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COMICS » Scholars - Nho Lâm Ngoại Sử­ [8950]
Chinese Classics Trung QuốcEnglish
Late in the reign of Ch'eng Hua of Ming Dynasty(1487 A.D.),one day right after the Chinese Lantern Festival (The Lantern Festival is usually on Jan.15 of the Chinese lunar calender) a thin,pallid old man in patched clothing arrived in Chou Chia Chi village of Yanchou Prefecture in Shantung Province.His name was Chou Chin,and he had been hired to teach the children of the village.
The school was located in a Buddhist temple.The parents had prepared a welcome feast and been waiting for him for a long time when Chou Chin finally arrived.All of them greeted Chou Chin warmly except for a young man who greeted him aloofly.
Chou Chin asked who the young man was.His name was Mei Chiu and he had just passed the prefectural examination and received the title of "Hsiu Ch'ai".Since Chou Chin was still at T'ung Sheng level (students who had not yet passed the prefectural examination,regardless of age,were called T'ung Sheng,or "child student,") he didn't want to take the seat of honour.But the parents said:"Mr.Chou is the oldest one among us.So please take your seat,Mr.Chou. Don't be so modest."
Mei Chiu corrected the parents,saying that in accordance with the established practice among scholars,those who had passed of the examination were called "Old schoolmates" even if they were only 10 years old,but those who had not passed were called "Little schoolmates" even if they were more than 80 years old.Therefore,an "old schoolmate" usually did not defer to a "little schoolmate" when they met even if the latter was older.As he listened,Chou Chin turned red with embarrassment.
After the feast,a father named Shen hsiang-fu explained to Chou Chin that the school would open the next day.There were two empty rooms behind the temple;one could be used as the classroom and the other would be Chou Chin's bedroom.He would eat his meals with the monk from the temple.He was also told that his annual payment was 12 ounced of silver.Then the parents passed red paper envelops to Chou Chin.
That evening Chou Chin sat by a single lamp feeling very sad as he recalled Mei Chiu's attitude towards him.He couldn't imagine how he would ever pass the imperial examinations in his lifetime.He sat for a while and then unwrapped the red envelopes and counted the silver pieces given him by the parents.
The amount of silver in each envelope varied from eight one-hundredths of an ounce to 3 one-hundredths.Only one family the Hsun family,had given him a tenth of an ounce.All together there was less than one ounce,which was not even enough for a month's supply of food.Chou Chin rewrapped the silver and gave it to the monk.
Chou Chin began teaching the children in the temple.They were very naughty and ran out to play whenever he wasn't looking.Chou Chin had to be very patient.
Soon,the Pure Brightness Festival came (Note:This is a traditional Chinese festival usually celebrated in the spring.) One day after lunch,Chou Chin walked out of the back door of the temple and walked along the river bank.The green of the willows intermingled with the pink of the peach blossoms was a beautiful sight.Seeing this,Chou Chin's heart felt open and clear.
It began to rain and Chou Chin returned to the temple.He continued to gaze at the scenery and soon saw a boat sailing toward the temple.The boat anchored in front of the temple,and a man in satin clothes and a scholar's cap got out of the boat and walked up to the temple with two servants.
When the man entered the temple,he stamped his feet to shake off the mud and dust on his shoes and said,"Well,this must be a school."Chou Chin followed him in and bowed.The man nodded to Chou Chin and said,"I guess you must be the teacher here."Chou Chin answered,"Yes."
Then the man turned to ask,"Where is the monk?"Just at that moment,the monk came in and greeted the man,calling him"Great Lord Wang".Then the monk introduced the man to Chou Chin,"This is Great Lord Wang,who has passed the provincial examination and been promoted to 'Chu Jen.' Could you please sit here with him while I prepare some tea for you?"
Without any modesty,Chu Jen Wang sat down in the seat of honour.Chou Chin sat beside him and they introduced themselves.When Chu Jen Wang heard that Chou Chin had taught a child who had passed the prefectural examination,his face brightened and he said,"I see.Just as I expected."
While they were talking,a pupil named Hsun Mei came in with an exercise for Chou Chin to correct.Chou Chin told the pupil to put it away,but Chu Jen Wang told Chou Chin to go ahead and correct it and he would take care of himself.Then Chou Chin started to correct exercise.
Chu Jen Wang asked his servant to get boxes of food from the boat and asked the monk to cook some rice for his meal.He said,"It is still raining,so I would like to spend the night here."There he went back to see Chou Chin who was still correcting the homework.When Chu Jen Wang saw Hsun Mei's name on the exercise book,he looked startled.Chou Chin was surprised to see this,but he was too embarrassed to ask why and continued to correct the work.
Later Chu Jen Wang Explained that the year before,he had had a dream before the imperial examination.In his dream,the one who had gotten third place was called Hsun Mei.To think the real Hsun Mei was only a child!Chu Jen Wang laughed,"Dreams mean nothing.Only hard word will bring rewards.It is performance that counts."
The servants came in with a box of food and spread out chicken,fish,and duck.Chu Jen Wang ate up all the food and drink without inviting Chou Chin to join him,so Chou Chin continued to work without a glance at Chu Jen Wang.
But one of the students had overheard what Chu Jen Wang had said to Chou Chin about Hsun Mei and told all his friends.Hsun Mei's classmates began to call him "Chu Jen Hsun" as a joke.
The joke was soon discovered by the parents.Shen Hsiang-fu claimed,"Chu Jen Wang never said this.Chou Chin made this up to flatter Hsun Mei's family because they are the richest family in the village."From then on,all the villagers disliked Chou Chin although Chou Chin knew nothing about it.
By the end of the year,Shen Hsiang-fu found an excuse to dismiss Chou Chin,and he returned to his home.
At home,Chou Chin lived a hard life and had barely enough to eat.One day,his sister's husband,Chin You-yu,came to visit him and said,"My dear brother,it seems you will never pass the imperial examinations and get yourself promoted.I need an accountant for my business.Why don't you work for me?This way you won't starve."
Chin You-yu was a merchant who,with several rich partners,sold goods in the capital city of the province.Chou Chin agreed to accompany the merchants to the capital as their accountant.
Chou Chin went with Chin You-yu and his partners to the capital city of the province,where they stayed in a merchant's guild.One day,Chou Chin was strolling along the street and passed by the gate of the imperial examination center.When he saw the gate,his heart began to beat faster.
This was the place that Chou Chin had been dreaming of for a very long time.When he tried to enter,however,the gateman drove him away,saying,"This is not a place you can casually walk into!"
Chou Chin couldn't forget the imperial examination center.In the evening,he begged Chin You-yu to find a way to get him into the center just to look.He told Chin You-ju that just one visit inside would satisfy him for the rest of his life.Chin You-yu was deeply moved and finally agreed to bribe the gateman and then take Chou Chin there for a visit.
The next day,Chin You-yu asked the guild head to act as their guide to the imperial examination center and set off with some other merchants who also wanted to see it.They entered the center without any problem since they had bribed the gateman beforehand.
At the third entrance,the guild head told Chou Chin that this entrance was called "Dragon Gate" because there was an old saying that if a carp jumped upinto the Dragon Gate in the Yellow River,it would become dragon.Those student who passed the examination were like the carp who managed to get through Dragon Gate.
Stroking the gate frame,Chou Chin thought."I will never pass through this gate again."He felt sad and began to sob.
Past the "Dragon Gate",there were numbered examination rooms.The guide told Chou Chin,"Mr.Chou,this is the number one room.Go in and see what it looks like."
When Chou Chin saw the number plates he was reminded of his failure to pass the imperial examinations and the bitter disappointment he had lived with.Chou Chin suddenly struck his head on one of the plates and fell to the floor unconscious.
Some people thought that Chou Chin had been hurt by devils,and everyone tried to revive him.Chin You-yu knew Chou Chin well,and he calmed the others by saying that a bowl of boiled water would wake Chou Chin up.
The guild head got a bowl of water and poured it down Chou Chin's throat,and soon he belched and spit up the water.The others said,"He is waking up now,"and they helped him sit up.
When Chou Chin awoke and saw where he was,he cried loudly and struck his head on the plate again.Chin You-yu stamped his foot and cried,"You are mad,aren't you?You are here only for a visit.Why are you crying so loudly?Nobody has died!"
Chou Chin didn't listen to Chin You-yu.He kept on crying and writhing on the ground,and Chin You-yu became very annoyed.He and the guild head held Chou Chin's arms on both sides and tried to pull him up,but then he began to spit up blood.
Everyone was very worried about Chou Chin.They carried him to a tea house outside of the imperial examination center and sat with him.Chou Chin was still crying,and the passersby wondered what was wrong.One of them asked Chin You-yu why Chou Chin was so sad.Chin You-yu told them Chou Chin had failed the imperial examination repeatedly since he was a young man,and he also explained,"Today,the sight of the imperial examination center broke his heart."
When Chou Chin heard Chin You-yu telling his sad story,he cried even harder.The other merchants all blamed Chin You-yu for having hired Chou Chin as his accountant.(In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.),scholar had higher social status than merchants) Chin You-yu replied with a forced smile."He is poor and he couldn't even find a job as a teacher.I had to give him work."
Then one of the merchants said,"I have heard that imperial college students,the so-called 'Chien Sheng,' can take the provincial examination without passing the prefectural level first.Why don't you buy an imperial college student's credential for Chou Chin?"Chin You-yu replied,"It is a good idea.But it costs several hundred ounces of silver..."
The same merchant said to Chin You-yu,"It is not so difficult.Each of us can contribute fifty ounces of silver for Chou Chin.If more silver is needed,you can add your contribution.But I don't know if Mr. Chou Chin will agree with this solution or not."When Chou Chin heard this,he stopped crying and knelt down before the merchant who had just spoken:"Thank you for your contribution.You are like foster parents who have given me a second life.I will surely repay your kindness."
With the help of the merchants,Chou Chin purchased an imperial college student's credential and became qualified to take the provincial examination in the center.On August 8th of the lunar year,Chou Chin entered the examination center and was very happy to find that his seat was in the number one room where he had so recently cried.
There is an old Chinese saying "Happy news clears the mind."On past examinations,Chou Chin had always felt at a loss of words,but this time,he felt full of inspiration.He finished all seven essays easily.When the results were announced,Chou Chin had passed.Chin You-yu and the other merchants were overjoyed.
Chou Chin wanted to pay a visit to his former teacher and the magistrate of his home rounty.The merchants had sold their goods,so they all decided to go home together.When they arrived,they visited Chou Chin's former teacher and the magistrate of the county.Then all the neighbours came to visit Chou Chin,and some even pretended to be his relatives.Those who had seldom visited Chou Chin before crowded around Chou Chin's house to see him.Chou Chin was kept busy meeting and greeting visitors for many weeks.
The good news had also spread to Chou Chia Chi village.A group headed by Shen Hsiang-fu,collected a chicken,fifty eggs and fried rice and presented it all to Chou Chin to congratulate him.Chou Chin harbored no grudge and hosted them with a feast.
Soon,Chou Chin went to the capital to take the metropolitan examination.Everything he needed was provided by Chin You-yu.Chou Chin passed the metropolitan examination and became a "Chin Shih,"the title conferred on those who pass the highest level.
Three years later,Chou Chin was appointed a senior official in charge of the promotion and impeachment of all imperial officials.Then he was asked to suppervise the imperial examination held in Kuangtung Province.On his way to Kuangtung Province,he was warmly greeted and entertained by local officials.
When Chou Chin arrived at the capital of Kuangtung Province,Kuangchou city,he was warmly greeted by his examiners.He decided to read the examination papers himself because he remembered his own frustrating experience and wanted to make sure no talented student would be overlooked or ignored.
First,Chou Chin went to the temple to pay his respect to Confucius by burning incense.Second,he pasted an announcement of the place and date of the examination.On the day of the examination,Chou Chin counted the students and distributed the examination papers.Chou Chin felt as if he were reliving his own past.
The last student was named Fan Chin.He was thin and pallid with a grey beard.Dressed only in a worn robe,he was trembling in the cold weather.He looked much as Chou Chin had once looked and was almost the same age.Chou Chin greatly sympathized with him.
Chou Chin asked his age and how many times he had taken the imperial examinations.Kneeling before Chou Chin,Fan Chin revealed that he was in fact 54 years old but he had given his age as 30.Starting at the age of twenty,he had taken the imperial examination more than twenty times.Then Chou Chin asked him,"Why haven't you passed the examinations?" Fan Chin answered," Because my poor essays have never been accepted by the examiners."
Fan Chin was the first one to finish his paper.Chou Chin read it carefully but was not satisfied.Chou Chin thought,"An essay of this low quality cannot pass," and then he put it aside.A short while later,before anyone else had finished,Chou Chin thought,"Why don't I read Fan Chin's paper again?If there is any way I can pass his essay,I will do so to reward his will and hard effort."
Reading it for the second time,Chou Chin felt the essay made some sense.Later,after reading it a third time,he said to himself,"The essay is written in an archaic style.Even I couldn't understand it at first.Now I can see it is the best essay of them all.I can imagine now how many talented students have been ignored by poor examiners."
Then Chou Chin took a red brush and corrected the essay with care.He marked it with three circles and finally put it in the first place.
When the results of the imperial examination were announced,Fan Chin had gotten first place.The students who had passed all came to visit Chou Chin to receive his congratulations.Chou Chin gave special praise to Fan Chin.
The next day,Fan Chin escorted Chou Chin for 15 kilometers on his way back to the capital.Before they parted,Chou Chin called Fan Chin to the front of his sedan chair and told him to take the provincial examination the following spring.Fan Chin again kowtowed in thanks.
Feeling melancholy,Fan Chin watched the sedan chair disappeared into the crowd.
Fan Chin returned home and told his mother and wife,Madam Hu,his good news.All of them were happy to hear it.Just then his father-in-law, Butcher Hu,came in with some sausages and a bottle of wine.He said with bad temper,"It must be my good deeds which have made you pass the exam.I have come to congratulate you."
Fan Chin asked his wife to cook the sausages. Butcher Hu said to Fan Chin, "Although you are now called 'Hsiang Kung',you should never flaunt your success in front of others.Many of them are older than you are."Fan Chin replied,"Yes," modestly.
Butcher Hu shared the sausages with Fan Chin's family.During the meal,Butcher Hu sighed and said," It is really a great pity that since my daughter married you,Fan Chin,your family has seldom had the chance to eat dishes cooked with pork oil or meat."
The dinner lasted till it got dark.Butcher Hu got drunk.Fan Chin and his mother expressed their many thanks to him and watched him stagger back home.
Soon,the time for the provincial examination came.Fan Chin went to borrow some money from his father-in-law, Butcher Hu.But Butcher Hu cursed Fan Chin,"A man like you with such a thin face and sharp cheeks like a monkey's will never pass the imperial examination and become a great lord."Fan Chin kept silent.
Fan Chin remembered Chou Chin's advice and was determined to take the exam,so he asked his friends for help.
Fan Chin borrowed some money and went to the city for the provincial examination without telling his father-in-law.
Four hours after Fan Chin left for the market,three heralds on horseback arrived at Fan Chin's house they beat gongs and shouted,"Congratulations to Lord Fan Chin who has passed the provincial examination!"
When Fan Chin's mother realized they were heralds of her son's good news,she invited them in,"Please sit down.I'm sorry,my son has just gone out."The heralds said,"Well,you are the great lord's mother,aren't you," and they asked her to give them some coins or silver for announcing the good news.
Two more groups of heralds rode up to Fan Chin's house.All the heralds and neighbours crowded into the room.Fan Chin's mother had to ask one of the neighbours to go to the market to get Fan Chin.
Fan Chin was still looking for a buyer for the hen when the neighbour found him,"Mr.Fan, congratulations!You have passed the provincial examination. Heralds of the good news are all crowded into your house and your mother asked me to call you back."But Fan Chin thought that the neighbour was teasing him,so he pretended not to hear and walked away.
The neighbour was worried and he caught up with Fan Chin.Fan Chin protested, "Don't tease me.I am trading the hen for rice to feed my family.You are not going to buy the hen,so please leave me alone."The neighbour seized the hen from Fan Chin,threw it onto the ground and dragged Fan Chin back home.
Fan Chin rushed into the house and saw the bulletin on the wall.He read the bulletin carefully twice,and then he suddenly clapped his hands and exclaimed," Aha,I have passed!"The bulletin read:" Congratulation! Great Lord Fan Chin has passed the provincial examination and won the seventh place in Kuangtung Province."
Fan Chin suddenly fainted and fell to the ground.Fan Chin's mother and wife. Madam Hu,poured some boiled water down his throat.
When Fan Chin came to,he stood up and pushed all the people away and shouted with a laugh," Aha,I have passed!" Then he ran out of the house.
They all followed Fan Chin out of the house and saw him struggling out of a pond with dishevelled hair and his clothes wet through.Fan Chin shouted again, "Aha, I have passed!" They looked at each other and said, "He is so happy about his success that he has gone mad."Fan Chin's mother and wife burst into tears.
One of the neighbours consoled Fan Chin's mother and wife with a proposal,"Don't worry.You should first send two people to follow Great Lord Fan Chin and look after him.The others can bring wine and eggs to entertain the heralds.Then we can sit down and decide what to do." Everyone agreed with this proposal.
Then all the neighbours brought eggs or wine.Some even brought tables and chairs and invited the heralds to sit down and drink.The unhappy Madam Hu stayed in the kitchen cooking and sobbing.
Soon,the wine and eggs were ready.The heralds were entertained with a good meal.The neighbours started to discuss Fan Chin's problem.One of the heralds joined the talk and said,"I have seen a man who had the same problem as Fan Chin.Fan Chin is now so happy that he is choked by some phlegm.If we can find someone whom Fan Chin is afraid of to slap him in the face and tell him it has all been a joke.Surely he will be shocked by the bad news,and he will cough up the phlegm.Then he will be all right."
The neighbours all agreed that Fan Chin was afraid of his father-in-law and they decided to call Butcher Hu for help.Just at that moment,Butcher Hu came in with four kilograms of pork and four or five strings of coins to congratulate Fan Chin.Everyone said,"Speak of the Devil!" Butcher Hu greeted them all and walked into the house.
Fan Chin's mother told Butcher Hu all about Fan Chin's madness.Butcher Hu said with great surprise, "Why does Fan Chin always have bad luck like this?" Butcher Hu was about to ask more questions,but he heard a call from outside. "Uncle Hu,please come out and listen to us." Butcher Hu handed the pork to his daughter and went out of the house.
The neighbours told Butcher Hu about their plan.Butcher Hu said,"In the past,this would not have been a problem.But now Fan Chin has become a Great Lord and the Great Lord is considered to be a star from heaven.I am told that if I beat a star from heaven,I will be sent to the eighteenth Hell by the King of Hell."
The herald who had made the proposal said, "Uncle Hu,you must do this to save him." Everyone tried to convince Butcher Hu to change his mind,and finally he agreed.
Having drunk two cups of wine to boost his courage, Butcher Hu, accompanied by about six neighbours,set off with a fierce look on his face.Fan Chin's mother warned him, "Please just threaten Fan Chin.Don't hurt him!" All the neighbours said,"Of course," and then ran after Butcher Hu.
They found Fan Chin in the market with a dirty face and only one shoe.Fan Chin was still shouting, "Aha,I have passed!" Butcher Hu rolled up his sleeves and slapped Fan Chin in the face.He roared," Fan Chin,you damned idiot,what have you passed?"
Fan Chin was knocked out by Butcher Hu's blow,and he fell to the ground. Everyone crowded around him and tried to revive him.Feeling his hand stinging from the blow, Butcher Hu said to himself, "It is true that I must not beat a star from heaven."
Fan Chin finally woke up and coughed several times.Then his eyes turned bright,and he was no longer mad.He asked "Where am I?" People told him what had happened and advised him, "Now go home and thank the heralds."
Fan Chin suddenly saw his father-in-law standing beside him and feared he would be cursed again,but Butcher Hu explained,"My great son-in-law,just now I didn't want to slap you in the face.It was your mother's idea.She asked me to wake you up in this way."The neighbours confirms that Butcher Hu was telling the truth.Then Fan Chin started to believe that he really had passed the provincial examination.
One of the neighbours found Fan Chin's missing shoe while others got a basin of water so he could wash his face. Fan Chin combed his own hair.When he was ready,they all returned to Fan Chin's house.
On their way home, Butcher Hu bragged about his insight in having chosen such a good son-in-law who was so handsome and intelligent. He also remarked on how his daughter had had the good luck to marry a "Great Lord" though she was more than thirty.He kept reaching forward to straighten out the back of Fan Chin's robe to show off his kindness towards his son-in-law.
When they reached the house, Butcher Hu called loudly, "The Great Lord is coming." Everyone ran out of the house to see that her son was no longer mad.Fan Chin asked,"Where are the heralds?"He was told,"They have gone off with the coins given them by Butcher Hu." Fan Chin then thanked his mother, father-in-law and neighbours.
Just at that moment,a stranger came into the house with a red envelope in his hand and called loudly,"Great Lord Chang is now coming to pay a special visit to Great Lord Fan." The full name of "Great Lord Chang" was Chang Ching-chai.He had passed the provincial examination,and he had once been the magistrate of the county. Butcher Hu hid himself in another room,and the neighbours dispersed.
Fan Chin invited Chang Ching-chai into the house.They greeted each other and then sat on the host and guest seats respectively. Chang Ching-chai first congratulated Fan Chin and then said that Fan Chin's teacher had been his grandfather's students; therefore,he and Fan Chin should feel as close as brothers.
Chang Ching-chai took out a packet of silver and gave it to Fan Chin.He also proposed to give him an empty house of six rooms.The house was located on the main street near the eastern city gate.He said if Fan Chin moved there,he would be able to learn from him.Faced with such a gift,Fan Chin felt he could not accept it.
Chang Ching-chai said to Fan Chin again and again,"We are good friends just like brothers.It will be impolite if you reject my gift.It will look as though you are treating me like a stranger." Hearing this Fan Chin felt compelled to accept the house.
After Chang Ching-chai's departure, Butcher Hu came out of hiding.Fan Chin asked his wife to unwrap the red package and they found fifty ounces of shining silver inside.Fan Chin took out two pieces of silver for Butcher Hu and said, "Thank you for giving money to the heralds. Here is six ounces of silver for you as a refund for your coins."
Butcher Hu grasped the silver tightly and then suddenly released his hand and pretended to be embarrassed to accept it.Fan Chin said,"I have my own silver.If need some,I can borrow it from you.You keep this silver now.Don't be modest and hesitate to accept it." Then Butcher Hu accepted the silver and said, "Since you are now Great Lord Chang's friend,surely you will always have as much silver as you need."
Butcher Hu added a smile, "Great Lord Chang is my main customer.He buys 2000 kilograms of meat from me annually." Then he turned to his daughter and said," This morning,when I set off to congratulate your husband,your brother didn't want me to bring money.Now I can go home and show him the silver I have here." Butcher Hu expressed his thanks and returned home with smile.
From then on,many people came to visit Fan Chin and offer him farmland and shops.Some from impoverished families came and demanded to be his servants. Great Lord Chang Ching-chai urged Fan Chin to move into his empty house. All this kept Fan Chin very busy.
In about one month,Fan Chin moved into his new house and started a new life as a feudal noble.For three days,he entertained his guests with feasts and operas to celebrate his success.
On the fourth day,Fan Chin's mother went into the kitchen and saw her daughter-in-law watching the servant girls wash the dishes and chopsticks.She said to them,"Be careful, don't break anything.They don't belong to us."
The servant girls laughed and said," Dear aunt,they don't belong to anyone else. These things, including ourselves, all belong to your family now.Everything is yours." Hearing this,Fan Chin's mother examined all the dishes carefully,and then she suddenly burst into a fit of laughter.
Fan Chin's mother suddenly choked and fell down on the ground.Her daughter-in-law and all the servant girls didn't know what to do and called for Fan Chin.
Fan Chin's mother died that evening.Fan Chin mourned not only for his mother but also for his lost opportunity. According to the regulations at that time,he could not take the metropolitan examination held that autumn due to the death of his mother in the same year.He would have to mourn for three years before he could take the examination.Late in the reign of Ch'eng Hua of Ming Dynasty(1487 A.D.),one day right after the Chinese Lantern Festival (The Lantern Festival is usually on Jan.15 of the Chinese lunar calender) a thin,pallid old man in patched clothing arrived in Chou Chia Chi village of Yanchou Prefecture in Shantung Province.His name was Chou Chin,and he had been hired to teach the children of the village.
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