"Du Zichun" () is a

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

first published in the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

. It revolves around the eponymous protagonist and a Taoist priest, who enlists his help in producing the

elixir of life The elixir of life, also known as elixir of immortality, is a potion that supposedly grants the drinker eternal life and/or eternal youth. This elixir was also said to cure all diseases. Alchemists in various ages and cultures sought the means ...

Plot

After spending all of his inheritance, Du Zichun () encounters an elderly stranger who hands him an enormous amount of money. Du spends all of that, only to meet the old man for a second time, who passes him an even greater amount of money. Despite resolving to be more disciplined, Du finds himself penniless again. For yet another time, the old man bails Du out. This time, he uses the money to help both the needy and his family members. Upon reconvening with the old man, Du learns that he is a Taoist priest. The priest brings Du to

Mount Hua Mount Hua () is a mountain located near the city of Huayin in Shaanxi Province, about east of Xi'an. It is the "Western Mountain" of the Five Great Mountains of China and has a long history of religious significance. Originally classified as ...

, where he is making the

. Du is tasked with smelting the elixir; the priest enjoins him to remain silent no matter what happens. Du begins to experience a series of intense hallucinations involving an army, terrifying animals, and violent weather. He is unfazed, even as he meets a legion of demons who boil and dismember his wife, before fatally torturing Du himself. Reborn as the daughter of a local magistrate in Shanfu County,

Songzhou Songzhou or Song Prefecture () was a ''Zhou (country subdivision), zhou'' (prefecture) in history of China, imperial China centering on modern Shangqiu, Henan, China. It existed (intermittently) from 596 to 1006. The Song dynasty was named after t ...

, Du-as-woman remains silent for several years and is assumed to be

mute Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak. Mute or the Mute may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart * ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...

, although she is also reputed for her beauty. She marries a scholar and gives birth to a boy. Two years pass, and not a single word has been exchanged between husband and wife. Exasperated at Du-as-woman's silence, the scholar takes their child and dashes him against the rocks. Du lets out a cry of anguish and instantly finds himself back at Mount Hua. The elixir is destroyed and the temple is engulfed by purple flames. The priest tells Du that although he has renounced feelings of joy, anger, sadness, and fear, he has not let go of love. Disappointed in himself, Du returns home. He later attempts to retrace his steps at Mount Hua but the old man is nowhere to be seen.

Authorship and publication history

"Du Zichun" was first published in the

and began circulating as a popular story in the 800s. It is the first entry of the ''Xuanguai lu'' (; ''Records of the Mysterious and Strange'') by Niu Sengru, dated between 805 and 826. The story is also collected in the ''Xu Xuanguai lu'' (; ''Sequel to the Record of Dark Mysteries'') by Li Fuyan (), as well as the ''

Taiping Guangji The ''Taiping Guangji'' (), sometimes translated as the ''Extensive Records of the Taiping Era'', or ''Extensive Records of the Taiping Xinguo Period'', is a collection of stories compiled in the early Song dynasty. The work was completed in 978 ...

'', which attributes authorship to Li. However, according to Sing-chen Lydia Chiang, "the consensus of several contemporary scholars points to Niu Sengru as the real author of the story." An English translation of the story by James R. Hightower, titled "The Alchemist", was published in 2000.

Analysis and reception

According to Carrie Reed, the story is an example of ''

chuanqi Chuanqi ("strange tale", "legend", or "romance", depending on context) may refer to two related but distinct forms of Chinese fiction: *Chuanqi (short story), a genre of Chinese fiction usually associated with the Tang dynasty (618–907); the sto ...

'' (tales of the strange). Whereas the story has a Taoist setting, Sheng-Tai Chang argues that its themes are "clearly Buddhist".

John Minford John Minford (born 22 June 1946) is a British sinologist and literary translator. He is primarily known for his translation of Chinese classics such as 40 chapters of '' The Story of the Stone'', ''The Art of War'', the ''I Ching'' and the ''Tao ...

and Joseph Lau write that the story pertains to the "illusory nature of human existence" and the "reality that lies beyond the illusion of the emotions." Lau adds that "Du Zichun" is a "moral commentary on the paradoxical nature of immortality", while David Shulman describes the story as a "powerful illustration of the pathos and paradox of ultimate detachment." William Nienhauser writes that the story is "an exploration of the limits of the self and transformation". Qian Xiyan (), a literary critic active in the late

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

, found that the story justified his "overwhelming grief at the death of his young son".

Inspiration

"Du Zichun" has many significant parallels with "Lieshi chi" (; "Pool of the Hero"), a seventh-century parable collected in the seventh volume of the '' Great Tang Records on the Western Regions'' by

Xuanzang Xuanzang (, ; 602–664), born Chen Hui / Chen Yi (), also known as Hiuen Tsang, was a 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator. He is known for the epoch-making contributions to Chinese Buddhism, the travelogue of ...

. In "Lieshi chi", a Taoist priest similarly rescues a man from poverty and tasks him with helping to cultivate the elixir of life. The man remains silent throughout a perceived sixty-five years of

reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...

, only to forget his vow after being reborn as a woman whose husband is threatening to kill their child unless she speaks. Ninth-century stories like "Wei Zidong" () and "Xiao Dongxuan" (), written around the same time as "Du Xichun", also share many important plot points with "Lieshi chi".

Adaptations

The story has been adapted by many other writers, often with modifications to the ending. "Du Zichun san ru Chang'an" (; "Du Zichun enters Chang'an three times") by

Feng Menglong Feng Menglong (1574–1646), courtesy names Youlong (), Gongyu (), Ziyou (), or Eryou (), was a Chinese historian, novelist, and poet of the late Ming Dynasty. He was born in Changzhou County, now part of Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province. Life Fen ...

retains much of the original plot in "Du Zichun", but allows its protagonist to successfully continue pursuing immortality after his initial setback. The

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

short story "Yangzhou meng" (; "Dreams in Yangzhou") by Yue Duan () likewise retells "Du Zichun" but with a happy ending. In the Japanese short story "Toshishun" (1920) by

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa , art name , was a Japanese writer active in the Taishō period in Japan. He is regarded as the "father of the Japanese short story", and Japan's premier literary award, the Akutagawa Prize, is named after him. He committed suicide at the age of ...

, the protagonist fails the test but as a son grieving for his mother, who has been reborn as a horse. Moreover, both he and the Taoist priest remain optimistic about the future.

References

Citations

Works cited

* * * * * * * * * {{authority control Tang dynasty short stories Historical short stories Short stories set in Shaanxi Stories within Taiping Guangji Short stories set in the 6th century Sui dynasty in fiction Northern and Southern dynasties in fiction Short stories set in Imperial China Fantasy short stories Fiction about alchemy Taoism in popular culture 9th-century literature