Original Text
Yin Tianguan of Licheng County was poor in his youth but bold and perceptive. In the county stood a vast estate of an old aristocratic family, covering dozens of acres with a continuous stretch of pavilions and towers. Because it was often haunted by ghosts and strange occurrences, no one dared to live there, and it fell into disrepair. Over time, the grounds became overgrown with weeds and wormwood, and even in broad daylight, no one dared to enter. One day, Yin was drinking with a group of local scholars, and someone joked, "Whoever can spend a night in that place, we will all chip in to treat him to a feast." Yin immediately jumped up and said, "What difficulty is there in that!" That evening, he took a mat and headed there. The crowd saw him to the gate and teased, "We will wait here for a while. If you see any ghosts or fox spirits, call for help quickly." He laughed and replied, "If there truly are ghosts or fox spirits, I will catch one as proof." With that, he entered. Inside, tall sedge grass covered the paths, and mugwort grew thickly. It was the beginning of the month, and the crescent moon gave little light, but in the dim, hazy glow, the doors and windows were still faintly discernible. Groping his way through several courtyards, he reached the rear pavilion. Ascending the terrace, he found it smooth and clean, quite delightful, so he stayed there. Looking westward, only a sliver of moonlight lingered by the mountains. He sat there for a long time without noticing anything unusual, secretly laughing at the rumors outside as unreliable. Then he lay down, pillowed his head on a stone, and gazed up at the Cowherd and Weaver Girl stars in the sky.
When the first watch of the night was nearly over, Lord Yin, in a dazed state, was on the verge of falling asleep. Suddenly he heard a clatter of footsteps downstairs, and someone ascended the steps. He feigned sleep, squinting to spy, and saw a person clad in blue, carrying a lotus lantern. This person, catching sight of Lord Yin, started in alarm, retreated a few steps, and called back to those behind, "There is a stranger here." One below asked, "Who is it?" The blue-clad one replied, "I do not know him." Shortly, an old man came upstairs, drew near to Lord Yin, and scrutinized him closely, saying, "This is Minister Yin; he is already fast asleep. Let us attend to our own affairs; Master Yin is a free-spirited and unrestrained gentleman, and will likely not take offense at us." Thereupon the company entered the building one after another, and all the doors were thrown wide open. After a while, more people came and went busily. The upper floor was ablaze with lantern light, as bright as day. Lord Yin stirred slightly and sneezed. The old man, hearing that he was awake, hurried out, knelt down, and said, "This old man's daughter is being wed tonight; I never expected to disturb your honor, and beg you not to be too severe in your reproach." Lord Yin rose, helped the old man up, and said, "I did not know that tonight was your family's happy occasion; I am ashamed that I have brought no wedding gift." The old man replied, "Having your honored presence to suppress evil influences and dispel inauspicious forces is already a great fortune. If I might trouble you to join us as a guest, it would be an added honor and glory for us." Lord Yin was pleased and consented. Entering the building, he saw that the furnishings were exceedingly splendid. Presently a woman came out to pay her respects, about forty years of age. The old man said, "This is my old wife." Lord Yin made a bow to her.
After a short while, the sound of drums and music rose in unison, and someone ran upstairs, announcing, "They have arrived!" The old man immediately went forward to greet them, and Mr. Yin also stood up to wait. Before long, a cluster of red silk-wrapped lanterns guided the bridegroom in. He appeared to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a dignified bearing, handsome and refined. The old man bade him first pay respects to the honored guest. The bridegroom looked at Mr. Yin, who performed a half-host's ceremony as if he were the best man. Then the father-in-law and son-in-law exchanged bows, and after the rituals were completed, everyone took their seats at the banquet. After a little while, heavily made-up maids began to move back and forth, and in an instant, meats and wines were arrayed, steam rising thickly, while jade bowls and golden basins reflected each other's light, casting a glow upon the table. After several rounds of wine, the old man called for a maid to invite the young lady. The maid acknowledged and went in, but after a long wait, she still did not return. The old man then rose himself, lifted the curtain, and urged her on. Shortly thereafter, several maids and elderly women escorted the bride out, her gold rings and jade pendants clinking, and a fragrance of orchids and musk wafting through the air. The old man bade his daughter bow once to the honored guest at the head of the table, and after she rose, she sat beside her mother. Mr. Yin cast a glance at her and saw that she wore a phoenix hairpin adorned with pearls and emeralds, and earrings of bright pearls; her beauty was rare in the world. After a while, wine was served in golden goblets, each so large it could hold several measures. Mr. Yin thought to himself that such a vessel could be taken back as a token for his friends, so he secretly slipped the goblet into his sleeve, then feigned drunkenness, leaning against the table and swaying as if about to fall asleep. The company all said, "The gentleman is drunk." Not long after, they heard the bridegroom rise to take his leave, and at once the drums and music struck up again, and everyone descended the stairs and departed.
After the feast concluded, the host cleared away the drinking vessels and discovered that a golden goblet was missing; a thorough search yielded nothing. Some began to whisper that the sleeping Mr. Yin, who had been lying there, had taken the goblet, but the old man quickly hushed them, fearing that Yin might overhear. A short while later, silence fell both within and without the building, and only then did Mr. Yin rise. He found himself in pitch darkness, with not a single lamp or candle alight, only the lingering scent of rouge and wine drifting through the room. Seeing that the eastern sky was already growing pale, he calmly descended the stairs. As he touched his sleeve, the golden goblet was still there. At the main gate, the other scholars had already gathered, suspecting that Yin had left in the middle of the night and only re-entered at dawn. Yin then produced the goblet for all to see. Astonished, they pressed him for an explanation, and he recounted everything he had seen and heard. All agreed that such a golden goblet could not belong to a poor scholar, and thus they believed his tale.
Later, Mr. Yin passed the imperial examination and was appointed as a magistrate in Feiqiu. A prominent local family named Zhu hosted a banquet in his honor. During the feast, the host ordered a servant to bring large wine cups, but after a long delay, they were not produced. Instead, a young servant boy approached and whispered something into the host's ear, causing the host's face to show anger. Shortly afterward, a large golden goblet was brought out for toasting the guest. Mr. Yin examined it closely and found that its design and carved patterns were indistinguishable from those of the fox spirit's goblet. Greatly puzzled, he asked the host where the goblet had been made. The host replied, "There were originally eight such goblets, commissioned by my ancestor when he served as an official in the capital, crafted by skilled artisans. These are heirlooms of our family, treasured for many years. Because you, the magistrate, honored us with your presence, I ordered a servant to fetch them from the chest, but only seven were found. At first, I suspected the servant of theft, yet the dust accumulated on the chest for a decade remained undisturbed. This matter is truly baffling." Mr. Yin smiled and said, "Perhaps that goblet has transformed into an immortal and flown away! But since a family heirloom must not be lost, I happen to possess a goblet very similar to yours, which I shall present to you." After the banquet, Mr. Yin returned to his official residence, retrieved the goblet, and dispatched a messenger on horseback to deliver it. The host, Mr. Zhu, examined the goblet with astonishment, personally visited Mr. Yin to express his gratitude, and inquired about its origin. Mr. Yin then recounted the entire story from beginning to end. Only then did everyone realize that the fox spirit could obtain objects from a thousand li away, yet it dared not keep them permanently.
Commentary
Attending a human wedding is no news, but attending a fox's wedding is certainly a remarkable event. "The Fox's Wedding" recounts the extraordinary adventure of Yin Shidan of Licheng, who, while wagering with friends on a test of courage, stumbled upon the wedding of a fox and joined in the celebration.
When a fox gives away his daughter in marriage, the ceremony is in no way different from that of a human wedding. Yin Shidan, having entered a wager at the mansion of an old family where the bride's household was situated, was fortunate enough to serve as a groomsman for the bride's side, and thus witnessed the entire process of the fox's daughter being married off: "Soon, the sound of pipes and drums filled the ears, and someone rushed up, announcing, 'They have arrived!' The old man hurried forward to greet them, and the scholar stood waiting. After a short while, a cluster of gauze lanterns led the bridegroom in... The old man ordered him to first pay respects to the honored guest. The young man fixed his eyes on the scholar, who, acting as a groomsman, performed the rites of a half-host. Next, the old man and the bridegroom exchanged bows, and then they took their seats. Shortly, a cloud of powdered beauties attended, wine and meats descended like a mist, and jade bowls and golden goblets gleamed upon the tables. After several rounds of wine, the old man summoned a maidservant to invite the young lady. The maidservant assented and went in, but for a long time, she did not come out. The old man rose himself, lifted the curtain, and urged her. Soon, several old nurses and maids escorted the bride out... The old man ordered her to bow to the honored guest. She rose and then sat beside her mother... Afterwards, they toasted with golden cups... Before long, the bridegroom announced his departure, the pipes and drums burst forth loudly, and they all descended the stairs in a flurry." This process should be a typical procedure for a maiden's wedding in the Ming and Qing dynasties, making it an excellent piece of folkloric material.
This tale is woven throughout with the golden goblet as its central thread. The goblet is not only a token for betting and evidence-gathering but also a fine prop that makes the plot rise and fall with twists and turns. At the end of the story, the goblet returns from the fox's hands to the Zhu family, and the golden goblet secretly taken by Yin Shidan is also restored to its rightful owner, completing the narrative in a satisfying and thought-provoking manner. Looking back at the story's opening, which mentions that Yin Shidan "was poor in his youth," this seemingly casual remark actually lays the groundwork for the later development concerning the golden goblet.