Original Text
A certain fellow from the same village, frivolous, dissolute, and utterly shameless, once wandered beyond the village outskirts and saw a young married woman riding past on a horse. He said to his companions, "I can make her laugh." The others did not believe him and wagered a feast on it. The fellow immediately dashed forward, stopped before the horse, and cried out repeatedly, "I am going to die!" Then he pulled a sorghum stalk from the wall, about a foot long, untied his belt, hung it on the stalk, stretched out his neck, and made as if to hang himself. The young woman indeed smiled at him as she passed, and the others also laughed. After she had gone far away, the fellow remained motionless, and the others laughed even harder. When they drew near to look, his tongue was protruding, his eyes were tightly shut, and he had truly breathed his last. That he should hang himself on a sorghum stalk—was this not a strange thing? This incident may serve as a warning to those given to frivolity.
Commentary
The tragedy of "Playing at Hanging" arises from a mischievous prank.
What is the difference between a lecherous scoundrel and a gallant libertine in "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio"? The distinction lies in their tastes: the former is base and vulgar, while the latter is refined and transcendent. When it comes to matters of sex, the former is frivolous and promiscuous, intent on flirtation and seduction, whereas the latter is deep in affection and focused, aiming for marriage (not excluding polygamy). The tragedy of a certain man from the town was accidental, but Pu Songling connected it to ethics and drew a conclusion of inevitability.