{"id":4634,"date":"2017-02-11T03:30:06","date_gmt":"2017-02-10T17:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/?p=4634"},"modified":"2025-02-11T16:28:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T05:28:26","slug":"the-end-of-the-beginning-%e5%85%83%e5%ae%b5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/journal\/the-end-of-the-beginning-%e5%85%83%e5%ae%b5\/","title":{"rendered":"The End of the Beginning \u5143\u5bb5"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Fifteenth Day of the First Month of the New Year \u6b63\u6708\u5341\u4e94 marks the first full moon of the Lunar New Year. Generally called Yuanxiao \u5143\u5bb5, literally ‘First Evening’, it is also the\u00a0height of the\u00a0Lantern Festival \u71c8\u7bc0 which was traditionally celebrated from the Hanging of Lanterns \u4e0a\u71c8 on the Thirteenth Day to the Taking Down of Lanterns \u843d\u71c8 on the Eighteenth\u00a0Day of the First Month. The First Evening is also variously called:\u00a0\u4e0a\u5143\u7bc0\u3001\u5c0f\u6b63\u6708\u3001\u5143\u5915\u3001\u5c0f\u5e74\u00a0or \u6625\u71c8\u7bc0.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
The Shangyuan Festival celebrating the First Full Moon on Fifteenth Day of the First Month of the Lunar New Year \u4e0a\u5143\u8fb2\u6b77\u6b63\u6708\u5341\u4e94. These characters are in the\u00a0hand of Liu Gongquan \u67f3\u516c\u6b0a of the Tang dynasty written for\u00a0the Stele Commemorating the Imperial Guard\u00a0\u795e\u7b56\u8ecd\u7891 in 843CE.\u00a0From the 11th of\u00a0February 2017 in\u00a0Palace Museum\u00a0Calendar<\/em> \u6545\u5bae\u65e5\u66c6.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2017, the 11th of February\u00a0marks the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations which began with the last day of the old year, New Year’s Eve \u9664\u5915<\/a>, the 27th of January. The celebrations vary widely but they generally feature both domestic and public displays of lanterns \u71c8\u98fe; these are supposed to mimic\u00a0the full moon and symbolise the eating of Yuanxiao \u5143\u5bb5 (in the north) or Tangyuan \u6e6f\u5713 (in the south): these are a kind of ball-shaped food\u00a0made from\u00a0glutinous rice\u00a0flour. They are cooked\u00a0and served in a soup made from the water they are boiled\u00a0in. The balls can vary in colour and size depending on the region and may contain\u00a0various sweet fillings such as sugary sesame or red bean paste, or indeed savoury flavours such as minced meat or vegetables. The shape and massing of Yuanxiao in a bowl is supposed to symbolise completion, togetherness and harmony.<\/p>\n

One popular account holds that the general Yuan Shikai \u8881\u4e16\u51f1, who inveigled his way into becoming the president of the Republic of China (and would eventually, although unsuccessfully, attempt to restore dynastic rule by declaring himself emperor in 1916) favoured the term Soup Balls \u6e6f\u5713, to Yuanxiao \u5143\u5bb5 which was a homophone for Yuan Xiao\u00a0\u8881\u6d88\u00a0‘Yuan [Shikai] obliterated’.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A Yuanxiao stall in Old Peking. Artist unknown. Shops selling Yuanxiao and other sweets \u7cd5\u9ede were known simply as \u9911\u9911\u92ea.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These weeks since the Chinese New Year also mark an extraordinary period for\u00a0the world since the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States of America on the 20th of January.\u00a0Turning modern tradition on its head, all that was new seems old again. Well indeed may one hope that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice<\/a>. What was a truism for China under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party and its Chairman of Everything Xi Jinping, now seems to hold equally for an America in the grip of Trump and the Republican Party. The ramifications of this temporal shift for The Year of the Rooster and far beyond are momentous.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lotus Lantern, Nanjing, 2013. Photograph by Lois Conner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

For this reason, we have selected a number of episodes related to the Lantern Festival for our readers. The first features the art and life of Feng Zikai \u8c50\u5b50\u6137,\u00a0a man whose creative career spanned the last years of dynastic China, the rise and fall of the\u00a0Chinese Republic and the long years of High Maoism (1956-1976). He experienced, and created work, related to Lantern Festivals in all three eras.<\/p>\n

We end with an intriguing chapter from China’s most famous novel, The Story of the Stone<\/em><\/a> \u77f3\u982d\u8a18 (also known as The Dream of the Red Chamber<\/em> \u7d05\u6a13\u5922). In Chapter 22, a Lantern Festival party ostensibly devoted to lighthearted games and riddles, reveals in coded form the tragic fate of key characters in the book. It also offers an insight into traditional Lantern Festival games while acting as\u00a0a sombre reminder of how, all too often, dark auguries can be detected even at times of heedless celebration. Perhaps this is something that the politicians and their henchmen and women in this new Age of Authoritarians would do\u00a0well to keep in mind.<\/p>\n

This\u00a0New Sinology Jotting<\/a>\u00a0on the Lantern Festival is the latest in a series of\u00a0essays related to\u00a0The Year of the Rooster<\/a>\u00a0previously published in\u00a0China Heritage<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Geremie R. Barm\u00e9<\/a>, Editor<\/em>, China Heritage<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fifteenth Day of the First Month of the
\nDingyou Year of the Rooster \u4e01\u9149\u5e74\u6b63\u6708\u5341\u4e94
\n11 February 2017<\/p>\n

\n

Acknowledgements<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Annie Ren \u4efb\u8def\u6f2b, a PhD scholar working on\u00a0The Story of the Stone<\/em> \u77f3\u982d\u8a18, checked the bilingual excerpt from Chapter 22 of the novel and added lines in Chinese from the Red Inkstone Commentaries \u8102\u786f\u9f4b\u91cd\u8a55\u77f3\u982d\u8a18 found in the Gengchen version of the novel \u5e9a\u8fb0\u672c<\/a> (indicated by\u00a0brackets,\u00a0\u3010\u3011). She also scanned the illustration by\u00a0Sun Wen \u5b6b\u6eab (1826-?)\u00a0who\u00a0painted scenes from The Story of the Stone <\/i>over a thirty six-year period, from 1867 to 1903. Annie is working with John Minford on The Story of the Stone<\/em> site that is part of\u00a0China Heritage.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I am also grateful to Christina Sanderson for locating material in Linqing’s \u9e9f\u6176\u00a0Tracks in the Snow<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>\u9d3b\u96ea\u56e0\u7de3\u5716\u8a18\u00a0related to the Lantern Festival. Christina is finishing a\u00a0translation of Linqing’s illustrated memoir with the support of an Australian Research Council grant awarded to John Minford and myself. Tracks in the Snow<\/em>\u00a0is one of the Projects<\/a> of China Heritage.<\/em><\/p>\n

My thanks also to John Minford and the Estate of David Hawkes for permission to reproduce material from David’s translation of\u00a0The Story of the Stone<\/em>, Volume I,\u00a0and his\u00a0Translator’s Notebooks<\/em>. &, as ever, I thank\u00a0Lois Conner<\/a> for allowing\u00a0her work to grace these virtual pages.<\/p>\n

\u2014 GRB<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
<\/a>
Enjoying\u00a0the Lanterns \u89c0\u71c8\u5716, by Li Song \u674e\u5d69\u00a0(?1190-1230?) of the Southern Song dynasty.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Palace Lanterns \u5bae\u71c8 gained in popularity from the time of the Tang dynasty and were often presented to loyal ministers or those who were rewarded for valour or to favourites. The custom of making lanterns\u00a0\u2014\u00a0also called \u82b1\u71c8\u3001\u5f69\u71c8\u3001\u71c8\u7c60 \u2014 gradually spread to the population at large and over time families, clans and villages made lanterns and created competitions for them, in particular around the time of Yuanxiao, or the Lantern Festival. The practice of putting riddles on lanterns outside one’s house as a test to passers-by also evolved (see more about Lantern Riddles below).<\/p>\n

The most famous lantern\/lamp is arguably the Chanxin Lamp<\/a> \u9577\u4fe1\u5bae\u71c8 dating from the Han dynasty, unearthed in 1968. However, since the Qing era, the city of\u00a0Gaocheng<\/a>\u00a0\u85c1\u57ce has been particularly celebrated for the manufacture of lanterns. These\u00a0lanterns come in many shapes and sizes. Among the most popular are Square Official Cap Lantern \u767d\u5e3d\u65b9\u71c8, Round Silk Lanterns \u7d17\u5713\u71c8, Arhant Lanterns \u7f85\u6f22\u71c8, Galloping Horse Lanterns\u00a0\u8d70\u99ac\u71c8<\/a>, and lanterns in the shape of butterflies \u8774\u8776\u71c8, or Two Dragons Chasing a Pearl \u4e8c\u9f8d\u6232\u73e0\u71c8. Particularly popular were images taken from ancient tales, famous novels and ghost stories, as were\u00a0intricate paper cuts \u526a\u7d19 that were pasted on lanterns. Apart from\u00a0Lantern Gazing \u89c0\u71c8 on the streets, the week-long festivities included the exchange of gifts, Dragon Dances \u821e\u9f8d, Lion Dances \u821e\u7345, Stilt Walkers \u8e29\u9ad8\u8e7a, Dry-land Boat Floats \u8dd1\u65f1\u8239, fireworks \u653e\u7159\u706b, Welcoming the Purple Maiden \u8fce\u7d2b\u59d1<\/a>, Lantern Riddles \u71c8\u8b0e (see below) and, inevitably, the eating of Yuanxiao \u5143\u5bb5.<\/p>\n

\"\"
A Gaocheng Palace Lantern<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Under the People’s Republic, the annual Lantern Festival was transformed as the Communist Party abrogated all forms of former public (and private) celebration in favour of its tireless self-congratulation (see, for example,\u00a0Thirteen National Days, a retrospective<\/a>). Huge Palace Lanterns were hung on Tiananmen Gate in the heart of the socialist capital, with smaller imitations bracketing\u00a0the entrances to official\u00a0yamen<\/em> and work units, including factories of every description throughout the country (in reality, this also continued a dynastic tradition: in\u00a0imperial Peking\u00a0the Ministry of Works \u5de5\u90e8, with its easy access to funds, was famous for its extravagant gate lanterns).<\/p>\n

As life was increasingly drained from the private and individual, the bloated party-state lauded\u00a0itself with every greater extravagance, as it does to this day. Red lanterns were first reclaimed by the filmmaker Zhang Yimou \u5f35\u85dd\u8b00 in his 1991 film Raise the Red Lantern<\/em><\/a> \u5927\u7d05\u71c8\u7c60\u9ad8\u9ad8\u639b<\/a>, and its title was soon being used, not to indicate patriarchal favouritism, as it does in the film, but to celebrate the festivities surrounding the Fifteenth Day of the First Month. Since then, local Lantern Festivals, which combine reinvented tradition, Party propaganda and commercial avarice have once more flourished, the most famous being the Qinhuai Lantern Festival \u79e6\u6dee\u71c8\u6703<\/a> in Nanjing, which dates from 2006.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Mao Zedong and his comrades on the podium of Tiananmen in late 1966, some, like the ousted President of China Liu Shaoqi (third from the right) and the soon-to-be-purged Deng Xiaoping (first on the left), had little to celebrate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Lanterns in Three\u00a0Eras<\/h3>\n

\"\"
‘He wants to climb the heavens to inspect the shining moon’, by Feng Zikai.[1]<\/figcaption><\/figure>The artist, essayist, translator and educator Feng Zikai \u8c50\u5b50\u6137 (1898-1975) was a rare figure in twentieth-century China’s cultural maelstrom. His life spanned the dying years of the Qing dynasty, the tumult of the Republic of China and the High Maoism of the People’s Republic. Below we offer views of those eras based on his art and essays.<\/p>\n

At Dynasty’s End<\/strong><\/p>\n

The local New Year’s Lantern Festival, celebrated on the full moon of the first lunar month of the traditional calendar, was of such moment the lantern would deck the town [of Shimenwan, Zhejiang province where Feng Zikai grew up] only once every few years or even few decades, unlike most other towns and districts. Writing at the age of thirty-seven (in 1935), Feng said he could only remember three occasions on which the festival had been held. One of these was in his early childhood. The family brought out a large traditional lantern from storage ready for the rare festival display. It was an old ‘coloured umbrella’ \u5f69\u5098, as the lanterns were called locally, that had been made by his father and his aunt Feng Zaohong when they were children. Adorned with felicitous images and calligraphic inscriptions on large paper strips stuck to its sides, the large hexagonal lantern was widely regarded as the finest in the town.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
‘The Moon Hangs from\u00a0the Willow Branch’, a painting by Feng Zikai, inspired by a Song-dynasty poem about Yuanxiao.[2]<\/figcaption><\/figure>During that first festival Zikai spent little time looking at the other lanterns that decorated the streets because he was so inspired by his father’s and aunt’s creation that he stayed at home with his sisters to make their own lantern. Although it was not finished in time to be included in the festivities,<\/p>\n

making my own lantern was the first time I derived a real sense of satisfaction form doing something ‘artistic’. Hanging it up inside our house after the festival, we took great pleasure in looking over it carefully and comparing it gleefully [with all the others we had seen]. Of course, it could hardly match the brilliance of the older lanterns, but by working on our own we had shared a sense of creativity, and it fired in me a desire to learn calligraphy and painting.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A Bankrupt Republic<\/strong><\/p>\n

Feng left his hometown in the 1910s to go to school in Hangzhou and Tokyo. Thereafter, he lived and worked in Shanghai as a teacher, artist and translator. For years he saved up so he and his large family could return to the countryside where he eventually designed and built a house, Yuanyuan Hall \u7de3\u7de3\u5802, for the family, his library and his study. When he returned to Shimenwan in the 1930s, he found a town transformed:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
‘Our Chicken Lanterns are Nothing Compared to the Yuanxiao in the Kitchen’, by Feng Zikai. An\u00a0illustration made\u00a0to accompany poems<\/a> about children and local customs written by Zhou Zuoren \u5468\u4f5c\u4eba in 1949-1950 following the latter’s release from gaol.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the passage of time and the devastation wrought on the economy by the depression, disastrous weather conditions, continued local strife, and political uncertainty, the artist stood by, a helpless witnesses the world of his youth vanished forever, the rituals and rhythms of agricultural life disrupted at every turn. After twenty years away from Shimenwan, even while delighting in his homecoming, he was sobered by the realisation that the place was much changed. Even the New Year’s celebrations were completely different from the way he remembered them. While the introduction of the Western calendar had undermined the significance of the Spring Festival for local families, bankruptcy had struck down so many once-viable commercial ventures in the town that it was impossible to hold the Lantern Festival in its traditional lavish style anymore. By now so many ‘people were living on the borderline of poverty, Zikai noted, that few even had the heart to celebrate the advent of yet another year.<\/p>\n

Chiang Kai-shek’s New Life Movement<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
At the Lantern Meeting for the New Life Movement, by Feng Zikai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A few weeks earlier Feng Zikai had going the boatman onshore when they came upon a special village lantern festival, which had been organised as part of the New Life Movement<\/a>. This was a military-style ethics-cum-etiquette campaign aimed at transforming the national character and improving public behaviour that had only recently been launched at the instigation of Chiang Kai-shek, the Nationalist Party leader. Mindless of the campaign’s ideological aims, the boatman was enthusiastic about the possibility of this unseasonal spectacle, a clamorous nighttime parade. Zikai was less impressed. In a guarded criticism of the propaganda crusade, Feng comments that he notice a boy with a drum on his back. A man was following behind, beating the instrument vigorously as part of the procession organised to stir up interest in the movement. Zikai thought the the boy was too young and frail to endure such an athletic evening. ‘All that beating would probably put his joints out of kilter, and his mother would have to put them back in place when he got home.’ After sketching the boy, he turns his attention to the music: ‘The beat was not as powerful or as inspiring as before, it now seemed to convey a desolate air.’<\/p>\n

In the end, exhausted and bored, Feng remarks: ‘All I could make out was an endless array of lights the size of pingpong balls bobbing in front of my eyes …’<\/p>\n

Mao Zedong’s People’s Republic<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Spring Festival Scene: the lanterns light up the halls with the hues of felicity, by Feng Zikai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Feng Zikai, like so many other cultural figures and intellectuals educated before 1949, adjusted himself to the Communist regime hoping for the best but mindless of what would be the worst. Those with a more international, or US-oriented worldview were even decried for thinking that ‘The foreign moon is more round than China’s’ \u7f8e\u570b\u7684\u6708\u4eae\u6bd4\u4e2d\u570b\u7684\u5713<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Feng, along with a legion of others, first had to ‘wash in public’ \u6d17\u6fa1 by renouncing his past, and then he\u00a0attempted to contribute to what all hoped would be a more peaceful and prosperous society. He was rewarded by the state for his compliance, although generally he avoided greater largesse and official blandishments, and therefore resiled from excessive sycophancy. Sometimes, however, it was impossible to avoid demands to extol the Party’s victories. One example from 1960 is particularly chilling. The country was being ravaged by the famine<\/a> unleashed by Mao’s Great Leap Forward while artists and writers were called on to celebrate the new year and Lantern Festival.<\/p>\n

This\u00a0work to the right is made the familiar\u00a0style of Feng Zikai’s later paintings, even if it is a bit more stilted (the frozen faces of father and children give it away). It displays the\u00a0de\u00a0rigeuer\u00a0<\/em>bonhomie of cultural work in the first decades of the People’s Republic. Here Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival are celebrated by old and young alike, the manqu\u00e9 masses. In reality, at the time strict rationing meant that any celebrations were limited to a low calorie diet and muted celebrations. Regardless, ‘cultural workers’ were required\u00a0to churn out hosannahs\u00a0that shouted support\u00a0in loud tones and bright colours. This sad picture brings to mind\u00a0a famous 1935 French depiction of the depredations of the Soviet famine titled\u00a0Nous sommes bien heureux<\/a>, ‘We are Very Happy’.[3]<\/p>\n

\n

Guessing Riddles in\u00a0The Story of the Stone<\/em><\/h3>\n

In a traditional China that was obsessed with written word and verbal dexterity, the\u00a0ability to Guess Lantern Riddles \u731c\u71c8\u8b0e was regarded\u00a0as a talent no less impressive than a\u00a0prowess to\u00a0hunt tigers. Riddles inscribed on lanterns during the Yuanxiao Festival were referred to as ‘Lantern Tigers’ \u71c8\u864e\u00a0or ‘Literary Tigers’\u00a0\u6587\u864e and guessing or solving riddles was known as ‘Shooting Tigers’ \u5c04\u864e. To this day, people who are good at solving\u00a0even the most obscure riddles are hailed as ‘Tiger-killing Generals’ \u6253\u864e\u5c07.<\/p>\n

The style of a Riddle is as follows: Riddle \u8b0e\u8a9e plus a\u00a0Hint (often prefaced with the word \u6253), and the Solution \u8b0e\u5e95. For example, from the text below:<\/p>\n

\n

The<\/em> monkey\u2019s tail reaches from tree-top to ground.\u00a0<\/i>
\nIt\u2019s the name of a fruit.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u7334\u5b50\u8eab\u8f15\u7ad9\u6a39\u68a2\u3002
\n\u2014\u2014 \u6253\u4e00\u679c\u540d\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The answer being a longan berry or long’un (a long one)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The following excerpt\u00a0is from Chapter 22 of\u00a0The Story of the Stone<\/em><\/a>, translated by David Hawkes<\/a> with illustrations\u00a0from his\u00a0Notebooks<\/em> that touch on a few of the numerous conundrums created for the translator by different manuscript versions of the book:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Portents of Doom in\u00a0Lantern Riddles, from Sun Wen’s \u5b6b\u6eab\u00a0Illustrations for the Complete Dream of the Red Chamber\u00a0<\/em>\u300a\u7e6a\u5168\u672c\u7d05\u6a13\u5922\u300b.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jia Zheng Sees Portents of Doom in Lantern Riddles
\n\u5236\u71c8\u8b0e\u8cc8\u653f\u60b2\u8b96\u8a9e<\/h3>\n

Just then it was announced that the Imperial Concubine had sent someone round from the Palace with a lantern-riddle which they were to try and guess. After they had guessed the answer, they were each to make up a riddle of their own and send it back to her. \u5ffd\u7136\u4eba\u5831\uff0c\u5a18\u5a18\u5dee\u4eba\u9001\u51fa\u4e00\u500b\u71c8\u8b0e\u5152\uff0c\u547d\u4f60\u5011\u5927\u5bb6\u53bb\u731c\uff0c\u731c\u8457\u4e86\u6bcf\u4eba\u4e5f\u4f5c\u4e00\u500b\u9032\u53bb\u3002<\/p>\n

As soon as they heard this, the four of them hurried to the reception room in Grandmother Jia\u2019s apartment, where they found a young eunuch with a square, flat-topped lantern of white gauze specially made for hanging riddles on. There was one hanging on it already which they crowded round to read while the eunuch gave them their instructions: \u56db\u4eba\u807d\u8aaa\u5fd9\u51fa\u53bb\uff0c\u81f3\u8cc8\u6bcd\u4e0a\u623f\u3002\u53ea\u898b\u4e00\u500b\u5c0f\u592a\u76e3\uff0c\u62ff\u4e86\u4e00\u76de\u56db\u89d2\u5e73\u982d\u767d\u7d17\u71c8\uff0c\u5c08\u70ba\u71c8\u8b0e\u800c\u88fd\uff0c\u4e0a\u9762\u5df2\u6709\u4e00\u500b\uff0c\u773e\u4eba\u90fd\u722d\u770b\u4e82\u731c\u3002\u5c0f\u592a\u76e3\u53c8\u4e0b\u8aed\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018When the young ladies have guessed, will they please not tell anyone the answer, but write it down secretly. The answers will be collected and taken back to the Palace in a sealed envelope so that Her Grace can see for herself who has guessed correctly.\u2019 \u773e\u5c0f\u59d0\u731c\u8457\u4e86\uff0c\u4e0d\u8981\u8aaa\u51fa\u4f86\uff0c\u6bcf\u4eba\u53ea\u6697\u6697\u7684\u5beb\u5728\u7d19\u4e0a\uff0c\u4e00\u9f4a\u5c01\u9032\u5bae\u53bb\uff0c\u5a18\u5a18\u81ea\u9a57\u662f\u5426\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bao-chai went up to the lantern and looked at the riddle, which was in the form of a quatrain. It was not a particularly ingenious one, but she felt obliged to praise it, and therefore remarked that it was hard to guess\u2019 and pretended to have to think about the answer, though in truth it had been obvious to her at a glance. Bao-yu, Dai-yu, Xiang-yun and Tan-chun had also guessed the answer and were busy writing it down. Presently Jia Huan and Jia Lan were summoned, and they too wrote something down after a good deal of puzzling. After that everyone made up a riddle about some object of their choice, wrote it out in the best kai-shu <\/i>on a slip of paper, and hung it on the lantern, which was then taken away by the eunuch. \u5bf6\u91f5\u807d\u4e86\uff0c\u8fd1\u524d\u4e00\u770b\uff0c\u662f\u4e00\u9996\u4e03\u8a00\u7d55\u53e5\uff0c\u5e76\u7121\u751a\u65b0\u5947\uff0c\u53e3\u4e2d\u5c11\u4e0d\u5f97\u7a31\u8b9a\uff0c\u53ea\u8aaa\u96e3\u731c\uff0c\u6545\u610f\u5c0b\u601d\uff0c\u5176\u5be6\u4e00\u898b\u5c31\u731c\u8457\u4e86\u3002\u5bf6\u7389\u3001\u9edb\u7389\u3001\u6e58\u96f2\u3001\u63a2\u6625\u56db\u500b\u4eba\u4e5f\u90fd\u89e3\u4e86\uff0c\u5404\u81ea\u6697\u6697\u7684\u5beb\u4e86\u534a\u65e5\u3002\u4e00\u4f75\u5c07\u8cc8\u74b0\u3001\u8cc8\u862d\u7b49\u50b3\u4f86\uff0c\u4e00\u9f4a\u5404\u63e3\u6a5f\u5fc3\u90fd\u731c\u4e86\uff0c\u3010\u5e9a\u8fb0\u96d9\u884c\u593e\u6279\uff1a\u5beb\u51fa\u731c\u8b0e\u4eba\u5f62\u666f\uff0c\u770b\u4ed6\u504f\u65bc\u5169\u6b21\u6212\u6a5f\u5f8c\uff0c\u5beb\u6b64\u6a5f\u5fc3\u6a5f\u4e8b\uff0c\u8db3\u898b\u4f5c\u610f\u81f3\u6df1\u81f3\u9060\u3002\u3011\u5beb\u5728\u7d19\u4e0a\u3002\u7136\u5f8c\u5404\u4eba\u62c8\u4e00\u7269\u4f5c\u6210\u4e00\u8b0e\uff0c\u606d\u6977\u5beb\u4e86\uff0c\u639b\u5728\u71c8\u4e0a\u3002<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
What Happened When? (1) From David Hawkes, The Story of the Stone: A Translator’s Notebooks<\/em>, Hong Kong: Centre for Literature and Translation, Lingnan University, 2000, p.31.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Towards evening the eunuch returned and reported what the Imperial Concubine had had to say about the results: \u592a\u76e3\u53bb\u4e86\uff0c\u81f3\u665a\u51fa\u4f86\u50b3\u8aed\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018Her Grace\u2019s own riddle was correctly guessed by everyone except Miss Ying and Master Huan. Her Grace has thought of answers to all the riddles sent her by the young ladies and gentlemen, but she does not know whether or not they are correct.\u2019 \u524d\u5a18\u5a18\u6240\u88fd\uff0c\u4ff1\u5df2\u731c\u8457\uff0c\u60df\u4e8c\u5c0f\u59d0\u8207\u4e09\u723a\u731c\u7684\u4e0d\u662f\u3002\u5c0f\u59d0\u5011\u4f5c\u7684\u4e5f\u90fd\u731c\u7740\u4e86\uff0c\u4e0d\u77e5\u662f\u5426\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He showed them the answers written down. Some were right and some were wrong, but even those whose riddles had been incorrectly answered deemed it prudent to pretend that the answers they had received were the right ones. \u8aaa\u8457\uff0c\u4e5f\u5c07\u5beb\u7684\u62ff\u51fa\u4f86\u3002\u4e5f\u6709\u731c\u8457\u7684\uff0c\u4e5f\u6709\u731c\u4e0d\u8457\u7684\uff0c\u90fd\u80e1\u4e82\u8aaa\u731c\u8457\u4e86\u3002<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
What Happened When? (2). From Hawkes, The Story of the Stone: A Translator’s Notebooks<\/em>, p.32.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The eunuch proceeded to distribute prizes for answering the Imperial Concubine\u2019s riddle. Everyone who had guessed correctly received an ivory note-case made by Palace craftsmen and a bamboo tea-whisk. Ying-chun and Jia Huan were the only ones who did not receive anything. Ying-chun treated the matter as a joke and rapidly dismissed it from her mind, but Jia Huan was very much put out. To make matters worse, the eunuch went on to query Jia Huan\u2019s own riddle: \u592a\u76e3\u53c8\u5c07\u9812\u8cdc\u4e4b\u7269\u9001\u8207\u731c\u8457\u4e4b\u4eba\uff0c\u6bcf\u4eba\u4e00\u500b\u5bae\u88fd\u8a69\u7b52\uff0c\u4e00\u67c4\u8336\u7b45\uff0c\u7368\u8fce\u6625\u3001\u8cc8\u74b0\u4e8c\u4eba\u672a\u5f97\u3002\u8fce\u6625\u81ea\u70ba\u9811\u7b11\u5c0f\u4e8b\uff0c\u4e26\u4e0d\u4ecb\u610f\uff0c\u8cc8\u74b0\u4fbf\u89ba\u5f97\u6c92\u8da3\u3002\u4e14\u53c8\u807d\u592a\u76e3\u8aaa\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018Her Grace says that she has not answered Master Huan\u2019s riddle because she could not make any sense of it. She told me to bring it back and ask him what it means.\u2019 \u4e09\u723a\u8aaa\u7684\u9019\u500b\u4e0d\u901a\uff0c\u5a18\u5a18\u4e5f\u6c92\u731c\uff0c\u53eb\u6211\u5e36\u56de\u554f\u4e09\u723a\u662f\u500b\u4ec0\u9ebc\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Intrigued, the others crowded round to look. This is what Jia Huan had written: \u773e\u4eba\u807d\u4e86\uff0c\u90fd\u4f86\u770b\u4ed6\u4f5c\u7684\u4ec0\u9ebc\uff0c\u5beb\u9053\u662f\uff1a<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Big brother with eight sits all day on the bed;<\/em>
\n Little brother with two sits on the roof\u2019s head.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u5927\u54e5\u6709\u89d2\u53ea\u516b\u500b\uff0c\u4e8c\u54e5\u6709\u89d2\u53ea\u5169\u6839\u3002
\n\u5927\u54e5\u53ea\u5728\u5e8a\u4e0a\u5750\uff0c\u4e8c\u54e5\u611b\u5728\u623f\u4e0a\u8e72\u3002<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u3010\u5e9a\u8fb0\u96d9\u884c\u593e\u6279\uff1a\u53ef\u767c\u4e00\u7b11\uff0c\u771f\u74b0\u54e5\u4e4b\u8b0e\u3002\u8af8\u537f\u52ff\u7b11\uff0c\u96e3\u70ba\u4e86\u4f5c\u8005\u6479\u64ec\u3002\u3011<\/p>\n

There was a loud laugh when they had finished reading it. Jia Huan told the eunuch the answer: a head-rest and a ridge-end. The eunuch made a note of it and, after taking tea, departed once more. \u773e\u4eba\u770b\u4e86\uff0c\u5927\u767c\u4e00\u7b11\u3002\u8cc8\u74b0\u53ea\u5f97\u544a\u8a34\u592a\u76e3\u8aaa\uff1a\u4e00\u500b\u6795\u982d\uff0c\u4e00\u500b\u7378\u982d\u3002\u592a\u76e3\u8a18\u4e86\uff0c\u9818\u8336\u800c\u53bb\u3002<\/p>\n

Fired with enthusiasm by Yuan-chun\u2019s example, old Lady Jia decided to hold a riddle party. A very elegant lantern in the form of a three-leaved screen was hurriedly constructed on her orders and set up in the hall. When that had been done, she told all the boys and girls to make up a riddle – being careful to keep the answers to themselves – write it on a slip of paper, and stick it on her lantern-screen. Then, having prepared the best fragrant tea to drink, a variety of good things to eat, and lots of little gifts to serve as prizes, she was ready to begin. Jia Zheng observed the old lady\u2019s excitement when he got back from Court and came along himself in the evening to join in the fun. \u8cc8\u6bcd\u898b\u5143\u6625\u9019\u822c\u6709\u8208\uff0c\u81ea\u5df1\u8d8a\u767c\u559c\u6a02\uff0c\u4fbf\u547d\u901f\u4f5c\u4e00\u67b6\u5c0f\u5de7\u7cbe\u7dfb\u570d\u5c4f\u71c8\u4f86\uff0c\u8a2d\u65bc\u7576\u5c4b\uff0c\u547d\u4ed6\u59ca\u59b9\u5404\u81ea\u6697\u6697\u7684\u4f5c\u4e86\uff0c\u5beb\u51fa\u4f86\u7c98\u65bc\u5c4f\u4e0a\uff0c\u7136\u5f8c\u9810\u5099\u4e0b\u9999\u8336\u7d30\u679c\u4ee5\u53ca\u5404\u8272\u73a9\u7269\uff0c\u70ba\u731c\u8457\u4e4b\u8cc0\u3002\u8cc8\u653f\u671d\u7f77\uff0c\u898b\u8cc8\u6bcd\u9ad8\u8208\uff0c\u6cc1\u5728\u7bc0\u9593\uff0c\u665a\u4e0a\u4e5f\u4f86\u627f\u6b61\u53d6\u6a02\u3002<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Where’s Jia Huan Coming From? From Hawkes, The Story of the Stone: A Translator’s Notebooks<\/em>, p.34.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There were three tables. Grandmother Jia, Jia Zheng, Bao-yu and Jia Huan sat at the table on the kang, while below, Lady Wang, Bao-chai, Dai-yu and Xiang-yun sat at one table and Ying-chun, Tan-chun and Xi-chun at another. The floor below the kang was thronged with old women and maids in attendance. Li Wan and Xi-feng had a table to themselves in an inner room. \u4e0a\u9762\u8cc8\u6bcd\u3001\u8cc8\u653f\u3001\u5bf6\u7389\u4e00\u5e2d\uff0c\u4e0b\u9762\u738b\u592b\u4eba\u3001\u5bf6\u91f5\u3001\u9edb\u7389\u3001\u6e58\u96f2\u53c8\u4e00\u5e2d\uff0c\u8fce\u3001\u63a2\u3001\u60dc\u4e09\u500b\u53c8\u4e00\u5e2d\u3002\u5730\u4e0b\u5a46\u5a18\u4e2b\u9b1f\u7ad9\u6eff\u3002\u674e\u5bae\u88c1\u3001\u738b\u7199\u9cf3\u4e8c\u4eba\u5728\u88cf\u9593\u53c8\u4e00\u5e2d\u3002<\/p>\n

\u2018Where\u2019s my little Lan?\u2019 said Jia Zheng, not seeing Jia Lan at any of the tables. \u8cc8\u653f\u56e0\u4e0d\u898b\u8cc8\u862d\uff0c\u4fbf\u554f\uff1a\u600e\u9ebc\u4e0d\u898b\u862d\u54e5\ufe56<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

One of the serving-women went into the inner room to ask Li Wan. She rose to reply out of respect for her father-in-law: \u5730\u4e0b\u5a46\u5a18\u5fd9\u9032\u88cf\u9593\u554f\u674e\u6c0f\uff0c\u674e\u6c0f\u8d77\u8eab\u7b11\u8457\u56de\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018He refuses to come because he says his Grandpa Zheng hasn\u2019t invited him.\u2019 \u4ed6\u8aaa\u65b9\u624d\u8001\u723a\u4e26\u6c92\u53bb\u53eb\u4ed6\uff0c\u4ed6\u4e0d\u80af\u4f86\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The others were much amused when the woman relayed this answer back to Jia Zheng. \u5a46\u5a18\u56de\u8986\u4e86\u8cc8\u653f\u3002<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s a stubborn little chap when he\u2019s made his mind up!\u2019 they said. But they thought none the worse of him for that. \u5929\u751f\u7684\u725b\u5fc3\u53e4\u602a\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Who Sat Where? Hawkes,\u00a0The\u00a0Story of the Stone:\u00a0A Translator’s Notebooks<\/em>, p.35.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jia Zheng quickly sent Jia Huan with two of the old women to fetch him. When he arrived, Grandmother Jia made him squeeze up beside her on her side of the table and gave him a handful of nuts and dried fruits to eat. The little boy\u2019s presence provided the company with something to laugh and talk about. But not for long. Bao-yu, who normally did most of the talking on occasions like this, was today reduced by his father\u2019s presence to saying no more than \u2018yes\u2019 and \u2018no\u2019 to remarks made by other people. As for the rest: Xiang-yun, in spite of her sheltered upbringing, was normally an animated, not to say indefatigable talker, but this evening she too seemed to have been afflicted with dumbness by Jia Zheng\u2019s presence; Dai-yu was at the best of times unwilling to say very much in company from a sort of aristocratic lethargy which was a part of her nature; and Bao-chai, whose punctilious correctness made her always sparing in the use of words, even though on this occasion she was probably the least uncomfortable of those present, said little to advance the conversation. As a consequence, what should have been a jolly, intimate family party was painfully unnatural and restrained. \u8cc8\u653f\u5fd9\u9063\u8cc8\u74b0\u8207\u5169\u500b\u5a46\u5a18\u5c07\u8cc8\u862d\u559a\u4f86\u3002\u8cc8\u6bcd\u547d\u4ed6\u5728\u8eab\u65c1\u5750\u4e86\uff0c\u6293\u679c\u54c1\u8207\u4ed6\u5403\u3002\u5927\u5bb6\u8aaa\u7b11\u53d6\u6a02\u3002\u5f80\u5e38\u9593\u53ea\u6709\u5bf6\u7389\u9577\u8ac7\u95ca\u8ad6\uff0c\u4eca\u65e5\u8cc8\u653f\u5728\u9019\u88cf\uff0c\u4fbf\u60df\u6709\u552f\u552f\u800c\u5df2\u3002\u3010\u5e9a\u8fb0\u96d9\u884c\u593e\u6279\uff1a\u5beb\u5bf6\u7389\u5982\u6b64\u3002\u975e\u4e16\u5bb6\u66fe\u7d93\u56b4\u7236\u4e4b\u8a13\u8005\uff0c\u65b7\u5beb\u4e0d\u51fa\u6b64\u4e00\u53e5\u3002\u3011\u9918\u8005\u6e58\u96f2\u96d6\u4fc2\u95a8\u95a3\u5f31\u5973\uff0c\u537b\u7d20\u559c\u8ac7\u8ad6\uff0c\u4eca\u65e5\u8cc8\u653f\u5728\u5e2d\uff0c\u4e5f\u81ea\u7dd8\u53e3\u7981\u8a00\u8a9e\u3002\u9edb\u7389\u672c\u6027\u61f6\u8207\u4eba\u5171\uff0c\u539f\u4e0d\u80af\u591a\u8a9e\u3002\u5bf6\u91f5\u539f\u4e0d\u5984\u8a00\u8f15\u52d5\uff0c\u4fbf\u6b64\u6642\u4ea6\u662f\u5766\u7136\u81ea\u82e5\u3002\u6545\u6b64\u4e00\u5e2d\u96d6\u662f\u5bb6\u5e38\u53d6\u6a02\uff0c\u53cd\u898b\u62d8\u675f\u4e0d\u6a02\u3002<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
‘After the feast, we crossed the river to return to the city and witnessed there the ‘Lighting Up’ at the Lantern Festival and the festival procession … with crowds in massive heaps like mountainous clouds: a prospect of peace and prosperity indeed!’ From ‘Climbing the Pagoda at Yongjia’, Linqing, Tracks in the Snow<\/em><\/a>, Chapter\u00a017, translated by Yang Tsung-han \u694a\u5b97\u7ff0 and collated by Christina Sanderson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Grandmother Jia knew as well as everyone else that this state of affairs was entirely owing to Jia Zheng\u2019s presence, and after the wine had gone round for the third time, she attempted to drive him off to bed. Jia Zheng, for his part, was perfectly well aware that he was being driven away so that the younger people could feel freer to enjoy themselves and, smiling forcedly, appealed against his banishment: \u8cc8\u6bcd\u4ea6\u77e5\u56e0\u8cc8\u653f\u4e00\u4eba\u5728\u6b64\u6240\u81f4\u4e4b\u6545\uff0c\u9152\u904e\u4e09\u5de1\uff0c\u4fbf\u6506\u8cc8\u653f\u53bb\u6b47\u606f\u3002\u8cc8\u653f\u4ea6\u77e5\u8cc8\u6bcd\u4e4b\u610f\uff0c\u6506\u4e86\u81ea\u5df1\u53bb\u5f8c\uff0c\u597d\u8b93\u4ed6\u5011\u59ca\u59b9\u5144\u5f1f\u53d6\u6a02\u7684\u3002\u8cc8\u653f\u5fd9\u966a\u7b11\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018When they told me earlier today that you were planning to give a riddle party, I specially prepared a contribution to the feast so that I might come and join you. You have so much affection for your grandchildren, Mama. Can you not spare just a tiny bit for your son?\u2019 \u4eca\u65e5\u539f\u807d\u898b\u8001\u592a\u592a\u9019\u88cf\u5927\u8a2d\u6625\u71c8\u96c5\u8b0e\uff0c\u6545\u4e5f\u5099\u4e86\u5f69\u79ae\u9152\u5e2d\uff0c\u7279\u4f86\u5165\u6703\u3002\u4f55\u75bc\u5b6b\u5b50\u5b6b\u5973\u4e4b\u5fc3\uff0c\u4fbf\u4e0d\u7565\u8cdc\u4ee5\u5152\u5b50\u534a\u9ede\ufe56<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Grandmother Jia laughed: \u8cc8\u6bcd\u7b11\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018They can\u2019t talk naturally while you are here. All you are doing is making it gloomy for me. <\/i>I can\u2019t abide it. Well, if you\u2019ve come to answer riddles, I\u2019ll give you a riddle. But if you can\u2019t guess the answer, you will have to pay me a forfeit.\u2019 \u4f60\u5728\u9019\u88cf\uff0c\u4ed6\u5011\u90fd\u4e0d\u6562\u8aaa\u7b11\uff0c\u6c92\u7684\u5012\u53eb\u6211\u60b6\u3002\u4f60\u8981\u731c\u8b0e\u6642\uff0c\u6211\u4fbf\u8aaa\u4e00\u500b\u4f60\u731c\uff0c\u731c\u4e0d\u8457\u662f\u8981\u7f70\u7684\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2018Yes, of course,\u2019 said Jia Zheng eagerly. \u2018And if I guess right, I shall expect to be given a prize.\u2019 \u8cc8\u653f\u5fd9\u7b11\u9053\uff1a\u81ea\u7136\u8981\u7f70\u3002\u82e5\u731c\u8457\u4e86\uff0c\u4e5f\u662f\u8981\u9818\u8cde\u7684\u3002<\/p>\n

\u2018Of course,\u2019 said Grandmother Jia. \u8cc8\u6bcd\u9053\uff1a\u9019\u500b\u81ea\u7136\u3002\u8aaa\u8457\u4fbf\u5ff5\u9053\uff1a<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n

The monkey\u2019s tail reaches from tree-top to ground.\u00a0<\/i>
\nIt\u2019s the name of a fruit.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u7334\u5b50\u8eab\u8f15\u7ad9\u6a39\u68a2\u3002
\n\u2014\u2014 \u6253\u4e00\u679c\u540d\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u3010\u5e9a\u8fb0\u96d9\u884c\u593e\u6279\uff1a\u6240\u8b02\u300c\u6a39\u5012\u7322\u733b\u6563\u300d\u662f\u4e5f\u3002\u3011<\/p>\n

Jia Zheng knew that the answer to this hoary old chestnut was \u2018a longan\u2019 (long \u2019un), but pretended not to, and made all kinds of absurd guesses, each time incurring the obligation to pay his mother a forfeit, before finally giving the right answer and receiving the old lady\u2019s prize. Then he propounded a riddle of his own for her: \u8cc8\u653f\u5df2\u77e5\u662f\u8354\u679d\uff0c\u4fbf\u6545\u610f\u4e82\u731c\u5225\u7684\uff0c\u7f70\u4e86\u8a31\u591a\u6771\u897f\uff1b\u7136\u5f8c\u65b9\u731c\u8457\uff0c\u4e5f\u5f97\u4e86\u8cc8\u6bcd\u7684\u6771\u897f\u3002\u7136\u5f8c\u4e5f\u5ff5\u4e00\u500b\u8207\u8cc8\u6bcd\u731c\uff0c\u5ff5\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\n
\n

My body\u2019s square,\u00a0<\/i>
\nIron-hard am I.<\/i>
\nI speak no word,\u00a0<\/i>
\nBut words supply.\u00a0<\/i>
\nIt\u2019s a useful object.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u8eab\u81ea\u7aef\u65b9\uff0c
\n\u9ad4\u81ea\u5805\u786c\u3002
\n\u96d6\u4e0d\u80fd\u8a00\uff0c
\n\u6709\u8a00\u5fc5\u61c9\u3002
\n\u2014\u2014 \u4e00\u7528\u7269\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

He whispered the answer to Bao-yu, who, readily understanding what was expected of him, surreptitiously passed it on to Grandmother Jia. The old lady, having thought for a bit and decided that it sounded all right, said: \u8aaa\u7562\uff0c\u4fbf\u6084\u6084\u7684\u8aaa\u8207\u5bf6\u7389\u3002\u5bf6\u7389\u610f\u6703\uff0c\u53c8\u6084\u6084\u7684\u544a\u8a34\u4e86\u8cc8\u6bcd\u3002\u8cc8\u6bcd\u60f3\u4e86\u60f3\uff0c\u679c\u7136\u4e0d\u5dee\uff0c\u4fbf\u8aaa\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018An inkstone.\u2019 \u662f\u786f\u81fa\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2018Bravo, Mamma! Right first time!\u2019 said Jia Zheng, and turning round to address the servants, he asked them to bring in the presents for Lady Jia. There was an answering call from the women below, and presently a number of them came forward bearing trays and boxes of various shapes and sizes which they handed up onto the kang. Grandmother Jia examined them one by one. They all contained traditional Lantern Festival presents, but in new and exquisite designs and of the very <\/b>highest quality. The old lady was obviously pleased. \u8cc8\u653f\u7b11\u9053\uff1a\u5230\u5e95\u662f\u8001\u592a\u592a\uff0c\u4e00\u731c\u5c31\u662f\u3002\u56de\u982d\u8aaa\uff1a\u5feb\u628a\u8cc0\u5f69\u9001\u4e0a\u4f86\u3002\u5730\u4e0b\u5a66\u5973\u7b54\u61c9\u4e00\u8072\uff0c\u5927\u76e4\u5c0f\u76e4\u4e00\u9f4a\u6367\u4e0a\u3002\u8cc8\u6bcd\u9010\u4ef6\u770b\u53bb\uff0c\u90fd\u662f\u71c8\u7bc0\u4e0b\u6240\u7528\u6240\u9811\u65b0\u5de7\u4e4b\u7269\uff0c\u751a\u559c\uff0c<\/p>\n

\u2018Come, children!\u2019 she commanded jovially. \u2018Give the Master a drink!\u2019 \u9042\u547d\uff1a\u7d66\u4f60\u8001\u723a\u659f\u9152\u3002<\/p>\n

Bao-yu stood up and poured wine from the wine-kettle into a little cup and Ying-chun handed it ceremoniously to her uncle. \u5bf6\u7389\u57f7\u58fa\uff0c\u8fce\u6625\u9001\u9152\u3002<\/p>\n

\u2018Have a look at the riddles on the screen,\u2019 said Grandmother Jia when Jia Zheng, with equal ceremony, had drained the cup. \u2018They were all made up by the children. See if you can tell me the answers.\u2019\u00a0 \u8cc8\u6bcd\u56e0\u8aaa\uff1a\u4f60\u77a7\u77a7\u90a3\u5c4f\u4e0a\uff0c\u90fd\u662f\u4ed6\u59ca\u59b9\u5011\u505a\u7684\uff0c\u518d\u731c\u4e00\u731c\u6211\u807d\u3002<\/p>\n

Jia Zheng rose from his seat and went up to the lantern-screen. The first riddle he saw was Yuan-chun\u2019s: \u8cc8\u653f\u7b54\u61c9\uff0c\u8d77\u8eab\u8d70\u81f3\u5c4f\u524d\uff0c\u53ea\u898b\u982d\u4e00\u500b\u5beb\u9053\u662f\uff1a<\/p>\n

\n
\n

At my coming the devils turn pallid with wonder.<\/i>
\nMy body\u2019s all folds and my voice is like thunder.<\/i>
\n\u00a0 When, alarmed by the sound of my thunderous crash,<\/i>
\nYou look round, I have already turned into ash.\u00a0<\/i>
\nAn object of amusement.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u80fd\u4f7f\u5996\u9b54\u81bd\u76e1\u6467\uff0c
\n\u8eab\u5982\u675f\u5e1b\u6c23\u5982\u96f7\u3002
\n\u4e00\u8072\u9707\u5f97\u4eba\u65b9\u6050\uff0c
\n\u56de\u9996\u76f8\u770b\u5df2\u5316\u7070\u3002
\n\u2014\u2014\u6253\u4e00\u73a9\u7269<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u3010\u5e9a\u8fb0\u96d9\u884c\u593e\u6279\uff1a\u6b64\u5143\u6625\u4e4b\u8b0e\u3002\u624d\u5f97\u50e5\u5e78\uff0c\u5948\u58fd\u4e0d\u9577\uff0c\u53ef\u60b2\u54c9\uff01\u3011<\/p>\n

\u2018Would that be a firework?\u2019 said Jia Zheng. \u8cc8\u653f\u9053\uff1a\u9019\u662f\u70ae\u7af9\u55ce\u3002<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes,\u2019 said Bao-yu. \u5bf6\u7389\u7b54\u9053\uff1a\u662f\u3002<\/p>\n

Jia Zheng looked again, this time at Ying-chun\u2019s: \u8cc8\u653f\u53c8\u770b\u8fce\u6625\u7684\uff0c\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Man\u2019s works and heaven\u2019s laws I execute.<\/i>
\nWithout heaven\u2019s laws, my workings bear no fruit.<\/i>
\nWhy am I agitated all day long?<\/i>
\nFor fear my calculations may be wrong.\u00a0<\/i>
\nA useful object.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u5929\u904b\u4eba\u529f\u7406\u4e0d\u7aae\uff0c
\n\u6709\u529f\u7121\u904b\u4e5f\u96e3\u9022\u3002
\n\u56e0\u4f55\u93ae\u65e5\u7d1b\u7d1b\u4e82\uff0c
\n\u53ea\u70ba\u9670\u967d\u6578\u4e0d\u540c\u3002
\n\u2014\u2014\u6253\u4e00\u7528\u7269<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/i>\u3010\u5e9a\u8fb0\u96d9\u884c\u593e\u6279\uff1a\u6b64\u8fce\u6625\u4e00\u751f\u906d\u969b\uff0c\u60dc\u4e0d\u5f97\u5176\u592b\u4f55\uff01\u3011<\/p>\n

\u2018An abacus?\u2019 \u8cc8\u653f\u9053\uff1a\u662f\u7b97\u76e4\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There was a laugh from Ying-chun: \u8fce\u6625\u7b11\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes.\u2019 \u662f\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The next riddle was Tan-chun\u2019s: \u53c8\u5f80\u4e0b\u770b\uff0c\u662f\u63a2\u6625\u7684\uff1a<\/p>\n

\n
\n

In spring the little boys look up and stare<\/i>
\nTo see me ride so proudly in the air.<\/i>
\nMy strength all goes when once the bond is parted,<\/i>
\nAnd on the wind I drift off broken-hearted.\u00a0<\/i>
\nAn object of amusement.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u968e\u4e0b\u5152\u7ae5\u4ef0\u9762\u6642\uff0c
\n\u6e05\u660e\u599d\u9ede\u6700\u582a\u5b9c\u3002
\n\u6e38\u7d72\u4e00\u65b7\u6e3e\u7121\u529b\uff0c
\n\u83ab\u5411\u6771\u98a8\u6028\u5225\u96e2\u3002
\n\u2014\u2014\u6253\u4e00\u73a9\u7269<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u3010\u5e9a\u8fb0\u96d9\u884c\u593e\u6279\uff1a\u6b64\u63a2\u6625\u9060\u9069\u4e4b\u8b96\u4e5f\u3002\u4f7f\u6b64\u4eba\u4e0d\u9060\u53bb\uff0c\u5c07\u4f86\u4e8b\u6557\uff0c\u8af8\u5b50\u5b6b\u4e0d\u81f4\u6d41\u6563\u4e5f\uff0c\u60b2\u54c9\u50b7\u54c9\uff01\u3011<\/p>\n

\u2018It looks as if that ought to be a kite\u2019, said Jia Zheng. \u8cc8\u653f\u9053\uff1a\u597d\u50cf\u98a8\u7b8f\u3002<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes,\u2019 said Tan-chun \u63a2\u6625\u7b11\u9053\uff1a\u662f\u3002<\/p>\n

The next riddle he looked at was Dai-yu\u2019s: \u8d3e\u653f\u518d\u5f80\u4e0b\u770b\uff0c\u662f\u9edb\u7389\u7684\uff0c\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\n
\n

At court lev\u00e9e my smoke is in your sleeve:<\/i>
\nMusic and beds to other sorts I leave.<\/i>
\nWith me, at dawn you need no watchman\u2019s cry,<\/i>
\nAt night no maid to bring a fresh supply.<\/i>
\nMy head burns through the night and through the day,<\/i>
\nAnd year by year my heart consumes away.<\/i>
\nThe precious moments I would have you spare:<\/i>
\nBut come fair, foul, or fine, I do not care.<\/i>
\nA useful object.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u671d\u7f77\u8ab0\u651c\u5169\u8896\u7159\uff0c
\n\u7434\u908a\u887e\u88cf\u7e3d\u7121\u7de3\u3002
\n\u66c9\u7c4c\u4e0d\u7528\u96de\u4eba\u5831\uff0c
\n\u4e94\u591c\u7121\u7169\u4f8d\u5973\u6dfb\u3002
\n\u7126\u9996\u671d\u671d\u9084\u66ae\u66ae\uff0c
\n\u714e\u5fc3\u65e5\u65e5\u5fa9\u5e74\u5e74\u3002
\n\u5149\u9670\u834f\u82d2\u9808\u7576\u60dc\uff0c
\n\u98a8\u96e8\u9670\u6674\u4efb\u8b8a\u9077\u3002
\n\u2014\u2014\u6253\u4e00\u7528\u7269<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018That must be an incense-clock.\u2019\u00a0 \u8cc8\u653f\u9053\uff1a\u9019\u500b\u83ab\u975e\u662f\u66f4\u9999\uff1f<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bao-yu answered for her: \u5bf6\u7389\u4ee3\u8a00\u9053\uff1a\u2018Yes.\u2019 \u662f\u3002<\/p>\n

Jia Zheng looked at the next riddle:<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Southward you stare,<\/i>
\nHe\u2019ll northward glare.<\/i>
\nGrieve, and he\u2019s sad.<\/i>
\nLaugh, and he\u2019s glad.<\/i>
\nA useful object.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u5357\u9762\u800c\u5750\uff0c
\n\u5317\u9762\u800c\u671d\u3002
\n\u8c61\u6182\u4ea6\u6182\uff0c
\n\u8c61\u559c\u4ea6\u559c\u3002
\n\u2014\u2014\u6253\u4e00\u7528\u7269<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018Very good!\u2019 said Jia Zheng. \u2018If the answer is \u201ca mirror\u201d, it is a very good riddle.\u2019 \u8cc8\u653f\u9053\uff1a\u597d\uff0c\u597d\uff01\u5982\u731c\u93e1\u5b50\uff0c\u5999\u6975\uff01<\/p>\n

Bao-yu laughed: \u5bf6\u7389\u7b11\u56de\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018That is <\/i>the answer.\u2019 \u662f\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2018Who is it by?\u2019 said Jia Zheng. \u2018There is no name on it.\u2019 \u8cc8\u653f\u9053\uff1a\u9019\u4e00\u500b\u537b\u7121\u540d\u5b57\uff0c\u662f\u8ab0\u505a\u7684\uff1f<\/p>\n

\u2018I expect that one is by Bao-yu,\u2019 said Grandmother Jia. \u8cc8\u6bcd\u9053\uff1a\u9019\u500b\u5927\u7d04\u662f\u5bf6\u7389\u505a\u7684\uff1f<\/p>\n

Jia Zheng said nothing and passed on to the next one in silence. It was by Bao-chai: \u8cc8\u653f\u5c31\u4e0d\u8a00\u8a9e\u3002\u5f80\u4e0b\u518d\u770b\u5bf6\u91f5\u7684\uff0c\u9053\u662f\uff1a<\/p>\n

\n
\n

My \u2018eyes\u2019 cannot see and I\u2019m hollow inside.<\/em>
\nWhen the lotuses surface, I\u2019ll be by your side.<\/em>
\nWhen the autumn leaves fall I shall bid you adieu,<\/em>
\nFor our marriage must end when the summer is through.<\/em>
\nA useful object.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0\u6709\u773c\u7121\u73e0\u8179\u5167\u7a7a\uff0c
\n\u8377\u82b1\u51fa\u6c34\u559c\u76f8\u9022\u3002
\n\u68a7\u6850\u8449\u843d\u5206\u96e2\u5225\uff0c
\n\u6069\u611b\u592b\u59bb\u4e0d\u5230\u51ac\u3002
\n\u2014\u2014\u6253\u4e00\u7528\u7269\u3002<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jia Zheng knew that the answer must be \u2018a bamboo wife\u2019, as they call those wickerwork cylinders which are put between the bedclothes in summertime to make them cooler; but a growing awareness that all the girls\u2019 verses contained images of grief and loss was by now so much affecting him that he felt quite unable to go on. \u8cc8\u653f\u770b\u5b8c\uff0c\u5fc3\u5167\u81ea\u5fd6\u9053\uff1a\u6b64\u7269\u9084\u5012\u6709\u9650\uff0c\u53ea\u662f\u5c0f\u5c0f\u5e74\u7d00\uff0c\u4f5c\u6b64\u7b49\u8a00\u8a9e\uff0c\u66f4\u89ba\u4e0d\u7965\u3002<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lantern Market, Peking.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Enough is enough!\u2019 he thought. \u2018What can it be that makes these innocent young creatures all <\/i>produce language that is so tragic and inauspicious? It is almost as if they were all destined to be unfortunate and short-lived and were unconsciously foretelling their destiny.\u2019 The gloom into which this reflection plunged him was evident in the melancholy expression on his face and in his bowed and dejected stance. \u770b\u4f86\u7686\u975e\u798f\u58fd\u4e4b\u8f29\u3002\u60f3\u5230\u6b64\u8655\uff0c\u751a\u89ba\u7169\u60b6\uff0c\u5927\u6709\u60b2\u621a\u4e4b\u72c0\uff0c\u53ea\u662f\u5782\u982d\u6c88\u601d\u3002<\/p>\n

Grandmother Jia noticed it but attributed it to fatigue. She feared that in this melancholy mood his continued presence would place an even greater restraint on the young folk\u2019s gaiety. \u8d3e\u6bcd\u89c1\u8d3e\u653f\u5982\u6b64\u5149\u666f\uff0c\u60f3\u5230\u4ed6\u8eab\u4f53\u52b3\u4e4f\uff0c\u53c8\u6050\u62d8\u675f\u4e86\u4ed6\u4f17\u59ca\u59b9\uff0c\u4e0d\u5f97\u9ad8\u5174\u73a9\u800d\uff0c<\/p>\n

\u2018I think you really oughtn\u2019t <\/i>to stay,\u2019 she said. \u2018Why don\u2019t you go and lie down? The rest of us will sit up for a bit, but I don\u2019t expect we shall go on very much longer.\u2019 \u4fbf\u5bf9\u8d3e \u653f\u9053\uff1a\u4f60\u7adf\u4e0d\u5fc5\u5728\u8fd9\u91cc\u4e86\uff0c\u6b47\u7740\u53bb\u7f62\u3002\u8ba9\u6211\u4eec\u518d\u5750\u4e00\u4f1a\u5b50\uff0c\u4e5f\u5c31\u6563\u4e86\u3002<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes,\u2019 <\/i>said Jia Zheng, roused from his reverie by her voice. \u2018Yes, of course.\u2019 \u8cc8\u653f\u4e00\u805e\u6b64\u8a00\uff0c\u9023\u5fd9\u7b54\u61c9\u5e7e\u500b ‘\u662f’\uff0c<\/p>\n

But he forced himself to resume his former jovial manner and to drink another cup or two of wine with her before finally retiring. Back in his own apartment, he became lost in reverie once more; but whichever direction his thoughts took him in, he remained melancholy and troubled. \u53c8\u52c9\u5f37\u52f8\u4e86\u8cc8\u6bcd\u4e00\u56de\u9152\uff0c\u65b9\u624d\u9000\u51fa\u53bb\u4e86\u3002\u56de\u81f3\u623f\u4e2d\uff0c\u53ea\u662f\u601d\u7d22\uff0c\u7ffb\u4f86\u8986\u53bb\uff0c\u751a\u89ba\u6dd2\u60cb\u3002<\/p>\n

Meanwhile the party he had just left was proceeding somewhat differently.<\/p>\n

\u2018Now, my dears, you can enjoy yourselves!\u2019 Grandmother Jia said as soon as he had left the room; and the words were no sooner out of her mouth than Bao-yu leaped up from his seat and over to the screen and began criticizing the riddles on it \u2014 this one had a line wrong here \u2014 that one\u2019s words didn\u2019t suit the subject \u2014 pointing with his finger and capering about for all the world like a captive monkey that had just been let off its chain. \u9019\u88e1\u8cc8\u6bcd\u898b\u8cc8\u653f\u53bb\u4e86\uff0c\u4fbf\u9053\uff1a\u4f60\u5011\u6a02\u4e00\u6a02\u7f77\u3002\u4e00\u8a9e\u672a\u4e86\uff0c\u53ea\u898b\u5bf6\u7389\u8dd1\u81f3\u570d\u5c4f\u71c8\u524d\uff0c\u6307\u624b\u756b\u8173\uff0c\u4fe1\u53e3\u6279\u8a55\uff1a\u9019\u500b\u9019\u4e00\u53e5\u4e0d\u597d\u3002\u90a3\u500b\u7834\u7684\u4e0d\u6070\u7576\u3002\u5982\u540c\u958b\u4e86\u9396\u7684\u7334\u5152\u4e00\u822c\u3002<\/p>\n

\u2018Can\u2019t we sit down and enjoy ourselves quietly, as we were doing just now,\u2019 said Dai-yu, \u2018instead of all this prancing about?\u2019\u00a0\u9edb\u7389\u4fbf\u9053\uff1a\u9084\u50cf\u65b9\u624d\u5927\u5bb6\u5750\u8457\uff0c\u8aaa\u8aaa\u7b11\u7b11\uff0c\u8c48\u4e0d\u65af\u6587\u4e9b\u5152\uff1f<\/p>\n

Xi-feng put in a word too, emerging from the inner room to say it: \u9cf3\u59d0\u81ea\u88cf\u9593\u5fd9\u51fa\u4f86\uff0c\u63d2\u53e3\u8aaa\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018You ought to have Uncle Zheng with you every day and never budge an inch from his side!\u2019 She turned to the others: \u2018What a pity I didn\u2019t think of it at the time: we ought to have got Uncle to make him compose some more riddles for us. Then <\/i>we should have seen him sweat!\u2019 \u4f60\u9019\u500b\u4eba\uff0c\u5c31\u8a72\u8001\u723a\u6bcf\u65e5\u4ee4\u4f60\u5bf8\u6b65\u4e0d\u96e2\u65b9\u597d\u3002\u9069\u624d\u6211\u5fd8\u4e86\uff0c\u70ba\u4ec0\u9ebc\u4e0d\u7576\u8457\u8001\u723a\uff0c\u651b\u6387\u53eb\u4f60\u4e5f\u4f5c\u8a69\u8b0e\u5152\u3002\u9019\u6703\u5b50\u4e0d\u6015\u4f60\u4e0d\u51fa\u6c57\u5462\uff01<\/p>\n

Bao-yu was greatly exasperated by this remark and tried to seize hold of her. Xi-feng tried to ward him off, and the result was that the two of them became locked in a sort of playful wrestling-match. \u8aaa\u7684\u5bf6\u7389\u6025\u4e86\uff0c\u626f\u8457\u9cf3\u59d0\u5152\uff0c\u5edd\u7e8f\u4e86\u4e00\u6703\u3002<\/p>\n

Grandmother Jia continued for a while to laugh and joke with Li Wan and the girls, but soon began to feel tired and sleepy. The night-drum was sounding, and when they stopped to listen they found it was already the beginning of the fourth watch. She ordered the food to be cleared away, telling the servants that they might have what was left over for themselves. \u8cc8\u6bcd\u53c8\u8207\u674e\u5bae\u88c1\u4e26\u773e\u59ca\u59b9\u8aaa\u7b11\u4e86\u4e00\u6703\uff0c\u4e5f\u89ba\u6709\u4e9b\u56f0\u5026\u8d77\u4f86\u3002\u807d\u4e86\u807d\u5df2\u4ea4\u56db\u9f13\u4e86\uff0c\u56e0\u547d\u5c07\u98df\u7269\u64a4\u53bb\uff0c\u8cde\u7d66\u773e\u4eba\uff0c\u96a8\u8d77\u8eab\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n

\u2018Time for bed, children!\u2019 she said, rising to her feet. \u2018We can do this again tomorrow, if you like; but now we must have some sleep.\u2019 \u6211\u5011\u5b89\u6b47\u7f77\u3002\u660e\u65e5\u9084\u662f\u7bc0\u4e0b\uff0c\u8a72\u7576\u65e9\u8d77\u3002\u660e\u65e5\u665a\u9593\u518d\u73a9\u7f77\u3002<\/p>\n

With that the party gradually broke up and they all dispersed to their rooms. \u65bc\u662f\u773e\u4eba\u65b9\u6162\u6162\u7684\u6563\u53bb\u3002[4]<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
At the Examination Hall, Fuzimiao, Nanking \u5357\u4eac\u592b\u5b50\u5edf\u8ca2\u9662\u5167, 2013. Photograph by Lois Conner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

For those who have read this far, we include in conclusion two lists of riddles:<\/p><\/blockquote>\n