by Xueqin Cao
CHAPTER LIII.
In the Ning Kuo mansion sacrifices are offered to their ancestors on the last night of the year. In the Jung Kuo mansion, a banquet is given on the evening of the 15th of the first moon.
But to resume our story. When Pao-yue saw that Ch'ing Wen had in herattempt to finish mending the peacock-down cloak exhausted her strengthand fatigued herself, he hastily bade a young maid help him massage her;and setting to work they tapped her for a while, after which, theyretired to rest. But not much time elapsed before broad daylight set in.He did not however go out of doors, but simply called out that theyshould go at once and ask the doctor round.
Presently, Dr. Wang arrived. After feeling her pulse, his suspicionswere aroused. "Yesterday," he said, "she was much better, so how is itthat to-day she is instead weaker, and has fallen off so much? She mustsurely have had too much in the way of drinking or eating! Or she musthave fatigued herself. A complaint arising from outside sources is,indeed, a light thing. But it's no small matter if one doesn't takeproper care of one's self, as she has done after perspiring."
As he passed these remarks, he walked out of the apartment, and, writinga prescription, he entered again.
When Pao-yue came to examine it, he perceived that he had eliminated thelaxatives, and all the drugs, whose properties were to expel noxiousinfluences, but added pachyma cocos, rhubarb, arolia edulis, and othersuch medicines, which could stimulate the system and strengthen herphysique.
Pao-yue, on one hand, hastened to direct a servant to go and decoct them,and, on the other, he heaved a sigh. "What's to be done?" he exclaimed."Should anything happen to her, it will all be through the evilconsequences of my shortcomings!"
"Hai!" cried Ch'ing Wen, from where she was reclining on her pillow."Dear Mr. Secundus, go and mind your own business! Have I got such adreadful disease?"
Pao-yue had no alternative but to get out of the way. But in theafternoon, he gave out that he was not feeling up to the mark, andhurried back to her side again.
The symptoms of Ch'ing Wen's illness were, it is true, grave; yetfortunately for her she had ever had to strain her physical strength,and not to tax the energies of her mind. Furthermore, she had alwaysbeen frugal in her diet, so that she had never sustained any harm fromunder or over-eating. The custom in the Chia mansion was that as soon asany one, irrespective of masters or servants, contracted the slightestchill or cough, quiet and starving should invariably be the main thingsobserved, the treatment by medicines occupying only a secondary place.Hence it was that when the other day she unawares felt unwell, she atonce abstained from food during two or three days, while she carefullyalso nursed herself by taking proper medicines. And although sherecently taxed her strength a little too much, she gradually succeeded,by attending with extra care to her health for another few days, inbringing about her complete recovery.
Of late, his female cousins, who lived in the garden, had been havingtheir meals in their rooms, so with the extreme convenience of having afire to prepare drinks and eatables, Pao-yue himself was able, needlessfor us to go into details, to ask for soups and order broths for (Ch'ingWen), with which to recoup her health.
Hsi Jen returned soon after she had followed the funeral of her mother.She Yueeh then minutely told Hsi Jen all about Chui Erh's affair, aboutCh'ing Wen having sent her off, and about Pao-yue having been alreadyinformed of the fact, and so forth, yet to all this Hsi Jen made nofurther comment than: "what a very hasty disposition (that girl Ch'ingWen has!)."
But consequent upon Li Wan being likewise laid up with a cold, she gotthrough the inclemency of the weather; Madame Hsing suffering so muchfrom sore eyes that Ying Ch'un and Chou-yen had to go morning andevening and wait on her, while she used such medicines as she had; LiWan's brother, having also taken her sister-in-law Li, together with LiWen and Li Ch'i, to spend a few days at his home, and Pao-yue seeing, onone hand, Hsi Jen brood without intermission over the memory of hermother, and give way to secret grief, and Ch'ing Wen, on the other,continue not quite convalescent, there was no one to turn any attentionto such things as poetical meetings, with the result that severaloccasions, on which they were to have assembled, were passed overwithout anything being done. By this time, the twelfth moon arrived. Theend of the year was nigh at hand, so Madame Wang and lady Feng wereengaged in making the necessary annual preparations. But, withoutalluding to Wang Tzu-t'eng, who was promoted to be Lord HighCommissioner of the Nine Provinces; Chia Yue-ts'un, who filled up thepost of Chief Inspector of Cavalry, Assistant Grand Councillor, andCommissioner of Affairs of State, we will resume our narrative with ChiaChen, in the other part of the establishment. After having the AncestralHall thrown open, he gave orders to the domestics to sweep the place, toget ready the various articles, and bring over the ancestral tablets.Then he had the upper rooms cleaned, so as to be ready to receive thevarious images that were to be hung about. In the two mansions of Ningand Jung, inside as well as outside, above as well as below, everythingwas, therefore, bustle and confusion. As soon as Mrs. Yu, of the Ningmansion, put her foot out of bed on this day, she set to work, with theassistance of Chia Jung's wife, to prepare such needlework and presentsas had to be sent over to dowager lady Chia's portion of theestablishment, when it so happened that a servant-girl broke in uponthem with a tea-tray in hand, containing ingots of silver of the kindgiven the evening before new year.
"Hsing Erh," she said, "informs your ladyship that the pieces of gold inthat bundle of the other day amount in all to one hundred andfifty-three taels, one mace and seven candareens; and that the ingots ofpure metal and those not, contained in here, number all together twohundred and twenty."
With these words, she presented the tray. Mrs. Yu passed the ingotsunder survey. She found some resembling plum-blossom; others peonies.Among them were some with pens and 'as you like,' (importing "yourwishes are bound to be fulfilled);" and others representing the eightprecious things linked together, for use in spring-time.
Mrs. Yu directed that the silver ingots should be made up into a parcel,and then she bade Hsing Erh take them and deliver them immediatelyinside.
The servant-girl signified her obedience, and went away. But shortlyChia Chen arrived for his meal, and Chia Jung's wife withdrew.
"Have we received," thereupon inquired Chia Chen, "the bounty conferred(by His Majesty) for our spring sacrifices or not?"
"I've sent Jung Erh to-day to go and receive it," Mrs. Yu rejoined.
"Albeit," continued Chia Chen, "our family can well do without thosepaltry taels, yet they are, whatever their amount may be, an imperialgift to us so take them over as soon as you can, and send them to ourold lady, on the other side, to get ready the sacrifices to ourancestors. Above, we shall then receive the Emperor's bounty; below, weshall enjoy the goodwill of our progenitors. For no matter if we went sofar as to spend ten thousand ounces of silver to present offerings toour forefathers with, they could not, in the long run, come up this giftin high repute. Added to this, we shall be the participators of graceand the recipients of blessings. Putting one or two households such asour own aside, what resources would those poverty-stricken families ofhereditary officials have at their command wherewith to offer theirsacrifices and celebrate the new year, if they could not rely upon thismoney? In very truth, therefore, the imperial favour is vast, andallproviding!"
"Your arguments are quite correct!" Mrs. Yu ventured.
But while these two were indulging in this colloquy, they caught sightof a messenger, who came and announced: "Our young master has arrived."
Chia Chen accordingly enjoined that he should be told to enter;whereupon they saw Chia Jung step into the room and present with bothhands a small bag made of yellow cloth.
"How is it you've been away the whole day?" Chia Chen asked.
Chia Jung strained a smile. "I didn't receive the money to-day from theBoard of Rites," he replied. "The issue was again made at the treasuryof the Kuang Lu temple; so I had once more to trudge away to the KuangLu temple
before I could get it. The various officials in the Kuang Lutemple bade me present their compliments to you, father. (They asked meto tell you) that they had not seen you for many days, and that they arereally longing for your company."
"What an idea! Do they care to see me?" Chia Chen laughed. "Why, here'sthe end of the year drawing nigh again; so if they don't hanker after mypresents, they must long and crave for my entertainments."
While he spoke his eye espied a slip of paper affixed to the yellowcloth bag, bearing the four large characters, 'the imperial favour iseverlasting.' On the other side figured also a row of small characterswith the seal of the Director of Ancestral Worship in the Board ofRites. These testified that the enclosed consisted of two shares,conferred upon the Ning Kuo duke, Chia Yen, and the Jung Kuo duke, ChiaFa, as a bounty (from the Emperor), for sacrifices to them every springin perpetuity, (and gave) the number of taels, computed in pure silver,and the year, moon and day, on which they were received in open hall byChia Jung, Controller in the Imperial Prohibited City and ExpectantOfficer of the Guards. The signature of the official in charge of thetemple for that year was appended below in purple ink.
After Chia Chen had perused the inscription, he finished his meal,rinsed his mouth and washed his hands. This over, he changed his shoesand hat, and bidding Chia Jung follow him along with the money, he wentand informed dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang (of the receipt of theimperial bounty), and repairing back to the near side, he communicatedthe fact to Chia She and Madame Hsing; after which, he, at length,betook himself to his quarters. He then emptied the money and gaveorders that the bag should be taken and burnt in the large censer in theAncestral Hall.
"Go and ask your aunt Tertia, yonder," he further enjoined Chia Jung,"whether the day on which the new year wine is to be drunk has beenfixed or not? If it has been determined upon, timely notice should begiven in the library to draw out a proper list in order that when weagain issue our invitations, there should be no chance of twoentertainments coming off on the same day. Last year, not sufficientcare was exercised, and several persons were invited to both mansions onthe very same occasion. And people didn't say that we hadn't beencareful enough, but that, as far as appearances went, the two householdshad made up their minds among themselves to show an empty attention,prompted by the fear of trouble."
Chia Jung immediately replied that he would attend to his injunctions,and not much time elapsed before he brought a list mentioning the dayson which the inmates were to be invited to partake of the new year wine.
Chia Chen examined it. "Go," he then said, "and give it to Lai Sheng sothat he may see its contents and invite the guests. But mind he doesn'tfix anything else for the dates specified in here."
But while watching from the pavilion the servant-boys carrying theenclosing screens and rubbing the tables and the gold and silversacrificial utensils, he perceived a lad appear on the scene holding apetition and a list, and report that 'Wu, the head-farmer in the HeiShan village, had arrived.' "What does this old executioner come forto-day?" Chia Chen exclaimed.
Chia Jung took the petition and the list, and, unfolding them with alldespatch, he held them up (to his father). Chia Chen however glanced atthe papers, as they were held by Chia Jung, keeping the while both handsbehind his back. The petition on red paper ran as follows: "Yourservant, the head farmer, Wu Chin-hsiao, prostrates himself before hismaster and mistress and wishes them every kind of happiness and goodhealth, as well as good health to their worthy scion and daughter. Maygreat joy, great blessings, brilliant honours and peace be their sharein this spring, which is about to dawn! May official promotion andincrease of emoluments be their lot! May they see in everything theaccomplishment of their wishes."
Chia Chen smiled. "For a farmer," he remarked, "it has several goodpoints!"
"Pay no heed to the style," urged Chia Jung, also smiling; "but to thegood wishes."
Saying this, he speedily opened the list. The articles mentioned were,on examination, found to consist of: "Thirty big deer; five thousandmusk deer; fifty roebuck deer; twenty Siamese pigs; twenty boiled pigs;twenty 'dragon' pigs; twenty wild pigs; twenty home-salted pigs; twentywild sheep; twenty grey sheep; twenty home-boiled sheep; twentyhome-dried sheep; two hundred sturgeon; two hundred catties of mixedfish; live chickens, ducks and geese, two hundred of each; two hundreddried chickens, ducks and geese; two hundred pair of pheasants andhares; two hundred pair of bears' paws; twenty catties of deer tendons;fifty catties of beche-de-mer; fifty deer tongues; fifty ox tongues;twenty catties of dried clams; filberts, fir-cones, peaches, apricotsand squash, two hundred bags of each; fifty pair of salt prawns; twohundred catties of dried shrimps; a thousand catties of superfine,picked charcoal; two thousand catties of medium charcoal; twentythousand catties of common charcoal; two piculs of red rice, grown inthe imperial grounds; fifty bushels of greenish, glutinous rice; fiftybushels of white glutinous rice; fifty bushels of pounded non-glutinousrice; fifty bushels of various kinds of corn and millet; a thousandpiculs of ordinary common rice. Exclusive of a cartload of every sort ofvegetables, and irrespective of two thousand five hundred taels, derivedfrom the sale of corn and millet and every kind of domestic animals,your servant respectfully presents, for your honour's delectation, twopair of live deer, four pair of white rabbits, four pair of blackrabbits, two pair of live variegated fowls, and two pair of duck, fromwestern countries."
When Chia Chen had exhausted the list, "Bring him in!" he cried. In alittle time, he perceived Wu Chin-hsiao make his appearance inside. Butsimply halting in the court, he bumped his head on the ground and paidhis respects.
Chia Chen desired a servant to raise him up. "You're still so hale!" hesmiled.
"I don't deceive you, Sir," Wu Chin-hsiao observed, "when I say thatyours servants are so accustomed to walking, that had we not come, wewouldn't have felt exceedingly dull. Isn't the whole crowd of them keenupon coming to see what the world is like at the feet of the son ofheaven? Yet they're, after all, so young in years, that there's the fearof their going astray on the way. But, in a few more years, I shall beable to appease my solicitude on their account."
"How many days have you been on the way?" Chia Chen inquired.
"To reply to your question, Sir," Wu Chin-hsiao ventured, "so much snowhas fallen this year that it's everywhere out of town four and five feetin depth. The other day, the weather suddenly turned mild, and with thethaw that set in, it became so very hard to make any progress that wewasted several days. Yet albeit we've been a month and two days inaccomplishing the journey; it isn't anything excessive. But as I fearedlest you, Sir, would be giving way to anxiety, didn't I hurry along toarrive in good time?"
"How is it, I said, that he's come only to-day!" Chia Chen observed.
"But upon looking over the list just now it seemed to me that you, oldfossil, had come again to make as much as fun of me, as if you wereputting up a stage for a boxing-match."
Wu Chin-hsiao hastily drew near a couple of steps. "I must tell you,Sir," he remarked, "that the harvest this year hasn't really been good.Rain set in ever since the third moon, and there it went on incessantlystraight up to the eighth moon. Indeed, the weather hasn't kept fine forfive or six consecutive days. In the ninth moon, there came a storm ofhail, each stone of which was about the size of a saucer. And over anarea of the neighbouring two or three hundred li, the men and houses,animals and crops, which sustained injury, numbered over thousands andten thousands. Hence it is that the things we've brought now are whatthey are. Your servant would not have the audacity to tell a lie."
Chia Chen knitted his eyebrows. "I had computed," he said, "that thevery least you would have brought would have been five thousand taels.What's this enough for? There are only now eight or nine of you farmers,and from two localities reports have contrariwise reached us during thecourse of this very year of the occurrence of droughts; and do youpeople come again to try your larks with us? Why, verily these aren'tsufficient to see the new year in with."
"And ye
t," Wu Chin-hsiao argued, "your place can be looked upon ashaving fared well; for my brother, who's only over a hundred li awayfrom where I am, has actually fallen in with a vastly different lot! Hehas at present eight farms of that mansion under his control, and theseconsiderably larger than those of yours, Sir; and yet this year they toohave only produced but a few things. So nothing beyond two or threethousand taels has been realised. What's more, they've had to borrowmoney."
"Quite so!" Chia Chen exclaimed. "The state of things in my place hereis passable. I've got no outside outlay. The main thing I have to mindis to make provision for a year's necessary expenses. If I launch outinto luxuries, I have to suffer hardships, so I must try a littleself-denial and manage to save something. It's the custom, besides, atthe end of the year to send presents to people and invite others; butI'll thicken the skin of my face a bit, (and dispense with both), andhave done. I'm not like the inmates in that mansion, who have, duringthe last few years, added so many items of expenditure, that it's, ofcourse, a matter of impossibility for them to avoid loosening theirpurse strings. But they haven't, on the other hand, made any addition totheir funds and landed property. During the course of the past year ortwo, they've had to make up many deficits. And if they don't appeal toyou, to whom can they go?"
Wu Chin-hsiao laughed. "It's true," he said, "that in that mansion manyitems have been added, but money goes out and money comes in. And won'tthe Empress and His Majesty the Emperor bestow their favour?"
At these words, Chia Chen smilingly faced Chia Jung and the otherinmates. "Just you listen to his arguments!" he exclaimed. "Aren't theyridiculous, eh?"
Chia Jung and the rest promptly smiled. "Among your hills and seaboardcan anything," they observed, "be known with regard to this principle?Is it likely, pray, that the Empress will ever make over to us theEmperor's treasury? Why, even supposing she may at heart entertain anysuch wish, she herself cannot possibly adopt independent action. Ofcourse, she does confer her benefits on them, but this is at statedtimes and fixed periods, and they merely consist of a few colouredsatins, antiquities, and bric-a-brac. In fact, when she does bestow hardcash on them, it doesn't exceed a hundred ounces of silver. But did sheeven give them so much as a thousand and more taels, what would thesesuffice for? During which of the two last years have they not had tofork out several thousands of taels? In the first year, the imperialconsort paid a visit to her parents; and just calculate how much theymust have run through in laying out that park, and you'll then know howthey stand! Why, if in another couple of years, the Empress comes andpays them a second visit, they'll be, I'm inclined to fancy, regularpaupers."
"That's why," urged Chia Chen smiling, "country people are suchunsophisticated creatures, that though they behold what lies on thesurface, they have no idea of what is inside hidden from view. They'rejust like a piece of yellow cedar made into a mallet for beating thesonorous stones with. The exterior looks well enough; but it's allbitter inside."
"In very truth," Chia Jung added, laughing also the while, as headdressed himself to Chia Chen, "that mansion is impoverished. The otherday, I heard a consultation held on the sly between aunt Secunda andYuean Yang. What they wanted was to filch our worthy senior's things andgo and pawn them in order to raise money."
"This is just another devilish trick of that minx Feng!" Chia Chensmiled. "How ever could they have reached such straits? She's certain tohave seen that expenses were great, and that heavy deficits had to besquared, so wishing again to curtail some item or other, who knowswhich, she devised this plan as a preparatory step, in order that whenit came to be generally known, people should say that they had beenreduced to such poverty. But from the result of the calculations I havearrived at in my mind, things haven't as yet attained this climax:"
Continuing, he issued orders to a servant to take Wu Chin-hsiao outside,and to treat him with every consideration. But no further mention needbe made of him.
During this while, Chia Chen gave directions to keep from the variousperquisites just received such as would prove serviceable for thesacrifices to their ancestors, and, selecting a few things of each kind,he told Chia Jung to have them taken to the Jung mansion. After this, hehimself kept what was required for his own use at home; and thenallotting the rest, with due compliance to gradation, he had share aftershare piled up at the foot of the moon-shaped platform, and sendingservants to summon the young men of the clan, he distributed them amongthem.
In quick succession, numerous contributions for the ancestral sacrificeswere likewise sent from the Jung mansion; also presents for Chia Chen.Chia Chen inspected the things, and having them removed, he completedpreparing the sacrificial utensils. Then putting on a pair of slip-shodshoes and throwing over his shoulders a long pelisse with 'She-li-sun'fur, he bade the servants spread a large wolf-skin rug in a sunny placeon the stone steps below the pillars of the pavilion, and with his backto the warm sun, he leisurely watched the young people come and receivethe new year gifts. Perceiving that Chia Ch'in had also come to fetchhis share, Chia Chen called him over. "How is it that you've come too?"he asked. "Who told you to come?"
Chia Ch'in respectfully dropped his arms against his sides. "I heard,"he replied, "that you, senior Sir, had sent for us to appear before youhere and receive our presents; so I didn't wait for the servants to goand tell me, but came straightway."
"These things," Chia Chen added, "are intended for distribution amongall those uncles and cousins who have nothing to do and who enjoy nosource of income. Those two years you had no work, I gave you plenty ofthings too. But you're entrusted at present with some charge in theother mansion, and you exercise in the family temples control over thebonzes and taoist priests, so that you as well derive every month yourshare of an allowance. Irrespective of that, the allowances and money ofthe Buddhist priests pass through your hands. And do you still come tofetch things of this kind? You're far too greedy. Just you look at thefineries you wear. Why, they look like the habiliments of one who hasmoney to spend, of a regular man of business. You said some time backthat you had nothing which could bring you in any money, but how is itthat you've got none again now? You really don't look as if you were inthe same plight that you were in once upon a time."
"I have in my home a goodly number of inmates," Chia Ch'in explained,"so my expenses are great."
Chia Chen gave a saturnine laugh. "Are you trying again to excuseyourself with me?" he cried. "Do you flatter yourself that I have noidea of your doings in the family temples? When you get there, you, ofcourse, play the grand personnage and no one has the courage to runcounter to your wishes. Then you've also got the handling of money.Besides you're far away from us, so you're arrogant and audacious. Nightafter night, you get bad characters together; you gamble for money; andyou keep women and young boys. And though you now fling away money withsuch a high hand, do you still presume to come and receive gifts? But asyou can't manage to filch anything to take along with you, it will doyou good to get beans, with the pole used for carrying water. Wait untilthe new year is over, and then I'll certainly report you to your uncleSecundus."
Chia Ch'in got crimson in the face, and did not venture to utter asingle word by way of extenuation. A servant, however, then announcedthat the Prince from the Pei mansion had sent a pair of scrolls and apurse.
At this announcement, Chia Chen immediately told Chia Jung to go out andentertain the messengers. "And just say," he added, "that I'm not athome."
Chia Jung went on his way. Chia Chen, meanwhile, dismissed Chia Ch'in;and, seeing the things taken away, he returned to his quarters andfinished his evening meal with Mrs. Yu. But nothing of any note occurredduring that night.
The next day, he had, needless to say, still more things to give hismind to. Soon arrived the twenty ninth day of the twelfth moon, andeverything was in perfect readiness. In the two mansions alike, the gateguardian gods and scrolls were renovated. The hanging tablets were newlyvarnished. The peach charms glistened like new. In the Ning Kuo mansion,every principal door, st
arting from the main entrance, the ceremonialgates, the doors of the large pavilions, of the winter apartments, andinner pavilions, the inner three gates, the inner ceremonial gates andthe inner boundary gates, straight up to the doors of the main halls,was flung wide open. At the bottom of the steps, were placed on eitherside large and lofty vermilion candles, of uniform colour; which whenlit presented the appearance of a pair of golden dragons.
On the morrow, dowager lady Chia and those with any official status,donned the court dress consistent with their grade, and taking first andforemost a retinue of inmates with them, they entered the palace ineight bearer state chairs, and presented their congratulations. Afteracquitting themselves of the ceremonial rites, and partaking of abanquet, they betook themselves back, and alighted from their chairs ontheir arrival at the winter hall of the Ning mansion. The young men, whohad not followed the party to court, waited, arranged in their properorder, in front of the entrance the King mansion, and subsequently ledthe way into the ancestral temple.
But to return to Pao-ch'in. This was the first occasion, on which sheput her foot inside to look at the inner precincts of the Chia ancestraltemple, and as she did so, she scrutinized with minute attention all thedetails that met her gaze in the halls dedicated to their forefathers.These consisted, in fact, of a distinct courtyard on the west side ofthe Ning mansion. Within the balustrade, painted black, stood fiveapartments. Over the main entrance to these was suspended a flat tabletwith the inscription in four characters: 'Ancestral hall of the Chiafamily.' On the side of these was recorded the fact that it had been thehandiwork of Wang Hsi-feng, specially promoted to the rank of GrandTutor of the Heir Apparent, and formerly Chancellor of the ImperialAcademy. On either side, was one of a pair of scrolls, bearing themotto:
Besmear the earth with your liver and brains, all ye people, out of gratitude for the bounty of (the Emperor's) protection! The reputation (of the Chia family) reaches the very skies. Hundred generations rejoice in the splendour of the sacrifices accorded them.
This too had been executed by Wang, the Grand Tutor.
As soon as the court was entered, a raised road was reached, paved withwhite marble, on both sides of which were planted deep green fir trees,and kingfisher-green cypress trees. On the moon-shaped platform werelaid out antiquities, tripods, libation-vases, and other similararticles. In front of the antechamber was hung a gold-coloured flattablet, with nine dragons, and the device:
Like a dazzling star is the statesman, who assists the Emperor.
This was the autograph of a former Emperor.
On both sides figured a pair of antithetical scrolls, with the motto:
Their honours equal the sun and moon in lustre. Their fame is without bounds. It descends to their sons and grandsons.
These lines were likewise from the imperial pencil. Over the five-roomedmain hall was suspended a tablet, inlaid with green, representingwriggling dragons. The sentiments consisted of:
Mindful of the remotest and heedful of the most distant ancestors.
A pair of antithetical scrolls was hung on the sides; on which waswritten:
After their death, their sons and grandsons enjoy their beneficent virtues. Up to the very present the masses think of the Jung and Ning families.
Both these mottoes owed their origin to the imperial pencil.
Inside, lanterns and candles burnt with resplendent brightness.Embroidered curtains and decorated screens were hung in such profusionthat though a large number of ancestral tablets were placed about theycould not be clearly discerned. The main thing that struck the eye wasthe inmates of the Chia mansion standing about, on the left and right,disposed in their proper order. Chia Ching was overseer of thesacrifices. Chia She played the part of assistant. Chia Chen presentedthe cups for libations. Chia Lien and Chia Tsung offered up the stripsof paper. Pao-yue held the incense. Chia Ch'ang and Chia Ling distributedthe hassocks and looked after the receptacles for the ashes ofjoss-sticks. The black clad musicians discoursed music. Thelibation-cups were offered thrice in sacrifice. These devotions over,paper money was burnt; and libations of wine were poured. After theobservance of the prescribed rites, the band stopped, and withdrew. Thewhole company then pressed round dowager lady Chia, and repaired to themain hall, where the images were placed. The embroidered curtains werehung high up. The variegated screens shut in the place from view. Thefragrant candles burnt with splendour. In the place of honour, of themain apartment, were suspended the portraits of two progenitors of theNing and Jung, both of whom were attired in costumes, ornamented withdragons, and clasped with belts of jade. On the right and left of them,were also arrayed the likenesses of a number of eminent ancestors.
Chia Heng, Chia Chih and the others of the same status stood accordingto their proper grades in a row extending from the inner ceremonial gatestraight up to the verandah of the main hall. Outside the balustradecame at last Chia Ching and Chia She. Inside the balustrade figured thevarious female members of the family. The domestics and pages werearrayed beyond the ceremonial gate. As each set of eatables arrived,they transmitted them as far as the ceremonial gate, where Chia Heng,Chia Chih and his companions were ready to receive them. From one toanother, they afterwards reached the bottom of the steps and found theirway into Chia Ching's hands.
Chia Jung, being the eldest grandson of the senior branch, was the onlyperson, who penetrated within the precincts of the balustrade reservedfor the female inmates. So whenever Chia Ching had any offerings to passon, he delivered them to Chia Jung, and Chia Jung gave them to his wife;who again handed them to lady Feng, Mrs. Yu, and the several ladies. Andwhen these offerings reached the sacrificial altar, they were at lengthsurrendered to Madame Wang. Madame Wang thereupon placed them in dowagerlady Chia's hands, and old lady Chia deposited them on the altar.
Madame Hsing stood on the west-east side of the sacrificial altar, andalong with old lady Chia, she offered the oblations and laid them intheir proper places. After the vegetables, rice, soup, sweets, wine andtea had been handed up, Chia Jung eventually retired outside and resumedhis position above Chia Ch'in.
Of the male inmates, whose names were composed with the radical 'wen,''literature,' Chia Ching was at the time the head. Below followed thosewith the radical 'Yue,' 'gem,' led by Chia Chen. Next to these, came theinmates with the radical 'ts'ao,' 'grass,' headed by Chia Jung. Thesewere arranged in proper order, with due regard to left and right. Themen figured on the east; the women on the west.
When dowager lady Chia picked up a joss-stick and prostrated herself toperform her devotions, one and all fell simultaneously on their knees,packing up the five-roomed principal pavilion, the inside as well asoutside of the three antechambers, the verandahs, the top and bottom ofthe stairs, the interior of the two vermilion avenues so closely withall their fineries and embroideries that not the slightest spaceremained vacant among them. Not so much as the caw of a crow struck theear. All that was audible was the report of jingling and tinkling, andthe sound of the gold bells and jade ornaments slightly rocked to andfro. Besides these, the creaking noise made by the shoes of the inmates,while getting up and kneeling down.
In a little time, the ceremonies were brought to a close. Chia Ching,Chia She and the rest hastily retired and adjourned to the Jung mansion,where they waited with the special purpose of paying their obeisance todowager lady Chia.
Mrs. Yu's drawing rooms were entirely covered with red carpets. In thecentre stood a large gold cloisonne brasier, with three legs, inimitation of rhinoceros tusks, washed with gold. On the stove-couch inthe upper part was laid a new small red hair rug. On it were placed deepred back-cushions with embroidered representations of dragons, whichwere embedded among clouds and clasped the character longevity, as wellas reclining-pillows and sitting-rugs. Covers made of black fox skinwere moreover thrown over the couch, along with skins of pure white foxfor sitting-cushions.
Dowager lady Chia was invited to place herself on the couch; and on theskin-rugs spr
ead, on either side, two or three of the sisters-in-law, ofthe same standing as old lady Chia, were urged to sit down.
After the necessary arrangements had been concluded, skin rugs were alsoput on the small couch, erected in a horizontal position on the nearportion of the apartments, and Madame Hsing and the other ladies of herage were motioned to seat themselves. On the two sides stood, face toface on the floor, twelve chairs carved and lacquered, over which werethrown antimacassars and small grey-squirrel rugs, of uniform colour. Atthe foot of each chair was a large copper foot-stove. On these chairs,Pao-ch'in and the other young ladies were asked to sit down.
Mrs. Yu took a tray and with her own hands she presented tea to old ladyChia. Chia Jung's wife served the rest of their seniors. Subsequently,Mrs. Yu helped Madame Hsing too and her contemporaries; and Chia Jung'swife then gave tea to the various young ladies; while lady Feng, Li Wanand a few others simply remained below, ready to minister to theirwants. After their tea, Madame Hsing and her compeers were the first torise and come and wait on dowager lady Chia, while she had hers. Dowagerlady Chia chatted for a time with her old sisters-in-law and thendesired the servants to look to her chair.
Lady Feng thereupon speedily walked up and supported her to rise to herfeet.
"The evening meal has long ago been got ready for you, venerableancestor," Mrs. Yu smiled. "You've year by year shown no desire tohonour us with your presence, but tarry a bit on this occasion andpartake of some refreshment before you cross over. Is it likely, infact, that we can't come up to that girl Feng?"
"Go on, worthy senior!" laughed lady Feng, as she propped old lady Chia."Let's go home and eat our own. Don't heed what she says!"
"In what bustle and confusion aren't you in over here," smiled dowagerlady Chia, "with all the sacrifices to our ancestors, and how could youstand all the trouble I'm putting you to? I've never, furthermore, hadevery year anything to eat with you; but you've always been in the wayof sending me things. So isn't it as well that you should again let mehave a few? And as I'll keep for the next day what I shan't be able toget through, won't I thus have a good deal more?"
This remark evoked general laughter.
"Whatever you do," she went on to enjoin her, "mind you depute somereliable persons to sit up at night and look after the incense fires;but they mustn't let their wits go wool-gathering."
Mrs. Yu gave her to understand that she would see to it, and theysallied out, at the same time, into the fore part of thewinter-apartments. And when Mrs. Yu and her friends went past thescreen, the pages introduced the bearers, who shouldered the sedan andwalked out by the main entrance. Then following too in the track ofMadame Hsing and the other ladies, Mrs. Yu repaired in their companyinto the Jung mansion.
(Dowager lady Chia's) chair had, meanwhile, got beyond the principalgateway. Here again were deployed, on the east side of the street, thebearers of insignia, the retinue and musicians of the duke of Ning Kuo.They crammed the whole extent of the street. Comers and goers were alikekept back. No thoroughfare was allowed. Shortly, the Jung mansion wasreached. The large gates and main entrances were also thrown openstraight up to the very interior of the compound. On the presentoccasion, however, the bearers did not put the chair down by the winterquarters, but passing the main hall, and turning to the west, theyrested it on their arrival at the near side of dowager lady Chia'sprincipal pavilion. The various attendants pressed round old lady Chiaand followed her into her main apartment, where decorated mats andembroidered screens had also been placed about, and everything looked asif brand-new.
In the brasier, deposited in the centre of the room, burnt fir and cedarincense, and a hundred mixed herbs. The moment dowager lady Chiaensconced herself into a seat, an old nurse entered and announced that:"the senior ladies had come to pay their respects."
Old lady Chia rose with alacrity to her feet to go and greet them, whenshe perceived that two or three of her old sisters-in-law had alreadystepped inside, so clasping each other's hands, they now laughed, andnow they pressed each other to sit down. After tea, they took theirdeparture; but dowager lady Chia only escorted them as far as the innerceremonial gate, and retracing her footsteps, she came and resumed theplace of honour. Chia Ching, Chia She and the other seniors then usheredthe various junior male members of the household into her apartments.
"I put you," smiled old lady Chia, "to ever so much trouble andinconvenience from one year's end to another; so don't pay anyobeisance."
But while she spoke, the men formed themselves into one company, and thewomen into another, and performed their homage, group by group. Thisover, arm-chairs were arranged on the left and on the right; and onthese chairs they too subsequently seated themselves, according to theirseniority and gradation, to receive salutations. The men and womenservants, and the pages and maids employed in the two mansions thenpaid, in like manner, the obeisance consonant with their positions,whether high, middle or low; and this ceremony observed, the new yearmoney was distributed, together with purses, gold and silver ingots, andother presents of the same description. A 'rejoicing together' banquetwas spread. The men sat on the east; the women on the west. 'T'u Su,'new year's day, wine was served; also 'rejoicing together' soup,'propitious' fruits, and 'as you like' cakes. At the close of thebanquet, dowager lady Chia rose and penetrated into the inner chamberwith the purpose of effecting a change in her costume, so the severalinmates present could at last disperse and go their own way.
That night, incense was burnt and offerings presented at the variousaltars to Buddha and the kitchen god. In the courtyard of Madame Wang'smain quarters paper horses and incense for sacrifices to heaven andearth were all ready. At the principal entrance of the garden of BroadVista were suspended horn lanterns, which from their lofty places casttheir bright rays on either side. Every place was hung with streetlanterns. Every inmate, whether high or low, was got up in gala dress.Throughout the whole night, human voices resounded confusedly. The dinof talking and laughing filled the air. Strings of crackers and rocketswere let off incessantly.
The morrow came. At the fifth watch, dowager lady Chia and the othersenior members of the family donned the grand costumes, which accordedwith their status, and with a complete retinue they entered the palaceto present their court congratulations; for that day was, in addition,the anniversary of Yuean Ch'un's birth. After they had regaled themselvesat a collation, they wended their way back, and betaking themselves alsointo the Ning mansion, they offered their oblations to their ancestors,and then returned home and received the conventional salutations, afterwhich they put off their fineries and retired to rest.
None of the relatives and friends, who came to wish their compliments ofthe season, were admitted into (old lady Chia's) presence, but simplyhad a friendly chat with Mrs. Hsueeh and 'sister-in-law' Li, and studiedtheir own convenience. Or along with Pao-yue, Pao-ch'ai and the otheryoung ladies, they amused themselves by playing the game of war ordominoes.
Madame Wang and lady Feng had one day after another their hands fullwith the invitations they had to issue for the new year wine. In thehalls and courts of the other side theatricals and banquets succeededeach other and relations and friends dropped in in an incessant string.Bustle reigned for seven or eight consecutive days, before thingssettled down again.
But presently the festival of the full moon of the first month drewnear, and both mansions, the Ning as well as the Jung, were everywhereornamented with lanterns and decorations. On the eleventh, Chia Sheinvited dowager lady Chia and the other inmates. On the next day, ChiaChen also entertained his old senior and Madame Wang and lady Feng. Butfor us to record on how many consecutive days invitations were extendedto them to go and, drink the new year wine, would be an impossible task.
The fifteenth came. On this evening dowager lady Chia gave orders tohave several banqueting tables laid in the main reception hall, toengage a company of young actors, to have every place illuminated withflowered lanterns of various colours, and to assemble at a familyentertainment all the sons
, nephews, nieces, grandchildren andgrandchildren's wives and other members of the two mansions of Ning andJung. As however Chia Ching did not habitually have any wine or take anyordinary food, no one went to press him to come.
On the seventeenth, he hastened, at the close of the ancestralsacrifices, out of town to chasten himself. In fact, even during the fewdays he spent at home, he merely frequented retired rooms and lonelyplaces, and did not take the least interest in any single concern. Buthe need not detain us any further.
As for Chia She, after he had received dowager lady Chia's presents, hesaid good-bye and went away. But old lady Chia herself was perfectlyaware that she could not conveniently tarry any longer on this side soshe too followed his example and took her departure.
When Chia She got home, he along with all the guests feasted his eyes onthe illuminations and drank wine with them, Music and singing deafenedthe ear. Embroidered fineries were everywhere visible. For his way ofseeking amusement was unlike that customary in this portion of theestablishment.
In dowager lady Chia's reception hall, ten tables were meanwhilearranged. By each table was placed a teapoy. On these teapoys stoodcensers and bottles; three things in all. (In the censers) was burnt'Pai ho' palace incense, a gift from his Majesty the Emperor. But smallpots, about eight inches long, four to five inches broad and two orthree inches high, adorned with scenery in the shape of rockeries, werealso placed about. All of which contained fresh flowers. Small foreignlacquer trays were likewise to be seen, laden with diminutive paintedtea-cups of antique ware. Transparent gauze screens with frames ofcarved blackwood, ornamented with a fringe representing flowers andgiving the text of verses, figured too here and there. In differentkinds of small old vases were combined together the three friends ofwinter (pine, bamboo and plum,) as well as 'jade-hall,' 'happiness andhonour,' and other fresh flowers.
At the upper two tables sat 'sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh. On theeast was only laid a single table. But there as well were placed carvedscreens, covered with dragons, and a short low-footed couch, with a fullassortment of back-cushions, reclining-cushions and skin-rugs. On thecouch stood a small teapoy, light and handy, of foreign lacquer, inlaidwith gold. On the teapoy were arrayed cups, bowls, foreign cloth napkinsand such things. But on it spectacle case was also conspicuous.
Dowager lady Chia was reposing on the couch. At one time, she chattedand laughed with the whole company; at another, she took up herspectacles and looked at what was going on on the stage.
"Make allowances," she said, "for my old age. My bones are quite sore;so if I be a little out of order in my conduct bear with me, and let usentertain each other while I remain in a recumbent position."Continuing, she desired Hu Po to make herself comfortable on the couch,and take a small club and tap her legs. No table stood below the couch,but only a high teapoy. On it were a high stand with tassels,flower-vases, incense-burners and other similar articles. But, a small,high table, laden with cups and chopsticks, had besides been got ready.At the table next to this, the four cousins, Pao-ch'in, Hsiang-yuen,Tai-yue and Pao-yue were told to seat themselves. The various viands andfruits that were brought in were first presented to dowager lady Chiafor inspection. If they took her fancy, she kept them at the smalltable. But once tasted by her, they were again removed and placed ontheir table. We could therefore safely say that none but the fourcousins sat along with their old grandmother.
The seats occupied by Madame Hsing and Madame Wang were below. Lowerdown came Mrs. Yu, Li Wan, lady Feng and Chia Jung's wife. On the westsat Pao-ch'ai, Li Wen, Li Ch'i, Chou Yen, Ying Ch'un, and the othercousins. On the large pillars, on either side, were suspended, in groupsof three and five, glass lanterns ornamented with fringes. In front ofeach table stood a candlestick in the shape of drooping lotus leaves.The candlesticks contained coloured candles. These lotus leaves wereprovided with enamelled springs, of foreign make, so they could betwisted outward, thus screening the rays of the lights and throwing them(on the stage), enabling one to watch the plays with exceptionaldistinctness. The window-frames and doors had all been removed. In everyplace figured coloured fringes, and various kinds of court lanterns.Inside and outside the verandahs, and under the roofs of the coveredpassages, which stretched on either side, were hung lanterns ofsheep-horn, glass, embroidered gauze or silk, decorated or painted, ofsatin or of paper.
Round different tables sat Chia Chen, Chia Lien, Chia Huan, Chia Tsung,Chia Jung, Chia Yuen, Chia Ch'in, Chia Ch'ang, Chia Ling and other maleinmates of the family.
Dowager lady Chia had at an early hour likewise sent servants to invitethe male and female members of the whole clan. But those advanced inyears were not disposed to take part in any excitement. Some had no oneat the time to look after things; others too were detained byill-health; and much though these had every wish to be present, theywere not, after all, in a fit state to come. Some were so envious ofriches, and so ashamed of their poverty, that they entertained no desireto avail themselves of the invitation. Others, what is more, fosteredsuch a dislike for, and stood in such awe of, lady Feng that they feltbitter towards her and would not accept. Others again were timid andshy, and so little accustomed to seeing people, that they could notmuster sufficient courage to come. Hence it was that despite the largenumber of female relatives in the clan, none came but Chia Lan's mother,nee Lou, who brought Chia Lan with her. In the way of men, there wereonly Chia Ch'in, Chia Yuen, Chia Ch'ang and Chia Ling; the four of themand no others. The managers, at present under lady Feng's control, werehowever among those who accepted. But albeit there was not a completegathering of the inmates on this occasion, yet, for a small familyentertainment, sufficient animation characterised the proceedings.
About this time, Lin Chih-hsiao's wife also made her appearance, withhalf a dozen married women who carried three divan tables between them.Each table was covered with a red woollen cloth, on which lay a lot ofcash, picked out clean and of equal size, and recently issued from themint. These were strung together with a deep-red cord. Each couplecarried a table, so there were in all three tables.
Lin Chih-hsiao's wife directed that two tables should be placed belowthe festive board, round which were seated Mrs. Hsueeh and'sister-in-law' Li, and that one should be put at the foot of dowagerlady Chia's couch.
"Place it in the middle!" old lady Chia exclaimed. "These women havenever known what good manners mean. Put the table down." Saying this,she picked up the cash, and loosening the knots, she unstrung them andpiled them on the table.
'The reunion in the western chamber' was just being sung. The play wasdrawing to a close. They had reached a part where Yue Shu runs off atnight in high dudgeon, and Wen Pao jokingly cried out: "You go off withyour monkey up; but, as luck would have it, this is the very day of thefifteenth of the first moon, and a family banquet is being given by theold lady in the Jung Kuo mansion, so wait and I'll jump on this horseand hurry in and ask for something to eat. I must look sharp!" The jokemade old lady Chia, and the rest of the company laugh.
"What a dreadful, impish child!" Mrs. Hsueeh and the others exclaimed."Yet poor thing!"
"This child is only just nine years of age," lady Feng interposed.
"He has really made a clever hit!" dowager lady Chia laughed. "Tip him!"she shouted.
This shout over, three married women, who has previously got readyseveral small wicker baskets, came up, as soon as they heard the word'tip', and, taking the heaps of loose cash piled on the table, they eachfilled a basket full, and, issuing outside, they approached the stage."Dowager lady Chia, Mrs. Hsueeh, and the family relative, Mrs. Li,present Wen Pao this money to purchase something to eat with," theysaid.
At the end of these words, they flung the contents of the baskets uponthe stage. So all then that fell on the ear was the rattle of the cashflying in every direction over the boards.
Chia Chen and Chia Lien had, by this time, enjoined the pages to fetchbig baskets full of cash and have them in readiness. But as, reader, youdo not know as yet in what way these pres
ents were given, listen to thecircumstances detailed in the subsequent chapter.
