Chang'an

“ Virtually a bandit in his younger days, then a lieutenant in the Japanese army during the war with Russia, Chang gathered somewhere the power to rule which made him an autocrat over his own people and won him even among many of the foreigners who breathe the Manchurian atmosphere the reputation of being the “strong man” of China. His methods are drastic and prompt; he is said to depend more on intuition, on “hunches,” than on ordered reflection. Keys to the leg-irons of serious criminals he kept in his own possession, so that they could not buy off in the time-honored Chinese fashion. ”

“ The windows were made of jade and precious stones, and soft lights came streaming through them, so that there was no night. “My body was so rested and my soul so refreshed,” said he, “that I felt no need of sleep.”
When the day dawned a new feast was spread, and then farewells were spoken. Chang said, “This is not a place for you to stay long in; you must go. The ways differ of we genii and you men of the world. It will be difficult for us ever to meet again. Take good care of yourself and go in peace.” He then called a servant to accompany him and show the way. ”

“ Chang did as he was asked, getting up every night and telling his beads before the coffin, until the occasion of a certain festival, when he wished to go home to his parents, and take the young lady with him. Miss Tsêng said she was afraid her feet were too tender to walk far; but Chang offered to carry her, to which she laughingly assented. It was just like carrying a child, she was so light; [205] and by degrees Chang got so accustomed to taking her about with him, that when he went up for his examination she went in too. ”

“ He soon became known as a "Divine Boy," and attracted the attention of Liu Hsiu, afterwards first Emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty. When the latter came to the throne he gave Chang an appointment as secretary in a Board. It was Chang who urged Wu Han to proceed against the White Emperor (see Kung-sun Shu) when he was on the point of turning back ”

“ But as he went about the house with downcast eyes, Chang saw the daughter of the mandarin trip lightly to her father’s side to whisper in the ear of her indulgent parent, or flash across the hall, or through the garden where she fed her goldfish in the lake, and when her mother called her name, Kong Lee, it seemed to him like sounds of liquid music. The mandarin talked always of his secretary, and said that he was honest and true and good, and told the truth and did his work as well as ever any man could do it. ”

“ After the joy died out, sorrow simply attacked us inevitably. I finally understood that the entire life is predestined. Looking west trying to locate Chang'an the capital, looking east to the prosperous metropolis in Wu. The land in South has reached its end, and how deep the ocean is. The Plough in the north is so far-away, and the pillar leading to the paradise is so high that no one could climb. ”

“ Cheng Chang, the very fine cook, and Ching Chung, the extremely appreciative master. They were old bachelors, those two worthies. Little Cheng Chang and large Ching Chung were foot-free, funny, and forty. Cheng Chang came within an inch of being a dwarf. ”

“ The cunning little face of Chang-hi, first keen and furious like a startled snake, and then fearful, treacherous and pitiful, became overwhelmingly prominent in the dream. At the end Chang-hi had grinned, a most incomprehensible and startling grin. Abruptly things became very unpleasant, as they will do at times in dreams. ”

“ The prolific portion of the tree of our illustrious House consists of its roots; its existence onwards narrows down to a single branch which as yet has put forth no blossoms."
"The loftiest tower rises from the ground," remarked Chang Tao evasively, not wishing to implicate himself on either side as yet.
"Doubtless; and as an obedient son it is commendable that you should close your ears, but as a discriminating father there is no reason why I should not open my mouth," continued the venerable Chang in a voice from which every sympathetic modulation was withdrawn. ”

“ Graduating in 1685 as chin shih, he entered upon an official career, and soon gained distinction in connection with work upon the Yellow River. By 1707 he had risen to be Governor of Fuhkien, where he built a college and encouraged education. In 1709 he was transferred to Kiangsu, and there came into conflict with 噶禮 Koli, the Governor General, who was a Manchu. Each denounced the other, and Chang was condemned by a Commission; but the Emperor set aside the finding, and Chang triumphed. ”

“ But the thousand soldiers were even more tired. All day long they had marched and changed uniforms, then marched again. They had changed from red to green, to black, to every color in the spectrum. They were color blind and weary. But King Chang merried much and blessed the day that had sent him General Wang, the tailor.
In a month or so King Chang’s happiness turned to gloom. The enemy had learned of Wang’s clever trick, and resolved to march again. The army of Chang was scarcely larger than before. To come off victorious each man would have to whip a dozen of the enemy. ”

“ Chang made answer, “I was originally of a cultured family of Chulla Province, but my parents died of typhus fever, and I had no brothers or relations left to share my lot. I alone remained of all my clan, and having no home of my own I have gone about begging, and have at last reached Seoul. As I am not skilled in any handicraft, and do not know Chinese letters, what else can I do?” The undergraduate, hearing that he was a scholar, felt very sorry for him, gave him food and drink, and refreshed him. ”

“ So we are out of the race.”
“Such a man,” said Chang, “is not hard to find. I know one now, not a li from here, who can fulfil these conditions. Do you think there is any chance for a worthless person like me?”
“You do yourself injustice,” said the younger man. “I am sure she ought to feel honored by an alliance with a scholar of your blooming talent. If you wish to try your luck, I can tell you where the go-between lives. Will you have the goodness to precede us?”
Arrived at the entrance of a cottage, the two took their leave. Mr. Chang knocked at the door. ”

“ Old Chang, lying on his death-bed in the next room, could hear all, and noticed not only the man's cruelty, but Mrs. Lü's depression. Feeble as he was he managed to get out of bed, and stumbled into the room, to the great distress of Mrs. Lü. She knew he had not walked a step for days, and was afraid he might fall, so prepared to help him back again. But he took no notice of her, and confronting the vegetarian, said, "No, she is not wrong; you are wrong, our God is worthy of our trust. He does care for us, He does love us, and the trials are only for a short while." ”

“ While the monster shadows glower and creep,
What can be better for man than sleep?"
"I will tell you a secret," Chang replied;
"My breast with vision is satisfied,
And I see green trees and fluttering wings,
And my deathless bird from Shanghai sings."
Then he lit five fire-crackers in a pan.
"Pop, pop," said the fire-crackers, "cra-cra-crack." ”

“ In the winter of the same year the capital, the modern K'ai-fêng Fu, was taken; and the Chins placed Chang upon the throne with the dynastic title of 大楚, the Emperor being sent into captivity. Chang was soon compelled by popular feeling to retire in favour of the Prince of 康 K'ang, brother to the late Emperor, who ruled as Kao Tsung, the widow of the Emperor Chê Tsung being Regent, and he himself Prime Minister. ”

“ It is you who have caused me to lose my beauty,
Yet it is you I am ashamed should see me!
Chang went away without meeting her, and a few days afterwards, when he was leaving the town, wrote a poem of final farewell, which said:
You cannot say that you are abandoned and deserted;
For you have found some one to love you. ”

“ One—the revered Chang Lo—sent him a string of beads, alternately pierced pearls and cunningly carved gold, with this word:
"He is leaving us forever because he is going to his beloved. Take her this, esteemed Beauling, from the honorable old Chang Lo. It will guard her from the evils of this world and the next." ”

“ When one is sick, the other is sick; when one feels pain, the other feels it; when one is angered, the other's temper takes fire. We have already seen with what happy facility they both fell in love with the same girl. Now, Chang is bitterly opposed to all forms of intemperance, on principle; but Eng is the reverse--for, while these men's feelings and emotions are so closely wedded, their reasoning faculties are unfettered; their thoughts are free. Chang belongs to the Good Templars, and is a hard-working and enthusiastic supporter of all temperance reforms. ”

“ After the outbreak of the Revolution at Wuchang in October 1911, he went to Manchuria where he got together a large number of Hunghutzu and organized an army with the intention of attacking Peking from the North. After the establishment of the Republic in 1912, President Yuan Shih-kai summoned General Chang to Peking, General Chang then volunteered to lead an expedition into Mongolia which had declared its independence of Peking. ”

“ Thereupon Chang at once gave orders to pursue, and succeeded in inflicting a severe defeat upon the invaders. After further useful services, he was employed against the Kitan Tartars, and won several victories, capturing two of their leaders, whose heads he forwarded to the capital. In 735 he had an audience of the Emperor, and was appointed generalissimo of the empire. Once more in the field against the Kitans, he continued his career of success, until the defeat of one of his lieutenants, 烏知義 Wu Chih-i. ”

“ Tsêng of San-han, had a daughter who was very fond of hunting, and that one day young Chang met her in the fields, and was much struck with her great beauty. She was dressed in an embroidered sable jacket, and rode about on a small palfrey, for all the world like a girl in a picture. Chang went home with the young lady still in his thoughts, his heart being deeply touched; but he soon after heard, to his infinite sorrow and dismay, that Miss Tsêng had died suddenly. Their own home being at a distance, [202] her father deposited the coffin in a temple ”

“ He was told:
"They are people called P'an. Their only daughter is sixteen years of age, and is named Eternal Life. The father has some connection with a certain powerful family which affords him protection. He lives by swindling, and everyone fears him. He is a veritable skin-pinker and bravo."
This news made Chang a little thoughtful, but he walked on by the house nevertheless. The young girl was again at her window. They looked at each other; but there were people about, and he had to go away. ”

“ The widow answered, “She was born in the year of the present Emperor’s reign that was a year of the Rat, and now it is the year of the Dragon in the period Chēng-yüan. [6] So she must be seventeen years old.”
Chang tried to engage her in conversation, but she would not answer, and soon the dinner was over. He was passionately in love with her and wanted to tell her so, but could find no way.
Ying-ying had a maid-servant called Hung-niang, whom Chang sometimes met and greeted. Once he stopped her and was beginning to tell her of his love for her mistress; but she was frightened and ran away. ”

“ During this time he began to make a poem called “Meeting a Fairy,” in thirty couplets. It was not yet finished, when he chanced to meet Hung-niang in the road. He asked her to take the poem to Ts‘ui.
After this Ts‘ui let him come to her, and for a month or more he crept out at dawn and in at dusk, the two of them living together in that western parlour of which I spoke before.
Chang often asked her what her mother thought of him. Ts‘ui said, “I know she would not oppose my will. So why should we not get married at once?”
Soon afterwards, Chang had to go to the capital. ”

“ Some hours thus spent proving unavailing, I set out on my return; and after a long, weary, and painful walk, reached Chang-gan about noon. My enquiries here also failed to give me any trace of my missing goods and man; so I had a meal cooked in a tea-shop, got a thorough wash and bathed my inflamed feet, and after my dinner rested and slept till 4 p.m. Much refreshed by this, I set off for Shih-mun Hien. On the way I was led to reflect on the goodness of God, and recollected that I had not made it a matter or prayer that I should be provided with lodgings last night. ”

“ But alas! the talisman had failed, and poor Chang fell into an agony of apprehension as he reflected that his grandmother would either be starved to death or killed by the enraged genie. While in this perplexity the genie appeared and asked him what was amiss. Chang frankly told him the truth and implored him to open the door. This the genie refused to do, but told him that his grandmother's disappearance was a matter of fate. The cave demanded a victim. Had it been a male, every succeeding generation of his family would have seen one of its members arrive at princely rank. ”

“ Chang; “I suppose he was too young to remember the story; and I only looked at the difference between our ages.” For he, the elder of the brothers, was forty-one; Ch‘êng, the younger, being only sixteen; and Na, twenty years of age. Mr. Chang was very glad to get two young brothers; and when he heard the tale of their separation, proposed that they should all go back to their father. Mrs. Chang was afraid her husband would not care to receive her back again; but her eldest son said, “We will cast our lot together; all or none. How can there be a country where fathers are not valued?” ”