Slapping the Table in Amazement: A Ming Dynasty Story Collection

926 Pages·2018·17.27 MB·English

by  Mengchu Ling

Slapping the Table in Amazement
拍案驚奇

s l a p p i n g
t h e t a b l e i n
a m a z e m e n t
A Ming Dynasty Story Collection
Ling Mengchu (1580–1644)
translated by Shuhui Yang and Yunqin Yang
introduction by Robert E. Hegel
University of
Washington Press
Seattle and London
Slapping the Table in Amazement was made possible in part by generous grants
from Bates College, the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International
Scholarly Exchange, and the James P. Geiss Foundation, a nonprofit founda-
tion that sponsors research on China’s Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
Copyright © 2018 by the University of Washington Press
Printed and bound in the United States of Amer i ca
Composed in Alegreya, typeface designed by Juan Pablo del Peral
Jacket design: Michel Vrana
Jacket illustration: Based on the illustration Zhang Derong Encounters a Tiger Sent by the Gods as a Matchmaker,
from a facsimile edition of the 1628 edition of Pai’an jingqi.
22 21 20 19 18 5 4 3 2 1
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
University of Washington Press
www . washington . edu/ uwpress
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data on file
isbn (hardcover): 978-0-295-74212-0
isbn (paperback): 978-0-295-74213-7
isbn (ebook): 978-0-295-74214-4
Contents
Acknowle dgments ix
Introduction by Robert E. Hegel xi
Translators’ Note xix
List of Illustrations xxi
Chronology of Chinese Dynasties xxiii
Slapping the Table in Amazement
Preface [1628 Edition] 3
Five Editorial Princi ples for This Collection 5
1. The Man Whose Luck Has Turned Chances upon
Dongting Tangerines; The Merchant from Persia
Reveals the Secrets of a Turtle Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2. Yao Dizhu Flees from Disgrace Only to Incur More Disgrace;
Zhang Yue’e Uses a M istake to Advance Her Own Interests. . . . . . . . 37
3. Liu Dongshan Brags about His Prowess at the City Gate;
Eigh teenth Brother Leaves His Mark in the Village Tavern . . . . . . . . 65
4. Cheng Yuanyu Pays for a Meal at a Restaurant;
Lady Eleventh Explains Swordsmanship on Mount Cloud. . . . . . . . . 79
5. Zhang Derong Encounters a Tiger Sent by the Gods
as a Matchmaker; Pei Yueke Becomes the Lucky Mate
Just in Time for the Blissful Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
6. Zhao the Nun Drugs a Beauty into a Stupor;
Jia the Scholar Takes Revenge in a Brilliant Move. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
7. Emperor Minghuang of Tang, a Daoist Devotee,
Seeks Out Eminent Daoists; Consort Wu, a Buddhist Disciple,
Witnesses Contests of Magic Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
8. General Wu Repays the Debt of One Meal;
Chen Dalang Re unites with Two Loved Ones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
9. In the Director’s Garden, Young Ladies Enjoy a Swing- Set Party;
At Pure and Peaceful T emple, Husband and Wife Laugh
and Cry at Their Reunion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
10. Scholar Han Takes a Wife in a Wave of Panic;
Prefect Wu Makes a Match for a Talented Scholar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
11. An Evil Boatman Commits Blackmail with a Dead Body;
A Heartless Servant Wrongfully Presses Murder Charges . . . . . . . . 215
12. Mr. Tao Takes In Strangers Seeking Shelter from the Rain;
Jiang Zhenqing Gains a Wife with a Jest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
13. Mr. Zhao Spoils His Son and Dies as a Result;
Magistrate Zhang Sentences an Unfilial Son to Death
in an Ironclad Case. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
14. To Steal Money, Yu Dajiao Does Vio lence to a Drunken Man;
To Confront the Culprit in Court, Yang Hua Attaches
Himself to a Woman’s Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
15. With His Merciless Heart, Squire Wei Plots to Seize Another
Man’s Property; With His Clever Plan, Scholar Chen Wins
Back His House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .292
16. Zhang Liu’er Lays One of His Many Traps;
Lu Huiniang Severs a Bond of Marriage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
17. Prayer Ser vices Are Held at West Hill T emple for a
Departed Soul; A Coffin Is Prepared in the
Kaifeng Yamen for a Living Criminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
18. An Alchemist Turns Half a Grain of Millet into a Nine- Cycle Pill;
A Rich Man Squanders Thousands of Taels of Silver to Win
a Beauty’s Smile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
19. Li Gongzuo Ingeniously Reads a Dream;
Xie Xiao’e Cleverly Snares Pirates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
20. Li Kerang Sends a Blank Letter;
Liu Yuanpu Begets Two Precious Sons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
21. Yuan’s Face- Reading Skills Impress the High and Mighty;
Zheng’s Good Deed Wins Him a Hereditary Title. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
22. With Money, a Commoner Gains an Official Post;
Out of Luck, a Prefect Becomes a Boatman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463
23. The Older S ister’s Soul Leaves Her Body to Fulfill a Wish;
The Younger Sister Recovers from Illness to Renew a Bond. . . . . . . 483
24. The Old Demon of Yanguan County Indulges in Debauchery;
The Bodhisattva on Mount Huihai Puts the
Evil Spirits to Death. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .503
25. Revenue Man ag er Zhao Leaves Word for His Love a
Thousand Li Away; Su Xiaojuan Achieves Happiness
with a Single Poem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524
26. In a Competition for Sexual F avor, a Village W oman Is Murdered;
In Claiming Celestial Authority, a Judge Solves a Case . . . . . . . . . . . 541
27. Gu Axiu Donates to a Nunnery with Joy; Cui Junchen
Is Shown the Lotus Screen through a Clever Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . 562
28. The Master of Golden Light Cave Recalls the Past;
The Venerable Elder of Jade Void Cave Is Enlightened
about His Previous Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 586
29. They Remain Loyal to Each Other through Their Trysts;
His Success Is Announced at the Jail house. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .602
30. Commissioner Wang Rides Roughshod Over His Subordinates;
Adjutant Li Gets His Comeuppance from a Reincarnated Victim. . . 633
31. Priest He Commits Fornication via Black Magic;
Registrar Zhou Wipes Out Rebels via Fornication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .648
32. Mr. Hu Corrupts a Fellow Man in a Wife- Swapping Scheme;
A Chan Master in Meditation Explains the Princi ple
of Retribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .688
33. Squire Zhang, in His Noble- Mindedness, Adopts an Orphan;
Judge Bao, in His Wisdom, Recovers a Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .709
34. Scholar Wenren Shows His Prowess at Cuifu Nunnery;
The Nun Jingguan Goes in Glory to Huangsha Lane . . . . . . . . . . . . . 727
35. A Pauper Keeps Temporary Watch over Another Man’s Money;
A Miser Resorts to Tricks When Buying His Nemesis’s Son. . . . . . . 756
36. The Monk of the Eastern Hall Invites Demonic Spirits
during a Lapse in Vigilance; The Man in Black Commits
Murder in an Abduction Attempt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 779
37. Qutu Zhongren Cruelly Kills Other Creatures;
The Yunzhou Prefect Helps His Nephew in the Netherworld. . . . . . 797
38. To Stake His Claim on the Family Fortune, a Jealous Son- in- Law
Plots against the Rightful Heir; To Continue the Bloodline,
a Filial Daughter Hides Her B rother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 811
39. Heavenly Preceptors, with Their Theatrics, Claim to Subdue
Drought Demons; A County Magistrate, in His Sincerity,
Prays for Sweet Rain from Heaven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .829
40. On the Huayin Trail, Li Meets One Extraordinary Man;
The Jiangling Commander Opens Three
Mysterious Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .848
Notes 871
Acknowle dgments
We are profoundly grateful to Robert E. Hegel and Lorri Hagman for their
enthusiasm and support for the translation of Slapping the T able in Amaze-
ment: A Ming Dynasty Story Collection (Pai’an jingqi). Our thanks are also due
to Guan Daoxiong and Wu Xiucheng, for solving some prob lems with the
original text for us, and to David Rolston, for his more than two thousand
valuable comments and suggestions. The manuscript also benefited greatly
from an anonymous reader’s input. We also wish to thank our eagle- eyed
copy editor, Laura Iwasaki, for her meticulous preparation of the manuscript
for press, and Liu Lu, for preparing the manuscript in the format required for
submission. Our thanks also go to Bates College, for its consistent support
for all our translations published by the University of Washington Press, not
only for this collection, but also for the Sanyan collections (Stories Old and
New, Stories to Caution the World, and Stories to Awaken the World).
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