‘You are a very talented young man,’ Baba continues. ‘I regret that I did not ask Teacher Lai to teach you reading and writing when I first took you in. Now others are beginning to recognize your abilities. General Tong here wishes to make you an interesting proposition. You are more than welcome to stay and work here for the rest of your life, but you should listen to other opportunities when they arise, and decide for yourself. I will now leave you alone with the General.’
Baba leaves the room. At first there’s an awkward silence as Ah Zhao and Tong Guan smile at one another. Finally, General Tong signals Ah Zhao to sit on the chair previously occupied by Baba.
‘I gather you’re an orphan,’ Tong Guan begins.
‘Yes, I am.’
‘Would it interest you to know that I too am an orphan?’
‘So we are two of a kind,’ Ah Zhao says.
‘I know only too well how it feels to belong nowhere; to be in perpetual exile. In your case, it’s probably worse because I can see from your wavy hair and blue eyes that you are not even a Han Chinese.’
‘Yes. I am a barbarian. As such, I will always be a wai ren (outsider).’
‘I myself was passed from relative to relative,’ Tong Guan says. ‘Then, when I was nine years old, a distant cousin “sold” me to an old eunuch at the Palace and I became his adopted son. Two years later, my foster father persuaded me to undergo the operation and I became a eunuch also, just like him. From that time until now, I have served in the Palace continuously for over thirty-nine years.’
Ah Zhao leant forward. ‘Forgive me for asking, but are you happy? Do you have any regrets?’
‘As soon as I entered the Palace, I knew I had found my permanent home. Strange as it seems, things came together for me when I became a eunuch. Yes! I am happy. I am also immensely successful. There’s no way I could have become who I am today without having entered the Palace.’
‘It’s certainly a great honour for me to see you today,’ Ah Zhao says.
‘I showed His Majesty your Dragon Rock painting after I returned from your master’s birthday party…’ Tong Guan hesitates at this point.
‘Did He like it?’ Ah Zhao asks eagerly.
‘His Majesty is a great patron of the arts. He has a general interest in chess, music, dancing, poetry, calligraphy, antiques, architecture and gardening, but He’s passionate about only two subjects: rocks and painting. And those two passions happen to be combined in this painting of yours titled Dragon Rock.’
‘How lucky I am!’
‘His Majesty is in the process of creating two new departments in his Imperial Palace. The first is a Royal Academy of Art. He’s currently modernizing the Civil Service Imperial Examination so that candidates will be required to come into the Palace and be evaluated on their paintings, under the eye of the Emperor himself.’
‘Why is His Majesty so interested in painting?’
‘The Emperor believes that beauty is virtue. He intends His reign to be remembered for its culture. However, since you cannot even read or write, you will obviously not be part of the Royal Academy.’
‘I understand, Your Highness.’
‘The second unit will be called Rui Si Dian (Palace of Divine Inspiration). It will be staffed entirely by eunuchs of talent. I’m happy to say that His Majesty has just appointed me to be the Director of this division.’
‘Congratulations!’
‘His Majesty and I both feel that you will be an ideal candidate for this second unit.’
‘I don’t understand…’
‘Then let me illustrate by showing you your own painting; your birthday present to Magistrate Zhang.’
Tong Guan removes the silk scroll from a box at his side and unrolls it.
Ah Zhao is clearly surprised when he sees that ten vertical lines of characters have been written to the left of the rock.
‘Who wrote all those words?’
‘What a shame you can’t read! Otherwise you’d know at once who has written them.’
‘I had deliberately left the space blank for my master to write a poem…’
‘Well, the painting’s new master has chosen to write something there instead.’
‘Who is that?’
Tong Guan laughs. ‘You have no idea of your own luck, do you?’
‘Am I lucky?’
‘You are the luckiest man of all under Heaven because His Majesty has taken ownership of this painting.’
‘Is Magistrate Zhang aware that His Majesty has taken ownership?’
‘I informed him just now.’
‘What did he say?’
‘What can he say? He’s happy for you. I must say, though, you don’t seem as pleased as you ought to be.’
‘I’m still trying to understand. Everything is happening so fast.’
‘Do you know what the Emperor wrote?’
Ah Zhao shakes his head. ‘Please read the words to me.’
‘Xiang Long Shi (Auspicious Dragon Rock). His Majesty begins with these three words because they represent the title of this painting.’
‘What else has His Majesty written on my painting?’
‘Ah Zhao, I must tell you that this is no longer your painting. It’s vital to remember this at all times.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I just told you that His Majesty has taken ownership of this painting.’
‘I know that. But nothing can change the fact that I painted it.’
‘His Majesty is the Tian Zi (Son of Heaven). As such, He can change anything. Let me read you what He wrote in the fifth vertical line: nai qin hui jian su liao yi si yun ji zhi . Here, His Majesty is saying that He personally painted this on silk and is commemorating it with the four lines of rhyming poetry which follow.’
‘But he didn’t paint it. I did!’ Ah Zhao sounds outraged.
‘Curb your tongue! Don’t you realize you can be beheaded for claiming this? How dare you contradict the Emperor! Do you want to lose your life?’
‘Of course not.’
‘It may very well come to that, if you’re not careful. See here?’ Tong Guan points to the painting. ‘In the fourth line of the poem, His Majesty wrote gu feng cai bi qin mo xie (therefore, using a coloured brush, I copied the rock myself). He then wrote the words yu zhi yu hua bing shu (Imperially produced, Imperially painted and scripted). It ends with His signature written in cipher, Tian Xia Yi Ren (First Man of All under Heaven). That’s the autograph of His Majesty, followed by the impression of His seal.’
‘So, His Majesty has claimed authorship as well as ownership of my painting.’
‘You should be flattered – it means your future is assured. His Majesty is in the midst of recruiting China’s best and brightest artists to paint for Him. They will be housed in a special new building named the Palace of Divine Inspiration. It will be part of His imperial compound. He wants to offer you a position there at the starting salary of one hundred and ten ounces of silver a year.’
‘One hundred and ten ounces! I can hardly believe my ears! What do I have to do for this fabulous salary?’
‘You are to spend your time painting. However, you will not choose your own images to paint; His Majesty will choose them. You will no longer work as an individual, and must leave no trace of yourself on any of your works.’
‘Whose name will be on the paintings?’
‘His Majesty’s name.’
‘How many artists will be working in this Palace?’
‘The exact number has not been determined yet. Besides artists, we are also recruiting writers, calligraphers, poets, engravers and sculptors. There will be a few hundred eunuchs altogether.’
‘Eunuchs! Did you say eunuchs?’
‘Yes. I said eunuchs.’
‘Does that mean I’m to become a eunuch?’
‘Yes, of course. Only eunuchs are allowed to live and work in His Majesty’s Palace.’
‘I’m afraid I will have to decline.’
‘Don’t be
so hasty! His Majesty is offering you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you take this road, you are bound to become rich and successful. I can guarantee this.’
‘How so?’
‘Being the Son of Heaven, the Emperor is all-powerful. Everyone under Heaven dreams of being close to His Majesty. You are one of the few whom He has noticed, and whose work He admires. Once you enter the Palace, you can exert more and more influence, just like I did.’
‘Is there any possibility that I can work for His Majesty without becoming a eunuch?’
‘No.’
‘Will I be able to travel?’
‘Only if His Majesty allows you to do so. Presently, His vision for you is to stay in the Palace of Divine Inspiration and paint whatever He wants you to paint.’
‘I understand. May I think this over before making my decision?’
‘The Palace of Divine Inspiration will be completed in two months – you can have until then. His Majesty is giving you a lot of face by recruiting you. Do not disappoint Him. Otherwise, the consequences may not be pleasant for you or the Zhang family. Is that clear?’
‘Perfectly clear.’
‘I hope it is clear, for your sake. Remember, His Majesty is not used to being denied. Meanwhile, please show me where the rock is so my men can cart it to the Palace.’
Through the screen, I watch them leave. With a huge sigh of relief, I try to get up, but my legs are numb from being still for so long. Just as I am shaking them to get the circulation back, I see a hand coming round the side of the screen. My heart gives a giant lurch as the screen is pushed to one side.
‘I knew it must be you,’ Ah Zhao says, and my stomach returns to its usual place. ‘I saw the screen move when I first came into the room! Did you know the edge of your dress was sticking out nearly the whole time I was talking to Tong Guan? What on earth are you doing here, Little Sister?’
I try to get up, but collapse in an undignified heap on the floor because one of my legs is still asleep.
‘It’s a long story. What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be showing the General where the rock is.’
Ah Zhao points to his gardening shears.
‘I left these so I would have an excuse to come back. I’ll catch up with the General now, then I must speak to your Baba. He’s the only man I trust to give me sound advice. Come on, I’d better give you a hand up before I go.’
Ah Zhao’s hand is warm in mine, and I wish I could feel its support there all the time.
‘We must talk this over, Ah Zhao. You can’t go to live in the Palace – it will destroy you.’
Ah Zhao gently releases my hand and picks up his shears.
‘Don’t worry, Little Sister. It may not come to that. I have to go now.’
16
Marble Snail
During the next two months, Gege’s friend Cai You spends more and more time at our home. After classes on most afternoons, the two sit in the garden next to Ah Zhao’s shed and practise the zither for hours on end. They keep asking me for new lyrics, which I gladly supply. I find that I really enjoy writing words to songs. It’s much easier than learning to play the music. Besides, I like to hear my lines being chanted loudly, over and over, for everyone to hear.
Baba comes home earlier than usual today, and finds them playing the zither and practising one of my lyrics. He joins us at the garden table and tells Ah Zhao to bring out the best tea in the house, as befits the son of the Prime Minister.
‘Good tea!’ Cai You exclaims, sniffing the fragrance.
‘Glad you like it,’ Baba replies. ‘This particular tea was picked from the bushes in our private tea-garden, in early spring. At that time of the year, the tea-bushes are covered with silvery-white leaves, tender and fragrant, that resemble needles. We compress the leaves into tea-cakes and dry them in the sun. When guests like you honour us with your presence, we cut off a bit of cake and grind it with a mortar and pestle. Then we pour freshly boiled water over the powder. We call this “white tea”, because of its colour.’
‘I’ve never had tea as delicious as this!’ Cai You says. ‘May I present some of this tea to His Majesty as a special present from you? The Emperor is a great connoisseur of tea and is presently writing a book titled Da Guan Cha Lun (Treatise on Tea).’
‘I will be honoured to do so. Please tell His Majesty that the quality of the water is as important as that of the tea.’ Baba beams. ‘The water in this tea isn’t drawn from the well in our courtyard but carried from a fresh spring one li away. All the utensils used are reserved for making tea and nothing else. A knife that cuts shrimp or garlic is never used to cut tea-cakes in my kitchen! The tea-cake knife cuts only tea-cakes.’
‘I’ve noticed how tranquil and beautiful your garden is,’ Cai You says, pointing to the door as Ah Zhao walks into his shed. ‘Look at the bamboo framing the door of this simple wooden hut with its thatched roof! Every trunk is as high and round as the next. And the asymmetry of the paving stones along this path leading to the main house. How did you achieve this poetic effect? Who designed it?’
There’s a short silence as Baba looks around at his garden proudly, with fresh eyes. ‘Well, I suppose my head servant, Ah Wang, has a lot to do with it…’ he replies vaguely.
‘Oh, Baba!’ I interrupt impatiently. ‘You know very well it’s Ah Zhao who’s the brains behind it!’
Cai You makes the kind of face people make if they step in dog poo.
‘Ah Zhao!? The barbarian garden boy who just served us our tea? Surely you’re joking? Most barbarians can’t even read or write, let alone design something as sublime as this garden! They’re barely human!’
I’m furious, but also shocked, as it has given me a glimpse of how other people might see Ah Zhao.
‘He’s not just the garden boy, is he, Gege?’ I wait for Gege to defend him, but he has gone red and is trying to pretend he hasn’t heard.
This just makes me angrier. ‘He’s our friend, isn’t he, Gege?’
Cai You gives a silly little laugh. ‘Your friend… the garden boy… is this true, Ze Duan?’
Gege mumbles something that could have been a yes, but says nothing else. To make matters worse, I know that Ah Zhao can hear everything from his shed.
Fortunately, Baba explains to Cai You that Ah Zhao is a very talented artist, and part of our household, rather than just a servant. Cai You gives another silly titter and says he admires Baba’s commitment to the arts.
I’ve had more than enough, so I make my excuses and go to my room. After a while, Nai Ma comes in and says that Cai You has gone home. I go looking for Ah Zhao, so I can apologize, but it’s not as easy as I’d hoped. Finally, I find him near the ravine at the back of our garden, pruning the dead branches off a pine tree growing out of a rock. I can tell he wishes that each branch he is lopping off is Cai You’s head. I’ve never seen garden shears look more dangerous.
‘Come on, Ah Zhao,’ I say to him. ‘Don’t listen to that idiot Cai You – he’s just not worth getting upset about.’
Crack – another dead branch hits the ground. Ah Zhao picks it up and breaks it over his knee.
‘It’s not just him – everyone thinks the same thing. No matter how well I paint, I’ll always be the barbarian who is barely human. An outsider, in exile for the rest of my life. Even to your brother!’
I feel desperate to make Ah Zhao realize how important he is to us. ‘You have no idea of your effect on others, Ah Zhao. When Gege and I are with you, everything comes alive. I know he didn’t behave too well back there… goodness knows what came over him… but in his heart he’s perfectly aware of your perception and intelligence. Surely you know we both think you’re a genius?’
‘A genius!? What are you talking about?’
‘Remember the time you, Gege and I came to explore this ravine for the first time, and saw this very tree growing out of rock? You made us tap out hunks of granite that day with hammer and chisel, to make paving stones for the path in t
he garden. Afterwards, you did a painting of the gnarled tree so beautifully that its branches appear to be twisting in the wind every time I look at the picture. As for the little snail you carved out of the small piece of black granite that broke off, I like it so much that I’ve slept with it under my pillow every night since you gave it to me.’
Suddenly Ah Zhao is not angry any more.
‘Have you really?’ he asks, visibly moved.
‘Yes – and I often look at it and wonder what you were thinking when you carved it.’
‘I remember very clearly. When I first came across that small, broken piece of granite, its shape appealed to me. It was just a stone, but it had a touching quality. For some reason, it reminded me of you.’
I smile. ‘Maybe it’s because I tend to hide behind my books. It takes courage to be a writer – especially a woman writer. The act of writing seems so final. Once you’ve put your thoughts down on paper, you can never take them back.’
‘For whatever reason, I saw within that stone the image of a little girl too shy to show her talents; just as a snail is afraid to show its horns. I worked on that piece of rock, and something precious emerged. That snail used to be part of a ravine, but now expresses a young girl’s hidden dreams…’
‘From now on, every time I look at my snail, I’ll think of you extracting a living symbol from a cold mountain,’ I reply. ‘And now my dream is that Tong Guan will forget all about you, and you’ll stay here with us forever.’
Ah Zhao suddenly looks into my face. ‘Don’t you realize that change happens all the time? Nothing is forever. Everyone knows that your Niang is trying to arrange a marriage for you. Do you honestly think you’ll be living here much longer yourself ? With a bit of luck, you’ll marry a rich man, bear lots of children and live happily ever after.’
‘No!’ I cry. ‘I’ll never marry. I’m going to be a writer.’
‘Only time will tell what is to be your destiny,’ he says sadly. ‘But one thing’s for certain. Unfortunately, I don’t think Tong Guan will forget about me.’
17
Decision
The Mystery of the Song Dynasty Painting Page 11