Original Text
Chai Tingbin was a man of Taiping Prefecture. His wife, née Jin, was barren and exceedingly jealous. Chai Tingbin purchased a concubine for one hundred taels of silver, but Jin treated her with such cruelty that within a year the concubine died. Furious, Chai Tingbin left Jin and lived alone for several months, refusing to enter her chamber.
One day, it happened to be Chai Tingbin's birthday, and Jin Shi, speaking words of apology and contrition, bowed respectfully to offer birthday greetings to her husband. Chai Tingbin could not bear to refuse her, and thus the husband and wife were reconciled. Jin Shi set out a feast in the bedchamber and invited her husband to come in and drink, but Chai Tingbin claimed he was already drunk and declined to go. Jin Shi, adorned in her finest attire, came personally to the place where Chai Tingbin slept alone and said, "I have waited for you in all sincerity the whole day; even if you are drunk, please stay for one more cup before you leave!" Chai Tingbin entered the inner chamber and chatted with Jin Shi over wine. Jin Shi spoke calmly and gently, saying, "In days past, I mistakenly killed that maid, and now I deeply regret it. Why must you hold a grudge over this and forsake even the bond of a married couple? From now on, please take several concubines, and I shall never utter a word of complaint again." Chai Tingbin was greatly pleased, and seeing the candles had burned low, he stayed in the bedchamber to sleep. From that time on, the husband and wife cherished each other as in the beginning. Jin Shi summoned a matchmaker and instructed her to seek out a beautiful woman for her husband, but secretly she bade the matchmaker to delay and do nothing, while she herself feigned urgency and pressed for progress.
After more than a year had passed in this manner, Chai Tingbin grew impatient with waiting and entrusted all his relatives and friends to help seek out and purchase a concubine, eventually obtaining the adopted daughter of the Lin family. When Jin saw the Lin girl, she feigned great delight, and the two ate and drank together, with Jin allowing the girl to choose freely from her own cosmetics and jewelry. However, the Lin girl, being from the Yan region, was unskilled in needlework; aside from embroidering shoes, she required others to do all other sewing tasks. Jin said, "Our household has always been frugal and industrious, unlike the mansions of princes and nobles, where women are bought merely as ornaments to be admired." She then brought out silk and satin, forcing the Lin girl to learn dressmaking, treating her as a strict teacher instructing a pupil. At first, it was only scolding and rebukes, but soon it escalated to whipping. Chai Tingbin, witnessing this, felt a piercing pain in his heart but could devise no means of rescue. Yet Jin outwardly showed even greater affection toward the Lin girl than before, often personally dressing her hair and applying rouge and powder. But if the heel of her shoe showed the slightest wrinkle, she would strike her feet with an iron rod; if her hair was slightly disheveled, she would slap her face. Unable to endure such abuse, the Lin girl hanged herself. Chai Tingbin, heartbroken and horrified, harbored deep resentment against Jin. Jin retorted angrily, "I was training your lady for you—what crime have I committed?" Only then did Chai Tingbin fully perceive Jin's treacherous scheme, and thus the couple fell out again, severing all marital relations. Secretly, Chai Tingbin had a villa renovated and prepared, intending to purchase a beautiful woman to live there alone.
Unconsciously, another half year passed, yet he had still not found his ideal beauty. By chance, while attending a friend's funeral, he caught sight of a young lady of sixteen or seventeen, whose radiant countenance dazzled the eye. Chai Tingbin stared fixedly at her, utterly entranced. Seeing him gazing so foolishly at her, the young lady felt quite perplexed and could not help but cast a sidelong glance at him. Chai Tingbin inquired of others and learned that the young lady's surname was Shao. Her father was a poor scholar, with only this one daughter, who from childhood had been very clever; when taught to read, she never forgot what she learned, and she especially delighted in studying medical texts and books on physiognomy. Her father doted on her, and when suitors came to propose marriage, he allowed her to make her own choice, yet whether from wealthy or poor families, none found favor in her eyes, so at seventeen she remained unbetrothed. Upon learning these circumstances, Chai Tingbin knew there was no way to obtain the young lady, yet in his heart he still brooded over the matter. He also thought that since her family was poor, perhaps he could move them with money. He sought out several matchmakers to discuss it, but none dared to act as go-between, and so Chai Tingbin lost heart, daring no longer to harbor any extravagant hopes.
Suddenly, an old woman named Jia, who sold pearls, came to visit Chai Tingbin. Chai Tingbin told her of his desire to marry Shao Nu and gave her a large sum of money, saying, "I only ask that you convey my sincerity. Whether it succeeds or fails, I will not blame you. If there is any hope, I will spare no expense, even a thousand gold pieces." Greedy for his wealth, Old Jia agreed. She went to the Shao household and deliberately chatted idly with Shao's wife, feigning surprise when she saw Shao Nu, exclaiming, "What a beautiful girl! If she were chosen for the Zhaoyang Palace, could the Zhao sisters even be counted?" She then asked, "Who is her betrothed?" Shao's wife replied, "She has none yet." Old Jia said, "With such beauty, why worry about not marrying a prince or marquis?" Shao's wife sighed and said, "I dare not hope for a prince or marquis; if only she could marry a scholar, that would be good enough. This little troublemaker of mine has been so picky, turning down ten suitors without finding one to her liking. I don't know what she is thinking." Old Jia said, "Madam, do not fret. With such a lovely girl, one wonders what blessings the man who marries her must have cultivated in a past life! Yesterday, I encountered a most ridiculous matter. That Mr. Chai said he had seen your daughter near a certain family's grave and was willing to offer a thousand gold pieces as a betrothal gift. Is that not like a starving owl craving swan meat? I scolded him soundly, and he dared not speak of it again!" Shao's wife smiled but said nothing. Old Jia continued, "But among scholarly families, such matters are hard to arrange. If it were another household, losing a foot to gain a yard might be worth considering." Shao's wife still smiled without replying. Old Jia clapped her hands and said, "If this actually came to pass, it would be a loss for me. I have always been favored by you, Madam, coming in to chat and being served tea and wine. If a thousand gold pieces were obtained, I would ride in carriages and live in grand mansions, and when I next visited, the gatekeeper would scold me!" Hearing this, Shao's wife pondered for a while, then rose and went into the inner room to speak with her husband. After a time, she called her daughter in, and then all three came out together. Shao's wife smiled and said, "This girl is truly strange. She turned down many fine men, but now she is willing to become a concubine. I fear the scholars will mock us!" Old Jia said, "If she bears a son after entering the household, the principal wife will have no power over her!" Then she told them of Chai Tingbin's plan to live separately from his wife. Shao's wife was even more pleased and called her daughter over, saying, "Speak with Old Jia yourself. This is your own decision; do not regret it later and blame your parents." Shyly, Shao Nu said, "I only wish for my parents to live in peace and comfort, and a daughter is their support. Besides, I see my own fate as thin; if I marry into a noble family, I will surely shorten my life. A little hardship may not be a misfortune. I once saw that Mr. Chai has a blessed countenance, and his descendants will surely prosper." Overjoyed at these words, Old Jia hurried off to report to Chai Tingbin.
Chai Tingbin was overjoyed at this news and immediately prepared a thousand gold pieces, hitched up his carriage, and brought Shao Nu to his villa, not daring to inform his wife Jin of the matter. Shao Nu said to Chai Tingbin, "Your plan is like a swallow building its nest on a curtain, never considering that it might collapse at any moment. To keep everyone silent and hope the secret does not leak out—is that possible? I beg you to take me home as soon as possible; if the matter is brought to light early, the calamity will be smaller." Chai Tingbin feared that Shao Nu would suffer abuse, but Shao Nu replied, "There is no one under heaven who cannot be reformed. If I have committed no fault, how can she be angry?" Chai Tingbin said, "It is not as you say. She is extremely fierce and cannot be moved by reason or sentiment." Shao Nu said, "I am but a lowly concubine by birth; to endure hardship is only fitting. Otherwise, spending money to buy a few days of peace—how can that last long?" Chai Tingbin thought her words reasonable but remained indecisive, not daring to resolve to return. One day, Chai Tingbin went out on business. Shao Nu changed into a servant's blue gown, went out, and had a servant drive an old horse, with an elderly maid carrying luggage following behind, and went straight to Jin's residence, where she knelt down and recounted the whole affair. Jin was initially angry, but then felt that Shao Nu's voluntary surrender was forgivable, and seeing her plain dress and humble demeanor, her anger gradually subsided a little. She ordered a maid to bring silk garments for Shao Nu to wear, saying, "That heartless man speaks ill of me before others, burdening me with a bad name. In truth, it is all the man's unfaithfulness and those maids' lack of virtue that provoked my anger. Consider this: a man who takes another wife and sets up a separate household behind his wife's back—is he still a man?" Shao Nu said, "I have observed carefully; he seems somewhat regretful, only unwilling to humble himself and admit his fault. As the saying goes, 'The great do not yield to the small.' By the rules of propriety: a wife to her husband is like a son to his father, and a concubine to a wife. If my lady would be considerate and lenient toward him, the accumulated resentment could be completely dissolved." Jin said, "If he does not come himself, what can I do?" Then she ordered the maids and servants to prepare a room for Shao Nu. Though displeased in her heart, for the time being she did not give vent to her anger.
Chai Tingbin, upon hearing that Shao Nu had returned home, was both startled and anxious, thinking to himself that this was like a lamb entering a pack of wolves—she might have already been cruelly abused beyond recognition. He rushed home in haste, and seeing the household peaceful and quiet, his heart finally settled. Shao Nu came out to greet him and urged him to go to Madam Jin's room, but Chai Tingbin showed a troubled expression. She shed tears, and only then did he relent somewhat. Shao Nu then went to see Jin and said, "My lord has just returned, feeling too ashamed to face you, madam. Please go and give him a smile." Jin refused to go. Shao Nu said, "I have already said: a husband to his wife is like a wife to her concubine. Meng Guang raised the tray to her husband's eyebrows, and people did not consider it flattery—why? Because it was proper according to their station." Only then did Jin comply. Upon seeing Chai Tingbin, Jin said, "You are like a cunning rabbit with three burrows—why come back?" Chai Tingbin hung his head in silence. Shao Nu nudged him with her elbow, and he forced a faint smile. Jin's expression softened, and she turned to go back to her chamber. Shao Nu pushed Chai Tingbin to follow her and instructed the cook to prepare wine and dishes. From then on, the couple reconciled. Each morning, Shao Nu dressed in a maidservant's attire and paid respects to Jin and Chai, attending to their washing and grooming like a servant, showing great deference. When Chai Tingbin entered Shao Nu's room, she earnestly urged him to leave, only allowing him to stay one night after ten or more days. Jin also considered Shao Nu virtuous but felt inferior to her, gradually turning from shame to jealousy. Yet because Shao Nu served her with utmost care, Jin could find no fault; sometimes she would scold her, but Shao Nu bore it all meekly.
One night, Jin had a minor quarrel with Chai Tingbin, and the next morning when she was washing and dressing, her anger still lingered. Shao Nu held the mirror for her, but accidentally dropped it, shattering it on the ground. Jin grew even more furious, her hair bristling and her eyes glaring wide. Shao Nu, terrified, knelt upright on the floor, begging Jin for forgiveness. Jin's anger did not subside, and she struck Shao Nu several dozen lashes with a whip. Chai Tingbin could not bear it; he rushed into the room in a rage and pulled Shao Nu away. Jin followed behind, scolding incessantly. Chai Tingbin, greatly enraged, snatched the whip and struck Jin, lashing her face and body until they were torn and bleeding, only then did she retreat. From then on, husband and wife regarded each other as enemies. Chai Tingbin ordered Shao Nu not to go to Jin's room anymore, but Shao Nu did not obey; rising at dawn, she crawled on her knees and waited outside Jin's bed curtains. Jin pounded the bed in fury, cursing, and forbade Shao Nu from approaching. Day and night, Jin gnashed her teeth, waiting for Chai Tingbin to go out so she could vent her anger on Shao Nu. Chai Tingbin, aware of Jin's intentions, declined all social engagements and shut himself indoors. Jin, helpless, could only whip other maids and servants daily to release her rage, and none of them could endure her cruelty. Since the couple fell out, Shao Nu dared not share a room with Chai Tingbin, so he slept alone. When Jin learned of this, her mood calmed somewhat.
There was a rather cunning maidservant, somewhat older than the others, who occasionally exchanged a few words with Chai Tingbin. Lady Jin suspected her of having an illicit affair with Chai and beat her even more severely. The maidservant often cursed bitterly in secret when no one was around. One evening, when it was this maidservant's turn to attend to Lady Jin's sleep, Shao Nu urged Chai Tingbin not to let her go, saying, "This maidservant has a murderous look in her face, and her intentions are hard to fathom." Chai Tingbin heeded Shao Nu's words, summoned the maidservant, and questioned her sternly, saying, "What are you plotting?" The maidservant was so terrified she could not answer. Chai grew even more suspicious, searched her clothing, and found a sharp knife. The maidservant had nothing to say for herself and merely knelt on the ground begging for death. Chai Tingbin was about to beat her, but Shao Nu stopped him, saying, "I fear the lady will hear of this, and then this maidservant's life will be forfeit. Her crime is indeed unforgivable, but it would be better to sell her off, thus sparing her life and also gaining some silver for her price." Chai Tingbin agreed. Just then, someone was seeking to buy a concubine, so they quickly sold her. Because this matter had been handled without consulting her, Lady Jin blamed Chai Tingbin and, even more, vented her anger on Shao Nu, cursing her even more fiercely. Chai Tingbin looked at Shao Nu in anger and said, "This is all your own doing. If she had been killed the other day, how could things have come to this?" With that, he turned and left. Lady Jin found these words strange and questioned everyone around her, but none knew anything. She asked Shao Nu, who also refused to speak. Lady Jin grew even more frustrated and angry, tearing at her clothes and cursing loudly. At this moment, Chai Tingbin returned and told her the truth. Lady Jin was greatly startled, and her words to Shao Nu became gentler, yet inwardly she resented that Shao Nu had not told her earlier. Chai Tingbin thought the two had reconciled and let down his guard. Just then, Chai had to go on a long journey, and Lady Jin summoned Shao Nu to rebuke her, saying, "One who plots to kill her master cannot be pardoned. You let her go—what was your intention?" Shao Nu, caught off guard, could find no suitable reply. Lady Jin heated a branding iron and burned Shao Nu's face, intending to ruin her beauty. All the maids and servants in the household felt indignant for Shao Nu. Every time Shao Nu cried out in agony, the servants wept and said they would rather die in her place. Only then did Lady Jin stop branding her, but she then pierced Shao Nu's ribs more than twenty times with a needle before waving her away. When Chai Tingbin returned and saw the burn on Shao Nu's face, he was furious and was about to confront Lady Jin. Shao Nu grabbed his sleeve and said, "I knew full well this was a pit of fire, yet I deliberately leaped into it. When I married you, did I think your home was paradise? I saw my own fate as thin, and so I came to let Heaven vent its wrath. If I bear it in peace, there will be an end; if I provoke further, it will be like digging open a filled-in pit." She then applied medicine to the wound, and in a few days it healed. One day, looking into a mirror, she suddenly said joyfully, "Husband, you should congratulate me today—she has burned away the inauspicious lines on my face." After this, Shao Nu continued as before, serving Lady Jin morning and night.
When Lady Jin saw that everyone wept as she branded Shao the concubine, she realized she had become isolated and felt a twinge of remorse. She often called Shao to work alongside her, and her words and manner became gentler. After more than a month, Lady Jin suddenly fell ill with a stomach ailment and could not eat. Chai Tingbin wished for her early death, so he did not visit or care for her. After a few days, Lady Jin's abdomen swelled like a drum, and she could not sleep day or night. Shao attended her with utmost devotion, neglecting her own meals and rest, which moved Lady Jin deeply. Shao suggested some remedies for the illness, but Lady Jin, recalling her past cruelty and harshness toward Shao, suspected that Shao might seek revenge and declined the offered treatments. Lady Jin had been strict and capable in managing the household, and the maids and servants obeyed her commands; but after she fell ill, everyone became lazy and neglected their duties. Chai Tingbin personally took over the household affairs, working hard, yet the rice and salt ran out before they could be replenished. Thus he came to appreciate the difficulty of his wife's former management and summoned a physician to treat Lady Jin. Lady Jin told people she suffered from "qi distension," so when the physicians felt her pulse, they all diagnosed it as caused by pent-up emotions. Several doctors were consulted, but none succeeded, and her life hung in the balance. When a new decoction was being prepared, Shao said to Lady Jin, "Such medicine, even if you take a hundred doses, will be useless and only worsen the illness." Lady Jin did not believe her. Shao secretly substituted a different prescription. After taking the medicine, Lady Jin had three bowel movements within the time it takes to eat a meal, and her illness was cured. Lady Jin then mocked Shao's words as incorrect and, feigning groans, called out to her, "Lady Hua Tuo, how is it now?" Shao and the maids all laughed. When Lady Jin asked why they laughed, Shao told her the truth. Lady Jin wept and said, "Today I have received such great kindness from you and did not even know it! From now on, all household matters shall be decided by you." Soon after, when she recovered, Chai Tingbin prepared a feast to celebrate. Shao held the wine pot and stood by, but Lady Jin rose, snatched the pot from her, pulled her close arm in arm, and showed extraordinary affection. Late into the night, Shao made an excuse to leave the table, but Lady Jin sent two maids to drag her back and insisted they share the same bed. From then on, they consulted each other on every matter, ate together always, and their harmony surpassed that of sisters.
Not long after, Jin's illness was completely cured, and Chai Tingbin held a feast to celebrate her recovery. Shao Nu stood by holding the wine flask, waiting upon them, but Jin rose and snatched the flask, pulling Shao to sit beside her with extraordinary affection. As the night deepened, Shao excused herself to leave, but Jin ordered two maids to drag her back, insisting she share the same bed. From then on, they discussed matters together and ate at the same table, closer than blood sisters. Soon, Shao gave birth to a son. After childbirth, she often fell ill, and Jin personally tended to her with the care of a mother. Later, Jin suffered from heart pain; when it struck, her face turned blue, and she wished for death. Shao quickly bought several silver needles, but by the time she returned, Jin was nearly breathless. Hastily, Shao inserted the needles at the proper acupoints, and the pain ceased at once. After ten days, Jin relapsed, and Shao needled her again, but the illness returned after six or seven days. Though the treatment brought immediate relief without great suffering, Jin remained anxious, fearing another attack. One night, Jin dreamed she was in a place like a temple, where the spirits in the hall moved. A deity asked, "Are you Jin? Your sins are many, and your lifespan is at an end. But because you have repented, I only send minor afflictions as a warning. The two concubines you killed before met their fated retribution. As for Shao, what crime did she commit to suffer such cruelty? The lashes you gave her have been avenged by Chai Tingbin, and thus balanced. But the one branding iron and twenty-three needles you owe her—only three needles have been repaid so far, a mere fraction. Do you expect the root of your illness to vanish? Tomorrow, it will strike again!" Jin woke in terror, but hoped the dream would not come true. After the meal, the pain returned with doubled intensity. Shao came and needled her, and the pain ceased immediately. Puzzled, Shao said, "My skill ends here; why can't the root be removed? Let me try moxibustion. This illness must be burned away, but I fear you cannot bear it." Recalling the deity's words, Jin showed no reluctance. Yet as she groaned in agony, she thought to herself: the remaining nineteen needles must manifest in some disease; better to endure all the pain now than suffer later. When the moxa cone was spent, Jin begged Shao to needle her again. Shao smiled and said, "Acupuncture cannot be used recklessly!" Jin replied, "Ignore the acupoints; just trouble yourself to pierce nineteen more needles." Shao smiled and refused. Jin insisted, rising to kneel and plead, but Shao still could not bear it. Only when Jin confessed her dream did Shao insert nineteen needles at the proper points. From then on, Jin's illness was cured and never recurred. She repented even more deeply and never again spoke harshly to her servants.
The son born to Shao Nü was named Chai Jun, and he was exceedingly clever. Shao Nü often said, "This child bears the countenance of a Hanlin academician." At eight years old, he was regarded as a child prodigy; at fifteen, he passed the imperial examinations and was granted the post of Hanlin. By this time, Chai Tingbin and his wife were forty years of age, while Shao Nü was only thirty-two or thirty-three. When Chai Jun returned to his hometown in splendid robes, the villagers all felt honored. Shao Nü's father, having sold his daughter, had suddenly become wealthy, but scholars were ashamed to associate with him; only then did some begin to have dealings with him.
The Chronicler of the Strange remarks: Women's cunning and jealousy are inherent in their nature. And those who become concubines often flaunt their beauty and cleverness, thereby intensifying the principal wife's anger. Alas! Calamities arise from this. If a concubine could be content with her lot, abide by her proper station, and remain unyielding in the face of any setback, how could punishments such as beatings and knife-cuts be inflicted upon her? As for a case like that of Lady Jin, it was only after the concubine saved her life that she began to show signs of remorse. Alas! Can such a person still be considered human? Heaven merely exacted punishment in proportion to her crimes, without adding interest or imposing further penalties—this was already Heaven's leniency toward her. Consider those who repay others' kindness with malice—is this not a gross inversion of right and wrong? I have often seen foolish couples, when ill all day long, seek out ignorant witch-doctors for treatment, enduring needles and fire without daring to groan, and I wondered at this. But after hearing the story of Lady Jin, I came to understand the reason.
A man from Fujian took a concubine. One evening, he went to his wife's chamber but dared not leave immediately, so he pretended to take off his shoes and get into bed. The wife said, "Go quickly! Stop putting on airs!" The husband still feigned hesitation, and the wife, with a stern expression, said, "I am not the jealous type; why must you carry on like this?" Only then did the husband depart. The wife lay alone in her room, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She rose and went to eavesdrop outside the concubine's door. She could only faintly hear the concubine's voice, but the words were indistinct, save for the term "Langba," which she could just make out. "Langba" is what the people of Fujian call their father. After listening for a quarter of an hour, a surge of phlegm choked her, and she fainted, falling to the ground with a thud as her head struck the door. The husband, startled, rose and opened the door, only to have a corpse-like figure topple into the room. He hastily called for the concubine to bring a lamp, and by its light, he saw it was his wife. He quickly lifted her and poured some water into her mouth. As she barely opened her eyes, she groaned, "Whose father is it that you call 'Langba'?" Her jealousy was truly laughable.
Commentary
This is a story discussing family ethics. Pu Songling believed that "women's cunning and jealousy are inherent in their nature," and within the family, the principle should be upheld that "a wife's relation to her husband is like a son's to his father, or a concubine's to the principal wife," centering on the husband, with the wife consenting to the husband taking a concubine, while the concubine "calmly accepts her fate and abides by her station." The ideas are outdated and backward, yet the characters are vividly portrayed, with lively and spirited language—such as Jin Shi's fierce and venomous nature, Shao Nu's forbearance and cunning, especially the matchmaker Jia Ao's persuasive tongue and keen observation when mediating for Chai Tingbin, gradually swaying Shao Nu's mother until she finally agrees to the marriage. The narrative is so vivid that one can almost hear and see it, leaping off the page.