The Complete Works of Lu Xun's Novels

Chapter 37

Are you greedy for life and afraid of death, and perverted, and become like this? (Long.) Or did he lose his territory and eat a knife, and became like this? (橐橐.) Still making a fuss, I’m sorry for my parents and wife, is it like this? (橐橐.) Don’t you know that suicide is an act of the weak ④? (橐橐橐!) Or do you have no food to eat, no clothes to wear, and you have become like this? (Squeeze.) Or is it old enough to deserve to die, to be like this? (Laughing.) Or...well, I was confused, as if I was acting.There will be an answer.Fortunately, it's not far from Chu State, so there's no need to be busy. It's better to ask Master Siming⑤ to restore his shape, give birth to his flesh, have a chat with him, and then return him to his hometown and reunite his flesh and blood. (Putting down the whip, facing the east, arching his hands to the sky, raising his throat, and shouting:)

Sincerely courteous ceremony ⑥, commanding the Great Heavenly Venerable! ...

(A gust of wind, many ghosts with unkempt hair, bald, skinny, fat, male, female, old and young appeared.)
Ghost—Zhuang Zhou, you fool!With a gray beard, I still can't figure it out.There are no four seasons, and no protagonist.The world is spring and autumn, and being an emperor is not so easy.It's better not to mind your own business, go to Chu country to do your own sports. ...

Zhuangzi—you are the ones who are confused, and you still can’t figure it out even after you die.You must know that life is death, death is life, and the slave is also the protagonist.I am the source of life, and I am not affected by your little devil's activities.

Ghost—then, I'll make a fool of you on the spot...

Zhuangzi——The holy decree of the king of Chu is on my head, and I am not afraid of your brats' booing! (Again arching his hands to the sky, raising his throat, and shouting:)

With sincerity and courtesy, Commander-in-Chief!

Heaven and earth are dark yellow, the universe is prehistoric.The sun and the moon are full of clouds, and the constellation of Chensu is set.

Zhao Qian Sun Li, Zhou Wu Zheng Wang.Feng Qin Chuwei, Jiang Shen Han Yang. ①
Taishang Laojun is in a hurry like a law!Edict!Edict!Edict!

(A gust of breeze, Si Ming Dao Shen Dao crowned cloth robe, black and thin skin, gray beard, holding a horsewhip, appeared in the haze of the east. All the ghosts disappeared.)
Si Ming—Zhuang Zhou, what are you going to do with me?Have enough water and restless?

Zhuangzi—I was on my way to see the king of Chu. Passing by here, I saw an empty skull, but it still had the appearance of its head.Those who should have parents and wives died here, what a pity and pity.So I implore the Great God to restore his shape, return his flesh, and revive him so that he can go back to his hometown.

Si Ming-haha!This is not the truth, you are looking for something to do before your stomach is full.Seriousness is not like seriousness, and play is not like play.Go your way, don't interfere with me.You must know that "death and life have fate" ②, and it is difficult for me to arrange things casually.

Zhuangzi—the great god is wrong.In fact, there is no life or death there.I, Zhuang Zhou, once dreamed that I turned into a butterfly③, a fluttering butterfly, and woke up as Zhuang Zhou, a busy Zhuang Zhou.Whether it was Zhuang Zhou who dreamed that he was a butterfly, or whether the butterfly dreamed that he was Zhuang Zhou, has not been clarified until now.From this point of view, how do you know that the skull is not alive now, but after being reincarnated, it is dead?Please, God, be casual and accommodating.To be a man needs to be tactful, and to be a god doesn't have to be pedantic.

Si Ming—(smiling,) You can still say you can’t do it, it’s a human being, not a god... Well, that’s fine, let’s try it for you.

(Si Ming points at Peng Zhong with a whip. At the same time, he disappears. A flash of fire shines out from where he points, and a man jumps up.)
The man—(About 30 years old, tall, with a purple face, like a countryman, completely naked. After rubbing his eyes with his fist, he regained his composure and saw Zhuangzi,) Kuai?
Zhuangzi—kuai? (Smiling and approaching him, to look at him,) What's the matter with you?
The man - alas, fell asleep.how are you (looks to both sides, shouts,) Ah, where's my parcel and umbrella? (looks at himself,) Ah, where are my clothes? (Squatting down.)
Chuang Tzu—Calm down, don't panic.You just came alive.Your things, I think, have long since rotted, or been picked up by others.

Man - what did you say?
Zhuangzi—let me ask you: Who is your name, and where are you from?
Man——I am Yang Da from Yangjiazhuang.The scientific name is Bigong.

Zhuangzi—then what are you doing here?
Man—I went to visit relatives, so I accidentally fell asleep here. (getting anxious,) Where are my clothes?Where's my package and umbrella?
Zhuangzi—be quiet, don’t panic—let me ask you: when did you come from?
The man—(surprised,) What? ... What is a "person from when"? ...where are my clothes?

……

Zhuangzi—tsk tsk, you are such a fool to death—you only care about your clothes, you are really a complete egoist.If you "person" haven't figured it out, where can you talk about your clothes?So I want to ask you first: when are you from?Alas, you don't understand. ... Then, (thinking for a while,) let me ask you: what happened in the village when you were alive?
Man - story?some.Yesterday, the second sister-in-law quarreled with the seventh wife.

Zhuangzi——I still owe a lot!

Man - still too old? ...Then, Yang Xiaosanjing has shown a filial son...

Zhuangzi—representing a filial son is indeed a major event...but it is still difficult to investigate... (Thinking for a while,) Is there any greater matter that caused everyone to quarrel?
The man—a quarrel? ... (Thinking,) Oh, yes!That was three or four months ago, because the souls of the children were going to be taken to step on the deer's platform①, everyone was really scared, so they hurriedly made charm bags and brought them to the children...

Zhuangzi—(surprised) Lutai?When is Lutai?

Hanzi—that is, Lutai, which started construction three or four months ago.

Zhuangzi—then you died when you were King Zhou?That's amazing, you've been dead for over 500 years.

Man—(a little annoyed) Sir, I'm just meeting you for the first time, don't be kidding.I just slept here for a while, something has been dead for more than 500 years.I have a serious business to visit relatives.Return my clothes, parcel and umbrella quickly.I don't have time to joke with you.

Zhuangzi——Slowly, slowly, let me study it.How did you fall asleep?

Man—how did you fall asleep? (Thinking,) When I walked to this place in the morning, there seemed to be a bang on the top of my head, and I fell asleep when my eyes went dark.

Zhuangzi—does it hurt?
Man - it doesn't seem to hurt.

Zhuangzi—oh... (thinking for a moment) oh... I see.You must have come to this place alone when you were King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty, but you met a bandit who broke the road, beat you to death with a sap from behind, and robbed you of everything.Now we are in the Zhou Dynasty, more than 500 years have passed, and we still go there to find clothes.Do you understand?

The man—(stares, looks at Zhuangzi) I don't understand at all.Sir, you better stop messing around and return my clothes, parcel and umbrella.I have a serious business to visit relatives, so I don't have time to joke with you!

Zhuangzi—you really don’t understand the truth...

Man - who doesn't understand the truth?I lost something, so I caught you on the spot, and if I didn’t ask you for it, who would I ask for it? (stand up.)
Zhuangzi—(in a hurry,) Listen to me again: You are a skull, and I feel sorry for you, so I asked the God of Command to bring you back to life.Think about it: You have been dead for so many years, and there are still clothes there!I don't want your thank you now, just sit down and tell me about the time when King Zhou...

Man - nonsense!Even a three-year-old child would not believe this.I am 33 years old! (walks away,) you...

Zhuangzi—I really have this ability.You should know Zhuang Zhou of the Lacquer Garden.

Man - I don't know.Even if you really have this ability, what is it worth?You made me naked, what's the use of being alive?How can I go to visit relatives?The package is gone too... (Some are about to cry, and run away and grab Zhuangzi's sleeve,) I don't believe your nonsense.There is only you here, of course I ask you!I'll twist you to see Baojia①!

Zhuangzi——slowly, slowly, my clothes are old and brittle, and I can't pull them off.Just listen to my words: don't think about clothes first, clothes are optional, maybe you have the right clothes, maybe you don't have the right clothes.Birds have feathers, beasts have hair, but king melons and eggplants are naked.This so-called "that is right and wrong, and this is right and wrong", of course you can't say that there is no right clothes, but how can you say that there are right clothes? ...

Man—(angry,) Fart your mother!If you don't return my things, I'll beat you to death first! (Clenching a fist with one hand, raising it, grabbing Zhuangzi with the other.)
Zhuangzi—(embarrassed, parrying) You dare to be rough!let go!Otherwise, I will ask God Siming to pay you back!

The man—(backs away with a sneer) All right, give me death.Otherwise, I will ask you to return my clothes, umbrella and package, which contains 52 yuan coins②, half a catty of white sugar, two catties of southern jujube...

Zhuangzi—(seriously) Don't you go back on your word?
The man—my brother-in-law regretted it!
Zhuangzi—(determinately) That's it.Since you are so muddled, let me restore it to you. (Turning his face to the east, arching his hands to the sky, raising his throat, and shouting:)

With sincerity and courtesy, Commander-in-Chief!

The heaven and earth are mysterious and yellow, and the universe is prehistoric.The sun and the moon are full of members, and Chen Su is listed.

Zhao Qian Sun Li, Zhou Wu Zheng Wang.Feng Qin Chuwei, Jiang Shen Han Yang.

Taishang Laojun is in a hurry like a law!Edict!Edict!Edict!

(No effect, for a while.)
Heaven and earth are mysterious and yellow!

Taishang Laojun!Edict!Edict!Edict! ... Order!

(No effect, for a while.)
(Zhuangzi looks around and slowly lowers his hands.)
Man—is he dead?

Zhuangzi—(dejectedly) For some reason, it doesn’t work this time...

MAN—(running forward,) Well, stop talking nonsense.Pay for my clothes!

Zhuangzi—(Backs away,) Do you dare to make a move?What ignorant barbarism!

The man—(grabs him,) You bastard!You bandit strategist!I will strip off your Taoist robe first, take your horse, and pay me...

(While supporting himself, Zhuangzi quickly took out the siren from the sleeve of his Taoist robe, and blew it three times. The man was stunned, and slowed down. Not long after, a patrolman came running from a distance.)
Patrolman—(Runs and shouts,) Take him!Don't let it go! (He comes running close. He is a tall man from Lu State, wearing a uniform and cap, holding a baton, and has a bare face.) Take him!This brother-in-law! ...

The man—(tightens Zhuangzi again,) Take him!This brother-in-law! ...

(The patrolman runs up, grabs Zhuangzi by the collar, and raises his baton with one hand. The man lets go, bends slightly, and covers his belly with his hands.)
Zhuangzi—(Holding his baton, tilting his head,) What is this?
Patrolman - what is this?snort!You still don't understand?
Zhuangzi—(angry) Why did you come here and arrest me?

Patrolman - what?
Chuang Tzu - I blew the siren...

Patrolman—you snatched someone's clothes and played the siren yourself, you fool!

Zhuangzi——I was passing by, saw him die here, and saved him, but he pestered me, saying that I had taken his things.Look at me, but I'm a stealer?

Patrolman—(Retracts his baton,) "Knowing people, knowing their faces, but not their hearts", who knows.Go to the bureau.

Chuang Tzu - that's not going to work.I have to hurry to see the king of Chu.

The inspector—(surprised, let go of his hand, and carefully looks at Zhuangzi's face) Then, you are Qi...

Zhuangzi—(happy,) Not bad!I am Zhuang Zhou, official of Qiyuan.How do you know?
Patrolman—our bureau chief has been talking about you a lot in the past few days, saying that you are going to Chu State to make a fortune, maybe you passed by here.My bureau chief is also a hermit, and I do some errands at the same time. I love to read your old articles, and read "Qiwulun". ", really well written, really high-class article ①, really good!You'd better go to our bureau to have a rest.

(Surprised, the man retreats into the grass and squats down.)
Zhuangzi——it’s getting late today, I have to hurry, I can’t delay.When I come back, I will visit your director again.

(Zhuangzi said and walked, climbed on the horse, and was about to whip, the man suddenly jumped out of the grass, ran up and grabbed the bit. The patrolman also caught up and grabbed the man's arm.)
Zhuangzi—what are you bothering about?
Man—you are gone, I have nothing, what should I do? (looks at the patrolman) Look, Mr. patrolman

……

The inspector—(scratches behind the ear,) This look is really difficult...but, sir...I think, (looking at Zhuangzi,) you should be richer and give him a coat to cover him shame...

Zhuangzi—that’s of course possible, I don’t own the clothes in the first place.But this time I am going to see the King of Chu, I can’t do without a robe, I can’t take off my shirt and just wear a robe...

Patrolman - yes, it is necessary. (To the man,) Let go!
Man - I'm going to visit relatives...

Patrolman - nonsense!No more trouble, watch me take you to the bureau! (holds up baton,) Go away!

(The man backs away, and the patrolman chases him, all the way into the mess.)
Chuang Tzu - bye bye bye.

Patrolman - bye bye bye.How are you going!

(Zhuangzi whipped his horse and walked away. The patrolman with his hands behind his back, saw that he was running farther and farther, and disappeared into the dust. Then he turned around slowly and walked back to the original road.)
(The man suddenly jumps out from the grass and grabs the hem of the patrolman's coat.)
Patrolman - what?
Man—what should I do?

Patrolman—how do I know that.

Man - I'm going to visit relatives...

Patrolman—you just have to check it out.

Man—I have no clothes.

Patrolman - Can't visit relatives without clothes?
Man - you let him go.Now you want to slip away again, so I have to ask you to find a way.Don't ask you, who should I ask?You see, that's how I live!
Patrolman—but I tell you: suicide is the act of the weak!

Man—then, give me an idea!

Patrolman—(shaking off the hem of his coat,) I can't think of it!

The man—(rolling off the patrolman's sleeve,) Then, take me to the station!

Patrolman—(shakes off his sleeves) How can this be done.Naked, how to walk on the street.let go!
Man—then, lend me a pair of trousers!
Patrolman—I only have this pair of trousers, and I lent them to you, and I am in a bad shape. (Trying to get rid of it,) Don't mess around!let go!
The man—(grabs the patrolman by the neck) I must go with you!
Patrolman—(embarrassed,) No way!
Man—then, I won't let you go!
Patrolman - what do you want?

Man - I want you to take me to the bureau!

Patrolman—this is really... what is the use of taking you there?Stop messing around.let go!Otherwise... (Struggling hard.)
Man—(Gripping him tighter,) Otherwise, I won’t be able to visit relatives, and I won’t be able to be a human being anymore.Two catties of southern jujube, half a catty of white sugar... You let him go, and I will fight with you...

Patrolman—(Struggling,) Stop making trouble!let go!Or...or else... (As he spoke, he took out the siren and blew it wildly.)
Made in December [-].

(End of this chapter)