The Adventures of Ma Suzhen: 'An Heroic Woman Takes Revenge in Shanghai' 3030890341, 9783030890346

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EAST ASIAN POPULAR CULTURE

The Adventures of Ma Suzhen ‘An Heroic Woman Takes Revenge in Shanghai’ Translated by Paul Bevan

East Asian Popular Culture Series Editors Yasue Kuwahara Department of Communication Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY, USA John A. Lent International Journal of Comic Art Drexel Hill, PA, USA

This series focuses on the study of popular culture in East Asia (referring to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan) in order to meet a growing interest in the subject among students as well as scholars of various disciplines. The series examines cultural production in East Asian countries, both individually and collectively, as its popularity extends beyond the region. It continues the scholarly discourse on the recent prominence of East Asian popular culture as well as the give and take between Eastern and Western cultures. More information about this series at http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/14958

Paul Bevan

The Adventures of Ma Suzhen ‘An Heroic Woman Takes Revenge in Shanghai’

Attributed to Qi Fanniu and Zhu Dagong, translated by Paul Bevan

Paul Bevan China Centre University of Oxford Oxford, UK

ISSN 2634-5935     ISSN 2634-5943 (electronic) East Asian Popular Culture ISBN 978-3-030-89034-6    ISBN 978-3-030-89035-3 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89035-3 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover illustration: © Collection of Paul Bevan This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG. The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland

“A Quizzical Young Lady” (c. 1915), based on a drawing by Shen Bochen (one of a set of thirty cigarette cards in the translator’s collection)

For my Mother and Father

Acknowledgements

This book is a product of the Covid-19 crisis. I began translating it in March 2020 when my contract came to an end at the Ashmolean Museum, just as the lockdown was beginning in the UK, and finished it almost exactly a year later. First of all, I must thank Frances Wood for unwittingly introducing me to a rare image in the form of a popular nianhua-style print in the collection of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London, which professes to be a likeness of Ma Yongzhen. Little did I know when teaching a class on the history of the book at SOAS (the items having all been chosen by Frances) that this print would lead me down such an interesting new avenue of research. I must also thank Jiyeon Wood of SOAS library for her initial interest in this print, which prompted me to look into the story of Ma Yongzhen more deeply. I am grateful also to Jessica Harrison-Hall of the British Museum for inviting me to write a short essay on Ma Yongzhen for a publication to coincide with the mounting of a forthcoming exhibition on nineteenth-century China, soon to take place at the museum. The starting point for that essay was the SOAS popular print. Libraries are always important to my research, but, due to the Covid-19 crisis, this year I was able to access only very limited resources. I thank SOAS library for providing their facilities to me in the past, though sadly my status as a Research Associate did not permit me to use their electronic resources at home during the pandemic. Later, I was able to access the Bodleian Library online databases when I began my job as Departmental Lecturer in Modern Chinese Literature and Culture at the University of Oxford, in September 2020. With access to the Bodleian I felt as if I’d ix

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

struck gold, as a considerable amount of additional information became available to me, including that found in online Chinese-language newspaper and magazine databases. The translation and research for the essay were carried out at home in almost complete isolation but I thank my friends with whom I was able to meet on Zoom during that time. They were helpful to me in many ways, but mostly in providing moral support. First, I would like to thank my friends and colleagues in our small and select online chat group “The Confabulists” for reading the manuscript and for their encouraging comments. This group began several years ago with regular meetings in the staff canteen of the British Museum, and now continues with weekly online meetings to discuss matters relating to art, literature, film, and culture. They have been a great support to me, as have other friends and colleagues with whom I’ve been able to meet online during this period: Jon Banks, Howard Benge, Jan Nichol, Felicitas von Droste zu Hülshoff, Federica Gigante, Kiyoko Hanaoka, Miguel Lawrence, Leandro Espinoza, Nicholas Perry and Jody Butterworth. I would also like to offer my thanks to the series editors, Yasue Kuwahara and John A.  Lent for their initial interest in the book, and to Camille Davies, Karthika Devi Ravikumar, and the staff of Palgrave Macmillan, as well as an anonymous reviewer for their kind and supportive comments. I also thank my brother Jason for his help with the preparation of the images and all technical issues, as well as my sister Hannah and my nephews Django and Ben for their support. This book is dedicated to the memory of my father and mother, Hubert Graham Llewelyn Bevan (1916–1996) and Fern Bevan (1925–2021).

Contents

Translator’s Introduction  1 The Adventures of Ma Suzhen: Cast of Characters  5  he Adventures of Ma Suzhen: An Heroic Woman Takes T Revenge in Shanghai  7  Hero of the Women’s Realm, Ma Suzhen, an Essay by Paul A Bevan105 Bibliography129

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About the Translator

Paul  Bevan  Departmental Lecturer in Modern Chinese Literature and Culture at the University of Oxford. From 2018 to 2020 he worked as Christensen Fellow in Chinese Painting at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, and his research focusses equally on both the visual arts and literature. Paul’s primary research interests concern the impact of Western art and literature on China during the Republican Period (1912–1949), particularly with regard to periodicals and magazines. His research on artists George Grosz, Frans Masereel, and Miguel Covarrubias, all of whom worked for Vanity Fair, has resulted in extensive research on both Chinese and Western pictorial magazines. Paul’s first book A Modern Miscellany— Shanghai Cartoon Artists, Shao Xunmei’s Circle and the Travels of Jack Chen, 1926–1938, Leiden: Brill, 2015, was hailed as “a major contribution to modern Chinese studies”; his second: “Intoxicating Shanghai”: Modern Art and Literature in Pictorial Magazines during Shanghai’s Jazz Age was published by Brill in 2020. This book includes four translations by the author of modernist short stories from the 1930s: “The Girl in the InkyGreen Cheongsam”, and “Camel, Nietzscheanist and Woman” by Mu Shiying, “Hai Alai Scenes” by Hei Ying, and “Attempted Murder” by Liu Na’Ou.

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Notes on the Translation and Illustrations

This was not envisaged as an “academic” book, i.e. as a word-for-word translation to be studied, dissected and analysed in the classroom. Even so, it follows the original text closely at all times and aims to be a true and accurate rendition of the story in English. Above all it is an example of popular fiction to be read for enjoyment, as was the case with the original Chinese version when it was written almost a century ago. Inevitably, in an effort to make the story work in English translation, some minor changes and corrections have been made to the original text. These are listed below. The numbers 5a, 5b, 6a etc. refer to page numbers in Ma Suzhen quanzhuan 馬素貞全傳 (The Complete Adventures of Ma Suzhen) published by Guangji shuju 廣記書局 in 1929. This book is bound using the doubleleaf system with thread binding in the traditional East Asian manner. The page numbers p. 48, p. 49 etc. refer to pages in this book, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen.

Place Names The translation follows the pinyin system of Romanisation except in the following place names, which use the English versions of the names as they were known at the time when the book was written. p. 15. Fuzhou Lu appears as Foochow Road p. 19. Nanjing appears as Nanking p. 74. Beihai Lu appears as Pakhoi Road p. 77. Xinzha appears as Sinza p. 71. Baxianqiao appears as Pahsienjiao

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Names of Characters At certain points, to improve the flow of the story, the names of individual characters have been either changed or simply invented. p. 20. “Aunt” and “Uncle” have become “Auntie Gong” and “Uncle Gong”. p. 18. “Pao Longtao” 跑龍套 has become “Lu the Lackey”. p. 18. “Bai Laili” 白癩痢 has become “Scrofulous Bai”. p. 18. Cheng Zimin’s name appears in the book variously as “Cheng Ziming” 程子明 and “Cheng Zimin” 程子民. In both the stage play and film the latter name is used, and it is this name that is adopted in the translation. p. 28. “Da Han” 大漢 [Stout fellow] has become “Ah Xie”. p. 78. “The man” has become “Inspector Pei”. p. 87. “Xiao Mazi” has become “Poxy Fang”. In the prequel to The Adventures of Ma Suzhen it is clear that this character’s family name is actually Liu. I have chosen to give him another Chinese name altogether, in order to avoid confusion between him and the character Liu Junwu.

Changes to the Text p. 43. “Section A” a short section of approximately nine lines seems to have found its way into the text at the wrong place in the Guangji edition. This runs from the end of line 6 on page 5b to line 14 on the same page. It has been relocated by the translator (to pp. 45–46 in this book) to make sense of the action. In its place, the story continues with Jia Tianxiang and his concubine retiring to bed on page 5b, and ends with Jia getting out of bed and putting on his clothes on page 6b (p. 45). At this point there is a short additional paragraph written by the translator that is not in the original (see “Addition 2” below), after which, “Section A” has been reinserted. This becomes Ah Fu’s first appearance in the story. At the end of this passage, Ah Fu takes the Constable to see Jia Tianxiang and this is the end of the Chapter 8. Chapter 9 continues according to the original text, until the pages become out of sync due to a printing error. These are as follows: p. 46. The action skips from the end of page 6b to the beginning of page 7b. p. 48. The action skips back from the end of page 7b to the beginning of 7a.

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p. 49. The action skips from the end of page 7a to the beginning of page 8a. The story is then back on track. Later in the text: p. 59. One sentence has been moved to make sense of the action. Instead of Ma Suzhen seeing the electric lights in the hallway and returning to her room to find a lamp that is already hot to the touch (which is impossible as it has not yet been lit and the room is dark), in this translation it is the lamp in the hallway that is hot. After discovering this, Ma returns to her room from the hallway and attempts to light the lamp there. p. 90. In the original Ma and her guests walk west to Foochow Road (Fuzhou Lu), though, in fact, Foochow Road is north of Pakhoi Road (Beihai Lu).

Additions to the Text At some points it has been necessary to add additional text to make sense of the story. The following lines have been added by the translator: 1: p. 40. “I think it best if you dispose of your clothes in the fire. Please feel free to change into some of the clothes my husband left behind.” 2: p. 43. “Let us continue to relate how the constable was in the inn listening to the two young monks telling him about what happened at the White Cloud Temple and declaring that the perpetrator at large was most certainly the same person who committed the murders at the Merchants Inn.” 3: p. 33. “Moments later he began to feel a little queasy. The events had taken their toll on him, and, struggling to breathe, he suddenly went limp and slipped into unconsciousness, never to wake again.”

Inconsistencies in the Story p. 33. In the first half of the story only one murder actually takes place at the Merchant Inn. However, in the second half it states that two cases of murder in the inn had been reported. In order to make sense of this, the translator has made a minor change so that Ah Xie loses his life (see “Addition 3” above). p. 57. When Ma Suzhen first sets foot off the boat in Shanghai the reader is told: “Ma Suzhen was able to read a few words”, implying that she was almost illiterate. In fact, previously in the book, not only had she

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read a letter sent to her by Chai Jiuyun, but had written her own to both her brother and Jia Tianxiang. The line in question has been deleted from this translation.

Inconsistencies in the Illustrations Figure 1, p. 9 and Fig. 5, p. 98. In both these illustrations “Miss Chai”, daughter of Chai Jiuyun and Madam Chai, can be seen, though she is not mentioned anywhere in the text of the book. Figure 6, p. 102. In this illustration Ma Suzhen’s revenge takes place in an interior setting, most probably the teahouse. In the story she kills her enemies outside by the city wall.

List of Figures

The Adventures of Ma Suzhen: An Heroic Woman Takes Revenge in Shanghai Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6

Ma Suzhen, Madam Chai, Miss Chai At night Ma Suzhen dreams of her brother and receives an omen Using a flame to light an electric lamp Chai Jiuyun pays his respects at the assembly hall Madam Chai presents a fine blade Ma Suzhen slaughters her enemies in broad daylight

9 11 60 80 98 102

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Translator’s Introduction

The Adventures of Ma Suzhen is a comic adventure story about a young woman who makes a journey from Shandong Province in the north of China to the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, initially to visit her brother, and ultimately to take revenge for his murder. The book was written in the 1920s and is very loosely based on fact. Ma Suzhen’s brother, Ma Yongzhen (?–1879), was a real, historical figure who was murdered in Shanghai in 1879. Ma Suzhen, on the other hand, is a fictional character who was thought up by the entertainment industry to popularize the “legend” of Ma Yongzhen. Who actually wrote The Adventures of Ma Suzhen is far from certain. Two names in particular are attached to the book, Zhu Dagong and Qi Fanniu, but just what their roles were in its writing are decidedly unclear. This question is explored at some length later in this book in the translator’s essay, “A Hero of the Women’s Realm, Ma Suzhen”. Rather than repeating the discussion here, the reader is invited to read the essay (preferably after reading the story itself). Following the publication of the book in 1923, Ma Suzhen appeared as a character in the play Ma Yongzhen later the same year, and in a film made by the Mingxing Film Company, Ma Yongzhen of Shandong, four years later. The play and the film were written and produced by many of the same people, and the popularity of the stories of Ma Suzhen and her brother grew, following a certain amount of local acclaim in Shanghai. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 P. Bevan, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, East Asian Popular Culture, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89035-3_1

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Almost entirely unknown to an English-speaking readership and audience, this story (in a number of different versions) is widely known in the Chinese-speaking world. This is largely due to its more recent dissemination in films and television drama series, which have appeared in profusion since the 1970s. All of these films are in the “martial arts” mode and were made by well-known film studios such as that established by the Shaw Brothers in 1958. The 1923 play, however, laid a particular emphasis on comedy and this can also be seen in the book version translated here. Though it cannot be described as comedy with a capital C, a persistent vein of comedic action runs through the book from beginning to end, and, from the information available to us in the 1920s press, it would seem that this was very much the case with the play as well. Perhaps the best way to introduce the story here, is to defer to an anonymous Chinese writer of the 1920s. The following English-language synopsis of the film Ma Yongzhen, written in 1927 for a souvenir edition of the Mingxing’s own promotional magazine Mingxing tekan, is worth quoting in full, not least because of the charming flavour of its language. It recounts the legend of Ma Yongzhen in brief and sets the scene well for the story as it is told in this book, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen.

Synopsis Moo Yun Tsen [Ma Yongzhen], the showman, was known throughout Shantung [Shandong], for his great feats of strength. All feared to match with him in boxing or wrestling contents [sic]. His sister Soo Tsen [Suzhen] nearly matched him in deeds of strength, he finally decided to strike out for Shanghai, as a verdant field for him, Soo Tsen let him go only after the promise that he would beware of Lillies [sic] of the Valley for which the city is famous. Upon the arrival of Moo at Shanghai he proceeds with his show, and finally meets with Boa Reh Lee [Bai Laili (Scrofulous Bai)], who is the leader of a gang of toughs, who live upon the victims through fear. Boa is badly handled by Moo during a contest, which brings forth hate and fear from himself and gang. A crowd of horse breakers, long subjected to squeeze by Boa, openly acclaim Moo as their new champion. Boa finally calls up his minions and they put the death sentense [sic] upon moo, who is enticed to a tea house, where by unfair methods he is killed. As many another wild blade Moo’s roughness is tempered with a good heart, so his death is regretted by many who know of the good deed he has done.

  TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION 

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With his last gasp Moo asks his friend not to let his sister know of his death, fearing that she in seeking revenge would also be undone by the gang of Boa. Soo Tsen in a dream learns of the death of her brother and comes to Shanghai to even up the score. After the death of Moo the gang under leadership of Boa again hold forth, and many depredations are committed by them. One night he dreams of a devil chasing him, which is interpreted by his wife as a sign of death. In spite of her warnings he proceeds the next day to the scenes of his life, meets Soo Tsen who has been waiting for him, and is killed by the girl, who upon then revenging her brother proceeds back to Shantung, happy in the though[t] of having settled the feud against the family. From Mingxing tekan 明星特刊 (Mingxing Special) no. 28 (1 December 1927).

The Adventures of Ma Suzhen: Cast of Characters



Cast of Characters (in Alphabetical Order)

Ah Fu 阿福 Ah Xie 阿謝 Auntie Gong Chai Jiuyun 柴九雲 Cheng Zimin 程子民 The Constable The District Magistrate Inspector Pei Jia Tianxiang 賈天祥 Jia Tianxiang’s concubine Liao Kong 了空 Liao Kong’s concubine Liu Junwu 劉君武 Lu the Lackey 跑龍套 Madam Chai 柴夫人 Madam Wang 王夫人 Madam Wang’s Mother Ma Suzhen 馬素貞 Ma Suzhen’s servant Ma Yongzhen 馬永貞 Moon Monk 月僧 Mrs. Zhang Old Ruan Poxy Fang 小麻子

Watchman of the Jia Mansion Waiter in the Merchant Inn Ma Suzhen’s aunt Ma Yongzhen’s friend and Ma Suzhen’s supporter Gang leader Low-ranking law enforcement officer Corrupt official and relative of Jia Tianxiang Police Inspector and disciple of Ma Yongzhen Wealthy landlord and corrupt official Buddhist monk and villain Elderly man from Shandong, skilled in the martial arts Scrofulous Bai’s second in command Chai Jiuyun’s wife Woman saved from the clutches of Jia Tianxiang Our woman hero Ma Suzhen’s brother Ma Suzhen’s attacker in the Merchant Inn Zhang Futian’s mother Chai Jiuyun’s male servant Cheng Zimin’s informant (continued)

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 P. Bevan, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, East Asian Popular Culture, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89035-3_2

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(continued) Sai Banxian 賽半仙 Scrofulous Bai 白癩痢 Scrofulous Bai’s Wife Uncle Gong Young monk 1 Young monk 2 Zhang Futian 張福田 Zhang Renfu 張仁福

Soothsayer Ma Yongzhen’s sworn enemy and killer Ma Suzhen’s uncle Liao Kong’s servant Liao Kong’s servant Huntsman who accompanies Ma Suzhen to Nanking Elderly man from Shandong, skilled in martial arts

The Adventures of Ma Suzhen: An Heroic Woman Takes Revenge in Shanghai

Chapter 1 In the boudoir, awakened from a dream, Suzhen receives an omen, And in the soothsayer’s hall, answering misgivings, Banxian talks claptrap.

Prologue Let us proceed to relate how when the refinement of mountains and rivers is not concentrated in men but instead finds its way to women, in eight or nine cases out of ten, this has happened in Shandong and the ancient states of Lu and Qi, in a place where heroes who surpass the ordinary have come into being. Through the ages, an increasing number of female heroes have emerged, such as those front-ranking figures Hua Mulan, Hongxian Nü and Nie Yinniang, all of whom must be considered outstanding in the women’s realm. Later, there were He Yufeng and Lü Wanniang of the Qing dynasty who were also exceptional historical figures. Recently, Ma Suzhen—that most remarkable of women—took revenge for her brother, and travelled many leagues alone, suffering countless hardships, while remaining undaunted by the repeated setbacks she encountered along the way. For those who have the will to succeed, ambitions may actually be achieved. In the case of Ma Suzhen, she succeeded in punishing her enemies by splitting them open to pluck out their hearts and tear out their livers, thereby laying the spirit of her departed brother to rest. Such an achievement is sufficient to add lustre to two million of © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 P. Bevan, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, East Asian Popular Culture, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89035-3_3

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our compatriots and to rid them of the shame of being but weak and feeble women. These few words should be seen as a prologue, like the lively overture of the opera stage, or the introductory lines declaimed by the Suzhou storyteller. Now, having dispensed with idle chatter, we will turn to our main story. Let us proceed to relate how Ma Yongzhen had a younger sister called Ma Suzhen who was unusually fair of face. Though she was not quite like those descriptions found in the classics—that speak of fish diving into the depths and geese flying away on seeing female beauty—compared to those vulgar and unrefined women who adorn themselves with rouge and powder, she must be regarded as a lone crane standing amongst a brood of chickens. Ma Suzhen had a proud martial bearing such as no ordinary person may ever attain. She had a great talent for martial arts, added to which, the skills that had rubbed off on her from her father and brother, made her a bold and spirited fellow of the female realm. In Shandong, of all those who knew the three characters that make up her name, there were none who did not adore her. She therefore stood out from the crowd and gained a considerable reputation and fame amongst women (Fig. 1). One afternoon, Ma Suzhen happened to be thinking about her brother Ma Yongzhen and was wondering why in recent days she had heard nothing from him. Presuming that in Shanghai he was safe and sound—having enjoyed himself there for quite a while by now—surely, she thought, it was about time for him to return home. Reflecting on this, she wondered why for more than a month she had not even received a letter from him. As chance would have it, just as she was lost in thought she saw Ma Yongzhen himself enter the room, crying and wailing bitterly. “My brother, how you have suffered!” She exclaimed. “How has it come to this?” She asked him, all in a fluster. “If you have something to tell me, rest assured, your sister will always be here to help you.” “Your brother let his guard down. I have incurred the hatred of mean-­ spirited people and suffered at their dastardly hands. Now I am a forlorn soul in a place far from home, oh, what misery. Woe is me!” “But you’ve returned home safe and sound,” she replied. “Why do you say such luckless things?” “My sister, do you really believe that I have come back safe and sound?” He asked, shedding copious tears. “In truth, I will never be able to return to Shandong alive.”

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Fig. 1  Ma Suzhen, Madam Chai, Miss Chai

Ma Suzhen heard his words but could not understand them. “My brother, you are clearly standing right before my eyes. How can you say that you will never return?” To this he bluntly replied: “I am already dead.”

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“You are dead?” She asked. “I do not understand this nonsense you are telling me. Don’t play games with me. A perfectly healthy man speaking about death in this way!” “Then you do not believe that I am dead?” He asked. “I do not.” She replied with conviction. “Then I will show you.” With that he shook all over from head to toe and began to bleed from every pore in his body. A man soaked in blood stood right before her eyes, and, terrified out of her wits, she cried out in alarm… “Miss, Miss, wake up.” Ma’s serving girl went to waken her, deeply concerned. She awoke from her dream crying out in fear. Her servant duly asked her of what she had been dreaming and why she was so afraid. “I dreamt that I saw my brother and he was covered in blood. He told me to take revenge for him. What do you think, how can this be? In the end I fear that blessings will be few and misfortunes many.” (Fig. 2). “This has been brought on by what you were thinking about today and has caused you to have a nightmare,” the serving girl comforted her. “The ancients believed that dreams are fabricated in the mind and they were quite right to do so.” “Although it was a dream and should not confused with reality, I plainly saw him standing right before my very eyes, telling me that he desires me to take revenge. I think this dream is strange indeed but I cannot help being frightened by it. Supposing my brother really has met with some misfortune. Would that not mean there would be no one to ensure the continuation of the Ma family line? My mother did not give birth to my brother and me, only for us to become separated in that way.” The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became, and could not help the tears from streaming down her face. “Miss, do not distress yourself so,” the servant urged. “What if nothing has happened to Master Ma? Would this not prove to be a waste of tears? Besides, Master Ma is far away, think of happy things; do not say that he is dead. Would that not be to tempt fate?” “But on such a fine day why would I have had a dream such as this? This is most hard for me to understand.” “Miss, your mind is in confusion. Why not visit Sai Banxian the soothsayer and ask him to tell your fortune so that you may discover whether this omen is good or bad?” “Where does Sai Banxian ply his trade?” Ma asked. “Let’s go there right away and ask his advice.”

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Fig. 2  At night Ma Suzhen dreams of her brother and receives an omen

“His premises are on the high street.” “Since that is so, let us pay him a visit right now.” So the two of them went to the high street in search of Sai Banxian’s soothsaying hall. When they arrived at the door and looked inside they saw a blind man sitting at a table, with an incense burner and a pair of

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candle sticks, plus all the paraphernalia of the soothsayer laid out before him. By his side sat a woman having her fortune told. He was in the process of making prognostications, talking about “bad luck this” and “good luck that” and the woman accepted all that he told her. Ma and her servant walked in and sat off to the side to wait for the woman to leave. Thereupon, Ma Suzhen greeted the soothsayer, who, on hearing he was being addressed, invited Ma to take a seat and enquired of her what her business was today. “Master, earlier this afternoon I had a dream and have come to have it explained to me.” “Please tell me all that happened in your dream,” the soothsayer said, “and I will make a reading to see whether it is a good or bad omen.” Ma Suzhen told him about her dream from beginning to end. “As the ancients have told us, a dream is nothing but a dream,” he began. “They can be interpreted as positive, which are inauspicious omens, and negative, which are auspicious omens. What is more, dreams are simply fabricated in one’s mind and should not be confused with reality. As far as I can see, although your dream was certainly not a good one, there is nothing about it that should make you unduly concerned. You were probably just worrying about your brother as you fell asleep and a bad dream came to disturb your mind.” “I sincerely hope that is the case,” she replied. “May you be protected!” were his final words. “If it is as you say we will leave it there for now.” As she said this she paid the fee and left the hall. “Now that you have heard what Sai Banxian has said you can set your mind at ease,” the servant comforted her when they got home. “Are you feeling a little better now?” “Did he not say that there are positive, inauspicious omens and negative, auspicious omens? This time the omen has been found to be negative but what happens if in the future a positive reading were to be made? Would that not mean it is all over for me?” “Miss, don’t be so suspicious, it will give rise to all manner of terrifying fantasies within your mind.” “I am not being suspicious,” Ma replied. “It’s just that, since having the dream, I cannot help but feel constantly afraid, as if my brother really is dea…” She could not bring herself to finish the word. “Miss, you really shouldn’t say such things.”

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On hearing her servant caution her in this way she could only break down in tears. Tears flowed down her cheeks in profusion and she used a handkerchief to wipe them away. “I am determined to visit that Shanghai place to see how my brother is.” “Miss, surely there is no need for that; and besides it is so far away. How can you make such a long journey all alone?” “I’m not a child of three. When I was small did I not follow my uncle travelling about the land? Now I am a grown woman, how can I not travel abroad myself? Besides, the scenery in the south is so beautiful. Doesn’t the old saying tell us: ‘Above are the heavens and below there is Suzhou and Hangzhou?’ How can one fail to experience such wonderful sights during one’s lifetime?” “Indeed you are not mistaken, but there is no sense in leaving in such a hurry. It might be better to send a letter to make enquiries in advance before packing your bags to go south.” Ma Suzhen agreed that this was probably a good idea. “I shall send a letter ahead to Shanghai and see if I receive a reply before making my final decision.” “Simply making enquiries cannot lead to any mishap.” “Let me write it then.” The servant brought in paper, brush, ink, and inkstone—all the tools required for the writing of a letter—but just as Ma was picking up her brush, she was interrupted by a loud crashing sound. Someone was knocking at the door. The servant went to answer it and found that it was none other than Ma Suzhen’s uncle, Uncle Gong. Ma Suzhen’s parents died when she was young. At the time she was still an infant but, as luck would have it, her uncle came forward and gave her to his wife to raise. So, from a young age, Ma had fed at her auntie’s breast. She was brought up by her relatives until she was past sixteen years of age before returning to the family home. Her brother Ma Yongzhen also came home after living with relatives, and brother and sister together continued to preserve the Ma family heritage. Now, hearing that her uncle had come to visit, she quickly rose to greet him. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

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Chapter 2 A Funeral procession is held for Ma Yongzhen, And a letter is dispatched by Chai Jiuyun.

Let us now continue to relate how Ma Suzhen heard that her uncle had arrived and went out to welcome him. “I haven’t seen you for many days now,” she said to him. “Suzhen, has your brother sent you a letter?” “He hasn’t sent one for quite a while,” she replied. “Uncle, has he been in contact with you?” “No he hasn’t, but your aunt has had cause to remember what an awe-­ inspiring figure he is. Last night she had a dream in which she saw your brother all covered in blood and all he said to her was he had come to take his leave. My niece, I felt deeply concerned about this so I’ve come here today to check that things are alright with you. I thought you two would always be sending letters to one another.” Ma Suzhen heard what her uncle said and could not help welling up with tears as she told him of the dream she had that afternoon. “How can it be that you both had the same dream?” Uncle Gong asked. “It seems that for my brother blessings will be few and misfortunes many.” “Heaven helps the worthy. You need not worry about him. Moreover, dreams are imagined and must never be thought of as real.” “Nevertheless, I am still concerned,” said Ma Suzhen, “and must make a trip to Shanghai. As you’re here I’d like to discuss this with you now.” “It is so far away. How could you even think of going alone?” “Master Gong, news of Master Ma has not yet been confirmed,” the serving girl interjected. “How can a young lady make a trip like this all by herself? In my humble opinion Miss, you should write a letter before deciding whether or not to embark on such a journey.” “What you say is not wrong,” Uncle Gong agreed with the serving girl. “Why not write a letter before you go?” “It has already been decided. That is what I’ll do.” She wrote the letter and handed it to her uncle. Holding it in his hands before him he read aloud:

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My dearest brother Yongzhen, it is almost a year now since you said farewell and I have not received a letter from you for three months. Your sister is constantly thinking of you. A dream came to me, which made me wonder about your health. Whilst abroad you must be vigilant at all times. I am at home and am very well, please do not worry about me. I hope that on the day you receive this letter you will hasten to send a reply so as to put my mind at rest. With all my thanks. Suzhen bows her head in sororal respect. On a certain day of a certain month.

When Uncle Gong finished reading it he looked at Ma Suzhen. “That’s fine. Wait for a reply before making a final decision and sit tight for a while before making your farewells.” Ma Suzhen saw him off, sent the serving girl to deal with the letter, and waited at home for news of a reply. The story now divides into two. Putting aside what has happened thus far, I now thoughtfully but swiftly move my writing brush to Shanghai, which is where the reader’s attention shall also be taken. Let us now proceed to relate, how, since the time when Ma Yongzhen passed away in a hospital in Shanghai, his disciples—who numbered more than one hundred—were feeling increasingly indignant. But there was no obvious way for them to take revenge. They had no choice but to meet together to deliberate on the matter and agreed that at the very least Ma’s funeral must keep up appearances so as to give face to the deceased. They arranged that a grand funeral procession should take place. Of course, this procession could not compare to the grandeur of a funeral such as that of Sheng Xuanhai, which caused such a sensation amongst the people of provinces far and wide. On that occasion the hotels in Shanghai did a roaring trade and on Foochow Road a number of temporary viewing platforms were erected, while people went to great expense to catch a glimpse of the funeral cortege. We were so wronged when he was taken from us. I, your humble servant, am not going to take on the task of writing a record of the funeral of Mr. Sheng, as, to relate its complexities, would cover many pages. For the moment, then, such idle chatter shall be put aside. Let us instead proceed to narrate, how, when the day came for Ma Yongzhen’s funeral, his disciples were dressed in mourning robes, and musicians, Buddhist monks and Daoist priests were hired to take part in the ceremony. Men of quality led the way and Ma’s disciples walked behind

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them carrying incense, all with the greatest solemnity. At the head was Chai Jiuyun. He came past and accompanied the coffin into the assembly hall of the Shandong Native-place Association, where it was safely laid. At that time, all of Shanghai society was talking about Ma Yongzhen in groups of twos and threes and paid attention to little else. It really could be said that the entire port city was a riot of confusion. Some said that the Axe Head Gang had killed Ma Yongzhen, thereby ridding themselves of their sworn enemy. Others said it was Yellow Beard, the foreigner, who held a grudge because in combat with Ma he had been floored to the ground and it was he who hired the Axe Head Gang to entrap him. Everyone had their own opinion and no two explanations were the same, but we shall say no more of this for the moment. Instead, let us continue to relate how, since Ma Yongzhen died of his wounds Chai Jiuyun had been responsible for dealing with all matters concerning him, including the funeral arrangements. In the end, when it came to dealing with Ma Yongzhen’s final will and testament it instructed him as executor to write to Ma Suzhen. Chai considered this problem carefully and gathered together six of Ma’s disciples. “Your leader is no more,” he addressed them. “Will you now return to Shandong or remain here in Shanghai?” “We plan to stay in Shanghai and take revenge for our master,” they said as one. “You are thinking of revenge. That is to be commended, but this is not something that can be dealt with in just a day and a night. How are you doing for expenses?” “Currently, we still have five good horses,” a spokesman said, “and we can sell them for a minimum of seven or eight thousand taels of silver. We can also make some daily savings to support ourselves. Moreover, when Ma Suzhen hears of the death of her brother she will certainly seek to take revenge. We will wait here until she has succeeded in this task and accompany her back to Shandong to transfer the coffin and lay it to rest in the ancestral home. As Chai Jiuyun listened to Ma’s disciples he could not help the tears from flowing down his cheeks as he thought of the awe-inspiring might of Ma Yongzhen in former years. How things had come to pass. Even his own lofty aspirations had been much diminished. He wiped the tears away with his handkerchief and addressed Ma’s disciples again: “You wait here safely and I’ll send a letter to Ma Suzhen. As for expenses, do not sell those fine horses, otherwise you will become a

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laughing stock. If you are short of cash come to me for a loan; I will certainly not turn you away. Your master and I were great friends when he was alive and we were almost as close as brothers. Do not laugh, but it might be said that Ma’s disciples are my disciples too. Could it be that now your master has shut his eyes I would simply hide my hands in my sleeves and look on from the side-lines—as if we had not been sworn brothers—and allow you, his disciples, to wander around in destitution? Would I be worthy of my name? The heavens would simply not allow it. Can it be that such people do exist in this world? They are known as ‘friends of meat and wine’, those who will only enjoy life’s joys with you but will not share in its trials and tribulations. I, Chai Jiuyun, am most certainly not that sort of person.” “Your honour, please do not speak in this way, we are eternally grateful to you,” the spokesman said. “It is just that this is how I am.” As he spoke there was a tone of profoundest grief in his voice. Finally, the disciples stood up to bid Chai farewell. He saw them out and returned to his studio, judging the situation to be extremely thorny and wondering how in the end he might be able to deal with  it. If he didn’t act now, and just ignored it, how would he ever honour the memory of the deceased? If he were to write a letter to Ma Yongzhen’s home it would no doubt be upsetting for his sister. This matter must be thought through carefully and all options weighed up. If a letter must be written, it should be purposely vague about the situation and simply say that something has happened in Shanghai, inviting Ma Suzhen to come to the city, perhaps even to amuse herself and see the sights. Once she is here in the city it will not be too late to tell her then. So it was decided. He took up his brush and with a rustling sound on the paper like the falling rain on the leaves of trees he wrote a few lines. After reading the letter through, Chai placed it in an envelope and had it dispatched. When Ma Suzhen receives it she will tear it open, and, having read it through, will make up her mind to make the trip to Shanghai so as to talk things over with Chai, face to face. She will resolve to take her revenge. How Scrofulous Bai will die at her hands and other matters concerning the plot as a whole, will become clear as the tale unfolds. For now, though, let us continue to relate how, ever since Scrofulous Bai heard that Cheng Zimin and the Axe Head Gang had ensnared Ma Yongzhen, and carried out their dastardly plan—blinding him in both eyes and chopping off his arm so that he later died in hospital—he had been overjoyed, and invited

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a group of friends to a splendid banquet to celebrate their success. The greatest credit, of course, went to his second-in-command, a sycophant known as Lu the Lackey; his contribution was weighed up and he was given his just reward. Lu the Lackey sat in the seat of honour and Scrofulous Bai toasted him. Everyone shouted for joy and drunk their fill as if they were in attendance at a banquet to celebrate a great military victory. Cheng Zimin was in high spirits and suddenly his face appeared to be made from gold as it shone with joy like the sun. That band of slippery eels and mud skippers were even more enthusiastic, extraordinarily so, as if with this banquet they had arrived at a defining moment in their lives. Wait till Ma Suzhen arrives in Shanghai; she will deal with them one by one. Scrofulous Bai was the prime culprit and he will be the first to taste the knife of Monk Yang. This is something that is to be spoken of later and will gradually be explained in what is yet to come. For the moment, though, let us continue to relate how it was now more than two months since Chai Jiuyun sent his letter to Shandong. One day, just as Ma Suzhen was yearning for a reply from her brother, she saw her serving girl bring in a letter. On tearing it open and reading it she turned pale with shock and went immediately to pack her things to travel south. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 3 On hearing news, a niece embarks on a journey, And telling of days gone by, an uncle sheds a tear.

Let us continue to relate how ever since Ma Suzhen received the omen, she felt uneasy in her living quarters, and all manner of niggling doubts overran her mind, until one day she received Chai’s letter. On realising it had come from Shanghai she urgently tore it open to read it: For the attention of Miss Ma Suzhen, I have not had the pleasure of making your acquaintance. Your brother Yongzhen and I are good friends and are as close as family. Recently you brother has fallen ill while lodging abroad, and is now indisposed, so he has asked me to write this letter to you in his stead. After reading this, Miss Ma, please come with all haste to Shanghai so that you may see you honourable

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brother in person. Heaven helps the worthy and it is predicted that he will suffer no further mishaps. Miss, I pray that you do not alarm yourself. I have not said all that I need to say, but will write no more for the present. I respectfully inform you of this. May you enjoy good health. Your humble servant Chai Jiuyun bows his head. On a certain day of a certain month. Sent from my humble dwelling in the metropolis.

When she finished reading, Ma could not help but turn pale. There was no mention of the letter she had sent to her brother so she presumed it had yet to arrive in Shanghai. But when calculating the number of days since she sent it—from the time of the omen till now—she mumbled to herself: “I fear blessings will be few and misfortunes many.” Crying pearly tears, she remembered how she lost her mother and father so early in life and it had been left to her and her brother to prop up the family. Now Ma Yongzhen had fallen ill while residing abroad. Supposing some unexpected misfortune had come to pass, how would she ever cope with things all by herself? Feeling utterly dismayed, she instructed her serving girl to pack her things and prepare for her to set out the following morning to visit her brother in Shanghai. “But Miss, how can you think of going alone?” “Things have come to this so how can I give it any more thought. Please invite Master Gong to come over.” The serving girl received her instructions and went away to contact him. As soon as Uncle Gong received word that a letter had arrived from Shanghai, he rushed over to see his niece. Ma gave Chai Jiuyun’s letter to him to read. After reading it he asked: “My niece, do you plan to make arrangements to depart?” “Since my brother is ill in Shanghai it would be wrong for me not to do so.” “If you must make such a journey, will you go by land or sea?” “I shall depart tomorrow. It is far too late to go by sea so I’ll take the land route: first to Nanking and then by river to Shanghai.” “But how can you possibly think of travelling alone?” “How can I not go? Wherever it is most pressing for me to be, it is to there that I must go.” “If you really must go then I will accompany you. That way you’ll have company, and there will be someone to look after you, too.”

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“What a rare honour that you are willing to go with me. Your presence will be most welcome.” “I shall go with you as you progress on your journey but will not be able to accompany you if the journey is overland. I’ll go now to the docks to enquire about the departure time of the next boat.” Transport in former times was not as convenient as it is now. That is to say, paddle steamers and steam trains did not run according to a fixed schedule, one after the other. Smaller boats, too, ran only on certain days. They carried cargo but in the end were often deemed unsatisfactory as they were always slow and frequently ran late. That said, most people at the time had never travelled by paddle steamer or train so they were unable to recognise them as being slow. Uncle Gong went to the docks to make enquiries as to the departure time of the next boat. The shipping company informed him that one had left only the day before yesterday, and the next boat would not be for another couple of weeks. On hearing this he went back to tell Ma Suzhen. “If it is going to take two weeks I do not have time to wait around,” she said. “Since that is the case will you be leaving tomorrow?” “Yes, I’ll leave tomorrow and will travel overland to Nanking and take a boat from there. In that way I’ll probably be there within a couple of weeks. There is no need for you to trek such a great distance with me. Wait at home for me to contact you. I shall send you a letter when I reach a place from where it is possible to send one, so that you do not worry yourself on my account.” “It is such a great distance. How can you, a week and feeble woman, make such a journey all alone?” “There is nothing to worry about, I assure you.” “But do remember, when you are travelling abroad, things are not the same as when you are at home. There are many things you need to be on the lookout for.” “Your niece is aware of everything. Now let us go to say farewell to Auntie Gong.” “There is no need for that,” her uncle replied. “No, I really must say goodbye. I do not know when I’ll return from what will inevitably be a long and arduous journey.” When Uncle Gong heard this he could not help but feel a little emotional and promptly took Ma Suzhen to his house. Auntie Gong came out

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to meet them and her husband told her about how Ma Suzhen was planning to go to Shanghai to see her brother. “My niece, if you must really go to Shanghai, why leave tomorrow, in such a hurry?” “My brother is sick in bed. How can I not go to see how he is at the earliest opportunity? The letter I received says that I should go as a matter of urgency. If I don’t get to see him soon I’m afraid it will be too late and I’ll be separated from him forever. I would regret that until my dying day. How could I, Ma Suzhen, possibly face a situation such as that?” “If my niece desires to go to Shanghai there is nothing else to be done,” Auntie Gong agreed. “I cannot stop you but you must be careful on the journey. Things can happen when you are abroad that do not happen when you are at home. There may be evildoers lying in wait for you, waiting for you to approach the snares they have laid, so they can satisfy their bottomless pit of desire. Today I have a few words of advice for you. First of all, do not be overly proud of your abilities and assume that because you possess all manner of skills in the martial arts you have no rival in the world. You must bear this in mind: within the four seas—in this world that is so vast—how could there not have appeared one or two others who stand out as surpassing the ordinary? Your brother was the first to ignore this rule. I’m afraid it will be difficult to protect yourself from unforeseen plots, so you must keep calm and dismiss distracting thoughts from your mind. As the old saying goes: ‘the soft may subdue the hard’—and that is something you must bear in mind.” Ma Suzhen listened to all her aunt had told her and found it grated on her nerves terribly, but at such a time as this she felt she could only go along with what was said to her and make a few perfunctory sounds of noncommittal agreement. Finally, she decided that she would like to leave, so she got up to say her farewells, but was stopped by her uncle: “You will depart Shandong tomorrow so why not sit with us for a while. It cannot be wrong to talk of amusing and joyous things. Tomorrow the inn where you will be staying will be cold and miserable and you will be keen to find someone to talk to in order to dispel your solitude.” On hearing her uncle’s words Ma Suzhen could not help but weep. “My niece do not upset yourself so,” Auntie Gong said, on seeing the situation. “It is certainly true that being a sojourner in a distant land is far from ideal and can sometimes be an unpleasant experience, but as far as the here and now is concerned we are unable to change a thing. Do not

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leave us today. I’ll prepare a modest farewell dinner to send you on your way.” “I am unworthy. How could I put you to such trouble and expense? Would that not be wrong?” “My dear, enough of this needless courtesy,” said Uncle Gong. “I remember when your mother and father died. At that time you were still an infant. I took you in and agreed with your auntie to bring you up until you were sixteen before returning you to the fold of the Ma clan. So little time seems to have passed by since then but you are now already a grown woman.” As he said these polite remarks that presaged their estrangement, he repeatedly wiped the tears from his eyes as they streamed unceasingly down his cheeks. Auntie broke in: “Old man,” she said, “today we are having dinner to see off our niece. How can you shed tears in this way? You should be seeking for auspicious things to say. How can you ignore common proscriptions and say such hurtful things to upset people so?” As she said this she thought of the precious mission that had been granted to her to bring up Ma Suzhen, and seeing that she was now to leave in this way, Aunt Gong could not help being moved to tears herself. The mechanism that controls tears opened up, as if a tap had been turned full on, and they flowed without end. You desire them to cease but do not think for a moment they will. Using a handkerchief to bring them under control is ineffective. The handkerchief that is stained with tears becomes contagious. Seeing her aunt and uncle shedding tears and hearing Uncle Gong speak of her parents, Ma was reminded of the loneliness she had felt since their untimely death and how fortunate she had been to have been brought up by her relatives. Now she was about to travel to a distant place, embarking on a long and arduous journey full of dangers, while all the time her beloved brother is lying ill in bed in a Shanghai guest house. Supposing the worst were to happen? Would she not then be a lone beast adrift in the realm of man? As she thought the situation over she found herself bawling her eyes out over the prospect of the precarious situation before her—desperate like Xiang Yu, the Hegemon King, declaiming poetry on the suicide of his concubine; to say nothing of the fact that she was but a weak and feeble woman with a naturally passionate nature. With all good conscience how could one not shed a tear? You shed a tear, they shed a tear, I shed a tear too, and then the tears really begin to flow. On observing the flowing tears, the one who is in pain faces the others who are in pain and again all

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three present are affected. You face me and I face you and all that can be seen is sobbing and wailing. But for now we will leave it there and say no more about it. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 4 In search of a brother, a sister braves the hardships of the road alone, And protecting the weak and vulnerable, a female knight-errant vows to uphold justice.

Let us now continue to relate how Ma Suzhen listened to what her uncle said to her, and how she was reminded of the loss of her parents at such a young age and could not help but weep. Everyone was weeping bitterly together. They were to be separated, perhaps to part for ever. This is the way of the world and no special symbolism should be attached to it. After a while it was her aunt who first stopped crying and using a handkerchief to wipe away her tears she spoke: “My niece do not upset yourself so. It was inevitable that the time would come when you would have to leave the nest. When you reach a place from where a letter can be sent, please do write to us, so your auntie does not lose all hope.” With a lump in her throat she agreed: “I shall certainly send you a letter when I arrive at a suitable place.” Her uncle and auntie heard this and were much relieved. The three of them had been talking for so long that it was already evening and dark was beginning to fall. The sun—that orb of cinnabar red—was slowly sinking behind the mountains in the west and in the courtyard the swallows were flocking together and returning to their nests. Auntie Gong went to the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. A short while later she returned with a colourful array of vegetable dishes, four main dishes, and some wine to accompany them. She laid out three cups and three pairs of chopsticks and they sat down together to eat. As the meal was being held to see off Ma Suzhen, she was invited to sit in the seat of honour and the married couple sat on either side of her. Everyone picked at their food without paying much attention to what they were eating. They could not distinguish between flavours and were unable to savour the taste of each dish. They had their own things on their minds and it was clear that none of them

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paid much attention to what they were eating. By the time dinner was over, night had fallen and all around nothing could be seen. Aunt Gong lit a lamp as she tidied everything away and under its light they continued to chat about whatever came into their heads, showing that although Ma would be leaving in the morning they couldn’t think of the best way to say goodbye. Auntie and Uncle Gong just urged her to be careful, over and over again, with no particular direction to what they were saying. Eventually Ma Suzhen made her final farewells. At home, Ma found that her serving girl had prepared everything for the journey, including her clothes and footwear, which she had packed together into a bundle. She had also prepared a quantity of dried beef and wheaten biscuits so that if her mistress should feel hungry on the way, these victuals would serve her needs. When everything was packed and ready, Ma Suzhen retired to bed without changing, and slept until the arrival of dawn. She got up, brushed her hair and had a wash, then dressed in male attire, removed her earrings, plaited her hair into a long queue and topped it off with a skull cap, so that she resembled a true man of substance. She said farewell to the serving girl, telling her to take good care of the house and instructing her that if anything untoward should happen she should approach Master Gong, who would certainly be able to sort things out. “When I return from visiting Master Ma you will be heartily rewarded,” she added. “Yes miss, thank you miss.” Ma Suzhen grabbed her luggage, took up the horse’s bridle and set out on her journey. In the street the serving girl waved goodbye until she could see her mistress no more, and only then did she make her way back inside. Anything concerning her duties while her mistress was away will not be mentioned here. Instead, let us now continue to relate how Ma Suzhen set off on her journey having left her home behind. She looked back towards town as it gradually vanished from view. As she rode along she began to feel a little emotional, thinking to herself that today she was leaving and did not even know when in the future she might return. She took up her sleeve to wipe away her tears then struck the horse on its rump with her riding crop. Sensing that this was its cue, the horse set off apace, letting loose with its hooves as if it had ascended into the skies and was riding amidst the clouds and mists. The scenery on both sides of the road sped past and all became hazy and indistinct to the eye. After galloping along for a while she noticed it was already midday and on arrival at a village she dismounted and went for something to eat.

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Having eaten her fill she remounted and sped off on her journey once more, a weary traveller amid clouds of dust. When she was hungry she ate, when she was thirsty she slaked her thirst; travelling by day and resting by night. One day, she had not been riding long when the afternoon was already upon her. Because she was intent on making headway on her journey, by the time it came to midday she had already passed anywhere that might have been suitable to make a stop, so, rather than dismount, she delved into her bag and took out the dried beef and wheaten biscuits to stave off her hunger. As she savoured them she slowed the horse and looked around at the roadside scenery from her saddle, noticing that it was totally unlike anything she had been used to at home. Riding along she suddenly heard the faint sound of sobbing coming from somewhere in the forest and could not help but satisfy her curiosity. Tracking the direction of the sound she made her way slowly through the forest and came to an area of thatched cottages, all enclosed by wicker fencing: the dwellings of farmers and herders. The surrounding area was planted with hibiscus, elm trees and other plants and trees. Mulberry and hemp were in abundance and rice shoots carpeted the fields. The sobbing seemed to be coming from one of the cottages. Approaching that cottage, Ma Suzhen was puzzled as to why the sound of weeping should be coming from a dwelling such as this. She dismounted from her horse, tied it to a tree and walked up to the entryway. She discovered that the door was tightly shut but the sound of crying was unmistakable and there was a note of grievance about it, as if the person in tears was voicing a complaint. As Ma listened she found it somewhat difficult to bear. From her vantage point she could hear the complaints becoming steadily more mournful, so, eventually unable to control herself, she boldly dashed inside. How was that door, made of nothing but reeds, able to withstand her colossal power? With her mighty strength, after just one push, the door caved in and went tumbling over the floor. On hearing the clamour, the women in the cottage were terrified out of their wits. “Master Jia, do not be angry, I was gently consoling her and that is all.” The weeping woman raised her voice, saying through her tears: “Even though you are the famed ‘Sir Philanderer’ I am still willing to beard the lion. After all, I can’t die more than once. Whatever you do to me I shall never give in.” She started to wail again and the old lady consoling her was gabbling, ‘Master Jia this’ and ‘Master Jia that’. Ma Suzhen listened. Actually, she happened to find what was being said rather amusing but at

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the same time the young lady’s cries made her feel really quite moved, so, with broad strides, she came further into the room and bellowed out loud. “Do not be alarmed. Who is this Master Jia?” The old woman heard what the stranger said and wiped away her tears: “Who are you, forcing your way in here? Was it not Master Jia who sent you?” She asked, staring at Ma Suzhen. “I do not know anyone by the name of Jia,” Ma Suzhen replied, shaking her head. On hearing this, the young lady stopped crying and peered intently at Ma Suzhen. She wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and cautiously looked Ma up and down. “Sir, what is your honourable name. You don’t look like you’re from these parts and your accent is certainly not local. What is your business here?” “My family name is Ma, I am called Suzhen and I’m from Shandong province. I was just passing when I heard you crying, so I took the liberty of coming over to see what was wrong.” The young lady turned to the old woman and discussed with her what the stranger had said. “This gentleman, Master Ma, was just passing and came to see that everything was alright.” The old lady lowered her voice: “So he hasn’t been sent by Jia then. Even so, you should ask him to leave. We’re not even capable of sorting out our own business, and, if we don’t tread carefully, other mishaps may befall us.” “That cannot be right. He has come here specifically because of us. You never know, perhaps he is our lucky star!” the young lady suggested. On hearing the words “lucky star” the old lady changed her mind and suggested that the stranger should be invited to take a seat. Smiling and laughing—doing her best to change her tone—the young woman invited the guest to take a seat. Although she now forced a smile by way of welcome, her face was still stained with tears. “What is your honourable name?” Ma asked the young lady as she sat down. “Why are you so afraid of this knave, Jia?” “My mother’s name is Mao. The family name of this house is Wang and my husband is called Wang Desheng. He used to be a soldier but in the end failed to return home and left his wife and mother-in-law alone and helpless to live lives of penury. Only once in a while does he deign to send any money home. Sir, what do you think? Is this any way for us to live out our days? How can we continue to survive in this way?”

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“This is a family matter and there is no point in asking me.” “Sir, did you not ask me to explain to you the problem I have with that man Jia?” Madam Wang asked. “I did indeed madam,” Ma replied. “Well then, the problem with Jia came about because of this.” “If that is the case, please do go ahead and tell me all about it.” “Because I couldn’t make ends meet I went to the Jia mansion to work as a servant. But who’d have thought it, Jia is the brother-in-law of that scoundrel the district magistrate. Jia bullied me, and seeing that I was not unattractive, cooked up an evil plan to make me his concubine. I would not agree to this, so he tried to force me into it. He said that if I didn’t give in to his demands there and then, the following day he would take me before the magistrate to have things forcibly arranged.” “Even though the district magistrate is his brother-in-law, neither of them have the right to play with other people’s lives in this way.” “He has already done his best. How can it be that he could use his position to do whatever enters his mind?” “What is the full name of this knave Jia?” Ma Suzhen asked Madam Wang. “How far does he live from here?” “His family name is Jia, he is called Tianxiang and his nickname is ‘Sir Philanderer’. He lives not ten li from here, and lords it over two or three hundred people, most of whom are named Jia.” “What does this Jia man look like?” “He has a sallow complexion, no beard, a hooked nose, sunken eyes and his ears stick out so they may catch the wind.” “About how old is this man and what is his build?” Ma continued to ask, building up a picture of her target. “He is short and skinny and about thirty years of age.” Ma Suzhen finished questioning Madam Wang and stood up. “Wait till tomorrow for my return. By the time I’ve finished with him, he certainly won’t dare force you into anything you don’t want to do.” Exiting the cottage with large strides, Ma untied the horse from the tree, and mounting the saddle she sped off straight ahead. The evening mist enveloped everything around. Night was falling and smoke from kitchen chimneys arose in the distance above the trees, as Ma Suzhen rode directly towards Jia Village. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

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Chapter 5 In a wicked inn peach blossom adorns the walls, And in the White Cloud Temple swords are brandished in the rafters.

Let us now continue to relate how, on hearing Madam Wang speak, Ma Suzhen was greatly angered. How could it be that in this peaceful and orderly world—a world of political stability and concord—such lawlessness should be allowed to take place? She thought about this for a while as she rode slowly along, adjusting the bridle and forging on steadily ahead. All around her the evening mist arose as darkness descended on the forest. In the distance, lamplight came into view and she guessed it must be Jia Village. She urged the horse on with her crop and continued to make her way through the forest at speed. She could see a row of buildings ahead of her: shops with tiled roofs, laid out close to each other, neatly in a row. On arriving at the village boundary she dismounted and led the horse along behind her but had not walked ten paces when she saw someone walking straight towards her, carrying a hurricane lamp and blocking her path. “Sir, are you looking for somewhere to spend the night and grab a bite to eat? Our inn is the best around.” Ma Suzhen stopped in her tracks. “Your inn?” She asked, a little puzzled. “Yes. There it is, straight ahead.” Ma Suzhen looked up towards where the man was pointing and could just make out a lantern with a candle inside, hanging under the thatch, on which were inscribed the words “Merchant Inn”. The lantern swung gently back and forth in the breeze, alternating between a dim glow and a glimmering brightness, as if it were being driven at the will of ghosts. Ma followed the man to the inn, who, on arrival, called out to alert his colleagues that a visitor had arrived. A sturdy fellow came out to greet them, introducing himself as Ah Xie. This fellow was full of majesty and power, and resembled the sturdy buffalo of the fields. Her guide led Ma’s horse round the back to feed and water it, and she stepped into the inn. That stout fellow Ah Xie provided her with a room and helped her settle down, then politely enquired: “Sir, will you take your evening meal in the communal area or in your room?” “Here will be fine.” Ma replied.

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Ah Xie acknowledged her instructions and stepped down. Sitting alone in her room Ma began to feel a little restless. She walked out into the communal area to take a look around and saw customers entering one after the other, as well as traders and merchants passing by with their vehicles and horses. Guests were crowding into the busy inn but Ma Suzhen didn’t give them a second thought as there was nothing particularly unusual about that, and she actually thought it all rather dull. Instead, she walked back and forth along the corridor, looking around in a nonchalant manner and carrying out a sort of half-hearted survey of the place, one minute looking at this and the next looking at that. Having examined everything to the limit of her patience, she was looking for another diversion to distract her when Ah Xie finally called out that dinner was served. Ma Suzhen returned to her room and saw that the table had been laid with a few appetisers and a flagon of wine, all placed neatly together with a wine cup and a pair of chopsticks. She took her seat and Ah Xie offered to pour the wine. “I won’t be drinking any wine. Bring me my food.” “What harm can it do? Have a cup, it will help to keep the chill at bay, and that lonely feeling of staying at an inn, and besides it’s not at all strong. Sir, if you are hungry the pies here are well known for their fine sweet flavour. They are filled with a puree made of a fusion of date and lard and the savoury note is derived from additional lard that has been infused with onion. As Ah Xie was speaking, Ma Suzhen already had her eye on the pies, and she reached out with her chopsticks to take one, bringing it up to her mouth. She took a bite and chewed for a while, declaring to Ah Xie that it was indeed most flavoursome. She took another from the plate and ate that, affirming that the pie was certainly tasty and no mistake. She ate a few more and then enquired if he had any that were not quite so sweet. “If sir would prefer to eat savoury pies then we have them too.” Ah Xie brought over another plate but found they had gone cold. “These aren’t hot enough. Wait a moment and I’ll bring you some warm ones instead.” He brought them out a few moments later and Ma Suzhen ate a few of these savoury pies. Thinking they were a touch on the oily side she took a sip from the wine in front of her. On doing so, she confirmed that the wine was unusually mild and had none of that sharp intensity so often found with wines of this type, so she swallowed it down in one. Selecting a piece of meat from the plate with her chopsticks, she put it in her mouth and savoured it, thinking it particularly soft and

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tender, much more so than pork is usually found to be. She took another piece and began to feel that there was something not quite right, so she put down her chopsticks to think for a while. Just as she was brooding over this, Ah Xie brought in a large plate of dainty piping hot pies and placed it on the table in front of her. While doing so he noticed the guest had finished the cup of wine and a strange grin flashed across his face. “Your savoury pies have arrived, sir.” He said with a chuckle and poured another cup of wine. “I don’t need more wine,” Ma said, choosing a pie from the fresh plate in front of her. She took a bite but finding it to have a strange fishy taste put it down unfinished. Then, all of a sudden, with an involuntary spasm from the pit of her stomach, she coughed up everything she had eaten. The resultant mess gave off that same foul, fishy smell, which rushed straight up her nostrils assailing her senses so that she promptly threw up again. Having been so violently sick she had a sudden realization and began to understand what was really going on. Sitting up straight she told Ah Xie to approach. He saw the situation and how could he not know the reason for it? “Sir, have you been sick,” he asked craftily. “You must have caught a chill on the road.” Without replying, Ma Suzhen grabbed his arm to prevent his escape. “You knave, would you rather live or die?” She bellowed. “Quickly, tell me what you’ve put in the food and wine. Tell me the truth or I’ll kill you.” “Sir, don‘t be angry, your humble servant really knows nothing about it. If you kill me, it will be of no use to you.” Ah Xie protested, his voice quaking with fear. “I knew you would be unwilling to tell me directly. Come along, come along, if you drink all the wine and eat up the meat and pies I will let you go.” On hearing Ma Suzhen’s orders Ah Xie became even more anxious than before, which in turn made Ma more determined to finish him off. Ah Xie turned ashen pale and stubbornly refused to eat. Ma became incandescent with rage. “So you won’t swallow it unless I force you to,” she shouted, pushing his face down onto the table, grabbing the wine flask and forcing the spout into his mouth. Ah Xie swallowed one mouthful but brought it straight back up again. “What! You don’t want to drink? I’m afraid I cannot allow that.” Saying this, she forced him to take another gulp. He took a few mouthfuls but could suffer it no longer.

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“Sir, please let me go. I’m ready to talk.” On hearing this Ma released him. Ah Xie straightened himself up and spat out the wine. “Come along now, quickly, speak. If you tell me anything that is even half untrue don’t think that I will spare your life.” “Would I dare, would I dare?” Ah Xie replied, in desperate fear for his life. “Speak then!” “It’s not me who does it. It was all my boss’s idea.” “What is your boss’s name?” “My boss is not from these parts. He is an ordained monk.” “Whether he is Buddhist monk or a Daoist priest does not matter to me. How long is it since he opened this wicked place?” “He hasn’t been around these parts for long. He lives at the White Cloud Temple and goes by the Buddhist name, Liao Kong. It is said that he used to be a bandit but because he committed a terrible crime and the authorities were determined to track him down, he ran away to become a monk. One day he arrived here and settled down. Around the same time my boss was taken seriously ill and retired to bed. When Liao Kong got to know of this he prepared a draft of medicinal herbs and gave it to my boss to cure him. As a result they became close friends and swore allegiance to one another. Liao Kong organised an ordination ceremony in the province and presided over the White Cloud Temple as abbot. The two of them were frequently seen together, but who’d have thought it? That monk’s intentions turned out to be less than honourable. He saw that my boss’s wife was not unattractive and used all his powers of persuasion to lure her into falling for him, after which he killed my boss. That bald donkey was now in charge here too and gave instructions to us that all lone travellers passing through should be given a sleeping draft and in the dead of night, when all is quiet, they should be dealt with, using “‘two faces, three knives’.” “What do you mean by ‘two faces, three knives’.” Ma Suzhen asked. “It is a way of using the knife.” “What do you mean by, ‘a way of using the knife’?” “It means to kill a customer with a knife, separate him from his valuables: gold, silver, money and silks, and use his skin and flesh to make the stuffing for pies. That is what it means. Up to now this has all taken place in the utmost secrecy but you have uncovered it here today. Please sir, spare my life.” He sank to his knees and bowed, knocking his forehead on the ground.

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“You knave, you are thoroughly vile. He killed your employer but rather than seeking redress for the injustice you have taken the side of the evildoer. “I had no choice in the matter. He killed someone and I could get a share of the wealth.” “Oh, is that so?” Just as Ma was saying this she saw a man run in wielding a knife, hurtling wildly towards her. If you wish to know whether Ma Suzhen lives or dies you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 6 In a shower of blood Liao Kong forfeits his head, And with a flashing blade Tianxiang loses his queue.

Let us continue to relate how Ma Suzhen heard what Ah Xie had to say for himself and was about to punish him for his crimes, when, just at that moment, a man rushed in grasping a blade of flashing steel, flailing furiously about and heading straight towards her. She noticed this just in time and managed to dodge the attack. Lifting her foot at close quarters to aim at his wrist, with just one kick the attacker was disarmed, dropping his sword to the ground. This was the famous Ma-style martial arts move, “Kicking from the Apron” followed by, “Snatching the Blade with an Empty Hand.” Luckily, the beautiful Ma Suzhen was wearing strong leather boots so this was not too dangerous a tactic. Had she been wearing her favourite embroidered phoenix-head slippers it would have been impossible to deal with the situation so effectively and it may well have led to her injuring herself. Seeing that the sword had been knocked from his hand, the man realised all was lost and to slip away would be his only option. Unfortunately for him, though, Ma would not allow him to escape. By making his choice to attack her he had brought on his own downfall. As the saying goes: “He had not taken the road to heaven, but had dashed into hell, where there is no gate from which to exit.” Gently extending her hand to balance herself, she aimed her foot directly at him and floored him to the ground with just one kick. Holding him down with her leg she picked up the discarded sword and waved it around in front of his face. “Quickly, tell me who sent you to do me harm?”

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The man struggled free enough to knock his forehead on the ground and plea for forgiveness, but as he was doing so his skullcap fell to the floor, all at once revealing him to be a bald-headed monk. “So you are a bald donkey are you? Quickly, tell me why you have come to do me harm. Are you Liao Kong?” “No, no, no, I’m not Liao Kong.” The man denied repeatedly. In disbelief she called to Ah Xie for an answer. “Is this Liao Kong?” “No,” he confirmed, “this is Liao Kong’s disciple. His name is Moon Monk. He has always been a local scoundrel, and travelling traders and merchants have been the target of his crimes.” “So this bald donkey has been an evil doer all along, and without doubt has killed many in his time. Today he will taste the flavour of his own sword.” On saying this she slit the false monk’s neck from ear to ear and blood spurted out in all directions. Droplets splattered on the wall, forming a pattern that bore much resemblance to the branch of a peach tree in full bloom. On seeing that Ma Suzhen had actually killed Moon Monk, Ah Xie was scared out of his wits and began to tremble uncontrollably. “This wretch is guilty of monstrous crimes,” Ma bellowed, “and has met with his just deserts. That is why I have slain him; you need not be afraid. Where is the White Cloud Temple? Tell me, and make it quick.” “If you travel east from here, past the Jia Mansion, you will find it. You will know you have come to the right place, as, on a plaque above its yellow walls are written the words ‘White Cloud Temple’.” “What is this Jia Mansion?” She asked. “The Jia Mansion is the residence of one of the most distinguished personages in the district who goes by the name of Jia Tianxiang. He is the brother-in-law of the district magistrate.” Ma Suzhen was delighted with what she heard and thought to herself: “Fancy finding, by sheer luck, what I might have searched for far and wide.” She said nothing more to Ah Xie, but tied him up, gagged him by stuffing a cloth into his mouth. Then, after placing Moon Monk’s sword by his side, she opened the door, jumped over the body, and leapt onto the roof. Although Ah Xie saw all that had happened he was struck dumb and could do nothing but allow the stranger to escape. Moments later he began to feel a little queasy. The events had taken their toll on him, and, struggling to breathe, he suddenly went limp and slipped into unconsciousness, never to wake again.1 1

 See Additions to the Text on page xvii.

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Let us proceed to relate how Ma Suzhen jumped onto the roof of the inn and rushed east. Having passed over the roofs of ten or more buildings she jumped down to the ground and noticed that most of the shops on the street were closed. The remainder—a small number of food shops—were still open, but she didn’t pay much attention to this fact. Instead she looked straight ahead and could see, about a hundred paces away, what appeared to be a large building of recent construction. Thinking to herself that this must be the Jia Mansion, she asked a passer-by to confirm. On receiving an affirmative answer, she thanked him briefly and ran off towards the temple. In the wilds that surrounded the temple there were no more shops, just a few low, thatched hovels standing along the side of the road. A chink of moonlight shone dimly through the clouds so that a single patch of land was faintly visible. She looked twenty or thirty paces ahead and could just about see the colour of the compound’s surrounding wall, alternating between yellow and an eerie white in the light of the moon. On approaching, above the main gate she could clearly make out the words, “White Cloud Temple” inscribed on a large horizontal plaque. Hurriedly she took a few paces forward, and, on arriving at the gate, knocked twice. Not a sound came from within. She didn’t knock again but instead jumped onto the roof and looked down into the compound from above. Seeing no lamplight in the compound she felt a little puzzled, so she lay down flat and placed an ear against the tiles to listen for any sound coming from within. As nothing could be heard, she stood up and was just about to jump down from the wall when she saw the faint glow of lamplight coming directly towards her. She quickly shrunk back into the shadows, did not jump down after all but lay flat on the roof and looked over the raised ornamental cornice to see what was going on below. She could see two young men with shaven heads. One held eating utensils such as cups and bowls in his left hand and a lantern in his right. The other carried a chicken and was grumbling as they walked along. “Eating all day and still not satisfied,” he moaned. “Killing chickens and ducks in the middle of the night. I really don’t understand.” “Brother, keep your voice down,” the other warned. “If he hears you, you’ll get a whipping and your life won’t be worth living.” Ma Suzhen heard their chatter and jumped down into the courtyard, blocking their path. On seeing this person in front of them they wanted to raise the alarm but Ma Suzhen held her steely sword tightly in her hand. “Shout out and I will finish you both off,” she told them in muffled tones. After which the two young men dared not make another sound.

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“Quickly, tell me where that bald donkey Liao Kong sleeps and I shall set you free unharmed.” The two youngsters looked at each other in dismay but dared not say a thing. “You will not say?” She deftly wielded her sword in the air, backwards and forwards a few times, then rubbed the flat of the blade lightly over their necks. They froze in terror and promptly agreed to tell all. Having been informed that Liao Kong was round the back drinking with his number three wife, Ma let them off, but they were sure to warn her that on no account should they be disturbed. Ma said nothing more. She bound and gagged them, picked them both up and placed them behind a large statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin. Once this was done she took up her sword again and charged straight round to the back of the compound. On arrival she saw through the gaps round the doorframe that lanterns were shining brightly inside and she could hear the sound of voices coming from within. She looked through the gap in the door and saw a man of about thirty with a shaven head, which clearly revealed the pattern of small scars that identified him as a Buddhist monk. He had large bushy eyebrows and an aggressive bearing, with an ominous glint in his eye—not at all like a pure-­ hearted monk who devotes himself to spiritual cultivation. He was entangled in the embrace of a heavily made up woman of about twenty, who looked like the ghost of someone who died on the scaffold. How could Ma Suzhen bear to watch this disgraceful performance as the two of them continued to embrace one another in this way? She raised her leg, kicked open the door and leapt into the room. On seeing a total stranger enter the room Liao Kong cried: “This knave must be tired of living and is walking the path of death. This Buddhist adept will show mercy on you by sending you to the Pure Land of the West.” As he yelled this at the top of his voice, he jumped up, grabbed his Buddhist knife and charged straight at Ma Suzhen, thrashing about with the knife as he went. Without the slightest hesitation Ma Suzhen raised her sword and brought it down, aiming for Liao Kong’s head, but missing by a fraction of an inch. Each with their own weapon, backwards and forwards they fought around the room, as the woman looked on. Seeing them fighting in this way she realised the situation was not promising, so, seizing the opportunity, she quickly made her escape. They fought on for some time, neither one gaining the upper hand. But Ma Suzhen thought of a plan. She pretended to wrong-foot herself and fell against the side of a pillar, then suddenly rolled over to avoid the monk’s attack. Liao Kong followed her round the pillar but when he was close enough Ma struck out

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with her willow blade and unfortunately for him it came straight down on his monkish head. Immediately, blood spurted all round and he crashed heavily to the ground. Ma promptly ran over and lifting up his head sliced round his neck so that his head became separated from his body, while his rigid legs pointed directly towards the Pure Land of the West. Ma Suzhen took the monk’s head, wrapped it in a cloth and placed it under her arm. She wiped the sword clean and boldly strode out of the White Cloud Temple, straight towards the Jia Mansion. By now it was already the time of the third watch, the streets were quiet and there was no one about. A light breeze was blowing, while a bright clear moon hung overhead and stars filled the sky. It was a fine night in the middle of the month—the time of the full moon. If you wish to know how Ma Suzhen dealt with Jia Tianxiang after arriving at his mansion you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 7 In the boudoir startled by a thief, a note is left and a sword is found, And in a remote village a lady’s chastity is preserved, while Ma bestows gold jewellery.

Let us continue to relate how, after Ma Suzhen killed the monk Liao Kong in the White Cloud Temple she left the compound and made her way towards the Jia Mansion in the west. She saw that time was moving apace; the Big Dipper had rotated and the stars had moved across the sky. The time of the third watch was upon her and she didn’t want to be late. With her powerful legs she leapt onto the roof and using her much practised martial arts move: “The Crane Walks and the Heron Lies in Wait”—tiptoeing along the roof with a series of tiny steps she ran towards the inner hall. From here she could hear the sound of music, the sheng mouthorgan and singing, and the lively clamour of chattering voices filled her ears. Ma Suzhen came to a stop and peered down into the hall where she could see lanterns glowing in splendour, while a magnificent banquet was underway. Lined up along the side of the hall were female servants playing musical instruments. Ma Suzhen looked on and mulled over the fact that she didn’t know which one of the assembled revellers was Jia Tianxiang. Just as she was puzzling over this, she saw a man sitting at the front take out a gold pocket watch from his sleeve to check the time.

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“It’s getting late,” the man said in an imperious voice. “It is already the end of the midnight watch. Time to break up the party.” Obsequiously, the men sitting by his side spoke in unison: “Please grace us with you noble presence for just a little while longer.” “That will not be necessary,” the man in the seat of honour replied as he stood up. The men around him also got to their feet. “Honourable brother-in-­ law stay a while longer, it is still so early,” one of them said. “I shall detain you no longer; go and get an early night,” the honoured guest replied. With that, the host called for transport to be made ready. Outside, a grand palanquin was brought forward and the guest of honour climbed inside. When the three men who remained had seen him off through the gate they went back inside. The two guests thanked their host: “Farewell Brother Tianxiang, farewell. Many thanks for your hospitality, we will meet again soon.” They clasped their hands in front of them, bowing all the time as they backed out of the room. Their host said something perfunctory by way of reply but did not see them out. Ma Suzhen saw all that transpired and now, realising this must be Jia Tianxiang, she continued to observe his movements. A moment later, Jia took the hand of one of his concubines and together they made their way to the bedroom in another part of the compound. Ma Suzhen followed them along on the roof outside and after passing a number of courtyards they arrived at Jia’s private rooms. Ma Suzhen watched the couple from her vantage point on the roof and saw Jia and his concubine whispering in each other’s ears and entwined together as they hugged in close embrace. Ma became impatient. She had arrived late, which was a real setback and now she was up in the roof feeling very uncomfortable about what was going on below. She struck up a plan, and noiselessly clearing her throat, proceeded to imitate the sound of a cock crowing. This had the required response. “It’s late and you’ve had your dues,” the woman said. “Let’s get some rest.” Thereupon, they both fell silent and all was quiet. After a while the sound of snoring could be heard, confirming they were both soundly asleep. Now, on the roof, Ma Suzhen performed the martial arts move, “The Pearly Curtain Unfurls”: grasping the rafters in front of the eaves with both legs, she hung upside down and peered into the room through an aperture between the window and the window sill. She could see the couple were lost in the sweet world of dreams behind the tassels of the bed curtains. On the dressing table a

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guttering candle was burning, barely giving off any light at all, so nothing much could be made out in the room. Ma Suzhen tapped a couple of times on the window with her knuckles. There was no reaction, so she knew the couple had entered into the land of dreams. “If this is not the time to act when will be?” She asked herself. Taking the willow blade from where she kept it in a sheath on her back she pried open the window frame with a clunk, so that half the window was now ajar. Ma steadied her nerves, replaced the sword in its sheath and from her hanging position on the roof let both legs go. Using her hands to support herself on the ground, she stood up straight without making the slightest sound. She put the broken half-window she’d pried off its hinges to one side, and using the considerable strength of her legs jumped into the room with a single leap. Gently she lifted the bed curtain and saw the couple sleeping soundly side by side. She lowered the curtain again and felt like punishing Jia there and then, but, as she was contemplating this, she happened to spy some writing utensils on the desk and changed her mind. She thought it might be better to leave a note alerting Jia to the fact that someone had been there. She wrote the note, read it through, took out her sword again and deftly sliced off Jia Tianxiang’s queue, placing it on the table together with the note and the severed head wrapped in cotton cloth. When everything was neatly arranged, she took charge of a gold bracelet and two rings that the concubine had failed to put away when removing her makeup. Seeing that everything was accomplished and she need stay no longer, she left through the window, jumped up onto the roof and scurried off. Shortly afterwards she arrived back at the Merchants Inn where she vaulted the wall, entered the room where she was supposed to be staying and saw that Ah Xie was still trussed up as before. Moon Monk’s blood on the ground was already dry and had turned a deep shade of purple, but we will speak of that no more. Ma picked up her belongings and went round to the stables to fetch her horse. Fortunately, the stables had their own gates, so there was no fear of bumping into anybody. Ma Suzhen headed back to the village where Madam Wang lived. As she rode along, a light morning breeze was blowing and the moon was growing dimmer in the sky with the signs of approaching dawn. In the far distance the red sun was slowly rising below the horizon but was not yet fully visible. Instead, the pink clouds hanging half way up the sky, were blushing like the cheeks of a beautiful maiden. The small birds were chirping in the trees, singing a song that was most pleasing to the ear. Ma Suzhen rode along on her horse while deep in her heart she was a little concerned about the trouble

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she had caused. She urged the horse on faster with her riding crop towards the semi-deserted village where Madam Wang lived. On arriving at the cottage she dismounted and lifted her hand to knock on the door. Someone called out in reply from within and moments later the old woman came to open the door. On seeing it was Ma Suzhen she exclaimed: “Sir, you have come so early.” On hearing this exchange Madam Wang came out in a hurry to join them. “Sir, you are a man of your word and you have come to see us so early in the morning.” As she said this she bade Ma Suzhen enter the cottage. Ma suggested they bring the horse inside too, so as not to attract unwarranted attention, so the woman moved the table and stools to the side and signalled to Ma to lead it in, shutting the door behind them. “Please would you be so kind as to fetch a basin of water for me to wash my face,” Ma asked. Madam Wang complied and Ma Suzhen removed her bloodstained clothes and had a quick wash in the corner out of sight. Meanwhile, Madam Wang cooked a pan of rice porridge, dished it into three bowls and gave it to Ma and the old woman to eat. Once seated, without standing on ceremony Ma lifted the bowl to her mouth and shovelling the porridge into her mouth with her chopsticks, swallowed it down in one. Because so much had happened during the night she was ravenously hungry and ate several bowls, one after the other in quick succession. Madam Wang offered her another helping but Ma had had her fill and finally laid down her bowl and chopsticks. When they had all finished eating and everything was cleared away, Madam Wang enquired: “Sir, may I be so bold as to once again ask your name?” “My family name is Ma and I am called Suzhen.” She proceeded to tell them all about how she was going to see her brother and had disguised herself as a man to achieve her goal. On realising Ma Suzhen was a woman like herself, Madam Wang started to open up and became rather more friendly. Ma went on to tell her what had happened that night and suddenly the young woman became wary again. “You have taken two lives in one night,” she said guardedly, “how can that be? Although you are making this journey to rid the world of evil, that is still murder. The law will not forgive you just because you are a knight errant with just and noble aims, and your crimes will not be diminished.” Ma heard this and was a little disheartened. “How else could this matter have been resolved?”

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“In my humble opinion, as you are a woman you should change into women’s clothing and stay for a few days. Please feel free to wait for everything to settle down before setting off again.” “But I fear this will be too much trouble for you. What shall I do with my horse and bloody clothing?” Ma said, changing the subject. “Do not concern yourself about the horse, it can go to my aunt’s house and be placed in her care. In the hazy dusk of twilight no one will notice me take it there. I think it best if you dispose of your clothes in the fire. Please feel free to change into some of the clothes my husband left behind.”2 “Once the horse is taken care of there will be no reason for me to stay. My brother is bedridden in Shanghai and I know not how he is faring. At the moment we are not too far from Nanking so I plan to hire a donkey to ride to the city and take a boat from there.” “What shall I do with the horse while you are away?” The woman asked. “Wait for me to return and I will pick it up then.” Ma Suzhen unsaddled the horse and removed its bridle and Madam Wang took it to her aunt’s house to be fed and watered. After a short while she returned. “Everything is now dealt with, please put your mind at rest,” she said to Ma. “So sorry to put you to the trouble. I am much obliged.” “All that has occurred has been for my sake. This is the least I can do.” Ma Suzhen took out the gold bracelet and rings and handed them to Madam Wang. “Please accept these from me,” she said. “You are giving these to me?” “I specifically brought them here for you. After all, they are just a small part of Jia’s ill-gotten gains. If you accept them from me, it is not as if you have stolen them.” “I shouldn’t really take these valuables.” She paused, then said: “On the other hand, if I were to accept them, I would not have to take such desperate measures again and need never be a servant to anyone.” “As this jewellery is part of his ill-gotten fortune, its loss will not mean much to anybody. If you were to sell it on, the money would support you for many years. From now on Jia Tianxiang will no longer try to force marriage upon you but if you were to move somewhere else and work in

2

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service again it would be difficult to avoid meeting another man just like him.” Madam Wang listened to Ma’s persuasive words and decided it would be fine to accept the jewellery after all. Finally, Ma bid farewell to Madam Wang and her mother and set off on foot alone. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 8 In furious rage and nervous fright, a quip is made about losing a head, And with mind all a fluster and intensions confused, a peek is had at a naked body.

Let us continue to relate how, when the woman at the White Cloud Temple saw that Ma Suzhen was busy fighting with Liao Kong she seized the opportunity to slip away. In the darkness she couldn’t see where she was going; lifting her feet up high and placing them down with great care, she took one cautious step at a time. Her anxiety and confusion added to the difficulty she found in walking. All of a sudden she tripped over something. It felt soft and floppy—yielding, while at the same time heavy—as if it might be a human being. She fumbled around and felt what seemed to be a man’s head. She jumped with fright, but immediately consoled herself with the fact that it didn’t feel like the man was dead. So, why didn’t he say anything? She pulled herself together and took a closer look by the faint light of the moon. It turned out to be one of Liao Kong’s disciples stretched out on the ground. “Brother,” she said. There was no reaction. “Why don’t you say anything?” She asked in surprise, “can it be that you have a hood over your head?” Saying this, she lifted her hand, made a light fist and tapped on the monk’s head with her knuckles. There was no reaction and the monk remained silent. “What about your hands? Why are you lying on the ground? Has someone been bullying you? I am here to vouch for you, my little darling. You must feel so dejected and miserable. As she said this she tried to help him up but couldn’t find his hand. “Who have you been fighting with?” She asked again. “Your master has been in a fight too and he was sparring with swords.” As she said this the ropes on his arms loosened and his hands came free. Immediately, the young man removed the gag from his mouth gasping for breath.

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“Why do you make those sarcastic remarks while I am lying here half dead,” he exclaimed. “What do you mean by that?” The monk told her all that had happened. “Then let’s release your brother right now so as to avoid any further mishaps,” the woman suggested. Eagerly, but with considerable confusion, they began to set the other monk free. Once this had been achieved the three of them looked at each other in total dismay. “Right now, we have no idea how your master is.” Though the woman said this, none of them dared to go and check up on him. After a while, they tiptoed cautiously together side-by-side into Liao Kong’s room, and, while still undercover, sneaked a peek. They couldn’t see anything going on so they held their ears out to the side to listen but could hear nothing at all. Finally, plucking up enough courage, they crept inside. What they saw terrified them out of their wits, and indeed it was no small matter. They began to tremble when they saw the headless monk lying in a pool of blood, drenched from head to toe. None of them could think clearly. They were unsure what to do next and couldn’t move a limb to help. In the end it was the woman who came up with an idea. “I can’t show my face for propriety’s sake,” she said, “but the two of you go and report this to the constable and then visit the district magistrate’s office and ask for an inquest to be carried out and for the killer to be apprehended.” With these few words she left. The disciples went immediately to report this to the constable, a notorious drunkard of Jia Village, who day and night carried out his job in a world of intoxicated dreams. They left through the temple gates and under the light of the moon walked to Jia Village to seek out the constable. But where was he to be found? Could it be that they were to have a wasted journey? Having rushed back and forth, before they knew it, they could see the red sun rising in the east as they finally entered the town centre. The young monks went to look in the inn, where they found a group of people crowded round the constable deliberating over something or other and talking all at once. He was slumped in a chair, terrified and shaking all over, showing the whites of his eyes. It so happened that two people had been murdered at the Merchant Inn. One was killed with a sword and the other appeared to have been suffocated. In a tiny village like theirs, how could two deaths occur in one night? The constable’s responsibilities were considerable. Hence his reaction. Liao Kong’s disciples approached him.

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“Something terrible has occurred. We don’t know what’s happened to our master’s head.” Everyone heard this and burst into hysterical laughter. “Your master’s head has been rubbed so much by his woman that it has fallen off.” Someone quipped knowingly. The constable ignored them. Someone else chimed in, this time with a note of concern in his voice. “Your master’s head has gone. Quickly, explain what you mean by that.” They told him what they had found last night. The constable heard this and did his best to pull himself together. “This is no good at all,” he said officiously. “This is another case of murder and the perpetrator at large is most certainly the same as the one who committed the murders at the inn.” Everyone listened to what he said and came to the conclusion that the situation was indeed most puzzling.3 For the moment we will speak no more of this, but instead let us continue to relate how Jia Tianxiang and his beloved concubine entered through the bed curtains together, and now, lost in a world of dreams, were unaware that Ma Suzhen had played a trick on them. By the time they awoke, the rays of the morning sun were shining through the window. The concubine rubbed her eyes, yawned and emerged through the silk curtains of the bed. She needed to go for a pee but was suddenly distracted by some things lying on the table…a shaggy braid of hair and the gleaming steel of a sword. She was so astonished that she forgot all about her need to pee. “Look at this,” she shouted urgently. “What is this thing? … It’s a human head!” “Don’t talk rot. It must be a play of the shadows.” Jia replied in his usual haughty way. “You idiot,” she stamped her foot and bellowed. “There’s a sword here too.” Jia Tianxiang heard this and crying out in surprise, parted the bed curtains, poked his head out and said, rather bombastically: “Don’t make a fuss about nothing. As the saying goes ‘you must keep calm in the face of the unexpected or the unexpected will defeat you’.” Then he caught sight of the sword—its glittering blade shining like the ice and snow—and was immediately stunned into silence. He popped his head back behind the 3

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curtains and while doing so knocked his elbow hard on the bedpost but was too scared even to cry out in pain. Instead, he hid himself safely under the quilt, covering his head and forgetting the need to breathe. It was up to the woman to tell Jia Tianxiang to pull himself together. Surprisingly, he was even more terrified than she, so there was nothing for it but to call the servants in. “Come quickly,” she screamed. On hearing this they rushed up to the door and shouted from the hallway: “Madam, please open up and let us in.” She quickly responded and went to open the door. The servants rushed in like a swarm of bees, but, on seeing she was stark naked, quickly implored her: “Madam please cover yourself up or you’ll catch cold.” Glancing down at her body, she suddenly realised her state of undress and blushing up to her ears, shot behind the bed curtains to hide. “Madam, why did you call us in? What instructions do you have for us?” The serving women enquired. “Have a look at what’s on the table,” the concubine said timidly from behind the curtains. “A sword! It’s a sword like the ones they use to slaughter pigs,” one of the servants rather thoughtlessly exclaimed. “There is also a braid of hair with a note next to it.” Although Jia Tianxiang was ensconced in his quilt he heard everything clearly from within and quickly poked his head through the curtains again. “Let me see what’s written on that note,” he told the serving women impatiently. His tone was completely different to just a few moments ago when he had run into bed to hide. Now, relying on the fact that there were a number of people there, his courage was slowly returning. One of the servants passed the note to him. He opened it and read it through: I beg to inform you. Your conduct and deeds have already been exposed. Concerning the lady of the Wang Family who lives in the village close by, you went so far as to seek to force her into becoming your concubine. This, and other matters with which you have been involved, make one bristle all over with anger. It was originally planned that your head should be separated from your shoulders to admonish you for your terrible cruelty. However, as the Heavens are virtuous and care for every living thing, your life has been spared—though I have cut off your porcine tail by way of a small reprimand. I hope that you will kindly accept the head of Liao Kong of the White Cloud Temple. It is rumoured that you are friendly with the district magistrate. That being the case, you may convey a message to him that he must by no means carry out an in depth investigation into this. If he is of a mind to perform such an

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investigation, my sharp blade shall be taken from its scabbard and await your throat. All effort shall be made to track you down and when you are apprehended your severed head will be taken to Shandong Province where it will be carried up to the highest peak of Mount Tai. In short, this will mean that no others need lose their lives in the future. This is a bid to root out wrongdoers, and give peace of mind to the people, by taking from the rich and giving to the poor. A letter from a solitary sojourner from a distant land. P.S. Three pieces of gold jewellery have been borrowed from your esteemed concubine.

When Jia finished reading it he was terrified and seemed to have shrunk to half his size. He clumsily felt for his head with his hands. “Is my head still on my shoulders?” He asked in blind panic. The servants laughed uneasily. “Master, such foolish words from someone who is so clearly right as rain. How could your head have left your shoulders?” Jia heard this and joined in with their nervous laughter. Stammering and hardly able to form the words in his mouth, he instructed the servants to call for Ah Fu, the watchman, and get him to fetch the constable to attend to the things on the table. Then, he promptly got out of bed and dressed without another word.4 Let us continue to relate how the constable was in the inn listening to the two young monks telling him about what happened at the White Cloud Temple and declaring that the perpetrator at large was most certainly the same person who committed the murders at the Merchants Inn.5 Just at that time they saw Ah Fu, the watchman from the Jia Mansion, run in, all in a fluster. “Constable, I have been searching for you since early morning and I finally find you here.” The people there, all knew the household manager of Jia Mansion. “So you’ve come to hear the news too. The monk has had his head rubbed off by his woman. Can it be that you heard about this fascinating story, and because you’ve never come across anything quite like it before, your ears yearned to hear more?” Ah Fu ignored these lewd remarks and instead spoke directly to the constable: “Please come quickly to the mansion. Last night we lost several 4 5

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valuable items of jewellery. There is also a sword and a note.” Lowering his voice he continued: “Some scoundrel has cut off my master’s queue.” Despite the quietness of his voice the group all heard what he said. Everyone was puzzled by it and began to ask questions all at once. But Ah Fu did not reply. The constable stood up, shook his head and bellowed with mock authority, “How can any good come of this?” Ah Fu was quick to reply: “As the saying goes, ‘in the end an ugly wife must meet her husband’s parents.’ This matter cannot be ignored forever and must be dealt with forthwith—it is unavoidable.” He grabbed the constable, pulled him out of the inn and headed towards the Jia Mansion. We will talk no more about what happened to them on the way. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 9 An eight-column letter resolves a major incident, And a half-spoken sentence settles a case of murder.

Let us proceed to relate how the watchman Ah Fu brought the constable to Jia Mansion and led him into Jia Tianxiang’s study where he greeted his host with a bow and stood to attention. “Constable,” Jia Tianxiang addressed him in pompous tones. “Yesterday evening there occurred a number of homicides in your zone of jurisdiction and an assortment of treasured articles have been purloined from this residence. Indubitably, this is terrible news.” The Constable heard this string of verbiage, Jia’s poor attempt at officialese. “Your humble servant does not deserve to live,” he repeated a few times for the sake of form. “This is not a question of whether one deserves to live or die. We must get to the bottom of it. Have you reported it to the authorities yet?”6 “Not yet,” the constable replied. “If that’s the case you must take my letter and present it to them now.” The constable agreed to this, repeating himself a few times in an effort to appear efficient. Jia Tianxiang drafted another letter and gave it to Ah

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Fu: “You must deliver this letter to the magistrate and go with the constable to request that an inquest be carried out.” Ah Fu acknowledged his master’s instructions and he and the constable backed out of the room together. Jia Village was not all that far from the county town but they hired a couple of donkeys to take them there nonetheless. By the time they arrived it was already lunchtime, so they dismounted and went to the inn to eat. The constable was a notorious drunkard and on being tempted by wine how could he refuse! Although it goes without saying that when you are on official business alcohol should be avoided, Ah Fu was also a drinker of the highest order—like the fabled sage Liu Ling—and he and the constable would ordinarily drink together in their local inn. Now it turned into a cup for you and a bowl for me—one after the other. As they were drinking they suddenly noticed the sun going down, so they promptly finished off their meal, paid up and sped off to the county yamen. As they arrived at the yamen gates all was quiet and there was not a soul to be seen. Ah Fu was a regular visitor and the constable was himself attached to the yamen, so they knew to hurry round to the gatehouse, where they found four men gambling. The gatekeeper saw them arrive: “What a rare treat to have the pleasure of your company. What is your business here today?” He chuckled. “I have brought a letter,” Ah Fu replied. “Might I trouble you to deliver it for me please?” “Calm down, calm down, there’s no rush, the magistrate is not sitting today,” was the gatekeeper’s reply. “Last night he didn’t return until it was already getting light.” “That may well be, but even so he must get up right this moment as the letter is of the utmost urgency.” “Wait for us to finish this round, and I’ll take it in for you then,” the gatekeeper reluctantly agreed. Turning to the constable he asked: “And what is your business here?” “Liao Kong, abbot of the White Cloud Temple has been murdered but his head is nowhere to be found and two people have been killed at the Merchants Inn. Might I put you to the trouble of delivering a request to the magistrate to hold an inquest?” “Do you think the magistrate has all the time in the world to spare. When night is falling and all is quiet, do you really think he would actually be in a position to go to the countryside to hold an inquest? Keep your letter and bring it with you to the court session tomorrow morning.”

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As he said this the men finished their game. The gatekeeper stood up, snatched up the letter that Ah Fu had given him and was about to take it in when the constable saw that he really did appear to be unwilling to deliver the letter he had brought. “Oh, what was I thinking?” The constable said hastily, taking out a paper packet and handing it to the gatekeeper. “Please take this small offering and buy some wine for you and your friends.” “No need for such courtesy,” said the gatekeeper changing his tune. “I was only fooling around with you. Don’t take it so seriously. Wait here please.”7 As he said this he took the paper packet and with trembling fingers stuffed it into his pocket before entering the building. After just a short while he returned. “The district magistrate will go to your mansion tomorrow and has written a letter of reply,” he addressed Ah Fu and gave him the note. He then said to the constable: “You go back and attend to your duties. Tomorrow morning the district magistrate will visit the countryside to hold an inquest.” The two messengers bid farewell, mounted the donkeys and on their return parted company to carry out their own duties. Ah Fu went back home to report to his employer and presented him with the letter. Jia Tianxiang tore it open and read it through, but had nothing more to say to him, so Ah Fu courteously backed out of the room to go and drink his favourite Suzhou yellow wine. Jia Tianxiang wrapped the sword together with the monk’s head as he had found it. When night came he sent for Ah Fu again and told him to take the head back to the White Cloud Temple. Ah Fu followed his boss’s orders and went off to deal with the matter without delay. It turns out that in the letter Jia received back from the district magistrate he had been instructed to return the head to the temple, a matter that would be easily dealt with. Jia Tianxiang did as he was bade and ordered it to be taken back together with the sword. All was deposited safely. By next morning everyone in the neighbourhood knew of the case, and came to hear about this remarkable matter for themselves. Jia Village, usually so quiet, was suddenly bustling with noise and excitement. Those with nothing better to do spent all their time discussing the situation. Some said the monk had flouted the rules; others said he was once a bandit and that the Merchant 7

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Inn was a place of evil. Opinions were numerous and no one could agree amongst themselves, but for now we will not discuss the matter further. Instead, let us proceed to relate how, as noon approached, the sound of suona, sheng, chanting, and gongs could be heard processing along the road. The district magistrate, sitting in a magnificent eight-person palanquin was entering Jia Village. The constable was there to greet him and escorted him to the White Cloud Temple. The two junior monks came out in a hurry to meet them and the magistrate made a cursory examination of Liao Kong’s corpse. He saw a body with no head. So this was the headless monk! He sent the yamen runners out in all directions to search for the head. When they came to a dry well in the garden they discovered a bundle. They hurriedly untied it so they could examine it more closely and discovered that this was indeed the severed head they had been looking for, wrapped in a piece of red cloth, together with a knife. They immediately took these to the magistrate, who inspected them himself and ordered that the two junior monks be brought before him for questioning. He cross-examined them and they proceeded to tell him what had happened to them during the night.8 He then asked them how they had been set free. “How many monks are there in your temple?” “There is only our master and we two disciples at the temple. There is no one else, not even a fourth person,” one of the monks replied, quite pleased with himself. “Since there are only three of you, then who was it who set you free?” They were completely stumped by this question and looked at each other in utter bewilderment, neither of them daring to say a thing. The magistrate brought down his gavel on the table with a crash and ordered the attendants to punish them by slapping them about the face. The poor monks were beaten black and blue and blood flowed all around. This was the first time they had suffered since leaving their mothers’ wombs and they cried out repeatedly for mercy. “Quickly, tell me the truth, otherwise I have more effective methods of persuasion. On hearing this, the young monks told him what had happened—now in full detail. When the magistrate finished hearing their confession he took up an official vermillion tally and ordered the yamen runners to apprehend the woman and get her to approach the table. In fact, the woman had already made her way into the crowd to watch the 8

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excitement. She saw the magistrate’s brutal cross examination and the punishment that had been meted out to the junior monks, so she dared not tell any lies and readily confessed to everything when brought before him. The magistrate ordered that Liao Kong’s bedroom should be searched and all sorts of women’s attire was found there amongst the men’s clothing, together with a variety of prohibited items, including lewd and obscene pictures and lethal weapons—altogether several dozen items. The magistrate ordered that these should be stored away for safe keeping in his private quarters, and then continued to the Merchant Inn to investigate further. Here were discovered a quantity of human bones and all were convinced this was a thoroughly wicked place. When these matters had been dealt with, they repaired to Jia Mansion. Jia Tianxiang hastily came out to welcome the magistrate and invited him into his studio, where serving boys brought in fine tea and delicacies. He dismissed the servants and gave the letter that had been left in his bedroom to the magistrate to read. Having read it through, he said: “Since this is the situation, I shall treat the two cases as one.” He determined that both cases had been brought about by acts of wickedness. “These cases can be dealt with by taking a softly-softly approach. Ultimately, the crimes may be covered up and will prove to be no hindrance to the advancement of my career. That Merchant Inn is an evil place. From now on it must remain closed, as it is a danger to the safety of travellers. With regard to the other crimes, there is no need to search for the perpetrator; it can de reliably ascertained that it was the dead man who was found in the inn. The matter is now closed.” Jia Tianxiang heard this and sycophantically repeated over and over again how well everything had been handled by the magistrate: “That’s wonderful, that’s wonderful. As expected, your plan has worked out well. Not only is my brother-in-law’s future guaranteed but my own livelihood can now be assured.” The two of them discussed the matter further and concluded that what at first had been a major incident had now vanished into nothing. Meanwhile, let us not forget that Ma Suzhen was safely on her way to Shanghai. There she would be able to take revenge for her brother, who unbeknown to her at this time, had been so cruelly murdered. This is something that will be introduced later but for now we will discuss it no further. Instead, we will continue to talk of the district magistrate at the Jia mansion. When Jia Tianxiang and he had finished their discussion and everything was settled, it was decided that the magistrate should return to the yamen and sum up the case in court the following morning.

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To begin the summing up all witnesses were assembled together. It was confirmed that Liao Kong and the Merchant Inn cases both happened as a result of wicked acts. Liao Kong had been murdered and as a result the murderer had taken his own life in order to escape punishment. As the perpetrator was already dead the investigation was now concluded. In neither case was there need for further enquiry. The constable made the funeral arrangements, the corpses were dressed and prepared for burial and the paperwork signed. In addition, Ah Xie the inn keeper had not taken sufficient care of himself and had met his end. It was realised that the two junior monks had nothing whatsoever to do with the matter but the woman was only released after receiving 300 lashes and it was determined that she should be placed in the care of her family. The White Cloud Temple was looking for a new abbot. The Merchants Inn was closed down. All matters were settled and detailed confessions had been presented to the court. One hundred days after the decision was made, the authorities in Peking returned their verdict and this grave matter was put behind them, vanishing into the mist without a trace. Those government officials of the Qing dynasty were not very good at other things but they were certainly without peer when it came to dealing with cases such as this, and in this particular game—a real speciality of theirs—not one loose thread remained and not the slightest error was made. This is just what the judiciary was like in China. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 10 After three days’ journey, safely arriving in Jinling, And a smooth voyage by ferry, crossing over to Shanghai.

Let us proceed to relate how Ma Suzhen bid farewell to Madam Wang and travelled forward on her journey alone. Her plan was to hire a donkey in order to make the journey less arduous. She had no knowledge of the terrain, added to which, her worries concerning the murders she had left behind at Jia Village, made her feel a little nervous. She avoided bigger towns where there were many people and took only the smaller roads in the countryside so as not to attract attention. On the day of departure she rode until noon but could not find a place to eat. There was nothing for

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it, she could only take out her dried beef and wheaten biscuits to stave off her cravings. Now that she had satisfied the god of hunger she set off again on the road ahead. No sign of mankind could be seen, all was mist, creepers, the lairs of foxes and rabbit holes. Cheerlessness and desolation filled her eyes. It was almost like she was no longer in the human realm. It was such a very different land, as if she had forsaken the abode of man. The sun was hazy, giving off but scant light by which to travel, and Ma could see no sign of human habitation. A solitary figure, she travelled alone. She could not help feeling a little frightened, but knew well that to be weak and timid would be counterproductive, so she plucked up enough courage to forge ahead on her journey. As she rode along, the sun was sinking and with each step her donkey took she became ever more afraid. The exhausted birds were returning to their nests and the light of the vanishing red sun shone down all around so that everything appeared as if it were bathed in blood. The scene laid out before her was devoid of any sign of civilization. Ma began to wonder where she might be forced to make her bed for the night—on which piece of undergrowth, under which bush—with nothing but foxes and rabbits as her companions. She sized things up, looking for somewhere suitable to settle down, while at the same time scouring the shadows in the forest for anything untoward. She began to feel a little panicked, as she kept imagining to herself who or what might partner her that night. This lone being, like a ghost in the wilderness, on encountering this hair-raising situation was unable to defy it. In a situation such as this, one could not rely on the fact that one was a hero without match. This was not a place where martial arts would be of any use. Ma Suzhen’s mind was turning over and over like a windlass raising water from a well. By now, the flaming ball of the sun—like a great drop of blood—had long since sunk beneath the horizon. She no longer wished to see this terrifying scene but used the very last rays of sunlight, a faint hazy red, to help her on her way, this female knight errant all alone. The moon revealed itself through the night clouds in the east. It was not quite yet a perfect sphere, so from this she could estimate the date to be the 13th or 14th of the month. That bright moon, so pure and without impediment, hung alone in the sky, making the remote and desolate land in which she was travelling feel even more eerie and unnatural—almost as if all around was submerged under water. Suddenly, a night bird in the branches overhead screeched its hair-­ raising cry. That was the last straw. Having heard quite enough, Ma sped away as if her life depended on it. In situations such as this, the less you desire to hear something the more jarring on your nerves it becomes. Ma

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Suzhen continued to make her escape and finally it seemed like she might have put that bleak and desolate place behind her. The landscape laid out before her transformed, much like a scene change in a theatrical performance. Now she could see on both sides of the road a number of thatched cottages and lamplight was visible through the cracks in their decrepit walls. For Ma this was like stumbling across a hoard of treasure and immediately she began to feel more positive about everything. She hurried forward and raised her hand to knock on the door of one of the cottages. A man’s voice cried out in response from within: “Who’s there?” Ma Suzhen did not dare appear too presumptuous so she simply responded with a wordless cry. The man opened the door. He turned out to be a local man from southern climes, unlike anyone she had met before. “Who is it you are looking for?” He spoke with a strange southern accent. Ma Suzhen quickly responded with a smile: “Sir, I am sorry to trouble you. I am a traveller who has strayed from the path and have been unable to find a place to sleep for the night. I wonder if I might stay in your honourable home so as to protect myself from the jaws of jackals and wolves. An opportunity such as this is truly the greatest fortune for one who is away from home.” As she said this she clasped her hands in front of her and bowed: “Sir, please take pity on me.” The man scrutinised her face carefully. Then, looking her up and down, he said: “Why not. Since you are so far from home and in a fix, I can help you. Please do come in.” Ma Suzhen heard what he said as if they were the words of Confucius and with great reverence she entered the cottage. The man shut the door behind her and Ma followed him into the back of the cottage where she saw an elderly lady spinning yarn under the light of a lamp. The table was set with cups and plates and the man helped himself to a drink from the flask in his hand. On the wall of the cottage hung rabbits, geese and other game. Ma Suzhen approached the old lady and bowed humbly, while the man offered her a seat and asked her name. Ma told him, and asked the same of him. “My name is Zhang Futian, my family are from Jinling and I have come here to make my living as a hunter. This is my mother.” Ma and Futian continued to chat and the atmosphere gradually became more congenial. The old lady was listening in and interrupted her son to say: “Futian, pay less attention to chit chat. This man has been travelling day and night and

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hasn‘t eaten dinner yet. There is still some pork on the stove. Invite our guest to eat.” “I don’t want to put you to any trouble,” Ma said hastily. As it happens she had been riding for the whole day, so how could she not feel famished? Up to now, though, she had thought she might have to go hungry, as chewing on the dried meat and biscuits from her bundle in front of her hosts would just not do. So, on hearing the old lady invite her to eat, how could she refuse? Nevertheless, for the sake of good manners she made a few noises of dissent. Ignoring Ma’s protestations, Futian followed his mother’s instructions, went off to the kitchen and returned with a large bowl of pork and a generous helping of rice. He put them down on the table and invited Ma Suzhen to eat. By this time she no longer felt like standing on ceremony and tucked into two bowls full, before laying down her chopsticks. Futian tidied up and suggested that now it was time to retire to bed. “Futian, you sleep on the bed with our guest and I’ll spend the night on the floor,” the old lady suggested. “Mother, why don’t you sleep on the bed? I will sleep on the floor with this gentleman.” Ma Suzhen heard this and was at a loss what to do. “Please do as you wish, I’ll just sleep against the wall here,” she stuttered. “How can that be right? You must sleep with my son Futian.” “I’m not used to sleeping in the same bed as other people, though,” she nervously ventured, by way of an excuse. “In that case you sleep on the bed by yourself,” suggested the old lady. “No, I daren’t do that. It’s best if I sleep here,” she said, pointing to the floor insistently. On hearing this, Futian said to his mother, with notable impatience: “Just let him do as he pleases. Now let’s go to bed.” Aware of their great kindness Ma could only confess: “It is not that I am ungrateful for you hospitality, it is just that I am … am … I am a woman.” “What? The old lady exclaimed in surprise. “You are a woman?” Then why are you dressed like that?” Ma Suzhen proceeded to tell them all about her brother falling ill in Shanghai, and her receiving the letter which had made up her mind to visit him. On hearing of her exploits the old lady declared: “If it is as you say then you really are a hero amongst women.”

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“No wonder there are holes in your ears for earrings,” was Futian’s blunt observation. On hearing this, Ma turned red with embarrassment. “Tonight you must stay with us,” said the old lady by way of conclusion. And Ma Suzhen agreed with thanks. We will talk no more of what happened that evening. When morning came Ma Suzhen rose to say her goodbyes. “Travelling to Shanghai is rather quicker by river,” the old lady offered her advice. “Thank you, I shall first take the southern road and then catch the boat to Shanghai.” “Since you are passing through Nanking, what do you say if I send Futian along with you?” Although Ma Suzhen was grateful for the kind offer, she did show some reluctance. “You wouldn’t have to think of him as your travel partner,” the old lady explained. “He can go with you for some of the way and will make a trip to the family home to see how things are. You only need to travel together for part of the journey.” “Very well,” she agreed, “that sounds fine to me.” Thereupon, she and Futian bade farewell to the old lady and set out on their journey. When they were hungry they ate, when they were thirsty they slaked their thirst; travelling by day and resting by night, but we will say no more of that for now. Before long they had crossed the Yangtze and were now arriving in Nanking. The city walls, built in the Ming dynasty, were lofty and imposing and the streets bustled with excitement. It really was a prosperous and thriving place. Even though it was nothing like the Nanking of today, Ma Suzhen still thought it a feast for the eyes and found it hard to take everything in. She settled down in a hotel while Futian went to find out the times of the ferries to Shanghai. As luck would have it, one was leaving the following day. That evening Ma Suzhen made preparations for her visit to Shanghai and the next day Futian went to see her off on the boat. At the docks Ma said a few final words to Futian before saying goodbye. “If you happen to be passing our home again, I beseech you, do stay with us for a few days,” he said in reply. “I shall certainly pay my respects, should I have the opportunity,” she promised and finally bade him farewell. Soon after, the ferry’s whistle sounded three times, and raising anchor it went forward on its way. Forging ahead on the wind and waves the female knight errant was conveyed to Shanghai to act out the next part of

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our story. Here in my studio, though, the weather has turned cold, the sun is sinking, and the ink in my inkstone is frozen solid. I’ve got as far as this in my account but must now put down my pen and stroll down to the inn at the crossroads to purchase a few bowls of wine with which to warm my bones. I will then continue to tell the tale of Ma Suzhen and how she took revenge for her brother. This is a true story but I’m afraid my writing is not really up to the task. I do hope the reader will forgive me for this. We will meet again anon, but for the moment, gentle reader, farewell!

Part Two Chapter 11 Ma Suzhen arrives in Shanghai on a Kuaisheng ferry, And Chai Jiuyun introduces himself at the Mingli Guest House.

The ear-piercing scream of the steam whistle sounded and the Kuaisheng Company ferry, the size of a mountain, pounded the surf and rode the waves as it set out on its journey. All around was brimming with life, while the sun was rising in the sky and the morning mist still lingered. The sun reflected on the river’s surface, transforming it into a smooth sheet like agate. At this time most passengers were still asleep, lost in their own worlds of dreams. On deck a young woman, somewhat bedraggled, stood staring into the far distance, lost in thought. The whistle sounded again and the ferry slowed its speed. On turning a corner, suddenly, far off in the distance could be seen a few city lights that had not yet been extinguished, resembling stars in the morning sky, scattered and faint, so that nothing could be made out clearly. Surely this must be that bustling city of Shanghai! Who was that young woman? It goes without saying. This was the main player in our story … Ma Suzhen. Let us proceed to relate how, since the time of Ma Suzhen’s adventures when she rooted out evil to bring peace to the worthy in the first part of this book, she had passed through Nanking and was on board a steam ferry to Shanghai. At last the metropolis was in sight. Now she would be able to pause for a while and reunite with her brother, although she was a little unsure what she would actually say to him when they came to be reunited. At that moment her mind was turning over like the machines in

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the boiler room of the ferry as she stared straight ahead into the middle distance, thinking of no one thing in particular. Before long, the sun had risen half way in the sky and all around her the land was brightening up. Other passengers were gathering their things together ready to disembark. Ma Suzhen realised that they must be about to arrive but just to make certain she enquired of a fellow traveller: “What is this place and how far are we from Shanghai?” “We are already at Wusongkou and will arrive in Shanghai in about an hour,” was the passenger’s excited reply. Ma Suzhen went to pack her belongings. She didn’t have much in the way of superfluous things in her hand luggage, just items for everyday use and a thinly padded quilt. Soon the boat arrived at the customs gates and docked at berth number 16. The crowds of porters that had gathered on the docks all rushed forward, and grabbed the passengers’ luggage, while agents from hotels who had come to meet the boat, held up advertising cards and leaflets for their hotels. All were yelling at the top of their voices, making for an atmosphere of such confusion that it was difficult to hear anything clearly at all—in stark contrast to the peace and quiet of the boat just now. Ma Suzhen followed the crowd ashore. As a strong woman and martial artist she required no help with her baggage and carried it ashore unaided. She was now on dry land but was not at all sure where to go. As the saying goes: “you cannot touch the head of the ten-foot monk”—she simply couldn’t make head nor tale of anything. What is more, she was unable to make sense of the letter from Chai Jiuyun. Although there was an address written on it, how would she ever find his residence alone? Just as she was mulling this over a man approached and handed her a business card. “Miss, are you looking for a room?” Ma Suzhen took the card from him and read it through.9 It turned out to be for the Mingli Guest House, and on it were clearly listed all the costs of board and lodging: rooms—1 to 5 cents, and food—1 cent per person, per day. From this Ma Suzhen realised that the Mingli must be one of those new-fangled, economy business hotels. “Is it in the Yangjingbang foreign concession area, south of the Chinese City?” She asked. “That is correct.” “I am not familiar with the area,” she told the man.  See Inconsistencies in the Story on page xvii.

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“That is no problem,” he replied and called over a rickshaw puller, telling him the address and placing her luggage inside the vehicle. The rickshaw puller delivered her to the entrance of the Mingli Guest House and proceeded to take her luggage inside. The staff saw that a guest was arriving and came forward to greet her. Ma took out the business card she had been given and handed it to the receptionist. She paid the rickshaw driver and was led to her room, where her luggage was brought in and safely installed. Once she had signed the guest book and partaken of a light meal, she showed Chai Jiuyun’s address to the attendant who explained to her where it was in Shanghai. “Will you seek it out for me please,” she asked, and wrote a note for him to take to Chai Jiuyun. Ma Suzhen sat quietly in the room and waited, but her mind was turning over and over like a windlass raising water from a well. She despaired of the fact that she was unable to see Chai Jiuyun there and then, so that she might find out the whereabouts of her brother. When you are as impatient to see someone as this, yet have no option but to wait, you choose one place to sit but can’t get comfortable, you choose another place to sit but still can’t get comfortable; Ma Suzhen felt like an ant on a burning-hot stone: standing or sitting, she just couldn’t settle down. In her boredom she took to examining everything around her in great detail. On one side of the room was a wooden couch hung with a white silk curtain on which her luggage had been placed. There was a diminutive window, next to which a pair of Meigong chairs were placed round a Four Immortals Table, and on top of this sat utensils for making tea. Ma Suzhen felt uncharacteristically low in that room and was becoming really rather depressed. A vivacious young lady in such tedious and dreary circumstances, she felt like a songbird trapped in a finely-wrought cage. Outside, in contrast, all was bustling with excitement. She dared not set a foot out of the door, however, as she was a stranger to the area and might so easily get lost. In her boredom she could only unroll her quilt and stretch out on the bed to while away the time. Her original aim had been just to get a little rest, but, without realising it, she shut her eyes and fell fast asleep. In her dreams she experienced all manner of visions brought on by what had happened to her during the day so far. While she was in a deep slumber the waiter returned from the Chai residence in the Chinese city. He went straight to Ma’s room but found that the door was shut; he raised his hand, went to push it open, but discovered it was bolted from the inside. In the end, he went off to busy himself with other tasks. Ma slept for a while and when she awoke she saw it was already getting dark.

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The sun had sunk to rest and could be seen no more, so the room was considerably darker than it had been before. She sat up, rubbed her tired eyes, opened the door and could see that the lamps had already been lit in the hallway. Some appeared to be on a string. Others had a metal stalk and stood on top of the furniture in the hall, glowing with a greenish light. Ma saw them but was a little puzzled as to exactly what they were. She examined the lamp on the table but all she could see was something that resembled a glass vase, which was both dazzling to the eye and burning hot to the touch.10 She returned to her room and saw that there too was a lamp with a string attached to it. She lit a match and went to light the lamp but couldn’t find the place from where to light it. There was no wick, and no oil. Ma Suzhen pondered this for a while but in the end she was still at a complete loss what to do. She lowered her hand and stood there dumbfounded (Fig. 3). All the while it was getting darker in the room, so she pulled herself together and went to the door to call the attendant. She heard someone shout out in response and a moment later a man arrived to turn on the lights. All of a sudden the room was flooded with light. Ma Suzhen was amazed by this and asked herself how, with no flame in his hand, the lamp had suddenly come alight when the attendant moved close to it. “What sort of mechanism is this?” She asked the attendant. “You didn’t use a flame just now but it is now alight. I was going to use a match but I couldn’t find the wick.” The attendant heard this and began to chuckle to himself. She saw him laughing at her and was puzzled. What was funny about what she had just said? She thought for a while but simply couldn’t understand what was wrong, so she asked him directly: “What exactly are you laughing at?” “There’s nothing really funny about it,” he replied. “It is only that I have just seen an extraordinary thing.” “What extraordinary thing is that? I just asked you how the lamp was lit.” The attendant showed her the switch on the wall and she finally understood how it worked. Then she started to experiment for herself. Flicking the switch up the light went off and the whole room was in darkness. She had just turned it off when suddenly someone walked briskly into the vestibule of the room. If you wish to know who it was and what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.  See Changes to the Text on page xvii.

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Fig. 3  Using a flame to light an electric lamp

Chapter 12 Trying out an electric light is the cause of great mirth, And riding in a rickshaw is a source of unbridled joy.

Let us proceed to relate how Ma Suzhen was in her room experimenting with the electric light. For those who live in Shanghai there was

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nothing remarkable about electricity. However, for Ma, who had seen nothing like it before, the notion of electric light was something very unfamiliar indeed. Just as she was talking to the attendant a man entered the vestibule. Ma Suzhen did not recognise him and just stood there staring. The attendant approached him. “Sir, may I ask your name and for whom you are looking?” The man heard that someone was addressing him and on making out the attendant in the dark asked: “Are these the rooms of Miss Ma?” “That is correct.” As he said this the attendant switched on the light. The man proceeded to enter the room and addressed Ma Suzhen. “Are you Ma Suzhen from Shandong?” “Yes, and who might you be? What can I do for you?” The man took out the letter he had just received and handed it to her. She saw her note and realised this must be Chai Jiuyun. Just the person she had been hoping to see. “So you are Uncle Chai. Sorry for my lack of manners,” she said, straightening up. Chai Jiuyun said a few words of no consequence and then came to the point: “On receiving your communication I came right over. When did you leave Shandong?” “When I received your letter informing me that my brother is ill I was so anxious that I left the following day on the overland route to Nanking, after which I took a paddle steamer to Shanghai and arrived here earlier this morning. Because I’m unfamiliar with the roads and didn’t know how to get to your residence, as I had originally planned to do, I could only wait here for your noble presence. I imagine my brother has already recovered from his illness. Is that so?” Chai Jiuyun heard Ma Suzhen mention her brother’s name and reacted immediately. It was as if someone had poured vinegar on a sore spot and he could not but help reveal this on his face. He did not dare answer her directly, though, as he was afraid that if she heard the truth she would become overly distressed. All he could do now was cover it up by muttering a few perfunctory words: “Because your brother’s illness is so serious he is unable to leave hospital for the moment.” “Where is the hospital?” This rather stumped Chai Jiuyun, who for a while could not answer the question. Eventually he thought to say: “He is in a foreign hospital.” “Where is this foreign hospital,” she asked urgently. “How far is it from here? Let’s go there right away.” Chai thought to himself that if the truth

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were revealed she would be unable to contain her grief. “Let’s go tomorrow,” he suggested. “It’s getting late and the hospital will soon be closing.” You can get away with saying things like this to dupe visitors to the city. Those who are new to Shanghai can be easily palmed off in this way. Chai Jiuyun thought to himself that although he was able to fob her off this evening, when it came to the following day she would no doubt ask the same question. So how was he to answer her? As he thought about this he became increasingly concerned, while at the same time he desperately wanted to explain to her about her brother’s death. But now, in the hotel, what if some sort of scene were to take place, it would be most inconvenient. His mind was turning over and over like a windlass raising water from a well and the expression on his face revealed his state of confusion. Ma Suzhen saw this and realised something strange was going on. She looked hard at Chai Jiuyun and saw that he was blushing slightly with embarrassment. “Staying in these rooms is not a long-term option,” Chai Jiuyun said, changing the subject. “It would be more comfortable for you if you were to come and stay at my humble home for a few days. When your brother is better we can think of other options then.” Ma Suzhen agreed to his suggestion, so Chai called the attendant, explained the situation and offered to pay a day’s board and lodging. On understanding the guest was leaving, the attendant gathered Ma’s bedding and luggage together. Chai Jiuyun paid a silver dollar and after the room and food had been deducted, the remainder was given to the attendant as a tip. On seeing such a rare occurrence he was quite overjoyed. He had given free rein to flattery and it had paid off. He went off to hail a couple of rickshaws and placed the luggage safely inside them. In those days the city gates had not yet been demolished and vehicles could not pass directly through from one side to the other, so when Chai and Ma arrived they had to get out of the rickshaws and transfer into two others within the Chinese City. When they reached the front door of the Chai residence, Chai Jiuyun got out of the rickshaw first, knocked on the door and instructed his servants to bring Ma’s luggage inside. He paid the rickshaw pullers and led Ma into the reception room. This was the first time she’d been there so she looked around her with great curiosity. It was an old-fashioned three-up three-down house. The reception room was at the front and that led directly into the study. The back room functioned as the drawing room and the bedrooms were upstairs. Ma Suzhen entered the drawing room and saw a row of French windows laid out in front of

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her. Outside, in the centre of the courtyard grew roses and other flowers. The bright red blooms and the contrasting green of their foliage were a feast for the eyes to behold. The courtyard was paved with cobblestones. On one side grew a Sweet Osmanthus, while on the other an old plum tree stood. What a pity that at that moment she was unable to fully appreciate their wonderful fragrance. The drawing room was laid out with a number of low tables and chairs down the sides, as well as a larger table and a pair of high-back chairs in the middle. Paintings hung on the walls together with calligraphic screens made of lacquer, and above, in the centre, there was a horizontal plaque inscribed with an auspicious calligraphic inscription. Below this was a larger scroll painting, and on either side hung a pair of rhyming couplets. Ma Suzhen sat herself down on one of the chairs, then Chai Jiuyun came to join her. The serving girl brought in tea and Chai Jiuyun instructed her to tell the mistress that the sister of Master Ma Yongzhen of Shandong, Miss Ma Suzhen, was here and she should come down to meet her. The servant went away to do as she was bade and after a short time returned. “Master, Madam invites you to go to speak with her upstairs.” “What is the mistress doing there?” “Madam is sleeping.” Chai Jiuyun heard this and said to Ma Suzhen: “Please be seated and wait a while, I have something to attend to.” “Of course, please do as you wish,” she replied. Chai Jiuyun went into the bedroom and saw his wife lying on her side facing the wall. On hearing footsteps Madam Chai sat up. “Where is the great man from Shandong?” She asked. “No, you have misunderstood, it is not Ma Yongzhen who is here; it is his younger sister, Ma Suzhen.” “Horse or Ox I have no idea what is going on.11 What do you want me to do? Why do you want me to meet her?” Chai Jiuyun told her about what had happened at the hotel and went on to remind her how Ma Yongzhen had been killed. He asked his wife if she would take on the task of telling Ma Suzhen how her brother had been murdered after falling into a dastardly trap. “You are unable to tell her yourself so you would you like me to do it for you, is that it?”  The family name “Ma” 馬 is also the Chinese character for “horse”.

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“It’s not that I am unwilling to tell her,” he replied. “It is just I am afraid that she will be terribly hurt and there will be no one to console her and save the situation. “So you want to hand this tricky task over to me to deal with.” “It is not that I want to make things difficult for you, it is just that you are both women and I think you would be more able to resolve the situation and cheer her up a little.” “If that is the case I will go and tell her.” “But wait a moment, she has only just arrived and we have not yet eaten the evening meal. If you tell her now she will break down in tears and who knows what will come of it.” “So you don’t want me to speak to her but at the same time you do want me speak to her!” she said sarcastically. “You come downstairs and keep her company, have a little chat and eat a pleasant meal, and while you’re about it you can bring up the subject in passing and offer her some comfort.” “Seeing as that is the case what need is there for idle chatter?” “Let’s not go on about it now, our guest is sitting downstairs all alone. We must go down and see her.” If you wish to know what happened next and how the matter was resolved you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 13 At dinner, chatting with Madam Chai, Ma makes a friend, And on Foochow Road, Suzhen watches a play.

Let us continue to relate how Ma Suzhen waited alone for a while until Chai Jiuyun and his wife came downstairs and entered the drawing room. Madam Chai walked over to greet her: “Miss Ma,” she said. “Madam,” Ma Suzhen replied in turn. Madam Chai sat down and the two women began to chat about Ma’s journey. Ma told Madam Chai everything that had happened blow by blow. Her hostess listened alternately with surprise and joy and in the end marvelled at her bravery. Ma Suzhen basked in her praise for a moment then continued by asking her hostess about Shanghai. Madam Chai proceeded to tell her about local customs and before they knew it they had been chatting for quite some time. The serving girl came in to tell them the evening meal was served. Chai Jiuyun was not eating at

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home, as a friend of his had invited him out for the evening, so there were just the two of them for dinner and they could chat to their hearts’ content. Although this was their first meeting, from the cordial manner with which they conversed, it seemed like they were old friends. When dinner was over, the serving girl brought in a bowl of warm water for them to refresh themselves. Having now got to know Ma Suzhen a little, Madam Chai didn’t feel very much like bringing up the subject of her brother’s death, so she made the decision not to mention it for the moment. “This is your first time in Shanghai,” Madam Chai said to Ma Suzhen. “Everything is so hectic here and there is nothing in particular for me to invite you to. I suggest we go to the international settlement and watch a play.” “Thank you very much for your kind hospitality but I don’t want to put you to any trouble.” “This is what is required of a host; it is right for me to do so.” They went off to change and when they had put on their evening finery the servants were instructed to call for two rickshaws. They exited the gates of the Chinese city and went straight to what is known locally in Shanghai as “Fourth Avenue”—Foochow Road in the International Settlement. On arrival, Ma Suzhen looked around and saw that all about her was full of colour, brimming over with extravagance. All manner of lights shone brilliantly wherever she looked, so dazzling to her eyes was it that she felt like Granny Liu from the Dream of the Red Chamber on first entering Prospect Garden: there was simply too much for the eye to take in. They arrived at the playhouse where the performance was to take place, got out of the rickshaws, showed their tickets and were led inside by the usher. The people there knew Madam Chai was the wife of Chai Jiuyun and were particularly solicitous about serving her with face towels, tea and cigarettes. All around was brimming over with excitement. On stage the third act was already in progress. The auditorium was of a substantial size and was crowded full of people. Looking up at the stage Ma Suzhen was in awe of what lay before her. Just as she was lost in wonder, the electric lights went out and all around was suddenly plunged into darkness. Ma Suzhen had no idea what was going on and became really rather alarmed. After a while, her nerves calmed, her eyes became accustomed to the dark, and she was able to make things out on stage again. They were performing the play based on the popular Buddhist tale Mulian Rescues his Mother— where he is wandering in King Yama’s hall in hell—and people were being split open, skinned, and boiled alive. Ma was terrified out of her wits.

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“Madam, what is going on here?” “Don’t you know? I suppose you cannot be blamed for that. This colourfully painted curtain is known as ‘stage scenery’.” The electric lights changed on stage. “What is stage scenery?” She asked. “The hall of King Yama that you saw just now is stage scenery.” Ma Suzhen began to realise this was a theatrical scene and there was nothing real about it. They watched another act of Mulian Rescues his Mother and when that came to an end, thought it such great fun that they continued to fix their eyes on stage to watch the remaining acts. This was followed by the final play of the evening, the exciting and action-packed Lone Tree Pass. The gongs and drums on stage struck up an earth-­ shattering din, assailing the eardrums of everyone present. Ma Suzhen was thoroughly enjoying herself and her spirits were lifted a hundredfold. After what seemed like just a short while, this play, too, came to an end and the audience dispersed amid excited praise and chatter. As they left the auditorium, crowds of rickshaw pullers and horse-drawn cab drivers that had congregated out front were shouting loudly, vying for attention: “Rickshaws for hire!”, “Horses and carriages!”, “Fine palanquins!” Madam Chai chose a horse and carriage and told the driver the address, she agreed a price then made herself comfortable next to Ma Suzhen. As the driver raised his whip to spur on the horse, it reared up with its hooves thrashing around in the air, and with a crack of the whip it galloped fast ahead. The rumbling of hooves on the ground was deafening. The shops on either side flashed past and vanished into the distance behind them, and the electric lights sped by so quickly that they twinkled like stars in the sky. A short while later, having transferred into two rickshaws at the city gates as usual, they arrived at the Chai residence. Madam Chai and Ma Suzhen got out of the rickshaws, paid the fare, knocked on the door and stepped into the reception hall. Chai Jiuyun had long since returned home. “Did you go to watch a play in the International Settlement then?” He asked them. Madam Chai replied that they had. “What play did you see?” “It was very good,” Ma Suzhen interjected excitedly. “There was the Hall of King Yama … with scenery!” “Is that so?” Chai Jiuyun said knowingly. “Do you have something you want to tell us?” Madam Chai asked. “Oh, don’t be like that. Can it be that you wish to pick a quarrel with me?”

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“It is not that we want to pick a quarrel but how could you possibly know which play we went to see?” “How do you know that I don’t know?” asked Chai Jiuyun playfully. “If you don’t believe me then I’ll tell you. Today’s play was the journey of Mulian into the ten halls of hell. Is that not the case?” “That’s right, but I don’t understand how you know that,” Madam Chai replied. “I was also on Foochow Road today, so how could I not know?” “Uncle Chai, you were on Foochow Road today. How come we didn’t see you there?” Ma asked somewhat naïvely. “Foochow Road is a long and busy road,” Chai Jiuyun replied with a chuckle. “It is only natural that we didn’t bump into each other there.” Their conversation was interrupted by the serving girls bringing in some snacks: a plate of spring pancakes and another of delicious steamed buns. Chai Jiuyun invited Ma Suzhen to be seated and Madam Chai also took her place. The three of them sat around the table and ate for a while before the clock on the wall struck one. “It is already one o’clock,” Madam Chai said. “At this time of year the nights are so short. It will get light at four or five.” Chai took his wife aside and asked her in subdued tones: “Have you raised that matter with her yet?” “I thought she looked so happy and could not bring myself to hurt her feelings.” “As the saying goes: ‘since a canker has formed a knife must be used to cut it out.’ If you don’t tell her now, when tomorrow comes and she asks about her brother again, how are you going to find the right time to tell her then?” Chai Jiuyun finished what he was saying and looked at his wife. “Why do you look at me in that way?” “No matter what, I am relying on you in this matter. You tell her at a time that suits you. I will not get involved.” “There is no time tonight. We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” Madam Chai said. “That sounds fine to me,” he replied. Ma Suzhen saw the two of them talking together. She couldn’t make out anything they were saying but she fixed her eyes on them and watched nonetheless. After a short while the snacks were finished and the serving girls brought in hot towels to freshen up. “It’s getting late,” Chai said finally. “If you both go upstairs I will sleep downstairs tonight.”

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“Yes, you go off to sleep,” Madam Chai replied. “Tomorrow you have work to do at the yamen.” “Very well. I’m off to bed. You two should get some sleep as well.” On saying this, he left the room. The serving girl saw the ladies were going to bed and guided them upstairs with the aid of a lamp. Madam Chai and Ma Suzhen followed her to the bedroom. It turned out that Madam Chai’s bedroom overlooked the garden. At the back stood a large bed made of hongmu wood. There was a hongmu cupboard and a hongmu dressing table. This part of the room could be said to be a Chinese-style room decked out entirely in hongmu. On the other side of the round, moon window, which acted as a partition, the room was laid out in the Western manner: there was an octagonal table surrounded by four Western-style chairs; on the sideboard there was a silver flower vase together with four cups and against the wall a sofa was placed. Hanging on the walls were all manner of Western landscape oil paintings and in the middle was a massive framed photograph—a portrait of Chai Jiuyun’s parents. The serving girl came in, placed the oil lamp out of the way on the table and turned on the electric light. Ma Suzhen and Madam Chai followed her in. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 14 A candle is trimmed and tea is brewed, in deep discussion about events gone by, And fuming with rage, with the gnashing of teeth, vehemently vowing to take revenge.

Let us continue to relate how Ma Suzhen and Madam Chai entered the bedroom. Ma was invited to be seated and the serving girl served tea, then left the room to retire for the night. “It is a rare treat to be able to share a bed together; to deepen our friendship and discuss our innermost feelings,” Madam Chai said to Ma Suzhen. “This is pure fate. I am from Shandong and you live in Shanghai. Now we have been brought together under one roof and your family has befriended my brother Ma Yongzhen. Because he has fallen ill I’ve come

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to Shanghai but have not yet had the chance to see him. I wonder how he’s faring in hospital all alone.” Madam Chai listened to Ma Suzhen’s words and decided that the time had come. If she didn’t tell her now she never would. Madam Chai plucked up the courage. “Your brother, at this moment, I’m afraid to say…is no longer here …” She got as far as this and stopped what she was saying, afraid that to go on might cause her guest to be overcome with grief. Ma Suzhen heard this half-spoken sentence. “Madam, you haven’t finished what you were going to say. Why do you not tell me more? If my brother is no longer in hospital, then where is he?” This question rather stumped Madam Chai as she had not prepared anything to say in advance. “Indeed he is no longer in hospital,” she managed to spit out. “Then where is he?” Ma asked again. Madam Chai was pressed further into a corner by this question. Now, stunned into silence, she was unable to say a thing. The expression on her face, though, revealed her reluctance to speak. Ma Suzhen saw this and became rather confused: “Madam, why do you say such strange things? It is really hard for me to understand.” “It is not that I am being deliberately ambiguous,” Madam Chai replied. “It’s just if I were to tell you I’m afraid you will…” Again, the words got stuck in her throat. “You’re afraid that I will what? Please feel free to say what you please.” “If I am to tell you then I shall, but whatever you do, please do not upset yourself.” On hearing this Ma already half understood. She thought back to recent days and to when she had the nightmare at home. It was as she was thinking this over that she finally realised that her brother was no longer with them. Tears flowed down her cheeks and washed her powdered face clean. Seeing this, Madam Chai, too, broke down. Ma Suzhen spoke through her sobs: “So that’s how things are,” she said knowingly. She was choked by her own tears and was unable to finish all she wanted to say. Madam Chai managed to bring her tears under control a little and with a trembling voice finally managed to speak: “Your brother is no longer on this earth.” Although she had already guessed as much, Ma heard these words like a clap of thunder on a fine day in spring, and the tears that flowed down her cheeks were like pearly drops of rain streaming down from the

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heavens. Madam Chai saw how distraught she was, weeping so bitterly, and promptly tried to console her: “Those who are dead cannot return to life,” she urged. “You must quickly take revenge.” On hearing the word “revenge” Ma suddenly stopped crying and wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. “But why do you speak of revenge?” she asked in surprise. “Can it be that my brother did not die from illness?” “What’s all this about illness?” Madam Chai replied. “Was he not ill? Why did Uncle Chai send me a letter telling me that my brother was ill in bed?” “Oh, I see. That was because he was afraid that sending you a letter informing you of his death would break your heart, and if he wrote to tell you there was nothing to worry about then you may not bother to come. He thought it over carefully and decided it would be best simply to say that your brother was ill in bed. He thought if you received a letter to that effect there was no chance that you would not come.” “No wonder I had that dream at home,” Ma said. “What dream is that?” “I dreamt I saw my brother and he was all covered in blood. He stood before me soaked in blood and out of his mouth came the words that he wanted me to take revenge.” “This is what we thought would happen. Your brother was such a brave fellow and a hero, so, after he was murdered, retribution would be sure to follow. It turns out that your brother went all the way to Shandong and appeared to you in a dream, asking that you take revenge for him so as to wipe the slate clean.” “Retribution after a murder is, of course, a matter of personal responsibility, and must be undertaken by the victim’s own flesh and blood. But I don’t even know on whom I should take revenge.” She looked to Madam Chai for an answer. “The perpetrators…that is a long story and I will need time to explain it to you.” She trimmed the wick of the candle on the table, poured two cups of tea and passed one to Ma. “Drink a cup to sooth your throat. It is late. We should get some rest. We’ll talk about it in the morning.” Ma Suzhen took the cup in her hands and thanked her. “That is not necessary. I shall not sleep until this matter has been cleared up once and for all. Anyway, it is already three o’clock and it will soon be light. Let’s get matters straightened out before we even think of going to bed. Madam, please do take this time for me tonight … for my sake.”

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“If you don’t want to sleep then I might as well tell you directly.” She began her story: “When your brother first arrived in Shanghai no one knew who he was. He often went to ride his horses by Sinza Police Station and gained a certain amount of influence there. Later, he sought fame at the Race Track and people became familiar with him there too. They got to know this man called Ma Yongzhen who was achieving some notoriety and starting to have dealings with a number of people. Jiuyun also made his acquaintance at this time. Ma performed as a strongman and after he lifted the stone ding tripod more people got to know his name and an increasing number wanted to test their strength against him.” “There is nothing wrong with competing in strength, so what sort of upheaval can it have caused?” Asked Ma Suzhen. “Although this did not create trouble in itself the seeds of disaster were sown because of it.” “The seeds were sown with this? How so?” “Your brother became rather conceited, he saw how many challenges he had won, so, together with his disciples, he set up a martial arts challenge at Bubbling Well Road, where he defeated a foreigner known as Yellow Beard.” “What sort of fellow is this Yellow Beard?” Asked Ma Suzhen. “Yellow Beard is a French Hercules who gained some fame in Shanghai. After being defeated by your brother, though, he was toppled from his pedestal and from that time on harboured hate within his bosom, which ultimately led to him taking revenge. Later there was a fight in the teahouse at Pahsienjiao but after being taken to the police station Yellow Beard suffered not one bit, as someone paid five silver dollars for his release and that of Scrofulous Bai.” “Who is Scrofulous Bai?” “Scrofulous Bai is also a horse trader and like your brother races horses. I don’t understand the situation very clearly either but I heard it had something to do with the fact that he rode one of his horses to complete exhaustion while racing with your brother. Jiuyun knows more about it.” “Let’s not talk of that now. How did my brother die? That is what I really need to know.” “This was also down to Scrofulous Bai. I heard that he took charge of a scheme cooked up by his second in command, Lu the Lackey and invited a mob called the Axe Head Gang to join them. Someone by the name of Cheng Zimin started a fight at a small teahouse by the Nicheng Bridge at Sinza. First they threw a bag of quicklime in your brother’s eyes to blind

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him, then chopped off his arm with an axe. When the news reached us he was already in hospital. You will have to wait until morning and ask Jiuyun to find out all the details.” Having heard this evening’s explanation Ma was furious and slammed her fist down on the table: “If I, Ma Suzhen, do not take revenge for this, how can I call myself human?” She gnashed her teeth and swore that at all costs she would be avenged. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 15 With the crow of the cockerel a whole night’s sleep is lost, And with the song of the oriel Ma is woken from her dreams.

The glow from the sun, like a great ball of fire, gradually revealed itself behind the curtain of clouds and started to light up the land. The small birds perched in the tree in the middle of the courtyard were chirping away, and, as the strident call of the cockerel was heard, all under heaven became bathed in light. The sunshine shone through the glass windowpane and the guttering candle on the table shed its last tears of wax, while its flickering flame faded into nothingness. The two women sat in the room hanging their heads and speaking in muted tones. “Madam, it is already light and we have not had any sleep. You must go to bed.” “Miss Ma, you should also get some rest. A whole night without sleep can make one feel so very uncomfortable.” “At such a time as this, when I am so full of grief, how could I possibly think of sleep?” She protested, wiping away her tears. “That is true but you must think of your health. There’s plenty of time for you to take revenge. Don’t make yourself ill because of it. If you fall ill it will defeat the object as you would no longer be able to carry it through. You have responsibilities now and you must not show even the slightest weakness. Hurry along and get some sleep, and remember, at this time of morning it can get quite cold. If you’re not careful you’ll catch a chill.” “There is nothing to worry about there. The sort of breeze that blows at this time is the early morning mao wind. When the wind blows at this time of day it is actually beneficial for one’s health.”

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“No wonder those who rise early are always in such good health,” Madam Chai exclaimed. “We who rise late, on the other hand, are always so lethargic.” “This certainly has something to do with a person’s health but has more to do with the quality of the air. Naturally the air in the morning is fresh and bracing. The later one rises in the morning the more turbid it becomes, so when people breathe it in, they will more easily fall ill.” “No wonder those foreigners get up so early in the morning. They so rarely fall ill.” “This is not just the case with foreigners, of course. Chinese people are the same.” “If that’s the case then let’s not go to sleep.” She got up, opened the door and called down the corridor for the serving girl. Chai Jiuyun was going to work at the yamen today so he was already up and about. Hearing his wife’s voice he came along the corridor to see what she was doing up so early. “We haven’t been to sleep,” Madam Chai replied to his question. “Why ever not?” He asked in surprise. “We were talking all night and didn’t even get to the end of what we needed to say.” On hearing this Chai took her into the corridor and lowered his voice. “Have you spoken to her about that urgent matter yet?” “I have indeed told her, but even so…” she said cagily. “How did she take it?” “When she first heard the news she broke down in tears. Afterwards, I managed to console her a little and now all she has in mind is one thing— revenge. Come inside, there are still a few things she needs to ask you.” “I’ll go in and have a word with her.” Madam Chai accompanied her husband into the bedroom. They could see Ma Suzhen standing alone by the open window, even though it was springtime and outside the cold of the wind could be felt on the face. “So, neither of you slept last night? Chai Jiuyun asked. “If you’ve been talking all night you seem to be in pretty good spirits.” Ma Suzhen suddenly turned around. “Uncle Chai you too are up so early.” On seeing him standing there she couldn’t help but come straight to the point: “Please tell me how my brother died.” “It is a long story,” he said. “I must to go to the yamen now. I don’t have much time, so can’t discuss this with you in any detail. Wait till I get back and I’ll explain everything to you then.” As he said this he noticed

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the tears on Ma’s delicate cheeks—like pearly raindrops gently clinging to pear blossom. “You look so sad. Please do not be sad. This matter will work itself out in the end. The long plan is to take revenge, but we must not be too impatient.” Ma Suzhen heard what Chai Jiuyun said and stood there for a while staring into the middle distance, tears still flowing down her cheeks. “Uncle Chai, I will need your help to take revenge for my brother,” she sobbed. “I am but a weak and feeble woman with little understanding of worldly matters; I am unfamiliar with the area, and have never seen the faces of those on whom I’m to be avenged.” “Come now, don’t talk like that,” Chai Jiuyun urged her. “How could I possibly not do all within my power to help you. As for getting to see those who are the object of your revenge, that is easy enough. That mob can be found every day drinking at Yidongtian teahouse on Pakhoi Road.” “I must go in search of them today. Tell me, what do you think of that?” “Going to see them today is certainly possible but this morning I have no time.” As he said this the serving girl brought in a bowl of hot water and Chai Jiuyun invited Ma Suzhen to wash her face. “I must go now,” he said. “Wait a little while and I’ll be back.” “What time will that be, Uncle Chai?” “I cannot say for sure. If there is nothing important for me to do at the office, I’ll be back very soon. If there is something I need to deal with, then who knows.” “Very well, I shall wait for you here.” Chai Jiuyun made his farewells and exited the room. As he did so he whispered a few words of instruction to Madam Chai before leaving the house to go to the yamen. To tell of the work he did there is not necessary to our story, so instead let us continue to relate how Ma Suzhen washed and brushed her hair while Madam Chai attended to her own ablutions and then instructed the serving girl to prepare breakfast. The two women went downstairs to the drawing room where breakfast had been laid out. When they had finished eating, after sitting idly for a while, Madam Chai began to feel terribly tired. “A whole night without sleep has really made me feel quite unwell,” she said. “I don’t feel tired at all,” Ma Suzhen replied, trying to persuade herself of the truth of what she was saying.

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“That is because you are fitter than I, so you wouldn’t really understand the way I feel.” “If you’re tired you must get some sleep. You are not used to being awake all night.” Though just a short while before Madam Chai had thought she didn’t need any sleep, her eyelids were now getting heavier by the second. “This is no good at all. Please feel free to go to bed.” Ma said. “You must also get some rest. After all there is nothing in particular for us to do now,” Madam Chai replied. Ma Suzhen agreed and the two of them went back upstairs together. Madam Chai, fully clothed, fell onto the bed and in no time fell into a deep sleep, breathing heavily. Ma Suzhen had things on her mind so how could she think of sleeping? She stood by the window and looked at the flowers in the courtyard under the early morning sun. Full of worry she stood, trying to think up an effective plan. She concluded that there was no question she must take revenge for her brother, but, for now, feeling both weary and rather at a loss what to do, she sat down in a chair to rest. A strong desire to sleep suddenly overcame her and in that state, losing all control, she gradually closed her eyes. Then, neither asleep nor awake, with eyes tightly shut, she became fully conscious of every sound around her and could make out everything quite clearly. Sounds entered her dreams and were enough to keep her semi-conscious on that fine sunny morning. The ten thousand things were bursting with life outside in the courtyard, and although it wasn’t the time of year for the old osmanthus to bloom, a lone yellow oriole was sitting in its branches trying out its new song. All at once that bold and piercing melody broke the silence and invaded her reverie, causing her to awaken from her slumber. She opened her drowsy eyes, straightened up, yawned, and shuffled over to the window. She saw the oriole sitting on the branch, singing its song, and could hear the swallows under the eaves chirping away. On hearing such beautiful birdsong, most people would think it delightful and pleasing to the ear, but as Ma Suzhen listened, a feeling of animosity arose within her breast. The insistent birdsong began to grate on her nerves, like vinegar poured on an open wound. Gradually, an uncontrollable feeling of anger overcame her as she thought of the death of her brother and the tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls, falling down one by one to soak her neck and breast. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, while at the same time the song of the oriole became ever more insistent. Ma Suzhen could stand it no longer and took hold of the pole

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used to open and close the shutters and like a military commander issued an order for the oriole to depart. Startled by this unexpected assault, with a sudden flutter of its wings, the oriole flew off straight ahead. Having shewed the bird away Ma sat down in the chair again and before long drifted off into a deep sleep. While she and Madam Chai slept, peacefully snoring on the Handan road—that road of fantasy and illusion—they didn’t notice someone’s arrival. If you wish to know who that person was you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 16 A patterned quilt enshrouds the corpse, while sleeping soundly dreams are dreamed, And the tong wood coffin holds the bones, while bitter tears flood and flow.

Let us proceed to relate how Chai Jiuyun left the house to go to the yamen but happily found there was nothing important for him to keep him there, so he stayed for just a short while before returning home. He took his private rickshaw up to his front door, by which time it was almost midday. Rushing inside he looked around but all was quiet and there was no one anywhere to be seen. He went to the drawing room but still couldn’t find his wife or their guest. He thought for a while and guessed they must be upstairs. Completely mystified, he proceeded upstairs and went to the bedroom door, which he found to be closed, with no sound coming from within. This made him even more perplexed so he gently pushed the door open and went in to look. It turned out that the two women were sound asleep in the land of dreams, snoring heartily away. He went up to the bed and called to his wife. “The sun is up. Rise and shine,” he said playfully. “Aren’t you going to the yamen today?” She mumbled, still half lost in her reverie. “Let me sleep a little longer,” she added, turning over and going back to sleep. “Up all night and now so soundly asleep,” he said to himself, as he strolled over to the dressing table, picked up a cigar, lit it, and drew deeply on it a few times. On looking round the room he noticed the open window and mumbled to himself: “If you don’t close the window you’ll catch a chill.” He went over to shut it and the clatter woke up Ma Suzhen. As she looked around she saw Chai Jiuyun standing there. Sitting up in bed

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she rubbed her tired eyes and yawned: “Uncle Chai, you are back from the yamen.” “Yes I am, and it seems you two have been fast asleep. In fact, your auntie is still not awake.” On hearing this Ma Suzhen walked over and urged Madam Chai to wake up. “When did you get back from the yamen?” She asked her husband, now fully awake. “How strange to have nodded off and slept for so long.” “It’s still early, it’s still early. It’s not even one o’clock.” He reassured her playfully. “We dozed off and half the day has gone by already. Time passes so quickly,” Ma added. While the three of them were chatting away, Madam Chai caught sight of herself in the mirror, and, noticing that her hairdo was all awry, she began to rearrange it. As Chai Jiuyun and Ma Suzhen stood by the window Old Ruan, the old retainer called up to them from the courtyard below: “Young Master, there is someone here to see you.” Chai Jiuyun heard the sound of voices, so he opened the window again, leaned out and questioned those down below: “Who is it looking for me?” “It is someone from the police station at Nicheng Bridge by Sinza Road,” the servant replied. “Tell him to wait and I’ll be right down.” He quickly closed the window and went over to Madam Chai: “You take lunch first. I have a visitor.” “Go on down and stop being so troublesome, one knows oneself when one should eat one’s lunch.” “I was only thinking of you. You never appreciate when someone is trying to be kind to you,” he teased her. “Alright, it could indeed be said that I don’t recognise when someone is trying to be kind,” she said, looking away and smiling coquettishly. Chai Jiuyun saw this clearly in the mirror, and, smiling to himself, he went downstairs. When Madam Chai had finished putting her hair in order, she and Ma went down to the drawing room together. “Shall I serve lunch?” The serving girl asked. “Yes, do serve it.” “But wait a moment,” Ma interjected, “Uncle Chai is not here.” “No need to wait for him. He has a guest and has no time. We will dine without him.”

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Ma Suzhen said no more and they waited for the serving girl to bring in the food. The two ladies sat down to lunch but they had only just taken up their chopsticks and had not yet tasted the food when they saw Chai Jiuyun leading someone into the room. “This is your brother’s disciple, Inspector Pei,” he said to Ma Suzhen. On hearing this she asked the visitor: “What brings you here?” “I came to Shanghai with your brother,” replied Inspector Pei. “Were you in Shanghai when your master died?” “I was not here at the time,” he replied. “Do you know what happened at the time of his death?” Ma Suzhen enquired. “Master Ma was by himself. He got up early in the morning and went to a small teahouse to drink tea but was discovered by Scrofulous Bai who sent the Axe Head Gang to set a deadly trap. They threw quicklime in his face to blind him and struck at him wildly with their axes and swords, hacking off one of his arms.” When Ma Suzhen heard this her tears flowed unceasingly, like a broken string of pearls. On seeing her crying in this way Inspector Pei dared not continue. Ma Suzhen wept a little longer, then quizzed him again: “What about you and your fellows? Why did you not go to his rescue? Can it be that you were all dead!” she said with some impatience. “When we heard the news we went as quickly as we could. In the end we found him while he was still alive and took him to the hospital. Tragically, after just one day, he was taken from us and went up to the heavens.” Having got to this point in his account he too broke down in tears. “Where is the coffin being kept?” Ma asked. “It is at the hall of the Shandong Native-Place Association,” Inspector Pei replied, wiping away his tears. “Uncle Chai, since arriving in Shanghai I have not yet been to pay my respects. I would like to go to the hall today to burn incense and offer up sacrifices of paper money.” “Of course,” he answered hastily. “As luck would have it, I have nothing on this afternoon and can go with you together to the hall. It is not for nothing that we have become friends in this way.” He got as far as this and on remembering his relationship with his old friend he too began to weep. Ma Suzhen broke down in tears again and in no time the house was full of pitiful wailing. “If you are going to pay your respects, you must eat something first,” Madam Chai said after a while. “This food has been laid out to be eaten,

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yet all you do is cry and wail, and anyway, we have a guest and he should be invited to join us.” Chai Jiuyun heard this, wiped the tears from his eyes, and hurriedly invited Inspector Pei to join them. “Thank you Uncle Chai, I have eaten already,” was Pei’s reply. “Come, come, don’t stand on ceremony,” Chai protested. “On the contrary, when visiting Uncle Chai’s house I always feel so at home.” “Since you’ve eaten already will you wait for us then?” Ma asked, and the Inspector agreed. Under the circumstances, Ma Suzhen, Chai and his wife, could only pick at their food. When they had finished washing their hands and faces Ma Suzhen fished out a silver dollar. “Take this and ask Old Ruan to buy some paper ingots, incense and candles,” she instructed the serving girl. “Wait! I have already sent the servants to buy more than enough, you need not go to that expense,” Chai interjected. “That cannot be,” Ma replied, “I’m going to pay my respects to my brother. It is not right that you should spend your money.” “What is the point of quibbling over niceties?” Chai replied. “It is not that I am quibbling over niceties and neither is it just for the sake of politeness. If I was just being polite I would not be staying at your noble house.” “Since that is the case I won’t stand on ceremony either,” Chai conceded. “Quite right, there should be no need for hollow pleasantries between us.” As the two of them were speaking, Old Ruan came in to inform them that everything was now prepared. Chai Jiuyun told him to call for two rickshaws. Old Ruan complied and after a short while the three of them left the house together. Chai Jiuyun lent his own private rickshaw to Ma Suzhen and he and Inspector Pei took the remaining vehicles to the assembly hall of the Shandong Native-Place Association, changing vehicles as they arrived at the city gates. Nothing of consequence happened on the way and before they knew it they had arrived at their destination. They got out of the rickshaws and the drivers took the funerary offerings into the hall. The staff came out to greet them and led them to the small room where Ma Yongzhen’s coffin lay. Ma Suzhen stepped into the room and looked around inquisitively. She was horrified to find cobwebs hanging from the doors and dust lying thickly all over the floor. In front of the coffin some plain wooden benches and a pine alter table were laid out and on the table

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stood an incense burner and a pair of candlesticks. The dust on the table was several layers thick and the spent wax from the countless candles that had burned there over the weeks and months had formed into thick clumps. On seeing this grim and dismal scene Ma Suzhen’s sorrow knew no bounds. How could she hold back her tears? Without reserve and from the bottom of her heart she began to sob. As she wept, in great floods of tears, Chai Jiuyun ordered his drivers to clean away the dust and cobwebs (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4  Chai Jiuyun pays his respects at the assembly hall

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When offerings of fruit had been laid out, incense and candles lit, and paper ingots burned in a pan on the floor, Chai Jiuyun came forward to the alter table, knelt down and knocked his head on the ground out of respect. Inspector Pei followed suit, bowing four times to the deceased. Prostrate on the floor, Ma Suzhen wept and could not bring herself to rise. Chai Jiuyun saw this heart-wrenching situation and could not help but cry tears of grief himself. This was just like the saying: “Eyes flowing with tears see eyes flowing with tears, and the broken-hearted, face the broken-­ hearted.” Inspector Pei saw this and thought back to the time when his master Ma Yongzhen was alive and he too began to weep. Just as the three of them were in floods of tears a man rushed in and bowed to Chai Jiuyun, clasping his hands in front of him. “Brother Chai, I am so delighted to find you here, but why are you in tears?” He asked. Chai Jiuyun heard someone addressing him, pulled himself together and looked up. If you wish to know who that man was you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 17 Liu Junwu, passions stirred, hosts a meeting at the assembly hall, And Cheng Zimin, on receiving news, postpones his visits to the opium den.

Let us proceed to relate how Chai Jiuyun and Ma Suzhen went to the assembly hall to offer sacrifices to the deceased. On seeing the sad state of the hall, Ma Suzhen burst into floods of tears. Chai Jiuyun was set off by Ma Suzhen and he himself began to cry. Just as the assembled mourners were all in full flow a man walked in and spoke to Chai Jiuyun, “Brother Chai.” Chai Jiuyun heard he was being addressed, stopped crying and looked up. It was none other than one of the current directors of the assembly hall, Liu Junwu. “Mr. Liu, you are also here today!” Chai exclaimed. “I have come to attend to some official business,” Liu Junwu replied, “what about you, what has brought you here? Who are these people

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offering sacrifices in floods of tears? Is this young lady your honourable wife?” He asked, gesturing towards Ma Suzhen. “No, not at all. This young lady is actually from your part of the world.” Ma Suzhen heard them talking about her, so she stopped crying, straightened up, wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand, and walked up to Liu Junwu. “I understand you are also from Shandong.” “Mr. Liu is a director of this assembly hall.” Chai Jiuyun introduced them. “Since you are the director, this matter requires your leadership.” “Miss, what is your honourable name?” Liu Junwu asked. “And what is your relationship to Mr. Chai?” Ma Suzhen was given no chance to reply before Chai Jiuyun cut in: “This is Miss Ma. She is the younger sister of Ma Yongzhen.” “So it would appear we have clan ties through our native place. Brother Chai, I was just about to ask you exactly how Ma Yongzhen met his end. The facts of his death are unclear to me. On the streets there are so many versions of the story that they do not throw any real light on the situation.” “It is a long story,” Chai replied, “but it is not so very different from what can be heard on the streets.” “If that’s the case Scrofulous Bai truly is a despicable rogue.” “Remember, though, even if at the outset it was down to Scrofulous Bai, the plans were cooked up and carried through by Lu the Lackey, Cheng Zimin and his Axe Head Gang.” “Mr Liu,” Ma interrupted, “we have a relationship through clan ties and I fear that without your help I will be unable to succeed.” “Since that is the case,” Liu Junwu replied, “I must offer you the strength of my arm to avenge your brother, but revenge is not something that can be achieved in the blinking of an eye. Though I may not have sufficient influence on my own, I will do all within my power to help.” “Mr Liu,” Chai Jiuyun interjected, “what a sense of righteousness you display. Let it not be said that those of us who are still alive do not offer you our gratitude. Even the bleached bones of our ancestors that lie below the earth will thank you for this.”

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“Brother Chai, you are making too much of it. This is a matter of honour and I have a bounden duty to see it through. Furthermore, if we do not find a way to punish the perpetrators they will become even more daring. There will be more attacks on those of us from Shandong, and they will look down on us as with even more derision.” “Although you have kindly offered your assistance, Mr. Liu,” Ma Suzhen said, “I am not quite sure how you will be able to help us.” “At this moment it is difficult to say for certain,” Liu replied. “Allow me to think it over.” The three of them sat down. On seeing that the director had arrived, the servants in the hall offered the group cigarettes and tea. Ma Suzhen then asked them to tidy up the food on the altar and to keep the incense and candles burning. She reflected on the current situation, then thought back to when her brother was alive and could not help becoming tearful once again. “Your brother is already dead there is no point in letting it upset you so,” Liu urged. “Wait until I get home. When I have discussed it with other directors we will decide on the best way to proceed.” “How many people might be willing to discuss this, though? So many will be reluctant to get involved,” Ma suggested. “Would that not mean it is unlikely to succeed?” “Do not concern yourself,” Liu replied. “I have made the decision to carry it through. You must not allow yourself any misgivings. Wait a couple of days and I’ll bring word to you.” “That sounds wonderful indeed,” Ma replied, “but I do not know where you live.” “I have been to Mr. Liu’s esteemed residence so I know exactly where to find him,” Chai replied. “Let’s go!” Liu finally suggested. The four of them stood up and left the assembly hall together. As before, Ma Suzhen took Chai Jiuyun’s personal rickshaw but because there were none for hire, Chai, Liu and Inspector Pei decided to walk together. As they approached Ximen they saw one lone rickshaw, so Chai Jiuyun invited Mr. Liu to take it. Liu in turn offered it to Chai. “It is not that I am being polite,” Chai replied, “but there are two of us and only one of you and anyway you have further to go. Please, do be seated.”

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Liu Junwu did not stand on ceremony and at Chai’s insistence he sat down, bade his farewells and instructed the rickshaw puller to set off. Chai Jiuyun and Inspector Pei walked home at a leisurely pace with the evening sun at their backs and their shadows stretching out before them. When they arrived at the Chai residence Ma Suzhen had already been there for some time. The two men entered the drawing room. “Did you walk all the way home?” Asked Madam Chai. “Yes we did,” her husband replied as he took a seat. “As we arrived at the city wall there were rickshaws available but by that time we were not of a mind to take them.” A short while later the serving girl brought in the evening meal. “It is not even seven o’clock, surely it is too early for dinner?” Chai Jiuyun exclaimed in surprise. “You ate something earlier on but you didn’t eat your fill. Then you walked such a long distance, so I thought you would be famished. Because of this I had the meal prepared a little earlier than usual. If, though, you think it is too soon, it can certainly be taken away again.” “It is not that I feel it’s too early but the usual time for dinner has not yet arrived, so I was just saying.” “Let’s eat then.” Madam Chai decided. At her insistence everybody sat down and the serving girl served the food. The four of them ate together and afterwards chatted idly for a while until it was time for Inspector Pei to take his leave. Because Madam Chai and Ma Suzhen had not slept the previous night they were already feeling thoroughly exhausted so they retired to bed early. Chai Jiuyun had nothing to occupy him and he too went to get some sleep. What happened for the rest of the night need not be spoken of. Let us proceed to relate how ever since Liu Junwu arrived home after his visit to the assembly hall he had been thinking about the Ma Yongzhen case and how best to take it forward. Turning it over in his mind the whole night long he rose at the crack of dawn and after cursorily attending to his ablutions and eating a modest breakfast, he took a rickshaw to visit a friend. His old friend was also from Shandong. His family name was Zhang and he was called Renfu. When he was young he had learned martial arts under an esteemed master and as a result was highly skilled. Now, he owned a shop in Shanghai, acted as a director of the hall and was a great friend of Liu Junwu. Liu had thought about the situation all night and felt he must, at all costs, discuss this with his old friend, so he set off at the crack of dawn to

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visit him. The rickshaw entered the front gates of the compound and Liu got out and paid the fare. As he walked up to the door of the shop he could already see Zhang Renfu sitting at the counter. In turn, Zhang noticed Liu enter the shop and got up to great him: “Brother Liu you are up so early! From where have you come today?” “I have come directly from my humble dwelling and have an important matter to discuss with you.” “What important matter is that, pray?” “It concerns the Ma Yongzhen case.” “Ma Yongzhen?” Zhang exclaimed in surprise. “What has happened now?” Liu handed him a letter from Chai Jiuyun and informed him that Ma Suzhen was in town and the three of them had had a detailed discussion in the assembly hall the day before. “So it would seem that the Ma Yongzhen case is about to move forward,” Zhang Renfu ventured. “What instructions do you have for me?” “Ma Yongzhen was a Shandong native like you and I, and was killed by Scrofulous Bai, Cheng Zimin and their gang but this has passed by with neither the sweet smell of rightful conviction, nor the stink of unjust exoneration. This does not reflect well on those of us who hail from Shandong. Since Ma Suzhen is now in Shanghai to take revenge for her brother, we, her fellow countrymen, should offer her our assistance. I don’t know what you think about that?” “Since you are so full of passion with regard to the upholding of justice, how could I possibly not offer my help too? But you and I have only meagre influence. I suggest we hold a meeting in the assembly hall and invite all those in the city who hail from Shandong to attend.” “That sounds like an excellent idea. Tomorrow I will send out invitations and arrange a day and time for us to meet in the hall.” “Let’s make it the day after tomorrow, and you and I shall put our names to it,” Zhang suggested. “That sounds like a fine idea to me!” Liu agreed. The two men continued to chat for a while, after which, Liu Junwu made his farewells. On his way home he visited Chai Jiuyun’s residence to invite him to join them the day after tomorrow. Chai Jiuyun accepted the offer and Liu Junwu returned home to write the invitations and make the various arrangements. When it came to the day of the meeting, the hall was bustling with excitement. No less than one hundred Shandong natives were in

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attendance. Everyone sat in the hall, talking about this and chatting about that. Some spoke of how the people of Shanghai were always bullying those from Shandong, others spoke about how Ma Suzhen had come to Shanghai to take revenge and how she was a hero worthy of great praise. All were packed into the hall chattering away. Then Liu Junwu explained the matter of Ma Yongzheng to the assembled crowd from beginning to end, so that everyone understood the situation. After a while Ma Suzhen arrived and everyone looked at her and began to whisper amongst themselves. Liu Junwu invited all present to think up a suitable strategy and offer their opinions on the situation, but no ideas were forthcoming. All just spoke amongst themselves. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 18 Submitting a public petition, a case is brought to the yamen, And plotting private revenge, a plan is forged in a teahouse.

Let us continue to relate how Liu Junwu called a meeting at the assembly hall to discuss the matter of Ma Yongzhen. Though more than one hundred people attended, as is the custom of the Chinese, no matter what is discussed, no conclusion is ever easily arrived at. Now it was simply a case of one person saying this and another saying that and no two parties coming to the same conclusion. When Ma Suzhen arrived, this remained the case, with everyone just whispering amongst themselves and nothing concrete being decided upon. Zhang Renfu thought to himself that if negotiations were to continue in this way it would not be possible to present a petition for weeks. He addressed the crowd: “By now, everyone knows of this matter. Ma Suzhen is already in Shanghai. Today you have been invited here for no other reason than to allow you to think up ways that revenge might be taken, so that in the future there will be no repeat of incidents such as this. We have a solution but I don’t know whether it’s going to be possible to carry it through. Someone in the audience responded: “Whatever Mr. Zhang says of course makes perfect sense. Go ahead and say what you have to say.”

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Zhang continued: “It is my own view that we should sign a petition and present it to the yamen to file a case. There is nothing to be lost in doing this.” Everyone agreed that this was a good idea. So it was settled: Zhang Renfu asked Liu Junwu to write a draft petition there and then, which he read out to the assembled crowd. Afterwards, minor corrections were made and it was passed round for selected persons to sign and apply their seals. Other matters were then discussed for a while and Ma Suzhen came out to thank all those present, after which everyone dispersed through the main door. Amongst the people at the meeting was Cheng Zimin’s informant, who went by the name of Poxy Fang. After hearing all that was discussed he rushed straight to the opium den. At that time Cheng Zimin had only just stretched out on the couch and lit up his opium lamp. In the dim light surrounding him he teased the drug in the dull glow of the flame by his side. After smoking three or four pipes in a row, he shut his eyes and began to savour the effect. Next to him one of his underlings was cooking more opium in the flame of a lamp. Poxy Fang stepped into the room, saw Cheng Zimin and addressed him: “Old Cheng,” he said, “the Ma Yongzhen case has been unleashed.” On hearing this Cheng opened his eyes wide in astonishment. “What is that you say?” He asked. “How have things changed?” “Earlier on, Ah Ba of Shandong invited me for a drink at his home. To my surprise, while I was there, an invitation arrived informing him there was going to be a meeting to discuss the Ma Yongzhen case. Later, I noticed a crowd of people entering the Shandong assembly hall so I followed them in. To begin the meeting, someone named Liu spoke a few words and afterwards that Zhang man was put in charge. They called on everybody to sign a petition and to present it to the yamen to file a case.” Cheng Zimin listened to what was said to him. “Has a petition been presented?” “What would be the sense in not presenting one?” Poxy Fang answered. “You go and check whether or not it has been approved. If it has been, then come back and let me know without delay.” Poxy Fang went off to do as he was told. After just three days he heard it had been provisionally approved by the county yamen so he did as he had been instructed by Cheng Zimin and assuming unwarranted authority he went to make further enquiries about the outcome of the assessment. Afterwards he rushed back to Cheng’s home at Zhengjia Bridge in the red

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light district of Shanghai’s French Concession, to make his report. At this time Cheng was not yet up and about, but on hearing the word “approved” he treated it as a warning and immediately sat up on his couch, took a dozen draws on the opium pipe to top himself up, and instructed Poxy Fang to come closer and tell him all. “Has the petition been assessed?” He asked. “Yes. It has been provisionally approved and everything is out.” “If it has been approved there is nothing to be done, but what if the details were to leak out. Would that not lead to me forfeiting my life! From now on I will not be smoking at the opium hall anymore. You must keep everything about this to yourself when you are out and about.” “How could I possibly think of telling anyone anything about it?” Poxy Fang replied. “Go out and discover anything more about the situation that you can,” Cheng Zimin commanded him. “If there is anything being said about it on the street then come and let me know immediately.” Poxy Fang understood his instructions and went to see what he could find out. For now we shall speak of this no more. But instead let us proceed to relate how, from the time of the meeting in the assembly hall, Ma Suzhen had been looking forward night and day to the time when the petition would be approved. Moreover, Chai Jiuyun was on the inside at the yamen and was himself deeply concerned about the news. Of course, news circulated more quickly there than it did on the streets, and by the next day when he returned home he was overjoyed as he already knew with some certainty that it would eventually be approved. “Although it is likely to be approved, the way forward and how things are to be carried out, will all be up to you.” Chai told Ma Suzhen. “Of course this is my problem but I have never set eyes on Scrofulous Bai, Lu the Lackey, Cheng Zimin or the other members of the gang, so I have no idea what they look like. What will happen if, when it comes to making my move, there is a case of mistaken identity? That would certainly be no laughing matter.” “If you want to see what these people look like that is easily arranged. You need only go to the Yidongtian teahouse on Sixth Avenue, Pakhoi Road, as those rogues—that pack of foxes and dogs—always gather there.” “On arrival I’ll be confronted with so many people. How can I ask after them all? Uncle Chai, let’s go together and you can give me some guidance.”

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“That would not be appropriate,” replied Chai. “The fact that we held a meeting and have submitted a petition is now known to everyone in Shanghai. Moreover, I have never been to the teahouse myself. If I were to suddenly turn up there with you, it would definitely arouse suspicion and the criminals would be put on their guard.” “So you are saying that this will be too much of an inconvenience. Is that right?” “There is never anything so difficult that it cannot be resolved. You go away and change back into men’s clothing, then go to the teahouse and act as circumstances present themselves.” She agreed that this was a good plan and changed back into men’s attire, took a rickshaw to Pakhoi Road and arrived at the entrance to the Yidongtian teahouse. After paying the fare, with bold strides, she mounted the stairs to the upper level and saw that the place was crammed full of people. The waiter noticed that a guest had arrived and ran over to greet them. Ma took a seat in a secluded corner and ordered tea. She sipped at her drink but her thoughts were turning over in her mind like a windlass raising water from a well. All she could see were a crowd of working-class ruffians in short tunics, most of whom looked like they worked with horses for a living, but she didn’t know which ones amongst them were Scrofulous Bai and Lu the Lackey. Their names were not written on their faces so how could she distinguish between them? Ma Suzhen waited a while and began to feel rather anxious. I’m here drinking tea but that is not the real reason I’ve come. I need to find Scrofulous Bai, Lu the Lackey and their gang. But when preparing to make my move, if I want to carry my plan through to the end, I may be confronted by a counterplan and then all will be lost. She addressed the waiter: “Today I have come here to deal with a matter that is new to me. On the way here I met a man who entrusted me with a message for one Scrofulous Bai and arranged that I should come to your teahouse, but I am unsure to whom I should deliver the message.” As she said this she quickly scanned the room and for a moment it was as if everything was reflected in a funfair mirror. She knew that now she would be unable to back out. Ma Suzhen’s eyes happened to light on a table by the window around which five or six people were sitting and the man in the middle clearly heard her say his name. He stood up and looked round at her: “Who are you and what do you have to say to me?” he asked. Ma Suzhen saw the man’s face was terribly cruel and that he had an ominous glint in his eye and realised that this must be Scrofulous Bai. So

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she sprang up and walked briskly over to the table and addressed the stranger, doing her best to flatter him: “So you are Mr. Bai. Apologies for my lack of manners.” Scrofulous Bai could hear from the stranger’s accent that he was not from Shanghai. “That is correct,” Bai replied, putting on airs, “and for what reason exactly have you sought me out?” “I come from Shandong,” Ma began to spin a yarn. “Yesterday I met a friend named Mr. Pu who told me there was some business to be done and I should discuss this with your honour. He suggested that I come here to meet your honourable self and invite you to drink some tea.” “Has that Pu man got a small beard and is rather short?” “Yes indeed, that’s him,” Ma cunningly replied. “Are you Mr. Wang?” Scrofulous Bai asked and Ma replied that she was. On hearing this, Scrofulous Bai became more responsive. Ma Suzhen forced herself to address the other people present and it turned out that one of them was Lu the Lackey. All those around them were horse grooms and ruffians. Ma Suzhen saw that the time was right and with exaggerated courtesy continued to flatter them for a while. In the end she invited Scrofulous Bai and Lu the Lackey for dinner. These two were always happy to accept invitations to meals for which they didn’t have to pay, so how could they refuse? Ma Suzhen asked the waiter for the bill and the three of them walked downstairs together. Exiting the door of Yidongtian they walked north to Foochow Road, where they found a suitable restaurant. The waiter saw the guests arrive and came over to greet them. They took their seats and Ma Suzhen deliberately selected some expensive specialities of the house and ordered a generous quantity of wine. As they ate she chatted to Scrofulous Bai to further gain his trust, and spoke about all manner of things, giving the impression of true brotherly affection. As it turned out, Lu the Lackey was a real bootlicker and on seeing Scrofulous Bai so attentive to their host, he also proceeded to toady up to him as best he could. As a group they agreed that they truly regretted not having met until now, while the waiter continued to put wine and food on the table before them. Ma’s guests ate like wolves and scoffed everything down so that not even the slightest morsel remained. Scrofulous Bai had several cups of yellow wine in his belly, which went straight to his head, and he was unable to stop himself from spouting all sorts of nonsense. All this time Ma Suzhen was drawing up a plan in her head. When they had finished eating she asked for the bill and they left the restaurant, but Scrofulous Bai was rather unsteady on his feet, so Ma returned with her

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companions to Yidongtian to have more tea. The three of them sat at a table, drank their tea and continued to chatter about nothing in particular. Ma Suzhen saw that all was going according to plan so she bade them farewell and arranged to meet them again in the teashop the following day. “If you want to see me tomorrow then this is the place to come. I am here every day,” said Bai. Ma Suzhen agreed to the arrangement then walked down the stairs to the front door. Just as she was about to make a quick exit someone ran in from outside, all in a fluster, and bumped straight into her. If you wish to know who that man was you will have to read the following chapter.

Chapter 19 Gutless and ridden with guilt, in the dead of night ghosts are seen, And with a bold act of revenge, in broad daylight foes are slaughtered.

Let us proceed to relate how Ma Suzhen was making her way downstairs to leave the Yidongtian teahouse, when, on reaching the front door, she suddenly collided with another customer. She thought nothing of it and took a rickshaw home. Of her journey we will say no more. But who was that person who passed her so urgently on the stairs? It was none other than Poxy Fang. Let us continue to relate how Poxy Fang accepted Cheng Zimin’s instructions and set off to make discreet enquiries. On getting wind of some intelligence, he immediately went back to report this to his master. Then, as he had the information in hand, he rushed to Yidongtian to tell Scrofulous Bai. As he ran panting up the stairs Poxy Fang happened to bump into Ma Suzhen. Neither of them paid any attention to this, and Poxy Fang continued up the stairs, two and three steps at a time, to find Scrofulous Bai slumped over a table taking a nap. Next to him was Lu the Lackey, bright red in the face with his eyes glazed over—sitting there quite still. On seeing this, Poxy Fang concluded that Lu must have got into a fight again. He approached him and was about to wake him when he was suddenly struck by the strong smell of alcohol assailing his nostrils. On hearing snoring, he took a closer look and it turned out that Lu was fast asleep in a drunken stupor. Poxy Fang realised that that good for nothing had been drinking heavily again. He nudged him a few times and called to him to wake up.

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“Let’s drink a couple more cups,” Lu the Lackey drunkenly mumbled, only half conscious. “If you drink, then so will I,” Poxy Fang replied, unable to resist amusing himself at Lu’s expense. Knowing clearly that it was the wine speaking, Poxy Fang continued to mimic Lu’s drunken tone of voice: “I’ve drunk one already. You drink a couple of bowls.” Lu the Lackey heard this and reached out in front of him, feeling around for a bowl on the table in a state of confusion. Not paying enough attention to what he was doing, he spilt a whole bowl of scalding hot tea all over his hand and jumped up from his seat, screaming in pain. This racket, of course, woke up Scrofulous Bai, who had been sound asleep slouched over the table. Bai rubbed his eyes and yawned. “You just can’t hold your drink. After just two or three rounds you make such a fuss.” Having thus been reprimanded Lu didn’t make another sound. “So you’ve come back to the teashop after being on a booze up, have you?” Poxy Fang asked Bai. “Today a friend had some business to propose so we went to Foochow Road to get some grub and Lu came back in this state. Why have you come?” “Although it may not be of any great importance, today on the street I heard talk of the Ma Yongzhen case,” Poxy Fang replied. He continued, getting closer to Bai’s ear, “I heard that a public petition has been presented to the county yamen.” “Oh…is that so?” Bai said cautiously. “What’s more, I’ve heard that it has now been approved,” Poxy Fang added. “Well, that certainly makes things difficult.” “Cheng Zimin knows all about the situation and sent me to take charge of it. He won’t be leaving home for a few days as he’s afraid there might be trouble.” “I think it might be best to start a new business altogether. That would solve everything,” said Scrofulous Bai. “I fear it’s even too late for that. You are best off remaining in hiding for the foreseeable future.” Scrofulous Bai replied: “The situation has already come to this. Even though it might not be visible right before our eyes, it is still the case. As the saying goes: ‘When Zhang Tianshi was beaten by his mother his Daoist powers were of no use to him’—we have encountered a situation here, and

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although there is potentially a way to deal with it, it is of no use to us right now.” They continued chatting for a while until Poxy Fang took his leave. Scrofulous Bai and Lu the Lackey also went their separate ways. After hearing this alarming news Scrofulous Bai leapt into a rickshaw and returned home without delay. He suddenly felt very afraid. The news had sobered him up completely. Urged on to go quicker all the time, the driver was scared witless and was barely able to pull the rickshaw as he desperately panted for breath. When they arrived at the front gate of his residence, Scrofulous Bai jumped out of the rickshaw, paid the driver, and began thumping on the doors as if he were beating a drum. The servant promptly rushed to open the door and was subjected to all kinds of abuse for his efforts. Bai stepped inside and ordered the servant to quickly lock the door behind him, then, like a puff of smoke, he vanished upstairs to his bedroom and sat down in stunned silence. Thinking all the while of Ma Yongzhen, he repeated all sorts of nonsense to himself, over and over in his mind. The faint glow of the moon shone through the western window over the topmost branches of the trees that stood outside on the street. Most of the sleepy swallows had returned to their nests but a few of them were reluctant to give up the last rays of sun and were circling round the trees, singing their vibrant trilling song. Scrofulous Bai heard this and thought it rather strange. Normally, to most people birdsong would not be considered strange, but normally at sundown Bai would be drinking or seeking pleasure in houses of ill repute. Normally, when would he have time to listen to birdsong at the end of the day? This made him feel rather uneasy. Just moments later the swallow’s chirruping came to an end. But other sounds could be heard on the street in their place: the calls of peddlers in the alleyways outside sounding all together, their street cries strident and bold. This surge of sound had seen off the sun in fright and it was now hiding behind the western hills, unwilling to reappear. Gradually, Scrofulous Bai found it more difficult to make things out in the room, as all around him became bathed in darkness. He covered his eyes and listened, sitting there silently like an old Buddhist monk entering into a state of trance. After a while his wife had finished cooking the evening meal and was coming up the staircase. She held an oil lamp in one hand and was making her way up the stairs one by one. As she pushed open the door she saw that all was in darkness, and this made her jump back in surprise. As a result, the lamp she was holding knocked against wall and fell to the floor, smashing, while the oil from the burning lamp splashed all over her shoes and stockings. In great pain she squatted

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on the ground, patting down her feet to put out the flames. Scrofulous Bai, startled by the crashing sound, suddenly opened his eyes to look, but it was already so dark that he couldn’t even make out the five fingers of his hand in front of him. Scrofulous Bai became even more frightened. He had thought that on opening his eyes the scene would have been the same as when he closed them—with the last vestiges of the evening sun still shining faintly through the window—but all had suddenly changed. How could he not be afraid? He tried to pull himself together and straining his eyes, looked cautiously at what lay on the floor. He could just about make out in the darkness a black formless shape but couldn’t see anything more clearly than that. He managed to say something but how was he to know that that shape on the ground was his injured wife, who, because of her pain, was unable to answer him quickly enough? Noticing there was no reply his courage deserted him and in that cowardly state his imagination ran riot. This is what is meant by: “A suspicious mind gives rise to imaginary ghosts in the dark.” Scrofulous Bai began to feel paranoid. He thought he saw Ma Yongzhen standing right before him in the dark and shrunk back, shaking all over with terror. “Forgive me, spare my life,” he shouted at the top of his voice, his words distorted by fear. This noise frightened his wife who leapt up in panic. As the saying goes: “You cannot touch the head of the ten-foot monk”—she simply couldn’t make head nor tale of anything and was only able to mumble a few ums and ahs. On hearing these unearthly noises Scrofulous Bai took them to be the wailing of Ma’s ghost and every hair on his body stood up on end, while he became more and more anxious. He sunk to his knees with a thud and began knocking his head repeatedly on the floor, begging for mercy. Both he and his wife saw a commotion but neither knew what lay at the root of it. Changing the subject and the scene for the moment let us proceed to relate how, after Ma Suzhen finished drinking with Scrofulous Bai and Lu the Lackey, she took a rickshaw and entered the Chinese city to return to Chai Jiuyun’s house. “You went out so early this morning and have only just returned. I was so worried about you,” Chai Jiuyun said as she entered the house. “I was afraid of what might happen if they found you out. You would have fallen directly into their clutches and they would have stabbed you in the back.” “But I am not afraid,” was Ma’s reply.

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“Although you may not be afraid, there are so many of them in the gang and they know the environment so well. As the saying goes: ‘An Evil dragon cannot grapple with a local snake’—a stranger, no matter how formidable, cannot compete with a ruffian with local knowledge.” “That may well be true, but…,” Ma Suzhen began to reply. “Enough of this idle chatter,” Chai broke in. “What happened between the two of you?” “It turned out well,” she replied, telling him everything that occurred and how she had arranged to return to the teahouse to meet them the next day. “That being the case, when are you going to act?” Chai asked. “I shall wait until the petition has been fully assessed.” “Oh, I didn’t get a chance to tell you,” Chai said urgently. “Shortly after you left this morning someone came to tell me that the petition had finally been fully approved.” Ma Suzhen heard this and could not believe her ears. On being assured by Chai that it was indeed the case, she began to laugh out loud and waved her arms in the air, jumping for joy and raving like a lunatic: “Yongzhen, my brother, you must take extra care in the spirit world, the time for revenge now lies right before our eyes.” She rushed upstairs to where her luggage was stored, took out her flashing blade and held it in her hand. With bold strides she walked back out and bumped straight into Chai Jiuyun. “Uncle Chai take a look at this,” she said, proudly showing him her sword. Chai Jiuyun saw it and noticeably jumped with fright. There was Ma Suzhen with a flashing blade standing valiantly before him. “Are you going to take up your sword just like that?” Chai asked. “Why yes, I shall have revenge for my brother and will take the heads of my enemies.” “But how are you going to take their heads?” “I shall go to that Yidongtian place and find my enemies, strike them down one by one until I have finished them all off.” “But I’m afraid if you seek to take revenge in that way you will never succeed in a hundred years.” Startled by what he said, she looked at him blankly and could think of nothing to say in reply. Tears streamed down her cheeks. If you wish to know what happened next you will have to read the following chapter.

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Chapter 20 A remarkable woman and a remarkable case, the newspapers spread the word, And an extraordinary matter and an extraordinary tale, the narrative is brought to a close.

Let us continue to relate how Ma Suzhen heard Chai Jiuyun’s words about how her heroic ambition to take revenge had come to naught and was now greatly discouraged. Her fervent zeal had diminished by half; it had dropped below freezing point and turned to ice. She couldn’t help bursting into tears as she thought about how despite all the hardship she had endured she was still unable to take her revenge. The more she thought about it the more she wept. Chai saw her weeping and wailing and could not help bursting into tears himself. Only when the serving girl came to invite them to the evening meal did they stop crying. The three of them, Chai Jiuyun, Ma Suzhen and Madam Chai ate together. Madam Chai noticed that the others only picked at their food and could see their cheeks were damp with tears. “Why have the two of you been crying?” She asked with surprise. “I have endured so much coming to Shanghai all alone and have enjoyed the generosity and care of Uncle and Auntie Chai. With your help and that of many others I had at last arrived at my goal and thought that the time when those despicable rogues would get their comeuppance was just around the corner. From what Uncle Chai has told me, though, my hope of taking revenge for my brother has come to nothing.” “What exactly has he said to you to make you so discouraged?” She asked. Chai Jiuyun told her the words that had passed between them. “If it is as he says, has not everything become a complete fantasy?” “Are you able to make use of that sword or not?” Madam Chai asked with a note of urgency. She instructed the serving girl to bring the blade over so that she could look at it. “Although it’s good and sharp,” she said, “it is too long to carry openly and is rather unwieldy. Neither is it convenient to conceal about your person.” “But I only have this one sword,” Ma replied. “Where would I find another more suitable?”

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“I happen to have one in my trunk,” Madam Chai said, much to Ma’s surprise. “Wait a moment and I’ll go and fetch it so you may take a look at it for yourself.” On hearing this, Ma Suzhen was overjoyed and the look of worry and dejection vanished from her face completely. It was as if a great round sun had suddenly appeared in the sky following a heavy rainstorm and was now shining brightly down on the earth. After dinner Ma Suzhen was itching to have a look at the sword, so immediately after they had washed their hands and rinsed their mouths, she urged Madam Chai to go and fetch it. “I will go upstairs and get it for you in a moment.” “Oh, please do,” Ma said impatiently. Madam Chai was unable to resist her pleas and they went up together, led to the bedroom by the serving girl carrying a lamp (Fig. 5). Madam Chai instructed the servant to open the trunk and then fished out a dagger—small and sharp—and handed it to Ma Suzhen. Ma took it in her hand and had a close look. Even though it was little more than three inches long, its blade was as thin as a sheet of paper. Attached to the knife was a red ribbon and a number of faint rust spots could be seen on the blade, although these seemed to have no effect on the remarkable sharpness of its edges. Ma Suzhen held it firmly in her hand and scraped it a few times on the sole of her embroidered shoe. When she looked at it again, all clean and shiny, she realised that those spots had not been rust spots at all, but were small specks of dried blood. Now, under the light, the blade was even more dazzling than before and on testing it out, she found that it was indeed of incomparable sharpness. She was over the moon with happiness and thanked Madam Chai over and over again. “You and I have emotional ties deeper even than flesh and blood so there is no need for these superficial words of courtesy,” Madame Chai replied. “I shall rely on this dagger to go forward and take my revenge. If by chance I am successful in slaying my enemy, I’ll go directly to the ends of the earth, never to return. If, instead, I were to fall into my enemies trap, leading to the severing of the Ma family line, and am unable to take my revenge, then—if I am to be avenged at all—I shall do so in the afterlife.” As she finished what she was saying she began to sob and wail. Madam Chai comforted her for a while and then everyone retired to bed. That night Ma Suzhen slept soundly until the rays of the sun began to shine through the window, at which time she hurriedly got out of bed, and

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Fig. 5  Madam Chai presents a fine blade

dressed as a man in the outfit she had worn the night before. She then concealed the dagger safely within her clothing and bid farewell to her hosts. “I shall go forth now to take my revenge but have no idea whether or not I will be successful. If I am unsuccessful and do not return, please gather my remains and bury them together with those of my brother.”

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“You are about to take revenge all alone so you really must guard against bad luck. How can you say such inauspicious things?” Ma Suzhen heard this and amid sobs and tears was unable to reply. “I had better not show my face,” Chai Jiuyun said. “Otherwise I would go with you.” “There is no need,” Ma replied. “Whatever you do, you must be vigilant. We will wish you all the best from home.” Ma Suzhen assured them that she would be careful. She took a rickshaw directly to Yidongtian on Pakhoi Road. On arrival, she jumped out of the rickshaw, paid the fare and charged straight upstairs. Although the place was crammed to the rafters, Scrofulous Bai and Lu the Lackey were nowhere to be seen. She thought to herself that it must be too early and they had not yet arrived, so she sat down at a table and the waiter brought her tea. “You have come to see Scrofulous Bai, have you not?” The waiter asked. Ma Suzhen replied that she had. “Someone else was looking for him just now. He is busy today so will not be coming to the teahouse.” “What! He is not coming today?” “That is so. He will not be here today.” On hearing this news, her disappointment could be seen written all over her face. “Is it important?” The waiter asked. Ma Suzhen replied that it was indeed extremely urgent. “If that is the case, you could visit him at his home.” Ma Suzhen asked for his address and the waiter told her the directions in detail. She paid up, hurtled down the stairs, beckoned a rickshaw and in no time at all arrived at the residence of Scrofulous Bai. Let us continue to relate how Scrofulous Bai and his wife had spent the whole night seeing ghosts and even now neither of them realised what had actually taken place. Bai dreamed all sorts of strange and horrifying dreams, and all the terrible things he had done over the years flashed before his eyes, as if he were leafing through the annals of his own dreadful deeds. His better nature came to the fore and he finally realised how awful he had been. Goosebumps erupted all over his quivering body. This too was a sign of his innate badness. It was the so-called judgment of conscience. Now, in the early morning, when he had just got out of bed, he wanted to

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turn over a new leaf, repent, make amends and do something good for his fellow beings, so as to secure a good end for himself at the time of his death. However, that evil monster soon raised its ugly head again, when his accomplice Lu the Lackey arrived and the two fiends were united once again. As soon as they were face-to-face they began devising another strategy. This dastardly plan, an offence to the heavens and to reason, was a plot to murder victims for their money and to enrich themselves to the detriment of others. Just as they were eagerly discussing their new plan they heard a loud crashing…the sound of someone knocking at the door. Lu the Lackey shouted out in response and got up to see who was there. When the visitor entered the room they saw that it was that Wang man from Shandong who had invited them to dinner the night before. Scrofulous Bai came forward to welcome his guest and invited him to step inside. “May I enquire what your business is today?” He asked, rather surprised to see him. “On the way home last night I had a word with that fellow Pu and he suggested we all meet today by the Temple of the City Gods.” “What does he want to talk about?” “It is as I mentioned to you yesterday. Today Mr. Pu would like to invite you to dine with him.” As soon as Lu the Lackey heard that they were being invited for something to eat again, he gladly accepted the invitation. Scrofulous Bai had other ideas, though: “I can’t go out today,” he said abruptly, giving his friend a knowing look. What sort of man was Lu the Lackey! How could he not grasp the true meaning of this look? “Don’t worry about it,” Lu said to Scrofulous Bai, shrugging his shoulders. “After all, what harm can there be in going to the City Temple?” Scrofulous Bai finally agreed and the three of them left the house together. Before long, they arrived at the outskirts of the City Temple district. At that time the city walls had not been demolished and the greater part of the original stonework remained, so the three of them were sheltered from prying eyes. By now Ma Suzhen could no longer contain herself. She ground her teeth together, while her mind was in utter disarray: anger flaring up from deep within her breast and bitter hatred igniting within her. The three of them were walking along together, but Ma Suzhen slowed her steps and dropped behind. Suddenly, drawing her dagger, she lunged mercilessly at Scrofulous Bai. He did not have eyes in the

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back of his head so how could he have seen this coming? As the blade struck his neck, blood spurted out in all directions. He screamed and quickly fell to the ground in excruciating pain. He was about to call out again, but how could Ma Suzhen allow this? She raised her knife again and stabbed him twice more in the neck. After just a few seconds not another sound passed his lips, as he lay there still upon the ground. Lu the Lackey saw this horrifying situation, and, realising that things did not look promising at all, he decided to employ the thirty-sixth stratagem: “Retreat to Gain Advantage.” Using the pair of legs his parents had given him when he was born he started to make a run for his life. But he did not run fast enough and Ma Suzhen caught up with him in just a single step. Lu realised the situation was useless and he would be unable to make an escape, so he quickly sank to his knees. Knocking his head on the ground he pleaded at the top of his voice: “Stout yeoman, please forgive me. Spare my inconsequential life. We have had no grievances in the past, you and I, there has been no enmity between us. Why have you come to kill me?” “Do you not know who I am?” Ma asked. Pausing for a moment she raised her voice, “I am Ma Suzhen…sister of Ma Yongzhen.” On hearing the name Ma Yongzhen, Lu fell silent and could only close his eyes and await the coup de grâce. “Now do you understand?” As she said this she bought down the dagger on his neck, stabbing him several times without mercy (Fig. 6). In no time at all the evil doers had had their comeuppance and had been dispatched to the yellow springs of hell. This is what is meant by the old saying: “Virtue has its reward, evil its retribution.” I urge everyone to abide by this maxim. You must do good and not carry out evil deeds. Although I have used the word “retribution” here, this writer does not advocate religious authority, or encourage people to be superstitious. Let us end by relating how, on realising her great act of revenge had finally been successful, Ma Suzhen could now return home to Shandong. Later, the remains of Ma Yongzhen were brought back home too. We must now concede that this magnificent and earth-shattering matter has reached its final conclusion. The day after it occurred, it became the subject of numerous newspapers reports in Shanghai and everything that was known about the matter was reported in great detail. Chai Jiuyun, on reading about it was simply overjoyed. Later he received a letter from Ma Suzhen and learned of her safe return to Shandong. Of this we will speak

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Fig. 6  Ma Suzhen slaughters her enemies in broad daylight

no more. I have brought us thus far in the narrative and my wrists have become painful from endless scribbling. I feel a little lightheaded and my mental and physical energies are much depleted. Having completed the writing of this tale, I’m afraid there are still many details that are sorely

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wanting and I hope the honourable reader will forgive me for any oversights. I pray do not be too picky as I had little time to write the book. As for volume one of the story, that was written by Mr. Qi Fanniu. Only the second part was written by me. My wretched sequel is but a scabby dog’s tail attached to the body of a fine ermine and might best be seen as nothing other than a desecration, like the smearing of dung on the Buddha’s head. I fear, though, that such shortcomings have been impossible to avoid. The story has now come to an end. Gentle reader, I bid you farewell!

A Hero of the Women’s Realm, Ma Suzhen, an Essay by Paul Bevan

Written in the 1920s, during a highpoint in the popularity of Chinese xia 俠 (knight-errant) fiction, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen is an exciting and action-packed comic tale of a young woman who puts wrongs to right on her southward journey from Shandong Province to Jiangnan. Her ultimate goal is to take revenge for her brother, Ma Yongzhen, a gangster, martial artist, horseman and performing strongman who has been murdered by rival horse-trading gangs in China’s most modern and cosmopolitan city, Shanghai. The book’s protagonist, Ma Suzhen, is best known today for films that have been made about her since the 1970s: the Taiwanese, Shanghai tan Ma Suzhen 上海灘馬素貞 (“A Brave Girl-Boxer in Shanghai”) (1972), starring Doris Lung Chun-Erh as Ma Suzhen, and Ma Suzhen fuchou ji 馬 素貞複仇記 (Ma Suzhen Takes Revenge) (1988), made by the Shanghai Film Studio, with Li Yunjuan in the title role.1 The list of films and television drama series that feature her brother Ma Yongzhen in the leading role is more extensive and the latest addition, Ma Yongzhen zhi Zhabei 1  More recently, the character of Ma Suzhen appeared in two television drama series: the 1998 twenty-two part, Hong Kong/Taiwanese production, Ma Yongzhen zhi zhengba Shanghai tan 馬永貞之爭霸上海灘 (Ma Yongzhen’s Power Struggle on the Shanghai Bund a.k.a. Master Ma) and its thirty-nine episode, Mainland Chinese remake, Ma Yongzhen 马永 贞 (Ma Yongzhen), of 2012, both of which feature a completely different take on her role: as Bai Xiaodie (the adopted daughter of Ma’s nemesis, Scrofulous Bai) who turns out to be the hero’s long-lost sister.

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 P. Bevan, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, East Asian Popular Culture, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89035-3_4

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jue 马永贞之闸北决 (“Ma Yongzhen: Duel in Zhabei”), was released as recently as November 2020. The first film to be made about him, Shandong Ma Yongzhen 山東馬永貞 (Ma Yongzhen of Shandong a.k.a “Moo Yun Tsen of Shantung: A Powerful Drama in Ten Parts”), which also introduces his avenging sister, was released in 1927 and was directly based on a 1923 stage play. These are the two main sources responsible for the popularisation of the legend of his sister, for Ma Suzhen is in fact an entirely fictitious character.2 Ma Yongzhen (?–1879), on the other hand, was very much a living, breathing historical figure who rode the horses of Shandong and trod the streets of Shanghai during the mid-nineteenth century. The main theme of the short novel The Adventures of Ma Suzhen is revenge, a central theme that runs through all xia fiction.3 In this genre, the assassination of one’s enemies as retribution for the murder of a family member, or a vulnerable person encountered in passing, becomes a form of personal justice that is above the law. A contrast can be seen in this story between the law of true justice (as traditionally advocated by the xia) and the law of the land as practiced by officials who routinely shirk their responsibilities in serving the people. In this novel, the law of the land is viewed as a corrupt institution that covers up crimes, allowing individual government ministers to benefit themselves at the expense of ordinary citizens. Here, corruption by the ruling classes is seen specifically as a trait of the former Qing dynasty, strongly implying that the author of the book was a supporter of the Nationalist Government in the 1920s, who believed that by the time the story was written—in the decade following the displacement of the Imperial system by a new Chinese Republic—the situation had improved for the better. It may also be the case that the corruption amongst those in power as seen in the book, refers obliquely to the lawless warlord era of the 1920s, which, by the time of the publication of the 2  The story of Ma Suzhen avenging her brother’s murder goes back to at least 1916, although in the following account she is only referred to as “his sister”, and not by name. Yi Yi 乙乙, “Ma Yongzhen, Yilu suibi” 馬永貞, 乙盧隨筆 (Ma Yongzhen, Yilu Random Notes) in Xiaoshuo xinbao 小説新報 (New Fiction) vol. 2 no. 8 (1916), 5. In a story of 1914, as told by noted scholar Qian Jibo 錢基博 (1887–1957), a woman claiming to be Ma Yongzhen’s wife arrived in Shanghai after his death and brought a case to the yamen, declaring that she would take revenge for her husband. See Qian Jibo 錢基博, “Jiji yuwen bu, Ma Yongzhen” 技擊餘聞補, 馬永貞 (Supplementary Anecdotes on the Martial Arts, Ma Yongzhen) in Xiaoshuo yuebao 小説月報 (The Short Story Magazine) vol. 5 no. 7 (25 October 1914), 1. 3  Roland Altenburger, The Sword and the Needle: The Female Knight-errant (xia) in Traditional Chinese Narrative (Bern: Peter Lang, 2009), 29.

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Guangji shuju edition of the book at the end of the decade, had nominally been brought under control with the establishment of a new government in Nanjing, capital of China since 1927.

A Qing Dynasty Tale Far from being a case of transplanting the legend of Ma Yongzhen and his fictional sister from the Qing dynasty to the Republican Era, as some may think, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen should be recognised as being rooted firmly in the nineteenth century, despite a number of noteworthy historical incongruities in the text. Indicators that the story is set in the Qing can be found in a number of places throughout the book. For example, at the beginning of the story when Ma prepares to set out on her journey disguised as a man, she braids her hair into a queue—a hairstyle for men enforced by law during the Manchu Qing dynasty that had been totally abandoned by the Republican Era: [she] dressed in male attire, removed her earrings, plaited her hair into a long queue and topped it off with a skull cap, so that she resembled a true man of substance.

The author makes it clear again that the story takes place in the imperial past with the following passage concerning the corrupt behaviour of Qing officials: Those government officials of the Qing dynasty were not very good at other things but they were certainly without peer when it came to dealing with cases such as this, and in this particular game—a real speciality of theirs—not one loose thread remained and not the slightest error was made. This is just what the judiciary was like in China.

The confusion that has led some to believe the story takes place in the Republican Era has come about due to modern screen versions that do indeed transplant the legend of Ma Yongzhen to later years. In addition, there are a number of clear and no doubt deliberate inconsistencies within the text of the book that blur the intended historical setting. Though the action begins soon after the death of Ma Yongzhen (that is in 1879), much of what appears in the text clearly refers to later times: to the first two decades of the twentieth century. The Nanjing that appears in the

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story—the Nanjing/Nanking of the late nineteenth century—we are told in passing, “was nothing like the Nanking of today”. The word “today” referring to the time when the book was written. In the later 1920s the new capital city was redesigned at the orders of the Nationalist Government and although the magnificent city walls (as mentioned in the story) remained, much of the interior was rebuilt. One man who was involved in this rebuilding—reluctantly playing a very small part and soon realising a bureaucratic job was not for him—was the publisher and poet Shao Xunmei 邵洵美 (1906–1968). In 1926 he married Sheng Peiyu 盛佩玉 (1905–1989), granddaughter of banker, philanthropist and Qing dynasty government official, Sheng Xuanhuai 盛宣懷 (1844–1916), whose grand funeral procession is mentioned in The Adventures of Ma Suzhen. It is with mention of Sheng Xuanhuai that one of the historical incongruities can be found in the story, as Sheng’s extravagant funeral (which reputedly cost a staggering 3,000,000 taels of silver) took place in Shanghai in 1916, many years after the death of Ma Yongzhen. Another example of this fluidity in timing, where things that supposedly happen in the nineteenth-century story could only have taken place in the early twentieth century, can be found in the references to Peking Opera. In one chapter, the latest performance practices in Peking Opera as found in Shanghai theatres, can be glimpsed at when Madam Chai takes Ma to watch a play. Here, the use of stage scenery, as mentioned as a prominent theme in the text, places the action firmly in the period when the book was written, rather than when it is supposed to have taken place, decades before. Scenery, in the form of backdrops, and the use of props—other than the notable conventional examples traditionally associated with the art form—were only introduced to the Peking Opera stage in the early twentieth century, following the introduction of Western dramatic traditions to China in the early years of the Chinese Republic. Western-style stage scenery, as introduced in the theatre episode of the book, may still have been considered innovative in the twentieth century at the time when the book was written, but would not even have been dreamt of in 1879, when the story ostensibly takes place. One of the most famous of the then new-style venues for Peking Opera in early twentieth-century Shanghai was the Tianchan Theatre (established in 1925) and it is a performance in a theatre such as this, situated towards the western end of Fuzhou [Foochow] Road that is described in the story. This was a major venue for Peking Opera in the later 1920s and has remained so, right up to the present day.

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The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, then, is only very loosely based on fact. It is a fictional tale that takes place in the Qing dynasty shortly after the death of Ma Yongzhen, written for a modern audience of the 1920s, with appropriate timely references to things that would have been recognised by that audience as modern. Everything about the protagonist is, of course, fictitious and much of the information concerning her brother that appears in the book simply follows the popular tales about him, true or false, which had been in circulation up until the time of its publication.4

Authorship When it comes to the question of authorship there is a distinct lack of clarity. There are three names in particular mentioned in connection with the book that can be found within its pages. One is Qi Fanniu 戚飯牛 (Qi Mu 戚牧, 1877–1938), a little-known figure today, who was famous in the first decades of the twentieth century for writing poetic scripts for Suzhou pingtan sung storytelling.5 From a young age he was known for his love of composing and solving deng mi 燈謎 (lantern riddles), verbal puzzles that were traditionally inscribed on paper lanterns at the time of the Spring Lantern Festival. Later, he became an educator at St. John’s University in Shanghai and worked as a radio presenter, broadcasting on the subject of Guoxue 國學 (study of Chinese culture).6 He was also renowned as a poet and an accomplished calligrapher, as well as a writer of popular fiction— some on martial art themes—including his 1931, Shandong nüxiadao 山 東女俠盜 (Shandong Female Knight-errant Bandits). Earlier, at the time of the first publication of The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, Qi contributed on a regular basis to Hong zazhi 紅雜志 (“The Scarlet Magazine”, 1922–1924), a popular fiction periodical edited by Yan Duhe 嚴獨鶴 (1889–1968). 4  For one telling of the story of Ma Yongzhen see Menghua Guanzhu 夢花館主 (Master of the Hall of Floral Dreams) [Jiang Yinxiang 江蔭香], Jiuwei hu 九尾狐 (The Nine-tailed Vixen) in Wan Qing xiaoshuo daxi 晚清小説大系 (Compendium of Late Qing Fiction) vol. 11 (Taibei: Guangya chuban youxian gongsi, 1984). Ma Yongzhen appears in chapters 26–30. 5  Qian Shouyi 錢守一, “Ji Qi Fanniu” 記戚飯牛 (Remembering Qi Fanniu) in Shutan 書 墰 (Calligraphy Circles) no. 8 (1948), 2. 6  Zhu Jiayu 诸家瑜, “Wentan huchi Qi Fanniu” 文坛虎痴戚飯牛 (Qi Fanniu, TigerLantern Obsessive of the Literary World) in Suzhou zazhi 蘇州雜志 (Suzhou Magazine) (May 2003), 74–75.

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Yan Duhe, a well-known writer and publisher, is the second name that might be tentatively associated with the book. This is only because someone with the strikingly similar name, Yan Duhe 閻獨鶴 (note the difference between the first characters in the two names), is recorded at the beginning and end of the 1929 edition of the book, as jiaoyuezhe 校閱者 (review editor). Having said this, the family names Yan 嚴 and Yan 閻 are not usually considered to be interchangeable (as alternative ways of writing the same name), so, unless this is simply a misprint, it may be the case that the publishers were using an approximation of a famous name to pass the book off as having been edited by a well-known figure, simply to sell more copies. A third person associated with the book’s publication, whose name appears prominently on the frontispiece, is Haiyu Zhu Dagong 海虞朱大 公 (Zhu Dagong of Haiyu). This is likely to be the same Zhu Dagong, who, in 1922 contributed regularly to the popular magazine, Libailiu 禮 拜六 (“The Saturday”, 1914–1923). Both Yan Duhe’s The Scarlet Magazine and The Saturday (edited by Zhou Shoujuan 周瘦鵑, 1895–1968) belong to a class of fiction that would become known rather disparagingly as Mandarin Ducks and Butterfly Fiction—so called because of a perceived emphasis on overly-romantic themes. In practice, this term was used to refer to many different types of popular fiction and The Adventures of Ma Suzhen displays a delightful combination of xia and Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies genres, with additional elements of gong’an “court case” fiction. Adding to the general confusion concerning the background and publication of the book, on every page of the 1929 edition, the reader is reminded that The Adventures of Ma Suzhen is the second volume in a series,7 clearly indicating that another book had been published as volume one. This first volume was Ma Yongzhen yanyi 馬永貞演義 (Ma Yongzhen— An Historical Romance), which has the names Qi Fanniu and Zhu Dagong associated with it in the same way as The Adventures of Ma Suzhen. As with its sequel, Qi’s name appears on the front cover and Zhu Dagong’s is printed on the first page of the text itself. Qi is actually mentioned in the first pages of the story, so perhaps it can be assumed that both stories were initially written, or part-written, by Qi and then edited, or retold, by Zhu. Both books were published in 1923 by the Zhonghua tushu jicheng 7  Xia ji 下集 “volume 2” (or fu ji 復集, as seen on the front page of the Guangji shuju edition).

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gongsi 中華圖書集成公司 in a series of four volumes, two of which focus on Ma Yongzhen, and two on the story of Ma Suzhen. Though written as a sequel, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen stands alone as a self-contained story in its own right. Its focus on Ma Suzhen, a determined and independent woman, contrasts starkly with the first book, Ma Yongzhen—An Historical Romance, in which her brother spends all his time demonstrating his manly prowess as a martial artist and performing strongman. This refreshing change of tone, with an heroic woman taking centre stage, opens up a whole new dramatic world, which the story found in the first book—though full of excitement and adventure—simply cannot match. Ascribing full or part authorship of these books with any certainty to either Qi Fanniu or Zhu Dagong (or anyone else for that matter) has so far proven impossible. The Adventures of Ma Suzhen is composed of four sections, divided into two equal halves. Qi Fanniu, who is said to be “editor” (bianji 編輯) of the book on both the front page and the impressum page, is specifically named as “author” of the “first volume” (di-yi ce 第一 冊) in the final lines of the story itself.8 If it is supposed that this “first volume” refers to the first half of the Ma Suzhen book, rather than its prequel—as is likely to be the case—it might reasonably be assumed that Zhu Dagong was the author of the second half of the story, if it was not for the fact that his name is mentioned in both books (Ma Yongzhen—An Historical Romance and The Adventures of Ma Suzhen) as having zhuan 撰, “composed”, “compiled”, or “written” them. Despite this lack of clarity, it does seem that Qi Fanniu was the main author of Ma Yongzhen—An Historical Romance and wrote at least the first half of The Adventures of Ma Suzhen. The second half of the sequel was clearly written by another hand, probably Zhu Dagong, who appears to have been responsible for the editing of both The Adventures of Ma Suzhen and its prequel. Indeed, from what is written in the concluding remarks of the first of the four volumes, it seems that Zhu’s main responsibility was editing the material originally provided to him by Qi Fanniu and modifying it into book form.9 8  In the final lines of the story it is said that the first part was “written by Mr. Qi Fanniu” (…Qi Fanniu xiansheng suo zhu …戚飯牛先生所著). Qi Fanniu 戚飯牛 and Zhu Dagong 朱 大公, Ma Suzhen quanzhuan 馬素貞全傳 (The Complete Story of Ma Suzhen) (Shanghai: Guangji shuju, 1929). 9  Qi Fanniu 戚飯牛 and Zhu Dagong 朱大公, Ma Yongzhen yanyi 馬永貞演義 (Ma Yongzhen  – An Historical Romance) vol. 1 (Shanghai: Zhonghua tushu jicheng gongsi, 1923), 71.

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That The Adventures of Ma Suzhen is the work of two different authors is not in question. Even before the reader is informed of this fact in the final paragraph of the book, this has become abundantly clear simply by reading it. Not only are the styles of writing in the two halves of the story completely different to one another but they can be recognised as belonging to different genres in the gamut of Chinese vernacular fiction.

Where Does the Book Fit into the Nüxia Genre? The first half of The Adventures of Ma Suzhen loosely follows the tradition of nüxia 女俠 fiction, which focuses on the female knight-errant or avenging swordswoman, a widely-known and well-loved heroic “type” found in Chinese literature, the tradition of which stretches back as far as the Tang dynasty (618–907). To set the scene for this, the prologue mentions the names of the most prominent figures in the nüxia pantheon. The first name listed is that of Hua Mulan 花木蘭, who, although not usually associated with this genre, is well known for her gallantry in battle and as a woman warrior. The names that follow, on the other hand, Hongxian Nü 紅線女 and Nie Yinniang 聶隱娘—both of whom first appear in writings from the Tang dynasty—are perhaps the two most prominent figures in the nüxia genre in pre-modern times. In Chapter 8 of the book, both the stealing of jewellery from Jia Tianxiang’s concubine and the leaving of a severed head behind with an accompanying note, are common tropes in female Knight-errant literature, and are likely to be specific allusions to the tale of Hongxian Nü. The aftermath of this episode—a righting of wrongs—sees the jewellery that Ma steals from Jia, potentially bring Madam Wang (who has been abandoned by her husband and abused and threatened by Jia) out of poverty. This is an act of moral justice that is above the law, the fight for good over evil, in the best xia tradition. Two other figures, from a later period, appear next in the list: He Yufeng, better known as Shisanmei 十三妹 (Younger Sister Thirteen), protagonist of the mid-nineteenth-century novel Ernü yingxiong zhuan 兒女英雄傳 (The Tale of Heroic Sons and Daughters), and Lü Wanniang 呂晚娘, more usually known by the name Lü Siniang 呂四娘, who, according to some versions of the legend associated with her, was fancifully linked to the assassination of the Yongzheng emperor (r. 1722–1735).10 So well-known 10  This was a story that became widespread in popular fiction during the early Republican Era, after the fall of the Qing dynasty, and is thought to have previously circulated in oral

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is Lü Siniang that she has been described as “the most eminent female knight-errant character in twentieth century popular literature”.11 It is the publications in which these four legendry figures of the nüxia genre appear—plus the numerous imitations they spawned—that were no doubt a major inspiration for The Adventures of Ma Suzhen. This literary genre, featuring a female martial artist who rights wrongs for the sake of chivalry and justice, continued to appear in the world of popular literature and film well into the twentieth century, perhaps most notably in the story Tixiao yinyuan 啼笑因緣 (Fate in Tears and Laughter), by Zhang Henshui 張恨 水 (1895–1967), which was first published serially in the newspaper Xinwen bao 新聞報 (Sin Wan Pao, a.k.a. “The News”) in 1930.12 This column was famously edited by Yan Duhe, who was also partly responsible for the subsequent publication of the book version of Zhang’s story, and wrote a lengthy foreword for it.13 This hugely successful book first appeared just one year after the Guangji shuju edition  of The Adventures of Ma Suzhen was published. It is interesting to note that Qi Fanniu wrote a version of Fate in Tears and Laughter for the famous Suzhou pingtan storytelling duo, Shen Jian’an 沈儉安 (1900–1964) and Xue Xiaoqing 薛筱卿 (1901–1980), which was released by them as a record on the Changcheng label.14 A 1932 film of Zhang Henshui’s story, made by the Mingxing film company, starred Zheng Xiaoqiu 鄭小秋 (1910–1989) and Hu Die 胡蝶 (1908–1989), was directed by Zhang Shichuan 張石川 (1890–1954) and adapted for the screen by the ubiquitous Yan Duhe.15 As we shall see below, Zhang Shichuan and Zheng Xiaoqiu’s father, Zheng Zhengqiu 鄭 正秋 (1889–1935), both played central roles in the popularisation of the story of Ma Suzhen in the 1920s.

storytelling accounts. The version of the Lü character as mentioned in the introduction to The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, Lü Wanniang, is found only in a limited number of sources, including Lü Wanniang lishi 呂晚娘歷史 (The History of Lü Wanniang) (1924). See Altenburger, The Sword and the Needle, 308–309 and notes. 11  Altenburger, The Sword and the Needle, 317. 12  This appeared in the “Kuaihuo lin” 快活林 (Forest of Happiness) column of Xinwen bao 新聞報 (“Sin Wan Pao”) in 242 instalments, from 17 March to 30 November 1930. 13  See Zhang Henshui 張恨水, Tixiao yinyuan 啼笑因緣 (Fate in Tears and Laughter) (Shanghai: Sanyou shushe, 1930). 14  Qian Shouyi, “Ji Qi Fanniu,” 2. 15  For more on Yan Duhe see Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh, Early Film Culture in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Republican China: Kaleidoscopic Histories (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2018), 255.

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In contrast to the first half of The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, the second shows fewer direct references to xia fiction but instead includes many traits associated with a type of twentieth-century popular fiction that focusses on the city of Shanghai as the centre of Chinese modernity. This genre is well represented by the work of Bao Tianxiao 包天笑 (1876–1973), in, for example, his lengthy adventure story Shanghai chunqiu 上海春秋 (Shanghai Annals), first published serially in 1924/1925.16

The Illustrations in the 1929 Edition The 1923 edition of the story published by Zhonghua tushu jicheng gongsi is printed in the standard manner of modern, low-priced, commercial publications of the time, while the 1929 edition published by the Guangji shuju 廣記書局 is in the form of the double-leaf, thread-bound books that had been published in East Asia for centuries. This dazi zuben 大字足本 (complete, large-print book) was lithographically produced but printed in loose imitation of xylographic printing, while at the same time bearing some resemblance to a handwritten manuscript. The rather rough-and-ready illustrations (found only in the 1929 edition) follow the tradition of those which appear in late Qing lithographically-­ reproduced mass media and are somewhat reminiscent of the work of Liu Bingtang 劉炳堂 (Liu Yonglang 劉用烺, 1866–1924), who was the sole artist drawing for the pictorial magazines Beijing huabao 北京畫報 (Beijing Pictorial, 1906–1907) and Beijing yisen huabao 北京益森畫報 (Beijing Yisen Pictorial, 1907–1908) during the first years of the twentieth century. They are also in a similar vein to illustrations by Xu Yan 徐硯 (1866–1954) (who often drew under the name Xu Jianshi 徐見石) and Shen Bochen 沈泊塵 (1889–1920), both of whom were prolific contributors to Da gonghe huabao 大共和畫報 (Great Republic Pictorial) and Da gonghe xingqi huabao 大共和星期畫報 (Great Republic Weekly Pictorial)— pictorial supplements of the pro-government newspaper Da gonghe ribao 大共和日報 (Great Republic Daily) during the first years of the Chinese Republic (1912–1949). The type of illustration employed by all these artists ultimately had its roots in the work of Wu Youru 吳友如 (1841/1845?–1893?), whose drawings appeared in the most famous of early pictorial magazines, Dianshizhai huabao 點石齋畫報 (Dianshizhai 16  Bao Tianxiao 包天笑, Shanghai chunqiu 上海春秋 (Annals of Shanghai) 2 vols. (Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1991).

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Pictorial) (1884–1898). The examples by the anonymous artist found in the novel are certainly not as polished as the work of distinguished artists like Wu Youru or Shen Bochen, but have a charm and humour all their own that complement the story well. In addition, they bear some resemblance to the woodblock prints found in illustrated books of previous centuries. This is most evident with regard to the settings in which the characters appear. In contrast to the lithographic illustrations of Liu Bingtang that often feature early twentieth-century, or historically-neutral architectural settings, or those of Shen Bochen, which show the latest Shanghai dwellings of the early Republican period, those in The Adventures of Ma Suzhen show typical Chinese interiors as found in woodcut illustrations of the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are six illustrations in total, which were originally  collected together at the very beginning of the book. Figure 1, entitled, “Ma Suzhen, Madam Chai, Miss Chai,” shows Ma with Madame Chai, together with an additional character who does not appear in this version of the story at all, Miss Chai, the young daughter of Ma’s Shanghai hosts. From this scene, which takes place towards the end of the story, Fig. 2, takes us right back to the beginning of the book. In, “At night Ma Suzhen dreams of her brother and receives an omen,” the ghost of Ma Yongzhen, who lost an arm in the attack at the Yidongtian teahouse that led to his death, appears to his fictitious sister in a dream. She is seated half-obscured behind the bed curtains with eyes tightly shut, and, typically for illustrations of dreams at this time (as had been the case for centuries) the figure of Ma Yongzhen appears in something resembling a cloud, or speech-­ bubble from a cartoon strip.17 It is this dream, in which Ma Suzhen’s brother instructs her to take revenge that sparks off her quest to track down her brother’s killers. The one-armed Ma Yongzhen can be seen with a Taoist ceremonial fly whisk raised above his head, perhaps to indicate he is speaking from another world, about things that will take place in times yet to come. Figure 3, “Using a flame to light an electric lamp,” jumps forward in time once again, to the comic episode that occurs on the day of 17  Other twentieth-century examples of this can be seen in Xu Yan’s illustrations of dreams in the serially published, Shuanghua ji 雙花記 (Chronicle of a Pair of Flowers), by an author who became a central figure in the writing of Mandarin Ducks and Butterfly Fiction, Li Hanqiu 李涵秋 (1873–1923). See instalments 66 and 67 of this story in Da gonghe huabao 大共和畫報 (Great Republic Pictorial) vol. 10 no. 2 (2 October 1914) and vol. 10 no. 3 (3 October 1914).

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Ma Suzhen’s arrival in Shanghai. In this picture she can be seen naively approaching an electric light with a flaming taper, intending to light it as if it were an oil lamp. On her bed are a pile of folded quilts and next to it, a stack of large travelling trunks, though, in the story itself, Ma trekked alone from Shandong to Shanghai with little more than a simple travellers bundle. At home, Ma found that her serving girl had prepared everything for the journey, including her clothes and footwear, which she had packed together into a bundle. She had also prepared a quantity of dried beef and wheaten biscuits so that if her mistress should feel hungry on the way, these victuals would serve her needs.

In Fig. 4, “Chai Jiuyun pays his respects at the assembly hall,” Ma Suzhen is dressed in the plain clothing of the bereaved, with a mourning band tied around her head, while Chai Jiuyun can be seen kneeling before the altar, bowing to the spirit tablet and burning incense in memory of his departed friend. In Fig. 5, “Madam Chai presents a fine blade,” Madam Chai— again with Miss Chai in tow—gives Ma Suzhen the sword that will enable her to take revenge. It should be noted that this is a long-bladed weapon, entirely unlike the small dagger described in the story: Even though it was little more than three inches long, its blade was as thin as a sheet of paper. Attached to the knife was a red ribbon and a number of faint rust spots could be seen on the blade, although these seemed to have no effect on the remarkable sharpness of its edges. Ma Suzhen held it firmly in her hand and scraped it a few times on the sole of her embroidered shoe. When she looked at it again, all clean and shiny, she realised that those spots had not been rust spots at all, but were small specks of dried blood.

In this illustration, a furious Ma Suzhen vows to take revenge. Figure 6, “Ma Suzhen slaughters her enemies in broad daylight”—the final illustration in the book—shows the enactment of this vow. Unlike the story, though, the murder of Scrofulous Bai and Lu the Lackey in this illustration takes place in an interior setting, probably in the teahouse where Ma first met them. Ma, who is disguised as a man, is seen slaughtering her second victim, while her first, Scrofulous Bai, lies decapitated on the floor, with upturned furniture and broken crockery littering the floor around them. It is clear that a number of details depicted in the illustrations differ

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from how they appear in the main text and it might logically be assumed that they were modelled on scenes from another source—a different telling of the story—the origin of which is unknown.18

The Film and Play The play tells of Ma Yongzhen up until the time of his death in the first part, and of Ma Suzhen after her arrival in Shanghai in the second. The film, Ma Yongzhen of Shandong, which follows roughly the same format, premiered on 4 December 1927, and was written, produced and directed by the same people who had been involved in the production of the play.19 Although the film itself is now lost, a certain amount of information about it can be gleaned from Mingxing tekan 明星特刊 (Mingxing Special), a souvenir issue of Mingxing magazine that was devoted to it. This was published by the film company itself and was issued on 1 December 1927, three days prior to the release of the film.20 It includes photographic portraits of the film’s star actors, interspersed with those from another Mingxing production, Beijing Yang Guifei 北京楊貴妃 (Yang Guifei of Beijing, a.k.a. “Yang Kwei Fee of Peking: A Society Drama in Ten Acts”), with which it shares the pages of the magazine. These portraits are followed by photographic stills showing highlights from Ma Yongzhen of Shangdong, plus a cast list and a transcript of the intertitles. The cast list also appears translated into English, and, in addition, a short English-­ language synopsis of the film takes the place of the Chinese intertitles for those who could not read Chinese (see Translator’s Introduction). The play was initially produced by two of the most famous figures working in drama and film, Zheng Zhengqiu and Zhang Shichuan. At this time, both men were involved in the Xiao wutai 笑舞臺 (Laughter Stage), a theatre founded in 1915, which by 1922 was managed by Runje Shaw (Shao Zuiweng 邵醉翁, 1896–1975), whose siblings would go on to dominate martial arts film production for much of the twentieth century

18  What is likely to be an entirely different book, by an unnamed author, Shandong daxia Ma Yongzhen 山東大俠馬永貞 (The Great Knight-Errant of Shandong, Ma Yongzhen), was advertised in the press in 1924. See Minguo ribao 民國日報 (“The Republican Daily News”) (August 1924), 7. 19  “Dianying” 電影 (Film) in Shishi xinbao 時事新報 (7 December 1927), 7. 20  Mingxing tekan 明星特刊 (Mingxing Special) no. 28 (1 December 1927).

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as the Shaw Brothers.21 Shaw ran the Xiao wutai in partnership with Zheng and Zhang before they went their separate ways. Shaw established the Tianyi Film Company and the other two men set up the Mingxing yingpian gongsi 明星影片公司 (Mingxing Film Company, a.k.a. The Star Motion Picture Company) in 1922. Five years later, Zhang Shichuan and Zheng Zhengqiu went on to be director and screenwriter, respectively, of the Mingxing production of Ma Yongzhen of Shandong.

The Play as Reported in the Press How the story was initially adapted for the stage is unclear. It has been suggested that the script was directly based on Qi Fanniu’s book Ma Yongzhen yanyi. However, if that were the case it would also have been based on its sequel The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, as the action in the play covers the stories found in both books.22 Others have suggested that Runje Shaw wrote an outline of the play himself (perhaps based on the story he already knew, or on Qi Fanniu’s novel) and afterwards invited someone to adapt it for stage performance.23 Neither of these arguments is terribly convincing, nor do they appear to be backed up by concrete evidence. We are fortunate, though, that a newspaper report by Runje Shaw himself provides us with a synopsis of the play and the cast of actors who performed in it.24 The final six acts of the stage version, to a large extent mirror the action as it takes place in the second half of the book version, with 21  Runje Shaw, the eldest of the Shaw brothers, was not directly involved in the later Shaw Brothers Studio. In Hong Kong, fifty years after the play Ma Yongzhen was first performed, the Shaw Brothers Studio produced and distributed The Boxer from Shantung (1972), one of many films based on the Ma Yongzhen legend. 22  Qi Fanniu – Zhonghua diancang 戚饭牛 – 中华典藏 (zhonghuadiancang.com) accessed 13 March 2021. 23  Zhao Ji 赵骥, “Xiao wutai yu Shanghai wenmingxi” 笑舞台与上海文明戏 (The Laughter Stage and Shanghai “Wenmingxi”) in the Hangzhou shifan daxue xuebao [shehui kexue ban] 杭州师范大学学报 [社会科学版] (The Journal of Shanghai Normal University [Social Sciences Edition]) no. 2 (March 2010), 53. 24  [Shao] Zuiweng [邵]醉翁, “Ji zuowan Xiao wutai zhi ‘Ma Yongzhen’” 記昨晚笑舞台之 “馬永貞” (Yesterday Evening’s “Ma Yongzhen” at the Xiao wutai) in Shenbao 申報 (“The Shun Pao”) (13 November 1923), 18. See also “R”, “Xinju ‘Ma Yongzhen’ zhi you yi pinglun” 新劇 “馬永貞”之又一評論 (Another Critique of the New Play “Ma Yongzhen”) in Shenbao 申報 (1 November 1923), 18.

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Ma Suzhen as the central character, while the first eight acts deal with the events that led up to the murder of her brother as found in Ma Yongzhen yanyi. Act 9 is the first to feature Ma Suzhen and is entitled Jing meng 驚夢 (“Awakened from a Dream”, or “An Interrupted Dream”), a title that immediately calls to mind the extended episode of the same name found in the Ming dynasty Kunqu drama, Mudan ting 牡丹亭 (The Peony Pavilion) by Tang Xianzu 湯顯祖 (1550–1616). This corresponds to the dream that appears at the very beginning of The Adventures of Ma Suzhen and the title of the episode in the play is partly retained in the title of the book chapter. In Act 10, Ma meets Chai Jiuyun for the first time. This is one of the many comic scenes in the play, but rather than Ma Suzhen being the butt of the joke due to her lack of familiarity with electric lighting (as is the case in the book), it is Chai, who, according to a reviewer of the time, delivered his lines in what is described as Pudong guanhua 浦東 官話 (Pudong Official Speech)—his strong regional accent when speaking Mandarin apparently being a source of much hilarity for the audience. In Act 11 Ma meets Scrofulous Bai for the first time. This takes place in a teahouse theatre, a fitting setting for the two short interludes that appear at this juncture in the play: a performance of huaji shuoshu  滑稽説書 (Comic Storytelling), which apparently had the audience rolling in the aisles, and a selection of Shaoxing Opera excerpts.25 In Act 12, unlike the book, it is Chai Jiuyun, rather than Madam Chai, who presents Ma with the dagger that allows her to finally take revenge. We are told in the newspaper review that the acting of both Chai and Ma here was particularly enthralling, comedy having given way to high drama for this crucial scene. The substitution of Chai Jiuyun with Madam Chai, as seen in the book version, reflects an increased focus on female characters that can be found there and spells out in no uncertain terms that in her youth Madam Chai had been a knight-errant herself, the spots of dried blood Ma finds on the blade of her dagger indicating that she had once played her own part as an assassin in the cause of justice and integrity. In the penultimate chapter of the book, Scrofulous Bai sees the ghost of Ma Yongzhen. This was clearly a major focus of the stage version in Act 13. The special effects, showing Ma suddenly appear (on the bed and in 25  There had already been a musical interlude of Bentan 本灘 (i.e. Huju – Shanghai Opera) in act four of the play, sung by a man and a woman in a teahouse. See [Shao] Zuiweng, “Ji zuowan Xiao wutai zhi ‘Ma Yongzhen’,” 18.

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the wardrobe) and just as suddenly vanish, were apparently very deftly done and the performance of Zhang Zhi’er 張冶兒 (1894–1962) as Scrofulous Bai was said to be “remarkably true to life”. In the book version, the apparition that Bai takes to be Ma Yongzhen is only seen in passing and is very much played down, one of many occurrences where supernatural elements are passed over in favour of more matter-of-fact approaches. Act 14, the climax, in which revenge takes place at the city walls, was notable for its remarkable scenery. Again, in the book version the location is not emphasised quite so much, possibly to direct the focus onto Ma in the act of taking revenge. Zheng Zhengqiu, who, let us not forget, played the role of Chai Jiuyun in the play, wrote his own extended review of it, which was published in instalments in the local Shanghai press just a few months after its premier. In this, Zheng falls short of mentioning his own performance but praises the acting of other actors who took leading roles, focusing in particular on the comedy performances of two of the best-known comic actors of the time, Zhang Zhi’er as Scrofulous Bai and Wang Jineng 王旡能 (1892–?) as Lu the Lackey.26 Zheng begins his serialised critique by noting that the play’s popularity with the public had not yet waned, a noteworthy phenomenon he proposes, as, previously it had only been so-called shishixi 實事戯 (factual plays) that had been able to sustain their popularity with audiences for such an extended period of time. Shishixi were a speciality of the Xiao wutai, and they had had great successes with a number of plays in this mode, one that combined “social facts” with “news facts”, and Zheng goes on to mention some of these plays in his review.27 Now, Ma Yongzhen had set a precedent and other plays would be able to bask in its glory and profit from its success.28 Zheng asks rhetorically why it should have become 26  [Zheng] Zhengqiu [鄭]正秋, “Ping Ma Yongzhen” 評馬永貞 (A Critique of Ma Yongzhen) in Minguo ribao 民國日報 (“The Republican Daily News”) (26 February 1924), 8; (27 February 1924), 8; (28 February 1924), 8. According to the third instalment the critique continued, but any subsequent instalments that may have been written by Zheng have not been available to the author. 27  Wang Fengxia 王凤霞 and Li Sili 李斯力, “Lun Xiao wutai hepingshe xinju bu zhi ‘shishiju’” 论笑舞台和平社新剧部之“实事剧” (On the “Factual Plays” of Xiao Wutai’s Heping Society New-Drama Department) in Wenhua yichan 文化遗产 (Cultural Heritage) no. 1 (2016), 110–111. 28  It ran for a record-breaking forty-three performances. See Zhao Ji, “Xiao wutai yu Shanghai wenmingxi,” 57.

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so popular and promptly provides a number of his own answers. The primary reason, he suggests, is its strong emphasis on comedy, but, in addition the focus on the lives of ordinary citizens and not on the aristocracy was significant. This is actually a reflection of Zheng’s personal views with regard to how drama and film should actively promote ideas of social equality. In addition, in his view the play had real artistic value and was able to touch the hearts of the theatre-going public, largely due to the superior quality of the acting. In this respect he singles out Shen Chouhong 愼愁紅 (n.d.), who played Ma Suzhen, in the scene where she weeps before her brother’s coffin, and goes on to reserve much of the remainder of his praise once again for Zhang Zhi’er and Wang Jineng, due to their particularly noteworthy comic performances.

Comedy or Adventure Story? Although the comic side of the story was much emphasised in the play, by 1927, when the film version was released, the focus of attention—at least in the press—shifted to the excitement of the highly choreographed action scenes, such as the attack at the Yidongtian teahouse in which Ma Yongzhen is fatally wounded. The tone of the Mingxing magazine special retains little or none of the comic flavour of the play, even if it might have been apparent in the film itself, and it is mostly the excitement of the action scenes that is shown in the photographs that illustrate the publication.29 The comic element was clearly a central feature of the play and this is reflected in the book translated here. Although the book might be short on laugh-out-loud moments, a low-level of humour can be detected throughout. So prevalent is this comedic undercurrent that at times one might be forgiven for thinking it was envisaged, first and foremost, as a comic novel.

A Martial Arts Novel? The emphasis on comedy notwithstanding, in both the 1923 and 1929 editions the book is described as a “martial arts novel” (jiji xiaoshuo 擊技 小説). In fact, direct references to the martial arts are only occasional and  Mingxing tekan (1 December 1927).

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include the naming of certain combat moves as performed by Ma Suzhen— moves that the reader is given to understand belong to the Ma family martial arts lineage. The Ma-style has received some attention by scholars in recent years, as the real Ma Yongzhen, a Hui Muslim from Shandong, is considered by many to have been a major figure in the development of Hui martial arts during the nineteenth century.30 Overt references to specific combat moves only appear in the first half of the book, though. In the second half, further references to the martial arts are limited to two main instances: first, the brief appearance of Liu Junwu and Zhang Renfu, two older men who the reader is told possess great martial skill (although this is never demonstrated in the book) and second, in the very last lines of the story when Ma exacts revenge for the killing of her brother using a bladed weapon to slay her enemies, thereby maintaining a strong link to historical nüxia tales. Any well-known martial arts tropes that do appear in the novel are much played down. Flying through the air—so often seen in martial arts films and books—is substituted in The Adventures of Ma Suzhen by no-­ nonsense leaps and swift-footed running. The display of magical or supernatural skills play no role here. There are none of the flying swords, or monks or nuns that acted as teachers to the hero in childhood, which are so often found in more typical martial arts fiction. The Ma Suzhen of the book was brought up by Auntie and Uncle Gong, an unassuming couple with no martial skills to impart to her. Her skills, we are told, were picked up from her brother.31

Historical Context The playing down of supernatural elements no doubt reflects the view of a rather conservative author (or authors) but is also an indication of the period when the book was written, a time following the period of Chinese enlightenment, which began after the collapse of the Qing dynasty, when things that were considered “superstitious” were frowned upon by many, 30  Fan Jingpeng 范景鹏 and Qian Jiacheng 钱家成, “Shanghai tan chuanqi wushujia Ma Yongzhen wuyi yanjiu” 上海滩传奇武术家马永贞武艺研究 (“A Research on Legendary Martial Artist Ma Yongzhen of Shanghai Bund and His Techniques”) in Zhonghua wushu yanjiu 中华武术研究 (Chinese Wushu Research) vol. 1 no. 5 (May, 2012). 31  Her father is also mentioned in this context, though elsewhere in the story it says he died when Ma Suzhen was still an infant.

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as remnants of old thinking and old ways. During the 1920s, government censorship in film and the arts, aimed at “superstition” and the “supernatural”, was on the increase. In 1928, a year after the Mingxing film was released, and a year before the Guangji shuju edition of the book was published, a policy was announced by the Ministry of the Interior to ban films on religious subjects.32 By 1931, the founding of the Nationalist Film Censorship Committee, and the implementation of the strict guidelines it imposed, saw a sharp rise in film censorship.33 Such restrictive measures were to increase as the years progressed, coming to a head with the establishment of Chiang Kai-shek’s conservative New Life Movement in 1934. This movement was partly based on the teachings of Confucianism and Christianity (acceptable religious practices according to Chiang) and the distinct lack of tolerance towards Buddhism and Daoism as found in part two of The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, is perhaps also inspired by this way of thinking—a distrust of religious “superstition” that by the late 1920s had already become widespread in conservative circles. This saw, in rural areas, restraints on religious activities, attacks on the clergy and the turning of temples into modern schools.34 In The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, the false monks Liao Kong and Moon Monk are imposters and criminals and deserve to be put to death; the fortune-teller Sai Banxian who “talks claptrap” and deals in omens, dreams and portents is painted as a somewhat ridiculous figure. Just as tellingly with regard to how the author strives to distance themselves from the supernatural, at the very end of the book they are sure to tell the reader directly that they do not equate the word “retribution” (a major element in xia folklore) with “superstition”, nor do they link it to “religious authority”. Also tied to a branch of conservatism and specifically linked to Confucian rules of propriety, is what happens when Ma first decides to set out on her trip. The incredulity of characters in Shandong (Ma’s serving girl, her aunt and uncle) at the idea of her travelling alone on a journey to Shanghai, is a reflection of the strictures against female autonomy that had been in  Zhiwei Xiao, “Constructing a New National Culture: Film Censorship and the Issues of Cantonese Dialect, Superstition, and Sex in the Nanjing Decade,” in Cinema and Urban Culture in Shanghai, 1922–1943 ed. Yingjin Zhang (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1999), 190–192. 33  Zhang Zhen, An Amorous History of the Silver Screen: Shanghai Cinema, 1896–1937 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005), 235. 34  Xiao, “Constructing a New National Culture,” 190–192. 32

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place for centuries and continued to be prevalent in the Qing dynasty, a belief which ultimately advocated that the rightful place for women was in the home. By the time of the writing of this book, women (at least from more privileged backgrounds) had gained more freedoms in a number of areas and were free to go where they pleased, within the somewhat less strict confines of accepted propriety during the Republican Era. A focus on Ma’s feet in another scene is also related to this, as it accentuates the fact that they had not been bound when she was a child and she was therefore unhindered when it came to practicing martial arts or travelling on long journeys alone.35 This is something that would have been immediately evident to the reader of the time but is likely to be lost on the general reader today. The structure of the book and of each individual chapter follows the form of the popular vernacular novel that stretches back for centuries. The brief prologue presents the subject of the book in the broadest terms, introducing the main subject with reference to history and legend, while using suitably stylised and antiquated language. Typically, each chapter is prefaced by a pair of titles that are composed along strict parallel lines; carefully fashioned so that the same parts of speech appear in identical order in both lines of the bipartite title. These, plus the formulaic structure and the repetition of stock phrases at the beginnings and ends of chapters, are all typical of Ming and Qing vernacular literature. In this sort of fiction, more often than not, poetry appeared in order to set the scene at the start of each chapter and to provide summaries at their ends. In The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, however, poetry is entirely absent.36

Literary Allusions Typically, many allusions are made in the book to the literature of the past and to historical figures. The first of these appears in the prologue with reference to the ideal of female beauty as noted in the Zhuangzi 莊子. The legendary beauties Mao Qiang 毛嬙 and Li Ji 麗姬 “were thought by men to be most beautiful, but when fishes saw them, they dived deep in the  Altenburger, The Sword and the Needle, 220.  The trope of the beauty and her devoted younger servant, so often found in Chinese stories from Mudan ting 牡丹亭 (The Peony Pavilion) to Baishe zhuan 白蛇傳 (The Legend of the White Snake), is also absent, as Ma leaves her serving girl behind when she departs Shandong and sets out on her adventures alone. 35 36

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water; when birds saw them, they flew high into the air; and when deer saw them, they scattered and fled.”37 With this, Zhuangzi shows how important it is to take different points of view into account. In the context of the Adventures of Ma Suzhen, as is usually the case in popular literature, the women are simply alluded to as examples of the epitome of female beauty. In Chapter 3 the story of the hegemon King, Xiang Yu 項羽 (232–202 BC), and his grief at the loss of his concubine Yu Ji 虞姬 (d. 202 BC) is alluded to. A passage in the book refers obliquely to Yu Ji’s words from the Peking Opera Bawang bieji 霸王別姬 (Farewell my Concubine): “When I think about it, ah, how sorrowful I feel,” and more directly to a poem attributed to Xiang Yu, Gaixia ge 垓下歌 (Song of Gaixia), “Ah Yu, my Yu, what will your fate be!”38 This is done in order to show Ma Suzhen’s profound sadness, as well as her deep ambivalence at what might lie ahead in her quest to take revenge. She may die and never return, and if that were to be the case, she would be sacrificing herself as Yu Ji had done when committing suicide to save the life of Xiang Yu. Liu Ling 劉伶 (221–300  AD), poet and one of the unconventional Zhulin qixian 竹林七賢 (Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove), is introduced in Chapter 9, with reference to his prodigious drinking habits and Ah Fu, doorman of the Jia Mansion—one of several overtly comic characters in the book—is compared to him, no doubt also to accentuate his physical appearance, as Liu Ling was said to have been short of stature and rather ugly. In the final chapter, when Lu the Lackey, who is in fear for his life, realises he has no choice but to make a run for it, the last of the Thirty-Six Stratagems is invoked: Zou wei shang 走爲上 (Retreat to Gain Advantage). Again, this is done for comic effect. As well as references to ancient history and legend, allusions are made to literature of the more recent Ming and Qing dynasties. In Chapter 6, when Ma slays Moon Monk the blood spatter on the wall is said to resemble a branch of peach blossom, a direct and not very subtle reference to the Qing dynasty drama, Taohua shan 桃花扇 (The Peach Blossom Fan) by Kong Shangren 孔尚任 (1648–1718). Classic vernacular fiction of the Ming and Qing dynasties is the inspiration for a number of the scenes in 37  Huang Jinhong 黃錦鋐 (ed.), Zhuangzi duben xin yi 莊子讀本新譯 (A Zhuangzi Reader, Newly Translated) (Taipei: Sanmin shuju, 2002), 21. 38  The latter, as translated by Burton Watson, can be found in John Minford and Joseph S. M. Lau (eds.), An Anthology of Translations: Classical Chinese Literature. Volume 1: From Antiquity to the Tang Dyansty (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000), 414–415.

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the book. In Chapter 5 at the Merchant Inn, when Ma is served pies made of human flesh, this is clearly taken from the episode in Shuihu zhuan 水 滸傳 (The Water Margin, a.k.a. Outlaws of the Marsh) in which Wu Song 武松 is offered pastries sold by Sun Erniang 孫二娘 in her roadside inn, which are filled with the flesh of passing travellers.39 There is also a direct reference to Honglou meng 紅樓夢 (The Dream of the Red Chamber), another major work of Chinese vernacular fiction. In Chapter 13, when travelling in a rickshaw, in awe of the bright lights of Shanghai’s entertainment area on Fuzhou Road, Ma Suzhen’s wonder is likened to that of Granny Liu when she enters the magnificent Da guanyuan 大觀園 (“Prospect Garden”), built in the grounds of Rongguo Mansion.40 Referring to literary sources such as these in popular martial arts fiction should not be thought of as anything unusual. With the nineteenth-­ century The Tale of Heroic Sons and Daughters, for example, such references actually form the core of the book, as it is widely considered to have been written as a response to, or even as a revision of, The Dream of the Red Chamber.41 *** The Adventures of Ma Suzhen is a little-known book of the 1920s, the history of which is closely intertwined with a play and a related film about the protagonist’s more famous brother. The 1927 film made by the Mingxing Film Company, in which Ma Suzhen appears, is all but forgotten today and is not one of those generally considered to be of central importance in the output of this highly influential and historically significant company, which, in the fifteen years of the its existence (from 1922 to 1937), numbered more than 235 films.42 Far better known in Chinese-speaking 39  “The Witch of Mengzhou Road Sells Drugged Wine; Constable Wu meets Zhang Qing at Crossroads Rise,” in Shi Nai’an, Luo Guanzhong and Sidney Shapiro (tr.), Outlaws of the Marsh (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2003), vol. II, 570–575. 40  The Dream of the Red Chamber has been published in English as: Cao Xueqin, David Hawkes (tr.), The Story of the Stone 5 vols. (London: Penguin, 1973). For the passage in question see vol. 1, 157–160. 41  Altenburger, The Sword and the Needle, 234. 42  These included 142 silent feature films, fifty sound feature films, thirteen animation films, and more than thirty short documentaries. See Mingxing yingpian gufen youxian gongsi dianying mulu  明星影片股份有限公司电影目录 (Catalogue of the Films of the Mingxing Film Company Ltd.) https://www.douban.com/doulist/108706186/ accessed 24 March 2021.

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countries today are the more recent films, by a number of different companies that were made in the later decades of the century, in which Ma Suzhen’s brother Ma Yongzhen appears—an historical figure whose life story has been distorted beyond all recognition by this plethora of fictional accounts. Nevertheless, the exciting tale of the fictional Ma Suzhen and her quest to take revenge for the murder of her brother, is a delightful adventure story that deserves to be read by an English-speaking readership, almost one hundred years after it was written.

Bibliography

Books Altenburger, Roland, The Sword and the Needle: The Female Knight-errant (xia) in Traditional Chinese Narrative (Bern: Peter Lang, 2009) Bao Tianxiao 包天笑, Shanghai chunqiu 上海春秋 (Annals of Shanghai) (Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1991) Cao Xueqin and David Hawkes (tr.), The Story of the Stone 5 vols. (London: Penguin, 1973) Huang Jinhong 黃錦鋐 (ed.), Zhuangzi duben xin yi 莊子讀本新譯 (A Zhuangzi Reader, Newly Translated) (Taipei: Sanmin shuju, 2002) Menghua Guanzhu 夢花館主 (Master of the Hall of Floral Dreams) [Jiang Yinxiang 江蔭香], Jiuwei hu 九尾狐 (The Nine-tailed Vixen) in Wan Qing xiaoshuo daxi 晚清小説大系 (Compendium of Late Qing Fiction) vol. 11 (Taibei: Guangya chuban youxian gongsi, 1984) Minford, John, and Joseph S.  M. Lau (eds.), An Anthology of Translations: Classical Chinese Literature. Volume 1: From Antiquity to the Tang Dyansty (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000) Qi Fanniu 戚飯牛 and Zhu Dagong 朱大公, Ma Suzhen lixian ji 馬素貞歷險記 (The Adventures of Ma Suzhen) (Shanghai: Zhonghua tushu jicheng gongsi, [January] 1923) Qi Fanniu 戚飯牛 and Zhu Dagong 朱大公, Ma Suzhen quanzhuan 馬素貞全傳 (The Complete Story of Ma Suzhen) (Shanghai: Guangji shuju, 1929) Qi Fanniu 戚飯牛 and Zhu Dagong 朱大公, Ma Yongzhen yanyi 馬永貞演義 (Ma Yongzhen  – An Historical Romance) 4 vols. (Shanghai: Zhonghua tushu jicheng gongsi, [October] 1923) © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 P. Bevan, The Adventures of Ma Suzhen, East Asian Popular Culture, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89035-3

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Shi Nai’an, Luo Guanzhong and Sidney Shapiro (tr.), Outlaws of the Marsh (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2003) Wen Kang 文康, Ernü yingxiong zhuan 兒女英雄傳 (The Tale of Heroic Sons and Daughters) (Shanghai: Yandong tushuguan, 1925) Xiao Zhiwei, “Constructing a New National Culture: Film Censorship and the Issues of Cantonese Dialect, Superstition, and Sex in the Nanjing Decade”, in Yingjin Zhang (ed.), Cinema and Urban Culture in Shanghai, 1922–1943 (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1999), 183–199 Yeh, Emilie Yueh-yu, Early Film Culture in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Republican China: Kaleidoscopic Histories (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2018) Zhang Henshui 張恨水, Tixiao yinyuan 啼笑因緣 (Fate in Tears and Laughter) (Shanghai: Sanyou shushe, 1947) Zhang Zhen, An Amorous History of the Silver Screen: Shanghai Cinema, 1896–1937 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005)

Articles in Newspapers, Journals and Magazines [Advertisement] Minguo ribao 民國日報 (“The Republican Daily News”) (August 1924), 7 Fan Jingpeng 范景鹏 and Qian Jiacheng 钱家成, “Shanghai tan chuanqi wushujia Ma Yongzhen wuyi yanjiu” 上海滩传奇武术家马永贞武艺研究 (“A Research on Legendary Martial Artist Ma Yongzhen of Shanghai Bund and His Techniques” [sic]) in Zhonghua wushu yanjiu 中华武术研究 (Chinese Wushu Research) vol. 1 no. 5 (May, 2012) “Dianying” 電影 (Film) in Shishi xinbao 時事新報 (“The China Times”) (7 December 1927), 7 Mingxing tekan 明星特刊 (Mingxing Special) no. 28 (1 December 1927) Qian Jibo 錢基博, “Jiji yuwen bu, Ma Yongzhen” 技擊餘聞補, 馬永貞 (Supplementary Anecdotes on the Martial Arts, Ma Yongzhen) in Xiaoshuo yuebao 小説月報 (“The Short Story Magazine”) vol. 5 no. 7 (25 October 1914), 1–4 Qian Shouyi 錢守一, “Ji Qi Fanniu” 記戚飯牛 (Remembering Qi Fanniu) in Shutan 書墰 (Calligraphy Circles) no. 8 (1948), 2 “R”, Xinju “Ma Yongzhen” zhi you yi pinglun 新劇 “馬永貞” 之又一評論 (Another Critique of the New Play “Ma Yongzhen”) in Shenbao 申報 (“The Shun Pao”) (1 November 1923), 18 [Shao] Zuiweng [邵] 醉翁 [Runje Shaw], “Ji zuowan Xiao wutai zhi ‘Ma Yongzhen’” 記昨晚笑舞台之 “馬永貞” (Yesterday Evening’s “Ma Yongzhen” at the Xiao wutai) in Shenbao 申報 (“The Shun Pao”) (13 November 1923), 18 Wang Fengxia 王凤霞 and Li Sili 李斯力, “Lun Xiao wutai hepingshe xinju bu zhi ‘shishiju’” 论笑舞台和平社新剧部之 “实事剧” (On the “Factual Plays” of Xiao

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Wutai’s Heping Society, New-Drama Department) in Wenhua yichan 文化遗产 (Cultural Heritage) no. 1 (2016), 110–117 Yi Yi 乙乙, “Ma Yongzhen, Yilu suibi” 馬永貞, 乙盧隨筆 (Yi Lu Random Notes) in Xiaoshuo xinbao 小説新報 (New Fiction) vol. 2 no. 8 (1916), 4–11 Zhao Ji 赵骥, “Xiao wutai yu Shanghai wenmingxi” 笑舞台与上海文明戏 (The Laughter Stage and Shanghai “Wenmingxi”) in Hangzhou shifan daxue xuebao [shehui kexue ban] 杭州师范大学学报 [社会科学版] (The Journal of Shanghai Normal University [Social Sciences Edition]) no. 2 (March 2010), 52–59 [Zheng] Zhengqiu [鄭] 正秋, “Ping Ma Yongzhen” 評馬永貞 (A Critique of Ma Yongzhen) in Minguo ribao 民國日報 (“The Republican Daily News”) (26 February 1924), 8; (27 February 1924), 8; (28 February 1924), 8 Zhu Jiayu 诸家瑜, “Wentan huchi Qi Fanniu” 文坛虎痴戚飯牛 (Qi Fanniu, Tiger-­ Lantern Obsessive of the Literary World) in Suzhou zazhi (Suzhou Magazine) (May 2003), 74–75

Periodicals Da gonghe huabao 大共和畫報 (Great Republic Pictorial) vol. 10 no. 2 (2 October 1914) and vol. 10 no. 3 (3 October 1914) Yan Duhe 嚴獨鶴 (ed.), Libailiu 禮拜六 (“The Saturday”) (Shanghai: 1914–1923) Zhou Shoujuan 周瘦鵑 (ed.), Hong zazhi 紅雜誌 (“The Scarlet Magazine”) (Shanghai: Shijie shuju, 1922–1924)

Internet Mingxing yingpian gufen youxian gongsi dianying mulu 明星影片股份有限公司电 影目录 “Catalogue of the films of the Mingxing Film Company Ltd.” https:// www.douban.com/doulist/108706186/ Accessed 24 March 2021 Qi Fanniu 戚飯牛, Shandong nüxiadao 山東女俠盜 (Shandong Female Knight-­ errant Bandits) (1931) http://www.bookinlife.net/book-­286274.html Accessed 14 February 2021 Qi Fanniu  – Zhonghua diancang 戚饭牛  – 中华典藏 (zhonghuadiancang.com) Accessed 13 March 2021