--_The story of the girl Ts’ing, which is told in the
Lui-shwo-li-hwan-ki, cited by the Ching-tang-luh, and commented upon in
the Wu-mu-kwan (called by the Japanese Mu-Mon-Kwan), which is a book of
the Zen sect:_--
* * * * *
There lived in Han-yang a man called Chang-Kien, whose child-daughter,
Ts’ing, was of peerless beauty. He had also a nephew called
Wang-Chau,--a very handsome boy. The children played together, and were
fond of each other. Once Kien jestingly said to his nephew:--“Some day
I will marry you to my little daughter.” Both children remembered these
words; and they believed themselves thus betrothed.
When Ts’ing grew up, a man of rank asked for her in marriage; and her
father decided to comply with the demand. Ts’ing was greatly troubled by
this decision. As for Chau, he was so much angered and grieved that he
resolved to leave home, and go to another province. The next day he got
a boat ready for his journey, and after sunset, without bidding farewell
to any one, he proceeded up the river. But in the middle of the night he
was startled by a voice calling to him, “Wait!--it is I!”--and he saw a
girl running along the bank towards the boat. It was Ts’ing. Chau was
unspeakably delighted. She sprang into the boat; and the lovers found
their way safely to the province of Chuh.
In the province of Chuh they lived happily for six years; and they had
two children. But Ts’ing could not forget her parents, and often longed
to see them again. At last she said to her husband:--“Because in former
time I could not bear to break the promise made to you, I ran away
with you and forsook my parents,--although knowing that I owed them all
possible duty and affection. Would it not now be well to try to obtain
their forgiveness?” “Do not grieve yourself about that,” said Chau;--“we
shall go to see them.” He ordered a boat to be prepared; and a few days
later he returned with his wife to Han-yang.
According to custom in such cases, the husband first went to the house
of Kien, leaving Ts’ing alone in the boat. Kien, welcomed his nephew
with every sign of joy, and said:--
“How much I have been longing to see you! I was often afraid that
something had happened to you.”