The book of swindles: selections from a late Ming collection

268 Pages·2017·1.98 MB·English

by  Yingyu Zhang

The Book of Swindles
Translations from the Asian Classics
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Translations from the Asian Classics
Editorial Board
Wm. Theodore de Bary, Chair
Paul Anderer
Donald Keene
George A. Saliba
Haruo Shirane
Burton Watson
Wei Shang
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THE BOOK OF SWINDLES
Selections from a Late Ming Collection
ZHANG YINGYU
Translated by Christopher Rea and Bruce Rusk
Columbia University Press New York
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This publication was made possible by a grant from the James P. Geiss Foundation, a
private, non-profit operating foundation that sponsors research on China’s Ming dynasty
(1368–1644).
Columbia University Press wishes to express its appreciation for assistance given by the
Pushkin Fund in the publication of this book.
Columbia University Press
Publishers Since 1893
New York Chichester, West Sussex
cup.columbia.edu
Copyright © 2017 Christopher Rea and Bruce Rusk
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Zhang, Yingyu, active 16th century-17th century author. | Rea, Christopher G.
translator. | Rusk, Bruce, 1972– translator.
Title: The book of swindles : selections from a late Ming collection / Zhang Yingyu ;
translated by Christopher G. Rea and Bruce Rusk.
Description: New York : Columbia University Press, 2017. | Series: Translations from the
Asian classics | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017000941 (print) | LCCN 2017021726 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780231545648 (electronic) | ISBN 9780231178624 (cloth : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9780231178631 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Swindlers and swindling—China—Anecdotes. | Fraud—China—
Anecdotes.
Classification: LCC HV6699.C6 (ebook) | LCC HV6699.C6 Z43413 2017 (print) |
DDC 364.16/3—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017000941
Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent and durable acid-free paper.
Printed in the United States of America
Cover image: Courtesy of the National Museum of China. The cover illustration shows a
detail from “Bustling Nanjing” (Nandu fanhui tujuan (cid:8959)(cid:24741)(cid:19945)(cid:19986)(cid:9918)(cid:8991)), a long handscroll
painting by an anonymous Ming dynasty artist (formerly attributed to Qiu Ying (cid:7791)(cid:21145),
1494?–1552).
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Contents
Maps x
Translators’ Introduction xiii
Type 1: Misdirection and Theft 1
Stealing Silk with a Decoy Horse 2
Handing Over Silver Before Running Off with It 6
A Clever Trick on a Pig Seller 9
Pilfering Green Cloth by Pretending to Steal a Goose 11
Type 2: The Bag Drop 14
Dropping a Bag by the Roadside to Set Up a Switcheroo 15
Type 3: Money Changing 18
A Daoist in a Boat Exchanges Some Gold 19
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Type 4: Misrepresentation 23
Forged Letters from the Education Intendant
Report Auspicious Dreams 24
Using Broom Handles to Play a Joke
on Sedan Bearers 28
Type 5: False Relations 32
Inciting a Friend to Commit Adultery
and Swindling Away His Land 33
Type 6: Brokers 37
A Conniving Broker Takes Paper and Ends Up
Paying with His Daughter 38
A Destitute Broker Takes Some Wax to
Pay Off Old Debts 42
Type 7: Enticement to Gambling 46
A Stern Warning to a Gambler Provokes Others to
Entice Him to Relapse 47
Type 8: Showing Off Wealth 51
Impersonating the Son of an Official to Steal a
Merchant’s Silver 52
Flashy Clothing Incites Larceny 56
Type 9: Scheming for Wealth 59
Stealing a Business Partner’s Riches Only to
Lose One’s Own 60
Haughtiness Leads to a Lawsuit That Harms Wealth
and Health 65
vi contents
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Type 10: Robbery 71
Robbing a Pawnshop by Pretending to Leave Goods There 72
Type 11: Violence 75
Sticking a Plaster in the Eyes to Steal a Silver Ingot 76
Type 12: On Boats 78
Bringing Mirrors Aboard a Boat Invites a Nefarious Plot 79
Porters Run Off with Cargo from a Boat 84
Type 13: Poetry 88
Swindling the Salt Commissioner While
Disguised as Daoists 89
Chen Quan Scams His Way Into the Arms of
a Famous Courtesan 94
Type 14: Fake Silver 98
Planting a Fake Ingot to Swindle a Farmer 99
Type 15: Government Underlings 103
Swindled on the Way Out of a Court Hearing 104
An Officer Reprimands a Captured Criminal in
Order to Halve His Flogging 109
Type 16: Marriage 111
Marrying a Street Cleaner and Provoking His Death 112
Taking a Concubine from Another Province Leads to
a Disastrous Lawsuit 117
contents vii
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Type 17: Illicit Passion 120
A Geomancer Uses His Wife to Steal a Good Seed 121
Type 18: Women 129
Coaxing a Sister-in-Law Into Adultery to
Scam Oil and Meat 130
Three Women Ride Off on Three Horses 135
A Buddhist Nun Scatters Prayer Beads to Lure a
Woman Into Adultery 138
Type 19: Kidnapping 144
A Eunuch Cooks Boys to Make a Tonic of Male Essence 145
Type 20: Corruption in Education 150
Pretending to Present Silver to
an Education Commissioner 151
Affixing Seals in a Functionary’s Chambers 154
Silver with Sham Seals Is Switched for Bricks 157
Robbed by a Gang While Sealing Silver in
an Unoccupied Room 160
A Fake Freeloader Takes Over a Con 164
Money Stashed with an Innkeeper Is Burgled 168
Type 21: Monks and Priests 173
A Buddhist Monk Identifies a Cow as His Mother 174
Eating Human Fetuses to Fake Fasting 179
Type 22: Alchemy 186
Trusting in Alchemy Harms an Entire Family 187
A Foiled Alchemy Scam Leads to a Poisoning 192
viii contents
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Type 23: Sorcery 195
Using Dream Sorcery to Rob a Family 196
Type 24: Pandering 200
A Father Searching for His Wastrel Son Himself Falls
Into Whoring 201
Appendix 1: Preface to A New Book for Foiling Swindlers:
Strange Tales from the Rivers and Lakes (1617), by Xiong Zhenji 209
Appendix 2: Story Finding List 215
Bibliography 223
contents ix
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