The Fifteenth Day of the Eighth Month of the lunar calendar, a day that in 2017 falls on the 4th of October, marks the Mid-Autumn Festival \u4e2d\u79cb\u7bc0. A major public holiday in the People’s Republic since 2008, it is also known as \u5718\u5713\u7bc0, the Festival of Reunions, a celebration of unity, togetherness, familial harmony and even conjugal felicity. In recent years the day is promoted as a ‘second Chinese Valentine’s’. Reunions were so rare and hard won in both China’s dynastic and modern eras that it is hardly surprising they are marked so frequently in the calendar.<\/p>\n
In 2017, Mid-Autumn Festival falls within days of the 1st of October National Day (and less than a week before the 10th of October celebration of the founding of the Republic of China on the other side of the Taiwan Strait). As a result, in the People’s Republic there is an eight-day public holiday from Sunday the\u00a01st of October until the following Sunday, the 8th.\u00a0For more on this, see 1 October 2017 \u2014 The Best China<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is latest in our series of New Sinology Jottings \u5f8c\u6f22\u5b78\u5284\u8a18<\/a>. We mark this autumnal festival with a famous poem by Su Dongpo of the Song-dynasty, translated by John Minford, followed by another excerpt from the Hong Kong writer Xi Xi’s Teddy Bear Chronicles<\/em> \u7e2b\u718a\u5fd7<\/a>, translated by Christina Sanderson. Zhang Dai \u5f35\u5cb1, essayist and memorialist of the late Ming-early Qing period in the seventeenth century, recorded revelries on the Full Moon night of the Eighth Month, here we offer one account from Suzhou.<\/p>\n A number of chapters in the great Qing-era novel The Story of the Stone<\/em> (\u77f3\u982d\u8a18, also known as The Dream of the Red Chamber<\/i> \u7d05\u6a13\u5922) also feature the Mid-Autumn Festival, and we have selected an episode from Chapter 1, translated by David Hawkes, to mark this day. This is followed by an account from Six Records of the Fleeting World<\/em> \u6d6e\u751f\u516d\u8a18, a chapter from the Manchu Bannerman Lincing\u2019s memoirs and a famous poem by Mao Zedong in which he mourns a long-dead wife and the flight of Chang’e \u5ae6\u5a25 to the moon followed by a comment on the political denouement of his last wife, Jiang Qing, and Shanghai hairy crabs. We conclude our reflections on the Harvest Festival by discussing a popular saying and an admonition from China’s party-pooper-in-chief, Xi Jinping: by all means celebrate, but not too much, not for too long and not too lavishly.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Our thanks to Christina Sanderson and Annie Ren for their continued contributions to our New Sinology record of Chinese festivities, and to John Minford for his translation of a poem by Su Dongpo, as well as for permission to quote from David Hawkes’ translation of\u00a0The Story of the Stone<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u2014 Geremie R. Barm\u00e9, Editor, China Heritage<\/i> Su Dongpo<\/strong><\/p>\n Mid-Autumn, To the tune \u2018Water Song\u2019<\/p>\n When\u00a0did such\u00a0a\u00a0bright\u00a0moon\u00a0ever shine? Here it comes again, Things were ever imperfect. \u8607\u6771\u5761<\/strong><\/p>\n \u8fb0\u4e2d\u79cb\uff0c \u6c34\u8abf\u6b4c\u982d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u660e\u6708\u5e7e\u6642\u6709\uff0c \u4e0d\u77e5\u5929\u4e0a\u5bae\u95d5\uff0c \u6211\u6b32\u4e58\u98a8\u6b78\u53bb\uff0c \u8d77\u821e\u5f04\u6e05\u5f71\uff0c \u8f49\u6731\u95a3\uff0c \u4e0d\u61c9\u6709\u6068\uff0c \u4eba\u6709\u60b2\u6b61\u96e2\u5408\uff0c \u4f46\u9858\u4eba\u9577\u4e45\uff0c \u2014\u00a0translated by John Minford<\/i><\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n The Queen Mother of the West is a legendary figure in Chinese mythology. She lives in the Kunlun Mountains and was visited there by King Mu of the Zhou Kingdom. Famous peaches of longevity grow in her garden. It\u2019s said they ripen only once in 3000 years and can bestow\u00a0 immortality on those who eat them. Later tradition speaks of her having a husband: Royal Lord of the East.<\/p>\n Hou Yi, or simply Yi, is the famed heroic archer who rescued humanity from annihilation by shooting down nine (or, according to some sources, ten) extra suns which appeared together scorching the earth. As a reward he received the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West, but his wife, Chang\u2019e, stole it and fled to the moon. She become the spirit of the moon. from the Legendary Past (c. 2100-c. 1600 B.C.) <\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u2014 Christina Sanderson According to the ancient Classic of Maintains and Seas<\/i>, The Queen Mother of the West is a half-goddess, half-beast mountain sprite dwelling in the Kunlun Mountains, with tiger teeth and a leopard tail, who could issue a sound like a long whistle. That’s how the Queen Mother of the West was depicted in the Warring States period. Famous writers like Qu Yuan, Zhuangzi and Xunzi all mention her. Xunzi went so far as to claim that she was the teacher of Yu the Great. By the Han dynasty she was transformed into a beauty with an impressive \u00a0entourage. Texts from that time claimed that she met King Mu of the Kingdom of Zhou at Magical Jasper Lake, where they sang ritual songs to one another. By the Wei, Jin and the Six dynasties, she had taken on aspects of Taoist immortality.\u00a0\u300a\u5c71\u6d77\u7d93\u300b\u4e2d\u7684\u897f\u738b\u6bcd\uff0c\u4f4f\u5728\u5d11\u5d19\u5c71\uff0c\u662f\u500b\u534a\u795e\u534a\u7378\u7684\u5c71\u7cbe\uff0c\u9577\u8457\u8001\u864e\u7259\u9f52\uff0c\u8c79\u5b50\u5c3e\u5df4\uff0c\u5f88\u6703\u9577\u562f\u3002\u9019\u662f\u6230\u570b\u6642\u897f\u738b\u6bcd\u7684\u5f62\u8c61\u3002\u5c48\u539f\u3001\u838a\u5b50\u3001\u8340\u5b50\u90fd\u63d0\u904e\u5979\uff0c\u8340\u5b50\u9084\u8aaa\u5979\u662f\u590f\u79b9\u7684\u8001\u5e2b\u3002\u5230\u4e86\u6f22\u4ee3\uff0c\u5247\u5316\u8eab\u7f8e\u5973\uff0c\u6709\u4e9b\u6392\u5834\uff0c\u9084\u548c\u5468\u7a46\u738b\u76f8\u6703\u65bc\u7464\u6c60\uff0c\u4e92\u76f8\u5531\u548c\u3002\u6700\u5f8c\uff0c\u9b4f\u664b\u5357\u5317\u671d\u6642\uff0c\u53c8\u52a0\u6dfb\u4e86\u9053\u6559\u9577\u751f\u4e0d\u8001\u7684\u8272\u5f69\u3002<\/p>\n The Queen Mother of the West is famous and venerated because she is the goddess in charge of the elixir of life. Stone relief images found in Han-dynasty tombs show her with immortal Taoist priests, and a special rabbit, a creature that helped her pound up the elixir. She had two other capable followers: a three-legged bird and a nine-tailed fox. Despite the many changes to depictions of the Queen Mother over the centuries she was always easily identified by one the distinctive crown she wears. The crown came to symbolise her divine authority. Later, it became a fashion accessory for ordinary girls. It is round in the middle, with two triangles placed above and below the circle, that point in towards each another. A pair of these is set suspended at either end of a horizontal rod, which together make a complete crown. There are gold, silver, jade, silk and coloured paper crowns, as well as brocade and floral designs. On Humanity Day \u4eba\u65e5, when human beings were said to have been created, celebrated on the seventh day of the first month during the Six Dynasties, floral crowns were exchanged as lucky talismans. The crown I fashioned for the Queen Mother of the West is a pearl variation. She is wearing a short-sleeve coat over her robe. \u897f\u738b\u6bcd\u6240\u4ee5\u51fa\u540d\uff0c\u53d7\u4eba\u656c\u754f\uff0c\u56e0\u70ba\u5979\u638c\u7ba1\u4e86\u4e0d\u6b7b\u85e5\u3002\u5728\u6f22\u4ee3\u756b\u50cf\u78da\u7684\u5716\u4e2d\uff0c\u5979\u8eab\u908a\u9664\u4e86\u7fbd\u4eba\uff0c\u5c31\u6709\u6417\u85e5\u7684\u514d\u5b50\u3002\u5979\u9084\u6709\u5169\u500b\u5f97\u529b\u7684\u96a8\u5f9e\uff0c\u4e00\u662f\u4e09\u8db3\u70cf\uff0c\u4e00\u662f\u4e5d\u5c3e\u72d0\u3002\u5979\u7684\u5f62\u8c61\uff0c\u7121\u8ad6\u600e\u6a23\u8f49\u8b8a\uff0c\u6709\u4e00\u6a23\u6771\u897f\u662f\u5c11\u4e0d\u4e86\u7684\uff0c\u5f88\u6613\u8fa8\u8a8d\uff1b\u56e0\u70ba\u982d\u4e0a\u6234\u52dd\u6756\u3002\u300c\u52dd\u300d\uff0c\u662f\u897f\u738b\u6bcd\u795e\u6b0a\u7684\u8c61\u5fb5\u3002\u300c\u52dd\u300d\u5f8c\u4f86\u767c\u5c55\u6210\u70ba\u5973\u5b50\u7684\u982d\u98fe\uff0c\u5f62\u72c0\u662f\u4e2d\u9593\u5713\u5f62\uff0c\u4e0a\u4e0b\u662f\u76f8\u5c0d\u7684\u4e09\u89d2\u5f62\u3002\u7528\u4e00\u652f\u6a6b\u6746\u64d4\u8d77\u4e00\u5c0d\u52dd\uff0c\u5c31\u6210\u52dd\u6756\u3002\u52dd\u6709\u91d1\u3001\u9280\u3001\u7389\u3001\u7d72\u7da2\u3001\u5f69\u7d19\u7b49\u6750\u6599\uff0c\u4e5f\u6709\u9326\u52dd\uff0c\u83ef\u52dd\u7b49\u3002\u516d\u671d\u6642\uff0c\u6bcf\u5230\u4eba\u65e5(\u6b63\u6708\u4e03\u65e5)\uff0c\u5927\u5bb6\u4e92\u8d08\u83ef\u52dd\uff0c\u4f5c\u70ba\u795d\u798f\u3002\u6211\u505a\u7d66\u897f\u738b\u6bcd\u7684\uff0c\u662f\u73e0\u52dd\u3002\u5979\u7a7f\u8863\u548c\u88d9\uff0c\u5916\u7f69\u534a\u81c2\u3002<\/p>\n The Han-dynasty clothes and accessories of the Queen Mother of the West reflected the fashion of that time.\u00a0Classical Chinese clothing stems from two main traditions: one involves a two-piece set made up of a shirt and a skirt that first appeared in the Shang and Zhou eras. It later developed into a two-piece set comprising a short jacket with a long robe underneath. The other main tradition stemmed from a one-piece made up of a shirt or blouse sewn on to a skirt. This started to gain popularity during the Warring States period (others say these one-piece garments were already in evidence during the Zhou Kingdom) and remained in fashion up to the Han. The well-known long, unlined gowns for men, and the wrap-around dresses for women of later ages all developed down this line. Han Chinese clothing began with the shirt and skirt two-piece combination and was followed by many different kinds of one-pieces that appeared later. Every change in trend through the ages is actually attributable to the impact of external fashion on China.\u00a0\u4e0d\u904e\u756b\u50cf\u78da\u7684\u897f\u738b\u6bcd\uff0c\u8863\u98fe\u3001\u88dd\u626e\uff0c\u662f\u6f22\u4eba\u96a8\u6642\u4eba\u7684\u98a8\u5c1a\u800c\u7e6a\u756b\u7684\uff0c\u90a3\u662f\u8b93\u53e4\u4ee3\u7684\u4eba\u6216\u795e\u7a7f\u4e0a\u6f22\u4eba\u7684\u8863\u670d\u3002\u4e2d\u570b\u53e4\u5178\u670d\u88dd\u5169\u5927\u50b3\u7d71\uff1a\u4e00\u500b\u662f\u4e0a\u8863\u4e0b\u88f3\uff0c\u59cb\u81ea\u5546\u5468\uff1b\u5f8c\u4f86\u767c\u5c55\u51fa\u8966\u88d9\u7b49\u3002\u53e6\u4e00\u500b\u5247\u662f\u8863\u88f3\u4e0a\u4e0b\u76f8\u9023\u7684\u6df1\u8863\uff0c\u6230\u570b\u6642\u958b\u59cb\u6d41\u884c(\u53e6\u4e00\u8aaa\u5247\u5468\u4ee3\u5df2\u6709)\uff0c\u81f3\u6f22\u5927\u76db\uff0c\u5f8c\u4e16\u767c\u5c55\u51fa\u9577\u886b\u3001\u65d7\u888d\u7b49\u3002\u6f22\u65cf\u8863\u98fe\u5148\u6709\u4e0a\u8863\u4e0b\u88f3\uff0c\u7136\u5f8c\u51fa\u73fe\u5404\u7a2e\u6df1\u8863\u3002\u6bcf\u6b21\u7522\u751f\u8b8a\u5316\uff0c\u5176\u5be6\u90fd\u7531\u65bc\u5916\u4f86\u7684\u885d\u64ca\u3002<\/p>\n As for Yi the Archer and his wife Chang\u2019e, their story is one we all know well. I tailored a piece of leather for Yi to wear as a skirt. The name of his skirt comes from the early period. The sides of the skirt were not supposed to be sewn up. Chang\u2019e is wearing a knife-pleat \u2018hundred-fold skirt\u2019, with a delicate chiffon wrap around her shoulders allowing for extra movement. Skirts in the Han dynasty consisted of a single piece of material wrapped around the waist like a tube.\u00a0\u81f3\u65bc\u540e\u7fbf\u548c\u5ae6\u5a25\u7684\u6545\u4e8b\uff0c\u6211\u5011\u90fd\u719f\u6089\u3002\u6211\u526a\u4e86\u76ae\u9769\u7d66\u540e\u7fbf\u7a7f\u3002\u65e9\u671f\u7684\u88d9\u540d\u53eb\u300c\u88f3\u300d\uff0c\u8eab\u5074\u4e26\u4e0d\u7e2b\u5408\u3002\u5ae6\u5a25\u7a7f\u767e\u8936\u88d9\uff0c\u52a0\u4e0a\u98c4\u5e36\uff0c\u589e\u52a0\u52d5\u611f\u3002\u300c\u88d9\u300d\u662f\u6f22\u4ee3\u7684\u7a31\u547c\uff0c\u7531\u6574\u5e45\u5e03\u570d\u5728\u8170\u9593\u6210\u7b52\u5f62\u3002<\/p>\n Yi is carrying a bow and arrows. The arrows were stored on his back in a quiver called a fu<\/i>\u00a0\u83d4, something usually made out of bamboo or cane. A quiver like this could hold up to ten arrows, with the arrows bundled tip down, the feathers and shafts poking out of the top. By the Tang dynasty, the fu<\/i> became a hulu<\/i>\u00a0\u80e1\u797f: a pouch slung from a large belt around the waist. A hulu<\/i> could hold thirty arrows. Hulu <\/i>made from wild boar hide were used to sound out invading enemy troops. It was claimed that a scout could detect sounds of movement up to thirty li<\/em> <\/i>away by listening to the vibrations in the ground through a\u00a0hulu<\/i> placed on the ground as an amplifier.\u00a0\u540e\u7fbf\u63f9\u4e86\u5f13\u548c\u7bad\uff0c\u7bad\u653e\u5728\u8863\u80cc\u7684\u888b\u56ca\u4e2d\uff0c\u7bad\u888b\u540d\u53eb\u83d4\uff0c\u4e00\u822c\u7528\u7af9\u6216\u7c50\u88fd\u3002\u4e00\u500b\u7bad\u83d4\u53ef\u88dd\u5341\u652f\u7bad\u3002\u7bad\u7c07\u5411\u4e0b\uff0c\u7fbd\u6bdb\u548c\u7bad\u6746\u9732\u65bc\u888b\u5916\u3002\u5230\u4e86\u5510\u4ee3\uff0c\u7bad\u7b99\u7684\u540d\u5b57\u8b8a\u6210\u80e1\u797f\uff0c\u5782\u639b\u5728\u8170\u9593\u97b6\u5e36\u4e0a\uff0c\u4e00\u500b\u80e1\u797f\u53ef\u88dd\u4e09\u5341\u652f\u7bad\u3002\u7528\u91ce\u8c6c\u76ae\u505a\u7684\u80e1\u797f\uff0c\u9664\u4e86\u88dd\u7bad\uff0c\u628a\u7a7a\u80e1\u797f\u653e\u5728\u5730\u4e0a\uff0c\u8b93\u63a2\u5b50\u6795\u5367\uff0c\u64da\u8aaa\u53ef\u4ee5\u807d\u5230\u4e09\u5341\u91cc\u5916\u6575\u65b9\u4eba\u99ac\u7684\u52d5\u975c\u3002<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Pekinese call the festival of the eighth month the Zhongqiu \u4e2d\u79cb, and every year at this time noble families make presents to one another of moon cakes \u6708\u9905. and various fruits. This, the fifteenth day, is the time when the moon is full, and so melons and fruits are laid out in the courtyards as offerings to her. Sacrifices are also made with yellow beans (intended for the rabbit in the moon), and cockscomb flowers (the flower of the month). At this time the white disk of the moon hangs in the void, and when the tinted clouds first begin to scatter, windups are arranged with bowls washed amidst the noisy hubbub of children. Verily it is what one may call a beautiful festival. However, at this time of making offerings to the moon, men usually do not make an obeisances, so that there is a Peking proverb which says: ‘Men do not bow to the moon. Women do not sacrifice to the God of the Kitchen’ \u7537\u4e0d\u62dc\u6708\uff0c\u5973\u4e0d\u796d\u7ac8.<\/p>\n (Note: This is because the moon is supposed to belong to the\u00a0<\/em>yin<\/em> or female principle, just as the sun is male or\u00a0yang<\/em>. Therefore it would be inappropriate for a man to worship the moon, whereas as the head of the household he would naturally sacrifice to the God of the Kitchen.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Pekinese call the effigy of a deity, the deity’s\u00a0ma’er<\/em> \u99ac\u5152, not daring to speak directly of it itself as a deity. Moon effigies \u6708\u5149\u99ac\u5152 are made out of paper, on the upper part of which is painted the Goddess of the Moon \u592a\u9670\u661f\u541b, having the form of a Bodhisattva. Below is painted the ‘palace of the moon’ \u6708\u5bae (i.e., the moon’s disk), with the jade rabbit who pounds drugs like a man and holding a pestle. (The moon is inhabited, according to Taoist conception, by such a rabbit, who is forever busy pounding up the elixir of life.)<\/p>\n Many shops sell such objects, of which the tall ones may be seven or eight feet high, whereas the short ones are only two or three feet. On their tops are two pennants (one at each corner) which are made red, blue, or yellow. One places them facing the moon and offers them, at the same time burning incense and making obeisances. When the sacrifice is finished, they are all burned, other with such things as ‘thousand sheets’ \u5343\u5f35 and\u00a0yuanbao <\/em>\u5143\u5bf6\u00a0… …<\/p>\n (Note: These are both forms of ‘spirit money’, that is, imitation paper money to be burned for the dead. The first is cut int he form of a series of connected zigzag strips (the ‘thousand sheets’), while the second is circular like metal coins.)\u00a0… …<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n For the\u00a0Zhongqiu<\/em>\u00a0moon cakes, the Studio of Perfect Beauty\u00a0\u81f4\u7f8e\u9f4b<\/a> at Qianmen, is the best place in the capital, whereas those of other places are not worth eating. But as for moon cakes to be used solely as moon offerings, every shop has them. The big ones are more than a foot in diameter, and have portrayed on their tops the images of the three-legged toad and the rabbit of the moon. (Note: This toad \u87fe\u870d<\/b><\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0\u765e\u86e4\u87c6, like the jade rabbit \u7389\u5154, is also an inhabitant of the moon, and some legends say that he is really the Goddess of the Moon, who was transformed into a toad.) Some people eat these cakes as soon as the sacrifices to the moon are completed, whereas other people keep them until New Year’s Even before eating them. They are called full moon cakes \u5718\u5713\u9905.<\/p>\n (Note: These cakes are of early origin, but the little paper squares stuck on them, according to a story, not found, however, in the orthodox histories, go back to the latter part of the Yuan dynasty. At this time the Chinese were very closely watched by their Mongol overlords. Mongol spies were stationed in private families; people were not permitted to gather into groups for conversation; and no weapons were permitted, even vegetable and meat choppers being restricted to one for every ten families. Finally, according to the story, someone conceived the idea of attaching papers to the moon cakes which are universally sent to one’s friends at this festival, and of writing thereon a message for uprising. The resulting midnight massacre of Mongols led to the ultimate overthrow of the dynasty.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u2014 from\u00a0<\/em>Annual Customs and Festivals in Peking, Romanised words have\u00a0been converted to\u00a0<\/em>Hanyu pinyin.<\/i><\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n On the fifteenth of the eighth month people assemble on Tiger Hill: natives and visitors, scholar-gentry and their families, girl instrumentalists and singers, famous artistes of the ballad and dames of the stage, young wives and respectable daughters from among the common people, virile lads and pretty boys, and also drifters and profligates and young ne’er-do-wells, retainers and hangers on, serving-men and vagabonds, all cluster like scales on a fish.\u00a0\u864e\u4e18\u516b\u6708\u534a\uff0c\u571f\u8457\u6d41\u5bd3\u3001\u58eb\u592b\u7737\u5c6c\u3001\u5973\u6a02\u8072\u4f0e\u3001\u66f2\u4e2d\u540d\u5993\u6232\u5a46\u3001\u6c11\u9593\u5c11\u5a66\u597d\u5973\u3001\u5d3d\u5b50\u5b4c\u7ae5\u53ca\u6e38\u51b6\u60e1\u5c11\u3001\u6e05\u5ba2\u5e6b\u9592\u3001\u5092\u50ee\u8d70\u7a7a\u4e4b\u8f29\uff0c\u7121\u4e0d\u9c57\u96c6\u3002<\/p>\n The spread rugs and seat themselves wherever they can, from Shenggong’s Dais, the Thousand Men Rock, Crane Brook, the Sword-washing Pool, and the Petition Shrine, all the way down to the Sword-testing Stone and the first and second gates.\u00a0Viewed from a vantage point, the scene resembles the flocking of wild geese to rest on the sand, or sunset clouds layering the river.\u00a0\u81ea\u751f\u516c\u53f0\u3001\u5343\u4eba\u77f3\u3001\u9d5d\u6f97\u3001\u528d\u6c60\u3001\u7533\u6587\u5b9a\u7960\u4e0b\uff0c\u81f3\u8a66\u528d\u77f3\u3001\u4e00\u4e8c\u5c71\u9580\uff0c\u7686\u92ea\u6c08\u5e2d\u5730\u5750\uff0c\u767b\u9ad8\u671b\u4e4b\uff0c\u5982\u96c1\u843d\u5e73\u6c99\uff0c\u971e\u92ea\u6c5f\u4e0a\u3002<\/p>\n When it grows dark and the moon appears, then sounds of pipe and drum arise from scores and hundreds of points, louder and louder, with clash of cymbal, boom of great Yuyang tympani, moving earth and reaching heaven, surging and boiling like thunder and lightning, so that one could shout at one’s neighbor and still not be heard. \u00a0As the watches begin, the noise of drum and cymbal gradually subsides, to be replaced by a wealth of wind and string instruments, to which singing is joined, all major pieces for ensemble singing like ‘Brocade Sails Unfurl’ and ‘Across Lake’s Limpid Acres’.\u5929\u669d\u6708\u4e0a\uff0c\u9f13\u5439\u767e\u5341\u8655\uff0c\u5927\u5439\u5927\u64c2\uff0c\u5341\u756a\u9403\u9238\uff0c\u6f01\u967d\u647b\u64be\uff0c\u52d5\u5730\u7ffb\u5929\uff0c\u96f7\u8f5f\u9f0e\u6cb8\uff0c\u547c\u53eb\u4e0d\u805e\u3002\u66f4\u5b9a\uff0c\u9f13\u9403\u6f38\u6b47\uff0c\u7d72\u7ba1\u7e41\u8208\uff0c\u96dc\u4ee5\u6b4c\u5531\uff0c\u7686\u9326\u5e06\u958b\uff0c\u6f84\u6e56\u842c\u9803\u540c\u5834\u5927\u66f2\uff0c\u8e72\u8e0f\u548c\u947c\u7d72\u7af9\u8089\u8072\uff0c\u4e0d\u8fa8\u62cd\u715e\u3002<\/p>\n …\u66f4\u6df1\uff0c\u4eba\u6f38\u6563\u53bb\uff0c\u58eb\u592b\u7737\u5c6c\u7686\u4e0b\u8239\u6c34\u5b09\uff0c\u5e2d\u5e2d\u5fb5\u6b4c\uff0c\u4eba\u4eba\u737b\u6280\uff0c\u5357\u5317\u96dc\u4e4b\uff0c\u7ba1\u5f26\u8fed\u594f\uff0c\u807d\u8005\u65b9\u8fa8\u53e5\u5b57\uff0c\u85fb\u9452\u96a8\u4e4b\u3002\u4e8c\u9f13\u4eba\u975c\uff0c\u6089\u5c4f\u7ba1\u5f26\uff0c\u6d1e\u856d\u4e00\u7e37\uff0c\u54c0\u6f80\u6e05\u7dbf\uff0c\u8207\u8089\u76f8\u5f15\uff0c\u5c1a\u5b58\u4e09\u56db\uff0c\u8fed\u66f4\u70ba\u4e4b\u3002\u4e09\u9f13\uff0c\u6708\u5b64\u6c23\u8085\uff0c\u4eba\u7686\u5bc2\u95c3\uff0c\u4e0d\u96dc\u868a\u867b\u3002\u4e00\u592b\u767b\u5834\uff0c\u9ad8\u5750\u77f3\u4e0a\uff0c\u4e0d\u7c2b\u4e0d\u62cd\uff0c\u8072\u51fa\u5982\u7d72\uff0c\u88c2\u77f3\u7a7f\u96f2\uff0c\u4e32\u5ea6\u6291\u63da\uff0c\u4e00\u5b57\u4e00\u523b\u3002\u807d\u8005\u5c0b\u5165\u91dd\u82a5\uff0c\u5fc3\u8840\u70ba\u67af\uff0c\u4e0d\u6562\u64ca\u7bc0\uff0c\u60df\u6709\u9ede\u982d\u3002\u7136\u6b64\u6642\u96c1\u6bd4\u800c\u5750\u8005\uff0c\u7336\u5b58\u767e\u5341\u4eba\u7109\u3002\u4f7f\u975e\u8607\u5dde\uff0c\u7109\u8a0e\u8b58\u8005\u3002<\/p>\n \u2014\u00a0trans. Cyril Birch from<\/em>,\u00a0<\/em>Scenes for Mandarins: ***<\/p>\n Zhen Shi-yin celebrates the full autumn moon with his friend\u00a0Jia Yu-cun, a younger scholar in an episode from Chapter 1 of\u00a0The Story of the Stone<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The Mid Autumn festival arrived and, after the family convivialities were over, Shi-yin had a little dinner for two laid out in his study and went in person to invite Yu-cun, walking to his temple lodgings in the moonlight. \u4e00\u65e5\uff0c\u65e9\u53c8\u4e2d\u79cb\u4f73\u7bc0\u3002\u58eb\u96b1\u5bb6\u5bb4\u5df2\u7562\uff0c\u4e43\u53c8\u53e6\u5177\u4e00\u5e2d\u65bc\u66f8\u623f\uff0c\u537b\u81ea\u5df1\u6b65\u6708\u81f3\u5edf\u4e2d\u4f86\u9080\u96e8\u6751\u3002<\/p>\n Ever since the day the Zhens’ maid had, by looking back twice over her shoulder, convinced him that she was a friend, Yu-cun had had the girl very much on his mind, and now that it was festival time, the full moon of Mid Autumn lent an inspiration to his romantic impulses which finally resulted in the following octet: \u539f\u4f86\u96e8\u6751\u81ea\u90a3\u65e5\u898b\u4e86\u7504\u5bb6\u4e4b\u5a62\u66fe\u56de\u9867\u4ed6\u5169\u6b21\uff0c\u81ea\u8b02\u662f\u500b\u77e5\u5df1\uff0c\u4fbf\u6642\u523b\u653e\u5728\u5fc3\u4e0a\u3002\u4eca\u53c8\u6b63\u503c\u4e2d\u79cb\uff0c\u4e0d\u514d\u5c0d\u6708\u6709\u61f7\uff0c\u56e0\u800c\u53e3\u5360\u4e94\u8a00\u4e00\u5f8b\u4e91\uff1a<\/p>\n Ere on ambition’s path my feet are set, \u672a\u535c\u4e09\u751f\u9858\uff0c Having delivered himself of this masterpiece, Yu-cun’s thoughts began to run on his unrealized ambitions and, after much head-scratching and many heavenward glances accompanied by heavy sighs, he produced the following couplet, reciting it in a loud, ringing voice which caught the ear of Shi-yin, who chanced at that moment to be arriving: \u96e8\u6751\u541f\u7f77\uff0c\u56e0\u53c8\u601d\u53ca\u5e73\u751f\u62b1\u8ca0\u82e6\u672a\u9022\u6642\uff0c\u4e43\u53c8\u6414\u9996\u5c0d\u5929\u9577\u5606\uff0c\u5fa9\u9ad8\u541f\u4e00\u806f\u4e91\uff1a<\/p>\n The jewel in the casket bides till one shall come to buy. \u7389\u5728\u5331\u4e2d\u6c42\u5584\u50f9\uff0c Shi-yin smiled. \u2018You are a man of no mean ambition, Yu-cun.\u2019 \u6070\u503c\u58eb\u96b1\u8d70\u4f86\u807d\u898b\uff0c\u7b11\u9053\uff1a\u96e8\u6751\u5144\u771f\u62b1\u8ca0\u4e0d\u6dfa\u4e5f\u3002<\/p>\n \u2018Oh no!\u2019 Yu-cun smiled back deprecatingly. \u2018You are too flattering. I was merely reciting at random from the lines of some old poet. But what brings you here, sir?\u2019 \u96e8\u6751\u5fd9\u7b11\u9053\uff1a\u8c48\u6562\uff01\u4e0d\u904e\u5076\u541f\u524d\u4eba\u4e4b\u53e5\uff0c\u4f55\u6562\u72c2\u8a95\u81f3\u6b64\u3002\u56e0\u554f\uff1a\u8001\u5148\u751f\u4f55\u8208\u81f3\u6b64\u3002<\/p>\n \u2018Tonight is Mid Autumn night,\u2019 said Shi-yin. \u2018People call it the Festival of Reunion. It occurred to me that you might be feeling rather lonely here in your monastery, so I have arranged for the two of us to take a little wine together in my study. I hope you will not refuse to join me.\u2019 \u58eb\u96b1\u7b11\u9053\uff1a\u4eca\u591c\u4e2d\u79cb\uff0c\u4fd7\u8b02\u5718\u5713\u4e4b\u7bc0\uff0c\u60f3\u5c0a\u5144\u65c5\u5bc4\u50e7\u623f\uff0c\u4e0d\u7121\u5bc2\u5bde\u4e4b\u611f\uff0c\u6545\u7279\u5177\u5c0f\u914c\uff0c\u9080\u5144\u5230\u655d\u9f4b\u4e00\u98f2\uff0c\u4e0d\u77e5\u53ef\u7d0d\u82b9\u610f\u5426\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Yu-cun made no polite pretence of declining. \u2018Your kindness is more than I deserve,\u2019 he said. \u2018I accept gratefully.\u2019 And he accompanied Shi-yin back to the study next door. \u96e8\u6751\u807d\u4e86\uff0c\u4e26\u4e0d\u63a8\u8fad\uff0c\u4fbf\u7b11\u9053\uff1a\u65e2\u8499\u539a\u611b\uff0c\u4f55\u6562\u62c2\u6b64\u76db\u60c5\u3002\u8aaa\u8457\uff0c\u4fbf\u540c\u58eb\u96b1\u5fa9\u904e\u9019\u908a\u66f8\u9662\u4e2d\u4f86\u3002<\/p>\n Soon they had finished their tea. Wine and various choice dishes were brought in and placed on the table, already laid out with cups, plates, and so forth, and the two men took their places and began to drink. At first they were rather slow and ceremonious; but gradually, as the conversation grew more animated, their potations too became more reckless and uninhibited. The sounds of music and singing which could now be heard from every house in the neighbourhood and the full moon which shone with cold brilliance overhead seemed to increase their elation, so that the cups were emptied almost as soon as they touched their lips, and Yu-cun, who was already a sheet or so in the wind, was seized with an irrepressible excitement to which he presently gave expression in the form of a quatrain, ostensibly on the subject of the moon) but really about the ambition he had hitherto been at some pains to conceal: \u9808\u81fe\u8336\u7562\uff0c\u65e9\u5df2\u8a2d\u4e0b\u676f\u76e4\uff0c\u90a3\u7f8e\u9152\u4f73\u80b4\uff0c\u81ea\u4e0d\u5fc5\u8aaa\u3002\u4e8c\u4eba\u6b78\u5750\uff0c\u5148\u662f\u6b3e\u659f\u6f2b\u98f2\uff0c\u6b21\u6f38\u8ac7\u81f3\u8208\u6fc3\uff0c\u4e0d\u89ba\u98db\u89e5\u9650\u659d\u8d77\u4f86\u3002\u7576\u6642\u8857\u574a\u4e0a\u5bb6\u5bb6\u7c2b\u7ba1\uff0c\u6236\u6236\u5f26\u6b4c\u3002\u7576\u982d\u4e00\u8f2a\u660e\u6708\uff0c\u98db\u5f69\u51dd\u8f1d\uff0c\u4e8c\u4eba\u6108\u6dfb\u8c6a\u8208\uff0c\u9152\u5230\u676f\u4e7e\u3002\u96e8\u6751\u6b64\u6642\u5df2\u6709\u4e03\u516b\u5206\u9152\u610f\uff0c\u72c2\u8208\u4e0d\u7981\uff0c\u4e43\u5c0d\u6708\u5bd3\u61f7\uff0c\u53e3\u865f\u4e00\u7d55\u4e91\uff1a<\/p>\n In thrice five nights her perfect O is made, \u6642\u9022\u4e09\u4e94\u4fbf\u5718\u5713\uff0c \u2018Bravo!\u2019 said Shi-yin loudly. \u2018I have always insisted that you were a young fellow who would go up in the world, and now, in these verses you have just recited, I see an augury of your ascent. In no time at all we shall see you up among the clouds! This calls for a drink!\u2019 And, saying this, he poured Yu-cun a large cup of wine.\u58eb\u96b1\u807d\u4e86\uff0c\u5927\u53eb\uff1a\u5999\u54c9\uff01\u543e\u6bcf\u8b02\u5144\u5fc5\u975e\u4e45\u5c45\u4eba\u4e0b\u8005\uff0c\u4eca\u6240\u541f\u4e4b\u53e5\uff0c\u98db\u9a30\u4e4b\u5146\u5df2\u898b\uff0c\u4e0d\u65e5\u53ef\u63a5\u5c65\u65bc\u96f2\u9713\u4e4b\u4e0a\u77e3\u3002\u53ef\u8cc0\uff01\u53ef\u8cc0\uff01\u4e43\u89aa\u659f\u4e00\u6597\u70ba\u8cc0\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Yu-cun drained the cup, then, surprisingly, sighed: \u96e8\u6751\u56e0\u4e7e\u904e\uff0c\u5606\u9053\uff1a<\/p>\n \u2018Don’t imagine the drink is making me boastful, but I really do believe that if it were just a question of having the sort of qualifications now in demand, I should stand as good a chance as any of getting myself on to the list of candidates. The trouble is that I simply have no means of laying my hands on the money that would be needed for lodgings and travel expenses. The journey to the capital is a long one, and the sort of money I can earn from my copying is not enough \u2014\u2019 \u975e\u665a\u751f\u9152\u5f8c\u72c2\u8a00\uff0c\u82e5\u8ad6\u6642\u5c1a\u4e4b\u5b78\uff0c\u665a\u751f\u4e5f\u6216\u53ef\u53bb\u5145\u6578\u6cbd\u540d\uff0c\u53ea\u662f\u76ee\u4eca\u884c\u56ca\u3001\u8def\u8cbb\u4e00\u6982\u7121\u63aa\uff0c\u795e\u4eac\u8def\u9060\uff0c\u975e\u8cf4\u8ce3\u5b57\u64b0\u6587\u5373\u80fd\u5230\u8005\u3002<\/p>\n \u2018Why ever didn’t you say this before?\u2019 said Shi-yin interrupting him. \u2018I have long wanted to do something about this, but on all the occasions I have met you previously, the conversation has never got round to this subject, and I haven’t liked to broach it for fear of offending you. Well, now we know where we are. I am not a very clever man, but at least I know the right thing to do when I see it. Luckily, the next Triennial is only a few months ahead. You must go to the capital without delay. A spring examination triumph will make you feel that all your studying has been worth while. I shall take care of all your expenses. It is the least return I can make for your friendship.\u2019 \u58eb\u96b1\u4e0d\u5f85\u8aaa\u5b8c\uff0c\u4fbf\u9053\uff1a\u5144\u4f55\u4e0d\u65e9\u8a00\u3002\u611a\u4e45\u6709\u6b64\u5fc3\u610f\uff0c\u4f46\u6bcf\u9047\u5144\u6642\uff0c\u5144\u4e26\u672a\u8ac7\u53ca\uff0c\u611a\u6545\u672a\u6562\u5510\u7a81\u3002\u4eca\u65e2\u53ca\u6b64\uff0c\u611a\u96d6\u4e0d\u624d\uff0c\u300e\u7fa9\u5229\u300f\u4e8c\u5b57\u537b\u9084\u8b58\u5f97\u3002\u4e14\u559c\u660e\u6b72\u6b63\u7576\u5927\u6bd4\uff0c\u5144\u5b9c\u4f5c\u901f\u5165\u90fd\uff0c\u6625\u95c8\u4e00\u6230\uff0c\u65b9\u4e0d\u8ca0\u5144\u4e4b\u6240\u5b78\u4e5f\u3002\u5176\u76e4\u8cbb\u9918\u4e8b\uff0c\u5f1f\u81ea\u4ee3\u70ba\u8655\u7f6e\uff0c\u4ea6\u4e0d\u6789\u5144\u4e4b\u8b2c\u8b58\u77e3\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And there and then he instructed his boy to go with all speed and make up a parcel of fifty tales of the best refined silver and two suits of winter clothes. \u7576\u4e0b\u5373\u547d\u5c0f\u7ae5\u9032\u53bb\uff0c\u901f\u5c01\u4e94\u5341\u5169\u767d\u9280\uff0c\u4e26\u5169\u5957\u51ac\u8863\u3002<\/p>\n \u2018The almanac gives the nineteenth as a good day for travelling,\u2019 he went on, addressing Yu-cun again. \u2018You can set about hiring a boat for the journey straight away. How delightful it will be to meet again next winter when you have distinguished yourself by soaring to the top over all the other candidates!\u2019 \u53c8\u4e91\uff1a\u5341\u4e5d\u65e5\u4e43\u9ec3\u9053\u4e4b\u671f\uff0c\u5144\u53ef\u5373\u8cb7\u821f\u897f\u4e0a\uff0c\u5f85\u96c4\u98db\u9ad8\u8209\uff0c\u660e\u51ac\u518d\u6664\uff0c\u8c48\u975e\u5927\u5feb\u4e4b\u4e8b\u8036\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Yu-cun accepted the silver and the clothes with only the most perfunctory word of thanks and without, apparently, giving them a further moment’s thought, for he continued to drink and laugh and talk as if nothing had happened. It was well after midnight before they broke up. \u96e8\u6751\u6536\u4e86\u9280\u8863\uff0c\u4e0d\u904e\u7565\u8b1d\u4e00\u8a9e\uff0c\u4e26\u4e0d\u4ecb\u610f\uff0c\u4ecd\u662f\u5403\u9152\u8ac7\u7b11\u3002\u90a3\u5929\u5df2\u4ea4\u4e09\u9f13\uff0c\u4e8c\u4eba\u65b9\u6563\u3002<\/p>\n \u2014 Cao Xueqin,<\/i> The Story of the Stone<\/a>, <\/em> ***<\/p>\n The following episode is from\u00a0Shen Fu’s Six Records of the Fleeting World<\/em> \u6d6e\u751f\u516d\u8a18 said to have been completed in 1808.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u592b\u5929\u5730\u8005\uff0c\u842c\u7269\u4e4b\u9006\u65c5\u4e5f\uff1b \u2014\u00a0\u674e\u767d\u300a\u6625\u591c\u5bb4\u4ece\u5f1f\u6843\u674e\u56ed\u5e8f\u300b<\/p>\n On the fifteenth of the eighth moon, or the Mid-Autumn Festival, I had just recovered from my illness. Yun had now been a bride in my home for over half a year, but still had never been to the Canglang Pavilion itself next door. \u4e2d\u79cb\u65e5\uff0c\u4f59\u75c5\u521d\u6108\u3002\u4ee5\u82b8\u534a\u5e74\u65b0\u5a66\uff0c\u672a\u5617\u4e00\u81f3\u9593\u58c1\u4e4b\u6ec4\u6d6a\u4ead\u3002<\/p>\n So I first ordered an old servant to tell the watchman not to let any visitors enter the place. Toward eventing, I went with Yun and my younger sister, supported by an amah and a maid-servant and led by an old attendant. We passed a bridge, entered a gate, turned eastwards and followed a zigzag path into the place, where we saw huge grottoes and abundant green trees. The Pavilion stood on the top of a hill. \u5148\u4ee4\u8001\u50d5\u7d04\u5b88\u8005\u52ff\u653e\u9592\u4eba\uff0c\u65bc\u5c07\u665a\u6642\uff0c\u5055\u82b8\u53ca\u4f59\u5e7c\u59b9\uff0c\u4e00\u5ad7\u4e00\u5a62\u6276\u7109\uff0c\u8001\u50d5\u524d\u5c0e\uff0c\u904e\u77f3\u6a4b\uff0c\u9032\u9580\u6298\u6771\uff0c\u66f2\u5f91\u800c\u5165\u3002\u758a\u77f3\u6210\u5c71\uff0c\u6797\u6728\u8525\u7fe0\uff0c\u4ead\u5728\u571f\u5c71\u4e4b\u5dd4\u3002<\/p>\n Going up by the steps to the top, one could look around for miles, where in the distance chimney smoke arose from the cottages against the background of clouds of rainbow hues. Over the bank, there was a grove called the \u2018Forest by the Hill\u2019 where the high officials used to entertain their guests. Later on, the Zhengyi College was erected on this spot, but it wasn\u2019t there yet. \u5faa\u7d1a\u81f3\u4ead\u5fc3\uff0c\u5468\u671b\u6975\u76ee\u53ef\u6578\u91cc\uff0c\u708a\u7159\u56db\u8d77\uff0c\u665a\u971e\u71e6\u7136\u3002\u9694\u5cb8\u540d\u8fd1\u5c71\u6797\uff1b\u70ba\u5927\u61b2\u884c\u53f0\u5bb4\u96c6\u4e4b\u5730\uff0c\u6642\u6b63\u8abc\u66f8\u9662\u7336\u672a\u5553\u4e5f\u3002<\/p>\n We brought a blanket which we spread on the Pavilion floor, and then sat round together, while the watchman served us tea. \u651c\u4e00\u6bef\u8a2d\u4ead\u4e2d\uff0c\u5e2d\u5730\u74b0\u5750\uff0c\u5b88\u8457\u70f9\u8336\u4ee5\u9032\u3002<\/p>\n After a while, the moon had already arisen from behind the forest, and the breeze was playing about our sleeves, while the moon\u2019s image sparkled in the rippling water, and all worldly cares were banished from our breasts. \u5c11\u7109\uff0c\u4e00\u8f2a\u660e\u6708\u5df2\u4e0a\u6797\u68a2\uff0c\u6f38\u89ba\u98a8\u751f\u8896\u5e95\uff0c\u6708\u5230\u6ce2\u5fc3\uff0c\u4fd7\u616e\u5875\u61f7\uff0c\u723d\u7136\u9813\u91cb\u3002<\/p>\n \u2018This is the end of a perfect day,\u2019 said Yun. \u2018Wouldn\u2019t it be fine if we could get a boat and row around the Pavilion!\u2019 At this time, the lights were already shining from people\u2019s homes, and thinking of the incident on the fifteenth night of the seventh moon, we left the Pavilion and hurried home. \u82b8\u66f0\uff1a\u4eca\u65e5\u4e4b\u904a\u6a02\u77e3\uff01\u82e5\u99d5\u4e00\u8449\u6241\u821f\uff0c\u5f80\u4f86\u4ead\u4e0b\uff0c\u4e0d\u66f4\u5feb\u54c9\u3002\u6642\u5df2\u4e0a\u71c8\uff0c\u5104\u53ca\u4e03\u6708\u5341\u4e94\u591c\u4e4b\u9a5a\uff0c\u76f8\u6276\u4e0b\u4ead\u800c\u6b78\u3002<\/p>\n According to the custom at Suzhou, the women of all families, rich and poor, came out in groups on the Mid-Autumn night, a custom which was called \u2018pacing the moonlight\u2019. Strange to say, no one came to such a beautiful neighbourhood as the Canglang Pavilion. \u5433\u4fd7\uff0c\u5a66\u5973\u662f\u665a\u4e0d\u62d8\u5927\u5bb6\u5c0f\u6236\u7686\u51fa\uff0c\u7d50\u968a\u800c\u6e38\uff0c\u540d\u66f0\u8d70\u6708\u4eae\u3002\u6ec4\u6d6a\u4ead\u5e7d\u96c5\u6e05\u66e0\uff0c\u53cd\u7121\u4e00\u4eba\u81f3\u8005\u3002<\/p>\n \u2014 from the chapter ‘On Wedded Bliss’\u00a0<\/em>\u95a8\u623f\u8a18\u6a02, ***<\/p>\n Titled ‘Cassia Banquet to Make Mother Happy’\u00a0\u6842\u5bb4\u627f\u6b61 this episode is taken from the Manchu Bannerman Lincing\u2019s (Linqing \u9e9f\u6176<\/a>, 1791-1846)\u00a0Tracks in the Snow<\/i>\u00a0\u9d3b\u96ea\u56e0\u7de3\u5716\u8a18<\/a>, the translation and annotation of which was initiated by John Minford. It is one of the Projects<\/a> of The Wairarapa Academy for New Sinology.<\/p>\n The cassia tree, and a woodcutter, forever chopping down the tree, are legendary features of the moon. As soon as the tree is felled, it regrows as its essence is said to be life-giving.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u2014\u00a0The Editor<\/em><\/p>\n In front of the Tower of Purple Verdure \u7d2b\u7fe0\u6a13 in the compound of the Xin\u2019an \u65b0\u5b89 Prefectural Office and Residence stood two cassia \u6842 trees. The circumference of one of these trunks was so large it required both arms of a person to enclose it. There was also an ancient one from the days of the Six Dynasties, of which only half the trunk remained. The outer bark was cracked but the remaining trunk was substantial. In the autumn there were not many blossoms, yet their fragrance was exuberant and surpassed that of ordinary cassia flowers. In the eighth month of the year jiashen <\/i>\u7532\u7533 [1824], I received a new appointment that transferred me to the Prefecture of Yingzhou \u7a4e\u5dde. I handed over the seal of Huizhou Prefecture.<\/p>\n When the work of the Veritable Record<\/i>\u00a0of the Emperor Renzong \u4ec1\u5b97 Rui\u777f was accomplished, all those still working in the Office were graciously rewarded whereas the officers who had left the Office already were just ‘honourably recorded’ in their Curriculum Vitae. The honorary rank of Circuit Intendant \u9053\u929c was bestowed by edict to myself Lincing alone. Two lengths of silk were also bestowed, as well as five thin plates \u927c of silver, which were sent down to Huizhou. On receiving these I kowtowed in the direction of the Imperial Palace and also petitioned the Governor of Anhui to beg him to present a memorial of thanksgiving and gratitude to the Sovereign on my behalf.<\/p>\n I presented the silk and the silver to my mother. She ordered that the silver be entrusted to the silver-smith to make spoons or other articles to be used at sacrificial rituals in our family Ancestral Temple to glorify and commemorate the Sovereign\u2019s bestowals. She ordered that the two pieces of silk be made into a coverlet to be placed on the body of the deceased in the coffin \u2014 in substitution of a dh\u0101ra\u1e47\u012b<\/i> quilt embroidered with lines from the Buddhist sutras \u2014 to express our gratitude to the Sovereign\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n During the interval between my posts, I was unoccupied and enjoying my leisure. I therefore provided feasts and engaged players to give dramatic performances to thank my friends who had been coming to congratulate me. In the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival \u2014 the fifteenth day of the eighth month \u2014 I provided a family feast under the two cassia trees. The moon was as radiant as water, and the flowers were more dazzling than gold. With red candles glowing, and splendid sumptuous dishes repeatedly served, I, Lincing, raised my goblet to pledge and wish my mother longevity. My wife offered chop-sticks and my daughter Miaolianbao \u5999\u84ee\u4fdd broke open a pomegranate to offer to her grandmother while affectionately sitting at her grandmother\u2019s knees. Presently, somebody delivered some Immortal Yellow Peaches from Huangshan \u9ec3\u5c71\u4ed9\u6843, which my eldest son Chongshi \u5d07\u5be6 (who was then five years old, having been born in the seventh month of the year gengyin <\/i>\u5e9a\u5bc5 [1830]) took and offered to my mother, who looked upon him with delight. Mother was so glad and told us to enjoy ourselves and to drink to our hearts\u2019 content.<\/p>\n Steeped in imperial favour \u570b\u6069 and family happiness \u5bb6\u6176, the felicity of the party guests and the brightness of the moon were both in perfect plenitude. Even the enviable felicities of the celestial immortals \u2014 I supposed \u2014 could be no greater than the blessings which we enjoyed that night.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n The following poem, made famous as a performance piece during the Cultural Revolution, and subsequently sung, filmed and dramatised ever since, is noteworthy as a rare expression of humanity and sentiment by the steely revolutionary. The Willow \u694a referred to is Mao’s second wife, Yang Kaihui \u694a\u958b\u6167, executed in 1929 after having refused to denounce her husband, and father of her three children. Mao Anying, one of the children, was said to have been forced to witness her death. Anying subsequently died during the Korean War.<\/p>\n \u2014 The Editor<\/em><\/p>\n I lost my proud Poplar and you your Willow, The lonely moon goddess spreads her ample sleeves \u6211\u5931\u9a55\u694a\u541b\u5931\u67f3\uff0c \u5bc2\u5bde\u5ae6\u5a25\u8212\u5ee3\u8896\uff0c This poem, also by Mao, was written during the Mid-Autumn Festival of 1947. Under pressure from the Nationalist Army following the outbreak of Civil War the previous year, Mao and his Communist forces abandoned the guerrilla base at Yan’an. Trekking through northwest China at the time of the Reunion Festival and cut off from family (Jiang Qing and their daughters, see below), Mao marks the festival by composing these lines in celebration of a military victory.<\/p>\n \u79cb\u98a8\u5ea6\u6cb3\u4e0a\uff0c\u5927\u91ce\u5165\u84bc\u7a79\u3002<\/p>\n \u4f73\u4ee4\u96a8\u4eba\u81f3\uff0c\u660e\u6708\u508d\u96f2\u751f\u3002<\/p>\n \u6545\u91cc\u9d3b\u97f3\u7d55\uff0c\u59bb\u5152\u4fe1\u672a\u901a\u3002<\/p>\n \u6eff\u5b87\u983b\u7ff9\u671b\uff0c\u51f1\u6b4c\u594f\u908a\u57ce\u3002<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Following years of warfare, from the time of the Northern Expedition of the late 1920s to the end of the Civil War on mainland China in 1949 (also known as \u2018Liberation\u2019 \u89e3\u653e), hard-won national unity and stable government promised a new era. Under Mao Zedong’s leadership, and with the support of his Communist Party colleagues, from the early 1950s what unfolded instead was three decades of domestic tragedy: families decimated, young pitted against old, broken friendships, lovers betrayed and country darkened by a pervasive atmosphere of suspicion and fear. Following Mao’s death in September 1976, people celebrated a ‘Second Liberation’ \u7b2c\u4e8c\u6b21\u89e3\u653e. With a \u2018third age\u2019 unfolding in China today some place their hopes in a fourth Liberation at some uncertain point in the future.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n In the Lower Yangtze Valley, one of the gustatory delights of autumn is the eating of mitten crabs (also called ‘Shanghai hairy crabs’ \u4e0a\u6d77\u5927\u9598\u87f9<\/a><\/span>). Those from Yangcheng Lake \u967d\u6f84\u6e56 near Suzhou are regarded as being a particular delicacy.<\/p>\n In October 1976, a mere month after Mao Zedong died in Beijing, a military coup led by Marshall Ye Jianying of the People’s Liberation Army and supported by Hua Guofeng, Mao’s final hand-picked successor, led to the arrest of key Cultural Revolution political figures known variously as the Gang of Four and the Shanghai Clique. These leaders \u2014 Wang Hongwen, Zhang Chunqiao, Jiang Qing (Mao’s widow) and Yao Wenyuan \u2014 were popularly despised by the party-state bureaucracy for their erratic and domineering behaviour, often described using the expression \u6a2a\u884c\u9738\u9053, to ‘run amok’ (literally, ‘walk sideways and be a hegemon controlling the roadway’). As crabs walk sideways, and the expression ‘run amok’ contains the term ‘walk sideways’ \u6a2a\u884c, to celebrate their fall from power after ten years of chaotic misrule, people bought crabs in sets of four, three male and one female \u4e09\u516c\u4e00\u6bcd, to eat while drinking sweet wine and cheering the end the Maoist era.<\/p>\n Soong Ching-ling \u5b8b\u6176\u9f61, widow of the founder of the 1912 Republic of China Sun Yat-sen, and the most famous fellow-traveller of the Communist Party (an organization she applied to join shortly before her death in 1981), is also said to have celebrated the ouster of the Gang of Four with a meal of four Shanghai hairy crabs.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n ‘Even the moon in foreign skies is rounder than that of China’ \u5916\u570b\u7684\u6708\u4eae\u6bd4\u4e2d\u570b\u7684\u5713 \u2014 this was a saying attributed to various disgruntled Republican-period (1912-1949) writers and thinkers. It reflected an ever-present sense of national inferiority, and the underlying humiliation, that had grown since the encounter of late-dynastic China with the mercantile Western Powers. Throughout much of the twentieth century, the roundest moon of all was thought to shine over the United States.<\/p>\n During the Maoist era (1949-1978), the saying\u00a0‘Even the moon in foreign skies is rounder than that of China’ was used to deride intellectuals and others deemed who were deemed to be ‘slaves of the West’. It was quoted with malicious intent by those party leaders, hacks and hitmen (and women) determined to stamp out support for foreign ideas and values.<\/p>\n As China’s People’s Republic strived to emulate all that was materially progressive about the West and Japan in the Reform era (1979-1992), the criticism of this expression, although ever-present, was more muted. In the post-1992 surge of neoliberal party-state economism, this saying has been employed more frequently; under Xi Jinping (2012-) it has taken on a menacing new tone.<\/p>\n In an internal speech on propaganda<\/a>\u00a0delivered on 19 August 2013, Xi directly addressed the issue of whether ‘the moon in foreign skies is rounder than that of China’. As Apple Daily<\/em>\u00a0in Hong Kong reported, when Xi discussed international news in the mass media (as opposed to China’s secretive party reporting and media system), he told his audience of official media leaders that, yes, it was important to report foreign news in an objective, thorough and realistic fashion, nonetheless, stronger leadership and Party guidance was essential. Certainly, both positive and negative stories should be reported, however, there must be strict oversight as it was crucially important that people did not get an impression that ‘even the moon in foreign skies was rounder than that of China.’<\/p>\n In the autumn of the first year of Xi Jinping’s ‘monarchy’, as an anti-corruption campaign was instituted throughout the party-state bureaucracy, the Chairman of Everything had mid-autumn moon cakes in his sights. At a ‘democratic lifestyle’ meeting convened by the provincial party committee of Hebei province between 23-25 September 2013, Xi Jinping declared that<\/a>:<\/p>\n This Mid-Autumn Festival the Central Party Disciplinary Commission is focussing on moon cakes. They might appear to be a diminutive issue, but what they are after is the corruption that lurks behind moon cakes. [Cadres used gifts of moon cakes to give their superiors, clients and business people extravagant presents.] After getting our hands on Mid-Autumn, next is National Day, then New Year’s Day, then Chinese Lunar New Year, Qingming in April and on to the Double Fifth. By taking [these festivals] in hand, there will be positive results. It’ll become a habit, a fashion.\u00a0\u4eca\u5e74\u4e2d\u79cb\u8282\u4e2d\u592e\u7eaa\u59d4\u6293\u6708\u997c\uff0c\u770b\u8d77\u6765\u662f\u5c0f\u4e8b\uff0c\u5176\u5b9e\u662f\u6293\u8fd9\u540e\u9762\u9690\u85cf\u7684\u8150\u8d25\u3002\u6293\u4e86\u4e2d\u79cb\u8282\u6293\u56fd\u5e86\u8282\uff0c\u6293\u4e86\u56fd\u5e86\u8282\u6293\u65b0\u5e74\uff0c\u6293\u4e86\u65b0\u5e74\u6293\u6625\u8282\uff0c\u6293\u4e86\u6625\u8282\u6293\u6e05\u660e\u8282\u3001\u6293\u7aef\u5348\u8282\uff0c\u5c31\u8fd9\u4e48\u6293\u4e0b\u53bb\uff0c\u603b\u4f1a\u89c1\u6548\u7684\uff0c\u4f7f\u4e4b\u5f62\u6210\u4e00\u79cd\u4e60\u60ef\u3001\u4e00\u79cd\u98ce\u6c14\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The official media went on to report that:<\/p>\n Following this speech by Xi Jinping, along with the ban on the giving of festive cards and well wishes, the ban on fireworks, etcetera, it became the regular practice of party committees at all levels in China to ‘issue bans on every festive occasion’. \u5728\u4e60\u8fd1\u5e73\u6b64\u6b21\u8bb2\u8bdd\u4e4b\u540e\uff0c\u5305\u62ec\u8d3a\u5361\u7981\u4ee4\u3001\u7206\u7af9\u7981\u4ee4\u7b49\u7b49\uff0c\u201c\u9022\u8282\u5fc5\u4ee4\u201d\u6210\u4e3a\u4e2d\u56fd\u5404\u7ea7\u515a\u653f\u673a\u5173\u4e00\u79cd\u60ef\u5e38\u4e3e\u63aa\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Today, the moon over America, and other liberal democracies in the West, waxes and wanes erratically. Officially, China’s leaders express confidence that, even though pollution and smog-haze becloud the skies of the People’s Republic and frequently occlude Chang’e’s Lunar Palace, the moon over China will continue to wax.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/IMG_3706.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_3951-227x300.jpg\")
\nFifteenth Day of the Eighth Month of the
\nDingyou Year of the Rooster 2017
\n\u4e01\u9149\u96de\u5e74\u516b\u6708\u5341\u4e94\u65e5\u4e2d\u79cb\u7bc0<\/p>\n
\n
\nI stayed up till dawn drinking,<\/i>
\nand wrote this thinking of my brother<\/i><\/p>\n
\nRaising\u00a0my goblet,\u00a0I\u00a0question the\u00a0dark firmament:
\nWhat\u00a0year\u00a0is it tonight
\nin\u00a0the Bright Palace of Heaven?
\nHow I wish I could return home to the moon,
\nThat I\u00a0could ride\u00a0the\u00a0wind there,
\nbut I fear that the cold,
\nhigh in\u00a0those\u00a0jade towers, in that crystal world,
\nmight be too intense to bear.
\nSo I\u2019ll dance here instead
\ndown in the mortal world,
\nI\u2019ll play\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0bright moonlit shadow.<\/p>\n
\nmoving\u00a0round\u00a0the\u00a0vermilion\u00a0mansion,
\nshining through\u00a0the\u00a0fretted casement,
\nin on\u00a0the\u00a0sleepless.
\nWhat right does it have
\nto be so\u00a0cruel?
\nWhat right to choose
\nTo\u00a0shine so full,
\nSo bright,
\nwhen we\u2019re so far apart?
\nMankind has its
\nSorrows\u00a0and joys,
\nMeetings and partings.
\nThe\u00a0moon\u00a0waxes\u00a0and\u00a0wanes
\nin\u00a0clear\u00a0or\u00a0cloudy\u00a0skies.<\/p>\n
\nMay\u00a0we\u00a0all\u00a0live\u00a0long,
\nMay we all share,
\nthough a myriad miles\u00a0apart,
\nthe\u00a0same\u00a0fair\u00a0moon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u6b61\u98f2\u9054\u65e6\uff0c\u5927\u9189\u3002
\n\u4f5c\u6b64\u7bc7\uff0c\u517c\u61f7\u5b50\u7531<\/p>\n
\n\u628a\u9152\u554f\u9752\u5929\u3002<\/p>\n
\n\u4eca\u5915\u662f\u4f55\u5e74\u3002<\/p>\n
\n\u53c8\u6050\u74ca\u6a13\u7389\u5b87\uff0c
\n\u9ad8\u8655\u4e0d\u52dd\u5bd2\u3002<\/p>\n
\n\u4f55\u4f3c\u5728\u4eba\u9593\u3002<\/p>\n
\n\u4f4e\u7dba\u6236\uff0c
\n\u7167\u7121\u7720\u3002<\/p>\n
\n\u4f55\u4e8b\u9577\u5411\u5225\u6642\u5713\u3002<\/p>\n
\n\u6708\u6709\u9670\u6674\u5713\u7f3a\uff0c
\n\u6b64\u4e8b\u53e4\u96e3\u5168\u3002<\/p>\n
\n\u5343\u91cc\u5171\u5b0b\u5a1f\u3002<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_3956.jpg\")
The Queen Mother of the West,<\/strong>
\n Yi the Archer and Chang\u2019e<\/strong>
\n \u897f\u738b\u6bcd\u3001\u540e\u7fbf\u3001\u5ae6\u5a25<\/strong><\/h2>\nXi Xi<\/h3>\n
Translated by Christina Sanderson, from\u00a0The Teddy Bear Chronicles<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n
\nbased on Herbert Giles,
\nA Chinese Biographical Dictionary<\/i>; and,
\nYang Lihui and An Deming,
\nHandbook of Chinese Mythology<\/i>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/fullsizeoutput_ed8.jpeg\")
Mid-Autumn Festival <\/strong><\/h2>\n
\u71d5\u4eac\u6b72\u6642\u8a18 \u00b7 \u4e2d\u79cb<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Moon Effigies \u6708\u5149\u99ac\u5152<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/\u6708\u9a6c\u513f\u56fe\u7247.png\")
Moon Cakes \u6708\u9905<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/fullsizeoutput_ef5.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\nas recorded in the Yanjing suishiji<\/em> \u71d5\u4eac\u6b72\u6642\u8a18,
\nby Tun Li-Ch\u2019en, translated and annotated by Derk Bodde,
\nPeip\u2019ing: Henri Vetch, 1936, pp.64-67. <\/em><\/p>\nA Mid Autumn Night at Tiger Hill<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\u864e\u4e18\u4e2d\u79cb\u591c<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Zhang Dai (1597\u20131679)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\u5f35\u5cb1<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/\u82cf\u5dde\u4e2d\u79cb.jpeg\")
\nThe Elite Theatre of the Ming.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/AC19F663-A286-4EDE-B6EE-92D4342912BE.jpeg\")
As her bright wheel starts on its starry ways,
\nOn earth ten thousand heads look up and gaze.<\/strong><\/h2>\nAn Episode from\u00a0The Story of the Stone<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nSorrow comes often this poor heart to fret.
\nYet, as my brow contracted with new care,
\nWas there not one who, parting, turned to stare?
\nDare I, that grasp at shadows in the wind,
\nHope, underneath the moon, a friend to find?
\nBright orb, if with my plight you sympathize,
\nShine first upon the chamber where she lies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u983b\u6dfb\u4e00\u6bb5\u6101\u3002
\n\u60b6\u4f86\u6642\u6582\u984d\uff0c
\n\u884c\u53bb\u5e7e\u56de\u982d\u3002
\n\u81ea\u9867\u98a8\u524d\u5f71\uff0c
\n\u8ab0\u582a\u6708\u4e0b\u5114\u3002
\n\u87fe\u5149\u5982\u6709\u610f\uff0c
\n\u5148\u4e0a\u7389\u4eba\u6a13\u3002<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe jade pin in the drawer hides, waiting its time to fly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u91f5\u65bc\u5969\u5167\u5f85\u6642\u98db\u3002<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhose cold light bathes each marble balustrade.
\nAs her bright wheel starts on its starry ways,
\nOn earth ten thousand heads look up and gaze.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u6eff\u628a\u6674\u5149\u8b77\u7389\u6b04\u3002
\n\u5929\u4e0a\u4e00\u8f2a\u624d\u6367\u51fa\uff0c
\n\u4eba\u9593\u842c\u59d3\u4ef0\u982d\u770b\u3002<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nVolume 1: The Golden Days, Chapter 1,<\/em>
\ntranslated by David Hawkes.<\/em><\/p>\nMid Autumn at the Pavilion of Surging Waves<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n\u5149\u9670\u8005\uff0c\u767e\u4ee3\u4e4b\u904e\u5ba2\u4e5f\u3002
\n\u800c\u6d6e\u751f\u82e5\u5922\uff0c\u70ba\u6b61\u5e7e\u4f55\u3002<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/\u82cf\u5dde\u6ca7\u6d6a\u4ead\u6f0f\u7a97.jpg\")
\ntrans. Lin Yutang<\/em>\u00a0\u6797\u8a9e\u5802, with minor stylistic modification.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Cassia Banquet\u00a0\u6842\u5bb4\u627f\u6b61<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Wanggiyan Lincing \u5b8c\u984f\u9e9f\u6176<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Translated by Yang Tsung-han \u694a\u5b97\u7ff0,
\nedited by Rachel May and Christina Sanderson<\/h4>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/cassia-banquet-2.jpg\")
Mao Zedong’s Lonely Mood Goddess<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Reply to Li Shuyi<\/strong>
\n \u2014 to the tune of Die\u00a0lian hua<\/i><\/strong>
\n \u7b54\u674e\u6dd1\u4e00<\/strong>
\n \u8776\u6200\u82b1<\/strong><\/h3>\nMao Zedong<\/strong>
\n \u6bdb\u6fa4\u6771<\/strong>
\n 11 May 1957<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nPoplar and Willow soar to the Ninth Heaven.
\nWu Gang, asked what he can give,
\nServes them a laurel brew.<\/p>\n
\nTo dance for these loyal souls in infinite space.
\nEarth suddenly reports the tiger subdued,
\nTears of joy pour forth falling as mighty rain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u694a\u67f3\u8f15\u98ba\u76f4\u4e0a\u91cd\u9704\u4e5d\u3002
\n\u554f\u8a0a\u5433\u525b\u4f55\u6240\u6709\uff0c
\n\u5433\u525b\u6367\u51fa\u6842\u82b1\u9152\u3002<\/p>\n
\n\u842c\u91cc\u9577\u7a7a\u4e14\u70ba\u5fe0\u9b42\u821e\u3002
\n\u5ffd\u5831\u4eba\u9593\u66fe\u4f0f\u864e\uff0c
\n\u6dda\u98db\u9813\u4f5c\u50be\u76c6\u96e8\u3002<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/\u6bdb\u6cfd\u4e1c\u7b54\u674e\u6dd1\u4e00.png\")
Celebrating Victory, a poem in regulated verse<\/strong>
\n \u4e94\u5f8b.\u559c\u805e\u6377\u5831<\/strong><\/h4>\nCelebrating with Crabs<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/\u8783\u87f9\u56db\u4eba\u5e2e-117x300.jpeg\")
Xi Dada’s Moons<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/7230C508-1D53-48F9-A9FF-EE078735050A.jpeg\")