Original Text
At a villa belonging to the Li family in Wei County, one day an old man suddenly arrived seeking to rent the house, offering fifty taels of silver annually, and the Li family head agreed. The old man departed and gave no further news, so the Li family head instructed his household to lease the property to someone else. Before long, the old man returned and said, "Regarding the rental, we have already settled the matter; why would you wish to let it to another?" The Li family head explained the reason. The old man replied, "I intend to dwell here for a long time, and my delay was due to selecting an auspicious moving day, which falls in ten days." He then paid the first year's rent in advance, adding, "Even if the house stands empty all year, do not concern yourself." The Li family head saw the old man out and inquired about the moving date, which the old man told him.
Several days had passed since the moving date, yet there was still no sign of activity. The Li family master then went to the rental property to see what was happening, and to his astonishment found the double gates bolted from within, smoke already rising from the kitchen chimney, and the sound of voices in lively chatter. Greatly surprised, he presented his visiting card and sought an audience. The old man hurried out, welcomed the master into the house with a beaming smile, and was all warmth and affability. When the Li master returned home, he sent gifts as a token of courtesy, and the old man rewarded the servants with exceptionally generous presents. A few days later, the Li family hosted a banquet for the old man, and the gathering was most harmonious and pleasant. The Li master asked about the old man's native place, and he replied that he was from Shaanxi. The Li master was quite puzzled, unable to fathom why he had come from such a distant land, to which the old man said, "Your honorable district is a blessed land. Shaanxi can no longer be lived in; a great calamity is about to befall it." At that time, the empire was at peace, so the Li master merely listened without pressing further. The next day, the old man sent an invitation, reciprocating the landlord's hospitality, and the feast was laid out with such extravagant splendor and sumptuous fare that the Li master was even more amazed, suspecting the old man to be a high-ranking official. Because of their growing friendship, the old man frankly confessed that he was a fox spirit. The Li master was utterly astounded, and afterward, he told everyone he met about this matter.
When the gentry of the city heard of this strange affair, every day there were those who came by carriage or on horseback to the old man's home, seeking to befriend him; the old man would always bow low and receive them with courteous deference. Gradually, even the prefectural officials began to associate with him. Only the county magistrate requested an audience, but the old man made excuses to decline. The magistrate then asked the Li family host to intercede on his behalf, yet the old man still refused to see him. The host inquired as to the reason, whereupon the old man rose from his seat, approached the host, and whispered: "How could you know? In his former life, he was a donkey; now, though he puts on airs as one above the common folk, he is in truth a shameless fellow. I, though not human, am ashamed to associate with such a man." The host then fabricated a tale to tell the magistrate, saying that the fox feared his divine authority and dared not meet him. The magistrate believed this and ceased to seek an audience. This occurred in the eleventh year of the Kangxi reign. Not long after, Shaanxi was embroiled in war. People said that the fox could foresee events yet to come, and indeed it seemed true.
The Chronicler of the Strange remarks: The donkey, as an animal, may be considered a colossal creature. When it flies into a rage, it kicks and brays wildly, its eyes bulging larger than a wine cup, its bellowing coarser than an ox's—not only is its voice unpleasant, but its appearance is truly hideous. Yet, if one tempts it with a handful of fodder, it will lower its head and prick up its ears, gladly submitting to control. To have such a creature perched high above the common folk is nothing short of avarice and shamelessness. May those who govern the people take the donkey as a warning, so that foxes might deign to speak of them, and their virtue may daily advance.
Commentary
This is a story that curses officials, doing so with both skill and great satisfaction. It is estimated that if the magistrate of Wei County in the eleventh year of the Kangxi reign (1672) had read this tale, he would have been half-dead with rage!
The scolding of the Weixian county magistrate was delivered through the mouth of a fox, and it was divided into three levels. First, "in a former life, he was a donkey." According to the Chinese folk belief in reincarnation, ordinary people are reborn as humans generation after generation; if one was a beast in a previous life, it must have been due to committing immoral deeds. Second, "one who drinks and is also intoxicated by money." This phrase is a historical allusion, a byword for those who are utterly shameless and willing to wear a green hat for the sake of wealth, sparing no effort to gain profit—it was a penetrating critique of the Weixian magistrate's very soul. If one connects this with the later words of the "Historian of the Strange," which say, "If one were to hold out a bundle of hay to entice him, he would lower his ears and bow his head, gladly accepting the bridle," then the Weixian magistrate was nothing but a great corrupt official who would abandon all sense of shame for money. Third, with such an official, even the fox was "ashamed to be associated with him."
Although the core of the tale lies in this speech by the fox, ample groundwork was laid beforehand. It describes how the fox rented a separate residence from the Li family with perfect propriety and refined elegance. The fox was not only indistinguishable from ordinary people but also widely respected by the neighbors. This made the fox's critique of the Weixian magistrate seem plausible and devastating.
Regarding the matter of foxes renting human dwellings, this tale can be read alongside "The Nine Mountain King" and "The Fox of Zunhua Prefecture." In those stories, the homeowners were aware that their tenants were foxes; in "The Nine Mountain King" and "The Fox of Zunhua Prefecture," the homeowners became enemies with the foxes and ultimately suffered punishment. However, in this tale, the Li family of Wei County maintained a courteous exchange with the fox, living together in harmony.