12. NIE XLAOQIAN Nimo caichen, native of Zang was bold ad forthright by nature. He disciplined himself to uprightness and valued his own integrity. He often told people that there was only one woman in his life. It happened that he went to Jinhua.‘ Arriving at the north wall, he set down his baggage in a monastery. The shrine-hall and pagoda within were magnificent, but can- sled grasses grew head high and no traces of human presence were seen. The double-leaved doors of the monks’ quarters to the east and west were closed but left unlatchec. Only a small apartment to the south had a knocker and latch that looked new. At the eastern corner of the shrine-hall were tall bamboos one or two hands in circum ference. Below the steps was a large pond blooming with wild lotuses. The hidden, faraway quality of the place pleated Ning greatly. At that time high rents were being charged for rooms in the city, because the Commissioner of Education was there co preside over examinations. These considerations made Ning decide to stay in the monastert, so he strolled about to pass che time until the monks return. At sundown a gentleman came in and opened the south door. Ning went to greet him with rapid steps and told him of his plans. "Name of a town in Zhejiang province 0o2 STRANGE TALES FROM MAKE-DO STUDIO “There is no landlord here," said the gentleman. “I am a squater too. If you can put up with the desolation and be kind enough to share your knowledge when time permits, Twill be fortunate.” Ning was delighted. Anticipating a long stay, he bound up sheaves of straw for a mattress and put up boards to do duty for a desk. That night the moon was high and bright, and its clear light was like water. The two men sat face to face on the shrine-hall gallery, telling each other their names and courtesy titles. The gentleman zave the family name Yan and the soubriquet Chixia. Ning thought he might be one of the scholars who had come for the examination, but he certainly did not speak with « Zhejiang accent. Ning asked him. Yan told him in a plain, forthright manner that he hailed from Shaanxi. When they had finished what they had to say to each other, each. joined his hands before his chest by way of leavetaking and retired. Ning did not fall asleep for a long time because of the unfamiliar surroundings. He heard an undertone of voices north of his quarters, 28 if family lived there. He got out of bed and, crouching beneath the stone windowsill at the north wall, peeked outside. There in a small courtyard beyond a low wall he saw a woman in her forties talking. in the moonlight with an old decrepit stoop-backed lady dressed in faded red silk and a large decorative comb stuck in her hair, “What's keeping Xiaogian” asked the woman. “She'll be here any minute,” said the old lady. “Don't tell me she has grumbled to you” “Not to my face, but she looks down in the mouth.” “We shouldn't show too much of a friendship toward that litele maid.” ‘A gitl of sixteen or seventeen arrived while the woman NIE XIAOQIAN 93, was talking. From what Ning could see she was utterly hing. The old lady said laughingly: “It only goes to show we shouldn't speak of others behind their backs. You sneaked ‘up on us without a sound, just when we were talking about yous little witchmaid. Fortunately, we weren't backbiting you.” She went on, "Young lady, you sure do look like you'te right out of a painting. If | were a man you'd even steal my soul away.” The giel said, “If Granny didn’t praise me, who else would say a good word for me?" The women and the gitl went on talking about some- thing or other. Ning lay down and stopped listening, assuming they belonged to a family in the neighborhood. After a while the voices died away. As he was about to fall asleep, he became aware that someone was in his room. He jumped up and took a close look: it was the giel from the north courtyard. Startled, he asked what brought her there The girl said with a laugh: “The moonlight tonight is keeping me awake: Td like to enter into an intimate friendship.” “You should guard against scandal,” said Ning, giving her a stern look. “I fear what others will say. If you take one false step, you will stray from the path of virtue and modesty.” “It is night: no one will be the wiser.” said the girl Again Ning rebuked her. The gicl shillyshallied as if she had more to say. “Leave quickly,” snapped Ning. “Or Tl shoue loud enough for the scholar in the south apart- ment to know.” At this the frightened git! withdrew. She sot outside the door, but came back in and placed a gold ingot on his cover. Ning grabbed the ingot and hurled it fonto the courtyard steps, saying: “This ill-gotten stuff94, STRANGE TALES FROM MAKE-DO STUDIO ‘would soil my pouch!” The git! picked up the gold in shame and went out, saying to herself: “This man must be made of iron or In the morning a student from Lanxi' came in the company of a servant and put up in the east chamber to await the examination, That night he died suddenly. Blood trickled from small punctures in the soles of his feet that seemed to have been made by an awl. Nobody knew what, hhad happened. The next night the servant also died in a similar condition. Toward evening Scholar Yan returned. In answer to Ning’s queries, he gave the opinion that it was 1 banshee, Ning, bold in his uprightness, did not let the ‘matter weigh on his mind, ‘Ac nighttime the girl came again and said to him: “I've hhad experience with many men, but never was there anyone with your moral integrity. You are truly a saint: 1 dare not deceive you. My name is Xiaogian, my family name Nie, I died prematurely at eighteen and was buried beside the monastery. Since then I have been forced by a demon to do one low-down deed after another. I have to force myself on people immodestly. I certainly did it against my will. Now there is nobody in the monastery to Kill: [fear he will ake the form of a yaksa demon and come here.” In dismay, Ning begged her to recommend a course of action. The gitl said, "You can escape harm if you are in the seme room with Scholar Yan.” “Why haven't you tried to tempt Scholar Yan?" he asked He is an extraordinary man: I dare not go near him. “What happens to the deluded ones?” he asked Name of anccher town in Zhejiang province NIE XIAOQIAN 95 “When someone has relations with me I catch them. unawares and puncture their feet with an awl. Then they 0 into 2 delirium, and I draw theit blood for the demon to drink. Or I cempe them with gold which really isn’t gold is the demon bone of a yakja, He who keeps it will hhave his heart and liver cut out. Of the two methods, L use whichever happens to have the greater appeal at the time.” Ning thanked her and asked when he should prepare himself. She answered that tomorrow night was the time. While taking her leave she sobbed, “I have fallen into @ dark sea. Though I cast about for the shore, I fal co reach it. Your sense of honor, sir, towers to the very clouds: you can surely rescue me from my misery. If you would wrap ‘up my remains, take them back wich you and give them a resting place, this would be a clemency geeater than resur- rection.” Ning gave his forthright consent and asked where she was buried. "Just remember thar itis under a white poplar—the one with a birds’ nest.” With these words she went out the gate and vanished in a whirl. The next day, fearing that Yan would go elsewhere, Ning paid an early visit to invite him over, At midmorning he set out wine and victuals while observing Yan attentively. When he got around to inviting Yan to stay overnight, Yan declined, claiming to be eccen tric and found of solitude. Ning refused to listen and insisted on bringing Yan's bedding. Yan had no choice but (0 follow, bearing his cot. “1 know you are an upstanding man,” Yan cautioned his host. “And I have the highest admiration for you, But there is a trifling personal matter which cannot be revealed just now. Please do not open or peek into my chest and bundle. If you go against this, the consequences will be unfavorable0. STRANGE TALES FROM MAKE-DO STUDIO. for both of us.” Ning solemnly acquiesced to these instructions, where- upon they went to bed. Yan placed the chest above the window. Not long after laying head to pillow, he com- rmenced snoring thunderously. Ning could nor sleep. Shortly after the first watch a dim human shape ap- peared outside the window. Suddenly it came close to the window and peered inside with glittering eyes. In his fright, Ning was about to call out to Yan when an object suddenly split the side of the chest and flew out, flashing. Tike a jet of water in instantaneous arc; it broke through the stone cornice above the window, then flicked abruptly back into the chest like a vanishing bolt of lightning. Yan awoke and got out of bed as Ning watched, pretending to be asleep. Yan picked up the chest and examined it, then pulled out a gleaming crystalline object, about two inches long and hardly broader than the stalk of a scallion, which he sniffed and stared at in the moonlight. After wrapping it tightly in several layers of cloth he placed it back in the broken chest and muttered, “The nerve of that banshee! My wooden chest is ruined on account of him.” He laid back down again. Ning was greatly amazed, so he rose and asked about it, telling Yan what he had seen. Yan said, “Since you have shown your understanding and affection, why should 1 hide the fact that I am a swordsman. If it had not been for that stone cornice, the demon would have died instantly. He was wounded as it “What was that you wrapped up!” “A sword. I smelled a demon aura about it just now.” Ning wanted to have a look. Yan generously showed it to him. It was a gleaming, miniature sword. Ning found himself admiring Yan all the more. The next day Ning NIE XIAOQIAN 97 looked outside the window and saw traces of blood. He went tothe north of the monastery, where untended graves ‘were crowded one against the other. Sure enough there was, 4 poplar with birds nesting at its tip. When Ning had discharged his business, he hurriedly packed his bags for the return trip. Scholar Yan gave him a send-off dinner and showered him with friendliness. He presented Ning with a torn leather pouch, saying: “The sword was kept in this bag. If you guard it like a treasure, it wll keep banshees and goblins away.” Ning wished to learn swordsmanship from him, but Yan demurred: “A person of your firm integrity would be capable of it but you are uimately a man of worldly prospects, not a man of the Way.” On the pretext that this was his sistr’s burial place, Ning dug up the git’s remains, laid them out in new burial gown and shroud, and then rented a boat for the trip ane. Ning’s studio looked out over the wilds, so he had a grave dug and buried her outside his studio. He made a burial offering and said an invocation: “Out of pity for your solitary soul I have buried you near my humble dwelling, within hearing of your songs and wails, in hopes thax you will noe be tortured by vieious demons. [ offer you 1 jarful of wine to drink. The flavor is certainly not pure and sweet: I hope you will not frown on it.” The invoe tior over, he was heading homeward when someone called him from behind: “Slow down and wait for me to walk slong!” He turned to look: ic was Xiaogian She thanked him joyfully: "Ten deaths would noc be enough to repay your integrity. I wish to go back with you and make the acquaintance of my in-laws. I will have no regrets, even if I am treated like 2 concubine or dowry maid.” Ning scrutinized her carefully. Her face shone aswith the hues of a dawn sky; her feet in their upturned slippers were like tapering shoots of bamboo. Now that he could look at her closely in the daylight, she was even more matchless in grace and allure. So they went together into his studio, where he had her sit and wait while he went in to let his mother know. His mother was dumbfounded. She warned him not to say anything to his wife, who had long been sick, for fear of giving her a fright. As they were talking, the girl whisked in and prostrated herself on the floor. Ning said, “This is Xiaogian.” The mother was too surprised co do anything but stare. The gitl said to the mother: “I was adrift all alone, far from my parents and brothers, but now that I have bathed in che dew of this young man’s kindness, 1 am willing to serve him as a slave to repay his chivalry.” Seeing how etherial and lovely she was, the mother found the courage to speak to her: “I am delighted by the ‘gracious favor you have shown my son, young lady, but | have only this one son to carty on the offering of ancestral sacrifices, and I dare not let him have a ghost mate.” “Rest assured there is no other aim in my heart. Since you, venerable mother, cannot give your trust (0 a person from the nether world, I beg leave to treat him as an elder brother. 1 will place myself in your hands and serve you day and night. May 12” The mother, moved to pity by her earnestness, gave approval. The gitl wished to make a call on her sister-in law, Ning’s wife, but when the mother declined by reason of the woman's illness, she gave up the idea. Then the gir! centered the kitchen and presided over preparation of meals. in the mother’s stead. She threaded her way in and out of rooms and around the furniture like a longtime resident. ‘At sundown the mother, frightened by her presence, bid NIE XIAOQIAN. 99 her goodnight without setting out a bed and covers. Seeing what the mother had in mind, the gil finally left the house. When she passed the studio, she was about to enter but backed away. She walked back and forth before the door, s if something were frightening her. The scholar called to her. She said, “There isa fearsome sword-aura in this room: that is why I did not come to see you on the way home.” Ning realized she was speaking of the leather pouch, so he got it down and hung it up in another room. At this the git! entered and sat down by the candle. For a while she did not utter a word. At last she asked, “Do you read at night? In my childhood 1 could recite the Sirangama Sizas. I've forgotten most of it now. If you could get hold of a copy, I could have you correct me when you ae fee at night.” Ning said he would. Again they satin silence, until the second watch was almost at an end, and sil she said nothing of leaving, Ning urged her to go. “A barren grave ina srange place is mighty frightening toa solitary sul,” she said glumly. “L have no other bed in my studio.” said Ning. "And even brother and sister should keep themselves above suspicion.” The gil rose, knitting her brows as if she were on the verge of weeping. Her feet shuffled lingeringly, carrying her slowly ehtough the gate. She walked onto the seeps and descended out of sight. Deep in his heart Ning pitied her. He wanted to let her stay the night on another bed, but he feared his mother’s anger. The giel went serve the mother every morning, bringing bain and helping her wash. When she left che main hall co do chores, she always accommodated herself to the mother’s wishes. At dusk she would leave off her work, pass by the studio and read aloud from sutras by candlelight. Only100 STRANGE TALES FROM MAKE-D0 STUDIO when she noticed that Ning was ready for bed did she go cout dejeccedly Prior to this, when Ning’s wife had fallen ill, the mother had been unbearably overworked. Since the git!’s coming she had been quite at ease. In her heart she appreciated the giel and, as she came to know her better every day, loved her like a daughter and even forgot she was a ghost She could not bear to send the gir! out late at night, so she let her stay and sleep in her room. The git! never ate oF drank when she first came, but after half a year she began to sip thin rice gruel. Mother and son showered her with affection. They avoided mentioning that she was 2 ghost, rnor could other people tell by looking at her. Before long Ning’ wife died, His mocher was secretly inclined to bring the git! into the family, but she feared harm would come to her son. The girl, divining this, took advantage of an available moment to tell her: “After living with me for a year, you should know my innermost feelings. I did not swish co keep harming travellers and that’s why I followed your son here. The young master is a man of shining openheartedness. He looked on admiringly both in Heaven and among men. And so I have no other intention but to ‘stay close to him and do my part for a few years; this way Tcan gain a ttle of nobility that will bring glory on me in the nether worl The mother knew she harbored no evil intent. Nev: ertheless, she feared that the gitl would be unable co continue the clan’s line of descent. The gitl said, “Children are given according to the will of heaven. The entry under your son's name in the Register of Fated Blessings lists three sons who will be a credit to their clan. This cannot be taken from him on account of a ghost wife.” Believing what she said, the mother discussed it with her son. Delighted, NIE XIAOQIAN 101 Ning aid out a banquet and broke the news to his relatives. Someone asked to have a look at the bride. The girl agreed cheerfully and came out in formal dress. The whole hall stared in amazement, not because chey suspected she was a ghost, bue because they thought she was a fairy. After his, all the female relatives came with get acquainted fifts ro congratulate her, vying with one another to become her friend. The girl painted excellent orchids and plum blossoms, so she repaid them with picture scrolls. Those who got them treasured chem proudly, ‘One day Ning found her before the window, hanging her head and lost in moody thought. Suddenly she asked “Where isthe leather pouch?” “I weapped it up and put it somewhere else, because you're afraid of its” said Ning “ve been absorbing the breath of life for some time now, s0 1 shouldn't be afraid any more. You had better bring it and hang it above the bed.” Ning asked what she had in mind. “For three days my heart has not stopped flurcering,” she said. “I chink the demon from Jinhua hates sme for escaping. | fear he'll find this place any time now.” Ning brought the leather pouch. The giel turned it over in her hands as she examined it and said, "This is what the sword-immortal put men’s heads in. See how worn it is. Who knows the number of men he has killed! Even now when I look at it my flesh crawls.” Ac this they hung it cover the bed. The next day she told him to hang it above the door instead. That night they sat beside the lamp, the air having arranged with Ning not co sleep. In an instant something swooped out of the sky like a bird. The startled girl hid among the curtains. Ning watched as a yaksalike figure with sparking eyes and blood-red tongue came ¢o- ward him, its arms flailing out and its eyes glitering. Atthe gate it stepped back, hesitated for a time, then sidled Upto the leather pouch, Itsnatched tthe pouch with it claws, as if to tear it apart. Suddenly the pouch went “pfft” and grew to the size of a hod basket. In a barely visible flash, a creature stuck its body halfway out and pulled the sakya inside. Then there was silence, and the pouch shrank back to its original size. Ning was stunned. The girl came cout from her hiding place and joyfully exclaimed, “No need to worry any more!” Together they looked into the pouch, which contained nothing but # few dipperfuls of clear water. ‘Several years later Ning did indeed receive a Doctorate of Letters. The git! gave birth co a son. A concubine was ‘brought into the family, and she and the girl each bore @ son. All three became well-known in their official careers, 13. EARTHQUAKE Os stesseneenh day fhe sath uae month in he seventh year of the Kangxi reign period (1668) between seven and nine in che evening, there was a great earth- cuake. I was staying at Jxia' and drinking by candlelight with my cousin Li Duzhi, when suddenly we heard a sound lke thunder coming from the southeast and going nor- thwest. Everyone was shocked and amazed, puzzling about the sound. Soon the table started heaving and winecups fell cver. The rafters, beams, and pillars of the room twisted and creaked. We looked at each other, each face curning fale. Ie rook us awhile co realize it was an earthquake. Each ef us hastened outside. Storied buildings and houses were tottering and righting themselves again. The sound of filling walls and collapsing houses, with the cries of shildren and the wails of women, blended into a seething uproar. People were too dazed and dizzy to stand, so they sit on the ground and were tossed about with the bucklings of the earth, The water in the river was flung over ten feet high in the air. The crowing of cocks and barking of dogs resounded through the streets. Something like two hours assed before the tremors quieted down slightly. We fooked at the street, where unclad men and women were rathered talking frantically to one another, forgetting that "In Shandong province, not fat fom Pu Songling'+ hometown, 103