15

The Dragon-and-Tiger Reunion of Shi Hongzhao the Minister and His Friend the King

This poem was written by Liu Jisun, a literati official of the Song dynasty, on the occasion of the departure of Su Shi [Su Dongpo] from the Hanlin Academy to assume his post as prefect of Hangzhou.² As it happened, Su Dongpo, academician of the Hanlin Academy, had been to Hangzhou twice, the first time as controller general of Hangzhou in the second year of Emperor Shenzong’s³ Xining reign period [1069], and the second time as magistrate of the greater Hangzhou region in the Yuanyou reign period [1086–93]. Hence the many historic sites in Hangzhou with inscriptions of Su Dongpo’s poems. Among the multitude of fine scholars converging into the region after the imperial court relocated to the south, there was none but Hong Mai,⁴ a member of the Hanlin Academy, whose talent could match that of Su Dongpo. Author of the thirty-two volume Records of Yijian [Yijian zhi], he was a leading historian of the time. However, as it was mostly the emperor’s protégés who occupied positions of power in the court of Emperor Xiaozong [1163–89], it was not until after Hong Mai repeatedly sent memorials to the emperor from the Hanlin Academy requesting a position outside the capital that the emperor granted him the office of prefect of Shaoxing in Yuezhou. To commemorate the occasion of Hong Mai’s assumption of the post one spring during the Chunxi reign period [1174–89], the poet Xiong Yuansu of the Yuan dynasty composed an ingenious poem that could be read both backwards and forwards:

It is another poem if read backwards:

Hong Mai held a banquet in the Zhenyue Hall in Shaoxing in honor of the entire assembly of officials. It was a most impressive sight, with all the runners of the yamen and members of the catering service standing in attendance at the side. The fruits were most fresh and the food most exquisite. After three rounds of wine, one of the courtesans present, a certain Wang Ying, with fingers as delicate as spring bamboo shoots and tender buds, played a tune on a flute inlaid with gold threads and a dragon head. The resounding and melodious music greatly enthralled the audience. Hong Mai ordered his attendants to bring him the four treasures of the scholar’s study⁵ and, in the presence of the officials as well as the courtesans, wrote in a joyous mood, without the slightest pause in the movement of his brush-pen, a lyric poem to the tune of “The Beautiful Lady Yu.” The poem read,

Improvisation of such a poem was no challenge for a talented scholar like Hong Mai, who was capable of the most refined poetry. Upon his presentation of the poem, the delighted assembly of officials were full of praise: “How original! A fine poem indeed!”

Before the words of praise and admiration had subsided, one of the officials present burst into a fit of laughter. “As ingenious as this poem is,” said he, “it is a cento whose lines are stolen from eight di erent ancient poems.”

Directing his eyes to the speaker, Hong Mai saw that it was Controller General Kong Deming. Much startled, Hong Mai asked, “May I have the honor of benefiting from your knowledge?” Thereupon Controller Kong launched into a detailed explanation right there from his seat at the banquet table.

As it turned out, the first line of the poem, “Suddenly, the flute, on the jade terrace,” was stolen from the fourth line of the poem “The Taoist Hermit” by Zhang Ziwei:⁶

The second line in Hong’s poem, “A sound rising to heaven on high,” was taken from the third line of “Lyrics of Wang Jiaozi” by Scholar Luo:⁸

The third line, “The notes glide up and down the scale,” was from the second line of Cao Xiangu’s¹⁰ “The Sound of Wind”:

The fourth line, “Stirring the green pond dragon, a wondrous sight,” was borrowed from the third and fourth lines of the poem “The Oars” by Su Dongpo:

The transitional fifth line, “In sobs it flies up to the sky,” came from the fourth line of the poem “Wild Geese” by Zhu Shuzhen:¹¹

The sixth line, “Loath to part from the Liangzhou tune,” was from the fourth line of “Song and Dance” by Qin Shaoyou¹² [of the Northern Song dynasty]:

The seventh line, “Vanishing into clouds with a rock-splitting clap,” was taken from the third line of the poem “Canon at the Bottom of the Water” by General Liu Qi [of the Southern Song dynasty]:

The last line, “Making plum blossoms fall like pieces of jade,” was taken from the fourth line of “Looking South of the River on the Lantern Festival” by literati scholar Liu Gaizhi on the occasion of his meeting with Vice-Director Chen of Wuzhou [of the Southern Song dynasty]:

Thus concluded Controller General Kong’s explications. Hong Mai was immensely delighted. “Amazing! Amazing!” exclaimed the audience. Hong Mai had his attendants ply the controller general with another cup of wine, after which Hong said to him, “Your commentary was most brilliant. Please do me the favor of writing a poem with the theme ‘the dragon-headed flute’ for me to cherish for the rest of my life.” After acknowledging his gratitude, Controller General Kong accordingly wrote a poem to the tune of “Prelude to Water Music”:

Indeed,

Storyteller, why this prologue on poems about the dragon-headed flute? Well, it is because the story I shall now proceed to tell starts with two travelers who made their way to the Eastern Peak of Mount Tai to make a burnt o ering of two Qizhou bamboo sticks—the kind of bamboo that would make the best dragon-headed flutes. This event led to the granting of two titles to a courtesan of the Fengning region of Zhengzhou Prefecture, for she married a worthy man who later rose to be a commander of four regions. Stories about this man, whose name enjoys eternal glory, are still being told today with immense relish. But what is the name of this man who started from humble beginnings? How did he rise to power and wealth?

There is a poem on the rise and fall of the Five Dynasties that says,

As the story goes, during the Tang of the Five Dynasties, there were two traveling merchants, Wang Yitai and his brother Wang Ertai, who came into possession of two most extraordinary-looking Qizhou bamboo sticks, each with one end resembling a dragon’s head. This was the kind of bamboo that matchless dragon-headed flutes were made of. They then made a special trip to make a burnt o ering at Fire Pond at the foot of the temple of the Eastern Peak of Mount Tai in Fengfu County, Yanzhou.

After the o ering, the lord of Mount Tai granted the bamboo sticks to Duke Bingling, his third son, who then dispatched the two celestial generals Kang and Zhang to the Fengning region of Zhengzhou to summon the flute-maker Yan Zhaoliang. Shortly thereafter, the two generals were in Zhengzhou and, assuming the shapes of mortal beings, went to see Yan Zhaoliang. The latter was in the very act of making a flute in front of his door when he caught sight of two men approaching with bows of greeting. After saluting him, they said, “There is an official who has come into possession of two bamboo sticks good enough to be made into dragon-headed flutes. He invites you to go and do the job for him. Being rather of an impatient disposition, he wants us to take you to him immediately, but he will reward you handsomely after the job is done.” There and then, Yan Zhaoliang collected his tools and followed the two men on their way. In a twinkling, they came upon a place where, upon lifting his eyes, Yan Zhaoliang saw a board with the inscription “Eastern Peak of Mount Tai.” Behold:

Without much understanding of the poem, Yan Zhaoliang was led by Kang and Zhang into the presence of Duke Bingling and then into a pavilion, where the bamboo sticks were already laid out on a table. After telling Yan Zhaoliang to start on the job right away, Kang and Zhang warned him, “This is the netherworld. Do not wander afar, for if you venture out and lose your bearings, you will have a hard time finding your way back.” With this admonishment, the two generals departed. Before long, Zhaoliang finished the job and played a few notes, which came out clear and delightful. After waiting for a considerable time without seeing Kang and Zhang returning, Zhaoliang thought to himself, “Since I am already here, it would be a pity if I didn’t venture out for a look around,” whereupon he walked away from the pavilion and, before long, saw a palace looming ahead. As he approached the corridor of the palace, he heard the crack of a whip that was a warning to be silent, signaling the start of a court session. As he applied his eyes to a crevice in the window, behold:

After the lord of Mount Tai had dismounted his royal carriage and ascended the throne and the assembly of gods had made their obeisance, the lord ordered that the prisoners be brought forth. A man with his neck and arms in a long cangue was pushed into the court. Yan Zhaoliang thought to himself, “This man surely looks familiar,” but for the moment he could not place him.

A second imperial decree followed, ordering that the man be taken out for the installation of a copper gallbladder¹⁸ and an iron heart, in preparation for his return to the mortal world to become a commander of four regions. (It takes a copper gallbladder and an iron heart to become a dominant figure in the times of the Five Dynasties.) He was, at the same time, warned against any unjust taking of human lives. Zhaoliang was dumbfounded as he listened.

Suddenly, a demon clerk called out, “How can a mortal being eavesdrop on our court?” Thereupon Yan Zhaoliang hastened back to the pavilion where he had been making the flutes. It was not until a long while thereafter that Kang and Zhang returned to the pavilion. Seeing that the work had been done, they made their way, together with Zhaoliang, to present the dragon-headed flutes to Duke Bingling, who was immensely overjoyed at their delightful notes. “I will add to your happiness and longevity,” he said to Yan Zhaoliang, who replied, “I have no wish to have my happiness and longevity augmented, but I have a sister, Yan Yueying, who is now a prostitute. My only wish is for her to extricate herself from her present circumstances and settle down in a decent marriage as soon as possible.”

Duke Bingling said, “Such a wish can dwell only in the heart of a worthy man, albeit a man of the mortal world. Your sister shall marry a commander of four regions.”

After bows of gratitude, Zhaoliang was escorted back by Kang and Zhang. As they were approaching a high point on a precipitous cli , the two escorts directed Zhaoliang’s eyes to a spot to distract his attention while, with one quick movement of the hand, they pushed him over the edge of the cli .

In shock, Yan Zhaoliang opened his eyes, only to find himself in bed at home, surrounded by his wife and children.

“Why are you weeping over me like this?” he asked his wife.

“You were working in front of the door the other day when you suddenly dropped dead. As your chest still felt a little warm, we carried you to bed, where you have been lying for two days. What did you do down there in the netherworld?”

Everyone in the room was aghast at Zhaoliang’s account of what had happened to him. Nothing worthy of note occurred for some time thereafter.

It was winter, with snow falling from the sky. There is a poem titled “Snow” by Shi Xindao¹⁹ that gives a good description of the scene:

With the snow gathering force, it grew too cold for Yan Zhaoliang to work. As he was sitting idly by the door, the sight of a strongly built man passing by in the street struck him dumbfounded. “Isn’t this the man who received a copper gallbladder and an iron heart in the netherworld, the very same man who is destined to be a commander of four regions? Now that he is passing by, why don’t I go forward and make his acquaintance? What am I waiting for?” (Master Yan being a man without a single streak of the vulgarity of the mundane world, it certainly makes sense to have the friendship begin before that man’s rise to fame and fortune.) Holding up the lower part of his gown, he hurriedly ventured into the snow and, in a few big strides, caught up with the strongly built man. Taking another step forward, he called out, “Please accept my greetings, sir.”

Somehow, the man knew him to be a flute-maker. Returning the greeting with a bow, he said, “How can I be of service to you, flute master?”

“I would like to invite you for a few drinks to warm yourself up in such cold, snowy weather.” So saying, he took the man into a wineshop.

It turned out that the man was named Shi Hongzhao, courtesy name Huay-uan, with the nickname “Simpleton.” He was a foot soldier in the Vanguard Battalion. According to The History of the Five Dynasties, he was “a native of Xingze, Zhengzhou, and a most courageous man who could walk as fast as a horse.” Having downed the wine, the two men went their separate ways home.

The following day, Yan Zhaoliang went to see his sister Yan Yueying and said to her, “I am here to tell you about a man I met yesterday. It was the very man I saw when I was dead to the world for two days, making flutes in the netherworld. With a copper gallbladder and an iron heart installed in him, he is preordained to be a commander of four regions and to be your husband. It’s been some time since then, and I had almost forgotten about him when I happened to see him yesterday. I invited him for a few drinks.”

“What sort of a man is he?” asked Yan Yueying.

“He is the nice, kind Big Man Shi of the Vanguard Battalion.”

Yan Zhaoliang’s answer so incensed his sister that she snapped, “I don’t believe that I am destined to marry a man of such lowly status!”

From that time on, Yan the flute-maker never failed to treat Shi Hongzhao to wine every time they met. After being the subject of Yan’s hospitality quite a few times, Shi Hongzhao, in his turn, invited Yan into a wineshop when the two ran into each other on the street. After much wine and food, Yan was ready to pay the bill, but Shi Hongzhao would not hear of it. “You must allow me to reciprocate for once.” Thereupon Yan Zhaoliang took his leave and stepped out of the wineshop.

Turning to the waiter, Shi Hongzhao said, “I haven’t brought any money with me. You can follow me to the camp for the money.”

The waiter had no choice but to follow him. Once at the entrance of the camp, Shi said, “I haven’t got a penny today. You go back now. I’ll return with the money tomorrow to pay your master.”

The waiter protested, “He’ll surely put the blame on me.”

“What if he does?” demanded Shi. “If you know what’s best, you’ll go. Otherwise, watch out for my fists!” The waiter could only turn back.

Now, Shi Hongzhao proceeded to Mr. Wang, the vender of sweet-rice dumplings, and said to him, “Sir, I owe the wineshop some money, but I have nothing to pay them back with. Guard your door well tonight, for I’ll be coming to steal your wok.”

Taking this warning as a joke, Mr. Wang, told his wife after he got home, “I’ve never heard anything more ridiculous in the whole wide world. Simpleton Shi warned me to guard my door well because he’s coming tonight to steal my wok.” His wife was also tickled.

At about three-fifths of a watch past the second watch in the night, Shi Hongzhao did indeed come to push himself against the door. Being as strong as he was, he broke the bolt and entered the house. The old couple heard the movements. “Let’s wait for his next move,” said Mrs. Wang. Stirring up a loud noise, Shi Hongzhao walked up to the stove, removed the wok, and put it on the ground, saying, “If it breaks, I’ll have nothing to pay the wine bill with.” So saying, he struck the wok with a stick to make a clattering sound. (A real man hides nothing even when stealing.) Then he picked up the wok, turned it over, and placed it on his head. Little did he know that there was some water in the wok, but this was no time to fuss about a wet face and clothes. O he went with the wok on his head.

“Stop thief !” cried Mr. Wang, who threw on some clothes and ran after Shi. The local headman, who heard the cry, also rushed to the scene. Panicstricken, Shi Hongzhao threw down the wok and ran into an alley to hide. How was he to know that it was a blind alley? Terrified, he tried to climb up the wall of someone’s yard but slipped and fell down over the wall, as was witnessed by the headman, who had followed him into the alley. “Madam Yan!” he cried. “A thief has just jumped over your back wall!”

Courtesan Yan heard the cry and came out for a look, with her maidservant holding a candle for her. Instead of any thief, what struck her eyes was an extraordinary animal the color of snow:

Courtesan Yan stood appalled. But upon a second look, what she saw was Big Man Shi crouching against the outhouse. (Like Lady Liang’s first encounter with Han Shizhong.)²¹ At the sight of her, he rose and, all in a fluster, approached her with a bow of greeting. Having witnessed the extraordinary appearance he had assumed, and recalling her brother’s words about her destiny to marry this man who was to rise to eminence some day, she hid him inside the house, safe from the pursuers. After waiting for some time without hearing a sound from the Yan residence, the crowd dispersed. Yan Yueying then let him out through the front door.

The night passed without further ado. The following day, Yan Yueying sent for her brother the flute-maker and said to him, “Brother, you said before that I am destined to marry Big Man Shi, who will rise to be a commander of four regions. I didn’t believe you at the time, but last night when I heard cries about a thief having jumped to my side of the wall, my maid and I went out for a look by candlelight and saw a white tiger crouching on the ground. Upon a closer look, it turned out to be Big Man Shi. Such an unusual aura about him convinced me that he is indeed a man with a brilliant career ahead of him. I am willing to marry him. Will you approach him on my behalf?”

“Sure,” said Yan Zhaoliang. “I’ll fix the match today.”

Knowing that Shi Hongzhao was predestined to rise to wealth and power, Yan the flute-maker was in raptures now that his sister was willing to marry the man. He made his way straight to the camp to look for Shi. It so happened that Shi, having tried (as he should not have done) to steal Mr. Wang’s wok and with the debt of a wine bill weighing upon him, dared not venture out of the camp. (Surely a real man doesn’t want to be in debt, but when penniless, there’s no other alternative.) Yan easily found him and invited him out, saying, “I am here to make a good match for you.”

“What match?”

“A match between you and my sister, Courtesan Yan, who has some property and cash. What do you say?”

“It’s a good match all right, but there are three things that make me hesitate to accept.”

“What three things? Pray tell me.”

“First, whatever she owns must be at my disposal. Second, after I enter her household, she must not entertain clients as before. Third, I have a sworn brother as well as some friends who are constantly on the road. If they come to see me, I want to give them meals and lodging. If you promise me these three things, I’ll accept the marriage proposal.” (These words alone show him to be a husband out of the common run.)

Yan Zhaoliang promised, “Since my sister will be wedded to you, you’ll surely be the master in everything.”

That very day, the marriage deal was made and duly reported back to Yan Yueying. Now that both sides were willing, an auspicious day was chosen for the wedding. As the Yans did not expect Shi to be able to o er wedding gifts, they provided him with a new outfit for the wedding ceremony, after which the groom moved into Yan Yueying’s residence.

Two months later, Shi Hongzhao was sent by an order from above to the town of Filial Piety and Righteousness to deliver a military document. Before he had stayed there for a month, everyone under the rank of sergeant had fallen victim to his bullying. (It’s not that he’s a bully, but none of the men was to his liking.) However, as he was well supplied with money, which he used freely for treats of wine, no one stood up to him.

One day, he went into the officers’ barracks to sleep. The sergeant said, “I’m in no mood to have to put up with this troublemaker.” Before he had quite finished complaining, a man was seen approaching from the west. With a bow of greeting to the sergeant, the newcomer asked, “Is there a Shi Hongzhao here?”

The sergeant replied, pointing at Shi, “He’s right there, asleep.” It was this visit that changed the course of Shi Hongzhao’s life. Who was the visitor? Indeed,

The visitor looking for Shi Hongzhao was Guo Wei, courtesy name Zhongwen, a native of Yaoshan County of Yingzhou Prefecture. As he was the first-born son of the family, he was also known as Big Brother Guo. What did he look like?

When under straitened circumstances in the Eastern Capital, Big Brother Guo had stolen hairpins from a courtesan, Pan the Eighth, who was so impressed with his extraordinary appearance that she kept him with her as a brother instead of handing him over to the authorities. After his situation improved, he went to see a show at a fair and ended up killing a young entertainer. That very night, he fled the city and tried to seek refuge with his sworn brother Shi Hongzhao in Zhengzhou. Inquiries at the Vanguard Battalion camp led him to the town of Filial Piety and Righteousness. The sergeant accordingly woke up Shi Hongzhao from his bed in the barracks, saying, “You have a visitor who’s been waiting for you for quite some time now.”

Shi Hongzhao walked over impatiently. “Who is it?”

Big Brother Guo stepped forward and said, “It’s been a long time since I saw you last, my brother. I am glad you look well.”

Recognizing the visitor to be his sworn older brother, Shi Hongzhao hastened to drop to his knees in a gesture of obeisance. After the exchange of greetings was over, Shi Hongzhao said, “Brother, don’t go anywhere else. Just stay with me for the time being. If you need pocket money, I will get it for you from home.” No one dared raise any objections to his keeping Big Brother Guo in the barracks. After a few days there, Big Brother Guo joined Shi Hongzhao in bullying the people around them. Their daily gambling and stealing wreaked such havoc in the neighborhood that no one did not curse them with great spite.

Let us follow another thread of the story and turn our attention to the imperial court, where Emperor Min [934] now ascended the throne as successor to the deceased Emperor Mingzong [926–33] of the Later Tang dynasty. All the ladies of the court were ordered to leave the palace and get married. Among the court ladies dismissed was a Lady Chai, the seal-keeper, who had some knowledge about fortune-telling through signs of nature. Noticing an auspicious aura over the territory of Zhengzhou, she brought along her dowry and headed for the region. After settling down in Granny Wang’s house in the town of Filial Piety and Righteousness, she started to search for a marriage candidate of high status. Several days passed, but of all the men walking up and down the streets, there was not one who struck her fancy. “Why is it so quiet around here?” she asked Granny Wang.

“Madam, the streets can be easily brought to life if you send out word to small brokers that you are sponsoring a fair.”

“What a good idea!”

Thus, word spread out through Granny Wang that Lady Chai was sponsoring a fair the next day.

As the news reached the ears of the sworn brothers Guo and Shi, they took counsel of each other. “How about making a little money for a drink? What shall we sell tomorrow?”

Shi Hongzhao had this idea: “Why don’t we sell dog meat? Let’s borrow a plate, a stand, and a cleaver, steal a dog somewhere, beat it to death, cook it, and sell the meat. Wouldn’t that be easier than going to the regular market?”

“But there are no more dogs in the neighborhood,” remarked Big Brother Guo. “We’ve stolen and eaten them all, and the neighbors don’t keep dogs anymore.”

Shi Hongzhao suggested, “Community Headman Wang keeps a big dog. Let’s go and get it.” Accordingly, they betook themselves to Headman Wang’s house. One of them tried to coax the dog out while the other held a cudgel, waiting for the earliest chance to deal the crushing blow. Seeing what was going on, Headman Wang stepped out with an o er of three hundred in cash: “Spare my dog. Take this, and buy yourselves a drink.”

“Mr. Wang!” protested Shi Hongzhao. “What an unreasonable man you are! This big dog of yours is surely worth more than three hundred in cash! You are shortchanging us!”

Big Brother Guo assumed a more conciliatory tone: “Show some respect for the old man, and be satisfied with whatever is o ered.”

Before the night was out, the two of them went to another place, stole a dog, skinned it, and cooked it until the meat was tender.

On the following day, with Shi Hongzhao carrying a plate on his head and Big Brother Guo a rack on his back, they walked up to Lady Chai’s door and cried, “Meat for sale!” The rack was lowered onto the ground and the plate placed on it.

At the sight of Big Brother Guo through the curtain, Lady Chai said to herself, “I’ve searched high and low, but here he is, standing right in front of my eyes.” At her orders, a servant took out a plate and asked Big Brother Guo to fill it with meat.

As Guo was cutting the dog meat, Granny Wang, who happened to be by Lady Chai’s side, protested, “This is dog meat! Surely it’s not for a lady like you!”

Lady Chai countered, “I am doing this as a sponsor of the fair rather than out of a preference for the meat!” She then had her accountant pay one tael of silver for the meat. The money having exchanged hands, the two men took their leave after acknowledging their gratitude.

The fair was over soon thereafter. Lady Chai turned to Granny Wang and said, “I have a favor to ask of you.”

“What is it?”

“Who were the two men selling dog meat here just a moment ago? Where do they live?”

“Those two men are the terror of the town. The one who cut the meat is named Guo. The one who carried the plate is Shi. Both live in the barracks in town. Why do you ask?”

“I want to marry Guo, the one who cut the meat. Would you please be the matchmaker?”

“But a lady of your status will have plenty of decent marriage proposals. Why marry such a man?”

“Don’t you worry about that,” Lady Chai answered. “I’m positive that he will be a man of distinction. Just approach him and make the proposal for me.”

Thus instructed, Granny Wang set o immediately for the barracks to look for Big Brother Guo, but he was nowhere to be seen. The sergeant said, “He’s drinking in the wineshop across the street,” whereupon Granny Wang crossed over to the wineshop, lifted the blue cotton portiere, and walked in.

“Big Brother Guo!” she called out when she saw the two. “How can you be sitting and drinking away when a tremendous stroke of luck is coming your way!”

“What’s with this woman?” said Big Brother Guo. “The moment I get myself some silver, you come to ask for a share. I have nothing for you except a drink, if you want.”

“An old woman like me is not after a drink.”

“If it isn’t wine you’re after,” said Big Brother Guo, “I have nothing to o er you, not even a penny. Just take a drink if you know what’s good for you.”

Shi Hongzhao chimed in, “What a cheeky old woman you are! You know all too well that we are not the most sweet-tempered kind of men, and yet you turn down a well-meant o er of wine. A few moments ago, you almost ruined our chances by letting on that it was dog meat we were selling. Luckily, the lady still bought from us. How shameless of you to come for a handout! Mark this: Don’t even expect a treat of wine from me. You’ll get nothing from me but kicks and blows!”

“I am here not to ask for wine or money, but to tell Big Brother Guo that Lady Chai has taken a liking to him and wants to marry him.”

At these words, Big Brother Guo flew into a rage and gave her a slap across the face. Collapsing to the floor, Granny Wang wailed, “Woe is me! What a way to treat a well-meaning matchmaker!”

Big Brother Guo thundered, “Who sent you here to make fun of me? I’ll spare you from more blows if you leave here in peace. A lady like that marrying me! What nonsense is this!”

Granny Wang scrambled to her feet, left the wineshop, and went straight to Lady Chai.

“I appreciate what you did for me,” said Lady Chai.

“I got slapped for making a matchmaking proposal,” complained Granny Wang. “He thought I was there to make fun of him.”

“I’m sorry that you were treated so roughly, but I have no other choice than to ask you to make another trip. Take this gold hairpin first. If this works out, I will reward you heavily.”

“I dare not go again. If I do, there will be no one to stand up for me even if I’m beaten to death.”

“I understand,” Lady Chai reassured her. “He thought you were making fun of him because you didn’t bring anything. But with a token of faith, he’ll hardly turn you down.”

“What token?”

When Lady Chai produced the object and showed it to her, Granny Wang stood aghast. What was that thing?

What Lady Chai showed Granny Wang was a gold belt weighing twenty-five taels. It was to be o ered to Big Brother Guo as a token of the lady’s good faith. Nothing in this world provides more motivation for human behavior than money. Humiliated though she had been by the young man, Granny Wang, with the gold hairpin in her possession and the gold belt as a gift to o er, found it hard to restrain her feet from going. The gold belt in hand, she lost no time in making a second trip to the wineshop. On the way, she thought to herself, “I shouldn’t have gone empty-handed the first time. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been slapped. But this time, he won’t do anything to me, if only for the sake of the belt.”

As she came upon the door of the wineshop and lifted up the blue cotton portiere, she found the two brothers still drinking. Stepping forward, she addressed Big Brother Guo as follows: “I am here to convey to you a message from Lady Chai. Afraid that you might not believe her, she gave me this gold belt weighing twenty-five taels as a token of her good faith, but she is also waiting for something from you in return.”

Big Brother Guo thought to himself, “I don’t even have a penny to my name. Since she is making the first move, I might just as well take the belt before I decide what to do.” He asked Granny Wang to sit down and had the waiter bring another cup for the old woman to join him in the drinking. After having downed three drinks, he said, “Where can I get anything to o er her?”

“Anything that you have on you will be fine,” said the woman.

Thereupon, he took down his cap, removed the rim, all greasy and smelly, and handed it to Granny Wang as a token in return. (Ingenious.) Granny Wang could not contain her laughter as she took it. “You do know how to take the easy way out!” she said. As she handed it to Lady Chai upon her return, the latter put it away with a smile.

Now that the betrothal procedures were complete, an auspicious day was chosen for the wedding, which was to be held at Granny Wang’s home. Invited guests included Shi Hongzhao (now Lady Chai’s brother-in-law) and her sister-in-law Yan Yuying, who had come all the way from Zhengzhou. After the wedding in the town of Filial Piety and Righteousness, the new couple, as dictated by custom, went to the bride’s home to stay for a few days.

One day, Lady Chai looked at her husband, Big Brother Guo, and said, “You’ll miss the chance of your life if you stay on in this place. Let me write a recommendation letter for you. You can go to the Western Capital, in Henan Prefecture, to see my maternal uncle Duke Fu and seek a position as a first step up the ladder of officialdom.” Big Brother Guo thanked his wife for her suggestion and, following her advice, packed up and set o on his journey on a chosen auspicious day, equipped with Lady Chai’s letter.

Stopping only for food and drink when necessary, he traveled by day and rested by night. In a few days’ time, he arrived in the Western Capital and found lodging in a tavern. Little did he know that his journey to the Western Capital, motivated by the desire to gain fortune through the help of Duke Fu, would lead to the loss of a life. Truly,

In the Western Capital in Henan Prefecture, Big Brother Guo saw

After spending a night at the tavern, Big Brother Guo was about to set out for Duke Fu’s residence the next morning, carrying with him the letter from his wife, when he was suddenly struck with a thought: “A worthy man should establish his name by virtue of his own abilities. How can I start a career through a woman’s words?” Putting the letter aside, he went empty-handed to the recruitment office in front of the yamen and waited for Li Bayu, master of martial arts, to see him.

“Did you bring anything?” asked Li Bayu.

“Yes, I did.”

“What is it that you brought?”

“I brought with me all eighteen kinds of martial arts.”

What Master Li had in mind was a monetary gift. At Guo’s irrelevant answer, he said, “I will notify you when the duke calls the court to order.” But he did not do as he promised.

From that day onward, Guo waited at the yamen every day for over two months without ever getting a chance to see the duke. The desk clerk at the tavern, knowing that Guo was unsuccessful in his attempts to see the duke, said something he should have known better than to say: “Mr. Guo, you’ve been wasting your time. Master Li is after money. How can you get to see the duke if you don’t give the sergeant some money first?”

Anger flared up in Guo. “So that’s what the scoundrel is after!”

Instead of going to the yamen that day, he sat down dejectedly in front of the tavern. At the sight of a man o ering a gambling game with fish as the prize, Big Brother Guo stepped forward and, on his first try, won the fish. The man pleaded with Guo, saying, “I went to a lot of trouble last night getting these pennies that I bought the fish with, hoping to make a little money to support my old mother. So far, I haven’t made even a penny. And now, with you scooping up the money, I have nothing left to o er to my mother. Please lend me back the fish, so I can win some money at the game, and I’ll give back to you what’s yours.”

Impressed by the man’s filial devotion, Guo did as he was asked and told the man, “Let me know when you lose.”

As the man approached the wineshop, carrying the fish, he heard a voice call out, “Where is the man with the fish game?” As this newcomer on the scene happened to be predestined to engage in a fistfight with Big Brother Guo, the ground in front of the wineshop became a small battlefield. Who was the man calling out for a gambling game?

The one who stopped the man with the fish was none other than Li Bayu, master of martial arts in the Western Capital in Henan. He was drinking in the wineshop when, catching sight of the man with the fish, he called the man into the wineshop for a game. He lost a few pennies, but he took the fish anyway. The game man dared not protest but came back and told Big Brother Guo, “Someone in the wineshop took my fish, but I did win a few pennies from him. At least I can give you back your money.”

Guo exploded, “Who is that man? He should have known better than to take the fish when he loses! Since the fish is now mine, I’ll go to take it back.” Had he not gone to ask for the fish, all would have been well. But as it was, when he went to the wineshop and saw who it was, his feelings were best described by the following lines:

When he saw that it was none other than Master Li Bayu, his fury grew tenfold. Staring at Li, he said in front of the wineshop door, “Why did you take my fish?”

“I took the fish from the game man. How come it’s yours?”

Clapping his hands, Guo exclaimed, “I came to the Western Capital to look for a job, but just because I didn’t bribe you, you got me stranded here for about two months without letting me see the duke. Now what do you have to say to me?”

“Come to the yamen tomorrow. I’ll let you have what you want.”

Guo thundered, “You scoundrel who blocks the advancement of worthy men! I won’t set any traps for you. I challenge you to a fight right here to see who’s stronger!” As he took o his shirt, a cry was uttered from the crowd. It so happened that in his childhood, Guo had met a Taoist sage who tattooed several small birds on the right side of his neck and a few ears of rice on the left side, saying, “To attain full wealth and power, wait until the birds reach the rice.” Henceforth, he was also known as Guo the Bird. Upon his assumption of the throne, the birds and the rice did indeed merge together, but this happened much later. To come back to where we were, when Big Brother Guo bared his arms, revealing his tattooed neck, the crowd burst into cheers. Truly, the tattoo was like

“Do you really want a fight?” said Li Bayu. “Stay here, then!”

Guo shot back, “Don’t waste any words. Come on!”

As Li Bayu also bared his arms and revealed his powerful muscles, the crowd again burst into cheers. They were like

The two men thus started a fistfight under the eyes of spectators all around them. The blows and kicks became more and more fierce, until one of the two fell to the ground in a pool of blood, amid exclamations from the crowd. Which one lost the fight?

Big Brother Guo rained blows upon Li Bayu until the ground was covered with Li’s blood. He was still at it when he heard shouts of guards announcing the approach of the duke and his entourage. From the back of his horse, Duke Fu saw that a man enveloped in red light and purple mist was fighting Li Bayu and that Li was all too evidently the loser. The duke ordered his men, “Don’t make a lot of noise, but have the two men come forward to me.”

The men went over to the scene of the fighting and said courteously, “Please stop the fight. The duke wants you to see him.” Accordingly, the two men followed him to the duke’s mansion. Directing his eyes to Big Brother Guo, Duke Fu saw that he had

“Where are you from?” the duke asked Big Brother Guo. “Why were you beating Li Bayu?”

“I am Guo Wei, Your Honor, a native of Yaoshan County of Xing Prefecture, here to seek a position in your service. I got stranded in a tavern for over two months because Li Bayu, greedy for a bribe, kept me from entering your august presence. A chance encounter with him led to the fight. This being an o ense against Your Honor, I deserve the death penalty.”

The duke asked further, “Since you traveled such a great distance to try to enter my service, may I ask what abilities you have?”

“I am skilled in the use of each and every one of the eighteen weapons.” Thereupon the duke ordered a sta fight between Li Bayu and Guo Wei right there in the hall.

Knowing that he was no match for Guo after what had occurred, Li Bayu said to the duke, “I am in no condition to fight, because he sneaked up on me just moments ago and gave me bruises all over.” But the duke was not to be shaken in his resolve.

Staring squarely at Li Bayu, Guo Wei said, “So I sneaked up on you, did I? Now’s the chance to fight it out and see who’s better!” Sta in hand, the two men shouted greetings to each other and, at the bidding of an official, started the fight.

Thus the two men fought on in the hall, wielding their sta s high and low, back and forth, winning cheers from Duke Fu Yanqing after just a few rounds.

Let us come back to the fight between the two men. A poor match for his opponent, Li Bayu fell to the ground at a mighty blow from Big Brother Guo. The duke was immensely delighted. There and then, he appointed Guo grand master of martial arts, a position superior to that of Li Bayu. Big Brother Guo thanked the duke and entered the duke’s service in Henan. For some time thereafter, nothing remarkable happened.

One day, Grand Master Guo was taking a leisurely walk in the busy section of town when he saw a man, seated in front of a restaurant, raving in exaggerated agitation and ordering his men to smash the restaurant. Guo asked the waiter, “Why is this man kicking up such a fuss here?”

The waiter pulled him aside before saying, “This man is Mr. Shang, son of an influential local official. About two weeks ago, he saw my master’s beautiful eighteen-year-old daughter and sent a messenger to pass the word: ‘My mother invites the young lady over for a talk. Should your family be in need of money, please let us know.’ My master said, ‘I’d rather die than sell my daughter!’ Angry at the father’s refusal, Mr. Shang is now here to pick a fight.” At these words, Big Brother Guo

Stepping forward, Master Guo addressed Mr. Shang in these words: “Benevolence is the essential quality in man. Even evil thoughts harbored in the dark do not escape the gods’ eyes, which are as bright as lightning. You must not let desire for women make you deviate from the right way. Humble though I am, I ask that you mount your horse and be on your way.”

The young man asked gru›y, “Who are you?”

“I am Guo Wei, grand master of martial arts under Duke Fu of Henan.”

Mr. Shang shot back, “You have no jurisdiction over me, nor do I over you. Why meddle in my a airs? Come on, men! Beat up this fellow for me!”

Big Brother Guo responded hotly, “How can you treat me like this, when I was o ering you advice out of the best intentions! You don’t know what kind of a man you are dealing with!” Grabbing the young man with his left hand, he pulled out a small knife with his right hand. As his hand went down, what, you may ask, happened to Mr. Shang?

In his attempt to right a wrong, Grand Master Guo killed Mr. Shang. Mr. Shang’s followers fled from the scene, whereas Guo himself made his way straight to the yamen of Henan Prefecture to turn himself in to the authorities. To Duke Fu, who held the court session, Guo reported, “I am here to ask for punishment, for I killed a brute of a man who was bullying people.”

After learning all the details of the incident, the duke had Guo put in a long cangue and taken to the Office of Criminal Justice to await punishment. How do we know that the Office of Criminal Justice was a terror of a place?

On that very day, Guo’s case was handled by a clerk named Wang Xiu. Once brought into the hall, the criminal was tied up for questioning. Presently, at an order from Duke Fu, Wang Xiu went into a side hall, where the duke gave him a few words of instruction and wrote something with his brush-pen on the desk. Wang Xiu saw that he had written, “Be lenient with Guo Wei.”

“I will act according to the rules of the law,” said Wang Xiu. Abruptly, the duke went behind the screen and left. Terrified, Wang Xiu called out, “Yes, sir!” and returned dejectedly to his office, where he laid his head on his arms on the table to go to sleep. As he did so, his eyes fell upon a small red snake wriggling merrily on the table. “How strange!” he muttered to himself. Yet, however hard he tried to drive it away, the snake always managed to stay ahead of him, adjusting its pace with his. Upon reaching a cell on the east side, the snake slithered onto Big Brother Guo’s cangue, into his nose, and through all the seven apertures in his head. Wang Xiu found the prisoner covered in red light and purple mist. His mind not yet registering the significance of what he saw, Wang Xiu suddenly woke up and found himself still in his room.

It is a matter of truth that sleep is often a state induced by worry over some thorny problems or anxiety over personal financial difficulties. That is why the written character for sleepiness [kun] is associated with poverty and worry rather than with joy and happiness. After the dream, Wang Xiu thought to himself, “No wonder Duke Fu told me to be lenient with the man. It does indeed take one great man to recognize another.” After giving much thought to the matter, Wang Xiu was still not able to come up with a plan to let Guo go. The fact was, Big Brother Guo was destined to su er many hardships before his rise to eminence. He had lost his father when he was small and then followed his mother to Luzhou, where she married into the Chang family. Later, an incident prompted him to leave Hebei. It was after a multitude of setbacks that he became a grand master through the kind intervention of Duke Fu, and yet he got himself into trouble again by meddling in other people’s a airs.

As night fell, a local resident’s house caught fire. Wang Xiu knitted his brows and came up with a plan that helped Guo escape from prison. What was the plan? Truly,

When the house caught fire at night, Wang Xiu hastened to report to the duke his intention to let Guo go in the midst of the confusion and to attribute his escape to the fire. The duke was greatly delighted, for he had already written an order to Wang to release Guo on some pretext, an order that he now gave Wang, who accordingly proceeded to the prison, where he took the cangue o Big Brother Guo, gave him a cap to wear, and handed over the duke’s letter to him, saying, “The duke wants you to go without the slightest delay to Bianjing to see Mr. Liu, commandant of the palace guards.” The fire had still not subsided when Guo was out of the prison. Taking advantage of the commotion, he rushed to his former office to gather together some money and personal belongings before setting out that very night for Bianjing, Kaifeng Prefecture.

In a few days’ time, he arrived in Kaifeng and found lodging. The following morning, he betook himself to the office of the Palace Command²⁸ to wait for an opportunity to present the letter of recommendation. It was a considerable time before Commandant Liu returned from a session in the court. There, for all to see, were

This was, then, the procession of Liu Zhiyuan, commandant of the imperial guards. Stepping forward, Big Brother Guo called out some words of salute and said, “Duke Fu of the Western Capital has a letter for you. Would you be kind enough to read it?”

Commandant Liu had one of his men take the letter and follow him into the yamen. Having opened and read the letter, Commandant Liu summoned Guo, the bearer of the letter, into the hall for an exchange of greetings. Judging by Guo Wei’s refined looks, the marshal knew that he was looking at a man destined for a great career. He kept Guo as his aide-de-camp, for which Guo Wei bowed in gratitude.

Some days later, Commandant Liu was returning to the yamen with his troops when he passed by the residence of the Prime Minister Sang Weihan at a moment when Sang and his wife were looking out onto the street from the street-viewing windows installed by the gate. With Liu Zhiyuan leading the way, the procession of three hundred men was indeed an awe-inspiring sight. Looking at her husband, the lady said, “Did you see him?”

“That must be Commandant Liu,” said Sang Weihan.

The lady continued, “With such airs, this man must be holding a higher position than you are.”

Sang Weihan dismissed her remark with a laugh: “He is but a military man not worthy of any attention. Just watch me summon him and make him bow in deference.” ([Illegible] the beauty herself [illegible] without realizing that she, in turn, may not be to the liking of some others. This is what happens, in most cases, to eminent figures falling from power.)

“If you can really do that,” said the wife, “I will drink a toast to you. If not, you will drink a toast to me,” whereupon Sang Weihan ordered his men to summon Commandant Liu.

In the meantime, he had a pair of boots placed behind the curtain. The messenger caught up with the commandant and said, “The prime minister summons you.” Immediately, Liu Zhiyuan proceeded to the prime minister’s mansion, dismounted from horseback, and entered the hall, where he bowed and called out a greeting. Indeed,

Commandant Liu waited for a long time in the hall without receiving any further instructions. The fact was that Sang Weihan and his wife were so wrapped up in their drinking that they forgot to give further orders, and no one dared remind them. When evening set in, Commandant Liu could do no more than return to his own yamen. In a fit of anger, he burst out, “A true man who has gained his fame and fortune through his bow and battle-horse is now insulted by a pedantic scholar-official!” At the fifth watch, upon the first light of dawn, he was approaching the imperial court for the morning session when he saw Sang Weihan dismount from horseback and enter the hall. Anger flared up in Liu Zhiyuan. “He insulted me yesterday by making me salute his boots,” he seethed. “How can he have the nerve to face me today!” Boiling with rancor, he treated Sang Weihan with disrespect during the court session, as a consequence of which he was sent away by the emperor to serve in Taiyuan as a regional commander. Now all this is less about Liu Zhiyuan’s assumption of a post in Taiyuan than about Shi Hongzhao’s later rise to eminence and wealth, as dictated by destiny. Truly,

Assigned as regional commander for Taiyuan, Liu Zhiyuan left the capital and chose a day to set o on the journey to his new post. He was to lead the way with his close subordinates and attendants, while Aide-de-Camp Guo was to bring up the rear and take care of the women, children, and baggage. And so they set out on the journey.

Thus they advanced, winding their way over hills and across rivers. As they approached a forest, they saw

Commandant Liu was about to pass through when a group of men appeared in front of him and blocked the way. Much taken aback, Commandant Liu took them to be robbers and was on the point of ordering his men to charge forward when the group of men spread out in a row and called out a respectful greeting. Their leader said, “The Division of Palace Guards sent me, Sergeant Shi Hongzhao, here to welcome you and escort you to Taiyuan.” Impressed with Shi Hongzhao’s looks as a man of heroic mettle, Liu Zhiyuan kept him as an aide-de-camp. In a few days, Shi Hongzhao arrived in Taiyuan with the commandant. When the women and children also arrived, Shi Hongzhao saw Aide-de-camp Guo and threw himself upon the ground in salutation. Thus the sworn brothers saw each other again, both as aides-de-camp with Commandant Liu as their patron. Later, after the Khitans²⁹ conquered the Later [Eastern] Jin dynasty, Commandant Liu led his army into Bian, with Shi and Guo as vanguards. They expelled the Khitans, and Commandant Liu took over the throne from the Later Jin, calling the new dynasty the Later Han. Henceforth, Shi Hongzhao rose in rank until he became commander of the regions of Shan, Hua, Song, and Bian. The riches and glories that he enjoyed defy description:

The above story is told as old storytellers in the capital tell it. According to his biography in The History of the Five Dynasties, edited by Ouyang Xiu, Shi Hongzhao started as just another soldier chosen from every seventh household, as was the rule toward the end of the Later Liang dynasty. A subordinate of the commander in charge of the Vanguard Battalion, he was later selected for the imperial army. Then he rose to be a sergeant under the command of Liu Zhiyuan (later to become Emperor Gaozu of the Later Han), who, when he was in command of Taiyuan sometime later, promoted him to be a military commander and the prefect of Leizhou. On the strength of his meritorious service, he rose to be military commissioner of the Army of Loyalty and Bravery, and infantry commander-in-chief of the palace guards. From that position he was transferred to be commander-in-chief of the calvary and infantry of the palace guards, commissioner of the Pledged Allegiance Army, and assistant to the director of the Grand Secretariat before he finally became director of the Grand Secretariat. By the time Guo Wei, Emperor Taizu of the Later Zhou dynasty, took the throne, Shi Hongzhao had passed away, but was enfeo ed posthumously as prince of Zheng. There is a poem that says,