Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
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Copyright © 2011 by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
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Based on the edition first published in 1939 by Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd. Pinyinized and corrected for this first Tuttle edition.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Xiaoxiaosheng.
[Jin ping mei ci hua. English]
The golden lotus = Jin ping mei/Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng (pseudonym);
a translation from the Chinese by Clement Egerton, with the assistance
of Shu Qingchun (Lao She); introduction by Robert Hegel —1st Tuttle ed.
p. cm.
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0631-4 (ebook)
1. China—Social life and customs—960–1644—Fiction. 2. Domestic
fiction. I. Egerton, F. Clement C. (Frederick Clement Christie) II.
Lao, She, 1899–1966. III. Title. IV. Title: Jin ping mei.
PL2698.H73C513 2011
895.1’346—dc22 2010049040
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Contents
List of Principal Characters 5
54. Ying Bojue Gives a Party 10
55. The Imperial Tutor 20
56. Chang Zhijie Buys a New House 32
57. Ximen Qing Becomes a Benefactor 40
58. Zheng Aiyue 50
59. The Death of Guan’ge 68
60. The Opening of the New Shop 84
61. Li Ping’er Falls Ill 91
62. The Death of the Sixth Lady 110
63. The Sixth Lady’s Funeral 133
64. Shutong Runs Away 146
65. The Burial of Li Ping’er 155
66. The Solemn Sacrifice 170
67. Ximen Qing Dreams of Li Ping’er 178
68. The Party at Zheng Aiyue’s House 201
69. Lady Lin 219
70. Ximen Qing Visits the Capital 237
72. Pan Jinlian Quarrels with Ruyi’er 261
73. Qiuju in Trouble 281
74. Li Guijie Is Forgiven 293
75. Pan Jinlian Quarrels with Wu Yueniang 304
76. Master Wen Falls into Disgrace 329
77. Ximen Qing Visits Zheng Aiyue in the Snow 351
78. Pan Jinlian and Her Mother 367
79. The End of Ximen Qing 391
80. Li Jiao’er Goes Back to the Bawdy House 414
81. Han Daoguo Defrauds Wu Yueniang 425
82. Pan Jinlian Makes Love with Chen Jingji 434
83. Qiuju Spies on Pan Jinlian 443
84. Wu Yueniang’s Pilgrimage 451
85. Chunmei Is Dismissed 457
86. Pan Jinlian Leaves the House of Ximen 467
87. Wu Song Avenges His Brother 480
88. Chunmei Mourns for Pan Jinlian 490
89. Wu Yueniang Meets Chunmei Again 501
90. Sun Xue’e’s Elopement 512
91. Meng Yulou Marries Again 522
92. Meng Yulou Outwits Chen Jingji 533
93. Chen Jingji Becomes a Monk 548
94. Sun Xue’e Is Sold to a Brothel 559
95. Ping’an Meets His Deserts 570
96. Chunmei Revisits Her Old Home 583
97. Chunmei Finds a Wife for Chen Jingji 594
98. Wang Liu’er’s Return 604
99. The Murder of Chen Jingji 615
100. The End of Ximen’s House 625
List of Principal Characters
AN FENGSHAN, Inspector of the Board of Works; later Secretary of the Board of Waterways
BAI LAIGUANG, friend of Ximen and member of his brotherhood
THE BEANPOLE, wife of Laizhao and mother of Little Iron Rod
BEN THE FOURTH, manager of Ximen’s business
BU ZHIDAO, friend of Ximen and member of his brotherhood
CAI, “Old Woman,” a midwife
CAI JING, Imperial Tutor, Minister of the Palace of Chong Zheng; a protector of Ximen Qing
CJEM DING, servant of Chen Jingji
CHEN JINGJI, husband of Ximen’s daughter Ximen Dajie
CHANG ZHIJIE, friend of Ximen and member of his brotherhood
CUI BEN, friend and employee of Ximen
CUI’ER (Kingfisher), maid to Sun Xue’e
DAIAN, Ximen’s most trusted boy; later faithful servant of Wu Yueniang
FENG, “Old Woman,” a go-between, doorkeeper to Li Ping’er when wife of Hua Zixu
FU, “Clerk,” manager of Ximen’s pharmaceutical shop
GAN CHUSHEN, manager of Ximen’s silk shop
GE CUIPING (Hummingbird), wife of Chen Jingji in a marriage arranged by Chunmei
GUAN’GE, son of Ximen by Li Ping’er
HAN AIJIE (Wild Rose) or AIJIE, daughter of Han Daoguo and Wang Liu’er and concubine of Zhai
HAN DAOGUO, clerk to Ximen, husband of Wang Liu’er and father of Han Aijie
HE YONGSHOU (Captain He), neighbor of Ximen
HUATONG, boy of Ximen
HUA ZIXU, friend of Ximen and member of his brotherhood; the first husband of Li Ping’er
HUIXIANG (Cherry Blossom), wife of Laibao
KONG, “Old Woman,” a procuress
LAIAN, boy of Ximen
LAIBAO, Tang Bao, servant of Ximen
LAIWANG, Zheng Wang, boy of Ximen; later lover of Sun Xue’e
LANXIANG (Fragrance), maid to Meng Yulou
LAIXING, Gan Laixing, boy of Ximen
LAIZHAO, Liu Zhao, servant of Ximen
LI GUIJIE (Cassia) or GUIJIE, a singing girl, niece of Ximen’s Second Lady, sister of Li Guiqing
LI JIAO’ER (Picture of Grace), Ximen’s Second Lady; later wife of Zhang the Second
LI MING, a young musician, brother of Li Guijie
LI PING’ER (Lady of the Vase), wife of Hua Zixu, later Sixth Lady of Ximen
LIN, LADY, a lady of quality, mother of Wang the Third and mistress of Ximen
LIU, “Old Woman,” a procuress
MENG YULOU (Tower of Jade) or YULOU, Third Lady of Ximen; later, wife of Li Gongbi
PING’AN, boy of Ximen
PAN JINLIAN (Golden Lotus) or JINLIAN, originally a singing girl, later wife of Wu Da, and afterwards Fifth Lady of Ximen
PAN, “Old Woman,” mother of Jinlian
PANG CHUNMEI (Plum Blossom) or CHUNMEI, maid to Wu Yueniang and later to Pan Jinlian; afterwards wife of Major Zhou
QITONG, boy of Ximen
QINTONG, boy of Meng Yulou; later lover of Pan Jinlian
QIUJU (Chrysanthemum), kitchen maid of Pan Jinlian
RUYI’ER (Heart’s Delight), or Zhang the Fourth, nurse of Guan’ge
SHUTONG, Zhang Song, secretary to Ximen
SONG HUILIAN (Wistaria), wife of Laiwang and mistress of Ximen
SUN GUAZUI or SUN TIANHUA, or Crooked-headed Sun, associate of Ximen and member of his brotherhood
SUN XUE’E (Beauty of the Snow) or XUE’E, originally a maid in Ximen’s household; afterwards Ximen’s fourth wife; also known as the Kitchen Lady
WANG, a Buddhist nun
WANG, “Old Woman,” a procuress
WANG CAI (Wang the Third), a young nobleman; son of Lady Lin
WANG JING, brother of Wang Liu’er, later servant of Ximen
WANG LIU’ER (Porphyry), wife of Han Daoguo and mistress of Ximen
WEN BIGU, a dissolute scholar, secretary of Ximen
WEN, “Old Woman,” a procuress
WU “ THE IMMORTAL,” a fortune-teller
WU, “Uncle,” or Wu the Elder, brother of Wu Yueniang
WU DA, brother of Wu Song and first husband of Jinlian
WU DIAN’EN, friend of Ximen and member of his brotherhood
WU SONG, brother of Wu Da, and avenger of his murder
WU YIN’ER (Silver Maid), mistress of Hua Zixu, adopted as ward by Li Ping’er
WU YUENIANG (Moon Lady), or the Great Lady, Ximen’s principal wife
WU ZONGJIA, abbot of the Temple of the Jade Emperor
XIA YANLING, a magistrate, friend of Ximen
XIAOGE, posthumous son of Ximen by Wu Yueniang
XIAOYU (Tiny Jade), maid of Wu Yueniang; later, wife of Daian
XIE XIDA, friend of Ximen and member of his brotherhood
XIMEN QING, the central figure of this book, the owner of a considerable estate at Qinghe, and later a magistrate
XIMEN DAJIE (Orchid), daughter of Ximen and wife of Chen Jingji
XIUCHUN (Hibiscus), maid to Li Ping’er and later to the Second Lady
XUE, a eunuch of the Imperial Household, friend of Ximen
XUE, “Old Woman,” a procuress
YANG GUANGYAN, also Yang the Elder or Iron Fingernails, manager of one of Ximen’s shops
YING BAO, eldest son of Ying Bojue
YING BOJUE, friend of Ximen and member of his brotherhood; known as Beggar Ying
YINGCHUN (Welcome Spring), maid of the Sixth Lady, later of Wu Yueniang
YING’ER (Jasmine), daughter of Wu Da by his first wife and step-daughter of Pan Jinlian
YUN LISHOU, friend of Ximen and member of his brotherhood
YUXIAO (Autumn), maid of Wu Yueniang.
ZHANGJIE, Qiao Zhangjie, infant daughter of Madam Qiao, betrothed to Guan’ge
ZHANG SHENG, servant of Major Zhou
ZHENG AIXIANG (Perfume) or AIXIANG, a singing girl, sister of Zheng Feng and Zheng Aiyue
ZHENG AIYUE (Moonbeam) or AIYUE, a singing girl
ZHENG FENG, a young actor
ZHINGQIU, maid of Wu Yueniang
ZHOU, Major, later General Zhou, neighbor of Ximen
ZHU SHINIAN, friend of Ximen and member of his brotherhood;
The Golden Lotus
CHAPTER 54
Ying Bojue Gives a Party
Precious wine is worth a fortune
Let not the wine cups, then, stay idle in the hand
In the presence of the flowers.
Rise and dance and drink with the flowers.
The flowers are silent
They know men love them.
Let us not say farewell till we have drunk our fill.
Look at the flowers
Already one is faded.
Yet, though the flowers fade
Next year they will be as beautiful again.
So much cannot be said of these fair maidens.
It was arranged between Nun Wang, Li Ping’er and Wu Yueniang that the religious ceremony should be performed next day. Yueniang sent all the necessary things to the temple. She said to Chen Jingji: “Tomorrow the Sixth Lady is making intercession for a blessing on her child, and you must go to the service.” But Jingji said:
“Father is going to the gardens outside the city, and I shall have to look after the shop. It would be better to ask someone else to go to the ceremony.” As a matter of fact, Jingji, hearing that Ximen Qing was going to a party with Ying Bojue, thought it would be an excellent opportunity for him to amuse himself with Pan Jinlian. Yueniang believed that he really was going to look after the shop, so she did not press him any further. She told Shutong to go to the service.
While Ximen Qing, Ying Bojue and Chang Zhijie were still talking, Qintong came back. “I have been for the two singing girls,” he said. “Wu Yin’er is not well. She will not be able to go tomorrow, and Han Jinchuan will take her place.”
“You had better go and tell Dong Jiao’er,” Ximen Qing said. Chang declared that as they were going outside the city they did not need a second girl. The two men went away.
The next day, Ximen Qing got up before dawn. Yueniang had arranged breakfast for him and, as soon as he had eaten it, he got into a sedan chair and went to the temple of Guanyin for the beginning of the service. Nun Wang came to the temple gate to meet him.
The nun read the prayers, and afterwards Ximen Qing went to change his clothes. Tea, cakes and fruits were brought for him, but he took only a mouthful of tea. Then he went back to his chair, bidding Shutong stay for the remainder of the service. When he reached home, the sun had only just risen, but Ying Bojue and Chang Zhijie had already arrived.
Ximen Qing laughed at them. “Who ever heard of invitations for breakfast?” he said. “It is true I am not busy today, but we can’t go till afternoon.”
“You don’t understand, Brother,” Ying Bojue said. “Twenty li outside the city there is a park belonging to a eunuch. It is beautiful and it is quiet. But it is so big that it would take two days at least to appreciate all its beauties. We must go early and spend all day there.”
“Brother,” Chang Zhijie said, “you have nothing particular to do today. That is why we came so early. Let us start at once.”
“If you will have it so,” said Ximen, “you go first and I will join you there.”
The two men set out, but, sending the attendants in advance, they themselves went to the bawdy house and waited for Han Jinchuan to go with them. Ying Bojue had arranged for refreshments and engaged two actors.
Some time after Bojue had gone, Ximen Qing got into his sedan chair and went out of the city.
A thousand trees cast a deep shadow
And a brook meanders through them.
White walls enclose the ever-blooming flowers
And pleasant houses screen the quiet landscape.
Peach flowers blossoming at Wuling
Make the fisherman lose his way.
Plum blossoms flowering on the Yu Mountains
And the poets exchange verses in the sunshine.
It is paradise on earth.
Ximen Qing could not help exclaiming at the beauty of the scenery. He got out of his sedan chair and went into the gardens. Ying Bojue and Chang Zhijie came to welcome him, and they went together to an arbor. Han Jinchuan and the actors kowtowed to him. Tea was served. Bojue would have had wine, but Ximen said: “There is no hurry. Let us take a stroll together.” He took Han Jinchuan’s hand and Ying Bojue led the way. They went to a verandah, then, following the vermilion railings, came to a place where there were many willow trees and an arbor of roses. They passed the Taihu stone and the Pavilion of the Pine Winds. So they came to the Pavilion of Unusual Characters. Behind this were about thirty plum trees, and among them a small high building called the Tower of the Plums. In this were many poems written by famous men. Ximen Qing studied them attentively. They went to the peony bed, where there were many different kinds of rare peonies. Then they turned to the north, and here was the bamboo grove with a small pavilion with the sign “Listen to the rustling of the bamboos,” and a small arbor called the Coming of the Phœnix. The signs were all written by men of great renown for their skill with the brush. On the right was a goldfish pond and
, on the bank, a small arbor with a sign: “Here you may enjoy the water.” They leaned on the red railings for a while and watched the goldfish swimming about in the water. They made the pond seem like an embroidered coverlet. Ximen Qing was especially pleased with this. But Ying Bojue led him to another high building. This was the “Tower for Listening to the Moon.” There were many poems by famous men here also, and panels of carved wood painted in characters of green. They went down from the building and turned towards the east. There they saw a great artificial mound with a cave in it called the Cave of the Eight Immortals. In the cave was a marble chess table. Iron flutes and brass long flutes hung upon the walls. It was a place where immortals might have dwelled. When they came out of it, they climbed the mound and from its summit could see the whole extent of the garden.
They had walked for some time, and Chang Zhijie said to Ximen Qing: “Brother, you must be tired. Let us rest in the arbor before we start out again.”
“But we haven’t been around one-tenth of the garden,” Ximen Qing said. “How can we say that we are tired? Don’t you know that sedan chair men walk a hundred li day?”
They laughed but went to the arbor. Ximen Qing took the place of honor with Chang Zhijie on one side of him and Ying Bojue on the other. Han Jinchuan sat beside Ximen “I must offer you my most sincere thanks for all your trouble,” Ximen said to his hosts.
“Brother, it is not worth mentioning,” said Bojue. “This is but a poor cup of wine that I am able to offer you.”
They drank together, then the two actors came before them. They took their instruments and sang a new song: “Every Word Is Exquisite, Like a Pattern of Flowers.” They sang very sweetly, and their voices lingered. Ximen Qing praised them. “It is a pity they are boys,” Chang Zhijie said. “If they were girls, no price would be too high for them.”
“If they were girls,” Ximen Qing said, “we should have asked them to sit down before this. We should not have allowed them to stand and sing.”
“Brother,” Bojue said, “you are an officer to the manner born, and what you say always bears the stamp of authority.”