🧚 A Story of Old China, part 5

The sons lifted her from her knees, called the servants who took her to her room, and after arranging her still beautiful black hair, they robed her in garments of honour brought by her son.1 When all was ready the sons came and, bending the knee, said:2

“We invite our mother to take her chair, leaving this little court and room, and go with us to enjoy the pleasures and blessings granted by Heaven to the restored House of Tu.”3 The mother said:4

“My sons, these poor neighbours have been kind to me always.5 Thank them for me.”6 This the sons did in a most respectful manner and promised to reward them.7 She herself then thanked them, and they escorted her to her chair, and to the palace where she was given great honour.8

Later in the day, father, mother, and grandparents of Kan Lang came, and thus, after eighteen weary years, the family was reunited, and joy came in every form to them for many long years.9 Yü Yüch Ying lived to see and hold her great grandchildren, and to see great glory come to their house.10 Their great enemy was tried and punished by loss of all rank and estate; his last days spent in poverty and seclusion.11 Tradition says he was given a silver bowl and made to beg from door to door for the rest of his life, and a small street called “Silver Street” is said to have been named for his bowl and the fact that there he died on the street a beggar.12 History only records the loss of rank and estate.13 His steward, Nien Chi, was tried at the same time, and was sentenced to be burned alive in the street,—“A fine lamp for one dark night.”14 Thus was meted out punishment to the enemies of the House of Tu.15

NOTES16

1.17 The song of “Ting Lang Seeking his Father” is never sung by the “foundation beaters” of China except they are given a special gift of money or a meal of white bread.18 There is no other song among the many they sing that produces the effect that this one does; man by man they seem to live over the little lad’s life.19 A leader sings the main part, they coming in in special parts as it is arranged.20 When one of the British Legation buildings in Peking was being built, they paid five dollars to have the song sung, and it is always the special for all large Chinese buildings.21

2.22 The place where the wicked Nien Chi lived is the site of the American Board Mission in Peking and was bought by them over forty years ago.23 It adjoins the grounds of the great and more wicked Yen Sung.24 This is now the home of a Mongol Prince.25 The palace has had for hundreds of years an unsavoury reputation.26 It was the underlings, servants, and Boxers, supported by the present owner, who was also a Boxer leader, who destroyed the Congregational Mission in 1900.27 It was the place where the Mission made its headquarters until the rebuilding of the Board property.28 It was here many Christians were taken, tried, and sentenced to death.29 So the present record is similar to that of the days of Yen Sung.30