Original Text
Liu Zigu, a native of Haizhou, went to visit his uncle in Gai County at the age of fifteen. There, he saw a girl of exquisite beauty in a general store and was deeply smitten. He stealthily entered the shop, pretending to buy a fan. The girl called for her father, who came out; Liu Zigu, disappointed, deliberately haggled and left without buying. Watching from afar until the girl's father had gone elsewhere, he returned to the shop. The girl was about to fetch her father, but Liu Zigu stopped her, saying, "No need to call him; just name your price, and I will not argue." The girl, following his words, deliberately set a high price. Liu Zigu, unable to bear bargaining with her, paid and left. The next day, he went again, and the same scene unfolded. As he walked a few steps away, the girl called after him, "Come back! What I said earlier was not true; the price was too high." She then returned half the money. Moved by her honesty, Liu Zigu visited the store whenever her father was away, and thus they grew familiar day by day. The girl asked, "Where do you live?" Liu Zigu told her truthfully and inquired her surname; she replied that it was Yao. When he left the shop, she would wrap his purchases in paper and seal them with a lick of her tongue. Liu Zigu dared not open these packages at home, fearing to disturb the marks of her tongue. After half a month, his servant discovered his activities and secretly informed his uncle, who forced Liu Zigu to return home. Liu Zigu could not forget the girl; he hid the handkerchiefs, rouge, and other items he had bought in a small bamboo box, and when alone, he would close the door and gaze upon them, lost in thought.
The following year, he journeyed again to Gai County, and scarcely had he set down his luggage when he hastened to the maiden's sundry shop; upon arriving, he found the door tightly shut, and could only return in disappointment. Thinking that perhaps the Yao family had merely stepped out and not yet returned, he went again early the next day, only to find the door still firmly closed. Inquiring of a neighbor, he learned that the Yao family were originally from Guangning County, and finding that their trade yielded but meager profit, they had temporarily returned home, with no one knowing when they might come back. Upon hearing this, Liu Zigu's spirits sank, and his soul seemed to leave his body. After staying a few days, he returned home in dejection. His mother arranged for matchmakers to propose marriages, but each time he refused, leaving her both puzzled and angry. A servant privately told Liu's mother of the affair in Gai County, whereupon she kept a stricter watch over him, and he could no longer go there. Day after day, Liu Zigu languished in gloom, unable to sleep or eat. His mother, at her wit's end, thought it best to indulge her son's wish. So she chose an auspicious day, packed his belongings, and sent him to Gai County, instructing him to ask his uncle to engage a matchmaker. The uncle, following her bidding, sent a matchmaker to the Yao family. After some time, he returned and said to Liu Zigu, "It cannot be done! Axiu is already betrothed to a man from Guangning." Liu Zigu hung his head in despair, his heart turned to ashes. Returning home, he clutched the small box of keepsakes and sobbed, thinking and dreaming, hoping that somewhere in the world there might be a maiden who resembled Axiu.
Just then a matchmaker arrived, who vigorously praised the beauty of the Huang family's daughter in Fuzhou. Liu Zigu, fearing the matchmaker's words might be untrue, traveled by carriage to Fuzhou to see for himself. Upon entering the west gate of the town, he saw a house facing north with its double doors half-open; within the courtyard was a young woman who bore an extraordinary resemblance to A Xiu. Gazing intently, he saw the woman also turn her head as she walked, then enter the house—it was truly A Xiu. Liu Zigu's heart stirred with excitement, and he rented a dwelling next door to the east, making careful inquiries and learning that the family's surname was Li. He pondered repeatedly: could there be another in the world who looked so alike? After several days, finding no opportunity to approach, he could only watch the gate daily, hoping the young woman would emerge. One day, just as the sun began to slant westward, the woman indeed came out. Suddenly catching sight of Liu Zigu, she immediately turned back, pointing behind her with her finger, then placing her palm on her forehead before entering. Liu Zigu was overjoyed but did not understand the meaning of her gestures. After deep thought, he strolled to the back of the house, where he found a wild, overgrown garden with a low wall to the west, about shoulder-high. His mind suddenly cleared, and he crouched in the grass. After a long while, someone appeared over the wall, whispering, "Have you come?" Liu Zigu answered and stood up. Looking closely, it was indeed A Xiu. He was overcome with anguish, tears falling like rain. The woman leaned over the wall, wiping his tears with her handkerchief and comforting him endlessly. Liu Zigu said, "I exhausted every plan but could not succeed; I thought I would never see you in this life. How could I have imagined today? But how did you come to be here?" The woman replied, "The Li family is my maternal uncle." Liu Zigu begged her to climb over the wall. She said, "Go back first, have your servants sleep elsewhere, and I will come to you." Liu Zigu did as she instructed, returning to sit and wait. Shortly, the woman slipped in quietly, dressed simply, still wearing her old trousers and jacket. Liu Zigu took her hand and sat down, recounting the hardships of his search, then asked, "You were already betrothed—why have you not yet married?" The woman said, "The talk of my betrothal was a lie. My father, because of the distance between our families, was unwilling to consent to your suit; he may have asked your uncle to tell a falsehood to discourage you." Then they lay down to rest, their passion deep and joy boundless, beyond words. At the fourth watch, the woman rose quickly and climbed back over the wall. From then on, Liu Zigu no longer paid heed to the Huang family's daughter. He stayed there, forgetting to return home, and did not go back for a month.
One night, a servant rose to feed the horses and saw a light in Liu Zigu's room. Peering in secretly, he beheld A Xiu and was greatly startled. Not daring to speak of it to his master, he went out at dawn to make inquiries in the street, then returned and asked Liu Zigu, "Who was that person with you last night?" At first, Liu Zigu was reluctant to tell. The servant said, "This house is very desolate, a fitting place for ghosts and foxes to hide. You must take care of yourself, young master. How could that girl from the Yao family come here?" Liu Zigu then said with embarrassment, "The house to the west is her uncle's; what is there to doubt?" The servant replied, "I have already inquired thoroughly. To the east lives only a lonely old widow, and to the west the family has a young son, with no close relatives nearby. The one you met must surely be a demon. Otherwise, why would she still wear clothes from several years ago, unchanged to this day? Moreover, her complexion is too pale, her cheeks somewhat thin, and when she smiles, there are no dimples—she is not as beautiful as A Xiu." Liu Zigu, pondering this, grew very fearful and said, "What then is to be done?" The servant proposed that when the woman came again, they should take weapons and rush in together to strike her. That evening, the girl arrived and said to Liu Zigu, "I know you have grown suspicious, but I have no other intention—merely to fulfill the fate of our former bond." Before she finished speaking, the servant burst through the door and charged in. The girl cried out, "Throw down your weapons! Quickly bring wine, for I am about to bid your master farewell." The servant immediately dropped his weapon, as if someone had snatched it from his hand. Liu Zigu, even more terrified, reluctantly set out wine and dishes. The girl talked and laughed as usual, then raised her hand, pointing at Liu Zigu, and said, "I know your heart's thoughts, and was just thinking how to help you with all my might. Why did you set an ambush? Though I am not A Xiu, I consider myself no less than her. Look—am I not the A Xiu of old?" Liu Zigu's hair stood on end with fear, and he could not utter a word. When the girl heard the third watch strike, she took a sip from her cup, rose, and said, "I shall leave for now. On the night of your wedding, I will return to compare my beauty with your new bride's." With that, she turned and vanished.
Liu Zigu, trusting the fox spirit's words, went straight to Gai County. Resenting his uncle for deceiving him, he did not stay at his uncle's home but lodged near the Yao family, sending a matchmaker to propose marriage with generous gifts. Axiu's mother said, "My younger brother has found a son-in-law for her in Guangning, and her father has gone there; whether the match will succeed is still unknown. You must wait a few days before we can discuss it." Hearing this, Liu Zigu grew anxious and restless, his mind in turmoil, and could only wait patiently for their return. After more than ten days, he suddenly heard rumors of war, which he initially dismissed as false, but as time passed, the news grew more urgent, so he hastily packed his belongings to return home. On the road, he encountered the chaos of battle; master and servant were separated, and Liu Zigu was captured by patrolling soldiers. Because he appeared frail and scholarly, the guards were lax, and he seized the chance to steal a horse and escape. Reaching the borders of Haizhou, he saw a girl with disheveled hair and a grimy face, limping along, barely able to walk. As Liu Zigu rode past her, the girl suddenly cried out, "Is that not Master Liu on horseback?" Reining in his horse, he looked closely and saw it was Axiu. Still suspecting it might be the fox spirit, he asked, "Are you truly Axiu?" The girl replied, "How can you say such a thing?" Liu Zigu recounted his encounters. The girl said, "I am the real Axiu. My father took me back from Guangning when we were captured by soldiers. They gave me a horse to ride, but I kept falling off. Suddenly, a girl took my hand and urged me to flee; we darted through the army, and no one questioned us. She walked swiftly, and I struggled to keep up; after a hundred paces, my shoes fell off several times. After a long while, as the shouts of men and horses gradually faded, she released my hand and said, 'Let us part here! Ahead lies a smooth road; you may walk slowly, and your beloved will come soon; you can return with him.'" Liu Zigu knew then that the girl was the fox spirit, and his heart was filled with gratitude. He also explained why he had lingered in Gai County. Axiu told him that her uncle had found her a suitor named Fang, but the betrothal gifts had not yet been sent when the war broke out. Only then did Liu Zigu realize his uncle had not deceived him. He lifted Axiu onto the horse, and they rode back together. Entering the house, he saw his mother in good health and was overjoyed. They tied up the horse, went inside, and recounted the whole story. His mother was also delighted; she helped Axiu wash and dress, and after her toilette, she shone with radiant beauty. Clapping her hands, his mother said, "No wonder this foolish lad could not let you go even in his dreams!" She then prepared bedding and had Axiu sleep with her. She also sent a messenger to Gai County to inform the Yao family. Within a few days, both Yao parents arrived, and they chose an auspicious day to hold the wedding ceremony before returning home.
Liu Zigu opened the small box where he had stored his treasures, and the paper wrappings remained untouched as before. Among them was a packet of powder, which when opened, had turned into red earth. Liu Zigu found this very strange. Axiu covered her mouth with a smile and said, "This is evidence of a crime from several years ago, only now discovered. At that time, I saw that you let me wrap things as I pleased without checking whether they were genuine or false, so I wrapped some red earth as a joke." As the husband and wife were laughing and talking, someone lifted the curtain and entered, saying, "Such joy, should you not thank the matchmaker?" Liu Zigu looked up and saw another Axiu. He quickly called for his mother, and when she and the entire household arrived, no one could distinguish which was the real Axiu. Liu Zigu, momentarily bewildered, gazed intently for a long time before bowing to the false Axiu in gratitude. The false Axiu took a mirror, looked at herself, blushed with shame, and ran out, vanishing without a trace. Liu Zigu and his wife, grateful for her kindness and righteousness, set up a memorial tablet in their home and offered sacrifices to her.
One night, Liu Zigu returned home drunk, and the room was dark and empty. As he was about to light a lamp, A Xiu arrived. Liu Zigu took her hand and asked, "Where have you been?" A Xiu smiled and said, "The smell of wine is unbearable! Why such questioning—do you think I have been meeting someone in secret?" Liu Zigu laughed and cupped her cheeks. A Xiu said, "Tell me, between your fox sister and me, who is more beautiful?" Liu Zigu replied, "You are more beautiful, but one cannot tell by appearance alone." With that, he closed the door and they embraced. Soon, there was a knock at the door. A Xiu rose with a smile and said, "You too are one who judges by appearance." Liu Zigu did not understand her meaning and hurried to open the door. A Xiu entered, and Liu Zigu was greatly astonished, realizing that the one who had spoken with him earlier was the fox. In the darkness, he heard laughter again. The couple bowed toward the air and prayed, begging the fox to reveal herself. The fox said, "I do not wish to see A Xiu." Liu Zigu asked, "Why not take another form?" The fox replied, "I cannot." He asked again, "Why can you not?" The fox said, "A Xiu was my younger sister in a former life, who unfortunately died young. When alive, we followed our mother to the Heavenly Palace and saw the Queen Mother of the West. In our hearts, we secretly admired her, and upon returning, we deliberately imitated her. My sister was cleverer than I; after a month of practice, she achieved a striking likeness, while I took three months to master it, yet still fell short of her. Now, after a lifetime apart, I thought I had surpassed her, but I find I am still the same as before. Moved by your sincere devotion, I have come occasionally, but now I must go." With that, she spoke no more.
From then on, she would come every three to five days, and whenever they encountered any difficult matters, she could always help resolve them. When A Xiu returned to her maiden home, she would often stay for several days without leaving, and the household members were so frightened that they would hide away. Whenever something was lost in the house, the fox spirit would sit upright in full attire, with a tortoiseshell hairpin several inches long stuck in her hair, and summon the servants and maids to sternly declare, "The things you have stolen must be sent back to a certain place tonight, or else you will suffer unbearable headaches and it will be too late for regrets." By dawn, the lost items would indeed be found at that very place. After three years, the fox spirit ceased to come. Occasionally, when valuable items were lost, A Xiu would imitate the fox spirit's attire and frighten the servants and maids, and this too often proved effective.
Commentary
Both the tale of "A Xiu" and the tale of "Huan Niang" are stories about helping a beloved one achieve marriage. The difference lies in that "Huan Niang" is about music, where the protagonists are kindred spirits, while "A Xiu" is about appearance, where the true and false A Xiu are both learners of beautification. Huan Niang is a ghost, and the false A Xiu is a fox spirit. Huan Niang's feelings for Wen Ruchun are deep, emphasizing the bond of understanding, believing that learning music requires guidance from a master. The false A Xiu merely fulfills an old destiny, with shallow feelings, stressing that in the study of the art of form, spiritual resemblance is more important and harder to achieve.
The novel's depiction of A Xiu's beauty leaves a profound impression. It begins with Liu Zigu seeing a maiden of "peerless loveliness" and becoming infatuated. Then, a servant compares the real and false A Xiu, deeming the false one "too pale in complexion, with slightly hollow cheeks, lacking dimples when smiling, and not as beautiful as A Xiu." Next, Liu Zigu's mother, upon seeing A Xiu's "radiant countenance," claps her hands and exclaims, "No wonder that foolish son's soul and dreams are consumed by her!" Finally, the false A Xiu concedes to the true A Xiu's beauty, revealing they were originally fox sisters, both emulating the Queen Mother of the West, but the true A Xiu achieved a "spiritual likeness in one month," while the false A Xiu "studied for three months before succeeding, yet ultimately could not match her younger sister."
The novel introduces the concept of "spiritual resemblance," deeming it far more precious and rare than mere "superficial likeness." Although within the story "spiritual resemblance" specifically refers to the temperament and charm of a woman's appearance, falling within the realm of feminine beauty, it resonates with the "spiritual essence" consistently emphasized in traditional Chinese painting, reflecting Pu Songling's enduring aesthetic stance.