As Seongjin grew sturdy and well-fed on the devoted love of Recluse Yang and his wife, matters on Lotus Peak had often occupied his mind; but as he gradually grew older, he completely forgot the affairs of his previous life.
The recluse stroked the child, whose features were handsome and whose frame was pure and refined, and said to his wife,
"My dear, this child is surely someone from the immortal realm who has descended to the human world."
"But, husband! It is time we gave this child a name."
"Indeed, we should. How does Shaoyou sound? It means an immortal has come to the mundane world for a brief excursion."
"It is a truly fine name, husband."
Thus Seongjin came to be named Shaoyou.
Before long, Shaoyou turned ten. His skin was like white jade, his eyes like the morning star, and his intelligence was beyond compare; he already possessed the bearing of a great and noble gentleman.
One day, the recluse called his wife, Lady Liu, and quietly said,
"My dear, I was never truly a man of this dusty world. Because I could not sever my bond with you, I have lived all this time amid the mortal dust. During that time, an immortal friend of mine on Penglai Mountain (an immortal mountain said to lie in the Eastern Sea, where immortals dwell) has sent letters several times, urging me to return; yet when I thought of your loneliness, I could not bear to leave. But by Heaven’s aid, we have been blessed with a wise and virtuous son, so you will be able to live without loneliness together with him. Moreover, in your later years, you will surely enjoy wealth, honor, and glory, so do not grieve because I have departed." No sooner had the recluse finished speaking than he beckoned toward the blue sky. Then a white crane flew down, bore him upon its back, and vanished lightly into the heights. His wife, unable even to utter a word, embraced her young son and wept in sorrow, but the recluse never appeared again. From time to time, he would send a letter on the wind asking after them, yet Recluse Yang had left Shaoyou and his mother forever.
Meeting a Maiden in Huayin County
After Recluse Yang became an immortal and returned to the immortal realm, Shaoyou and his mother spent their days relying upon one another.
The prefect of that district marveled at Yang Shaoyou’s talent and brilliance, and recommended him to the court as a prodigy. But Shaoyou, thinking of his aged mother’s loneliness, declined to enter official service.
When Shaoyou turned fifteen, his bearing was like Pan An (a famed handsome man of China’s Jin dynasty), his prose could be compared to that of Li Taibai, his calligraphy was like Wang Xizhi’s (a calligrapher of the Jin dynasty), and his strategy was so exceptional that he could rival Sun Bin and Wu Qi.
Moreover, in astronomy, geography, the Six Secret Teachings and Three Strategies (Chinese military texts: the Civil Secret Teaching, Military Secret Teaching, Dragon Secret Teaching, Tiger Secret Teaching, Leopard Secret Teaching, Dog Secret Teaching, Upper Strategy, Middle Strategy, and Lower Strategy), as well as swordsmanship and spearmanship, his skill seemed almost supernatural. This was because Shaoyou had been a man who cultivated virtue in his former life; his mind was clear, his thoughts unclouded, and he had penetrated the principles of things. It was something no scholar of the mundane world could even hope to imitate.
One day, Shaoyou knelt before his mother and said,
"Mother, when Father ascended to Heaven, he charged your son with raising the standing of our family and attaining honor. Yet because our household is poor, you have suffered hardships into your old age, and your son’s anguish is beyond words. If your son does not go out into the world to seek fame and achievement and bring glory to our family, there will be no way to comfort you.
That would be to go against Father’s wishes. I hear that the state is now holding the civil examinations and widely seeking men of talent, so your son would like to leave your side for a short while and set out on the road to the examinations."
From her son’s voice, Lady Liu already knew that his resolve was firm. Yet sending him, still only a boy, on such a long journey made her heart ache, and she also worried that their parting might be prolonged.
As Lady Liu prepared his traveling bundle, she carefully told her son all the things he must heed, not forgetting to caution him.
"You are still young and have little experience, and this is your first time setting out on a long road. Always take care in your conduct, and return quickly so that your mother’s worries do not drag on."
Yang Shaoyou received his mother’s wishes, then made his farewell bow and set out on his journey.
Riding a donkey led by a young servant boy, he traveled for several days until Huayin County in Huazhou came into view.
Since Huayin County was only a short distance from Chang’an, Shaoyou’s mind felt somewhat at ease.
Moreover, as there was still much time before the examination date, his heart was captured by the mountains, rivers, and scenery of Huayin County. Each day, he traveled dozens of li, climbed famous mountains, and visited ancient sites, so the journey was nothing but a delight; to Shaoyou, life away from home did not feel especially lonely.
As he was passing through Huayin County, a certain house suddenly caught his eye. Around it, trees grew thick and beautiful, and weeping willows trailed their branches in graceful swags. Above them, mist coiled in radiant splendor, and the mood was so secluded and refined that it did not seem to belong to this world.
At this, Shaoyou drew in his whip and slowly approached the pavilion. When he came closer, he saw the long and short branches of the weeping willows intertwining and swaying, lovely as a fragrant maiden combing her hair in the wind.
Shaoyou grasped a willow branch with one hand and sighed, saying,
"Even among the groves of my country village there are many beautiful trees, but never before have I seen a willow as beautiful as this."
Intoxicated by the willow, Shaoyou stood idly there, then composed a “Song of the Willows” and recited it in a clear, ringing voice.
The weeping willows are green as though weaving cloth,
Their trailing branches brush the flowerlike pavilion.
Now I know why you so diligently planted them:
Of all trees, this one has the most elegant charm.
Why are the weeping willows so very green?
Their trailing branches brush the painted pillars.
I pray you do not seize and break them,
For in this tree dwells much feeling.
When Shaoyou raised his voice and recited once more, the sound rang out as though striking metal and stone; it seemed to halt the clouds and echoed through the mountain valleys, carrying all the way up to the pavilion.
On the pavilion, a young lady of delicate age had just been dozing in the afternoon when she was startled awake by the sound. She opened the embroidered silk window and leaned out. The maiden, leaning against the richly painted railing, searched in the direction from which the voice had come, and her eyes met Yang Shaoyou’s.
Her cloudlike hair lay richly disheveled, and a jade hairpin hung askew; her half-awakened eyes were hazy, as though drowsiness still clung to her brows, making her seem a frail and lovely beauty. The rouge on her cheeks had half faded, yet her natural complexion and graceful figure could never be described in words, nor captured even in a painting.
The two young man and woman merely gazed at one another, unable to exchange a single word.
Shaoyou sent the servant boy ahead to the inn and told him to prepare the evening meal.
Yang Shaoyou was staring, spellbound, at the beauty on the pavilion when the servant boy returned and announced that supper was ready.
At that, the beauty on the pavilion shut the silk window and disappeared. Only a delicate fragrance lingered in that place. Resenting the servant boy for having returned too soon, Shaoyou headed toward the inn. With every step he took, he looked back, but the window remained closed, and the beauty showed no sign of appearing again.
Shaoyou returned to the inn and sat there sighing, his mind dazed with thoughts of that beauty.
Qin Caifeng Sends a Letter
The beauty whose eyes had met Yang Shaoyou’s from atop the pavilion was the daughter of Censor Qin; her surname was Qin, and her given name was Caifeng.
She had lost her mother early and, as an only daughter with no brothers, had been raised by her father’s hand. She was just at the age to pin up her hair, but her marriage had not yet been arranged.
Her father, Censor Qin, had gone up to the capital to serve in office, so the young lady was keeping the household with her servants when, unexpectedly, she heard the poem recited by a man of extraordinary appearance and fell deep into thought.
'To be born a woman and follow a man is the great matter of a lifetime. Since all the honor and disgrace, life and death, joy and sorrow of one’s whole life rest in the hands of one’s husband, one must meet a worthy spouse. Did not Zhuo Wenjun (a woman writer of the Han dynasty), though a widow, follow Sima Xiangru (a writer of the Han dynasty, courtesy name Changqing)? Though I am an unmarried maiden of the inner chambers and there may be shame in having met him of my own accord, if I do not ask that young gentleman’s name and address, then even if in days to come I speak to Father and wish to send a matchmaker, where could she be sent? The old saying goes that even a minister chooses the lord he serves. I must summon my courage and ask that young gentleman where he lives.'
Having resolved upon this, Miss Qin spread out a sheet of poetry paper, wrote a poem upon it, and then called her nurse.
"Nurse, take this and go to that inn. Find the young gentleman who came beneath this pavilion toward evening, riding a small donkey, and recited the “Song of the Willows,” and deliver this letter to him. I mean to form a fragrant bond with him and entrust myself to him. He is a crane among chickens, so you too will recognize him at first sight. Go quickly and deliver this letter."
Hearing the young lady’s words, the nurse was startled and asked,
"I shall respectfully do as you command, my lady, but if His Excellency the censor learns of this later, what shall we answer? And what shall we do if that young gentleman is already married, or if there is already a maiden to whom he is betrothed?"
When the young lady heard this, she replied in a clear voice,
"If Father asks, I shall tell him myself, so you need not worry about that. And if that young gentleman is already married, I intend to enter his household as a secondary wife.
But to my eyes he was still in the bloom of youth, not like a married man, so go with an easy heart."
The nurse bowed to the young lady and went to the inn to seek the guest who had recited the “Song of the Willows.”
Soon Shaoyou stepped outside and asked,
"I am the one who composed the “Song of the Willows.” For what reason do you seek me?"
Seeing Shaoyou’s handsome features and hearing his bright, clear voice, the nurse smiled gladly and said,
"This is not a matter I can speak of here."
Shaoyou found it strange, but he soon went into the inn and quietly asked the purpose of her visit.
"My lord, when you recited the “Song of the Willows,” did you happen to meet a certain maiden?"
Shaoyou gazed vaguely out the window and answered,
"I was intoxicated by the weeping willows and recited the “Song of the Willows” beneath a certain pavilion. When I looked up, there was a heavenly maiden upon it. Even now, that immortal maiden’s lovely form remains vivid before my eyes, and her wondrous fragrance still clings to my robes."
Hearing those words, the nurse smiled and replied,
"Then this old woman shall tell you at once. The house with that pavilion is none other than the residence of our master, Censor Qin, and the young lady you saw a while ago is the young mistress of our household. This old woman is the young lady’s wet nurse, and I have attended upon her to this day. Our young lady has been kind in nature and clever from childhood, and she has always had an eye for recognizing people. Today, upon seeing you for the first time, my lord, she knew you at once and wishes to entrust her whole life to you. Yet Censor Qin is now in the capital, and you, my lord, seem soon to be leaving this place, so even if she wished to settle this great matter, who could arrange it? Thus, since the bond from three lives is weighty and the suspicion of a single moment is light, she overcame her shame and sent this old woman to ask your name and address, my lord, and also to learn whether you have a wife."
At these words, a smile spread across Shaoyou’s face like a full-blown peony.
"I am Yang Shaoyou, who lives in the land of Chu. I am still young and have not yet taken a wife, so if we were to inform the parents of both houses and form this fragrant bond, what greater joy could there be? I shall swear by Mount Hua remaining forever green and the Wei River never running dry."
The nurse was overjoyed. After taking another careful look at Shaoyou’s dignified bearing, she drew a letter from within her sleeve.
Shaoyou received it and saw that it, too, was written as a Willow Song.
The weeping willows planted above the pavilion
Were meant to tether my lord’s horse and make him stay.
Why then make a whip of willow branches
And hasten your ride along the road to the capital?
When Shaoyou read the poem, he loved the purity of its lines and praised it, saying that not even Wang Youcheng or Academician Li (Li Bai, Hanlin Academician) could surpass it. Then he spread out a sheet of poetry paper, wrote a verse, and handed it to the nurse.
"The young lady lives in the land of Qin, while I live in the land of Chu, so once we part, it will not be easy to send word to one another. Moreover, today’s promise has no certain matchmaker, so its credibility is slight. I would like to meet the young lady once more tonight beneath the moonlight. Go now at once to the young lady and convey my thoughts to her.
Since the young lady, too, has hinted at such a meaning in her lines, I hope she will send a reply at once."
The nurse agreed and returned to report to Miss Qin.
"The young master swore by Mount Hua and the Wei River in forming this fragrant bond with you, my lady. He also praised the poem you composed and wrote a poem in reply."
When the nurse took the letter from her sleeve and presented it, the young lady blushed and read it.
In the thousand, ten thousand strands of drooping willow silk,
Each thread contains a tender, yearning heart.
I pray we may twist the red cord beneath the moon,
And happily bind the tidings of spring.
When the young lady had finished reading, her face was filled with delight.
Seeing this, the nurse smiled as well and reported again.
"Master Yang asked whether it would be possible for him to meet you quietly tonight, my lady, and exchange poems with you."
At this, the young lady blushed and said to the nurse,
"For a man and woman to meet before marriage is contrary to propriety, but since I have already resolved to entrust my life to Master Yang, how could I refuse? Yet if we were to meet by moonlight in the depth of night, not only would I fear the eyes of the neighbors, but if my father were to learn of it later, he would surely punish me as guilty of a grave offense. Nurse, go back to Master Yang and convey my thoughts. Tell him that it would be proper for us to gather tomorrow morning in the main hall and firmly seal our pledge."
The nurse at once went to the guesthouse to find Yang Shaoyou and conveyed Miss Qin’s meaning. Hearing this, Shaoyou could not help admiring her all the more and decided to follow Miss Qin’s wishes.
"My thoughts were shallow, and I seem to have troubled the young lady’s heart. I wish to follow the young lady’s wise thoughts and upright words, so please go and tell her my intention."
Shaoyou repeatedly and earnestly begged the nurse to be sure to let them meet the next day, and the nurse readily agreed and left.
Meeting a Daoist on Lantian Mountain
After the nurse left, Shaoyou spread out his bedding and lay down, but he could not fall asleep.
He tossed and turned, picturing Miss Qin’s graceful figure and waiting only for the rooster to crow, so the spring night seemed instead endlessly long.
At last, as dawn began to brighten, Shaoyou, impatient, woke his page and told him to feed the donkey.
Just then, drums sounded—boom, boom, boom—and suddenly the tumult of countless soldiers and horses rose noisily outside the gate.
Shaoyou was greatly alarmed. He hurriedly put his clothes and cap in order and ran outside. From the west, soldiers and fleeing commoners had thrown everything into indescribable confusion.
The cries of the soldiers as they rushed out were like wind and rain, and the wailing of the people reached the heavens. Unable to calm his panic, Shaoyou asked someone nearby what was happening.
"Shence General Qiu Shiliang (marshal of the Shence Army, one of the Tang imperial guards) has made himself emperor and raised troops in rebellion. Because of that, the Son of Heaven has set out on an imperial progress to Yangzhou, while Guanzhong (a place name in Shaanxi Province) is in chaos, and scattered enemy troops are plundering the homes of the people."
As Shaoyou stood gaping in shock, the man told him something even more frightening.
"Rumor has it that Hangu Pass has now been closed, and people coming and going in the streets are being seized at random and forced into the army. They say they are taking everyone, highborn or lowborn alike."
Shaoyou was so startled that he hurriedly called his page, mounted the donkey, and headed for Lantian Mountain.
After climbing the mountain, he was about to hide among the rocks so as not to be seen by enemy soldiers when a small thatched hut on the mountain came into view. Around it drifted five-colored clouds, and the clear cries of cranes sounded faintly. Shaoyou knew then that people lived there.
Shaoyou told the page to stand there for a while, then felt his way up a path among the rocks. A white-haired Daoist, who had been lying against a desk, sprang up.
"Are you a refugee?"
"Yes, I am."
"You must be the son of Hermit Yang from Huainan. Am I wrong?"
Shaoyou was startled. After offering an even more respectful bow, he said with tears in his eyes,
"Yes. I am Shaoyou, the son of Hermit Yang. After my father became an immortal and departed, I lived relying on my aged mother. Though I know little, I had certain ambitions in my heart and was on my way to sit for the civil examinations. When I happened to arrive in Huaiyin, I was admiring the scenery of its mountains and rivers when, unexpectedly, I encountered this turmoil. While fleeing into the mountains, I came here and was able to meet an immortal. I know this must be Heaven’s aid, revealing to me this immortal realm."
Shaoyou rose and bowed again, then asked earnestly,
"For a long time I have had no news of my late father, and my longing for him has been deep. Yet from what I have just heard you say, Immortal, you seem to know news of him, so I beg you, Immortal, please relieve my uncertainty. From what I have just heard you say, Immortal, you seem to know news of my late father, so I beg you, Immortal, please relieve my uncertainty. On what mountain is my late father now, and is his health boundless?"
The white-haired Daoist smiled and said,
"It has not been many days since your father and I parted after playing go on Zige Peak.
However, there is no way for me to know where he has gone. Still, his complexion is the same as of old, and there is no way for me to know where he has gone. Still, his complexion is the same as of old, and his hair has not turned white, so you need not worry too much."
Upon hearing that his father was well, Shaoyou missed him all the more and, shedding tears, said,
"If by chance you, Immortal, were to arrange it, would it not be possible for me to meet my father?"
"Even if I wished to arrange it for your sake, I cannot. Moreover, the Three Divine Mountains are far away, and the Ten Isles (the immortal realm introduced by the Queen Mother of the West to Emperor Wu of Han) are so vast that it would be difficult to find your father. Since you have come here, it would be best for you to remain here until the roads open again, and then return."
The Daoist spoke with a smile.
Though Shaoyou had heard that his father was well, the way to meet him was distant and uncertain, so his heart was desolate, and he sat there shedding tears.
"Meeting and parting are the common lot of human life, so wipe away your tears now."
When Shaoyou wiped away his tears at the Daoist’s urging, all thoughts of the world vanished from his mind. He even forgot that his page was waiting outside the mountain gate, holding the donkey, and he settled himself in his seat and thanked the Daoist.
Receiving the Zither, the Flute, and a Book of Secret Arts
"Can you play this?"
The Daoist spoke, pointing to a zither hanging on the wall.
"Since childhood, I have enjoyed playing the zither, but as I have not met a teacher, I do not know any wondrous melodies."
Shaoyou answered modestly.
The Daoist instructed a boy to bring the zither to Shaoyou. Shaoyou received it, placed it on his knees, and played one piece, “Wind Through the Pines.”
"The way your hands move is light and swift. I shall teach you several pieces."
After saying this, the Daoist began to play the zither himself. These were melodies that had not been transmitted through the ages, and their sound was clear and elegant, unlike any music heard in the human world. As Shaoyou was by nature quick of spirit and never forgot what he heard once, after the Daoist had played four or five pieces, he understood them at once.
Seeing this, the Daoist was greatly pleased. He then took out a vertical flute made of white jade and played one melody.
"People of old also said that it is exceedingly difficult for those who understand music to meet one another. To commemorate the joy I feel in meeting you, I shall give you this zither and flute, so take them with you. These instruments will have great use in the future, so keep them carefully."
Shaoyou was deeply grateful. He bowed respectfully and received the two objects.
"Immortal, you are deeply acquainted with my father, and thus you are no different from my father himself.
I beseech you, Immortal, take me as your disciple and allow me to remain at your side. Even when my bones turn white, I shall not forget this grace."
At this, the Daoist smiled and stroked Shaoyou’s head.
“You are not one who can easily free himself from the sufferings of wealth and honor in the human world. How could such a person follow me and live in the solitude of the mountains? Moreover, the place to which you will return hereafter is different from mine, so how could you become my disciple?”
When Soyu once again bowed, longing to become his disciple, the Taoist handed him a book.
“Because your sincerity is so earnest, I shall give you this Pengzu manual of prescriptions. If you learn this method, though you may not attain eternal life, you will be able to live out your days in good health.”
Soyu thanked him and respectfully received the book.
“A moment ago, Immortal, you said that you would bestow upon this humble one the wealth and honor of the human world. I am presumptuous, but there is one thing I wish to ask. While in Hwaeum County, I had entered into a marriage pledge with the young lady of the Jin household, but in the midst of war I fled here for refuge. Please tell me whether this marriage will come to pass smoothly.”
“Ha ha ha ha.”
The Taoist laughed loudly.
“Marriage is as dark as a road at night, and cannot be carelessly revealed.
However, your destined partners are in many places, so do not think only of Miss Jin.”
Soyu knelt to receive his instruction, then entered the room and slept while attending upon the Taoist. Before dawn had even broken, the Taoist called to wake him.
“The war has already ended, and the civil examination has been postponed until next spring. You must leave this place at once and return to your hometown. Your mother’s worries are as great as Mount Tai, so hurry back and comfort her.”
The Taoist then prepared travel money and belongings for him, and Soyu thanked him with a hundred bows. Gathering up the geomungo, the tungso, and the manual, he went out beyond the mouth of the valley. After walking for some time, unable to overcome his sorrow, he looked back, but the house and the Taoist were nowhere to be seen; only beautiful clouds lingered there.
Soyu wiped away his tears and looked by the roadside, where chrysanthemums were in bloom. Autumn had already come. When he had climbed the mountain the day before, the weeping willows had hung in trailing green, yet now chrysanthemums were blooming—it was truly strange. Then had spring passed, and summer passed, and autumn come in the meantime?
When Soyu descended to Hwaeum County, he asked a man about it.
“The rebellion that broke out five months ago was barely suppressed after the court summoned the troops. The Son of Heaven returned to the capital a few days ago, and they say the civil examination has been postponed until next spring.”
Longing for Miss Jin
When Soyu sought out the pavilion where he had once met Miss Jin, the drooping willows that had hung so gracefully were already faded in the autumn light, and the pavilion painted in red and blue was nothing but ashes. Around the house, only foundation stones and broken tiles lay heaped high, and the village was so desolate that not even the barking of dogs or the crowing of chickens could be heard.
‘Can human affairs change so easily as this?’
Grieving that he could no longer form a beautiful bond with Miss Jin, Soyu grasped a willow branch and recited the Willow Lyrics that she had composed.
“Innkeeper, do you happen to know where Censor Jin’s family has gone?”
When he asked about Censor Jin’s household, the innkeeper grimaced deeply and replied.
“My lord, have you heard nothing? Formerly, Censor Jin went up to the capital to take office, while Miss Jin alone remained to guard the house with the servants. After the rebellion was put down, Censor Jin was accused of having held office under the rebels and was put to death by the severest punishment, while Miss Jin was taken to the capital. Later rumors said that Miss Jin had been beheaded, and also that she had been dragged away as a government slave.”
Soyu was so stricken with grief that tears streamed down his face.
“But this morning, officials were escorting away the families of many criminals, so I asked the reason. They said they were on their way escorting people who were to become slaves in Yeongnam County. And someone who saw them said Miss Jin was among them.”
Hearing this, Soyu lamented sorrowfully.
“Taoist Nanjeon said that my marriage with Miss Jin was like a dark road at night, and surely Miss Jin must have departed this life.”
Believing that Miss Jin had died, Soyu gathered his traveling things that very day and set out for Suju.
At this time, after her son had gone toward the capital and war had broken out, Lady Yu prayed to Heaven, fearing that he might have lost his life. During that time, Lady Yu’s face had grown haggard and her whole body had weakened until she seemed about to die, but when her son returned, vitality immediately came back to her, and she embraced him in joy as though her dead son had returned to life.
Thus, in one way and another, winter passed, and a new spring of blooming flowers returned.
When Soyu again entered his mother’s room and told her that he would take the civil examination, Lady Yu cautioned him and said,
“Last year, when you went up to the capital and passed through such danger, your mother was terrified and frightened even now—yet you mean to go again? Still, I have decided to follow your will, so I can only pray that you go and return safely.”
“Mother, I thank you.”
“Though you are still young, and I could stop you by saying it is too early for you to set your heart on fame and office, the reason I send you is because I, too, have something in mind. This place is narrow and remote, so it is exceedingly difficult to find someone who may become your wife. You are now sixteen; if you do not become betrothed now, nine times out of ten you will miss the proper time for marriage.
You must look for a young lady who is your equal in family standing, beauty, and talent.
If you go to Jacheonggwan in the capital, my elder maternal cousin lives there.
His name is Du Ryeonsa, and it has already been long since he became a Taoist. He cares for you as he would his own child and will surely find you a virtuous wife, so keep this in mind.”
Having said this, Lady Yu wrote him a letter.