Morning Bell on the Pillow (Volume Two)
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Summary
Part Two of *Morning Bell on the Pillow* is a vernacular novel of manners from the Qing dynasty and a worthwhile read for lovers of classical Chinese literature. During the Zhengde era of the Ming, Fu Heng, a gentleman of Dantu County in Zhenjiang Prefecture, south of the Yangtze, rose to the post of censor and had an only daughter. He and his wife cherished her like a treasure; having no son, they could not bear to marry her out. A fellow student, the son of Gongsheng Zhong, was outstandingly handsome and clever, named Qi, styled Zhuoran, and the same age as the young lady, so he was taken into the family as a live-in son-in-law. Seeing that Fu Heng was nearly fifty and had no son, Zhuoran resolved to urge his father-in-law to take a concubine. Fu Heng took Jingu as concubine, and she bore a son, Hexian. Because Jingu died after giving birth, Fu Heng sought a wet nurse for his son. Diao Ren and his wife sold themselves into service at the household. The pair were no good, and they schemed to sow discord between Fu Heng and his son-in-law Zhuoran. After Zhuoran left, the Diao couple tyrannized the household. Deceived and made a fool of by them, Fu Heng even committed the crimes of taking bribes to sell offices and losing his seal to theft. The powerful villain Liu Jin therefore sent him to serve in the Lanzhou garrison in Shaanxi. The book's content is vivid and amusing, its language simple and colloquial. Its structural arrangement, characterization, and expression of thought and plot are all distinctive and original, highly readable, and suited to leisure reading.
Editor's review
This is the second half of the Qing vernacular novel of manners *Morning Bell on the Pillow*, continuing the tale of the Fu family's turning fortunes. The story revolves around the Diao couple's entry into the household and their scheme to sow discord between the son-in-law Zhuoran and his father-in-law; Fu Heng then incurs punishment for taking bribes to sell offices and losing his seal to theft, and is sent by the powerful villain Liu Jin to serve in the Shaanxi garrison, the plot advancing layer by layer with a clear didactic flavor of worldly warning. The novel's language is simple and colloquial, its characters sharply drawn with clear contrasts between good and evil, and its structure ingeniously arranged, shifting back and forth between family ethics and official intrigue; it offers both leisure entertainment and a glimpse of the narrative techniques of Qing vernacular fiction. Suited as light reading among classical novels, and also for readers interested in tales of manners and Ming-Qing vernacular narrative to dip into in spare moments and appreciate the traditional way of telling stories and its moral concerns.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who enjoy Ming-Qing vernacular fiction and want light, entertaining reading
- Readers interested in tales of manners, family ethics, and officialdom
- Literature enthusiasts studying narrative structure or characterization in classical fiction
- Readers hoping to read traditional stories in spare moments on the commute or before bed
Not a good fit for
- Readers who prefer fast-paced modern plots and are uncomfortable with classical vernacular
- Readers who need a complete, standalone story and do not want to start from the second volume
- Those sensitive to ancient polygamy, karmic retribution, and didacticism
Reading tips
- Read the first volume or a summary first to sort out the relationships among Fu Heng, Zhuoran, and the Diao couple before starting the second volume.
- After each chapter, summarize the plot turn in one sentence to grasp the tightly linked pace of a novel of manners.
- Pay attention to the dialogue between the Diao couple and Fu Heng to see how the author uses everyday language to set good against evil.
- Read alongside background knowledge of Ming-Qing novels of manners, understanding the story within the social ethics of its time.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第九回 脱天罗奇逢患难上
- 第九回 脱天罗奇逢患难下
- 第十回 陷黑狱卖女求生
- 第十一回 史世无一见识奇货
- 第十二回 富廷伟半夜诉衷情
- 第十三回 金遇奇弃邪归正
- 第十四回 王巡抚灭寇成功
- 第十五回 春闱得意偿书债
- 第十六回 旅店萍逢了宿缘
- 第十七回 获盗印报冤雪恨
- 第十八回 聚骨肉衣锦还乡
FAQ
Will reading the second volume without the first affect my understanding?
Somewhat. The second volume continues the relationships and conflicts of the first, and the causes of the Diao couple's entry and Zhuoran's departure lie in the earlier text. It is best to learn the first volume's outline or read the earlier text before starting the second, for smoother reading.
Is the language hard to read? Is it suitable as an introduction to classical fiction?
The material describes its language as simple and colloquial, belonging to vernacular fiction, and on the whole not hard to read. It is fairly suitable as an introductory classical novel; consult briefly on occasional ancient titles or official terms, without studying every word.
What is the story mainly about?
The second volume mainly tells of the Diao couple's entry into the household and their sowing discord between Fu Heng and his son-in-law Zhuoran; Fu Heng, fooled by them, commits the crimes of taking bribes to sell offices and losing his seal to theft, and is finally sent by Liu Jin to serve in the Shaanxi garrison. The plot centers on two lines: household conflict and official intrigue.
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About the author
不睡居士
Author
Busui Jushi (roughly, "the Layman Who Does Not Sleep") is an author about whom little is publicly known. Neither his dates, native place, nor real name can be verified, and the signature suggests a sobriquet commonly used by ancient men of letters or editors of fiction. Three works are held in the collection, all centered on the novel Zhenshang Chenzhong (The Morning Bell on the Pillow), comprising an upper and a lower volume plus a combined edition, which indicates that his main achievement lies in the compilation or creation of this classical novel. Judging from the title and its classification under classical literature, the book's name evokes the imagery of the pillow and the morning bell with a moralizing intent, in keeping with the Ming and Qing tradition of using dreams and bells to urge readers toward goodness. The subject matter concerns social life and reflections on human experience, written in an accessible style that blends narrative with admonition. Given the scarcity of sources, his life, associates, and full literary output await further study; readers may begin with the work itself.
