Ch‘ên Hua-fêng, of Mêng-shan, overpowered by the great heat, went and lay down under a tree, when suddenly up came a man with a thick comforter round his neck, who also sat down on a stone in the shade, and began fanning himself as hard as he could, the perspiration all the time running off him like a waterfall.

Ch‘ên rose and said to him with a smile, “If Sir, you were to remove that comforter, you would be cool enough without the help of a fan.” [Read more…]

Mr. Wang, of Ch‘ang-shan, was in the habit, when a District Magistrate, of commuting the fines and penalties of the Penal Code, inflicted on the various prisoners, for a corresponding number of butterflies.

These he would let go all at once in the court, rejoicing to see them fluttering hither and thither, like so many tinsel snippings borne about by the breeze. [Read more…]

Wang Shih-hsiu was a native of Lu-chou, and such a lusty fellow, that he could pick up a stone mortar. Father and son were both good foot-ball players; but when the former was about forty years of age he was drowned while crossing the Money Pool.

Some eight or nine years later, our hero happened to be on his way to Hunan; and anchoring in the Tung-t‘ing lake, watched the moon rising in the east, and illuminating the water into a bright sheet of light. [Read more…]

At T‘ai-yüan there lived a man named Wang. One morning he was out walking, when he met a young lady carrying a bundle and hurrying along, by herself. As she moved along with some difficulty, Wang quickened his pace and caught her up, and found she was a pretty girl of about sixteen. Much smitten he inquired whither she was going so early, and no one with her.

“A traveller like you,” replied the girl, “cannot alleviate my distress; why trouble yourself to ask?”

“What distress is it?” said Wang; “I’m sure I’ll do anything I can for you.” [Read more…]