13. HE BURIED HIS SON FOR HIS MOTHER
In the Hàn dynasty the family of Guō Jù was poor. He had a three-year-old son. His mother sometimes divided her food with the child. Jù said to his wife: "[Because we are] very poor, we cannot provide for Mother. Our son is sharing Mother's food. Why not bury this son?" He was digging the pit three feet deep when he struck a caldron of gold. On it [an inscription] read: "No official may take this nor may any other person seize it." A verse says of him:
Guō Jù wishes to serve his mother, and
Buries his son that his mother may survive;
Yellow gold is bestowed by heaven, and
Brilliant fortune brightens their poor threshold.
十三、為母埋兒
漢。郭巨家貧。有子三歲。母嘗減食與之。巨謂妻曰。貧乏不能供母。子又分父母之食。盍埋此子。及掘坑三尺。得黃金一釜。上云官不得取。民不得奪。有詩為頌。
詩曰
郭巨思供親。埋兒為母存。黃金天所賜。光彩照寒門。
13. Wèi Mŭ Mái Ér
Hàn Guō Jù jiā pín. Yŏu zĭ sān suì. Mŭ cháng jiăn shí yŭ zhī. Jù wèi qī yuē. Pín fá bù néng gòng mŭ. Zĭ yòu fēng mŭ zhi shí. Hé mái cĭ zĭ. Jí jué kēng sān chĭ. Dé huángjīn yī fŭ. Shàng yún guān bù dé qŭ. Mín bù dé duó. Yŏu shī wéi sòng.
Shī yuē:
Guō jù sī gòng qīn. Mái ér wèi mŭ cún. Huángjīn tiān suŏ sì. Guāng căi zhào hán mén.
十三、为母埋儿
汉。郭巨家贫。有子三岁。母尝减食与之。巨谓妻曰。贫乏不能供母。子又分父母之食。盍埋此子。及掘坑三尺。得黄金一釜。上云官不得取。民不得夺。有诗为颂。
诗曰
郭巨思供亲。埋儿为母存。黄金天所赐。光彩照寒门。
14. HE STRANGLED A TIGER TO SAVE HIS FATHER
When Yáng Xiāng* of the Jìn dynasty was fourteen, he often followed his father Fēng into the fields to reap grain. His father [on one occasion] was dragged away by a tiger. Although at the time Yáng Xiāng had no weapon at hand, he thought only of his father and not of himself as he leapt quickly forward and grabbed tightly at the tiger's neck. The tiger left in defeat, and his father was able to escape injury. A verse praises him saying:
In the deep mountains a white forehead** reared, and
When it moved the wind was filled with the smell [of its dead prey];
The father and child have suffered no injury, [for he]
Has rescued his [father's] body from the greedy mouth.
*-Because the name Xiāng would today be a female one, some writers interpret Yáng Xiāng as female; others, as male. It is more likely that a son than a daughter would accompany a man to work in the fields, so I have considered the name male. Huáng Xiāng, the protagonist of tale 19, has the same Xiāng as a name, but is known from other sources to be male.
**-Some folktales maintain that a tiger who has eaten a hundred humans develops a white forehead.
十四、搤虎救父
晉。楊香年十四。常隨父豐往田間穫粟。父為虎曳去。時楊香手無寸鐵。惟知有父而不知有身。踴躍向前。搤持虎頸。虎亦靡然而逝。父方得免於害。有詩為頌。
詩曰
深山逢白額。努力搏腥風。父子俱無恙。脫身饞口中。
14. È Hŭ Jiù Qīn
Jìn Yáng Xiāng nián shí sì. Cháng suí fù fēng wăng tián jiān huò sù. Fù wéi hŭ yì qù. Shí Yáng xiāng shŏu wú cùn tiĕ. Wéi zhī yŏu fù ér bù zhï'yŏu shēn. Yŏng yuè xiàng qián. È ché hŭ jĭng. Hŭ yì mĭ rán ér shì. Fù fāng dé miăn yú hài. Yŏu shī sòng zhī.
Shī Yuē:
Shēn shān féng bái é. Nŭlì bó xīng fēng. Fù zĭ jù wú yàng. Tuō shēn chán kŏu zhōng.
十四、搤虎救父
晋。杨香年十四。常随父丰往田间获粟。父为虎曳去。时杨香手无寸铁。惟知有父而不知有身。踊跃向前。搤持虎颈。虎亦靡然而逝。父方得免于害。有诗为颂。
诗曰
深山逢白额。努力搏腥风。父子俱无恙。脱身馋口中。
15. HE ABANDONED A MANDARINATE TO SEEK HIS MOTHER
When Zhū Shòuchāng of the Sòng dynasty was seven years old, his mother, [a concubine] named Liú, because of the envy of the first wife, was married out again [to another family]. For fifty years the mother and son did not see each other. In the reign called Shén Zōng [1068-1085] he gave up his office and went to Qín [in Shaănxī], to find his mother, vowing not to return until he did so. He journeyed to Tóngzhōu [ in Shānxī] and reached her. At that time his mother was already seventy. A verse praises him thus:
At seven he was separated from his mother,
And fifty years have passed;
One morning they meet again,
And the joy of it moves Heaven.
十五、棄官尋母
宋。朱壽昌七歲。生母劉氏。為嫡母所妒。復出嫁。母子不相見者五十年。神宗朝棄官入秦。與家人訣。謂不尋見母。誓不復還。後行次同州得之。時母年已七十有餘。有詩為頌。
詩曰
七歲離生母。參商五十年。一朝相見後。喜氣動皇天。
15. Qì Guān Xún Mŭ
Sòng Zhū Shòuchāng nián qī suì. Shēngmŭ Liú shì. Wèi dí mŭ suŏ dù fù chū jià. Mŭzĭ bù xiāng jiàn zhĕ wŭ shí nián. Shénzōngcháo. Qì guān rù qín. Yŭ jiārén jué. Wèi bù xún jiàn mŭ. Shì bú fù huán. Hòu xíng cì Tóngzhōu dé zhī. Shí mŭ yĭ qīshí yŏu yú. Yŏu shī wéi sòng.
Shī yuē:
Qī suì lí shēngmŭ. Shēn shāng wŭshí nián. Yì zhāo xiāng jiàn hòu. Xĭqì dòng huángtiān.
十五、弃官寻母
宋。朱寿昌七岁。生母刘氏。为嫡母所妒。复出嫁。母子不相见者五十年。神宗朝弃官入秦。与家人诀。谓不寻见母。誓不复还。后行次同州得之。时母年已七十有余。有诗为颂。
诗曰
七岁离生母。参商五十年。一朝相见后。喜气动皇天。
16. HE TASTED DUNG WITH AN ANXIOUS HEART
Yŭ Qiánlóu of the southern Qí dynasty was sent as a magistrate to Chánlíng [south of Gōng'ān in Húbĕi province]. He had been in the district less than ten days when suddenly his heart was alarmed and he perspired. Immediately he gave up his office and returned, [to find] his father had been sick for two days. The doctor said: "To know whether a sickness is improving or very serious, one must taste the [patient's] dung. If it is bitter, then there is hope." Qiánlóu tasted it, and it was sweet. His heart was very anxious. When night came, he kowtowed to the North Star [of longevity], beseeching it to let him die in his father's place. Verses praise him saying:
He was in his post less than ten days, when
His father suddenly met with serious illness;
He wants to substitute himself in death for his father;
Facing north, he is weighted down in worry.
十六、嘗糞憂心
南齊。庾黔婁
為孱陵令。到縣未旬日。忽心驚流汗。及棄官歸。時父疾始二日。醫曰。欲知癒劇。但嘗糞。苦則佳。黔婁嘗之。甜。心甚憂之。至夕。稽顙北辰。求以身代父死。有詩為頌。
詩曰
到縣未旬日。樁庭遘疾深。願將身代死。北望起憂心。
16. Cháng Fèn Yōu Xīn
Nánqí Yŭ Qiánlóu wéi chánlíng lìng. Dào xiàn wèi xún rì. Hū xīn jīng liú hàn. Jí qì guān guī. Shí fù jí shĭ èr rì. Yī yuē: Yù zhī tuó jù. Dàn cháng fèn. Kŭ zé jiā. Qiánlóu cháng zhī. Tián. Xīn shèn yōu zhī. Zhì xì. Jī săng bĕi chén. Qiú yĭ shēn dài fù sĭ. Yŏu shī wéi sòng.
Shī yuē:
Dào xiàn wèi xún rì. Chūntíng gòu jí shēn. Yuàn jiāng shēn dài sĭ. Bĕi wàng qĭ yōu xīn.
十六、尝粪忧心
南齐。庾黔娄为孱陵令。到县未旬日。忽心惊流汗。及弃官归。时父疾始二日。医曰。欲知愈剧。但尝粪。苦则佳。黔娄尝之。甜。心甚忧之。至夕。稽颡北辰。求以身代父死。有诗为颂。
诗曰
到县未旬日。桩庭遘疾深。愿将身代死。北望起忧心。
17. HE AMUSED HIS PARENTS WITH PLAY AND GLAD CLOTHES
Old man Lái of the Zhōu dynasty was noted for his filial nature. He respectfully cared for his two parents, preparing them sweet and crispy foods. He was over seventy, but he never mentioned the word "old." He wore five-colored patterned clothes and played like a child before his parents; often he carried water into the room and would slip and fall, and then he would cry like a baby to amuse his parents. A verse says of him:
He plays and dances and pretends delicate nonsense;
The spring wind blows his colorful clothes;
His two parents throw open their mouths in laughter,
And their joy fills the hall..
十七、戲彩娛親
周。老萊子至性孝。奉養二親。備極甘脆。行年七十。言不稱老。常著五彩斑斕之衣。為嬰兒戲於親側。又常取水上堂。詐跌臥地。作嬰兒啼以娛親。有詩為頌。
詩曰
戲舞學驕癡。春風動彩衣。雙親開口笑。喜氣滿庭幃。
17. Xì Căi Yú Qīn
Zhōu Lăo Lái zĭ xìng zhì xiào fèng yàng èr qīn. Bèi jí gān cuì. Xíng nián qīshí. Yán bù chēng lăo. Cháng zhuó wŭcăi bānlán zhi yī. Wèi yīngér xì yú qīn cè. Yòu cháng qŭ shuĭ shàng táng. Zhà dié wò dì. Zuò yīngér tí yĭ yú qīn. Yŏu shī wéi sòng.
Shī yuē:
Xìwŭ xué jiāochī. Chūnfēng dòng cāiyī. Shuāng qīn kāi kŏu xiào.Xĭqì măn tíng wéi.
十七、戏彩娱亲
周。老莱子至性孝。奉养二亲。备极甘脆。行年七十。言不称老。常着五彩斑斓之衣。为婴儿戏于亲侧。又常取水上堂。诈跌卧地。作婴儿啼以娱亲。有诗为颂。
诗曰
戏舞学骄痴。春风动彩衣。双亲开口笑。喜气满庭帏。
18. HE PICKED MULBERRIES TO SERVE HIS MOTHER
Cài Shùn of the Hàn dynasty was left fatherless at a young age. He served his mother with utmost filial devotion. They had to endure the tumult of Wáng Măng, and the crops were bad and the land unproductive. He gathered mulberries, which he sorted into different containers until they were full. A [band of] Red-Eyebrow robbers [rebels against Wáng Măng] saw this and asked him about it. Shùn said: "The black, ripe ones I give to my mother. The red, unripe ones I eat myself." The robbers took compassion because of this filiality and gave him three catties of white rice and an ox leg. A verse says of him:
With black mulberries he nourishes his mother;
Tears of hunger drench his clothing;
The Red-Eyebrows know his filial intent and
Present beef and rice for the filial son to bring home.
十八、拾桑供母
漢。蔡順少孤。事母至孝。遭王莽亂。歲荒不給拾桑。以異器盛之。赤眉賊見而問之。順曰。黑者奉母。赤者食。賊憫其孝。以白米三斗。牛蹄一隻與之。有詩為頌。
詩曰
黑桑奉萱幃。饑啼淚滿衣。赤眉知孝意。牛米贈君歸。
18. Shí Shèn Gòng Mŭ
Hàn Tsài Shùn shào gū. Shì mŭ zhì xiào. Zāo Wáng Măng luàn. Suì huāng bù jĭ. Shí sāng shèn. Yĭ yì qì chéng zhī. Chìméi zéi jiàn ér wèn zhī. Shùn yuē: Hēizhĕ fèng mŭ. Chìzhĕ zì shí. Zéi mĭn qí xiào. Yĭ bái mĭ sān dŏu. Niú tí yì zhī yŭ zhī. Yŏu shī wéi sòng.
Shī yuē:
Hēi chén fèng xuān wéi. Jī tí lèi măn yī. Chìméi zhī xiào yì. Niú mĭ zèng jūn guī.
十八、拾桑供母
汉。蔡顺少孤。事母至孝。遭王莽乱。岁荒不给拾桑。以异器盛之。赤眉贼见而问之。顺曰。黑者奉母。赤者食。贼悯其孝。以白米三斗。牛蹄一只与之。有诗为颂。
诗曰
黑桑奉萱帏。饥啼泪满衣。赤眉知孝意。牛米赠君归。
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