The Wisdom of Hang Ti

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 8, 24 February 1909, Page 52

The Wisdom of Hang Ti

By

Abraham R. Groh.

Illustrated by

Gordon Ross.

P BETTY' Wu Sao’s eyes were red from weeping. She wept because lier parents had betrothed her to Ki Hung Ming, a very rich but very ugly and cruel old mandarin. Can the mouse fall in love with the cat? No more could Wu Sao fall in love with Ki Hung Ming. When ilie matchmaker had approached the parents of Wu Sao with the proposal of Ki Hung Ming, they had yielded because they dared not refuse so powerful n mandarin. Wu Sao swooned when she heard of the betrothal, and upon regaining consciousness she prayed for death; for she loved only Lin Yang, the young fisherman, who, though he was not rich, had saved up many cash against their marriage. When Lin Yang heard what the parents of his sweetheart had done, he was very angry. At first Ire determined to commit suicide at their door. On second thought, he decided to do the deed at the door of Ki Hung Ming. In either case he would have revenge, for what deeper disgrace is there than to find a suicide’s body on one’s threshold? However, as Lin Yang could not leave his body at both doors, ho left it at neither. Instead, he paid a visit to his friend, Hang Ti, the priest. He found Hang Ti Bitting by tile door of the temple, his bare brown legs doubled under his bright y ellow robe. As usual, the holy man was engaged in devotions, chanting to himself : Confucius, Confucius, bow great was Confucius! Before him there was no Confucius, (Since him there has been no other. Confucius, Confucius, how great was Confucius! Lin Yang, having knelt seven times, and having struck his forehead against the ground fourteen times, addressed himself to the priest. “I am in the deepest trouble,” he said. ‘•'Are the gods angry with me? Do not the bones of my ancestors rest easily? Or why is this sorrow sent upon me to gnaw my heart?” Hang Ti was a man of much wisdom and few words. After long thought, he answered slowly: ‘The words of Confucius are these: ‘Let men be patient under suffering, for nothing can hurt the soul; only the mortal body can sustain injury.’ ” Such maxims might have comforted lan Yang at any other time, but in this hour of his anguish they were of no avail. ‘‘Holy priest,” ho cried again, “this is no time for preaching. Either the gods arc angry,, or else iny ancestors do not rest in peace. Tell me quickly what 1 may do to satisfy them. Here 1 have money. J will also sell my boat and my nets, and will pull down my house and Bell the timbers which compose it; but I cannot give up Wu Sao to this monster.” Hang Ti made no reply, but calmly chanted a tunc. Lin Yang kept respectful silence, knowing that he Was in con-

sulfation with the gods. Finally the priest spoke: “How much money have you, my son?" As Lin Yang emptied his bag of hoarded coins on the ground, the priest’s eyes glistened greedily. “Surely the gods will not refuse the request of so liberal a man,” he said. “With this money I shall buy printed papers, candles, and much incense, and 1 will burn them before the altar of the God of the Kitchen. Go in peace, my son.” “But thou dost not know yet what I wish,” cried lan Yang. The wily priest was disconcerted, but only for a moment. “.Silence, irreverent son!" he said sternly. “Dost thou presume to say in what manner a priest shall act? I was about to ask thy desires. What are they then ?” “Pray, holy man,” said Lin Yang, “as thou hast never prayea trerore, that Ki Hung Ming may not marry the beautiful Wu Sao, who loves me and me alone, and whom I love with all my soul.” At mention of the old mandarin’s name, the priest’s expression changed suddenly. His gaze left the pile of coins and wandered first to Lin Yang’s face and then to the far-away hills. The shadow of a smile—a confident, cruet smile —flickered about his thin lips. ‘The gods favour thee, my son,” he said at last, “and thy ancestors are comfortable in their graves. I bid thee go home in peace, and take thy money with thee.” Lin Yang, though dumfounded by the -sudden generosity of the priest, gathered up the coins and returned to his home; while the priest chanted, in a low earnest tone, in which there was an underlying note of triumph: Confucius, Confucius, how great was C onfucius! Before him there was no Confucius, Since him there has been no other. Confucius, Confucius, how great was Confucius! 11. Tn the home of Wu Sao the wedding preparations went on rapidly. The red robe was made, the red shoes, the bead tiara with its veil. The red sedan-chair in which the bride would be carried to the home of the bridegroom, the chairbearers, the lantern bearers, the bannerbearers, the bearers of the tablets inscribed with the names of the bride and biidcgro-om—all were engaged, according to immemorial custom. In the house of the mandarin, Ki Hung Ming, preparations wore also being made. The old mandarin was evert more savage than usual with his servants, and the swords which did his bidding were red with the blood of those against whom his peevish temper was directed. On the day before the wedding, as is customary, a preist visited the home of the parents of Wu Sao. The holy man was well entertained, eating the best tba poor house afforded —fruits, turnips, melon-seeds, rice, and millet.

When he had eaten, he knelt solemnly before the image of the God of the Kitchen, and. drawing from his pocket a piece of pink paper, set fire to it. The parents of Wu Sao, watching reverently, saw the flames eat around the edges of the paper, leaving a part in the centre unconsumed. This part bore the shape of a duck with a tiny tuft on the top of its head. The priest mumbled prayers and then arose. “Look carefully upon the tuft-headed duck,” he said with great solemnity. “The gods say your daughter is about to be married. When the procession leaves the house to go to the house of the bridegroom, have a care that the

leaders are warned to follow a tuftheaded white duck, if one of these holy birds should cross their path. Failing to do so, the curses of your ancestors will surely rest upon you and upon your daughter.” The priest then departed. The parents of Wu Sao marvelled at this wonderful message, and placed the pink paper duck reverently before the shrine of the God of the Kitchen. On the wedding evening Wu Sao was dressed by the women in her red garments. Her mpther placed on her head the bead tiara which concealed her face. Then Wu Sao sadly entered the red chair, where her weeping was soon drowned in the clashing of the cymbals and the hubbub of the marriage party as it moved along the dark streets. The procession had already reached the Street of Ten Thousand Blessings, on which the house of the bridegroom stood, when Chang, the leader, stopped suddenly in amazement. Out of the murky darkness just in front of him appeared a white duck. Chang immediately hade the men halt, and stepped forward with his lantern. He held the light close to the bird, which, not at all frightened, cocked its head to one side and looked up into his face with an almost human expression. It had a white top-knot.

Chang was amazed almost beyond be. lief; hut he knew his instructions. lnhesitatingly he ordered the procession to follow the duck, which waddled a few yards in front, its white body dimly seen by the light of the lanterns. Now and then the bird stopped and looked back, as if to make sure that the procession was following. Then, with a satisfied “quack, quack,” it would resume its way like a small drum-major. The route now led directly in the opposite direction from the house of Ki Hung Ming, away from the Street of Ten Thousand Blessings; hut Chang never faltered. The. good-will of the gods and the satisfaction of thousands

of ancestors were involved in his strict obedience to this heaven-sent sign, through dark, narrow sereets and alleys the duck led on, only stopping now and then to drink from one of the pools of water that dotted the muddy byways. At such times it seemed to take a critical look at the procession following. Chang reverently muttered his prayers. He carried a lighted joss-stick in his hands, and he ordered the cymbalbeaters to perform their duties assiduously, in order to frighten away designing evil spirits. The suspense was brought to an end when the duck stopped before the door of a house, squatted down with soft guttural sounds, buried its bill under its wing, and sleepily watched the procession arrive. Through the windows could be seen a bright illumination within. The bearers of the chair stopped. At once the door of the house opened, and Lin Yang appeared, dressed in wed-ding-clothes. He went at once to the chair, opened the door, and Wu Sao, with a glad, surprised cry. fell into his arms. He carried her .to the door and across the threshold. During this proceeding the duck suddenly aroused itself and quacked enthusiastically. It even followed the happy couple a little way into the house; then, as if satisfied with what it had seen, it

waddled off contentedly and disappeared in the darkness. Inside the house everything was prepared for the wedding. Before the ehrine of the God of the Kitchen stood a table on which were candles, burning incense, two candy cocks—symbolic of domestic felicity—and two goblets filled with wine and honey and joined together bv a long red eord. 'Wu Sao vowed eternal reverence for the ancestors of Lin Yang, and he did hers the same honour. So they were niarried. Ilf. Three days after the wedding tho happy Lin Yang visited the priest, Hang Li, at the temple. He found him sitting with his feet doubled under his yellow robe, his hands folded, and his shaven head glistening in the sun. Lin Yang bowed to the earth seven times, and struck his forehead against the ground fourteen times. Then he epoke: “Venerable, pious, and learned priest, truly thou art beloved of Confucius and 'of all the gods. Great is the might of thy power. Thy eyes see into the future of a thousand years. Thou hast the wisdom of ten thousand philosophers.” The priest said nothing when Lin Yang paused. So the young man continued: “Thanks are due to thee, O priest, and

to Confucius and to all the gods, that the lovely one. the beautiful flower, the admirable nightingale, sits all day in my house singing and smiling. But the understanding of thy worm of a servant is far below thy great learning. Therefore, deign to tell me how this miracle was brought about.” The priest mumbled his prayers for a long time without responding. At last he spoke slowly: “The great and wise Confucius said, ‘An evil deed will strike back at the door in time.’ Ki Hung Ming once called my honourable anil much-to-be-Tespected parents dogs. I was only a boy then, but I have waited patiently. Now I have my revenge. I have deprived him of a beautiful bride and made him a laughing-stock.” "But how was this wonderful thing nought about?” persisted Lin Yang. “Why didst thou tell me to prepare for the bride when thou knewest she was to go to the house of Ki Hung Ming, and why did the bride come to my house instead? This, holy priest, I cannot under, eland.” Over the face of the priest came an expression of cunning mingled with amusement, which made his solemn visage almost show a smile. “The duck,” he said finally, “is a wi-e bird, and one of great omen on a marrlage-day. And further, it is a thing well known that a fowl will follow a man who goes before it dropping kernels of corn.”

In deep reverence and in profound wonder at the wisdom of the priest, Lin Yang departed from the temple, while Hang Ti continued his devotions, mum bling: Confucius, Confucius, how great was Confucius! Before him there was no Confucius, Since him there has been no other. Confucius, Confucius, how great was Confucius!