Original Text
Yang Yuedan was a scholar from Qiongzhou. Once, while returning home from another county by boat across the sea, he encountered a violent hurricane. The boat was on the verge of capsizing when suddenly an empty vessel drifted by on the waves. He quickly leaped aboard, and when he turned back, his original boat and all its passengers had already sunk. The wind grew fiercer, and he closed his eyes, letting the wind carry the boat aimlessly. After a while, the wind ceased. Opening his eyes, he suddenly saw an island with houses clustered together. He rowed the boat to shore and walked up to the village gate. The village was utterly silent; he wandered about for a long time without hearing even the sound of a dog or a rooster. Then he came upon a courtyard with its gate facing north, where pines and bamboos grew thick and lush. Though it was early winter, an unknown flower within the walls bloomed all over the trees. Yang Yuedan was delighted and slowly entered the courtyard. Hearing the sound of a zither in the distance, he paused. A maidservant, about fourteen or fifteen years old, graceful and strikingly beautiful, emerged from the inner courtyard. On seeing Yang Yuedan, she quickly turned back inside. Soon the zither music stopped, and a young man came out, asking in surprise where Yang Yuedan had come from. Yang Yuedan told him everything. The young man then inquired about his native place and surname, and Yang Yuedan answered. The young man said joyfully, "You are my relative!" With that, he clasped his hands in greeting and invited Yang Yuedan into the inner courtyard. Entering, Yang Yuedan saw that the rooms were extremely ornate and exquisite, and again heard the sound of the zither. Inside, a young woman sat upright, tuning the strings. She was about eighteen or nineteen, radiant and dazzling. Seeing a guest, she pushed aside the zither and rose to leave. The young man stopped her, saying, "Don't go; he is your relative." He then explained Yang Yuedan's story on his behalf. The young woman said, "You are my nephew." She then asked, "Is your grandmother still alive? How old are your parents this year?" Yang Yuedan replied, "My parents are in their forties and in good health. But my grandmother is over sixty, has been ill for a long time, and is quite frail, needing help with every move. Nephew does not know which branch of the family you belong to, Aunt; I hope you will tell me clearly, so I can inform my family when I return." The young woman said, "The road is long, and we have lost contact for ages. When you go back, just tell your father: 'Tenth Aunt sends her regards.' He will naturally understand." Yang Yuedan asked, "Where is my uncle from?" The young man said, "My surname is Yan, given name Haiyu. This place is called Immortal Island, three thousand li from Qiongzhou. I have not been stranded here long." Tenth Aunt went inside and had the maidservant bring out wine and dishes to entertain the guest. Yang Yuedan found the flavors of the dishes exceptionally fragrant and delicious, though he did not know their names. After the meal, Yan Haiyu led Yang Yuedan to stroll in the garden, where he saw peach and apricot trees in bud, which struck him as strange. Yan Haiyu said, "In this place, summer has no scorching heat, winter has no bitter cold; flowers bloom in all four seasons without cease." Yang Yuedan said happily, "This is truly a land of immortals! When I return and tell my parents, I will move my family here to be your neighbors." Yan Haiyu merely smiled and said nothing.
They returned to the study, lit a candle, and saw a zither placed on the table. Yang Yuedan invited Yan Haiyu to play a tune to enhance the refined atmosphere. Yan Haiyu then stroked the strings and adjusted the pegs, preparing to play. Shiniang emerged from the inner chamber, and Yan Haiyu said, "Come, come! Play a tune for your nephew." Shiniang sat down and asked Yang Yuedan, "What tune would you like to hear?" Yang Yuedan replied, "Your nephew has never studied the zither repertoire and does not know what tunes exist, so I truly cannot say what I wish to hear." Shiniang said, "Just name any theme at will, and I can play it for you." Yang Yuedan laughed and said, "Can 'The Sea Wind Guides the Boat' be played as a tune?" Shiniang said, "Of course." With that, she plucked the strings with her fingers, as if following an existing score, and the mood surged with boldness and grandeur, like mountains collapsing and seas roaring. In quiet contemplation, it felt as if one were still sitting on a boat, swaying and tossing amid a hurricane. Yang Yuedan was astonished and deeply impressed, so he asked, "Can I learn this zither?" Shiniang handed him the zither, let him try to pluck it, and said, "Of course I can teach you. What do you want to learn?" Yang Yuedan said, "That tune 'The Hurricane' you just played—how many days will it take to learn? Please first write down the score so I can chant it." Shiniang said, "This tune has no score; I composed it from my heart." Then she took another zither and demonstrated some plucking and picking movements, letting Yang Yuedan imitate them. Yang Yuedan practiced until the first watch of the night, roughly managing to match the rhythm, and then the couple bid farewell. Yang Yuedan focused his mind and concentrated his spirit, playing alone under the lamp. After a long while, he suddenly achieved a wondrous insight and unconsciously began to dance. He looked up and was startled to see the maid still standing by the lamp, so he asked in surprise, "You haven't left yet?" The maid smiled and said, "Tenth Lady ordered me to attend to your sleep, then close the door and take the lamp." Yang Yuedan scrutinized her closely and saw that her eyes were like autumn waters, clear and bright, and her demeanor was supremely charming and lovely. His heart stirred, and he subtly teased her. The maid only lowered her head, a smile on her face. Yang Yuedan grew even more captivated, suddenly stood up, and embraced her neck. The maid said, "Don't do that! It's already the fourth watch, and the master will soon rise. If we both have feelings, tomorrow night will not be too late." As they embraced affectionately, they heard Yan Haiyu call out "Fen Die." The maid's face changed drastically, and she said, "Oh no!" Then she hurriedly ran out. Yang Yuedan quietly followed to eavesdrop, and heard Yan Haiyu say, "I said long ago that this girl's earthly ties were not yet severed, but you insisted on keeping her. Now what? She deserves three hundred lashes!" Shiniang said, "Once such thoughts arise, she can no longer be employed. Better to send her away for my nephew's sake." Yang Yuedan felt both ashamed and fearful, returned to the study, and extinguished the lamp to sleep. At dawn the next day, a boy came to attend to Yang Yuedan's washing, and Fen Die was nowhere to be seen. Yang Yuedan was uneasy, fearing that Shiniang would reproach him and drive him away. Soon, Yan Haiyu and Shiniang came out together, seeming not to mind the matter at all, and then examined how Yang Yuedan's zither practice was progressing. Yang Yuedan played a tune. Shiniang said, "Though it has not yet reached the realm of divine transformation, you have grasped eight or nine parts out of ten. Once you play it smoothly, you can attain the wondrous state." Yang Yuedan then asked to be taught other tunes. Yan Haiyu taught him a tune called "The Celestial Maiden's Banishment," with intricate and twisting fingering techniques. Yang Yuedan practiced for three days before he could play the tune. Yan Haiyu said, "You have already grasped the gist of the tune; from now on, you only need to practice it skillfully. Once you master these two tunes, there will be no tune on the zither that you cannot play."
Yang Yuedan felt a great longing for home and said to Shiniang, "I have been living here, receiving your kind care, and have been very happy, but I fear my family will be worried about me. This place is three thousand li from home—such a vast distance—when will I ever be able to return?" Shiniang replied, "That is not difficult at all; the original boat is still here, and I will grant you a favorable wind to aid your journey. You have not yet taken a wife, but I have already sent Fenjie ahead." With these words, she presented him with a zither and also gave him a medicine, saying, "When you return, give this to your grandmother; it will not only cure her illness but also prolong her life." Then Shiniang escorted Yang Yuedan to the shore and helped him board the boat. Yang Yuedan looked for the oars, but Shiniang said, "You have no need for that." She then untied her skirt and used it as a sail, fastening it for him. Yang Yuedan worried that he might lose his way, but Shiniang said, "You need not fret; simply let the wind carry the boat as it drifts across the sea." After securing the sail, she stepped off the boat. Yang Yuedan felt a pang of melancholy and was about to thank his aunt and bid her farewell when a southern wind suddenly arose, and the boat was swiftly carried far from the shore. Looking around, Yang Yuedan saw that provisions had been prepared on the boat, but they were only enough for a single day's meals, and he inwardly complained that Shiniang was rather stingy. Though hungry, he dared not eat much, fearing the food would run out, so he only took a sesame cake, which he found fragrant and sweet both inside and out. He carefully treasured the remaining six or seven pieces, and thereafter felt no further hunger. After a while, as the setting sun neared the horizon, Yang Yuedan regretted not having brought a lantern or candle, but in the blink of an eye, he saw distant signs of human habitation; looking more closely, he realized he had already arrived at Qiongzhou, and he was overjoyed. Soon the boat reached the shore, and he untied the skirt, wrapped the sesame cakes in it, and returned home.
As soon as Yang Yuedan entered his home, the entire family was overjoyed with surprise, for he had been away from home for sixteen years, and only then did he realize that he had encountered immortals. Yang Yuedan saw that his grandmother's chronic illness had worsened, so he took out the medicine he had brought and gave it to her to take, and the old ailment that had plagued her for years was cured instantly. Everyone asked him in astonishment what had happened, and he recounted his experiences from beginning to end. His grandmother shed tears and said, "She is indeed your aunt." It turned out that the old lady had a youngest daughter named Shiniang, who from birth possessed the grace of a celestial maiden and was betrothed to the Yan family. Her husband-to-be, at the age of sixteen, went into the mountains to cultivate immortality and never returned. Shiniang waited at home until she was over twenty, then suddenly died without illness, and it had been more than thirty years since her burial. Hearing Yang Yuedan's account, everyone suspected that Shiniang had not truly died. He took out the skirt she had given him, and indeed it was the very one Shiniang used to wear at home. Yang Yuedan also distributed the cakes he had brought back for everyone to taste; eating just one would keep one full all day and invigorate one's spirit. The old grandmother ordered Shiniang's grave to be opened for inspection, and indeed, only an empty coffin remained.
Yang Yuedan had originally been betrothed to a daughter of the Wu family, but she had not yet been brought into his home. After Yang Yuedan failed to return for several years, the girl was married off to another man. Everyone believed the words of Shiniang and awaited the arrival of Fendie. However, after more than a year passed without any news, they began to discuss taking another wife. In the neighboring county, there was a scholar named Qian, who had a daughter called Hesheng, whose fame spread far and wide. At sixteen years of age, before she was even married, she had already caused the deaths of three betrothed suitors. Yang Yuedan then entrusted a matchmaker to arrange this match, and a lucky day was chosen for the wedding ceremony. When Hesheng entered the household, she was indeed radiant and surpassingly beautiful; upon seeing her, Yang Yuedan realized she was none other than Fendie. He asked her in astonishment about the past, but Hesheng knew nothing of it. It turned out that the day Fendie was banished was the very day of Hesheng's birth. Whenever Yang Yuedan played the tune "The Celestial Maiden's Banishment" for her, Hesheng would rest her chin on her hand, lost in thought, as if she understood its meaning in her heart.
Commentary
Folk tales of encountering immortals at sea often comprise three structural elements: first, being blown by wind and waves to land on an island and meeting an immortal; second, experiencing the romantic life of the immortal; third, returning home.
This story is also the same. What sets it apart is its clear awareness of physical geography, such as the location being in Qiongzhou, encountering a typhoon, and the immortal's island being described as "here summer has no great heat, winter no great cold, and flowers never cease," which clearly reflects the concept of a tropical island. At the same time, this tale possesses a strong sense of familial human sentiment; encountering immortals is no longer merely a matter of "immortal fate" but involves kinship, illustrating the fusion of Daoist and Confucian thought during the Ming and Qing dynasties as the new backdrop for such stories. The core of the narrative is meeting immortals to learn the qin, as the critic He Yin remarked: "The sea wind guides the boat, a heavenly maiden descends in exile, and the two qin melodies are where the meaning lies, while the literary quality is like that of an immortal." Although the plot of Yang Yuedan listening to and learning the qin is inspired by the Tang dynasty tale from the *Jiyi Ji* about Wang Jixin learning the game of Go, the detailed and delicate process, along with the romantic moments of insight and understanding, not only demonstrates high literary skill but also allows us to sense Pu Songling's musical interest and cultivation, which served as the musical foundation for his creation of certain chapters in *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* with musical content and his successful composition of *Liaozhai Folk Songs*.
This tale is named "Pink Butterfly," and although the Pink Butterfly appears only sparingly, her image—"elegant and enchanting," with a "bewitching and incomparably charming demeanor"—is unforgettable. Especially at the story's end, when Yang Yuedan "often played for her the tune of 'The Heavenly Maiden's Descent in Disgrace,' she would rest her chin on her hand in deep contemplation, as if grasping some profound insight." Both Feng Zhenluan and Dan Minglun praised it endlessly, saying: "The concluding strokes float like an immortal, beyond the reach of any praise," and "An ending that does not end, leaving a lingering, leisurely charm."