The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai
Weatherhead Books on Asia
THE
Sing-song
HAN BANGQING
Girls of Shanghai
First translated by Eileen Chang
Revised and edited by Eva Hung
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS :: NEW YORK
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS
Publishers Since 1893
New York Chichester, West Sussex
cup.columbia.edu
Copyright © 2005 University of Southern California
All rights reserved
E-ISBN 978-0-231-52945-7
The illustrations appearing on the title page and page 1 are reprinted from Renditions, nos. 17 and 18, with permission from the Research Centre for Translation, Chinese University of Hong Kong.
This publication has been supported by the Richard W. Weatherhead Publication Fund of the East Asian Institute, Columbia University.
: :
The University of Southern California would like to thank Mr. Stephen C. Soong and Mrs. Mae Soong for their generous donation of the manuscript of Eileen Chang’s draft translation of this novel. Columbia University Press and the University of Southern California Library would like to thank Lillian Pu Yang, whose initial efforts to reconstruct the manuscript and bring this work to the attention of scholars led to the publishing contract between USC and Columbia University Presss.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Han, Bangqing, 1856–1894.
[Hai shang hua lie zhuan. English]
The sing-song girls of Shanghai / Han Bangqing ;
first translated by Eileen chang ; revised and edited by Eva Hung.
p. cm.—(Weatherhead books on Asia) Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0–231–12268–3 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Han, Bangqing, 1856–1894—Translations into English. I. Title. II. Series.
PL2710.A58H313 2005
895.1’348—dc22
2005043234
A Columbia University Press E-book.
CUP would be pleased to hear about your reading experience with this e-book at cup-ebook@columbia.edu.
CONTENTS ::
FOREWORD, by David Wang
TRANSLATOR’S NOTE, by Eileen Chang
CAST OF MAJOR CHARACTERS, compiled by Eva Hung
CHAPTER 1 :: Simplicity Zhao visits his uncle on Salt Melon Street, and Benevolence Hong makes a match at the Hall of Beauties
CHAPTER 2 :: A callow youth trying a pipe is just good for a laugh, and a virgin courtesan attending a party is unscathed by a gibe
CHAPTER 3 :: A professional name links the new girl to the belles of the family, and etiquette places a young man in the seat of honor
CHAPTER 4 :: Benevolence acts as comprador to help a friend, and Pearlie signals to her girl to curb her jealousy
CHAPTER 5 :: An empty slot is speedily filled by a new love, and a new arrangement is kept from an old flame
CHAPTER 6 :: A playful belle calls her client her son, and a phenomenal girl dominates her madam
CHAPTER 7 :: One girl casts a spell and lays a vicious trap, and another meets a good mate but can’t escape her fate
CHAPTER 8 :: Second Sister retains a treasure box with dark designs, and Green Phoenix refuses a carriage ride with ready wit
CHAPTER 9 :: Little Rouge fells Constance with her fist, and Green Phoenix engages Prosperity in a battle of words
CHAPTER 10 :: A new girl is given strict instructions at her toilet, and old debts are lightly dismissed by a hanger-on
CHAPTER 11 :: The fire bell ringing at night causes a false alarm, and a brother-in-law on a family visit gets a warm welcome
CHAPTER 12 :: A peacemaker is dispatched behind the beloved’s back, and trickery provides cover for an adulterous woman
CHAPTER 13 :: At the deflowering of Jewel, someone waits in the wings, and on the mah-jongg table, a trap is set for Crane Li
CHAPTER 14 :: A lone whoremonger meets rough company, and a gang of conspirators runs a crooked game
CHAPTER 15 :: Bright Pearl attends a party at Civic Peace Alley, and Pragmatic Li smokes opium at the House of Floral Rain
CHAPTER 16 :: A bargain for a rich patron carries hidden consequences, and a game of dominoes serves as a pastime
CHAPTER 17 :: Twin Pearl secretly criticizes her mother, and Benevolence Hong severely reprimands his nephew
CHAPTER 18 :: A lined jacket conveys Jade Tao’s deep love, and an expensive banquet allays White Fragrance’s wrath
CHAPTER 19 :: Deceived by love, Modesty Zhu misreads a hidden motive; plagued by illness, Water Blossom puts on a brave face
CHAPTER 20 :: Water Blossom, aggrieved, rages at the mirror, and Jade Tao, deeply in love, shares her nightmare
CHAPTER 21 :: A prostitute lies about consulting the gods to find a missing article, and a henpecked husband throws a party behind his wife’s back
CHAPTER 22 :: Green Phoenix secures a loan toward her ransom, and Snow Scent is angered by an argument about shopping
CHAPTER 23 :: A young girl overhears things said behind her back, and a jealous wife courts insult in a brothel
CHAPTER 24 :: Constance protects a fellow courtesan to keep the peace, and Simplicity Zhao, a ruined man, feels no regret
CHAPTER 25 :: A fond lover’s chiding revives old memories, and the time of the month delays a tryst
CHAPTER 26 :: Nocturnal sounds show a couple’s real prowess, and a lustful look betrays a woman’s false modesty
CHAPTER 27 :: The drunk who disrupts a tryst empties his stomach, and a whore’s burning hands prove her randy nature
CHAPTER 28 :: A policeman mounts the roof of a gambling den, and a whoremonger shames his family by pulling a ricksha
CHAPTER 29 :: Second Treasure and her friend go in search of her brother, and an adopted relative takes the girls sight-seeing
CHAPTER 30 :: The Zhaos move to new quarters that come with hired help, and an old barber complains about his worthless son in a teahouse
CHAPTER 31 :: An uncle’s reproaches lead to the severing of family ties, and a difference in taste frustrates a would-be matchmaker
CHAPTER 32 :: Gold Flower gets a whipping for imitating her better, and Twin Jade leaves a handkerchief as a token for her lover
CHAPTER 33 :: Little Rouge is unhappy with the jade jewelry, and Lotuson Wang goes on a drunken rampage
CHAPTER 34 :: The wanton shrew gets her just punishment, and the cuckolded lover gets married in revenge
CHAPTER 35 :: Second Treasure, poverty-stricken, takes up the oldest profession, and River Blossom, falling ill, spoils everyone’s fun
CHAPTER 36 :: A strange love feeds on constant squabbling, and a miracle cure depends on the good doctor
CHAPTER 37 :: A willing apprentice is rewarded with torture, and a brothel hand is blackmailed into a loan
CHAPTER 38 :: Second Treasure hopes for wedded bliss in the Shi family, and Harmony Qi hosts a party in Rustic Retreat
CHAPTER 39 :: A drinking game sees ivory sticks fly at the pavilion, and golden carp draw fishing boats to compete on the lake
CHAPTER 40 :: A bridge of magpies joins two stars on Lovers’ Day, and a witty pun is a stone that kills two birds
CHAPTER 41 :: Harsh words in the boudoir kill old loyalties, and a reunion in the garden cures lovesickness
CHAPTER 42 :: Water Blossom, leaving her beloved, departs this world, and Cloud Tao, worried about his brother, faces the funeral
CHAPTER 43 :: An empty room is a potent reminder of lost love, and innocent words affirm that the dead will return
CHAPTER 44 :: Wenjun tricks a rascal and gets of
f with a song, and Green Phoenix tackles greed by insisting on a low ransom
CHAPTER 45 :: The vile crone changes color when a settlement is overturned, and the child courtesan gets jealous when left on the sidelines
CHAPTER 46 :: Green Fragrance acquires new friends through child’s play, and Jade Tao revisits an old haunt for a memorial service
CHAPTER 47 :: Cloudlet Chen has the good fortune of meeting a benefactor, and Snow Scent gets predictions for a male child
CHAPTER 48 :: Mistake after mistake bars the gates of the mansion, and swindle after swindle exemplifies the ways of the marketplace
CHAPTER 49 :: What’s returned to the owner becomes a target for theft, and a member of the family is marked for extortion
CHAPTER 50 :: A rascal’s tactics are aimed at faultfinding, and a slight interruption brings a beating
CHAPTER 51 :: A fugitive hides from an unwelcome guest, and a slave artiste vies with a courtesan
CHAPTER 52 :: A young woman in a lonely bed dreads an empty room, and hospitality means a shared bed and chatting through the night
CHAPTER 54 :: A faithless lover half-heartedly plights his troth, and an unfaithful woman gets a well-deserved beating
CHAPTER 55 :: Second Treasure is plagued by doubts despite her lover’s promise of marriage, and Verdure Xu is embarrassed for sharing a whore’s bed with his friends
CHAPTER 56 :: Third Pan, the underground prostitute, plots a theft, and Yao, the daytime patron, stays the night
CHAPTER 57 :: Honeyed words pacify a jealous wife, and persistent questions reveal a story of adultery
CHAPTER 58 :: Young Mr. Li throws away his entire fortune, and Third Sister Chu excels at preposterous lies
CHAPTER 59 :: Second Sister employs an old ruse to filch important documents, and Jade Wenjun begs for a poem to boost her fame
CHAPTER 60 :: An old man gets an opium addict for a wife, and the keeper-turned-thief performs a vanishing act
CHAPTER 61 :: An amateur archer shows superb marksmanship, and a clever servant labors over poetic composition
CHAPTER 62 :: Simplicity Zhao’s affair with the servant girl is exposed, and Twin Jade overhears gossip about “wives”
CHAPTER 63 :: Contributions are pooled to facilitate a good match, and wise plans are made to redirect Twin Jade’s feelings
CHAPTER 64 :: Anger makes Second Treasure pawn her bracelet, and a kick in her chest causes internal injuries
AFTERWORD, by Eva Hung
THE WORLD OF THE SHANGHAI COURTESANS, by Eva Hung
FOREWORD ::
David Der-wei Wang
Sing-song Girls of Shanghai (Haishanghua liezhuan, 1894, hereafter referred to as Sing-song Girls) is the greatest late Qing courtesan novel, and next to Flowers in the Mirror (Jinghuayuan, 1830), it may well be the greatest work of nineteenth-century Chinese fiction. The novel provides a panoramic portrait of life in the Shanghai pleasure quarters during the last decades of the nineteenth century. In sixty-four chapters, it describes more than two dozen courtesans and their patrons, seen in the twin sports of desiring and being desired, and it inquires into the moral and psychological consequences of their romantic adventures.
The author of Sing-song girls is Han Bangqing (1856–1894). A native of Lou County in Songjiang Prefecture, Han spent his youth in Beijing with his father, a low-ranking governmental official. Despite his reputation as a child prodigy, Han repeatedly failed the civil service examinations. He eventually gave up hope of an official career and settled in Shanghai, becoming a regular contributor to the newspaper Shenbao with a column about the demimonde. Sing-song Girls was allegedly based on Han Bangqing’s personal experience. He is said to have been a regular patron of Shanghai brothels and made the boudoirs of some of his favorite courtesans into scenes of intimate investigation.
Han Bangqing’s decadent lifestyle may sound much like that led by many other drifting scholars from the late Qing period. In Han’s case, however, two things merit attention. In 1892 Han Bangqing founded a magazine entitled Haishang qishu (A book of Shanghai wonders), a biweekly that featured his collection of Gothic short stories, Taixian mangao (Sketches of Taixian), and his novel, Sing-song Girls, in serialization. Although it lasted for only eight months, Haishang qishu appears to be “the first literary magazine in Chinese history.”1 By writing fiction and running a literary magazine for commercial purposes, Han Bangqing has also been regarded as the “first professional literary writer” of modern China.2
Second, Sing-song Girls is a novel that highlights Shanghai as the geographical locale that gives meaning to the story narrated. As the first “modern” city in China, Shanghai was not merely a rising metropolis that served as the new center of foreign and domestic trades. It conveyed an urban aura different from that of traditional cities, thanks to the creation of new social groups, economic relationships, and habits of consumption.3 Shanghai thrived on account of the competition and interaction between and among foreign and indigenous forces, practices, and institutions; and the upper-class courtesan houses, located mostly in the foreign concessions, stood out as some of the most visible sites—almost a “public sphere—in which such competition and interaction were carried out. It is against this transactional and transient background that the sing-song girls gathered and parted like flowers drifting on the surface of an unfathomable sea, as the reverse of the name of Shanghai, haishang, suggests.
Ironically enough, Sing-song Girls has never been popular among general readers. People usually attribute this unpopularity to the fact that it is written in the Wu dialect and therefore is unreadable to readers from other regions of China. Actually, the novel should not be all that unintelligible to Chinese readers, as the Wu dialect is used mostly by courtesan characters to reflect the refined linguistic taste of their profession. Moreover, the language problem was overcome thanks to the acclaimed novelist Eileen Chang, who translated the dialectal part of the book into Mandarin Chinese in 1983.4 Chang is also to be credited for having produced the original English version of the novel.
The real reason for the novel’s unpopularity might lie in the fact that it does not read like the courtesan novel we generally know. Compared with conventional courtesan novels of the late Qing period, Sing-song Girls falls short of the sentimental narcissism that characterizes A Precious Mirror of Flowers (Pinhua baojian, 1849) and Traces of Flowers and Moon (Huayuehen, 1872), and it never emulates Nine-Tailed Turtle (Jiuweigui, 1911) in sensationalizing the sordid dealings of the prostitutes and their clients. Han Bangqing narrates everything in a matter-of-fact style, to the point where even the most glamorous banquets and the most sensuous rendezvous sound like familiar and familial routines. As it is, his novel seduces us by rendering a special linguistic sensation one would not have expected after having read traditional courtesan novels. It initiates a way of describing desire and passion in the courtesan house from a perspective that would only later be likened to the fiction of psychological realism.
The courtesans and their customers in Sing-song Girls appear as a group of amazingly ordinary women and men. They meet, fall in love, quarrel, break up, and are reunited just like ordinary couples, but, on the other hand, they know they are only playing roles commensurable with those of husband and wife. While they could not care less about composing love letters and poems to each other, as clichéd formulae would have it, they are equally not at all obsessed with what goes on in bed. Eileen Chang is right in pointing out that “there is no sensuous quality [in the novel], though the novel’s topic is the pleasure quarters of Shanghai eighty years ago.”5 The demarcation lines between love and lust, vanity and disillusionment, which are so handily drawn in most courtesan novels, here cannot be identified with ease. Thus critics have concluded that Sing-song Girls excels most Chinese fiction since The Dream of the Red Chamber (Honglou meng, 1791).6
The real
ism of the novel brings into question not only the lifestyle of courtesans as received or imagined by society but also the cultural, aesthetic motivations of reading and writing the courtesan romance as such. One should also see the novel’s lifelike atmosphere as an “effect of the real,” an effect that arises as the novel pits itself against the narrative conventions of the courtesan novel. At his best, Han Bangqing plays in his novel with a fascinating contradiction of goals: he writes to upset the unlikely romantic myth of courtesan life, yet his realistic endeavor works also to ensure the continued existence of that myth, which, however questionable, has become part of the cultural capital circulated among the characters and contemporary readers alike.
::
Sing-song Girls features numerous episodes about the romantic games in the courtesan house, but the most compelling are those dealing with the theatrics of desire and virtue. Han Bangqing understands that being a courtesan is a profession, or an art, of faking virtues and indulging desires. His novel thus excels in featuring a gallery of courtesans who are not paragons of virtue but first-rate players upon desire in the name of virtue: love, fidelity, generosity, and even chastity. Making love is literally the artificial staging of erotic desire in accordance with a set of gestures of virtue and the much-awaited sex scene often comes only as an afterthought.
Nevertheless, engaging drama often happens, with the girls spoiling the delicate balance between desire and virtue, fantasy and necessity, by consuming one at the expense of the other. When our sirens are enchanted by their own devastating songs, they become parodies of their bitter profession. Paradoxically, when they fail to carry out their professional arts, these sing-song girls show, either in personality or in action, a magnanimity that would have been endorsed by the virtuous romances they are employed to simulate.
There is yet another twist in Han Bangqing’s taxonomy of desire. When a girl is determined to carry out “genuine” virtue above all else, she may do so in such a fervent way as to cultivate a new kind of desire. An excess of virtue often verges on a transgression of virtue; a fanatic passion to be virtuous tends to place itself ambiguously in the courtyard of desire. Contrasted to most late Qing courtesan novels, which mouth crude moral pretensions as an excuse for debauchery, Sing-song Girls ventures to mix virtues with temptations in a truly dialogical way.