Hau Kiou choaan or, The pleasing history |
 | IV. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. | CHAP. VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| I. |
 | CHAP. VII. Hau Kiou choaan |  |
CHAP. VII.
TIEH-chung-u being thus set at
large by the invitation the Emperor
sent him to the banquet, took
the first opportunity to advise with his
Shuey-ping-sin. The Mandarine Tieh-ying
said, "Notwithstanding you both
continue in separate chambers, I am
of opinion that your marriage is
valid, and for life. But why don't
you bring your wife home to your
own house, that the world may be thoroughly
satisfied of your nuptials, and
thus all occasion of scandal removed?
The Eunuch Chou owes you a grudge
on account of his niece. Go and consult
with your bride what course to
take in this critical juncture." He
accordingly went to the young lady,
and told her what his father had said.
"My lord, said she with her accustomed
discretion, I am your servant and handmaid,
and will do whatever you shall
end to these clamours. All this disturbance
springs from the malice of
Kwo-sho-su and his son. Let us then
with the greatest expedition perform
whatever ceremonies remain unobserved,
and thereby convince the world
that our marriage is duly celebrated
according to law." When Tieh-chung-u
found his lovely bride approved of his
father's advice of bringing her home
to his own house, it filled his heart
with extreme satisfaction: "You, said
he, are a lady that always lend an ear
to reason. I will not fail to acquaint
my father and mother of our intentions:
nor will I on this occasion forget
my friend Hû-hiau. I will then
apply to the Tribunal of Mathematics[27]
for our nuptials, and will invite all
the Mandarines to the marriage feast.
with the custom which requires us to
present wine to each other[28] ."
Kwo-sho-su hearing that the young
couple were preparing to celebrate their
marriage afresh, was very much disturbed
at it. He applied therefore to
one of the Mandarines, whose business
it is to accuse all that are guilty of
enormities, and with many intreaties
prevailed on him to accuse Tieh-chung-u
and the young lady before the Emperor.
The accusation was drawn up in
the following terms.
"I Vang-yo, Censor[29]
of the empire,
with great respect and reverence
present to your Majesty this
paper of accusation concerning a
scandalous marriage, which violates
the law: and I do it in order that
your Majesty may examine into the
same, and find out the truth. Of
the five things that pertain to human
it ought therefore to be observed
with due care and attention, and with
all these ceremonies, which the Emperors
have enacted from the remotest
antiquity. Now it is a thing
unheard of that a young woman
without father or mother should remain
young man equally removed from
his own parents, and that without
the interposal of any mediator or
bridesman, or without the knowledge
and privity of any. [All this
hath happened, and] the parents of
the offenders are the Mandarines
Shuey-keu-yé and Tieh-ying, both great
officers of your Majesty's council.
Who at length, after the fact is
become notorious to all the world,
are preparing to patch up a marriage
between the guilty pair; which
they have the confidence to celebrate
with great feasting and parade:
mean while, as the nuptial
procession marches along the streets,
all the people are murmuring and
among persons of quality. All these
facts coming to the ears of me your
Majesty's subject, I durst not but
inform you of them, that the offenders
might be chastized for an example
to others."
The Mandarine Vang-yo having presented
this paper, it was referred to
the council named Ko-chung[31]
: which
consulted upon it, and made this report,
"What affects the fame of a
is no testimony, only hearsay in
the street. It ought diligently to
be inquired what evidence there is to
support this allegation."
The Eunuch Chou was every day
importunate with them to pursue the
inquiry with more rigour. Nevertheless
it was not till after a considerable
time that the accusation was sent
to the Tribunal of Rites, for their farther
inquiry. The Eunuch Chou vexed
at this delay, applied to the Grand
Eunuch, who is President of all the
Eunuchs of the palace[32]
: and immediately
Emperor's own inspection: who upon
perusal of it said, "As Tieh-chung-u
is a young man, the pretence of
his going to be cured and nursed
in his illness in the house of a
young woman, is greatly to be
suspected."
While the Tribunal of Rites was
deliberating what answer to return to
his Majesty, the news arrived to the
Mandarine Tieh-ying, who greatly alarmed
related to the young couple
what he had heard. "The Mandarine
Vang-yo, said he, out of enmity which
he bears you, hath delivered in a petition
against you to the Emperor;
it behoves you therefore to consider
and to draw up a petition in your own
behalf." The young couple replied,
"We have long been apprized that
this would happen, and are accordingly
prepared: let us see what answer
his Majesty hath dispatched, and we
shall draw up a suitable memorial."
The Emperor referred the petition
abovementioned to the Tribunal of
Rites. That tribunal dispatched it
away to the province of Shan-tong for
the Viceroy to make inquiry. The
Minister Kwo-sho-su upon the first notice
of this, immediately sent instructions
to his son to gain the Che-hien of
the city over to their interest; with
this view he ordered him to spare no
written to that Magistrate with his
own hand. Kwo-khé-tzu greatly delighted
with the prospect that seemed
to open before him, immediately got
ready a hundred pieces of gold[33] , in
order to accompany his father's letter
to the Che-hien. The name of the
that office was Wey-phey; being
the same person whom Tieh-chung-u had
formerly befriended in rescuing and restoring
to him his mistress. This gentleman
was but newly promoted to his
him the hundred pieces of gold together
with his father's letter. The other
had no sooner perused it, than he was
greatly surprized to find not only the
mischief intended against his benefactor,
but that he himself was desired
to be instrumental in it. Nevertheless
he concealed his sentiments with
seeming approbation; "Very well,
said he; I accept your present; when
the petition arrives, I will not neglect
it." Kwo-khé-tzu was satisfied with
this answer, and withdrew. The Governour
Wey-phey called together all
the clerks belonging to the tribunal[34] ,
affair of Tieh-chung-u, and to inform
him upon what pretence that youth was
received into the house of Shuey-ping-sin.
They all agreed that the young
lady took him in, out of gratitude for
having rescued her from Kwo-khé-tzu,
who was carrying her off by force:
and that this was notorious to all the
world. The Mandarine Wey-phey inquired
how far their behaviour together
afterwards was decent and blameless.
Pao Che-hien your predecessor, having
the same doubt of their virtue, employed
a spy to pry into their conduct;
who was accordingly concealed
for some time[35] within the house:
and this man gave such an account of
their behaviour, that the Pao Che-hien
conceived a great regard for the young
stranger, and revered him as a saint."
The governor Wey-phey ordered before
him the spy abovementioned,
as also the superior of the Pagoda,
where Tieh-chung-u had lodged. He
examined them both; and both agreed
conduct. Highly satisfied
and rejoiced with this result of his
inquiries, Wey-phey only waited for the
arrival of the dispatches from the
Tribunal of Rites, and from the Viceroy,
in order to make his report. After
five days the dispatches arrived.
He immediately returned back to the
Viceroy a satisfactory answer. That
Mandarine acknowledged the affair
bore a very reputable aspect, and immediately
transmitted the account to
the court. The Tribunal of Rites
expressed great satisfaction at the clear
and unblemished conduct of Tieh-chung-u,
whom they looked upon as
a saint, and perceived the malice of
Kwo-sho-su: nevertheless being obliged
they informed that Mandarine of the
satisfactory account they had received
of Tieh-chung-u's conduct, and invited
him to come and peruse it himself.
Kwo-sho-su was greatly inraged at the
perusal, and threw out many reproaches
on the governor Wey-phey, "He is
but newly made a doctor, said he,
and just come to his office, how can
he know the truth of this affair? He
is very hardy and rash to pretend
to acquit this criminal upon such slight
pretences: I cannot suffer this boldness
to pass unnoticed." He therefore
applied to the superior Manda-rines
to call Wey-phey to account for his
presumption. With this view Vang-yo
presented another petition to the
orders for Wey-phey to be summoned
to court, in order to justify his conduct.
Wey-phey received this summons
from the Viceroy: together with
private notice to make the best preparations
he could for his defence,
for that he had powerful enemies to
contend with. Wey-phey waited on the
Viceroy to return him thanks for his
advice, and withal assured him that
he had nothing of which he could
accuse himself, and therefore was under
no apprehension of the event.
Then taking with him the spy, who
had been employed by his predecessor,
as also the superior of the Bonzees[36] ,
and his present of the hundred
pieces of gold, he set out for the
court. As soon as he arrived there,
he durst not presume to present himself
before the Emperor, but went and
demanded audience of the Hing-pû, or
Tribunal of Crimes[37] . It was inquired
of him at that tribunal, how it
happened, that he who was but newly
promoted to his office, could pretend
to decide so positively upon the
conduct of Tieh-chung-u, and the young
lady? And whether he had not been
"As I was promoted by his
Majesty to the honourable Tribunal
of Che-hien, it behoved me to examine
clearly into all matters that came
before it. It is true, my own personal
knowledge of this affair cannot
inable me to decide upon it: but I
not only inquired of my clerks and
officers all they knew about it themselves,
but also what testimony they
had to support their account: they
referred me to a person, who was employed
by the Pao Che-hien my predecessor
expressly as a spy to observe the
conduct of the young people, and from
him I learnt a clear state of the case.
Your Lordships have asked if I received
no bribe from Tieh-chung-u:
Mandarine. But from Kwo-sho-su I
have received not only a letter written
with his own hands, but also a hundred
pieces of gold from those of his
son. Here is the spy, who is witness
to the truth of the account, and here
is also the letter and the gold." The
Mandarines at the sight of this, were
astonished and confounded; and finding
no cause to blame Wey-phey, dismissed
him with orders to await the
Emperor's farther pleasure, and to attend
them again upon the first summons.
Then Wey-phey performed the
accustomed reverence, and withdrew.
The Kin-tien-kien or Tribunal of Mathematics,
consists of a president, two assessors, and
many subordinate Mandarines: who apply themselves
to astronomy and astrology; compose the
imperial calendar, and distinguish the days, hours,
&c. into fortunate and unlucky.
It is an important branch of their office to
predict all eclipses: of which they give schemes
to the Emperor, who lays them before the Tribunal
of Rites, and they disperse copies of
the same through all the provinces, to the end
that the ceremonies usual on that occasion may
be every where observed. These consist in
beating kettle-drums, &c during the eclipse;
the Mandarines kneeling and making prostrations
all the while; the common people at the
same time shouting, in order to fright away a
supposed dragon, who they believe is about to
devour the sun or moon.
This tribunal also deputes five astronomers
every night to take their stand on the imperial
observatory, who every morning report whatever
Phænomena have occurred to them.
P. Magal. p. 231. Mod. Un. Hist. viii. 186,
P. Du Halde. P. Le Compte, &c.
The custom is upon the wedding night,
while the young couple are surrounded by all
their friends, for the bride to offer a cup of wine
to the bridegroom, which he drinks off; and then
offers such another cup to her.
Trans.
The title of this officer here and below in
the Portuguese version is JU-SU [or XU] acuzador
e avizor do imperio: i. e. "The Ju-su, the
accuser, and the monitor of the empire." But
as this title is mentioned in no other writer, and
as the office seems to be the same with that of
CENSOR described before, [See pag. 10.
note] the Editor hath not scrupled to give that
title here.
By these five things are probably meant
those several Relations of social life, that gave
birth to the relative duties; which the Chinese
distribute into five heads, and to which they reduce
all their morality. These five duties are,
those of parents and children: prince and subjects:
husband and wife: elder and younger brethren:
and friends with regard one to another. See P. Du Halde, vol. 2. pag. 37. &c.
Now although the Chinese commonly look
upon the relation between parents and children,
as first in point of importance: yet in some respects
the precedence may be also given to
that of marriage, as it comes first in order of
time, and as most of the other relations spring
from it.
None of the writers that the Editor hath
been able to consult, give any account of this
tribunal, which is elsewhere in the Portuguese
MS. called Ko-chin. After all; the Portuguese,
which is very much corrupted in this place, will
bear to be rendered, "A councellor named Ko-chung:
who deliberated upon it, &c."
The Eunuchs of the palace are under cognizance
of various tribunals of their own; where
all regulations relating to them are enacted, and
to which alone they are accountable.
P. Semedo, pag. 114.
The Portuguese expression is, Paōs de ouro, i. e.
"Loaves of gold;" and this is the name which
most nations have agreed to give to the uncoined
pieces of gold which the Chinese use in traffic.
These pieces are of two sizes, the greater are commonly
worth more than 100l. sterling, and the
smaller about half as much, or according to their
weight: for neither gold nor silver coin is current
in China, all their payments being made by
weight. For this reason every Chinese merchant
is always furnished with very fine steelyards
and a pair of shears for the more ready
dividing their metal into the requisite sums,
which they will do to any given value with the
greatest exactness.
This may seem an aukward method of proceeding,
but the Chinese are such subtle and exquisite
cheats, that were money to pass among
them by tale, as in other countries, it would give
birth to continual adulterations. For the same
reason, when the Chinese transport these Paōs
de ouro into other countries, the merchants cut
them through the middle, not daring to trust that
crafty people, who have a method of stuffing
these pieces, insomuch that withinside shall be
sometimes found a third part of copper or silver.—But
except it be in large sums, gold is
seldom used as a medium of traffic.
N. B. The only coined money current in China,
consists of some very small copper pieces,
who have each a hole in the middle for the
convenience of stringing many of them together.
Ten of these are not worth above a
half-penny.
See Tavernier part 2. pag. 8. P. Du Halde,
vol. 1. p. 330.
Belonging to every tribunal there are various
notaries, clerks, &c. who have small
houses in the adjoining courts. They are maintained
at the public expence, and enjoy their
places for life: so that business goes on without
interruption, notwithstanding that the Manda-rines
their masters are often changed.
N. B. In each of the tribunals there are public
registers, where every thing transacted before it
is entered and recorded.
P. Du Halde, vol. 1. pag. 284. Lettres edif.
&c.
The MS. says, "Three whole nights:"
but this is neither credible in itself, nor supported
by the former part of the story. See vol. 2.
chap. 4.
| CHAP. VII. Hau Kiou choaan | |