Explore Chapter 3 of '故事新编' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
It was a time when "the floods surged and spread, vast waters encircling mountains and submerging hills." The people under Lord Shun were not all crowded on the mountaintops protruding from the water. Some were tied to treetops, others sat on rafts, and some rafts even had small sheds built on them. Viewed from the shore, it all appeared quite poetic.
News from distant places was transmitted via rafts. Eventually, everyone learned that Lord Gun had been banished to Mount Yu for failing to achieve any results after nine years of flood control, and the emperor was furious. His successor seemed to be his son, Young Lord Wenming, whose childhood name was A-Yu.
The famine had lasted so long that universities had long been disbanded. Even kindergartens had no place to operate, so the people were somewhat muddled. Only on Culture Mountain were many scholars gathered. Their food was delivered by flying vehicles from the Country of Jigong, so they feared no shortages and could devote themselves to scholarship. However, most of them opposed Yu or simply didn't believe such a person as Yu existed.
Once a month, as usual, a rustling sound would come from mid-air. It grew louder and louder. The flying vehicle became clearly visible, with a flag planted on it depicting a yellow circle that emitted a faint glow. About five feet above the ground, several baskets were lowered. No one knew what was inside, only hearing voices from above and below speaking:
The flying vehicle sped away toward the Country of Jigong, leaving no faint sound in the sky. The scholars fell silent, as everyone was eating. Only the waves around the mountain, crashing against rocks, kept roaring incessantly. After the noon nap, refreshed and energetic, their theories then drowned out the sound of the waves.
"Yu will certainly fail at flood control if he is Gun's son," said a scholar leaning on a cane. "I have collected many genealogies of nobles, officials, and wealthy families, and after thorough research, I conclude that the descendants of the rich are always rich, and the descendants of the wicked are always wicked. This is called 'heredity.' So, since Gun failed, his son Yu will surely fail too. Fools cannot give birth to wise men!"
"He was once somewhat 'stubborn,' but now he has reformed. If he were a fool, he would never have improved..."
"This is all nonsense," stammered another scholar, his nose tip instantly turning bright red. "You've been deceived by rumors. In fact, there is no such person as Yu. 'Yu' is a worm. Can a worm control floods? I don't think Gun existed either. 'Gun' is a fish. Can a fish control water?" At this point, he stamped his feet, looking very emphatic.
"But Gun certainly did exist. Seven years ago, I saw with my own eyes him going to the foot of the Kunlun Mountains to admire plum blossoms."
"Then his name was mistaken. He probably wasn't called 'Gun.' His name should be 'Man!' As for Yu, he must be a worm. I have much evidence to prove his non-existence. Let's call for a public judgment..."
Then he bravely stood up, took out a carving knife, and scraped off the bark of five large pine trees. Using leftover breadcrumbs mixed with water to form a paste, and blending it with charcoal powder, he wrote in tiny tadpole script on the tree trunks, expounding his research to debunk A-Yu. It took him a full twenty-seven days. But anyone who wanted to see it had to offer ten tender elm leaves. If they lived on a raft, they had to give a shell of fresh water moss instead.
Since water was everywhere, hunting was impossible, and farming was out of the question. As long as they were alive, they had plenty of idle time. Quite a few people came to see it. For three days, the pine trees were crowded, and sighs were heard everywhere-some in admiration, some from fatigue. But at noon on the fourth day, a villager finally spoke up while the scholar was eating fried noodles.
"Among people, there is one called A-Yu," said the villager. "Besides, 'Yu' isn't a worm. It's a simplified character used by us villagers. The gentry write it as 'Yu,' meaning a large monkey..."
"Are there people called 'big monkeys'?" The scholar jumped up, hastily swallowing an unchewed mouthful of noodles. His nose turned purple with rage, and he shouted.
"Mr. Bird-Head, don't argue with him," said the scholar with the cane, putting down his bread and stepping between them. "Villagers are all fools. Show me your genealogy," he turned to the villager and said loudly. "I will surely find that your ancestors were all fools..."
"But I have no genealogy," said the "fool." "And now, with such chaos and poor transportation, waiting for your friends' letters as evidence is harder than holding a Daoist ceremony in a snail shell. Evidence is right before you. You're called Mr. Bird-Head-are you really a bird's head, not a human?"
"Hmph!" Mr. Bird-Head was so angry that even his earlobes turned purple. "How dare you insult me like this! Saying I'm not human! I'll take you to Lord Gaoyao for legal settlement! If I'm truly not human, I willingly accept execution-that means beheading, understand? Otherwise, you should face counter-charges. Wait here, don't move, until I finish my fried noodles."
"Sir," replied the villager numbly and calmly, "you are a scholar and should know it's already past noon. Others get hungry too. The hateful thing is that fools' stomachs are just like wise men's-they also hunger. I'm very sorry, but I must go gather moss. After you submit your petition, I'll come to surrender." Then he jumped onto a raft, picked up a net, scooped water plants, and drifted far away. The onlookers gradually dispersed. Mr. Bird-Head, with red earlobes and nose, resumed eating his fried noodles. The scholar with the cane shook his head.
More than half a year passed. The flying vehicles from the Country of Jigong had come eight times. Among the raft residents who read the writings on the pine trees, nine out of ten developed beriberi. But there was still no news of the new official for flood control. Only after the tenth flying vehicle arrived did news spread that Yu was indeed a person, precisely Gun's son. He had indeed been appointed as the Minister of Water Conservancy. Three years earlier, he had set out from Jizhou and would soon arrive here.
People were slightly excited but also indifferent, hardly believing it. Such unreliable rumors had been heard so often that ears grew calloused.
Yet this time, the news seemed credible. Over ten days later, almost everyone said the minister was surely coming, for someone who had gone out to gather floating grass saw with his own eyes an official boat. He even pointed to a dark bruise on his head, saying it was from a stone thrown by a soldier for not moving aside quickly enough-this was evidence the minister had indeed arrived. From then on, this man became famous and busy. Everyone jostled with each other to see the bruise on his head, almost sinking the raft. Later, scholars summoned him for careful study and confirmed the bruise was genuine. Thus, even Mr. Bird-Head could no longer cling to his prejudice; he had to leave textual research to others and went to collect folk songs instead.
A large fleet of single-log boats arrived about twenty days after the bruise appeared. Each boat had twenty soldiers rowing and thirty holding spears, with flags front and back. As soon as they neared the mountaintop, gentry and scholars lined up on shore to welcome them. After a long while, two middle-aged, portly officials emerged from the largest boat. About twenty tiger-skin-clad warriors escorted them, and they went with the welcoming party to a stone house at the highest peak.
People on water and land craned their necks and looked around, diligently inquiring, and finally understood that the two were only inspection commissioners, not Yu himself.
The officials sat in the center of the stone house. After eating bread, they began their inspection.
"The disaster isn't too severe, and food can barely cope," said a representative of the scholars, an expert in Miao language. "Bread falls from mid-air monthly. Fish aren't lacking either, though somewhat earthy, but quite plump, sir. As for the commoners, they have elm leaves and sea moss. They 'eat all day without using their minds'-that is, they don't labor mentally, so these suffice. We've tasted them too. The flavor isn't bad, rather unique..."
"Moreover," another scholar specializing in the "Shennong Bencao Jing" chimed in, "elm leaves contain Vitamin W. Sea moss has iodine, which can treat scrofula. Both are very hygienic."
"As for drink," the "Shennong Bencao Jing" scholar continued, "they have as much as they want, enough for ten thousand generations. Unfortunately, it contains some loess. It should be distilled before drinking. I have advocated dredging many times, but they are obstinate and absolutely refuse to comply. Thus, countless have fallen ill..."
"Isn't the flood also their doing?" a gentleman with a long beard and a dark brown robe interrupted. "Before the water came, they were too lazy to fill the gaps. When the flood arrived, they were too lazy to bail..."
"This is called losing their spiritual nature," laughed an essayist from the Fuxi era with a mustache shaped like the character for 'eight,' sitting in the back row. "I once stood on the Pamirs, where the heavenly winds blew mightily. Plum blossoms bloomed, white clouds flew, gold prices rose, mice slept. I saw a youth with a cigar in his mouth, his face shrouded in the mist of Chi You... Hahaha! No way..."
They talked like this for a good while. The officials listened attentively. In the end, they were asked to jointly draft a report, preferably with a proposal detailing rehabilitation methods.
Then the officials went down to their boats. The next day, they said they were tired from the journey and would not work or receive guests. On the third day, scholars invited them to admire ancient pine trees with umbrella-like canopies on the highest peak. In the afternoon, they went to the back of the mountain to catch yellow eels, playing until dusk. On the fourth day, they said they were fatigued from inspection and would not work or receive guests. On the afternoon of the fifth day, they summoned representatives of the commoners.
The commoners' representative had been selected four days earlier, but no one was willing to go, saying they had never seen officials. So the majority nominated the one with the bruise, thinking he had experience with officials. The bruise, which had subsided, suddenly throbbed as if pricked by needles. He cried and insisted he would rather die than be a representative. They surrounded him, lecturing him day and night on righteousness, saying he ignored public welfare and was a selfish individualist who would not be tolerated by the Middle Kingdom. The more radical ones even clenched fists in front of his nose, demanding he take responsibility for the flood. Desperately sleepy, he thought it better to risk being a public sacrifice than to be pressured to death on the raft. He made a firm resolution and on the fourth day agreed.
On the morning of the fifth day, they dragged him up early and stood him on shore to await summons. Sure enough, the officials called. His legs trembled instantly, but he immediately steeled himself. After resolving, he yawned twice, eyes swollen, feeling as if floating in air without touching ground, and walked to the official boat.
Strangely, the spear-holding soldiers and tiger-skin-clad warriors neither beat nor scolded him. They let him straight into the central cabin. The cabin was laid with bear and leopard skins, hung with several crossbows, and arrayed with many bottles and jars, dazzling him. Calming himself, he saw above, opposite him, two portly officials. He dared not look clearly at their faces.
"They told me to come up," he replied, eyes fixed on the leopard-skin pattern on the cabin floor resembling mugwort leaves.
"We always find ways. For example, water moss is best for making slippery emerald soup. Elm leaves make 'first-rank court stew.' When stripping bark, don't strip it all. Leave a strip so that next spring, the branches will still grow leaves and yield. If, by your honor's fortune, we catch yellow eels..."
All residents bustled at once, washing leaves, cutting bark, gathering moss, in chaos. He himself sawed wood planks to make presentation boxes. Two pieces were polished especially smooth. He ran to the mountaintop overnight to ask scholars to write on them. One was for the box lid, requesting "Longevity Mountain and Fortune Sea." The other was for a plaque on his raft to commemorate the honor, requesting "Hall of Honesty." But the scholars only wrote "Longevity Mountain and Fortune Sea."
When the two officials returned to the capital, other inspectors had mostly come back too, only Yu was still away. After resting at home for a few days, colleagues from the Water Conservancy Bureau held a grand banquet to welcome them. Contributions were divided into three levels: Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity, with the least being fifty large shells. That day was truly bustling. Before dusk, all guests had arrived. Torches were already lit in the courtyard. The aroma of beef from the tripods wafted to the guards' noses outside, making everyone swallow saliva. After three rounds of drinks, the officials described the scenery along the way: reed flowers like snow, mud water like gold, yellow eels plump, moss slippery, and so on. Slightly drunk, they brought out the collected folk food, all in delicate wooden boxes with lids inscribed in scripts like the Eight-Trigrams style or the Ghost-Wail style. They first admired the calligraphy, arguing almost to fights, then decided the one with "National Peace and People's Safety" was best. Not only was the script rustic and difficult to decipher, evoking the simple, honest style of antiquity, but the wording was also most appropriate, worthy of being recorded in the imperial archives.
After evaluating this uniquely Chinese art, cultural matters were settled. Then they examined the box contents, all praising the exquisite pastry-like appearance. But perhaps too much wine was drunk, and discussions grew chaotic. Some bit into pine-bark cakes, extolling its delicate fragrance and saying they would resign the next day to enjoy such tranquility. Those who bit cypress-leaf cakes said it was coarse and bitter, hurting their tongues. To share hardship with commoners showed ruling was hard, and serving as ministers wasn't easy either. Some lunged forward to snatch the bitten cakes, saying an exhibition would soon be held for donations, and these must be displayed. Biting too much was unsightly.
Outside the bureau arose a commotion. A group of beggar-like men, faces dark, clothes ragged, broke through the security cordon and burst into the bureau. Guards shouted, quickly crossed shining halberds to block their way.
The guards peered in the dim light, then stood at attention respectfully, raised halberds, and let them in, only stopping a woman panting from behind, dressed in a dark blue homespun robe and holding a child.
Meanwhile, chaos had already erupted in the bureau's main hall. Seeing the group of rough men rushing in, everyone wanted to hide. But seeing no glaring weapons, they braced themselves and looked closer. The approaching men drew near. The first, though thin and dark, was recognizable from his demeanor as Yu. The rest were naturally his attendants.
This shock sobered everyone up. With a rustle of clothes, all retreated below. Yu strode directly to the seat and sat down. Perhaps out of arrogance or because of gout, he didn't kneel but stretched out his legs, showing his soles to the officials. He wore no socks, and his soles were covered with calluses like chestnuts. His attendants sat on either side.
The officials crawled forward, glancing at each other, and sat below the remains of the banquet, seeing bitten pine-bark cakes and gnawed beef bones. They were very uncomfortable-but dared not call servants to clear them away.
"Reporting, sir," one official finally said. "It still looks presentable-a favorable impression. Pine bark and water plants are plentiful. Drinks are abundant. The people are honest. They're used to it. Sir, they are world-renowned for enduring hardship."
"I have drafted a donation plan," said another official. "Planning an Exhibition of Exotic Foods, with Miss Nü Wei for a fashion show. Just sell tickets, and declare no further donations at the event, so more will come."
"But most urgently, send large rafts to bring scholars to the plateau," said a third official. "Also notify the Country of Jigong that we revere culture. Supplies need only be sent here monthly. The scholars have a report here. Quite interesting. They believe culture is a nation's lifeline, scholars are the soul of culture. As long as culture exists, the Middle Kingdom exists. Everything else is secondary..."
"They think the population of the Middle Kingdom is too large," said the first official. "Reducing it is the way to peace. Besides, those are just the ignorant masses. Their emotions aren't as subtle as the wise imagine. Judging people and matters, first rely on subjectivity. For example, Shakespeare..."
"In my humble opinion, sir should perhaps rescind the order," said a white-bearded, white-haired official, feeling the nation's fate rested on his words. Steeling himself, he protested firmly, "'Blocking' is the old master's established method. 'Not altering the father's way for three years can be called filial.' The old master ascended less than three years ago."
"I think sir should 'rectify the father's errors,'" said a portly official, seeing Yu silent and thinking he would yield. He spoke somewhat disdainfully, though sweat gleamed on his face. "Follow the family law, restore the family's reputation. Sir probably doesn't know what people say about the old master..."
Yu smiled slightly. "I know. Some say my father turned into a yellow bear, others say a three-legged turtle, others that I seek fame and profit. Let them say. What I say is, after surveying the mountains and rivers, consulting the people, I've seen the truth and decided firmly. No matter what, we must 'dredging'! My colleagues here agree with me."
He pointed to both sides. The white-bearded, gray-bearded, fair-faced, portly sweaty, and portly non-sweaty officials followed his finger. They saw a row of dark, thin, beggar-like figures, motionless, silent, unsmiling, like iron castings.
After Yu left, time passed quickly. Unnoticed, the capital grew prosperous. First, the rich wore silk robes. Then, large fruit shops sold oranges and pomelos. Large silk stores displayed a fine silk fabric called 'huasige.' Banquets of the wealthy had good soy sauce, clear-braised shark's fin, cold-tossed sea cucumber. Later, they had bearskin mats and fox-fur jackets. Their wives wore gold earrings and silver bracelets.
Just standing at the gate, there was always something new to see. Today, a cart of bamboo arrows. Tomorrow, a batch of pine planks. Sometimes, strange stones for rockeries carried by. Other times, fresh fish for sashimi. Sometimes, a large group of foot-long turtles, with heads withdrawn into bamboo cages, loaded on carts toward the imperial city.
But news about Yu increased alongside the treasures' arrival. Under eaves and by roadside trees, everyone discussed his stories. Most about how he turned into a yellow bear at night, using mouth and claws to dredge the nine rivers, and how he summoned heavenly troops to capture the troublemaking monster Wuzhiqi, imprisoned under Turtle Mountain. No one mentioned Emperor Shun anymore, at most talking about Prince Danzhu's worthlessness.
News of Yu's return had spread long ago. Daily, crowds stood at the pass, watching for his procession. None came. Yet rumors grew tighter and truer. On a semi-overcast morning, he finally entered Jizhou's imperial capital amid a sea of people. No procession ahead, just a large group of men who looked like beggars. Last was a rough-handed, stout fellow, dark-faced with yellow beard, legs slightly bent, hands holding a dark, pointed stone-the "black jade tablet" bestowed by Shun. He kept saying, "Excuse me, excuse me, make way, make way," squeezing through the crowd into the palace.
The people cheered and chattered outside the palace gate, sounds like the roaring waves of the Zhe River.
"Floods reach the sky," Yu said. "Vast waters encircle mountains and submerging hills. The people are immersed in water. I travel by cart on land, by boat on water, by sledge on mud, by sedan on mountains. Reaching a mountain, I cut trees. With Yi, I ensure everyone has food and meat. Divert field water to rivers, river water to sea. With Ji, I ensure rare foods. If insufficient, transfer surplus to make up for deficits. Relocate. Only then did people settle, each place taking shape."
"Alas!" Yu said. "An emperor must be careful and calm. Have a clear conscience before Heaven, and Heaven will still bless you!"
This caused great panic among merchants. But fortunately, after returning to the capital, Yu's attitude changed somewhat. He wasn't particular about food and drink, but held lavish sacrificial ceremonies and religious rites. His clothes were casual, but for court and visits, he dressed finely. So the market remained largely unaffected. Soon, merchants said Yu's behavior was worth emulating, and Gaoyao's new decree was excellent. Finally, peace reigned, even beasts danced, and phoenixes came to join in the fun.