The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei

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The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei Page 62

by Roy, David Tod


  9. This four-character expression occurs in San-pao t’ai-chien Hsi-yang chi t’ung-su yen-i (The romance of Eunuch Cheng Ho’s expedition to the Western Ocean), by Lo Mao-teng, author’s pref. dated 1597, 2 vols. (Shanghai: Shang-hai ku-chi ch’u-pan she, 1985), vol. 2, ch. 88, p. 1139, l. 10. It also recurs in the Chin P’ing Mei tz’u-hua, vol. 5, ch. 99, p. 4a, l. 11.

  10. This formulaic four-character expression occurs in Nan Sung chih-chuan (Chronicle of the Sung conquest of the south), attributed to Hsiung Ta-mu (mid-16th century), 10 chüan (Nanking: Shih-te t’ang, 1593), fac. repr. in Ku-pen hsiao-shuo ts’ung-k’an, ti san-shih ssu chi (Collectanea of rare editions of traditional fiction, thirty-fourth series) (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1991), vol. 1, chüan 3, p. 13a, ll. 9–10; Pei Sung chih-chuan (Chronicle of the Sung conquest of the north), attributed to Hsiung Ta-mu (mid-16th century), 10 chüan (Nanking: Shih-te t’ang, 1593), fac. repr. in Ku-pen hsiao-shuo ts’ung-k’an, ti san-shih ssu chi, vol. 2, chüan 3, p. 5a, l. 5; Hsi-yu chi, vol. 2, ch. 56, p. 643, ll. 5–6; and Ta-T’ang Ch’in-wang tz’u-hua, vol. 1, chüan 2, ch. 10, p. 16b, l. 4. It also recurs in the Chin P’ing Mei tz’u-hua, vol. 5, ch. 84, p. 1b, l. 11; ch. 98, p. 10b, l. 11; ch. 99, p. 1b, l. 2; p. 7a, l. 6; and p. 10a, l. 9.

  11. This four-character expression occurs ubiquitously in Chinese vernacular literature. See, e.g., Yüan-ch’ü hsüan (An anthology of Yüan tsa-chü drama), comp. Tsang Mao-hsün (1550–1620), 4 vols. (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1979), 2:815, l. 13; the ch’uan-ch’i drama Chiao-hsiao chi (The story of the mermaid silk handkerchief), by Shen Ch’ing (15th century), in Ku-pen hsi-ch’ü ts’ung-k’an, ch’u-chi, item 91, chüan 2, scene 24, p. 22b, l. 7; Shui-hu ch’üan-chuan, vol. 3, ch. 64, p. 1095, l. 15; Lieh-kuo chih-chuan (Chronicle of the feudal states), by Yü Shao-yü (fl. mid-16th century), 8 chüan (Chien-yang: San-t’ai kuan, 1606), fac. repr. in Ku-pen hsiao-shuo ts’ung-k’an, ti-liu chi (Collectanea of rare editions of traditional fiction, sixth series) (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1990), vol. 1, chüan 3, p. 80a, l. 4; the Ming dynasty ch’uan-ch’i drama Yü-huan chi (The story of the jade ring), Liu-shih chung ch’ü ed., scene 6, p. 17, l. 12; the anonymous prosimetric work Feng-liu lo-ch’ü (The pleasures of romance), in Kuo-se t’ien-hsiang (Celestial fragrance of national beauties), comp. Wu Ching-so (fl. late 16th century), pref. dated 1587, 3 vols., fac. repr. in Ming-Ch’ing shan-pen hsiao-shuo ts’ung-k’an, ti-erh chi (Collectanea of rare editions of Ming-Ch’ing fiction, second series) (Taipei: T’ien-i ch’u-pan she, 1985), vol. 3, chüan 10, upper register, p. 31b, ll. 7–8; Hsi-yu chi, vol. 1, ch. 27, p. 309, l. 9; Ta-T’ang Ch’in-wang tz’u-hua, vol. 2, chüan 5, ch. 34, p. 15b, l. 7; and an abundance of other occurrences, too numerous to list. A synonymous variant of this expression also occurs in the Chin P’ing Mei tz’u-hua, vol. 5, ch. 91, p. 4b, l. 9.

  12. This four-character expression occurs in a lyric by Ch’in Kuan (1049–1100), in Ch’üan Sung tz’u (Complete tz’u lyrics of the Sung), comp. T’ang Kuei-chang, 5 vols. (Hong Kong: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1977), 1:485, lower register, l. 14.

  13. This formulaic four-character expression occurs ubiquitously in Chinese literature. See, e.g., a rhapsody by Huang T’ao (cs 895), Ch’üan T’ang wen (Complete prose of the T’ang), 20 vols. (Kyoto: Chūbun shuppan-sha, 1976), vol. 17, chüan 822, p. 13a, l. 2; a poem by Shao Yung (1011–77), Ch’üan Sung shih (Complete poetry of the Sung), comp. Fu Hsüan-ts’ung et al., 72 vols. (Peking: Pei-ching ta-hsüeh ch’u-pan she, 1991–98), 7:4667, l. 3; a lyric by Hsin Ch’i-chi (1140–1207), Ch’üan Sung tz’u, 3:1954, lower register, l. 9; a song by Lu Chih (cs 1268), Ch’üan Yüan san-ch’ü (Complete nondramatic song lyrics of the Yüan), comp. Sui Shu-sen, 2 vols. (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1964), 1:126, l. 5; a song by Chang Yang-hao (1270–1329), ibid., 1:422, l. 10; a song by Ch’iao Chi (d. 1345), ibid., 1:627, l. 2; Yüan-ch’ü hsüan, 3:1133, l. 10; the early vernacular story I-k’u kuei lai tao-jen ch’u-kuai (A mangy Taoist exorcises a lair of demons), in Ching-shih t’ung-yen (Common words to warn the world), ed. Feng Meng-lung (1574–1646), first published in 1624 (Peking: Tso-chia ch’u-pan she, 1957), chüan 14, p. 191, l. 13; a song suite by Chia Chung-ming (1343–c. 1422), Ch’üan Ming san-ch’ü, 1:198, l. 10; a song suite by Wang P’an (d. 1530), ibid., 1:1051, ll. 7–8; Yü-huan chi, scene 5, p. 9, l. 11; the long mid-Ming literary tale Huai-ch’un ya-chi (Elegant vignettes of spring yearning), in Yen-chü pi-chi (A miscellany for leisured hours), ed. Lin Chin-yang (fl. early 17th century), 3 vols., fac. repr. of Ming edition, in Ming-Ch’ing shan-pen hsiao-shuo ts’ung-k’an, ch’u-pien (Collectanea of rare editions of Ming-Ch’ing fiction, first series) (Taipei: T’ien-i ch’u-pan she, 1985), vol. 3, chüan 10, p. 19b, l. 2; Lieh-kuo chih-chuan, vol. 1, chüan 1, p. 18a, l. 5; the ch’uan-ch’i drama Shih-hou chi (The lion’s roar), by Wang T’ing-no (fl. 1593–1611), Liu-shih chung ch’ü ed., scene 3, p. 7, l. 4; and a host of other occurrences, too numerous to list.

  14. This formulaic four-character expression occurs ubiquitously in Chinese literature. See, e.g., a poem written in 1060 by Su Shih (1037–1101), Su Shih shih-chi (Collected poetry of Su Shih), by Su Shih (1037–1101), 8 vols. (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1982), vol. 1, chüan 2, p. 61, ll. 14–15; a set of quatrains by Emperor Hui-tsung of the Sung dynasty (r. 1100–1125), Ch’üan Sung shih, 26:17051, l. 8; a lyric by Ts’ai Shen (1088–1156), Ch’üan Sung tz’u, 2:1009, upper register, l. 6; a lyric by Wang Chih-tao (1093–1169), ibid., 2:1148, lower register, ll. 3–4; a lyric by Hsin Ch’i-chi (1140–1207), ibid., 3:1975, lower register, l. 8; T’ien-pao i-shih chu-kung-tiao (Medley in various modes on the forgotten events of the T’ien-pao [742–56] reign period), by Wang Po-ch’eng (fl. late 13th century), in Chu-kung-tiao liang-chung (Two exemplars of the medley in various modes), ed. and annot. Ling Ching-yen and Hsieh Po-yang (N.p.: Ch’i-Lu shu-she, 1988), p. 175, l. 14; Yüan-ch’ü hsüan wai-pien (A supplementary anthology of Yüan tsa-chü drama), comp. Sui Shu-sen, 3 vols. (Shanghai: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1961), 1:332, l. 4; the early vernacular story Su Ch’ang-kung Chang-t’ai Liu chuan (The story of Su Shih [1037–1101] and the courtesan Chang-t’ai Liu), in Hsiung Lung-feng ssu-chung hsiao-shuo, p. 24, l. 2; the early vernacular story Fo-yin shih ssu t’iao Ch’in-niang (The priest Fo-yin teases Ch’in-niang four times), in Hsing-shih heng-yen (Constant words to awaken the world), ed. Feng Meng-lung (1574–1646), first published in 1627, 2 vols. (Hong Kong: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1958), vol. 1, chüan, 12, p. 236, l. 1; San-yüan chi, scene 6, p. 14, l. 6; a lyric by Ku Hsün (1418–1505), Ch’üan Ming tz’u (Complete tz’u lyrics of the Ming), comp. Jao Tsung-i and Chang Chang, 6 vols. (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 2004), 1:299, lower register, ll. 10–11; the ch’uan-ch’i drama Chiang Shih yüeh-li chi (The story of Chiang Shih and the leaping carp), by Ch’en P’i-chai (fl. early 16th century), in Ku-pen hsi-ch’ü ts’ung-k’an, ch’u-chi, item 36, chüan 4, scene 39, p. 16b, l. 6; a song suite by T’ang Yin (1470–1524), Ch’üan Ming san-ch’ü, 1:1077, l. 14; a song suite by Chin Luan (1494–1583), ibid., 2:1635, l. 7; a song suite by Wu Kuo-pao (cs 1550), ibid., 2:2287, l. 3; Hsi-yu chi, vol. 1, ch. 45, p. 525, l. 10; Ta-T’ang Ch’in-wang tz’u-hua, vol. 1, chüan 3, ch. 23, p. 75a, l. 2; and an abundance of other occurrences, too numerous to list.

  15. This set piece of descriptive parallel prose is derived, with some textual variation, from one in Shui-hu ch’üan-chuan, vol. 2, ch. 31, p. 474, l. 13–p. 475, l. 2. It recurs with some textual variation in the Chin P’ing Mei tz’u-hua, vol. 5, ch. 100, p. 10b, ll. 7–10. A very similar passage, probably derived from the same source, also occurs in Hsi-yu chi, vol. 2, ch. 84, p. 954, l. 17–p. 955, l. 2.

  16. On this custom, see The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P’ing Mei, Volume 3: The Aphrodisiac, trans. David Tod Roy (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006), chap. 41, n. 5.

  17. This formulaic four-character expression occurs ubiquitously in Chinese vernacular literature. See, e.g., Shuang-chu chi, scene 25, p. 81, l. 3; the ch’uan-ch’i drama Chu-fa chi (Taking the tonsure), by Chang F
eng-i (1527–1613), completed in 1586, in Ku-pen hsi-ch’ü ts’ung-k’an, ch’u-chi, item 61, chüan 1, scene 6, p. 10b, l. 7; Hsi-yu chi, vol. 1, ch. 25, p. 283, l. 5; the ch’uan-ch’i drama Yü-ching t’ai (The jade mirror stand), by Chu Ting (16th century), Liu-shih chung ch’ü ed., scene 31, p. 83, l. 5; Yang-chia fu shih-tai chung-yung yen-i chih-chuan (Popular chronicle of the generations of loyal and brave exploits of the Yang household), pref. dated 1606, 2 vols., fac. repr. (Taipei: Kuo-li chung-yang t’u-shu kuan, 1971), vol. 2, chüan 6, p. 5a, l. 8; and the ch’uan-ch’i drama Ch’un-wu chi (The story of the scented handkerchief), by Wang Ling (fl. early 17th century), Liu-shih chung ch’ü ed., scene 11, p. 26, l. 7.

  18. A five-character variant of this formulaic four-character expression occurs in Shu-i chi (Accounts of strange things), comp. Tsu Ch’ung-chih (429–500), in Ku hsiao-shuo kou-ch’en (Rescued fragments of early fiction), comp. Lu Hsün (Peking: Jen-min wen-hsüeh ch’u-pan she, 1955), p. 141, l. 5; a gatha by P’ang Yün (d. 808), Ch’üan T’ang shih pu-pien (A supplement to the Complete poetry of the T’ang), comp. Ch’en Shang-chün, 3 vols. (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1992), vol. 2, chüan 20, p. 953, l. 3; and a gatha by the Buddhist monk Yin-shan (9th century), in Tsu-t’ang chi (Patriarchal hall collection), ed. Wu Fu-hsiang and Ku Chih-ch’uan, originally published in 952 (Ch’ang-sha: Yüeh-lu shu-she, 1996), chüan 20, p. 453, l. 5. It occurs in the same form as in the novel in the early vernacular story Chin-ming ch’ih Wu Ch’ing feng Ai-ai (Wu Ch’ing meets Ai-ai at Chin-ming Pond), in Ching-shih t’ung-yen, chüan 30, p. 467, l. 6; the anonymous ch’uan-ch’i drama Chin-ch’ai chi (The gold hairpin), manuscript dated 1431, modern ed. ed. Liu Nien-tzu (Canton: Kuang-tung jen-min ch’u-pan she, 1985), scene 42, p. 72, l. 14; Shui-hu ch’üan-chuan, vol. 1, ch. 2, p. 19, l. 9; the middle-period vernacular story P’ei Hsiu-niang yeh-yu Hsi-hu chi (P’ei Hsiu-niang’s night outing on the West Lake), in Hu Shih-ying, Hua-pen hsiao-shuo kai-lun (A comprehensive study of promptbook fiction), 2 vols. (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1980), vol. 1, p. 343, l. 23; and San-pao t’ai-chien Hsi-yang chi t’ung-su yen-i, vol. 2, ch. 95, p. 1225, l. 11.

  19. Variants of these two lines occur together in Yüan-ch’ü hsüan, 2:477, l. 4; 3:793, ll. 12–13; and 4:1615, l. 4; Yüan-ch’ü hsüan wai-pien, 3:973, l. 8; and the anonymous Ming tsa-chü drama Shih Chen-jen ssu-sheng so pai-yüan (Perfected Man Shih and the four generals subdue the white gibbon), in Ku-pen Yüan-Ming tsa-chü (Unique editions of Yüan and Ming tsa-chü drama), ed. Wang Chi-lieh, 4 vols. (Peking: Chung-kuo hsi-chü ch’u-pan she, 1958), vol. 4, scene 1, p. 3a, ll. 11–12. The second line occurs independently in Shui-hu ch’üan-chuan, vol. 2, ch. 43, p. 703, l. 13; and the ch’uan-ch’i drama I-hsia chi (The righteous knight-errant), by Shen Ching (1553–1610), Liu-shih chung ch’ü ed., scene 26, p. 69, l. 4.

  20. This four-character expression occurs in Shui-hu ch’üan-chuan, vol. 3, ch. 74, p. 1240, l. 12; and recurs in the Chin P’ing Mei tz’u-hua, vol. 5, ch. 89, p. 9a, l. 7.

  21. This proverbial couplet is probably derived from one in a poem by Li Shan-fu (9th century), Ch’üan T’ang shih (Complete poetry of the T’ang), 12 vols. (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1960), vol. 10, chüan 643, p. 7371, l. 13. Variants of this couplet occur in a speech attributed to the Buddhist monk Ch’an Master Hsiu (10th century), in Wu-teng hui-yüan (The essentials of the five lamps), comp. P’u-chi (1179–1253), 3 vols. (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1984), vol. 3, chüan 15, p. 971, l. 5; the anonymous Yüan-Ming ch’uan-ch’i drama Chao-shih ku-erh chi (The story of the orphan of Chao), in Ku-pen hsi-ch’ü ts’ung-k’an, ch’u-chi, item 16, chüan 2, scene 42, p. 40a, l. 6; the Yüan-Ming ch’uan-ch’i drama Chin-yin chi (The golden seal), by Su Fu-chih (14th century), in Ku-pen hsi-ch’ü ts’ung-k’an, ch’u-chi, item 27, chüan 2, scene 14, p. 10a, l. 8; the anonymous Yüan-Ming ch’uan-ch’i drama Pai-t’u chi (The white rabbit), Liu-shih chung ch’ü ed., scene 32, p. 83, l. 6; the ch’uan-ch’i drama Ch’ien-chin chi (The thousand pieces of gold), by Shen Ts’ai (15th century), Liu-shih chung ch’ü ed., scene 8, p. 20, l. 5; Yü-chüeh chi, scene 13, p. 41, l. 9; Mu-lien chiu-mu ch’üan-shan hsi-wen, chüan 2, p. 42a, l. 10; and San-pao t’ai-chien Hsi-yang chi t’ung-su yen-i, vol. 1, ch. 20, p. 256, ll. 4–5. It occurs in the same form as in the novel in the anonymous Yüan-Ming ch’uan-ch’i drama Sha-kou chi (The stratagem of killing a dog), Liu-shih chung ch’ü ed., scene 22, p. 79, ll. 7–8; Yü-huan chi, scene 26, p. 97, l. 6; the ch’uan-ch’i drama Shuang-chung chi (The loyal pair), by Yao Mao-liang (15th century), in Ku-pen hsi-ch’ü ts’ung-k’an, ch’u-chi, item 33, chüan 2, scene 31, p. 25a, l. 5; and San-pao t’ai-chien Hsi-yang chi t’ung-su yen-i, vol. 1, ch. 39, p. 511, l. 9. The second line also occurs independently in the early vernacular story Pai Niang-tzu yung-chen Lei-feng T’a (The White Maiden is eternally imprisoned under Thunder Peak Pagoda), in Ching-shih t’ung-yen, chüan 28, p. 443, l. 17.

  22. This line occurs in the ch’uan-ch’i drama Huan-tai chi (The return of the belts), by Shen Ts’ai (15th century), in Ku-pen hsi-ch’ü ts’ung-k’an, ch’u-chi, item 32, chüan 1, scene 10, p. 30a, l. 3.

  23. This couplet occurs in Ming-hsin pao-chien, chüan 1, p. 3a, ll. 9–10.

  Chapter 82

  1. This lyric has already occurred in the Chin P’ing Mei tz’u-hua, vol. 1, ch. 13, p. 12b, ll. 3–5; and ch. 17, p. 1a, ll. 3–5. See The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P’ing Mei, Volume 1: The Gathering, trans. David Tod Roy (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1993), chap. 13, p. 273, ll. 1–16; and chap. 17, p. 337, ll. 7–22.

  2. This four-character expression occurs in a quatrain by the Buddhist monk Yin-feng (9th century), Tsu-t’ang chi, chüan 15, p. 339, l. 23; a lyric by Chang Po-ch’un (1242–1302), Ch’üan Chin Yüan tz’u (Complete lyrics of the Chin and Yüan dynasties), comp. T’ang Kuei-chang, 2 vols. (Peking: Chung-hua shu-chü, 1979), 2:746, upper register, l. 15; Chin-yin chi, chüan 2, scene 12, p. 5a, l. 4; the anonymous fifteenth-century ch’uan-ch’i drama Shang Lu san-yüan chi (Shang Lu [1414–86] wins first place in three examinations), in Ku-pen hsi-ch’ü ts’ung-k’an, ch’u-chi, item 28, chüan 2, scene 24, p. 6b, l. 2; and a song by Hsüeh Lun-tao (c. 1531–c. 1600), Ch’üan Ming san-ch’ü, 3:2749, ll. 9–10.

  3. On this type of speckled bamboo, see Roy, The Plum in the Golden Vase, vol. 3, chap. 58, n. 3.

  4. This four-character expression occurs in [Chi-p’ing chiao-chu] Hsi-hsiang chi (The romance of the western chamber [with collected commentary and critical annotation]), ed. and annot. Wang Chi-ssu (Shanghai: Shang-hai ku-chi ch’u-pan she, 1987), play no. 1, scene 3, p. 34, l. 13.

  5. See Roy, The Plum in the Golden Vase, vol. 1, chap. 8, n. 10. For the incident to which this remark refers, see [Chi-p’ing chiao-chu] Hsi-hsiang chi, play no. 3, scene 3, pp. 123–24; and The Moon and the Zither: The Story of the Western Wing, by Wang Shifu; trans. Stephen H. West and Wilt L. Idema (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991), p. 308.

  6. A version of this song, with some textual variation, is preserved in the anthology Yung-hsi yüeh-fu (Songs of a harmonious era), pref. dated 1566, 20 ts’e, fac. repr. (Shanghai: Shang-wu yin-shu kuan, 1934), ts’e 20, p. 42a, ll. 6–8.

  7. A version of this song, with some textual variation, is also preserved in ibid., ts’e 20, p. 42a, l. 9–p. 42b, l. 1.

  8. This poetic exercise in double entendre is virtually impossible to translate, but I have done my best to indicate that every line contains one or more names of traditional Chinese pharmaceutical ingredients.

  9. This song is derived, with considerable textual variation, from one by Tseng Jui (c. 1260–c. 1330), Ch’üan Yüan san-ch’ü, 1:483, ll. 5–6. The original is about incest between siblings rather than in-laws, but the author of the novel has modified the text to fit his context.

  10. This is the earliest known mention of a work of this title, for which there is no Ming dynasty text extant, although there are several Ch’ing dynasty versions. It is described and discussed in Sawada Mizuho, Hōkan no kenkyū (A study of pao
-chüan) (Tokyo: Kokusho kankōkai, 1975), pp. 295–96; and Katherine Carlitz, The Rhetoric of Chin p’ing mei (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1986), pp. 65–66.

  11. This four-character expression occurs ubiquitously in Chinese vernacular literature. See, e.g., a lyric by Su Shih (1037–1101), Ch’üan Sung tz’u, 1:291, lower register, l. 4; a lyric by Ch’en Yün-p’ing (13th century), ibid., 5:3121, upper register, l. 11; a song suite by Wang Chung-ch’eng (14th century), Ch’üan Yüan san-ch’ü, 2:1140, l. 10; a set of songs by Wang Yüan-heng (14th century), ibid., 2:1387, l. 5; a song suite by Chu Yün-ming (1460–1526), Ch’üan Ming san-ch’ü, 1:784, ll. 9–10; the ch’uan-ch’i drama Huai-hsiang chi (The stolen perfume), by Lu Ts’ai (1497–1537), Liu-shih chung ch’ü ed., scene 10, p. 26, l. 8; an anonymous song suite in Yung-hsi yüeh-fu, ts’e 12, p. 69a, l. 10; a set of songs by Huang O (1498–1569), Ch’üan Ming san-ch’ü, 2:1748, l. 1; Hai-fu shan-t’ang tz’u-kao (Draft lyrics from Hai-fu shan-t’ang), by Feng Wei-min (1511–80), pref. dated 1566 (Shanghai: Shang-hai ku-chi ch’u-pan she, 1981), chüan 3, p. 160, l. 8; and a song suite by Ch’in Shih-yung (16th century), Ch’üan Ming san-ch’ü, 5:6120, l. 4.

  12. For the use of impatiens blossoms and garlic juice to dye women’s fingernails, see Peter Valder, The Garden Plants of China (Portland: Timber Press, 1999), pp. 363–64. The practice is alluded to in Chien-teng hsin-hua (New wick-trimming tales), by Ch’ü Yu (1341–1427), in Chien-teng hsin-hua [wai erh-chung] (New wick-trimming tales [plus two other works]), ed. and annot. Chou I (Shanghai: Ku-tien wen-hsüeh ch’u-pan she, 1957), chüan 2, p. 58, l. 12; and Chien-teng yü-hua (More wick-trimming tales), by Li Ch’ang-ch’i (1376–1452), author’s pref. dated 1420, in Chien-teng hsin-hua [wai erh-chung], chüan 5, p. 294, l. 3.

 

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