Mouse vs Cat in Chinese Literature

by Wilt L Idema

(Nichang xupu), 69

  precious scrolls, 108, 121, 191n28, 208n28

  Ramayana, 6, 9

  prequels: to court case, 16, 20, 87, 118–30,

  The Rat Accuses the Cat (Haozi gao mao),

  131–32, 138–43; crashed wedding, 123–

  99–101

  27; creation stories, 118–20; proud

  The Rat Marries a Cat (Haozi qu mao), 87

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  i n de x

  The Rat Seeks Redress (Haozi shenyuan),

  Sending Coal in Snow (cat), 134, 208n35

  101–2, 204n48

  Sethos, 195n18

  rats. See court case of the mouse against

  Seven Heroes and Five Gal ants (Qixia

  the cats; Five Rats; mice/rats; shu; war

  wuyi), 61, 69

  between mice and cats; wedding of the

  Sevens ceremonies, 49, 198n85

  mouse; White Mouse Demon

  Sha (monk), 58, 89

  Realized Venerable of Great Unity, 80

  shadow mice ( yinshu), vii

  Record of Rites (Liji), 35

  Shan Bei, I’m a Mouse (Wo shi laoshu),

  Record of Strange Affairs (Luyi ji), 57

  172, 173

  reincarnation: as an animal, 6–7, 172,

  Shang Lixin and Che Xilun, Study of

  192n41, 212n51; as a cat, 37; paths of

  Popular Precious Scrol s of Northern

  rebirth, 14, 91

  China (Beifang minjian baojuan yan-

  Reliable Stories from the Kaiyuan Period

  jiu), 108

  (Kaiyuan chuanxin ji), 37–38

  Shen Qifeng, “Summons against the Cat,”

  ren (concern for fellow humans), 210n35

  47, 48

  Ren Ping, 89–90, 203n24

  Shen Zhou, 197n66

  The Revolt of the Mice (Shujing zuofan),

  Shi Jun, 66–67, 70–75, 77, 80–81

  127–29, 207n21

  Shi Yukun, 69

  rhapsodies ( fu), 11–12; Rhapsody of the

  Shijing. See Book of Odes

  Divine Crow (Shenwu fu), 12; Rhapsody

  The Ship of Rats (Het Rattenschip; wood-

  of the Falcon and the Sparrow (Yaoque

  block), 213n15

  fu; Cao Zhi), 12; Rhapsody of the Swal­

  shoe: as sedan chair for the bride, 85, 86,

  low (Yanzi fu), 12–13, 90, 130, 191n29,

  202n11; transformed, 59

  192n39, 212n7; Rhapsody on the Owl

  shu (mouse/rat), 17; as birth-year animal,

  (Funiao fu; Jia Yi), 11–12; Rhapsody

  18; with diminutive suffix, 17, 210n22;

  on the Ox (Niu fu; Liu Zongyuan),

  distinguished by habitat, 22; mole rat,

  15, 193n45; Rhapsody on the Parrot

  vii; Vaishravana’s mongoose as, 28, 60.

  (Yingwu fu; Mi Heng), 12; Rhapsody

  See also mice/rats

  on the Smart Mouse (Su Shi), 28–30

  Shu Yuanyu, 195–96n39; “An Account of

  Ronghuantang, 101, 204n48

  Feeding a Wildcat” (Yangli shu), 35–36

  roosters, 33, 48, 163, 168, 202n13

  Shuoyuan (Garden of tales; Liu Xiang), 35

  Russia, 20, 164, 165

  silkworm cats, 43

  Russian woodcuts, 213n19

  Sima Qian, Records of the Historian (Shiji),

  22, 23

  San Miao (Triple Meow), 167–68, 210n33

  Simurgh, 5, 190n8

  satire: of intellectuals, 21, 211n44; parody

  sin-mirror ( yejing), 91

  of court cases, 90, 92, 104, 173; of peace

  Sino-Japanese War, 159, 181, 210n28

  negotiations, 20, 156–57

  A Smal Record of Cricket­Snatchers (Xian-

  scholars: in Chinese animal tales, vii, 8, 81;

  chan xiaolu; Sun Sunyi), 18, 53, 54, 55

  in Wolf of Zhongshan tale, x–xi, 11

  snakes, ix, x, 31, 33, 163, 199n3

  The Scroll of the Accusation of the Mouse

  Snow Lion (cat), 52

  against the Cat (Laoshu gao limao

  songbooks, 69, 103

  juan), 92, 94, 108–13. See also The Dif­

  South Asia: animal tales of, 5, 9, 10, 212n9;

  ferent Statements of the Cat and the

  epics, 5–6; King Yama and conceptions

  Mouse, Opposed by Nature

  of hell, 14; story of the feigning cat, 176,

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  251

  178; wedding of the mouse, 19, 178–79.

  the crashed wedding, 123; prequel of

  See also Panchatantra

  war between mice and cats, 16, 129;

  sparrows: court case of swallow against,

  texts of, 129–31, 207n24, 208nn27–28;

  130; extermination campaigns, viii;

  title of, 129, 207n23

  in rhapsodies, 12–13, 90

  talking animals: in ad hominem political

  spider demons, 199nn8,13

  attacks, 10–11; and animals’ viewpoint,

  Spring, Madeline, 191n30

  16–17, 172, 193n55; in Arab Muslim

  Star of Literature (Wenquxing), 67, 79,

  poetics, 191n19; birds as, 5; in Chinese

  147, 149, 150, 209n48. See also Bao

  written tradition, ix, 6, 7, 9–10, 191n25;

  Zheng; Judge Bao

  debates between animals, 190n9; mice

  Stent, George Carter, 204n47

  as, xiii; in performative genres, 11; pro-

  Strange Stories from Make­Do Studio (Liao-

  hibition and rediscovery of, 171–72;

  zhai zhiyi; Pu Songling), 8, 191n23,

  and speech as human trait, 7, 190n17;

  197n70; “Axian,” 57; “A Brave Mouse”

  and the transformation of animals into

  (Yishu), 31; criticism of, 190n18; “Plays

  human shape, 8; in verse, 11–12

  by Mice” (Shuxi), 30

  Tang imperial house, 196n44

  students: protests by, 167; punishment

  Taohuawu, 88, 197n67

  of, in underworld, 97. See also Hu Di;

  tea and wine, disputes involving, 192n39

  Shi Jun

  Ten Kings, 14. See also Yama, King

  Su Shi, Rhapsody on the Smart Mouse, 28–30

  thinking with animals, ix, x, 3–4

  Su Zixiang, 149

  Thompson, David, The Mouse’s Wedding,

  sufu (popular rhapsodies), 12

  214n27

  Sun Sunyi: The Cat That I Love Was

  Thunderclap Monastery, 78–79, 89, 147,

  Chased Away by Yinglou, 53–54; A

  149, 150

  Smal Record of the Cricket­Snatchers

  Tibet, 49, 50, 176, 192n37, 199n10

  (Xianchan xiaolu), 18, 53, 54, 55

  tigers: as ancestor of rats, 20, 164, 166; and

  Sun Wukong (Monkey), 9, 58–60, 200n20;

  Buddhist monks, 196n49; as cat rela-

  in Lament of the Mouse New Year print,

  tion, 34, 35, 84, 85, 168, 195n35; China

  62–63; in Marriage of the Mouse at the

  as, 164; compared with cats, 41; release

  Bottomless Cave New Year print, 89;

  of, 150–51

  in Peking opera Bottomless Cave, 61

  torture, 91, 203n30

  superstition, 119, 162, 206n8


  trees: in Narrative of the Court Case of

  sutras: destruction by rodents, 18, 35, 39,

  the Rat, 90; in Wolf of Zhongshan tale,

  107, 111, 147; recited by cats, 136, 149

  x, 11

  swallows, 12–13, 130. See also rhapsodies:

  truth, 7, 55, 199n101

  Rhapsody of the Swal ow

  Tu’an Gu, 198n93

  Sweet Dew Incident of 835, 195–96n39

  Turkey, 178, 214n20

  Tail-Fire Tiger, 148, 209n46

  Unborn Old Mother (Wusheng Laomu),

  The Tale of a Rat (Nezumi no sōshi), 179–

  97–98, 204nn42,44

  80

  underworld: bureaucracy of, 91; Chinese

  The Tale of the Cat (Neko no sōshi), 180

  conception of, 13–14; court cases in,

  A Tale without Shape or Shadow (Wuying

  14, 91; described in texts of court case

  zhuan), 16, 20; full translation of, 131–

  of mouse against cat, 94–98, 99, 100;

  53; as political fable, 130–31; prequel of

  punishment of sinners in, 94, 96–97;

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  i n de x

  underworld ( continued)

  court case, 16, 20, 127–28, 129–30, 138–

  treatment of the devout and those lack-

  43; as revenge for wedding raid, 138–41.

  ing devotion, 97–98. See also Yama,

  See also Bao Youfu: A New History of

  King

  the Rats

  United Sates, 165–66, 210n26

  The War of the Mice against the Cats (Der

  Utagawa Kunitoshi, The Sino- Japanese

  Maus und Katzen Krieg; engraving),

  Naval Battle between the Cats and the

  213n15

  Mice (Neko to nezumi Ni-Shin kaisen

  war of the mice against the weasels, 175–76

  zu), 181, 214n41

  warlordism, 155, 156

  Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 179, 214n38

  water buffalo: composes accusation docu-

  Utagawa Yoshifuji, 214n42

  ment of mouse, 108, 109; position among

  Utagawa Yoshitoshi, 181

  birth-year animals, 32, 33; in Wolf of

  Utagawa Yoshitusya, 181

  Zhongshan tale, x, 11. See also oxen

  weasels, 4, 17, 175–76, 212nn4–5

  Vaishravana, 28, 60, 199n10. See also Li Jing

  wedding of the mouse: advice from

  Van den vos Reynaerde, 90

  mother mouse, 123–24; in ballads and

  vegetarianism, xi, 6–7, 193n45

  folk songs, 84–86, 87, 202n12; bride’s

  trousseau, 85, 87, 89; in children’s liter-

  Waley, Arthur, Book of Odes translations,

  ature, 179, 194n61, 211–12n50; date of,

  23–24, 194n8

  65, 82, 83, 202n18; enactment of, 90;

  Wang, Minister, 74–75, 77, 80–81

  fetching of the bride, 131–35, 138, 148,

  Wang Baochuan, 205n50

  153; in Japan, 178–79, 214nn26,32; kill-

  Wang Chutong: Chronicle of Cats (Mao-

  ing of the mouse by princess, 202n18;

  sheng), 18, 53, 55; History of the Boudoir

  local celebration of, 82; and marriage

  (Lianshi), 53

  customs, 82–83; marriage to princess,

  Wang Dousheng, 197n66

  202n18; names for, 83; New Year cele-

  Wang Du, The Ancient Mirror (Gujing ji),

  bration and, vii–viii, 19, 83–84; in New

  57

  Year prints and papercuts, vii, 20, 34,

  Wang Xizhi, 198–99n98, 199n100

  87–90, 171; origin of, 19, 83; in Pancha­

  Wang Yangming, xi

  tantra, 19, 86–87; preparation of the

  Wang Yanmei, 202n12

  banquet, 136–38; as prequel to court

  Wang Yaping, 119, 204n44, 206n8; Bainiao

  case, 87, 123–27, 129–30, 131–32; raided

  chaofeng, 191n28

  by cat, viii, 84, 123–27, 134–35; revenge

  Wang Zhiying, 198n78

  of the mice, 138–39; Revolt of the Mice

  war between mice and cats: in ancient

  prequel, 127–29; selection of the groom,

  Egypt, 175, 212nn1–3; declaration

  19, 85–86, 87, 178, 179, 194n61, 202n13,

  of war, 140–41; in Europe, 176–77,

  214n26; in A Tale without Shape or

  213nn15–16; in Greek and Latin fables,

  Shadow (Wuying zhuan), 131–32; ver-

  175–76, 212n5; in Japan, 180–81; in the

  sions of, 83–90, 160, 178, 211–12n50

  Near and Middle East, 4–5, 177–78,

  weddings, 16, 82–83

  214nn20–21; in paintings and prints,

  Wen, Duke of Jin, 208n39

  176–77, 207n22, 212–13n10, 213n15; as

  Wenzhou drum ballads, 161–62

  political allegory with rodents as vic-

  Western imperialism, 20, 21, 165

  tor, 164–66; popularity of theme, 21,

  Western Paradise, 39

  127, 178, 181, 207n18; as prequel to

  Wheel of Life, 203n27

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  White Mouse Demon (Golden-Nosed

  Xiangnang ji, 205n53

  White-Furred Old Mouse Demon):

  xiaoge (filial songs), 206n1

  in background to court case, 19–20;

  Xie Cheng, History of the Later Han

  banishment of, 205n56; integration

  Dynasty (Hou Han shu), 26

  with wedding of the mouse, 88; in

  Xiliang, 101, 204–5n50

  Lament of the Mouse, 61–65; as mon-

  Ximen Qing, 52

  goose of Vaishravana, 60; in Peking

  Xingshi yinyuan zhuan, 197n63

  opera Bottomless Cave, 60–61; as

  Xiyou ji. See Journey to the West

  seducer of Xuanzang in Journey to

  Xuan, King of Qi, xi

  the West, 9, 57–61

  Xuanzang (Sanzang): account of the king

  A White Ox Lodges an Accusation (Bainiu

  of Khotan saved by mice, 28; accounts

  gaozhuang), 203n33

  of, 58; attempts to seduce, 9, 58–60,

  wildcats: and domesticated cats, 34–37,

  199n8, 200n20; on cats, 196n49; jour-

  41; “Keeping Wildcats” (Xumao shuo;

  ney to India, 58; in Lament of the Mouse

  Yang Kui), 196n41; as mousers, 197n57;

  New Year print, 62; legend of introduc-

  in A Tale without Shape or Shadow

  tion of domestic cat, 18, 38–39; Man-

  (Wuying zhuan), 134–35

  jusri’s lion in the form of, 200n20; in

  wildlife and ecology, xiv

  story of the Five Rats, 20; in wedding

  wolves: Wolf of Zhongshan x–xi, 11; in

  of the mouse New Year prints, 88, 89;

  Ysengrimus, 5

  and the White Mouse Demon, 9, 57–

  Wu Cheng’en, 58. See also Journey to the

  58. See also Journey to the West

  West

  Xuanzong, Emperor, 28

  Wu Huanchu, Newly Printed and Com­

  Xue Pinggui, 205n50

  pletely Il ustrated: The Five Rats Upse
t

  Xue Rengui zheng dong, 204n41

  the Eastern Capital (Xinke quanxiang

  “Xue Wei,” 190n17

  Wushu nao Dongjing), 68

  Xusi bian, 197n70

  Wu Sansi, 196n44

  Wu Shouli, Annotated Selection of Minna­

  Yahyōei Nezumi, 214n32

  nese Songbooks of the Daoguang and

  Yama, King: appeals of animals to, 15,

  Xianfeng Periods of the Qing Dynasty

  16, 101, 192–93n42, 204n49; appeals

  (Qing Daoguang Xianfeng minnan

  of mice to, 127, 128, 144–45; criticized

  gezaice xuanzhu), 103–4

  by mouse, 120; Eleventh, 103, 205n53;

  Wu Zetian, Empress, 37, 196nn43–44,

  judgment in case of mouse against cat,

  198n82, 199n99

  92, 94, 99–100, 104, 107–8, 113, 118, 148–

  Wu Zimu, Millet- Dream Records (Meng-

  50, 153, 157–58, 159; judgment in court

  liang lu), 43

  case stories, xiii, 90, 91, 203nn27,30; in

  Wudeng huiyuan (Collected essentials of

  Lament of the Mouse New Year print,

  the five lamps), 199n101

  62; and mouse’s entitlement to share of

  Wutong, 200n27

  grain, 93; punishment of Qin Gui and

  Wuying zhuan. See A Tale without Shape

  deification of Yue Fei, 130, 146; research

  or Shadow

  visit to the world of light, 116–17; South

  Wylie, Alexander, 104

  Asian origins, 14, 91; in underworld

  bureaucracy, 91; wife of, 103

  xiangmao jing (handbooks on cat physiog-

  Yan Chasan, 68–69

  nomy), 18, 45, 104, 197n71

  Yang family of the Song, 102, 207n19

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  i n de x

  Yang Kui, “Keeping Wildcats” (Xumao

  Zhang, Heavenly Master, 66, 68, 150, 151,

  shuo), 196n41

  209n49

  Yang Xiuqing, 193n53

  Zhang Bo, 37, 54

  Yanzi fu (Rhapsody of the Swallow), 12–13,

  Zhang Guangwen, 51

  90, 130, 191n29, 192n39, 212n7

  Zhang Liang, 132, 208n29

  Yao Shouzhong, The Plaint of the Ox (Niu

  Zhang Liyou, Bal ad of the Brave Mouse, 31

  su yuan), 15

  Zhang Tang, 23

  Yapian Xian (Opium First; pseudonym),

  Zhao Bi, Xiaopin ji, 208n26

  156

  Zhao Dun, 198n93

  Yeh, Catherine Vance, 166, 210n28

  Zhaoshi gu’er, 198n93

  yejing (sin-mirror), 91

  Zheng He, 200n28

  Yijing (monk), 40

  Zhengyi Daoism, 66, 68

  yinshu (“shadow mouse”), vii

  Zhi Dun (Daolin), 54, 199n98

  Yŏn Kaesomun (Gaisuwen), 93, 204n40

  Zhong Shengyang, 129–30