Table Of ContentThe Plum in the Golden Vase
or, CHIN P'ING MEI
VOLUME THREE: THE APHRODISIAC
Translated by David Tod Roy
2
Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street,
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press,
3 Market Place, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1SY
All Rights Reserved.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hsiao-hsiao-sheng
[Chin P'ing Mei. English]
The plum in the golden vase, or, Chin P'ing Mei /
translated by David Tod Roy.
p. cm. —(Princeton library of Asian translations)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents: v. 1. The gathering. v. 2. The rivals.
ISBN-13: 978-0-691-12534-3
ISBN-10: 0-691-12534-1
1. Roy, David Tod 1933–. II. Title III. Series.
PL2698.H73C4713 1993
895.I′346–dc20 92-45054
This book has been composed in Electra
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (R1997) (Permanence of Paper)
www.pup.princeton.edu
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
3
To all those students, friends, and colleagues
WHO PARTICIPATED WITH ME IN THE EXCITEMENT
OF EXPLORING THE WORLD OF THE CHIN P'ING MEI
OVER THE PAST QUARTER CENTURY
4
CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CAST OF CHARACTERS
CHAPTER 41
Hsi-men Ch'ing Forms a Marriage Alliance with Ch'iao Hung; P'an Chin-
lien Engages in a Quarrel with Li P'ing-erh
CHAPTER 42
A Powerful Family Blocks Its Gate in Order to Enjoy Fireworks;
Distinguished Guests in a High Chamber Appreciate the Lanterns
CHAPTER 43
Because of the Missing Gold Hsi-men Ch'ing Curses Chin-lien; As a Result
of the Betrothal Yüeh-niang Meets Madame Ch'iao
CHAPTER 44
Wu Yüeh-niang Detains Li Kuei-chieh Overnight; Hsi-men Ch'ing Drunkenly
Interrogates Hsia-hua
CHAPTER 45
Li Kuei-chieh Requests the Retention of Hsia-hua; Wu Yüeh-niang in a Fit
of Anger Curses at Tai-an
CHAPTER 46
Rain and Snow Interrupt a Walk during the Lantern Festival; Wife and
Concubines Laughingly Consult the Tortoise Oracle
CHAPTER 47
Wang Liu-erh Peddles Influence in Pursuit of Profit; Hsi-men Ch'ing
Accepts a Bribe and Subverts the Law
CHAPTER 48
Investigating Censor Tseng Impeaches the Judicial Commissioners; Grand
Preceptor Ts'ai Submits a Memorial Regarding Seven Matters
CHAPTER 49
Hsi-men Ch'ing Welcomes Investigating Censor Sung Ch'iao-nien; In the
Temple of Eternal Felicity He Encounters an Indian Monk
5
CHAPTER 50
Ch'in-t'ung Eavesdrops on the Joys of Lovemaking; Tai-an Enjoys a Pleasing
Ramble in Butterfly Lane
CHAPTER 51
Yüeh-niang Listens to the Exposition Of The Diamond Sutra; Li Kuei-chieh
Seeks Refuge in the Hsi-men Ch'ing Household
CHAPTER 52
Ying Po-chüeh Intrudes on a Spring Beauty in the Grotto; P'an Chin-lien
Inspects a Mushroom in the Flower Garden
CHAPTER 53
Wu Yüeh-niang Engages in Coition in Quest of Male Progeny; Li P'ing-erh
Fulfills a Vow in Order to Safeguard Her Son
CHAPTER 54
Ying Po-chüeh Convenes His Friends in a Suburban Garden; Jen Hou-ch'i
Diagnoses an Illness for a Powerful Family
CHAPTER 55
Hsi-men Ch'ing Observes a Birthday in the Eastern Capital; Squire Miao
from Yang-chou Sends a Present of Singing Boys
CHAPTER 56
Hsi-men Ch'ing Assists Ch'ang Shih-chieh; Ying Po-chüeh Recommends
Licentiate Shui
CHAPTER 57
Abbot Tao Solicits Funds to Repair the Temple of Eternal Felicity; Nun
Hsüeh Enjoins Paying for the Distribution of the Dh ran Sutra
CHAPTER 58
Inspired by a Fit of Jealousy Chin-lien Beats Ch'iu-chü; Begging Cured Pork
the Mirror Polisher Tells a Sob Story
CHAPTER 59
Hsi-men Ch'ing Dashes “Snow Lion” to Death; Li P'ing-erh Cries Out in
Pain for Kuan-ko
CHAPTER 60
Li P'ing-erh Becomes Ill Because of Suppressed Anger; Hsi-men Ch'ing's
Silk Goods Store Opens for Business
NOTES
6
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
7
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
The Interplay of Two Infants Leads to a Marriage Alliance
P'an Chin-lien Punishes Ch'iu-chü to Get at Li P'ing-erh
A Powerful Family Blocks Its Gate in Order to Enjoy Fireworks
Distinguished Guests in a High Chamber Appreciate the Lanterns
P'an Chin-lien Exchanges Caustic Taunts with Hsi-men Ch'ing
As a Result of the Betrothal Yüeh-niang Meets Madame Ch'iao
Hsia-hua Is Found under the Manger with the Stolen Gold
Two Beauties Enjoy a Game of Elephant Chess by Lamplight
Hsi-men Ch'ing Accepts the Pawning of a Bronze Gong and Drum
Li P'ing-erh Contributes a Gift of White Satin to Wu Yin-erh
Rain and Snow Interrupt a Walk during the Lantern Festival
Wife and Concubines Laughingly Consult the Tortoise Oracle
Miao Ch'ing Connives in the Murder of His Master
Hsi-men Ch'ing Takes a Bribe and Subverts the Law
Chin-lien Puts a Wreath of Peach Blossoms on Ching-chi's Cap
Lai-pao Passes the Mounted Courier Conveying the Impeachment
Hsi-men Ch'ing Meets the Boat of the Salt-Control Censor
In the Temple of Eternal Felicity He Meets an Indian Monk
Ch'in-t'ung Eavesdrops on the Joys of Lovemaking
Tai-an Enjoys a Pleasing Ramble in Butterfly Lane
Chin-lien Hits the Cat while Sucking Off Hsi-men Ch'ing
Ching-chi Loses at Cards and Consents to Stand a Treat
Ying Po-chüeh Intrudes on a Spring Beauty in the Grotto
P'an Chin-lien Inspects a Mushroom in the Flower Garden
A Tryst between Chin-lien and Ching-chi Is Interrupted
Wu Yüeh-niang Recites a Sutra in Quest of Male Progeny
Ying Po-chüeh Tickles Han Chin-ch'uan in an Indecorous Way
Jen Hou-ch'i Diagnoses an Illness for a Powerful Family
Hsi-men Ch'ing Observes a Birthday in the Eastern Capital
Miao Ch'ing Presents Hsi-men Ch'ing with Two Singing Boys
Hsi-men Ch'ing Comes to the Assistance of Cadger Ch'ang
Cadger Ch'ang with Silver in Hand Lords It over His Wife
Hsi-men Ch'ing Subscribes a Sum for the Temple's Repair
P'an Chin-lien and Ch'en Ching-chi Enjoy a Furtive Tryst
P'an Chin-lien Beats a Dog at the Expense of a Human Being
P'an Chin-lien and Meng Yü-lou Patronize a Mirror Polisher
8
Hsi-men Ch'ing Exposes His Organ and Startles Cheng Ai-yüeh
Li P'ing-erh on Seeing the Clapper-Drum Grieves for Kuan-ko
Li P'ing-erh Dreams of Hua Tzu-hsü Demanding Her Life
Hsi-men Ch'ing's Silk Goods Store Opens for Business
9
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
O
F THOSE who have helped to make the appearance of this volume
possible in innumerable ways, I wish particularly to thank James Cahill,
Lois Fusek, Philip Gossett, Donald Harper, Pieter Keulemans, Victor Mair,
Janel Mueller, my copy editor, Anita O'Brien, David Rolston, Charles
Stone, Sophie Volpp, and Yü Chün-fang.
To my wife, Barbara Chew Roy, who urged me to embark on this
interminable task, and who has lent me her unwavering support over the
years despite the extent to which the work has preoccupied me, I owe a
particular debt of gratitude. Without her encouragement I would have had
neither the temerity to undertake it nor the stamina to continue it.
For indispensable technical advice and assistance concerning computers,
printers, and word-processing programs, I continue to be indebted to
Charles Stone.
The research that helped to make this work possible was materially
assisted by a Grant for Research on Chinese Civilization from the American
Council of Learned Societies in 1976–77, grants from the National
Endowment for the Humanities in 1983–86 and 1995–96, a Residential
Faculty Fellowship from the Chicago Humanities Institute in 1994–95, and
gifts from the Norman and Carol Nie Foundation in 1995 and 2000. The
Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations and the Division of
Humanities at the University of Chicago have also been generous in
allowing me the time and space to devote to this project. For all of the
above assistance, without which this venture could not have been
contemplated, I am deeply grateful.
Needless to say, whatever infelicities and errors remain in the translation
are solely my own.
10
