Explore Chapter 2 of 'The True Story of Ah Q' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Not only were Ah Q's name and native place vague, but even his "life" was vague. Because the people of Weizhuang, when it came to Ah Q, only wanted his help, only made fun of him, and had never paid any attention to his "life". And Ah Q himself never spoke of it, except when he quarreled with others, when he would occasionally glare and say:
Ah Q had no home and lived in the Tutelary God's Temple in Weizhuang. He also had no fixed job, only working as a casual laborer: if there was wheat to cut, he cut wheat; if there was rice to pound, he pounded rice; if there was a boat to punt, he punted a boat. When the work lasted a little longer, he might live temporarily in the home of his employer, but as soon as it was done, he left. So when people were busy, they would remember Ah Q, but what they remembered was his labor, not his "life". Once they were idle, they forgot even Ah Q, let alone his "life". Only once did an old man praise him, saying: "Ah Q really can work!" At the time, Ah Q, bare-chested and lanky, was lazily standing right in front of him. Others could not tell whether the old man's words were sincere or mocking, but Ah Q was very pleased.
Ah Q was also very self-respecting, and all the residents of Weizhuang were beneath his notice, even to the point that he showed a contemptuous expression toward the two "scholar"s. For a "scholar" was someone who might in the future become a "licentiate". Zhao Taiye and Qian Taiye were greatly respected by the villagers, not only because of their wealth but also because they were the fathers of "scholar"s. Yet Ah Q, in his spirit, did not show them any particular reverence. He thought: "My son will be much richer!" And having been to town a few times, Ah Q naturally became even more conceited, but he also despised the townspeople. For example, a stool made of boards three feet three inches wide-the people of Weizhuang called it a "long bench," and so did Ah Q-but the townspeople called it a "strip bench." He thought: "This is wrong, ridiculous!" When frying bighead fish, the people of Weizhuang would add scallion leaves half an inch long, but the townspeople would add finely shredded scallion. He thought: "This is also wrong, ridiculous!" Yet the people of Weizhuang were truly the uncouth and laughable country folk; they had never seen the townspeople's fried fish!
Ah Q was "better off in the past," had great insight, and was "really able to work." He was almost a "perfect man," but unfortunately he had some physical defects. The most annoying was that on his scalp there were several ringworm scars of unknown origin. Although these were on his own body, Ah Q seemed to regard them as not worth mentioning, because he avoided saying "lai" (ringworm) and any word that sounded like it-a sound that could also mean "shameless." Later he extended this taboo to include words like "bald" and "shiny," and even to "lamp" and "candle." Whenever someone violated his taboo, whether intentionally or not, Ah Q would fly into a rage, his scars glowing red. He would size up his opponent: if the opponent was tongue-tied, he would curse; if the opponent was weak, he would strike. But somehow, it was always Ah Q who ended up on the losing side. Gradually, he changed his strategy, mostly resorting to glaring angrily.
Who would have thought that after Ah Q adopted the policy of glaring, the idlers of Weizhuang liked to tease him even more. As soon as they met him, they would pretend to be shocked and say: "Hey, it's shining!"
"You are not even worthy..." At this moment, he seemed to feel that the scar on his head was a noble and glorious ringworm, not an ordinary one. But as mentioned before, Ah Q had insight; he immediately realized that saying this would violate his taboo, so he stopped short.
The idlers would not let go; they kept provoking him, and finally came to blows. Ah Q was outwardly defeated; someone grabbed his yellow queue and banged his head against the wall four or five times. Only then did the idlers, satisfied with their victory, walk away. Ah Q stood for a moment, thinking to himself: "After all, I was hit by my son. The world today is really in a mess..." So he too, satisfied with his victory, walked away.
What Ah Q thought in his mind he eventually often spoke out loud. So all those who joked with Ah Q almost all knew that he had this kind of "Spiritual Victory." After that, whenever they grabbed his yellow queue, someone would say to him first:
But even though he said he was an insect, the idlers did not let him go. They still banged his head against some nearby place five or six times, and only then, satisfied with their victory, they walked away, thinking that Ah Q had finally met his doom. Yet in less than ten seconds, Ah Q also walked away satisfied with his victory. He felt that he was the first person who could belittle and demean himself. Apart from "belittling and demeaning himself," what remained was being "the first." Wasn't a "top scholar" also "the first"? "What do you think you are!"?
After Ah Q had overcome his enemies with these and other wonderful methods, he would happily run to the tavern to drink a few bowls of wine, then joke and quarrel with others, and again win. He would then happily return to the Tutelary God's Temple, lie down, and fall asleep. If he had money, he would go to gamble with dominoes, squatting on the ground in a crowd, Ah Q sweating profusely in the middle, his voice the loudest:
"Heh-open-now!" The banker lifted the lid of the box, also sweating profusely, and chanted. "Heavenly Gate! Corner Return! Human and Thoroughfare-all empty there! Ah Q's copper coins, hand them over!"
Under such chants, Ah Q's money gradually flowed into the waists of other sweating figures. He finally had to squeeze out of the crowd, stand behind, and worry for others, until the game disbanded. Then he would reluctantly return to the Tutelary God's Temple, and the next day, go to work with swollen eyes.
It was the night of the festival of gods in Weizhuang. That night there was usually a theatrical performance, and near the stage there were usually many gambling stalls. The sound of the gongs and drums from the play seemed to Ah Q as if it was ten miles away. He could only hear the banker's chanting. He won again and again: copper coins turned into silver dimes, silver dimes turned into silver dollars, and silver dollars turned into stacks. He was extremely elated:
He did not know who was fighting with whom, or why. There was a chaotic din of curses, blows, and footsteps. After a great muddled commotion, he got up. The gambling stalls were gone, the people were gone. His body seemed to hurt in several places, as if he had been punched and kicked. Several people looked at him with surprise. He felt lost. He entered the Tutelary God's Temple, calmed himself, and realized that his stack of silver dollars was gone. Most of the gambling stalls at the festival were not from the village; where could he go to find out the truth?
But he immediately turned defeat into victory. He lifted his right hand and slapped himself hard twice on the face, feeling a stinging pain. After slapping, he calmed down, as if the one who slapped was himself, and the one who was slapped was another self. Soon, he felt as if he had slapped someone else-although it still stung a little-and thus, satisfied with his victory, he lay down.