Original Text
Old Man Zhang was a native of Shanxi. When his daughter was to be married, he took his entire household south of the Yangtze to personally oversee the purchase of her dowry. As their boat reached Jinshan near Zhenjiang, Old Man Zhang crossed the river ahead, instructing his family to remain on board and not to cook any fishy or gamey food. This was because a giant alligator spirit lurked in the river, which would emerge upon smelling such aromas, overturn boats, and devour travelers—a menace that had persisted for a long time. After Old Man Zhang departed, his family forgot his warning and roasted meat on the boat. Suddenly, a massive wave capsized the vessel, and his wife and daughter were submerged. When Old Man Zhang returned by boat, he was overcome with grief and fury, nearly losing his will to live. He went ashore at Jinshan to visit a monk in the temple and inquired about the alligator spirit's mischief, determined to take revenge. The monk, terrified, said, "We live in constant dread of this creature, fearing to provoke its wrath, so we treat it like a deity, hoping it will not rage. At set times, we slaughter livestock, cut them in half, and cast the pieces into the river, whereupon the alligator leaps out, devours them, and sinks back. Who dares to oppose it?" Upon hearing this, Old Man Zhang suddenly conceived a plan. He hired blacksmiths to set up a furnace halfway up the mountain and smelted a massive iron ingot, weighing over a hundred catties, until it glowed red-hot. Then, having determined the alligator's usual haunt, he had two or three strong men use large tongs to hurl the iron into the river. The alligator spirit surged forth, swiftly swallowed the iron, and sank again. In a short while, waves rose like mountains on the river. Soon after, the waves subsided, and the dead alligator floated to the surface. Travelers and the monks of Jinshan rejoiced at its death. They built a shrine by the riverbank, enshrined Old Man Zhang's statue within, and worshipped him as a water deity. Whenever people prayed to him, their requests were granted.
Commentary
This is a story about an old man who avenges his wife and daughter, who were devoured by a turtle monster.
The old man's revenge is commendable in two aspects. First, his character is exceptionally striking: he loves and hates with clear distinction, his emotions fervent. He deeply loved his daughter, who was about to be married, and personally led his wife and daughter from Shanxi to Jinshan in Jiangnan to purchase her dowry. Possessing rich worldly experience, he knew that a monstrous turtle haunted Jinshan and thus warned his family, "Do not fry any strong-smelling food." When his wife and daughter were devoured by the turtle, he was "overwhelmed with grief and hatred, wishing for death," yet immediately resolved to take revenge, and this revenge particularly showcased his composure and wisdom. He did not rashly confront the turtle in a desperate fight but methodically "visited the temple monks" to investigate and seek a way to destroy the turtle. Second, the method of his revenge against the turtle was peculiar and ingenious, steeped in legend, accomplishing a feat nearly impossible for ordinary men: "He summoned blacksmiths, set up a furnace halfway up the mountain, smelted red-hot iron weighing over a hundred catties. Having ascertained the turtle's usual lurking spot, he had two or three strong men lift it with large tongs and cast it in. The turtle leaped out, swallowed it swiftly. In a moment, waves surged like mountains. Soon, the waves subsided, and the turtle floated dead on the water."