Yuebin

Chen HengqingNanhai Publication Company · ChinaJun 2024

3.2

Word count: 290 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

After Yuyang Shanren retired from office, there was in Xincheng a celebrated courtesan named Yuebin, who from time to time came to Yuyang's house and begged him to write poems and inscribe fans for her, so as to add to her reputation. Her poems are recorded in the *Yuewei Caotang Biji*, and everyone has seen them. In Vimalakirti's ten-foot cell, a heavenly maiden occasionally scattered flowers—just as Su Dongpo did with Qincao. But one must first be as pure and lofty as Su Dongpo for this to be acceptable. In the Jin dynasty, Ruan the Infantry Commander let himself go beyond all bodily restraints; relying on his great wealth, crowds of courtesans flocked to him. This caused his descendants to be covered with venereal sores, transmitted through several generations—this is most unacceptable. Otherwise, one should be as pure and lofty as the monk Canliao, who could have courtesans before his eyes yet no courtesans in his heart. Hence his poem presented to a courtesan says: "My Zen heart has already become willow catkins stuck in mud; would it be willing to follow the east wind up and down in wild flight?" I, however, say that in comparing himself to willow catkins stuck in mud, though his heart may not be moved, it is still not clean; it would be better than my clumsy line: "Willow catkins follow the wind but do not cling to mud."

Editor's review

Yue Bin is short, yet it gives a layered account of an old story about the famous courtesan Yue Bin and Yuyang Shanren. Chen Hengqing does not stop at retelling the poem inscribed on a fan in Yuewei Caotang Biji but uses the anecdote to examine literati refinement: from Su Dongpo and Qincao, to Ruan the Infantryman and a troupe of courtesans, to Monk Liaocan's "courtesans in the eye, none in the heart," the comparisons lead in the end to whether the word "aloof purity" can withstand practice. The discussion has the casual, reflective quality of a traditional notebook—quoting poems, using allusions, judging people—in an unhurried tone, like listening to an elder steeped in old learning chat. Its strength is that the author is not content with moral judgment but contrasts "willow catkins drift with the wind, unstained by mud" with "mud-stained catkins," discussing the subtle distinction between character and circumstance, leaving much to chew over. Suited to slow reading on a quiet afternoon, and as further reading for those interested in Ming-Qing notebooks and literati anecdotes.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Ming-Qing notebooks and literati anecdotes
Readers who enjoy tasting human feeling and moral reflection in old stories
Readers who want to understand traditional literati views of romance and aloof purity
Readers who want short essays for leisure that also prompt thought

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a full biography or systematic historical research
Those impatient with classical allusions and classical Chinese quotations
Readers hoping for a critique from a modern gender perspective

Reading tips

Read the relevant passage in Yuewei Caotang Biji first, then return to the author's analysis; the comparison is richer that way.
When you come to a quoted poem, pause and look up its source; the web of allusions becomes much clearer.
Make a small table of the author's three comparisons—Su Dongpo, Ruan Ji, Liaocan—and see what standard of judgment he applies.
After reading, ask yourself what the author means by "aloof purity" and "impurity," then reread the ending.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
月宾

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a notebook essay?

In content it is closer to an essay in the traditional notebook style, discussing an anecdote about Yue Bin and Yuyang Shanren, quoting poems, using allusions and commenting on figures. It is neither a fictional novel nor a systematic treatise.

Can I read it without having read Yuewei Caotang Biji?

Yes. The book briefly explains the inscribed fan poem and the figures' backgrounds, but if you know beforehand who Yuyang Shanren was and what kind of work Yuewei Caotang Biji is, it will be easier to follow the author's comparative intent.

What does "courtesans in the eye, none in the heart" mean in the book?

The author uses the allusion to Monk Liaocan to discuss the relation between state of mind and conduct: being amid sensuality while the heart remains unmoved. The author does not wholly agree, holding that such self-comparison is still not pure enough; readers can weigh the subtlety against the closing poem.

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About the author

Chen Hengqing Author · Chinese · 1844–1920

Chen Hengqing (1844–1920), courtesy name Zijiu, was a native of Weixian in Shandong (present-day Weicheng District, Weifang). A late Qing official and scholar, he passed the provincial examination in 1873 and the metropolitan examination in 1886. He served successively as a secretary in the Ministry of Works, rising through the Waterways, Construction, and Colonization Departments, and later held posts as Supervising Censor of the Ministry of War, Investigating Censor of the Henan Circuit, and Chief Supervising Censor. In 1908 he was appointed prefect of Jinzhou. He retired at sixty and wrote works including Jianshu Xian Notes (also known as Jili Qingtan) and Unofficial Gleanings of the Late Qing. His extant writings are considerable, with 154 titles held in our collection, many drawing on folk literature and Eastern philosophy. They touch on modern upheavals such as the militia conflicts, the Boxer movement, and the Nian rebels, as well as rural tales and social types like foxes and swindlers, and social issues such as Manchu-Han differences, bearing the documentary flavor of note-style historiography. Public information is limited, and his literary standing and influence await further study.