Chinese Ghost Stories. Lafcadio Hearn
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you ask me who she was, the beautiful Xue Tao? For a thousand years and more the trees have been whispering above her bed of stone. And the syllables of her name come to the listener with the lisping of the leaves; with the quivering of many-fingered boughs; with the fluttering of lights and shadows; with the breath, sweet as a woman’s presence, of numberless savage flowers, Xue Tao. But, saving the whispering of her name, what the trees say cannot be understood; and they alone remember the years of Xue Tao. Something about her you might, nevertheless, learn from any of those Jianggu ren, those famous Chinese story-tellers, who nightly narrate to listening crowds, in consideration of a few qian, the legends of the past. Something concerning her you may also find in the book entitled Jinguji guan, which signifies in our tongue: “The Marvelous Happenings of Ancient and of Recent Times.” And perhaps of all things therein written, the most marvelous is this memory of Xue Tao:
Five hundred years ago, in the reign of the Emperor Hong wu, whose dynasty was Ming, there lived in the city of Guangzhoufu a man celebrated for his learning and for his piety, named Tian Bailu. This Tian Bailu had one son, a beautiful boy, who for scholarship and for bodily grace and for polite accomplishments had no superior among the youths of his age. And his name was Ming Yi.
Now when the lad was in his eighteenth summer, it came to pass that Bailu, his father, was appointed Inspector of Public Instruction at the city of Qingdu; and Ming Yi accompanied his parents thither. Near the city of Qingdu lived a rich man of rank, a high commissioner of the government, whose name was Zhang, and who wanted to find a worthy teacher for his children. On hearing of the arrival of the new Inspector of Public Instruction, the noble Zhang visited him to obtain advice in this matter; and happening to meet and converse with Bailu’s accomplished son, immediately engaged Ming Yi as a private tutor for his family.
Now as the house of this Lord Zhang was situated several miles from town, it was deemed best that Ming Yi should abide in the house of his employer. Accordingly the youth made ready all things necessary for his new sojourn; and his parents, bidding him farewell, counseled him wisely, and cited to him the words of Laozi and of the ancient sages:
By a beautiful face the world is filled with love; but Heaven may never be deceived thereby. Shouldst thou behold a woman coming from the East, look thou to the West; shouldst thou perceive a maiden approaching from the West, turn thine eyes to the East.
If Ming Yi did not heed this counsel in after days, it was only because of his youth and the thoughtlessness of a naturally joyous heart.
And he departed to abide in the house of Lord Zhang, while the autumn passed, and the winter also.
When the time of the second moon of spring was drawing near, and that happy day which the Chinese call Hua zhao, or, “The Birthday of a Hundred Flowers,” a longing came upon Ming Yi to see his parents; and he opened his heart to the good Zhang, who not only gave him the permission he desired, but also pressed into his hand a silver gift of two ounces, thinking that the lad might wish to bring some little memento to his father and mother. For it is the Chinese custom, on the feast of Hua zhao, to make presents to friends and relations.
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