Original Text
In Guangdong there was a scholar surnamed Guo, who, returning from a friend's house one evening, lost his way in the mountains and wandered into a thicket. By the time the first watch sounded, he heard laughter from a hilltop and hurried toward it. There he saw a dozen or so people sitting on the ground drinking wine. When they spotted Scholar Guo, they clamored, "We were just short of a guest—how splendid, how splendid!" After Guo sat down, he noticed that half of the guests wore scholar's caps, so he asked them to show him the way. One man laughed and said, "How pedantic you are! To abandon such a fine moon and still ask for directions?" With that, he handed Guo a cup of wine. Guo drank it and found it fragrant beyond compare, downing it in one breath. Another man took the flagon and refilled his cup. Guo, who was fond of wine and parched from his mountain trek, drank ten large cups in succession. The company praised him greatly, saying, "What a capacity for drink! Truly a friend of ours!"
Scholar Guo was a man who paid no heed to social conventions and delighted in jesting. He could mimic the calls of birds with remarkable accuracy. When he rose to relieve himself, he secretly imitated the chirping of a swallow. The company, hearing the sound, said in bewilderment, "How can a swallow be calling in the middle of the night?" Guo then mimicked the cry of a cuckoo, and the others grew even more perplexed. After he sat down again, he merely smiled and said nothing. While everyone was discussing the matter in confusion, Guo turned his head and imitated a parrot's voice, saying, "Scholar Guo is drunk; send him home!" The listeners were startled, but when they listened again, there was no sound. After a while, Guo repeated the imitation. Only then did they realize it was Guo mimicking the birds, and they all burst into hearty laughter. Everyone pursed their lips and tried to imitate the bird calls, but none could match his skill. One person said, "What a pity that Lady Qing did not come." Another added, "We shall gather here again at the Mid-Autumn Festival; Scholar Guo must not fail to attend." Guo solemnly agreed. Then a man stood up and said, "Since our guest possesses such a marvelous talent, let us present a human pyramid in return. What say you?" With laughter and chatter, they all rose. One man stepped forward and stood upright, and another quickly climbed onto his shoulders, also standing straight. Four men ascended in succession, stacking so high that no one else could mount them directly. Those behind clambered up by grasping shoulders and treading on arms, as if climbing a ladder. In no time, over ten men were all atop one another, reaching such a height that they seemed to touch the sky. As Guo gazed in astonishment, the dozen men suddenly toppled straight to the ground, transforming into a long, winding road.
Scholar Guo stood in shock for a long time before finally following that path back home. The next day, his stomach ached terribly, and his urine was entirely green, like copper rust, staining everything it touched with that color, and it carried no stench of urine; only after three days did the green urine cease. He went to the place where they had feasted together, only to find leftover bones and dishes scattered all over the ground, surrounded by thick weeds and trees, with no path at all. When the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived, Scholar Guo wished to keep the appointment, but his friends dissuaded him. Had he mustered the courage to go again and meet the Green Lady, surely even stranger marvels would have occurred. What a pity that his resolve wavered!
Commentary
Scholar Guo lost his way in the mountains and happened upon more than ten people, with whom he admired the bright moon, drank freely, played games, performed acrobatics, and agreed to meet again at the Mid-Autumn Festival; finally, these companions pointed out his path home, making for a truly wondrous experience. Yet because Scholar Guo was timid, he did not keep the Mid-Autumn appointment, leaving a lingering regret. However, it is precisely this imperfection in the tale that leaves an endless aftertaste for the reader.
The brilliance of this tale lies in its construction from two acrobatic acts, ventriloquism and human pyramid formation, which are likely materials Pu Songling had gathered. Were it merely a straightforward account, it would be nothing more than a description of acrobatic techniques. By weaving it into a narrative, however, the story gains an air of wonder and amusement, endowing the acrobatics with a plot and life of their own, thus imbuing the work with a richly strange and romantic hue.