Four Sisters of Hofei : A History (9781439125878)

by Chin, Annping

  Hans studied Chinese literature after his return from China, and eventually accepted an appointment at Yale as a professor of Chinese poetry. Ch’ung-ho taught calligraphy at the university’s School of Art for many years. She never gave up the idea of building a world for herself. This world is much smaller in scale than what she imagined for her scholarly estate in Hofei. It is a patch of garden behind her North Haven house. She planted tree peonies and roses on one side, tall chives, gourds, and cucumbers around the deck, and a pear tree next to the chives. She also created a small bamboo grove in the back, away from the noise of cars and trucks, and there she put a wooden bench. Of her private haven, she writes:

  Travel weary, I return to this nook of earth.

  A squirrel sits on a branch and twitches its head at me.

  “Pinecones cover the ground,” I say, “take all you want.

  I just wish to borrow cool shade for a moment of rest.”

  Ch’ung-ho has few regrets about not realizing her grander ambitions. She writes in another poem:

  In the past, when choosing a scenic spot,

  We went to towering cliffs.

  Now we pass our time anywhere,

  Wherever destiny leads.

  Elegant or common,

  We seek only a place where life stirs.

  Just so, an old man next door

  Peers over the hedge

  And admires my gourds.

  In North Haven, Ch’ung-ho also dreamed of home and of going home. Yet in 1979, on the eve of returning to China after three decades of being away, she again wavered:

  The road is long. I remember clearly how it was,

  But only vaguely how things have just been.

  Year after year, dreams of going home supported my translucent shadow.

  But now, just before setting off,

  My dreams themselves need holding up.

  She went and came back. Ch’ung-ho hardly leaves her small garden now but carries on her peripatetic life in the manner she knows best, with a brush, moving in and out of the imperceptible.

  A Note on Sources

  The notes, on the whole, refer to written materials, which include both published and unpublished sources. All other details regarding the Chang family were drawn from interviews.

  About the Author

  ANNPING CHIN was born in Taiwan in 1950 to a family from the mainland, and moved with them to Richmond, Virginia, in 1962. She received her Ph.D. in Chinese Thought from Columbia, and is the author of Children of China: Voices from Recent Years and co-author with Jonathan Spence, her husband, of The Chinese Century: A Photographic History of the Last Hundred Years. She currently teaches in the History department at Yale, where her fields of study include Confucianism, Taoism, and the early Chinese textual tradition.

  This title also available from Simon & Schuster Audio

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  Jacket design and illustration by Massand Peploe

  Jacket photographs courtesy of the author

  Author photograph by Yeewan Koon

  Copyright © 2002 Simon & Schuster Inc.

  Distributed by Simon & Schuster Inc.

  ALSO BY ANNPING CHIN

  Tai Chen on Mencius: Explorations in Words and Meaning (co-author with Mansfield Freeman)

  Children of China: Voices from Recent Years

  The Chinese Century: A Photographic History of the Last Hundred Years (co-author with Jonathan D. Spence)

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  Chapter 1: The Wedding

  Lu Ying’s wedding Yun-ho learned the details of her mother’s wedding from the grandmothers and servants in the family. She recorded them in her diary many years later. The ditty is also found in her diary. In interviews, Ch’ung-ho filled in the background regarding traditional Chinese weddings in gentry households. She had been to several such weddings when she was a child.

  people of Huai-pei A detailed study of Huai-pei is in Elizabeth Perry’s Rebels and Revolutionaries in North China, 1845–1945. Her analysis of Huai-pei peasants is found on pp. 43–47.

  Anhwei bandits The four sisters’ sister-in-law, Chou Hsiao-hua, told me this. She was also from a wealthy Hofei family.

  Anhwei, 1906 Anhwei chin-tai-shih, pp. 360–61.

  worries of bride and groom’s families A second-century B.C. commentary on the Classic of Odes says: “Candles burn for three continuous nights in the bride’s home; everyone there broods about the impending separation. The groom’s family also does not make mirth; they worry about the question of progeny.” (See Han Ying, Han-shih wai-chuan chi-shih 2:33, pp. 76–77.)

  bride older than the groom From interview with Yun-ho. See also the brief biography in Hsaio K’o-fei et al., Liu Ming-ch’uan tsai Taiwan, p. 282. Liu Ming-ch’uan, the first governor of Taiwan, was also from Hofei. His wife was six years older than he, and, according to his biographer, it was common practice in this area for the bride to be older than the groom. See pp. 29–32 of the present work for more information about Liu Ming-ch’uan.

  Chang Hsüeh-ch’eng on “quiet woman” Wen-shih t’ung-i 5: 41–43, “Learning for Women.”

  ode on “quiet woman” Shih-ching (Classic of Odes), Ode 42; revised from James Legge’s translation of “The She King” in his Chinese Classics, vol. 4, p. 68. As for the two different readings of this poem, see Chu Hsi, Shih-ching chi-chu, pp. 21–22, for the first reading, and Mao Heng, Mao-shih Cheng-chien 2: 15b–16a, for the second.

  Chang on learning for women Wen-shih t’ung-i, pp. 40–41.

  T’ai-jen and T’ai-ssu Ode 240, Ssu-ch’i (Great dignity) in the Ta-ya (Major odes) section.

  Ch’iu Chin A moving portrayal of Ch’iu Chin (Qiu Jin) is in Jonathan Spence, The Gate of Heavenly Peace, pp. 83–93. See also Fang Chao-ying’s biography of Ch’iu in Eminent Chinese of the Ch’ing Period, 1644–1912, edited by Arthur W. Hummel, pp. 169–71.

  “When it’s time to get married . . .” Translated in Spence, The Gate of Heavenly Peace, p. 83.

  Chapter 2: Birth

  “Changes” See hexagram 54, kuei-mei, or “Marrying Maiden.”

  Ch’en Kan-kan Interviews with Yuan-ho, who recently also published some of this material regarding her wet nurse and Ch’en Kan-kan in Shui, the Chang family journal; see Shui, no. 15 (December 31, 2000), p. 9.

  Yun-ho’s birth Drawn from Chang Yun-ho’s earlier draft, which is somewhat different from the published version in her Tsui-hou te kuei-hsiu, pp. 3–6.

  Hofei ditty and wet nurse Interviews with Yun-ho. A version of this was later published in her Tsui-hou te kuei-hsiu; see pp. 7–10.

  Chapter 3: Reasons for Moving

  Tax collecting in Anhwei Anhwei chin-tai-shih, p. 359.

  likin goods Anhwei hsien-tai ke-ming-shih tzu-liao ch’ang-pien, pp. 38–40; Hsüan-t’ung cheng-chi (Official records from the Hsüan-t’ung reign), 71 chüan, quoted in Anhwei chin-tai-shih, p. 359.

  lawlessness Anhwei hsien-tai ke-ming-shih, p. 57.

  Patriotic activities in Anhwei The Anhwei chin-tai-shih has a detailed discussion of activities among the young Anhwei radicals; see pp. 335–51. See also Lee Faigon’s biography of Ch’en Tu-hsiu, Chen Duxiu, pp. 39–59.

  gathering at an An-ch’ing library The quote from Su-pao is found in Anhwei hsien-tai ke-ming-shih, pp. 84–85.

  independence and cutting off queues Anhwei chin-tai-shih, pp. 376–79.

  ambiguities in Shanghai culture See Gail Hershatter, Dangerous Pleasures, pp. 14–20, 165–69; and Yeh Wen-hsin, The Alienated Academy, pp. 55–59.

  Shanghai newspapers See Anhwei hsien-tai ke-ming-shih, p. 108.

  Ch’en Tu-hsiu statement From the first issue of An
hwei Venacular Paper, quoted in ibid., p. 84.

  Chapter 4: The Hofei Spirit

  Hofei’s early history See Hofei shih-hua, pp. 5–13.

  Chang Shu-sheng An official biography of Chang Shu-sheng can be found in the Ch’ing-shih lieh-chüan 54:12b–15a. Li Hung-chang also wrote a short biography of Chang, which is included among the prefaces to Chang’s collected memorials, Chang Ching-ta-kung tsou-i (hereafter, Tsou-i).

  backgrounds of Hofei generals Wang Erh-min discusses this in Huai-chün-chih, pp. 137–87. See also Fei-hsi Huai-chün jen-wu, pp. 29–30, 109–11, 126–28; and Samuel Chu and Kwang-ching Liu, Li Hung-chang and China’s Early Modernization, pp. 26–27.

  new Hofei gentry in their community See Lu-chou fu-chih, 13:31–33; and Chang Chung-li, The Chinese Gentry, p. 57.

  Liu Ming-ch’uan as a youth See Ho-fei wen-shih tzu-liao, pp.117–18; and Fei-hsi Huai-chün jen-wu, pp. 30–31.

  Nien in Anhwei See Chiang Siang-tseh, The Nien Rebellion, pp. 32–44.

  flagpole See Fei-hsi Huai-chün jen-wu, p. 31.

  “When the enemies came . . .” See Wang Erh-min, Huai-chün-chih, p. 118.

  Liu’s wife . . . See Fei-hsi Huai-chün jen-wu, p. 31.

  “the hood” Hofei shih-hua, pp. 36–37.

  “more talented men . . .” See Wang Erh-min, Huai-chün-chih, p. 216; see also Wang’s discussion of Li as commander of the Huai Army, pp. 216–24.

  Liu in Taiwan See the biography of Liu Ming-ch’uan in Eminent Chinese of the Ch’ing Period, 1644–1912 (hereafter, ECCP), edited by Arthur W. Hummel, vol. 1, pp. 526–28. See also Hsiao K’o-fei et al., Liu Ming-ch’uan tsai Taiwan, pp. 205–40.

  “rose to fame . . .” See Wang Erh-min, Huai-chün-chih, pp. 385–86.

  Chang Yin-ku Described in the tomb inscription Li Hung-chang wrote for him; see Fei-hsi Huai-chün jen-wu, pp. 15–16.

  “I have made . . .” Chang Shu-sheng, Tsou-i, p. 476.

  “men who are sloppy . . .” Ibid., p. 476.

  “[Westerners] have a firm . . .” Ibid., pp. 283–84.

  “merely another province” Ibid., p. 284.

  “We constructed . . .” Ibid., p. 284.

  “We have already . . .” Ibid., p. 306.

  “When investigating . . .” Ibid., pp. 306–7.

  on Europeans See his discussion in Tsou-i, pp. 283, 306, and 558.

  Chang’s reports on the French in Vietnam Tsou-i, pp. 333–38, 431–40, 447–54, and 478–80.

  Purists See Lloyd E. Eastman’s discussion in Throne and Mandarins, pp. 16–29.

  letters from August 1884 See Chang Shu-sheng, Tsou-i, pp. 536–39, 542–43, and 546–47.

  last letter Ibid., pp. 558–59.

  “It is crucial . . .” Ibid., p. 560.

  Tseng on Hofei men In Tseng Kuo-fan’s diary, Tseng Wen-cheng kung jih-chi, pp. 55–56; also quoted in Wang Erh-min’s Huai-chün-chih, pp. 223–24.

  best minds of his generation Paul A. Cohen’s Between Tradition and Modernity and Hao Yen-p’ing and Wang Erh-min’s essay in The Cambridge History of China, vol. 11, part 2, pp. 142–201, throw much light on this subject.

  Chapter 5: Grandmother

  “perfect travel” The Book of Lieh Tzu, translated by A. C. Graham, pp. 81–82.

  Li Yun-chang Chou Hai-p’ing’s schematic summary of the Li family genealogy includes the information regarding Yun-chang’s wives and children (Hofei wen-shih tzu-liao, pp. 94–95). See also Li Hung-chang, Li Hung-chang chia-shu (hereafter, “Family Letters”), pp. 35, 43, and 58.

  “Among my nephews . . .” Li Hung-chang, “Family Letters,” p. 60.

  Li Hung-chang to Ching-shih Ibid., pp. 41–42.

  “refused to be obstinate . . .” Confucius, Analects, 9:4.

  Li Hung-chang on Buddhism Li Hung-chang, “Family Letters,” p. 288.

  Li Ch’ing-chao’s marriage Li Ch’ing-chao (1084–ca. 1151) was one of the finest poets in Chinese history. Her moving account of her marriage appeared as an epilogue to her husband’s collection of old inscriptions, called Records on Metal and Stone. See Stephen Owen’s excellent translation of this essay in the collection he edited called An Anthology of Chinese Literature, pp. 591–96.

  minister and gamekeeper The story appears in Mencius 5a:2, p. 140 of D. C. Lau’s translation.

  Chang Tai See Chang Tai’s essay “Three Generations of Collected Books” (San-tai ts’ang-shu) in his T’ao-an meng-i, pp. 31–32.

  Hsün Tzu on “inwardness” This elegant statement is found in chapter 3 of the Hsün Tzu, Hsün Tzu chi-shih, p. 47.

  Chapter 6: Mother

  “It was the perfect year . . .” Drawn from Chang Yun-ho’s earlier draft of “Wang Chüeh-wu Causing Trouble at School,” which was later published in her Tsui-hou te kuei-hsiu, pp. 26–27.

  Lu Ying’s Soochow home Ibid., pp. 27–28.

  Hofei song Yun-ho’s diary, 10/22/84.

  making Hofei delicacies Yuan-ho’s essay in Shui, no. 9 (December 1998), p. 1.

  Kao Kan-kan Chao-ho’s essay in Shui, no. 6 (November 1997), p. 7.

  gifts for the elderly Yuan-ho’s essay in Shui, no. 9 (December 1998), pp. 1–2.

  Chu Kan-kan and Tou Kan-kan Chang Yun-ho, Tsui-hou te kuei-hsiu, p. 28.

  wedding of Wu-ling’s half sister From interview with Yuan-ho. She gives a slightly different version in her essay about her mother; see Shui, no. 14 (August 2000), pp. 13–14.

  baby sister and mother’s death From interview with Yun-ho. Yun-ho also wrote about her mother’s death in Tsui-hou te kuei-hsiu, pp. 13–15.

  Li Yü and the spirit of a place Li-weng i-chia-yen, in Li Yü ch’üan-chi 2:64a–66a. I have used Patrick Hanan’s translation (with romanization altered) in The Invention of Li Yu, pp. 192–93.

  Chapter 7: Father

  books and newspapers See Wei Pu’s essay in Shui, no. 4 (February 1997), p. 2.

  a shy man Ibid., p. 4.

  private academies See John Chaffee, The Thorny Gates of Learning in Sung China, pp. 89–94, on the Sung academies; Barry Keenan on the late Ch’ing academies in Education and Society in Late Imperial China, 1600–1900, edited by Benjamin Elman and Alexander Woodside, pp. 493–524. See also, for example, the biographies of Tsou Yuan-piao and Feng Ts’ung-wu in Dictionary of Ming Biography, 1368– 1644, edited by L. Carrington Goodrich and Chaoying Fang, pp. 1312–14; 458–59.

  gentry and academies See Barry Keenan, pp. 498–99.

  West Hofei Academy Lu-chou fu-chih, 17:86b.

  Kiangsu academies See Keenan, p. 499.

  educators See Yeh Wen-hsin, The Alienated Academy, pp. 102–8. Yeh’s book is the best source we have in English on the private schools of the republican period.

  China College Ibid., pp. 106–7.

  tuition Ibid., pp. 195–205.

  Ch’üan-fu See Chia Hsing-yuan’s essay in Shui, no. 8 (July 1998), p. 3.

  servants playing mah-jongg Yü-ho’s essay in Shui, no. 11 (August 1999), p. 4.

  “Po-chi had another son . . .” Chang Hua-k’uei’s letter, dated December 16, 1889, is included in Shui, no. 1 (February 1996).

  Classic of Odes Ode 243, Hsia-wu (Footsteps here below), in the “Major odes.” See also Hua-k’uei’s letter in Shui, no. 1 (February 1996).

  Chi-yu See Wei Pu’s discussion of Wu-ling’s name in Shui, no. 4 (February 1997), p. 1.

  “Only now . . .” Hua-k’uei’s letter in Shui, no. 1 (February 1996).

  Chang Hua-k’uei’s biography Pa-hsien-chih 9:21–22, pp. 1275–77.

  Yen, Feng, and Chiang See their biographies in Biographical Dictionary of Republican China, edited by Howard L. Boorman.

  Ting-ho Chang Tsung-ho’s diary from October through December 1932 is a wonderful source on Ting-ho as a young man. In it, Tsung-ho managed to say a lot about his cousin’s character and activities in Peking though he never tried to judge Ting-ho. See Shui, no. 7 (February 1998). According to Ch’ung-ho, Ting-ho’s own children wrote a hagiographic biography of their father, casting him as a Communi
st martyr.

  “It is already a fluke . . .” Tsung-ho’s diary dated 4/5/31, in Shui, no. 6 (November 1997), p. 4.

  “I believe I have . . .” Tsung-ho’s diary dated 10/22/31, in Shui, no. 1 (February 1996).

  “Dad is still the best.” Tsung-ho’s diary dated 10/25/31, in ibid.

  “The moon shines . . .” Chao-ho’s poem is collected in Shui, no. 3 (October 1996).

  Nara Singde See Yun-ho’s essay in Shui, no. 9 (December 1998).

  three categories of men See Confucius, Analects, 6:19.

  Wu-ling and etymology Shui, no. 11 (August 1999), p. 2.

  11/12/30–10/16/31 Tsung-ho’s diary, collected in Shui, no. 1 (February 1996).

  “Courtyard Full of Fragrance” I have slightly revised James J. Y. Liu’s translation of the original poem by Ch’in Kuan, in Sunflower Splendor, edited by Wu-chi Liu and Irving Yucheng Lo, p. 360.

  Yü-ho Yü-ho’s essay in Shui, no. 11 (August 1999), pp. 3–4.

  Wei Chün-i See Kan Lan-ching’s biography of Wei Chün-i in Shui, no. 15 (December 2000), p. 22; see also Huan-ho’s essay in Shui, no. 11 (August 1999), p. 6.

  Mother and Dad Tsung-ho’s diary dated 2/28/31, in Shui, no. 1 (February 1996).

  Chün-i’s eulogy In Shui, no. 3 (October 1996).

  “Funeral Song” Ibid.

  chung-kuei From the commentary to hexagram 37, Chou-i, 4:7b–8a. This is slightly revised from Richard Lynn’s translation: see I Ching, The Classic of Changes, pp. 363–64.