The Golden Lotus, Volume 2

by Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng

  Before he went up to the altar, his Holiness put on a Hat of the Nine Thunders and a scarlet vestment with golden clouds and the hundred cranes embroidered upon it. He recited the prologue; the priests washed their hands and offered incense. Then his Holiness incensed the altar. He burned spells to summon the angelic host, and with invocations and charms made announcement to the three Heavens and the ten Earths. They presented the three offerings. The music began, and incense was burned processionally. Ximen Qing and Chen Jingji both had censers, and soldiers marched before them. Before them and behind were borne four parasols of gold embroidery, and banners adorned with pearls. When the procession returned, they took their places, and the music struck up again. Then they went to the tablet of Li Ping’er and summoned her spirit to appear that they might assist her on her way to Paradise. A small table was set apart especially so that the dead lady’s spirit might come there, listen to the reading of the scriptures, and hear the teaching of the true faith.

  At noon, his Holiness, still wearing his hat and vestments, offered sacrifice to the stars and burned charms to dispatch angelic messengers to the underworld.

  This holy man, Huang, was not more than thirty years old. His appearance was most remarkable. Vested in his robes and engaged in the execution of these ceremonies he looked almost divine.

  After this, Abbot Wu read before the altar from the Heavenly Treasures from the Jade Book with the Tiger Seal. Then incense was burned again, and everyone went to the temporary hall for refreshment. The most imposing table was that of his Holiness; the Abbot’s was slightly smaller. The others had ordinary tables. Ximen Qing offered his Holiness and the Abbot each a roll of satin, four pairs of flowers and four rolls of silk. The other priests each received a roll of cloth. Food for his Holiness and the Abbot was sent to the temple, and the priests bade their servers put their food into a large box. After the meal, they all went to take the air in the garden. The tables were cleared and fresh ones set for the entertainment of the kinsmen and friends who had come to the ceremony.

  Meanwhile, a messenger arrived from the Eastern Capital with a letter from Zhai. Ximen Qing received him in the hall. He was an official of the Imperial Tutor’s household, wearing a black gown, tight-fitting trousers, with a swastika hat and yellow boots. He was fully armed. He made a reverence to Ximen Qing, and Ximen returned his greeting. Then he produced a letter and ten taels of silver. Ximen Qing asked his name.

  “My name is Wang Yu, and his Lordship Zhai has bidden me bring this letter to you. Until he heard the sad news of your lady’s death from his Excellency An, he knew nothing about it.”

  “When did his Excellency’s letter reach the Capital?” Ximen Qing asked.

  “In the tenth month,” the messenger said. “His Excellency completed his work as Warden of the Royal Forests within the year, and he has now been made Senior Secretary of the Board of Waterways. He will return to the Capital when he has finished his present work.”

  Ximen Qing told Laibao to entertain the messenger and said that he would give him a letter to take back the following day. The messenger asked where Han Daoguo lived, saying that he had a letter to deliver to him, and that he would like to see him at once because he had to return to the Capital with the least possible delay. Ximen sent for Han Daoguo and the two men had a meal together, after which the messenger went with Han Daoguo to his house.

  Ximen was greatly pleased to receive this letter and showed it to Scholar Wen. “When you write the answer for me,” he said, “the style must be as good as this. I am sending him ten kerchiefs, ten kerchiefs of silk, ten pairs of gold toothpicks and ten gold wine cups. The messenger will come tomorrow for my letter.”

  Scholar Wen read the letter:

  Zhai Qian, your kinsman in the Capital, presents his most humble salutations. At the onset of winter he sends this letter to his Lordship Ximen Siquan, officer of the Imperial Guard.

  Since we last parted at the Capital, there has been no opportunity for us to meet, and this is a matter of great regret to me. I have told my master how much I long to see you.

  The first sad news of your lady’s death came to me from An Fengshan. It distresses me beyond measure that I cannot come in person to offer my sympathy. It is most unfortunate, most unfortunate! I can only hope that you will not allow yourself to give way utterly to your grief. As a slight token of my feeling for you, I send a small present, which I trust you will accept.

  I am informed that your activities in the public service are so meritorious that the people of Qinghe cannot too loudly sing your praises. There can be no doubt that after the general inspection this year, you will receive promotion. The other day report was made of those officers whose work merited the highest approbation, and I asked my master to place your name in the list. When the work is completed, his Majesty will distribute awards and you will be given the post of Senior Magistrate. His Lordship Xia’s period of office will shortly expire, and he will receive a higher appointment. I tell you this before the matter is made public.

  I trust this letter will give you pleasure, but pray keep its contents to yourself and do not say anything to his Lordship. Keep the matter a complete secret.

  The noble Yang died in prison on the twenty-ninth day of last month.

  Scholar Wen finished reading this letter and was putting it into his sleeve when Ying Bojue took it from him and read it again. When he gave it back to the scholar, he said: “Sir, you must take great pains over the answer. There are many men of learning at the capital, and we mustn’t have them laughing at us.”

  “I,” said Scholar Wen, “am like a dog’s tail. It can be used instead of ermine when there is no ermine to be had. There is little depth to my learning, and who am I to wield a battle ax among the military gentlemen? I can only do what my duty requires of me.”

  “Scholar Wen will do admirably anything he is asked to do,” Ximen Qing said. “What do you understand about matters of this sort, you dog?”

  When they had finished their meal, he told Laixing to give food to the kinsmen, friends and neighbors who had come. He bade Daian take return gifts to the singing girls who had sent presents. To each of them he gave a roll of cloth and a tael of silver. In the afternoon, he sent for Li Ming, Wu Hui and Zheng Feng.

  The priests returned to the altar. They beat their drums, made obeisance to the gods, and chanted their texts. Then they set up lanterns, burned paper offerings, and so went on until it was dark. By the time they were done, it was already the first night watch. Uncle Hua decided to remain, Ximen Qing having detained him, but Master Qiao and Uncles Shen and Meng went away. The two uncles Wu, Ying Bojue, Xie Xida, Scholar Wen and Chang Zhijie stayed with the clerks to watch the ceremonies during the night.

  In the great court, a high dais had been erected with a decorated arch. A tank of water and a pool of fire had been prepared with offerings of food for the spirits. The tablet of Li Ping’er was placed upon a table, and offerings of every sort were set out before it. Beside the tablet were three banners, one for her spirit, one red one, and one yellow one. There was an inscription that read: “Away, ye evil spirits! This is holy ground. The purification of the Southern Palace has here been made.”

  The priests played their instruments, sitting in two ranks. Beside them stood four young novices, one bearing a wand, another a basin, another a double-edged sword. His Holiness put on a golden miter for the banishment of demons, and an embroidered vestment. Then going up to the highest point, he chanted the following verses:

  May the mercy of the ineffable one descend

  And the gates to the passes of the underworld

  Shall open one by one.

  Novices, walking two by two, lead the way

  And the soul of the departed, purified and cleansed,

  Shall reach the abode of the blessed.

  Then he burned incense again and sang: “The Mighty One hath revealed the way of truth and shown mercy to them that dwell in darkness. He hath said that all who mortify the fles
h shall come to immortality. He bestoweth blessings upon the people, both of this world and of the world to come. His mercy is outpoured over all in danger, famine or distress. We burn incense, and implore the Most High, the Most Gracious, the Ineffable One, and all the Immortals in all the Worlds, to come to our aid this day. All we who live in this world of dust are fettered by the things of this world. Death is a mystery to us; we long for life. Few there are who plant good seed, and many are they who go on the wrong path. We are foolish and do not understand; we yield ourselves to greed and passion. We believe that we shall live forever and forget the death that cometh so easily. One day we die and all is over. Yet our sin remaineth, and we suffer punishment in Hell.

  “Therefore, as Thou hast taught us, we make sacrifice for this dead woman. She departed and went to the world of darkness, and, if we offer not sacrifice for the remission of her sins, she must suffer the most dreadful torments. We implore Thee, O Most High, grant Thy mercy and save us who cry to Thee. Let Thy most gracious light shine upon us that we may be enlightened. Bid Thine angels be merciful unto us, and send forth Thy decree to the Powers of Hell that they cease their examination of her who is dead. Bid them open the prison gates and set the prisoner free. Pardon her sins and let hatred be stilled.

  “Let all obey Thy commands and come forth from the gates of Hell.

  “Let her pass over this fire that her weakness may become strength, and that she be not as a. faded flower.

  “Grant unto her another life, and bring her safely to the shores of Truth.

  “To this end we burn these sacred spells, beseeching Thee to hear our prayer.”

  The priests dipped the spirit’s banner into the pool of water and burned charms. They took the red banner, put it into the pit of fire and burned charms again. Then they took the yellow banner. His Holiness said: “From Heaven cometh the water and from Earth the fire. From their meeting cometh life itself.” So the ceremony came to an end. The tablet was carried over the decorated bridge to pay respect to the God and to take refuge with the Three Divinities of the Daoist Faith. Then five sets of offerings were made.

  “Now,” said his Holiness, “she has found the three refuges. We will pronounce the nine commandments.” The nine commandments were read. The priests played their instruments and recited many charms. Then they implored a blessing upon the soul of the dead woman and all other souls.

  His Holiness came down from the dais. The others, still playing their music, followed him and went out of the gate to burn paper money, treasure chests and other things. This was the end. The priests returned and took off their vestments. People from the temple rolled up the pictures.

  In the great hall, Ximen Qing had ordered many tables to be prepared. The lights shone very brightly. The three young actors sang, and all the relatives and friends sat there. Ximen Qing offered his Holiness a cup of wine, with two rolls of silk and ten taels of silver. Upon his knees, he said: “Now that my dead wife has had the benefit of your blessing, she will be able to enter paradise. I am most grateful to you, and this offering is a token of my gratitude.”

  “I am ashamed,” said his Holiness, “that my priest’s robe should cover one so unworthy to profess Holy Religion. Not any virtue of mine but your own sincerity will send your wife to paradise. I feel that I ought not to accept your gift.”

  “It is but a trifle,” Ximen Qing said, “and really utterly unworthy of you. I can only pray that you will smile and accept it.”

  His Holiness then bade his novices remove the gifts.

  Ximen Qing offered a cup of wine to Abbot Wu, with a roll of silk and five taels of silver. Ten taels more were for the expenses of the ceremony.

  “I will accept the fee and no more,” said the Abbot. “You have always been extremely generous to me, and I could do no less than perform this ceremony for your lady. Indeed I ought not even to take the fee, so how dare I accept the rest?”

  “Teacher,” Ximen said, “though his Holiness performed the actual ceremony, you had all the trouble of the preparations. I must insist.”

  The Abbot was obliged to accept. He thanked Ximen Qing. Then Ximen offered wine to all the other priests, spreading the blessing, as it is said. Uncle Wu and Ying Bojue helped him, Uncle Wu passing the cups, and Bojue pouring out the wine. Xie Xida took around the food. They knelt down.

  “Today,” Bojue said, “we have done excellent work. We are delighted to have his Holiness with us, and we are greatly obliged to Abbot Wu for the trouble he has taken. I have no doubt that all that has been done will greatly benefit my dead sister-in-law. Though this is largely due to the supreme powers of his Holiness, yet, Brother, your earnest sincerity must have had its part.” He offered a cup of wine to Ximen Qing.

  “Gentlemen,” Ximen said, “I have troubled you greatly these last few days and I do not know how to thank you.” With these words he drained the cup.

  Ying Bojue filled another cup. “Drink this, Brother, and make it a pair. I would not have you drink a single one.” Xie Xida helped Ximen to some food. In return, Ximen Qing offered wine to them, and they sat down. The actors sang and the cooks brought more and more food. They guessed fingers, played games and, with music and singing, drank until the second night watch. Then Ximen Qing was drunk, and everybody went away. He gave three qian of silver to the actors, and went to the inner court.

  CHAPTER 67

  Ximen Qing Dreams of Li Ping’er

  The wind blows from the north

  And the ground is covered with flakes of jade.

  The white earth and the river are made one.

  A cold mist rises above the waves: it is like a screen.

  The mountains are covered with gray cloud

  And the cloud links them with the water.

  The withered grass seems to be dead.

  His thoughts were far as the red cloud

  The gentle spirit was sad, and the memory bitter

  Night after night, only a kind dream

  Could give him sleep.

  Do not stand alone on the high building

  When the moon is waning.

  The wine descending to a sorrowing breast

  Turns to tears of love.

  Ximen Qing was very tired when he went to the inner court to sleep. He did not rise next day until the sun was high in the heavens. Laixing came and said to him: “The builders are here. They wish to know if they shall pull down the temporary buildings.”

  “Yes, tell them to demolish everything,” Ximen answered angrily. “Why do you come and bother me?”

  The builders unfastened the mats and ropes and took down the pine- wood posts. They carried them to the house on the other side of the road and there stored them.

  Yuxiao came and said to Ximen: “The weather is very threatening.” He told her to bring his clothes so that he might get up.

  “You are very tired, and the weather looks bad,” Wu Yueniang said. “Stay in bed. What is there for you to do if you get up so early? Don’t go to the office today.”

  “I am not going to the office,” Ximen said, “but Zhai’s messenger is coming for my answer.”

  “Then you had better get up,” Yueniang said, “and I will tell them to make some gruel for you.”

  Ximen Qing got up but did not wash. He put on a velvet gown and a felt hat and went to his study in the garden. Now that Shutong had gone, Ximen Qing had told Wang Jing to wait upon him in this study and Chunhong to look after the study in the outer court. In winter Ximen usually came to this garden study. There was a fire beneath the floor and a large bronze brazier. The winter blinds were drawn. In the middle room were some jiazhi peaches, chrysanthemums of many different kinds, a few slender bamboos of great delicacy, and orchids. Writing materials and vases with the plum-blossom pattern books, and musical instruments were set out with great care.

  When Ximen Qing came in, Wang Jing hastened to burn incense in a small gold burner. Ximen bade him tell Laian to go for Ying Bojue. Then Ping’an came and told Wang Jing th
at Little Zhou, the barber, had come. Ximen Qing gave orders that he should be sent in. The barber came and kowtowed.

  “You have come at the right moment,” Ximen said to him. “Now comb my hair and massage my body.” He asked the barber why it was so long since he had last been there.

  “I heard that the Sixth Lady had died and that you were very busy.”

  Ximen Qing sat down on a comfortable chair, and Little Zhou dressed his hair. Laian came with Ying Bojue. Bojue was wearing a felt hat, a green velvet gown, and a pair of old black boots with palm-leaf galoshes over them. He made a reverence to Ximen Qing. Ximen, who was still having his hair dressed, told him not to stand on ceremony but to sit down. Ying Bojue pulled out a chair and sat down beside the brazier.

  “Why are you dressed like this?” Ximen said.

  “Don’t you know?” said Bojue. “It is snowing and very cold. I did not get home before cockcrow, and this morning I did not feel at all anxious to get up. If you hadn’t sent your boy, I should have been asleep still. You must be strong, or you wouldn’t be able to get up so early. If I were in your place, I should never get up at all.”

  “No,” said Ximen, “I don’t suppose you would. You know all I have had to do of late. First the funeral, then Grand Marshal Huang to entertain, and now this last ceremony. I have had no rest at all. This morning, my wife said to me: ‘You must be tired; stay in bed for a while,’ but I remembered that Zhai’s messenger was coming for an answer to the letter he brought, and I wanted to see the temporary buildings pulled down. On the twenty-fourth, Clerk Han and the others are to start for the South. Then, during the funeral ceremonies, my kinsmen and friends have been very kind. I ought to go and visit them but, in the circumstances, perhaps I may be excused. But at least I must go and see the officers of rank who came to the funeral.”

  “I am afraid you can’t escape that,” Bojue said, “but, as for the others, if I were you, I should get somebody to go and call on them on your behalf. You can thank them when you see them. They all know how busy you are, and they will understand.”