Original Text
Scholar Wang Wen, a native of Dongchang Prefecture, was sincere and honest from childhood. Traveling through Chu, he passed through Liuhe County and lodged at an inn. While idly strolling outside his door, he encountered his fellow townsman Zhao Donglou, a wealthy merchant who often stayed away from home for years. Seeing Wang Wen, Zhao Donglou clasped his hands in delight and invited him to his lodgings. Upon arrival, Wang Wen was startled to see a beautiful woman sitting inside and hesitated to enter. Zhao Donglou pulled him in, calling out through the window, "Nizi, begone!" only then did Wang Wen step inside. Zhao prepared wine and food, and the two exchanged pleasantries. Wang Wen asked, "What place is this?" Zhao Donglou replied, "This is a small brothel. Having been long abroad as a traveler, I am temporarily residing here." As they spoke, Nizi frequently came and went, making Wang Wen uneasy. He rose to take his leave, but Zhao Donglou insisted he stay, pulling him back to his seat.
After a moment, a young girl passed by the door, and upon seeing Wang Wen, she cast frequent amorous glances, her eyes brimming with tender affection. Her appearance was exquisite, her demeanor refined, truly like a celestial being. Wang Wen, who had always been upright and dignified, now felt utterly disoriented and asked, "Who is that beautiful girl?" Zhao Donglou replied, "She is the old madam's second daughter, known by the pet name Yatou, fourteen years old. Many patrons have tried to tempt the old madam with heavy bribes, but Yatou stubbornly refused to receive guests, even enduring beatings from her mother. She pleaded her youth as an excuse and barely escaped being forced into service; she is still waiting to be married off." Upon hearing this, Wang Wen lowered his head in silence, sat in a daze, and even his polite conversation became disordered. Zhao Donglou teased him, saying, "If you have intentions, I will act as your matchmaker." Wang Wen, lost and bewildered, replied, "I dare not entertain such a thought." Yet as the day waned, he never once mentioned leaving. Zhao Donglou again jested about playing matchmaker, and Wang Wen said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, but my purse is empty—what can be done?" Zhao Donglou, knowing Yatou's fiery temperament and certain she would not consent, deliberately promised to lend ten taels of silver to assist Wang Wen. Wang Wen bowed in thanks and hurried away, gathering all his money to bring to the brothel, but it amounted to only five taels. He insisted Zhao Donglou present it to the old madam. The old madam indeed found it too little, but Yatou said to her mother, "Mother, you have daily reproached me for not being a money tree; let me today fulfill your wish. I have just begun to learn the ways of life, and there will be days when I repay you—do not let a small sum drive away a source of wealth." The old madam, knowing Yatou's stubborn nature, was delighted at her consent to receive guests and thus agreed, sending a maid to invite Wang Wen. Zhao Donglou, ashamed to renege midway, added another ten taels and handed them to the old madam. Wang Wen and Yatou shared a night of utmost bliss. Afterwards, Yatou said to Wang Wen, "I am but a lowly courtesan, unworthy of you. Since you have favored me with your love, our bond is most precious. You have emptied your purse for this single night of joy—what will you do tomorrow?" Wang Wen wept, his tears streaming, his voice choked with sobs. Yatou said, "Do not grieve. I am trapped in this life of dust and wind against my will, but I have found no one as honest and steadfast as you to rely upon. Now, let us flee tonight."
Wang Wen was overjoyed and quickly rose from bed; Yatou also got up and stepped down to the floor. At that moment, the watchman's drum on the city tower had already struck the third hour of the night. Yatou hastily changed into men's clothing, and the two of them hurriedly left the brothel, rousing the innkeeper to open the door. Wang Wen had originally brought two donkeys with him; he claimed urgent business and ordered the servant to set off immediately. Yatou tied talismans to the servant's legs and the donkeys' ears, then let the reins go, and they sped off so fast that their eyes could not open, with only the sound of the wind whistling past their ears. By dawn, they arrived at the mouth of the Han River, where they rented a house and settled down. Wang Wen marveled at Yatou's extraordinary abilities, and she said, "If I tell you, will you not be afraid? In truth, I am not human but a fox spirit. My mother is excessively greedy, and I suffered daily abuse, my resentment festering for a long time. Fortunately, I have now escaped this sea of suffering. Fleeing a hundred li away, my mother cannot know, and we can live in peace." Wang Wen harbored no misgivings and said calmly, "To be in a room with a wife as lovely as a hibiscus flower, yet with nothing but the four walls around us, I find it hard to console myself, and I fear I may eventually be abandoned by you." Yatou replied, "Why worry about that? Now we can buy some goods to store and sell for profit; a family of three or four can live frugally and be self-sufficient. You can sell the donkeys for capital." Wang Wen followed her advice, and they opened a small shop in front of their door, where Wang Wen worked alongside the servant, selling wine and ladling broth. Yatou made shawls and embroidered pouches, and each day they earned a profit, enjoying good food and drink. After more than a year, they gradually acquired maidservants and an old nurse. From then on, Wang Wen no longer worked himself but merely supervised and inspected the business.
One day, Yatou suddenly grew sorrowful and distressed, saying, "Tonight calamity will befall us—what is to be done?" Wang Wen asked the reason, and Yatou replied, "My mother has learned of my whereabouts; she will surely threaten and force me to return. If she sends my elder sister, I have no fear, but I dread her coming in person." As night drew to a close, Yatou said with relief, "It is nothing serious; my sister has come." Before long, Nizi pushed open the door and entered the room; Yatou greeted her with a smile. Nizi scolded, "You shameless wench, eloping with someone and hiding here! Mother has ordered me to bind you and take you back." She immediately produced a rope and fastened it around Yatou's neck. Yatou said angrily, "I have married but one man—what crime is that?" Nizi grew even more furious and tore at Yatou's garments. At this, the household maids and old servants all gathered, and Nizi, taking fright, fled. Yatou said, "Now that my sister has returned, my mother will surely come herself. The great calamity is near; we must quickly devise a plan." So she hastily packed their belongings, preparing to move elsewhere. Just then, the old woman suddenly burst through the door, her face full of rage, and said, "I long knew you were insolent, wench; I had to come myself!" Yatou knelt to welcome her mother, weeping bitterly, but the old woman said not a word; she seized Yatou by the hair and dragged her away. Wang Wen was thrown into turmoil, unable to sit or stand, his grief overwhelming him, robbing him of sleep and appetite. He hurried to Liuhe, hoping to ransom Yatou back. Upon arriving at Liuhe, he found the gate and courtyard unchanged, but the occupants had been replaced. He inquired among the neighbors, but none knew where the old woman had moved; he could only return in sorrow and despair. Then he dismissed his servants, gathered his money, and journeyed back to Shandong.
Several years later, Wang Wen happened to travel to Yandu, and passing by an orphanage, he saw a child of seven or eight years. The servant felt the child bore a striking resemblance to his master, so he repeatedly gazed at the child. Wang Wen asked, "Why do you stare at this child?" The servant smiled and replied, and Wang Wen also smiled. Upon closer inspection, Wang Wen found the child to be of imposing and handsome bearing. Thinking that he himself had no son, and because the child so resembled him, he took a great liking to him and ransomed him. Wang Wen asked the child his name, and the child said his name was Wang Zi. Wang Wen said, "You were abandoned in swaddling clothes; how do you know your surname?" Wang Zi replied, "My teacher said that when I was found, there were characters on my chest reading 'Son of Wang Wen of Shandong.'" Wang Wen was exceedingly startled and said, "I am Wang Wen—how could I have a son?" He thought it must be the son of someone with the same name, and secretly delighted, he cherished Wang Zi dearly. When they returned home, everyone who saw Wang Zi, without asking, declared him to be Wang Wen's son. As Wang Zi grew up, he became brave and strong, fond of hunting, but he did not manage any livelihood, loved brawling, and had a murderous nature, so much so that even Wang Wen could not control him. Wang Zi also claimed he could see ghosts and foxes, but people did not believe him. It happened that in the same village, a family was plagued by a fox spirit, and they invited Wang Zi to investigate. As soon as Wang Zi arrived, he pointed out the fox's hiding place and told several people to strike hard at the spot he indicated; immediately, the fox's howls were heard, its fur fell, and blood flowed, and from then on, the family was at peace. For this reason, people regarded him as extraordinary.
One day, Wang Wen went to the market and suddenly encountered Zhao Donglou, who was poorly dressed, emaciated, and dark-faced. Wang Wen asked in surprise where Zhao Donglou had come from. Zhao Donglou, with a mournful expression, asked to find a place to talk. Wang Wen led him home and ordered wine to be served. Zhao Donglou said, "The old woman found Yatou and beat her severely. After moving the household north, she tried to force Yatou to change her resolve. Yatou swore she would rather die than yield, so she was imprisoned. Yatou gave birth to a boy, who was abandoned in a remote alley. I heard later that the child was taken in by an orphanage and must have grown up by now. That child is your own flesh and blood." Wang Wen wept and said, "By Heaven's grace, my wretched son has already returned to me." Then he recounted the whole story. He asked Zhao Donglou, "How did you come to such a desolate state?" Zhao Donglou sighed and said, "Only today do I realize that one should not be too earnest with a courtesan. What more is there to say?" It turned out that when the old woman moved the entire household north, Zhao Donglou followed them, peddling goods along the way, selling off all the heavy and cumbersome items at a loss. The transport costs and living expenses along the journey were incalculable, causing him great losses, and Ni Zi demanded even more. Within a few years, his vast fortune was completely drained. When the old woman saw that Zhao Donglou's money was gone, she gave him cold looks day and night. Ni Zi gradually began spending nights at wealthy households, often staying away for several nights. Zhao Donglou was filled with rage and could hardly bear it, but he could do nothing about her. One day, when the old woman was out, Yatou called Zhao Donglou from beneath the window and said, "There is no true love in a brothel; only money stirs their deepest affections. If you still linger and refuse to leave, you will invite great disaster." Zhao Donglou was deeply frightened and felt as if waking from a dream. Before leaving, he secretly went to see Yatou, who handed him a letter to deliver to Wang Wen, and then he returned to his hometown. After recounting all this, Zhao Donglou produced Yatou's letter. It read: "I know that Zi'er is now at your side. The calamities I have suffered, Donglou can fully describe. The karmic ties of a past life—how can they be explained? I am confined in a lightless room, dark as night, with whips tearing my flesh and hunger burning like fire in my heart; each dawn and dusk passes like a whole year. If you have not forgotten that night by the Han River, when we embraced for warmth under a thin quilt in the snow, then you must consult with our son, for he can surely deliver me from this misery. Though my mother and sister are cruel, they are still my own flesh and blood; only instruct our son not to harm them—that is my wish." Wang Wen read the letter and could not hold back his tears. He gave Zhao Donglou some money, and Zhao Donglou took his leave and departed.
By this time, Wang Zi was eighteen years old. Wang Wen recounted the entire affair to him and also showed him his mother's letter. Wang Zi's eyes blazed with fury, and that very day he set out for the capital. Upon inquiring, he found the residence of Old Lady Wu, but saw the gate crowded with carriages and horses. Wang Zi barged straight into the house, where Nizi was drinking with a lakeside guest. Seeing Wang Zi, she stood up in shock, her face turning pale. Wang Zi rushed forward and slew her. The guest was terrified, thinking a bandit had come, but when he looked at Nizi's corpse, it had transformed into a fox. Wang Zi, blade in hand, pressed deeper inside and saw the old lady supervising a maidservant preparing food. As Wang Zi reached the door, the old lady suddenly vanished. Wang Zi glanced around, swiftly drew an arrow, and shot at the roof beam. A fox, struck through the heart, fell down, and Wang Zi cut off its head. He then found the place where his mother was imprisoned, broke the lock with a stone, and mother and son wept bitterly together. His mother asked where the old lady was, and Wang Zi said, "I have already killed her." His mother reproached him, saying, "Why did you not heed my words!" She ordered the fox to be taken to the outskirts and buried. Wang Zi pretended to agree, but instead skinned the fox and stored the pelt. He also searched the old lady's trunks, took all the valuables, and supported his mother as they returned home. Wang Wen and his wife were reunited, their joy mingled with sorrow. Later, when asked about Old Lady Wu, Wang Zi said, "She is in my bag." The couple asked in astonishment what he meant, and Wang Zi presented two fox pelts. His mother flew into a rage and cursed him, saying, "You unfilial wretch! How could you do such a thing!" She wailed bitterly, beat herself wildly, and tossed about, seeking to die. Wang Wen tried his utmost to console her and ordered Wang Zi to bury the pelts. Wang Zi said indignantly, "Now that we have just found peace and happiness, have you so soon forgotten the whippings?" His mother grew even more incensed and wept without cease. Only after Wang Zi buried the fox pelts and returned to report did his mother's anger subside somewhat.
Since the return of Crow's Head, Wang Wen's family fortunes had grown increasingly prosperous. In his heart, Wang Wen felt grateful to Zhao Donglou and rewarded him with much wealth, by which Zhao Donglou came to learn that the old woman and her daughter were both fox spirits. Wang Zi served his parents with utmost filial devotion, but if he was inadvertently provoked, he would let out fierce, abusive howls and wild shouts. Crow's Head said to Wang Wen, "This child has stubborn sinews; if they are not removed, sooner or later he will cause a death and bring ruin to the family." One night, Crow's Head waited until Wang Zi had fallen asleep, then secretly bound his hands and feet. Wang Zi awoke and said, "I have committed no crime." Crow's Head replied, "I am going to cure your violence; do not fear the pain." Wang Zi roared loudly, twisting left and right, but could not break free. Crow's Head took a large needle and pierced it three or four tenths of an inch deep beside his ankle bone, then with a knife made a crisp sound as she cut the stubborn sinew, and did the same at his elbow and the back of his head. Only after all the stubborn sinews had been severed did she release Wang Zi from his bonds, patting him gently until he fell asleep peacefully. At dawn, Wang Zi ran to attend his parents, weeping as he said, "Last night, as I recalled my past deeds, I realized they were not the acts of a human being!" His parents were overjoyed. From then on, Wang Zi became as gentle as a maiden, and all the villagers praised him greatly.
The Chronicler of the Strange remarks: Courtesans are all foxes, yet who would have thought that foxes themselves could become courtesans? As for foxes acting as procuresses, that is truly beastly and fowl, defying the principles of heaven and corrupting human relations—what is there to wonder at? As for enduring countless trials and tribulations, remaining steadfast unto death, even humans find this difficult to achieve, so how is it that a fox has managed it? Emperor Taizong of Tang said that Wei Zheng was all the more endearing for his unyielding integrity, and I say the same of Yatou.
Commentary
Since Pu Songling believed that "there is no true affection in brothels" and "prostitutes are all foxes," although Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio recounts many romances between young men and women, stories of prostitutes reforming and marrying are exceedingly rare. This marks a significant difference in thematic content between Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio and the urban literature of "Three Words" and "Two Slaps," and it is also the crucial reason why, in the tale of "Yatou," Pu Songling has foxes run a brothel and has Yatou's mother and elder sister utterly annihilated.
The novel depicts the undying love between the maiden Yatou and Wang Wen. Yatou, unwilling to be a prostitute, possesses insight and resolve. Before meeting Wang Wen, neither heavy bribes nor whippings could change her convictions; once she fell in love with the scholar Wang Wen, she resolutely eloped with him under cover of night. When captured by her mother and subjected to brutal beatings in an attempt to force her to change her mind, she remained steadfast unto death, refusing to yield, thus demonstrating her autonomous will. Whether in Yatou's rational decisions or in the gradual unfolding of Wang Wen's deep affection for her, we can faintly discern the influence of the late Ming vernacular novel "The Oil Seller and the Courtesan" upon this tale.
Zhao Donglou serves as a foil and informant for Yatou and Wang Wen, while Wang Zi is the fruit of Yatou and Wang Wen's love, who avenges his mother; though these two secondary characters in the tale are not heavily depicted, each possesses a distinct personality. The story portrays Wang Zi as upright and fierce due to his stubborn sinews, a notion drawn from folk legend, which, though absurd, reflects an exploration into the physiological origins of differences in human character.