Liao-chou 遼州 there. Under the Liao dynasty the county (Liao-yang-hsien 遼陽縣) was set up, as the administrative seat of Tung-p’ing commandery (Tung-p’ing-chȕn 東平郡), it shortly being elevated to its Southern Capital (Nan-ching 南京), and later changed to be its Eastern Capital (Tung-ching 東京). Still later, a Liao-yang prefecture (Liao-yang-fu 遼陽府) was established there.

  The Yȕan dynasty changed it to A Liao-yang lu-province (Liao-yang-lu 遼陽路). The Ming dynasty abolished the county, and set up a Liao-tung Regional Military Commission (Liao-tung tu chih-hui shih 遼東都指揮使). At the beginning of the Ch’ing dynasty, a Liao-yang prefecture was re-established there, and also a Liao-yang county contiguous with the outer wall of its administrative city. Shortly, its administrative seat was moved to Sheng-ching 盛京, and it was named Feng-t’ien prefecture (Feng-t’ien-fu 奉天府), the county’s administrative seat remaining the same.

  During the reign-period 1662 - 1722, the county was elevated to a sub prefecture (Liao-yang-chou 遼陽州). The Republic changed the sub prefecture back to a county, which is situated on the southern bank of the River T’ai-tzu, the Southern Manchurian Railway passing to the east of it.

  In AD 1905, by the Sino-Japanese Northern Three Provinces Treaty, it was closed off as a commercial port, and its prosperity in the region was second only to that of Shen-yang (Mukden), it being the second metropolis of Liaoning province, situated south-west of Shen-yang city.

  759shen-chang 神帳, “god-curtain”, presumably a curtain concealing a god or goddess.

  760Hung Sheng gives the note that this line derives from a poem by Ts’ao Yeh 曹鄴 [fl. ca. AD 859].

  761A reference to Ts’ao Chih 曹植 (192 - 232), Lo goddess rhapsody (Lo-shen fu 洛神賦). His preface to it says: “In the third year of the Yellow Beginning reign-period [i.e. AD 222], I went for audience at court, in the capital Lo-yang, and on my way back, crossed the River Lo. Some ancient person said that the goddess of this river was called Princess Mi (Mi-fei 宓妃), and inspired by the story of Sung Yü’s 宋玉 [ca. 290 - ca. 223 BC] telling the tale of a goddess to the King of Ch’u, I proceeded to compose this fu-rhapsody.” It’s been said that this rhapsody was composed for Lady Chen (Chen-shih 甄氏). She was originally the wife of Yȕan Hsi 袁熙, son of the warlord Yȕan Shao 袁紹 (AD? - AD 220), and when the warlord Ts’ao Ts’ao 曹操 (155 - 220) defeated Yȕan Shao, he captured her. Ts’ao Ts’ao’s son Ts’ao Chih wooed her, but failed to gain her. When Ts’ao Ts’ao returned, he gave her in marriage to his eldest son, Ts’ao P’i 曹丕 (187 - 226), and when Ts’ao P’i usurped the Han dynasty, he made her his main queen (hou 后), and she
gave birth to the future Emperor Shining (Ming-ti 明帝, reigned 227 - 239), i.e. Ts’ao Jui 曹睿 (204 - 239). In AD 221, she was obliged to commit suicide for some offence.

  In AD 222, Ts’ao Chih went to the royal court, then, as he returned, rested on the bank of the River Lo, feeling yearnings for Lady Chen. Suddenly he saw her come his way, address words to him and depart. Overwhelmed by a mixture of sadness and joy, Ts’ao Chih proceeded to compose a Moved by Chen rhapsody (Kan-Chen fu 感甄賦). Later, Emperor Shining saw it, and changed its title to Lo goddess rhapsody. An account is given in Ch’en Shou 陳壽 (233 - 297), Three Kingdoms records (San-kuo chih 三國志), “Wei-chih”, “Wen-chao Chen huang-hou chuan”.

  762Hung Sheng gives the note that this line derives from a poem by Ch’ȕan Te-yü 權德輿 [759 - 818].

  763Hung Sheng gives the note that this line derives from a poem by Pai Chü-yi 白居易 [772 - 846].

  764T’ien-ch’u 天除, Heaven Steps. A term for the staircase to the palace of Heaven.

  765huang-ch’ien 黃錢, Yellow Coins, the name of a kind of paper coin burned in sacrificial services to gods, to transmit to the gods, being made of sacrificial Yellow-exterior Paper (huang-piao-chih 黃表紙 with incised carvings (lou-k’ung 鏤空) in the form of linked up coins.

  766kui-p’an 鬼判, Demon Assessor, may specifically refer to Chung K’ui 鍾馗 the Demon-catcher, a guardian god. Shen K’uo 沈括 (1030 - 1094), Supplement to “Brush-chat” (Pu “P’i-t’an” 補筆談), says:

  In the imperial palace of old there was a painting by Wu Tao-tzu 吳道子 [Wu Tao-hsȕan 吳道玄 early 8th century AD] of Ch’ung K’ui, and at the top of its scroll someone of the T’ang dynasty had written an inscription, which went:

  When, during the Open-origin reign-period [713 - 741], Shining August-emperor [i.e. Emperor Dark-progenitor, Hsȕan-tsung 玄宗, reigned 712 - 756] had been engaged in military studies on Mount Li (Li-shan 驪山) [south-east of present-day T’ung county in Shensi province], and on returning to his palace, started up with a long-term intermittent fever, which was lasting for nearly a month or more. Suddenly one night he dreamed of two demons, one big and one small. The smaller of the two, wearing a deep-red leather apron, and with a shoe on one foot and the other foot bare, stole Empress Yang Grand-truth’s (T’ai-chen 太真) scarlet perfume-sachet and the Emperor’s jade flute, and fled scampering round the palace-hall. The big one, wearing a hat, and dressed in a blue gown, with his two arms bare, and with leather boots on both feet, seized the little demon, and cut out its eyes and ate it.