Second Marriage

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

3.8

Word count: 904 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The Book of the Later Han records: "In the reign of Emperor An, Xue Bao, styled Mengchang, of Runan, was fond of learning and steadfast in conduct. He lost his mother and was known for his extreme filial piety. When his father took a second wife, she came to dislike Bao, and he was separated from the household. Bao wept day and night and could not bring himself to leave, until he was beaten with a staff. Unable to do otherwise, he built a hut outside the house and each morning went in to sweep and sprinkle. His father grew angry and drove him out again, so he built a hut by the village gate, yet never failed in his dusk and dawn duties. After more than a year, his parents were ashamed and took him back. Later he observed mourning for six years, grieving beyond what custom required. When in time his younger brothers sought to divide the property and live apart, Bao could not stop them, so he divided the estate in half: he took the old servants, saying, 'They have served with me long; you could not command them.' He took the barren fields and cottages, saying, 'I tended them in my youth, and my heart clings to them.' He took the worn and broken utensils, saying, 'These are what I have always used; they suit my body and mouth.' His brothers several times ruined their portion, and he again relieved them. In the Jian'guang era, the imperial carriage specially summoned him, and he was appointed Palace Attendant. Bao was by nature calm and unassuming; pleading illness, he declined to rise, and begged leave to die. An edict granted him leave to return home."

Editor's review

This book centers on the story of Xue Bao's filial conduct as recorded in the Book of the Later Han, using "Remarriage" as its keynote to present the changes in family relations after a stepmother enters the household and the complexity of the filial son's situation. Though short, the text contains several layers that reward close reading: after being driven out, Xue Bao still swept the grounds at dawn, lived in a hut at the lane gate, and did not neglect the rites of evening and morning; later, when dividing property for his younger brothers, he took the old servants, the waste field and hut, and the rotten utensils. These choices embody the idea of filial fraternity while also implying reflection on family ethics and the distribution of property. This Bashu Press edition makes the original text accessible to general readers; the story is strong and well suited as an entry point for discussion of traditional filial piety and family ethics. As you read, note how the narrator shapes character with spare strokes and how "filial piety" is repeatedly tested amid family conflict. For readers interested in Han dynasty social ethics, family history, or classical narrative technique, this small book offers a path from a concrete case into large questions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in Han-dynasty family ethics and stories of filial piety
Language teachers who need short classical Chinese texts for classroom use
Social science enthusiasts interested in family issues such as stepmothers and household division
Beginners who wish to approach the text of the Book of the Later Han step by step

Not a good fit for

Specialist scholars seeking systematic study of the entire Book of the Later Han
Readers who prefer long vernacular novels or modern and contemporary literature
Readers averse to the moralizing tone of ancient ethical teachings

Reading tips

Read the story through first, then consult the relevant passage in the Book of the Later Han to understand the source and editing of the text.
Take notes on quotations around filial piety and family conflict, recording the circumstances behind each of Xue Bao's choices.
Read alongside similar ancient stories about stepmothers, comparing narrative stance and ethical judgment.
After reading, write a short commentary connecting to modern family relations, analyzing differences between ancient and modern views.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
后娶第四

FAQ

What is the core conflict of this story?

The core conflict unfolds between the estrangement of father and son after the stepmother enters the household and Xue Bao's insistence on fulfilling filial duty. Though driven from home, Xue Bao repeatedly performs the morning and evening rites, until his parents, ashamed, take him back. The story thus presents the persistence and tension of filial piety amid family conflict.

Why does Xue Bao take the old servants and barren fields when dividing property?

According to the text, Xue Bao takes the old servants because they have served with him for long, the barren fields and house because he cultivated them in his youth and is attached to them, and the worn utensils because they are what his body and mouth are accustomed to. These choices reflect both nostalgia and contentment with old things, and echo his quiet, uncontentious character.

Do I need to read the Book of the Later Han first?

No. The story itself is short and clearly structured and can be read directly. If you wish to understand Xue Bao's full biography in the historical text and its historical background, you can then consult the relevant chapters of the Book of the Later Han.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.