Frank Owen

“ For the mind of the superior man is like the brilliance of the sun; it lights the intellectual world, and in the intellect are all the things men live by. So when the officers of the Court at Changan strutted about in gorgeous raiment, Ming Huang smiled. He was quite capable of appraising the value of those about him. And none could surpass in devotion, in friendship, in understanding, Kao Li-shih, the Grand Eunuch.
The Emperor did not know that Kao was uneasy about Lady T'ai Chên. Far too frequently beautiful women had played havoc with the Annals of China. ”

“ No serpent can be transformed into a dragon unless he possesses such a gem."
Lady T'ai Chên smiled with rapture as she held up a graceful hand. She thought: "Nor can a concubine be transformed into an Empress unless she possesses such a gem." However, when she spoke it was in wholehearted admiration.
"It's exquisite. No light is so fascinating as the sheen of pearls." ”

“ Rain in the quietude of moonlight. Rain dripping from bamboo leaves. Rain, fine as mist, forming a rainbow bridge. Rain, blotting out earth, of terrifying fury while people were blurred into wraiths and demons screeched about the eaves of little houses or wailed in the dreadful forest distance. Yang Kuei-fei found it far easier to dance to the rhythm of the rain, than to capture the notes of its music. Time after time she failed, but still she tried again. She wondered how often Tu Fu had failed before he perfected "The Goodly Rain:"
"The goodly rain defers to the order of the seasons. ”

“ It is not hard to pay homage to beauty. Strangely enough she aroused little jealousy among the Palace ladies. Their feeling was akin to awe. Her ascendancy was so apparently effortless. None could see how carefully she thought out her campaign. Besides, the increased grandeur of the Court was distinctly desirable. The more pomp and ceremony, the more opportunity did the officials have to emulate peacocks and primp, and bow, and scrape. The parasitic elements of the Court were the most ostentatious.
Had Lady T'ai Chên been Empress she could not have obtained greater nor more sincere homage. ”

“ Kao had left her at the garden entrance. He did not wish to incur the wrath of His Majesty. But Ming Huang was in no mood to notice the lute, so fascinating was she. Penitently she came toward him. Though he had known thousands of women, he was confused.
He held out his arms and she came to him.
"Why does the bird sing?" he whispered, somewhat huskily. "Why does the poet make songs? Why does the sun give warmth? Why is there warmth in the breast of my beloved?" ”

“ She wore neither jade, lapis lazuli, nor pearls; supremely assured that none were needed. For enticement, she added a white feather jacket.
When Kao Li-shih saw her, he wept for the manhood he had relinquished in order to be the Grand Eunuch; though some historians maintain that it was for the Emperor that he wept. What would happen to the Empire now that breath-taking beauty was in power?
Despite Kao's astounded objections, she insisted on taking a lute with her. His knees shook as he wondered how Ming Huang would react to that. ”

“ On Yang Kuei-fei's birthday, the junior department of the Pear Garden played "Fragrance of the Lichees." Afterwards there were dancing horses, followed by a sumptuous feast attended by court officials, poets and other men of cultivated personalities who dwelt in Changan. She was showered with gifts and jewels, gold and silver, bronze, diamonds, jade, amber and lapis lazuli. But the thing she prized most was a copper mirror, the personal gift of the Emperor, of sea horses and grape design while the outer border was decorated with butterflies. ”

“ Only an Imperial personage is a fit subject for the genius of Tu Fu. The old Alchemist and I would be satisfied to live our few remaining years with a bit of jade, a little gold and a pearl or two."
"Your wish is granted, but it amazes me you have no wish for immortality."
Some time later, as Ch'i-ch'i bade the old Alchemist good-bye, in a place near the red gates of the Palace where they were unobserved, the old Alchemist said, "I shall return to my drug-shop. Before sleeping this night, I'll make a few more of those black pills. ”

“ Lady T'ai Chên laughed deliciously. "I gave up childhood three years ago when I became the concubine of Prince Shou. It was an excellent exchange. Never once did I find fault with my uncle's arrangements. He is indeed a capable official. It is a fallacy, my little one, to cling to dolls. It is much better sport to permit a man to believe you live for his every whim, and then oppose him in almost everything. Man loves the title of master, but he soon wearies of submission."
"Tush! Tush!" said the old Amah. ”

“ Zealously Ming Huang continued his quest for youth. Unwisely he discussed the matter with Chang Kui-ling. As usual Kui-ling was fearless in his reply, "An old man taking a young concubine is like a withered willow sprouting." ”

“ Meanwhile Ming Huang turned to the affairs of State as though by so doing he could turn the thoughts of his people from the glamorous Lady T'ai Chên. He decided that he would visit various sections of his Empire.
Accompanied by a large retinue he journeyed first to Loyang, the Eastern Capital. As he arrived at the Palace, the weather was very hot and dry. The farmers were distressed. If the young sprouts were scorched, the whole crop might be destroyed. They appealed to their Emperor, thankful that in this hour of trial, he had not forsaken them but had come to Loyang. ”

“ The horses of government officials were so well cared for, one scholar declared he would rather be a viceroy's horse than his secretary. At times, the care of horses merged on the fantastic. One of these ennobled horses belonged to the Emperor. After serving his Imperial Master well, he was retired to a life of ease. In the Imperial stables, he was assigned an ornate room with special servants to care for him. He slept on a matted couch and lived upon dates and preserved meats. His ending was melancholy. He became so fat, he died. Ming Huang commanded that he be buried in an Imperial coffin. ”

“ Ming Huang contributed generously to surgical experimentation, though when he was indisposed he invariably sent for a magician.
Small wonder then that magicians clung to the Imperial Court with leech-like tenacity. Many of them were nothing but charlatans, magnanimous with words but of frugal accomplishments. In this they resembled many of the eunuchs and a large majority of the underofficers of the Court. But a few of the magicians were men of interesting personality. They were dexterous in their performances. They understood human nature to as high a degree as they understood legerdemain. ”

“ He looked up drowsily as Kao approached.
"I come from the Emperor," said Kao.
"A learned man," muttered Wu Wei gravely.
"He has sent me to implore you to bring rain in order that the drought at Loyang might be ended."
"Why complain? This is seasonable weather. Do nothing and the elements will take care of themselves."
"Know you not that the people are suffering? The grain is scorched. The cattie need water. The pigs grovel in dry earth. Rain would be cheer to every living thing."
"If I summoned the dragon, it would result in terrific storms." ”

“ After he had made obeisance, the old Alchemist drew two jet black pills from a grassgreen bag. He mumbled a jargon that was unintelligible. The Emperor did not understand, so Ch'i-ch'i graciously interpreted the words.
"These pills are made from the black fungi that creep over jagged rocks on Purple City Hill. They are the only pills of the kind to be found in the whole of China. In them is youth. Take them in a large goblet of wine." ”

“ Ming Huang was well aware that the chirping sound of crickets was not a voice at all, but the friction of their wings. But it pleased him to exaggerate. At least, it was true that the chirping was a sexual characteristic. At the Imperial Palace only the females of one species—the black tree cricket—were kept. As soon as the females of all other species were old enough for the sex to be determined they were fed to the geese and the cormorants. ”

“ In the quietude of sheltered flower-paths, the two eunuchs wept. Lan Jen believed that his faithfulness to the Emperor had been unfaithfulness to the Empire.
2.
Yuhan, who while she had been the Prince's concubine had gone by the name of Princess Yang, was elated. She was re-enforcing her dreams with a firm foundation of jade and jewels. There was no height beyond the reach of her stupendous ambition. Entrance into court meant not only personal power but riches for her family. Even now her uncle was a high official in a distant province. In the stakes of Empire, she had won China. ”

“ No subject could be nearer the Emperor's heart. To fail meant to be expelled from the Palace.
Finally he opened his eyes. His face had an ashen tinge. Solemnly, he began speaking. "Wu Ti of the Han dynasty once asked the court magician, 'Is it possible to avoid growing old?' And the magician replied, 'Yes, in the Northeast grows the chih plant. In the Southwest is a fish that comes to life in spring. A brew made from these two ingredients would be able to bring back youth.'"
"Interesting," Ming Huang commented. ”

“ Alas! the common people seem to cover up the truth,
Like the eunuchs and their flattery before the Emperor.
Then the government goes wrong and great principles are lost.
And while people are in peril, they sit and take the benefits. ”

“ The poems were not even signed, appreciated not because of the famed name of the poet but for their rhythm and pictorial excellence. Sometimes a group of poets at some friendly gathering chanted their poems in turn. Occasionally a friend presented a bit of paper or silk upon which a beloved poem might be written down and treasured always. In no country has the written character been so reverently treated. No scrap of paper with written characters upon it was ever permitted to lie neglected upon the floor.
The concubine of Prince Shou was the most beautiful woman Ming Huang had ever beheld. ”

“ She imagined he had gone for a rendezvous with one of the other Palace ladies. This was far from the truth. Memory of her was much too vivid to make any other woman desirable. His absence was occasioned by ordinary routine of state affairs. He had always been deeply concerned with the health and welfare of his people. Any new advancement in surgery or medicine was reported to him at once.
That day he had gone with Dr. Wang Wei to witness an amazing surgical operation. From the Southern provinces a doctor had come unto Changan who had a weird luminous stone attached to a silk thread. ”

“ The superior man, according to Confucius, may be compared with jade. If there is a flaw in jade, it can be seen from the outside; and in like manner a superior man will not conceal his faults. Ming Huang carried the thought a step further. The superior man needs not colorful silks, nor rich brocades; neither does he need jewels, nor medals. ”

“ For instance, at the moment, except for an occasional clash on the northern borders, China is at peace with all countries. However, the members of the powerful Wei family who live in Shensi to the south of Changan, are a source of endless annoyance. The more kindly they are treated, the more arrogant and autocratic they become. ”

“ In all the towns and villages, schools already had been established, but he made a further gift to the schools of money so that they might be able to hire the services of scholars to copy any poetical works that were not already in their libraries. Unfortunately, during the days of the T'angs, not even the greatest poets had their works published. Poems were written for pleasure only, sometimes on walls of houses so that the people might read them as they strolled through the alleys. ”

“ His equipage may be without tassels of any color, no runner ringing a gong need clear the way before him. The superior man could go barefooted, dress in sackcloth, walk unaccompanied, without the vestige of an official cap. ”