Chapter One: The Taoist Courtyard Crowded by Plum-Blossom Seekers — Ink Orchids Painted in the Perfumed Tower, a Name Bestowed

A lyric to the tune "Xijiang Yue":

A young gentleman sojourning in Qinling,

Meets a beauty of the southern land.

A treacherous villain bears his grudge and pours his slanders in,

Scattering the pair of mandarin ducks asunder.

The world is turned upside down,

And a benighted, wicked ruler holds sway.

A loyal woman's blood is splashed upon a fan —

Within the Qizhen Monastery she follows her heart's calling.

— "Xijiang Yue"

It is told that in the final years of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming dynasty, there lived a young scholar by the name of Hou Fangyu, courtesy name Chaozong, a native of Guide Prefecture in Henan. His family had held distinguished office for generations; his grandfather had served as Grand Master of Imperial Sacrifices, and his father as Minister of Public Works. His looks were such that admirers would have pelted his carriage with fruit; his talent was such that he might have composed a poem in seven paces. But when the rebel bandits of Li Zicheng spread chaos through the land, he sat for the southern metropolitan examinations and, to his misfortune, failed to pass. With war and smoke of battle still unsettled, he had no choice but to make his temporary home by the water's edge, lodging near the lake, spending his days composing verses and drinking wine for diversion. Often in his leisure from study, he would close his books with a sigh and say to himself: "I, Hou Chaozong, am past the age of twenty. I study far from home, my career and fame still unrealized, my homeland distant. To make matters worse, a beautiful woman is hard to find, and a good marriage remains unforged. When I dwell on all this, I cannot help but heave a long sigh!" He was fortunate, however, in that Chen Dingsheng of Yixing and Wu Ciwei of Guichi were close friends from their literary society, lodging in the bookshop of Cai Yizang, and they visited one another frequently, so that he was not altogether lonely.

Now it so happened that he had arranged to go with Chen and Wu to the Taoist courtyard at Yecheng to view the plum blossoms. The weather that day was clear and bright. He changed his clothes and set out early to keep the appointment, instructing his book-boy to mind the lodgings, then went out toward the Yecheng Taoist courtyard. Along the way he saw emerald grasses rippling in the breeze, green willows draping the ground, and pleasure-seekers — gentlemen and ladies — strolling in groups of two and three, each carrying flasks of fine wine, none failing to drink and make merry. Just as he was taking in the scene, he suddenly heard someone call out: "Brother Hou, a man of his word — you are indeed early!" Chaozong looked up and saw it was Chen and Wu, and the three exchanged bows in greeting. Chaozong turned to Wu Ciwei and asked: "Brother Ciwei, have you any news of the rebel bandits?" Ciwei replied: "I saw in yesterday's official gazette that the bandits have defeated our troops repeatedly and are pressing ever closer to the capital. The Marquis of Ningnan, Zuo Liangyu, is a family friend and intimate of mine; yet he has already withdrawn his army to Xiangyang. With no one to hold the Central Plains, the overall situation cannot be asked about." The three men sighed together in unison: "With things so dire, when will peace ever come?" Then Chen said to the other two: "We know not when peace will come, but spring's beauty is here to delight us. Let us seize this moment of carefree pleasure and enjoy the outing!" The three set off shoulder to shoulder toward the Yecheng Taoist courtyard — but then Chen's book-boy came hurrying up to report: "Gentlemen, there is no point going! The Young Masters Wei and Xu have invited guests to view the blossoms and have completely filled the great courtyard. Please turn back!" The three, hearing this, felt their spirits dampened and halted, lingering in place. And truly:

To the peach-blossom spring another has gone first;

No fate have I for that immortal realm — I turn back for now.

So the three men, stymied by the book-boy's report, found themselves at a loss. Hou Chaozong, who had long been entertaining thoughts of seeking out a beautiful woman, turned to Chen and Wu and said: "Since things are thus, shall we go together to the riverside pleasure houses on the Qinhuai and seek out some fair company? That might be diverting enough — what say you both?" Wu Ciwei said: "No need to go so far. Do you know that Liu Jingting of Taizhou excels at storytelling, and has been appreciated by Grand Marshal Fan of Wuqiao and Chief Minister He of Tongcheng? I hear he is lodging here at present — why not go and listen to him for a while, as a form of entertainment?" Chaozong frowned at this suggestion and said: "That Liu the Pockmarked has become a house-guest of that eunuch-lackey Ruan the Bearded One. I would rather not listen to a man of that sort." Ciwei replied: "You have not yet heard the whole story. That Ruan the Bearded One, having slipped through the net of justice, refuses to retire and keep a low profile, and still harbors female entertainers within his den, cultivating connections among officials at court. I composed a placard entitled 'Defense of Order in the Jin Capital,' publicly condemning his crimes. When those hangers-on at his gate heard that he was of the party of Cui Chengxiu and Wei Zhongxian, they departed before the tune was done, shaking out their sleeves and dispersing entirely. This Liu the Pockmarked was among them — is he not to be admired?" Chaozong, hearing this, was startled: "Ah! I had no idea there were heroes even among that crowd. We ought to go pay him a visit!" So they had the boy-servant lead the way, and all went together to Liu the Pockmarked's home.

When they arrived at the gate, the servant knocked, and Liu the Pockmarked opened the door. Seeing it was the three gentlemen — Chen Dingsheng and his companions — he invited them inside. They seated themselves in order and Liu asked: "Who is this gentleman? I have never had the pleasure." Wu Ciwei said: "This is Hou Chaozong of Henan, a celebrated man of letters of our day! He has long admired your reputation and has come specially to receive your instruction." Liu the Pockmarked said: "I dare not presume to such praise! You gentlemen are learned scholars, broadly versed in all things — and you come to listen to an old man's rustic talk!" The three said: "No need for such modesty — we earnestly request your instruction." Liu said: "Since you have graced me with your visit, I dare not refuse. I only fear that my unpolished, colloquial performance will be unworthy of your ears. There is nothing for it — let me take a chapter from the Analects that you gentlemen have read, and tell it in my fashion." He then moved a table to the center of the room, took up his drum-board and wake-block, and proceeded to perform the chapter "The Grand Music-master Zhi Went to Qi" from beginning to end. Chen Dingsheng exclaimed: "Marvelous! Could any regulated commentary or lecture on this text be so vivid and penetrating? A truly peerless art!" Ciwei said: "Jingting has only just left Ruan's service and is unwilling to take another patron — and so he demonstrates his principles through his art." Hou Chaozong said: "I can see that Jingting's character is of the highest order, his spirit free and unencumbered — he is one of our kind, and storytelling is merely his secondary gift!" Jingting, hearing the others' praises, rose to his feet and said: "My old man's rough and common performance — I am embarrassed and grateful for your undeserved compliments!" Chaozong then asked Jingting: "Yesterday, who were the friends who left Ruan's mansion along with you?" Jingting answered: "The rest have scattered, but Su Kunsheng, who is skilled in singing, still lodges nearby and is currently teaching songs in a pleasure-house." Hearing of someone teaching songs in a pleasure-house, Chaozong's heart was already stirred. He said to Jingting: "I should like to pay that person a visit as well — I hope you will guide me." With that the three took their leave of Jingting and went their separate ways. And Hou Chaozong resolved firmly that he would seek out a pleasure quarter — but he did not know which was the finest establishment in the capital.

Now it is said that in the capital, along the two shores of the Qinhuai River, where willows lined both banks and pleasure houses were plentiful, there lived the families of flower-and-moon entertainers. Among them was a matron by the surname Li, styled Zhenli, who was the foremost among the pleasure-house mistresses of her quarter. She had raised a foster daughter, then just sixteen years of age — gentle, delicate, and small; she had only lately begun to attend banquets set with tortoiseshell cups, yet in her modest bashfulness had not yet entered the embroidered curtains. Though she dwelt in a pleasure house, she was still untouched, and her nature was by disposition pure and upright — she would never lightly receive guests. Now there was a dismissed magistrate named Yang Wencong, courtesy name Longyou, who was a brother-in-law of Ma Shiying, Superintendent of Fengyang, and had sworn brotherhood with Ruan Dacheng, who resided in the place called "Trouser Crotch Lane." Yang was an old acquaintance of Li Zhenli and was accustomed to coming and going freely in her house. He had noticed that Zhenli's daughter was of extraordinary beauty and was approaching the age of first coiffure, and that no one had yet come to perform that ceremony. He had been keeping an eye out for a suitable young talent, a man of romantic refinement, to be invited in as her patron — but we need not belabor that for now. On this particular bright spring day, Longyou had nothing to do and wished to visit Li Zhenli's home for idle conversation to relieve his ennui. When he arrived inside the gate, he saw the courtyard alive with people drinking merrily, the whole yard full of spring's richness, intoxicating to behold. He called out: "Is Sister Zhenli at home?" Hearing his call, Zhenli recognized it as Yang Longyou's voice — an old friend — and welcomed him upstairs to her daughter's dressing chamber.

Coming up to the upper story, Longyou saw the four walls covered with countless poems written there as gifts. He was about to examine them more closely when Zhenli's daughter appeared before him, her morning toilette just completed, moving with captivating charm, and offered him a respectful bow. Longyou praised her to Zhenli: "Your daughter looks even more lovely than the last time I saw her, some days past!" Not yet having sat down, he turned to look at the wall again and said approvingly: "No wonder there are tributes." Looking at the poetic inscriptions on the left wall, he exclaimed in surprise: "Zhang Tianru, Xia Yizhong — these great names have all left her dedications. I, a minor official, cannot do less than match a verse." He took up brush and paper, hummed and pondered a while, then said: "I cannot do them justice. Better to restrain myself and spare my clumsiness. Let me paint an ink orchid to ornament the bare wall instead." He noticed on the right wall a painting of a jutting rock by Lantian Jing, and said: "This is a famous man's painting. I shall write beside the rock and borrow its setting as a complement." Before long he had finished the orchid painting, and turned to ask Zhenli: "What is your daughter's given name? I need it for the inscription." Zhenli smiled: "She is young and has no courtesy name. We ask you, Sir, to grace her with a pair of characters." Longyou pondered a moment, then said: "The Zuo Commentary tells us: the orchid bears a kingdom's fragrance. What do you think of 'Xiangjun' — Fragrant Lady?" Zhenli said: "Wonderful! Many thanks, Lord Yang!" Longyou smiled again: "Now the tower has a name too." He then wrote his inscription: "In the middle spring of the Chongzhen guiwei year, I chanced to paint an ink orchid in the Meixiang Tower, to draw a smile from Xiangjun. Yang Wencong of Guizhou." Zhenli and Xiangjun rose and gave their thanks: "Painting and calligraphy are both exquisite — a double masterpiece. With this fine painting, our humble tower shines all the more!" They had wine and refreshments arranged, and Longyou lingered to appreciate the spring scene — but we need not dwell on that.

Now while Longyou was upstairs drinking and conversing, he suddenly heard someone downstairs talking to himself: "Since I left Ruan's gate, I have transferred my talents to a pleasure-house, serving as a singing-teacher for a beautiful girl — is that not better than being an adopted hanger-on? Truly:

At leisure in the emerald chamber I teach the parrot to speak;

Too lazy to stand before the vermilion gates admiring the peonies.

Today I should rehearse the songs — let me go up." Coming upstairs and seeing Longyou, he started: "I did not know Lord Yang was here — forgive me for not coming to meet you sooner, forgive me!" Longyou, seeing it was Su Kunsheng, asked with surprise: "Where have you been since leaving Ruan's gate? It has been too long since we last met — I am so glad to see you now!" They exchanged courtesies and sat down. Longyou asked: "How does Kunsheng find the leisure to be here at ease?" Before Kunsheng could reply, Zhenli cut in and said to Longyou: "This is Master Su, engaged by our house to teach my daughter the songs of opera — he has been with us for over half a month." Longyou said: "Your daughter is a peerless national beauty; with Kunsheng teaching her the lyrics and arts of music, there is no fear she will not become a celebrated courtesan." He turned to Kunsheng: "Congratulations on gaining such a matchless pupil. May I ask what repertoire you are teaching?" Kunsheng said: "The Four Dreams of the Jade Tea-plant Hall." Longyou asked: "How much has she learned?" Kunsheng said: "Half of The Peony Pavilion." He then said to Xiangjun: "Since Lord Yang is here, come and sing along with me — let us seek his guidance." Xiangjun moved her chair close to Kunsheng and performed, one by one, all the arias she had learned, each rendered with perfection. Yang Longyou was so delighted his face glowed with the brightness of spring. He said to Zhenli: "Your daughter is brilliantly gifted — her voice and bearing are both exquisite. If only the right man could be found to be her patron, they would truly be a talented gentleman and a lovely lady, a perfect match made by heaven!" He then turned to Kunsheng: "Yesterday I happened to meet Hou Chaozong, son of the Minister of Works Hou, from Henan. He is well-provided with funds, a talented gentleman of romantic temperament, just twenty-one years old, and is presently here seeking out a distinguished beauty. Does old Kun know of him?" Kunsheng said: "He is from a noble family of my home region — and indeed a remarkable talent." Longyou said: "Yesterday I happened to mention your pupil's situation in passing, and Chaozong was very moved. I wonder if Zhenli would be willing to receive him?" Zhenli said: "If such a young gentleman is willing to be her patron, it would be the finest thing imaginable — how could I possibly refuse? I beg Lord Yang to exert himself on our behalf and bring this matter to a happy conclusion; we shall naturally repay the kindness!" Longyou, pleased to hear this, drank a few more cups, then rose and took his leave of Xiangjun and Kunsheng and went downstairs. Zhenli remained in her own room for a small drink to enjoy the spring scenery. Kunsheng also retired to his room. And truly:

Willow catkins fill the courtyard, dancing before the curtains;

A cup of fragrant wine lingers sweetly long.

When Hou Chaozong and Xiangjun will at last meet, the next chapter will make clear.