評論
打印
Hence it was that K'ung K'ung， the Taoist， in consequence of his perception， （in his state of） abstraction， of passion， the generation， from this passion， of voluptuousness， the transmission of this voluptuousness into passion， and the apprehension， by means of passion， of its unreality， forthwith altered his name for that of "Ch'ing Tseng" （the Voluptuous Bonze）， and changed the title of "the Memoir of a Stone" （Shih-t'ou-chi，） for that of "Ch'ing Tseng Lu，" The Record of the Voluptuous Bonze； while K'ung Mei-chi of Tung Lu gave it the name of "Feng Yueeh Pao Chien，" "The Precious Mirror of Voluptuousness." In later years， owing to the devotion by Tsao Hsueeh-ch'in in the Tao Hung study， of ten years to the perusal and revision of the work， the additions and modifications effected by him five times， the affix of an index and the division into periods and chapters， the book was again entitled "Chin Ling Shih Erh Ch'ai，" "The Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling." A stanza was furthermore composed for the purpose. This then， and no other， is the origin of the Record of the Stone. The poet says appositely：——
Pages full of silly litter， Tears a handful sour and bitter； All a fool the author hold， But their zest who can unfold？
You have now understood the causes which brought about the Record of the Stone， but as you are not， as yet， aware what characters are depicted， and what circumstances are related on the surface of the block， reader， please lend an ear to the narrative on the stone， which runs as follows：——
In old days， the land in the South East lay low. In this South-East part of the world， was situated a walled town， Ku Su by name. Within the walls a locality， called the Ch'ang Men， was more than all others throughout the mortal world， the centre， which held the second， if not the first place for fashion and life. Beyond this Ch'ang Men was a street called Shih-li-chieh （Ten _Li_ street）； in this street a lane， the Jen Ch'ing lane （Humanity and Purity）； and in this lane stood an old temple， which on account of its diminutive dimensions， was called， by general consent， the Gourd temple. Next door to this temple lived the family of a district official， Chen by surname， Fei by name， and Shih-yin by style. His wife， nee Feng， possessed a worthy and virtuous disposition， and had a clear perception of moral propriety and good conduct. This family， though not in actual possession of excessive affluence and honours， was， nevertheless， in their district， conceded to be a clan of well-to-do standing. As this Chen Shih-yin was of a contented and unambitious frame of mind， and entertained no hankering after any official distinction， but day after day of his life took delight in gazing at flowers， planting bamboos， sipping his wine and conning poetical works， he was in fact， in the indulgence of these pursuits， as happy as a supernatural being.
One thing alone marred his happiness. He had lived over half a century and had， as yet， no male offspring around his knees. He had one only child， a daughter， whose infant name was Ying Lien. She was just three years of age. On a long summer day， on which the heat had been intense， Shih-yin sat leisurely in his library. Feeling his hand tired， he dropped the book he held， leant his head on a teapoy， and fell asleep.
Of a sudden， while in this state of unconsciousness， it seemed as if he had betaken himself on foot to some spot or other whither he could not discriminate. Unexpectedly he espied， in the opposite direction， two priests coming towards him： the one a Buddhist， the other a Taoist. As they advanced they kept up the conversation in which they were engaged. "Whither do you purpose taking the object you have brought away？" he heard the Taoist inquire. To this question the Buddhist replied with a smile： "Set your mind at ease，" he said； "there's now in maturity a plot of a general character involving mundane pleasures， which will presently come to a denouement. The whole number of the votaries of voluptuousness have， as yet， not been quickened or entered the world， and I mean to avail myself of this occasion to introduce this object among their number， so as to give it a chance to go through the span of human existence." "The votaries of voluptuousness of these days will naturally have again to endure the ills of life during their course through the mortal world，" the Taoist remarked； "but when， I wonder， will they spring into existence？ and in what place will they descend？"
"the account of these circumstances，" the bonze ventured to reply， "is enough to make you laugh！ They amount to this： there existed in the west， on the bank of the Ling （spiritual） river， by the side of the San Sheng （thrice-born） stone， a blade of the Chiang Chu （purple pearl） grass. At about the same time it was that the block of stone was， consequent upon its rejection by the goddess of works， also left to ramble and wander to its own gratification， and to roam about at pleasure to every and any place. One day it came within the precincts of the Ching Huan （Monitory Vision） Fairy； and this Fairy， cognizant of the fact that this stone had a history， detained it， therefore， to reside at the Ch'ih Hsia （purple clouds） palace， and apportioned to it the duties of attendant on Shen Ying， a fairy of the Ch'ih Hsia palace.
"This stone would， however， often stroll along the banks of the Ling river， and having at the sight of the blade of spiritual grass been filled with admiration， it， day by day， moistened its roots with sweet dew. This purple pearl grass， at the outset， tarried for months and years； but being at a later period imbued with the essence and luxuriance of heaven and earth， and having incessantly received the moisture and nurture of the sweet dew， divested itself， in course of time， of the form of a grass； assuming， in lieu， a human nature， which gradually became perfected into the person of a girl.
"Every day she was wont to wander beyond the confines of the Li Hen （divested animosities） heavens. When hungry she fed on the Pi Ch'ing （hidden love） fruit——when thirsty she drank the Kuan ch'ou （discharged sorrows，） water. Having， however， up to this time， not shewn her gratitude for the virtue of nurture lavished upon her， the result was but natural that she should resolve in her heart upon a constant and incessant purpose to make suitable acknowledgment.
"I have been，" she would often commune within herself， "the recipient of the gracious bounty of rain and dew， but I possess no such water as was lavished upon me to repay it！ But should it ever descend into the world in the form of a human being， I will also betake myself thither， along with it； and if I can only have the means of making restitution to it， with the tears of a whole lifetime， I may be able to make adequate return."
"This resolution it is that will evolve the descent into the world of so many pleasure-bound spirits of retribution and the experience of fantastic destinies； and this crimson pearl blade will also be among the number. The stone still lies in its original place， and why should not you and I take it along before the tribunal of the Monitory Vision Fairy， and place on its behalf its name on record， so that it should descend into the world， in company with these spirits of passion， and bring this plot to an issue？"
"It is indeed ridiculous，" interposed the Taoist. "Never before have I heard even the very mention of restitution by means of tears！ Why should not you and I avail ourselves of this opportunity to likewise go down into the world？ and if successful in effecting the salvation of a few of them， will it not be a work meritorious and virtuous？"
"This proposal，" remarked the Buddhist， "is quite in harmony with my own views. Come along then with me to the palace of the Monitory Vision Fairy， and let us deliver up this good-for-nothing object， and have done with it！ And when the company of pleasure-bound spirits of wrath descend into human existence， you and I can then enter the world. Half of them have already fallen into the dusty universe， but the whole number of them have not， as yet， come together."
"Such being the case，" the Taoist acquiesced， "I am ready to follow you， whenever you please to go."
But to return to Chen Shih-yin. Having heard every one of these words distinctly， he could not refrain from forthwith stepping forward and paying homage. "My spiritual lords，" he said， as he smiled， "accept my obeisance." The Buddhist and Taoist priests lost no time in responding to the compliment， and they exchanged the usual salutations. "My spiritual lords，" Shih-yin continued； "I have just heard the conversation that passed between you， on causes and effects， a conversation the like of which few mortals have forsooth listened to； but your younger brother is sluggish of intellect， and cannot lucidly fathom the import！ Yet could this dulness and simplicity be graciously dispelled， your younger brother may， by listening minutely， with undefiled ear and careful attention， to a certain deGREe be aroused to a sense of understanding； and what is more， possibly find the means of escaping the anguish of sinking down into Hades."
