Chinese Literature

“T didn’t hear anything of the kind when I was in the capital,” the servant reassured her.. “It must be a joke, ma’am; you'll see that when you get there. There is no need to worry.”

“Very well,” said the wife. “If you say so.”

While waiting for a boat, she packed her belongings and sent a letter by another messenger to the capital. This messenger reached the capital, asked for Wei’s hostel, gave him the letter and left after accepting a meal. When Wei opened the letter and read it, he found it was very brief. All his wife had written was: ‘Since you have married a concubine in the capital, I have found a male concubine at home, and we shall be coming to the capital together soon.”

Wei realized that his wife was joking, and thought no more of it; but before he had put the letter away, his servant announced another successful candidate. Now in the hostels at the capital one does not have as many rooms as at home, and this caller was a good friend who knew that Wei’s wife was not with him, so he walked straight into the living room and sat down. After talking for a little about the weather, Wei went out for a wash, whereupon his visitor, happening to look at the papers on the desk, saw this letter. Greatly amused, he read it aloud; and Wei, who could not hide it now, turned very red as he protested: “This is sheer nonsense. I played a trick on her, so she wrote this back as a joke.”

His friend roared with laughter, and said: “This is hardly a joking matter!’ Then he left.

That friend was a young fellow who liked to gossip, so in no time this story about Mrs. Wei’s letter was known in all the hostels. Some scholars, who envied Wei for winning distinction while still so young, made much of the incident and a censor reported it to the throne, claiming that Wei was too young and frivolous to hold an important government post. The result was that Wei was demoted to a provincial post; and though he bitterly repented his folly, it was too late. After this incident he never gained promotion and his career, which had promised so well, was ruined.

After this tale of how one joke cost a man a fine official post, I shall tell you another about a gentleman who was cut off in his prime and responsible for the death of two or three other innocent people, just because of a joke he made after drinking. How did it happen? As this verse says:

Our life on earth with danger is beset,

While others laugh and gossip as they please; The white cloud is not master of its fate, Since it must drift with every giddy breeze.

During the reign of Emperor Kao Chung (1127-1162 A.D.) the

seen eee =